The 10 Most Inspiring CEOs to Watch, 2021 Vol-1

VOL 11 I ISSUE 03 I 2021

CEOsMOST INSPIRING

to Watch, 2021

THE

Assistive LeadershipEmpowering Others:

Closer to SuccessOne Step

Peerless RoleLeading From

the Front

1

Imbuing Inspiration

hat makes an organization stand out from the rest? The

Wanswer may vary from person to person; however, there are several aspects: core values, innovative

products, result-oriented services, and a dedicated team that contributes to making an organization the best in the industry. Though mapping these aspects to align with each other for creating a fluid workflow requires visionary leadership, and that is where the CEO comes into the picture.

A CEO understands every aspect of the business and has the insights to demonstrate various traits to take the organization to the next level. With a clear mindset that is ready to face challenges at any given moment, they can make the decisions that can withstand the hurdles in the long term. It becomes essential for a CEO to go beyond employee engagement and correlate with their team to quickly adapt to the changes that present themselves as a challenge. The CEO inspires and insists on all aspects to drive resulted-oriented performance, doubling their odds with their out-of-the-box strategies. They are team players who know how to enhance their team's talents as a group and as individuals to adhere to elite practices.

Along with implementing the best practices, a CEO maps the internal framework of the company to go above and beyond to create dynamic elements that adapt quickly to new encounters and opportunities. They reframe the methodologies to stay relevant to the ever-evolving business world with programmatic

EDITOR’S NOTE

mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, capital expenditure, and productivity improvements. These methodologies help CEOs to accomplish, drive and communicate tailored solutions. These bold moves can bring encouraging disruptions within the company and in the industry. With such different values, integrity, and sheer fortitude, these CEOs can inspire the next generation of business leaders.

Seeking such inspiring CEOs, CIO LOOK embarked on a voyage to find "The 10 Most Inspiring CEOs to Watch, 2021" across the globe.

On the cover, we have Orri Björnsson, the CEO of Algaif Iceland, who has over two decades of extensive experience behind his back and has inspired several leaders in the pharma and nutraceutical industries.

Dive into such inspiring stories of various leaders who have transformed the face of the industry with their skillset and idealistic beliefs. Flipping through the pages, have a quick glance through the articles written by our in-house editorial team, and gain business insights with the CxO penned down by industry experts.

Dive right in!

Aditya Gaikar

1CEOsMOST INSPIRING

to Watch, 2021

THE

ContentsCover Story

Articles

24Assistive

Leadership

Empowering Others: One Step Closer to Success

36Peerless Role

Leading From the Front

Orri BjörnssonUnlocking the Powerful Health

Benefits of Nature’s Most Precious Resources and Nutrients

08

18Brent Kruel

A Veteran Turned Entrepreneur

to Improve the Quality of Life

32Dan

PrinceBringing Life to

Innovative Ideas to Impact Lives

of Millions

26Brian J.

EspositoCreating Bigger and

Better Visions for the World

40James Michael

LaffertyA Visionary Leader

Improving the Lives of People

CONTENT

Senior Editor Alan Swann

Executive Editors Aditya Gaikar

Alex Spellman

DESIGN

Visualizer Dave Bates

Art & Design Director Shubham Dali

Associate Designer Kartik Balapurkar

SALES

Senior Sales Manager Kshitij S.

Customer Success Manager Jack Ryan

Sales Executives John, Sagar, Dharmendra

TECHNICAL

Technical Head Aditya K.

Technical Consultant Victor Collins

November, 2021

Copyright © 2021 CIOLOOK, All

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Research Analyst Eric Smith

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BriefCompany Name

Nicola Veratelli

CEO

Orri Björnsson

CEO

Dan Prince

Founder and CEO

John Ferguson

CEO

illumisoft is a mission-driven, custom software development company that makes healthcare better.

OCTO is a leading provider of telematic services and advanced data analytics for the insurance sector.

ALGALIF is a leading supplier of high-grade natural astaxanthin products.

Purolator Inc. is Canada’s leading integrated freight, parcel and logistics solutions provider.

Brent Kruel

CEO

BioFunctional Health Solutions revolutionized corporate occupational health by leveraging the latest technology and

mobility healthcare trusted by small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

BioFunctional Health Solutions

biofunctionalhealth.com

illumisoft

illumisoft.com

Purolator

purolator.com

Brian Esposito

Founder and CEO

What started 20 years ago packing beauty supplies to professional and retail consumers has grown into a holding

company with operations in media, liquor, music, apparel, sea exploration, aviation, space, crypto currency, hemp, oil & gas,

mining, TV & film, and technology.

Esposito Intellectual

Enterprises

eie.rocks

Mark Barnes

CEOLNL Systems is a leading provider of comprehensive

communication solutions for retailers and supermarkets.

LNL Systems

lnlsystems.com

Algalif

algalif.is

Hamad Al Mehyas

CEO

Daman is the UAE’s leading health insurer and trusted Government partner, offering leading solutions that provide

access to unparalleled healthcare services, covering around 2.5 million members.

