The Silicon Review | 30 Best CEOs Of the Year 2020
1. CIOs
CIOs
U.S. Special
Leadership Technology CEOs News Business Features CIOs
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An Interview with Neil Fineman, greenONE Holdings Inc
CEO: ‘We Address the Issue of Manufacturers Being Forced to
Depend upon Digestion as the Standard for Getting Nutrition
into the Human Body’
Neil Fineman, CEO
U.S. Special Edition
S R 2022
2. cxLoyalty –
cxLoyalty – Strategic partners in customer
C
ustomer engagement and
loyalty are important when
it comes to retaining your
best customers. The happier your
customers are, the higher your
overall ROI will be. In this guide,
we’ll discuss what customer
engagement and loyalty are, why
they are important, and how you
can increase your overall success
by knowing and understanding
who your customers are. Customer
engagement leads to loyal
customers. Not every customer
holds equal value. Focusing on your
best customers, those who spend
and visit the most will help you
build customer loyalty. Having an
effective customer loyalty program
in place will encourage your best
customers to feel connected to you
and will encourage them to spend
and visit more.
cxLoyalty is a leading loyalty and
customer engagement solutions
company servicing over 70 million
consumers with approximately
3,000 client partner relationships
and over 30 years of experience. The
firm designs administer and fulfill
loyalty and customer engagement
programs that strengthen and
expand the value of relationships for
brands around the globe, including
many of the largest and most
respected companies in the financial
services, retail, and travel industries.
Why cxLoyalty?
cxLoyalty creates value for brands
and their customers by partnering
with clients to solve complex
business issues and drive results.
They believe that to build loyal
relationships and connections
between you and your customers,
you have to be intentional. The team
designs, builds, personalizes and
supports customer experiences for
some of the world’s most successful
brands. They are a full-service
customer engagement and loyalty
company. Their team of always-
curious and creative marketing
technology expertsis passionate
about delivering the best possible
customer experiences. As a brand
trying to build a better relationship
with customers, the firm creates the
experience to achieve organizational
goals while also being 100%
authentic brand promise
The formidable leader behind the success of
cxLoyalty
Todd Siegel is the Chief Executive Officer of cxLoyalty,
responsible for setting strategic direction and management of
the company. Mr. Todd has held a variety of positions over the
past 15 years, including CFO, General Counsel and oversight of
the International business, prior to being appointed CEO in 2013.
Prior to joining the company, he was a corporate associate at
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, and Flom and prior to that he was
employed as a certified public accountant with Ernst & Young.
In his free time, Todd enjoys being with friends and family;
watching NY Mets baseball and Chelsea football (soccer for those
in the US); playing soccer, tennis, and golf; and enjoys live music.
He is involved in many local community organizations with a
specific focus on underprivileged children and education. He
attended Binghamton University and Fordham University School
of Law where he earned his JD.
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Todd Siegel, CEO
3. experience, engagement, and loyalty
Stand out features of
cxLoyalty
• They listen to understand
the most complex business
challenges
• They leverage the deep
industry knowledge of their
subject matter experts to
determine a solution that is
right for you. Technology is only
as good as the strategy that
guides it
• With powerful enterprise
marketing capabilities, they
enable their clients to connect
with each customer to create
a differentiated experience,
consistent with brand promise
and values
• The firm builds relationships,
set realistic expectations, and
deliver consistently and with
excellence
Leaders in content
development
In today’s market, content is
everything. Optimal consumer
engagement isn’t just one-
dimensional or ‘a catalog of stuff’.
Success requires a curated set
of options delivered at a unique
customer level. With an industry-
leading network of suppliers,
the choices are limitless across
travel, gift cards, merchandise,
experiences, coupons, benefits, and
services. The firm helps in loyalty
redemption and fulfillment and
engages with its dedicated service
delivery teams to experience their
award-winning support.
