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Dear Readers,
Welcome to the first edition of The Technology Ledger! We’re excited to bring you insights from top technology leaders who are shaping the future through innovation and digital transformation.
Our lead feature spotlights Dr. Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer, NATO’s Chief Information Officer, discussing how NATO is at the forefront of digital transformation and cybersecurity. His work in integrating cutting-edge technologies across the Alliance offers a critical view of how defence organisations are preparing for the challenges of tomorrow.
We also feature Justin Barnhill, Managing Director of Amentum, who shares his experiences in leading technical and engineering services through innovation and operational efficiency. His focus on embracing change positions Amentum as a leader in the industry.
In this edition, Muhammad Shahid Iqbal Khan provides an Executive Insight into how AI and machine learning are revolutionising healthcare. His experiences in leveraging technology to enhance patient outcomes offer a fascinating look at the intersection of technology and healthcare. Additionally, Patrick Ryan, CTO of ABS, discusses the rapid pace of digital innovation in maritime, particularly with augmented reality and digital twin technologies, while Rym Sahnoun of Orange Business Morocco highlights her leadership in driving digital transformation in the telecommunications sector.
We also hear from Tamer Hamed, CIO of Ducab, on how he is leading the digital transformation in manufacturing through AI and cloud computing, ensuring Ducab’s competitive edge in the industry.
Marwan Zeineddine, Managing Director at SAP UAE, offers his insights into how SAP is driving cloud solutions and AI integration in the region, empowering businesses to embrace digital transformation and sustainability.
Rounding out this edition, Vijay Pillay offers another Executive Insight into the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in healthcare, and Michael Bruun Østergaard from Monjasa shares insights on the innovative app that is transforming maritime operations.
This edition is packed with thought-provoking interviews and expert perspectives from leaders who are driving technological advancement.
Enjoy the read!
EDITOR
Christopher O’Connor
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Martyn Oakley
DESIGN SUPPORT
James Pate
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Martin Reynolds
PROJECT DIRECTORS
Phillip Forde
Fabian Stasiak
Paul Davies
Jamie Norrington
Geraald Johnson
Cisco Loevendie
Cedrick Adolphe
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Ewa Piwoni
No.159, Field Maple Barns, Weston Green Road, Weston Longville, Norwich, Norfolk, NR9 5LA
ACCOUNTS
Emilio Vences
Joseph Heaton
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Alex Barron
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Insights from NATO’s Inaugural Chief Information Officer
In an era defined by rapid technological advancements and evolving geopolitical landscapes, NATO is at the forefront of digital transformation. Dr. Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer, NATO’s inaugural Chief Information Officer, is driving this initiative forward, integrating cutting-edge technologies and enhancing operational readiness across NATO.
In this interview, Dr. Boudreaux-Dehmer shares his career journey, NATO’s strategic approach to digital innovation, and the critical role of cybersecurity in safeguarding the Alliance’s mission to ensure global security. Join us as we explore how NATO is leveraging technology to navigate the complexities of modern defence and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.
Career Journey
Can you share your career journey and what led you to your current role as NATO’s inaugural Chief Information Officer?
I started my career in Germany, where I was a data entry clerk, computer operator, and then a programmer on an IBM midrange system. From there, I joined the international headquarters of Compaq Computer Corporation in Munich and later transferred to their Latin American headquarters in Houston, Texas. I spent nine years there, taking on increasing responsibilities in IT for Latin America— at one point, I even had a second office in Brazil. Compaq and HP merged in 2002, and I joined HP’s IT group for the Americas. At that time, I got into the nascent field of data analytics and later moved into strategy and planning for supply chain systems, as well as offshore development and support in Asia. I left HP and took on global IT leadership at Sierra Wireless, a 5G and Internet of Things pioneer, in Vancouver, Canada. After eleven years of integrating several acquired companies and divesting nonstrategic parts of our business, it was time to do something else.
This brings us to 2021 when I came to NATO as the first CIO, with the mandate to provide coherence for our large and diverse systems footprint, advancing our digital transformation journey and overseeing cybersecurity.
NATO’s Digital Transformation
How is NATO driving digital transformation across its operations, and what are the key initiatives enhancing communication, collaboration, and defence capabilities?
NATO’s digital transformation strategy was approved at the Madrid Summit in 2022. The aim is to achieve seamless interplay of our systems to enhance situational awareness, orchestrate operational effects, embed risk management and digital mission assurance, adopt new capabilities, aggregate data, and bolster security and the protection of personal data.
We have been implementing the strategy across the NATO Enterprise, which covers 50+ entities ranging from strategic military commands and subordinate commands, to agencies, schools, training centres, and several research facilities that we operate to conduct the business of the Alliance. NATO’s purpose is to guarantee freedom and security for its member nations, which amounts to about one billion people. Deterrence and defence is at the centre of NATO’s purpose. The “business at hand” is, therefore, a strong military that is technologically advanced and able to defend the Alliance when needed. Our digital transformation focuses heavily on defence capabilities, particularly in multi-domain operations that is, since 2019, air, land, sea, space and cyber. We work diligently on our systems landscape to integrate all five domains so that our military commanders have the full range of information at their disposal.
In line with Article 4 of NATO’s founding Treaty—known as the Washington Treaty, we consistently improve our communication capabilities, allowing Allies to meet virtually to discuss and decide on issues together. The emphasis here is to guarantee the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of our networks, especially in adverse situations, through multiple redundancy mechanisms.
Cybersecurity Strategy
Given the growing threats of cyber warfare, how does NATO ensure the security and resilience of its IT infrastructure and protect sensitive information?
There is a people, processes, and technology component to your question.
For the first component, people, we aim to hire the very best. We all know that talented cybersecurity specialists are hard to find, but NATO has a unique value proposition that is firmly rooted in our purpose of guaranteeing the safety and security of Allies. If you have cyber skills and want to help defend freedom and the rules-based international order, take a close look at NATO. What we do is truly remarkable!
Additionally, what many people do not know, and what I am immensely proud of, is that we have a strong Diversity and Inclusion program. I work in the International Staff of NATO, and there are five staff resource groups, led by volunteers, who work hard to consistently advance our collective understanding and embrace diversity. These five groups do not just exist on paper; they actively focus on racial diversity, young professionals, working parents, staff with disabilities, and the LGBTQIA+ community. I am proud to be involved in the latter as their executive sponsor.
Processes need to be documented, but more importantly, they must be tested regularly to ensure consistent improvement. We spend a lot of time exercising different cybersecurity scenarios through various methods. These range from cybersecurity training programs supported by Artificial Intelligence to in-person tabletop exercises. Our internal AI-supported training courses are impressive; they can measure a learner’s confidence in their answers and adapt teaching accordingly. This means that the person taking the training will never be bored by a barrage of questions where the answers are obvious. The system quickly measures what the student knows and how well information sticks in their memory. The tool then pivots to the parts of the training material where the learner is less knowledgeable or less confident in their answers.
Finally, there is technology. In addition to well-known and standard protection mechanisms, we also employ AI and other advanced technologies in areas such as threat assessment, event correlation, and adaptive networks. These tools take over a lot of the routine work, allowing our analysts to truly analyse and think ahead.
Data Analytics in Defense
How is NATO leveraging data analytics and AI to improve decision-making and operational readiness across its member nations?
Much like any other business, we seek to employ data analytics in a forward-looking fashion. We want answers to questions that are evolving in an iterative cycle—the more we connect the dots across different data elements, the more we can anticipate what we want to know next.
Moreover, we want data and AI to be used responsibly. NATO’s first AI strategy established principles of responsible use, which are now applied to other technologies such as biotechnologies. We have also set up a Data and Artificial Intelligence Review Board (DARB) that governs the responsible development and use of AI by fostering cooperation and consultation among Allies and partners, including from the private sector, and providing a platform for exchange of best practices and standard establishment. We also carefully examine outcomes to check for unconscious bias or constellations in data that simply do not make sense. Additionally, we have an extensive protective security ring around our AI tools.
Interoperability, at all levels, is in the DNA of the Alliance. This necessitates that everything works together—people, processes, the language and abbreviations that we use, weapon systems, ammunition, and of course, technology. We have large communities and work programs set up to ensure the interoperability of networks and systems between Allies.
Challenges in Defense IT
What are the main challenges you face in managing NATO’s vast IT systems, and how are you addressing them to ensure seamless operations across multiple nations?
NATO celebrated its 75th anniversary on April 4th of this year. Adapting the Organisation to a fastevolving environment, particularly when it comes to IT, is a priority but can prove challenging. We are highly federated, which means that we have a heterogeneous system environment that has grown organically over decades. We have an installed base, which we depend on and cannot reinvent from scratch. Obsolescence management is therefore an integral part of IT system management at NATO.
Handling obsolescence replacement can be two-fold: like-for-like replacements and new capabilities. We, for example, have recently changed our internal process substantially, treating technology refresh as an ongoing activity. We also modernise our technology footprint and drive digital transformation initiatives forward.
The acceleration of cloud computing plays a big role. I see this as ‘killing two birds with one stone’— we achieve a level of seamless interoperability that would otherwise be difficult to attain, and we shift obsolescence management to Cloud Service Providers who treat this as their core business. Finally, we also benefit from several forums for Allies and the broader NATO Enterprise to learn from each other as we progress in our respective cloud and digital transformation journeys.
Cloud Computing and Scalability
How is NATO adopting cloud technologies to enhance its operational flexibility, and what role does scalability play in supporting NATO’s missions?
