Sovereign Magazine 24 - March/April 2020

www.sovereignmagazine.co.uk Issue 24 - Digital Edition | ÂŁ2.99

Europe’s largest Merchant Payments Conference Back for its 13th year MPE2020 Berlin is set to be the biggest ever

MPE2020

Influencers of FINTECH

Bankingblocks CEO profile Daria Rippingale

Arti Halai Fleet Street Group founder on The Power of Communication

Inspired by

Roger Federer

The difference between a win and real winners

Becoming the North Star Marianne Olsnes on reaching the top of the corporate ladder

THE POWER OF COMMUNICATION...

Where great things happen Fl eet St re e t C o m m unications is an in d epe n de n t P R a nd communicatio n ag en c y, ba s e d i n L ondon, with u n ri v alle d u n d e rs tanding of the f o o d, drink , h o s pi ta lity, leisure and re ta ilin g se c t o r s .

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A forward-looking, collaborative and deal-driven platform with a unique format, EURUS offers a highly engaging and content-rich program for leaders in private equity, venture capital and real estate to share actionable intelligence for informed cross-border, cross-sector investment and to explore cutting-edge solutions to emerging challenges.

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Embarking on a bold new direction.

It gives me great pleasure to pen my first letter as Editor-in-Chief for Sovereign Magazine. As we profile the leading executives and entrepreneurs from across the globe, we are determined to bring our readers a new level of insight into the world of business, finance, technology, sustainability and their impact on society.

It has always been Sovereign’s winning policy to cast our net as far as possible in search of great stories and in this we remain unwavering.

We have been on an incredible whirlwind journey for the past 3 years and are more excited than ever as to where our Sovereign Road will take us next.

In this edition, we bring you coverage from two of Europe's leading Fintech conferences, along with an exclusive interview with MPE Influencer of the Year, Daria Rippingale.

Our cover story, featuring Fleet Street Communication’s group founder, Arti Halai takes us into the though process of a leading PR specialist, who learned her craft as a journalist and newsreader at Britain's main broadcasters.

Elaine Pringle-Schwitter asks “what is the difference between a win and being a real winner” as she captures Roger Federer on the court.

Meanwhile, Lesley Calvo brings us another exclusive interview, this time with Marianne Olsnes, General Manager for Digitalization at Shell.

I hope you enjoy every read and look forward to welcoming you back for future editions.

DNani Darie Nani Editor-in-chief

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In this issue COVER STORY

46. Grand Passions

Learning how to make your story come to life and why good news can be beneficial to society. Dr Marina Nani speaks to Arti Halai in this edition’s cover story.

50. Imagine a world where people are listening to each other

08. The Power of Communication Series: Arti Halai

54 Darie Nani

Editor-in-chief

Dr Marina Nani Founder

Christian Demetriad Graphic Designer

Arti Halai

Columnist & Podcast host

Alexis Boddy

Writer & Researcher

Brigitte Lawler Columnist

Dr Werner Krings Guest Author

18. Inspired by Roger Federer Elaine Pringle-Schwitter returns with her latest column, Through the Camera Lens

22. Merchant Payment Ecosystem 2020

Europe’s largest merchant payment conference returns for its 13th year.

26. Bridging the Gap Between Companies and Students

We profile DailyInternship CEO, Marco Cortivinis

28. Becoming the North Star

Lesley Calvo’s interviews Marianne Olsnes in her column, The Frequency of Success

32. Interview with MPE Influencer of the Year, Daria Rippingale

Elaine France

We speak to the CEO of Bankingblocks about Fintech

Elaine Pringle-Schwitter

36. Redefining Business Success

Columnist

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How Christina Schläpfer’s revolutionary new approach to equestrianism.

Mickael Melaye,Managing Director of Airbus HIS tells us why compassion is key to effective management

54. Mind Over Matter

Penney Megginson is Pioneering a New Approach to the Mind-Body Connection

58. PODCAST Five Star Insight Professor Emeritus of Neuropsychiatry at University College London, Mary May Robertson is interviewed by Arti Halai

62. The Davos of Digital Finance

Our coverage of Paris Fintech Forum 2020

66. Wanderlust

How Kate Parkyn is using her passion for travel to inspire people to embark on new adventures

68. A Truly Bespoke Experience

Lesley Calvó

Brigitte Lawler’s latest column asks why reinventing the wheel is both needed and necessary.

We speak to Richmont Construction CEO, Stephen Collins about what it takes to build the dream homes of the hyper rich.

Santosh Padhiar

40. Women in tech: Paola Bonomo

70. A New Approach to Business Excellence

Columnist Columnist

Cover Photography

Connect with us Search for Sovereign Magazine and connect today.

From pattern recognition to perhaps one day quantum computing. Interview with Paola Bonomo

44. Learn to Move Mountains with Elaine France

We need to talk about a different starting point for real and radical solutions

Published by mtnpress. Printed in the United Kingdom

Guest author, Dr Werner Krings delves into what it means to be the next generation of academics in Digital Excellence

Claim your FREE Hard copy Check the last page for details.

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Fleet Street’s Learning how to make your story come to life and why good news can be beneficial to society. | By Dr Marina Nani

F

leet Street is a major street in the City of London. If you are a Londoner, or have ever been to London, you know it runs west to east from Temple Bar at the border with City of Westminster and River Fleet from which it took its name.

An important through route since Roman Times, businesses were established here in the Middle Ages. Fleet Street became known for printing and publishing since the start of the 16th century and it turned out to be it’s dominant trade. If you are a book lover, mentions go back to Charles’ Dickens dramatic works.

A metonym for the British national press, its pubs are always filled with journalists, and is now the memorial residence for a few well-known names like Samuel Pepys and Lord Northcliffe but more than anything, Fleet Street will always be known as the heart of British Media.

While delving into the power of communication, we reached out to Arti Halai (www.artihalai.com), Co- Founder of Fleet Street Group who is known for her holistic approach to communication, to find out how the media will evolve over the next decade.

Arti Halai is a television presenter, reporter and producer, she has worked with some of the UK’s largest organisations like the BBC, ITV, ITN News Channel, Carlton, LWT and Mirror Group. She is a consultant, advisor and trainer on presentation, media and communication skills, working both in the UK and abroad.

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Arti has set up a number of successful businesses under the Fleet Street Group including a PR agency, creative design agency, consultancy and training business.

Fleet Street Group offers services that help businesses grow through the power of communications. The group works across a variety of sectors including hospitality and leisure, B2B, professional services, retail, charities, education, media, food and drinks and financial services.

Arti was the face of ITV’s regional news in the Midlands, Central News for seven years, fronting the bulletins from breakfast through to lunch. During her media career she covered everything from the historical significance and the role of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) to a critical review of the European Parliament, the death of Diana, Princess of Wales and 9/11, the rise of India and Pakistan as nuclear powers, the regeneration of the South Bank, previews of the Tate Modern and the London Eye and interviews with Salman Rushdie and the late Sir Richard Attenborough.

Arti is often approached to present at live events, from award ceremonies and annual dinners to fundraising events. Arti also chairs panels at conferences and business breakfast seminars as well as doing live entertainment events.

As a guest speaker, she delivers talks on personal effectiveness and raising profile by creating a positive mindset and strong, succinct messages that empower and lead others to achieve results.

How did the media landscape change?

When I started back in the 90s at the BBC, there were five terrestrial channels across the UK and reporters, producers worked in either radio or television. Today, we've got hundreds of channels and online platforms, mainly due to the explosion of cable and satellite.

The advancement of technology, digitalization of content and what it means for those who work inside the industry is multi-tasking and multi scaling is now high on the agenda. A reporter's story must ensure that it is useful but the two things that should not change, I think, are accuracy of detail and being the first with the story remains key.

Good News Vs. Bad News- what makes it to the headlines? Is it true that bad news sells so good news is ignored?

Years ago, when I first started in television, I'll never forget my editor said to me “Arti, if it bleeds, it leads.” I don't think a lot has changed over the years.

Let's just take a quick look, first of all, at the headline.

Headlines, of course, have to capture the essence of the story and make an impact, headlines have to attract and keep the viewers engaged and wanting to find out more about the story.

Creating great headlines is a real skill. Sadly, I think most of the headlines in the UK tend to focus on the negative.

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If the media can marry out the bad news with the good news, then it would be much more beneficial to society as a whole.

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Arti has always been passionate about working with schools and colleges and over the years has worked with hundreds of children and young people encouraging them to reach their potential.

Over the years she has supported a number of different charities and held various board and Trustee positions including Governor of Matthew Boulton College, Trustee for The University of First Age and Trustee for The Human City Institute.

Arti’s first book, ‘Positivity’ was published by The HotHive in 2009.

Among clients that Arti has worked with are Virgin Trains, Twentieth Century Fox, Diageo, Lloyds TSB, Institute of Directors, Aljazeera, Aston Villa Football Club, Royal Life Saving Society, DLA Piper UK LLP, Shop Direct Group, Grant Thornton, Vistage International, The Midcounties Co-operative, Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Birmingham City University, University of Cambridge - Judge Business School and many more…

There have been huge changes in the media industry since Arti first started in 1992. Here are her thoughts on the power of communication, learning how to make your story come to life and why the good news can be beneficial to society as a whole.

I think there is a strong belief in the media that bad news and bad news stories sell better than good. It’s rather a chicken and egg situation. I don't think any major news outlet is willing to turn that on its head and lead with a good news story on a regular basis.

However, if we just take a moment to think about the London Olympics in 2012, when we had six weeks of positive news headlines and stories. The coverage focused on the cheering crowd, the venues and the slick organization of the event. It really changed the whole psyche of the nation and it was a huge contrast to the negative headlines that lead up to the Olympics, about spiraling costs and huge doubts as to whether we would even be ready! I'm not saying that we must ignore bad news either. What I think is needed is a less lopsided approach, and if the media can balance the bad news with the good news, then it would be much more beneficial to society as a whole.

What makes a story relevant to a certain audience?

What are the top tips to make your story newsworthy?

You have to ask yourself a few questions: Why is this story relevant to my audience? What makes this different or unusual? Is the story newsworthy? Even if you've got the best product of its kind, newsrooms are very selective in what they cover. You must be very clear on

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who it is you want to target. A national TV program’s agenda is going to be very different than a newspaper’s agenda. If you've got something that maybe has transformed thousands of lives, then that's going to be of merit. If your story's gone viral, then that's going to be of interest. The media wants stories that put people at the heart of what has happened, something with emotional impact.

So if you've got an ambassador or maybe you've got a royal visitor touring your premises, then that's going to be of interest. Of course, always think about the media you are attracting as well. If you're going for television, then television is all about pictures. Are the pictures that will go with your story relevant?

Communication is power and if you look at successful businesses, they attract more success as they effectively share their messages across the media, in the right way, to the right audience. Communication helps them build their brand, enhance their profile, even protect their reputation if something goes wrong.

However, communication is not just limited to something like the media. It is about our everyday interactions. What are you saying? How are you coming across? Has your message been understood like you wanted it to be? Maybe you are communicating with your staff, your colleagues, your customers, friends, loved ones.

I also believe we need a shift in the social curriculum so that from early on young children can be able to understand the power of communication in finance, health, social media, relationships and the environment. Communication in these five areas should be instilled at primary school education level, along with the rest of the curriculum; numeracy, literacy, sciences and languages. Children will be much better equipped through better communication skills to eliminate the huge problems we are facing at the moment in society with debt, with obesity, with too much information on social media, around trolls and negative things.

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you have to have great storytellers, vision producers, creative technical staff and strong presenters

How do you see the media transforming in the next decade?

The industry is changing so fast and none of us have got a crystal ball that would give us all those answers, which in a way makes life so interesting and compelling.

Citizen journalism and the ability for people to talk and influence the public directly will continue. That's without a shadow of a doubt. What will also continue is the desire for the next generation to have content whenever, wherever and in whatever medium they like.

If we look at television, then we know that anyone can start a channel at the moment. However, I also think there's going to be a huge demand for specialised content, which the mainstream broadcasters will just not be able to meet. There is absolutely no way that they can satisfy that demand for specialised content so there is going to be this alignment between these new channels that are cropping up online who can meet this need.

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Companies that understand this and are willing to invest in getting this right will see huge benefits in their growth, attracting new staff, raising finance and customer loyalty. Leaders will certainly be able to motivate and inspire their teams to get behind their vision.

To make really good quality programs. I think you need a team. My experience tells me that you have to have great storytellers, vision producers, creative technical staff and strong presenters - all this relies heavily on teamwork. And whilst technology can streamline things, your team can make them efficient and cost effective. That human skill of creating new ideas and connecting can never be replaced. What won't change, I think, is the need and the importance of understanding who your audience is and our basic human need to be entertained.

Listening to your story, I’ve learned a great deal about the power of communication, and I know that constantly learning is a state of mind for you. You once told me “We are always learning, growing and developing as human beings.” You are a wife and a mother and together with your husband you are dedicated to raising your beautiful daughter who is turning five this year.

What is your solution for reinventing skills and lifelong learning?

There is something to learn from every situation if you are open.

I’m a lifelong learner – it makes me who I am! I have made lots of mistakes in life and have experienced my fair share of failure, but it’s the lessons from these situations that have helped me grow the fastest.

With regards to reinventing skills, I would say don’t copy what other people are doing. That is not to say we need to reinvent the wheel. Look at what you like and then adapt it to suit your style and personality – the results are always more rewarding.

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome to arrive where you are in your life?

I think the biggest challenge I had to overcome was my impatience to get results quickly and understand that not everybody thinks and operates in the same way as I do – everybody is different and will want to do things in their own way. The other big challenge I face on a regular basis is the pressure I sometimes put on myself as I strive for perfection. I’m aware this is unattainable as perfection is static and as humans we are always growing and developing. I have learnt that it is enough to give my best and offer excellent value in everything that I do for those around me.

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What changes need to happen in our society so women feel empowered and able to do things they want to do, by themselves?

Both at a local level and in society, women will feel empowered when they raise their self-esteem and self-belief. I’m a firm believer that men and women are made differently and have much to offer, as such, each must play to their strengths. Women have a remarkable ability to multi-task and numerous studies show that they are high in EQ as well as IQ. This should be celebrated and women should shout loud and proud about their achievements, however, all too often, they fail to do this or their voices are not heard.

