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Welcome to the special edition of CEO Today magazine, where we are thrilled to celebrate and honour the remarkable women making waves in the global business arena with our annual Business Women of the Year Awards. This year, more than ever, we’ve seen an incredible display of resilience, innovation, and leadership in the face of unprecedented challenges. The women we honour today are not just leading their respective organizations to new heights but are also trailblazers for equality, diversity, and inclusion, setting the stage for future generations. One such leader who deserves a special mention is Diane Wang, the founder and CEO of DHgate, one of the leading B2B & B2C e-commerce marketplaces in China. Her commitment to digital transformation and fostering global trade, combined with her advocacy for women in business, makes her an inspiration to us all. Diane’s journey, along with the stories of other outstanding women leaders featured in this issue, serves as a beacon of what is possible when determination, ingenuity, and leadership converge. In the following pages, we delve into their journeys, their challenges, their victories, and their vision – providing you with a wealth of wisdom, motivation, and insight. It is our hope that these stories not only recognize and celebrate these powerful women but also inspire our readers to break barriers, embrace innovation, and lead with integrity and purpose. Thank you for joining us in this celebration of leadership, achievement, and inspiration. CEO TODAY BUSINESS WOMEN AWARDS 2023
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IANE WANG DDHGATE
8DIANE WANG DHGATE 28Jayn Sterland Weleda 18 ERICA MONACO Biofrontera Inc. 24 Angela Eliacostas AGT Global Logistics 30 Andrea hancock Mattress Safe, Inc.
- 8 - At CEO Today, we are thrilled to present an exclusive interview with a woman who has profoundly impacted the global e-commerce landscape: Diane Wang, the founder and CEO of DHgate. As a renowned entrepreneur and a trailblazer in cross-border e-commerce, Wang has revolutionized the way businesses operate, breaking down geographical barriers and democratizing global trade. THE FOUNDER, CHAIRPERSON, AND CEO OF DHGATE GROUP CHINA
CHINA - 9 -
“Women recover from failures relatively easier than men. Generally speaking, women are better at communicating and connecting.” Leading one of the world’s premier B2B e-commerce marketplaces, Wang has cemented her reputation as a visionary and a catalyst for change in the industry. Her leadership and relentless commitment to fostering SMEs’ growth and promoting inclusive trade have earned her global recognition and acclaim. In our enlightening conversation with Diane Wang, we delve into her inspiring journey, the challenges she overcame, her achievements, and her perspective on the future of e-commerce. Join us as we unravel the story behind DHgate’s phenomenal success and learn more about the woman steering this formidable e-commerce titan. CHINA - 10 -
I founded DHgate in 2004, aiming to help global MSMEs source directly through a cross-border B2B platform without an intermediary. As it turned out, DHgate is the first mover in this field. DHgate is also the pathfinder that has been leading the development of the cross-border e-commerce industry. Before DHgate, this was the first time anyone had done complicated offline international trade business into easy online transactions, including order fulfillment, payment, and logistics management DHgate’s business model was a disruptive innovation at that time. International procurement could complete complex transactions using our platform with a simple mouse click. To date, DHgate has owned the largest market share in the US market among all B2B e-commerce platforms from China. As of this year, we served more than 46 million registered buyers from 223 countries and regions by connecting them to over 2.4 million sellers worldwide, with over 37 million live listings on the platform annually. DHgate has been serving sellers and buyers for nearly 20 years (building a trustworthy and leading B2B crossborder e-commerce brand worldwide. ) It is an open, innovative, and diversified environment for global trade, and our vision is to empower everyone in global trade. In 2020, we launched MyyShop to spearhead the growing trends of decentralization and the rise of Gen Z. As a social commerce SaaS platform, MyyShop helps MSMEs, especially entry-level merchants and individual entrepreneurs with social influence, to turn their impact into a good business. Our platform keeps evolving, and we aim to provide comprehensive services to empower different types of digital creators and influencers to monetize their social influence in relevant ways, no matter whether they are Mega, Macro, Micro, or Nano-Influencers. MyyShop is helping to increase the sales of more than 4 million products and is working with over 1.7 million registered online influencers globally. CHINA - 11 -
I personally have more than 30 years of business and digital experience. In 1999, as one of the first generation of e-commerce entrepreneurs in China, I established Joyo.com, China’s first B2C e-commerce platform. In 2004, Joyo. com was acquired by Amazon. And at the same year, I founded DHgate. As the founder, chairperson, and CEO of DHGATE Group, as well as a female entrepreneur, I am also passionate about promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment agenda and have participated in various international organizations, including APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), Business 20 (B20), and BRICS Women’s Business Alliance. In 2016, I initiated APEC Women Connect, an women empowerment program to realize entrepreneurship via digital solutions through inspirational sharing, practical learning, effective recognition, and awarding. What is your approach to leadership, and how do you empower your team members to thrive in the workplace? These three mantras I try to live by are essential to pacing. Optimistic thinking. Expect the best. How you perceive something or someone depends on the angle at which you view them. If you consider your situations from a positive perspective, you’ll have better CHINA - 12 -
