CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovation- 2022 April2022

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www.insightssuccess.comVOL 04 | ISSUE-19 | 2022 Transforming Business Through Innovaon 2022 President & CEO CareSource Erhardt Leadership Redefined Enroute to Success Changing Leaderships The Break from the Orthodox Leadership

Editor’s Desk

Influential CEOs with their Innovative Ways

henatureofbusinesshaschangedalongwith

Tmainstreaminnovationanditsapplicationsacross industries.Innovationcarriesdifferentmeanings andimpactsonbusinesses,touchingonvariousaspectsof organizationaloperationsanddevelopmentstrategies.

Theprevalenceofdigitalbusinesseshastransformedthe natureofleadershipintoday’snewbusinessmodels.There isadirectimpactontheleaderstokeeptheorganization competitiveandleveragetheirknowledgeofconsumer preferences.Innovationallowsbusinessestoentirely reimaginetraditionalbusinessmodels,givinganadvantage tobusinessleaderssuchasCEOs.

CEOsrespondtothechangingmarketconditions,customer needs,andtrendsbyleveraginginnovativetechnologies withinnovativemodels,includingself-learningplatforms thathelpcreateopportunitiesforthepeople.

Withallthefascinationaroundinnovativetoolsand technologies,ithasalreadybecomeanimmensepartofthe future.CEOshavebroughtinnovationtoagriculture,theoil andgasindustry,radiology,financialtechnology,security, etc.SuccessfulCEOsstronglybelieveininnovation, investingsubstantialtimeandresourcestoharvestits potential.CEOsthatleverageinnovationeffectivelyenjoys acompetitiveedgeforyearstocome,conductingthe necessarygroundworktoattracttalentwhocanwalkonthe pathtowardsanewreality.

TechnologicaladvancementsallowCEOstooperate globally,increasingcompetitiontoquicklyadaptand allowingbusinessestojumptoanotherlevelofefficiency

andexperience.Asinnovationspreadsquicklydueto itstechnologicalnature,itiseasierforbusinessesto functionandjumpoverbarriers.

Althoughtheraceforinnovativetalentisfierce,itis notunprecedented.AstheCEOshavematuredalong withinnovation,theyhaveanewfoundappreciation forwork-lifebalance,benefitsofthework-fromhome,andtheopportunitytoimpacttheworld positively.Onaglobalfront,CEOsserveasa‘digital tunnel’forcompanies,crossingoceansandreaching newaudiences.

Asaresult,weatInsightsSuccessarefocusingon suchinnovativebusinessleadersthroughour upcomingedition, “CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovation, 2022.” Weshedlightontheir journeysinbecominginnovativebusinessleaders andchangingthemotivationsofincumbentsto innovate.Thisisacompetition-drivenfield,where innovationfallsshort,andCEOscometoourrescue withtheirpragmaticapproach.

Lastly,donotforgettogothroughthearticleswritten byourin-houseeditorialteam,whichwillgiveyoua briefunderstandingoftheinnovativeknow-howand trends.

Readon!
sourabh@insightssuccess.com Sourabh More
ARTICLES Leadership Redefined Enroute to Success 28 Changing Leaderships The Break from the Orthodox Leadership 50 Erhardt Cover Story 08 Caroline Lafferty The Entrepreneur at the Intersection of Cryptocurrency and Animal Advocacy 16 CHRISTOPHER AMOS A Profound Trailblazer Offering Marketing Solutions for Micro-Enterprises 20

Jude Gomes

Bessant

Mohammed Mubin Mallick

Mr. Sami Sharif

Rob Rosenberger

Shivers

Protecting Lifestyles, Dreams, and Ambitions of Sri Lankans 30
An Embodiment of a Proven Leadership 38 Thomas
A Relentless Leader with a Progressive Approach 52 Edwin
Leading With Courage, Tenacity, and Diligence 24
A Doyen in the Field of Robotics 34 Thomas A. Bock A Recognized Life-Science Leader Developing a New Class of Oncology Medicines 46 CONTENTS
Transforming Federal Contracting Community with a Novel Approach 42
sales@insightssuccess.com April, 2022 Editor-in-Chief Senior Sales Manager Business Development Manager Marketing Manager Technical Head Technical Specialist Digital Marketing Manager Research Analyst Database Management Technology Consultant Pooja M Bansal Managing Editor Jenny Fernandes Executive Editor Sourabh More Assistant Editors Visualizer David King Art & Design Director Associate Designer Kshitij S Peter Collins John Matthew Sales Executives David, Martin Business Development Executives Steve, Joe, SaurabhJacob Smile Aditya Marry D'Souza SME-SMO Executive Atul Dhoran Frank Adams Circulation Manager Robert Brown Stella Andrew David Stokes Shyam Sonawane Copyright © 2022 Insights Success, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success. Follow us on : www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/ www.twitter.com/insightssuccess We are also available on : Anish Miller Sonia Raizada

DescriptionCompanyNameFeaturedPerson

CarolineLafferty FounderandCEO

ChristopherAmos CEO&Chief DigitalArchitect

EdwinBessant CEO

ErhardtPreitauer President&CEO

CaliCoin calicoin.me

NoBoundaries MarketingGroup noboundaries.marketing

CeutaGroup ceutagroup.com

CareSource caresource.com

JudeGomes ChiefExecutiveOfficer

Mohammed MubinMallick CEO&Founder

Mr.SamiSharif CEO

RobRosenberger CEO&Co-founder

UnionAssurancePLC unionassurance.com

KiranSmart kiransmart.com

KuwaitInsurance Company kic-kw.com

Blackdragon blackdragon.expert

ThomasA.Bock MD,MBA,CEO Notable notablelabs.com

ThomasP.Shivers CEOandPresident

FourStonePartners fourstonepartners.com

CaliCoinisacharitytokenfocusedonhelpingwhatweterm, “AnimalsofDetermination”(“AOD”)–Animalswhichsuffer fromadisabilityand/orarehomeless.

NoBoundariesMarketingGroupwasfoundedonthebasisof simplifyingthemarketingandadvertisingworldforsmallto mediumsizedbusinesses.

CeutaGroupisaglobal,consumerbrandservicesbusiness workingwithsomeofthemostdynamicbrandsinHealth& PersonalCareandFood&Drink.

CareSourcehasbeenprovidinglife-changinghealthcareto peopleandcommunities.

UnionAssuranceisprotectinglives,empoweringpeople achievetheirdreams,andprovidingpeaceofmindtothousands ofSriLankanssince1987.

KiranSmartisaTopITCompanyinKuwaitthatprovidesan industry-standardintegratedsolution,ITconsulting,IT maintenance,ITconsultancyandITsolutions.

KuwaitInsuranceCompanywasestablishedin1960byAmiri DecreeNo.7of1960asthefirstinsurancecompanyinKuwait andtheGCC.

Blackdragonisthefederalcontractingindustry’smost advancedtechnologyplatform.

Notableisaclinical-stageplatformtherapeuticcompany.

FourStonePartnersisaninnovativeconsultingfirm specializinginbusinessdevelopment,salesoutsourcing,and operationalsupportservices.

President & CEO CareSource

Erhardt Preitauer
C
O V E R S T O R Y

CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovaon- 2022

Erhardt

CareSource has been providing life-changing healthcare to people and communities for more than 30 years, and we will continue to be a transformative force in the industry by placing people over profits.

ttakesvisionanddeterminationtochallengethenorms

Iandchangetheconventionalcourseofanindustry.Due toitscomplexnature,manydetailsneedmeticulous attentiontobringtransformationalshiftsinhealthcare,but therearesignificantopportunitiesfordisrupterstoprovide smartsolutionsthatmakepeople'slivesbetter When ErhardtPreitauerjoinedCareSourcein2018,hefound histwodecadesoftransformationalleadershipand government-sponsoredhealthplanexpertisewereaperfect fitfortheorganization.

Asanaccomplishedhealthcareexecutivewithatrack recordofdrivingsignificantgrowth,profitability, innovation,andoperationalexcellence,Erhardtwasableto leveragehisextensiveexperienceinbuildingandleading mission-drivenhealthcareorganizationstoquicklyadaptto theleadershiproleatthecompany.Hesucceededthe foundingCEO,whohadledtheorganizationfor30years. Afterjustoneyearintheposition,Glassdoornamed Erhardtoneofthehighest-ratedCEOsinthecountry alongsidesomehouseholdnames.Heranked#20onthe annuallistbasedonthefavorabilityofemployeereviews.

Erhardtcreditsemployeeswithbeingtheheartofthe mission-focusedcompany.CareSourceisanonprofit managedcareorganizationwithover2millionmembersin sixstates.Foundedin1989,CareSourceadministersoneof thelargestMedicaidmanagedcareplansintheU.S.and offershealthinsurance,includingMedicaid,Health InsuranceMarketplace,MedicareAdvantageanddualeligibleprograms.

Atitscore,CareSourceunderstandsthechallenges consumersfacenavigatingthehealthsystemandis transforminghealthcarewithindustry-leadingprograms thatimprovethehealthandwell-beingofitsmembers.

TheHumbleBeginning

GrowinguponasmallHawaiianislandwithadiverse communitybasedonsolid,butstraightforward,values pavedthepathforErhardt'sjourneygavehimaperspective thathelpedhimfaceseveralchallengesinbothhis professionalandpersonallife.Heembracedthese challenges,knowing "this too shall pass" andthatgothim

totherightplace.Inhisview,everychallengehefacedset thefoundationfornavigatingthelasttwoyearswiththe pandemic.

Erhardtbelievesthatlifeisshortsohemakesitapriorityto integratefunintowhateverhedoes.Hecreditshissuccess tobeingsurroundedbyremarkablepeopleandemphasizes theimportanceofthis:“it's all about people.”Erhardt considershimselffortunatefortheincredibleopportunities he'shadthroughouthiscareerandfeelslikeheisexactly wherehe'smeanttobe.Heexpresses, "I've worked for a few of the bigger national companies, but CareSource is where my heart is. I'm so grateful to lead this truly amazing and unique company."

