The 10 Most Innovative CEO's Revamping the Future

OCTOBER 2020

The

10 Most

Innovative

CEOs Revamping

the Future

Fred

D'Alessandro Redefining the Benchmarks of Leadership

pG NO. 32 D i g i ta l Dy n a m i c s The Human Era in a D i g i ta l W o r l d

Leaders Viewpoint Tech Trends in the Financial Sector

Marketing Outlook Redefining Female Leadership

+

EDITOR’S NOTE

The Need for Gender Diversity in Leadership Roles.

T

wo things happen when people from diverse backgrounds come together, especially in an office environment. One, experiences of handling and overcoming situations and creating new products come with the new incumbents, and second, it helps the economy of the place given that the new incumbents’ remuneration acts as a multiplier of sorts which helps local economies get additional buying power.

There are still other pluses too such as a larger pool of trained hands which can be expected to quickly come to the fore when the situation so demands, and a general betterment of the condition of dependants like family members and those directly dependent on the new employee or associate.

Gender equality holds the promise of a range of positives that humanity might experience where women in larger numbers join decisive activities including employment, and that too at leadership positions. Attesting the above facts are some telling statistics such as: - In absolute terms, the world may take over a century to have parity between the sexes when it comes to earning potential with even advanced countries in the west having over a 20% gap in income inequality.

- Where humanity manages to bring about a semblance of parity, it shall be rewarded with a worldwide increase in GDP of over USD 160 trillion – almost double the current global GDP! - Study after study mentions that diversity and inclusion bring to the world of business higher income, better innovations, and a sense of prestige. Studies show that it can be as high as 48% in the case of gross profits, 42% of net profits and 45% of EPS. - With a large pool of experiences being available to decisionmakers, it is a given that teams with pronounced gender diversity make better business decision – close to 75% of the time!

Experience shows that gender diversity makes sense in leadership roles with reasons including: Perception of the organization: By encouraging gender diversity, enterprises enhance their reputation in multiple ways. Those with higher number of women in managerial and decision-making positions are viewed increasingly with confidence and a certain positivity. It is also a fact that with women at the helm, the chances of corporate frauds taking place reduce drastically. Their caring instincts see them take up CSR-related projects with a lot more care and concern.

Better customer service: Customer service as an activity needs two things to be highly successful. One, the knowledge of handling customer relations from a diverse viewpoints and insights, and second, the feeling of genuine concern. Both these are served best in gender-diverse organizations which increase their capability of handling a customer base of immense diversity. Be it related to an immediate problem or the knowledge of an industry, a process, or a situation, the wider the managerial base in terms of gender diversity, the better the chances of positive outcomes.

Better decision-making capabilities: Boards that remain genderdiverse get the benefit of varied ideas, viewpoints and perspectives be it to increase business or solve existing problems that could itself lead to increased business. With each decision going through a process of being scanned from the diverse viewpoints for diverse reasons, the outcome invariably are decisions that take many perspectives into account and hold good for a longer duration.

Introduction of empathy and innovations in management styles: Women with the right experiences have managerial styles that have an equal measure of empathy and intuition given that they remain aware of motivations and concerns of other people. Their tactics in the board-rooms are markedly different from their male colleagues with the former using empathy and insights to take decision which get reflected in the way they communicate to collaborate which end up solving problems in very innovative and creative ways.

Others’ reaction to women in decision making positions: With more women being introduced to the boards of organizations, there is a marked difference in the way people perceive board meetings and their outcome. Right from attendance to matters discussed, everything sees a marked positive change.

With gender diversity being the need of the hour, every organization ought to take certain steps such as those mentioned below.

Have a line-up of mentors There isn’t anything like a good mentor to boost confidence in a new employee. This applies to every new employee or joinee but its effects are stark with women who do not get the kind of mentoring they deserve.

Feeling unwanted and unsure, most leave after a while or do not perform to their best. A Boston Consulting Group study of departing female employees cited mentorship as the number one point most companies lacked in.

Turn recruitment processes inclusive without subjective biases The term “gender-blind hiring” is becoming popular with new-age companies where employers evaluate potential and prospective candidates based only on their workrelated credentials and qualities while leaving biases, both conscious and unconscious aside. Adding to the system of blind hiring is to keep JDs inclusive by keeping out words that have masculine connotations like gogetters, aggressive and the likes which are known to deter women candidates from favourably considering job positions.

Flexibility in working Women’s natural role of childbearing invariably comes in the way of their finding gainful employment, and the only way to bring them into the fold and see them progress is to introduce a degree of flexibility in the way they operate. Flexible hours, flexibility with respect to places and to an extent flexibility in their roles can help entities retain talented and committed women in the workforce at commanding positions irrespective of age.

To an extent, even men ought to be given flexibility making it easier for them to be part of home chores and make their contribution in bringing up children.

Improve transparency around pay This is one grey area that refuses to let go come what may. With so much history behind it, transparency is the one thing that shall get matters going. This includes being blunt about pay for positions be it man or woman while giving out all details about what would constitute credentials in terms of qualifications and experience. This would engender greater clarity in who gets what.

Wholeheartedly embrace a culture of diversity Gender diversity should start from the shopfloor to the top-floor with everyone being responsible for it irrespective of position, pay and perks. Organizations ought to have clearly formulate policies to recruit women at all levels and more so in leadership roles so that the process of diversity does not remain a oneoff case. One way to make that an ongoing process is to set specific and clear KRAs for the management to recruit women in authoritative roles.

