The 10 most inspiring ce os to watch,2022

www.ciolook.com
VOL 01 I ISSUE 01 I 2022
When Proficiency
Meets Excellence
Patrick
Gough
Assistive Leadership
Empowering Others:
One Step Closer to Success
Peerless Role
Leading From
The Front
The Most
10
Inspiring
CEOs
to Watch,
2022
CEO, PKL Services

Inspiring High
Performance
through
Empowerment
ou can never cross the ocean until you gather the courage
Yto lose sight of the shore. Great success never comes from
shallow faith, fear, comfort zone, and half-hearted efforts,
but it comes from taking bold and decisive actions.
Today, CEOs, that are regarded as successful, created their own
path by following their unique thought process, creativity, and
innovative mindset. They believed in their potential and delivered
something unparalleled in the world.
What separates excellent CEOs from others is they create an
inspirational standard for others with their unique thought
process and exemplary actions. They don't create followers but
new leaders. They inspire employees to deliver high performance
by empowering, encouraging, enhancing, and supporting them.
They believe in empowering people rather than controlling them.
Instead of just being a person of external success, they ﬁrst try to
be a person of value. They believe in delivering high value to their
stakeholders. They conﬁdently go in the direction of their goals
without being afraid.
Imagination is more important than knowledge. Great CEOs use
their forces of creative imagination most cleverly. They don't
deplete their willpower and imagination on wrong things. They
consciously focus on the things that will help them fetch better
results. They are sharp at eliminating the unessential, decluttering,
and being organized to do what is needed and address the needs
that are needed to be addressed. They don't miss opportunities but
believe in transforming opportunities into great success.
Inspiration is a fuel that sustains organizational success for a
longer duration. Great CEOs create a great culture in the
EDITOR’S NOTE

organization and inspire everyone to reach their highest potential. They lead their team members
effectively, inspire them to reach their personal and professional goals, and contagiously inspire everyone
else to perform to their best ability.
Setting deﬁnite, clear, practical, and achievable objectives along with apt strategy and contingency plan is
the hallmark of inspiring business leaders. And great CEOs follow the necessary means and tap the power
of their resources to achieve their goals and objectives. They use their unique strengths and attributes to
inspire their employees and team members to take courageous actions to deliver high performance. They
bring out the best in others with their empowering and encouraging nature and constructively engaging
employees with high inspiration. Inspired employees perform better, and that leads to high organizational
growth.
In this edition of The 10 Most Inspiring CEOs to Watch, we have enlisted CEOs who are setting an
inspirational standard for other aspiring entrepreneurs with their unique leadership.
On the cover, we have Patrick Gough, the CEO of PKL Services. Patrick's journey at PKL has been very
fascinating. He joined as the Vice President of Human Resources. Later, his unwavering efforts and
splendid results for the company got him promoted as the CEO.
You will get to read more such stories of other leaders in this edition. Lastly, do not forget to go through
CxOs by industry veterans and insightful articles written by our in-house editorial team.
Happy Reading!
Sharad Chitalkar
The 10Most
Inspiring CEOs
to Watch, 2022

Cover Story
Articles
Assistive
Leadership
28
Empowering Others:
One Step Closer
to Success
Patrick
Gough
08
When
Proﬁciency
Meets
Excellence
Peerless Role
46
Leading From
The Front
CXO
Leader’s Viewpoint
The New Payment Era
36

Nir Simionovich
42
Helping Businesses Transform their
Customers’ Engagements
Bridget Jones
48
Informed and Forward-thinking
Leader with Wealth of Knowledge
and Valuable Experience
Steve Wilcenski
52
Passionately Driving Changes
with Nanotech
Kristy Gordon
38
Making Safari a Seamless
Process for People
James Michael Lafferty
30
A Visionary Leader Improving
the Lives of People
Dan Prince
24
Bringing Life to Innovative Ideas
to Impact Lives of Millions
Brent Kruel
20
A Veteran Turned Entrepreneur
to Improve the Quality of Life
Arun K. Singh
16
Strategic Cyber Security Leader
C
O
N
T
E
N
T
S

CONTENT
Senior Editor
DESIGN
Visualizer
Associate Designer Revati Badkas
SALES
Senior Sales Manager Kshitij S.
TECHNICAL
Technical Head Aditya K.
January, 2022
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Brief
Company Name
Brent Kruel
CEO
Dan Prince
CEO
James Michael
Laﬀerty
CEO
Kirsty Gordon
CEO
Nir Simionovich
CEO
Patrick Gough
CEO
Renee Welsh
CEO
Steve Wilcenski
CEO
Arun Singh
CEO
Ilantus Technologies
ilantus.com
BioFunctional Health
Solutions
biofunctionalhealth.com
Anywhere in Africa
Safaris
anywhereinafrica.com
Alice Chang
CEO
Perfect Corp
perfectcorp.com
Cloudonix is a cross-platform, in-platform communications
infrastructure.
PKL Services, Inc. provides professional support in both
Aerospace Services as well as Training & Consulting Services.
Embed is the worldwide leader of the integrated cashless
business management systems and solutions for family
Entertainment, Amusement and Attractions.
BNNano is currently the only company in the world with a
commercially viable manufacturing process for Boron Nitride
Nanotubes
Perfect Corp. is the world’s leading beauty tech solutions
provider.
Ilantus Technologies specializes in the Identity and Access
Management domain.
illumisoft is a mission-driven, custom software development
company that makes healthcare better.
Fine Hygienic Holding provides consumers with high-quality
hygienic paper products that will make their lives more joyful.
Anywhere in Africa is a tour operator, safari and travel
company.
BioFunctional Health Solutions revolutionized corporate
occupational health by leveraging the latest technology and
mobility healthcare trusted by small businesses to Fortune 500
companies.
Cloudonix,
Inc cloudonix.io
BNNano bnnano.com
illumisoft
illumisoft.com
Embed embedcard.com
Fine Hygienic
Holding ﬁnehh.com
PKL Services
pklservices.com
Featuring Person

Patrick Gough
CEO
PKL Services

PatrickGough
When Proficiency Meets Excellence
The 10 Most Inspiring CEOs to Watch
“ We are an elite provider of skilled
personnel, delivering Aerospace
Maintenance, Training, and
Logistics Services, committed to
continual improvement, exceeding
customer expectations, and
implementing quality standards in
dynamic environments.”