HealthcarewithHeart

CareSourceisuniqueinthatitistheonlyorganizationthat istotallyindependent,nonprofit,andpurelyfocusedon government-sponsoredhealthcare,suchasMedicaid, MarketplaceandMedicare.With$12billioninrevenue, ErhardthighlightsthatCareSourceisbigenoughtohave scale,investinitspeopleandcommunities,andcontinueto fosterthestrongestmission-orientedorganizationinthe industry—butalsosmallenoughtopivot,innovatequickly anddriveorreacttonewopportunitieswithlittle bureaucracyorconflict.Thecompanyalsomakesdecisions differentlyandondifferenttimelines,allowingforahighly transparent,straightforward,andlonger-termview

Erhardtbelievestheseuniqueelements,alongwithsomeof thestrongestoperationalandqualitymetricsintheindustry, willpropelitsvisionofbeingtheleaderinservingthose withthemostcomplexneeds,whilealsoachievingits missionofchangingthelivesandcommunitiesofallthe peopleitserves.

ATransformativeImpact

Initspursuitofbeingthebestofthebest,CareSource's leadershipthinksaboutwhatitdoesintwoways.First,it likestoraisethebarforeveryoneinamarketitenters. Second,italsohelpstheentiresysteminthesesame markets—evenwhenitdoesn'tdirectlybenefitCareSource. Attheendoftheday,everyone.

ErhardtisespeciallyproudofCareSource'srecognized programsthathelppeopleputtheirlivestogetheroutsideof healthcare,commonlycalledsocialdeterminantsofhealth. Manyofthepeopleithelpsendupgettingjobsandleaving theMedicaidprogramaltogether.Henotes, "We are the only organization that will invest in getting people off our membership rolls. We also partner with and help missionaligned community-based organizations gain access to additional funds. Often, these organizations don't have the needed business infrastructure or grant-writing capabilities. Helping these organizations benefits the entire ecosystem—even our competitors. We are also among the best operating and most innovative organizations in the industry. We often work with states in raising the bar in what stakeholders expect of health plans, which means everyone wins."

EmbracingTechnology

Technologyhasadvancedrapidlyoverthelastcoupleof years,andErhardtseesvastopportunitiestoutilize

We care about YOU and YOUR health.

Erhardt is acve in the Dayton community. He is pictured here recognizing a veteran at a Dayton Dragons baseball game as part of the CareSource Veteran Salute program.

technologyinnewandbetterways.Therearealotof traditionalusesoftechnologyintheindustrysuchas telemedicine,dataintegrationandclinicalplatforms. CareSourceisinvestingheavilyintheseareas,butalso investinginlesstraditionalareas.Thisincludesengaging peoplebehindsocialmediawalls,supportingmorebeing doneinthehomeorcommunity,andutilizingAItohelp peoplemakedecisionsandcommunicate.Erhardtsays, "Engaging people is a big deal for us. Despite my team sometimes thinking I'm crazy, I also like to spend a little time and resources thinking way ahead – the Metaverse could hold a lot of potential for what we do. I realize that to the average person in Silicon Valley, these ideas are pretty mundane. In the healthcare world, this is fairly forward looking—which brings me back to the fact that there's a lot of opportunity here."

ThePotentialChange

Erhardtalsohasaboldpointofviewonthecomplexitiesof theindustry.Lookingatthedifferentpillarsofhealthcare suchashealthplans,doctors,hospitals,pharmacies,

We have crafted partnerships and initiatives in our markets that are truly unique in helping the system to better align in a fully transparent manner.

ancillaryvendors,PBMs,bigpharma,andmuchmorehe wonderswhethertheseentitieshavecreatedunnecessary complexitiesandcoststopreservetheirplaceinthe ecosystem.Thelackoftransparencycanaddtothe challenge.Heasserts, "There's a lot of dialogue about how these different pillars can get more aligned, but I'm not sure it's happening as fast, or as transparently as it should. I think about our mission, how we make decisions, our corporate form, our approach, our focus on lifting the entire system; we need to play a role in this. And, we are. We have crafted partnerships and initiatives in our markets that are truly unique in helping the system to better align in a fully transparent manner."

PivotingShifts

Lookingatthedata,Erhardtbelievesthatthefutureisin helpingstatesservepopulationswithcomplexneeds.He seesanopportunitytomakeabigdifferenceinpeople's lives,improvingqualityandimpactingtheoverallcostof care.CareSourceispreparingforitineveryaspectofthe organization.Itsplatformsareoptimizedforcomplex populations,itispilotingspecialprogramsandhashired manynationallyrenownedcomplexcareprofessionals. Additionally,itacquiredacompanywithahistoryof complexcare.It'sclearthatthisisanissuethatErhardtis passionateabout.Henotes, "People with complex needs exist in every segment and population within the government-sponsored health plan. There is no clear leader in this area today—but I believe there will be one soon . . ."

FutureGoals

Whenconsideringwherehemightbeinthefuture,Erhardt seeshimselfatCareSource.Heenvisionscontinuingto buildonCareSource'smissionandmakingapositive impactinpeople'slives.Hesays, "I love the difference we make, love the people I get to work with, love the company, and love the communities we serve."

ExperiencedGuidance

Erhardtadvisesupcomingleadersaspiringtoventureinto healthcaretokeeppointingforward,nomatterwhat.He reflectsonaconversationhehadwithafamouspoker

player.HetoldErhardt, "Any idiot can win when the cards are running well." Whatultimatelydecidedasuccessful versusanunsuccessfulgamblerwashowtheyplayedwhen thingsweren'tgoingtheirway.Erhardtbelievesthisapplies tolife,too;howyouplaywhenthingsaren'tgoingwell determinesyoursuccess.Inhisconcludingthoughts, Erhardtsays, "Don't get too comfortable. Don't get institutionalized. Shake things up occasionally. Surround yourself with amazing people that want to make a difference. Do the right thing for the right reason.”

AboutCareSource

CareSourceisanonprofit,nationally recognizedmanagedcareorganizationwith over2millionmembers.Headquarteredin Dayton,Ohiosinceitsfoundingin1989, CareSourceadministersoneofthelargest MedicaidmanagedcareplansintheU.S.The organizationoffershealthinsurance,including Medicaid,HealthInsuranceMarketplace, MedicareAdvantageanddual-eligible programs.Throughitsnetworkofhealthplans, CareSourceservesmembersinArkansas, Georgia,Indiana,Kentucky,OhioandWest Virginia.Thecompanyisleadingthewayin servingpopulationswithcomplexneedsand extendeditspresenceinto12additionalstates withtheacquisitionofTheColumbus Organization,atrustedpartnertohealthcare agenciesandproviderorganizationsin improvingcoordinationandsupportfor individualswithintellectual/developmental disabilitiesandbehavioralhealthchallenges throughitsstaffing,qualityimprovementand carecoordinationservices.Asamission-driven organization,CareSourceistransforminghealth carewithinnovativeprogramsthataddressthe socialdeterminantsofhealth,healthequity, preventionandaccesstocare.

Caroline Lafferty

Founder
& Chief Execuve Officer CaliCoin

Caroline Lafferty

The Entrepreneur at the Intersection of Cryptocurrency and Animal Advocacy

Thefoundationofhumanityhasalwaysbeenhelping eachother.Therearepeople,andcertainlyanimals, whoarelessfortunatethanus.Animal-based charitiesareinperpetualneedoffinancialsupport—onlyan estimated10%ofallcharitablegivingisdirectedtowards animal-basedcharities;butunfortunately,thesecharities alsosufferfromthesameissuesoffundingandgovernance manycharitiesface.

Now,imagineacharitytokenexistingtoaddresssuch animalwelfareneedswithtransparent,seamless,and documenteddonation.

MeetCarolineLafferty,wholeveragedthisrelativelynew worldofcryptocurrencytoopennewavenuesofdonation forneedyanimalcharitiesbyfoundingCaliCoin.

CaliCoinisthefirstandonlycryptocurrencydevotedto helping,whatCarolineterms,AnimalsofDetermination (animalsthatsufferfromadisabilityand/orarehomeless) aroundtheworld.Itprovidesa100%flow-throughoffunds (0%commissions,overheadfees,orothercharges)directly topre-qualifiedanimal-basedcharitiesservingAODs aroundtheworld.ItensuresCaliCoindonorsthattheir donationsarehelpinganimalsofdetermination,andtheir fundsaregoingdirectlytohelpingtheanimalswithoutany oftheissueswhichcanplagueexistingcharitablegiving options.CarolinewearsthehatoftheCEOinthecompany

ABlendofPassions

CaliCoinisawonderfulblendofpassions.

Carolinehasalwaysbeenanavidanimallover.Shealong withherhusbandJamesMichaelLaffertymovedtoDubai withtheirwonderfulYorkiedog,“Cali”.Shortlythereafter, theydiscoveredthatshehasageneticdisorderofherbones. So,they,unfortunately,hadtoamputateoneofherlegs.

Calihoweverneverletthissituationbringherdown;she continuedtorompandplayandenjoylife,inspiringthem all.Shortlyafter,theybothfoundanabandonedkittenon thestreetinapileofrubble,whofollowedthemhome.She isalovableArabianMaunamed“Karma”.Botharebest friendsandintegralpartsofthecompany’sfamily.The three-leggeddogandtheorphancat!

Besidesherloveforanimals,Carolinealsohadaspecial affinitywiththeemergingworldofcryptocurrency.Shehas beendeeplyinvolvedasaninvestorforthepast5years. Shesawauniqueblendofthetwo,anideainwhichitcould leveragecryptocurrencyandtheuniverseofcryptousers,to openentirelynewpathwaystosupportAnimalsof Determination.AndthatishowCaliCoinwasborn! CaliCoinmarriesCaroline’sloveofthecryptocurrency worldwithherloveforanimals.

