Author: CIO Times

Business and entrepreneurship have no gender. True, but hard to believe? A humane enterprise is defined as one that demonstrates innovation, and sustainability, and fosters a corporate culture centred on humans, empowerment and engagement. No rule in the business book says anything about business being done by men alone. The rules of the game are the same for everyone. 

However, due to the traditionally patriarchal system that has been prevalent in society for ages, it is tough for many of us to trust women-led businesses. And although there are some traditionally male or female businesses, stereotypes are now fading as more examples emerge of inspirational women leaders, especially in tech and service industries. Interestingly, the biases start from home where kids see and unknowingly slip into gender-based roles. These notions then get carried forward to their professional life.

Raised in a family of entrepreneurs, with a majority of women, Patricia Stoeckel experienced gender-neutral parenting even before it became a trending term. Her parents treated their children exactly the same, without any differences between her brother and her sisters and herself. They had/have still the same level of expectations. No stereotypes. “I am not keen on the “woman entrepreneurship” approach; I don’t agree with gender separation in business. Probably my upbringing helped me in my personality because it is first also a question of education and values. I dare to work, I dare to create, I dare to try, I dare to fail, I dare to succeed, I dare to say no …. I have never been facing a barrier in my life because I am a woman and I share this with great pleasure, because probably men around me gave me the chance, the trust and the energy to progress,” asserts Patricia. 

Entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology are unique, feels Patricia as they are not judged by being started by gender X. They are and must be evaluated by innovation brought to market, the team with a good background (their talent, experience, passion, adaptability), return on investment, competitive advantage and many other things that define a good business. “So whatever gender you are, it will be all about uniqueness when it comes to developing a business. That is why entrepreneurship has no gender. It is also about a great balance between your personal life and your professional life. And for this, we need to be able to disconnect, we need to be well organized and to have good people around us. And finally, I must say that practising sport is ideal to let off steam and to get re-energized,” she explains. 

The Professional Journey

Patricia is a Digital, Business-oriented and data-driven Executive leader (C level) combining strategy and operational execution with +20 years of experience in (e)commerce area (cross channels and online/pure player), both at the global and country level.

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs it would have seemed to be the obvious choice to continue in her family’s footsteps and work within the business. However, she decided to trace her professional path externally and through multiple experiences. Patricia began her career in consulting at KPMG as a Consultant and then as a Retail Manager. Consulting experience in one of the highly regarded companies offered her valuable experience, with crash courses in how a company or an industry works, in what are the best-in-class processes. She spent 6 years, learning a lot from company to company and travelling a lot. Then, from listed companies (Saint Gobain) to family-owned groups (Louis Delhaize), she held various management positions in Strategy and Transformation. Adept in agile organizations, she joined the Veepee group in 2015, the largest European digital outlet e-commerce company, where she integrated the Executive Committee and created the Transformation and Innovation department. She led a large-scale transformation program, fostering organization & business performance and supporting profitable growth development through digital business, data, technology and agility, product management and innovation. Since 2019, she is the CEO of Veepee.ch (ex-eboutic.ch) in charge of the development of the Swiss and Liechtenstein market. She is also a Foreign Trade Advisor and Board member of the International French ICC & Board member of the Swiss-French ICC.

A Passionate Leader

Patricia is passionate about (e)commerce; has developed an appetite for new technologies and loves to explore the mysteries of (e)commerce with customer satisfaction as her spearhead. Putting the customer first and creating a positive, seamless and ‘woah’ experience is her mission. To her, providing a positive and one-of-a-kind customer experience allows a company to stand out from others, leading to acquiring and retaining more customers. A customer is no longer just a number or a name on a receipt. Instead, customers are empowered, connected, and engaged consumers who have a voice in the company’s strategy and management.

Patricia has seen the Retail industry evolve for more than 20 years. Retail is unique, she feels, perhaps more than any other industry, retail is ubiquitous, complex and ripe for disruption. It is a world defined by trends — both internal and external and therefore is a highly competitive and leading innovative market that forces you to keep the leadership and always be at the forefront of innovation – therefore digital combined with technologies are driving the development while always putting people at the heart. 

Growing up in an atmosphere where working hard and solidarity were cardinal values, Values and Culture have turned into the pillars of her working style. Patricia is convinced that a company that aims at leading the market by growing higher and faster than its competitors, needs to focus on 

• Culture and people
• Agility and innovation

“All is about people” and as Peter Drucker said “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” – this is exactly the way she is managing her team and developing her business.

First with democratic and participative leadership, she wants her team to participate and to be part of the journey. She established a low power distance because she trusts her team. “Trust is key in collective work. By sharing the responsibilities, I allow the team to be creative and performant, always being solutions and results-oriented. The How Yes is much more important to me than the Why Not,” she explains.