W
hat separates excellent leaders from the
herd is their qualities of working their
fingers to the bone, adapting to new
challenges, driving growth, adding value to every
stakeholder, and always looking forward to reaching
the finish line. Those who effectively implement these
traits and made it to the top, earn coveted positions like
that of a CEO. A striking example of this notion is
Patrick “Paddy” Gough.
Paddy joined PKL Services following a distinguished
30-year career with the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as
the Operations Officer for both, Third Marine Aircraft
Wing and First Marine Expeditionary Force. He served
as the Commanding Officer of a squadron as well as
Marine Aircraft Group 39 and as the Deputy
Commander of the Marine Corps Installations West.
He flew as a Naval Aviator in the AH-1J and AH-1T
(TOW) Cobra as well as the AH-1W Super Cobra and
the AH-1Z Viper aircraft accumulating approximately
4000 flight hours in peace and combat operations
throughout his career. Upon retiring from the Marine
Corps as a Colonel, he worked for six years as the
Executive Director of Human Resources and
Organizational Development for Orange County
Transportation Authority.
He came to PKL in August 2014, initially serving as the
Vice President of Human Resources. Shortly thereafter,
he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO),
where he worked as a key member of PKL’s leadership
team. As COO, he had the responsibility of building,
executing, and overseeing all of PKL’s systems,
processes, workflows, and procedures. He also played a
critical role in helping to shape and guide the future
growth and development of the organization.
Later, his unwavering efforts and splendid results for
the company got him promoted as the CEO of PKL in
February 2020, just prior to the global shifts we all
experienced in 2020.
Inspired by his journey, we at CIO Look had a
conversation with Paddy to learn more about his
journey and contribution to the aviation industry.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in the
aviation industry through your expertise in the
market.
Coming to PKL after 30 years in the Marine Corps gave
me familiarity and comfort in working with the military
and aviation industry. I understand the military and
business landscape both domestically and
internationally, which provides a valuable perspective
when approaching new business opportunities.
Additionally, I continue to maintain my networks and
relationships with military and non-military colleagues,
keeping me aware of modern military obstacles and
new business approaches available to solve those
challenges.
What are/were the challenges you and your team
come across in your day-to-day operations?
Since becoming CEO of PKL Services, our challenges
are the same as what many have faced during the global
pandemic. We continue to encounter challenges
associated with travel and moving our employees into
worksites in various locations around the world. We
also continue to be impacted by constantly changing
regulations and government mandates, not only in the
US, but internationally as well.
As a company, however, we have navigated these
challenges and more with success. 2021 has been our
highest revenue and profit year since the founding of
PKL in 2003.
Additionally, when the domestic military aviation
contract opportunities began to show a decrease in
margins, we made the strategic pivot to pursue
opportunities in other countries, like Latin America and
other countries to expand Foreign Military Sales
service contracts and Direct Commercial Sales
Be the top-cover for your
employees, fight the
strategic fight so they can
do their jobs, and
personally contribute to
the attainment of the
company’s strategic goals.
Have a plan and stick to it!
“
“

contracts with better margins to increase revenue and
profitability.
As a President and CEO, what is your opinion on the
impact of the current pandemic on the Aviation &
Aerospace Industry?
PKL trademarked a full-spectrum training system to
enhance teaching and learning environments through
the innovative use of emerging technologies such as
Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR),
Computer Base Training (CBT), and Advanced Live
Display Technology (ALDT). Our training system, which
is proprietary and trademarked, is called OmniSpec®.
Virtual education and training initiatives, such as
OmniSpec, allow for training, education, and learning in
a virtual environment unaffected by the pandemic
while continuing to attain increased efficiencies and
enhanced effectiveness of the entire teaching/learning
process. Aviation and Aerospace companies that are
slow to adapt or who refuse to embrace the virtual
realm will lag behind those companies that adapted and
overcame.
What is your thought on the necessity of a positive
work culture? In what ways do you implement it at
your organization?
I am dedicated to keeping PKL an employer of choice.
We have consistently been esteemed for the service we
provide to our customers and also how we treat our
employees. When employees from other parallel
contracts or from other companies tell us they’re
grateful for the opportunity to work at PKL, it brings us
a sense of pride in that culture to which we remain
committed.
We’ve recently been recognized as a Top Workplace in
San Diego and one of just 10 companies nationwide
recognized as a Best Employer for Veterans. This
prestigious recognition reminds us of the work PKL
does to keep putting our employees first.
As part of our commitment to our employees and the
culture at PKL, I have made it my clear directive to keep
communication at the front of the company’s mission.
Especially during the last two years, updates and
resources have been provided to the employees
consistently, assuring them of precautions put in place
and ensuring they have the most current information to
make the best decisions for themselves and their
families. And, when I received my COVID vaccine, I
openly documented the process and my personal
experience, sharing it with all of PKL’s employees. I felt
this would help alleviate some hesitation of employees
to receive the vaccine and also to show transparency as
a leader.
The health, safety, and wellbeing of our employees and
their families are my highest priorities. We “walk the
walk,” not just “talk the talk.”
According to you, how vital is it for emerging
businesses to align with sophisticated technologies?
And in what ways is PKL leveraging those
technologies?
Even before becoming the CEO of PKL, I was a vocal
advocate for the technology and tools to ensure PKL
could sustain operations under any circumstances. We
developed and exercised a comprehensive and multi-
layered Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). We also

