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Drosoula Hadjisavva: Pioneering Fintech Transformation
Meet Drosoula Hadjisavva, a seasoned marketing and branding professional with more than a decade of experience in strategic marketing. Drosoula currently serves as the Group Director of Marketing at a multi-regulated global online trading provider, allowing traders to trade over 4,000+ CFD instruments across FX, indices, commodities, equities, and more.
Drosoula is highly proficient in establishing and executing tailor-made marketing and branding strategies for businesses of every size. She is also well-versed in strategic marketing, digital and branding, and the art of effective public relations and communication. Her influence reverberates across the global fintech landscape, where she has masterfully elevated brand equity for numerous businesses. Drosoula considers herself a results-driven professional who offers creative solutions in a dynamic and ever-changing marketing environment, especially in fintech, forex paytech, and neobank firms.
Drosoula’s journey into the world of technology and digitalization began at a very young age, fueled by a fervent enthusiasm that would later shape her future. Armed with a BSc degree in computer science, Drosoula obtained an MBA focusing on Marketing. This laid the foundation for a remarkable career that kickstarted her professional journey in the telecommunications sector, where she honed her skills and gained valuable insights into the intricate realm of global communication networks.
However, Drosoula’s true calling awaited in the financial industry, and she started her career in FX with a multi-regulated broker, leading in more than 180 countries, with 64 offices globally, and an integrated marketing strategy across the GCC, Southeast Asia, LATAM, Europe, and South Africa. Drosoula also had the privilege of overseeing huge budget projects and marketing processes, from strategy development to campaign concept, tactical implementation, and budgeting and targeting.
Eventually, after five years, Drosoula decided to move to her next opportunity and joined a Swiss fintech group. This helped her grow, gain more experience, and evolve professionally. She also had the chance to collaborate and learn from significant professionals from the high-tech and financial sectors and maintain this entrepreneurial mentality that helped shape her career path.
“During my career so far, I have had the opportunity to blend the world of fintech with the world of sports through sponsorships, ambassadors, and events, which made the whole journey a once-in-a-lifetime experience. No matter what, education is a never-ending journey, and I always strive to learn more and stay ahead of the marketing trends, especially in fintech,”– she explains.
Joining the Evolving Industry
What inspired Drosoula to join the fintech industry was the access to the international marketing world. Analyzing data, demographics, target audiences, and markets, understanding the needs, and constantly trying to find innovative solutions to meet consumer needs or create a need with a creative idea truly fascinated her.
“In today’s fast-paced world, the fintech industry is rapidly evolving, providing innovative financial services to consumers and businesses. Volatile environments demand resilience – from individuals, teams, and entire companies. I believe business resilience is supported by diverse revenue streams and structures, whereby you’re not relying on one stream or customer. Fintech evolution in international space demands that organizations initiate culture change – and adopt an entirely different mindset that abandons old and hierarchical ways of working,”- states Drosoula.
Tackling Challenges
Drosoula feels the highly regulated nature of the financial industry poses a substantial challenge for marketers. In an industry where compliance is paramount, marketers must tread cautiously to promote their products while adhering to stringent regulatory frameworks. It’s a delicate balancing act where innovation meets rigorous oversight.
Drosoula believes that in such a situation, business leaders need to adopt an agile approach, be ready to adopt and build resilient teams to support the organization’s vision. She also believes that the ability to pivot swiftly, adapt to changing regulations, and seize opportunities within the constraints of compliance is essential. An agile mindset allows leaders to stay ahead of the curve, responding proactively to shifting market dynamics and regulatory landscapes.
When Diversity and Inclusion are Priority
Diversity in culture reflects an organization’s aim to have global reach and offer a localized and personalized approach to its customers and partners. In such a fast-pace environment with several external factors impacting the business and high volatility, stability and ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute to and influence every part and level of a workplace, enhances creativity , productivity, the reputation and eventually the business results at every organization.
Mission and Vision
Recognizing the shifting tides of the financial industry, as a global multi-asset broker evolving and charting a course into the world of fintech is becoming a mission. It’s a strategic move that signifies the company’s commitment to innovation and determination to be more than just an FX brokerage. In this rapidly evolving landscape, investing in high-tech infrastructure and cultivating award-winning proprietary platforms and tools has become an intrinsic component to boost our value proposition. This has also been key in developing and maintaining a strong brand positioning. The company is always looking to enhance its traders’ experience, and by continuing to invest in innovative tools and products.
“Our mission is to empower traders and investors with opportunities across a wide range of financial markets on our award-winning trading platform by providing full support and guidance through their trading journey, with the vision to become the number one mobile platform, the platform of choice, enabling traders and investors to trade on the go,”– explains Drosoula.
Future Roadmap
Drosoula having built a strong network, not only in MENA but also globally, and with an entrepreneur spirit continues to inspire with a personal site project introducing her own finblog FintechView presenting high-esteem personas and sharing experiences from the world of fintech, paytech, proptech etc. Building communities in the business space is something fostering transparency and trust. Trust is the new currency and in any business it’s shaping it’s future.
