Piotr Babieno CEO & Co-Founder Bloober Team SA PAGE8
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COMING SOON CEO Today Middle East Awards 2023 www.ceotodaymagazine.com
CEO T O D A Y GLOBAL A W A R D S 2 0 2 3 Welcome to the 2023 Edition of the CEO Today Global Awards. The CEO Today Global Awards are an annual celebration of leadership and ingenuity in the world of business. Each year, the team at CEO Today identifies those leaders who go above and beyond to innovate in their respective fields, who work tirelessly to support their organisations and deliver value for their customers and clients. Each award’s winner is drawn from the top of their field, with the full spectrum of industries and geographical regions represented in this year’s edition. Their inspiring achievements and fascinating career trajectories are catalogued in their profiles, with many offering exclusive interviews to shed further light on the secrets of their success. Appearing in the 2023 edition are the likes of Bloober Team CEO Piotr Babieno, whose ambitions for excellence are making waves in the video game industry, and GEO-MIK Consultants CEO Moses Banduga, who outlines his vision for elevating the geospatial landscape in Uganda and the greater Africa region. We also hear from Ariette van Strien of Marken, Dr Bradley Schlaggar of the Kennedy Krieger Institute and many more success stories besides. It is well worth taking the time to read about each of these winners in their own words, as the insights they have to share are applicable for any who aspire to success in business. We at CEO Today are proud to present this special publication. Congratulations to all of our winners!
Featured Winners CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - 8 - Piotr Babieno Bloober Team SA - 14 - Sherman Fernando Skyfer Logistic Inc - 18 - Moses Banduga GEO-MIK Consultants Africa Ltd - 26 - Ariette van Strien Marken - 36 - Mansoor Ahmad EcoEnergy Insights
CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - POLAND - - 8 - Image Credit: Tomasz Gotfryd
CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - POLAND - - 9 - Piotr Babieno CEO & Co-Founder Bloober Team SA My name is Piotr Babieno and I am CEO of Bloober Team. I have always been passionate about games and wanted to create my own one – especially as storytelling is my hobby and love. Bloober Team was created 15 years ago. As CEO I made many early mistakes but took my lessons to heart. For instance, in the beginning I tried to control every process in the company. This micromanagement created a lot of problems. Finally I understood that what game developers really need is creative freedom, tools and trust. I think that without those mistakes at the beginning, our company DNA would not be so unique. I can say confidently that success creates ego, while failure builds character. At Bloober Team, we want to become the leader of the widely understood horror genre so that our name appears right next to world legends whenever someone thinks about the horror genre. SILENT HILL 2 is the first game in a new stage of our company, which I call Bloober 3.0. Talking deeply, I would say that we do not want to just be the best in our niche; our goal is to set milestones for the whole industry. Nowadays, horror is the genre which helps us to deal with our daily fears. Wars, crises and global conflicts always spur social fears, and we need tools to prepare ourselves for unexpected. Our role is to help people deal with those emotions through entertainment. Bloober Team SA Cystersów 9, 31-553 Kraków, Poland Tel: +48 12 35 38 555 | Fax: +48 12 35 93 934 Email: piotrb@blooberteam.com www.blooberteam.com
- 10 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - POLAND - We do not want to just be the best in our niche; our goal is to set milestones for the whole industry. There have been a lot of developments for Bloober Team since our conversation in the CEO Global Awards 2022. As we are well into a new year at the time of this conversation, how would you describe your outlook for the future? It is true that 2022 was extremely intense for us. As I mentioned earlier, we entered the new year with an updated strategy and started a new stage in the company: Bloober 3.0. By 2027 we want to be the leader in the horror genre, so our plans are definitely ambitious. We always set ourselves high goals, but those that we are realistically able to achieve. We have just moved into the new office with a team of almost 230 people. This team is made up of people from different countries with different skills, cultures and needs. My role for the coming years is to make sure that everyone understood where we are going. I do not want to create a company for the next 5-10 years, but for a much longer time. The average lifetime of the gaming development company is 11 years and 3 months. We would like to last for many decades – and not just exist, but create the future of our genre. How has the team’s experience since the original 2016 release affected their approach to the remastering of Layers of Fears? We have grown as a company. From the small team of 20 people in 2015 we have grown to almost 230 in 2023! But it is not about quantity over quality. It was also the reason why we decided to go back to our first horror story and create it again with a new formula. Getting back to the franchise fans loved shows our maturity as a company. The new game will be our series’ crowning work with new gameplay mechanics, new storylines etc. Many times our testers were surprised with how many new things they found, even having spent many hours playing the original game in 2016. It can be difficult for video game remakes to strike a balance between accommodating long-time fans and drawing a new audience. How are Bloober Team working to attract new players to the series? True, keeping this balance is very hard.