invested significant resources and training in IT support
systems, incrementally moving away from historically
paper-dependent record-keeping and transitioning to a
cloud-based system for all departments, with numerous
layers of security and redundancy. We established and
practiced work-from-home policies and procedures,
invested in the systems required to operate from nearly
40 “distributed locations” so that when the pandemic
hit, we were ready and able to continue operations
unaffected by the obstacles everyone throughout the
world faced. When other companies faltered, we
succeeded. When everything was forced to shut down
in March 2020, this leadership and foresight ensured
that PKL could continue operations without missing a
beat. The PKL Corporate team was able to immediately
move to a remote workforce with all Corporate
employees working from the safety of their homes and
without any disruption to regular work performance or
deliverables.
In terms of technology for our customers and the
aviation industry, PKL has introduced advanced
technology and product improvement to customer
needs. We have partnered with a Singapore-based
technology company to further extend our capabilities
through the use of advanced and emerging technology
with the trademarked training system, OmniSpec®.
This training system allows us to provide on-demand
training through a variety of methods, including
computer-based training, augmented reality, and
virtual reality. Now, our customers can train their
personnel in any location 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Our courseware is tailored for each customer to
provide tangible results that improve readiness,
production, and profit while reducing training time,
employee turnover, and replacement costs.
In what ways do you or your company contribute to
the community? If given a chance, what change would
you bring to help other aviation start-ups & other
aerospace companies?
PKL has also established multiple joint ventures and
mentor/protégé agreements over the years. We do this
to support additional aviation and newer companies in
their growth and expansion. I am continuing that
responsibility to develop other companies as they grow
to graduate from 8(a) status and more.
More than 90% of our workforce of almost 600 are
military veterans. PKL is truly a veteran-friendly
employer and has been recognized as such.
Where do you envision your organization to be in the
long run, and what are your future goals?
PKL continues to pursue business processes that can be
performed virtually, paperless, and without having to
be in the physical presence of either employees,
partners or the customer. We have proven that we can
work effectively and efficiently via distributed
operations and we want to further enhance that
capability to better serve our customers while growing
the business.
We are also expanding globally with multiple
opportunities in Latin America, Asia, the Middle East,
and elsewhere. This global expansion is a priority for
continued growth opportunities, increased revenue,
and maximized profits. Acquisitions of complimentary
capabilities is in our future. Expansion of existing
contracts is a must. The development of a varied
corporate portfolio, both foreign and domestic, is
critical. Strict adherence to the level of professionalism
and performance that has made PKL successful will
never be sacrificed.
As an industry expert, what would be your advice to
budding CEOs aspiring to venture into the aviation
industry?
Don’t lead from behind a desk. The CEO’s responsibility
is to be out and about, visiting the disparate locations of
the workforce, being a physical or virtual presence in
locations throughout the world where the company has
employees. Don’t be an enigma; employ “leadership by
walking around!” Develop relationships with everyone
within the Company and with all external service
support individuals. Get to know the contracting
officers, build partnerships with other companies and
other countries. Don’t be just another contractor or
vendor; take the relationship building seriously. Place
the highest emphasis on integrity. Never engage in any
activity that could be perceived as being illegal,
immoral, or unethical. Lead by your personal example!
Be excited about what you do and how well the
company is doing…exuberance is contagious. Avoid a
“zero defects” mentality and recognize the difference
between mistakes of omission versus commission.

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Arun K Singh
Global CEO and Board Member
Ilantus
| 01 | 2021 |
16

eaders in the security industry understand the
Limportance of forming trusted relationships, not
only internally but also with third-party entities.
Leaders who demonstrate a go-getter attitude and the
willingness to learn with the team have great potential
to drive result-oriented solutions for clients. With a
unique combination of business acumen and deep
technical knowledge, Arun K. Singh paves the path to
success in cybersecurity at Ilantus Technologies.
Arun is the Chief Executive Ofﬁcer and Board Member
at Ilantus Technologies. He is a solution-centric leader
who motivates others to achieve their targets with his
passionate and vibrant leadership skills. His unique
ability to bring the best out of the team is backed by his
sound knowledge of the security domain and a strong
work ethic. To gain insights into his successful
methodologies, we at CIO LOOK interviewed Arun
focusing on his professional journey.
Brief our audience about your journey as a business
leader until your current position at Ilantus
Technologies. What challenges have you had to
overcome to reach where you are today?
I started my career in cybersecurity as a cryptographer
and security research professional and later moved on
to building and driving cybersecurity businesses for
multiple organizations. After my post-graduation from
the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India, I
joined Infosys Technologies and focused on creating
innovative security solutions for healthcare industries.
That was the time when regulations such as HIPAA,
PCI, and Sarbanes Oxley were catching up in the
market. This trend was recognized by Wipro
Technologies and they invited me to build a global
Enterprise security business. My journey with Wipro
started with a very small group of 40 cybersecurity
professionals which scaled up to a large number of
professionals with a strong global footprint and
services covering end-to-end cybersecurity domain
from risk & compliance to application security, data
protection, infrastructure security, security operations
and convergence of logical & physical security. We won
multiple awards for productized service offerings and
established a global security brand. The key challenge
during my tenure at Wipro was to develop a team of
skilled professionals in each geo who can interact with
the client on the end-to-end cybersecurity domain to
position all the services with equal strength.
My success at Wipro was noticed by Accenture, and I
was invited to join their global cybersecurity group as
Managing Director. Though I was hired to drive security
consulting and implementation business however soon
after my joining, I realized the potential to build a
managed security business aligned with Accenture’s
Infrastructure and Application Outsourcing business.
Arun K. Singh
Strategic Cyber Security Leader
At Ilantus, we envision that
our ﬂagship solution,
Compact Identity, will
continue to hold the market
leadership position in the
class of converged IAM, and
we are continuously
striving towards achieving
that goal.
| 01 | 2021 |
17

