Category: Business Spotlight

8 Women CEO in the Forbes 100 List

Posted on | by root

Eynat Guez, co-founder and CEO at Papaya Global

For the last seven years, Forbes has published a list showcasing the 100 CEOs who are leading the world’s most successful privately owned cloud companies.

The Cloud 100 is a diverse list that is global in its scope and includes enterprises at all stages of growth, sales and valuation. It reflects the growing importance of cloud-based tech and is compiled using a variety of criteria, with a panel consisting of 26 assessors from within the sector and fellow CEOs.

A significant point that highlights the ever-increasing prominence of this sector is that the companies on the 2022 Cloud 100 list have a combined market capitalization of $100 billion greater than those in 2021.

More women CEOs in the top 100

One of the most significant features of the 2022 Cloud 100 list is that it features 8 women CEOs, up from 6 in 2021. It can of course be argued that women are still significantly underrepresented at the helm of tech companies, but the albeit small increase can nevertheless be seen as a positive, although there is still much more to do when it comes to women in executive leadership roles.

Below we look at the eight women who have crashed into the top 100, their achievements, their companies’ valuations, and what they have done to foster such significant growth and success.

Eynat Guez

Papaya Global

Papaya Global founder Eynat Guez is ranked at 74 in the Cloud 100 list, and under her leadership the company is now valued at $3.7 billion, having raised $250 million in a Series D funding round in 2021.

The Israel-based global payroll provider is also leading the way when it comes to women in tech, with the workforce being more than 50% female. The company has built its success on supporting organizations of all sizes and across sectors to expand into new markets, hire freelancers, and manage payroll globally.

Laura Behrens

Shippo

The eCommerce shipping platform Shippo is headed by co-founder Laura Behrens (no. 85), under whose stewardship the company raised $50 million in new funding in 2021. Now valued at more than $1 billion, Shippo has successfully expanded internationally into Germany, France, the UK, Canada and Australia, and is looking to go even further afield in the coming years.

One of the key reasons for Shippo’s success has been that it enables owners of eCommerce sites to use virtually any shipping provider globally via a single API.

Bernadette Nixon

Algolia

Coming in at 39 in the Cloud 100 list, Algolia CEO Bernadette Nixon has seen the company’s valuation grow to $2.25 billion, thanks in part to a $150 million Series D funding round in 2021.

This is Nixon’s first appearance on the list, and her API search and discovery platform has significantly grown its global customer base to more than 17,000 users since its founding in 2012.

Karen Peacock

Intercom

Intercom founder Karen Peacock is placed at 35 in the Cloud 100 list, and she has been at the helm as the company has raised over $240 million over 9 funding rounds.

Now valued at $1.25 billion, the Intercom communication platform supports companies in the management of their customer relations, and has more than 25,000 clients around the world, including major corporations such as Amazon, Webex, Meta and more.

Edith Harbaugh

Launch Darkly

LaunchDarkly CEO Edith Harbaugh is at number 34 on the Cloud 100 list, and under her leadership the California-based software feature management company is now valued at more than $3 billion.

Over eight rounds, LaunchDarkly raised $330 million in Series D funding in 2021, and now works with over 4,000 clients across a diverse range of industries, including Square, AMC, Intuit, Adidas and NBC.

Rachel Romer

Guild Education

Guild Education is a unique platform designed to make it easier for employers to enhance the range of economic and career opportunities it provides its employees, primarily through increasing access to education.

Co-founder and CEO Rachel Romer (no. 32 in the Cloud 100 list) has a number of industry awards to her name, and under her leadership the company is now valued at $3.75 billion, having raised over $634 million in a Series F funding round in 2022.

Melanie Perkins

Canva

Australian entrepreneur Melanie Perkins is the highest ranked woman in the Cloud 100 list, coming in at number 3. Canva, the online graphic design platform that she co-founded in 2012, is now valued at $40 billion and has more than 3,000 employees worldwide, with around 45% of the workforce being women.

Canva has also made a number of acquisitions, and has been highly successful throughout its history at attracting major investors, such as Sequoia Capital, Felicis Ventures, Blackbird Ventures, and Tiger Global Management.

Mathilde Collin

Front

Number 100 on the Cloud 100 list is Mathilde Collin, CEO of Front, a business communication hub that personalises customer relationships and makes it easier to ‘humanise’ messaging and other interactions with customers.

Front offers plans and packages for enterprises of all sizes, and under Collin’s leadership, the US company is now valued at over $1.7 billion, on the back of a $65 million Series D funding round in 2022.

luxury bathroom

The Builder’s Choice for Functionality, Durability and Affordability

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

Aesthetically appealing and practical, Lauxes Grates provides elegant water drainage solutions for indoor and outdoor applications. Trusted by clients the world over, we take a more in-depth look at the man behind it all, Tim Dawson, as he is recognised in the CEO of the Year Awards 2022.

Established in 2010, Lauxes Grates (trading under Lauxes Products) is one of Australia and New Zealand’s most exclusive designers and manufacturers of versatile indoor and outdoor drainage solutions.

With more than 20 years’ worth of combined trade experience, the firm’s knowledgeable and highly skilled developers have created unique, innovative, and aesthetic products to meet market specifications.

Lauxes Grates was initially developed with more than 1,000 product lines, however by later focusing on just one product, it allowed the company thrive. The Australian business has come a long way from its original 24 distributors when the decision was made to focus on linear grates. Today, as an industry leader, the firm is always on to the next best thing. With its head office located on the Gold Coast, and warehouses in Western Australia and Victoria, expansion is inevitable. Now with 50 employees, and availability through more than 2,000 wholesalers (and growing daily) across seven different countries, the company’s in-depth product knowledge has kept it well ahead of the competition over the years.

Capably steering the firm at the helm is Chief Executive Officer, Tim Dawson, who created Lauxes Grates with an idea, a plan, and a determined mindset. Seeing a gap in the market and an increase in home development projects, Tim designed the award-winning range of linear drainage. Almost 13 years later, several re-thinks and major decisions taken, and along with his ever-growing and dedicated team, he’s finally riding the waves of success.

“We’ve become a popular builder’s choice for durability, functionality, and affordability,” explains Tim, who was born and bred on the Gold Coast. “I know what it’s like to be using material that’s not up to scratch. Over the years, I’ve often worked with products knowing that the person who made it has never used it. That’s one of many things that makes us different.”

With a demonstrated history of working in the electrical and sanitary manufacturing industry, Tim is skilled in sales, business development, marketing strategy, business strategy, and leadership, gleaned from his time spent in high-end roles and has developed a strong business development focus in building company cultures and principles.

Whilst Tim may be the genius behind the firm and its innovative grates, he is also an inspiring leader who always encourages his employees to be the very best they can be. He enjoys family time on weekends with his wife and three children, and also loves to personally challenge himself at hardcore physical events such as True Grit or Tough Mudder.

But Tim is also a big believer in his people and that behind every ‘grate’ company, there is a dedicated team helping to fly its flag. Through Lauxes Grates, he genuinely values the staff he has.

