Business Chief APAC - December 2020

APAC EDITION businesschief.asia

DECEMBER 2020

C A P A TOP 10 D N A S R E G MER S N O I T I S I U Q AC en t e h t h g u o r h runs t f e i h C s s e n i s Bu years 0 2 t s a p e h t over biggest M&As

Creating a Digital Roadmap for Insurance 4.0

Surviving the pandemic thanks to tech solutions and leadership

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FOREWORD

W

elcome to the October issue of Business Chief APAC.

Bringing 2020 to a close with our December issue of Business Chief APAC, our cover features Shane Riddle, General Manager of Technology and Strategy at YMCA Victoria on the company’s survival of COVID-19 thanks to tech solutions and leadership; and Ahmir ud Deen, COO of Prudential BSN Takaful, describes PruBSN’s leadership role in modernising Takaful insurance for the Malaysian industry. “Malaysia is a fairly heavily regulated market, but I don’t mean that in a negative way.

While we always have to stay within the Islamic guidelines; the regulations are also there to look out for the interests of customers and manage the sustainability and the long term viability of Insurers and Takaful operators.”

In addition, Business Chief APAC explores the adoption of AI and human collaboration in HR operations. While John Harte, Advisory Member of The Chairman’s Network (Australia), discusses the evolution of stakeholder management

operations in the region; and Fuad Chapra, Head of Family Business, KPMG (Saudi Arabia) provides his expert insight on investment management benefits and trends.

Elsewhere, we discover what it means to be a digital brand in today’s world in our roundtable discussions with McKinsey, Toluna and Ebiquity.

While Vikas Butaney, Vice President and General Manager of Cisco IoT, explains how companies can get the most out of IoT; and Ray Joyce and Steve Gill HR Services at EY discuss the rise of human and AI collaboration in HR operations.

Finally to end the year, our December Top 10 ranks - by year - its top mergers and acquisitions made by companies in the APAC region over the last two decades.

Do you have a story to share? If you would like to be featured in an upcoming issue of Business Chief APAC, please get in touch at georgia.wilson@bizclikmedia.com Enjoy the read!

Georgia Wilson busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

03

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05 PUBLISHED BY

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

PRESIDENT & CEO

Jordan Hubbard

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PROJECT MANAGERS

Karl Green Thomas Livermore James Richardson Michael Banyard Jake Megeary Kris Palmer businesschief.asia

10 Creating a Digital Roadmap for Insurance 4.0

28

The Evolution of Stakeholder Management Operations

AI: The Key to Producing an Enriched & Engaging Environment

38 50

What Does it Mean to be a Digital Brand?

KPMG:

60

FIVE MINUTE EXPERT INSIGHT ON INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Cisco:How to Get the Most Value Out of IoT

72

xx 84

APAC Mergers and Acquisitions of the Last Two Decades

102 YMCA

116

128

PhilTower Consortium

Crown Resorts Limited

154 Netskope

142 smartfren.BUSINESS

168 Ada

10

Creating a Digital Roadmap for Insurance 4.0 WRITTEN BY

WILL GIRLING PRODUCED BY

JAKE MEGEARY

DECEMBER 2020

11

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PRUDENTIAL BSN TAKAFUL BERHAD

Ahmir ud Deen, COO, describes how PruBSN is taking a leadership role in modernising takaful insurance for the Malaysian industry

T

he sharp trajectory of change currently being experienced in insurance (and Takaful) makes it one of the most exciting

industries of the digital era. Already grappling with the paradigm-shifting advances of digital transformation at the start of 2020, COVID-19 shifted 12

the sector’s perspective to a dual emphasis; companies realised that technology was not merely a tool for streamlining the status quo, but rather the method by which the business could actively improve its customers’ lives and provide stability to global economies. Few companies were better poised to take a regionally leading role in this ‘new normal’ than Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad (PruBSN), the largest takaful insurance provider in Malaysia.

Founded in 2006, the company has swiftly risen to prominence. “When I first joined PruBSN in 2014, having moved from Prudential Indonesia, we had already been the Number 1 Family Takaful company within the very large Islamic Financial Market of Malaysia, since 2010.” explains Ahmir ud Deen, Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Prudential BSN DECEMBER 2020

13

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CYBER VILLAGE: COLLABORATORS IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION CEO Yee Bing Shieh delves into how Cyber Village’s philosophy of collaboration has affirmed its successes in enabling digital transformations Since its pioneering days as an e-commerce start up in the late 1990s, Cyber Village has grown to be a leader in digital engagement technologies enabling various customer transformation journeys for insurers and financial institutions across the ASEAN region.

Despite its incumbent leadership position today, the pioneer spirit of Cyber Village’s startup days is clearly ingrained deep into its DNA: “We are very conscious of the need to change all the time,” says CEO Yee Bing Shieh.

For Shieh, algorithms and apps are blunt instruments without a guiding human touch, and a collaborative vision. She sees these as catalysts for agility in the firm’s digital innovation processes. Most recently, this philosophy has underpinned Cyber Village’s seven-year partnership with leading Islamic insurance provider PruBSN. “PruBSN is a very positive, customer-focused organization with clear business goals,” she says. “Having said that, they are also open to experimentation in terms of new technology, as well as how we can actually come together with them to co-create new ideas.”

The latest upshot of this collaborative approach is the launch of an industry-first peer-to-peer Takaful Islamic Insurance application. Here, Cyber Village’s technology team worked closely with PruBSN’s product team, leveraging one of Cyber Village’s recent tech innovations – a cloud based P2P platform designed on a ledger architecture, complete with digital wallet capabilities.

