THE 10 MOST PROMINENT BUSINESS LEADERS TO FOLLOW IN 2021 by Prime View

www.primeview.co | June 2021

Business

Leaders

Founder & CEO

EDITOR’S NOTE

The 10 Most Prominent Business Leaders to Follow in 2021. The resilience and determination of employees in today’s time help companies keep their people performing at their best while work processes shift. While everyone was working from home, employees learnt the art of multitasking and balancing work-life and household chores. However, with offices resuming work and employees returning to work, there is an essential need for leadership evolution. Business leaders worldwide are trying to find the best-suited solutions for their companies, people, and ecosystems. Just like our history’s empires, businesses rise and fall as the times change. Likewise, some remain at the top for ages, while others fizzle out within a couple of years. The key to long-term sustained success is through great leadership. A great business leader can motivate others, have a clear vision others can believe in and can lead innovation within an organization. When companies have great leaders taking the reins, investors, consumers, and employees are all going to want to buy in. To be a great Mentor, you also need to be a great leader, and many of the world’s most well-known companies have some seriously smart people at the helm. As the ongoing pandemic continues to make global news headlines, business leaders who want to stay ahead and remain successful are looking for stable footholds in this time of uncertainty. With that in mind, Prime View presents “The 10 Most Successful Business Leaders Revamping the Future”, celebrating leaders who are doing their best to innovate and technologically evolve the industry. Do share your thoughts with us. Prime View Magazine editor@primeview.co

The 10 Most Prominent Business Leaders to Follow in 2021

SONAL K

STEVE R DAVID S

DNYANESH K , JOHNSON J.

SAM K.

RICHARD D.

Alex S. , Jeniffer P.

Visit: https://primeview.co Email: editor@primeview.co

Founder & CEO

CONTENTS

Covver S tory

INTERVIEW

Karin Lohitnavy (Founder)

Midas PR Group

Subhash Dhar

Stuart Noland

Dr Wolf Vierich

(Chairman and CEO)

American Battery Solutions

Nolands Capital

Christiana Kouppi Vrikis & Kouppi LLC

PROFILES

34 (Partner)

(CEO)

(Chairman)

The Vitala Group

38 Matthew Kolinski (Founder & CEO)

USA Staffing Services

Cover Story

JEREMY BLAIN PERFORMANCE WORKS INTERNATIONAL: Founder & CEO

erformance Works International, a unique establishment that supports business and workforce transformations to accelerate success in the modern workplace, is a brainchild of a passionate leader and educator Mr Jeremy Blain. With an aspiration to support leaders and managers in the definition of strategies to implement digital and human transformations for today’s workplace, Jeremy Blain established Performance Works International (PWI). An innovative seed which was sown in 2018, germinated well and became the new standard for the consulting and training industry.

“My company is founded on one core principle: Supporting organisations and leaders to transform their business for the needs of the modern, ever-changing workplace. This is achieved through a research-centred approach to provide the most current insights, that lead to our own products and services evolution and the way we then consult, train, coach, and positively impact our clients, their leaders, and their teams”, asserted Jeremy Blain. This approach ensures Jeremy and his team, as a consulting and training company, stay ahead of the game and constantly evolve their offers for the new knowledge, skills, and behaviours that are of the greatest importance to today’s workplace and workforce. Their value proposition is unlike most other players in the industry and they have been recognised at the industry level for the quality and uniqueness of their offers, their operational research, how they deliver their services, and their ever-evolving ways of working with clients.. Anywhere. Anytime. KNOWING THE VISIONARY A depth of expertise and a hands-on business leader armed with the standards of excellence, Jeremy Blain has been working for almost three decades in multiple industry sectors. He holds extensive experience as a transformational leader and adviser at the board level globally. He has operated on an international basis to launch successful businesses and turn underperformance into excellence. This has included 7-years as CEO for an international consultancy company based in Singapore, operating from India to the Pacific. Jeremy is proven at all stages of the business lifecycle, from start-up to internationalization,

raising profiles and profits throughout. Jeremy began his career in the least glamorous way possible selling frying oil and toilet cleaner in Yorkshire, UK. Since then, he has been a truly global citizen, having worked in most major markets in the world, including living and working from S.E. Asia between 2011 and 2018. Jeremy’s modus operandi brings together his core roles as a business leader and human capital / learning professional. It’s a solid mix that at its heart is built on an equitable, diverse, and inclusive way of working. As such, Jeremy sees himself as an everyday learner and has embraced new leadership traits (which he regularly researches) and new ways of working. In fact, his own business and the business he set up in Asia in 2011, was founded on new emerging principles, using a blended workforce and embracing the gig economy to challenge traditional ways of working, sourcing, recruiting, structuring, and more. 10

BECOMING THE AUTHOR OF ‘THE INNER CEO – UNLEASHING LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS’

book for the modern workplace. This led to me identifying a new ‘age of empowerment’ to make leading at all levels a reality. The trouble was, nothing really existed. There are articles on the benefits of a more empowering culture, but no how-to books on the topic. I decided to correct that anomaly and my book ‘The Inner CEO – Unleashing leaders at all levels’ was released in March 2021”, he further added.