Abhishaj Sajeev abhishaj@ciolook.com

COVER STORY

10

Fred D’Alessandro Redefining the Benchmarks of Leadership

ARTICLE

CONTENTS

44 Robust Networks Accelerator for Digital Transformation

CXO

24

AI in Shipping ArtiďŹ cial Intelligence To Revolutionize Shipping

32

Digital Dynamics The Human Era in a Digital World

40 Leaders Viewpoint Tech Trends in the Financial Sector

48 Marketing Outlook RedeďŹ ning Female Leadership

20

Ellen Voie

Leading Women towards the Future of Trucking Business

28

Marc Rippen Committed to Transforming Lives

36

Rob Leslie

An Established Leader in the Technology Arena

Featuring

Company Name

Brief

Belinda-Jane Dolan CEO

Clariti Group claritigroup.com

Clariti Group has been changing the game of business and quite simply building some of the worlds happiest, most engaged, motivated and productive organisations across the world.

Brendan Keegan CEO

Merchants Fleet merchantsfleet.com

Merchants Fleet is one of the fastest growing fleet management companies, providing flexible funding and service options for organizations that leverage vehicles to run their operations.

Ellen Voie CEO

Women in Trucking Association womenintrucking.org

The Women In Trucking Association is a non-profit organization with the mission to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the industry.

Fred D’Alessandro Founder and Ceo

Diversified diversifiedus.com

Diversified is an industry leading technology solutions provider delivering innovative digital media, collaborative, broadcasting, electronic security, and OTT solutions to a global clientele across a wide array of markets.

Jason Lee Founder and CEO

SmartCone Technologies Inc. thesmartcone.com

TheSmartCone™ solutions have been used for securing dangerous worksites, controlling bicycle lane traffic, managing vehicle fleets, monitoring traffic incident scenes, mobile and fixed advertising, crowd control, and site security surveillance.

Marc E. Rippen Founder and CEO

Alertgy alertgy.com

Mike Robinson CEO

Sungard Availability Services sungardas.com

Sungard AS partners with customers across the globe to understand their business objectives, identify gaps in their current infrastructure technology environment and tailor a plan to deliver the highly available, cloud connected infrastructure services

Rob Leslie Founder and CEO

Sedicii Innovations Limited sedicii.com

Sedicii applies a patented technology to build an identity exchange where parties that have lots of trusted identity attributes in their databases can help others to confirm individual identity details without exposing, sharing or transmitting any of the information that they hold.

Ross Wainwright CEO

Alida alida.com

Alida’s unique approach of coupling broad feedback with deep insights creates meaningful and lasting customer relationships and builds brands that stand the test of time.

Yehuda Lindell Co-founder and CEO

UnboundTech unboundtech.com

UnboundTech applies revolutionary breakthroughs in mathematics to allow secrets to be used without ever being exposed, thus ensuring digital assets are safe – anytime, anywhere.

Alertgy addresses the highly desired ability to measure blood sugar levels with an external wearable sensor device.

Abhishaj Sajeev Editor-in-Chief

CONTENT

Senior Editor Alan Swann Executive Editors Rohit Chaturvedi Alex Spellman

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October, 2020

Fred

d’Alessandro

Redefining the Benchmarks of Leadership

‘‘

Innovation requires a willingness to leave your comfort zone in order to pursue something new and never before accomplished.

COVER STORY

Fred D'Alessandro Founder & CEO DiversiďŹ ed

I

nnovation is a tide that presents change—not as something that may drown but as something which teaches one to swim with or against the tide, and if handled correctly, brings about new markets, products, demands and consequently new revenue stream opportunities.

If diversification is the equivalent of trying to stay afloat in rough, choppy waters, then innovation is about learning to swim by looking for the right opportunity, developing the strength to withstand and use the powers of the current to one's advantage.

Fred D'Alessandro, the Founder and CEO of Diversified knows both and has learned how to deftly manoeuvre the unpredictable waters of the business world.

Formative years in business In the early 90s, Fred D'Alessandro abandoned his comfort zone in pursuit of a new challenge, leaving his job as a broadcast engineer to venture out as an independent business owner and primary salesperson.

Operating initially with a broadcast manufacturing business model, the modest team began shifting their focus more towards integration, an area of great interest for Fred and where he discovered his true passion for service.

However, this desire to shift direction was not widely supported among the rest of the team who soon walked away from the endeavor, leaving Fred as the sole owner of a technology start-up in an industry surrounded by long-standing competition, where he had very little business experience and even fewer resources.

However, failure was not an option for him. Quite the contrary actually—as the odds stacked up against him, so did Fred's personal drive to beat them. With a new team that wore every hat imaginable, they slowly started chipping away at the competition to develop a name for themselves amongst broadcast systems integrators. But that wasn't enough.

Diversification in the new millennium Witnessing the vast array of technology requirements his customers had, Fred knew he had to diversify their

Diversified's Specialties

offerings. “I knew that in order to be the best, we had to provide more than just one piece of the puzzle,” he said.

This set him venturing into audio-visual (AV) integration opportunities around the beginning of the new millennium.

With an enhanced portfolio of expansive solutions and services and a growing global footprint to support a dynamic clientele around the world, Fred and his team set the stage for Diversified to deliver unparalleled offerings to the market.

Over the next twenty years, Diversified continued to grow and expand their capabilities and expertise, which now encompasses media and entertainment as well as AV, electronic security, IT, digital signage, medical integration, mission critical, emerging technology, managed services and more.

