ASIA EDITION MARCH 20 19 asia.businesschief.com
City Focus
BANGKOK
The world’s most visited city
A technology transformation
Tallest skyscrapers in ASIA
Managing Director Luca Martin on the company’s supply chain transformation
TOP 10
KTM GROUP: ACCELERATING INTO ASIA
DIGITAL DISRUPTION OF INSURANCE
FOREWORD
W
orld-renowned motorcycle
to us about its expansion strategy,
manufacturer KTM Group is
the importance of its Filipino identity,
setting its sights on conquering the
and its goal of becoming a global
Asian market. Laura Mullan sat down
industry leader.
with Luca Martin, Managing Director at KTM Asia Motorcycle
We also spoke with Singapore Life
Manufacturing, to discuss
about its digital transform-
how the firm’s supply
ation journey and the
chain transformation has
disruptive technologies
laid the foundations for
driving customer
success on its latest frontier. “We are working with some
Luca Martin, MD at KTM Asia
centricity in insurance. For this month’s edition,
partners in Asia to develop
we explore the vibrant Thai
a supplier rating platform
capital of Bangkok, as well as
where each supplier can log in, create
the region’s tallest buildings.
a profile and get feedback about their performances,” Martin says. “I think
Don’t forget to also check out our
this digital approach is important for
in-depth company profiles on AXA,
the future of procurement.”
Paidy, and Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Jollibee Food Corporation has
Enjoy the issue!
established itself as one of the world’s
Marcus Lawrence
fastest-growing quick service
marcus.lawrence@bizclikmedia.com.
restaurant companies. The firm spoke a s i a . b u s i n e s s c h i e f. c o m
03
ASIA EDITION EDITOR IN CHIEF
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CONTENTS
10 KTM ASIA:
Accelerating towards the Asian market with supply chain excellence
32
JOLLIBEE FOODS:
conquering the world stage
42 SOF T WARE ENABLING 5G
REINVENTING UPSKILLING FOR THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
52
62
74 City Focus
BANGKOK
OPEN DATA ADDRESSING WORLD HUNGER — SOLVING THE AGRICULTURAL CRISIS FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
84
CONTENTS
98
AXA Group
116
136
Singapore Life
MLC Life Insurance
150 Paidy
198 National Heart Foundation of Australia
162
216 University of Western Australia
The Caravel Group
180
232
AB InBev
Wyndham Destinations
10
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
KTM GROUP
ACCELERATING TOWARDS THE ASIAN MARKET WITH SUPPLY CHAIN EXCELLENCE WRITTEN BY
LAURA MULLAN PRODUCED BY
CHARLOTTE CLARKE
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11
KTM
LUCA MARTIN, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT KTM ASIA MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURING INC., REVEALS HOW THE FIRM IS READYING ITS SUPPLY CHAIN FOR ITS NEXT FRONTIER: ASIA
I
f you’re a motorcycle enthusiast, KTM Group will be a company firmly on your radar. Offering everything from trailblazing street
bikes to dirt-shredding motorcycles, KTM has earned its reputation as Europe’s largest motorbike manufacturer and now, on the road ahead, it has 12
its eyes firmly set on a new horizon: Asia. One integral player at the heart of this expansion is Luca Martin, Managing Director at KTM Asia Motorcycle Manufacturing Inc. Martin is a seasoned professional when it comes to two-wheeled vehicles: he started his career as a mechanical engineer, specifically working on vehicle engine development where he used artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise mechanical components. His next career move saw him at Ducati. “I helped to create the complete supply chain of Ducati in Asia from scratch,” Martin recalls. “We had to find new suppliers, develop new components locally to optimise the factories out there.” This was no mean feat, but Martin helped to establish Ducati’s Asia presence and therefore when KTM Group readied itself to enter the Asian market, Martin was an ideal candidate for the job. MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
13
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KTM
“ WE STARTED PRODUCTION FOR BOTH LOCAL AND EXPORT MARKETS JUST OVER A YEAR AGO AND WE ARE ALREADY PRODUCING MORE THAN 7,000 UNITS A YEAR”
14
— Luca Martin, Managing Director at KTM ASIA Motorcycle Manufacturing Inc MARCH 2019
As part of this ambitious strategy, the company forged a US$2mn joint venture with Ayala Group’s offshoot Adventure Cycle Philippines Inc and a new subsidiary, KTM Asia Motorcycle Manufacturing Inc. (KAMMI), was born. Today, the company produces bikes such as the KTM 200 Duke and RC 390 at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Laguna, right in the heart of the Philippines, offering the perfect springboard for KTM Group to enter Asia. “We started production for both local and export markets just over a year ago and we are already producing more than 7,000 units a year,” enthuses Martin. “We have big hopes for the Southeast Asian market.” Tackling a new location is a challenge for any firm, but with its strong local partnerships, KTM Group has been able to hit the ground running. “Thanks to Ayala’s support, we’ve been able to start production in a very short time: we’ve been able to move from a startup to a scaleup company,” Martin observes. “They really helped us establish strong relationships with local suppliers and this is one of the key advantages of setting up this joint
S U P P LY C H A I N
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘KTM FACTORY RACING 2019 DAKAR RALLY REVIEW | KTM’ 15 venture.” As one of the largest and
suppliers are used to working in the
most diversified business groups in the
automotive segment and they’re used
Philippines, Ayala Corporation is
to helping manufacture millions of cars
present in markets including real
every year. Our challenge is to help the
estate, banking, telecommunications,
supplier understand that by working
water, power, industrial technologies
with a well-known brand, there’s more
and more. This has allowed KTM
opportunity to grow. In the long term,
Group to gain a deep understanding of
we hope to increase our more and
the Philippine market.
more bikes.” In doing so, KTM Group is
Entering this new market was a
not only helping to meet the burgeon-
challenge from a supply chain per-
ing demand for its motorbikes, it’s also
spective as it meant developing a new
helping to boost the local economy
network from scratch. However, this is
and generate employment for more
a challenge that KTM Group has taken
Filipinos. “Many of our suppliers are
head on. “Many Asian companies and
small- and medium-sized enterprises a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
KTM
16
(SMEs),” explains Martin. “By working
working with some partners in Asia to
with us, they get the chance to grow
develop a supplier rating platform
not only in terms of revenue, but also in
where each and every supplier can log
terms of qualities and process.”
in, create a profile and get feedback
Always keen to race ahead, KTM
about their performances. I think this
Group has also sought to digitalise its
digital approach is important for the
supply chain. “We’re finding new ways
future of procurement.” Data is
to get in contact with suppliers,” Martin
probably one of the most powerful
says. “In the past, we used to get
tools that supply chain professionals
hundreds of emails every day with
have today, however whilst technology
different company profiles and most of
is set to disrupt the sector for good,
the time I simply didn’t really have the
Martin affirms that a human approach
time to physically go through all these
is also vital. “If we want to build a very
potential prospects. Now we are
strong relationship with suppliers, I
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
17
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Luca Martin Turnaround CEO with 10+ years of experience in the automotive business. Developing high-quality business strategies and plans ensuring their alignment with short-term and long-term objectives. Leading and motivating directors to advance employee engagement, developing a high performing managerial team. Setup of operational and financial goals, informing and advising Board members, managing the organization’s resources, promoting the enterprise to its stakeholders, recommending a proper budget, with an emphasis on cost savings. Start-up approach on new operations. Business angel and startup mentor/investor.
a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
KTM
1953
Year founded
€1.14bn Approximate revenue 2016
HQ
18
Mattighofen Austria
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
19
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KTM
Twice the power, Twice the possibilities
LEARN MORE
www.vpic-group.com | pndat@vpic-group.com
S U P P LY C H A I N
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘THE JOURNEY OF A LEGENDARY BRAND HUSQVARNA MOTORCYCLES’ 21 think it’s important that we visit them. We need to create a face-to-face relationship,” he asserts, “but at the same time, I think that digital platforms can help buyers be more productive because they can count on reliable data to select suppliers.” As well as developing a new supply chain, KTM Group also had to contend with the challenge of getting the right talent and expertise on board, however when your brand is one associated
“ THANKS TO AYALA GROUP’S SUPPORT, WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO START PRODUCTION IN A VERY SHORT TIME: WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FROM A STARTUP TO A SCALEUP COMPANY” — Luca Martin, Managing Director at KTM ASIA Motorcycle Manufacturing Inc
with adrenaline and speed it seems that finding employees who are passionate about the product isn’t too a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
Proud to be part of.
Creating value for all.
Creating value by combining the power of innovation and product quality and passionately creating world class solutions catering to two wheeler, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, construction and agricultural machines and rolling stocks. Visit us at: motherson.com
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wiring harness rearview mirrors moulded plastic parts and assemblies injection moulding tools moulded and extruded rubber components modules and systems machined metal products cutting tools aluminium die casted products sheet metal parts thin film coating metals IT services wireless power hot stamped parts
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KTM Engine Factory in Mattighofen
MARCH 2019
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S U P P LY C H A I N
difficult. “We’re lucky that we produce a product which you could call an entertainment product so you can tell talent, ‘Look, if you are passionate for the motorcycles, we are producing one of the best that you can find in the market’,” says Martin. “This is a very valuable retention tool. A lot of KTM employees are passionate about motorcycles or are even professional riders. On the other hand, we do believe that this isn’t the only thing we offer. We also try and onboard local
“ KTM GROUP HAS RECORDED RECORD VOLUME PRODUCTION EIGHT YEARS IN A ROW” — Luca Martin, Managing Director at KTM ASIA Motorcycle Manufacturing Inc
23
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KTM
“ IF WE WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL ABROAD, WE NEED LOCAL TALENT”
24
tion, the Asian market will play a key role in its future growth strategy. “KTM Group has recorded record volume production eight years in a row. Every year we’re producing more and more bikes and in 2018, we saw a total sales increase of about 10% to 261,000
— Luca Martin, Managing Director at KTM ASIA Motorcycle Manufacturing Inc
well-known brands for off-road in
people who believe in our values. If we
equipment manufacturers) but the
want to be successful abroad, we need
future growth of KTM Group cannot
local talent because only they can help
be as strong without Asia.”
KTM better understand the local culture.” The Philippine plant is KTM Group’s
motorcycles. KTM is one of the most North America and in Europe we are now one of the biggest OEMs (original
KTM Group’s reputation precedes it. To disrupt the Asian market KTM Group
third manufacturing facility, with its first
will undoubtedly rely in on its race-
located in its home country of Austria
proven success. Its distinctive orange
and the second in India. In selecting
motorcycles have crossed the winning
Asia as a key market, Martin contends
line at 18 Dakar Rallies in a row and
that as the group ramps up its produc-
KTM racers have gained 281 world
KTM Board of Directors
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
25
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KTM
26
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
CO MPAN Y FACT S
• 281 world championship titles up until now • 18 consecutive wins at the Dakar Rally • Europe’s biggest motorcycle manufacturer • Total sales 2018 increase of about 10% to 261,500 motorcycles
27
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KTM
“ WE TRY TO TRANSFER WHAT WE’VE LEARNT FROM OFFROAD IN TERMS OF PRODUCT QUALITY AND EASE OF MAINTENANCE AND BRING THAT TO OUR STREET BIKES. WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE ON TOP OF TECHNOLOGY” — Luca Martin, Managing Director at KTM ASIA Motorcycle Manufacturing Inc
28
championship titles up into now. Martin wants to bring this same world class quality to Asia. “We want to show the Asian market that KTM represents
We always want to be always on top of
quality and more importantly, we’re
technology.” KTM Group has also
ready to race. We want to bring this
shrewdly kept track of emerging trends
racing spirit to Asia and we truly believe
in the motorcycle space. For instance,
there will be a bright future for big bikes
whilst the firm noticed a dip in demand
in this market.” The firm won’t just rely
for superbikes they tapped into the
on its legacy though: it’s keen to invest
growing uptick for smaller bikes.
in new innovation so that it can create
“This was a strong move by KTM,”
the best race machines in the market.
notes Martin. “We focused on smaller
“One of our biggest competitive
displacement bikes but our competi-
advantages is that we try to transfer
tors didn’t.”
what we’ve learnt from offroad in terms
Just as consumer demands are
of product quality and ease of mainte-
shaking up the market, the rise of
nance and bring that to our street bikes.
electrification could always change the
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
29
motorcycle market for good. “We are
a challenge but with the right partner
now in an era of new mobility,” Martin
we will be able to prepare for this shift.”
asserts. “We truly believe that sooner
Looking ahead, the future is bright
or later they will be a move to electric
for KTM Group. The firm has cemented
motorcycles. We have been developing
its position as Europe’s largest
off-road electric bikes for many years
motorbike manufacturer, and now
already. We’re seeing a shift in that
Asia’s motorheads need to look no
direction and we want to be part of this
further if they want to get their hands
movement.” This market swing won’t
on a high-quality race machine.
come without its challenges though. Whilst the weight of a battery may only slightly alter the performance of a car, it can “completely change the handling of a bike”, according to Martin. “This is a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
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LEADERSHIP
JOLLIBEE FOODS:
conquering the world stage
32
FILIPINO FAST FOOD COMPANY JOLLIBEE FOODS CORPORATION SPEAKS TO BUSINESS CHIEF ABOUT THE COMPANY’S INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION STRATEGY WRITTEN BY
MARCH 2019
MARCUS LAWRENCE
33
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LEADERSHIP
F
ilipino fast food company Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) has enjoyed a meteoric rise since its birth as an
ice cream parlour in 1975. As of this year,
Jollibee’s internationally recognised brand has a foothold in several markets around the world, including the US, Canada, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Brunei and Qatar. The firm operates 14 brands and 4,300 outlets across 20 countries, and its ambitions have yet to lose any momentum. Its aggressive expansion programme saw a year of milestones in 2018, with Jollibee opening its first European restaurant in 34
Milan and later breaking ground in Macau, London, Toronto, and New York’s Manhattan. Jollibee also opened its hundredth Vietnamese store in early 2018, making it one of the country’s fastestgrowing restaurant chains. JFC spoke with Business Chief to discuss the roots of this success, the sustained policies that continue to strengthen its brands, and its plans for the future. “Our dream has been getting bigger – we wanted to become the biggest in the Philippines and once we achieved that, we wanted to become the largest in Asia,” JFC says. “When we became the largest Asian restaurant company in the world, we sought to dream bigger. Today, our dream is to become MARCH 2019
“Today, our dream is to become one of the top five restaurant companies in the world” — Jollibee Foods Corporation
35
one of the top five restaurant companies
expansion. Jollibee itself is a tried and
in the world.” The firm’s expansion
true brand with a menu that has demon-
model is currently focused on three key
strably accrued loyal fanbases in each
markets: the Philippines, the US and
of its operational territories. This brand
China. Despite being the largest restau-
strength is then augmented by market-
rant chain in the Philippines, Jollibee
specific acquisitions. “In China, we
recognises huge potential for growth
acquired the Yonghe King brand whose
in its home country having penetrated
soy milk and youtiao are well loved by
only 10% of its municipalities. Meanwhile,
its patrons,” the company says. In the
the US and China offer the largest and
US, in tandem with plans to open more
most lucrative markets in the world.
Jollibee outlets, the firm acquired
JFC’s efforts are consolidated under
Smashburger which competes as a JFC
the company’s two-pronged expansion
subsidiary in the emergent ‘better burger’
strategy: brand acquisition and brand
market. As it gears up to launch a new a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
LEADERSHIP
36
“We provide holistic learning and development opportunities, industry-competitive rewards and recognition, and we build an inclusive culture where people feel respected and valued” — Jollibee Foods Corporation
residing overseas. Jollibee says on its website that “It is more than home for them”, referring to the familiarity Filipino customers enjoy in the firm’s international outlets. Word of mouth is a potent marketing tool in regions with a Filipino presence, particularly in the 34 US stores strategically located to capitalise on high Filipino populations, and Jollibee augments the good faith of its compatriots with targeted marketing campaigns and focus groups among local consumers. While its core products remain the same across its operational markets, Jollibee offers region-specific additions to its menu to better cater to local tastes, such
Mexican concept, JFC has teamed up
as the Saigon Chili Chicken offering
with Rick Bayless, seven-time James
in Vietnam, and Chicken Burgers in the
Beard awardee, to develop the project.
US. To ensure the values and quality
The firm cites value creation amongst
the company strives for are upheld by
its acquired brands as one of its most
franchisees, JFC conducts values
significant successes. “For example, in
integration programmes which ensure
the Philippines, we’ve practically made
its outlets are driven by the same
all our acquired brands strong leaders
business practices that have spawned
in the segment,” JFC says.
the company’s successes. “We also
In terms of Jollibee, JFC’s flagship brand, its success with international expansion has been compounded by the loyalty of Filipino customers MARCH 2019
ensure that there is always a venue for open communication,” JFC adds. The company does not forget the industriousness and determination of
37
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LEADERSHIP
38
MARCH 2019
39
1974
Year founded
1,000+
Approximate number of locations globally
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LEADERSHIP
its workforce when detailing the factors that have bred the company’s continued success. “Where we are today is the product of the collective hard work of our employees and stakeholders,” JFC says, and the firm backs this faith in its staff with a dynamic talent management strategy. “This means we provide holistic learning and development opportunities, industry-competitive rewards and recognition, and we build an inclusive culture where people feel respected and valued,” JFC 40
explains. The firm structures its roles to enable employees to find success, its staff undergo functional and leadership development programmes throughout their time with the company, and a fast track development programme is in place to develop and retain the top talents that join the firm. Naturally, expansion is only as effective as a company’s ability to remain up to date with emergent technologies and trends in the industry. Digital transformation is at the forefront of JFC’s strategy for remaining current, and the company is investing in the expertise to identify and action the strongest method for enhancing its business MARCH 2019
practices with digital technologies. “In the future, we see half of our sales coming from online orders,” JFC says. While the firm’s online sales remain relatively small for the time being, it is confident in the growth and strong performance of its current offering and predicts huge potential in its upcoming ramp up of online deliveries. With regards to the biggest challenges facing the company today, the company says building capacity underlines much of the work it is doing to optimise its operations. With such rapid growth, to the tune of 465 store openings in 2017 alone, JFC recognises that its internal infrastructure must be reinforced to handle the boost in operational volume. “Our challenge is meeting the demands in terms of supply chain, logistics and building our stores, and there remains vast opportunities for growth,” it says. “We need to invest in our commissaries and add warehouses to keep supplies closer to the stores, and we are continuing to expand our store network aggressively so location is also key to meet the demand.”
