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TOP 10 BUSINESS MINDS DEFINING THE NEXT ERA OF LEADERSHIP, 2026

SEPTEMBER 2026

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SVP & Group Head Tech Mahindra (Americas) Inc.

SAMPATH SAAGI

C H A N G I N G T H E T R A J E C TO RY O F O U TC O M E S AT T E C H M A H I N D R A A M E R I CA S

FROM THE EDITOR

Shaping the Future of Leadership

eadership in this modern era is understood as an ability to turn the ideas into reality. Forwardthinking and innovative businessmen and women are redefining the processes of adaptation, growth, and motivation within organizations amidst all changes happening in our world now. They are not just reacting to changes that happen to the world – they are creating these changes, introducing the concepts of resilience and foresight in each of their actions. Their thinking goes much further than just profit, they focus on the systems of empowering people and bringing value to the society. Innovation goes hand in hand with responsibility, so progress does not become unsustainable or exclusive. Collaboration and agility became the key traits of these leaders who set a new benchmark for others. Their distinguishing trait is clearness and decisiveness amidst the uncertainty. They show that leadership is measured not just by what you do but by the impact you make on the community, industries and even global economy as a whole. At CIO Views, we honor these empowering leaders by dedicating this issue titled “Top 10 Business Minds Defining the Next Era of Leadership, 2026” to them. Featuring as the cover story, we have covered the successful & motivating journey of Sampath Saagi, SVP & Group Head at Tech Mahindra (Americas) Inc. We have also included the inspiring stories of Corinna Schulthess, CEO of Family Office Management Consulting Ltd; Martin Reniere, Founder & CEO of Nuvoola AI; Bharti Patel, Senior Vice President and Head of Engineering at Hitachi Vantara; Eric Stanley, Founder & CEO of Minority Moves Network; Kathy Leake, CEO of Crux Intelligence; Frank Corcoran, CEO of Sierra Vista Hospital and Clinics; Alessandro De Luca, CIO at Merck KGaA; Jaimie Augustine, Vice President of Sales at COPAN Diagnostics, Inc.; and Jens Mittendorf, Managing Director of DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS GMBH. CIO Views is a business magazine that mainly focuses on business leaders, their journey, views on current economic states, and all other relevant subjects that refer to the business world. Our goal is to be a leading source of information dedicated to providing our readers with detailed perspectives and views of successful business leaders who are transforming the business outlook and redefining their goals. With exclusive editions on various industries like software, education, healthcare, technology, real estate, and many more, CIO Views is driven to promote excellence in the world of business. Happy Reading! Mousmi

Mousmi N.

EDITORIAL QUERIES editor@cioviews.com

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LEADERSHIP. INNOVATION. LEGACY.

COVER STORY

10.

Sampath Saagi

CONTENTS

24. Corinna Schulthess 28. Martin Reniere 36. Bharti Patel 40.

Eric Stanley

46. Kathy Leake

50.

Frank Corcoran

56.

Alessandro De Luca

60.

Jaimie Augustine

66.

Jens Mittendorf

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SAMPATH SAAGI C H A N G I N G T H E T R A JE C T O R Y O F

OUTCOMES AT TECH MAHIND RA

AMERICAS

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SVP & Group Head Tech Mahindra (Americas) Inc.

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he technology landscape has undergone wave after wave of disruptions, from the rise of the internet to cloud, automation, and now artiﬁcial intelligence (AI). Sampath Saagi has witnessed these shifts ﬁrsthand over a three-decade career. As AI triggers a seismic shift across industries, Sampath, SVP and Group Head for the Americas at Tech Mahindra, leads the diverse industry verticals business across retail, consumer goods, transportation, logistics, hospitality, energy, utilities, and professional

services in the Americas. He is driving proﬁtable growth across the region. Sampath began his career as a software engineer and steadily moved up the ladder, taking on roles in project management, strategic relationships, and business leadership. He considers his current position at Tech Mahindra a natural extension of a journey that has moved from technology delivery to enterprise transformation and business leadership.

From Writing Codes to Business Transformation Leadership Sampath's leadership vision was shaped during one of the most transformative periods in technology. When he began his career as a software engineer in 1996, the industry was on the cusp of a new era. Enterprises were moving beyond legacy systems and embracing distributed computing, clientserver architectures, and the emerging internet. These were the technologies that would eventually lay the foundation for today's digital economy. Technology is never static, and that is precisely what appealed to Sampath. According to him, he saw it constantly disrupting how businesses operated, how teams collaborated, and how enterprises served their customers.

“And that is what drew me towards leadership,” he says. “I wanted to work at the intersection of engineering, industry context, client trust, and transformation.”

My role has never been limited to selling an idea. It is to connect the market need, engineering capability, certiﬁcation path, supply chain and execution - then make sure the promise survives contact with the shop ﬂoor.

“

During the initial phase of his career, he worked across application development, design, and enterprise technologies, gaining a ﬁrsthand understanding of how technology could be applied to solve real business problems. Over time, he realized that the larger opportunity was not just in writing code or delivering projects, but in connecting technology to business outcomes.

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Career Built Across Multiple Roles and Fields Sampath's professional journey has been built across multiple roles, industries, and markets. As a software engineer, he worked with ﬁnancial services and technology clients on application development and design using mainframe, C, C++, and Java technologies. He later moved into project management, strategic relationships, business unit leadership, and large client ownership. “A very important part of my journey was manufacturing,” Sampath says. From 2017 to 2023, he led manufacturing and private equity for the US, where the focus was on proﬁtable

growth, digital manufacturing, automation, IT, OT, engineering, operations, IT carve-outs, and technology transformation for value creation. This experience showed him how deeply technology is tied to productivity, resilience, and competitiveness in physical industries. Today, Sampath brings his combined experience across Manufacturing, Retail, CPG, Transportation, Logistics, Hospitality, Energy, Utilities, and Professional Services into his role as SVP and Group Head for the Americas.

“A very important part of my journey was manufacturing”

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Lessons Learned Over the Years At the beginning of his career, Sampath learned a key lesson that has stayed with him throughout his journey. “Technologies change, business models evolve, and industries transform, but the ability to learn, adapt, and lead people through change remains constant,” he says. His experience has also taught him that leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about providing direction when the future is uncertain and creating conﬁdence when the ground is shifting beneath one's feet. “Leadership is not about predicting every shift,” he says. “It is about building teams and businesses that can adapt with conﬁdence.” Sampath also believes that leadership is about changing the trajectory of outcomes. He had the privilege of beginning his career in Hyderabad, India, at a time when the city was emerging as a global technology destination. He recalls that there was a palpable sense of ambition all across the ecosystem. Sampath and his colleagues were not merely witnessing change; they were participating in the creation of a new industry. “That environment instilled in me a deep belief that transformation happens when vision, talent, and execution come together,” he says.

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Leadership is not about predicting every shift, It is about building teams and businesses that can adapt with conﬁdence.

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Overcoming Most Significant Challenges Sampath has faced a number of challenges. “One of the most significant challenges has been leading through continuous change,” he points out. Since he joined the industry, technology has moved from legacy modernization to digital, cloud, automation, and now AI-led transformation. Because of the innovations in technologies, industries have also changed dramatically. Manufacturing clients are rethinking operations, supply chains, and engineering. Retail and logistics clients are rethinking experience, speed, and fulfilment. And energy and utilities clients are dealing with resilience, regulation, and sustainability.

“The way I have approached this is by staying close to clients and focusing on business relevance,” Sampath says. Technology for its own sake does not create value. Sampath notes that AI presents the same challenge at a much larger scale. The question is no longer whether organizations will adopt AI, but how quickly they can translate intelligence into business outcomes. According to Sampath, the leaders who succeed will be those who move beyond experimentation and create enterprise-wide impact. “The real question is: does it make the enterprise more competitive, eﬃcient, adaptive, and future-ready? That lens has helped me lead through disruption with clarity,” he adds.

“The way I have approached this is by staying close to clients and focusing on business relevance”

Most Meaningful Milestones Sampath has a string of accomplishments to his credit. For him, the achievement that stands out as the most meaningful milestones are those where teams come together to build something that lasts. He says that leading the Manufacturing and Private Equity business in the US was one such milestone because it helped him work deeply across digital, manufacturing, automation, engineering, operations, and transformation.

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Another milestone Sampath talks about with great pride is helping shape the next phase of Tech Mahindra's Diverse Industry Verticals business in the Americas. “In FY26, the growth in Retail, Travel, Transportation, and Logistics reﬂected the strength of focused execution, client intimacy, and industry-led transformation,” he says.

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What Is Success for Him and Tech Mahindra Sampath feels a sense of success when he is able to create lasting value for clients, for teams, and for the business. He does not devalue growth. It is important, he says, but quality of growth is even more important. This means solving the right problems, deepening client trust, creating measurable outcomes, and developing leaders who can carry the business forward.

Tech Mahindra Americas is an information technology and services company based out of 4965 PRESTON PARK BLVD, Plano, Texas. It is a technology subsidiary of the Mahindra Group, an Indian multinational conglomerate. For Tech Mahindra, Sampath says, success means being recognized as a strategic transformation partner across industries.

Critical Responsibility as SVP & Group Head As SVP and Group Head, Sampath's most critical responsibility is to drive proﬁtable, sustainable growth while staying deeply relevant to clients. For that, he is building the right industry capabilities, investing in strong teams, developing ecosystem partnerships, and ensuring that every transformation conversation is tied to measurable business outcomes. Sampath also sees his role as a connector: between industries, between technology and business, between global teams and local markets, and between strategy and execution. “Whether the conversation is around adaptive manufacturing, supply chain resilience, AI-led operations, consumer experience or enterprise modernization,” Sampath

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points out, “the responsibility is to make transformation practical, scalable and outcome-driven.” His source of motivation is the opportunity to create impact beyond a single program or client relationship. Global leadership gives leaders a wider lens. Sampath explains that one begins to see how challenges in one industry can inform another. For example, how manufacturing thinks about precision and resilience, how retail thinks about experience, how logistics thinks about movement and visibility, and how energy and utilities think about reliability and sustainability. “At this scale, leadership is about connecting patterns, building strong teams and helping clients move from strategy to execution,” he adds. “It is also about staying close to the ground while thinking globally.”

