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What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
About two months ago , the EU announced that it will be rolling out its ‘ Digital Identity Wallet ’ – the EUid – which means that every citizen will be given access to a so-called digital wallet , where their identity data will be stored . Apparently , all European countries will see this come into force in just under a year .
In addition to electronic signatures , documents such as birth and marriage certificates or driving licences will also be stored in the digital wallet in the future . An EUid would streamline our administrative lives – such as changing an address to tax returns and accessing council and health services . This will revolutionise how citizens interact with local authorities and businesses , as well as tightening security on our personal data . It will also vastly improve user experience across typically bureaucratic and onerous tasks .
As one of the European market leaders in the field of digital identification , IDnow is working on our own solution for digital wallets to provide people with a product that not only offers bestin-class security but also a great and easy to handle user experience .
If you could go back and change one career decision what would it be ?
This is a tough question as I ’ m very happy with my career choice and the progression I ’ ve made . I have spent a long time consulting which has enabled me to gain a lot of valuable and diverse experiences across various industries . I ’ ve been able to learn from a lot of people and acquire skills which has enabled me to shape and grow IDnow ’ s business in a very short timeframe . I also had two children during my career which has also contributed to my role as an ‘ operations officer ’. Anyone can tell you that becoming a parent while pursuing a career is a juggling act ! If I had to change one career decision , it would probably be to not rely as heavily and solely on my psychology studies but dedicate more time to the economics of business and life – maybe even embarking on an MBA .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry ?
Operations is a complicated role as you have to earmark every aspect of the business in order for it to succeed . If things are not running well , it ’ s your responsibility to find a solution and this is why knowing about project management is vital . Because of this , you need a lot of experience in this position .
This job is not just about steering the ship , but about entrusting your teams to help propel the ship towards meeting business goals . Without the right teams , you will struggle and without strong leadership , you will sink .
What behaviour or personality trait do you most attribute your success to , and why ?
When taking on the job of an operations manager , you will be met with resistance to any changes within the company . This has meant that I ’ ve become very resilient and highly persistent to see things through . I ’ ve been able to adapt my communication skills and continue to positively challenge any barriers to implementing change . These abilities and especially flexibility is key to not only survive but be successful in a fast and ever-changing environment .
What ’ s your go-to productivity trick ?
Knowing how to project manage is the best productivity skill you can ever acquire in my role / in operations . This is because most activities are based on day-to-day problem solving in unique situations . Therefore , knowing how to resolve these comes down to knowing how to assign responsibilities to the right teams and people .
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months ?
Becoming a C-suite executive was challenging , especially in the beginning . But as a former consultant , I know the best work I did was as part of a team , using asynchronous tools and being left to work independently when needed . This is the most effective way to get the most out of your teams so it ’ s what I ’ ve applied to IDnow .
Now we ’ re ready to grow , particularly as we ’ ve acquired French identity technology provider , ARIADNEXT , as well as German , identity Trust Management AG . Together with the EUid mentioned above , these acquisitions are going to be the things that drive us as a company . x
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