“The product has been the vehicle of our success, but the best part of our business is the team,” he elaborates. “It is, without doubt, our best creation. It’s a fun and inspiring company to learn and grow in. That’s what it’s all about to me. I genuinely enjoy being a leader – not being a boss just telling people what to do but really leading.”

With a strong focus centred on the firm’s core values, Tim ensures that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet to meet customer expectations each and every time.

Constantly looking ahead, anticipating and responding to change quickly, and challenging the status quo, Tim describes his team as problem solvers who are able to be adaptive to change and think outside of the box.

“We encourage and value informed initiative-taking,” he goes on to say. “We are action takers and see issues and problems as opportunities to improve. We feel empowered by empowering others. The thrill and excitement of growing as a company is infectious, creating a fervent team culture within an inspirational environment.”

And 2022 has been a year of successes for Tim and the team, including its attendance at several incredible expos such as the Sydney Build and Design Show, which widened the firm’s circle of influence substantially. The Lauxes family also grew by 18 people over the year, making the total nearly 50 strong.

“It feels like only yesterday I had a team of five,” Tim laughs. “As always, I’m so proud to surround myself with these people every day, the people that keep my vision alive and make it all possible.”

Furthermore, 2022 was a year of many firsts too, including the firm’s first magazine features, plus the launch of its gold grates, a release that Tim never anticipated would be as big as it was and the demand of which has surpassed all of his wildest expectations.

It was, however, not without its challenges, and as a determined and pragmatic leader, Tim took a proactive approach. “There were multiple challenges and times we had to pivot,” he tells us. “But sticking to our core values, we have worked tirelessly to make things happen and improve in the areas that encountered some problems.”

He continues, “My business success is a result of all the mistakes I made. In former businesses when I was younger, I didn’t appreciate people the way I do now. I kept a lot of secrets and it didn’t serve me well. I was broken when I went bankrupt. Without that bankruptcy experience behind me, I wouldn’t be here.

“All I can say is ‘wow’. Another year done and dusted. It’s safe to say 2022 was wild, challenging and rewarding for the Lauxes Grates team and myself!”

As a leader in the industry, Lauxes Grates has received a plethora of awards over the past few years. These include ProTrade United awards for categories such as Team Leadership, Student Engagement, and Business of the Year, as well as the annual Gold Coast Business Excellence Award in 2020 for Retail, Wholesale & Distribution, and many more. Plus, Tim has been named amongst the Top 100 Young Entrepreneurs of Australia for three years running in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

The most recent accolade to add to the trophy shelf and further uphold Tim’s reputation as a ‘grate’ leader comes in the form of CEO of the Year, 2022 – Queensland, Australia, as recognised in CEO Monthly’s CEO of the Year Awards.

Understandably delighted to receive this much-coveted title, Tim now has big plans for the future. With relationships already established in Europe and the US, the global expansion is in full swing. Having recently opened a new Global Headquarters in Ashmore, just five minutes down the road from the Australian headquarters in Molendinar, Tim and the team are gearing up to take this company to the next level, continue building their global empire, and taking the world by storm, one grate at a time!

“As the business grows, so do our amazing professional and personal networks,” he enthuses. “I appreciate every message, every connect, and every call or email – Lauxes wouldn’t look the same without the incredible amount of support behind us!”

For business enquiries, contact Tim Dawson from Lauxes Grates on their website – www.lauxesgrates.com.au

Men walking next to a blue sign

Joyous Adventure from Austria for Austria

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

Established in 2003, Jollydays GmbH provides thousands of leisure experiences in Austria and Germany, with something available to suit every interest. Vid Matic took on the company as CEO in March 2021, and he hasn’t looked back since. In light of him being crowned CEO of the Year – Austria, we sat down and had a chat with him about Jollydays and his own career.

For 18 years, Jollydays has been offering all kinds of adventure gifts, whether for the food lover, thrill seeker, romantic, traveller, or wellness and relaxation enthusiast. Over almost two decades, it has made a big name for itself in the Austrian market for being one of the go-to leisure providers. Its team works tirelessly to bring clients the best possible service, the most exciting offers, and the most unforgettable experiences – keeping them coming back time and time again.

With over 6,000 experiences available, including cooking classes, candlelight dinners, wine tasting, quad biking, driving dream cars, skydiving, paragliding, spa days, hot balloon rides, and much, much more, customers are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting the perfect gift for that special someone or even treating themselves.

Now, Vid Matic leads the company with a passion for looking after his team and providing the best possible experience to each and every customer. He tells us, “We took Jollydays on because we thought the brand name was very strong, and it’s super expensive to actually develop a brand. You can throw millions down the drain to achieve nothing, but Jollydays was organically grown.” And the company continues to thrive under his leadership, with core values of emotional intelligence, inclusion, transparency, people-focus, and joyfulness underlying everything the team does. He says, “I’m as good as my people. I’m here as kind of chief motivator. I make decisions, but I live and die by my team.”

As leader, Vid sees output as the most important thing. As long as everyone in the team is achieving the company’s goals, he isn’t a stickler for how many hours are spent in the office or how long it takes to complete a task. The important thing is that work gets done. In line with this flexible leadership style, he wants his team to feel that they can approach him, no matter what it’s about. He has come to know how his people work best, respecting that some prefer space while others need a little more support and guidance.

Vid states, “I try to be friendly with everyone on my team. You spend your whole day, the majority of your life in an office surrounded by people, and if you don’t love them or like them, then there’s no purpose in it.”

He goes on to tell us more about his team, “They play the absolute role. I can push and want and motivate, but it is their output that is vital. The truth is, I hire people who are better than me. In marketing, in finance, in technology, in customer relations, and more, they are the specialists. I need to have sound understanding of all topics, maybe be great in a few areas. For example, my chief financial officer, of course he’s better than me. He needs to be; I depend on him. My chief marketing officer, of course she’s better than me. I rely on her. At the end of the day, I have to make the final decision, but I fully, fully depend on them. I got very lucky that the people I’ve brought in so far have been fantastic. Fantastic people and fantastic experts.”

Armin Sageder, the majority shareholder of Jollydays, is the person Vid refers to as his mentor and part of the reason for his success. “He chose me as his CEO, my first such role, and showed his belief in me,” Vid states. “This belief continuously fills my sails and is an incredible driver. Armin has founded and built up Paysafe and Best Gaming Technology, both incredible tech successes, so his advice and mentorship is worth its weight in gold. The real reason behind my admiration is that whilst achieving incredible success, he has maintained his empathy and a lack of pretentiousness. For me, that is rare and special.”

Although Vid and his team are experts in what they do, that’s not to say that it’s been all roses. As soon as Vid became CEO, he had to navigate the storm that was the pandemic. A company that is extremely dependent on events suddenly found itself with an extreme challenge of events not being able to happen. Not only this, but Vid was also managing a restructure, hiring new people, and getting ready for a relaunch in 2023 – where content will become all the more accessible and bookable within a couple of easy steps on the new Jollydays platform.

