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VOL 09 | ISSUE 01 | 2021

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Contribution to Success Building Culture of Innovation for Sustainable Business Success

Systematic Approach 7 Sources of Innovation

Areej Mohsin Darwish Steering the Business to Great Heights with Remarkable Leadership Qualities The 10 Most Innovative Business Leaders Revamping the Future, 2021

EDITOR’S NOTE Investing in Innovation means Investing in Future

hat are the qualities that separate an innovative leader? It is their innovative planning and strategy to apply in challenging situations.

Today’s innovative business leaders – Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and many others- display their strength to stay ahead with their cutting-edge platforms. Their contribution to the world is huge, and that’s what inspires other leaders to work with the same vision, leading the business. What follows innovative leadership is continuous communication, leading with positive work culture, and strengthening business relations. To have such enthusiasm and commitment encourages everyone in the team to work and achieve the company's common goal. It helps create an environment of new opportunities that encourage innovative ideas and build team spirit among the members. In the journey of innovative leadership, challenges will always be a part of it, like staying consistent with the advanced innovations and making sure everyone in the organization feels involved in this process. Reviewing the leadership journey and taking calculated risks will help to deal with such challenges. Ultimately, innovation has the power to transform the world, and leadership will be a big part of it. It is one of the promising answers to the most complex problems, as it is massively helping leaders add value to their business and inspire many lives.

T h e

Most

Innovative Business Leaders Revamping the Future 2021

With such impactful innovations all around us, business leaders should take every opportunity to contribute to their respective industries and the world, just like the above leaders. All it takes is to have an attitude of never giving up, experimenting with new things, and having a proactive approach to rising in every challenging situation. The future companies are ready to build their structure around innovation, and for business leaders having an innovative mindset is essential to thriving in the business world. In this edition of “The 10 Most Innovative Business Leaders Revamping the Future, 2021” , we have handpicked leaders who have set a striking example for upcoming leaders and entrepreneurs to follow. On the cover, we have featured Mrs. Areej Mohsin Haider Darwish. Areej, the Chairperson of Automotive, Construction Equipment and Renewable Energy (ACERE) Cluster of Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC (MHD LLC). She has risen the corporate ladder steadily and steered the business to new heights through her sound leadership qualities and innovative talent. She heads the organization’s diverse operations in Oman & overseas. She says that competition is good because it fosters innovation. Her leadership, professional management, relentless dedication, and ability to identify opportunities have helped the organization reach the peak of success. You will ﬁnd more such inspiring stories of business leaders in this edition who have brought a drastic transformation in their respective sectors. Also, do not forget to go through insightful articles created by our in-house editorial team. Let’s Start Reading!

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CONTENTS

10Cover Story

Areej Mohsin Darwish Steering the Business to Great Heights with Remarkable Leadership Qualities

Articles

18 30

Contribution to Success Building Culture of Innovation for Sustainable Business Success

Systematic Approach 7 Sources of Innovation

22 Daniel Sachi

Helping Businesses Transform Digitally

26 Dr. Gilad Litvin

Promoting Human Health, Sustainability, and Equality Worldwide

32 Sibongile Rejoyce Sambo A Renowned Global Leader in Aviation

36 Tudor Brad

A Proactive QA Manager and a Passionate Leader

Hitesh Dhamani Editor-in-Chief CONTENT

Senior Editor Alan Swann

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September, 2021

Featuring Person Areej Mohsin Haider Darwish Chairperson of ACERE Cluster

Company Name Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC mhdoman.com

Brief Mohsin Haider Darwish is a leader in commercial trading, while having expanded also into industrial products and services, contracting and investment.

Annette Densham Public Relations Strategist & Awards Specialist

The Audacious Agency theaudaciousagency.com

The Audacious Agency works in brand management and publicity, working with leading agencies and media brands.

Daniel Sachi CEO

ROI AGILE roiagile.com

ROI Agile International is a group of professionals with vast experience in various industries.

Dr. Gilad Litvin Chairman & Chief Medical Oﬃcer

CorNeat Vision corneat.com

CorNeat Vision is an innovative medical device company with an overarching mission of promoting human health, sustainability and equality worldwide.

Helah Kehati Chief Culinary Oﬃcer

JPO Concepts jpoconcepts.com

JPO Concepts is an events and hospitality company based in NYC.

Kelly SimpsonAngelini CEO

Simpson Healthcare simpsonhealthcare.com

Simpson Healthcare supports the clients to share the scientiﬁc story of the diseases they touch, and therapies discovered for all in need.

Rick Bates CEO and Founder

RxSense rxsense.com

RxSense is a health technology company founded and led by Rick Bates and an experienced team of PBM industry and software development leaders.

Stein Revelsby Founder and CEO

Hoylu hoylu.com

Hoylu delivers a comprehensive set of personalized Connected Workspaces™ to enable teams across locations, on any device, to work smarter and with more fun across major industries.

Sibongile Sambo Founder and Managing Director

SRS Aviation srsaviation.co.za

SRS Aviation is the African distributor of new and overhauled aircraft spare parts for the commercial, commuter, corporate, Military and Cargo aerospace Industries.

Tudor Brad Quality Assurance Manager

BetterQA betterqa.co

BetterQA help companies improve the quality of software being delivered worldwide.