“It’s a major social innovation in terms of how it allows the participants to join the Islamic insurance programme, pool their premiums and actually understand what it means to have a shared insurance, or mutual protection, in a peer group or community, all via an end-to-end digital experience,” Shieh explains.

“There are no physical, manual processes here; the customer journey is seamlessly delivered through a mobile app”.

Shieh talks about the initiative as part of Cyber Village’s collaborative technology-as-service platform model to work with its clients and go into technology-as-abusiness. “We look forward to such co-creations… it then lifts us beyond just doing tech or delivering tech capabilities by actually becoming a Digital Business Partner for our clients, such as PruBSN.”

PRUDENTIAL BSN TAKAFUL BERHAD

16

Takaful. “However, despite that, there

years as CEO of Allianz-EFU Health

is still plenty of room for us to grow.”

Insurance, before moving back to

A highly experienced executive in the

the Indonesian Market in early 2005.

APAC insurance market, Deen earned

After 13 years with Allianz, he joined

a degree in Actuarial Science from the

Prudential Indonesia as Chief Financial

London School of Economics (1988

Officer and finally took on his current

to 1991) prior to starting his insurance

role at PruBSN in 2014, Deen says that

career in Dubai. From there, he moved

he came to recognise both the chal-

to the Asia Pacific Region, with Allianz

lenges and significant potential of the

in 1997, joining their Indonesian Life

Malaysian market, especially in the

Company just a few weeks before the

area of Islamic Insurance or Takaful.

Asian Financial crisis hit the region.

“Malaysia is a fairly heavily regulated

He completed a stint with Allianz

market, but I don’t mean that in a

in his native Pakistan spending four

negative way. While we always have

DECEMBER 2020

to stay within the Islamic guidelines;

also accommodate Malaysia’s younger

the regulations are also there to look

generations with more tech-savvy,

out for the interests of customers

digitally-focused alternatives and

and manage the sustainability and

services. “We embarked on our digital

the long term viability of Insurers and

transformation journey more than

Takaful operators.”

five or six years ago,” he says. “and

Deen characterises3 the market

coincidentally just over a year ago,

within which PruBSN operates as

we moved into a new office and decided

“well-established”, but with relatively

that we would make the office entirely

lower penetration and plenty of oppor-

wifi enabled and fully digitalised3, with

tunity. Recognising that, on the whole,

flexible workstations and work areas

customers of all demographics are still

for everyone.” This development,

served predominantly through agents

it turned out, was highly perspica-

and branches, PruBSN is striving to

cious and enabled PruBSN to quickly

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

Ahmir ud Deen Title: Chief Operations Officer

Industry: Insurance

A highly experienced executive in the APAC insurance market, Ud Deen earned a degree in Actuarial Science from the London School of Economics (1988 to 1991) prior to starting his insurance career in Dubai. Joining Allianz in 1997, he eventually secured a MD/CEO role at the company’s Pakistani branch in 2000. After spending four years in the role, he became a C-suite executive at PT Asuransi Allianz Life Indonesia for over five years. Joining Prudential Indonesia as Chief Financial Officer, he came to recognise the value of the Islamic insurance market, and eventually took on his current role as the Chief Operating Officer of PruBSN in 2014. busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

17

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“ Malaysia is a fairly heavily regulated market, but I don’t mean that in a negative way” — Ahmir ud Deen, COO, Prudential BSN Takaful

mobilise for remote working when the COVID-19 pandemic began to escalate. “I would say that we hit the ground running: we were set up within a week, including a new sales process that allowed our Agents to enroll new customers digitally. This gave them the ability to continue serving prospective customers while still following the safeguards required in the market.”

However, more than that, the pandemic awakened the industry to the gaps in insurance protection and how it could improve even further.

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19

PRUDENTIAL BSN TAKAFUL BERHAD

“Most traditional insurance and Takaful certificates used to have an exclusion for pandemic conditions.

We immediately stated that we would be removing or not applying that exclusion” — Ahmir ud Deen, COO, Prudential BSN Takaful

Following the original lockdown (or “Movement Control Order” as it was called in Malaysia), insurance and Takaful has been increasingly seen as a tool to enrich and improve the lives of customers rather than simply providing policies (‘certificates’ in Takaful terms). As such, PruBSN understood that the conditions of the coronavirus crisis provided the opportunity to demonstrate its strong ethical standards.

“Most traditional insurance coverage and Takaful certificates used to have

20

an exclusion for pandemic situations and illnesses. We immediately stated that we would be removing or not applying that exclusion,” says Deen.

Furthermore, with its increased flexibility, the company was able to offer a further range of benefits to clients, including new benefit payouts for ‘confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19’ and ‘death from COVID-19’ as a free addon to their existing coverage. “The whole industry also came together and set up some funds to even cover those people that may not have been protected at all,” he continues. “I think the pandemic has changed the paradigm for all of us: it’s a new awakening DECEMBER 2020

How do you do health when we’re all different? #PulsebyPrudential CLICK TO WATCH | 1:10

21 and it’s going to have a permanent

foster a closer relationship with users

impact on the industry.”

