CV December 2017

December 2017

Young Leadership Redefined!

We profile Calco Poly Technik, a focused, dynamic and progressive company providing customers with value added products, services and innovative solutions. We spoke to Varun Gupta as we look to find out more about the firm and CEO of the year – India.

Making Dreams a Reality - Quantic Dream

Palace PRODUCTION CENTER

A Small Enterprise Doing Big Things - Hantian Labs

Security Services Tailored to You - Magenta Security Services

Editor’s Note

, Welcome to the December edition of Corporate Vision Magazine, bringing you the latest news and innovative features from across the globe.

Gracing the cover of this month’s issue, we meet focused, dynamic and progressive company, Calco Poly Technik who provide its customers with value added products, services and innovative solutions. We spoke to Varun Gupta, Director Calco Poly Technik (CEO of the Year – India, 2017/18) for a deeper insight at the methodologies behind their success and consistent growth.

Speaking of success, Hantian Labs is an emerging global leader in anti-ageing and vitality products which has seen Christian Diesveld receive the recognition of UK CEO of the Year of a Small Enterprise Firm in Health and Wellness. Christian provides us with an overview of the company.

In other news, British homebuyers are willing to increase their budget by 14% for a ready-to-move-into home, as 48% prefer a home that doesn’t need repair work with kitchens, bathrooms, and a large lounge top homebuyers’ wish lists, according to new study.

Lastly, Quantic Dream is a video game developer based in Paris supplying motion capture services to the film and video game industries. We profile the company as we look to learn more about the exciting games it develops and what future developments there may be in the industry.

Here at Corporate Vision, we truly hope that you thoroughly enjoy reading this month’s edition and we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Jessica Daykin, Editor Phone: +44 (0) 203 725 6842 Email: jessica.daykin@ai-globalmedia.com Website: www.corp-vis.com AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them.

The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions.

Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility.

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Contents

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4. News 10. Empowering Brands 11. A Small Enterprise Doing Big Things 12. Illuminating Pathways to Transformative Change 14. What is Possible 16. Insurance Defined, Refined and Perfected 17. Achieving More Than Ebit of Success 18. The Godeau Effect 20. Inspiring Leaders to Achieve Exceptional Performance!

22. Specialists in Coaching 24. Creating the Organisation You Want, Not What You Think You Need 26. Making Dreams a Reality 27. A CEO of the 21st Century 28. 40 Years of Personal Service 30. Security Services Tailored to You 32. Success is the Only Option 37. Corporate Excellence Awards 38.

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GPF Lewis, Beyond Contracting The Multi-Vendor Platform Simple. Intuitive and Fully Compliant.

Improving Lives Through EducationÂŽ The Home of Distance Learning Connecting Bright and Talented People Commercial Real Estate: It is as Simple as That.

Warhorse Leadership to Maximize Future Value Fully Managed IT Services, MPS and Business Solutions Passing the Test of Time Anything as a Service Design. Process. Management.

Innovation and Performance Winners Directories

CORPORATE VISION / December 2017 3

NEWS

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Micro-Business Owners Are Risking Their Health By Working Through Illness New research shows more than four out of five micro-business owners admit that they have worked through an illness rather than taking time off.

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NEWS

, In reference to Small Business Saturday, the majority of UK micro-business owners could be seriously risking their health by not taking time off from work when they are sick, according to new research.

In a survey of more than 500 freelancers and micro-businesses carried out by cloud accounting software company FreeAgent, an overwhelming 82% of respondents admitted that they had worked through an illness at some point while running their own business because they felt they “could not afford to take time off”.

The research also revealed that many micro-business owners are regularly working long hours, with nearly a third (30%) of respondents saying that they said they worked more than 48 hours per week on their business. In addition, 5% admitted that they spent more than 64 hours each week working.

FreeAgent - which makes award-winning cloud accounting software for micro-businesses, freelancers and accountants believes that the results should be a wake-up call for the 5.2 million people running freelance and micro-businesses across the UK. Ed Molyneux, CEO and co-founder of FreeAgent, said: “Running a small business can be incredibly tough. From working long hours and spending most of your time on admin, right through to the stress of maintaining a healthy cash flow and finding new customers, it’s a very demanding and often overwhelming job.”

“But what makes self-employment especially tough is that there is rarely any kind of safety net in place to help protect you from the unforeseen. If you’re too sick to work, you won’t make any money - and it’s clear that many micro-business owners feel that they have to tough through an illness rather than actually taking time to rest and recuperate.”

“That’s just not a sustainable solution in the long run and it means that the UK’s micro-business sector could actually actually putting its health at serious risk.”

Earlier this year, a separate poll carried out by FreeAgent and The Freelancer & Contractor Services Association (FCSA) revealed that 76% of self-employed people currently do not have any method of providing sick pay, maternity/paternity leave, holiday or redundancy pay in their business.

The research results - which were submitted to the government in advance of the Taylor Review - also showed that sick pay provision was the benefit that self-employed people would most welcome, coming way ahead of other benefits such as maternity pay, job seekers allowance and pension auto-enrolment.

Ed adds: “In an ideal world, micro-business owners would be able to put money aside to cover periods of sickness and give themselves a chance to properly recover. But in reality, this isn’t usually possible. For many, self-employment can be a handto-mouth existence and they don’t have the required funds available to protect themselves from the unexpected.

“With the government currently considering ‘levelling the playing field’ when it comes to the amount of tax that employed and self-employed people pay, I would like to see some focus being put on this issue - and potentially the introduction of support to help people who run their own businesses mitigate the risks of self-employment and ensure that they do not put their health in jeopardy.

“We know that sick pay is the one benefit that freelancers and micro-business owners are most interested in receiving, so hopefully progress can be made towards providing this kind of safety net for them in the future.”

Businesses Not Taking Advantage of Tax Exemptions to Reward Staff An Increasing number of British businesses would like to regularly reward their staff but feel limited by budgets, according to new research.

What’s more, 62% of workers said that rewards in the form of a gift voucher or card which allows them to choose their own reward, would have the biggest impact on their attitude towards work.

However, fewer than one in ten employers are aware of the government allowances that would allow them to make the tax-exempt awards, allowing them to more regularly give small rewards to boost staff productivity and morale.

Almost half (47%) of UK workers stated that they would most appreciate a bonus or reward not linked to their performance at Christmas, 32% would like to receive a bonus after a particularly busy period at work and 26% on their birthday.

A survey of 1,500 UK workers and business leaders by One4all Rewards, as part of a campaign to raise awareness of HMRC’s Trivial Benefits Allowance, revealed that 83% of British bosses would like to give regular bonuses and rewards to their employees in a bid to boost employee morale, motivation and loyalty.

Alan Smith, UK Managing Director of One4all Rewards, said: “There is lots of potential for British businesses to offer non-performance related benefits to their staff under the latest HMRC changes to the workplace benefits rule.

More than half (53%) of British business leaders said that they do not currently give their employees non-performance related benefits because the business does not have enough budget and cannot afford them.

In April 2016 HMRC made changes to workplace benefits rules to allow businesses to benefit from the exemption - reducing tax and National Insurance Contributions charges. However, only 10% of businesses are currently making use of the tax exemption on trivial benefits.

Just over a fifth (22%) of UK businesses are aware of the tax relief available on trivial benefits, with only 11% planning to make use of them before the end of the current tax year.

Despite the relatively small sums involved, the survey showed that receiving this kind of benefit would improve workers’ morale (48%), make them feel more loyal to the company (35%) and even motivated to work harder (31%).

“The changes to the workplace benefits rule have been introduced to help businesses similar to those we surveyed, who have limited budgets to reward their employees.

“We can see from the research that only a small proportion of businesses are currently making use of the tax exemption on trivial benefits, however, 11% of UK bosses are intending to make use of the tax exemption before the end of their tax year.

“As Christmas was highlighted as the top season workers would like to receive a benefit, now is the perfect time for business leaders to consider making the most of the tax exemptions on non-performance related trivial benefits.”

One4all Rewards are industry experts in benefits and rewards.

Working with over 6,000 businesses of all sizes nationwide, One4all Rewards helps to transform customer and employee relationships through successful rewards and incentive schemes.

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Young Leadership Redefined!

Calco Poly Technik is a focused, dynamic and progressive Company providing its Customers with Value Added Products, Services and Innovative Solutions. The Company has a diversified product range with sublime focus on seeking new opportunities for Research & Development to serve multiple Industries. We spoke to Varun Gupta, Director Calco Poly Technik (CEO of the Year – India, 2017/18) for a deeper insight at the methodologies behind their success and consistent growth. Varun started young, keeping in mind that age is just a number with an ultimate goal to be leaders in the Plastics Industry; not to settle but hustle way forth and build an Empire that stands firm despite the crests and troughs of the economy!

Operating from its Head Office in Delhi, Calco is India’s leading solution provider of colour, additive and high performance plastics providing its Customers with value added Products, Services and Innovative Solutions encompassing product development. Key to its success is the Company’s ability to make breakthroughs constantly within the Industry, alongside Innovation which enables Clients from diverse Industries to develop the best in class solutions. Typically, the Company deals with leading Automobile and Electrical & Electronics companies apart from Packaging, Consumer & Industrial goods to name a few, which helps them make a mark.

Operating with Honesty, Fairness and Integrity is something that the team at Calco believes will help them achieve their vision.

Calco Poly Technik aims to position itself as a Global Player within the Engineering Plastics Industry, which would allow the Company to let the Industry know about its strengths and explore the possibilities for technical collaborations with other overseas companies from all around the Globe.

Pioneers in providing Global Solutions for the Plastic Industry, Calco Team holds over 18 years of experience and have served over 1000 Customers, with its next aim of becoming India’s Most Preferred Global Plastic Solution Provider. Varun Gupta, Director, Calco Poly Technik talks about the firm’s multiple World Class Production Facility, and how the Company works tactically to provide the best service to its Clients.

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“Here at Calco, our multiple Plants, with Total Installed Production Capacity of over 20KTPA, ensures that we cover a wide variety of markets and end-use-applications. In addition, our Team of 100+ Associates provides Customers with Cost Effective and Innovative Solutions, ensuring Profitable Growth for everyone.

“Calco Group’s Mission is supported by our Core Value: Sustainability. As part of our Commitment to ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’, we have Commercialized Indigenous Technology on Eco Friendly Plastics, in Collaboration with Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, Govt. Of India.”

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Young Leadership Redefined!

Company: Calco Poly Technik Private Ltd Contact: Varun Gupta Website: www.calco.in

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Profiling the Director, Varun Gupta, it is quite interesting to see how within a short span of time, Calco Group has grown from strength to strength and made its presence felt amongst the Engineering Plastic Producers in India.

Varun brings with him a rich professional experience of over eight years across functions like Corporate Finance and Business Development. He started working with a brief stint in Hedge Fund Management Company at Wall Street in New York, where he analysed Investment Strategies and made recommendations to Hedge Fund for Investments.

Furthermore, Calco’s strength is in its Project Management System, and the fact that it controls the interface between the Company and its Customers.

The project team guarantees utmost transparency with proactive approach and communicates with Clients and Customers through every step of the process including the most critical step of material selection.

The key dialogue partners are both the Internal and External Technical Divisions with their respective core competences.

Essentially, the Project Team guarantees optimum transparency.

Additionally, Varun has also worked with Dr. Bernd H Schmitt, a renowned Professor of International Marketing at the Columbia Business School, where he assisted him with his Book Launch “Big Think Strategy” and BRITE Conference. Subsequently, he joined Calco and commenced its transformational journey, reaching out to different markets and expanding Dealership Network both Globally and in India. Under Varun’s leadership, Calco Poly Technik has focused extensively on Sustainable Solutions for Plastic Industry.

He spearheaded Technology Transfer from DRDO for Green Technology in Plastics in 2011.

Lastly, Varun holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Indraprastha University, India. He completed his Masters Degree from Columbia University, NY, USA.

The firm operates through a standardised work flow, which saves time, effort and expenses for the customer to the minimum.

With an excellent R&D facility and SOPs in place, even short notice developments can be implemented, which are crucial to the Company’s success and eventually brings customer delight!

What helps to mark the Company out from its competitors within the Industry is the Company’s expertise and efficient implementation. The team relies on Slim Line Processes, High Degree of Automation and Flat Hierarchies. There is flexibility within the Company which enables Calco to utilise optimum production facilities and this is a result achieved which further extends the Company’s reputation. This success is a prerequisite of state-of-the-art production processes which are implemented throughout the Company.

Moreover, both the Management and the Team conform to work towards the same mission.

The Company develops high performance plastics and creates futuristic design aesthetics with unique configuration and dynamic process to enable growth for Company’s stakeholders. This continuity and combined effort really helps Calco mark itself out as one of the best within the Plastic Manufacturing Sector.

Moving forward, Calco Poly Technik is looking to build on its past successes in order to further expand its Global footprint. To cater to Global Requirements of Engineering Compounds, Calco is setting up its 2nd World Class Manufacturing Facility near Delhi powered with Clean Energy Consumption with Captive Solar Power Plant & Conservation of Water. Calco places emphasis on hiring the right team, well conversant with trends and industry norms in order to provide the best services, making them A Master in Efficiency…

A Leader in Delivery!

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Calco’s Key Highlights Pioneers in providing Global Solutions for the Plastic Industry Gearing up with a Production Capacity of over 20,000MT/ Year World Class Testing Lab as per International standards. Certified with ISO/TS 16949Quality Management System Diversified Product Range to serve multiple Industries such as Automotive, Electrical & Electronic Appliances, Industrial and Consumer Goods, Packaging and Construction, …to name a few!

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Young Leadership Redefined!

An Artist impression of Calo Poly Technik’s New Manufacturing Plant near Delhi, India’

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WR170021

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Empowering Brands c.i.a.green communications GmbH is an integrated communications agency that specialises in products and services from nature and for nature. We profile the firm to learn more and find out how they came to be crowned ‘Best Agribusiness-Focused Integrated Communications Agency – Germany’.

Founded in 1997

by Peter Pochmann as Cologne Intertainment Agency, the business first specialised in event management. After four very successful years, Peter merged c.i.a. with another company of his, B&B Unit 1 GmbH. At this point, c.i.a. became a full-service agency – c.i.a. communication GmbH. Now Managing Partner, Peter has been bundling agricultural, marketing and communications expertise through his work at c.i.a.green for more than 30 years, and draws on this wealth of knowledge and experience to drive the firm to success.

The mission of c.i.a. green is to ‘Empower brands’ using all the means of communication on offer. This is achieved through the creative expertise that reflects a close understanding of the companies, products and target groups. Alongside this, it also seeks to use integrated campaigns that make the most strategically synchronised use of all communications channels.

To enable the highly efficient management of these efforts, c.i.a green has developed a work model it calls SynchroCom. This innovation structures the campaign emergence process and provides huge scope for creativity. Every single work step

is unambiguously defined – from market research to core definition of the brand, basic creative idea, target group check of the basic idea, development of all elements of a campaign, right up to rollout – and responsibilities are clearly assigned. This provides a base on which the client companies’ teams and the experts at the agency for the individual communications tools can work together very efficiently and with clear focus on the target. Integrated campaigns can be developed at great speed and without friction losses.

Such systems will be particularly vital for the firm moving forward, as the future for the market lies firmly in digitalisation, and a concept known Agribusiness 4.0.

Digitalisation in agriculture, the automation of all work processes in the sheds and on the fields, is progressing at great speed.

Work on the fields is dominated by satellite-controlled precision farming systems. The industry is adopting a new mindset, prompted by the need to increase efficiency on the one side, and to comply with all environmental regulations on the other. In just a few years, conventional farmers will no longer exist. Farmers will evolve into corporate managers engaged in food production, raw materials for conversion into energy or renewable raw materials for use in industry.

The level of training is soaring.

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Communications behaviour is changing.

Additionally, digital communications channels are becoming increasingly important.

The speed of innovation in agricultural machinery markets is breath-taking. One product generation chases the next.

New systems, new products are popping up all over the place.

An abundance of information is accessible around the globe at any time. Even the best-trained agricultural entrepreneurs can lose their way in this flood of information. They are increasingly turning to brands for guidance when sourcing their production technology and operating equipment.

Brands that signal clarity, truth and authenticity, thus inspiring confidence in the products and services. The industry can collate complex product and service portfolios under a brand and, in doing so, lastingly occupy and successfully expand a field of competence. The brand relieves the agricultural entrepreneurs of the need for time-consuming searches and comparisons.

In doing so, it offers them real benefit in kind. The challenge of the future for firms such as c.i.a.green will be to strengthen existing brands, to establish new brands, and to align them to the markets through the digital channels.

Peter Pochmann, Managing Partner Overall, for many years now, c.i.a.green has been investing in proprietary market research systems to track the changes in the marketplace sooner than its peers. As well as in creative, dynamic specialists with both agribusiness and marketing/ communications expertise, and in expanding their digital competence. An acquisition drive starting in December 2017 will directly approach all marketing decision-makers in the agricultural industry. The award as ‘Best Agribusiness-Focused Integrated Communications Agency - Germany’ and its 13th nomination for the German Agricultural Marketing Prize will play a key role in this campaign, as the firm seeks to build upon its current success and grow even further.

Company: c.i.a.green communications GmbH Address: Frankenwerft 15, Cologne, D-50667, Germany Phone: 00492212722419 Website: www.ciagreen.de

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A Small Enterprise Doing Big Things Hantian Labs is an emerging global leader in anti-ageing and vitality products which has seen Christian Diesveld receive the recognition of UK CEO of the Year of a Small Enterprise Firm in Health and Wellness. Christian provides us with an overview of the company.

Hantian Labs was incorporated in the UK in October of 2013 and was acquired by the publicly traded and listed company Health Advance in January of 2017, a mere 39 months from inception. At the time of the share exchange agreement and according to the terms of the agreement, Hantian Labs’ 18 million shares were purchased for a price of 30 cents a share for a nominal value of 5.4million.

Developed by a team of research scientists, athletes and beauty professionals, the Hantian Labs line of tablets uses state-of-theart age reversal technology to diminish the signs of ageing, whilst enhancing, enriching and extending the lives of their consumers. Christian discusses the firm’s overall mission and what steps the company plans to take in order to reach the targets it sets itself.

“Embedded in the culture of Hantian Labs is our mission, with the team’s continued efforts focusing on resolving age, weight and vitality concerns while preserving youthfulness from the inside out.”