Patricia also has a strong value of belief: “Everything Will Be OK in the End. If It’s not OK it’s not the end” and of course of empathy: “If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from his angle as well as your own. You should not judge; you should understand.”

She embraces the change every day and encourages her team to do so. Because nothing is granted, and nothing is as permanent as change. She prefers transformation and movement to inaction. She is convinced that opportunities are part of the development and improvement of people and the company. For this, being kind but demanding and allowing risks, thanks to boldness and determination is her mindset.

Makings of a Diverse Organizational Culture

Patricia believes that diversity and inclusions are core values and we absolutely need to champion them in our organization and culture. Fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion of people from different backgrounds, lifestyles and perspectives is exactly what today’s businesses must do to compete on the global stage. She values the diversity of ideas and people. True excellence requires that each individual be able to work and learn in an atmosphere of respect, dignity, and acceptance.

“It is about promoting ‘cognitive diversity’ because people who think differently blend perspectives for stronger collaboration, problem-solving and innovation. Furthermore, diversity and inclusion increase talent retention. I strongly believe that diversity and difference make us stronger. I respect and seek out inclusion of differences, as a cultural priority, allowing open conversations and walking the walk, she says.

Dealing with Challenges

Life is full of challenges. But it is the steps you take to overcome, move around, or transform them into opportunities that give you strength. We learn a lot every time we fail and we should never view our challenges as a disadvantage. Patricia feels it’s important to understand that our experience facing and overcoming adversity is actually one of our biggest advantages because she strongly believes that we succeed in times of adversity. Resilience is key and she supports her team in the right to make mistakes.

We are constantly faced with the challenge of leading change within our organizations and questioning ourselves. It’s a complex task that requires strategic thinking, effective communication, and thoughtful actions. To bring a concrete example, when she came to Switzerland, taking over a new team, in a new country, with a new language, and a new culture was for sure a big challenge for her: big but interesting because it was a great time for questioning and adapting, for getting the hang of the way of working, for listening and involving the teams. Communication as well as the ability to understand and not judge, to adapt and not copy, to listen and not impose was key to overcoming the challenge.

Metaverse and Marketing Strategies 

Innovation is key and technology is at the heart of retail business. Consumers are more and more tech-savvy and hyper-connected – on the other side, the retail sector is booming in terms of innovative and valuable start-ups that are created each year. 

The retail industry has seen a fast-paced change from bricks and mortar retail to online shopping experiences and we continue to see brands explore innovations.

Talking about Metaverse, Patricia concurs that as we move further into a digital world, it’s important for brands to focus on creating emotionally appealing retail immersive experiences for customers. In the metaverse, this means using sight and sound to create a space that feels as real as possible. With the metaverse, retailers can provide their audience with a similar experience to a real-world mall, where customers can converse, play, exchange content, discover, engage with brands and make purchases virtually. Your business becomes an always-on journey that shoppers can engage with in bigger and more immersive ways that can truly expand the customer experience.

“Metaverse enables to bridge the gap between physical and digital retail experiences, with a lot of benefits for brands as well as for customers. So, for sure we will need to adapt our marketing strategy to integrate this new world. Metaverse is a goldmine for growth marketers because it is purely data-driven. The virtual world is built around data, which makes a lot of room for growth marketing. And this will help us leverage engagement and retention, but also to reach a much larger audience,” she explains.

Current Challenges of the Industry 

The market is witnessing an extraordinary digital transformation led by major technological innovation but also driven by constantly improving and demanding expectations of customers. Patricia suggests we can focus here on 3 major challenges among many others (pricing, supply chain, data, cybersecurity, …):

1. Enhancement of the customer experience: the pandemic has transformed the way we live, work and – of course – shop.

• We need to take an omnichannel approach: Whether online or in-store, we need to offer seamless customer experiences by creating seamless engagement no matter where you interact with customers. We have to activate customer data for effective personalization because customers today expect personalized experiences and interactions. This is true across generations, but it’s especially crucial for younger shoppers (Gen Z). The challenge is unifying customer data across channels and sources to create complete customer profiles with behaviours, preferences, and predictive attributes.

• Generative AI is a real game changer in the retail industry: it can generate new and original content such as images, videos, audio, text, and music. Personalized product recommendation, supply chain optimization or even price optimization are concrete examples of how AI will leverage retail operations. 

