The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch, 2021

VOL 12 I ISSUE 01 I 2021

10 The

Unity in Diversity Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

Most Successful

Fearless Leadership

to Watch, 2021

Celebrating Women Leadership For Success of All Stakeholders

Businesswomen

Maureen Gallagher

EDITOR’S NOTE Boil Up Some Grits

R

ight from doing any simple task to an arduous one, all you need is grit. You have to set your mind towards achieving any task, plan for it, and make strategies to turn impossible to possible. Today, we are living in an era full of opportunities with tech and innovation. If there has to be any time to leave your footprint on the world, it is today. Understanding this opportunity to make it big, businesswomen are making an impact all over the world with their grit and commitment through their work.

Businesswomen today have molded themselves to become the influencers for everyone with their achievements in all the fields.

The numbers speak it all, as today, we see more and more businesswomen taking up the charge in the business arena.

This is just the beginning of what we call the era of businesswomen because their leadership style is far more than just achieving numbers. Their spirit to tackle critical challenges in pressure situations stands as an outstanding feature of their leadership.

Their approach is always leading from the front and always being one step ahead for the team and the company. Much of their work is focused on helping people around them grow, which gives huge confidence to the team members. Their internal communication with the team members stands as the firm base of their success because it is the team effort that helps you achieve the goal of the company.

What stays at the heart of their leadership is thinking and planning continuously about the next step and being ready with alternatives. They have set the benchmark of their leadership style by accomplishing different feats in all sectors. Giving back to the community is something they are always involved in. With their

10 The

Businesswomen to Watch, 2021 Most Successful

dedication towards the things they do, today they are in the limelight of the business world and can be rightly said to be the overachievers of the industry today.

In order to admire and acknowledge the contributions of businesswomen, we have come up with the edition – The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch, 2021. This edition features the journey, challenges, and various experiences businesswomen had in their lifetime.

At the Cover of this edition is the story of Maureen Gallagher, who works as the Agency President at AssuredPartners. In this edition, you will get to read inspiring stories of many such businesswomen.

Lastly, while flipping the pages, you will come across CxO standpoints written by the industry experts and the resourceful articles drafted by our in-house editorial team.

Have a Gritty Read!

Sourabh More

Cover Story

08

Maureen Gallagher A Well-Rounded Leader Inspiring Industry Professionals

Articles

18

Unity in Diversity

Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

26

Fearless Leadership

Celebrating Women Leadership For Success of All Stakeholders

34

Leader’s Viewpoint Establishment of Rights in Corporate Law

22

Bridget Jones

Driving a Visionary Change to Recreate a Better World

28

Kathy Bloomgarden Helping Businesses Uncover their Stories in a Compelling Way

36

Sophie Milliken

Helping Graduates and Recruiters Make the Right Choice

C O N T E N T S

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December, 2021

Featuring Person

Company Name

Brief

Angie Kim Vice President, Operations

Loblaw Companies Limited loblaw.ca

Loblaw Companies Limited is Canada’s food and pharmacy leader.

Bridget Jones COO

Chisel chiseltechlab.com

Chisel makes software that changes ecosystems.

Erin Stafford Managing Director

DBRS dbrs.com

DBRS Morningstar is a full-service global credit ratings business with approximately 700 employees around the world.

Katia Bouazza Vice Chair

HSBC us.hsbc.com

HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations.

Kathy Bloomgarden CEO

Ruder Finn ruderfinn.com

Ruder Finn is focused on helping companies and leaders reinvent and inspire positive change

Likeleli Khotle Technical Advisor

GIZ giz.de

GIZ has over 50 years of experience in economic development, employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.

Liz Connelly Director of Coaching and Development

Maxwell Enki Limited maxwellenki.com

Maxwell Enki Limited was born out of the passion of developing people beyond their expectations and to enhance their development for ongoing professional development.

Maureen Gallagher Agency President

AssuredPartners assuredpartners.com

AssuredPartners is one of the fastest growing insurance brokers in the U.S.

Rachel Ostroff Manager, Corporate Communications

The Wonderful Company wonderful.com

The Wonderful Company is dedicated to harvesting health around the world through its iconic consumer brands.

Sophie Milliken MD at SRS Recruitment & Employability Experts

SRS Recruitment and Employability Experts smart-resourcingsolutions.com

SRS Recruitment and Employability Experts, an awardwinning, expert provider of employability assessment services in the UK.

Maureen Gallagher

Agency President, National Workers Compensation and Real Estate Practice Leader AssuredPartners

COVER STORY

A Well-Rounded Leader Inspiring Industry Professionals

“

Our FOCUS is on RELATIONSHIPS to forge ROCK-SOLID PARTNERSHIPS.