MakingtheWorldaBetterPlaceforAnimalsof Determination

Inessence,CaliCoinwascreatedoutofthepandemicto bringurgenthelptoanimalcharitiesaroundtheworldthat sawtheirdonationsandfinancialsupportdryup.Caroline hearsfrommanycharitiesabouthowCaliCoinhashelped keepthemoperatingandservingAnimalsofDetermination. “I get a huge sense of pride and joy in being able to help these noble causes. I firmly believe it represents the best of humanity when we can help those on our planet truly less fortunate than ourselves. It’s hard to imagine a population more in need than animals who suffer from disabilities or

This is all about helping the world be a better place, one needy animal at a time.
CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovaon- 2022
|April 2022www.insightssuccess.com 17

are homeless and roaming the streets,” expressesCaroline. CaliCoin’smissionisverynoble:Ithelpsperhapsthemost disadvantagedsubsetonthisplanet—Animalsof Determination.TheteamatCaliCoinhasfinanced100%of thestart-upofCaliCoinandittakesnofeesorcommissions ondonations.

BuiltfromtheScratch

ThebiggestchallengeforCarolinebyfarwasdoingwhat anyentrepreneurknowswell—doingthingsprudentlyand onyourown!MostICOsareexecutedvialargeteamsand theengagementofmanyconsultantsandadvisors,whereas CarolineandherhusbandlaunchedCaliCoinentirelywith aninternalteamofjustahandfulofpeople.Theteam createdthisentireprojectfromscratchwithlimitedbudgets andlotsofsweatequity,alldrivenbyacombinedpassion forgivingbackandhelpinganimalsinneed.Andsofar,she isproudoftheearlyresults:CaliCoinhasgainedglobal tractionandhasappreciatedover300%sinceitslaunch.

SourcesofInspiration

Carolinewasgreatlyinfluencedbyherparents.Shelearned fromthem,thecourageandwilltosucceed.Theyemigrated fromHongKongtoCanadawithnothingandbuiltalifeso thatCarolineandherbrothercouldhaveopportunitiesthey neverhad.Shewatchedthemsacrificeandworkendless hours,justtogivetheirkidsachance.Shewasn’tgoingto letthemdownandsquanderthesacrificestheymade.

Carolinewasatopstudentandthus,sheworkedtogetinto thebestschoolssuchastheUniversityofTorontoand studiedthemostdemandingfields.CaliCoinisonlythe latestofseveralsuccessfulstart-upsshehaslaunchedover thepastdecade.

ThesecondgreatinfluencerwasherhusbandJames,who co-foundedCaliCoinalongwithher

ThePinnacleofProfessionalism

Carolinehasalwaysbelievedthatsuccessstartsandfinishes withpeople.Hersmallteamislikeafamilytoher,andshe takescareofherfamily!Shetriestobreedacultureof ownership,whereeveryemployee“owns”apieceof CaliCoin.Shefurtherbelievesindevelopingtalent,as peoplearemostinspiredwhentheyseethemselvesgrow Shesays, “We are fair and principled, and we do the right

thing. It’s a passionate and caring team and I think this directly reflects on the culture we put people in at CaliCoin.”

AProfoundNotetotheEmergingOnes

InheradvicetoemergingCEOs,Carolinesays“This industry, cryptocurrency, is rife with questionable ethics and people out to make a quick buck. And it is undermining the entire space and the adoption of what is an amazing and forward-thinking concept. Be able to look in the mirror at yourself and be proud. Look at any industry and eventually, ethics wins out. If you want to be both proud and sustainable, embrace strong ethics as a core of your business. It will be harder and take more time. But choosing the “harder right” over the “easier wrong” is always the winning way.”

| April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com18

and Chief Digital Architect

Boundaries Marketing Group

Christopher Amos
CEO
No

CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovaon-

CHRISTOPHER CHRISTOPHER

AMOS AMOS

A Profound Trailblazer Offering Marketing Solutions for Micro-Enterprises

aveyoueverwonderedwhileenjoyingascoopof

Hthedessertthatyouwantedtotrywhilerelaxing onyourcouchwhatmadeyouchoosethespecific brandtosatisfyyourhunger?Wasitthebrandjingle,orthe tagline,orwasitthemind-bogglingpostthatyousawon socialmedia?Whicheverreasonitmightbe,oneofthe essentialfactorsthatmakeanyproductpopularamongthe massesisthemagicofmarketing.

Often,itisquiteamisconceptionthatonlylarge organizationsinvestinmarketingtheirproductstocreatea buzzwhenitcomestomarketing.However,itisnotthe caseanymorewithsimplifiedmarketingandadvertising servicesprovidedbyNoBoundariesMarketingGroup.

ChristopherAmos,theCEOandChiefDigitalArchitect hascultivateduniquemarketingstrategiesandsolutions thatassistmicroandmedium-sizedenterprisesin promotingtheirproductsandachievingsuccess.

TheSynopsisBehindtheVenture

Christopherhashadquiteajourneyoverthelastfewyears todesignanagencythatcanconsistentlyexceedthe expectationsofsmallbusinessesbothlocallyandnationally. Withoveradecadeofexperienceintheindustry,heknows businessownersneedmoreasateam.Theyneedadditional transparency,leads,andextraeffortsoutoftheirmarketing team!

NoBoundariesMarketingGroupwasfoundedtosimplify themarketingandadvertisinggameforsmalltomedium-

sizedbusinesses.Itsgoalistoproducetransparent, measurableresultsforclientstofocusongrowingtheir business.

Asafull-servicemarketingandadvertisingagency,No BoundariesMarketingGroupusesvarioussoftware platforms,applications,tools,andresourcestoensureits clientsgetthebestvalueoutoftheirmarketingdollar.

CultivatingaValue-DrivenWorkCulture

Christopherhaslearnedthatthekeytoanawesometeamis tofosterapositiveworkculture.Aworkenvironment wherepeopleareencouragedtosharetheirthoughts,grow thebusiness,andcollaborateacrossproductsandplatforms eliminatesservicebarriersandultimatelyhelpsproducean amazingresultforclients.

Thetruthis,Christopherhasanamazingteamwithskill setsthatrangefromformerbusinessowners,customer serviceprofessionals,webdevelopers,SEOstrategists,and more!Eachpersonprovidesvaluableinsightandproblemsolvingskillsthathelpthecompanyproduceabetter experienceandoutcomeforitsclients!

TheAdaptationthroughthePandemic

Christopermentionsthatthepost-pandemicworldhas changedconsiderably,fromthewaysconsumerssearchand findlocalbusinessestothewayoneshopsforgoodsand services.Theneedforastrong,consistentdigitalpresence

2022 |April 2022www.insightssuccess.com 21

“Your Business, Our Forte.”

hasneverbeengreaterthanitistoday.Evenpost-pandemic asconsumersventurebackouttorestaurantsandlocal shops,themeanstowhichtheyfindthesebusinessesalmost alwaysoriginatesonadigitalplatform.

Formanybusinesses,thismeansthathavingawebsiteor socialmediapagejustisn'tenough.Businessesownershave tofocusonprovidingconsumersaccesstohigh-quality contentanddynamicimagesacrossnumerousplatforms. Thisiswhereaccesstoanexperiencedmarketingteam comesintoplay.Businessownersarealreadystretchedthin, sotheneedforareliableandexperiencedmarketercannot onlydriveleadsbutcansavetime,createefficiencies,and somuchmore.

UpscalingTechnologicalAdvancements

Thepost-pandemicbusinessenvironmenthasreallyforced businessestobecomemoredigitalortechnologysavvyto meetthedemandsofconsumers.Thisdigitaltransformation hastakenownersandmarketersalikeoutoftheircomfort zonesandthrustthemintodiversifyingtheironline presence.Now,thingslikereputationmanagement,social

media,emailmarketing,andmorearenolongeroptional. Creatingasynergybetweenplatformsandbrandmessaging hasneverbeenmorecritical.Christopherputsthiswitha saying, “You get one shot to make a great first impression!”

StrategizingProductsandServices

Christopherexpressesthatforabusinessownertomeetthe challengesofthefutureistocommunicatewiththeir marketingteam.Sadly,becausebusinessownerswear multiplehats,itcanbedifficulttostayuponthedataand trending.Thiscanleadtomissedopportunities,diminished results,andpoordecisionsinthelongrun.Thebestwayto avoidfiredrillsandgetthemostoutofthemarketing strategyistostayconsistent,understandthedata,and communicate!

WeavingUpwiththeCommunity

Whenitcomestogivingbacktothecommunity,No BoundariesMarketingGrouppridesitselfinbeingapartof theveryfabricthatmakesupthiscommunity!Itinvestsin severallocalchambersofcommerce,volunteersat

| April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com22

communityevents,anditsteammembersvolunteertheir timetohelpeducatestartupsandnewbusinessessothey canhitthegroundrunning!

Christophersays, "If given a chance, I would absolutely love to get additional resources into the hands of aspiring entrepreneurs. A common issue that we hear after meeting with a new client is "I wish I found you guys sooner" or "I wish I knew about that before I wasted my money.”

"Sadly, many new business owners just don't know the insand-outs of the marketing game, and so they are susceptible to being taken advantage of. So, if I could change something, I would love to see more transparent information about marketing and advertising provided to new business owners to help them better navigate the marketplace," Christopherasserts.

GuidingUp-and-ComingGeneration

Inhisadviceforaspiringentrepreneursintothemarketing space,Christophersays, "Be transparent and communicate.”

“Most marketing professionals are great at the sale and the creative. Sadly, what most marketing professionals lack is the transparency and communication skills necessary to truly wow a client. As an entrepreneur myself, we made significant investments into our reporting platform to make sure clients have access to data in real-time, and we made significant investments in our CRM platform to ensure we can effectively communicate with our clients,” concludes Christopher.

