TheperformanceofaCEOisafactorinhowthe employeesandthegeneralpublicseeafirm.Ask yourself,"Whywouldconsumersandworkersrally behindme,"ifyou'retheCEOandyoubelieveyourstaff needsaboostinmorale.
MostindividualsIknowwanttoseealeaderthatismore overtlyactiveinvariouselementsoftheorganization, whetheritbedevelopment,operations,ormarketing. We'veallheardstoriesoforevenworkedforfirmsthat hadastand-offishCEO,onewhomadestafffeel"less than."Theentireteammaybenefitfromthatapparent investmentintheworkingenvironment,particularlyifit doesn'trequireexcessivemicromanagement.
Nomatterwhotheyare,mostindividualstendtobeabit waryofhearingwhatotherstrulythinkofthem. However,asaCEO,canyoureallyaffordtobeignorant ofwhatyourstaffthinksofyouandyourbusiness?To assumethatyoucanforcechangesonafirmandaskfor yourteam'ssupportinthosechallengingchangeswithout occasionallyanticipatinganemotionalresponseisalittle demanding,ifnotpretentious.Yourteammemberswill standbehindyouifyou,astheCEO,dosoasoneof them,andtheywillrespectandadoreyoumuchmoreas aresult.
Inthisspecialissue “World's Inspiring CEOs to Watch in 2022,” World'sLeadershasrecognizedthemost effectivebusinessleaderswhoarebecomingan inspirationformany
ThecoverfeaturesDeanErhardt,PresidentandCEOat D2Solutions.Deanhasmorethan30yearsofstrategic marketingandmanagementexpertiseinthe pharmaceuticalandconsumergoodsindustries.Several Fortune500companies,includingExpressScripts, CardinalHealth,andU.S.Healthcare,havebeenapart ofMr.Erhardt'scareer.
Mr.ErhardtnowholdsthepositionsofbothPresident andCEOofD2Solutions.Inthisrole,heoverseesthe organization'sinteractionswitharangeofindustry participants,suchaspharmaceutical,biotech,medical device,andeHealthfirms,aswellaschannelpartners likepharmacies,specialtypharmacies,specialty distribution,retail,long-termcarefacilities, hospitals/IDNs,payers,andPBMs.Inaddition,Mr. Erhardthasworkedonseveralinternationalprojectsin Singapore,SouthKorea,Algeria,SouthAfrica,and Albania.
Also,whileyouflipthroughthepages,don'tforgetto readthearticlescreatedbyourin-houseeditorialstaff andindustryexperts.
Have a lovely read!
President & CEO
Key experiences are moments in a leader's life that foster learning, development, and/or an improvement in their capacity to lead successfully. To have a wide and balanced growth, it is important to have a diversity of experiences. Breakthrough experiences – learning through both failure and success, are those that significantly alter a leader's development.
Dean Erhardt has more than 30 years of strategic marketing and management expertise in the pharmaceutical and consumer goods industries. Several Fortune 500 companies, including Express Scripts, Cardinal Health, and U.S. Healthcare, have been a part of Mr. Erhardt's career.
Mr. Erhardt now holds the positions of both President and CEO of D2 Solutions. In this role, he oversees the organization's interactions with a range of industry participants, such as pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and eHealth firms, as well as channel partners like pharmacies, specialty pharmacies, specialty distribution, retail, long-term care facilities, hospitals/IDNs, payers, and PBMs. In addition, Mr. Erhardt has worked on several international projects in Singapore, South Korea, Algeria, South Africa, and Albania.
Mr.ErhardtwasVicePresidentof SalesandMarketingfortheExpress ScriptsSpecialtyPharmacyBenefits Managementbusinesspriortohis positionatD2.Inthisposition,Mr Erhardtcollaboratedonformularies, reimbursementmodels,andproduct supportprogramsforspecialtyand biotechtherapeuticcategorieswith severalManagedCareandPayer organizations.Priortoholdingthat position,Mr.ErhardtwastheSalesand MarketingDirectorforExpressScripts SpecialtyDistributionServices,where heworkedwithover30 pharmaceuticalmanufacturerson limiteddistributionprograms,patient assistanceprograms,sampling, reimbursementsupport,andother product-specificsupportprograms.
Mr.ErhardtholdsanMBAfromthe KellerGraduateSchoolof ManagementandaBachelorof BusinessAdministrationinMarketing fromtheUniversityofOklahoma.He hasalsoparticipatedinnumerous executivemanagementtraining programs.Mr.Erhardt'sboard affiliationshaveincludedVirMedica, Inc.andStagesSTL.
Since2008,D2Solutionshasbeen enablinghealthcareexecutivestolook pastthepresentandtakestepstoward thefuture.D2isdedicatedtoenabling itscustomersbyofferingsolutionsthat dealwithactualreal-worldissuesfaced bymanufacturers,pharmacies,payers, PBMs,andhospitalsystems.
D2's'pointofprogress'representsa mindsetofchangeandinnovation. “Today we don't think about the Sony Walkman as innovative, yet at the time it was revolutionary. Unfortunately, many entities with whom D2 works are
still 'using' the Walkman -- failing to keep pace in an environment of ever accelerating change. D2 is working with entities to move them forward, driving their point of progress, focused on bringing together pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers with innovative services providers and technology that can accelerates patients access to medications and keep them compliant.”statesErhardt.
D2Solutionsisconsistently acknowledgedasaleaderinhealthcare technology-drivensolutions.D2's SaaSsolutionsarefocusedona) capturingadditionalrevenue,b) enhancingmargin(lowering operationalcosts),andc)reducing exposuretobusinessriskbyfocusing onassistingitsclientsinremoving frictionpoints.Inordertoreducethe timeittakesfrompatientdiagnosisto treatment,D2iscollaboratingwith stakeholdersinthehealthcareindustry tocreateandemploytechnology.