Innovation, the new paradigm The future is digital in practically all matters relating to information, communication and entertainment. Diversified's mission is to enable that digital future—connecting people, technology, and

experiences, where and when it matters most. Given the diversity of markets served and the different business drivers for each, Diversified partners with clients and specializes in the technology solutions needed to help drive their operations.

From connecting global enterprise teams to elevating brands with shoppers and enabling breaking news broadcasts and supporting crises management, the company today offers an unmatched and endless range of services that address needs using an array of innovative solutions and services.

To support new offerings and everything else under Diversified's umbrella, the company's managed services has undergone a strategic overhaul. Its new global ecosystem of innovative technology-managed services now offers clients flexible and dependable options that meet diverse and evolving needs enabling organizations to drive positive outcomes and empower businesses of tomorrow.

With growing service options that can be stacked and tailored to fit each client's needs, their ReFresh® technology as a service option and Pulse remote management and diagnostics are among the new solutions that are providing previously untapped value as the marketplace continues to face new challenges.

COVID-19, a lesson In the wake of the global pandemic, Diversified has expanded its already diverse portfolio of solutions and services to include new offerings designed to meet changing needs. Understanding the rippling costs of unreliable technology—both financially and otherwise—Diversified is providing new technologyembedded services to meet the changing healthrelated needs of clients when they step out of their confines to face the world as the pandemic abates.

Meant to address concerns in the present as well as the future, these new services include temperature

Diversified’s VitalSign

screening and occupancy sensing to mass notifications, data management and remote monitoring.

Of special interest is the new VitalSign temperature check kiosk solution that quickly and accurately screens anyone entering a facility before granting access. “With the ability to effectively and efficiently perform wellness screenings for those entering a facility, we're giving peace of mind to our clients while reducing their reliance on costly temporary staffing and providing additional value with the option to integrate with badging and security platforms as well as digital signage networks,” says Fred.

Beyond the entrance, new touchless solutions with technologies developed by Crestron and Barco help deliver enhanced collaboration spaces that reduce the risk of spreading germs, without affecting connectivity and user experience. Overall, Diversified is simplifying the complexities of meeting new demands by delivering actionable value of each technology integrated as one solution for a truly connected organization.

This surge of strategic creativity, according to Fred, remains truly inspiring as the team has come together in new ways to meet the unprecedented needs of clients around the world. True to their tagline, Imagination Engineered, Diversified harnesses human imagination to drive digital innovations and define a new digital future that leverages technology to keep everyone connected amid social distancing!

This ongoing evolution of Diversified's offerings, though certainly spurred by unimagined events, aligns perfectly with what Fred says he always envisioned for

the company's future—a consistent focus on continued vertical and horizontal growth, while adding complementary services that provide value through unique, hybrid technology solutions and the perseverance to meet virtually any customer requirements. Continued sustainability, according to him, is not only about the types of solutions being offered but also of the level of service being executed.

As the clients' trusted technology solutions partner, the Diversified team pointedly listens to and understands the needs of their clients, gaining complete clarity of their business drivers to deliver the right solution for their particular use case. Regardless of whether the client needs technology in a single location or in

facilities around the world, Diversified can deliver the necessary solutions across its business lines locally and globally, alike.

An enviable team, Fred's Pride!

Diversified continues to operate within the top tier of each industry, providing an unparalleled dedication to the customer experience with an unmatched ability to deliver scope and scale around the world, understanding clients and how their solutions help them find success in their own markets.

As Diversified's CEO, Fred acknowledges that he frequently is the face of the company, though according

to him, he represents so many. He knows that, as a leader, it is important to be willing to step outside one's comfort zone and explore new possibilities, to have a clear vision of the path ahead and the resilience to withstand challenges that may try to derail you. But first and foremost, it is about determination and trust.

“Employees take their cue from you—how hard you work, how dedicated you are, everything,” says Fred. “I am proud to be the biggest advocate for our global team that there is, and I put my faith in them every day.

Whether we're in the trenches or on top of the mountain, I am proud to say that we are there as a team, and this team has helped make Diversified everything that it is today.”

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ELLEN VOIE Leading Women towards the Future of Trucking Business

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expectations, and by doing so, we show others that we are dedicated to ensuring ourselves and our companies' success. I kept asking questions and pursuing more education to enhance my reputation as a supply chain professional.

he future of business is uncertain, and it is evident, as we have observed it changing day-byday in these pandemic times. The only way to keep up with the ever-changing dynamics of business is to keep innovating. Some say innovation is a muse to persistence and leveraging it in business is the ultimate way to enhance one's operations. It helps fill the gaps in the market, but it also provides an edge over the competition.

According to you, what are the vital traits that every CEO should possess?

Every CEO should possess tenacity. My dictionary defines tenacity as 'the quality or fact of being very determined; persistence.' We need to keep going, even when we are facing difficult challenges or personal obstacles. We can't give up easily. A CEO has to set the tone for the entire organization by showing her team that she is determined and dedicated to the people's success.

One person who is persistent in her daily life in achieving great things is Ellen Voie – CEO of Women In Trucking Association, Inc. This article will take you through her journey as a pioneer in the trucking business for women in an exclusive interview with CIO Look: Kindly take us through your journey to becoming a proficient business leader.

As a young girl, I was always encouraged to try new things and to keep learning. I took industrial arts class instead of home economics because I wanted to learn woodworking, welding, drafting, and auto mechanics.

This led me to a job at a steel fabricating plant where I was hired to draw material handling equipment. I was offered a promotion and moved to the shipping (traffic) department. I completed a course in Traffic & Transportation Management and was later promoted to Traffic Manager. I asked a lot of questions, but I also had a quest to learn new things. This started my career in the supply chain.

