CEO of the Year 2021 The Success of An Ethical Global Brand Although established and based in London, UK, Little Kickers Group is an international organisation that reaches around the world to support the development of pre-school children through football coaching. At the helm of this franchise is Group CEO Alan Kennedy who, since joining the team in 2018, has overseen the exceptional evolution of Little Kickers and consequently earnt himself recognition as CEO of the Year – United Kingdom.
2 CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR Welcome to the 2021 CEO of the Year Awards Issue. The CEO of the Year Awards were launched by CEOMonthlyMagazine to pinpoint and highlight individuals across the business landscape on an international basis for their hard work, dedication and leadership to their companies. We intend to highlight 100- 150 CEOs, with each of our winners selected exclusively within their business sector and country. This programme was judged purely on merit by our in-house research teamwith all potential winners assessed against comprehensive analysis and criteria including company performance over a given time, expertise within the industry, previous accolades won and client testimonials and recommendations. Our CEOof the Year programme has been celebrating success since the inception of the publication 5 years ago. Emily Corner, Sales Executive Website: www.ceo-review.com AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility.
CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 3 Contents 4. Little Kickers Group Alan Kennedy 6. Safe Harbor Health Mike Murray 8. Medsource Group Limited Vinod Guptan 10. Easy Rain Giovanni Blandina 11. Zambia National Commercial Bank Mukwandi Chibesakunda Mukwandi 12. pro optik Micha Siebenhandl 14. Mindrover Technology Llc Ken Dawson 16. Ten80 Jacobus Troveri 17. Allteks Ltd Don Iro 18. ARC Fertility David Adamson 20. Performive Gary Simat 21. PureClarity Rachel Swann 22. VeriCall Ltd Adam Taylor 23. Genesyze Ltd Colette Hamilton 24. Zoom Fibre Mohammed Manjra 26. Unite Telecoms Tim Duncombe 27. Support Solutions Hub Ltd Hamza Javaid 28. ERS Medical Andrew Pooley 30. Generation Nw Roel Mojico 31. Snowland Journeys CIC Zara Balfour 32. LH Global Ryan Henderson 33. Williams Advanced Engineering Craig Wilson 34. Zero Gravity FZ LLC Tariq Alhosani 36. Peri Usa Strydom Groenewald 37. Roffey Park Institute Robert Coles 38. Balance Innovation Center, LLC Jill Embry 40. A-Tech Australia Charlie Ibrahim 42. Motive Offshore Group Ltd Dave Acton 44. Knowledge Preservation, LLC Phyllis Elin 45. Bio-Nabler Hocine Said 46. Platform For Connected Leadership Marina Vanzyl 47. Zano Controls Mark Lewin 48. Vivup Simon Moyle 49. Victorious PR Victoria Kennedy 50. OS Studios John Higgins 52. Intoware Keith Tilley 53. Trabelsi Loeb Legal Consultants FZE Malak Loeb 54. Onefourzero Fleur Hicks 55. Archroma Heike Vandekerkhof 56. Elysian Fields Hay Fergus 57. Spenergy Terence Spencer 58. Monestro Johan Orsingher 60. Actimed Therapeutics Robin Bhattacherjee 61. RAK Ceramics PJSC Abdullah Massaad 62. Bluelight Healthcare Recruitment Ltd Albert Kwachie Albert 63. Upbeet Digital Ltd Terry Michael 64. Lilli Gren Paull 65. Falcon Robotics Ahmad Aldarwish 66. Rua Almadinah Holding Company Khalid Altelmesani 68. Triq Triathlon Boris Manhart 69. Pakawaste David Hamer 70. Mahogany Inclusion Partners Aggie Mutuma 72. Aesthetic Today Jumana Elkhoury 74. MAXPAY LIMITED Artem Tymoshenko 75. Weshield Michael Sinensky 76. Bawan Company Wael Gad 78. Seven Investment Management David Procter 79. Rradar Gary Gallen 80. Advisorist.Com Jeremiah Desmarais 82. First Mover Co. Loay Almagushi 84. Devmark Group Sean Mccauley 85. JICARO CONSULTING James Lafferty 86. Predictiv Sajung Yun 88. Fvp Holdings Tim Booth 90. Esrar Real Estate Consultancy Mohamad Itani 92. Ovarro Ltd David Frost 94. Winners’ Listings
4 CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 8 CE T L / ISSUE 12 2021 , The Success of An Ethical Global Brand Although established and based in London, UK, Little Kickers Group is an international organisation that reaches around the world to support the development of pre-school children through football coaching. At the helmof this franchise is Group CEOAlan Kennedy who, since joining the team in 2018, has overseen the exceptional evolution of Little Kickers and consequently earnt himself recognition as CEO of the Year – United Kingdom. Little Kickers Group has come a long way since it was conceived in London in 2002 by Christine Kelly, who had an idea to hold football coaching sessions for her two-year-old son, Lukas and his friends. Today, it is a global franchise spanning more than 30 countries with over 330 franchisees, all united by Christine’s founding mission: to create a fun pre-school learning environment centred around developing football skills. Working with experts in child development and FA qualified football coaches, Christine has developed so much more than a football coaching session. Instead, it is a programme of learning designed to combat major social issues such as childhood obesity and disinterest in group activities, while promoting important pre-school learning concepts such as colour and number recognition, sharing, following instructions and using creativity and imagination - all while having a kick about with friends! Almost two decades after its inception, Little Kickers recognises the importance of continuously evolving to deliver the best and most relevant services to its clients. In 2018, Alan Kennedy was appointed Group CEO of the organisation, taking on the significant task of ensuring that Little Kickers’ network of franchisees, coaches and experts were operating at the highest standard, while still enjoying all the benefits of working with a global franchise. Before joining Little Kickers, Alan had established himself as a competent and passionate Senior Director at Whitbread PLC, David Lloyd Leisure, Punch and