IAOP Leadership Hall of Fame Inducts Four  

These leaders have inspired innovative thought leadership and more collaborative business strategies for achieving higher performance and better outcomes, advancing outsourcing as both a business model and a profession all while contributing to society at large.

Read on to learn lessons from the industry’s best and join us in celebrating the achievements of  Neil Hirshman, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis; Mark Voytek, Chief Customer Officer, Sirion Labs; Alpa Inamdar, Transformation Leader, AIG; and Sergei Makedonski, Founder, ASTRA (posthumous honor).

  At a Glance: Neil Hirshman

Title: Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Role: Co-leads the Technology & IP Transactions Practice firmwide. His practice is focused on both domestic and international transactions, including outsourcing, software development, software, data, trademark, patent and technology licensing, telecommunications, international franchising, commercial agreements and strategic alliances. In addition, Hirshman advises clients on intellectual property and technology issues that arise in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations and bankruptcies. 
Background: A registered patent attorney, he earned an electrical engineering degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School   
IAOP involvement: Chair, Executive Committee of the Strategic Advisory Board and Co-Chair Center for Social Impact
Accolades: Recognized for his work in outsourcing and technology-related transactions by organizations and publications such as Chambers, U.S. News, Best Lawyers, Best of the Best Global Expert Guide, The Best Lawyers in America, Guide to World’s Leading Technology, Media & Telecommunications Lawyers, and Guide to World’s Leading Information Technology Lawyers 
Community Service: Chair of the Board of Directors for Urban Initiatives

A Key Piece of the IAOP Puzzle: Neil Hirshman

In accepting his nomination into the IAOP Leadership of Fame, Kirkland & Ellis Partner Neil Hirshman compared structuring and negotiating an outsourcing transaction to putting together a puzzle where every piece is needed to create the full picture.

Much in the same way, Hirshman has proven to be an essential part of the IAOP picture, chairing the Executive Committee of the Strategic Advisory Board, chairing chapters, and inspiring others through his leadership example, tireless contributions and outsourcing legal expertise.  
 
“You are a key part of the foundation of this enterprise,” fellow Hall of Fame member Atul Vashistha, COP, Chairman and Founder, Neo Group and Supply Wisdom said in bestowing the prestigious honor on Hirshman during OWS22.

Hirshman has been involved with IAOP from the association’s very start at OWS in San Diego, where intrigued by the idea of raising the professionalism of outsourcing, he volunteered to start and chair the first chapter. And there’s been no stopping his contributions to IAOP since.   

A Certified Outsourcing Professional (COP), he also co-chairs IAOP’s new Center for Social Impact and has been a frequent speaker at Outsourcing World Summits and other events. Hirshman previously chaired the Chicago and Northern California chapters. He also was the recipient of IAOP’s very first Member of the Year Award. Neil Hirshman also is a frequent speaker and lecturer at universities, continuing legal education seminars, and industry conferences.  

As the co-leader of Kirkland & Ellis’ Technology & IP Transactions Practice, Hirshman has advised both customers and providers in complex outsourcing deals over the past 30 years. An early believer of globalization, Hirshman was Kirkland & Ellis’s first exchange lawyer to Japan, spending time living and working in Tokyo in the mid-’90s. 

At the core of his leadership success has been forging relationships. 

“I recall doing my first outsourcing transaction in the 1990s. I had no idea what outsourcing was or how it worked,” he said.

Hirshman received mentorship from Gregg Kirchhoefer, Partner at Kirkland & Ellis, who was inducted into the IAOP Leadership Hall of Fame in 2016 for his many contributions. 

“Gregg took me under his wings and not only taught me but showed me how to be a good lawyer, negotiator and counselor and to do so with the highest ethics and respect for all of those involved,” he said.  

“He demonstrated the importance of using the transaction process to build a relationship between the parties as, ultimately, these deals are all about the relationships and the ones that work best have that solid foundation,” Hirshman said. 