“

W

e all know that change is constant, and it is always wiser to adapt to the changing times.

Often, it is difficult to break the mold that has been implied for decades.

Women, who work in the insurance industry, have repeatedly tried to break that mold. They have been attempting to strengthen their roots and show their potential to become a successful leader. Today, more and more women are breaking the glass ceiling with their ambition and desire to lead. One such leader is Maureen Gallagher, who has played various roles and has achieved new heights.

As the Agency President at AssuredPartners, Maureen specializes in insurance placement, risk management consulting, and expert opinions. She has over 40 years of experience and has successfully delivered on every opportunity she was presented with.

Alongside being a leader, Maureen is also an avid longdistance runner, cyclist, swimmer, certified exercise/spinning instructor. She is a USA Cycling, Road Runners Club of American, and USA Triathlon coach.

She has also qualified several times for the Sprint and Olympic distance USA Triathlon National Championships. She has completed 70.3 Ironman and was named one of the "50 Fittest CEOs" by Crain's Detroit Business.

We, at CIO Look, caught up with Maureen to unveil her entrepreneurial journey and how she is leading by example.

A Steppingstone Drive Maureen has often characterized her career as an accidental career. She never mapped it out, but as the opportunities presented themselves, she made sure to seize them. She started in insurance when the industry's agents and leadership were male dominated.

Maureen was a trailblazer in most positions she earned.

While diversity is embraced by most companies today, she had a difficult journey getting companies to give women leadership opportunities.

A Viewpoint of Impactful Leadership Maureen is a firm believer in adopting a serve-first model when it comes to leadership. In her opinion, servant leadership focuses on the needs of others before considering their own. She believes in empowering and uplifting those who work with her.

Maureen is always looking for ways to enhance the development of her staff in ways that can unlock potential, creativity, and a sense of purpose that aligns with the AssuredPartners' mission. She also employs this attitude with its clients. She doesn't believe in the old sales adage of ABC, 'always be closing'; instead, she believes in ABH, 'always be helping.’

A Healthy Workplace Maureen knows a positive work environment is supported by a vital purpose and core values followed by good communication, opportunities for growth/promotion, respecting and trusting your employees, and finally - kindness.

Back in 2005, Maureen read an article of an interview with Piera Ferrucci, an Italian psychotherapist, and the author of The Power of Kindness. Ever since, the concept of kindness and its profound impact on human happiness and - perhaps more surprisingly - effective leadership has intrigued her. For her, Ferrucci was first to frame the notion that kindness is not a luxury but a necessity to personal happiness and inspired leadership, especially in an era when many people no longer feel connected.

People are inspired by kindness. They respond positively to being treated well. A happy culture correlates more highly with success than an every-manfor-himself culture. People are at the heart of every company's success, and people tend to like kindness.

Facing Challenges Through Industry Expertise Navigating the demanding marketplace and managing client expectations remain Maureen's largest challenges. She overcomes these challenges with her simple client philosophy.

“

A happy CULTURE correlates more highly with SUCCESS than an every-manfor-himself CULTURE.

Maureen and her team are here to serve. Client service is at the heart of what they are all about. They protect billions in assets and take that responsibility seriously.

The dedication of the team's commitment to being of service is central to the company's growth and success.

Aligned Work-Culture with Innovative Technologies It isn't a surprise that technology has pushed the insurance industry to become more flexible with changing times. Maureen developed services and implemented resources for her clients, which resulted in success for the risk management team.

Most of the AssuredPartners strategies come from a client's need and finding a solution for the same. The learning experience from such instances is incorporated into its services. Today, AssuredPartners has robust services and the ability to provide solutions to a wide variety of issues.

Maureen says that technology and analytics have become vital tools to assist clients. She started AssuredPartners' internal science hub-IMPACT ANALYTICS®, which combines traditional insurance

“

know-how with deep technological expertise to deliver competitive advantages to support and execute strategic objectives. IMPACT ANALYTICS® assists its clients analyze the effects of certain decisions or events, evaluate a given scenario's performance, and improve or make changes based on what the data reveals.

Maureen made all the hires for IMPACT ANALYTICS®, trained the staff, and manage the people and deliverables. IMPACT ANALYTICS® has been a gamechanger for her clients navigating this challenging marketplace.

Rising to the Challenge of Pandemic When asked about the impact of the current pandemic, Maureen said the biggest change personally is she let her hair go grey. As far as the insurance industry, Maureen stated that it has been a game-changer – a watershed moment. The pandemic heightened cyber risks and has been a catalyst for a significant increase in digitization. The uncertain future has forced AssuredPartners to rethink how it interacts with consumers, businesses, and employees.

