Author: admin

Me. Yves Constant Amani: Pioneering Excellence in Legal and Financial Landscape

Established in 1986, Cabinet BAO & Fils proudly stands as the oldest law firm in the Republic of Guinea. As a pioneer in the field of business law in Guinea, Cabinet BAO & Fils has played an instrumental role in shaping the country’s legal frameworks across various sectors.

Advising in French and English, BAO & Fils has more than three decades of experience nationally and internationally as a legal advisor on matters of Guinean law. The law firm closely works with the world’s largest international business law firms and from all major global financial centers.

At the helm of BAO & Fils Me. Yves Constant Amani serves as Legal Counsel and Head of the Advisory and Structuring Department. In this role, Me. Yves provides valuable strategic guidance throughout the entire transaction process, from initial structuring to the meticulous drafting of contracts. His proficiency in English enables him to communicate with clients from different cultures and geographies easily.

Me. Yves holds a Master’s degree from the Catholic University of West Africa in Abidjan. Subsequently, he also worked to enhance his communication skills and cross-cultural awareness at the Centre for Languages and Professional Studies in Accra. He also completed a one-year corporate finance course from the EDC Business School in Paris to deepen his grasp of corporate finance concepts.

Me. Yves is working on his dissertation for an LLM in International Business Law at the University of Cumbria in London to better understand corporate governance, international trade, and investment law.

“I’m deeply invested in completing my LLM dissertation at the University of Cumbria in International Business Law. This involves rigorous research, time management, and collaboration with academic mentors. Integrating my academic insights into my work at BAO&Fils enhances my ability to provide strategic advice in international transactions and complex legal matters. It’s a balanced approach that contributes to my personal growth and the firm’s success,”- he states.

Joining the Industry

Personal interests, academic achievements, and a vital need within Africa drove Me. Yves’s entry into the legal and financial industry. Recognizing a critical shortage of experts in these fields, particularly in regions with a history of French colonization, he felt a compelling urge to make a meaningful contribution to the emergence of a new generation of legal and financial advisors capable of delivering world-class counsel. He recognized the region’s unique challenges and aimed to bridge the knowledge gap by sharpening his expertise in international transactions and corporate finance. He understood that mastering these areas would eventually empower him to meet Africa’s specific needs and shape a brighter future for African economies.

Mission and Vision

Me. Yves’s mission is to substantially impact the legal and financial landscape, specifically focusing on Africa. His commitment lies in offering expert guidance and strategic counsel that empowers businesses and individuals to successfully navigate the intricate web of complex transactions and challenges within the region.

He aims to continue expanding his skills and knowledge, staying at the forefront of legal and financial developments. He strives to foster a new generation of professionals who can provide first-class advice tailored to the unique needs of Africa. Ultimately, with his grand aspirations, Me. Yves plans to leave a lasting impact on the regions he serves. He envisions contributing to economic growth, fostering improved legal systems, and enhancing business practices within the region.

A Smooth Sea Never Made a Good Sailor

Me. Yves believes challenges like evolving regulations, cross-border complexity, and competition plague the industry. However, he tackles these by staying updated through research and seminars for regulatory changes.

“Key challenges in the industry include regulatory changes, global transaction complexity, and competition. I address these challenges by staying updated through continuous learning, leveraging language skills for cross-border nuances, and fostering innovation through firm collaboration and professional networks. This approach equips me to provide effective solutions in a dynamic landscape.”– he explains.

Giving it Back

Me. Yves’s commitment to his mission goes much beyond his professional endeavors. He mentors aspiring professionals by extending his wealth of knowledge and experience. Through his mentorship, Me. Yves provides valuable insights and crucial guidance, nurturing the growth and development of emerging talents in this field.

Additionally, as a staunch advocate for diversity and inclusion, Me. Yves recognizes the importance of ensuring that opportunities are equitable and accessible to all, regardless of background or circumstance. By championing diversity and inclusion, he fosters an environment where talent and potential are recognized and celebrated without bias.

Picture of the Future

Me. Yves Constant Amani’s plans are marked by a continued dedication to personal and professional growth. One of his primary goals is to complete his LLM (Master of Laws), further deepening his expertise and knowledge in the legal field.

