VIEW FROM THE TOP
ENABLING BUSINESSES THROUGH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION JAVIER CORDERO President and Director General of Oracle Mexico
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Q: What is Oracle’s role in the development of the digital
Q: What are the challenges of implementing this digital
revolution in Mexico?
revolution in a country like Mexico?
A: The world is undergoing a digital transformation that
A: More than anything, it is a cultural and educational
aims to empower people to create new business models
challenge. Oracle works alongside hundreds of educational
that generate real progress. For instance, Netflix changed
institutions to contribute study programs and workshops in an
the entire industry paradigm and business model. While it is
effort to gradually change people’s mindset toward this new
true that a lot of technology is required for a business such
economy. If we do not start changing this mindset, the country
as Netflix to function, the big turnaround is the paradigm
will continue facing a lag in its productivity index. We need to
change that was made possible through the existence of an
make Mexican businessmen incorporate the innovation chip
enabler. In Mexico, Oracle focuses on supporting the country’s
into their DNA.
digital transformation through our technology management. We are enablers for companies and we are looking for new
Q: How ready is Mexico to undertake the digital revolution?
business models in this digital transformation.
A: When it comes to digital transformation, neural networks are fundamental. I would say that it is not only telecom companies
The growth of e-commerce represents a paradigm change
that are in charge of this part, but networks in general must
and has made competition global instead of local. When
be strengthened to support the existing connectivity demand.
it comes to digital transformation, Mexican companies
We are focusing on traditional businesses but new areas, such
are understanding the strategic value of business models
as IoT, are connecting everything to the internet.
powered by the internet. A few years ago, incorporating a digital strategy answered the need to become more efficient,
Mexico does not have the infrastructure to support this
to save money or to just keep pace with the trend. Companies
transformation. However, we are on the right path. There
now are venturing into a new digital world to find new
are several companies heavily investing to reinforce the 4G
business models and to offer new products and services.
network. Telecom companies are now working toward a
For instance, when talking about retail, only 10 percent of
new generation of 4G where users can reach cable-speed
what is sold in the world is through an e-commerce platform
connections without being connected to a cable. This will lead
while 90 percent is sold through traditional channels. The
to new business models that we cannot even imagine now.
percentage of sales through e-commerce is very low but almost 90 percent of what is sold through traditional retail
Q: What areas of opportunity has the company recognized
is influenced by the internet.
within Mexico’s digital development? A: Every human discipline and science is walking down the
The use of technology is no longer exclusive to big
path of digitalization. For instance, with the telecoms reform,
corporations. It is not a matter of size and scale, it is a
public television is now digital. The taxation system or
matter of how the world operates. The world has changed
administrative procedures are also digital. Everything is digital.
and Mexican entrepreneurs are beginning to understand this,
This means that data has to be managed, stored, transported
which means that we are seeing an important transformation
and analyzed by something, regardless of the discipline. Oracle
toward the digital world regardless of a company’s size.
is focusing on all these tasks. Digital databases, models to store and to transport digital information are all from Oracle. We see limitless possibilities of digitalization. Worldwide, we
Oracle is a multinational computer technology corporation
are experiencing double-digit growth and in Mexico we are
headquartered in California. It specializes in developing and
growing at a three-digit pace. This growth is neither a fluke
marketing database software and technology and cloud
nor the consequence of skilled salespeople, it is inertia from a
services. It is present in 195 countries
technology that is working. It is a historic moment.