World’s Most Admired Business Women to Watch in 2023

1. World’s Most Admired Business Women to Watch in 2023 www.worldsleaders.com Vol. 01 | Issue 12 | January 2023 Educating Future Leaders as Change Makers of a Better Tomorrow PG. 22 A Tech Savvy HR Leader with Extensive Work Experiences PG. 48 Assisting with Climate and Environmental Change Related to Economic Issues Corinne Corinne Corinne Lepage Lepage Lepage Lawyer | Huglo Lepage Avocats

4. World's Most Admired Business Women to Watch in 2023 Leading to Demonstrate Equality Effective leaders don't fit into a single mould, as demonstrated by the women managers who have broken the glass ceiling in medium-sized, unconventional organisations. They have shown that managing others in a command-and-control manner, which is typically used by men in large, established organisations, is not the only strategy for success. major energy, environmental health, and environmental files. She collaborates with large and small, French and international, public and non-profit organizations. The first female executives followed many of the "rules of conduct" that were considered essential for success among men because they were pioneers. A second wave of women is now entering top management positions, but they are doing so by relying on their shared experiences as women rather than by adopting the attitudes and behaviours that have worked for men. These second-generation managerial women are forging a new path to the top by drawing on the particular aspects of their socialization as women. They are looking for and seizing opportunities in rapidly evolving and expanding organizations to demonstrate their ability to produce results—in a unique way. They are succeeding as a result of certain traits that are typically viewed as "feminine" and unsuitable for leaders, not in spite of them. In addition, Corinne oversees significant environmental, natural, and industrial disaster cases. She is one of the experts on these subjects in Europe. She co-founded the Huglo Lepage Avocats law firm in 1978 with Christian Huglo and held a number of official positions, including Secretary of the bar council (1987–1990), Minister of the environment (1995–1997), Deputy mayor, then First deputy mayor of Cabourg (1989–2001), and European deputy (2009–2014). She holds talks a large corporations on how environmental and climatic issues have evolved in relation to commercial concerns. Also, while you flip through the pages, don't forget to read the articles created by our in-house editorial staff and industry experts. In this edition “World's Most Admired Business Women to Watch in 2023”, World's Leaders features woman leaders from various sector which are thriving in leadership and leading with best practices and strategies to take their idea into action. Have a lovely read! The cover features Corinne Lepage, a doctor of law, has developed a consultancy business that encompasses strategy and litigation due to her experience and kept up with the

5. CREDIT PAGE Editor-in-Chief Steve Sanchez Managing Editor Jagdish Chincholikar Executive Editor Nicole Williams Assistant Editor Gayatri Bhujbal Art & Design Director Jack Anderson Business Development Manager Grace Nelson Business Development Executive Natalie, Jerrey Associate Designer Kevin Rust Digital Marketing Manager Victor Clarke Sales Manager Megan Morgan, Irfan Shekh Marketing Manager Tom Swann Technical Specialist Barry Jones Circulation Manager Danny Parker JANUARY 2023 3296 Westerville Rd #250, Columbus, OH 43224, USA Copyright 2023 WORLD’S LEADERS, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from WORLD’S LEADERS Reprint rights remain solely with WORLD’S LEADERS. Follow us on :

6. Cover Story 10 CORINNE LEPAGE Assisting with Climate and Environmental Change Related to Economic Issues

7. Amy Buynoski 18 Dima Rachid Jamali 22 28 Elena Turanskaya Heidi Lindner 32 38 Lindsey Gamell Meredith Caram 42 Nita White-Ivy 48 Oksana Kolesnikova 52 Tonya Winders 58

10. Corinne Corinne Corinne Lepage Lepage Lepage Assisting with Climate and Environmental Change Related to Economic Issues “The happiest part of my daily life is human contact, whether with my clients or my colleagues.” 10 | JANUARY 2023