This led to the development of a business case and
obtaining funding approved from the Steering
Committee to start a new group focused on Managed
Security Operations. As the global leader for Managed
Security business, I had to pass through many
challenges e.g. defining the service catalog aligned with
the market, baselining delivery processes, defining
guide rails, set up sales and delivery capabilities from
scratch, and continuously engage senior management
by demonstrating customer success stories. It was an
extremely rich experience to build the global business
by setting up security operation centers in different
parts of the world, acquiring clients in each region,
demonstrating profitable growth, and getting high
recognition from analyst groups.
After Accenture, I joined EY LLP as Americas Risk
Advisory leader and Partner to build the
“Cybersecurity-as-a-Service (CaaS)” business. I started
working with EY Global team to develop a business
case and obtained funding from EY’s Advisory
Investment Committee (AIC) for this new business. My
work involved selecting cutting-edge technologies to
implement SaaS solutions covering Digital Identity,
Data Protection, Threat Detection & Response, and
Threat exposure management. These innovative
solutions were developed leveraging Artificial
Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotic Process
Automation, Threat Intelligence, and Security Analytics
tools. We established an advanced center for
cybersecurity in USA to run CaaS operations. Setting up
the next generation, fully automated, and cloud-
delivered cybersecurity services for EY’s enterprise
clients was a great challenge to solve at EY. My quest to
do something more challenging prompted me to move
out of EY and join Ilantus Technologies as the Chief
Executive Officer. Ilantus had been in cybersecurity
domain since past two decades and provided right
platform for me.
Ilantus has a startup culture, and my past experiences
of working with large organizations came in handy in
going through a transformation cycle to align Ilantus’
growth trajectory with the market. Currently, I am
focused on driving an accelerated growth for Ilantus
and taking this company to next level.
Enlighten us on how Ilantus have made an impact in
the (respective) niche through security expertise in
the market?
As a professional services organization, Ilantus have
implemented 3rd party IAM products for clients
globally for many years. That experience made us
realize that the IAM vendors are offering only
fragments of the IAM solution, and clients are
burdened with not only buying 5 to 7 different products
to solve their IAM requirements but also spent
significant time and effort in integrating them. This led
to the creation of Compact Identity, which is a
comprehensive solution that converges Access
Management, Identity Governance and Administration,
Identity Analytics, and Privileged Access Management
capabilities in a single platform and is backed by an
intelligent risk engine and robust identity analytics. It is
cloud-native, risk-aware, easy to use, and built on the
Zero-trust framework to provide Identity centric
holistic cybersecurity to secure clients and their digital
transformation journey.
Leading analysts agree that converged IAM is the
future of IAM, especially in a covid influenced business
landscape where Work from Home is the new normal,
and Compact Identity from Ilantus continues to be a
leader in this space recognized consistently for its
innovative features and simplicity. Compact Identity is
the only solution in the market that is a true converged
IAM solution. With three patents, this product is in the
3rd generation of maturity and enjoys a diverse client
base across Retail, Healthcare, Education,
Manufacturing, Telecom, BFSI, and Government
sectors.
Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run,
and what are your future goals for Ilantus
Technologies?
In the long run, I envision myself working closely with
the investment firms, serving as advisory board leader
for cybersecurity companies and growing business at
Ilantus. The future goals for Ilantus is to further
enhance its identity analytics engine to integrate it with
the latest cybersecurity solutions in the organization
and create more use cases for Artificial Intelligence and
Machine Learning to leverage these solutions deeply. In
the next five years, we see Ilantus as a strong global
brand and a major player in the Converged IAM space.
| 01 | 2021 |
18

Brent Kruel
A Veteran Turned Entrepreneur
to Improve the Quality of Life
A
passionate 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
| 01 | 2021 |
20

Brent Kruel
Chief Executive Oﬃcer
BioFunctional Health Solutions, Inc.
| 01 | 2021 |
21

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.
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 are very expensive,
invasive, and a leading cause of opiate addictions in the
United States.
| 01 | 2021 |
22

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."
| 01 | 2021 |
23

W
hen 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.
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
| 01 | 2021 |
24

BringingLifetoInnovativeIdeas
toImpactLivesofMillions
| 01 | 2021 |
25

“Talent wins Games,
Teamwork wins Championships.”
| 01 | 2021 |
26

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.
Dan Prince
Founder & CEO
illumisoft
| 01 | 2021 |
27

Empowering Others:
One Step Success
Closer to
| 01 | 2021 |
28

A
ny 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.
| 01 | 2021 |
Assistive Leadership
29

James Michael
Lafferty
A Visionary Leader Improving the Lives of People
D
escribed 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
| 01 | 2021 |
30