Knowing when to communicate
is one thing. Knowing how to
communicate in their digital, multi-
device, multi-channel world to
deliver personalized engagement
and meaningful interaction is
another. From a simple text
message to a series of interactive
campaigns to digital, media
campaigns, attention to detail and
intuitive human experience design
is core. The firm offers services to
meet its clients’ needs no matter
where or what is on your journey.
“No matter where you are in the evolution
of your brand and customer engagement
journey, cxLoyalty can help.”
“No matter where you are in the evolution
of your brand and customer engagement
journey, cxLoyalty can help.”
SR
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4. Transform your data into knowledge with
the leading provider of scientific graphics
software: Golden Software
S
cientific graphics software
was specifically designed
to generate analytical
control charts for laboratory
quality control programs. Golden
Software is a leading provider
of scientific graphics software,
specializing in the development
of software that transforms both
simple and complex data into
understandable visual tools such
as maps, graphs and models.
The company is trusted across
the globe by industry leaders
in a wealth of specialties due to
the dynamism and dependable
performance of its many products.
Golden Software strives to
create an ideal user experience
by striking the perfect balance
between powerful functionality
and intuitive ease of use. The
creators of Golden Software think
like scientists and engineers
whereas other software products
focus on business users - a unique
mindset which provides users
with an unrivaled customer
support experience. Golden
Software products are used in
mining, oil and gas, engineering,
medicine, applied science and
university settings. The company
celebrated its 36th anniversary
in 2019 with more than 250,000
software licenses sold, in nearly
190 countries and territories,
on all seven continents. Golden
Software products are used by
more than 10,000 companies and
universities worldwide.
Surfer
You work hard gathering your
data. Don’t settle for subpar
visualization. Utilize Surfer’s
extensive modeling tools to
display your data the way it
deserves while maintaining
accuracy and precision. Clearly
communicate information with
Surfer. Discover the depths of
your data with Surfer’s numerous
analysis tools. Adjust interpolation
and gridding parameters, assess
the spatial continuity of data
with variograms, define faults
and breaklines, or perform grid
calculations such as volumes,
transformations, smoothing, or
filtering. Surfer quickly transforms
your data into knowledge.
Communicate your hard-earned
findings with confidence.
Whether it is for your project
manager, thesis advisor, or client,
Surfer facilitates a complete and
thorough understanding of data.
Grapher
Present your data at its best.
Grapher offers high-quality
graphing tools so you can get the
most out of your data. Grapher
provides over 70 different 2D
and 3D graphing options to
best display your data. Don’t
miss any opportunity. Your
data may be hiding valuable
information. Utilize Grapher’s
extensive analysis charts, tools,
and statistical features to identify
trends, find new insights, and
locate opportunities. Grapher
provides a holistic view of your
data. Grapher’s extensive selection
of graph types and innumerable
customization options allow you
to communicate your complex
ideas in a format that your
audience will easily understand.
Let your data do the talking with
Grapher.
Strater
Eliminate subsurface uncertainty.
Achieve insight and clarity by
transforming raw, subsurface
data into understandable well
logs, borehole models, and
cross sections/profiles. Easily
create professional geotechnical
reports that clearly communicate
important information with
Strater. Get answers to all your
subsurface questions. When
displayed in Strater, subterranean
data becomes clear and easy to
understand. Strater’s extensive
features allow you to quickly
view and analyze areas otherwise
unseen and make decisions with
confidence. Transform data
into profit. Easily communicate
important information to clients,
stakeholders, and coworkers.
5. Regardless of data complexity,
Strater’s visualization abilities
facilitate a complete and thorough
understanding of subsurface data.
Voxler
Model data with striking clarity
in every dimension. With Voxler’s
extensive 3D modeling tools,
it is easy to visualize multi-
component data for geologic and
geophysical models, contamination
plumes, LiDAR point cloud,
borehole models, or ore body
deposit models. Distinguish
areas of interest, highlight
important information, and easily
communicate your newfound
knowledge to stakeholders in
three dimensions. Explore the
depths of your data. A wealth of
information at your fingertips
waiting to be discovered. View
your Voxler model from any
angle to pinpoint anomalies and
discern patterns and trends.
