Undeniably,leadinganorganizationisnotasimple
feat.Everyleaderhastogothroughalotofhurdles toreachthefinishline.Butonepeerlessrolethatis regardedasthemostpowerfulandsought-aftertitleisthat ofaCEO.
ACEOisapersonwhoisinvolvedinsolvingthemajority ofproblemsfortheorganization,employees,andclients.It won’tbesurprisingtoknowthataCEO'sdecisionsintheir organizationaccountfor45percentofacompany’s performance.
Thismightsoundfascinating.Butwhenyouseetheother sideofthecoin,theroleofaCEOisstressful,lonely,and challenging.Heorshehastoliveuptotheexpectationsof directors,shareholders,customers,andemployees.Ittakes perseverance,coupledwithpassionandpresenceofmind, toexcelintheroleofaCEO.
ACEOisinvolvedinprovidinghonestrecommendationsin everypartofthemanagementprocess.Itfollowsby investingtimeintheindustrydevelopmentsandgettingthe bestforthecompany.Heorshegetstherightsolutionby diggingdeepintotheproblem.ACEO’srolealsoinvolves severalindustrialmeetingsforthecompany’sgrowthwith continuousadviceandguidance.Thebottom-line–heor shestandsthroughthethickandthinofthecompany.So,if anypersonclaimstobetheperfectfitformeetingthe company’sneeds,ithastobeaCEO.
CEOslikeJeffBezos,SundarPichai,MarkZuckerberg, TimCook,ElonMusk,andmanyothershavetransformed
theworld.Today,theseCEOshavemadeitpossibleand exceededallexpectations.
Inthiseditionof“Top 10 Pioneering CEOs to Follow in 2021”,wehavefeaturedthejourney,challenges,and overallexperiencesofCEOswhoareleadingtheir organizationssplendidly
Onthecover,wehaveApostleFredAnnin,theFounderof ActionPlusFoundation.HeopenedActionplusFoundation Ghanain2007withtheaimofcampaigningagainstHIV stigmaanddiscriminationtowardspeoplelivingwithand thoseaffectedbythediseaseinAfrica.Thisinitiativeby ActionplusFoundationwastherightsteptobetakenin makingtheworldbetter,safer,andalotmoretolerantand understandingtotheneedsofindividualswithintheir communitiestoenhancethedevelopmentofhealthy communitieswhereeveryonethrivesdespitedifferent challenges.Today,ActionplusFoundationisan internationalfaith-basedHIVcampaigningandadvocacy organizationwithit’sheadquartersstillbasedintheUK withbranchesinGhana,Uganda,andKenya.
WhileyoureadtheinfluentialstoriesandotherCEOsin thisedition,alsomakesuretoreadabouttheCXO standpointsbytheindustryexpertsandthearticleswritten bythein-houseeditorialteam.
Haveagoodread!
sourabh@insightssuccess.com Sourabh More
ApostleFredAnnin FounderandCEO
ActionPlusFoundation actionplusfoundation.org
CarolLafferty FounderandCEO CaliCoin calicoin.me
ChristopherAmos CEO&Chief DigitalArchitect
NoBoundaries MarketingGroup noboundaries.marketing
EdwinBessant CEO CeutaGroup ceutagroup.com
MohammedMubin Mallick CEO&Founder
KiranSmart kiransmart.com
ActionplusFoundationisaninternationalfaithbasedHIV campaigningandadvocacyorganisationwithit’sheadquarters stillbasedintheUKwithbranchesinGhana,Ugandaand Kenya
CaliCoinisthefirstandonlycryptocurrencydevotedtohelping animalsofdeterminationaroundtheworld.
NoBoundariesMarketingGroupwasfoundedtosimplifythe marketingandadvertisinggameforsmalltomedium-sized businesses.
Startedin1994asanomni-channelsales&marketing outsourcingpartner,CeutaHealthcarehasnowtransformedinto aGroupoftwelvecompanieswithaccessto114international markets.