James Michael
Lafferty
CEO
Fine Hygienic
Holding (FHH)
| 01 | 2021 |
31

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.”
| 01 | 2021 |
32

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.
| 01 | 2021 |
33

Making Safari a Seamless Process for People
hen planning a safari trip, one expects their
Wtime to feel incredible, with animal spotting
by day and stargazing by night. Having a
spectacular experience to be left awestruck is what
people seek on safari. To provide such an exhilarating
experience, Kirsty Gordon plans meticulous trips and
tours to Africa and Indian Ocean Islands, to make your
journey a reminiscing experience for a lifetime. As the
CEO and Owner of Anywhere in Africa Safaris, Kirsty
implies her immense knowledge about travel and
tourism to make your safari experience wonderful
while managing all the details from hotels, flights, and
meals, to make your journey straightforward and
seamless.
We at CIO LOOK embarked on the journey to learn
more about Kirsty's 31 years of experience as an
African travel specialist and how she provides
accessibility to ensure that your trips go smoothly.
leader until your current position at the company.
What challenges have you had to overcome to reach
where you are today?
I studied travel and tourism when I left school, which
was over 30 years ago, and then went straight into
working for a travel agency in Cape Town called
Wynberg Travel. I was doing corporate travel at the
time, and about a year later, there was an opening in
their Incentive Division, which I applied for and was
offered the job. This was super exciting as we focused
only on doing travel incentives for big corporate
companies.
One of my first incentives was for 350 people from
Opel, Germany, to Cape Town. This was challenging as,
at that time, there were not as many large hotels that
could handle such a big group, but we made a plan and
got everyone accommodated. We did special events like
- Cape Minstrels on Table Mountain with cocktails and
snacks for our guests, themed Fishman evening at the
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Then I left Cape Town
and moved to KwaZulu Natal where I started two travel
companies - one was an authentic overland company
called Heading South Safaris specializing in ''glam
camping'' in Botswana / Okavango Delta, with typical
''Out of Africa Safari'' dinners under the stars around a
set table with crystal glasses, white linen, and cutlery;
all in the middle of Botswana. My other company was
focused on online travel.
I was also a professional horse rider in South Africa, and
in 2004 I had the opportunity to go and try and qualify
for Beijing Olympics to ride for South Africa as an
individual in 3-day Eventing. As I was too old to get a
work visa, I applied for an ancestral visa and sold my
two businesses to move to the UK. I was offered an
incredible opportunity to ride for Jane Holdermess
Roddam and try and qualify on her horse Tiger's Eye II.
Sadly, I missed the qualification for the Olympics due to
a fall and slipping disks in my lower back which
subsequently resulted in a back operation in the UK. I
got back to riding within three months but ran out of
time to get the final three qualifications in place to ride
for the Olympics.
So, in 2008 I decided it was time to return to Africa. I
missed the beautiful blue skies, lovely warm weather,
incredible people, and my family. When I landed back in
| 01 | 2021 |
38

Cape Town, I knew that I wanted to base myself in this
city that nestles below Table Mountain. This is where I
decided that the travel industry was still very much in
my blood. The soccer world cup was going to be run in
South Africa in 2009, and tourism was the buzzword! I
had to do some soul searching as this was the
crossroads in my life - do I stay in the travel industry?
The answer was yes…I love people, I love Travel, and I
love Africa, so why was I trying to reinvent the wheel.
I started Anywhere in Africa Safaris and was then
approached to assist with a company that specialized in
YPO travel. Anywhere in Africa Safaris was put on hold
while I ran this other company for ﬁve years.
Over the next few years, I start to observe areas not
only in the industry but also in myself that I felt needed
to be addressed.
Having worked with the big travel companies, I started
to notice that often the client who should be the main
focus of the business gets to be a number and
sometimes passed from consultant to consultant as
they leave or move to different positions. Often by the
time the clients' trip arrived, their information has
become pretty diluted, which compromises the clients
overall experience.
Another reason was that I had studied travel and
tourism as I wanted to work with planning trips, but
down the line, I was ''managing staff and more staff''
and didn't have any interaction with the clients or their
dream trips. So, I decided in 2015 to regenerate
Anywhere in Africa Safaris and put all my focus on
developing a company that I believe is the future model
for travel. It has been the best decision I have ever
made, and it is so exciting to see how Anywhere in
Africa Safaris is going from strength to strength.
We have weathered the storm the past year and a half
through covid. Our clients moved bookings but didn't
cancel, and focused on increasing our social media
outreach, and we focused on making sure that all our
clients knew we were still here and going strong -
developing trust!
I have been so grateful as the bookings are coming in
fast and furiously with my international clients
desperate to travel to Africa - bookings into Tanzania,
Zanzibar, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Botswana, and
Zimbabwe have been consistent. And exciting to see
new inquiries coming through for travel in 2022 and
2023. Even though we have had come challenges in
Southern Africa with some countries putting us back on
Red Lists, the encouraging thing is that clients are still
traveling as long as they can arrive on ﬂights and get
over borders. It is super encouraging how Africa is very
much the destination to travel even in these challenging
times. December is looking fantastic for bookings, with
bookings streaming in for 2022 and 2023!
mission and vision.
Our mission is to create philanthropic journeys for our
clients to Africa and Indian Ocean Islands that are
immersive and life-changing.
Our vision has been to create a tourism company that is
small, personalized, and focuses on the client's bucket
list dreams of traveling to Africa and the Indian Ocean
Islands in the care of a trusted travel company.
| 01 | 2021 |
40

Our Goal - Anywhere in Africa Safaris believes that
traveling to Africa has the power not only to transform
you, the guest, as you experience places, people and
wildlife, that are unique to the world; but in turn you
make an extraordinary difference in your support as an
''Ambassador of Africa''. Tourism is vital for the African
economies, and each dollar helps to transform the land,
wildlife, and communities, for environmental and
community protection; so that present and future
generations can come and visit this incredible continent
- Africa.
Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in your
respective niche through your expertise in the market.
I pride myself in the relationships I have developed,
over the past 30 years, with sustainable, ethical,
conservation-minded properties and operators all over
Africa. From hands-on rhino monitoring and gorilla
research experiences to donating a portion of every
booking to an incredible cause like Elephant Havens in
Botswana.
I focus on supporting suppliers in the industry who are
focused on conservation, wildlife, and community so my
clients know that their trips have made a impact and
difference to the areas they have traveled and that they
can leave Africa knowing that their trip has made a
contribution to the sustainability of Africa. My clients
can pride themselves on being ''Ambassadors for
Africa''.
Undeniably, technology is playing a signiﬁcant role in
almost every sector. How are you leveraging
technological advancements to make your solutions
resourceful?
We are keeping a balance between the ''old'' and the
''new'' technology. In the past, we haven't had to focus
too much on social media as our clients have always
been repeated and referral clients. When covid hit last
year, I had some time to focus more on social media and
how we could turn the ''covid'' situation of no travel to
our advantage. I employed an incredible social media
team who is focusing on blog posts, newsletters,
Facebook, linked in, and Instagram so increasing our
overall social media reach.
This has certainly helped us to stay top of mind with our
present clients, database and to bring in and work with
incredible new clients who have found us through our
new marketing/ social media reach. The most important
is that we are here and going strong so clients new and
old trust our integrity, honesty, and knowledge in
planning and assisting them with the challenging travel
experiences, so their trips run smoothly and efﬁciently.
We are sitting on the fence with regards to going too
''digital'' with itineraries as many clients still like to have
the feel of a beautiful booklet itinerary in their hands
during their travels and not only focused on their
mobile phone for the app itinerary or digital itinerary.
Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run,
and what are your future goals for the company?
The reason I started Anywhere in Africa Safaris is that I
believe there are a need for smaller high-end boutique
''tour operators'' that have a small staff compliment
where all the staff is passionate about what they do and
that they are not in it just for the ''job''. As the CEO I
want to get involved in planning and helping plan my
clients' trips, not just oversee. Clients spend a lot of
money coming to Africa, so they deserve to have the
best people/person working with them, so our journeys
change their lives!
My dream has always been
to create a tourism company
that is personalized and
focuses on the client's
bucket list dreams of
traveling to Africa and offers
more than just booking the
clients trips.
‘‘
‘‘
| 01 | 2021 |
41

