Luboš Remeň- The 10 Business Minds Defining the Next Era of Leadership, 2026

FROM THE EDITOR

Redefining Leadership for a Changing World

Leaderswhoaredevelopingnewbusinessmodelswillnotreacttothechanges;theywillcreatethem

with determination and clear intent.The power of the compelling vision is derived from an ability to combine strategic insight with human-focused values to create a new style of business that can adaptandprosperinthiscomplexworld.Thesevisionaryleadersknowthattoday'sleadershiphaslesstodo with authority than developing trust, resilience, and the ability to adapt. They are breaking down old paradigms and creating new ecosystems that encourage collaborative working, innovative thinking, and continuous improvement. What separates these forward-thinking leaders is their willingness to embrace uncertainty,usingvolatilityasaspringboardforgrowth.Theirdecisionscreatearippleeffectthatextendsto industries,communities,andourunderstandingofprogress.Byleadingfromapositionofvision,theyhave redefined influence by defining a force of influence as an impact through collective purpose rather than personalbenefit.

AtCIOViews,wehonortheseempoweringleadersbydedicatingthisissuetitled“The10BusinessMinds Defining the Next Era of Leadership, 2026” to them. Featuring as the cover story, we have covered the successful & motivating journey of Luboš Remeň, Director of Lead Medicinal Chemistry at leadXproAG Switzerland. We have also included the inspiring stories of Elena Herweyer, CEO of Art Fresh; Juliet Fisher, Owner of Highwaymans; Brent Kruel, CEO of BioFunctional Health Solutions; Elie Sarkis, CoFounderandManagingPartnerofIntoactInternational;BenChodor,CEOofCallRevu;ReemAsaad,Vice President Middle East &Africa at Cisco;AliciaAsin, CEO of Libelium; Janet Schijns, CEO of JS Group; andAhmedDetta,CEOandFounderofEnviroo.

CIOViews is a business magazine that mainly focuses on business leaders, their journey, views on current economic states, and all other relevant subjects that refer to the business world. Our goal is to be a leading sourceofinformationdedicatedtoprovidingourreaderswithdetailedperspectivesandviewsofsuccessful business leaders who are transforming the business outlook and redefining their goals. With exclusive editionsonvariousindustrieslikesoftware,education,healthcare,technology,realestate,andmanymore, CIOViewsisdriventopromoteexcellenceintheworldofbusiness.

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“THE

Luboš Remen

Director of Lead Medicinal Chemistry, leadXpro AG, Switzerland

Unlocking Rational Drug Design, One Molecule, One Team at a Time

Drug discovery is where art meets science. Designing new molecules that could one day become medicines is one of the most challenging, gratifying, and deeply human pursuits in all of science - and one we are truly passionate about.

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rational design on some of the most challenging protein targets in drug discovery." Luboš explains.

Tailoring MoleculesAcross Organs and Tumors

Luboš notes that the medicinal chemist's first task is designing a ligand that binds to and modulates the target - validated initially under laboratory conditions. But targeted proteins live within the human body, distributed across organs, tissues, and cells. Understanding a target's expression pattern is therefore critical, because molecular structure of a synthesized compound directly influences how it distributes throughout the body. Sometimes the molecule must remain in the blood; other times it must reach specific organs - such as the lungs as in pulmonary fibrosis - or cross into the brain. In oncology, it must reach the tumor microenvironment. Beyond distribution and binding, the molecule must fulfill many additional criteriasolubility, permeability, chemical and metabolic stability, target selectivity, and an acceptable safety profile. In short, it must be drug-like. “That's why drug discovery demands immense time, investment, and commitment and resilience of the entire team,” he emphasizes.

From Static Snapshots to Molecular Movies

Over the past two to three decades, drug discovery has changed enormously - and Luboš has experienced much of this evolution firsthand. One of the most profound shifts has been the structural biology revolution - and at its forefront, the rise of cryo-electron microscopy. “When I started, structure-based design was largely limited to proteins that could be crystallized easily. Today, even challenging membrane proteins - GPCRs, ion channels, transporters - can be resolved, transforming target classes once considered undruggable,” he observes.

Looking ahead, Luboš anticipates the next leap - time-resolved X-ray and time-resolved cryo-EM to create “molecular movies” rather than static snapshots. This offers “real-time observation of molecular motions” of ligand-protein interactions, revealing mobility and flexibility that current technologies miss - and leadXpro is actively working to establish and integrate these tools to bring drug discovery to entirely new level of understanding and precision.

Alongside this, computational chemistry andAI have become daily essentials - virtual screening of billions of compounds, docking, predictiveADMET modeling, and modern molecular dynamics simulations and related technologies

now de-risk molecules far earlier in the process, offering increasingly detailed insight into how molecules behave and interact at the atomic level. The medicinal chemistry toolbox has also broadened with fragment-based approaches, DNAencoded libraries, covalent inhibitors, and PROTACs introducing entirely new modes of action. Drug discovery has become a more integrated team effort, with different areas of expertise working in parallel rather than in sequential process.

For Luboš, the greatest impact is the fusion of high-quality structural data for previously inaccessible targets with increasingly powerful predictive computational tools, which he describes as “a shift toward rational design that genuinely excites me”.

The Integrated Power of Structure, Computation, and Biophysics

Luboš notes that historically, medicinal chemistry was a more iterative and empirical disciplinesynthesize a molecule, test it, and use the resulting structure-activity relationship to guide the next round of design. It worked, and many valuable and important drugs have been discovered this way, but it was slow, and for particularly challenging targets such as membrane proteins, it offered little direct insight into how molecules engaged with the target at

the molecular lavel. X-ray crystallography and, more recently cryo-EM changed that fundamentally.

“Atomic-level views of ligand-protein complexes allow us to see - rather than merely infer - binding interactions, clashes, and unused pockets. This shifts design from 'make and test' to 'design with intent'. This sits at the heart of what excites me about modern drug discovery” he states.

Computer-aided drug design directly builds on this foundation. With reliable structural information in hand, computational chemists can use molecular modeling, docking, and free-energy calculations to explore chemical space computationally before synthesis - prioritizing the most promising candidates and

avoiding dead ends. “It doesn't replace laboratory work, but it increases hit rates and focuses effort where it matters most” Luboš says.

The third piece - advanced biophysical characterization - closes the loop. Techniques like GratingCoupled Interferometry and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry give quantitative binding affinity, kinetics, and thermodynamics, beyond simple activity readouts. “Combined with cellular assays, they tell us not just whether a molecule binds, but how and why, and if that translates to biological effect,” he explains.

But what Luboš finds truly transformative is the integration of all three. Structure guides design, computation prioritizes, and biophysical data validates hypotheses.

That feedback loop accelerates and de-risks the design-make-test-analyze cycle - especially powerful for membrane proteins. “This is precisely the space leadXpro operates inbringing structural, computational, and biophysical expertise together to make rational design possible for targets that were largely inaccessible just a decade or two ago,” he says.

AI asAmplifier, Not Replacement

Luboš seesAI and modern computational tools as a transformative force - “not as a replacement for the chemist, but as a powerful amplifier.” GenerativeAI now enables de novo design optimized for multiple properties at once - potency, selectivity, solubility, stability - letting teams explore far more chemical space faster and from

higher starting quality. PredictiveADMET models are equally vital, using machine learning to anticipate liabilities earlier and shift attrition to where it's less costly.

AI is also becoming central to interpreting structural data. Luboš believesAI will play an essential role in decoding dynamic structural information: conformational ensembles, binding kinetics and the complex interplay between protein flexibility and ligand behavior - “complex, multidimensional data in an area where machine learning finds patterns that we'd struggle to extract manually.”

He emphasizes thatAI augments rather than replaces the medicinal chemist. Scientific experience, synthetic intuition, and deep biological understanding remain essential, and experimental validation will always be needed to confirm predictions.At leadXpro, this philosophy underpins the Lead Discovery strategy - integrating state-of-the-art structural biology with modern computational andAI tools into a tightly integrated designmake-test-analyze cycle.

