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Forbes
26-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Control What You Can: A Blueprint For Thriving As A Legacy Company
Scott Murphy, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jewelers Mutual®. While tradition and heritage are valuable assets for legacy companies, they can sometimes create a false sense of security in the face of rapid change. Technological change and evolving customer expectations are irresistible forces that, if you are not careful, can easily overwhelm your company's infrastructure in a matter of months. If you lead an established company, you likely already feel the strain between preserving what works and staying relevant. I have experienced this firsthand at my company, which has more than 100 years of history, and I have learned that staying still is not an option. Our transformation has included digitizing core processes, acquiring new businesses, and reimagining how we support customers and partners across our industry. These are all tried and true practices, but what makes them effective strategies in managing change is how you execute them: with a proactive approach and a belief that change can help you maximize your success instead of toppling it. Creating A Blueprint For Change-Management Here are four actionable strategies I recommend to other legacy business leaders looking to drive growth while honoring their company's roots: Resistance to change is often your biggest internal threat. I have found that success in overcoming it starts with how you communicate change. For example, our company began tying every change initiative to a customer outcome and ensured all levels of leadership could clearly explain the "why" behind the initiative. We also made it a habit to involve employees early through ideation sessions and to provide regular updates. Celebrate your progress often, even small wins—it helps build momentum and normalize innovation. Legacy companies typically have the resources and trust to lead disruption—but you must be willing to rethink even your most successful offerings. We recognized the need to modernize jewelry insurance at the point of sale, which led us to develop a mobile app. It was a bold shift from traditional models, but the decision to act proactively—before our customers demanded it—gave us a competitive edge. Ask yourself: What part of your business are you afraid to touch? That is often where innovation needs to happen most. Many organizations collect customer feedback, but the differentiator lies in how effectively that feedback is synthesized and acted upon. By combining usage trends from your various touchpoints (such as your website and mobile app) with data from service centers and post-interaction surveys, you can identify friction points and iterate quickly. For example, we implemented a unified customer data platform that allows us to proactively resolve service pain points, improve digital self-service functionality and strengthen omnichannel support. These insights have informed product enhancements and led to measurable improvements in engagement and satisfaction. I encourage you to invest in tools that centralize and surface feedback, whether they be a CRM system or custom dashboard. More importantly, empower your teams to act on what they learn. I have found that true personalization is not about having more data—it is about using that data to show customers you are listening and can meet them where they are. Build influence, create space for innovation, communicate your progress effectively, and empower your teams to do the same. In my experience, focusing on what can be controlled—and not letting things outside of that control paralyze your progress—is key. Establish a framework that empowers employees at every level to take ownership of ideas and drive initiatives forward. Look for technology solutions that generate measurable ROI, such as reducing manual processes through automation and digitization. I also recommend investing in self-service tools and streamlined digital platforms that directly support customer experience and business growth. This kind of proactive mindset can not only accelerate progress but also build organizational confidence and support a culture where innovation is continuous and sustainable. The Advantages Of Embracing Change By prioritizing continuous adaptation, you can regularly assess and adapt your business processes, product offerings and customer engagement strategies. You can also foster stronger, more long-term customer relationships. With expertly tailored personalized communication and a commitment to customer satisfaction, these relationships can feel more valuable to the customers they are meant to serve. Conclusion Legacy companies often have strengths that younger organizations do not, including history, trust and a strong foundation. I have seen how honoring our past while building boldly toward the future can be a winning combination. If you pair that foundation with a customer-first mindset, the right tools and a willingness to challenge assumptions, your legacy can not only survive, but thrive. Change is inevitable. Growth is optional. Choose to grow. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Entrepreneur
18-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Honasa, Pocket Entertainment, and Slikk Announce Key Appointments
