LEADERSHIP STYLES HOW I DID IT
‘Take the big leaps’
Sara Schroter Ross recently became IoD Bermuda’s fi rst female Chartered Director and also,
at 37, its youngest. The general counsel of Meritus Trust Company shares her insights.
Your values influence those close to you. My grandmother, a fashion designer, emigrated from Vienna to London before the second world war. Some of her pieces are still on display at the V&A. My parents, together with business partners, built a fi nancial services company. I learnt the value of hard work and determination from them – and also the importance of following your dreams.
The best leaders are highly emotionally intelligent. They’re great communicators who focus on collaboration. They act with integrity, work hard on relationships and help others to develop themselves.
Never stop learning. I began the IoD Certifi cate in Company Direction in 2014, when I was legal counsel for a bank, after my manager became a CDir. It’s widely recognised as the gold standard in governance.
Take the big leaps. This has become my mantra, because I think that women in particular are too often scared to stretch themselves and seek promotion.
LEAD LIKE…
Disney’s CEO is publishing his memoir this autumn. Here’s why he was entrusted with the keys to the Magic Kingdom Words Christian Koch
ROBERT IGER
AN ACQUIRING MIND Iger has earned a reputation as a canny buyer. He purchased Pixar for $7.4 billion in 2006, only a year after becoming CEO, and snapped up Marvel for $4.2 billion in 2009. The superhero franchise has since recouped the investment many times over – Avengers: Endgame alone has grossed $2.7 billion. In 2012 he acquired Lucasfilm and its lucrative Star Wars saga for just over $4 billion. And last March he bought most of 21st Century Fox for $71.3 billion.
TRADEMARK MOVES
At a time when attendances are slumping, Iger has focused on making the most of its famous brands outside the cinema. Such is his shrewdness with intellectual property rights that he’s been nicknamed IP Bob. There are Disney cruises and ice shows, while merchandise ranging from mouse mats to lunch boxes are emblazoned with images from Spider-Man, Frozen et al. Then there are the theme parks: resorts have opened in Hong Kong and Shanghai under Iger’s tenure and further expansion in Asia is likely. All this seems to be working: Disney’s stock price has quadrupled since he took the helm in 2005.
MR BANKS’ SAVINGS Although Iger’s $66 million pay package moved Abigail Disney, Walt’s great niece, to say: “No one on this freaking planet is worth that,” it’s clear that he leads with a conscience. After the US withdrew from the Paris climate accord in 2017, Iger quit Donald Trump’s advisory council. When Georgia (a more popular movie location than California) tabled a strict abortion law this summer, he threatened to pull Disney out of the state. He has also championed inclusivity in films – as demonstrated by the groundbreaking Black Panther movie.
IPAD MINNIE The company has cleverly navigated its way through the digital revolution – the Pixar deal made Steve Jobs Disney’s largest shareholder, while Iger has been on Apple’s board since 2011. It’s thought that, by acquiring 21st Century Fox, the company will mount a challenge to streaming giants Netflix and Amazon. Indeed, in November it launches its long-awaited Disney+ streaming service, which will show original films and TV shows as well as old classics. Iger says of his business: “The riskiest thing we can do is maintain the status quo.”
CONGRATULATIONS to the latest members to qualify as Chartered Directors: Fraser Allan, Colin Bird, Rachel Bosworth, Shaun Davis, Carl Dix, Allen Graham, Stephen Kearney, Mary Malcolm, Jack Peel, Mark Perkins, Mark Skelton, Bola Tinubu, Sam Waide, Simon Wainwright.
iod.com/chartered
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director.co.uk
INTERVIEW: RYAN HERMAN
GETTY IMAGES
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