VIEW THE January 2024 | theeducationview.com Vol. 01 Issue-01 Center for Excellence Transforming Hospitality with Innovative Business Consulting Most Trusted Consultants to Follow Asia's Business How to Become a Business Consultant Guide Step-by-Step Founder, Revstar Pte. Ltd. Ruethemann Katja VIEW THE Center for Excellence We are also Available on Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-602-1754 Email - info@theeducationview.com Subscription - theeducationview.com Office The Education View is published by Insights Success Media LLC. Copyright © 2024 Insights Success Media LLC, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success Media LLC. Volume - 01 Issue - 1 sales@theeducationview.com JANUARY 2024 Editor-in-Chief Mary D'souza Senior Writer Maria Christopher Contributing Writer Anish David Art & Design Head and Visualiser David King Co-designer Pau Belin Senior Manager of Sales Kevin Foster Sales BDE Sherin Jones, Eliza Brown Technical Head Jacob B. Technical Consultants David, Robert Digital Marketing Manager Alina Sege SME-SMO Executive Mark Clain Circulation Manager Eric Smith Follow us on educationviewmagazine educationview2 educationviewmagazine The Education View Letter from the Editor The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. - Martin Luther King Jr. L Leaders Steering Success in Asia Business B usiness consultants are highly skilled professionals who provide organizations with expert advice and guidance. They bring years of experience and knowledge, helping clients identify and solve complex business issues, improve operational efficiency, and achieve their strategic objectives. To achieve these objectives, business consultants conduct a thorough analysis of the client's current business processes, identifying areas for improvement. They then provide strategic advice, offering clients practical solutions to their challenges and helping them implement them. In our latest edition, " Asia's Most Trusted Business Consultants to Follow ," The Education View sheds light on professionals who consistently demonstrate exceptional insight and integrity in steering businesses toward success. This curated list showcases individuals renowned for their innovative strategies, insightful perspectives, and unwavering commitment to client satisfaction. From advising startups to guiding established enterprises, these consultants have left an indelible mark on the Asian business ecosystem. The invaluable contributions of these remarkable personalities spanning various industries have proven to be a treasure trove of knowledge for business owners and executives. This esteemed compilation acknowledges and honors the consultants' instrumental role in fostering sustainable business practices and driving regional economic growth. Their wealth of expertise and experience is a testament to their unwavering commitment to excellence and their profound impact on the business landscape. We hope that the narratives presented in this edition will guide you in exploring the invaluable expertise of highly skilled and accomplished consultants who have mastered the art of market entry, strategic planning, and organizational transformation. Their journeys and experiences are an unparalleled source of inspiration for entrepreneurs and business owners striving to achieve unprecedented success. Discover their best practices, learn from their insights, and unlock the potential to elevate your business endeavors to the next level. Have an engaging read! - Anish David T H E Story Cover 08 Contents Table of Katja Transforming Hospitality with Innovative Business Consulting Ruethemann What Does an Effective Business Consultant Do? Responsibilities and Characteristics How to Become a Business Consultant Step-by-Step Guide Driving Growth through People-centric Solutions Prithvi 16 Shergill Special Profiles Navigating the World of Business Operations Salma 20 Al Zeairy Articles 26 36 Empowering Organizations for Success Hanane 30 Benkhallouk Dr Profile Katja Transforming Hospitality with Innovative Business Consulting Ruethemann By incorpora ng technology at every stage, we streamline opera ons, improve efficiency, and deliver enhanced solu ons to our clients in the ever-evolving hospitality industry. theman theman s the business A landscape becomes more intricate and unpredictable, the relevance of business consultancy irms continues to rise. These irms offer specialized expertise, objective insights, and proven methodologies that enable organizations to overcome challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and achieve sustainable growth. By leveraging the knowledge and experience of consultancy irms, businesses can stay ahead in today's competitive market and secure their position in the future. Revstar , a leading business consultancy irm in the hospitality industry, started in 2017 with the aim of revolutionizing how hotels optimize their commercial strategies. Founded by Katja Ruethemann , who has extensive experience in multinational hotel chains and boutique hotels across Europe and Asia, Revstar quickly made a name for itself. Katja Ruethemann's journey began in Switzerland and spanned 20+ years in the Asia-Paci ic region. She worked her way up from roles like receptionist and front of ice manager to becoming an area director responsible for revenue management, commercial strategy, online distribution, and central reservations for six hotels under Minor International. Recognizing the challenges faced by smaller hotel Founder, Revstar Pte. Ltd. Katja Rutehamann We priori ze ac on and innova on, delivering excep onal services and transforma ve solu ons to our clients. groups in accessing senior expertise, Katja founded Revstar as a specialized consultancy irm focused on commercial optimization in the areas of reservations, revenue, ecommerce, and system connection. Revstar has a team of specialist