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At this scale, leadership is about connecting patterns, building strong teams and helping clients move from strategy to execution, It is also about staying close to the ground while thinking globally.

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Balancing Personal Commitments with Leadership Demands Sampath notes that global leadership can be demanding, especially when leaders are working across clients, teams, geographies, and time zones, which requires them to travel a lot. Despite his demanding work schedule, he strives to maintain a work-life balance. He does that by being intentional with time and very clear about priorities. In his debut book, “Mastering Presence: 100-Day Transformation to Unlock Leadership Potential,” published in 2024, Sampath wrote about how prioritizing can help achieve this balance. “The book was my humble attempt to explore the art of mastering self, relationships, and inﬂuence through actionable micro habits, which are small, simple behaviors that one can easily incorporate into daily routine,” he says.

Sampath credits his family for keeping him grounded. His daughter, Anshika, is in high school, getting ready for college, while his son, Aryan, is in middle school. There are moments with them that he consciously protects and makes space for. He also considers himself blessed to have a supportive wife, Shivani, who helps him keep the personal and professional life in balance. “Also, the balance is not always between work and family,” Sampath points out. “It is also about balancing within the family and playing to each other's strengths.” At the same time, he feels that he is fortunate to work with strong teams who take ownership. He believes that leadership at scale cannot be about being present everywhere. Sampath explains that it has to be about building trust, empowering people, and creating clarity so that decisions can move even when leaders are not in the room.

“Also, the balance is not always between work and family, It is also about balancing within the family and playing to each other's strengths”

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Industry Evolution in Three Distinct Phases In his three-decade career, Sampath has seen the industry's evolution in three distinct phases. “First came Cost Arbitrage, where scale and global delivery created advantage,” he says. “Then came Automation Arbitrage, where productivity and eﬃciency became the diﬀerentiator.”

Today, the industry has entered what he calls the Intelligence Arbitrage era. Sampath says that the competitive advantage will most likely depend on how eﬀectively organizations apply AI to deliver cheaper, faster, and better outcomes, in addition to fundamentally reimagining how work gets done.

Future of Technology and Business Leadership Sampath believes the next era of technology leadership will be deﬁned by the ability to connect intelligence with action. Enterprises do not need more isolated pilots. According to him, they need platforms, data, AI, and engineering to work together in ways that improve decisions, productivity, and customer outcomes.

urgency of customer experience and speed. Logistics brings the importance of visibility and orchestration, while energy and utilities bring the need for reliability and sustainability. Sampath expects the future to belong to those leaders who can connect these worlds and build businesses that are intelligent, adaptive, and human-centered.

That is where Sampath's cross-industry experience becomes important. While working in manufacturing, he learned the value of precision and resilience. Retail and CPG bring the

He adds, “The next era will belong to leaders who can turn intelligence into advantage.”

What Next-Gen Should Carry Forward Sampath hopes to see the next generation of leaders carry forward values such as humility, curiosity, and accountability. Humility enables leaders to stay connected to clients and teams, while curiosity keeps them learning and adapting in an industry evolving at breakneck speed. “You keep learning as technology changes,” Sampath says. Accountability, he adds, is what turns ideas into outcomes and intentions into impact.

The goal is to use technology to solve meaningful problems and build enterprises that are more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready. Sampath Saagi

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When it comes to innovation, Sampath wants future leaders to understand that AI, automation, and digital platforms must be applied with responsibility and purpose. “The goal is not to chase the newest technology,” he points out. “The goal is to use technology to solve meaningful problems and build enterprises that are more resilient, inclusive, and futureready.”

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Advice to Aspiring Tech Professionals In the tech industry, most young professionals try to acquire skills in the hottest tech trends. Sampath advises them to build a career around problems, not just technologies. He explains that technologies will keep evolving and changing, but what stays valuable is the ability to understand a business challenge, bring people together, and deliver outcomes that matter.

He encourages them to build business judgment, along with building technical depth. They must learn how industries operate and understand clients beyond the technology brief. “And most importantly, develop empathy,” Sampath says. “Leadership in technology is not only about knowing what is possible. It is about helping people believe it is possible and then making it real.”

Leadership Legacy at Tech Mahindra Sampath has spent almost his entire career at Tech Mahindra. His spectacular rise from software engineer to the upper echelons of management is an inspiration to aspiring leaders. And he continues to be inspired by the values of the Mahindra Group, particularly its belief in “rising by enabling others to Rise.” He calls it a “powerful leadership principle.” At this stage of his career, one question becomes inevitable: what legacy he wants to leave behind? Sampath wants his leadership legacy to rest on three pillars: trust, transformation, and people.

“If my work can help clients become stronger, teams become more conﬁdent, and Tech Mahindra become even more respected as an industry transformation partner,” he says, “that would be a meaningful legacy.”

If my work can help clients become stronger, teams become more conﬁdent, and Tech Mahindra become even more respected as an industry transformation partner, that would be a meaningful legacy.

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When others speak about his legacy, Sampath hopes they will remember how he built trust with clients, created measurable business value through transformation, and empowered people to lead with conﬁdence.

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Corinna Schulthess Pioneering Excellence in Family

Ofﬁce Management

n the dynamic world of family office management, Corinna Schulthess stands out as a leader who has redefined success through her innovative approach and dedication. As the Chief Executive Officer of Family Office Management Consulting Ltd., Corinna's journey is a testament to her expertise, passion, and commitment to excellence.

Corinna's early experiences in building up family oﬃce advisory units within banks allowed her to pioneer professional setups and international structuring. These formative years laid the foundation for her future success, providing her with invaluable insights and skills.

This article explores Corinna's career, leadership philosophy, and the impact of her work on future generations. Her story is one of resilience and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

Corinna's journey to becoming the CEO of Family Office Management Consulting Ltd. is marked by significant milestones. "I was fortunate enough to learn on the job, working on some of the largest international wealth structures from an early stage in my career," she shares. Her innovative approach and willingness to embrace new challenges allowed her to excel in various roles. Her ability to think out-of-the-box and engage with influential entrepreneurs and business conglomerates set her apart as a strategic leader.

From Investment Banking to Family Oﬃce Management Corinna Schulthess began her career on the investment side of banking, dealing with complex liquidity events on a global scale. "This is when I realized how challenging the transition from business to wealth owner can be, especially the larger and more complex wealth structures are," she explains. Her role required a deep understanding of both transactional and investment management aspects.

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Key Milestones on the Path to CEO

These experiences not only honed Corinna's expertise but also expanded her professional network, which has been crucial to her success.

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Chief Executive Ofﬁcer Family Ofﬁce Management Consulting Ltd

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A Leader's Evolution and Overcoming Global Challenges Corinna's definition of success has transformed significantly over the years. "When you are early in your career, success is certainly defined in a very different way," she notes. Initially, success might have been about promotions and exciting projects, but today, it means pioneering work that stands the test of time and makes a meaningful impact.

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"Success is also being able to do what I do best and what I am passionate about," she adds. This evolution in her perspective highlights her growth as a leader and her unwavering commitment to making a lasting diﬀerence. Working on a global scale has presented both challenges and opportunities for Corinna. "The most challenging part was implementing the best structures and people locally

wherever the client needed or wanted to be based," she explains. Her extensive network has been crucial in navigating these complexities. Additionally, her ability to break away from standardized solutions and implement innovative, client-focused strategies has set new industry benchmarks. These achievements underscore her adaptability and leadership in a constantly evolving landscape.

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Shaping the Future: Legacy and Motivation Corinna's work has a profound impact on future generations of wealth owners and entrepreneurs. "Navigating through this ocean of opportunities and choices, defining and implementing their very own vision, and leaving a lasting footprint is one of our most important mandates," she explains. Her focus on passing the baton and adapting to new opportunities ensures a legacy. By empowering the next generation, Corinna is helping to shape a more innovative and resilient future. Her efforts are paving the way for a new era of wealth management, where personalized visions and sustainable practices take center stage. Corinna advises aspiring leaders to be hands-on, honest, and authentic while staying open-minded and thinking out of the box. "The impact of the relationships you build over time is the most meaningful part of our work," she emphasizes. This passion for her work drives Corinna to continually push boundaries and strive for excellence. Her dedication to making a difference is evident in every aspect of her professional journey. Mastering the Balance: Leading a Global Firm and Personal Life Balancing the demands of leading a global consulting firm with personal life is a challenge Corinna Schulthess embraces wholeheartedly. "My work is extremely inspiring and multifaceted enough that there is never a dull moment," she asserts. The energy she derives from her work transcends into her private life, driven by her

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passion for what she does. "You excel in doing what you are passionate about and what makes you happy," she emphasizes. This seamless integration of work and personal life has been key to her sustained success and well-being. Her ability to find joy and fulfillment in both realms is a testament to her dedication and positive outlook. A typical day for Corinna involves checking in with different locations early in the morning, catching up on markets and news, and dedicating most of her day to client work. "I always try to communicate as much as possible with my network to get a good feel of current sentiments, trends, and the news," she shares. This proactive approach ensures she stays ahead of industry trends and maintains strong relationships with clients and colleagues. Corinna's daily routine is a testament to her dedication and strategic thinking. By staying connected and informed, she effectively navigates the complexities of her role, ensuring that both her team and clients are well supported. Carving New Paths: Achievements and Leadership Philosophy Corinna takes immense pride in the fruitful working relationships she has established and the success of her clients' structures and organizations. "We were brave enough to break away from standardized clusters, thereby carving out new best practices," she asserts.

visions. This evolution reflects Corinna's ability to anticipate and adapt to changing industry dynamics, ensuring her firm remains at the forefront of innovation and excellence. Corinna's leadership philosophy is centered on leading by example, delegating, and enabling strong teamwork and communication. "I aim to be a mentor and enabler for others whenever and wherever I can," she explains. Her belief in the importance of people who believe in you and provide opportunities has profoundly shaped her approach to leadership. By fostering a supportive and empowering environment, Corinna ensures her team can thrive and achieve their full potential. This philosophy not only drives her team's success but also cultivates a culture of trust and collaboration within the organization. Conclusion Corinna Schulthess's journey in family office management consulting is a powerful example of how passion, innovation, and dedication can transform an industry. Her leadership, grounded in personal values and a relentless pursuit of excellence, continues to inspire and create meaningful change. As we look to the future, leaders like Corinna remind us of the profound impact that dedicated individuals can have on our world. Her story is a testament to the power of vision, resilience, and the unwavering commitment to making a difference.

