Author: CIO Times

To be a winner, one needs to shed the fear of failure. Only then can one openly explore opportunities, try hands at new things and become a fearless leader charting new paths for others to follow. 

Sulian Tan-Wijaya, Executive Director, Retail & Lifestyle (Savills Singapore), has always been one to take challenges head-on, learn new skills, and then channel the newfound, innovative energy into her work. She graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Law (Honours) degree and was called to the Bar. But she chose Banking as a career, starting out in Private Banking and then spending nearly 10 years in Indonesia as a Corporate Banker before stepping into commercial real estate. Being active in competitive sports during school and college days also made her relish challenges and competition. In between her professional commitments, she also took up competitive swimming, modeling, and deejaying!

Working her Way to the Top

Sulian’s first stint in real estate was with Pacific Star as SVP Asset management for their portfolio of buildings which included Wisma Atria Mall, Capital Square office/retail building, and their stake in Ngee Ann City (mall and office tower). Thereafter she worked at the Singapore Tourism Board overseeing their Tourism Shopping division before re-joining the private sector as General Manager of The Fullerton Heritage, a landmark development overlooking Marina Bay comprising Fullerton Hotel, Fullerton Bay Hotel, One Fullerton, and Customs House.

Currently, Sulian serves as the Executive Director (Retail & Lifestyle) at Savills Singapore. Her current role is somewhat an evolution of her past stints in commercial real estate and retail. She had never envisaged going into real estate advisory and brokerage, but she has been in this job for over 14 years and still enjoys it. 

Sulian joined Savills in 2008 to set up the retail + Lifestyle department. She started with just a laptop and a desk, with zero experience in the agency/brokerage business. The Company gave her a blank canvas to grow the business, so she went about pitching for projects and business based on her experience, bringing a fresh perspective to upcoming retail developments and leveraging her network of retailers to build a client base from zero. 

“This wasn’t the first time I set up a new business, so I was cool with it. Long before e-commerce, I had already noticed that the retail landscape was already extremely dynamic and fast-changing, with trends coming and going in a matter of months. Trendspotting is something I live, breathe and enjoy, and is something my clients value a lot in our advisory work. In terms of hiring, rather than experienced candidates, I look for talents who are quick, open to new ideas, and have a flair for identifying and engaging new emerging retailers,” says Sulian.

Taking Savills to Greater Heights

Savills is a global real estate services provider listed on the London Stock Exchange. They have an international network of more than 600 offices and associates throughout the Americas, the UK, continental Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East, offering a broad range of specialist advisory, management, and transactional services to clients all over the world.

In Singapore, Savills is regarded as an innovative thinking organization supported by excellent negotiating skills. Savills chooses to focus on a defined set of clients, offering a premium service to organizations and individuals with whom they share a common goal. The organization is synonymous with a high-quality service offering and a premium brand, taking a long-term view of real estate and investing in strategic relationships.

Savills hires 165 retail experts across the Asia Pacific, and they are widely regarded as the market leader in retail estate, especially in Tenant Representation, having worked with some of the finest names in the business including Apple, Lululemon, New Balance, Adidas, Victoria’s Secret, Dyson and Samsung.

Under Sulian’s leadership, Savills had been awarded marketing mandates for: Raffles Hotel Arcade, Guoco Midtown, Dairy Farm Mall, 270 Orchard Road, 8 Club Street (900-room hotel/retail), Mondrian Luxury Hotel, GR.ID, 313@Somerset, JEM, Orchardgateway, Knightsbridge, The Grandstand, Rendezvous Gallery, Maxwell Chambers, Capitol Piazza, CHIJMES, Shaw Centre Revamp, 1A Keong Saik Road, National Gallery Singapore, Crown at Robinson, Centrepoint, The Pines, GSH Plaza, Le Quest, Kinnex Mall, and more.

Challenges in the Industry

The biggest challenge in the retail industry, per Sulian, is an ongoing one. The retail landscape is extremely dynamic and fast-evolving. Customers are getting younger, more knowledgeable, and digitally savvy. Mall owners need to regularly introduce new concepts and brands to keep shoppers engaged. As their advisors, Sulian and her team need to stay on top of trends and spot future market leaders.  

“This is a never-ending challenge, so my mind never really stops working, even when I’m out shopping or dining. Late at night, I find myself constantly reading up and studying new retail trends and developments. Fortunately, I quite enjoy it and don’t find it a chore having to keep up,” she says.

Leveraging Technology

Technology, believes Sulian, can be a double-edged sword. It can help you generate more business, and it can also render jobs obsolete overnight. Among the different real estate sectors, retail real estate and consultancy are probably the least homogeneous and the most complex. It’s almost an art and not something technology can easily replicate.

Human factors, soft skills, experience, relationships, and networking are more critical to success in this business. “Having said that, we can’t ignore the importance of leveraging technology in marketing our services and gaining visibility for the projects we market. In this respect, our company has a very capable marketing communications team to support our efforts, particularly on digital and media platforms,” asserts Sulian.

Post-Pandemic Effect

Sulian informs that some sectors in Singapore’s real estate did extremely well post-pandemic. Home prices surged while housing rents hit the roof.

The retail, F&B, and entertainment sectors were hardest hit. The 2 months of lockdown followed by a long period of restrictions crippled many retailers and restaurants. Bars with live entertainment and clubs remained closed for even longer. “The 2 years of the pandemic was a very surreal time for me. Looking back, I do wonder how I even managed to stay profitable throughout the pandemic,” says Sulian.