11. COVER STORY Corinne Lepage Lawyer Huglo Lepage Avocats worldsleaders.com | 11

12. E In addition, Corinneoversees significant environmental, natural, and industrial disaster cases. She is one of the experts on these subjects in Europe. She co-founded the Huglo Lepage Avocats law firm in 1978 with Christian Huglo and held a number of official positions, including Secretary of the bar council (1987–1990), Minister of the environment (1995–1997), Deputy mayor, then First deputy mayor of Cabourg (1989–2001), and European deputy (2009–2014). She holds talks a large corporations on how environmental and climatic issues have evolved in relation to commercial concerns. nvironmental issues are becoming worse and worse. More than ever, the world is witnessing the brutality of environmental irresponsibility and the catastrophic repercussions of climate change, from coastal erosion to smoggy skies and disappearing forests. Huglo Lepage Avocats The first French public law firm founded by litigation lawyers was Huglo Lepage Avocats. The firm still provides advice to public authorities and organizations today, and the majority of its litigation work is done in the area of public law, particularly public business law. One of the firm's most popular lawsuits was the Amoco Cadiz case, which was brought before American courts in 1978. Numerous Environmental law disputes have been handled by the attorneys at Huglo Lepage Avocats, notably the defense of Dutch public authorities in relation to Rhine pollution and German authorities in relation to French nuclear power stations. The firm now splits its time between counseling businesses and municipal governments and litigation, continuing to develop new fields of law, particularly those pertaining to climate justice and environmental health. Corinne Lepage, a doctor of law, has developed a consultancy business that encompasses strategy and litigation due to her experience and kept up with the major energy, environmental health, and environmental files. She collaborates with large and small, French and international, public and non-profit organizations. Making the difference in Competition Corinne and her team are adapting to changes by having a transversal perspective which spans not only the various legal disciplines but also many other sectors that are remote from the legal one, particularly scientific and medical expertise. Huglo Lepage Avocats has valued greatly reflection and theory from the beginning and has always seen the need for legal innovation. 12 | JANUARY 2023

13. Furthermore, a unique image is created by the ethics and decision to protect the environment as broadly as possible, by incorporating the efforts made by businesses to transform themselves, and by refusing to offer advice to persistent polluters. This explains why the company is now focusing on CSR, ESG, and taxonomy in order to support businesses and a limited group of financial players. Huglo Lepage is responsible for the development of several significant environmental law precedents, and its innovative spirit is still at work today. Additionally, it is able to provide services that are both operational and creative in the consulting industry thanks to its unique experience and its work with non-legal talents. She believes that running a business is not easy, and it is even more difficult now as there are significant changes in how work is organized and what customers and staff want. The most crucial factors are having a project, knowing how to stick to it, being practical, and leading a team because it can only get better as a whole. Responsibility, competency, intellectual capacities, ethics, and a concern for the greater good are the traits she searches for. She first conducts collective recruitment when adding a new team member. She makes sure to introduce the new Holding a Firm Stance As a partner and the company's founder, Corinne is primarily responsible for the continuity of the business, case generation, and customer satisfaction. She also coordinates publications, webinars, seminars, and other events that the company attends and participates in. worldsleaders.com | 13

14. In a world where innovation is ongoing and accomplishments are occasionally validated and occasionally fleeting, it is challenging to keep going and grow. The ability to combine several legal disciplines with the development of science and knowledge, as well as the capacity to foresee and provide services that are occasionally above the needs of the clients, appears to Corinne to be what matters the most. She puts up a lot of effort on social media, publishes frequently in periodicals, hosts webinars, and takes part in academic and entrepreneurial colloquia and conferences. employee to all of her coworkers and have a conversation with them so that there is a chance for true integration. first law practice with a strong mission and a foundation based on ethics and the environment. With a high level of doctrinal activity, including the publication of several publications, the organization of webinars on current legal topics, and code commentary, Corinne and her team place a high value on training both in-house and publicly. Competence, responsiveness, and the persistent willingness to use the law to advance environmental progress and the profound transformation that they are currently going through are the core ideals. Corinne adds, “The happiest part of my daily life is human contact, whether with my clients or my colleagues.” Preserving Innovation and Integrity The heart of the Huglo Lepage Avocats program is, in fact, a culture of integrity and innovation. It is the 14 | JANUARY 2023