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Edwin Bessant CEO Ceuta Group

Edwin Bessant

Leading With Courage, Tenacity, and Diligence

ettingupandstartingabusinesssoundslikeaneasy

Stask,butevenafterhavingahighlysuccessfuland lucrativecorporatejob,itisnotasimplefeat.It requiresonetohavealotofgutsandcouragetogiveupon suchajobandentertheworldofbusinesswithaleapof faith.Acourageousleader,EdwinBessant,spottedagapin thehealthcarearena27yearsago,gaveuphishigh-flying careerinconsumerhealthcareatPfizerConsumer [FormerlyWyeth],andsetupCeutaHealthcarewithhis foundingpartnerAnnetteD’Abreo.Edwinisnowserving astheCEOofCeutaGroup Tenaciouslyanddiligently, Edwincontinuedtoretainavisiononthefuture,ensuring thatCeutawasalwaysfitforthefutureanddeliveringa marketneedforhisclientbase.CeutaGrouphasastrong andtrustedglobalManufacturing&PrivateEquity[ consumerbrandacquirers]clientbaseandisagloballeader withfirstmarketmoveadvantage.

PioneeringaUniqueVisionandExpandingBusiness Model

Startedin1994asanomni-channelsales&marketing outsourcingpartner,CeutaHealthcarehasnowtransformed intoaGroupoftwelvecompanieswithaccessto114 internationalmarkets.Together,CeutaGroup’sbusinesses deliverthenextgenerationofanindustry-unique

‘IntegratedConsumerBrandOutsourcingServices’ business–Globalservicesinclude:Advisory,Digital, Shopper&CategoryInsights,CreativeDesign,Data Analytics,FieldMarketingSales&MarketingExecution andLogistics[https://www.ceutagroup.com/.]

EdwinandAnnettelaunchedbrandmanagementspecialist CeutaHealthcarealone,withnoclients,fromathree-desk officeinBournemouthin1994.TodayCeutaGroup, throughEdwin’spioneeringanduniquevision,hasseveral officesaroundtheworld[including:NewYork,Dublin, Amsterdam,Singapore,Bangkok,andSydney].Ceuta

Groupemploysmorethan400people,turnsoveraround $140m,andafterawhirlwindofacquisitions,comprises twelvedistinctcompanies.Severalofthesebusinesseswere boughtaftermeticulousplanningtologicallyexpandthe businessmodel.Edwinpredictsthattheirnetincome, currentlyaround$13m(EBITDA),willdoubleoverthe nexttwo–threeyears.

LeadingaPioneeringInitiative

EdwinwasworkingforPfizerConsumerwhenhespotteda gapinthemarket.He’dbeenwiththepharmagiantfor18 years,whichledtoaDirector’sroleonaEuropeanfast trackprogramme.There,hesawagrowingdemandfor “Outsourcing”and“BrandFostering”–wherean organizationgivestotalresponsibilityforoneormoreofits brandstoathirdparty.Certainly,hecouldbuildacompany tomeetthisuntappedmarketdemand,andusingallhis blue-chipexperience,Edwincraftedoutavisionaryand pioneeringbusinessplan,lefthishighlysuccessfuljob,and settowork,encouragingAnnetteD’Abreotojoinhimas equally,shehadasuccessfulroleatPfizer.Annette immediatelyunderstoodtheopportunityandtrustedEdwin toleadthepioneeringinitiative.

“By the end of Year One, Ceuta Healthcare had 30 employees,” Edwinsays,togivetheimpressionofhowhe hasneveroncedoubtedCeuta’sabilitytobecomeaglobal powerhouse.Headds,“We made a loss of around £300,000 [ $414,000] in the first two years [in line with the bank’s support]. And in year three we made a profit of £50,000 [ $69,000].” Sincethen,thegrowthandinvestmenthave beenexplosive,leadingCeutatobetheONLYcompany thatcandeliverasinglepointofcontactforacompanythat needsinternationalreachandcompletemanagementfor theirbrands.

CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovaon- 2022
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BeingInspiredbyPioneeringInnovatorsand Entrepreneurs

Edwinadmiresthepioneeringinnovatorsandentrepreneurs whohavetrulytakenuptheopportunityofspottingagapin themarket,definingandshapingthenewwayweliveand shopwithphenomenalsuccess,changingconsumer

engagementandtechnologicalenhancementi.e.:JeffBezos

–Amazon,ElonMusk–PayPal,Tesla,Space-X,Steve Jobs–Apple,TravisKalanick&GarrettCamp–Uber,Will Shu&GregOrlowski–Deliveroo&JackMa–Alibaba, LarryPage&SergeyBrin–Google,LarryEllison,Ed Oates,BobMiner–Oracle.

Edwinexpressesthathedoesnotliketoplagiarisewhen readingbusinessbooks,butofcourse,heconsidersitis importanttoneverstoplearning,andthereisnoharmin havingagoodmentor.Hedoeslikereadingbooksthathave actuallybeenwrittenorco-writtenbysuccessful entrepreneursi.e.:‘TheAlchemist’byJimRatcliffe[The IneoStory]andtheseriesoftheBlueOceanStrategy& BlueOceanShiftbyW.ChanKim&ReneeMauborgne.

AcceleratingBrandMarketingDevelopment

Duringthecovidperiod,CeutaGrouphasthankfullyhada record-breakingyear,workingwithintheHealth&Personal CareandFood&Drinkindustries,andhavingpartofits workforceworkingfromtheofficesandthemajorityof personnelsuccessfullyworkingfromhome.Ceuta experiencedmorechallengeswithBrexitaffectingits

Ceuta Group provides a unique collective of services to enhance, grow and support the brands it represents; delivering everything a brand owner would ever want or need from one outsourced partner.
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MarketingAgencies,ascorporationswereholdingback becauseoftheuncertaintyofelectionsandgettingthe Brexitbillpassed.Intheshortterm,therewasatemporary holdonMarketingbudgetswithinsomesectors,butoverall, itsawarapidchangetobrandmarketingdevelopment whichcontinuestoaccelerate.

EnsuringInclusiveWorkCulture

Further,Edwinopinesthatculturecreationwithinany organizationiskey,andthishasalwaysbeenanimportant mantraforCeuta.CeutaGrouphasfourdifferent generationsofemployees,andtheyallhavedifferentlevels ofexpectationsfromanemployer.Ceutamustdeliverto ALL,andtherightculturegluesitsworkforcetogether.In additiontoculturecreation,ithasalsoengagedwithfurther intent,monitoring,support,andexecutingfortheright reasonssuchas‘Diversity,InclusionandGenderbalance[ CeutaGroupisapprox.48%female/52%male]’.Also, sustainabilityandenvironmentalprotectionarekey imperativeforCeutaGroup.

SupportingLocalCommunity

CeutaisemersedandengagedthroughitsCSRteamand supportsadifferentnumberofinitiatives:

Supportlocalcharitieswithfinancialcontributions

Organizeclean-upevents

Volunteerinlocalschoolsorcommunityprojects

Localfund-raisingevents

Edwinisa‘FellowofthePrince’sEnterpriseTrust’which helpsvulnerableyoungpeoplegettheirlivesbackontrack.

Itsupports11to30year-oldswhoareunemployedand thosestrugglingatschoolandatriskofexclusion.Edwin periodicallygoesintoclassroomstotalktostudents[from allethnicities]onbusinessbuildingandthewatchoutsetc. whichhereallyenjoys.

ExpansionaryApproach

Inaconclusion,Edwinmentionsthatforthenextfiveyears, CeutaGroup’svisionistocontinuetobuildoutitsGlobal Digitalservices.Itwantstocontinuetobuildoutits ‘MarketplaceSupportPlatform’–USA,Europe,andChina. ItwantstoselectivelyacquireotherCeutatype organizationsworldwideandtoacquireConsumerHealth& Wellnessbrands’.

Edwinisalsoa‘LifeFellowofTheRoyalSocietyof Medicine’.

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Enroute to Success

hegreatnessofapersonorleaderhastobe

Testimatedbyhisorherabilitytothriveeveninthe mostprovokingorchallengingsituations.Itisin thetoughtimesthatone’smettleistested.Anditisatthe sametimeonehastheopportunitytoproveone’smettle.It issaidthatpatienceisbitter,butitsfruitsaresweet.The moreoneisabletoholdone’snerveseveninthe challengingtimesandcontinuetofightforsuccess,the moreonewillbeabletocrossovereventhetoughest challenges.Liferewardsthosewhoputinsincerehardwork andstriveforachievements.“Aswesow,soshallwereap.” Successisnotthecakewalk,butitisaboutrepeatedefforts dayinanddayout.

Thereisnofreelunchinthisbusiness-mindedworld.One hastobepreparedtomakethenecessarysacrificesfor accomplishingsomethingworthwhileinthisworld, especiallyintheworldofbusiness.Onehastoaccomplish somethinginthisworldtoearnthetrustofpeopleand therebytobethewell-wisherofpeople.Onecancontribute alottootherswhenheorshehasgainedworthwhile accomplishmentstocreatehisorhercredibility The reliabilityofleadersincreasesingreatproportionwhenthey deliverresultsmorethanexpectedbyothers.Thereliability orcredibilityofleadersisdirectlyproportionaltothe expansionofthebusinesses.

MoralityistheFoundationforVictory

Greatbusinessleadersareawarethatitisimportanttolead withmorality Theyconsideritisveryimportanttokeepthe moraleofeveryoneintheirorganizationveryhigh.High moralehelpsintakingthemostcourageousdecisions.They understandthatitisessentialtodeliverwhatisexpectedby clientsorevenbeyondthinkingwellaheadoftheclients. Thisiswheretheinnovativenessinleadersplaysabigrole. Thatisthereasontheykeepitonhighprioritytobewell updatedwiththelatesttechnologiesandtheyarekeento implementthosetechnologiesintheirbusinesses.