It is a fact that women play an important role in bringing up the children and running a household but this is often ignored when we talk about economic contributions made in society. Perhaps, what is needed is an economic formula that shows society just what this equates to in relation to a career!

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We need a shift in the social curriculum so that from early on young children can be able to understand the power of communication

Here in the UK, there has been a constructive effort to get more women in boardrooms and in senior positions across all sectors, whether that is in politics, business, academia, healthcare, social services or other areas.

Women must achieve these levels on merit but it is crucial that they are made aware of the opportunities that are open and available to them. There is a long way to go but the increasing number of women’s groups that are emerging are paving the way forward. These groups offer support, guidance, encouragement and empowerment and that can only be a good thing!

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From my experience, as a wife, mother, entrepreneur, author, coach and public speaker I focus on my strengths and constantly learn from others. I have never considered my gender as an issue and have always strived to compete in what I have thought is an open and level playing field. This puts the ball firmly at my feet and gives me the control to shape my outcomes and my life.

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The Difference Between a Win and Real Winners THROUGH THE CAMERA LENS BY ELAINE PRINGLE-SCHWITTER

Winners and Losers

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’ve been privileged to editorially cover the ATP indoor tournaments for 3 years now. My first experience of this was nerve-racking trying to get the best shots for my agency and at the same time starstruck when the GOAT walked on stage, aka the tennis court. GOAT (Greatest of All Time) to those, like me, not so savvy with the acronyms of today.

Roger Federer is a marvel to watch and even greater fun to capture him through my camera lens. He is arguably the GOAT, so no one is a loser if they play him and subsequently defeated.

How many tennis players can say they have played a competitive match with Roger Federer and through osmosis soaked up the atmosphere of the fans? He’s got that magical aura that very few champions have, that rare trait seen in few at the top of their game. People still route for/support him and want him to continue to win, despite the fact he has won so many championships.

Over the last two and half years, I have been educated on the art of sports photography by some seasoned professionals and have taken on board many of their tips going forward. It’s the action shot! The action shot! The action shot! While I love capturing the grace of Roger Federer, it’s the action shot that will inevitably be used in editorials, so I must part with my artist interpretation of a situation and concentrate on that ACTION SHOT! So now that my job is done for this recent tournament, I can indulge myself and look at the grace, the art, the sportsman that is Roger Federer.

Roger Federer is not just a winner because he wins matches and tournaments in the purest sense. He is a winner because he never gives up. He battles on even though he is in his late 30s, where many tennis players would have retired by now. He has this insatiable appetite to win and if he loses, he will try and try again.

My recent sports photography assignment allowed me to witness his Basel Indoor Tennis 10th win and his 101st Championship. He is a winner because he connects with his fans, the media and even his opponents’ fans. He shows grace in winning a match and determination for the next. As a subject, he is a joy to photograph and I’m always pleased with an outcome of an event shoot. Yes, I still remember the ‘…more action shots’ line by my agent in my ear, but you have to forgive me for capturing him the way I see him and his style of play – beautifully effortless.

This type of event photography story is all about the images, so let me share this with you more so than the words contained herein. Take a look at my photo essay that is Roger Federer.

Elaine Pringle-Schwitter A dual British/Swiss citizen, Elaine is an award winning photojournalist and a cinematographer whose photographs have been published in numerous major newspapers and magazines. She has spent two decades in the corporate world at senior management level and now works with MTN Press on collaborations in the Swiss Region.

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How do we define winners today?

Somehow it’s not just beating an opponent /team or being the first to cross the line. Winners encompass more than that. It is more than what you do in ‘theatre’, it is how you treat people around you, away from the theatre of work. It is how you pick yourself up from a loss, how you pick yourself up from ‘failure’ It’s the tenacious characteristics and magnetic personality that draws others to you or want to be you or at least with you. It is an individual who wears their crown with grace and not be boastful about accomplishments (however big, however small in other eyes).

It’s knowing the magnitude of your achievement and yet be humble enough to embrace your opponent/s at the minute/second of their defeat. It is thanking those around you that helped you achieve your goal.

Often there are a team of people working behind the scenes to help the winner win.

They will feel victorious too. True and worthy winners will make sure at whatever opportunity they highlight their support team’s involvement and their effort and even their sacrifice in order to help you, the winner, reach this pinnacle.

Losers are not the ones that had lost a match, game, competition, race etc. They are just individuals that are, if you like, ‘winners in waiting’. The losers, the real losers are the ones who win and are selfish with ‘their’ accomplishments. Unfortunately, losers bask in the glory of their win without acknowledging others/those who helped to get them there. Yes, they have won something but they are far from winners. You see, that is the difference between true winners and losers. The funny thing about such losers is that their win on the grand scheme of things is so minuscule it is quite laughable to watch them bask in it. It’s temporary and shortlived, so breath a sigh of relief. There is a real difference between a win and a winner.

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Europe’s Largest Merchant Payments Conference

Back for its 13th year MPE2020 (Merchant Payment Ecosystems) in Berlin (18-20 Feb 2020) is set to be the biggest ever, with over 1,500 founders, startup enthusiasts, corporates, angel investors, VCs, and media gathering from across Europe. | By Darie Nani

T

he three-day Conference is not only a great opportunity for networking but also serves a meeting point for corporations and investors who are aiming to build international connections. The 3 day event will include fireside chats with internationally successful founders, great networking opportunities (with a dedicated networking app), workshops, and a glamorous evening Gala Awards where 15 finalists – selected from about 1,000 nominees will be in with the chance to win Ahead of the event, we reached out to Natalie Ivanis, MPE’s head of media and communications to find out more about what's in store at this year's MPE conference.

How would you describe MPE to someone who hasn't attended before? What makes the event so unique?

tups in merchant payments. This year we also have 70+ sponsors and exhibitors will be showcasing cutting-edge payments & POS solutions.

We are also very excited about the prestigious MPE2020 Awards Gala Dinner & Ceremony which will be a part of MPE 2nd conference day. It is the only European Awards celebrating excellence in merchant payments acceptance and card acquiring.

You will have over 140 top industry speakers on stage this year. What is your selection process?

Our Agenda topics and speaker panel are carefully selected by the MPE team in cooperation with the MPE Advisory Board that is carefully built from top experts in CNP, POS and merchant payment acceptance areas.

13th annual Merchant Payments Ecosystem (MPE) conference and exhibition in Berlin is the Biggest European meeting place for Merchants & payment professionals. The conference was first held 13 years ago as 'European Card Acquiring Forum', then re-named in 2011 to MPE (Merchant Payments Ecosystem) conference – to better reflect the new ways people pay and the rise of alternative payment methods. Since its inception, the MPE conference has made noteworthy progress and became the largest event on Merchants' payments in Europe.

MPE is renowned for its high-caliber networking at its core putting together the whole merchant payments value chain and the agenda covering all aspects of payment acceptance, latest regional and pan-European trends; indepth industry analysis and specific case studies.

MPE is renowned mainly for its high-caliber networking at its core putting together the whole merchant payments value chain and the agenda covering all aspects of payment acceptance, latest regional and pan-European trends; in-depth industry analysis and specific case studies.

What will be the key subject on the agenda this year?

This year we are especially excited as we have a recordbreaking number of attendees, including 300+ merchants and 450+ acquiring banks & PSPs. Over 140 influential speakers will appear in high-quality sessions, running in 4 concurrent streams. The Start-up Challenge Track & Innovation Corner competition will introduce the most innovative star-

Selecting the speakers therefore was also a careful process, befitting of the great work we have achieved so far and the high standards our community has come to expect.

The change of the Merchant Payments Ecosystem in the past decade was extreme and will only get faster. New shopping habits of digitally enabled customers created multiple challenges for merchants and payment providers.

It’s very important for payments providers to understand the needs of merchants to deliver unified customer-focused payment experience.

To accomplish this, the voice of merchants will be heard loud and clear this year.

MPE2020 welcomes the record number of 300 merchants coming from over 150 Global brands like Booking.com, Adidas, HUGO BOSS, EasyJet, Expedia.com, BMW, Spotify, Porsche, Gett, Sweet Inn, The New York Times, Booking.com, IKEA, Omio, etc., and many more.

We expect that most of our speakers will provide unique insights on "How the current payments landscape challenges both merchants and payment providers?" and "How to thrive in the new era of payments?".

Further on, among the key topics to be discussed at MPE 2020 program are the future of card acquiring, merchant payments, PSD2, Open Banking payments, new business models and technologies like AI, ML, biometrics and other supporting commerce and payments.

PSD2 & SCA implementation seems to be a major talking point this year.

Which speakers should we look out for on this subject?

At MPE 2020 conference, Berlin, delegates will learn from different industry stakeholders on: •

What needs to happen to make the SCA transition a success after October 16? and

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If there is a need for coordinated oversight of the card & merchant payments industry in Europe.

Regulation and PSD 2 topics are included in almost every session of the conference program. As an example, we could mention the "LEADERS discussion" introducing the status quo of PSD2/SCA implementation which is a part of 1st conference day, with exceptional speaker panel featuring Charles Damen, SVP Payment Strategy, WorldPay, Axel Schaefer, Advisor – Payments, IKEA Group, Nilixa Devlukia, Founder, Payments Solved, Nicolas Adolph, Chairman, EPSM (European Payment Service Providers for Merchants) and Ralf Gladis, Founder & CEO, Computop Any scoops you can share with us on the confirmed speakers for MPE 2020?

MPE speaker panel features over 140 influential speakers from every corner of the merchant payments ecosystem. From established incumbent payment providers to innovative start-ups, merchants, regulators to independent industry observers. It’s quite difficult to pick the most interesting speakers as they are considered to be the industry influencers.

MPE team has been regularly interviewing its speaker panel to share their insights and suggestions on challenges merchant payment professionals face nowadays.

Omnichannel integration is among the key topics on the MPE Agenda in 2020 and at the same time an overwhelming task for both merchants and payment providers. We asked a few of the MPE2020 speakers to share their insights on what payment providers are doing to help merchants to achieve frictionless shopping experience. These are some of our favourites: How should the payment companies change their business models to adapt to the new era of instant & mobile-driven payments in 2020?

According to Jeremy Nicholds, CEO of Judopay who will speak about the psychology of mobile payments at MPE2020: “If you’re looking to build a case for technology investment, explore your business growth goals and how this new payment technology can support these plans.“ The important question for incumbent players is whether to substitute or adapt their legacy systems to cope with the new market standards & technologies?

Ruca Sousa Marques, CEO of Switch, who will cover the Interoperability in the Payments Industry in his speech at MPE2020 said: “There’s value in existing legacy systems—they’re still performing valuable actions! What's needed though, is to decouple traditional monolithic architectures into microservices setups, ones that allow for interoperability between internal/external systems, thus accelerating integrations with 3rd party vendors for quicker go-to-market strategies.

For this matter, a middleware is necessary to orchestrate communica-

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tions through standardized data structures, avoiding any updates in back-office systems every time a new application is connected. In his presentation, he'll propose a new model for adapting legacy infrastructures to new market standards (e.g. Mobile, PSD2, 3DS v2.0, APMs, Omnichannel), capitalizing on existing systems and preparing incumbent companies for the challenges ahead” Another interesting perspective, we would like to share here, are the findings from our report ‘What Influences Merchant Payments Ecosystem Influencers in 2019/2020?’ released a few months ago.

The report aimed to provide guidance on what companies and channels to follow and how to stay up to date with industry news and trends at least according to MPE speakers. Interestingly, we found out that Social Media is the number 1 source of daily intelligence for most MPE speakers & moderators. I think this quote of Ghela Boschovich (regularly ranked among TOP 100 Fintech/Regtech influencers) sums it up perfectly: ”By following certain publications, and payment influencers on twitter, I have a daily curated list of articles. and news alerts specific to my interests.

But the delightful thing about twitter is that it also provides intel about niche topics, and I can follow – and participate – in conversations about what’s going on in payments.”

There's a lot happening on stage, but what about backstage? Any real deals?

There are a lot of success stories that began at previous MPE conferences; from partnerships to JV, M&A deals, start-ups founding, etc. One of the success stories that will be presented at MPE2020 on stage is Enterpay & VR Payment GmbH. It started back in 2017 when Jarkko Anttiroiko of Enterpay presented his startup pitch at MPE and Claudia Johannes, VR Payment GmbH picked it up. Another great success story is how a large German Bank and Finnish Fintech startup collaborated to bring a very innovative b2b online payment solution to the German market. A story of merchants who initiated the venture; it’s about product design and ‘ready-to-market’ process. A real story from the Merchant Payments Ecosystem conference and what effect it has on the payments industry. We look forward to telling more success stories which will undoubtedly form at MPE2020.

Who are the main partners to organize MPE 2020?

Over 70 companies will be in Berlin to showcase cutting-edge payments & POS solutions. MPE exhibition area will provide the opportunity to meet the major innovators in the merchant payments ecosystem, compare the different options on offer and start long-lasting business relationships. Platinum sponsors of the MPE 2020 conference are Mastercard, Planet, Barclaycard, and BS PAY ONE. You can see the whole list of sponsors on our website.

KEY FACTS 140+ influential speakers will appear in highquality sessions, running in 4 concurrent streams DAY 0 dedicated to merchant participants ONLY Start-up Challenge Track & Innovation Corner competition will introduce most innovative startups in merchant payments.

Presitgous MPE2020 Awards Gala Dinner & Ceremony will be a part of MPE 2nd conference day. I tis the Only European Awards celebrating excellence in merchant payments acceptance and card acquiring.

So, can you sum up why people should be in Berlin this February?

Record-breaking Number of attendees 1200+, including 300+ merchants and 450+ acquiring banks & PSPs

MPE 2020 is Europe’s Leading Event for Merchant Payments professionals. This is a must-attend event if you are looking to learn and discuss upcoming industry trends, expand your network and bolster your success in merchant payments in 2020.

70+ sponsors and exhibitors will be showcasing cutting-edge payments & POS solutions.