15. Tech Advancements in the Legal Profession The loss of a particular ethic, of certain courtesies and correctness among lawyers, are the most important change Corinne has observed in law firms and legal departments. When it comes to assuring the defense and advancing justice, the competitive nature of this profession does not appear appropriate, and occasionally all blows are permitted. Corinne believes that the urge to support some challenging causes is frequently put aside by concerns about money and profitability. The way she and her team operate has been radically altered by technology. Nowadays, lawyers mostly concentrate on digital legal material and barely ever access printed books. Although this process is undoubtedly quicker than in the past, Corinne notes that when searching for a court ruling in a book, one typically discovers answers to cases that are still pending. Due to digitalization, this is now much less common. of all social actors, from small and large businesses to local governments and associations. At the European level, they already provide advice to several multinational corporations, local governments, and foreign nations. On the other hand, this can result in a certain amount of intellectual sloth and confine legal innovation and research to a precedent-based culture that does not entirely follow the Latin legacy. Corinne feels that in a world where the metaverse will change our professions, invention, the ability to synthesize, and creation remain the key traits that will ensure that humans continue to add value to society beyond interpersonal relationships. Their work in the areas of health and climate justice has given them the opportunity to network and collaborate with their peers on a global scale. This collaboration takes place specifically within the framework of a group Corinne founded called "Pesticide Justice," which posts all of the decisions made on pesticides. A global network of attorneys has been established, and they are striving to make a big change by first minimizing the use of pesticides and later completely eradicating them from the world. Futuristic View Corinne has big plans for Huglo Lepage Avocats' future, plans that go far beyond the firm's founders. They currently have a highly skilled and diverse team that can meet the needs worldsleaders.com | 15

18. 18 | JANUARY 2023

19. worldsleaders.com | 19

20. 20 | JANUARY 2023

21. worldsleaders.com | 21

22. Dima Rachid Dima Rachid Dima Rachid Jamali Jamali Jamali Educating Future Leaders as Change Makers of a Better Tomorrow Lifelong learning can assist us in achieving personal fulfillment and pleasure, whether we are following personal interests and hobbies or professional goals. It acknowledges that humans have a natural desire to explore, learn, and grow and exhorts us to do so by paying attention to the principles and objectives that motivate us. Dima Rachid Jamali is the Dean and a Professor at the University of Sharjah. She is a strong proponent of lifelong learning and the value of embracing constant interactions with peers who share similar views and exchanging best practices through attendance at important local, regional, and international conferences and events, in addition to executive workshops to stay up to date on the most important new trends and innovations reshaping business and academia. 22 | JANUARY 2023

23. Dima Jamali Dean & Professor University of Sharjah worldsleaders.com | 23

24. 24 | JANUARY 2023

25. The Backstory of Her Success individuals from the private sector, the public sector, academia, and the entire UN system. =to join in 2020. She is also a contributor to the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI), an organization that promotes ethical leadership in both the public and private sectors. Dima Jamali previously held the Kamal Shair Chair in Responsible Leadership and was a professor and associate dean at the Olayan School of Business, American University of Beirut (AUB). She graduated with a PhD in Social Policy and Administration from Canterbury, UK's University of Kent. Her studies and instruction have mostly focused on social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility (CSR) over the years (SE). She is the author or editor of seven books, including Handbook of Responsible Management (Edward Elgar 2019), CSR in Developing and Emerging Economies: Institutions and Sustainable Development (Cambridge University Press), Social Entrepreneurship in the Middle East (Palgrave, 2015), CSR in the Middle East (Palgrave, 2012), and Corporate Governance in Arab Countries: Specifics and Outlooks (NTER Press 2019), and over 100 significant international publications, which are widely circulated and cited internationally and concentrate on various facets of sustainability, sustainable development, and CSR in developing nations generally and the Middle East specifically. She gained invaluable experience founding, growing and working with the UN Global Compact Network of Lebanon to organize high-level forums, roundtable discussions, national programs, and activities focused on empowerment, inclusion, development, and well-being with the goal of leaving no one behind. She also engaged a broad range of Bestowed for excellence Dima Jamali was recognized by Stanford University as one of the top 2% most influential global scholars in the field of sustainability as a result of her extensive research, and she also received the 2015 Aspen Institute Faculty Pioneer Award, which the Financial Times referred to as "the Oscars of the Business School World" for faculty who are at the forefront of their discipline's teaching and research. She also received the 2015 Arab Organization for Social Responsibility Personality of the Year for CSR award and the Shield of Excellence for the Arab Region, as well as the 2010 Shoman Prize for Best Young Arab Researcher, which honors outstanding scientific contributions that help address pressing issues at the local, regional, and global levels. At Global Compact Network Lebanon, Dima founded this important network and continues to serve as steward and president. The UN Global Compact is the largest sustainability program in the world and calls on businesses to connect plans and operations with fundamental values of anti- corruption, labor, environmental, and human rights. She is also a member of the Global Council for the UN Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME), which strives to instill sustainability at the core of higher education institutions, which has invited her The University of Sharjah The University of Sharjah was established with the intention of adding to the qualities of distinguished universities all over the world share. University of Sharjah provides extensive and multi- disciplinary education and research programs. The University of Sharjah is a full-service academic organization with a unique teaching methodology, great research reputation and a worldwide perspective. In the UAE and the GCC, it is a leader in academia, science, and the arts and was ranked number 1 in the UAE along with UAEU University by Times Higher Education Rankings in 2022. The UAE Ministry of Higher Education has accredited all programs. Engineering, Communication, Science, and Business are just a few of the disciplines that have received international accreditation. At the University of Sharjah, faculty members are dedicated to delivering a top-notch educational experience that equips future leaders with a comprehensive set of knowledge and abilities. They are committed to creating a cooperative, long-lasting atmosphere that supports cutting- edge research and scholarship as well as the development of skills for the twenty-first century. worldsleaders.com | 25