KiranSmartisthefirstAIhumanoidrobotcompanyinKuwait DubaiandIndiatoofferprovideITservicestobusinessand homeusers.
Mr.SamiSharif CEO
ThomasP.Shivers CEOandPresident
ThomasA.Bock MD,MBA,CEO
KuwaitInsurance Company kic-kw.com
FourStonePartners fourstonepartners.com
KICmaintainsaleadingpositioninthelocalandregional insurancemarketbyprovidingreliableandinnovative insuranceproductsandservicesandprofessionalteamof expertsatthelevelofKuwaitandGCC.
FourStonePartnersisaninnovativeconsultingfirm specializinginbusinessdevelopment,salesoutsourcing,and operationalsupportservices.
Notable notablelabs.com
RobRosenberger CEO&Co-Founder
Blackdragon blackdragon.expert
JudeGomes CEO
UnionAssurancePLC unionassurance.com
Notableisaclinical-stageprecisiontherapeuticscompany developinganewclassofoncologymedicines: PredictivePrecisionMedicines.
Blackdragonisthelargestandfastest-growingbidandproposal (B&P)companythroughoutthefederalindustry
UnionAssurancehasbeeninthebusinessofprotectinglives, empoweringpeopleachievetheirdreams,andprovidingpeace ofmindtothousandsofSriLankanssince1987.
FeaturedPerson
Apostle Fred Osei Annin Founder Ac on Plus Founda on
HIVshouldbecompletely defeatedsowecanleavealegacy behindusandonedaywhenthe storyof HIVistoldtoour childrenandtoourchildren's children,wewillbesmilingat theothersideof lifeknowing wellthatweallfoughttogether tomakethehistoryhappen.
HIVhasalwaysbeenhighintheAfrican communitiesbecauseofignoranceandlackof knowledgeaboutthefactsandthemodeof transmissionofHIV Withthisignorance,coupledwith stigmaanddiscrimination,peoplelivingwithHIVareleft inpoverty.MajorityofpeoplefromtheAfrican communitiesseethediseaseasatabooandacursefrom God.StigmaandPrejudicearethebarrierstoHIV interventionresultingintheunfortunatebehaviorsand attitudestowardspeoplelivingwithHIVinthatcommunity. Theseunfortunateattitudeshasresultedinpeopleliving withHIVinthesecommunitiesbelievinginmythsandnot thefactsrelatedtoHIVandAIDSandhasthereforeput manyliveswithinthecommunityatrisk.
Immediateactionwasneededtosolvethisproblemand therefore,ApostleFredAnninfoundawayofsolvingthis unfortunatesituationwithActionPlusFoundation. Fredwasmovedtointerveneinthissituationwhenhesaw
thattheseunfortunatebehaviorsandattitudeswerebeing practicedeveninthechurch.Hetookituponhimselfto leadacampaigntargetingtheblackAfricanchurchesby interactingwithPastorssothatthegrowingnumberofHIV infectionsintheBAMEcommunitywillbeprevented.
ApostleFredAnninwasborninGhanaaveryreligious countrybutwasn’tbornagainuntilhisconversiontothe Christianfaithin1980.HeattendedtheFullGospelBible Collegeandgraduatedwithadiplomaintheologyandlater attheFountainGateBibleSeminarytopursueaBachelor ofMinisterialTheologydegree.Hebecameafulltime PastorattheFullGospelChurchinGhanaandservedfor tenyearsuntilhismissionarytourtotheUKin1991.
DuringthistoursponsoredbytheChalkFarmBaptist ChurchinLondon,Fredwasassignedtoanationalcrusade
programme,preachingandteachingaboutPraiseand WorshiptorevivethechurchintheUK.Fredinoneofhis interviewssaidduringthesemeetingsmanyprophetic messagescamefrommenofGodtohimsaying“when I return to Ghana, God will bring me back again to the UK for a specific ministerial assignment.”In1992whenhe returnedbacktotheUKhewasengagedinmany ministerialassignmentsasafreelanceministerofthe gospel.