Morethan14yearsofconsultinginthe industryhasallowedD2torecognize theprocessesthatcausestressand friction.Overtheyears,D2hasworked withmanyclientsandregulatory organizationsandhasidentifiedhowto simplifyprocessestosavetime,labor TM andmoney.ComplySuite isawebbased,automatedcompliancesystem thatthefirmcreatedbylisteningtothe needoftheclients.Byensuringthat standardsandlawsareunderstoodand followed,thiscontinuouslyupdated, comprehensivedocumentation platformhelpstofacilitateongoing accreditation,maintenanceof licensure,andregulatorycompliance. Consistent,ongoingupdatesarea cornerstoneofthecompany's operationstoguaranteethatitsclient partnersarealwaysinformed.
TraditionalHUBservicesandoutreach initiativescenteredonphonecallsare
theWalkman–outdatedand insufficientintoday'senvironment. Thisundoubtedlyisaffectingpatients, whichinturnaffectsmanufacturers andpharmacies.Manyspecialty prescriptions,upto50%,arenever filled,andinaddition,manypeople onlymakeittothesecondrefill.To improveproductavailabilityand improvepatientcare,D2Solutions TM createdUltraTouchEngage tobring manufacturers,clinicians,pharmacies, andpatientsclosertogether With UltraTouchEngage,quantifiable outcomesandactionabledataare deliveredateverystageofthepatient's pharmaceuticaljourney,startingwith thegenerationofthespecialty prescriptionthroughthefirstfilland continuingthroughongoing complianceandclinicalinteraction.
D2'sexperienceenablesclientsto assess,comprehend,andhandlethe difficultiesthatarise,whetherfora standalonepharmacyora pharmacy/clinicconnectedtoa hospital.Therearenoeasy,allencompassinganswerstotheproblems ofdecreasedpatientparticipation, payercontractingdifficulties,and financial,licensing,regulatory,and accreditationchallenges.
D2'smaingoalsaretoincrease profitability,lowerrisk,andboost sales.Becauseofthis,itspharmacy professionalshavecreatedan integratedstrategytoassistcustomers inidentifyinggapsandopportunities throughouttheirbusinessornetwork.
ItisMr.Erhardt'sresponsibilityisto makesurethathisemployeeshavethe necessaryresources,suchaspersonnel, technology,orboth,tosuccessfully solveproblemsforadditionalclients. Hisprimaryfocus,however,istolisten toclients,customersandtheindustry
Mr.Erhardtclaimsthatlisteningto customersistheonethingthatreally drivesD2'sbusinessandtechnology forward.Hestates, "Our solutions are non-disruptive to our existing client's workflow. It enables them to be able to address the functions, budgetary constraints, labor shortage and other issues and to better drive outcomes in their business."
Acultureofcreativityhasbeencreated byD2Solutions.Mr.Erhardtstates, "You know, our senior staff is really tasked with working with their teams to be able to come back and be able to solve market problems through technological advances." Hecontinues bysayingthatFacebookandTwitter aren'tconstrainedbylegacysystemsif onetakesasecondlookatthem. AccordingtoMr.Erhardt,manyofthe company'sclientsarehospitalsand pharmacies,andtheyareheavily burdenedbylegacysystems.D2 technologyisstructuredtoenablethese entitiestobetmoreefficientwithout theneedtodisrupttheselegacy systems
D2SolutionsisreallyfocusedonAPI andconnectivityandbecominga solutionproviderforitsclientsthat effectivelyallowsthemtoworkinthe cloudandthenpushinformationinand outoftheirsystem.Mr.Erhardtshares, "What we're really hearing today is about the change in the environment regarding the availability of workers -not enough personnel to be available, about inflationary wages and how it's becoming more and more costly to be able to provide or hire people that can provide support. The situation is accelerating the need for technologybased solutions that can drive efficiency." D2Solutionshelpsclients augmentrealpeoplewithtechnology todriveefficiencyandeffectiveness
whilestillenablingthefeelofthat personaltouch.
Dean'sdriveasacompanyleader comesfromthefulfillmentofbeing abletolookatacustomerandknow thatyouaremakingadifferencein theirbusinessandintheirlife.In certaincircumstances,D2Solutions hasassistedcustomersinevolving theirbusiness--fromnotprofitableto profitable,assistingtheminrunning theirbusinessesmoreeffectively, takingbettercareoftheirpatients,and settingthemuptofindfulfillmentin theprocess.Hestates, "The value we're bringing to our customers is really what motivates me."
Deanbelievesthatconstant communicationisthekeytoinspiring workers.Asaresult,D2'steam membersarefullyincorporatedinto thediscussionsatthecompany'sdaily andweeklymeetings.Hestates, "Trying to solve client problems while moving our business forward requires the need to over communicate. Whether it be clients or your employees, you have to take a look at your employees as if they are internal customers as well.”
Asaresult,asanorganization,it'sa constantstruggleformanagementto findwaystonotjusthearwhat employeeshavetosaybutalsotohelp themknowthattheirinputisofthe highestvalue.Heasserts, "Engaged employees are at the center of being able to push the organization forward.”
Thefirststeponthepathtobeinga successfulleaderistochallenge yourselftocontinuallyseekoutand stayabreastofthenextquestionthat needstobeanswered.
Deanbelievesthatthebeststrategyis tosimplykeepchallengingyourself andaskingquestions.Hethinksthat thereisalwaysasolutionifoneasks enoughquestionstogettotheessential factors,thewho,whatwhen,where andhow.Andthat'softenhowthey beginthedialoguewhenbusinessesare dealingwithnewclientsornew problems.Whatpreciselyarethey seekingtosolve?Hestates, "Once we understand what we're trying to solve, then we can work our way into what is a solution that works.”
Dean'sgoalforthebusinessisto establishitselfasaleadinginnovator combiningconsultingandtechnology solutions.Today'sreal-worldissues includewageinflation,efficiencies,and margin.D2'sabilitytosmoothly integratetechnology-basedsolutions intoclientworkflowsandlegacy systemsisaninnovation-driven approachthatwillcontinuetofueltheir valueandgrowth.
The New York Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA)
found it extremely challenging to renew their ood coverage following the massive ooding brought on by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. They developed a novel kind of insurance with the aid of Adam Rimmer and Ian Bartholomew: this "parametric" policy would pay $200 million if the water level in the New York harbor rose over a specic depth rather than pay out depending on damage.