Risk managers, concerned with all kinds of risk before COVID-19 now realize they must also manage the impact of pandemic risk. Getting it wrong is not an option. Though some insurance products for pandemics exist, they are not affordable for most businesses struggling with multi-year double-digit increases on other lines of coverage they traditionally purchase. The entire fall-out from the pandemic is yet unknown, but everyone must learn from the past and rethink this risk and solutions moving forward.

Uplifting the Community AssuredPartners' AP Cares support actives that enhance and serve communities in which it lives and

works. The organization gives back, supporting the community, and allowing its employees to share in this effort. To do this, it offers the employees volunteer time off days.

Maureen gives back to the community by participating in endurance events and raising money for charities.

Most of the endurance events she participated in were tied to a charity fundraiser, making it more meaningful.

Over the last five years, she has raised over $250K for various charities.

COVER STORY

“

We're not just in the insurance business. We're in the business of CEMENTING POWERFUL, LASTING RELATIONSHIPS built on TRUST earned from working OPENLY and HONESTLY with our CLIENTS as a PARTNER.

Looking Above and Beyond Over the years, Maureen has played various roles of an insurance underwriter, broker, claims consultant, expert witness, keynote speaker, historian, and teacher.

She has worn multiple hats and has delivered in every one, but the future still holds more.

Maureen says, "I am in the twilight of my career, but when I look out on the horizon, I don't see the finish line. I have learned that not only do I like teaching, coaching, and mentoring, but I am good at it. I want to use these gifts to give back to the industry and the company that gave so much to me. I believe in abundance. I believe in creating a bigger pie, not fighting for a bigger slice of the pie. I believe there are no secrets in insurance – it's about who executes most effectively.”

Maureen is always happy to share her thoughts, knowledge, and ideas. She has been rewarded with her colleague's trust, gratitude, respect, and ever more abundance. Through her mentorship over the years, she has been able to influence many careers and help individuals perform at the highest levels of the insurance industry. She sees the balance of her career being dedicated to inspiring young insurance professionals to excel in the insurance industry with integrity, skill, and honor.

Bequeathing Aspiring Entrepreneurs On her advice to budding entrepreneurs, Maureen says, "While the insurance industry often gets a bad rap, the work we do is essential to society. It safeguards the interests of people and businesses from uncertainty by providing certainty of payment at a given contingency. Our economy and everyday lives are facilitated because we have insurance.”

She further adds, "As insurance professionals, we share a purpose by all of us who wish to leave the world better than we found it by helping our clients to save lives, prevent injuries and illnesses, and avoid financial hardship. Anyone will be a successful insurance professional if they blend competence with kindness, integrity and hard work.”

In addition, it is important to be optimistic and have a will to succeed regardless of whatever is thrown your way. Being as optimistic as possible will not only help you see it out to the end but also give strength to those around you.

“

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Unity in Diversity

Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

A

variety of opinions and ideas lead to better innovations and more increased creativity.

Celebrating differences of opinions and coming to the right conclusion that is in the best interest of the organization and all its stakeholders with an inclusive approach increases the cultural value of the organization in the industry. Leaders of the organizations should promote the culture of celebrating achievements of each other and should inspire, encourage, empower all the people in the organization for doing their best.

Diversity should always be celebrated as it is very significant in promoting a variety of new thoughts and inventions. There should not be any discrimination against anyone in the workplace, and everyone should be respected and cherished for a higher purpose of achieving organizational goals.

The inclusive and broad-minded approach in the leaders leads to diverse and inclusive workplaces.

Leaders should see the bigger picture. They should make sure that the teams are united with keeping the organizational goals in the center. Moreover, diversity leads to better decision-making, as different people bring different perspectives to the tables.

Organizations that have a culture of celebrating diversity and promoting overall inclusiveness are able to flourish in their businesses with more creativity and more innovative ideas coming from everyone. The culture of celebrating diversity is paramount to the success of all organizations. There is no better sight than seeing everyone united together for the purpose of achieving the goals of organizations. Therefore, building a diverse and inclusive workplace is vital for the success of all organizations. When everyone feels included and they are cherished in the organization, people feel like contributing better for the cause of the organization. Inclusiveness and diversity are important for avoiding any form of unnecessary discrimination against anyone.

The culture of diversity and inclusiveness leads to a stronger workforce, increasing organizational outputs.

Leaders should take into account the thoughts, feedback, and opinions into consideration and make the best decisions that will drive successful organizational results. Building a diverse and inclusive work culture using various ways is a win-win situation for all the stakeholders related to the organization. This culture in workplaces can lead to heightened organizational success and broader growth. Using inclusive ‘we and our’ language in the organization instead of ‘I and mine’ language can also lead to more inclusive workplaces.