"That combination, I believe, points toward a truly exciting future for medicinal chemistryand I feel deeply grateful to be contributing to it alongside such talented colleagues." Luboš declares.

Expanding The Druggable Genome Frontier

Looking ahead, Luboš shares his hopes for where the most significant progress may come over the next years. First, a real expansion of the so-called “druggable genome” - particularly among membrane proteins such as certain ion channels, transporters, and GPCRs, which have remained largely inaccessible to structurebased design for decades simply because their structures couldn't be reliably determined.As structural biology tools continue to advance, there is real hope that many of these targets may gradually become accessible to rational

Curiosity, Collaboration, & Learning from Failure

Having had the privilege of mentoring young scientists throughout his career, Luboš feels passionate about sharing what he has learned with the next generation. He humbly offers the following reflections for those navigating the challenges of medicinal chemistry and drug discovery.

First, follow your curiosity. Medicinal chemistry sits at a beautiful intersection of science, creativity, and human impact. That intrinsic motivation, more than anything else, will sustain you through the inevitable setbacks that are simply part of the discovery journey.

Second, invest deeply in your scientific foundation - but never stop there. Drug discovery is a team sport, and the most effective medicinal chemists are those who develop genuine curiosity about the disciplines around them: biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, computational sciences, and beyond. The more bridges you build across fields, the more effective you become.

Third, embrace failure as a teacher. In this field, most things don't workand that's not a sign of inadequacy, but a fundamental feature of innovation. The scientists who progress are not those who never fail, but those who fail thoughtfully, reflect honestly and learn systematically.

Finally, develop your human skills alongside your scientific ones. Technical excellence will take you far - but the ability to communicate clearly, collaborate openly, and inspire those around you will determine how far you truly go. And never stop growing as a leader. Leadership is not a destination you arrive at - it is a continuous journey of self-reflection, learning, and adaptation. The best leaders I have known never stopped being students of both their science and of the people around them.

To summarize Luboš's advice in one thought: stay curious, stay humble, embrace the journey, and never lose sight of the patient waiting at the end of it.

Leadership grounded in genuine values doesn't just build better companies - it builds a better society. That, for me, is its most profound and exciting potential.

drug design, potentially creating new opportunities in therapeutic areas of high unmet need. He also sees significant promise in emerging molecular modalities - particularly molecular glues and targeted protein degraders - which offer the potential to modulate proteins beyond traditional binding pockets, including protein-protein interactions that have long been considered beyond the reach of conventional drug design.

Time-resolved “molecular movies,” combined withAI, hold the promise of revealing binding dynamics and functional impact in ways previously unimaginable. Together, these advances - broader structural access, new molecular modalities, andAIdriven design - may open new possibilities, where progress has historically been limited by earlier technical barriers.

He is genuinely encouraged that many targets once considered too challenging may gradually become accessible. “I'm truly happy and deeply grateful to be part of this process - hoping to contribute, together with my colleagues, to what I believe could bring drug discovery to an entirely new level of rationalization, precision, and ultimately, impact for patients,” Luboš reflects.

Bridging The Laboratory-To-Clinic Gap

Despite remarkable scientific progress, the path from laboratory to patient remains extraordinarily challenging. Many early-stage molecules never reach the clinic, and a significant number of those that do ultimately fail in clinical trials.

Luboš humbly reflects on some of the key challenges the field continues to face: the limitations of laboratory models as proxies for the complexity human disease; the many targets where our collective understanding, despite significant advances, remains incomplete; and the considerable investments and timescales involved in drug discovery and development, which can sometimes lead to the discontinuation of otherwise scientifically promising programs.

SmarterAI solutions to reduce early attrition, combined with deeper scientific understanding, better tools, and closer collaboration across academia, industry, and regulators, should make the process more sustainable. “The science has never been more powerful,” he reflects. “The challenge now is to translate that potential into medicines that genuinely reach and help patients.”

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World-First Structures Unlocking Undrugged Targets

Throughout his career, Luboš has had the priviledge of working across a diverse range of targets and therapeutic indications. In several projects, he and his team succeeded in discovering molecules with drug-like properties and demonstrated efficacy in animal models – the key criteria for advancing a candidate to preclinical development. Some of those molecules remain in the portfolio of his previous employer, and he follows their progress with great curiosity and genuine interest - even though the details remain confidential.

At leadXpro, the internal discovery programs focus on proton-sensing GPCRs - a biologically important subgroup of membrane proteins with broad therapeutic potential. The company has already achieved a world first, elucidating cryo-EM structures of two targets within this family, directly enabling structurebased drug design.

The portfolio also includes a potent, selective adenosineA2B receptor antagonist with significant potential in oncology, which has shown efficacy in proof-of-concept animal studies. They're now exploring partnering and out-licensing opportunities to advance this candidate into the preclinical phase.

Leading With Trust, Purpose,And Resilience

Luboš notes that, while well-trained scientists are “programmed” to deliver results individually, leadership demands a complete shift - from personal achievement to team enablement. “That starts with selfleadership - the foundation of leading others,” he affirms. “ Leaders, he believes, must avoid two common traps: excessive delegation on one hand, and micromanagement on the other. Neither is productive, and neither creates the conditions in which great work happens. "I see modern leadership as less about having all the answers, and more about building the right environmentone of trust, purpose, psychological safety, and continuous growth - in which a talented, diverse team can find the answers together."

Research is inherently challenging, requiring sustained resilience and enthusiasm to carry a team forward over years. Innovation inevitably involves mistakes - not as signs of weakness, but as essential steps in the learning process. "Mistakes, when

correctly interpreted, are not the opposite of success - they are part of it," Luboš insists.Aculture that embraces failure openly, while remaining curious and adaptable, is what fuels long-term engagement and ultimately builds lasting success.

And the essential foundation of all of this, he believes, remains self-

leadership. "Before you can truly lead others, you must first learn to lead yourself - and that, perhaps, is the most important lesson of all," Luboš reflects.

Conclusion

For Luboš Remeň, the true reward of a career in medicinal chemistry is not just in creating new molecules - but in the hope that they may one day reach and help a patient. It is a long and humbling road - but one he considers a profound privilege to travel.

Elena Herweyer

CreativelyDesigningtheMarketing Industry

Aleader is someone who never stops learning throughout their professional journey. Elena Herweyer is one such inspiring leader who exemplifies this by taking every challenge as a learning opportunity and making the best out of it. With extensive industry experience and great knowledge Elena foundedArt Fresh Inc., a leading end to end marketing agency in Canada. In this article, Elena shares with us her journey and inspiring thoughts about success and passion.

Every leader has a unique definition of success. Tell us about your thoughts about success and why do you feel that?

Success has many definitions. You can have success as a woman or man, professional, scientist or influencer. If we talk here about professional success, you feel success when you achieve the goals you set for a certain period.

Success is a synonym of “happiness” as it gives you inspiration, much energy and motivation to innovate and improve further your skills. This is the time when you feel that the impossible is possible as you clearly see where you have been before and where you are now.

For me success is an indicator, feedback for what you have done as appreciation of your efforts and hard work. People award you with success by recognizing your best efforts in all aspects of your work which benefited them in many ways. Success acts as a compass that indicates that you are on the right track, but success is not a goal itself as you are already happy doing what you love. My business — helping entrepreneurs achieve their goals — is my passion and this brings me a lot of energy and inspiration every new day.

Starting an entrepreneurial journey is not an easy road to take. What inspired you to take

the step of faith? What laid the foundation ofArtFresh?

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I love constantly developing my abilities and professional skills. Challenges encourage me and give me much energy as they help me sharpen my business intellect and creative capabilities to become stronger in business management. It is so exciting when you create a new idea with your team and after that see how it works for your client and brings desired results.

To take more responsibilities and constantly learn new approaches to grow business — that is my favourite thing. Being a professional fine artist and graphic designer helped me understand that my passion is to be creative and this does not limit me with art, painting or design. Developing business requires generating a lot of creative ideas and innovations

every day.Also, I understood that I'm a team player as I love work with likeminded folks who are passionate about their profession and set high standards in their work.