Singapore emerged stronger after the pandemic, and more new overseas retailers and restaurant groups are now expanding into Singapore. 

Despite people shopping more online than in-store during Covid19, shoppers still crave the experience physical stores offer which they won’t get online. This is particularly true for luxury brands where you could see long queues outside Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Dior boutiques during and post-Covid.

Keeping Up with Changes

Read, read, and read is Sulian’s mantra to stay updated with the latest in the industry. Whenever she has free time or during breaks, she reads up on news and trends in retail globally, what’s in, what’s out, and what’s next. This enables her to pick the right brands and concepts for the malls Savills works with. She often studies what Gen Y and Z consumers want, be it in shopping, dining, or leisure.

“When we first introduced Lululemon years ago to Singapore, not every mall understood how popular the brand was or how big athleisure would become.3 years ago, I saw that Singapore is ready for the next level of family KTV entertainment popular in China. I introduced 1 such trend-setting concept to Singapore and am now working on bringing in an even bigger brand to Singapore. I also saw how eSports was growing at such an exponential rate and placed an eSports Hotel in a historical building in Orchard Road,” says Sulian.

She continues, “The next deal I will announce soon is not an easy one to guess and may surprise many. But it does go to show the importance of keeping pace with the fast-changing developments around us.”

A Guiding Statement

Years ago, Sulian attended a business awards ceremony when the winner in the Businessman/Entrepreneur category said during his speech, “Nobody owes you a living”. These words remain stuck in her mind to this day and it has greatly influenced her work ethic. 

She has been a corporate “salaried” employee throughout her career, enjoying steady income in good and bad times. But it’s something she never takes for granted. “Not a day passes without me thinking about being profitable or doing better for my company. It, therefore, saddens me when I see some salaried people more concerned about what their company is giving them, rather than what they can do for their company,” she shares.

Words of Experience

The following is what Sulian usually tells her employees to motivate them and keep them on the path to success:

– There are no shortcuts to success

– There is no substitute for experience, and this is something you can only acquire over time

– Work hard and smart to keep up with the competition

– Don’t wait to be spoon-fed or molly-coddled at work. Be tough, learn on the job

– Communicate, communicate, and communicate 

Quote 1: “My working style has always been fluid. Instead of saying ‘this cannot be done’, I’m constantly asking myself ‘how can I get it done’”. Instead of ‘no’, I would ask ‘why not?’.”

Quote 2: “Whatever success I achieved in the past means nothing if I don’t constantly adapt my business and working style to keep up with all the changes.”

AWARDS / ACCOLADES 

• Prestige Magazine Power Women List 2022 
• The Enterprise World Top 5 Successful Women Leaders 2023
• Women’s Weekly 2010 Great Women of Our Time
• International Property Awards: Winner of Best International Marketing
• Standard Chartered Bank: Global Top 10 Cash management revenue generator

Stories are an integral part of everyone’s childhood. From listening to bedtime stories to daydreaming and creating fictional friends to creating stories with real friends to be told later in one’s life, we all are but stories, waiting to be penned down or told. While some of us outgrow stories as we step into adulthood, some of us take those stories with us, waiting to find the right moment and platform to breathe life into them.

Growing up, Stacy Padula discovered the amazing power of books to transport one to the secret worlds of adventure and excitement, and she wanted to be able to do that for herself. Her first ‘book’ came up as a gift for her parents illustrated all by herself at a very tender age and thus began her relationship with storytelling.

Today, Stacy dons multiple hats and is a part of many industries: education, literature, and television. She is the founder and president of South Shore College Consulting & Tutoring, Briley & Baxter Publications LLC, and the Gripped and Montgomery Lake High Book Series. She is also a co-founder of BLE Pictures. 

However, all of this started with her deciding to write what she experienced.

A Writer is Born

Writing became Stacy’s hobby and she would carry a notebook with her everywhere. She started creating her own stories which eventually led to her writing her own series of books as an 8-year-old. She got very attached to the characters she would create and had this sense of incompleteness with the stories she was writing for them. So, she just kept developing them even further until she felt satisfied with how they ended.

As she entered middle and high school, she quickly realized that the world woven of words was very different from what she was witnessing. The high school drama books didn’t represent what it felt like to be a teenager and relatable at all in terms of what she and her peers were actually experiencing. Stacy felt disillusioned by the books she read as a child that portrayed an idealized version of adolescence. She witnessed the harsh realities of growing up, such as mental health issues, drug abuse, and peer pressure, among her classmates. She developed a passion for writing realistic stories that could help other young readers cope with their own challenges. She started her writing journey with a school project on peer pressure that reflected her own experiences. 

“For a peer pressure project in 8th grade, I wrote a 90-page book about high school life, instead of making a poster or presentation like most kids. I loved my characters so much that I wrote three more books about them in high school, capturing the real challenges of growing up,” recalls Stacy.

Stacy focused on improving her writing skills in college, which left little time for her own stories. After graduating, she revisited the book series she wrote in grade school and was amazed by the mature themes she had explored. She realized that her books could help young readers who faced similar challenges, so she edited them to meet her adult standards and published her first book in 2010.