Helping Businesses Transform their
Customers’ Engagements
Nir Simionovich
Nir Simionovich | Founder and CEO | Cloudonix, Inc.
| 01 | 2021 |
42

espite being one of the most coveted titles, the
Djob of CEO is the loneliest job in the business. It
comes with a lot of responsibilities. When ﬁlling
this role, companies look for a leader who not only has
the necessary degrees but also the insight, judgment,
and strength of character. Nir Simionovich had it in him
and thus, is the CEO of Cloudonix today.
Passionate about disrupting the communications
market, Nir is an Open Source integration expert and
evangelist. Inspired by his passion and vision, we at CIO
Look caught up with Nir to learn more about his
journey and how he is bridging the gap between
existing customer care systems and the era of digital
transformation through Cloudonix.
leader until your current position at Cloudonix. What
challenges have you had to overcome to reach where
you are today?
I’ve been an Open Source evangelist since my college
days, way back in 1996. Since 2001, I’ve been
increasingly involved with the Open Source Telephony
movement. In 2007, I went out and started a consulting
company. Learning to design solutions and properly
pricing was easier than becoming a leader. In 2015 we
spun Cloudonix out of that consulting company. Now
being an entrepreneur is very challenging – everyone
will tell you that. But the thing is that most
entrepreneurs won’t admit, or purely are afraid to
admit – the only thing the challenges them truly is:
LONELINESS. It never quite hit me, at least as hard as it
did during 2017, how lonely is the seat of the CEO.
mission and vision.
One of the things we have realized during the pandemic
is that everyone is rushing into a digital transformation,
embracing Omnichannel. But, the experience of
Omnichannel is broken. For each new channel, you
need to spend weeks or months integrating the solution
and then training your staff on how to use it. And then,
at the end of the day, more than 80% of these
communications come back to voice. And that is where
we come in. Our vision is to make in-platform
communications accessible to all - simpler, faster, and
more affordable than ever.
Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in the
(respective) niche through your expertise in the
market?
Our founding team already had a reputation for solving
unusual problems and being very direct. This has
brought many interesting customers to use cases to our
door. These range from replacing their existing solution
with a more stable and economical one to enable them
to build out their vision in ways that they could not do
on our predecessor’s services. This in part, comes from
the fact that we come from the telecom space, so we
were able to build a new way of accomplishing API-
based communications without requiring the phone
numbers.
resourceful?
Our technology is based on the latest tools and
systems. This means we are all cloud based and can
scale up (or down) on-demand in record time. Oded, our
CTO, has a lot of experience in this kind of architecture
and has built our system using this auto-scaling concept
from day one. We have amazed customers by bringing
up a new country not in weeks or months, but in days.
This technical ﬂexibility is deeply engrained in
everything we do.
Ask questions, get
mentors, don’t
think you need to
go it alone.
| 01 | 2021 |
43

What, according to you, could be the next
big change in the respective industry? How is
your company preparing to be a part of that
change?
The industry is continuing to see new tech
concepts and ways to connect. But they are
all designed to be “walled gardens” so each
does not communicate to the others by
design. We are positioning ourselves to be the
portal between these tools and the contact
center. It will not matter if it is Twitter, an AI
bot, or virtual reality; at the end of the day,
they still need to connect with the contact
center agent.
What would be your advice to emerging
leaders?
Building a team that you can count on is basic,
but one that you can lean on. That is key. You
need people you can talk to and get help,
advice, and support. This can be members of
the company or your corporate advisory
board. But a personal advisory board or group
will be immensely helpful as you need to talk
out problems and get feedback outside of
your own echo chamber.
| 01 | 2021 |
44

