VOL 07 | ISSUE 02| 2022 Ahrens Mary D. A aMakeDedicatedPhilanthropisttoTheWorldBetterPlace The Most Iconic Founders and to Watch, CEO's 2022 Transformative Approach Seize the Opportunity
There is no way to stop the ever-changing environment affected by multiple factors surrounding the earth. The creatures that evolve themselves to fit inside newly changed environments are the ones who survive the test of time. Sadly, those who don't perish to the adverse effects of changing time.
What Makes a Leader Iconic?
EDITOR’S NOTE
ne of the greatest thinkers of our generation- Darwin,
Taking parallels from 'Darwin's Theory of Evolution' into the business world, the ecosystem feels no different.
The industrial revolution paved the way for significant businesses to create a foothold in the industry. The internet and the IT revolution allowed many organizations to take their businesses
Oformulated a theory that emphasized ' Survival of the Fittest.' He explained how nature keeps on changing with passing time.
latest web 3 ramifications of processes which have presented an enormous opportunity for innovators to build the next generation of companies based entirely on blockchain. The point is that no business is sure to thrive forever- a change to the core is essential for it to survive.
The businesses which re-engineer themselves to sustain themselves are the ones that lead their segment. The business
Ever since the first organization's incorporation, businesses have evolved, and so have the companies. The state of the business world is changing every passing day with the introduction of new ideas and innovation.
Cutdigital.tothe
The Most Iconic Founders and to Watch, CEO's 2022
A leader who has created revolutionizing products that add value to her consumers' lives, Mary Ahrens is an iconic leader who is also giving back to society. She is featuring on the cover of “The 10 Most Iconic Founders and CEO's to Watch 2022.” She is the first of the 10 path-breaking iconic founders and CEO's who have made it big this year.
So without wasting any time, dive into their inspiring stories of growth!
world presents opportunities for innovators around the world to showcase their products and services with every passing cycle.
A leader like Steve Jobs had the vision to create a disrupting product that changed the course of technology forever. That's what makes a leader great- The ability to forecast the future, assembling a team capable of taking the vision and making it into reality. The visualized aspirations can be embodied only when there is a bridge of thoughts between a leader and a creator.
Now, what makes a leader iconic? The ability to add value to people's lives while sticking to the purpose of innovation. A combination of creating next-generation products in the industry, always staying ahead of the pack, and keeping in mind the reason for starting the company makes a leader an Icon!
When Steve Jobs presented the first iPhone to the world in 2007, who knew it was the beginning of the line-up for the most iconic phones in the world? It was a major event in the tech world that opened gateways for Apple to become our generation's most well-known and valuable company.
Raunak Mhetre Raun ak
COVER STORY 08 article Transformative Approach Seize the Opportunity 20 c o n t e n t s Mary D. Ahrens Philanthropist Dedicated to Make The World a Better Place
Bianca Shakinovsky An Astute Leader Committed to Deliver Innovative Flooring Solutions 16 Gene Saunders On a Mission to Provide Strategic Public Safety 24 Sinhue Noronha Providing Quality Medication at an Effective Price 36 Leader's Viewpoint Keeping It Human 32 Mathieu Gorge A Seasoned International Security Expert 28 Surajit Roy Making an Impact with his Work in the Financial World 40 CXO
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CONTENT Senior Editor Alan Swann Executive Editors Raunak Mhetre Alex Spellman DESIGN Visualizer Dave Bates Art & Design Director Revati Badkas Associate Designer Sonia Raizada SALES Senior Sales Manager Kshitij S. Customer Success Manager Jack Ryan Sales Executives John TECHNICAL Technical Head Amar Sawant Technical Consultant Victor Collins July, 2022
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CONTACT US ON Shellie Jones Editor-in-Chief sales@ciolook.com SME-SMO Research Analyst Eric Smith SEO Executive Atul Dhoran
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Founder and CEO
RxSense is a health technology company.
Gene Saunders
Project
HuFriedyGroup, a global leader in dental instrument manufacturing, infection prevention and instrument reprocessing workflows.hu-friedy.comHu-Friedy
Mathieu Gorge
pentafloor.co.zaPentafloor
Hair4Good provides the highest quality hair care accessories.hair4good.comHair4Good
Person
BriefCompany Name
Africureprojectlifesaver.orgLifesaverPharmaceuticalsLimitedafricurepharma.com
IDBI Intech is a next-gen technology company specializing in business transformation in the BFSI Sector.
BioFunctional Health Solution’s aim is to deliver the world’s best health and wellness solutions to employees anywhere they are.
Bianca
Founder and CEO
CEOShakinvsky
Featured
Ron Saslow CEO
CEO Surajit
Pentafloor's main aim is to supply affordable, high quality, flexible access flooring solutions, together with superior quality floor finishes, to a wide range of projects of all sizes in the commercial, hospitality and residential sectors.
Rick Bates Founder and CEO
Sinhue Noronha Roy Executive Officer
Brent Kruel CEO
Africure is a Pharmaceutical Company that is committed to improving African health by creating a series of Manufacturing Assets and developing Technical Capabilities in Sub Saharan Africa.