In1997,FredopenedthePneumaOutreachMinistriesand thePneumaCommunityLinkandregisteredthetwo institutionswiththeCharityCommissionin1997.Pneuma OutreachMinistrywassetupasaplaceofworshipand PneumaCommunityLinkwasalsotoofferpractical charitablesupportsuchasorganizinghealthawarenessand wellbeingactivitiestoeducatetheBlackminorityand ethniccommunitiesinSouthwark.Someoftheprojects theywereorganizingwere,abouthealthyeating,drugand substanceabuse,HIVawarenessandprevention,teenage pregnancy,trainingyoungpeopletousemusicanddramato educatetheirpeerstorefrainfromviolenceandcrime. ItwasthroughthisinitiativethatFreddiscoveredthat LambethwasthehighestHIVprevalentcommunityinthe wholeoftheUKsecondedbyitsnextdoorneighbour SouthwarkwheretheheadquartersoftheCharityisbased.
HealsodiscoveredthattheblackAfricancommunitywas alsooneofthecommunitiesatriskofhavingtheHIV infectionandSouthwarkalsobeingthesecondcommunity withthehighestHIVprevalenceinthewholeofUKafter theMSMgroup.
ItwasthroughthisdiscoverythatgaveFredmore understandingaboutwhyGodbroughthimbacktotheUK andledhimtosetupthecharityrightintheheartof Southwarkandnootherplace.He,therefore,decidedthat hischaritywasgoingtospendmoretimetoconcentrateon HIVpreventionandcreatingtheawarenessoftheinfection inthecommunitytoreducethespreadoftheinfection.
Atthattime,Freddidn’tknowmuchaboutthebattlehe intendedtofightandsohedecidedtodomoreresearch workonHIV.Later,healsodecidedtoconsulttheexperts abouthowtheycouldsupportthisgreatvision.Hetravelled acrossLondonandtheUSAtomeetwithsomeofthe known"experts"butunfortunately,theyallgavehimall sortsofnegativecommentscontrarytohisexpectation.To themthevisionwasgood,buttheysawmorethana
hundredandonebarriers,whichsuggestedthatFred’s dreamwasgoingtobeamissionimpossible.
AfterspendingsomedayswithGodinprayer,Fredheard Godsaying,"Fred I am the one who has called you to intervene in this situation and I am going to use you to release my people from the bondage which HIV has brought upon them especially those in the church. I will prove myself that I am a good God who can never put a curse on my people." TheLordalsosaidtohimthatalthoughthe journeywillbelongandtoughbutifhelooktohim,hewill provideforhimandwillneverfailhim.
Fredworkedtirelesslyovertheyearswiththeirlimited resourcestokeeptheinfectionrateofHIVlowerinboththe UKandGhanabecausethevisiontoestablishtheNGOwas notbornfromhimbutGod.HeisgratefultoGodforusing himtodowhatotherscouldnotdoandwillcontinueto fighttosavemorelives.
FredchangedthenameofhischaritytoActionplus Foundationtoreflecttothekindofchangehewantedtosee inhisorganisation.AfterhishardworkandfaithinGod, thesearetheremarkablemiracleshisNGOhasachieved.It hastrainedover6,000pastorsandchurchleadersbothin GhanaandtheUKforthemtoknowmoreaboutHIVand theyhaveembracedthefactsaboutHIVbutnotthemyths. Ignoranceisremovedandstigmaisbrokeninthechurch.It hasbecomethefirstorganizationintheUKandinGhanato successfullylaunchthemosteffectivemoduleforHIV preventiontodaycalled “Take Action Now”. Ithasbecome thecuttingedgeforHIVtestinginchurchesworldwideand manyorganizationsareusingthismodule.Othershave adoptedthemodulebuthaveonlychangedthename.One
Thisisourworld let’salldo somethingto makeitabetter placetolive.