How do you sustain in the current unpredictable markets and heated competition?

We have to be nimble. We need to prepare ourselves to react to market changes quickly. For example, we had planned to have our conference in Dallas in September, but due to COVID 19, we switched to a virtual event instead. We had to reconsider each presentation, each speaker, and each workshop to ensure they were engaging in a virtual format.

How do you cope up with capricious technological trends to boost your personal growth?

I've always been an early adopter of technology, especially when it can make my life more comfortable or keep me connected to others. As I mentioned earlier, I like to keep learning, so keeping up with technological trends is a way to learn and challenge myself to stay current with what is available.

How do you diversify your organization's services to entice the target audience?

Our organization is a nonprofit association with over 5,000 members. We ask our members for feedback all the time. We need to understand better what challenges they are facing as women in a maledominated environment. The more insights we receive, the better prepared we are to address any obstacles that might keep women from either entering the trucking industry or succeeding in her career in transportation.

How do you maintain a balance between your professional & personal life?

We all need to learn to take time for ourselves to be healthy and balanced when others need us. For me, that means scheduling time in my day for a break to take a long walk. I listen to books on tape or talk radio on my walks to keep my mind off my work. My children are grown, so I don't have youngsters to attend anymore, but I spend time with them and their families.

What roadblocks or challenges were faced by you in a corporate business? How did you overcome them?

The biggest roadblock I experienced is similar to any woman working in a male-dominated environment, proving your capabilities. I had to show that I could work as hard, as smart, and as quickly as my male peers.

In fact, women often feel they need to exceed

One other thing I do to challenge myself is to maintain my private pilot's license and fly my Cessna Skyhawk as often as possible. Flying a single-engine airplane is not only a thrill; it's a way to keep learning and to push your limits in the air.

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“I challenge myself both physically and mentally to see how far I can push my limits.�

How do you sustain your creative leadership spirit in this crucial time?

I've never really considered myself a creative person.

Still, from the perspective of leadership, I would say I read as much as possible to be a better CEO. These days, I have to know how to motivate, challenge, and reward my team without being near them. We use virtual meeting platforms, of course, but we still take time to relieve the stress by interacting consistently.

We're all learning how to lead remotely, so I remember the best practices from others and adopt those that work for us.

plan in the event something happens to me. At the beginning of this year, I hired a vice president to start taking over some of my activities and ease into my role over a few years.

What are your future endeavors/objectives, and where do you see yourself in the near future?

I founded the Women in Trucking Association thirteen years ago, and a recent challenge has been to ďŹ nd my successor. The board of directors asked for a succession

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AI in Shipping

25

| October 2020 |

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| October 2020 |

Marc Rippen Committed to Transforming Lives

I

t depends on every individual on how they come

each month. By allowing them to monitor their

up with a solution to the crisis that comes in their

glucose levels easily and painlessly, Alertgy hopes to

way. Some people figure out the way to come out

improve their quality of life.

of that crisis, while some believe in walking an extra mile and building a solution not only for themselves,

Throughout the design process there have been

but also for the community. The story of Marc

many struggles and hurdles the company has had to

Rippen and his venture, Alertgy, is inspired by the

overcome. By relying on everyone within the

same approach.

company and their various levels of expertise and

Alertgy was founded by Marc in 2016 after his wife

fields of study, it was able to approach each problem

Sue had a low blood sugar attack and was found

differently and find a solution that was successful.

nearly unresponsive. After this scary situation, he knew he had to do something and find a solution to

While there is always going to be change and

this problem that many people today face; accurately

adaptation throughout the process, the company

monitoring blood sugar and alerting loved ones if

relies on always staying ahead of the game and its

they have a low or high blood sugar attack. As a

competitors, incorporating new technologies that

result, Alertgy was formed and since then, it has

outmatch what anyone else can offer.

been focused on providing a means for non-invasive continuous real-time blood sugar measurements to

By constantly researching and learning about

the millions of diabetics and pre-diabetics

products and technologies throughout its industry, it

throughout the world.

has a leg up on the competition and never becomes stagnant in its design process. As the medical device and diagnostic industries change, its philosophy is to

Bringing the Change

be one of the leaders to bring that change, rather Alertgy is on a mission to improve diabetes

than following the rest of the pack.

management for hundreds of millions of people around the world. While Type 1 diabetes is life

When encountering speed bumps throughout its

threatening, the real danger lies with Type 2

process, there have been countless times when a

diabetics and pre-diabetics, who often fail to heed

problem is fixed by something that may seem simple

the signs. These groups represent 95% of the

or mundane. At times like this, Alertgy takes the

diabetic population worldwide, growing by millions

approach to look at the problem and approach it with

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| October 2020 |

the simplest solution. Marc believes that oftentimes we over think a problem and try to fix it in a much more complicated way than it actually needs. Sometimes what is needed the most is to take a step back and think about the problem in its simplest form.

Deep-GlucoTM- A Revolutionary Solution Healthcare providers and diabetics choose Alertgy due to its product that removes all the hassle of diabetes monitoring, replacing pricks, and blood with a sleek watch design that gives them all the information effortlessly on their wrist. The Alertgy NICGM (Non-Invasive Continuous Glucose Monitor) “DeepGluco”TM is its device that measures blood sugar without the need of drawing blood like the traditional glucose measuring

Marc Rippen President & Founder

Through its revolutionary technology, Alertgy has developed a platform and sensor that is unlike anything currently available in the consumer market. Most of the devices today rely on physical blood collected through direct blood measurements requiring needles and other painful processes. Deep-GlucoTM gets rid of these arduous methods and gives people the ability to accurately measure their blood glucose in real-time.