They were aware that those with smaller budgets may also benet from this type of insurance. When the pair founded FloodFlash, their goals were to make eventbased insurance accessible to everyone and to guarantee that everyone could recover from disaster.
“
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Belowarehighlightsoftheinterview conductedbetweenWorld'sLeaders andAdamRimmer:
Describeyourbackgroundand whatdidyoudobeforeyou started/joinedthecompany?
BothIandmyco-founderIanhave sciencebackgrounds,havingmetat CambridgeUniversity.Ourpaths crossedagainattheat-risk managementcompanyRMS,where weworkedtogetherforseveralyears. Inthattime,westructuredand modelledtriggersonover$2bnof parametricinsuranceproductand catastrophebondstoprotect governmentsandlargecorporations intheUSandaroundtheworld.
Tellusabouttheinceptionofthe company.Howdiditallstart?
Ifirstsawthepotentialofparametric (or"event-based")insurancewhile workingatRMS,theworld'slargest catastrophemodellingfirm.Whilst there,IworkedwithFloodFlashcofounderIanonparametrictriggers worthmillionsofdollars.These catastrophebondswereameansof transferringriskforlarge governmentsandcorporations. Unfortunately,theyweren'thelping themillionsofhomeownersand smallbusinessesthatcouldn'tget floodinsurancethroughtraditional meansandwhodidn'thavethefunds fordetailedrisksupport.Intermsof floodlosses,that'sa$58bnproblem everyyear,andit'sonlygetting worsethankstoclimatechangeand urbanisation.
IanandIwereworkingona catastrophebondfortheNewYork MetropolitanTransportAuthority
Wedevelopedinsurancethatpaid $200millionwhenwaterwas measuredatacertaindepthonthe Hudson.Thiswasthepointwhen floodingwouldinundatethemetro andcausehugelosses.
Werealisedthatwecouldusethe sameprincipalstoprovideinsurance tothemassmarket.Wesetabout developingascalableplatformthat usesIoTtechnologyandacloudbasedunderwritingplatformto provideparametricinsurancetothose thatneeditmost.FloodFlashhas alreadyhelpedthousandsof businessesintheUK,withUSand internationallaunchesonthe horizon.
Whicharethemajorservicesof thecompanyandhowdothe companytogetaheadinthe competition?Whatvalue-added servicesdoesthecompany provide?
FEMAestimatesthat90%of businessesthatdon'treopenwithin5 daysofafloodwillclosewithina year.FloodFlashprovidestwo fundamentalservicestohelppeople atriskofflooding.First,itprovides coverevenwhenthetraditional marketcan't.Secondly,wepay claimswithindaysoftheflood occurring.
Puttogether,thesegiveusahuge advantageinmakingsurethatwhen businessesflood,theyreopenquickly –guaranteeingtheirlong-term survival.
Whatarethemostimportant aspectsofacompany'sculture? Whatprinciplesdoyoubelievein andhowdoyoubuildthisculture?
Wehavefourcompanyvaluesat FloodFlashthatcamefromusasking thequestion:whenareweatour best?OwntheOutcomeisallabout takingresponsibilityforprojects, communicatingthroughout,and seeingthemthrough.Wealwaysuse evidencetomakesurethatweare usingreal-worldinformationto understandproblemsandchallenge thestatusquo.Webelieveinbeing helpfulandensurethatwerespect andvaluethoseweworkwith,our colleagues,andthoseweworkfor, ourbrokersandclients.Finally,Be Braveisthevaluethatencourages
autonomyandfreedominourteam tohelpsolveoneofthebiggest problemsfacingtheworldright now—theeconomicimpactsof climatechange.
Whatisthesignificanceof innovativeideasinthecompany?
Putsimply,withoutinnovative thinking,FloodFlashwouldn'texist. Wehaveamazingmindsfrom differentdisciplines,including insurance,hardware,andproducts. Everydaywechallengeeachotherto helpsolveaproblemthatnoonehas managedtosolvebefore.Without innovativeideas,wewillfallshortof
ourmissiontohelpmorepeople recoverfromcatastrophicflooding.
Thatsaid,it'simportantthatwedon't innovateforthesakeofit.Manyof thethingsthatmarkFloodFlashout, likeourIoTsensororinsurance product,areacollectionofexisting technologiesappliedinnewways.
Thinkingabouthowwecanusethe resourcesthatareavailableinnew anddisruptivewaysisasimportant asinventingproductsandprocesses fromscratch.
Giveusyouropinionon;do organizationsrelyheavilyon individualheroicsorteam processes?
Heroesaregreatformovies.Itcanbe convenienttopointtooneparticular geniusforstorytelling,PR(oreven fundraising)purposes.Inthereal world,theyrarelymakeameaningful impactwithoutagreatsupporting cast.
Bringinganewinsuranceproductto themarkettakesalargecastwith manydiversetalents.Theclichéof "ittakesavillage"appliesherein spades.Oneofthethingsthatwe workhardatwithinFloodFlashis hiringpeoplewithdifferent experiencessothattheycanbring freshthinking.Whenacastof expertscametogether,that'swhen ourbusinessbecamemorethanthe sumofitsparts.
Oneofthemostimportant sectorsoftheeconomy nowadaysistechnology.It ispredictedtobeworthastunning US$5trillionin2021,accordingto researchconsultantfirmIDC,and thatonlyincludesthehardware, software,services,and telecommunicationssectors.The possibilityofcommercialspace flightmeansthatearningsmay increasemuchfurther.
Itgoeswithoutsayingthatsomeof themostskilledtechCEOsinthe worldtodayrunthesesignificant businesses.Thetraditionalsuspects arePonyMaofTencentandTim CookofApple,buttherearemany lesswell-knownindividualswhoare quietlychangingthewaypeopleuse technologyindailylife.
TheseITCEOsareamongthebestperformingintheglobe,fromthe UnitedStatestoAsiatoEurope.
TheUnitedStatesishometoseveral powerfultechfirms.It'sonlyfairto shinesomelightontheothertop performersintoday'smarketasthe majorfourtechCEOsofFacebook, Google,Apple,andAmazonfrequently garnerattentionforbothgoodandbad reasons.