‘‘ ‘‘
oftheorganisationsusingthismodelhavechangedthe nameofTakeActionNowto“TestingFaith”.These organisationsareusingtheTaneActionNowmoduleto reachouttothefaithcommunitiestogetmanypastorsand faithleaderstrainedsothatpeopleinchurchesandmosques canbetestedforHIVtosavelivesandreducethe prevalenceoftheinfection.
ApostleFredOseiAnninopenedActionplusFoundation Ghanain2007withtheaimofcampaigningagainstHIV stigmaanddiscriminationtowardspeoplelivingwithand thoseaffectedbythediseaseinAfrica.Thisinitiativeby ActionplusFoundationwastherightsteptobetakenin makingtheworldbetter,safer,andalotmoretolerantand understandingtotheneedsofindividualswithintheir communitiestoenhancethedevelopmentofhealthy communitieswhereeveryonethrivesdespitedifferent challenges.
Today,ActionplusFoundationisaninternationalfaithbased HIVcampaigningandadvocacyorganisationwithit’s headquartersstillbasedintheUKwithbranchesinGhana, UgandaandKenya
In2010,ActionPlusFoundationbecamethefirstHIV charityinGhanatoopenthefirstHIVtestingcenterina churchinGhana.Fredhasmanagedtobreakstigmainthe church.Thechurchhasacceptedtheresponsibilityandhas
nowbecomeasanctuaryagainforthevulnerableespecially peoplelivingwithHIVandtheirfamilies.
Toachievealltheseremarkableresultsgloballywiththe limitedresources,theorganizationisabigsuccesstoHIV preventionandagreatmoduletobeusedinfightingthe menacetillitisfinallyeradicatedfromthecommunitiesand theworldatlarge.ActionPlusFoundationhasfourkey objectivestoaddressHIVintheUKandtherestofthe world.,
1.TopreventHIVinfectionfromoccurring.
2.Topromoteearlydiagnosisandaccesstotreatment.
3.Tochallengeprejudiceandreducestigma.
4.Toreducepovertyexperiencedbypeoplelivingwith HIV
EventhoughFredhasgonethroughmillionsofuncountable challengesandoppositionsthroughoutthe24-yearjourney, theorganizationisstillgrowingstrongerandstrongerevery yearsendingthemessageofHIVtoboththeyoungandold. Thisisagreatbreakthroughbecausetheplacewhere innocentpeoplewerediscriminatedbecauseoftheirHIV statushasnowbecomeasanctuaryagain.GlorytoGod. Fredhaswonmanynationalandinternationalawardsfor hisgreatachievementsbychampioningtheHIVcampaign bothintheUKandinAfrica.After10yearsofintensive campaigningonlyaboutthedangersofHIVandits devastatingeffectontheGhanaiancommunity,Godathis owntimeopenedthedooronSundaythe25thofMay2017 forActionplusFoundationtoopentheheadquartersofits
church,JoyCityChapelInternational(JCCI)inAccrawith 150membersduringtheinitialdedicationservice.
Currently,ActionplusFoundationaimsattrainingwomen livingwithHIVthroughcapacitybuildingtoempower themwithrequisiteskillstoenablethemtoacquireuseful experiencetohelpsustaintheirlives.Tohelpthesewomen, amicrofinanceschemetosupportthetrainedwomenwith financingwillenablethemtobecomeindependentand workontheirownafteracquiringthenecessarytraining fromthecenter
Aspartofthe‘TakeActionNow’campaignbytheAction PlusFoundation,itistryingtogetchurchesmoreinvolved withthisissue.Itisalsohopingtobuildamodern EmpowermentCentreinAccratoserveasaplaceto organisetrainingprogramsforchurchleaderstoemulatea similarcampaigninGhanaandtherestofAfrica. Actionpluswithin14yearsofitsestablishmentinGhana, hasmanagedtolaunchfourmajorprojectstoreducethe spreadofHIVinfectioninthecountry,including;the NationalCHEPProgram“CampusHIVEducational Program.”
