< Previous10 CEO MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY 2023 or the past 10 years VI Markets has achieved great milestones, through hard work and dedication it obtained a great share of the market in Kuwait and the Middle East. What have been the core three strategies you feel that have driven VI markets in this direction of excellence? I believe that excellence is achieved through continually striving for success in all aspects and not only focusing one strategy. Because through time the needs and wants of the people change so it’s only valid if the company looks into these changes and adapt to Kuwaiti entrepreneur Talal Al Ajmi, founder and CEO of one of the most recognised trading platforms in the region, Vi Markets, has come a long way since. CEO Middle East meets the man whose vision is to empower people through education, and that what made him different VI MARKETS: EMPOWERING INVESTORS THROUGH TECH Empowering traders. Al Ajmi’s main focus is to educate the people in Kuwait who are interested in trading VI MARKETS FFEBRUARY 2023 CEO MIDDLE EAST 11 VI MARKETS Smart investing. With copy trading many can start joining the social trading revolution, and connect with other traders meet the expectations. However, one golden rule I abide with is education, it is definitely the greatest founda- tion of any successful career. Not only that, but also practicing what you have learnt through live simulations, like the demo accounts we offer for clients is a vital element for success. It gives them a great opportunity to practice without fear for those who wish to have a try before entering the real world. One dynamic element to achieve great milestones is to love what you are doing and treat it like a hobby, like going to work everyday for example. Can you discuss further your unique, patented technology which automatically copies trading portfolio performance, for individuals who want to link their accounts with a specific trader? With copy trading many can start joining the social trading revolution, and connect with other traders, dis- cuss different strategies, copy or even mirror their trades. This patented technology automatically copy their trading portfolio performance, for those who want to link their accounts with a specific trader. Each trader will either charge a subscription fee or a percentage on the profit gained from trades. The One Connect Copy Trading app lets you chat and trade on the With regards to enhancing customer experience, you have recently launched The One Connect Copy Trading app. How does this streamline the process for the customer and what are its salient features? This new technology has shown great interest in the world as it eases the process of managing one’s portfolio. VI markets provided this patented technology to their client in August 2021, as part of the transformation phase it’s going through to ensure that all the client’s needs are met. Whether you’re a beginner looking to learn the basics or a mentor want- ing to charge for signals, One Con- nect handles it all in a safe and secure environment. Keep all your execution in one place whilst experiencing all the exceptional trading tools that One Connect has to offer Even though this year was tremen- dously challenging on all levels due to the pandemic, yet VI Markets worked hard to reach its goal amid these obstacles. 2010 The year in which Version International Markets was established in Kuwait “I BELIEVE THAT EXCELLENCE IS ACHIEVED THROUGH STRIVING FOR SUCCESS IN ALL ASPECTS” same platform. Ask fellow traders, learn from the best, then make your trading decisions. We connect you to the traders all around the world via a simple app. One Connect Copy provides a number of services to users who enter into Equity, CFD and FX, and Equity The One Connect app is linked to MT4 and all trades are visible in a clients MT4 account, as well as on the One Connect app. Users can sign up to a new account within the One Connect app or they can link an existing account using a drop-down menu within the app.12 CEO MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY 2023 VI Market’s vision is to provide all those interested in trading the opportunity to learn through providing them with a constant series of training sessions, seminars and workshops across the region. Why is this vital for your brand and what are some key ways this is undertaken? The main mission and vision of VI Markets is educating and spreading awareness about trading online, there- fore our staff is trained to the best of their abilities to provide a professional customer service not matched anywhere else. Providing the best experience is our main target when it comes to customer Market leader. VI Markets has been recognised by number of financial organisations, and is among the fastest growing forex brokers in the region service and this is only done through listening and being close to clients and meeting their needs and expectations. Having said that, VI Markets is proud to say that it provides