Determination,Dedication,andDiscipline

Determination,Dedication,andDisciplineformabigpart ofsuccess.Thereisahugesignificanceofresolute determinationtosucceedintheworldofbusiness.The worldisfilledwithcut-throatcompetition.Tosustainone’s competencyinthebusinessworld,onehastokeepon improvingoneselfandeveryoneintheorganizationto createmassivesuccess.Thejourneysometimescanbefilled withalotofchallenges,butifonehasadeterminationto persistthenonecanachieveone’sgoalsinduecourseof time.Dedicationgiveslifetoone’spurposeandgoals.Itis verymuchsynonymouswithleadingwithpurposefulness. Thestrongerthepurposethegreatercanbethededication

toachieveit.AndDisciplineisthebridgebetweensuccess andfailure.Withoutdiscipline,nothingsubstantialcanever beaccomplishedinlife.Onehastopaythepriceofresolute determination,absolutededication,andhighdisciplineto besuccessfulintheworldofbusiness.

WhatNottoDo?

Asmuchasitisimportanttoknowwhattodo,itisalso equallyimportanttoknowwhatnottodo.Doingwhatis favorableforsuccessandavoidingwhatisharmfulfor successshouldbeavoidedatanycost.Forbusinessleaders tosucceedinthebusinessworld,theyshouldbewellaware nottowastetheirpreciousresourcesafterbadmoneyorbad deals.Theyshouldnotthrowtheirgoodmoneybehindbad moneyvianegativedeals.Theyshouldbecalculativeand shouldtakecalculativedecisionsrelatedtowheretoinvest andwherenotto.

HavingaRightMentoristheKey

Havingagoodmentorgoesalongwayinmakinghighvaluedecisions.Oneshouldchoosethatpersonasone’s mentorwhohasdemonstratedone’scharacterand competenceinone’schosenfield.Greatleadersarenotjust interestedinbeinggreatleaderthemselvesonly,butthey wouldliketocreatemoregreatleaders.Bychoosinga capableleaderasone’smentor,onewillbeabletoattain greatheightsinlifeinashortspanoftime.Onegood mentorisworthmorethanallthebooksinthelibrary.

Booksalsoplayahugeroleinthelivesofgreatleaders,but thehelpofamentorispricelessasonewillbeableto developoneselfmorequicklywiththehelpofagood mentorandavoidthemistakesthatpreviousleadershave done.Greatleadersbecomegreatbecausetheydon’tshyat acceptinggoodmentorsinlife.Theyareopentolearning fromall.Theyknowthattheydon’thaveallthetimeinthe worldtocommitallmistakesandthenlearnandthenapply Therefore,theyprefertoavoidmistakesonthejourneyby havingagoodmentorinlife.

Itisamarkofgreatleaderstodojusticetotheirroles, routines,relationships,andresponsibilities.Theyalsobuild suchatypeofcultureintheirfellowteammatesand employeesandstaffintheorganization.Thishelpsthemto achievegreatnessintheirbusinessbybuildingan organizationwithresponsibleandcompetentpeople.They leadbyexampleandwithresolutedeterminationandwitha goaltodelivermorethanneeded.Theythriveontheir purposeandnecessaryactions.Theydowhatneedstobe donewithduediligenceandtheysetthestandardsfor everyoneelsetofollowandthatisthereasontheybecome admirable.

Leadership Redened
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CEOs Transforming Business Through

Jude Gomes

Protecting Lifestyles, Dreams, and Ambitions of Sri Lankans

napandemic-riddenenvironmentthatwasuncertain,

Icomplex,andfast-evolving,ahandfuloforganizations haveshowntrueresilienceandbusinesssuccessunder theguidanceandnavigationofleaderswhohavebroken awayfromthearchetypal'commandandcontrol'mouldof traditionalleadership.

JudeGomes,theChiefExecutiveOfficerofUnion AssurancePLC,isamongthoseleaders.Hedrawsfroma highlyaccomplishedcareerinfinancialservicesspreadover threedecadeswithexperienceaccruedacrosskeyAsian marketsandkeyglobalfinancialinstitutions.Withover threedecadesofindustry-leadingsuccess,UnionAssurance (UAL)isthecountry'soldestprivateLifeInsurer empoweringtheSriLankandream,offeringarangeof insurancesolutionscoveringeducation,health,protection, retirement,andinvestmentneedsofSriLankans.Powered byanetworkof76branchesanda3,000-strongteamthat sharesacustomer-centricapproachtobusiness,the companycontinuedtoinvestinpeople,digital infrastructure,productsandprocessestoremainagileand responsivetoemergingandunprecedentedchangesunder Jude'sguidanceandvisionaryleadership.

Underthebanner'Yourlife,Ourstrength,'thecompanyhas nurturedtheSriLankandreaminuniqueandpersonalways tosupportitspolicyholdersandthepeopletheylove. Excellence,ethics,integrity,innovation,andacustomercentricmentalityaretheheartbehindday-to-dayoperations atUnionAssurance.

ActingasaCatalyst

Thecoronaviruspandemicbrokeoutjustafewmonths afterJudetookthereinsastheCEOofUnionAssurance.

However,heguidedhisteamonajourneyof transformation,positioningthecompanyasamodern, customer-centric,digitallifeinsurertoaddressthelagin technologyadoptionwithintheindustry

Withthemissionofsimplifyinginsuranceandempowering customers,thecompanyshifteditsfocustowards digitisationduringthistime.Thetransformationwas initiatedbysimplifying,innovating,anddigitisingcomplex processes,culminatinginanoverhaulofitsoperating systemtoadigitalmodel.Toprovideuninterruptedservice toitspolicyholders,thecompanyestablishedatrilingual callcentrethatoperated24/7,anonlinechatbotandenabled digitalplatformsandgatewaystomeetthegrowingdemand incustomerqueries.Furthermore,UnionAssurance disruptedthefutureofLifeInsurancebyaddingadynamic facettoitscustomerexperiencewitha100%digital platform-Clicklife,whichofferscustomerstopurchase productsinstantlywithoutanypaperworkandphysical interactionaswellasaplatformwithrealtimeselfservicingcapabilityaspartofitsend-to-endonline insurancesolution.TheappfeaturesWorldHealth Organizationapprovedchallenges,rewards,andother excitingin-appfeaturestoengageandmotivateusersto stayfitandhealthy.

NavigatingthroughChallenges

Speakingaboutchallenges,Judementionedthataspectsof economicgrowth,socio-culturalfactorsandfinancial literacyhavebeenbarrierstoindustryexpansion.Inhis view,financialliteracyislowcomparedtodeveloped marketsinwhichinsurancepenetrationishigh.Thisisan importantfactorforimprovinginsuranceconsciousnessand awarenessacrosssociety.

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Jude Gomes Chief Executive Officer Union Assurance PLC
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Gomesarticulatedthreekeystrategieshebelieveswilldrive theinsurancesector:first,cohesivestrategiesshouldbein placetoattractandretaintherighttalent,especiallygiven thattheindustryismanpower-dominant;second,there shouldbeafocusonanomnichanneldistributionmodelto providegreateraccessibilitytocustomers;third,isin creatingefficienciesinoperationsanddeliveryplatforms makingthebuyingcycleeasy,convenient,fast,and transparent.

PeopleEmpowerment

Judeisanardentbelieverthatleadersshouldconstantly challengethemselvesandtheirteamstoexceed expectationsandembracenewopportunities.

Empowermentisanimportantcriterionforleadingpeople andorganisationstosuccess.Tothisend,Judenurturesa workplaceenvironmentinwhichsafetyandtrustare prerequisitesforpeople’sempowerment.Whenpeoplefeel empoweredandsafeintheworkplace,itpavesthewayfor moreinnovationandadvancementstotakeplace.He believesincultivatingaculturewhereemployeeslearn frommistakesandstrivetowardsexcellence.

AcceleratingGrowth

Insurancehastrailedotherindustriesandinparticular financialserviceswhenitcomestotransformation–digital orotherwise.Inanincreasinglydata-drivenenvironment, poorpublicperceptionofinsurerscamedowntoa combinationoffactors.Thelackoftransparencyaugmented byarchaicprocesses;lowunderstandingand misinformationofinvestmentvs.protection,lackof confidenceininsuranceagents,inadequatefocusontraining andskilldevelopment,restrictedchannelsandlimited productsuitesskewedtowardsinvestmentratherthan protection,aresomeoftheindustrychallenges.

Gomesbelievesadefiningfeatureforgrowthaccelerationis inthedepthofcustomer-centricityadopted.Protection shouldcentrearoundthepeopleitprotects.

Byrollingoutasimplifiedcustomer-focuseddigitalagenda in2019,UnionAssurancemappedoutacomprehensive customerjourney,addressingpainpoints,eliminating complexities,andcustomizingsolutionsthroughthe applicationoftechnology,settingthebenchmarkfora future-readyoperatingmodel.

ANotetoEmergingLeaders

“When you’re in a leadership role, developing your intuition plays a big part as your employees rely on you to make trustworthy decisions meeting needs of all stakeholders.

It is important to note that staying true to your values and morals is key in your journey. Understanding that you don’t know everything is a very valuable lesson to learn early on. Admitting to failures, taking accountability, and making necessary changes fast is important for success.”

Understanding that you don’t know everything is a very valuable lesson to learn early on. Adming o failures, taking accountability, and making necessary changes fast is what is important for success.
“ “
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Mohammed Mubin Mallick

A Doyen in the Field of Robotics

Sincedecades,technologicaladvancementshavebeen assistinghumansinalmosteverysphereoftheir lives.Eveninthispandemicsituation,technology didn’tfailtoofferassistancetous.Theuseofrobotswas exploredextensivelybymostoftheresearchersand businesses,especiallyhealthcareorganizations,considering thefactsthattheydon’tneedmask,theycaneasilyget disinfected,andtheydon’tfallsick.Withthisidea, MohammedMubinMallick’sKiranSmarthas significantlycontributedtothedevelopmentofadvanced roboticsinthisongoingpandemicthroughitsstate-of-theartroboticssolutions.