Having ‘Unity in Variety’ is the best approach workplaces should have to ensure cooperative working even if there is a lot of variety. There can be variations in the organization on the basis of gender, caste, creed, religion, or race, but all these apparent differences are of less importance. Ensuring unity in the organization in spite of all variety is the right approach for the good cause of the organization. Promoting the culture in the organization to celebrate,

Lastly, recognizing and rewarding on the basis of performance instead of externals can also lead to building more diverse and inclusive workplaces.

Building diverse and inclusive workplaces by putting aside all the differences like race, gender, religious background, age, nationality, and such apparent differences is highly beneficial for all organizations from all angles. The business leaders who are accountable to practice inclusive leadership will lead to more diverse and inclusive workplaces and, in turn, will lead to better organizational results overall.

Education is the most important resource that can be used to make a positive cultural change in the organization to promote diversity and inclusion. The leaders of the organization should educate everyone in the organization to uphold the culture of diversity and inclusiveness. Promoting values such as equality, unity, and fraternity also helps in building a diverse and inclusive workplace. www.ciolook.com

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Bridget Jones Driving a Visionary Change to Recreate a Better World

T

he person who has visionary ideas can lay a strong foundation for a necessary change that can alter the course of workings and understandings. Driven with the zeal to make people, places, and products better, Bridget Jones launched her venture, Chisel.

With exceptional abilities combined with focus, engagement, curiosity, and insights, Bridget leads Chisel as the Chief Operating Officer to develop and deliver software to small and mid-sized businesses, local governments, and individuals.

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CIO LOOK came across Bridget in its voyage to find "The 10 Most Successful Businesswomen to Watch," which led to conversation to find out how she leads Chisel to assist people seeking change.

Tell us something more about your company and its mission and vision.

Chisel Technologies is a startup invested in helping social impact companies led by POC, Women, and LGBTQ+ founders make an impact in their communities through technology. We do this through software development, product and project management, and DevOps.

Below are the highlights of the interview: Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at Chisel. What challenges you had to overcome to reach where you are today?

I am a queer black woman invested in democratizing ownership in corporations since 2016. The summer before starting law school at Nova Southeastern, a private university in Davie, FL, I could feel the tension of civil unrest amongst educators, journalists, and social justice advocates.

Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in the Think Tanks niche through your expertise in the market.

In 2021, Chisel Technologies has been privileged to work with Research and Development and Technology firms that support technology implementation and efficiencies, such as CATO Institute, SHRM, Black Lives Matter, Black Tech Week, universities, and foundations with varying missions all deeply committed to providing for the general welfare of underserved communities.

We've supported these think tanks in UX/UI research, design and development, planning, and technical feasibility studies.

At the time, police brutality amongst black people was at an all-time high, and I decided to play my part by supporting key players such as; nonprofits, banks, and media personnel foster healthier relationships as a means to bring about more peace. I helped organize a team of 60 professional black community members to perform tasks that provided for the general welfare of this marginalized group. We called ourselves The LIFE group- short for Living In Freedom Everyday. The group was successful in getting 50,000 community members to sign petitions in 8 days. We shifted over 1 million dollars into banks that committed to offering lower interest rates for homeownership in less than two weeks, and over 15 nonprofit organizations publicly supported our mission to bring about community peace. We even had the support of the University of California and the Steve Harvey Show for helping to shine a light on the illegal shooting of Charles Kinsey, a home health aide that was shot in Miami-Dade County while saving the life of an autistic patient who'd wandered into a roadway.

Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives your organization.

Chisel Technologies operates under four main tenants; Transparency, Ownership, Empathy, and Innovation. I think we do a great job at keeping our process as transparent as possible. We work with clients to ensure they fully understand the necessary steps to go from

‘‘

We innovate in spaces where we make the greatest social impact.

‘‘

I was able to make this impact through both project management, community organizing, technology, and capital. It didn't take very long as a first-year law student for me to realize that I care a great deal about social impact in the lives of marginalized people and that in order for me to duplicate that impact that I'd need to study the very tenants that made this work possible. I eventually left law school to study software development, business planning, ecosystem building, and capital raising. This is how I first began Chisel Technologies.

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graces that we do. The very nature of Chisel is innovation. It's not just the technology we create that's innovative; it's the structure of Chisel itself in how we consider every team member part of our company will also be part of our bottom lines.

Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in almost every sector. How are you leveraging technological advancements to make your solutions resourceful?

We're connected to a broader community of awardwinning technologists leading the nation in innovative solutions. As soon as we learn of new technology that offers more efficient and cost-effective processes for our clients, we don't hesitate to implement those solutions to build stronger products and services.

Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run, and what are your future goals for Chisel?