consultants who offer tailored solutions to hotels, emphasizing comprehensive analysis, actionable plans, and holistic optimization. Their expertise lies in enhancing commercial strategies, leveraging data analytics, optimizing hotel technology, and implementing digital marketing initiatives. Identifying Untapped Potential Having worked for prominent hotel brands and witnessing the gap in expertise and resources within smaller hotel groups, Katja Ruethemann was inspired to make a difference. Her passion for helping others and her keen eye for identifying untapped potential led her to establish Revstar. To provide up-to-date services to clients, Revstar is committed to staying at the forefront of industry research and trends. The consultancy irm invests in continuous learning and professional development for its team of consultants. Katja Ruethemann herself just completed a Business Analyst course at Harvard University, ensuring her knowledge remains current and relevant. Looking ahead, Revstar is expanding globally, serving clients in Europe, Asia, Asia Paci ic, Australia, the Middle East. Its focus is not on being the largest consultancy but on being the industry's trusted leader. It prioritizes action and innovation, delivering exceptional services and transformative solutions to clients. Meeting the Unique Needs In today's unpredictable market situation, Revstar employs several strategies to engage clients and keep them motivated. Firstly, the consultancy irm adopts a personalized approach, understanding each client's unique needs, challenges, and goals. This tailored approach builds trust and fosters strong client relationships. Revstar prioritizes effective communication, keeping clients informed, involved, and giving them the inal say. Regular progress updates, data- driven insights, and transparent reporting contribute to client engagement and motivation. Additionally, Revstar provides actionable plans with measurable milestones, enabling clients to track progress and witness tangible results. This approach instils con idence and motivates clients to embrace change and pursue their commercial objectives. To sustain in the face of increased competition, Revstar focuses on delivering exceptional results and maintaining a stellar reputation in the industry. The consultancy irm prioritizes client satisfaction and consistently exceeds expectations through its expertise and personalized approach. Revstar also invests in building strong partnerships with clients, becoming their trusted advisors and long-term collaborators. By consistently delivering value and demonstrating a deep understanding of the evolving market dynamics, Revstar differentiates itself from competitors and secures its position as a reliable business consultancy partner. Overcoming Business Obstacles Like any consultancy irm, Revstar has faced various challenges along its journey. One notable challenge was the initial scepticism of some hoteliers regarding the value of business consultancy services. To overcome this, Revstar adopted an educational approach, organizing workshops, webinars, and knowledge-sharing sessions to demonstrate the tangible bene its of their consulting expertise. Another challenge it faced was the rapid advancement of technology in the hospitality industry. To overcome this, Revstar proactively explored superior technology solutions and gained a comprehensive understanding of the digital landscape. Revstar sourced 3-5 suppliers for each client, carefully selecting the best options based on their speci ic needs. This approach empowered it to guide clients through digital transformation and leverage technology's full potential to boost revenue growth. Revstar fully embraces technology to enhance service for its clients. It breaks down geographical barriers using cloud systems, allowing it to collaborate seamlessly with clients across various countries from the UK to New Zealand. When selecting systems, Revstar prioritizes those with open Cover Story The Education View January 2024 theman API addresses, reducing integration costs and facilitating connectivity between different platforms. It also chooses systems with robust support to minimize the need for additional IT personnel. In its analysis and reporting processes, Revstar utilizes advanced analytics software, revenue management systems, and Business Intelligence (BI) tools. This enables it to delve into individual bookings and perform in- depth data analysis, providing clients with actionable insights to optimize their commercial strategies effectively. By incorporating technology at every stage, it streamlines operations, improves ef iciency, and delivers enhanced solutions to its clients in the ever-evolving hospitality industry. Customized Business Approach The most important qualities of a successful business consultant are expertise and experience, adaptability and lexibility, communication and interpersonal skills, analytical and problem- solving abilities, and a results-oriented mindset. Revstar understands that every client is unique, with speci ic goals, challenges, and operating environments. To meet the diverse needs of its clients, it employs a customized approach to instruction. Its consultants invest time in comprehensively understanding each client's business, industry dynamics, and market positioning. Based on this in-depth understanding, Revstar tailors its training programs to address speci ic areas for improvement. Whether it's revenue management, sales techniques, or digital marketing strategies, its consultants customize instruction materials, case studies, and practical exercises to match the individual requirements of each client. As a business consultant, Revstar has achieved signi icant milestones and received recognition in the hospitality industry. Noteworthy achievements include generating a pro it of 2.2 million within the last six