Issue 6 2022 Zack Storer, The Most Trusted CTO in America Trust is the foundation of building incredible companies, and Zack Storer strives to live the word everywhere he leads. It is essential for modern boards to incorporate trusted technology innovators to help them navigate the ever-changing landscape of opportunities and there is no trait more important in an executive leader as they guide and build the future of a company. Having transformed digital cultures at iconic and trusted brands including The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), News Corp (NYSE: NWSA), Bowery Farming, and Grainger (NYSE: GWW), it’s no surprise that innovation and great digital cultures thrive wherever Mr. Storer is advising or leading. In this issue:
Welcome to the June issue of CEO Monthly. As always, CEO Monthly is dedicated to providing the latest news and features across the business world to our readership. By sharing knowledge, insights, expertise and success stories from around the globe, we aim to inspire individuals and promote positivity in a world that is in a constant state of evolution. We are happy to present you with a plethora of individuals that are making a huge difference in their spheres – not only are they influencing their sectors, but they are motivating and inspiring their teams. This variety of forward moving people shows us that anything is possible if you truly believe in yourself, put your trust in others, and push for what you know is truly right. There is an increasing need, year upon year, for more healthcare staff. With diseases and conditions taking hold of people’s lives, it is obvious that we need more help within the healthcare industry. Health Carousel ensures the healthcare world keeps turning, seamlessly and with no stress – Health Carousel works hard to deliver more help in America. As we emerge from the pandemic, Health Carousel’s CTO, Zack Storer, helps by offering a fresh look on healthcare. Having been there throughout Covid-19, Health Carousel understands how to bring calm throughout any situation. We are proud to present Health Carousel and Zack’s story. We hope you enjoy perusing this issue and we look forward to seeing you again next time for our July issue. Sofi Bajor, Editor 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.
4. News 6. Zack Storer, The Most Trusted CTO in America 8. Health Carousel, a Trusted Partner in Healthcare 10. Innovativeness, Dedication, Leadership 13. Putting The Social Back Into Social Media 14. Valuable, Safe, Secure 15. The Path To Constant Success! 16. Corporate Purpose & ESG – New Business Essentials. 18. Winners’ Listings Contents
NEWS Decision Intelligence Leader Quantexa Accelerates Growth by Achieving a 144% Net Retention Rate in FY2022 Quantexa, a global leader in Decision Intelligence (DI) solutions for banking, government, insurance, technology, telecom, and media industries, today announced strong growth across its business and its overall industry expansion in the last financial year, dating from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Quantexa also announced several new global partnerships, customer wins, and recently hired its 500th global employee. The company projects to end FY2023 with 700 employees. Vishal Marria, CEO of Quantexa, said: “Quantexa continues full sail on its journey as a leading player in the fast-growing Decision Intelligence category. We’re proud to retain sustained support from our loyal customers like HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank, and world-leading partners who include Moody’s, Google, and Deloitte. Beyond strengthening our presence in North America and Europe, it is also exciting to see Quantexa attract customers across the APAC region. We look forward to breaking more new ground as a leading Decision Intelligence solution provider with our innovative technology, which is helping to make data meaningful for organizations all over the world, so they can make better, trusted decisions.”
Providing clear, timely explanations helpminimise the damage to employee morale in the wake of adverse changes, new research from Aalto University School of Business and others reveals. Professor Marjo-Riitta Diehl and colleagues from Vlerick Business School, Católica-Lisbon School of Business and Economics, and University of Waterloo, discovered that workers vary in their level of attachment to the organisation that employs them and this affects how they react to adverse changes. Adverse changes such as layoffs or wage cuts can cause especially those employees who feel strongly aligned with their company’s goals to become disillusioned and cynical. Unlike workers who are doubtful but remain optimistic, cynical personnel have lost faith in the organisation, making resignations more likely and minimising the commitment to work in those that stay on in their jobs. Attempts at reconciliation between company managers and cynical employees are often difficult, as the workforce will instinctively distrust the intentions of higher-ups. However, the research shows that explaining the necessity of unpleasant changes to a workforce in general, but especially to the loyal and committed employees before or shortly after action is taken helps reduce the likelihood of widespread cynicism. “When employees receive a clear explanation for the change, they aremore likely to feel valued and perceive lower levels of uncertainty. Managers need to adhere to principals of truth and fair dealing in interactions with their employees. By doing so, they create an atmosphere in which cynicism is unlikely to prosper,” says Diehl. The implications of this research, published in The Journal of Occupational and Orgnisational Psychology, are particularly relevant in the current climate of “The Great Resignation”. Cynical employees in the face of change must be managed by effective communication Quantexa goes global, growing across regions London-headquarteredQuantexa serves companies in over 70 countries and four continents. The company achieved a 144% Net Retention Rate and more than 70% increase in Committed ARR in FY2022. Last year also witnessed a growing foothold across North America and APAC. - North America had a breakout fiscal year and now contributes 30% of total revenue. - After opening a new presence in Luxembourg, Quantexa continued growth in EMEA, which