Speaking about facing all of these challenges, Vid says, “Trying not to reduce the team, trying not to cut anyone’s time… the crisis really sharpened my teeth, our teeth, because we could not have expected a global pandemic to hit and not be able to do anything. So, taking over a company at that time, that was a super challenge. But, what I always tell the guys here, always remember the way there; once we reach the mountain top, it will be a momentary kind of bliss.”

Then there is also the recession, with Vid explaining, “What happens in a recession is leisure suffers. The tourism industry, the hospitality industry, because if people cannot provide for their security and welfare, then they won’t be thinking about leisure.” This could be an ongoing challenge, as he continues, “If there’s a recession next year, it’s how to be more flexible with revenue streams coming from other places. Also preparing for our relaunch, of course. It’s just important not to panic, to be calm and adapt.”

With confidence, Vid tells us, “We made sure that the company’s flexible enough that we can pivot really quickly.” However, he also believes that it is important for his team to see weakness, that things can be difficult, and that anyone can make mistakes. Thus, Jollydays holds weekly sessions where everyone presents one of their own failures, with Vid saying, “Showing a bit of blood, showing that you can also bleed, showing that I can be sick and I’m not doing well, or I’m going through a relationship breakup and it’s really affecting me. There’s no hiding.”

Vid undeniably loves his work, too, and this shines through in his devotion to his role and his efficiency in it, with him saying, “I’m quite quick with my decisions. Energy-wise, I usually have excess in reserves. I can go at a strong pace for a long time during the day, and I like a mix of everything. I like structure in my work, but I also need this kind of flexibility within the structure to feel comfortable.”

Ultimately, it’s easy to see how Vid Matic has come to achieve such success as CEO of the Year, from his dedication to his work, to leading his team with empathy, admiration, and respect. He is excited about the future of Jollydays, where the aforementioned relaunch will be taking place, developed by Vid’s other company, Jollytec. He gives us a little more insight into that: “We want to be the place where you can organise and book all of your free leisure time. From a concert to a cabaret, to a skydive, a dinner in the sky, or a drive in a Lamborghini. You can do and find everything through our app, with the help of a few well-thought out filters.”

He explains further, “It’s just finding a better way to do something that people already do but waste a lot of time doing and get frustrated. Everyone can go on Google and find what they want if they search hard enough, but now you’ll have it there in one place, and you can also find other content there.”

With regard to the future of his own career, Vid says money isn’t a driver for him, but rather it’s about doing what he loves. He wants to become more knowledgeable, kinder, more sympathetic, and a better leader. He says, “At this point, I’m really enjoying what I’m doing. I want to grow; I want my people to grow. I want to teach them and for them to teach me. I will do some academia, too, some seminars, but only if time allows for it because my people, my companies are my absolute priority.”

For business enquiries, contact Vid Matic from Jollydays GmbH via email – [email protected] or on their website – www.jollydays.com

Team leader irritated man disagreed with colleague female

Perception Drives Distrust in Woman Leaders

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

By: Sharmla Chetty

It pains me to see that trust in women leaders has fallen according to the latest results from The Reykjavik Index for Leadership, but I am not surprised.

The report itself struggles to conclude why trust levels have dropped but suggests there are long-standing gender biases and prejudices that exist in our society which are perpetuated by the media, by deep rooted cultural norms, and supercharged by the political landscape and the pandemic. In other words, there is no hard data to support the results, it’s driven by perception.

On the contrary, there is data to show that women leaders have demonstrated strong leadership throughout the global pandemic. For example, according to a Covid study of 194 countries by the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the World Economic Forum, countries led by women had “systematically and significantly better” outcomes suffering half as many deaths on average as those led by men.

Additionally, female political leaders and public figures are often targeted and harassed online or by the media. At a recent media conference between Finland’s Sanna Marin and New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern, a male journalist asked if they were meeting because they are both women and of a similar age. This is a condescending question never asked of men.

Not only do these micro-aggressions discredit women, but they also have devastating effects on perpetuating negative perception of our women leaders, which in turn can discourage other women seeking or aspiring towards leadership roles.

The Reykjavik findings support this, stating “Perception matters: it manifests in numerous and deepening inequalities across every aspect of society, government, and business. It leads to further prejudice in the education choices and opportunities offered to girls; it impacts the paths of careers, interrupting earning potential and access to basic livelihoods.”

Consider the devastating cost to businesses and our society at large if this continues. Time and time again research has shown companies that invest in gender diversity at an executive level are more likely to have above-average profitability. While companies with more than 30% senior female leadership were more likely to outperform those that don’t.

Yet this latest survey revealing declining trust for women in leadership shows us that there is still much to be done at all levels – whether it is individuals, private organisations, or policymakers – everyone has a role to play by not looking away. Instead, we need to step up and use our voices to create real change.

Women’s rights should not be relegated to a day, or even a month, but remain central to the strategy of every business. Currently only eight women, and no women of colour, are employed as CEOs in the FTSE 100. Quotas alone will not shift the gender scale for female representation in corporate boards and leadership teams. We need companies to be transparent and accountable in relation to gender-equal hiring practices and promotion processes. There should also be policies introduced to close the gender pay gap, increase financial support for female-led businesses, and improve the protection of women from workplace discrimination and sexual harassment.

The data is clear. The research is solid. Inequality remains a challenge to our gender. And yet, I have hope, as I have witnessed the efforts of many strong female leaders in my time at Duke Corporate Education who have been at the forefront of progress for many decades. It is more important than ever for us to recognise and celebrate their work as they have shown us that the success of every woman has inspired another who has followed in their footsteps.

About the author: Sharmla Chetty is the CEO of Duke Corporate Education (Duke CE) where she is driven by her purpose of transforming organizations and society through leadership.

Sharmla Chetty
Portrait of Young Successful Caucasian Businesswoman Sitting at Desk Working on Laptop Computer in City Office.

People Power!

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

In today’s world, organisations need to act with purpose and with high impact as much as possible. Erika Giorgana is Humand CEO & Founder, as well as a passionate believer in the power of people and the impact they can have on businesses. Named CEO of the Year, 2022 – London, the United Kingdom, by the team at CEO Monthly, we thought it was the right time to catch up with Erika to uncover more.

Founded just five years ago, Humand had already managed to establish itself as a leading player, especially when companies are looking for people who can revolutionise the way they work. Businesses will need to find ways of becoming simpler, faster, and more flexible, and achieving this will require the right people in the right positions. Big companies struggle because they cannot always provide a boutique service – one perfectly matched to the needs of the business. That’s where Humand thrives.

Humand offers a way of achieving large-scale business transformation, leveraging digitalisation and agility to help organisations from every industry and of any size to reconfigure their operating models. For them, however, it’s not the technology that is most important to achieving success. It’s the people. That’s the secret that has allowed its CEO & Founder, Erika Giorgana, to thrive in an immensely competitive sector.