BioFunctional biofunctionalhealth.comSolutionsHealthADTadt.comVigiTrustvigitrust.com
Jim DeVries CEO
Project Lifesaver is a community based, public safety, nonprofit organization that provides law enforcement, fire/rescue, and caregivers with a program designed to protect, and when necessary, quickly locate individuals with cognitive disorders who are prone to the life threatening behavior of wandering.
Vigitrust enables organisations to achieve and maintain compliance with legal, industrial and security standards and frameworks.
ADT has made the security of their customers a top priority.
ManagingandDirector Chief
IDBIrxsense.comRxSenseIntechLTDidbiintech.com
Mary D. Ahrens Founder
Mary D.Ahrens
Philanthropist Dedicated to Make The World a Better Place We hope that using our produ s will add beauty to your life and the lives of children in need.
Mary had a storied journey from beginning her career in 1986 as a secretary at her former company, dedicating 27 years working up the corporate ladder taking her east coast to the west coast and back again. Today, as the Founder of Hair4Good, Mary hopes that using the products that her company produces adds beauty to the lives of her patrons, and the lives of children in need, through their support of children's charities.
I
seemed much kinder, and interestingly, it was my customers who took the time and effort to mentor me. My favorite buyer and retailer were Mr. Gervis Proctor at Thrifty Drug in Los Angeles. Gervis treated me like family and educated me, a newbie, on all aspects of the beauty business. This kind man gave me the encouragement and incentive to pursue my professional passion."
Mary overcame several challenges in her journey including being diagnosed with dyslexia in fifth grade, which came with its own set of challenges; however, these challenges instilled in her incredible work ethic and Maryperseverance.shares,
Hurdles Along the Way
"When I entered sales in the early '90s, I had absolutely no training or management guidance, which surprisingly worked to my advantage. Each day brought a
Making Dreams Come True
Hair4Good's mission is to market products that bring out your inner beauty and, at the same time, make the world a little better for many children by donating 50% of its profits to support children's charities.
Mary expresses, "We are a small operation consisting of like-minded people who make huge contributions daily. Our focus internally is family, work-life balance, making the best, kindest product in the market, and continually increasing our giving stream. Our philanthropy is essential to us, and it is the primary reason I started marketing the brand Hair4Good. Our most recently added charity is Circle of Care, located in Wilton, Connecticut."
Hair4Good's marketing focuses on innovative new materials and patent-pending processes never used in hair care products. Mary has been in the hair care business all of her adult life. She expresses that there was a lack of technology and innovation in the industry, where she saw an opportunity to incorporate cuttingedge sustainable materials that create various product benefits. A few significant corporations that traditionally have not understood the customer's needs control the hair care category. One of the many benefits of being a small business is keeping the consumer in mind and not worrying about corporate politics or egos.
Always understandingbe and open-minded, no matter the challenges, and never give up.
new experience and the promise of another opportunity to "Thegrow."world
Their assortment consists of exclusive designs, cuttingedge, and on-trend fashion. Many of its hairbrushes have proprietary, patented and patent-pending technology. Mary adds, "We receive thank you notes from our customers constantly saying that our brushes are the best they have ever used. This type of consumer reaction is very fulfilling."
ntending to be a helping hand in making the world a better place by helping children in need, Mary Ahrens founded Hair4Good, a philanthropic hair care company that offers innovative and beautiful Hairbrushes, Accessories, and Styling Tools.
Hair4Good's product philosophy is to make superior quality merchandise with longer useful life and less harmful environmental impact than products currently on the market. Mary intends to expand Hair4Good's reach to include brick-and-mortar retailers and enhance its product assortment with innovative patented technology in new product categories.
incorporates philanthropy and innovation to the industry that traditionally is more interested in corporate profits and aggressive distribution. Mary notes, "We recognize that we need to expand our reach, but we are steadfast in our mission to make quality, innovative, longer-lasting, and more sustainable products while contributing to the betterment of the world."
Hair4Goodpackaging.
Hair4Good's culture is driven by family, kindness, benevolence, work-life balance, giving back to the community, and making beautiful, solution-based, and environmentally kinder products. Its team shares its mission, and everyone has a seat at the table.
Mary advises aspiring entrepreneurs to have an indepth knowledge of the business they are entering. She says, "A well thought out business, and the financial plan includes the initial investment and ongoing financial support. Be realistic about your resources and ability to survive the roller coaster ride financially and emotionally."
Leading A Helping Culture
The Next Chapter
Mary adds, "We foresee doubling our charitable contributions annually and adding more team members to our family to concentrate more on the philanthropic area of our business. Eventually, we would like to produce most if not all of our merchandise in the USA."
Your patronage and support help to make dreams come true.
Hair4Good uses innovative natural materials and unique coatings to enhance product performance greatly. They also use sustainable materials, using recycled paper for their product
The Guiding Light
"Make as many social and business contacts as you can to share thoughts, opportunities, and experiences. Don't fear making mistakes; every new business has a learning curve. Be prepared for unimaginable hours of intense work and education. Always be understanding and open-minded, no matter the challenges, and never give up, no one wins without loosing," Mary concludes.