and customers. “One very popular app

PruBSN’s digital transformation

for us, being an Islamic company is

continues to guide the direction of its

“PruBSN Insan”, which gives users daily

approach. Initial innovations included

prayer reminders, amongst other, spir-

an online, tablet-based point of sales

itual advice.” Another more recent one

system that allowed agents to meet

is ‘Pulse by Prudential’: Pulse marks

customer needs faster and more

a step change in health management

effectively, and after that, building

in Asia by making healthcare more

an omnichannel customer portal to

inclusive and accessible. By support-

facilitate the younger generations’

ing users in every step of their health

interest in being able to self-service.

and wellness journey, Prudential is

The company has also been investing

going beyond its core business of

in the development of several apps

providing protection and playing a

designed to drive engagement and

greater role in helping people prevent busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

PRUDENTIAL BSN TAKAFUL BERHAD

AccelTree Software

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23

“ I think the pandemic With a holistic approach in supporting has changed the the three stages in a person’s health paradigm for all of us: journey – Prevent, Postpone, Protect – Pulse takes healthcare to a new level it’s a new awakening of engagement with consumers. The and it’s going to have goal is to seamlessly integrate pera permanent impact sonal health checks and management on the industry” into everyday life by providing users and postpone the onset of diseases.

with mobile tools and real-time information that they can access wherever they are, round the clock.

— Ahmir ud Deen, COO, Prudential BSN Takaful

Pulse was first launched in Malaysia in August 2019 and is now available in 11 markets across Asia. Apart from busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

PRUDENTIAL BSN TAKAFUL BERHAD

CO MP AN Y FACT S

24

In Deen’s opinion, these significant changes to the customer experience are preparing PruBSN for “insurance 4.0” - an equivalent term to ‘industry 4.0’ or the ‘fourth industrial revolution’.

The company’s journey along this tech-infused path has been assisted by its strategically chosen partners, such as AccelTree, DXC and Cyber Village, among others.

Deen provided us with further details on these relationships and the projects they’ve worked on together: AccelTree: Based in India, this software solutions provider has played a key part in PruBSN’s digital transformation. “We worked with AccelTree to build our point of sales system since 2013; this relationship has helped us to modify, speed-up and expand the whole on-boarding system for our customers.

AccelTree has and continues to be a key partner for us in building these digital journeys and facilities.”

DECEMBER 2020

Cyber Village: A leader in digital engagement technology solutions for the Malaysian market, the company is a pioneer in ecommerce and transformational infrastructure.

“Cyber Village helped us build our customer portal, back in 2016” he explains. “We’ve subsequently enhanced that further and recently also developed an innovative, Islamic ‘crowd sourcing’ app with them, that allows you to chip in money as you

25

see fit for simple benefits such as for death and funeral services. It’s not just about putting money in for oneself; it’s something the wider community will be able to take advantage of, as and when they need it. And we see this as just the start of what can be offered in this very exciting way for our society.”

DXC: “DXC specialises3 in building main business systems applications for the insurance and Takaful

Industry. PruBSN and our sister company have been in the Malaysian market for over 15 years and 95 years respectively, and we have a huge database of more than three and a half million customers.

We are currently migrating this data to a new system supplied by DXC and foresee more stable and efficient systems as we move forward, together.”

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

PRUDENTIAL BSN TAKAFUL BERHAD

being available in 10 local languages, the app also incorporates epidemiology. Free for download, the app has many features such as; after the completion of a medical questionnaire, a report is generated which includes a realistic 3D representation of the body, called the ‘digital twin’, as well as health advice to help one reduce disease risks and improve overall wellbeing. “We see this whole ‘ecosystem’ as becoming a central tool, not only for our customers, but also for our agents 26

to promote and share with potential customers,” says Deen. “PruBSN doesn’t want it to be a formal, boring app that you only look at if you’re sick; it has to be a fun and useful tool as well, one that helps you to manage the healthcare as well as financial needs for yourself and your family.”

The strength of PruBSN’s vision and its

“ Insurance is often preparation for insurance and Takaful’s considered to be a very digital era means that it is well-prepared traditional and conservative to meet the challenges of 2021.

“We’ve got a very clear and detailed industry, but you’ll be surprised how fast-moving roadmap of what we want to do, whether that’s integrating our businesses, our and modern we can be” — Ahmir ud Deen, COO, Prudential BSN Takaful DECEMBER 2020

industry, and our companies onto shared platforms, or giving our customers the

27

best and broadest experience available.

“It’s a brand new world. It’s an open

Giving people the ability to make the

world, and it’s an opportunity for eve-

most out of life is our purpose.”

ryone to take part,” Deen concludes.

Having proven itself throughout the

“Insurance is often considered to be

pandemic as a company dedicated to

a very traditional and conservative

providing peace of mind at a time when

industry, but you’ll be surprised how

customers need it the most, PruBSN

fast-moving and modern we can be.”

is eager to embrace and adapt to the industry as it changes. busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

L E A D E R S H I P A N D S T R AT E G Y

28

The Evolution of Stakeholder Management Operations WRITTEN BY

GEORGIA WILSON

DECEMBER 2020

29

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

L E A D E R S H I P A N D S T R AT E G Y

Business Chief APAC explores the natural evolution of stakeholder management and the impact of COVID-19 on transformation

W

ith 58% of senior executives ranking external engagements among their CEOs’ top three priorities – up 13%

since 2013 – Business Chief speaks to John Harte,

Advisory Member of The Chairman’s Network (Australia), on the evolution of stakeholder management operations.