Hirshman also said he learned a great deal from another fellow IAOP Leadership Hall of Fame member, Jagdish Dalal, COP, President of J. Dalal & Associates, with whom he worked on the largest multi-process, multi-country outsourcing deal at its time 25 years ago.  

“I’ve learned much of leadership is about what you do and how you do it,” Hirshman said. “I try to apply those learnings in my professional life and outside work. I am proud that the Strategic Advisory Board has helped IAOP be the leader in the outsourcing industry, particularly as it has become increasingly global and through times of extraordinary change. Through my involvement with IAOP, I’ve met so many interesting people, learned so much and made lifetime friends.”

Equally important as advancing the industry is giving back to industry participants and society, Hirshman said, quoting renowned poet Maya Angelou, “when you learn, teach, when you get, give.”

Hirshman serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Urban Initiatives, a not-for-profit that uses soccer as a means to teach children discipline, self-control and teamwork as well as to improve a student's attendance and classroom performance.

He’s even brought outsourcing best practices into Chicago public schools where UI has been engaged to manage the recess schedule for local schools over the past decade. Just like the outsourcing transactions he helps make possible, the results have been positive with stronger relationships. 

“It has been gratifying to see the business practice of outsourcing used to benefit schoolchildren in Chicago,” he said.  

  At a Glance: Mark Voytek

Current Title: Chief Customer Officer SirionLabs, the leader in AI-powered contract lifecycle management (CLM) technology
Background: Held leadership roles at EY and KPMG advising clients across all aspects of enterprise transformation related to Information Technology, Supply Chain & Operations, Quality, Finance & Accounting, Enterprise Resource Planning, Procurement and other functions.
Education: Holds an MBA from the University of Connecticut
Other Contributions:  Frequent guest-lecturer for top MBA programs at Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Ohio State and UNC Chapel Hill
Community Service: Actively involved in his local community in Cincinnati through the Adopt-a-Family Program, The Leukemia Society and the Ronald McDonald House. In 2014, when his eldest daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, he and his wife worked relentlessly to help raise over $200,000 in ten weeks

Leading by Lifting: Mark Voytek

Mark Voytek’s passion, drive and dedication as a mentor stand out. 

Throughout his 25 years of working in outsourcing and technology-enabled managed services in customer, provider and advisor roles, his diverse experiences and 360-degree view have shaped his perspectives and leadership style. 

He’s taken the expertise and industry insights he’s gained and passed them on to future leaders as a mentor to college business students. And through that role, he’s gained creative new ways of thinking and better collaborative results.

Not only has he helped individuals rise with his team spirit, but he’s also made outsourcing and IAOP stronger. For his many contributions to the industry and society, Voytek was inducted into the Leadership Hall of Fame at OWS22.

In nominating him for the award, one colleague described Voytek as “the rising tide that lifts all boats” whose leadership style and mentorship inspires others to become their best selves, for their clients, their communities, and the greater working world. 

“My success has been rooted in a passion for helping others while also seeking and accepting help when needed,” Voytek said in accepting the honor. “My purpose whether it’s personal or professional is to lead by lifting.”    

Voytek joined SirionLabs, the leader in AI-powered contract lifecycle management (CLM) technology in 2020 as its Chief Customer Officer, where he is redefining how to use Artificial Intelligence and automation to make governance more impactful and create greater value. 

Voytek is applying his extensive leadership, management and decision-making experience leading global companies in healthcare, retail, financial services and manufacturing through business and technology transformation to ensure SirionLabs delivers the best possible solutions by deeply understanding customer needs.  

Before joining SirionLabs he lead EY’s Outsourcing & Automation Advisory (OAA) practice in the Americas and was part of the GBS Global Leadership Team. He also previously held leadership roles at KPMG, Equaterra and TPI.
Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his people-centric approach and cultivating talent within the organization and building trusted business relationships. At SirionLabs, he is creating a high-performance culture by mentoring and challenging his team to grow and do more with the ultimate goal of helping customers achieve success.