HPE GreenLake: Transforming Data Centers with Consumption-Based IT
In the world of technology, businesses always want to find better ways to make their work easier, reduce costs, and boost flexibility. Over the past few years, IT teams have faced a choice between keeping their computer systems on-site or moving them to the cloud, and both options have had their difficulties. However, a third option has emerged, bridging the gap between traditional on-premises systems and cloud services: the consumption-based model, exemplified by Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) GreenLake program.
In simple terms, instead of buying and maintaining all the computer stuff themselves, companies can use HPE’s GreenLake and pay for what they use, like electricity or water. It is like renting a car instead of owning one. This can help businesses be more flexible and save money while still having control over their technology.
What is HPE GreenLake?
HPE GreenLake is like a service that brings the convenience of the cloud to your company’s computer systems, no matter where they are – whether in your main office, smaller offices, or far-away places.
With GreenLake, you get everything you need, like the actual machines and the programs, all setup and ready to go. Plus, HPE looks after these machines and software as long as you need them. Instead of paying a significant amount upfront, you pay a monthly fee based on how much you use, just like how you pay for electricity or water in your home.
GreenLake offers different packages depending on your company’s needs, like making your computers work better, storing data, keeping backups, managing databases, handling big data, creating private cloud systems, or doing fast calculations. They use HPE’s machines, like SimpliVity and Synergy, and software from companies like Docker, Hadoop, SAP HANA, Nutanix AHV, and tools from big cloud providers like Microsoft Azure and AWS.
The Benefits of Consumption-Based Pricing
One of the standout features of GreenLake is its consumption-based pricing model, a game-changer in IT cost management. Unlike traditional infrastructure deployments that demand substantial upfront capital investments, GreenLake operates as a service, eliminating those initial costs and reducing ongoing IT overhead. Customers pay a monthly subscription fee based on a pay-for-use pricing structure, similar to popular cloud services.
With GreenLake’s metered usage, organizations only pay for the resources they use, avoiding the common practice of over-provisioning for future needs. HPE continuously monitors usage, providing insights into capacity utilization ensuring that companies can quickly scale their systems to accommodate growth without unnecessary costs.
Professional and operational services from HPE Pointnext further enhance the GreenLake experience. This team of experts assists with implementation, management, and support, offering end-to-end services that include monitoring, administration, and optimizing each system.
Professional Services and GreenLake Central
GreenLake doesn’t stop at hardware and software. HPE Pointnext, a team of experts, offers professional and operational services to help implement, manage, and support GreenLake solutions. This suite of services includes monitoring, administration, and optimization of each system. These services distinguish GreenLake from basic hardware leasing programs, offering comprehensive customer support.
Additionally, HPE introduced GreenLake Central, an integrated management control plane. This platform provides customers with a unified view across IT operations, covering private and public clouds and edge environments. The self-service portal in GreenLake Central allows users to monitor usage, costs, security, compliance, performance, and more. It empowers developers and business units to access the services they need when they need them, further enhancing efficiency.
Challenges and Considerations
While the consumption-based model offers numerous advantages, it has challenges. Organizations must carefully analyze the total cost of ownership (TCO) over the long term, as subscription fees can accumulate. Moreover, with GreenLake, customers do not own the hardware, making it impossible to sell or repurpose the equipment when it’s no longer needed.
Dependency on HPE for service delivery and system access may be better for highly secure environments. Organizations must weigh these factors when considering a consumption-based program like Green Lake.
The Future of Consumption-Based IT
HPE’s GreenLake program has become popular, with over 600 customers and contracts worth over $2.8 billion. However, there are other alternatives available besides this one. Other companies like NetApp and Dell Technologies also offer consumption-based choices.
This way of getting computer stuff as a service is becoming increasingly common. It is a small part of the market, but growing fast. The reason is that it helps companies update their computer systems without spending much money upfront, especially for things like super flexible and high-performance systems. So, it is a trend that is likely to keep getting bigger.
In conclusion, HPE GreenLake and the consumption-based IT model are transforming how organizations approach infrastructure. By combining the flexibility of the cloud with the control of on-premises solutions, GreenLake offers a compelling alternative that reduces costs, enhances agility, and simplifies IT operations. As the demand for service-based IT products continues to rise, consumption-based options are poised to revolutionize the data center landscape, helping businesses of all sizes embrace the future of technology.
Mahrukh Umrigar: A Visionary Leader Shaping the Legal Landscape
Meet Mahrukh Umrigar, a dynamic legal professional and the co-founding partner of Consortia Legal, an independent boutique law firm specializing solely in Indian law. Prior to founding Consortia Legal, Mahrukh worked with a renowned Indian law firm, where she led its global mobility practice. Mahrukh is recognized for providing concise and practical solutions to her clients and business contacts in a timely and cost-effective manner.
