Business Chief MEA Edition – November 2019

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA EDITION NOVEMBER 20 19

Technological empowerment for businesses and leaders

Dubai World Trade Centre CHANGING THE PERCEPTION OF PROCUREMENT

Hotels in MEA

NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY George Chantoumakos, Supply Chain Director, discusses sustainability and digital transformation City Focus

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FOREWORD

W

elcome to the November edi-

contracting and procurement depart-

tion of Business Chief Middle

ment in order to create a transparent

East and Africa.

and productive function.

This month’s cover features, George

In our leadership feature, Dr. Anino

Chantoumakos, Supply Chain Direc-

Emuwa, Founder of Avandis Consult-

tor at the Nigerian Bottling Company

ing, discusses her career journey,

(NBC) Ltd, a member of the Coca-

women in leadership and her efforts

Cola Hellenic Bottling Company

to foster more women in business,

(CCHBC) Group. Chantoumakos has

particularly in leadership roles. This

been a part of the group since 2011

month’s City Focus takes a closer

and discusses its increasingly sus-

look at Abu Dhabi’s economic devel-

tainable and digitally interconnected

opment plans and our Top 10

supply chain.

explores the top scoring hotels for

Others featuring in this edition include, Laurent Fayolle, Group Infor-

travel and leisure in the Middle East and Africa.

mation and Technology Executive at

Do you have a story to share? Please

IBL together, who discusses the busi-

do not hesitate to get in touch and you

ness’s recent formation following the

could be featured in our next issue.

merger of GML and Ireland Blyth.

Also, Jason Tranter, Contracts Direc-

Enjoy the read!

tor at the Dubai World Trade Centre,

Georgia Wilson

talks in depth about the company’s

georgia.wilson@bizclikmedia.com

ongoing digital transformation of its

m i d dle ea st .busines s chief. co m

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03

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MEA EDITION

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

GEORGIA WILSON MANAGING EDITOR

MATT HIGH CREATIVE DIRECTORS

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CONTENTS

12 Nigerian Bottling Company

30

40 The cloud

Challenges and opportunities for African women in leadership roles

playbook

50

THE YEAR OF THE CUSTOMER

MANAGING OPERATIONAL RISK IS KEY TO IMPROVING SUSTAINABILITY

City Focus

ABUDHABI

68 78

60

HOTELS IN MEA

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94 IBL Together Mauritius

104 Dubai World Trade Centre

118 Saudi Telecom Company

12

Nigerian Bottling Company Driving sustainability with an increasingly digitalised supply chain WRITTEN BY

HARRY MENEAR PRODUCED BY

MANUEL NAVARRO

NOVEMBER 2019

13

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N I G E R I A N B O T T L I N G C O M PA N Y

George Chantoumakos, Supply Chain Director at the Nigerian Bottling Company, discusses the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company subsidiary’s increasingly sustainable and digitally interconnected supply chain

A

s the world’s population continues to grow and the looming climate crisis becomes a fact of daily life, the need for

sustainable practices in global supply chains is being thrown into increasingly sharp relief. In few places is the truth of this clearer than in the food 14

and beverage market. Waste reduction, recycling and sustainable packaging alternatives are the name of the game.

“I see sustainable packaging becoming the key industry goal in coming years,” says George Chantoumakos, Supply Chain Director at the Nigerian Bottling Company. Alongside increasing the sustainability of its supply chain, the Nigerian Bottling Company, is harnessing the power of digital transformation to shape its Nigerian supply chain into an efficient, interconnected operation. “Any industrial player that wants to remain relevant to the consumer needs to fully embrace a digital, interactive supply chain,” Chantoumakos explains. We sat down with him to discuss his continuing role in developing the Nigerian

NOVEMBER 2019

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘NBC YOUTH EMPOWERED 2017’ 17 Bottling Company’s interconnected,

the feeling of ownership of a family

digital and increasingly sustainable

company with the breadth, depth and

supply chain.

international scope associated with

Chantoumakos arrived in Nigeria

working for a blue chip company,”

in 2017, quickly coming to relish the

he enthuses. “The Nigerian Bottling

central role that the Nigerian Bottling

Company is the heart of Coca-Cola

Company plays in Coca-Cola Hel-

Hellenic – it’s where it all started

lenic’s global strategy. “Coca-Cola

back in 1951. It’s the group’s only

Hellenic operates in 28 countries,

African operation, which gives us a

offering opportunities to live and

unique position in the company port-

work in very different markets and

folio. Special market conditions and

societies. The company is built on

a tough operating environment are

strong values which remain the foun-

coupled with huge growth opportu-

dations of the group today. Working

nities.” The company operates eight

for Coca-Cola Hellenic combines

plants across the country, in loca-

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N I G E R I A N B O T T L I N G C O M PA N Y

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tions such as Lagos, Maiduguri and

growing country, India, grew by 36%.

Port Harcourt. Nigeria is a rising star

This population growth is, accord-

in Sub-Saharan Africa’s economies,

ing to Chantoumakos, a key driver of

and Chantoumakos is excited by the

the need for increasingly sustainable

role that Coca-Cola Hellenic will play

consumer goods packaging. “The

in meeting the challenges and oppor-

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET –

tunities of rapid growth.

the most common thermoplastic

From around 122.4 million at the

polymer resin of the polyester fam-

turn of the millennium, Nigeria’s popu-

ily) market has exploded, and the

lation has exploded, exceeding 202

country’s recycling infrastructure

million in 2019. It is now the seventh

and regulatory framework are still

most–populous country on the planet,

some steps behind,” Chantoumakos

growing by 62.1% in the past 20

explains. “Plastic pollution is a high

years. For context, the next–fastest

priority problem for regulatory bodies

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

George Chantoumakos George obtained his MSc in Mechanical Engineering in Greece and then proceeded to the United Kingdom, Warwick University, to obtain an MSc in Business Management. He started his career in the Advisory departments of PwC and Deloitte in London, where he also obtained a Chartered Management Accounting certification. He then moved to ContourGlobal as Project Manager before joining Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company in 2011, and eventually taking up a Regional Engineering role. George moved to Nigeria and NBC in 2017 as Manufacturing Director of NBC, and earlier in 2019, was appointed as Supply Chain Director. He is happily married and the proud father of two.

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N I G E R I A N B O T T L I N G C O M PA N Y

136

Brands in our diverse portfolio

1951

Year founded

3,000

Approximate number of employees 20

NOVEMBER 2019

21

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PERFECT SOLUTIONS

N I G E R I A N B O T T L I N G C O M PA N Y

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EXPERT SOLUTIONS FOR DEMANDING PROJECTS

“I see sustainable packaging becoming the key industry goal in coming years”

— George Chantoumakos, Supply Chain Director, Nigerian Bottling Company

for plastic production, Chantoumakos explains that the Nigerian Bottling Company is also expanding its use of more sustainable options in the form of glass and aluminium cans. “Glass, being a fully recyclable and environmentally friendly packaging material, should be the thing that protects the Nigerian population from overwhelming plastic pollution. Glass bottles also address the market’s need for affordability,” he says. “This year, the Nigerian Bottling Company is also investing in a new, state-of-the-art canning line, and we will continue with our returnable glass bottle business.”

In addition to being a driving force behind Nigeria’s food and beverage industry and embracing more sustainable packaging strategies, the Nigerian Bottling Company is

to solve. The food and beverage in-

also dedicated to contributing to the

dustry – especially multinationals that

development of quality of life in the

operate in territories where recycling

region. “Considering the fact that Ni-

is already working well – will be driv-

geria is experiencing infrastructural

ing the action plans leading to zero

challenges impacting both electric-

plastic waste.”

ity and water supply, my role comes

In addition to working towards a ze-

with a great deal of responsibility to

ro-waste plastic packaging solution

the Nigerian consumer,” Chantouma-

and creating a cyclical supply chain

kos explains. “If I had to highlight one

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N I G E R I A N B O T T L I N G C O M PA N Y

24

“Plastic pollution is a high priority problem for regulatory bodies to solve” — George Chantoumakos, Supply Chain Director, Nigerian Bottling Company

accomplishment since arriving at the Nigerian Bottling Company, I would emphasise the construction projects we did in Kano State, Nigeria, providing fresh water via two new tube wells to the Kano State Water Board, and from there providing potable water for up to one million inhabitants of the state. We also established a free NOVEMBER 2019

25

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LEVENTIS MOTORS FLEET SOLUTIONS SERVICES We provide haulage and transportation services worldwide

www.leventismotors.com.ng

2 Wharf Road,Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria

+234 (1) 440134

treated water supply point outside our

order to incorporate new technolo-

plant and refurbished a local school

gies that increase efficiency, speed

in the vicinity of our plant. These

and connectivity, and allow the com-

sustainability projects, especially the

pany to more fully utilise its talented

water supply, have dramatically im-

workforce to drive greater supply

proved the day to day lives of millions

chain success. “Connectivity remains

of people. Making a difference in a

the key challenge to fully deploying

country where basic infrastructure

digital transformation across our op-

is not a given is something I hadn’t

erations. We’re working with our main

experienced before in my career and

suppliers to increase connectivity be-

something I will surely take with me

tween our equipment and to elevate

when leaving the country.”

our predictive maintenance capabili-

Within the Nigerian Bottling Com-

ties. Similarly, for our fleet manage-

pany’s own operations, Chantouma-

ment division, we are investing in full

kos has been working constantly in

digitalisation with interactive, real-

NOVEMBER 2019

time report systems for optimising our fleet’s efficiency,” says Chantoumakos. He adds: “Industry 4.0 is expected to provide a direct connection between the consumer and manufacturers, making the industry almost immediately responsive to consumer feedback and developing needs.” In Nigeria, this is perhaps truer than anywhere else in the world.