Nvidia,amanufacturerofgraphics processors,co-foundedbyJensen Huang.Huangfoundedthecompanyin 1993whenhewasjust30yearsold, andhehassinceservedasitspresident andCEO.Huang,whowasbornin Tainan,Taiwan,traveledtotheUS withhisfamilyaschildren.Hefirst studiedelectricalengineeringat OregonStateUniversitybefore pursuingamaster'sdegreeinthefield atStanfordUniversity.Huanghasa personalworthofalmost$12billion, inadditiontoaflurryofhonorsandhis charitableeffortsinsupportof education.
It'slikelythatyou'reusingaDell deviceifyou'rereadingthispostwhile seatedatadesk.Oneofthelargest technologicalinfrastructurefirmsinthe world,DellTechnologies,isfounded byMichaelDell.Withanetworthof $40.5billion,thefounderandCEOis the30thrichestpersonintheworld.
BeforebecomingtheCEOofthe video-sharingplatformYouTubein 2014,SusanWojcickihadalready establishedherselfasasuccessful businesswoman.Attheageof11, Wojcickilaunchedherfirstcompany, sellingspiceropesdoor-to-door Beforemajoringinhumanitiesin collegeandenrollinginherfirst computersciencecourse,shewrotefor theschoolnewspaper.Sheearned honorsdegreesinhistoryandliterature fromHarvardUniversityandhas aspirationstogetaPhDineconomics beforebeginningacareerinacademia. Whensherealizedshewasinterested intechnology,thoseplanschanged.
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Asia'sITindustryisasignificantrole intheglobaleconomy Therearemany influentialpeopleandITCEOsinthe areawhoareinfluencingthelocaland globalenvironment.
There'sagoodchancethatpassengers fromcountriesotherthanSingapore, Malaysia,Cambodia,Indonesia, Myanmar,Philippines,Thailand, Vietnam,andJapanhaven'theardof Grab.Theride-hailingserviceis renownedforbeingthefirstDecacorn inSouth-EastAsia,withamarket capitalizationofoverUS$10billion.
TanHooiLing,aMalaysiannative withamechanicalengineeringdegree andaMasterofBusiness AdministrationfromHarvardBusiness School,isthecurrentCo-Founderand COOofGrab.Shebeganhercareerat thepharmaceuticalbusinessEliLilly andtheconsultingfirmMcKinsey, whereshemetAnthonyTan,thecofounderofGrab.
ThereisnoneedtointroduceMa Huateng,commonlyknownasPony Ma,orhissuccessfulbusiness.The founder,chair,andCEOofTencent, themostvaluablefirminAsia,isa Chinesebillionairebusinessman. Tencent,oneofthegreatestinternet andtechnologybusinessesintheworld withstakesingaming,entertainment, andcommunications,isinchargeof WeChat,whichistheleadingmobile instantmessagingserviceinChina.
India,whichhasapopulationofmore than1.3billion,isaprofitablemarket fortechfirms.ThesearetheCEOsof themostrenownedcompaniesinthe nation.
TataGrouphasalongandillustrious corporatehistorythatstretchesbackto 1868.WithsubsidiarieslikeTata Chemicals,TataCommunications,Tata ConsultancyServices,TataConsumer Products,TataMotors,TataPower,
TataSteel,TataCapital,IndianHotels CompanyLimited,TajAir,andTata Starbucks,tonameafew,itisregarded asoneofthebiggestandoldest industrialgroupsinIndia.
TheCEOandManagingDirectorof theIndianmultinationalcompany InfosysisSalilParekh.Thebusiness offersoutsourcing,information technology,andbusinessconsulting services.Parekhearneddegreesin mechanicalengineeringand aeronauticalengineeringbeforetaking uptheposition.HehasaMasterof EngineeringinComputerScienceas well.BeforeCapgeminipurchasedthe consultantpartofErnst&Young,he beganhiscareerthere.Beforegoingon toInfosys,Parekhwasamemberofthe groupmanagementboardhere.
Ÿ Australia
Australiamaybeoneofthesmallest marketsintheITsector,butitdoesn't lackforlocaltalent.TheseCEOsinthe ITindustryrankamongthebestfrom theSouthernHemisphere.
ScottFarquharandMichael Cannon-Brookes
MichaelCannon-BrookesandScott FarquhararethefacesoftheAustralian ITindustry.Whilestillincollege,the twoco-foundedAtlassianin2002, bootstrappingtheirbusinessforitsfirst fewyearswitha$10,000creditcard debt.Theirbusinessnowconcentrates oncreatinggoodsforprojectmanagers andsoftwareengineers.
AAward-winningDanishblockchainspecialistJackNikogosianis well-versedinthebitcoinindustryandfrequentlyappearsinmedia. AfterusingjustBitcointomakepurchasesforawholemonthin 2015,hegainednotorietyas"BitcoinJack"inothercountries.Hehas demonstratedhisexpertiseatseveralexposandconferencesandhas anengagingstagepresencethankstohisenthusiasticnatureandfast thinking.
HestartedthefintechbusinessARYZEin2017withthegoalof makingpaymentsquicker,cheaper,andsmarter.Thisbusinesshas garneredseveralhonors.Additionally,in2019and2020,Forbes listedJackasoneofthetop100talentsinDenmarkandontheirlist ofthe30under30.
BelowarehighlightsoftheinterviewconductedbetweenWorld'sLeadersandARYZE:
Describewhoyouareasaperson,insideandoutsideoftheworkplace. Iamthesamepersoninsideandoutsideoftheworkplace:ahappy,curiousmanwhoisplayfullikea childwouldbe.Ihavealwayshadanentrepreneurialspirit,eversinceIwasyoung.Iremember organizingagaragesaletosellallmytoys,ormyfirstwebsite,Narek'sWorld.Igotsuedoverthat websitebecauseIdidn'tknowyouhadtopayforhostingservices.Beingjustakid,Ihadnoideayou hadtopayforstufflikethat!Asanadult,Ihadtheopportunitytomanifestsomeofmycuriousideas intoreal-lifesolutions.TheconceptionofBitcoinandcryptocurrenciesgavethesamekindofliberty andlevelofdisruptionastheInternetdidwhenitwasinvented.Ithinkblockchaintechnologyisoneof themostdisruptiveandamazingtechnologiestheworldhaseverseen-andIamhappytoplaymypart init.
