Inthismodernera,businessleadersaresearchingfor
waystoleadtheirteamstosuccessandadapttocurrent eventsthathavethrownmanycompaniesintoaloop. Goodleadershipisdifficultintimesofchangeandcrisis, andmanymanagersarerealizingthatthemanytriedand truebusinessstrategiesofthepastarenotapplicabletothe currentstateofworldaffairs.
Manyleadersarechoosingtoadoptmanagingstylesthat aremorefocusedonkeepingtheirteamlean,agile,and adaptive.Theabilityoforganizationstostayflexibleis moreimportantthanever,givenhowunpredictablethe futureistoday.Moreover,muchoftheconventional wisdomaboutmanagementhasbeenturnedonitsheaddue totheadoptionofnewtechnologiesthathavesignificantly changedthebusinesscultureofmanycompanies.
Managersshouldhaveaclearvisionofwhattheyaretrying toachieveandbeabletoinspirethisvisionintheir subordinates.Aleader’svisionshouldbeclearand meaningful.Settingavisionyourteamcanrallybehindand tangiblyworktowardiscrucial.
Sharingthiswisdomwillmakeworkersfeelliketheyare partofacollectivewholethatisworkingtogethertowards thesamegoal.Withoutavision,employeesaremorelikely tobeisolatedandself-serving,whichcanleadtoinfighting andconflictinanorganization.
Intoday’sfast-paceddigitalworld,stagnationandclosemindednessareagoodleader’sworstenemies.Effective managersareconstantlylearningnewskillsandexpanding theirsetofskills.Doingsoallowsthemtocommunicate moreeasilywithdifferentteammembersthatmightpossess theirownuniqueexpertise.
Constantlykeepinganopenmindandapproachingbusiness fromalearningperspectivealsoallowsthemtofostera morediverseworkenvironmentthatacceptsand encouragesallsortsofdifferentperspectives.
Embracingthejourneyofsuchstaunchbusinessleadersthat arerevolutionizingthemodernbusinessarena,Insights Success’latestedition,shedslightontheTop10Inspiring BusinessLeadersMakingaDifferencein2022.
Flipthroughthepagesandexplorethefundamentalsof successwiththeresoluteleadershipcharismas.
Have a Delightful read!
BorisKontsevoi CEO
Intetics intetics.com
EdwinBessant CEO
HenrikAndersson CEO
JanHeere CEO
JodyPaulus CEO
CeutaGroup ceutagroup.com
HenrikAndersson Instorescreen.com
StudioModerna studio-moderna.com
InteticsInc.isaleadingglobaltechnologycompany
CeutaGroupworkswithsomeofthemostdynamicbrandsin Health&PersonalCareandFood&Drink.
HenrikAnderssonShelfStripdisplaysfitperfectlyinfrontof yourstandardshelves.
StudioModernaisaleadingomnichannel,multi-brandand direct-to-consumerretailer
Europlasmaisaglobaltechnologyleaderininnovativenanocoatingsolutions. Europlasma europlasma.be
RIFTRUSTand LatitudeGroup riftrust.com MimounAssraoui CEO
NabilBenSoussia CEO
PaulaCarneiroCox SVPofBusiness DevelopmentTonyBates CEO
WaelItani CEO
IECTelecom iec-telecom.com
WonderBotz WonderBotz.com
Genesys genesys.com
GeneralPoultryCompany gpc.bh
RIFTrust'soverallstrategicdirectionistoprovideHNWIand theirfamilieswithsecondcitizenship&EUresidency solutions.
IECTelecomisaninternationalsatelliteserviceoperator.
AstheSeniorVicePresidentofBusinessDevelopment,Paula iscommittedtohelpingclientsquicklydeliverqualityand valuebacktotheirorganization.
Genesyscloudtechnologyhelpsensurecustomersare remembered,heardandunderstood.
GeneralPoultryCompanyspecializesinpoultryfarming&sale offreshtableeggsaccountingfora65%shareoflocalBahraini eggproduction.
Carneiro Cox, SVP of Business Development
Paula
As a leader I have learned it is important to show the next generation to recognize that humility is key. It is important to stay equal parts inquisitive, teachable and hard-working to make it in today’s modern world.”
Iidentifyinganddeliveringvalueistheonlywayto
developscalablegrowthstrategiesforanorganization whileremainingobsessedwithcustomerneeds. Throughacommitmenttobeingaleaderfromanyposition ontheteamyoucanassistinpropellingthecompanyto newerheights.Lettingauthenticityandhumilityguideher, PaulaCarneiroCoxleadsthatcharge,managingabusiness developmentteamwhoseresponsibilityistomatchvalueto needswithintheWonderBotzcustomerbase.Sheattracts newclientsthroughcompellingcontent,webengagement andcommunityeducation.
AstheSeniorVicePresidentofBusinessDevelopment, Paulaiscommittedtohelpingclientsquicklydeliverquality andsignificancebacktotheirorganization.Herstrengthis helpingthemidentifyroadmapstovalueandencouraging internalnetworkingamongexecutives.WonderBotzisa professionalservicesfirmfocusedontheadvisory,design, deployment,andongoingmanagementofIntelligent ProcessAutomationinvolvedinsolution-basedoutcomes.
InsightsSuccesscaughtupwithPaulainourendeavorto find"Top10InspiringBusinessLeadersMakinga Differencein2022"andtalkedaboutherprofessional journey,therolessheplayedinoperationspriortoher currentroleasagrowthleader,andhowitledtoacareer followingherpassionforconnectingpeople,technology andprocesses.
Below are the highlights of the interview: Brieflydescribeyourprofessionaljourneyupuntilnow.
IstartedmycareerataGlobalManufacturingandLogistics organization,mappingoutprocessesandinteractions betweensystems,people,andultimately,technicians.That seguedintoaproperProcessAnalystrolewheremyjobwas towritetheproceduraldocumentationandcaptureSLAsfor theBlackBerryGlobalDataCenterteam.Throughaseries ofoperational-relatedrolesandprocessimprovement projects,IbegantorealizeIhadagiftforsimplifying complextechchallengesforbusinessleaders.Mycareer morphedwithafewturnsintotheM&Aspace,alwayswith alaserfocusonmyinterestinprocessimprovementand efficiency Thesedisciplinesnaturallytransitionintoa consultingroleintheautomationspace.Iturnedmyvisio documentsintoRobotDesignDocumentsandhaven't lookedback.TodayIsitontheleadershipteamat WonderBotz,servicingclientswhowanttoimprovetheir organization,theiremployees,andtheirqualityofwork-life
throughintelligentautomation.IhaveafeelingI'llbe stickingaroundthisindustryandlineofworkforyearsto come.
Inmyearlytechcareer,Iwasalwaysoneoftheonly womenintheroom,andIwascertainlytheyoungestbyfar. Itdidn'thindermygrowth,butithelpedshapemy diplomacytacticsandrefinedmyEQsothatIcouldbe effectiveandmyvoicewouldbejustasinfluentialasmy malecounterpartsclimbingtheranks.I'vealwaysadvocated forequalrepresentationandhaveonlyhadafewsnags alongthewayashavemostwomenexecutivesinmycircle, buttheyweregoodlearningmomentsformeandhave servedasvaluablestoriesforthewomenImentorinthe technologyspace.
Alongsimilarlines,asaself-proclaimedoutlier,theideaof beinga"lifer"atanorganizationneverappealedtome.Not forlackofloyalty,butformyneedtocontinuouslygrow,be challenged,andgiveback.Fortunately,mysentimentshave beenechoedovertheyears,andinthismodernage, employeesseekalternativeexperiences,multipleindustries toworkfor,shortertenures,andloyaltytotheirvalues ratherthananorganizationtheyserve.