We are pushing cloud computing very aggressively. We are on an accelerated track to move data and systems into the public cloud for the types of data that are appropriate to be housed there. This is done in a secure fashion through close cooperation with Cloud Service Providers to set up protected environments. In addition to supporting NATO’s core competencies of collective defence, crisis management, and cooperative security, our systems also support day-to-day business processes with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), HR, websites, email, collaboration tools, and others. There is no reason why these should not run in the cloud.
We are conscious of what we do with our ‘crown jewels,’ and there we opt for highly secure cloud environments that are appropriately air-gapped and protected. Cloud computing presents numerous advantages. Scalability is one of them and is important to us. The past years have reminded us again that the geopolitical landscape can change quickly. We need to be ready to support an urgent need, a military mission, with the computing power that is necessary to respond to that need.
Cloud computing also helps move obsolescence management to vendors and allows data colocation which, in turn, helps facilitate data analysis.
Collaboration with Allies and Partners
How does NATO collaborate with member states and external partners to develop and implement cutting-edge IT and cybersecurity solutions?
There are two dimensions to this – the Alliance and industry. Collaboration among Allies is done through NATO’s Digital Policy Committee. The committee sets - and approves - the technological direction regarding IT and cybersecurity solutions. It consists of national representatives of the IT leadership from NATO’s 32 member states. In many cases, these are the CIOs of the national departments of defence. I have a tight link to my colleagues in the capitals, and we commonly determine what IT and cybersecurity technologies we are pursuing.
Then, there is industry. I also maintain close relationships with companies that can provide NATO with technology solutions that will move the Alliance forward. This often happens through conferences. We have a significant one coming up that takes place every two years and is organised by the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA): NATO Edge. It is designed to facilitate collaboration between NATO, political leaders, industry, and academic partners to provide technology and innovation to enhance NATO capabilities.
Digital Innovation in Defense
What emerging technologies, such as AI, machine learning, or blockchain, are you most excited about, and how do you see them shaping the future of NATO’s defence operations?
Everyone talks about AI and we at NATO are no different. This is what I am most excited about when looking at the technology’s potential and the use cases that we are working on. We are running a number of interesting pilots in the areas of ChatGPT, language translation services, and cybersecurity. These are just three examples of where we are active now. Whenever we have to make sense of a vast amount of data, where answers build upon themselves – and where knowledge cumulatively adapts – we have an opportunity to apply Artificial Intelligence
Cybersecurity is a perfect example. We use AI for threat assessment, event correlation, and adaptive networks. This frees up our analysts in the Security Operations Centre (SOC) to focus on higher-level activities.
AI-supported Automated Weapon Systems (AWS) comes with great ethical responsibility. Our aim is to always support decision-making of our military commanders with the best situational awareness possible.
“Processes need to be documented, but more importantly, they must be ‘lived’ to ensure consistent improvement. We spend a lot of time exercising different cybersecurity scenarios through various methods.”
Future Vision for NATO IT
What are your future plans for NATO’s IT strategy, and how do you see the role of technology evolving in strengthening defence capabilities and global security?
Digital transformation starts with two fundamental building blocks: cloud computing and the development of NATO’s digital backbone to enhance and adapt existing services and capabilities. Through this, we ensure universal connectivity and data transport across systems that service the different military domains.
We will also continue the journey of digitally transforming our business and communication systems. We will do so while integrating transversal new technologies in the fields of AI and data analytics. Technology is and will remain at the centre of our defence and our security. As a former colleague of mine on the military side once said, “a military exercise without connected systems is only a camping trip.”
NATO, founded in 1949, is a political and military alliance of 32 member countries from Europe and North America. Committed to collective defence and global security, NATO works to promote democratic values, manage crises, and respond to evolving security threats such as terrorism and cyberattacks.
Dr. Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer Chief Information Officer
STEERING TRANSFORMATION
Insights from Justin Barnhill on Leadership and Operational Excellence at Amentum
In the dynamic world of technical and engineering services, effective leadership is crucial for navigating challenges and driving success. Justin Barnhill, the Managing Director at Amentum, exemplifies this through his commitment to innovation and operational efficiency. With over two decades of experience leading manufacturing turnarounds and managing complex projects, Justin shares his insights on fostering high-performing teams, embracing change, and steering Amentum towards a future of growth and sustainability. In this interview, he reflects on his career journey and outlines the strategies that position Amentum as a leader in its field.
Career Journey
Can you share your career journey and what led you to your current role as Managing Director at Amentum?
I’ve spent most of my career doing manufacturing turnarounds for private equity firms that are looking to recondition a P&L prior to exiting. Two of the largest turnarounds were an approximately $100M annual EBIT improvement for Norwest Equity Partners and a $13M annual improvement for Advent. I also spent four years as EVP for Ocean Alexander, helping them start up new operations and go public. I’ve worked in over 30 industries, and in all of my roles, we follow a similar playbook of growing revenue while increasing operational efficiency to optimise the P&L. A few key fundamentals include:
Improving the Function of the Team: Bringing together thought diversity in a high-trust environment where it’s okay to try something and fail is crucial; in fact, it’s encouraged to fail small so we can scale big. Until there is trust, productive debate, and good decisions, there can be no accountability. Without the team committing to each other and holding themselves accountable, results will remain elusive.
Setting the Right Goals and Prioritising Activities: Many people talk about the 80/20 principle today, and goal setting is yet another area where Pareto applies. Everyone feels overwhelmed, yet results are underwhelming. We use Lean Daily Management to focus on cascading goals, prioritise the right actions, and measure the right things daily. If you have more than five KPIs, you aren’t measuring the right things. We can use metrics to measure departments all the way to the operator level, but those aren’t KPIs; they are the guiding light that steers the ship. The executive team must focus on the critical few and let the trivial many solve themselves.
Profit Engineering: Once the team is working together on the right priorities with a good management system, we start profit engineering. Managing a profitable business isn’t about working the business and then checking the piggy bank at the end of the month to see if there is anything left; profit is engineered. It takes a lot of creativity, sometimes doing things that are counterintuitive and going against the grain. It requires confidence and courage from the team, but it can pay off big.
Company Overview
Amentum is known for its expertise in technical and engineering services. Can you provide an overview of where your group is heading?
Amentum is, at its core, an engineering and technology company that delivers a broad array of critical services. We tend to specialise in areas where failure is not an option. In my group, which services private sector clients, we focus on data centres, large manufacturing operations, and utility systems, where operational issues are unacceptable.
What we’ve found to be our sweet spot is multi-billion-dollar manufacturers that recognize the value of giving their teams the ability to focus on making their products. They come to Amentum for partial to full infrastructure support. This includes services like production equipment maintenance and reliability—core competencies of Amentum—as well as overall facility maintenance, including janitorial, landscaping, and snow removal.
Once a site hands off all infrastructure responsibilities to Amentum, their leadership team becomes much more effective at managing the safety, quality, delivery, and cost of their core products. Any team with increased focus tends to improve results. We provide this focus within an operation’s current budget, which has been the key to my segment’s triple-digit growth percentages.
Project Management
Amentum handles complex, large-scale projects. How do you ensure successful project management and execution across diverse sectors?
We have been managing challenging projects for most of our 120-year legacy. The recent merger with Jacobs Engineering’s iCMS spin-off has only enhanced this competency. Whether we’re taking on a long-term project, like the chemical weapons demilitarisation project we recently completed, or a shorter-duration capital project, such as refitting multiple hundred-ton chillers at a site, we follow dedicated, tried-and-true processes to ensure we safely deliver the customer’s desired outcomes while adhering to schedule and budget.
In my group, this can include significant vendor consolidation projects, where Fortune 100 companies come to us to reduce their site infrastructure vendors from literally thousands down to just one, all while saving them money. When we undertake this, we use Amentum’s LaunchRight® process, a 317step system that ensures we don’t miss a step.
Technological Innovation
How does Amentum integrate cutting-edge technology into its operations, and what recent innovations are you particularly proud of?
There are two things I’ve seen our group using that really stand out in our industry. One of the tools we are particularly proud of is MerlinMX. While everyone is touting AI, Amentum focuses on Solving What’s Next®, which means we started planning for how to implement AI four years ago. We built a team of data scientists and challenged them to develop a proprietary AI tool to solve engineering challenges using big data. It’s been a long process, and anyone who is just starting out is late to the game. MerlinMX has proven effective at accurately detecting patterns in CMMS activity that can predict reliability issues.
Another noteworthy innovation is our Remote Expert program, where we use augmented reality (AR) glasses combined with our centralised Centers of Excellence teams to give us a competitive edge during this skilled labour shortage. We have found that by deploying AR glasses in combination with CoE teams, we can execute work that previously would have required specialists or OEMs to fly out to sites. This approach has significantly reduced our costs, expedited our response times, and improved our service levels while helping us meet sustainability goals by reducing travel.
If a key system is struggling in LATAM, a technician can call into our central support team and be guided through complex troubleshooting and/or repair in real time, restoring operations for a fraction of the cost and downtime. Most companies would schedule a member of their travelling team to fly to the site, which typically adds at least a couple of days from detection of an issue until resolution. Now, we can resolve issues within just hours of detection. Though I used an international example, we are implementing this daily with our domestic accounts as well.
Sustainability Initiatives
Sustainability is increasingly important in technical services. How is Amentum incorporating sustainable practices into its projects and operations?
I think every operational leader will agree that sustainability initiatives can be challenging. We must embrace improving environmental stewardship while simultaneously managing our P&Ls. Some of our programs, like recycling, can have minimal cost impacts that are often offset through other initiatives, such as improved energy efficiency. I truly believe that clean energy is the path to sustainability. Amentum offers Clean Energy as a service for clients with larger sustainability targets to meet. We partner with organisations that can often provide funding for these initiatives, allowing us to offer a complete Engineer, Procure, Construct, Operate, and Maintain service. This approach helps companies achieve their sustainability goals within realistic budgets. Ultimately, that’s where Amentum really shines—helping clients reach objectives they might not be able to achieve alone, and doing so within a reasonable budget.