“From around 2008 I realised that I was selling more to my clients when I had something to share beyond our products and services. Insights. Since then, I have commissioned research and authored around 30 industry white papers and eBooks, all focused on aspects of how the workplace is evolving in the face of CLIENTELE & UNBREAKABLE FAITH digital, learning trends, management practices, leadership must-dos, and #futureofwork. This, alongOur clientele spans sectors, borders, type, and size. side my commitment to use social media as a core route When we are considering business transformation and to market, contributed approx. 80% to my annual building the knowledge, skills, and behaviours that pipeline. This opened up new opportunities and lines of will drive success in the modern workplace, it is clear business-like conference work, keynote speaking, and that anyone can benefit. more”, stressed Jeremy while talking about his journey of There is no mystery to an unbreakable faith with becoming an author. clients. It is about delivering the promises made, through a strong human touch, expert capability, and “From this research and ‘speaking on the circuit’, I met orientation of how we work to that specific business, authors who encouraged me to use the research as a need, and culture. springboard to bring together my expertise into a 11

Become ‘one of them’ to get under the skin of what success looks like, and be as passionate about that success as they are. This, alongside a consistency of service delivery, handling any challenges efficiently and relationship strength, becomes the glue that creates the unbreakable bond. BARRIERS CROSSED BY PERFORMANCE WORKS Jeremy started the business on the latest principles – namely making it a 100% distributed business with the 100% contingent workforce, enabled by the most efficient and appropriate digital threads, and supported by a global network of experts and professionals as collaborators and outsource partners. To maintain this business model as the company has rapidly grown has been a challenge. Performance Works now has certain collaborators on retainer contracts – which still enables flexibility for everyone involved. On top of that, it is always a challenge to stay current in terms of insights the company delivers, the solutions and services Performance Works bring to the market, and the operational training they provide – focused on the most important and evolving knowledge, skills, and behaviours for success today. This is why the focus on providing the most up-to-date research, informs the company’s clientele and Performance Works itself, to constantly evolve solutions and services for the workplace and workforce needs of today. At all levels, in all industries. THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH Jeremy proudly said, “I have had my fair share of failure as much as success! The key is to understand the importance of those experiences, to learn from them, deal with the emotions that come with them, and understand the impact on others. How we grow from these situations informs the future. It does not mean you won’t fail again. I am a willing experimenter in business terms and failure no longer puts me off trying…” “…It is also to know when to consolidate and when to push for more, bigger, newer, greater.

Consolidation of different stages of growth is key to securing the future and something I have learned along the way. I learn from many who have been on the journey with me. A lot of these are customers, who became unofficial mentors and friends. For example, Greg McKibbin is now retired GM for Kodak Entertainment Imaging across their Greater Asia Region. While a customer at the time, I saw Greg as one of the most enlightened leaders I had ever met. He had a strong handle on the business, the human component, and the communities the organisation operated within and for. I have tried to emulate Greg’s style and approach since then. And still trying”, he further added. A DAY IN JEREMY’S LIFE “I am an early bird! By 9.30 am I often completed half a day due to many of my customers being based in Asia and me being in the UK. Then, depending on the day, I make packed lunches for my kids and wife and do some exercise. I always workout best in the mornings. For the rest of my day, I work asynchronously and use various techniques to help me get into deeper, more meaningful, and impactful work (for me and my customers). To support this, I have tried to coach those working with me and customers to minimise email and use collaboration apps for messaging and contact as needed. This has helped my efficient working”, shared Jeremy. “We try to eat together as a family when we can. The pandemic brought us closer together in that respect. We all love cooking, so the kitchen and around the BBQ have been where we have spent the most time. In the evening I go for a walk with my wife, weather dependent. We then might listen to records or watch some TV. I am early to bed as much as early to rise”, he further added. FAVOURITE BOOK OF THE MOMENT ‘The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse’ by Charlie Mackesy ROAD MAP TO FUTURE GROWTH “I don’t know what the future holds for my business and that is the exciting thing. If I am too rigid on a longer-term journey, then I am not as prepared for

ACCREDITATION ON THE WAY And in this journey of growth, Jeremy Blain and Performance Works International have been the recipient of various awards over the years. This year; ● Performance Works International has been recognized as the ‘International Company of the year for remote training and virtual classes for the second year running. ● Jeremy Blain was awarded the International Game Changer of the Year for the third year running. Something never achieved before in these awards. ● Jeremy Blain was named as one of the top 100 global digital and whole business transformation experts in ‘The Global 100 2021Awards’. ● Performance Works International named as one of the “20 Most Dynamic Leadership Development Companies to Watch in 2021” across the Asia Pacific region. WORDS OF WISDOM

challenges, opportunities, new technologies, and new ways of thinking. Long gone are the days of 3-to-5-year strategies. I find I have to be more flexible than that. Speed, not size, is the main competitive advantage these days. So, for me, to rapidly adapt my business to evolving needs, I will need to continue to be research-led and, on the back of that, continue to evolve my offering to help organisations, leaders, and teams thrive in the modern workplace.”

Challenge discrimination, seek allies and supporters; Don’t accept casual sexism – It has no place in the business world. Find out which organisations can help you or reach your audience. Get heavily networked through platforms like LinkedIn and social media outlets that are relevant to your industry and products or services. Look for great role models who you can learn from and be advised by. Whatever their level.

