Category: News

5G telecom tower with a cloudy sky background

Recruiting the Best Talent for the Telecom Industry

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

At the helm of every successful and growth-focused business is a leader steadfast on driving the business forward. CEO Monthly caught up with Carrie Charles, Chief Executive Officer of forward-thinking staffing firm Broadstaff, LLC on the back of her recent success as CEO of the Year.

Founded in 2015 after the founders established that there was a great need for talent in the telecom sector with 5G on the horizon, Broadstaff was formed.  They felt that there was a gap in the market that could be filled with a great staffing firm dedicated to this innovative and ever-evolving industry. Within a few months of inception, Carrie Charles joined the business as President and her passion for people and drive to make a real difference has led to some amazing achievements for the business.

The dynamic staffing solutions provider delivers a unique service to the businesses and the candidates it works with. With a focus on telecom and tech specifically, the team at Broadstaff are able to provide high-quality candidates in well above industry average timeframe, saving valuable time and resources for their clients. The team consists of individuals with a great deal of experience and knowledge of telecom and IT talent as well as skilled recruitment specialists ensuring that all bases are covered when it comes to selecting the right candidates. Carrie comments, “Yes, we are good at what we do, but what drives us is our love for people. New careers change lives and top talent helps companies grow.”

When asked about the internal culture at Broadstaff, Carrie shares “The Broadstaff culture is summed up in one word – Empowerment. Everyone has a voice and their individuality is celebrated. We thrive on diversity of thought and the ideas of our team members. We expect extraordinary results and encourage greatness daily.” Autonomy and employee engagement are unquestionably very important to Carrie and to the business. Carrie has a genuine passion for people and a keen drive to make a difference, qualities which have fed throughout the team and inspired many team members to deliver great things for Broadstaff as well as for themselves personally. It is no easy feat inspiring a workforce, particularly within a business operating within a space that is so fast-paced and rarely stands still, however Carrie has proven that with client dedication, a thirst for growth and a passion to support great businesses and great individuals you can achieve anything.

Charles has achieved great success whilst leading Broadstaff and has secured a number of accolades for inspirational leadership skills including Tampa Businesswoman of the Year, the 2020 Inc 5000 list, 2 years as a Tampa Bay Fast 50 Company, and of course most recently as CEO of the Year, 2020 as awarded by CEO Monthly. We’re confident that readers will find inspiration in this piece. With a great deal of commitment, a great team around you and a thirst to inspire, everything is possible.

Visit Broadstaff, LLC at www.broadstaffglobal.com for more information.

Business people in conference around a table

On Your Marks

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

L Marks is a firm of global specialists in corporate innovation. Using collaboration as an accelerant for purposeful change in the world’s leading businesses, L Marks leverages a culture of innovation, pioneering technologies, and entrepreneurial ideas of early and growth-stage businesses to empower the market. L Marks today boasts the UK’s largest network of corporate innovation labs and is recognised as a leader in making change happen. CEO Daniel Saunders tells us more.

Specialists in corporate innovation, L Marks has launched almost seventy innovation programmes across the UK, Europe, Israel, Asia, and the US since its inception as one of the first corporate accelerators in the UK in 2014. Consequently, the firm has created the country’s largest global network of corporate innovation labs, working with their clients – or corporate partners, as they are better known – to establish value-driven and cultural change within organisations through embedding innovation.

L Marks was born from the belief that collaboration is the most powerful way of affecting purposeful change. As such, through its international network, the firm seeks to enable and incorporate innovation between partners to develop and reach strategic goals for businesses, such as driving new products or services, increasing efficiency, improving customer experiences, saving costs, and ultimately promoting successful growth. L Marks discovers more than 10,000 early and growth-stage companies each year, who meet the specific needs of their corporate partners and working the firm’s innovation programmes to achieve business goals. With a staggering 72% of businesses continuing to work with their corporate partners once L Marks completes the programme, the value of these partnerships is clear to see.

Moreover, the importance of innovation to businesses in all verticals and of all sizes across the world is becoming increasingly clear, and L Marks’ corporate partners are those businesses who recognise not only how innovation can drive their own businesses forward, but also how they can contribute to the wider innovation eco-system. However, many organisations are reluctant to let go of the business mentalities that have worked for them for so long, preferring to sacrifice the future for the sake of the present when faced with financial adversity. In addition, many of the other organisations incorporate innovation that have appeared since L Marks began are often guilty of promising a great deal, without delivering on commercial outcomes.

Whilst the impacts of these empty promises are detrimental to the innovation industry, L Marks’ continued commitment to delivering value and results for their partners keeps its business and the industry thriving, in financially unstable times. Moreover, L Marks recognises that innovation is not always about looking ahead five, ten or fifty years, but also deploying solutions that will have long term and sustainable effects that will also impact the bottom line to drive new business opportunities and efficiencies rapidly.

The businesses that L Marks works with are called partners instead of clients because across their many innovation programmes, the firm works alongside them to understand and map out their unique strategic goals and discover the innovative solution that will best help them to achieve these. L Marks has created nearly seventy programmes worldwide, such as the ten-week intensive collaboration programmes with pioneering start-ups in Innovation Lab, Intra-Lab, the intrapreneurship programme designed to empower and equip employees to develop new solutions for their businesses, or Fusion an intensive programme which brings together start-ups with teams from the partner to co-create and deliver new solutions and tackle six months of work in just three days. Through open innovation programmes or university-grade ‘learn-by-doing’ educational processes, L Marks is able to implement its unparalleled expertise and experience to create a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship for businesses across sectors and geographies, whilst delivering results.

This is combined with the Bridge, L Marks’ proprietary digital platform that plays a crucial role in augmenting the methodologies and expertise of the L Marks team so as to maximise the potential of future technologies. The portal allows entrepreneurs and internal innovators to connect with collaborators and develop their ideas, whilst offering the ability to analyse and select the best ideas to be developed further. The Bridge also enables engagement with larger groups of employees to promote a more agile culture of change, whilst its target setting tools enables these businesses to stay focused on delivering tangible results.

When the economies and businesses around the world were forced to rapidly adjust to the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns, L Marks was able to rely on the Bridge infrastructure to seamlessly transform all of their programmes to digital platforms, whilst maintaining the same environments and delivering the same outcomes from programmes. There were of course some challenges, but the L Marks team were able to transition to digital platforms successfully and continue carrying out their programmes throughout 2020, often with even better results.

CEO Daniel Saunders says, “I am incredibly impressed by the L Marks team and how, in only six weeks, we were able to build a Virtual Events Platform that created the environment and experience so all our events could continue during lock-down.”

