Editor’s NOTE
THE INFLUENCE OF WOMEN LEADERS: REVOLUTIONIZING CORPORATE DYNAMICS
There are numerous influential women from all walks of life—corporate, sports, politics, and the arts, to name a few. These females continue to pave the way for a gender-equal future. They lead by example, breaking down barriers and inspiring others to follow them.
A few years ago, women were not allowed to get much work in business. The majority of business leaders were men. Over the years, more women started breaking into the business realm and working their way up the career ladder. They have demonstrated excellent leadership innovation, creating unique business solutions for them. They have further empowered other entrepreneurs to achieve their goals and excel in their journeys.
With the exciting release of this issue, we would like to extend an invitation to you to delve deeper into the unheard stories of these women leaders who hold excellent leadership and pave the way for growth, change, and innovation within and beyond their companies. All the galvanizing stories featured in this special edition contribute to creating a momentum of change in the business world. Further, they provide great, valuable perspectives and advice for entrepreneurs and business leaders striving to stay ahead of the curve.
We sincerely hope you will find this woman-focused, inspiring, and insightful. Check out the journeys of these female leaders and explore the several informative articles covering varied topics, including the latest market trends, business, analysis, and economic outlook. Finally, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our readers worldwide for their remarkable support and appreciation. We are always excited to bring you more amazing and exciting content in the future. Do write to us with your views on this edition.
Happy Reading!
Portfolio Head of Consumer Products, Luxury & Apparel | Insights & Data | North America
Capgemini
The Dynamic Women Leader Is All Set To Conquer The Corporate With Her Exclusive Venture, Partnership For Talent
A Dynamic Businesswoman and Catalyst for the Digital Transformation of the Council for Economic Education
Empowering Success: Nurturing a Business Culture that Thrives through Continuous Learning
Top Procurement Companies In The World
18 26 14 30 22
Programmatic Advertising – Understanding the Programmatic Advertising Ecosystem
Managing Editor
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Sonal K. Ehsan Jami Alex, Michael
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Shweta A. Vaibhav M.
Jody Harris
Chirs Philip Maria, Wilson, Mar�na, Alex, Kelvin
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sales@theincmagazine.com March, 2024
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Portfolio Head of Consumer Products, Luxury & Apparel | Insights & Data | North America Capgemini
CHARISMA GLASSMAN
A Distinguished Woman Executive in Tech Revamping the Global Business Ecosystem
This exclusive tale is yet another add-on to our special edition featuring some influential women leaders. Here, the spotlight is on Charisma Glassman, who has been steering the Consumer Products, Luxury, and Apparel Portfolio at Capgemini with her impeccable leadership and industry expertise.
A Transformational Leader
Charisma Glassman is a remarkable leader in technology and business strategy and transformation. She is an alum of Harvard Business School and holds a master's degree in computer/information technology management from the New York University School of Engineering with a specialization in luxury marketing.
Over the last two decades she has demonstrated her ability to oversee multi-million-dollar P&Ls, managed global teams across multiple countries, and cultivate steady, long-term revenue development. She has played various roles in her career, each of which brought special difficulties and opportunities for growth that resulted in several crucial moments. However, the acceleration of strategic transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a definitive point. This time brought to light three critical facets of her leadership style: the need for rapid adaptation to change, the significance of using technology to support operations and promote expansion, and the necessity of keeping the success and well-being of all stakeholders-consumers, staff, and the larger community-front, and center. Every executive, including her, had to rise to the occasion during this challenging period in ways never seen before, which helped to create a more inventive and resilient leadership philosophy.
Fostering Collaboration and Cohesion to Lead
Global Organizations
In the current business landscape, managing globally dispersed teams and large organizations requires a holistic approach that prioritizes communication, adaptability, and cultural awareness to conquer the obstacles presented by time zones and geographic disparities.
Charisma shared with us that the post-pandemic shift in work culture further underscores the importance of regular, open communication facilitated by advanced video conferencing tools connecting team members globally, fostering a sense of belonging and team cohesion. The adoption of a 'Two in a Box' approach for pivotal positions ensures ongoing leadership and decision-making competencies throughout time zones, augmenting operational effectiveness and fostering a culture of shared accountability and mentoring.