A Sustainable Business

Sustainability becomes the thread that weaves through every business. It is a “mandatory” change with the new and rising expectations of consumers, investors and regulators. Patricia and her team have to be committed to responsible practices and concerned about environmental, social and societal issues such as promoting second-life products and a circular economy, managing their environmental impact and promoting their inclusive business model

• Offer: whether it is local production, eco-designed, recycled or second-hand products 
• Packaging: more eco-friendly, more adapted in terms of size
• Transportation: optimize full charges, boost click and collect, and adapt deliveries schemes without pushing on a same-day delivery that is really costly in terms of carbon footprint
• Social commitment: good quality of life at work, inclusion and diversity,  

Living Without Regrets

Patricia loves her job. She has no regret about what she has done in the past, even no regret about tough decisions she had to make or even mistakes she made – because this is part of her learnings. “We all learn from mistakes. Each time I was thinking that I could have done better, I always adapted the path very quickly. To me, there are no benefits to having just regret. Instead, we need to be resilient, rechallenge and adapt as often as required. I fear stagnation, I embrace changes.”

Patricia has two favourite quotes that drive her life:

“Carpe Diem” because life is short, so we need to seize all the opportunities every day with love and kindness.

“Whatever you want to do or dream, you can do. Begin it! Boldness has genius, power and magic in it” – anything is possible and a great team can achieve great things with large and open diversity of thinking. We need to dream big!

Message for budding entrepreneurs:

First, a big Bravo to all our budding entrepreneurs because it’s not an easy path. Not easy but so exciting!! Our economy and our society need great entrepreneurship to build the future. I am an active Foreign Trade Advisor and Board member of the International French ICC & Board member of the Swiss-French ICC. And therefore, I am promoting the start-up ecosystem as well as I am supporting the scaling up companies.

Being an entrepreneur is first a mindset. To put it in a nutshell, the 5 most important things for an entrepreneur are :

• Be ready to speak up and be bold
• Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. Bring humanity into the conversation
• Be curious and keen to learn – show humility and empathy and be creative
• Don t give up, build resilience, it will pay back
• Create the opportunities – this a great way to step up and show the difference you can make 

Quote: “Everyone Should Work Retail Once in Their Lives because Retail surrounds us in all of our lives – It’s an emotional, demanding environment where innovation is key”

Our career paths are often defined by not just our minds and what we should do, but also by our hearts and what we want to do. For someone making big strides in the management alleys, Phoebe Casey knew all along that her heart lay with healthcare and not with the Digital Agencies she was working with. Coming from a humble background with immigrant parents who wanted the best for their children in the new life and understanding the necessity of her family, a young Phoebe had opted for a business degree instead of medical studies.

She embarked on a career as a Management Consultant at Price Waterhouse, one of the leading Big-6 accounting firms at the time, and further went on to work with the likes of PwC, Deloitte, Oracle, and Publicis/Sapient. As a Management Consultant, she gained a wealth of experience working across various industries, helping Fortune 100 companies reduce costs, boost revenues, and prepare for exponential growth. Her career was successful, providing financial security, yet she still felt something was missing.

Around the same time, something transformative began to take shape within her personal life, rekindling the dormant flame of her healthcare aspirations. In 2014, she married Dr. Philip Golinsky, a Chiropractor and advocate for natural healthcare. She and her kids had been experiencing health issues, including asthma, allergies, headaches, and migraines. Phoebe became increasingly uncomfortable with relying on medications with potential long-term side effects. As she delved deeper into natural healing through Dr. Golinsky and online research, they gradually transitioned to regular chiropractic adjustments and dietary changes, eventually eliminating prescribed medications and regaining their optimal health naturally.

“As I observed the healthcare crisis and the rampant opioid epidemic, I felt a calling to become a catalyst for healthcare education. My personal experience with natural healing was too compelling not to share. In 2018, I made the life-changing decision to resign from a role that no longer aligned with my values. I shared with Phil that we’re going to join forces in our mission—to help as many people as possible lead healthier, happier lives naturally,” reminisces Phoebe.

The couple leveraged their combined strengths in healthcare and business to establish best-in-class natural wellness clinics throughout the DMV area, providing exceptional experiences to their patients. Thus, RxWellness Spine & Health was brought to life to provide drug-free, non-surgical alternative solutions for patients suffering from back pains, or joint pains or who want to increase their daily performance and/or increase function.

Defining The Path to Wellness

RxWellness clinics are meticulously designed and established with a clear mission: to be the ultimate destination for natural care, where the patients can consistently expect and receive the highest level of care they both need and deserve. They want to inspire, educate, and help as many people as possible on their path to wellness. They take immense pride in the exceptional patient experience they offer, which is reflected in the countless patient reviews and accolades. Their commitment to excellence has earned them the reputation of being the “Ritz Carlton” of healthcare centers.

