GlobalCEOExcellence 2019Awards Surfacta/Chemspace® operates in the marketing of chemical products for metal surface treatment and other related products, providing pre-treatment solutions for powder painting, cold deformation and wastewater treatment. As part of our ongoing showcase of our award winners, we profile the company and its necessity to the industry in an increasingly environmentally -friendly world. Chemical Products CEO of the Year 2019 - Brazil YOUR BRAND. WORLDWIDE
2 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 Welcome to the 2019 Global CEO Awards Every ship needs a captain, someone who can plot the course and navigate the waters rough and calm. That is why CEO Monthly has chosen to honour those individuals committed to driving business growth and baring the responsibility of making crucial corporate decisions which can make or break a business entity. From showing sure and certain management of a business enterprise, to displaying integrity and tenacity in the face of adversity or considerate corporate governance and a commitment to society, the Global CEO Excellence Awards is returning for its 3rd year to celebrate the business leaders of today. Hannah Stevenson, Senior Editor Phone: (+44) 0203 970 0082 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ceo-review.com 4. Chemical Products CEO of the Year 2019 - Brazil Ricardo Strucs, Surfacta Ind. e Com. Ltda e Chemspace Química 8. Most Pioneering Smart City IoT Water Tech CEO Mario Larach, HydroSmart Technologies Inc. 10. Best Digital Marketing CEO 2019 - UAE Mohammed Jarkas, PLAN A Agency 12. Best Electric Vehicle Manufacturing CEO Mr Yatin Gupte, Wardwizard Solutions India Pvt. Ltd 14. Marketing MD of the Year 2019 - Home Counties Hannah Rees, AIM Sales and Marketing Solutions 16. Tech CEO of the Year 2019 & Leading Global Innovators in Enterprise Architecture 2019 Dr. Stephen Christie, Agxio 17. Most Instrumental Holding Company CEO - UAE Amal Vijay, Al Zaabi Group 18. Most Pioneering Industrial Inspection Technology CEO Renan Padovani, Autaza 19. Auto Repair MD of the Year 2019 - East Midlands Andrew Walsh, AW Repair Group Ltd 20. Best Compliance Software Development CEO 2019 Ronald Lesh, BGL Corporate Solutions 22. Automotive CEO of the Year 2019 - UK Graeme Grieve, BMW Group UK 24. Best Pharmaceutical Manufacturing CEO - Canada Barzin Bahardoust, Canadian Plasma Resources Corp 25. 2019 Healthcare CEO of the Year – Medical Cannabis & Columbia Care Inc. - Best Global Medicinal Cannabis Company 2019 Nicholas Vita, Columbia Care Inc. 26. Rising Star in Aerospace Business Leadership 2019 Leon Abrecht, Flion 28. Best Maritime CEO 2019 - Asia Pacific Timothy Cosulich, Fratelli Cosulich 29. Financial Planning CEO of the Year 2019 - USA Shane Westhoelter, Gateway Financial Advisors Inc 30. Best Business Advisory CEO 2019 - Ontario Louis J. Sapi, HS + Partners LLP, CPA firm 31. Pharma CEO of the Year 2019 - Western Europe Dimitri Dimitriou, ImmuPharma PLC 32. Wealth Planning & Preservation CEO of the Year 2019 - UK Steven Sussman, JM Finn 33. Catering Business Leader of the Year - Switzerland Moni Leipniker, M&M Catering and Concierge Service GmbH 34. Asset Management CEO of the Year 2019 Jeremy Leach, Managing Partners Group 35. Best Maritime Services CEO 2019 Poul-Ole Jensen, Maritime Ship Supply 36. Best Flooring Company CEO - Colorado Abbey Van Horn, Meyer Skidmore & Company 37. Software Consultancy CEO of the Year - UK Chris Mason, Namos Solutions 38. Best Renewable Energy CEO Karl W. Feilder, Neutral Fuels 39. Most Innovative Supply Chain Management Executive - Asia Pacific Paul Eastwood, Pollen Consulting Group 40. Best HR Management Solutions CEO Tony Carrucan, PowerHouse Hub 42. Management Tech CEO of the Year 2019 - UK Andrew Main, SerTech Exchange 43. IT Solutions CEO of the Year 2019 - South East USA Robert Davies, Stealth-ISS Group Inc. 44. Business Travel CEO of the Year 2019 - UK Tola Bashir, Supreme Jets Services 45. Day Spa Owner of the Year 2019 - New England Harmony Oschefski, The Bodhi Spa 46. Best Credit & Collection Training CEO 2019 - Middle East Abdulrahman Abukhalid, The Giant for Consulting & Training 48. Best Heating Systems Business Leader 2019 - Australia Brandon Le, Thermofilm Australia Pty Ltd 49. Best Dental Care CEO 2019 – UAE & Most Disruptive Dental Healthcare Engagement Platform 2019 Dr. Hisham Safadi, UDENZ Tech FZLL 50. Best Hair & Beauty Business Leader - Central Texas Chelle Neff, Urban Betty
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4 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 , May19469 Surfacta/Chemspace® operates in the marketing of chemical products for metal surface treatment and other related products, providing pre-treatment solutions for powder painting, cold deformation and wastewater treatment. As part of our ongoing showcase of our award winners, we profile the company and its necessity to the industry in an increasingly environmentally-friendly world. Chemical Products CEO of the Year 2019 - Brazil Since its inception, Surfacta/Chemspace has risen to become a leading manufacturer, developer and marketer of chemical products for the metallurgical industry in Brazil, is paving the way for chemical companies across the whole of South America. Applying its skills to a multitude of sub-sectors within metallurgy which include steel furniture, white goods, agriculture and auto-parts, the firm has been exceeding customer’s expectations for over 15 years and is as committed as ever to durability and quality in all areas of consumer goods. Through employing professionals with more than 30 years’ experience in the chemical sector, customers can be assured that Surfacta/Chemspace have the knowledge and ability to deliver consistently high-quality products. Due to the many particularities within the chemical industry, every composition is different and there is often no universal formulaic process. By employing educated professionals with key experience of the industry, Surfacta/Chemspace offer their customers maximum quality products with efficient cost reduction by only using chemicals that are necessary to each unique process. At the head of this key chemical corporation is founder and CEO of Surfacta/Chemspace, Professor Ricardo Strucs. A dedicated professor, entrepreneur and natural-born leader, Strucs’ passion for chemistry is clear through the solid academic and humanistic knowledge applied, and the solid practices that are implemented throughout the company. Constantly developing new technologies, products and processes, Strucs’ is at the heart of the quality deliverance offered by Surfacta/Chemspace. Chemistry and its products have become an increasingly important pillar of modern society, and it is refreshing for the corporate world to know that companies such as Surfacta/ Chemspace are working
CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 5 Ricardo Strucs, Surfacta Ind. e Com. Ltda e Chemspace Química Company: Surfacta Ind. e Com. Ltda e Chemspace Química Contact: Ricardo Strucs Website: http://surfacta.com.br/
6 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 , to ensure that society can continue to function, whilst also being environmentally-friendly. Committed to environmental protection, the company are keen to prove to the corporate sector that quality is of the utmost importance when handling chemicals. With a chemical laboratory that is solely focused on quality control, they ensure that any and all manufactured materials are carefully studied and tested prior to customer deployment. The laboratory is also equipped for inspection of those materials, process simulation and testing processes to ensure that everything is done in a controlled, secure environment before it is delivered to the customer. Not just committed to the environment however, Surfacta/ Chemspace is also driven to aid their partners and other companies with which they do business. By employing professionals who know their chemicals inside-out, Surfacta/Chemspace can often find potential to optimise certain processes, providing technical and economic advantages for other industries. Determined to increase the cost-effectiveness of business, not only are Surfacta/Chemspace saving themselves money, but their customers as well. With future developments across the corporate market relying heavily on the chemical industry, the work of Surfacta/ Chemspace is going to continue to be an invaluable asset to the metallurgical industry in South America and beyond. Seeking to continue its ongoing mission of striving for excellence in the development, manufacture and marketing of chemicals, Surfacta/ Chemspace are exceeding the expectations of customers, committing themselves to growth and being dedicated to environmental protection, under the watchful gaze of professor Ricardo Strucs.
CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 7 Ricardo Strucs, Surfacta Ind. e Com. Ltda e Chemspace Química
8 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 , Jun19122 Under the leadership of award-winning CEO Mario Larach, HydroSmart Technologies Inc. has assembled a core team with deep industry leading executive experience in professional water products, smart home IoT devices and smart cities architectures, neural networks as well as both conservation and clean-tech initiatives. To celebrate his win in this year’s Global CEO Awards we invited him to tell us more about how he is working to lead his company towards revolutionising the Smart City IoT Water solutions market. Most Pioneering Smart City IoT Water Tech CEO Thanks to its extensive experience and technological prowess, HydroSmart drives intelligent water use and active water management with technology solutions that deliver a trifecta of security, conservation and knowledge. As Mario explains, the firm and its technology platform came about to address existing market needs of a broad group of water-related stakeholders including residential and commercial property owners, water agencies, energy utilities, service providers, product vendors, insurance companies, and smart home monitoring services “For so long water users have been consuming in water-datadarkness and defenceless against significant financial water losses and water damage. With regards to the latter, there are household devices that detect water spills or will classify either extended or large flows as a leak event; but by then the loss and damage has already been incurred. “So after more than twenty years pioneering intelligent water solutions, a worldclass team was assembled of seasoned experts across key domains, all with whom I had collaborated with in the past and knew would successfully apply their domain expertise to an embraced company vision. Today, HydroSmart’s inhouse expertise converges neural networks and deep machine learning, wired and wireless technology connectivity, Smart Homes and Smart Cities network architectures, big data analytics, and smart water solutions.” “With more than 59 issued patents authored by our data scientists, more than 28 years designing and applying neural network learning algorithms, and more than 3 million smart devices sold annually integrating technology co-fathered by our scientists, our team set out to drive real change and develop a scalable proactive platform. A platform built to last well into the next decades with a product roadmap of innovative solutions that are not standalone devices but are system components of a scalable and cohesive network architecture that becomes even more powerful as new solutions are integrated. With several patents filed and in queue, the platform has been designed as a professional industrial grade system with a full suite of self-diagnostic and predictive maintenance features to ensure robust system operation and reliability in the most ‘missioncritical’ applications.” The firm’s SCIENXIATM (scienxia. HydroSmartTech.com) AI algorithms running on edge devices and scalable cloud engines process real-time local and aggregated data streams for near real-time responsiveness, analytics, dashboards, notifications, and security authentications generating actionable Water Intelligence for Smart CitiesTM stakeholders. Additionally, the firm’s base Smart Monitoring Unit (SMU) and VIGENXIATM platform components offer leak damage prevention and water loss risk mitigation as well as water and energy conservation through preservation of plumbing integrity, water use disaggregation, remote winterization, active pressure regulation, remote system flushing, and an exclusive treasure trove of novel water intelligence including unforeseen insights, trends, and benchmarking information previously unavailable anywhere. “With our VIGENXIA suite of solution components, stakeholders are able to visualize water and its use across many dimensions, much like giving water its own individual personality and character” states Mario. Residential and Commercial property owners often can avert tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage within the first months of installing the firm’s proprietary proactive leak prevention technology. Not only does the firm’s platform solution components address the more than $20 billion in US annual losses sustained from water damage, but this innovative technology enables cities to both re-engineer more effective climate action plan water initiatives and realistically achieve previously elusive theoretical water energy savings. As described in a company case study, the results of a field demonstration with a small coastal city in California (2014 population: 13,337) showed potential annual water savings of 132.4 million gallons and potential annual greenhouse gas
CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 9 Mario Larach, HydroSmart Technologies Inc. Company: HydroSmart Technologies Inc. Contact: Mario Larach Website: https://www.HydroSmartTech.com/ reductions of 1,511 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. According to a company whitepaper, ubiquitous adoption of HydroSmart technology in the adjoining larger City of San Diego (2017 population: 1.4 million) could yield potential annual water energy savings translating to an astounding 17.6 TWh. Such an experiment is testimony to the success that the application of HydroSmart’s unique solutions can offer to Smart Homes and Cities around the world. This achievement has been engineered and driven by Mario but, as he highlights in his concluding comments, it can also be attributed to the firm’s extensive team, who are all dedicated to revolutionising the water and IoT marketplaces. “Overall, while I am honored with the CEO acknowledgement, it is appropriate to close with one of my guiding innovation quadrant quotes; this one from Mary Kay Ash “A company is only as good as the people it keeps”. This recognition is really for the team. Only together has our team at HydroSmart Technologies pioneered this most beneficial, novel, and exciting Smart City IoT Water Technology platform. “Looking ahead, we will continue to work together to drive HydroSmart to even greater success and to showcase our pioneering platform across a broadening scope of water solution components to even more potential users.”
10 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 , May19581 Based in the heart of the bustling city of Dubai, Plan A Agency is a full-service digital marketing and branding boutique agency. We caught up with CEO Mohammed Jarkas to learn more about the firm and how he constantly leads it towards even greater renown in this competitive market. Best Digital Marketing CEO 2019 - UAE Initially, PLAN A came to life as a living example of what a marketing agency should be and do to help their clients achieve their desired goals and exceed them on the long run. Over the years, the firm has had the great pleasure of working with extraordinary clients representing a wide range of businesses, from start-ups to market leaders, in Dubai, the MENA region and beyond. Mohammed explores the firm’s service offering in more detail. “Plan A is two and a half years old and is catering to international brands and local start-ups in the UAE, KSA and the Middle East. Besides being a digital marketing boutique agency, we offer social media services and application design, beside small-level productions through our sister company, Overlight Productions. We make sure that we touch-base with our clients continuously and listen to their needs to see if we can help further. We also make sure that each member at Plan A is up to par with the latest technologies and trends while identifying any gaps and suggesting solutions for them.” Leading the company to success is Mohammed, who works hard to ensure every stakeholder, from staff to clients, feels at home in this unique organisation, as he highlights. “Here at Plan A, we truly are a big family. Many companies say this, but we mean it. As CEO I make sure that my team is growing with both seasoned professionals and aspiring budding talents. From what I hear in other agencies and our clients, we are creating great work dynamics and making an enjoyable place out of Plan A. This directly reflects the type of ideas we come up with and the pace of turnaround tremendously. We also stress on communication and continuous education. We do it not only because it keeps employees around, but also because these are the things I need to harness myself to keep my sanity in a field that often oversees employees’ wellbeing and work culture for the sake of clientdriven results. “Following that principal, we make sure that our clients are in line with this ideology, and that they have in their understanding the ability to give us space to create and expand based on their needs. We work so closely with our clients to the point of becoming their partner while fulfilling the digital marketing needs for which they have initially approached us. We focus on acquiring a client base of brands and start-ups that are looking to penetrate the regional market and speak its cultural language. We do this well through diligent research and on-ground surveys. The professionals in my team come with a deep expertise in the Arabic language and the subtle nuances within the MENA that international agencies sometimes fail to capture. Hence, we guarantee our international clients that wish to expand into the region a smooth roll-out and a scalable digital marketing plan. “Thanks to our supportive approach, Plan A now works with a wide array of clients from start-ups to global market leaders in the fields of government, hospitality, F&B, skincare and digital innovation. All of these clients know that when they work with Plan A they will receive the support and solution they need to drive their brand forward.” For all of these clients Plan A provides an innovative, client-focused approach, as Mohammed explains. “When working with a new client, the first thing we do is study the brand, its competitors and what we can bring to the table as insiders to the region, because it’s very important that we can make a difference. After that we start gradual implementation and establish a close relationship with all our clients. We treat them as partners and their success becomes ours. We offer our insights as consultants on the opportunities that would optimize their expansions and efforts. This approach ensures we meet every clients’ exact needs.” Looking to the future, Mohammed foresees even greater success for Plan A, as he is proud to conclude. “Moving forward, at Plan A we are taking steady but quite ambitious steps towards setting ourselves as leaders in the field, working at the level of an international agency while maintaining the private and highly personalized boutique experience. We are looking to include clients from different fields now that we have the internal capacity for it, but are very clear about what type of fields we would like to get into to diversify our experience and flex our tech/creative muscles. “Overall, the whole world is noticing a great appetite for visual content, so as soon as we had the means to open a production company we did. We named it Overlight Productions and it has proven to be a step in the right direction since it gave us the creative freedom to offer professional photography and videos services. In all, at Plan A our eyes and ears are always able to identify problems and solve them better than anyone else. This is a skill we keep harnessing and reinforcing.”
CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 11 Mohammed Jarkas, PLAN A Agency Company: PLAN A Agency Name: Mohammed Jarkas Address: Office 1807, B2B Tower, Business Bay, P.O.Box: 233316 Dubai, UAE Telephone Number: +971 4 4310535 Web Address: www.plana.ae YOUR BRAND. WORLDWIDE
12 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 , Jun19441 WardWizard firmly believes in Innovation and Ideation is at its core. WardWizard group of companies brings forth environment friendly technologies, lifestyle and health oriented products under its flagship brands.We profile the firm And Founder - CEO (Mr Yatin Gupte ) to gain an insight into how this innovative company is driving real change in the burgeoning electric vehicle space. Best Electric Vehicle Manufacturing CEO Striving for a Healthier India Fuelled by the idea of contributing at least one percent for environment conservation, Yatin S. Gupte (Founder & CEO) incepted ward wizard in 2016. Since his 20s, Yatin had been concerned about environment conservation & energy conservation. Kickstarted Wardwizard with VYOM line of LED TV, VYOM 4K UHD Google Assist, VYOM Room Air Purifiers, VYOM Hydrogen water bottle. Mr. Yatin in the same year decided to up the ante by making a fierce foray into the electric vehicle market with the launch of JOY E BIKE. The company repeated the feat by rolling out JOY E BIKE Electric Cycle 2 different models named it as ACBELLI & ROCKFELLER. Launched Nanu Electric Scooter Butterfly model in 2018 and the Honeybee model of the same in 2019 along with JOY E BIKE Gen Next E-scooter. And recently launched with JOY E BIKE Electric Kick scooter. “I was always inspired by thoughts & vision of our Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi on environment conservation and his concern towards climate change. Hence, we took up the challenge of leveraging innovation to set a benchmark for quality in our Make in India EV products, despite being offered at affordable prices,” delineates Mr. Yatin Gupte. As evidence to Ward wizard’s quality consciousness look no further than the lithium ion batteries deployed in its vehicles, which costs more upfront but are maintenance-free, lasts longer and highly efficient; whereas most players in the industry implement the cheaper leadacid batteries which has a shorter lifespan and need regular maintenance. An ISO 9001: 2015 organization, Ward wizard’s JOY E BIKE Electric bicycles are approved by ARAI (The Automotive Research Association of India) and Electric Scooters are approved by ICAT (International Centre for Automotive Technology). Hence, its customers don’t require license or RTO registration to drive these vehicles. Unique & Innovative Products Having established a vast network with more than 250 dealers and distributors nationwide, Wardwizard offers varied yet unique and innovative products that facilitate an enhanced and healthier lifestyle in these changing times. “Besides facilitating global environmental sustainability, our innovative products are aimed at reducing the world’s carbon footprint and improving the health & fitness levels of everyone worldwide, while demonstrating how blockchain technology can be instrumental in this quest,” remarks Mr Yatin. All of its JOY E BIKE vehicles come with Lithium Ion Battery and are light in weight, whereas its electric scooter model has tubeless tires. These eco-friendly products come with features like auto drive & auto cut-off and remote opera table security features. Gen next Electric scooter is having impressive advance features like digital display, DRL Light, reverse assist, three speed electronics gears with antitheft alarm and all the way with keyless operation. New Heights to Scale Its plan of action for boosting its sales involves innovating more unique products such as VYOM Air Conditioner, VYOM Refrigerator, VYOM Sterilizer, VYOM OLED, VYOM Alkline water Ionizer, VYOM Earphone, VYOM Bluetooth earphone. Wardwizard is currently in the mode of expanding its business channel to Middle East region, approaching European market. Parlaying the success of these products, Wardwizard aims to launch an Electric bike till August – Sept 2019 with 2 different models and Electric car, which is currently under R&D to support the electric vehicle revolution as a whole. Presence In Overseas Presence In Overseas Wardwizard Solutions India as part of its International Aspiration and Global Ambition has created a footprint in Uganda the pearl of Africa. We have floated our on subsidiary in Kampala, Uganda and started our business operations in the domain of LED Televisions and E-bikes. As part of our Global International footprint we at Wardwizard look forward to Africa as one of our flagship international market starting from Uganda.
CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 13 Mr Yatin Gupte, Wardwizard Solutions India Pvt. Ltd Company: Wardwizard Solutions India Pvt. Ltd Name: Mr Yatin Gupte Address: C - 222, Gidc Makarpura, Vadodara - 390010, Gujarat, India Telephone Number: + 91 7574895544 Web Address: www.wardwizard.in World Of Wardwizard World of Wardwizard is the first Retail Outlet and Showroom of Wardwizard Solutions India Private Limited inaugurated at Vadodara, Gujarat, India dated 23.06.2019. Anticipating inauguration of World of Wardwizard , the 2nd Showroom at Jaynagar , Banglore and Maharashtra in next 1 month . At World Of Wardwizard we would be selling latest Google Android Voice Enables Smart LED Televisions, Air Conditioners, Refrigerators, Air Purifiers, Sterlizers, Bluetooth speakers, headphones, sound bars, Alkaline Water dispensers etc. One more range of product under the Joy E Bike brand will also be available at World of Wardwizard. These are Environment Friendly products like Battery Powered Bicycles, Mopeds, Scooters, and Bikes. Ultimately, international growth will help Wardwizard to scale up its environment and energy conservation aspirations to reach the far-flung corners of the world and drive the company to even greater international recognition throughout 2019 and beyond.
14 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 , May19436 Leading creative and digital marketing agency AIM Sales and Marketing Solutions engages with clients and works with them to get to the heart of their business and develop successful marketing activities that deliver significant targeted traffic, lead generation and business growth. To celebrate Founder Managing Director Hannah Rees’ success in our 2019 Global CEO Excellence Awards we profile the firm and explain how she is driving it towards even greater success. Marketing MD of the Year 2019 - Home Counties Established in 2015, AIM is a creative tech and marketing support agency, primarily focusing on effective online marketing communications through multi-channel methods. With zero investment, no loans or funding, Hannah gained work and reinvested the money back into the business and grew her company to the success it enjoys today. Over the years the firm has won numerous industry awards and, in 2016 AIM was invited to pitch for a large tender; the company’s first tender. Hannah led the three-stage process and pitched to the senior management board - being the youngest serving agency in the group, AIM exceeded expectations and was awarded the contract which allowed the company to grow with additional staff and new offices. Thanks to these successes, AIM has flourished over the past four years and now works on a wide variety of exciting projects with leading brand names. By blending its team’s expertise and enthusiasm the firm is able to work with businesses, organisations and charities in support of their strategy, creative branding, innovative content, optimisation (SEO), web, app design and development which includes all means of marketing methodology and execution. From the beginning, the AIM team have worked on successful product/service launches, creative design, brand-specific innovations’, video content, APP development and all aspects of marketing collateral. Today, as a marketing lead activist agency, AIM is able to undertake every aspect of a project, from compiling a complete marketing strategy through to producing creative branding, design and manage multi-channel digital marketing channels to showcase and promote its clients. With staff who are adept at search protocols and lead in Google Analytics, as well as being experts in web design and SEO, the firm is considered a reputable marketing agency that supports organisations and is treated as the marketing department for any organisation they have the privilege of working alongside. This expert team is led by Managing Director Hannah Rees, who draws on her immense industry expertise to lead the company to success. Over the years she has delivered strategic and complex marketing and sales projects throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle-East. Through this experience, Hannah has recruited, managed and overseen staff and operational performance as well as building client relations and stakeholder engagement. Prior to leading AIM, Hannah has worked for global brands, private conglomerates and had worked in the public sector. Whilst working full time, she studied in her spare to gain two degrees in Business Management and Marketing as well as her PRINCE2 Project Management Practitioner status. As such, she has the expertise to drive her current firm towards innovation and can support any project, Hannah is personable, reliable, relentless in delivering results for her customers and has a proven track record in achieving this. Operating in the fast-paced and technology-led marketing sector, AIM has to work hard to ensure it is ahead of emerging market developments and able to offer clients the support and solutions they need. In the market, currently: video, web and mobile apps are a key focus and has been the biggest growth area for the firm in the past two years. Supported by Hannah and driven by her vision, AIM has worked with clients that want to transform their existing communications to a new digital age. With client demands and needs evolving beyond the requirements of just branding and new websites, the agency grew into a new creative tech sector. Over the past few years, the AIM has delivered innovations including personalised/branded specific recruitment job board postings that feed into client’s own website and main job platforms, conference hotel and business centre management booking systems, digital apps in the construction apps to replace the tireless paper systems used by office staff and workmen. With the recent changes of browser restrictions being lifted that allow users to watch video reels on hosted platforms, clients are contacting AIM increasingly for projects to help them overcome the challenges they face. The firm has seen LinkedIn use more video in the past year as well as the changes on Facebook to upload a cover story and change placement holders from images to videos. Seeking to adapt around this change, in 2017 AIM hired staff with expertise in producing animation and video to keep up with demand and ensure it remains at the very cutting-edge of the latest industry developments. Going forward, as a fast-growing agency focused on success, over the coming years AIM will continue to enhance its team and skill set to meet the ever-evolving
CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 15 Hannah Rees, AIM Sales and Marketing Solutions Company: AIM Sales and Marketing Solutions Name: Hannah Rees Address: Business Technology Centre, Bessemer Drive, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2DX Telephone Number: 07890972106 Web Address: www.aimsalesandmarketing.co.uk needs of its clients across the corporate landscape. Among the firm’s upcoming developments is its new subsidiary, Aim business apps, which will focus on providing bespoke app solutions to clients. This development and many more will drive the company to continued success throughout 2019 and further into the future. Ultimately, such exhilarating new projects will drive AIM and Hannah to even greater recognition and renown, helping to showcase their exceptional skills in the highly-competitive marketing industry.