She said that implementing a flexible meeting calendar to accommodate the varied locations of the team can be of help. This schedule promotes inclusion and work-life balance and sets clear expectations for each team member's contribution to the team's objectives. A creative environment is fostered by placing a high priority on cultural sensitivity and inclusivity, as well as giving employees a sense of trust and autonomy. Additionally, leveraging top-tier collaboration and product management tools are critical for maintaining agility and bridging communication gaps, ensuring the team's effectiveness and the organization's forward momentum in the global landscape.
Adapting her Strategies and Leadership Style to Diverse Industries
Managing leadership positions in various sectors, including technology, retail, hospitality, and finance, requires a flexible and creative approach that takes into account the particular opportunities and difficulties that each industry has to offer. While Charisma's leadership philosophy-serving as an architect, bridger, and catalyst-remains consistent throughout different industries, its implementation is painstakingly customized to fit each sector's unique dynamics and culture. This entails delving deeply into the fundamental forces at work in each industry, as well as the expectations of customers, the regulatory environments, and the subtleties of competition, frequently by way of direct interaction with employees, customers, and industry leaders on the front lines.
Charisma shared with us “Strategic objectives and KPIs are crafted with industry-specific goals in mind, from risk management in finance to customer engagement in retail, always underpinned by a people-first approach that values diversity, encourages learning, and rewards innovation.” Her dedication to lifelong learning and leadership guarantees not only the flexibility of plans to industry specifics but also the involvement and unity of teams everywhere, setting up the company for success in the face of changes in the market.
Driving Innovation, Growth, and Leveraging
Cutting-edge Technologies to Create Strategic Advantages
Charisma recommends empowering teams to experiment within predetermined limitations to prevent creativity from being hampered by a fear of failure. This helps to ensure profitability and stimulate growth. A supportive environment for strategic experimentation and sustained growth is created when they are transparent with the board, investors, and key stakeholders about their financial performance, growth strategies, and innovation efforts. This transparency not only fosters trust but also aligns expectations.
Through ongoing research, strategic alliances, talent acquisition, and innovation ecosystem investments, Charisma and her team stay ahead of developing technology, ensuring that they not only adapt to these developments but also leverage them to gain competitive advantages. By taking a proactive stance, they not only remain relevant but also establish themselves as pioneers in developing cutting-edge business models that propel long-term expansion and change in a world that is becoming increasingly digital.
Battling the Challenges Along the Way
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, Charisma recollects that she found herself at the forefront of the consumer banking division of a global bank, steering through unprecedented challenges. During these difficult times, the bank introduced a cutting-edge credit extension initiative to help customers needing financial support. This initiative demonstrated the company's commitment to providing strong customer assistance through improved operational and technological frameworks as part of a larger strategy revamp. Charisma’s approach, rooted in clear vision, precise goal setting, and a determination to confront challenges directly, not only preserved the bank's strategic goals but also deepened customer relationships amidst the global crisis.
Unfurling the Future Goals
Charisma is actively planning to use AI not just to streamline operations but also as a foundation for creating innovative products and services. She also recommends the C-Suite leaders and boards to prioritize cybersecurity to protect their innovations and clients' trust and use sustainability as a key business strategy to reach new markets and customer segments. In addition to navigating the challenges, this multifaceted approach aims to seize the opportunities to create new value. This could potentially reshape industry landscapes and change the composition of the Fortune 500 as companies that successfully harness these trends rise to the top, while those that don't adapt may find their positions challenged.
SUSANNAH ROBINSON
THE DYNAMiC WOMAN LEADER
IS ALL SET TO CONQUER THE CORPORATE TiDES WiTH HER EXCLUSiVE VENTURE, PARTNERSHiP FOR TALENT
Women in human resources in the C-suite are leading the transition as companies change the ways they manage their workforces as a result of the digital wave. Some of the women leading the shift are well-known, while others work behind the scenes to have a significant impact on people and advance organizations.