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Bianca Shakinovsky
CEO Pentafloor
eadership is not about title or position; it is about responsibility of empowering others. Successful leaders believe in making a difference in the lives of others. The same leadership when it’s paired with passion, can turn vision into reality. An embodiment of one such exemplary leadership is Bianca Shakinovsky, the CEO of Pentafloor. Bianca started Pentafloorin 2005 with Larry Shakinovsky, with the main aim to supply affordable, high quality, flexible access flooring solutions, together with superior quality floor finishes, to a wide range of projects of all sizes in the commercial, hospitality and residential sectors. Since 2005, this venture has grown exponentially.
Pentafloor is the largest manufacturer and importer of access flooring in Africa.
Being Limitless and Contagiously Passionate
L
According to her, entrepreneurs are all about passion in what they do, and time does not play a part for them. “Your passion should be so strong that it rubs off on everyone you come into contact with,” she expresses.
In every business, one will come across challenges. Bianca believes that what matters is how one chooses to take on those challenges and deal with them. For Bianca, it has been finding the balance between running a home with four children and being on top of her game at Secondly,work.
The journey of Bianca has not been a walk in the park by any means. She says that to have one’s fingers on the pulse of the business is of utmost importance. There are many aspects to the running of Pentafloor. Although she has competent managers in each department, she still has a day-to-day feedback on all projects, knowing that clients are satisfied with Pentafloor’s service is key. She finds it imperative to a hold management meeting on a weekly basis to ensure everyone is on the same page.
| July 2022 | 17
Being Determined to Stand One’s Own Ground
Bianca Shakinovsky Astute Leader Committed to Deliver Innovative Flooring Solutions “
Keeping Everyone on the Same Page
working in a male dominated industry has been especially challenging for her. As a woman she was not always taken seriously and had to become hard and fight for her right to be accepted. Her determination to win has paid off and she is thankful for the resources she has earned by standing her ground.
An
Bianca believes that as an entrepreneur, one should not limit oneself to working 8 to 5.
She adds, “Giving your best at all times, and letting your clients know that you have their best interests at heart, after all they are what makes your company successful.”
As for Bianca ‘s style of running the company, she takes an open-door approach. Although she states that this may at times disrupt her day’s planned activities, she has also found that potential problems have been prevented by swift decisions. The open-door policy shows she is not unapproachable, and this is important as it gives the staff a sense of belonging.
Giving back to the community is important and something Bianca holds dear to her heart. As a company, Pentafloor is continually involved in projects that help the less fortunate. They offer their services in which they supply and install flooring to help individuals as well as NGO’s. SPCA, homes for unwed mothers, families whose homes have been destroyed by fire and to churches , to name but a few.
As Bianca mentioned this is a male dominated industry, and thus, to the up-and-coming women out there, she first welcomes them for taking the initiative to better themselves. She advises them to never accept no for an answer and allow to be put down or intimidated. She
Bianca’s vision for Pentafloor is simple, “Be known as the go to company.” When it comes to expansion, the company has always looked at the international market as a target it has set its eyes on. Bianca feels with her company’s unique approach to business and its superior and diverse range of products, it will be able to reach this goal and more. “With our mindset and talented staff nothing stands in our way,” she concludes.
Being Courageous and Fearless
From the very start of Pentafloor, it has been the company’s policy to ensure the needs of the client is being put first. To achieve this, Bianca has gone from just a purely supply outfit to a complete turnkey operation. This was achieved by acquiring similar flooring companies over a period of time, making Pentafloor the largest raised access flooring companies in Sub Saharan Africa and the sole distributor of the Shaw Carpet range in Africa.
| July 2022 | 18
Being Accessible to Staff
Putting the Needs of the Clients First
Sharing her views on the pandemic, she says the pandemic has affected many lives and businesses. She feels in many ways people have become more understanding and empathic. As for driving the company, Bianca says the joint efforts of all her employees are making a concerted effort to insure Pentafloor remains a leader in the industry. Putting safety on top of the list of priorities goes without saying.
Remaining a Leader in the Industry
Trusting Principle of Reciprocity
says that the industry is changing, and they need to be part of this change. “Go out there and show what you are made of. Getting your hands dirty is part of this industry, I have never been afraid to work on site side by side with my teams,” she adds.
Being Best in the Industry
| July 2022 | 19
The challenge for business leaders has been creating and connecting people with the physical and digital worlds. Unveiling technology for growth creates business partnerships, market opportunities, connect communities, and encourages people to explore out. Other challenges also include learning how to grow the business as an entrepreneur. Business leaders have to navigate through different roles and responsibilities, and they create new opportunities solving complex problems.
SEIZE THE
the digital world of innovation where entertainment, living, and learning share the global stage of connection. It is going to impact the way people interact and connect in the physical world. When we talk about innovation and technology, we are working continuously to build a better world for all of us. For business leaders, there is always room for learning and improving their companies with these technological tools like AI, IoT, Cloud, Robotics.
s they say, “If opportunity does not knock your
A business leader realizes that with his/her creativity and vision the business can unleash opportunities and make things happen. He or she drives new products, services, new business models and innovate the ways of working. Being a business leader, broadening the diverse pools is meaningful to the business. Embracing the change by working with different people and perspectives with different backgrounds and knowledge is important to drive innovation and growth.