Iprecededthatphilosophyatatimeitwasn'tverypopular, stayingatafirmanywherefrom2-4yearsbeforemovingon tothenextlearningexperience.Atthetime,hiring
Leadership opportunities may reveal themselves in non-traditional environments. There may be relationships where you are not a direct manager, however you can still be a human and offer support if you've had the experience.
Top 10 Inspiring Business Leaders Making a Difference in 2022managersandrecruiterswouldviewitnegatively.Itwas onlywhentherecessionof2007-08kickedintohighgear thatmyworkexperienceoutshinedthe"loyalty"card,andI wasahothire.IhadtenyearsofprofessionalworkbeforeI completedthefinalfewcreditstogetmydiploma,soIdid itat28yearsold,andtodayIamproudofthatjourney.My careerpathandthecorrespondingchallengeshelpme connectwithtoday'sdevelopers,contingencylaborers,and gig-workerswhoshouldtakeeverybitasmuchpridein theirworkassomeonewithapedagogicaleducationtrack. Successwithanalternativeapproachandsharingthatwith risingworkplacestarshasbecomepartofmy"why.”
WhatsignificantimpacthaveyoubroughttotheRPA industry?
Proudly,I'vehadtheopportunitytoimpactboththe executiveleadershipsideoftheindustryencouraging storiesandelevatingthediscussiontovalueratherthan "featuresandfunctions,"andalsowithinthegrassrootsof theRPAdevelopercommunity"handsonkeyboard"level.I learnedRPAontheUiPathplatformafteraoperational processcareer,andthroughWonderBotznowworkclosely withBluePrismandAutomationAnywhere,too.Allof these"anchorRPAplatforms,"asIcallthem,beganto saturatethemarketatatimewhentheadvisorsand practitionerswerelearningbestpracticesalongsidetheir clients.ImadeitapointtogetmyBACertificationfor credibility,tookoffmy"operations"hat,andwentintothe commercialandbusinessdevelopmentsideoftheindustry IwasoneofthefirsttointerviewCFOsandfacilitate roundtablediscussionswithmypartnerstohelpevangelize RPAthroughsocialmediaandreachabroadercrew. Partnersliketoworkwithmeformywillingnesstoboth strategizeandcoldcallasneeded-whenyouare experiencingandsharingtheimpactstoriesthistech categorycanquicklyadd,it'seasytopassionatelyspread theword.IthinkIhelpdothatinagentle,unintimidating waytoclientsandamveryeffectiveinidentifying automationsuitabilitythankstomyoperationalbackground inprocessimprovementandprocessdocumentation.And justtonote,ofcourse,thereareseveralotherincredible intelligentautomationpartnersweworkwith-thesethreewe havemadethemostimpacton.
TellusaboutWonderBotzanditsfoundationpillar. WonderBotzwasfoundedontheprincipleofquality outcomes,nomatterwhat.Ourinceptionstoryisoneofthe mainreasonsIwasattractedtoWonderBotz.Imet WonderBotzleadershipatafewindustryconferences
Carneiro Cox, SVP of Business Development
It is crucial to maintain integrity, work hard and have humility about your strengths because that will get noticed, valued, and promoted.Paula
beforewebeganformallycourting,andIwasimmediately alignedwiththepartnershipvaluesystemtheyshared.Imet BhavyeshViraniinNewYorkontheeastcoast,andlater metSteveLaValleinLasVegas.Iconnectedinstantlywith eachofthem.WonderBotzhires,trains,andretainsthebest talentintheRPAspace,period.Wehaveserviceproviders andcompetitorsknockingonourdoorseverydayfor developersupportorsolutiondesign,nottomentiona pipelineofclientworkandnetnewbuyerswemeetevery weekbecauseourexpertiseandtalentaresowidelyknown. Wehavealeadershipteamthatbackstheirwordanda partnerecosystemthatallowsustopullanyarrowfromour quiverasweseektocontinuouslyinnovateourclients' operations.Itisaspecialplaceformanyreasons,butthe integritybehindourleaders'promisingoutcomes"nomatter what"issomethingeasytostandbehind.
HowdoesWonderBotzpromoteworkforceflexibility, andwhatisyourroleinit?
Theverynatureofautomationworkisremotewhenthe propermethodologyisfollowed.TheBusinessAnalyst functionandCustomerSuccessleaderswehaveonour clientprojects,however,maketimeformeetingclientsin personandhavingamorefrequentcadencedependingon thestageoftheprogram.MyBusinessDevelopment AnalystsareinvariouspartsofIndia,butourproximityin workandcollaborationissuchthatIfeelIalreadyknow them.Hopingtofinallymeettheminpersonnextyear!The USGrowthTeamcomestogethermorefrequently,andwe proudlyinauguratedourheadquartersinPrinceton,New Jerseyearlierthissummer.Evenstill,wehaveahybrid policysothatouremployeescanmaintaintheirwork-life balance.Weknowtherearetimeswhen12hourdayscan happenintheconsultingandadvisoryworld;that'swhyit's importanttopromoteacultureofflexibility Attheendof theday,it'sabouttrustandaccountability-thetruthabout someone'sproductivityalwaysshakesitselfout.
Whatisyourtakeontechnology'simportance,andhow areyouleveragingit?
Ibelievethatinsomeshapeorform,everyindustrywill haveadigitalmodification,improvement,orfull transformationwithinthenext20years.Technologyis extremelyimportant,butitisalsogettingverysaturated, makingnoisethatmutesthevalue.Technologyforthesake
oftechnologyorautomatingjusttoautomatearepoor reasonstoapplytechnology.Inordertoincreaseefficiency, cutcosts,reduceerrors,improvethescalabilityofoutput volume,organizelargerdatasets,etc.,itisgoodtohavea healthytechmindsetandseewheretherecanbeananswer inaplatformorsolution.Ibelieveincreatingscalable solutionsthroughRPAandadjacenttechnologiesbecause thepoweroftheprocessisinyourhandstoadjustand reconfigure,atscale,withouttrainingteamsordepartments. Inmypersonalfunction,Ileveragetechnologytoorganize thethousandsofrelationshipsImanageandmaintainthe important"human"detailsaboutmyclientsandcolleagues topofmind.I'dlovetomeetanyonewhosaystechnologyis NOTimportantinthismodernworld.
Whatwillbethenextsignificantchangeinthe IntelligentAutomationindustry,andhowareyou preparingforit?
IbelievethatIntelligentAutomation(IA)willbea standalonebusinessunitmuchlikeashared-servicecenter concept,onlymoreofaNOC-likeenvironment.IAtouches manydisciplinesandastheindustrygrowsinpopularity andbuyersbegintoseehowcost-efficientitis,morefolks fromthebusinessareupskillingintotheIAworldand changingthetypeoftalentthatperformsthiswork.Itcould beawholenewcategoryofdegreesandtraining.Weare evenseeingcoursesriseupatUniversitiessupporting IntelligentAutomation.Fundamentally,Ithinkall intelligentautomationmethodologieshavebeenheadedin threedirectionsforsometime,1)productizingRPA+ Adjacenttechsolutionsandsellingthemasaservice, and/or2)moreLowCode/NoCodedigitalassistant-type softwarefortheindividual3)AI-poweredProcessandTask miningwillexposeareasofthebusinessthatneedattention toincreaseprofitability Withourpartner-centricmindsetat WonderBotz,wehavealignedwithafewplayersinthese areasandhaveenabledsupportteams.Clientstrustuswith theirbusinesschallengesbecause,asIAadvisors,itisour dutytounderstandwhatiscomingdownthepikeinour industryandwhereitcouldapplytotheirbusiness challenges.Onethingisforsure;itwillneverstop changing.
Whatareyourgoalsintheupcomingfuture?