“Amentum is, at its core, an engineering and technology company that delivers a broad array of critical services.”
Competition
What sets Amentum apart?
Amentum competes in various sectors, from Engineering as a Service (EaaS) to the Department of Defense (DoD) to Intelligence. My team focuses on private sector growth. In my sector, we specialise in providing infrastructure solutions that allow our clients to concentrate on their core business. Many companies choose to outsource services like snow removal, landscaping, and janitorial work. However, when it comes to maintaining their full infrastructure—from boilers, HVAC systems, and overhead cranes to production assets like CNC machining centres, AGVs, and robots—they are often extremely hesitant to outsource the reliability of these areas.
As an engineering and technology company that delivers infrastructure support, we are very different from the market, which is filled with real estate companies, janitorial companies, and even food service and uniform companies that provide infrastructure support. If I were in charge of a mall, I would likely consider one of these companies, as they excel at commercial infrastructure. However, when it comes to critical asset maintenance for high-production manufacturing operations, that is where Amentum truly differentiates itself.
Global Market Strategy
How does Amentum approach global market expansion, and what regions are you focusing on for future growth?
I see 2025 and 2026 as strong years for global expansion at Amentum. Most of our global growth in the past has been with existing U.S.-based customers’ foreign operations. Recently, we’ve received a much higher volume of requests from international companies, and our executive leadership team has fully embraced global expansion. Europe, in particular, is very mature in the concept of improving operational focus through outsourcing non-core work that can be performed at a similar cost to internal performance. This concept of delegation is something European leaders have embraced for decades. The same formula for success we’ve deployed in our domestic market translates well to the international market, and we fully expect our European footprint to continue to expand.
With the recent merger with Jacobs Critical Mission Solutions and Cyber & Intelligence, we have significantly increased our global service strength. We are already strong in EMEA and will continue to focus on commercial infrastructure growth in Europe. Mexico continues to show strong opportunities for growth, as do several countries in LATAM. Amentum has a philosophy that we will go nearly anywhere for the right opportunity, as evidenced by our footprint in about 80 countries across all seven continents. Not many infrastructure companies can say they operate in Antarctica.
“Amentum offers Clean Energy as a service for clients with larger sustainability targets to meet.”
Future Vision
What are your future plans for Amentum in terms of
Growth: Our private sector work has been growing at triple-digit percentages over the last several years, exceeding 750% in pipeline growth in just the last 3 years. Although maintaining those percentages gets tougher as we scale, I expect our private sector sales pipeline for our Commercial Infrastructure to continue to grow rapidly for many more years.
Innovation: We’ve already established some great partnerships that are advancing execution in several areas. Expect the Commercial Infrastructure team to continue to lead the industry in reliability technology deployment.
Maintaining Industry Leadership: Innovative leaders must challenge themselves to identify problems others haven’t seen yet. If we don’t anticipate our customers’ challenges 1-2 years before they arise, how will we develop solid solutions that are ready to deploy when needed? Solving What’s Next® is what makes Amentum different; it’s in our DNA.
Our own Senior Director of Operations, Steve Bragg, is the current Chair of the Society of Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP), and Vlad Bacalu, SVP of Technology, is a past chair. Both have been instrumental in developing our reliability processes, and retaining key talent like this is how Amentum consistently leads the pack.
Leadership Philosophy
What is your leadership philosophy, and how do you inspire your team to uphold
Amentum’s
standards of excellence?
I believe in the power of high-trust, high-performing teams that embrace thought diversity to achieve innovation. Everyone loves to talk about high-performing teams delivering innovation, but if you attend their meetings, it’s incredibly easy to see that there is no trust. Everyone is hiding behind some metaphorical cover, afraid to step up. Because of this, companies make terrible decisions while leadership teams sit quietly, afraid to speak up.
The work from Adam Grant at Wharton and Peter Coleman at Columbia University changed my thinking on conflict versus apathy. Everyone wants this mythical harmony in business, but they’ve proven that the opposite of conflict is not harmony; it’s apathy. So, you can have conflict or you can have apathy—choose. The key is that our teams need healthy task conflict, where they debate all sides and opinions, not harmful personal conflict. We have to appreciate people for sharing ideas and recognize the difference between debating and arguing, which usually comes down to maturity. I praise people for disagreeing with me, acknowledging that they are making me better. I don’t want a team of yes people. What value would they bring other than making me feel good about making bad decisions?
In a high-trust team, we can get all thoughts out on the table, debate root causes and potential solutions, and ultimately agree on a path forward together after all ideas have been discussed. The problem is that not every leader creates a safe environment where teams can debate ideas without taking them personally. Team members don’t feel safe admitting they don’t know the answer to questions regarding key challenges in their departments, or fearlessly say, “I was wrong” or “I screwed up,” or even have the confidence to own that they need help. If you sit in a leadership meeting for 30 minutes and you haven’t heard people owning their struggles, they are just hiding them. No business is free from struggles, and no team or leader is perfect. Pretending just burns trust to the ground. Once a team can openly discuss our challenges and ask each other for help, then reaching everincreasing standards of excellence just happens as part of the company culture.
Amentum is a global leader in engineering and technical services, providing advanced solutions in defence, intelligence, energy, and environmental sectors. With over 53,000 employees worldwide, Amentum delivers mission-critical support to government and commercial clients, ensuring success in the most complex and demanding challenges.
Justin Barnhill Leadership and Operational Excellence
TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE
Muhammad Shahid Iqbal Khan on the Impact of AI and Machine Learning
As a pure technologist and healthcare expert, working directly with C-Suite leaders, including CIOs and CTOs across the MENA and APAC regions, Muhammad Shahid Iqbal Khan is at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge technologies across industries. In this interview, he discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have reshaped his approach to solving complex business problems, enabling data-driven decision-making and enhancing patient outcomes. Muhammad Shahid shares his experiences in leveraging AI to predict patient needs, optimise resource allocation, and streamline operations, all while balancing the invaluable human intuition that healthcare professionals bring to the table. He also addresses the challenges of implementing AI solutions, ensuring alignment with long-term organisational goals, and fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous learning. Join us as we explore Muhammad Shahid’s insights on harnessing the power of AI and ML to drive innovation in healthcare.
How has AI/ML reshaped your approach to solving business problems?
AI and ML have fundamentally transformed my approach to solving business problems by enabling data-driven decision-making and providing tools to harness vast amounts of data for actionable insights. In the past, decisions were often based on intuition or limited data, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. Today, AI and ML allow us to analyse complex datasets in real-time, revealing hidden patterns and predicting future trends with remarkable accuracy.
In healthcare, this transformation is evident in the ability of AI algorithms to process patient data rapidly, identify early warning signs of disease, personalise treatment plans, and optimise resource allocation.
AI-driven predictive models also help manage hospital resources by forecasting patient admission rates, optimising staffing, and reducing wait times. By automating routine administrative tasks, AI frees healthcare professionals to focus more on patientcentred care and strategic initiatives.
Ultimately, AI and ML have shifted the approach from reactive to proactive, allowing us to solve problems more effectively, improve patient outcomes, enhance operational efficiency, and innovate in ways that were previously unimaginable.
What key challenges do you face when implementing AI-driven solutions?
Implementing AI-driven solutions in healthcare presents several key challenges, primarily involving data quality, integration, regulatory compliance, and change management. AI models require accurate and comprehensive datasets for reliable predictions; however, healthcare data is often fragmented across systems like EHRs, lab databases, and imaging archives. Ensuring high-quality, interoperable data is a complex and resource-intensive process that demands a strong data governance framework. Integration with existing healthcare infrastructure, especially legacy systems, is another significant hurdle. These older systems are often not designed to support AI technologies, necessitating considerable investment in both time and resources for seamless functionality. Additionally, healthcare is governed by stringent regulations like HIPAA, which require robust data privacy and security measures, making the implementation of AI more challenging.
Another challenge is the human element. Clinicians and staff may fear job displacement or a loss of control over decision-making. To overcome these challenges, it is crucial to foster an organisational culture that views AI as a tool to enhance, rather than replace, human capabilities. By focusing on secure data management, scalable technology infrastructure, and collaboration, healthcare organisations can successfully implement AI in a way that complements clinical expertise and drives better patient outcomes.
How do you balance human intuition with machine learning insights in decision-making?
Balancing human intuition with machine learning insights is crucial for making effective decisions, particularly in healthcare. While ML algorithms excel at analysing large datasets, identifying patterns, and predicting outcomes, they lack the contextual understanding, emotional intelligence, and empathy that healthcare professionals bring to decisionmaking. Therefore, I view AI as a powerful decision support tool that enhances, rather than replaces, human capabilities.
Machine learning provides objective, data-driven insights that serve as a foundation for informed decisions. However, human judgement is essential to interpret these insights, considering factors such as
patient history, individual preferences, organisational culture, ethical considerations, and the broader strategic vision. This balance is especially important in healthcare, where decisions have profound ethical and social implications, and personalised care is paramount.
By leveraging AI to handle complex data analysis and using human intuition to guide and contextualise these insights, we create a synergy that leads to more effective, holistic, and empathetic decision-making. This balanced approach ultimately enhances patient outcomes while preserving the human touch that is vital to quality healthcare.
Implementing AI-driven solutions in healthcare presents several key challenges, primarily involving data quality, integration, regulatory compliance, and change management.
Can you share a successful use case where AI significantly improved outcomes?