RxWellness’s state-of-the-art clinics feature technologically advanced equipment, soothing therapeutic themes, and a calming color palette. They boast a team of the top 5% skilled doctors, complemented by Nurse Practitioners, Massage Therapists, Practice Managers, and Patient Care Specialists, all rigorously trained to prioritize patient care. Their approach centers on providing customized treatments that cater to the unique needs of each patient.

The doctors and specialists offer an array of services, including chiropractic care, massage therapy, soft tissue therapy, dry needling, cupping, acupuncture, Active Release Technique, Applied Kinesiology, Taping, Functional Medicine, Regenerative Medicine, and more. The clientele spans a diverse spectrum, including corporate professionals, frequent travelers, athletes, sports enthusiasts, auto-accident survivors, the aging population, pregnant mothers, families, and children in need of pain care or seeking to enhance their daily performance and range of motion.

As a company, RxWellness is relatively young, having been in operation for approximately five years. They are an enterprising team, always staying current and receptive to innovations and healthcare services that can enhance their patients’ treatment options. They recognize that every patient is unique, and the breadth of alternative care services they provide allows them to tailor treatments to individual needs.

“As we continue to expand and grow, the impact of our work multiplies and strengthens. In addition to assisting our patients, RxWellness has contributed to the local economy by providing job opportunities for doctors, nurses, patient care specialists, massage therapists, business associates, and students. I am immensely proud that everyone in our company and community can share our voice, promoting the benefits of natural healthcare as a viable alternative,” says Phoebe.

A Multi-Faceted Leader

Phoebe is living her purpose by applying her business knowledge to build RxWellness Spine & Health. She juggles multiple roles in her current position serving as the Chief Strategist, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer, and Chief Information Officer. The role which allows her to have the most significant impact is that of the company’s Information Officer. This position enables her to further the company’s mission on a broader scale.

Phoebe’s leadership style is that of a steward leader and her primary focus is to support each member of her team in achieving success in their respective roles. This involves not only guiding them along the way but also removing any obstacles when they require assistance. She firmly believes in investing in both the financial and emotional well-being of her team. She genuinely cares about the lives and well-being of her staff, both inside and outside the office.

“I maintain an open-door policy, ensuring that any employee can directly contact me through my phone number to seek assistance or even just to have a casual coffee chat. My approach is grounded in being an attentive listener first, followed by assuming the roles of facilitator and peacemaker as needed.

Leading a large team with diverse personalities and working styles inevitably brings about both synergies and conflicts. In these situations, I strive to help my team members recognize the strengths in each other and work collaboratively towards common goals,” shares Phoebe.

Bringing Natural Healthcare to Light

RxWellness ‘s overarching mission is to “help as many people as possible live healthier, happier lives, naturally.” In line with this mission, they promote natural methods of healing as a first resort before turning to pharmaceuticals or surgery. RxWellness is responding to the growing desire for a return to a more natural way of life, which has become increasingly evident in recent times. Several factors contribute to the rising popularity of natural healthcare in recent years:

Prevention and Holistic Health: Natural healthcare prioritizes prevention over merely treating diseases. It places a strong emphasis on holistic well-being, recognizing the interrelation of an individual’s physical, mental, and emotional health as integral components of overall wellness.

Discontent with Conventional Medicine: A subset of individuals expresses dissatisfaction with the healthcare system, perceiving it as impersonal and overly focused on symptom management. They are in pursuit of more personalized care and frequently turn to natural therapies that prioritize addressing underlying causes and implementing natural interventions.

Advancements in Research: Scientific studies are progressively delving into the effectiveness of natural treatments. So, individuals are increasingly open to integrating these methods into their healthcare regimens.

Personal Empowerment: Natural healthcare frequently empowers individuals to assume control of their own health. It promotes self-care practices, physical medicine like chiropractic care, healthy eating, and regular exercise, enabling people to actively engage in the maintenance of their well-being.

Awareness and Education: The internet and social media have facilitated easy access to information about natural remedies and alternative therapies. This has led to increased awareness of the potential side effects associated with pharmaceutical drugs, prompting individuals to explore natural alternatives.

“This is the era of independent thinkers, where people are actively exploring and gaining knowledge about various options for maintaining their health. Those individuals who wish to explore conservative, natural, and alternative methods of care before turning to pharmaceuticals or surgery can find the care they seek at our RxWellness clinics,” asserts Phoebe. 

In Tune with Technology and Industry Trends

In her 25 years of consulting across various industries, Phoebe has observed that Healthcare typically lags in the adoption of technology. When she embarked on starting this company, she had to grapple with this challenge. There were very few software solutions available in this sector, and among the ones that existed, the Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems were often outdated and rudimentary. Many processes in her husband’s small, single practice were largely manual, and his website functioned more like a basic business card on the internet.