“In this market there is a paradox: while the basic infrastructure remains a challenge in several areas across the country, internet use is extremely

27

high, especially amongst younger people,” Chantoumakos elaborates.

“I recently read that Nigeria is second worldwide, behind the Philippines, in time spent per capita on social media.

This indicates the huge opportunities we have to pull feedback from consumers almost instantly and adjust our plans accordingly.”

Looking to the future, Chantoumakos is confident that the Nigerian Bottling Company will continue to live up to its tradition of excellence within the market by incorporating digital technologies that allow it to meet demand in a sustainable way. “We’ve mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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“Nigeria is second worldwide in time spent per capita on social media.

This indicates the huge opportunities we have to pull feedback from consumers almost instantly and adjust our plans accordingly” — George Chantoumakos, Supply Chain Director, Nigerian Bottling Company

NOVEMBER 2019

29

been operating in Nigeria for 68 years, and we are very proud of the fact that the entire Coca-Cola Hellenic Group originated here. We have been sustaining market leadership in times of great hardship in the country, so we can only plan to continue being market leaders in every sector in which we operate.�

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LEADERSHIP

Challenges and opportunities for African women in leadership roles 30

FOUNDER OF AVANDIS CONSULTING, DR. ANINO EMUWA, DISCUSSES THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP WRITTEN BY

GEORGIA WILSON

NOVEMBER 2019

31

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LEADERSHIP

A

vandis Consulting, founded in 2015 by Dr. Anino Emuwa, is an international consultancy firm that specialises in strategy

and financial advisory services for entrepreneurs and business leaders. The company has headquarters in France and a subsidiary in Africa.

Following Dr. Anino Emuwa’s achievement of a degree in economics from the London School of

Economics, Dr. Emuwa began her career journey at Citibank, Nigeria as a credit analyst managing a portfolio of million-dollar multinational companies.

After spotting many gaps in the market, Dr. Emuwa went on to complete an MBA at Cranfield School 32

of Management, taking several modules in entrepreneurship, as well as earning a doctorate from Nottingham Business School. “I subsequently had the opportunity to live in several countries in Africa, working as an independent consultant advising smaller businesses,” says Dr. Emuwa, “I saw the growth of these businesses being stunted due to a lack of access to bank loans.”

As a result, Emuwa decided to undertake research into overcoming obstacles to financing smaller businesses. “The intention was to work as a consultant with banks to help them improve their capacity for lending to smaller businesses, but I also found that these businesses required management development training as well.”

NOVEMBER 2019

“ The lonely at the top syndrome affects all leaders but even more so for women who only account for 5% of all CEOs�

33

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LEADERSHIP

In 2015, Dr. Emuwa founded Avandis Consulting in France to specialise in strategy and financial advisory for entrepreneurs and business leaders alongside developing her portfolio as an independent director and international public speaker. From running seminars in Ghana many years ago, Dr. Emuwa “found women entrepreneurs benefited, not just from the content of the seminars, but from networking, collaboration and support from their peer group,” as a result, Avandis Consulting now organises seminars, CEO power breakfasts

34

and international business leadership events in Nigeria for women leading businesses.

Dr. Emuwa is proud that, through her business, “women entrepreneurs and CEOs have seen value in the networks that we have created across the continent. We have several case studies of women entrepreneurs who have recounted how belonging to the network has helped them transform or grow their businesses.”

Working internationally, Dr. Emuwa recognises there are always challenges in business, with “women in business all around the world face barriers and NOVEMBER 2019

35 Africa is no exception,” says Dr. Emuwa.

world.” Access to these informal

“In Africa, there are more women in

business networks could provide

C- Suite, CEO and board roles than

“information, contacts and referrals to

the global average, according to Mck-

help fuel progression.” Other barriers

insey’s 2016 report of Women Matter

Dr. Emuwa sees African women face

Africa. Still, there are too few women

include “unequal access to finance,

in leadership positions and part of

cultural norms regarding women en-

what we do at Avandis is working

trepreneurships and difficulty access-

to ameliorate this problem.”

ing procurement contracts.” However,

One barrier Dr. Emuwa believes

Dr. Emuwa sees “growing opportuni-

women have traditionally faced is

ties in Africa” and believes “having a

“a lack of access to informal business

positive mindset is important,” as well

networks - these personal networks

as ensuring a strategy is in place “to

start early: from school through to

overcome barriers and focus on solu-

university and onto the professional

tions to address client requirements”.

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For young African women looking to advance their careers, Emuwa emphasises that “preparation is key alongside networking and collaboration.” Being good at the technical aspects of a job is only one requirement for progression, “women need to be able to showcase their achievements and choose the right path that will lead to the C-suite (e.g. front office jobs). This is in addition to ensuring they have mentors and sponsors in their organisation and propose themselves for opportunities where they 36

can develop new skills.” Dr. Emuwa also highlights that “networking outside their teams is also important.

“ Women entrepreneurs and CEOs have seen value in the networks that we have created across the continent”

For women entrepreneurs, a mentor can be very useful as well as joining a network.”

However, Emuwa believes that “the onus is not only on women, organisations need to foster a culture where women will thrive. They need the right policies in place and use data to track how well they are doing with respect to gender diversity and inclusion. Gender diversity in leadership has been shown to correlate with increased performance of a firm

NOVEMBER 2019

37

and to have societal benefits,” says

is even more true for women, who

Dr. Emuwa who goes on to say that,

only account for 5% of all CEOs,”

along with overall business benefits,

says Dr. Emuwa. “The intention for

gender diversity is simply “the right

the platform is to unify and grow net-

thing to do for women to have equal

works.” It is hoped that this will allow

access to opportunity.”

women leaders to network with their

Looking to the future, Avandis is

peers, to share situation, ideas and

developing a dedicated platform for

business solutions. The platform will

women leaders – founders, CEOs

be accessible to all women leaders,

and Chairs – as well as others look-

starting in Africa.

ing to rise through the ranks of an organisation. “The lonely-at-the-top syndrome affects all leaders, but this mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

a f r ic a . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

Covering every angle in the digital age The Business Chief platforms offer insight on the trends influencing C and V-level executives, telling the stories that matter

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TECHNOLOGY

THE CLOUD 40

PLAYBOOK Bas Lemmens, VP EMEA at software company Pivotal, on the factors to consider when planning a cloud migration strategy WRITTEN BY

BAS LEMMENS

NOVEMBER 2019

41

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TECHNOLOGY

T

he execution of a cloud migration strategy can be an anxious time for business leaders.

Not only are the core aspects of moving to

the cloud often shrouded in technical jargon (public vs private; hybrid vs multi; containerisation; XaaS; etc.), but also, the diversity and complexity of IT infrastructure varies widely from business to business,

42

making the risk of disruption difficult to determine.

Imagine a business’ IT infrastructure as a bus speeding along the motorway. The vehicle must transport assets and information according to a strict schedule, otherwise mission critical processes are subject to disruption, resulting in the loss of precious time and money. In this analogy, an attempt to execute a cloud migration strategy is akin to climbing under the bonnet, swapping out the old engine and fitting a new one, all while the bus is still travelling at speed.

Much to the relief of business leaders, the process of cloud migration is far too incremental to be comparable to a Hollywood-style stunt. In fact, a more useful analogy is to think about moving to the cloud as something much more relaxing – chess.