Since founding her firm in 2009, the family office consulting industry has evolved significantly, with more diverse wealth owners and bespoke structures tailored to their unique

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Martin Reniere On the Path to Automating the Most Mundane

Tasks and Increasing Operational Efﬁciencies

he next stage of digital transformation is AI transformation. To stay ahead of the competition, businesses are eager to invest in AI technology. According to Andrew Ng, a globally recognized leader in AI (Artificial Intelligence) (Co-Founder of Coursera), AI transformation is a process that might take two to three years, but businesses can begin to benefit from it in as little as six to twelve months. Before businesses can begin their AI transformation, they must first undergo digital transformation since, in most cases, the deployment of AI solutions requires the utilization of digital processes and digital data for training. "By helping to speed up decision-making, reduce cycletimes, and improve operations, AI is having a significant impact on the efficiency and competitiveness of businesses worldwide." Through automation and real-time visibility, Nuvoola's AIbased SaaS solutions enhance operational effectiveness. Martin Reniere, Founder and CEO of Nuvoola AI, states that the company transforms video, voice, and data into

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actionable intelligence with business solutions tailored to the supply chain, transport, and logistics industries. The CEO of Nuvoola AI Martin's primary duties at Nuvoola include formulating and communicating the company's vision, designing the strategic plan, directing the product roadmap, and developing the team. Martin is a visionary leader who can see the future of Nuvoola and then inspires and drives his team to make that dream a reality. To do this, each team member must have the authority to implement the strategic plan at the organizational, team, and individual levels. Martin works with a group of senior directors to make sure the business's operations—from ﬁnance to sales and marketing to product delivery—perform well overall. He genuinely values innovation and customer happiness, thus he likes the chance to take part in client demos to remain in touch with them and understand their requirements. He says, "Only if we understand our customers' reality and upcoming challenges can we identify the best way to innovate and ensure we have a major impact on their operations."

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Founder & CEO Nuvoola AI

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According to Martin, Nuvoola has always been a company that values innovation, excellence, teamwork, and communication. It's the team that helps nurture a culture of innovation and integrity. He believes that they are strongly encouraged to spend time learning, educating themselves, and brainstorming; this is how they come up with new ideas. This has resulted in a company that is constantly evolving and one that customers can trust to do the right thing for them. Inception Story The first focus of Nuvoola's expertise when it initially began in 2017, was on business cloud services. Then in 2019, Nuvoola made a significant shift in focus after seeing an opportunity to use AI to quicken enterprises' digital transition. The group decided to make significant investments in R&D, creating AI assets and exclusive intellectual property. Martin states, "We built a powerful AI engine that is industryagnostic and able to learn and execute commands on its own, and we named it LUKE. LUKE is an acronym that stands for Learn, Understand, Know, and Execute. It's at the heart of everything we do." The business's ability to assist organizations in automating many of the more tedious operations has enabled workers to devote more time to strategic goals. The ultimate objective is to improve and transform companies, mostly in the supply chain and logistics industry. Martin claims that Nuvoola's expansion of its ability to identify objects in challenging environments and digits in the wild is when the company first gained notoriety in the AI sector. It utilized pre-existing video streams and connected with

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other data sources to obtain insightful data that would help organizations:

performance indicators and allows for more informed decision-making.

Gain real-time visibility

Coping with Market Challenges

Get detailed, accurate, and digitized logs of entries and exits

Measure the ﬂuidity of their operations with KPIs

Transform their operations

One of the biggest challenges Nuvoola faced was the way the world had evolved and was impacted by remote work, people having less inperson interaction, and the resulting labour shortage in all industries. It committed internal resources to developing a safer access system that could automatically screen clients and workers without the need for staﬀ. Martin claims that the group created these self-serve kiosks for senior living facilities, oﬃce buildings, public buildings, and other places where a lot of people enter and exit.

Unlike its rivals, Nuvoola's solutions work in tandem with the current IT infrastructure. It fills in visibility gaps in the supply chain and enhances communication across the various management systems. For instance, AGD Verchères was searching for a creative way to improve operating effectiveness in its yard while maintaining sight of everything that entered and exited the facility. Additionally, they didn't want to undergo a significant operational shift but still needed the technology to assist them with asset management. Prior to automating the shipping container inventory on the site, Nuvoola digitalized their asset inventory and processes. Nuvoola quickly and conveniently collects all the identity details regarding containers, vehicles, and trailers entering and leaving the facility using a high-resolution camera connected to the 5G network and a self-serve kiosk for drivers to check-in. Thanks to this, AGD Verchères was able to see the assets that belonged to their clients and were kept in their storage area. AGD Verchères was able to improve operational visibility by showing realtime data on a dashboard with the help of Nuvoola's technology. This makes it easier to analyze important

The creation and implementation of the self-serve kiosks allowed Nuvoola to gain a lot of knowledge. With the expertise obtained, the company developed IGOR, an outdoor selfserve kiosk that automates gate operations for supply chain businesses and port terminals. By focusing on a diﬀerent market sector with a more pressing need, Nuvoola was able to accelerate its success. The company has seen exponential growth since its inception. Inclusive Oﬀerings All of Nuvoola's products are built on the Learn, Understand, Know, and Execute (LUKE) online cloud platform. It is an AI-based decision engine and a data-driven framework. The LUKE AI framework is broken down into a central AI hub (the "brain" which continuously learns, orchestrates thought processes and actions) and its key modules (acting like senses and limbs). "Unlike its competitors, Nuvoola's

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solutions complement existing IT systems. We bridge the gaps in supply chain visibility and improve operations between the different management systems." The LUKE platform connects with current sensors, systems, and devices as well as deep neural networks (DNNs) from third parties that it may use for specific post-analysis. Because LUKE is flexible, more AI capabilities, data analytics, and visualization tools may be added. Different variations of LUKE are being used in the following sectors: •

•

LUKE AI for Manufacturing and Distribution Centers (MDC) – A yard visibility solution that is based on a distributed computer architecture called EDGE (on premises) computing which processes data at the edge of the network, close to the source of the data. It is thus possible to minimize the bandwidth requirements between sensors and data centers by performing analysis as close as possible to the data sources, with the advantage of reducing latency. Easily integrated with existing camera infrastructure, LUKE AI for MDC uses computer vision to digitize and centralize real-time information such as truck arrivals and departures, trailer and container numbers, as well as purchase orders. Automated Gate Operation Solution – IGOR, its interactive self-serve kiosk that is installed at the gate, automates driver and vehicle identiﬁcation. Using the powerful capabilities of LUKE, drivers can quickly and easily identify themselves without the

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need for employees to get involved. The kiosks can interact with drivers, telling them where to go once they are identiﬁed. This reduces check-in time while providing secure access to the site, all without the need for someone to be present at each gate. •

LUKE AI for Order Management – Developed as a custom solution for JRV Distribution, this product complements the suite of

solutions for distribution centers. Users can connect to LUKE AI to place orders. The distribution center receives the order, and their ERP is automatically updated along with the clients' ERP. Orders can be tracked in LUKE from the moment they are received to the moment they reach their destination. •

LUKE AI for Inventory Management – A fully digitized process to track inventory and

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reorder parts and items that may be running low. An order can be made by simply scanning the code on the box where the item is stored. LUKE AI uses Order Management to place the order. Both ERPs are updated and the client as well as the distributor can follow and track the order. •

Operation Performance Center for Ports – A SaaS solution that is comprised of three distinct sets of advanced analytics related to visibility, ﬂuidity, and resilience. The visibility module integrates multiple sources of data and processes them to provide a complete view of information, such as daily throughput, railcar volume, cargo volume, and more. Real-time performance is then monitored with a ﬂuidity dashboard that provides detailed insights on things like gateway cycle time, outbound time, average time spent by location or commodity, and more.

Finally, the resilience module uses predictive analytics to alert ports about potential disruptions and their impacts on business. This is done thanks to a wide variety of data including A6 and A6A forms from CBSA, and data from the ports operations and Transport Canada. These analyses improve the ability to react to disruptive events and to recover from them without signiﬁcant impact on operations and customer timelines. •

Rail Shipment Visibility – Using cameras, its rail shipment visibility solution detects and classiﬁes the type of wagon as well as the containers' type and ID number to create a detailed emanifest.

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•

Transport of Dangerous Goods – This solution recognizes placards of dangerous goods at high and low speeds to provide visibility and compliance information on the trucks transporting dangerous goods. It can provide information such as speed and directions.