Areej Mohsin Darwish Chairperson - ACERE

COVER Story

Areej Mohsin Darwish Steering the Business to Great Heights with Remarkable Leadership Qualities

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MHD LLC has been a strong contributor to the economy of Oman in the last few decades, committed through the waves of growth and development.

Attributing Success and Leadership Skills to Visionary Father Areej’s leadership, professional management, relentless dedication, and ability to identify opportunities has helped the organization to reach the peak of success. She attributes her success and leadership skills to her late father, Mohsin Haider Darwish, who was a visionary. Areej aims at carrying on her late father’s legacy by taking MHD Group to greater heights of success. She is an outstanding example of successful women’s empowerment and is an inspiration to all industry peers. Analytical thinking, decision making, problem solving, and discipline are some of her best qualities which Areej owes to her late father. Building on Strengths

nnovation is the key component of success of any organization. Innovative business leaders play signiﬁcant role in the success of the organizations as they come up with innovative strategies to achieve organizational goals. To drive businesses to great heights, it is essential to have able, competent, participative, innovative, and remarkable leadership at the helm of the businesses. Such leaders are able to drive the growth and momentum for their businesses. Leaders with sound leadership qualities and innovative skills lead the businesses to great heights through valuable contribution. Mrs. Areej Mohsin Haider Darwish is one such innovative business leader who has risen the corporate ladder steadily and steered business to new heights through her sound leadership qualities and innovative talent. She is the Chairperson of Automotive, Construction Equipment and Renewable Energy (ACERE) Cluster of Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC (MHD LLC). She heads the organization’s diverse operations in Oman & overseas. She says that competition is good because it fosters innovation.

Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC is one of the prominent family businesses in Oman and was established in 1974. It was turned into a Limited Liability Company in 1987. It has achieved phenomenal progress over the years and contributed to the economic growth, development, and prosperity of the country and was listed in Forbes as Top 100 Arab Family Businesses in Middle East 2020 and 2021. MHD LLC has diverse business presence and prides itself to be associated with some of the renowned international brands such as Jaguar, Land Rover, McLaren, Volvo, MG, Ford, Ashok Leyland, Michelin, Huawei, Hitachi, KDK. By building on its business strengths, MHD LLC is looking at forging business collaboration with new business partners. Gaining Insights into Finer Details of Business Processes Having graduated from SQU with major in Computer Science and Maths, Mrs. Areej began her career at Petroleum Development Oman. She joined the family business in 1994. Under the able guidance and tutelage of her late father, Areej gradually climbed the ladder and worked her way up the organizational hierarchy.

Her father was ﬁrm, and she didn’t get things on a platter; it was important for him that Areej worked with every division and gain insight into the ﬁner details of the business. This helped Mrs. Areej to understand the business processes closely and the strategy behind the success of her family business. Being involved in the business operations minutely helped Areej to steer the business to new heights through sound leadership, planning, perseverance, foresight and determination.

‘‘

MHD LLC has built a vision, set goals and directions and mapped a path for its team.

Being Participative When Areej thinks of impactful leadership, what comes to her mind is the long lasting positive and meaningful contribution a leader makes to the organization as well as community at large. Areej says that an impactful leader is one who is approachable, inspiring, passionate to achieve organizational goals with a positive mindset. Areej has always believed in participative leadership style and she has followed this at MHD LLC too. She says that leadership is about inspiring employees to work towards the vision and mission of the organization. Leading with Optimism Areej’s leadership is characterized by constant communication, setting challenging goals and the ability to acclimatize in uncertain environments. She follows a philosophy of leading with optimism, as positive culture is the key to sustainable business success. She is continuously learning while working with a team of professionals to run various divisions, thus, remaining a true encouragement to her staff and

always inspiring them to come up with new and better processes. Putting Growth at Top of Every Agenda Areej is an ambitious leader who puts growth at the top of every agenda. Her vision for MHD LLC is to see the organization ﬂourish by looking for new opportunities, strengthening relations with their business partners, expanding their footprint into new sectors by building new relationships and partnerships. She endeavors to continue to make a noteworthy contribution to the country and future generations through perseverance, determination, and effective leadership. Keeping the Big Picture in Mind MHD LLC has built a vision, set goals and directions and mapped a path for its team. Areej adds that true leaders inspire enthusiasm, commitment, help remind everyone of the big picture, and challenge people to outdo themselves and work towards a common goal. Areej considers it is important to keep the communication lines open. She believes that an open communicative work culture fosters a creative environment which encourages collaboration and facilitates free ﬂow of ideas and improves employee morale.