As such, L Marks has been able to continue operating with its central ethos of collaboration by bringing people together, even if only virtually currently. Whilst there are many who are now strong advocates for working from home thanks to its positive changes to work/life balance, the loss of commute, and other benefits, L Marks recognises the importance of working together in a physical environment to create a strong culture of collaboration and innovative serendipity. Therefore they look forward to the return to working side-by-side once more when it is possible. “That being said,” says Daniel, “necessity is the mother of invention and it’s been through having to adapt and react to this new environment that not only has L Marks itself been able to innovate and grow, but the world has also seen the importance and opportunities through innovation.”

Having been built around innovation since 2014, L Marks is ready to lead its existing and new corporate partners to greater success in the future. At the core of the firm is an openness to new ideas, new ways of thinking, and a constantly curious mentality that asks, ‘what if?’ Daniel says, “just as we champion the importance of open-mindedness and collaboration within our corporate partners, so, too, do we in our own internal culture.” The L Marks team is made up of a diverse range of individuals, including entrepreneurs, corporate innovators, industry trade bodies, charities, investors, government advisors, innovation and technology experts and more. As a collective, the vast experience and expertise equips L Marks with the credibility to create successful programmes that generate innovation for their partners. The team is also constantly looking at what more they can do and have a culture of continuous improvement.

Therefore, whilst the key to the success of L Marks is the diversity in its people, the firm looks for a certain mentality in potential candidates when recruiting to its team. Those individuals must share the L Marks attributes of collaboration, open-mindedness, creativity, courtesy, responsibility and dynamism. Consequently, the team is able to pull together and employ the breadth of its knowledge and insights to provide a holistic and clear approach to all of its programmes to create success for their partners, as well as their own company.

As the impacts of Covid-19 open the eyes of businesses around the world to the importance and opportunities for innovation, L Marks is working with its partners to implement new technologies and strategies to remain stable and continue growing, even in these uncertain times. In 2021, the firm will also extend its guidance to further partners, as well as supporting the third sector in its creation of social enterprises to offer them the same pathways to innovation. Having seen the successful impact of innovation for its corporate partners, L Marks is excited to see how it can enhance and support partners within this new space.

In addition, L Marks will also be further championing the importance and value of innovation by bringing together key stakeholders and encouraging them to support the firm’s existing partners and the wider business community, helping them to understand the importance of innovation and assisting them in navigating and embracing it successfully. By implementing innovation across these businesses, L Marks can help them to drive a culture of dynamism that fuels growth and ultimately makes change happen.

For business enquires contact Daniel Saunders at L Marks via www.lmarks.com

Closeup of businessman with a UK passport and boarding pass in hand

Immigration Innovation!

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

The American Dream is that anyone can succeed in the USA. All it takes is hard work, grit and determination. Of course, getting into the USA can be enormously tricky, with complex immigration paperwork to complete. We take a look at the team from D4U USA Law Firm to see how the leadership of their CEO, Wagner Pontes, has allowed the business to flourish.

The world of immigration has become more and more important in an increasingly globalized world. As companies look to find new ways of working, which can respond quickly to market demands, the ability to pool resources on an international level is incredibly beneficial. Helping to bring that dream into reality are the team at D4U USA Law Firm.

D4U brings something specialized to the table for all its clients. The team have a detailed knowledge of immigration law that can benefit both businesses and clients. It takes a visionary mind to delve into this specific area, and the success of the company is due in no small part to the work of entrepreneur Wagner Pontes. Mr. Pontes has over 16 years of experience, leading businesses to new and exciting levels of success. Since the early stages of his career, he has been recognized for the exceptional results of his labours. He was selected by a prestigious Brazilian magazine to be the recipient of the renowned “Young Entrepreneur” award and as his talents grew, so did his success. He has also been recognized as “Best CEO in E-Commerce” from the E-Commerce Association.

When considering his work with D4U, it’s worth looking at how the organization is structured. Mr. Pontes is not yet a lawyer, though he is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Dayton. His skill has been on enabling the business side of the operation to thrive. D4U USA Law Firm is a part of D4U USA Group. The Group is comprised of five units, with the law firm situated in the heart of the country in Washington DC. The building is just a few blocks away from the White House. Two support branches have been placed in Florida, namely in Boca Raton and Orlando. To round out support for clients, two more units are in Brazil, one in Perdizes in São Paulo and the other in João Pessoa.

This allows the D4U team enormous flexibility, enabling people to easily access the resources that are on offer. When looking to move to another country, it pays to be able to meet the lawyers involved easily. The team at D4U are entirely focused on making the process of immigration as simple as possible for businesses and individuals. With specialists on hand to offer expert support, it’s little wonder that the team have achieved such an astonishing level of success.

D4U is responsible for the processing of dozens of green cards every month, and the team are very proud with their strong record of approvals. This experience in the field not only means that the team have a great deal of experience, but are able to tackle whatever challenges may arise. Many legal firms can do the work that the team at D4U undertake, but very few have the qualifications that set this organization apart. They are properly licensed, with insurance that covers up to 1 million dollars, in case any clients suffer any type of loss.

With such a broad array of visas available, it can be overwhelming for those who want to come to the USA. Fortunately, the team know just how the systems works, and how best to ensure that your move from one country to another is as smooth as possible. They have worked with artists and athletes, aiming to obtain a EB1 Visa Green Card through their special skills all the way through to the E2 Visa, which does not lead to the attainment of a Green Card, but does also have no limits on its renewal. Every case is different, and the team know that to best suit their customers’ needs, they have to apply the right solution for specific circumstances.

Of course, the firm does not just focus on the act of immigration. This talented team take on a wealth of different responsibilities in this area too. One of these areas is tax planning, and this plays a role both pre- and post-immigration. No matter what your circumstances with regards to wealth, the USA offers many potential opportunities to mitigate the tax burden from a scenario of US tax residency, or even multiple residency. Finding a lawyer who is able to handle every aspect of this complex area of law is a boon to those who are moving, as they know that their money is in safe hands.

While this support helps many who have individual wealth, it does not assist businesses who are looking to bring fresh talent to America’s shores. Businesses who want to embrace internationalism need look no further than D4U. The product of an entrepreneur, with an entrepreneurial spirit at its heart, D4U assists the budding businessperson in choosing the best corporate structure and considering the tax consequences according to the company’s business model. By working with an experienced legal operator like D4U, clients can ensure that their business model is as successful as possible.

It’s a credit to the team behind D4U that the firm has achieved such a high level of success. Few could disagree that when there is an urgent need for growth, the team at D4U are on hand to provide their expert assistance. Under the capable care of Wagner Pontes, this is a law firm that is sure to move onto even greater success.

Contact Wagner Pontes of D4U USA Law Firm from  www.en.d4uusa.com.br for more information.