results. In my mind, the best is yet to come. Always. • No bragging, no complaining. Eliminate these two and watch your world get better. • Persistence. There’s no victory, and there is no failure as long as you keep going. Maybe the path that you’re on isn’t the right one, but if you keep going, you will discover the right path. The secret is motivation. When you find what brings you joy, you’ll be motivated to continue on that path. One of the first questions I ask people who want to work for me is, “What kind of things make your eyes shine?” What kind of things are they particularly interested in or full of passion to do? That’s what I need to know because if the motivation and the goals are there, I know what kind of support to provide. At my company, we’re currently creating a personal growth plan for employees. What we’re really asking is, “In what particular area can we support you to grow?” I value motivation. I think it’s the inner drive that makes people move and work hard. So, I hire people with passion. We are dealing with cross-culture management seriously. As we have more and more people around the world joining us from different cultures, different time zones, and speaking different languages, the challenge lies in how we can bring people from different places and cultures together and engage and motivate them in a way that works for all of them.I also leverage a seven-dimensional leadership model as follows. • Mission-driven. I try to make the company’s mission resonate with employees’ personal missions so that they’re willing to work for the common vision. • Customer insight. I make business decisions based on actual customer needs. • Entrepreneurship. I take unknown risks and be innovative and ground- breaking. • Empathy. I try to understand others and to know the reasons behind actions. • Simplification. I figure out the core of all and get to the point directly. • Constant learning. Society changes fast, and I learn new things to stay relevant. • Empowering the team. I grow the whole team together since I know one single person cannot fulfill a great task. Gender bias and discrimination continue to be prevalent in many workplaces. How do you ensure that DHGATE promotes a culture of diversity and inclusion? • I advocate an inclusive, empowering culture in the company, and the company policies are designed to create an equal work environment for male and female employees, which is quite important to the continuous development of the company. At DHGATE group, women are granted fair opportunities and can enjoy the “One of the first questions I ask people who want to work for me is, ‘What kind of things make your eyes shine?’ CHINA - 13 -
same rights and benefits as men in terms of recruitment, promotion, talent development, and other areas. In addition, women can enjoy other benefits, like at least 128 days of full- pay maternity leave, baby care rooms for new moms, and so on. • We encourage women colleagues to break limitations set by themselves. Currently, nearly half of DHGATE group employees are female, including those at different levels of management. In your opinion, what unique skills or attributes do women bring to leadership roles, and how have these qualities contributed to your success as a CEO? • Resilience, communication, and connection capability. Women recover from failures relatively easier than men. Generally speaking, women are better at communicating and connecting. As for me, one of my key skills is as a people connector, as the two platforms I have established connect people and businesses from around the world in one way or another. What advice do you have for women who aspire to become CEOs or leaders in their respective fields? For new entrepreneurs, I have three points to share: • Firstly, for entrepreneurs, they should pursue things that enlighten their passions. Challenges are inevitable; most entrepreneurs have experienced that “win or go home” moment, but very few have survived. Most people would see 99.9% of problems and difficulties when facing a challenge. But when you do things that make your eyes shine, you may see 0.1% of possibility and opportunity, and I believe true entrepreneurs all focus on the 0.1%; their passion will drive them to do their best to make things happen. • Secondly, I would like to emphasize the value of a team. We could always overcome difficulties and correct problems as a whole team. And at different stages, a good entrepreneur should think about the development of different team members. Besides, it is equally essential to absorb external talents and work with external experts such as think tanks because they could constantly provide new and leading knowledge from a more objective view, that’s helping to avoid limitations and silos of internal teams. • Thirdly, adaptation capacity, or resilience. With rapid changes in various industries, it is hard to deal with problems with only one solution. Therefore, for entrepreneurs, it is critical to have the capacity to adapt to the changing market, even to foresee potential changes ahead of time, and make adjustments. What initiatives has DHGATE group undertaken to support women’s advancement in the workplace, such as mentorship or leadership development programs? I am not only proud of the business CEO Today Business Women Awards 2023 CHINA - 14 -
performance of our team but also that we help each other find personal growth and new capabilities by providing a supportive environment. One way we encourage and support employees’ personal growth is to encourage every one of us in the company to have a “flag”, a New Year’s resolution. The flag is nothing related to business but about our personal growth area. We ask all staff members, and that includes me, to put a personal flag on workplace messenger, and we run the personal flag program on Lark, a biz chat and collaboration platform. We want to make it transparent and stressfree, so everyone can see it and support each other in this personal growth area. At DHGate, nearly half of our employees are female, including those at different levels of management. We have provided skills training, such as presentation and public speaking, for both men and women to grow. But in fact, skills do not matter that much. The most important thing is that women need to dare to stand up and speak out. Many women are constrained by their own mentality and consider themselves as “not good enough.” Yet, once a woman dares to speak, her enthusiasm can easily influence others, even if her skills are still developing. As long as a woman breaks her cognition barrier, her skills come naturally. Fundamentally, we at DHgate recognize the role of women deep in our