Having Foresight, Planning, and Determination There are various factors which are attributable for the success of any business. Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC has risen the ladder of success gradually over the years. The company’s success is a culmination of foresight, strategic planning, assiduousness, and determination. Areej attributes the continued success of the family business to the opportunities that it seized, the relationships it developed over the years with its business partners and the dedication and hard work of its employees. Competition exists in every ﬁeld and Areej considers that its actually good for the businesses as it enables them to identify their unique traits and constantly pushes them to be innovative. Understanding changes in the industry, and staying ahead of the competition in key areas, such as customer service, technology, and efﬁciency is MHD LLC’s focus. Mitigating Challenges with Proper Planning and Strategy Business leaders are at the forefront of challenges. Challenges are inevitable as today’s business environment is constantly evolving. However, it gives

leaders an opportunity to learn from them as challenges are ﬁlled with possibilities for change. The challenges faced are different at different times – it could be external as well as internal challenges. Some of the challenges which MHD LLC has encountered are changes in business trends, competition, expansion of business presence, ﬁnancial planning, expanding customer base and risk management. As business grows, different problems and opportunities demand different solutions. Areej says that many of the challenges can be mitigated with proper planning and strategy. She states that as a business leader, it is important to be resilient in one’s pursuit to create a sustainable growth for the future. Having an Action Plan to Deal with Unprecedented Times The current global pandemic of the COVID-19 virus has adversely impacted the economy in countries around the world. Due to the nature of the pandemic, it was not possible to stop the crisis but MHD LLC had coping

strategies in place to lower the risks which helped it in overcoming the challenges during COVID as it identiﬁed the potential issues and developed an action plan that was robust to maintain continuity in the face of uncertain times. As an organization, its primary concern during COVID was the safety and well-being of its staff. It implemented remote working arrangements and strengthened health and safety measures. Maintaining best practices was an essential aspect of risk management. It was a period of continuous learning and accepting the new normal. MHD LLC had business continuity plans in place which helped it sustain ongoing operations. Technology was at the heart of the new operating model and it restructured its technological infrastructure to meet the evolving business needs. MHD LLC is focused on building resilience and the pandemic gave it an opportunity to examine current practices in order to pivot to new opportunities. As an organization, it emerged sturdier and better prepared for the future.

A Precise Note to Aspiring Entrepreneurs Areej’s ﬁrst and foremost advice to the potential leaders is to set a goal for themselves – use good judgement and determination to achieve it. They need to focus and persevere to do the best. Knowledge is power and a business leader never stops learning. Emerging business leaders have to master their skills; this will allow them to work effectively in today’s dynamic business world. They have to be willing to think outside the paradigm; do things unconventionally. Curiosity is a prerequisite to continuous improvement. Therefore, Areej advises aspiring entrepreneurs to constantly seek opportunities and work towards achieving excellence. They also need to embrace the challenges positively and face adversity calmly and work on being agile. She advises them to keep in mind that success is a culmination of many factors but all of them put together are incomplete without a team. The employees are invaluable assets therefore she advises that caring for one of the primary assets is as important as everything else. Making a Noteworthy Contribution to the Country MHD LLC has achieved a place of eminence in Oman as it has been successful in creating excellence of the highest levels. Being eminent gives it the competitive advantage but the key to sustaining it is to constantly evolve and have the relentless commitment to get better every single day. Its key objective is to continue the family legacy by making a noteworthy contribution to the country.

Having Constantly Evolving Business Strategy and Plans MHD LLC is focused on its vision of the future and its business goals are aligned with Oman’s Vision 2040. Oman’s economy is on the path of accelerated growth as it is building a productive and diversiﬁed economy with innovation, infrastructure, education, development of workforce, sustaining national resources and modern legislative framework as its key drivers. At MHD, its business strategy and plans are constantly evolving. Its strategy is to diversify its revenue across different sectors, expand its presence in Oman and globally, introduce new brands and forge strategic partnerships. Being Committed to Sustainable Growth and Development Besides business objectives, MHD LLC is also committed to sustainable growth and development. With the growing trend and use of electric vehicles which can drastically cut down on transportation costs, it has taken the lead and leveraged this opportunity by introducing electric charging stations. This is a relatively new concept but it foresees immense potential in this sector as every industry is turning towards more environmentally friendly technology. MHD LLC also believes in a creating a sustainable economy by venturing into sustainable business ventures. Sustainable energy is the future of tomorrow and working towards this, it has ventured into Solar business as conservation of Energy is a national priority.

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Contribution to Success

Building Culture of INNOVATION for SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS SUCCESS

ustainable success in business is the ambition of every business leader; it is a marathon and not a sprint. A leader must have tremendous determination, dedication, discipline, commitment, hard work, perseverance, innovative approach, ingenuity, collaboration, and integration of several good qualities to drive sustainable success. Without having the vital essence of these qualities within, no one can create success for a business in the long run.

innovative ideas that can be helpful to sustain the ethics of the business while making giant leaps in the work culture. This practice creates a healthier bond between the team and the leader while ensuring that every team member can contribute without hesitation. There were several examples of this innovative culture that disrupted various industries during the worldwide pandemic. On the one hand, ecommerce giant Amazon was reaching newer heights by their innovative approach towards people's daily needs while ensuring the safety of their employees. In contrast, several startup companies surged in the business world by coming up with unique ideas never before seen in the market.

Ingenuity or inventiveness is the most fundamental aspect of the success of any business. No problem in the world can be solved with the same level of thinking as when the problem originated. Complex global challenges can be solved through the innovation culture as there is no other substitute. An innovative approach helps business leaders stand ﬁrm in their businesses without losing valuable clients by oﬀering the best solutions and earning their trust.

We are living in a constantly changing world where nothing is permanent. As soon as something appears to be settling down, someone in the world comes up with disruptive ideas and changes the whole industry. Nothing changes without changing the thought process behind it. Having innovative culture embedded in the organization is the only method for leaders to ensure that their business will sustain itself in the cut-throat competitive world. A good leader understands that the importance of a pioneering idea is what makes a company outgrow its competitors.