One of Mahrukh’s most impressive areas of expertise lies in Indian immigration. She regularly services global multinationals, international relocation companies, accounting practices, law firms, and other service providers in their Indian immigration and mobility requirements. She offers a range of services from strategy advice to assistance in availing appropriate visas to post-arrival compliances in India.
Beyond her legal prowess, Mahrukh is a sought-after speaker at seminars and conferences, where she shares valuable insights on various Indian legal and regulatory matters. She also conducts global workshops for her clients and business contacts on numerous aspects of Indian immigration rules and regulations, employment and labor laws, and HR best practices.
Nurturing Future Leaders
For Mahrukh, leadership is not only about commanding from the top; instead, it’s about nurturing one’s talents and capabilities and guiding people at their own pace. She considers herself incredibly fortunate to have a mentor who has not only become her business partner but an integral part of her family. With unwavering patience, her mentor took the time to guide her meticulously, step by step, day by day, over many years.
For Mahrukh, the essence of effective leadership extends beyond the confines of the workplace. She firmly believes being supportive is the most important aspect of leadership, transcending personal and professional life boundaries. Whether in times of celebration or during challenging moments, Mahrukh emphasizes the importance of always being there for others, lending a sympathetic ear, and, most importantly, being genuine in all interactions.
“A key component of being a good leader is the constant need to learn, evolve, and be approachable. This includes both learning from peers as well as younger members of the team, as everyone has something to offer. The biggest leadership mistake is thinking you know it all,”– she explains.
Building a Healthy Work Environment
Mahrukh feels maintaining a healthy and inclusive work environment and a work-life balance is a key feature in retaining quality team members. Although some people will always be motivated by money, patience is necessary to enable a person to flourish properly.
At Consortia Legal, Mahrukh likes to encourage her team to come forward with ideas or suggestions, be it for work-related matters or administrative and logistical issues. She firmly believes in offering autonomy, space, and support for team members to discover their potential and grow with the firm.
Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Innovation
Under Mahrukh and her partners’, Jehaan and Satyendra’s visionary leadership, Consortia Legal is steadfastly committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Despite being a corporate boutique in its infancy, Consortia’s team represents diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity.
In an era where diversity and inclusion have become paramount in the professional world, Consortia Legal stands out as a firm that recognizes the inherent value of different perspectives and backgrounds. It believes embracing diversity fuels creativity and innovation, which is essential in today’s dynamic business landscape.
Managing Work-Life Balance
For Mahrukh, maintaining a proper work-life balance has been exceptionally challenging as she had to navigate the complex process of establishing her firm alongside her trusted partners while simultaneously embracing the role of a first-time mom.
“2021 was my year of two births. It has been hard but not impossible. It might sound cliché, but where there is a will, there is a way. Organization and forward planning (as much as possible with a newborn, who is now a toddler) have been key in managing the work-life balance these past two years. Not to forget, having a supportive family structure and the best business partners and team (who are like family) have immensely helped me along the way,“- she explains.
Growing Consortia Legal
As India continues to shine in the global economy, its legal landscape is poised for a transformation. So, Mahrukh and her partners aim to nurture Consortia Legal into a truly unique Indian law firm and expand its operations across multiple Indian cities.
“Whilst we hope to expand our operations across various cities in India, our focus to actively promote inclusivity and fairness while building on our principles of partnership, association, collaboration, and trust remain at the forefront of our endeavors,”– she says.
Future Roadmap
Mahrukh’s focus for the next five years is to grow as a person and professional. From a professional perspective, she aims to expand her practice, grow her team, and be a better version of herself daily. She doesn’t expect miracles overnight but small, steady steps along the way. Personally, Mahrukh hopes to achieve more self-awareness, better time management, and, most importantly, to ensure that her team, family, and she are happy.
Suggestions for Women Leaders in Business
Mahrukh suggests that women business leaders should never give up and be disheartened by the voices. There will be times when it might feel like a lost case; there will be days when they might feel it is not worth it and it is too hard. However, irrespective of all these challenges, they should take small steps, take deep breaths, and tackle one day at a time.
“Do not be afraid to venture into the unknown or out of your comfort zone. Being an entrepreneur and starting our firm with my trusted partners has been the best decision of my professional life by far. There will be a million naysayers, but remember, they are the ones who do not want you to prosper because it isn’t in their best interest. Trust your instincts and never be afraid to be authentic,“- she concludes.
The Champion of the Legal World, John Giannakakis, Is Nestling the Dexterity of Legal Compliance, Data Protection, Risk Assessment, and Cyber Resilience.
Counted amongst the top legal luminaries on a global level, John Giannakakis comes up with 30+ years of experience supporting businesses and organizations as both a corporate counsel and a freelance consultant in regulated multitasking environments. He has held positions of increasing responsibility, including general counsel, head of legal and compliance, and data protection officer.