hearts without considering their roles or titles. For example, Serene Jiang is a young, energetic female colleague in our company. Although she joined DHgate quite recently at an entry-level position with very little e-commerce experience, we had her present MyyShop at our annual Seller Conference in July 2022, one of our key events. She surprised us with an excellent presentation, which assured her many responsibilities after that. I’m also proud that more than 55 percent of the store owners on DHgate marketplace are women. Most importantly, I encourage women colleagues to break limitations set by themselves; mindset changing is the most important change. It unlocks all the doors so that you’re no longer looking up at the ceiling. Also, at DHgate, we have dedicated nursery rooms in our office to provide a safe and secure space for breastfeeding mothers. We encourage and organize activities to enable men and women to bring their children to the office. We also send gifts to the children to let them know how loved and missed they are. I’m happy when I see children walking or running in our workplace. I continue to encourage women to break the limitations they have set for themselves. Once that happens, we can move to the important step of focusing on our goals. “I personally have more than 30 years of business and digital experience. In 1999, as one of the first generation of e-commerce entrepreneurs in China, I established Joyo.com, China’s first B2C e-commerce platform.” CEO Today Business Women Awards 2023 CHINA - 15 -
Finally, what are your future goals for DHGATE group? • As part of its core strategy for 2023, DHGATE would continue to focus on the creator economy, actively promote the integration of online and offline global business, and upgrade the supply chain based on the needs of content creator buyers. Centered by the newly launched “Nebula Plan”, the Group plans to support 1,000 high- quality merchants and connect them with 1 million global content creators. The plan will create a new model of e-commerce that integrates online and offline business. • Specifically, DHGATE Group aims to accelerate its entry into the US market, integrating its cutting-edge resources to create a new cross-border e-commerce O2O solution that combines its robust global supply chain with social commerce, cross- border e-commerce, and local offline experiences. • DHGATE plans to open 100 DH Showrooms within three years to provide services to overseas buyers, partners, and content creators and to make trending products and personalized services more accessible. In February 2023, DHGATE launched the first DH Showroom in Los Angeles, which attracted numerous social media content creators with millions of followers. Also, MyyShop made its first appearance at the SXSW Creative Industries Expo. on March 12, 2023, in Austin, Texas, attracting youngsters in the country to leverage its robust worldwide supply chain to tap global trade. In addition, DHGATE has launched a local partner distribution system in the US domestic market, carrying out indepth cooperation with DH Ambassadors, partners with a strong network and sales capabilities in vertical industries or regions. These partnerships will provide a one-stop service for the sourcing and assembly of goods, technical support, logistics warehousing, supply chain finance, etc., as well as competitive distribution commissions, thereby helping platform sellers to achieve their goals. “As of this year, we served more than 46 million registered buyers from 223 countries and regions by connecting them to over 2.4 million sellers worldwide, with over 37 million live listings on the platform annually. DHgate has been serving sellers and buyers for nearly 20 years (building a trustworthy and leading B2B cross-border e-commerce brand worldwide.” CEO Today Business Women Awards 2023 CHINA - 16 -
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- 18 - CEO Biofrontera Inc. ERICA MONACO www.biofrontera-us.com USA
- 19 - Erica accepted the CEO role in October of 2021 after five years leading the finance and operations of the organization. Erica joined Biofrontera Inc. as “employee #2” in the newly formed U.S.-based subsidiary of a German company, with the goal to commercialize the 2015 FDA approved flagship drug Ameluz® (aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride) topical gel, 10%, in the United States. Starting in 2016, Erica built the business infrastructure to address operations, business logistics, commercial pricing, financial reporting and compliance required to operate a start-up in the U.S. market. The parent company provided a manual checkbook and the key to a 5,000 sq. foot sublease at the start. Within four months of accepting the keys, Biofrontera had 15 employees and a commercial product on the market in the U.S. Today Erica leads a team of 90+ employees generating $30 million in revenue. Since company launch, Erica has scaled the business, revised commercial strategies, expanded the salesforce, overseen the merger and integration of another pharma company, led the company through the pandemic, and has grown revenue to record heights. In 2021, Erica led the spin-off and IPO of Biofrontera, Inc. and has raised over $60 million in funding. In 2019, Biofrontera Inc. expanded its U.S.-product portfolio with the FDA-approved drug Xepi® (ozenoxacin) cream, 1%. Today, Biofrontera is a U.S.-based biopharmaceutical company commercializing a portfolio of pharmaceutical products focused on the fields of photodynamic therapy and topical antibiotics. In collaboration with healthcare providers, the company is fully committed to advancing treatment options and patient care. With two FDA-approved products and a scalable business strategy, Biofrontera Inc. is ideally positioned for sustainable growth. The company, with Erica in charge, has the goal of becoming a leading U.S. specialty dermatology company by focusing on innovative therapy options that enable dermatology healthcare professionals to help improve the lives of patients. As a business woman and a female CEO, what unique challenges have you faced in your career, and how have you overcome them? A few challenges come to mind when thinking about this question. Most notable is finding both a mentor and balance in life. Finding a female mentor at the senior level has been challenging. I am in an industry where so many leaders are talented men. I have learned a great deal from them, however we, as