Ingenuity, work, and courage lead to valuable results in the business. Ingenuity is the art of surprising people with something disruptive and innovative more constructively and ultimately for the welfare of people. As the idiom goes, actions speak louder than words. Similarly, an ingenious leader creates harmony between their thoughts and actions, to deliver unmatched results in their businesses. They live the essence, take calculative, cognitive-intensive, logical, and high-value decisions that help them be the most profound leader in the industry.

Business leaders need to be constantly aware of the changing needs of the industry and accordingly deliver the results that will benefit the clients. Providing something valuable and beneficial to the clients is the only way to sustain success in the business world, and businesses should be very much aware of this. An innovation can disrupt the entire industry landscape, but it is also essential to sustain the company's value while conducting these innovations. Good leadership will always promote innovative culture because every change that ever occurs comes from a mind that thinks differently.

Innovative business leaders are well aware that they will be stuck in their business and will not grow if they don't take to the path of innovation which is why they are rational, logical, thoughtful, inventive, and clever in their approach. They work closely with their team and always try to ﬂourish their team's creative imagination to come up with

| September 2021 |

| September | MM2021 2021 |

Leading COMPA World's Who's Who, Tech Innovation Global Inc. announces a $200 million funding round July 16, 2021 technology Tech Innovation Global Inc. founder Alicia Carroll, an engineer, who performed COVID-19 data analysis to be honored among the World's Who's Who, July 21, 2021, an edition once every ﬁve years, she will be honored for her work in COVID SARS CoV 2 emergency. It will feature her success stories, life challenges, emotional upheavals, leadership qualities and represent global collaboration, despite many odds, in most grandeur form, coming out triumphant from the world crises while highlighting its pillars of who have helped the world stand in 2020. Alicia Carroll performed COVID-19 analysis, supply capabilities, training in communicating technical issues, processes to improve implementation of guidelines including face mask mandates and alliances. Tech Innovation Global Incorporated will also feature companies, GenConnect recruiting to global workforce solutions, travel, health to vital living and products. Honors include Global Leaders LLC, CIO Magazine and feature in the British Chamber of Commerce. Alicia Carroll is also nominated as advisor to a foreign chamber. Tech Innova on Global Inc. announces a $200 million funding round on July 7, 2021 in collabora on with the Be er Business Bureau, companies and SCORE Mentor www.score.org for technology ini a ves during 2021 to 2031 (10 years).

You can go to https://www.techinnovationglobalinc.com to invest or sponsor community programs and pay for services featuring: Ÿ Seerletics ﬁtness app seerletics.com Ÿ GenCennect Recruiting Ÿ Tech Innovation Global Incorporated techinnovationglobalinc.com Enviroculture and Agriculture Ÿ Travel app-based services and Promotion of Health Ÿ Community activities (Museum, Calvary Hill, Libraries) You can also pay for other services or requests at https://techinnovationglobalinc.com/product/request-services/.

ANIES of the Year

Mail To: Tech Innovation Global Incorporated 3408 Wall Triana Highway Post Ofﬁce Box 21133 Huntsville, AL 35813 Or Scan QR Code for more information to give by bank account number, credit card, or paypal:

For more information go to Tech Innovation Global Incorporated, 600 Boulevard Ste 104, Huntsville Alabama 35802. Thank You Our basis of estimates are based on developments, https://www.ngos.org and upcoming global initiatives at resources for NGOs as related to technology initiatives, health, travel and more for company insights. ©2019 - 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Daniel Sachi CEO

ROI Agile Interna onal

| September 2021 |

Daniel Sachi Helping Businesses Transform Digitally

occupy the position of general coordinator of the privatization project of Banco Hipotecario Nacional. From there, I migrated to Coca Cola again as organization and systems manager, where I was responsible for the uniﬁcation project of 7 family bottling companies into a single company with 7 plants, 30 warehouses, and territories to cover in two countries. In this ocassion my team was appointed by Coca-Cola Corp. as a beta tester for the corporation's systems due to our work.

oday, there is a dire need for businesses to foster a culture that embraces the digital revolution. What business leaders need to navigate this transformation is creativity, understanding of technical nuances, and a vision for the future of the industry they are working with. You can ﬁnd all the traits mentioned above in Daniel Sachi, the CEO of ROI Agile International. Daniel is a natural leader, excellent at managing interpersonal relationships and achieving strategic goals at the company. His ability to turn critical situations into opportunities for the people makes him stand out.

From there, I went on to direct an IDB project for national ﬁnancial planning in the Finance Secretariat of the Ministry of Economy of Argentina, for a couple of years, later becoming manager of business operations and systems in Ceitech, an outsourcing company of computer Services.

We at CIO Look caught up with Daniel to know more about his entrepreneurial journey and how ROI Agile is streamlining digital transformation.

My next task was to be the CEO of Synthesis Retail Solutions, a software company, ﬁnally arriving at ROI

Below are the highlights of the interview: Brief our audience on your professional journey until your current leadership position at ROI Agile. I started my career at Caja de Valores, a ﬁnancial services company, where I went from being an administrative employee when I started to be a leader in IT projects when I left. Then I spent 11 years at Shell oil company, working as a developer, project leader, PM, auditor, and facilitator in the quality area. The next stage was in Essen Aluminios, a company for the direct sale of household goods, as manager of organization and systems, from where then I went to

| September 2021 |

“

Agile International, the company where I have been the CEO for 14 years.