regu- lar workshops whether online or on premises free of charge for its clients and non-clients to fulfil its vision of spreading awareness. These seminars and workshops are held by profession- al trainers and provide a great back- ground for those who are interested in this field. VI Markets offer a wide range of instruments on both forex and CFDs. In relation to forex, they offer all the majors as well as a multitude of exotic currency pairs such as USD/ “WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A.I. MARKETS ARE MOVING TOWARDS A TURNING POINT IN THE HISTORY OF FINANCIAL MARKETS” VI MARKETSFEBRUARY 2023 CEO MIDDLE EAST 13 VI MARKETS SGD, USD/ZAR .They offer all these services with no commission. However, spreads are minimal. What does the future hold in terms of the role of technology in financial markets? It is obvious that with all the changes that are taking place and the implemen- tation of artificial intelligence the mar- kets are moving towards a turning point in the history of the financial markets. In VI Markets we strive and aspire to be- come the trend setters in the Middle East and internationally and indeed we are proud to say that we have achieved great milestones by investing greatly in AI. VI Markets has been recognised by many institutions and proudly won many rewards as a result of hard work and dedication on different levels. Some of these are: • Best Partner Award for One Financial Markets from 2015-2021 • Most Inspiring Men – 2018 by CP Magazine • Arabian Business Magazine – Arab Power List 2021 • Arabian Business Magazine – Leaders Expo Edition 2021 • Arabian Business Magazine - Young Achievers GCC 2021 • Recognised by Asia One – Global Asian of the Year 2020-21 • Recognised as one of the Top 10 CEOS in Kuwait 2021 by CEO Insights • VI Markets, Fastest Growing Forex Broker – 2021 by GBO Awards • IFM Awards 2021 – Talal Al Ajmi, Best Emerging CEO online trading • IFM Awards 2021 – VI Markets, Most Innovative CFD Broker • Talal Al Ajmi, Outstanding Leadership Award by Money 2.0 - 2022 • Most Innovative Leader – I Success International Awards Monaco Edition – Monaco Forbes 2022 • Most Innovative Leader – I Success International Awards Dubai Edition – 2022 • Arabian Business Most Influential Arabs 2022 • Arabian Business 50 Most Inspiring Leaders 2022 • Top GCC Young Achievers by Arabian Business Magazine, 2022 Raising awareness. Al Ajmi’s goal has been to promote sustainable development via education VI Markets in focus14 CEO MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY 2023 R management has never been this pivotal. During the pandemic, HR managers sat across C-suite executives as they strategized how to keep organisa- tions running amidst great disrup- tion. The workplace that has since emerged, characterised by hybrid working models, elevated health and safety concerns and new demands iour necessitate keeping an eye on the upcoming trends. Below are six such HR trends that will change the work landscape in 2023. Employee experience matters more than ever Recent data where more than half of employees in MENA have considered leaving their current jobs to find a better work-life balance at some point during the past year should give every business leader pause for thought. Employee retention should be a high priority for every organisa- tion to help curb turnover rate, save money, and boost employee morale and productivity. Unfortunately, many organisations still follow ad-hoc, im- precise employee engagement methods subject to personal whims and with no long-term plans. A modern Human Resource Management Software (HRMS) espe- cially if it is powered with an AI and predictive analysis technology that eliminates ambiguities and transforms employee engagement into a data- driven, accurate process with clearly defined goals in mind. Such a platform captures real-time feedback backed by real-time performance reviews and surveys, making employees feel valued and engaged. It also accurately identifies commendable performance and defines techniques to implement rewards and recognition (R&R) pro- grammes effectively. Upskilling and reskilling are the new business enablers With every business at risk of dis- ruption, the need for highly skilled employees has never been greater. But with the shrinking shelf life of skills, demands for better work-life balance and hybrid work environments, skills development should be tailored to the new way of work. The right upskill- ing/reskilling strategy should focus on enabling employees to adapt to the From hybrid offi ces to data-driven management, adaptation will be key for HR managers across the Middle East SIX MENA HR TRENDS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2023 Future of work. Peddi says the right reskilling strategy should focus on enabling employees to adapt to the changing world of work OUTLOOK BY CHAITANYA PEDDI, CO-FOUNDER OF DARWINBOX H for better work-life balance. This has mandated HR professionals to make critical business continuity decisions