Annual revenue of industryleading German mobility company Schaeffler Group

Micah ’ s global leadership has resulted in 20 % CAGR growth

Nationalities among the 2,000-strong workforce Micah leads across Asia

Global employees , making Schaeffler Group one of the world ’ s largest family-owned companies

“ I always dreamed of becoming a CEO , and I took a non-traditional route , working through many functions before entering sales . I often took the less sexy projects , which were tough to complete . This has helped me to understand the total business and how to lead different areas of expertise .”

Talking of diversity and being in the right place at the right time , the African-American working for the Germany company in Asia says these are two of the main reasons why he loves his job .

“ I enjoy learning about cultures , understanding history , the different foods , politics , and connecting with people ,” says Shepard . “ I have been so blessed to be able to travel for work in more than 40 countries . While I ' m the only African- American executive in senior leadership , I have always been treated with respect based on my years of delivering results and , again , my ability to connect with others .

“ So , diversity is who I am , and I will always lead teams with diverse backgrounds , as this is what our customers and stakeholders represent . That said , although I can be like a chameleon and adapt , I ' m still very grounded in my own principles and know who I am .”

Shepard says Southeast Asia is one of the best places to be right now from a business perspective . Due to global trade conflicts , many businesses have relocated operations to

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