A qualified chartered accountant, Emrie Brown is RMB’s first female CEO. Last week, Financial Minds Magazine caught up with her to find out how fulfilling her role has been since our last interview.
What has stood out for you in your job over the last two years?
It has been a whirlwind. I see the pride people have in the brand and the belief they have in its strength. It is good when people feel pride working for RMB. I have enjoyed speaking to people who are proud to be part of the organisation and have the hunger and drive to work for its success.
I have also been getting involved in broader Africa and even if we may still have a small presence in certain countries, it is lovely to see people who are passionate about building something and leaving a legacy for future generations. I firmly believe companies are successful when their people have something that unites them. I have been at RMB for 23 years because I have always loved what I do.
Big organisations risk complacency and mediocrity and therefore it is quite pleasing to see people showing up with an energy that permeates the entire organisation. They are show up in a way that differentiates us from [other companies in our sector].
This year is also the year that we got to articulate our purpose [To empower our people and clients to be exceptional together for all to thrive]. Vision and ambition are one thing but purpose is all about why you exist as an entity and that has stood out for me over the last 18 months.
What life lessons have you gleaned recently?
Life lessons have been about building resilience. We often have set backs as an organisation and as a country through such things as loadshedding which are significant challenges. It is those that invest in replenishing their resources and build resilience who thrive. It is during tough times that you should not lose focus and should seek things that keep you motivated.
Among lessons I have learnt is that relationships are important; we need to stay close to those that can support us through tough times. You should also not lose your sense of humour in business because if applied appropriately, humour can help you cope better through difficult times.
Looking at our new brand identity [RMB logo introduced subtle use of orange], we are ‘working on sunshine’ which reflects the power of a positive mindset. I am a firm believer in the power of human connection and I made the unpopular decision of asking our staff to come to the office four times a week. We need something that binds us together and this is lost if our interactions are limited to looking at a screen. Innovation and creativity are sparked when we are working together.
Finally, how has the business performed lately?
We have performed well in spite of stiff competition. Competition is good as it brings out the best in us. It makes us think of what really differentiates us. We work around the idea of ‘One RMB’ which is based on teamwork because, [as Aristotle said], the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Another quote I have come to love this year is Peter Drucker’s statement – ‘strategy is a commodity; execution is an art’. I repeatedly emphasise that the success of our strategy is wholly dependent on how well we execute it.
