Steve Meyer is a lifelong learner and entrepreneurial disruptor who is leading PPR’s team to transformation and growth.
PPR’s CEO Steve Meyer recently joined James Williams for an episode of “The Clockwork CIO” to discuss all things leadership. Read on below for highlights from the interview, including ways Steve has evolved as a leader throughout his career, what brought him to PPR, and his approach to leading successful teams.
Steve’s career began in an entry-level position at one of the world’s largest asset managers, the Vanguard Group. In that role he worked to develop his leadership and communication skills, including conquering a fear of public speaking, which gave him added experience and confidence.
He was then hired at SEI to spearhead the creation of an internal audit department, a 3-year project completed in only 18 months. The success of this project inspired SEI to tap him for another challenge and ultimately propelled his 29-year tenure at the company.
“As a young buck who wanted to show what I could do, this entrepreneurial role in a large and growing company was well-suited to me,” said Steve.
From this bootstrapping experience, Steve learned that he thrived in situations where he could develop a strategy and vision to guide a core group of people in tackling a challenge. Under Steve’s oversight, he transformed the nascent fund services department into the largest division at SEI, driving continual top-line revenue growth and profitability.
The experience he had at SEI laid the foundation for the next stage of his career at PPR. “I wanted more of a dynamic and disruptor role, and that’s what PPR had to offer,” he said.
Today, Steve finds his work at PPR as challenging and rewarding as he hoped. He views the company as being in its early growth formation and on the verge of a hypergrowth scale. As CEO, Steve sees himself as being responsible for PPR’s canvas: “I paint the strategy and vision, then I empower people to go out and act.”
He stressed the importance, as a leader, to create a collaborative culture that empowers the workforce. Steve looks to experts on his team to identify what they can deliver and creates space for them to grow, do their best work and help the firm succeed.
Steve values the importance of aligning the vision of the company with his employees’ personal values and goals. He notes in the podcast that the passionate younger generation is especially motivated by gaining a deeper understanding of not just where the company is heading but also why.
“Today, now more than ever, you need a leader that is very transformable, that has a strong ethos and leadership ethos, but is willing to realize [that] this is something that has to evolve and change over time.”
Moreover, Steve discusses how he encourages his employees to expect failure and embrace it as a core element to pushing themselves and reaching success. As his leadership style matured, Steve leaned more into authenticity and transparency, emphasized open and ongoing communication, became more comfortable leading with his heart, and came to see failures as opportunities.
“Failure and getting things wrong are a part of growing. It’s a part of life,” he said, “You can’t be successful if you don’t fail.”
If you’re interested in hearing more about Steve’s experience and evolution including his favorite quotes about leadership, what he looks for in prospective hires, and what he considers to be essential qualities in a leader, check out the full interview on the podcast here.