The customers and healthcare providers that wear and use Deep-GlucoTM will

“

We are committed to transforming how we monitor blood sugar to improve the lives of diabetics, and in the future, help people prevent diabetes.

benefit in many ways over the traditional glucose monitoring devices. For the customers, the company takes the pain

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“

devices.

| October 2020 |

and hassle out of diabetes monitoring, giving them a

technology to many other forms of diagnostics.

painless and sophisticated way to track their blood

Ironically, the detection of Covid virus is a potential

sugar numbers.

application for Alertgy technology. Alertgy can become not only a leader in diabetes care, but also in

For the healthcare providers, it makes it easy for

diagnostics and monitoring for a plethora of diseases

them to have access to their patient’s blood sugar

and ailments.

numbers for months by storing all the information on the device. That information can then be shared with

Striving to Be a Premier

the healthcare provider, giving them easy access to their patient’s history, and allowing them to make

Currently, Alertgy is focused on first bringing its

more informed decisions affecting the management

device to over 90% of the diabetic population, the

of their patents diabetes about the level of care

non-insulin dependent hyper-glycaemic type 2

necessary for their patient.

diabetics, in order to provide over 400 million people around the world with a way to easily and effectively

Addressing the Dire Need

alert them if their glucose levels are too high or low.

And get them to measure their blood glucose

The medical device and diagnostic industry are

continuously without the need to use existing FDA

constantly growing and changing with new

approved systems.

technologies being introduced to the market all the time. According to Marc, we are entering a new era

Users would only need to use those systems to

in medicine that will be significantly impacted in the

confirm Deep-glucoTM data and determine their best

incredible growth and breakthroughs in wearables,

course of action to reduce their blood glucose levels.

cloud based IoT sensor systems, application of AI 10,

This product alert and surveillance application is

and digital health. The major catalyst for change has

subject to FDA approval

been the COVID crisis.

Marc states, “In the future there is no limit to what our The diabetes monitoring industry is behind the curve

technology can provide in the way of monitoring and

and is ripe to implement Alertgy’s technology to

diagnostics. Published research indicates that our

address a major unmet need in the mature market, a

technology has the potential to track other metabolites

noninvasive, cost effective digitally enabled

and cellular markers within the body for other diseases

continuous blood glucose monitor and alert system.

that could pave the way for Alertgy to be a premier

The millions of diabetics throughout the world need

leader in diagnostic technology.”

an easier and simpler way to manage and monitor their blood sugar, without the pain and hassle that

“There will be more hurdles to face in the future, but we

today’s products bring.

believe with the team we have, we can face adversity and ultimately will be successful in our mission,” he

In the future, Marc believes Alertgy can reach new

adds.

industries and customers by applying its patented

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| October 2020 |

Digital Dynamics

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Rob Leslie An Established Leader in the Technology Arena

F

rom the first television set to augmented reality, from a chamber orchestra to music production software, from prosthetic limbs to 3D printing human bones, blood vessels, and organs, technology has amped the course of our development to profound limits.

Excellence in Essence Everyone has an identity but not everyone is able to use it. Sedicii is aiming to change that by developing a Digital Identity service that makes it easy for everyone to participate in a manner than ensures their right to privacy is protected. Currently, the company is focused on organic growth through strategic partnerships and direct sales relationships.

Where do these ideas originate from? How are these ideas turned into reality? And how does this reality become a part of our lives, and make the world a better place?

Once Sedicii has the core, federated identity network in place, more and more industry sectors will see the benefits of having privacy preserving technologies incorporated into their KYC, KYB and AML workflows.

It can be safely said that significant leaders in the technology discipline, such as Rob Leslie, the founder and CEO of Sedicii, are the key to these questions.

“There is so much regulation and legislation that has to be complied with, not to mention sanctions and penalties for failing to comply, which means that if you can provide an efficient and cost effective service then business will use it.” commented Leslie.

Rob is an electronic engineer by profession having graduated from Dublin City University in Ireland in the 1980's. He spent the first 20 years in the business world working in Japan for a number of Japanese and foreign companies.

The Sedicii team is headquartered in Waterford, Ireland and is 17 employees at present. Whilst the business development and finance functions are in Ireland, the technology development team is based in Belgium and the Canary Islands.

One of these was Dell Japan where he was part of the original management team that established and grew the business to almost 300 employees and $300m turnover in its first four years. Subsequently, he was a partner in PTS Japan which was sold having achieved a $33m valuation at exit within five years.

“We are an incredibly strong team which is sustained by total conviction in the need for our services. We communicate and support one another constantly,” Rob adds.

Following his return to Ireland, Rob co-founded Kyckr (ASX: KYK) in 2007 which is now listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and in 2013 he founded Sedicii while still with Kyckr, He is now fully focused on executing the growth strategy of Sedicii.

Talking about his leadership style and how he implements it within Sedicii, Rob says, “I am a strong believer in the 'open door' management style and everyone on the team is aware of this. We encourage the development team to work collaboratively on tasks and believe this is essential to the well-being of a multilocational organisation.”

Rob is also a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer and holds a keen interest in new technology wherever in the world it is.

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Rob Leslie Founder & CEO Sedicii

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the same time, keeping the information that fuels the network completely private for all the individuals involved. Most people find it difficult to understand how you can prove a fact without sharing information!”