TowardsVisionaryProject

Intheyear2017,Mubinpredictedthefutureasitisgoing totakeaturntowardssomeadvancedtechnology The thoughtcameintohismindwasrobotsasitwashis childhooddreamtohaverobots.Buthewasdemotivated anddiscouragedafterbeingrejectedonhisroboticsideaor topicbymany Thesenegativefactorsmadehimstrongerto faceandchallengethemarket.

Sincehischildhood,Mubinhasseenmanydifficultiesand hastackledthemsuccessfully,beitstudies,sports,

traveling,orlivingaloneawayfromhome.Hehasnever brokendownandhasalwaysstooduptofightthesituation. Astimepassed,thingsbecameeasierforhimtohandledue totheexperiencehegained.

MubinfoundedKiranSmartwithlotsoflovefrompeople whoreallywantedtohavetheseservicesandsolutions.He didmarketresearchinGCConrobots.Hedevelopedevery singleroboticssolutionforeveryindustryandaswellfor hometoo.HedidnotfindsuitableCEOwhowould understandhisvisionandthatisthereason,hedecidedto wearthehatofCEOaswell.

Wellversedwithdifferentroboticsmanufactureraroundthe world,MubinisworkingonhisVisionaryPrimeProject whichcouldmakehimthepioneerintheworldonrobotics servicesthathumanhasneverimaginedorexpectedonthe idea.

GettingtheBestoutofEverything Mubinmentionsthateveryjourneyisnotpleasantandthus, runningacompanysuccessfullyisalsonotaspleasantas wethink.Therearealwaysupsanddowns,becauseasa holisticviewitisacompanyandnotabusiness.

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CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovaon- 2022

Mohammed Mubin Mallick CEO / FOUNDER Kiran Smart

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ForMubin,buildingacompanywaslikebeingonthe battleground.Asachallengehesawfinancialcrisis,getting therightpeopleforrightplaceandrightjob,findingexpert peoplewithinnovativeideas,andgettingtheinvestor. Mubinkeptongoingandtoday,KiranSmartisafirst HumanoidRobotSolutionsandServicescompanyin Kuwaithavingexistenceinmultiplelocation,providingIT servicestobusinessandhomeusers.

DevotedtoServeHumanity

Mubin’sfatherlatehajiNoortaughthimtoliveforothers andservehumanity.Oneoftheincidentsthatimpactedhis lifewasthecasewherehefoundaladywhowascryingfor themoneytodothetreatmentofherdaughter.Hewasjust achildandonlycouldunderstandthatsheisaskingfor money.Hehad50paisainhispockettobuyachocolatefor heryoungersister.Hecouldnotsaynototheladybecause hertearsbroughthimdownsoemotionalthathestarted weepingandgaveher50paisa.Theladyjustsawthecoin andsaid,“My son GOD will give you enough so that you can help others and GOD will make your heart big enough to help others.” Hecanneverforgetthisincident.

InnovationinRobotics

KiranSmartisintoInformationTechnology,Digital Transformation,Robotics,ArtificialIntelligence,and Fintech.Mubinisofthebeliefthatthesetechnologieswill playamajorrolepost-pandemic.Thus,ifbusinessesinany industryhavetosurvive,theywillneedtoimplement Robotics,Automation,andArtificialIntelligencetomake advancedhybridsolutionstosurviveinthefuture.

AtpresentKiranSmart’sRobotServicesareinclusiveof HumanoidRobots,ServicesRobots,DeliveryRobots, EducationalRobots,LogisticsRobots,PetRobots, DisinfectionRobots,CleaningRobots.Otherthanthisithas smartdigitalscreenswhichthecompanysellassolutions andalsorentsthemout.EvenforRobots,itprovidesthe solutionsandalsorentsouttherobotsinmulti-purposeuse, providingservicesgloballyaswell.

Atthesametime,Mubinisalsoworkingonthe“Riseof RoboticsGeneration”whereheistrainingchildrenabout robots,teachingaboutrobotsbutwithlivedemoonthe company’sdifferentmodelsofrobots.Hisvisionissimple forthenext5years–toberecognizedasoneofthebest brandserviceprovidersgloballyespeciallyintermsof RoboticsServices.

GoodNetworkforBusinessOpportunities

Mubinandhisteamgeneratejobsforeverycategorysothat peoplecouldsurviveandfeedtheirfamilies.Heandhis teamcreatejobsfordrivers,engineers,managers, supervisors,developers,skilledandunskilledlabor,waiters andwaitress,andcleaners.Also,hesharesthecompany profitonacertainpercentageascharityacrosstheworld wherethecommunityishelpingtosurvivetheirlife. Heislookingforagreatopportunitytochangetheworld intoasmartvillagebutofcoursetheremustbeagoodteam toexecuteitlikeinvestors,businessmen,entrepreneurs, partners,engineers,andalotmore,becauseheisworking ononeofhisprojectcalledROBO2050whereeveryhouse willhaveKiranSmart’srobots.

“Information
Technology will be so advanced and if we don’t adopt ourselves in terms of business and personal life then we will be left alone to suffer.”
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Mr. Sami Sharif
CEO Kuwait Insurance Company

Mr.SamiSharif

AnEmbodimentofaProvenLeadership

Thepioneeringleadershipisacombinationof exemplaryskills,abilitiesandtalents.Tolead organizationsuccessfully,itisessentialforleaders tohavegoodamountofcompetence,asitplaysa significantroleinthesuccessoftheorganizationandits clients.Whenthesamecompetenceispairedwithstrong managerialandtechnicalskills,theresultsattainedare excellent.AnembodimentofsuchaleadershipisMr.Sami Sharif.HeistheCEOofKuwaitInsuranceCompany (KIC)since2016.

PriortoKIC,Mr.Sharifhasheldvariousleadershiprolesin differentrenownedcompanies.HeearnedhisBachelor’s DegreeinMathematicsandSpacePhysicsandaMaster’s DegreeinMathematicsbothfromtheUniversityof Houston–USA.Heworkedforseveralyearsasalecturer inmathematicsandstatisticsatthesameuniversity.Heisa FellowoftheSocietyofActuaries(FSA)intheUSAsince 1996andamemberoftheAmericanAcademyofActuaries (MAAA)since1993.Besides,healsohasanin-depth experienceinlife,health,andgeneralinsurance,and takaful.Hecarriesanimmenseknowledgeofstrategic managementconsultingcombinedwithsoundactuarial background.Healsohasin-depthexperienceinlaunching andleadingnewinsuranceoperationsindifferentcountries.

KIChasafulllineofconventionalandtakafulinsurance productsforcorporateandindividualscoveringgeneral insurance,lifeinsuranceandmoneyaccumulation.Ithas morethan200employeesand10branchesinKuwait.

BeingDrivenbyAchievement,InnovationandPeople Development

Mr.SharifisdrivenbyKIC’ssharedvaluesi.e. Achievement,InnovationandPeopleDevelopment.He mentionsthatthecompanycaresforitsstaff,shareholders, andclients.Itadherestoasetofvalues.

KIC’svisionistobethefastestgrowingcompanyin Kuwaitandtoexpandgeographically.Itaspirestobethe

companyofchoiceforpersonalandcommercialinsurance productsandservices.Itaimstobethefastestandthe simplestindeliveringitsservicesandthemostadvancedin usingtechnology.Itenvisionstobethecompanyofchoice foremployment.AlltheeffortsofMr.Samiareinthe directiontowardsachievingthisgoal.

KIC’smissionistoprovideitsclientswiththemost competitiveproductsintermsofbenefits,valuesand services,toprovideitsdistributionchannelswithstate-ofthe-artservices,toinvestondevelopingitsstaff,andtobea schoolofinsuranceandmanagement.Besides,thecompany alsobelievesinbeingsales-drivenandinachievingitssales target.Itbelievesindifferentiatingitselfwithinnovative Products&Services,DistributionChannels,and Technology.ItbelievesinitspeopletoexhibitKnowledge, Leadership,andCommunication&InterpersonalSkills.

HavingAdvantageofExperiencedStaff

Talkingaboutthechallenges,Mr.SharifsharesthatKIC hadtodealwithachallengeofpoliticalrisksincethearea isinflamedwithmanypoliticalproblemsthatleadtosome businessinstabilityintheregion.Maintainingthesizeof theportfoliowasamajorchallengeforKIC.

KICisthefirstinsurancecompanyinKuwaitandtheGCC. Ithastheadvantageofkeepingexperiencedstaffwhohave beenwiththecompanyfordecades.Takingsomeofthekey stafftothemostadvancedwaystorunabusiness,in particulartherelianceontechnology,wasachallengethat theyenjoyedthestagestoovercomeit.

BeingInfluencedbyWorkingwithGreatPeople

Mr.Sharifisanex-consultantwithMcKinsey&Co.thathe considershisbestschool.Hestillcherishesthedayshe workedforMckinsey,thepeopleheworkedwith,andthe leadersthatheworkedundersuchasMr.DominicBarton. Inaddition,hehasworkedwithpeoplewhohadagreat influenceonhim,like:

CEOs
Transforming Business Through Innovaon- 2022 |April 2022www.insightssuccess.com 39

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HismathematicsprofessorDr.KlausKaiseratUniversity ofHouston.

HisspacephysicsprofessorDr.BeringatUniversityof Houston.

ontheinsuranceindustryasawhole.However,Mr.Sharif seesmoreprosthancons.Thewayofdoingbusiness becamemoretechnology-driven,astechnologyisakey successfactorforallindustriesincludinginsurance.

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HisfirstactuarialmanagerMr.MarcPitoniacwhotaught himhowtosurviveunderanyworkchallenges.

Mr AbbasKhalaf,RegionalpresidentofALICO, MEASARegionwhotaughthimleadership.