Always be transparent and make the customer's goal your goal.

Brief us about your company and its prominent products/solutions/services that make you a preferred choice over your competition. Our company is human capital, organization, and process consultant, which is dedicated to streamlining organizations, improving their performance, and transforming them digitally.

“

Our services have a lot to do with training, coaching of senior managers, business reformulations, and introduction of best practices and methodologies in project management and human capital management, with a particular orientation towards digital transformation. We have various packages of actions aimed at achieving these objectives. The reason for our success lies in the fact that we always rely on the exhaustive analysis of the three work areas: the people, the processes, and the organization that groups them, proposing all the necessary

| September 2021 |

adjustments and modiﬁcations in a format that has agility as the engine, and continuous improvement as the north.

people who were there and take new ones, and I have resisted and reached exceptional achievements with the same people.

What is your idea of impactful leadership? What style of leadership do you personally prefer and have implemented at your company?

I think the great secret was always to listen, ask my people for their opinion, and take nothing for granted. If given a chance, what change would you bring about in the ecosystem of your respective industry?

I believe in and practice situational leadership, since one must deal with changing people and situations, and one cannot address different scenarios in the same way. Sometimes one must work delegating and empowering and others supervising and directing, and adaptation and ﬂexibility must be present in any good leader.

I think it would be good to set public standards and qualiﬁcations for consultants working on unregulated issues. There is too much competition from people who have taken a course and already present themselves as consultants in the subject they have just studied. This leaves the market badly and fuels the fear of clients to hire consultants outside the group of the big six or from very big local consultants, whose services, for the most part, they cannot afford.

Apart from this, active listening, the empathy, leading by example, and being hands-on sometimes, and hearton and transparent all the time. What were the challenges you came across in your career as a leader?

What have you envisioned for yourself and your company to sustain its market position in the future?

The truth is that I have encountered many more challenges in convincing my bosses to let me make the decisions about my teams than the problems that I could have with some colaborators.

Continue innovating in our services as we have done so far, and continue on the path of being partners and not suppliers of our clients.

In fact, several times as an entrant in some organizations, I have come across the directive to ﬁre

| September 2021 |

Dr. Gilad Litvin Chairman and Chief Medical Oﬃcer

CorNeat Vision

Dr. Gilad Litvin

Promoting Human Health, Sustainability, and Equality Worldwide

assion when combined with vision can do wonders. CorNeat Vision was a result of a passion and vision of Dr. Gilad Litvin, which was formed with a goal of developing, producing, and introducing to global markets a scalable artiﬁcial solution for global corneal blindness, while eliminating the dependency on donor tissue.

An interview conducted between CIO Look and Dr. Litvin sheds light on the entrepreneurial career of Dr. Litvin, his approach towards leadership, and how CorNeat Vision promotes human health, sustainability, and equality worldwide.

Dr. Litvin serves as the Chairman and Chief Medical Ofﬁcer (CMO) of the company. Besides, he is also the inventor of the company’s core solutions including the CorNeat KPro, the CorNeat eShunt (a glaucoma drainage device) and the CorNeat EverPatch (a scleral patch).

Brief our audience on your professional journey, up to your current leadership position.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

I started my medical career as a medic in the Israel Defence Forces. During my service, I gained experience with both trauma under ﬁre and ongoing care of

| September 2021 |

personnel within a combat unit. Several years following my discharge, I began my studies at the Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel, and continued on to a residency in Ophthalmology at the Meir Medical Center in KfarSaba, Israel, under the supervision of Professor Ehud I. Assia. After successfully completing my residency, I honed my expertise as a surgical retina fellow for two years gaining in depth knowledge of diagnosis, medical management and surgical applications in retinal diseases.

Besides my role at the company, I continue to work as an active ophthalmic surgeon at the Ein Tal Eye Center. I try to ﬁnd a balance between practicing medicine and advancing the work at CorNeat Vision, with the underlying goal of shifting my entire focus away from the clinic to research, development and entrepreneurship. Brief us about your company and its prominent products/solutions/services that make you a preferred choice over your competition.

During my fellowship, I learned of sophisticated material technology applied to other medical ﬁelds as innovative solutions for complicated medical conditions. I immediately began brainstorming ways these new materials could be utilized for ophthalmic conditions and surgical challenges.

CorNeat Vision is a clinical-stage company whose core nondegradable biomimetic material technology enables bio-mechanical integration and concealment of synthetic materials in live human tissue. Coupled with innovative ideas, our technology is poised to revolutionize implant design, tissue repair and reinforcement of tissue in diversiﬁed therapeutics.

The ﬁrst patent I drafted, in 2011, while specializing in retinal surgery, entailed a solution for glaucoma. My idea utilized nanomaterials as a novel approach to a long-standing unmet need in ophthalmology. The invention and corresponding development work, involving trials with a novel glaucoma shunt in a successful Proof-of-Concept, were awarded ﬁrst prize for Medical Devices at Israel’s 2017 MIXiiii BioMed conference.