All this led me to become an entrepreneur and to start my own business soon after I came to Canada from Ukraine in 2009. I strongly believed that I had a lot to give to my new home country having over 12 years of professional experience working in the leading advertising agencies in Kyiv. I foundedArt Fresh Creative Studio based on my passion, professional knowledge and skills without business partners or investors, only with a strong support of my husband who believed in me and in my idea and has encouraged me. Now, 10 years later I can say — this was the right decision as I am privileged to have the freedom to do what I love every day.

Challenges make you stronger. What is your take on this? What were the roadblocks that taught you valuable lessons in your professional journey?

I strongly believe that everything you encounter in your life journey is the best that could happen to you as it teaches you, develops your intellect, makes you stronger and helps you in business development. When you solve a tough task, you feel stronger and gain confidence that you are not limited by anything to achieve much bigger goals. You can't learn important things without solving more complicated tasks in an entrepreneurial manner that business brings to you. I can say that for me every new challenge is a great motivation to find the best solution. I know lessons learned will help me grow as a leader and become more efficient in my business.

Tell us in brief about the products and services ofArtFresh.

Art Fresh is a multi-award winning full-service marketing agency that was recognized among the best service providers in the advertising and marketing industry in Canada. We build brands and manage them, we are focusing on marketing strategy, brand identity design, marketing communication and web design of any complexity. Our mission is to help businesses deliver to the consumer the core idea, benefits and passion which are implemented in the product or service by the creator using the power of creativity and a fresh approach. This is not an easy task, but in each project that we work with, we dare to innovate. Using our knowledge combined with creative ideas we strive to develop an effective solution that will work effectively for the business objectives with respect to return on investment. We provide businesses with comprehensive solutions for business growth that will help them generate revenue and help more people improve their lives by using the offered products or services.

How do you ensure a culture of integrity and innovation in the company?

My team and I never stop learning. Having high standards in work, we all are passionate about our professions. We love what we do and are motivated to grow our own skills to achieve new professional heights. When given a new project from a client we always try to look at a new angle on the creative task to offer a new approach that will help achieve the business objectives faster and in a cost-effective manner.

What has been the best recognition that you received as a businesswoman?

I personally don't see myself as a businesswoman. I know very well that I love my business and I'm passionate about helping other entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality using my expertise. Saying this, I feel that happy feedback from our clients and professional recognition of our team's work by independent international experts inspires us to raise higher the bar of our capabilities and set new big goals.

Tell us about your life before the foundation ofArtFresh.

I'm a professional artist with a Master's Degree in FineArts and Graphic Design. My paintings are held in private art collections in Ukraine, Canada, Poland, and Germany. Since 1999, I have been a member of the NationalArtists' Union of Ukraine. Before coming to Canada, I worked in the leading advertising agencies in Kyiv, providing top-quality branding and graphic design to international companies such as Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc.©, L'Oreal, Vichy, Samsung, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Mercedes-Benz, TNK-bp, Caparol, Novo Nordisk and Cheese Club Corporation, as well as small and medium-sized businesses, for more than 12 years. My graphic design and advertising works have earned several awards at theAnnual International Festival ofAdvertising in Europe and the USA. One of the more recent awards was Gold at the 2019 Summit CreativeAwards for 'Art Fresh SelfPromotion Campaign', Boston, USA.

The versatile experience that I gained during my work with international and local clients, along with a long-time focus on brand development services,

led me to foundArt Fresh Creative Studio in 2011 which has now become a full-service marketing agency.

What are your responsibilities as the CEO ofArtFresh? Walk us through your regular day at work.Also, define yourself in one word.

I'm a manager and creative force in our team. I not only manage the business process, communicate with clients and work on developing creative concepts, but I also have the important responsibility of guaranteeing highquality results that we deliver to our clients.

TheArt Fresh team is a group of bright individuals, talented people, real professionals who are passionate about what they do. Every member of theArt Fresh team is self-motivated and is very responsible about work duties and project timelines. This has switched my role from a manager more to a business partnership with experts. Such a business model helps us use the maximum of our potentials to provide top-level creative and marketing services within agreed deadlines.And this is proven by our 17 international awards that theArt Fresh team received during the past 10 years.

My main role is to inspire my team to get better results and grow together. I am fortunate and happy to work with like-minded people who do not feel limited in their work and enjoy being creative every day. I strongly believe that such an approach in running a business helps deliver the best results to clients and has a high potential for growing professionally much faster. Great ideas are born and innovation flourishes only where passionate people who want to be the best in what they do have personal freedom.

How do you maintain a balance in your personal and professional life?

It is a tough task to balance a personal and professional life when your business is your passion and a hobby When you love something you completely dedicate yourself to it and lose track of time. Fortunately, I have a wonderful family and a lot of other interests that I love, so this helps me manage my time more effectively.

What are your plans for the future ofArtFresh?Also tell us about your personal goals as a businesswoman. What is your message to aspiring businesswomen?

In the 21st century times change at high speeds and marketing, media, and design quickly assimilate new trends and technologies to transform businesses. In this unpredictable market environment, theArt Fresh team's goal is to further develop our professional skills to the level where we can address new and more complicated business challenges that our clients bring to us and help them successfully grow their businesses. For Art Fresh, our clients' success is our success.

I want to encourage women who are brave enough to follow their passion and value personal growth, who dare to make the world better by contributing their love, knowledge, efforts and time — to believe in themselves and not be afraid to fail as there are no fails, there are only valuable lessons that we are learning. Now in the Internet era, there are vast opportunities to learn from the best experts the knowledge needed to grow a business effectively. There are so many examples of amazing women who are open to share their own experience, who are happy and successfully realizing their personal potential in developing a business. If you feel you can't stop doing what you are passionate about, don't doubt, follow your passion and be open to learn anew every day. The reward of living the life of your dreams will be yours

Juliet Fisher TransformingtheHospitalityLandscape withPassion

andSustainability

When you are passionate about making others life beautiful, you evolve as a person, acknowledging the true value and essence of life.As MayaAngelou said, “People will forget what you said, forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel”. Exemplifying the quintessential meaning of this inspiring thought is the journey of Juliet Fisher, a hospitality specialist who founded Highwaymans with a vision to make people feel valued and appreciated. Juliet is well defined as an industrious, high caliber and resourceful professional with extensive operations and service management experience. She has leveraged her skills in scaling the growth of the company with passion and sustainability, making Highwaymans a recommended enterprise that has retained numerous loyal customers over the years.

HighwaymansAccommodation and Events is a leading company in the hospitality industry that offers exceptional services like catering,

events, housekeeping, staff management and motivation, advertising and sales, rooms division / front office, information, and technology development. Juliet and her team are eminently passionate about their company and work hard to improve their services and enhance customer experience.

Every entrepreneurial journey begins with a dream that drives, motivates, and inspires one to think out of box. With the founding of Highwaymans, Juliet has lived her entrepreneurial dream and has inspired many to do so. She has certainly come a long way on her road to success and has an exceptional story of setbacks and achievements as a motivational path to follow.

PassionateAbout Helping Others

Juliet recognized her true passion early on in life that catapulted her career choices in the same direction. Following her vocation, Juliet has spent a significant period in the hospitality industry gaining profound

knowledge and experience to lead a company on her own. She always had a curiosity and admiration for people who worked in serving others, which diversified after she started a family of her own and led Juliet to founding her own hospitality enterprise, Highwaymans. Business generation and sustainability have been salient elements of Juliet's skillset as a leader. Over the years, Juliet gained many opportunities to travel for leisure/ business development and management and has attained many transferable skills in finance, operations, customer service, human resources, academic and training, people service, retail, food and beverage, health, wellbeing alongside collaborating with an amazing global network. Leveraging the scalability of her profound experience, Juliet transformed her dream into reality.

The seed of entrepreneurship was planted in Juliet in her late 20s, which took root with the right skills and education and her extensive experience further stemmed the growth of this productive seed. “I

have always been a visionary looking for an opportunity to grow my business and creating a tranquil, functional, and collaborative space for guests whether on business or leisure was a massive goal.”, Juliet says.