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Bridg in g the G ap Bet we en C ompanies a nd S tudents | B y D ari e Na ni

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hey say young people spend too much time on social media, but for Marco Cortinovis and three friends from university, social networking became the inspiration for a revolutionary platform.

After completing 17 internships between them across a three year period, the foursome decided to make the process easier for students who wanted to follow in their footsteps.

Having had to jump through various hoops and spend countless hours and a huge amount of energy finding their own internships, the group decided there must be a better way, there was not, so they made one!

Bringing a youthful attitude to the concept, Marco and his friends created Daily Internship, a platform aimed at making life easier for both students looking for internships, and companies looking for interns.

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?

My family have been entrepreneurs for as long as I can remember (and before that). They taught me the value of hard work, of having something which is yours.

Growing up, I was used to seeing both my parents working until late, which made me realise that being an entrepreneur means sacrifice, but for a great purpose.

What did you do before?

After studying in five states, I had five different internship experiences in different fields, ranging from corporate finance to wealth management, from my family business to consulting.

I have seen and experienced the field of finance from multiple perspectives and roles, starting in wealth management in Hong Kong, continuing with corporate lending when I joined Intesa Sanpaolo CIB, I also worked for McKinsey in Milan.

What is Daily Internship?

DailyInternship is a social recruiting platform that aims to be a reference point for companies and students.

The platform offers double profiling to meet the needs of companies and students.

Companies have a tool to reach, identify and select the right resource for their needs by benefiting from employer branding tools available on the platform.

At the same time, the service offers students a virtual bulletin board of announcements, offering hundreds of new opportunities every week. The bulletin board adapts to their characteristics and helps them identify the internships most suited to their preferences.

What makes Daily Internship different?

Daily Internship is distinguished by three elements.

Firstly, a European platform, offering internship positions across Europe, with no single-country focus.

Secondly, a matching algorithm that helps students identify the best opportunities based on experience, preferences, etc, and helps companies identify the talents they are looking for based on student profiles.

Thirdly, a social media presence. We use the potential of social networking to engage with over 60,000 students across Europe.

How did you come up with this business idea?

Daily Internship was born from a need of the four founders.

We asked ourselves a simple question, “How is it possible that there isn’t a platform that offers us a sum up of all the different internship opportunities that are currently active in Europe?”

There was no answer, we decided to launch Daily Internship.

Virginia [Bassano], Francesco [Carboni], Gianmarco [Savi] and I have gained experience in different sectors working in companies such as McKinsey, Citibank, Google and BCG. Our own internships allowed us to get to know and study the market first-hand.

The market involves 4.5 million students every year in Europe alone, and is gaining increasing importance as a first step into the world of work.

What problems do you hope to solve?

There is a missing link between students looking for an internship opportunity and companies seeking talents. Companies waste time and budget finding the right candidate at junior level, and students are confused by the different job portals, which don’t provide a point of reference for internship seekers of all kinds.

What is the best thing about being an entrepreneur?

For me, it’s a combination of flexibility, excitement, control and responsibility. I work with my own schedule, I choose my own team, I create my own opportunities, I develop my own project the way I want to, and I stand up for what I believe in.

And the most difficult?

Being an entrepreneur can be lonely. You have to make tough decisions on your own and the work schedule can be intense and unpredictable. It’s scary to be completely responsible for the success or failure of your business What has been your most satisfying moment in business so far?

The most satisfying moment is being recognised for what we have developed. Students write to us every day to say that Daily Internship has allowed them to find their dream internship. This is how I know that we are actually making a difference.

What is the best piece of advice you can give someone starting their own business?

Execution is the key – business ideas on their own are not enough, you need to take action and believe in your ideas to transform them into something tangible. Start today, as soon as you can, because the best way to learn is by doing. Set goals and do everything that is in your power to reach and overcome them How do you define success?

I describe success as having a positive impact on the lives of different people. Knowing that what you are building is not only helping you, but also helping others to live a better life.

About Marco Cortivinis Marco Cortinovis is the CEO of Daily Internship, the first social recruiting platform developed to bridge the gap between students and companies (find out more at www.dailyinternship.com). He is currently based in Milan, Italy. He has lived in Alabama, Hong Kong, London, Madrid, and Paris amongst others.

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SUCCESS STORIES

Marianne Olsnes on THE FREQUENCY OF SUCCESS WITH LESLEY CALVÓ

T

here are many business arenas still dominated by men, the world is changing and dynamic women are becoming passionate leaders rising up to take their positions alongside these men. Marianne Olsnes, is one such woman. After being responsible for the initiation and delivery of Shell's transformation/change programme in Norway, she is now General Manager for Digitalization at Shell’s International Development Organization in Den Haag.

This article gives an insight into an incredible woman who navigates the corporate worlds while fulfilling her role as a loving mother and wife.

What was the journey like to get where you are today?

Continuous, exciting, unexpected, logical….

I have never had a North Star in terms of what I wanted to be, nor a particular drive for a specific position or career. I am driven by doing a good job where I am, learning, growing and developing. This so far has opened doors and given me new opportunities along the way.

I started as a petroleum engineer in a Norwegian oil company after university, then I did an MBA and started working with gas strategy for Shell. After a few years, I went back to my original technical discipline to build a stronger foundation and gain experience, before eventually expanding into team and business leadership roles. And over the last few years I have moved into change management and community leadership – all within the energy company, Shell. In Shell we rotate between roles about every 4 years, and so far I have been able to get very exciting roles. At first I felt like they would be too challenging and unmanageable. I didn’t know whether I would master them. However, taking on these challenges and letting myself develop into a new area is extremely fulfilling; it’s the feeling of growth, managing something one didn’t know one could.

What do you feel has been the most important part of this journey so far?

The experience that led me to acknowledge I could be a good leader.

I never thought I would have it in me to be a leader. I was never a leader at school, nor in the sports team – but I have always been driven by a high work ethic, the need to do a good job, and the ability to see people

Lesley Calvó

Lesley Calvó ran an internationally-successful jewellery company alongside her work as a design consultant for Hugo Boss, Dior, Vivienne Westwood, Swarovski and Cartier. For almost two decades, Lesley mentored thousands of people to unleashed their infinite potential. She is a world class Business Growth Coach, and passionate Self Awareness and Transformational Change Advocate.

Marianne Olsnes is the General Manager for Digitalization in Shell’s International Development Organization. Up until end September she was the Development manager in AS Norske Shell, responsible for all field development studies and execution, including exploration, wells activities and production optimization.

She is a highly passionate and energizing leader with long term experience in the global energy industry, has held various strategic leadership roles, with accountability for delivery of mega projects, restructuring and corporate change management programs, strategic and bottom line delivery.

Marianne studied Petroleum Engineering at the University of Stavanger before she earned her Master of Science degree from Texas A&M (USA). After a few years working she followed up with an MBA from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University(NL).

She works in the Netherlands, and lives in Stavanger with her husband and two sons, enjoys an active lifestyle with hiking, skiing and travelling.

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https://

and collaborate across different perspectives and backgrounds. When I got my first job as a team leader 10 years ago, I felt insecure about leading a team of people with more knowledge and experience than myself. But the joy of motivating people, setting direction and getting the best out of individuals and teams has been, and still is, the most fulfilling experience in my career.

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

One of the largest challenges was, and still is the difficulty of downturns and going through large restructuring exercises where close friends, colleagues and staff have to leave the company. The difficult decisions and the tradeoffs between individuals’ needs, wants and wishes versus what is best for the company and all staff in the long run, these are always difficult and challenging processes to manage and to be in.

How did these experiences mould and shape you into the leader you are today?

They have moulded me in different ways: the first is to dare to tackle difficult discussions and not avoid conflict.

Growing up I always tried to avoid conflict, it was also how we dealt with difficult issues in my family – not talking about it, hoping they would go away. But addressing difficult issues head on is extremely liberating and insightful, and many actually evaporate as they are often based on misunderstandings or not knowing each others perspectives. The worst thing that can happen when addressing a difficult topic is that it remains difficult, but you normally gain some insight into why.

What has been a breakthrough moment for you?

I was once in a leadership course where throughout the whole week I felt out of place, in a group that was very forceful, aggressive and overly ambitious – and I felt that if that was the behaviours I needed to exhibit to be successful I would never like being a leader. I started to doubt myself, and whether this was for me. Then on the last day, a group of senior executives came to the course for a panel debate. And that group of senior leaders, was very diverse in terms of personalities, there was the quiet one, the introvert and the extrovert, they were all very different – and they all had such good reflections, high personal integrity, values and morals. That was an aha moment for me, that being authentic is a very powerful leadership tool, much more important than being a certain personality type, and behaving in a certain way. There are many different personality types that can be good leaders.

What excites you about your future?

The young people who are raising their voice against oppression, against the established ways and for climate change, for what they believe is necessary changes for the world to survive. This drive I think can make us succeed with the challenge of climate change. Being part of an energy company that also believes change must happen and tries to participate in the discussion with society, regulators and customers – preparing for a transition and production of more and cleaner energy.

Through this I can contribute to how the future evolves, and this excites me.

What does success mean to you?

The opportunity to make a difference, to develop people and teams towards their potential and to make a difference to the company I work for and the society I live in, as well as learning and developing myself is success to me.

To have balance in my life, the energy and time to both be there for my family, and learn and develop myself, is success.

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SUCCESS STORIES

Daria Rippingale Influencer of the Year

Bankingblocks CEO snaps up prestigious MPE Award | by Darie Nani

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his year’s ‘MPE Influencer of the Year’ Award awarded at MPE2020 will go to the most influential payment provider for the significant contribution to the growth and development of the merchant payments industry during the last year. A total of 14 finalists took part in the MPE Awards public vote, including Sumup, Switch, Nordic API Gateway and Bankingblocks amongst others. Interestingly, out of the 14 finalists only 2 were individuals and more interesting still, both are women.

It is great to see that at least in the Fintech world, women are being recognised for their talents and achievements!

We had an opportunity to meet up with the Daria to find out more about her, Bankingblocks and where they see the industry heading.

Daria, congratulations on winning MPE Award’s Influencer of The Year! What does this recognition mean to Bankingblocks and you personally?

We are truly honoured to have won the Influencer of the Year award, both the company, and myself as the company CEO. As a small business on a mission to create positive disruption and break the barriers facing the payments industry, this recognition is so appreciated. MPE (Merchant Payment Ecosystems) connects leaders, influencers and innovators from the entire payment ecosystem, in a way that is real, honest and truly useful. As an attendee and speaker at the event for a number of years, it is a great honour to not only be amongst the companies and individuals nominated but to actually win this special award.

Tell us about yourself, how did you start your career?

I am an Australian who has been living in Europe for almost 5 years now. I live between Amsterdam and Brussels, where I am the CEO and Administrative delegate of a Belgium based Regulated Payment Institution, called Oonex SA (dba Bankingblocks). I started my career in Australia in my early 20s, and worked originally in a compliance support role before joining a larger Australian PSP and building my career in operational management, international payments and regulatory compliance. In 2015, after experiencing and understanding the challenges of payment companies in Europe (due to the very segmented nature of the banking and payments landscape here), I decided to take the plunge and relocate myself to launch a regulated payments business in Europe that solved the hassles so many companies were facing. In hindsight, this was quite a big move for

a (then) 29 year old, but sometimes a drive for creating change can outweigh the reasonable mind – luckily for me, it was absolutely the right move!

What is Bankingblocks and what is your main selling point?

Bankingblocks is a wholesale, behind-the-scenes banking services provider for the fintech and payments sector. We have combined the traditional European PI, agency banking and acquiring licenses groups to create a stand-alone modular banking service for the fintech industry. We offer a large number of direct banking and payment services which any fintech or payments company can connect to, to issue real banking services to their customers.

We offer true, multicurrency IBANs, we are a SWIFT and SEPA member, card-scheme principal member and more. Our focus is on providing low cost, wholesale financial products to the wider fintech community, for them to package and offer their end customers.

launch, grow and build, block by block.

There are a lot of BaaS providers around, what sets Bankingblocks apart?

The difference between Bankingblocks and other BaaS providers is that we offer the full end-to-end solution – not only the technology, but the underlying banking and payments services. As a regulated financial institution in Belgium, we have our own SORT code and BIC, are a direct SWIFT and SEPA member, card scheme principal member and payments acquirer. This means Bankingblocks grants fintechs access to Multi-currency IBANs, Payment Institution SubLicensing, acquiring, card issuing and cross-border payment services instantly through an easy integration and under a single contract. Through one simple connection and modular banking services Bankingblocks supports fintechs and payment companies to deliver the financial services their customers need, with a fully customizable set of available banking and payments services options. We are not just a banking technology service provider, but the banking and payments partner as well.

Whilst many companies in the fintech banking space are Tell us a bit more about Bankingblocks’ bottom-up bankfocusing on technical advancements and technical innoving approach and what does this mean for your clients? ation, our focus is on banking and payment service innovation – specifically; delivering the underlying banking products, acquiring and card issuing services that When clients partner with us, they do not need to contract fintechs and payment companies need (to plug into with other financial institutions or acquirers to gain actheir technology ecosystems) to deliver real financial cess to financial products. We have designed our serproducts to their customers. Technology is essenvices to be ‘wholesale’ and centralised for growing tial and technology is key, but without the right fintech businesses – we sell at low cost, with full banking services (whether it be IBANS, multiintegration banking service, under one central currency payments, integrated acquiring, contract. Bankingblocks is a truly modular serissuing etc), many emerging fintech playvice, and through the blocks that our parters are missing the essential ingredient ners can select, arrange and connect to, they need for their businesses to in any configuration, we allow fintechs move. If you use the analogy of a and payments companies to integcar (KISS principles people), techrate and deliver the specific liThere’s a huge gap in nology companies and censed banking services they fintechs are the chassis, and need, in line with their own the market for banking Bankingblocks is the engine growth plans. that makes their business move services enablers forward.

What do you think will be the next major development in Fintech and How did Bankingblocks start? How did where does Bankingblocks fit in? you come up with your business idea?