30

Defining stakeholder management operations as “the effective management of those that have an influence on the achievement of your company’s purpose and those that you want to influence in successfully bringing that purpose to life,” Harte has seen an increase in awareness that power is shifting. “Technology – particularly social media – is reducing the barriers to communication and community expectations are evolving.” As a result, companies are using technology to build their engagements with stakeholders, as well as paying closer attention to stakeholder expectations and anticipating potential changes. “The really smart companies are spending more time understanding and engaging with their influencers in a time of technological and social change,” added Harte.

DECEMBER 2020

John Harte

31

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The Basics of Stakeholder Management CLICK TO WATCH | 14:48

33

“ Think of stakeholder management as an investment in brand, reputation and building social licence rather than a necessary evil or ‘just another’ business process” — John Harte, Advisory Member of The Chairman’s Network (Australia)

Like so many organisations and business operations, stakeholder management has not escaped the impact of COVID-19. With businesses facing reduction in employee numbers and financial budget, Harte has seen “some companies required to cut their engagement in the face of the crisis due to personnel, budget and business prioritisation issues which have demanded a focus on the urgent rather than the important.”

In addition, Harte has seen the loss of opportunities to meet in person due to the need to maintain social busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

L E A D E R S H I P A N D S T R AT E G Y

34 T H E C H A L L E N G E S O F S TA K E H O L D E R M A N A G E M E N T

1. To value it, to embrace it and to be authentic in using stakeholder management to genuinely improve outcomes for the business and the communities that influence business performance.

2. To invest in stakeholder management in a planned and consistent way rather than a simple, short term and transactional way. To use stakeholder

DECEMBER 2020

management to build engagement and deliver better outcomes rather than simply solve a short-term problem.

3. The way we engage with our stakeholders has to respect the local culture and market dynamics. The approach in a hierarchical culture like Japan will be different to the approach in the UK or the US.

“ Technology – particularly social media – is reducing the barriers to communication and community expectations are evolving” — John Harte, Advisory Member of The Chairman’s Network (Australia)

in isolation, they have had increased time on their hands to engage far more than they would ever do, about a

distancing. Which has resulted in a shift

range of issues that would never have

to a virtual world that demands more

warranted their focus prior to COVID-

attention and focus. Harte believes

19.”. While this is a positive, Harte has

that this approach is “yet to deliver the

also seen people who feel powerless,

affirmation and interaction of being ‘in

overwhelmed and isolated who were

the room’ with people.” Equally Harte

previously active contributors.

has seen two extremes emerge due

Ultimately, when it comes to the

to the impact of COVID-19 and social

future of stakeholder management

distancing measures, “For some people

in light of COVID-19, Harte expects

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

35

L E A D E R S H I P A N D S T R AT E G Y

T H E I M P O R TA N C E O F S TA K E H O L D E R M A N A G E M E N T IN A GLOBAL CRISIS SUCH AS COVID-19

36

Arguably being one of the most vital elements of a business’ operations as the pandemic brought about widespread disruption and confusion, Deloitte identifies the importance of keeping key internal and external stakeholders informed as the situation unfolded, as well as the impact and implementation of response measures.

Practical steps to take to ensure that internal and external stakeholders remain informed 1. Assemble a cross functional crisis response and communication team

to see an increased level of engagement, with a need for discipline to

2. Communicating with employees early and often

focus on important issues and the

3. Engage with critical suppliers

instead of general interest topics.

4. Remain in contact with key stakeholders

tions to get the most out of their

things that will make a difference, With this in mind, for organisastakeholder management operations, Harte details the importance of being clear about what is trying to

DECEMBER 2020

“The really smart companies are spending more time understanding and engaging with their influencers in a time of technological and social change” — John Harte, Advisory Member of The Chairman’s Network (Australia)

be achieved and who is responsible

engagement as a way to build, grow

for the tasks required to achieve it.

and sustain a social licence with

“Create clear expectations, roles,

key influencers and groups that the

responsibilities and boundaries, as

organisation needs to achieve its

well as understand the risks and

goals and influence its work. “Think

make sure that they are managed,

of stakeholder management as an

mitigated and monitored,” comments

investment in brand, reputation and

Harte. In addition to maintaining

building social licence rather than a

clear communication, it is also

necessary evil or ‘just another’ busi-

important to look at stakeholder

ness process,” states Harte. busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

37

H U M A N C A P I TA L

38

DECEMBER 2020

AI: The Key to Producing an Enriched & Engaging Environment WRITTEN BY

GEORGIA WILSON

39

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

H U M A N C A P I TA L

Expected to be a significant business advantage in the future, Business Chief APAC looks at the adoption of AI and human collaboration in APAC’s HR THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) LANDSCAPE IN THE ASIA PACIFIC (APAC) REGION With an expected total value of US$156.bn as 2020 40

comes to a close, artificial intelligence (AI) technology is predicted - by 72% of executives - to be the most significant business advantage as we look to the future. Despite the economic impact of COVID19, the International Data Corporation (IDC) expects investments in AI to recover, projecting that the worldwide revenue will surpass US$300bn by 2024.

While Gartner predicts that global AI will be incorporated into 47% of organisations’ HR functions by 2022, research conducted by Protiviti indicates that specifically the APAC region is adopting the technology at a faster rate than others around the world. Protiviti’s report found that, compared to Europe (7%) and North America (11%), 22% of organisations in APAC are at advanced stages of deployment.

DECEMBER 2020

41

This indication is also apparent in a study conducted by Oracle and Future Workplace, which identified that 80% of APAC countries highlighted that over 50% of their workers are currently using some form of AI in their working environment, Specifically, 77% of workers in China and 78% in India have adopted AI, while the numbers in France and the United Kingdom are significantly lower at just 32% and 38% respectively. busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

64% of people surveyed trust robots more than their managers. Oracle’s geographic findings ranged from 90% in India, 88% in China, 84% in Singapore, 76% in Japan and 58% in Australia/ New Zealand.

THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN HR

Challenges: • The misconception that implementing AI eliminates human intelligence

Benefits:

from HR. “This is far from the case.

• Increased accuracy when it

Investment in AI provides human

comes to hiring, for long-term

agents the ability to handle tasks

operational success. “Organisations

demanding attention, enhancing

can use predictive algorithms to

the entire cycle of the employee

estimate a potential candidate’s

experience. AI-powered chatbots,

fit for a position, and funnel the

in particular, make HR processes

selection process to allow for

simpler, faster and safer, facilitating

the best fitment in a given situa-

fluid two-way dialogues between

tion,” says Aditya Arora, CEO of

remote employees and senior

Teleperformance India.

leaders – with more personalised experiences,” says Aditya Arora,

• Reduced bias in the hiring pro-

CEO of Teleperformance India.

cess. “AI can be programmed to ignore demographic information

• The ability to keep up with the

about candidates that typically

pace of technological changes in

leads to biased human decision-

the workplace. Oracle reports that

making,” says Aditya Arora, CEO

76% of workers and 81% of HR lead-

of Teleperformance India.

ers find this challenging. busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

43

H U M A N C A P I TA L

APAC HR operations, 76% of talent

THE FUTURE OF HUMANS AND AI COLLABORATION IN HR

acquisition professionals are already

“AI will be the key to optimising

using AI, reporting its capabilities of

manpower and gaining critical efficien-

generating high quality candidates and

cies in the coming months, so that

reducing bias in the recruiting process.

time can be better spent on value-

Oracle and Future Workplace’s study

added, strategic, and creative tasks,”

found that, specifically in the APAC

comments Aditya Arora, CEO of

region, 53% of people think robots

Teleperformance India. By combining

can provide unbiased information and

the technology with human capabili-

feedback that is better than managers.

ties, the automation of back-office HR

When it comes to humans and AI in

processes is cutting down the time spent on manual, low-value tasks, 44

allowing organisations to benefit from more effective operations, with human time spent on more value-adding tasks.

“ AI will be the key to optimising manpower and gaining critical efficiencies in the coming months, so that time can be better spent on valueadded, strategic, and creative tasks” — Aditya Arora, CEO of Teleperformance India DECEMBER 2020

AI in HR: What is all the fuss about? | AIHR Learning Bite CLICK TO WATCH | 5:01

45 Reflecting on the industry long term,

recruitment chatbots are also experi-

it is expected that the use of AI for

encing an increase in adoption due to

talent acquisition will continue to rise

the technology’s capability to better

as digital hiring models become more

engage with candidates at the first

advanced. “Automated hiring software

stage of interest in a role. “Capable

can eliminate the need for manual

of popping up on social media net-

background checks and seamlessly

works, the bots are designed to ask

identify appropriate candidates from

interested candidates a series of

untapped talent pools,” says Arora.

frequently asked questions, such as,

“As digital hiring models become more

‘what is your previous work experi-

advanced, recruiters will spend less

ence?’ or ‘what qualifications do you

time screening applicants, freeing

have?’ The responses are then synced

their bandwidth to create personalised

into an application tracking system, so

employee experiences.” In addition to

no friction is added to the user’s online

automated hiring software, automated

experience,” adds Arora. busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

H U M A N C A P I TA L

Another use case on the rise is the adoption of gamification as an alternative to classroom learning programs. Arora has seen the use of this technology in the HR environment “proving its worth across the employee lifecycle. New starters can benefit from an improved learning experience, with a focus on self-learning modules and gamified versions of training sessions.”

Ultimately the use of AI in HR is expected to be a collaborative tool 46

that can produce a more enriched and engaging work environment as well as a greater capacity for wider business operations.

COVID-19’S IMPACT ON THE COLLABORATION OF HUMANS AND AI Whether it be positively or negatively, organisations and their operations around the world have faced significant impact from COVID-19, which has ultimately led to a shift in the way that organisations work. “The way we work, and subsequently the way we manage dispersed workforces, has been changed forever by COVID-19.

HR leaders have had to grapple with DECEMBER 2020

“ As digital hiring models become more advanced, recruiters will spend less time screening applicants, freeing their bandwidth to create personalised employee experiences” — Aditya Arora, CEO of Teleperformance India

the challenges of keeping the remote workforce productive and satisfied, while keeping service delivery high and costs low,” reflects Arora.

In the ‘new normal’ that organisations are faced with, employees are embracing engaging remote working environments, supported by cloud-based platforms. “In these unprecedented times, the cloud has become an organisation’s primary if not exclusive - means of keeping employees motivated, supported, and productive – anytime, anywhere,” adds Arora.

T H E I M P O R TA N C E O F H AV I N G T H E R I G H T M I N D S E T A N D C U LT U R E W H E N I T C O M E S T O H U M A N A N D A I C O L L A B O R AT I O N I N H R

“With wider business disruption taking place across industries, the need for a continuous learning culture has never been more important for growth. Alongside AI’s potential for improving learning and development, HR leaders need to drive positive cultural change with the necessary leadership support. An

organisation’s focus should be on responding to employees’ changing needs. HR managers should always ensure AI adoption is modified to make the organisation more agile, and to suit the organisation’s culture, rather than disrupt it.”