The Montgomery Lake High book series, published from 2010 to 2014, was Stacy’s first work, based on the stories she wrote as a teen. In 2017, she started the Gripped series, a spin-off that explores the past and future of the same characters through flashbacks. “With Gripped, I really wanted the stories to have a heavier focus on addiction, because unfortunately as I grew older, I had a more developed understanding of what addiction was, and witnessed too many young people fall prey to its power. It’s heartbreaking to witness people you love and care about struggle with the disease of addiction, so my hope with the Gripped series was to bring awareness to the seriousness of the issue to kids, ideally before they’re exposed to things like opioids in the real world,” says Stacy.

From Stories to Support

Stacy understands that parents try to hide the harsh truths of drugs, sex, and mental health from their kids, thinking they are keeping them safe, but these kids face these issues daily. She has not only written realistic books about teens but also worked in private education for 15 years, helping high schoolers prepare for their future. She witnessed how important it was for young people to see themselves in the stories they read.

How we represent the youth is important, feels Stacy. The media often misrepresents teens and their lives, making them feel ashamed of their generation. They exaggerate the role of social media and influence, ignoring the diversity and complexity of growing up. Many aspects of adolescence are seldom explored or portrayed in popular culture. “I published the Montgomery Lake High series and kept writing from the same perspective I had as a teen. I wanted to represent kids honestly, and I was glad when my readers told me they related to my stories and characters. That was what I had hoped for when I read books as a young person,” says Stacy.

In 2016, Stacy took matters further up by establishing South Shore College Consulting and Tutoring (SSCCT), a company that guides students and parents through the college application process. SSCCT’s team supports families from start to finish. They help them figure out what the child wants to major in, what schools and programs suit them best, and how to craft the best application for their chosen institution. 

“We are passionate about helping students pursue their college dreams. We guide them to identify their interests and create a personalized plan to achieve their goals. We offer services such as test preparation, college list building, and application support. We make the college journey a positive and manageable experience for students and families,” says Stacy.

Beyond SSCCT, Stacy has also worked as a director of operations for a college counseling company and educational group which involved training tutors and creating curriculums that could be used by tutors as they help high school students navigate their futures post-graduation. She’s written educational works that help students write college essays as well as study for exams like the SATs.

These aspects of her career are just pieces of what makes Stacy such an inspiring individual when it comes to creating safe spaces for young people as they navigate the complexities of not only their education but their own personal growth as well. Whether it’s the stories she writes about with her books or the educational texts she’s provided for students, Stacy has always wanted to alleviate some of the many pressures that teenagers endure, and she’s been able to do exactly that. 

“My favorite part of my days working with those educational groups, and today with SSCCT, is the actual one-on-one time I got to spend with the students. I love working with these young minds and helping them figure out what they’re passionate about and want to pursue in college and life,” says Stacy.

Making Space for Conversations

Stacy wants parents and caregivers to understand that listening to the young people in their lives is crucial. They should create a safe environment where teenagers can share their feelings and experiences without fear. Parents and guardians may worry about their children facing things like peer pressure or drugs, but if they can be someone who their child trusts and confides in, their child will be more likely to seek their guidance and insight on what they see and/or go through.

“I grew up with parents who were like that, so I learned to trust them and open up to them about my feelings and doubts. That’s why I can now offer that same safe space to the students I work with. Our conversations are not just about college prep, they are about the real issues they face in their lives,” she says. 

Stacy helps the young people she works with to find themselves and their questions by using personality tests. She helps them identify hobbies or interests that suit their personality. Everyone needs something in their life that makes them happy, apart from school or work. We all struggle with finding our own identity, and exploring our passions is the first step to becoming who we want to be.

“I have had many chats with high school students about their own stories, and how they can connect to some of the themes in my books. It’s great to have that honesty with them, and I have also seen them grow more confident with their parents/guardians about their feelings and experiences,” she says.

Collaborating for Greater Good

Stacy collaborated with Brett Gunning, an NBA Coach, in 2020 to produce a new series of books for young readers who are facing the challenges of growing up. The books are part of the On The Right Path (OTRP) project, which Gunning founded as a non-profit organization to help young basketball players reach their full potential through learning, mentoring, and training. The OTRP books share the same vision and mission as the organization.

The core principles of OTRP are guidance, inspiration, and creativity. The book series focuses on six life-skill pillars: Loving Others, Being Unselfish, Staying Healthy & Strong, Showing Respect, Showing Forgiveness, and Having Fun.

“The idea for the book series came from Gunning, who wanted to share his non-profit organization’s values with kids through basketball stories. I was eager to join him in this project because I had the same goal as him when I wrote my books: to teach young readers valuable lessons through realistic characters,” shares Stacy.

The On The Right Path book series currently consists of 4 books, with 2 more in the works as well. 

Brimming with Ideas

As the founder and president of every company she works for, Stacy’s ideas are what run the companies. One example of this is that she hired a team of teenage interns to work for her Gripped book series and her Montgomery Lake Series to help keep her books relevant to their audience. The teens read the books and write articles about the characters, themes, and plots that Stacy publishes online. This helps her understand how young adults perceive her stories so she can remain in tune with teen readers. 

Another example of fresh ideas that she brought to her companies is that she incorporates the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Holland Career Inventory into her college counseling process so that she can recommend college majors to her students that align with their interests and passions. Another example of this is that Stacy named her publishing company (Briley & Baxter Publications) after her two miniature dachshunds with a mission to donate 10% of all publishing royalties to animal rescues every month. She loves being able to help animals in need through the books her company publishes. Benefactors of the company’s donations have included organizations such as Last Hope K9 Rescue, the Wolf Conservation Center, WIRES Australian Wildlife Rescue, Dachshund Rescue of South Florida, Little Paws Dachshund Rescue, Tiny Tim On Wheels Foundation, and Freedom Service Dogs of America. 