Finding a Way Through Every Setback

When Highwaymans was moving into the business property, it really was in a sorry state, that was the first challenge they faced as a startup. However, this initial setback implemented a steadfastness in the business that was incepted with a few savings and a precise business plan.

On a personal front Juliet stumbled on another roadblock of dealing with separation from her husband whilst single-handedly raising 5 young children and running the business. In addition to this distressing situation, Juliet faced the devastating loss of her brother who assisted in operating the art gallery of the company. He was living with her until he tragically committed suicide. Chartering balance, maintaining business influence, procedures, transactions and being a single parent, left Juliet with a plateful of problems to deal with.

Another impediment was the ongoing pandemic that placed a spanner in the works with groups, events, corporate clients in establishing a model and safe place for key workers as they needed to adhere to governmental guidelines. Furthermore, in June 2020 they experienced a large fire which was fortunately handled with an efficient fire compliancy regulation of the company.

Despite every challenge that made success an uphill battle, Juliet was focused on her goal. Fortunately, she was equipped with supporting elements like a Hard Graft, tenacity of redecoration, establishment of systems, suppliers, market generation,

gaining momentum, processes in place and employing a strong, reliable, supportive staff that helped her sail through the testing times. “Life is certainly full of lessons, but with navigating insurance, an amazing staff and exceptionally brilliant customer loyalty, Highwayman's continues to grow and adapt, especially with the request of more domestic clients and affordable lodgings for key workers.”, says, Juliet.

Delivering Exceptional Services

The business has grown from strength to strength, building a reputation for memorable getaways and business lodgings through relaxed design, hospitality, and attention to important details. Highwaymans can accommodate up to 40 guests and has a superb gallery venue holding all sorts of events, from clay pigeon shooting, art exhibitions, retail outlets, pop up theatre, dining, wakes and weddings.Asmall gift shop that offers the best of Suffolk's produce from honey from the farm, wine from the local vineyard, soaps, candles, and other hand created crafts, are a value add to the services. The company ensures utmost customer satisfaction as the guests absorb themselves in the delights of the countryside atmosphere, appreciation, and sensitive attention to ambiance of local creations.

There is a high standard of cleanliness and comfort and Highwaymans has received five-star reviews and TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellent recognition. Highwayman's USP is its idyllic countryside location. They are recognized as adapting to all clients and especially being a dog-friendly accommodation, woodland walks, and countryside location yet within proximity to towns. “We have amazing support and regularly returning clients over the years. I value and appreciate each one of our guests, whether they are staying for a

leisure, business, or visiting friends and family in the area.”, Juliet, says.

Defining Her Role as a Hospitality Specialist

Juliet is an experienced owner with a demonstrated history of working in the hospitality industry. Her major roles and responsibilities at Highwaymans include maintaining a high-caliber, proactive and industrious professional attitude with exceptional general management skills, delivering high-level leadership in every area of the business.As a vital part of her daily agenda, Juliet creates solid business management and communication capabilities and motivates all the teams to deliver exceptional performance. Additionally, Juliet also handles the following:

•Direct, organize and co-orientate teams of staff

•Accountable for day to day operations, including hospitality accounts, art research, catering, events, housekeeping, staff management & motivation. Advertising, sales, processes and online agent co-ordination, information & technology department.

•Overseeing accommodation services, whilst taking strategic approaches to planning and maximizing the business profits

•Supervision of business functions, reservations, reception, concierge, F&B departments, and operations service.

Through her journey of success, Juliet regards her greatest achievements as developing strong qualities of resilience, determination, and the awareness of the responsibility of being a successful working single parent to 5 amazing children. On a professional front, Juliet has been recognized as Business Owner of the year and Runner Up Businesswomen

of the Year (Micro Business). She has also been listed among the top five finalists of Mumpreneur of The Year Award, NatWest, Every Woman Awards and SME National Business Awards. This year, Juliet was invited to be seated as a judge for the National Businesswomen'sAwards, which she refers to as an honorable experience.

Achieving another milestone in her career, Juliet has also seen herself grow as a consultant as she leveraged her hospitality skills for hotels such as Quy Mill, Best Western, The Cambridge Business Professional Network,Action Coaching.

Maintaining the Right Balance

As a single parent and a successful businesswoman, Juliet has made a conscience effort to maintain a balance between her work and personal life. While at work, Juliet supervises business functions from reservations, concierge, food and beverage departments, housekeeping, and people management. Her approach is calm and composed and she takes pride in achieving a relaxed and enjoyable work environment for all involved.At the same time, Juliet ensures that her calendar is always open for all the times her children need her specially to have meals together. She distributes her time evenly in activities like bike rides, water parks, skiing, surfing. “I am hugely passionate about bringing them up to be inter-dependent individuals, where they will source the right mentorship and guidance yet together as family, we will support each other, keep active, be respectful and kind.”, Juliet shares.

Nevertheless, Juliet remains in constant touch with her vision to help others. She enjoys channeling her energy into service, business generation and knowing that she can genuinely make a positive difference in people's lives. Juliet is an advocate

for overcoming suicide survivors and families, domestic abuse survivors, single parenting, and developing education for children. Recently, due to changes in operation, Juliet has embarked on an online counselling therapy course with the intention of helping people to heal and experience life transitions.

As a business influencer, Juliet also believes in supporting local charities and over the years has involved in fundraising events for the East Anglian Children's Hospice, St Nicholas Hospice, Macmillan, Rethink Mental Health, Rural Agricultural Benevolent Fund, Christian Church Festivals, Have bury Housing and Focus 12Addiction.

Setting Goals for a Brighter Future

The roadmap for the future of Highwaymans is full of transformation and more collaboration within the local community and further afield. With the situation of travel and domestic market currently, there is huge growth for the enterprise to flourish. They are looking to install more lodges and maximize on the glamping attractions and will continue to support local charities and local suppliers and trades to showcase what Suffolk creates. They also plan to provide a platform of recognition for people who have delved into their creativity during the unprecedented lockdown, through art exhibitions and music festivals.

Juliet is extremely passionate about sustainability and leadership within all industries to collaborate awareness and implementation and intends to establish similar lifestyle businesses for other operators. Her goals are to create vision boards with images and words that continue to reflect her ideas and passion to help others while maintaining a balance in work life.

Along with her professional goals, Juliet has a few personal goals, to ensure a healthy state of mind by allowing herself a power hour each day that includes either swimming, cycling, or running backed up with spiritual interactions of yoga and meditation. “I really believe in the creation of the right energy and this opens creative channels and is superb for processing, reflection, and development.As a businesswoman and a mother, it is valuable to be wise, have intuition and ensure that my values and ethics are at the heart of everything I do, then I know my moral compass will be heading in the right direction.”, she asserts.

As an inspiring thought leader, Juliet has a few words of wisdom to uplift the current state of businesses, “It most certainly is a challenging time in most industries currently, however through rational decision-making based on facts rather than emotion and fear, and establishing a work environment and culture where you can truly be your authentic self, we can build a strong foundation to remain eternally optimistic, driven and motivated for the future.”

Juliet Fisher has a definite vision for Highwaymans to flourish with an empowered, dedicated, and professional staff and establish a franchise of the company around England's uniquely located properties, creating lovely bespoke accommodation, utilizing local trades, suppliers and staff. Juliet believes that this vision is achievable through authentic leadership, honesty, having power, perseverance, perception, intuition, grace, and deliverance that will enable Highwaymans to blossom all year around.

Brent Kruel RevolutionizingOccupational HealthThroughTechnologyEnabledSolutions

The modern healthcare sector must widely adopt information technology to survive in the current digital era. To prove their mettle, outshine others, and lay a solid foundation for the adoption of contemporary, effective and customized digital technology in the rapidly expanding healthcare sector, leaders must step outside of their comfort zones and grasp the rapidly changing environment.