women, have different struggles in the workforce and in leadership. When I attend meetings with bankers or conferences with physicians, most of the attendees are men and statistically I am most often an N of 1. This can make it challenging to have my voice heard. In some, not all, of these situations I find my gender an added handicap. Without a strong female mentor, I occasionally struggle to claim my seat at the table and be heard. So often your work product might be welcome, but not necessarily your ideas or point of view. I have found myself at times taking on the bulk of executing the details of projects while seeing someone else say “I” for work that has been completed either collaboratively or primarily through my efforts. Despite lacking true mentors at the executive level, I have found many wonderful women in different roles that remind me to keep fighting for what I believe in. Being surrounded by strong women who are not afraid to tell me what they think and who also build my confidence is invaluable. I would not be sitting here today without some key women in my life. Thank you to Andrea, Alison, Kerry and Lori. You continue to shape my thinking and keep me grounded and humble. Thankfully, and proudly, I’ve created a culture at Biofrontera where I can lead by example and provide mentorship and growth opportunities to females who are trying to pave a similar path for themselves. At Biofrontera, I have been a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion. More than 60% USA CEO Today Business Women Awards 2023
- 20 - of our workforce is female. I believe we have instilled the key attributes into our culture that embody a supportive, empathetic environment that recognizes the value of all our contributors. Leading the company through the pandemic, I realized the strength and criticality of this evolving culture I have worked to create. My husband was essential personnel during that time and had to work onsite. I was alone, juggling work and virtual classrooms. Biofrontera had limited cash on hand and our revenue was essentially at a standstill while dermatology offices were closed. I wasn’t able to relax or take my mind off all of the pressures I was under; it was survival mode. Biofrontera had to do furloughs and cut 20% of our staff. I reduced my own pay significantly; we applied for deferred payroll tax and deferred office rent programs. Ultimately, we made it through, but it was a team effort with everyone juggling personal life as well. Coming out of the pandemic with a deeper awareness of the personal side of our colleagues and a culture of appreciation for each other’s struggles and dedication made us stronger. Post-COVID, it is still challenging to balance being a female leader and being a mother. Having two young, energetic and fantastic kids keeps me busy! They do dance, karate, swim, cooking, you name it. I travel at least 30% of the time for work and have evening events weekly. Learning to balance my schedule and set expectations and boundaries is a work in progress. It is easy to advocate for my teams to have balance, but practicing what I preach is another story. I am fortunate to have a spouse who is my champion and a supporter of my career. I also have my village of amazing family and friends who keep my kids spoiled and help mitigate my mom guilt. Defining balance is not a clear-cut process. Everything I do, I give 100% of my commitment and passion to. My career hasn’t been something I designed on paper and intentionally progressed towards. I grew up with a mom who worked in sales 9 to 5 and had family dinner on the table every night. I was brought up to do it all and do it well. If a project is on my desk, I do it. If I am unfamiliar with the subject matter, I learn it. I seek to understand and I am driven to excel. It is not inherently in my nature to ensure “balance,” and so the challenge for me is not about taking time off of work or taking time off of being a mom; it’s finding places where I can expect less from myself. The laundry isn’t folded, and dinner was cereal last night, but we ate together and talked about our peaks and pits of the day. I am learning to be OK with that. What steps has Biofrontera taken to promote gender equality and diversity in the workplace? At Biofrontera, we take an approach to attracting candidates that focuses on skill sets and ability to be successful in the role being hired. Currently, our employee mix is 68% women and 32% men, with the Senior Management (C-suite and VP levels) equating to an even 50/50 of men and women. The specific things we have done to accomplish this are focusing on the retention of talent, rewarding performance with new opportunities, developing inside staff rather than hiring a skill set, compensating for the role, and setting clear expectations with our staff. . All levels of management recognize “above and beyond” activities and small wins, which goes a long way with our staff. As I developed in my career, I often worried about the stigma of being female and deciding to have a family. How would I be perceived? Would this make me seem less committed to my job? I worked through both my maternity leaves. Do I wish I had taken more time for me and my new family? Yes, but I also believe if I had not done that the male leaders around me would have written me off my career trajectory. It is because of these stigmas I faced that I prioritize corporate culture at Biofrontera and the important steps I have outlined above. I firmly believe in leading by example. I hold my team accountable for their work but am mindful that there is a person and a family behind that work product. I try to approach each day with authenticity and humility, and find this resonates with the team and enhances the culture. Biofrontera is a welcoming environment and supportive of our employees’ professional and personal aspirations. I genuinely care about how someone’s sick child is doing or how their vacation week was. Building deeper connections strengthens our culture and brings us together. A testament to this is displayed in our office kitchen, where we have numerous holiday and announcement cards from our employees and their families. We recognize our people as our greatest asset and each of those assets should be celebrated for the uniqueness that makes them who they are. How has your leadership style evolved over time, and what role has your gender played in shaping it? I always thought of myself as a fighter, not a leader. I have been someone who focuses on what is right and fights for the voices who are often silenced even in our modern day society. It was only upon entering the C-suite that I realized this was part of my leadership style, and I’ve always prioritized the greater good and ensuring all voices are heard. As a female and a mother, this style can also be challenging as we so quickly put our own needs on the back burner. As a female in a largely male-driven business environment throughout most of my career, I used to shy away from sharing personal information as I perceived it would be seen as a weakness. Staying home with USA
