Issue 7 2020

CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 7 2020 15 Innovation & Ingenuity profit from the partnership, the only way we can be successful. CEOM:What are your future aspirations regarding your business? Do you have any future plans/projects you would like to share with us? MI: We are preparing a huge expansion on the US market, and for that we have selected one of the best possible partners: C5 Accelerate. We already have an office in Silicon Valley, and the next one on US territory will be in Washington D.C. I think it’s worth to mention that we are also preparing integration with big tech companies, and 2020 will bring some partnerships which will honour us, but will also oblige us to deliver. Moreover, the interest shown for the adoption of blockchain technology through BCDB has been good so far, so we had to reconsider the sales target and enlarge our developers, as well as our customer support and sales departments. By accomplishing all these, in 2020 we will get closer to our long-term objective: to become the first unicorn amongst blockchain tech companies on the market. CEOM:What role does your staff play in the success of your firm? MI: They are a driving force, professionals to the core - the best team that I could have gathered for these projects. We have offices in London and Bucharest (where the tech team is based), but also in Silicon Valley and soon in Washington DC, which requires a perfect coordination between various members of the team. It’s pretty much like ballet: hard work and concentration leading to wonderful results. CEOM: How do you approach recruitment? Is this an area of interest moving forward? MI: I am lucky to have an amazing team of developers and professionals from the banking and IT industry, as well as cyber security experts, and to work with some of the best partners in the industry. When I’ve launched our first project, Moneymailme, the team had 4-5 members and now we’ve grown to over 70 members at Modex only. I’m always looking forward to meeting talented people and if they prove to be a perfect fit to our team, I’m happy to welcome them on-board. If the synergies within the team are right, then great results will always arrive. CEOM: Tell me about your leadership style. How do you ensure everyone in your organization understands your vision and works towards it? MI: “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself”, said Henry Ford. In our organization, collaboration and teamwork are key words. I don’t see myself so much as a boss with many employees, but rather as an individual my team can always count on, just like I can also count on them when needed. CEOM:What challenges and opportunities have you faced during your time here and how have they affected your role? MI: While I wouldn’t want to comment on particular challenges, I can say there have been a few, but through determination and hard work, my team and I managed to leave them behind. On the other hand, I am grateful to have had some amazing opportunities which resulted in meeting amazing people, creating interesting events and setting up meaningful projects. Regardless of the challenge, thanks to them I’ve become a better, more experienced business executive. CEOM:What are your thoughts on the state of your industry currently? Are there any particular issues/changes that are affecting it? MI: Without doubt, the current coronavirus pandemic, which has taken over the world gradually since the beginning of 2020, is posing great challenges not only from the health point of view, but also from the business point of view. Many organizations are affected, from lots of industries, and they have to respond on the go to this threat. However, I remain optimistic and I believe that once this major crisis has been dealt with (hopefully sooner rather than later!), the blockchain and FinTech industries (and other industries, too) will emerge stronger and with a different, better view of their priorities. Leadership often takes many forms, but understanding one’s role in making a tangible impact on society is just as vital a part as any. Mr. Ivascu not only understands his role, but fulfils it with corporate aplomb. His willingness and desire to see innovation after innovation realised for the greater good of the human race are exemplary, and his passion and drive to see it accomplished is nothing short of exceptional. Not only is Mr. Ivascu a very worthy winner of this year’s CEO of the Year award, but he is an outstanding example to all of us as to what we should strive for. Contact: Mihai Ivascu Website: www.modex.tech