Brent, the founder, and CEO of BioFunctional Health Solutions, has a passion for technology. His extensive experience over the past three decades has given him a keen understanding of how to operationalize solutions into the lives of just about anyone. Although he performs these roles, he spends most of his time developing and implementing, tech-enabled, health and wellness solutions. Brent openly admits that both his formal training and work in healthcare administration have given him a passion and special aptitude for finding the best health and wellness goods and services.

Atypical day in Brent's office includes discussions with other executives of big businesses about how to attract and keep the best talent by looking out for all workers. He also devotes a lot of time to looking into the health and wellness sector for

new goods and services that can considered and including in the service offerings of his own business. He has discovered that although there are a staggering number of softwarebased options available, getting people to use them effectively necessitates a hands-on approach. This is something his company accomplishes by utilizing registered nurses as coaches to increase compliance and help close the gaps that may come from a lack of knowledge and understanding. In a word, Brent defines himself as loving. He says, "I am empathetic, love people, and am passionate about healing and the possibility of making people the best versions of themselves."

Years of Transformation

Though Brent was a standout wrestler and track athlete in high school, he declined college scholarships to join theAir Force. He served in the military as a combat communications specialist and finished his first combat deployment during Operation Uphold Freedom in Haiti. Thanks to his exposure of the most cutting-edge computer and communications technology while serving in the military, he developed and mastered a foundation for success in leveraging technology to improve health and wellness.

Brent was selected to attend the United StatesAir ForceAcademy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs and quickly distinguished himself as a four-time, WesternAthletic Conference (WAC), student athlete of the year. While at the academy, he suffered a fractured spine during jump qualification training, which was a formative experience for him and led him to develop a passion for health and wellness. His injury threatened not only his performance on the track, but also his career in theAir Force.

Brent graduated from the United StatesAir ForceAcademy (USAFA), in May 2000. He held the title, Distinguished Graduate, the highest honor bestowed by theAcademy. Soon after graduation, Brent began his career as a healthcare administrator.As a young lieutenant in theAir Force, he was privileged to be given a lot of responsibility. He was immediately given the role of managing a $30 million construction project, along with supply and logistics. This was a huge accomplishment and honor for him as he was the youngest chief information officer in theAir Force.

Brent was commissioned in theAir Force as a medical officer. He further distinguished himself by being

Legacy is only secured in people that are nurtured by an empathetic leader. All other success is meaningless and temporary.

- Brent Kruel “ “

Ÿ identify and mitigate risk factors at the lowest cost possible.

Ÿ Customized Mobilization Programs: Stretching can be risky to musculoskeletal health if not designed and performed properly. BHS will develop a program to meet individuals where they are at and enable them to safely perform their jobs. This includes and especially, office/desk workers.

Mental Wellbeing and

Psychological Strength Building:

BHS will guide clients through a transformational process that will change their mindset forever with simple tools and life hacks proven to work for everyone.

Ÿ Mental Wellbeing & Stress Management RN ConsultationApreventative and restorative process for creating a sound foundation for mental health resulting in lower anxiety and tools to manage stress better.

Ÿ Psychological Strength Building Program:An exclusive online program developed by BHS'

partner, best-selling author, Dr. Tony Kern. The team states, "Be able to manage your life and difficult situations through preparedness and proven, simple, error reduction mechanisms.”

Leading with Elite Solutions

BHS' innovation is a result of likeminded, passionate leaders in health and wellness coming together and partnering on how to do the most for as many people as possible. The company stays ahead of the competition by partnering with world leaders in the health and wellness space to bring the most elite set of solutions at the most competitive pricing available. The team shares, "Our secret ingredient is our team of highly trained registered nurses, world leading medical director, and partnerships with other globally recognized physicians and scientists. Our medical team is able to support anyone in their wellness journey and assure adoption of technology to support ongoing improvements."

At BHS, the team focuses on individual relationships resulting in

revolutionary changes in its customers' lives.

Becoming Better to Do Good

Adversity has a lot of positive side effects if one chooses to persevere and grow through it without allowing seeds of resentment or anger to take root. The business world can be challenging to navigate, with many bad players who are willing to compromise their integrity to get their way and/or sell something. Brent reveals that his biggest struggles and obstacles were also crucial in propelling him down an entrepreneurial path where he was driven to build something better, something enduring, and where everyone who interacts with BHS is awestruck by its culture of integrity, respect, and empathy.

Pioneer in Wellness Sector

BHS is a pioneer in their approach to wellness and treats everyone as a unique individual requiring a customized health and wellness plan to meet their goals. In March of this year, BHS is launching its TRANSFORMATIVE WELLBEING INNOVATIONS ™ services specifically directed to individual consumers. The goal of this launch is to reach as many individuals as possible who are not privileged to work for companies that employ their services. “The more people we can reach, the faster we can heal the world. This is a big goal, but someone must have it if we are ever going to make a difference in the declining health and wellbeing of the population”.

PioneeringDigitalMarketingEducationIn TheMiddleEastTheJourneyOfElieSarkis Elie Sarkis

In an era where digital transformation shapes the business landscape, leaders who harness the power of digital marketing stand out. One such luminary is Elie Sarkis, the CoFounder and Managing Partner of Intoact International.

Recognized as one of the "Middle East's 10 Most Influential Business Leaders, 2024," Sarkis shares insights into his professional journey, vision, and the innovative strides his company is making in digital marketing education and consultancy. His leadership exemplifies how strategic foresight and dedication to continuous learning can drive significant industry advancements.

AJourney of Continuous Learning and Innovation

Elie Sarkis's journey in digital marketing has been characterized by continuous learning and adaptation. Reflecting on his professional

background, he remarks, "From the beginning, I quickly realized the vast potential of digital strategies in transforming businesses. However, there was a significant gap in practical learning when it came to digital marketing." Through years of trial and error, Sarkis honed his skills in various aspects of digital marketing, including online strategy, social media marketing (SMM), search engine optimization (SEO), ecommerce, and more.

Apivotal milestone in his career was the co-founding of Intoact International, a digital marketing training and consultancy company. Sarkis emphasizes, "Our mission is to equip the marketers of tomorrow with the necessary skills to make a significant impact in the digital marketing landscape."As the Managing Partner, he has focused on delivering practical and applied training programs that generate awareness, engagement, leads, and sales.

Vision for Growth and Impact

Sarkis's vision for Intoact International is ambitious yet grounded in a deep understanding of the market needs. "My vision for Intoact International is to become the foremost authority on digital marketing education and consulting in the Middle East and beyond," he explains. To achieve this, the company is expanding its course offerings to cover emerging trends and technologies, increasing its online presence, and forming strategic partnerships with industry leaders.

"Our goal is not just to educate but to inspire and empower a new generation of digital marketers," Sarkis asserts. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, Intoact International aims to drive positive change and make a lasting impact on the region's digital landscape. The company is also committed to expanding its strategic partnerships with companies looking to upskill their teams in digital

“The world lives online now. To connect, engage, and grow, your business must be digitally active.”

ELIE SARKIS

“Stay informed, competitive, and relevant. Ongoing learning in digital marketing is essential for mastering the latest strategies and techniques and keeping you or your team ahead of the curve.”

ELIE SARKIS

Ben Chodor HarnessingAIandEmpoweringPeople toAchieveCustomerIntimacy

Since the beginning of his career, Ben Chodor has been a trailblazer in the technology space, businesses founded by him have redefined innovation and disrupted industries, and he's looking to do the same with his current focus on the automotive industry as the CEO of CallRevu.

Under his leadership, the company is revolutionizing the industry with its advancedAI-based solutions, which enable dealerships to engage more effectively with prospective and existing customers, selling more, and fostering loyalty.

Besides harnessing the power of technology andAI to elevate communication intelligence, Ben places a strong emphasis on empowering his team, a key factor to his success. He believes that the empowerment of employees is critical to ensuring a better service to customers. Ben leads the way he expects to be led, which includes being involved.

From Streaming Service toAIbased Service

In 1998, before Netflix introduced its video streaming service and videos appeared on the internet, Ben dove into entrepreneurship with a streaming media business, and it is this first endeavor that had him hooked on tech-driven innovation.