“That said, some placeholders along the way would include book number 2, which I am currently writing with the talented Dr. Rochelle Haynes; consolidating my position individually as a global authority on empowered working; and to continue to grow my business, internationally while embracing new ways of structuring, working and through the benefits of a global, blended workforce”, emphasised Jeremy. 13

Subhash Dhar

American Battery Solutions (Chairman and CEO) 14

ounded in 2019, led by an experienced business leader with about four decades of accumulated wisdom, Subhash Dhar, American Battery Solutions is engaged in developing, designing, and manufacturing complete Li-Ion battery battery systems for the electrification of vehicles and industrial equipment including stationary storage applications. Since its inception, Mr Dhar has been spearheading the firm as the Chairman & CEO. Under his thoughtful and innovative leadership, the firm has emerged as a prominent leader in manufacturing advanced battery systems. Earlier, he was the Founder, Chairman & CEO of Energy Power Systems from January 2011 to April 2017 and CEO of XALT Energy, a leading manufacturer of Li-Ion batteries from January 2014 to April 2017. Previously, Mr Dhar served as the Chairman & CEO of Envia Systems, a Bay Area company engaged in developing advanced Li-Ion battery technology. Prior to that, he was the founding President of ECD-Ovonic Battery Company during 1982 through 2003, where he developed and commercialized Nickel Metal hydride battery which today’s hybrid electric vehicles on a global basis & which became the backbone of the Prius hybrid cars in the late ’90s. He set up business alliances and manufacturing operations in Japan, China, Europe, and the US. He also served as the President of Ovonic Fuel Cell Company where he developed a novel regenerative low-cost fuel cell.

Mr Dhar has also served as Vice-Chairman of EnerDel and President of its parent Ener1 Inc; CEO of Eletra Hybrid Bus; a company based in Brazil. He also served as the CEO of PlasmaDrive, a company engaged in the development of novel combustion technology. He has also been involved in many aspects of alternative and advanced technology including hydrogen generation, hydrogen storage, and Fuel Cells. Subhash Dhar is a co-inventor of over 40 US patents and has co-authored more than 45 technical papers and delivered dozens of invited keynote addresses at numerous global energy and automotive conferences. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Curtis Instruments for 15 years. He has a master’s in engineering management and Chemical Engineering from the University of Detroit and Institute of Technology, India.

God has given us two ears and one mouth, we must listen twice as much as speak. - Subhash Dhar 15

A GLIMPSE OF AMERICAN BATTERY SOLUTIONS

FROM THE CEO’S DESK

As a leading industrial and commercial electric vehicle battery manufacturer in the USA, ABS produces high-quality lithium-ion batteries with automotive quality DNA and with the power of experience.

Mr Dhar apprised, “I have always been interested in clean energy, electrification of vehicles and have worked in clean-tech since 1981. My philosophy is to leave this world in better condition than we inherited it from our predecessors which can be achieved through’ science, technology, and human partnerships.”

Their customers are part of the electrification industry primarily in the industrial, commercial, and other related markets including bus and commercial vehicle manufacturers. The team at ABS has collectively, helped launch some of the industry’s most well-known programs with OEM’s like General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, BMW, Daimler-Mercedes, and others. Their mission is to create a cleaner future by leading the transition from fossil fuel based propulsion to electric power trains as well as grid connected energy storage systems. “Building a team from scratch was one of the biggest challenges. We continue to build a world-class team; people are the most critical and valuable assets that we have as a company” shared Subash Dhar while talking about the hurdles of early days. ABS is on its way to becoming a premier energy storage solutions provider. Mr Dhar is working every day with ABS’s highly skilled and talented team members. He looks forward to continuing to build a culture of camaraderie and balancing good work/life for everyone in the company.

The Inspiration behind the Initiation

The “Secret Sauce”

Having the conviction in making the world a better place and working with an extremely talented group of people and staying focused on the mission to improve the quality of life through science and technology. Suggestions to Create a More Balanced and Equal Industry

Define your mission and goals and identify critical paths to achieve them. Develop and nurture teams and provide them with the necessary tools, guidance, and encouragement to help them achieve those goals. Also, being a good listener is important.

FAVOURITE BOOK Churchill Walking with Destiny biography by Andrew Roberts. Churchill inspires with his leadership qualities and how he manages through tough and adverse challenges. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson about science, culture, and how the modern-day science world has evolved.

Gene Krantz NASA “Failure is not an option” 16

FEATHERS IN THE CAP • 30 most influential companies of the year – CIO Bulletin 2020 • Top 10 EV solutions providers – Autotech Outlook • The World's Fastest-Growing Companies in 2021 – American Registry • Several recognitions by industry trade organizations and academic institutions.

WORDS OF WISDOM

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, it’s also what it takes t o sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill

Don’t take no for an answer, fight every step of the way, treat everyone fairly and encourage team building, education, equality, and fairness. There have been many successful women leaders, and there is a need to continue to cultivate and support that growth. 17

Stuart Noland Nolands Capital (CEO) 20

tuart Noland, a specialist financial professional and an alumnus of Oxford University is the Founder and CEO of the Nolands Capital a full-service Deal Advisory, Transactional Services, and Advisory firm.

A Chartered Accountant with over 10 years of experience, Stuart Noland has earned expertise in various areas of finance and business. Over the years, he has contributed to different fields of Business Management, Finance, Audit, and Consulting.

He has worked at KPMG, an audit & advisory firm, and Bain & Co, the management consulting company. Stuart became a Chartered Accountant CA(SA) in 2014; he completed a Finance Master’s Degree at the University of Cape Town in 2015 and did MBA at the University of Oxford the next year.

MORE ABOUT THE COMPANY & SERVICE PORTFOLIO As a corporate finance house, Nolands Capital specialises in helping clients and their business achieve their goals across short, medium, and long-term horizons. There are 3 areas of specialisation: • Mergers & Acquisitions • Transaction Services • Management Consulting

In addition, they also provide related consulting services around post-merger integration, business reorganisation/optimisation, and incentives development. Because of its excellent services and expert team, Nolands Capital has been honoured with the Acquisition International Leading Corporate Finance & Management Consultant of the Year 2021.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs, Co-founder, CEO, Chairman Apple Inc.

