The 10 Most Successful Women Leaders in Business,May 2022

VOL 05 I ISSUE 02 I 2022

The Most

Successful

Women Leaders in Business 2022 Unity in Diversity Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

Fearless Leadership Celebrating Women Leadership For Success of All Stakeholders

LCSW-C, Chief Executive Ofcer

Advanced Behavioral Health

Dr.Vera Kurdian

Mountainous Effort to Improve Mental Wellbeing

EDITOR’S NOTE Women Leaders All the Way!

T

hroughout industries, politics, business, technology, and other fields, women have stood firm and established themselves as capable leaders in various roles. Women have taken the stand to educate themselves and make themselves compatible with the various roles in the corporate world. Along with this, they have also acquired the necessary skills to redevelop and reinvent themselves regularly to remain relevant. These qualities have made women leaders a cult that can be relied upon and consistently delivers results by figuring out a way to dodge various troubles.

As the business and technical world develops and evolves around them, all leaders demonstrate self-reliance and adaptation, demonstrating confidence, innovation, and perseverance. They can adjust to changing customer wants and preferences and enjoy their family life without jeopardizing either aspect of their existence. Women in this day and age also have the quality of perseverance under their fold. The business environment is unpredictable and stressful, and the media and competition constantly scrutinize it. Female leaders have shown the persistence and focus required to flourish in this environment.

Traditional emotional deficiencies assigned to women by the uneducated do not prevent them from attaining their goals while balancing family obligations.

New-age women leaders have shown their determination to succeed by rising above the traditional expectations that some may have of a woman's role in the world. They have not made parenthood a hurdle; rather, they have embraced both, exhibiting mental and physical strength. They are not content with being ranked second in the world. They constantly push their limits and demonstrate strength in the highest order. This is why women are and should continually be addressed as the stronger gender.

Leading women are self-assured enough to take calculated

T h e

Most

Successful

Women

Leaders in Business2022

chances, bounce back after a setback, and deal with insults and stereotyping. They have faith in themselves and their ability to make decisions based on their life experiences. They take risks more humanely than some of their male counterparts.

Changes and uncertainties abound in today's economic sector, both internationally and locally. This can lead to diversions, stress, and barriers to personal development. To be successful in the long run, you must have the moral strength to thrive in the face of adversity of any kind. Female leaders worldwide demonstrate a strong sense of morals and belief in principles. Major companies have assigned leadership roles to women for their ability to distinguish right from wrong and keep the same rules for everyone.

Women also treat colleagues and team members as equal while being at the forefront of creating womenempowered workplaces, workplaces in which truly gender-equal policies prevail. New-age women leaders are taking charge of developing gender-neutral workplaces and keeping an eye on the development of women in all areas. This edition of “The 10 Most Successful Women Leaders in Business, 2022” has many women who have dared to see beyond the normal to create fantastic businesses.

Do enjoy reading it and gaining valuable business and life lessons.

Raunak Raunak Mhetre

Cover Story

08 Mountainous Effort to Improve Mental Wellbeing

Articles

24

Unity in Diversity

Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

34

Fearless Leadership

Celebrating Women Leadership For Success of All Stakeholders

CONTENTS

16 Bridget Jones Driving a Visionary Change to Recreate a Better World

20 Cathy Smith A Seasoned Leader Transforming Growth

26 Kathy Bloomgarden Helping Businesses Uncover their Stories in a Compelling Way

30 Kimberly Carney A Mix of Fashion, Beauty, and Tech with an Entrepreneurial Spirit

36 Mastakar Manju Delivering Best Financial Solution for the Clients

40 Sophie Milliken

Helping Graduates and Recruiters Make the Right Choice

Pooja M Bansal Editor-in-Chief CONTENT

Senior Editor Alan Swann Executive Editors Raunak Mhetre Alex Spellman

FOLLOW US ON

www.facebook.com/ciolook www.twitter.com/ciolook WE ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON

DESIGN

Visualizer Dave Bates Art & Design Director Shyam Sonawane Associate Designer Sonia Raizada

CONTACT US ON

Email info@ciolook.com

SALES

Senior Sales Manager Kshitij S. Customer Success Manager Jack Ryan Sales Executives John, Shrinivas TECHNICAL

Technical Head Amar Sawant Technical Consultant Victor Collins SME-SMO

For Subscription www.ciolook.com Copyright © 2022 CIOLOOK, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from CIOLOOK. Reprint rights remain solely with CIOLOOK.