Pets at Home, before joining The Prince’s Trust. His entry into the charity sector saw him, as CEO, set up Prince’s Trust International, a role that gained him a wealth of experience and expertise that would equip him for his position at Little Kickers, where he quickly got stuck into a programme of reform for the organisation. However, Alan’s mission to enhance the business and its offering has certainly not gone unhindered, owing predominantly to the global Covid-19 pandemic that has dominated headlines for close to two years. Despite this, the business has demonstrated resilience and continued to thrive, recruiting 12 new franchisees in the UK in 2020 alone, while building an online presence to ensure continued engagement with its young football enthusiasts around the world. Moreover, the Little Kickers business model was designed in such a way that allowed franchisees to ‘turn off’ their classes easily throughout lockdown – thereby putting them in better shape for the return to Oct21402 normality when classes could resume safely. As such, since lockdown has eased, UK franchisees have seen on average an increase of 40% in their income compared to the same period in 2019, performance that has been mirrored in the brand’s Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and Mexican markets. Indeed, despite lockdowns and restrictions still affecting business in many of its locations, Little Kickers remains set to enjoy a record-breaking year in 2021. Consequently, Little Kickers franchisees are seeing significant benefits of being part of this international network, regardless of whether they have been a member for one year or ten. For example, Liz Oxley, who took on a franchise in the peak of the pandemic in March 2020 now has more than 130 children in her programme while Dave Homer, who took on a franchise in 2010, today has more than 1,300 children registered across three territories. Both agree that the support of Little Kickers is unparalleled, centred around its ‘business-in-abox’ offering that includes a business administration system, communications hub, marketing system, customer facing website and dedicated support management, all easy to deploy for a successful business. The greatest testament to the strength of the Little Kickers franchise however, is undoubtedly the lasting impacts it has on the children it works with. Research shows that children who engage with fun sports at an early age go onto
CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 5 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 12 2021 9 The Success of An Ethical Global Brand maintain healthy lifestyles as they get older, resulting in better mental health and contributing to important social skills. To that end, Little Kickers is also striving to create a better world for these children to grow up, recognising that the cohort that attends its classes will be the ones most affected by climate change. “Our first pivotal step was to switch the fabric in the 120,000+ football strips we have produced each year from polyester to sea harvested ocean plastic,” Alan says. “We also opened a UK fulfilment so that we can send kits and other merchandise direct to our customers as opposed to via our franchisees in regional centres.” With other initiatives like using bio-degradable bags and a collaboration with the Sal’s Shoes Charity to enable the Little Kickers to send their outgrown uniforms to young footballers in developing countries. The group is really doing the most to create a better future. This continues to drive Christine, Alan and the award-winning Little Kickers franchise as it prepares to enter its third decade of operation, helping children around the world to get the best start in life. Contact: Alan Kennedy Company: Little Kickers Group Web Address: www.littlekickers.co.uk/index.aspx
6 CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 16 CEO MONTHLY / ISSU 2 2022 , Safety In Numbers With a goal to deliver tangible savings for employers and employees while simultaneously improving healthcare education, benefits, cost transparency and access, Safe Harbor Health guarantees immediate measurable financial savings for all. We find out more fromCoFounder, and Chief Executive Officer, MikeMurray, as he is named CEO of the Year 2021 – Massachusetts, USA. The TOTAL Wellness Program offered by Safe Harbor Health is a voluntary employee benefit known as a Wellness Integrated Medical Plan Expense Reimbursement, or WIMPER, for short. This preventive care, mental health, and chronic disease management focused benefit offers digital care solutions, offered through an app, that can be implemented alongside any health plan to help both employers and their employees save money on healthcare expenses and taxes immediately. Exploring the programme further, it’s clear to see the benefits that this programme can bring to both employers and employees. By helping employees prioritise physical, mental, and emotional health, the TOTAL Wellness Program drastically improves recruiting, retention, and employee satisfaction. In fact, the TOTAL Wellness Program averages a 77% participation rate. Employers that implement the TOTAL Wellness Program save an average of $523 per participant in FICA Taxes, whilst participating employees save an average of $150 per month in taxes by agreeing to participate in the scheme. Employees can then use this $1,800 per year saving to add additional employee benefits of their choice, with little to no change in their take home pay. Employees can also enjoy complimentary digital medical services via the dedicated app that save them money on things from health products to eliminating large hospital bills while improving overall health, whilst employers can lower claims through improved wellness as well as increased data collection, stand-alone RX programs and affordable care locators. Overall Safe Harbor groups and members can reduce healthcare spending from between 5-30% - a