Erika has overseen growth at a tremendous rate whilst at Humand, building on her own deep experience at the frontline of organisational agility. Her strength of purpose has seen her partner up with many passionate leaders, all of whom are thinking towards the future of what business can and will be. “We are consultants, but we have a strong ‘why’, behind everything that we do,” Erika explains. “Our Purpose is to mobilize organizations into Purposeful and High-Impact Human systems. At Humand, “we sell what we do.”

Since opening the company’s doors, Erika has managed to build an incredible team of experts around her who not only share her dream, but have her passion for the field. “We collaborate, experiment, innovate, and deliver value at speed,” she says with a smile. “We are not just advisors – we work hand in hand with our client’s transformation teams to make what they believe is almost impossible, possible.”

Erika doesn’t just offer empty words when it comes to growth. She applies the same techniques to her clients as she does to her own company. Whilst the big firms such as McKinsey, BCG, and Bain bring their own reputations and brand recognition to the table, she has immense experience on her side, not just on how to support these businesses, but on how to support her own staff.

These thoughts have very much guided her approach to running her own business. “I believe top-down leadership is outdated, and, more importantly, counterproductive,” she tells us. “Unfortunately, there are still too many organisations and leaders that haven’t realised that by focusing too much on profit and end goals, and not on people, whether it’s employees or consumers, they are making it more difficult to achieve their own desired outcomes.”

In Erika’s experience, leadership has to change in order to ensure that businesses are able to thrive in an ever-changing world. “A leader’s main responsibility is to help people feel purposeful, motivated, and energised so they can bring their best selves to work,” she tells us. “It is not easy to achieve this. It takes hard work and new mindset. Every day I try to do my best to be a servant leader, to be humble and to do everything that is in my hands to help the people from my team grow as human beings, providing tangible and emotional support as they do so.”

As a result, Humand has been able to develop a team atmosphere where anyone and everyone feels welcome to contribute to the group. Instead of everyone being siloed into specific tasks, the company structure builds on each person’s strengths and accepts their weaknesses. “At Humand, we’ve realised that we can’t transform businesses and provide a world class experience without talented and passionate people,” Erika explains. “Once we find the best talent, we make sure we give them the freedom and foundation to shine at their brightest.”

This structure has allowed the team to make quicker decisions better than many other consultancies. There are no hierarchies, with the business built around multiple empowered teams. Each is responsible for specific clients, with the ability to set their own objectives, key results and backlog. These small but powerful teams are multidisciplinary, meaning that a mix of skills is always on hand. Working in this agile fashion has allowed Humand to support clients through varying challenges with a consistent degree of success. “This, I believe, creates an atmosphere that encourages everyone to be themselves and be at their best,” Erika tells us. The results certainly speak to this sterling effort.

The challenge for Erika, however, remains finding top talent to support her and the team she has been proud to build. “For us finding the right skills is super important, but not everything,” she explains. “We also need people who match our values, vision, and, most importantly, our purpose. If there’s anything the last few years has taught us is, it’s that skills are important, but people who share your vision and are aligned to your purpose can not only grow within the organisation but grow the organisation. So, finding the combination of the two is our biggest challenge.”

Whilst it’s clear that people are at the heart of Humand, technology has an increasingly important role to play. “During the past three years, at Humand, we have been experimenting with more technology-heavy offerings,” Erika tells us. “One of our most important has been the development of an online tool that allows our customers make their agile people ecosystem come to life. Our platform helps companies create agile HR processes and build responsive teams through a skill-based approach.” Development of this exciting idea is still ongoing, with 2023 seeing the launch of a new and improved version of this platform. For Erika, her team, and her clients, it’s certain to be a gamechanger!

Looking forward, Erika plans to continue on a path of pushing into bold new territory and exploring brave new ways of working. “If I assume that my experience of the last 16 years is what’s going to help me be successful in the next few, I would be very wrong!” she laughs. “I know that what got me here will not necessarily get me there. So, my plans for the future are basically focused on listening to our clients’ needs, and continuing to innovate and learn new skills.”

For business enquiries, contact Erika Giorgana – Humand CEO & Founder/ from Humand via email –  [email protected] or on their website – www.humand.com

Erika Giorgana
Erika Giorgana
silhouette of business man over office background

Adapt Or Die

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

In an ever-changing world, businesses need to adapt quickly to survive. Agile working is crucial to this, and the team at Adventures with Agile know this better than anyone. Under the leadership of Founder and CEO Simon Powers, the firm has achieved amazing success. Named CEO of the Year, 2022 – United Kingdom, London in CEO Monthly, we caught up with Simon to find out more about what drives him forward, and what has kept him and his team at the forefront of the agile revolution.

When things go wrong, it’s easy to assume that other people are to blame. This is especially true of those in leadership positions. These businesses are often run by people who struggle to adapt to changing circumstances. In the modern world, change is not only the only constant, but happening at an increasingly fast rate. Change happens at the top, no matter how big the organisation, and the team at Adventures with Agile are ideally equipped to bring that change to life.

For corporates, governments, charities, and other large entities around the world, this small but mighty firm has managed to establish itself as a pioneer in the world of agile working. Over the years, the team have specialised in building safe spaces for growth, innovation and risk management. While many leaders believe that agile is for software, it is very much a mindset that involves an entire business. There are enormous benefits that can come from this way of working if leaders are willing to take the first step into uncertainty.

Guiding people to run businesses better is something that Simon Powers feels passionately about. “I had spent many years working in organisations and as a freelancer, going in and doing work,” he tells us, but after six months, I’d lost enthusiasm for the job. It was always the same old problems. I started questioning myself: “Why did I start moving jobs every six months and so on? Is it me? Is it the people? Is it the technology? I loved them all.”

For Simon, the world of work was one which was inherently static and inflexible. Once established and successful, many businesses don’t change because they don’t see the need to. “It occurred to me that it was the culture of most organisations that are so dead,” he explains. “We come into the office with a quarter of ourselves. No wonder I wasn’t happy because I like to bring my full self to whatever I do, and I had to leave half of that at home. I had a choice. Either put up and shut up, quit work altogether, or do something about it. Change the world of work, change the culture of our organisations.”

Change is not easy in any situation, but it was a new challenge which Simon brought his full self to. Uncertain if he was the only one, he organised a business leaders’ meetup, with a guest speaker who would talk about culture and work. Eighty people turned up. “I realised that everyone feels like this,” he says with a smile. “So many people have wanted to make a difference to their way of working. I thought I was alone, but loads of them were interested.”

From these humble beginnings, the meetups continued. They soon grew from a passion project into the thriving success that is Adventures with Agile. The business offers impressive enterprise and team coaching to executive teams and HR departments. Over the years the team have managed to transform how firms operate. “It’s not about people doing a good job,” Simon tells us. “A good job can be the wrong job to do. It’s about finding new ways to adapt to new situations.”