Leading Competition in Artificial Intelligence Martin and the crew always strive to keep one step ahead of the competition. The team regularly conducts competitive analyses to see what new products the company's rivals are releasing and what new features may be added to their own solutions. Martin also likes talking with both current and future clients to learn more about the difficulties they are experiencing and the changes they would want to see. This enables Nuvoola to develop better solutions and maintain an edge over rivals. Coping with the Advanced Landscape of AI The role of AI in the supply chain is quickly developing in order to address the growing number of difficulties the sector is experiencing. AI is becoming a more crucial tool for the optimization of supply chain and logistics operations as more companies use IoT platforms and data-intensive software, allowing them to become more visible, flexible, and predictable. AI is having a huge influence on the productivity and competitiveness of organizations all over the world by assisting in the acceleration of decision-making, the reduction of cycle times, and the improvement of operations. The supply chain and logistics industry may anticipate that AI will

play an increasingly bigger role in the years to come. With its ability to optimize operations and improve performance, AI is destined to become a key component of successful businesses worldwide. Nuvoola is contributing to this change by offering solutions that bridge the gaps in visibility and streamline operations. This helps businesses become more efficient by saving time and allowing resources to focus on other priorities. Motivation Behind the Achievements Martin believes that the creation of the first AI-powered self-serve kiosk with a lift mechanism is the greatest recent accomplishment. The kiosk, which is installed at the gate, can determine if an approaching vehicle is a car or a truck and will alter its height appropriately. He continues by saying that the Nuvoola intelligent self-serve kiosk automates vehicle and driver identification. The procedure just needs a few seconds if the motorist has permission to access the area. It speeds up check-in while allowing secure site access without requiring a gate attendant at each gate. The kiosk also communicates with the cars, directing them after they have been recognized. Paired with the reservation system, this improves the flow of operations while decreasing gate congestion and reducing dwell time. What keeps motivation high is seeing the impact the Nuvoola team has when it delivers. Just recently, the company completed a first project phase with a major customer and hearing them say things like: "We are really happy with the work, professionalism, responsiveness,

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engagement, and management that Nuvoola has provided" and "We have only positive feedback and Transport Canada has expressed their desire to move forward" is creating the energy and motivation the team needs to continue delivering the best services and solutions to its customers. View on the Future of Nuvoola AI In the last few years, Nuvoola has grown signiﬁcantly. The concentration on road infrastructure and, more particularly, the work done to provide autonomous entry for trucks at gates utilizing cameras and video systems, served as the foundation for everything else. Due to its success there, it expanded into other transportation sectors, including ports and rail. Martin says, "Here we used our success with trucks accessing gates to do the same with cargo shipments and rail cars. The

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disruptions in the supply chain and the shortage of available labour affected our customers, and because our strength is in solving business problems, we realized using automation and artificial intelligence would lessen the dependency of companies on labour supply. We've been successful with this approach, as evidenced by our revenues increasing tenfold over the last year." "We quickly expanded our recognition capabilities of objects in harsh environments and digits in the wild. We were using existing video feeds and integrating them with various sources of data to gain valuable insights that would help organizations be more efficient." The growth strategy of Nuvoola AI includes strengthening the resilience of seaports. With Canadian seaports, Nuvoola is currently collaborating to

improve visibility, flexibility, and resilience. Making marine ports more effective and robust is its aim. The amount of risk associated with big disruptors has significantly increased for all supply chain participants. The company's business solution for ports was developed to offer seaports and terminals strategic data and predictive analytics on the speed, fluidity, and short-term resilience of the supply chain. The main goals of Nuvoola's analytics tools are to comprehend how events affect the entire gateway, create a near-real-time warning system for particular resilience disruptors, and suggest potential actions that could direct gateway participants in their recovery efforts and lead to a return to full-scale operations.

SEPTEMBER 2026 |

Bharti Patel Engineering Innovation and

C u s t o m e r -C e n t r i c L e a d e r s h i p

harti Patel is the Senior Vice President and Head of Engineering at Hitachi Vantara. She possesses a unique blend of business and technical expertise, backed by over 15 years of experience in executive leadership roles spanning Strategy, Product Management, Design, Engineering, and Customer/Partner Management. Bharti is deeply passionate about driving innovation in products and solutions, recognizing them as pivotal drivers of business success, and she does so with a strong emphasis on speed and agility. With extensive experience in leading large R&D teams consisting of over 1000 talented professionals across diverse geographical locations, Bharti has cultivated a reputation as a dedicated customer advocate. Her ability to empathetically listen to customers, even in challenging situations, and execute solutions with laser-like precision has consistently turned difficult customers into highly satisfied references. One of Bharti's standout achievements is her talent for optimizing revenue growth by delivering disruptive, highquality software products and solutions. She achieves this by fostering high-performing teams driven to redefine the

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customer experience. Her track record includes successfully bringing new products to market with impressive growth trajectories and transforming legacy processes and products into modern, sustainable revenue generators. From Java Developer to Visionary Leader Bharti embarked on her career as a Java developer, where she had the privilege of working on groundbreaking Java speciﬁcations. Despite her technical roots, her career path took an unexpected turn into management. However, she didn't view herself solely as a manager but as a leader, especially when it came to empowering technical experts to reach their full potential. One notable milestone in Bharti's career was her early selection for her company's high-potential executive program, a distinction awarded to less than 0.01% of individuals. This recognition underscored her unwavering commitment and dedication to her work. Moreover, she received incredibly rewarding feedback from customers regarding a mobile-ﬁrst solution she championed. This solution not only revolutionized their experience but also

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Senior Vice President and Head of Engineering Hitachi Vantara

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demonstrated the profound impact of forward-thinking leadership in delivering exceptional results. Throughout her journey, Bharti ﬁrmly believed that leadership extends beyond mere team management. It encompasses the nurturing and development of exceptional individuals who, when collectively empowered, can achieve extraordinary outcomes.

opportunities for growth. She thrives in complex situations and ﬁnds inspiration in the unwavering support and belief in her vision from her direct team and extended team. Three key factors fueled Bharti's passion at the start of her engineering journey: •

Embracing Challenges and Defining Success Bharti wholeheartedly agrees that challenges are catalysts for personal growth. She believes that when faced with difficulties, it's essential to view them as opportunities for improvement and innovative thinking. Embracing challenges not only pushes individuals to push their limits but also provides them with a competitive advantage in their careers and endeavors. For Bharti, success is fundamentally measured by outcomes and their realworld impact. She is results-driven and defines success by the tangible and positive changes she observes in her surroundings. In Bharti's perspective, the true measure of success lies in the impact she makes and the organizational capabilities she develops. These capabilities directly influence her capacity to deliver exceptional customer outcomes. Success, to her, means simplifying customers' lives and enhancing their capabilities, ultimately contributing to their top and bottom-line growth. Passion for Problem-Solving Bharti's passion lies in problemsolving, and she views challenges as

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Team Conﬁdence: The support and enthusiasm of her team members were a signiﬁcant source of motivation. Their willingness to collaborate and assist in realizing her vision was invaluable.

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Impactful Feedback: Seeing the tangible diﬀerence she was making through her work was highly rewarding. Feedback served as a guiding compass, pushing her toward continuous improvement.

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Purposeful Focus: Bharti's dedication was laser-focused on engineering, research, and development, with a strong emphasis on developing cuttingedge products. This purposeful focus drove her forward in her career.

Transforming Data into Digital Excellence Hitachi Vantara is a true data company. A subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Vantara provides the technology and expertise for over 80% of Fortune 100 companies. By developing intelligent data platforms and hybrid cloud infrastructures, we power resilient digital processes, products, and experiences that turn data-rich businesses into data-driven ones. Visit hitachivantara.com to

discover how we help businesses become data-driven through agile digital solutions. Staying Ahead in a Dynamic Landscape Bharti believes that in today's fiercely competitive landscape, staying ahead requires a forward-thinking approach and agility to adapt to what lies ahead. Meeting basic requirements is no longer enough, as differentiation and competitiveness have become table stakes. To truly excel, organizations must envision the future more clearly than their counterparts. Those with the ability to anticipate upcoming trends and shifts are the ones who can swiftly adapt, innovate, and continuously improve their offerings. In this dynamic environment, the companies that embrace this proactive approach will emerge as the winners, consistently outpacing their competition. Engineering Leadership As Senior Vice President and Head of Engineering at Hitachi Vantara, Bharti oversees all software development for the company's data and storage products. In this role, she prioritizes three core principles: •

Simplicity and User-Friendliness: Bharti believes in making products as straightforward and easy to use as possible to ensure customers have a seamless experience.

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Innovation that Drives Exceptional Customer Experiences: She emphasizes thinking outside the box to create

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outstanding customer experiences, going beyond expectations to deliver value. •

Driving Innovation with GenAI: The company is committed to leveraging GenAI to foster innovation and push the boundaries of what's possible.

Bharti's day is intense, starting with interactions in India and ending with those in Japan. She carefully balances her time between working with customers, strategic thinking to guide the product portfolio, and hands-on involvement with the team. Her approach is characterized by setting a bold vision, staying grounded about what's achievable, and proactively addressing issues before they become crises. In one word, Bharti describes her approach as "innovative." Approach to Positivity, Recognition, and Learning Balancing personal and professional life remains a continuous challenge for Bharti, and she admits to only occasionally excelling at it. Nevertheless, she motivates herself and her employees by fostering a positive culture, even during challenging times. Bharti believes that positivity, combined with confidence, can be a powerful motivator. Appreciating and acknowledging her team's hard work and dedication is a top priority. Recognizing their efforts and successes plays a significant role in maintaining motivation within the team. Equally crucial in Bharti's approach is how setbacks are handled. She emphasizes that it's perfectly

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acceptable for things to go wrong from time to time. What truly matters is the ability to learn from these failures without placing blame. This approach creates an environment where the team can move forward positively, armed with the knowledge gained from their experiences. Leading Innovation and Agility in the Data-Driven Industry Looking ahead to Hitachi Vantara's future, the company has a clear vision. The team aspires to continue being recognized as the foremost trailblazing, innovative, and agile data-driven company within their industry. The commitment is to remain at the cutting edge of technology, embracing innovation at every turn. Regarding personal goals as a leader, the primary focus is on the impact they can make in their role. Rather than fixating on specific personal objectives or the next career step, the dedication is to drive meaningful change and deliver the necessary results for the organization. It's about ensuring that the company continues to evolve, staying ahead of the curve to meet the market's ever-changing demands. Hitachi Vantara's new Virtual Storage Platform One embodies this vision. It represents the next generation of allin-one data solutions designed for data flexibility and resiliency. With a single data plane spanning structured and unstructured data in block, file, and object storage, it empowers organizations to run applications seamlessly, whether on-premises or in the public cloud. This unified data platform offers clarity and accessibility, eliminating the hassles of data silos and restrictions, and

ultimately unleashing the full potential of data. Advice for Aspiring Engineers Bharti's message to aspiring engineers is rooted in a few fundamental principles: •

Hard Work: There is no substitute for hard work and dedication. To excel in the ﬁeld of engineering, you must be willing to put in the eﬀort required.