One of them is Susannah Robinson, Founder and President at Partnership for Talent LLC, a dynamic HR executive who possesses solid foundational experience in all areas of HR, giving her the ability to complete the full cycle from vision and strategy through development and implementation. An MBA graduate from Marietta College and Northeastern University, Susannah has extensive experience spanning 32+ years in different industry verticals. She has strong foundational experience in all facets of HR, yielding full-cycle capability from vision and strategy to development and execution. Due to her experience working with investors and boards of directors, she has a distinctive grasp of the influence of human resources on business and financial performance. Susannah is an outstanding connection builder with an approachable manner and the capacity to impact complex organizations. She is passionate about people management, organizational design, and employee development.
On being asked about her inspiration to begin her career in human resources, Susannah apprised, "I never meant to be an HR professional. In actuality, I studied to be a chemist. Early on, I discovered how much I liked making sure workers got the resources they needed to succeed in their jobs. My initial concentration was on educating workers about safety at chemical plants, but when given the opportunity to pursue a career in human resources I took it (with a few detours along the way to develop my communication, investor relations, and board engagement skills). I have been able to contribute as a solid business leader with functional knowledge in human resources thanks to my experiences outside of HR."
Partnership for Talent: A Specialized Firm for Top-Notch Organizational Solutions
Partnership for Talent LLC is an independently owned and operated consulting firm that specializes in offering small and medium-sized businesses high-impact strategic HR services. The team's significant and in-depth experience enables them to provide businesses that might not typically have it with executive-level HR help. Small and medium-sized enterprises often need this kind of support for fewer hours annually than really large companies or on a more infrequent basis. Small to medium-sized businesses frequently outsource a lot of their HR-related work or employ a lone employee who is excellent at handling the day-to-day but might use more strategic HR support. The partnership in this case might help with the entire life cycle of how HR strategy intersects with business strategy, including organizational structure, succession planning, important leadership development and training initiatives, support for managers in conversations with staff members, and employee processes to promote business and organizational outcomes.
When a great HR partner supports the management team, organizations and employees gain, and business results increase. While large corporations have CHRO’s to help them, small to medium-sized businesses, which employ the bulk of the workforce in the nation, sometimes lack this critical support because they don't require it on a daily basis and can't afford the high cost. Partnership for Talent believes they can do something to alter this.
Edge over the Peers
The first key distinctive feature of the firm is that it focuses exclusively on small and medium-sized organizations. The majority of HR consulting companies carry out tasks or projects for businesses of various sizes. The needs of small and medium-sized firms, the degree to which it is crucial for them to dig in, and the amount of time
the management teams haveto devote to people-related activities differ from those of larger organizations, according to Susannah and her colleagues. They concentrate on being extremely impactful in order to get disproportionate returns with relatively little time spent by the management team.
The Primary Industry Hurdles
How to boost employee engagement in the face of shifting business practices is currently the main concern in the human resources field. In order to engage their workforces as they dedicate their time and passions to driving the results of the business, executives must operate differently than they have in the past to boost diversity and offer new, more flexible, and remote working methods. They are addressing this by assisting the clients in implementing systems, procedures, tools, and support for leadership development. This includes guaranteeing open lines of feedback and promoting the concept that businesses can be both kind and successful.
From the Founder’s Desk
Right now, the most important thing we are working on is helping clients develop their leadership muscles. Just like any muscle, it only grows when you work it consistently. We are making this happen by supporting clients in two key areas: One is developing the ability to engage in open dialog and feedback, even when those conversations are uncomfortable. This includes developing systems and tools to support the conversations and coaching managers to improve their ability and willingness to have these conversations. The other is by developing and delivering a new manager training and coaching program that our clients can administer to cohorts of leaders within their organization to learn best practice basics and get 1:1 coaching support to accelerate the development of their leadership muscles.
Business Roadmap Moving Ahead:
At Partnership for Talent, they believe that every organization deserves a great HR partner. Their mission is to provide exceptional strategic HR and coaching partnerships to small and medium-sized businesses that help drive their business results.