28. Elena Turanskaya 28 | JANUARY 2023

29. worldsleaders.com | 29

30. 30 | JANUARY 2023

31. worldsleaders.com | 31

32. Heidi Lindner Supporting Entities in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Sectors “The possibility of designing solid and innovative legal strategies to face the challenges of my clients has always been a source of professional inspiration.” 32 | JANUARY 2023

33. worldsleaders.com | 33

34. T aspect of any leader's daily activities is to deliver a skilled service devoted to their clients' needs, ensuring that they always receive a solid and considered response that gives them the greatest possible perspective on the anticipated results. Building strong personal links and reliable, enduring relationships with clients is essential. Heidi Lindner, Senior Partner at Arochi & Lindner, believes that professional ethics and accountability are essential to achieving the intended outcomes, in addition to this commitment to providing services. he success of the client is very important in the work profile. The most crucial 34 | JANUARY 2023

35. The Heidi Staircase its innovative and customer-focused mindset. It opened an office in Spain in 2011, and as a direct result of its success, they are still expanding both domestically and internationally today. Offering high-profile legal counsel in the fields of intellectual property, life sciences, marketing and advertising, civil and commercial litigation, corporate and regulatory, and personal data security, the company has more than 27 years of experience. It helps clients overcome the legal challenges they face by providing clear and accurate advice that recognizes and minimizes risks, foresees and resolves issues, and secures the highest potential profit for the clients within each business opportunity, market, or industry. As a young child, Heidi Lindner enjoyed arguing, debating, expressing her opinions, and taking the lead. Her decision to seek a career in law may have been influenced by her feeling of powerlessness in the face of injustices as much as her rage. Since her first year of high school, she has known that she wants to follow this area of study. She earned a master's degree from Panamerican University, a specialization in constitutional litigation (Amparo) from the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico's Institute of Judicial Specialization, and a master's degree from George Washington University. As her career progressed, Heidi eventually concentrated on the topic of Life Sciences within Intellectual Property Law, paying particular attention to the most recent developments in science and technology. She worked for Baker & McKenzie's Intellectual Property Department for about eight years. During that time, she also rose to the position of local partner. She joined the current company, which was formerly known as Arochi, Marroquin & Lindner, in 1994. She is a Senior Partner and the head of the Patent Litigation section of Arochi & Lindner, and she has more than 35 years of experience in intellectual property and life sciences litigation and advising, achieving favorable rulings in several landmark cases for clients in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. Due to its unwavering commitment to each project, it is famous for its client- focused service delivery method that generates results quickly and effectively. This is made possible by the firm's commitment to each project; its thorough approach based on years of experience across a range of practice areas; the assertiveness and competence of its associates; and its excellent understanding of clients' business objectives. Arochi & Lindner Arochi & Lindner is a well-known and respected name in Latin American intellectual property protection. It was established in 1994 and has become a prominent firm in large part because of worldsleaders.com | 35

38. y e s d n i L G a m e l l 38 | JANUARY 2023

39. The Leading Lady of the Aviation Industry “The most difcult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” Amelia Earhart worldsleaders.com | 39