Customer satisfaction and strong results have been vital in the company’s rise within the industry. Despite being a small enterprise, Hantian Labs deals

with a variety of clients and Christian explains how it ensures that the customer receives the best outcome from the products.

“The Hantian Labs line of supplements goes through a vigorous process, which begins in our Hantian Labs’ Idea Centres across the United Kingdom, Canada, USA and Western Europe. Products are conceptualized based on market need, societal health issues and scientific innovations. During our Research & Development process, we collaborate with medical, nutritional, sport and dermatological experts to identify the right nutrients. Then, our team works directly with the Hantian Labs laboratory to develop a formula with the necessary ingredients/ percentages to achieve the desired result. The formulation is studied and tested and the proprietary blend is created.”

Again, in reference to the fact that Hantian Labs is a small enterprise, it is integral that they are able to differentiate themselves from competitors within the health and wellness sector. Christian explains that the pride the team have in the products they produce highlights how seriously the company is about its client, with its qualifications helping it to mark itself out as the best possible option for clients.

“All our staff take great pride in the quality of our products, which are all made at our GMP ISO 9001 and Informed Sports certified facility in the United Kingdom with the strictest quality standards. Hantian Labs products are Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approved (MHRA).”

Subsequently, the firm’s approach to hiring staff is important as the team have to all be aware of what the products mean to the firm, and also feel a sense of pride about working at the company. Christian explains the company’s hiring structure.

“Regarding how we recruit staff, we use the best health and wellness executive search agents. Also, referrals have accounted for about 20% of our staff. Now that we are owned by a publicly traded company headquartered in the united states, it opens up far more opportunities for our Hantian labs staff and teams.”

Providing us with a brief overview of the health and wellness industry currently, Christian comments on what specific challenges are affecting companies operating within the market. He mentions what techniques the team apply in order to stay ahead of emerging developments.

“One of the challenges facing the industry are saturated markets in unregulated jurisdictions.

There are many inferior products that make unsubstantiated claims about their work, and this is precisely the reason we established ourselves in the United Kingdom. It is the strictest regulatory board in the world. Our research laboratory endeavours to exceed limitations, constantly thinking outside the proverbial box and discovering the undiscovered.”

Moving forward, Hantian Labs commitment to providing the best products within the health and wellness industry is unmatched, and there are definitely exciting times ahead for the small enterprise. Furthermore, Hantian Labs is not resting on its past success and laurels.

Company: Hantian Labs Limited Contact: Christian Diesveld Contact Email: christian@hantianlabs.com Address: 46 St. Georges Drive, London, SW1V 4BT, UK Website: www.hantianlabs.com

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Illuminating Pathways to Transformative Change Claire Debney is the founder and principal of Luminopex, a consultancy focused on creating, building and delivering change programs in the legal profession. Claire talks to us about Luminopex and her commitment to mentoring and coaching in her consulting work.

Claire is an unusual blend of lawyer, mentor and coach. A dual-qualified lawyer with an impressive background as a senior corporate lawyer, practicing for 20 years in the UK and Australia, including for FTSE 20 UK company, Reckitt Benckiser and Fortune 100 US company, Gillette. She brings a learned and measured approach to managing teams and a deep understanding of in-house legal life, enhanced by her qualifications as an Executive Coach and Gallup StrengthsFinder coach.

In 2016, Claire formed Luminopex to help drive and support change in the legal profession. From personal experience, Claire had found that many transformation programs are focused on the process, often at the expense of the people. She saw this as a fundamental flaw, as people are the foundation for any transformation. They need to feel a connection to what is being proposed, have a voice in what is being built and a role in building that future. They are the emotional heart at the core of what is being created.

Without it, the disconnection is real. It is through this lens that she approaches all her consulting work be it full-scale transformation projects, through to keynote speeches to coaching and mentoring for individuals and teams.

“Coaching conversations are critical for individuals, for teams and for the organisation as a whole to be able to maintain engagement and deliver any transformation successfully.

Coaching provides the tools to address fears, anxieties as well embrace the opportunities created through change.

Strengths coaching, in particular, gives you the language to live the life you were meant to. It recognises the uniqueness of every individual and that an individual’s strength lies in their talents.” Claire has found that those she coaches have often sensed their talents but have never been able to name them and use them intentionally.

“Strengths coaching helps them discover what they naturally do best. It shows them how special they are and how to succeed by turning their talents into strengths.”

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Strengths coaching is not just for individuals. Rarely do we work in isolation and entirely independently all the time. It is an important tool for exploring the dynamics of working together in teams, by recognising and harnessing the collective talents of the team, as well as identifying key partnerships that are essential to individual and team performance. It unlocks the power within and gives teams clarity of thought and purpose.

opportunity to be mentored by someone independent can be enormously beneficial to both mentor and mentee. Since its pilot in 2014, Mosaic has expanded rapidly and now includes over 90 pairs across more than 50 organisations. It also offers networking and soft skill events three times a year to give participants access to new ideas and opportunities.

Claire is herself a mentor to three mentees in the program.

A passionate advocate for learning, developing others and paying it forward, Claire also co-founded Mosaic, the pro-bono mentoring program for in-house lawyers in the UK. Mosaic, which stands for Mentoring Opportunities Shared Amongst In-House Counsel, was founded to meet a need for the in-house legal community to have access to cross-industry mentoring. While law firms provide many opportunities for structured guidance, this is lacking in-house, often due to flat structures, small teams and a focus on the company rather than the department.

Many organisations are also facing pressure on their development budgets. The

Claire’s current work includes building pod, a transformation program for the global legal department of 180+ people at Shire, a FTSE 20 rare disease pharmaceutical company. pod stands for people, operations and development; these three pillars of interdependence. People focuses on career planning, competencies and creating opportunities. Operations is about innovating for the future through best-in-class systems, apps and knowledge sharing.

Development is the commitment to every individual as well as the team as a whole, to encourage progress, retention and growth.

In the development pillar, the podacademy has just launched.

This is a bespoke learning

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program designed specifically for the in-house legal team at Shire and is being delivered over a 10 month-period. It recently won CV Magazine’s Best Transformation & Leadership Program – Global, 2017.

Looking ahead By the end of the year, a pilot will launch for mentorpod at Shire, a technology-enabled program empowering mentors and mentees to self-match into long-term, short-term and project-based relationships.

Coaching and mentoring have the ability to change individuals’ perceptions, to refocus the lens through which they view their personal and professional lives, and thus build deeper and more meaningful connections within their team and beyond.

That said, the powerful and positive is not always straightforward. As Claire says: “Just take a look at your own lives. Rarely is something handed to you on a plate. It often involves setbacks and failures. Imagine if you could offer support to someone throughout those challenges, by offering your ear, your trust and your counsel. Imagine if you had someone who was there for you, whom you could trust and turn to, talk things through and make sense of the challenges you face.

This is why coaching and mentoring matter, and why I am committed to making a difference.”

Name: Claire Debney Claire’s Strengths: Individualisation | Maximiser | Input| Relator | Arranger Email: info@luminopex.com Websites: www. luminopex.com and www. mosaicforlawyers.com

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What is Possible Culture-Conscious International Ltd provides customized Global Leadership Coaching for business leaders, HR professionals, and expatriates. We spoke with Culture-Conscious International Ltd’s president, Jan O’Brien to discover more about the success of her firm.

Culture-Conscious International Ltd provides customized Global Leadership Coaching for business leaders, HR professionals, and expatriates, and for anyone seeking to develop their intercultural competence and leadership skills in the global arena.

By working with CultureConscious International, their clients learn how to eliminate confusion and disorientation when dealing with different world views and business practices, and to develop more trusting relationships with their international counterparts. Also, they learn to develop a practice of self-leadership, that will give them the skills and confidence to successfully handle the challenges and opportunities of living and working in a multicultural environment.

As a Master Certified Coach, through the International Association of Coaching (IAC), and a senior facilitator with Personal Leadership Seminars, Jan is passionate about supporting global business leaders to become more effective and inspired so that they can expand what is possible in their leadership. What Jan means by ‘what is possible’ is the cross-cultural context where so often, leaders struggle. By building trusting relationships and phenomenal communications, leaders who practice intercultural

competence and mindful and creative leadership, can effectively transform their multicultural business experience.

Kickstarting the interview, Culture-Conscious International Ltd’s president, Jan O’Brien begins by telling us a bit more about the company’s overall mission, and the steps they take to ensure they achieve it.

“At Culture-Conscious International Ltd, our mission is to provide support to global business leaders so that they can become more effective and inspired, in order for them to be able to expand on what is possible in their leadership.

Included in our coaching packages, is a global leadership assessment tool that helps you to cultivate an effective intercultural mindset. Its focus is uniquely on you and how you as an individual approach your work in the international arena, and it reflects the ways in which you would tend to behave in intercultural settings.

When discussing what differentiates the firm from competitors, Jan goes into detail about how she delivers her coaching package, and what’s included within it.

“My way of delivery is on a one-to-one or small group basis, which allows me to do both feedback and feed forward and is unique to each individual. The

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format of my coaching package has a minimum time frame of three months via phone, Skype or online platform. Coaching individuals and small groups over an extended period, makes a much greater impact than putting people into a one-dayonly classroom environment.

Now, I combine the strengths of past training experience with a delivery through coaching.

“Included in my coaching package, is a private online journaling/note-taking site which only I and my clients have access to. This is a platform where they can document their progress, challenges and intercultural experiences and receive continuing support between coaching sessions.

Through this tool, I have the ability to stay connected to my clients on a continuing basis, even when they are traveling or located overseas. This provides a method for my clients to give me immediate feedback. Also, I respond to their online posts, observations and questions and help them discover timely solutions.”

Bringing the interview to a close, Jan envisions what the future holds for the company.

“My company is constantly evolving, and I strive to remain open to potential changes and new possibilities in my profession – including what is of interest to my clients! As a result of numerous requests, I

am excited to share that I am now offering Personal Coaching, which includes a process for taking leadership of yourself when faced with challenges and personal and professional transitions.

“The central method I use is called Personal Leadership: Making a World of Difference™.

Personal Leadership (PL) is about mindfully and creatively taking leadership of yourself, accessing your inner wisdom, your full intelligence, and your personal resources.

PL, (developed by Sheila Ramsey PhD, Barbara Schaetti PhD, and Gordon Watanabe EdD) has been developed and tested for over 15 years with people from all over the world, in a wide variety of contexts including leadership development, global business, teambuilding, intercultural relations, international education, expatriate services and personal development.”

Looking ahead, Jan notes on some of the changes she thinks may occur within her industry, highlighting some of the significant research that has already begun.

“Given the significant research being done in the area of social and emotional intelligence, I am continually exploring new skills for my own professional development, including a social and emotional intelligence assessment. Then, I in turn,

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support my clients to incorporate new developmental pathways for them to explore, measure and develop for themselves. These, and other skills and tools that I use in the coaching process will bridge the gap between my clients’ present situation and their goals for the future, while ensuring that the changes are sustainable and empowering.

What is Possible

“Coaching, as described by the International Association of Coaching (IAC), ‘Coaching is a transformative process for personal and professional awareness, discovery and growth.’”

Contact: Jan O’Brien Contact Email: jan@culture-conscious.com Company: Culture-Conscious International Ltd Address: The Stables, Watermill House, Chevening Road, Chipstead, Kent TN13 2RY, United Kingdom Web Address: www.culture-conscious.com

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Insurance Defined, Refined and Perfected Click2protect UK Limited is a niche insurance product specialist, offering insurances online via their car2cover.co.uk website. We profile the firm as we look to find out more about the services that it offers, and discover more about its success of featuring in the Financial Category – Insurance Winner in the UK Excellence Awards.

Since February 2007, thousands of customers have trusted Click2protect every year to arrange cover, and it has now become one of the UK’s leading Gap Insurance providers, as evidenced via its dedicated website. The team’s mission is to provide insurances with maximum customer benefit feature sets at highly competitive prices, and providing a service delivery that exceeds customer expectations.

Offering a variety of solutions to an assortment of clients, Click2protect’s products are optional supplementary insurances for private and business customers who are in the process of, or have recently purchased a new or used car, van or motorcycle.

Delving further into the company’s products, its impressive portfolio consists of; four types of Gap Insurance, a Tyre Insurance, Alloy Wheel Insurance and minor cosmetic damage insurance known as Scratch and Dent insurance, which is sometimes referred to as Smart insurance.

Clients usually arrive at the car2cover.co.uk website having been offered these products by their respective motor dealerships at the point of purchasing or leasing their vehicle. Due to the nature of the company’s products, they are only available to those who recently acquired or are about to acquire a vehicle, and business volumes are linked to the motor industry sales performance, something which can be of benefit of Click2protect.

Vital to the company’s success is the aforementioned website which, along with its systems, is thoroughly tested and continually refined to deliver a quick and easy quotation and simplistic online application and instant cover process.

Never leaving any stone unturned, the firm’s products are designed and refined by the team in co-operation with its insurers which provide a unique, yet competitive proposition in the market. Additionally, the firm boasts great customer and client satisfaction, with its Gap Insurance policies having been reviewed by Which? and Defaqto who awarded a five star rating to its Gap Insurance product.

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Possessing over 40 years of experience, Click2protect’s founding management team aim to share their knowledge with customers, and uniquely choose to personally take customer telephone calls, and respond to email questions and enquiries. This personal and hands on approach sits well with all customers, both new and existing, and ensures that they are dealt with in a friendly and helpful manner, without any sales pressure.

Ultimately, there looks to be exciting times ahead for Click2protect, with the car sales industry doing well and business volumes continuing to increase month by month. The company is currently considering introducing further insurance products to its portfolio, and is looking at

new ventures in the hope of expanding in new business directions.

Whilst 2017 has been an eventful and exciting year for Click2protect, with investment into new software solutions, 2018 looks even more positive for the company as it looks forward to another busy year.

Contact Email: mail@car2cover.co.uk Address: 3rd & 4th Floors, Gainsborough House, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9RG, UK Phone: 01438 870615 Website: www.car2cover.co.uk

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Achieving More Than Ebit of Success Ebit Business Solutions a leading procurement consultancy with a proven track record in cost savings and revenue generation for both medium and large scale businesses in the UK. We invited Managing Director, John Bradshaw to talk us through the firm and the range of services it provides.

Established in 2012, since inception Ebit has rapidly grown to become one of the most successful Procurement Consultancy companies in the UK, with its retail client base boasting a combined client turnover which exceeds £36bn and includes a large number of well-known and respected brand names. John discusses the firm’s service offering and how it works to support these valued clients.

“Here at Ebit, we provide expert procurement consultancy services to clients across varying industries and backgrounds. We help make a tangible significant difference helping clients realise significant savings whilst always focusing on service, value and their own customers. Also, we have built a formidable reputation in a relatively short amount of time by ensuring we have the very best people, systems, processes and procedures in place. Client satisfaction is always paramount and glowing references and referrals has significantly helped our growth too date.

“The last year was significant with regards to evolution of the

business and saw the launch of Aderes, our very own contracts database software product.

This was launched to really add further significant value to clients and potential clients regardless of turnover size and industry background. Every business spends money with suppliers, has internal contracts etc and our product really helps every client become much more efficient at managing those contracts effectively adding up to 10% benefit on to their bottom line per annum. Since its launch, Aderes has seen huge growth across multiple sectors including retail, manufacturing, and higher education. Offering this innovation on a managed service really ensures that the client can do what they do best: focus on their day job.”

Fundamentally, what sets the firm apart is its commitment to supporting its clients and providing them with the very highest standards of service, as John explains.

“There is always the need for differentiation and specialism, there is no surprise given our growth especially within retail due to the fact that we have a huge amount of market

intelligence and specific expertise, add in Aderes and we become the natural partner. We are working with an extensive range of clients, many of whom have been with us since the beginning, which in turn speaks volumes about the relationships in place and the service provided. It is testimony to the fact that we really help our clients realise significant savings, working closely with their business whilst always focusing on quality and service.

Our growth is based on superb feedback and referrals, since the people we work with always like to tell others about the excellent experience they have.”

Moving forward, John is confident of a bright future for both Ebit and its latest innovation, as he concludes.

“With regards to the future, Aderes continues to grow and evolve, and with exciting ventures such as the recent partnership with the University Of Manchester, we can only see extensive growth ahead for Ebit also.”

Contact: John Bradshaw Contact Email: john.bradshaw@ ebitbusinesssolutions.com Address: Suite 3, Stowey House, Bridport Road, Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 3SB, UK Phone: 07585 793 832 Web Address: www.ebitbusinesssolutions.com

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The Godeau Effect Peleg Yagen provided us with an article to tell us more about two of the latest theories on evolution: one theory on the evolution of blockchain-money over the last 10 years, and the other on the evolution of consciousness.

For ease of understanding, each theory can be approached completely independently from one another and each approach is provided with its own independent definitions listed from a to z.

The CRYPTO’S When teaching our clients on how to use the new cryptocurrencies, we use the hands-on approach and we defer from teaching over-much theoretical jargon, as we could get too easily bogged down on unnecessary technicalities.

Evolution of CRYPTO-Currencies Firstly, regarding the money path, we give a brief illustration of the evolution of blockchainmoney, i.e. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ether tokens, etc. However, we mostly teach our clients on how to become familiar with their hardware wallet, setting up a variety of accounts: monthly budget account, savings accounts, and petty cash accounts. For practice, clients receive and send micropayments [typically one penny] back and forth across the network as they choose low, medium, normal, economy, or custom fees as appropriate.

As such, our strategy is to give you a jump start of three lessons (one hour each), by the end of this you will have sent and received money back and forth between bitcoin crypto addresses several times. You will have twice times successfully recovered your wallet with some pennies in it. And if you are impressed at this stage, you are ready to make your first investment into Bitcoin.

Scarcity and usability are the fundamentals of keeping inflation of your crypto-asset at bay.

Evolution of consciousness facilitating CRYPTIC Life Lessons There is also the emotion and mind path. We explain how the interior infrastructure of the Giza Cheops pyramid is a coded message from the past and when decoded gives us the mathematical and symbolic notation, describing how the delicate see-saw mechanism works between our mental IQ and our emotional IQ. This balance is at the root of the evolution process. By mental IQ, is meant common-sense IQ.