A successful use case for AI in healthcare is leveraging predictive analytics for patient care and personalised treatment planning. By using machine learning algorithms to analyse patient data, including demographics, medical history, and real-time health metrics, AI has enabled healthcare providers to predict high-risk cases with greater accuracy. For instance, AI models can identify individuals at risk of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or cardiovascular diseases, allowing for early interventions like lifestyle changes, regular monitoring, and targeted therapies. This proactive approach significantly reduces hospital readmissions and improves long-term patient outcomes.
AI-driven Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) further enhance the decision-making process by providing evidence-based recommendations tailored to individual patient needs. For example, AI can assist clinicians in developing personalised treatment plans for patients with multiple comorbidities, ensuring that therapies are effective while minimising the risk of adverse drug interactions. By providing data-driven insights, CDSS supports clinicians in making more informed decisions, ultimately improving the quality of care.
AI has also been instrumental in optimising healthcare workflows. For example, in radiology, AI algorithms can analyse imaging studies such as X-rays and MRIs to detect anomalies and prioritise cases for radiologists, reducing delays in diagnosis and enhancing efficiency. This approach not only accelerates the diagnostic process but also helps reduce human error, leading to better patient outcomes. Overall, AI has demonstrated its potential to transform healthcare by providing precise, timely, and personalised care, improving both clinical and operational outcomes.
Muhammad Shahid Iqbal Khan
How do you ensure AI adoption aligns with your company’s long-term goals?
Ensuring that AI adoption aligns with my organisation’s long-term goals requires a strategic and holistic approach. It begins with integrating AI initiatives into the broader organisational vision and defining clear objectives for each project. These objectives must directly support key business outcomes, such as enhancing customer experience, improving operational efficiency, or driving innovation. In healthcare, this often means focusing on improving patient outcomes, automating workflows, and reducing costs.
Regularly assessing AI initiatives is crucial to ensure they adapt to evolving goals and healthcare needs. This ongoing evaluation allows for necessary adjustments, ensuring that AI projects remain aligned with the organisation’s strategic direction. Additionally, fostering a culture of continuous learning
and collaboration is key to successful AI adoption. Training programs should help staff across all levels understand AI’s potential, promoting it as a tool that complements rather than replaces human expertise.
By aligning AI adoption with the organisation’s mission, encouraging cross-departmental collaboration, and continuously reviewing progress, AI solutions can evolve alongside the company’s needs, maximising their impact and ensuring sustainable success. This approach ultimately enables healthcare organisations to drive meaningful improvements in patient care, operational efficiency, and overall quality of services.
SHAPING THE FUTURE ON THE FRONT LINE OF SHIPPING’S TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFORMATION
Technology is advancing more rapidly than any other time in maritime history, with digital technologies moving fastest of all.
Understanding what the impacts of digital technologies will be, what investments ought to be made, when and why, are the daily concerns of Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President, Global Technology & Digital Products, and Chief Technology Officer, ABS.
A qualified Naval Architect, Patrick brings decades of experience in technology development within the shipbuilding industry to ABS with a mission to share that information with the shipping community.
He focusses on innovation surrounding digital engineering technologies – computer-aided engineering, computer-aided design and digital twin technology – and is the author of seven patents in the area of industrial augmented reality for ship construction.
With the recent release of the commercial product, the Apple Vision Pro in mind, we asked Patrick to address opportunities for visualisation technologies to impact shipping.
Visual Technologies – Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
Visual technologies augmented reality and virtual reality - are reshaping the approach to operations, training, and maintenance… tell us about them, and what opportunities do they present
Augmented reality (AR) enhances real world environments, overlaying digital information such as schematics or navigational information onto physical objects. To achieve this, cameras, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and depth sensors continuously monitor the environment to answer questions like: Where am I? What is around me? And how far away is it?
The data collection and processing happen nearly simultaneously as a digital overlay is projected to the user. Augmented reality headsets are providing constant real time information to crewmembers freeing them from computer screens and mobile devices.
Virtual reality (VR), on the other hand, immerses users completely into a virtual world. Computer games in VR are common today. This is ideal to provide a scalable, low-cost solution simulating environments for training purposes. ABS calls these environments “Meta-Ships” and their ability to be reconfigured digitally make them great training tools.
Today, advances in spatial information capture with tools like 3D scanning or 360 cameras enhance the more traditional CAD or gaming object libraries to build even more realistic VR experiences. This allows for more realistic training scenarios than navigating 3D models, though perhaps with less ability to customise them.
VR and AR are well-developed technologies, though they have room to grow. They both can be used with wearables like head-mounted displays or standard hand-held devices like tablets, laptops, or smartphones.
AR, VR and mixed reality (MR) can enhance decision-making by allowing users to interact with and relate to an asset they are viewing. These technologies have the potential to help reduce cognitive load by providing users with visuals that support understanding and provide context. There are also great examples of using visualisation technologies being used both on and away from the asset or vessel in a collaborative fashion – giving operation teams an ability to communicate and collaborate in ways previously impossible.
Importance of Safety in Adopting New Technologies:
How important is safety to the process of introducing new technologies like AR and VR and how is ABS working to mitigate risk?
As with introducing all new technology, safety needs to remain at the forefront to mitigate unintended risks. To this end, ABS is funding research at Texas A&M to better understand the safety implications of utilising wearable devices in a field environment. These features include analysing various AR hardware devices, fitness for purpose, UI design, hazard perception capabilities, and maintaining situational awareness.
In 2023, ABS joined Crowley’s new service network using augmented reality onboard their vessels. This joint mission enabled crew members to present technicians with real-time visuals. This collaboration will lead to quicker maintenance and upgrades. The focus of ABS is to explore what is possible for future survey operations as well as safety.
3D Model-Based Engineering in the Maritime Industry:
What is 3D model-based engineering, how does it fit within the evolution of digitalisation in the maritime industry, and what is its role relative to visualisation?
3D model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is an end-to-end 3D design process which applies 3D models instead of traditional 2D drawings to improve collaboration across the asset lifecycle, saving time and resources. 3D models provide an improved view of a design, helping to identify potential problems at an early stage. While this practice broadly benefits new designs, 3D models can also be developed to help with retrofitting new systems for older vessels.
Improved integration of 3D design tools like computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) tools will contribute to Model Based Systems Engineering and set-based design. They typically also allow engineers to bring richer design tools like modelling and simulation into the process. This synthesis design model can improve feedback cycles between design, engineering and construction teams.
Visualisation in the design process helps mitigate the risk of late-stage changes. Such changes can have escalating costs in time and resources the longer they go unnoticed. Of course, these same models can be used later in the lifecycle of the vessel for training, operations, and other opportunities after the design work is complete.
With so much data to manage, how can a design office or shipyard keep control of a project?
Bringing all data of an asset into the 3D workspace can help mitigate data fragmentation and issues with information retrieval. While the key benefits of 3D models are rooted in the design and build stages, such models and CAE simulation capabilities can later support operational digital twins.
Thus, a technology to manage this lifecycle data emerged in the late 1990’s called Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). PLM technology is only more recently entering into the shipping industry since the design cycles had been traditionally slower than automotive for example –early industry adopters of PLM. The green energy transition is driving faster design cycles in shipping, which is making PLM more important.
3D models and advanced CAE software, modelling and simulation, and ultimately streaming data all merged together within PLM will deeply impact stakeholders in the design and build stages, and beyond.
Industry Collaboration and Standardisation:
How is ABS working with the industry to help develop best practices and standardisation of the application of modelling and simulation to tackle technology challenges?
Modelling and simulation involve creating and using a mathematical representation of a system to analyse its behaviour under different conditions. The mathematical models are created with multiple physical and software attributes, which allows users to quickly evaluate different solutions and determine their performance, identify software vulnerability, and cost-effectiveness.
Model development depends on the complexity of the system, the data available - and its accuracy - and the intended use case. Physics-based models characterise a real-world system’s behaviour using physics or first principles. These models are consistent and not limited to the range of data
Simulation Techniques and Their Benefits:
What are the different simulation techniques that can be applied and what do they deliver to users?
It enables users to shift their focus and dive deeper into the understanding of inputs and objectives in addition to being a valuable design tool. Different simulation techniques can be applied based on the objectives. For example, a continuous simulation provides insights into variables such as temperature, power, or fluid flow, which change continuously over time. A discrete-event simulation can be used to model processes that change at discrete points in time.
Both techniques give the user a bird’s eye view, identifying bottlenecks that build up over time. An agent-based simulation can help predict outcomes by predicting the interaction of two entities and revealing patterns and insights in complex systems to users.
In this role, ABS has supported studies using simulation tools to optimise various areas of maritime operations. In one study, ABS used advanced modelling and simulation technologies to develop emergency response methods to assist ports and crew in responding to ammonia leaks or spills, taking the first step towards a comprehensive and fast ammonia release response system.
ABS has also launched a pioneering Green Shipping Corridors Simulation service to support international design and development of clean energy initiatives. The service offers a simulation of the complex network of stakeholders involved in corridor development.
Simulation and Visualization Technologies in Shipping:
How do you see the connection between simulation and visualisation technologies helping shipping?
Physics based multi-physics models certainly need a variety of visualisation solutions for the engineer to really understand the behaviour of the design or operation. The model and simulation technology are really about the mathematics and understanding of the constraints of the design or situation.
Communicating this design intent, whether a product design like a ship or a process design like emergency response, needs great visualisation technology to be effective. So now we are getting beyond static images from CAD or laser scans, and understanding dynamic situations with high degrees of complexity. VR is very well suited to help human understanding of all that math.
Virtual Testing for Complex Systems:
As systems become increasingly complex and software driven, how does ABS ensure more robust virtual testing is delivered to ensure the safety of new systems?