daily while trying to maintain positive employee engagement procedures. While people leaders adopted HR technology to significantly ease this process and stay in sync with the future of work, the evolving workplace dynamics and changing user behav-FEBRUARY 2023 CEO MIDDLE EAST 15 OUTLOOK Company asset. Companies will lean heavily on HR, and the talent and experience of their teams as they tackle the challenges ahead changing world of work today and be future-proof for tomorrow. Today, most HRMS platforms have a dedicated learning and development (L&D) area that not only allows HR to add or remove the content as required, but personalise it as per user groups or learner preference. Lessons are also accessible anytime and anywhere and employees learn at their convenience. Learning can be offered as bite-sized sessions to keep workers motivated while introducing innovative features such as gamification. Millennials and Gen Z will define the workplace Millennials and Gen Z now make up a large segment of the workforce. Tech- nology is fundamental to these digital natives and mobile experiences are a necessity. This new workforce is ‘on the go’ and always connected online through their smartphones. According to recent YouGov survey, people in the region, such as UAE and Saudi Arabia spend between three to six hours on their mobile devices daily, respectively. For forward-thinking organisations smartphones and mobile apps serve as potentially powerful engagement tools. Putting the entire HR management suite on an app, coupled with an intui- tive and seamless UI and UX allows for faster decision-making, real-time feedback and less wastage associated with manual processes. Hybrid work environments are the new normal It’s clear that the hybrid work envi- ronment is here to stay. Contingency plans put in place to deal with the pandemic-driven disruption must give way to concrete strategies to empower the dispersed workforce in 2023. The technology to power the workforce of the future is already mature. The chal- lenge many businesses face is how to integrate this technology into normal processes and do so without disrupt- ing normal operations. Cybersecurity HR software must therefore be com- prehensive with global standards and an advanced tech stack while being simple enough for all businesses to run HR processes in the most regionally contextual way . Data is the new gold Business leaders today have access to mountains of data thanks to the increased digitisation of HR functions. Forward-thinking organisations can use this data to efficiently recruit, re- tain, motivate, and promote to replace subjective procedures. For instance, HR managers can leverage HRMS software to identify talent gaps, as well as employee trends such as attri- tion rates. Then the organisation can prioritise engagement, training and development, and motivation for these specific roles. The world of work has changed drastically in recent years, and it will only continue to evolve. Companies will lean heavily on HR, and the talent and experience of their teams as they tackle the challenges ahead. Staying ahead of these HR trends, integrating HR tech and automation into their workflow, while implementing versatile strategies to support an agile work- force will be key to powering through the continuous winds of change. and compliance issues pile pressure onto organisations keen to empower employees on the go. Traditional HR software platforms were cumbersome, poorly designed and inflexible. Contrast that with a modern mobile-first HRMS such as Darwinbox that puts users first with an easy-to-use interface that is intui- tive and lightweight while maintaing data security, compliance and privacy. Borderless HR platforms are in demand Regional firms increasingly operate across borders, particularly newly minted digital businesses. Therefore, the ideal HR tech platform must offer locally relevant experiences, keeping in mind culture, calendar, labour laws, compliance, taxation, etc. The ideal “THE WORLD OF WORK HAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY IN RECENT YEARS, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE”16 CEO MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY 2023 ustainability. It’s on every business’s agenda now. Especially here in the UAE given that the country will be host- ing COP28 later this year and that the UAE has declared 2023 as the Year of Sustainability. And while the word is usually used in a con- text that’s environmental or eco- nomic, it’s interesting to consider an often-overlooked dimension: social sustainability. Very simply, social sustainability is the impact that a business has on society. According to Nobel Laure- ate Amartya Sen, this is measured across a number of dimensions like equity, diversity, quality of life, social cohesion and governance. A pro- ject/ business needs to deliver on all these aspects to be deemed socially sustainable. An initiative to foster financial literacy in the younger generation is a perfect fit for