Intelligent CXO Issue 40 | Page 45

CXO INSIGHT
What kind of clients and market does the business serve ?
Mendix serves a diverse range of industries , including both industrial and non-industrial sectors . We have a strong presence in highly regulated industries like financial services and the public sector , where best-in-class governance capabilities are particularly valued .
Mendix ’ s client base comprises over 4,000 organisations across 46 countries , with a community of over 300,000 developers who have created over 950,000 applications . Our clients seek solutions to complex enterprise software development challenges , aiming to drive innovation , agility and productivity within their organisations .
What ’ s your approach to management ?
There are many elements that make a good manager , but for me , what we do as a business is also the foundation of my managerial approach . Mendix enables businesses to transform at unprecedented speed and scale . We believe this brings real value to the customers , so speed and scale are key to my management approach . To promote innovation at speed and scale within our organisation , we encourage people to work in independent units with clearly defined areas of ownership and responsibility . Having a high level of autonomy empowers people to think bigger and bolder .
The other crucial element of my approach is promoting collaboration . As a company , we are continuing to expand a strong ecosystem of partners with whom we exchange insights and experience . Equally , within Mendix , we encourage tight collaboration between independent units when it ’ s beneficial for their goals and our goals as a company .
As a result , this approach to management promotes collaboration and innovation on all levels – for Mendix people and for our partners and clients , too .
How do you equip staff with skills and knowledge ?
Your first best step forward regarding your workforce is to hire capable and eager creative thinkers who are already good at what they do . Hiring is a challenging process , and it ’ s tempting to get it done quickly rather than wait to make sure you ’ ve found the right fit for any particular role .
If you hire the right person for the right role – they will excel at that job because it ’ s what they want to do in the skillset they know . People who are competent are also open to learning and want to grow and develop their skills . At that point , as an organisation you want to make sure there ’ s room to grow and expand . Nothing feels worse to an ambitious person with a curious mind than to feel trapped in a dead-end role . Opportunities for growth are crucial – every employee at Mendix has access to many sources that will support continuing education or new certifications . Siemens also has a great tuition reimbursement programme , and I ’ ve heard of a few people who have gone after advanced degrees in their fields while still working their full time jobs .
We also support people who are eager to grow into leadership roles . Many of our line managers here started out at Mendix when it was a much smaller company and have moved on to build out teams in their own area of expertise .
How do you work with your C-suite to make sure the company delivers against its strategic goals ?

O DENTED

At Mendix ’ s C-Suite , we work as one team . Each of us has a clear role and set of responsibilities – mine is to give this clarity and make sure individual goals are aligned with the wider business strategy . This involves not only setting the right expectations but also providing the necessary resources for each member of C-Suite to deliver effectively .
Mendix transitions from hyper-growth to a scaling phase , and I drive conversations about our medium- and long-term goals , focusing on optimisation and growth opportunities . I act as both a coach and a quarterback , making strategic calls and guiding the team through execution . www . intelligentcxo . com
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