Personally, I think the next major development As someone who has spent many years workin Fintech, will be the growth of banking-enablers ing in the payments industry, the biggest (like Bankingblocks), financial institutions and struggle and surprise for me has always been how banks which have been specifically developed to difficult it is for payment and fintech companies to understand and support the needs of the growing find a regulated financial institution partner who can fintech economy. The majority of banks in Europe are inactually service their businesses various needs. The maherently regional in terms of the service offerings; built-for jority of payment and fintech companies hold over 6 differand catering to their domestic client base. Multi-national ent contracts with banks, acquirers, issuers and 3rd party banks (especially those dipping their toes into the fintech compliance service, just to provide simple, homogenised banking world) are doing so from dedicated products. This is complex, costly, time consuming and ultiheadquartered regions, meaning they are only supporting mately affects the bottom line of these businesses, where payment companies and fintechs in specific locations, with they could be investing in delivering customer-focused provision of local clearing services – not giving them acproducts to modernise the finance world (which is what cess to their banks’ own inter-regional facilities they set out to). The purpose of Bankingblocks was to create a regulated financial institution that was purpose built to Despite widespread reluctance to support fintech and neoservice this growing market, where fintechs and payment banks a select few in Europe have tried to carve a niche. companies could access all the banking, compliance and The most noticeable players are Barclays, ING and Credit payment products they needed under one centralised Mutuel Arkea (Arkea). Since 2015, these banks have tried to contract, with modular products that allows them to exdifferentiate themselves from traditional ‘incumbents’ by pand and grow at their own pace. This is because fintechs focusing on developing support and access services to are IMPORTANT, and their success is so important to the furegulated (EMI or PI) fintech players. This trend, and these ture of finance. Our role is to give them the leg up they need banks, do have their utility; they provide basic underlying to get to market and compete fast with a strong, regulated services for fintechs to access banking services – a trend and respectable product. that allowed and facilitated the European Fintech boom.

However, as the market matures and demand for more serFintechs create the essential and innovative technical platvices compile from fintech partners, these banks are funforms that modern customers demand and need, but they damentally not able to keep up – the services demanded are not receiving the support from traditional banks to deby growing fintechs are simply not on offer, and the straliver these. Whether it’s poor connectivity, concerns about tegic development to provide them simply isn’t worth the market competition or a general disinterest and inability to investment or risk for these major banks. help, fintech businesses are being increasingly impeded by traditional banks. Although there is widespread acceptThis is why I believe there is a huge gap in the market, and ance that fintechs will soon take over the customer-facing a big opportunity for major developments in the bankingfinance market, incumbent banks are still unequipped and services enabler sector – consolidated, purpose built finanunwilling to provide them the services they need to grow. cial services for fintech companies. This is our view of the Bankingblocks was created to solve this problem and future, and the market problem we are here to solve. power the future of fintechs: allowing these businesses to

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BUSINESS ADVICE

Why reinventing the wheel is both necessary and not enough REDEFINING BUSINESS SUCCESS WITH BRIGITTE LAWLER

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he metaphor “don’t reinvent the wheel” is commonly used to save us both time and redundant efforts. There’s no need to put energy into reinventing something that already exists and works well: that problem has been solved in the past, let us now focus our attention on more necessary topics. On a tactical, day to day level, I wholeheartedly agree. I am usually in favour of a buy-not-build approach, finding efficient and proven solutions to everyday issues. This is the beauty of not reinventing the wheel.

The danger of not wanting to reinvent the wheel is on the strategic level. In fact, even the metaphor is flawed because the wheel itself has been reinvented many times over as infrastructure, technology and materials have evolved. Looking at the designs for vehicles in the future, we can expect that the concept of the wheel will be challenged if not reinvented several times more.

What I am getting at is the necessity of any business to be open to reinvent itself. In these times of fast-moving progression, we will either be the disruptors, or we will be disrupted. Neither of which will happen by slow evolution.

For true business transformation to take place, we need to step off the path of slow evolutionary progression and indeed reinvent.

Whenever I deliver keynote speeches that touch on the topic of digital or business transformation, I use the caterpillar-butterfly metaphor to illustrate: When a snake sheds its skin, it changes; When a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it transforms.

These visual images describe quite effectively what real business transformation is all about. The fundamental nature of the organism becomes different. Not only what it looks like from the outside, but also what it eats, how it moves, the territory it covers and what it can do.

George Westerman from MIT Sloan School of Management adds to the point by saying: “When the (digital) transformation is done right, it’s like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly; but when done wrong, all you have is a really fast caterpillar.”

I have worked in the realm of business transformation for several years and I believe that the term “transformation” is commonly misused to describe necessary, progressive evolution of business.

Let me be clear: the necessary, progressive evolution of a business is a certainly positive and no easy feat. Kudos to all the businesses out there who are smart enough and brave enough to recognize that they need to move forward and achieve their next level of growth step by step.

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Without this approach, the future of any business today will be bleak and short lived. The question is whether this progressive, evolutionary change alone will be enough to ensure long-term success? I believe not. At some point in time, any business will need to face the prospect of true transformation.

When we talk about business transformation, we mean an entirely different, radical approach that takes several years to achieve. The businesses that are able to recognize the right moment, who are able to reimagine themselves as a new organism and able to execute that transformation, are the ones who become legendary.

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There is nothing easy about this. We can, albeit grudgingly, accept the need to change parts of the business that has not been working as well as others. It is extremely difficult to question the parts of our business that perform well.

Often the biggest impediment to a business’s future success is its past success.

Being able to step out of the identity we have crafted for ourselves in business is extremely tough. Yet how are we to reimagine the business and to reinvent ourselves in a world where digital is core and where customers want both immediacy and customization at the same time?

Just ask Kodak about that. They missed the opportunity to transform. Even though Kodak invented the digital camera, they failed to imagine the opportunity of digitalizing their product line, relying instead on the past successes of an established product and a beloved brand. It killed them. In all fairness to Kodak, it would not have been easy to guess how the world market would embrace digital photography before the technology was developed enough to have the appeal that later followed. However, the fact remains that after being a success and number 1 in their field for more than 100 years with USD16 billion in revenue, some years later they became bankrupt.

Then ask Lego who were struggling with their established product and beloved brand, and who grabbed the opportunity to reimagine their business and reinvent themselves in the digital world. In 2003 Lego was USD8mil in debt and sinking fast. They recognized the need to reimagine how the brand could continue to delight the market in a world that was moving to online and on-screen obsession. Amongst other initiatives, Lego emerged strongly in the film and gaming industries and in 2015, they not only announced £600 million in profit but they also overtook Ferrari as the world’s most powerful brand.

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What we can learn from just these 2 stories is that reinventing the wheel on a strategic level is necessary. Yet true transformation requires more than reinventing a product or service.

True transformation is about reimagining and reinvention of the market you serve, the product you create, the way you deliver, the way you understand your business reality and the way you realize your business potential.

Brigitte Lawler Brigitte Lawler is an international speaker, best-selling author, founder and CEO of LEGEND SA. She is on a mission to bring inspired ideas to life by building businesses that matter and thrive in this new economy. The need for innovation in business is more important than ever, and LEGEND ensures your business remains relevant in today’s modern landscape.

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Paola Bonomo: WOMEN IN TECH

Ways to change the world: From pattern recognition to perhaps one day quantum computing. | By Dr Marina Nani

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aola Bonomo launched her career as an adviser on new markets, alliances and acquisitions. Based on her unique approach to strategic positioning and growth, her extraordinary skills made her a great contender for leadership roles in the digital industry. She served as Member of eBay’s European leadership team, Commercial Operations at Vodafone Italia, led the online business of Italy’s largest financial newspaper, and worked as Marketing Solutions Director at Facebook.

Her journey as an Angel Investor in technology Startup started in 2009, with Italian Angels for Growth, where she made a massive contribution the digital space; AdEspresso, Hootsuite are some of her most successful brands.

Recognized as one of the Inspiring Fifty (the fifty most inspiring women in European Technology) Paola became the Business Angel of the year award in Italy and received the Golden Aurora award for the best woman business angel in Europe.

Entrepreneurs are known for their desire to lead a meaningful life. Finding the spark of ikigai is key to entrepreneurial fulfillment. What drives you, keeps you motivated and focused when times are tough?

I was at the Stanford Graduate School of Business getting my MBA in the mid-‘90s, at the dawn of the consumer Internet. I realized back then that a global web of communication and interaction had the potential to connect distant corners of the world, spread knowledge and learning, empower people, and unleash massive economic impact.

Over the last 25 years, we’ve seen the beauty as well as the unintended consequences that that vision allowed to occur. What drives me is the conviction that we can use the tools of technology, from the Internet to machine learning algorithms to perhaps one day quantum computing, to improve our lives, allow talents to flourish, increase agency for underprivileged people, and build a better world. That’s also the mindset I bring to companies where I sit on the Board of Directors: digital transformation is not optional, and it’s not just the price of corporate survival, it’s also an opportunity to have positive impact in the world.

What ideas come most naturally to you?

I’m a connector: because I know people in many different networks, and I’ve come across professionals from different walks of life, I’m often the one who says “well, you should talk about your idea to So-and-so”, or “if you’d like to learn more about X, I can put you in touch with the right person.” When connections are successful, because a result is generated or simply because people hit it off with each other, it brings me true satisfaction.

How is your mind hard-wired to deliver a dream, from internal clarity to reality?

It took me a long professional career to realize that I’m an introvert. I’m hard-wired for concentration, intense effort, and mindful productivity; I’d much rather spend half an

hour in intense conversation with one person than go to a party with 100 people and all small talk. I’ve learned to be out in the world, speak on a stage in front of an audience of 1000, lead teams, and play the extrovert on a daily basis; to make dreams happen, though, I need to alternate between engaging people – even just one at a time – and recharging my batteries on my own. Nothing happens if I only do one or the other.

What are the top challenges you had to overcome?

With the benefit of hindsight, I realize that mentorship was an unfulfilled need for much of my career. I had one or two senior partners I considered mentors while I was a consultant at McKinsey. But when I left the Firm, I decided to dive deep into the guts of the digital economy, and I soon realized that what I was doing was too new and disruptive for experienced mentors to even understand: I really had to start charting my own course. I ended up being mentor-less for quite some time. Now, years later, I realize that I’m learning from younger people: my mentees are a source of inspiration, more than my mentors ever were.

What can’t you get tired of?

I never tire of spending time with young entrepreneurs. Angel investors like me can offer one advantage: pattern recognition. It’s not a virtue and it shouldn’t be a mental trap, it’s simply a result of having been around the block more than a few times and therefore knowing what is likely to be a mistake before going out and proving it by burning cash. There is a very special energy that’s generated when the right mentor and investor meets the right startup. In 2020, I want to find and invest in more tech startups started by women entrepreneurs or at least gender-balanced teams.

What is your best project so far?

How many people live the life they want? A few years ago, I realized I no longer fit into a traditional corporate career and I needed to design my life to fit my strengths, my capabilities, and the things for which I felt a sense of urgency. “Best fit” of a portfolio of projects is, for me, a more useful concept than “best” project. The portfolio that is my life today is something I’ve deliberately pursued. Being a Board member at large organizations as well as an angel investor in early-stage startups has given me the latitude, the mental flexibility, to bring my digital transformations skills to play in companies at a strategic level, and at the same time keep renewing my outlook on technology by being plugged into the early stage investing scene.

What are three top tips for Entrepreneurs who dream big?

Build a global business from day one. Know when to pivot. Never run out of cash.

Would you do what you do without being paid for it?

Many of the things I do today are volunteer engagements. I spend quite a bit of time as a mentor for Endeavor (https://endeavor.org/), a global movement to help high-impact entrepreneurs scale up their businesses that is also a fantastic community around the world. Also, I have now served for over seven years as the president of Stanford Club Italia, the local alumni chapter of Stanford University.

More recently, I have volunteered as the local ambassador for Inspiring Fifty (https://inspiringfifty.org), a fabulous initiative to recognize and showcase women in technology, which started in the Netherlands a few years ago and came to Italy in 2018. Finally, I helped start Angels for Women (https://angels4women.com/), a community of early-stage investors committed to supporting women entrepreneurs

With a degree in Business Administration from Bocconi University in Milan and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, she is a Non Executive Director, Advisor, and one of the most successful Italian Angel Investor of our times.

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Startup DAYs BERN | JUN 10 & 11 | 2020

What is your wildest dream? What would you do if you had a magic wand?

A magic wand? Fix the Internet, of course. It certainly hasn’t turned out the way we imagined it twenty years ago. But since it’s not going away, we must fix the underlying features that have caused damaging unintended consequences, and amplify those that empower people and allow their talents to benefit the world. This is a monumental task, and it may require no less than a magic wand, or the consensus and sustained effort of many good people.

You are known for your business mastery. How often do you travel in business? What is your family saying about being away from home?

Sometimes I hardly travel for weeks, sometimes I travel a lot: recently I was in Edinburgh, Dubai, Istanbul, Tallinn and Rome in the space of a short few weeks. But each of us has their own commitments, and often they don’t overlap at all – our calendars are rarely in sync with each other.

We treasure the time we have together.

How do you see your vision changing the future, and how do you see yourself creating that change?

Switzerland's leading Startup and Investors event is back for its 17th year.

Early bird tickets now available: startupdays.ch

My work in the corporate world, as a Board member, is to focus leaders’ minds on the fundamentals of the transformation we have now been navigating for over 20 years: for example, think about how dramatically supply chains and retail stores in the fashion industry have been reconfigured. Most management teams have by now adopted a wide range of tools to interpret this transformation in a way that fits their corporate DNA, and are making progress in both top-down and bottom-up transformation initiatives. The role of the Board is now twofold: first, to keep watching the horizon for signals of long-term changes that require a new strategic orientation; second, to put in place a robust risk framework, for example by asking the right questions about the company’s cybersecurity risk, which has become a major business, financial and reputational risk factor, and ensuring that both cultural readiness and appropriate risk mitigation procedures are in place. Sometimes, the strategic discussion has important sustainability implications: for example, if we determine that our company’s “human + machines” balance will shift in the direction of more machines and perhaps fewer humans, what is our corporate responsibility to retrain our people for this scenario? Will we be sustainable if we don’t? Are we making the right decisions for this company to be sustainable in 10, 20, 30 years? Or are we under the curse of short-termism? Of course, all major companies now report on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, but we need a deeper dialogue with investors about their expectations. I believe things are moving in the right direction, at least in Europe, as European institutions are working on improving disclosure requirements on how institutional investors integrate ESG factors in their risk processes. My vision is a future that is both digital and sustainable, and I’m leading those around me to see how the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

What brings you joy in life?