If after your 3 lessons, you do decide to invest in bitcoin both as means of exchange for products and services and as a store of value, then we consider that for you to be successful on this dual-purpose approach, you will need to master 10 rules of basic cryptos. The #1, #2 and #3 rules pertain to choosing wisely the crypto-banks / exchanges / swappers that you work with; minimising the elapsed time [optimally this should be less than hours] during which you allow them control of your assets and 3rdly, if u need to send from 3rd party to 3rd party always use your own wallet as intermediary.

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Losses can be incurred in a variety of ways: 1) by misappropriation of funds via crypto-banks / exchanges / swappers, 2) by forgetting/ mislaying passwords and-or recovery-seed-phrases and-or passphrases and-or public keys and-or private keys, 3) by rogue programmers and / or developers taking advantage of some newly discovered loop-hole in the software, 4) by omitting to take a hardcopy of each important transaction, 5) by not paying attention to what ticker you’re sending to [e.g. bitcoin ticker symbols = btc and bch] and 6) even by the physical degradation of the ink on paper wallets.

Carelessness is surely a factor but so many of these losses have been due to lack of first-rate education and that’s the niche we so nimbly address. We also show you how to choose between the specifications of the two leading bitcoin brands: bitcoin legacy [BTC] and bitcoin cash [BCH].

The Giza CRYPTICS We usually proceed with a discussion group of over three people, with a 50-50 split between presentation and Q&A formats. There are three options, which are; numeric-centric, alphanumeric-centric, or musiccentric.

Rather than speaking of up / down or higher / lower we speak of moving our focus within subatomic centres - inwards from the outermost shell or outwards from the innermost nucleus.

The Godeau Effect – Seeing the Bigger Picture Now, to explain some integration between the two tracks, we have coined a phrase called the “The Godeau effect”, which means waiting for a certain trigger effect.

Most of us are not so good at multiprocessing. We are either stumbling along on the emotional front, with our low mental faculties firmly controlled by our emotional impulses, sometimes low and sometimes high, or we are fumbling along on the mental front, albeit at a much higher mental IQ level, as we attempt to wrest control away from our dominant emotional impulses and belief systems. However, with a low emotional IQ, that high mental-IQ is apt to put some of our fellow-travellers somewhat at risk from our ofttimes reckless and selfish decisions.

The temptation to misuse our knowledge can become overwhelming - leading us with our superior mental IQ to manipulate and exploit others for the benefit of ourselves. This is where the “godeau effect” comes into play. This built-in safeguard is a built-in delay mechanism that works like this: after we have some mental illumination, there is typically a short period of assimilation, but then it’s as if we encounter something akin to a “writer’s block” that protects us from going too far out of balance.

Essentially, we are nudged away from that avenue of mental enquiry and that gives the extra

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potential for us to self-acquire a higher emotional IQ, to a point where we can realize that with our extra knowledge comes extra responsibility.

At this moment in time, to the best of our knowledge, it seems

we are pioneers in explaining and illustrating these two theories. Both offerings have been under construction since beginning of 2017, so we can say this is an early soundingboard for us.

Company: A-Z of Human Evolution, Po Box Anu 464 London UK Contact: Peleg Yagen, General Manager Contact Email: peleg@abzbitcoin.org, peleg@alfobedic.com Phone: +44 [0] 7-48484-3605 Websites: www.abzbitcoin.org, www.alfobedic.com Contact: Hagit Shoham, Manager of Course Development Contact Email: hagit@abzbitcoin.org, Website: www.abzbitcoin.org

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Inspiring Leaders to Achieve Exceptional Performance!

The team at Sue Stockdale Ltd is highly experienced in providing executive coaching, coaching supervision, as well as designing and delivering custom-made leadership programmes. We spoke to Sue Stockdale and Clive Steeper as we find out more about the success of the company.

Established in 1997, Sue Stockdale Ltd’s clients range from leaders in global multinationals and elite sport, to world-class academic institutions, fastgrowing companies, and not-forprofit organizations. They operate in a variety of industry sectors with clients in UK, Europe, North America, Asia & Africa.

The coaching team has worked with over 300 organizations and delivered over 4,000 hours of coaching worldwide.

At Sue Stockdale Limited, taking risks is something that the coaches are familiar and comfortable with, because they have operated successfully in leading-edge environments themselves. Be it in the pit lane of Formula 1, or in the icy wastes of the Arctic, the team of coaches have first-hand experience of stepping out of their comfort zones in order to achieve success.

The Sue Stockdale coaches encourage the leaders and executives they work with to become comfortable with the uncomfortable in order to achieve

more than they originally think is possible. The results speak for themselves: business leaders find new ways to tackle difficult business issues, CEO’s develop better capability to inspire their people, and executives learn how to delegate and manage tricky working relationships more effectively. One leader commented that working with Sue has materially improved their ability to empower, develop and challenge their team, time management and personal brand, effectively helping him to become a better leader.

Sue Stockdale, with over 20 years of coaching experience, was the first UK woman to ski to the Magnetic North Pole, and has represented Scotland in athletics.

It was by taking on challenges like these that she learned about the impact that mindset has on goal achievement.

Similarly, executive coach, Clive, another key member of the team, worked in Formula 1 as a Tyre Designer and was Team Manager for a Le Mans sports car team in the late 1980s. He agrees that in stressful environments, it is

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always important to be aware of how your thoughts drive your behaviour.

“A lot of leaders in business are not aware of how their own mindset influences their team, both negatively as well as positively. As coaches, we help to raise their awareness which can have a dramatic effect on not only them, but those around them.”

The coaching programmes offered by Sue Stockdale and her team, are designed to meet the bespoke needs of clients to effect a change in mindset, behaviours and ultimately, results. Each coach undertakes over 100 hours of continuous personal development (CPD) annually, as well as meeting regularly to share insights, learning and reflections on their coaching work. They believe that staying sharp is what gives them a competitive edge.

They are also qualified coaching supervisors, and work with other coaches to help them improve their coaching skills, both those operating within organisations as internal coaches and those that are independent, with Sue explaining the importance of

coaches maximising coaching capability, before Clive explains how the books the pair have written are of great benefit to clients.

“Companies need to maximise the value of their internal coaching capability, and are now waking up to the idea that they should invest in CPD or supervision for them. We now do a lot of work within organisations because the trend is now moving towards having trained internal coaches, rather than a lot of external coaches.

“Essentially, our books; Motivating People, Risk and Cope with Change at Work are designed to address the challenges that we see leaders facing on a daily basis. The speed of change means that those who are emotionally resilient and are able to lead and inspire their people are likely to cope better, and be a positive influence on their team. Leaders can end up getting caught up in the detail and then don’t make time to think through strategic issues. Coaching sessions can be a really beneficial thinking space for them’.

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As the business world embraces technology, it also demands that coaches utilize it effectively.

In the company, they provide face to face coaching as well as virtually and by phone, which is particularly useful for their international clients, as some are operating in countries where technology can be unreliable.

Sue talks about the invaluable thinking time that her company can provide for their clients. “Even though business is now always-on, clients still find that a session of uninterrupted thinking time working with a Sue Stockdale Ltd coach is invaluable. You can never get time back, and it is our job as coaches to ensure that a client gets the most value from the time they spend with us. We have taken some clients on a coaching walk, rather than meeting in a hotel lobby and they have found that the combination of fresh air and movement gives them renewed energy as well as insight. If we can keep taking risks and being innovative as coaches, we will be able to role model that behaviour for our clients.�

Company: Sue Stockdale Ltd Contact: Sue Stockdale Contact Email: info@suestockdale.com Address: Unit 2, Church Farm Rise, Broad Town, Swindon. Wiltshire, SN4 7RE, UK Telephone: +44 (0)7780 670664 Web Address www.suestockdale.com

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Specialists in Coaching The People Practice is a consulting practice that focuses on results-driven coaching and facilitation. We profile the organization and its coaches as we look to find out more about the success of the company.

Working at The People Practice, both Sarah and Susan are qualified coaches and have worked in global HR Executive roles for over 30 years. Their experience at companies such as Apple, EMC and EY drive an approach that brings focus, clarity and new insights to their engagements.

Their backgrounds bring the ability to really look at the issue from a variety of angles and determine the best possible tools and techniques to give the client what they need. They have a deep & varied toolkit when enables them to create unique and cutting edge approaches.

They are curious by nature, and find that the situation presented is the start of an unknown, unfolding journey to a new perspective that yields very different options to what might previously not have been understood. Approaching their clients with an enquirer’s mind, means they can stay agile on behalf of their client. Susan’s non-judgmental, thoughtful approach enables clients to explore themselves and their reality at a much deeper level.

The practice’s clients are varied, ranging from individuals looking to make better sense of their

future to senior leadership teams working on their resilience and relevance in their business environment.

Essentially, they focus on three core areas, individual coaching, team coaching and leadership development.

Their coaching work on a one-toone basis is developmental, by helping individuals develop selfawareness and, results driven, through three-way contracting with the coach, sponsor and individual. Their approach offers coaches the time to think for themselves, about their own context and goals with no judgement.

Teams operate at two levels at any given time - the task and the emotional - both need focus for a team to be successful. Sarah & Susan believe that, in today’s world, those teams that are most resilient and agile are the teams that pay attention to what is occurring for their members, and the whole group at a subconscious level. Their team consulting draws extensively on their team coaching training and on their OD, Adult Learning and Group Dynamics experience.

They facilitate a space so individuals/teams can manage their emotions as they turn their attention fully and deeply to their

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reality. Their team coaching will almost always involve both the work at hand, and the psychological processes at play in that context. With the ultimate goal of a high performing, resilient and agile team, ready for the unknown unknowns of today’s world.

Sarah & Susan have a deep background in leadership development and have a passion for understanding what interventions really create great leaders. They believe that many of the leadership development tools that were created for the industrial age no longer deliver in the volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA) environment. Their focus is on vertical rather than horizontal development - where development is a continuous process not an event. Leaders who can grow skills in the area of “sense-making”, those who are interdependent, longer-term thinkers, able to hold multiple perspectives and contradictions are the leaders needed today. To deliver of these skills, Sarah & Susan deliver programmes that are highly experiential, deeply reflective, relationship based embedded in a psychology and adult learning theories.

When a client reaches out to The People Practice, the team

start by understanding the current need, and then begin to map their client’s context both systemically and psychologically.

This mapping process creates new insights that drive clients to work on the most meaningful questions for them. The People Practice believes that turning attention towards current reality, creates a deeper impact that really gets to the root cause and focuses on much longer-term results. This work often requires considerable management of emotions, and Sarah’s skill of creating a space where people can be brave in their thinking and articulation, is often the key to a new path for many individuals and the success of teams.

The People Practice have a unique set of values, which are ingrained in everything they do.

They believe in transparent, honest partnerships and will always seek to deliver work that has considerable impact on people and their business results. These values include integrity and following through on promises, as well as value creating, ensuring clients get the best value for money.

Furthermore, the team at The People Practice continuously strive to design solutions that are suitable to each situation, thinking of the result from the

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start, whilst placing an emphasis on putting the customer first.

Clients can come to the team knowing that their confidentiality will be respected, never using information for personal gain, and they will receive the utmost respect and customer service.

The People Practice are a practice by design, meaning they use every engagement as an opportunity to reflect, conceptualise and operationalize,

constantly evolving their current skill set, often travelling globally to understand new concepts or working in disparate fields not related to their industry.

The People Practice believe their clients pay for great thinking and fresh minds every day, that focus on that client. Internally the company maintains a reflection space, peer learning and a challenging thinking environment that drives their minds to think above and beyond the obvious.

Sarah and Susan believe that their industry and work is only in its infancy and will continue to develop rapidly in the next years.

Ultimately, above all else, The People Practice believe their work is the person or team and therefore turn full attention and their best thinking techniques to the job at hand.

Contact: Sarah Abbott Contact Email: sarah@ thepeoplepracticegroup.com Address: Cork, Ireland Phone: 00353 87 210 6432 Website: www. thepeoplepracticegroup.com

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Creating the Organisation You Want, Not What You Think You Need Judith Cashmore-James is a specialist leadership coach, working with organisations and individuals to help leadership to grow and attain its own positive and authentic voice.

Recently, we profiled the talented Judith Cashmore-James, to discover more about her Touchstone Associates Ltd and her remarkable success.

In 2007, Judith Cashmore-James established Touchstone Associates Ltd (formerly Cashmore-James Ltd.) with the mission of supporting transformational leadership in the public, private and not for profit sectors. Touchstone is a small business dedicated to providing high quality, highly experienced support for clients in developing confident, self-assured leaders who have a clear vision of their leadership and what that can contribute to their organisations and to their communities.

Judith heads up a discreet team of highly experienced coaches and assessors who have been selected for their skills, knowledge, experience and their positive approach to transforming leadership and its role in organisations. Working with Judith and the Touchstone

team, you are assured that the individual you will work with has significant experience of working at the top of organisations, is strategically savvy and understands the challenges and political nuances of the world of leadership.

Touchstone’s main area of work is the public sector. Whilst they cover all organisations, a significant amount of their coaching and team development work is in the education sector from primary schools to universities. The public sector is facing unprecedented challenges to reduce costs whilst still being required to deliver continual improvements in services.

Clear, strategic and positive leadership is vital if organisations are to provide the services our communities need on a daily basis. Touchstone work across the UK and in the Middle East to deliver excellence in leadership at all levels.

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As a small business Touchstone do not employ staff, rather they choose to work with a range of hand-picked specialists on a project by project basis to ensure provision of the best fit for their clients at all times. The best of the best is what they aim to deliver at every level of leadership coaching, assessment and development work. Their business is supported by a range of other small businesses from a virtual receptionist and admin team, through to specialist IT support, financial advice, branding, document design and marketing; all chosen for their high-quality attitude to delivering their own work to Touchstone as customers. In this way, they can ensure that they are agile enough to respond quickly to clients’ needs and can be assured of delivering a quality service.

Judith models to her team of Associates a rigorous

approach to her own ongoing professional development by planning and undertaking a full programme of learning, reading and researching leadership developments, drawing from the leading researchers in the field.

At the heart of Judith’s approach is that “If we are true to our own values then embracing learning and development for ourselves is essential and not just essential it is an absolute joy, as Michael Scott said, ‘the day we stop learning is the day we die’. If we want to help others to grow and learn then modelling that to our clients is a complete must”.

Selecting individuals to work with Touchstone is done through observation, often by working with others on projects, understanding the way they think and work, ensuring full alignment to the Touchstone values and those of their clients. Drawing on

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a community of high performing individuals who have a passion for leadership and of whom they have experience and knowledge.

Judith’s passion for leadership comes from her own career, observing both great and poor leadership at all levels and wanting to influence a positive approach. In her senior management career, she observed great leadership at work and occasionally less than great leadership, learning from both as she refined and defined herself as a leader. Drawing influence from staff across the organisations in which she worked and from international thinkers – “leadership is not about titles, positions, or flow charts. It is about one life influencing another” -John C

Maxell. This quote defines her own belief that organisational change can be positively and powerfully influenced through the attitudes and behaviours of staff at all levels. Nurturing and encouraging people to understand themselves as leaders and to take ownership of their own leadership approach is essential if organisations are to let go of historic paternalistic and hierarchical approaches.

The future needs people to act appropriately, take incisive decisions in a culture of quality support and encouragement, only then will we as consumers truly have the experience we deserve.

For the future, Judith is building her international coaching and

consulting practice, facilitating the growth of leaders for today and tomorrow. Seeing her role as encouraging leaders at all levels and at all ages as being essential if we are to face the challenges the world is delivering. In the last ten years organisations have faced significant environmental and financial challenges and across the globe there has been an awakening of individuals willing to call out the appalling behaviours of people from the media, parliament and many other walks of life. The world is changing and changing at a faster pace than ever before. For those choosing to work in the field of personal development being able to anticipate and deliver development that will facilitate what leaders and aspiring leaders need to step

confidently forward to ensure the world has the leaders it needs is paramount.

Contact: Judith Cashmore-James Contact Email: judith@ touchstoneassociates.co.uk Company: Touchstone Associates Ltd. First floor, 6 Ferranti Court, Staffordshire Technology Park, Stafford, ST18 0LQ, UK Telephone: 01785 613962 Web Address: www. touchstoneassociates.co.uk and www.cashmorejames.co.uk

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Making Dreams a Reality Quantic Dream is a video game developer based in Paris supplying motion capture services to the film and video game industries. We profile the company as we look to learn more about the exciting games it develops and what future developments there may be in the industry.

Founded in 1997, Quantic Dream are well renowned for their thrilling storyline based games, dealing in plenty of drama and excitement. Games produced by the firm include Fahrenheit and Beyond: Two Souls, to name a few.

Featuring in the 2017 Tech of the Year awards as 2017’s Most Innovative Tech Firm, this French based company has shown real innovating in developing video games. Throughout the years, it has gained international recognition for its contribution to interactive narration, along with its fresh thinking and innovative nature in producing games.

Providing viewers and users with an emotional experience, Quantic Dream is considered one of the leading motion capture studios, in particular for the creation of real-time 3D virtual actors performing with stunning realism. Technology is vital to success in the video game industry, with everybody striving to find the best graphics and software to produce and play the best games. Quantic Dreams have developed proprietary technologies, including some very advanced tools and a unique approach to the production pipeline.

As a game development studio, the company have collaborated in the past with major publishers, including Eidos, Vivendi Universal Games, Microsoft Games Studios, Atari and Sony Computer Entertainment, all of which have added to the sterling reputation of the company.

Boasting a wealth of experience and track record of success, Quantic Dream created the games Omikron-the Nomad soul, featuring recording artist David Bowie. Heavy rain, 2010’s most awarded video game worldwide, was developed in cooperation with Sony computer entertainment WWS on PlayStation 3. Heavy rain was the 9th bestselling title worldwide on the platform that year and has since sold over 5 million units.

Quantic Dream released: Beyond Two Souls in 2013 on PS3 and 2016 on PS4, featuring Academy Award nominees Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe in the lead roles. Nowadays, the company is working on Detroit: Become Human, a PS4 exclusive title with Sony Computer Entertainment WWS. Ultimately, running through the firm’s portfolio of successful computer games, and lavish success, there is a bright future ahead of Quantic Dream,

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particularly thanks to its exciting partnership with Sony. With positivity running through the firm, the company can look to build on its solid foundations and catapult itself to the top of the gaming and CG film industry.

