EUROPE

UK

CEO Insight... Q

current company?

I am a venture capital investor in innovative companies in emerging markets. On occasion I will adopt the CEO role for a while in one of our investments to help it break into the markets it is targeting.

RedCloud

Ventures has a specific

blueprint model for success, and helps startups grow through active

participation in their

operations.

Re- engineering and re- inventing the business model to take it from being an offline technology company into a SaaS business.

Recently Iceni has won a number of major contracts in Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, all of those have been possible because of the change to a SaaS business.

How did you do that? Drive and ambition.

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What education or prior experience helped you succeed at your current

company?

My education is the best education you can have, experience. I started my first company when I was 16, I have been an Entrepreneur for 3 decades. There is a lot of hard lessons learnt in there.

Q Q

What lessons did you learn on your way to becoming a CEO?

To surround yourself with people that are smarter than you.

What lessons have you learned as a CEO?

To get your listen to talk ratios rights. I listen 32 Finance Monthly CeO AwArdS 2013

What are your most important professional achievements at your

3x as much as I speak, as a result I learn 3 x as much.

Q

Q Q Q

What are the key success factors for a CEO?

Three- Strength, honour, and integrity in all you do.

What are the key challenges for a CEO?

To keep your head when all around you are losing theirs.

How did you overcome those challenges?

By keeping sight of the goal and purpose you have signed up to.

How do you manage the relationship with your Board of

Directors?

I have a very supportive and knowledgeable Board whose counsel I seek regularly. We have extensive phone and face to face contact , any major decisions that have to be made I will always work through with them.

Ambition and virtue.

Q Q

Q

What advice do you give to rising CEOs?

Do not underestimate the importance of salespeople in your organisation. Too often this is overlooked .

Do you admire another CEO or a leader (current or historical)? Why?

Marc Benioff of Salesforce.com and Larry

What do you look for in your successor?