corporations looking to augment their social sustainability scorecard. There are many reasons for this – The lack of financial literacy skills in the younger generation is well known and documented. It’s an issue that highly emotive and one that’s likely to stay relevant even years from now, given the magnitude and the de- gree of neglectedness of the problem. The current state of the global econ- omy, rising unemployment, looming recession and skyrocketing inflation, all make the case for teaching smart money management to youngsters, both urgent and prescient. With this backdrop, one can now neatly overlay the myriad benefits of a financial education programme targeted at Gen Z: Higher confidence and less anxiety in money matters, better mental health outcomes, greater control of their lives socially and economically, higher savings rate, more prudent use of financial instruments like credit cards, better understanding of debt and an early start to investing. Driving sustainability in the UAE among the young is in focus amid COP28 SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH FINANCIAL LITERACY Educating the next generation. An initiative to foster financial literacy in the younger generation is a perfect fit for corporations looking to augment their social sustainability scorecard, says Pinto SUSTAINABILITY BY MARILYN PINTO, REBEL EDUCATOR AND FOUNDER, KFI GLOBAL SFEBRUARY 2023 CEO MIDDLE EAST 17 SUSTAINABILITY Making a difference. Social sustainability is the impact that a business has on society These benefits tie in beautifully to the social sustainability assess- ment criteria stipulated by WACOSS (Western Australian Council of Social Services). A few of these criteria are listed below: • Will the project improve the physical and mental health outcomes for the target group (Quality of Life) • Will it improve the education, training and skills development opportunities for the target group? (Quality of Life) • Will the project assist the target group to have more control over their lives, socially and economically? (Equity) • Will the programme be delivered without bias and promote fairness? (Equity) • Will the project identify diverse groups within the target group and look at way to meet their particular needs? (Diversity) • Will the project improve the target groups’ understanding of and access to public and civic institu- tions? (Social Cohesion) • Will the duration and budget of the project be sufficient to achieve the desired outcomes? (Governance) A financial literacy initiative that’s scalable, transparent and veri- fiable; that’s specially curated for Gen Z; that’s widely tested, acclaimed and delivered by a team of professionals who have the relevant expertise, ex- perience and empathy can easily fulfil the above criteria. It’s an excellent opportunity for the business community to come together and engage in an initiative that helps deliver on UAE’s promise of a socially sustainable future. 72% The percentage of investors in the Middle East who believe they can generate improved returns through ESG investments, according to a report from Lombard Odier “THE STATE OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY... MAKE THE CASE FOR TEACHING MONEY MANAGEMENT TO YOUNGSTERS”18 CEO MIDDLE EAST FEBRUARY 2023 he meeting took place in a gleaming glass-lined confer- ence room at our client’s brand-new corporate headquarters. A senior executive on the design team for one of our custom programmes spoke up and said something that really caught my attention – so much so that his com- ment has influenced numerous conver- sations since that day about preparing to communicate important information to tough audiences. His comment was, paraphrasing, “Help your audience be ready to listen.” If we also buy into this idea that we are largely responsible for how well our audiences listen, what exactly can we do to help our hearers be better listeners? Here are five top tips from our research and field experience at the University. Top tip 1: Analyse your audience first When I challenge learners in executive presentation skills workshops to create a presentation, most of the participants will jump right into creating PowerPoint slides. The new behaviour I teach them is to stop, conduct an audience analysis and create an outline before even thinking about PowerPoint. PowerPoint is nothing more than a tool that might or might not augment a talk. A good audience analysis is a thorough and intentional process of discovering and documenting who will be in the room, their goals and concerns, and how they like to re- ceive information. You will anticipate their main questions, and structure your talk to answer those questions with evidence. Ask yourself: “What do I want this audience to know, feel, and do as a result of this time with me?”; “What is my point of view, and why is this point of view well-supported and compelling?”; “What forms of information will connect with their different personalities?”; “What action do I want them to take at the