- 11 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - POLAND - People who played the original games years ago often look at them nostalgically today. With remakes, usually the biggest challenge is to recreate the romantic vision of how the game was back then with great respect, preserving its atmosphere and history, but in an attractive way for current times. With Layers of Fear we tried to not just remake two games but create a new story which will connect both universes created by us in the first and second parts of LOF. We are also, as always, trying to reflect the actual vibes of 2023. So players will be able to find all the experiences of the last few years (like the pandemic, war, crises etc.), hidden of course between different layers. What new additions can returning players expect to see in the game’s full release? In Layers of Fear there will be new gameplay mechanics, new storylines and a new chapter – there will be a lot of new content. The most important, however, is the totally new experience. We cannot just say that we have created a ‘final edition’ of the game. It is really a new experience. Not just for new customers, but for everyone. Can you tell us anything about how your new collaboration with Konami came about? We have wanted to make a game set in the SILENT HILL universe for a long time. At the Image Credit: Tomasz Gotfryd
- 12 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - POLAND - the best ‘horror house’ in the world, so every single project is a big step towards this achievement. To look at things through a more personal lens, how have you seen your own career and skills develop over the past year? The company has changed a lot during the last few years. I do not think it could have happened without my own personal re-definition. I am definitely focusing much more on high-level and strategic thinking now. I understand that my first priority is to not disturb my team. I have to be when they need me, but give them my trust and a clear vision for the future. I have heard it said (and it pleased me very much) that many gaming companies have ideas but Bloober have much more in the way of clear strategy and plans. This judgement satisfies me. These achievements would not have been reached without the amazing people who are working with me. I am trying to listen to them and learn from them every day. I think that this should be the strategy of any CEO who wishes to take care of their company and not their own ego. Are there any wider trends in the gaming beginning, it was more our dream than a workable goal, but even then we tried to gain the trust of the Japanese giant. Finally, after many meetings, in 2019 Konami invited us to the Tokyo Games Show, where we were asked to prepare our own concept for the remake of the second part of the series. Of course, talks were also held with other studios from around the world, but in the end it was our concept that was chosen. We have been appreciated for the commitment and passion with which we approach horror. It is a great honour for us. Cooperation with this Japanese giant has also helped us to understand that it is not just the final goal that is important but also the way in which we are moving towards this goal. It is a different mindset compared to the western industry. I think that our DNA is much more mature and unique for this. For the whole company, this experience is definitely much more important than a common project. Is there anything else that you can share with us about Bloober Team’s current projects? Currently, the company is working on two large productions: SILENT HILL 2 together with Konami and Project C – a game of our own IP in cooperation with Private Division (Take-Two Interactive). In addition to the two main titles, Bloober is also cooperating with Anshar Studios in the production of Layers of Fears, Draw Distance in Project M and Rogue Games in Project F. We also go beyond the gaming industry; together with Platige Image we are creating a series based on The Medium. Our goal is to become I have a quite rebellious soul and every time shareholders or investors ask me to follow a new trend, I ask: “Why?” As I have said before, the CEO is no-one without the right people.
A selection of Bloober Team’s psychological horror best-selling and award-winning projects; Blair Witch, The Medium and Observer. - 13 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - POLAND - industry that we should watch out for in the months ahead? We have just come back from GDC and I can see that AI, AR and new mock-up technologies are definitely something we need to look at. Of course there are many new trends of monetisation and so on. But from my personal perspective, we should not focus on always inhabiting short-term trends. What we really needs is the trend which in our niche is always lasting – to create great and fresh stories with the highest quality. I have a quite rebellious soul and every time shareholders or investors ask me to follow a new trend, I ask: “Why?” I believe that fundamental values and the DNA of the company are much more important. Short-term trends (or I would use the world ‘fashions’) in the history of our industry have often been the cause that destroyed many companies. So we are trying to remain aware of all new trends but use them only if this works for our long-term strategy. What are you most looking forward to in 2023? In June we will have a premiere of Layers of Fear, and this is one of the very important moments for me personally. In eastern cultures, 2023 is supposed to be a year of many changes. I have high hopes that many global conflicts will finally end. We have many great ideas and we would love to focus on them and express our creativity. However, we still need to remember about what is happening around us. I do hope that our work will play a small, but influential part, in all of this. What does this award mean to you? I am glad that our company is noticed and appreciated all over the world. It is extremely important that our brand is awarded. Being the first Pole to win this CEO Global Award is undoubtedly a great honour and a great distinction. As they say, examples come from above, so I am glad to have received such an award. For me it is a nice gesture and a confirmation that what I do – what we do – we do well. With all of this, the biggest personal award is the smiles of people from my team, and it is confirmation that we are moving in the right direction. I am taking this award as an honour for the whole of Bloober Team. As I have said before, the CEO is no-one without the right people.
CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - CANADA - Sherman Fernando CEO and President Skyfer Logistic Inc Sherman Fernando is Group President and CEO of Skyfer Logistic Inc, an international freight forwarder headquartered in Toronto, Canada. With over 28 years of logistic and supply chain management experience, he steers the company to success. Skyfer Logistic Inc was launched in December 2012. In the span of a decade the firm launched its own offices in the USA, Sri Lanka and India, with further expansion on the horizon to meet demand from its growing customer base. How has your previous experience in logistics and supply chain management served you in your current role as President of Skyfer Logistic Inc? My experience dates back three decades to where I first held leadership roles .In my last assignment before immigrating to Canada in 2004, I was the Managing Director of U Freight Sri Lanka. Having a wealth of knowledge gained over the years and a passion to succeed was the key driving factor which was instrumental in my co-founding Ex Freight in 2006. Not satisfied with my accomplishments, and a burning desire to build my own brand, led me to launching Skyfer Logistic Inc in 2012. Leveraging the knowledge and the tireless hours put into the job in various capacities gave me the acumen to be a successful entrepreneur today. Traveling the globe and meeting amazing people from our industry helped me to broaden my vision and focus on achieving set objectives. Being a people’s person also was a plus
CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - CANADA - - 15 - as my colleagues looked up to me as a mentor along the way. What impact has the opening of Skyfer Logistic India had on Skyfer’s presence in India and the greater region? It was a strategic decision to launch our brand in India. With that said, we also started operations in Chennai in 2020 and subsequently opened a branch office in New Delhi in 2022. Our brand image took root in India and like quicksilver we were spiraling to new heights. Having a highly motivated team on board with a ‘sky is the limit’ attitude led to our exponential growth. We are now one of the leading international freight forwarders and, most importantly, a trusted brand – Ocean being our key product offering to our customers on the ISC (Indian subcontinent) USA/Canada-ISC trade lane. Can we expect to see further international expansion from Skyfer in the coming months? Bangladesh is on the cards. We are also looking at expanding our footprint in USA in 2023. This expansion is inevitable and will give us a strategic advantage on our air freight offering to our global partners. Speaking broadly, what are the most common obstacles your multinational clients face when it comes to matters of shipping and freight? Our customers are faced with an unpredictable marketplace. The logistic challenges and skyrocketing pricing that we saw during the pandemic was a nightmare for many of our customers. Managing the high cost of freight and meeting deadlines was a task to reckon with, but all of that is now behind us and all of us have had our fair takeaway. Competition is fierce and being innovative is the key to survival. How do you and your team provide solutions to these issues? Skyfer is a solution provider. Sitting across the table with our customers helps us to understand the challenges that they are facing. We then customise solutions to fix the issue at hand, thus becoming an integral part of their business. Having a highly motivated team on board with a ‘sky is the limit’ attitude led to our exponential growth.
- 16 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - CANADA - I am honored to be the recipient of this award and would reiterate to all the youngsters out there to stay focused in this highly competitive age that we are in. Why are tailored solutions vital to ensuring client satisfaction? Our customers range over different product verticals, and thus fine-tuning a process could save millions of dollars. We have loyal customers who know well that the services offered by Skyfer, are par excellence. Is there a particular creed or philosophy that motivates you to go above and beyond in your work? I came from humble beginnings, but staying the course through sheer dint of hard work has led me to where I am today. I have been blessed with a very supportive family by my side; especially my brilliant wife Ash Fernando, and also my extended family – our Skyfer family. We are growing rapidly but staying laserfocused and working to achieve the end goal just keeps the adrenaline pumping. What keeps me ticking is having had a vision 30+ years ago and now having a sense of responsibility to give back to society. What does this award mean to you? I am humbled to be the recipient of this award and would reiterate to all the youngsters out there in this highly competitive age that we are in to stay focused. When the going gets tough, the tough get going – and no amount of obstacles that you come by will retard your growth. What new trends and developments do you expect to see in the shipping and freight sector in the near future? Technology is going to be the key driver.