With his exceptional ability to strategize, a 360-degree perspective of issues, and in-depth legal knowledge, John Giannakakis has carved out a niche for himself in the fields of legal compliance and data protection leadership, DPOaaS, risk assessment, privacy by design specialists, cyber resilience and recovery advisors, accredited data protection instructors, and certified GDPR practitioners. With his remarkable competence and exemplary legal judgment, Mr. John—the most honored Greek data protection officer in the world—has successfully created an impact on the legal community.
John has a law degree from the University of Athens and a law master’s degree from Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany. John worked as a general counsel in a variety of sectors and European countries after earning his certification in Greece 32 years ago. As a seasoned general counsel, he began to concentrate on data protection and cybersecurity, and after ten years of work in this area, the magnificent man was named the most internationally recognized Greek data protection officer in the world. In 2019, he also made the PrivSec 200 List of One Trust with the best European privacy and security professionals.
In addition to his new position as Off Counsel to NK Law (the top data protection practice group in Greece), John Giannakakis is at present working on his new book on the Internet of Things and privacy, The Hack on Hellenic Post (2022). As ever, with a consistent and targeted growth strategy, creating new client-centric services, and amazing teamwork, Johan is continuously riding on his career ladder.
Sharing more insights on his professional journey, the visionary leader asserted, “I had an incredible professional journey with many changes, with wins and failures that taught me that change is a definite part of life and we should embrace it, not avoid it. Looking back, I’m happy with my contributions to the Greek legal community, especially in the area of educating my younger colleagues to become privacy professionals and data protection officers. But most importantly, I’m proud that my teams have always referred to me as “the coolest boss” at every workplace where I have worked.
For the future, John Giannakakis wishes to be remembered by his peers and in the industry as an empathetic and affiliative leader who is constantly embracing change, not being afraid to try and fail, and always learning in the process.
The Primary Industry Hurdles
At present, the legal industry is suffering due to the latest tech trends like AI and machine learning. These technical developments are contributing to the swift decline of small and medium-sized law firms. The inability of older lawyers to adapt to modern technologies and the shrinking legal funds in large organizations are two other significant issues in legal field.
The Key Ingredients Behind John’s Violent Journey
John has consistently been driven to step outside of his comfort zone in order to grow throughout his journey by his constant desire to learn new things and pursue new professional opportunities. He is dedicated to ensuring the happiness of his clients, and his “closer” approach to even the most complex and challenging situations has kept him ahead of his contemporaries. Additionally, Johan is not treated as a distant “boss” due to his affiliative management approach toward the teams and partners.
Road Ahaed
On being asked about his future plans, the inspiring leader mentioned, “My next future plans are to finish my fourth novel, “Confessions of an Ethical Hacker,” a cyberthriller I’m currently working on, and to find a way to go back to my favorite European city, Valencia in Spain.”
He further aims to become a leading data privacy counsel in Europe and share his knowledge with younger colleagues. ‘To be a person of value and not a person of success. (Albert Einstein).
A Piece of Advice from the Visionary Leader
Don’t be afraid to experiment and leave your comfort zone. Stay hungry and inquisitive. Don’t rejoice in your accomplishments, and avoid becoming haughty and selfish. What we give to others and the affection we give and receive in our lives are the two main indicators of our level of happiness. Don’t let easy money tempt you; stay true to your principles.
Dawn Maroney: An Inspirational and Visionary Leader Heading Alignment Health in Pursuit Of Organizational Success
Spearheading marketing efforts around the brand, Dawn Maroney, President, Markets of Alignment Health, and CEO of Alignment Health Plan, crafted a unique stance for herself as an inspiring woman leader after being part of Alignment Health, a tech-enabled Medicare Advantage company championing a new path in senior care.
In her role, Ms. Maroney oversees Alignment’s growth and expansion in all areas, from sales strategy, product strategy, market expansions, and acquisitions to partnership account management. She focuses on leading the development of unique products, directing marketing initiatives, and handling direct response initiatives. She also oversees the complex planning and implementation of sales strategies as well as combining these channels with Alignment’s wide network of providers, health plans, and hospital systems. Ms. Maroney has spent the last 30 years working in the field. Prior to her current position, she held a number of leadership positions in the development of new products and growth in the Medicare market, with a focus on the expansion of membership, revenue, and plan ratings.
“Our mission is to change health care for the better, one patient at a time. I want to be a part of that by driving change to improve care for seniors across the United States. Competitors in our industry are following our lead. That is exciting to see, and it tells us we are moving in the right direction”, the leading lady apprised.
The Key Motivation Behind the Inception of Alignment Health
John Kao, Founder & CEO of Alignment Health, first encountered the distress caused by how disjointed and unconnected the healthcare system has become while providing care for his ailing mother and a brother with a disability. He collaborated with industry leaders in healthcare to create a new type of patient-centric healthcare company. And Dawn Maroney is one of those proud individuals to whom he reached out.
Milestones and Achievements: Membership Growth
The team’s and Alignment Health’s success is evident in their yearly membership growth. They recently achieved a significant milestone by signing up 100,000 new members. Alignment Health is currently supporting the California Assembly Bill, which would guarantee that low-income seniors in California with serious health issues receive more highly integrated and coordinated healthcare options.