Another novel idea is that Stacy allows the authors she publishes to choose the percentage of royalties they want to earn when they select their contracts. The company offers traditional contracts that are free for authors, as well as hybrid contracts through which authors can earn 25%, 50%, or 80% in royalties. This allows authors to pay towards publishing if they want to earn higher than industry standard royalties. Therefore, everyone can select the contract that works best for his or her unique situation. “I love giving my clients options,” says Stacy.

Guided by her Ideals

Stacy’s ultimate goal is to use her God-given gifts and talent to make the world a better place. She does not want to waste her abilities on fruitless, vain pursuits. She wants to reach people with important messages, inspire them, and help them achieve their goals. Her book series’ website (stacyapadula.com) has the tagline Educate. Entertain. Inform. Inspire. — those are her goals.

Stacy’s work is always inspired by what others need. With college counseling, she custom tailors every meeting to focus on each student’s specific needs, learning style, and concerns. With publishing, she approaches every book differently, keeping the author’s tone, message, and style in mind. With her own books, she never plans what she is going to write ahead of time (no outlining); instead, she prays before she writes, asking God to give her all the words to say. Then she sits down and writes so she can discover what happens next. This keeps writing exciting because she is discovering the story as she goes. 

The biggest challenge Stacy faced in her career was learning how to balance having a social life while working 60-80 hours per week. She has accomplished this by prioritizing the needs of her friends and family while maximizing her efficiency at work. She has also employed a wonderful team of tutors, editors, and designers to help her companies thrive.

Befriending Technology

Stacy feels that technology is very helpful for everything publishing-related. Thanks to Photoshop and InDesign, she is able to design the books they publish. Through platforms like Edelweiss, Stacy can market the books. Through Zoom, she can meet with authors from all over the country to discuss their projects. “Technology is necessary in the publishing industry. For my college counseling company, I use Zoom to meet with students when they do not come to my office. This allows me to work with students worldwide, as opposed to those who reside only in Massachusetts,” she says.

AI, Stacy observes, has recently become a very helpful tool in Adobe Photoshop. She is impressed by the features it now offers. However, using AI to write a book is a terrible idea, she believes. In regards to her production company (BLE Pictures), which is adapting Gripped for television, the writers’ strike in Hollywood delayed their project for many, many months. It was a worthwhile fight, though, as some Hollywood executives wanted to be able to create scripts with AI. “There is no comparison in quality to a movie or television script written by a human to one written by AI. AI only regurgitates information that is already published, and therefore does not come up with novel ideas like writers can,” she asserts.

From Print to Motion

Stacy’s books, which portray realistic and diverse teenage lives, will soon appeal to a wider audience, as her Gripped series is being adapted into a TV show.

Mark Blutman, a writer and producer who won an Emmy for Ghostwriter and received multiple nominations for his show Girl Meets World, first connected with Stacy in 2020 about turning her Gripped book series into a TV show. The Gripped series, as mentioned earlier, tells the story of a former Montgomery Lake High character who struggles with opioid addiction after a severe football injury. “The Gripped series, which connects to my other stories as both a sequel and a prequel, gave us a chance to craft an authentic opening to the stories that we will share through this TV show,” says Stacy.

David Gunning, a producer who is also related to Coach Brett Gunning as his nephew, is collaborating with Blutman and Stacy to make the TV series. He was the one who introduced Stacy to his uncle for the On The Right Path book project.

The coronavirus outbreak halted the work as Blutman and Stacy started writing the series, but they resumed the process with everyone in 2021 to create these stories. Blutman is eagerly looking forward to the sixth book in the series like Stacy’s fans.

The show is in its early development stages, but Stacy hopes to announce more details about the series soon. She is thrilled to work on a show that will inspire discussions about addiction and mental health among teenagers.

Promoting Diversity

Stacy and her team have published books by people from a variety of backgrounds, and she believes it is important to educate others on different cultures. Everyone who works for her works separately, so they do not need to include each other, but in general, she strives to be very welcoming to people from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

Spotting Industry Trends and Staying Ahead

For college counseling, Stacy sees many colleges shifting towards Early Decision (as they have been for the past 5 years). She also sees exams, such as the SAT, switching to a digital platform. Her team will prepare as needed for any changes. For publishing, Stacy does worry about AI-created books flooding the market at very low prices and hurting sales of authors’ books. To prepare for this, she believes she must just help the authors she publishes put forth their best work so that people will want to read what they write over anything written by a bot.

To keep up with college trends, Stacy researches, compares rankings (from a variety of reputable sources), and tours colleges throughout America regularly. It is important for Stacy to meet with admissions officers at colleges so she knows what they are looking for in an applicant. 

For publishing, her company is a part of organizations such as the IBPA and NEIBA, which helps her stay current on publishing trends and marketing opportunities, including book conferences worldwide. Also, through the Edelweiss platform, they can share their catalog with bookstores throughout America.

Talking about the challenges, Stacy points out that the high cost of printing books through America’s largest distributor is a bit of a hindrance because it drives the suggested retail price up a lot. Retailers typically require a 40% wholesale discount and the distributor requires 15%, so they must sell their books at a 55% discount and cover print costs. There is very little profit left over for royalties, and the print costs keep rising. This has moved some authors to only wish to sell their books online, for which they only need to provide a 40% discount (total), which leaves the author with more royalties.

