Antoine Rostand is the CEO of Kayrros. Antoine Rostand is a thought leader, influencer, visionary, and successful entrepreneur. Antoine provides the leadership and energy that has inspired the creation of Kayrros. Antoine Rostand joins other leading CEOs and Founders taking part in our Leader Roundtable Interview Series. The DotCom Magazine editorial team has recently awarded Kayrros with our Impact Company of 2019 award. We are delighted to have Antoine join us for our Leader Roundtable Interview and our popular “speed round” as well.
Antoine, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy day for this interview about your company, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
1. What is the “elevator pitch” for Kayrros?
Kayrros leverages cutting-edge technologies, particularly satellite imagery and artificial intelligence, to provide an innovative technological platform for asset observation. First we applied this vision to the energy market, and are now expanding to observe any large physical asset across the globe.
2. What is the key to your company’s success?
The key to our company’s success is technology and industry expertise. It’s a combination of the tech side—artificial intelligence, big data, satellite imagery and machine-learning algorithms—with a deep understanding and expertise in the assets that we are covering, such as ships, oilfields, dams and power plants.
3. Many of our readers are just starting to build a company. What advice can you give entrepreneurs just starting out with a new venture?
Be ready for a tough ride. And for that, make sure that you have good people around you to offer support, both on the personal and business sides.
4. For other entrepreneurs seeking to build a business as successful as yours, what advice can you give them when times get a little challenging?
First, never forget where you want to go. Then, adapt to the circumstances. In rough weather, if you don’t know where you want to go, you will probably sink. The winds and currents may change, and you need to navigate what’s in front of you, but also know where you want to end up.
5. How important is the commitment to client satisfaction at Kayrros, and how do you make sure your customers will become raving fans of your company?
If you don’t have customers, you don’t have a company. It’s absolutely the basis of any successful business, whether it’s a startup or big company. The goal is to make sure that the clients not only use the technology, but are also happy with the solutions; the product must be easy to use while fitting clients’ needs.
6. In today’s fast changing business environment, how do you stay abreast of things?
Talking to customers, talking to technology providers, and connecting to the whole ecosystem of the business. Reading, talking, and listening. It’s about being open to the world.
7. What is your “Why”? Why do you get up in the morning, and how do you keep yourself at peak performance to lead Kayrros?
The world today is often driven by sentiment and social networks rather than rationality. My “why” is to bring rationality into business and policy decisions, and particularly around climate change. It’s by knowing and observing, and having access to the real data, that we can take the right decisions. The “why” is to bring rationality to world affairs.
8. Can you recommend a book that has had an influence in your career? How did it influence you?
L’art de la guerre (The Art of War) by Sun Tzu. The book argues is that the objective of war is to force the enemy to stop fighting; and to do so, if possible, without fighting. It’s the idea that if you’re well-positioned and prepared, everything will be happen according to plan. What’s important is to organize your success, and success will come.
9. When communicating with your staff, can you tell us the most important thing you do so that they are able to carry out the objectives that you set forth at Kayrros?
The most important thing that I do is to not interfere in their jobs. We need to push people to be as autonomous as they can—this is how you can grow a business quickly.
10. Can you explain what leadership means to you?
Leading. That’s it. The more you think about it, the less you are a leader.
We would like to have some fun and do a “speed round” with you! We will ask you ten more questions that we want you to answer in just one to three words only.
Here you go!
1. In three words or less, what makes a successful CEO?
Vision and execution.
2. Describe your business in one word?
Technology.
3. Describe your customers in one word?
Decisionmakers.
4. What one attribute do you look for when hiring an employee?
Autonomy.
5. What is the one word you want your customers to say about your company?
Excellence.
6. In three words or less, describe your passion?
Adrenaline.
7. In three words or less, describe what it takes to be successful?
Fearlessness, ambition, humility.
8. In three words or less, describe your first year in business at Kayrros?
Rough.
9. In three words or less, describe how running a successful company has changed you?
Three words: I don’t know.
10. What is the one word that you believe has the most power in the English language?
Love.
Antoine Rostand, thank you so much for sitting down with us for our DotCom Magazine Leader Roundtable Interview Series. We very much appreciate the time you spent helping our readers learn more about what it takes to be a leader. We wish you, your family, and of course Kayrros, nothing but the best. Thanks again!
Antoine Rostand, CEO of Kayrros, The Leader Roundtable Interview Series
