CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 3 2024 19 “When you spend a lot of time in Africa, you realise how tough it is for people. Therefore, our commitment to the world around us is to try and help educate people, because an educated person can contribute very strongly to the world.” Kyle has spent his four-decade career devotedly honing his people skills while working for a variety of major international brands including Guinness, L’Oreal, PepsiCo, Vodafone, and more – all companies that are very much about exceeding the customer’s expectations. It was at Vodafone that Kyle held his first CEO role, the first three years of which he spent working in Ghana, and then three more in Qatar. Before that, he worked for the company in the UK. Kyle reminisces over the first time he was asked to work abroad, in India as COO and Chairman. “When Vodafone said to me, ‘Can you go to India for six months?’, I burst out laughing. I’d never been there and said, “What? Really? That’s mad.” – but, of course, you fly there.” Kyle soon discovered a love for travelling and he became quickly renowned for his dedication to visiting his clients around the globe. He delights in having seen so much of the world and its different people and cultures – but that’s not to say it doesn’t come without a physical toll. “The toughest one is San Diego,” he shares. “San Diego is a ten-hour flight with an eight-hour time difference. So, when you go to bed in San Diego, it’s 8AM in the UK. You basically lie there awake.” However, as exhausting as all that travelling may be with the long journeys and jetlag, Kyle will never not feel blessed for all the brilliant opportunities that continue to come his way. He embraces getting to see first-hand the benefits that connected life can bring and he thrives on contributing to making positive change in the world. Kyle describes himself as a “people champion”, being the voice of the customer internally as well as reaching out to them externally, but also focusing on the individuals who make up his team and leading them with great honesty and integrity. He is very transparent while making sure every team member knows their objectives and feels empowered to accomplish them, ultimately working together to ensure results. “I am very honest with people about how we’re doing and what I expect from them,” he says. “I think the role of the CEO is the tip of the spear. You’ve got to the point where you run the company. When you look at your CEO, you want to feel inspired by that person and you want to look up to them and think, ‘I’m really happy he or she is in charge because I feel safe and secure, and I feel like that person is doing the right thing for the company’.” There’s no denying how Kyle Whitehill is doing so very right by this company and its customers, with him truly spearheading the leading of its people-centric and innovative offering. And his sights are set on enhancing this further into the future, taking the customer experience to the next level by making it as straightforward and easy as can be. He believes there isn’t any need to get technical when dealing with customers. As a whole, the organisation is transitioning towards delivery that is kept as simple as possible. The customer doesn’t need to know the type of satellite available; what they need to know is how the technology can change their lives for the better – and with the extraordinary leadership of Kyle at the helm, the company will only continue on this road towards even greater heights and success. Company: Avanti Communications Contact: Kyle Whitehill Email: [email protected] Website: www.avanti.space
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