Next on Cards

The Gripped book series is being adapted for television by Emmy Award-winning producer Mark Blutman. The show is in pre-development right now, and in the next few years, it should be released. Stacy will also be releasing the sixth and seventh books in the Gripped series. In addition, along with NBA Coach Brett Gunning, she will be releasing On the Right Path: Book Five and Book Six. 

“From Briley & Baxter Publications, we will likely continue to publish 10-20 books per year. For South Shore College Consulting & Tutoring, I will continue to help guide students and families through the complicated college process, helping students gain acceptance to their dream schools,” concludes Stacy.

In a career spanning nearly 3 decades, Pilar Mendiola-Fernández’s journey has been marked by transformative experiences and a broad global perspective. Pilar has worked across continents in the non-profit and for-profit sectors and has underscored the importance of understanding before being understood and approaching life with curiosity. Her journey reflects a commitment to partnerships, unlocking potential, and creating lasting change. Named one of the 100 top mentors in the US alongside Michelle Obama, Sonia Sotomayor, and other incredible women in 2015 for her contributions to the training and developing thousands of leaders globally. In 2019, The Washington Center honored Pilar Mendiola Fernandez’s exceptional leadership, innovation, and steadfast commitment by establishing a scholarship in her name. The Pilar Mendiola Fernandez Scholarship was created to recognize her efforts in fostering positive impact for young women leaders in Colleges and Universities from underserved populations. This scholarship served as a testament to Pilar’s commitment to empowering and supporting the next generation of leaders.

A Diverse Career Graph                 

Pilar’s exceptional leadership skills and purpose-driven mindset have earned her extensive experience in various C-suite positions. From operations, revenue generation to global programs, federal programs, partnerships, academic programs, and institutional advancement, she has showcased a diverse skill set that sets her apart. Pilar’s career has positioned her as a prominent figure in the industry, known for her astute strategic acumen, innovation, transformative initiatives that leave a lasting impact. Pilar’s previous role in the non-profit sector was nothing short of remarkable. She dedicated her efforts to fostering cross-sectoral partnerships with fortune 500 companies, U.S federal government, international governments, higher education, and civil society organizations. In doing so, she built ecosystems of opportunity that focused on capacity building, leadership development, and workforce initiatives.

Pilar’s expertise lies in designing and implementing customized, multi-year training/development, and innovation strategies. She has successfully executed these strategies in over 50 countries, solidifying her status as a results-driven leader with an impeccable reputation which is a testament to her exceptional abilities and contributions to the industry. Witnessing the transformative impact of access and opportunity on young people was deeply rewarding. She spearheaded training and global workforce development initiatives benefiting underserved communities, providing life-changing experiences to thousands of individuals. Transitioning into social innovation, she supported startups, foundations, and entrepreneurs in amplifying their impact. The partnerships that she has forged with Presidents, Prime Ministers, CEOs of corporations, the higher education community, the federal government, more than 102 countries globally, and civil society, translated into thousands of young professionals acquiring skills and professional experiences that made them more competitive and completely transform their communities. 

“Aligned with global leaders and learning about responsible leadership, I feel privileged to have been able to be part of those transformations for two decades. I’ve embraced diverse roles throughout my career, from leadership positions in non-profits, private sector, and social enterprises. This journey has provided invaluable opportunities for continuous learning, sharing knowledge, and making meaningful contributions to communities around the world. Each phase has underscored the importance of collaboration and innovation in driving positive change,”.

To me, leadership plays a vital role in shaping the trajectory of history. For as long as I draw breath, my resolute dedication lies in the preparation, determination, and steadfast effort to forge a profound and lasting influence. Pilar asserts.

A Global Role

Today, Pilar serves as the CEO of the Experts Advisory Council, COO at Alamo Solutions Holding Group, and Chair of Programs and Partnerships of The Advanced Leadership Foundation. Her personal and professional mission are intertwined: Providing a Path for Transformation for enterprises. Futureproofing enterprises and institutions while adopting a sustainable leadership approach. 

As CEO of the Experts Advisory Council (EAC), Pilar provides strategic leadership, fosters collaboration, and builds robust ties. The EAC is her top priority. It is where she gets to work with Europe’s most visionary and forward-looking CEOs and executive teams. It revolves around assembling dream teams of experts to tackle their high-impact strategies, endeavors, and conundrums. The aim is to future-proof their plans and initiatives with the world’s top experts from the respective fields. 

Alamo Solutions: Where Sustainability Meets Growth

Empowering private sector and public leaders, fostering opportunity, and driving sustainable prosperity is the mission of Alamo Solutions Holding Group, a leading provider of sustainable business development services headquartered in Washington, D.C. With operations spanning the U.S., Latin America, Spain, and Portugal, they believe in aligning economic growth with environmental and social responsibility. They have tailored expertise for every stage:

• Expert Advisory Council (EAC): FUTURE PROOFING ENTERPRISES: EAC connects C-suite and board members with pre-vetted, top-tier experts in their fields, tackling pressing issues and high-impact initiatives. Annual memberships provide curated roundtables featuring leading voices, ensuring super specialized, informed decision-making.
• ALAMO Solutions Strategic Initiatives Development Firm: Partner with them for strategic planning, ESG & CSR enhancement, sustainable plan design, global network expansion, circular economy practices, and diversity & equity promotion. Their expertise empowers you to achieve sustainable business growth while achieving social impact.
• Alamo Solutions Investments: Seeking profitable investments aligned with sustainability goals? Alamo Solutions leverages its extensive network to identify and develop opportunities, ensuring both financial and environmental benefits.
• Advanced Leadership Foundation: Bridging the sustainability skills gap, the Foundation provides essential training for future and executive leaders. Their programs empower individuals to integrate sustainability into their organizations, driving positive change.