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Innovation: Cultivate a mindset of thinking outside the box when it comes to problem-solving. Innovation often arises from unconventional approaches.

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Continuous Learning: Engineering is a rapidly evolving ﬁeld. To succeed, you must commit to continuous learning and skill development to stay on the cutting edge.

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Unwavering Determination: Maintain unwavering determination and refuse to accept 'no' as the ﬁnal answer. This determination can be a powerful driver of innovation and progress in your engineering career.

Bharti adds that remember the importance of hard work, creative problem-solving, lifelong learning, and unwavering determination as you embark on your journey in engineering.

SEPTEMBER 2026 |

Eric Stanley Celebrating Individual Diversity and Ensuring

Inclusion is the Choice Companies Make

iversity isn't a fleeting fad or the most recent workplace trend that a company should aim to implement. Race, gender, sexual orientation, age, education, financial origins, personalities, passions, and so on are all equally relevant in contemporary society. Diversity is a must-have rather than a nice-to-have. Strong factual evidence is being presented to business executives that a diverse workforce has a significant effect on their bottom line. Companies that struggle with diversity or merely pay lip attention to it are penalised with subpar results. Organizations, on the other hand, are not enthusiastic about I & D. Despite years of diversity efforts, the black presence in Fortune 500 firms in the United States has fallen from 2012 to 2020 and remains anaemic at 1%, despite the fact that the black population is 13.4%. An Indiana native and experienced business leader, Robert Eric Stanley, founded M2N, a black-owned business. Eric's life experiences as one of the only black males in primarily white areas inspired M2N | Minority Moves Network. Eric's leadership team is made up of two former classmates from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.

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To guarantee that the appropriate candidates are offered the correct opportunities, M2N's data-driven hiring solutions prioritise quality over quantity. MPower, the M2N career platform, facilitates long-term relationships between professionals and business leadership, resulting in a more diverse workforce. MPower is a vibrant online community that fosters a sense of community and embraces the entire range and intersectionality of diversity. Stepping Up to Bring Change Eric's career began in sales with Northwestern Mutual and then Johnson & Johnson. Since that time, he has held various successful sales roles in companies across industries. He says, "The recognition I remember most fondly was one of the many trips I won as a top sales performer to Hawaii. I took my mom as my guest to show my appreciation for her unwavering love, hard work, and sacrifices she made to expand my opportunities." He worked as an enterprise sales leader for a corporate board software firm before founding M2N | Minority

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Founder & CEO Minority Moves Network

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M2N's proprietary data-driven hiring solutions prioritize quality over quantity to ensure the right candidates are oﬀered the right roles.

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M2N's Bridge Services support corporate leaders' strategic plans for transformational change.

The Work at M2N | Minority Moves Network

Moves Network. He saw fewer than 5 people who looked like him around the corporate board table over his 5 years in that job and hundreds of talks. This event solidified his understanding of the importance of making a concerted effort to link diverse people to business jobs. "Representation at all levels is key to building sustainable and transformational change within the corporate landscape," Eric explains. Eric's turning point came with the assassination of George Floyd in the summer of 2020. He spent the following year gathering data, confirming his hypotheses, interacting with investors, and putting up a viable business strategy. He committed to M2N full-time in the summer of 2021 and began developing the MPower platform. Eric is willing to share. M2N is nearing completion of its Friends & Family round, employs five people, has signed its first statement of work with corporate partners, and

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the MPower app will be available for beta testing in June 2022. M2N Diversity is a fact. Inclusion is a choice. M2N redeﬁnes the staﬃng space by building products that celebrate individual diversity and ensure inclusion is the choice companies make. As Eric states, a comprehensive approach is the only way to achieve sustainable change. •

M2N's career platform, MPower is a members ﬁrst solution to guide long term connections between professionals and corporate leadership for an inclusive workforce.

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Mpower 's dynamic online talent community nurtures a shared experience and accommodates the full spectrum and intersectionality of diversity.

Eric's primary task as M2N's Founder/CEO is to guarantee that his team gets the resources and support they need to succeed. The M2N staff is extremely competent and dedicated to its purpose of fostering diversity in the workplace. Each of them adds a unique set of talents and views to the company, which are critical to its continuing growth and success. Eric also works on forming partnerships with businesses that share M2N's objectives in order to assist them in developing an inclusive culture with skilled and varied personnel and Bridge Services. The most important acknowledgment Eric has gotten as the founder of M2N is discovering individuals who share his purpose and want to assist in inspiring change for all of society's communities. Every day, Eric reminds himself and his team of the following quote by philanthropist, Lynne Twist: "If you are here to help, please leave. If you are here because your liberation is bound up in ours, please stay." He believes that when the liberation of others aligns with his, it is the most significant recognition, he can receive. An Efficient Work Balance "I need to do a better job at finding balance," says Eric. He goes on to say

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However, with underrepresented entrepreneurs, the structural impediments that exist in the workforce are exacerbated.

that building a business from the ground up takes a lot of time and eﬀort. However, he just began to conduct his weekly leadership checkin meeting as a 'walk and talk.' Due to the fact that M2N is a remote company, the team spends a lot of time on video calls. So, instead of watching another hour of Zoom, they can all enjoy some fresh air and exercise while still being connected.

He asserts, "Success is a strong word, because it will take time to achieve what we have set out to do with M2N. I will benchmark success by how much meaningful progress we can make in removing systemic barriers for underrepresented communities." Eric is conﬁdent that M2N will be the disruptor needed to make a real diﬀerence.

Eric motivates the M2N team by reiterating the company's goal and emphasising the good impact they are having on the communities."I am intentional about giving every member of the team opportunities to be creative, have agency, and share their ideas," says Eric. From the very start, as per Eric, M2N has had a culture guide in place to set the right expectations and hold him, as a leader, accountable. He states, "Our benefits and policies are inclusive and flexible to accommodate different life circumstances, family structures, and individual needs." As M2N grows, its team members will directly benefit from additional compensation, bonuses, increased company perks, and benefits to support the team's wellbeing. Challenges and Success While having years of experience, Eric still believes that he is just getting started. He feels proud of the work he has done in his previous roles. He asserts, "I am proud of my family and how I have shown up as a father. But my journey towards moving the needle and addressing the systematic barriers for diverse professionals is just beginning." Eric thinks that facing problems makes you stronger and that

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A Vision to Create Opportunities

conquering them allows you to develop superhero abilities. As a black male in primarily white surroundings, he has learned to overcome institutional hurdles by utilising his situational awareness, self-reﬂection, and high energy. Eric made it a point to cultivate a strong network of mentors, sponsors, and friends to assist him on his path. And he constantly asks, "How Can I Help You?" at the end of every conversation, knowing that by working together, any hurdle can be surmounted. One of the major problems he has experienced as a black founder, and one that he hears from others, is the lack of access to ﬁnancial investment. As a career sales professional, Eric understands that every 'no' leads to a 'yes,' and this mindset has been important in his ability to gather the required cash to launch M2N.

Eric wants to use M2N's MPower app to create a significant impact network for a variety of professionals. He will give the firm's MPower members access to a comprehensive collection of services and experiences tailored to their unique living experiences. Eric aims to help corporate leaders accomplish transformative change and establish an inclusive workforce by cultivating long-term connections built on trust and psychological safety. He shares, "I would like to encourage aspiring business leaders to allow themselves to be vulnerable to create meaningful connections with their team members and customers.” In the end, Eric wishes to contribute to a collective effort where his children, along every other child, truly has true access to opportunity and are confident in the value they bring to the world.

SEPTEMBER 2026 |

Kathy Leake Leading by Vision to Put AI in the Hands

of Every Business User

ncreasing the participation of women in crucial technical AI jobs necessitates more than simple recruitment efforts; it also necessitates building an inclusive culture and providing access to and opportunities for development and promotion. Today, enterprises across sectors confront a fundamental impediment to achieving their AI goals: talent. Many firms are stepping up their AI recruiting while attempting to broaden their talent sources due to a lack of critical AI expertise. The need for AI appears to be increasing, with artificial intelligence specialists being the highest-rising occupation in the United States in the next few years. Despite the increasing need for AI, at least one skill pool that may assist corporations in achieving their AI goals has gone virtually untapped—women. However, according to a 2020 World Economic Forum study, women make up just 26% of data and AI roles in the workforce, while the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI's 2021 AI Index Report indicated that women make up only 16% of tenuretrack academics concentrating on AI internationally. For a long time, there has been continuous and unchanging gender diversity in AI.

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Diversity of work experience is essential for a successful AI team, and some interviewees' businesses value qualities and aptitudes above specific skill sets when recruiting for AI employment. This might pave the way for women from a variety of professional backgrounds to enter the field of artificial intelligence. Led by Kathy Leake, Crux Intelligence is a powerful AIbased business intelligence platform founded in 2019. It helps clients make seamless decisions rapidly by providing intuitive access to all of their available data. With Crux Intelligence, Kathy states her vision to "put artificial intelligence in the hands of every business user." Kathy has established four technological companies from the ground up, with a combined revenue of $60MM. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, probabilistic modelling, and big data methods were essential IP for all four companies. She has obtained $55 million in venture funding to-date and has experienced every stage in a company's life-cycle (from ideation to scaling up, M&A, Exits & raising capital).