CEO

The Challenges CEO’s Are Facing Right Now

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

By Thom Dennis, CEO at Serenity in Leadership

 

The challenges facing CEO’s right now are mounting. Many businesses have had to stop, start, reassess and reconfigure in the last year as we went through lockdowns, Brexit and unprecedented global health instability, with countless employees having faced isolation, burnout and anxiety. In the UK we are beginning to endure a third wave of the pandemic which may have another huge impact on businesses and leadership strategy.  The challenges facing CEOs right now include: –

 

Constant Change

  • New, unfamiliar and unpredictable scenarios mean leaders are still having to diversify, or adapt their product or service quickly, ensure careful adherence to every changing regulation and to change at speed because of the unpredictability we all still face. Simply being reactive means there is little space for being proactive or for long term planning. Many businesses are facing the need to change their organisation’s culture.
  • Fear is often systemic and is felt collectively within the workplace especially when it results from national or global uncertainty. Employees are fearful of losing their jobs which keeps them vulnerable and easy to manipulate by fear-based managers who are obsessed with rules, punishments and structure, and use exclusion techniques to maintain control and cling to power. Bullying, harassment, power play and lack of inclusion need to be tackled head on more than ever, and denying there is such behaviour in your organisation is quite likely to be a kind of wilful blindness. There is much fear being generated today, not least in the media, and a calm and steady style of leadership is really called for.
  • Loss of resources. Some businesses have done well to keep their talent motivated, in the loop and on board with changes forced upon them; others failed abysmally, negatively affecting loyalty which is causing talented employees to move to competitors.  Keeping the team working well together from multiple locations is very difficult but many businesses are getting better at it as we go along.
  • Supply and demand. There has been a huge knock-on effect of both Brexit and the pandemic on the supply of materials for many businesses from cardboard to aluminium to finished goods. This has led to increased lead and delivery times, dreadful customer service and frustrated, disgruntled customers whose patience has run out.

 

 

Lack of personal development

  • CEOs have had little space or time for reflection during the last year but have had to show buckets of resilience. We all need time to reflect, and it is important to recognise errors that were made, listen to feedback and have an opportunity to learn and make amends, in order to grow and truly move on.
  • CEOs want to create a personal legacy and to make their mark on the company. Sadly not all legacies are positive with some intimidating or unhappy CEOs leaving a history of poor culture, whilst others leave a wonderful legacy of goals and objectives achieved whilst maximising talent, creating safe cultures and encouraging colleagues to bring their best self to work. The pandemic has made the difference between positive and negative leadership ever more obvious.
  • Administration, demanding project planning and meetings have increased since the start of the pandemic leaving CEOs overstretched and in need of time to reformulate their normal day. An understanding that multitasking creates poor performance and ways to honour a healthy work/life balance are still baffling many leaders.

 

Pressures of business development

  • There is increased pressure to improve the leadership skills of senior staff so they can relieve the executive team from some of their challenges by promoting those who are ready and providing mentorship for those who need it. Having the right resources and timing are crucial for this to fall into place.
  • Getting to know the new needs of your team and customers is vital because most of us have made some significant changes in our lives in the last 18 months. There is a need for systems whereby top leaders can ask for feedback from senior level staff to gain front-line insights. Boosting social media presence may also help to get to know your clients and consumers better.
  • Pushing for growth at a time when budgets may still be frozen means businesses are having to stay ahead of the competition by thinking outside the box, collaborating more with other like-minded companies and measuring their progress so they can refine their approach as 2021 progresses. This is all for the greater good but creates substantial pressure to do better despite ongoing difficult circumstances.
  • Effective two-way communication between the C-Suite and employees is vital, especially because of the unpredictability of the pandemic. Transparency, integrity, honesty, a well-structured board communication strategy, clearly defined roles and documentation, and excellent communication are all must-haves. Leaders need to ask questions; not assume they know the answers.
  • Increased emphasis on employee wellness at first glance may feel like a drain on the business but a strong emphasis on prioritising good health is not only good for the individual, but the business and company culture.

 

Employee unrest

  • Concerns over trust during the pandemic means leaders need to be honest, supportive and consistent, actively listening to employees whilst managing expectations positively and respectfully. Trust takes time to be earnt and more to be re-earnt. Leaders must work with honesty, integrity and transparency towards a common goal which suits both parties.
  • Employees want a different work-life balance now and have different priorities, since the onset of the pandemic. Understanding the different needs of your employees and creating individual hybrid models that suit both them and the company will take a lot of clear, and flexible, thinking to establish and maintain an excellent working and wellness solution for all.
  • We need to tackle burnout head on. In order for employees and business to thrive, promote an open working culture so that employees feel comfortable sharing feelings of being overwhelmed with their supervisors. Vulnerability must be honoured; dismissing it will kill trust effectively and immediately. Ensure roles are definitive and be clear about welcoming good work/ life boundaries, ensuring that over-working is neither expected nor encouraged.

 

D&I issues

  • Solving D&I issues has never been more important and merely hoping for diversity isn’t going to work. Hire diverse talent even if they don’t automatically fit the corporate mould because diversity makes us smarter and changes the way we think. Consider removing ‘must have’ criteria on your job advertisements as this naturally limits your talent pool, avoid group think, ask for commitment not compliance and give minorities support and engagement.
  • We need to break the mould to build responsible workplaces. Whilst some leaders are given budgets to support inclusion, this will simply never be enough to create real change. Leaders need to prioritise training on inclusion and set an example by personally attending themselves and requesting that all senior staff members attend as well. Sadly, those who live in denial are the most destructive.
Woman making a contactless payment through her phone

Tech for Today

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

When it comes to the use of technology, businesses have been subjected to myriad examples of buzzwords that have lost all meaning. For the team at REPL Group, the aim isn’t to throw catchphrases around, but to find ways of making a real difference to your business. We take a closer look at how this organisation has achieved such success under the leadership of Cerys Johnson.

The digital workplace brings with it the potential for numerous world beating solutions, but many businesses simply don’t have the resources to find the perfect solution. That’s where REPL excels, drawing on years of experience in the technology sector to provide a solution that gets results for businesses.

Cerys took on the role of CEO in 2017, after six years working for the company firstly as Chief Financial Officer and later as Chief Operating Officer. Her in-depth knowledge of how the firm works has given her an unpreceded insight into how to guide the path of the company’s growth globally. Her tenure as CEO thus far has seen REPL double in size, with reported increased in revenue of 40% year over year.

This success is not a surprise to those who know her history. With over twenty-five years of experience in strategic and digital transformation roles, she knows how to ensure that companies make the most of what they have. With her unique perspective driving the strategy and execution that spans all the aspects of REPL’s business model, there has been a chance to have an impact over product development, IT, marketing, and sales. These decisions have been key to the company’s continued success.