conclusion of the meeting?” Top tip 2: organise your ideas to make them easy to follow Once you have completed the audience analysis phase, it is time to craft an out- line. I recommend a classic three-point outline which is: opener/hook, point 1, point 2, point 3, and close/call to action. In the opener, you outline the story you Leaders should do everything possible to make their audience better listeners FIVE TOP TIPS TO BE A LISTENER-FRIENDLY SPEAKER Feel the crowd. A good audience analysis is a thorough and intentional process of discovering and documenting who will be in the room, their goals and concerns, and how they like to receive information LEADERSHIP BY GENE MAGE, MANAGING DIRECTOR CUSTOM PROGRAMMES, MICHIGAN ROSS AND MARY HINESLY, BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS FACULTY, MICHIGAN ROSS 55% The impact of non-verbal communication in effective presentations, according to a reserch from Business Insider TFEBRUARY 2023 CEO MIDDLE EAST 19 LEADERSHIP Educators. Gene Mage (above, left) and Mary Hinesly from Michigan Ross business school will be telling – the journey on which you are inviting the hearers to join. You will also give the hearers a good reason to keep listening by being engaging and memorable. The three points support your thesis and provide good reasons for saying “yes” to your ask. The close recaps the evidence and clearly restates what you want them to do. It also provides the opportunity to think how you might tie the close to the opening. In the heat of a contentious meeting, when someone asks you a challenging question or invites you to present about something that’s not on the agenda, you can pick up your pen and scratch out some notes to yourself on whatever is in front of you (agenda, napkin, back of a business card.) You make three bullets – “Open, make your point, close.” In a few seconds you can write down a word or two that captures the gist of what you want to say. Then you state your opening in one sentence. Support your position with a point or two. summarise what happens next, and then sit down. By or- ganising your answer this way, and being concise, you will come across as poised and professional. Top tip 3: Make it a story Data is necessary as evidence, but is all too-often boring. Rather than present spreadsheet after spreadsheet, or Power- Point slides with bullets, weave what you want to accomplish into the context of a story. Yes, storytelling has become cliché in our era, and can be overused. However when applied sparingly, it works magic. To make the story even more im- pactful, use visual phraseology. If you share a data point, reference something visual that allows the audience to hear and understand the point. For example, let’s say you are sharing a data point about 240,000 miles of fleet opera- tions. The visual phraseology might be –“That’s as long as travelling from the earth to the moon.” People connect with and remember stories and visuals long after the slides and spreadsheets are discarded. practice their talk seven times. They use a script as a tool to prepare and practice, but then shift to an outline of key points, or no notes at all, when they present. By being well prepared, you can be fully present and pay attention to audience cues, rather than worrying about getting through the content. Top tip 5: State your conclusion first and provide evidence and details later One of my favourite thought-leaders on the topic of effective communica- tion is Dianna Booher. She recom- mends that you reverse the typical flow for presenting ideas and use the “MADE” approach. MADE stands for Message, Action, Details, and Evidence. Rather than making the poor listener suffer through a lengthy preamble with all your details, start with the conclusion and then back it up crisply. Your first sentence or two explains the reason for the communication. And then ask for what you want from the receiver right away. Then back that request up with your evidence. When you present, use your 30-second open- ing to cleanly present the “M and A” of your talk. And one final thought. Shift from “making a presentation” to “sparking a conversation”. “PEOPLE REMEMBER STORIES AND VISUALS LONG AFTER THE SLIDES AND SPREADSHEETS ARE DISCARDED” Top tip 4: Don’t memorise your talk, but do truly master your opening and closing remarks My colleague Tim Koegel and other experts on presentation skills agree that you should not try to memorise your presentation. The exception is that you should absolutely nail the first and last 30 seconds. If you practise your opener seven times, or more, you will have it down to where you can say it fluidly without worrying about notes. Most speakers, however, under-prepare. They make excuses such as, “Well I heard you shouldn’t memorise your talk, and I don’t want to look stiff and over- scripted.” Want to look spontaneous and unscripted? Really prepare well. The speakers you admire for their relaxed spontaneity totally master their material so that they know it inside and out. They Next >