- 21 - a sick child or running late if the bus is missed are former anxiety triggers for me. The fear is that I might be judged as someone who can’t handle the demand of the workplace. Growing up as an employee with that mindset has helped shape my view on leading people with reality and empathy. As primary caregivers and homemakers, women have a different perspective on the role of families in the workplace. I have a strong bias to support my teams and individual contributors, and I think about both the work and the families behind my people at all times. I understand how critical people are to the business, and I constantly work towards building an environment that rewards performance yet provides balance. What advice would you give to other women aspiring to leadership positions in the biotech industry? What resources have been most helpful to you in your career? 5 things come to mind when it comes to advice: 1. Hold your male (and female) colleagues accountable. Accomplished women make those around them successful, but if they are not doing the work and YOU are, hold them accountable. 2. Don’t be afraid to talk about your accomplishments and “toot your own horn”. Remember Ginger Rogers did all the dance steps Fred Astaire did - and she did them backwards and in heels. 3. When you know what you want, ask for it – whether that is job, promotion, opportunity, or raise – always ask for it. 4. Find a good mentor and reach out to those women coming up behind you and offer yourself to BE a mentor. 5. NETWORK! NETWORK! NETWORK! What do you see as the biggest challenges facing women in leadership positions today? What can be done to address them? For women in leadership roles today, we have all experienced our share of gender bias and persevered through it. I reflect on the far too many recent examples where I have been the target of these biases. The challenge we face is to not allow those stereotypes to continue for future female leaders. We have developed through an era of just grin and bear-it mentality, and we need to shift that thinking and confront the implicit bias head-on. Finally, continue to both evolve with the times and also drive the changes we’d like to see in leadership whether that be business, government, or societal norms. I recognize as a woman in a leadership position, it is part of my responsibility to advocate and support opportunities for women. Barriers due to gender stereotypes need to be eliminated which will lead to a stronger societal fabric as well as enhanced workplace cultures. Women leaders need to embrace their place as change agents and push society to break the glass ceiling. One of my favorite songs right now about female leadership and empowerment is by Ava Max, called Kings and Queens. Ava sings, “If all of the kings had their queens on the throne We would pop champagne and raise a toast To all of the queens who are fighting alone Baby, you’re not dancin’ on your own” Women leaders need to raise up the women around them. We are here for you; We are rooting for you; and We will win together. Finally, what are your goals for the future of Biofrontera, and how do you plan to leverage your experience to achieve them? Throughout my career, I have been a change agent. Starting my career in consulting there is assessment, analysis, and recommendation, yet you are removed from the decision and execution. It becomes easy and natural to assess a situation and suggest a change, as it is not directly affecting you. This has always been a strength for me to leverage, and I see there is always an opportunity to change or evolve. Improvement doesn’t mean something was wrong before; it just means there is an opportunity in front of you to make something better. Having that mindset in a fastpaced growth environment is critical. I may be proud of the ship we built to get us from A to B, but I also know it might not be what we need to get to point C. As I think about the future of Biofrontera and the goals that lie ahead, I want Biofrontera Inc. to become a leading U.S. specialty dermatology company. Today we are known for our innovative product and therapy. Tomorrow, my goal is to provide multiple therapeutic options that enable dermatology healthcare professionals to help improve the lives of their patients. USA
CEO Today Business Women Awards 2023 USA ABOUT ALISON Ms. Heftler is a partner and majority stock holder of IMS, LLC and is responsible for the management of fiduciary and general operations of the company, including executive oversight of Managed Care Network Operations. Prior to joining IMS in 2001, Ms. Heftler’s professional background centered on Consumer Wealth Management, Financial Center Management, and Mortgage Banking – all in an international banking environment. A well-rounded executive, Ms. Heftler’s background also includes Medical Office Management. IMS Integrated Medical Solutions, LLC (IMS) is a Third Party Administrator, or TPA, that develops managed healthcare networks to facilitate the delivery of comprehensive medical services to inmates housed in correctional facilities. President Integrated Medical Solutions ALISON HEFTLER www.imsi-usa.com - 22 -