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41
TECHNOLOGY
42
SOFTWARE ENABLING 5G Folke Rosengard, Head of Business Development, Nokia Software, explores how 5G serves as more than just an answer to the burgeoning IoT and digitalisation landscape WRITTEN BY
MARCH 2019
FOLK E ROSENGARD
43
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TECHNOLOGY
W
e at Nokia believe that we are in front of one of the biggest upsides in the whole telco industry in a
long time, thanks to the digitalisation trend
and the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT will add a massive amount of new connections; and the digitalisation trend creates a growing demand for a multitude of diverse connections including use cases with high bandwidth, low latency and ultrahigh reliability. 5G is the ideal solution to respond to this demand, however 5G is much more than simply a new Radio Access Network (RAN) 44
generation. It comes with sophisticated software that affects all parts of the network, including how service providers operate the network and how they offer profitable and compelling services. It is a whole new business system that enables service providers to respond to the massive demand fuelled by the IoT and digitalisation trend in a profitable way. 5G requires a tight connection between network, operations and business with all the systems and processes working together to deliver and monetise the 5G use cases for consumers and enterprises. Software is the key for realising 5G capabilities in an efficient way. Technical capabilities such as dynamic slicing of mobile networks and a serviceMARCH 2019
45
“ 5G is the ideal solution to respond to this demand, however 5G is much more than simply a new Radio Access Network (RAN) generation” — Folke Rosengard, Head of Business Development, Nokia Software
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TECHNOLOGY
“ We believe ‘Cloud Native software’ is a fundamental principle for software of the 5G era” — Folke Rosengard, Head of Business Development, Nokia Software
based architecture to enable multiple and diverse use case requirements based on agile, flexible and real-time digital fabric are critical for telcos to maximise and exploit 5G capabilities. Network providers must have a strong digital fabric that’s built on applications with five key characteristics:
01. INTELLIGENT Analytics and machine learning in everything are critical to manage an ever-growing volume of data. Great experiences are the ones that are personal, contextual and fast. These
46
rely on the ability to augment human intelligence with machine learning and analytics. They use the data to provide a 360-degree view of the experience and decide what actions will produce the best outcomes.
02. AUTOMATED Manual processes are too slow to handle the big data explosion. As such, intelligence workflows and bots should push automation to extremes to ensure we can drive insights to action with efficiency and speed using closedloop fundamentals.
MARCH 2019
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘5G IN ACTION’ 47
03. SECURE
05. OPEN
With more of our lives online, customers
It’s unlikely that service providers will rely
must know they can trust their provid-
solely on one infrastructure vendor or
ers to handle their data. The new digital
partner, one revenue-sharing relation-
fabric must include security in its
ship or service. Applications must be
foundation to provide customers with
multi-vendor, open and lightweight -
the highest level of protection in the
and the complexity of the network must
digital world.
be removed or abstracted. 5G will enable a range of new use
04. CLOUD-NATIVE
cases with a variety of specific require-
To respond with agility at a better cost
ments. To support each use case in an
point, software needs to be built for the
optimal way, security capabilities will
cloud, from both the technological and
need to be more flexible. For example,
consumption-model perspectives.
security mechanisms used for ultra-low
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TECHNOLOGY
48
latency, mission-critical applications may
We believe “Cloud Native software�
not be suitable for massive IoT deploy-
is a fundamental principle for software
ments where devices are inexpensive
for the 5G era. There are many benefits
sensors that have a very limited energy
of cloud native software for telcos,
budget and transmit data only occa-
including more efficient use of cloud
sionally. Another driver for 5G security
resources, operational simplicity and
is the changing ecosystem. Long-Term
horizontal scalability. Proven by
Evolution (LTE) networks are dominated
massive scale companies such as
by large monolithic deployments―each
Google, Twitter and Netflix over years
controlled by a single network operator
of use, horizontal scaling or adding
that owns the network infrastructure
more containerised applications within
while also providing all network
a cluster, enables providers to provision
services. In contrast, 5G networks may
the processing capacity they need to
be deployed by a number of special-
process data quickly.
ised stakeholders providing end-user 5G network services.
MARCH 2019
Managing and reducing the complexity, while keeping operation costs under
49
control, can only be achieved through
Today, automation is popping up
injecting intelligence and automation
almost everywhere in the network,
into the transformation process. As 5G
and “closed loops” are considered
extends beyond radio technologies,
silver bullets for killing complexity.
deep into the cloud, across mobile and
A recent study by Nokia Bell Labs
transport layers, it will be paramount
concluded that closed-loop automa-
to combine data from RAN and non-
tion can only work in combination with
RAN sources and introduce machine
a new architecture and – even more
learning-enabled automation to create
important – an implementation master
algorithms for use cases that operate
plan. The full benefit of automation can
across all these data sources.
only be realised if it’s done in concert. a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
TECHNOLOGY
Small benefits can be – and are being – realised with tactical, domain-specific automations, but those benefits can only be maximised if harmonised and orchestrated across all domains. As non-telco companies digitalise their own product offerings, new opportunities will emerge for telcos and service providers. With the new network characteristics of 5G and cloud resources sitting close to customers, these companies will be in a position to offer capabilities no 50
IT cloud service provider can match. Software helps communication service providers to reinvent themselves as digital service providers. A key in this transformation is to recognise the need for far greater agility with frictionless business and
“ With the new network characteristics of 5G and cloud resources sitting close to customers, these companies will be in a position to offer capabilities no IT cloud service provider can match” — Folke Rosengard, Head of Business Development, Nokia Software
MARCH 2019
51
operational adaptability. In other words,
product management, customer experi-
digital service providers need to act in
ence management, network and service
and capitalise on windows of digital
operations, care and monetisation.
time. To operate in digital time, service providers need a holistic and real-time view of what’s happening with business and operations to determine the next best action to take – this applies for all areas of operations from marketing to a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
PEOPLE
52
REINVENTING UPSKILLING FOR THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION With Industry 4.0 underway, Nick Lazaridis, President of EMEA for HP Inc., explains how ultimately it’s the people behind the screens and machines who enable digital transformation NICK LAZARIDIS, PRESIDENT OF EMEA FOR HP INC WRITTEN BY
MARCH 2019
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PEOPLE
54
T
oday’s world moves at a mind-
steps to build the organisation of the
blowing rate, and it’s only going
future. More than any that have come
to get faster. Emerging technolo-
before, the fourth Industrial Revolution
gies like IoT, 5G, artificial intelligence and
holds the opportunity for businesses
3D printing have heralded the fourth ind-
everywhere to transform their impact
ustrial revolution and proven their pote-
on employees and, by extension, society.
ntial to change the status quo. But it’s
Looking back, the advent of new
down to us as business leaders to tran-
technologies has often been associ-
sform our workforces and equip them
ated with resistance and fear because
to make the most of this opportunity.
of the impact it might have on work-
There is a need for real innovation
forces and ‘business as usual’. The
and change across every market and
reality is that these new technologies
sector. It’s no longer just about gaining
are not a threat to work, but an oppo-
a competitive advantage, but taking
rtunity to automate the routine, repetitive
MARCH 2019
55
or low value tasks and apply valuable human resources to more creative and complex challenges. Just as the PC changed the way we work, as well as the skills needed to get the job done, we are entering a new chapter of change that will surpass those before it in size, scale and scope. The fourth Industrial Revolution has the potential to create new, technologically-driven value en masse - but getting there calls for a human-centric approach and investment in people. It will look different to every business and
“ The Fourth Industrial Revolution has the potential to create new, technologically-driven value en masse – but getting there calls for a human-centric approach and investment in people” — Nick Lazaridis, President of EMEA for HP Inc
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PEOPLE
“ A truly diverse representation of backgrounds, experiences and opinions helps challenge the status quo and allow new ways of thinking” 56
— Nick Lazaridis, President of EMEA for HP Inc
the extent of reinvention will vary, but there are some commonalities as to how we can build the skills of our organisations for the future.
MANY HANDS MAKE BRIGHT WORK The obvious business case for diversity is that it is key to attracting the best talent and engaging employees. But it goes further than equal representation and fair opportunities. A truly diverse representation of backgrounds, experiences and opinions helps challenge the status quo and allow new ways of thinking. Real diversity of thought is becoming essential in the global economy, not just to attract the best talent but to integrate broader cultural understandings and add fresh perspectives and processes. When you pair this with inclusive workplace culture, people feel more comfortable in bringing their true selves to work and their ideas to the table.
LEARN AS IF YOU WILL WORK FOREVER A real investment in learning and development is crucial to recruiting and developing a highly-skilled, future-ready workforce. Within the MARCH 2019
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘HP DEVICE AS A SERVICE (DAAS) PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT’ 57 technology sector, there’s an urgent need to diversify the STEM talent pipeline and bring new thinking to the fields of science that will shape our tomorrow. They are crucial cornerstones of the fourth Industrial Revolution – and it’s only by ensuring fair opportunities and representation that we can consider them to be truly innovative. The opposite is also true, however. Across all industries, there is a growing focus on ‘soft’ and social skills, particularly around communication and emotional intelligence. These are the skills that bolster creative thinking and a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
PEOPLE
complex problem-solving – the concepts that translate into a blueprint for services and solutions of the future. eLearning platforms and self-paced programmes have changed the way we can acquire and develop skills at work, but in order to engage employees in a shared mission those competencies must be underpinned by a culture of collaboration, knowledge and growth.
LEADING THE WAY So how do you lead an organisation 58
to transformation? Transform the leadership of the organisation. Put simply, business leaders must embody the values of the change they want to make. HP itself was reinvented as a multibillion-dollar start-up, and we’re seeing our strategy pay off – but would be nothing without the strong and motivated teams behind the business. I’ve always tried to stick to my leadership principles to help create and foster that culture. Managing cycles of innovation and regular organisational change are part of the job, but more substantial transformation and reinvention need vision, role models and commitment to MARCH 2019
59
successfully bring a workforce on the journey. Transforming an organisation and building skills requires everyone to be open to change. Leadership teams need to lead the charge with wholehearted commitment and investment in their development, to set the best example for their organisation. If we are to believe that the only constant is change, then there will always be a new skills gap to tackle. Build a foundation for an organisation that’s open to change, committed a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
PEOPLE
60
“ This may well be a technologydriven revolution, but ultimately it is the people behind the screens and machines who make the change” — Nick Lazaridis, President of EMEA for HP Inc
MARCH 2019
to learning and continuously improving, and not afraid to fail along the way, and you will build the basis for tomorrow’s industry. This may well be a technology-driven revolution, but ultimately it is the people behind the screens and machines who make the change. As someone who has spent their career reinventing in a rapidly changing world, I’ve seen how it’s possible to transform an organisation with positive impact for people and planet. Technology might change the way things are done, but it is squarely within our power as the leaders of industry to think creatively and solve the challenges of tomorrow.
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S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
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OPEN DATA ADDRESSING WORLD H U NGE R — SOLVING THE AGRICULTURAL CRISIS FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE WRITTEN BY
ANDRÉ LAPERRIÈRE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GODAN
MARCH 2019
63
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S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
64
T
oday, hunger is bringing suffering to over 795 million people across the
economically undeveloped nation. Â The threat of an agricultural crisis is
globe. Those affected currently do
very much a reality across the globe.
not have access to enough food to live
Crippling costs, poor weather condi-
sustainably. Although a majority of this
tions and disease outbreaks have hit
population are based in the world’s
landscapes, farmers and businesses
most vulnerable regions, this does not
hard over the years and the potential
contain the issue within borders as
impacts can be tenfold. The UK for
food security issues are also residing
example, has suffered from record
in some of the most developed nations.
high temperatures, reported outbreaks
The UK is reportedly one of the most
of foot and mouth disease and is also
food insecure nations in the European
in the midst of an uncertain trading
Union, and it is by no means an
future as Brexit looms. In Africa, where
MARCH 2019
“ O PEN DATA CAN PL AY A CRITICAL RO L E IN HEL PING TO ACHIEV E THE SUSTAINABL E D EV ELO PM ENT G OAL S PRO PO SED BY THE UNITED NATIO NS” — André Laperrière, Executive Director, GODAN
water conservation issues, malnutrition
example of these issues. The conti-
and hunger are still pertinent, climate and
nent’s farming industries have been
weather are one of the principal causes.
suffering due to the lack of shared
The agricultural industry is a volatile one,
information and data, most small-scale
from either ends of the globe. We are
isolated farmers in rural African
continuing to experience the struggle
communities are missing out on new
to meet the growing demands of the
and improved methods and best
consumer, to combat the fluctuation in
practices of farming and agricultural
supply, the instability of markets and
processes. This issue, married with the
the lack of investment in the agriculture
water contamination crisis affecting
industry in many nations.
sub-Saharan Africa - where only 16%
The agricultural crises in countries across Africa present a notable
of the population have access to clean water and have no access to critical a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
65
S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
information relating to water quality or weather data -demonstrates how there is the significant need for access to Open Data to help bring about an end to the crisis, save lives and create a more sustainable future. Open Data has developed alongside technological advancements throughout the years. However, its potential impact on the agricultural space has rarely been considered a key solution to solving the food crisis. The potential for the use of Open Data to combat food issues can and should no longer
66
be ignored; not only because of the relevant historical data and the potential to increase production it can provide, but its usefulness in monitoring water supplies, anticipating changes in the weather and also sharing crucial information across borders so that nations can learn best practices from each other and prosper. Through the use of satellite data, remote sensing and mapping, farmers, businesses and consumers in the agricultural industry can harness the most relevant and useful information to improve and adapt practices, make better decisions and ensure sustainMARCH 2019
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘ANDRÉ LAPERRIERE AT SWAT4HCLS CONFERENCE, ANTWERP, 3-6 DECEMBER 2018’ 67
“T H E R E I S S T I L L A LO NG WAY TO GO BE F O R E OPE N DATA ACCESS IS GLOBALLY ACCEPTED AND UTILISED” — André Laperrière, Executive Director, GODAN ability. Increasing access will trigger
Esoko, presents a prime example of
innovations that will bring both
the benefits of Open-Data access to
agriculture and nutrition to the next,
the industry by illustrating how mobile
higher level of impact, improving
phone technology can be integral to
efficiency, yields, competitiveness and
allowing farmers and their buyers to
ultimately increasing food security
access Open Data to obtain informa-
across the world.
tion to improve access to markets and
The Ghana-based organisation,
encourage fairer pricing based on a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
68
shared feedback. By utilising Open
and thousands of families. Those using
Data to collect data on a national scale,
the technology can both collect and
the technology solution TradeNet was
input data regarding the selling price of
born, enabling farmers to share and
basic commodities, such as the prices
access data through SMS with
of seeds and fertilizers and send daily
customers and other farmers. This
updates to farmers through SMS. Thus,
data is obtained through existing
the farmers can determine their input
channels such as weather data
costs, increasing their selling profit by
channels and other basic technology,
utilising the information made available
to enable a self-sustainable business
to them. Now, more than 350,000
model combining data, farmers,
farmers have joined the Esoko platform
customers, markets/ dealers and
in 10 countries in Africa and it contin-
phone companies on an open system
ues to expand.
to benefit the livelihoods of hundreds MARCH 2019
In the West, countries such as The
“FOO D SEC URIT Y ISSU E S ARE AL SO RESID IN G IN SO ME O F T H E MO S T D EV ELO P ED N AT IONS ” — André Laperrière, Executive Director, GODAN
69
Netherlands are also benefitting from
In the south, the ‘digital divide’ has
the offerings of Open Data as more
played a huge role in agricultural crises,
web applications aiming to improve
as large industrialised farms are
accessibility to Open Data are unlock-
becoming more cost efficient and
ing valuable data related to historical
competitive, while the small traditional
weather patterns and food consump-
farmers are gradually bringing
tion data, accessible to those involved
themselves out of the markets. This is
in agriculture and the environment.
due to the large industrial farms/
Similar to the organisation in Ghana,
wealthy countries and businesses that
these applications are also user-gener-
already make efficient use of data to
ated, allowing farmers and those in the
improve techniques, products, market
agricultural sector to input data for all
access, rapidly increasing their
participants to see, allowing best
competitiveness in the world markets.
practices to be shared and adapted.
Open Data can play a critical role in a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
helping to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the United Nations. Open Data can help foster economic growth and job creation, improve efficiency and effectiveness of public services by allowing the cross fertilization and synergy of different industries, sectors and governments leading to new practices, new equipment and new technologies that in turn, lead to better yields and the stimulation of private and public economies. 70
This will in turn, improve government transparency, citizen participation and accountability through the sharing of data across communities and borders. Â However, there is still a long way to go before Open Data access is globally accepted and utilised. This drive and determination for it to be a success needs to be welcomed by respective governments and organisations across the globe and pushed to the top of the agenda. With the correct approach and implementation methods in place, Open Data can have a high economic and social return on investment for MARCH 2019
“ N OW, MO RE THAN 350,000 FARMER S HAVE JO IN ED THE ESO KO PLATFO RM IN 10 C O UN TRIES IN AFRICA” — André Laperrière, Executive Director, GODAN
71
countries all over the globe and in all stages of development. Areas in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe have already demonstrated how increased access to data can help develop economies and farming practices, taking a significant step forward to achieving sustainability and solving the hunger crisis.
a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
9 –10 April 2019
Part of
Held in Conjunction with
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Automation | Digitalisation | Standardisation The impact of new technology on ports & terminals cannot be underestimated. Stay competitive, attend TOC Asia…
Container Supply Chain Keynote Address ONE (Ocean Network Express) Jeremy Nixon Global Chief Executive Officer
Delivering a 2019 liner industry update, future supply chain cost considerations & digitalisation developments
The Asia Trade, Container & Business Outlook Alphaliner Tan Hua Joo Executive Consultant
Bloomberg Intelligence Rahul Kapoor Senior Analyst - Asia-Pacific Transportation
Cargill John McCauley Vice President Transportation and Logistics
Hapag-Lloyd Lars Christiansen Senior Managing Director – Asia,
Port of Tanjung Pelepas Marco Neelsen CEO
Drewry Han Ning Director
Trade Wars
Intelligence
Protectionism
Alliances
Challenges
Opportunities
Defining the Ports of the Future: Fusing the Physical & Digital Worlds Acardis Jonathan Beard Head of Transportation & Logistics - Asia
Royal Haskoning DHV Jereon Overbeek Senior Project Manager - Maritime & Waterways
Seaport David Wignall Chairman
Colombo International Container Terminals Catriona Jayasundera General Manager
Smart Ports
Port Community
Collaboration
Digital
AI
Big Data
Price: USD $1,350 / Cargo Owners & Shipping Lines go free
Your Delegate Experience Container Supply Chain Conference
TECH TOC Conference
PSA or Port of Tanjung Pelepas Port Tours (Monday 8 April)
Port Technology Exhibition
Evening Networking Reception (Tuesday 9 April)
Lunches & Coffee Breaks
Conference Programme Automation, Digitalisation & Standardisation: Next Steps for Container Supply Chains APRIL Group Indranil Sen Head - Supply Chain Management
Nestle Norman Pridipraj Geramia Global Strategic Sourcing Manager – Logistics
CargoX Igor Jakomin Chief Operating Officer
New York Shipping Exchange Don Chen Managing Director – Asia
Toll Group Darren Tan Head of IT for Global Logistics
Port of Rotterdam Martijn Thijsen Digital Strategy Transformation & Business Development - Containers, Breakbulk & Logistics
Transformation
Big Data
Technology
E-Commerce
Digital
Blockchain
Protecting your Assets & Operations: Cyber Security, Illicit Trade & Wider Supply Chain Risks Supply chains are always under constant siege from disruption across the region and around the world. An issue for the maritime industry is how it looks to deal with existing and emerging criminal cyber-attacks. This session will feature a panel of shippers.