now represents over 50% of its revenue. - Opening offices in Melbourne and Singapore helped to drive growth in the APAC region, making up almost 20% of total revenue. Industry & Solution diversification highlights Quantexa is used by some of the world’s largest banks while diversifying its customer portfolio with major additions from other industries. - While Banking, Quantexa’s flagship industry vertical, continued to see major growth, nearly 30% of Quantexa’s total revenue now comes from, Insurance, Government, and Telecom industries. - Quantexa saw global sales growth across its core solution suites; Contextual Data Management, Financial Crime and Fraud Detection, Customer Intelligence (CI), and Know Your Customer (KYC), reflecting strong demand for new offerings with existing customers and growth in new industries. IDC’s recent report with Quantexa confirms this momentum across all global sectors, predicting that by 2024, AI-based investment in AML and fraud technologies will exceed $6 billion globally. Delivering innovation through its leading Contextual Decision Intelligence Platform Throughout the past Financial Year, Quantexa continued to invest in the development and evolution of its Decision Intelligence Platform. - In October 2021, Quantexa launched Quantexa 2, the latest version of the company’s Decision Intelligence Platform, responding to a growing global demand for trusted, actionable intelligence from fast-increasing and fragmented data volumes. Helping enterprises face the data explosion, the new platform version introduced powerful capabilities that boost control and functionality, reduce friction, and easily add new data sources to the analytics capability. Expanding customer and partnership portfolio - Quantexa announced its new customer, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) in June 2021, now using Quantexa’s solutions to detect and tackle multifaceted transport fraud. - In July 2021, Quantexa’s momentum was recognized with the Google Cloud 2021 Industry Solution Partner of the Year Award in the Financial Services category, for its achievements in the Google Cloud ecosystem. - Quantexa announced Bank of New York Mellon (BNYM) as its latest customer, as well as Series D investor, in September 2021. The leading bank now benefits from Quantexa’s strengths in Master Data Management, Entity Resolution, Graph Network Intelligence, and AI, continuing to deliver innovative solutions for its clients. - Quantexa announced a new partnership with KPMG UK to optimize organizations’ defences against fraud, money laundering, and illicit finance. The UK Government’s Cabinet Office signed to use Quantexa’s solutions, to detect fraud stemming from the COVID-19 loan schemes. - Rounding off the financial year in March 2022, Quantexa’s client, major Netherland’s bank ABN AMRO, was awarded the Celent Model Risk Manager Award for use of Quantexa’s technology. Quantexa’s AI-powered analytics solution significantly improved ABN AMRO’s data quality and enhanced the efficiency and intelligence for complex KYC investigations. - Quantexa announced its Series D funding round of $153 million in July 2021, providing further growth funding and confirming its lead in the Decision Intelligence category. Alongside its existing world class investors, the round was led by leading private equity investor Warburg Pincus.
CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 6 2022 6 Zack Storer, The Most Trusted CTO in America Trust is the foundation of building incredible companies, and Zack Storer strives to live the word everywhere he leads. It is essential for modern boards to incorporate trusted technology innovators to help them navigate the ever-changing landscape of opportunities and there is no trait more important in an executive leader as they guide and build the future of a company. Having transformed digital cultures at iconic and trusted brands including The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), News Corp (NYSE: NWSA), Bowery Farming, and Grainger (NYSE: GWW), it’s no surprise that innovation and great digital cultures thrive wherever Mr. Storer is advising or leading. ack has always been a curious lover of engineering and technology. He grew up outside Detroit, Michigan, where his great-grandfather owned a scrapyard with hundreds of vintage cars being parted out for repairs. As a child, he spent countless hours learning how electronics worked by dismantling toys so he could automate or build something new with the parts. This curiosity became both the foundation of a lifetime of learning and a key component of trust building. Still today, he regularly seeks to understand ‘the why’ first and dig deeper before judging things at face value. Helping people in their lives and long-term careers has fueled this investor, board member, and technology leader from a very young age. In 2021, Zack joined the fast-growing Cincinnatibased startup Health Carousel, where he now leads both technology and product to help millions of Americans live better lives through the company’s healthcare workforce enablement. One of the reasons Zack who has led at some of the most impressive companies and diverse industries across the globe accepted the position was because there was an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the healthcare workers, who live in service of helping others. “The pandemic has taken an incredible toll on our country’s healthcare professionals, and I am personally grateful for the caregivers who have helped me and my family over the years,” said Zack when asked about why he is personally investing in the space. Given that healthcare needs in the US are set to grow under increasingly high demand over the next two decades, it is no surprise that he decided to branch out and learn a new industry. Although new to healthcare, Zack has been leading technology innovation and digital strategy for over 25 years. Throughout his career, there has been one singular constant: he has worked tirelessly to scale valuable solutions that transform industries by growing and supporting incredible teammates. We heard this from not only Zack himself but the many leaders he has worked alongside or had a hand in developing over decades. It is for this reason why Zack was selected as the Most Trusted CTO in America. “When motivating change across the