NOVEMBER 2019

43

“CLOUD-NATIVE APPS RUN BETTER, FASTER AND MORE RELIABLY THAN THOSE HOSTED IN ON-PREMISES DATA CENTERS” — Bas Lemmens, VP EMEA, Pivotal

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TECHNOLOGY

RE-IMAGINING CLOUD MIGRATION IN BLACK AND WHITE

piece forward has the potential to

Modern businesses run on a number of

while creating a set model for success

different apps, each with a specific set

is rendered almost impossible by billions

of services or processes that enable

of different potential arrangements.

different aspects of business to func-

44

increase the vulnerability of others,

What does this have to do with the

tion. Like pieces on a chess board,

cloud? Put simply, cloud-native apps

these components achieve their pur-

run better, faster and more reliably than

pose by operating in a variety of differ-

those hosted in on-premises data cent-

ent ways to achieve a common goal.

ers. Moreover, the distributed nature of

The way in which these components

cloud computing makes it more difficult

are configured can impact how effec-

for apps to be targeted by cyber-attacks,

tive they are in achieving their goals,

while the flexibility it affords organisations

creating a delicate network of interde-

means that cybersecurity protocols can

pendencies that is not always obvious

be rapidly adapted to the shifting cyber

from an initial assessment. Moving one

threat landscape. Most importantly,

“RUNNING APPS IN THE CLOUD ALLOWS BUSINESSES TO BECOME MORE AGILE – A CRUCIAL CHARACTERISTIC TO HAVE IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD” — Bas Lemmens, VP EMEA, Pivotal NOVEMBER 2019

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘HOW PIVOTAL HELPS YOU BECOME A MODERN SOFTWARE COMPANY’ 45

however, running apps in the cloud

BRING IN THE CAVALRY

allows businesses to become more

The external perspective of a third-

agile – a crucial characteristic to have in

party organisation is especially useful

a rapidly changing world. Apps run in

during migration projects. This will help

the cloud benefit from both increased

to overcome the tendency for cloud

portability and scalability, which helps

migration projects to suffer from tunnel

businesses adapt their products and

vision and offer an expert opinion to

services to changing levels of demand,

assist difficult decisions. For example,

or to more closely align with customer

an organisation may have modernised

needs. This is how value can be gener-

its enterprise application structure to

ated as a direct result of migrating apps

run in the cloud, launched new micros-

to the cloud, while also saving costs by

ervices and started adhering to a new

only using as much of the IT depart-

architectural style, but neglected to

ment’s resources as needed at the time.

retire its legacy infrastructure. Such

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TECHNOLOGY

ground and end up wasting money and

ONE SMALL STEP FOR IT, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR BUSINESS

slowing down systems – despite effec-

A game of chess is lost when all the

tively being redundant in cloud-based IT

most important pieces are brought

environments. Instead of hiding, these

to the frontline simultaneously.

blind spots can be easily identified and

Accordingly, nowhere does it say that a

safely eliminated by granting visibility

business must shift all of its apps to the

to an unbiased third party to rigorously

cloud in a single move. Even with just

check the assumptions initially made.

a small portion of apps running in the

problems can easily fade into the back-

The surging popularity of cloud-native

46

cloud – often only 10-20% of a total

enterprise applications has also chal-

estate – businesses will notice the ben-

lenged conventional wisdom on how

efits of the cloud begin to manifest in

to keep systems safe and secure. From

areas such as value-added services,

infrastructure to application development,

enhanced customer experience and a

there is a sharp contrast between legacy

greater capacity to innovate.

cybersecurity tools and a more modern, cloud-native approach to protecting IT resources. Organisations must reimagine their cyber defences to adapt to the needs of the cloud-native era. As a result, organisations moving to the cloud must be bold and invest in the innovations, patterns and practices in order to be successful, such as establishing a DevOps culture, engage in the continuous delivery of new apps and updates and adopt a microservices architecture. These are the tools that are needed for cloud-native security the way in which major risks can be mitigated.

NOVEMBER 2019

It is paramount that businesses

businesses can embark on a journey of

planning a cloud migration strategy

learning and adapting to a new cloud-

focus first on moving the apps that are

based environment, and ensure that

best positioned to reap the benefits of

cloud migration projects are successful.

the cloud. Which apps deliver the most value to customers? Which apps are

MAINTAINING ENGAGEMENT

the most important in ensuring the

The usefulness of technology partners

people within the business can achieve

does not stop at the technology itself.

their goals? Which apps drive the most

Perhaps, one of the most important

traffic? Identifying which apps are core

aspects of cloud migration projects is

to the business and moving them to

to maintain stakeholder engagement

the cloud, it can be assured that the

throughout the process. Technology

maximum outcomes of the technology

partners can be instrumental in

are being achieved with minimal

espousing the benefits of technical

change. By taking incremental steps,

projects to members of the executive

“THE BEST MIGRATIONS HAPPEN WHEN INDIVIDUAL TEAMS WORK TOGETHER, FROM DEVOPS TO IT” — Bas Lemmens, VP EMEA, Pivotal

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TECHNOLOGY

board, such as tangible ROI and new opportunities to compete, scale and grow. It’s important that it’s not just the customers that go on and benefit from this journey. Teams within the organisation must understand the technology and concepts being deployed and be shown the value of having existing systems changed.

As with any major cultural change, resistance is to be expected, especially when executed in parallel with a large technology project such as a 48

cloud migration. Making sure teams are on board with change is foundational to success, and establishing processes for introducing them to new solutions and software is crucial.

The best migrations happen when individual teams work together, from DevOps to IT. Again, this is where an incremental approach is fundamental, as each step leads to new insights which require continuous course correction and adaptation. The often technical way in which cloud is described means that the crucial human factor of cloud migration is forgotten. A people-centric approach must be taken, one which rigorously NOVEMBER 2019

questions any assumptions regarding individual teams’ reactions to the change involved. Only then can a project become successful.

WINNING THE GAME No one ever won a game of chess without sacrificing pieces along the way. Equally, no cloud migration project is flawless. Even with the best tools and people at their disposal, organisations will find themselves making certain trade-offs and facing unexpected circumstances. Moving to the cloud, however, isn’t a leap of faith; it’s an incremental and strategic reconfiguration of IT resources that requires evaluation every step of the way. The outcome? An IT offering that is fit for purpose, futureproof and capable of serving the needs of both clients and employees alike.

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THE YEAR OF THE CUSTOMER In every industry, the need for companies to provide their customers with seamless digital experiences is growing more and more pressing, and those unwilling to adapt to a new class of consumer run the risk of being left behind WRITTEN BY

NOVEMBER 2019

HARRY MENEAR

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A

cross every industry in every market, one thing has become clear in 2019: this is the year of the customer.

Ubiquitous advertising, economic discomfort in a shrinking middle class, more ways than ever for people to self-determine the companies they deal with, a hunger for on-demand and personalised products and services, and a younger consumer class grown increasingly distrustful of an unfair capitalist system, are all conspiring to firmly put the ball back in

the court of corporations when it comes to 52

attracting and retaining a customer base.

Back in 2018, James Paine, the Founder of West Realty Advisors wrote, in a piece for Inc, that “twenty years ago, if you paid for a product or service and you weren’t happy with what you received, the best you could hope for was that if you sent in a letter of complaint, you’d eventually receive a refund. You could tell a couple of friends and maybe they’d tell their friends, but that was about it. Nowadays, though, if a customer has a bad experience then they can post about it online, and if they post about it online then it can go viral and even seriously damage the overall value of your brand. After all, all it took was one tweet from Kylie Jenner to knock US$1.3bn off Snapchat’s valuation.”

NOVEMBER 2019

“ People expect improvements at a pretty fast clip these days” — Victoria Holt, CEO, Protolabs

53

The message from consumers is clear: “treat us right or perish.”

This month, we explore explores the strategies being adopted by companies that want not simply to survive this age of seamless consumer experience, but to thrive in it.

Victoria Holt, CEO of digital manufacturer Protolabs, agrees that customer expectations in her industry have changed over the past decade.

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54 and launch products is a critical suc-

transform to offer products that are

cess factor for manufacturers today,”

more personalised and readily availa-

she explains, adding that “there’s more

ble, and in return, this drives customer

mass-customisation too, which is

expectations and the standards are

another thing that not only requires

becoming more exacting every year as

rapid innovation, but the capacity to

the customers take more and more

produce products in lower quantities

control.

as you customise them for specific end

“For the last 50 years, software

uses. Again, this lends itself to a more

development has been specification-

digitalised manufacturing process.”

centric. Teams created software that

This emphasis on harnessing the

complied with a specification. That just

power of digital transformation is part

doesn’t work anymore,” says Antony

and parcel with the ouroboric relation-

Edwards, Chief Operating Officer of

ship between the company and

artificial intelligence, analytics and

customer. Companies digitally

software solutions company, Eggplant.