Disruption
Counterfeit
Risk
Cyber Crime
Technology
Disruption
Start-ups
Innovation
Start-up Disruption in Ports & the Supply Chain This session will highlight opportunities in port innovation and how collaboration between start-ups and major industry players can bring about pivotal impact. PortXL start-up founders will present their technologies and tackle tough questions.
Book Your Place Today
CITY FOCUS
BANG City Focus
74
Business Chief examines Thailand’s lively, vibrant capital and the most widely visited city in the world WRITTEN BY
MARCH 2019
MARCUS LAWRENCE
GKOK a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
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CITY FOCUS | BANGKOK
76
K
nown by locals as Krung Thep, the City of Angels, Bangkok is one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting cities. As the capital,
financial hub and a key port of Thailand, Bangkok is both a major tourist destination and the nexus of Thai business, with nine of Thailand’s 10 largest firms headquartered in the city. Meandering through the city is the Chao Phraya River, defining Bangkok’s layout much like London’s River Thames. Bangkok’s 50 districts are split by the river, with 35 on the east bank and 15 on the west.
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77
Bangkok, according to Mastercard’s
colour, it is no surprise that people flock
Global Destination Cities Index, was
to its wondrous sites. At its heart is the
2017’s single most visited city in the
official home of Thailand’s monarchy,
world with 20.05mn visitors, and it is
the Grand Palace, an incredible com-
set to retain the crown in 2018 with
plex of architectural masterworks
a projected growth of 9.6%. Not only
from Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the
is Bangkok the world’s most prolific
Emerald Buddha) to the Chakri Maha
city for tourism, but its estimated growth
Prasat (Grand Palace Hall) whose
in tourist figures is comfortably the
façade ingeniously blends Thai and
second largest of Mastercard’s Top
European styles. According to Heinz
10, behind Istanbul at 19.7% and leading
Duthel in Duthel Thailand Guide III, the
Kuala Lumpur at 7.5%. With its wealth
Chakri Maha Prasat was designed
of culture and ubiquitous splashes of
and constructed by English architect a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
CITY FOCUS | BANGKOK
‘The enormity of Bangkok’s range of spectacles, entertainments and culinary delights is set to ensure it remains the world’s most popular tourism destination for years to come’
78
MARCH 2019
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘BANGKOK VACATION TRAVEL GUIDE’ 79 John Clunich and his assistant Henry C.
in Chatuchak, with gas and oil behe-
Rose who had been hired by King
moth PTT headquartered in the
Rama V after meeting them on a trip
district. PTT is the only Thai company
to Singapore and Java in 1875.
in the 2018 Forbes Global 2000 to
The most ardent shopaholics would
rank in the top 500 at #156, posting
struggle to find a more diversely
a market value of US$50.9bn. Other
stocked labyrinth of retail outlets than
giants of Thai business situated in
Bangkok’s Chatuchak Weekend
Bangkok include conglomerate
Market, said to be among the world’s
Charoen Pokphand Group, cement
largest markets with over 8,000 stalls
and building material producer Siam
divided into 27 sections. Shoppers can
Cement Group, Thai Oil, Thai Beverage,
find an eclectic assortment of goods
and Thai Airways.
including ceramics, books, antiques,
A historic manufacturing hub thanks
pets, food and furniture. Retail is not
to the size and strength of its port,
the only thriving business to be found
Bangkok remains the home of myriad a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
CITY FOCUS | BANGKOK
manufacturing firms. Siam Cement Group established Bangkok’s first cement production facility in 1913, while textiles and clothing make up a considerable portion of manufacturing operations in modern Bangkok. Shoe manufacturer Pan Group operates the largest shoe factory in Thailand and also lays claim to being one of the biggest in the world, and is a leading producer of polyester, nylon, and polypropylene threads. PDK has also based its factory operations in the city. While famous for its traffic, Bangkok is well-equipped for rapid travel between its 80
major locations and landmarks. Connecting the city is the Bangkok Mass Transit System, known as either the BTS or the Skytrain, an elevated train network with 35 stops across two lines and around 700,000 daily passengers. While the Skytrain rolls above the city, beneath it lies the Metropolitan Rapid Transport (MRT) underground network, ensuring tourists and locals alike have a means to beat the congestion on the roads. For the rail-averse, Bangkok’s once prevailing mode of transport, the tuk-tuk, remains a must for tourists keen to soak up the city’s culture, while the capital’s increasingly iconic, colourful cabs often cost a similar amount for those happy to sacrifice speed for comfort. Finally, its intricate network of waterways feeding into and pouring from MARCH 2019
81 the Chao Phraya River offer a host of boat rides, tours, river taxis, and private cruises. Many view travelling by water as the definitive means of exploring the sights and sounds of Thailand’s City of Angels. Outside the excitement of the city proper, any visitor would be remiss to forego the floating markets nearby. Damnoen Saduak, the most popular floating market in the country, offers the busiest experience, frequented by locals and tourists alike, as the historic tradition continues to form a significant part of rural Thai life. Here as with other floating markets near Bangkok, such a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
CITY FOCUS | BANGKOK
Currency
Baht 1972
Year founded
9.4mn
Approx. population Nearest airport 82
26km Don Mueang
MARCH 2019
as Khlong Lat Mayom and Amphawa, the food on offer caters to every taste, including exquisite local seafood, fried bananas, succulent fruits, an array of noodle dishes, and Thailand’s internationally renowned aromatic curries. Perhaps Bangkok’s single most famous feature is its thriving nightlife. Away from the adult-themed entertainment of Soi Cowboy, Patpong, and Nana, there is no lack of stunning rooftop bars, high-class nightclubs and vibrant cocktail bars across the full spectrum of liveliness and tranquility. Famed for its inclusive and tolerant attitudes to the LGBT community, Thailand’s capital offers perhaps the definitive selection of gay night-time attractions in Southeast Asia with highlights including the three-level DJ Station, the Babylon complex of men’s saunas, gyms, pools, and restaurants, and the word-of-mouth Trasher events to name but a few. The enormity of Bangkok’s range of spectacles, entertainments, and culinary delights is set to ensure it remains the world’s most popular tourism destination for years to come.
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T O P 10
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MARCH 2019
TOP 10 TALLEST BUILDINGS IN ASIA The Asia-Pacific region contains nearly three-quarters of the 50 tallest skyscrapers in the world. Business Chief ranks the 10 tallest buildings in the region, according to data from the Skyscraper Center WRITTEN BY
HARRY MENEAR
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T O P 10
10
86
Petronas Twin Towers
1,483ft (452m)
Completed in March 1996, the Petronas Towers are located in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur and are both 1,483ft tall. From the towers’ completion until 2004, the structures were the joint-tallest buildings in the world. The buildings each contain 88 floors, which are used for commercial office space and tourism. www.petronastwintowers.com.my
MARCH 2019
09
87
Vincom Landmark 81 1,540ft (469m)
Located in Ho Chi Minh City in the South of Vietnam, Vincom Landmark 81 stands 1,540ft tall with 81 floors above ground and four below. Designed by architecture firm Atkins, the building was completed in 2018 at a cost of US$123mn, according to Tekla. The structure’s design was “Inspired by the image of bamboo – a traditional plant symbolising strength and unity.” Landmark 81 is a mixed-use development, containing 450 hotel rooms, serviced rental apartments and retail stores. http://vincom.com.vn/vi/tttm/vincom-center-landmark-81
a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
08
88
International Commerce Centre
1,588ft (484m)
Completed in 2010, the International Commerce Centre in Hong Kong is the third-oldest building in the top 10. Standing 1,588ft tall, it is the tallest building in Hong Kong and the sixth-tallest building in China. The building is made up of 108 floors above ground and four below. The Commerce Centre contains a mixture of commercial office space and hospitality developments, notably the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong hotel. www.shkp-icc.com
MARCH 2019
Photo Š Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited
T O P 10
07
89
Shanghai World Financial Centre 1,622ft (494m)
Standing 1,622ft tall, the Shanghai World Financial Centre is made up of 101 floors above ground, with three below. Construction is reported as costing $1.2bn, taking 11 years to complete. According to the Skyscraper Centre, “the project was put on hold in 1995 after the completion of the foundations. When revived in 1999 the height and base dimensions were both increased from the original.� Currently, the Centre is the second-tallest building in Hong Kong. www.swfc-shanghai.com
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T O P 10
06
90
TAIPEI 101
1,667ft (508m) Designed by CY Lee & Partners, TAIPEI 101 sits in the heart of
Taiwan’s capital city and was completed in 2004. Standing 1,667ft tall, its shape evokes the form of a Chinese pagoda. According to the Skyscraper Centre, “the façade of the tower features doublepaned green glass curtain walls that are highly reflective and block solar heat gain by 50%. Other sustainable features include energy efficient luminaries, custom lighting controls, low-flow water fixtures, and a smart Energy Management and Control System.” www.taipei-101.com.tw/en/index.aspx
MARCH 2019
Photo © KPF
05
91
CITIC Tower 1,731ft (527m)
Completed in August 2018, the CITIC Tower, also known as the ‘Zun’ because of its similarity to a traditional Chinese ceremonial vase of the same name, stands 1,731ft tall and is the youngest skyscraper on the top 10 list. Designed by the Beijing Institute of Architectural design, in conjunction with Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the CITIC tower is Beijing’s tallest building and the heart of the city’s new business district. www.kpf.com/projects/citic-tower
a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
04
92
Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre
1,739ft (530m)
Standing 1,739ft tall, the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre is the tallest building in the city and the third-tallest in China. It was completed in 2016, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, and contains 111 floors above ground, with five below. According to the Skyscraper Center, “the building employs a number of energy efficient tools to reduce its environmental footprint. In addition to its strong multi-level connections to public transportation, the use of high-efficiency chillers and heat recovery from the water-cooled chiller condensers all contribute to the building’s sustainability.”
MARCH 2019
Photo © WSP
T O P 10
03
93
Lotte World Tower 1,823ft (555m)
The only building from South Korea in the top 10 list, the Lotte World Tower is the fifth-tallest building in the world, measuring 1,823ft tall. The structure contains 123 floors, with 260 hotel rooms, and was completed in 2016. The Lotte World Tower was also designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, and “contains retail components, offices, a 7-star luxury hotel, and an officetel. Officetels, common in South Korean real estate, offer studioapartment-style accommodations for people who work in the building and often feature certain services found in hotels, such as furnishings, a security desk, and gym access.� The top 10 floors of the building are set aside for public use, featuring an observation deck and a cafe. www.lwt.co.kr a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
T O P 10
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MARCH 2019
02
Ping An Finance Centre
1,965ft (598m)
Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the Ping An Finance Centre is located in Chinese industrial hub Shenzhen. Completed in 2017, the building is 1,965ft tall, making it the fourth-tallest structure in the world. The Ping An Centre has 110 floors above ground and five below, the majority of which are dedicated to office space, a hotel, a conference centre, and retail installations. It is also the headquarters of Ping An Insurance company. www.kpf.com
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T O P 10
01
Shanghai Tower
2,073ft (631m)
The tallest building in Asia is the Shanghai Tower, which was completed in 2015 and stands 2,073ft tall. Designed by San Francisco-based architecture firm Gensler, the tower has 128 floors above ground and five below. The Shanghai
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Tower is located next to the Shanghai World Finance Centre, which is 451ft shorter than its neighbour. Yeti Construction and Development own the Shanghai Tower, which cost an estimated $2.4bn to construct.
www.gensler.com/projectsshanghai-tower
MARCH 2019
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MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
AXA’s Move to the Cloud: a customer-driven technology transformation
WRIT TEN BY
OLIVIA MINNOCK PRODUCED BY
A LE X PAGE
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AXA
Ash Shah, AXA Group’s Global Program Director for the insurance giant’s Move to the Cloud, discusses the technology transformation as part of AXA’s ambition to become a customer-driven, tech-led organisation
“W
hen we undertake a transformation, we do it on a truly global scale with technology at the forefront as one of the enablers,”
comments Ash Shah, Global Program Director of leading insurer AXA’s Move to the Cloud initiative. 100
This is no mean feat, with the insurer serving 105mn clients across a vast footprint of 62 countries. To aid its technology transformation, AXA has undergone a significant company-wide IT restructure. “We have an ambition to be an innovative, customer-driven, tech led company and we’ve enhanced and modified our IT organisation to support and drive that ambition,” Shah explains. “Technology has become more intrinsic in our business and it’s no longer just a support function – it’s the key enabler for us to continue to innovate and move forward as an organisation.”
‘INNOVATIVE, CUSTOMER DRIVEN, TECH LED’ As a composite insurer, AXA covers many lines of business including health, life, property and casualty insurance. The French multinational currently spans a mix of growth areas and established markets, MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
101
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From Inspiration
to Innovation
TECHNOLOGY
CLICK TO WATCH : AXA GLOBAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR ASH SHAH ON TRANSFORMATION ACROSS GEOGRAPHIES 103
and has a significant legacy of looking
standing – all aimed at promoting
after customers at those times when
innovation and collaboration and
they need it most. Shah, who assumed
showing, through colourful posters
his current role just six months ago, is
and games areas, that insurance is far
already a familiar face in Paris where
from an old-fashioned career choice.
AXA is headquartered. Counted among
AXA’s staff are adapting well to
its numerous locations is the spectacu-
the new working environment which so
lar new Java building which offers a
much investment and thought has gone
true reflection of AXA’s ambition to
into. Colleagues do not have a strict
modernise a business often seen as
dress code – with some stating this
traditional. The office itself boasts
makes them feel more valued for their
open space, natural light, and flexible
skills and output than their appearance
options allowing colleagues to work
– and have plenty of opportunities to
independently or as a group, sitting or
socialise by playing pool or enjoying a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
Building an ecosystem? Connect the dots. “Your journey to cloud must navigate pitfalls and opportunities that are unique to your business. We support you in imagining and delivering your cloud journey and making it run�. Eric Meistermann, Deloitte Partner in charge of AXA Group
TECHNOLOGY
“ We foster a strong change management process where we make sure we communicate, evangelise and onboard our colleagues in all parts of the organisation” — Ash Shah, Global Program Director – Move to the Cloud, AXA
coffee together. Shah joins us at this new
We measure compliance, performance
Paris office having spent three days with
and KPIs at both a centralised level and
AXA’s Dubai Gulf business discussing
a local entity and business level,” says
the company’s transformation across
Shah. “It’s also important to understand
that region. “It’s pushing all parts of our
the various cultures AXA operates in
organisation into that journey and bring-
and the pace and size at which they can
ing them onboard. It takes time and effort
make changes.” For example, AXA’s
and engagement – but once you do that,
companies in growth markets will focus
you can see the end results. We’re moni-
on establishing a presence while
toring, and can see we’re making good
well–established entities might focus
progress now,” he enthuses.
on innovation to remain competitive.
In its ambition to become tech led, sectors and geographies with both
A GLOBAL, CUSTOMER-CENTRIC TRANSFORMATION
a strong global vision and local knowl-
Currently, one of AXA’s key areas of
edge. “Usually, we have a central team
development – and the element for
but we listen to the requirements and
which Shah is responsible – is its ‘Move
needs of our different business units and
to the Cloud’, whereby the business will
make sure they are a part of that journey.
come away from legacy technology
AXA is pushing technology across all
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TECHNOLOGY
CLICK TO WATCH : GLOBAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR ASH SHAH TALKS THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERS AT AXA 107
and store and manage data on private
allows an organisation to innovate. “It
and public clouds. This is a key strategic
gives us business agility, flexibility and
initiative which AXA is taking on for two
speed to market which is much harder
key reasons. “One is that we want to
in traditional IT methods. In addition,
modernise and update our technology
the cloud enables the collaboration
infrastructure,” says Shah. “The second
that is so key to a global business. As
is that we really want to exploit new
we deploy something in one country,
technology innovation – such as artificial
we can replicate that quickly in multiple
intelligence (AI), chatbots and image
countries,” Shah explains. “We therefore
recognition – which we wouldn’t be
end up with a consistent product which
able to do with our existing systems
we can enhance and change – and those
and processes.”
changes can be rolled out across numer-
For Shah, and for AXA, a key feature of cloud technology is the speed at which it
ous entities and organisations far more quickly than in the past.” a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
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“ The relationship we build with our suppliers – and I would call them partners rather than suppliers – is very important to us” — Ash Shah, Global Program Director – Move to the Cloud, AXA
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Why is AXA undertaking such a significant investment? “Firstly, it’s for
to be able to respond to this change in a customer-centric manner.”
customer experience. We deal with
Every technology investment AXA
customers through an omnichannel
makes involves extensive thought into
process: they need to have consistent
how it will impact the customer. “We
experience.” For example, customers
make sure there’s really a business
may wish to deal with a claim over the
driver and value for what we’re investing
phone and then switch to live chat.
and innovating in. We then start with
“We need to be able to receive data and
a proof of concept, idea and trial before
respond to it in all manners, shapes and
we really push something.” AXA’s cloud
forms. Customers today are expecting
program is a prime example of this. “We
a different experience of working with
have to build new features, new products
a global insurer,” Shah adds, citing
and new ideas onto the platforms.
omnichannel as a key driver. “We need
There we have the voice of the customer
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
CLICK TO WATCH : GLOBAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR ASH SHAH – HOW AXA MOVED TO THE CLOUD 109
to drive the demand and the prioritisa-
“We foster a strong change management
tion process. Then their voice is heard.
process where we make sure we
They drive the change agenda.”
communicate, evangelise and onboard our colleagues in all parts of the organi-
A TEAM EFFORT
sation,” says Shah. “That’s one of our
With the agenda driven by customers, it’s
key success factors in implementing
important that each and every member
a lasting change.”
of AXA’s 160,000-strong colleague base
This is not always easy given that AXA
is on board in order to promote the best
is dealing with new technologies and
service to every customer. Managing
working across a plethora of different
a significant change, and the shift in
locations, but Shah maintains that it’s
culture it brings, across such a mam-
possible with a combination of training
moth organisation is vital to make things
and open communication. This is not
work all the way to the end customer.
just looked at in terms of individual jobs, a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
AXA
but in terms of the key part each employee plays in AXA’s journey as a global organisation. The transformation so far has not just been successful in terms of IT, but far beyond this, including the people and culture at the company. “We have an extensive change training program for all of our colleagues where we’re working extensively to make sure they are all aware of what the cloud journey is, what AXA is undertaking, and why. It’s also important the program has the sponsorship of our management committee, and it is discussed and agreed – which then helps cascade the information and messages 110
around our program.” AXA’s move to the cloud involves not just thousands of employees, but a network of strong partners too – and all must be aware of the company’s long-term vision. “We are not technical experts in all domains and areas we’re undertaking as part of our move to the
“ The cloud gives us business agility, flexibility and speed to market which is much harder in traditional IT methods” — Ash Shah, Global Program Director – Move to the Cloud, AXA MARCH 2019
111
cloud journey,” Shah admits. “So the
Other important delivery and consult-
relationship we build with our suppliers
ing partners include Capgemini and
– and I would call them partners rather
Deloitte who are also supporting AXA
than suppliers – is very important to
on this journey.
us.” AXA has worked with some of
Shah makes it very clear that AXA
the biggest names in tech as part of
isn’t just buying off-the-shelf solutions
maintaining a secure yet efficient cloud
but is growing alongside each of its
transformation – from IBM with its
key partners in a sustainable relation-
private cloud provider to AWS and
ship. “We’re undertaking a multiyear
Microsoft Azure for its public cloud
commitment. They’re on this journey
journey. Innovation projects have also
with us.” Another element the above
been supported by Google Cloud.
names have in common is famously a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
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secure service – something which is paramount for any organisation, but especially within the insurance industry. “A few years ago, the reason people didn’t move to the cloud was security. Now, organisations are actually moving to the cloud due to the security provided by the likes of IBM and Microsoft Azure. They have some of the best security experts out there. Their business is built on secure, trustable platforms – they would be out of business if their platforms were not secure.” Handling the kind of sensitive data AXA deals with on a daily basis means security is something Shah and his team don’t take lightly. “We need to ensure we have robust processes on our side. We are selective with what we put into the cloud, especially from a compliance and regulatory purpose. Cybersecurity is one of the key drivers of this program,” Shah explains, adding that the global insurance behemoth has a strong legacy to maintain. “Our brand value is particularly important – when you’re buying insurance, you’re also buying a trusted brand.”
