“Great leaders inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more,” said John Quincy Adams, a testament to the profound impact of visionary leadership. Leaders with such values transcend the ordinary by fostering innovation, guiding their organizations with clarity, and embracing challenges as opportunities. Their ability to foresee trends and adapt strategies effectively makes them instrumental in shaping the future and driving success.
Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas epitomizes this visionary spirit with remarkable prowess. As the Director of Neva Consulting and Independent Non-Executive Director at Edenred PayTech and Alterfin, she has consistently demonstrated an exceptional capacity for strategic foresight and transformative leadership. Vanessa’s journey is a masterclass in leveraging visionary insights to navigate complex landscapes and elevate industry standards. Her dedication to continuous growth and innovation underscores her status as one of her most visionary leaders. Her forward-thinking approach and commitment to excellence influence her peers and the broader industry.
Intriguing Professional Journey
Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas began her professional journey with a strong educational foundation, studying law at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. There, she developed expertise in European, international, and corporate law. This academic experience proved pivotal in her career. After obtaining her law degree, Vanessa gained diverse experience in various roles, including as a lawyer, manager, and employee of a European association and a public company.
She eventually transitioned to the financial sector and held several management positions. These roles allowed her to lead teams, drive operational efficiencies, and implement strategic initiatives. Her interest in integrity and corporate governance deepened during this period, leading her to pursue a certification as a compliance officer in 2019. This credential significantly enhanced her understanding of regulatory compliance, risk management, and ethical standards essential for financial institutions.
In 2019, Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas started her consulting firm, leveraging her extensive experience. She quickly secured prestigious clients, such as The Hartford, Bank of New York, and Euroclear, and worked on high-stakes transactions, which sparked her interest in mergers and acquisitions. She subsequently obtained a certification in this field. In 2022, Vanessa pursued a certification as a director in the financial sector, gaining deeper insights into board responsibilities and corporate governance practices. This extensive experience and training culminated in her current role as the owner of a consultancy specializing in legal, compliance, and leadership advisory. Additionally, she serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director for Edenered PayTech and Alterfin, where she applies her comprehensive skill set.
About Neva Consulting
In 2019, Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas founded Neva Consulting, a consultancy that stands out by addressing legal and regulatory challenges in the financial sector. The company offers three primary services: legal advice, compliance advice, and leadership guidance. Neva Consulting provides legal counsel on corporate governance, financial law, corporate law, data protection, and leadership coaching to help financial institutions navigate complex challenges. The firm’s unique approach combines legal and compliance advice with leadership coaching, distinguishing it from other consultancies that often specialize in only one segment of the financial sector.
The cornerstone of Neva Consulting’s offerings is compliance, particularly the stringent regulations for financial institutions within the European Union. The firm ensures adherence to financial regulations, corporate governance standards, and ethical conduct, focusing on effective corporate governance, preventing conflicts of interest, and maintaining integrity within management and staff. Additionally, Neva Consulting emphasizes the importance of leadership styles centered on integrity and ethics, recognizing that sustainable success in the financial sector requires robust and analytical leadership.
This holistic approach has enabled Vanessa and Neva Consulting to work with various segments of the financial industry, including insurance, banking, clearing, and pay tech, providing comprehensive solutions that are both legally sound and ethically robust. Through its unique combination of services, Neva Consulting offers a comprehensive, integrated approach to addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by financial institutions, setting it apart from other consultancies in the market.
Leadership Philosophy
Vanessa’s leadership style is rooted in principles of transparency, integrity, and respect, as well as deeply personal values and is consistently reflected in her professional conduct.
Transparency is fundamental to her leadership approach. Vanessa believes that open communication is essential for ensuring teams are well-informed about goals and challenges. By sharing information openly, she creates an atmosphere of trust and inclusiveness, where everyone feels involved and understands how their work contributes to the larger mission.
Integrity is at the heart of Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas’s leadership philosophy. She leads by example, consistently demonstrating honesty, ethical behavior, and accountability. This commitment to integrity is significant in her interim management roles, where she temporarily takes on management positions and strives to instill these values in every new environment.
Respect is another cornerstone of Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas’s leadership style. She values her team’s diverse perspectives and skills, recognizing that these differences bring added value. She fosters an environment where people feel valued and motivated by genuinely respecting everyone’s ideas and contributions. Vanessa firmly believes that the people involved are at the core of every successful endeavor, and she is dedicated to creating a supportive and respectful workplace culture.
Challenges and Lifelong Learnings
One of the biggest lessons Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas has learned throughout her journey is that nothing is ever final. She believes that continuous development and growth are crucial, personally and professionally. This mindset counters the notion that achieving a degree or securing a particular job marks the end of one’s evolution. Vanessa emphasizes the importance of never becoming complacent and always striving for improvement. She has applied this philosophy by constantly developing new skills, expanding her knowledge through education, training, and workshops, and staying updated with industry trends. She engages with peers to learn and grow, firmly convinced that stagnation leads to falling behind.
This approach has also shaped the evolution of Neva Consulting. Initially focused on interim management roles, such as Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, Vanessa has successfully expanded Neva Consulting’s services to advising companies on specific issues and coaching professionals. She continually seeks new growth opportunities, ensuring that both she and her consultancy evolve to meet the changing needs of the industry.