Mr.BarryJacobson,PresidentofACELife(nowChubb) agreatleader.

AKICputsabalancebetweenpeoplesafetyandbusiness safety Assuch,itwaspresentandfunctionalinitsmarket.

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Mr.GhaziAbuNahl,PresidentofNestInvestmentshard workandperseverance.

EvaluatingEmployeesObjectivelyandCompensating themFairly

Mr.SharifhascreatedapositiveenvironmentatKICwhere everyonethrives.Thecompanystronglybelievesinthe well-beingofitsemployees.Itstronglyencourages educationandpaysalleducationexpensestoitsemployees. Moreover,itcreatedthefirstcompanykitchenrunbya professionalcheftoprovidedailyhealthymealstoitsstaff atminimumcharges.Itcreatedanurseryatworktohelp motherswithbabykids,age0-5atnocharge.Ithasa thorough360systemtoevaluateitsemployeesobjectively andtocompensatethemfairly.ItestablishedKICacademy toofferprofessionalcoursesandtrainingtoitsstaff.

StrikingaBalancebetweenPeopleSafetyandBusiness Safety

WhenCovid-19pandemicarrived,ithaditsprosandcons

ContributingtoCommunitywithWelfareServices Whenitcomestogivingbacktothecommunity,KIC alwaysstandstall.Onalmostmonthlybasis,itruns differentcampaignsexamples:

CleaningthebeachinKuwait

BloodDonationcampaign

Brestcancerawarenesscampaign

Diabetesawarenesscampaign

BeingPeoplePersonandExpandingRobustly

Mr.SharifadvisesaspiringandemergingCEOsinthe insuranceindustrytoworkontheirtechnicaland managerialskills.Hetellsthemtolearntheessenceof leadershipandcultivateahealthylifestyle.Heasksthemto berough,tough,butreasonable.

Besides,healsoadvisesthemtobepeopleperson,havea largeconnectioninindustry,andtoavoidarroganceand givesmiletoeveryone.

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‘‘ ‘‘ KuwaitInsuranceCompanyenjoysastableandstrongfinancialfoundationand maintainsaleadingpositioninthelocalandregionalinsurancemarketby providingreliableandinnovativeinsuranceproductsandservicesandprofessional teamofexpertsatthelevelofKuwaitandGCC.
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CEO/Co-founder

CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovaon-

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Thomas A. Bock MD, MBA, CEO Notable

CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovaon- 2022

Thomas A. Bock

A Recognized Life-Science Leader Developing a New Class of Oncology Medicines

ecentadvancesinscienceandtechnologyhave

Rresultedinaneweraofmoretargetedtherapiesfor manydiseases.Theseadvanceshavematerialized forpatients,resultinginsometrulytransformative treatments,thankstothetalentanddedicationofthelife sciencescommunity

Meetonesuchlife-scienceleaderwhohasdevelopedand commercializedsixlifesavingparadigm-changing blockbustermedicinesincancer,ultra-raredisorders,and inflammation,andwhohasbuiltfourentrepreneurial organizationsthatcreatedamajorimpactforbothpatients andinvestors.-ThomasA.Bock,MD,MBA,andCEOat Notable.

Inspiredbyhiswork,weat Insights Success hada conversationwithThomastoknowmoreabouthisjourney andhowNotableistransformingthewaycanceristreated.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Giveusabriefoverviewofyourpositionatthe company,andyourjourneysinceinception. IjoinedNotableasanIndependentBoardDirectorin2020 andthenstartedservingastheCEOinFebruary2021.At thattimeourcompanywasknownforourpredictive technologyplatformdevelopedtohelpphysicians determinewhichcancertreatmentsaremosteffectivefor theirindividualpatients.

Today,wearebeginningtoleverageNotable'sleadershipin predictivetechnologytodevelopcancertreatmentsfocused onindividualpatientswhoweknowwillrespondtoa specifictreatment.Myroleistodriveourorganizationtoa leadingprecisiontherapeuticscompanybycreatinganew classofprecisionmedicines– predictive precision medicines.

Pleasedescribethetechnologythatmakesyour companystandoutfromthecompetition. Notable'spredictivetechnologycombinesmachine learning,laboratoryautomation,andhighthroughput screeningdirectlyonpatientbloodsamplestopredict responsestotherapieswitha92%accuracy.Overthepast years,wecreatedauniqueandcontinuouslygrowing libraryofoptimized(outofmillionsofoptions)platform conditionsandpredictivedataacrossapprovedand investigationalcancertreatments.Thisenablesustofocus onthemostpromisingcandidatemedicinesanddevelop themaspredictiveprecisionmedicinessolelyinclinically respondingpatients.Patientbypatient.Cancerbycancer

Whatisyouropinionontheadvancementsofbusinesses toimprovetheirofferingswithnewertechnological developments?

Notablerepresentsthenextgenerationofpredictive precisionmedicinesforpatientswithcancer,basedonthe emergenceofnewtechnology.Ourplatformcanpredictan individual'sclinicalresponsetocancertreatmentfroma bloodsampletaken before beginningtreatmentwitha92% accuracy.Iamproudofhowourproprietarytechnology addressesthequestionthatmattersmosttopatients,yet previouslycouldnotbeanswered:"Doctor,willthis treatmentworkforme?"

Whatisyourthoughtonthenecessityofapositivework culture?Inwhatwaysdoyouimplementitatyour organization?

Notable'scultureextendsfromitscoremissionof redefiningtreatmentforpeoplewithcancer.Forus,the patientmattersmost.Thismeansthatwenotonlypursue transformativemedicalimpactbutalso,proceed responsiblyandwiththesenseofurgencythatpatients deserve.Ourteamisspearheadingtherapeuticsolutionsat theinterfaceoftherapeutics,diagnostics,andengineering.

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Scientists,engineers,andexpertsfrommanyfieldswork togethercloselyandalsobuildoffoftheinsightsandideas fromeachother Theyworkhandinhand,peertopeerina uniqueandcollaborativeapproach.Leadingthispatientfocusedandintegrativecultureiskeytoaninnovative environment,andIbelieveitisbecauseofthisthatwehave beenabletorecruitandretaintoptalentacrossindustries.

Inwhatwayshaveyouoryourcompanycontributedto thecommunity?Ifgivenachance,whatchangewould youbringincreatinga"communityofhealthy business"?

Today,mostcancertreatmentsdeliveronlymodestclinical responseratesandfailforthemajorityofpatients,exposing themtoineffectivetherapiesandunnecessarysideeffects andtoxicities.Notable'smissionofdeliveringpredictive precisionmedicinethatworksforeachcancerpatient,and reducingunnecessarysideeffects,makesanimportant impactforthecommunity Thesetypesofadvanceswill revolutionizetreatmentforpeoplewithcancer

Whatisthebestwaytomeettoday's/tomorrow's challengeswithyourcompany'sexceptionalproducts andservicesforurgentneedscomingourway?

Inordertocreatethestreamofpredictivemedicinesthat patientscanrelyonwiththeurgencytheydeserve,itis criticalthatwecontinuetocollaboratewithindustry partnersandacademia.Havingdevelopedand commercializedmedicinesforcancerandrarediseasesfor morethantwentyyears,Iknowthatmanymedicinescan deliverahugemedicalimpactbutunfortunatelyonlyfora smallsubpopulationofthepatientswhoreceivethem. Wehavecreatedaplatformthatreproducesthehuman cancercellmicroenvironmentthatcanbeusedtotest cancertherapies,patientbypatient,witha92%accuracy,

beforetheyreceivetreatment.Thankstoourplatformand itspredictionaccuracy(asreportedbyStanford University*),wecannowengagewithprospectivepartners toco-developandlicensesuchtransformativemedicines solelyfocusedonrespondingpatients.Patientscanbe confidentthattheirtreatmentwillworkforthem,andour lifesciencespartnersbenefitfromafasterdevelopment speedandahigherlikelihoodofsuccess.

*Source:MichaelA.Spinner,…,PeterL.Greenberg;Ex vivodrugscreeningdefinesnoveldrugsensitivitypatterns forinformingpersonalizedtherapyinmyeloidneoplasms. BloodAdv2020;4(12):2768–2778.

AsanestablishedCEO,whatwouldbeyouradviceto thebuddingentrepreneursaspiringtoventureintothe industry?

Beabletopivotquicklytotakeadvantageofemerging opportunities,expectbumpsanddetoursalongtheway,and mostimportantly,staytruetoyourcorevalues.Whenyou developproductsforpatients,proceedwithextraurgency andcare.

Howdoyouenvisionsustainingyourcompany's competencyinacutthroatandvolatileworldof Security?Wheredoyouseeyourselfandthecompany inthenextfiveyears?

Partofourintegrativecultureistobeexternallyfocused andequallyseizeopportunitiesandaddresschallengeswith thebestpossibleapproaches.Challengesmakeusstronger andwillexpediteourvisionofdeliveringastreamof predictiveprecisionmedicineandredefiningthestandardof care,alwaysensuringthebestpossibleoutcomesfor patients.Patientbypatient.Diseasebydisease.

Each patient is notable and can benefit from a predictive precision medicine that works for them.
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The Break from the ORTHODOX LEADERSHIP

Tourselves."Well,whatdoesittaketobecomeone?

hereisasaying,"becomethebestversionof

Itisthebreakfromtheordinary,challenging orthodoxthinking,andcomingoutasthebestversionof ourselves.Itappliesthesameinleadership;today,itisthe breakfromorthodoxleadership,whichweneedwith innovativeideas.Whatelsefollowsinthejourneyofa leader?Let'shavealookthroughthisarticle.