Upon entering the picture, Phoebe initiated the implementation of a comprehensive technology stack that covers everything from the front end (marketing) to the back end (financial and accounting), and even an analytics dashboard. This allows RxWellness to effectively monitor and manage operations across multiple offices and providers. Technology has become an integral part of every major process within the business. Automation has brought about increased efficiency and standardized operations across all their offices.

The couple regularly attends national healthcare conferences every quarter to stay updated on the latest innovations and advancements in the field. Additionally, they actively engage with various national healthcare groups and associations, fostering collaborations with practitioners and practices across the country.

Phil Golinsky, plays a pivotal role within the Virginia and Maryland Board Associations, actively contributing to their healthcare missions. In recognition of his exceptional contributions, he was honored with the title of Virginia Chiropractor of the Year for 2023, underscoring the profound impact he has had on the association. Phoebe, on the other hand, is a member of the Women’s President Organization and Inc 5000. These affiliations provide numerous opportunities to learn and collaborate with fellow business owners, further facilitating the company’s continuous growth as it scales.

Staying Fit

Phoebe and Phil, both in their 50s, are acutely aware of the physical changes that come with aging. To counteract these effects, they diligently follow healthy habits every day. Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for both mental and physical well-being as we age. Approximately 75% of your overall wellness is influenced by what you eat and drink. The quality of the nutrients your body absorbs is directly determined by your dietary choices. In Phoebe’s case, she focuses on moderation in everything she consumes. They have an integrated weekly exercise routine wherein the regimen encompasses a variety of activities. To enhance blood circulation, nutrient absorption, and overall well-being, they also prioritize weekly massages and chiropractic adjustments.

Practicing Diversity

Phoebe is a dedicated advocate for diversity in the workplace. She firmly believes that the blend of different backgrounds and experiences in the teams fosters synergies and enriches the company. “We thrive on high energy, diverse ideas, and collective growth through inclusion. What propels our organization forward are complementary skill sets, and I make it a point to seek them out during the interview and recruitment process,” she says.

When evaluating candidates for positions, she goes beyond examining their experience and past performance and conducts a “fit” assessment to determine if an applicant can fill any knowledge or skills gaps within a team. Furthermore, she is a strong advocate for women and mothers in the workplace. As a working mom herself, she wholeheartedly believes that motherhood should not limit one’s career and that a satisfying balance can be achieved. “We have implemented flexible scheduling and remote work options to accommodate the demands of working moms, ensuring they can effectively manage both their professional and personal responsibilities,” she shares.

Geared Up for the New Year

First and foremost, Phoebe expects that her team remains steadfast in advancing their mission: “to help as many people as possible lead healthier, happier lives.” She wants her team to approach their daily activities with a sense of purpose, fully recognizing that they are here to assist, educate, and provide the best possible care and patient experience.

“I expect my team to embody our mission both within and beyond the office. They are being cultivated to identify opportunities to extend their assistance to people in all aspects of their lives, sharing how we can help not only our patients but also their friends, families, and extended networks to achieve wellness naturally. As we continue to expand and open additional locations, we aim to make our healthcare services even more accessible to our communities,” concludes Phoebe.

Quote: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”- Vivian Greene.

Quote: “The mind is a powerful source of inspiration. The will is the want to make things happen.”

Quote: “We firmly believe in the restorative power of natural approaches, offering an alternative care model to the conventional medical system.”

Quote: “As a natural healthcare advocate, it is my duty to deliver accessible, timely, accurate, and reliable information to our community, through our online presence as well as our centers.”

Quote: “Our recognition by Inc. 5000 and the Fastest 50 Women’s President Organization in 2023 serves as a testament to the increasing popularity of natural healthcare, reflecting the current trends of our times.”

The Healthcare industry is undergoing a paradigm shift owing to the recent pandemic and the rise of digital technology. The pandemic served as a reminder that the industry and participating organizations need to be more resilient, agile, and innovative. They need to be digitally enabled and innovative to enhance their reach and address the health challenges of the coming years. 

As the CEO at Wadia Hospitals, Dr. Minnie Bodhanwala considers innovation as a continuous process that assists them in their long-term vision to make Healthcare available, accessible, and affordable to all without compromising on the quality of care. It also serves their short-term goals which are more focused on increasing the scope of services for their patients, so everything is available under one roof. 

Though she strongly believes that innovation is key to overcoming most of the challenges in healthcare, she also believes that excessive innovation can lead to many struggles as well. “The idea is to manage innovation in a balanced amount and learn from best practices and experiences of healthcare providers across the industry. Thus, we could say that innovation is an organizational approach and not an individual approach as many forces would drive the need for innovation in an organization,” says Dr. Minnie.