“My future plans involve completing my LLM, mentoring new professionals, and assuming leadership roles at BAO&Fils. I’m committed to advancing the industry, advocating for innovation, and leaving a positive mark on clients and the community,”- he concludes.

Packaging Innovation: Ensuring Product Integrity from Factory to Consumer

In the beginning, the primary purpose of packaging was to protect products from contamination and damage. However, with time, this purpose has significantly improved, with packaging now doing more than protection. Businesses use this tool to create brand identity, communicate about their products, and achieve sustainability.

Products go through various processes before they reach the consumer; therefore, it is paramount to protect their integrity. Any damage can lead to losses and ruined reputation. So, the packaging does more than protect products. It is the unsung hero that also attracts customers. Consumers are more aware of a brand because of its packaging. They are also more likely to choose a brand if the packaging is attractive.

So, the packaging is for convenience, sustainability, and enhancing appeal. This article will elaborate more on the benefits of packaging in preserving product integrity.

Enhancing Visibility

Packaging provides a visual appeal of the products to the consumers. The popping colors, creative designs, and graphics tell more about the uniqueness of the product. They are the selling point manufacturers use to capture consumers’ attention. Furthermore, some packaging has a window allowing consumers to see the content. This increased visibility helps them make better buying decisions, especially for electronics and fresh produce.

Branding

Packaging is one of the most effective ways of branding. It is a powerful tool that pushes marketing efforts. Today, brands can enhance their identity and create awareness through packaging. It has helped in personalization to help a brand create an identity that connects with the consumers. Moreover, brands can customize their packages to reflect them and uniquely meet consumer needs.

Protecting Products

The primary purpose of packaging from the beginning was to protect products during storage, transit, and on the shelves before reaching consumers. Proper sealing helps prevent spoilage and contamination, and adhesives play a big role in packaging. In fact, adhesives such as hot melts make for good seals on packages and containers, which ensures that a product reaches the customer when intact.

So, packaging creates a shield to protect products from factors that might compromise their safety and quality, hence the need to think about adhesives such as Henkel, which assist in ensuring the products are packaged and sealed in airtight, temperature-controlled packaging and UV-resistant seals. Having quality adhesives will help maintain the original state of the products when they leave the factory until they get into the hands of the consumers.

Eco-Friendliness

Recently, concerns have been about environmental pollution and how vital resources are depleting. It has pushed the need for manufacturers and consumers to develop sustainable ways to save the planet by reducing their carbon footprint. So, packaging today has shifted to biodegradable materials and recyclables for sustainability. Think of minimalist designs as another solution for addressing environmental degradation and other sustainability issues.

Extending Shelf Life

Packaging has also come to preserve products and extend their shelf life. For example, barrier films and vacuum-sealed packages help preserve food flavor and keep it fresh. It has helped reduce waste and increase customer satisfaction. Food items that are vulnerable to bacterial growth and spoilage are well protected by such kinds of packaging. So sealed packaging will prevent contamination through exterior factors like moisture, dirt, microorganisms and dust ensuring safety and integrity of food items for consumption.

Manufacturers are continuously innovating better ways to package their products. They intend to reach more people and make things easier for their consumers. That is where smart packaging comes in. Features like QR codes have product information that consumers can scan and read. They also have temperature sensors for perishable products. These smart features enhance product protection and improve user experience, making the products more desirable.

Optimizing Supply Chain

Innovative packaging does not only aim at the consumers. It also serves in the supply chain. The designs reduce the amount of packaging materials required, saving costs and reducing environmental impact. Furthermore, the design offers better product handling, stacking, and storage, streamlining processes and handling.

Functionality

Packaging has also improved in design for functionality purposes. Today, packages are designed ergonomically to make it more convenient for consumers. Opening, closing, and storing products without spilling or exposing them to contamination is now more effortless.

Key Takeaways

Packaging is constantly changing as consumer preferences and tastes continue to change. It is also developing with technological advances and a shift to saving the environment. Innovative packaging is helping more than protecting products before they reach the consumers. It also works towards creating and enhancing brand identity and achieving environmental sustainability. As technology keeps improving and consumer needs change, innovative packaging remains an integral element that benefits manufacturers and consumers.