Use Voxler’s extensive analysis
tools to discover new business
opportunities for you and your
clients. Discover the value of your
data with Voxler. Communicate
your results with confidence and
ease. Voxler’s powerful modeling
abilities facilitate complete and
thorough understanding of data,
regardless of complexity. Clearly
communicate your message to
clients, takeholders, and coworkers
with Voxler.
MapViewer
Make the most out of your data.
Quickly produce publication-quality
maps with MapViewer’s extensive
thematic mapping and spatial
analysis features. Distinguish
patterns and trends in your data,
understand the spatial relationship,
and give clients and stakeholders
the information they need. Put
data to work for you. MapViewer
gives you tools to visualize and
analyze the geographic distribution
of your data so you can make
decisions with confidence. Locate
opportunities to drive efficiency,
innovation, and profitability.
MapViewer turns your data into
valuable information.
Didger
Don’t be limited by static data
formats. Didger’s comprehensive
digitizing, georeferencing,
reprojection, tiling, and mosaicking
features transform paper maps,
graphs, photographs, and well
logs into dynamic digital formats.
Didger is a must-have tool for
anyone working with inconsistent
data formats.
Blakelee Mills CEO of Golden Software
As Chief Executive Officer of Golden Software,
Blakelee Mills oversees the company’s strategic
direction, global sales, growth, market expansion, and
product direction. Blakelee began her career as an intern
for Golden Software co-founder Patrick Madison while
attending the Colorado School of Mines. Upon graduating
with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics, she began
working fulltime with Golden Software. Blakelee’s unique
ability to understand both the scientific and technical
aspects of the Golden Software products as well as the
business development aspect of the business, led her into a
leadership role with the company and the eventual position
of CEO in 2014. Today Blakelee oversees all aspects of the
business from new product development, to customer
service, to global sales.
Blakelee Mills, CEO
SR
6. Robert Hessel, Source 1 Solutions Inc CEO:‘Our Mission
is to Partner with Truly Great Companies to Expand
Technical Capabilities and Geographical Reach’
“We expanded our operations in 2012 by opening European locations, with an increased focus on expanding globally.”
“Our vision is to keep cities safe so that people thrive.”
S
ecurity is one of the fastest-
growing industries of the
21st century, given the
rampant increase in threats to
businesses globally. All major
and minor companies need to
protect their data from fraudulent
activities in order to ensure
privacy of sensitive information.
Global security companies are
on the rise, coming up with
new ways of tackling security
problems and providing their
clients with a sense of safety and
security.
Source 1 Solutions is one such
global services company that
provides IT solutions to its clients
all over the world. Founded
by Robert Hessel in 2011, the
company has been providing
high-tech solutions to businesses
worldwide. Source 1 currently
provide sits services to over 500
hospitals, major retailers, global
shipping companies, and four
global banks in 96 countries.
Major companies like Orange
Business Services, Verizon
Wireless, Vodafone, and several
other global service providers
Source 1 Solutions was founded
in 2011 and is headquartered in
Clearwater FL.
In Conversation
with Robert Hessel,
Source 1 Solutions
CEO
What was the idea behind
the setup of Source 1
Solutions?
It was created with the vision of
a services-only firm specializing
in expanding clients’ technical
capabilities and geographical
reach.
Can you brief us about the
history of your company?
We established Source 1 Solutions
in 2011 focused on IT, Security
and International parts delivery.
We expanded our operations
in 2012 by opening European
locations, with an increased
focus on expanding globally.
By 2016, we had standardized
internal operations utilizing
International standards for
business delivery. From 2017-
2018, we focused on moving
all global technology system
operations to Clearwater, Florida.
Currently, we are opening a new
office in Ireland to serve as the
European Headquarter.
What were the biggest
initial hurdles to building
your business and how did
you overcome them?