Plans in the Pipeline
Alignment Health envisions a world where getting older is a source of confidence and where it is embraced and appreciated rather than discounted or treated as a disease. The team hopes that more senior citizens will have access to the Alignment Health experience in the coming years.
The Primary Industry Hurdles
Due to a growing provider shortage, the U.S. healthcare sector is dealing with a number of difficulties, including affordability and accessibility. By offering a wide range of services that make use of technology, assist the doctor, and prioritize the elderly, Alignment Health responds to these difficulties. To give their clinical teams insights to deliver individualized care at scale, Alignment’s proprietary AVA technology platform analyzes data from more than 200 unique data sources using more than 170 artificial intelligence models.
Ms. Maroney’s Take on the Leadership
For me, leadership involves gathering and nurturing a group of experts who are connected, cooperative, have the same goal, and are driven to succeed. I want anyone who works for me to grow and succeed. Everything I do and every decision I make is grounded in my faith in those who work for and with me. I expect all of us to use the stop, Challenge, Choose approach in our business activities.
Parting Words by the Influential Lady
Try to leave your comfort zone, which often means having the courage to take risks and learn from failure. Remind yourself of the value of resilience, so you can find a way to persevere when the chips are down. Always know your value. If you do not, few will. Take a seat at the table that you want. If there is no seat for you, build your own table.
Good to Great by Jim Collins illustrates how we can all triumph as time and experience pass and how that success can be ingrained into your corporate culture, taking your organization and the individuals within it from good to great.
BCG Introduces BCG X to Support WWF in Unveiling OpenSC for Sustainable Food Production Verification
Global food supply chains are responsible for an incredible one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions, with a staggering 80% of these emissions originating directly from the source, such as farms or fisheries. The complexity and fragmentation of these supply chains pose formidable challenges for major food and beverage companies that annually source the majority of food commodities, disrupting their ability to drive meaningful change toward sustainability.
To address this issue and help these companies achieve their sustainability and net-zero goals, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) collaborated with BCG, a prominent consulting firm. Together, they formed a dedicated team called BCG X, supported by BCG’s functional practice areas. Their objective was to create innovative tools capable of verifying, incentivizing, and rewarding producers at the source to promote positive change for both the Earth and the people.
Their collaborative effort gave rise to an advanced technology platform, OpenSC, which stands for open supply chains. OpenSC was designed to automatically, continuously, and reliably check claims related to low-carbon and responsible production, leveraging precise and immutable data. This has already led to the successful development of multiple Automated Claim Verification (ACV) instances.
OpenSC has brought two notable examples to fruition, allowing for the verification and tracing of products all the way to end consumers:
- Sustainable Fishing: The OpenSC platform now verifies the sustainable catch locations of over 15% of the global annual Patagonian toothfish (Chilean sea bass) catch and traces it throughout the supply chain.
- Fair Payments to Coffee Farmers: Partnering with Nespresso, OpenSC tracks every coffee bag from 1,185 smallholder farmers of the AMKA Cooperative in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It also ensures that each farmer receives the appropriate Nespresso premium payment. This successful program is being expanded worldwide to many of Nespresso’s sourcing regions.
Furthermore, the ability to verify specific claims about sustainable and ethical production and trace products through the supply chain enables companies to transparently share their data and narrative with consumers, business partners in the supply chain, investors, and regulatory authorities. OpenSC’s technology products are already in commercial use, gaining traction across multiple seafood and coffee commodities, with additional products in the pipeline for high-impact things like rice and palm oil. OpenSC is staffed by a world-class team of over 30 professionals with global expertise.
In terms of their role, BCG played a pivotal role in developing OpenSC through a close partnership with WWF. From its inception, BCG harnessed a broad spectrum of capabilities encompassing business strategy, advanced technology, and climate change and sustainability expertise. They provided invaluable guidance throughout the process, from the platform’s design and construction to its successful launch and ongoing scalability. As a result, OpenSC secured funding from prominent impact investors and established collaborations with major customers such as Nestle, the world’s largest food and beverage company, and Austral Fisheries, a subsidiary of Maruha Nichiro, one of the world’s largest seafood conglomerates.
Joanne de Guzman Rico: How UAE’s Marketing Trailblazer Launched and Turned-around Brands
Joanne de Guzman Rico, Salma Rehabilitation Hospital’s Head of Marketing, exemplifies perseverance and empowerment. Joanne has conquered several challenges since her humble beginnings in Manila to become a global marketing professional as she brand-leads a fast-growing rehabilitation unit under SEHA, which comprises the largest network of government medical facilities in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
From Academic Achievements to Professional Success
Joanne’s story is one of grit and academic excellence. Recognizing the value of a solid educational foundation, she worked hard to succeed despite financial constraints. She overcame the restrictions of poverty by earning scholarships through her dedication and hard work, and she embraced a future full of possibilities.
