Richard Shibi, EMEA Regional Director and Advisor to the Board, OpenLegacy and HCS
Richard Shibi graduated twice from London, once in Computer Science from the University of Hertfordshire and once with an MBA from Imperial College Business School. Since then, Richard is very keen on the bleeding edge of technologies, including AI, IoT, AR/VR, DLT, Blockchain and industry 4.0.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
LinkedIn. I met the brightest minds on this platform, and I continue to develop a very strong presence there, where mutual value is constantly created.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
I am involved in a few start-ups right now:
OpenLegacy: An innovative platform to help big corporations to decompose complex monolithic systems.
OVR: Virtual Reality platform based on Blockchain technology to revolutionize the way in which developers, end-users and advertisers interact with one another
Olyseum: A blockchain-based platform created by computer scientists, football world champions and ethical hackers in order to redefine how celebrities engage with their fans.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
It is constantly changing, very dynamic and very exciting. There is something new to learn every day; it's never boring, it's never constant, it's never stable. I constantly stretch technologies to their limits. If we are too stable, it looks like we are not innovative enough.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
The truth is never black or white, and it lies somewhere in one of the shades of grey; it is all about perspective. You can't solve a problem with the same thinking that created it.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
My hunger for success, the competition with myself, the perfectionism I developed over the years, and my passion for what I do.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
A large contribution I made to one charity foundation.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
I travel a lot, and I believe that meeting face to face is very important. However, since COVID hit the globe, things seem to be slowly changing, and people are getting more open-minded to virtually meet online.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
Adaptability, passion for learning something new, competitiveness.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
Be good enough for opportunities to chase you. Grow your skills, gain recognition, and it's absolutely fine to change your job after five years.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
Nikola Tesla was different, approached problems in a very different non-traditional way. Yes, sometimes maybe he was too crazy or maybe too creative, but I surely admire that.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
I try my best to be physically active, so I frequently visit the gym, hike in the mountains, run away to the seaside and spend as much time in nature and away from my laptop (although that is a huge challenge for me).
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
In the beginning, it had a negative effect. Still, I learned how to turn around situations and circumstances, so I adopted my strategies and value proposition accordingly and focused mostly on digitization. As a result, this area grew substantially during the last two years.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
I never got a job in any company unless I believed that my boss would be my next best mentor and someone who would lift me up, so yes, I had quite a few mentors in my life.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
My advice to all employees is, don't get a job for the sake of salary, this you will get pretty much from any job. However, try your best to find your next mentor who can help you move to the next stage in your career.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
They are not passionate enough about what they do. They are short term focused and not visionary enough to see a few years down the road.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
If opportunity does not knock on your door, make sure to build one. Basically, never complain; always search inside and look at yourself. There might be nothing wrong with this world; we might need to change ourselves first.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
Elon Musk is as a creative person as Nikola Tesla, and he challenges the status quo.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
Success is a journey, and it's not a destination. If you are truly passionate about what you do, you will always thrive to do more, contribute more, and you will always be hungry for the next level. My advice is for people to do what they love, enjoy and feel passionate about. This way, they don't go to work one single day in their life.