Aditya Arora, CEO of Teleperformance India

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

47

H U M A N C A P I TA L

48

DECEMBER 2020

“ The way we work, and subsequently the way we manage dispersed workforces, has changed forever

by COVID-19” — Aditya Arora, CEO of Teleperformance India In addition to cloud based platforms, COVID-19 has accelerated the implementation of AI powered performance management tools. These tools provide technology-enabled learning and development opportunities, which can be assessed, measured, tracked and provide feedback via AI that is accurate, consistent and of high quality.

“As a result, we can expect to see an ongoing trend towards the adoption of holistic cloud-based platforms and automated technologies in the back-office. As organisations race to contingency plan and prepare for unknown circumstances, organisations will ramp up their uptake of these virtual technologies to maintain consistent and seamless delivery.” busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

49

C O R P O R AT E F I N A N C E

50

KPMG:

FIVE MINUTE EXPERT INSIGHT ON INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT WRITTEN BY GEORGIA WILSON

DECEMBER 2020

51

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

C O R P O R AT E F I N A N C E

BUSINESS CHIEF GAINS EXPERT INSIGHT ON INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT BENEFITS AND TRENDS FROM FUAD CHAPRA, HEAD OF FAMILY BUSINESS, KPMG (SAUDI ARABIA) Fuad Chapra, Head of Family Business at KPMG in the Saudi Levant Cluster, and Head of Advisory 52

in the western region of Saudi Arabia, started his career at KPMG in 2014. Chapra’s responsibilities at KPMG include: leading M&A transactions, group restructuring assignments and business valuations, as well as specialised advisory services to the government of Saudi Arabia and leading family businesses. Prior to KPMG, Chapra has held executive positions at Panda Retail Company and the Savola Group.

WHAT IS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SUCH SERVICES? Investment management is the service provided by professionals in the management of financial assets and investment assets for an entity or an individual based on an agreed upon investment plan.

DECEMBER 2020

53

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“ BLOCKCHAIN COULD SAVE INVESTMENT MANAGERS APPROXIMATELY US$2.7BN THROUGH THE USE OF DISTRIBUTED MARKET INFRASTRUCTURE”” — Fuad Chapra, Head of Family Business at KPMG (Saudi Levant Cluster) and Head of Advisory in the western region of Saudi Arabia

in their investment that matches their risk profile and the desired investment horizon, commonly through the investment in funds.

Furthermore, investment management service providers would typically work to re-balance the investment portfolios based on the latest trends and analysis, thereby taking this burden away from the investor.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND WHEN ARE THESE TYPES OF SERVICES BENEFICIAL FOR BUSINESSES? There are costs associated with investments through an investment management service provider – the

Professional investment manage-

fee that is required to be paid to the

ment services offer a wide array of

investment manager. This could

benefits. The primary benefit to investors is that this allows them to obtain advice and recommendations from experts in the field of investment and those that specialise in various types of investment.

More importantly for individual investors, investment management services allow an easier means for the investor to achieve diversification busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

55

C O R P O R AT E F I N A N C E

of the performance of the endowments of Yale and Harvard, both of which are amongst the largest university endowments in the world. With a staff of 30, Yale believes in the model of managing investment managers. Harvard, on the other hand, has had staff up to more than 200 individuals and performed a hybrid of selecting its own investments and managing investor managers.

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS IN THE SECTOR?

56

Similar to other industries, technology either be on the basis of a percentage

has become increasingly important to

of assets under management and/or a

enhance customer experience. This

percentage of profits over a specified

includes digital onboarding of new cus-

amount. This implies that if the inves-

tomers and providing transparent and

tor had invested in the same assets by

up-to-date information on the status

themselves, then the investor would

of the customers’ investments.

generate a higher return.

Furthermore, there has been a sig-

In addition to the benefits mentioned

nificant rise of robo-advisors which

earlier, engaging with an investment

automate investment management

management firm allows businesses to

through the use of algorithms, and

focus their efforts on their core opera-

thereby making investment management

tions. Furthermore, it allows the business

services more accessible for a wider

to have flexibility when they want to

demographic, as well as an increase in

change their investment strategy. A

availability of exchange traded funds that

good example of this is the comparison

aim to mirror performance of a particular

DECEMBER 2020

REDUCING INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COSTS WITH BLOCKCHAIN Settlements and contracts

all activity is verified and accurate.

By harnessing blockchain, invest-

Ultimately, this can reduce the time

ment managers can benefit from

and costs associated with conduct-

its smart controls and automation

ing verifications.

capabilities. With Blockchain’s business rules and computer protocols,

Audits

investment managers can run settle-

Blockchain technology can eliminate

ments without human interference

human error for investment manag-

and facilitate, verify, or enforce the

ers, by using real time track and trace

negotiation or performance of

audit trails.

a contract. Transaction ledgers Conducting transactions on block-

Infrastructure

chain technology, all parties can

Adopting blockchain technology

gain transparent access to the

reduces transaction costs, as well as

data via a distributed network.

the need for infrastructure and the

This type of transaction can not

associated costs.