- 17 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - CANADA - Competition is fierce and being innovative is the key to survival. Skyfer continues to invest in software platforms to keep pace with the market, always offering more value to our customers. Is there anything that you can share about Skyfer and your own career development plans for the rest of 2023? As Skyfer Logistic continues to scale new heights (and we are still expanding our presence in the markets that we have seen success), one will have to stay tuned to see our next bold steps. We are always looking to capitalise on any opportunity of growth coming our way. www.skyferlogistic.com
Moses Banduga Founder/Regional Programs Coordinator GEO-MIK Consultants Africa Ltd Plot 47, Nsamizi Road, Nsamizi Village Entebbe, Uganda P. O Box 700431 Entebbe-Uganda Tel: +256774823101, +256414680636 Email: moses@geomik.africa info@geomik.africa www.geomik.africa
CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - UGANDA - - 19 - Moses Banduga Founder Regional Programs Coordinator GEO-MIK Consultants Africa Ltd “I am a Ugandan by nationality and the pioneer founder of GEO-MIK Consultants Africa Ltd (GEO-MIK), an integrated, innovative and multidisciplinary development consultancy company headquartered in Uganda and professionally delivering cutting-edge geo-information technology, land and spatial development solutions in Africa. I have worked as the Regional Programs Coordinator at GEO-MIK from 15 April 2020. Prior to that I had served as GEO-MIK’s Managing Director from 2008. I also sit on the Board of Directors. Having graduated with a degree in urban planning at Makerere University, I have over 15 years of applied experience in land, spatial planning, geo-information and consulting. I have since acquired other practical industrial skills in entrepreneurship, business incubation, conceptualisation and development, leadership, establishing partnerships , administration and strategic management. I have attained additional training and skills in UAV mapping and 3D modeling, entrepreneurship, information technology and spatial decision support systems from ITC, Netherlands. I have co-authored an article published by MDPI titled ‘A Simplified Spatial Methodology for Assessing Land Productivity Status in Africa’. Through GEO-MIK, I have coordinated the RCMRD GMES and Africa Land Productivity Assessment Project for the 10 East African Countries under phase one and currently coordinating phase two of the program running in 14 countries. Through GEO-MIK, in 2017 I participated in the research project (science, innovation, and infrastructure theme) organised by the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda, Queen Mary University of London’s Department of Research Services and the Ugandan National Academy of Sciences to build the research capacities of Parliament to address its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Also, on behalf of GEO-MIK, I established several partnerships and built synergies with world-class industry leaders from Africa, the USA, Europe and Asia. Through GEO-MIK, I have implemented projects and programs covering different organisations and institutions in Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, Somalia, Comoros, Madagascar, Seychelles, South Sudan and Sudan. Altogether, for 15 years I have presided over strategic operations and championed business startups, conceptualised and developed portfolios, spearheaded transformations and growth within new markets as well as coordinating GEO-MIK’s domestic and foreign policy. Besides GEO-MIK, I have practiced elsewhere too. In 2007 I began working professionally at Eco Shelter and Environmental Consultants on a World Bank-funded project, and in 2008 worked on another World Bank-funded project at Infrastructure Design Forum. In 2009 I worked at UNDP/UN Habitat as an associate individual consultant on the PSUP program for Uganda and then at Geo-information Communication Ltd. I also worked at the Makerere University’s Department of Geography as a part-time teaching assistant from 2007 and at Ndejje University, among others.
- 20 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - UGANDA - How have you seen GEO-MIK develop in the past year? Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and a competitive industry, GEO-MIK grew its footprint within new markets in 15 countries – namely Uganda, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Kenya, Seychelles, Mauritius, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire. GEO-MIK also implemented work for some of the world’s iconic brands, multinational organisations, intergovernmental organisations, UN Agencies, regional and international bodies, academia and other research institutions. In addition, we attracted and sustained synergies and partnerships with some of the global businesses and world-class industry leaders. Internally, to adapt and entrench in the industry, we launched new products and services by deeply anchoring geo-ICT and geospatial solutions core to our mainstream product portfolios. These efforts and transformations improved our returns and strategically repositioned our domestic, regional and international competitiveness. Initially, by 2014, 75% of our revenues were accrued from spatial development sector. For example, by 2021, the geospatial sector yielded 81% against the 19% posted by spatial development. This trend is expected to continue. In what ways have you witnessed the GIS sector in Africa change during your time in business? The industry is rapidly evolving even while there are still some challenges such as policy Service and Product Portfolio 1 GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM We utilise information and spatial data obtained from a variety of sources for appropriate and diverse GIS solutions and applications. 2 SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING (LOCAL, NATIONAL & REGIONAL) We conduct urban, rural, national and regional development planning, natural resource and resettlement action planning, infrastructure and utility planning, land use appraisal and sector policy analysis. 3 GEOSPATIAL TOOLS FOR AGRICULTURE We apply specialised geospatial tools, methods, and satellite imagery data to enable precision digital agriculture, informed decisions, monitor and maximise farm outputs, improve productivity and overall food security. 4 REAL ESTATE, LAND AND PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT We offer project scoping, site feasibility analysis, parcel subdivision, demarcation, boundary opening, lease, compliance and compatibility monitoring, development control, change detection and adjustments modifications planning. 5 OPTICAL SATELLITE IMAGERY We provide satellite data for commercial satellite sensors through partnerships. We deliver derivative products and make extensive use of the satellite data capabilities to provide a range of solutions and products. 6 TRAINING, RESEARCH AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT We offer GIS/RS Training, research and capacity development. We develop localised and scalable innovations and applications for different use cases. 7 REMOTE SENSING We offer specialised geospatial solutions, satellite image data analysis and processing for multiple industry applications and use cases across sectors.