Michelle Drolet is a highly skilled information security professional
who enjoys the respect of customers, peers in the eld, and analysts. She often contributes to prestigious online sites, including Forbes Technology Council, Wired.com, and IDG CSO Online, and is in high demand as a speaker and panelist.
Michelle is the CEO and founder of the woman-owned company Towerwall, Inc. The company's cutting-edge information security technology solutions and services have assisted several businesses in protecting their data and maximizing their IT investment.
Belowarehighlightsoftheinterviewconducted betweenWorld'sLeadersandMichelleDrolet:
Describewhoyouareasaperson,insideand outsideoftheworkplace.
I'mabigbelieveringivingback.Sincefounding Towerwall,I'vebeenactivelyinvolvedwith organizationssuchasTheWomen'sBusiness Alliance(ajointeffortbetweenTheUnitedWay andMetroWestChamberofCommerce),Voices AgainstViolence,andYoungWomenand MinoritiesinScienceandTechnology.Most recently,IhelpedlaunchtheLauroGarner MinorityCybersecurityScholarshipinassociation withMercerUniversity.
Describeyourbackgroundandwhatdidyou dobeforeyoustarted/joinedthecompany?
I'vebeeninterestedincriminaljusticefroman earlyageandmadeitmycollegemajorat Northeastern.IjoinedanITconsultingfirmthat hadstartedupacybersecuritypracticebackin 1993.Thefirmwaseventuallyacquiredbya publicentity,butshortlythereafterIgrew impatientwithitsstrategyandfoundameansto buythecompanyback.Fastforward:Since 1999,we'vebeenofferingcustomized cybersecuritypreparednessfororganizations likeMiddlesexSavingsBank,DeanCollege, andMilfordRegionalMedicalCenter
Whathasmadeyousuccessful?
Whatdoyouvalue?
Ireallybelieveintheaphorism,"Find whatyouloveandyou'llneverworka dayinyourlife."Welovewhatwedo atTowerwallbecausewe'reverygood atit.Wesolveproblemsthatthreaten tocausefinancialandreputational harm.Almosteverymodern organizationstruggleswith cybersecuritytoday.Ourclientstrust Towerwalltoprovidethemwith continuousmonitoringandprotection againstcurrentandevolvingthreats. Welearnedthatnosinglepieceof technologyorsystemwillkeepan organizationsecure.Thereisno"onesize-fits-all"approachtoclient engagements.Oursuccessderives
fromdevelopingamature methodologythatisconsistent, repeatable,measurable,yetflexible enoughtoadapttoanever-evolving threatsurface.Wecallthis customizableapproachthe"7 DimensionsofCybersecurity,"which allorganizations,regardlessofsize, industry,orsecuritymaturity,should adopttoestablishamulti-dimensional, multi-layereddefenseindepth.
Whicharethemajorservicesofthe companyandhowdotheythe companytogetaheadinthe competition?Whatvalue-added servicesdoesthecompanyprovide?
AsImentionedbefore,wedeveloped anoperationalapproachthatclearly
distinguishesourfirmfromother providers.Towerwallcybersecurity servicesincludeestablishingaprogram anddevelopingpolicies,conducting securityauditsandriskassessments, threatdetectionandresponse;guidance onabidingbycomplianceand regulations,internalandexternal penetrationtesting,vulnerability scanning,vendorquestionnaires, employeesecurityawarenesstraining thatincludesphishingsimulations,and othersecurityservices.
Weseeallourservicesas"valueadded".Buttoanswerthequestion, giventoday'spost-pandemiclabor marketandtoughcompetitionfor skilledtalent,Towerwalllaunchedan outsourcedservicecalled"virtual CISO"—apersonalservicethat assumestheroleandresponsibilities associatedwiththeChiefInformation SecurityOfficer(vCISO).Wealso offeravirtualDataProtectionOfficer (vDPO)andavirtualChiefPrivacy Officer(vCPO).Theserolesare broughtintoclientorganizationsona fractionalorinterimbasis.Not everyoneneedsafull-timeC-level securityofficer;thecostsavingsalone aresubstantial.
Whatarethemostimportantaspects ofacompany'sculture?What principlesdoyoubelieveinandhow doyoubuildthisculture?
Giventheenvironmentrelatedtothe persistenceofcyberhackers,fewwould argueagainsttheimportanceof establishingahealthysecurityculture. EverymajorcorporationinAmerica hasbeenvictimizedbycyberattacks, includingransomwarescams,data exfiltration,CEOfraud(a.k.a.BEC), PIItheft,zero-dayexploits,andmore. Butalackofclarityaboutwhata strongsecurityculturemeanscan easilyleadtomisunderstandings.The responsibilityfordevelopingaculture thatis"security-minded"restswith
everyoneintheorganizationfromthe topdown.Onlycultureholdsthe powertochangecompany-wide behaviors.Thisisimportantbecause hackinghumansisalotsimplerthan hackingsystems—hackingsystems requirestechnicalskills;hacking peoplejustneedstoexploithuman frailtieslikegullibility,impulsivity, andbiases.(Thisexplainswhy phishing,vishing,andsmishingareall sohighlysuccessful.)
Asoundsecurityculturedependson policiesandproceduresandengaging employeesthroughsecurityawareness training—helpthemtoidentify hackingactivitieslikephishing; includegamificationtomakeit entertainingandlasting;rewardgood cyberbestpracticeslikeuseofmultifactorauthentication(MFA/2FA)and longuniquepasswords(managedbya commercialpasswordmanager);and finally,encourageemployeestoreport suspiciousactivity.Throughthe ongoingpracticeoftheseexercises, organizationscanbebestpositionedto strengthentheirsecuritycultureand achievetangiblebusinessresilience.