A FUTURE IN THE CLOUD Following AXA’s success on its journey to the cloud thus far, Shah believes that other organisations will follow suit – or risk being left in the dust. “Cloud technology is going to a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
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AXA
AXA GROUP
€98.5bn Approximate revenue
1982 Year founded 166,000 The approximate 114
number of AXA employees
significantly disrupt the insurance
sations, such as AXA, concerned
sector, and the insurance value chain,”
about the rise of fintech and in-
he predicts. “Cloud technologies and
surtech startups – but Shah believes
Insuretech partners will look at
these shouldn’t be perceived as
different parts of the value chain and
a threat. “Parts of our value chain will
come up with innovative ideas about
continue to be disrupted by cloud
how they can accelerate a certain
partners, innovators or insurtech
process – such as claim notification or
companies who will come in with
risk modelling.”
solutions and ideas which don’t have
Across the finance and insurance
the resistance to change that larger
spheres, the rise of technology
organisations have to deal with,”
leaves many more traditional organi-
he comments.
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
gies through our AXA Next organisation.” Along Shah’s journey to cloud transformation across the globe, the change will need to be continuously driven at all levels. “Hopefully we’re getting to a point where this communication and buy-in is becoming one of our key success factors. We measure that through KPIs. We’re at the point where we’re starting to become successful in promoting our program and moving forward with the migration– but we still have a long way to go.” Indeed, Shah cites the pace at which his team has accelerated buy-in across AXA. “In the last three of four months, we’ve seen more momentum than we saw in 15 months. That in itself is quite rewarding. We’ve seen the adoption and deployHowever, an insurer like AXA which
ment of lots of our applications on the
is prepared to innovate and stay at the
cloud. Momentum is building and it
forefront of new technologies can
will just get better and better.”
only stand to benefit. “We need to embrace this as an organisation, look at our value chain, and see where we can utilise insurtech organisations to streamline, to be more efficient, more innovative, faster, and to deliver the change our customers are looking for. We work with and invest in startups where we can leverage their technoloa si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
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Disrupting insurance with flexible technology architecture WRIT TEN BY
DA LE BENTON PRODUCED BY
A LE X PAGE a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
SINGAPORE LIFE
Singapore Life disaggregates insurance products through flexible and efficient digital architecture
I
n 2014, insurance company Singapore Life was built on a simple belief: that the world needed a better life insurer which used technology to
provide a superior experience for the customer. In the years since, Singapore Life has grown significantly. Through the company’s acquisition of Zurich Life Singapore’s expansive insurance business portfolio in 118
2018, Singapore Life continues to push the boundaries of technology in financial services. As it navigates the digital revolution in financial services, through sound investment and technological innovation, the company has built an architecture that enables greater flexibility and technology implementation while keeping the customer at the heart of its operations. “We are not a fintech that creates intellectual property purely through technology,” says James Shanahan, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Singapore Life. “Instead we put that technology to use in a way which brings a unique business model to life.” That business model, something that truly separates Singapore Life from other leading financial institutions worldwide, is centred on “disaggregating the traditional product in order to bring greater flexibility and ultimately a better buying experience and pricing for the customer”. As technology continues to disrupt the traditional and MARCH 2019
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SINGAPORE LIFE
“ What we see are business models built on big systems and platforms that are very inflexible and typically reflect a cost-driven approach and this translates into a rigid, fixed sales approach and impersonal market offerings” — James Shanahan Chief Operating Officer, Singapore Life
now archaic means of buying and selling financial products, Shanahan believes that this has shone a light on what is a fundamentally broken market. “What’s broken isn’t the uptake of technology, it’s actually the attitude towards technology and the flexibility in how you sell financial services,” he says. “What we see are business models built on big systems and platforms that are very inflexible and typically reflect a cost-driven approach and this translates into a rigid, fixed sales approach and impersonal market offerings.” Singapore Life disaggregates the product MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
and breaks them down into multiple levels: product configuration, service orchestration and market offering. At the product configuration level, Singapore Life’s back end functionality allows the company to build products as wide-reaching as possible in terms of defining or limiting parameters. This takes into consideration as wide a number of possibilities as possible, such as different currencies or interest rates. “Why should there be market specific limits at the back end? “, asks Shanahan. The middle layer, service orchestration, is key to facilitating Singapore Life’s market offering. “This model allows for much lower costs and breaks down some of the complexities of the process,” says Shanahan. “Once a product is set up and the service configured, the offering can then serve multiple markets. It makes the front end very flexible because what can be offered is orchestrated in that middle layer.” Given various different mediums which customers use to access financial services, such as mobile applications, online portals or third-party platforms, Singapore Life’s back end functionality allows the front end delivery model to operate almost unconstrained. “None of the front end changes the back end product configuration. It’s all about the customer journey and their experience at the front end,” he says. “We’re able to produce or work with a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
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— Walter De Oude, Founder & CEO of SingLife, and happy customer & friend of Contemi since 2014
Contemi was founded in 2001 to design, build and robustly scale the complete IT systems for a start-up insurer in Scandinavia. From the initial mock-up and proof-of-concepts, to building the insurers own scalable core, accounting and claims systems, and managing the IT platform as the insurer grew leaps and bounds. Ever since then, Contemi have worked successfully with many start-up insurance operations in Scandinavia and Asia. Both stand-alone entrepreneurial pursuits as well as new business setups for
larger, mature insurers. For most we have built and managed their respective IT platforms and acted as key IT partner over the years, as they have gone “from zero to hero”. It is a Contemi specialty. We started working with Walter de Oude and his team at the SingLife design and proof-of-concept stage in 2014, and today still work with SingLife on delivering key pieces of the IT platform. We enjoy thoroughly working with SingLife and hope to do so for many years to come as SingLife’s success continues.
If you are looking to start something new in insurance – could be a new business line, a new partnership, a new distribution channel, a new claims process, a new eco-system integration and customer engagement model, etc – and you are now thinking about the underpinning IT solution - please do give us call on +65 8695 4219 and let’s talk about it. No promises, but let’s see if we can’t help put a bit of thunder into the IT part of your project.
www.contemi.com
SINGAPORE LIFE
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C O N T E M I — A S T R AT E G I C PA R T N E R S H I P
Contemi, a global leader in next generation IT solutions and supporting customers through digitialisation journeys, has been a key strategic partner of Singapore Life since the beginning. For Shanahan, the relationship between the two represents the way in which Singapore Life truly values its partners. “There are several aspects that we deeply value with Contemi,” he says. “First, their proactive and deeply supportive culture, which lies at the heart of all our key relationships. Secondly, they understand our business and they add value to our thinking and our solutioning and our designs constantly. Thirdly, the technical skills and knowledge and, increasingly, experience, arising from Contemi’s home in Vietnam.” It is this third part in particular that highlights Contemi’s role in the growth of Singapore Life. Shanahan notes that the education system, culture, work ethic and competitive landscape in Vietnam is rapidly transforming, giving rise to what Singapore Life believes is a “powerful new force in technology, particularly in software development”. Contemi is integral to the company’s architectural, design, development, testing and rollout capabilities, participating and collaborating in the
entire product lifecycle. “Sustainability in any friendship arises from mutual contribution to the relationship,” says Shanahan. “For SingLife, we work hard to contribute to all our friendships. For Contemi we experience their contribution continuously and proactively and we benefit from their insights and experiences.” Contemi has taken the lead role in developing Singapore Life’s direct and advised portals. Every customer of Singapore Life engages with the company through these portals, as do its advisors, and so Contemi allows the company to innovate and to improve both the portals and the customer and advisor relationships. “Our policy serving is accessed via our portals in the first instance, meaning that an increased portion of customers’ needs are performed directly by customers and advisors in their portals,” says Shanahan. “We are continuously expanding the capabilities of the portals so that the experience is maintained at a worldclass level and so that customers and advisors access the most efficient solutions for their needs. We very much look forward to Contemi continuing in this role as we expand into new business lines and geographically.”
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SINGAPORE LIFE
“Singapore Life’s architecture is designed in a way that removes the restrictions that are inherently built into the traditional ‘fully integrated’ sales process” 126
— James Shanahan Chief Operating Officer, Singapore Life an unlimited variety of front ends that
what it believes has been missing from
connect to the orchestration, in order
the financial services landscape, which
to service multiple markets, regardless
is the flexibility to adapt to the custom-
of medium, language, geography, buying
er’s needs rapidly, to offer services
customs or other channel characteris-
which reflect contemporary pricing and
tics. Singapore Life’s architecture is
crafting experiences that delight their
designed in a way that removes the
customers, ultimately resulting in better
restrictions that are inherently built
financial outcomes for all stakeholders.
into the traditional ‘fully integrated’
“We are not so arrogant as to expect
sales process.”
people will only buy product X through
Removing the historical rigidity of
an app, or through partner X’s site or in
developing and selling financial services
only one way,” says Shanahan. “We
allows Singapore Life to reconceive its
want to allow all our partners, our own
business operating model and to deliver
teams and others in our ecosystem to
MARCH 2019
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127
invent new sales experiences, channels
operating model leverages the concept
and mediums and be able to interact
of its emerging platform economy and
with us via an API layer at the orchestra-
the network effects which are becom-
tion level. We don’t profess to have the
ing evident amongst Singapore Life’s
definitive answer as to the best way to
customers and its ecosystem.
sell financial services; instead, we
“We have constructed a platform that
strive to enable as much flexibility as
it is incredibly flexible and operates
possible and to allow exploration and
at a cost which is at least an order of
discovery to lead us to better outcomes,
magnitude lower than prior solutions. In
all the while building a capability which
previous generations it was not possible
compounds the speed of that discov-
to enjoy tiny incremental cost of distribu-
ery over time.”
tion while deploying high flexibility and
The financial strategy underpinning Singapore Life’s unique business
rapid iteration,” says Shanahan. “Our operating model delivers this and further a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
THERE’S A NEW
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FOR ENQUIRIES CONTACT JASON MORRISSEY, Partner +65 6220 8383 Singapore • Kuala Lumpur • Manila • Hong Kong • Shanghai • Brisbane • Sydney • Canberra • Melbourne • Auckland
TECHNOLOGY
CLICK TO WATCH : SINGAPORE LIFE WELCOMES ZURICH LIFE SINGAPORE 129 allows us to consider multiple low cost,
importance. As Shanahan notes, the
high volume back ends which expand the
technology platform cannot operate in
scope of services our customers enjoy,
isolation and so Singapore Life invests
while new geographies and partnerships
in its operating model by bringing in
can be explored rapidly and without
partners to create further flexibility,
architectural complexity via front ends.”
managing the operating model via
Ultimately the platform economics
a governance approach which fully
bring about an increasing productivity gain over time, delivering on and
leverages its open ecosystem. He describes Singapore Life as the
continuously strengthening Singapore
‘architects’ that oversee the design, the
Life’s unique business model promise.
funding and allocation of capital, and
Technology is key to achieving
the company’s roadmaps, the distribut-
increased productivity throughout the
ing 100% of its development and back
company and its ecosystem, but the
office operations to create an ecosys-
operating model is perhaps of greater
tem of the likeminded. “The idea is that a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
SINGAPORE LIFE
we don’t want ‘vendors’ or someone who’s just trying to sell us something,” he says. “We also don’t want partners, which simply implies a level of seniority. What we really want are friends.” Shanahan continues: “When we say, ‘open ecosystem,’ it’s an ecosystem of people who are like minded when it comes to achieving our vision, who’ve got each other’s back, who are simpatico in their understanding, and whose incentives, both emotional and professional, are aligned to the same goals.” In bringing this open ecosystem to life, Singapore Life can drive robust and rapid changes in both the organisation and the 130
industry. To this end, Singapore Life works closely with local and international partners such as Amazon, GrowthOps, Ranosys, Sapiens and LogiGear to develop, test and implement leading-edge software solutions to accelerate the company’s growth. “The most important thing for Singapore Life is working with companies that can enable an extreme level of flexibility, to bring in new and different resources as well as different types of skillsets,” says Shanahan. “We then end up with organisations that we’ve effectively grown with – people that believe in our philosophy, our vision,where we’re trying to get to.” GrowthOps in particular has been a key driver of growth for Singapore Life, having worked with the company since April 2017. MARCH 2019
“ With our architecture powering growth, it’s now time for Singapore Life to come of age and step into adulthood in terms of our standing as a regional champion” — James Shanahan Chief Operating Officer, Singapore Life
TECHNOLOGY
Singapore Life engaged GrowthOps as a technology advisory partner to improve its infrastructure, cloud security, compliance and business continuity. In Oct 2017, Singapore Life officially went live with its client portal and high net worth online offerings. Since then, GrowthOps has been working in partnership with the company in five areas: cost optimisation, security, reliability, performance and operational excellence. “Singapore Life engaged us to develop a robust technology infrastructure that could be leveraged to provide financial solutions directly to its clients,” says Jason Morrissey, Partner, GrowthOps. “GrowthOps is excited to be involved in the expansion story of a digitallyfocused financial services company, and our teams look forward to further developing our relationship in 2019 and beyond.” At the very heart of every decision that Singapore Life takes, be it operations, finance or technology, is the customer. In the financial services space, the customer can take on many forms and in order for Singapore Life to deliver the very best for them it needs to understand how the contemporary customer behaves. In Singapore, the modern customer is time-poor and this has seen companies look to tap into this market by creating mobile applications in order to bring them insurance and other financial products. Singapore Life a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
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134
recognises that while this can bring
Singapore Life is an incredibly
success, it’s not representative of the
ambitious company. By early 2019
customer experience that Singapore
the company was valued at over
Life seeks to provide. “The key for us is
US$200mn and had achieved profit-
observing that time-poor state and
ability in its first full year of operation,
thinking how we can build a smooth,
making it Singapore’s fastest growing
compelling and attractive experience
life insurer. With a wholly flexible and
for that customer,” says Shanahan.
incredibly unique architecture in place,
“There are so many apps in the market
the sky is well and truly the limit. As
now I couldn’t possibly tell you which one
‘the next generation’ financial services
is going to ‘win’. We want to experiment,
company, what does the future hold
use our flexibility and other capabilities
for Singapore Life? The company has
to discover what works for customers
outlined its ambitions to expand into
in real life.”
the ASEAN market, to significantly
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
its strong business plans and push to enter new markets and rollout additional lines of business. From the outset GrowthOps has worked with Singapore Life to ensure the technologies are in place to support the company’s goal of becoming a preferred Singaporean financial services company.” For Singapore Life, this goal will be achieved by keeping the customer at the heart of its operations. “Our intention is to fill the more holistic financial services needs of individuals and to continue to work with our ecosystem to bring new and wonderful things to our expanding markets,” says Shanahan. “With our architecture powering growth, it’s now broaden its insurance portfolio and
time for Singapore Life to come of age
to expand to other financial services,
and step into adulthood in terms of our
using its operating model, licence and
standing as a regional champion.”
rapidly expanding capital base to renovate and reinvigorate financial services. It will achieve this with the help of those key partners. “GrowthOps works closely with Singapore Life’s management team and is supporting the company’s digital expansion in Southeast Asia,” says Morrissey. “Moreover, GrowthOps is further enhancing Singapore Life’s technology infrastructure to support a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
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TECHNOLOGY
MLC LIFE INSURANCE Undergoing a digital transformation in the insurance sector WRITTEN BY
SEAN GALEA-PACE PRODUCED BY
ALEX PAGE
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MLC LIFE INSURANCE
Sarv Girn, Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer of MLC Life Insurance, discusses how his company is embracing technology amid a digital transformation in the insurance industry
W
ith digital transformation having an increased impact across all industries, it’s become paramount that companies
continuously monitor their operations to ensure 138
they are providing the best possible service to their customers. For Sarv Girn, Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer of MLC Life Insurance, the experience of the customer is considered key. With a 133-year history and considered the oldest start-up in Australia, MLC Life Insurance has substantial experience in the insurance sector. Having transitioned from NAB ownership to joining the Nippon Life Group of Companies, Girn believes that the change in ownership has allowed MLC Life Insurance to progress its customer experience significantly. “It actually ploughs investments back into the customer offering. The ethos within MLC Life Insurance is that we ensure we put the customer first and investments aim to create platforms for advisers, group funds and end policy holders that are truly customer centric,” says Girn. “That MARCH 2019
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139
makes us quite unique given Nippon’s background, because with the investment in new technologies it’s clear we are really serious about our customers. I believe that is what gives us an edge and it shouldn’t be underestimated.”