- 21 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - UGANDA - gaps, internet connectivity, access to credit and capital, human resource, institutional capacities, access to national spatial data, duplication of GIS data and inconsistent spatial data sets. The Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure (GKI) Readiness Index - 2022, underscores the need for different governments globally to create an integrated policy framework to ensure that their nations establish the environment for a digital economy and society that utilizes location. At the continental level, the Africa Union continues to support the industry through policy, establishment of the African Space Agency, and supporting and implementing different earth observation and geospatial development programs in line with the Africa Union Agenda 2063. In my view, this is a fundamental shift and an indicator that technological innovations are being considered key to spur development and uplift the living conditions of people on the continent. At an international level, individual governments are also developing infrastructure and policies that facilitate technological innovation. While the pace might vary from one country to another, some governments have moved faster and developed data standards, integrated geospatial information, provide policy guidelines, and recognise spatial data as an asset for development. For example, the government of Uganda is working through the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovationwith the support of partners to spearhead numerous efforts including the recent launch of the PearlAfrica Sat1 satellite in space in November 2022, adding to the already existing satellites in the obit owned by other African countries. The industry is also evolving and rapidly moving away from traditional GIS mapmaking practices to a wide range of methods, software, analytics, robust tools, artificial intelligence, machine learning and other agile applications. I think different business enterprises and institutions are increasingly realising the need to harness the capabilities in geospatial technologies for their work by adopting spatial databases, software apps, dashboards, smartphones, tablets, drones and cloud computing and consuming lots of satellite data. Despite competition in the industry, I really think there is increased collaboration amongst the industry players in the entire space and GIS ecosystem right from the upstream to manufacturing, downstream, governments, other PanAfrican state institutions and the rest of the world. More African enterprises are collaborating through partnerships with other global industry players – which in my opinion is necessary to grow the entire space and GIS ecosystem, fuel enterprise competitiveness, spur technological transfer and develop the operational capacity of indigenous SMEs and startups. At user and consumer level, hundreds of industry players are utilising geospatially driven data and products for their dayto-day operational work and decisions; producing and sharing millions of maps daily, telling diverse stories, trends and relationships, but also as means of sharing information products for decision-making. I believe there is also a fast-rising uptake of open-source tools and applications. A lot of data and user-friendly tools are available to enable professionals and users to gain access for their operations at zero cost. Commercial players in the GIS and satellite industry have also revolutionised the science of data acquisition and delivery to the end user. This has improved greatly user experiences and enabled access to data at low cost. Internally, to adapt and entrench in the industry, we launched new products and services by deeply anchoring geo-ICT and geospatial solutions core to our mainstream product portfolios.
- 22 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - UGANDA - Do you foresee any specific trends emerging in the near future? The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects profoundly disrupted the way managers, entrepreneurs and decision-makers in the industry view the geo-ICT space. The pandemic shut markets and some organisations without geospatial capabilities operationally struggled to sustain their projects and field activities. I think we are seeing a magnified demand and uptake for geo-ICT platforms and tools for institutional work beyond the traditional practices. With the internet of things, for example, there will be deeper integration with real-time information, analytics and dashboards, etc. Governments have to strengthen policy and legislation to regulate (but also adopt) geoinformation science to bolster development in all fields from planning to oil and gas, environment, agriculture, climate forecast, defence and security. The private sector and academia will dive deeper into innovation and develop more applications and user-friendly tools for different user cases. In terms of your career to date, what obstacles have you overcome to get where you are today? GEO-MIK’s journey from the beginning through initial operations and into the development stages has been an uphill task for several reasons including access to capital and credit. At an early stage, I needed to defeat a common stereotype; that you can never start and succeed with your innovation, idea or any original business venture unless you are from a privileged family or supported by powerful connection in an organisation or government. Later, I realised it is never essentially so. For example, I was compelled to operate from home for the first seven months of registration. I only leased the first operational office in October 2008 at Suite C, Katatumba Suites, Coleville Street, Kampala. However, it closed within first three months. I was pushed out of the industry temporarily and went back to the labour market. I got a job at Geo-Information Communication in January 2009, and at the same time I established a side commercial enterprise for stationery service and a cafe as a complementary and fundraising drive to capitalise the start-up. Unfortunately, it also closed within the first seven months of operation. In August 2009, I secured a one-year part time offer at UNDP/UN Habitat and, six months later in January 2010, re-established the firm at the garage belonging to the Church of Uganda. Right there, everything started. Inspired by the vision, I immediately began to document, incubate and innovate the business concepts, crafting content, originating templates and scoping services and product portfolios and forming the initial team. After competitively securing the first, second and third government tenders in 2010, 2011 and 2012, things started slowly to look up. I moved operations to a more spacious office in 2013 and later in 2015 because there was a growing need to upscale and restructure our operational capacity. Six years later, propelled by the quest to reinforce and effectively consolidate GEOMIK’s growth and reposition our business for the regional and international agenda; it became necessary to relocate the office to a strategic city: Entebbe, the host of Entebbe International Airport. It also demanded I think we are seeing a magnified demand and uptake for geo-ICT platforms and tools for institutional work beyond the traditional practices.