MygoalistohelpWonderBotzreachourstrategicrevenue andclientacquisitiongoalsoverthenextyear.Itisby stayingverypresentintheIntelligentAutomationspaceand offeringmysupport,guidance,andexperiencetothe aspiringpractitionerssotheystaymotivatedandunderstand
activeparticipationintheCFOLeadershipCouncil. Personally,Iplantoreactivatesomeofmymentoring channels,andIhavemadeitagoaltobeginaccepting speakingengagementsagainandgettingoutinthe automationcommunitymorefornetworkingandthe exchangeofideas.Iamfortunatetohaveabrilliant networkofallvarieties.
Whatadvicewouldyouliketogivethenextgeneration ofaspiringbusinessleaders?
Ithasbecomeacompletelyoverused"buzzword," unfortunately,butthedepthofitsmeaningismyadviceto all:authenticity.Thekey,however,isknowingyourselfin ordertopresentthattruthtotheworld.Iseesomany youngstersrisingupwithachipontheirshoulder,asense ofentitlement,andabravadoaboutwhatworkshouldlook like.Yousimplydon'tknowyet!Andguesswhat?That's perfectlyok.IstrivetobethesamePaulaatwork,withmy clients,withmyemployees,withmyfamilyorfriends,and withmyhusband.Sometimessheissilly,sometimessheis serious,butsheisalwaysthetruth-tellingwomanwith integritywhoworkshardandwillcomethroughforyouin apinch.Itisimportantforthenextgenerationtorecognize thatthevirtueofhumilityisimportantandcanonlybe experiencedwhenweadmittoneedinghelp.Nomatter whatstageofmycareer,thereisalwayssomethingelsefor metolearn,especiallyinarapidlymovingindustrylike tech.Itiscrucialtomaintainintegrity,workhardandknow yourselfbecausethatwillmakeuptheapproachablesideof youthatwillgetnoticed,valued,andpromoted.Notto mention,keepyouhappy
ThejourneyfromabusinessleadertoaChief ExecutiveOfficerisn'tjustconnectedwithpersonal goalsandambitions.Italsoalwaysalignswitha globalmissiontobringmeaningfulvaluetobusiness societyandengagetalentedpeopleinstrategicallyplanned businesswithavividandclearmission,vision,andaroad map.Butinthebeginning,usually,onehasonly enthusiasm,aspiritofaninnovatorandexperimenter,and thedesiretofacechallenges.Toachievetheresults,onehad tobededicated,persistent,andindustrious;akintothese qualitiesisBorisKontsevoi.
AstheCEOandPresidentofIntetics,Borisleadsaglobal softwareengineeringanddataprocessingcompanyfocused oncreatingandoperatingeffectivedistributedteamsfor applicationdevelopment,systemsintegration,GIS solutions,andback-officesupport.Inteticscelebratedits 26th-anniversarylastyear,anditisprogressing,innovating, andmakinganimpactbecauseoftheindividualeffortsof everyemployee.
Boris'sprofessionalcareerstartedin1984.Tenyearslater, inJanuary1994he'sfoundedacompanyandstartedthe entrepreneurialjourneywhenheandfourothersoftware engineershuddledoveralaptopandbeganwritingsoftware fortheirUS-basedinsuranceclients.Originally,Intetics wasfoundedinMinsk,Belarus,andinitiallyoperatedunder thename"Client-ServerPrograms."Borisstatesthatinthe eraofnointernetinthepost-SovietRepublic,nonein Belaruscouldunderstanditsnameandtypeofbusiness. ModemcallsweremadetoBerlinbecausetherewereno InternetprovidersinBelarusandthephonebillswere
around800$,thetotalpricewas$2200perchannelat128 kbit/s;moreover,itwastrickytodeliverthesoftwaretothe clientbecause"heavy"filescouldn'tbedownloadedviathe internet.Itneededtotakeafloppydisk,getonaplane,and flytotheUSA.
OnlyinSpringof1995,finally,theopportunitytoaccesson theinternetappearedinBelarus.
Eightyearslater,BorismovedtotheUSAand“ClientServerPrograms”becameoneofthedevelopmentcenters at theAmericancompany–InteticsInc. Ithasfoundmore officesintheUSA,Belarus,Ukraine,UK,Poland,and Germany Yet,despitealltheodds,thecompanygrewtothe globallevel.In2021,ithasachievedclientsin30+ countries.Ithas700+employeesatthecompany;theyare spreadacross11officesandworkofflineandremotely.
Inteticshasbeenfacingariseinrecentyears,withaneedto executecustomer-centricmarketingstrategiesacross multiplechannelsusingvariousdata.Itmettheneedto coordinateandadjusttheapproachestoitsbrand awareness.
BorisdescribesthevisionofInteticsthroughitsbrandstyle. Onthedesignlevel,theupdatedcorporatestylehasbecome closertothe"WhiteandBright"approachandthus emphasizesthelogo,itscolor,andhistory.Orangeisa consequenceofbeingboredbyuniformed“bluechips”,in 90ththeyhavebeencalledBLUEchipsbyWallStreet exactlyforthereasonthatallITcompanieshadbluelogos, sometimesgreen.
Throughitscoloranddesign,theInteticslogoembodiesthe company'smissionandvision.Orangeisassociatedwith meaningsofjoy,warmth,energy,enthusiasm,creativity, success,happiness,fun,balance,andfascination.This sunnycolorsetsthecompanyapartfromthemainlyblueish andgreenishITcommunityanddrawsattentiontoits abilitytocreatenewbusinessmodels,delivervalueand striveforinnovation.
TheInteticsstarisaguidingstartosuccessandvalue,the symbolofconnectionbetweenourspiritandallthe elementsofthisworld.Itfurtherrepresentstheglobal visionbehindIntetics'innovationanditsintendedfuture:to riseasthenumberonestarinthesoftwareservicesindustry (atitlethathasbeenearnedalreadyaccordingtotheIAOP's listofTop100GlobalOutsourcingCompanies.)Italso reflectsthecompany'srootsinEasternEurope,andits currentheadquartersintheUSA,wherethestarhasavery specialmeaningofthegoalstowhichhumankindaspires.
Inthepursuitofbeingthebest,Intetics'dailyworkis dedicatedtomakinganimpact.Inteticswouldliketo
highlightthreecasesindifferentindustries:transportation, educationandhealthcare.
TheInteticsOffshoreDedicatedTeam®scaledalogistics companybusinesstotransportmillionsoftonsofcargo everyday.ThechallengeconcernedtheClient'sneedto enhancetheproduct,improvethequalityandtoexecutethe maintenancewithadevelopmentteam'shelpinaveryshort term.Theresults thatwereachieved: Ÿ
TheTransportManagementSystemwasscaledand optimizedwiththeSarbanes-OxleyActrequirements. Ÿ Thelegacyhierarchicaldatabasegraduallymigratedto Oracle. Ÿ
Withaunitedreliableandautonomousteam,thenumber ofissuesdecreased5times. Ÿ
Withathird-partysystemsintegration,theClientcould exchangeliveinformationinseveralmonths.
Anothercase,regardingtotheEdtech,Inteticsteamdidthe redevelopmentofanomnichanneleLearningPlatform, which9.5millionstudentsuseacrossAmerica.Themain challengewasmigratingtoaplatformwithgreater
“ “
flexibility,scalability,andmoremoderncutting-edge architecture.Asaresult:87%ofstudentssaidthataccessto learninganalyticspositivelyimpactedtheirstudies,and 77%increasedtheirengagementwithcourse materials.Borisassertsthattoimpactthehealthcare industry,they havedevelopedthepubliclyavailable diabetes&glucosemonitoringMobApp.Thechallenge wastocreateapowerfulandflexibledesktopapptointeract withtheClient'sminiaturizedmodulardiagnosticimaging hardwareplatform.Astheresultthebest-in-classdigital microscopeisoperatedbyInteticssoftware.TheClient continuesthedevelopmentbasedonthepresent architecture.
Value-DrivenCulture Inteticsinitsbrandnamemeansinternet.Technology. Ethics.