On both buy and sell-side transactions, clients are fully supported, end-to-end. They provide auxiliary services such as business valuations, financial modelling/forecasting, and due diligence. 21

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE INITIATION

GETTING OVER THE ENTREPRENEURIAL HUMPS

Stuart always wanted to work in an industry that was dynamic and ever-changing and that provided a good variety of projects and opportunities across a broad range of industries and geographies. An occupation that was exciting, challenging, and fast-paced.

The business was started in March 2019, and it was hit by COVID and lockdowns barely a year after launch. This unprecedented disruption encouraged, or even demanded, a high degree of agility and responsiveness in the way it operates.

The finance industry allows him to work closely with clients, learning more about their business, and thinking out the box to come up with innovative solutions to address challenges. Each day looks and feels slightly different from the previous one, regardless of how many years you have under your belt.

“We were determined that the challenges presented by the pandemic could not be seen in any way by the team as some sort of reigning in of our ambition. Instead, the systems we put in place have become an in-built strength that has improved efficiencies as well as the speed of decision making, response, and delivery. Ultimately, we are a business that was specifically designed to operate in a pandemic, rather than one that adjusted to it”, said Stuart while talking about the major challenges he has had to face.

According to him, a finance career also equips you with the ability to transition into many different roles over time either operational/financial/ or strategic. It provides flexibility and helps you develop very transferable and monetizable skills. It also allows you to travel the world and work in many different locations.

CRAFTING LOYAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS The clientele includes medium to large SMEs situated in and around sub-Saharan Africa, predominantly South Africa. The Nolands slogan has always been around Relationships and Solutions. They develop close relationships with clients and get to know them on a personal level in order to better understand their priorities, needs, and objectives. They also let the quality of our work speak for itself in developing innovative, and fit-for-purpose solutions that are designed with the future in mind. “We offer holistic solutions to our clients, that not only accommodate our skill sets, but also the skills and expertise of the entire broader Nolands firm across all three key service pillars: Audit, Advisory, and Law. We don’t work FOR or AT our clients, but rather work closely WITH them in a mutual partnership to develop and execute solutions. Our existing clients consistently ask us: “where can you help us”, rather than “I need help with this” and that is a critical distinction” says Stuart.

“As a relatively young division offering a completely different skill set to the rest of the Nolands Firm, our primary challenge was threefold: • Educate both the existing firm personnel and potential clients as to the types of services and value we can offer our clients • Convince new clients to trust a relatively new outfit with a mandate of such a personal nature regarding the acquisition/disposal of their life’s work (their business). • Lastly, we had to find the right mix of individuals with the same cultures, values, mindset, and ability to build a high performing and cohesive team in order to service the ever-increasing workload from clients”, he further added.

THE “SECRET SAUCE” Stuart Noland got to where he is today by focussing on his goals, putting in the hard yards, and not taking any shortcuts along the way. He spent a long time (over 10 years) focussing on his tertiary studies and building a solid foundation from which to build a career. He initially took jobs that would provide him with the best exposure and learning opportunities, rather than the best short-term remuneration. Stuart worked in a number of cities around the world in order to gain exposure to different cultures and ways of working. Besides, he was fortunate enough to have a family that gave him great guidance in terms of thinking of how to structure and build a career from an early age. 22

NOLANDS CAPITAL, THEN AND NOW

Words of Wisdom

The firm has consistently outperformed expectations during the first 3 years of operations thanks to the incredible effort from the team and support from the loyal clients. “We are looking forward to continuing to identify and work with fantastic clients and form long-term relationships that facilitate mutual success and enable us to grow alongside the clients we currently serve. We are very excited to continue to grow the team, both nationally in SA and abroad, and continue to advance our capabilities in key areas that are of importance to our clients. We are planning to provide the infrastructure and auxiliary services to assist the overall Nolands firm to grow in other areas of business by delivering holistic solutions to our clients across all key service pillars: Audit, Advisory & Law”, says Stuart.

There are no shortcuts to success. Start with the end in mind and be willing to put in the hard yards to build the right foundation for long-term future success.

"Before you are a leader, success is about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is about growing others." -- Jack Welch

Midas PR Group (Founder)

Que: At the outset, please give us a glimpse of yourself. Ans: I’ve always maintained a proactive mindset routed in past experiences in many countries, and the fact that as an expat it's more work to build a company from scratch in Thailand. I have a degree in Social & Political Sciences from the University of Strasbourg, and having worked in Luxembourg, I synergise between theoretical knowledge and approaches with valuable experiences, and together these helped lay a foundation in Thailand. I’ve always understood that in comparison to other business communication strategies, the Return on Investment (ROI) for Public Relations activities were more difficult to communicate/quantify. So in 2007, I had a vision for creating a PR company that delivers measurable results for clients, and this came to life in the form of Midas PR. Que: Briefly describe your company and the products/services you offer. Ans: Midas PR Group is a renowned public relations agency in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand, and our strong local connections and international experience make our clients stand out. PR strategies essentially communicate your business model and credibility to the public. I founded Midas PR Group to serve as the expert in the field, and personally I have over 15 years in the industry. Our offering is built on creating bespoke strategies for clients. I lead a team of enthusiastic executives who leave their long-lasting Midas Touch on the brands we support and empower. Que: Going back to your early career decisions, tell us what factors influenced your decision to be an owner? Ans: When I was 3 years old, I spent a lot of time at my mother’s business, and her customers would ask