Following the sale of his streaming company, Ben embarked on a new venture in the healthcare sector, cofounding the pioneering digital health mobile application marketplace in 2011. This was a time when the iPhone and apps were just beginning to become a part of daily life and reliance on them was in its infancy.

Ben and his partner's first total mobile solution provided healthcare enterprises, including hospitals, continuing care facilities, and physician practices, with the capability to create individually branded, secure, multi-platform app stores to support the mobile technology use of employees and

patients. The venture not only thrived but also led Ben to an opportunity to address Congress on the nuances of FDAregulations concerning apps, delineating between medical and monitoring applications.

As President of Notified, he managed the world's only communications cloud for events, IR and PR. Subsequentially, he transitioned to CallRevu inAugust of 2023.

Views on the Use ofAI

Ben's decision to join CallRevu was driven by his goal to do something veryAI-focused, although he recognizes that it is neither an antidote nor a secret pill. Currently, in addition to his role as CEO at CallRevu, Ben also serves on the Board of CoCreations, a company specializing in aggregatingAI content.

He recalls the time, about 7 or 8 years ago, when everyone was raving about cryptocurrencies and saying, “blockchain is the future.” This led to the mushrooming of blockchain

companies. “My joke used to be, 'if you could substitute the word blockchain with database, it was not a blockchain company that was doing providence and everything that goes along with it,” he says.AI currently is in a similar phase. Everyone is getting on theAI bandwagon, believing that it is going to solve everything. “No, it is not,” Ben says.

He refers to a quote to explain how AI can help: “AI takes away the fear of the blank page. It is a tool that you have to be in control of. It helps you get things started.” Ben says that it helps in doing tasks that one prefers not to do or those that take longer to complete. “But it can't solve everything,” he adds.

Giving an example of theAI-based interactive voice response (IVR), he

points out that it can be useful only when leveraged thoughtfully and methodically. Customers, especially in the automotive industry, still prefer to talk to humans at the end of the day rather than anAI voice. “I am not buying a car from an avatar or anAI product,” Ben points out. “I still need to get to a human to close on a purchase.”

However, for Ben and his team at CallRevu, the use ofAI makes perfect sense. Previously, humans were used to type the transcript and write the summary. “If I could do this faster, more accurately, and improve engagement – the use ofAI makes a lot of sense,” Ben explains.

This is one of the most exciting things at CallRevu, Ben says. The shift from human transcription of every phone call to theAI-based

system that transcribes every single call and interaction “[It] is not a technology just for the sake of technology,” he says. “It is enabling us to be more accurate, give better information, and be faster.”

Disrupting theAutomotive Space

Currently, CallRevu operates exclusively in the automotive space, revolutionizing how dealerships engage with customers through their intelligent communication solution for call tracking & monitoring.

Ben points out that the car is one of the biggest purchases – the other being the house – made by a person, and a prospective buyer still visits a dealership to buy a car, as the process to buy it remains traditional. At dealerships, salespeople are the ones who assist a buyer in choosing

the car. CallRevu was born out of a dealership when a dealer was dissatisfied with the responses of his salespeople to customers, so he began to monitor and record their calls, and later, called his salespeople to his office to review their responses. “You could have said this,” he pointed to them, explaining how they could have responded more effectively. This led to the creation of CallRevu.

The CallRevu call monitoring system, transcribes and analyzes every call, extracting its summary, sentiments, and keywords. These actionable insights, such as keywords trigger real-time notifications, alerting managers about a salesperson's response potentially causing a misunderstanding or a missed opportunity. This, Ben explains, enables managers to intervene promptly, in real-time and clear the misunderstanding or provide additional support.

On the service side, too, the use of CallRevu is proving to be beneficial for dealers, as it provides proactive and relevant conversational insights. For example, when a customer calls to schedule an oil change, customer service can inquire about additional services like tire rotation, or tune-ups based on the data they have, leading to better customer engagement, and service.

Elevating performance within the dealership to enhance the customer experience and engagement is what makes us a leader in this space. Ben points out, “We are making the business operations of dealers more seamless, making their customer service better, enabling them to engage with their customers in a much better way, and helping them sell more cars.”

ATypical Workday and Leadership Dynamics

Upon joining CallRevu, Ben identified and addressed prevailing organizational silos, initiating cultural transformations that dismantled these barriers. His approach of listening and empowering staff has been pivotal in reshaping the company's culture. Ben's typical workday is

characterized by a mixture of engagements, including one-on-one meetings with his leadership team and direct interactions with customers. He routinely holds discussions with the CFO to assess the company's monthly progress, a practice he considers part of his fiduciary duties, especially critical in a private equity-run company like CallRevu.

Beyond his executive team, Ben ensures to connect personally with staff members who are not in his direct reporting line, reflecting his commitment to comprehensive organizational engagement. He also supports the customer service team by participating in client calls, emphasizing the value of customers and using the interactions as learning opportunities, particularly valuable as he navigates new industry terrains. Additionally, Ben also prioritizes enhancing customer intimacy through active engagement, recognizing that direct communication with clients is

invaluable. He asserts, "You can't build relationships without engaging," highlighting his approach to learning and relationship-building with customers.

As CEO, Ben's responsibilities extend to ensuring financial robustness and revenue growth. However, he adopts a unique perspective on leadership, focusing on empowering his team, inspiring motivation, and collaborating with colleagues who may possess greater expertise in specific areas. Ben describes his leadership style succinctly as "empowering," a

philosophy that also defines his selfperception.

Ben believes that a successful CEO not only holds power but also shares it, trusting his team to make pivotal decisions. This empowerment strategy not only prepares his team for potential executive roles within or outside the company but also fosters a culture of growth and autonomy.

Distinctively, Ben does not see himself as the ultimate decisionmaker. He avoids micromanagement, choosing instead to surround himself with capable individuals whose ideas and insights help shape the company's path. He values diverse perspectives, often noting that the best ideas are those he learns from others, not those that originate from him alone.

The Future

Ben's vision for CallRevu is grounded in continuous growth, securing new business, and consistently surpassing competitors, all through CallRevu's unified intelligent communication solutions. Under his leadership, CallRevu intends to not only remain the leader in its current space but also expand into new sectors by consistently innovating products and leveraging technology to redefine the automotive industry. CallRevu's strategic acquisition of TotalCX, followed by the release of TestTrack – the first immersive,AI-powered automotive training platform –underscores this commitment to innovation.Acquiring industryleading technology and talent has enabled CallRevu to innovate on a larger scale and at an even more accelerated pace.

In the coming months, CallRevu is set to introduce another groundbreakingAI-driven solution specifically designed to tackle persistent, daily business operational challenges, promising to enhance and elevate customer interactions and service efficiency within the automotive industry. This addition will further enhance CallRevu's technology suite, delivering streamlined, intelligent communication and reinforcing its market leadership.

“We want to push ourselves to the limit of what technology can achieve. Our goal is to create deeper customer intimacy,” Ben states. He highlights that SaaS-plus companies often have a tendency to undervalue customer service and intimacy, even as customer choice remains pivotal.

"For our customers, we aim to make leaving us an incredibly difficult decision," Ben asserts. "Beyond liking our product and technology, they should also like us for the customer service and the people who are there to support them. It's integral

to everything we do – both in our people and products. By prioritizing this, we ensure our ability to bring innovative, scalable solutions to market."

“We are always going to be customer and employee-first,” he adds

Message toAspiring Leaders

In his guidance to aspiring leaders, Ben underscores the significance of active listening, which he describes as a critical yet often neglected art form. He notes that many leaders fear that silence might be misconstrued as disengagement. However, Ben clarifies that true listening is not about multitasking but about fully absorbing and understanding the messages conveyed by others.

Ben emphasizes the importance of a robust finance team, a critical element he believes is often underemphasized. He advises those in technology or sales roles to ensure they are supported by skilled finance professionals, explaining that effective financial management not only secures a company's foundational aspects but also frees leaders to concentrate on fostering innovation and enhancing sales.