In his video remarks, Voytek spoke about the importance of great teams who become family and the power of staying connected to networks. 

“This industry is driven by people, relationships and a network,” Voytek said. “My mentors have challenged me to push into new career paths and my mentees have enabled me to think differently.”

A past Mentor of the Year awardee, Voytek is a frequent guest speaker at undergraduate and graduate business schools on outsourcing, technology transformation and digital supply chain platforms. He follows these talks with town hall meetings to get to know the students.

He continues to take an active role in developing agile and dynamic leaders to shape the future of the industry.

“I care about giving back and paying it forward through mentorship,” he said.  

Voytek shared one of his favorite sayings: “Don’t let familiarity with a topic stifle your creativity.”

While you can get good marks on most topics, he said, with collaboration and active feedback from other participants, the deliverables or output will always be better and earn top grades. 

  At a Glance: Alpa Inamdar

Current Role: Global Transformation Leader AIG
Prior Positions: Head of Third Party Governance Advisory Group at BNY Mellon, Vice President and Chief of Staff in the Regulatory and Tax Operations division at Goldman Sachs & Company
Notable Accomplishments: As the Global Head of Third Party Governance Advisory Group at BNY Mellon, she oversaw 22 lines of businesses assessing vendor/third party risk. Prreviously, she was Head of the Americas Business Change Group within Asset Servicing, responsible for the management and oversight of client implementations. Her input in strategy and execution of new business cross-functional transition plans and high profile, complex initiatives for existing clients resulted in a substantial reduction in client attrition through implementing a new operations/service model that enhanced client value, relationships, and service pricing
Social Impact: President and program creator for Women Helping Women, founded the Take 2 program to increase the success for women returning to the workplace, founding board members for the Global Center for Women in Risk Leadership. Has served as a chair of the IMPACT Asian Leadership Forum. Also currently sits on the board for Park and Trails of NY, Risk Board, CeFPro Magazine, Pace Transformative leadership advisory panel, and Ascend 

Empowering Women: Alpa Inamdar

Alpa Inamdar understands the value of taking risks. Throughout her career, she’s taken many chances in transitioning to different industries, worked relentlessly to overcome challenges, and has been rewarded personally and professionally.

And from those experiences, she’s given back through her leadership and mentoring, helping other women increase their career success by founding various initiatives to empower women of the next generation.  
For her many contributions to the industry and society, she has been inducted into the IAOP Leadership Hall of Fame.

Currently AIG Global Transformation Leader, she oversees the execution of large strategic initiatives that will shape AIG’s underwriting and claims operations and policy administrations function. 
Inamdar is spearheading the development and execution of customer satisfaction improvement programs, and overall quality of service delivery across various programs. 

She also has served as Head of Third Party Governance Advisory Group at BNY Mellon and Vice President and Chief of Staff in the Regulatory and Tax Operations division at Goldman Sachs & Company.

Inamdar has more than 20 years of experience in strategic planning, managing cross-functional teams globally, client relationship management, regulatory, compliance, organizational restructuring, and project management.

She was recently nominated as an expert contributor for the Forbes Finance Council. Inamdar also provided leadership for a program offering CEOs and leaders across more than 2000 organizations, with approximately 13 million employees, the chance to participate in open dialogue and help to inspire change and move towards a more equitable world. Her success journey also is featured in the book, ROAR If You Have To: 10 Inspirational Tales of Success and the Women Who Roared.

In her acceptance speech at OWS22, she highlighted the four qualities that helped her in her career: risk-taking, adaptability, grit and resiliency, and helping others.   

She shared how she started her career in manufacturing and made career changes to engineering and construction and then financial services.  
 
“Taking risks leads to bigger opportunities and bigger rewards,” she said. “Each transition came with significant risks given the different company cultures, industry structures, product knowledge and steep learning curves. It provided me with a broader and more enriched work experience. Looking back at my professional career, I never could have imagined it taking the turns it did.”