Joanne pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, graduating Magna Cum Laude from the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy at the University of the Philippines – Diliman after graduating as Valedictorian with several academic and special distinctions. Her commitment to excellence laid the groundwork for her exceptional career journey.
Rapid Growth in the Marketing Industry
Joanne’s corporate career started when she joined Globe Telecom, where she worked as a Sales Administrative Associate and then as a Customer Service Associate, earning the company’s honors and special distinction. Her marketing career took off when she joined Ministop Philippines as a Franchise Marketing Officer, where she received the coveted Rookie of the Year Award in just six months despite having no formal schooling in the field.
Joanne’s professional performance caught the attention of the higher-ups at the age of 23, and she was promoted to Advertising and Promotions Manager. Under her leadership, she managed a team of seven and spearheaded marketing strategies and campaigns for the company’s chain of over 250 stores. Mentored by one of the Philippines’ business tycoons, Joanne underwent training at Ministop’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, where she mastered the core brand strategy and successfully implemented it in the local market.
Pioneering New Frontiers in Healthcare Marketing
In 2009, Joanne broke new ground as the first Filipino woman to venture into healthcare marketing in Doha, Qatar, joining Al-Ahli Hospital as the organization’s Marketing Executive. Her drive and expertise were further recognized when she joined Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE, as part of its pioneer team. Charged with launching the brand and expanding its market share within the capital and beyond, Joanne single-handedly power-moved all marketing campaigns across various platforms.
Her dedication and contributions did not go unnoticed. Joanne was honored as the Burjeel Star Employee in 2013 and received further recognition during Burjeel’s 2nd Annual Day in 2014. In 2015, she was promoted to Senior Marketing Executive, and a year later, she became the Assistant Marketing Manager, overseeing PR communications and corporate events verticals.
Rebounding Healthcare Institutions
Joanne’s skills piqued the interest of NMC Healthcare, one of the UAE’s leading private healthcare organizations, in April 2018. As Marketing and Sales Manager, she was instrumental in turning around Bareen International Hospital, which had been in the red for three years. Joanne’s strategic marketing approach and relentless commitment to deliver results catapulted Bareen to its breakthrough growth in terms of volume, revenue, and profitability. Due to this, NMC stepped up business expansion plans, acquired more medical centers in the emirate, and placed them under Bareen team’s supervision. The Bareen Cluster expanded from one facility to eight in a short period of time, strengthening its place as a key player in the healthcare industry. Joanne’s remarkable achievements propelled her to the position of Cluster Head of Marketing and Sales, where she optimized the brand positioning, increased brand awareness, grew brand loyalty, and increased footfall, revenue, and profitability for each medical facility.
In August 2022, Joanne joined PureHealth and SEHA’s Salma Rehabilitation Hospital as Head of Marketing.
Championing Education and Empowerment
Joanne’s career is defined not just by her professional achievement, but also, by her profound determination to make a positive impact in the community. She has become a strong advocate for children’s right to education after personally seeing the value of academic access, particularly for impoverished children.
Joanne has been a steadfast supporter of World Vision Philippines for 18 years, assisting several children, families, and communities in underprivileged parts of her home country. During her time at Ministop Philippines, she introduced the Child Sponsorship Program to JG Summit employees and Ministop franchisees, and established the World Vision Coin Bank campaign across all locations. Her passion to help led her to arrange and conduct pro bono events for the community. She is now an advocate and spokesperson for World Vision Philippines on a global scale.
Women’s Beacon of Inspiration
Joanne wrote a book chapter on her experience to inspire other Filipino women to rise above obstacles and break glass ceilings. Her chapter in the Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network’s “Disrupt 4.0 Filipina Women: BEING – The Fourth Book on Leadership” is a chronicle of her challenging journey. The book was launched in the prestigious Gremio Literario in Lisbon, Portugal in November 2022.
Joanne has received numerous awards and recognitions for her outstanding achievements throughout the course of her 18-year career. Notably, The Filipino Times named her Marketing and Advertising Professional of the Year in 2017. In addition, she was named a Thought Leader in Illustrado’s 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf, Legacy Edition in 2020.
The Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network named her one of the Most Influential Filipina Women in the WorldTM in 2021, making her the only awardee from the Middle East. She was awarded Outstanding Leadership at the Health 2.0 Conference in Dubai the following year.
Joanne was most recently recognized in the field of marketing in 2023 at the Marketing 2.0 Conference for her extraordinary accomplishments spanning international markets over the previous decade.
Joanne’s journey has not been easy, as she has navigated obstacles and broken stereotypes based on nationality and gender norms in the workplace. Equipped with her basic principles of faith, passion, grit, and resilience, Joanne rose to the challenge and has emerged as a trailblazer, placing her at a distinguished position in the international arena. Her substantial accomplishments in the workplace and significant contributions in the community inspire those who want to make a difference.
Vladimer Botsvadze: A Highly Successful Global Leader in Digital Transformation
We are on a mission to help entrepreneurs drive their growth by using the power of personal branding!