Virtual testing is the practice of using simulations to verify and validate the performance and functionality of a system. This practice can speed up development and implementation time by reducing the need for physical testing. Physical testing of unproven systems can be an impractical and slow process, consuming finite resources. Virtual testing, alternatively, allows a wide range of testing options that can be performed simultaneously without impacting real-world assets or prototypes.
Thousands of specific requirements in new software are not practical to perform manual testing. Ensuring software is tested in different conditions, scenarios and parameters reduces risk and cost in the hardware testing phases. The development of highly detailed and accurate virtual models of complex maritime systems is key to technology’s journey. Access to more high-quality data will help inform more accurate models. This data will come from the growing number of sensors on board modern and future assets.
The Role of Better Modeling for Safer Systems:
How is better modelling the key to more reliable, safer systems?
Better models can support more reliable simulations, both improving output and driving broader adoption. The models can live with a vessel throughout its life cycle, supporting future testing and other applications, such as digital twins. In this way virtual testing can save time and resources for all stages of the industry. Virtual testing and commissioning can impact all stakeholders in a vessel’s life cycle. A model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach enables engineers to explore many arrangements at an early stage. Validating designs and configurations before the asset is built can help save time in the shipyard and beyond. Issues such as interoperability can be fixed long before they become a problem, as the systems can be tested virtually for new or retrofit systems.
Established in 1862, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) is a premier global maritime classification society, devoted to the security of life, property, and the environment, setting marine and offshore standards.
Patrick Ryan Sr. Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
Leading the Digital Revolution
Insights from Rym Sahnoun, CEO of Orange Business Morocco
In an era defined by rapid technological advancements and shifting market demands, Rym Sahnoun stands at the forefront of digital transformation as the CEO of Orange Business Morocco. With over two decades of experience across diverse industries, Rym has spearheaded significant procurement and operational changes, positioning Orange Business as a key player in Morocco’s telecommunications landscape. In this interview, she shares her insights on the company’s strategic vision, the role of innovation in driving business efficiency, and the importance of sustainability in shaping a brighter future for both the organisation and its clients.
Career Journey
Can you share your career journey and what led you to your current role as CEO of Orange Business Morocco?
I am an Executive MBA graduate with a master’s degree in Telecom Engineering and have a proven track record of managing organisations across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. I have led transformations while delivering operational excellence and promoting innovation to meet business requirements in an ever-changing environment. As a dynamic, results-driven, and entrepreneurialoriented leader, I bring over 20 years of international experience in building IT strategies, managing complex programs, and empowering and developing people.
In 2006, after gaining rich experience in innovative services, I was assigned the responsibility of a strategic program in the field of electronic payment. During this experience, I launched the Orange Money Service and the International Recharge Service, collaborating with many branches and partner operators while leading multidisciplinary teams and external providers in an international context. Later, I managed an International Center in Tunisia, specialised in developing high-value-added products and services for the Orange Group. I created this centre in 2011 following a benchmarking study between Tunisia and Morocco, and I successfully grew the centre to 150 highly qualified experts.
Recently, I was appointed Transformation Director of an Orange Operation Center in Abidjan to improve operational and economic performance as well as customer experience. Today, as CEO of Orange Business Morocco, I focus on employees’ innovation and initiatives, creating value for customers, society, and the company.
Orange Business Morocco’s Strategic Vision
What is the strategic vision for Orange Business Morocco, and how do you aim to position the company as a leader in business-to-business services in the region?
Our vision is to be a unique, trusted partner for digital transformation, offering a range of services that enable businesses to improve connectivity, data management, security, and operational efficiency. At OB Morocco, we strive to empower businesses to harness the full potential of digital technologies and drive sustainable growth.
Digital Transformation in Morocco
How is Orange Business Morocco helping businesses in the region embrace digital transformation, and what are the key sectors you are focusing on?
Orange Business Morocco actively supports businesses in the region on their digital transformation journey through various initiatives and services. Our model focuses on multinationals with a presence in Morocco, large Moroccan accounts, and significant African accounts operating within Morocco. The main sectors we serve include Financial Services, Insurance, Transportation, and Smart Industries. We aspire to enhance digital transformation in the public sector and contribute to building smart cities and stadiums in preparation for the 2030 World Cup.
Our contributions rely on the following pillars:
1. Comprehensive Solutions: We provide a wide range of services—including cloud computing, data analytics, cybersecurity, and connectivity solutions—tailored to meet the specific needs of our partners.
2. Tailored Consultancy: We offer consultation services that help organisations develop effective digital strategies, ensuring seamless integration of digital technologies into their operations.
3. Training and Support: We provide training programs and ongoing support to empower teams in understanding and effectively utilising new technologies.
4. Innovative Technologies: By leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence), and big data analytics, we help businesses optimise operations and enhance decision-making processes.
Cloud Solutions and Scalability
How is Orange Business Morocco driving cloud adoption among its clients, and what are the key benefits of cloud solutions for businesses in Morocco?
Orange Business Morocco can support businesses in their journey towards the cloud, whether it be Private, Public, or Hybrid. We partner with hyperscalers and have certified cloud solutions competencies to accompany their move to the cloud, as well as a secure multi-cloud platform for them to seamlessly host their services on private, public clouds, or on-premises.
At Orange Business Morocco, we understand that embracing the cloud is essential for businesses looking to enhance operational efficiency and drive innovation. Our diverse range of cloud services is meticulously crafted to empower businesses to leverage the full potential of digital technologies. Imagine a digital infrastructure that seamlessly integrates connectivity, cloud solutions, and robust cybersecurity—this is the unique advantage we offer. With our end-to-end support, you can confidently navigate every step of your digital transformation journey.
Our extensive portfolio, coupled with our internal experts and partnerships with world-class providers, ensures that you receive the highest level of guidance and support. Together, we will build a futureready foundation for your business, enabling you to embrace innovation, unlock new opportunities, and boost your market share.
Cybersecurity Services
With the increasing threat of cyberattacks, how does Orange Business Morocco ensure the security of its clients’ digital infrastructures?
Against the backdrop of worsening and more frequent cyber-attacks, Orange Business Morocco pays special attention to protecting the digital assets of its clients. IT security extends to delivering customers’ policies and features today and, in the years, to come. Enabling advanced risk management, we are preemptive in addressing risks to our partner’s operations by operationalising threat intelligence in industry. Our customers’ digital environment is under 24/7 security operations centre and right protection is always provided. Other than that, our security professionals design and implement systems for every customer, utilising proper risk-based protection from the network to the data security. Further, our compliance services have enabled many clients to avoid making unnecessary investments into more regulatory and business requirements related to vulnerabilities in cyberspace.
Sustainability and Technology
How is Orange Business integrating sustainable practices into its services, and what role does technology play in supporting the company’s sustainability goals?
Orange has set an objective of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 and aims to continuously reduce its CO2 emissions by 30% in 2025 and 45% in 2030. Orange Business Morocco is training its employees on eco-design to contribute to these objectives and is utilising smart building technologies to reduce energy consumption.
Innovation in ICT
How is Orange Business Morocco leveraging innovations in ICT to drive business efficiency and improve customer solutions?
Orange Business Morocco is leveraging innovations such as AI and generative AI with solutions like Copilot and other generative AI models to enhance employee efficiency and improve customer interactions.
Customer-Centric Solutions
How does Orange Business ensure that it delivers value and meets the evolving needs of its corporate clients, particularly in the digital age?
Orange Business leverages innovation and new technologies to address evolving client needs. We prioritise upskilling and reskilling our employees to ensure they remain current with industry trends. Additionally, we promote employee innovation and initiative. Finally, we foster customer intimacy and co-innovate with our clients to deliver tailored solutions.
Challenges in B2B Telecommunications
What are the key challenges in the telecommunications industry in Morocco, and how is Orange Business addressing these challenges?
The key challenge in B2B telecommunications is telco cloudification. Telco customers are optimising their connectivity costs and transitioning from dedicated lines to the internet and SDX networks. Our challenge is to support them in this transformation while also virtualizing our networks and providing a platform for purchasing a connected and secure digital infrastructure.
Future Vision for Orange Business Morocco
What are your future plans for the growth and expansion of Orange Business Morocco, and how do you see the role of technology evolving in the country’s business landscape?
Orange Business aspires to lead digital transformation in Morocco and Africa, serving both the public and private sectors. As the market rapidly embraces cutting-edge technologies and cybersecurity, digital innovation is becoming essential—especially in public services like health, education, and finance. In the private sector, banking and insurance will drive advancements, while industries like transportation and mining will focus on boosting operational efficiency through IoT and Mobile Private Networks.
Orange Business is a global leader in digital transformation and network integration, offering end-to-end solutions in cloud, cybersecurity, and data intelligence. With over 30,000 employees, they help organisations innovate and optimise operations across industries, ensuring secure and sustainable growth.
Rym Sahnoun CEO
DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Insights from Tamer Hamed, CIO of Ducab
In an era where technology is reshaping industries, Tamer Hamed, Chief Information Officer at Ducab, is at the forefront of driving digital transformation within the manufacturing sector. With a career rooted in enhancing operational efficiency through innovative IT solutions, Tamer shares his insights on how Ducab is leveraging advanced technologies like AI and cloud computing to optimise processes, improve cybersecurity, and enhance sustainability. As Ducab continues to evolve in an increasingly competitive landscape, Tamer discusses the strategies that are shaping the company’s future and ensuring its position as a leader in the industry.
TRANSFORMATION
Career Journey
Can you share your career journey and what led you to your current role as Chief Information Officer at Ducab?
Throughout my career in the digital space, I’ve maintained a strong connection with the manufacturing sector. I spent more than a decade and a half at JULPHAR Pharmacies, where I played a key role in driving the company’s digital transformation, helping to modernise and streamline their operations to meet evolving business needs.