NOVEMBER 2019

CORTEX Social media is the most visible, immediate and effective medium

Small, Boston-based AI startup Cortex touches

through which companies can interact

more lives on a daily

with their customers. These three

basis than most major

startups are using AI to revolutionise the customer experience online.

advertising firms.

Founded in 2015, the company owns and operates a

“ Software teams need to use customer analytics to become user-centric and create software that delights users and drives business outcomes” — Antony Edwards, Chief Operating Officer, Eggplant

proprietary AI platform that reportedly eliminates the need for a dedicated social media data analyst.

“Cortex learns what makes better marketing content and offers creative direction, social media insights, and competitive benchmarking based on this data analysis.”

Trusted by diverse global brands like Heineken (achieving a 39% increase in engagement with the beverage giant’s Dos Equis property) and band

“Software teams need to use customer

Maroon 5, Cortex uses its algo-

analytics to become user-centric and

rithmic analysis of social trends

create software that delights users

to “know exactly what to post,

and drives business outcomes.”

when, how often, and instantly

Edwards’ observations are backed by

add the most effective photo

a recent white paper from Adobe.

or video. No more guessing,

Noting that the most successful mod-

no more searching. Done in no

ern companies are the ones that have

time at all.”

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PEOPLE

digitally transformed themselves, Adobe warns that “transformation needs to be driven with a purpose.

For top businesses, that purpose is customer experience”. Companies that place customer experience at the top of their list of priorities are more successful than those who adopt a ‘push’ mentality.

But what do those customers want?

High level concepts like “customisability” and “on-demand” are a good start, but to better understand the specific 56

things consumers want from them, successful companies are doubling down on analytics and diverting more and more resources, both to under-

purchases. They then feed this auto-

standing their consumers and to

matically back into their software

providing a seamless experience. “Fast

development to optimise revenue.”

food stores are employing user analyt-

Across the board, industry leaders are

ics to understand how their staff are

moving as one towards a more

using point-of-sale terminals and then

informed company-customer relation-

using this information to update the

ship. In Gartner’s recent Customer

point-of-sale terminal so that custom-

Experience Trends Survey, it was

ers are served faster,” says Edwards.

revealed that, in 2018, two-thirds of

“Retailers are using a combination of

companies increased their customer

user and technical analytics to under-

experience technology investments,

stand how technical factors such as

with 52% reporting that they intended

website speed and design factors such

to increase spending further in 2019. In

as high-resolution graphics, impact

last year’s survey, Gartner found that

NOVEMBER 2019

DRIFT Another Bostonian firm, Drift was founded in 2014 and has since become the world’s leading conversational marketing and sales platform that helps businesses connect with their customers.

With a focus on immediate revenue generation for its clients, Drift has undeniably displayed the trend with regard to its own development.

After just two years on the market, the company has become one of the fastest growing SaaS companies of all-time and was named to the Forbes Cloud 100, LinkedIn 81% of companies expect customer

Top 50 Startups, Entrepreneur’s

experience to be the most important

Top Company Cultures, Boston

competition metric by 2020.

Business Journal’s Best Places to

Seeking to perfect the customer experience is going to become an even greater point of differentiation for com-

Work, and SaaS Company of the Year by the NEVCA. “Using Drift chatbots you can

panies in the next few years. Social

answer common questions in real

media is a valuable tool for companies

time, route qualified leads to the

to understand, sell to and interact with

right sales reps and start conver-

their customer bases, but the sword

sations with prospects in real time.

swings both ways. Debacles like Fyre

Rep in a meeting? No problem,

Festival and Kylie Jenner’s Snapchat

leads can book a time that works

Tweet prove that brands have nowhere

for them and your rep in seconds

to hide anymore; the customer

flat,” according to the company.

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INVOCA Founded in 2008, Santa Barbara-based analytics firm Invoca has spent over a decade selling the idea of relationship insights as direct value creation. The company is centered around its AI-powered call tracking and analytics platform that helps marketers get campaign attribution and actionable data from inbound phone calls.

The approach is a less common one, given the focus of most social media solutions on internet engagements over social media apps. However, with the US outbound telemarketing market predicted to reach higher than $12bn annually by 2025, the application of AI to gain greater 58

insight into the space has its appeal.

In an interview in 2017, Invoca CEO Gregg Johnson said: “With the massive rise of mobile, which is driving 85 billion calls to businesses globally and influencing more than $1 trillion in US consumer spending, it’s becoming even more important for marketers to integrate call intelligence with their marketing automation solutions. As consumers increasingly combine their digital interactions with voice interactions, live conversation has become the new competitive battleground for customer experience. Call intelligence allows marketers to connect digital consumer interactions (clicking on paid search ads, browsing websites, etc.) to the voice experience (talking to a human), to have a holistic profile of the customer.�

NOVEMBER 2019

experience must be seamless, curated and on-demand. Companies that want to succeed in what may become the Decade of the Customer need expert help – a fact that means the global Customer Experience Analytics Market is expected to grow to around $12bn by 2023 – and to embrace the power of digital. Vinod Muthukrishnan, co-founder and CEO of customer experience management software company CloudCherry, lives this reality every day. “Customer retention is lower than it ever has been. The millennial audience is actually much more conscious of business ethics, the

IN 2018, TWO-THIRDS OF COMPANIES INCREASED THEIR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS THE GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE ANALYTICS MARKET IS EXPECTED TO GROW TO AROUND $12BN BY 2023

environment and corporate social responsibility than the two generations before it, mine included,” he explains.

When asked about the key to a great customer experience, Muthukrishnan says: “We’re going back to the basics.

In many ways, the more digitisation we do, the more humanisation the customer demands. You can use machine learning, you can use bots – you do whatever, as long as it’s aimed at actually giving that customer a more personal experience.”

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S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

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NOVEMBER 2019

MANAGING OPERATIONAL RISK IS KEY TO IMPROVING SUSTAINABILITY Bill Zuurbier, co-founder and Managing Director of risk management consultancy, Equib, discusses the importance of resilience within new structures and the need for clear communication when addressing sustainability

WRITTEN BY

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BILL ZUURBIER a f r ic a . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

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T

here is an increasing focus on

in the construction sector and other

incorporating resilience into new

industries to prioritise sustainability.

structures, as well as updating

In setting this new target to reduce

existing infrastructure. However,

carbon emissions, the UK is the first

addressing sustainability requires vision

G7 nation to align with the Paris 2015

and clear communication to ensure it

agreement, but others already have

gets the attention it deserves prior to

plans to follow.

and during delivery.

To assist those responsible for the

Increased public awareness of the

design and development of new

impact of climate change and the UK

buildings and infrastructure, the

Government’s recent decision to set

sustainability assessment methodology

a legally-binding target to reduce

– BREEAM – has been rolled out to

greenhouse gas emissions to net zero

more than 70 countries around the

by 2050, are driving decision-makers

world. Used to measure and certify

NOVEMBER 2019

“At any stage of delivery, if whole-life costs are not properly considered, the risks associated with the project can increase dramatically� — Bill Zuurbier, Co-founder and Managing Director of risk management consultancy, Equib 63

the environmental performance of

environmental or societal benefits.

new and existing buildings, those with

As a result, those responsible for

a rating of Excellent or Outstanding are

designing new projects are specifying

deemed to be sustainable environments

sustainable materials and operational

that meet a high standard in terms of

equipment, usually justified by

their environmental, social and corporate

whole-life cost considerations, which

governance (ESG) performance.

prove their efficiency over time.

Certification schemes and bench-

Operational risks are among the

marks clearly have an important role

biggest risk factors for any major-scale

to play in driving sustainability perfor-

infrastructure programme or construc-

mance. Their use is certainly helping

tion project, and successful mitigation

to attract investors and other stake-

starts at design stage, when sustain-

holders, who increasingly expect

ability is closely considered. At this

projects to deliver measurable

stage, a complete cost plan for the

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“Building in sustainability and forward planning at design stage can help to make projects more attractive to private sector investors and public sector sponsors� — Bill Zuurbier, Co-founder and Managing Director of risk management consultancy, Equib 64 project is prepared, incorporating both capital costs, which are associated with the build itself and operational costs, spanning the expected life of the structure. If capital expenditure is low at design stage, but operational costs, such as those incurred when using or maintaining the asset, seem excessive, there is an opportunity to address this by specifying a more sustainable solution.