Innovating Beyond Biometric Authentication Challenges Under the Dynamic Leadership of Frank Sandeloev

Acknowledged globally as an “Authentication as a Service” provider with a solution combining a biometric card with fingerprint verification with a full backend solution, CardLab Innovation has marked its mettle as the strongest cybersecurity solution in the market.

Dedicated to enabling card manufacturers, card issuers, and their customers to take optimal advantage of technological developments, CardLab has its own standard product and is also a one-stop shop for developing biometric card solutions for customers and taking care of the production with the electronic contractors and final card lamination, embedding, and personalization at their own factory in Thailand.

CardLab Innovation is proud of its significant contributions to the cybersecurity sector. They have constantly raised the bar, covering verticals like logical and physical access control, single sign-on, identity solutions like passports, government, health solutions, blockchain authentication, self-custodian crypto wallets, payments, etc.

As Frank Sandeloev, CEO of CardLab, revealed, “One of the founders had his credit card information stolen, which caused the decision to make payments initially biometrically safeguarded. This has eventually developed into a complete biometric authentication solution applicable for all business areas, and this is how CardLab came into existence.”

Difficulties in Navigating and Changing Industry Norms

As AI develops and identity spoofing becomes easier and easier in real-time, secure user authentication will become a major concern. Malware, ransomware, and other forms of cybercrime have all been major issues with double-digit growth rates up to this point, and AI will only make matters worse. Nothing totally digital can be secured against hacking, viruses, and ransomware assaults, which are the main problems of today.

The primary concern now and in the future is that consumers frequently need better comprehension of the magnitude of the cybersecurity threat instead of concentrating on unsafe, totally digital authentication solutions.

Further, the visionary leaders asserted, “I do think that one of our greatest difficulties right now is that development goes so quickly that no one truly knows what they are implementing out of fear of falling behind on digitization. This led to the current era, which is characterized by arguably the highest danger of data and identity loss ever. With its hardware and software biometric authentication solution, CardLab is addressing this issue.”

Nurturing a Skilled and Diverse Team

A strong team is essential to creating a successful business, and Frank’s strategy emphasizes the importance of the individual as a person and teamplayer. Additionally, there is a program that offers incentives for creative problem-solving and “out of the box” thinking. Equal qualifications necessitate equal remuneration, and CardLab adheres to this principle.

Synchronizing with the Latest Tech Advancements

CardLab continuously strives to move the solutions to a better place with greater performance by utilizing the most recent components and technology to maintain an open eye on all platforms and competing solutions on the market. In addition, they have several strategic partnerships with some of the key players in this domain.

CardLab’s Insight on Diversity and Inclusion

All genders, races, nationalities, religions, and sexual orientations, as well as potential physical disabilities, are welcome to work at CardLab as long as they don’t negatively affect the quality of the work. The team’s priority is to hire the most competent candidate for the position, and we already value diversity in the form of various sexes, ethnicities, and physical impairments.

Envisioning the Future

On a personal level, Frank aims to have CardLab listed within the next 5 years. Further, CardLab aims to educate the market to understand the real threats of digitalization; teach companies and government bodies good digital habits, and employ a combined hardware and software authentication solution to fight cybercrime, safeguard data, and ensure a continuous unbreakable connection between physical and digital identities.

The Man of the Hour

The driving force behind this revolutionary endeavor is none other than Frank Sandeloev himself. A 25-year veteran airline pilot and captain who has served as a qualified army officer and military pilot for 11 years. During this time, he has also represented SAS in the “Single European Sky” workgroup, which is tasked with developing concepts for operations, passenger identification, and throughput. Frank Sandeloev’s journey to entrepreneurship has been one of perseverance and hard work following his successful career in defense. He has been the CEO of CardLab for the past ten years and has helped the company transition from a technology development company to a production and sales company with some of the most powerful solutions to combat cybercrime. During this time, he has also represented CardLab as an IATA strategic partner and a biometric expert, assisting in the fight against cybercrime.

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.

Exit mobile version