Digital Transformation at Ducab
How is Ducab embracing digital transformation to enhance its operations and overall business efficiency?
We have seamlessly integrated digital solutions into every aspect of our business operations and supply chain, from the customer interface to last-mile logistics tracking. Our internal team, supported by strong technology partners, has been pivotal in driving this transformation. The success we’ve achieved is largely due to our forward-thinking management and the unwavering support of stakeholders across all business functions, who have fully embraced the change.
Today, our diverse technology ecosystem is well adopted by Ducabians, who recognize the tangible value it brings to their work. Ultimately, we are all aligned with a common goal and shared vision, which keeps everyone connected and moving in the same direction.
“We have seamlessly integrated digital solutions into every aspect of our business operations and supply chain, from the customer interface to last-mile logistics tracking”
Cybersecurity Strategy
In an industrial and manufacturing environment like Ducab, how do you ensure cybersecurity is robust enough to protect both the company’s data and its critical infrastructure?
As you are aware, the challenges in the OT environment are very different from those in IT. We have structured solutions surrounding cybersecurity in the OT environment and continue to strengthen these measures.
However, I would like to highlight a strategic approach we took regarding how we blend IT and OT. The traditional methods of either air-gapped networks or direct convergence with IT aren’t suitable for addressing these challenges. This is where we have leveraged the cloud landscape to ensure we have a robust cybersecurity framework.
Data-Driven Decision Making
How is Ducab leveraging data analytics to optimise its supply chain, manufacturing processes, and business operations?
Data is our single source of truth, and we rely heavily on it to analyse bottlenecks, address challenges in planning, and enhance cross-functional collaboration. By leveraging data, we can visualise the performance of our operations, track SLAs, and continuously optimise processes to be lean, effective, and efficient.
But we don’t stop at data. We are actively developing AI models to provide deeper insights into optimising our supply chain, manufacturing processes, and overall business operations. So far, the results from our AI initiatives in supply chain and manufacturing have been very promising, allowing us to further refine and elevate our operations.
Technology and Innovation in Manufacturing
How is Ducab using emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, and automation to improve manufacturing processes and maintain its competitive edge?
We have already transformed one of our factories to Industry 4.0 standards and are on track to complete the transformation of the remaining facilities by the end of this year. AI is one of our top priorities, and we are already leveraging its capabilities in a distributed standalone environment. Currently, we are working towards developing a truly unified AI ecosystem at Ducab, which will integrate and optimise operations across all facets of our business.
Sustainability and IT
How is Ducab integrating sustainability into its IT infrastructure, and what role does technology play in supporting the company’s environmental goals?
Most of our applications and workloads are hosted on the cloud with major service providers who prioritise sustainability and energy efficiency in their operations. In addition, we are actively working towards migrating more of our workloads to the cloud to further enhance efficiency and reduce our environmental footprint.
Moreover, we have implemented a dedicated EHS (Environmental, Health, and Safety) platform to assist internal stakeholders in performing sustainability calculations. This platform enables us to better track, analyse, and report on key sustainability metrics, ensuring we stay aligned with our environmental goals.
Cloud Adoption and Scalability
What role does cloud computing play in Ducab’s IT strategy, and how does it enable scalability and flexibility in your operations?
Look, the future is undeniably in the cloud. Tech giants have already shifted their focus away from developing on-premises applications. Cloud technology enables businesses to move away from CAPEX-heavy investments, providing the flexibility to scale as needed without the constraints of traditional infrastructure. This agility allows organisations to quickly adapt, innovate, and optimise resources more effectively.
Challenges in IT for Manufacturing
What are the main challenges you face as the CIO of a large manufacturing company, and how do you address these challenges to drive innovation?
The main challenges we face aren’t rooted in technology itself but in driving change management across the organisation and ensuring alignment among stakeholders from different business functions. It’s always difficult to introduce change, especially in a tech context, where people are often comfortable with legacy systems. This reluctance to adapt can significantly hinder the organisation’s ability to grow and innovate. The role of the CIO has evolved beyond just managing technology; it now encompasses a broader understanding of the business. Developing a cohesive bond between various applications and technologies throughout the supply chain is an art, and mastering it is key to driving the organisation’s overall success.
Customer-Centric Solutions
How does Ducab use technology to improve customer satisfaction and service delivery across its product range?
We are a customer-centric organisation, and given the substantial average order sizes we handle, we’ve invested significant time and resources into customising a cutting-edge CRM solution. However, our efforts go beyond just CRM. Our entire digital ecosystem is seamlessly integrated, covering the entire lifecycle, from order booking, planning, and procurement to production, warehousing, and logistics. Once a customer is on boarded onto our platform, we ensure full visibility and tracking of their order, right through to last-mile delivery, ensuring a smooth and transparent process.
Future Vision for Ducab’s IT Strategy
What are your future plans for Ducab’s IT strategy, and how do you see the role of technology evolving in the company over the next few years?
Our cloud strategy rollout is currently underway, and in the long run, we plan to further integrate our OT and IT environments. By correlating data sets and leveraging AI, we aim to create new insights that drive decision-making. Automation and AI are set to be the next game changers across industries, empowering business stakeholders with accurate and timely information to respond effectively to changing market dynamics.
Ducab, founded in 1979, is a leading global provider of high-quality copper and aluminium wire and cable products. Serving industries like energy, construction, oil & gas, and transportation, Ducab delivers end-to-end power solutions across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, contributing to major infrastructure projects worldwide.
Tamer Hamed CIO
TRANSFORMATIVE INSIGHTS
Vijay Pillay on Innovation, Leadership, and the Future of Healthcare
In an era where digital transformation is reshaping industries, Vijay Pillay stands at the forefront of innovation in the healthcare sector. With over two decades of experience, including pivotal roles as Chief Information Officer at FNB South Africa and Cyberworx Digital, Vijay has navigated the complexities of integrating legacy systems with modern technologies. His journey reflects a commitment to enhancing patient care through data-driven solutions and cultivating a culture of innovation within tech teams. In this interview, Vijay shares his perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in digital transformation, the role of emerging technologies, and how a collaborative, open environment can drive meaningful change in healthcare. Join us as we explore the personal insights and professional experiences of a leader dedicated to transforming healthcare through technology.
How do you define digital transformation within your organisation?
Having worked predominantly in the healthcare, insurance, and financial industries, a major challenge is the many systems in use—both legacy and modern applications. The integration of these disparate systems into a single customer interface is crucial to meet changing customer expectations. Through the application of new digital technologies, such as robotics, IoT, cloud computing, mobile apps, wearable devices, big data analytics, and chatbots, we have been able to improve the experience for both patients and providers during and after treatment.
A key benefit is the management of the vast amounts of data and the advantages of exploiting and
leveraging this data to improve service offerings. This presents significant opportunities for structuring and customising insurance plans and managed care protocols. We have successfully automated several repetitive and inefficient processes using the latest technologies, which allows for seamless integration with internal systems.
Through the application of digital and virtual services, we have been able to grow and retain medical insurance members while improving provider relations. By measuring provider service through online applications, we have enhanced doctor-patient relationships and treatment outcomes.
What are the key obstacles you’ve faced during your company’s digital transformation journey?
The biggest obstacle we faced was the slow adoption of digital technology by both customers/members/ patients and healthcare providers. Many healthcare providers have a greater reliance on and trust in paper/manual processes and tools to manage their patients. This reliance reduced the opportunity for the utilisation and adoption of digital technology.
The pace of adoption of new technology and applications significantly hindered our strategy of implementing a single electronic health record (EHR) system across multiple service providers. This system was intended to reduce the costs associated with repeat consultations and diagnoses, along with the associated expenses.
How do you foster a culture of innovation within your tech teams?
The healthcare industry, relative to most other industries, has been slow in adopting new and groundbreaking technologies in the service of members/patients. This has left many gaps in the endto-end process and presents numerous opportunities for creativity and innovation.
We identified this as a significant opportunity for revenue growth and optimal patient outcomes. As part of the strategic roadmap, I included innovation as a key performance indicator (KPI) with different rewards and recognition for new ideas, regardless of
the extent of their benefits. This encourages all staff to participate in the program. I also instituted a Friday afternoon, two-hour informal “innovation” session with refreshments for all attendees (non-compulsory), where ideas are discussed and considered for implementation.
A key aspect of creating a culture of innovation is ensuring trust, mutual respect, and openness within the team. Our philosophy encourages vulnerability across all levels, with the key driver being that “no idea is worthless or too small.”
A key benefit is the management of the vast amounts of data and the advantages of exploiting and leveraging this data to improve service offerings.
Can you highlight a recent innovation that has had a significant impact on your business?
Creating an Electronic Health Record (EHR) has always been a critical requirement in the healthcare industry. Through new, robust technologies that allow for information sharing across platforms and systems, especially APIs, we were able to take this to the next level and implement it successfully.
Telemedicine also saw rapid implementation in our business, primarily driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. We adopted new technologies to fast-track this initiative and provide a reliable channel for virtual patient consultations.
What role do emerging technologies like AI and IoT play in your digital transformation strategy?
The healthcare industry is among the biggest generators of data, and this data holds a wealth of information that can change the way healthcare is administered and identify where new value can be extracted in treatment protocols. Successful and quick evaluation of patterns in data and behavioural indicators will help reduce overall costs and treatment timelines. Active monitoring of treatment outcomes will also allow for speedy interventions when patients are not responding effectively to prescribed medications and health interventions. Managing overall risk can be
beneficial through the application of AI and Big Data. AI will be instrumental in combating cyber threats and managing regulatory risks, as well as facilitating the use of augmented reality and automated processes.