Company: Quantic Dream Contact: Guillaume de Fondaumiere Contact Email: gdf@quanticdream.com Address: Quantic Dream SA, 54 Boulevard, Davout, Paris, 75020, France Phone: 0033 1 44 64 00 95 Website: www.quanticdream.com

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A CEO of the st 21 Century Chris Campbell is a founder, Chairman and CEO/Creative Director of Palace Production Center, one of the more successful mid-size television and electronic media production organizations in the U.S. We profile Chris and the firm as we discuss him being named in the 2017 CEO Awards as 2017 CEO of the Year in Connecticut.

Alongside being Chairman and CEO of Palace, Chris is managing partner of Rabbit Ears Entertainment, LLC, a children’s publishing company; Docere Palace Studios, a nonfiction television producer; and Praxis Media, Inc., a strategic communications consulting company.

Palace operates in the competitive New York-BostonPhiladelphia corridor, markets with high concentrations of financial services, high-tech and entertainment clients.

Chris founded the first of his companies, Praxis Media, Inc., at the age of 27, after serving as the youngest Public Television station manager in the country. He has produced films on location all over the world, including the middle of the Atlantic Ocean for a documentary on the world’s first undersea laser system for telecommunications. He has produced an award-winning body of work in broadcast and corporate media as well as children’s entertainment, while building a premiere, independent creative and production facility.

Interestingly, the Palace Production Center’s name comes from its headquarters building, once a vaudeville theatre where Harry Houdini and Mae West performed. With an investment

of more than $10 million dollars, the Palace Theatre building has been converted to a state-ofthe-art television and digital media studio. It is one of the oldest continuously operating independent media production centers in the region.

Palace provides production services to film, broadcast and cable television networks, independent producers, corporate communicators, and ad agencies, offering HD and SD audio and video production and post, a broadcast studio with motorized lighting grid, 2D and 3D computer graphics design and animation, video duplication, standards conversions and multimedia production services.

For several years the Tour de France was broadcast through Palace in Connecticut and Palace studios in New York supplied production services to the advertising community and to MTV, Viacom, and A&E, to name a few. Palace also received Corporation for Public Broadcasting and National Endowment for the Humanities grants to develop a multimedia series on American history targeted to middle school students.

A versatile company, for four decades, Palace contributed to the National Corporate Theatre Fund (NCTF) while Chris served on the Board of Directors, helping to raise corporate dollars to

support the country’s top regional theatres. He also serves on the boards of several Connecticut non-profits, including Connecticut Public Broadcasting, The Evergreen Foundation for Aids Relief, The Fairfield University Trustee Advisory Board and the Film Makers Educational Cooperative in Bridgeport, Conn.

Chris’s honours include ‘Best Drama’ from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Emmy awards and over 100 industry citations and film competition awards, including the New York Film Festival, the Telly’s and ITVA. He was inducted into the Connecticut Business Hall of Fame, named Producer of the Year by the Connecticut Film Commission and was honoured with the National Corporate Theatre Fund’s Chairman’s Award for outstanding contributions.

His advice to people starting out in the business: be a life-long learner, accept change as the only given in life, and love what you do. Since Chris believes that employees who ‘act as owners’ are more innovative, customercentered and driven to succeed, Palace has operated for decades as an employee-owned company with an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

An inspirational leader, Chris’ ability to see patterns where others see only confusion has made him a sought-after

business and communications consultant at Fortune 50 companies. As CEO, he has led an organization in constant change, always keeping ahead of technological advances.

In his capacity as a business organizational communications consultant, he has worked on strategic communications projects with some of the largest companies in the world.

Projects included mergers and acquisitions, product rollouts, brand repositioning and crisis management. His particular specialty is applying new technologies with the most sophisticated of human communications skills in the areas of leadership, quality and global competitiveness.

Ultimately, future plans for Chris include writing a book and applying his experience to non-profit enterprises. He has taught communications seminars and courses at corporations, universities and professional institutes and also provides media presentation training to senior corporate executives.

Company: Palace Production Center, Inc. Contact: Chris Campbell Contact Email: chris@palacedigital.com Address: 29 North Main Street, South Norwalk, CT 06854, USA Phone: 001 203 853 1740 Web Address: www. palaceproductioncenter.com

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40 Years of Personal Service The Fort Group is an independent and privately-owned organisation based in Guernsey and is licensed to provide professional trust and corporate services to clients worldwide. We profile the firm looking to find out the history and services of the company.

Formed in 1973, The Fort Group of companies are licensed by the GFSC and provide trust and corporate services to clients worldwide. Providing fresh solutions and answers to new global challenges, the Group does this against a background of unique personal service. At the heart of its business philosophy is a client, and whilst being able to demonstrate an excellent understanding of the industry, the Group strives to create a unique and personal for all clients.

Boasting a long history, the Group is probably one of the oldest privately owned Trust Companies in Guernsey, with many of its client have been with the firm for over 25 years, with returning business highlighting just some of the firm’s success.

Currently, the Board of Directors of The Fort Group offer a blend of professional qualifications and a wealth of experience within the finance industry.

Analysing its strengths, the organisation is well established in its ability to provide a personal, cost-effective and flexible service, all of which contributes to the satisfaction of clients.

Adopting a personal approach, the firm does not intend to become a large rigid organisation

where personal service. This is mainly down to the quality of the staff, which is where the firm’s strength strongly lies.

Due to the fact that it is not affiliated to any banks, lawyers or accountants, staff can operate independently, so can work with the broadest spectrum of professionals, always working hard to put the client first and exceed their requirements.

The Fort Group has a strong and reliable management team along with experienced and well qualified administrators, who work alongside each other to offer every client the best possible service. The team encourages continuous professional development to ensure all training is current and relevant. Clients can be assured of ready access to staff with a direct and professional understanding of their affairs.

Building and maintaining professional relationships, many of the Group’s private and corporate clients receive sophisticated financial and taxation advice from their own partners, and the Fort Group provides a focal point for clients, working with all professional advisors to develop a coordinated, planned and

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controlled situation, which suits the client’s needs.

If a client requires advice, The Fort Group is able to consult the most appropriate individual because the team works closely with many professional International financial institutions.

The range of services the firm offers is exceptionally broad, and its success is based on maintaining a flexible and personal relationship with each one of its clients. Important to the Group’s continuous success, the development of strong professional relationships within the local finance industry and internationally, alongside the expertise of the organisation’s staff means that it is able to provide a bespoke service to all of its clients.

Contributing to its achievements, The Fort Group are often approached to provide access to providers of finance and to set up efficient financing mechanisms. The company liaise with commercial and merchant banks for funding and as their credit criteria is known to the group, the team are often able to speed up the decision process by understanding and conveying to the client the minimum requirements for successful funding. On this

basis, staff have built excellent relationships with offshore and onshore banks, as they know that prior to introducing a client, The Fort Group have taken all the necessary steps to know its clients and their needs.

With regard to regulations and licensing, The Fort Group conducts its business in a prudent manner. The team ensure that its client acceptance criteria and internal due diligence complies with the recommendations and standards established in a premier offshore location such as Guernsey.

Strongly committed to helping and aiding others, the Group is fully supportive of the aims of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission. Operating within Guernsey and Alderney can be of great benefit to the company, as the area has a thriving business environment in which companies are heavily supported.

Inside Guernsey, there is a comprehensive infrastructure of professional services, including lawyers, accountants and bankers. There are strong regulatory controls for the establishment and monitoring of financial activities. Plus, there are no exchange controls, and a good relationship between the

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Government and businesses, benefitting clients and companies themselves. Additionally, within Guernsey, there is strict confidentiality as prescribed by law, no capital gains, transfer, wealth or inheritance taxes, and lastly no VAT. Ultimately, there are many prospects for The Fort Group

to look forward to in the future, as its location and exceptional services, both client and business related mean it is exciting times ahead for the organisation. Guernsey helps the Group to thrive, and with its rich history, the Fort Group can look to build on its already solid foundations and cement its place as a leader in the industry,

40 Years of Personal Service

Contact: Helen Ackrill Contact Email: Helen.Ackrill@thefortgroup.com Address: Inchalla, Le Val, Alderney, Guernsey, GY9 3UL, UK Phone: (0)1481 822795 Website: www.thefortgroup.com

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Security Services Tailored to You Magenta Security provides high quality, bespoke security solutions to clients within the retail, healthcare and commercial sectors across the UK. Recently, Managing Director for Magenta Security, Abbey Petkar took time to tell us more about his role and the innovative work provided by the successful company.

Magenta Security provides high quality, bespoke security solutions to clients within the retail, healthcare and commercial sectors across the UK. With our head office in Hounslow, we also have operations in Birmingham, Kent, Swindon and Manchester.

Our tailor-made security packages are devised to suit client’s individual requirements, and our service-based ethos ensures high levels of customer satisfaction.

On the topic of services, Magenta Security provides security officers, mobile services, as well as a range of bespoke security solutions. In addition to these services, our partnerships with external suppliers means we can provide a variety of additional services. Also, we hold ACS accreditation for security guarding, keyholding services and door supervision.

Magenta has grown 20% year on year by retaining existing customers, providing new services and winning new customers. However, this is just one of our headline statistics.

Gross profit has increased 2% year on year. Magenta has a five-year growth plan which is based on the company growing organically. This will primarily

focus on winning contracts for the operation of further sites for existing customers, and investing in marketing to help win new business.

As Managing Director of Magenta Security, I established Magenta Security Services with one security officer and one customer more than 22 years ago. Today, it is an awardwinning company which is recognised as a leader in its field. Before setting up Magenta, I spent eight years at one of the UK’s largest security firms, rising from the role of security guard to middle management. However, I was unable to progress any further. Instead, I set up Magenta, providing me with an opportunity where I could make a real difference to the industry.

People would be hired and promoted on merit - regardless of colour or gender, we would be CSR focused and deliver great value for customers. Ethics were also a key factor in the founding of Magenta, which is why I didn’t take any clients from my old role and built the business from scratch.

Throughout the years, I have worked hard – some might even say crusaded - to change the perception of the security industry through market leading

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initiatives. One of these was the publication of a whitepaper which offers businesses advice on selecting a security provider.

‘Managing Your Security’ looks at the key criteria businesses should consider when looking at a security provider including licensing, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and customer service. I wrote the whitepaper because I believe selecting a security company should go far beyond looking at how much it cost. The informative guide has given businesses the insight they need in order to make an informed decision.

Also, I have been dedicated to raising standards within the security industry by promoting key issues to a wider audience, talking on a wide range of issues; offering advice to other businesses and helping others implement best practice.

Through this, my reach goes beyond the security industry, and my achievements have been recognised by the wider business community.

Two key issues in particular have been CSR and licensing.

In both instances, I have and continue to lobby my peers, clients and even the government to improve standards. Whether it be voluntarily or through

legislation, we must continue to improve in both areas. In terms of CSR, we should all be more environmentally friendly, we should all be more philanthropic, and these are issues I have raised time and again, whilst instilling into Magenta’s operations and ethos. As a result, CSR has become an integral part of Magenta’s business strategy.

Magenta was the first manned guarding company to achieve ISO 14001, and since then has gone on to create a business founded on sustainability.

Security industry licensing on the other hand is a political minefield, but it cannot be ignored. As an industry, we are plagued by rouge operators and I see it in black and white. Clients need to understand the difference between the good and the bad, a better system of licensing can achieve that, and I will not stop lobbying for change. To achieve this, I have joined the security industry’s small business board – which focuses on achieving change at governmental level.

Such political matters don’t however get in the way of success, and I am delighted to say that Magenta has a portfolio of clients including embassies, educational establishments, heritage sites, blue chip

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organisations, healthcare and retail clients.

We have, for example, been working with a healthcare company since 2009 and recently extended the contract.

We provide a variety of services including manned guarding, CCTV monitoring, key holding and patrol services. Also, we created a bespoke training package to enable its porters to gain security skills – including training to the SIA standard, customer service, fire safety and conflict management. Our staff have even been trained to understand medical gases and have medical training to be able to use them in case of an emergency.

In 2007, 2009, 2011 and again in 2013, Magenta won the contract to provide security services to the Royal Parks – a contract awarded by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Magenta is the sole supplier for the provision of security for all the Royal Parks and Cemetery, working in partnership with the Royal Park’s management, and liaising with the Metropolitan Police, to ensure a good visitor experience to the parks.

To achieve all this, I firmly place my team and their personal development at the heart of the business. Here at Magenta, we provide staff with on-going training, which allows security solutions and customer service to be combined effectively.

Our staff are trained in Security and Customer Services.

However, as each customer is different, we ensure our security guards receive specific training to work on the sites they operate on. Also, we consult with customers to see what training opportunities they would like the security guards to receive. Such an ongoing training programme allows us to achieve best practice and achieve customer care objectives.

Our training programme has major benefits for customers, as staff turnover is significantly

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lower than the industry standard.

Throughout our time in business, we have not lost a customer through poor service and this can be accredited to the training staff receive. Our client retention remains one of the highest in the industry – in fact more than 97% of clients remain with Magenta for at least three years.

Also, hot off the press, some of our latest include training to support organisations in light of the increased terror threat faced by the UK. This includes advice on how to keep buildings, individuals and customers safe. In support of this, I have committed to train staff as first aiders and fire marshals – training that has already resulted in the saving of one life and one business from a fire.

Such training is not aimed just at the clients. I recognise that it is also important growth for our team, which is why it is such an important part of our investment and staff retention strategy. In the last 10 years, Magenta has had a staff turnover of 9.7% – a figure well below the national average.

In fact, during the last 12 months, Magenta has seen no changes to the management team make up.

At Magenta, we can attribute such a high retention level to the training, motivation and benefits we give employees.

Some members of staff have been with the organisation since 1995. Since January, all new members of staff have passed their probation, settling in to their business roles and embarking on NVQ training.

Our staff are incentivised to stay with the company via a range of different schemes. Clients are issued with service certificates and gift vouchers, which they can award to the employees who have been outstanding.

Customers issue the incentives to staff working on their site, and clients are also involved with the giving of long service awards.

Also, I have worked closely with our team to source staff discounts with suppliers such as mobile phones, heating bills and travel.

I have personally and therefore, so has the company long been advocating for pensions for security guards, and taken measures which are seen as noteworthy in the security industry. Most simply, we pay employees higher rates to reflect the cost of living in a modern society.

It has always been my goal to put Magenta on the map as the beacon for high standards.

Therefore, I have promoted the initiatives Magenta Security has introduced to help other companies achieve the same level of success. This influence is helping change the mindset of those choosing security services. Their choices then allow the sector to grow and improve for all. However, it goes beyond just the security industry, I have long been an advocate of internationally recognised standards, such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, both of which have allowed us to work with clients and peers to achieve best practice for all. In fact, achieving ISO14001 is probably the high point of my career. We were the first company to do so in Europe, and it was so cutting edge that none of our customers or suppliers understood what we were doing. It was a challenge, but the end result has had a significant impact on the business.

Being selected for such a prestigious award is a real honour, not just for me but for Magenta as a whole. As a business, we do not attribute our success to one individual but to our team as a whole. This award therefore represents the input of many people and I thank them for their support throughout the years. It is this sense of team work I would impress on anyone else looking to succeed as a business leader. In the service industries in particular, it is people that count far more than anything else. Business owners and chief executives need to lead by example and demonstrate exemplary service levels if they want their staff to follow suit. Here at Magenta, we don’t just try to improve our own business but those around us – offering advice for free to all those that ask – even peers and competitors. Such an attitude will make any business succeed, not just now but for years to come.

Contact: Abbey Petkar Contact Email: abbey@ magentasecurity.co.uk Company: Magenta Security Services, Walbrook, Business Centre, Green Lane, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW4 6NW, UK Telephone: 0208 569 6080 Web Address: www.magentasecurity.co.uk

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Success is the Only Option As Europe’s original business psychology consultancy, Nicholson McBride has contributed to some of the most dramatic corporate transformations of the last three decades. We profile the firm’s founder John Nicholson as we explore the secrets behind his overwhelming success.

Featuring in Corporate Vision’s Coaching Top 50 In 2017, John Nicholson’s career as an advisor began in the UK Cabinet Office, when he was asked to devise some means of improving the quality of Cabinet Ministers’ decision-making.

As time has gone on, he has continued to develop strategic projects, and even founded his own firm, Nicholson McBride.

While teaching psychology at the Universities of Oxford, Reading and London, John undertook a number of consultancy projects.

For example, he was invited to assess IBM’s International Quality Programme and subsequently worked with IBM on many human resources management concerns, including stress management, entrepreneurship and customer relationships.

Subsequently, John needed a new challenge, and after leaving his academic life, he founded Nicholson McBride, which came to be Europe’s first business psychology consultancy.

Producing constant results and achieving overwhelming success, Nicholson McBride has gone on to help around 350 organisations, in both the public and private sectors, reinvigorating

companies and changing the way they are organised, manage their people and relate to their clients. Customer satisfaction is an integral part of any company’s success, and so John has been able to help many of his clients achieve more success by revolutionising their business.

Receiving notable recognition, The Sunday Times described John as ‘the UK’s foremost customer care guru’, and his company as ‘the crack outfit in an increasing field’; the Evening Standard referred to the firm as ‘pioneers of new business practices in the UK.’ Boasting an almost unrivalled portfolio of achievements, such judgements received official endorsement with John’s appointment in September 1992 as Special Advisor at the Cabinet Office on the management of change in the public sector, a position he held for two years.

He was closely involved in preparing the 1994 Government White Paper which set out a blueprint for Civil Service reform, and in 1995, played a part in briefing leaders of the NATO task force for Bosnia. Over the past two decades, he has advised the leaders of many UK central and local government, as well as inter-governmental, organisations.

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Finally, John has also worked in more than a third of the FTSE Top 100 companies and for many professional and financial services firms. He is also the author of several hundred articles and twelve books. The most recent being: Resilience: how to bounce back from whatever life throws at you, spawned the 2010 Local Government National Resilience Survey with 10,000 participants. Before becoming a psychologist, he worked as a musician; between 1978 and 1990, he reviewed new fiction regularly for The Times.

Looking into the success of his own company, Nicholson McBride, the firm has gone from strength to strength under John and the rest of his team.

Transforming corporations and businesses has been a real legacy of the consultancy, something which the team are incredibly proud of. Many of these transformations have involved such corporate giants as the BBC, IBM, the Inland Revenue, Lloyd’s of London, and the European Central Bank.

More than 350 organisations, representing all sectors and in 24 countries.

Dealing with various clients, the firm sometimes works with industry leaders, who are mostly determined to remain

ahead of the field in many respects, but also works with those who are looking to climb the ladder and become a force in their respective markets.