- 23 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - UGANDA - upscale and holistic value addition to the business, evolving GEO-MIK from a firm to a limited liability company and realigning our product and service portfolios to the emerging domestic and foreign markets. Over a decade, GEO-MIK has seen sustained domestic growth and expanding territorial footprint from project work to 15 countries. We are happy to see the progress we have made since 2008 amidst the difficulties. Initially, it demanded making bold tradeoffs at a personal level. Beginning as early as 2011, I needed to confront three competitive choices; i) taking up early postgraduate study; ii) staying in employment or iii) chasing the dream. Ultimately, I had to forgo long-term employment and called off early opportunities for postgraduate study multiple times. In 2017, for example, I enrolled for a Masters of GIS at Leeds University but eventually also dropped out later. When I reflect, I am hesitant to regret the tradeoffs. Think of it: 15 years ago, GEOMIK was an idea, mere dream; but today, we are excited and privileged to see visibility of our work at the forefront in the industry supporting land, agriculture, oil and gas sectors at a national and regional level. What would you say is your most important achievement so far? Transitioning GEO-MIK from a humble garage in 2010 to a fully-fledged innovative and integrated brand in Uganda with a competitive regional and international focus. We transformed and diversified GEOMIK’s product portfolios amidst competitive markets and expanded our territorial footprint from project work to 15 countries in Africa. In addition, we attracted and sustained synergies and partnerships with some of the world-class industry leaders. The positive fidelity we take from the market and the brand recognition to our work is imperative to our team and key to our strategic industry positioning. It therefore motivates us to see our earth observationbased land productivity assessment tool for East Africa secure an international nomination to the Geospatial World Award 2023. Equally, making it to the shortlist notification for the CEO Today Magazine Africa Awards 2023 is profoundly humbling. Much more fulfilling was getting to know we were nominated for and eventually scooped the CEO Global 2023 Award. Do you have a particular creed or philosophy that motivates your work? Work with urgency and commitment to be successful from individual and organisational perspectives. Act with integrity and professionalism; be reliable, accountable and responsible in your work and listen to every team member. Respect each other when working together to achieve mutually beneficial results. Always look to do things differently better and understand that “vision is destiny, reflect to it”. With God, everything is possible! What would you describe as your favourite part of your role? It is important to me that our day-to-day work at GEO-MIK is driven by our strategic The positive fidelity we take from the market and the brand recognition to our work is imperative to our team and key to our strategic industry positioning.
- 24 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - UGANDA - plan, budget, quality control process and documentation of operations performed. I am passionate about building and sustaining beneficial synergies, relationships and strategic partnerships through a balanced score of mutual benefit between and among stakeholders. We also know that meeting our clients’ and partners’ strategic goals and objectives is essential to the attainment of our own. Is there a piece of advice that you would give to a less experienced executive looking to emulate your success in management? It is necessary to adopt a management style that is driven by vision and a strategic plan, policy, budget, innovation and critical thinking. It is also important to remain professional, reliable, responsible and accountable, and to act with integrity when executing duties. Knowledge and information is power, so keep abreast of emerging technologies. Read; seek new knowledge and skills to enhance performance and productivity. Always remember to involve God. What does this award mean to you? First, I thank the CEO Today team and all those who nominated and voted for me and GEOMIK. This award is an acknowledgement of our contributions to the industry in Uganda, the wider region and beyond. It demonstrates confidence in our work and goes a long way to assure our clients and partners of our valued commitment to the vision. It is also a strategic promise and encouragement to our team that, with consistence and persistence, we can achieve whatever we set to do. Equally, it also means work has just started. I believe the award will inspire young and ambitious Ugandan and African youth to believe in themselves regardless of where they come from. Can you share anything about your plans for the further development of GEO-MIK in 2023? In the short-to-medium term, we will grow GEO-MIK through strategic planning, budgeting, processes, policies and innovation aligned to our vision. We will also integrate and deeply entrench ICT to drive operational processes, workflow and protocols while strengthening the capacity of our human resource function both at operational level and management. To bolter our local and international competitiveness in the industry, we will entrench our services domestically and consolidate new territories but also build and sustain existing synergies and partnerships with local, regional and worldclass industry leaders, governments and international agencies. In addition, we will scale up and domesticate the uptake of our existing geospatial services and products while developing others targeting precision farming and agriculture in general. Agriculture remains the single most important economic activity in Africa, employing a huge working population and contributing a great deal to GDP for many countries. We also like to contribute to a global agenda towards sustainable socially inclusive development which is in line with the SGDs especially goal 9 and 17. Agriculture remains the single most important economic activity in Africa, employing a huge working population and contributing a great deal to GDP for many countries