BorisstatesIntetics'CodeofConductunderlinesthemain principlesofitsdailyworkethic.Thevaluesemphasized herehelpitdrivequalityresults,deliversatisfactiontoits clients,andbuildprofessionalrelationshipsinthecompany TheseidealshaveguidedInteticstobecomewhoitistoday Hesays,"Toattainevengreatersuccess,itisvitalthatwe relyonandapplythesevaluestoourdecisionseveryday.”
Talkingaboutthesignificanceoftechnology,Intetics leveragesAI/ML,IoT,blockchain,andGIS/UAV/LBS technologiestomakeresourcefulsolutions.
TopickupontheIntetics'CaseStudy,Borisassertsthat Artificialintelligencehashugepotentialtoincreasean institution'sstudentoutcomes–studentswillbeonequal footing,nomatterwhotheirteacherisorwhattheir backgroundconsists.AIsystemscanflagstudentswhoare atrisksothateducatorscanprovidethemwithadditional support.Thecurriculumwillbethesamefromteacherto
teacher,sothereisnolearninggapbetweenthetwo classrooms.And,duetostridesinAIattendance monitoring,therewillbelesspersistentabsenteeism, increasinglearninghours.Whileinstitution-facingAImight bebehindlearnerandteacher-facingapplications,itstillhas thepowertochangetheeducationalsystemforthebetter Therebyimplementingtechnologiesineveryindustrywe mightseeitsevolutioninbusinessprocesses.
BorisstatesIntetics'futuregoalsareasfollows:1.Continue totransformbusinessesbyprovidingleadingdigital technologiesandinnovativetechnicaltalent.2.Capitalizing onitsCentersofExcellenceofCloudandDevOps,Test Automation,DataScienceandBigData,MachineLearning andAI,InternetofThings,CX/UI/UXdesign,Geospatial, GISandLBSsolutions,UAV/drones,LowCode,Chatbots andConversationalIntelligence,RoboticProcess Automation(RPA),andmore.
3.Morescientificresearchinsoftwaredevelopment technology
4.Achieving2000+employeesasapartoftheIntetics family.
BorisstronglyadvisesbuddingCEOstogoto100potential clientsandspeakupaboutanideatogetfeedback.Follow feedbackstoanalyzetheresultstomakeanMVPofthe product."Entrepreneursshouldn'tjustrelyontheirownwill whendevelopingasoftwareproductbecause,ultimately,no onewillbuyit.So,first,doyourcustomerdevelopment," concludesBoris.
Settingupandstartingabusinesssoundslikeaneasy task,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.
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.
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.
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.
Edwinadmiresthepioneering
andentrepreneurs whohavetrulytakenuptheopportunityofspottingagapin themarket,definingandshapingthenewwayweliveand shopwithphenomenalsuccess,changingconsumer
Duringthecovidperiod,CeutaGrouphasthankfullyhada record-breakingyear,workingwithintheHealth&Personal CareandFood&Drinkindustries,andhavingpartofits workforceworkingfromtheofficesandthemajorityof personnelsuccessfullyworkingfromhome.Ceuta experiencedmorechallengeswithBrexitaffectingits
innovators
‘‘ ‘‘
MarketingAgencies,ascorporationswereholdingback becauseoftheuncertaintyofelectionsandgettingthe Brexitbillpassed.Intheshortterm,therewasatemporary holdonMarketingbudgetswithinsomesectors,butoverall, itsawarapidchangetobrandmarketingdevelopment whichcontinuestoaccelerate.
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: Ÿ
Supportlocalcharitieswithfinancialcontributions Ÿ
Organizeclean-upevents Ÿ
Volunteerinlocalschoolsorcommunityprojects Ÿ
Localfund-raisingevents
Edwinisa‘FellowofthePrince’sEnterpriseTrust’which helpsvulnerableyoungpeoplegettheirlivesbackontrack.
Itsupports11to30year-oldswhoareunemployedand thosestrugglingatschoolandatriskofexclusion.Edwin periodicallygoesintoclassroomstotalktostudents[from allethnicities]onbusinessbuildingandthewatchoutsetc. whichhereallyenjoys.
Inaconclusion,Edwinmentionsthatforthenextfiveyears, CeutaGroup’svisionistocontinuetobuildoutitsGlobal Digitalservices.Itwantstocontinuetobuildoutits ‘MarketplaceSupportPlatform’–USA,Europe,andChina. ItwantstoselectivelyacquireotherCeutatype organizationsworldwideandtoacquireConsumerHealth& Wellnessbrands’.
Edwinisalsoa‘LifeFellowofTheRoyalSocietyof Medicine’.
Signage!Adiscoverythatemergedinto th commercialspacebytheearly20 century. Fromtheinceptionofbillboardstowallmountingdigitalscreens,thesignageindustry hasalwaysbeensearchingfortech-mediated businesssolutions.
Withbusinessesgoingdigital,enterprisesstartedoffby usingconsumerproductslikeTV,DVDplayer,VCRsasa mediumofdigitalsignageinretailstores.However,there wasamassiveopportunityintheindustrytodevelopretail specificsolutions,thispushedHenrikAnderssonto establishInstorescreen,transformingretailstoreswiththe digitalrevolution.
AsavisionaryleaderandCEO,Henrikiskeenonmapping visionaryprospectsofdigitalsignagesolutionswitha technocraticapproach!
Let'sdiveintotheinspiringjourneyofHenrikAndersson.
BeforeInstorescreen,Henrikhadanimpressivecareerat Cisco,wherehewasresponsibleforthereconstructionof severalcompany'snetworkinfrastructure.Helaterjoined SonyEricsson,theyhiredhimtoinvent,developandrun theirentiremultimediadepartment.Hisworkinthisarea endedupbeingahugesuccessandmotivatedHenrikto designandmanufacturedigitalsignagehardwaresolutions, andInstorescreenwasborn.
Talkingaboutthefuture,Henriksays,"Instorescreen helps making Lenovo OEM into a multibillion-dollar supplier of Smart Retail products and solutions. He focuses on developing smart solutions that facilitate high consumer engagement, with technological advancement."
AtInstorescreen,Henrikfocusesondesigningand manufacturingrequirementstargetedatDigitalSignage hardwaresolutionsforindividualcustomerneeds.Henrik notes,"We are specialized in custom branded solutions, leveraging the customer's marketing investment, and developed standalone solutions. We became the leading display solutions provider for many major brands such as Diageo, Marlboro, and Lego during this period. These companies were thrilled how Instorescreen could showcase their products and influence customer actions at the point of
purchase with motion media. Sales lifts of 80+ % were common, and as a result, Instorescreen proliferated."
Astheorganizationsalesskyrocketed,Henrikmoved InstorescreenheadquarterstotheUSmarket.Thishelped thecompanygrowbydesigningandmanufacturing hardwaresolutionsthatretrofitperfectlyinexistingshelf solutions,leveragingthecustomer'sexistingshelf investment,withSmartRetail2.0.
WithavisionoftransformingSmartRetail2.0,Henrik says,"InstoreScreen is developing optimized solutions called "Smart Retail" with a focus on easy to deploy and maintain systems. Shelves that can see, hear, and understand the world around them, will make retail shopping fun again, and we are ready to deploy now!"
"
Smart Retail is our line of uniquely shaped screens, with sensors and triggers, that seamlessly blend into and fit
existing retail gondolas. These displays are designed and approved for retail, in partnership with fixture manufacturers such as Lozier and leading retailers such as Whole Foods,"explainsHenrik.
AtInstorescreen,Henrikisleveragingtechnologytomake digitalsignagesolutionsresourcefulandcosteffective.He says,"inDAISY+ is one of the key features enabling the scalability of the Smart Retail displays. This daisy chain technology reduces the number of computer and Wi-Fi endpoints needed, reducing the corresponding number of Operating System and Content Management Software licenses. Minimizing the computers and Wi-Fi endpoints improves the system's reliability, and limiting the number of software licenses needed lowers the cost to maintain the system.”