When REPL opens its doors in 2007, the aim was to enhance the capacity of businesses of all sorts. No one deserved to be left before in the technological age, and this demanded an innovative approach that could scale easily as well as adapt effectively to suit the needs of different markets and industries. With a specialist team, able to offer workforce technology, supply chain, point of sale and in-store digital solutions, REPL soon became known as a trusted name that has delivered the goods time and time again. This applies to hundreds of companies around the world, in retail, supply chains, manufacturing and hospitality to name but a few. During Cerys’ time as CEO, the aim has been to maintain this impressive reputation while serving an even greater array of customers.

Of course, business is not just about growth, and Cerys has achieved her success through working closely with people. She knows how to inspire them, ensuring that they are in the best position to achieve their best possible work. While some in management roles see people as either “customers”, “partners” or “employees”, she sees them as people who are part of the business ecosystem. Each aspect must be considered individually, with their own story, to secure success. Every person who is part of the ecosystem that makes up REPL has their own story. This story is made up of unique dreams, hopes and fears. When Cerys leads, she leads in full knowledge of the people she is with, and a determination to serve them as best as she possibly can.

It’s this approach that she brings to the retail and technology sectors. Many are beginning to offer leading solutions, but few do so with the focus on people that has been mustered by REPL. By rejecting the norms of the industry, and providing a practical approach, the team have been able to achieve their astonishing levels of success.

As a result of this achievement in the technology sector, Cerys has quickly become a beacon for women in the industry. During her time at REPL, she has championed an approach of diversity and equality, launching a ‘Women in REPL’ initiative and promoting an environment that challenges unconscious bias. This tireless and valuable work has been recognised in various forms, most notably within Forbes, where she has featured and been able to discuss the value of diversity in the workplace and how she has helped transform REPL’s culture with a larger audience.

Her expertise as a businesswoman has garnered a great deal of attention, with invitations to appear on Channel 4 News, discussing the discussing the impacts of Brexit on retail and business, and frequently comments on topical issues, such as providing insight into B&M’s success for This Is Money earlier this year.

When it comes to the technology sector, it’s easy to get lost in the hardware that goes into making a success. What is clear from Cerys Johnson’s exceptional career is that soft skills are far from out of fashion. Her ability to communicate clearly, to work with others and to collaborate on future success has proven to be key to her success. We celebrate Cerys’ work, and look forward to seeing what impressive achievements she will gain in the future.

Contact Kristina Flickinger via www.replgroup.com for more information about the REPL Group

CEO Jude Gomes of Union Assurance

Turnaround Insurance Player in Sri Lanka

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

Union Assurance is a leading Life Insurance solutions provider of Sri Lanka that has been empowering people and offering peace of mind in dealing with their financial plans and the future for more than thirty years. Operating across more than seventy branches throughout Sri Lanka, Union Assurance’s team of dynamic professionals who share a customer-centric mentality are leading the way in innovating the country’s growing life insurance industry. We take a closer look at the firm and its award-winning CEO, Mr Jude Gomes.

Established in 1987, Union Assurance is one of the largest providers of life insurance solutions for Sri Lanka, committed to providing protection, financial security, and creating wealth for their clients, whilst also adding values to its employees, field staff, business partners, shareholders, and community. Offering a comprehensive range of solutions that encompass investment, protection, retirement, education, health, and employment, Union Assurance seeks to support the dreams of Sri Lankan people by providing them customized solutions to meet the uncertainties of life.

Since its inception, Union Assurance ethos has evolved to become the protector of the Sri Lankan dream under the brand’s philosophy, ‘Your Life, Our Strength’. The Company has positioned itself to protect the lifestyles, relationships, and ambitions of its clients, regardless of the inevitable complications that arise throughout a lifetime. Caring remains an integral value of Union Assurance, alongside Trust, Excellence, Ethics and Integrity, Innovation, and a customer-centric mentality that encompasses all of these values.

As consumers around the world become more digitally aware and attuned to the rapid evolution of economic and social landscapes, Union Assurance’s customers are also becoming more aspirational, with clearly defined goals of what they want for themselves and their families, now and in the future. A key part of Sri Lankan culture is the creation of inheritances, and the firm’s diverse clientele across the country and socio-economic backgrounds are becoming more aware of life insurance as an alternative investment opportunity to achieve their financial ambitions.

While Sri Lanka has trailed behind in innovating its products, servicing capabilities, and distribution in this market, it is clear that the potential for growing and innovating the financial services sector is ready to be maximised. Union Assurance is stepping out of the norm in its market and driving forward innovation, making it its mission to bridge the gap between its tech-savvy customers and the less advanced industry. By transforming itself to become a more digitally enhanced, customer-centric life insurer with better, tech-enabled products, services, and platforms, Union Assurance is leading the way for the Sri Lankan market in helping its customers to achieve their financial goals and live comfortable, protected lives.

However, as an industry that requires long term commitments in a developing market, this is largely viewed as an impediment. Moreover, the concept of mitigating ‘pure risk’ is also misunderstood, with many consumers demanding immediate returns on premiums they have paid, making the whole concept a significantly more expensive proposition. All of this is compounded by the aggravation caused by issues in transparency, complexity, and tedious processes, as well as uncertainties in the stock market caused by over-dependence on stock market-related products and short term, fly-by-night operators. Dealing with such problems has been somewhat impeded in latter months as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which has not only created challenges in operating in this environment, but also had significant impact on the livelihoods, and therefore the paying capacities, of consumers.

However, Union Assurance’s strong foundations, innovative mindset, and digital preparedness meant the firm was able to proactively adapt to the pandemic, not only surviving as a business but thriving and growing. Over the past year, Union Assurance has been recruiting more than ever, welcoming Financial Advisors and Insurance Officers in large numbers, as well as talents across other industries who are able to provide fresh perspectives and ideas for growth. Insurance is fundamentally a sector that centres around people and as such, a defining feature of an exceptional insurance provider as opposed to a good one is the quality of its people.

For Union Assurance, its people are its greatest asset. CEO Mr Jude Gomes states that it is his job to empower them, giving them the platform and resources to develop and maximise their potential. Only in an environment where each member of the team feels safe and trusted can the innovation that is vital to Union Assurance’s success flourish, even in the face of adversity or complications. The result is an internal culture that gives individuals the space to make their mistakes and learn from them, giving them the drive to outperform their key deliverables and exceed expectations of their clients. “The remarkable results are a tribute to our winning team, which I am proud to be part of,” says Mr Gomes.

Mr Gomes himself joined Union Assurance in December 2019, bringing with him nearly thirty years of rich experience in financial services accrued working across key Asian markets. Prior to his role at Union Assurance, Mr Gomes led Manulife China Bank Life Assurance Co. Philippines as CEO and President, having been with Manulife Group since 2012, pioneering Bancassurance in Vietnam as Corporate Vice-President and Head of Partnership Distribution. He was also a founder member of Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance Co. as Senior Vice-President and Head of Channel, and was subsequently seconded to Hong Kong at HSBC Insurance (Asia-Pacific) Regional Business Development, working across APAC markets.