me, “what do you want to do when you grow up?” My answer was always, “I want to be a boss.” As long as I can remember I always wanted to lead; to take care of people, and take charge in challenging situations. Often a woman who shows drive and wants to get things done is labelled difficult, but I always knew I could show real leadership and passion whilst practising humility and respect for our clients and teams. 4. Who are your clients? How do you ensure the unbreakable faith of your clients? Our clients are global/regional corporates that span from industry, big pharma, solar, e-commerce, NGOs, airlines, luxury products, tech and beauty brands. We work on measurable success/metrics, so clients know what they’re getting. Many comment they love the fact our team is always available; we are the only PR company providing 24/7 crisis comms services– whatever gets the job done; of course there needs to be a balance between after-hours work and urgency. Our team’s proactive, helping our service stand out compared to others. We offer more than our clients planned for, giving them new ideas. We are often told many PR firms are reactive not proactive, only doing things that meet the KPIs in their contract; we do the opposite, giving clients other avenues to exploit and profit from. Que: As your company grew, or re-grew from your pivot, what were the primary challenges? The most significant pivot recently was Covid, and before this we always tried to predict, to be constantly a few steps ahead. We are the only PROI Worldwide and PRCA_SEA partner in Thailand and that gives us the ability to work cross-region and globally. We’ve focused on growing and retaining inhouse skills, and since well before the pandemic, we have been in hybrid mode, working with international partners for 24

“

I will find a way

many years; our teams are savvy with newer platforms, and we create systems for growth, enabling enough leaders in our company to continue to lead our industry. Every company has challenges. For us, it was developing systems that work for our company culture. Que: How did you get where you are today? Ans: My motto is, “I will find a way or make one”, a philosophy that stems from a strong sense that the word ‘impossible’ is banned from our company vocabulary. Hence when I see a challenge, I see it as a way to go, and I get through with perseverance. Making ‘my place’ in Thailand required that I adapted to the culture, being humble enough to understand in order to succeed. And to succeed, you need strong Thai persons who stand next to you – I’m lucky to have a great Thai partner and an exceptional Thai team who can do things I cannot do as a foreigner; to understand one’s limitations, and to find a solution to that. The last thing is positivity, to be more creative, more inventive. Que: What suggestion would you give to companies on how they can contribute to a more balanced, equal industry?

Midas PR Group (Founder) Ans: Midas PR regularly organizes internship/shadowing opportunities for overseas and local students to attract more girls/women into PR. The company requires at least one woman in a position of responsibility on candidate selection, and 70% of senior leadership positions are taken by women. The company follows LGBTQ-friendly policies, providing equal opportunities and access to senior positions to non-binary people, and family-friendly policies. Que: Please take us through the routine of your day. Ans: I like routine, so I wake up, enjoy some alone time, reflect on what I have to do. My day is divided into meetings, business development, client management, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. Twice a week I network via hybrid-online. I play an active part in networks, including Bangkok Lionesses, the Inspire business breakfast, and BNI Global Riders Network (once a month between 90 business leaders). 25

Que: Tell us about a favourite book that inspires you. Ans: I enjoy books and read 2-3 books per month; the last one was “Atomic Habits” which teaches you to start small and have faith that the butterfly effect will ensure your actions spread out like ripples. Sometimes when we need to go from A-Z, we must realise we are not superhuman, and so going from A-B is the first step. An example in the book recalls the story recently about the British Tour de France team, which hadn’t won in 100 years. They brought in a new coach who made modest adjustments with equipment and training, which then saw the team in three years going on to win the tour. I’ve always looked at things like this for myself. Even though I have vison, I concentrate on small milestones, and then muster courage as I move forward one step at a time. Our PR teams train in much the same way. Collectively, we strive to improve a little bit for each and every person within our teams, and taken together that’s very powerful.

“

I will make one.

Que: What does the future hold for your company? Kindly share your future goals.

Que: Mention any awards and milestones your company has received.

Ans: We are already well on track and will continue doing what we’re doing, making those small, regular adjustments, and being the most perfect we can be. We’ll continue aiming to be predictive, and one step ahead of the industry. We will continue to function as a true integrative hybrid company – a worker-built company – one with a history of hiring nomads before the term was known, and international/remote contributors before covid and before this was a common thing. If we maintain this vison for ensuing the journey/pursuit of excellence, and attract talent, keep it, nurture it - because a PR firm is only as good as the team - then we will continue to lead the industry.

Ans: ● Best Corporate Social Responsibility Award, PRCA Award 2020 ● The Golden Globe Tigers Awards 2020 for Excellence & Leadership in Branding & Marketing ● Global Business Insight Awards 2019 for the Most Outstanding Public Relations Firm ● Thailand Brand Leadership Award 2018 for the Best PR Company Que: As a source of inspiration for many, what would your advice be for female entrepreneurs planning to enter the business world? 1) be yourself. 2) find a mentor, someone they can talk to and feel they’re in a safe place 3) network with other women who are likeminded, so as to be inspired by other successful women. 4) set any limitations on yourself. 5) If you suffer disappointment, don’t stay down with that disappointment. Always get up if you fall, get back on the saddle. 26

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Dr Wolf Vierich The Vitala Group (Chairman) 28

The journey for the Vitala Group of Companies started in 1983 as the brainchild of Dr Wolfgang Vierich, the Founder & Group Chairman. He is equipped with years of experience from his successful career since the year 1967. In his German air force military career in the USA he passed out as the highest ranked “Foreign Outgoing Officer” of any US Military Academy, USA.

Dr Vierich also lectures, speaks, and has published worldwide on subjects covering Law, Management and global tourism industry trends, and project finance. He has worked and consulted on numerous Government programmes and campaigns in Japan and the USA. He was chosen by President Reagan as the Chair of the Commission on the American Outdoors. He was also Chair of the State of Florida Crime Prevention Program and, as a result, he was appointed as a Distinguished Visitor of the City of Miami.