Giveusyouropinionon;do organizationsrelyheavilyon individualheroicsorteam processes?
Youcan'trunabusinessonlonecowboyheroics.Webelievein teamwork.Teamworkmaybethemost importantfactorininformation security.Securecompaniesarenot builtbyonepersonoronepieceof technology;theyrelyonbuilding teams,buildingasolidpartnership network(tosupportthetechnology softwareside)andnurturingastrong securityculture.Weallfacechallenges inourpersonalandbusinesslives,but theabilitytopersevereisthedifference betweensuccessandfailure. Particularlyinbusiness,nothingis moreimportantthansolvingyour customer'sneeds.Ourentireteamis focusedoncybersecurity Weoften competeandwinagainstlargerplayers becauseourteamhasa"runthrough thewall"attitude.
Whatareyourresponsibilitiesasthe Founder/CEOofthecompany? Whatisthehappiestpartofyour dailyroutine?
AstheCEO,itsetsthedirectionand toneforourcompany.Itismakingsure ourteamcontinuestogrowsotheyare enrichedbothpersonallyand professionally.Iamveryfortunateto haveahighlytalentedandcommitted teamwhoputsourcustomers'needs first.
AsImentionedbefore,cybersecurity andprotectingourclientsisallwedo–andItrulylovewhatIdo.
Alotofmypersonaltimeisspenton communityoutreach.I'mveryproudof foundingtheannualInformation SecuritySummitinpartnershipwith MassBayCommunityCollege.The purposeofthesummitistocreatean openforumforknowledgesharing betweencyberprofessionals,vendors, andstudents.Additionally,theSummit servesasavehicletoraisefundsto provideacademicscholarshipsinthe fieldofcybersecurityforMassBay studentsintheirCyberProgram.To date,morethan$55,000hasbeen raisedforscholarships.
Whatadvicewouldyougive someonegoingintoaleadership positionforthefirsttime?
Betruetoyourself.Knowyourheart andthencommittoit.Followyour bliss.Neverstoplearning.Gooutand networkasmuchaspossible.Get involvedincommunityaffairs.Find kindnessinintelligentpeopleandhire them.Protectyourreputationatall costs—youonlyhaveoneofthose.
IInthequicklychangingand increasinglyglobalmarketof today,businessescannot continuetofocusonincremental improvement—organizational transformationisrequired.In theirJune2011edition, McKinseyQuarterlyindicated thatcompaniestodaymust developthecapacitytoadapt andkeepevolvingovertimeinordertoretainhigh performance.Theyalsosuggestedthatorganizational healthwasmaybetheultimatecompetitiveedgefor today'seconomy
IcannotemphasizeenoughhowcrucialtheCEO'sjobis inactivelyengaginginthetransformationofafirmand howtheCMOcanhelp.Thereis,inmyopinion,noone recipeforsuccess,anddecisionswilldependonthe scope,urgency,andcharacterofthechangeforagiven business.However,inmyopinion,anyCEOshould followthesefourphaseswhiletransformingacompany.
Thesefundamentalchangemanagementprocedures,in myexperience,arealwaysapplicableandadaptableto anyorganizationalchange.
Thenecessityandnatureofanorganization's transformationaretwokeyaspectsthat,inmyopinion, mustbemetinorderforthesefourmeasuresaCEO shouldtaketobeeffective.whenputtingintoeffectan organizationalreform.
First,ratherthanstructures,systems,orprocesses, organizationsaremadeupofpeopleandconnections. Additionally,mostindividualsdislikebeingpushed beyondoftheircomfortzones,sothereneedstobea goodreasonforit.Let'snowgothroughthefourphases forincorporatingchangemanagementintoanew companyplan.
Youmusttakethesamekindofattentioninbuildinga separatebutcomplimentarysetofmessaginginternally
foryourstaffasyoudoincraftingthemessagesand valuepropositionsforyourconsumersandpotential customers.Thiscrucialstageisalltoofrequently undervaluedorevenskipped.It'smorethansimplya singlemeetingoraphraseandbannershownwithin.
Adetailedinternalcommunicationplanmustbecreated andimplementedincollaborationwithyourCMOand HRstaff.AsCEO,youmustguaranteethatthisstrategy isclearlyownedandthatrolesandobjectivesare specified.Yourbusinesswilldeterminewhetherateam orapersonadministersthestrategy,butwhatever,you mustholdthemaccountableandprovidethemthepower tomaketacticalchoicesandmodificationsthroughout execution.Identifyingstakeholdergroupsandcreating communicationstrategiestailoredtoeachgrouparethe mainobjectiveshere.
ItneedsstrongleadershipfromyouastheCEOtomake difficultdecisionsandpersuadeothersthatthistransition isvital,aswellasopensupportfrominfluentialmembers ofyourteamwhoactasyourcheerleaders.Cheerleaders aremostlikelyamongthepreviouslyidentifiedhigh powerandhighinfluencestakeholders,thustheyarenot necessaryjustonyourseniormanagementteam.
Ofcourse,implementtheplan!
Implementingchangeinanorganizationcantakealong time,regardlessoftheurgencyofatransformationto marketleadershipforyourbusiness.Butifthe organization'smovingelementsarenotcoordinatedto supportthetransition,itwon'tbeeffective.Thisiswhy preparingfororganizationaltransformationmustbea partofdevelopingthestrategyandplan;itcannotcome AFTERyoudeterminethatthefirmhastobe transformed.Arolloutstrategyneedstoaccountforthe factthatit'sunlikelyyoucanwaittodothingsin sequence.Theremaybealotthathastobedone simultaneously,inlittlerollsout,orinanotherway This willdependonthestateofyourbusinessandthemarket. Largeinternationalorganizationstypicallyadopta modifiedstrategy
Working to End Thirst, Hunger, and Poverty with Israel's Innovative & Advanced Solar, Water, and Agricultural Solutions
NNermine Khouzam Rubin left Egypt when she was eight years old, having survived the Six-Day Arab-Israeli War in Port Said with her parents and four siblings. She has a major and minor in chemistry and psychology and graduated with honours. She also speaks three languages. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Florida as well as a Master of Health Science (MHS).