DuringtheCovid-19pandemic,Fredagaintooktheleadin organizingonlinetrainingprogrammesandconferencesto createtheawarenessoftheinfectionhereintheUKandin Africa.HealsoledActionplusFoundationtodistributefree PPE’Stoschools,institutions,tradersandthegeneral public
Manypeopleinthedevelopingcountriesexpectpeople fromEuropeorthedevelopedcountriestocometotheir countriestoopenNGO'sthereforedependingontheAID whichtheydonatetothem.Fredhoweverhasmanagedto dotheoppositebyleavingAfricatoopenhischarityinthe heartofEurope.Hehasmanagedtoestablishhisthecharity allbyhimselffor24yearsandhasreturnedbacktoAfrica todothesame,singlehandedlyrunningitfor14years. Londonisoneofthemostexpensivecitiesintheworldbut hereActionplushasgrowntobecomeoneoftheleading HIVorganisationssupportingtheBAMECommunitiesin theUK.IntheUK.ActionplusFoundation,hasbranches notonlyinLondonbutLutonandColchester.InAfricatoo ithasbranchesinGhana,Uganda,andKenya.Trulythisis amiraclebythehandofGodandwegivehimalltheglory.
Since2015FredhaswonmanyLocal,Nationaland InternationalAwardswhichincludes:SouthwarkMajor’s CivicAward,TheDiversityChampionAwardForCharities (UK).TheHeroesAward,TheAfricanPrestigiousAward andthelatestbeingthe2020BestHIVPreventionService Award(UK)
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
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.
This is all about helping the world be a better place, one needy animal at a time
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
are homeless and roaming the streets,” expressesCaroline. CaliCoin’smissionisverynoble:Ithelpsperhapsthemost disadvantagedsubsetonthisplanet—Animalsof Determination.TheteamatCaliCoinhasfinanced100%of thestart-upofCaliCoinandittakesnofeesorcommissions ondonations.
ThebiggestchallengeforCarolinebyfarwasdoingwhat anyentrepreneurknowswell—doingthingsprudentlyand onyourown!MostICOsareexecutedvialargeteamsand theengagementofmanyconsultantsandadvisors,whereas CarolineandherhusbandlaunchedCaliCoinentirelywith aninternalteamofjustahandfulofpeople.Theteam createdthisentireprojectfromscratchwithlimitedbudgets andlotsofsweatequity,alldrivenbyacombinedpassion forgivingbackandhelpinganimalsinneed.Andsofar,she isproudoftheearlyresults:CaliCoinhasgainedglobal tractionandhasappreciatedover300%sinceitslaunch.
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
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.”
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.”
Christopher Amos
Haveyoueverwonderedwhileenjoyingascoopof
thedessertthatyouwantedtotrywhilerelaxing 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.
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!
Christopermentionsthatthepost-pandemicworldhas changedconsiderably,fromthewaysconsumerssearchand findlocalbusinessestothewayoneshopsforgoodsand services.Theneedforastrong,consistentdigitalpresence
hasneverbeengreaterthanitistoday.Evenpost-pandemic asconsumersventurebackouttorestaurantsandlocal shops,themeanstowhichtheyfindthesebusinessesalmost alwaysoriginatesonadigitalplatform.
Formanybusinesses,thismeansthathavingawebsiteor socialmediapagejustisn'tenough.Businessesownershave tofocusonprovidingconsumersaccesstohigh-quality contentanddynamicimagesacrossnumerousplatforms. Thisiswhereaccesstoanexperiencedmarketingteam comesintoplay.Businessownersarealreadystretchedthin, sotheneedforareliableandexperiencedmarketercannot onlydriveleadsbutcansavetime,createefficiencies,and somuchmore.
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!”
Christopherexpressesthatforabusinessownertomeetthe challengesofthefutureistocommunicatewiththeir marketingteam.Sadly,becausebusinessownerswear multiplehats,itcanbedifficulttostayuponthedataand trending.Thiscanleadtomissedopportunities,diminished results,andpoordecisionsinthelongrun.Thebestwayto avoidfiredrillsandgetthemostoutofthemarketing strategyistostayconsistent,understandthedata,and communicate!