Research Analyst Eric Smith SEO Executive Atul Dhoran

sales@ciolook.com

May, 2022

Featured Person

Company Name

Brief

Bridget Jones COO

Chisel chiseltechlab.com

Chisel makes software that changes ecosystems.

Cathy Smith MD

SAP sap.com

SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software, helping companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best.

Dr. Vera kurdian CEO

Vera kurdian Advanced Behavioral Health abhmaryland.com

Advanced Behavioral Health, Inc. is a family centered mental health program that offers a wraparound approach to treatment.

Kimberly Carney CEO

Wire Holdings glosswire.com

GlossWire’s high-growth two-sided discovery and shopping marketplace provides its portfolio of brands vital data into consumer shopping behavior patterns.

Kathy Bloomgarden CEO

Ruder Finn ruderfinn.com

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

Manju Mastakar Founder & MD

Armstrong Capital armstrong-cap.com

Armstrong is an Investment Management firm.

Sophie Milliken MD

SRS smart-resourcingsolutions.com

SRS offering a range of outsourcing and consultancy services for employers and universities.

Dr. Vera Kurdian LCSW-C, Chief Executive Officer

Advanced Behavioral Health

Dr.Vera

KURDIAN

Mountainous Effort to Improve Mental Wellbeing

Serving complex mental health needs of our clients and communities regardless of age, gender, disabilities, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

I

n today’s rapid-paced world, people tend to overlook several aspects of life, and mental wellbeing is one of them. With a sole mission of making communities a better place to live in by simply providing a helping hand to ailing individuals and families, Dr. Vera Kurdian is transforming lives. She owes her transformative philosophy to the founders of Advanced Behavioral Health, where she overlooks the organization as the CEO. Vera believes in embracing diversity and equity internally and externally within the people of the organization so that this attitude resonates with their work. The same passion spreads through the staff of ABH, who constantly push their potential to break the barriers of growth.

Vera had her share of struggles as an immigrant and a single parent, which made her inculcate various life lessons that she uses for the organization's benefit.

ABH is built on the pillars of the needs of children, brothers, sisters, and friends, which support the collective passion of achieving the heights of positive mental growth. Started by the motivation of two clinicians who wanted to make a difference, the organization has established its presence in several major counties within Maryland. It continues the journey of abolishing barriers related to mental health, building a strong community to address the vast need of the ever-increasing physiological problems.

Our team of experts are dedicated to serving the various complex mental health needs of our diverse clients and communities regardless of age, gender, disabilities, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

The Hurdles Along the Way Dr. Vera Kurdian grew up in Lebanon, at a time where the county was engaged in religious civil war. She watched her mother juggle multiple roles while her father worked overseas to make their ends meet. Her mother raised five children with great difficulty when water and electricity were scarce, school attendance was sporadic, and staying alive was considered a luxury.

Her father was an overseas worker, meaning she didn't get to spend much time with him. His stories about the depression he faced and his survival tale after the Armenian geocide acted as a catalyst in her inspiring journey. She believes that the energy, positivity, and enthusiasm she learned and inherited from both of her parents have shaped her leadership. Her father’s daily reminders of how positivity promotes wellness and health have allowed him to live his best life. She asserts that at the age of 94 her father continues to demonstrate the same energy and zest in life.

At the tender age of 16, Vera moved to the United States with her parents in search of better opportunities. After high school she worked in diverse industries since formal education felt outside of her reach, she took her education to technical school and became a florist. Later in life she went back to school and completed her bachelor and master’s in social work. Her journey in the mental health field ultimately led her to Advanced Behavioral Health, where her hard work, commitment, and dedication were supported, and her further goal of achieving a doctoral degree was encouraged. She is grateful to her staff, family, friends, committee chair, and ABH owners, who supported her passion and allowed her to focus on reaching her dream.

Vera is a newly minted Doctor of Leadership and is super excited to walk across the podium in the traditional doctor regalia. She is humbled by the amazing staff who put their best day in and day out to take care of the mental health needs of their clients struggling with mental health issues. She shares, "The pandemic was hard on everyone, particularly front line workers who showed up every day, boots on the ground, to support clients, patients, and consumers. My fantastic staff put their struggles aside, helped their clients, and reminded them that there was hope and that they weren't alone. My support staff ensured that our clinicians had the tools needed to perform their duties effortlessly. The increased sadness, loss of lives, jobs, and grief led to a significant

increase in the mental health field and perpetuated burnout and fatigue of many clinicians.