W
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.
| 01 | 2021 |
46

Renee Welsh
CEO
Embed
| 01 | 2021 |
48

Informed and Forward-thinking Leader with Wealth of
Knowledge and Valuable Experience
reat business leaders have a forward-thinking
Gapproach. They anticipate events and
consciously prepare themselves to make most
of the opportunities. They are ready to face challenges,
even at the spur of the moment. With a high presence
of mind, they keep themselves well-informed with the
wealth of knowledge and valuable experiences they
have gained in their life. These experiences help them
become inspiring and forward-thinking business
leaders. Akin to the above mindset is Renee Welsh, a
renowned leader in the tech and travel sector who
leads with an innovative approach.
Renee is passionate about building businesses and
transforming industries, and as a natural innovator, she
launched her first tech business when she was 27.
Renee gained relevant experiences by joining
prominent start-ups including lastminute.com, Wotif,
Monster, and RedBalloon. In 2013, she started Booking
Boss, the ticketing and booking management start-up,
with her husband, Andy. Helix Leisure acquired their
start-up four years later, and Renee was appointed CEO
of Embed, an integrated cloud-based software solution
platform for family entertainment, attractions, and
amusement. Renee was a unicorn as one of the rare
female CEOs in the tech industry, specifically the family
entertainment center sphere. In a heavily male-
dominated industry, it posed challenges. That's why it
became her journey to have greater female
representation, especially at the C-suite level, so
sponsorship, mentoring, and championing became a
personal mission for Renee.
Enabling, Empowering, and Easing Management of
Family Entertainment Businesses
At Embed, its leaders enable, empower, and ease
the "business of fun" for owners and operators in
the Family Entertainment Center (FEC) Industry.
They enable them to achieve greater operational
efficiency while reducing costs and increasing
profitability through Embed's integrated hardware
and software system solutions.
Embed offers an array of innovative business solutions
such as its arcade debit game card reader
smartTOUCH, self-service kiosks, RFID wearable
media, game cards, and the integrated software
solution TOOLKIT. It offers a suite of software that
eases the management of family entertainment
businesses via transparent business reporting, central
games management, mobile assistant, online party
bookings, and more. Embed takes great pride in these
next-gen solutions, especially its award-winning Mobile
Wallet – the only Apple iOS and Google Android
certified solution in the business.
This makes Embed the only non-banking, non-
loyalty, and non-financed brand to sit in the
consumers’ Apple Wallet or Google Pay. Mobile
Wallet is a virtual game card that guests can top-up
or reload using their phones without leaving the
arcade game. And Embed is proud that its SaaS
systems operate on Amazon’s AWS platform.
Embed operates with a highly competitive global
team, with offices in the United States, EMEA, and
APAC regions, adding South America to its roster.
To date, it has over 1,000 customers and 3,000
installations in 56 countries.
Designed to deliver a superior guest
experience in entertainment centers,
Embed's software platform is a complete
integrated solution that enables
entertainment business owners to achieve
increased operational efficiency while
reducing costs and increasing profitability.
This is what makes it the Ultimate
Contactless Solution.
The 10 Most Inspiring CEOs to Watch, 2021
| 01 | 2021 |
49

Pioneering Tech Transformation of Family
Entertainment Industry
A very important aspect of what Renee does at Embed
is pioneering the tech transformation of the family
entertainment industry – the industry of fun. Embed’s
award-winning Mobile Wallet is a testament to this –
no one in the industry has ever come close to
developing what Embed has, and Embed launched it
back in 2019!
Being an Impact Player in an Industry with Strong
Business Agility
The pandemic forced businesses in the FEC
industry to close their doors first and reopen them
last, so Embed was there to help them turn the
lights back on. To showcase its commitment to the
industry’s recovery, it launched Embed’s COVID-
19 Relief Act in 2020, giving away its Mobile
Wallet to everyone in the industry for free for one
year. Aside from this, Embed also kicked off its
COVID-19 Resource Center, which includes free
white papers, an expansive video series featuring
critical advice from industry leaders, and free
creative toolkits to help operators facilitate the
successful reopening of their FECs.
Embed joined the fight to eliminate COVID-19 by
developing Embed Hygiene Defense products –
powerful 100% natural hygiene protection that’s safe
for families, which is the primary segment that
frequents family entertainment centers. Embed’s
business agility makes it an impact player in its industry,
aside from the tech solutions it provides.
Having a Customer-first Approach and Results-driven
Work Culture
Embed runs on a customer-first approach, ensuring its
software enables the optimal end-customer
experience because when the customer thrives, the
operator thrives. Embed informs every operating and
strategic business decision it makes and how it
executes it. Embed is dedicated to supporting
operators and enabling their businesses to become
FECs of the future. It’s why it partners with the best in
the tech industry like Apple, Google, and Amazon to
empower its customers to provide a superior guest
experience at their locations.
Embed operates as a global brand and a tight-knit team,
with a results-driven work culture that takes the
“business of fun” seriously.
Challenging Boundaries and Driving Evolution of
Industry
Renee is proud of Embed’s ability to pivot its business
to what the industry needs now. It continues to keep a
finger on the pulse of key technology trends to continue
to be innovative. Embed harnesses the maverick
mindset to challenge the boundaries and drive the
evolution of its industry. In hyper-competitive
industries, it draws significant inspiration from
emerging technology partners (Apple, Google, and
Amazon).
Driving the FEC Industry Forward
In today's low-touch economy, Embed's contactless
solutions have become more relevant than ever
because this is how consumers expect to transact so
they can engage with brands safely and securely. From
an operator's standpoint, this also means getting real-
time data to improve their business. Embed continues
to develop and evolve its solutions to drive the FEC
industry forward.
Staying Ahead of the Game
Renee believes the complete transition to cashless
systems is the next big thing. She thinks there is still a
huge gap in FECs that have not converted their
outdated systems to future-proof businesses. Embed
is already ahead of the game. It anticipated this great
leap forward, and while it is still innovating to stay
ahead, it is preparing for this by lining up exciting
solutions that enable the FEC of the future.
Making Businesses Thrive and Transforming
Industries
As an innovator, Renee sees herself continuing to do
what she loves in the years to come – creating
opportunities to make businesses thrive, transforming
industries. She sees Embed at the forefront of
solutions providers in the industry, pioneering
products that the FEC sector has not yet seen.
Giving Priceless Advice to Emerging Leaders
Renee advises emerging leaders to embrace change.
She says, "Advance just as technology advances. Do not
just keep up with the times; stay ahead of them. And if
ever you feel disheartened with challenges, bring your
focus back to the very heart of what you do and why you
are doing it.”
| 01 | 2021 |
50

