Tech billionaire, Dr. Andy Khawaja of Allied Wallet is delighted to have won the Most Innovative CEO of the Year 2017 – USA award. We were privileged to interview him to find out more about his hands-on approach to the firm’s work, as well as his profound insights into the importance of communicating and engaging with his staff.
How does it feel to be nominated as the Most Innovative CEO of the Year 2017 – USA?
To be nominated for the Most Innovative CEO of the Year 2017 – USA is a great honour and I believe it is very much based on my hard work and skills, so I am extremely thrilled and happy to receive this accolade.
What do you believe are the essential qualities for any CEO?
All CEO’s have a duty to do the job that every CEO in the world does, which is to be hands-on, communicate with your staff and be much more engaged with every department. In addition, you need to know what errors they have and how you can fix those, by working with them. Staff members cannot be yelled at, but any CEO should work with them and educated. You cannot hire a team and expect them to work miracles if you do not lead them well. CEO must be a leader who takes the team in the right direction, to ensure that they are a better candidate for the task in hand.
How did you become a CEO? What path did you take to become one?
I started as an employee and I saw the way that my superior managers handled the tasks and directed us. In this position for 16 or 17 years, I learned what the tasks are for a CEO running a company. I have seen some fail and others succeed, but I learned from life experience, rather than just from the books you study at school. If you don’t have the field experience, then it is a completely different ball game over here in the USA.