Daman - National Health

Insurance

damanhealth.ae

Octo Telematics

octotelematics.com

James Michael

Lafferty

CEO

Fine Hygienic Holding has been driven by one clear, simple mission: to provide its consumers with high-quality hygienic

paper products that will make their lives more joyful.

Fine Hygienic

Holding

finehh.com

Michael Whife

CEO

Selling Simplified Group, Inc. aims to empower companies in their marketing and sales efforts.

Selling Simplified Group

sellingsimplified.com

Featuring Person

Orri Björnsson

UNLOCKING THE POWERFUL HEALTH BENEFITS OF NATURE'S MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCES AND NUTRIENTS

Algalif is committed to providing a reliable supply of

high-quality, pure, sustainable astaxanthin from

micro algae.

“

“COVER STORY

Orri BjörnssonCEO

Algaif Iceland

Being a leader and taking charge of an organization is not an easy feat. It is way more challenging than it looks.

Though, there are plenty of books and even courses that talk about leadership and what traits every leader should possess. But leadership comes with a lot of experience and learning through personal trials and errors.

In today's competitive business world, organizations are in dire need of leaders who are mentally oriented to continuously look forward to reaching the finish line, set ambitious goals for themselves and their teams, and are driven by progress.

Algaif Iceland found the one as its CEO, Orri Björnsson.

Orri has been working in the pharma and nutraceutical industries for nearly 25 years. He has extensive experience in building and starting up new plants and upgrading plants in many different countries. Currently, he is taking Algaif to new heights with his exemplary leadership skills and competence in GMP, general quality, project management, recruitment, and operations. Today, Algaif Iceland is a leading supplier of high-grade natural astaxanthin products from micro algae, including ingredients and finished formulations.

At Algaif, Orri leads by example. We, at CIO Look, caught up with Orri to know more about his journey and how Algaif Iceland is helping solve the nutritional needs of current and future generations through the development and delivery of sustainable, high-quality micro algae.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at ALGALIF. What challenges you had to overcome to reach where you are today?I have been working in the pharma and nutraceutical industries for nearly 25 years. I´ve worked in the industry in Iceland, and in Eastern Europe as Icelandic companies took over companies there. Through my work in Europe, I gained extensive experience in building and starting up new plants, as well as in upgrading plants in all sort of condition. That led me to a position as a consultant for the United Nations in

Africa. All this work in many different countries has helped me to gather competence in GMP, general quality, project management, recruitment, and operations. My track record in getting things done on time and budget finally led me to Algalif almost a decade ago. There have been many challenges on that road, big and small. However, the most difficult ones always have to do with the human factor of running a company.

Tell us something more about your company and its mission and vision.Algalif is a relatively young Startup company in the biotechnology sector. It was founded in 2012 and we started operations in Iceland in 2013. Not long after that we had our first successful harvest of micro algae and commercial astaxanthin, which is our main product. In this short time, we have managed to become a powerful industry leader. Our mission is to become the best micro algae producing company in the world. We are already among the biggest and the quality of our product is unmatched according to our customers. Apart from that, sustainability has always been a big factor for us. My vision is to build a company that can be a role model for others in green technology and sustainable industry practice. We are already a green company, only using 100% renewable geothermal energy and working under strict Zero Fossil Fuel and Zero Waste policies. We also want to be a great place to work. So, quality, reliability and sustainability are the three key words that we keep in mind every minute of the workday to reach our mission to be the best and the greenest in the industry.

Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives your organization.A stated before, we, the Algalif team, work by a simple philosophy of excellence and sustainability. We are guided by three words: quality, reliability, and sustainability. We keep them in mind every day and every minute of the workday. On top of that we want Algalif to be a great place to work. Therefore, we try to make sure that hierarchy in the workplace is as little and as invisible as possible. My doors are always open, and we are informal in our communications. We also make sure that everybody in the company is on board regarding our vision and mission to become the best and the greenest company in the industry. I realize that our success is founded on the great staff that we managed to get to the company. And even though, technology, knowledge, finance and leadership matters,

the basis of the company is the people working there.

Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in almost every sector. How are you leveraging technological advancements to make your solutions resourceful?Our business is basically very simple. We produce one type of plant micro algae. But to achieve excellent results, as we have managed to do, we need to take advantage of all the best technology available. We grow the algae in glass pipes inside and control the whole environment very precisely. This is a very high-tech cultivation of simple organisms. We have excellent scientists on our staff and approach every step of the production from a scientific and technical point of view. Just to give you an idea. The way we set our lamps is a result of comprehensive experiments and extensive usage of data. To find the exact spectrum of light to get the maximum growth at every stage of the algae lifecycle is a huge task where we use both biology and data driven technology. And the result is that we have great productivity.