STEVE
WILCENSKI
Passionately Driving Changes with Nanotech
Steve Wilcenski
Founder CEO
BNNano
| 01 | 2021 |
52

T
o enable disruptive technologies for various
markets, including Defense, Aerospace,
Biomedical, Automotive, Communications, and
Consumer Electronics, Steve Wilcenski leads his team
to develop technologies and products on the micro and
nanoscale.
As the Co-founder and CEO of BNNano, Steve helps
develop new nanomaterial technologies with his
innovative and collaborative approach.
CIO LOOK caught up with Steve in our endeavor to find
“The 10 Most Inspiring CEOs to Watch, 2021.” We talked
with him to gain insights into his passion for advanced
materials, and the disruptive product development that
is driving a transformative wave.
Below are the highlights of the interview.
leader until your current position at BNNano. What
challenges you had to overcome to reach where you
are today?
My journey began after I graduated from NCSU with
my bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and
Engineering. I had always had a need to learn and found
myself with so many more questions following
graduation than when I began. Such questions fueled
my interest in other technologies and fields.
Throughout the first half of my career, I was an
engineer who made things. I have helped usher in new
technologies that impact daily life, made devices that
left the solar system, helped explore Mars, and even
made devices that have been implanted in human
bodies. I am very proud of what I have been able to
accomplish on my own and as part of teams.
But I have also failed and made a lot of mistakes. That
combination of wins and losses prepared me to lead my
first team. I wanted to lead, and found with my
background and experiences, it felt like a natural
progression. I led teams in Operations, Engineering,
R&D, Sales, and Marketing before ultimately being
selected to lead that company.
During this time, I began to feel pulled by the desire to
branch off and start something of my own. It took a few
years to find the right idea, plan, and team, but once this
aligned, I took the leap and started BNNano with my
business partner Jason Taylor. We have been off and
running ever since.
mission and vision.
BNNano is located in Burlington, NC. Our company
manufactures nanomaterials and products that contain
nanomaterials.
We make a specific type of Boron Nitride Nanotube
called the NanoBarb™. When added to other materials,
the NanoBarb™ improves the material’s properties and
performance. For example, when added to aluminum,
we can double the strength; when NanoBarbs™ are
added to 3D printing materials, they print faster while
also becoming stronger and more durable. We can
make plastics become heatsinks and enable new
technologies to clean water, just to name a few.
As the only company in the world with a commercially
viable manufacturing process for Boron Nitride
Nanotubes, we at BNNano are working to develop
novel products that will leverage this super material.
At BNNano, we believe that through cutting-edge
materials science and innovation, we can transform,
revitalize, and revolutionize industrial commodity
materials. Our goal is to bring value back to materials
like aluminum and polyester that have been relegated
to commodity status. We are striving to bring
manufacturing jobs and industries back to the United
States.
Our goal is to make everyday materials extraordinary
by producing new materials that will enable next-
generation technologies and products that only
recently seemed impossible. We are working to make
aluminum a super material, evolving additive
| 01 | 2021 |
53

manufacturing to support the production of 3D printed
parts, and are even developing technologies to help
clean the world’s freshwater supply.
Enlighten us on how you have made an impact in
nanotechnology through your expertise in the
market?
We are not classically educated nor typical nano-
scientists. We got involved in nanotechnology because
we had been disappointed by the state of
nanotechnology in our prior careers. As process
engineers tasked with making products out of the latest
and greatest materials and technologies, we were
exposed to weaknesses in nanomaterials. Often the
development of these nanomaterials was driven by a
science first perspective rather than an engineering
first approach.
Our expertise in understanding how to make and use
materials gave us a unique perspective. Our focus was
the development of nanomaterials that could be easily
used and set out to solve the common problems that
plague nanomaterials. This novel approach resulted in a
new type of Boron Nitride Nanotube that we call the
NanoBarb™. It is easier to use, performs better, and has
a low enough cost to be incorporated into applications
and markets that traditionally could not use
nanotechnologies.
Describe in detail the values and the work culture that
drives your organization.
At BNNano, it is our people that make the difference.
We are a small, scientifically minded organization with
unique technologies and products at the forefront of
nanoscience.
The relationships within the company, with our
partners and customers, are the key to our success. As a
team, we work together, celebrate successes, recover
from failures, and grow.
Our company culture prioritizes needs over wants.
When possible, we put the needs of our customers and
partners first. We locate our operations in small towns
and communities where jobs matter and partner with
organizations that believe in giving back to
communities through training and education.
resourceful?
Our NanoBarbs™ and products enhance and
“Transforming
and Revitalizing
Industrial
Commodities.”
| 01 | 2021 |
54

complement other technologies, industries, and
applications. Examples include aerospace to
biomedical, textiles to metals, space to marine, and
electronics to water purification. Which in turn helps
speed advancements and continue to push that
evolution along. We are helping make things lighter,
stronger, more durable, and safer while developing
more efficient processes and products.
Our nanomaterials compliment industries and
applications far and wide.
Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run
and what are your future goals for BNNano?
As one of the founders of BNNano and the current
CEO, I believe we are just getting started. Every day we
interact with people who share our excitement and
vision for nanotechnology. While I plan to continue
promoting our company and products, I also hope to
advocate for the wider application of nanotechnology
and plan to take a leading role in educating the public
about the current and future potential for
nanotechnology.
What would be your advice to emerging leaders?
Be open and honest in your communication and treat
everyone with the same respect, courtesy, and
excitement. People understand you may not be able to
give all the details all the time, but they value leaders
who always take the time to communicate with their
teams.
Complex concepts or ideas should be explained in such
a way that everyone can see the benefits. Do not use
your technology, expertise, or position as a shield to
keep people out or to bring people in.
Remember that success may be determined not by the
individuals you first meet but by the networks and
contacts you build. We have been introduced to a
number of customers and partners through our initial
contacts.
| 01 | 2021 |
55

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