He was legal and economic advisor to six Heads of State, and he led economic nationalization programmes in Tanzania, Iran, Jordan, and Qatar during the 1970s – 1980s. He was also Regional General Manager of the UK Inchcape Group’s Middle East operations, and Holiday Inn International Hotels’ Director of Projects Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

For his global achievements in the international tourism industry, he was Knighted by the German Government in 2010.

A graduate from two West German Hotel Management Schools, his educational curriculum was complemented at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and the University of Austin, Texas, majoring in International Trade Law and Contract Law, obtaining his JD and Ph.D., followed by studies in International Project Management at the European Centre of Management in Brussels, and in Executive Management at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Afterwards, he obtained an MBA from the University of Munich, Germany.

He has been honoured as “CEO of the Year 2021” by CEO Today Magazine, and his Vitala Group of Companies was appointed as the “Most Outstanding Leisure & Tourism Group 2021 UK”.

Persevere! And never give up. - Dr Wolf Vierich

He is a: FELLOW - IH Institute of Hospitality - IM Institute of Management - CIM Chartered Institute of Marketing - TS Tourism Society, UK

VISITING FELLOW: - Bournemouth University, UK, (1990-96)

MEMBER: - WWA World Waterpark Association - RoSPA Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (1988-2004) - IAAPA International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions - MCB Editorial Board, Contemporary Journal of Hospitality Management, MCB University Press - JWA Honorary Member, Japan Waterpark Association - ALAPA Founder & Honorary Member, Asociación Latino Americana de Parques Acuáticos - LATAG Latin American Trade Advisory Group, (1992-1998) - TEA Themed Entertainment Association, USA - ULI International Council, Urban Land Institute, USA - IALEI International Association for the Leisure & Entertainment Industry, USA - Editorial Board, Aquatics International, USA, - World Safety Council, USA, (1993-95) - Russian Association of Joint Ventures, International Consortia & Organisations, (1986-90) - ALES Associate Member, Association of Leisure & Equipment Suppliers, UK - IRETO Board of Experts KNIGHTHOOD: Knight of Gastronomy, Germany LIFE MEMBER: WLRA World Leisure & Recreation Association CHAIRMAN: World Waterpark Association International Advisory Board (1988-2000)

GUARDIAN: Hospitality Action Benevolent Association, UK COUNCIL MEMBER: The Gerson Lehrman Group

ADVISOR: - International Advisor, Asociación Latino Americana de Parques Acuáticos (ALAPA) 1982 - UK Department of Trade & Industry “Opportunity Japan” Campaign, (1990- 1994) 30

“If you don’t buy a ticket, you definitely cannot win the lottery”.

The VITALA Group of Companies The VITALA Group of Companies is now operating in its 38th year and has been active in over 153 countries since its inception. The Group is best known as global Project Finance providers, developers, managers, and consultants to the leisure, tourism, and themed entertainment industry. It provides additional related services for many other industries. They also specialise in global project financing and the formation of financing syndicates covering start-up and ongoing projects, the provision of Private Placement Memorandum and related documentation for project verification, as well as Merger and Acquisition services. The Group’s commercial activities cover investment, consultancy, and management services for all types of industries worldwide. - AIIS, American International Immigration Services - International Advisor, Russian Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions, (RAAPA)

COMMISSION CHAIRMAN US President Reagan’s Commission to Report on the American Outdoors (1986-87) Florida State Government’s Tourist Crime Prevention Program, (1992-1995)

INTERNATIONAL PROJECT FINANCE SERVICES OFFERED: • Equity / debt funding • Project start-ups • Partnerships • Project loans • Project Management • Investigation • Private placement memorandum • Feasibility study assignments • Loan syndication 31

• Operational audits • Project acquisitions • Project mergers • Project buy-outs/ buy-ins There are no up-front fees or any other hidden fees for Project Financing. The company only charges a success fee. “Since 1983, The Vitala Group has been raising project finance. We receive numerous applications for all types of project financing and, as we do not act as finance brokers, we recommend the most appropriate source for a project’s evaluation. Project financing is based on the merits and risk aspects of the project rather than on security and corporate considerations. With global development projects completed in over 153 countries since 1983, we specialise in financing projects from inception right through to operation. This includes project finance, acquisitions, mergers, buy-outs, and joint ventures”, Dr Vierich further shared.

Favourite Book “The Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela.

“As you shout in the forest, the echo returns”

“No money, No honey”.

Challenges on the Way & Plans for Reaching the Next Milestones The demand for international project finance over US$ 10.0 million per project was steady in 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic had no measurable effect on that. Dr Wolf Vierich commenced real estate project finance in the Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia. All the 10 global offices functioned throughout the Covid-19 crisis, because of the vast number of ongoing international projects we deal with. There have been project delays caused by the various restrictions and quarantine measures imposed globally. This has affected mainly operators but not developers since, in most cases, project development requires some years to complete. “The provision of competent and ethical management is as important to us as our responsibility to achieve financial profit targets for our shareholders and investors. We must operate profitably to meet our ongoing obligations to employees and sponsors alike. To hire, train and motivate the best employees available in the market; to promote them first before engaging outside personnel; to treat staff respectfully and award them fairly and develop our personnel to act as good citizens of the community - remains our constant mission. Preferably to deal with projects which will positively impact communities, with real measurable results. We seek to advance those who endeavour to contribute to our business and society, regardless of their background, origin, religion, race, political beliefs, or aspirations. To provide excellence and to succeed through satisfied customers and clients is to meet our highest goal”, said Dr Vierich while talking about his future plans. 32