HenrikmentionsthattheDigitalSignageindustryis changingquickly,andithasbecomeessentialtoimplement thedata-centricapproachtoenhancetheconsumer experience.
HenrikisdeployingLenovoedgecomputersintoretail,in ordertoempowertheSmartRetaildisplays,supporting digitalshelfedgepricingandprovidingprocessingpower foradvancedanalyticsattheshelfedge. Henotes,"When shoppers can enjoy an experience that anticipates their needs and shows them new things to try and enjoy, people will gladly flock back into the stores. That
is why Instorescreen is developing analytics capabilities with our Smart Retail solutions in the coming year.”
WeaskedHenrik,ifgivenachance,whatchangeswouldhe liketointroduceinthedigitalSignageindustry,towhichhe answered,"We see that one of the trickiest problems to solve to bring technology to retail shelves is the limited availability of power. Not only is there virtually zero power deployed across the main parts of the aisles, but the power conditioning is nonexistent. So, we are focused on this problem and plan to announce a new daisy chain soon utilizing the latest USB-C protocols. The plan is to have one cable for video, data, and power, and no need for hundreds of power supplies and all of the associated electrical infrastructure to support them."
HebelievesthatthedaisychainsolutionwillbeagamechangerinscalingSmartRetail.
Henrikbelievesthatdigitalsignagecanreshapetheretail industry,andinnovationknowsnoboundarieswith technologicalexpertise.
Henrikmarks,"It is an exciting time to be in retail. New technologies are evolving very quickly, so keeping up with trends, and even driving them in retail is important. Visit trade shows, read industry publications, and be openminded about emerging trends like cryptocurrency.”
Thegreatnessofapersonorleaderhastobe
estimatedbyhisorherabilitytothriveeveninthe 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.
Asmuchasitisimportanttoknowwhattodo,itisalso equallyimportanttoknowwhatnottodo.Doingwhatis favorableforsuccessandavoidingwhatisharmfulfor successshouldbeavoidedatanycost.Forbusinessleaders tosucceedinthebusinessworld,theyshouldbewellaware nottowastetheirpreciousresourcesafterbadmoneyorbad deals.Theyshouldnotthrowtheirgoodmoneybehindbad moneyvianegativedeals.Theyshouldbecalculativeand shouldtakecalculativedecisionsrelatedtowheretoinvest andwherenotto.
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.
Thepathofleadershipisn’tsomethingthatone
walkson;itisthepathonepavesforoneselfby capturingtheessentialsofthejourneyandinspiring othersaroundthem.Akintotheabovecharacteristicsis JodyPaulus,whoembarkedonadistinctjourneyandis changingtheworldwithhisremarkableskills.
AstheCEOofEuroplasma,Jodyhascultivatedarobust andtalentedteamtoaccomplishitsmissionandhelpits customerachievethehighestperformanceforitsproducts, withaproductionprocesswiththelowestenvironmental footprint.
InsightsSuccesscaughtupwithJodyinourendeavorto find “Top 10 Pioneering CEOs to Follow in 2022” We talkedwithhimtounderstandhowEuroplasmaisproviding ultra-thinfunctionalcoatingforacleanerworld.
Below are the highlights of the interview
Briefouraudienceaboutyourjourneyasabusiness leaderuntilyourcurrentpositionatEuroplasma.What challengesyouhadtoovercometoreachwhereyouare today?
IhaveaLawdegree,butafterfiveyearsofuniversity,I
realizedIwasnevergoingtomakeagoodjurist.Being degreeeducatedandspeakingthreelanguagesfluently,I endedupinsalesinthefinancialservicesindustry.Afterthe bankingcrisisof2008,Ifoundmyselfoutofajobin Londonandtookstockofmylife.WhatdidIwanttodo andachieve?IrealizedthatIwantedtobeinvolvedin technologythatwouldmakethisworldabetterplace;since then,Ihavebeeninvolvedintechnologythatreduces energyconsumptionandreducesgreenhousegasemissions. Whentheopportunitycametoheadupthesalesat Europlasma,Ijumped,asthelow-pressureplasma technologyEuroplasmaexcelsathasimmensepotentialfor theenvironment.Aboutayearlater,Iwaspromotedto CEO,whereIdividedmyteambetweenmanagingmykickassteamandglobalplasmaevangelization.
Canyouexplainthetechnology?
Europlasmamakeslow-pressureplasmamachines,their processes,andchemistries.Inlayman’sterms,plasmais easiestexplainedasthe4thstateofmatter;afterasolid (likeice),aliquid(water),agas(steam)comesplasma. Naturally,thisdoesnotoftenoccuronplanetearth,but99% oftheuniverseisinaplasmastate(thinkstars,nebulas, etc.).Europlasmacreatesthisplasmaatambient temperaturesatverylowpressure.Europlasmausesplasma asawaytochangethesurfaceofvarioussubstrates,which canbe3dobjectsorrollsoffabric.Thechangeinthe surfacecanbetemporarytofurtherprocessthematerial (bonding,gluing,printing,laminating),orwecanapply permanentcoatings,wherewehavededicatedcoatingsfor filtration,medicalapplication,andelectronics.
Tellusmoreaboutyourcompanyanditsmissionand vision.
ThemissionofEuroplasmaistoreplaceenvironmentally withthefarmoresustainableplasmasolution.Inmost
traditionalcoatingstechniques,waterandorsolventsare usedtoapplychemicals.Theresultingwastewaterthen needstobecarefullypurifiedordisposedof,butinreality, thisisoftennotadequatelydone.LookatthePFOAand otherfluorinatedchemistriesthaterbuildingupinnature. Europlasma’scoatingtechnologyisadryprocess,sothere isnowastewatertodisposeof!Also,thenumberof chemicalsweuseinmanyfactorsissmallerthanwithother techniques.Ourcoatingsarenanometersthick,typically between20and60nanometers.Tounderstandhowthinthis is:yourfingernailsgrowat1nanometerpersecond!
Europlasmaalsohasawiderangeofpatentedchemicals thatcanreplacefluorinatedandotherwisepolluting chemistries,allowingformoresustainablecoatingsina widerangeofindustries.Also,ourtechnologyeliminates theneedfordryingafteroranyotherpost-processing,so theCO2reductionisupto80%!
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein thePlasmaTechnologyindustry?Howisyourcompany preparingtobeapartofthatchange? TheECHAiscurrentlyreviewingnewrestrictionsonthe useofso-calledforeverchemicalsand(thePFHx)andtheir derivatives.Theseintentionsaregreat,butmanyindustries arealreadylobbyinghardtogetexemptions,andinmany cases,theymakeagoodpoint.Currently,thereisnoother chemistryknownthatcanaddoleophobicity(oil repellency),andalthoughnotessentialinmanyusestoday (outdoorclothing,etc.),thereareafewwhereoleophobic propertiesarevital.Thinkaboutairfiltration,wherewe needtofilteroutoilyparticlesthatcancarryvirusesetc. Hereinsteadofjustallowingtheoldpollutingindustry,a realchangecanbemadebybanningthepollutingprocess
Global technology leader in Environmentally Friendly innovative nano-coating solutions based on low pressure plasma.
ratherthanthechemistry.Ifwecangetthefiltration industryandoutdoorclothingmanufacturingtogradually switchtodifferentproductionprocesseslikenanocating, thisworldcouldsavetonsofemissions,andmillionsof litersofpotablewaterwouldnolongerbewasted.
Wheredoyouenvisionyourselftobeinthelongrun, andwhatareyourfuturegoalsforEuroplasma?