Many sectors can be hostile and Nicholson McBride helps companies in this respect.

Additionally, some clients are start-up teams, often in new industries, others operate in mature markets, and are eager to gain differentiation. The company also work across the public sector, central and local government, as well as regulatory bodies, and for international governmental organizations.

Occupying some unusual niches, Nicholson McBride offer advice to many of its direct competitors, which is a sign that it is there to help everyone. There are many clients who are already highly successful who work with Nicholson McBride, as they would like to gain people management skills which must match their technical excellence.

An example of some successful clients includes bankers, lawyers, economists, actuaries, Cabinet Ministers and senior government officers.

Regarding the consultancy’s own corporate history in the 1980s, it led the way in developing

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programmes to improve customer focus and the quality of service delivery. As the world economy moved into recession, Nicholson McBride broadened its expertise to cover other aspects of organisational change, developing techniques to help leaders manage themselves, their people and their work, while maintaining morale and improving business performance.

Nowadays, the team’s work ranges from helping very large organisations turn corporate vision into concrete plans and effective action to introducing individual leaders to the sophisticated people handling skills they need to succeed.

Its central objective is: to mobilise people, at all levels, to improve collective and individual performance: The team helps companies to make the most of their people and individuals to make the most of themselves.

Reflected in its work, Nicholson McBride’s success stems from its values which govern its

consultancy practice, being professional, original, honest and empowering. The team are also passionate about the client and providing only the best experience, as well as improving harmony and results for the clients.

Sensibly, the consultancy practice never accepts a project that it does not expect to succeed, nor lay claim to areas of competence it does not possess. By customising all of its work, the practice minimises the risk of endorsing inappropriate solutions. Its success in doing so can be judged from the fact that a very large proportion of its business comes from clients who have worked with the team before. New clients are drawn by its outstanding track record and high profile in the media.

Nicholson McBride’s attitudes and values not only appeal to clients but allows them to attract and retain the very best consultants and support staff.

The firm’s culture is transparent

and flexible, with every member of a relatively small team being encouraged to contribute to the development of strategy and to suggest operational improvements. The practice is a hard-working, close-knit group of grownups, who are aware of the dangers of rampant egos and are skilled at keeping them under control, in its own company as well as those of its clients.

Ultimately, Nicholson McBride’s overall mission is to make a profound and sustained impact. Moving forwards, to make this easier, the firm has no rigid methodology, nor does it represent any single psychological theory. To John and the team, business is as important as psychology, and staff always adopt an entirely pragmatic approach.

The practice’s only concern is to introduce measurable and enduring improvements, without disrupting the smooth running of the business. Staff very often work alongside internal

change agents, introducing them to its techniques and creating exemplars of best practice. Nicholson McBride believe each organisation has its own challenges, so all its interventions are bespoke, as the team develops its own techniques, but avoid turning them into products needing to be sold. Instead, Nicholson McBride works collaboratively with clients, listening to them, and developing solutions to their problems collaboratively. Lastly, because Nicholson McBride are responding directly to their individual needs, the content of intervention is judged to be of a consistently high standard and the company’s success rate far exceeds the industry average.

Company: Nicholson McBride Contact: Tamasin Barnbrook Contact Email: Tamasin.Barnbrook@ nicholsonmcbride.com Address; 18b Pindock Mews, London, W9 2PY, UK Phone: 020 7432 8460 Website: nicholsonmcbride.com

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The Positive Leader Jan Mühlfeit is a global strategist, executive coach and author of bestselling business book The Positive Leader (Pearson, Oct 2016, Jan Mühlfeit & Melina Costi). Recently, we profiled Jan to reveal more about the secrets behind his success.

Jan Mühlfeit is a global strategist, executive coach and author of bestselling business book, The Positive Leader (Pearson, Oct 2016, Jan Mühlfeit & Melina Costi). As for his personal mission, it is to help individuals, organisations and countries around the world to unlock their human potential. Jan has a proven track record in building and leading successful teams, acquired through an extensive 22-year career at Microsoft Corporation, where he served in various executive positions.

His last role with the high-tech giant, was as Chairman Europe (2007–2014).

Harnessing his in-depth knowledge and expertise, Jan has created a set of unique seminars – ‘Unlock Human Potential’ and ‘Unlock Your Team’s Potential’. In these seminars, he coaches individuals and teams on how to uncover their personal strengths and find the best in the people.

His techniques are valuable in driving business growth, showing organizations how to create synergy in teams, inspire people through positive leadership and deliver optimal performance through FLOW. Jan teaches his courses on a worldwide scale and has worked with many prominent S&P 500 companies. Among his key clients are Exxon Mobile, GE, Dentons, Microsoft, Generali, UniCredit, Siemens, Bosch,

Société General, Skoda, Skanska, and many others. His methodology, which is rooted in positive psychology, is based not only on his own career journey, but also on the collective insights of many top individuals in the world of business, politics, entertainment and sports with whom he has had the honour to meet, work and spend time with.

Together with Katerina Novotna, Jan has created a special seminar for children and parents – ‘Unlock Your Child’s Potential’ – which guides children on how to be more self-aware and find their personal uniqueness. In his own words: “Every child is a genius, we just need to find in what”.

Jan coaches high-level executives, Olympic games winners and artists from different countries and continents, and he works closely in the coaching and mentoring field with INSEAD, Cambridge, Imperial College, Gallup and the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital (a Harvard Medical School affiliate).

Jan is a well-regarded global speaker at WEF, Harvard, MIT, INSEAD, Cambridge, Imperial College, Washington Post and Economist events. As an established leadership and personal development specialist, he has been interviewed by CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, Financial Times, New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

From 2008–2010, Jan was moderator of CT24 morning talk show ‘Rendez-vous’ and recently hosted the Czech TV show

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“Hidden Potential”. He also has his own talk show called ‘Premier League Thinking’, broadcasted on Czech station Radio ZET.

of Microsoft’s global emerging markets strategy and a member of the Microsoft executive board for emerging markets.

Jan is a Senior Strategic Advisor for Atlantic Bridge Capital and serves on different advisory boards of several European governments in the fields of ICT, national competitiveness and education. Also, he counsels on various projects for the WEF, OECD and EC.

Following these achievements, Jan Mühlfeit assumed the role of Vice President of Microsoft’s Public Sector team in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in 2005. He was named Vice President, EMEA Corporate & Government Strategy in 2006 and was subsequently promoted to Chairman Europe, Microsoft Corporation in 2007.

Here, he played a crucial role in normalizing Microsoft’s relationship with EU institutions.

Jan left Microsoft at the end of 2014.

Jan Mühlfeit joined Microsoft in 1993. After only one year at the company, he received the President’s Award for Excellence in 1994. Jan was named Regional Director of Microsoft Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in 2000 and promoted to Vice President in 2002. Under his leadership, CEE became the company’s best performing region worldwide for four consecutive years. In 2004, he also became a co-architect

Contact: Jan Mühlfeit Contact Email: jan@muhlfeit.com Company: UnlockPotentialNow s.r.o, Mladikov 498, Jesenice, 252 42, Czech Republic Website: www.janmuhlfeit.com

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Passionate About Improvement Lucy Thompson is an Executive Coach and Organisational Effectiveness specialist who works with individuals, teams and organisations which help them access, understand and verbalise the current reality. Lucy provides us with an overview of her work and the success she has achieved.

Having started to understand and verbalise the current reality, Lucy starts to move the client on with their journey through the action steps needed to build a viable future. Lucy believes that the key is on creating healthy environments in which people can thrive and it is her role to work with leaders to create that healthy environment where they can feel they have a safe space just to download and think. Lucy outlines her current role and the business she works in, telling us how much she enjoys working with different people.

“The bulk of my coaching is with Senior Leaders across a variety of businesses and sectors, often helping with their thinking, approach and behaviours whilst going through change.

“Currently, I work within the utilities sector in an organisation of just over 3000 people spread across the UK, based in the North East. I am one of eight internal coaches within the business and I love the variety of people I work with and helping them to do their best thinking about the challenges they face, and how they can be the very best version of themselves as an extraordinary leader.”

Working with the belief that organisations do not change,

but people do. Lucy has a clear belief in leadership and how it benefits not only people, but also companies. Being adaptable and versatile are key aspects of Lucy’s success.

skills and capabilities that can be of value to the people I work with. It is only when I am the best version of myself that I can help them to be the best version of themselves.”

“Ultimately, I believe that the one size fits all approach to coaching using fixed models and techniques no longer works. I further believe that great leadership produces outstanding performance and results, whilst also thinking that what is being presented on the surface might not always be what is going on underneath. Therefore, keeping an open mind is very important as even with a clear scope when working with teams and individuals, quite often things comes up unexpectedly and thinking on my feet has become a key skill.”

Lucy is quick to praise those who she works with, citing the different nature of people’s outlook on certain situations, enabling her to motivate herself to keep on her toes and adapt accordingly.

Personal development is something that Lucy is clearly very passionate about, particularly her own, and so being able to demonstrate her beliefs in a way which others follow is important to her.

“One of my passions is my own personal development and to be credible in this ever changing world being able to demonstrate keeping up with emerging developments really contributes to how much credibility you have.

I am always scouring and seeking out information, intelligence, new

“Throughout the industry, the coaches I work with are fabulous, each one is different and brings a different outlook, style and voice to how we shape our coach offering.

Each of us works with different tools, techniques, philosophies and we all have such a diverse range of backgrounds. It is fantastic to learn from each other and we really challenge ourselves to push the boundaries of the conventional approach and be refreshingly different. This enables us to provide the best possible service to our clients. Our coaches are hand selected, some come from technical backgrounds from other areas of our business, some have a HR background and other have a learning and development background, some have all of the above along with real leadership experience from different industries.”

In her concluding comments, Lucy is not sure what the future

holds for herself, but it will almost definitely involve success. She comments on the fact that she has been developing her own skills, demonstrating her passion to improve herself and her skills.

Lucy is ready to embrace the challenges that 2018 will bring.

Moving forward, my future is unwritten, however, having recently been introduced to Sydney Banks and the three principles, I believe my life as a coach will emerge and I will be wherever I am meant and needed to be. Recently, I have been developing my skills with executive team coaching and this is a real area of interest for me and developing high performance teams as well as individuals. This will be my focus during 2018 and I’m really up for the challenge and the new learning it will expose me to.

Contact: Lucy Thompson Contact Email: lucy_a_ thompson@hotmail.co.uk Phone: 07943 982048

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Best for Cognitive Manufacturing Software 2017 & Most Innovative CEO in IIoT

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Corporate Excellence Awards 2017 Design. Process. Management.

-DPMG Corp.

GPF Lewis, Beyond Contracting GPF Lewis PLC is an award winning national contractor; delivering expert services with a unique & comprehensive approach to each and every job and project. We profile the firm as we look to find out more about the company and its ongoing success.

Warhorse Leadership to Maximize Future Value -Isleworth Capital Partners

Commercial Real Estate: It is as Simple as That.

-Rentschler/Tursi, LLP

Fully Managed IT Services, MPS and Business Solutions - Carolina Business Equipment, Inc. Improving Lives Through EducationÂŽ

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GPF Lewis, Beyond Contracting GPF Lewis PLC is an award winning national contractor; delivering expert services with a unique & comprehensive approach to each and every job and project. We profile the firm as we look to find out more about the company and its ongoing success.

GPF Lewis provides construction, project management and building maintenance services to the Commercial, Residential, Public and Industrial markets. The firm possesses an overall mission to deliver outstanding value, whilst adopting a safe and considerate approach, always looking to exceed the clients’ expectations, as well as the market and its own professional expectations.

Driven by innovation and an extremely ambitious agenda, as a business the company deliver quality based service solutions.

Its strength lies in the unique approach to professionalism, and continued commitment to excellence.

A relatively young business, having been incorporated in 2006, GPF Lewis have an enviable record of delivering on their commitments to clients, particularly when called upon, and this is a key aspect of its success. Providing customer service is important to the firm, but the team also make sure that they deliver on their promises to the employees within the company and the communities

that they work in.

Regarding its staff, the company is able to offer excellent opportunities to innovative and forward-thinking people who are committed, and those who demonstrate a professional attitude to clients. Also, GPF Lewis is keen to publicise the fact it that has an exemplary safety record and the focus will always be on ensuring that all its people work in a safe manner and safe environment.

Moreover, not just believing in health and safety, the firm also acts on it, being an accredited and vetted business boasting a range of Health and Safety certification bodies which is fully compliant to British Standards including CHAS, BS OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Standards.

Boasting a wealth of expertise, the company’s projects division offers all of the services a person expects from a first-class contractor. Working within a wide range of industry sectors, including leisure, commercial, industrial, public and residential buildings. Our portfolio ranges

38 CORPORATE VISION / December 2017

from minor refurbishment works to major strip out and refit projects.

An important aspect of the company’s customer service and project implementation, is that the firm can offer developers a complete solution from concept design to completion. The team’s continued opportunities and relationships with existing clients are testament to its approach to partnerships, having

Wyfold Road Residential - Design and Build 64 Weeks - £3m

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GPF Lewis, Beyond Contracting

Company: GPF Lewis PLC Address: GPF Lewis House, Olds Approach, Tolpits Lane Watford, Hertfordshire, WD18 9AB Phone: 0845 257 3612 Website: www.gpflewis.co.uk

CORPORATE VISION / December 2017 39

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built up trust with these clients.

The success of the company demonstrates its long-term vision of operating on development in which it adds value.

Concerning GPF Lewis’ construction business, the firm offers one point of contact, taking responsibility for the planning, design and construction of all types of projects.

From inception through to completion, the client is kept up to date by the team and the company strives to ensure that every project is delivered successfully, exceeding client expectations on quality, programme and budget.

Adopting a proactive, rather than reactive approach, the firm takes account of its surroundings at all times, adapting to the relevant situations, whilst being respectful and sensitive of the client’s privacy and requirements. Being considerate, the team are able to reduce the risks of disruption, as well as enabling clients and resulting communities to be able to continue their normal activities in a manner which does not interfere with their everyday proceedings.

Working on traditionally procured, two stage, design & build and negotiated forms of contract, GPF Lewis offer a unique service in all types of construction work.

Fundamental in the company’s success, every project is managed closely and at every phase the professional teams are on hand to support and create the built environment.

Building on its sterling reputation, GPF Lewis is always staying on top of developments, and whether it be delivering the smallest service or the most demanding project, the company utilises its industry-leading expertise.

Ultimately, the final word goes to Managing Director, Rory Fitzgerald had the following to say on the company, talking about the history of GFP Lewis, its client satisfaction and the results it consistently produces. He tells us what he personally believes the success of the company is down to, and how proud he is of their team and achievements.

“Since our incorporation in 2006, GPF Lewis has demonstrated an evolution based on sustainable, year on year growth and profitability. Throughout our history, we have focused on providing high

Great Marlborough Street Commercial - Design and Build 60 Weeks - £4.75m

40 CORPORATE VISION / December 2017

quality services to our clients, and I am proud of our reputation in our industry of being a company that delivers excellence.

Crown Aspinalls Casino Commercial - Design and Build 34 Weeks – 2 Phases

“Honestly, I believe our success is based on the quality of our staff, and the plans for our future will rely on their detailed knowledge and experience. I am passionate about attracting and developing talented people which is a cornerstone of our strategy, and is one of the reasons we invest so much in development and training programmes.

“As Managing Director, I take pride in our achievements and the experience we have gained across every aspect of the business.

Whilst our plans are ambitious, we recognise the importance of pursuing the right types of work that we can deliver with confidence and at the same time, provide a challenge that inspires growth.

“Lastly, we are passionate about what we do and our key aims are to build long-term client relationships that are based on partnership, trust, steady growth, profitability and investing in our future. Most of all, we are committed to continuing the positive momentum we have built over the last 10 years.”

The Athenaeum Hotel & Leisure, Design and Build 26 Weeks – £2.5m

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GPF Lewis, Beyond Contracting

CORPORATE VISION / December 2017 41

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The Multi-Vendor Platform YouCall-it.com aim to create a better way of managing and delivering business around the world. The company are delighted to be selected for the Corporate Excellence Awards 2017 as the Best IT Service Multi-Platform Vendor of 2017 – UK. We spoke to Chris Kirkham to find out more about the successful company.

Established in 2010, YouCall-it.com cite awards such as Best IT Service Multi-Platform Vendor in the UK 2017 as one of many motivators which drive the company to do what it does best, innovate. Innovation is the key to its ongoing success.

When the IT provider was first founded seven years ago, there were many frustrations in service delivery which still exist today.

There was no mechanic or system which existed to deliver services with service providers outside of the client’s own systems. This meant that requirements were managed effectively when dealing in house, but when sent to a partner provider the management was lost. Everything was sent by email or via an outsource button which then forced the service provider to change their internal processes just to work with international businesses. Often emails or constant phone calls were the only way of chasing for an update or obtaining call details. This caused delays, miscommunication and had no accountable delivery mechanic.

However, YouCall-it.com’s unique platform was designed from the ground up to provide a one-stopshop for service delivery on a Global scale. Chris explains how

the company has reinvented the IT services sector.

“Fast-forward to 2017, and our unified method of working has become increasingly relevant and continues to make a positive impact on the global service stage.

“Essentially, we want to help our customers communicate as effectively as possible. To do this, we make sure that our systems are built using the latest web technologies and cover the widest range of platforms possible. We continually seek ways to add value for our users by developing and expanding our product offering; integrating existing cloud based services and innovating bespoke solutions.”

Youcall-IT.com connects 100’s of service providers directly to those needing IT support or deployment services in a country whilst keeping the communication and delivery of the work seamless.

With an end goal in sight, Chris outlines the organisation’s overall mission, as well as explaining what type of clients the team works with.

“Working towards providing a unique and integrated service, we are on a mission to provide our suppliers, partners and

42 CORPORATE VISION / December 2017

clients and indeed the service chain, a unified and single way of working together. We currently support our customer’s activities in UK, Europe, Asia, U.S.A and Canada by linking and connecting our service partners directly to our client’s service desks and systems.

“Clients work directly with IT Service and solution providers from around the world via our dedicated platform which works on the basis that, when everybody works on the same level; communication, cost and management are delivered in a much better way, with superfluous layers removed.”

Dealing in a variety of different sectors within the IT support community, the firm has built tools to allow a single point of entry for global management of IT Support requests, contracts, deployments, installations, surveys and much more. Clients and others can find and manage new service providers, extending their own capability, or if they have an existing network of providers, they can manage them via the platform.

