The Art of Being a Good Business Leader (Part II)
Penny Webb, Familias and Company
What makes a good business leader? What skills, qualities and attributes help business leaders succeed? Penny Webb, Founder and Managing Director of Familias and Company, shares her insight into what qualities are needed to succeed as a business leader (Penny has consulted and coached 65% of the FTSE 100 CEOs, as well as executives across Europe, Middle East, Asia and the US).
- Create Alignment: Good leaders are able to ensure, on a continual basis, that every level of the organisation understands the strategy and their role in its execution. Penny says, “Often we ask employees, management, and board members to articulate the firm’s strategy and the lack of alignment in their responses is telling.”
- Appreciate Cultural Differences: Good leaders need to recognise that what works in the West doesn’t necessarily work in the East. They also understand the need to not impose their views on others. They tailor their messages and moreover, seek ways to learn from those who are different. “Think about the number of firms who have sought to invest or develop outside their home country? It doesn’t always work well,” Penny suggests. A leader must ensure that sufficient due diligence is done to assess a firm’s readiness to work and succeed in a different culture. Read more
Investing in China
Phil Groves, DAC Founding Partner
DAC is a privately held investment manager and advisor focused on special situation investments with an absolute return objective. DAC sources, values, and manages Asian investments including single and multi-credit non-performing loans, distressed real estate, and distressed equity and structured financings. The firm was founded in 2002 and currently manages more than $400 million (US) across two funds (22 investments), several separate accounts and numerous investment-specific engagements across five countries in Asia. It is considered to be the largest buyer of mainland non-performing loans, having bought more than 45,000 soured loans from mainland China lenders since its founding. Phil Groves, DAC’s founding partner, shares his insight on DAC and the overall investment state of China.
What is the State of China’s Economy?
Is it headed for a major correction? Eventually yes, but not for the next couple of years, due to the regime change and its unique economy. So nothing drastic will take place. The key is for the leadership to control social unrest by implementing sound economic policy. Also, keep track of the savings rate, which has been very high, in part due to a lack of investment alternatives for the average Chinese national. If it decreases, it will certainly impact domestic investment as well as China’s appetite for foreign sovereign debt.
Global Citizens 