In the Depth of Leadership Ultimately it is all about passion and belief to empower the community and being confident about the business concepts. There are a lot of leaders right now providing opportunities and they continue to build the doors of opportunities with the help of their qualities.
Weleaders.arein
Those who practice such impactful leadership qualities deliver to achieve the goal of the organization. A good business leader inspires and encourages to lead the organization to new levels of success. As a business leader, one’s growth is based on the performance of the team. They use their intelligence to outplay the competition. He is the specialized person creating the impact in the organization.
A Challenging Journey
20 | July 2022 |
Adoor, build the door”. Let’s justify this quote through this article in the context of business
Transformative Approach 21 | July 2022 |
For them, the highest motivation is gratitude, empathy, and contributing to the success of the team members and the organization. It is the difference between consistency and inconsistency that separates from an ordinary leader to an impactful leader. The best aspect of making an impact on others is by empowering others with opportunities and no expectation of getting something in return.
and adaptive business leaders have increased their productivity through the virtual working environment because of the pandemic. They introduce the digital realm in order to provide value to the people along with new digital coaching groups, making the environment positive.
Finally, in a world where almost everything is transforming, the journey for business leaders also goes through digital transformation. The bottom line - the real leader knows how to get the stuff done. For them, the greatest motivation lies in creating opportunities, as they are not driven by the materialist world.
about growing together and this quality will transform the industry and the world as a whole.
Know It Before You Blow It
He is the go-to person for all the team members of the company and with his deep expertise he helps to strategize the plans to achieve tangible growth. Once he develops the legacy of success in the industry with his skills, he can ensure digital dominance and become a preferred choice over every other leader to achieve Thegrowth.quick
22 | July 2022 |
This is the most underestimated trait of leadership. Business leaders are well aware that if they really want to bring a change, they have to be empathetic. There is always a way of working out things through technology, but it is constrained to business only. Coming out as a true leader, learning, and respecting people will build one’s reputation. It allows one to address the problems and issues of the people. Business leaders know their business, market, and customers, but what is important is to know your people and a desire to mentor them with the opportunities and achievements.
Our actions today will impact the future and only kindness and empathy towards each other with help to face every problem in our life. So, an empathetic business leader feels it is his responsibility of giving back to society. There is so much more to do for the people and the environment. Above all, the important thing is to build that door of opportunities for himself and open it for others. Succeeding in business is all
The Shining Message
Lifesaver 24 | |July 2022
Project
Founder and CEO
Gene Saunders
Look to the problems in the sector and come up with methods and solutions to assist in ever-changingtheroleofpublicsafety.
25 | July 2022 |
In essence, wandering is characterized by locomotive behavior that may or may not be intentional, and it may or may not be something that a person is aware of. This fact points to a very significant issue that needs to be addressed. And with that, Gene Saunders came up with the idea of using the right approach to track down wandering people. He is the and the ofFounderCEO Project Lifesaver, a leading search and rescue company run by public safety organizations worldwide. It is specifically developed for individuals who are prone to life-threatening wandering behavior.
On a Mission to Provide Strategic Public Safety
Gene Saunders
Geneis an internationally recognized expert in tracking the recovery of people at risk. He has appeared on local, national, and worldwide radio and television programs for his expertise in this niche.
CIO Look caught up with Gene in our endeavor to find "The 10 Most Iconic Founders and CEOs to Watch, 2022." We talked with him to understand how he is driving a transformative change in the public safety sector with his expertise.
A
s the population of the world ages, the number of people with Alzheimer's, dementia, or similar diseases will increase, eventually adding to the risk of wandering. There are already several efforts to assist older persons who have gone missing.
Enlighten us on how you have impacted Public Safety through your expertise in the market.
Below are the highlights of Gene's interview.
I was with the Chesapeake, VA Police Dept for 33 years, retiring as a Captain in 2001. I also headed the Sheriff's Search and Rescue unit. In 1999, I had the idea to track and locate persons with Dementia, Autism, etc., who wandered and became lost through RF technology. I developed a training and certification program, and public safety agencies began joining the organization. We named this program Project Lifesaver as it saved lives, reduced manpower and cost on searches, and is highly successful.
Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at Project Lifesaver. What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are today?
Tell us something more about your company and its mission and vision.
24 | July 2022 |
Project Lifesaver is a Non Profit 501c3 organization that provides equipment, training, and support to its member agencies in the Project Lifesaver program. It also researches new technology to aid in its mission.
We have drastically cut down the amount of time, cost, and manpower necessary to conduct this type of search and, to date, have recorded over 3,700 successful searches in an average recovery time of fewer than 30 minutes.
We constantly test new equipment and methods to enhance and improve the mission.
All the people in our organization believe in its mission, to save lives. It is demonstrated by the willingness to do whatever it takes to assist our member agencies in the mission.
25 | July 2022 |
Public safety is looking to do more with less and a more pronounced shift to technology to accomplish its tasks. We stay in contact with our members as to their needs and work to incorporate them into our equipment and methods.
Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run, and what are your future goals for Project Lifesaver?
Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives your organization.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the Public Safety sector?
Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in almost every sector. How are you leveraging technological advancements to make your solutions resourceful?
What, according to you, could be the next significant change in the Public Safety sector? How is your company preparing to be a part of that change?
Look to the problems in the sector and come up with methods and solutions to assist in the ever-changing role of public safety.
Project Lifesaver will continue to test and adopt new equipment methods and technology to aid its members in an even better approach and solution to this ever-increasing problem.
A Seasoned International Security Expert
Mathieu Gorge Mathieu Gorge
Mathieu Gorge is the CEO and Founder of VigiTrust which he created in Dublin. He is an established authority and speaker on Cyber security, Risk Management & Compliance with more than 20 years’ international experience.
A Regular Speaker at International Conferences
Aims to Deliver Innovative Projects
28 | |July 2022
W
Gorge’s areas of expertise include PCI DSS, GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, VRM, and ISO 27001. He has been involved in payment security for more than 20 years and has worked with many security working groups and associations in the US and EU. He is a regular speaker at international security and compliance conferences such as RSA, ENISA & ISACA.
here is your data & how does it flow? Who are the stakeholders & what regulations and standards are you subject to? Founded by Mathieu Gorge in 2003, VigiTrust has been answering these questions to international clients in the healthcare, financial services, retail, and government sectors for over 20 years.
The security and compliance sector evolves very quickly at the best of times, so Gorge pro-actively and diligently keeps his finger on the pulse at all times. He does this through the VigiTrust Global Advisory Board which gives him amazing insight into what's happening in the industry from a technology, regulation, and research perspective.
Board, an international security & compliance thinktank.
Gorge studied languages, marketing and law. He never once studied IT or compliance. However, he was fortunate to work for companies whose leaders were passionate about security, and having caught the bug, he developed a keen interest in data security, a subset of the security market. Things grew from there, and Mathieu remains passionate about data security, risk management, and compliance.
Gorge was the President of the French Irish Chamber of Commerce in Dublin from 2017-2019 - he remains on the Executive council and as chair of the ICT working group. Mathieu has also served as the Chairman of InfoSecurity Ireland and was an Official Reviewer for ANSI (US). He is the founder of the PCI DSS European Roadshow, which has been running since 2011. He is also the Chairman of the VigiTrust Global Advisory
Right now, a lot is going on in Machine Learning, AI, and Quantum, not forgetting blockchain. VigiTrust is involved in a few innovation projects with research partners globally and aims at delivering new innovative solutions to clients & partners at all times. Gorge is also on the board of several tech companies and part of working groups within the security & compliance community. This allows him to keep learning at all times and to extend his network.
Passionate About Data-Security
Focusing on Core Solutions
A Perceptive and Accomplished Individual Gorge ensures that VigiTrust continues innovating, looking after existing clients, and gaining new markets. There are a lot of companies doing well right now because they can see new opportunities and they are agile. VigiTrust is one of those, and Gorge is very proud to be surrounded by a team of highly motivated, resilient people, and by very encouraging close people.
Gorge suspects that VigiTrust will either be acquired in the next few years or start acquiring other businesses to continue its expansion. From a personal perspective, the founder has just published his first book, The Cyber Elephant in the Boardroom, published by Forbesbooks and it has opened up many opportunities. Gorge is now a regular contributor to US, UK, and French media outlets on the topic of cyber-accountability and cyber Gorgesecurity.has
also just been appointed VP of the Dublin section of the French Trade Advisors, and he remains involved with the French Irish Chamber of Commerce. “I think I'll remain involved in those spheres as long as I can continue to add value wherever I am, probably with similar structures but based in the US as Vigitrust builds its US team out of New York”, shares Gorge.
The current global crisis is unprecedented, and like most organizations VigiTrust had to learn as it went along. Whilst the company had a crisis management plan, it had not planned for a crisis that would impact travel, health, finances, and global geopolitics at the same time. So, Gorge and his senior management team started with reducing all costs, focusing on core solutions that were not impacted by the crisis, and servicing the company’s key clients and partners. The organization then decided to explore if there was any opportunity to reposition its solutions to address the new way to perform risk assessment audits. It quickly realized that its clients and partners alike could no longer go on-site to conduct assessments.
As it happens, VigiTrust’s 2020 roadmap for Q4 included the development and deployment of remote assessment capabilities, so it moved that forward to Q2 and Q3 and the company was able to address this opportunity and, incidentally, majorly enhance its partner program and partner onboarding.
30 | July 2022 |
Wake up early and believe that today is going to be a good day for your business. Your passion and persistence coupled with key skills from the team you've assembled will take you, your business and your team and entourage to the next level. “ “
Mathieu Gorge CEO and Founder VigiTrust
he Secret for Setting a Positive Workplace Culture in a Work from Home Era
T
Uncertainty has become the new normal. For the past year, working remotely is, as well, the new normal. Employees all over the world had to cope with this new reality as they keep track on their responsibilities and better manage their life-work balance. As company leaders become more aware of their roles in this pandemic era, it is the perfect time for them, for us, to reinvent the concept of office, and manage to keep fostering a positive work culture. How can we rethink the way we work to benefit our employees as well as our businesses? This is a very complicated question, with no right or wrong answers. My approach has to do with thinking from a leadership perspective. Now, more than ever, leaders need to become emotionally connected with their employees to foresee what may come in the so unclear future.