57

be altered without permission from the network, which means

Source: Accenture and IBM

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

C O R P O R AT E F I N A N C E

a significant impact on investment

WITH THE WORLD CURRENTLY FACING WIDESPREAD DISRUPTION DUE TO COVID-19, WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT ON INVESTOR MANAGEMENT, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE WILL LOOK LIKE?

management services. As an example,

COVID-19 has caused significant mar-

Castalone estimated that blockchain

ket volatility, a reduction in deal volume

could save investment managers

and uncertainty in asset valuation. As a

approximately US$2.7bn through the

result, many investors have sought to

use of distributed market infrastructure.

shift towards less risky investments. In

Last but not least, artificial intelligence

contrast, sovereign wealth funds have

and machine learning are also antici-

seen this as an opportunity to acquire

pated to change the way investment

equity investments at attractive valua-

managers make investment decisions.

tions. COVID-19 has also accelerated

index. The US ETF market is expected to continue to be largest. However, the European ETF market is projected to have more aggressive growth.

Blockchain is also expected to have

58

AI & Manufacturing in Asia — Opportunities, Challenges and Solutions: Microsoft Asia CLICK TO WATCH | 3:02

DECEMBER 2020

59

digital transformation across all industry

as well. This includes opening and

segments, thereby warranting renewed

enhancing channels for digital wealth

diligence on investment recommenda-

and robo-advisory in addition to lev-

tions. In particular, equity investments in

eraging digital to enhance the overall

companies that may have traditionally

customer experience. It is important to

performed well may not necessarily be

note that the move towards digital will

a good investment if they fail to digitise

also increase the importance of cyber-

their business model and adjust to the

security and ensuring the protection of

new normal.

customer data. In terms of investment

Similarly, investment management

strategy, post COVID-19, investment

companies should seek an acceler-

management service providers are likely

ated pace of digitisation for themselves

going to seek out undervalued assets. busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

D I G I TA L S T R AT E G Y

What Does it Mean to be a Digital Brand?

WRITTEN BY

GEORGIA WILSON

60

DECEMBER 2020

Business Chief speaks with leaders from McKinsey, Toluna and Ebiquity on what it means to be a digital brand and the best strategy to drive value

T

here are a number of definitions for what constitutes a digital brand. In this roundtable, leading experts look at the difference

between digitally native companies and how tra-

ditional companies are becoming digital. Business Chief also gains insight into what it means to be a digital brand in today’s world, as well as the ways in which companies can drive the most value out of their digital brand strategy.

THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THE ROUNDTABLE INCLUDE: JP: Jesko Perrey, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company MM: Michele Morelli, EVP, Global Marketing Strategy, Toluna AM: Angus McLean, Director at Ebiquity

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61

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“ It is virtually impossible to segment a traditional brand from a digital brand today because social media and the internet are ubiquitous” — Michele Morelli, EVP, Global Marketing Strategy, Toluna

WHAT IS A DIGITAL BRAND? JP: ‘Digital brand’ can often be misleading because too many companies

T H E I M PA C T O F C O V I D -1 9

think that it’s simply doing what you already do but using digital channels.

Thanks to COVID-19, the adoption of digital that would have happened across all industries in a five to 10-year period happened in six months.

Essentially, COVID-19 has stolen companies’ time to prepare for this development.

Combine that with the latest and greatest trends which are personalisation, being human and being socially responsive and my advice would be: be yourself and don’t try to play an artificial game.

This is much more about a mindset. A digital brand is a brand that anticipates and is responsive to their customers’ needs. To do this at scale, companies rely on flexible technologies, comprehensive data sets, and advanced analytics. Given the profound shift to digital during COVID-19, every brand needs to be a digital brand.

MM: There are two ways to look at digital brands. One is a brand that exists solely within the ecosystem of the digital environment. Huffington Post and Twitter are both digital brands. The other, and more interesting, perspective is digital brand as

Jesko Perrey, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company

part of a ‘traditional’ brand’s identity and strategy that acknowledges and leads with the importance of its online presence, user experience and busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

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D I G I TA L S T R AT E G Y

engagement. It is virtually impossible

being developed in a productive way.

to segment a traditional brand from

Influencer marketing, for better or

a digital brand today because social

worse, is also part of digital marketing.

media and the internet are ubiquitous.

The steps from an unboxing video viewing to purchase are much shorter than

64

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO DIGITAL BRANDS?

for personalisation in messaging and

MM: One trend we are seeing is

communications. Especially in the

the continued blurring of brand and

current environment, digital brands

acquisition marketing. The stand-

are expected to not only adapt their

ard customer journey path taught

communications messaging and

35 years ago has been completely

tone to reflect the circumstances,

disrupted. The path to purchase is

but to change their product and ser-

not linear; today it’s more a jumbled

vices offering. This is where market

mess. People are consuming content

research – especially platform-based,

for entertainment and the ‘time-to-

agile research – is key.

in a non-digital world.

Another trend is the greater need

purchase’ window has been greatly

JP: Two stand out. One is person-

reduced across the board. In social

alisation, which is the ability to tailor

media, shoppable posts are now

offers, products, services, and communications to individual customers wherever they are in their decision journey. These brands harness technology and insights to always be relevant to their customers. The other is the ability to continually pivot and innovate. That requires an operating model that constantly looks for new opportunities and develops new ways to tap those opportunities so they can

DECEMBER 2020

FoRfest2020 - Brand Building by Responding to Shifting Consumer Needs in Real-Time CLICK TO WATCH | 31:23

65 stay ahead of competitors wherever

will fall and the friction for consumers

they emerge.

to purchase from these brands will erode away. We have already seen the

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE FOR DIGITAL BRANDS WILL LOOK LIKE?

introduction of seamless, one-touch,

AM: The future was always bright for

stores and Amazon marketplace.