Whenitcomestogivingbacktothecommunity,No BoundariesMarketingGrouppridesitselfinbeingapartof theveryfabricthatmakesupthiscommunity!Itinvestsin severallocalchambersofcommerce,volunteersat
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.
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.
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’
abilitytobemostpragmaticandcleverintheapproachand playtheroleofsituationalleadershiptoresolvethe challengesinunprecedentedtimesmakethemadmirable.
Leadershipisnotaposttoenjoy,butitisaserious responsibility.Greatleadersthinkinthisway Theyarethe personificationofexemplaryandingeniousleadership. Theyalsoholdtheabilitytocomeupwithsolutionstothe challengesevenatthespurofthemoment.Theycantake high-valuedecisionseveninunprecedentedtimes.They don’tbelieveingivingupandkeepfightingcourageously withpassionandperseverance.Theyknowthatwiththe fightingspirit,anythingcomplexcanbeovercome.They adoptanewapproachtodealingwithsituationsthatare neverexperiencedbefore.
Theworldisabattlefield.Businessleadersbelievein havingafighterspiritforsustainingtheircompetencyand valueintheworld.Theyunderstandthatnewsituationswill requirenewsolutions,andoldwaysneedtobegivenup. Theyprioritizeclearingouttheoldtomakewayforthe new
Thechallengesinlifeorbusiness,oranyfieldare
inevitable.Challengesmakethejourneymore interesting,andovercomingthemmakeslife meaningful.Withoutchallengesjourneyoflifebecomes dull.Aneasylifedoesn’tallowustocomeoutofour comfortzoneanddosomethingextraordinary.Challenges addagoodflavortolifeandareblessingsindisguiseas challengesbringoutourrealleader.
Crisisforcesapersontobealeader,andchallengesarethe wake-upcalltothinkinnovativeandintangibletobreakthe shackles.Ifweseewiththerightperspective,obstaclesare opportunities.Pioneeringleadersbelieveintransforming challengesintoopportunities.Theybelievethattough challengesaretheopportunitiestocomeupwithmore innovativesolutions.
Unprecedentedchallengescallfordistinctiveandout-ofthe-boxsolutions.Pioneeringleadersinanyfieldchoose thisapproachtodealwithunprecedentedchallengesand understandthatnoproblemcanbesolvedwiththesame levelofthinkingwhenitarrives.
Thetimeofpandemicisunprecedentedgivesrisetonew challenges.Thegreatnessofapersonorleaderhastobe estimatedbytheirabilitytodealwithtoughtimes.Their
Notbeingstuckandalwayshavingtheattitudetodeliver whatthesituationdemandsshouldbetheattitudetobethe mostoutstandingleaderinmoderntimesfordelivering evolvingsolutionstosustainthecompetencyinthemarket.
Innovativeandout-of-the-boxthinkingisthehallmarkof pioneeringbusinessleaders.Theyarealwaysopento acceptingthenewwayofworkingandexpandingthe business.Theyensurethattheycancontinuetheir dominanceinthemarketbyservingtheirclientsevenif therearechallengingtimes.Theyarecleveratadaptingnew waystoservetheclients,buttheywillnevergiveuptheir spiritofservitude,andinthisway,theykeepexpanding theirservicestothegreaternumberofclientsandcan ensurethesuccessoftheirbusinesses.
Timeslikepandemicsmaybeunprecedentedand challenging.However,pioneeringleaderscandealwith suchsituationsalsoimmaculatelywiththeirclever, innovative,rational,andpragmaticapproach.Theycan delivervaluetotheclientsnomatterwhattheoddsor challengesare.That’swhatthegloriousleadersdo,andthat iswhattheywillkeepondoing.Inthisway,theyinspirethe nextgenerationofentrepreneurstothriveevenin challengingsituationswithaspiritoffighting,grit, perseverance,andresilience.Suchleadershipgoesalong wayinmakingasustainableimpactinthelivesofeveryone theycomeacross.