Organised by

Trees, yoga, reading books, a cup of green tea on a cold day.

What is exciting and happening as we speak either in your organisation, career or personal life? Can we help you break the news?

In partnership with

Sovereign Official media partner

I have found myself in demand as a Board member over the past few years because the two skill sets, the foundation in strategy that I acquired in my long McKinsey years and the in-depth understanding of the digital landscape I matured later, are not often found together in one person. Therefore, I am able to take a broad perspective on strategic challenges and opportunities, and at the same time to easily drill into such topics as digital marketing performance or customer care metrics. Because my consulting and corporate careers were always fairly international, I’d like to make my Board portfolio more international as well.

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SUSTAINABILITY

A different starting point for impact LEARN TO MOVE MOUNTAINS® WITH ELAINE FRANCE

Sponsored by Lemania-Verbier International School.

To find out more visit www.lvis.ch

W

e need to talk about a different starting point for real and radical solutions that make a positive impact for a flourishing planet.

The reality is that innovation by businesses has not been circular. The impact across value chains has not been systematically considered. We have been asset-stripping the finite resources of the planet. We have become disengaged from Nature, not understanding that we are part of a circle, rather than a pyramid.

The result being that we have undermined our planetary resilience. And thus, our own.

Rising sea-levels in Kiribati was the first canary in the coal-mine: watch Anote’s Ark by filmmaker Mattieu Rytz. Australia is the second canary. Interconnected eco-systems on which we are dependent are stressed to the point of failure like the 1000+ years old Kauri trees in New Zealand.

In business and as entrepreneurs, it is essential that we take a different approach, to turn impact into ‘business for good’ rather than hiding behind green-washing, offsets and opaque supply chains.

Radical solutions at a global scale need to happen urgently; starting at a granular level within your business.

Design with impact in mind This is the different starting point: creating processes, products and services designed with their impact in mind. This is ‘people and planet-centred’ design.

As an example, in the UK, from April 2022, a new tax on plastic packaging will be introduced, which “provides a clear economic incentive for businesses to use recycled material in the production of plastic packaging which will create greater demand for recycled plastic, and in turn stimulate increased levels of collection and recycling of plastic waste.”

This is policy and tax incentivising different behaviours. Although common sense dictates that knowing the science, this action could have been taken anyway.

The time has come when we are calling businesses of all sizes to account; as entrepreneurs and business people, you need to be innovating with social and environmental impact in mind.

Looking at impact Looking at the impact of your business, looks way beyond what you put in your Annual Report or your

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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports on sustainability practices and initiatives.

We are looking at what has been operationalised or is in the process of being operationalised. We are looking at what you have not said or reported on - a dead giveaway that businesses have not turned practice into substantial reality.

We are looking at how your businesses contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or take us further away from them. As a framework, the SDGs give us the headlines we all need to be working on irrespective of location.

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For example, you may have signed up to a carbon offset or a tree-planting initiative, but if you have not taken any real action on the damage that your process, product or service does to people or the environment up and down your supply chain, then you are not actually addressing the impact your business is having.

What do you control and what can you influence?

For radical solutions, impact means looking at and taking action on what is within your control to change; and what you can influence. It means looking at causes as well as symptoms.

Coldplay announced in November 2019, that they would not be going on tour until they could run carbon-neutral concerts. Fantastic! Chapeau!

‘Dear Chris Martin, your decision presents an opportunity to look at your own impact ‘footprint’ to address what is directly within your control and to work with venues committed to ISO 20121 standards on sustainable events. Based on looking at the calculations of some of the biggest event and conference businesses assessment of impact though, this typically accounts for approximately 7% of carbon emissions. What about the other 93% of carbon emissions? Well, that is the audience. The bigger challenge and responsibility you have, is about influencing fans coming to the concert to reduce their impact ‘footprint’…you are going to need some expert help from my eco-system to do that. Let’s have a chat…’

Verbier International School Chalet Mascotte / Route deVerbier Station 88 1936 Verbier / Switzerland For more information, pleasevisit: www.lvis.ch +41 27 565 26 56 / info@lvis.ch

The impact of being evaluated on your impact Being analysed, measured and held to account on what you do is the new reality, that will translate into market share or loss.

The impact of being evaluated on your impact, is that investors and consumers are equipped with information that informs their choices on whether they invest in you, buy from you or work for or with you.

Some advice. Do not dig in for ‘business as usual’ with the probability of being left behind. Do not go for a knee-jerk, short-term, green-wash approach.

Do turn practice into reality for what is within your control. And take responsibility for what and who you influence.

Elaine France

Elaine has worked for 25 years as a change-maker and understands the challenges of taking action as a global citizen, growing sustainable solutions from within communities, rather than ‘doing it’ to them. She brings expertise and perspectives from across sectors, with tools and strategies that enable every individual to become an adventurer who dares to dream and has the courage to turn their ideas into reality. She works to create a circle of impact, empowering others so that they share and transfer those skills around the globe wherever they are, so that lasting change happens organically from the inside out. Visit www.flowinaction.org for more information

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Grand Passions How Christina Schläpfer turned her passion into a revolutionary new approach to equestrianism.

T

o quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion." Christina Schläpfer knows all about this particular passion and, indeed, parted ways with a career as an architect to follow her dream of working with the horses on her family’s farm.

With their long, arching necks, high tail carriage and beautiful, elegant demeanour, the Arabian horse is one of the most famous equestrian breeds in the world. While stud farms and training facilities certainly exist, they are usually kept separate (although some trainers do offer both).

Christina was able to see the potential for combining both of these elements and at the same time taking things one step further. She enhanced her parent’s stud farm into a place where horses are not only bred and trained in one place (both in hand and under saddle), but also presenting the animals at international shows, thus providing a holistic experience for the animal and a comprehensive history for any potential buyer. We caught up with Christina to find out more about this exciting, revolutionary approach.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

My father was always an entrepreneur, even from a young age and I always saw him working hard to fulfil his dreams. This was inspiring to me and my two older siblings and we always sought to emulate that same work ethic and dedication. Growing up, I also saw the lifelong passion my mother had for all things equestrian and how she pursued her own dreams in that direction. After visiting a horse show in Austria, both my parents fell in love with Arabian horses and my father bought a pair of Arabian geldings as presents, named Mogambo Ibn Munim, for my mother and for my sister, Sabaal Ibn El Sayed. My father built a barn next to the house for the geldings to live in and we then introduced two mares to complete our small Arabian horse family. We were quite excited at the prospect of having our first foul and once that happened our passion for breeding really took off!

As for my own journey, I studied architecture but soon realised that it wasn’t the life for me.

I couldn’t stand being stuck at a desk all day, staring at a computer. I grew up around my parent’s horses and was always passionate about equestrianism in all its forms. I saw the joy it gave my mother to work with our growing stable and decided that I wanted to follow my passion as well. I began working at the farm full-time. We started purely as a professional stud farm but our innate drive lead us down new, exciting paths and now we also run a successful training facility.

I’m really lucky because I had the chance to turn my beloved hobby into my livelihood. My mum and I have a great relationship and a shared enthusiasm for Arabian horses, so we are able to work as one and reach our goals together.

How did you develop the business?

It all happened organically really. My mum had already started the breeding programme, and this was a successful, thriving business in its own right. I then came up with the idea for the training centre as I was really in favour of having the breeding and training take place in the same location. It’s been an industry standard that people breed horses but will bring in a trainer from the outside. I guess what makes us special is that we both breed and train the horses and as already mentioned, we also present them at international shows. I actually don’t know many farms who do everything in one place, like we do. There is an ultimate reassurance for our clients that they know not only the full progeny of the horse but also the entire history of that particular animal, as we can tell them everything about it from its birth right through to the present day.

Tell us about the stud farm, what is it like?

Our stud is located on the outskirts of Adetswil, a small village in the Zurich Oberland, only 40 minutes from the city of Zurich or Kloten Airport. The stud is surrounded by around three hectares of lush pastures and a further 13 hectares of meadows, which are used by the family to produce hay. The stud farm has 30 horse stalls, 11 of which with run-out, and large all-weather paddocks.

Since 2018, the stud has also had a covered horse walker and an integrated covered round pen as well as a spacious and bright indoor riding arena. The latest integrated technologies simplify our everyday work and help optimise specific horse training. A solarium for horse care, a treadmill for horse

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training as well as the manure suction system and the goods lifts simplify and enrich our daily routine.

Ernst, Maja and Christina Schläpfer designed, planned and constructed the facility especially suited for breeding and training and it was realised by the family-owned company. A place where not only the horses feel like they are in a five-star resort, but which also invites the people to stay and enjoy themselves. Our heaven on earth.

What challenges have you faced?

One of the main problems that we hope to address is that people often think that Arabian horses are crazy, unrideable and even dangerous.

The truth is that these horses are super intelligent, sensitive and, ultimately, just like humans, each have their own personality and character traits. If you train them in the right way, treat them with respect, then they really rise to the occasion. You can do nearly every equestrian sport with them from dressage to show jumping to western riding and endurance.

In terms of day-to-day challenges, then scheduling and timetabling can sometimes be unpredictable. We sometimes take a lot of time to make up our schedules, only to find out that we have to change it at the last minute. This is the reality of working with animals, we have to be adaptable and change plans if necessary.

What is the best thing about your job?

That every day is different. We are working with animals who do not communicate like we do but their personalities are still so human-like in so many respects. They all have their own characters and daily moods. This makes it a privilege to work with them, seeing them being born, growing up, developing, being trained and educated. Every horse, like every person, is different. There also is a genetic component which I am fascinated by. As we breed, we look at your female and search for a suitable male. Are they more like their father or mother. What will the foal look like? There are so many interesting aspects to the breeding.

People really appreciate our work and effort. They feel honoured to be able to purchase a horse of our breeding programme and I can see that they are enjoying every moment at our beautiful stud farm. It is also very satisfying when we win a competition, as we would have been preparing for a long time and putting a lot of work.

What is the best piece of advice you can give someone starting their own business?: Believe in your project, keep going for it and don't give up when something doesn't work immediately. Be realistic but also full of dreams.

Finally, how do you define success?

Success is simply when you are happy with what you do, every day.

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Imagine: a world where people are listening to each other

A

senior business leader within the aviation industry with over 25 years of global experience in leading and managing various aspects of the business including business development, operations, finance, HR and technical leadership for organisations such as Airbus, Babcock MCS and CHC. A driver of strategic growth, a synergist and a propagator of sustainable development and value creation, his expertise lies in sharing organisation vision with business unit leaders as well as employees and all stakeholders in order to drive consensus in handling the challenging business situations in ambiguous and volatile business environments.

With a firm belief in maintaining professional integrity, fairness and accountability for decisions, Mickael strives to ensure that the targets of business development, new establishments, increased revenues, reduced costs and improved profitability are delivered.

As Managing Director of Airbus HIS, Mickael spearheads all business operations, undertaking strategic decisions relating to financial & performance analysis, budgets & operating plans, investment prospects and risk management & compliance to drive growth. Over the years, he has provided leadership in the areas of change, P&L, revenue enhancement, quality, brand acquisition, management of international teams, and the consolidation and streamlining of different business units.

Mickael states that integrity, sustainability and courage are his dominant values. They are rooted in his family history and legacy and he was raised to live by these values. In an ever changing world he has found them to be a reliable source of guidance and grounding.

As strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, Mickael works with various organisations and groups globally to bring his vision of diverse and inclusive workplaces to the fore. His chosen occupations have enabled him to work in different countries around the world, meeting new people, learning about new cultures and discovering new ways of life. His varied experiences in life have given him valuable insight into embracing change, how to take ownership and how to accept uncertainty with a sense of optimism.

As well as undertaking his responsibilities as Managing Director, Mickael also works as a Mentor and qualified Integral and INSEAD Executive Coach.

In his free time, he enjoys nothing more than spending quality time with his family.

Great leaders are known for their desire to make a significant difference. What drives you, what keeps you motivated and focused during tough times?

I am a firm believer in equality, diversity, and inclusion. Generally when people think of diversity they think of gender diversity but there is so much more to it than that.

There is ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, etc. It isn’t always something you can see or measure.

I strive to build diverse teams, not only in terms of the traditional forms of diversity but also in terms of diversity of thought, and I encourage my colleagues to keep their individual voices.

Nothing motivates me more and helps me focus than when I am surrounded by these teams, all working together, using their various strengths, bringing different viewpoints to the table, working toward the same goal. It is in these moments that I truly feel like I am making a difference and that anything is possible.

Mickael Melaye is the current Managing Director of Airbus HIS, an Airbus entity based in Dublin with over 200 staff deployed worldwide.

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What ideas come most naturally to you?

As Managing Director, I feel my duty to my team goes far beyond simply making the big or tough decisions; I have a duty of care to nurture and support each individual.

Luckily this is something that enjoy and it comes quite easily to me.

In the past I have undertaken numerous coaching courses and am a qualified INSEAD coach. What started as a fleeting interest became a huge part of how I work.

The fast pace of change in the corporate world means that people can find it difficult to keep up and with the skills I have honed through my coaching practice, I work to support those around me in a structured way to achieve their goals as well as to achieve long term excellence.

It is beautiful to see my colleagues grow and develop and is the most rewarding aspects of my job.

What brings you the most joy in life?

First and foremost, my family mean the world to me and everything I do is for them. My wife is a strong and passionate woman who challenges me, supports me, and I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am without her.

In terms of what brings me the most joy from my career, I would have to say that it’s collaborative working.

Nothing brings me more pleasure in the workplace than witnessing teams working together. Seeing the smooth flow of creative thinking bringing processes to life is when you know that you are on the right track.

How is your mind hard-wired to deliver a goal, from internal clarity to reality?