Since founding the business in 2013, Simon and his team have had to learn and adapt quickly. Whilst many competitors focus on implementing standard processes and frameworks, Adventures with Agile has always prioritised staff capability. “It seemed to me that there is one common element in every organisation, and that is people,” Simon tells us. “Our values come from a deep understanding of how people face, embrace, or reject change. Our models and approach are based on a deep respect for people, and a belief that most people want to do the right thing, work hard, and create great products, services, and experiences”

The successful expansion of Adventures with Agile has been a direct result of this approach. “Enabling and empowering people has always worked in an organisation’s favour,” Simon observes, “and when coupled with our belief of thinking big and starting small and incrementally, we have been able to grow ourselves and our clients progressively whilst keeping risk and disruption low.”

Perhaps one of the keys to the team’s success is the way in which they view themselves as partners as opposed to purely consultants. If a business is not interested in change, then Adventures with Agile will not work with them. “We have been able to grow a strong loyal culture across our network through authenticity and inclusion and have been able to keep adapting without burning out through our use of our own models and approaches,” Simon tells us.

This commitment to authenticity not only keeps the team grounded, but has allowed Simon and his team to develop a tremendous reputation within the industry at large. Simon’s team haven’t had the need to engage in traditional sales activities. Instead potential clients approach the team, having heard about them through others. “Our business is about people and that means relationships are everything,” Simon says. “This starts from the first interaction with our clients and usually lasts many years. We attract the right clients who resonate with our approach as they read our thought leadership about organisational change and want us to create that capability inside their own organisations.” Because one of the core aspects of agile is creating the space to make that change, it’s easy to see why many company leaders struggle to adapt to the challenges the team present.

Like many businesses, Adventures with Agile had to change dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our coaching and training were all in-person,” Simon explains. “Overnight, we lost all our sales.” With a full staff to maintain, Simon and the Adventures with Agile team did what they do best. They adapted. They changed. And they did it fast. They were the first organisation in their sector to offer courses publicly online, a mere six weeks after the announcement came through. “I attribute this incredible turn around to our company culture and our ability to enact the agile ways of working that we help our clients with,” Simon says, proudly.

The continued success of Adventures with Agile has driven massive changes in how the team operates. It has also empowered the team to make new and exciting decisions. “The most significant shift for us in the next twelve months though will be the formation of a new organisation to allow our existing AWA global brand to focus on training,” Simon explains. “The new organisation will focus on supplying highly trained coaches to work inside of organisations to build their change and coaching capability. Unlike the larger consultancies we are not offering to do the change for our clients, we are instead helping them build internal capability so they can make the changes they need themselves.”

For Simon, therefore, the future is bright indeed. “As we grow, I am learning more about myself and how I conduct business,” he tells us. “I love learning for learning’s sake and each year I like to take on a new personal challenge to learn something new.” He has just released his book, “Change”, a guide to enterprise agile coaching. Looking forward, he’s planning to spend his time writing more articles and white papers around human-led change. As the world continues to adapt in the post-pandemic world, it’s clear that the guidance of people like Simon is going to be crucial.

“T we are successful is because we do what we teach others,” Simon says as we round off our interview. “We eat our own cake. By embodying what we teach we have not only proven our approach works for our clients, we have proven it works through our own company.” For Simon, agile isn’t just an approach which applies to business. It’s one which will begin to shape the world in which we live. “Nobody knows what the future will hold. There’s enormous ambiguity – things aren’t clear and still have to navigate through. There’s no perfect route, but agility gives a way to include everyone as far as possible.” We can’t wait to see more of the world he hopes to create come to life.

For business enquiries, contact Simon Powers Adventures with Agile via email – [email protected] or on their website www.adventureswithagile.com

Successful business women. Well educated female leaders. Young and mature ladies standing together confidently over light wall.

New Report Calls for Workplaces to Enable Women Leaders by Scrapping Alpha Male Cultures to Thrive in Today’s Disruptive, Complex and Volatile World

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew
  • New research study interviewing 40 leading women sheds light on what makes women successful
  • Study provides alternative view to ‘Lean In’ philosophy that focuses on encouraging women to assert themselves at work and at home
  • Organisations can succeed in today’s complex, disruptive and volatile world by disincentivising alpha male cultures and encouraging women to succeed on their own terms

 

London, BRIDGE Partnership – a global organisational transformation and leadership development consultancy – has launched a landmark study titled, ‘How Did She Get There?’, analysing why leading women become successful. The research, conducted in collaboration with We Are LeftField and featuring interviews with 40 CEOs, entrepreneurs, and senior leaders, counters prevailing thinking such as the ‘Lean In’ philosophy and provides powerful recommendations to help organisations be more meritocratic and effective.

 

Commenting on the study, BRIDGE Partnership UK Client Director and Research Lead, Jane Sassienie, said: “We’ve known for a long time that organisations have been institutionally geared towards supporting men in work, however this research uncovers the potential of doing things differently. If organisations can encourage women to succeed on their own terms by dismantling alpha male cultures, they stand a better chance of thriving in today’s increasingly disruptive, technologically advanced economies.”

 

The interviews revealed common characteristics that helped these leading women be successful such as their upbringing (good and bad), being able to take diverse routes to the top, being authentic rather than trying to fit an ‘alpha male’ archetype, having empathy and intuition, and choosing partnership over dominance in the workplace. 

 

For too long women have been treated differently to men in the workplace, from unequal pay and less promotion opportunity to experiencing sexual harassment and other forms of bias against them. In its 30 years of working with global organisations and businesses, BRIDGE Partnership had often seen solutions focused on fixing women rather than tackling ineffective, institutionalised workplace cultures. While creating a leadership programme for women in a global bank in 2019, BRIDGE Partnership realised that most academic research was focused on how women fail in the workplace. This spawned a first-of-its-kind study shedding insight on common factors underpinning successful women across a breadth of sectors. 

 

The research revealed 5 recommendations for organisations and leaders:

 

Parental power: a woman’s upbringing is critical towards success.  BRIDGE Partnership say people can re-parent themselves to overcome aspects of their lives that hold them back.

At least one good parental role model helped some women to see their own potential and have the self-belief to succeed and lead. Sophie Neary, Group Director UK&I at Meta, said: “They instilled in me a self-belief, an inner confidence”. While some women who lacked any kind of caring adult when young were forced into leadership roles earlier. Both paths resulted in them sidestepping the ‘Brilliance bias’. 

 

Taking a different path. BRIDGE Partnership say organisations can empower women to succeed and retain top talent by supporting them to take multiple pathways upwards.

Rather than embarking on a meticulously planned career and life journey from an early age, most of the successful women interviewed had taken a winding path towards success. Their journeys were led by four principles: purpose and values, following curiosity, taking risks, and hard work. Vasiliki Petrou, Group CEO of Unilever Prestige said: “My first CEO valued diversity. They believed that positive disruption came from hiring people that don’t fit ‘in the box’. This nurtured a culture that valued alternative thinking and we all did better for it.” When the women were surveyed about whether they identified with the ‘Lean In’ approach, over 80% felt that being led by purpose and passion was more important.

 

If you are a unicorn don’t try to be a horse. BRIDGE Partnership say organisations should embrace diversity and dismantle the prevailing alpha male culture that often dictates how many organisations are run.