organization, Zack focuses on people first. We were so lucky to have his guidance at an inflection point riddled with complexity (pandemic, rapid growth, attrition). Zack’s tenure as CTO of Bowery cultivated a welcoming, honest culture necessary for innovation,” said Noah Shpak, a machine learning engineer now at Twitter. This relentless learning machine helped grow careers and fostered a legacy of former associates now thriving at some of the most innovative organizations in the world. “As a visionary leader, he transformed Kroger Technology to a superhub where creative minds meet and inspire each other to make something that truly matters to the customers. It was a great privilege to work for him,” said Huiting (Isabel) Milewski, a senior software engineer at Microsoft. Summarizing Zack’s belief in collective mindpower, a headline quote of his reads “Empowering great talent to scale and operate at a speed of trust creates the ecosystem required for game changing innovation” (RelentlessCuriosity.com). Placing trust at the center with innovative strategy is how Zack was able to unlock billions of dollars in growth while leading digital technology at The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), and it has also been the fuel behind the successes he has seen in advising and leading completely diverse sectors within companies at every single stage. Zack is both a seasoned P&L business leader and a bleeding-edge technologist, which enables him to build bridges across organizations, boards, and frontline associates. These unique traits have inspired thousands of individuals to unleash growth and technology led scale. Before joining the corporate world, he owned and managed a tech business full-time while simultaneously paying his way through school in the evenings at the University of Cincinnati. Once he landed his first professional job at International Paper (NYSE: IP), he was determined to soak up as much as he could. That included everything from managing servers, mainframes, and advanced networking to reverse Apr22136 Z
CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 6 2022 7 engineering and hacking custom code that could visually monitor backup systems, which helped eliminate half of the workload from his dreaded third shifts. “Anything I had to do more than twice, I would try to figure out a way to automate so I could focus on more interesting work,” Zack quipped when talking about his belief that working yourself out of a job is one of the best ways to grow. He wasn’t always set on leading in the corporate world and planned to use the time working during those late shifts to complete his degree and dive deeper into as much new technology learning as he could. For Zack, technology had a way of leveling the playing field. He saw it as mechanism to unlock value in the real world. Eventually, he discovered that he received the most enjoyment by helping others succeed. This led him to consciously take on more leadership responsibilities. Fast forward several years, and Mr. Storer was leading at all levels and making measurable impacts across enterprises and industries. He later founded Angel Equity and Sigma 7 Labs to invest in high-growth companies and also started advising juggernaut enterprises in search of lasting material transformation. When asked why Zack is a trusted advisor to startups, Kenny Olsen, CEO of Dart Displays, said, “Zack has been a key investor in Dart, and I have always been able to trust his strategic advice. In particular, he has helped us with key contract negotiations and with determining how best to sync up with strategic partners.” Gary Howard, president and co-founder of Callibrity, added, “Zack is one of the most driven and knowledgeable senior executives you’ll ever meet. We trusted Zack to become our first independent board director at Callibrity because his breadth of cross-industry knowledge and technology is unparalleled in driving growth. He genuinely cares for and makes an impact across all aspects of the companies he serves.” It is not often you find someone so approachable who equally loves to lead and dive deep into the fundamentals of an industry to make technology a strategic weapon for growth. For Zack, this proved to be a useful foundation when he led in New York. While living in Manhattan, he was inspired by the energy of the city and found a creative home for his passion for diversity and learning. He joined a division of News Corp (NYSE: NWSA), parent company to the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones, as chief growth officer where he helped prime the CO51 & NAM media business units for a strategic sale while leading P&Ls, technology, and product. Following learning and success in media, Zack moved on to help Grainger (NYSE: GWW) with their technology strategy, which expanded into a full-blown digital platform transformation. “Zack’s skill in modern engineering practices, strong leadership capabilities, and relatable, easy-going style made him a welcome and effective technology leader,” said Brian Walker, CPO of Grainger. Another former Grainger colleague, Sean McCormick, now CIO of EQT, noted, “He cares deeply for the people he works with, treats them with dignity, and is able to inject positivity into any situation.” Beyond his time in Chicago with Grainger, he became a trusted partner and contract CTO of Bowery Farming, the nation’s largest indoor vertical agriculture innovator primed to later land a staggering $300m Series C investment. Again, on the surface, one might wonder why someone who has led in manufacturing, retail, media, and digital solutions would be so energized by agriculture. For Zack, however, it took mere seconds to get excited about the amount of opportunity that IoT, ML/AI, and autonomous robotics can play to sustainably help millions of people across the planet gain access to fresh produce. Now focused on health care, he is driving innovation into a new sector. “Zack is bringing pivotal digital technology strategy to the core of our company that positions us for incredible long-term growth,” said John Sebastian, CEO of Health Carousel. This theme of constant learning extends beyond business sectors and includes an undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati in information engineering technology and coursework in electrical and mechanical engineering. Zack has also completed Stanford’s Design Thinking & Product Innovation program, Cornell’s Executive Leadership program, and programs at MIT in product strategy, enterprise strategy, and neuroscience. When asked what he is focused on for the future, Zack commented: “I am just grateful for every day I am alive and able to grow. I want to support and make the most positive impact I can, while I can, in the lives of my children, wife, family, friends, teammates, and those who count on me to be there for them.” Awardee: Zack Storer, CTPO Personal Site: RelentlessCuriosity.com Company: Health Carousel Media Contact: Lauren Kellum
CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 6 2022 8 Health Carousel, a Trusted Partner in Healthcare The healthcare staffing industry is a vital part of the healthcare delivery system in America, a system that has been tested by chronic worker shortages and a pandemic. Increasingly, organizations and healthcare professionals are looking for a modern, flexible, and technologically enabled staffing model. Health Carousel, one of the nation’s fastest growing and most respected providers of healthcare staffing and workforce solutions, has combined the best in digital technology with the traditional models of staffing to create a more satisfying, flexible and costeffective experience for healthcare facilities and healthcare providers around the country. rust is the foundation of building incredible companies. In the healthcare industry, trust helps create robust connections that mutually elevate all those involved. Over the last few years, those most trusted have been steadfast pillars of support at a time of constant disruption and uncertainty. There can be no doubt that Health Carousel is a business built on a platform of trust – alongside an uncompromising drive to tackle the biggest challenges facing American healthcare. Solving the Shortage Problem The scarcity of qualified health personnel, including nurses +and physicians has been one of the primary concerns in the U.S. healthcare system since the 1970s. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by the year 2024, there will be a need for more than 1 million nurses in the U.S. In addition, one-third of practicing US physicians are over 60 and more likely to retire over the next decade. As large numbers of aging healthcare providers head into retirement, it could create a drastic knowledge gap and a loss of experienced workers, further hindering the country’s ability to educate and train providers entering the field. In addition to staffing shortages, healthcare facilities also struggle with optimizing the usage of a wide range of staffing solutions to maximize patient care and match expected patient census seasonally and during significant outbreaks. Healthcare facilities were challenged to respond with recruitment and staffing solutions that meet the needs of their patients and facilities even before the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic created a surge in cases and patient care demands that far surpassed the capacity of the healthcare system, both in terms of available facilities, and healthcare providers. Dedicated to addressing such short-term and longterm workforce challenges in the healthcare industry, Health Carousel offers the finest healthcare talent and workforce solutions across a variety of healthcare occupations, including physicians, registered nurses, allied health, and advanced practice professionals. By delivering high-quality healthcare staff in real time as needs arise, it enables healthcare organizations to optimize their workforce, improve patient care, and reduce the cost of healthcare. Delivering an Innovative Suite of Staffing Solutions Health Carousel was founded in 2004 with a vision to ensure that every American has access to high-quality healthcare when and where they need it, and by doing so, to improve lives and make healthcare work better. Driven by this noble vision, the pioneering company offers an innovative suite of solutions designed to make staffing a healthcare facility easier, faster, and more manageable. Health Carousel’s staffing and workforce solutions improve lives and make healthcare work better for everyone: for providers, for facilities, and— ultimately—for patients. Even as resource demands shift, Health Carousel strengthens outcomes related to cost containment, revenue enablement, and patient experience. Health Carousel consists of a market-leading portfolio of businesses, unified by a centralized back office, responsive digital strategy, and rigorous legal and ethical standards. Together, we’re improving lives by connecting in-demand nurses, physicians, allied health, and advanced practice professionals with healthcare institutions across the country. Health Carousel Travel Nursing Health Carousel Travel Nursing (HCTN) connects healthcare facilities to a national network of experienced travel nurse and allied healthcare professionals for immediate and crisis support. HCTN has built a thriving, talented community of qualified, credentialed nurses and allied professionals ready to work wherever and whenever needed. With their nationwide reach, streamlined digital experience, and clinically led support team, Health Carousel is the remedy for staff shortages and career burnout. Mobility, scalability, and flexibility: it’s a workforce strategy that makes healthcare work better for everyone. Health Carousel Locum Tenens Health Carousel Locum Tenens (HCLT) connects Apr22136 T
CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 6 2022 9 healthcare facilities to a network of experienced physicians and advanced practitioners. HCLT builds career-long relationships with qualified, highly trained providers in every specialty. With their nationwide reach, streamlined digital experience, and specialtyexclusive recruiters, Health Carousel adds flexibility to workforce strategies, making it easy to focus on the most important thing: providing exceptional patient care. Health Carousel International Health Carousel International (HCI) opens doors for experienced and engaged global healthcare professionals to expand their career horizons at U.S. facilities. HCI connects understaffed organizations to a sustainable network of credentialed, qualified nurses, therapists, and allied providers. Their signature PassportUSA program provides an easy, end-to-end experience for all. Facilities get a talent pipeline, lower costs, and improved clinical outcomes. Providers get a transparent, knowledgeable partner to create their own American experience. With their principled commitment to the ethical recruitment of global nurses, it’s another way Health Carousel does well by doing good. A Leader in Ethical & Sustainable Healthcare Recruitment A founding member of the American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment (AAIHR), Health Carousel is committed to the highest standard of legal, ethical and socially responsible healthcare staffing. They follow the AAIHR Code of Ethics and are a Certified Ethical Recruitment Firm. Health Carousel not only provides high paying career opportunities to healthcare professionals, but also supports their personal and professional lives through clinical team support, additional learning and certification opportunities and by becoming a true partner in their healthcare careers. Health Carousel provided more than $10 Million in scholarships, producing more than 100 nurse educators and 1000’s of new nurses. They created Faculty Development Training to help nurse educators adapt to necessary E-learning. They created a partnership with the DAISY awards to recognize exceptional nurses in the Philippines, Africa and the US. A true partner in building long-term careers, Health Carousel has career options for international healthcare providers during and after their first assignment. They can: • Expand their skill set with assignments in new specialties • Pursue certification in their chosen area of specialization • Diversify their experience by working assignments in new clinical settings • Take additional fulltime assignments in new geographic locations in the US • Extend their career with Health Carousel as a Travel Nurse • Become a Nurse Educator or Nurse Practitioner through their MSN work/study program Transforming the Healthcare Staffing Experience with Technology The healthcare staffing industry is transforming as new business models disrupt the market and nurses desire a better employment experience. Healthcare providers have an intensive journey to land their next travel assignment that requires speed and transparency at each phase of the application process. Health Carousel is building the omni-channel healthcare staffing business of the future, where both healthcare facilities and healthcare providers can come together to deliver life-saving patient care faster and more efficiently than ever. On Demand, Health Carousel’s proprietary digital experience platform, has expanded the way the company supports healthcare providers to incorporate a hybrid approach that allows professionals to choose their experience and navigate the travel nursing journey on their own terms. Health Carousel’s experience is completely enabled by both digital solutions and people power to provide our healthcare providers with a seamless experience across our digital assets and help our customers achieve their goals. Despite being technologically progressive, the company understands that people and relationships are at the heart of the healthcare industry. Thus, it is creating omnichannel systems that put these relationships first, giving healthcare providers and clients the freedom to live and work the way they want to. “We are focusing on making the experience seamless, transparent, and a valuable part of our nurse’s journey,” said Zack Storer Chief Technology and Product Officer of Health Carousel. “By tapping into advanced technologies, we are building the seamless platform for the future of the industry.” According to John Sebastian, Chief Executive Officer of Health Carousel, the future of healthcare staffing is where high tech and high touch converge to deliver faster, more personalized, and more meaningful experiences. He believes that the convergence of people and technology speeds up unnecessarily slow systems and processes and enables the company to deliver more value to its clients and healthcare professionals. Moving into the future, Health Carousel aims to continue integrating people and technology. Similarly, the Health Carousel Locum Network, is fueled by Lucidity, a digital staffing platform that redefines the way that physicians and advanced practitioners search for jobs. The proprietary matching engine matches healthcare providers with available assignments based on more than 15 factors. This means clients and providers get the best match to fit their needs. Pursuing Excellence with Its Mission-Driven Approach Committed to the highest standards, Health Carousel relentlessly works towards its higher purpose of improving lives and making healthcare work better through its healthcare staffing solutions. With its innovative solutions and mission-driven approach, it strives to makes a difference in the lives of the healthcare providers, facility partners, and the patients that rely on its team to receive the best care. “While we measure our financial and operational results, we have an additional ‘bottom line’ that is at the core of what we do: the number of patients lives we have impacted. We have already positively impacted the lives of 9 million patients nationwide,” said Bill DeVille, Co-Founder and Chairman of Health Carousel. This commitment to higher purpose and excellence has empowered the Health Carousel team to excel in the industry, earning recognition by Staffing Industry Analyst’s (SIA) as a fastest-growing U.S. staffing firm 6 years in a row and Best in Staffing Awards for both Client & Talent satisfaction. Beyond growth, Health Carousel is consistently recognized as a Best Place to Work and recently was awarded the 2021 Medical Mutual SHARE Award and the American Staffing Association CARE Award for exemplifying employeedriven community service, philanthropy, and volunteerism. Company: Health Carousel Media Contact: Lauren Kellum
CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 6 2022 10 Innovativeness, Dedication, Leadership Dr Millicent Stone is one of the creative minds behind the innovative digital platform, iOWNA, a clinician patient engagement tool that enables clinicians to send trusted relevant personalised information to patients to help improve outcomes and importantly, facilitate patient empowerment in their health and wellbeing journey. For her innovativeness, dedication, and leadership, Dr Stone has been recognised as Most Influential CEO 2022 – London – Join us as we learn more about her career and iOWNA. r Millicent Stone’s inspiration for iOWNA stems from her own experience of being a mother of a very ill child. Her daughter was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at a young age, and she realised the importance of having the right information at the right time – as that is what helped her and her daughter to better understand the nature of the treatment path and how to navigate each step of the way to survival. The other factor that inspired her was her approach with her own patients: Millicent builds relationships with her patients and is enthusiastic about the benefits of engaging patients in their treatment journey. Above all, the purpose behind iOWNA is to enable people to live longer, healthier lives. It was in August 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that iOWNA was launched by DigitalHealth.London, with the initial product to facilitate clinicians in sending trusted information directly to their patients. This helped with the increasing remote care monitoring of patients. Since then, iOWNA has developed the app to enable a two-way trusted information exchange between clinicians and patients to improve patient experience and outcomes. It was recently commissioned by Milton Keynes University Hospital in a partnership programme to drive patient empowerment in the NHS. Milton Keynes is a flagship NHS digital trust. Pilots are ongoing at Imperial Healthcare Trust Lung and Cancer Departments and University College London Hospitals. Dr Millicent Stone is a consultant rheumatologist and key opinion leader in her field. She began her career by training in Ireland and Canada, and worked in Toronto as a rheumatologist for several years before returning to work in the UK. She chose a career in rheumatology as she enjoys getting to know her patients and helping them over the course of their conditions. She is involved in research, having trained as a clinical epidemiologist in Canada to understand how diseases affect people with arthritis, and her current area of research is development of a sustainability rating index for digital healthcare ventures that can be used to align sustainable innovation to investment in the healthcare sector. This is the focus of her thesis for her degree in healthcare entrepreneurship which she has been doing at Cambridge University Judge Business School over the past two years since leaving her full time role as an NHS Consultant at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust to pursue healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship full time. Millicent says, “Sustainability is key to enabling effective innovation to drive improved outcomes and harness the power of the people and the planet to help people live longer healthier lives.” Millicent runs a podcast (www. livelongerthepodcast.com) with focused conversations around her passion for enabling people to live longer, healthier lives and is a changemaking activity for which she was shortlisted for the VC social impact award last year at Cambridge University. Ultimately, it’s easy to see that Dr Stone is a highly respected figure within her industry, having published in top quality peer review journals and held prestigious peer review grants in the UK, Canada, and USA. She is an established entrepreneur and changemaker; and has also won many prizes for her research in clinical outcomes, including the BMA Doris Hillier Award. Now, she has deservingly achieved extraordinary success within the Most Influential CEO Awards 2022, and we can’t wait to see where her career takes her next. Company: iOWNA Contact: Millicent Stone Email: [email protected] [email protected] Website: www.iowna.com www.millicentstone.co.uk Apr22191 D
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CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 6 2022 13 Putting The Social Back Into Social Media Marketing is an enormous challenge, with companies seeing the need for engagement in order to connect with customers. It’s easy to artificially build engagement, but this does not last. Lasting connections require the personal touch. That’s precisely what Wheeler Marketing Agency excels at. With three years under her belt as CEO, Danielle Wheeler has achieved overwhelming success. Named by CEO Monthly as Most Influential CEO, 2022 - Oregon, the USA, we thought now was the right time to find out more. anielle Wheeler would describe herself as the sort of person who sticks to her guns. When it’s something that she’s passionate about, she’s willing to go above and beyond to make sure that it’s the success it deserves to be. Nowhere is this clearer than in her approach to social media, where she feels the word “social” has begun to lose its power. “It was all about connecting with each other,” she tells us. “That’s why these platforms were created in the first place. But as time went on, more and more users forgot about this aspect and only focused on only trying to make a sale.” That might seem odd for the CEO of a digital marketing company to say. After all, her business depends on profits made thanks to social media. But the important difference is that these are not profits directly because of it. Wheeler Marketing Agency was made with the goal of putting the social aspect back into social media, focusing for the most part on Instagram. This platform sees brands paying thousands of dollars for ads, only to reach people that will eventually see them as a faceless brand. “I’m going the opposite way,” Danielle explains. “Building engagement, making brands the talk of the town, and creating a space where users want to go and be a part of is what we do. Connecting with your community is more important than ever. And it’s the only tried and tested method through which any brand can put itself out there and form a bond with its clients and create brand loyalty and ROI.” The growth of Wheeler Marketing Agency was a result of its success, but it did take Danielle by surprise. She has been CEO of this former side-gig for three years and in that time has built a team of remote workers dedicated to building new communities. “I had no experience leading a team so it was definitely a learning process,” she laughs. “There