In addition to this, Mr Gomes was among the pioneers at India’s first privatised life insurer, HDFC Standard Life, and also headed Wealth Management for Centurion Bank of Punjab. He has a sizeable list of accreditations and awards to his name, including the Manulife’s Global Star of Excellence Award in 2013 and 2015 and Standard Chartered Bank’s Regional Award in 1999.

Just like its CEO, Union Assurance is also the proud recipient of numerous awards and accolades, having been recognised for the eighth consecutive year as a Great Place to Work by GPTW, Domestic Life Insurer by Asia Insurance Awards, and Best Brand, Best Employer Brand and Sustainable Marketing Excellence by CMO Global/ CMO Asia and the World HRD Congress. Union Assurance was also a finalist at the 5th Trusted Asia Life Agents & Advisors Awards for Best IRO and Best Bancassurance Partnership and is the Most Awarded Brand – #1 in the Insurance category by LMD.

In its mission to lead Sri Lanka into the next generation of Life Insurance and Financial Services, Union Assurance recently launched its new brand identity, complete with a logo and payoff line that represented the firm’s new beginning. At the heart of this repositioning strategy is the evolved consumer, and Union Assurance places itself as the Trusted Protector of the Sri Lankan dream, charged with showing people that they can dream bigger if they plan better, that their children can aim higher if their future is stronger, and that their lives can be richer if they think smarter.

Union Assurance’s new logo depicts the Circle of Life, which goes hand-in-hand with its slogan, Your Life, Our Strength. The rebranding of the firm marks an exciting journey that has been built on the teamwork of dynamic professionals who have successfully nurtured relationships amidst its strong financial foundations. As Union Assurance enters this next, exciting phase of its evolution, there is no doubt that the shape of Sri Lanka’s life insurance industry is set to be changed for the better.

For business enquires contact Lucille Diaz at Union Assurance PLC via www.unionassurance.com or email at [email protected]

Customer engagement

Effective Methods for Engaging with Customers as a Business

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

As a business owner, you are constantly thinking of ways that you can improve your company. Day in, day out, you mull over the successes and failures you have endured, contemplating what you can adjust and adapt to do better the next time.

With a wide variety of factors to consider, we recognize that it can be easy to become overwhelmed. Both internally and externally, there often feels like a million and one things to complete. While that may very well be the case, it is crucial to keep a level head. You are operating the ship, after all.

Concerning how you engage with customers as a business owner, this takes some time, attention, and focus on getting right. You must spend some time knowing how to do this; you want to ensure you are treating your customers the way they deserve and in a manner that will encourage them to continue coming back to your establishment.

If you are in a position where you are looking for ideal methods for engaging with your customers, both existing and potential, then you are in the right place! Read on for our tips and tricks and find what works for you.

Build a Community

This can be done through a wide variety of avenues, but it is the execution that matters the most. While it seems a bit of an odd concept to develop a community for your business, it makes a difference in the long term.

As a business, it is vital that you give customers ample opportunity to engage with you as a brand. Having their voice heard, opinions and feedback taken on board is essential and could even enable you to find unique ideas for improving and adapting your company.

However, it is also recommended that you allow your loyal customers to engage amongst themselves as well. Social media platforms are a great way of enabling them to engage with one another and provide a safe space to compare opinions and discuss ongoing industry trends.

At the same time, social media platforms are not the only way you can build a community. Specifically, if you have a physical store or branch for your business, you could also utilize this as a means of forging a community. The choice is entirely yours, and naturally, is based on your own situation and circumstance.

Email Marketing

This can go one of two ways. If you get it right, email marketing provides you with an opportunity to engage with your customer while enabling them the chance to develop a connection with you as a brand.

Flipping this on its head; it could go very wrong and be viewed as irritating if you do not get it right. Take the time to consider what you wish to achieve using ecommerce email marketing strategies and make detailed plans to do this.

For the most part, you can use email marketing as a means of establishing what kinds of things your customers engage with the most and using this to your advantage. Email blast campaigns give business owners like yourself an insight into what emails are opened, the rate of click conversions of these emails, and more.

Using this information, you can tailor what you send to the customer, further nurturing and developing this relationship. Customers will feel valued, for you will know the types of things they want, and you will be making sales from it. A winning situation for all involved if we did say so!

Providing Entertainment Value

Naturally, as a business owner or company director, you want to keep the content you post online associated and relevant to your business itself, as well as your products or services. While we recognize this is the case, it is well worth considering putting yourself in the position of your customers.

When authentically engaging with them online, you want to ensure they see content relevant to your business but which they are engaging with generally. Linking back to our previous point about creating a community, you will be allowing discourse to take place in your social media channels by sharing entertaining items of content.

Furthermore, by posting entertaining and engaging content on your social media platforms and websites, you are significantly contributing to how your business performs and appears to search engines. The more people who engage with your content, the more people it will reach. The more people your content reaches, the more potential customers and sales you will receive. What more could you want!

Authentically engaging with your customers should be done from the word go. Making a conscious effort to put your customers first and create a level of discourse with them will benefit you and your broader business in the long run.

Be approachable, receptive, and friendly, and you are sure to be successful in your engagement endeavours both now and in the future!

tractors ploughing in a field

Exceptional Service and Full Line of Products

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

With a Headquarter in San Fernando, Colchagua, and branches throughout Chile, Copeval S.A. is the leading company in the distribution of inputs and services for the country’s agricultural sector. We recently caught up with the company’s CEO, Marcelo Lessa to find out more about the award-winning service the team at Copeval provides to their clients.

Copeval S.A. was initially founded in 1956 when a group of farmers in the Colchagua area, mainly milk producers, created an institution to help solve multiple needs such as supplying inputs, technical assistance, and the marketing of products. During the 70’s and 90’s Copeval became the first company in the sector to operate throughout Chile, an important factor for clients who were also expanding its operations geographically. Going into detail about the company, Marcelo provides us with an overview of Copeval and offers us more of an insight into the clients it serves.

“Operating throughout Chile via our 25 branches and seven agro-industrial plants, Copeval S.A is committed to solving the input supply problems and helping clients improve yields and management in the agricultural sector. We have a permanent stock of 40,000 products, by far the largest in Chile, covering all needs and demands of our clients.

“Typically, our offerings include agricultural inputs, financing, machinery, including leasing, irrigation projects and fuel dispatch. In 2020 we restructured into four Divisions: Agrochemicals and BioSolutions; Fertilizers; Irrigation and Machineries, to better service our clients. For example, there is growing demand for Biosolutions, for which we are adding several new products.  When purchasing agricultural machinery, technical service is a very important attribute since the expectations and demands of customers on the equipment purchased can provide accurate and satisfactory answers in appropriate timeframes to ensure the operational continuity of the equipment. The lease of machinery allows our customers to use modern equipment without up-front commitment of capital. To ensure our clients can get the best out of its field, we aim to provide a timely and reliable fuel dispatch service. With state-of-the-art and certified equipment for the transport of fuel, we can guarantee a safe and accurate supply in litres, with all the quality they can expect. Copeval S.A. distributes all these products with a best-in sector and state of the art logistics operation that can guarantee delivery within 24 hours to our client’s fields.”