Rather than fitting in with alpha male workplace cultures, many women learned to lead with authenticity and embrace their differences as strengths. It was this shift that was key to their success. This evolution often began with a moment of self-awareness, often through good mentors, managers, or a challenging experience. Tracey Clements, now the SVP (CEO) of Mobility and Convenience for Europe at BP, recalled the early stages of her career, saying it was “Utterly exhausting and untenable”, suppressing qualities that felt more natural to her such as listening and learning from her people and customers. Talking about her moment of realisation, “Almost overnight I reclaimed myself.”  

 

Lead Like These Women. BRIDGE Partnership say organisations should begin learning from women and appropriately valuing their contributions. 

Rather than fixing women, our interviews revealed that characteristics and skills such as empathy, facilitation and intuition – skills that have been typically undervalued and overlooked by organisations – enabled the women to thrive and navigate complex challenges.When Lorna Davis, Board Member at B Lab, led a large advertising campaign for a brand that was close to collapse, she learned the value of listening. “I learned how to listen to consumers… I turned the brand around and set it on a growth trajectory… there is very little I can’t solve if I listen carefully and let the information in.”

 

Partnership not dominance. BRIDGE Partnership say organisations can foster a culture of mutuality by enabling diverse networking among their employees, encouraging collaboration and partnership rather than competition and dominance.

The women interviewed were not afraid to ask for help, taking the opportunity to learn from others and forge long term partnerships. Leonie Foster, Customer and Digital Director at Selfridges, spoke about becoming part of a network of highly capable senior women supporting one another: “We knew each other well and were each other’s support… we would operate by supporting each other’s position.” These partnerships were often rooted in purpose, as opposed to achieving personal success. 

Australia buildings in the evening

Property Founder & Visionary Chairman of the Year 2022 (Australia): Maha Sinnathamby

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

Springfield City Group is the master developer of Greater Springfield – Australia’s fastest-growing and most innovative new city. Greater Springfield celebrates its 30th birthday this year and is established as the first Australian master-planned city since the national capital Canberra. Maha Sinnathamby has not paused for a moment in three decades of creating one of the greatest Australian dreams, so we took a closer look in the light of his tremendous success in CEO Monthly’s Chairperson Awards!

Since 1992, Mr Sinnathamby and his Springfield City Group business partner Bob Sharpless have kept up a relentless pace and proved the doubters wrong. The 2860 hectares of land they purchased on the doorstep of Brisbane – the 2032 Olympic City – has been transformed into a city with more than 53,000 residents in six suburbs. The master plan for Greater Springfield contains precise outlines of how the city will continue to grow. The Australian newspaper, on the city’s 30th birthday, wrote “there is nothing like it in Australia”, noting the “sheer scale of the project”.

And Mr Sinnathamby is convinced there is nothing like Greater Springfield anywhere else in the world. Its unique location, within 30 minutes’ drive of an established metropolis in Brisbane, has made it a beacon of innovation. Instead of mimicking what has been done elsewhere, Mr Sinnathamby and his Springfield City Group team have established themselves as trailblazers.

Mr Sinnathamby based his path on a simple yet inspired philosophy. “We want to enhance human and social capital,” he tells us. Nowhere is this clearer than in Greater Springfield’s Knowledge Precinct, an area of the city spread across 120 hectares of land powered by health, education and innovation. “Health, education and IT are the key drivers to make a unique community,” Mr Sinnathamby explains. “The Knowledge Precinct is unique. We have a golden opportunity to plan this city of the future.”

“Before Springfield City’s creation 30 years ago, I could see that brain power was the foundation of the world’s most renowned cities,” Mr Sinnathamby continues. “When planning our new city, I wanted to provide all the elements necessary for people and their ideas to flourish. Knowledge is with you your entire life. Education is the only currency that you can cash in anywhere in the world. And it is the only currency that can’t be stolen from the owner.”

Springfield City has been developed with partnerships built on the understanding of the founders’ vision, but these partnerships flowed only after hard work. “Our biggest problem has been the lack of understanding of the enormity of this project,” Mr Sinnathamby explains. “You can’t think too small. People didn’t understand that we weren’t thinking small. But then we started telling more people what we wanted to build. And we told people who could help us make that happen.”

Since the project was first concepted, six Queensland Premiers, seven Australian Prime Ministers and a host of mayors supported the birth of the city. The Premiers, from both sides of politics, played an integral role in allowing Greater Springfield to grow. In 1997, legislation passed Queensland Parliament with the supportive voices and raised hands of all 89 MPs to give zoning approval to the Greater Springfield area.

That unanimous vote was a highlight among the many from those first three decades. It was about determination, trust, and the ability to convince stakeholders of the benefits of Greater Springfield for a growing nation. To drive through Greater Springfield today, it’s easy to forget that ground-breaking work. Residents drive past the landmarks that underpin the city without even considering the achievement that lies beneath.

Greater Springfield offers a highway into the heart of the city as well as a rail line and passenger facilities as good as any in the transport network. When you arrive, you could play on a championship Greg Norman-designed golf course or visit a first-class stadium with 10,000 seats. Families are more than welcome to send their children to one of the twelve schools currently open, or perhaps one of nineteen kindergartens, or maybe even the university campus. Greater Springfield is home to a hospital that is on track to be the largest in the nation, a seniors’ village that enables grandparents to live close to their growing families and apartment living that adds a new depth to the city’s offerings.

And you can drive between them all within eight minutes.

“That’s just the beginning,” Mr Sinnathamby says with a smile. The population of about 53,000 people is growing annually and planned to reach 145,000.

Mr Sinnathamby’s path towards visionary city-builder has been anything but conventional. He was born in war-torn Malaysia and moved to Australia to study as a young man.  Earning his Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University of New South Wales enabled him to take his first professional steps, but Mr Sinnathamby was always looking for more. He wanted to pursue his vision of developing areas that would create better lives for their residents.

Mr Sinnathamby’s insists that “All power is within you” – a creed of self-belief. His other principles include acknowledgments of the lessons learned from failure – “the darkest night brings the brightest dawn” and “character is established through a thousand stumbles”. Mr Sinnathamby would live those principles as he moved to Perth in the 1970s and set up a business before eventually bringing his young family to Queensland to pursue new opportunities.

Mr Sharpless and his family followed, and the pair eventually settled on the land that would become Greater Springfield. They saw something that others did not because the land sat untouched on the market for many months. “It was the chance of a lifetime,” Mr Sinnathamby recalls. “When a person walks past a rock, they see a rock. But a sculptor walks past it and says ‘there’s something in this rock’.”

Plenty of people saw the rock. Very few saw the city that would be carved out of it.

The land was basic at best – almost 3000 hectares of a disused forestry operation. The area that would become the heart of Greater Springfield didn’t have a road nearby for kilometres. How do you make that into a modern city?

At least one bank had cold feet as the experiment unfolded, demanding its money was repaid quickly, but the doubters were thinking down the wrong line. They expected the Sinnathamby-Sharpless partnership would attract a financial backer and roll out the semi-rural land projects that were popping up on the fringe of the capital city. Nothing new in that, they said, but they didn’t understand the vision that was driving Greater Springfield. They didn’t understand the resilience, perseverance and sheer hard work of Mr Sinnathamby and the team put together to make the city into reality.