One of my experiences in management is around complex circumstances and how individuals and teams react to this. It is an important topic since the pace at which complexity pops up in our lives has significantly increased over the last few years.

The more complex a situation, the more I relish the challenge.

I do not work alone and I do not believe in working in silos.

Just as no single individual has the answer, there is no one way of getting across the finish line.

Once a goal has been set, I find the right circle of people with diverse skill-sets to surround myself with, and we work together to motivate and inspire each other all the way from the beginning of a project to its completion.

I thrive on the passion of others and I am learning from others every day. This has always been and always will be my mind-set; collaborative working is the only way forward.

What is one thing you will never tire of?

Nurturing and supporting people is something I enjoy; even if it wasn’t a part of my current role, it is something that I firmly believe I will spend the rest of my life doing.

Helping people to realise and reach their full potential is my addiction.

What are some of the top challenges you had to overcome, and what are the scars, if any, along the way?

I have been dealing with crises and re-organisations all throughout my career. So much so that it’s now become the norm.

Adverse situations are always going to be on the horizon and getting through them is all about how you approach them.

Viewing a challenge as simply that, a challenge, means that it can be overcome. A challenge is merely an obstacle.

And what do we do with obstacles? We jump over them, push through them.

There is a lot to be said for going into a situation and embracing it. Acknowledge the emerging parameters from an early stage in order to shape a new and better understanding of the circumstances.

What is your best project so far?

I could answer this question with a highbrow corporate answer but in reality it’s my family. I refer to my family as a ‘project’ because marriage and parenthood are a continual work in progress. You will never stop learning something new, you will never cease to be surprised, and the rewards are endless. They motivate me.

They drive me. They inspire me. All of the good I have in life is down them.

You are known for your business mastery. How often do you travel in business? What is your family saying about being away from home?

As I work in a worldwide organisation, travelling is part and parcel of the job and my family understand and support this. I include my wife in every decision I make, be it professional or personal. We are a team. We are a multinational/multicultural family with global careers (my wife is a helicopter pilot) and so we compromise, find a happy medium, and make the best decisions for our family together.

Is anything happening right now that is exciting either in your organisation, career or personal life? Can we help you break the news?

I have recently signed up to be a part of the Aviation Industry Advisory Committee for the Year of Inclusion with the DCU (Dublin City University) Centre of Excellence. The purpose of the Committee is to build and grow knowledge and awareness of diversity and inclusion across the aviation industry, with an initial focus on building gender balance. This will be launched on October 9th 2019 and the Committee will be working to prepare events and initiatives for roll out in 2020.

What are three top tips for executives who dream big?

As diversity and inclusion are so close to my heart, I am excited to be a part of this project and am very much looking forward to the year ahead!

This is a very simple question for me to answer, stay curious, listen and never assume!

How do you see your vision changing the future, and how do you see yourself creating that change?

Would you do what you do without being paid for it?

My vision for more diverse and inclusive organisations is becoming more widespread. I am doing my small part by changing my little corner of the world in my current role but I am also reaching out to others to assist in making a bigger impact.

Coaching, mentoring, anything around the development of an individual. I have undertaken numerous coaching courses and money making is not yet central to my activities as a coach. I do it because I enjoy it. The impact in the behaviours of my mentees is a big reward. To observe them more peaceful, grounded and at ease with their circumstances or simply just being themselves is reward enough for me.

What is your wildest dream? What would you do if you had a magic wand?

If I had a magic wand I would cast a spell that would mean people would listen to each other and actually hear what’s being said; basically listening for the sake of listening and not for the purposes of answering.

If people could just come together and have their voices heard, the world would change instantly and anything would be possible.

Countless groups and initiatives are being set up with this same goal in mind and it is wonderful to see that change is on the way. I work closely with the Professional Women’s Network, the 30% Club Ireland, and now with the DCU Centre of Excellence, all in a bid to make the necessary changes happen.

In 2002, I was training the first female search and rescue pilot for the Navy and a prominent magazine approached us as they wanted to write an article about her. I was asked what I thought of this lady’s achievement and all I could respond was “In the future I hope that there won’t be ‘female’ pilots, there will just be pilots.”

Milestones have been reached within every industry in terms of diversity but there is still much work to be done. Diversity is not a luxury; it is a necessity, an urgent necessity.

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Mind Over Matter WELLNESS

Penney Megginson is Pioneering a New Approach to the Mind-Body Connection | By Alexis Boddy

T

he world of business is a rewarding, fast-paced, exciting arena but one that can also bring with it stress and anxiety for many. With a recent report stating that 83% of US-workers are suffering from work-related stress, there are many factors, such as travel and subsequent jet lag, that can cause people to become anxious and disconnected from their own psychological and physical wellbeing.

Solutions are often short-sighted, with a lack of holistic awareness for each person’s unique interactions with the world. Enter Penney Megginson, who is pioneering a new approach to physical and mental health that hopes to bring different approaches together to provide a holistic, connected response to the unique challenges of each person. We caught up with her to find out more about this innovative, life-changing approach.

Tell us more about your background.

I trained as a physiotherapist and Pilates and yoga instructor initially and also worked as a personal trainer and nutritionist. I have a Master of Science in Physiotherapy and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology from the University of Miami. I’ve trained with Brent Anderson from Polestar Pilates, various gurus in Astanga, Vinyasa and Yin Yoga. I am also trained in EFT and Matrix Reimprinting under Founding Master Karl Dawson and qualified as a Health Coach through Integrative Nutrition. I produced two fitness DVDs "Skilates - Pilates for Skiing" and "Trilates -Yoga and Pilates for Triathletes" both filmed in Verbier Switzerland.

I was training for an intensely demanding ski touring race, called the Patrouille des Glaciers from Zermatt to Verbier, when I fell and tore my ACL knee ligament. My experience

ADVERTISEMENT with medical professionals after that injury inspired me to create the Megginson Method.

What was your experience with those medical professionals?

I was amazed that the foremost response of every doctor I saw was to prescribe medications and advise surgery, with little-to-no appreciation for my own experience or preferences. I found it hugely debilitating and depressing to not only have this injury impede what I wanted to achieve but to also feel like I was disenfranchised in my own recovery.

How did you get through it?

My own strength of mind and using everything I had learned during my life so far, with respect to certain neuro-strategies.

I was able to use all of this knowledge to heal naturally, avoiding pain medications and surgery. From my experiences with clients, I had already seen that conventional medicine was failing people who had unexplained symptoms, anxiety and chronic pain. The more I listened to my clients, the more I saw that many of them had suffered from stress and even serious trauma. People were struggling with pain and injuries and also engaging in self-sabotaging behaviours and bad habits that they didn’t seem to know how to change. Most needed a new approach to healing, like the one I had adopted personally during my own recovery. I knew at that moment that I had to share my knowledge and experiences with the world.

How did you go about doing that?

I decided that there needed to be a different approach to healing that aspired to wellness, not just treating the surface problem or illness. I knew there needed to be a fusion of neuro strategies and modern medicine, in a new, transformative way. I used a combination of techniques, such as specialised breathing patterns, combined with visualisation and tapping techniques to remove negative emotions and baggage from the past. And so, the Megginson Method was born.

After my own experience, it probably took me another year of putting everything together, including online courses, downloads and videos, to begin teaching it to both my clients and, ultimately, other medical and health professionals. I built online programmes for dealing with chronic pain, jetlag, increasing sleep, decreasing stress and more. I was seeing a few clients during this time, utilising what I had learned with them and getting great results, which encouraged me to continue.

that they need to be focused 100% of the time, have difficulty getting enough sleep or managing stress. Jetlag can be debilitating and for business professionals who travel a lot it can be really hard to find balance in their lives. Managing extensive travel and different time zones can lead to chronic fatigue, stress and other mental health difficulties.

Our strategies allow people to incorporate small changes to their daily routine, that they can do anywhere, when they’re on the go, at their computer in the office, sitting on their flights or in hotel rooms, rather than a one-off solution that has no long-term benefits. The great thing about a combination of elements means that people can find what really works for them, rather than seeking out an unrealistic panacea. The effects are dramatic, from increased energy levels to better resilience and overcoming chronic pain. It is a holistic lifestyle change that has real, practical results.

What are the techniques themselves?

We put the emphasis on mind over matter; that the mind has a strong, inextricable influence over the body. It’s a combination of many elements and it will depend on what the person is using it for. For example, a technique we use to help people who are suffering with chronic pain is to visualise their pain, to imagine what it looks like. Then we ask them to actually see it leaving the body, in combination with mindfulness and breathing techniques.

I think ultimately what makes the techniques so effective is that they are individualised for each person, with some preferring the visualisation techniques and others preferring guided meditations or mindfulness more helpful. Each person finds their own unique combination of elements that works for them. This, and the fact that they are simple quick exercises that people can easily incorporate into their daily lives, make them appealing and achievable for most people, especially business professionals, who maybe wouldn’t be able to go to a specific class at a specific time. People automatically feel like they are getting better sleep, feeling more relaxed, less anxious and improving other health conditions. For travellers, they find added benefits like their neck and back pain has gone, for example.

Men and women both find it useful and I think men particularly find it helpful because, unlike women who are probably more likely to go to a yoga or meditation class, they appreciate its simplicity and its ability to be integrated into daily routines.

Where do you see the business heading?

What can you help people with?

Everyone can benefit but it is also especially useful for those who travel a lot, who find

53

TRY IT YOURSELF DEEP BELLY BREATHING FOR INSTANT DE-STRESS

A simple technique everyone can do anywhere at anytime to start lowering stress levels instantly.

The tip is to learn to override the trigger of stress. The quickest solution is to breathe deeply into the belly to stimulate the vagus nerve which kicks on the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system slows down the Heart rate, blood pressure and is what is considered “relaxation� mode.

How do we do this?

Place one hand over your heart and one hand over your belly.

Breathe into the hand on your belly and feel the belly rise and fall with each breath. Aim to have no movement of the hand over your heart. Now try to breathe in for a count of 8 and breathe out for a count of 10. Repeat this 10 times and notice how you feel dramatically more calm.

Once you try this a few times, you will be able to do with the hands so that you can do it anywhere without being noticed.

Then, you will have this simple tool to instantly calm yourself whenever you are triggered by a stressful situation. You can also add breathing in a feeling of calm and breathing out the stress. Feel the stress leaving your body with each exhalation.

Need a Powerful Restart? Try the

.com

55

Five Star Insights

withA R T I H A L A I YOUR STORY MATTERS

SOVEREIGN MAGAZINE PODCAST SERIES

with

Mary May Robertson

Join Arti Halai for Five Star Insights. The show where we speak to incredible people from a wide range of backgrounds and sectors, all of whom are making a real difference in society. Each show will start with an introduction about the guest and their achievements, before we dive straight into finding out more about the individual with their choice of a location, cuisine, music, literature and art. So sit back and enjoy!

M

y guest on Five Star Insights this month is Professor Emeritus of Neuropsychiatry at University College London, Mary May Robertson.

She is a leading pioneer and expert on Tourette’s syndrome and has inspired a generation of specialists in this field internationally.

Mary was born as an eleventh generation South African. She credits her inspiring teacher, Dr FD Pascoe as the main reason she went into psychiatry. As a medic, she got to know Professor Christian Barnard and watched a heart transplant – not many people can say that! A passion for travel she spent a year as a ship’s doctor, first on a transatlantic yacht race and then completing a global circumnavigation under sail in 1976, before beginning her distinguished career. She came to the UK in 1978 aged 30.

She was the first woman to receive a Doctor of Science in Medicine at the University of Cape Town in 2006. Always one to give back, Mary has fully funded a medicine scholarship there and awarded two prizes annually for twelve years. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including three Life Time Achievement Awards.

In advocacy, Mary played a key part in forming the UK Tourette Syndrome Association in 1980 and led the way for the formation of the European Society for the Study of Tourette Syndrome, which has become a thriving organisation.

Mary enjoys opera, poetry, photography and tending to her beloved garden.

Location Knowing about Mary’s passion for travel and that she had voyaged around the world, I started by asking about her choice of location.

Mary spoke with passion about her love for where she was born, South Africa and said that was her dream holiday location. She had done about 30 DIY safari’s with family and friends but had never seen the Big 5 together in any one safari. She also spoke about landing a dream location, in the Seychelles in 1974 for a three month locum after she had newly qualified as a doctor. She remembers vividly her bedroom facing the Indian Ocean and the wreck of a sailing ship, The Isle of Farqhuar.. Mary said she found ‘pure peace’ at the top of an 85 ft mast during her sailing trip around the world. “It was sensational looking down at the dolphins, porpoises, sea gull waves and the ocean.” She says she can’t talk about location without mentioning London where she has lived for more than forty years. She loves that everything is so close by, the infrastructure and she knows the locals in the shops by name. She says it feels like she is surrounded by a ‘social community.’ London is her home now and this is where she will always be.

Cuisine Interestingly, Mary’s choice of cuisine is also inspired by her travels.

She chooses Italian. Mary spent three months in Italy staying with a cardiologist and his family early in her career and fell in love with Italy and everything to do with it including the food and language.

Surprisingly, her favourite Italian dish is steak and she says “they are very good with fish too.” She says “her friends are such good cooks that I wouldn’t dare cook in front of them, unless supervised.” However, her standard best dishes to make are roast chicken and vegetables. Something she grew up having in South Africa with her family, even at Christmas time. She says she had a simple upbringing, good food made from fresh ingredients “meat and two veg” but rarely dessert. The family ate together when they could and today dinner with friends is often at each other’s houses rather than at large restaurants.

Music Staying with Mary’s love of all things Italian and she is a huge opera fan.

She was given her first opera book at the age of 10, something she still treasures. When I ask her if opera is for everyone, especially young children, she replies an appreciation for this kind of music depends of parent’s background and musical choices. She had to wait until she came to London in her 30’s to be able to see real live opera. The tenor is her favourite voice and she admits to being a “serial faller in love with tenors” having known three generations of them. They include the greats like Carlo Bergonzi, Placido Domingo and Joseph Calleja. Her favourite operatic sopranos include Jesseye Norman, Joan Sutherland and Ermonela Jaho among others. She says “I am a Verdi lady” but also likes and appreciates other opera like Puccini, Donizetti, Rossini…the list goes on. She likes popular music too and remembers fondly seeing Cliff Richard in concert with her mother in South Africa in the 1960s and Freddy Mercury and Queen at Wembley in the 1980s.