We need to use technology to innovate and develop more human-like tools to improve our workplace interactions. Emails, social networks, and teleconferencing meetings may feel as enough but they might not be when thinking in setting a positive culture or transmitting values and ways of working… It is about looking for social tools so that people can interact, and, with these tools, we are going to be able to discover the value of making working remotely, work. In the end, it is about how we create real experiences for real people. How we create activities that go beyond work life and understand that there might be employees that treasure working in a fully remote environment and how there are others seeking for an office space. How I see it, the hybrid model will be the one prevailing in the months and years to come, and it is simply because this model takes into account both perspectives of returning to an office and working from other spaces. The hybrid way is the ultimate way of achieving the human side and keeping up with the businesses. With this model, leaders and employees, must come up with activities that make work more human, a lot closer, social and fun.
In this work from home paradigm, CEO´s and leaders will be determinant from whatever perspective they will address the situation. Reading a Forbes article regarding stats employers need to know about the workforce, I came across the 2020 study conducted by Growmotely, in which they asked working professionals and entrepreneurs to share their thoughts on the new work from home paradigm, 74% of professionals expect remote work to become standard. These stats show an overwhelming percentage in favor of remote work continuing post-pandemic, so we must stay on top of these trends, to give employees what they expect from us as business leaders.
Leader's Viewpoint 32 | July 2022 |
In the end, I believe a positive work culture is essential. You can ask, but how do you maintain that culture being remote? Communication and transparency are the key. The only way to transmit your businesses DNA is by enabling different communication channels which have different social purposes. The email will still be the formal way to talk about work, WhatsApp will become the platform where good news and milestones are transmitted, Slack can be used as that relaxed tone, communication channel where peers can talk about their lives and vain conversations will be taking place here. All of them matter, not because talking about your wife and children is less important that talking about the closing of a deal, but because they maintain the work-life balance that is vital to succeed both personally and professionally, and it is this balance that we long for in the workplace.
On various occasions, I have been asked for my advice for managing a team remotely. And this answer comes very natural for me. It is all about Keeping it human. We have to be genuinely interested in the people and their current needs and lives beyond work. Everything being remote has turned listening into one of the essential soft skills. We must acknowledge that as nonverbal cues we typically rely on are lost, we must focus on actually listening. Also, I have learned that a turning on your computer camera makes the difference! People know that if you turned on your camera, you are focused 100% on them and it may sound as an insignificant gesture, but it is a small act of interest that can engage you with people you work with. I also recommend enabling office spaces, maintaining all the biometric security measures and social distancing, to hold face-to-face meetings. Keeping up employee morale is particularly challenging in these uncertain times, but through little acts of listening and actually caring, we will definitely come out victorious. As all leaders are saying, we have less chances to ask employees if they feel good or bad, like before just bouncing in the corridor of the office, and what we know is that a lot of them are struggling for different Andreasons.tokeep
it human, means to be human as well with the new employees. We have to think about the new people joining our teams. The onboarding process has changed, and it is very important to reinvent methodologies to create and maintain the bonds that would otherwise be generated naturally by being in a face-to-face environment. A remote Buddy Program has shown to be successful. People have other people to come to and express their needs, difficulties, fears and all kinds of emotions. To enable this program has meant to continue passing the culture and the company´s DNA through a word-of-mouth strategy.
KEEPING IT HUMAN
CSO
Cofounder MO Technologies
Veronica Crisafulli and
Sinhue Noronha
CEO Africure Pharmaceuticals Limited
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In 2017, Sinhue did a Management buyout of the African Manufacturing Assets belonging to the company he worked for. He raised the US $12mn from a clutch of 4 investors already in the pharma space in Africa and believed in his story that manufacturing was the way forward. He placed 48% of the company with them and retained 52%. His main venture, Africure Pharmaceuticals Limited, was born in April 2017 and, in a span of 5 years, achieved a turnover of US $34mn. Along the way, he offloaded a few assets to generate working capital and acquired a few assets, which helped augment the company's turnover and profit. During this period, the company was fortunate enough to receive a sanction of US $10mn from Proparco of France, with which it created two assets in Côte d'Ivoire and Ethiopia. Currently, it has received US $15mn from an
Sinhue started his career in 1979 at the grass-root level, promoting products to doctors in Mumbai, India. From 1980 to 1986. He moved up the rung and reached the designation of Senior Product Manager, one of the top 10 companies in India. In 1987, he was partially responsible for initiating a start-up in the pharma space as an employee and was designated as Marketing Manager. In 1989, he initiated yet another start-up in the pharma space comprising, manufacturing, and exporting formulations and was designated as Marketing Controller
he beautiful land of Africa has a vast landmass of various terrains, a large population of animals, and people of diverse ethnicity. However, it lacks healthcare infrastructure, facing a medicines shortage. Helping improve these problems is Sinhue Noronha, who pledged to bring smiles to the faces of ailing Africans by helping build self-sufficiency in manufacturing low-cost, high-quality medication in Africa by Africans for Africa. He has an experience 30 years in pharmaceuticals in African markets focused on marketing and distribution.
In 1991, Sinhue ventured to create his company viz. Simrone Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., where he was getting formulation contracts manufactured and exporting them to buyers in Europe, who exported them to various African countries. In 1996, he commissioned his Pharmaceutical Plant with financial
assistance from 3 of the top Indian Venture Capitalists. In 2007, he received an offer from a large Indian Multinational to buy out his plant and business. This was done with a mandate to join them as CEO of the African Continent and build their business. When Sinhue joined this company, the total African Sales were in the region of US$ 5mn. and when he retired in 2017, it touched the US $65mn. At the end of his tenure, he looked after three more Continents other than Africa.
Sinhue Noronha
The Journey from an Employee to an Entrepreneur
Providing Quality Medication at an Effective Price We strengthen the hands of Government and NGOs in their drive against diseases by ensuring continuous availability and reasonable pricing. “ “ 37 | July 2022 |
Sinhue is the CEO of Africure Pharmaceuticals Limited, which is committed to improving African health by creating a series of Manufacturing Assets and developing Technical Capabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa. It works towards improving the health of Africans by providing necessary materials at a practical cost.
High-Quality Essential Medication
main challenges were Bureaucracy in Government Licensing, Regulatory Affairs, Operational License, and Multi-Currency and Multi-Language barriers. However, they could navigate through most of them successfully because of their talented teams on the ground.
Withrequirements.sevenplants,
africure is slightly ahead of the curve, aiming to set up a new plant every two years and evaluate inorganic opportunities. Sinhue shares, "I will continue to navigate africure through the various challenges that exist in the fragmented African Nations, and my near-term objective is to achieve two targets (in the next 15 months); a turnover of US$ 50 mn and a valuation of US$ 100 mn." He continues, "In the next five years, africure will cross a turnover of USD 100 mn with a valuation of USD 200 mn and have a basket of approximately 10-12 plants in Africa."
Africure has created manufacturing assets and capabilities in the various African markets that it is in to empower local Africans with manufacturing expertise and understand the current quality management systems combined with good manufacturing practices. The company has a basket of over 80 molecules and achieved over 300 registrations in the Essential Medication Segments. It is very sensitive to EHS and has set very high standards. It has appointed a topnotch EHS Consultancy Firm to periodically audit all the manufacturing and distribution facilities and help achieve higher standards. On the QMS front, africure
impact-making PE Investor to help grow the business
In his advice to budding entrepreneurs, Sinhue states, "The pharmaceutical sector will always be a growing sector due to the increasing buying power. Most of the underdeveloped countries will offer excellent opportunities for budding entrepreneurs, to look at setting up manufacturing facilities or looking at distribution, local technology development, creation of training and development programs etc.”
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The most valuable asset that africure values are its human assets. The company has been blessed with very high commitment, integrity, and hard work teams. It has also set up its own Formulation Development Lab, where it is developing formulations that are robust and adhere to the stringent specifications of the relevant Pharmacopoeias.
Concerning the Sub-Saharan African Continent, every country is fighting to be self-sufficient in the field of medication to avoid shortages and spurious medication and get the right pricing and expand the employment for the locals. Therefore, they encourage investors to set up manufacturing plants in their countries. Hence there is a wave of companies setting up manufacturing facilities, which will gain momentum in the coming years. The average per capita consumption of medication in Sub-Saharan Africa is very small. However, with increasing economic buying power, the market will expand dramatically, and perhaps in the next 15 years, Africa will produce more than 50% of its
Hisfurther.team's
Staying Ahead of Challenges
has a European Firm conducting periodic Audits and helping train and develop its people, helping the organization reach higher levels of quality.
Africure's logo has 7 Africans throwing their hands up with joy, having been relieved of their suffering after consuming africure medication, meaning that africure was born to heal. The 7 Africans symbolize the seven plants that africure has. The company has retained a lower case 'a' to express the organization's humbleness. The company's vision is to help Africa build SelfSufficiency in Pharmaceuticals across key Geographics. The mission is to manufacture high-quality essential medication in Africa, by Africans, for Africa.
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Surajit Roy MD, and CEO
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include leading from the front, instilling a growth mind-set, mentoring and appreciating employees and solving problems to instill a passion for the journey of innovative solutions. He also ensures a sense of pride in the work team delivers and offers employee motivation to provide the best
financial business leader has become an
Surajit and his team continuously create new benchmarks of performance outcomes by channelizing inherent competencies and energy and nurturing experienced employees through organizational-led Collaboration, which makes the proper framework for employees to deliver and meet organizational Hisobjectives.responsibilities
Surajit Roy
A integral part of the organization as they establish innovative strategies for the financial services organization. Having a financial leader enables the organization to quantify the limits and then measure risks to control and mitigate them. After multiple crises in recent times, the Financial Services Sector feels the need for a strategic financial leader to collaborate on the company's financial outcomes. That is why experienced financial business leaders work to ensure that they have a practical approach to comprehending the complex financial institutions across the globe.