This was a long-term project that would become the key to uniting the areas of Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan into a complementary urban network. Greater Springfield would have a CBD, an education precinct, a health precinct, an innovation precinct, excellent transport and many families who would live long, productive lives without the headaches of traditional cities built without planning coordination.

This wouldn’t be a master-planned community.

It would a master-planned city.

And it would be fuelled by the commitment of a man whose biography would be called Stop Not Til The Goal Is Reached.

“Our work is not done,” Mr Sinnathamby said. “We have 65 per cent left to do but the fundamentals are in place and as a city, we look forward to the future with open arms.” Mr Sinnathamby will continue to follow the principles that have underpinned the success of his business life: “Make one idea your life”; “Work relentlessly”; and “Create your own destiny”.

Those three principles tell the story of Maha Sinnathamby and Greater Springfield, and how it has achieved such success.

For business enquiries, contact Springfield City Group on their website – www.greaterspringfield.com.au

Maha Sinnathamby
Maha Sinnathamby
Happy mature business man

A Subscription to Better Health

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

Concierge medicine provides a more personalized medical care and service than other alternatives. But one company in particular is using a model to take that personalized service a step closer, working closely with physicians to preserve, protect, and optimize the patient-physician relationship.  This is all led by the winner of Most Influential CEO, 2022 – New York, the USA: Dean McElwain, Ph.D.

 

Castle Connolly Private Health Partners (CCPHP) partners with exceptional physicians to offer concierge (membership-based) programs to individuals who prioritize health and wellbeing. The model empowers and protects the physician-patient relationship, helping physicians practice the way they intended, and Ltd patients receive the care they deserve and need.

 

Its CEO and Co-Founder, Dr Dean McElwain, has his own story in healthcare, leveraging 30 years of progressive leadership experience in the healthcare field. He also has provided instruction and guidance, specifically in the field of concierge medicine itself. Lecturing and consulting with prominent companies, organizations, and figures in the healthcare world while bringing his robust portfolio of knowledge and experience to guide the team at CCPHP.

 

As a leader ,Dr McElwain’s overarching directive is to create an environment that fosters value. Creating value applies not only to shareholders and their physician partners but, most importantly, to members. The member experience is the driving force behind its core values of collaboration and empowerment. These values inform not only how the team operates daily, but the directions leadership takes in ensuring the delivery of its promises to all.

 

Additionally, Dean recognizes that his team members are essential in delivering the excellence associated with the Castle Connolly brand. He ensures the team is brimming with innovative collaborators who have a passion for exceeding expectations for both partner physicians and members. The work culture of CCPHP is centered around kindness, directness, and accountability. Its three-fold focus exists to create an environment where the team can openly share and collaborate on problems to find innovative ways to deliver exceptional service together.

 

At Castle Connolly Private Health Partners, members pay a fee for a wide array of amenities and enhancements for convenient, comprehensive and personalized healthcare. Its concierge medicine model supports strong physician-patient collaboration, with an intense focus on patient wellness and preventive care to a degree far greater than competitors.

 

Patients and physicians of CCPHP forge unbreakable bonds of trust and comfort, resulting in stronger physician-patient relationships —all leading to higher patient satisfaction and wellness, increased job satisfaction and less physician stress.

 

Thanks to years of forward thinking and the development of its membership model, CCPHP was minimally affected by the change of circumstances during the pandemic. The healthcare industry (primary care in general) faced unprecedented challenges. With the onset of the pandemic, primary care physicians saw the evaporation of visit revenue and a pivot towards virtual care. Specifically, CCPHP’s membership model practices were minimally affected, as they had sustainable revenue streams and a pre-pandemic capability with virtual care.  The robust migration of primary care physicians and patients moving toward the membership model has benefited patients and physicians in the unstable environment of primary care. 

 

This innovative approach remains at the forefront of the leadership’s mind. Dean has already set up a growth plan for the practice that spans the future years, looking to integrate many tech-based delivery platforms and implement further primary and specialty care options.

 

He also plans to develop the company’s presence by continuing to create great partnerships with leading physicians in both independent and group practices, as well as larger system environments. They are also working with existing independent concierge practices to take equity stakes and invest in their continued growth and success.

 

Dean and CCPHP are both equally as impressive. What the company has built and accomplished makes it a shining light in the industry. But the man who led them there is not only a credit to the business, but to the industry – doing far more than guiding his team, and those around them, to greater heights. His influence and insight cannot be overstated. Thus, his award for Most Influential CEO of 2022 for New York is well warranted.

 

For business enquiries, contact Anastasia Economides from Castle Connolly Private Health Partners, Llc on their website – https://ccphp.net/

Dean McElwain
Dean McElwain

Everyone’s a Winner: The Undeniable Case for Supporting Neurodiversity in Business

Posted on | by Heather Ryan

By Paul Graham, Managing Director at Britvic plc

With the number of job vacancies in the UK at an all-time high this year, it’s more important than ever for businesses to think about how they recruit and retain people. This should be particularly true for the neurodiverse population that work and workplaces so often fail to consider.

Representing 15-20% of the UK population, neurodiversity, according to Harvard Health Publishing, describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways. Having experienced neurodiversity first-hand through my son, I think it can be put more simply as people who experience and interact with the world a little differently.

Let’s flip the narrative from weaknesses to strengths

The neurodiverse population is brimming with unique talent, and I urge businesses to wake up to the incredible skills they offer. We shouldn’t adopt a mindset of thinking about what they’re unable to do, but rather what they can do.

Neurodivergent people often possess mental strengths that are particularly well developed compared to the neurotypical population – and they’re also very broad. From an incredible eye for detail, to an ability to focus on one task for an extended period of time, these skillsets – when supported – can offer unrivalled opportunities for success in the workplace.

Of course, there are also challenges – challenges which are often exacerbated by many modern workplaces. To overcome them, businesses need to understand and consider the differences between those who are neurodivergent and those who aren’t; they have a moral responsibility to do what they can to set all employees up for success with a great working environment and equal opportunities.

We only need to look around the office to see changes as a result of the pandemic, with smart meeting rooms and fewer desks as offices facilitate hybrid working and prioritise collaboration. Why isn’t the same spend and willingness to change applied to adapting for the neurodiverse population?

Employees who don’t feel valued and supported aren’t going to work to the best of their ability, so when businesses fail to support these employees, they further risk limiting the overall success of the business. The more diverse and inclusive a business is, the more creative and successful it will be. 

Creating an inclusive culture

The first step in supporting neurodivergent employees is prioritising awareness, education and listening – especially important when we consider that neurodiversity is often invisible, and neurodivergent people are skilled at masking their differences.

Neurodivergent employees have different thought-processing abilities and methods for retaining information that may challenge the ‘traditional’ ways of thinking. To embrace these differences, they must first be understood!