Our platform mimics the micro-structure of the Extracellular Matrix (ECM) - the natural biological collagen mesh, which provides structural and biochemical support to surrounding cells. When implanted, our material stimulates cellular

‘‘

I quickly realized innovative medical solutions were my passion, with a focus on research and development of medical devices. Shortly thereafter, I transitioned away from the public medical system to dedicate signiﬁcant time to this newfound professional avenue.

Overcoming obstacles using an active learning process is the way of life of a ﬂourishing enterprise.

In 2015, I co-founded CorNeat Vision with Mr. Almog Aley-Raz, after inventing our flagship product the CorNeat KPro - an artificial cornea. I was introduced to the dramatic and quite common effects of corneal blindness during my residency. Corneal blindness impacts millions of people worldwide and has no scalable, suitable solution. Leveraging my previous research, I set out to develop an artificial, long-lasting, scalable solution for corneal blindness.

‘‘

CorNeat Vision began as a one-product company. With time and following extensive research, we added additional products to our line-up, which offer solutions to a host of unmet needs. All of these products leverage the same biomimetic technology.

| September 2021 |

proliferation, leading to progressive tissue integration. Our products are 100% synthetic and cannot carry disease. Further, they effectively bio-integrate and heal far faster than other solutions which rely on tissue, rendering our solutions scalable.

The COVID-19 pandemic halted clinical trials for two of our products. During the elapsed time we worked diligently on submitting the different trials’ proposals to health authorities in various countries and attained additional approvals in other countries. To support the delay and continued efforts to advance the company where possible, we had to initiate a bridge-funding round. This fundraising round was deemed a success and allowed us to get through this difﬁcult period.

Our initial set of biomimetic implants address unmet needs in the ﬁeld of ophthalmology and periodontology. Solutions include an artiﬁcial cornea, a synthetic tissue substitute for ophthalmic and gingival recession surgeries, and a glaucoma drainage device with IP for additional devices.

To facilitate the immediate initiation of clinical trials once limitations are lifted, we partnered with two companies and successfully implemented an ondemand Remote Surgeon Virtual Presence (RSVP) solution to successfully perform remote supervised hands-on training of our Canadian cornea experts located at the Kensington Eye Institute in Toronto, without leaving our offices. The solution, which was engineered to address COVID-19 travel restrictions, enabled initiation of the Canadian clinical site toward first implantations of the CorNeat KPro artificial cornea.

What is your idea of impactful leadership? What style of leadership do you personally prefer and have implemented at your company? Vision is key in leadership. When I set out to build my company, I had already drafted and submitted a patent for the artiﬁcial cornea. The submission of a new patent is the culmination of months of hard work. I envisioned, in rough terms, both the implant and the implantation procedure and truly believed I had a winning solution. Being a medical professional for many years my core values of promoting health and equality through working with underprivileged societies was also an important goal I had.

What would be your advice for the emerging and aspiring business leaders? Keep your sight on the goal and remain calculated, diligent and determined. Improvise, be creative and apply your ideas after testing them systematically. Be lean in your organization yet know when to take risks and spend funds. And always remember it is all about people.

Vision, however, is just the beginning. Vision needs development through collaboration. While trying to raise seed capital I approached my partner, CorNeat Vision’s CEO, Almog Aley-Raz, a long-time friend, who complements me in many ﬁelds. We have since been able to manage and lead the company in harmonious cooperation.

What have you envisioned for yourself and your company to sustain its market position in the future? I see a company that continuously grows, expanding its reach in the medical device space. I believe our technology has the ability to transform the ﬁeld of implantable technology in ways we are yet to discover.

A leader must promote an active learning process in his team and advance personal development of his staff while making sure all employees feel included and united. When forming a team, a leader works inclusively, in cooperation, leveraging individual talent and mutual inspiration to achieve excellence. Taking into consideration, the current pandemic, and its impact on global economies, how are you driving your company to sustain operations and ensuring safety of your associates and employees at the same time?

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Sources of Innovation

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Systematic Approach

hat diﬀerentiates the leaders and companies of today from earlier times is the implementation of innovation in their way of working. Today, businesses have realized the power of innovation, as it provides answers to many complex problems. It plays a sophisticated role in the success of any business in their respective industries.

This shows that following the market changes and being updated from time to time will result in more success for everyone. Demographic Changes Demographic events mean the innovative opportunities in populations, income levels, human capital, and age ranges, and companies who pay attention to them stay ahead of the competition. For example, the Japanese are ahead in technology and robotics because they paid attention to demographics. This was in 1970, and today they lead in robotics and innovation.

Let’s learn more about innovation and its seven sources, which Peter Drucker listed in his book “Innovation and Entrepreneurship”. The Unexpected If you know what you are dealing with, you can predict unexpected surprises. When we speak of unexpected circumstances, unexpected success and failures become part of the process.

Changes in Perception Realizing what actually needs in the business and leadership process is the description of perception. Organizations and leaders need to understand that setbacks are the stepping stones of success when you are a part of innovation. The perception to see whether the glass is half full or half empty follows the same phenomenon. Companies need to modify over time by paying attention to these changes in order to capitalize on the market.

For the better or worse, unexpected failure is an equally important source of innovation opportunities. These unexpected situations can have a powerful inﬂuence and inspire leaders or organizations to gain a new perspective on the situation.