were definitely some growing pains as WMA expanded and I learned how to clearly communicate goals and expected outcomes. But now? I completely trust my team to manage their responsibilities without me constantly looking over their shoulders.” Her team is not one where the boss is constantly breathing down their necks, but more akin to King Authur and the Knights of the Round Table. A diverse team of people come together to discover the best path to success for clients. One person makes the final decision, of course, but everyone is involved in making it. The importance of social media is clear to any business, particularly during the pandemic. “Many brands and businesses turned to social media as a way to generate revenue,” Danielle explains. “However, because many of these businesses hadn’t been connecting with their customers before the pandemic, it was a challenge for them to improve their sales using Instagram. Our ability to connect brands with their audiences helped them to weather the storm and come out stronger on the other side. In the months since the pandemic began, we’ve seen a huge increase in demand for our services, and we expect that trend to continue well into the future.” The future looks bright for this incredible team, and Danielle intends to stay at the forefront of whatever they do. “You can’t preach connectivity and not be connected yourself,” she says. “By staying active and engaged with my team, clients, and our social audience, I can help to create a strong sense of community and support that is essential for a successful business.” There are already plans in place to enable the team to take on more clients without compromising on quality over the next twelve months. It’s clear that the passion which led Danielle to start Wheeler Marketing Agency has not diminished in the slightest: “I think it’s going to be a great year - we’re going to achieve a lot and learn a lot too. I can’t wait!” Company: Wheeler Marketing Agency Name: Danielle Wheeler Email: [email protected] Web Address: wheelermarketingagency.com Apr22599 D
CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 6 2022 14 Apr22017 Finding a business to take care of your customers can be no small feat and, as mobile networks operators, the infrastructure and services needed to ensure that subscribers are receiving the best experience possible whenever and wherever they engage with their Brands and the products they offer, is at the heart of what Prepay Nation delivers every day. As a leading global B2B digital micropayments platform powering local and cross-border transfers of prepaid mobile top-ups, data bundles, gaming pins and gift cards, Prepay Nation seamlessly connects billions of consumers to the people and activities they care about most. Here we learn more about Prepay Nation’s CEO, AJ Hanna, as he wins Most Influential CEO, 2022 - California, the USA. For over a decade, Prepay Nation has pioneered technologies and built distribution channels around the world to help businesses enable their customers to stay connected to the people and activities they care about the most. Brands of all sizes can distribute and sell their digital prepaid products more easily and affordably through Prepay Nation’s innovative fintech hub and prepaid products marketplace. Prepay Nation’s out-of-the-box solutions can be embedded into retail POS, e-commerce websites and digital apps. Brands can easily sell their prepaid products by expanding their retail, digital and geographical presence to acquire, retain and reward customers anytime, anywhere. By connecting billions of consumers to thousands of Brands through hundreds of thousands of brick and mortar locations and digital channels, Prepay Nation helps Mobile Operators, Utility Companies, Financial Institutions, Gaming, Social and Entertainment Platforms win new customers, reward them and keep them connected and engaged, Prepay Nation combines its state of the art technology and prepaid marketplace to build a comprehensive ecosystem with 600 mobile operator partnerships in 150+ Countries and 300 thousand merchant locations across the Americas, Europe and Middle East. AJ tells us, “As a visionary, I am frequently reimagining money and the entire financial services ecosystem. How would we operate without our current payment instruments and legacy systems. What would a new financial system look like on Mars? I am closely watching the developments in one of the most futuristic projects called NEOM in Saudi Arabia. They are reinventing LIFE, and the financial services ecosystem is part of that reinvention.” His futuristic vision of the financial realm allows him to come up with cutting edge and first of their kind ideas that keep Prepay Nation ahead of the competition. As an innovative executive and CEO, AJ is a driven, passionate, and an exceptional individual. He has global experience of over 25 years, and he shows no sign of slowing down as his success continues to snowball. His work has taken him around the world and helped him build strong foundations of trust, everlasting partnerships and long lasting relationships across many cultures and industries. He has held various successful executive and senior-level positions with companies such as VEON, Millicom, Anthemis, to Western Union, MoneyGram, First DataCorp, and American Express. AJ’s work in the telecommunications, financial services, marketplaces, digital payments and prepaid services, has positively impacted millions of people democratising financial services and enabling access to the digital lifestyle for everyone. “Our key differentiators at Prepay Nation are first and foremost our People. Dedicated, committed, hardworking, customer obsessed and treating every customer like they are our only customer. Second, our speed to market. We can add new products or enable new partners within days, not weeks or months. Third, our flexibility, we don’t believe in a one size fits all cookie cutter approach. We will work with our partners to get to the best possible outcome. If we don’t have it, we’ll find it or build it. Lastly, we help our partners make more money because of our transparent pricing and revenue share model. Our Brand partners are able to start selling their products through our Marketplace and our distribution/reseller partners can begin using Prepay Nation’s fintech platform to sell to