If given a chance, what change would you like to bring in the Nutraceuticals Industry?For any business to be successful you need a few things. Firstly, you need an idea of course and some capital. But the number one factor in success of any business is the

knowhow of the team along with leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and vision. In other words, good team, with the right mindset, is the main ingredient in a recipe for a successful business. This is something that the tech companies discovered decades ago and their success, in my opinion, is the result of that realization. I would like to bring that philosophy of people first, into the Nutraceuticals Industry. But there is also another huge reason for the success of Algalif. We believe that sustainability should be a way of life. All our energy is green, all our cars run on electricity, we also try to make sure the food in our canteen is locally sourced and all other inputs we buy for the business are environmentally certified. I would like to bring that vision of sustainability into the Nutraceuticals Industry as a whole. In my opinion, the best way to do that is to be a leader and a role model. To really show by example that a successfulcompany can be carbon neutral and sustainable. Finally, a transparent and open approach is vital for the industry to reach higher grounds.

What truth everyone needs to know about Natural Astaxanthin and Micro algae ingredients with multiple health benefits?Algalif is a producer of a raw material that is the sustainable natural astaxanthin. Our marketing is all towards other businesses. From our point of view, we try to get the message of the quality of our work

Algalif is built on a foundation of quality, purity,

and sustainability, and we remain firmly committed to

these principles.

“

“COVER STORY

processes and of the professionalism of our quality assurance team across to all current and future customers. We also know that the product quality of our astaxanthin is superb because we have been told so by our customers and independent labs and researchers. The health benefits are not really disputed in the world of science. The health applications are commonly acknowledged for muscle recovery, anti inflammatory benefits joints, skin, eyes, hearth, vascular system, healthy aging and so on. More and more research is coming out every year to support this. The truth that everybody needs to know, is that astaxanthin is an amazing natural product that has very beneficial effects on human health. And because it works, it is gaining more and more popularity every year. All our production is basically sold out and therefor we are building new facilities and will triple our production capacity in two years.

What, according to you, could be the next big change in pharma industry? How is your company preparing to be a part of that change? Everywhere we look, people are talking and thinking about the climate, global environmental issues, and sustainability. People are also taking action. In my opinion the big change will be that the market will demand traceability of all ingredients and they also need to be produced in a sustainable manner. We are also seeing this happening in the food industry. Being environmentally friendly or sustainable is no longer something that gives you a market advantage. It is more and more becoming an entry ticket into the market. We can clearly see this happening in Europe and America, but also in Asia and other parts of the world. Algalif is at the forefront of sustainability in this industry and we prepare for the future by getting even better at the things we are doing well.

Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run and what are your future goals for ALGALIF?The future goals for Algalif are clear. We want to be the best micro algae company in the world and a leader in sustainability, both in our industry sector and in our community. We are on our way to become the biggest producer of sustainable natural astaxanthin in the world. Once our new facilities in Iceland are finished, we will be producing micro algae in a 12.500m2 state-of -the-art facilities with an environmental footprint that is close to zero. At the same time, we want to nurture our amazing team and still be a great place to work.

My personal goal is to spread our vision of quality and sustainability into the industry and the community. Algalif is a great example of how to use green energy to create a profitable business and good jobs for young, educated people. Now we only produce one type of micro algae, but we are already doing R&D into other types of algae to produce other ingredients. I want to see Algalif grow and be one of the global leaders in the health and sustainability in the coming years.

What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the Biotechnology sector? The Biotechnology sector is young, and this industry is growing and changing fast. Unfortunately, only few of the companies and ideas that start the journey ever become a fully grown and profitable companies. We managed to that at Algalif, and we are thankful to everybody that helped us on that journey. My advice to other entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into biotechnology is to remember that this is a teamwork. Sure, you need vision, you need knowledge and capital, but the team is the heart of soul of each startup

company. And do not forget about your social responsibility. No man, and no company is an island. Give back to the society and be a leader in sustainability. These have been my guiding lights in building one of the biggest and most successful micro algae companies in Europe.

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Brent KruelA Veteran Turned Entrepreneur to Improve the Quality of Life

Apassionate drive to truly care for people by

helping to eliminate their pain and poor health is what led Brent Kruel to create BioFunctional

Health Solutions, Inc. (BHS). As the Chief Executive Officer, Brent utilizes his profound expertise to make BHS the leader in onsite and digital wellness solutions for U.S. employers. His venture has revolutionized corporate occupational health by leveraging the latest technology and mobility healthcare trusted by small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

We, at CIO Look, came across Brent in our endeavor to find 'The 10 Most Inspiring CEOs to Watch, 2021.' Our conversation led to more in-depth insights on how Brent and BHS have changed the landscape of the healthcare sector with their innovative technologies.

Let's unveil the journey to understand more about the Brent and his strategic mission in the health and wellness community.

Where did it all Begin?

Upon enlisting in the Air Force, after graduating from high school, Brent was assigned to a combat communications unit which introduced him to some of the most advanced technology of his time. He quickly developed passions for both technology and helping people. This was born out of his experiences during deployment into combat environments and humanitarian missions like Operation Uphold Democracy, in Haiti, in 1994. Brent went on to attend the United States Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, CO. While there, Brent’s highly athletic lifestyle led him to the track where he competed as an

NCAA Division I varsity 800-meter runner for the Academy’s track and field team.