40. T T T upholds policies and procedures. She skillfully manages teams, production, maintenance work orders, supply and inventory, and ensures customer satisfaction and support in her role as business development and program manager at TP Aerospace. To improve organizational strategy, she cultivates long-lasting connections with stakeholders, senior management, and customers. value for all of its clients globally, wherever they may be, at any time. It combines market experience with substantial MRO capabilities and a global network. The Honeywell 737 Classic Series is distributed solely by TP Aerospace. TP Aerospace provides its airline clients with the highest level of flexibility and cost transparency through its integrated programs, all of which are powered by its pay-as- you-go model. Customers of the program benefit from an all-inclusive approach that is supported by an excellent warranty, a guarantee of stock availability, and first-rate customer service. After graduating from high school in 2002, Lindsey began working in aviation. She comes from a highly varied background in the industry. She began in general aviation, working in different office support functions and learning the fundamentals of aviation maintenance. After that, she briefly worked as a flight attendant for an airline. She then entered the area of maintenance repair organizations (MRO), which is essentially where she is currently as TP Aerospace is a part 145 repair station. For most of her career, Lindsey worked as a maintenance planner, arranging heavy maintenance projects on airplanes, which in layman terms entailed organizing the whole work scope and process for disassembling an airplane fully, inspecting it, and then putting it back together to get it back in the air. Today's aviation sector is lacking in crucial leadership expertise since more than half (59%) of women in leadership roles in the sector have thought about quitting. Women are more likely to be forced out of the profession because of bad experiences, but males are more likely to be drawn away by the promise of greater prospects. Greater and more noticeable roles for women are emerging in the sector. The staff is committed to serving its clients and is aware of the many difficulties faced by aircraft operators. When enrolled in a program with TP Aerospace, its clients are given a personal program manager who is intimately familiar with their requirements and serves as a sparring partner in streamlining their wheels and brake operations. There have never been more women in top positions in the aviation sector. Still, there is a leadership gap as a result of the prejudices and obstacles faced by female leaders that continue to limit their development and influence. There is a growing trend for people of all genders to adopt leadership styles that support successful women in business and the organizations they manage, as more women assume high-ranking positions. Being an Aviation Leader At TP Aerospace, Lindsey's duties include leading a group of Customer Executives that, together with her, handle all of the program accounts for the North American region. This includes managing contracts, visiting with clients to report on KPIs; monitoring daily operations; and managing the technical facets of asset management, including establishing priorities with the business' internal MRO shop. Lindsey also works to provide awareness and brand familiarity in her business development role. She The Leading Aviation Aftermarket Supplier As the top aftermarket provider of aircraft wheels and brakes, TP Aerospace provides all of its clients with an easy substitute for conventional component management. It excels at what it does because it has a narrow focus. The firm ensures quality, simplicity, and Lindsey Gamell is a skilled and seasoned company leader and manager who is extremely passionate about aviation, is well-versed in the laws and rules pertaining to FAA compliance, and develops and 40 | JANUARY 2023

41. worldsleaders.com | 41

42. Chief Revenue Officer JS Group MEREDITH CARAM An Emblem of Women Empowerment and Visionary Leadership 42 | JANUARY 2023