Breaking Barriers

Stepping into the professional arena as a young, tenacious woman, Pilar was faced with hurdles defining her leadership style. Earning respect and a seat at the table often felt like an uphill battle. To overcome the perception of being “young and inexperienced,” she meticulously over-prepared, exceeding expectations and demonstrating her value through relentless hard work. 

Traveling internationally amplified these challenges, placing Pilar as the lone female voice in many rooms. Undeterred, she developed a bold, defiant presence, refusing to be silenced. Fortune smiled upon her in the form of two supportive mentors, leaders who recognized her grit, initiative, passion for solving challenges and excellence. Fueled by this encouragement, she poured countless hours into honing her skills and tackling challenges head-on. Building high-performing teams and achieving audacious goals became her resolute focus. At 27, a seemingly impossible feat materialized: Pilar shattered the glass ceiling, becoming part of an all-white, male C-suite club. Her confidence and poise flourished as she interacted with CEOs, ambassadors, Presidents, and Prime Ministers. But the journey wasn’t without its ongoing struggles, particularly in her current environment where female representation in leadership roles remains scarce. 

“I draw strength and power from the lessons learned in my early career, channeling the “fearless and unapologetic” energy and mindset of that young woman in Washington, D.C., to efficiently traverse the complex terrain of obstacles and emerge as a formidable and consequential leader,” says Pilar.

Driving Sustainable Success and Igniting Responsibility to the Planet and Optimal Growth

Alamo Solutions is embarking on an exciting journey centered on Sustainable Economic Prosperity. By aligning all its practices with this vision, Pilar and her team are unlocking immense potential for positive change. They are focusing on integrating sustainable practices into businesses through initiatives like their sustainability framework, enabling them to grow and thrive economically while actively reducing their environmental impact. Additionally, they’re committed to expanding Sustainable Leadership with training programs such as their partnership with the IFC of the World Bank and other European Institutions offering Green Leaders Accelerator Programs.

“I believe in the importance of the work we do at the Experts Advisory Council, Alamo and the foundation in today’s extraordinary times. Our dynamic approach to delivering first class customized expertise just in time and just in context without long-term commitments meets the urgent needs of businesses today. Through my role as CEO of EAC, I’ve seen firsthand the visionary strategies of Europe’s leading companies, their CEOs, and Board members. Again, it always boils down to their CEO’s and leadership teams and their passion to make a difference.

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to witness the remarkable outcomes that can arise from the partnerships between the topmost innovative and sustainable leaders in Europe and the experts in their respective fields. Being a part of this transformative process has been an absolute privilege that has filled me with awe and admiration. When it comes to the individuals and companies that I am most enthusiastic about partnering with, It is a tough question but I cannot help but mention the visionary Ignacio Colmenares, CEO of Ence, the exceptional Juan Antonio Guijarro Ferrer at Agbar, Jose Luis Nuñez at Soltec, the forward-thinking Alejandro Fernández y Ana Uruñuela at Ilunion, and the trailblazers Leandro Sigman and Marco Bressan from Insud Group. Their unwavering dedication to driving positive impact and spearheading innovation is truly extraordinary, and I am truly excited about the bright future ahead,” shares Pilar.

Going forward, Pilar’s personal goals resonate with her lifelong pursuit of forging meaningful partnerships, unlocking untapped potential, embracing continuous learning, and sharing knowledge. What captivates her imagination is the boundless potential in the partnership between artificial intelligence (AI) and humans leading companies and organizations. “Together, we can redefine our journeys in this conjuncture and amplify our impact, leveraging the true potential of partnering with AI to bring about positive and meaningful change in our communities,” she says.

Pilar’s fascination also lies in the future of all sectors and unraveling the secrets of transforming CEOs into Next-Generation leaders, equipped with the skills, mindsets, and knowledge necessary to future-proof their organizations and enterprises. As she delves into this pursuit, it becomes increasingly apparent that the role of a CEO will grow more intricate and multifaceted in the years to come. Strategic preparation and a deep understanding of specific technical domains will prove to be essential for their success.

After more than two decades of a stellar trajectory in leadership development, Pilar feels that the challenge lies in providing CEOs with the right tools and support systems for future strategy development and positive impact. The Experts Advisory Council (EAC) is a brilliant option, and it is equally vital to develop diverse mechanisms, methods, and vehicles to support CEOs’ journeys for the future ahead.

The CEO’s role is evolving with rapid technological progress, requiring a mix of strategic insight, flexibility, and tech knowledge. No longer can CEO and C-suite leaders rely on past achievements; they must acquire new abilities to future-proof their companies. The concept of the Next-Generation CEO emphasizes the importance of leaders who are able to innovate, adapt, and continuously learn in order to maintain a competitive edge. Alongside Carmenchu Mendiola, Pilar is diligently delving into the research on what future CEOs require for their growth and exploring the most efficient support models available.