phenomenal amount which can make a real difference to someone’s life. Mike Murray is the Chief Executive Officer of Safe Harbor Health and he tells us more about the company through his eyes, stressing the importance of building a strong and dedicated team that he can trust and rely upon. “From a leadership position, I find that it’s important to know and be able to jump in at any level and be able to complete tasks that you ask others to do,” he begins. “Understanding that everyone has strengths and to focus on people’s strengths and understanding what they are good at and to focus their attention there helps. Delegating tasks to people who can do them means I can focus my time on the things that will make us grow rather than trying to do everything myself.” Mike co-founded Safe Harbor Health in January 2019 along with Ryan Herlin. Both men are award-winning insurance professionals from the Boston area and have been serving the healthcare needs of businesses of all sizes nationwide for more than 30 years combined. The company caters to clients who fall into the medium to large group employer’s bracket. It reaches these clients largely by joining up with insurance brokers and financial advisors who are actively perusing the same clientele. However, the firm’s clear differentiator is the huge savings that can be gained from implementing its program and the subsequent benefits. “This is why brokers and advisors see so much value in bringing our program to their clients. It gives them the opportunity to show employees products that they can spend their money on,” Mike says. The team at Safe Harbor Health is a tight-knit unit which meets often and makes decisions together, based on everyone’s unique perspective. “No one has all the answers so having a solid team is critical,” Mike elaborates. “Almost anything can be taught but if I had to pick the qualities we look for it would be integrity and work ethic. We have a lot of fun together but we get things done and I believe that it a recipe for success.” Like any other company, there are challenges and obstacles which have to be faced from time to time, and Safe Harbor Health is no different. One particular challenge for the company and the team is introducing a system that hasn’t been seen before, except in small trials throughout the last few years, as people are often averse to change however Mike has also experienced opportunities, particularly regarding the future. Mike shares, “There are always things that can make our business grow if we just stop and revaluate the track you are on and where you need to go. We have a plan for the next five years but, in the near future, our goal for next year is to mass market our program nationally, much more than we currently are doing.” Recently, Mike was recognised bey CEO Monthly for his involvement with the company, being awarded the eminent title of CEO of the Year 2021 – Massachusetts. “We have a lot of plans to keep adding to the value preposition to Safe Harbor Health,” he enthuses. “The possibilities are endless.” We look forward to seeing what he does next. Contact: Mike Murray Company: Safe Harbor Health Web Address: www.safeharborsavings.com Jan22171
CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 7 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 2 2022 1 Safety InNumbers
8 CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 10 CEO MONTHLY / ISSU 22022 , Pioneer GPO Model Delivers Affordable Medicine MedSource Group Limited is the story of a Kenyan basedGroup PurchasingOrganization start-up using its ingenuity to disrupt the pharmaceutical andmedical supplies ecosystemby bringing fairly priced quality goods to customers. Troubled by the disparities and systemic limitations in pharmaceutical supply chain, the innovativeMedSource Group CEO, VinodGuptan, is trailblazing in advancing, affordablemed-fin-tech solutions to the pharmaceutical supply chain that presently serves over 5million patients inKenya. Patients in Africa spend more available income on medicines than anyone else, yet the medicine is difficult to access and when available, the quality is often substandard. Pharmaceutical intermediary margins in African countries can be as high as 90%, due to a highly fragmented landscape of dispensers, distributors and wholesalers. This paints a grim picture as far as realization of the universal health coverage is concerned. That notwithstanding, the plight of the underserved population in the last mile drives Vinod Guptan to advocating for a conducive legal and policy health care supply chain reforms. To attain this, Vinod leverages on his more than 29 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry having led operations, sales, marketing, planning and distribution for companies across Africa, Latin America, Middle East, South and South East Asia. MedSource Group with a countrywide presence in Kenya aggregates vetted manufacturers and distributors linking them with over 500 vetted pharmacies, clinics and hospitals who utilize the secured MedSource ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) platform to trade in quality, affordable medicines and medical supplies. Under Vinod’s leadership, MedSource Group now is a proof of concept. Buoyed by this milestone, Vinod Guptan is raring to deepen the company’s presence in Kenya and establish her footprint in the rest of Africa. Under Vinod’s leadership, MedSource’s goal is to improve accessibility and availability of affordable, quality medications, laboratory and health supplies for the health care providers and the population at large while strengthening the capacity of its members to improve and better the managing of their businesses. Considered as a thought leader on health supply chain, Vinod has superbly lived Dec21999 Vinod Guptan, the CEO MedSource Group Limited. With RUPHA (Rural Private Hospitals Association) Chair and Board at a strategy session on creating impact on healthcare delivery in Kenya.
CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 9 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 2 2022 11 Pioneer GPOModel Delivers AffordableMedicine up to that billing supporting various platforms, both local and global facing industry leading community of practice. Under Vinod’s tutelage, the MedSource Group implements a private-sector model striving to fill critical gaps in the pharmaceutical and allied healthcare products supply chain system related to pricing, pooled procurement of quality goods, use of technology, real-time data generation, visibility, expedited businessto-business brokerage, and transparent transactions. The African pharmaceutical market, the fastest growing globally, is expected to be worth US$70 billion by 2030. This rapid growth is fueled by; high rates of urbanization, growing health care capacity, availability of generic medicines to treat non-communicable diseases, policy changes that encourage business growth and an increased middle class spending power for quality healthcare solutions. Covid-19 epidemic has positioned the MedSource Group as a critical player in the ecosystem. Medical supplies related to Covid-19 prevention and control have been in high demand and have represented a considerable portion of MedSource’s overall product movement. Under Vinod’s leadership, MedSource expanded the availability of PPE (personal protective equipment), diagnostics, and therapeutics in their catalogue with over 900 assorted Covid treatment and management related items. Vinod has successfully nurtured the MedSource Group from the early stage business idea to a robust company that is now a scalable proof of concept raring to venture in select countries in Africa as part of her regional expansion. Concurrent with the heightened demand for Covid-19 related goods, there has been a tightening of credit facilities to MedSource’s distributors and members. MedSource’s novel concept of inventory financing scheme e-wallet has provided a much-needed safety net to members otherwise impacted by reduced access to credit and supplies. Covid-19 has made it more imperative that MedSource scale quickly. In effect, MedSource uses procurement volume to negotiate discounted prices with suppliers, thereby reducing costs while distributing the savings to members and ultimately the patients. Patients consequently, can count on price reductions of between 10-30% for the improved access to quality, affordable medicines devoid of counterfeits. To anchor sustainability in the member business operations, Vinod has steered strategic partnerships to build the capacity 1400 plus pharmacy technicians skilling and upskilling them to execute their functions effectively countrywide. Vinod Guptan has built up credibility as highly respected industry captain, attributing his impeccable credentials in the health care industry. Vinod has positively shaped the enactment of transformative reforms in the industry. Vinod serves in strategic policy influencing public-private partnership platforms notably; as the Vice Chairman of The Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industry, the Kenya Private Sector Alliance. In addition, Vinod serves as the Kenya Healthcare Federation (KHF) as a Board Director & Chairman of the Supply Chain Committee. In an operating context where counterfeit medicine and pharmaceutical products are sneaked in the market and they pose a great danger to the patient’s wellbeing, MedSource is strategically positioned partnering with the government to address these loopholes. MedSource Group is a B2B model whose some of the distinct advantages of trading from the platform are the guaranteed traceability (track and trace) of products and transactions is safeguarded. Meanwhile, members such as hospitals, pharmacies and dispensaries benefit from MedSource’s Group innovative platform, capacitybuilding programs, access to competitors’ prices, transparency from purchase to receipt of goods, and access to both credit and transaction data. The Enterprise Resource Planning platform has over 15,000 medicines and pharmaceutical products adding to over 45,000 SKUs (Stock Keeping Units). As the CEO, Vinod takes pride in having a formidable, highly experienced team to manage dayto-day operations for the company whose collective skillsets range from Finance, Credit Vetting and Management, Supply Chain, Health, Biomedicine, Insurance, ICT, marketing and sales, information systems. As a firm believer in the paramount importance of ethical business and the Sustainable Development Goals, Vinod Guptan has steered MedSource Group to being part of the United Nations Global Compact and the Blue Company. Vinod takes pride in the everincreasing base of professionals he has mentored in the industry this runs into hundreds across different continents. Some of the manufacturing and supply chain firms Vinod has worked with are Surgipharm Limited, Abacus Pharma, Harleys Limited, Claris Lifesciences and Core Healthcare Limited spanning a career of almost 3 decades. As a believer in pursuing excellence Vinod recently underwent training in the Effective Board Programme at Strathmore University, Nairobi. Globally the MedSource operations in Kenya are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and at the national level the Kenya’s Vision 2030 cascading to the roll out of the Universal Health Coverage as part of the Big 4 agenda. Company: MedSource’s Group Limited Contact: Vinod Guptan Email: [email protected] Website: https://medsource-group.com/ MedSource team MedSource Group photo
10 CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 2 2022 15 , Jan22130 A New Frontier for Integrated Automotive Safety As the ‘CEO of the Year’ in 2021 for Italy, Giovanni Blandina’s company, Easyrain, has made a name for itself as a company with an innovative solution and no direct competition. Truly, Easyrain has conquered a niche that needed filling in Europe – where somany car crashes are the result of vehicles losing traction onwet roads – in order to offer its anti-aquaplaning and hardware-focused solution to car manufacturers, allowing them to take better care of their end customers as a direct result. Easyrain, based in Rivoli, is an SME in the field of vehicle safety. Fundamentally, it develops active systems – named AIS and DAI – aimed at improving road safety on wet roads and circumstances where clients are driving on surfaces with little to no traction on the road, reducing fatalities and accidents as a result. This dedication to making vehicles smarter allows Easyrain to improve the quality of road safety. Of course, this goal is something that its clients vastly appreciate, and it keeps on eye on the Annual Accident Reports or ERSO based on the Community database of CARE in order to keep track of accidents or deaths that resulted from car accidents in Europe, which on average represent 9.4% of all fatalities. The US FHA also grants it access to numbers about weather’ impact on traffic and safety specifically. On average, covering a period from 20072016, 21% of the recorded crashes were weather related, occurring during wet pavement or heavy rainfall during which Invested in ensuring the ethics of the company are unimpeachable, Giovanni Blandina leads Easyrain by example, guiding the company in integrating itself with the