A Creditable Leader

With over 35 years of demonstrated experience in Change Management, Crisis Management, and Growth of organizations in the fields of Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail, Law, Real Estate, Public Health, and Non-Profit & Trust Organizations across India, Dr. Minnie is an inspiration for many and a strong advocate of women empowerment.

She serves as the CEO of Wadia Hospitals in Mumbai, which comprises century-old renowned hospitals in the field of Women & Child Health; Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital (400 beds) & Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children (525 beds). She is also a Board of Director at Bombay Dyeing Mfg. & Co. Ltd, National Peroxide Ltd, and the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation, Ltd. and also the advisor to the Chairman of Wadia Group for CSR activities, advisor to Impact India Foundation, and advisor to the Modern Education Society in Mumbai and Pune, Advisor for Britannia Nutrition Foundation & Sir Ness Wadia Foundation. As a director, she has chaired and been part of several key committees- Audit Committee, Health & Safety Committee, Stakeholders Committee, CSR Committee, Risk Management Committee, Crisis Management Committee, Strategic Committee, etc.

Dr. Minnie is also a Principal Assessor with National Accreditation Board for Hospital & Healthcare Providers (NABH), an Internal Auditor for Joint Commission International (JCI), and an internationally recognized auditor for ISO 9001:2015. She is Lead Clinical Surveyor for American Accreditation Commission International (AACI). She also holds a certification of ISQua Expert from 2020.

As a director, overlooking Bombay Dyeing; Dr. Minnie has expertly streamlined operations and cash flows for the Real Estate & Retail Segment of Bombay Dyeing during a crisis and helped turn around the company which is one of the oldest companies in India established in the year 1879 and has a market cap of INR 2,200 crores.

As a Trustee of the Modern Education Society, which operates 7 renowned colleges in Mumbai and Pune, Dr. Minnie solely was responsible for establishing governance and revitalizing the colleges from a crisis mode with her strategic vision and planning.  

Heralding Change

As the CEO, Dr. Minnie’s role is focused on strategizing and achieving the objectives and striving harder toward the vision and mission of the organization. She also dedicates a lot of time to positive change management and team building across all the departments. She is an individual who is striving for impact and is focused on results while always believing in a realistic approach for the everyday challenges she faces which helps her achieve the most difficult tasks with precision.

She says, “As a leader, I have always focused on engaging with all employees of the workforce and developing a culture of motivation for them, we are constantly innovating and coming up with new services to help our patients receive affordable care. I am a visionary leader with both a democratic and a transformational approach, depending on what the situation demands.”

Minnie has played an instrumental role in bringing a positive transformation at Wadia Hospitals and has shown compassion towards the underprivileged Women and Children of our Nation. With her dedication, excellence, innovation, and sustainable vision Wadia Hospitals being a charitable semi-government organization are providing quality, safe and affordable healthcare to the underprivileged Women and Children of our community. She has contributed in a strong way to the development of Public Health Pan-India by leading projects through various foundations. She is also working closely with UNICEF Maharashtra and established the State Centre of Excellence to tackle Malnutrition at the Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Minnie took over as the CEO of Wadia Hospital in 2012 and introduced many positive changes under her leadership. During this journey, she has traveled from strength to strength, adding several feathers to the cap- for the hospitals some of her key achievements are: –

• Centers of excellence for Paediatric Cardiology, Paediatric Neurology, Paediatric Neurosurgery, Paediatric Surgery, Nephrology, Hemat-Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplant, Human Milk Bank, IVF, and many more.
• One of the largest NICUs in the world with 155 beds.
• Our Children’s Hospital is a nodal center for Club Foot treatment in Maharashtra, India, and also the only center in Western India that provides zero-day dialysis for newborns. In partnership with UNICEF, BJWHC is the State Centre of Excellence for Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre for children with Severe Acute Malnutrition.
• BJWHC is First Hospital in India to have achieved accreditation from the American Accreditation Commission International (AACI). The hospitals have received NABH Accreditation, Nursing Excellence Certificate from NABH, NABL, and Accreditation for institutional ethics committee from NABH.

• Strategic planning and innovation have helped in several key areas like process improvement, methods of service delivery, ways of communication, customer relations, healthcare products, organizational framework, etc. 

She also played a major role in the relief and rehabilitation programs during the Covid-19 pandemic situation, this included setting up a 100-bedded COVID-19 ward at the Children’s and Maternity hospital with all the supporting critical care equipment and providing hot meals and grocery hampers to the families in need, around 2 crore food hampers and 35 million food servings were arranged in a short span of 8 weeks.