Honasa names Yatish Bhargava as Chief Business Officer, Pocket Entertainment promotes Umesh Bude to CTO, and Slikk appoints Sachin Kataria to lead its Beauty and Personal Care vertical. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Honasa Consumer Appoints Yatish Bhargava as Chief Business Officer Honasa Consumer, the parent company of popular beauty and personal care brands like Mamaearth and The Derma Co., has named Yatish Bhargava as its new Chief Business Officer. In his new role, Bhargava will lead business operations across Honasa's brand portfolio and sales channels, with a focus on strengthening category leadership and driving omnichannel growth. Bhargava brings with him extensive experience from senior roles at Flipkart and Hindustan Unilever, where he led initiatives across general trade, modern retail, and ecommerce. He holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow. "With a strong track record in P&L management, GTM strategy, and execution, Yatish brings the right balance of strategic insight and operational rigour needed for this phase of our journey," said Varun Alagh, Co-founder and CEO of Honasa Consumer. Bhargava's appointment comes after the resignation of former CBO Zairus Master in February. The company recently restructured its leadership team, elevating Karan Bajwa as Chief Human Resources Officer and Avinash Dhagat as Chief Supply Chain Officer. In Q4 FY25, Honasa reported a net profit of Rs 24.9 crore, an 18% decline from the previous year. However, its revenue rose 13% year-on-year to INR 533.5 crore. Pocket Entertainment Elevates Umesh Bude to CTO AI storytelling leader Pocket Entertainment, the parent company of Pocket FM, Pocket Toons, and Pocket Novel, has announced the promotion of Umesh Bude to Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Formerly the Senior Vice President of Engineering, Bude will now oversee the company's overarching technology strategy as it deepens its commitment to AI-powered storytelling. In his new role, Bude will lead innovation across all platforms, focusing on building immersive, AI-enhanced user experiences and driving the company's vision of turning technology into an active storytelling partner. "It's a privilege to take on this responsibility at such an exciting time for Pocket Entertainment," said Bude. "I look forward to driving the next wave of innovation, where technology and AI are not just enablers, but storytellers in their own right." With nearly 20 years of experience in engineering, data science, and platform security, Bude has played a crucial role in scaling the company's tech infrastructure from the ground up. His promotion reflects Pocket Entertainment's growing emphasis on fusing technology with creativity. "We are at a pivotal moment in our journey where technology and creativity are deeply intertwined," said Prateek Dixit, Co-founder of Pocket Entertainment. "Umesh's elevation is a reflection of our ambition to lead this transformation from the front. His leadership will be central to creating intelligent, emotionally aware experiences that push the boundaries of what storytelling can be." Bude will continue reporting to Dixit as he leads the development of next-gen AI capabilities, ensuring Pocket Entertainment remains at the forefront of responsible and transformative innovations in entertainment technology. Slikk Appoints Sachin Kataria to Lead Beauty and Personal Care Vertical Gen Z-focused quick commerce platform Slikk has announced the appointment of Sachin Kataria as Head of Beauty and Personal Care (BPC), marking a major milestone in its expansion into the beauty and wellness space. With over 17 years of experience, Kataria will lead Slikk's newest vertical as part of the Founder's Office. A former Vice President at Nykaa, Kataria brings deep domain knowledge in beauty, personal care, and consumer tech. "I've always believed that beauty is deeply personal—but it's also rapidly evolving," said Kataria. "Slikk's model offers a unique opportunity to reimagine how beauty can be discovered, experienced, and delivered. I'm excited to build this vertical from the ground up." Founded in 2024 by Akshay Gulati, Om Prakash Swami, and Bipin Singh, Slikk delivers fashion and lifestyle products within 60 minutes across Bengaluru. The company is now eyeing beauty and self-care as key growth engines. "Sachin's depth of experience in building and scaling consumer businesses makes him the ideal leader to build our beauty and personal care vertical," said Co-founder Akshay Gulati. "This is a key milestone in accelerating our vision to become India's fastest and most reliable lifestyle marketplace." Backed by USD 10 million in Series A funding led by Nexus Venture Partners, Slikk aims to offer high-performance beauty assortments, strategic brand tie-ups, and seamless quick-commerce experiences for India's next-gen consumers.
Irish Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Aviva chair appointed president of the Institute of Directors
Aviva Life and Pensions chairwoman Helen Nolan has been appointed president of the Institute of Directors (IoD). IoD, which is the membership body for directors and business leaders, made the announcement at its annual general meeting on Tuesday. Ms Nolan replaces John Reynolds who has held the position for the last two years. Ms Nolan is also a non-executive director of US-listed fresh produce company Dole and of Companjon Insurance, where she chairs the audit committee. READ MORE A KPMG-trained chartered accountant, she has held several senior roles with Bank of Ireland, including group secretary, group chief internal auditor, and divisional finance officer for the capital markets division. 'As the commitment of being a director and business leader evolves and expands, with technological advances driving transformational changes in businesses, IoD will be there to support the needs and concerns of its members,' said Ms Nolan. 'Our ambition is for Ireland to be considered an exemplar of corporate governance. We will continue to instil stakeholder trust and confidence in organisations by educating, informing, and supporting directors and business leaders. 'I would also like to acknowledge former president John Reynolds for his leadership and commitment to IoD Ireland over the last two years. 'I look forward to working with the IoD executive and council in supporting our members while we deliver what directors need to lead in times of ceaseless change. 'By championing innovation, lifelong learning, and good governance we can help shape a dynamic future of Irish business from the inside out.' Mr Reynolds said: 'I would like to express my appreciation of the work and commitment of each of the members of our council and executive during my tenure as president. 'I am delighted to pass on the baton to Helen and watch IoD Ireland continue to go from strength to strength.'