months through direct contributions, achieving an eight percent increase in ADR (Average Daily Rate) for a luxury hotel group without additional costs, improving a luxury boutique hotel's RevPar (Revenue per Available Room) ranking from 4th to 1st in its competitor set, facilitating advance payments of USD 500,000 for a partner to enhance cash low, and helping an Airbnb partner achieve a 22 percent revenue increase, surpassing one million in annual revenue. Revstar's success is evidenced by client recommendations and its commitment to underpromising and overdelivering. Strengthening the Roots in Global Market Looking ahead, Revstar is already established in Europe, Asia, Asia Paci ic, and Australia. It has now expanded its services to include clients in the Middle East. Its goal is not to be the biggest hospitality commercial consultant but rather to be recognized as the best and most trusted source in the industry. Revstar prioritizes action over empty promises. Revstar is committed to continuously exploring new technologies and improving its services for hotels. It will stay at the forefront of emerging trends and technologies in the hospitality industry. Its dedication to delivering excellent quality work and being a top advisor for hotel groups ensures that it remains cutting-edge, providing impactful and transformative solutions to its clients. Revstar as a Trustworthy Partner What sets Revstar apart is its deep domain expertise in the hospitality industry combined with a personalized and data- driven approach. Its consultants bring a wealth of experience from leading hotel brands and possess a comprehensive understanding of revenue management, reservations, and commercial strategy. Revstar's training methodology goes beyond generic concepts and theoretical frameworks. It focuses on practical implementation and provides clients with actionable plans and measurable outcomes. Its commitment to continuous learning and staying abreast of the latest industry research and trends allows it to offer up-to-date and relevant guidance. Moreover, Revstar's success is rooted in building strong relationships with clients and becoming their trusted partners in driving commercial success. It takes the time to understand clients' unique challenges and aspirations, tailoring its services to their speci ic needs. Revstar's dedication to achieving exceptional results and maintaining long-term client satisfaction sets it apart in the consultancy landscape. The Education View January 2024 Cover Story At Revstar, we understand that every client is unique, with specific goals, challenges, and opera ng environments. T H E Asia's Most Trusted Business Consultants to Follow JANUARY - Issue 01 Name of the Person Description Dr Hanane Benkhallouk Katja Ruethemann Prithvi Shergill Salma Al Zeairy Anastasia Ignatenko Founder, Revstar Pte. Ltd. Group CEO, Entomo Business Operations Consultant and Operations Manager CEO and Founder, Anastasiax Group Katja Ruethemann facilitates growth and profitability by combining revenue management, marketing strategies, and streamlined operations. Prithvi Shergill is one of those highly accomplished professionals with a wealth of experience in Human Resources (HR), Business Consulting, and Entrepreneurship. Salma Al Zeairy helps companies grow effectively by applying innovative strategies focusing on execution. Anastasia Ignatenko is a passionate, driven, and results-oriented female tech entrepreneur with 10+ years of experience in various business jargon. Dr Hanane Benkhallouk’s influence and expertise span continents, having worked with organizations and stakeholders in over 20 countries. Designation Executive Director, Sustain Leadership Management Consultancy Never Miss a Thing VIEW THE Center for Excellence S Subscribe to The Education View educationviewmagazine educationview2 educationviewmagazine The Education View Subscription theeducationview.com Email info@theeducationview.com Phone (614)-602-1754 Office Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Shergill Driving Growth through People-centric Solutions Prithvi 16 n today's fast-paced and I complex business environment, the role of business consultants has become increasingly crucial. Their expertise, objectivity, strategic guidance, and change management skills help organizations navigate uncertainties and drive growth. By leveraging the services of business consultants, companies can tap into external perspectives, optimize operations, and stay ahead of the competition. The partnership between businesses and consultants has become a powerful tool for success in the modern business landscape. Prithvi Shergill is one of those highly accomplished professionals with a wealth of experience in Human Resources (HR), Business Consulting, and Entrepreneurship. Prithvi's career journey has enabled him to work with diverse teams and shape solutions for organizations and individuals to reach their potential. His professional journey began when he realised that value gets created by combining purpose, people and pro iciency. Experiencing this in local and national leadership positions and international training with student associations such as AIESEC led him to join AT&T in 1990, where Prithvi worked in several HR roles across the USA, Philippines, India and then Singapore, which helped him understand how important it is for HR to be aligned with business objectives and ensure people practices create happiness. Voyage to Superiority Prithvi established a start- up called NetCel360/VSource between 2000-2002 and experienced the impact of business cycles on people. Working with Asia's leading telecommunications companies at SingTel, his mandate from 2002 was to transform HR service delivery, using technology and shared service models to impact organisational effectiveness and enable effective integration with joint venture companies. In 2004, Prithvi