In its attempts to separate themselves from the crowd, the firm has a traceability system that allows clients to track the processes of a product. Marcelo explains the system in great detail, highlighting some of the benefits it has for consumers using it.

“Today, it is very important to have a traceability system because it allows us to count and make available valuable information both for suppliers, government services and of course for our customers who must provide detailed information on the management of their agricultural activities to enter more demanding markets. Additionally, consumers can also use this as a benchmark to select highly reliable, worry-free products. In this way, we provide accurate information regarding the products delivered, giving absolute certainty in the administration of its inventories.”

Copeval has, since 2019 when Marcelo took over as CEO, improved its operations and financial strength in support of a new phase of growth and innovation in order to provide even better service to its clients. One important sign of this strategy is the stellar results the company had in 2020.

Bringing the interview to a close, Marcelo signs off by revealing the plans the team have in pipeline for Copeval in the years to come, not before touching on what it meant to be recognised in CEO Monthly’s CEO of the Year 2020 awards.

“To have been awarded CEO of the Year 2020 – Chile feels extremely rewarding, but without the efforts of my committed team of Managers this wouldn’t have been possible. Moving forward, if we can maintain our leading position in the industry and begin to explore new opportunities in the market then I will be very pleased indeed.”

Marcelo Lessa can be contacted at Copeval S.A. via www.copeval.cl

Two doctors discussing information on a document

Data-Driven Diagnostics are CEO’s Core Competency

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

Lung diseases have been placed front and centre of the medical community in the last year and a half, given the emergence of COVID-19 and its various impacts on breathing difficulties. Understanding lung disease is key to beating them, and that is part of the work carried out by Biodesix Inc., a leading data-driven diagnostic solutions company helping to answer critical clinical questions. The firm is also home to Mr Scott Hutton, recipient of the title of CEO of the Year, 2020 – The USA. Join us as we highlight Mr Hutton’s personal and professional success, as well as take a closer look at what Biodesix Inc. has to offer as a business.

When it comes to tackling any new lung disease, there are a great many things to consider and query before real strides can be made. Physicians, researchers, and biopharmaceutical companies alike all have to consider critically-important clinical questions that will help to shine a light on how a new disease operates, and what systems it targets when it infects a new person. Take COVID-19 for example. Before vaccines became a reality, there was a wealth of research and careful consideration to understand the virus and how it operates. It is this kind of research and understanding that is the primary focus of the work carried out by Biodesix Inc.. Since its inception, the firm has been a leading data-driven diagnostic solutions company that has sought to help answer critical clinical questions faced by physicians, researchers, biopharmaceutical companies, and medical professionals when dealing with lung disease.

In seeking to answer these questions, the mission of Biodesix Inc. becomes increasingly clear: to improve every patient’s lung disease care by empowering physicians with swift, comprehensive, and actionable insights. Understanding how diseases and infections work is imperative to understanding how to beat them and give a patient their life back. Biodesix Inc.’s vision is to be a trusted partner that the world relies on for data-driven diagnostic solutions in lung disease and beyond. In working to achieve this mission and see this vision become a reality, Biodesix Inc. operates in several key areas. These include leveraging a technology-agnostic approach and a proprietary AI platform to provide a holistic view of each patient’s disease state, solving complex diagnostic challenges in lung disease, and believing that every patient deserves a personalized approach to improving their care.

Taking care of those fighting against a lung disease is no easy feat, but Biodesix Inc. always strives to be a trusted partner with end-to-end diagnostic solutions for every eventuality. Technology is key in this fight and it has certainly come a long way, even just in the last few years. Advancements are being made all time, but Biodesix Inc.’s core belief is that no single technology can answer all diagnostic research questions that may arise. Working alongside biopharmaceutical partners, the firm employs a personalized and integrated approach to technology-agnostic service delivery. Uncovering the wealth of information around disease biology requires access to many technologies, and Biodesix Inc. works with many different technologies, or “omics” to ensure that the patient gets the best care imaginable.

Just some of these technologies allow the firm and its biopharmaceutical partners to carry out diagnostic research to uncover novel insights about tumour biology and the patient’s immune response to cancer for biopharmaceutical therapeutics in clinical developments. Using technology to help uncover new insights and information about a patient’s status can not only help them with understanding the disease, but also the care plan. The blood tests carried out by Biodesix Inc. are helping to provide physicians with swift and actionable biomarker results to support an individualized and personalized care plan like no other.

Overseeing all of this outstanding work is the recipient of today’s title of CEO of the Year, 2020 – The USA: Mr Scott Hutton. Mr Hutton has served diligently as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of Biodesix Inc. since January 2020, and it has been quite the first year for him, as he led the company through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and listed on  NASDAQ the morning of October 26th, 2020. Scott Hutton accomplished this in the face of  a global pandemic and the most tumultuous election year in US history. Prior to holding the role of CEO at the firm, Mr Hutton had previously held the role of Chief Operating Officer from March 2018 to December 2019. On top of this, the outstanding Mr Hutton has served on the board of Eximis Surgical since February 2018,was an Observer on the board of Aqueduct Critical Care from September 2014 to January 2017, was an Observer on the board of Visualase from October 2012 to July 2014 and served on the board of the Colorado BioScience Association from April 2011 to April 2013. His experience seemingly knows no bounds, having plied his leadership skills in a myriad of roles, and for a wealth of companies and corporate entities. However, there have been two uniting threads throughout his professional career that have carried him from success to success, and seen him rise to a position where being named CEO of the Year, 2020 – The USA is a fully deserved success.

These two threads are a passion for solutions, and a passion for high calibre leadership. Together, these skills have meant that Mr Hutton has been able to carve out a reputation for himself as being an outstanding leader that is driven to find and empower solutions. Mr Hutton joined the team at Biodesix Inc. from Spectranetics Corp, a U.S.-based global leader in vascular intervention and lead management solutions, and he was based at Medtronic plc before that, a global healthcare products company and manufacturer of medical devices and supplies. His knowledge and insight around the healthcare industry has also been a staple of his career in leadership, enhanced by his Bachelor of Arts degree in Health and Kinesiology from Purdue University. Almost ten years ago in July 2011, Mr Hutton was awarded the Medtronic Wallin Leadership Award for his focus on talent development, business performance, and his personal and intentional demonstration of leadership.