The Youcall-IT.com platform has inbuilt and live translation tools to overcome language hurdles, which are often faced when engineers are onsite and need

to speak to a support desk which works in a different language.

Ultimately, all of this bodes very well for the future of Youcall-it. com. In his concluding remarks, Chris comments on the vast array of services that the company offers and how this will benefit the organisation in the times ahead.

Looking to help clients build their global IT network, Chris welcomes new businesses and industries to the Youcall-it.com’s version of the IT Service world of the future.

“Moving forward, our wide array of service features, coupled with the unified service mantra have allowed us to introduce our systems to a range of customers from main tier downwards.

Basically, we design, provide and deliver third party support to clients across the whole of the globe. Going forward, we are keen to continue to offer this winning combination of a unique solution and high-quality service.”

Company: YouCall-it.com Contact: Chris Kirkham Email: chris.kirkham@youcall-it.com Address: 65 Tontine Street, Folkestone, CT20 1JR, UK Phone: +44 (0) 845 582 2423 Website: www.youcall-it.com Twitter: @YouCall_it Facebook: YouCallit.Global LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/ company-beta/977479/

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Simple. Intuitive and Fully Compliant.

Veriphy is a cloud based compliance and business intelligence service focusing on Anti Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) checks. We spoke to George Ford as we look to find out more about the success of the company.

Dedicated to customer service and examining the best compliance, Veriphy has a mission which, when successful will see it establish itself as a leader within the market. George outlines the overall mission of the firm and how it will achieve this.

“Here at Veriphy, we are dedicated to streamlining customer onboarding and compliance for our clients, ranging from automating and simplifying processes to providing best of breed data and reporting tools.”

Additionally, it is this mission which helps the company distinguish itself apart from its competitors.

George alludes to the simplicity of the work that the company does, with no hidden fees or undisclosed regulations. This is what contributes to the firm’s success, and its recognition in the Corporate Excellence Awards 2017 as the Leading AML Check Provider 2017 – UK. “Basically, we have the simplest business model in the market, as there are no sign-up fees, no contracts, no upfront payments and free support, as our clients only ever pay for the checks they do.

“It means a great deal to us to be recognised in this way as we have been dedicated to our clients for a decade now and continue to strive to make their lives easier in what can be a minefield of legislation with real consequences for organisations that get it wrong.”

Giving us a brief overview of the industry, George tells us about the legislation on Anti-Money Laundering which is constantly being updated, and how the firm are trying to educate the relevant customers in the relevant sectors.

“Recently, the legislation on Anti-Money Laundering changed with updated guidance from the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group (JMLSG), and we are trying to teach the legislated sectors, such as legal and accountancy about what these changes mean in practice.”

With legislations and regulations always changing, it is important that the team at Veriphy work hard to employ and stay ahead of emerging developments. George comments on the ever changing nature of technology in all environments, and how staff are always adapting their approach to technology in order to help them stay ahead.

“Technology is a fast-paced environment and standing still

means that you fail. With this in mind, we are constantly refining our systems with an eye on emerging tools and techniques.”

Regarding what the future holds for Veriphy, George tells us about the increasing client base of the company, which is exciting for the whole team. Working with others from overseas means the services will be adapted to suit different legislations, but this is something which excites George. Embracing the challenge and finding new opportunities are all key to the future of Veriphy, as George discusses in his concluding comments.

“Ultimately, we have organically gained many clients from overseas territories and, for us, our focus will be to actively grow

this customer base through the use of translated versions of our service and supporting marketing materials. We will also be on the look out for data that could enhance our offering overseas.”

Contact: George Ford Contact Email: george@veriphy.co.uk Address: 68 Jesmond Road West, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PQ, UK Phone: 0845 094 8931 Website: www.veriphy.com

CORPORATE VISION / December 2017 43

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Improving Lives ® Through Education AAMC Training Group are a Registered Training Organisation in Australia, whilst also operating in India, Indonesia and Philippines. Jeff Mazzini gives us an insight into how the organisation came to win the Most Outstanding Training Organisation 2017 in Australia in our Corporate Excellence Awards 2017.

Operating since 2001, AAMC Training Group offer a variety of courses ranging across many areas, placing a firm focus on Banking, Finance and Insurance in Australia. Additionally, the firm provides many continual professional development courses via face to face delivery or learning management systems, which it is constantly adapting to meet clients and regulators needs. Jeff outlines the overall mission of AAMC Training and what its aims are.

“AAMC Training are in the education industry because they want to ‘Improve People’s Lives through Education®’, providing a borderless education offering to enable education to be transportable across countries.

We believe this will greatly assist in reducing the high numbers of skills shortages across the globe.

“To enable this to happen, we need to build and design many courses to meet each country regulatory or business needs, otherwise the education will not be accepted or have little value to the students undertaking the courses. In some instances it requires translation of course materials from English to local languages due to the low level

of understanding of the English language.”

Furthermore, seeking acceptance across borders and the ability to offer dual certification adds value to the student’s outcomes. Jeff discusses the range of courses that the team offers in the various locations.

As with all industries, different cultures require different needs.

This is no less relevant in education requirements but the end result is usually the same, which is to be able to ensure that the student leaves education as a skilled individual who is ready to work and excel in any industry that they choose.

“In our offshore locations we provide a range of courses to meet the needs of our clients.

Many students who are leaving their learning institutions also require undertaking our work ready courses. This is where we teach them many soft skills and life skills that they are able to combine with their recent studies, to ensure they simulate as quickly as possible into the work force.

“Every country has different needs with regards to their education requirements, however the end result is the same and that is to be able to provide skilled labour to meet the high skills shortages spread across the globe. This is basically the result of the slowness of education requirements in various countries to adapt to the fast-moving digital environment we are all now operating in.”

“Another area we also deliver soft skills courses to is for those who are wishing to go offshore to further their studies. Universities have stated there are certain skills gaps that need to be addressed before the student arrives to undertake their chosen area of study. Which is why we have designed these courses, to enable the students to adapt more quickly when they arrive in a new country.”

When undertaking a new project Jeff tells us what steps the organisation takes to ensure the client will benefit from working with AAMC Training. Preparation on both sides is key, and the team expect the unexpected from the client, making sure they are adaptable to the different requirements.

44 CORPORATE VISION / December 2017

“Basically, it is impossible to guess what the clients’ needs are. Hence our team members

actually prepare for the interview whilst also helping to prepare the client for the initial meeting.

Firstly, four days before meeting the clients we send out a corporate pack including a copy of our corporate brochure, course lists and personal profile of the sales person attending the meeting. This enables our client to understand who we are and what we can do, so that at the meeting the focus is about them rather than about us.

“Secondly, team members undertake as much research as possible on the company and/or the clients’ that are to be visited, pre-populating the Client’s Training Needs review as much as possible from the client website. Lastly, staff respond back to clients’ in a timely manner with suggestions and recommendations which AAMC Training Group feel provides the best solutions in assisting the clients’ with the issues that are raised during the interview.”

In this ever-increasingly technological generation there are many developments all over the industry, and Jeff tells us about an exciting new venture known as Jill Watson, which has benefitted universities and could change the face of the entire corporate landscape.

g Improving Lives Through Education

®

“Technology advancements have already entered the education industry. A good example is nano technology, a teaching assistant by the name of Jill Watson. Jill is used to answering phones, taking orders and solving problems 24/7, and has allowed one university to lower their course costs to $7K (compared to their nearest competitor $56K).

This means huge ramifications for all in the education industry.

I see greater use of Bots, Robots and VR/AR Goggles, all of which have already started infiltrating the education industry.”

Moreover, Jeff is keen to add that he believes there should still be a greater desire from humans to persevere in their quests, rather than give up because of the rapid

evolution of the digital age. Jeff reiterates that education is a life long journey, and everyone is constantly learning every day.

“Education is now a life long journey, it is no longer about undertaking a course and gaining a qualification, thinking that is all you need to do for the rest of your life. That course in many instances is already obsolete by the time you have finished it and/ or the job role no longer exists.

Hence short, sharp courses are the future.”

In his concluding comments, Jeff mentions what kind of times are ahead for AAMC Training Group, talking about increasing customer requirements.

“Ultimately our future is facing

strong technology head winds, and competition that used to be locally or state based has now transformed into global competitors. The big five technology companies are a looming threat, basically anything that can be sold online and money to be made will be taken over by them.

“There are still impediments that prevent them from being the total suppliers, however that can be changed once they understand the industry better. Human resistance and fear of job losses are common across many areas, however what is resisted the most just encourages technology providers and individual companies to move faster into the online areas, as competition

and consumers are always demanding great quality but low prices.”

Contact: Jeff Mazzini Contact Email: jmazzini@aamctraining.edu.au Address: Suite 1, 445 Melbourne Road, Newport, VIC 3015, Australia Phone: 0061 8 9344 4088 Web Address: www.aamctraining.edu.au

CORPORATE VISION / December 2017 45

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The Home of Distance Learning Open Study College is one of the UK’s leading distance learning providers. As a family-run business, it’s taken a lot of hard work, determination and enthusiasm to reach their tenth anniversary back in August 2017. During this time, over 60,000 students have studied with them and improved their career prospects. Working with multiple awarding bodies such as CACHE, AAT and Active IQ, Open Study College offer over 450 courses, meaning students are sure to find something that suits them.

Open Study College was founded in 2007

by Mark Rutter, on the belief that education should be available to anyone. His goal was to provide affordable, high-quality courses, which remains at the heart of the company today. The college puts students at the heart of everything they do, supporting them with award-winning tutor support and first-class customer service.

•

•

•

• What makes Open Study College different?

Open Study College pride themselves on delivering what their students want: flexible learning with high-quality qualifications, award-winning tutor support and great extras.

Their courses allow learners to study at their own pace, from the comfort of their own home, without the pressure of timetables or deadlines - a truly flexible way to learn.

The college has grown at an impressive rate, and proven that students can trust them to deliver exceptional quality courses and support. Over the last year, the business has received some notable award wins, including:

ELearning COO of the Year & Best Online Education Platform – Corporate Vision Magazine’s Businesswomen Awards Further Education College of the Year 2017 - Education Awards Outstanding Business of the Year & Outstanding Business Person of the Year (Samantha Rutter) - Solihull Chamber of Commerce Awards Excellence in Distance Learning – Corporate LiveWire’s Innovation and Excellence Awards 2018

The team at Open Study College are dedicated to listening to, and acting upon, a constant stream of student feedback, which influences how they tackle new projects. Feedback is gathered from regular student progression reviews and annual customer surveys, to gauge their opinions of Open Study College. The feedback helps build a bigger picture of what the business is doing right, and identify areas for improvement. Open Study College students are also invited to leave public feedback on Trust Pilot, on which they currently have a rating of 5 stars out of 5!

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“Humbled and delighted” When asked how she felt about receiving the two awards, Samantha Rutter, COO of Open Study College, said – “I’m both humbled and delighted to be named eLearning COO of the Year. I’m passionate about providing the best leadership possible by recognising that I have a great team around me who not only develops me personally, but also helps Open Study College to attain its goals.

This recognition is a huge honour for the college and to receive it as we celebrate our tenth year in operation, shows how far we have come. It also adds that pressure to spur us on to develop even further, to maintain that forward momentum and drive the company into the next decade.”

What are the challenges that Open Study College face?

The Education and Training industry is growing at an exponential rate, and is constantly exploring ways to innovate. The biggest challenge for Open Study College isn’t just keeping up with the industry trends, but staying ahead of them and setting the standards for other distance learning providers to follow. The

team at Open Study College fully embrace this challenge, going above and beyond to understand the latest innovations in the industry.

“The great thing is that the team are open to changing the way that they do things, and we encourage our developers to experiment with new and emerging technologies.”

– Samantha Rutter What is the internal culture at Open Study College?

The senior management team at Open Study College recognise the value of the people who work for them, and are keen to invest in their development. Regular employee feedback surveys are conducted anonymously, allowing their employees to feedback without the fear of any repercussions.

What does the future hold for Open Study College?

Open Study College have a strong plan for growth over the next few years. One particularly exciting plan with a student focus involves expanding the course range to include higher qualifications, allowing students to study at levels 4, 5 and 6. The college also plans to expand their

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The Home of Distance Learning

business to business operations, and introduce more specialised websites.

Recent growth in the technology sector means that mobile learning is now a rising trend in the industry. More students than ever want to access their learning materials on the go, which changes the way that Open Study College develops their content, and the way it is intended to be consumed. The fact that students now prefer to digest their studies in shorter snippets on their daily commute, for example, means that Open Study College have no choice but to adapt and embrace the new mobile world we live in.

A final word from Samantha Rutter “The excellent reputation myself and Open Study College have gained over the past 10 years within the distance learning industry, has come about from hard work and having a dedicated team to offer the very best quality of courses, the best customer support and that we have helped so many people over the years to gain their dream.�

CORPORATE VISION / December 2017 47

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Connecting Bright and Talented People Opilio Recruitment is the go-to digital recruitment agency for global brands, tech start-ups and everything in between, simply put they are connected with the best in the industry. We invited Sheba Karamat to tell us about the success of the company and the services it offers.

Established in London in 2010, the team at Opilio thought that by bringing its experience and passions together, it could really offer clients and candidates something a little different. Sheba tells us the idea behind the company and where the team wanted to take it in the future.

“Over the years, we have consistently grown our business and have an incredible team of passionate and intelligent people that share our love of the digital space. We will continue to expand outside of London, with our offices in Birmingham and Manchester, and we have the network, connections, and social media reach to make things happen across the UK.” Providing us with a brief overview of the company, its clients and the services that it offers, Sheba alludes to the secrets of Opilio’s achievements. Part of its success is how the company treats its clients, as she explains what steps the firm takes to ensure the client receives the best possible outcome.

“Digital recruitment is what we do. We know that the single greatest asset to any business are its people, and it is our job to find exceptional talent. At Opilio,

we have three branches based in London, Birmingham and Manchester, but we recruit right across Lancashire, the midlands, and the southwest of England.

“Regarding our approach to clients, we like to visit our clients in their office spaces and spend some time getting to know them, and to get the feel for their culture and atmosphere. At Opilio, we are not just about finding the candidate with the right skills, but also we look to find the candidate that fits the dynamics of the office team they will be working with.”

Furthermore, Sheba goes on to elaborate on what differentiates the company from its competitors, and marks it out as the best recruitment agency in the surrounding areas. She talks about the personal touch that staff offer, as well as the initiative which strives the company to move forwards.

“Crucial to our success, our personal services develop into mutually beneficial and longstanding partnerships. We proudly display our client partnerships on our website, along with testimonials from clients for whom we have made placements.

“Opilio Recruitment prides itself on its industry knowledge, with many of our consultants previously

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working in the digital media, mobile and technology sectors they recruit for. This reinforces our statement that we understand the client’s requirements, and speak their language.

“Opilio’s initiative to move out of yesteryears shadow is to show that we are just normal people.

Opilio Recruitment is a fun, trustworthy, family with utmost pride in what we do – and our clients show their appreciation by sticking with us, with many glowing recommendations about staff and the business we have done on our website.”

is on the cards for our next event, but our team will definitely enjoy it.”

In her concluding comments, Sheba informs us of what developments she foresees within the recruitment industry. There is a lot of positivity buzzing around Opilio regarding the future, and with the competition being strong, Opilio will adapt and innovate itself in order to attract new clients and recruits.

Discussing the working environment within the company, Sheba alludes to the open culture in which staff have the freedom to move around and maintain honest and open relationships with their colleagues.

“Moving forward, digital recruitment is evolving as quickly as the whole of the digital world. We deal with forwardthinking clients who are selling cutting-edge technical products.

Competition is fierce, so we must act quickly to attract new recruits who possess the knowledge and creativity demanded by the clients we represent.”

“Throughout the company, we have an open plan office so no one feels isolated, and we encourage our team to get out and about together to enjoy different activities that are not work related so that everyone has a good time. The team take the time to communicate and bond. So far, this year we have done mini golfing, skiing, and held an outdoor BBQ picnic, in the summer of course! Looking ahead, we will have to see what

Contact: Sheba Karamat Contact Email: sheba.karamat@opilio.co.uk Address: 48 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 2NS, UK Phone: 0207 183 7145 Website: www.opiliorecruitment.co.uk

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Almae in Fide Parentis Whitefriars is a Catholic College for boys from Years 7 to 12 established in 1961 by the Carmelite Order. The school have 1200 students attending, including 60 international students. Emilia Fields tells us more about her school and why it has become so successful.

Emilia Fields is Director of Whitefriars International Student Programme, and her list of responsibilities is long. She coordinates the Homestay program and recruits the respective homestay families, as well as promoting the program and the recruitment of international students.

Additionally, Emilia selects and liaises with the overseas Whitefriars Accredited Agents, alongside acting as PRISMS Administrator (Enrolment, Welfare and records) and VRQA Policy Assurance Officer (Victorian Government).

Also, she oversees the Bridging Program, which is 20 weeks Intensive English Course for new international students.

When undertaking a new project at the school, Emilia notes what steps the school takes in order to ensure student receive the best possible outcome, and outlining what the school’s overall mission is.

“Throughout Whitefriars, the team work on a clear explanation of the project which is undertaken, before communicating and explaining it fully, and we present the values and reasons for such a project.

Moreover, our mission is based on Belong, Believe, Become, which we put into practice by inspiring our students to “walk the talk.”

Alongside Emilia and the school’s reputation, Whitefriars is able to

differentiate itself thanks to its Pastoral Care, and reach to the individual, as the school has a strong reputation for motivating students to reach and achieve their potential.

Currently, the education industry is thriving in Australia, as Emilia alludes to when giving us an overview of schools within the country, before explaining what the main challenge will be going forward. She tells us what techniques herself and the school employ in order to stay ahead of emerging developments.

“In the present, International Education is a thriving industry in Australia. The main challenge would be to continue excellent education to international students by all registered providers”.

“Essentially, the techniques I employ are of great benefit to Whitefriars, including being involved in formal association and committees, such as VISION International (of which I am President), Ministerial Roundtables, State Advisory committees, Austrade and VRQA updates and of course the latest educational pedagogies.”

Furthermore, Emilia is keen to discuss the growth of the school and what the business does, in particular relating to her work.

She discusses encouraging international students coming over to study, emphasising how

important education is to the country of Australia.

curiosity and build knowledge and skills for their future life journey”.