UTILISING TECHNOLOGY As customer demands continue to change, it is important that companies respond and adapt to the latest digital trends in order to stay competitive with industry rivals. From first-hand experience, Girn believes he has an a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
MLC LIFE INSURANCE
“ We’ve introduced LifeView for our group customers which is a platform we offer to superannuation funds and it’s been very important to us” 140
— Sarv Girn, Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer
MARCH 2019
effective understanding of what customers expect from a life insurer. “The demands of the customer have changed because customers expect everything to be done online now. Three years ago, I had a nasty fall where I broke my ankle and ended up in hospital,” explains Girn. “At the time, I was part of another life insurance company and having to make a claim wasn’t easy. I couldn’t really load all the documents up online and I had to physically go around to a GP, surgeon, and the hospital to get documented proof that I’d been injured, which on
TECHNOLOGY
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘LIFE UNCHANGING — BROOKE WOULDN’T CHANGE A THING’ 141 crutches is no easy task. What
insurance needs online and, should
customers are really expecting is to
they need to make a claim, to be able
log on to a portal, load up all the informa-
to track its progress,” says Girn. “This
tion about their claim electronically,
has been great for members because
track it and get paid automatically.”
claims can go straight through for
With customer requirements in mind,
assessment without the need for lots
MLC Life Insurance has implemented
of manual paperwork. The portal also
a new platform called LifeView, which
offers an integrated experience for
will make the insurance and claims
trustees and administrators, providing
experience easier for members of
superannuation funds with transparent
superannuation funds. The platform is
view of the claims process.”
designed to help improve member engagement, automating processes
TRANSITIONING TO THE CLOUD
and decreasing response times.
Having moved to the cloud under two
“It allows members to manage their
years ago, MLC Life Insurance has a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
MLC LIFE INSURANCE
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“It’s extremely important to innovate because our customers are tech-savvy and expect to be able to conduct their business online. However, we do leverage the broader Nippon Group and look at what are other life insurers in the group are doing” — Sarv Girn, Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
migrated its services and transformed
philosophy, Girn believes that it’s vital
its infrastructure to ensure it produces
to innovate and utilise partners to
the best possible service. Girn affirms
achieve results. “It’s extremely
that any such transformation is difficult
important to innovate because our
to achieve. “Any migration to the cloud
customers are tech-savvy and expect
or to a new system is complex. It takes
to be able to conduct key elements of
careful planning and because we didn’t
their business online. However, we do
actually have a previous system: we
leverage the broader Nippon Group
had to start off from scratch. Every use
and look at what other life insurers in
of cloud needs to be managed from
the group are doing,” he says. “It’s also
a risk perspective, so it’s important
vital to keep in touch with our custom-
that we make sure we understand the
ers in order to gain a better under-
operational aspects of that outsourcing
standing of what issues they have. I’m
and look at how we’re managing and
a firm believer that it doesn’t really
monitoring it.”
matter who you work for, it matters
With innovation considered a key component of MLC Life Insurance’s
who you work with – so for us, having partners out there where you can pick
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Sarv Girn Following the acquisition of MLC Life by Nippon Life from Japan, Sarv is responsible for leading the business transformation to re-establish MLC Life as Australia’s leading and most trusted life insurance company. This includes delivering the most advanced digital and process infrastructure in the insurance sector so as to create great customer experience across the group and retail insurance channels.
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MLC LIFE INSURANCE
1886
Year founded
1,650
Approximate number of employees
HQ
Melbourne Australia
146
up a phone and say ‘we want to try this
objectives and there’s a win-win for both
experiment, can you help here?’ is the
sides. If you have a partner that is
key to innovation.”
always trying to sell you something you
In order to ensure that MLC’s
don’t need, then it isn’t really a partner-
success is sustained, Girn points to the
ship,” he explains. “The trick is to find
development of key partnerships with
joint objectives because if you’ve got
Indian multinational IT provider Tech
a partner who’s doing a great job
Mahindra as well as Salesforce, TCS,
implementing your platform and it’s
Infosys, Microsoft and Oracle and
truly strategic, then you can help them
affirms that effective partnerships have
grow in another part of the company.
been an important component to the
It’s primarily about understanding the
transformation. “I think a partnership
objectives of each other, because if the
works well when you’ve got joint
objectives aren’t aligned, it’s never
MARCH 2019
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147
going to be successful, no matter how
around for a long time. Our purpose is
hard you try.”
‘a promise for life’, and considering we’ve been in operation since 1886, we
FUTURE PLANS
want to stay around for a long time to
With sustainability at the forefront of
come. It’s sustainability in a financial
MLC Life Insurance’s strategy, Girn
sense, but it’s also vital for us to stay
believes it’s important to stay relevant
relevant to the community. We’re trying
to customers and respond to their
to become more sustainable in offering
demands on a consistent basis. “We
propositions like health and wellbeing
have to ensure we’re not just effective
when customers are considering life
when dealing with customers, but
insurance,” explains Girn. “If my life
efficient internally as well because we
insurer can tell me that I’m eating the
need to make sure we’re going to be
wrong things or not exercising enough, a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
1
3 2
4
5
Uncomplicate with TCS BaNCS for Insurance True digital transformation for insurers today means facilitating easy and simple transactions for end customers, intermediaries and service providers though self--service channels on any device, anywhere. TCS BaNCS for Insurance can help you turn digital disruption into an advantage, with its highly configurable and scalable solutions, powered by APIs and delivered on the cloud. Spanning life, annuity, pensions, property & casualty, reinsurance and health insurance, the solution’s rich functionality supports every event in the lifecycle of a policy. By driving digital channel adoption in the retirement business in UK, achieving 99.9% Straight--Through--Processing for 6.4 MN members, it has helped redefine end--customer experience. The solution has also transformed a large life insurance group in UK, integrating 6 business lines, 1,100 products, 13 platforms, 7 MN policies and 6 MN customers onto a single instance. A leading non-life insurer in India consolidated 2,000+ disparate branch systems and 17 lines of businesses onto the TCS BaNCS solution, with 5,500 concurrent users issuing 75,000 policies on an average, per day. Resting on a digital core, TCS BaNCS for Insurance solutions---be it conversational AI to guide and advise your customers, or our distributed ledger--based blockchain solution, Quartz from TCS---can help you expand your business, collaborate, connect and leverage the power of newer and richer ecosystems. When you select TCS BaNCS for Insurance, you are adopting our Digital First, Cloud First philosophy ensuring that your organization is agile and future ready. So, are you ready to Uncomplicate? To find out how TCS BaNCS can uncomplicate your business, visit https://www.tcs.com/bancs
TECHNOLOGY
“ We have to ensure we’re not just effective when dealing with customers, but efficient internally as well” — Sarv Girn, Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer
149
and refer me to a gym or a physio, then
mation. We also want to look at some
I’m going to be more likely to stay fit.
really advanced analytics to better
If they keep me healthy and fitter, then
understand our customers’ require-
I’m going to like them and they’re going
ments,” he says. “We’re now entering
to become more sustainable. I believe
a period where we can use machine
that helps to re-define life insurance,
learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to
because a life insurer is primarily a health
analyse customer behaviour and data
and well-being company.”
with their consent and offer a proposi-
Looking to the future, Girn aims to
tion that meets their needs.”
continue to prioritise customers in order to thrive in the life insurance market. “We’re extending our platform even further to our advisers and Group customers to enable further transfora si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
Using technology to grow in Japan
150
WRIT TEN BY
SOPHIE CHAPM AN PRODUCED BY
A LE X PAGE
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
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PA I D Y
As Paidy builds its status in Japan, the payment company’s CTO talks to Business Chief about ITS digital disruption journey
T
he Japanese startup was founded in 2008, but despite having been present in the nation’s fintech industry for over 10 years,
Paidy’s expansion became most prominent in the past few years. “Definitely over the last three years we have seen tremendous growth – consumer growth, merchant network growth, and growth in 152
our consumer spaces, such as active users on the platform,” reveals Houston Ross, Chief Technology Officer at Paidy. Since 2017, the company has expanded by more than 200%, and is now currently one of the largest online payment businesses in Japan. The firm offers cardless payments using only an email address and phone number – the accessible, frictionless payment method does not require a credit card nor application. “To summarise, we take the risk out of online transactions. The Japanese use the term “mendokusai” which means troublesome. So, we remove the mendokusai in terms of facilitating payments online,” states Houston. As well as being a technology-driven business, Paidy’s values centre around its workforce. “Paidy’s main core values are discovery, diversity and inclusion,” Houston says. The firm employs around MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
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PA I D Y
154
“ The government has said that by 2020, 40% of all transactions should be online. Now that’s an opportunity to acknowledge” — Houston Ross Chief Technology Officer, Paidy
MARCH 2019
120 members of staff of 28 different nationalities. “So, diversity is really important to us, in terms of how we operate in trying to collectivise that diversity and then funnel it into the innovation that we use to power our company. I think that’s one of our core values,” Ross continues. With its diverse workforce, the company is able to introduce a range of new ideas and cutting-edge concepts. The business claims to be at the pinnacle of technology-adoption, which allows it to simplify
TECHNOLOGY
CLICK TO WATCH : INSTANT YOU (PAIDY INC.) 155
Japan’s payment options. In order to
to encapsulate an experience right now
remove complexities and mendokusai
focused on the payments. And of
from purchasing, the payment network
course, the technology that we utilize
has adopted artificial intelligence (AI)
underpins that.” As the company’s CTO,
and machine learning. “I think at the
Houston is ensuring Paidy’s relation-
core of what we’re doing, we’re talking
ship with technology continues to
about financial risk management. So,
develop. “I’m responsible for engineer-
our ability to process that data and
ing, products, Infosec and operations,”
analyze it daily at the transactional level
notes Houston. When joining the
is key to our business,” says Houston.
company last year, having previously
“For us, digital transformation is the
worked at Nationale Nederlanden and
engine that underpins our ability to
AXA Life Insurance, the CTO decided
remove that mendokusai. We’re trying
to isolate his firm’s security function. a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
Make Every Customer Interaction Count Create innovative & delightful customer experiences with programmable communications. www.nexmo.com | sales@nexmo.com |
TECHNOLOGY
“When I arrived at Paidy, security was
factor to our technology operations as
a part of our engineering operations.
well our consumers and invoices. We
One of the first things I did was pull it
run our business in the cloud on AWS
away from engineering and set it on
Stack, and there are other services like
its own course,” claims Houston.
Circle-CI that we’re leveraging as well
There are several risks to consider within the fintech industry, with the P2P platform addressing operational risk,
because they’re on our continuous integration.” The network is becoming increasingly
cyber risk, and risks within underlying
popular in Japan as it is revolutionising
technology. As the business grows,
the industry and targeting both the mass
Paidy is adopting partnerships with
market and business. “The relationship
companies such as Nexmo and AWS.
between users and merchants is critical
“We work with partners like Nexmo,
to every interaction, and everyone
which targets SMS messaging – a key
involved is having to build trust.In that
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Houston Ross Houston Ross recently joined Paidy as the firm’s Chief Technology Officer. Prior to October last year, Houston was positioned as the Chief Operations Officer for Czech Republic and Slovakia at Nationale Nederlanden, as well as being a Board Member. The innovation-focused executive has also worked for NN’s Life Insurance Company as the Vice President, Chief Operations Officer, and Chief Information Officer, as well as AXA Life Insurance Japan as the Chief Technology Officer. Houston graduated from Barrington University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science and the University of Liverpool in 2007 with a Master of Business Administration degree.
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PA I D Y
2008
Year founded
100+
Approximate number of employees
158
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
159
a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
PA I D Y
“ Diversity is really important to us, in terms of how we operate in trying to collectivise that diversity and then funnel it into the innovation that we use to power our company” 160
— Houston Ross Chief Technology Officer, Paidy
CLICK TO WATCH : PAIDY, HOW TO VIDEO (JAPANESE LANGUAGE)
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
we want to introduce additional new products for our company,” Houston says. With opportunities on the horizon, such as the Olympics being held in Japan in 2020, Paidy aims to take advantage of its surroundings. “The government has said that by 2020, 40% of all transactions should be online. Now that’s an opportunity to acknowledge,” continues Houston. The biggest challenge for Houston within his role is enabling the business’s growth: “With the scaling on a vertical side and the scaling on a horizontal side, on one hand you’re trying to build a foundation where you can grow, and space, Paidy says ‘look, we take the
the other is adding additional revenue
risk.’ The merchant is assured they will
and value streams to that ecosystem.
be paid by the consumer, as we accept
My personal challenge is how do you do
the consumer risk and trust that they
both at the same time whilst continuing
pay us,” explains Houston. “Then we
to expand.”
make it a whole lot more seamless, we make it frictionless, and we remove mendokusai for the merchant as well as for the consumer.” “Our primary goal is around growth, from both a vertical and horizontal perspective. The vertical perspective is to expand from 2mn Paidy consumers to 5mn in 2019. As for horizontal growth, a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
161
162
A TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION SPANNING THE CONTINENT WRIT TEN BY
CATHERINE S TURM AN PRODUCED BY
MIK E SADR
MARCH 2019
ASIA
163
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C A R AV E L G R O U P
Chief Operating Officer, Angad Banga discusses how digitisation has disrupted the shipping industry
M
aritime transport remains a significant linchpin in the world’s economy. With more than 90% of goods and services travelling
via this route, global sea trade remains a significant driver in the delivery of high-quality products and services. Headquartered in Hong Kong, The Caravel Group, taking its name from 15th century trading vessel, ‘the caravel’, has played a key role in the 164
facilitation of global seaborne trade, with strategic locations situated in China, Cyprus, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. While the group is no stranger to increasing competition across the shipping industry, changes in requirements from industry participants, increasing and changing regulatory regimes and pricing pressures have created a seismic shift in expectations from the industry, with digitisation expected to be the driver of change. “What makes us unique is our range of qualities: from our agility and spirit, our entrepreneurial drive, integrity and transparency in our operations, as well as our diverse set of business operations across the value chain, which allows us to provide integrated solutions. We are a large company, with the energy MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
165
of a start-up,” comments Chief Operating Officer, Angad Banga. “It is critical for the organisation to drive change, using the business initiatives we create and build over time.” Guaranteeing value-added services will be the main differentiator for any business and Banga is keen to embrace and implement new IT and operational technologies (OT) which will demonstrate excellence, each and every time. As an example, The Caravel Group’s Ship Management division, Fleet Management Limited, which is one of a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
The Caravel Group partners with Symantec to defend cyber threats
Businesses are increasing annual spend on cyber security more than ever before. As threats become more advanced, The Caravel Group (TCG) has introduced multiple layers of threat protection across its operations. Supporting organisations, governments and people to secure their most important data, TCG partnered with leading cyber security provider, Symantec.
CONTACT US DL-OD-Hongkong@symantec.com
A market leader in the field, the business delivers integrated solutions across all endpoints, and has strengthened TCG’s cloud and infrastructure capabilities, deploying effective, scalable solutions.
Symantec has a wide range of security products. They are the market leader to provide integrated Cyber Defence solutions and rapid delivery to the cloud.” - Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer, The Caravel Group
A strategic partnership
A secure solution
By partnering with Symantec, TCG has accelerated their journey to the cloud with flexible endpoint detection and response (EDR) technology. The results are significant: Incident responders now quickly search, identify, and contain impacted endpoints, both on premises and in the cloud, then integrate all incident data and actions into existing SOC infrastructures and Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) environments.
Optimising assets and lowering operational costs were the biggest sellers for TCG, where Symantec’s technologies were deployed in minutes, with no impact on the end-user experience. “Security solutions from Symantec have changed the way we deal with threats." says Banga. "We are now also implementing Symantec IT AssetManagement to centralise all our resources.”
By successfully onboarding Symantec email cloud security products to eradicate the threat of spam, malware, and trojans, its Target Attack Analytics (TAA) and Dynamic Adversary Intelligence has seen the implementation of cloud-based artificial intelligence algorithms and machine learning, allowing TCG to adapt to new attack techniques automatically and gain greater insight into attacker and technique. Not only that – by increasing visibility, Symantec also delivers great automated playback capabilities to TCG, bringing the skills and best practices of its most experienced security analysts to the table, lowering costs at every opportunity, existing SOC infrastructures and Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) environments.
Symantec IT Management Suite integrates with SEP Cloud, extending the visibility of endpoints to include modern devices and operating systems. Reducing the cost of managing servers, desktops, laptops and thin clients from a centralised location, the solution reduced end-user downtime and maximised IT efficiency. Additionally, by ensuring real-time compliance across TCG’s IT assets and overall operations, Symantec’s IT management suites centralises and simplifies patch management. Symantec’s Cloud-enabled management functionality in IT Management Suite puts the security of Windows and Mac users firmly at the forefront, even when they are disconnected from the corporate network. In-depth reports also offer smarter, faster decisions which ensure endpoints are protected.
For additional information, please visit www.symantec.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. Copyright ©2018 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved. Symantec, the Symantec Logo, and the Checkmark Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
C A R AV E L G R O U P
the largest and preeminent third-party ship management firms with over 500 vessels under management, has been a key division which has embraced new digital tools. Catering to cargo ship owners worldwide, including bulk carriers, oil, gas and cargo carriers, chemical tankers and more, Fleet Management’s longstanding expertise in technical and management services has been enhanced with innovative software to drive operational efficiency in delivering exceptional end-to-end, 168
value-added solutions to its clients. Banga notes that its ship management system has the ability to provide close to real-time data to clients, something which was previously unavailable. “The maritime industry is one of the oldest modes of transport, and has gone
“ Organisations will need to understand the value of technology, how to use it and to actually innovate, using technology as a driver” — Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer, Caravel Group MARCH 2019
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169
through several stages of technological
which helps us begin the process of
revolution throughout history. We
digitisation. It means certain applica-
expect to see another impressive shift
tions and certain tasks can be com-
in the near-future. The industry is not
pleted on ships without the network
necessarily considered innovative,
problems we previously encountered.
but is actually hugely complex. Each
Over time, this should hopefully lead
vessel requires a high level of technical
to a higher degree of automation – at
expertise to able to manage it – not just
sea, but also within the offices.”
the engineering and crew itself but also
In the trading of industrial dry bulk
the IT systems and OT systems which
commodities, the group’s Resources
we provide,” he explains. “More and
division has become a key staple for
more ships are getting connectivity,
the steel and energy sectors. Its three a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
World-Leading Cyber AI
The Caravel Group Case Study Industry
Maritime
Business Background
Resources
Asset Management
Headquartered in Hong Kong, the Caravel Group is a diversified global conglomerate that provides maritime services, strategic asset management, and trading solutions across the industrial dry bulk value chain.