joined Accenture, progressing to be a partner, working closely with internal stakeholders to shape strategy and ensure execution, enhancing the maturity of policies, processes, practices and platforms impacting leadership, talent and culture. These served as the foundation of the growth engines for its businesses across technology, consulting and operations. His assignments in Accenture led him to work on a human capital strategy to ensure the ef iciency and effectiveness of business operations, value creation and people development in various contexts, cultures, and countries. Prithvi was then appointed Chief Human Resources Of icer at HCL Technologies in 2012, where he played a pivotal role in the reset of the talent strategy to re-energise the culture founded on the strategic intent of putting 'Employees First, Customers Second,' seeding, nurturing and harvesting ideapreneurship to multiply pro itability and innovation. His experience at HCL Technologies helped shape his experience and expertise on the need for systemic operating models and solutions, combining technology and talent. These experiences at different companies across countries have helped Prithvi develop a distinctive perspective on the opportunities HR and leaders have in engaging, enabling and empowering people to build their pro iciency and performance. After transitioning to be an entrepreneur, Prithvi established 'Tomorrow' with colleagues who had shared beliefs in the opportunity to refresh people management by stewarding digital transformation initiatives with an outcome orientation. Tomorrow merged with Entomo, where their expertise and experience were codi ied into a people experience platform that enterprises of tomorrow use to transform performance, talent and learning. Shaping Customized Business Solutions Prithvi Shergill has remained committed to investing in creating capacity, enhancing ability, capturing creativity, and driving change leading to growth. His career as a Special Feature I have remained committed to investing in creating capacity, enhancing ability, capturing creativity, and driving change leading to growth. Prithvi Shergill Group CEO, Entomo “ The Education View January 2024 I see purpose in partnering with people in the community to build capability, courage, and commitment to change how they perform, learn and grow. business consultant allows him to engage with multiple communities across cultures and countries to help companies and people become the best versions of themselves. His intentions, promises and actions are rooted in the belief that professional consultants should act as trusted advisors to their clients, demonstrating ownership to understand the context and shape customized solutions that translate strategy into action. He believes that success requires a deep understanding of the drivers of the client's business and culture and relationships that truly go beyond the contract. Delivering Desired Results with Empathy Prithvi Shergill emphasizes that the commitment to demonstrate 'Empathy,' apply 'Adaptability,' and build 'Relationships' are three of the most crucial personal qualities that have contributed to his success. By developing empathy, a leader can connect with stakeholders on a deeper level, understand their pain points, and create a working model that delivers desired results in a culture that is fostered by inclusivity, respect, and collaboration. In today's fast-paced business environment, change is constant, and leaders must be able to role model Adaptability in changing circumstances by remaining resilient, agile, and forward-thinking, thereby responding proactively to be future- ready. Finally, he sees building transparent relationships with employees, customers, and stakeholders as essential in inspiring trust, which is the fuel to have people commit to applying their abilities authentically. Prithvi Shergill believes in staying updated with the latest technology, trends, and research, and he achieves this by being curious about things that he does not know, have exposure to or experience with. To reach the right decisions, he demands it to be evidence-based and seeks data that can be translated into information and insight, which inspires the right action. He can often be seen seeking out time with people one-on-one to learn from them, attending industry conferences to learn from audiences he engages with, seeking responses and reactions to ideas on online forums, - and seeing 'networking' as building a mutually bene icial association. Keeping the Same Pace through Adversities Prithvi Shergill shared that one of the biggest challenges for professionals, including himself, remains co-creating enterprise-wide people enablement technology solutions whose value can be seen in their awareness, adoption, and assimilation to augment practices, processes and policies truly. Prithvi Shergill has been humbled to have represented his teams to receive several notable recognitions – some of the more memorable ones being the: • Asia Human Capital Summit Award from the Human Capital Leadership Institute and Ministry of Manpower in Singapore twice, with Accenture in 2009 and with HCL Technologies in 2015, honouring innovative people practices adopted by Asia- based organisations. • Stevie Award for Best Human Resources Department with Accenture in 2012 and for International Business with Entomo in 2021 and 2022. • Brandon Hall Awards for Talent Management with Accenture in 2012 and with Entomo in 2021 and 2022. • Forbes Award for HCL recognising it as one of the fastest growing companies in 2012 (which continued until 2017-18 with revenue increased from $4.9 billion to $8.6 billion, net income grew from $859 million to $1.5 billion, and EPS increased from $1.33 18 Exploring New Avenues Prithvi Shergill sees his purpose to partner with people in the community to build capability, courage, and