She has also held executive positions in the healthcare industry in the areas of architecture and facilities planning, marketing and business development, managed care and information systems, and consulting. After 15 years, Nermine resigned to devote her whole attention to being a wife and mother to Leslie, her husband of 30 years, and her two grown children, Samantha and Nathan, who are now 25 and 24 respectively
Nermine conducted an in-depth study and prayed for the best answer after seeing directly in 2017 people in rural Africa dying of thirst and hunger after losing all hope. She established Water 4 Mercy in 2018 and collaborated with the foremost authorities in solar, water, and agriculture to offer a sustainable solution. Clean water, food, and HOPE are THE ANSWER to permanently ending the cruel cycle of poverty.
Belowarehighlightsoftheinterview conductedbetweenWorld'sLeaders andNermineKhouzamRubin:
Describewhoyouareasaperson, insideandoutsideoftheworkplace. Thatisaverydifficultquestion becauseitdependsonthe circumstancesinwhichweareplaced. IamquitedrivenandIamfocusedon thetaskathand,alwaysthinkingof innovativewaystopromoteWater4 Mercyandourmission.Iponder internallyandthinkoutsideofthebox inexploringvariousopportunitiesfor optimalgrowth.InregardstohowIam outsideoftheworkplace,itvaries radicallyastomymood. SometimesI prefertobealone. I'llgotothebeach toswimandjustchillandbeonmy own,andothertimesIcanbequite socialandthenplangatheringswith myfriendsandfamily.
Describeyourbackgroundandwhat didyoudobeforeyoustarted/joined thecompany?
Mybackgroundisinhealthcareand businessadministration.Ihavea MastersofBusinessAdministration (MBA)andaMastersofHealth Science(MHS).Ihadretiredfroma careerinhealthcareadministration, whereIhadbeenconsultingin managedcareandinformation systems,priortofoundingWater4 Mercy.Ioptedtoretirefrommyintense full-timeprofession,whichentailed travelingthroughouttheUnitedStates, andinsteadstayhomewithmytwo children,SamanthaandNathan,who arenow25and24yearsold.
Whathasmadeyousuccessful? Whatdoyouvalue?
Mymantrais,Goddoesnotcallthe equipped,heequipsthecalled.When youhumbleyourselfandrealizethat youdon'thavealltheanswers,itis thenthatyoushouldaskforhelp. I constantlyaskGodtoguideourwork sinceheisGodandIamnot.Ihave beenempoweredbytheworld's leadingorganizationsinsolar,water, agricultureandvocationaltrainingwho implementourprojects.Moreover,
whatmakesussuccessfulisthatweall sharethesameheart.Forustodowhat wearedoing,itisnotforgloryandit isdefinitelynotformoney.Imayend upinthepoorhousewithhowmuch I'vegiventoWater4Mercytotryto getitinitiatedandtoflourish.Ivalue integrityandhumility.
Whicharethemajorservicesofthe companyandhowdothecompany togetaheadinthecompetition? Whatvalue-addedservicesdoesthe companyprovide?
Water4Mercyiscomprisedofworldrenownedorganizationsthathave heart.Wearesharingandtransferring knowledgewhilealsotrainingtheir teacherstoteach.Wearetheoptimal solutionandtheonlyonethatcan easilyliftallofAfricaandbeyondout ofpovertyandintoself-sustainability within2to3yearseasily.
Whatarethemostimportantaspects ofacompany'sculture?What principlesdoyoubelieveinandhow doyoubuildthisculture?
Ithinkitiskeythatthecultureofa companystaysfocusedonwhatits missionis.Moreover,itisimportantto getegosoutoftheway.Whenyou understandthatyourjobistoworkfor thegreatergoodofthecompanyandto achieveitsgoals,yourfeatherswon't getruffledwhenyourideaisn'tadopted orifaco-workerisrecognizedfortheir workinsteadofyou.We,asan organization,arelikeachain.Achain isonlyasstrongasitsweakestlink, anditiskeyforanorganizationto understandthattogetherweare strongerandmoreimpactfulin accomplishingourmission.
Whatisthesignificanceof innovativeideasinthecompany?
Itiskey,especiallyfornon-profit companies,tolookforinnovativeideas toopentheireyes,minds,andmost importantly,theirheartstotakealook athowtousenewideastorepairthe worldtogether.Itisimportantasan organizationtomoveforwardandnot feeltoocomfortableandstagnantthat whatyou'redoingisbiggerandbetter
andwillalwaysstaythatway.Iliketo usetheexampleofthepharmaceutical companieswiththeirpatentedpills.
Forafewyears,nobodyelsecould compete.Butafterafewyears, genericsquicklyinfiltratetheirmarket. Ifthesecompanieschoosetonotlook ahead,theywillbedoomed!
Giveusyouropinionon;do organizationsrelyheavilyon individualheroicsorteam processes?
Ibelievethatmostorganizationsrely heavilyonteamprocesses.However,it isimportanttorecognizethatbecause weallhavedifferentstrengths, someonewillnaturally"takethereins' andtakeonaleadershiprole.This 'individualhero'iskeyingatheringand guidingtheteaminaproductiveway. Therightindividualwillnourishthe teamandultimatelyinspireeach membertodotheirbest.Ibelieveitis importanttohaveboth,andeveryone needstounderstandthattheyeach havespecialstrengthsandtalents.Each person'sroleisvaluedandnecessary forthecompanytoachieveitsmission.
Whatareyourresponsibilitiesasthe Founder&CEOofthecompany?
AsfounderandCEOofWater4 Mercy,Iamresponsibleforthesuccess andsustainabilityofWater4Mercyas anorganizationwithintheUnited Statesandtoalsocoordinateprojects withmyimplementingpartnersin Africa.Ihavetomeetmy commitmentsandIampressuredto meetourfundinggoals.
Whatisthehappiestpartofyour dailyroutine?
Thehappiestpartofmydailyroutineis whenIseethephotosofsmilingfaces fromourvillagersandprojects. It thrillsmetoseethesepeoplehappy justtogetsomethingsobasicthatwe takeforgranted-cleanwaterthatthey candrink.