Valuesservices.are
Surajit had the opportunity to work with the Executive leadership of Wipro Limited taking valuable learnings from his interactions with the Ex-Chairman and Current Chairman. He has always believed in forming lasting business relationships, which reflects in his leadership style. His leadership style is hands-on and strengths-based, stitching business strategy and evolving customer business requirements with passion and determination for consistent Business Growth, Superior Customer Experience, and Employee Satisfaction.
Summary of Professional Journey
the main determinants of the future growth for any company, and IDBI Intech Ltd. encompasses its culture of, Integrity, Ingenuity, and Intelligence to win customers' trust in all processes.
In this reply, Surajit Roy - an out-of-box thinker with proven abilities, has stepped up to incubate his thought leadership at IDBI Intech LTD. Surajit's professional journey starts with graduating as a BE from Pune University, leading IT companies, and emerging as an innovative leader throughout his career. He is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IDBI Intech Ltd. and driving the digital transformation journey for customers in the Banking and Financial Services sector.
Making an Impact with his Work in the Financial World
An attitude to learn rapidly and a self-directed high standard of agile performance has been the foundation of Surajit's career that spans more than 25 years with leading Technology brands in India. He has been mentored by some of the finest minds enriching his professional experience and has delivered pioneering digital transformation to customers in Banking & Financial Services domain across geographies.
Accessing Business Values
Effective Problem-solving Skills
Integrating Disruptive Technologies has led to the evolution of IDBI Intech. Surajit and his team bring a
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Agile Execution of Technologies
Thepriorities.organization
Walk the talk for evolving customer needs with digital solutions is our mission as we develop digital solutions for customer disruptive business growth and efficiencies.process
India and abroad. This distinction helps to play the integrated role of advisor and concept developer for clients before it delivers the product or solution to fit their requirements precisely. This is further enhanced by the significant investments in the latest industry solutions for Banking and Insurance, keeping in mind customer satisfaction and market demands as top
Surajit champions non-linear , innovation driven growth and proactively assessing business environment. Making the customers win and gain edge over their competitors, helping both customers and IDBI Intech stay profitable and ahead of the competition curve is his objective.
IDBI's portfolio of services and solutions works on the deep domain knowledge it possesses as an organization by decades of working with leading BFSI customers in
is the technology leader in critical domains of Regulatory & Compliance, Enterprise Risk Management, Payments & API, and Enterprise-Wide Payments Transaction Reconciliation. Its technologies are platform-agnostic, secure, and easily scalable. For instance, the Payments Reconciliation software is capable of highly reliable and accurate reconciliation of transactions from multiple input sources using opensource platforms, capable of handling billions of transactions annually. All this is made possible by using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Technologies to address regulatory compliances.
Surajit brings a unique approach to digital transformation—one that is driven by innovation, agility, and a start-up mindset. The result: an enhanced ability to deliver value-led accelerated business outcomes and a differentiated portfolio of services.
Innovation and Integrity are the core pointers driving IDBI's business growth and customer delight. The team promotes these values through every decision and action and recognizes & rewards employees who promote the culture – it constantly encourages employees to embrace the culture of Collaboration, Intent, Innovation, and Value led Outcomes.
IDBI Intech has earned the customer trust and conviction in providing transformational digital solutions for Combatting Financial Crimes, i.e., AntiMoney Laundering, Early Warning signals, Trade-Based Money Laundering, Real-Time Monitoring systems, etc., which are platform agnostic, highly scalable enabling real-time monitoring, enriched with Analytics. The company's anti-money laundering system can process 18.25 billion transactions annually for a leading Bank with one of the largest customer bases.
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The team wants to be in the leader's quadrant as a technology-led business transformation organization by integrating disruptive technologies – bringing highly specialized & niche products to the Banking and Financial Services entities using open-source, insightful analytics with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Technologies, API Banking and Blockchain technologies for process reconciliations & online KYC for Customer Onboarding.
unique approach to digital transformation by driving innovation, agility, and a start-up mindset. The products are designed to seamlessly fit into customers' technology architecture and integrate with their surrounding systems. They have decision-making capabilities that provide insights into consumer behavior, competition mapping, and easy forecasting. They have efficient Data Management and Analytics tools built-in.
The rapid evolution of digital transformation has led to the development an Enterprise Risk Management solution by IDBI Intech for the Banking & Insurance sector. The organization also has a digital solution for Enterprise-Wide Payments Reconciliation, PCI DSS certified and built on AI ML for efficient, error-free
Disruptive Growth Mindset
IDBI has also developed and executed seamlessly several digital products such as Corporate Liquidity Management System and Customer Onboarding solutions leading to disruptive business growth for Banking customers. It has launched digital banking on a social media platform for superior customer experience innovation story goes on.
transactions reconciliation from multiple payments channels. The solution is capable of reconciling 5.5 billion transactions annually with maximum accuracy and precision for a leading Bank in India.
The products in combating financial crime, Enterprise Risk Management, Enterprise-wide Payments Reconciliation, and Payment's middleware are global products based on open-source technology, are highly scalable, analytics-based, and secure, and can be easily dovetailed into customer's technology architecture. The organization's mantra is making the Customer Win and enriching their digital experience through our technology.