“As far as business growth goes, I am working with Whitefriars to get international students to study in Australia. Education is one of, if not the top industry exports in Australia and I have been working with as many as 24 different countries promoting Australian education.

The Whitefriars International Student Program is one of the longest lasting programs, having been operating for over 20 years, 13 of which I have been in the Director role. The Whitefriars program is unique in that we combine the International Student Program with an in-house English program, as well as taking a holistic approach to the student experience including social, cultural as well as educational.”

“Education builds community and family bonds, personal excellence and life skills. These skills will empower the individual to live a better quality life in a global and sustainable world. It is important that teachers be provided with the time and tools to help the students to achieve these goals.”

Interestingly, Emilia believes it is the personal approach used by herself and staff at Whitefriars which is integral to the school’s success, providing a human touch to proceedings. Personally, she works with 75 agents internationally, and makes a point of engaging directly with students and parents, as well as personally selecting the homestay family that will best suit the students’ needs.

“There are no greater gift parents can give to their children than a good education, and I believe this is the greatest investment in a child’s life. It can empower the individual with lifetime skills, intellectual

Moving forward, the team at Whitefriars will improve the school with the strengthening of pastoral care for international students, as well as globalisation of school environment and students as leading ambassadors for the wider community. Emilia signs off by outlining her own personal goals for the future.

“Regarding the future, my personal goals are to continue to strengthen international programs in schools.

We listen extensively to students and then adopt new programs that enhance the students’ positive experience in a new country.”

Company: Whitefriars Catholic College for Boys Contact: Emilia Fields Contact Email: efields@whitefriars.vic.edu.au Address: 156 Park Road, Donvale, Victoria, 3111, Australia Phone: 00(613) 9872 8280 Website: www.whitefriars.vic.edu.au

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Commercial Real Estate: It is as Simple as That.

Rentschler/Tursi, LLP (R/T) is a boutique law firm specializing in commercial real estate, including brokerage, leasing, sales, and litigation. We spoke to Judi Rentschler as we look to find out a bit more about the company and the services it provides.

Within the legal industry, R/T’s typical client is either a small business owner who is ready to sign a lease or buy a building for their business; or a small to mid-level investor who owns, leases or is selling incomeproducing property. Additionally, the legal team also might work with a commercial real estate broker or agent seeking advice real estate licensing law, a difficult transaction, or a dispute.

Unique in many cases, R/T boasts many decades of experience, and has first-hand of experience of seeing how many ways a deal can turn sour, and possesses an individual perspective in which the team can recognise and prevent potential problems, and this is the firm’s niche. Few real estate lawyers in the Bay Area know real estate brokerage law, and what happens when a contract is poorly drawn. This is where R/T excels as they know the industry inside out, and also are familiar with how to try a case if things do go wrong. Clients can work with the practice knowing they are better protected and that the team can spot potential issues quickly, as well as coming up with solutions before they get in trouble.

Judi outlines her role and key responsibilities to us, going into detail about how long she has been at R/T and what targets she has set the practice. She talks about management and how her aspirations are always to help their clients and reward them with justice.

“In 1996, I opened the firm after 10 years as a personal injury trial lawyer, and 10 working in-house for CBRE as a commercial trial lawyer. Yes, it is what I aspired to do, and I chose law to help people, looking to understand the laws that impact their real estate investments, and to navigate what for many is the largest financial commitment they have ever made.

provides us with an overview of the key principles which staff adhere to, whilst making it clear that staff should be allowed to balance their work life with their personal life.

“Essentially, our team is like family, and I treat them with the trust and respect they have earned. My and my team’s key principles include; taking the time to make sure that the directions are clear and certain, articulate expectations, and hold employees accountable. The most important principle is to have a life, and enjoy your family!

Work hard when you are at work, but do not let it consume you.”

“As the head of a small firm, I handle the management, personnel, library, administrative and accounting work. As per the legal work, while all of us work on leasing, sales, and disputes, I handle all of our clients’ business – formation legal work, financing documentation, and complex transactions.”

Discussing the current trends within the industry, Judi mentions how the firm must stay ahead of developments as the business can be affected in a great way. She alludes to the Great Recession and how the industry has gone full circle, as well as the advice of R/T which has to adapt with each growing trend, particularly in relation to technology.

Referring to how she manages her staff and ensures they are well placed to provide the best service to their clients, Judi explains that there is a real family culture within the practice. She

“Industry trends impact our business a great deal. For example, during the Great Recession, we saw contraction in retail outlets (shopping centres, malls), with tenants in default

50 CORPORATE VISION / December 2017

on their rent; hence we often advised our landlord clients to cut the tenant some slack so he would still in business when the worst is over. Now, in the Bay Area, it is a landlord’s market again, and our advice has to change with the times.

“Furthermore, I think it is vital to keep up with the technology that will help make us better and more productive lawyers, providing access to data and legal resources online, time management and billing, and all other requirements.”

Regarding the challenges that women themselves face in the courtroom, Judi talks about her personal experience, referencing the huge divide in men over women, and how she and other women have worked hard to overcome gender bias and be treated equally.

“In reality, the biggest challenge has been gender bias in the courtroom. For 10 years, I was the only woman lawyer in a prestigious trial firm. On Mondays, when courts called all cases set for trial, of all the milling lawyers, there were about 49 men to one woman. This is often a challenge, as there was not much support for women to rely on, and the attitude towards

g Commercial Real Estate: It is as Simple as That.

women led to some feeling marginalised.

“However, to disprove the bias and stereotype, I did my job and tried cases, big ones, long ones, complex ones, and found that juries did not hate me for being a woman or an advocate, and I won (and lost) just as often as did the men.”

In her concluding comments, Judi finalises what makes her law firm so attractive to clients, and why return clients and business through word of mouth will help the company to succeed in the real estate and legal industry.

“Ultimately, we stay up to date on the law by reviewing each day’s advance sheets (daily opinions) and industry resources, and whenever a new case, law or

regulation impacts our business or that of our clients, we make sure that all of our forms and resources are current and reflect the latest trends in the field. I meet and talk often with real estate brokers about trends and needs. Moving forwards, both myself and the rest of the team will work hard to continue to support my clients in all their real estate endeavours.”

Company: Rentschler/Tursi LLP Contact: Judi Rentschler Contact Email: jjrentschler@landlaws.com Address: 411 Borel Ave # 510, San Mateo, California, CA 94402, USA Phone: +1 650-524-1980 Website: www.landlaws.com

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Warhorse Leadership to Maximize Future Value Isleworth Capital Partners, LLC is devoted to investing in mid-size manufacturing and technical service companies. Taking time to profile the firm, was Founding Partner, Frank J. Feraco.

Established in 2004, Isleworth Capital Partners, LLC is devoted to investing in mid-size manufacturing and technical service companies. The company consists of a rigorous team of 40 year experienced CEO’s and Senior Executives, with extensive operational experience that they have been translating into the M&A and Private Equity world since the firm’s inception 13 years ago.

ICP concentrates on acquisitions with revenues from $20-300 million; it is industry agnostic but has a particular interest in manufacturing, distribution, and technical services; it prefers exclusive transactions precipitated by corporate divestitures or legacy planning for private owners. Also, it has the strongest interest where it can identify untapped growth potential. Its senior team of seven represents with more than 230 years of collective experience, 300 transactions, and typical returns ranging from three to eight times the initial investment during a five year period. The experience of leadership brought by each carefully selected senior member has provided a natural resistance to “groupthink”, resulting in

creative “out of the box” solutions and investment practices. This aspect of its corporate culture is expected to continue to be a distinguishing factor for the firm and its constituents.

The focus of each acquisition is to deploy the support of needed capital and other resources to make the business better. They like to refer to their extensive experience as providing “Warhorse Leadership to maximize future value”. In each acquisition, ICP provides support through ongoing strategic Board interaction and, where prudent, ICP will augment the management team’s capabilities with its own executives, up to and including the partner level, when needed. This is what happened with the acquisition of Dutchland Plastics, whereby one of the partners led this excellent company forward from being financially stressed to stability and dramatic growth within a two year period.

ICP is a private investment company, not a PE fund, and does not have the external pressure to exit investments at a pre-defined time. ICP invests in opportunities where it partners with management teams to create additional value and align critical actions to meet or

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exceed shared objectives. Its acquisitions are funded with the company’s capital, capital from key family office relationships, and with aligned individual investors. This approach affords significant advantages to all constituencies: Intermediaries can take confidence in presenting ICP as a prospective acquirer to sellers, expecting ongoing dialogue at all senior levels, resulting in efficient and timely closing.

Banks will have a partner that they can rely on to have “skin in the game” every time, and one that values the trust that comes from ongoing business relationships.

Management Teams can rest easier at night knowing that a supportive and capable partner shares their concerns, and brings deep and broad experience to the table with them every day and in every way that it’s needed.

Sellers can be confident that ICP has the best interests of the continuing business as its first consideration, extending the long term value basis for all stakeholders, continuity for the management team posttransaction, and transparent reporting to all concerned.

ICP evaluates opportunities throughout the continental U.S. and Alaska, with select international considerations in Canada, Europe, Mexico and Asia. During the next 10 years, they expect to continue to build a selective portfolio of niche manufacturing and technical services companies, while looking for synergistic characteristics among common technologies that fit future consolidation objectives.

Synergistic “bolt on acquisitions” to its core investments are a norm for this company.

ICP finds Private Equity to be a rapidly growing investment allocation with increased popularity among institutional and individual investors. As with any such trend, there is the somewhat predictable trajectory in which the availability of too much side lined capital, with corresponding pressure to get it deployed, is resulting in transaction multiples escalating during the past year. They find the current situation embodies a sellers’ market. Increasing multiples, as a result of additional capital inflows, leads to the risk of disappointing returns, capital reallocation away from certain sectors, and the “bust” that follows the “boom.” Given that they are long term investors,

g

they work diligently to maintain cognizance of the long term trend of capital flows and the resulting impact on the transaction multiples, in order to adhere to investment disciplines that will continue to serve them, and their constituencies, in the most intelligent manner.

ICP employs parallel approaches to staying ahead of emerging developments. With respect to such developments within the Private Equity community, they stay in frequent contact with a substantial network of trusted connections who hold various positions in the investment community, regularly sharing observations and experiences, and learning about their

Warhorse Leadership to Maximize Future Value

insights in return. Through regular internal conferences, these insights are shared, and incorporated into ICP’s processes for future opportunity analysis. With respect to acquisition target sectors, e.g. manufacturing, they regularly attend industry conferences – like FabTech 2017 last week -- and review industry materials that highlight emerging trends, such as the continuing evolution of “additive manufacturing”.

Frank Feraco, their founding partner, is also frequently asked to be a guest lecturer at economic clubs, industry organizations and universities.

As a professional and financial services enterprise, “reputation”

is ICP’s most highly valued and strongly guarded asset.

The recognition afforded ICP in receiving the Corporate Vision Turnaround Award supports its marketplace image of deep industrial experience and ability to create vitality within its companies. Independently, the underpinnings of the award also reflect its reputation of “trust,” whereby it does what it says and adheres to a stringent set of core values and corporate integrity.

ICP’s view for the future is positive, and enthusiastically so. The resurgence of manufacturing within the U.S. is a meaningful and encouraging sign for them, and one which they expect to increase the availability of investment

opportunities proportionately.

They will continue to survey the market closely and will look at each qualified opportunity that surfaces. They believe the overall market will also be moving to a larger transaction scale, and they expect to keep pace with that trend. The firm recently completed its 28th transaction.

Contact: Frank J. Feraco Company: Isleworth Capital Partners, 1821 Walden Office Square, Suite 400 Schaumburg, Illinois, 60173,USA Telephone: +1(312)203-8185 Web Address: www.isleworthcapital.com

CORPORATE VISION / December 2017 53

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Fully Managed IT Services, MPS and Business Solutions Carolina Business Equipment, Inc. (CBE) has been providing business solutions to South Carolina since 1975. We spoke to John Eckstrom as we take a closer look at the innovative company.

As an established leader, CBE performs like a 43-year-old start-up, with every day at the company providing a new challenge or opportunity. There is a sense of urgency encapsulated in the firm’s motto ‘will it amaze?’, which looks at astonishing the customers. With a 4000-strong established print base of MFPs & MPS, and a 14-year history of ever evolving IT services; the CBE team is constantly looking to improve the services, products and support provided to its established and new clients.

John outlines the company mission, explaining what steps the company takes in order to reach the targets it sets itself.

This is not intended to be a road map for how to start a managed network business, it is just a recap of how we went from a start up in the MNS space to the company we are today.

of being at the top level of technology and business-related solutions, John states how the company marks itself out as the best option for clients, highlighting the infrastructure within the company as a key aspect of its success.

“Essentially, CBE’s investment in internal infrastructure and support tools sets us apart from any provider in the territories we support. Rather than say we are the best, we strive daily to empower our clients to tell others that CBE is substantially better than anyone else in our field. Our constant efforts towards improvement and no excuses approach combine to set CBE as the pinnacle provider.

In summary, a client can find someone to do it cheaper but they will not find anyone to do it better.”

“CBE strives to be a no excuses top level provider of technology and business solutions. We do not try to be all things to all clients, but rather be the very best at what we provide and deliver fully integrated we well thought out and cleanly executed solutions.”

Being recognized as Most Reputable Business Solutions Provider 2017 in South Carolina in the Corporate Excellence Awards 2017, is a sign that the company is heading in the right direction. John explains what it means to the company to be recognized, before going on to explain what this means for the firm going forward.

Following on from CBE’s aims

“It is always humbling to receive

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awards and we try to keep a proper perspective. This award helps to validate that we are moving in the right direction and encourages us to strive to be even better. Clearly, to have been picked by CV Magazine as the Most Reputable Business Solutions Provider for 2017, the IT Management group pulled together to talk about it. There is a term ‘Technology Disrupters’ that is common when you are a solutions provider. Long before that term was common, we at CBE have operated under the charge that we will bring solutions to the market place for the way business will be conducted. To be relevant, it is crucial to recognize the subtleties that are going on all around us, and to be able to adapt to what is happening, presenting solutions to the client base, so that they too are not sitting in the dust wondering what happened.

Given the significant changes in the world as far as technology goes, we are often asked, “What is next”? Here is the answer, we simply don’t know. What is going on right now with mobility, social media, cloud computing and big data has put us in an era that is unprecedented. What we can tell you with conviction though is that, for most of you, if you do not embrace technology you will struggle to remain relevant in

your respective industries. The solutions that will be necessary to survive in a meaningful way will be developed by the SMB business. No longer are these being developed by the “Big Guys” and handed down. It is our job as the solutions provider to quarterback these often-complex solutions.

“The concept of bringing business solutions to the market place for the way business will be conducted, is really something that was hard for most people to understand years ago. The forward-thinking nature of our entire management team is a testament that we are on the right track and in fact we are, in many cases, installing that track.

Simply put, it means that we are yet again seen by an outside source as the premier solutions provider in the southeast. The award echoes our motto of “Will it Amaze”: and it is nice that we have been recognized for our ongoing efforts to provide quality business solutions.”

Teamwork can be an integral part of a growing company, with John explaining that the teams at CBE are always training and communicating openly, something which they are encouraged to do. There are weekly meetings which means

g Fully Managed IT Services, MPS and Business Solutions

staff can get across their point of view, and John comments on the fact that active management is a key part of ensuring everyone gets their say.

“From our most tenured to the least tenured person, we encourage open and passionate discussion about how we can improve. Performed at the company are weekly strategy meetings, the use of SWOT’s and encouragement for different teams to work together as one team for the combined success is our continuing goal.

“Furthermore, we assess new possible internal tools, products and services; not many make the cut but once we have chosen we are confident in that selection.

Here is where the very active management is necessary to make sure the team leaders are always communicating with one another, as well as staying on the

lookout for some of the new stuff mentioned above.”

Part of being the leader in the industry is providing not just the best solutions, but also the best customer service. Therefore, John tells us how staff go about undertaking a new project, and what steps they take to ensure clients receive the best possible outcome, which can sometimes provide a measure of the company’s success.

“Considering new engagements, this process always begins and ends with listening to the clients to understand their needs and desires. Then, our team sets the expectations seeking to become the people who say yes. While it always feels good to say yes, it is imperative that we fulfil our promise and deliver the best service possible to the respective clients. When we must say no, our task is to find

a way to deliver the desired outcome via a different path. As the expert in the engagement, we lead our clients to solutions that exceed their request within the budget and limitations for that engagement.”

Regarding the future of the firm, John is keen to emphasise that the company will have to adapt along with the industry and the new technology that will be developed. Monitoring trends and being pioneers in the industry is one of the key factors of CBE’s success, with John stating that the firm enjoys being ahead of any advances that develop, both in technology and business.

“As the industries and technology change, we too must adapt and work to stay ahead. Over the past year, we have been seen as a solutions provider for other managed network services providers and frankly

that is the easy part. For the foreseeable future, we are on a good path, and we must stay vigilant to ensure we make the relevant adjustments, plus, be ever watchful for the next best opportunity that fits into our wheelhouse. This is the real fun part and it also is what has differentiated us from the others.

Remember, before Technology Disrupters was a common term. we were bringing solutions to the market place the way business will be conducted.”

Company: Carolina Business Equipment Inc. Contact: John Eckstrom Contact Email: johne@cbesc.com Address: 5123 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 29212, USA Phone: 803 798 7522 Website: www.cbesc.com

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Passing the Test of Time The Buskop Law Group is an award-winning Texas based Law Firm. Ms. Wendy K.B. Buskop is the Managing Patent Attorney of the patent boutique firm, whilst also being a published author and speaks regularly on related intellectual property topics. We invited Wendy to give us an insight into the inner workings of the company.

Established in 1992, the Buskop Law Group specializes in non-litigating Intellectual Property matters, with the team able to file and issue in record time. Plus, the Group also registers Trademarks and provides a whole host of services in relation to intellectual property rights, such as drafting confidentiality and licensing agreements, and helping with negotiations in these scenarios.

The Buskop Law Group handles matters for clients in 23 states and 12 foreign countries, including the Netherlands, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Japan and China. Wendy tells us how it feels to receive this award, and what it will do for herself and Buskop Law. “It is an honour to add the Corporate Excellence Awards 2017 as the 2017 Female Lawyer of the Year – Texas, to my repertoire. This award being bestowed on me is a great privilege and will propel me to achieve further success and accolades. This award will be a great asset for the Firm and will put us on the map in this competitive industry.