Once building work gets underway, costs can start to increase and if not properly controlled, some of the sustainability benefits of the structure NOVEMBER 2019

65 could be eroded. From the project

make projects more attractive to

manager’s perspective, if budgets are

private sector investors and public

not being met, there could be pressure

sector sponsors. For this reason, many

to cut corners and decisions might be

designers are focused on reducing

taken to swap sustainable equipment,

both embodied and operational carbon

which comes with a higher price tag,

emissions. This typically involves the

for cheaper, less eco-friendly alterna-

specification of energy-efficient

tives. While this could help to reduce

lighting or microgeneration technolo-

capital expenditure, the longer-term

gies, such as solar panels or wind

impact of such decisions on the life-cycle

turbines. Such equipment may increase

performance of the building could

capital expenditure but has the potential

be considerable, particularly if the

to drastically reduce operational costs

replacement costs more to maintain.

over time, making the building more

Building in sustainability and forward

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perspective. Increasingly, designers a f r ic a . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

are being challenged to future-proof structures to ensure their sustainability by allowing changes to extend their functionality or capacity further down the line, in lieu of significant refurbishment or rebuilding.

At any stage of delivery, if whole-life costs are not properly considered, the risks associated with the project can increase dramatically. An example of this can be seen in the award-winning Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which became home to West Ham 66

Football Club in 2016. Forward-thinking designers and their sponsors were keen to develop a multi-storey asset which could bring diverse benefits to the local area for many years to come.

Their decision to incorporate dual

“Keeping an eye on operational risks at all stages of delivery is vital to ensure that construction projects deliver on their sustainability promises� — Bill Zuurbier, Co-founder and Managing Director of risk management consultancy, Equib NOVEMBER 2019

it is important that stakeholders at a senior level encourage adherence to the right processes and controls from the start. Once a project is underway, decisions made onsite must be communicated to all stakeholders and endorsed where necessary. As projects can often take many years to complete, these processes and controls must also be robust enough to stick even when there are significant changes of personnel or multiple specialist teams are involved.

Wider application of BIM or Building Information Modelling, which involves the creation of a detailed digital description of every aspect of a building or project, can also help to improve data management and visibility across the life of the project. The ability to integrate 3D models with time and cost data means functionality by allowing the structure

risks can be identified more readily and

to double as an athletics track was

used to inform decision making.

inspired, but the operational costs

Keeping an eye on operational risks

attached to switching from one use

at all stages of delivery is vital to ensure

to the other have since become a bone

that construction projects deliver

of contention.

on their sustainability promises.

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CITY FOCUS

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City Focus

ABUD NOVEMBER 2019

Business Chief Middle East and Africa takes a closer look at the Capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi WRITTEN BY

GEORGIA WILSON

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bu Dhabi, a name meaning ‘father of the gazelle’, was once a simple island inhabited by wildlife until it was founded by a small tribe searching for water in 1761. Fast forward to 1958 — after an extensive 30-year search — oil was discovered at Murban Bab Oil Field with crude oil production commencing in 1960. This discovery is said to be the spark that blossomed into the ultra-modern and luxuriously wealthy capital of the United Arab Emirates.

In 1971, after many subsequent oil field discoveries – such as Bu Hasa Field and Bida Al

70

Qemzan – revenue grew. As a result, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan established the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

Today, ADNOC is responsible for most of the oil and gas production in Abu Dhabi, providing 90% of the government’s revenue through the 3mn barrels of oil produced each day (bopd) and the 277.5mn cubic metres (mcm) of gas produced per day.

However, this could all change. In recent months, the president of Abu Dhabi established a three-year economic development plan known as Ghadan 21 Accelerator Programme. It aims to enhance the competitiveness of Abu Dhabi in four key areas: business and investment, society, knowledge and innovation and lifestyle. In support of NOVEMBER 2019

“ ADNOC is responsible for most of the oil and gas production in Abu Dhabi, providing 90% of the central government revenue”

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“ Abu Dhabi is continuing to work towards ensuring the ‘right quality and the right volume of talent comes in’ to support the tech startups”

the programme, the President has also passed two new laws in relation to foreign direct investment (FDI) and private-public partnerships (PPPs), in the hope of increasing employment opportunities and attracting talent, as well as saturating the capital’s economy with varied industries to reduce the reliance on crude oil for revenue.

A direct response to these new laws is the establishment of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). Designed to connect investors with relevant private and public sector shareholders, identify local strategic partners, provide business information, licensing help

NOVEMBER 2019

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘BEST THINGS TO DO IN ABU DHABI HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, & THINGS TO DO’ 73

and business regulation assistance,

for early stage funding, and to invest in

as well as continued support through-

innovative seeds and early startups.

out its development. ADIO is also in

ADIO is keen to invest in innova-

charge of producing and executing

tive technology companies such as

an FDI strategy, as well as encour-

SenseTime, a valuable and world

aging growth with the help of the

leading startup company for Arti-

Ghadan Ventures fund, an AED535mn

ficial—Intelligence (AI) founded in

(US$145mn) investment pool to sup-

2014. The company develops AI tech

port startups and VC ecosystems.

that can positively contribute to eco-

ADIO has two business funds – New Managers Fund and Startup

nomics, society and humanity.

ADIO and SenseTime signed a stra-

Matching Fund — established to stim-

tegic partnership agreement back in

ulate the growth of venture capital

July 2019 marking a key milestone for

ecosystems expanding the sources

the Ghadan 21 Accelerator Programme.

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“SenseTime’s AI capabilities and

of Economic Development, His

developments will be of great value

Excellency Saif Mohamed Al Hajeri,

to businesses across the region. […]

commented: “We are delighted to

ADIO is working to create a compre-

welcome SenseTime to Abu Dhabi.

hensive ecosystem of tech companies

As part of the Ghadan 21 programme,

at different stages of development,

we are helping some of the world’s

across a variety of industries. It will also

best companies establish a presence

provide a thriving environment for tech

in the Emirate to encourage innova-

talent to establish careers and grow,”

tion and create jobs of the future.”

said CEO of ADIO, Elham Al Qasim.

The agreement will allow SenseTime

Also present at the signing,

to establish a Europe, Middle East

Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department

and Africa (EMEA) Research and

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NOVEMBER 2019

Development (R&D) headquarters

Abu Dhabi is continuing to work

in Abu Dhabi. Over the next five years

towards ensuring the “right quality

the company is “expected to create

and the right volume of talent comes

hundreds of jobs, most of which will be

in” to support the tech startups.

highly skilled engineers.” SenseTime

Creating a community that puts

will also take the lead on a number

“very large companies and startups

of AI projects to drive growth and

side by side so they may both ben-

provide other companies with “tech-

efit in various ways, including fluidity

nology to enable autonomous driving,

of talent,” said Elham Al Qasim.

augmented reality, medical image

ADIO has overseen the success

analysis, remote sensing and photo

stories of several businesses over

quality enhancement,” said, ADIO.

the years, including: TALEX, Plaza

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Premium Lounge, Big Bus Tour, CNN International and TwoFour54.

TALEX A largely automated and flexible extrusion plant for precision engineered aluminium, TALEX was established in 2011 as part of the SENNAAT General Holding Corporation. SENNAAT supports TALEX by providing the necessary permits and certificates.

PLAZA PREMIUM LOUNGE Established in 2014, the company offers 76

global airport hospitality solutions in over 160 locations. Its vision is to become a household name and a world class premium airport service provider.

BIG BUS TOUR An open-top sightseeing tour company with operations across four continents and 23 cities, Big Bus Tour was established in 2011 following the merger betweenThe Big Bus Company and Les Cars Rouge.

CNN INTERNATIONAL A world leading news channel established in 1980, CNN International is available in more than 200 countries.

NOVEMBER 2019

1.2mn Population of Abu Dhabi

1761

Year founded Nearest Airport

16km

Bateen Airport

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CNN international broadcasts daily from Abu Dhabi located at the TwoFour54 campus.

TWOFOUR54 In recent years Abu Dhabi has become a hub for film makers.

TwoFour54 offers media businesses and professionals production, talent development and sustainability services to drive business growth.

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T O P 10

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NOVEMBER 2019

Hotels in MEA

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We take a look at the scores for Travel and Leisure’s “Top 100 Hotels in the World” to bring you the top ten hotels in the Middle East and Africa WRITTEN BY

SHANNON LEWIS

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10

Lion Sands Game Reserve South Africa

With a Travel and Leisure score of 96.60, the Lion Sands Game Reserve is the 34th best hotel in the world. A part of the MORE hotel collection, it rents out lodges and treehouses located on the Sabie river bank, in Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa. One of the top safari lodges in Africa, according to Travel and Leisure, it was also named one of the top 20 lodges in the region by the 2018 CondĂŠ Nast Traveller Awards.