After taking a career hiatus to support her family, she faced the challenge of returning to work at Goldman Sachs with grit and resiliency. And based on those experiences, she founded the Take 2 program to increase the success of women and men returning to the workplace by providing opportunities to explore new career paths or reacquaint themselves with new market trends or changes in their area of expertise after an extended career break.

Seeing the inequality of women in leadership positions in the financial sector motivated her to create Women Helping Women in Finance that helps young women navigate and build their careers through active mentorship. 

A passionate proponent of women empowerment, she also co-founded the Global Center for Women in Risk Leadership, a community dedicated to empowering women in the world of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) by creating programs designed to accelerate success through education, advocacy, and mentorship.

The current environment also has taught her the need to be adaptable and have greater empathy to her team’s professional and personal needs as they go through the latest challenges and continue to create safe spaces where they can collaborate and share ideas. 

“Globalization and the current pandemic have shown us the power of adaptability like never before,” she said. “We have had to change how we work virtually from homes. Technology has evolved and we have leveraged that to be more productive. Leaders had to change how they managed global teams.”

  At a Glance: the late Sergei Makedonski

Role: Founder and the first president of the Association of Strategic Outsourcing ASTRA 
Other past roles: Led business development of Forrester in Russia and later was Regional Director of Forrester in Eastern Europe and Baltic States. Also was founder and director of researching company in4media.ru
Education: A graduate of Moscow State University earning his Ph.D., he also completed business school education and was certified in Project Management Body of Knowledge and as a Certified Outsourcing Professional (COP)  

Outsourcing’s Great Promoter: Sergei Makedonski

Remembered as a charismatic, vigorous and thoughtful leader, Sergei Makedonski was honored for his contributions to outsourcing and society by being posthumously named to the IAOP Leadership Hall of Fame.  

Makedonski founded and was the first president of the Association of Strategic Outsourcing (ASTRA) in Russia. He collaborated with IAOP as co-chairman of IAOP Russia Chapter and on the first local Master Class of Certified Outsourcing Professionals in Russia. He also served on IAOP’s Eastern Europe Regional Advisory Board and was a regular speaker at IAOP events.

“It’s individuals like Sergei to not just do our jobs but to go beyond to develop communities, professions and society,” said Atul Vashistha, COP, Chairman and Founder, Neo Group and Supply Wisdom. “He was an amazing luminary.” 

Makedonski was instrumental in developing outsourcing as a profession, expanding it from the U.S. and Western Europe across governments, large companies, businesses of all sizes and education.  

“Being a leader by nature, Sergei put a lot of efforts into engaging business community through round tables and conferences to promote outsourcing as a tool, widening understanding of this tool in the market and developing thoughtful outsourcing practice in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus,” ASTRA said in their nomination.   

Well-known outside of Russia, he supported active collaboration within the international community to attract global best practice experience to the country from IAOP, as well as other associations in the UK and Latin America. Makedonski organized wide-scale market research of the service and outsourcing market in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, through Gartner Group and Forrester. 

He took part in large-scale IT outsourcing and IT infrastructure projects for market-leading companies, such as LukoilInform, Russia Post. He also developed widely used IT outsourcing glossaries and catalogs. 

As a professor at high schools and business schools, he lectured on outsourcing principals to students, leading corporate trainings and master-classes on corporate outsourcing services for High School of Economics, Academy of Government, Foreign Trade Academy, Moscow State University, IAOP and the University of Kazan.

He was chairman of the expert council of National Award “IT-Leader,” member and co-chairman of different social and business associations and business clubs. He organized the first outsourcing conference in Russia in 2000 and was a regular speaker at conferences in Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, the U.S., Italy, Germany, Mexico, Chile and China. 

Makedonski’s sudden death in June 2020 was a terrible loss for his family and the entire business community.

“He was full of plans and ideas, sharing it through his tremendous network and engaging people around him by passion,” ASTRA said. “Sergei’s significant contribution to both business and society in promoting outsourcing as a tool through collaborative business relations will always be remembered by us, his friends and colleagues.”