43. E obsession, and growing nextgeneration leaders while cutting through the noise to deliver outcomes. "We're digging in areas like AI and security.” Meredith sees this year more than ever, everyone is focused on demonstrating value in a world that has shifted and will never go back, which means partners' business models need to change. She says, "Our programs solve these challenges with how to provide the technologies, market the technologies, and sell the technologies to make sure the channel remains relevant in the coming years as we move into another evolution.” JS Group and Future Strategies The JS Group, founded in 2018, is a market-leading consulting organization that develops effective go-to-market strategies and channel activation programs for technology companies. As we all know, as technology advances, the channel evolves as well. The "digitalnormal" is one of the things that sets JS Group apart, including its social selling program, which helps partners uncover new leads and close more transactions. For many businesses, achieving a new digital normal is vital to their survival. This opens up a huge window of opportunity for the channel, which JS Group is assisting businesses with. Security, IoT, enterprise video, cloud, and mobility services are all areas where the JS Group team excels. Effective leadership is all about creating a positive environment with a purpose that matters, a plan that works, and outcomes that meet your objectives. Impactful leaders understand how important it is for the team to embrace the challenge or opportunity ahead, contribute to the solution development, and internalize the winning strategy. Growth is the name of the game these days. Meredith ensures that JS Group will continue to enhance its offerings in order to enable market channel acceleration while also being a good partner and industry member. Meredith's mission is to develop innovative new ways to increase channel capacity while also increasing growth and generating high-margin revenue for their clients. Meredith Caram, JS Group's Chief Revenue Officer, is a motivator who inspires, encourages, and motivates her team to achieve their goals. Her ability to take organizations to new heights of success has been helped by her decisiveness. Her expertise embodies knowledge and experience, as well as a proven track record that inspires confidence. Raising Voice for Women's Equality in the Corporate Sector Long before the epidemic, the JS Group concentrated on digital norms and emerging distribution methods. Creating programs to assist its clients in creating demand, capturing sales, and evolving their prowess in an increasingly digital environment allowed us to gain market share during the difficult circumstances of the last two years and positions us for future success. Meredith Meredith has received 5-star channel program honors and is the recipient of numerous industry awards, including the top 10 most influential CROs for 2021 and the top 10 most powerful women in technology for 2020, to her joy. Meredith's basic principle, without a question, has had a significant impact on the impact this boundary-breaker leader has had. Meredith earned her MBA in STEM Leadership from Brown University in 2018, fueling her academic curiosity and impact on the business world. Meredith Caram joined JS Group as Chief Revenue Officer in February 2021, bringing with her intellectual leadership, strong channel expertise, and an solutions, advancing women in technology, focusing on customer claims that the team is doubling down on areas such as edge computing and 5G, which allow for the implementation of exciting new technology. She asserts, Her passion for technology and joining the JS Group team comes worldsleaders.com | 43

44. 44 | JANUARY 2023

45. at a pivotal moment: the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, fueled by 5G, which provides the organization with low latency, high-speed digital technologies. Edge computing and linked devices, for example, are helping to define a new future for us all. All disciplines, industries, and economies are projected to be impacted by this revolution. Meredith's business and leadership skills, like these rising technologies, are upending the status quo, assisting tech enterprises in entering new markets and shaking up growing industries to win new business. The JS Group provides clients with an average improvement rate of 17 percent in channel operating costs and a 40 percent improvement in channel performance. day is a new chance to write a new happy ending. She concentrates on the prospect of success every day and isn't really sure what that means for her, but it entails being motivated by people, working on yourself, avoiding negativity, and achieving her objectives. by stereotypes in which a woman's stated role is a secondary one. Meredith asserts, "To make this change from secondary to primary, I had to be bold about change and address this gender bias by bringing stakeholders together to create action that is also good for business." Meredith's strong voice for women in technology inspires other female executives to share their own adventures, provide professional advice, and conduct thought-provoking dialogues. Meredith says, "If you're a woman working in any type of male-dominated field, it's vital to always be aware of gender roadblocks so you can be savvy and strategic about your next career move." Meredith says she's met a lot of brilliant, educated allies, but she's also met a lot of males, who harshly criticize her potential and make her feel unwelcome, as if she doesn't belong. Meredith feels that women are strong and desire to bond over shared experiences. It irritates her even more when she sees an all-male panel at industry events. She rationalized it at first by claiming that all of the women were preoccupied; now she believes it to be another one of those pathetic things. She adds, "Women should be represented, and she is passionate about identifying ways to not only actively support this rich talent but also define and innovate it.” Meredith has a number of leadership lessons to teach, all of which revolve around women speaking for themselves and their evolving needs and wants, which helps to develop workplaces that are inclusive of all women. The most important thing is to be the first — don't wait for permission to take the lead. She says, "Take the initiative and take action. The new playbook for being a good leader is Apple TV's Ted Lasso – watch it and ask yourself, "How can I bring a little of Ted Lasso into my daily work?" Ted's unwavering optimism, ability to motivate a team, and unmatched empathy inspire me to imagine what the future of work might be like." When she first started in sales at AT&T, Meredith saw possibilities to climb up and establish avenues to prove her value. Because she is a woman, she has always felt compelled to work more and establish herself in a maledominated field like sales. Meredith has worked with colleagues to redefine ideas of the attributes that make a strong leader in revenue-generating roles in order to overcome this hurdle with other women who feel the same way. It was vital to create an environment in which she could establish goals for herself in order to advance her profession, but it didn't end there. It has grown to include new ways for women to shine in their own unique way. Meredith is a high-energy person who claims that jumping out of bed each morning is one of the nicest parts of her day since each A Message to All Aspiring Females Out There Meredith discovers that one barrier stands out above the rest: women's lack of confidence. The problem isn't that women lack confidence in themselves; it's that companies lack confidence in women. Meredith is particularly enthusiastic about this because she has frequently been defined worldsleaders.com | 45