Brent also suffered a severe injury resulting in a fractured spine from jumping out of an airplane at 10,000 ft during his time at the Air Force Academy. This injury jeopardized his commission and the ability to compete in the 800-meter. He pushed through the pain but still needed help to heal. He became passionate about alternative therapies that would reduce the pain and inflammation and allow him to function and compete. This new passion led him to choose the medical service corps office upon his graduation from the Air Force Academy in 2000.

It was a formative experience for Brent's career to be a medic in the Air Force. Some of his accomplishments include being in charge of building a new hospital, CIO of a large inpatient facility at 27 years old and landing the job of hospital administrator of the largest hospital in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Air Force also sponsored his in-residence Master's in Healthcare Administration at the #1 school of public health in the nation, UNC-Chapel Hill.

A year after separating from the Air Force, Brent was promoted to his first executive-level position in a significant software and services company that was a market leader in healthcare insurance and payment processing software. Not long after, Brent suffered another injury, a torn ACL, that required surgery. This was a success, but he lost range of motion in his knee and it was suggested that he have yet another surgery. Brent did not see this as an option and he went on a quest to find other alternatives. This is when Brent was

| November2021 | 18

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19

Brent KruelChief Executive OfficerBioFunctional Health Solutions, Inc.

| November2021 |www.ciolook.com

introduced to a better healthcare option and a model that professional athletic teams used on their athletes. In less than five minutes, in a treatment that looked like a pinpointed massage, he regained full range of motion without surgery.

Brent has experienced four more miracles of this level using these soft-tissue healthcare methods and avoided four surgeries. He now lives pain-free.

Brent’s passion about bringing this care to as many Americans as possible in his lifetime led him to create a company that will carry on his passion to a larger scale for generations to come. And so began the birth of BioFunctional Health Solutions. BHS is now the leader in TOTAL health and wellness, leveraging technology as well as hands-on soft tissue healthcare to resolve and treat conditions that cause pain. But this is not where it ends. This dynamic company offers a whole litany of other traditional wellness modalities.

On the Mission of Healthier Nation

BHS is radically passionate about improving American employees' quality of life, leading to a better tomorrow for them and their employers.

20

It’s mission is to make the chronic pain prevention and resolution programs available to as many employees and their families as possible, knowing that this will lead to a healthier, happier, and more productive nation, asserts Brent.

The company intends to be available to every American by 2023 either through employer-sponsored wellness programs or its new application, YouMari. BHS is the first company to translate its hands-on system into a self-treatment system coupled with a symptom checker enabling customized self-treatment programs to resolve musculoskeletal conditions accessible from anywhere.

A Complete Wellbeing Approach

BHS is a thought leader and innovator in musculoskeletal health. It has become the standard pathway for resolving musculoskeletal conditions (MSKs) like back pain, shoulder/neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), and many more, which are very expensive, invasive, and a leading cause of opiate addictions in the United States.


It is bringing American employees the most effective, least invasive, and most affordable resolution for these MSK issues that cause over 50% of adults' chronic pain. It does this by detecting injuries and dysfunctions through its patented 3D mobility health assessment system and leveraging a proven hands-on system that professional athletes trust.

This hands-on system is not new, although it is not widely available. According to Brent, the system was developed in 1991 by a doctor of osteopathy that made a revolutionary discovery regarding the relationship between the connective tissues (fascia) and MSKs. This system has been widely adopted in elite sports to include professional sports and Olympic athletes. These elite athletes are not the only ones who need to stay pain-free and competitive; your employees deserve this care as well so they can be productive and safe in the workplace.

Innovating Technology

BHS is an innovator in technology and consummate collaborators with others advancing technology in its field. It was the first to implement patented screening tools using a 3D range of motion analysis that identifies dysfunctions in the musculoskeletal system and joints. This analysis helps it to treat repetitive motion injuries before they become painful chronic conditions.

Envisioning Future Wellness Culture

BHS envisions itself servicing 100 million Americans within the next three years with its onsite and online solutions. Its goal is to be the first choice in employee wellness and MSK treatment for individuals.

Guiding the Caretakers of Tomorrow

Brent advises upcoming entrepreneurs in Employee Health and Wellness sector to match the solutions according to market needs by seeking and understanding the market before designing any solution. He says, "This is how we were able to redefine ourselves prior to developing and adopting technology that supports our solutions.”

"Do not get caught under the complexity avalanche of technology functionality and instead leverage technology to enhance outcomes for your customers without burdening them with using the technology," concludes Brent.

"We keep your employees happy

& healthy."

21| November2021 |www.ciolook.com

Empowering Others:

One Step SuccessCloser to


Any organization is as powerful as the individuals within the organization. The success of any organization is dependent on how talented and

resourceful people are there in the organization. Together everyone certainly attains more. The power of unity has the potential to break all the shackles and cross all the challenges that may inevitably come on the journey of success. Together people are able to make up for the weaknesses of each other and are able to enhance the strengths of each other. Challenges make the journey interesting because, in the process of overcoming these challenges, one gets to learn many things, and overcoming these challenges gives more meaning to the journey.