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Some of our readers may be surprised to know that you’ve worked in the transportation sector since you were 12. How did this come about? How did this early exposure to the transportation business inform your current-day thinking? This builds from my last response. If you put the same integrity and pride into running your business as you do life, eventually, it becomes a part of you. Working in the trucking industry is work. But it’s also a way of life. For as long as I remember, trucking has been a part of my life. You could say that I was born into it. My grandfather was an accountant for trucking companies. My dad owned a trucking business for 55 years. I might not have realized it then, but through observing my dad on the job, I started mentally noting best practices. I took these with me at my first billing clerk job. I observed and took more notes. Here I quickly worked my way up to general manager - watching, observing and asking questions along the way. AGT Global Logistics was formerly known as All Girls Transportation & Logistics. What motivated you to champion and develop a woman-owned and operated business? While managing a freight brokerage company, I noticed the increasing trend of diverse companies bidding on jobs and winning. We were seemingly losing out to the diverse spend. I knew I had the experience, knowledge and drive to become a successful third-party logistics enterprise that just so happened to be woman-owned. Founder and President AGT Global Logistics ANGELA ELIACOSTAS www.agt3pl.com CEO Today recently had the pleasure of speaking with Angela Eliacostas, founder and president of AGT Global Logistics headquartered in Westmont, Illinois. We talk with Angela about what inspires her, how she leads her team, and what it’s like to succeed in a male-dominated industry. Angela states that her role is to live her company’s motto - “We keep your world turning” - in business and in life. Anglea’s corporation, AGT Global Logistics, specializes in personalized service of integrated transportation and logistics functions to top-tier companies worldwide. USA - 24 -
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- 26 - I learned very quickly that just because you get asked to bid on a job, it doesn’t make the process easier or automatic. Women and Minority Business Enterprises (WMBE) need to work just as hard, if not harder, to gain, maintain and renew contracts. We need to exceed expectations to overcome long-held stereotypes. Can you speak to any challenges you faced as a woman in such a heavily male-dominated industry and how you overcame them? Simple answer? Endless hard work. I believe I paved the way through hard work and ensuring reliable, dependable results. When people expect you to be a certain way, you break their misconceptions through action. At AGT Global we deliver honest, reliable results. We have 24/7/365 human-to-human service. Our clients can talk to a person if issues arise. This is how we out-service our bigger competitors. We understand our clients’ needs, from planning and execution to delivery and reporting. Repeating this process with top results is how we continue setting the bar. It’s also why our clients stick with us. How do you approach leadership, and what leadership qualities are important for success as a female CEO in the logistics industry? Leadership qualities important to me are being consistent, compassionate and willing to take on any task. When your team members see that you are not afraid to be in the grind, they will work harder. How does AGT prioritize work-life balance and support the needs of working mothers or caregivers on the team? We are constantly adjusting and reviewing our policies and procedures. We think family is important to all our team members. It’s sometimes tricky offering 24/7/365 person-toperson service, but we strive to give the teams flexibility in their schedules to allow more time for themselves and their families. How do you balance the demands of leading a company with other personal or family obligations you might have? Well, there is a standing joke that I don’t sleep very much. But on a serious note, I surround myself with a great team. They afford me the opportunity to spread myself out. Without my group, AGT wouldn’t be as strong as it is. I credit the many great people from the past and present who have helped me and AGT reach the success it has today. Which notable achievements or milestones are you particularly proud of as the CEO? The continued growth of AGT and our team makes me proud. All the achievements that AGT and I have had are a true reflection of the dedication, hard work and loyalty of my employees and my family. How do you approach decision-making and problem-solving as a leader, and how has this evolved over time? I weigh the pros and cons before making any major decisions. I consult with the team leaders and my husband, George, who is also a successful business owner. This past year I became a member of Vistage, an executive group that allows me the opportunity to sit with other CEOs. It gives me the chance to continuously educate myself and make decisions that will hopefully increase the longevity of AGT’s success. What advice would you give to other women who are aspiring to become CEOs or leaders in the logistics industry or, more broadly, starting their own business? Don’t overthink it. If you have the drive and the motivation, you can achieve anything. Everything good comes with risks. As Muhammed Ali said, “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” Another quote to which I subscribe is, “The biggest risk is not taking any risk.” Looking ahead, how do you envision the role of women in the logistics industry evolving, and what steps can companies take to support their advancement and success? I think the role of women in logistics is already evolving. I would tell anyone to make sure they find their niche. Identify what you want to do and what you feel is your greatest strength, and push forward with everything you’ve got. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and you will find there are plenty of people willing to help. USA