commitment to change how they perform, learn and grow. He sees his career journey to date as the path that has opened opportunities to enable him to explore new avenues with teams and people across countries to shape answers for them to reach their potential. He is energised when answering what work needs to be done, who has the skills to do this work, and how the work should be done– by having fun while making the world a better place to live in! Prithvi Shergill always has a point of view and is always available to share it. The only advice he sees of value for those who listen to him is to learn from his mistakes. Each person has their own journey they are on and, more importantly, their own purpose and goals. Sometimes they have re lected and articulated these, sometimes, they are in the process, and sometimes, they have yet to start. He ensures he makes himself accessible to people wanting to exchange notes as they aspire to accelerate towards the milestones that re lect growth for them. His role when engaging clients is to ensure that the offerings that are represented to them consider re lecting solutions that will deliver the desired business outcomes and values that are important to them. These offerings are premised on an evolving point of view on the drivers of enterprise and employee performance and growth. to $2.32, representing growth of each of these metrics by approx. 175 per cent) and many others. More than the awards, the opportunity to share the experiences of the work he has stewarded with other leaders and teams at various events, as a member of the SHRM Think Tank or the Economic Times Advisory Council – and at educational institutions such as Harvard Business School, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore as well as many others, using case studies published to capture the learnings from his career journey has been most ful illing. During his tenure, entomo has been recognised with – • 2023 Gold Stevie Winner for Innovative use of Tech in HR – 2023 APAC Stevie Awards • HR Online Employee experience awards 2023 – Best Career Development Program • HRTech Awards – Best Talent Intelligence Award 2023 • ObserveNow Super30 HR Leaders Awards – Best HR Service Provider 2023 • Singapore Business Review Technology Excellence Award 2022 • Gold Stevie Award – Middle East and Africa Stevie Awards 2022 • Human Resources Online's HR Vendor of the Year Award 2021 • Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Award 2021 – Best Advance in Unique Talent Management Technology • Recognized as a 'Leader' in Winter 2023 G2 Awards Special Feature The Education View January 2024 T H E Salma Navigating the World of Business Operations Al Zeairy “ I feel so excited when I see the output of a small change that impact the business big time. Salma Al Zeairy , a seasoned Business Operations Consultant and Operations Manager has been at the forefront of this sector, providing invaluable insights and strategic guidance to her clients. Salma Al Zeairy is highly accomplished with profound expertise in the ield. She is currently associated with the esteemed organization, Business Operations Consultant , where she leverages her extensive experience to assist clients in various industries. Stepping into the Consulting Sector Salma says, " I think the challenge was the main trigger to my decision, exploring different ways of running the businesses, I wanted to expose myself to different models and different business methodologies ." With a background in pharmacy, Salma Al Zeairy embarked on her journey in the corporate world at the quality assurance department of Marico Ltd, one of the largest Fast- Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies. During her ive years in this role, she gained extensive experience in backend operation management and process design, implementation and development. Recognizing the importance of customer- facing operations, Salma transitioned to Kaya Skin Clinic, a service business under Marico Ltd. She took on the role of clinic manager, delving into the world of service industry operations. This experience marked her irst step into the service industry and ignited her passion for optimizing operational processes in diverse sectors. Emphasizing the same she shares, "In Business Operations generally and in the Dermatology market speci ically, there is a lot to experience every single day. If you look at the number of players in this market, you will ind plenty of players who provide unique services from a Dr led clinic to a multinational chain, each of them has its own target customers with their unique service providers, I wanted to invade this area and add/de ine a value chain at every step of their client journey ." As she progressed in her career, Salma sought to expand her knowledge and skills in different ields. She delved into the itness industry to further sharpen her operation management expertise, exploring cross- learning opportunities and applying her insights across industries. n today's ever-evolving I business landscape, the role of business operations consultants has become increasingly vital. These professionals help organizations optimize their processes, enhance ef iciency and drive growth. The role of operations consulting, or operations management, focuses on the improvement of operating models, internal operations and value chains of organizations. Operations consultants are responsible for initiating change and supporting clients to improve the productivity and effectiveness of their internal operations. They will usually conduct an audit of the current state of operations and then suggest ways in which the value chain can be enhanced. The importance of consultants in helping businesses identify new opportunities for growth, develop strategies for expansion and optimize operations to improve ef iciency and pro itability cannot be overstated. 20