There is a part of leaders that gets imprinted on the employees in their organizations. Therefore, having an exemplary leader is the most crucial part of the success of any organization. When competition turns to the contribution, then life or business becomes a celebration. Leaders of the organizations should promote healthy competition between their team members. The purpose of healthy competition is to drive the growth of the organization. Everyone should contribute their best in a healthy spirit of contribution, which ultimately leads to the organization's increased success.

The empowerment by leaders of the organizations goes a long way in bringing out the best in the individuals in the organizations. Empowerment means to bring out the best in the people one is leading. Leaders have to lead by example in order to make a difference in every person in their organization. Leaders should have a system in place for the systematic training and guidance of the people in their organizations to make them more resourceful and talented. The role of empowering others is absolutely the most important task of leaders to drive the sustainable success of their organizations.

Without the quality contribution from the team

members, it is impossible to attain great results. Great

results come from the great empowerment of the

people in the organization. They should be inspired to

do their best; they should be nourished with the

necessary intelligence. To lead others effectively,

leaders should first learn to lead themselves effectively.

For that purpose, leaders have to exhibit high

competence and strong character. High competence

and strong character in leaders make them more

trustworthy. This helps them lead by being genuinely

exemplary, and they also have positive self-esteem to

lead and empower their team members.

The best way to increase the productivity of the team

members is by empowering them. The empowered

people are able to justice to their roles, routines, and

responsibilities more judiciously. What matters is

receiving the right guidance from the right people. If

employees of the organization get good guidance from

their leaders, they will be able to make a more

significant contribution to the organization's cause. It

depends so much on the complementary efforts by the

teammates and the leaders that lead to the successful

growth of the organizations. There are no shortcuts to

success. Employees and leaders should be conscious of

putting their efforts in something worthwhile pursuits

to achieve something valuable. They should be super

cognizant of implementing the latest technologies in

their organizations to improve the solutions provided.

It is absolutely of importance to deliver more than

expected to be more credible.

Nothing substantial in this world can be attained

without sufficient contribution from all the team

members and without empowering leadership at the

helm of the organizations. Therefore, the value of

empowering leaders is very much in all organizations.

Individuals are only at the maximum as much strength

as the leaders. As the contribution spirit of every

member in the team increases, their generosity to serve

very productively increases. If the leaders empower

their team members with sufficient inspiration and

appropriate guidance, they will be able to do the most

significant contribution to the organizations' successful

growth, and there can be more causes of celebration for

organizations.

25

Assistive Leadership


26

Brian J. EspositoFounder & CEOEsposito Intellectual Enterprises (EIE)


Brian�J.�EspositoCreating Bigger and Better Visions for the World

he worldwide business connections and strategic

Tresources enhance the prospects for success. Knowing how to connect people to create a

solution puts your dreams into action. Driving that passion of connecting executives around the globe is Brian J. Esposito, who knows what it takes to make a brand successful.

With over 20 years of experience in high-profile executive roles involving complex business challenges and high-stakes decisions, Brian founded Esposito Intellectual Enterprises (EIE) in New York in 2013. He is also serving as the CEO of the company.

Brian has dedicated himself to enriching the lives of the people globally as he proves himself to lead with a clear sense of direction and purpose. He is an incredible connector and is directly responsible for the growth of the company through strategic relationships.

Wholly owned by Brian, EIE currently has 75+ entities within it and over 150 joint ventures that have been accumulated around the world over the last 20 years. With a technique that he spent years perfecting, Brian connects the right people at the right time. He says, "Integrity is at the core of who we are and what we do at EIE. We strive to do good business with good people."

We, at CIO Look, caught up with Brian to know more about his entrepreneurial journey and his contribution to the finance industry through EIE.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at Esposito Intellectual Enterprises. What challenges you had to overcome to reach where you are today?

Over the last 20 years has been one hell of a ride. There have been numerous base hits, doubles, triples, home runs, and many strike-outs as well as hit by pitches. If you can follow the business comparison to baseball I am trying to make here. I would not trade my journey for anything, it has allowed me to grow, overcome so many challenges, understand people, and more importantly how to properly navigate any situation. I've always felt, and now officially learned, that there is always a solution, and time spent on figuring out what that solution is, is more productive than worrying about it, complaining about it, crying "why me!" about it, or worse, adding more potential issues on top of it.

Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in the Investment Banking niche through your expertise in the market.

I have gone to the school of finance through the streets and learning how to survive, add value, grow, pivot, and create market-clearing transactions. I have a unique ability to see things differently, understand what the market needs, and put together the right people, teams, and companies to create products, services, solutions, or technology properly priced and then correctly distributed to the market.

These efforts are to create real tangible value, boost balance sheets, and create win/win situations for all


parties involved. That's what I had to do and learn for myself while building EIE, and more importantly, that's what I love to do with the startups, and even up to fortune 500 companies I get to work with; create value.

Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives your organization.