16 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 , May19433 Drawing on over 30 years of world-class consulting enabling strategic growth in complex, highly regulated industries, Agxio delivers digital innovation, transaction solutions, angel investment, econometrics and quantitative modelling, troubleshooting, and contingent growth investment. We profile the latest Neural Insights firm, Agxio and explore how CEO Dr. Stephen Christie is driving the firm to success through his experienced leadership. Tech CEO of the Year 2019 & Leading Global Innovators in Enterprise Architecture 2019 Founded in July 2018, Agxio has emerged as a leader in the life sciences, analytics and machine learning field applied to AgriTech and AgriFinTech. Incubated by Neural Insights, recognised leaders in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital and data science, quantitative modelling and cybertechnologies, the firm is able to meet the needs of a diverse range of clients and provide them with cutting-edge solutions. For each and every client the firm supports, its objectives are to stimulate economic growth by improving their enterprise performance, acting as a catalyst for growth opportunities, improving risk management processes, promoting innovation, and delivering high performance transformation across the business. As Founder, CEO and Partner, Dr. Stephen Christie is deeply committed to driving the firm towards even greater success. He specialises in Strategy, Technology, AI, Blockchain, Quantitative, Legal, Analytics, Digital, Surveillance and Behavioural Science, as well as Risk and Regulation. Thanks to this wide-ranging expertise, Stephen is able to drive Agxio to success and ensure every project is completed to the high standard the firm’s clients expect and rely on. Globally, his team’s results have contributed billions of dollars to the world economy. With experience in nearly 40 countries across the globe, his teams have delivered within the major consulting brands and have partnered with the elite to create solutions that have impact and sustainable board level results. Ultimately, Agxio measures its success by the success of its clients, and as such driving them to even greater achievements will remain the firm’s core objective as it looks towards a bright, opportunity-filled future. Company: Agxio Contact: Dr. Stephen Christie Website: https://www.agxio.com/ Dr. Stephen Christie, Agxio
CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 17 , Jun19062 Thanks to its excellent performance and ever-expanding presence in the emerging market segments, Al Zaabi Group has become a key part of the UAE’s flourishing business landscape. We profile the group to find out more about how CEO & Managing Director, Mr. Amal Vijayakumar constantly steers it towards even greater success. The Man who loves EverChanging Business Landscape Al Zaabi Group began its journey in 2003, over the years the organization reflects the enduring values of enterprise and trustworthiness that UAE is synonymous with and is well geared up to share the nation’s vibrant growth and progress in the time to come. Venturesome and entrepreneurial spirit drives us to achieve remarkable growth in diversified fields such as Healthcare, Automotive, Contracting, Transportation and Building Materials. With more than 22 Group Companies, Al Zaabi Group has become one of the fastest growing organizations in UAE. As the CEO & Managing Director, Mr. Amal Vijayakumar transformed the company to a sprawling conglomerate business powerhouse. As a leader, he firmly believes to give opportunities and sole responsibilities to staffs to maximize their potentials, enables him to understand their capabilities and a most prominent way to help them to grow and learn. He is an investment professional and Brand Strategist with more than 15 years’ of experience in business investment globally and serving board of directors. He has successfully piloted the diversified activities of the Al Zaabi Group and has made seminal contributions in marketing effectiveness, delivery excellence and quality development. In pursuit of the mission to transform Al Zaabi Group to a top-notch organization, he heterodynes the existing business process and revamped the business approach to facilitate aggressive growth across a large revenue base. He was instrumental in setting up the continuous training program in company to nurture and groom the talents. Mr. Amal Vijay infused wide spectrum of technological aspects to enhance the business process thereby serving the customers in a most efficient manner. Company: Al Zaabi Group Contact: Amal Vijay Website: http://www. alzaabigroup.com/ Amal Vijay, Al Zaabi Group Most Instrumental Holding Company CEO - UAE
18 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 , Jun19340 Working to provide the highest possible standard of service, Autaza offers complete solutions to integrate the steps of quality inspection automatically, improving reliability and reproducibility through computer vision and artificial intelligence technologies. We profile the firm to find out more about this unique service offering and how it is benefiting a variety of clients. Most Pioneering Industrial Inspection Technology CEO Founded in 2016, Autaza provides intelligent quality control for the manufacturing industry to drive it towards even greater innovation. Working with a variety of worldrenowned clients including Opel, Cebrace and General Motors, the firm is able to meet their needs through the implication of innovative technologies, ensuring they reduce costs, increase their efficiency and drive productivity across their manufacturing operations. CEO Renan Padovani is passionate about high technology entrepreneurship, working in the first planning and structuring of the business with a focus on selection, strategic implementation and management of the administrative, financial and commercial pillars of a startup company in the early and growth stages. He is slso performing integrated technical-commercial management with the objective of define priorities, meet the execution deadlines and costumer relationship, being responsible for institutional communication with press and investors. In his role at Autaza he is currently responsible for implement the firm’s new sales and operations office in United States of America. This exciting development will drive Renan and his company to even greater success over the coming years. Ultimately, Autaza’s mission is to redefine the quality inspection, developing technological solutions that increase the competitiveness of the industry in a global scenario, with the vision of being a leader in Brazil and a global reference on intelligent quality inspection for the industry. This ambitious focus will drive Renan over the years ahead as he works to achieve these aims and support his company in becoming a recognised thoughtleader in this competitive space. Company: Autaza Contact: Renan Padovani Website: https://www.autaza.com Renan Padovani, Autaza
CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 19 , Jun19287 Supporting clients across the East Midlands, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, AW Repair Group Ltd is an award-winning manufacturer and insurance approved network of body shops. As part of our overview of a selection of the 2019 Global CEO Excellence Awards we invited Founder and CEO Andrew Walsh to talk us through the group and how it aims to offer all clients peace of mind and expert collision repair services. Auto Repair MD of the Year 2019 - East Midlands Since the company was founded by Andrew in 1998 AW Repair Group has flourished, and today it works on behalf of leading named insurers, providing expert vehicle repairs that meet industry standards and ensure quality for drivers throughout the East Midlands. Andrew discusses how he came to create the business and the leadership style he has developed over the past two decades. “When I first founded AW Repair Group I was 30 years old. To this very day I strive to lead and motivate the people in my teams. I read vastly about business leaders, investing, world economics and politics with these all having their own impact on individual businesses at some level, and as a result I have created an impressive company of which I am incredibly proud. “Turning a small business into a larger business is perhaps the biggest challenge I have found over the years. Managing infrastructure, processes, delegation of trust to the right people, time management and balancing priorities have been my core roles over the past two decades. Through this process I have become a more equanimous person with regards to both business matters and our people, and as a result I am happy with the outcome of this invigorating journey.” Having been in the industry for over 20 years, the group works hard to stay ahead of the latest market developments, which is particularly important in the collision repair services space where new safety features and technologies are constantly being introduced. Andrew highlights his dedication to driving his company to constant evolution to ensure that it provides cutting-edge services at all times. “Here at AW Repair Group, the secret to our success is our innovative nature to devise processes to embrace the car manufacturing industry developments. Our recent documentary with the Telegraph Media Group perfectly highlights the current changes, predominantly the rapid rise of electric and hybrid vehicles, which is arguably the biggest change we are seeing. “The increase in electric vehicles offers us both challenges to overcome and opportunities to seize. Not every repair centre is going to be able to meet these demands and will be squeezed if they have not prepared adequately. Our business is constantly working with clients to enhance our service offering and meet their ever-evolving needs. We understand that our Modus Operandi needs to integrate with those of our customers at all times, and it is important that we share the same values and goals. As such, this is our core focus at all times in delivering our customers the support and service expected.” In his concluding comments Andrew discusses the future for his company and how he is set to enhance its already impressive success. “With regards to the future, at AW Repair Group we have an ambitious five-year plan to double turnover while maintaining our core values and leading edge. This will remain my core focus and as I look to the future, at some point, I would like to share my experiences and what I have learned with others. We do have succession management in place to enable me to take that step back when I feel the time is right.” Company: AW Repair Group Ltd Name: Andrew Walsh Address: Commercial Way, Pride Parkway, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 8GL Telephone: 0844 8486670 Web: www.awrepairgroup.co.uk Andrew Walsh, AW Repair Group Ltd Managing Director Andrew Walsh
20 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 , May19578 BGL Corporate Solutions Pty Ltd is Australia’s leading supplier of superannuation and corporate compliance software solutions. To celebrate CEO Ronald Lesh’s success in this year’s Global CEO Excellence Awards we profile the firm and explore how he is steering it towards continual success. Best Compliance Software Development CEO 2019 With over 8,000 clients in 15 countries using its revolutionary product suite of compliance solutions, BGL is a Fintech leader and key innovator dedicated to creating cuttingedge software solutions to drive compliance in the accounting and finance industry. Over the years the firm has worked with a wide variety of clients who include all major accounting firms, law firms, many listed and private company groups, accountants, financial planners and many individual SMSF trustees. Today BGL’s market leading and award-winning Simple Fund 360 (cloud) and Simple Fund Desktop solutions are used to administer over 60% of Australia’s 600,000 Self-Managed Super Funds, while CAS 360 (cloud) and CAS desktop solutions are used to administer of 45% of Australian companies. The firm’s CAS 360 solution is a complete administration system for companies. It automates the collection of company data from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and handles all the day-today compliance activities for company administrators, most of whom are accountants. Additionally, its Simple Fund 360 is a complete administration system for SMSFs. It includes a full accounting system, an investment register, comprehensive reporting system and many other functions to handle SMSF administration work. It provides extensive automation with data feeds from more than 300 banks, brokers and financial service platforms. Simple Fund 360 also includes BGL’s AI Assistant that provides a pre-audit transaction review and BGL’s AI transaction processing that uses Deep Learning to allocate transactions in the general ledger. This functionality is unique. Alongside these innovative