The company wants to grow even faster over the following five years in order to assist more small and medium-sized businesses with strategic HR and support the expansion of their businesses. Susannah is eager to increase her influence in professional coaching and teaching on a personal level.
Nan Morrison
A Dynamic Businesswoman and Catalyst for the Digital Transformation of the Council for Economic Education
From a search amongst women leaders in business who are flourishing as changemakers, we are excited to introduce a seasoned leader, builder, problem-solver, and change agent who brings a special blend of strategic and operational expertise to efforts in the private and non-profit sectors.
Nan J. Morrison, President and CEO of the Council for Economic Education (CEE), is acknowledged as a thought leader in the field and has been sought after and quoted by numerous publications, including the New York Times, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg; she has also spoken at the Milken Global Conference. Nan holds a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Yale University (magna cum laude) and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School, with second-year honors. She has completed seven triathlons.
Nan is a critical thinker who is skilled at cutting through complexity, assessing risk, making decisions and - most importantly - knowing how to get things done. She enjoys helping organizations grow and improve. Being a CEO combines these capabilities and passions – a wonderful match and adventure.
This inspiring leader has a solid background in technology from her work as a partner at BCG and Accenture, experience she has brought to her role leading the Council for Economic Education's
digital transformation. She is knowledgeable about how to use data and technology to meet customer needs and increase profitability. As a dependable relationship builder she has developed team-based collaborative cultures to maintain and motivate talent and build long-lasting relationships with a variety of stakeholders.
Council for Economic Education at a Glance
CEE is a renowned national organization that has trained teachers to teach economics and personal finance to K–12 students for over 70 years. Initially, they used books and workbooks to instruct instructors in economics in small workshops. They continue to teach educators today, but they also now include personal finance. Online options now have a significant role in how they provide teacher training, student programs and classroom lessons (EconEdLink.org), while they continue to offer robust in-person options where relevant. Since its founding they have also taken on an increasingly active advocacy role to increase state requirements for personal finance and economics in K-12 schools.
CEE’s mission is to provide personal financial and economic education to all K–12 children so they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities.
They carry out their mission by advocating for fair access to this education in every state, by giving teachers training and resources to improve their subject-matter expertise and self-confidence, and by offering high school student programs that encourage learning through competitions and career preparation.
Towards a Solid Path to Financial Stability and Economic Mobility
CEE is focused on equitable access to financial and economic education. Today, about half the states require personal finance or economics to be taught in high school, and in states where these subjects are not required to be taught, students from low and moderate-income communities have the least access to these subjects. It is crucial to teach this material in school since for a variety of reasons these students are less likely to gain an understanding of personal finance and the economy at home.
CEE’s Invest in Girls program is especially focused on introducing low- and moderate-income girls of color to the possibility of a career in financial services, which can provide a strong path to financial stability and economic mobility.
CEE’s Access Zone program has brought financial education to low emoderate income of communities and has dramatically increased the participation of black and Hispanic students in CEE’s National Personal Finance Challenge to nearly 40%.
Standing Ahead of the Competition
The primary characteristic that distinguishes CEE is its outstanding quality. Their teacher feedback surveys consistently receive favorable scores of 90% or higher, and all of the classes and professional development sessions are created and implemented by actual educators. Their advocacy efforts have had an impact on important states. Their student contests are unique.
CEE hires based on a person's capability. Their diverse team is comprised of more than two-thirds women and two-thirds people of color, resulting in diverse opinions which tend to create stronger outcomes.
"CEE is unique in its commitment to excellence, adherence to our mission, and leadership through our values, which include trust, honesty, respect for the individual, teamwork, transparency, and inclusivity. We have constructed our Access Zone program to ensure equal access for all children, identified a scalable methodology for educator training that is sustainable and leverageable to reach many students, and built a coalition to get more standards to teach our courses in place” Nan notes.
Take on Women's Entrepreneurship
Everyone has a choice about whether or not they wish to run something. If you are starting a business or considering a change in your existing environment, thinking about how things may be improved or altered is a useful perspective, and something I would urge everyone to undertake.