Itwassotouchingtohearoneofour villagerssayhownowshefeelspretty, becauseshecanwashherselfandbe clean.Andnowshecancleanher
clothes.Shesaidshefeltgoodthatnow insteadofwalkingforhoursinsearchof watershehasdignityandfeelslikea woman. Shecanspendtimewithher childrenwhoarenowabletolearnand gotoschoolinsteadofwalkingfor water
Thatgivesmejoytoseethesesuccess storiesfirsthand.
MoreoverwhenIseethesestudentsthat arebetween16to25thatcomefromthe poorestofthepoorestfamilies. Isee thatnowtheyhavehopeandtheyare learninghowtofeedtheirvillagesand usetheknowledgetheyarelearningto teachothers.Thatiswhatgivesmea senseofpride,thatwhatGodisasking metodo,thoughitisdifficult,istruly life-changingandimpactfulforeverand everandforfuturegenerations.Iam happythatWater4Mercy'sworkistruly impactful.Whatweareaccomplishing isremarkable! Wearenotgivingpeople ahandout,butratherwearegiving themaHAND-UP!
Whatadvicewouldyougivesomeone goingintoaleadershippositionfor thefirsttime?
Forthosegoingintoaleadership positionforthefirsttime,myadviceis toobserve,listenandbepatient.Itis veryimportanttoseeandhearwhat's goingonbeforeyoujumpinandtryto fixanything.Sometimesitisbetterto takeyourtimeandgaintrustsothat peopleunderstandthatyourmotivesare sincereandanyactionsthataretaken areforthegoodofthecompanyandnot apersonalattackorpunishmenton them.
Robert Rose started his career producing medical devices before moving on to top positions in consumer electronics at NEC and Toshiba. He co-founded MedWand almost eight years ago. Along with multiple prosperous startups, he has overseen significant business divisions for Fortune 500 firms, including Tandy, CompUSA, Systemax, and Wyle. Bob has worked with Angel Flight West as a Command Pilot and Hospital & Outreach Coordinator
Bob has more than 30 years of leadership expertise in engineering and operations management, manufacturing, and international strategic business success. Bob came to the conclusion that there was a genuine need for a different kind of design services company—one that could accomplish for its clients what was previously impossible, push the boundaries of science, engineering, and imagination, and transform ideas into products with unprecedented levels of performance and quality. This deep experience and an intense drive for excellence led Bob to this conclusion. Bob put together the very elite group of top scientists, engineers, and manufacturing experts that would eventually become Cypher Scientific in order to accomplish this lofty aim.
Tellusabouttheinceptionofthe company.Howdiditallstart?
TheMedWanddevicewasconceived byDr.SamirQamar,afamily physicianandfounderofMedLion DirectPrimaryCare,oneofthe nation'sleadingdirectprimarycare companies.Itwasafterbeing dissatisfiedwiththecurrent limitationsoftelemedicinethatDr. Qamarcameupwiththeideaof buildingacompacttelemedicine devicecapableofremotepatient exams.Afteranextensivesearch,Dr QamarapproachedengineerRobert Rose,founderofCypherScientific Engineering,formerlyofRedDigital Cinema,whoagreedtojointhe project.Together,onamissionto advancetelemedicine,Dr.Qamarand Mr.RosecreatedMedWand Solutions,theMedWanddevice,and theMedWandplatformecosystem.
Whicharethemajorservicesof thecompanyandhowdothe companytogetaheadinthe competition?
BMedWandSolutions,Inc.delivers digitalhealthcaretechnologiesthat enhancetheaccessibilityandquality ofhealthcareservicesforclinicians andpatients,regardlessoflocation. MedWandwascreatedbyateamof physiciansandengineerstoenhance thequalityandaccessibilityofhealth careservicesregardlessofphysical location.Thecompanyoffersits MedWanddeviceandVirtualCare Clinicsolutionsforawiderangeof applicationsthatincludehospitals, fieldclinics,nursinghomes,schools, andworkplaces,whereverInternet accessisavailable.
Acompanyofvisionariesanda stewardofbigideas,MedWand combinemultipleclinicallyaccurate vitalsensorsandanUltra-HD resolutioncamera.Operatingvia MedWand'sVirtualCareClinic software,physicianscanconduct comprehensivevideoconsultations andphysicalexamsovertheInternet, withreal-timemonitoringand recordingofkeyvitals.Data collectedincludescoretemperature, bloodoxygensaturationandpulse rate,heart,lungandabdominal auscultations,electrocardiogram,and highdefinitionotoscopic, oropharynx,anddermatoscopicexam images.
MedWandrepresentstheevolutionof telemedicine,enablingamultidiagnosticassessmentwithasingle devicethatcanbeusedanywherein theworld.Oneofthemajor challengestelemedicineclinicians facetodayisthelackoftheabilityto obtainkeyphysicalassessment information,suchaslungsoundsand EKG,duringthetelemedicinevisit.
MedWandsolvesthisproblemby enablingthephysician,orcaregiver, tocollectthisinformationwitha user-friendlyplatform.
Whatisthesignificanceof innovativeideasinthecompany?
Untilnow,therehasneverbeena singletelemedicinedevicethat"does itall."Thereisnolongeraneedfor suitcasesfullofseparate telemedicinediagnosticsbecause MedWandhousesuptoeight diagnostictoolsinonesimple,handhelddevice.Theteambehindthe cutting-edgedeviceisalready planningfuturegenerationsofthe product,whichareexpectedto includeevenmorecriticaldiagnostic toolsinthedevice'sremarkableform factor.MedWandwillmakeaccessto healthcareportableandtelemedicine global:Inoneword,MedWandis freedom.Whereveryouare,the devicewillprovideaccesstomedical care.Erasinggeographicalborders acrossnations,MedWandhascreated technologythatallowsapatientin Vietnamtobeexaminedbyadoctor inNewYork.WithMedWand, healthcarebecomesconvenient, accessible,andportable.
Belowarehighlightsoftheinterview conductedbetweenWorld'sLeaders andWorld'sLeadersandBob:
