Category: Profiles

Rajesh Ahuja: A Thorough Professional, Creating History in Electrical & Mechanical Projects with his Venture, The Dependable Group of Companies

The Dependable Group of Companies, incorporated in August 2002, has been flourishing and achieving new milestones under the hegemony of Rajesh “Raj” Ahuja a visionary leader, a business expert, and a multitasking personality. Raj holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and began his career with Kempinski Hotels in Dubai and Sheraton Hotels in New Delhi in the engineering, operation and project management departments before immigrating to Canada in 2001.

From the outset, Raj had a strategy for success by waiting for the right opportunity to appear when a small mechanical contracting firm hired him. Raj joined the company as a project coordinator, and in just a few months, he was primarily running all its departments, including estimating, accounting, and project management. The experience of fulfilling numerous roles and working 14 hours per day allowed him to develop the knowledge and expertise of running a contracting business and inspired him to found Dependable Mechanical Systems Inc. (“DMS”).

Soon, the visionary realized that to continue growing professionally, he needed to join a more prominent firm and headed a large electrical and mechanical project for the Department of National Defence. Due to some project funding issues from the Federal Government, this extensive project stalled for a few months in mid-2005. As a result, Raj seized the opportunity to venture out on his own to do contracting work.

Having developed significant contacts in the construction industry, Raj generated revenue of over $1.5M in the first year on his own. Since then, DMS’ revenue has grown exponentially, year after year, and it has been included in Profit Magazine’s list of the fastest-growing firms in Canada for seven consecutive years. DMS’ growth was not limited to revenue but also included an increase in the number of employees, projects’ size, and in the sophistication of the resources and technological infrastructure. Present-day, DMS operates as the Dependable Group of Companies and has several divisions including mechanical, electrical, HVAC, fabrication, residential low, and high-rise and has more than 250 employees.

“Building a business from scratch makes you stronger and more resilient each day. As the company has grown over the years, I have been consistently reinventing myself. The challenges associated with significant corporate growth make me more resilient and tolerant of risk. I actively seek new opportunities while capitalizing on the strengths and expertise that I have developed over the years” – Rajesh Ahuja

The Dependable Team

Raj said that his greatest accomplishment has been developing a team that is second to none. Dependable employees are its most significant asset. The Dependable team can make any complex situation, task, or project easy to execute and can complete it on time and within budget. Many of the employees have been with Dependable for a long time and have developed the brand Dependable in a very real sense.

The “Secret Sauce”

“Building on my strengths and working hard to minimize my weaknesses is a great recipe for success!” – Rajesh Ahuja

Trying to stay ahead of the game vis-a-vis the competition has provided Dependable with a competitive edge. Dependable has developed its own custom technologies to build its infrastructure at every step, which has allowed Dependable to become an industry leader. Dependable is proactive in both its horizontal and vertical integration and actively diversifies its offerings to minimize the risk to its overall operations.

Learning from a Major Business Failure

As the business grew, Raj could not assess the inherent risk in expansion and, as a result, he overstretched the resources at his disposal. As well, a few years back, Dependable became embroiled in litigation on a few projects, which was unforeseen. This litigation resulted in losses on projects that were expected to be quite profitable. It took a toll on the growth of the business and caused him to re-evaluate the overall business development strategy. Fortunately, the resilience built over the years allowed Dependable to overcome these unforeseen challenges. The experience also helped Dependable foster a very stringent risk mitigation method, which is integral to the continued success of Dependable.

Forthcoming Ideas & Future Roadmap

As a leader, it is essential to guide and motivate the Dependable team continually. Dependable is now pursuing the highest safety and quality accreditations to secure projects on a global basis. Dependable is currently developing a national procurement and resource management strategy that will allow it to continue expanding its business operations.

Dependable is poised for significant expansion to Western Canada and south of the border into the United States. Dependable is involved in several prestigious infrastructure and many high-rise development projects throughout Ontario. It has a solid pipeline of work for the next 3-4 years with large-scale projects throughout the Province.

From the Founder’s Desk

“Over the years, I have realized that building a team is only possible when you distribute responsibility, accountability, and empowerment to others. I have created the business with an open and collaborative style where each team member can express their views and offer their ideas freely. This culture of collaboration and employee involvement at every level has been integral to the success of Dependable”, shared Raj while talking about his leadership style.

“Success to me is when our clients, employees, and business partners provide positive feedback about their dealings with Dependable. This recognition of what our team has built over the years fills me with a great sense of pride and is incredibly rewarding”, he further said.

“Vision” in Life

Rajesh is striving hard to build the Dependable brand nationally, with the ultimate goal of establishing a global identity. He also plans to enter the energy storage sector in the coming years. Dependable is building international alliances to secure projects globally

A Leader’s Main Characteristic

Every leader should have the courage and conviction to make tough decisions when facing challenges and develop strategies to manage and mitigate the associated risk. Being afraid of failure is the biggest weakness a leader can possess.

The Best Advice Received

In the quest for achieving greater heights, one should not forget to enjoy and celebrate the small day-to-day achievements of the kids and the family that provide the feeling of personal fulfillment whilst making giant leaps on the professional front.

James Michael Lafferty: A Transformational Leader, Reshaping the Wellness Industry with Fine Hygienic Holding

Bagging thirty-seven years of a promising and rewarding career, the industry stalwart James Michael Lafferty needs no formal introduction as he is termed as a phenomenon in the corporate world. He is renowned for his inspiring story of starting as a fitness trainer in the Procter & Gamble Company in 1984 and progressing through marketing to become a division CEO for P&G, Coca-Cola, and British American Tobacco.

Lafferty’s journey with Fine Hygiene Holding (FHH) has been quite remarkable and can be noted to encompass immense hard work, dedication, positive aggression, and focused leadership. Lafferty joined Fine Hygiene Holding (FHH) in 2015 as a board member then he quickly got immersed in the business and fell in love with the brand and Fine’s rich history and strong sense of purpose, and just 3 years later in 2018, he was offered the position of CEO which James Michael Lafferty was thrilled to take on and that naturally deepened his involvement in a unique and value-driven company.

THE GLOBAL LEADER IN WELLNESS

As a global leader in wellness and the MENA region’s top manufacturer of hygienic paper products, FHH offers a truly diversified array of products. While the initial offering was centered on producing hygienic paper products – including facial tissues, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, baby diapers, adult briefs, and jumbo rolls – they rapidly expanded their offering in recent years, diving deeper into the broader category of wellness. This includes investments in a diverse range of health supplements and wellness products; for example, FHH acquired a majority stake in Nai Arabia Food Company, a producer of healthy, sugar-free, and natural iced teas.

They also recently launched Motiva, a line of natural and clinically tested supplements. This includes the Motiva Neuro Booster, a supplement that improves brain health and cognitive functions of patients with Alzheimer’s, as well as the Motiva Immuno Booster, a powerful anti-inflammatory that improves immune functions and helps elevate one’s mood, metabolism, and even hair and skin health.

Additionally, as an indirect and immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic, FHH now produces an innovative line of personal protective equipment (PPE) and long-term germ protection solutions under the Fine Guard brand. This ever-growing lineup includes antiviral masks, gloves, sanitizers, and other potentially life-saving products.

FHH also offers out-of-home hygienic solutions, including Fine Disinfection Solutions, a service that helps businesses and entities across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt address the challenges of the ongoing pandemic. The company is actively looking for ways to tailor the B2B services in ways that meet industry- and sector-specific needs.

“In the coming years, our focus is on taking a more holistic approach to wellness, which includes expanding into new wellness verticals. Of course, this growth can only be achieved by maintaining our steadfast focus on innovation-not only in terms of our products and services but also in terms of our operations and how we serve our customers”, shared Lafferty.

He continued, “Our IPO journey is also well underway, which is a very new and exciting step for us, and we expect to be publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange in the next couple of years.”

HICCUPS ON THE WAY

According to Lafferty, if pressure is well-managed and prepared for, it can serve as a motivating factor: it keeps him challenged and gives him a sense of urgency to accomplish more. He thrives on tackling obstacles as long as he keeps a positive mindset in place, it is also crucial to maintain a certain level of realistic optimism in a fast-paced and demanding environment, for both yourself and the people you manage.

He further said, “I believe that preparing for challenges stems from being strategic and organized; having a clear game-plan and vision of what you want to accomplish. It also helps to be honest with yourself and your team about what needs to change and to take ample time and calculated steps to execute that.”

JAMES’S “SECRET SAUCE“

Lafferty thinks it’s important to constantly reinvent yourself; never get too comfortable and complacent just because matters are running smoothly. Complacency tends to obliterate any sense of creativity or innovation. Adopt an ‘always learning’ approach to life where you are constantly curious and hungry to expand your skill set, knowledge, networks, and possibilities. Leaders must constantly engage with their staff and keep them motivated in real and human ways.

He also believes that listening is crucial for leaders to excel because it gives perspective and breeds respect between people. It is always advisable to remain calm and collected, to be resolute in your decisions, and to never lose focus even when faced with the most difficult of problems.

THE CORNERSTONES OF SUCCESS

Hard work and persistence are the cornerstones of success. The expectation of having success fall into your lap is largely unrealistic, you must seek opportunity and work hard on your goals in order to breed success. Recognizing and seizing opportunities are skills that improve and develop after many attempts studded with trial and error.

Humility is another crucial characteristic for future leaders, checking your ego at the door is the first step you should take. You also must be a good listener and learn all that you can from everyone you interact with. That is why surrounding yourself with people from all walks of life is important, the more diverse your surrounding is the more variety of perspectives you’re exposed to which results in enhancing your capabilities in various areas.

FROM THE CEO’S DESK

While talking about his leadership style Lafferty apprised, “Coming from an athletic background, I believe strongly in the importance of teamwork; in a way, I approach corporate leadership in the same manner that I would coach a sports team. My goal is to get everyone working together and to keep us aligned toward a unified, collective long-term vision. As a leader, that means working to inspire, motivate, and empower others. It’s about helping people find their strengths, cultivating their passions, and ensuring that we’re all aligned and in sync.”

“The first time I applied for P&G’s brand management program, I was rejected. But instead of letting that rejection defeat me, I let it motivate me to work harder: I contacted the company’s HR department and insisted that they’d made a mistake. My persistence ended up paying off: by showing them my commitment to learning and growing, they eventually chose to accept me into the program. It’s only a failure if you give up: real champions will always persevere through challenges and setbacks”, Lafferty proudly shared when asked about his failures and learning from them.

 

Mario Schraepen: First Mobility platform for the Automotive Industry in Path-Breaking Journey

Incorporated in 2019, LinkedCar Company is a brainchild endeavor by Founder and CEO Mario Schraepen, an Innovative Entrepreneur & Salesforce fanatic, focused on introducing innovation in the automobile industry

Mario Schraepen, a customer-dedicated and enthusiastic business manager with 15 years CRM experience in multiple European organizations and in different industries, is often described as a successful and versatile leader. He is passionate about providing insights to clients and is an avid follower of the latest tech trends and techniques. During his 27 years professional journey, Mario Schraepen has held multiple positions at various organizations.

Mario Schraepen is a visionary business leader with self-belief, a positive mindset, a how to make things work attitude, an admirable work ethic. For him, the definition of success is having a self-sufficient team that makes his role redundant and financial freedom. Presently, his vision has meant something, for his employees and for the whole world. He wants to leave a legacy, a movement…

The Inception Story

Like most ideas, the one for LinkedCar started with frustration. Once, Mario Schraepen was driving his lease car and couldn’t remember whether he had winter tires in his contract. He wondered “Why isn’t there ‘one’ centralized app that bundles all information from his car, insurance, maintenance, etc.” And from that idea, LinkedCar was born.

Diversifying the Organization’s Offerings

LinkedCar’s main USP comes from who owns the data and the possibilities that are given to use that data. Their vision is to give the data back to the driver and let them decide which data they want to share and with whom. This motivates the consumer and enables ALL ecosystem partners (insurance, car dealers, fuel card companies, leasing, fleet, etc.) to create new business and financial models, innovations and increased customer loyalty, finally making both them and the consumer win.

The Challenges & Accomplishments

You don’t start a company if there’s no challenge. No challenge in business means no reason for existence. And those who think they have the situation under control are not entrepreneurs. Of course, you need to control the uncertainties related to the challenge, not the challenge itself. When you think you have everything under control, there must be something wrong! Try to be flexible, try to give confidence, by setting the playing field and letting everyone think along. You need the challenge to be successful.

Mario’s start-up was in the wrong sector at the wrong time. He learned what resilience really means in times of Corona- the automotive industry took a great hit during the pandemic. For Linked Car, this made the signed contracts disappear right in front of them. But instead of giving up, they have reinvented themselves! They worked on their story and found partners like KdG University who could take their solution to the next level. Looking back on this difficult time it not only made the team stronger,COVID-19 also pointed to many shortcomings in the systems currently used in mobility. This once again emphasized the need for an innovation like LinkedCar.

Unique Leadership Principles
  • Complexity is the killer of creativity. Try to simplify as many things as possible.
  • Give freedom to your team. People need the freedom to do their job and to grow.
  • Quality is of the highest importance. A good idea is what gets you noticed but the quality is what builds your reputation.
  • Give room for mistakes. Nobody is perfect and everybody can grow. Allowing mistakes to happen and seeing them as opportunities to learn is what makes a team stronger.
The Biggest Professional Failures & Learnings

When asked about his biggest professional failures, Mario Schraepen shared, “There was a time when I would fix the mistakes my team made instead of letting them learn from them. Over time the quality they delivered went down because they knew I would correct anything anyway. I learned that giving responsibility also means letting people take responsibility for their mistakes. Many people want to learn, you just need to let them.”

“Hire for passion! The start-up world is very different from the corporate world. Not everyone is made to work in a start-up. Some people need defined roles and processes, and that’s okay. But don’t assume everybody is right for a start-up. Experience in a big fancy corporate environment isn’t always the best choice for your first hires”, he further added.

New Ideas in the Pipeline

Mario is in favor of employee shares, unfortunately, they live in a country (Belgium) that makes it fiscally impossible to achieve this today. Yet he continues to believe that this is the ideal way to make employees feel involved. It becomes their business, and if their hard work makes it successful, they should be rewarded for it too.

Mario’s Leadership Style & Skills

Mario Schraepen comes out with the wildest ideas, he is brutally honest, but at the same time makes sure there is a pleasant group spirit. He gives people opportunities and trust, but they have to prove themselves. They also blame him for working way too much and for working on too many projects at once. He calls those challenges.

The Primary Characteristic of a Leader

Listening! Many people can talk, but only a few can truly listen. Listen to your team’s goals, their passions, and their concerns. Often people leave organizations not because they don’t like the job, but because they are not heard. If somebody leaves your company and you didn’t see it coming, you weren’t listening.

ENVISIONING THE FUTURE

Mario and his team aim to connect the entire mobility ecosystem and become the “Robin Hood” for mobility data!

LinkedCar’s smart IoT device, which can read vehicle data in real-time, will hit the market early next year, enabling any vehicle to be connected. Not only cars but also e-bikes, scooters, motors, etc. This makes it possible for every consumer to offer his vehicle data to other parties (e.g., insurance for cheaper policies)

Linked Car will roll out this device worldwide and guarantee the democratization of vehicle data.

The Best Advice Recently Received

“This is never going to work! That sentence drives me crazy, but it does encourage me to keep going. It gives me the energy to make my product better and my story clearer.” – Mario Schraepen

 

Tara Fennessy: EVER PASSIONATE LEADER, ACCELERATING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FOR BUSINESS GROWTH SINCE 1995

The art of leaving everyone you speak with, inspired and confident to walk through their battles towards their goals and vision, is rarely possessed. UK-based Tara Fennessy, Managing Director of Leadership Skills Training, is a Leadership Master Coach and Award-winning Trainer who specialises in helping leaders elevate their impact, influence, and leadership skills to unprecedented levels that accelerate business results, build stakeholder relationships, and enhance personal and professional reputation.

Tara Fennessy, the lady behind many businesses’ and leaders’ growth, is an Author, Trainer, Speaker, Facilitator & Consultant. Kick-starting her career as a coach and consultant, Tara became Managing Director of Leadership Skills Training Limited in 2001 with a vision of “Best Bespoke Global Leadership Training and Coaching Consultancy’. In this two-decade-long journey, Tara has provided training and coaching to organisations globally and gained ample experience that helped her in taking LST to a higher altitude globally, virtually and digitally.

Tara Fennessy has shown her potential as an empowered business woman and her contribution to the business world has been an inspiration for everyone. As the Managing Director, she manages the business from a strategic level as well as being a lead coach and leadership trainer to the clients. Her book the Leadership WOW Factor -3 Secrets to Elevate your Impact, Influence and Career earned her ‘Best International Leadership Coach’ in 2019.

“My ethos is that when leaders know their message and can be their message, transformation happens at all levels for individuals and organisations. Our strap-line ‘Helping leaders have the WOW factor’ -is the philosophy we are committed to delivering to our clients!” says Tara Fennessy.

She loves to speak to organisations and leaders looking to become their best version and future-proof leadership skills and influence across the business. She is ardent and passionate about leadership development and the value it brings to organisations, teams and individuals, both culturally and commercially.

POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ACCELERATE GROWTH

Leadership Skills Training is an award-winning global expert leadership training, coaching, and consultancy provider to senior leaders and teams within large and medium organisations. The firm that was established 35 years back, is at the forefront of the leadership development industry and recognised as one of the most experienced consultancies. Here are the three major offerings by the firm:

Training:

Leadership Skills Training is at the forefront of the training industry. Here, their delivery methodology is embedded with personality and punch – giving clients a better understanding of their new best and how to lead with impact in their roles and environment. The whole team of LST is highly experienced and skilled in leadership qualities, which are passed on to the clients through immersive learning and delivery to create fearless leaders who have the energy, self-belief and clarity of thought to engage, enthuse and inspire that cascade into every future interaction.

Coaching:

The leadership and impact coaching experts at LST, whether they are consulting, coaching, mentoring, or training, can tailor all or any one element of the WOW Wheel to suit your organisation’s needs. In the past five years alone, the team has coached over 2,000 senior professionals across major global corporations from professional services firms to manufacturers and retailers, giving us unprecedented insight into what matters most for businesses and their leadership.

Consultancy:

Leaders drive culture, culture drives behaviour, behaviour drives performance and performance drives results. Created for leaders and their teams, the consulting service starts you on the journey to becoming future-fit to lead your business in this changing world with the future in mind. The team aims to unleash the power of the collective, leverage strengths whilst drawing in customers, colleagues, and communities.

THE BUSINESS SUCCESS

For Tara Fennessy, success is about making a difference! She says, “There’s nothing better than seeing the results my clients achieve when they trust themselves and in turn others trust them. What’s more, I am really proud that the legacy of my clients’ time with me not only enables them to lead effectively but helps them to do the same with future leaders.”

As a leadership and communication consultant, she actively works with leaders to help them know their message and be their message, so they build credibility and trust for themselves and the organisations they represent. She is passionate about inspiring self-confidence and self-belief in people through their ability to lead with clarity, confidence, and courage, and this is how Tara Fennessy sees her progress.

THE CLIENT PORTFOLIO & SUCCESS MANTRA

The clientele includes Tesco, Ernst & Young, PWC, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Cabinet Office, Accenture, JCB, Lacoste and many other renowned brands. The impressive client portfolio is testimony to the vast experience Tara Fennessy can bring to every project and the results they can achieve. Many of their clients acknowledge what impresses them the most is how the team bring fresh new energy into their methodology, conveying personality and punch into leadership development- they facilitate them to elevate their impact, influence, and leadership skills to accelerate business and personal objectives, and ultimately empower the clients to have the ‘wow’ factor.

Leadership Skills Training works with clients on a totally customised approach to provide their best leadership development experience. No training is prescribed, although of course there are common themes. Key for the team- and what makes them so successful – is that they ensure the impact is measurable through a change of thinking, feeling, and action, with a direct result across the three key pillars: clarity, confidence, and courage.

JEWELS IN THE CROWN
  • AI’s 2019 Leading Adviser Awards Leading Leadership Training and Coaching Consultancy of the Year
  • AI’s Global “Best of the Best in Training & HR 2017
  • Business Excellence 2018 Award “Training Consultancy Firm of the Year

 

Antonis Gavrielides: Far-Sighted Business Leader Antonis Gavrielides is Successfully Spearheading the Eurofast International Ltd

With over 15 years of extensive experience in leadership and management, Antonis Gavrielides is the Deputy CEO of Eurofast International Ltd. He has demonstrated leadership strengths and a proven ability to manage multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment with critical deadlines. Mr Gavrielides has been working at Eurofast for the past 11 years, initially as the Group Internal Auditor from the Cyprus office (HQ), subsequently as the Country Manager and currently as Director responsible for the General management of the office in Greece and the Payroll and Employment Division for the whole Group.

Antonis Gavrielides is highly motivated and fully committed with strong project management and analytical skills. He is well-organised and works well independently as well as collaboratively in a team spirit. He is also well-versed in strategy and has a proven ability to implement practical and innovative solutions to problems.

Eurofast International: Creating Historical Presence in the Global Market

Eurofast International Ltd is a Regional Business Advisory Organisation employing local adviser’s in 23 cities in the emerging markets of South-East Europe & the Middle East (SEEME). The team of advisors is capable of efficiently addressing all client needs in one single meeting, using one single language for all the countries in the region. Eurofast’s main services are 1) Tax & Transfer Pricing, 2) Payroll & Employment, 3) Accounting & Compliance, and 4) Advisory & Corporate.

The clientele includes multinational companies and organizations which are very demanding. To ensure the unbreakable faith of their clients the team always tries to be one step ahead of them. They identify the problem, and they implement innovative instant solutions. What’s essential for them is the client to realize that they do not see him as a temporary source of money, but they aim to create a bond that will last in time.

Eurofast has over 42 years of historical presence in the global market, counting numerous awards and accolades. Most recently, for 2021, the awards “Top 10 Payroll Provider of the Year” by CioLook and “Transfer Pricing Advisory Firm in South Europe” by Corporate INTL Magazine, were received.

Shortly, Eurofast is planning to enter a new era, combining the experience of the past with the expertise of the present to create a more challenging and innovative approach. During the pandemic, the Eurofast team faced many challenges, which they have proudly overcome. New ways to communicate the services and approaching the clients were invented. The future holds plan on expanding the Group portfolio using new technologies and growing their professional family with new talents in new jurisdictions.

The Inspiration behind the Initiation

In the early stages of his career, Antonis Gavrielides said he did not have a precise idea of what he wanted to do professionally. The most important for him was to educate himself because he truly believes that any type of knowledge gives you the chance to develop yourself.

Following the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Mr. Gavrielides was not afraid to take the risk and he started to work hard in his field. He realized that for him work is like a project. He wants to create something and after the finalization and the assurance that everything is working well, he seeks for a new challenge, a new project which will give him the opportunity to learn something new and advance himself and his skills.

Hiccups on the Way

The primary challenges that Antonis Gavrielides and his team had when the company grew were not to be disoriented from their vision and to choose colleagues who can understand it and are able to suggest ways to progress towards the primary goal it. Another ongoing challenge is to maintain the high quality of services they provide in different countries, cultures, and mentalities as Eurofast is a multinational organisation and they aim hard to be the top choice of their clients and the number one Cypriot company.

From the Deputy CEO’s Desk

“All of us who want to see this industry evolving must be supporters of a fair play competition. Furthermore, we must lead our employees, appreciate their skills and efforts, and promote equality for everyone. In addition, cooperation between companies and why not even between competitors could create a new more balanced industry”, asserted Antonis Gavrielides when asked about his views contributing to a more balanced & equal industry.

He further said, “My parents always encouraged me and supported me to make my own decisions by relying on my own strength, and allowed me to fulfil my dreams. My career mentors and especially Mr. Christodoulos Damianou, owner of Eurofast Group, gave me the opportunity to grow and develop my skills as he trusted my ideas since day one and gave me the honour to evolve and contribute to the development of a such an outstanding organisation. Last but not least, I believe in the power of luck and the good timing that followed me during my professional years and worked as a support system for my success.”

A Day in Antonis’s Life

Antonis’s day begins at 08:00 a.m. in the morning. Preparation of the daily routine and at 08:30 a.m. in the office. Meetings, calls, teleconferences, urgent matters, brainstorming, and discussion with colleagues till 05:30 p.m. After work, he gets to have some time for himself. He usually spends time at the gym, which works as stress-relieving. Antonis Gavrielides enjoys cooking for friends and shares a laugh along with a good glass of wine. The night routine always includes preparation for the next day and some good night’s sleep.

Favourite Book

Since Antonis Gavrielides is a food lover, he enjoys reading cooking books or stories of people whose occupation is cooking. A book that he recently read and really inspired him was ‘Kitchen Confidential’ by Antony Bourdain. He is fascinated by the combination of products that appear unmatched and turn out to be amazing results. He believes the same applies for the industry since it requires everyone to combine and adjust to different cultures, different people, and different legislations so as to achieve a positive outcome.

Favourite Quote

“Our Aspirations are our Possibilities” by Victorian English poet Robert Browning. It truly reflects my belief that high expectations always precede high achievement and when you want something a lot, aim for hard work and life will reward you openly.

Rodrigo Martins: Catering Corporate Legal Solutions for The Dynamic Wealth Management World

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyonf measure.

Quoting Marianne Williamson, this is the thought of Rodrigo Alonso Martins, Head of International Taxation and Wealth Planning at Ronaldo Martins & Advogados.

Born in São Paulo, Brazil in 1981 but also with Spanish Citizenship, Rodrigo Martins is married and the father of two lovely girls. After high school, he started both Economic Sciences and Law Universities.

Before graduation Rodrigo Martins was involved with Tax Practice, initially focusing on Corporate Tax Planning, and afterward developing and directing the Wealth Planning Practice as part of the Tax Planning dedicated to Individual Investors.

Further, Rodrigo Martins shared, “I stayed with my Law Firm until February 2011 when I was invited and offered a Latam Wealth Planner position by HSBC Private Bank, initially starting the position in Geneva, Switzerland and then transferred back to Brazil 2013 where I remained until June 2015. After the termination of my relationship with HSBC in 2015, I went back to my Law Firm and in July 2015 I founded our Multi-Family Office – Ripol Alliance Global Wealth Strategies – in Miami where I became the CEO and Head of Wealth Planning.”

Since its inception, Ripol Alliance has been offering a more complete and holistic approach to Wealth Management or sort to say Wealth Planning integrated with the financial side as well as the legal and
succession planning to the services developed to clients.

A Glimpse of the Multi-Family Firm

RONALDO MARTINS & Advogados offers Corporate Legal Services on a multitude of Practices, but all businesses are driven to the benefit of the clients and their economic performance and efficiency. They also offer the Wealth, Succession, and Tax Planning for Individual Investors clients of the Law Firm integrated to their Multi-Family Office – Ripol Alliance Global Wealth Strategies – where all the Wealth, Succession, and International Tax Planning is centralized and added to the Wealth Management.

The clientele varies from big multinational companies, foreign companies establishing a business in Brazil through advisory, local companies in Brazil seeking assistance in navigating through the most efficient way on the Brazilian legal system, Brazilian Companies desiring to expand their businesses and operation to other countries in special the USA and Private Clients seeking for advisory on wealth, succession, and tax matters both locally in Brazil but also internationally.

On asked about the secret behind the client’s unbreakable faith Rodrigo Martins said, “Trust comes from us knowing and speaking the same business language as our clients. In addition to that, we take our time to understand our client’s needs and concerns to facilitate an indication of the best and most appropriate legal solutions for their cases. Finally, we are always innovating on the digital frameworks bringing to our client’s ways to not only keep closer contact with our professionals but with relevant information about their cases and works we are developing for them. Therefore, we can create such a close relationship whereby we become natural members of our client’s life and business, adding value always to their interests.”

Hurdles on the Way & The Secret Sauce

The biggest challenge is to maintain the corporate values and principles despite any challenges a business may face or faced and never let the level or quality of the professionals and know how to drop from the highest standards we set back in the foundation of our Law Firm.

Rodrigo Martins says that learning and developing skills is the biggest secret behind the success and experience at a certain point in time, and being patient as to the eager to achieve success, because if done in a rush, may cause for a professional not to be ready to face the most demanding challenges.

Also, by understanding and accepting that the learning and growth curves are continuous, no one should think that once you get to a certain professional stage you are done because if you fall out of these continuous curves, sooner or later, you will fall and fail.

Building a Balanced and Equal Industry

According to Rodrigo Martins, that is achieved by “Providing equal chances to all, rewarding based on competence and results – meritocracy – and providing a more humane working relationship with your employees and clients.”

At the current moment, a lot of businesses focus on economical results and growth but at a cost which is the quality of the relationships established during the action and the quality of personal life as an owner, director, or of any employee.

Therefore, by seeking this more humane side of all the relations, companies can set a higher tone of productivity and commitment of their own team and a stronger and more faithful relationship with its clients.

A Day in Rodrigo’s Life

The routine starts with the early wake-up, checking the first e-mails and messages of the day, then dressing up for work, have breakfast with family, kids go to school, provide breakfast for dog, focus on work directly until lunchtime, take a break to have lunch and check nonwork-related subjects, return to the work routine and focus until around 7:00 pm to focus on family, preparing dog dinner, enjoying some quality time with family, then going to the gym three times a week during the night, get back home, go for a walk with the dog, give a lovely good night for the kids and put them to bed, take the last shower, watch Netflix with wife and then go to sleep.

Favourite Book: Rich Dad Poor Dad

Future Goals

Rodrigo Martins Alonso Martins is focusing on providing the clients a new digital experience in legal management with a new Legal Digital Platform.

This is just one more of the initiatives focused on the level of services the team provides to clients – the highest available – to facilitate to clients the understanding of the legal matters on the daily management and strategic decisions to help their companies succeed on their goals.

They are also further developing their asset management platform on their Multi-Family Office aiming to provide clients even broader access to different financial products and solutions which benefit their personal assets portfolio, possibly their business, and the risk diversification.

Feathers in the Cap

Lawyer Monthly – Legal Awards 2018 – Awarded to Rodrigo Martins Alonso Martins/Ripol Alliance Global Wealth Strategies – Business Families Solicitor of the Year USA.

Acquisition International – 2019 Global Excellence Awards – Awarded to Ripol Alliance Global Wealth Strategies – Most Outstanding Multi-Family Office 2019 – Florida, and

US Business News – Legal Elite Awards 2020 – Awarded to Ripol Alliance Global Wealth Strategies – Best in Legal Equity Protection Consulting – Florida.

A Piece of Advice for Female Entrepreneurs

Hard work sees no difference between genders. No woman should let be put down or inferior. If their professional goals are their top priority at a certain time of their life or even their entire life, they should face the challenges as humans and forget about the difference in gender. They should focus on their capabilities aiming to excel as much as possible, develop a strong and concrete business plan and a review routine to check on the accomplishments of the business plan, and unite a capable team to support them on the business development.

American Battery Solutions, An Endeavour by Subhash Dhar to Deliver Advanced Battery Solutions

Founded in 2019, led by an experienced business leader with about four decades of accumulated wisdom, Subhash Dhar, American Battery Solutions is engaged in developing, designing, and manufacturing complete Li-Ion battery systems for the electrification of vehicles and industrial equipment including stationary storage applications.

Since its inception, Mr Dhar has been spearheading the firm as the Chairman & CEO. Under his thoughtful and innovative leadership, the firm has emerged as a prominent leader in manufacturing advanced battery systems. Earlier, he was the Founder, Chairman & CEO of Energy Power Systems from January 2011 to April 2017 and CEO of XALT Energy, a leading manufacturer of Li-Ion batteries from January 2014 to April 2017.

Previously, Mr Dhar served as the Chairman & CEO of Envia Systems, a Bay Area company engaged in developing advanced Li-Ion battery technology. Prior to that, he was the founding President of ECD-Ovonic Battery Company during 1982 through 2003, where he developed and commercialized Nickel Metal hydride
battery which today’s hybrid electric vehicles on a global basis & which became the backbone of the Prius hybrid cars in the late ’90s. He set up business alliances and manufacturing operations in Japan, China, Europe, and the US. He also served as the President of Ovonic Fuel Cell Company where he developed a novel regenerative low-cost fuel cell.

Mr Dhar has also served as Vice-Chairman of EnerDel and President of its parent Ener1 Inc; CEO of Eletra Hybrid Bus; a company based in Brazil. He also served as the CEO of PlasmaDrive, a company engaged in the development of novel combustion technology.

He has also been involved in many aspects of alternative and advanced technology including hydrogen generation, hydrogen storage, and Fuel Cells. Subhash Dhar is a co-inventor of over 40 US patents and has
co-authored more than 45 technical papers and delivered dozens of invited keynote addresses at numerous global energy and automotive conferences. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Curtis Instruments for 15 years.

He has a master’s in engineering management and Chemical Engineering from the University of Detroit and Institute of Technology, India.

A GLIMPSE OF AMERICAN BATTERY SOLUTIONS

As a leading industrial and commercial electric vehicle battery manufacturer in the USA, ABS produces high-quality lithium-ion batteries with automotive quality DNA and with the power of experience.

Their customers are part of the electrification industry primarily in the industrial, commercial, and other related markets including bus and commercial vehicle manufacturers. The team at ABS has collectively, helped launch some of the industry’s most well-known programs with OEM’s like General Motors, Fiat
Chrysler, BMW, Daimler-Mercedes, and others. Their mission is to create a cleaner future by leading the
transition from fossil fuel based propulsion to electric power trains as well as grid connected energy storage
systems.

“Building a team from scratch was one of the biggest challenges. We continue to build a world-class team; people are the most critical and valuable assets that we have as a company” shared Subash Dhar while talking about the hurdles of early days.

storage solutions provider. Mr Dhar is working every day with ABS’s highly skilled and talented team members. He looks forward to continuing to build a culture of camaraderie and balancing good work/life for everyone in the company.

FROM THE CEO’S DESK

The Inspiration behind the Initiation
Mr Dhar apprised, “I have always been interested in clean energy, electrification of vehicles and have worked in clean-tech since 1981. My philosophy is to leave this world in better condition than we inherited it from our predecessors which can be achieved through science, technology, and human partnerships.”

The “Secret Sauce”

Having the conviction in making the world a better place and working with an extremely talented group of people and staying focused on the mission to improve the quality of life through science and technology.

Suggestions to Create a More Balanced and Equal Industry
Define your mission and goals and identify critical paths to achieve them. Develop and nurture teams and provide them with the necessary tools, guidance, and encouragement to help them achieve those goals. Also, being a good listener is important.

FAVOURITE BOOK

Churchill Walking with Destiny biography by Andrew Roberts. Churchill inspires with his leadership qualities and how he manages through tough and adverse challenges. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson about science, culture, and how the modern-day science world has evolved.

FEATHERS IN THE CAP
  • 30 most influential companies of the year – CIO Bulletin 2020
  • Top 10 EV solutions providers – Autotech Outlook
  • The World’s Fastest-Growing Companies in 2021 – American Registry
  • Several recognitions by industry trade organizations and academic institutions.
  • Inventor of over 45 US Patents
  • Authored over 45 technical papers
WORDS OF WISDOM

Don’t take no for an answer, fight every step of the way, treat everyone fairly and encourage team building, education, equality, and fairness. There have been many successful women leaders, and there is a need to continue to cultivate and support that growth.

Stuart Noland: Offering Knowledge-Driven Innovative Finance Solutions with Nolands Capital

Stuart Noland, a specialist financial professional and an alumnus of Oxford University are the Founder and CEO of Nolands Capital a full-service Deal Advisory, Transactional Services, and Advisory firm.

A Charted Accountant with over 10 years of experience, Stuart Noland has earned expertise in various areas of finance and business. Over the years, he has contributed to different fields of Business Management, Finance, Audit, and Consulting.

He has worked at KPMG, an audit & advisory firm, and Bain & Co, the management consulting company. Stuart became a Chartered Accountant CA(SA) in 2014; he completed a Finance Master’s Degree at the University of Cape Town in 2015 and did MBA at the University of Oxford the next year.

MORE ABOUT THE COMPANY & SERVICE PORTFOLIO

As a corporate finance house, Nolands Capital specialises in helping clients and their business achieve their goals across short, medium, and long-term horizons. There are 3 areas of specialisation:

  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Transaction Services
  • Management Consulting

On both buy and sell-side transactions, clients are fully supported, end-to-end. They provide auxiliary services such as business valuations, financial modelling/forecasting, and due diligence.

In addition, they also provide related consulting services around post-merger integration, business reorganisation/optimisation, and incentives development.

Because of its excellent services and expert team, Nolands Capital has been honoured with the Acquisition International Leading Corporate Finance & Management Consultant of the Year 2021.

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE INITIATION

Stuart always wanted to work in an industry that was dynamic and ever-changing and that provided a good variety of projects and opportunities across a broad range of industries and geographies. An occupation that was exciting, challenging, and fast-paced.

The finance industry allows him to work closely with clients, learning more about their business, and thinking out the box to come up with innovative solutions to address challenges. Each day looks and feels slightly different from the previous one, regardless of how many years you have under your belt.

According to him, a finance career also equips you with the ability to transition into many different roles over time either operational/financial/ or strategic. It provides flexibility and helps you develop very transferable and monetizable skills. It also allows you to travel the world and work in many different locations.

CRAFTING LOYAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS

The clientele includes medium to large SMEs situated in and around sub-Saharan Africa, predominantly South Africa. The Nolands slogan has always been around Relationships and Solutions. They develop close relationships with clients and get to know them on a personal level in order to better understand their priorities, needs, and objectives. They also let the quality of our work speak for itself in developing innovative, and fit-for-purpose solutions that are designed with the future in mind.

“We offer holistic solutions to our clients, that not only accommodate our skill sets, but also the skills and expertise of the entire broader Nolands firm across all three key service pillars: Audit, Advisory, and Law. We don’t work FOR or AT our clients, but rather work closely WITH them in a mutual partnership to develop and execute solutions. Our existing clients consistently ask us: “where can you help us”, rather than “I need help with this” and that is a critical distinction” says Stuart.

GETTING OVER THE ENTREPRENEURIAL HUMPS

The business was started in March 2019, and it was hit by COVID and lockdowns barely a year after launch. This unprecedented disruption encouraged, or even demanded, a high degree of agility and responsiveness in the way it operates.

“We were determined that the challenges presented by the pandemic could not be seen in any way by the team as some sort of reigning in of our ambition. Instead, the systems we put in place have become an in-built strength that has improved efficiencies as well as the speed of decision making, response, and delivery. Ultimately, we are a business that was specifically designed to operate in a pandemic, rather than one that adjusted to it”, said Stuart while talking about the major challenges he has had to face.

“As a relatively young division offering a completely different skill set to the rest of the Nolands Firm, our primary challenge was threefold:
• Educate both the existing firm personnel and potential clients as to the types of services and value we can offer our clients
• Convince new clients to trust a relatively new outfit with a mandate of such a personal nature regarding the acquisition/disposal of their life’s work (their business).
• Lastly, we had to find the right mix of individuals with the same cultures, values, mindset, and ability to build a high performing and cohesive team in order to service the ever-increasing workload from clients”, he further added.

THE “SECRET SAUCE”

Stuart Noland got to where he is today by focusing on his goals, putting in the hard yards, and not taking any shortcuts along the way. He spent a long time (over 10 years) focusing on his tertiary studies and building a
solid foundation from which to build a career. He initially took jobs that would provide him with the best exposure and learning opportunities, rather than the best short-term remuneration. Stuart worked in a
number of cities around the world in order to gain exposure to different cultures and ways of working. Besides, he was fortunate enough to have a family that gave him great guidance in terms of thinking of how to structure and build a career from an early age.

NOLANDS CAPITAL, THEN AND NOW

The firm has consistently outperformed expectations during the first 3 years of operations thanks to the incredible effort from the team and support from the loyal clients.

“We are looking forward to continuing to identify and work with fantastic clients and form long-term relationships that facilitate mutual success and enable us to grow alongside the clients we currently serve. We are very excited to continue to grow the team, both nationally in SA and abroad, and continue to advance our capabilities in key areas that are of importance to our clients. We are planning to provide the infrastructure and auxiliary services to assist the overall Nolands firm to grow in other areas of business by delivering holistic solutions to our clients across all key service pillars: Audit, Advisory & Law”, says Stuart.

Words of Wisdom

There are no shortcuts to success. Start with the end in mind and be willing to put in the hard yards to build the right foundation for long-term future success.

Dr Wolf Vierich & The Vitala Group : Delivering Tailor Made Finance Solution

The journey for the Vitala Group of Companies started in 1983 as the brainchild of Dr. Wolfgang Vierich, the Founder & Group Chairman. He is equipped with years of experience from his successful career since the year 1967. In his German air force military career in the USA he passed out as the highest ranked “Foreign Outgoing Officer” of any US Military Academy, USA.

He was legal and economic advisor to six Heads of State, and he led economic nationalization programmes in Tanzania, Iran, Jordan, and Qatar during the 1970s – 1980s. He was also Regional General Manager of the UK Inchcape Group’s Middle East operations, and Holiday Inn International Hotels’ Director of Projects Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

A graduate from two West German Hotel Management Schools, his educational curriculum was complemented at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and the University of Austin, Texas, majoring in International Trade Law and Contract Law, obtaining his JD and Ph.D., followed by studies in International Project Management at the European Centre of Management in Brussels, and in Executive Management at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Afterwards, he obtained an MBA from the University of Munich, Germany.

Dr. Vierich also lectures, speaks, and has published worldwide on subjects covering Law, Management and global tourism industry trends, and project finance. He has worked and consulted on numerous Government programmes and campaigns in Japan and the USA. He was chosen by President Reagan as the Chair of the Commission on the American Outdoors. He was also Chair of the State of Florida Crime Prevention Program and, as a result, he was appointed as a Distinguished Visitor of the City of Miami.

For his global achievements in the international tourism industry, he was Knighted by the German Government in 2010.

He has been honoured as “CEO of the Year 2021” by CEO Today Magazine, and his Vitala Group of Companies was appointed as the “Most Outstanding Leisure & Tourism Group 2021 UK”

He is a:

FELLOW
  • IH Institute of Hospitality
  • IM Institute of Management
  • CIM Chartered Institute of Marketing
  • TS Tourism Society, UK
VISITING FELLOW:
  • Bournemouth University, UK, (1990-96)

MEMBER:

  • WWA World Waterpark Association
  • RoSPA Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (1988-2004)
  • IAAPA International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions
  • MCB Editorial Board, Contemporary Journal of Hospitality Management, MCB University Press
  • JWA Honorary Member, Japan Waterpark Association
  • ALAPA Founder & Honorary Member, Asociación Latino Americana de Parques Acuáticos
  • LATAG Latin American Trade Advisory Group, (1992-1998)
  • TEA Themed Entertainment Association, USA
  • ULI International Council, Urban Land Institute, USA
  • IALEI International Association for the Leisure & Entertainment Industry, USA
  • Editorial Board, Aquatics International, USA,
  • World Safety Council, USA, (1993-95)
  • Russian Association of Joint Ventures, International Consortia & Organisations, (1986-90)
  • ALES Associate Member, Association of Leisure & Equipment Suppliers, UK
  • IRETO Board of Experts

KNIGHTHOOD: Knight of Gastronomy, Germany
LIFE MEMBER: WLRA World Leisure & Recreation Association
CHAIRMAN: World Waterpark Association International Advisory Board (1988-2000)
GUARDIAN: Hospitality Action Benevolent Association, UK
COUNCIL MEMBER: The Gerson Lehrman Group

ADVISOR:
  • International Advisor, Asociación Latino Americana de Parques Acuáticos (ALAPA) 1982
  • UK Department of Trade & Industry “Opportunity Japan” Campaign, (1990- 1994)
  • AIIS, American International Immigration Services
  • International Advisor, Russian Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions, (RAAPA)
COMMISSION CHAIRMAN
  • US President Reagan’s Commission to Report on the American Outdoors (1986-87)
  • Florida State Government’s Tourist Crime Prevention Program, (1992-1995)
The VITALA Group of Companies

The VITALA Group of Companies is now operating in its 38th year and has been active in over 153 countries since its inception.
The Group is best known as global Project Finance providers, developers, managers, and consultants to the leisure, tourism, and themed entertainment industry. It provides additional related services for many other industries.
They also specialise in global project financing and the formation of financing syndicates covering start-up and ongoing projects, the provision of Private Placement Memorandum and related documentation for project verification, as well as Merger and Acquisition services.
The Group’s commercial activities cover investment, consultancy, and management services for all types of industries worldwide.

INTERNATIONAL PROJECT FINANCE SERVICES OFFERED:
  • Equity / debt funding
  • Project start-ups
  • Partnerships
  • Project loans
  • Project Management
  • Investigation
  • Private placement memorandum
  • Feasibility study assignments
  • Loan syndication
  • Operational audits
  • Project acquisitions
  • Project mergers
  • Project buy-outs/ buy-ins

There are no up-front fees or any other hidden fees for Project Financing. The company only charges a success fee.

“Since 1983, The Vitala Group has been raising project finance. We receive numerous applications for all types of project financing and, as we do not act as finance brokers, we recommend the most appropriate source for a project’s evaluation. Project financing is based on the merits and risk aspects of the project rather than on security and corporate considerations. With global development projects completed in over 153 countries since 1983, we specialise in financing projects from inception right through to operation. This includes project finance, acquisitions, mergers, buy-outs, and joint ventures”, Dr Vierich further shared.

Favourite Book : “The Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela.

Challenges on the Way & Plans for Reaching the Next Milestones

The demand for international project finance over US$ 10.0 million per project was steady in 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic had no measurable effect on that. Dr Wolf Vierich commenced real estate project finance in the Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia. All the 10
global offices functioned throughout the Covid-19 crisis, because of the vast number of ongoing international
projects we deal with. There have been project delays caused by the various restrictions and quarantine measures imposed globally. This has affected mainly operators but not developers since, in most cases, project development requires some years to complete.

“The provision of competent and ethical management is as important to us as our responsibility to achieve
financial profit targets for our shareholders and investors. We must operate profitably to meet our ongoing obligations to employees and sponsors alike. To hire, train and motivate the best employees available in the market; to promote them first before engaging outside personnel; to treat staff respectfully and award them fairly and develop our personnel to act as good citizens of the community – remains our constant mission. Preferably to deal with projects which will positively impact communities, with real measurable results. We
seek to advance those who endeavour to contribute to our business and society, regardless of their background, origin, religion, race, political beliefs, or aspirations. To provide excellence and to succeed through satisfied customers and clients is to meet our highest goal”, said Dr Vierich while talking about his
future plans.

Christiana Kouppi : Unleashing Unparalleled Legal Expertise in the Law Industry with Vrikis & Kouppi LLC

An experienced high calibre seasoned lawyer, an eternal optimist, and a cheerful persona, Christiana Kouppi joined Vrikis & Kouppi LLC in 2017. She has over 10 years of experience in top-tier firms in both Australia and Cyprus, acting for a wide range of clients over the years and working with entrepreneurs helping them set up and manage successful businesses, and offering elite guidance in Corporate Finance, Intellectual Property, Property Acquisition, Restructuring to name a few.

Christiana ventured out on her legal educational journey at La Trobe in Melbourne Australia and after 5 fantastic years, she combined her two passions and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of
Business, majoring in Finance and Management. She then continued and became a Member of the Society of
Estate and Trust Practitioners and qualified with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission. Whilst still in Australia, Christiana always enjoyed an active role with the Victorian Women Lawyers Association and contributed articles for their in-house magazine Portia.

“I suppose that growing up and working in Australia and Cyprus has given me a fondness for the outdoors and the beach and I am a firm believer in maintaining a healthy work-life balance while also giving back to the community one is part of and enjoys. Giving back to others is an ethic that I hold dear and have always sought to apply throughout my life and legal career, endeavouring to pass this on to newcomers to our profession, and to encourage them to also do the same”, Christiana further apprised.

STANDING OUT FROM THE CLUTTER

Established in 2015, Vrikis & Kouppi LLC (‘the Firm’) today provides legal services to people from Cyprus and across the world. They have two offices, one in Limassol and one in Nicosia and with over 30 years of collective experience, they offer the sharpest legal minds providing confident and incisive legal advice with a real desire to change the legal landscape in Cyprus. Their priority is to provide the highest possible standard of legal service and to maintain the best quality at every point of client and service provider interaction.

  • The Firm practices in all fields of Cyprus law, with a strong focus in the areas of:
  • Company and Commercial Law
  • Family and Trust Law, Taxation Law
  • Banking and Finance
  • Immigration
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Litigation
  • Property Law & Tenancy Matters
  • Administrative Law
  • Secretarial services and company incorporations
  • Employment law

“We are happy to assist on any matter and we always make ourselves available to our clients to offer them support and advice where needed. We serve some of the world’s preeminent corporations with a full bureau law service and we are recognised for our industry focus in key sectors” Christiana shared while talking about her clients.

“We are committed to demonstrating support to our clients and we understand this intuitively, many firms would tend to believe that focusing on the practice areas seems to make sense, however ultimately, you are offering a service to a client and behind that service is a person. Maintaining personal relationships with our clients is key to us understanding their needs. This personal development is imperative to us and yields the best results possible”, she further added.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES AS A LEADER

Christiana Kouppi and the Firm share the same challenges as the majority of companies. The present times are in constant flux and the world is in constant change, obviously, COVID has affected everyone to some degree and the evolving needs of the clients keeps Vrikis & Kouppi LLC on their toes, but the team delight in this and have always prided themselves in their ability to respond to change in an instant.

The trends that the VK team has recognised recently however have centred around the need for faster turnaround times in all deliverables and more challenging working structures, and seeing this early on they have been at the forefront of developments that are effectively allowing them to stay ahead to meet the demands of a more complex, faster changing, inter-connected world.

A DAY IN CHRISTIANA KOUPPI’S LIFE

Christiana shared, “Every morning before I get out of bed, I map out a plan of my day in my head. In the office, I have a coffee meeting with the teams to discuss their plan and priorities for the day and then begin. After work, my favourite part of my evening is hitting a Zumba class. With a day job that is so much dependent on articulation, I find a great release from dancing, I truly believe it is the language for the soul when a person can just completely switch off the left side brain and engage one’s more creative artistic right side, with also the added benefit of being able to squeeze in a workout! As I spend most of my week on the phone or in meetings or in front of a computer, my personal time is spent away from all that, weekends are for the outdoors, preferably with a nice glass of wine and enjoying anything that doesn’t need a plug!”

FUTURE ROADMAP

Vrikis & Kouppi LLC has a determined vision of becoming the leading indigenous law firm in Cyprus by conducting its business in a way that is consistent with their values, where they have something of value to offer, and where their endeavour can make a difference.

Here, people are at the core of what they do and they are committed to recruiting, developing, and retaining the most talented professionals, while at the same time offering continued legal education, defending equality, and encouraging enterprise focused activities that will allow them to make a positive difference in the local communities in which they operate.

AWARDS AND MILESTONES

Vrikis & Kouppi LLC has been honoured with many awards, like:

  • Corporate Tax Law Firm of the year in Cyprus 2017 – Corporate International
  • 2018 Leading Commercial Law adviser of the Year, Cyprus – Acquisition International
  • 2018 Corporate & Commercial Law Firm of the Year in Cyprus – Acquisition International
  • Recommended Law Firm 2019 – Corporate Tax Law Firm of the Year in Cyprus – Global Law Experts
  • Recommended Attorney 2019 George Vrikis – Global Law Experts
  • Global Excellence Award for Christiana Kouppi – Most Influential Women in Business Transactions Law 2019 – by Acquisition International
  • Listed on Legal500
A PIECE OF ADVICE FOR FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS

“Feto Forte – Nasaun Forte” “Strong Women, Strong Nation”. When women find a voice and assume leadership roles in the community, the entire community, and by extension the nation, benefits”. Christiana shared.

It is certainly challenging for female entrepreneurs to follow their dreams and aspirations and put their dreams onto an action plan as they are faced with so many difficulties however I am a firm believer that if you always work with honesty and passion, whilst having the common sense and aspiration to move forward, you will surely excel.

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