I envision becoming a more well-known thought leader in the world of financial inclusion and resilience for corporations of multiple sizes. I think in the future, Chisel will become a hub for attracting more social impact companies led by minority founders that want to build wealth, scale, and build efficiency while growing both their labor force and company runway.

Bridget Jones Chief Operating Officer Chisel

concept to contract. There are obviously parts of our work that we keep internal, but overall I think customers know exactly what to expect within a couple of meetings. Also, I think we have a culture of transparency within the organization. If someone needs to miss a meeting, there's always at least one person on the team who's able to let us know what's going on to pivot properly. We fill in gaps and take care of one another. That level of honesty and transparency in a company is rare.

What would be your advice to budding women entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the business sector?

Learn as much as you can. Make sure you have a strong personal and professional support system and never be afraid to try new ideas.

To learn more, Chisel hosts monthly Brunch & Learn events every third Sunday from 2p - 5p where we talk about capital formation, project management and wealth building. Check us out at WeWork 660 North Capitol St NW, Washington DC.

Chisel takes ownership of our work and process. We take a lot of responsibility when trying to complete projects, which allows us to be a growing brand. Even when we work to create digital media for clients, we own that process and do a pretty good job of allowing the client to be as hands-free as possible. I think empathy is one of our strongest values. I feel the nature of our small team and who we are as individuals shape the organization's empathy.

We are people first, with lives and things that come up.

We give that same grace to our clients. We treat them like colleagues, not just as clients. That familiarity, in my opinion, is what keeps clients on our side. They know that other organizations won't give them the same www.ciolook.com

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Fearless Leadership

W

omen are powerful drivers of change, and the world is witnessing the most inclusive benefits of diversity and gender neutrality in leadership and overall decision-making. The adequate representation of women leaders is beneficial for all fields. Women are capable of delivering value to institutions or businesses through their effective leadership. Celebrating the leadership of women in any field is vital for the most inclusive success of the respective fields. The contribution from women leaders is remarkable, and therefore celebrating women's leadership and encouraging them to be part of decisionmaking is a welcome step in the right direction.

Today, women leaders are proving themselves that they are capable of leading in any field. They are setting an inspirational example by their most valuable, to-the-

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Celebrating

WOMEN LEADERSHIP

for SUCCESS of All

STAKEHOLDERS point, and most effective leadership. Women as leaders and as important decision-makers at different levels are essential for ensuring gender justice, diversity and inclusion, and furthering economic development and growth of individuals and businesses.

all challenges and crossover them. The companies that celebrate the culture of gender diversity and inclusion of women in leadership positions are most likely to outperform the national average.

Women leaders are able to utilize all their assets for driving the profitability and growth of their businesses and all the stakeholders involved in their businesses.

Women leaders are great crisis managers, and they know how to respond wisely to challenges or provoking situations than reacting instantly. Women leaders prioritize taking thoughtful, clever, and deliberate decisions instead of acting haphazardly or irrationally.

They adopt a logical, rational, emotionally intelligent, and clever approach to ensure their businesses' success.

The viewpoints of women are beneficial for the success of businesses. With their intuitional and logical sense, they are able to come up with strategic advices that are helpful for the success and growth of the businesses considering the long-term point of view. Women leaders are courageous as well as considerate. Courage in them helps them take even tough decisions that are helpful in the interest of the businesses. The approach of consideration and empathy in them help them to take into account everyone and mind the interest of all stakeholders.

Women leaders in businesses inculcate the traits of innovativeness, technical abilities, sharp business acumen, cleverness, firmness, assertiveness, courage, thoughtfulness, and delivering more than needed. The value that women leaders add to the businesses and in every field needs to be celebrated and appreciated.

Women leadership in every field should be encouraged and promoted to ensure the greater success of all the involved stakeholders. Such kind of leadership is vital from a women empowerment point of view. In this way, the world can be a better place with more women in leadership roles. Let us all celebrate the women's leadership by appreciating their valuable contribution!!

Women leaders are powerful at doing justice to their roles, routines, relationships, and responsibilities. They are experts at playing both families as well as professional roles most judiciously. They are proficient and are not complacent. They don’t make room for regrets. They never become a victim of false propaganda. They are very sharp and clever in their approach and know-how to get the job done. No matter how big the task is, they divide it into small jobs and complete those tasks in due course of time. They don’t give in to negative thoughts. They stay away from distractions and focus on being resolute in their purpose. Women leaders hold the capacity to outsmart