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09

Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa South Africa

With a place on Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best Awards every year for the past decade, making it a WBA Hall of Fame Honoree, Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa has a rating of 96.63. Located in Johannesburg, South Africa, it counts with an infinity pool, a world-class spa, multiple restaurants, luxury suites and three standalone villas. Ranked as the 32nd best hotel in the world, it was awarded “Africa’s Leading Boutique Hotel” 2019 by the World Travel Awards.

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With the travel & hospitality industry being redefined, Hexaware aims to create a visually pleasing and personalized experience to help our clients achieve “customer centricity�, making dream destinations a reality!

Learn More E-mail: marketing@hexaware.com Website: hexaware.com

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08

The Highlands Tanzania

Based in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania, the Highlands allows visitors to experience African safaris from the privacy of a slope on the Olmoti Volcano. Ranked the 29th best hotel in the world, it has a Travel & Leisure score of 96.84. It is run by Asilia, a safari company with 32 lodges across Kenya and Tanzania. Guests at the Highlands stay in domed suites equipped with king-sized beds, en-suite bathrooms and floor-to-ceiling bay windows.

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07

Londolozi South Africa

Situated on the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa, Londolozi has a Travel & Leisure score of 97.45, making it the 20th best hotel in the world. Based on a reserve that is part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, Londolozi offers guests an opportunity to witness wild elephants, buffalo, white rhinos, lions and leopards. With a history that dates back to 1926, its facilities include five camps with access to 34,000 acres of historic game-viewing land.

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06

Ellerman House South Africa

The 16th best hotel in the world, Ellerman House is located in Cape Town, South Africa. With a Travel & Leisure score of 97.60, Ellerman House offers 13 rooms in a luxury hotel and two private villas, presenting guests with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Among its amenities are a bar, sea-facing gardens, the Ellerman House Spa, a world-class collection of South African art and a 7500-strong selection of South African wines.

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The kitchen revolution

As operators add more digital channels to their restaurants, it creates new complexity and challenges.

Restaurants have been used to controlling the transaction flow. Now, with the rise of delivery marketplaces, mobile applications and in-store selfservice, restaurants need to compete at a higher level and adapt to a digital-first ordering environment.

This means ensuring proper routing of orders into the kitchen, a focus on food quality and distribution at the right time and data/analytics to measure and improve the performance of the kitchen. Key trends impacting kitchen optimisation and production, include: • The rise of off-premise ordering & delivery To meet this growing consumer demand, restaurants need robust kitchen production systems to accommodate the flow of orders into the restaurant from multiple channels.

• Speed of service Consumers no longer have any patience for waiting in lines or waiting for food. They essentially want to “speak” directly to the kitchen.

• Growing dependency on kitchen data Real-Time production metrics are fast becoming a requirement. Operators need to be able to gauge order volume, production status, progress order times and manage staffing levels within their kitchen in real-time.

© 2019 NCR Corporation Patents Pending

Successful brands we work with are investing in kitchen optimisation and production technology to stay ahead of the curve. NCR Kitchen Operations solutions enable restaurants to plan and prepare for anticipated spikes in order volumes and manage the production of orders coming from all channels to improve the customer and staff experience.

Brands that are leveraging NCR Kitchen Operations and Digital Signage are also improving the customer experience by providing guests with accurate quote times and order status notifications via text paging and in-app notifications.

Large quick-service chains using our technology have increased their speed of service by as much as 15% with improved visibility into order volume, production status, order times and staffing levels.

Over 30,000 restaurants around the world use NCR Kitchen Operations to manage their kitchen production. While not visible to consumers, kitchen optimisation and production technology reduce errors, reduce waste and have a tangible impact on the customer experience.

Find out more. Visit www.ncr.com/restaurants and see how our technology can help your business thrive.

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05

Royal Mansour Morocco

Situated in Marrakesh, Morocco, Royal Mansour has a Travel & Leisure score of 97.78. A stone’s throw from the famed Jamaa El Fna square, it is ranked the 12th best hotel in the world. A hotel that seeks to capture the feeling of an authentic medina, its offerings include restaurants, gardens, a 2500 square metre spa and 53 high-end riads. The hotel also has a network of underground tunnels that allow staff to work discreetly for guest comfort and privacy.

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T O P 10

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04

The Bushcamp Company Zambia

Located in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, the Bushcamp Company’s Mfuwe Lodge has a Travel & Leisure score of 97.87, making it the 9th best hotel in the world. With 18 luxury chalets at its disposal, the safari lodge offers guests the opportunity to view game such as giraffes, hippos, buffalo, antelope, crocodiles and elephants.

A part of the Bushcamp Company, the Mfuwe Lodge was founded in 1999 and is one of six such bushcamps. Its facilities include a spa overlooking a hippo lagoon.

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03

Singita Grumeti Tanzania

The 8th best hotel in the world, Singita Grumeti is situated in the Serengeti National Park Area, Tanzania. It has a Travel & Leisure score of 98.12. Founded on a reserve that was created in 1994 by the Tanzanian government to protect wildebeest migration and indigenous biodiversity, Singita has been managing the property since 2006. Singita Grumeti is one of 15 luxury lodges and camps across Eastern and Southern Africa run by Singita which offer sustainable ecotourism funded by the Grumeti Trust.

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02

Gibb’s Farm Tanzania

Based in Karatu, Tanzania, Gibb’s Farm is the 5th best hotel in the world, with a Travel & Leisure score of 98.56.

Overlooking the Great Rift Valley and Ngorongoro Forest, it offers accommodation in the form of a farmhouse and 17 cottages. Originally, it was a coffee farm in the 1920s before being converted into an inn. Gibb’s Farm prides itself on its green initiatives, such as recycling water and using solar panels for 90% of its hot water.

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01

Singita Sabi Sand South Africa

A WBA Hall of Fame honoree, Singita Sabi Sand is the third best hotel in the world, with a Travel & Leisure score of 98.59. Based in Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa, its property includes a privately-owned game reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park. Owned by the Bailes family since 1926, it opened its first lodge in 1993.

Owned by the Singita brand, it is renowned for its high density of big game and leopard sightings.

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Technological empowerment for businesses and leaders WRITTEN BY

OLLIE MULKERRINS PRODUCED BY

JORDAN HUBBARD

NOVEMBER 2019

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IBL TOGETHER

IBL Together recently formed from GML and Ireland Blyth, two major conglomerates, as Group Information and Technology Executive Laurent Fayolle explains

G 96

ML and Ireland Blyth merged to form IBL Together in July 2016, retaining the name of the latter to maintain brand familiar-

ity. Today, IBL Together has grown to encompass an incredibly diverse portfolio across a number of industries, from manufacturing to banking and beyond, with over 280 companies and more than 26,000 team members. In 2016, Laurent Fayolle, formerly GML’s Business Technology Manager, took on the role of Group Information Technology Executive at IBL Together. In this role, Fayolle is tasked with heading and restructuring the Group IT department.

After the merger, a complete revamp of the governance model was started and the team had to be restructured to cater for this new governance to be rolled out across the various companies. As Ireland Blyth and GML both had completely different IT governance models, Fayolle explains, “on one side

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IBL TOGETHER

“ A person should be more empowered to tackle their problems inside a clear and defined framework” — Laurent Fayolle, Group Information & Technology Executive, IBL Together, Mauritius

we had a completely decentralised model, and on the other we had a much more centralised model, as well as a consequent team to manage and operate the IT activities. A new mandate had to be defined towards a ‘First-time right’ approach.” This, he says, meant that each step had to be carefully considered in order to minimise disturbance to the business and its teams.

Solutions had to be tailor-made for each challenge, to allow for the diversity of IBL’s various operations, while maintaining a stable work process.

98

Each operation, Fayolle notes, had to be granted more autonomy, or “empowerment” to heighten focus on the core business. “Our model had to become more decentralised.

It became more about empowering IT managers to make these decisions for themselves. As a group, we can’t decide what’s best for business better than those that are directly involved on a daily basis. As IT strategies should always be aligned with business strategies, it doesn’t make sense for the Group IT department to make business decisions when, instead, a team can be more empowered to tackle its NOVEMBER 2019

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘IBL ANALYST MEETING PRESENTATION OCTOBER 2019’ 99 business challenges inside a clear

don’t think there is any one-size-fits-all

and defined framework.”

solution and I don’t think there ever will

IBL has a diverse portfolio which has

be. We have to fine-tune our approach

allowed Fayolle to assess each aspect

to accommodate each company’s

of the business on its own merits, meas-

subtleties.”

ure each problem individually and then

The transformation has not been

target necessary solutions. He explains:

carried out solely by IBL Together,

“We are so diverse that it doesn’t make

with expert partners being brought

sense to have a single set of tools. Do

in to tackle specialised areas of change.

we really need a single governance for

This is particularly the case for cyber-

all the entities in the group? Some need

security, which has been a key focus

a higher level of autonomy than others

of IBL’s efforts in recent times, and

because they are much more mature

Fayolle has worked to find the right

and have been doing great on their

partners to provide the necessary

own for years. Some need more help. I

solutions. “I approach it from the

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ARE YOU IN THE

DRIVING SEAT ?