48. Chief Human Resources Officer BlackBerry NITA WHITE-IVY A Tech Savvy HR Leader with Extensive Work Experiences 48 | JANUARY 2023

49. O analytics, HR operations, support and services, and strategic programs. being a new immigrant to the U.S. and living with the sole purpose to provide a good life for her son as a responsible parent. She set out her “to get the proper academic preparation” to be able to compete in the job market and qualify for a good job and pay. It was an unwavering goal for her to secure a stronger future for both of them (for her and her child.) The challenges of not having friends or family members to assist her, working full-time while going to school full-time, did not derail her from the goal. Nita considers that the reason she is thriving and feeling strengthened in the sector is because of being an active participant and contributor in a turn-around organization. BlackBerry is the third turn-around company that she had been fortunate to join. There is the ultimate reward and the sweetness of success when the company succeeds in achieving its transformation objectives. She deems, “Employee morale, performance and retention, recruitment of talent, and company stock price all get the positive boost just to name a few.” The Beginning Nita considers her entering the high technology industry as HR manager of professional employment and compensation for a notable mainframe computer company was the true beginning of her HR career. Prior to joining BlackBerry, Nita spent 15 years as the head of global HR with Sybase Inc., until it was acquired by SAP. She says, “We became part of SAP and I concurrently served as Chief People Officer for SuccessFactors (another SAP-acquired company) until I joined BlackBerry.” Operating an efficient business requires effective communication, a skilled workforce, and effective work culture. These all can be achieved by having a proficient HR team that is also responsible for moderating errors, increasing employee engagement, forming the foundation for better client relationships, stimulating innovation and creativity, and helping in building a positive culture. Meet Nita White-Ivy, Chief Human ResourcesOfficer at BlackBerry, who holds on experience in best-in-class global HR practices/management and interface with the compensation committee of company's board of directors mostly in the areas of officers' and board of directors' compensation, incentives, and benefits. At the beginning of her career, she was termed “the feisty” and “most productive recruiter” for developing and driving successful university relations and recruitment programs which accelerated recruitment of top- notch college graduates to fill engineering and development employment requisitions. Nita was also fortunate to be selected at that time as one of the high-potential employees for the company thereby receiving a promotion to the next grade every 15 to 18 months. She asserts, “It was my desire to be in high demand, energized, and forward-looking-industry and work environment. I always aspire to be where technology addresses current global requirements plus the foresight for the future.” For Nita, success is having a strong purpose to achieve with focus and perseverance, overcoming challenges, acknowledging any fear of failure, and managing it until the completion of what one sets out to accomplish. Thriving in Male-Dominated Sector At BlackBerry, Nita is responsible for leading the HR team to design and deliver global programs, initiatives, partnerships, solutions, and services in all facets of HR, to support the achievement of the company's operational goals and strategic objectives. This includes HR business partnerships, talent development, talent acquisition, total rewards, employee relations & compliance, DE&I, HRIS/HRIT & A Woman of Persistence Nita states, “Challenges, setbacks, roadblocks, and the lessons we learn from them do make a person Nita was a single mom at a very young age. Then, she was taking the responsibility alone for the child, and worldsleaders.com | 49

50. AWARDS stronger.” From her journey experiences, she points that as a woman, and a minority, entering the high-technology world and succeeding in it was most challenging, to say the least. needs/requirements: and. (3) Balance mind and heart when leading and developing your team members. Accept that there will be some failures and disappointments, but witnessing mentees grow, and blossom professionally are the precious rewards to savour. The Brand; BlackBerry in the last 20+ years has its own set of challenges. But they are just that - challenges to overcome and to navigate with purpose and determination for one to succeed and make a difference.” The biggest lessons of Nita's professional journey are: (1) Ability to juggle, prioritize and re-prioritize what needs to get done as days usually do not go as planned: (2) Understand, keep up to date, and deliver to the company's business Nita recalls that she worked doubly hard every step of the way, did her “homework” to demonstrate knowledge and proficiency, and earned professional respect accordingly. She asserts, “Being a corporate officer for three companies BlackBerry is delivering the next generation of cloud-based, AI cybersecurity solutions to address 50 | JANUARY 2023