Challenges Detecting never-before-seen threats at an early stage
Containing fast-moving attacks before they do damage
Gaining complete visibility across complex digital systems
Autonomous response to in-progress threats
100% visibility via the Darktrace Threat Visualizer
Results Real-time detection of novel attacks and subtle insiders
Challenge
Solution
Benefits
As cyber-threats gain in speed and severity, the Caravel Group recognized the importance of cultivating an adaptive and resilient security posture that can keep pace with a rapidly evolving threat landscape. In particular, the business was determined to deploy a cyber AI solution that can autonomously detect and respond to novel threats at an early stage, before they have time to disrupt critical operations, or exfiltrate sensitive data.
To address these concerns, the security team deployed Darktrace’s Enterprise Immune System, which installed in under an hour and immediately started learning the normal ‘pattern of life’ for every user and device in the business. By continuously learning and adapting its understanding of ‘normal’ in light of new evidence, Darktrace’s cyber AI can detect never-before-seen threats that would otherwise go unnoticed.
With Darktrace AI deployed across its entire digital enterprise, the Caravel Group now has 24/7 autonomous protection against advanced cyberthreats. Through Darktrace’s Threat Visualizer, the security team has complete visibility of every user and device and can investigate emerging threats in real time.
With Antigena defending our network around the clock, we can finally prioritize strategically important activities while Darktrace’s AI works in the background to contain the threats that get through. Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer
“The Enterprise Immune System immediately notified us of cyberthreats that our other tools missed,” commented Banga. “Darktrace’s AI has enabled us to rapidly investigate threats before they have time to escalate into a crisis.” The Caravel Group subsequently deployed Darktrace Antigena, Darktrace’s autonomous response solution. By enforcing the normal ‘pattern of life’ for a given user or device, Antigena works by taking surgical, measured action to contain in-progress threats, limiting damage and stopping their spread in real time. “With Antigena defending our network around the clock, we can finally prioritize strategically important activities while Darktrace’s AI works in the background to contain the threats that get through,” commented Banga.
“Darktrace provides us with actionable intelligence in a few clicks and can identify legitimate threats amid the noise of our complex digital business,” remarked Banga. “With Darktrace, our security team and executives can be confident that cyber-threats that get past the perimeter will be identified and contained before they do damage.”
Darktrace’s Enterprise Immune System is the only solution on the market that can detect and respond to neverbefore-seen threats in real time. Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer
w
C A R AV E L G R O U P
“ More and more ships are getting connectivity, which helps us move into the digital space. Certain 172 applications and tasks can be completed without the network problems we previously encountered” — Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer, Caravel Group
main subsidiaries – metallurgical, carbons, and ores and alloys – are safely transported as a result of the group’s robust supply chain and logistics capabilities. Nonetheless, as the need for global shipping services continues to escalate, technology has seen a steady rise in demand – something which Caravel has been keen to tap into by taking a greater look at the high volumes of data accumulated across the group, in order to drive greater value and access further opportunities. “Much of the data is not captured at source in a systematic manner. When the data is collected, it’s not being effectively utilised, which leads to the question of ‘is the business intelligence there?’ ‘Is there a sufficient level of resourcing?’ There are some companies doing it but I think it’s at an early stage. This is a key area of focus for The Caravel Group. We will be using several tools to enhance data visualisation and modelling through machine learning,” adds Banga. “We already have some of these initiatives underway, and hopefully, these will be a foundation for enabling future generations of tools that are developed to service our clients. Organi-
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
173 sations will need to understand the
stores, the new app has led seafarers
value of technology, how to use it and
to join the business quicker and make
to actually innovate.”
an immediate difference, boosting
Although technology has grown “in leaps and bounds” and accelerated the transformation of businesses globally,
engagement and seafarer retention levels in the process. “We can scan a seafarer’s passport
he adds the group’s integrated, pas-
which is then sent back promptly,”
sionate workforce and client-led focus
Banga says. “Previously, it was a fully
is its biggest asset. Blending technol-
manual process, so this has reduced
ogy, creativity and training has therefore
delays in the process. Through the
seen the business build a new applica-
app, users can submit their application,
tion which has fully digitised the seafarer
which provides two options: a quick
experience across their 500 vessels,
application and a full application.
even before they have joined. Acces-
The quick application is where you
sible through Android and Apple
can apply straight away with minimal a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
C A R AV E L G R O U P
C OMPA N Y FA C T S
• The Caravel Group takes its name from 15th century trading vessel, ‘the caravel’ • Catering towards bulk carriers, oil, gas and cargo carriers, chemical tankers and more, the group’s longstanding expertise has been enhanced with innovative software to drive operational efficiency 174
• Caravel has sought to look at the high volumes of data accumulated, in order to drive greater value and access further opportunities • Blending technology, creativity and training has seen the business build a new application which has fully digitised the employee experience • With the number of security breaches rising each year and expected to hit US$6trn annually by 2021, security has therefore become a key driver for the group
requirements, and we can actually start conversations with seafarers looking to apply to us. The full application is a more detailed application where you put all your certifications and take photos of your details, and this information is then uploaded to our proprietary crew management database allowing our on-boarding teams to reduce their manual processes and focus on the value-add aspect to hiring high quality seafarers. It supports those who are interested in joining, and we have received positive feedback both from
MARCH 2019
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175
the community and the industry,” he
2021, according to Symantec, security
adds. Following its success, the group
has become a key driver for the group.
is now rolling out similar technologies
“While the industry continues to
to transform its quality management
shift, it is essential for us build a digital
systems, utilising tools such as iPads
fingerprint in the industry, but to also
to fully mobilise its inspection and
build the IT foundation needed to
audit processes.
have a good security in place,” he adds
For Banga, implementing such
thoughtfully. “We have a number of
technology has proved highly benefi-
partners on board to support us in the
cial, yet he is cautious not to introduce
delivery of end-point protection. Tech-
new technologies “just for technology’s
nology enables us to further this vision.”
sake”. With the number of security
Symantec has been one such partner
breaches rising each year and damage
which has been instrumental in the
projected to hit US$6trn annually by
transformation of the group’s digital a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
C A R AV E L G R O U P
£2bn Approximate revenue
1,000 Approximate number of on-shore staff
176
20,000 Approximate number of off-shore staff
MARCH 2019
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C A R AV E L G R O U P
“ I think Symantec’s strength is their ability to be able to operate without needing continual updates every time” 178
— Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer, Caravel Group
security from an IT perspective. “Our relationship with Symantec
robust email protection. Previously, the group received a high volume of
started with advancing our digital
malware, which has been reduced
protection, where we explored a
significantly since we implemented
number of products in the security
Symantec’s solution.
space which would help us protect
“I think the biggest strength is their
our end-points. We had limited defense,
ability to be able to operate without
but by expanding our partnership
needing continual updates every time.
further, we have embedded a strong
In some scenarios we need to have a
level of protection,” he explains.
managed anti-virus product that doesn’t
“By implementing tools from Symantec, we can now guarantee MARCH 2019
just simply scan for viruses, but really protects the end-point device from
S U P P LY C H A I N
179
external effects. Other products do
dynamic, world-class service to clients
similar things, but Symantec was very
worldwide. With its ewntrepreneurial
satisfactory from a result perspective.
spirit, its diverse portfolio and strong
Following the implementation of the
relationships with clients, partners and
Symantec solution, the number of spam
its stakeholders, the business will
emails stopped in a month was up to
remain agile and responsive to various
15% of total emails received.�
market trends as the shipping industry
As the group continues to pioneer
endures and thrives.
new markets and trade routes, it will look towards the use of new digital tools and partnerships in order to remain a key player in the market and deliver a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
180
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
AB InBev: Investing in a sustainable future WRIT TEN BY
CATHERINE S TURM AN PRODUCED BY
CHARLOT TE CL ARK E
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181
ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV
With an ambition to remain the number one brewer 100+ years from now, AB InBev’s sustainability goals have led to a global transformation of its operations
R
enowned as the largest beer producer worldwide, AB InBev’s global reach and passion for innovation
has seen the business implement new sustainable solutions. Launching its most ambitious sustainability goals yet in March 2018, encom182
passing smart agriculture, water stewardship, circular packaging and climate action, the business continues to look at ways to secure its position as a leading brewer 100+ years from now. AB InBev knows it can’t solve all of its sustainability challenges on its own and is working alongside technology startups, governments, NGOs, local businesses and universities, notably through its recently launched 100+ Accelerator Programme. Partnering with people who are passionate about solving environmental challenges and building sustainable solutions, areas of focus include improving the livelihood of farmers and the strengthening of the supply chain to take its efforts to new heights. “The launch of the 100+ MARCH 2019
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ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV
“ Our approach is rooted in the communities where we live and work, and we are well positioned to support entrepreneurs who are tackling local challenges”
184
— Diane Wauters, Sustainability & Agricultural Development Director, APAC
MARCH 2019
Accelerator builds on our sustainability goals and acts as a way to fast-track our progress. It is a way for us to partner with companies that can deliver breakthrough advancements in water stewardship, farmer productivity, responsible sourcing, green logistics and more,” explains Diane Wauters, Sustainability & Agricultural Development Director, APAC.
SMART AGRICULTURE Implementing its Smart Agriculture 2025 goals, AB InBev is focusing on upskilling, connecting and financially empowering its direct farmers in over 15
S U P P LY C H A I N
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘100+ 2025 SUSTAINABILITY GOALS’ 185 countries. In India for example, through
programmes, which educate farmers to
the use of data, technology and key
adopt best practices. “With this pro-
insights from the field, the SmartBarley
gramme we aim to drive change and
team is supporting around 4,000
build a sustainable future for us and for
farmers in boosting farmer productivity
our farmers with a truly 360 approach
and environmental performance. By
impacting not only the farmer margin
actively engaging local farmers, R&D
but also water usage reduction through
specialists have sought to improve
better irrigation practices, health &
crop quality and introduce new barley
safety, nutrition and women empower-
varieties, while agronomists have worked
ment,” adds Wauters.
with farmers in the implementation of
“Our approach is rooted in the comm-
crop management practices to enable
unities where we live and work, and we
them to achieve optimum crop yields.
are well positioned to support entre-
All of this work is fully underpinned
preneurs who are tackling local challeng-
by AB InBev’s SmartFarmer training
es. Partnering with KisanHub – a crop a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV
186
intelligence platform – in the context of
its watershed around high risk sites,
the 100+ Accelerator in India will help
improving water usage and driving
us reach our goal of having 100% of
initiatives to impact the surrounding
our farmers digitally connected faster
watersheds. With more than 884mn
and with better results – which is our
people in the developing world lack-
constant drive,” explains Wauters.
ing access to clean water, water stewardship and building strong rela-
WATER STEWARDSHIP
tionships with like-minded partners
As part of its water stewardship goals,
and suppliers has become a vital area
AB InBev has prioritised the impact of
of focus.
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
“We have sought to reduce our water usage, checking all water sources to ensure complete security. Working alongside local authorities and partnering with organisations, such as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) will also enable us to truly impact our watersheds,” says Wauters. “In India for example, we are part of a few water roundtables, such as the CEO Water Alliance (CEWA),” she says. “It’s very exciting to create water alliances with other companies sharing similar concerns on our
187
water crisis so that we can act and have more impact together. How do we tackle a water crisis? We can only impact our watershed if we work with strong partners in the field, all sharing the same goal to measurably E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Diane Wauters After working in finance for six years in China on various water treatment plants and completing her MBA at Columbia Business School, Diane joined AB InBev’s global procurement team. She is now leading sustainability & agricultural development for the Asia Pacific region
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E X ECU T I VE P RO FI LE
Terry Yao After working in procurement for nine years in national companies, Terry Yao joined AB InBev APAC procurement team. He is now leading sustainability, innovation & SVC in ABI China.
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
improve water quality and quantity,”
“It is a privilege to leverage our resourc-
she adds.
es, capabilities and the scale of our
Leading Australian brewer Cascade
operations to help our communities by
of Carlton & United Breweries (CUB),
pausing beer production to produce
part of the AB InBev family, has sought
clean, safe drinking water for those
to support those affected by natural
affected by natural disasters” says VP
disasters in Queensland, Australia by
Procurement & Sustainability (APAC)
providing free canned drinking water
Jan Clysner.
to those in need. In partnership with the Palaszczuk Government and not-for-
CIRCULAR PACKAGING
profit organisation GIVIT, the relief
Removing 100,000 tonnes of packag-
programme was launched at CUB’s
ing material globally in 2016, AB InBev’s
Yatala Brewery, the largest brewery in
commitment to follow its goal language
Australia. Following its success, the
on returnable and recycled content has
company has now committed to the
seen the business develop robust relation- 189
programme for the foreseeable future,
ships with suppliers, local governments
whereby the business will store up to
and partners. Ramping up the percent-
100,000 cans close to Yatala Brewery
age of recycled materials across its oper-
in case of natural disasters, such as
ations, Wauters points out how China’s
wildfires or cyclones, guaranteeing the
‘recycling ban’, forming part of the cou-
health and safety of local communities.
ntry’s Blue Sky/National Sword
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ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV
programme, led to a waste crisis in
six-packs at the Cascade brewery
Australia. However, this ban actually
– which part of our journey to remove
helped accelerate conversations around
all plastic among its breweries in the
how to best dispose of paper, plastics
future,” says Clysner. Previously,
and glass, as the country exported
more than one million plastic six-pack
over 3% of its recycling to China,
ring packages were leaving CUB each
amounting to 1.25mn tonnes in 2017.
year, leading the business to look at
“To counteract this growing conc-
ways to reduce the volume of unre-
ern around plastic, CUB has started
cyclable materials across its brew-
to remove the plastic rings on its
ing activities.
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MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
“A lot of what we do in sustainability
ers, leveraging common goals and
is linked to our relationship with our
sharing best practices around the
suppliers. If we want to increase our
world,� says Wauters.
glass recycled content, our percentage of renewable electricity or reduce
CLIMATE ACTION
our carbon emissions across our
With the aim to utilise 100% renewable
supply chain, we partner with our
electricity sources, AB InBev has fully
suppliers. We cannot achieve our
transformed its operations from the
sustainability goals on our own. We
inside out. Implementing new value
drive change together with our suppli-
strategy agreements and investing in
191
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ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
“We cannot achieve our sustainability goals on our own. We drive change together with our suppliers, leveraging common goals and sharing best practices around the world” — Diane Wauters, Sustainability & Agricultural Development Director, APAC new technology to reach a 25% reduc-
ate renewable electricity. The installa-
tion in carbon emissions across its
tion is 15MW, and the annual output is
value chain, the business has em-
15,000Mwh renewable electricity,”
braced new partnerships to take the
explains Terry Yao, Associate Procure-
business on its next phase of growth.
ment Director of Sustainability.
Located at one of the biggest brew-
Taking advantage of solar energy
eries in APAC, Putian Brewery is home
produced in Australia, CUB has also
to the largest on-site solar projects
signed a 12-year Power Purchase
across the brewing industry in the en-
Agreement with global renewable
tirety of Asia Pacific. Onsite, the rene-
energy provider, BayWa. The duo will
wable electricity generated could
provide 74,000 MWh renewable energy
achieve approximately 20% of total
to more than 7,000 homes, where
brewery usage. “In China, for example,
energy will be sourced from its solar
we are working on solar projects and
farm in Mildura, Victoria. Additionally,
have asked our suppliers to build solar
the venture will create over 300 constru-
panels on our buildings. We have
ction jobs and long-term opportunities
covered 150,000 square meters of
in the maintenance of the solar farm.
the rooftop in solar panels to gener-
AB InBev is also leading the way in a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
193
ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV
C O M PA N Y FACT S
• AB InBev has upskilled, connected and financially empowered 50,000 direct farmers in over 15 countries • AB InBev has partnered with agricultural software-as-a-service provider, KisanHub to undertake a pilot which has connected 1000 out of 3600 farmers in India
194
• With more than 884mn people in the developing world lacking access to clean water, water stewardship and building strong relationships with partners and suppliers has become vital • Implementing new value strategy agreements, AB InBev has invested in new technology to reach a 25% reduction in emissions as part of its climate action goals • One of the biggest breweries in APAC, AB InBev’s Putian Brewery is home to the largest on-site solar projects across the brewing industry in the entirety of Asia Pacific. • Solar panels will be placed on the roofs of each CUB brewery in Australia, which will reduce its impact on the environment
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
India by having the first brewery in Asia
is increasingly invested in meeting its
Pacific to run 100% on renewable elec-
sustainability goals. As premium brands
tricity for Budweiser production since
grow in popularity and demand, the com-
last March. “It’s very exciting to be the
pany will continue to drive innovation
first movers in our industry, leading by
and healthy competition across the bre-
example to ensure not only we reach
wing industry. Yao underlines this:
our Climate Action goal by 2025 but
“I believe in sustainability, doing the right
also inspire other companies to follow
thing and taking the business in a new
the same path,” explains Clysner.
direction. Our work will impact the city,
To take its climate action goals even
local communities and the country. I beli-
further, solar panels will be placed on
eve premium brands will be on the rise
the roofs of each CUB brewery in
in the near future. People will become
Australia, which will reduce its impact
more willing to tune into brands who are
on the environment. All sites will remain
taking more care of the environment.”
connected to the grid, with potential
Wauters is also keen to highlight AB
access fed back into the system,
InBev’s aim to leave a long-lasting and
ensuring maximum efficiency.
meaningful legacy. “With the size of our
As people’s attitudes towards sustainability continue to shift, AB InBev
company, it’s amazing the impact we can have in the world,” she says pass-
E X E CU T I VE P RO FI LE
Jan Clysner Before leading Procurement and Sustainability at AB InBev APAC, I had the opportunity to do several Procurement roles in the company. These roles not only gave me the opportunity to build knowledge and experiences in several categories across the world, but also provided me the perfect platform of continuously learning
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196
“ I believe in sustainability, doing the right thing and taking the business in a new direction. Our work will impact the city, local communities and the country” — Terry Yao, Associate Procurement Director of Sustainability
MARCH 2019
S U P P LY C H A I N
ionately. “Sustainability is not just a trend, it’s our business and here to stay. It’s by leveraging our people and through our incredible strength at achieving results that we get to shape the future of the communities in which we live and work.” Clysner concludes by sharing his passion for sustainability. “In a region like Asia Pacific, each country has its own challenges, its own opportunities and we have the passionate people and scale to capture those. But we also recognize we cannot do this on our own, hence our 100+ Accelerator where we reach out to others to help us on our journey. At ABInBev we’ve been dedicated to sustainability for years, but now we are going further – with goals that will have measurable, positive impact on our communities.”