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“ Data is the new oil, but I think that is only true if you can get useful information from the data you own” — Laurent Fayolle, Group Information & Technology Executive, IBL Together, Mauritius

mindset of ‘I don’t want to talk about possible solutions, I want to talk about the best partners bringing solutions that will help us create value’. It always comes down to asking who our partners are and what needs we have. We want partners with a high level of ethics, competence and willingness to create value by partnering with IBL. You know it’s a ‘win-win’ when you can challenge a partner and they can use their skills to match your expectations.”

The analysis and distribution of data has become the foundation for change

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Laurent Fayolle, Group Information & Technology Executive Young, experienced IT executive who embraces evolution in the Information Technology and services industry. Fayolle consistently leads his team with a ‘First-time right’ approach, and keenly adheres to the concept of ‘Technology as a Business Enabler’ and the significant impacts it can deliver for profitability and growth. Laurent loves spending time with his wife and two young children, as well as travelling, playing soccer, cooking and reading.

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IBL TOGETHER

across a range of industries. In recent history, data processing was a manual process that involved heavy investment both in terms of manpower and money in order to be effective.

Today, businesses increasingly turn to modern, more efficient and effective solutions. Fayolle explains: “The expression I consider is ‘data is the new oil’. However, I think that’s only true if you can get useful information from the data you own. Without context – without it being interpretable – the data 102

is useless. Information is key.”

Companies must consider how they use those analytics to capitalise on

“ Securing data and making sure we know who can access it and for what purpose is absolutely imperative” — Laurent Fayolle, Group Information & Technology Executive, IBL Together, Mauritius NOVEMBER 2019

their potential. The implementation of automated processes can dramatically increase the operational efficiency of a company without having a huge impact on its overheads. “It’s much easier to work with data today thanks to AI and machine learning working with AIaaS, all whilst doing this for a small amount of money compared to building your own platform,” Fayolle says. “Our duty is to understand our data and make the best use of it, but to also ensure we

1972

Year founded

$1bn+ Approximate revenue

26,000

Approximate number of employees

have a proper data classification pro-

information in the wrong hands can

cess to better protect what should be

be extremely harmful. Securing the

protected.”

data and making sure we know who

The inter-connectivity of cloud-based

can access it and for what purpose is

data analytics, AI or machine learning

absolutely imperative. As James Snook

can present its own issues with regard

once said, if you think you haven’t been

to cybersecurity. As threats become

attacked yet, it’s because you aren’t

more credible as technology evolves,

looking hard enough.”

companies must be able to protect the information they hold. Speaking on the importance of cybersecurity, Fayolle says: “We can never forget that mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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Dubai World Trade Centre

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CHANGING THE PERCEPTION OF PROCUREMENT WRITTEN BY

AMBER DONOVAN-STEVENS PRODUCED BY

ALEX BARRON NOVEMBER 2019

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DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

Jason Tranter, Contracts Director, Dubai World Trade Centre, shares the details of the digital transformation of its contracts and procurement department in order to create a truly transparent, productive function

T

he Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has been a landmark since the construction of the iconic Sheikh Rashid Tower (SRT)

in 1979. Not only was it one of the first skyscrapers in Dubai, but it also held the title of the tallest in the 106

Middle East until 1999. Following its vision to make Dubai the world’s leading destination for all major exhibitions and events, DWTC has seen significant expansion to over 121,000 square meters of event space. Operating such a substantial multi-purpose facility is a ceaseless and demanding task, requiring a dedicated and experienced team to work constantly. To clarify the way DWTC functions, Jason Tranter, Director of Contracts, shares the role that Procurement and Contracts (P&C) plays in ensuring the facility is always efficient and run an innovative manner. Tranter’s career began in construction, where he became a chartered surveyor working in the UK and the Cayman Islands before moving to Dubai in 2005. This experience saw him join DWTC in 2008 and made him the perfect candidate for Director of Contracts, a job which he NOVEMBER 2019

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DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

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— Jason Tranter, Contracts Director, Dubai World Trade Center

CONTRACTS AT DWTC Though the DWTC is known largely for its exhibition space, there are a number of key operational focus areas, according to Tranter. He goes on to share some of the major areas of business that P&C services: Events: • Event and Exhibition Management • Experiential Event Production Venue Services Management: • Hospitality and Event Catering Services (“DWTC has one of the largest catering operations in the UAE,” adds Tranter, “with kitchen space that is second only to Emirates Airlines.”)

• Wedding Services

started in 2014. “In the last ten years, the number of DWTC annual visitors

• Facilities Management and Engineering

to events has grown from around 1mn

• Housekeeping

to 3.4mn in 2018,” he begins. “My role

• Protocol and Security

is to help ensure that the P&C team is able to constantly innovate and evolve

Real Estate Development and

to stay ahead to meet the demands

Asset Management:

of what is a pretty challenging, but of

• One Central: an award-winning,

course exciting, working environment

mixed-use development fea-

here in Dubai.”

turing five LEED Gold-certified

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commercial buildings and pedes-

Support (Shared) Services

trian-friendly retail at the heart of

Departments:

Dubai’s Central Business District • The Apartments – Dubai World Trade Centre’s Hotel Apartments

• Corporate Strategy, Corporate Marketing, Legal etc • Corporate Support services (Finance, IT, HR)

Free Zone Operations: • As a designated Free Zone the

This list is not exhaustive, notes

DWTC Authority offers both

Tranter, and all of these departments

onshore and offshore operations

require procurement to be conducted

licensing and operations across

by DWTC’s P&C department. “Dubai

a wide range of industries

World Trade Centre is essentially like having five or six companies in one; we have a vast number of products

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“The migration has been met with tremendous acceptance by our suppliers” — Jason Tranter, Contracts Director, Dubai World Trade Center

110

and services that need to be acquired

and not only become fully integrated

across several different timelines

into the company, but also have a real

for a variety of clients, both in-house

impact on its bottom line. As we have

and offsite.” Despite the complexity

progressed through our digital trans-

of the operations at DWTC, Tranter

formation, this is beginning to become

emphasises that the company is con-

a reality,” says Tranter.

stantly striving for transparency and innovation in the hope of promoting a

DIGITALISATION OF PROCUREMENT

new perception of procurement, at a

There are two major projects that

time when the department can often

assisted in the digitisation of DWTC’s

be considered a “roadblock” to busi-

procurement process. The first was

ness functions. “We want to remove

the company’s migration to the Oracle

this concept of P&C being a roadblock,

ERP system in 2012 and the second

NOVEMBER 2019

was the implementation of the new

disjointed and disorganised. “Oracle

e-procurement system in 2017. “The

was an extreme benefit across the

migration to Oracle ERP was seismic,”

board, for finance and HR in particu-

reflects Tranter. “It was the first major

lar,” recalls Tranter. Once the platform

move in our digital transformation.”

was embedded in the system, DWTC

Previously, the procurement division

began to focus on how procurement

had been using a variety of platforms,

could drive efficiencies, concluding

from Excel to Great Plains which was

that a personalised e-procurement

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Jason Tranter Jason Tranter studied Commercial Management & Quantity Surveying at the University of Manchester in the UK and has an Executive MBA from the University of Bradford. He is a member of both the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) and The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb). In addition to Dubai, he has also lived and worked in both the UK and the Cayman Islands, where he has gained extensive experience in main contracting and construction cost consultancy, as well as in the procurement and management of both corporate and real estate development contracts. Working closely with the VP-P&C and the wider Executive Management Team, Jason is responsible for managing all of DWTC’s corporate procurement and contract requirements. In addition, the role includes responsibility for overseeing Supplier Relationship Management (SRM), procurement policy compliance, and supervising the Procurement and Contracts (P&C) team. Jason is also the designated management representative responsible for DWTC’s Quality Management System (QMS).

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DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

1979

Year founded

2mn+

Square foot of premium office space

1,400

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Approximate number of employees

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A Next Generation Security Provider World Security is an award winning, full spectrum, security solutions provider, offering comprehensive security solutions across the United Arab Emirates.

Our diverse portfolio of clients includes names from the industrial, commercial and financial sectors with individually unique requirements, all served with equal expertise.