Mr Hutton is an outstanding leader, and one who understands what it means to be effective in his role of inspiring others involved in the research and understanding of lung disease. At a time where lung disease is one of the most dominant news stories of our time, the work of Biodesix Inc. is more important than ever, and there can be no better leader to guide the firm than Mr Hutton. His leadership, dedication, and business performance have meant that this award could not go to a more deserving individual, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for both Mr Hutton himself, and the wider work of Biodesix Inc. as a business at the forefront of data-driven diagnostic solutions.

Bobbi Coffin can be contacted through Biodesix, Inc.

Miniature justice statue with an open book and judge's gavel

Law Firm CEO Achieves Success

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

Law firms across the United States have long dedicated themselves to the mission of providing clients with the most excellent legal services possible. Yet, for the wealth of firms that strive to achieve this, there are few that stand out amongst the crowd. BQ & Associates is one such outstanding firm. Home to dynamic lawyers in the prime of their professional careers, as well as the recipient of the CEO of the Year, 2020 – the USA title from CEO Monthly, BQ & Associates is one of the best around. Join us as shed more light on the firm’s work, and the work of its award-winning CEO, Mr Jacob Hanika.

With a long and rich history of providing its clients with outstanding legal services that go above and beyond the call of duty, BQ & Associates is a dynamic and vibrant firm that boasts a team of professional lawyers that is dedicated to solving problems and achieving optimal outcomes for clients. Having initially developed its sterling reputation through its experience and expertise in litigation, the attorney team at BQ & Associates is held in high regard and is considered amongst the best collections of attorneys in the United States. This history of excellence continues to permeate every area of the firm today, and will no doubt continue to be a staple of the service provided long into the future. Today, however, that team remains entirely focused on being the law firm that its clients’ need, offering a full and extensive range of legal services in litigation and dispute resolution. Armed with such a wealth of services and legal expertise at its disposal, BQ & Associates can serve a strong and diversified client base that includes Fortune 500 companies, national and international insurers, self-insured businesses, financial services organizations, public and closely-held companies, and private individuals.

Delivering legal excellence for its clients at all times, the firm has earned a reputation for strong leadership in both the legal and political worlds, and has a multitude of successful outcomes for clients in both of these arenas. Within those two particular worlds, BQ & Associates competently assists in the handling of quality legal work that includes pre-suit, suit, and post-judgment debt collection. The growth of the firm’s reputation for quality legal work by its collection attorneys was a direct result of the representation ability that those same attorneys had when working with clients. Included in the incredibly focused approach to professional account resolution services is a state-of-the-art automatic phone dialler system, which allows for a high volume of telephone activity. As well as this, BQ & Associates also boasts unique technology that includes collection software which allows the firm to accept claims in any selected delivery method, be it manual, electronic, or through the software.

Three core areas where the firm succeeds greatly is collection, commercial, and bankruptcy services, as well as offering services in appellate litigation, corporate transactions, healthcare law, administrative law, and government relations. From a collection standpoint, BQ & Associates continues to specialize in collections and creditors’ rights by focusing on the efficient and aggressive pursuit of maximum liquidation of accounts for clients, whilst also strictly adhering to all applicable local, state, and federal laws. In a commercial sense, the firm has extensive experience and expertise in a wide variety of commercial disputes. These include, but are not limited to, contract interpretation and enforcement, banking law, securities fraud, unfair competition, shareholder litigation, partnership disputes, and valuation issues relating to ongoing businesses, property, and partnership interests.

Finally, there is also the bankruptcy side of the services provided by BQ & Associates. The firm regularly represents creditors in actions regarding automatic stay relief, preferential transfer, lien avoidance, fraudulent conveyances, and defending objections of proofs of claim. In connection with the acquisition of assets from bankruptcy estates, the lawyers at BQ & Associates have often found themselves involved in the negotiation of real estate transactions, as well as the resolution of landlord-tenant problems, liquidations, reorganizations, and the discharge of debtor complaints. BQ & Associates has also acted in the role of special counsel to creditor’s committees and bankruptcy trustees in both Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 cases, and has been successful in pursuing the claims of other creditors in bankruptcy cases in order to obtain beneficial settlement agreements.

Leading a firm such as this, with such a wealth of varied and outstanding experience, requires a leader who brings much of the same experience and understanding of how businesses work. Fortunately, that is exactly what BQ & Associates has in abundance in the form of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operations Officer, Mr Jacob Hanika. Over the course of his professional career, Mr Hanika has worked tirelessly to gain experience as an executive and C-suite leader with a demonstrable history of working across a variety of industries. His skills encompass a very wide area of business, and there are very few things that Mr Hanika cannot help with when it comes to executive leadership. Whether it be the art of leadership itself, negotiations, contracts, budgeting, analyses, or communication, Mr Hanika brings a myriad of skills and understanding to his every bit of work.

Mr Hanika’s ability to lead effectively is also bolstered by his education, which includes a Master’s degree in Business Administration focused in Organizational Leadership from Baker University. Understanding business is one thing, but being able to apply that understanding and help take control of a business environment is another thing entirely. Mr Hanika’s understanding serves him well, but it is his own ability to apply that understanding that has seen him skyrocket to meteoric levels of success within the executive and C-suite world. As is the case for many outstanding CEOs all around the world, Mr Hanika has also made a key point of surrounding himself with like-minded, driven, and focused individuals who all understand what it takes to make a business like BQ & Associates succeed.

Strengthened by his team and by his exceptional experience and expertise in the field, Mr Hakina is the perfect choice to lead the work of BQ & Associates. His corporate expertise and his ability to lead with knowledge and insight has proven to be a valuable tool for the firm, and it is little wonder that he has deservedly won the title of CEO of the Year, 2020 – the USA in this month’s issue of CEO Monthly.

Contact Jacob Hanika, CEO, at BQ & Associates P.C L.L.O. via www.bqlaw.com.

Back to Office Covid

Lockdown Ease Delay: Five Final Preparations to Make This Month

Posted on | by Akeela Zahair

By Alex Hattingh, CPO, Employment Hero

With another month to wait before lockdown eases, Employment Hero‘s Alex Hattingh argues that this doesn’t need to be bad news for businesses. Instead, leaders can use this as an opportunity to refresh the way their workplace operates.

The pandemic has transformed the way we work. Businesses need to adapt to a workforce which demands flexibility, stricter health and safety measures, and employees who may be less inclined to dress as smartly as they did pre-pandemic, or leave their newest, canine family members at home.

Here are Hattingh’s five ways that businesses can use the next month to nail down a refreshed way of working:

 

1. Review your dress code

After a year of joggers and slippers, we’re not necessarily saying they’re the future of office attire. But it’s time to revolt against painful heels, uncomfortable ties and expensive suit jackets (unless that’s your personal style, of course). We reject the fact that employees have to wear comfy runners to the office and then quickly swap into corporate footwear underneath their desks. We’re fighting against uncomfortable ties and freeing wardrobes of unremarkable button up shirts.