challenges of the wider industry in order to make itself the solution with a start-up spirit and a growth mindset. Thus, despite the challenges presented to it by Covid-19 supply issues, delays, and setbacks, it received positive the car cannot gain enough grip on the ground, resulting in aquaplaning and skidding that renders ABS and ESP effectively useless. This is where AIS and DAI step up to help. Critically, led by the ambition and diligence of CEO Giovanni Blandina, this company’s dedication to the clients and to its staff has cultivated a stellar growth environment, born from the CEO’s own commitment to creating an ecosystem in which each of his team members can reach their fullest potential. Therefore, his leadership style is one of training, learning, and growth, forever working with his staff to create the next big innovation in improving road safety. It approaches its clients through its network of consultants or at events, talking to them about the reasons it is so invested in its work and sharing its passion with them over selling any one product to them. This is what has made it a favourite in its industry, with many of its clients coming abord after hearing the passion behind the company’s operations, developing specific hardware to contrast and prevent aquaplaning that has no direct competitor on the market. results in 2021 and is looking forward to seeing its current growth pattern continuing in 2022, developing a smaller, lighter version of the AIS system that will be revealed in the summer and continuing to improve each and every one of its solutions. Company: Easyrain Contact: Paolo Fina Website: easyrain.it
CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 11 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 10 2021 3 , Aug21457 Leaders in the Digital Banking Revolution Zambia National Commercial Bank – now Zanaco PLC – is one of the leading commercial banks in the region. Serving its clientele with exemplary asset bases, footprints, and customer service, it has been privatized since 2007 after splitting away from the Government of Zambia and resulting in the rapid gain of shareholders, from Rabobank of the Netherlands to the Industrial Development Corporation, and the National Pension Scheme Authority. In essence, it considers itself a universal bank that provides financial services to any professional who needs it, from enterprise level corporations to SMEs, individuals, and more. Furthermore, it wishes to enhance financial enablement and inclusion in the region, helping businesses to get off the ground and stay on the upward track towards further success. Above all else, its goal is to be the top of its field when it comes to universal financial institutions, providing finance services across all manner of sectors and industries and made possible by a motivated and exemplary team of staff. Each individual who works within it, therefore, takes great pride in their national heritage, diversity, integrity, teamwork, and excellence. This has all been made possible by the exemplary attitude of the current CEO, Mukwandi A commercial bankworking hard tomake itself the innovative, customer-focused leader of the financial industry, Zanaco’s leadership teamhas propelled it into the spotlight over the past years. Mukwandi Chibesakunda, the current CEO and winner of the ‘CEO of the Year’ award in 2021 for the country of Zambia, has been a crucial front-runner inmaking this a reality, pushing the company and region towards the biggest and best innovations that the future has in store. Chibesakunda. Mukwandi is an experienced banker and outstanding professional mind, with a demonstratable myriad of skills in her industry that her clients consistently benefit from, able to achieve results in the financial services sector for every person who comes to her for help. Moreover, this excellence inspires similar hard work amongst her staff. Mukwandi believes in leading by example, with strong skills in business planning, analytics, strategic leadership, and more, allowing her to apply her background in education from the University of Zambia and Manchester Business School in order to inform Zanaco’s processes. As a company, Zanaco has developed each of these principles over its 52 years in operation, enjoying a journey of true transformation. Working hard to make itself the bank of the future for Zambia’s professionals, its profits have been growing steadily as a result of its dedication to change, using teamwork, innovation, courage, customer focus, and accountability as the cornerstones of its operation and living by its mandate of delivering accelerated financial inclusion. Serving the mass market and specifically managing many middle income and high-networth cases, its approach is one dedication to providing services that meet even the most challenging needs. Being native to the country in which it works, it has an in-depth understanding of its financial and social ecosystem, boasting a wide connective and distribution network of peers that it has developed since its inception and a staff who are both professional and tenacious. Crucially, the secrets to its success have always been the people in its corner. With a leadership team that lead from the front and take accountability as well as initiative, Zanaco’s people pulled it through the pandemic by helping it pivot to becoming a digitally focused bank, contributing to the amount of profit it was able to make by the end of 2020. Despite the challenges of the past 18 months, it has been able to continue with its aspirations to reach the top of transactional customer-centric banks by 2025, growing a strong digital footprint by making itself smarter and more efficient as it moves towards a technologically advancing future. Company: Zambia National Commercial Bank Contact: Mukwandi Chibesakunda Website: https://www.zanaco.co.zm/
12 CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 8 CE M T L / ISSUE 2 2022 , Dec21292 Eyes On the Prize As one of the leading opticians in Germany, Pro Optik is dominating the market inmore ways than one. Not only can it provide an unrivalled service in terms of its broad knowledgebase and expertise, coupled with its excellent client care, but it is also led by one of the most inspirational men of our time. We speak to CEO, Micha Siebenhandl to hear more about the company, its overwhelming success, and his refreshing leadership style as he wins CEO of the Year 2021 – Frankfurt, Germany. Headquartered in Wendlingen, the Pro Optik group has more than 140 specialist shops throughout the country and, with more than 1,000 employees and many franchise partners, Pro Optik is the third largest optician in Germany. Relying on active customer proximity and competent advice, Pro Optik offers an honest and trustworthy service at eye level, which runs throughout the entire business model. It offers all the top brands in eyewear at great prices, with offers that are uniquely priced and uncomplicated in the industry. In addition, customers can rely on being looked after by real experts and fully trained opticians, who lovingly handcraft each pair of glasses individually according to the unique needs of the customer. The core team of the Pro Optik group is formed of 12 Head of Department experts who are closely coordinated in a matrix system and