solutions, BGL has also developed an ecosystem around that connects its products to over 50 industry service providers such as actuaries, document providers, auditors, investment platforms and the like. Leading the company and driving it to constant innovation is CEO Ronald Lesh, who draws on extensive experience in the accountancy market. When beginning his career more than 40 years ago, he first graduated with a Bachelor of Business, qualified as an Australian Chartered Accountant and completed A Graduate Diploma in Information Technology. Then he commenced work in the accounting industry in 1980, and worked for a number of accounting practices in Melbourne and the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1985. He flourished in these roles, and became a practice principal in 1985. In 1989, he decided to leave the full-time professional accounting to join BGL Corporate Solutions, where he became Managing Director in 1992. Since then Ronald has worked hard to use his accountancy experience to lead BGL to become a long-term trusted business partner of the accounting industry. To achieve this, the firm builds its software around its clients’ needs, and works hard to stay ahead of emerging market developments. New features are added to the firm’s software based on the instant feedback the BGL team receives from clients, and this forms the backbone of the firm’s new software releases. Looking to the future, BGL will continue to work through the changes it is seeing in the market and continuing to partner with the accountancy industry to drive compliance and innovation. Company: BGL Corporate Solutions Address: 2/606-608 Hawthorn Rd, Brighton East Telephone: +611300654401 Web: https://www.bglcorp.com/ Ronald Lesh, BGL Corporate Solutions
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22 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2019 , Jun19025 Renowned for its quality cars and expert services, BMW Group UK is led by industry expert Graeme Grieve, who is proud to explore his career and how he came to drive this qualityfocused company to success. Automotive CEO of the Year 2019 - UK With its four brands BMW, MINI, RollsRoyce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries. In 2018, the BMW Group sold over 2,490,000 passenger vehicles and more than 165,000 motorcycles worldwide. Throughout its 100-year history, the BMW Group has always reinvented itself. As a pioneer of new technologies, the company has shaped change, within both the automotive industry and more recently in the world of individual mobility. The BMW Group is the only automobile and motorcycle manufacturer in the world to focus all of its brands on the premium segment and the company’s Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT sets out its path for the transformation of individual mobility. The group’s UK arm is led by CEO Graeme Grieve. Having graduated with a BSc in chemistry, Graeme started his career as an industrial chemist with ICI working in research and development. He then decided to move into the automotive sector starting his career with BMW as a regional manager before gaining experience in purchasing, aftersales and marketing. This experience helps him in his current role, and in his opening comments Graeme explains his role in more detail. “I am the CEO for BMW Group UK which is the sales, marketing and aftersales subsidiary of the BMW Group, the multinational automotive company. Headquartered in Farnborough, Hampshire, and with a revenue of £5.57 billion in 2018, I am responsible for the entire business which imports BMW and MINI vehicles and BMW motorcycles into the UK and supplies them for sale through our independent retailer network. “All UK marketing, advertising and aftersales activities for those brands also fall within my remit. My main objective is to ensure the profitability of both the company and our retailers and I am proud to be working for such a dynamic company.” Leading a number of different teams, Graeme has developed over the years into a respected leader within the industry. He shares an insight into his leadership style and how this helps to bring out the best in his team members. “My management style is very much informed by my principles of honesty and trust. I spend quite a bit of my time mentoring less experienced members of staff, graduates and interns. Mistakes are part of our lives and we must embrace and learn from them, and this approach ensures that we are constantly improving and enhancing our knowledge. Everything can be improved, and sometimes small changes are more effective and faster to implement. Organisations also rely heavily on collaboration and this is something I encourage across all levels in the business.” Looking to the future, Graeme explores the future developments this innovative company is planning and how these will drive it to even greater success and international renown. “The motor industry is facing a period of dramatic change in customer behaviour and customer demands. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, we are seeing change in everything from the shape of the marketplace to the products we sell today, the way customers buy them and the way we reach those customers. We need to be agile and make sure our employees are empowered to deal with those changes. We are doing a lot of work around how we can best organise our business to deal with developments in customer purchasing behaviour and how to provide the best seamless customer experience. We are also creating an attractive range of digital services for our customers, and one of these options is the BMW Connected app, which already has more than one million users worldwide. This solution and others like it will help to cement the company as a key player in the automotive industry in an increasingly digital world. “With regards to my own role in the company’s future, I need to make sure we have a business that’s fit for the future. This is a massively exciting time and I know we have the team and the culture to embrace this period of significant change. This will be my ongoing focus in the years ahead.” Ultimately, under Graeme’s stewardship BMW Group UK has flourished, taking huge steps forward without losing sight of its heritage. The premium brand is now well-established as one of the UK’s leading automotive companies, and Graeme’s leadership will define its direction during one of the most pivotal periods in BMW Group’s history.
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