As a medical student she sang in a group called The Medeecos where they sang The Seekers songs (from Australia). Years later, she shed tears of joy when she went to the Royal Albert Hall for the Seekers’ final farewell concert.

Literature Given Mary’s academic background she loves the written word and has also had a lot of work published, but I want to know what sort of literature she enjoys reading.

Mary likes “factual work but not novels.” She would recommend Jock of the Bushveld by James Percy Fitzpatrick which she read as a child. She spent some time in Namibia in 2017 and enjoyed reading books about the history and culture of the place. Mary has about 150 autobiographies, many of them signed. Amongst those she favours are Nelson Mandela and Musa Nggungwana.

Mary also recently met Dr Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut in space and enjoyed her autobiography “Seize the Moment.” Science has always fascinated her and Mary recently completed a dissertation on perfume and opera, achieving a distinction. She says “there is so much knowledge, history, insight and enjoyment to be gained from reading.”

Art Our final section brings us to art.

Mary says she likes South African artists and paintings for example Tinus de jonghe, Irma Stern, Barbara Tyrell, Selepe to name a few. However, “if I won the Euro millions I would chose March Chagall’s MOMA painting, I and the Village. It is my all time favourite.” She loves the use of colour and how full of life it is. Her home is decorated with prints, paintings and framed photographs. Mary has a great eye for photography and is an avid photographer, taking many pictures including those of the moon. She is a member of the Astronomer’s club near Regents Park.

Don’t forget to tune into the Five Star Insights podcast.

57

HERITAGE AND LISTED BUILDINGS Older and listed buildings may be architecturally and aesthetically pleasing, but they are notoriously difficult to work on.

Fortunately, we have a wealth of experience and know exactly what can and cannot be achieved within the confines and guidelines set out by the planning authorities and Historic England.

BASEMENT AND SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION With a scarcity of larger buildings in prime residential areas more and more owners are looking to extend their homes by building downwards.

A newly built basement conversion can provide the opportunity to build an indoor pool and spa, state of the art gymnasium or even underground parking for that fleet of supercars.

yourimaginationisourblueprint +442038750620|www.richmontconstruction.co.uk

HIGH END CONSTRUCTION Whether it is a complete rebuild or adding another floor with a retractable roof we will work tirelessly to achieve the required result with a minimum of stress to our client.

REFURBISHMENT Even the most loved home can eventually feel dated and out of sync with modern living standards. We can help and advise on what can be achieved.

Whether considering expanding and enhancing or cutting and carving of your property, from a complete refit through to designing and installing stunning state of the art bathrooms and kitchens.

Paris Fintech Forum 2020: The ‘Davos of Finance & Technology’ ends 5th annual conference on almighty cliffhanger Key Takeaways

PhotobyAltéirEvent-@ValentinCampagnie

| By Darie Nani

F

or the last five years the Paris Fintech Forum (PFF) has been the most exclusive European annual event on digital finance. Organised by Altéir Event, the 2020 edition was no different. Hosted at Palais Brongniart, it proved to be the Davos of digital and fintech industry. More than 2700 international participants from 75 countries, 280+ CEO speakers, and 180+ Fintechs gathered to shape the future of all the actors of the financial industry, bank, insurance, regulators and Fintechs.

A hub for the game changers and big players in banking, insurance, finance, Venture Capital, Fintech, regulators and institutions, this year we witnessed a realm of exclusive session and had access to workshop rooms where exhibitors and attendees took networking to a whole new dimension.

The two day event was packed with CEO sessions covering everything from Fintech growth to SME finance, pitches and showcase, Open Banking, women in finance and a whole lot more. In fact, the 7 stages offered over 130 different sessions while over 180 Fintechs took over the 3 exhibition halls, each showcasing their latest tech and product lines.

Main partners, MasterCard, Microsoft, BHPParibas, Caisse des Depots and Xpollens all hosted their own lounges with showcases, pitch sessions, 1:1 business meetings and networking.

To give you an idea at the breath and scope of the event, Brella (the official app) recorded over 37,000 user to user interactions over the 2 days.

With so much going on it was impossible to see everything and our biggest gripe (if you can call it that) is that we simply had too many great options and not enough time!

Key topics this year included direct to consumer models, Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS), Open Banking, Artificial Intelligence, Insurance, consumer and SME lending.

RegTech was also a key talking point with regulatory complexity, use of AI and market adaptation being part of the discussion across many sessions.

Memorable Moments

“

Banks will not be able to compete in the retail space in 5 years. There will be 5 or so major players, all of whom will be Fintech’s, controlling retail banking.

This was the assertion by Nik Storonksy (Revolut) during his one-on-one session with PFF founder, Laurent Nizri.

A FinTech unicorn and British success story, Revolut is widely seen as the market leader in the sector with 11 million clients worldwide and 20k new registered accounts every day (of which 1k being business accounts, growing by 20% per year).

It is safe to say that Nick’s assertion should be heeded, not just here in Europe but also in America. When asked about Revolut’s delayed entry into the US market, Nik Storonksy was direct “We are solving the problem of instant payments in US before launching”.

When asked about Revolut’s performance, revenue lines and when we could expect the company to turn over a profit, Nik Storonksy had this to say: “Like Amazon, we stared with one service (Fx) then moved into money transfer, insurance, crypto and we have more products coming in 2020 including interchange, subscription service, metal cards, user fees and business account stream. For the UK especially, we have largest number of products since it has the best regulation across Europe, it is our testing bed for all new features and services. As for profitability, we will be profitable in 2020 and already are in a number of countries.”

On a lighter note, Laurent Nizri asked what would be his best bit of advice or interesting fact he could share with the audience. Nik Storonksy answered “The most interesting fact, I probably made the biggest number of mistakes. The key is to have thick skin and learn from those mistakes.”

When asked what his 2 year plan is, Nik smiled, commenting that his focus is always on the next 3 months “We have early targets too but 3 months is what we aim for.”

The crowd laughed when he was finally asked if there were any plans to sell and if he had a price. His reply: “I want to continue for as far as I can go, so 3 months.”

“

For Russia and Alfa Bank, digital is already the past, we live in a post-digital world. Right now the big focus is on the phygital experience. China does this well (wechat) and I believe we do it just as well in Russia.

Victor Verkhoshinskiy (Alfa Bank CEO) commenting when asked “What is the biggest barrier to entry?”. He added: “One of the competitive edges for us is being private, we make fast decisions and changes. We get full support from our shareholders, I can’t see a pubic bank moving as fast as we do and it does affect the speed of change.“ He was joined by Javier Perex-Tasso (SWIFT), Stephane Boujnah (Euronext) and Francois Riahi (Natixis) on the “From Incumbent to Digital Leader” panel session on the main stage.

When asked whether any of them are concerned about Startups, Javier Perex-Tasso (SWIFT) chimed in with: “It's not about being concerned, it is about addressing the needs of the consumer. We see the ecosystem a little bit more in depth. There are many more players in the chain and they can contribute to the overall experience of the customer. “

Not what we expected to hear It’s safe to say that no one sat in the auditorium at the start of the second day expected to hear Laurent Nizri proclaim that this would be the last Paris Fintech Forum.

After all, Paris Fintech Forum has been a leader since its inception 5 year ago. It seems, Laurent and his team are mindful of the fact that times are changing and they too must adapt if they wish to remain relevant. Laurent added: “We are a private event, an international one. Last year, we had 2,000 one on one meetings, this year we had 10,000 on day one. We are the 1st but we cannot stay the 1st by doing the same thing again and again. Thus I am not selling, but there won’t be another PFF next year. I want to build something meaningful with you and I will spend the next 6 months developing it. I don’t know what and where the next step will be. As a strategy consultant, I know that change is key to success,”

Altéir Fintech Selection 2020 Order your copy today

Closing the event with the message “we will be back”, the question on everyone minds, undoubtedly, is in what form.

What’s next for Paris Fintech?

While Paris Fintech Forum as we know it might be finished, it is quite clear the team at Altéir Event and Laurent Nizri have big plans in store. As of right now, all we have to go on is a landing page displaying “Paris Fintech Forum 202X - Reloaded”, claiming that “The future of the Paris Fintech Forum will be written with your inputs.” Prompting visitors to touch to “to help us build the "Reloaded" version of the most exclusive international event on digital finance & fintech”.

Whatever form PFF Reloaded will take, we are confident it will once again exceed all expectations.

61

www.parisfintechforum.com/FTbook

“

I do not have a crystal ball, but what I do see is still a huge will for transformation in the financial services industry- even by historical players who realise they need to change. I believe we are now entering the second phase of that so called Fintech revolution: the FinTech Phase. We will see a profound transformation about to commence in the core system of the financial industry, while at the same time done key areas in the end user markets will continue to be disrupted by new players as long as they will have access to funds to fuel their growth.

Paris FinTech Forum must stay meaningful and useful to the community it serves since day one. We want to build on this success to think about the future and the needs of the industry, and come back with a new concept able to support Fin Tech and digital finance innovation for many years to come.

To do that, we want to keep all options open, and we need time to work with all of you on what should be the next edition. So perhaps it will be the same concept, or another one. The same venue, or not. The same time of the year, or a different one.

The same frequency or why not a new one.

Let's work all together to build it in the coming months. If you have an idea on the subject and that book in your hand, you know where to find me to discuss it.

“

It was a pleasure and an honour helping FinTech growth for the last five years. Stay tuned, we'll be back.

Venture DAY ZURICH | 02 APRIL | 2020 WHERE STARTUPS MEET INVESTORS

INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE 300 PARTICIPANTS BUSINESS ANGELS, VCS, CORPORATES SWISS STARTUPS EARLY & LATER STAGE DEEP TECH 5 TECH TRACKS

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63

Wanderlust

How Kate Parkyn is using her passion for travel to inspire people to embark on new adventures | By Alexis Boddy

A

s the saying goes ‘not all who wander are lost.’ Travel broadens our minds, introduces us to new cultures, other ways of life, new sights, sounds and smells. We return to our lives invigorated, maybe even wiser, ready to take on the challenges that life often presents us with.

No one understands the restorative, indeed transformative, power of travel more than Kate and Dave Parkyn, who founded Go Supreme, a bespoke travel service that seeks to connect its clients with the very best the world has to offer. We caught up with Kate Parkyn, to discuss their business, the excitement of travel and the importance of loving life!

Tell us a bit about yourself. Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I have lived in Geneva for over 20 years with my husband Dave and our children, Sam and Josh (who have returned to live in Switzerland after studying and working internationally). We obviously love travel and are also passionate about spending time with our family and getting outside as much as possible to cycle, hike and play golf in this amazing country we live in. We also love to set ourselves at least one big challenge a year that requires both physical and mental preparation.

From the 100 mile Ride London cycle race to the Via Ferrata, we like to push ourselves and, ideally, raise money for a cause we believe in. This year we are going to do a trek to the Lost City in Columbia to raise money for Mind, the mental health charity and for Breast Cancer Now. We always knew that we wanted to start a business together but could never seem to find the motivation and had yet to come up with a solid plan. Then, five years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer, which made us radically re-evaluate our lifestyle and decide to make some changes. I must say that our children were the overriding inspiration for creating the business. We

have always told them that it is possible to succeed at anything you put your mind to and that it is never too late to change your path but I wanted to lead by example.

So how did you come up with the idea for GoSupreme?

We are passionate about travel and adventure. We wanted to provide a bespoke travel service that was truly tailored to each individual client. It was important to us to inspire people to go on voyages of discovery, to go to places they have never been and to do things they have never done before. We can also arrange ‘fly and flop’ type holidays for when our clients simply need to recharge but we also know that a lot of rejuvenation happens when we do something new and exciting.

We know how exhausting it can be to look for a holiday and many people simply don’t have the time to trawl through hundreds of websites, looking for the perfect vacation. Our solution is simple: we save our clients valuable time, energy and money by finding their ideal holiday. Not only that but we will propose things that they may never have thought of, for a truly unforgettable experience. We utilise our knowledge and resources (such as our access to agent-only sites), to

ADVERTISEMENT provide a service that thinks of everything - from initial bookings to online airport check-ins.

Can you tell us more about how the process works?

A client will usually get in contact with us with a particular holiday that they have in mind. Our first step is to listen. We take the time to really listen to what our clients want, what they’re looking for and, most importantly, who they are. We then speak to our specialist suppliers and begin to build the perfect itinerary, dependant on their wishes and budget. We can then share the proposal with the client and work with them until the plan has been perfected. More often than not, we get the proposal right first time and the clients are delighted! We also make sure that the clients know that we are only ever a phone call or message away, should they need any assistance.

Discover ABU DHABI

We work with a wide range of people but most of them are looking for someone to take the stress out of organising travel. They want the peace of mind that comes with knowing everything is being taken care of. All they have to do is pack their bags and go!

We’ve organised all kinds of different experiences for our clients, from spending a day as an elephant keeper in South Africa, to Centre Court tickets at Wimbledon, to swimming with the pigs in the Bahamas! Every client is different and we take care of everything - airport parking, car rentals, hotels right through to theatre tickets and private tours.

Who do you admire? Where do you find inspiration?

We are very fortunate to have an amazing mentor, Norma Fenwick, who is there for us whenever we need her. Her encouragement and guidance has been invaluable to us and, with her help, we have been able to achieve so much more than we imagined possible.

Tania Cotton, the founder of Movementwise, is someone I admire very much for her intelligence, determination, fitness and her ability to alter people’s perceptions of what they can achieve. She helped us both through our health and performance journey after my diagnosis in 2014. Thanks to Tania and a gruelling physical challenge, something which was very difficult for me at the time, I experienced a change of mindset about my own abilities and capabilities.

As well as having our own business I now volunteer for ESCA Cancer Support and regularly do public speaking engagements promoting their services. They offer much-needed support to people diagnosed with cancer and their families. Speaking in public was a terrifying prospect for me before my Movementwise journey and now I embrace it. We are partnered with Movementwise to inspire people to keep exploring their own journeys, to live and love life and to have the most incredible travel experiences!