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CEO Crux Intelligence

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As a serial entrepreneur, Kathy has always pushed the boundaries of establishing companies that are next generation technology. All her companies sit at the nexus of how data can drive business decisions. Given how much data has completely transformed the business world, Kathy's companies are all on the cutting edge of innovation. Crux Intelligence Being an artificial intelligence platform on mobile and offering solutions to important business issues in natural language are both cuttingedge industry advancements. For enterprise, truly democratizing access to data and decision making is next generation. Crux Intelligence is an artificial intelligence firm that puts AI in the hands of every business user. Crux Intelligence was created as a mobilefirst platform to give curated, ondemand insights available anytime, anywhere. It assists in answering the "why" behind many of the most important business concerns. Crux Intelligence, which is automated and always on, provides agile insights without requiring human input or inquiries. Crux Intelligence provides a smooth, high-performance user experience by leveraging natural language processing and natural language generation via powerful voice search features. Key differentiators are making business intelligence pervasive and available in real-time. "We empower business users to make critical business decisions anytime and anywhere," says Kathy. Building successful businesses requires a diverse workforce. The staff at Crux Intelligence not only

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mentors but also employs women. Data scientists, machine learning professionals, and artiﬁcial intelligence engineers account for 38% of its workforce (while “big tech” averages at ~25%). Views on Life and Work Kathy believes one can only balance 3 (or so) things really well at the same time. Right now, for Kathy, those are family, career, and health. She adds,

"Knowing that at any given time in your life that is the reality. Cut yourself a break and don't try and "do it all" at the same time. "Doing it all" is a fallacy that leads to disappointment, exhaustion, and unhappiness." Kathy shares that she didn't have a speciﬁc career goal growing up, per se. The only thing she knew was that she wanted to travel the world and visit the sites of ancient cultures. She

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used to pour over books about the Pyramids, Machu Picchu, Easter Island, etc., and dream of going. Kathy recalls, "Back then, I had no idea how I was going to pay for it – but since then, I have travelled to 65 countries around the world." I never want to live with regret." Her advice for aspiring businesswomen is to become an entrepreneur much earlier, be kind to yourself, and make life decisions based on being true to your internal compass. Success for Kathy! Kathy believes that the concept of success is unique and particular to each individual. Certain sorts of successes whether material and/or the optics of "success" that are highly valued in society often lead people astray. Her internal driving force has always been to shut out the cacophony of what others expect her to be or the route that society believes she should take. She says, "I don't let other people's projections of doubts upon me cloud my judgment." I trust myself to know what's right for me." She further adds that learning how to bounce back from setbacks or outright failure is the true test of knowing what you are really made of. She believes that resilience and persistence are mandatory characteristics for becoming a successful entrepreneur.

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SEPTEMBER 2026 |

Frank Corcoran Driving Positive Change through

Strategic Leadership

eing at the forefront of the healthcare industry is a formidable yet fulfilling task. The role demands a unique blend of expertise, skills, and personal qualities to drive positive change in patient care, organizational effectiveness, and overall health outcomes. In this feature, we delve into the inspiring journey of Frank Corcoran, CEO of Sierra Vista Hospital and Clinics, as he navigates the complex landscape of healthcare leadership. In 2018, Frank Corcoran joined Sierra Vista Hospital as a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) as part of a Turnaround Team led by Quorum Health Resources, now known as Ovation Healthcare. At that time, the hospital was facing financial difficulties, with only 5 days of cash on hand. In order to address these challenges, a loan was secured to fund a $65 million expansion project, aimed at replacing a 70-year-old building. However, realizing the need for financial prudence, the expansion was scaled down to a $40 million project, marking the beginning of a financial turnaround. In 2019, Frank transitioned to another project in a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) capacity, focusing on a different turnaround initiative. However, in 2021, he returned to Sierra Vista Hospital as the permanent CEO. Through the

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collective efforts, Sierra Vista Hospital has made significant progress in improving the hospital's financial stability. Currently, it has achieved an impressive 135 days of cash on hand. Forging a Path of Compassion and Leadership Frank embarked on his professional journey in the Blood Banking Industry while pursuing a Pre-Med degree in college. During this time, he also volunteered at the University of New Orleans, participating in a Sugar Bowl Flag Football Tournament as a trainer and first aid station personnel. It was during this experience that he had the opportunity to care for an injured nursing student, who commended his compassionate bedside manner and encouraged him to consider a career in nursing. Throughout his career, Frank has been fortunate to have several mentors who have played pivotal roles in guiding his path. However, it was Craig Cudworth, a seasoned hospital CEO, who recognized Frank's potential as an administrator and his innate desire to make a difference in people's lives. From their first meeting, Craig provided unwavering support and encouragement, propelling Frank into the role of an administrator.

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CEO Sierra Vista Hospital and Clinics

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While Frank has received numerous accolades throughout his career, one achievement stands out as particularly fulfilling. He spearheaded an innovative initiative aimed at monitoring patients across the hospital, implementing alerts for individuals exhibiting potential distress symptoms in the hospital setting. After a year of implementing this project, the organization witnessed a remarkable 40% reduction in mortalities and an impressive 76% decrease in Code Blue events outside of the ICU. This outcome brought immense satisfaction to Frank and reaffirmed the positive impact he could make through his work. From Baseball Dreams to Healthcare Triumphs Frank's youth was filled with a passion for baseball, and he dreamt of pursuing a career as a professional player. However, he soon recognized the challenges of making a living solely through baseball and embraced the invaluable lesson of humility that the sport imparted. Before joining Sierra Vista Hospital, Frank gained experience working in various hospitals and later transitioned into consulting. His consulting work focused on assisting struggling hospitals in achieving financial and clinical improvements. This challenging endeavor brought its own rewards and satisfaction, knowing that his efforts contributed to the betterment of healthcare institutions. If there were one word to describe Frank, it would be "Persistence." This characteristic embodies his unwavering determination and tenacity in facing challenges and pursuing his goals.

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Delivering Critical Access Care Sierra Vista Hospital is a Critical Access Hospital serving Sierra County and surrounding areas in Southwest New Mexico. The closest hospitals are 75miles in every direction. We operate 11 Medical Surgical Beds, 7 ED Beds, support 9 Rural Health Clinic Providers, and a World Class EMS department which covers Sierra County and surrounding counties. Sierra Vista Hospital has expanded its range of services to better cater to the needs of the community. Its oﬀerings now include Cardiology, General Surgery, Expanded Behavioral Health services, Sleep Medicine, TeleMedicine Psychiatric and Neurology programs. Additionally, it has strengthened its healthcare team by adding four Rural Health Clinic Providers, enhancing its capacity to provide comprehensive care to patients. Achieving Harmony Frank prioritizes work-life balance for himself and his family. He has a strong sense of adventure and enjoys spending time outdoors, engaging in activities such as hiking and exploration. The location of Sierra Vista Hospital in the high desert provides ample opportunities for these outdoor pursuits. With the Lincoln National Forest just two hours away, the Gila National Forest only an hour away, and the Santa Fe National Forest and Pecos Trail accessible within three hours, Frank has a wealth of natural landscapes to explore. Frank also recognizes the signiﬁcance of promoting a culture of work-life balance within the hospital. He understands the importance of

allowing employees to have time off to participate in significant family events, regardless of their scale. This culture fosters an environment where employees can recharge their energy, resulting in improved productivity in the workplace. By valuing work-life balance, Frank supports the wellbeing of his employees and encourages a healthy equilibrium between personal and professional lives. Commitment to Healthcare Technology and Cybersecurity Frank witnessed the transition from paper health records to advanced healthcare technology throughout his nursing career. The adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHR) has significantly improved patient care by streamlining data collection and enabling real-time decision-making. However, the rise of cyber threats has underscored the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect patient information. Frank remains vigilant in addressing these risks while maximizing the benefits of healthcare technology, ensuring the highest level of care for patients. Inspiring Integrity and Empowering Innovation Frank prioritizes integrity, holding himself and his team to high standards. He believes that integrity starts at the top, fostering trust and credibility. Accountability is essential in upholding integrity, and Frank ensures that individuals take responsibility for their actions, promoting transparency and ethical behavior. Frank empowers his staff, granting them autonomy and encouraging

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creative thinking. This approach leads to job satisfaction and innovative problem-solving. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of adaptability and creativity. Frank and his team swiftly adjusted their strategies to provide safe care, demonstrating the power of innovation in healthcare. Revitalizing Sierra Vista Hospital Sierra Vista Hospital has successfully turned around its financial situation, becoming a stable institution. The next steps involve replacing the remaining old hospital infrastructure to create a modern healthcare environment. Expanding Behavioral Health Services is a priority for Sierra Vista Hospital. They aim to introduce Medical Assisted Therapy for substance abuse and offer Outpatient Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient programs to meet the community's primary needs in behavioral health support. Through these initiatives, Sierra Vista Hospital is dedicated to addressing critical gaps, enhancing patient care, and contributing to the overall wellbeing of the community. Measuring Success in Healthcare Frank believes that success in healthcare is measured by several key factors. At the end of the day, success is achieved when patients receive appropriate care and treatment, indicating positive health outcomes. Engaged staff members contribute to a positive work environment and ensure the delivery of high-quality care. Building trust within the community is another crucial aspect

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of success, as it reflects the hospital's reputation and its ability to meet the needs of the community. Lastly, achieving a positive bottom line indicates financial stability, which enables the hospital to sustain its operations and invest in further improvements. For Frank, true success lies in consistently meeting these criteria every day. When the hospital consistently provides appropriate care, engages its staff, fosters community trust, and maintains financial stability, it can consider success as its ultimate achievement and recognition. Message to Aspiring Healthcare Leaders

leaders who are committed to the mission and challenges it entails. Frank stresses the importance of striving for excellence in all aspects of healthcare leadership. Every decision should be centered around the patient and the continuous improvement of care. As leaders, their primary purpose is to care for those who are unable to care for themselves. By keeping these principles at the forefront, aspiring healthcare leaders can make a positive impact in the industry, contribute to the well-being of patients, and drive the necessary changes to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes.