Personally,IamhopingtocompletemyGlobalExecutive MBA(nr2intheworldnowaccordingtotheFT!)thatgot delayedduetothepandemic.Iamalsolookingforwardto growingEuroplasmaasacompanyandincreasingour headcountaccordingly Wehavetogroworganicallyagainst competitorswithalotofVC/PEinvestment,butIthinkthis canbeastrengthaswell.Europlasmaisincrediblyadeptat doingalotwithverylittle,whetherthatistime,money,or people.ThisisaspiritIwanttokeepwhileexpanding exponentiallyoverthenext5to10years.
Thewholeworldisaplaygroundfor entrepreneurs,high-net-worthindividuals, andinvestors,andthereforehavingmultiple citizenshiporresidencyoptionsistheir essentialneed.WhenMimounA.Assraoui sawthegrowingdemandamongsthigh-networthindividualsandinvestorsseekingsecondcitizenship orresidencyintheMiddleEastandAfrica,hefoundedRIF TrustinDubai,UAE.
MimounistheCEOofRIFTrustandGroupViceChairmanofLatitude.RIFTrusthasgrowntobecome oneofthelargestglobalinvestmentmigrationadvisoryin theMiddleEastandAfricawithover90staffworldwide spreadover19countriesthroughhardworkandperseverance.Thebusinesshasexpandeditsbrick-and-mortarin Brazil,Canada,CaymanIslands,China,Egypt,India, Lebanon,Malaysia,Malta,Montenegro,Morocco,Nigeria, Russia,SouthAfrica,KSA,SouthKorea,UAE,UK,and theUSA.
Afterworkingwithdifferentinternationalbanks,sovereign wealthfunds,andfamilyofficesthroughouttheMiddleEast andAfricafor24years,Mimounleftthebankingworldin 2013tosetupRIFTrust.TocomplimentRIFTrust's ongoingpursuittoprovideunrivaledserviceforitsclients, RIFTrusthaspartneredwithaleadingcitizenshipand
residencyconsultancy,LatitudeGroup.Thepartnershiphas assistedthefirm’sglobalambitiontoprovideoutstanding service,smoothprocesses,andtransparencywhilehelping high-net-worthindividualsandinvestorsgaingreater freedomtotravelandassetoptimization.
RIFTrusthasalreadyassistedover2,000clientsandtheir familieswithobtainingResidencyorCitizenshipby Investment.Thecompany’smissionistoexpand,growand satisfytheneedsofitsclientsbybringingthemmarketleadingsolutionsandprograms.RIFTrust’sresidency programscanentitleinvestorstovisa-freetravel,accessto education,andfreehealthcare.
RIFTrusthasrecognizedthekeybenefitofcryptocurrenciesfromthebeginningofitsfoundation.Itisproud
Our clients expect the world. We give it to them. Say hello to freedom.
tobethefirstcitizenship-by-investmentcompanytoaccept bitcoinpaymentsintheMiddleEast,Africa,andEurope. Nowadays,itsclientsareinterestedinmigratingto countrieswithcrypto-friendlypolicies,suchasPortugal, whichdoesn'timposeanytaxesonpaymentsincryptocurrencies.ThePortugalGoldenVisaprogrammeprovides investorswitharesidencyopportunityinexchangeforan investment.
Cryptocurrencyhasbecomeanincreasinglypopularsource ofwealthformanyRIFTrust'snewclients.Itexpectsthis trendtocontinueasmore"crypto-millionaires"arecreated byadoptingthisnewcurrency.Manycountriesthatoffer citizenshipbyinvestmentarealsobecomingmoreacceptingofcrypto-currency.CaribbeancountrieslikeGrenada, StKittsandNevis,AntiguaandBarbuda,Dominicaandthe SouthPacificcountryofVanuatu,allofferalenienttax systemwhichentailszerotaxoncapitalgains,including cryptogains.Bybecomingacitizeninoneofthese countries,RIFTrustclientsareabletoestablishtax residencyandbenefitfromthegeneroustaxsystemthe countryhastooffer.Thisisespeciallyattractiveforcryptoinvestorswholiveincountrieswithstrict“nocrypto”bans.
Mimounwouldliketoworkcloselywithgovernmentsto helpregulatethecrypto-economyandmakeitthenew normforregularpeopletopayfortheirdailygrocerieswith crypto-currencies.Theglobaleconomy,asitis,hassuffered enoughfromcrisesandrecessions,andcurrentcentralized bankingecosystemscannotpreventsharpfluctuationsinthe financialmarkets.Mimounwouldliketohelpfinda solution.
Thebigplayersinthefinancialmarketofcrypto-currencies aretheyoungmid-rangeinvestorswholookforwardto owningtheirfuture,movingfreely,andpushingtheir boundarylines.ThesamesegmentformsalargepartofRIF Trust'sclientbaseintheinvestmentmigrationindustry.RIF Trustgivesinvestorsthechancetohavethefreedomof globalmobility
Thebigchangeinthebankingindustryinthecomingtimes willbethemovetowardsmoresimplicityinbanking servicesbackedbyfintechsolutions.Bankscanexpand theircloud-basedservicesinlinewiththeriseofsustain-
ablefinanceandtokenizationofassets.RIFTrustisamong thepioneerskeentoadapttonewmarketnorms.The companyexpectsHNWIsintheMiddleEastandAfricato continuetoseeksecondcitizenshipandresidencyastheir planBanddiversifytheirinvestmentportfoliowithcrypto walletsandNFTs.
RIFTrusthasachieveda99%ofapprovalrateforits clients'applications.WithinnearlytenyearsinInvestment MigrationIndustry,ithasbeenabletolistallresidencyand citizenshipbyinvestmentprogramsinitsofferings.RIF TrusthasrecentlybeennamedtheInvestmentMigration Council’s(IMC)RegionalRepresentativeOfficeinthe MiddleEast.AsafirmthatendeavourstoupholdtheIMC’s CodeofEthicsandleadbyexample,theprestigious appointmentwasanexpectedoutcomeandthecauseof greatcelebration.RIFTrustisclassifiedamongthefastestgrowingcompaniesintheinvestmentmigrationindustryby severalindustry-specializedpublications.
RIFTrust'sgoalistobecometheinternationalleaderofthe InvestmentMigrationIndustry.Withitscurrentgrowthrate, Mimounthinksthatthecompanycanachievethatstatusin veryshortorder.RIFTrustwantstokeepdevelopingand winningmandatesinthreemarketsegments:B2C,B2B, andGovernmentAdvisory.Mimounsays, "We like to surround ourselves with like-minded colleagues and partners that help push our industry forward and bring innovative solutions to our esteemed clients."
Entrepreneursseeknewsourcesforfreshinvestmentand capitaltosustainthegrowthoftheirventures.Thiscould meanthattheyarerequiredtoparticipateininternational eventsandconferencesorestablishabusinessbase internationally,andtheseactivitiesrequireahighlevelof globalmobility.Withthecurrentstateofnationalborders, entrepreneursneedpassportsthatallowthemgreater freedomstotravelanddobusinessacrosstheglobe. Mimounadvisesentrepreneurstomakesmartinvestments thatwillpavetheroadfortheirfutureandtellsthemthat secondcitizenshipisonemajorwaytodoit.
Downloadthe2022RIFTrustCitizenshipGuidehere: https://pr.riftrust.com/hello-freedom
Successisattainablewhenpreparationmeetsan opportunity.Withextremediligenceandpresenceof mind,cognizantbusinessleadersareeverreadyfor changes,believingintheirabilitytodelivermore streamlinedsolutionsthanexpected.Resemblingasimilar approachisNabilBenSoussia,whobelievesinputtingin moreeffortandprovidingexceptionalresults.
AstheGroupCCO,PresidentAsia,MiddleEast,and CISregionsatIECTelecomGroup,Nabilenjoysmeeting andexceedingtheevolvingchallengesofbringingstate-ofthe-artsatellitecommunicationstechnologytoIEC Telecom'scustomersnomatterwheretheychoosetodo business.IECTelecomoffersindustry-leadingsatellite communication(Satcom)solutionstogovernments,public institutions,businessenterprises,andindividuals worldwide.