Embracing Technology
Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas views technology as a critical component of the financial sector. She recognizes the profound influence of digital transformation within the financial industry, where she predominantly operates. Vanessa observes that the financial sector is already experiencing significant changes due to digitalization, particularly in back-office operations. The rise of newcomers leveraging emerging technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence, and fintech presents opportunities and challenges.
While these innovations enhance efficiency and customer experience, they also introduce cybersecurity threats, making robust cybersecurity measures essential to protect sensitive financial data and maintain client trust.
Data protection is another significant challenge as financial institutions handle increasing client information. Maintaining data security is crucial for preserving trust in the sector. Despite these challenges, integrating user-friendly digital solutions offers substantial benefits, such as improved customer experience and personalized services.
Vanessa acknowledges that integrating new technologies into existing legacy infrastructures is a complex and costly process, posing significant risks for financial institutions. However, she believes embracing digital transformation is the only viable path to meeting clients’ evolving demands and staying competitive.
Mentorship Value
Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas firmly believes in the importance of mentorship within an organization. She views mentorship as essential because everyone needs trusted individuals with experience to whom they can turn. For Vanessa, mentorship is a natural and spontaneous process. She mentors different clients, often responding to those who reach out to her for guidance.
Vanessa considers mentorship a way of giving back to society and appreciating the good things that have come her way. She emphasizes that mentorship is not a one-way street; it provides value to both the mentor and the mentee. Mentees bring their perspectives, questions, and insights, from which mentors can learn. This exchange of knowledge and experience enriches both parties, making mentorship a worthwhile investment for any organization.
Sources of Inspiration
Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas attributes her ability to overcome challenges and continue striving for excellence to maintain a balanced life. She believes having diverse interests and pursuits outside of work is essential for sustained motivation and success. Her family plays a significant role in her life. Vanessa is married with wonderful children and finds great joy and inspiration from her family. Additionally, she loves traveling, which allows her to step out of her usual environment, gain new perspectives, and find inspiration for new ideas and business opportunities.
Vanessa also engages in activities that help her de-stress and refocus. She plays the piano and takes weekly lessons, which require concentration and provide a mental break from work. Similarly, she plays tennis once a week, which is a healthy way to disconnect from daily responsibilities.
Staying Ahead
Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas attributes her ability to stay ahead in a constantly evolving market to her innate curiosity and proactive approach to learning. She is motivated by the desire to discover and understand new things. Each year, Vanessa participates in various training programs to stay updated with the latest developments in her field.
In addition to formal training, Vanessa is an avid reader. She values reading diverse perspectives to gain a well-rounded understanding of emerging trends and industry shifts. This habit of continuous learning allows her to anticipate changes rather than merely react to them, reducing the risk of being overwhelmed by unexpected developments.
By actively seeking knowledge and staying informed, Vanessa ensures she is well-prepared to lead her organization through the ever-changing market. This proactive and curious approach is key to her success as a leader, enabling her to maintain a competitive edge and effectively guide her team through challenges and opportunities.
Future Aspirations
Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas has clear aspirations for her company, Neva Consulting, over the next 5 to 10 years. She aims to continue developing the consultancy’s work, in the area of interim management missions and providing more advisory services to companies. Vanessa is committed to ensuring her company remains valuable and finds new business opportunities continuously.
Additionally, she plans to expand her role as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Over the past two years, she has secured mandates with Alterfin, an organization specializing in microfinance, and Edenred PayTech, the paytech arm of the French-listed company Edenred. Leveraging her expertise in financial law, corporate governance, and leadership, Vanessa seeks to take on more of these roles in the future. Moreover, Vanessa has recently begun offering more guidance and insights through professional coaching, which has been well-received. She intends to focus on and grow this aspect of her services in the coming years.
Advice for Aspiring Leaders
Vanessa offers valuable advice for the new generation of aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders. She emphasizes the importance of starting with a solid educational background. Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas advises young leaders to find an area of interest and obtain relevant degrees and certifications to build a strong foundation. She believes education is the groundwork for individuals to understand more complex issues and develop critical thinking skills.
Once the educational foundation is set, Vanessa stresses the importance of gaining hands-on experience. Real-world experience allows young professionals to understand the practical application of their studies, build connections, and develop essential skills such as analysis, problem-solving, and decision-making. She highlights the importance of choosing the right place to start their career, one that adds value to their professional growth and offers substantial learning opportunities.
Vanessa encourages young leaders never to settle, to seek knowledge continuously, and to stay informed. She believes constant learning and adaptation are crucial in today’s dynamic world, where everything constantly evolves. Vanessa finds beauty in the ever-changing nature of industries, as it keeps the work exciting and engaging. Vanessa also offers the key advice of investing in oneself. She believes that self-investment, whether through intellectual pursuits, courses, or personal development activities like sports, is the best investment one can make. It remains valuable regardless of external circumstances and contributes significantly to personal and professional growth.
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“Vanessa Galhardo-Galhetas’s leadership style is rooted in principles of transparency, integrity, and respect, as well as deeply personal values and is consistently reflected in her professional conduct.”