Vijay Pillay
PIONEERING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Insights from Marwan Zeineddine at SAP UAE
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, Marwan Zeineddine, Managing Director of SAP UAE, is at the forefront of empowering organisations to embrace innovative technologies. With a strong focus on cloud solutions, AI integration, and sustainability, Marwan leads SAP’s commitment to driving digital transformation across the region. In this interview, he shares his insights on the challenges businesses face in their digital journeys and the strategic initiatives SAP is implementing to support their growth and success.
Career Journey
Can you share your career journey and what led you to your current role as Managing Director at SAP UAE?
I have deliberately followed a diverse career path, as I am passionate about all aspects of technology, from a technical standpoint to exploring how it can be leveraged to improve people’s lives.
After graduating from the American University of Beirut with a BSc in Computer Science, I spent several years designing and developing customised apps and then complex software, mainly in the areas of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and human capital management. After this, I moved into project management, outsourcing services, implementation, consultancy, and sales, all of which helped prepare me for a series of leadership roles. I have been with SAP for around nine years in total and have just completed a year in my role as Managing Director of SAP UAE. I couldn’t have chosen a more opportune time to take on this role, with AI creating major industry shifts and the UAE being at the forefront of new technologies.
Digital Transformation
SAP is at the forefront of digital transformation. How is SAP helping organisations in the UAE adopt innovative technologies to remain competitive?
Many of our UAE customers understand the importance of digital transformation to gain a competitive edge, future-proof their operations, and leverage the latest technologies. They recognise that the cloud is the best platform to enable scalability, data availability, measurability, and access to SAP’s reliable, relevant, and responsible Business AI.
Nevertheless, some customers are unsure where or how to start their digital transformation journey, so our aim is to make the process as accessible as possible for all companies. SAP and our partner ecosystem are there to support our customers through every step of the journey and simplify it wherever possible.
Over the past few years, we have introduced two service-as-a-subscription offerings—RISE with SAP and GROW with SAP—to help simplify and accelerate cloud transitions for customers of all sizes and starting points.
An important consequence of digital transformation is its impact on job roles, which are changing much faster than ever before, particularly with the proliferation of AI applications. This is why SAP is supporting public and private sector enterprises in this area, investing significantly in training initiatives. Our Young Professionals Program (YPP), for example, is focused on identifying gifted Emirati graduates and training them in advanced technological skills to support a sustainable workforce and produce future technology leaders. Similarly, our Dual Study Program (DSP) is offered in collaboration with many UAE universities to students alongside their regular curriculum. The DSP is a sponsored training initiative provided by SAP’s Digital Skills Center and fast-tracks students’ work readiness, closing the gap between academic studies and industry requirements.
Cloud Solutions
How have SAP’s cloud offerings influenced business operations in the UAE, and what future developments do you foresee in the region’s cloud adoption?
SAP cloud solutions, particularly our SAP S/4HANA ERP, are changing the way our UAE and regional customers operate in myriad ways. These companies enjoy increased efficiencies, greater visibility over operations, and integrated and automated processes. They also have the scalability and flexibility needed to respond to changes in demand and seize opportunities in the market with agility.
Arguably, the most significant impact of SAP digital transformations stems from their ability to drive innovation and produce high-quality data and insights. Effective data is not only important for decision-making; it is also fundamental to ensuring the effectiveness of AI solutions—after all, AI is only as good as the data made available to it.
As for the future outlook, our region is focused on digital transformation to support economic diversification, so digital transformation will continue its impressive pace. In the UAE, the government strongly supports digital transformation across all sectors while also leading by example with its innovative approach and UAE Digital Government Strategy 2025, becoming the first country in the world to appoint a Minister of AI. Within this supportive framework, the UAE is set to remain at the forefront of a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Sustainability Initiatives
How is SAP incorporating sustainability into its solutions, and what role does it play in helping UAE businesses meet their sustainability goals?
It is no coincidence that 97 of the 100 greenest companies in the world run SAP. Sustainability is core to SAP’s corporate strategy and our purpose: to help the world run better and improve people’s lives. Our vision is for carbon accounting to match financial accounting, eventually adding a green line to a company’s top and bottom lines.
In the UAE, as elsewhere, we aim to create a positive economic, social, and environmental impact while respecting planetary boundaries and human rights—both as an exemplar through our own activities and as an enabler to customers using our products and services.
When you consider that 99 of the 100 largest companies in the world are SAP customers, 85 of the 100 largest companies are SAP S/4HANA customers, and around 80% of SAP’s customers are SMEs, you can see the enormous impact we can have on addressing climate change. This is why SAP is embedding sustainability directly into ERP systems, ensuring that integration drives profitable, sustainable businesses, creating real-world benefits.
In addition to cloud-driven sustainability innovations and evolving AI-powered use cases, we offer our UAE customers a comprehensive portfolio of sustainability solutions and services to help them drive sustainable practices inside their organisations and across their value chains. These tools enable them to be agile and responsive, maintain control of integration and data flows, and master the complexity of sustainability challenges.
We also collaborate with like-minded partners in the UAE. For example, SAP worked with MORO Digital Hub to make the SAP Public Cloud offering and SAP Business AI available on the world’s largest solarpowered data centre, based in Dubai, which appeals to many of our customers.
Industry-Specific Solutions
SAP serves diverse industries. Can you elaborate on how SAP tailors its solutions to meet the specific needs of key sectors in the UAE, such as oil and gas or finance?
SAP has over 50 years of experience across 25 industries, with proven solutions for industry-specific needs and goals. The process is similar, regardless of the industry we are approaching. SAP and our partners rely on our global expertise and knowledge of best practices and requirements specific to their industries to build holistic solutions encompassing various industry-specific modules or coinnovations.
In the oil, gas, and energy sector, we are helping companies meet the world’s energy needs securely, affordably, and sustainably. A great example of this in the UAE can be found in our customer Crescent Petroleum, the largest privately held upstream oil and gas company in the Middle East. The company recently successfully deployed SAP’s oil and gas industry-specific solutions for its operations in the second phase of a digital transformation project. The first phase represented the first global implementation of the SAP S/4HANA Oil & Gas Model Company 1809 at that time, supporting plant maintenance, procurement, project systems, finance, human resources functions, and HSE functions. The second phase included the integration of industry-specific modules into S/4HANA to boost data quality, productivity, operational efficiencies, cost control, and sustainability reporting. SAP worked closely with Crescent Petroleum’s digital transformation team to develop specific solutions that address company-specific use cases. One example is the custom trucking operations solution using the MII module of SAP, integrated with SAP’s invoicing engine. This involved integration with plant systems, loading dock systems, and SAP S/4HANA modules in a single process chain, bringing disparate processes into one seamless workflow with appropriate handshakes.
AI and Machine Learning
How is SAP leveraging AI and machine learning to drive efficiencies and innovation within the businesses you serve in the UAE?
SAP embeds innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning throughout the value chain. As a result, our customers can better serve their clients, build resilient supply chains, introduce new business models, and optimise existing business processes.
Several aspects differentiate SAP’s approach to AI from that of our competitors. First, there is the quality of data, which is the foundation of effective AI, and no one has better, deeper, or more comprehensive business data than SAP. We also prioritise customer data privacy—it’s built in. Second, SAP Business AI works out of the box; it’s fully integrated, benchmarked, compliant, and ready to use. Third, we give customers and partners full choice over which leading generative AI model they want to use for their extensions, including models from OpenAI, Google, and the best open-source alternatives. Fourth, Joule, our generative AI copilot, is being embedded throughout our enterprise cloud portfolio to deliver proactive and contextualised insights. Joule is not only changing the way people work with SAP solutions—it is transforming the way people work overall.
We also collaborate widely to bring the best solutions to our customers. At our annual Sapphire flagship conference earlier this year, we unveiled generative AI innovations and partnerships, including Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Meta, Microsoft, Mistral AI, and NVIDIA, showcasing how the company is taking business to the next level in the era of AI.
Customer Experience
How does SAP ensure customer satisfaction and help businesses in the UAE enhance their own customer experiences?
Customer success is at the centre of everything SAP does. Our services and support offerings help customers build their teams’ skills and deploy their SAP solutions. They are designed to enable continual innovation—delivering the speed, flexibility, and results customers need right from the start and for years to come.
It is very important for us to give our customers choice. As every company faces unique challenges and is at a different stage on its path to the cloud, our customers can choose how we work together. The organisation’s individual goals, timelines, and plans define how deep our engagement goes. Extensive support services, guided tools, and resources are included with every SAP cloud solution to ensure success. Our customers can also move faster, tackle bigger challenges, or free their teams to do other work by simply adding incremental service and support options. On the other side of the coin, SAP continuously evolves our customer experience (CX) portfolio so organisations can empower their teams to deliver exceptional experiences for their own customers. SAP’s differentiating quality is its ability to seamlessly connect customer (front-end) data with operational (back-end) data across an organisation, empowering intelligent decision-making and automation across the value chain to better serve customer needs.
To mention a few of our CX solutions as examples, SAP Commerce Cloud drives profitable growth with connected, insightful, and adaptable commerce; SAP Emarsys Customer Engagement is purposebuilt for marketers to deliver personalised, omnichannel experiences with a privacy-first mindset; and SAP Sales Cloud leverages an intelligent, cloud-native architecture and generative and traditional AI to enable dynamic sales journeys that can be seamlessly connected with back-office processes to maximise revenue generation and improve the buying experience.
Cybersecurity
With the increasing threat of cyberattacks, how does SAP ensure the security of its solutions and data for its UAE customers?