Your skills should not be determined by a snappy suit or an expensive handbag. We’re flying the flag for a more accepting workplace, where you can be respected for your talent and acumen while wearing whatever you feel comfortable in. So perhaps take this month to review your dress policy, and ease up on the strict dress code implementation.

 

2. Prepare for flexible working

Flexible work will be a permanent fixture in most companies in 2021 and beyond and can help reduce stress levels, increase productivity, boost morale, reduce lateness and absenteeism, reduce employee turnover and enhance the image of being family friendly. It’s also quite clear that flexible work options are becoming a decisive factor in recruitment and retention.

If you haven’t crafted your flexible work policy yet, use this time to put one together. Clearly outline what the terms are, what caveats there are and any deal-breakers. Once you’ve crafted your policy, it’s time to implement it. The first step is to get employees to read the policy and acknowledge they understand the terms and conditions, this can easily be achieved by getting employees to sign off on policies. By signing off on a policy an employee acknowledges they have read and understood what is expected of them. Employment Hero has flexible work policy templates inside the platform that you can tailor for your use. These policies have been vetted by lawyers and are frequently reviewed to ensure they are up to date.

 

3. Update your mental health policy

You may already have a mental health policy in place, but with the pandemic presenting new anxieties and stresses for everyone, there’s a good chance you need to review and update it to ensure that resources are put in place to help support employees when they return to the office.

Our recent research revealed that 48% of employers have no budgets for employees’ mental health. But with an increasing demand for employers to provide ‘total employment care’ and listen to employees, offering mental health support where possible is crucial to any business’ success.

 

4. Consider the pandemic puppy

3.2 million households welcomed a new pet into their lives over the pandemic, and it’s expected that business leaders will begin to receive an influx of requests for people wanting to bring their pets to work. While many UK office spaces like WorkPad are already pet-friendly, you may need this extra month to craft your puppy policy.

Lay the ground rules from day one, consider trial or probationary days, or introduce a roster to limit the amount of canine company in the building at one time. And most importantly, checking with the landlord is the very first thing you should do before sitting down to write the policy. 

 

5. Health and safety

Last but by no means least, you must have a strict hygiene, social distancing and workplace screening policies in place and followed upon your teams return to the office. This will ensure that you keep your employees safe and are prepared in the unfortunate event that you have to respond to a COVID-19 incident. 

 

This final month of preparation is an opportunity to ensure your hygiene, health and safety measures are watertight by the time your employees walk through the door. Create internal signage communicating best practice, (e.g opening doors with elbows. avoiding handshakes), install sanitiser across multiple points in the building, and remove communal food and beverage points to prevent contamination.

Four people working together at a whiteboard with post-its

The Next Generation

Posted on | by Magdalena Lew

As the UK Government looks to level up the country, people around the nation are exploring the potential of social mobility. The team at Leadership Through Sport & Business know the field better than most. Under the capable leadership of Paul Evans, the charity has reached new and impressive heights. This success is why he has been named CEO of the Year, 2020 – the United Kingdom. We take a closer look to find out more. 

A desire to improve one’s position is at the heart of social mobility. Based on the movement of an individual’s social status from one place to another, this allows people from disadvantaged backgrounds to move forward into a new and better life. Of course, creating a society where social mobility is possible is not easy. A wealth of institutional change must be made to bring it truly into place. 

The team at Leadership Through Sport & Business are helping young people to make their first steps into a brave new world, however. Their hard work prepares and supports bright young people to find meaningful roles with major firms. Many people from disadvantaged backgrounds struggle to find positions that are equal to their ambition, with several struggling to find jobs at all. Assistance from the team at Leadership Through Sport & Business is pitched perfectly to provide people with the skills they need to get into these positions and contribute from their first days on the job. 

The guiding light of Leadership Through Sport & Business for the last year has been Paul Evans. Mr. Evans came to Leadership Through Sport & Business from his position as CEO of UFA, an education and youth charity, with a role as Managing Director of Street League before that. At Street League, Mr. Evans was responsible for the charity’s expansion to 14 locations across the UK. 

When considering his ten-year term as chair of trustees at ISAS and his current role as trustee as the Nottinghamshire learning disability charity REACH, his passion and knowledge of the charity sector cannot be questioned. It can be of little surprise, therefore, that even during these unprecedented times, he has quickly made an impact on the way that Leadership Through Sport & Business operates. 

When considering what Mr. Evans brings to the table at Leadership Through Sport & Business, it’s worth considering how well his passion for social mobility, inclusion and creating real, lasting change in society are already embedded in the large organisation. With his contacts from previous positions on hand, Mr. Evans and his team have been able to create new relationships and enhance existing ones that can benefit young people the length and breadth of the UK. 

It’s little wonder, therefore, that Leadership Through Sport & Business has become such a well-known name within the charity sector. They work together with many different organisations, including Premier League football club foundations and education delivery partners. Close cooperation allows the team to provide young people with personal and professional development that makes them ready for the world of work. One of the key aspects of Leadership Through Sport & Business is the charity’s ability to place people with leading employers from across the UK. 

When it comes to what specifically is available to young people, Leadership Through Sport & Business focuses on ways of deploying their programme of employability, education and employment. Each aspect feeds into the others, generating a cycle of social mobility within the community at large. For example, young people receive interview coaching, CV training, and workshops and events with leading companies and business professionals. They gain transferable skills through sports leadership coaching. In short, they are prepared to thrive in the modern workplace at the highest levels. 

To support this business-based approach, the team also partner with top class education providers who provide expert tutoring and accredited qualifications. This puts young people in the right place to flourish as they take up high quality, career-focussed apprenticeship placements in major firms. Key to their success is the support that Leadership Through Sport & Business provides before and during these placements. This pastoral assistance is in place for the first twelve months and ensures satisfaction from all parties concerned. 

Social mobility only works if it is available to all, which is why Leadership Through Sport & Business is designed to address all forms of disadvantage whether it is personal, socio-economic or practical. Employers know that a diverse workforce creates a better company. When more ideas are at play, a business can react more effectively to crises that arise. Leadership Through Sport & Business is the ideal venue to find the best and brightest young individuals, affording them a chance to take on entry-level positions and develop into the leading businesspeople of tomorrow. As such, the team has a long history of success with 90% of employers find that recruiting through Leadership Through Sport & Business is an effective way of finding diverse, capable young people for entry-level positions, and 83% of employers agree that apprentices have been a positive influence on the workplace. 

In a world where there are so many potential barriers to employment, where young people can come from families with generations of unemployment behind them, social mobility is not a certainty. It’s something that must be nurtured by professionals, kindled until they become solid reality. We celebrate the success of Leadership Through Sport & Business and its astonishing CEO, Paul Evans – we can’t wait to see what they do next!

Contact Paul Evans at Leadership Through Sport & Business at www.leadershipthroughsport.org for more information.