Inapandemic-riddenenvironmentthatwasuncertain,
complex,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 tosupportourpolicyholdersandthepeopletheylove. Excellence,ethics,integrity,innovation,andacustomercentricmentalityaretheheartbehindday-to-dayoperations atUnionAssurance.
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.
Speakingaboutchallenges,Judementionedthataspectsof economicgrowth,socio-culturalfactorsandfinancial literacyhavebeenbarrierstoindustryexpansion.Inhis view,financialliteracyislowcomparedtodeveloped marketsinwhichinsurancepenetrationishigh.Thisisan importantfactorforimprovinginsuranceconsciousnessand awarenessacrosssociety.
Gomesarticulatedthreekeystrategieshebelieveswilldrive theinsurancesector:first,cohesivestrategiesshouldbein placetoattractandretaintherighttalent,especiallygiven thattheindustryismanpower-dominant;second,there shouldbeafocusonanomnichanneldistributionmodelto providegreateraccessibilitytocustomers;third,isin creatingefficienciesinoperationsanddeliveryplatforms makingthebuyingcycleeasy,convenient,fast,and transparent.
Judeisanardentbelieverthatleadersshouldconstantly challengethemselvesandtheirteamstoexceed expectationsandembracenewopportunities.
Empowermentisanimportantcriterionforleadingpeople andorganisationstosuccess.Tothisend,Judenurturesa workplaceenvironmentinwhichsafetyandtrustare prerequisitesforpeople’sempowerment.Whenpeoplefeel empoweredandsafeintheworkplace,itpavesthewayfor moreinnovationandadvancementstotakeplace.He believesincultivatingaculturewhereemployeeslearn frommistakesandstrivetowardsexcellence.
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.
“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. Admi ng o failures, taking accountability, and making necessary changes fast is what is important for success.
“ “
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
Talkingaboutthechallenges,Mr.SharifsharesthatKIC hadtodealwithachallengeofpoliticalrisksincethearea isinflamedwithmanypoliticalproblemsthatleadtosome businessinstabilityintheregion.Maintainingthesizeof theportfoliowasamajorchallengeforKIC.
KICisthefirstinsurancecompanyinKuwaitandtheGCC. Ithastheadvantageofkeepingexperiencedstaffwhohave beenwiththecompanyfordecades.Takingsomeofthekey stafftothemostadvancedwaystorunabusiness,in particulartherelianceontechnology,wasachallengethat theyenjoyedthestagestoovercomeit.
Mr.Sharifisanex-consultantwithMcKinsey&Co.thathe considershisbestschool.Hestillcherishesthedayshe
workedforMckinsey,thepeopleheworkedwith,andthe leadersthatheworkedundersuchasMr.DominicBarton. Inaddition,hehasworkedwithpeoplewhohadagreat influenceonhim,like:
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HismathematicsprofessorDr.KlausKaiseratUniversity ofHouston.
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HisspacephysicsprofessorDr.BeringatUniversityof Houston.
WhenCovid-19pandemicarrived,ithaditsprosandcons ontheinsuranceindustryasawhole.However,Mr.Sharif seesmoreprosthancons.Thewayofdoingbusiness becamemoretechnology-driven,astechnologyisakey successfactorforallindustriesincludinginsurance.
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HisfirstactuarialmanagerMr.MarcPitoniacwhotaught mehowtosurviveunderanyworkchallenges.
AKICputsabalancebetweenpeoplesafetyandbusiness safety Assuch,itwaspresentandfunctionalinitsmarket.
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Mr AbbasKhalaf,RegionalpresidentofALICO, MEASARegionwhotaughthimleadership.
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Mr.BarryJacobson,PresidentofACELife(nowChubb) agreatleader
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Mr.GhaziAbuNahl,PresidentofNestInvestmentshard workandperseverance.