Christiana Kouppi Vrikis & Kouppi LLC (Partner) 34

n experienced high calibre seasoned lawyer, an eternal optimist, and a cheerful persona, Christiana Kouppi joined Vrikis & Kouppi LLC in 2017. She has over 10 years of experience in top-tier firms in both Australia and Cyprus, acting for a wide range of clients over the years and working with entrepreneurs helping them set up and manage successful businesses, and offering elite guidance in Corporate Finance, Intellectual Property, Property Acquisition, Restructuring to name a few. Christiana ventured out on her legal educational journey at La Trobe in Melbourne Australia and after 5 fantastic years, she combined her two passions and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Finance and Management. She then continued and became a Member of the Society of Estate and Trust Practitioners and qualified with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission. Whilst still in Australia, Christiana always enjoyed an active role with the Victorian Women Lawyers Association and contributed articles for their in-house magazine Portia.

“I suppose that growing up and working in Australia and Cyprus has given me a fondness for the outdoors and the beach and I am a firm believer in maintaining a healthy work-life balance while also giving back to the community one is part of and enjoys. Giving back to others is an ethic that I hold dear and have always sought to apply throughout my life and legal career, endeavouring to pass this on to newcomers to our profession, and to encourage them to also do the same”, Christiana further apprised.

STANDING OUT FROM THE CLUTTER Established in 2015, Vrikis & Kouppi LLC (‘the Firm’) today provides legal services to people from Cyprus and across the world. They have two offices, one in Limassol and one in Nicosia and with over 30 years of collective experience, they offer the sharpest legal minds providing confident and incisive legal advice with a real desire to change the legal landscape in Cyprus. Their priority is to provide the highest possible standard of legal service and to maintain the best quality at every point of client and service provider interaction.

From Shakespeare’s Hamlet:

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, thou can be false to no man”.

The Firm practices in all fields of Cyprus law, with a strong focus in the areas of: • Company and Commercial Law • Family and Trust Law, Taxation Law • Banking and Finance • Immigration • Mergers and Acquisitions • Litigation • Property Law & Tenancy Matters • Administrative Law • Secretarial services and company incorporations • Employment law “We are happy to assist on any matter and we always make ourselves available to our clients to offer them support and advice where needed. We serve some of the world’s preeminent corporations with a full bureau law service and we are recognised for our industry focus in key sectors” Christiana shared while talking about her clients. “We are committed to demonstrating support to our clients and we understand this intuitively, many firms would tend to believe that focusing on the practice areas seems to make sense, however ultimately, you are offering a service to a client and behind that service is a person. Maintaining personal relationships with our clients is key to us understanding their needs. This personal development is imperative to us and yields the best results possible”, she further added.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES AS A LEADER Christiana Kouppi and the Firm share the same challenges as the majority of companies. The present times are in constant flux and the world is in constant change, obviously, COVID has affected everyone to some degree and the evolving needs of the clients keeps Vrikis & Kouppi LLC on their toes, but the team delight in this and have always prided themselves in their ability to respond to change in an instant. The trends that the VK team has recognised recently however have centred around the need for faster turnaround times in all deliverables and more challenging working structures, and seeing this early on they have been at the forefront of developments

that are effectively allowing them to stay ahead to meet the demands of a more complex, faster changing, inter-connected world.

A DAY IN CHRISTIANA KOUPPI’S LIFE Christiana shared, “Every morning before I get out of bed, I map out a plan of my day in my head. In the office, I have a coffee meeting with the teams to discuss their plan and priorities for the day and then begin. After work, my favourite part of my evening is hitting a Zumba class. With a day job that is so much dependent on articulation, I find a great release from dancing, I truly believe it is the language for the soul when a person can just completely switch off the left side brain and engage one’s more creative artistic right side, with also the added benefit of being able to squeeze in a workout! As I spend most of my week on the phone or in meetings or in front of a computer, my personal time is spent away from all that, weekends are for the outdoors, preferably with a nice glass of wine and enjoying anything that doesn’t need a plug!”

FUTURE ROADMAP Vrikis & Kouppi LLC has a determined vision of becoming the leading indigenous law firm in Cyprus by conducting its business in a way that is consistent with their values, where they have something of value to offer, and where their endeavour can make a difference. Here, people are at the core of what they do and they are committed to recruiting, developing, and retaining the most talented professionals, while at the same time offering continued legal education, defending equality, and encouraging enterprise focused activities that will allow them to make a positive difference in the local communities in which they operate.

AWARDS AND MILESTONES Vrikis & Kouppi LLC has been honoured with many awards, like: • Corporate Tax Law Firm of the year in Cyprus 2017 – Corporate International • 2018 Leading Commercial Law adviser of the Year, Cyprus – Acquisition International

A PIECE OF ADVICE FOR FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS “Feto Forte – Nasaun Forte” “Strong Women, Strong Nation”. When women find a voice and assume leadership roles in the community, the entire community, and by extension the nation, benefits”. Christiana shared. It is certainly challenging for female entrepreneurs to follow their dreams and aspirations and put their dreams onto an action plan as they are faced with so many difficulties however I am a firm believer that if you always work with honesty and passion, whilst having the common sense and aspiration to move forward, you will surely excel.

• 2018 Corporate & Commercial Law Firm of the Year in Cyprus – Acquisition International • Recommended Law Firm 2019 – Corporate Tax Law Firm of the Year in Cyprus - Global Law Experts • Recommended Attorney 2019 George Vrikis - Global Law Experts • Global Excellence Award for Christiana Kouppi – Most Influential Women in Business Transactions Law 2019 – by Acquisition International

C.s Lewis: “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending”.