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Kathy Bloomgarden CEO

Ruder Finn

www.ciolook.com

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Kathy Bloomgarden

Helping Businesses Uncover their Stories in a Compelling Way

W

That was really a life-changing realization that it wasn’t solving linear equations that excited me most; it was being able to view an intangible problem from multiple vantage points and acknowledge that there isn’t just one definitive pathway to a resolution. I’m very grateful to be surrounded by colleagues that hold the same entrepreneurial attitude, and I think that it’s our collective pioneering mentality, and determination to address obstacles with a multi-perspective approach that elevated Ruder Finn to be one of the world’s largest independent global public relations agencies, and which helped build our portfolio of clients to include distinguished Fortune 500 companies such as Sanofi, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, GE, Cisco, Nokia and more.

omen are making great strides in leadership roles and taking their businesses to new heights. They are bringing much-needed innovation to the workplace through their creativity, problem-solving abilities, and inclusive approach. One such woman is Kathy Bloomgarden, the CEO of Ruder Finn, one of the world's largest independent global communications and creative agencies.

Kathy holds decades of experience steering the communication needs of Fortune 500 companies, startups, and nonprofit organizations. Using communication as a tool, she is building bridges, solving important global problems, and driving innovation.

We at CIO Look got into conversation with Kathy to learn more about her journey and how she is staying ahead of the curve.

I think that most leaders would agree that some of the biggest challenges we face are following your intuition, even when the odds are stacked against you, and the fear of failure shadows your every move. I received my masters in Chinese Studies and my doctorate degree in Political Science, topics that seem esoteric to most of my friends and family, who supported me sincerely but cautiously, nevertheless. In choosing to pursue what I loved, I inadvertently ended up preparing to push myself and Ruder Finn to new frontiers. My admiration for Chinese culture, paired with my interest in the business landscape, led me to propose an opportunity that seemed fairly unconventional at the time: to expand our global footprint into China.

Below are the highlights of the interview: Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at Ruder Finn. What challenges you had to overcome to reach where you are today?

I began working at Ruder Finn in the Research department (a small, back-office part of the agency at the time). My love for data and statistics is what landed me at the company, but I like to believe that it was just the beginning of discovering a greater passion – problem-solving. I became passionate about the idea of helping clients tackle their most pressing reputational and leadership challenges, of brainstorming creative solutions that generate impact beyond just numbers.

Tell us something more about your company and its mission and vision.

At Ruder Finn, we carry the mantra of looking toward “What’s Next” both for our clients and for ourselves,

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which means always remaining one step ahead of industry trends and leading with a data-driven, digitalfirst, early-adopter mindset. We aim to move at a pace that matches and gets ahead of our constantly changing environment, which most recently, has involved advancing transformative science and technology breakthroughs – from powerful AI and cloud platforms to sustainable energy options to life-saving vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19, to discoveries that aim to cure cancer. Our offices and practices, while specialized, cross-pollinate to bring diverse, global perspectives across several areas of expertise most essential to clients’ reputations today, including stakeholder capitalism, executive thought leadership, multichannel marketing, brand storytelling, and internal communication.

Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in the Public Relations & Communications niche through your expertise in the market.

Most exciting I think has been the rapid transformation of technology in enabling us to reach consumers more strategically than ever before. As an agency, we pride ourselves in being data-driven, which means adopting and investing in tools that help our clients to resonate more deeply with their audiences. Speaking again to our vaccine work as an example, we’ve been able to harness the power of technology to tap into the concerns and hesitancies of consumers, minimize their uncertainties, and in turn, inspire positive behavioral change. It is really remarkable, the impact that communications can have in partnership with the organizations driving public health and safety, especially when you consider that almost 70% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, which is up about 15% since this past June.

What, according to you, could be the next big change in Public Relations & Communications industry? How is your company preparing to be a part of that change?

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which seeks to help companies and brands counter misinformation propagated by a heavily fractured and sometimes intentionally sophisticated array of fallacious sources. Machine learning and AI are employed to uncover and isolate harmful information before it gains traction. Once identified, a series of 'Truth Vectors' can neutralize false information and diffuse viral conversations with fact-based narratives and brand-supportive content. Truth vector was put to the test when a client was a target of a growing faction conspiracy. It allowed us to quickly assess the situation and its emerging narrative within hours, develop appropriate messaging, and ultimately mitigate the threat before it caused damage to their business. We can integrate these services as part of the blueprint of our PR plans for even more clients, especially as the demand for predictive analytics and monitoring accelerates.

The next big change in public relations – and it’s already taking place – is the return of trust in business leaders who have swiftly stepped up through unprecedented times to speak out on important issues, take charge of the safety of their workers, and to innovate, collaborate, and problem-solve to help create a better tomorrow. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, for example, asked other leaders to join him in delaying any layoffs at the heart of the pandemic, saying “This is the moment where the business has to be the greatest platform for change.”