ensure across departments that the Pro Optik DNA is not only worked out, but also lived every day. At the helm, and overseeing all operations, is Chief Executive Officer, Micha Siebenhandl. “As CEO, I have personally committed myself to providing a first-class service and aligned the entire corporate strategy and my team of managers accordingly,” explains Micha, commenting on his dedicated staff base. “Not only do the technical skills play a role in this company, but also the personalities of each team member, which were decoded through various psychological selection processes and now form a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.” Micha has a long history and background of success, with his first role as CEO being one that he was personally headhunted for. Micha was approached by people who were looking for a motivated, empathetic and previously proven successful executive, and he fit the bill perfectly. “It was there that I worked for the first time with a private equity company and worked there for more than 15 years as CEO,” he elaborates. “My mentor was the owner and founder of the company Al Berg, winner of the Blue Sky Award in New York, one of the greatest entrepreneurs I know. I learned a lot from him and I also benefited from it in my next jobs.” It’s clear to see that Micha has a refreshing, yet tactical, approach to steering his company forward and his ongoing business strategy is focused on growth through sustainability and the continued offering of first class service to all customers. Micha is of the opinion that first class products and first class service, coupled with a motivated team, can bring and maintain longterm success, and it appears that this formula is working very well so far. Pro Optik found itself in a rock-solid position during the Coronavirus pandemic having benefitted from the legal health regulations that allowed and enabled customers to continue shopping, with this being largely unhindered. Nevertheless, many customers were still reluctant to make a purchase. “Covid didn’t destroy the need for glasses, it just pushed it into the future. Pro Optik has already positioned itself to make optimal use of this backlog after the epidemic crisis situation has subsided and to offer customers exactly the purchase experience that they had to do without for a long time,” Micha shares. He sees a clear advantage in the appointment allocation implemented during the pandemic, in which his trained opticians could concentrate more on individual customer experiences, and the company has been able to provide its first class service better than ever before. “It was definitely the biggest challenge we have seen to date – having to steer the company through the Covid pandemic,” Micha continues. “However, we can now claim that we are one of the few companies to have successfully mastered the pandemic! I was able to learn crisis management and pandemic management right here.” Having recently been recognised as the CEO of the Year 2021 in Frankfurt, Germany, in the Eco Monthly Awards, Micha is keen to sing the praises of his dedicated employees and highlight the fact that the company owes its success to them. “No matter what awards we get, no matter how successful we are, it’s always the people behind it who make our success,” he states. “The best strategy and the largest investments and the most brilliant designers mean nothing if the people in the company don’t stand behind them and do their job with love. Without love for the job and the company, nothing will work. This is the only way for a company to be successful in the long term and sustainably. For this reason, it is particularly important for a manager to inspire and motivate his employees.” On the other hand, Micha is truly motivated by his staff and customers. He tells us, “I love working with people, giving and showing them a clear goal and guiding and motivating these people,” he enthuses. “They should keep and contribute their values, their know-how, their creativity and their personality, but work together on a jointly defined goal.” Moving forward, Micha now has big plans for the future of Pro Optik with a goal to not only expand the business but to spearhead digitisation in German retail by the year 2025. “We plan to provide the customer with the best possible support when choosing glasses with a unique
CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 13 CEO MONTHLY / ISSU 2 2022 9 Eyes On the Prize mixture of expert advice and futureoriented technology. In addition, Pro Optik will expand massively in the hearing aids market and establish itself as one of the leading providers throughout Germany. My plan is to improve every day, and every day I take on things that I can’t or can’t improve on and set them as goals,” he concludes. The future looks great for Pro Optik as Micha continues to be the guiding hand for its every move. Contact: Micha Siebenhandl Company: Pro Optik Augenoptik Fachgeschäft GmbH Web Address: www.prooptik.de
14 CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 2 2022 7 , Ken Dawson: Leading IT Solutions The future of IT has lit up with time-saving Cloud solutions and intelligent data analysis that are truly gainingmomentum in today’s world. Here we look towards Ken Dawson, CEO of Mindrover Technology LLC, to see the exemplary work he is doing in the IT industry as he wins CEO of the Year, 2021 – Virginia, the USA. Ever since 2014, Mindrover Technology LLC has been working hard on an influx of IT solutions that have become leading services within the industry. By supplying the best of the IT solutions you need, Mindrover has gained fame for itself. Providing all kinds of services from data analysis to Cloud computing, virtual PBX and desk phones, security services, and web design, Mindrover is at the cutting edge of technology and intricate innovation. Not only does it provide the above, but it also offers software as a service and business continuity services for a sturdy and reliable future of the businesses that it works with. By streamlining the costs of services, Mindrover eradicates hidden costs and unaffordable prices that could inevitably hold back the businesses in question. Having something for everyone, Mindrover provides certainty and consistency within companies so you can rest assured your business is in the right hands. Winning CEO of the Year, 2021 – Virginia, the USA, Ken Dawson has worked his way up from small and medium size clients to large organizations that are in need of some TLC. Ken transformed his experience in credit data analytics in retail banking into the search for important ways to move forward in the world of IT. Graduating from Duke University with an honors degree in Economics and Political Science, Ken decided to follow his dreams and create a career path that would benefit not only himself and his needs, but a surfeit of others. It is obvious that Ken has worked hard for the position he is in, but Dec21286 there is also the factor of being naturally good at what he does. His priorities happen to be helping others to achieve the desired results in their companies, and he works tirelessly to engage with organizations, freelancers, and his staff members to ensure a more technologically advanced future for all. In 2022, Ken is looking to continue helping others in their endeavours. He really does have everything he needs to excel in the world he has built for himself. Rooted in the industry, Ken is a shining example of a CEO that knows how to achieve his dreams whilst helping others to find, love, and achieve theirs. Contact: Ken Dawson Company: Mindrover Technology LLC Web Address: https://www.mindrover.tech/
CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 15 Dec21214 - 459228 - Whyness Uk - CEO - CEO of the Year 2021 (EC) (Chase)
16 CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 1 2022 9 , Dec21083 The Gig Economy The fastest growing workforce on the planet is in the gig economy, but many organisations simply don’t knowhow to tap into this fantastic network of talent. When it comes to benefitting from this newway of work, it pays to turn to a team that understands it. We take a look at Jacobus Troveri, CEO of ten80, and winner of CEOMonthly’s coveted CEO of the Year 2021 for the United Kingdom, to see what the future holds for us all. At the heart of ten80 is a desire to drive global change. For people around the world, the way in which they work is changing and it is beholden on businesses to remain up to date. The gig economy is a key part of this change, allowing people to work on the projects they want to, when they want to. Leading this bold new step into the future is the team from ten80, led by Jacobus Troveri. What Jacobus has done is enabled organisations to better navigate the pandemic, using a technology first approach with a deep focus on data and artificial intelligence. He is disrupting how organisations bring together global teams at a time where speed and trust is everything. He helped grow the UK economy by securing a multitude of clients from various regions including the UK, Benelux, Africa, Middle East and most recently in the Americas. Together with his team, their single-minded focus is to allow people access to work opportunities that they would never have been able to at a time where social structures are increasingly disjointed. A recent survey by Microsoft found that an astonishing 41% of people have considered quitting their jobs in the past 20 months, this should be something that makes every CEO sit up and take stock. The role of software services within businesses is constantly changing. Take the example it is a mission that Jacobus and his team embrace. Jacobus moved into the technology sector in the wake of a successful career in the integrated banking and diversified financial services markets. Having always had an appetite for the challenging the norm and taking the road less travelled, Jacobus joined ten80 with this opportunity in mind. Soon after joining he was appointed as the CEO to help the (then) fledgling organisation ensure that it meets its global potential, especially at a time when global business was coming to terms with the fall-out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Beyond business goals, Jacobus has grown from a young man who wanted to win at all costs to someone who wants to impact people’s lives in a of SAP development. Highly specialised and technical skills are often only required for a certain project and finding staff on this basis is not always easy. Ten80 is a digital marketplace that enables clients to tap into a global talent pool of SAP enterprise software development. Whilst the firm focusses on SAP development right now, there is a real case to broaden the opportunity to others. Jacobus strongly believes that this places his clients at distinct advantage as a result. The gig economy is the world’s fastest growing workforce and is expected to comprise an estimated 50% of the US workforce in the next two years. Validating and assessing ‘gig workers’ is a concern for many companies. How can they trust that the gig workers can do the job? Ten80’s artificial intelligence engine analyses and recommends people based on a multitude of factors, including the likes of industry experience, relevance to the client’s needs, ratings on past projects, and certifications, to name a few. Ten80’s solution can also be used to help remove bias, or to support equity programmes. The need for business to be agile has been showcased by the pandemic, but many companies lack the right tools. Not only have organisations had to pivot to new revenue streams, but they’ve had to accommodate client demand as it has returned. At this evolving time, ten80 has worked with global blue-chip companies to embrace this new thinking and positive manner. His focus is now on how organisations can be more inclusive and allow the ecosystem around them to grow and collaborate better, creating shared value for all. Jacobus is a charismatic leader who encourages diversity and actively seeks out colleagues who support and challenge him. With ten80, Jacobus is disrupting a multibillion-dollar market. We celebrate how under the leadership of Jacobus, the firm has been able to achieve such remarkable success, and his commitment to making a difference on a global scale. Company: ten80 Name: Kim Meredith Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.ten80.group
CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 17 10 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 1 2022 , Turning The Tide To Success! The world of digital services has become essential tomany businesses, but many do not have the resources tomanage this change themselves. The rise of digital managed services providers has become commonplace, but only the best will survive. We take a look at Don Iro, CEO of Allteks, following his triumph as CEO of the Year, 2021 - the United Kingdom to find out more. Launched in 2000, Allteks is a digital managed services provider which has been an invaluable resource to businesses across the UK and beyond. Since those humble beginnings, the Allteks group has grown to include Allteks ltd, Absols ltd (Both providers of IT services) and Hamilton Berkeley Ltd, a digital consultancy practice. With a range of clients in the public and private sectors, it’s little wonder that the team has been able to achieve such amazing success. This success has been due, in no small part, to the tireless efforts of Don Iro. For the last two years, he has guided Allteks to new and greater heights. At the heart of his management style is a trust in the team he has built which allows him to lead from the back, while intervening where necessary. During an incredibly challenging time, he has managed to inspire the staff to thrive both personally and professionally, focusing on what makes them strong and sets them apart. All members of staff are hired for their character and trained afterwards with the skills they need. It’s possible to prepare people for the digital age, but it’s not possible to alter their attitude. Through this careful approach, the team have developed an incredibly positive culture that pervades every project that the team undertakes. The strength of this management model can be seen most clearly through the way in which Allteks has continued to flourish during the COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say, leading an SME during these unprecedented times has not been easy, but difficult times provide the opportunity for us to prove ourselves. From those first, nervous days, Mr. Iro made the decision that Allteks would be