Being a Woman Leader

Dr. Minnie has always believed in building systems and implementing them to achieve the desired results. Understanding problems and being creative in solving them is something that has impacted the way she works and helped her achieve success in whatever she does. “I could only attribute my success to the team I work with and of course my family without the support of the prior and understanding of the latter I won’t be as successful as I am today,” she says.

Even if she has proved herself over and over again, she keeps facing gender discrimination and related challenges even today. It is just that she has become better at accepting those challenges. “The male-dominated industry as we call it, is not able to see the strengths of an individual. It is not about whether someone is a male or a female. One should leave that aside and consider the core qualities and strengths of a person without pointing out gender. There is a need for change in people’s perceptions, attitudes, and mentality. I think to evaluate someone purely based on his or her gender is wrong. Even when I joined this present hospital, people were apprehensive about whether a woman would be able to handle the responsibilities of the hospital. At every step in my journey, I could sense the doubt in people’s minds, but I managed to prove them wrong. I think there is indeed a lot more potential for women to come forward in entrepreneurship given the opportunity,” she says.

Bringing Women to the Top

Dr. Minnie believes that more women executives at the top will help businesses by creating gender diversity and benefit employees at all levels of the organization by creating an environment that is beneficial to all. It further gives a sense of confidence to all employees that the organization promotes an inclusive approach and further motivates all employees in achieving individual success for the organization. A progressive approach to corporate governance further helps organizations attract and retain talent and help reduce attrition.

Dr. Minnie is a strong supporter and promoter of women’s empowerment and draws inspiration from one such great leader after which Wadia Group’s Children’s Hospital is named, she is Bai Jerbai Wadia. What inspires Dr. Minnie the most about her is her simplicity and great vision for society especially the women and children at a time when they were ignored the most in the early 19th Century. “It is simply because of the timely vision of women like her that we are here today. I draw great inspiration from her and strive hard for long sustained meaningful and impactful work,” she says.

She adds, “One must focus on adding sustainable value to the healthcare delivery system. More than exceptional growth, women should look forward to sharing more stories of operational success and its impact on the community at large. One should closely work with market-led functions to ensure sharing of best practices, expeditious resource deployment, and reporting consistency. I am very positive and hopeful that together we can envisage a great future for the healthcare services in our country as we re-imagine and transform healthcare together.”

Maintaining her Work-Life Balance

Dr. Minnie looks at health in a very holistic manner. For her, both physical and mental health is very important! She makes it a point to have at least 30 minutes of walking every day, supported by a well-balanced diet each day. She also likes doing yoga, cooking, and traveling frequently for work or leisure for a change of environment and to keep herself happy. “Spending quality time with family also gives me the boost and motivation to stay healthy! My advice to others is to take time out for yourself and plan activities and changes in lifestyle to live a healthy life! It is important to lead a healthy lifestyle as we are seeing in the current situation wherein people with chronic conditions related to lifestyle are at much higher risk as compared to the others,” she advises.

Greeting the Future

Continuing with the current executive journey in Healthcare, Dr. Minnie is looking forward to more leadership roles in Entrepreneurship. She is also looking forward to being a mentor and helping inspire and empower many women. 

For the organization, DR. Minnie and her team are looking forward to continuing their journey of excellence in patient care, research publications, and accreditations. They are also focusing on increasing the scope of their services with an improved focus on organ transplantation and Oncology treatments. “We are also undergoing a complete transformation of our Maternity hospital with added new scope of services that will be started by the end of 2023. We are also increasing our International outreach to promote medical tourism. As a mission we will keep trying to excel in every front and achieve the maximum for our stakeholders and the community at large in the years to come,’ concludes Dr. Minnie.

Key Achievements 

• Featured in India Forbes March 2019 as a “Globally Recognized Indian Business Leaders” 
• Rated amongst the top 25 Living legends of Healthcare in the country.
• Winner of more than 100 national & international awards in Healthcare Industry
• Certificate for Women on Boards by Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
• Certification Record of Achievement for COVID-19 by World Health Organization (WHO)

Of late, but better than never, business organizations have realized that running a successful business is not just about profits but also about taking care of environmental, social, and governance matters. Stakeholders today agree that sustainability has to be an integral part of organizational strategy and guide its operations for better profits and business longevity.

As a Global Sustainability Expert, Lidia Aviles agrees that she would be worried if there is an organization somewhere that doesn’t have sustainability as part of the key strategies yet. But having said that, she also thinks an organization today needs sustainability as part of their core focus; for different reasons, including economic incentives and savings these provide in future projections. But more importantly, the conscious call to serve the planet. “We might think that we don’t have the money to save the planet because everyone is focused on how much it costs a paper straw vs a plastic one, but let’s be honest, what is there without a planet to live in? Conscious and compassionate actions can make a difference and help an organization integrate a sustainable strategy,” asserts Lidia.

