Based on Lexmark Philippines, Lexmark Cebu’s Palacios named Outstanding Leader in Asia
Making Her Mark
Elena Palacios, Lexmark Cebu president and CEO, was named an Outstanding Leader in Asia for the 2020 Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability (ACES) Awards.
Organized by the MORS Group, ACES Awards recognize successful companies and individuals in Asia in two main domains: leadership and corporate social responsibility. As described by the MORS Group, the Outstanding Leader in Asia is presented to “exceptional leaders who have demonstrated sound leadership and successfully apply it to spearhead growth and prominence for the company. These individuals exhibit the ideal blend of business acumen, professionalism, entrepreneurial caliber, and astuteness.”
Palacios was among the leaders selected and asked by the MORS Group to provide an account of the company’s growth journey since she was appointed to her post in Lexmark Cebu.
Lexmark is a recognized world leader in innovative imaging, output technology solutions and managed print services. In 2018, Lexmark Research and Development Corporation (Lexmark Cebu) underwent a consolidation that merged the Cebu and Budapest shared service centers into one Global Business Services (GBS) unit. The new Cebu Competence Center (CCC) was tasked to manage process requests and global end-to-end processes.
Leading this charge, Palacios displayed exemplary leadership by successfully raising innovative productivity by achieving 162 closed continuous improvement projects and a cost savings of almost US$ 224,900 in 2019, while achieving the industry’s lowest staff attrition rates through employee development and internal hiring and succession.
She attributes her success to her world-class team, but acknowledges that ability to adapt and respond quickly to change, keeping regular and consistent communication with her team, leadership integrity and unerring commitment were key stabilizing factors through the turbulent times.
“In a still very hyper masculine world, being a woman leader means we need to work harder to make our voice heard. But through the years, I have looked into this as an opportunity to promote strengths of female leadership, diversity and inclusion. I believe that when you can be yourself at work, you can be more productive. In the twenty-first century, a good leader should promote diversity and equality, while constantly building relationships and taking smart risks.”
SOURCE Lexmark Philippines