Frank's message to aspiring leaders in the healthcare industry is to recognize and embrace the constant changes and transformations within the ﬁeld. Healthcare is a highly regulated and complex business, and it requires

SEPTEMBER 2026 |

Alessandro De Luca Delivering and Implementing Technological

Solutions to Advance the Healthcare Sector

he CIO role is still evolving as digital transformation efforts and organisational shifts like those described by Adobe's Stoddard advance. While CIOs once relied solely on their technical talents to advance their careers, today's most successful CIOs also excel in other areas, including communication, bridging gaps between groups, and empathy, all of which are crucial during periods of significant cultural change. Though they may be regarded as "soft skills," any CIO will tell you that these are the most difficult abilities to learn. Alessandro is a Merck group CIO and leads the IT for all Merck. His goal is for IT to become the partner of choice for the business for digital technology enablement to support the company's growth. Alessandro joined Merck in Switzerland around ten years ago as Global Head of Supply Chain for the Healthcare business. In September, 2021, he assumed the role of Merck Group CIO.

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Merck KGaA Merck KGaA is a leading global scientific and technological corporation with 58,000 employees in 66 countries. The Merck team is totally committed to research and development, where the firm has more than 7,500 professionals working for it. Three business segments make up the company: healthcare, life sciences, and electronics. Merck KGaA was founded in 1668 in Germany, and the whole team is proud of its heritage. The Beginning of a Career and Learning Alessandro began working for Procter & Gamble as a Process Engineer in a Manufacturing Plant (Pomezia site) in 1991 as a newly graduated engineer. He collaborated closely with technicians and the maintenance team to enhance the efficiency of the production lines. This was incredibly enlightening for him because he had to deal with actual technical issues (not the ones from the books) and people management, another ability that is rarely taught in universities!

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CIO Merck KGaA

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Alessandro holds both a civil engineering and a nuclear engineering degree. Alessandro worked for Procter & Gamble for a number of years in senior roles in operations, engineering, and supply chain management before joining Merck. He has operated in countries such as China, Russia, Venezuela, Spain and several Eastern European countries and has been based in Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, and Spain. During these early years, he gathered three key learnings about what it means to be a good leader and he adopted these learnings throughout all his career: •

Put people ﬁrst on your agenda.

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Do what is right as if the company was yours.

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Get your hands dirty. What counts is the execution, not the PowerPoint slides.

Global Recognition Alessandro has won numerous awards throughout his career, but he probably feels most proud of the Wall Street Journal interview they conducted with him in 2016 regarding his work on "Self-Driving Supply Chains," a concept that is now well-known in the ﬁeld but was at the time highly novel and almost revolutionary. •

•

Alessandro was named a "top 100 leader in healthcare" by the IFAH (International Forum for Advancements in Healthcare) in 2019. In 2017, he was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal and several other newspapers about

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his ground-breaking work in "Self-Driving Supply Chain.” •

In 2016, he was elected "The Inspirational Leader of the Year" within the Merck BioPharma division.

•

In 2015, he was awarded the No. 1 Pharma "Most Inﬂuential Supply Chain Executive in Europe" (among the top 5 across all industries) by the SCM magazine.

The Role of Group CIO According to Alessandro, the healthcare industry is going through a revolution driven by the confluence of two elements: science and technology. The companies that are able to master these two elements to the benefit of their patients and customers will certainly thrive. He shares, "we can humbly say that this is our vision." As the Group CIO at Merck, his mission is to drive the digital technology roadmap to create value for the company's customers and patients worldwide and to support the company's growth in an effective and efficient way. The firm's IT strategy is built upon 4 strategic pillars: •

IT operations continuous improvement

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Eﬀective and eﬃcient operating model

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State-of-the art technology

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Diverse and inclusive organization

Alessandro defines himself as a pragmatic leader. He states that progressing across these four strategic areas while balancing the daily activities (and emergencies) is the challenge of his regular day at work. The Responsibility of Being in Healthcare Alessandro believes that working in an industry such as healthcare is both a great privilege and a great responsibility at the same time. The general purpose is to contribute to the health and well-being of every patient and human being in the world, and this is truly fulfilling. He opines, "If we look at how much scientific progress has been helping humanity to eradicate diseases, fight poverty and starvation, and, more recently, to cope with the deadly pandemic, we should be proud. But we cannot stop here, as so much is still to be done. Today, we can leverage new technologies to access an enormous quantity of data and to be able to process all this information in a very powerful way." Alessandro firmly believes that the marriage of science and technology will cause the healthcare sector as a whole to adopt precision drugs, individualised therapies, and preventive care that will positively improve lives. Keeping Balance To reconcile personal and professional lives and to find the right balance, Alessandro tries to perform a "digital sabbatical" of nearly 36 hours every weekend by switching off his phone, laptop, and tablets on Friday night and switching them on only on Sunday late morning. This allows him some time to totally disconnect from

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Heading to Aligning with the Change As we know and as we experience every day in our personal and professional lives, the world is changing faster and faster. The leaders of the future cannot rely on static knowledge, nor can they hope to manage in the same way they did in the past. On the contrary, success will depend on our ability to adjust our ways of thinking, learning, managing and, eventually, being. Alessandro truly believes that the source of competitive advantage for an organisation as well as for an individual is in his or her capability of continuously learning. He adds that, in fact, if work is learning and learning is the work, then leadership should be all about enabling learning and personal/professional development in a very inclusive way.

the continuous information ﬂow that everyone must deal with every day and to invest time with his family, doing sports, reading books, or playing chess. Learn from Each Challenge A career is made of ups and downs. As Alessandro sees, learning from setbacks (the down moments) is extremely important for an individual as well as for an organization. The key is to ﬁnd the right balance between the humility to accept a failure (and learn from it) and the courage to always strive for excellence combined with "intelligent" risk-taking. He asserts,

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"We have all made mistakes throughout our careers and overcome signiﬁcant roadblocks. What matters most is how we react to these challenges that might happen to us and how we bounce back from them." In this context, Alessandro ﬁnds it very inspirational to quote from one of the most appreciated world's leaders, Nelson Mandela, who said: "I never lose. Either I win or I learn." Success in Alessandro's Words For Alessandro, success is a "relative" term rather than a "absolute" one. A person is said to have succeeded when they have made an organisation, a team, or a project better than when

they discovered it. Better, not worse, not the same; ideally, noticeably better He claims that although it might seem unimportant, it is, and that if everyone embraced this way of thinking, people would undoubtedly live and ﬂourish in a better world. In Alessandro's situation, he is working to continuously improve the Merck IT organisation, little by little.

MeRck SEPTEMBER 2026 |

Jaimie Augustine A Healthcare Leader with Demonstrated

Work During the Global Pandemic

ith a demonstrated history of success in the medical device industry Jaimie Augustine serves as Vice President of Sales at COPAN Diagnostics a leading manufacturer of Microbiology and Virology sample collection and transport systems. Currently, Jaimie leads a group of six sales managers who manage business development of COPAN's sample collection and transport as well as laboratory automation in the hospital sector. Additionally, she oversees commercial relationships for COPAN's distributors and assay producers. Solution development and visits with end users who require assistance traversing the portfolio to locate the right product for their application are among Jaimie's everyday activities. Jaimie enjoys her job since every day is unique. One day she may be participating in the development of a new sample collection kit to address the market's shifting expectations, the next she is in Europe meeting with business partners to discuss collaboration and strategy.

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COPAN Diagnostics, Inc. Jaimie enjoys her job since every day is unique. One day she may be participating in the development of a new sample collection kit to address the market's shifting expectations, the next she is in Europe meeting with business partners to discuss collaboration and strategy. Meeting New Challenges Everyday Jaimie's career consists of two phases. Prior to joining COPAN Diagnostics, Jaimie earned her BA from Point Loma Nazarene University with a specialty in premedical studies and philosophy. She went on to spend nearly six years managing a clinical research program for a neuroendocrine clinic. The second portion of her career began when she entered industry 11 years ago, and this is where she believes she will stay. Early in 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, technology giant Apple announced that it was awarding COPAN Diagnostics $10 million from its Advanced

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Vice President of Sales COPAN Diagnostics, Inc.

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Manufacturing Fund. The funds and partnership with Apple would support the rapid acceleration of manufacturing of sample collection kits for hospitals across the United States. The relationship with Apple helped COPAN to open a new facility, supply the market with needed supplies and open new jobs in Southern California. Since 2021, Jaimie has also been working with assay manufacturers supporting home-based diagnostic testing for common ailments. She believes the future of diagnostics will continue to move more into the hands of the patient, and says it is exciting to see the developments and advancements in technology making that happen. Staying Ahead in the Growing Competition COPAN is a true innovator and pioneer in Microbiology sample collection and transport. COPAN invented and holds the patent for ﬂocked swabs. Additionally, the company has a long history of utilizing robotics and automation to maximize its production. COPAN's commitment to innovation in specimen processing led to the 2008 launch of WASP® (Walk –Away Specimen Processor), which enables automatic plating and streaking of bacteriological samples. COPAN later developed Smart Incubators and Digital Microbiology in 2012. The team at COPAN understands the value of their work and is passionate about it. A testimony to this commitment is the fact that all the original employees that joined COPAN in 1979, still work at the company. At every level within COPAN, creativity is encouraged, and

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a tremendous spirit of entrepreneurial creativity exists with few limits. It is this atmosphere that empowers employees to meet challenges, to be innovative and to deliver exciting solutions to the healthcare community. The Challenges Although there have been numerous obstacles along the road, none have been as significant as those that COPAN and the entire laboratory community had to overcome in the last two years. Jaimie and the team at COPAN had to make difficult choices about how to distribute the company's supplies to the market. She shares, “How do you keep a team sane as they field desperate calls from healthcare professionals? And how do you take care of your customers who have frantic clinicians and patients calling them? Insurmountable demands came from within and outside the industry, and I knew we had a solution. All we needed was time, people, and the space to do what we know how to do the best – make swabs and transport medium."