Long-lastingLeadership

Thewilltolearnnewthingsbycollaboratingwiththe expertsofthatparticularfieldexpandstheknowledgeofthe businessleaders.Whilewemayagreethateveryone's journeyinlifeisdifferent,itfollowsyoutilltheendonce youchoose.Buttheendgoalistomakeanimpactinthe lifeofothers,beitintheformofbusiness,sports,politics, entertainment,oranyotherniche.And,whenitcomesto business,thereisapositionwhereassisting,motivating, andimpactingthelivesofothersistheresponsibilityofthe businessleader-CEO.ThedecisionstakenbyaCEOcan haveahugeimpactontheorganization'slifeandthe people.

TheCEOIngredients

WhenwespeakabouttheCEO,whatarethemust-have qualitiestowatchoutfor?Theprimaryaspectcomesfrom knowingtosolvetheproblemsoftheemployeesandthe company Theteam'ssupporthelpstheCEOincritical timesandwithoutateamplayer,onecannotsucceedin businessoranyotherfield.Therestofthequalitiescomes frommaintainingaculturethatisworthinspiringand following.

TheCEOisthemostappropriateandresponsiblepersonfor meetingtheneedsoftheemployeesandthecompany The ideas,decisions,andculturesetbytheCEOmakethe companyshineineverysituation.He/sheisinvolvedin everymanagementdecisionandisthepersonwho understandstheclientsandtheemployee'sneeds.He/she

alsoactsasamediatorwhodigsdeepintoeveryproblemof allthecompanylevels,astheCEOisinvolvedinseveral meetingsrightfromtheemployeetothecompanygrowth. ThereisnosingledecisiontakenwithoutaCEO;asa matteroffact,he/sheisthefaceofthemanagement.

ThereisalotofvalueforintegrityinthelifeofaCEO becauseyouhavetoprovidehonestrecommendationsand instructionineverypartoftheorganization.Additionally, beingawareofthemarketupdatesandknow-howcomes naturally,asyougottobethebestinbusinessfortheteam andthecompany.Lastly,promotinginclusivityand diversityintheorganizationmakestheorganizationaplace tothrive.

WhereareweNowandtheFuture

Today,weseemoreintelligentCEOswithapositiveand freshapproachenteringthebusinessarena,breakingthe trendoforthodoxleadership.Withtheirinnovative thinking,companiesareresultinginmoreinnovative practices.TheCEOisbringingthetransformationand successfullymeetingalltheexpectationsfromtheclientsto theemployees.Ultimately,onlylivinguptothesevalues canbringtheoveralltransformationintheindustry.

ThejourneyoftheCEOisnodoubtchallengingbutlooking attheresults,itisallworthyintheend.Inaworldfullof transformation,itisbesttobalancebothtechnologyand compassion.Itwillleadusalltoabetterfuture,wherewe ashumanscannurtureandprogressevenmore,makingthe worldabetterplacetoliveforusall.

Lastly,withthis,let'sallhopethatwelivealifefullof compassionandkindnesswhatevertimewehaveonearth. Afterall,itshouldnotalwaysbeaboutthebusinessand profitbutalsoaboutcreatingaworldofopportunities, whereallthepeoplefeelincluded.And,beingaCEO,it becomeshis/herroletoleadallsuchpeoplewiththebest skillset.

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Changing Leaderships

Thomas P. Shivers

and President

Partners

CEO
FourStone

CEOs Transforming Business Through Innovaon- 2022

Thomas Shivers

A Relentless Leader with a Progressive Approach

Relentlessleaderssetdirectionstomakeideasinto reality.Theyfocusonproducingideasthathave practicalimplicationsforthem.Whatmakesthem standoutfromtherestistheirabilitytolistentotheirteam andrecognizetheeffectivenessoftheirofferings.Onesuch pioneerofrelentlessleadershipisThomasP.Shivers,who hasbeenconsistentlyrecognizedasanindustryleaderfor hisconstantfocusonresults,accountability,andpractical application.

Withover25yearsofexecutiveandentrepreneurial experienceintheworkers’compensationmanagedcare marketplace,Tomhasbeeninstrumentalinshapingthe industry AstheCEOandPresidentatFourStone Partners,hehascreatedauniqueconsultingfirmthathas beenwidelypraisedforitsinnovation,effectiveness,and efficiency.

We,atInsightsSuccess,caughtupwithTomtounveilhis entrepreneurialjourneyandhowFourStonePartnersis optimizingtheperformanceofbusinesses.

AnEntrepreneurialJourney

TomfoundedFourStoneasastartupthathasnowgrown intoanationalorganization.Thefirmstartedwithoutany privateequitymoney;FourStonehasbeenself-fundedsince itsinception.

Alongtheway,Tomhasmetgreatpeopleandgreatclients who,inonewayoranother,havecontributedatremendous

amountoflearningexperienceforhim.Ithasbeenan incrediblejourneyforTom,andthereisyetmoretocome.

TheValuesthatOptimizePerformance

FourStonehascontinueditsexpertiseintheworkers’ compensationindustryandcommercializinghealthcare productswithauniqueapproach.Tomhascentered FourStonearoundpracticalapplicationandcollaboration. Hefocuseshistimeandattentiononpracticalapplication thathelpsclientsmaximizetheiropportunitiesbasedon whattrulyworksanddevelopsimplementableand actionablestrategies.

Tombelievesinlesstheoryandmorepracticalactions.In hisopinion,whatdifferentiatesFourStonefromits competitorsisthatitprovidesitsclientswithimpactful strategiesandthenexecutesthemontheirbehalf.

SculptingStrongLeadership

FromtheperspectiveofTom,impactfulleadershipis collaborativeinnature,anditisalsoneveraskinganyoneto doanythingthatyouwon'tdoyourself.Aleaderneedstobe accountableforthedecisionsofhisorherteam.

ThepersonalphilosophyofTomis 'everybody in the room is the smartest person in the room based on the subject.' He implementsthesameatFourStone.Thisway,thebestidea wins,nomatterwhocreatesthatidea.Thisallowspeopleto beattheirbestselveswithoutanyfearandexpresstheir

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pointofview,thoughts,andideasonthesubject.Atsome point,theseideasandcanbeembracedandmovedforward. Overall,thisempowerspeopletofeelfreeandnotbeafraid tomakemistakes.Thisapproachwillunlocktheir maximumpotentialinthelongterm.

Inaddition,Tomalsobelievesthathumilityisanessential traitforaleader ACEOshouldbeopentonewideasand understandthateverycolleaguebringstheirknowledgeto thebusiness.Itiscrucialtobeabletolisten.Ontheflipside ofbeingahumbleleaderisbeingrelentlessinpursuing goalsandsuccess.

Tomsays, “I've got a team of employees that count on me to be very good at my job. So, I have to be really good at my job for them. And I feel like one of the traits that I have that has allowed me to succeed is that sort of relentlessness and tenacity. If you combine that with humility and behaving honorably, I think it creates a nice culture. And I think the culture at our firm is something we're very proud of.”

AHealthyWorkCulture

Whenaskedaboutmaintainingpositiveworkcultureat FourStone,Tomsays, “I don't think you can overvalue a positive work environment and a positive work culture. I think it's incredibly paramount to the success of a firm long term. We take an immense amount of pride in the culture that we have.”

ThecultureatFourStoneiscollaborative,competitive,and family-orientedthatprioritizesperformanceandtakingcare ofeachother Thecultureisalsobaseduponpractical application;theteamatthefirmtreatsthemselveslikethey treatitsclients.Thereisn'tanytheory,esoteric, unquantifiablesortofmissionorgoal.Whenpeoplebring ideastothetableforthefirmortheclients,theyhavetobe basedonpracticalapplication,focusingonrealworld solutionsthatcanbetrackedandmanaged.

Tomandhisteamarefearlessandtenaciouswhen implementingnewthings.Theyaren'tafraidtoquickly makeeducateddecisionstorolloutnewproductsand enhanceexistingproducts.Theyworkcollaboratively,both internallyandwiththeirclientsandotherconstituents.The teamtakesmuchprideinhowtheypresentthemselvesto oneanotherandtheirclientsandindustry.

TheHighsandLowsofPandemic

FourStonemanagedtosurviveandexperienceaslight growthduringthepandemicbecauseofitsdiversified portfolio.Someofitsproductsandservicesdidsuffer,but someofthemcouldmaintainandgrow.

Culturally,thepandemicaffectedFourStonethemostas everyonehadtoundergoaremoteworkculture.The companyimplementedsomevirtualmodelsforsomeofits productsandservicesinabrieftimeframe.Italsomeantto

We are a high energy, high intensity, results driven organization that fully engages with our clients to optimize performance.
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trusttheteamtodotherightthingandworktherightway Fortunately,Tomhasspentmuchtimeonhiringbasedupon character Thishelpedthefirmwhenitwentremoteandhad todothingsdifferentlyovernight;thehiringphilosophy provedsuccessfulastheentireteamadjustedremarkably well.

Tomopinesthatitwascrucialtoadapttothecircumstances. Theperformanceofthecompanyinmanywayshas exceededexpectations.Infact,someoftheFourStoneTeam willcontinuetoworkfromhomepost-pandemic.

TechnologicalAspectstoMoveAhead

Technologyhasplayedsuchanincredibleroleinthe evolutionofhowcompaniesfunctionduringthispandemic, andTomdoesn'tthinkthat'severgoingtorollitselfback.It willgetmoreimportantmovingforward.

HeadingIntoNewHorizon

Tomhasanabsolutevisionoforganicgrowth,whichisa challengingroad,andhethinksinthefutureFourStonewill alsogrowthroughacquisition.Thecompanyisactively lookingatsomepotentialacquisitiontargets.Thefirm wouldalsoliketodiversifyandexpandtheservicesthatit offerstoitsclients.

WordsofWisdomforAspiringEntrepreneurs

Inhisadvicetoupcomingentrepreneurs,Tomsays, “Be absolutely relentless in your pursuit of success. Listen to people who know more than you, surround yourself with the best team that you can find that has complementary skills to yours, and allow them full opportunity to help grow the company with their own expertise and spirit.”

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