At Britvic, we foster a culture of communication through our Belonging network, a volunteer employee-led action group focused on listening to employees to make the workplace as diverse, equitable and inclusive as it can be. It’s dedicated to attracting and championing the needs of our employees, which is more important than ever as businesses look at ways to retain their workforce.

I’m proud to be a member of the Britvic B-Seen network in the GB business, ensuring that the needs of my neurodivergent colleagues are represented in the leadership team. Networks like B-Seen are vital because they visibly show support and foster an inclusive culture where everyone knows they have a voice that’s heard.

The importance of action

Support for inclusion is not enough, businesses must follow up with action to support neurodivergent colleagues.

Listening to the input of our B-Seen network led to us working on a recent redesign of some of the Britvic offices, ensuring the spaces properly consider all who inhabit them. While many of us may not think twice about a busy office, for someone with sensory sensitivities – common among neurodivergent people – it can be distracting and even physically painful.

When designing rooms we looked to ensure that our neurodivergent colleagues could thrive, taking into account such factors as the colour palette, lighting and acoustics. With neurodiversity – as I’ve learned – it’s these small details that are important. The result is rooms with soundproofing, softer lighting and muter colours to help our neurodivergent colleagues perform to their best.

As well as changes to the workplace, we are also constantly looking at our company policies to ensure they’re as accessible as they can be. This has seen us introduce a flexible working policy that empowers neurodivergent and neurotypical employees to work in a way that suits them best.

These are just a few of the many ways that businesses can support their neurodivergent employees. The most important lesson to learn is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when adapting for neurodiversity.

Giving the whole business the greatest chance of success

When businesses foster a diverse and inclusive environment, they not only give their employees the best chance of success, but also the business. You’re empowering your employees to work better, enjoy work more, showcase their best and be stronger together – a cornerstone of our culture at Britvic.

Tablet with views of home from security cameras on screen lying on wooden table

Leading The Way Forward

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

Good management is hard to find, but makes an enormous difference to the smooth running of any organisation. Christopher Puntureri has found himself not only able to lead the way in guiding businesses to new heights, but also able to be the change he wants to see in leadership. As CEO of Nacre Group, he has reached indescribable heights, earning the title of Most Influential CEO, 2022 – Texas, the USA. We take a closer look to discover how he’s done it.

Nacre Group was created to help hospitality and multi-family owners to thrive. As an experienced team of consultants, they have knowledge of Engineering, Building, Maintenance, and Information Technology that ensures their clients can face even the most difficult of challenges. Leading this group forward is Christopher Puntureri, whose legendary background in hospitality has allowed him a unique insight into many of these areas.

At the heart of Nacre Group is a passion for communication and a love for the needs of their partners, associates and clients. These two desires ensure that no matter what, the team go above and beyond when they are finding solutions to support organisations through challenging times. The guiding hand of Mr. Puntureri has proven invaluable to many businesses, as they have tried to prosper in difficult times.

Part of the reason behind Nacre Group’s incredible success has been because the high standard of staff. As a result of Mr. Puntureri’s incredible calibre of employee, the business has over 20 years of proven track records at being some of the best in numerous industries. This depth of understanding means that instead of focusing on what has happened, Nacre Group can explain why something has happened and why something needs to be done to change the situation. This attitude means that the guidance provided is thoroughly empowering to those at various levels. They can solve problems, make decisions and accelerate the process of delivery.

Because the team at Nacre Group has such a strong track record, they take great pride in their ability to achieve the desired outcomes at all times. Their competitive edge means that they won’t accept losing as an option at any point. The team is committed to doing what is necessary to achieve the results their clients want. This drive and determination comes from the top of the organisation, and is why Mr. Puntureri has such a strong record of success behind him.

Whilst Nacre Group takes up a great deal of his time, Mr. Puntureri is also COO of Iridescent Hotels. This position, alongside his consultancy work with Nacre Group, has allowed him to ensure he knows the unique challenges facing people in his specialist area. Whilst many in the consultancy industry are far removed from what their clients face, Mr. Puntureri has spent years on the front line facing them, and still remains there today.

When Nacre Group was founded, it was to help hospitality leaders to better use their time in a more efficient and effective way. Few understand this better than Mr. Puntureri, whose career has been not only spent in this arena, but exceling within it. We celebrate his tremendous success and the way in which he has decided to explore ways of sharing his immense understanding with others.

For business enquiries, contact Christopher Puntureri from Nacre Group via email – [email protected] or on their website – https://www.nacregroup.com/

Two businessmen sitting at a table talking

Identity Verification, Made Easy

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

As an identity verification expert, Tu Identidad has seen all sorts of systems and processes come and go, each more complex than the next. With this in mind, CEO Ricardo Robledo, the ‘Most Influential CEO’ in 2022 for Mexico has developed the Tu Identidad platform, hoping to usher in a new era of better standardised processes that protect the information gathered and make it less stress on the side of both the information gatherer and the information giver.

When it comes to identity verification, all past processes and procedures have become known as full of bloatware for both customer and verifier, resulting in an incredibly irritating and unnecessarily time-consuming experience. Seeing this, Tu Identidad has responded by resolving to change all of that. Attempting to overcome the current systems of cumbersome, risky, complex, and unfriendly identification verification solutions that foster an air of distrust and suspicion between the parties involved, it has vastly trimmed the fat from the process with its identity verification platform. Led by front-running professional Ricardo Robledo, he has made this possible with the supportive and respectful management style he uses in order to cultivate a healthy atmosphere within his team and inspire a true commitment to his clients.

It is his vision to spread the word of its flagship innovation. Tu Identidad has developed a process taken care of by an exemplary, user-intuitive, and easy to use platform in which a bank, institution, company, or market participant can identify the customer, partner, supplier, or shareholder; after this, the final user or information owner will complete a secure digital file that will identify itself by mobile device. This creates a simple, friendly, and unintimidating give-and-take with its own internal standards that are consistent across the board, a far cry from the usual industry standard of a total lack of consistency.

Streamlining the processes and shirking the common data integrity issues of its peers, its platform guarantees all necessary verifications will be carried out in a timely and reliable manner. Thus, the clients it serves include traditional finance institutions such as banks, insurance companies, Fintechs, and those companies involved in the prevention of fraud who implement digital processes, and its way of working has quickly endeared it to such companies. With an obsession for meeting goals, customer service, determination, always growing, and being humble and realistic about its development, it strives to be the best of the best whilst acknowledging how much there still is to learn.

This allows it to graciously accept client feedback – an invaluable element of platforms such as the one it has created – and to implement said feedback in a meaningful way. Furthermore, listening to its clients has gone a long way towards endearing it to its market segment, something that each member of its team has worked hard to make a cornerstone of the business and a courtesy that is also extended to the staff in its yearly strategic planning meetings. Ricardo Robledo himself takes a ‘lead from the front’ ethos in this way, and with 25 years of leadership behind him, he looks forward to facing down any future challenges and implementing AI and machine learning technology into the business to further improve fraud prevention.

For business enquiries, contact Ricardo Robledo from Tu Identidad on their website – tuidentidad.com