Helping Organizations and Planet Earth

Lidia is a Sustainability & Innovation Expert, mentor, writer, educator, and entrepreneur; Discoverer of the Earthquake Pattern “The Rebound” following multi-disciplines. Studying international affairs and being a Philomath, Lidia encountered herself learning more and eventually walking towards Sustainability expertise without knowing it. She has a few specializations and academic papers like Space travel, seismology, Investment, Innovation, Economics, Law, etc. She loves learning and finds lots of joy when her brain is fully stimulated. Her various studies and interests compound all the different angles of a more sustainable world, and she loves it. 

As a Global Sustainability Expert, Lidia provides global advisory in different ways to multiple organizations and institutions globally. Understanding very well the industries of Innovation, High Tech, and Energy (among others) allows her to help better in all realms of the different sectors.  

Lidia is creative and a strategic thinker. When things seem blurred, she doesn’t know how, Then she practices foresight and lays down the path. Not always easy, but effective. She takes her time to meditate and also to detach from the problem, as she feels it is important to recharge one’s batteries constantly. “The busy professional life sometimes gets glorified by exhaustion, but I see that people that have a calm spirit usually get further in their steps than someone who is jumping around all the time. Independently of the energetic personality, meditation calms down the pace of action to give solid steps and achieve macro-opportunities,” says Lidia.

The Guiding Words

“Don’t forget about our creator”- Rev. Ulises Aviles (R.I.P). Lidia’s dad was a reverend and passed away a couple of years ago. When in dark moments and happy moments, these words of his bring her the feeling of home. Her work is guided by her desire to learn, provide solutions, and go to the core of the problems. “I don’t like spending time on the surface of any situation. I’m very conscious of the value of my energy and time. My question to the organization is “what do you need and how I can help?”- then I figure it out (if possible),” she explains. 

However, this approach also poses some challenges. To start with, not everyone has the learning and training to be proactive. Even though perceiving challenges proactively is a boon to leaders and businesses, people tend to practice it less and panic when issues arise. Practicing foresight kind of puts Lidia in a futuristic mode, and it’s always a challenge to make people understand the pressure of some issues on the horizon. The interaction can be different depending on the professional maturity of the person. She has learned to be patient and sometimes she lets it go, to come back to it in the next few years when she will get the call asking her “…Remember that issue you mentioned a few years ago and asked us to be ready? We need to follow up…”.  

Leveraging Technology

When Technology is used correctly, we can see wonders. Lidia reminds herself every day. As a millennial, she is used to using technology daily, but she also knows how to detach from it as she does from coffee every Saturday. “I’m usually an early adopter in all possible things of technology, from coding to AI and, currently, the Metaverse. I try to see them as extensions of myself and keep them for that purpose, but I also like to explore the different ways to leverage technology for business in general. I remember using the old version of a cloud back in 2006… I saw the benefit of it but the world wasn’t ready,” she says.

Metaverse and Sustainability

Taking about Metaverse, Lidia says that the best thing to remember from the word itself is to imagine a completely new universe within. It’s growing fast, and it’s already unstoppable in the sense of creative opportunities. The regular business strategies are constantly changing if these are being updated; we live in a constantly changing world, where adapting to new challenges is the new normal. Businesses should consider the Metaverse (if haven’t already) as part of the many different constellations of opportunities; it’s the next frontier of technology. 

Metaverse is the ideal environment where all sustainability goals can be assessed beforehand and problems can be fixed before they happen. An example is the metaverse can be used to track and assess the environmental impact of building roads. Another benefit of the metaverse in terms of making citizens aware is that users’ avatars can help them learn how to live sustainably with other avatars that have different backgrounds and perspectives. This will allow users to explore possible solutions together. While metaverses offer many opportunities for positive environmental change, there are some limitations that we must consider; for instance, metaverse technology is not yet widespread and metaverses also require electricity and bandwidth. However, this technology has the potential to make metaversing more sustainable by using solar energy.

Going Forward

Lidia previously held positions as Digitalisation Manager and Sustainability Leader for an international aviation company with more than 84 locations worldwide for its Global Operations; at the same time, she is a Global Advisor at Guidepoint. Having different interests, including the arts, she has a list of achievements and positions that she serves as. However, the most relevant honor is that of being a European Climate Pact Ambassador. She concludes our interaction by saying, “Always learn and keep matching the right network with the different organizations accordingly. I find it satisfying to bring solutions to different institutions… it’s exciting. And knowledge is key.”