We are an ecosystem of a few very simple philosophies. First, the company motto for quite some time is, and always will be, that "Time Is Our Most Precious Commodity". This is a crucial foundation that we only utilize that precious time with opportunities, people, and desired outcomes that we feel are worth it.

Money is a by-product of doing great work, and with that, we turn down more opportunities than we accept to be involved with if we feel the companies, entities, or individuals do not have true ethical standards or a good moral compass. I am very fortunate to be able to be very selective with who I invite into my world and who is escorted out if they add any negativity or toxic behaviors.

Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in almost every sector. How are you leveraging technological advancements to make your solutions resourceful?

I have always been technology-focused since the mid to late 90's when I built the first B2B and B2C e-commerce platform for the beauty industry. Since then, I have been building and working with some exceptional technologies. However, with that, the new and

seasoned Brian J. Esposito will only build technologies that have a firm business path to generate positive earnings.

I do not build or get involved with companies that have the "hope" to make money one day; they need to be on a trajectory to have a need in the market with a long-term positive outlook. I do not like the idea of unicorns, I like real businesses that create positive sustainable healthy earnings, and I love to de-risk the use of my time or resources when I get involved. That means immediately creating value and putting something out into the market that is desirable, accessible, fills a need, and priced accordingly.

“Use not only your

capital but your

network to create

new revenue-

generating

opportunities for

your investments.


If given a chance, what change would you like to bring in the Finance industry?

I would love to see the hundreds of billions of dollars that go into supporting "unicorns" be more spread out to startups around the world. I believe this would fuel tremendous innovation, job creation, and millions of successful startups. VC's and investment banking firms that are supporting unicorns because they are too big to fail are just wrong to me.

Once the IPO and those equity holders have a liquidity event, the new public stockholders that get in on the IPO price usually lose a lot of their investment. The market is not stupid and prices equities based on a multiplier of earnings. Eventually, those equities come back up and even surpass their IPO prices, but in some cases, this can take many years.

Where do you envision yourself in the long run, and what are your future goals for Esposito Intellectual Enterprises?

I expect our core business philosophies to be timeless, which are; find a need, fill a need, and work with good, talented, ethical people. With this simple approach, I believe we can continue to create exceptional value and continue to grow, pivot when needed, and create long-term safe strategies that protect EIE. I want to create a world that can continue to do great things with or without me, and EIE is getting to that point where it can live on and do what it was built to do, establish win/win situations that create sustainability and tangible value.

De-risk the capital and give these companies

more of your time.“


When a compassionate leader encourages people around them, they lay a strong foundation of acknowledgment and

support. They create an environment filled with passion, enthusiasm, and commitment to contribute to improving humanity's future.

Implementing this compassionate approach, Dan Prince set out on a mission to make healthcare better with his venture illumisoft. As the Founder and CEO, he assists his clients in understanding their needs and provides them with the correct software solutions.CIO LOOK embarked on a quest to find inspiring leaders; we came across Dan. We talked with him to know how his experience of over two decades has maximized resources that help healthcare organizations.

Below are the highlights of the interview: Brief our audience about your journey as a business leader until your current position at illumisoft. What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are today?I got my start very early in life thanks to having entrepreneurial parents who were early adopters of computers for their deposition service back in the mid-seventies. This allowed me to learn about computer architecture and coding at an early age. Playing with computers back then was like a game to me. I played on the computer much as I played on my Atari. I didn't imagine that it would turn into a life-long interest or a career. In my 20s, I worked in construction, and it wasn't until I was a father of four with all the bills that accompanied my children that I decided to get a college degree. I worked part-time, and my wife watched the kids while I went to school full time for four years to earn the piece of paper that would begin my journey into professional technology development.

In early 2014, I was given the opportunity to help someone that was in dire need, the CEO of an early startup by the name of Unidoor Enterprises, who had hired a technology agency to produce a prototype of a software system. After several months without any evidence of progress, he wanted me to help him determine if he should continue that relationship. He wanted me to do an assessment, and of course, he wanted to pay me for my time. My initial response was to turn him down. I didn't need another job. I had a good job already as a software development manager over

several teams at Epiq Systems in Kansas City. But over the next several weeks, he contacted me several more times, asking and then finally pleading with me to help him. I gave in and agreed, but only because of his desperation. I said I would help him, but I wasn't going to charge him because I didn't want the hassle of billing and taxes. I just wanted to give him a quick favor and then go on with my life. After a preliminary audit of the agency situation, I determined that they would not be able to provide the system. I reported the same back to the Unidoor CEO with regret about the situation. But then I saw hopelessness in his eyes. The owner had invested a lot of money, and the lack of software was keeping them from moving forward. If the CEO couldn't deliver on his part, it would be a huge issue for the entire company.

So, again, I gave in and told him I would see what I could do. Within a month, I had hired a handful of developers and was busily creating the software for Unidoor. So those are the things that inspired me to push forward with illumisoft and as a business leader in general. I just want to build something that inspires my sons to build their own businesses and, hopefully along the way, set an example about being centered around helping others.