Withextensiveexperienceinthesatellitecommunications sectorintheMENAregionandadvanceddegreesin satellitecommunications,NabilbeganhisjourneyatIEC TelecomasDirectorofTechnologiesandOperationsin 2008.
Earlyinhistenure,Nabilwasinstrumentalinexpandingthe groupbyopeninganofficeinAbuDhabiin2011andan officeinKazakhstanin2014.Inthesameyear,hebecame theManagingDirectoroftheMiddleEastdivision.His strategicvisionforthemaritimesegment,alongwiththe enduringsupportofhisteam,broughtIECTelecom internationalrecognitionintheformofindustryawards suchasThurayaBestPerformingSPMaritime(2014, 2018),YahClickServicePartneroftheYear(2014),and YahClickInnovationExcellenceAward(2018).
NabilgrewintotheroleofGroupVicePresidentin2018. NabilwasappointedastheCEOforAsia,theMiddleEast, andtheCISregionsinMay2020.
IECTelecomisoneoftheleadinginternationalsatellite serviceoperators.Renownedforsupplyinghigh-quality satellite-basedsolutionstocustomersformorethan25 years,itdeliversefficientend-to-endvoiceanddata serviceswhenandwhereitmattersmost.
IECTelecomiscommittedtoenablingdigitalizationforthe maritimeindustryandremoteunitsonland,whereGSM coverageisnotavailable.Forurbannetworks,IECTelecom providesapowerfulsatellitebackuptoensurethebusiness continuityofcustomerenterprises.
NabilstatesthatIECTelecomdevelopsitsSatcom solutions,keepingcustomers'requirementsinfrontand center–asquicklyastheyevolve.Thisbespoke developmentexperienceisacornerstoneofitsapproachno matterwhereitdeliversitsservices.
IEC Telecom is an international satellite service operator with 25+ years of mobile and fixed satellite communications technology expertise.
Nabilnotes, "We're committed to keeping our customers connected – in the way that they want to be connected and at the cost that works best for their operations. We're able to do this with our strong global network that supports our strategic vision and complements our efforts to bring a truly unique and unparalleled communications experience to our customers."
Nabilcontinues, "We work closely with each customer to deliver Satcom solutions that address their specific needs. Our value-proposition even stretches into making current solutions future-ready so that their investment into Satcom is cost-effective and lasting. This integrated approach of inhouse design and engineering expertise has translated into solid relationships with our customers and made IEC Telecom their go-to for value-added Satcom services."
DevelopingState-of-the-artCommunicationSolutions
Nabilmentionsthatthefutureoftechnological advancementisaboutuserexperience.Asdigitalization spreadsacrossalleconomicsectors,"beingonline"is expectedbydefault.Businesscontinuitycomesfirst. Customersarenolongerinterestedinservicesdelivered exclusivelyoverthehighbroadbandchannel.The operationalcycleshouldbeflawless,whetheronGSM, VSAT,orL-band.
Nabilshares, "Over the past five years, IEC Telecom has invested in developing specialized applications optimized for the low-bandwidth environment. In addition to enhanced compression, most applications are pre-set to resume data transfer from the moment of interruption in case of any signal loss, thereby saving data, time, and money."
Videoconferencingisleadingthedemand.Itisnotonlya facilitatorofbusinesscommunicationandcrewwelfare;it isthedrivingforcebehindawholenewrangeofsmart services,includingtelemedicine,e-learning,andremote maintenance.Theneedforthelattergrewexponentially, particularlyinresponsetothepandemic.Restrictionon groupgatheringsandtravelingkeptremotespecialistsona one-on-onebasiswithtechnicalchallenges.Withthehelp ofsolutions,suchasOneAssist,theycanbringanexpertto thefieldoveradigitalchannel.
Moreover,withahands-freeapproach,beingthatOneAssist isaccessibleoveranHDdisplayonaruggedhead-mounted device,fieldworkerscanconductmulti-partyvideoand audiocallsforeasycollaborationandresolve80%of
technicalissuesconcernsoverremoteaccess.Suchstate-ofthe-artcommunicationsolutionsaredevelopedwithIoT datavisualizationandunmatchednoisecancellationto ensureoperationalefficiencyandremoteworkersafety
Nabilbelievesthatthekeytosuccessisafuture-oriented philosophysinceonecannolongeraffordtodevelop solutionssolelybasedoncurrentmarketdemands.Any developmentIECTelecomundertakestodaytargetsits customers'requirementsin5-10years.
Nabilstatesthatbelowtwotrendswillmarkthenearfuture:
• SpaceX,OneWeb,Inmarsat,SES,andThurayahave committedtoexpandingtheirservicesinthecoming years.AnincreasingnumberofSatcomplayersinthe marketwilleventuallyleadtoanoversupplyofsatellite services.Assuch,airtimewillnolongerbearare resourcebutanessentialelementofamuchwider communicationinfrastructure.
• Metaverseisnolongerafuturisticconceptbutthenear future.Theexpectationforconnectivity,particularly amongGenZandthosetofollow,willincrease exponentiallytobeequallyavailableanytimeand anywhere.
Toremainrelevantinthisfuturelandscape,IECTelecomis slowlyshiftingitsofferfromthematerialworld(hardware) tovirtualspace(aninnovativerangeofapplicationsand digitallydrivenservices).Movingincrementallyinthis direction,IECTelecomispursuingagoaltoonedaycreate anIECTelecom-poweredAIplatformcapableofprocessing andtransferringdataandgeneratingoperationalsuggestions forahumandecision-maker
Nabilinformsbuddingentrepreneurs, "The future starts now. Embrace change today to be competitive tomorrow. It is not an easy choice. Change-makers usually face much opposition and often must resort to unpopular decisions. Yet, the outcome is worth the fight.”
Inthe1990s,theearliestinternetinfrastructurewas diggingitsrootsdeepertobranchoutglobally.Over thecourseofdecades,ithascontinuedtogrowand evolve,bringingtransformativeshiftsinhowweworkand live.Thisdigitalworldhasusheredinanexperience economythathasdrasticallychangedhoworganizations havetothinkabouthowtheyconnectwiththeiremployees andcustomers.
TonyBates,CEOatGenesys,experiencedthesechanges upclose,steeringorganizationsacrossbusiness-to-business andbusiness-to-customercompaniesthroughsignificant markettransitions.Withnearlythreedecadesof professionalexperienceinvariousmanagementpositions, Tonyconsidershimselffortunatetohaveplayedarolein shapingseveralofthemostcriticaltechnologymarket transitions—frombuildingtheinternettousheringinthe neweraofonlinevideoconferencingandmobileapps.
Heattributesthatbreadthofexperiencetowhatdrewhimto Genesys—hesensedaonce-in-a-lifetimeopportunityto applywhathehadlearnedtoleadthechargeinthenext majormarkettransition:embracingempathytotransform experiences.
Thisapproach,basedinunderstandingthecontextofa person’ssituationandtreatingeachpersoninlightofit,has playedacrucialroleinhowheapproachesputtingempathy intoaction,hisstrategyforchangingthewaybusinessis donetoday.ItisthroughthisstrategythatBatessetoutto transformthecultureatGenesysandisthebasisofhisnew book, EmpathyinAction:HowtoDeliverGreatCustomer ExperiencesatScale,co-authoredbyDr.NataliePetouhoff. Togethertheylayouttheframeworkforhowbusinesses leaderscanshifttheirorganizationstotransformtheir
employee(EX)andcustomerexperiences(CX)forbetter businessoutcomes.