Cyber threats globally are growing in sophistication and intensity with every passing day. Naturally, cybersecurity remains a top priority for SAP. Our security, cloud compliance, and data protection measures are designed to help keep SAP and our customers’ data safe, process it in compliance with local legislation, and protect it from malicious use.
SAP follows a holistic approach to security that is based on three pillars: First, we build secure-bydesign solutions; second, we run cloud operations securely; and third, we create a security-first culture in everything we do. This includes training our employees and partnering with our customers and our extensive ecosystem to address security needs and improve overall security.
Challenges in Digital Transformation
What are the key challenges businesses in the UAE face in their digital transformation journeys, and how is SAP addressing these challenges?
As I mentioned, digital transformation in the UAE, and in fact, our entire region, has been extremely impressive. Nevertheless, there are some challenges, including companies needing to transition to the cloud quickly but not knowing where to start, as well as issues such as cybersecurity threats and data sovereignty.
I have already touched on these earlier, but in short, SAP helps to demystify and simplify the cloud transition process for our customers through our services-as-a-subscription offerings, RISE with SAP and GROW with SAP. We design solutions and run cloud operations securely, while issues such as data sovereignty are being addressed by companies such as SAP establishing more data centres in the region, allowing data to be stored within the country.
Future Vision for SAP UAE
What are your future plans for SAP in the UAE, and how do you envision the company’s role in the region’s digital economy evolving?
The future global economies are cloud-based, AI-enabled, secure, and sustainable, which is where we at SAP UAE will continue to focus our efforts.
The UAE is a highly significant market for SAP, and we will continue to support the country’s impressive digital agenda. This means assisting public and private sector organisations in their digital transformation and enabling them to operate as a network of intelligent enterprises. We will also deliver innovative technologies that enhance companies’ financial and sustainability goals while empowering the local workforce through transformational training programs.
Most importantly, we are extremely grateful to operate in this country, where the UAE leadership plays a proactive role in encouraging and supporting innovation for all stakeholders, creating an environment where technological advances can flourish to benefit everyone.
SAP is a global leader in enterprise software, helping businesses of all sizes run more efficiently through integrated solutions that span finance, supply chain, procurement, and more. With a focus on innovation, SAP offers cloud-based solutions, AI-driven technologies, and advanced analytics to optimise business processes and drive sustainability.
Marwan ZeineddineManaging Director
HARBOURING INNOVATION
Monjasa’s App Journey with Michael Bruun Østergaard
Join us in a conversation with Michael Bruun Østergaard, Group IT Director of Monjasa, as he unveils the journey behind Monjasa’s innovative app. Integrating real-time data from their global tanker fleet, the app marks a significant leap in maritime technology. Michael discusses overcoming development challenges, enhancing industry transparency, and the app’s role in Monjasa’s commitment to sustainability and efficiency.
App Development Journey
Can you describe the journey and challenges involved in developing the Monjasa App, especially in terms of integrating real-time data flows from your global tanker fleet?
Challenging the status quo has been an integral part of Monjasa since our establishment in 2002 as a newcomer in the industry. In the early years mostly in a commercial sense, but later on also across maritime operations, introduction of ISO management systems and IT developments. And when we initially started envisioning a complete digitalisation of the process surrounding bunkering, it seemed far-fetched for many in the industry and in Monjasa.
Back then, vessels were not online like they are today. Many vessels in our fleet were running on slow satellite connections, which would offer the performance of a typical internet connection onshore back in the 1990s. This was not uncommon, and as such, it was hard to imagine a world where we could bring real-time insight of what was going on during a bunker operation into the hands of those involved onshore.
It was not that companies did not want this level of transparency, but it was tough to imagine strong data flows from the vessels.A lot has happened to the connectedness of the world since then – not only technological advances like Starlink, but the expansion of 4G networks and the development in availability and lower costs of traditional satellite communication also play a big part.
Because of this, we began the journey of transparency through technology by focusing on structure and access to bunker price indications, as this does not rely on fleet internet performance. The first release of Monjasa’s fuel price indications went live in late 2020 and was an internal tool only that allowed our trading community to share and update price indications in a more structured manner.
Building on this successful platform adoption, we opened this data to also include our customers in 2022. This allowed our traders to invite their customers into the same ecosystem where they can now
Transforming the Industry
How do you see the Monjasa App transforming the oil and shipping industries, particularly regarding transparency and efficiency?
The Monjasa app is a window into the heart of our operations. We are pushing digitalisation to the limit and our ultimate ambition is to provide complete end-to-end transparency across our operations as fast as the satellite technologies allow us to do it. We know for a fact that many other parties across the marine fuels industry have been following our developments closely since this transformation truly supports more efficient shipping operations. And that is something that all ship owners are looking for.
Customer Feedback
What has been the feedback from ship owners and charterers on the Monjasa App, and how has it influenced their decision-making process?
We have received very positive feedback from some of the ship owners who have been using the app for more than a year now. For instance, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line highlighted that instead of exchanging multiple messages about individual fuel orders, the app provides them with full transparency across all the transaction and logistic details related to the deliveries.
Sustainability Alignment
The app provides accurate CO2 emissions data. How does this feature align with Monjasa’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility?
Running a responsible business and ensuring thorough ESG reporting is an opportunity to make a difference in a carbon-heavy industry like ours – and our individual and joint carbon footprints are critical metrics needed. We already have CO2 reporting available on our platform, but we will be making it even stronger and more accessible for integration. This involves allowing customers to pull information directly from our platform into their own ESG reporting by offering customer-facing APIs for system-to-system integration. In other words, Monjasa’s customers will find it natural to receive accurate emission numbers related to a single fuel supply and integrate it into their own Scope 1 reporting.
Time Supply Notifications
Could you elaborate on how the real-time supply notifications work and the benefits they bring to your clients?
For most of 2023, we have been busy preparing for the next significant leg of the journey, aiming to make the world smaller by bridging the gap between onshore and offshore workplaces. This is achieved by connecting our fleet with our customers through what we call real-time deliveries.
This initiative allows customers real-time insight into the progress of their fuel delivery as we bring statements of facts directly to the customer’s mobile phone. Real-time deliveries also provide live onboard camera feeds from the vessel during delivery, as well as access to the official documents of the delivery as soon as both parties have signed them. This approach elevates personal business to a new level and shortens the processing time of all the details that come after the actual delivery.
These steps will help prepare our fleet and our customers for a fully digital process, eliminating the need to print, sign, and scan documents in the near future.
5 Facts on Monjasa
Coupled with access to all the customers’ trading history with Monjasa, the app offers the customer a ‘one-stop’ platform and strengthens collaboration across operation, crew, customer, and trader. Monjasa is a global top 10 marine fuels supplier
supplies around 7 million tonnes of bunkers yearly Monjasa’s fleet comprises 30 tankers and barges worldwide
Monjasa employs around 300 Traders & maritime specialists across 14 offices
Monjasa is a Danish privately held oil and shipping company
Future Features
Are there any upcoming features or enhancements planned for the Monjasa App that you can share with us?
For most of 2023, we have been busy preparing for the next significant leg of the journey, aiming to make the world smaller by bridging the gap between onshore and offshore workplaces. This is achieved by connecting our fleet with our customers through what we call real-time deliveries.
This initiative allows customers real-time insight into the progress of their fuel delivery as we bring statements of facts directly to the customer’s mobile phone. Real-time deliveries also provide live onboard camera feeds from the vessel during delivery, as well as access to the official documents of the delivery as soon as both parties have signed them. This approach elevates personal business to a new level and shortens the processing time of all the details that come after the actual delivery.
These steps will help prepare our fleet and our customers for a fully digital process, eliminating the need to print, sign, and scan documents in the near future.
Coupled with access to all the customers’ trading history with Monjasa, the app offers the customer a ‘one-stop’ platform and strengthens collaboration across operation, crew, customer, and trader.
Role of IT in Bunkering
As the Group IT Director, how do you see the role of IT evolving in the bunkering industry, especially with the increasing demand for real-time data and digital solutions?
None of this is possible without our IT department understanding the world of bunkering. The more insight we have into every step of our process – whether that is the importance of the relations we have with our customers, the challenge of multitasking a bunker operation, or the details that go into an actual bunker delivery onboard a chemical tanker – the better equipped we are to design, develop, and deploy a system that caters to our customers’ specific needs.
Advice for Aspiring Professionals
Are there any upcoming features or enhancements planned for the Monjasa App that you can share with us?
Observe and navigate, stay curious and ambitious, and also remember to respect the traditions of our industry, as most of these are there for good reasons.
Overall, I believe we are in for a change in the expectations of information flows, connectedness, and transparency – just like we have seen other industries undergo similar changes, such as the taxi industry disruption by companies like Uber and Careem, the commercial flight industry disruption by companies like Expedia, and the hospitality industry disruption by companies like Airbnb and Hotels. com.
With the advancements of our digital platform, we are trying to stay ahead of the curve – adapting to our customers’ expectations and requirements as fast as we can by building a tool that will complement the bunker industry without demanding radical changes in operation or commercial model.
Our platform will be a solid foundation for new ideas on how to work even closer to prepare the bunkering industry for the significant changes we currently see on the horizon as the industry prepares for a future that is less reliant on fossil fuels.
We welcome the challenge and believe Monjasa is in an excellent position to help the industry navigate these changes; curiosity and ambition are in our DNA, and with our 20 years of experience in the industry, we have the knowledge and respect needed to drive digital transformation in a global and complex industry.
Monjasa means personal business in the oil and shipping industries. Our core business includes trading and physical supply of marine fuels, oil terminal operations and shipowning activities on a global scale. Our 300 employees on land and at sea enables us to supply around 7 million tonnes of marine fuels worldwide on a yearly basis.