The biggest hurdle for any
privately funded company is cash
flow. To overcome this challenge
without any outside investment
is imperative to focus on the core
strengths and profitability of the
company.
What is your greatest fear,
and how do you manage to
overcome the same?
My greatest fear is in balancing;
being present in the day to day
but not getting pulled back into
the routine operation. It is key for
a CEO to focus on vital tasks of the
company in order to see into the
future to adjust strategy as the
global market and economy shifts.
‘It is difficult to start a
venture, but far more
difficult to maintain it’.
How would you and your
team interpret this saying?
The challenges that a company
faces in the start-up days are
similar as the company grows.
What makes a great small
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7. Robert Hessel: The Leader
behind the Success of
Source 1 Solutions
Robert Hessel serves as the CEO of
Source 1 Solutions. He has over 20 years
of experience in business management
and has developed a worldwide business
network by traveling extensively.
Mr. Hessel has also served the US Navy.
In addition to his success in the business
world, he also holds board seats on
several charities and advisory boards
and is a best-selling published author.
Robert Hessel, CEO
business is its culture and
ability to service its clients.
As an organization grows,
it becomes more difficult to
maintain a culture and keep
a larger number of people
in communication with the
collective strategy.
What would you say
was the single most
influential factor in your
business’ success?
The most influential factor in
Source 1’s success was having
a strong advisory board and
a very clear understanding of
what our strengths were and
perhaps more importantly what
they were not.
What other CEOs do you
look up to?
I think all CEOs admire and look
up to some of the big brand
CEOs like Richard Branson,
Mark Cuban, and Warren Buffet.
However, I especially admire
a couple of CEOs that built
companies from scratch to be
very successful SMB businesses
today, such as John Campau of
Comtronics and Ross Teague of
ITEC; both of them have been
mentors and friends to me
through the years.
“There is nothing
more important for
a successful small
business than a well-
defined mission and
vision statements.” Can
you explain your M&V
statements in brief?
Our vision is to keep cities safe
so that people thrive.
Our mission is to partner with
truly great companies to expand
technical capabilities and
geographical reach.
What would you say
are the top three skills
needed to be a successful
CEO?
The top three skills of a CEO,
in my opinion, are the ability
to build strong relationships,
sound understanding of finance,
and a clear vision for the future.
If you had one piece of
advice to someone just
starting out, what would
it be?
Just start. Everyone waits for the
perfect conditions or the perfect
plan and this does not exist.
You just have to go for it and be
willing to work your face off for
at least five years before you
become the overnight success.
What are your
three biggest
accomplishments?
Growing Source 1 into one of
the fastest-growing companies
in Florida and North America,
becoming a published author,
and watching the team
members of Source 1 grow
professionally and personally.
What do you think
has been the most
memorable moment in
your career?
I honestly would have a difficult
time picking one but opening
our first office internationally is
pretty high on the list.
If not a business leader/
CEO, what would you
want to be?
An NFL Quarterback.
SR
8. Darktrace
Applying
AI to tackle
cyber defense
challenges
T
he rise of cloud computing,
SaaS applications, and the
increase in IoT has created
a rapid expansion of workloads
and systems across diverse digital
infrastructures. The dissolution
of the corporate perimeter has
expanded the attack surface,
leaving many areas vulnerable
to a breach. The application of
artificial intelligence to the cyber
defense challenge has marked a
fundamental shift in our ability
to protect critical data systems
and digital infrastructures. For
strained security teams, it offers
the possibility to keep pace with an
ever-evolving threat landscape.
Darktrace is recognized as the
world’s leading AI Company for
cybersecurity. Founded in 2013 by
mathematicians from the University
of Cambridge and government
cyber intelligence experts in the US
and the UK, with deep expertise in
mathematics and machine learning,
Darktrace empowers organizations
to defend their systems against
the most sophisticated cyber-
threats. The company’s pioneering
technology, the Enterprise Immune
System, applies AI to the cyber
defense challenge for the first
time and has proven successful
in detecting cyber-threats that
existing, legacy systems cannot.