Inthebook,Batesoutlinesthat,untilrecently,customer experiencetechnologyhasbeenfocusedalmostentirelyon enterpriseefficiencyandeffectiveness.Thoughithashelped thebottomline,ithasalsocreatedanenormousblindspot–the human partofthecustomer-employeeinteraction.
WithlittletonoemphasisonEXandCX,business-centric companiesoftenfacehighturnover,widespreadburnout, andstruggletomaintainaloyalcustomerbase.Bycreating anempatheticculture,basedonpeople-centricstrategy, organizationsembracetheircustomerandemployee experiencesasthebasisforevaluatinghowtheyoperate.As aresult,theydeliveramazingexperiencesthatfostertrust andloyalty.Empathybecomesabusinessadvantage.
Businessleadershavelongconsideredthebenefitofan authenticone-to-oneexperience.Theproblemistechnology hasn’tbeenwidelyavailabletomaketailoredexperiences workatscale.Alternatively,companieshavesettledon consumersegmentationandtargetingtechniquesfartoo broadtohaveameaningfulandlastingimpact.Now,with toolslikeAIthatcontextualizedatatoprovidemore personalizedinteractions,companiesarebetterabletomake theirconsumersfeelseen,heardandunderstood.
Sheddinglightontoday’smarkettransition,Batesmentions itisfueledbythewideadoptionofAI,digital,andcloud software–technologythatcreatesdynamicpersonal
customerexperiences.NewapplicationsofAI,digital,and cloudtechnologieshaverapidlychangedfundamental aspectsoftheglobaleconomy.Batesnotesthatthose leadingincustomerexperienceareabletodosobecause theyputpeoplewheretheybelong—atthecoreofwhothey areandwhattheirorganizationdoes—andusetechnology todeliverempatheticexperiencesnomatterwhatpartofthe organizationacustomerisinteractingwith.
Leadingcompaniesarestartingtoinvestinexperience orchestration,anapproachtocoordinatingdata,AIand channelsinrealtimetoputemployeesinpositionto empathizewiththeircustomers.
TheGenesysmodelofexperience orchestrationprovidescompanieswitha systemforlisteningtocustomers, understandingandpredictingtheirbehaviors, promptingemployeestotakeactionto promotepositiveoutcomes,andcycle learningsfromcustomerinteractionsback intothemodel.Thehighlyscalablecloud servicesupportstheentirecustomerlifecycle acrossmarketing,sales,andservices engagements.
“Whencompaniesputempathyinaction, customerswillgetwhatthey’relookingfor withoutwastingunnecessarytimeoreffort,” saidBates. “And, just as important, a company’s employees will have the resources they need to meet a customer’s needs without wasting their own time or effort.”
Expectationsonhowacompanymakesits customersandemployeesfeelwillonly continuetogrowinthisexperienceeconomy Organizationsthatdon’tembraceempathy risklosinggroundtoinnovation-minded competitorsthatareinvestinginExperience asaService.Customerloyaltywillwane,and employeeturnoverwillgrow.
“Efficiency and effectiveness are no longer enough to build lifelong customer brand loyalty,” Batesadded. “In the future, customers will only do business with – and employees will only work at – companies that value providing excellent experiences based in empathy.”
Waelisnostrangertochangemanagementand
businesstransformation,havingspent27years inleadingMNCsintheMiddleEast,Africa, IndiaandGCCregiondoingpreciselythatbeforetakingon hiscurrentroleasCEOofGeneralPoultryCompany, Bahrain.
Establishedin1977,GPCisthecountry’sleadingproducer offreshtableeggsintheKingdomofBahrainandawholly ownedsubsidiaryofMumtalakatHoldingCompany, Bahrain’ssovereignwealthfund.
WithBahrain’sLeadershipvision2030,Mumtalakat HoldingCompanyenvisionedagreaterroleforGPCinthe nation’sdriveforself-sufficiencyinproductionanddelivery of‘FarmtoTableFreshEggsin2018.Forthismission, WaelwasinvitedtojoinGPCin2019andleadthechange
intransformingthecompany’sjourneyfromitslegacy operationstoastate-of-the-artautomatedpoultryeggfarm.
WhenWaeltookchargeatthehelmofaffairs,GPC produced126,000cartonsoffresheggsannuallyaccounting for65%ofdomesticproductionandamarketshareof18%. Today,itsannualproductionhasbeenampeduptoover 200,000cartonsperannumwithproductionfurther expectedtoriseto360,000cartonsinthecoming18 monthstargetinganestimatedmarketshareof42%by 2023.Theexpansionwillalsosee,downtheline, introductionofspecialtyeggvariants(brown,Omega3, Luteinenrichedeggs,etc.)aswellasvalue-addedegg productslikeLiquidEggs.
Underhisstewardship,GPChasmitigatedkeychallenges andhasembarkedonaphenomenalexpansionprogramof
growththroughstrategictieupswithBigDutchman,GmbH Germanyforthenewfarmhouses&MOBA,Netherlands fortheGrading&Packagingunitrespectively.Thismove firmlyestablishesGeneralPoultryCompanyasaleading playerinpoultryfarming,eggproduction,grading,and packagingcycleinBahrainandontheregionalstage.
Waelnotes, "The new facilities boast of several advanced features such as automated grading and packaging technology, limited human intervention, and 24/7 live data streaming. You will find technology in use across all aspects of operations from ventilation, temperature control, lighting, electricity, water, feed consumption, health & safety of our biological assets, Eggs placement, grading, packing and storage to logistics and supply chain management… In fact, you will be hard-pressed to notice any area of our operations where technology is not playing a significant role in our migration."
UnderWael'sleadership,thecompanyalsoobtainedkey internationalcertifications,includingISO9001,ISO14001, ISO45001,ISO22000,andisworkingtowardsFSSC 22000,asignificantmilestoneinGPC’sfoodsafetyjourney.
Waelnotes, "We are striving to integrate the most advanced technology into poultry farming, including poultry health management, biosecurity, nutrition, and food safety for the benefit of our customers, consumers and community alike."
Keymeasuresimplementedincludedunderstandingthe marketdynamics,learningthoroughlythebusinesscycle andinvestingsignificantlyin:
Biosecurity
FoodSafety
AccordingtoWael,technologywillhelpGPCstreamlineits poultryfarmingprocesswithsignificantefficiencyandto establishaleanagileorganizationabletoevolvetonotonly meetconsumerdemand;butalsotobecomeasolution providerbeyondtableeggstowardscateringtoniche marketvariantsaswellaseggmealsolutions.
AProfessional’sProfessional StartingoutasasalesrepintheFMCGindustry,Wael’skey
goalwastolearnashumanlyaspossibletogain knowledge,acquireevolvingskillsetsandbuildexpertise bothregionallyandinternationally.Arelentlessfocuson businessdevelopment,relationshipbuilding,executive experience,andcrossoperationalexperienceinsales,
marketing,andbudgetmanagementwonhimaccoladesin hispreviouscompaniesthatincludethelikesofEnergizer Holdings/EdgewellPersonalCareandSONYGulfFZE acrossMENA,India,andG.C.C.markets.
Waelisafirmbelieverof“people”beinganorganization’s greatestassetand“process”beingakeyproponentof drivingchange.Migratingawayfromapersonal relationshipbusinessmodeltoadatadrivenbusinessmodel whilemaintainingtheculturalandpersonaltiesisakey objectiveinGPC’stransformationjourney,whileleading withcorevaluesofknowledge,passionandintegration.He isconfidentthatthenewstructure,facilitiesandpolicies willpositionGPCasarolemodelinthepoultryfarming sectorwhileachievingthethreekeyprinciplesof Sustainability,Continuity,andCompetitivenessaslaid outintheEconomicVision2030document.
Wael’sadvicetoemergingleadersisbestsummedupin4 words:Passion,Engagement,Inclusion&Openness.He believesthatwhenyoupracticethesecorevaluesdiligently, successfollowsnaturally!
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