Mentoring the Leaders of Tomorrow

Pilar believes that having a growth mindset encompasses the ability to unlearn, learning agility, and the intention to continuously evolve is crucial for anyone seeking a leadership role. It requires an active and unwavering commitment to absorb information, learn quickly, and be open to unlearning and relearning. By embracing these qualities, individuals can cultivate a mindset that fosters personal and professional growth, enabling them to navigate the ever-changing landscape with confidence and adaptability.

To aspiring female leaders, Pilar offers a simple and powerful message: Embrace and love the version of yourself that exists today. Hold your goals and aspirations close to your heart, but never postpone self-love until you achieve certain milestones or accomplishments. Know that you are already perfect just as you are. Resist the urge to compare yourself to others, for your journey is unique and incomparable. She once wrote a blog titled “The Modern Rule,” which underlines the importance of following your own path, your own way, and your own timeline.

“Cancel the noise of external expectations and aspirations that do not align with your true self. Instead, focus on discovering and amplifying your own voice. Surround yourself with individuals who genuinely love and celebrate you—those who show up for you unconditionally and never stop being curious about the world around you. And remember, as a female leader, you must be prepared to be full—full of authenticity. Embrace the fullness of your being, your worth and inherent power; through this self-fulfillment and permanent evolution that you will inspire others, set examples, and continue to evolve as a transformative force, for that is the essence of a woman’s true leadership,” she concludes.

Ronnette Riley Architect is an architecture, master planning, and interior design firm. The firm is recognized for integrating both innovative and traditional materials and methods into intelligent and well-crafted spaces. The Founder, Ronnette Riley, is known for her ability to manage the collaborative process of timely construction and budget sensitivity. The firm’s reputation for design and technical competence has led to many repeat clients and steady growth in institutional, hospitality, commercial, government, retail, and residential projects over the years.

Their latest professional service includes new construction – the new 22,000sf East Hampton Senior Center and a new 5-story Engine Company for the Fire Department of NY (FDNY); an addition to the Southampton Head Start for the Children’s Museum of the East End; adaptive reuse of a former daycare center in the historic Riverside Church in Manhattan into classrooms and offices for Columbia University; code consulting for the Port Authority of NY & NJ; exterior façade commissioning and renovations to more than 25 firehouses for the FDNY; resiliency design for NYC Housing Authority, FDNY and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA); feasibility studies & master plans for the FDNY Fire Academy & Carnegie Hall. The majority of senior staff at the firm are licensed architects or certified interior designers who are LEED Accredited Professionals.

The Mentor-in-Chief

Ronnette Riley, the founder, grew up in Northern California and majored in architecture at the University of California, Berkeley. After a year of working for Bill Graham, the rock concert promoter, she went to Harvard University Graduate School of Design to get her master’s in architecture. After graduation, she went to Fisher Friedman & Associates in San Francisco before moving to New York City where she worked for Peter Marino Architect and Philip Johnson & John Burgee Architects before founding her own firm, Ronnette Riley Architect in 1987.

An extrovert, Riley has no problem verbalizing her thoughts. She sees herself as the mentor-in-chief for a firm of 25 people. She is always seeking to nurture people at all levels of their careers. Her door is always open to listen to their ideas and comments before deciding on a course of action. “Architecture is all about collaboration and my practice is to have an open communication style to achieve the best outcome,” she believes.

Ronnette looks to bring in the freshest graduates from around the world to work alongside her seasoned staff and entrusts them with real responsibilities on the projects. As her firm has grown, she has learned the importance of bolstering the design and technical skills with an equally able array of administrative support. She has overseen this evolution from one beleaguered ‘Jill of all trades’, responsible for general admin, marketing, and office management, to a team of non-architect support staff. The firm added a Director of Operations to their full-time staff which now includes a Director of Marketing, an Office Manager, and an Executive Assistant. They also call upon a flexible group of freelance administrators as needed, most recently those affected by the Writers’ Strike including costume designers and a comedy writer. “These people are invaluable in keeping on top of the inordinate amount of paperwork that the public projects we do requires. In the last decade, public work is something I have focused on because it is important to me to make a positive contribution to society,” says Ronnette.

Architecture, believes Ronnette, is based on relationships, and she asserts that personal attention to developing these relationships is Ronnette Riley Architect’s unique proposition. The multitude of repeat clients and referrals on their books suggests they are doing something right! Her guiding design principle is Mies van der Rohe’s adage that form follows function and she continues this into her working relationships so that clients are continually consulted in the firm’s working processes.

Facing Challenges Head-on

Early in her career, the biggest challenge for Ronnette was cash flow, and it became even more of a challenge when the firm moved into public and government work as their payment schedules were slower than private work. She had to become very assiduous about billing to address this, as well as carefully balancing the firm’s project types to have a variety of building types to spread the risk of one area or another being affected. Right now, commercial office space and retail projects are not faring well. More recently, they have been collaborating with a variety of architecture and engineering colleagues. Collaboration issues have become a key challenge: how to have the most effective communication and coordination among the teams, with their consultants, and with other design professionals.

Some challenges are not just limited to Ronnette Riley Architect, but plague the entire industry. Overall, Ronnette points out that the industry is underpaid for the risks architecture firms take and the value they create, and their role in a project can sometimes be underappreciated. People understand a wall a contractor builds but they don’t always understand the intangible benefits that good design provides. Ronnette values clients who do understand. The worth they generate isn’t always readily apparent to clients.