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Managing Director Weleda JAYN STERLAND weleda.co.uk Joining Weleda UK in 2008 as Marketing Director, Jayn Sterland was appointed Managing Director in 2016 and for the past 15 years has not only ploughed her energy into Weleda, but has helped drive the beauty industry towards more sustainable business practices. After rejecting an ‘unsustainable’ career in fashion, Jayn has helped take the Weleda brand to new heights as UK managing director and global spokesperson. As an energetic activist for social and environmental responsibility, Jayn regularly shares Weleda’s century of knowledge through panel discussions, interviews, public speaking at events or writing as a columnist. Jayn reached No.1 in last year’s ‘Who’s Who in Natural Beauty’, having been voted into the top spot for the sixth time. This industry Top 25 recognises the natural beauty sector’s most influential voices, and those driving change and growth - an inspirational list of those individuals shaping the British natural and organic cosmetics industry, from brand founders to formulators, educators, campaigners and pioneers. In 2020 Jayn was appointed to the Advisory Board of the British Beauty Council, and in 2021 became Chair of the Council’s Sustainable Beauty Coalition which was established to accelerate the sustainability efforts of the UK’s beauty industry, to encourage collaboration and bolder collective efforts, and to champion the green economy. In 2022 Jayn joined the board of the global B Corp Beauty Coalition - a collaboration of B Corp certified beauty brands and businesses, whose mission is to improve the social and environmental impacts of business practices in the beauty industry internationally. Her determination hasn’t gone unnoticed. Last year Jayn was presented with an Outstanding Achievement Award for her tireless efforts driving change for a more planet-positive future. The award was presented to her at Natural & Organic Products Europe (NOPEX) at London’s ExCel. With her two-year tenure as Chair of the SBC coming to a close, Jayn has been appointed ESG Pillar President for the British Beauty Council, supporting the Council on Environmental, Social and Governance issues including the beauty industry’s impact on the planet (Environment), on people (Social) via their relationships with employees, suppliers and customers, and the impact of leadership (Governance). Her role will be to develop the Council’s ESG focus, to build a sustainable and equitable future for British beauty brands, service providers, retailers and salons. The aim is to push for industry-wide adoption of environmental regulations, bring an end to greenwashing claims, ensure inclusivity and diversity across all sectors, and shine a spotlight on the part that beauty plays in wellness. UNITED KINGDOM - 28 -
- 29 - First founded in Switzerland in 1921, Weleda is widely recognised as the original green beauty brand. It began as a small pharmaceutical laboratory making holistic health products from only natural ingredients, growing its own herbs organically. Weleda’s unique vision was written into the very Articles of Association for the business: ‘The Company shall have a material positive impact on society and the environment, taken as a whole through its business and operations’, and remains true today. Weleda works with over 1,000 natural substances and in the UK alone retails over 70 pharmaceutical products and 120 natural cosmetics. Over the decades Weleda has become the largest global manufacturer of holistic health and beauty products, with 27 companies in 20 countries, 8 manufacturing sites, and 7 productive medicinal gardens around the world. With approximately 2,500 employees, the range is available in over 50 countries. The company remains privately owned by the original non-profit organisations that founded Weleda in 1921. • B Corp Certified business • UEBT certified sustainable cosmetic supply chains • NATRUE certified natural and organic cosmetics • Demeter certified biodynamic herb gardens UNITED KINGDOM
Founder Mattress Safe, Inc. www.mattresssafe.com - 30 -
- 31 - Andrea Hancock has worked in the pest control industry since 2004, when she and her family started Mattress Safe, an industry supplier that supports residential and commercial service providers with mattress encasements that keep out dust mites, bed bugs, bacteria and more. While helping grow Mattress Safe as the company’s vice president, Hancock dreamed of creating an international nonprofit organization that focused on providing clean bedding and pest control services to those in need around the world. It’s a dream that slowly but surely became a reality. Hancock said the idea for P.E.S.T. (Professionals Empowering, Sustaining & Transforming) Relief International first came to her before she even began Mattress Safe. She had seen a documentary that showed missionaries working to replace compromised mattresses at an orphanage, and two children featured in the documentary received a new mattress to replace the one they were sharing that had been chewed through by a rat. With personal savings and support from the pest control industry, Andrea Hancock launched P.E.S.T. Relief International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the worldwide community through humanitarian relief. Hancock then began Mattress Safe and started making trips to orphanages in Honduras to provide children in need with clean and safe mattresses and bedding, which was soon to become her primary program that is now known as REST. As Mattress Safe grew and became more successful, Hancock began donating mattress covers to various orphanages and shelters in the United States. In 2012, she began saving her own money, knowing that she would need it in order to launch the nonprofit organization she was envisioning. Three years later, she had saved enough and applied for P.E.S.T. Relief International’s nonprofit status with a mission to unite the pest control industry to bring comfort and relief to those who are orphaned, abused and at risk. Now she has launched her own product line for humanitarian efforts called Rest Beyond Relief. Her desire is to use the proceeds to continue the efforts of P.E.S.T. Relief throughout the world while bringing comfort and relief one mattress cover at a time. “I thought to myself, ‘I want to do that!’ I want to make cozy places for orphans to sleep, so that they know they are loved and cared for,” said Hancock, who serves as executive director as well as a volunteer for P.E.S.T. “Little did I know that I was going to start a mattress protection company.” USA
EUROPE CEO TODAY BUSINESS WOMEN AWARDS 2023
JEANIN TIJHAAR 44 SANA ALAJMOVIC 46 MYRIAM ADAM 48 BURCU CIVELEK YÜCE 50 LYSSA MCGOWAN 52 NICOLE GERHARDT 40 GABRIELLA RUGGIERI 42 ANNETTE MANN 34 DONYA-FLORENCE AMER 38 BÉNÉDICTE DE BONNE CHOSE 36