Tell us something more about your company and its mission and vision.I take a lot of pride in the fact that my company, as a result of the people within it, is about as modern as you can get. We are a 100% remote company that focuses on high-quality customer service as the utmost priority in any client relationship. We mean it. We would rather provide good customer service than make a profit and are willing to make sacrifices to make sure that our clients get what they want and what they need. Each member of our team values hard work, intelligence, and a drive to be the best that we can be for our clients.

At illumisoft, our mission is to provide the healthcare industry with a technology partner that helps them to make the technology changes necessary to provide the best healthcare results possible. Our vision is to make technology work out of healthcare work. We'll do the tech stuff that enables you to do healthcare at your best.

Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in your industry through your expertise in the market.I wouldn't say that we've really had an impact on the


Bringing Life to Innovative Ideas to Impact Lives of Millions


“Talent wins Games,

Teamwork wins Championships.”


industry...yet. However, we have had an impact on our region in terms of our competition. Time and time again, we have had clients take projects away from other vendors and give them to us. We hope to be able to repeat this pattern of delivery so that we can also repeat the pattern of exponential growth, ultimately expanding beyond Kansas City to every research hospital in the US and abroad.

Describe in detail the values and the work culture that drives your organization.Being centered around helping others is why we at illumisoft have focused our services on the healthcare industry. We realized at some point several years ago that building great solutions feels good, and delighting our clients feels great. But, building great solutions that delight our clients and then realizing you've helped literally hundreds of thousands of people around the world live happier, healthier lives feels noble, heroic, and worth it.

Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run, and what are your future goals for illumisoft?I see illumisoft becoming the go-to custom solution provider for hospitals, private practices, and research centers across the United States. Eventually, we will spread worldwide. We have already seen a consistent, incremental increase in our growth, and we expect that to continue at an exponential rate. Additionally, we plan on becoming a product company and combining that with our service offerings. We have several product ideas in the works, and we have a couple of products already built that we are beginning to market now.

What would be your advice to emerging leaders?I've got a lot of advice for emerging leaders, but it does depend on their situation to a certain extent. If I had to give blanket advice, I would say you read and read constantly. Learn everything that you can learn. Understand that people are flawed and that you have to accept them for their contribution rather than their proximity to your ideal. Operate your life out of a place of love for other people. I truly believe that, although it is kind of corny.

35

Dan Prince Founder & CEO

illumisoft


Leading From the FrontLeading From the FrontW

ith great position comes great responsibility. The role of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is important for the success of every

organization. CEO of the organization sets the tone for everyone else. The standards the leader of the organizations set are emulated by everyone else in the organization. Therefore, it is important for CEO to lead from the front by taking responsibility so as to present the inspiring standard in front of others. CEO is responsible for leading everybody in the right direction for successful business growth. No organization can prosper and attain great heights without the inspiring role and contribution of a CEO.

Those CEOs who utilize the power and position they have to positively impact their organizations and industry are highly motivated themselves. The good traits in them help them to become inspiring CEOs. A CEO of any company sets the company's direction and establishes a strategy for the growth and development of the organization's business. He or she sets the values that are essential for the success of the organization and plays an important role in cultivating good behavioral norms in the employees in the organization. CEOs have to prioritize maintaining a positive work culture and cooperative spirit to boost the company's productive output and revenue. They make sure that their employees are trained sufficiently to contribute successfully to the cause of the organization.

Moreover, CEOS set clear objectives in front of everyone, and they set the right platform for employees for meeting the needs of the clients. They make sure that they are doing justice to the needs of all the stakeholders involved. Great CEOs know how to channelize all their resources and assets appropriately to be a win-win situation for everyone involved in their businesses.

Inspiring CEOs energize and empower their teammates and employees. They bring out the best in others. They see the potential in others and fan that spark to

increase the productivity and efficiency of everyone. They inspire employees to perform better, nourish them with the strength of knowledge, training, and guidance, and strengthen their employees' spinal cord with their continuous and unwavering support. They engage their assets and resources creatively to get the most return from them. They inspire their workforce to adhere to the mission, vision, values, and objectives of the organization and contribute their level best for the cause of the organization and attain great success in their businesses.

Inspiring CEOs make the lives of their employees easier. They help them in balancing their personal and professional lives. They understand that happy employees are able to contribute the best to the cause of the organization, and therefore they promote the happy, flexible, inclusive, and united culture in their organization. They keep the morale of everyone to the highest level.

The great CEOs are not afraid to break the traditions. They are innovative and disruptive in their approach to providing newer and evolved solutions to clients. They adopt best practices to deliver the best solutions to their clients. They have a broad perspective, and they see the larger picture. Accordingly, they take the most valuable decisions that are in the interest of the organization and ensure the sustainable success of the company they are leading. They are clever at implementing newer technologies for improving overall functionalities.

The proactiveness and presence of mind help them in becoming the most inspiring CEO for others. They don’t micromanage, they don’t manipulate or control others, but they simply increase the capacities of others to do more for the cause of the organization. They promote a healthy work-life balance in their employees. They appreciate the good work done by employees and reward them. They encourage others to do their best for the overall growth and development of their organization.