Hurdles on the Way
Although Nan has had many influential male mentors and supporters, she notes that, as a woman, she was frequently required to demonstrate something in order to advance to the next level, whereas men did so more rapidly based on their trajectory and ability.
Syncing with the Latest Advancements
Teachers and students are the organization’s primary customers and Nan and her team make it a point to consult them when making changes to what and how they educate. This feedback resulted in CEE in adding extra courses on cyber security to
their risk-based curriculum standard. They can also quickly respond by posting new or updated lessons online, as they did for analysing COVID's economic effects and to help children comprehend the true significance of market moves surrounding GameStop.
Achievements and Milestones Along the Way
CEE’s award-winning Financial Fitness for Life curriculum is not only popular with teachers but is often a go-to resource for researchers in the field. Their biennial Survey of the States, a focal point of their advocacy activity, is frequently cited and referred to as the authority on the state of financial and economic education in the US. Through their national network of affiliates, they reach over 40,000 K–12 teachers annually, who in turn reach over 4,000,000 students. CEE’s online teacher resource EconEdLink, has over 500,000 users annually,
Road Ahead
Nan is highly focused on scaling the key programs, with the overall theme of creating equitable access. CEE’s current plans include building on their successful advocacy initiative, growing their National Personal Finance Challenge and Invest in Girls programs, and continuing to leverage new technologies to reach every teacher and student in effective and relevant ways.
Giving Back to the Community
Nan has the good fortune to oversee a business that carries this out daily. She believes that giving back includes any action - no matter how small - that the recipient sees as beneficial. Simple acts like guiding an elderly person across the street or connecting someone to a job lead can have a big impact.
Nan’s Secret Formula of Success
Listen; keep moving ahead; be willing to make decisions even if they are not popular; speak up with your ideas; work smart and with care. Advocate for yourself and build meaningful relationships.
In a world where every brand is vying for attention, there's something uniquely powerful about African advertising agencies.
when you think of advertising powerhouses, your mind might wander to the bustling streets of New York or the chic avenues of Paris. But let's talk about the underdog with the tenacity of a lion—the South African advertising agency. Bringing Africa to the World and the World to Africa is more than just a catchphrase; it's a testament to the dynamic, vibrant, and incredibly effective approach we bring to the global advertising arena.
A Unique Approach to Branding and Advertising
Africa isn't just a continent; it's a mosaic of 54 countries, each with its own culture, market dynamics, and consumer behaviors. This diversity isn't a challenge; it's our secret weapon. Our approach to branding and advertising is as varied and rich as the continent itself. From strategy to design to campaign management, we infuse our work with the vibrancy and resilience of Africa. This gives businesses across the globe a unique edge that they simply can't find elsewhere.
The Global Reach of Local Insights
In a world clamoring to enter the African market, we stand as the gatekeepers with the keys to each of the 54 countries. Our access to insights, data, and market research is unparalleled. Whether it's understanding the consumer behavior in Nigeria or tapping into the cultural nuances of Kenya, our knowledge is deep, local, and incredibly valuable. We've spent over 27 years building our strong positioning in South Africa, and this legacy empowers us to offer insights that are both rich in history and current in relevance.
Tech-Enhanced. Human-Focused. Results Driven.
In the age of digital transformation, we stand at the crossroads of technology and humanity. Our creativity is tech-infused, ensuring that our work is enhanced by the latest advancements in the industry. But we never lose sight of the human element. Our campaigns are not just algorithms and data points; they are stories that resonate, engage, and inspire. This balance of tech-enhancement and human focus drives results that are not just impressive but impactful.
The Future of Advertising
Choosing an African advertising agency means embracing a fresh perspective. It means leveraging creativity that is both cutting-edge and deeply rooted in diverse cultures. It means accessing markets on the brink of explosive growth with a partner who understands the terrain better than anyone else. It means trusting an agency with a legacy of excellence, innovation, and unwavering commitment to driving results.
Africa is not just a destination—it's the future of advertising. Partner with Wetpaint Advertising, and let’s shape the future together.
BRINGING AFRICA TO THE WORLD: THE UNIQUE EDGE OF A SOUTH AFRICAN ADVERTISING AGENCY