Despite all of this, my staff carried on, and they continue to show up every day. They each have their leadership stories. I am so privileged as I get to work with amazing leaders every single day."

Empathy at the Core Advanced Behavioral Health sees pride in hiring professionals who share the same vision of helping individuals. The staff is passionate, compassionate, and hand-selected to best suit the needs of communities. Each brings their expertise, life challenges, and opportunities that inspire the clients to have a productive life. The organization's culture offers inclusivity and diversity and promotes growth, success, and potential. This culture drives the way business is done with clients and staff.

The amazing staff serves clients' needs by bringing their diverse lens of providing mental health services to everyone. They promote overall health by providing evidence-based practice to address daily stressors and life challenges the clients face. That same perspective impacts the recruitment, hiring, and promotional processes.

Providing mental health services to help minimize obstacles and maximize recovery for the promotion of overall wellbeing of diverse individuals and communities.

Vera believes in generating new talent and creating a diverse staff to help ABH grow by thinking outside of the box. She expects the staff to be authentic, humble, transparent, build trust, use humor to create a culture of openness and equity. Modeling out the behavior that the staff must engage in creates a feeling of employee wellness to promote happiness. A happy staff eventually yields happy and satisfied clients that increase credibility, growth, and sustainability. Vera shares, "I am a prime example of this culture. My career began with ABH as a part-time supervisor, and through the years, I was afforded different opportunities that ended in my promotion to my current CEO position. My story serves as an inspiration to anyone who is not born here, who has not had an easy life and was a single parent. My story also epitomizes the story of immigrants who come here to pursue opportunities through hard work, commitment, and persistence. This company has allowed me to grow in ways that may not have been possible in other places. My passion for growth, education, and hunger for learning was supported and allowed me to pursue my doctorate while managing this amazing organization."

Effect of Unprecedented Times The pandemic has taught people the importance of mental wellbeing and how it impacts the overall health of individuals. Before the pandemic, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration ("SAMSHA") estimated that 1 out of 5 individuals were diagnosed with a mental illness. Based on the number of referrals providers have been receiving since the start of the pandemic, Vera is confident that those numbers have increased significantly. ABH's staff have been in the trenches helping clients manage their fears and anxiety; they have aided families to manage children's disruptive behaviors, and supported parents’ ability to cope with various challenges to raise their children.

Vera adds, "Although we offer similar services as many other clinics, our passion, commitment, and strive to reach excellence set us apart. Our expertise is mental health, psychiatry, and community integration through our youth mentoring."

Providing effective mental health services was the main challenge during the pandemic, as all in-person visits were suspended. ABH rose to the occasion and faced the challenge head on. Vera proudly states, "Here at ABH, we acted fast. Overnight, we were able to secure HIPPA compliant platforms to our clinicians to ensure a continuum of our services. We were operational and open

for virtual telepsychiatry and therapy and seamlessly offered support to our staff and clients." The organizations' electronic health record Ensoftek/Dr. Cloud continues to work to deliver a clinician-friendly platform to ensure the focus remains on the clinical work instead of learning the technology. The EMR company partners with ABH to help them get analytics and data based on the clinical input. This allows them to highlight result-driven and effective services.

Continuing the Cause The future goal for ABH is to continue growing and serving more individuals. Promoting healthy communities by bringing cutting-edge, evidence-based treatment, working with universities and community partners to advocate for clients, fight for social justice, and becoming the industry leader in providing mental health services. Creating a balance between in-person and virtual sessions when providing effective clinical services is essential for the organization. The isolation, fear, chaos, and unpredictability that Covid created added stressors to couples' relationships, families, and children. There is a forecast for an increase in schoolaged children needing mental health services. Schools are expected to welcome these services and potentially hire mental health vendors to address the everincreasing mental health challenges and provide more support to families.

Speaking about her aspirations for the industry, Vera concludes, "I would like to see more support for clinicians, more financial aid for individuals to pursue mental health fields such as social work and counseling. More resources and better access to mental health for all individuals. The health care industry is in a constant state of evolution and includes health care coverage. We have come a long way from the days when receiving mental health services was a luxury and insurance companies created barriers to mental health treatment. Certainly, enacting many laws and legislation has allowed Americans to have more access to treatment, but we can always do more.”