their customers faster, easier and with higher margins, making more profits.” AJ says. AJ believes that, as a leader, it is most important to take care of your customers and partners. Ensuring they feel motivated, rewarded, and happy. He thinks it is important to be held accountable for the people and organizations you lead and everyone should be given a chance to succeed. He also believes that, despite anyone’s title or role, people need to stay humble and equal. With his passion for a better future – AJ does everything in his power to ensure the best outcome for every customer and partner. Approaching each role with a sense determination and commitment, AJ uses his experience and skills to deliver record business turnaround, revenue growth, global expansion, digital transformation, high performing teams and much more. With his ability and deeply rooted knowledge in product and business development, strategic alliances, customer acquisition, negotiations, marketing and problem solving – to name a few – AJ is taking the industry by storm. Implementing new initiatives and incorporating the latest technology and best practices to exceed all expectations. CEO Monthly is proud to award AJ Hanna with the prestigious accolade of Most Influential CEO, 2022 - California, the USA. Long may his success continue. Contact AJ Hanna Web Address: prepaynation.com Valuable, Safe, Secure
CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 6 2022 15 The Path To Constant Success! The customer experience is so important to many businesses, but so often overlooked when trying to manage every other part of the process. The team at Woven, under the capable leadership of Paula Constant has been able to transform this process for many businesses since its inception. Recognised for her efforts by being named Most Influential CEO, 2022 - London, the United Kingdom in CEO Monthly, we decided to dig a little deeper and uncover just some of the secrets of her success. Woven is the partner of choice for many companies because of their proven success to create bespoke customer experiences. When thinking about the customer journey it is so important to provide an exceptional service to maintain loyalty and no one understands this better than Paula Constant and her talented team. With a leadership team that comes predominantly from the ‘other side’ of FTSE250 customers, where they’ve owned the customer goals, targets and P&L, they make sure that when their clients outsource to them, they deliver the high standard of service that is expected from both them and their customers. Woven offer services ranging from call answering solutions to a fully outsourced customer experience operation including robotic automation, social media monitoring and much more! Leading from the front, Paula has a wealth of experience behind her in a range of different positions, switching from conversations with the board to working the front line without skipping a beat. Paula’s career began at Accenture, specialising in telecoms strategies, before moving to Vodafone and British Telecom. She spent ten years here, morphing from a strategy professional to running sales, service and engineering battalions in the small business, global business, and consumer fields. It was an incredible chance for her to learn from the best in the business whilst pushing the standards of service ever higher. Being hands on has always been a core component of Paula’s approach to work, and this is emulated through the Woven proposition which makes them unique in the marketplace. Her talent is finding data driven solutions and pushing the boundaries on sales into service, marketing for loyalty, and appetite for amazing digital experiences. Paula has a huge focus on the employees that make up ‘The Woven Family’. The contact centre job is tough, and a lot of work has recently gone into replacing classroom training for employees. Training needs to be fun and radically reinvented. She has led the way by including music, drama, art and sport into this often-challenging field. With their inspired workforce, working harder than ever before, she was able to increase pay by over 20%, providing people with a living wage plus bonus, significantly above national wage, even with the industry effects of Brexit and Covid. Having to navigate any business through the COVID-19 pandemic would be an impressive feat, but it’s especially true when there is a 1,200 strong workforce depending on you making the right decision. The contact centre market has dramatically shifted in this time towards digital solutions and will accelerate further. Woven have identified this shift and are evolving their innovative digital solutions such as chat bots, voice bots and live chat. But there is still an important role for the human touch in customer service, with the appreciation of a need for vulnerable customer management far more prevalent than ever before and the requirement for complex customer issue management through a specialist is really critical. During the last two years Woven has built out its offering and developed new ways of working that have allowed it to thrive. Paula has managed to build a company that has a trusted, and singular, identity from five very culturally different organisations. It’s a credit to her skill and the team’s trust in it that the results have been so positive. She has also made a point of working closely with the CWU to ensure that the union was part of the firm’s ongoing strategy. Looking ahead, Woven has plans to expand their people proposition, growing their 16+ years Academy which offers young adults their first job experience, their highly successful bureau business, as well as consolidating the utilities and financial services play through acquisition. Woven want to ensure that as they expand, they maintain the level of personal attention, both to their clients and their workforce. Paula has experienced a huge amount of change in the last year, having relocated from Australia to the UK during the pandemic, she is excited about the various plans to build out Woven in the long term. It’s an incredible business with incredible potential. We can’t wait to see what she does, either! Company: Woven Name: Paula Constant Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.wearewoven.com Apr22143
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