CEO Today Business Women Awards 2023 AUSTRIA ABOUT ANNETTE Annette Mann was born on December 31, 1977 in Bavaria, Germany. She studied business administration in Ingolstadt and obtained an Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the USAmerican Kellogg School of Management. Annette Mann brings in a wide spectrum of experience in management, which she has gained in many different strategic, conceptual or operative roles within the Lufthansa Group since 2003. During her supervision 2004-2009, she conceived and implemented Lufthansa’s current FirstClass product and by 2015, the launch of the “Premium Economy” on more than 100 long-haul flights was completed. Until 2020, Annette Mann was responsible for various product related divisions within the Lufthansa Group, also as Vice President of Product Management at SWISS. Most recently, she was responsible for the Corporate Responsibility division and was assigned to develop, operate and implement an integrated and group-wide sustainability program. AUSTRIAN AIRLINES Austrian Airlines is Austria’s largest airline, operating a worldwide network. A special focus has been set on central and Eastern Europe. Since it’s founding in 1957, Austrian Airlines has transported over 305 million passengers. About 6,000 employees ensure that actual an average of around 220 flights take off and arrive at their destination safely, every day. Hence, Austrian Airlines is the biggest employer within Eastern Austria. The current fleet consists of 9 long-haul (Boeing 767 & 777) and 53 short & medium-haul (Airbus A320 Family & Embraer 195) aircraft. Due to its favorable geographical position in the heart of Europe, the home base Vienna is an ideal hub between East and West. Austrian Airlines is part of the Lufthansa Group, Europe’s largest airline network. Together with 25 other airlines, Austrian is a member of the Star Alliance, the world’s first global network of international airlines. CEO Austrian Airlines ANNETTE MANN www.austrian.com
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CEO Today Business Women Awards 2023 FRANCE ABOUT BÉNÉDICTE Bénédicte de Bonnechose is a graduate of the Rouen Business School (NEOMA) and holds a bachelor’s degree in econometrics from Paris II University. After four years at audit firm Deloitte, where she specialized in Industry and Distribution, Bénédicte de Bonnechose joined the Lafarge Group in 1993 and remained there for the next 25 years. She started out in various financial management roles and then moved on to lead Operations. From 2008 to 2015, Bénédicte de Bonnechose held various senior management positions within the Cement, Aggregates and Concrete businesses, before being appointed Chief Executive Officer of LafargeHolcim France and Belgium in 2015. She was also elected President of the French cement association Syndicat Français de l’Industrie Cimentière (SFIC) and Filière Béton, at a time of deep transformation for this industry due to the energy transition and climate change issues. In April 2019, Bénédicte de Bonnechose joined the Michelin Group as Deputy Chief Financial Officer. MICHELIN GROUP Tires, services and solutions, mobility experiences, hightech materials…The technology leader in tires for all forms of mobility, Michelin offers services that improve transportation performance and solutions that enable customers to enjoy outstanding experiences while on the road. In addition to supporting mobility, Michelin serves future-facing markets with its unrivaled capabilities and expertise in high-tech materials. Executive Vice President Michelin Group BÉNÉDICTE DE BONNECHOSE
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CEO Today Business Women Awards 2023 GERMANY ABOUT DONYA Donya-Florence Amer was born on 6 June 1972. After a banking apprenticeship, she completed the studies of business administration with a focus on finance and HR at the University of Cologne and the University of Berkeley. She is also an alumna of the Singularity University in Palo Alto. Amer started her career in 1999 at IBM and over the next 17 years took on various national and international leadership positions, including in the areas of digital transformation and business analytics. In 2017, she joined Bosch and worked there for 5 years – first as Executive Vice President and member of the CIO Management Board, and later as co-founder and CEO of Bosch Climate Solutions. Amer has lived and worked in different countries and cultures, including the UK, USA and China. She is a member of the Hansgrohe Innovation Board. Donya-Florence Amer was appointed to the Executive Board of Hapag-Lloyd AG as of 11 November 2021, and she is Chief Information Officer (CIO) since 1 February 2022. From 1 May 2022 she was additionally appointed Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). HAPAG-LLOYD AG Hapag-Lloyd is a leading global liner shipping company and a powerful partner for you. 251 modern ships, 11.8 million TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) transported per year, 14,200 motivated employees in more than 400 offices in 135 countries. A total of 119 liner services worldwide ensure fast and reliable connections between more than 600 ports on all the continents. CEO Hapag-Lloyd AG DONYAFLORENCE AMER
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CEO Today Business Women Awards 2023 GERMANY ABOUT NICOLE Nicole Gerhardt has been Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG since August 2017. Within this role, she is responsible for the company’s human resources. The sustainable orientation towards the digital future and the necessary transformation of the company are the focus of her range of tasks. Shaping this transformation responsibly, in balance with employees and company interests, is a major concern for her. Before joining Telefónica, Nicole Gerhardt was Executive Vice President Human Resources at Pro7/Sat1. From 2013 to 2015, the fully qualified lawyer first worked for the E-Plus Group as Head of HR and, following the merger of Telefónica Deutschland and E-Plus, as Director Business Partnering, Talent, Leadership & Capability Development. Prior to that, Nicole Gerhardt held various leadership positions in Human Resources at Vodafone, both in Germany and internationally, and as Head of HR and Legal, helped build the startup Vizzavi, a joint venture between Vodafone and Vivendi Universal. Nicole Gerhardt began her career as Legal Counsel at Versatel Deutschland GmbH, before leading the HR department there. TELEFÓNICA DEUTSCHLAND HOLDING AG Telefónica Deutschland is one of the leading integrated telecommunications providers in Germany, with around 44 million mobile telephone lines and 2.3 million broadband lines. We offer mobile and fixed network services for private and business customers as well as innovative digital solutions based on our infrastructure and the analysis of mobile data. Chief Human Resources Officer Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG NICOLE GERHARDT
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