“Funding is the second challenge which all start-ups can attest to. Finding investors is hard work. However when you add the new technology factor to the mix this is heightened. However, I am happy to say that we have seen an acceleration in partners and interest in investing in our state-of-the-art products and services.”

Sedicii has won over 20 technology and innovation awards including the BBVA Open Innovation 'Fintech for Future' award which is the oldest and largest fintech Innovation Program in the world and has highlighted Sedicii as “the start up with the greatest potential to transform the financial sector in the next 10 years!”

Other organisations such as BT, Citi, EIC Digital, EY, PWC and Red Herring Europe have also recognised Sedicii for its work in the digital identity, KYC, and AML sectors.

Imparting the Keys to Success In his advice on the vital attributes that every CEO must possess, Rob expresses, “As I've already said, I'm a serial entrepreneur and I believe there is some truth in the fact that once you've founded a business that becomes successful and gains recognition the challenges never end, they just change form. So, perseverance is key – keep working on the product or service that you believe in until you succeed. Be prepared for knocks and setbacks and learn from them.

Also, be prepared to listen to advice and do not be afraid to ask for help and never, ever, give up on your vision. Finally, believe in yourself and your team. Being a CEO can be a lonely place so be realistic in terms of what one person can achieve. Persevere, persist and be kind to yourself.”

“High standards and personal ethics are very important to me and I do my best to lead by example. Everyone on the team knows that there is no work task that I will not take on and roll up my own sleeves in order to get things done. I believe working smart is what everyone needs to focus on. Communication with all the team, at every turn in our evolution, is paramount; I share the highs and the lows, set expectations, encourage feedback and give recognition.” he adds.

For the future, Rob's short-term and most important objective is growing the business to scale making Sedicii a successful, profitable business for its shareholders, employees, and customers. “Like any business professional, I'm focused on building the company and making it the best it can be,” Rob concludes.

Persistence & Grit Speaking about the challenges that Rob and the team at Sedicii have endured, he says, “Like every start-up business, there have been many challenges in our first seven years; however, two stand out. The first challenge would be finding like-minded professionals and organisations who are willing to partner with us in our goal to create a federated, global identity verification network which enables real-time verification while, at

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Ángela Álvarez Founder & CEO Aglaia Capital

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Leaders Viewpoint

TECH TRENDS in the

FINANCIAL SECTOR - By Ángela Álvarez, Founder & CEO Aglaia Capital

I

t is said that the growth of human beings is at its highest when they face new challenging situations and go out of their comfort zones. And that is where we can express our nature better as human beings and achieve our highest potential. The ability to do so also defines us as human beings as we are a product of constant changes and selective evolution.

“

Evolve every day embracing the gift of the new discoveries.

Dare to follow your dreams.

In the recent few months, a new reality has shaken us challenging our way of dealing with our day-to-day world and accelerating many of the technological evolutions that may have happened in the following years.

We are living a new industrial revolution shaped by Emerging Technologies such as artificial intelligence, inter-connectivity, and digitalization, through a new generation of financial infrastructure driven by Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT)/ Blockchain, digital assets and digital currencies.

“

In a world in continual changes with alternative options moving fast, innovation driven by emerging technologies has been converted more than ever in the difference that will make the companies to stay longer in the corporate world.

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Banking system and capital markets are tied to the emerging technologies. Financial service is one of industries where their adoption will transform mostly of the tasks and the way that the industry is conceived. Embracing them can make a difference for a selective evolution of institutions, in an environment of boosting efficiencies, and scalability, driven by the consolidation and reinforcement of the institutions, as well as improving the consumer experience, and facilitating financial inclusion as a fuel for economic growth, allowing the unbanked population to participate in the economy.

Emerging Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Distributed Ledger Technologies/Blockchain will play a key role in making a sounder and more efficient financial industry, and help to improve some of the main challenges of the global financial industry such as effective tools to provide liquidity to the markets, to increase the speed of processes and transactions, measure better the small and medium companies credit risks, manage more efficiently the Assets and Liabilities of the Financial Institutions as well as their assets under management, or facilitate the financial inclusion of the unbanked populations areas.

The key role of emerging technologies such as DLT/Blockchain for the evolution of the world’s financial infrastructure is considered as an essential catalyst, making it more efficient, resilient and reliable, and becoming the foundation of the next generation of technologies for the financial services industry, particularly in the multi-trillion value transactional, payments, and

asset management areas. Among their main benefits, DLT enables disintermediation and considerable cost savings, facilitate access to new markets by automating low valueadded tasks, and provide a standardised and immutable method to interconnect financial institutions, and the trillions market of financial assets that they have under management.

DLT are databases set up and maintained by multiple independent participants, called nodes. The nodes record, share and synchronize transactions in their respective electronic ledgers, and synchronously maintain the latest version of the database. The participant at each node of the network can access the recordings shared across that network and can own an identical copy of it. Any changes or additions made to the ledger are reflected and copied to all participants in a matter of seconds or minutes. The database is appendonly and all the new entries are linked to the previous ones.

Blockchain is one type of a distributed ledger for which new entries are stacked in blocks to be appended. Blockchain is a type of distributed ledger used by bitcoin.

A distributed ledger solves the failure issues found in centralised systems, which is the type of ledger that most companies use, more prone to cyber-attacks as they have a single point of failure. Its decentralised nature and cryptographic algorithm make DLT very robust to any type of manipulation or cyber-attack. This makes the data contained within DLT virtually immutable, being ideal for organisations which require a single source of trust shared between various stakeholders.