CHOOSE OUR SUBSCRIPTION

1 Year 12 Issues $250

6 Months 6 Issues $130

Stay in the known.

Subscribe to CIOLOOK Get CIOLOOK Magazine in print, and digital on www.ciolook.com

3 Months 3 Issues $70

1 Month 1 Issue $25

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.

www.ciolook.com

16

| May 2022 |

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. www.ciolook.com

17

| May 2022 |

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

18

| May 2022 |

Cathy Smith A Seasoned Leader Transforming Growth

U

Evolution as a Learner

nderstanding how things orchestrate across an ecosystem lies in understanding the working of technologies, services, and multiple roles that provide combined value to a customer. It is essential to understand these strengths while driving a customer-centric valuebased approach. Having a leader who has a holistic view of all parts of the business, who looks at situations end to end, and understands what is required for success, is an advantage. Cathy Smith fills that role for SAP Africa by executing the ever-useful technological knowledge she has attained over the years, working at different organizations.

Cathy began her career in the insurance industry as an application developer and spent three years in the UK, consolidating her expertise. She held several executive roles for European and global markets, specializing in outsourcing services. In her early days as an applications developer, Cathy was on call 24/7. If a system went down, she had to physically drive there to find a solution as virtual meetings weren't possible then. As a young mother, she remembers nights driving into town to attend to a system. That was a thorn between personal and work responsibilities. She shares, "Women wear many hats, and it's a constant juggling act to keep everyone happy. If I look back now, I would not have made as many family sacrifices as I did. I know now that they weren't necessary and that I could have handled those demands differently, but that knowledge only comes with years of experience."

As a Managing Director, she believes that the industry operates in siloes and takes up challenges from a feature and function point of view rather than looking at the value. Cathy attributes her impact in business to the varied roles she held across the IT industry over the years.

Her 23 years spent working for IBM had the amalgamation of several careers because Cathy had the opportunity to work in different parts of the business.

The lessons learned from her initial role as a programmer are still relevant as they taught her to listen and understand a customer's needs. The creative job needed new ways to solve problems by navigating the fast-changing ICT landscape. The period also had some difficult instances like the one Cathy shares, "The ICT industry can be a very tough environment for women. It is male-dominated; established norms - like doing business on the golf course or down at the bar after hours - don't always fit our values or personal commitments. I've had to navigate that dynamic, and, as I grow, I have come to learn that there needs to be a balance." Cathy also asserts that she has been fortunate to work for organizations that respect diversity and managers who recognized hard work and offered mentorship opportunities, making her a seasoned leader.

Let us deep dive into the journey of this dynamic leader to understand how she changed the face of SAP Africa.

Balancing the demands of globalization with local visions of a sustainable society www.ciolook.com

20

| May 2022 |

Cathy Smith Managing Director

SAP Africa

Contribution Towards SAP Speaking about the company, Cathy says, "SAP has outlined a bold goal in terms of our cloud growth by 2025.

That ambition, combined with our purpose of helping the world run better and improving people's lives, continues to define our future. It requires a massive transformation, within our own organization, and for our customers." She envisions helping the world run better by transforming the organization and the customers. She helped the organization team up with its competitors on some projects, showcasing her collaborative approach. This justifies the purpose of focusing on the goal of customer satisfaction.

SAP mainly uses cloud technologies like machine learning, the Internet of Things, and advanced analytics technologies to make customers' businesses intelligent.

The end-to-end suite of applications empowers the organization to operate profitably, continuously making a difference. Its technology enables customers' digital transformation for their betterment. Cathy is helping the company transform the organizational structure, ways of working, culture, mindset, and technical aspects.

From a Manager at Heart to a Managing Director As the HR Director for Middle East Africa at IBM, Cathy learned about people dynamics and managed different styles and personalities to get the best results.

While the job had amazing perks like a corner office and a personal assistant, Cathy felt that she was missing a core element. Her desire to learn took her to a new role in the sales department.

From an industry point of view, Cathy shares, "I would like the industry to become more purposeful, to use the incredible power that technology holds to make the world a better place for all. This is only possible by having purpose at the core of the business, aligned to your strategy and operations. Too many organizations still think of purpose as the domain of the CSR manager, an add-on to the organization that perhaps gets reviewed once or twice a year. We cannot drive sustainable change with that model or outdated thinking. Each organization must define its purpose and weave it into the organization's very fabric, whereby it is brought to life every day in engagements with employees, partners, and customers. That is how we can authentically make a significant impact in the societies in which we operate."