I believe the best leaders have what we at Ruder Finn call “TDK,” a new style of connected leadership, a combination of Transparency, Dialogue, and Knowledge-Sharing. This stems from the Ruder Finn FutureThink Index, a study launched to measure American optimism toward the future of technology, healthcare, and careers, and to show how business leaders who are well versed in TDK play a deciding role in shaping “FutureThink” attitudes.

What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the Public Relations & Communications sector?

Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run and what are your future goals for Ruder Finn?

One of my cherished life lessons comes from a favorite quote of my father’s, by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Embrace uncertainty with curiosity and an open mind. And similarly, act on that curiosity by showing up every day and remaining fully present. Nothing great is ever accomplished without raising your hand and rolling up your sleeves, and the communications sector is no different than any other in the sense that there is a constant need to renew, rebuild and reinvent.

The pandemic also showed us that the world is connected, not just virtually, which we now almost take for granted, but very much physically – look at how fast COVID-19 spread around the world! Borders are less relevant, and it’s not just a virus that can spread quickly, as we have learned that inaccuracies can be diluted into false certainty even faster, and that is why we must be vigilant against misinformation. Another recent launch of Ruder Finn is a digital offering called Truth Vector,

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Believe in yourself, take the risk, and you might find yourself turning around to find a new trail unraveled that did not exist before.

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C

orporate law involves the establishment of laws that rule the way corporations are incorporated and how those operate. Crucial to any operation, the establishment of rights is based on corporate rights generally present in the country’s constitutions, specifically, in corporate law or laws ruling companies & legal entities doing business. Corporations deal with their own legal existence with their own responsibilities and rights; among those rights, there are two main perspectives, the rights of the corporation itself and the rights of those who conform to such legal entity. Corporations are usually ruled by the board of directors, who work for the interest of the shareholders, the investors.

Throughout the years, corporate law has come to be remarkably developed; in as much as today, corporations have nearly every right, including freedom of speech, property, independence, equal protection, due process before public institutions, amongst others. This has come to happen differently in accordance with the distinct legal systems across the world.

For the legal systems under common law, these rights have been established and acquired case by case in a quicker manner when the need for these has emerged.

To mention one of the most important cases for the establishment of corporate rights within a system of common law, we can recall the Supreme Court Case Bank of the United States v. Deveaux. In this case, the tax was intended to be

Cecilia Falconi Pérez Managing Partner Falconi Puig Abogados

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Leader’s Viewpoint

Establishment of Rights in Corporate Law imposed over the Bank under the grounds that under article 3 of the US constitution, corporations were intended to be citizens as well. The bank, cataloged as a private corporation, decided to go against the state of Georgia in Court. Chief Justice John Mashall established that corporations shall not be understood as citizens and that, on the contrary, they should be understood as separate entities with separate rights, hence, giving one of the first and strongest notions of independent corporate law and corporate rights.

In contrast, in civil law legal systems, corporate rights have come to be established differently and so, slowly.

For corporate rights to be established in a civil law system, the corporate’s needs had to be accumulated until the amounts were such that the legislative branches of different countries had enough demand to have to create legal bodies that establish corporate rights for these to be finally enforceable. That´s how the first company laws and commerce codes came to exist. In these systems, a mechanism for legal development often comes from the influence of other countries with the same system and their developed legal bodies.

Other rights, those of whom conform to the corporation, include personal liability protection, business continuity, access to capital. Personal liability protection is important, and it has to do with protecting investors from actions and debts that a business might have; legislations defer as to the owner’s responsibility of illegal or wrongful conducts of the corporation.

Currently, it’s fair to state that periods of change are to be immediately considered. Spotting potential issues so that decision-making is possible with strong analysis tools is determinative; in present times, corporations deal with new consumer behaviors that tend to protect society and the environment.

Corporations are sometimes seen as a sole profit generator; however, society is strongly focusing on influencing towards the implementation of social and environmental corporate responsibilities, strong grounds for diversity and inclusion, both increasing the return towards society providing a positive social benefit. These are most likely the tendencies that will be established during the next few years as corporate law advances and develops.

For example, the basis of corporate law in Latin America comes from the French Commerce Code of 1807, which is one of the first commerce codes to recognize corporate bodies as separate entities. From this code on, corporate law has since evolved differently throughout each country, according to their corporate needs and legislative procedures.

About the Leader Cecilia Falconi Pérez is the Managing Partner at Falconi Puig Abogados. Cecilia began her practice in intellectual property law with particular emphasis on copyright and trademarks, and other signs used in commerce. She advises clients on strategic protection, and enforcement of their IP rights, and among her clients are multinationals and local clients with large portfolios of intangible assets as well as small and medium-sized companies. Cecilia is an expert on copyright issues, and she has experience in advising on the infringement of moral and moral rights.