there for their employees that they would be secure no matter what, and that they would also be there for customers. In times of great uncertainty, providing this secure base on which to build was an incredibly important decision. During his tenure, Mr. Iro has made it his mission to focus the talents of his incredible team on the needs of the market. By developing existing relationships, the Allteks team have been able to leverage one of their greatest resources. In the world of digital, solutions are binary in nature. You either get results or you don’t. As partners with their clients who take the time to invest in what they want from a project, Allteks has gained a reputation that is unmatched throughout the industry. Nov21834 Looking ahead, Mr. Iro has developed an organisation which is well on the way to becoming the digital partner of choice for many. By differentiating the Allteks Group’s offerings, growing through a service mindset and acquiring appropriate businesses, the team have been able to achieve great things. With such solid foundations under their feet, 2022 offers the chance for this remarkable organisation to thrive anew. Company: Allteks Contact: Don Iro Web Address: www.allteks.co.uk Email: [email protected]
18 CEO MONTHLY / 2021 CEO OF THE YEAR 6 CE M T LY / ISSUE 1 2022 , Families Of The Future Building a family is no easy feat, even in today’s modernworld. For the teamat ARC® Fertility, the aimhas always been to help people through this challenging process with compassionate care. The firm’s CEO, David AdamsonMD has been justly named ‘CEO of the Year 2021 California, USA’ for leading the team to their current success. We take a closer look at the business to discover more. For nearly 25 years, the team at ARC® Fertility have been leading the way when it comes to providing comprehensive care through the challenging and complex field of fertility. For many, a family is all they want and this is a team that has a proven track record of excellence when it comes to providing the quality care and emotional support that is essential during these difficult times. The ARC® Fertility team’s services have long been at the forefront of the direct-toconsumer market. Much of the team’s work is with mid-market sized companies, but they have developed the flexibility to serve customers of any size if required. Employers, and their employees, have found great satisfaction in the team’s ability to provide a comprehensive care navigation platform that is perfectly tailored to the needs of the individual. Using the latest digital technology, the team have developed an inclusive and integrated journey for anyone to use. The program is designed for everyone, with inclusivity at its core. Couples, singles and those who are LGBTQ+ have all found immense value in what the team has to offer. This is because the evidence-based educational material is delivered via Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled chat, website, digital apps and tools, as well as personal communication with ARC’s concierge care navigators. Mixing together the talents of professionals and the latest technologies has been key to securing the team’s success in recent years as the business has grown in size. This growth is built not on purely entrepreneurial lines, but on the scientific expertise of the CEO, Mr. Adamson. Mr Adamson is a Clinical Professor at Stanford University and University of California San Francisco, with over 300 scientific publications to his name. When ARC® Fertility was founded in 1997, he wanted to increase access to fertility care to all. Building on his deep knowledge of the industry, the result has been a team that encompasses the largest, most established and vetted selective national network of boarded reproductive endocrinologists. Each has committed to following national practice and ethics guidelines. For them, the ultimate is care provision is their foremost priority. Over the years, and under Mr. Adamson’s guidance, ARC® Fertility has grown into an incredible resource for employers who need access to this specialist medical care. The team’s approach is incredibly affordable, offering savings of at least 25% over other programs. These savings have not impacted the incredible achievements of the team, with evidence-based care provided by selected physicians provided at all times. Needless to say, their NPS of 89 is no surprise and the team’s clinical outcomes reflect the high standards of all involved. This remarkable achievement is due, in no small part, to the talented team that Mr. Adamson has assembled at every level. To hiring the right people, train them and ensure they have the necessary resources to be successful is no mean feat, but one which has proven vital to the team’s continued success. One of the attributes that Mr. Adamson has instilled in his team is the value of working independently, bringing unique value to the team while also collaborating effectively with everyone else. As a leader, this has ensured that everyone is engaged with ensuring that the best results are achieved throughout the company. This ability to adapt to the needs of the workforce was challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic, with infertility and fertility care services shut down for several months. While restrictions remain, the industry has started up once more, leveraging the incredible digital solutions that have become commonplace over the last couple of years. For employees, the importance of family building has become even clearer over the last few months and more attention than ever before has been placed on the benefits that organizations such as ARC® Fertility bring. For many employers, fertility treatments run the risk of multiple pregnancies, which is why they have not instituted fertility benefits. The package design from ARC® Fertility includes an additional embryo transfer in each package. This encourages two embryo transfers of one embryo each, rather than one transfer with multiple embryos. As a result, ARC clinics are recorded as having a lower multiple pregnancy rate relative to non-ARC clinics. With many different companies currently entering the fertility sector, it’s little wonder that the team has encountered a range of new providers that have significantly more funding. Mr. Adamson has reacted proactively to these new challengers, taking on more responsibility for aspects of execution, whilst delegating to appropriate members of the team who have more expertise. The aforementioned increased interest in family building has allowed the team to develop their employer family building benefits program to unprecedented levels. The success of ARC® Fertility has allowed the team to help tens of thousands of people to build their families. It is a success built on the vision and ideals of Mr. Adamson who has always managed to maintain the highest of standards no matter how large the company has gotten. With future expansion in his sights, it’s clear that he is not slowing down at all. His leading role is likely to be crucial to the ARC® Fertility team holding their position at the forefront of what the industry has to offer. Company: ARC® Fertility Name: David Adamson, MD Email: [email protected] Website: www.arcfertility.com Nov21612
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