For emerging leaders Ben advises: "Listen, take a deep breath, fail fast and forward, and keep moving. Being thoughtful and passionate about what you're doing is essential for success.”

REEM ASAAD

AHighlySuccessfulBusinessLeader withExtensiveExperienceinaVariety ofIndustries

My interest in technology started at an early age and is rooted in my DNA. I have always been amazed by learning how things work and how technology and innovations have the potential to change lives," says ReemAsaad

Reem is Vice President for Middle East & Africa at Cisco and a highly successful business leader with over 20 years' experience across industries, including technology, financial services, and customer experience. Forbes named her one of the Middle East's most powerful women, and she has demonstrated the capacity to adjust her leadership style in complex working contexts, understanding when to lead from the front and when to assist and support the larger team.

Reem is responsible for strengthening Cisco's position as a leading technology provider and consultant to organisations in the Middle East and Africa, as digital transformation continues to change and evolve at a

rapid pace. Her role primarily focuses on strengthening collaborations with governments, customers, and partners, underpinned by Cisco's portfolio of advanced solutions and help accelerate their digitization agendas.

Reem would define herself as "inquisitive". Even though she has worked in technology for years, she believes there is always more to learn in the sector and from other people –especially with the acceleration in digital transformation that the world has witnessed over the past two years.

ATech Enthusiast

At the age of 16, Reem left Egypt for the United States, where she pursued an education in information technology. This sort of schooling was not accessible in Egypt at the time, which is why Reem moved. Her passion for computer technology began there, and it has followed her throughout her professional life.

According to Reem, it is disheartening to see negative stigma attached to women who demonstrate ambition and commitment across all industries. She observes that when a guy is domineering, he is often seen favourably by his colleagues, but a woman is frequently recognised and labelled as contentious. Only by calling out unfair treatment for what it is can this change. She suggests, "We must put checks and balances on each other and be vocal if we feel we have been mistreated—this goes for everyone, from every background."

Reem believes that encouraging more girls to consider a future in technology requires a collective effort. She says, "From an early age, we need to instil in every child, boy or girl, that they can broaden their area of interest and succeed in whatever they choose. When it comes to technology, we need to ensure that our children are raised to be techsavvy so they know how to get the best out of devices and solutions.

Alicia Asin InspiringnewTrendsin IoTTechnology

With a diverse interest in every field she grew up as a multitalented kid who enjoyed sports, technical and cultural activities. She was determined to start her own business while she was yet pursuing her university degree in Computer Engineering.Along with her business partner David Gascon she set out on her own venture to make a positive impact through technology. From a risk taker to the CEO of a leading solution provider; Libelium IoT Technology,Alicia Asin has paved the path of success in the last 13 years and continues to lead the way setting a benchmark in its industry and providing services to customers in over 120 countries across the globe. The journey has had its own ups and downs however her determination kept her motivated to keep moving ahead.

Setting foot

It was the age of social network and smartphone apps startup when

Alicia and David decided to set out. Hardware was not an easy option however they wanted to create value through their solutions. Being the pioneers of “WSN” (wireless sensors networks), they knew that they were at the brink of creating a revolution in technology. Their plan was to create a platform (a product called Waspmote) that integrates more than 120 sensors. It is capable of transmitting information through any communication protocol to any cloud platform on the Internet. But they also realized that there are many potential IoT application in every sector of the industry hence picking the right one was a challenge. They decided to go horizontal offering technological solutions for applications as diverse as smart management of water supply, improvement of agricultural production, environmental control of air and noise in cities, intelligent parking systems, etcetera and Waspmote was created in 2009. They also faced bureaucratic and financial barriers, but they

overcame it as they realized that their objective was to invoice and not live on subsidies or external investors. Their glorious journey had begun.

Products and Services

Libelium Iot Technology is a leading solution provider through technology with a view to help improve the quality of people's lives and companies' competitiveness. Libelium offers solutions for different spheres such as agriculture, parking systems, urban monitoring, waste management, environment or security & emergencies. It is an international company that provides IoT products for all the markets worldwide with no specific focus by region or country. Libelium's technological platform is committed to the interoperability of different sensors that allow the measurement of any parameter through any wireless communication protocol and send the recorded data to multiple cloud platforms. With an

aim to keep up with the growing technological era, Libelium has a varied range of IoT products that is developed from advanced and new ideas of technology.

The Key Factor

Libelium has evolved over the years, from a startup to leading company. The growth was driven by their will to adapt to the changing world and create a new strategy to sustain. They have emerged from being a hardware manufacturer to a solutions consultant for complete IoT projects. The interoperability of Libelium's wireless sensor platform is the key to their success that has given them the opportunity to create a partner ecosystem with more than 100 companies that help them to extend their business globally.

Libelium has been a pathbreaker in the world of IoT has continued to transform the digital world envisioning the future of

technology. The most striking quality about Libelium's Smart Sensor platforms is that they can be utilized for a variety of purposes, from monitoring cities to precision crops.Additionally, Libelium it has focused on organizing its relationship with the ecosystem and has launched more partnership programs than ever. In 13 years, Libelium has moved from being a start-up to an SME of 5 million invoicing, more than 50 employees and customers in 120 countries exporting 90% of turnover. They are dedicated to offer high value-added products and services for the entire IoT value chain.

The Master Mind

Being inspired by sports that forms a major part of her life,Alicia has learnt some essential principles like sacrifice and daily constancy from it that influence her professional life too. She loves sports and practices rowing in high competition. She

was an avid sportsperson before starting her entrepreneurial journey.

Operating as the CEO of Libelium she defines her role that has two versions; internal and external. Externally, she is an ambassador of Libelium in the world. “We have a great brand image, and, in that sense, my presence is in great demand to offer conferences and talks about IoT technology and my experience as an entrepreneur”, says Alicia. Internally, her work is segregated into three major functions defining the company's strategy, choosing the best people to develop that strategy and making sure they have the necessary resources. “Certainly, as CEO, I feel the pressure of responsibility to be the last link in the chain. I don't have anyone to elevate certain issues to and I am aware that decisions end in my figure, for better or for worse”, she adds.

The Motivating Element

One of the major motivating factors for the employees of Libelium is their will to impact lives with their technology. They work tirelessly to improve their technological solutions in view to solve the main challenges that people face today. They are consistently striving to make cities more sustainable, preserve natural resources, avoid climatic changes, generate enough food for a growing population, and offer universal access to health services. With the absence of women in the field of technology,

Alicia is determined to be a role model for all the women who aspire to influence the world of technology.

The Futuristic Eye

Talking about the global expansion of Libelium, they are geared up to take over every sector with two major objectives; to grow and to make the IoT market grow. They are all set to spread into the vast education sector to transmit technological knowledge about the use of IoT; through applications to make the industry more competitive and reduce its costs; to the market

for daily solutions. Every development in Libelium is to provide customers with ready-touse technology that combines hardware, software and final application data analysis. Citing this as the only way to achieve the predictions of large investments and innovative results around the technological disruption, Libelium is moving ahead with a definite goal to grow.

As a young engineer and entrepreneur,AliciaAsin is driven to make a significant presence in the field of technology that will be a source of motivation for every

woman. She refers to herself as a “rara avis” in the world that is more and more technological and in which greater equality is demanded. She believes that if women expect an equal pay, they need to take up greater responsibilities in leading positions. With a steadfast goal of creating a legacy of IoT that will eventually lead to greater democracy and greater economy, AliciaAsin and her team are prepared for a glorious journey to innovate, influence and inspire.

Janet Schijns APeopleCentricLeaderwhobelievesin InspiringAccountability

There are two types of leaders, the first are those that lead from the top down, directing the team with little space for communication and collaborative success. Second are those leaders who lead, direct, listen and build a collaborative environment where all voices are valued so that their teams learn, grow, and contribute to the success. This second style empowers everyone in the team and makes them feel their contribution to the organization's success and leads to faster attainment of goals and higher performance in the organization.