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Remarkable is the impact of Emerging technologies on financial inclusion, improving the access to finance for unbanked populations without an access to a bank account.

With the increased penetration of mobile and Internet, the primary focus would be to accelerate technology enabled digital financial inclusion to capture that non-official economy. The increasing interest of the Central Banks on the development of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) shows the impact of the new emerging technologies and Blockchain on the evolution that the financial sector is experimenting.

Tied to this current challenging business environment, lies also a continuous flow of increasing opportunities for the expression of our creativity to solve the challenges that we are facing, where emerging technologies as well as entrepreneurs play a key role to boost the engine of evolution.

Technology can be linked to Human Sciences to evolve without losing humanity. In a new world where technology will do most of the tasks, more than ever, creativity, imagination and passion - human traits that technology does not replace, will also make a difference in the future.

This is a unique opportunity for the entrepreneurs of our century to explore, and be the drivers of new improvements and discoveries on how create new ways of doing things with emerging technologies in order to enhance people’s lives, and to enrich our society.

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Robust Networks

I

t’s not anymore a mystery how the evolution of technological era has taken place. Technology has revolutionized the perspective of the global population. The imprints of technological advancements can be seen in almost every sector. For example, blockchain technology is creating a digital record that verifies any transaction at a certain time and sequence, and AI is enabling new ways to interact with consumers via chatbots and artificial personal assistants.

The use of internet has brought people from the different corners of the world closer than before, and computers have simplified dataprocessing, analyzing the organization, and communication for individuals as well as businesses.

The one thing that keeps everything connected is Network.

Be it accessing the internet, downloading a file, printing documents or emailing an urgent presentation, a sound network infrastructure is required.

Networking Solutions have become a requirement of almost every individual and more importantly, businesses.

In today’s business world, companies are adopting ecommerce module to reach out to the customers globally and making their shopping experiences simpler.

In order to ensure the smooth running of such business modules, a suitable networking infrastructure is vital as it provides speed, connectivity, and ultimately value to the users as well as businesses, making it a win-win situation for both the parties. We can safely put that comprehensive networked systems are at the very heart of ecommerce.

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It has become crucial for businesses, irrespective of sizes, to have a robust network infrastructure as it is also counted as an essential component to enhance the agility and productivity of organizations.

Network Infrastructure, if developed effectively, enables businesses to maximize productivity, reduce operational costs, and manage complex consolidations. Moreover, managed network services help businesses run the applications that fuel their day-to-day business, enhance their communication and sharing tools, and improves business flexibility and agility.

Addressing Current Crisis If we consider the current pandemic situation, it has changed the way businesses operate and communicate. COVID-19 has enforced businesses to operate remotely. Employees working from multiple locations resulted in a need to inculcate integrated network monitoring solutions, as staying securely connected became a challenge. The chances of security risks and inherent physical limits like latency and bandwidth, which would hamper speed, seemed to occur for businesses.

Companies with sound network monitoring solutions were successfully able to fight against the business effects of COVID-19.

Adopting a network monitoring solution can assist companies in ensuring the smooth running of business networks and processes.It became evident that how secured network solutions can be resourceful in a crisis like situations.

In fact, the research suggests that industrial networking solutions market size is expected to grow to

| October 2020 |

USD 23.84 Billion by 2022, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 21.0% during the forecast period (2017–2022).

Security is Still a Concern Networking along with value-added features also increases the chances of cyber threats, which can make the company’s private data and emails vulnerable. Data being the core aspect of business requires high security. Businesses have immensely become dependent on computers and cloud technology to control large money transfers, store data, or communicate with the communities.

They cannot afford any kind of security breach. Thus, network security is a vital aspect of businesses nowadays.

Regardless of size, industry or nature of businesses, every organization can be a victim of cybercrime and thus, require a degree of network security solutions. Past instances of largescale businesses, who admitted a loss of their sensitive data due to an internal or external security threat, exemplify why network security is of utmost importance. They had to pay a huge amount to recover from a security breach.

Digitization has brought a drastic transformation in human lives as well as in the corporate world. Every business that aims at delivering products or services as per consumers’ demand must keep their network infrastructure secured, to earn the trust of their customers.

Network Security not only protects them from cyberattacks or threats, but it also protects the reputation of businesses.

Some common security threats active on the Internet are: Viruses, worms, and Trojan horses, Spyware

and adware, Hacker attacks, Zeroday attacks, also called zero-hour attacks, denial of service attacks, data interception, and theft, and identity theft. Network security is available in the form of firewall protection, email security, anti-virus and anti-malware software, network segmentation, access control, application security, behavioural analytics, data loss prevention, mobile device security, security information and event management, VPN, Web Security, Wireless Security, etc.

Upcoming Trends Shaping the Future of Networking • Wi-Fi 6 The upcoming development in the field of wireless connectivity is WiFi 6. It is anticipated to change the face of networking solutions in the coming years by increasing the device density that can independently coexist in a single space without impacting the speed on a single device.

• 5G It is the most awaited high-speed networking technology that would be providing blazing fast internet speed. 5G will be competitive in terms of performance, speed and latency with wired connections currently.

• Digitized Spaces An intersection of IoT, sensors, mobile networks, and digitized spaces will make companies datasmart and derive deep customer and business insights by strengthening the networking solutions ecosystem for enterprise uses.

• SD-WAN SD-WAN is a framework that will be agiler, more robust and enable organizations to route a huge amount of network traffic based on

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centralized roles and rules, promoting high-end data security.