Being at the forefront of the security industry, World Security touches businesses, industries, society and people across the UAE. As such, we are committed to doing business in a responsible way. A key part of our commitment is the pledge to care for the development of our own colleagues as well as the communities in which we operate.

Learn More

+971 4 345 1515 www.worldsecurity.ae

C O M PA N Y FACT S

• In 2008, the Dubai World Trade Centre received around 1mn visitors.

Last year saw 3.4 mn attendees to 363 business events hosted at its venues.

• DWTC has 5,000 suppliers registered on its e-procurement system • DWTC’s e-procurement system has reduced the sourcing cycle for high value tenders significantly by as much as 20%, and as much as 50% for higher volume procurement based items

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solution – now known as Tejari

e-sourcing application provides hands-

Solutions – would be the best fit.

on-experience, without compromising

“Though the initial integration pro-

company data.” In conjunction with

vided challenges, and we needed to

the training of staff, Tranter goes on to

customise it to suit our internal poli-

share that they have taken a number

cies, we have now enjoyed a number

of actions to ease the migration to

of benefits, such as: reduced sourcing

the platform. “We implemented the

costs; ease of access via the app to

new system in stages: following the

create a level of transparency not had

offline design with the developers, we

before; and the completion of tenders

ran hypothetical scenarios within the

remotely, saving management’s time.”

P&C department and responded to

Tranter adds that the platform can also

the alterations needed to better suit

be used as a training tool. “Using the

the team. We moved the trial from

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“We want to remove this concept of P&C being a roadblock” — Jason Tranter, Contracts Director, Dubai World Trade Center

116

department to department, build-

drive to change the perception of

ing upon feedback from each team.”

procurement. As a result, “the migra-

Externally, there were measures put in

tion has been met with tremendous

place, particularly to assist with smaller

acceptance by our suppliers and the

companies who were not familiar with

positive feedback has only continued

Oracle and Tejari Solutions in general.

to grow, both internally and externally.”

DWTC provided a 24-hour helpline to support the 5,000 suppliers registered

THE NEXT LEVEL

on the platform. Tranter enthuses

As the e-procurement platform con-

that this is based on the motto of ‘here

tinues to set down roots at DWTC,

to help’, as a part of the department’s

Tranter trusts that relationships with

NOVEMBER 2019

117

suppliers will evolve based on the

is a 40-year-old government-related

core values shared, values that have

entity, and we have a responsibility

been made transparent through the

to contribute to the growth of Dubai.

centralisation of the platform. “We are

Through technology and innovation

now also beginning to build historical

we will continue to do this.�

data into the system, which will enable us to enhance spend analysis, in depth reporting, planning capabilities and contract management. Creating a dashboard from this will truly take us to the next level,� he says. DWTC mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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Teaching emerging technology and adaptable mindsets at the STC Academy NOVEMBER 2019

119

WRITTEN BY

HARRY MENEAR PRODUCED BY

JAMES PEPPER

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STC ACADEMY

Dr Moudhi Aljamea, General Manager of the Digital School at STC Academy, talks innovation in education, and how she is helping to reinvent the culture of Saudi Arabia’s largest telco

T

he technology landscape is always changing. New technologies like quantum computing and 5G surge into the mar-

ketplace, while trends like cloud and IoT adoption 120

barely transition into the mainstream. As it was theorised by Charles Darwin, “it is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is a time of upheaval and rapid advancement, as the nation continues its supercharged adoption of digital technologies and strategies in preparation for Vision 2030 - the central goal of which is to reduce the Kingdom’s dependence on oil and petrochemicals, diversify its economy and develop sectors like health, education, infrastructure, recreation and tourism. “This is an exciting time for us in Saudi Arabia. I think that, with the support of our company and our government, we will reach the goals we are aiming for,” enthuses Dr Moudhi Aljamea, General

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STC ACADEMY

“ Because I have this mixture of technical and academic backgrounds I found the idea of working in a corporate academy very interesting”

Manager of the Digital School at the STC Academy.

As General Manager of the Digital School in the STC Academy, Aljamea is at the centre of a digital operation that will have a perceptible effect on the Saudi telecommunications space for decades to come. We sat down with her to find out more about her role in reinventing the culture of the Kingdom’s largest telco.

“My father was an electrical engi-

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— Dr Moudhi Aljamea, General Manager, Digital School, STC Academy

neer, and my uncle was the person who introduced the Arabic language to computing, so I come from a very technologically-oriented family,” she

NOVEMBER 2019

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘TC – GITEX 2019’ 123 recalls. After obtaining a bachelor’s in

I have this mixture of technical and

Computer and Information Systems

academic backgrounds, I found

from King Faisal University, and

the idea of working in a corporate

following a stint running her own

academy very interesting,” she

software business, Aljamea accepted

remembers. “I think it’s a known prob-

a government scholarship to travel

lem that there’s this gap between

to London where, after completing

academia and industry. Working at

a Masters and obtained her PhD

the Academy presents the opportu-

in Computer Security from King’s

nity to do both at the same time and

College in 2016. Specialising in algo-

help fill this gap, which is exciting.”

rithm design for cyber security, she is

The role of the STC Academy as an

a certified Ethical Hacker, a veteran

education provider to the company’s

of working in academia, and became

executive staff presents Aljamea and

the first woman to join STC’s execu-

her team with an interesting set of chal-

tive team in February 2019. “Because

lenges. “They are almost all experts

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in their own field,” she explains. “It’s

with STC’s partner companies. “We

not like working with a student, or in a

don’t use off the shelf programs from

university, or running a training course.

third party vendors; we always cus-

They’re executives that are taking time

tomise our programs. The customer

out of their busy days, so in order to

experience of our clients within the

engage them, they need to see some-

program is paramount, so the STC

thing worth leaving work for.”

Academy makes sure that what we

In order to create educational

are delivering is custom tailored to our

courses that engage STC execu-

executives,” Aljamea explains. “We try

tives, the STC Academy’s curriculum

to avoid traditional methods of deliv-

is focused around introducing them

ering courses, instead focusing on

to new technologies through highly

interactivity. We’re designing cyberse-

customised and immersive training

curity labs, for example, in order to run

courses developed in conjunction

simulations that allow our executives to

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2018

Year founded

10.8mn+

Revenue in Saudi Riyal, generated by STC

47

Number of academy employees

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Dr Moudhi Aljamea Dr. Moudhi Aljamea has a PhD in Computer Security Algorithms Design from King’s College London, Dr. Aljamea currently is the General Manger of the ICT School at STC Academy (Saudi Telcom Company). She is the first Saudi woman to occupy an executive position in the company and has vast experience in cyber and information security.

Prior to joining STC, she was the president of an entrepreneurship unit and business incubator and an assistant Professor in cyber security at Imam Abdurrahman Bin Faisal University, she is considered as one of the Saudis experts in the computer security field.

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127 live through the experience of a cyber attack.” Increasing cyber threat awareness and readiness in its executives is a top priority of STC and the Academy.

“The more connected we become, the more we are exposed to cyber risk.

The weakest link in every system is the human aspect, so, as an executive, increasing awareness of this type of threat is critical,” Aljamea says.

In addition to cyber security, Aljamea explains that the Academy’s program also delivers education in the fields of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). “I have a vision that mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

“ We try to avoid traditional methods of delivering courses, instead focusing on interactivity” — Dr Moudhi Aljamea, General Manager, Digital School, STC Academy a f r ic a . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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every employee at STC should have at least a basis of knowledge regarding cyber security and data analytics. It doesn’t require a technical background; it’s something that they should know about. So, one of the things we’re doing is developing our executives knowledge of data analytics,” she says. “We also focus on AI. We just launched an AI competition for our employees to encourage them to come up

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with, develop and prototype an idea relating to AI.” Across

“ You never know what the future will bring.

Maybe tomorrow we’ll be dealing with new technology that we don’t know anything about today” — Dr Moudhi Aljamea, General Manager, Digital School, STC Academy mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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multiple digital disciplines, Aljamea and the STC Academy is constantly pushing to increase engagement in digital sectors and new technologies.

Aljamea notes, however, that the rapidly changing pace of technology means that, more important to the Academy and STC as a whole than educating executives on technology applications, is helping cultivate an agile perspective and approach. “You never know what the future will bring.

Maybe tomorrow we’ll be dealing with new technology that we don’t know anything about today.” As a result, while introducing its executives to new use cases for technologies such as 5G, quantum computing and AI, the deeper goal is to develop an executive team to whom adaptability is a second nature survival trait.

Looking to the future, Aljamea is confident that although “what our executives are learning today might not be important tomorrow, with this agile mindset, they can easily adapt to whatever tomorrow may bring.”

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