Wendy gives us an overview of the types of clients the company works with, highlighting some wellrenowned names, before going on

to highlight how the Group is able to assist its clients in regard to patents and trademarks.

“Here at Buskop Law, our clients include multinational companies as well as entrepreneurs. We have written and prosecuted patent applications for Dow Chemical Company, Shell Oil Company, Lyondell Petrochemical, Aker Kvaerner, Eastman Kodak, Angstrom Power, AT&T, SBC and many medium sized corporations.

“Regarding what we do for our clients, we are able to help our clients with brilliant ideas and capitalize on them by filing patents and registering trademarks so that they can use these as assets, marketing tools or licensing vehicles to protect market share.

The subject matter of the patents issued by our firm includes, but is not limited to, chemical formulae, oil and gas structures, ships, rigs, drilling technology, medical implants as well as designs for household items. The possibilities are endless.”

Within the legal industry, and in particular the Patent sector, the legislations and trends are constantly evolving. Wendy and the team at Buskop Law are constantly monitoring trends and keeping informed of any

56 CORPORATE VISION / December 2017

developments which may impact the Group, as she alludes to.

“Working together, we are also in constant communication with the United States Patents and Trademarks Office and update our knowledge of requirements on an ongoing basis. We endeavour to cross our T’s and dot our I’s so that the client can have the best possible outcome, with the result being Patents issued and Trademarks registered in record time.

“Additionally, we are always updating our legal knowledge as well as trying to stay ahead of the game when it comes to the various industries that use Patents commercially. We are certainly aware of the industry specific terms and terminology, and are able to quickly grasp an idea or concept that an inventor explains to us in common parlance, and subsequently we can adequately translate it into legalese for the purposes of the patent application.”

With technology becoming increasingly prevalent in almost every industry, most companies have had to adapt and introduce technology, and Buskop Law is no different. Wendy talks about the importance of technology, and how the team is always

looking to educate others on law, holding seminars twice a month, welcoming all types of clients and staff members to attend.

“Withstanding the test of time, we have seen the importance of embracing technology and have chosen to invest time, effort and finances into state of the art digital systems for docketing and patent processing which helps us be at the pinnacle of industry standards.

“Importantly, we are also certified to provide continuing legal education programs to our clients and other industry professionals.

We run these programs twice a month and welcome anyone interested in the trademark and patent process to attend.”

Lastly, Wendy comments on the impact that outside influences can have, both on the company and the industry. Talking about Hurricane Harvey, Wendy is thankful that the Group operates within such a close-knit community and how external factors have made the company stronger and more prepared for future events.

“Ultimately, the Intellectual Property industry is dependent on the success of other corporate and commercial industry.

Unfortunately, it is not safe from

g

Passing the Test of Time

any of the socio-economic factors that have any impact on other corporate and commercial industry. The recent Hurricane Harvey in particular has affected many small businesses and that has had a direct impact on the funds that would have otherwise been used towards the procurement of intellectual property rights. It is important to have a great relationship with the community. We have been blessed to be part of a tight knit community during this extreme natural disaster and have banded together to come out stronger.�

Company: Buskop Law Group Contact: Wendy Buskop Contact Email: wendy.buskop@buskoplaw.com Address: 4511, Dacoma Street, Houston, TX77092 Phone: 713-725-3400 Fax: 713-275-3419 Website: www.buskoplaw.com

CORPORATE VISION / December 2017 57

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Smart IT Solutions Sagari Ltd are an Outsource IT Provider specialising in providing Cloud Services, IT Strategy, Security and Compliance. Taking time to profile the firm, is Sagari Ltd Director, Steve John reveals more about the company’s accomplishments over the years.

Founded in 2008, Sagari Ltd are an Outsource IT Provider who work with B2B in the Financial Industry and businesses who require specialist Security and Compliance requirements.

Understanding the customer better and working with them a lot closer in general was a key driver for undertaking new Project because the customer trusted Sagari Ltd to take over more responsibility and were assigned more opportunities as a result.

Sagari Ltd help business identify the solutions and services needed by delivering a short and long-term IT Strategy that focuses on the core areas of Support, Security and Compliance, and then further adds value to identify key drivers for the business such as workflow automation, Knowledge Management, IT efficiencies and Business Intelligence. Sagari Ltd will build this into a Roadmap so our customers can understand this by assigning resource, budgets and timeframes to facilitate each requirement. This helps our customer dedicate time and plan effectively.

Sagari Ltd used to outsource the support services to external supplier to provide the services we offered. We knew we had to bring this all in-house to bring things up to a quality standard we were happy with, and to take back a lot more control to grow the business in the direction Sagari Ltd wanted to. This has been an incredibly complex, time-consuming and expensive task, but knew we would reap the rewards once this was back with Sagari Ltd. Now we have far more flexibility and can provide the level of Customer Care and Service Excellence our Customers Expect.

Quality Management is a key principle in our business, which is why we are an ISO 9001 Accredited firm. Sagari Ltd process and automate as much as we can so we can ensure a consistently high level of service from on-boarding, through to the day-to-day running of the services provided- which is regularly reviewed.

Sagari Ltd possess some key qualities which we feel make us very successful. We brought in our Roadmaps which has become fundamental in cementing and building our business relationship to define trust, adding value, setting expectations and delivering exemplary service. Together with our superior support and quality controls, we have retained and grown our business through this success.

We changed our approach for undertaking new clients and projects by looking at what the customer wanted to achieve long term as part of their IT Strategy.

Speaking of success, it feels fantastic to be recognised for Corporate Excellence Awards 2017 as the most outstanding IT

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Consultancy 2017. The Sagari Ltd team have worked extremely hard to become an IT Consultancy Firm, so we can identify the gaps clearly to implement IT Strategy, IT Support, Cloud, Compliance and Security for our clients. These are key for the modern business which is what customer want and expect as part of leading IT Support Companies.

Winning this award means we are confident that we are very much on the right track and heading in the right direction, as making almost a 100% change in our offering, bring on an IT Consultancy Team and bringing the support back in-house has risks associated that may not have paid off. We felt from our research that we were confident in our approach, but to win this award certainly was a huge boost to the whole Sagari Ltd team who made this happen.

The Tech Business is a vastly changing industry which if you stay static for too long, then customers will leave and you won’t be competitive for attracting new business. Sagari Ltd feel the industry has moved away from purely Hosted solutions such as Hosted Desktops and are opting for Hybrid solutions which provides improved benefits in business continuity.

These changes have affected our business due to a lot of investment in moving to a fully hosted model, but now have addressed many of these issues

and feel we are cutting edge and current in our service offerings.

There are many changes happening within our industry which is affecting it - with changes such as “Anything as a service”, Artificial intelligence and business learning. What we offered six months ago is normally already out of date. Furthermore, with the ever-increasing complexities of Compliance, such as ISO requirements and now the new GDPR regulation. Customers want IT Providers to understand and help with these issues. Customers expect their IT systems to just work and are more interested in seeing value for resolving bigger issues through technology.

Sagari Ltd have recognised that we need to change our business quickly to attempt to stay one step ahead. We are beginning to invest more in researching emerging trends and technologies so we can be planning our own IT Strategy. Sagari Ltd are heavily moving more and more into Cyber Security products and services as Cyber Attacks are a growing threat, so will the protection methods for our customers so they are confident in our ability to protect them.

Sagari’s Ltd future aspirations are to become a leader in IT Compliance and Cyber Security, whilst looking to further add to our portfolio in the trends of “Anything as a service”, machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

g Smart IT Solutions

Contact: Steve John Contact Email: steve.john@sagari.co.uk Company: Sagari Ltd, 1st Floor, 30 Brunswick Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 5WB, UK Telephone: 01273 855 772 Web Address: www.sagari.co.uk

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Design. Process.

Management.

DPMG Corp. is a business evolution consulting firm designed to create value for clients in every sector seeking to deliver higher quality goods, services faster and at lower cost. We profile the firm as we examine its success, including being featured in Corporate Excellence Awards of 2017 for Excellence in Leadership Development 2017 – USA. Looking to create value for clients, DPMG Corp is also focused on developing an organization culture of improvement and problem-solving that draws out every employee’s full potential. The team is full of seasoned professionals who have real world, hands on experience in helping business improve productivity, performance and their overall mission.

Offering a variety of services, the firm focuses in areas of consulting, coaching, facilitation, mentoring. It also offers training in an assortment of different practices, including strategic planning, leadership development, and total quality management. Additionally, training is also provided in deployment, project management and project oversight, sustainability deployment. Lastly, another one of the firm’s training departments is in business process management and development, along with product development and design supply, chain management, and finally ISO 9000 implementation.

DPMG’s team help clients to achieve lower costs, improve productivity and quality, and

decreased time-to-market.

Providing its clients with customized training, coaching and support, the team also help clients develop a continuous improvement culture. Staff do not become permanent fixtures at their clients’ facilities, and look to help clients become self-sufficient organizations that are not dependent on consultants.

its approach, meaning staff can look at organizations holistically, and are able to focus on transforming an organization’s culture from within. Transforming an organization can be done by anyone, however, in DPMG’s experience, of which there is a wealth, transformation cannot be sustained without a culture change.

The firm emphasize cultural change for longer term success, and with their experience, the expert staff have spent their entire careers honing their craft.

Success at the company is measured by the level of client’s success, as employees look to optimize the customer’s business evolution into operations and business excellence.

Culture change requires the buy in from the entire organization, and staff focus on culture change by working directly with clients and passing on their knowledge wisdom to the client. This can only be done with a customized methodology.

Maintaining a customer first philosophy provides employees with the opportunity to treat each project and client with a unique point of view. Staff listen, learn and develop solutions based on each customer’s needs, enabling them to provide clients with customized training, coaching, and support them, developing a continuous improvement culture.

Differentiating itself from other firms, the company is unique in

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Overall, with the ability to mark itself out as the best option for customers and other businesses alike, DPMG can look forward to becoming one of the leaders in the industry. Its philosophy and vision of putting clients first is something that will help it sustain its high customer satisfaction levels, along with the internal culture at the firm.

g Design. Process. Management.

Company: DPMG Corporation Contact: Jesus Vargas Contact Email: jvargas@dpmgcorp.com Address: 1325 How Ave, Ste. 213 Sacramento, California, 95825, USA Phone: 001 916 760 7631 Website: www.dpmgcorp.com

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Innovation and Performance WMK is a highly innovative architecture and interior design firm, with a focus on its business and lifestyle clients. We profile the firm and speak to its CEO, Greg Barnett as we look to find out a bit more about its offerings and innovative designs.

With a focus on its clients, WMK designs sustainable and energy-efficient office buildings, high-tech industrial buildings, innovative workplaces, and highly adaptive education facilities, as well as world-class hotels, liveable residential developments, branded retail, and what the team call ‘lifestyle care’ projects.

Offering tailored professional services, the firm’s clients range from entrepreneurial individuals, corporates, and property developers through to schools, universities, and hotel operators.

WMK provide strategy, master planning, architectural design, interior design and brand in the built environment services. Greg outlines what steps the firm takes to ensure WMK’s clients receive the best possible outcome.

“At WMK, our major point of difference is our ability to listen and understand our clients. Only by doing this can we help give the edge. To help define our client’s needs and aspirations, we go through a comprehensive briefing process based on oneon-one meetings, online surveys, workshops with stakeholders and old-fashioned questions and answers.

“Beyond this initial discovery phase, we have regular presentations and interactive feedback to ensure we are on the right path. Then, we

look to regular client approvals at critical points throughout the design phase.”

Greg tells us a bit more about the firm’s overall mission and what steps they plan to take to reach its targets. He talks about the designs of the firm and the general acceptance that staff must focus on the client.

“Throughout the team, our mission is to improve our clients’ outcomes and businesses through innovative design and responsive performance. To achieve this, we spend the time to listen to and understand our clients, then our creative juices take over to vision innovative design solutions. We then take a responsive approach to delivering our designs on time and within the client’s budget.

“As a company, we constantly interact with clients, attend industry events, and research and design built environments of the future, all while staying on top of resourcing and project delivery using sophisticated management information systems.”

Related to its success, Greg believes there are many attributes which differentiate the company from the competition.

“We know our role is to give clients the edge. Throughout the years, we’ve won many awards and competitions – but our most cherished reward is when our

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designs make a positive difference.

If you look at our website, you will see we don’t have a ‘house style’ – our designs are different, reflecting the needs of our client, their brand, and target market.

“Furthermore, our ideas are strategic and innovative. We tend to act as management consultants, not just designers. We are often engaged for our strategic advice and long-term master planning, separate from our designs. Dr Donna Wheatley, an esteemed built environment strategist, forms an integral part of our team. Our designs are all the better with this intellectual grounding.

“As well, our solutions are truly innovative. Projects like the multiaward-winning NBCS ‘school of the future’ and the world-first Sargood on Collaroy, an accessible resort for people with spinal injuries, are prime examples.

“Lastly, our design is sustainable, not just environmentally, but economically and socially sustainable in the truest sense.

Our internal structures are different too, represented by sophisticated systems and underpinned by a culture of team dialogue. We are structured more like an advertising agency, with client managers and team leaders rather than a traditional hierarchical architecture firm.”

With WMK and Greg seeing the firm as emerging young guns in the

architectural industry, there appears to be a lot of excitement about what the future holds. Greg notes that the team has consciously structured itself to be different, standing out in the industry, to be agile and adaptable in a constantly evolving business. He signs off by predicting what the future holds for WMK, hinting at potential expansion overseas.

“Overall, the future looks very bright for WMK. We will continue to grow and undertake many more highly innovative world-class projects.

Also, we can see the opportunity to do more work internationally with the prospect of opening overseas offices. This, combined with our great people will hopefully result in great success.”

Company: WMK Architecture Email: wmk@wmkarchitecture.com Address: L1 346-348, Kent Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia Phone: (+61) 02 9299 0401 Website: wmkarchitecture.com

Winners’ Directory 2017 Patent Assessor of the Year – Germany

Name: Dr. Marco K. Vallazza Title: 2017 Corporate Patent Attorney of the Year - Germany Company: Merck KGaA Website: www.merckgroup.com Address: Frankfurter Str. 250, 64319 Darmstadt, Germany Phone: +49 6151 72 53806

CORPORATE VISION / December 2017 63

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Winners’ Directory Coaching Top 50 Name: Ciara Kelly Company: FUTURENEERZ Location: Ireland Name: Todd Eden Company: Bluestag Coaching Location: Chelmsford, UK Name: Andrea Cardillo Company: TPC Leadership Location: London, UK Name: Claire Palmer Company: Claire Palmer Coaching Location: Horsham, UK Name: Louise Pearce Company: Create Executive Coaching and Training Ltd Location: East Sussex, UK Name: David Shindler Company: Learning to Leap Location: Leeds, UK Name: Lizzie Holden Company: The Global Coach House Location: London, UK Name: Alison O’Leary Company: Live True Career and Life Coaching Location: London, UK Name: Stephan Murtagh Company: Your Sales Coach Ltd. Location: Dublin, Ireland Name: Robert Stephenson Company: Animas Centre for Coaching Location: London, UK Name: Peter Hawkins Company: Renewal Associates Location: Bath, UK Name: Daniele Sorace Company: Daniele Sorace Coach Location: London, UK Name: Tracy Barr Company: Barr Consulting Ltd Location: Poole, UK Name: Pauline Esson Company: With Integrity Location: Hertford, UK Name: Ania Jeffries Company: NextStepMentor Location: Tunbridge Wells, UK

64 CORPORATE VISION / December 2017

Name: Sarah Creevey Company: WorkBubbles Location: London, UK Name: Lucinda Quigley Company: LQ Consulting Location: London, UK Name: Julie Hay Company: Psychological Intelligence Ltd Location: Hertford, UK Name: Abi Hodgson Company: Life Redesign Coaching Location: Milton Keynes, UK Name: Rhona Shepherd Company: Red Sky Management Ltd Location: Edinburgh, UK Name: Carol Stewart Company: Abounding Solutions Location: London, UK Name: Sudhana Singh Company: Imbue Coaching Location: Slough, UK Name: Angela Watson Company: Angela Watson UK Location: Basingstoke, UK Name: Judi Craddock Company: Heart Your Body Location: Southampton, UK Name: Anna Davis Company: AchieveBalance Location: Edinburgh, UK Name: Dawn Grover Company: Dawn Grover Careers Coaching Location: London, UK Name: Theresa Coligan Company: The Coaching Project Location: Newbury, UK Name: Dan Piler Company: Daniel Piler Coaching Location: London, UK Name: Danny Greeves Company: Body Mind Workers Location: London, UK Name: Rebecca Morley Company: Rebecca Morley Coaching Location: London, UK Name: Karen Williams Company: The Book Mentor - Librotas Location: Portsmouth, UK Name: Chris Dohertystobbs Company: Doherty Stobbs Location: Tunbridge Wells, UK

CORPORATE VISION / December 2017 65

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Name: Louise Weston Company: Pearn Kandola Oxford, UK Name: Gbenga Olajugbagbe Company: Coach Nation Location: Essex, UK Name: Corina Grace Company: Grace Consulting Location: Dublin, Ireland Name: Kevin Greenleaves Company: Meta-Coaching Services Ltd Location: Bristol, UK Name: Ben Pountain Company: CapRising Ltd Location: Bournemouth, UK Name: Francesca Monaco Company: Augmentable Marketing Limited Location: London, UK Name: Christine Partridge Company: PressurePoint Location: Watford, UK Name: Cass Coulston Company: Beacon Consulting Location: London, UK Name: Soraya Shaw Company: Springboard Coaching Limited Location: Brighton, UK Name: Colm Cavey Company: Professional Career Consulting Location: Newcastle, Ireland Name: Eve Turner Company: Eve Turner Associates Location: Southampton, UK Name: Paul Elliott Company: Psychosynthesis Coaching Limited Location: London, UK Name: Lindsey Reed Company: Glows Coaching Location: Peterborough, UK Name: Stuart Pickles Company: Aim Higher Leadership Location: Cheltenham, UK Name: Jan Bowen-Nielsen Company: Quiver Management Location: Tetbury, UK Name: Geeta Pattni Company: Wisdom 8 Location: London, UK Name: Ben Scanlan Company: Ben Scanlan Psychotherapy & Coaching Location: London, UK Name: Hazel Russo Company: Hazel Russo Coaching Location: London, UK

66 CORPORATE VISION / December 2017

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