Meet our CEO: I love starting a project from zero and going through all stages | People of Accace

In our #PeopleOfAccace series, we will take you behind the scenes of Accace through interviews with our colleagues. You will find out how new services and solutions are created, who has been with Accace the longest and what positions they went through over the years. But most importantly, you will get to know our amazing people.

The first interview of 2024 will be a little more special. We spoke with Mihaela Pašek-Virlan, who has been our CEO for exactly four years.

Your experience starts with law, continues through operations, marketing, growth, entering new markets and leading an international company. Is there something that you no longer do at the moment, but you like to remember it as something you really loved to do?

I love starting a project from 0 and going through all stages: validating the ideas, the budget, building the team and together with the team getting through all changes and stages. I don’t get to do too much of this in a structured format anymore; I get to do a lot of other things which I love but on a much larger scale with many other implications and responsibilities.

You come from Romania, you also worked in Hungary and you are leading the whole Accace operating in 50 countries from Slovakia. What do you think Accace branches have in common and, on the other hand, what makes us unique from one another?

As much as it seems that working in few countries it gives you a lot of experience; in reality, the countries I’ve worked in are in the same region. What really enriched my experience was having to explore and work with all nationalities and countries we have in our portfolio both from a branch and Client perspective. All our branches have in common amazing people and in each of our branches I trust we managed to build a bubble of happiness at work with all challenges our industry brings. We are unique in the way we express ourselves: some of our branches are explosive and loud; others reserved and cautious. Nonetheless, the way we communicate is unique.

You joined Accace in 2007. What helps you maintain motivation?

I often ask myself the same question. But I guess my relationship with work and with Accace it defines a part of who I am: as long as I am challenged in a healthy environment where I feel there is something to build, I will continue to be motivated to offer my time and energy. Once I will feel I have nothing to give or learn from, I will be done.

Recently you were guest in podcast discussing future of work. What are the key insights and your predictions you want to share?

Future of work starts to be on everyone’s mind lately and slowly turning also into a buzz word. A pandemic situation automatically brings a lot of changes, and we need to adapt the way we work. Moreover, it accelerated the technologies we use and things which were before not possible, now are becoming the norm. So, I would say that flexibility will actually become the norm and people who understand and use technologies the right way will become extremely valuable. Finding the right mix between the two will be our homework  for the next couple of years and guiding each other to gather the right tools and knowledge for what will come in terms of technology will be key, at least for us as a company.

Why do you think people should and would love to work at Accace?

Apart from the amazing team we have and the passion everyone brings, there is not much I can say. I stay in Accace for the people! Regardless, if on the side of Client, Partners, or our own colleagues; the rest is noise.

What’s your favourite way to relax or boost your energy?

I play tennis! When there is good time I relax playing tennis. When I have bad times, I play even more tennis.

What do few people (yet) know about you?

Well, it’s quite funny and shameful at the same time, but I have a horrible memory when it comes to remembering names or titles. My brain can remember phone numbers, addresses, birthdays etc., but for reasons I am still not able to understand, I can’t remember names or any type of titles. So I am that person who describes a movie or a situation with: “Oh God! How can you not remember that movie with that guy who was fighting with that other guy! It’s such a famous one. Can’t believe you don’t know it!”