One of the most brilliant minds in influencer marketing and digital transformation, Vladimer Botsvadze is renowned for his remarkable qualities, vast experience in fostering growth, and capacity to establish brands as market leaders in their domains.
Ardent and innovation-driven, Vladimer navigated through a passionate journey, and today he is regarded as one of the world’s leading marketers, thought leaders, keynote speakers, futurists, start-up advisors, and C-suite mentors.
Vladimer has had a remarkable career at the top of the technology industry and is known as trailbalzer in digital transformation. Throughout his 15 years of global experience, he has a demonstrated track record of guiding executives and top brands worldwide to initiate change, drive growth, and position brands as market leaders in their industries.
In 2014, he began his digital journey by using social media platforms for work. He made a lot of connections with people who shared his interests and developed connections with associations and corporations. He has developed his personal brand as a result, which has helped him flourish professionally and explore exciting opportunities.
Vladimer Botsvadze, ‘A Pioneer Around the Globe’
Bringing a blend of unparalleled experience, an unrivaled track record, unmatched dedication, peerless keynote customization, and unequaled professionalism!
Exeleon Magazine referred to Vladimer as “a pioneer across the globe,” and more than 100 international awards have been given in honor of his tenacity. He exemplifies what it means to be a self-made success who built one of the most well-known global personal brands via perseverance, long-term planning, and audience centricity. His keynote speeches frequently focus on his career in social media, making him the most popular speaker at global summits. His marketing tactics thus provide the groundwork for success.
“I’m taking action to promote entrepreneurship and social media globally because I want to inspire others. My keynote speech provides superior guidance and gets brands ready to go on to the next stage of being market leaders. My understanding of social media, customer centricity, and communication has led to a number of groundbreaking speeches. I drive companies forward to help them become the number one in their industries. I help marketing teams navigate what comes next and create bigger opportunities. My expertise in marketing, which includes practical and targeted techniques that are results-driven, fascinates audiences. My numerous board positions and accolades have established me as an influential thought leader”, the visionary leader further apprised.
The Achievements and Milestones Along the Journey
Vladimer is presently regarded as the No. 1 Global Marketing, Retail, and Social Media Thought Leader by Thinkers360 as a result of his impressive performance. Onalytica, GlobalData, the IoT Premier League, the Awards Magazine, Engati, Whizlabs, the Keenfolks, and Sparity have all recognized him as an influencer. He is a member of the advisory boards of the United States Artificial Intelligence Institute, the United States Data Science Insitute, and the United States Cybersecurity Institute. He is also a member of the Harvard Business Review’s advisory council.
He has been interviewed by the American Marketing Association in regards to his position as a marketing thought leader. He serves as a judge for the Gartner Marketing and Communications Awards as well as the Webby Awards. He has joined the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences as an associate member. Vladimer is currently listed by Thinkers360 as one of the Top 10 Global ChatGPT Influencers. He is just getting stronger. He has also been named one of Enterprise World Magazine’s Top 5 Successful Entrepreneurs to Watch and Insights Success’ Top 10 Inspiring Business Leaders Making a Difference. He has honoured with The Top 50 B2B Thought Leaders and Influencers You Should Work With in 2023 (EMEA) by Thinkers360, the No. 13 Most Influential Customer Experience Influencer by Engati, the Top 100 Global Retail Influencers by RETHINK Retail in 2022, and the Top 100 Marketing Speakers by Engage.
Additionally, he has been invited to speak at prestigious international summits like the Digital Talk Forum, the Global Marketing Summit, the Asia Retail Summit, and the Africa Chatbot and AI Conversational Summit. Vladimer has appeared as a guest on a variety of international podcasts, such as the Thought Leader Magazine podcast, Agiledrop, the Dream Highway podcast, the Value Prop Interactive podcast, the Small Business Talk podcast, the UGURUS podcast, the Branded Content Marketing Association podcast, Dr. Diane Hamilton’s Take the Lead, Engati, the Business Power Hour, Motivity, the Clicks and Bricks podcast, and others.
Numerous international publications, including Authority Magazine, World Biz Magazine, The Edge Leader’s Magazine, Voyage LA Magazine, Valiant CEO, etc., have featured him. More than 130,000 people follow him on various social media platforms, with the majority being on Twitter (54,600 followers), LinkedIn (28,900 followers), Instagram (9,600 followers), etc. He possesses badges and licenses from Thinkers360 in the fields of NFT, Metaverse, Blockchain, Digital Transformation, AI, 5G, Lean Startup, Entrepreneurship, Big Data, SportsTech, and FinTech.
Representing a Wider Clientele
One of the most sought-after keynote speakers, Vladimer combines pragmatism, storytelling, unmatched expertise, and game-changing first-hand experience. His on-screen commentary has been seen by millions of people across the world, and he enjoys great regard in the online branding community. He has given lectures at some of the Financial Times Top 100 Business Schools, and he helps audiences see the future differently.