These trends are truly shaping the future of networking technology and are optimizing network performance for modern businesses. Harnessing the latest in the field of networking solutions, many network solution providers are developing integrated solutions to deal with the challenges businesses are facing.

Future is Promising With the above mentioned upcoming trends, one can safely assert that the future of networking solution is set to be revolutionized.

It doesn’t come as a surprise how new and emerging technologies have always driven networking best practices and will continue to do so.

For example, it is believed by many tech experts that a combination of machine learning and artificial intelligence will aid network managers to create next-generation networking solutions to achieve high-end security and optimize network performance.

To wrap it up, every size of business would require robust and secured network infrastructure to boost the performance of employees, productivity, and scalability. The current pandemic crisis has highlighted the need for integrated network solutions and how it can ensure the smooth running of businesses. Many network solution providers are walking an extra mile to come up with topnotch network security solutions to address the need of the small, medium as well as large scale enterprises. The pace at which the advancement in networking technology is growing with other evolving technologies and the future of networking solutions from here looks promising.

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Marketing Outlook

Redening Female Leadership - by Lyn Ola, Founder and CEO, Chimes Consulting

Girl, girl, girl

isn't about blind positivity; I'm not here to tell you that everything will be great, and all your dreams will come true magically. No, grit is about doing whatever you can, whenever you can, however you can make it happen yourself. Despite all odds, all the failures, you push through because you know it's worth it.

F

or many reading this word, there may be a little cloud of bias hanging over it; whenever used, the term often comes with a connotation that may make the subject seem little, dainty, or even inferior.

But I'm here to reclaim the word and show you what being a girl can really mean.

For me, I set my eyes on collaboration with businesses and the education of those who share my passion for learning. I decided to integrate my love and expertise in I.T. and Marketing to this and built my company, Chimes Consulting, not only because I'm capable of sharing my knowledge in these fields but because I believe that in the importance of marketing and information to any and all organizations.

A Gritty, Independent, Radical Leader. A GIRL. GRITTY Being fresh meat in the corporate world is bound to be difficult for anyone, much more for women such as me.

Unfortunately, being young, inexperienced, and seemingly less than because of something biological is certainly not far from reality for many girls entering the world of business or trying to make an impact. But that shouldn't stop us, or anyone really.

Without the right information, organizations would not be able to understand or empathize with the needs and wants of their customers, which is crucial in order to attain their patronage and loyalty. Without Marketing, on the other hand, these groups would not be able to strategize and would not properly reach their intended audience in the first place. Information and Marketing go hand-in-hand in delivering the right value to the right consumers, which is what Chimes stands for: #ITmeetsMarketing.

When I started out, I did the usual nine-to-five; I set my roots and learned whatever I could about the industry, about the work, and about myself. I was given the opportunity to work with renowned companies such as Deutsche Bank and had several projects at Asian Development Bank, but it didn't take very long for me to realize this set-up wasn't the right fit for me. I think most entrepreneurs would tell you that same thing.

Once you fully set your eyes on the prize, once you realize you want your time spent on your own dreams and passions, all the risks and obstacles just seem to be worth facing head-on.

INDEPENDENT Being an entrepreneur has its own special kind of loneliness; because everything is in your hands, all the weight is on your shoulders and that can become overwhelming and terrifying at times. But that's the kind of thing that helps foster a strong sense of independence, an important value to have in business and in life.

I'm not telling you it will be easy as many of the best things in life aren't. But that's where grit comes in. Grit

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LEADER.

I built my business from the ground up. It was a slow, step by step process with more hardships than I can count. It was definitely no easy feat, especially when I was more or less on my own. I needed to learn, to grow, and to work on my business (and myself) to keep it thriving. Chimes certainly didn't pop up out of nowhere; it came from countless hours of learning and adapting that I needed to decide on my own.

Nearly anyone can be a boss, but many fail at becoming a leader. It's easy to tell people what to do, when to do it, or even how to do it but the challenge comes in nding ways to help your team members to grow with you and with the business. Maybe for some, the challenge is even caring about those individuals more than they do about the company or of prot. But it is my personal belief that a business cannot thrive if the people in it do not thrive with it.

Now, this isn't to say you should never ask for help, collaborate with others, or learn from people who are far more knowledgeable but what I'm saying is that you need to keep understanding yourself and continuously working on yourself to avoid relying on others. Having others around could drive you forward faster but the thing is you need to ensure that you can still make it on your own. With that, no matter who comes or who goes in your life, you know you have your own two feet to stand on.

The value of independence has truly helped me in staying updated with the ever-changing worlds of I.T. and Marketing. If I relied on getting someone to do all the work for me, I would not have been able to gain the knowledge or experience that I now share; I owe a lot to the mentors and resources that I've come across through the years but independence has made me who I am and I believe everyone would benefit from it.

This is why I love education, why I choose to be a mentor more than I do a boss, why the people I have working in Chimes have made every struggle worthwhile. I get to share with my team my passions, they get to learn from the work that they do, and together we give our clients our best and only continue to keep getting better and better. In fact, I truly believe my team and I t together like IT & Marketing; we're each powerful on our own but together we're an unstoppable force.

RADICAL Being different, embracing creativity, and breaking out of the proverbial box is important for anyone who wants to make a name for themselves in the corporate world. There are a lot of risks involved but there are also great rewards to reap as well.

In fact, trends and changes in the industry can force us to change and become radical. A few decades ago, the only distribution channels for most businesses were physical ones and, now, technology and current events are continuously pushing companies to go online and reach their customers through digital means.

In order to do this, however, a business needs to start by being present, significant, and distinct online.

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