5 nights from £599pp Book at gosupreme.notjusttravel.com

Go Supreme provide a bespoke travel service that will help you craft your own, unique holiday that you’ll never forget. From conception through to the holiday itself, they’re here to help from start to finish.

65 Not Just Travel (Agency) Ltd, sells travel services on behalf of Hays Travel Limited and benefits from Hays Travel’s membership of ABTA with membership number K9413. ABTA and ABTA Members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. Prices correct at time of printing.

REAL-ESTATE

A Truly Bespoke Experience

A property refurbishment and construction service like no other...

W

hen we hear the word ‘bespoke,’ the first thing that usually comes to mind is a beautifully-fitted, Savile Row suit. In the days before mass-production, tailors would keep reams of cloth on their premises for their customers to choose from. Clients would pick the cloth they wanted and then that particular length would be put to one side and was said to ‘be spoken for.’ The term bespoke then became synonymous with a personalised product or service, unique to the individual and of the very highest quality.

Stephen Collins, founder and CEO of Richemont Construction, has taken this concept of a bespoke service to a whole new level. His company specialises in luxury, highend property refurbishments and construction projects.

When they take on a client, the project is, like the finest Savile Row suit, cut to their exact specifications, uniquely fitted to their requirements and delivered with impeccable, meticulous customer service.

We spoke to Stephen, to discuss how his early prodigious work ethic and his background in property helped him spot a gap in the market and grow a business that offers a truly bespoke experience for each client.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I grew up in Liverpool, in a large Victorian house that had 36 bedrooms. My family lived on the upper floor and the rooms on the lower floors were let out to students. I spent my mornings before school laying tables and serving breakfast to the students and would then do the same in the evening. It was a normal part of life and it wasn’t until I started secondary school at the age of 11 that I realised my peers weren’t doing the same. So I had a strong work

ethic from the very start and was inspired by my father, who had built a successful electrical contracting business, as well as a diverse property portfolio. During my formative years, I was involved in his work and always took a profound interest in it. So the decision to become an entrepreneur was always more of a natural, organic progression for me. That early work ethic and having my father as a role model meant that starting my own business was always on the cards.

What did you do before starting your own business?

I left school at 16 years old and joined the family business full-time. At the time, the business was a diverse, property-based group with assets ranging from children’s nurseries and nursing homes to restaurants to hotels. The Portfolio consisted of many character, heritage and listed buildings. The breadth and diversity of the types of property meant that I was able to grow and learn, building on my business and commercial acumen, as well as building up a strong foundation in property-related expertise.

Before long, I was responsible for all aspects of the property management and maintenance for the family group, as well as handling construction issues. During this time, I learned a great deal about property, cultivated a multifaceted skill set and, most importantly, discovered a genuine passion for my work. In 1997 I made the decision to leave the family business and venture out on my own. As well as running my own building company, I was brought in as a Construction Project Management Consultant for some external clients. With my extensive knowledge and experience of property development, construction, refurbishment and building management it was a “no brainer” to start my own business in this sector.

So how did you come up with the idea for Richemont Construction?

Around seven years ago, I was contracted to consult, advise and manage a luxury refurbishment project in central London for a high-net worth, overseas client. It was during this particular venture that I saw the gap in the market for specialist, high-end property refurbishment, that looks at the client’s holistic needs and provides a comprehensive strategy. I saw the enormous potential of this particular niche, and how my specific background, knowledge and skills would fit perfectly.

From this, I began Richemont Construction as a consummate, unparalleled solution for luxury builds and refurbishments. All aspects of construction and refurbishment projects, from initial concept design and planning, right through to construction management could now be undertaken by just one company.

Why do you enjoy what you do?

The best thing about my job is the enormous sense of satisfaction I get from seeing satisfied clients living in the luxury homes that my company created for them. It’s a tangible, real feeling of achievement to move through all the stages - from the kernel of an idea, straight through to the finished property.

It has its challenges. Sometimes a client will decide to make changes after the building work has started. Often, what they perceive as a minor change will have ramifications for the whole build sequence, or even require new planning or building regulation approval, for example. But I enjoy finding solutions for the client and I will always endeavour to find a way to deliver the project to their specifications. Part of the process is that continual dialogue between myself and the client, always finding ways to see their vision made real.

My most satisfying moment so far was when we completed an extensive project for a foreign royal family, whom I cannot name for confidentiality reasons.

It was a really noteworthy moment for me, to know that the company has achieved royal approval.

Talk us through the process...

I think the most vital thing to remember is that, when dealing with Richemont Construction, you are receiving a truly bespoke experience. Our ethos is to provide a superlative client experience, that, ultimately, we are there to offer a service that puts our client’s complete satisfaction as our number one priority.

Each year, we only select a handful of projects, so that we can ensure our high standards and keep the client at the centre of everything we do.Quality not quantity.

Our Project Development Team consists of all the requisite experts needed to deliver a project. This includes an accomplished team of architects, planning professionals, interior designers, building surveyors, structural engineers, party wall surveyors and MEP and IT/AV specialists. We pride ourselves on being able to take clients projects from inception, through the design and statutory approval / licensing stage, onward through the construction stage.

Our Project Delivery Team consists of highly-experienced, professional tradespeople and a select team of dedicated, reliable, bona-fide sub-contractors.

Each sub-contractor is a specialist in their respective, chosen field.

Our supply chain has been built up over many years amongst luxury fixture and fittings and finishing suppliers from all over the world.

We bring all of these specialisms, all of this wealth of experience together. By managing the entire process, from start to finish, we can ensure that only the highest quality of build is delivered at completion.

We are experts in refurbishment, renovation, conversion, extension and new build construction with the emphasis on heritage, character and listed buildings. We have completed projects as diverse as multi-level basement extensions to house a swimming pool, gym and cinema, to a top-floor extension, complete with retractable roof. Our clientele are predominantly UK and overseas ultra-high net worth individuals who desire the very best lifestyle and a property to match.

How do you define success and what would be your advice for an aspiring entrepreneur?

I am a committed family man and my greatest pleasure in life is spending time with my wife and five children. So, for me, I define success as having a sustainable business, that allows me to have a great work/life balance, good health and provide a comfortable lifestyle for my family My advice for an aspiring entrepreneur would be to never give up, always adopt a can-do attitude, believe in yourself and smile!

Richemont Construction: Richemont is to high end, bespoke property refurbishment and construction, what a tailored Savile Row suit is to the very best quality store-bought version, however good the store-bought suit is, there really is no comparison between us and our competition.

Specialising in the Super Prime residential sector, primarily (but not exclusively) in the upmarket areas of London, we are experts in refurbishment, renovation, conversion, extension and new build construction with the emphasis on heritage, character and listed buildings.

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A New Approach to Business Excellence | By Dr Warner Krings

I remembered my childhood dream was to embark on the journey to a better world which was symbolised by the longing to become American. My vision became global instead of local, today I would change it to ‘Glocal’.

Since my childhood, I developed a passion for connecting the right people at the right time. Currently, I leverage the power of Social Networks to accelerate my clients’ business and improve their branding by providing access whether in B2B/B2C or D2B. Secondly, my company, Digital Business Intelligence, accelerates Business Development opportunities by matching suitable stakeholders and providing access to key decision-makers. By leveraging Social Media, which was evidenced by my doctoral studies at Henley Business School, I regularly exceeded the outcome of traditionally working executives in B2B Business Development, Marketing and Sales whether it was in the USA or the DACH region.

Since Business Relationships are very much like personal relationships, they are built on credibility and trust and involve more than a mere business conversation. It requires, besides of gathering and applying relevant information, in-depth knowledge of various cultural, regional and industrial spheres to establish rapport and create a unique differentiator. My company offers B2B training of excellence for Expatriates with effective strategies and tools in Cultural Adjustment, Sales, Relationship-building, branding and digital strategies. Fourthly, the executive coaching combines various coaching methodologies with solid business knowledge to understand the various facets of C-Level and Mid-Management level.

This also involves reaching personal objectives like extending their philanthropic or academic impact by connecting to relevant institutions or mentoring them to be admitted to Business Schools of their choice. By applying the approach of Excellence, we enable and empower our clients to reach their objectives. This is done by focusing on the outcome rather than temporary challenges

The Next Generation of Academics in Digital Excellence Growing up in an entrepreneurial family with one of the largest companies in the beverage market, I originally prepared to take over the family business after my graduate school (University of Passau). After an internship with a leading German Bank in Düsseldorf and New York, I supported my father on the Management Board and early on applied corporate law and some of the models which were relevant in the US at the time. Though the imminent generation conflict was quite painful for me, I realised that this route was obsolete and that my purpose was far greater than this.

Having mapped out everything, I lost my plan overnight, sort of preparation for the agile VUCA world we face nowadays. So, I decided instead to go into wealth management and consulting with cross-sector experiences at boutique and two of the Big Four Companies.

PROFESSIONAL, IMPARTIAL & PERSONAL

Pension planning and investment decisions Welcome to Mann Hough Ltd We help our clients to understand investment decisions using our in depth knowledge of investment institutions and global financial markets.

Our understanding and experience of the fund management and investment industry helps us to select managers and structure investment portfolios appropriate for specific needs, such as for targeting capital growth or to generate income. Our advice is made after careful appraisal of client objectives and risk tolerance, and our assessment of prevailing economic and market conditions.

Taxation is frequently an important factor. Our practical knowledge of income, capital gains and inheritance taxes, together with the available tax concessions for pensions and other saving arrangements in the United Kingdom, is key. When specific and specialist advice is required beyond our expertise we can guide clients to appropriate lawyers, accountants and other specialist advisers, both for the UK and other jurisdictions.

Our knowledge of the UK and international pensions and investment industry is extensive. We are familiar with all of the various pension products and arrangements, including self-invested plans, available to clients in the United Kingdom and in leading overseas jurisdictions.

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✔ Capital accumulation and preservation

✔ Planning pre, at and post retirement

✔ Income generation

✔ Focused investment strategies

✔ Selection of investment structures

✔ Risk analysis and mitigation

✔ Risk analysis and mitigation

✔ Analysis of planning options

✔ Tax optimisation

✔ Retirement income strategies

INVESTMENTS

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PENSIONS

Mann Hough is based in London, but our clients come from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas.

TAX & SUCCESSION PLANNING

288 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4QP

The nearest London Underground Station is Liverpool Street and car parking is available at White Row (Off Commercial Street), Spitalfields is a few minute’s walk from the office.

0203 178 4262 mann-hough.co.uk

0207 9593030 info@mann-hough.co.uk

Mann Hough Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our registration number is 481194.Registered Office: 377-399 London Road, Camberley, Surrey GU15 3HL. Registered in England No 6474202. Our internal complaint handling procedures are available on request. If you have reasons to raise a concern please contact us on 0203 178 4262, in writing at the address on this site or by email: upatel@mann-hough.co.uk. If we are unable to resolve an issue to your satisfaction you may be able to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service. More information is available on request or by visiting www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.

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Since I like to consult various industries and several subject matters from business, interactive design, social media and coaching, I was able to relate easily to a variety of C-Level contacts since I understand their drivers, their language, the challenges they face and know what is relevant to them. Of course, my family background and the experiences whether for good or bad helped me to be empathetic and were the key motivators to develop a focus on excellence rather mediocrity.

Providing access to the best of two worlds, the business and academic, involves multiple other layers. Especially, in the Anglo-American culture, top academics are characterised by applying their research in the business arena as well. For example, I teach Entrepreneurship, Digitisation and Business Development for Master of Science Students in FinTech at the oldest French School of Management at their Oxford campus in England. I accepted this invitation because I have gained academic research and solid practitioner experiences in these areas. My teaching approach is very practitioner-oriented, and my vision is to create the next generation of entrepreneurs using my solid academic background and leveraging my experiences to deal with various cultures as a former Expatriate in the US and collaborating with people from all major regions. At the same time I pursue academic rigour with the energy and enthusiasm to impart encouragement to the younger generation to take off any limitations hindering them to become the best in life.

Our consultants are known as trusted advisers having gained rich experienced in boutique advisory firms and various Big Four firms mainly in the DACH, Western European and North American region in both management and leadership roles. If you just want to tweak your business processes go to the big consulting firms, if you aim for sustainable results collaborate with us!

Our portfolio includes cross-sector industry projects with reputed Fortune500/DAX-100 companies.

When I look at companies in consulting and training or at individuals in coaching or mentoring, my focus is on their strengths and performance rather than their weaknesses. I am not providing services by creating confusion and fear in organisations, there are lots of companies out there which do this. I don’t believe in the approach that many companies pursue to eliminate in order to gain, this is a lack mentality creating a negative atmosphere. I consider a company like a doctor considers a patient, meaning that I adjust so that enhancement and healing is reached without killing the patient, i.e. the career of successful employees within the company. It is not difficult to just cut costs; the big consulting firms are known for this.

In contrast, we seek to develop the approach of excellence throughout my clients’ organisation. Today the most critical benchmark is customer experience, and this starts with impacting the mind-set and mentality of each employee of various generations of the organisation. I suggest ‘selective digitisation’ by placing the human being in the centre instead of giving into the temptation to just radically change the entire organisation by eliminating jobs. Research has shown that even the millennials are not just digitising every function, with the exception of highly operative ones, but that personal relationships still remain key. Consequently, I suggest combining the best of traditional and digital methods. At the end, human ingenuity remains preferable over any interactions via robots exclusively.

Dr Werner Krings An accomplished multilingual communicator, closing deals at C-level, securing high-value accounts with clients including Automotive, Aerospace, Executive Education and Software industries. Dr Krings is as a business consultant and educator, he has advised clients including a leading Strategy Consulting Firm, German Federal and State Institution among many others.

Our Clients perceive us as leading in building powerful disruptive digital organizations. If your aim is significant Business Performance by aligning Business Development, Marketing and Sales contact us now.

Management Advisory | Business Development | Executive Coaching www.digitalbusinessintelligence.global 71

+49 (0) 8063-256-8109

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