The sales role excited her as the competence to build progressed. Cathy quickly learned the ropes in the sales role and was appointed as the head of the public sector sales team, which she remembers as a fantastic journey.

The platform pre-empted her next career moves, including heading the Cisco business for Sub-Saharan Africa and finally as MD for SAP in Africa. Cathy likes to call herself a late bloomer as she wasn't one of the leaders who shot up the ranks in her twenties; her road to success had many twists and turns. She expresses, "Being MD has allowed me to draw on all my years of experience, from sales and operations to project management and HR. Each of those former roles provided me with the building blocks to be able to take on the overall responsibility for a highly complex organization, to have an end-to-end understanding of how everything fits together and how to make an impact." Leading an organization also taught her empathy, understanding the behavior, and using flexibility when needed because of the variety of employees in the organization. Cathy developed these skills over time, making her a better leader every day.

www.ciolook.com

Sharing her valuable advice to budding entrepreneurs, she emphasizes that good ideas can change processes, industries, and even the world. With the right support, aspects like product quality, processes, people, go-tomarket, finance, and compliance can be nurtured into a thriving business.

22

| May 2022 |

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

25

| May 2022 |

Kathy Bloomgarden CEO

Ruder Finn

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,

www.ciolook.com

27

| May 2022 |

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?

www.ciolook.com

28

| May 2022 |

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,

www.ciolook.com

‘‘

‘‘

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

29

| May 2022 |

Kimberly Carney Founder and CEO

GlossWire

Kimberly Carney A Mix of Fashion, Beauty, and Tech with an Entrepreneurial Spirit

www.ciolook.com

30

| May 2022 |

L

eaders are defined by their ability to understand the market needs beforehand and address them accordingly. Kimberly Carney is one such leader who has an innate talent to know what the market needs and delivers it through her passion, vision, drive, and authenticity with her venture, GlossWire. As the Founder and CEO, Kimberly has a unique perspective on fashion and beauty’s interplay of data and marketability. GlossWire’s state-of-the-art technology gives brands vital real-time data on how to provide better products to consumers.

previously reached out to get on the platform, and today the FashWire platform has over 400 brands from more than 35 countries.

With the success of FashWire and nothing like its platform in beauty, Kimberly’s team convinced her to launch a beauty vertical. After five months of development and secretly bringing on brands, GlossWire launched in February 2021 and now has over 175 beauty brands. The biggest challenge for Kimberly as an entrepreneur was the early stages with FashWire. The bigger affiliate companies didn’t take her seriously, and they told her that she would never get brands. She proved them wrong, and today becoming a trailblazer within the retail digital sector.

Being Trailblazer Within Retail Digital Sector With a background in tech and owning a contemporary men’s and women’s clothing boutique for 15+ years, Kimberly saw the need early on for fashion to adapt to technology, which was the catalyst for the concept of GlossWire’s sister platform, FashWire.

Engaging Shoppers Across All Channels GlossWire’s global platform, a two-sided marketplace, provides over 175 brands vital insight into consumer shopping patterns through trending data and real-time actionable insights. Its partnering brands then receive this data allowing them to make smarter production decisions — driving conversion, repeat purchases, and profitability.

FashWire was launched in 2018 with a Google Partnership. Its brand base had grown from 25 to just over 200 when the pandemic hit. In 2020, and with traditional retail being shut down, the brands that had said no

Giving beauty brands valuable real-time insights through a seamless user experience makes GlossWire the digital front runner in consumer global business intelligence. www.ciolook.com

For the consumer, GlossWire offers the organic discovery of worldwide beauty by leveraging technology to engage shoppers across all channels. It achieves this by offering an interactive experience with its social integration tools – such as swiping, liking, and sharing – to build a community the consumer feels empowered to be a part of – while directly influencing the brands in real-time.

This interactive digital connection between the brand and consumer help the brands create more relevant and sustainable products that consumers want to purchase, creating loyalty and bottom-line growth.

Supporting Early-stage Brands GlossWire’s mission from day one was to connect the brands with the consumer, creating discovery and conversation about the products they want to purchase. Since its launch, it has made and is continuing to impact through its curated digital marketplace, its global pitch competitions, and its philanthropic arm.