“Architecture can actually impact how people behave and influence whether or not relationships thrive within the spaces we design. We enjoy designing retail projects such as the Coca-Cola Store and Apple Soho Store because the success is easily quantifiable. The Apple Soho Store won a Business Week/Architectural Record Award because the store exceeded Apple’s projection four-fold,” shares Ronnette.

Turning to Technology

It took a wise management consultant to observe that those firms that are ahead of the technology curve tend to be more successful than those that are not. But technology is not cheap and in the first few years of her business, Ronnette’s firm was really lagging due to cash flow issues. So, her team prioritized getting into the program. The current method of delivering drawings is BIM – Building Information Modeling, aka Revit – which the firm began using in 2007. A lot of firms still don’t utilize this 3D method. A variety of rendering programs, such as Enscape and V-Ray, help clients better understand the design. “Collaborative tools that we currently use include Bluebeam, BIM 360, Teams, and Slack. We are finding that our technology costs have increased dramatically with no relative increase in our fees, which is a problem; the amount we spend on technology is approaching what we spend on rent,” shares Ronnette.

Staying Aware

Ronnette is an active member of two professional organizations, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Society of American Registered Architects (SARA). Each of these organizations have different focuses setting standards of architectural excellence and best practice and providing professional support and mentoring opportunities. This year she is honored to be the National President of SARA and she is the former Chair of the National AIA Committee on Design (CoD).

“The CoD is a fascinating opportunity to take time out to visit important buildings around the world that are already built or are about to be built. Twice a year, about 100 colleagues from around the country gather to meet with architects and study iconic or special architecture in person, which is always inspiring and rejuvenating. As well as regular industry conferences, there is also a raft of lectures, seminars, magazines, podcasts, webinars, and working lunches to dive into,” shares Ronnette.

An Eye on the Future

Ronnette feels a generational change in the new workforce that has entered the industry. She has observed a different work ethic among the younger staff. When she was coming up, it was about how many hours you could put into a day, and now the younger generation does not seem as invested. If someone comes to an interview and the first question they ask is about work/life balance, then Ronnette knows they’re not right for her firm. On the other hand, she notices that there are a lot more external pressures that seem to compete with work, from family issues – parents and children, elderly parents – to overburdened student loan debt, requiring staff to find a balance. “As with society as a whole, thankfully, the world of architecture is more diverse than ever before: those 13 white men who founded the AIA in 1857 wouldn’t recognize the rich landscape of women and minority professionals leading the way. Equally, we are called upon to incorporate the interests of a greater range of people into our design ideas, which means we are always innovating. And, of course, the built environment has a major impact on climate change, and, as architects, we are always taking the initiative with sustainability and energy efficiency,” opines Ronnette.

As for Ronnette Riley Architect, during the Pandemic, they were out of the office for only three months as they were an essential business, working on the design of hospital projects in NY and the renovation of Penn Station. The social distancing required by COVID caused a lack of direct personal contact with their clients and consultants. A lot has been lost in virtual meetings in terms of developing meaningful relationships with their clients. There is really no replacement for sitting across a table and getting to know your clients and colleagues personally. So, the firm’s and Ronnette’s ongoing goal for the new year is to continue to enhance the way they serve their clients face-to-face.

Words of Wisdom

Architect Paul Rudolph once said, “You become an architect because you can’t do anything else.” He was referring not to an inability to do anything else, but to a passion that compels you to only do architecture. In her message to young architects, Ronnette says that she doesn’t think architecture can be just a job. It’s a vocation, a lifestyle. Philip Johnson, her last boss, retired at 98 and he worked and was sharp until he retired.

“To be an entrepreneur you have to take risks. I have tried in the past to promote certain employees until I realized they were risk-averse. You have to be able to extend yourself creatively, and financially, and put in the effort. And it takes time before you see the results,” advises Ronnette.

THE FOLLOWING PORTION NEEDS TO BE DESIGNED AND HIGHLIGHTED IN THE DRAFT PDF.

Quote: “All misunderstandings are not enough conversation.”

Quote: “Our specialty services include accessibility design, historic preservation, and Expert Witness work, and we have in-house Qualified Exterior Wall Inspection (QEWI) capabilities.”

Rapid Fires:

How would you sum up your 2023: I haven’t done this many all-nighters since grad school.

A contemporary leader you admire: Barbra Streisand has always been my go-to idol because she controls her destiny, she does things her way and although she met a lot of resistance, she has always believed in her vision and herself.

A book/audiobook you are currently reading or listening: A Clearing in the Distance, about Frederick Law Olmsted. I’m also reading Walter Isaacson’s The Code Breaker, which was his first book where he actually wrote about a woman, Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D., and a Berkeley professor.

Your biggest role model: When I became licensed as an architect, less than 1% of licensed architects in America were women. I never had a female architecture professor, I never had a woman working in an architecture firm in a position higher than mine, and consequently had no real mentors. My entire career was defined by people telling me I could not do things, which is why I think I have a firm with a majority of women whom I try and guide in their professional development in a more positive way, men too.

Success to you is: In college, I thought professional success could be owning a Mercedes 280 SL because even though it wasn’t then a classic, I knew from the way it was designed that it would become one. A professor argued with me that it wasn’t a valid symbol of success, but I believe that owning and appreciating beautiful objects are reflections of achievement. Also paying off my student loans was huge. It’s about financial security; it’s recognition; it’s being able to do good – being able to have the ability to be president of a charity that raises money for life services. And, of course, it’s making payroll on Friday. Success is also having the freedom to travel and being able to enjoy the company of my family who live in six different states.