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198
National Heart Foundation of Australia:
an agile technology transformation WRIT TEN BY
OLIVIA MINNOCK PRODUCED BY
MIK E SADR
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
199
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H E A R T F O U N D AT I O N O F A U S T R A L I A
CIO Shane Riddle explains how bringing in an agile approach and developing a single view of the customer will drive the charity’s vital operations forward
W 200
ith heart disease the biggest single killer of Australians, the National Heart Foundation of Australia is leading the
charge to change this frightening statistic – from fundraising and research to providing vital awareness and information about preventative health, the 60-year-old charity won’t be stopping any time soon. In fact, it is undergoing a significant technology transformation to enable its 250+ strong team to serve customers and the Australian public even more effectively. Sharing the organisation’s vision of an Australia free of heart disease is Shane Riddle – a CIO named among the top 50 in Australia – who joined on a temporary basis but decided to stay at the inspiring non-profit. “I got in very quickly and hit the ground running,” he recalls. His main objective as leader of the company’s IT operations was to help the National Heart Foundation deliver on its key objectives. While the previous team had been MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
201
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H E A R T F O U N D AT I O N O F A U S T R A L I A
“ You’re working with people who want to make a difference, and we try to do everything for everyone” 202
Shane Riddle CIO, National Heart Foundation of Australia
MARCH 2019
focused on “keeping the lights on,” Riddle’s role evolved in the same way the CIO remit has across all industries: to create an organisation enabled by IT. With traditional elements such as the service desk and security functions outsourced, Riddle and his team now focus on ensuring the entire business meets its yearly objectives – through technology. Moving technology to a strategic function within the Heart Foundation meant the IT team to undergo a reorganisation which reflected what was going on within the business as a whole. The
TECHNOLOGY
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘LIGHTHOUSE HOSPITAL PROJECT - DAMA’ 203 foundation operated in a federated model
Drive, then moved to 365, SharePoint,
across Australia with business functions
Microsoft Teams, and eventually the
in each state, but technology has
full range of Microsoft Productivity tools.
assisted in bringing the organisation
Riddle mentions managing teams in
together to promote collaboration and
a charity can be very challenging,
efficiency. One example of this was the
where people are particularly passion-
organisation’s move to the cloud, which
ate about their end goals. “You’re work-
Riddle took control of upon joining the
ing with people who want to make
organisation. “They were getting
a difference, and we try to do every-
bogged down,” he comments.
thing for everyone – which sometimes
“I assumed the role of project manager
dilutes what we’re trying to do,” he
working with our vendor to ensure
comments. “Our One Heart Strategy
everything was done in a timely manner,
is all about placing focus on areas that
from testing to getting us on the cloud.”
have the greatest impact.” Moving to
First, the foundation migrated to One-
the cloud was key to unifying the a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
H E A R T F O U N D AT I O N O F A U S T R A L I A
204
foundation’s business process and the
every aspect of the business. It was
way it engaged with customers. “The
also important not to view technology
previous work practices, the way we
as isolated from the people at the heart
collaborated, the way we engaged with
of the charity. “Technology was one
customers and stored our data all
component, but there was also the
represented our old business model –
organisational process and culture.”
it was disjointed, to survive as an
Conducting a high-level analysis,
organisation in a very competitivity
Riddle concluded that developing
environment, we needed to change.”
a project to provide a “single view of
Riddle therefore had to think
the customer” was the best way
carefully about whether any one
forward in this newly tech-enabled
technology would actually solve the
company. In a charity sense, custom-
organisation’s problems before installing
ers are usually donors to the organisa-
it, and made evaluations based on
tion, but Riddle stresses that there are
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
actually 52 different types of customer
point in their lifetime in order to deliver
served by the National Heart Founda-
something at the appropriate time with
tion – and it was important to under-
the appropriate message, material,
stand all of these, from various internal
product or service – whatever that may
perspectives. Initially, he recalls, “We
be.” Riddle’s development of this vital
had a very short view of what we call
platform took five stages, the first of
a customer typically using only a financial
which was a discover stage. This
lens – the lifetime of a donor averaged
involved creating a “roadmap” of how
about seven years. That’s great from
information and data was obtained, why it
a point of view of understanding
was collected, as well as how it moved
donor patterns, but donors are only
across the organisation and used.
one of those 52 definitions,” he explains.
The second phase involved understanding who the customer was. “Why
“I wanted to create a platform where we engaged with our customer at every
do they choose to engage with the Heart Foundation? What is our point of
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Shane Riddle Shane Riddle became CIO of the National Heart Foundation of Australia in February 2017, having come onboard the previous year as National ICT Manager. Prior to joining NHF, Riddle held roles at IBM, The Warranty Group and BIG4 Holiday Parks of Australia. Riddle holds a Master’s in Business Administration and Management as well as qualifications in Human Resource Management. He specializes in IT Management, Business Transformation and Program Management, and was named among Australia’s CIO50 in 2017.
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Orchestrate Your Customer Data FIND OUT MORE
www.tealium.com
Digital Transformation = Strategic plan + Tealium The National Heart Foundation (NHF) has one main goal, to bring to life their vision of an Australia free of heart disease. This vision started with a strategic plan to position the organisation for a data-led future and included undergoing a significant technology transformation to enable its team of 250+ to serve customers and the Australian public even more effectively with an execution strategy that delivered both short term and long-term benefits for the NHF.
Tealium now sits at the heart of the single customer view strategy enabling programs like the Heart Age Calculator and campaigns such as the recent “Serial Killer” campaign to have an impact well beyond the campaign or program.
“These programs and campaigns drive traffic to our website where we can provide a personalised experience for each person using Tealium technology. Having 52 different types of customers being able to personalise is really difficult, but One of the first tasks newly appointed CIO, Shane also really important so we remain relevant. We Riddle of the NHF, tackled was building a data want to be engaging customers on a lifetime and technology foundation that would empower the journey about staying healthy, exercising and NHF to unify disparate datasets within the organi- being heart smart, not just when they have a sation and be able to think and act smarter using heart episode, which was the traditional apthat data. proach,” stated Riddle. “I wanted to create a platform where we engaged with our customer at every point in their lifetime in order to deliver something at the right time with the most relevant message, material, product or service – whatever that may be,” said Riddle.
The Tealium technology includes the Universal Data Hub which collects and correlates online data that is then enriched and segmented in real time according to NHF determined variables. It is then triggered for action through any of the marketing channels and vendors, including With 52 different types of customer, this focus on email, SMS, website, retargeting or call-centre. the customer and a ’single customer view’ re“The digital marketing team loves quired technology that was agile, flexible, and powerful enough to funnel all the datasets, that we’ve done the hard work augment that data, and help to activate the to make the data accessible and resulting insights. “Tealium provided not only the technology to unify and action data in real-time but also became a business partner as passionate about our objectives as we were,” commented Riddle. “We were entering a new space when we engaged with Tealium so they were fantastic about taking us on that journey as well – their implementation and the support they offer us as we go through that learning curve has been fantastic.”
ready for action,” – said Riddle.
The National Heart Foundation is now able to live and leveraging their data-led future in real time thanks to Tealium!
We are proud to partner with the National Heart Foundation of Australia and other nonprofits around the world
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TECHNOLOGY
“ I wanted to create a platform where we engaged with our customer at every point in their lifetime”
involved examining business processes to find a product that would deliver on all the needs that had been uncovered so far. “A lot of that informed the business case and our request for proposal (RFP) for various vendors,” he explains. “We had a closed selection where we identified key vendors across the industry that we felt would be able to deliver, or had insight to deliver, what
Shane Riddle CIO, National Heart Foundation of Australia
we were trying to create.” Of 15 nominat-
difference? What are they looking for
three that were then challenged to
when they come to us?” This involved
create prototypes. This lengthy process
deep analysis, understanding what the
outlines Riddle’s approach to vendors.
business did, and examining its customer
“I’m fairly tough in trying to negotiate
base until those 52 different definitions
something that works for us,” he says,
were formulated. “When creating a single
qualifying: “I understand the business
view of the customer, it’s important to
they’re in as well, so it has to be fair.
understand the context of the customer
I think when you’re truthful with your
for internal users,” says Riddle,
business partners, and you say ‘we want
“because when we create something
this, but this is what we can afford or are
and then introduce it, we need to
capable of at this point in time, but we
represent what they see as their
want to bring you on the journey and
customer. That is important.”
we can see the growth aspect,’ partners
ed vendors, 10 put forward a proposal which were narrowed down to a final
The third stage – at which point
buy into that and it’s mutually beneficial.”
Riddle had to gain approval at board
To complete this undertaking, the
level to move past – was “very much
National Heart Foundation needed the
getting down into the weeds.” This
support of key partners to the business a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
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www.brennanit.com.au
TECHNOLOGY
211 to assist with this transformation.
allowing us to focus on what the
Microsoft for the company’s cloud
business needs,” Riddle adds. “They
migration, as well as Microsoft Azure
look after the back office operating our
has been utilised for the development
service desk and offer additional support
of the Single View of the Customer
as needed across our infrastructure,”
platform. Riddle outlines its scalability
he explains, reiterating the way his
and access to Azure Services which
team’s role has gone from “keeping the
allowed prototyping, working towards
lights on” to thinking about how technol-
a full solution, growing the environment
ogy can truly drive change across the
and services as needed. As this has
organisation. Another vendor which
grown, the organisation has also been
was an integral part of forming the
utilising Data#3 as a Microsoft
Single View of the Customer platform
Preferred Partner to navigate the
is Tealium – perhaps the best example
intricacies that come with building out
of the vendor management strategy
a complex environment. “Brennan IT
embraced by Riddle. “We were
also play a very big part in actually
impressed by their buy-in because not a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
H E A R T F O U N D AT I O N O F A U S T R A L I A
212
“ You need bottom-up buy-in because you’re looking at people’s processes, and change management is a key component of this” Shane Riddle CIO, National Heart Foundation of Australia
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
only did we interview them, but they interviewed us to see if their business was suitable to what we were trying to achieve. I got a lot of comfort out of that,” he comments. “We were entering a new space when we engaged with Tealium so they were fantastic taking us on that journey as well – their implementation and the support they offer us as we go through that learning curve has been fantastic.” With vendors and products selected, the fourth phase NHF went though was development and implementation, bringing in BAs, developers, data scientist, testers and even an Agile coach to ensure the technology transformation ran smoothly among staff, too. This laid the path for the currently ongoing final stage – “taking all those learnings we went through in phase four and actually doing something about that.” For Riddle, getting passionate people on board with the changes the organisation was experiencing – in terms of bringing customers to a single point as well as unifying the organisation itself – was key in managing the significant culture shift involved in any technology transformation. “You need bottom-up buy-in because you’re looking at people’s processes, and change management is a key component of this. You’ve got to be aware of how it impacts them and how they are involved in the whole process,” he explains. “I try and understand the emotional life cycle people go through with change,” Riddle adds. “Another aspect is when you communicate with a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
213
H E A R T F O U N D AT I O N O F A U S T R A L I A
people, people like different mediums – some like written word, others like face to face. Some like to be in a group and sit back and listen, others like it to be more intimate or a one-on-one discussion. I try to build all those aspects in and communicate on a level people actually want to receive so they take in what I talk about.” At the foundation’s Melbourne office, the IT team is located in the centre of the building, which Riddle believes symbolises its place at the heart of the business as well as 214
encouraging people to ask questions and understand what they do. For Riddle’s team, communication
“ We’ve built a new platform with which we can totally engage the customer, and start measuring how they’re choosing to engage with us” Shane Riddle CIO, National Heart Foundation of Australia MARCH 2019
involves gathering together every morning for a few minutes, a part of the Agile philosophy he’s brought in. “People talk about what they did yesterday, what they didn’t get through and what they’re going to do today. That gets communication working across the team – people can chime in if they hear of a roadblock and offer suggestions. Other groups have now started to pick up on that as well and for me that was encouraging as I didn’t want to push
TECHNOLOGY
215
Agile. It was more about introducing it
start dynamically understanding their
to staff, showing how it’s used so peo-
behaviour, and dynamically changing
ple get serious about it and want to try.”
the way we approach that through
Across the whole country, as a newly
the variety of media and information
unified and tech led organisation, the
we supply, tailoring it back to what their
foundation is all set to relaunch with
need is at any particular time.”
what Riddle calls a “revitalised” brand. “With single view of customer, we’ve built a new platform with which we can totally engage the customer, and start measuring how they’re choosing to engage with us,” he explains. “Ultimately, we want to have an individual conversation with those people, so we can a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
216
Transforming the student experience through digital innovation WRIT TEN BY
CATHERINE S TURM AN PRODUCED BY
MIK E SADR
TECHNOLOGY
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UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
One of the most renowned academic institutions for research and development innovation, The University of Western Australia has invested in new digital tools to transform the student experience
T
echnology has opened up new opportunities across the education sector. Students are no longer
content with traditional ways of working, but are looking for learning tools which seamlessly blend technology and creativity to 218
promote engagement and deliver new ways of thinking. Projections show the e-learning market worldwide is forecast to surpass US$243bn by 2022, leading institutions to turn towards innovative education models and develop student-focused solutions which work to provide personalised support wherever possible. Situated on the outskirts of Perth, with a second campus in Albany, The University of Western Australia (UWA) is the oldest educational institution in the region. The university houses competitive spirit founded on collaboration, with many illustrious alumni to its name. Former Prime Minister of Australia, Bob Hawke, former CEO of British
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
219
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UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
“ I decided to enter higher education, which I feel is an opportunity to provide something to the community. It also helps to shape the way that future leaders will come into the world” — Warwick Calkin, Chief Digital & Information Officer
Airways, Sir Roderick Ian Eddington, as well as Noble Prize winners have all studied here and gained international acclaim. “A bunch of people from the university have made a difference to the world, not just to their local community,” reflects UWA’s Chief Digital & Information Officer, Warwick Calkin. “The indigenous people that lived in this part of Australia, the Noongar people, came to this area for learning. They bought people to this part of the world and taught them here, so it was actually a university way
220
before it was a university, so to speak. However, the education sector has changed significantly. The days of having someone stand at the front, and ‘chalk and talk’ no longer appeals. Students are used to having something far more dynamic, far more interactive, and want tools that give them the ability to exchange ideas. “A lot of students don’t necessarily come to the lectures in person and just look at the lectures online and the bits which are most important to them. Technology has enabled students to actually receive education in a different way and not necessarily on campus.” MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘PROFESSOR DAWN FRESHWATER – NEW UWA VICE-CHANCELLOR’ 221 Working in a number of industry
students from China, India, Singapore
verticals, from telco’s, utilities, finance
and Malaysia in particular, he found
and mining, moving into the education
that even locating the application form
space would seem a surprise move, but
on its website to be a frustrating process.
Calkin, wanted to build a career which
Not only that, prospective students
he felt would hold greater purpose.
then had to print off the 15-page PDF
“I decided to enter higher education,
form which was solely accessible in
which I feel is an opportunity to provide
English. Once completed, the required
something to the community. It also helps
forms had to be sent via the mail, placing
to shape the way that future leaders will
further delays. Those who completed
come into the world.”
the form incorrectly, or if supplied
Calkin has often sought to ‘walk in the shoes’ of the students, even from the very start of the application process. With high numbers of international
images were blurry, had to redo the process all over again. “By the time they eventually got an offer from us, which was sent via a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
C O M PA N Y FACT S
• UWA has sought to implement cloud software to protect up to six petabytes (PB) of research data, which previously sat in a outsource data centre
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• UWA’s new digital support mechanism allows students to designate family members or friends to be alerted if they miss a tutorial or assignment, or if they haven’t been on campus for a period of time • The University of Western Australia (UWA) is the oldest educational institution in the region • The university houses competitive spirit founded on collaboration, with many illustrious alumni to its name
snail-mail, there’s a good chance that they had an offer from another university,” he laments. By identifying key pain points, Calkin has worked to digitise the application process. The time taken to complete the required forms has been reduced to 20 minutes, where applicants can now also receive an electronic offer within five working days. Additionally, applicants can now pay online via credit card. “We’re the first of all the highest ranking (GO8) universities in Australia that issue an electronic letter. Everyone
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
else still does it with a paper offer,”
an experience where they value me,
says Calkin. “You start looking at the
they respect me and they’re going to
things which you just expect to be
treat me as a customer.”
there and work, and yet these people,
Recognising that students demand
who are our customers, we weren’t
technologies promoting convenience
treating them with the same respect.
and accessibility, Calkin has worked
We were saying, ‘Well, if you want to
alongside the students themselves. He
come here, you’ll work it out. You’ve
received support from the Student
got to be smart enough to work it out
Guild to build digital tools, such as the
to come here in the first place.’
ability for students to locate friends on
As a consumer, if it’s that hard to
campus, receiving reminders around
consume something, you start thinking,
key events and information regarding
‘is this the experience that I want to put
assignments. Partnering with Involvio
myself through? I should go and have
has also seen students gain access to
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Warwick Calkin was appointed Chief Digital & Information Officer for the UWA in 2017. Warwick has over 30 years’ experience in IT. Prior to working in the Higher Education sector, Warwick worked in Senior IT leadership roles in a number of industry verticals such as Mining, (CIO of South32, CIO of BHP Potash, CIO of BHP Diamonds) Telecommunications (General Manager of Platform Services for Telstra), as well as roles in Utilities, Software Development, and Wagering & Gaming. Warwick has worked in more than 20 other countries around the world including New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands and Canada. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a Non-Executive Director of a Not-for-Profit organisation, Carers WA.