Jaimie did her best to lean in during a challenging time. She offered to support in operations, established relationships and had conversations with government officials, speaking with corporate leaders and heads of state. By facing the situation head-on and with Apple's support, COPAN to constructed a new facility, provided jobs for furloughed employees, and helped provide the market with essential testing supplies. The Life as a Leader and an Individual Jaimie thrives in her career by watching her team overcome obstacles, win difficult bids, and support healthcare professionals as they navigate the pandemic waves. In 2021, she was ranked sixth among the Top Women in Biotech by the Healthcare and Technology Report. Jaimie notes that finding balance between her personal and professional lives is difficult. “In the past few years, there was a tremendous need from our customers, and I spend much more time at work than I did at home.” Jaimie stated. “In recent

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months I've had time to slow down a little, gather my thoughts, take a needed vacation, and reassess priorities.” Jaimie now tries to observe standard office hours. She attends an exercise class or spends time with friends three or four times each week because it's never easy to get away. Jaimie maintains her motivation by appreciating triumphs and finding happiness and meaning in each victory, big or small. She asserts, "Celebrating with my team when they close a tough sale, cheering on a new team member as she gives her first presentation, and holding a finished product that was nothing but a CAD drawing a few months ago–all of these things matter, and they fuel me to come back and give it my all day after day." Becoming an Inspiration It's easy to feel like a machine on certain days in a world where technology rules. Being evaluated largely on output, successes, and failures makes it easy to lose sight of the reason for one's daily activities. She states, "I'd like women to remember that it is not OK for any person to make you feel small. We all have a voice and it's important to be heard, even if it means repeating yourself over and over again." She adds, "Work in your strengths, surround yourself with people who are good at things that you aren't, and most of all, don't waste time competing with others; only compete with yourself." Sharing Thoughts on Achieving Success Jaimie explains that she has never

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achieved success by adhering to a set formula or process. Success, in her opinion, is deﬁned by working hard, setting a good example, never turning down a challenge, assembling the proper team around oneself, failing, and then improving the next time. She continues, "It's also about fostering a culture where the team understands that failing is good since the greatest successes come from the lessons learned from failing.” Jaimie believes that women are sometimes instructed to suppress their intuition and rely on more of rational thinking. But when she considers her career's high points, she can credit hersuccess to a blend of a solid work ethic, reason, and instinct. In looking at how she ended up in healthcare on the industry side, Jaimie relates that while in college, she had the experience of being a patient who was awaiting a result. It was crucial that she worked closely with her doctor and that the tests were completed promptly and accurately. At the time she was on her way to enrolling in a physician assistant school with the goal of becoming a clinician when she discovered COPAN. “During my Microbiology of Infectious Diseases course at Point Loma Nazarene University, I loved

clinical microbiology. So, when the opportunity at a company specializing in sample collection in this space came up, it was an easy decision to pivot from my original plan to go into practicing medicine to working for a company that would support laboratorians.” The Future of COPAN Diagnostics, Inc COPAN Diagnostics continues to support the US market with gold standard sample collection and transport systems. For Jaimie's part, she is now supporting areas of the business such as contract manufacturing of sample collection systems for various assay manufacturers. Jaimie enjoys this side of the business because it gives COPAN the chance to combine its expertise in specimen collection with cutting-edge technologies developed by some of the best minds in assay development.

SEPTEMBER 2026 |

Jens Mittendorf A Jo u r n e y f r o m N a v y D i v e r t o

Medical Systems Leader

n the ever-evolving landscape of medical systems, few leaders stand out as prominently as Jens Mittendorf, the Managing Director of DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS GMBH. His journey from a Navy diver to a leading figure in the medical industry is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and visionary leadership. This article delves into his inspiring story, exploring the milestones, challenges, and philosophies that have shaped his career and the growth of DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS. Jens's story is not just about professional success but also about personal growth and the relentless pursuit of excellence. A Serendipitous Start in the Medical Field Jens Mittendorf's entry into the medical field was serendipitous. "The start in the medical field happened by accident," he recalls. After a diving accident during his service as a navy diver, Jens was no longer able to continue in that role. The Navy offered him an opportunity to be trained as a medic, marking his first foray into the medical sector. This unexpected turn of events laid the foundation for his future

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career. It was a pivotal moment that redirected his path and ignited a passion for the medical field that would define his professional life. Military Discipline Shaping Leadership Jens's experiences in the German Navy and Bundeswehr Central Hospital significantly influenced his leadership style. "The military is a hierarchical but transparent, strong result-based organization," he explains. The discipline and structure of the military, combined with an appreciation for individual strengths, helped Jens develop a leadership profile that values transparency and straightforward communication. This approach has been instrumental in building a cohesive and motivated team at DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS, a company he founded 22 years ago. His military background instilled a sense of duty and precision that he carries into his business practices. From One-Man Show to Global Enterprise The journey to becoming the Managing Director of

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Managing Director DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS GMBH

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believes that a well-rounded life contributes to a more productive and fulﬁlling career. Overcoming Challenges and Celebrating Successes Reﬂecting on his career, Jens considers his transition from a navy diver to a leader in the medical industry as one of his greatest successes. "The plan was to stay as a lifetime soldier, but sometimes things change," he notes.

DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS was marked by several key milestones. Jens founded the company with just 5,000 Euros, starting as a one-man show. "I had little knowledge about the market from my former jobs, but as a managing director, I was absolutely green," he admits. However, his military skills, determination, and a bit of luck helped him grow with his tasks. Today, DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS is a thriving enterprise with a global footprint. His story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of seizing opportunities as they arise. Diverse Responsibilities of a Managing Director As the Managing Director, Jens's role is multifaceted. "Like a facility manager, you have some day-to-day tasks, but you never know what's up next," he says. His responsibilities include strategic development of new markets and products, ensuring the ﬁnancial stability of the company, and overseeing a diverse range of

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operations, from development and quality assurance to CNC manufacturing. This variety keeps his role dynamic and challenging, requiring constant adaptation and forward-thinking. Jens thrives in this environment, ﬁnding motivation in the ever-changing landscape of the medical systems industry. Striking a Balance Between Work and Life Maintaining a balance between professional responsibilities and personal life is crucial for Jens. He engages in team sports, particularly handball, and takes short breaks with extended weekends to relax and stay focused. His involvement with the German National Guard also helps him stay grounded and connected to his roots. "Always remember your roots and values," he emphasizes. This balance is essential for his wellbeing and eﬀectiveness as a leader. It allows him to recharge and bring fresh perspectives to his work. Jens

Adapting to a completely different field and achieving success in it was a significant challenge, but one that he accomplished with determination and hard work. Today, he leads a successful SME with over 40 employees. His journey is a powerful reminder that challenges can be stepping stones to greater achievements and that resilience is key to overcoming obstacles. Staying Ahead in a Competitive Industry To keep DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS at the forefront of innovation, Jens emphasizes the importance of staying informed about industry trends. "You have to speak with innovative clinics and doctors to get the best information for new trends and treatments," he explains. The company also collaborates with local medical universities and regularly hosts students for their master's theses, ensuring they remain on the cutting edge of medical advancements. This proactive approach to innovation helps DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS stay competitive and responsive to the evolving needs of the medical field. Jens's commitment to continuous

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learning and adaptation is a cornerstone of the company's success. Inspiring Future Generations in the Medical Field Jens is keenly aware of the impact his work has on future generations in the medical field. He acknowledges that while younger generations are welleducated, the drive to accomplish tasks may not be as pronounced as it was in his generation. "I fear that we will be stuck behind our capabilities," he says, particularly for SMEs that lack the resources of larger enterprises. Jens hopes his profile can inspire younger professionals to strive for success, showing that determination and hard work can lead to significant achievements. He believes that by setting a positive example, he can encourage the next generation to pursue their goals with passion and dedication. A Leadership Philosophy Rooted in Action Jens's leadership philosophy is encapsulated in his credo: "Success is written with three letters! ACT!" He believes in being fair, transparent, energetic, and driving processes and projects forward. He also stresses the importance of teaching younger generations the value of strong principles and positive thinking. "Belief in values is something that keeps you strong and positive," Jens asserts. This philosophy not only guides his actions but also shapes the culture at DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS, fostering an environment where employees are motivated to excel and innovate.

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Guidance for Aspiring Leaders For those aspiring to lead in the medical systems industry, Jens oﬀers valuable advice: "Give trust to your people, lead them, and encourage them to learn and make experiences." Jens believes that positive leadership fosters a productive atmosphere and teamwork, ultimately freeing up time for leaders to focus on other tasks. By empowering his team, Jens creates a supportive environment where individuals can grow and contribute to the company's success. His approach underscores the importance of trust and collaboration in achieving organizational goals. Achievements Under Jens's Leadership Under Jens's leadership, DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS has achieved remarkable milestones. From its humble beginnings as a one-man show, the company now enjoys global recognition for its products. Jens has consistently invested in personnel, infrastructure, and machinery, ensuring continuous growth and innovation. The company has achieved MDR readiness and FDA clearance for most of its products and has several new innovative products in the pipeline.

"We currently have invested into two own facilities in Germany to grow further," Jens highlights. These achievements reﬂect his strategic vision and commitment to excellence, positioning DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS as a leader in the medical industry. Conclusion Jens Mittendorf's journey is a compelling narrative of resilience, adaptability, and visionary leadership. His experiences, from the Navy to leading a successful medical systems company, oﬀer valuable insights and inspiration for aspiring leaders. Through his transparent and disciplined approach, Jens has built a strong foundation for DEHAS MEDICAL SYSTEMS, ensuring its continued growth and success in the ever-evolving medical industry. His story serves as a powerful example of how dedication, strategic thinking, and a commitment to values can drive both personal and professional success.

SEPTEMBER 2026 |

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