31

| May 2022 |

The company’s GlossWire Pitch Competitions “GlossPitch” provides incredible support to its partnering brands. Encouraging GlossWire brands to expand their offerings creates an impact within the beauty space as they accelerate forward and provide a sustainable business model.

www.ciolook.com

As a female entrepreneur who had tremendous support and help along the way, Kimberly has always believed in paying it forward by supporting early-stage brands.

With GlossWire, she wants to provide a network and support system to its emerging beauty brands, and she can do that with her industry expert Advisory Board and connections in the beauty industry. Kimberly feels

32

| May 2022 |

very strongly about sharing knowledge, raising funds, industry networks, and marketing support whenever she can.

consumer. Its audience wants to know what is happening in the skincare market from efficacy to effectiveness to understand what the newest and most noteworthy trends in ingredients are.

Blending Personalization with Human Facilitation GlossWire curates and champions its brands across all beauty categories, with a distinct focus on emerging brands. In addition to its consumer intelligence technology, it gives brands a way to communicate their message globally: Both its platforms support brands through various educational opportunities for the consumers. Its exclusive interviews and Instagram LIVE discussions introduce these brands to its global communities. GlossWire simultaneously features its products in a constantly rotating editorial and this allencompassing storytelling brand deep dive is a differentiating element to any other beauty platform.

GlossWire’s technology is redefining how beauty brands interact with their consumers. Through its datadriven technology, GlossWire is giving brands real-time data and actionable insights on how to provide better products to consumers. Instead of relying on traditional ways of trend forecasting, brands can instantly have access to consumer feedback that allows for planning their brand strategies and quantities in a timely and very efficient manner. Emerging and established brands can also utilize GlossWire’s integrated social media capabilities to help them stay relevant through realtime digital engagement while waiting for product to be back in stock. The brands then become more discoverable to wider audiences allowing them to generate revenue more easily. Having a data-drivenbased tech platform has allowed GlossWire to navigate the challenges of the pandemic. Connecting with consumers in a meaningful way is key. Blending personalization with human facilitation has driven its success, including being named a finalist in Unilever’s and WWD’s Project Connect and recently named a finalist for Fashion Group International’s Rising Star Award in the Beauty Entrepreneur category. And, there is more to come.

Staying True to Purpose and Mission GlossWire continues to expand with numerous innovations on its roadmap and is localizing the platform to make it more accessible to brands around the world.

Through their innovation, they continue to democratize digital sales for brands around the world. User interaction will continue to be a key differentiator. Combining that experience with deep data, social integration, and curated content makes it a highly coveted solution for emerging and established brands. GlossWire’s success will be driven by staying true to its purpose and mission as it continues to leverage technology for even stronger brand-consumer connectivity.

Building an Immersive Environment for Consumers GlossWire’s first-to-market platform is already making the change to the industry at large. From cosmetics, haircare, fragrance, skincare, bath, and body care to men’s grooming, GlossWire is the ultimate place to find the brands consumers love. It will continue to build an environment for the consumer that immerses them in the GlossWire world. It is a platform where technology meets the purpose and one that puts the brands in the drivers’ seat.

Choosing Supporting and Encouraging Association Kimberly advises aspiring entrepreneurs to follow their passion and be sure to surround themselves with people who will support them and encourage them not to give up.

Connecting Consumers to Innovative Skincare Products GlossWire’s primary purpose is to connect the consumer to innovative skincare products with the curious

www.ciolook.com

33

| May 2022 |

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-

www.ciolook.com

34

| May 2022 |

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 www.ciolook.com

35

| May 2022 |

Manju Mastakar Managing Director

Armstrong Capital & Financial Services

Manju Mastakar

Delivering Best Financial Solution for the Clients

W

hat impresses organizations about professional leaders is the fresh perspective they bring with an understanding of the market forces. A clear and straightforward leader is always open to new ideas, exploring new avenues, and keeping risk and exposure in mind. Enduring such a meticulous approach toward business is one such efficient and effective leader, Manju Mastakar. Manju is very holistic in her approach, helping with her heavily loaded financial proficiency at Armstrong Capital & Financial Services Pvt. Ltd. She leads and mentors the team by being the Managing Director making Armstrong and the clients drive beyond their potential.