On his path, Vladimer has collaborated with Gartner, the Harvard Business Review, the University of Westminster, RETHINK Retail, the Digital Revolution Awards, the Prolific North Marketing Awards, the Titan Awards, Seedstars, Take Off Istanbul, the Abu Dhabi SME Hub, the CMO Council, the Global Marketing Summit, etc.
Battling the Industry Challenges
The way people launch businesses has been changed by social media. Organizations continue to rely on conventional marketing methods while ignoring the influence of social media. Future-focused brands convey their story, care about their customers, and consider the long term, in contrast to the bulk of brands, which are transactional and concentrated on short-term ROI.
Vladimer inspires leading businesses to use social media for commercial expansion. He has been at the vanguard of global marketing, and as a speaker with original and cutting-edge ideas, he offers high-impact insights into the issues that will face society in the future.
What’s on the Card?
The magnificent man spends time working on creating new opportunities and constantly focusing on improving his results. He has joined many speakers’ bureaus, and he is due to speak at more conferences, business schools, and corporate meetings. Being a global mentor, Vladimer is highly committed to delivering excellence to help them drive their growth. Across the globe, he makes marketing more human and delivers extraordinary results.
Words of Wisdom
Entrepreneurs need to be consistent and consumer-centric, show more patience, deploy long-term thinking, and last but not least, tell their stories through contextual content creation.
India’s Aditya-L1 Solar Mission Successfully Launched: A New Dawn in Solar Exploration
In a big step towards understanding our solar system, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched a special mission called Aditya-L1. This mission is all about studying the Sun, our closest star. It will give us important information about the Sun and how it affects space weather, technology, and planet Earth.
The Journey Begins
Aditya-L1’s journey began at 11:50 a.m. from Sriharikota using a reliable rocket called PSLV-C57. This mission comes after ISRO’s recent success with Chandrayaan-3, showing India’s expertise in space exploration.
On Friday, ISRO started a countdown of 23 hours and 40 minutes for Aditya-L1’s launch. It happened at 11:50 a.m. from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. About 63 minutes later, the satellite separated from the rocket and entered an orbit around Earth, which is unusual.
This mission, named PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1, is one of the longest missions for ISRO’s workhorse rocket. But the longest one still goes to the 2016 PSLV-C35 mission, which finished about two hours and 15 minutes after it took off.
Aditya-L1’s mission is a significant step in exploring and understanding the Sun.
Uninterrupted Solar Observation
One of the most remarkable aspects of Aditya-L1 is its strategic orbital placement. It’s in a special spot called Lagrangian Point 1 (L1), about 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth, directly facing the Sun. This unique positioning allows Aditya-L1 to watch the Sun without any interruptions, like when the Sun disappears during an eclipse. This means learning about the Sun’s behavior in real time.
Aditya-L1 has seven distinct payloads on board. Four are like super cameras to look closely at the Sun’s light. The other three tools measure things in the space around Aditya-L1, like electrically charged stuff and magnetic fields. These payloads help scientists learn a lot about the Sun.
Mission Objectives
The Aditya-L1 mission is a treasure trove of scientific objectives that promise to deepen our understanding of the Sun and its influence on our solar system:
The Aditya-L1 mission has several important goals. First, it aims to study the Sun’s outer part, the solar corona, and how it gets heated. This will help to understand more about the Sun’s outer atmosphere. Second, Aditya-L1 will explore the solar wind and how it speeds up and moves around in the Sun’s atmosphere. Third, scientists will closely watch space weather, including how solar wind is distributed and its temperature changes. This is crucial for understanding and predicting space weather events that could affect our activities on Earth.
Moreover, the mission will provide valuable insights into Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and solar flares, which are powerful solar events. These insights are vital for predicting space weather near Earth. Lastly, Chris Hadfield, who used to be in charge of the International Space Station, thinks Aditya-L1 is great because it can protect Earth and all the technology we rely on. Solar storms can disrupt communication and electrical grids, so understanding the Sun’s behavior is essential for protecting our planet and technology.
Global Significance
The success of Aditya-L1 extends beyond India; it holds global significance. It is vital to learn about the Sun’s behavior and how it affects space weather. This knowledge is crucial to protect our technology-reliant world. Recent instances, such as the disruption of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites during a 2022 solar storm, Aditya-L1, underscore the urgency of this mission.
Vision Realized
Aditya-L1’s mission is a dream come true for many scientists. Dr. Jagdev Singh, a well-known scientist, played a big role in making this mission happen. The primary payload, called the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), resulted from his dedication and vision.
What Lies Ahead
As Aditya-L1 started its mission, it will collect a wealth of data on the Sun, including temperature variations, plasma behavior, and forecasts of coronal mass ejections. The mission will take about 125 days to get to its special spot, and from there, it will send important information back to Earth for scientists to study.
In an era marked by our growing dependence on technology, Aditya-L1 stands as a guardian against the unpredictable forces of the Sun. As the spacecraft embarks on this historic journey, it carries the aspirations of scientists, space enthusiasts, and technologists worldwide, all eager to unlock the secrets of our celestial neighbor.