- 25 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - UGANDA - About Us GEO-MIK Consultants Africa Ltd is an integrated, innovative and multidisciplinary development consultancy company originally registered in Uganda on 28 February 2008 as a firm and later transformed to a limited liability company on 6 May 2022. GEOMIK professionally specialises in geoinformation services, remote sensing and earth observation services, natural resource assessment, spatial planning, land degradation and productivity monitoring, ecosystem mapping, airborne surveys, feasibility studies, needs assessment, baseline surveys and hazard risk assessment. 15 years down the road, we have registered excellence in the market that is exhibited through honours and brand recognition, domestic and regional progress, positive feedback and fidelity from the industry and clients as well as the growing quality of our work. This will continuously improve with every value addition we make. Anchored by our five-year strategic plan for 2020-2024, we are focused on offering our clients quality and cost-effective services while adapting to the changing technology and emerging complex and dynamic business needs of the 21st century. Vision: To become an international pillar and hub for geo-information technology, land and spatial development solutions in Africa. Mission: To appropriately and effectively deliver cutting-edge geo-information technology, land and spatial development solutions that meet the goals and objectives of our esteemed clients. We utilize information and data obtained from a variety of sources; insitu data, third party airborne and satellite sensors, archived and historic Data. We deploy appropriate GIS tools/technologies to process, manipulate and assemble all forms of information to useful spatial data bases, platforms and products for decision making Project scoping, feasibility assessment, infrastructure planning, parcel subdivision, demarcation, boundary opening, titling, construction, property sale/lease, post project services; compliance & land use compatibility monitoring, development control, land use change detection, adjustments modifications planning We provide imagery and derivative products for commercial satellite sensors. We make extensive use of the satellite imagery data capabilities to provide a range of solutions and products for land, infrastructure planning, design and monitoring, mining, oil and gas, agriculture, urban development or monitoring unsuspected developments. We do integrated rural and urban spatial development planning, natural resource & resettlement action planning, Infrastructure/Utility planning, land use feasibility assessment, government land policy analysis and consulting We utilize geospatial and RS data to provide solutions, products and insights into the agriculture value chain. We apply specialized geospatial tools, methods, and satellite imagery data to enable precision digital agriculture, informed decisions, monitor and maximize farm out puts, improve productivity and overall food security Training, research, capacity development, innovation, spatial solutions and custom mobile applications, artificial intelligence and automated earth observation solutions/products systems development, baseline and feasibility studies We offer specialized geospatial solutions and services through different platforms, sensors and data sources for multiple applications such as, land degradation/productivity assessment, ecosystem/natural resources, monitoring oil and gas resources, infrastructure, land use and land cover change assessment
CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - USA - - 26 - Ariette van Strien President Marken Clinical Trial Logistics Provider of the Year “It’s an honor for me to share my career journey as part of the CEO Today Global Awards 2023. Reflecting on my diverse professional experience, I have had the privilege of working across various cultures, geographies and industries. Currently as the President of Marken, I’m proud to have led the company through a period of exponential growth. As the clinical subsidiary of UPS Healthcare, we are a global specialty logistics company delivering next-generation clinical to commercial cell and gene therapies and clinical trial supply chain solutions under one roof. During cataclysmic disrupters, we played an essential role in the accelerated development, distribution, and global access of life-saving medicines, vaccines, and critical treatments, ensuring continued patient participation in trials worldwide. The Marken global team is equipped with exceptionally talented professionals, possessing diverse skillsets, backgrounds, expertise, and a shared commitment to excellence. We have a vital role in delivering groundbreaking medicines – from advanced therapies and mRNA vaccines to pioneering drugs and novel treatments in development - that have the potential to cure - not just treat disease.” Marken’s unique position within the biopharma and life sciences industry is unparalleled. Our state-of-the-art GMP-compliant depot network and logistics hubs are strategically located in 60 locations worldwide, providing comprehensive clinical storage and distribution services, direct-to-patient solutions, home healthcare options, kit production and biological sample shipments. With a singular focus on patient-centricity, our devoted Patient Centric Services (PCS) team expertly orchestrates over 200,000 direct-to-patient shipments and facilitates more than 14,000 home healthcare visits each year supported by our global nursing network. Leveraging our limitless capacity and scalability, Marken manages 154,000 drug product and biological sample shipments every month at all temperature ranges to every corner of the world. Looking towards the future, our strategic portfolio roadmap is centered on innovative offerings that anticipate client needs and address tomorrow’s evolving industry demands. Marken will continue to go beyond logistics with exceptional quality, speed and efficiency. www.marken.com
CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - USA - - 27 - How has your work developed throughout your journey at Marken? Over the past three years, Marken has nearly tripled in size and my responsibilities have grown significantly in parallel to this expansion. It has been a privilege to guide our team with the single purpose and vision of building around the patient even when managing to massively scale our business during a time of unprecedented demand on clinical trials. We pride ourselves on delivering customized services at lightspeed and we have continued to offer a competitive edge in the face of mounting complexities with a ready-now network to deliver new possibilities for patients. From shifts in strategic thinking and talent onboarding to virtual processes, we had to constantly challenge ourselves, develop new services and expand to new areas to be better and faster than the day before. As the chair of our leadership team, I am fully responsible for the strategic direction of the business, focusing on the “what if’s” and the “what’s next”. My experience managing and mitigating the threats of economic uncertainty, political instability, labor shortages and other global disruptions have helped to determine what should be done differently in the future. Tell me how you have approached change. What significant challenges have you and your colleagues overcome? We’ve seen in numerous emergent issues over the past several years that change is inevitable; It can come from any direction and happen at any time. Take the past six months for example — catastrophic earthquakes in Turkey, political upheaval in the Middle East, employees on strike in Europe, global economic inflation and shortages ― these are no longer surprising but are now table stakes, and they will continue in the future. In reference to the “grey rhino effect” and the “black swan theory”, we build contingency planning, risk mitigation and business continuity into our operational infrastructure, procedures and processes. In a “shape or be shaped” era, we leverage lessons learned combined with the unique strength of the global UPS network, to find the “silver lining” during these threats to unveil and harness opportunities to rapidly evolve. Diversity is one of our key strengths, we bring an array of ideas, talents and experiences to the table – fostered by a learning culture which is boldened by our unique Marken DNA – we integrate disruptors as a natural part of our strategic discussions. Today, we don’t wait until we are disrupted – we embrace it to ask how we can disrupt disruption, challenge the status quo and question pre-conceived ideas to remain proactive, anti-fragile and resilient as we continue to deliver what matters. What do you think is your customer’s biggest problem, what keeps them up at night and how do you tackle it? Our customers’ biggest challenge is cost optimization and accelerating drug development in a world of continual Today, we don’t wait until we are disrupted – we embrace it to ask how we can disrupt disruption, challenge the status quo and question pre-conceived ideas to remain proactive, anti-fragile and resilient as we continue to deliver what matters.
- 28 - CEO Today Global Awards 2023 - USA - Driven by our passion for patients, we are laserfocused on quality, process improvement, advanced technology and employee development to ensure we continue to exceed customer expectations. disruption resulting in widespread shortages. To address this, we ask ourselves where we can enhance our portfolio and remain the preferred and trusted provider for our clients. To further alleviate customer concerns, we proactively hire top talent from diverse backgrounds and extensive scientific knowledge to bring new ideas and perspectives that can coalesce within the biotechnology and life science industry. Another pain point for our customers is the growing digital divide between technology and humans. We stay ahead by integrating new technologies, acclimating our internal systems through early adoption, and equipping our employees with the necessary training to use them effectively. All industries have faced labor complexities in recent years, and we have addressed this head on by investing in upskilling our workforce and onboarding digital tools, big data and AI to maximize workflow productivity and prepare for the future. As the patient is our priority, we will continue to expand our patient-centric portfolio to meet the accelerated go-tomarket timelines and support any clinical trial distribution model from traditional to decentralized, hybrid, virtual – and future models not yet designed. Is there a particular achievement you are most proud of from your period as President? Absolutely - I am extremely proud of how we consistently come together as one team with a clear mission to accomplish our goals and meet industry demand no matter the obstacle. In the life sciences industry, where groundbreaking advances are constantly emerging, our team at Marken has been at the forefront of logistics innovation, delivering novel scientific discoveries to patients across the globe. And this is only the beginning. As we continue to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of medicine, including cell and gene therapies, mRNA treatments, personalized cancer vaccines and other new technologies, our team has responded with agility and speed, enabling us to move these medicines with unprecedented efficiency. Over the past several years, our global leadership team worked tirelessly to adjust our supply chain rapidly, allowing for clinical trials to be completed in record time - sometimes as little as 100 days. We scaled our volumes over 80%, significantly expanding our network and services including in-house dry ice manufacturing. We supported roughly 150 Covid-19 vaccines and treatments including the implementation of one vaccine program in less than eight weeks, as well as onboarded more over 100 new clients in less than three months. When close to 80% of clinical trials were interrupted and patients could not travel, we focused on patient-centric approaches, delivering medicines directly to the home and accommodating the growing demand for at-home nursing services to administer medicines or collect samples. Since 2019 we have increased our patientcentric services (PCS) coverage more than 300% as today, we offer direct-to-patient services in more than 80 countries and home healthcare in 69 countries. What was the most difficult decision you have made in your career thus far? As President, I face new challenges constantly with each exhibiting its own distinct set of difficulties – so I don’t think
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