Technologies furnished
by Darktrace that’s
creating a difference
Cyber AI Platform
Darktrace has identified a
new form of cybersecurity that
moves the whole industry forward
beyond current defense models.
By applying advanced machine
learning methods to a novel
software application, it has
established a world-beating
company that has no significant
competitor.
Autonomous Response
Darktrace’s Autonomous Response
technology, Darktrace Antigena,
uses Cyber AI to calculate the best
action to take, in the shortest period
of time, to effectively respond to a
cyber-attack. Because Darktrace’s
Cyber AI learns the ‘self’ for your
enterprise from scratch and has a
highly evolved understanding of
what’s normal, it can even respond
to subtle threats that have never
been seen before, but that could
jeopardize key systems or data.
Cloud Security
Darktrace’s Cyber AI Platform offers
a cloud-native security solution
that protects workloads and
services across hybrid and multi-
cloud environments, as well as all
major SaaS applications. Delivering
unique, enterprise-wide security,
Darktrace detects and responds
to cloud-based attacks that others
miss, from malicious insiders and
external attacks, through to critical
Nicole Eagan, Co-CEO
8
9. misconfigurations that can expose
the business to future compromise.
Darktrace’s products for
enterprises
Darktrace Antigua
Darktrace Antigena is the world’s
first Autonomous Response
solution. Powered by award-
winning Cyber AI, it responds
to cyber-attacks in a matter of
seconds — when security teams
are overwhelmed or simply
aren’t around. The technology
works like a digital antibody,
intelligently generating a targeted
and proportionate response
whenever a threatening incident
arises in-network, email or cloud
environments.
The Enterprise Immune
System
The Enterprise Immune System is
a self-learning cyber AI technology
that detects novel attacks and
insider threats at an early stage.
Modeled on the human immune
system, the Enterprise Immune
System learns and understands
‘self’ for everyone and everything
in the business, and can spot the
subtle signals of an advanced
attack — without relying on rules,
signatures, or prior assumptions.
The Industrial Immune
System
The Industrial Immune System is a
fundamental AI technology for OT
cyber defense. It works by passively
learning what ‘normal’ looks like
across OT, IT and industrial IoT,
allowing it to detect even the
subtlest signals of emerging cyber-
threats in real-time. This self-
learning technology is protocol-
agnostic and can be deployed
across a range of OT environments,
providing full coverage of the
organization without disrupting
daily operations.
“Darktrace
empowers
organizations
to defend
their systems
against
the most
sophisticated
cyber-threats.”
Meet the leaders behind the glory of Darktrace
Nicole Eagan is Co-Chief Executive Officer of Darktrace. Her
extensive career spans 25 years working for Oracle and early to late-
stage growth companies. Named ‘Cybersecurity CEO of the Year 2019’
(Global CEO Excellence Awards) and one of HMG’s ‘Top 100 Technology
Executives to Watch’ in 2019, Nicole has introduced disruptive machine
learning to enterprises of all sizes. Under her leadership, Darktrace
has won more than 100 awards and the company has been named one
of WSJ’s ‘Tech Companies to watch’, Fast Company’s ‘Most Innovative
Companies’, and a CNBC ‘Disruptor 50’.
Poppy Gustafsson OBE is Co-Chief Executive Officer of
Darktrace, which under her leadership has reached a $1.65 billion
valuation in under five years, was named Europe’s 9th ‘Fastest Growing
European Company’ by The Financial Times, and named ‘Fastest Growing
Super Scale-up’ by Tech Tour. Poppy is a qualified chartered accountant
and previously served as the company’s CFO. Prior to Darktrace, Poppy
held financial controller positions in the technology and venture capital
sector. She was the winner of the ‘VeuveClicquot Business Woman Awards
2019,’ and recognized in Management Today’s ‘30 Women under 35’ list
in 2018, whose alumnae include Martha Lane Fox and Karen Blackett.
Poppy Gustafsson OBE, Co-CEO
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