“Success is defined by what you achieve for others, not what you achieve alone. Clearly defining what will lead your team to success and how you will measure that success is critical to progress,” says Janet Schijns She is the Founder and CEO of JS Group, a go-to-market consulting company, specializes in creating impactful indirect go-tomarket strategies for tech and customer centric firms around the world.

As per Janet, throughout her career, she has believed that leading a company to success is all about empowering the team and listening to

stakeholders. She has always trusted the voice of her team, customers, and the market and that is what led her to start JS Group. She says, “You could say I am a team first leader; I believe that if I care for the people the business will care for itself. Nowhere is this more evident than in indirect channel sales where the team is comprised of partners who need their supplier/vendor community to realize this reality and take action to empower their voices”

The market is in a time of incredible change and flux, particularly in the technology industry. The team at JS Group embraces that change and offers viable and proven ways to harness change for growth. She asserts, “Our entire team is built on decades of experience in the channel and rich expertise in leading transformation for positive results. While other consultancies may focus on power point strategies we start with the customers both internal and external and build a winning team game plan from there!”

Coping Up

with

Rapidly Changing World is Real Challenge

When we see a person at the height of

career success, we might think that success is accidental or easy; it is not. Success is really hard work that was planned appropriately and executed flawlessly with a true sense of urgency. During her journey to success, Janet has seen many try to throw-up roadblocks that attempted to slow down her progress and would have led to less-than-optimal results. The key to not allowing that she says is, “I guess you could say fast is the new big. And let's face it, today is likely the slowest rate of change day you will ever experience because every single day the rate of change is speeding up that is the true challenge. You must fight against the inertia and nay-sayers that would slow you down and find a way to move quickly and remove obstacles”

Wide-ranging Go-to-Market Solutions: JS Group is technology and customer growth oriented go-to-market consultancy that focuses on three key go to market areas.

Route to Market Strategy: The company provides consultancy for clients in high-tech and fast growth enterprises helping them determine the right channel routes to market, resultant channel strategy, and

ultimately build out their channel programs that including benefits, requirements, partner enablement, and MDF programs. Using this strategy, the average client will add triple-digit growth compared to their current plan in a 24 month period.

Channel Evolution: The teams at JS Group work with clients who already have established direct and indirect routes to market and help them accelerate their results primarily through an expansion, ratification, and alignment of their current indirect channel strategy and resultant programs. The company assures that the client will see 47%+ growth (this year it's averaging 61%) in an 18month period.

Sales and Marketing Programs:As per the teams, once the strategy and programs are built activating the

channels selected to improve solution positioning, accelerate sales, and deliver sales revenue is critical.As per the company, “We offer a variety of programs from our industry-best Sales$mart curriculum for sales managers to our trend-setting and 30X ROI Social Selling Program. Our bottom line is high ROI on vendor and partner spends.”

AStory of Vision, Dedication and Success

Janet's career began in technology after a successful transition from the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. She saw the rapid growth of technology and a way to apply her marketing and sales prowess acquired in these industries to the tech and fast growth enterprise space. She recalls, “My very first client in the industry was a small chain of software stores

called Software City who ultimately due to their membership in the ASCII Group introduced me to Jerry Koutavas, and the team at ASCII who truly helped to launch my career in the tech space.”

Before joining JS Group, Janet was the lead channel executive at Motorola Solutions, chief marketing technologist and channel executive at Verizon and EVP at Office Depot. Throughout these experiences, one thing that remained the same is her focus that was/is always on the success of the team. She opines, “That's what defines a true leader in my book, if you focus on your team – the team will focus on the customer and win.”

Janet also is the mother of two children Sean – a real estate investor and serial entrepreneur, andAshlyn a PhD with a high tech social media company, and

works with her husband Roy – a seasoned sales leader- who is the cofounder of JS Group.

Improving Marketing Processes

In her tenure in the industry, Janet has redefined the marketing direction of the industry more than once while working with her peers. She says, “I was the first consultant to talk and strategize around go-to-market back in the early 2000s. Now, as we enter what I refer to as the #digitalnormal myself, and the team at JS Group are again redefining the marketing landscape by driving the industry to social selling, digital marketing, and intent-based marketing.” According to her, JS Group follows a culture of innovation that is driven by its team. The team challenges each other and continually learns from those around them.

“If it's to be it's up to me” is the statement that Janet adopted early in her career with her teams – it led to a personal empowerment of everyone on the team that drove her success.And now, this has become the success mantra for JS Group teams. She asserts, “Our mission is to #savethechannel which means in all we do, we make sure we never hurt the channel and actually work to extend their lead.” This drives the company's core values of partner first, integrity, urgency, and delivering value to the customers. The teams stay motivated because they see the results. She further adds that nothing motivates a team like a success, so 'just keep caring about people and winning'

Present's Responsibilities and Future Vision

At the organization, Janet's primary responsibility is to help the team succeed by ensuring the team has a strong plan, resources, industry

support, and the right commitment to deliver for the customers. Her standard day at work includes learning, helping the team with key clients, and being engaged with top clients to ensure progress.Aword that can define Janet and her role as a leader is 'Driven'.

Janet's plan for JS Group is to lead the company to the next level of growth by helping their clients through what is an era of epic transformation. She says, “Our plan is to continue to grow JS Group as we are committed to continuing to be the best channel consultancy in the high-tech and fast growth enterprise space.”

AnAdvice for Budding Women Leaders

Janet's advice for women leaders, “Believe in yourself, be your own best advocate, ask for help – and that raise

- and don't give up when at first you don't succeed – you will be successful if you just keep moving forward and taking your team with you.”

Ahmed Detta

Shapingasustainable,circulareconomy withthepowerofrecycling

With plastic pollution advancing at an unprecedented rate and continually posing a serious threat to humanity, several leaders have taken action to limit plastic waste and recycle it responsibly. One such changemaker is the Founder and CEO of Enviroo Ltd,Ahmed Detta. He came up with the concept to bring a change in human's existing relationship with plastic and driving change by creating habitual behavioural patterns that are easy to adopt and implement. Brimming with passion about restructuring the current recycling industry, his recycling career has evolved from recycling mobile phones, office IT equipment, and progressed to plastic.

He says, “We are all guilty of lambasting plastic but not actually working collaboratively to create solutions. Recycling, if done correctly an opportunity to make a positive change to the world that encapsulates both environmental and social impact gains.”

Laying the foundation of Enviroo Ltd

Enviroo came into existence when Ahmed decided to meet the UN SDGs and create a super-effective

social impact strategy and DNAlevel circular economy approach to bring about change. His industrious team will be creating food-grade polymers to a recognized standard globally.

Every company faces numerous hurdles in its path to success. Enviroo also faced many problems, and the biggest setback was posed by the lack of legislation. However,Ahmed and his tenacious team always strived hard to conquer the macro challenges faced by the industry and focussed on overcoming all the local challenges to make their mark.

The strong teamwork and a good dose of patience paved their way to success and assisted them in getting over all the impediments on the way.

Overview of Enviroo

Ltd

Being an agile and nimble organization, the company stays ready to adapt and react as per the industry changes, and this has offered them an edge over other competitors in a perfect manner. The team at Enviroo always supports as well as interacts with all the industry bodies to be aware of all the upcoming challenges they may face and find relevant solutions beforehand.

Dedicated to making a difference in the world, Enviroo always stays one step ahead with its social impact commitments. They have re-branded to Enviroo and have amalgamated social impact with innovative technology to develop a better environment that is best suited for both current and future generations.

Transforming the Recycling Industry with Enviroo Ltd

Enviroo aims to strike on bringing a shift in the behavioral habits of plastic users so that no plastic gets dumped in the oceans or landfills. The company is responsible for recycling 100% of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic waste and creating unity among all the circular economy stakeholders.Also, this change is only possible if the entire landscape of the plastic industry gets ready to bend and people witness the implementation of stringent protocols and regulations in the best way.

Ahmed shares, “Contribution to this growth has stemmed from the belief that Enviroo is providing a long-term solution. When you take a long-term view, growth, and scale, this becomes a very clear process that is both tangible and achievable.”

CEO&Founder|Enviroo

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