New Knowledge With the speed at which organizations practice innovation, new knowledge will continue to add value to them. It can be scientiﬁc, technical, or social, and with this, there will be an ever-increasing number of opportunities that will open up.

The Incongruity There is a huge diﬀerence between reality and expectations. When we choose to lead a life based on our own, we know the perceived and actual insights. The incongruity in the innovation is the same; we can discover new insights and perspectives on what it is supposed to be and what it actually is. The same incongruity applies between perceived and actual customers’ expectations.

The internet and the IT industry is the most innovative ﬁeld of recent timings. It continues to transform the 21st century and has brought many opportunities and its technological revolution. Constantly paying attention to the latest academic research and investing heavily in Research and Development will be the key to drive the world towards innovative success.

Innovation Based on Process Needs The business processes need continuous innovation to overcome the weak spot and a practical approach to the problem. It is based on the process needs and task-focused rather than situation-focused. It improves the existing process, redesigns the old process, and reinforces the weak links.

Conclusion Through these seven sources of innovation, the world has become closer and oﬀers many opportunities to us. Implementing these 7 sources will have it owns challenges for the business leaders, which they can overcome if followed with the right process.

Industry and Market Structure Changes One of the major factors for the failure in the business is not being able to cope-up with the industrial and market changes. These changes are undeniable, and business leaders and organizations should be on the watch for this. For example, digitalization; some businesses were still not ready to adapt to the digitalized way of working things, and the pandemic hit made the situation worse for them.

Finally, with continuous innovation all around us, let’s hope for a world where everyone feels included and create the best platform for new entrepreneurs and start-ups to make the world a better place to live and thrive.

| September 2021 |

Sibongile Rejoyce Sam A Renowned Global Leader in Aviation

know who I am; I know who I am not. I can never forget where I come from: I know where I am going. To reach for my dreams and conquer the challenges; I will dare to be different; and with proper guidance and direction and with God on my side, nothing is impossible. I am, indeed, a future Leader,” asserts Sibongile Rejoyce Sambo while addressing aspiring leaders. Sibongile is the Founder and Managing Director of SRS Aviation – the ﬁrst black female owned aviation company in South Africa; that offers clients professional and personalized ﬂight options to destinations around the world.

to name a few. Added to her achievements, Sibongile is the 2006 winner of the BWA’s Regional Businesswomen of the year award for the Start-up category.

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Sibongile has won various local and international awards both locally and abroad such as BIBA (Black Woman in Business Awards) 2006 in London, and she is the 2006 winner of the Impumelelo Top Female Entrepreneur of the year and a Finalist at the Cosmopolitan Movers of the year 2007. She is a recipient of the 2008 BMF (Black Management Forum) Presidential Award in the Category of Youth Business Leadership and in 2010 Sibongile is a recipient of the International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) 2010 held in Cape Town and in 2019 Sibongile is a recipient of the Shining Light Award presented by the Motsepe Foundation Women’s Unit just to name a few.

Sibongile has also expanded her business to the technical side of aerospace through Dynamic Aerotech, Aero Metals – a Manufacturing company and Dyondzo Technical Training Academy respectively. She is a Businesswomen, Entrepreneur, and a Motivational Speaker. An Intellectual Powerhouse Sibongile’s life is marked with high achievements and hard work which can be traced in her education history and work experience. She holds a Bachelor of Administration from the University of Zululand, Bachelor of Administration Honours from Unisa, Advanced programme in Organisational Development from Unisa, a Marketing certiﬁcate from Institute of Marketing Management, a Mining Executive Preparation Programme from Wits.

Sibongile has a global perspective to establish her company all over the African continent and to promote youth and women empowerment globally to this end she was affiliated with the South African Entrepreneurs Network (SAWEN), Business Women Association (BWA) and she has been part of a team that has established the Southern African Woman in Aviation a non-profit making company that encourages women to enter the field of Aviation in different levels; offer bursaries and scholarships towards Aviation related training etc. Sibongile was a board member and an Advisor for SAWIA.

She has completed an International Executive Development Programme NQF 8 at GIBS Business Schools (Gordon Institute of Business Science) and Rollins College USA, 2016.

Sibongile had a strategic relationship with Women of Colour in Aviation & Aerospace in the United States of America. Sibongile is also a member of Women in Aviation International (WAI).

Prior to establishing her own company, she worked for organisations such as Telkom, City Power and De Beers

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mbo Sibongile Rejoyce Sambo

Founder and Managing Director of SRS Aviation

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Obtaining Opportunity in Pandemic Aerospace has been badly affected by the pandemic outbreak. With the lockdown it meant there is no flying both locally and abroad. “The best thing was to remain compliant with all stringent aviation regulations,” says Sibongile. She further adds, “What we also did is that we took advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves during the pandemic. Our business partner decided to close down a technical school which they ran for over 25 years. It was a division that costed them money for several years, the pandemic forced them to close it down however, we proposed to partner a new SMME (Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprise) called Dyondzo Technical Training Academy. Technical skills training in Aerospace is a rear skill and as an industry we could not afford losing this organisation. The school will offer sustainable employment and offer technical skills not only to Aerospace but to Automotive, Rail, Maritime etc.” Bricks and Barriers The biggest challenge faced by Sibongile was securing finance for the business. Aerospace is capital intensive and therefore access to financial capital is required. SRS Aviation faced with a similar challenge now trying to access capital. “We approached banks and different institutions for finance however most decision makers were on holiday at that time a week between Christmas and New Years day; others gave us feedback on the spot that we would not be financed because aviation is regarded is a high-risk industry. We had no collateral and no aviation experience and the contract at hand meant nothing to the