Mr.SharifhascreatedapositiveenvironmentatKICwhere everyonethrives.Thecompanystronglybelievesinthe well-beingofitsemployees.Itstronglyencourages educationandpaysalleducationexpensestoitsemployees. Moreover,itcreatedthefirstcompanykitchenrunbya professionalcheftoprovidedailyhealthymealstoitsstaff atminimumcharges.Itcreatedanurseryatworktohelp motherswithbabykids,age0-5atnocharge.Ithasa thorough360systemtoevaluateitsemployeesobjectively andtocompensatethemfairly.ItestablishedKICacademy toofferprofessionalcoursesandtrainingtoitsstaff.
Whenitcomestogivingbacktothecommunity,KIC alwaysstandstall.Onalmostmonthlybasis,itruns differentcampaignsExamples: Ÿ CleaningthebeachinKuwait Ÿ BloodDonationcampaign Ÿ Brestcancerawarenesscampaign Ÿ Diabetesawarenesscampaign
Mr.SharifadvisesaspiringandemergingCEOsinthe insuranceindustrytoworkontheirtechnicaland managerialskills.Hetellsthemtolearntheessenceof leadershipandcultivateahealthylifestyle.Heasksthemto berough,tough,butreasonable.
Besides,healsoadvisesthemtobepeopleperson,havea largeconnectioninindustry,andtoavoidarroganceand givesmiletoeveryone.
Thereisasaying,"becomethebestversionof
ourselves."Well,whatdoesittaketobecomeone?
Itisthebreakfromtheordinary,challenging orthodoxthinking,andcomingoutasthebestversionof ourselves.Itappliesthesameinleadership;today,itisthe breakfromorthodoxleadership,whichweneedwith innovativeideas.Whatelsefollowsinthejourneyofa leader?Let'shavealookthroughthisarticle.
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.
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.
Recentadvancesinscienceandtechnologyhave
resultedinaneweraofmoretargetedtherapiesfor manydiseases.Theseadvanceshavematerialized forpatients,resultingissometrulytransformative 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.
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.
that works for them.
Thomas P. Shivers
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.
TomfoundedFourStoneasastartupthathasnowgrown intoanationalorganization.Thefirmstartedwithoutany privateequitymoney;FourStonehasbeenself-fundedsince itsinception.
Alongtheway,Tomhasmetgreatpeopleandgreatclients who,inonewayoranother,havecontributedatremendous
amountoflearningexperienceforhim.Ithasbeenan incrediblejourneyforTom,andthereisyetmoretocome.
FourStonehascontinueditsexpertiseintheworkers’ compensationindustryandcommercializinghealthcare productswithauniqueapproach.Tomhascentered FourStonearoundpracticalapplicationandcollaboration. Hefocuseshistimeandattentiononpracticalapplication thathelpsclientsmaximizetheiropportunitiesbasedon whattrulyworksanddevelopsimplementableand actionablestrategies.
Tombelievesinlesstheoryandmorepracticalactions.In hisopinion,whatdifferentiatesFourStonefromits competitorsisthatitprovidesitsclientswithimpactful strategiesandthenexecutesthemontheirbehalf.
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
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.”
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.
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.
trusttheteamtodotherightthingandworktherightway Fortunately,Tomhasspentmuchtimeonhiringbasedupon character Thishelpedthefirmwhenitwentremoteandhad todothingsdifferentlyovernight;thehiringphilosophy provedsuccessfulastheentireteamadjustedremarkably well.
Tomopinesthatitwascrucialtoadapttothecircumstances. Theperformanceofthecompanyinmanywayshas exceededexpectations. Infact,someoftheFourStone Teamwillcontinuetoworkfromhomepost-pandemic.
Technologyhasplayedsuchanincredibleroleinthe evolutionofhowcompaniesfunctionduringthispandemic, andTomdoesn'tthinkthat'severgoingtorollitselfback.It willgetmoreimportantmovingforward.
Tomhasanabsolutevisionoforganicgrowth,whichisa challengingroad,andhethinksinthefutureFourStonewill alsogrowthroughacquisition.Thecompanyisactively lookingatsomepotentialacquisitiontargets.Thefirm wouldalsoliketodiversifyandexpandtheservicesthatit offerstoitsclients.
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”.