Furthermore from how these rights have been established throughout different legal systems, it’s important to mention that more concretely, corporate rights have to do with the areas of banking & finance, dealing with tax issues, mergers and acquisitions, where tangible and intangible assets play a big role. Besides dispute resolution, dealing with amicable processes to solve a situation, even going to court, capital markets, economic perspective indispensable for the operation, as well as white-collar crime, insolvency, and restructuring; formalities and protocols are to be well kept.

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Sophie Milliken Helping Graduates and Recruiters Make the Right Choice

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y assessing over 35,000 university students and helping employers screen over 100,000 candidates for their graduate and apprenticeship roles, Sophie Milliken’s SRS Recruitment and Employability Experts has made its way to be known as the leading provider of student assessment centres and candidate screening.

We are proud to be the leading supplier of student assessment services in the UK.

Sophie Milliken is a determined and innovative businesswoman in the graduate recruitment landscape.

She confidently asserts, “100% of clients we have worked with would recommend SRS to other organisations.”

late 2019 saw SRS become part of the Careerpass Network.

Inspired by her intricate knowledge of the industry and level of experience, we at CIO LooK got into conversation with Sophie Milliken to learn more about her journey and her contribution to the enhancement of the HR space.

I would say the biggest challenge I faced during this time was going through my divorce only six months into the business. Overnight, I became a single parent to my then two-year-old and survived on a start-up income. I took a pragmatic approach and worked even harder to make the business work, which paid off!

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Tell us something more about your company, its mission, and its vision.

SRS is a graduate recruitment and employability consultancy. We work with both graduate and apprenticeship employers and universities. We design and implement all recruitment and training materials needed by corporate clients and work with institutions to embed employability and careers training into their curriculum.

Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at SRS. What challenges you had to overcome to reach where you are today?

I started my career at John Lewis on their graduate trainee scheme. This gave me a great grounding in business and led me into the world of HR. I spent some time in learning and development roles before taking on my favorite role, looking after graduate recruitment.

In this role, I expanded the number of graduate and placement schemes and saw the brand move up the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers chart, securing a top 10 position.

Our mission is to guide, educate and assess to help individuals and organisations make the right choices and realise their full potential.

Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in the Human Resources niche through your expertise in the market.

The niche that we specialise in is graduate recruitment, and within that, we have a micro niche with much of the work we deliver being related to assessment centres.

In 2013, I left John Lewis and set up what is now SRS Recruitment and Employability Experts with a business partner. In 2017, I became MD and started the scale-up journey, growing the team and client base. A merger in

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Sophie Milliken Managing Director

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preparing to be a part of that change?

I think the biggest change to assessment centres in years has happened with the move to virtual delivery.

Having to adapt to this change and create our own software has enabled us to be a key player in this change. I think the next change might be that employers will want to assess larger numbers when running virtual assessment centres. Due to the large-scale events we run for universities, we are well-positioned to offer this to employers, and also our software works well at scale.

Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run and what are your future goals for SRS? In the long run, I think I have another business or two in me so I’m already considering my next move. I’m a big fan of personal development and am hoping to start a PhD in 2022 within the field of female entrepreneurship.

For employers, we design and run assessment centres, and for universities, we have become very well known for running large-scale assessment centre simulations.

These assessment centre simulations are either in person at football stadiums throughout the UK or online via our assessment centre platform, assess.digital. No other supplier delivers assessment centre simulations on the large-scale that we do. The events have a huge impact on the confidence and employability skills of students and graduates, helping them to secure placements and graduate roles.

In terms of SRS, I hope it continues to offer an outstanding service that prioritises the needs of every client.

What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the HR sector?

The HR sector is a crowded space. If anyone is looking to set up a business within HR, my advice would be to consider a micro niche. By specialising in one thing, you can be the best and become known for this. It makes it easier to stand out. I would also advise any entrepreneur to build a strong support network and to think about their brand as well as that of the business – opportunities come to people when they have a strong personal brand.

Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in almost every sector. How are you leveraging technological advancements to make your solutions resourceful?

When the pandemic hit, we had to adapt our services to be able to provide a fully virtual offer. We created our assessment centre platform, assess.digital, which enabled us to run all of our large-scale assessment centres virtually. The software has some great features and is now being used by employers.

If given a chance, what change would you like to bring in the Outsourced application industry?

I’d like to see more human touches come back into the process. Employers receive so many applications that they have had to automate as much of the process as they can to be able to get through all the candidates. It can often be the case that employers don’t have any human contact with candidates until the final interview or even when they join the business. I’d like to see employers take opportunities to personalise the recruitment process wherever possible so that candidates get a better insight into the culture they are joining.

What, according to you, could be the next big change in assessment centres? How is your company

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