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IRONIC FOR THE CEO OF A TECH COMPANY , BUT MY NUMBER ONE TIP IS SWITCHING OFF .
CCO and COO , I still try to remain as hands-on as possible with the NCG team .
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement ?
One thing that springs to mind is being invited to the IKEA launch party in Stockholm after launching a one-of-a-kind project for them and getting to be there to see the successful opening . Truly a pinch-me moment .
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position ?
I perform the best when I have the best people around me . Of course , it can take a while to find those people , but once you ’ re there , you realise you can give people space and time to do amazing things – no micromanagement needed . Giving people lots of rope and breadth to work as they need to get the job done has been my management modus operandi .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
NCG specialises in tech and digital infrastructure for real estate , which is undergoing significant and very exciting , change globally . We ’ re seeing a lot of investment in new use cases for real estate ; after all , the built environment isn ’ t going anywhere , but it ’ s important that we start to use it differently .
That is to say , we ’ ve got to adapt our tech and infrastructure to support the permanently switched-on and connected world we ’ re all living in , focusing on digital infrastructure that can support AI and future ‘ always-on ’ generations .
In my view , that ’ s the key to future-proofing real estate – and , therefore , where the most lucrative opportunities lie .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry ?
A few critical points : respect everyone but remain decisive ; be good with people at all levels ; ask for and listen to advice ; remain flexible and know your customers , partners and business model inside out . And remain laser-focused on your end goal . The ability to think long-term and spot opportunities without getting sidetracked or distracted is vital .
What behaviour or personality trait do you most attribute your success to and why ?
Survival in the start-up world in today ’ s business climate is no picnic , so being perseverant has been beyond crucial . When talking about startups , there are times when you have to give it everything and more , putting the company above everything else . It gets tough but sticking it out is usually worth it .
What ’ s your go-to productivity trick ?
Ironic for the CEO of a tech company , but my number one tip is switching off . I find turning off email notifications on my phone a rather soothing experience , and it never fails to help me focus on the task at hand .
Engaging in whiteboard sessions to concentrate and work out ideas effectively – or even just getting down my thoughts on paper – is another important part of my working process . x
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