• Listed on Legal500

Matthew Kolinski USA Staffing Services (Founder & CEO) 38

fter running a traditional staffing and recruiting firm for 4 years, Matthew Kolinski realized that there is an operational advantage of large staffing firms compared to start-up staffing firms and he wanted to level the playing field. He took his experience of running the back-office operations for his own firm and used it as the foundational stone of USA Staffing Services in the year 2010 as a Back Office Partner for entrepreneurs in the staffing and recruiting space. Since its inception, the firm has been helping entrepreneurs with the back-office operation of their staffing firms and allows them to focus on nurturing customer relationships and increasing sales to drive revenue. Matthew Reports that “I wanted to level the playing field for my friends who were offering better recruiting services by giving them the same services of a “corporate” back office but at a reasonable price “

“I have wanted to write about my experiences for several years because I want to bring hope and enlightenment to those who are going through struggles. Life satisfaction is more than a feeling, it is a method of approaching life that brings more happiness and satisfaction. The philosophy that I created called Work-Passion-Life Balance is an approach to utilizing relationships in your life to maximize your own life. The most important relationship is the relationship with yourself which I focus on throughout the book”, Matthew further shared.

The man behind this brand, Matthew Kolinski an entrepreneur, physician, and thought leader. He started his first business at the age of 16 and throughout the last 20 years has had most of his impact in the Human Capital Management arena. Specifically, he has been in Staffing and Recruiting for over 15 years and he has invested in HR technology platforms to improve employee satisfaction within certain industries.

“Some People want it to happen, Some people wish it would happen, Others Make it Happen” - Michael Jordan

Mr Kolinski recently released his book in May 2020 called “Work-Passion-Live Balance: Finding Fulfilment Through Zones of Efficiency” because he wanted to take his experience of improving his life satisfaction and share it with the world. 39

As part of Matthew’s passion of being an entrepreneur himself, he is actively involved as the President of the Local Tampa chapter of the global organization called Entrepreneur’s Organization which has 16,000 members worldwide.

About the Company & Service Portfolio USA Staffing Services, LLC created the Authorized Dealer Program which is a back-office platform other staffing firms. It is an operational partner that runs the back-office operations that focuses on staffing firms who are doing less than $5MM in payroll per year. The owners of the staffing firms are typically entrepreneurs who are growing the business and need operational assistance to grow. They provide the payroll processing, workers compensation, payroll funding, AR management, and all responsibilities regarding compliance for payroll taxes.

Clientele For USA Staffing Services, the main clientele includes those entrepreneurs who are starting up recruiting and staffing firms. Typically, the operational workforce overhead associated with starting up a staffing firm is significant and costs more than the profit they make, however with the Authorized Dealer Program via USA Staffing, it becomes reasonable for staffing firms to grow quickly to $5MM in payroll before needing to bring on a team of operational support. At the level of about $5MM in payroll, it is reasonable to add internal staff to continue the growth or they can stick with the company’s service as they continue to grow.

From the CEO’s Desk “Our challenges with growth have been similar to other businesses in the industry including brand management and meeting client needs. For all staffing firms, Cash flow and Workers Compensation are the two vital components for sustainability and it is challenging for new businesses to develop stable solutions early in their business. Volume in terms of increased payroll processing and invoicing solves both of these issues and now that we are larger, we take measures to ensure our Authorized Dealer Partners have the same leverage we have when it comes to pricing and solutions”, said Matthew while talking

about the challenges he suffered in the early days of business. “I have been an entrepreneur and businessman from an early age, but it wasn’t until 2015 that I identified myself as an entrepreneur. This help came from members of the Entrepreneurs Organization that I met while I attended the INC 500 conference in 2015. When I was a child, my parents pushed me to be better in terms of grades, athletics, and focus on achieving goals and I am thankful for their impact on my work ethic”, he shared when asked about the inspiration behind his entrepreneurial journey.

Suggestion for Companies to Create a more Balanced and Equal Industry Matthew recommends that all staffing firms take these two pieces of advice: 1. Pick an industry to specialize in and diversify your clients (not diversify your speciality) 2. Obtain 50% of your take-home revenue from Direct Hire Placements (Perm recruiting) and 50% from Temporary Staffing Placements.

Daily Routine “I wake up typically around 6:45 am because my daughter wakes up. I have 2 kids (1 and 3 years old). I spend the first hour of the day with my family and I enjoy playing and cooking breakfast. I drop off my daughter at school and head to the office at 9 AM for our team's daily huddle and check-in. Mornings are typically reserved for follow-up and working on pricing/projects/situational solutions. The afternoons are typically reserved for meetings and follow-ups. I try to be home by 5 PM daily for dinner with the family and then the kids are in bed between 7-7:30. I spend time with my wife for the rest of the evening”, asserted Mr Kolinski.

Favourite Books • No Rules Rules by Reed Hastings • How To Lead by David Rubenstein • Great by Choice by Jim Collins • Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

Road Ahead

A Piece of Advice for Female Entrepreneurs

Over the past 11 years, USA Staffing has worked with over 400 entrepreneurs in the staffing industry and provided opportunities and solutions to grow their business. Their products and services are improving on a weekly basis and they believe they are the best back-office solution for staffing firms in the market today. Now, Matthew and his team look forward to continuing to talk with entrepreneurs and business owners who want to grow their businesses.

The world needs more female entrepreneurs because of the innovation and solutions that they can bring to the economy. The approach to business takes confidence in yourself to know that you have a solution that others need and secondly it is important to build a team who will support you as you grow. In my experience the Business world significantly benefits every time we increase diversity in the board room and leadership teams.