ﬁnanciers,” speaks Sibongile. She further adds “I then had to come up with an alternative solution before we could lose the entire contract. I borrowed money from family and friends and to my surprise I got so much support from them. My mom and aunt released their pension monies and gave them to me. My mother ﬂew in from London where she worked as a nurse just to release the money and give it to me then returned to work within few days. I remember waiting with my siblings at O. R. Tambo Int. for days for the plane to arrive after paying almost a million rands to position the aircraft in Johannesburg.” 17 years later, the company now has experience and has generated enough revenues that would give comfort to investors. It has established networks worldwide and has managed to break through an untapped Aviation industry. “This is just one example of the many hardships that we went through to get to the successful position that we are at.” Second challenge is, employing and retaining skilled employees has been a challenge because once they are well trained and experienced, they move to bigger organisations. Giving Back to the Community According to Sibongile, SRS Aviation has always been involved in Aviation awareness programs, empowering the youth about career and business opportunities of the industry. The organisation has produced pilots; people who never even thought they would have access to an aero plane.

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Tudor Brad Quality Assurance Manager

Be erQA

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Tudor Brad A Proactive QA Manager and a Passionate Leader

uilding products is one thing, and ensuring that those products meet certain thresholds of acceptability is another. Without any doubt, it can be asserted that quality plays an integral role in improving an organization's efﬁciency and proﬁtability. Keeping quality at the top of the list, the Quality Assurance Manager is the one who ensures that standards are met.

Brief us about your company and its prominent products/solutions/services that make you a preferred choice over your competition. BetterQA came to life in 2018, and ever since, we've done all kinds of testing, both manual and automated: from Mobile Application testing to Web testing, UI/API testing, System, Regression, or Non-Functional.

Inculcating a solution-oriented approach, Tudor Brad, the Quality Assurance Manager at BetterQA, is setting a striking example of proactive quality management and strategic leadership. Tudor brings 13 years of enriching experience in QA to the table.

Our goal is to be leaders in software testing. We want to achieve this by using a combination of onsite consulting, offshore test execution, tools, and frameworks that reduce the number of post-release defects. And do it faster.

An interview conducted between Tudor and CIO Look sheds light on how Tudor is leading the QA department of BetterQA to help companies improve the quality of software being delivered while lowering the projects' risk.

In a nutshell, we want to meet our clients' wildest objectives, all while lowering the projects' risk and product malfunction. What is your idea of impactful leadership? What style of leadership do you personally prefer and have implemented at your company?

Below is the highlight of the interview: Brief our audience on your professional journey up to your current leadership position.

I'm a very hands-on guy, and I love the work I do. Because I believe in the power of example, I take every opportunity to work closely with my team, and I believe it is the most impactful method I've tried. I am involved at the beginning of each project ramp-up to make sure that we are giving our best efforts and that everything is in order.

I've been working for more than 13 years in QA. My ﬁrst job was working on an extensive US healthcare project for an outsourcing company. During the ﬁve years I spent there, I take pride in successfully building, training, and managing a team of more than 12 QA engineers.

What were the challenges you came across in your career as a leader?

At a certain point, I wanted to help other people learn the trade, so I moved on to work by myself using the contacts and resources I had accumulated. This is how BetterQA was created.

We all know how demanding 2020 has been for everybody. We got to see ﬁrsthand how big of a difference good leadership makes. Taking a different

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A chef should not certify the dish they made. A developer should not certify a code they wrote. QA should be in charge of this.

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business approach has been challenging, of course, but we must adjust to each situation's unique needs, our resources and projects included.

few calculated steps taken at the right time can help out massively in the future. What would be your advice for the emerging and aspiring business leaders?

Taking into consideration the current pandemic and its impact on global economies, how are you driving your company to sustain operations and ensure the safety of your associates and employees at the same time?

Don't give up, and as much as it is drilled into your head, don't dismiss it as cliche, it might keep you aﬂoat. Always have a proactive attitude and try to ﬁnd a way around the endless issues that always pop up. Take what you learned and better yourself and your business. There is always room for improvement, and that rarely happens solely through positive feedback.

Well, we've been working remotely since before the pandemic started, but we were still impacted by it. The stress, the uncertainty, and on top of that, project cuts forced us to reinvent ourselves. We found new, creative ways to obtain projects and still had time to train our resources from the comfort of our own homes so that everybody would be safe.

What have you envisioned for yourself and your company to sustain its market position in the future? I believe that the basis of any successful and longlasting company is keeping your employees happy and satisﬁed with their work. Starting with a handful of people, I know how important each and every team member is and how one small factor could take the entire project off track.

If given a chance, what change would you bring about in the ecosystem of your respective industry? I am passionate about using good software. Software that does what you would expect it to do even in various stress conditions. I always attempt to make others aware of the importance of taking the time to ﬁnd bugs and releasing a good, functional product instead of rushing through it and having it crash later. A

The future is built by strong teams willing to put in the work to make big ideas a reality. That's how we want to stay relevant.

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