Leading From the FrontLeading From the FrontPeerless Role


James Michael Lafferty

A Visionary Leader Improving the Lives of People

Described as one of the most diversified CEOs, James Michael Lafferty is not just an influential leader. He is also an Olympic Coach, an award-

winning journalist, a college professor, a competitive athlete, a philanthropist, a husband, and a father of 5.

Currently, James is steering the ship of Fine Hygienic Holding (FHH) as its CEO. An embodiment of influential leadership, James leads by example, integrity, positive energy, and a clear sense of direction.

At CIO Look, we caught up with James to know more about his inspiring leadership journey and how he has taken Fine Hygienic Holding to new heights.

Diverse and Wide-Ranging Life

Growing up, James dreamt of being a track and field coach, which led him being hired as a fitness instructor by Procter & Gamble in 1984. This is where his course changed – a client who was a brand manager pushed him to apply for a job in marketing. He was turned down at first but refused to take no for an answer – and that is how his international corporate career began.

Since then, James has worked for a number of multi-national corporations, including Cola-Cola and British American Tobacco across Europe, Africa, and Asia, and now his home is in the Middle East.

He joined the FHH board in 2015, and impressed with the ambition and potential of the company, he eagerly agreed to become CEO in 2018.

Driven by Mission and Vision

FHH is, first and foremost, a wellness company. Building on the legacy as a leading manufacturer of sterilized paper products and its consistent dedication to quality has earned FHH the title #1 Sterilized Tissues in the World. The company also produces market-leading antiviral protection solutions, an area where the pandemic crisis opened the door for exponential growth.

More recently it has focused on innovation in the wellness industry. As a wellness company, its mission is to improve the lives of consumers, and it is taking the opportunity to do more than ever before to help the people it serves. The company motto is: “If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything”. This commit-ment extends into absolutely everything it does.

Its vision is to become and remain the shining star of the Arab FMCG business world. It focuses on out-innovating its competition. FHH is on a journey to become a publicly listed company on the London Stock Exchange. James believes that it will become truly a “big-time” company—uttered in the same breath alongside the world’s finest corporations and organizations.

A Principle-based Team

James never fully let go of his beginnings as a sports coach and incorporating wellbeing in the Fine Hygienic Holding ethos was his personal priority. This is not


41

James Michael LaffertyCEOFine Hygienic Holding (FHH)


limited to the products the company sells, although they are developed to promote greater wellness for all the customers; it relates to how it values the employees – the most important asset and it goes above and beyond to make sure they are in an environment where they can thrive.

James states that FHH is committed to their health and well-being, and believes that “if we take care of the people, the business will take care of itself.” An example of this in practice is the new corporate wellness facilities at its offices in Dubai – offering the employees free access to exercise equipment and classes. It has also launched a number of programs to look after the mental health of the employees ever since coronavirus hit.

When the Going Got Tough

Every sportsman knows that you can never rest on your laurels – and in 60 years Fine has accumulated more than a few (40 prestigious awards and counting), but it continues to evolve. Anticipating the COVID-19 crisis, Fine Hygienic Holding saw that it could make a real difference. The company pivoted towards safeguarding

“We also take our responsibility for the world we are leaving behind

seriously and are committed to making our operations

environmentally sustainable.”


the health of consumers by developing the Fine Guard line, which uses the most advanced long-term antiviral protection in the market. Its reusable masks, hand sanitizer, and specialized disinfectants have been thoroughly tested in global labs and proven to eliminate 99.9% of germs, offering comprehensive and effective protection.

Bringing Best Technology for the People

When it comes to leveraging technological advance-ments, FHH has invested heavily in a complete digital transformation, allowing it to conduct the business despite lockdowns and across its various locations. The company also launched its e-commerce platform, The Fine Shop, to allow the customers safe and easy access to all its products.

The organization utilizes a range of patented technolo-gies in the manufacturing processes: SteriPro, which is used to sanitize its paper products, and Fine Guard line incorporates two different non-toxic cutting-edge technologies, reflecting its commitment to innovation based on the changing needs of consumers everywhere.

The company has adopted technology to drastically reduce the use of freshwater in its production pro-cesses, support only sustainable forestry practices, have a zero policy for landfill waste across all the operations, and use natural gas instead of heavy fuel where possible.

Shaping a Better Tomorrow

Talking about the future plans, James mentions that since its establishment, FHH has championed progress, innovation, and diversity. As it looks to the future, it will continue to lead by moving to the forefront of holistic wellness. The company’s consistent focus is developing products centred on its customers’ needs and health.

Through life-saving products like Fine Guard and health-boosting products like Motiva supplements, it genuinely wishes to help in small yet meaningful ways to make the world a better place. FHH is also looking to expand into new markets, ensuring that its wellness solutions benefit more people on the planet.


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The 10 Most Inspiring CEOs to Watch, 2021 Vol-1