•

Solving Complex Financial Problems In the initial stages of Manju's entrepreneurial journey, she faced various challenges and adversities. She had 10+ yrs of corporate experience and managed an Investment portfolio HNI & CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.

Constructing the Destiny Manju started working very early in her life and took up an internship at a CA firm, where she was given the opportunity to do audits of stock brokers & stock traders.

That is how she got introduced to the stock markets.

•

•

•

Securities firm but entrepreneurship on the initial day was different. It was all about - doing it yourself and at the minimum cost.

Later in 2014, the organization grew rapidly; the team had a good client base, and she had more employees to delegate work. After that, she never looked back; all the stories of hardship that she went through summed up into one word called struggle.

In early 2000 the leader worked with reputed stock brokers as a dealer and advisor, recommending stocks to HNI clients.

In 2007 she moved to Bangalore from Mumbai and worked with a multinational bank and a wealth management firm. Due to the recession followed by the sub-prime crisis in late 2008, she was laid off and decided to start independently.

In 2010 she met up with an investment banker who gave her the idea that he would fund her and that she should start more professionally. She had 10 yrs of corporate experience working at various levels in a

www.ciolook.com

37

| May 2022 |

•

•

•

Funding – Manju got her seed capital quickly, but it was pretty tough when she wanted to raise the growth capital. Investors would ask how you are different?

There are so many other people doing the same thing as you are doing; why you? She had to look for longterm investors who were willing to invest in her firm as a part of their retirement planning. She had to raise a lower amount from more investors.

Multitasking – Manju had only one employee in the first year of business. She had to do marketing, sales, client meetings, after-sales services, upload files in the software, almost everything, and even write the marketing material's content—many of these tasks she did for the first time and acquired skills over a while.

Ploughing Back the Profits – Since the business was all driven by people, Manju had to keep investing in resources and technology upgrades to aid the toplined growth. To achieve the scalability investing in business was a must, which also meant that the profits were lower, and she had a tight budget for bonuses and increments.

Building Financial Investment Plans Armstrong Capital & Financial Services is financial planning and Investment Management company. Every relationship in Armstrong Capital starts with a Financial Plan. Before the company advises, it tries and understands all the client's financial commitments in the near and far future. All the client's investments bucket that into respective goals. Show them a complete picture of how the financials will look ten years from now and what the annuity will be by the time he retires. This complete end-toend financial planning is what it does at Armstrong. The core competency is that the organization works with much integrity and keeps in mind that it needs to build long-term relationships.

Passionate about Nurturing Relationships Armstrong's people are their biggest asset. It nurtures curiosity, and every individual has a right to ask the question, WHY? To succeed in an increasingly complex business world, entrepreneurs need the talents of everyone in the organization. The team believes in the abilities of others and lets them grow and perform at their best. The organization doesn't overemphasize rules; it considers fostering a culture that shows belief in the ability of the individual to take the right action.

Driving Financial Independence There was always a gender inequality; very few ladies wanted to make a career in the Capital markets. When Manju started her career in 1997, the dealing room was male-dominated, and they would converse in a regional language full of expletives and foul language. This would make the job even more difficult because a fresher expects much motivation at the entry level.

Mentoring to Evolve and Transform Appreciation is a powerful motivator. The old kick-on-thebutt style may not work today.

She had to do much research before recommending – doing research was not easy, especially in the pre-Google era, where information was not so over the internet. She had to go to the library, look for books / Magazines/ shareholder reports, read through them, make notes and then write a research report. Her colleagues, boss, and clients appreciated these reports. For 2-3 years, her seniors who had 10+ yrs of work experience would ask her for views and recommendations and act on them.

Being a mentor to others, she proceeds, "Initially invest in people, then in the process, then infrastructure and finally build a culture which has a balance of being competitive and accommodative. There is one principle that I tell my people – we don't create returns, markets create returns, we set in the discipline to save, and we manage the risk, and that's the magic behind building a sound portfolio.

We want our managers to become good teachers, and good mentors spend more time understanding their problems, explaining to them, and nurturing their curiosity."

Manju says, "Continuous research, hours of hard work, and customer focus have been the key attributes that have helped me come a long way."

www.ciolook.com

38

| May 2022 |

Sophie Milliken Helping Graduates and Recruiters Make the Right Choice

B

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

www.ciolook.com

40

| May 2022 |

Sophie Milliken Managing Director

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

www.ciolook.com

42

| May 2022 |