AMER RASUL, CPA, CA, MBA, Corporate Financial Advisor, Toronto, ON
AMER RASUL
Almost every great leader owes much of his or her success to the contributions of a supportive team. Andrew Jackson had his “kitchen cabinet.” Abraham Lincoln drew advice from his “team of rivals.”
But teams are only as good as the talent that populates them. There also needs to be a willingness from top leadership to incorporate their contributions and nurture a team based approach.
For Toronto financial professional Amer Rasul, this emphasis on encouraging a “team culture” is a major part of the principles he looks for in a company.
“I value companies that prioritize creating a team-driven culture in which new ideas are given a full hearing, and they’re not afraid to put them to the test,” Rasul says.
Across his quarter-century career as a CPA and Financial Advisor, Amer Rasul has created and coordinated diverse teams that spearhead innovative initiatives and accelerate transformational change within organizations. His success is based in large part on his exceptional interpersonal skills, and the value he places upon clear communication and transparency.
Rasul’s trust in the dynamism of a team-centered strategic vision has made a huge impact.
“CEOs and CFOs rely deeply on financial professionals who are strategic thinkers, capable of providing insights that drive the business forward. They require the translation of complex financial data into actionable strategies that manage risk effectively and foster stakeholder confidence.”
Working collaboratively, Rasul led more than 40 merger and acquisition initiatives as a Finance Executive with Altus Group Ltd, a leading global software and real estate consulting service. None of this could have been accomplished, Rasul says, without building effective teams that worked together to encourage innovation, question existing processes, and challenge the status quo to achieve important organizational goals.
“I define transformational change as a comprehensive shift in a company or industry's operations, culture, and mindset that fundamentally alters its trajectory,” explains Rasul. “It's about adopting innovative approaches that disrupt traditional methods, leading to substantial improvements in performance, efficiency and competitiveness.”
Rasul believes that the courage to focus on and allow for transformations like this are key to the long-term success of a business. Without continually questioning the traditional ways of doing things, large organizations become sclerotic. Rather than gathering momentum, they become mired in inertia. Soon, a bureaucratic mindset takes over, a view that protecting the administrative structure is the most important goal of the organization.
There is a word for companies that fall into this trap: dinosaurs. And there is a whole alphabet of examples, from IBM and GM to GE, CDW and MCI.
Not surprisingly, Amer Rasul’s approach to business transformation is methodical. “Upon joining a new company, I prioritize understanding its culture, strategic goals, and financial health,” he says. “I meet with key leaders to establish rapport and assess the existing financial processes and systems, identifying immediate areas for improvement.”
After that, Rasul works to build dynamic teams that are able to look under the hood of the organization, paying attention to central aspects of business success. These can include operational and budget planning, data analytics, investor and analyst communication, capital structure organization, and much more.
Creating well-functioning teams is more art than science. For Rasul, the essential ingredient is a diversity of perspectives. In order to maximize the team’s efficiency, Rasul prioritizes strong but flexible leadership, coordination and clear communication.
“I believe in leading by example, fostering a culture where every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute their best ideas. It’s crucial to maintain open lines of communication and to drive decisions based on data and strategic objectives.”
Rasul encourages his teams to set high goals for themselves. When his teams are consistently outperforming their stated goals, they are noticed and empowered within the organization, and they become key components of the company’s future success. When transformational teams are given this kind of agency, the quiet revolution can begin.
Ellen Posner has spent over a decade in the field of news and media,
covering everything from business to pop culture and more.
Her passion for writing comes from asking the big questions that get to
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