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TECHNOLOGY
“ We are working with Pure Storage, who have provided a platform that is used partially for the research side. All the files that were previously on disks and servers are now sitting on that platform, which enables some incredible performance and analytics” — Warwick Calkin, Chief Digital & Information Officer
some friends on campus at this time who you can meet for lunch’. It’s pretty intuitive,” notes Calkin. “A QR code is also built into it, so if students forget to bring their student ID, they can still buy lunch at the cafeteria. It’s all these practical things which we’re trying to make as easy as possible. One thing a student will never lose is their mobile phone.” Even the safety of its students has been considered. UWA’s new digital support mechanism allows students to designate family members or friends to be alerted if they miss a tutorial or assignment, or if they haven’t been on
a platform which provides real-time
campus for a period of time. If there
information via their phone or laptop,
was a serious incident, students can
such as the classes a student has that
also be sent a push notification.
day, including a map and directions if
Despite such innovations, it is easy
required, all in a bid to deliver a student
to disregard the fact that large volumes
experience which is personalised,
of personalised data are routinely
highly mobile and digitally connected.
stored on a daily basis. Protecting this
“The technology will prompt students
data has become a critical area for
with things like, ‘You’ve got one subject
Calkin, but with a digitally savvy
this morning and another this after-
student-base, he has developed an
noon with a gap of three hours in the
essential way for students to guaran-
middle, so here are some events that
tee that their data can be stored and
are on campus that you may be
shared through an ‘opt in’ feature, which
interested in attending’, or ‘you have
the students themselves must enable. a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
225
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
“The feature on the mobile application, Transparent Mode, is defaulted to be off, so students have to switch this on. Once they opt in, we can track where they’re going and what they’re doing,” he says. “The reason to turn it off is, to protect their right to privacy. If they say they want to know where their friends are, they can then do so. The data is associated with Involvio’s base in the cloud which has tight security around it. Approximately 60 universities in the US are also using this technology.” 226
Even travelling to and from the university is set to be revolutionised, with autonomous vehicles being deployed to support students’ travel across campus, which would work to protect them from the harsh
looking at the community that supports
40-degree heat in the summertime.
us and to engage more effectively, and
“We trialled this autonomous vehicle
in some areas, partner up to deliver
to look at how can we can transport
innovations which everyone can benefit
people around campus, but also looked
from,” observes Calkin.
at the broader context of incorporating
Throughout its expansive digital
this into the public system. We’re
investment, from student focused
working with the Department of
technologies to its extensive research
Transport to try and work out how to
capabilities, UWA has sought to
take this forward. There’s a lot of
implement cloud software to protect
things we are looking at more broadly
up to six petabytes (PB) of research
than just the university itself – we’re
data, which previously sat in an
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TECHNOLOGY
227
outsourced data centre. Bringing the
used partially for the research side.
data back on site, situated in two data
All the files that were previously on
centres on campus, the university is
disks and servers are now sitting on
set to undertake a 12-month project
that platform, which enables some
to work alongside librarians and sift
incredible performance and analytics,�
through large volumes of data, identify
depicts Calkin.
ownership, and decide whether it should
Technology has reshaped the way
be retained or archived, with the aim to
we interact, engage and communicate,
house a complete catalogue of relevant,
yet UWA has taken this a step further.
high quality data.
Home to one of the largest indigenous
“We are working with Pure Storage, who have provided a platform that is
art collections in the southern hemisphere, the university is exploring the a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
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TECHNOLOGY
229
use of augmented reality (AR) and
the Year, implementing a trading room
virtual reality (VR) to offer a cultural
which would replicate becoming a trad-
experience quite like no other. While
er on the floor, dealing with situations
UWA is looking to build a school of
in real-time. Receiving feeds from the
indigenous studies to celebrate this
market, students could initiate and pull
work, strict guidelines regarding where
trades and see the results.
such work can be shown remain. VR
With facilities dotted everywhere,
will therefore enable this work to be
Calkin has recently undertaken
displayed, where students can gain
a study with UWA’s Director of Campus
a greater understanding of Australia’s
Management to develop a campus
rich history.
master plan, looking at the university
Catering towards its business
from both a digital and physical
students, in 2018 the university was
perspective to ensure it remains one
awarded the Education Project of
of the most advanced educational a si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
institutions in the world. The first focal point is being urban, which UWA has achieved through its location, just outside of Perth. Second is green space, which the university has been committed to maintaining throughout its inception. Thirdly is history, which UWA has in spades. “The last one is density and Oxford and Cambridge University were faced with similar challenges,” he explains. “While Cambridge elected to carry on sprawling, Oxford elected to consoli230
“ The education sector has changed significantly. The days of having someone stand at the front, and ‘chalk and talk’ no longer appeals. Students are used to having something far more dynamic, which gives them the ability to exchange ideas” — Warwick Calkin, Chief Digital & Information Officer
MARCH 2019
date with a smaller footprint but with a higher density. We’re looking at going down this route and create an environment which is more collaborative. The notion of teaching in a box is disappearing, and has become a lot more experiential.” Long-term, Calkin believes that new technologies, such as blockchain, will even lead to the introduction of bespoke degrees, where students will build their own degrees, and complete modules at various universities
TECHNOLOGY
231
worldwide. New technologies will
one you know recommends you. “It’s not
be able to then authenticate a user’s
just about saying that we’re good. I want
credentials across a number of
them to be able to walk away from here
different universities. For UWA,
and feel like they had the best experience
however, what is its long-term aim?
they possibly could, which we are
“That’s easy,” Calkin concludes,
committed to consistently achieve.”
without missing a beat. “Success is that our students leave here and they say it was an awesome experience. What’s the best form of advertising? It’s word of mouth. It is the strongest and most powerful form of reinforcing that something is good, where somea si a .busi ne ssc h ief. com
232
Technology transformation to personalise the guest experience WRIT TEN BY
CATHERINE S TURM AN PRODUCED BY
MIK E SADR
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
233
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W Y N D H A M D E S T I N AT I O N S A S I A PA C I F I C
Providing exceptional experiences across the travel and tourism sector. Director of IT Clive Hawkins discusses how Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific continues to ‘put the world on vacation’ through digital innovation
N
o longer a luxury for the few, the travel and tourism sector has become fiercely competitive. With so many options on
offer, shared vacation and timeshare models are 234
growing in popularity. Renowned as the largest vacation ownership and exchange company worldwide, Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific has sought to streamline its services and provide an experience like no other. Having experienced steady growth across the Asia Pacific region, the business is set to open a new office in Clark, the Philippines, where up to 160 staff will move to its new premises in mid-2019. Harnessing a corporate and global mission to ‘put the world on vacation’, Wyndham’s extensive footprint now spans the entirety of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and southeast Asia, encompassing close to 60,000 owner families. To support its continued growth, increase its accessibility, convenience and ongoing appeal, its digital infrastructure has been significantly transformed. MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
235
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W Y N D H A M D E S T I N AT I O N S A S I A PA C I F I C
Senior Director of IT, Clive Hawkins, explains that it has been essential for Wyndham to make its services not only practical, but intuitive to engage its diverse audience and remain a leading player in the market. “If you look at Amazon’s shopping cart system, it’s not an attractive site but is very efficient and easy to use. I think that people put far too much investment into the aesthetics of a site rather than functionality, which is key. However, personalisation is now very 236
important. You’re not going to get very
MARCH 2019
“ I think voice is really going to take off. You’ve got the Amazon Echo, Google Home, Cortana with Microsoft and Siri with Apple. If you don’t adapt to innovation then you get left behind” — Clive Hawkins, Senior Director of IT
TECHNOLOGY
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘WYNDHAM DESTINATIONS OUR WORLD IS YOUR DESTINATION’ 237 far with marketing campaigns which
redundancies and manage applica-
are purely shotgun approach. You
tions without having to pay increased
need to tailor that message and
maintenance costs.
understand who your target audience really is,” he says candidly. Taking a deep dive into Wyndham’s
“We invested in Salesforce and built a fairly large marketing tool with them. This went live last year and since then
digital capabilities, Hawkins has
we’ve been gathering speed and
developed key partnerships with
moving more and more systems into
technology leaders in order to trans-
Salesforce,” says Hawkins. “It’s an
form its service offerings. Building on
effectual tool and has been very
its longstanding relationship with
beneficial from a speed perspective
Salesforce, the company has deployed
because we’re not redesigning and
its Platform as a Service (PaaS)
building security platforms and menu
technologies, enabling Wyndham to
structures because everything is
centralise its services, remove any
already there. We’re using our centrala si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
W Y N D H A M D E S T I N AT I O N S A S I A PA C I F I C
ised database as a repository, where we’ve got prospects, owners, staff and suppliers all stored there.” The partnership has led to an improvement of “at least 66% in overall efficiency,” where everyone “can now see the benefits.” Following its success, Wyndham is now undertaking user acceptance testing (UAT) for a campaign management engine, which will enable the business to ‘slice and dice’ its leads within the database. “We have roughly nine million leads who we 238
contact, but this will allow us to segment them based on different criteria, which we have also built in Salesforce,” adds Hawkins. “One of our biggest challenges was
comprehensive data, which can be manipulated to make it work for us.”
that our lead database comes from various different sources and often a
SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY
lead for us may be a phone number
Hawkins is not only seeking to overhaul
and a first name. We then might have
Wyndham’s service offerings, but
another record that is for T. Smith and
onboard new technologies to ensure
a different phone number, but then we
operational efficiency and gain an
could have another record for Tom
edge over the competition. Taking a
Smith and an email address, with no
closer look at its back-end services
way to link those people and under-
and IT service desk, robotic process
stand it is the same person. Then a
automation (RPA) is being explored as
fourth record may come in that links
a means to boost quality assurance
the previous three and we can gain
rates, particularly in areas which house
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TECHNOLOGY
239
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Clive Hawkins | Senior Director of IT After a successful career as a Developer building a variety of solutions (including a sports package for the Mediterranean Games 1991), Clive moved into project management in 1992. Clive joined Wyndham in September 2006, and has managed the IT Team for the past 10 years. Currently responsible for the Asia Pacific region. Major successes of the IT team during this time include: Seamless head office relocation, introducing Salesforce as a development platform, design and implantation of DNC solution, implementation of an online sales system, expansion of offices into China, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines, maintaining a strong security stance, introducing a digitalized automated loan decisioning solution.
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“Agiles Australia with OurMate AI is proud to be a Strategic technology partner for Wyndham Destinations for their AI Voice and Software needs. We are privileged to add value to Wyndham’s Time share and Resorts AI initiatives through phases of development and implementation”.
Agiles Australia is a Young Queensland based Software Consulting and Technology house transforming its client’s business with Innovative AI products and best-in-class IT Solutions.
ourmateai.com | www.agiles.com.au OurMate@Agiles.com.au | Info@Agiles.com.au
TECHNOLOGY
“ Agiles is a small start-up company and have been very easy to work with. They’re an exciting bunch and they’ve got other ideas that they’re trying to get off the ground” — Clive Hawkins, Director of IT
system to one supplied by Canadian telecoms giant Mitel will also bring a multitude of advantages. Set to complete in March this year, the multifaceted project presently covers up to 650 staff, tackling relatively complex interactive voice response (IVR) systems per department, multiple HUNT groups (used to enable the distribution of phone calls from a single telephone number to a group of several
a number of repetitive tasks with
phone lines), integration with diallers
multiple touchpoints. Expanding its Cit-
and much more.
rix platform and replacing desktops
“Having a new phone system will
with thin clients (or lightweight
bring new tools, such as linking mobile
computers) will also promote accessi-
and desk phones. Staff can answer via
bility and reduce ongoing maintenance
desk or mobile, and transfer the call
costs across the business.
from one to the other. It’s a nice feature
Understanding that end-users are
for management teams who move
demanding seamless connectivity
around. We will also be able to offer the
across its hotels and resorts, Wynd-
callback facility to callers,” says
ham has also partnered with Australia’s
Hawkins.
largest telecommunications operator, Telstra, in order to install fibre connec-
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
tions at multiple sites across the
From mobile apps to wearables,
country, as well as backup 4G technol-
technology continues to disrupt
ogies. This has greatly improved the
traditional industries and ways of
corporate network connectivity as well
working and has led to a significant
as the guest experience in resorts.
shift in consumer expectations.
Furthermore, upgrading its phone
Making the decision to fully digitise the a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
241
W Y N D H A M D E S T I N AT I O N S A S I A PA C I F I C
$5bn+ Approximate revenue
2000
Year founded
2000+
Approximate number of employees
as well, which is quite a slick beast. Aesthetically it’s an attractive system and is used by the sales team so had to be somewhat intuitive so that they would enjoy using it. A sales rep or consultant will also be on hand to provide support.” Believing voice control technology to be part of the ongoing evolution of traditional keyboard and touch screens, Wyndham has collaborated with Agiles Australia in the development of its first voice chatbot. This will very shortly be accessible through the Wyndham app, end users can gain information
processing of sales contracts, Wynd-
regarding their Club, where its
ham has sought to provide ultimate
capabilities will become further
flexibility and accessibility to its end us-
personalised as it becomes increas-
ers. “Invariably, if someone buys a
ingly utilised. “Agiles is a small young
timeshare ownership from us, 50% will
startup company and have been very
also borrow money from us as well.
easy to work with. They’re an exciting
The sales contract is therefore not just
bunch and they’ve got other ideas that
a deed of sale, but an application for a
they’re trying to get off the ground in
loan, which is incredibly detailed,”
the Australian market place,” adds
explains Hawkins.
Hawkins.
“We have not only digitised the
“I think voice is really going to take off.
contract but have automated the loan
You’ve got the Amazon Echo, Google
decision process. Through the use of
Home, Cortana with Microsoft and Siri
tablets, we use DocuSign to digitally
with Apple, and they’ve all become
capture the signature for the contract
stronger and stronger. If you don’t
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TECHNOLOGY
243
adapt to innovation then you get left
will launch phase one of its voice box,
behind and if you follow the curve and
which houses fairly simple questions
you’re at the back end of the curve your
and answers regarding Wyndham’s
investment is going to be very similar,
service offering. However, phase two
but people will think, ‘Well about time’
(set to go live in Q3) will enable the
or, ‘You’ve finally caught up.’ Whereas,
technology to provide more granular
if you don’t want to be on the bleeding
data, such as an owner’s available
edge, but want to be somewhere near
credit, loan balances and monthly
the front, if you can be one of the first
payment amounts. Lastly, phase three
people to deploy innovation in your
will focus solely on providing excep-
particular vertical then people are
tional hospitality.
impressed and view the company not only as progressive but vibrant.” Set to go live imminently, Wyndham
“You’ll be able to say, ‘I need another pillow’ and the voice box will say ‘Have you tried looking in the cupboard above a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
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C O M PA N Y FACT S
• Wyndham Destinations has sought to streamline its services and provide an experience like no other
the bed?’ If not, we’ll be able to send a message to housekeeping and say,
• Witnessing steady growth across the Asia Pacific region, the business is set to open a new office in Clark, the Philippines in early 2019
‘guest in room 123 needs another pillow,’
• Wyndham’s extensive footprint now spans the entirety of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and South East Asia, encompassing close to 60,000 owner families
such as the best places to eat nearby
and we can tell them that a pillow will be bought to their room shortly. We’re also hoping to interface it with the internet so guests can ask questions, and so forth,” explains Hawkins.
EXPERIENCES LIKE NO OTHER Another area being worked on, and will hopefully be live before the end of 2019, is beacon technology. When
MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
accordingly throughout their stay,” says Hawkins. Looking towards the growth in Chinese tourism both inside and outside of the Asia Pacific region, Wyndham has also embraced digital payment options, such as Alipay and WeChat pay, as digital and mobile wallets are becoming the leading payment methods in the region.
INSPIRING INNOVATION While the business has embraced new technologies, securing such services has become the single biggest risk across Wyndham’s digital a timeshare owner arrives at a club hotel
infrastructure. Housing a global
or resort, Bluetooth beacons will be
security platform, the business is
able to sync with their mobile phone
continually looking to ensure all data
and alert the front desk staff. Once the
remains protected. Hawkins uses
technology recognises the owner,
Marriott Hotel and Resorts’ recent
bespoke information can be provided,
news as a prime example to explain
such as cultural landmarks, places to
that “you can never be fully secure,
visit and much more.
but to always look at ways to remain
“It’s increasing the owner experience, is a great opportunity and increases
ahead of the curve.” “Because they’re in the same vertical,
efficiency. The same happens when
it’s a wakeup call if we needed it,” he
they walk through reception, where
says thoughtfully. “We’re always fighting
we know who they are, which room
with end users because everybody
they are staying and so can be greeted
wants to use the latest app, share data a si a .busi ne ssc hief. com
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W Y N D H A M D E S T I N AT I O N S A S I A PA C I F I C
and be on social media, and all of these things are risk vectors that. From an IT perspective, we’ve got to be mindful. They say that the average penetration takes at least 12 months to spot. It took Marriott four years, but it’s not unusual and is in fact very, very common. You then have other things to worry about, such as shadow IT, where people in the business – for all the right reasons, are not necessarily doing the right things and placing vulnerabilities out there which need to be eradicated.” This has no doubt fed into Wyndham’s 246
consistent commitment to develop its employees and equip them with the necessary tools to not only inspire innovation, but take the business to new heights. Recently recognised as one of the Best Employers for Diversity by Forbes, the business has looked to support local communities on a global scale. Hawkins has recently explored a possible partnership with Griffiths University in southeast Queensland in a bid to provide project-based internships to local students as a key example. “We’ve previously held internships where people have worked here for 12 weeks, but these project-based internships will last as long as the project. We would propose some interesting ones which would be ‘nice to MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
“Personalisation is now very important. You need to tailor that message and understand who your target audience really is” — Clive Hawkins, Director of IT
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W Y N D H A M D E S T I N AT I O N S A S I A PA C I F I C
have’, but if they are unsuccessful it’s not something that we would have otherwise invested in,” he says. Building such partnerships with educational institutions would enable students to gain significant experience and an understanding of the industry, and the controls and project practices Wyndham has in place, providing advantages for all. “I was hoping that we could run also series of projects with the same interns. The longer that someone’s 248
with us the more they have to offer,” adds Hawkins. “They’re able to understand the business, and if they are working on multiple projects, they can see how they cross correlate. From a university perspective, it’s a good feature which they can advertise. From the student perspective they get real life experience and some of them may get a job at the end. Even if we don’t have an opening, we can give a good reference for a job somewhere else. The benefit to Wyndham as a company is that students can work on ideas, which otherwise may not come into fruition.” Such is the success of Wyndham’s IT MARCH 2019
TECHNOLOGY
transformation, Hawkins was officially recognised as Senior Employee of the Year at the end of 2018, alongside Employee of the Year and infrastructure manager, Brad Byrne. A prestigious award within the Wyndham Destination Asia Pacific company, such acknowledgement reflects Hawkins’ continued desire to remain at the top of
“Increasing the owner experience, is a great opportunity and increases efficiency” — Clive Hawkins, Director of IT
his game, while adopting best practices and building a culture that thrives on innovation. Wyndham will remain focused on providing personalised vacations, with numbers steadily increasing each year. Strengthened through collaboration and bringing new ideas to the table, Wyndham will soon be on its next phase of growth, where technology will fully underpin further possibilities to fully ‘put the world on vacation.’
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Why is the best digital strategy a human one?
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