digital brands, a growing and highly

However, COVID has accelerated

connected customer base, easily

digital transformation among almost all

accessible target audiences through

companies to varying degrees, includ-

major digital platforms, being able to

ing traditional incumbents.

end-to-end ecommerce with Facebook

move faster than larger more traditional

JP: The human touch is becoming

competitors and not being restricted

hugely important. In response, digital

by geography or physical retail. As

brands will get more human and more

the world moves evermore online, the

personal. They will be much smarter in

barriers to entry for new digital brands

terms of spending and more diligent in busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

D I G I TA L S T R AT E G Y

measurement and optimisation. The variety of channels is so huge now, and the ways that customers use them change so often, that brands have to be much more diligent about how they spend. Across all countries measured in our global consumer sentiment surveys, consumers revealed that they are turning to digital and reduced-contact ways of accessing products and services. In the UK, 71% of consumers stated that they had tried a new shopping behaviour, with 16% stating that they had tried a 66

new digital shopping method. As these habits further evolve, granular data analysis and disciplined marketing-performance management will be essential for brands to stay in touch with their customers and drive MROI. In addition, we’re seeing corporate

“ The human touch is becoming hugely social topics (such as Black Lives Matter important. In response, and diversity) driving the consumer digital brands will get agenda. As such, there are many potential areas for getting it wrong. Again, this more human and more is really about developing deep and personal” purpose, environmental considerations,

the balance of individual time and all

meaningful connections with customers based on a deep understanding of what

they care about, want, and need.

DECEMBER 2020

— Jesko Perrey, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company

67

MM: Voice and audio will be the next

aren’t using a click to engage. Audio

frontier for digital brands. It’s impor-

branding and sound logos will become

tant to note that digital brands evolve

increasingly important.

as consumer behaviour evolves. And what their presence looks like in a more

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF A DIGITAL BRAND?

non-visual world. Right now, UX, UI and

JP: The basics still hold: you need to

design are an integral part of a digital

provide something that your custom-

brand, but brands must think about what

ers value. But with ‘digital’ at the core,

interactions will look like when people

you can react more quickly, test new

now, digital brands need to understand

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

D I G I TA L S T R AT E G Y

68

opportunities cheaply, be much

Marketers have to work closely with IT,

more precise about how you con-

sales, operations, finance, etc, to make

nect with customers, and go after a

digital work. On the other hand, just

much more granular and widespread

because digital gives you the oppor-

set of opportunities. Is it even possible

tunity to do more doesn’t mean that

to be a ‘non-digital’ brand in today’s

you should do it. Privacy, security and

environment?

purpose are all issues that consumers

The challenges are huge. On the

care deeply about, and brands need to

one hand, it requires a new order of

continually balance how they want to

collaborative leadership to manage

connect with customers with the need

the complexity of technology and

to maintain trust with them.

data-driven marketing at an unprecedented degree of granularity.

DECEMBER 2020

MM: All brands are now digital brands. The differentiators are;

“ Is it even possible to be a ‘non-digital’ brand in today’s environment?”

— Jesko Perrey, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company

brands in reaching potential customers on digital platforms. Another benefit of being a digital brand is the ability to turn on, turn off and change strategy quickly based on data and insights gathered through digital channels.

Being able to dynamically and at reasonably low cost produce and

prioritisation of digital, emphasis on

iterate creative, product messaging

the UX and UI and integration of digi-

to what works is a huge advantage.

tal platforms in customer service and

However, building consumer confi-

products. This all equates to simplicity

dence and brand credibility without a

for the consumer. For instance, with

physical retail presence is a challenge.

digital, you can open a bank account

Can your brand be trusted to deliver?

quickly to secure the best interest

Does it actually exist or is there risk of

rate online. The offline method seems

an online scam?

obsolete and laborious. The benefit

Many small businesses establish-

is clear: the better and easier it is for

ing themselves as digital first brands

consumers to do business with you,

are bootstrapping and don’t have the

the more market share you gain.

deep pockets to compete with more

However, for all digital brands,

established brands. As with any small

customer service is challenging and

business, people are wearing many

must be a top priority. If you need to

hats and might be the HR, marketing

reach an actual person at Facebook

and logistics person in one. However

or Google to fix a problem or answer a

the ability to find talented contrac-

question, good luck! Customer service

tors and online tools to help has never

doesn’t exist for some of these large

been easier. Many online brands out-

digital brands. Amazon got this right.

source key functions like shipping and

AM: A major benefit is the ability to

logistics and never actually house the

compete against well-established

physical product. busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

69

D I G I TA L S T R AT E G Y

WHEN IT COMES TO DIGITAL BRANDS WHAT IS THE BEST STRATEGY AND APPROACH TO DRIVE THE MOST VALUE?

‘learn to walk before you run.’ A good

JP: You need to pull it back to the prin-

ferentiation) and which really focuses on

ciple of good marketing/branding. The

what your brand stands for. In addition,

rules of good marketing and branding

one of the key features for an effective

are being distinctive and being differenti-

strategy is the right people. Key people

ated. That’s particularly important to

are the core differentiator and make

revisit now as consumers are re-evalu-

the magic happen. They are the scarc-

ating what’s important to them and their

est resource in digital and non-digital

families. Even more important is the rule,

brands. Another is to combine creativity

70

DECEMBER 2020

digital strategy, therefore, is a strategy that focuses on the core elements (dif-

(often an element that is underplayed in digital brands) and match it with superior advanced analytics to ensure long-term success. Advanced analytics allow you to personalise, select elements that are appropriate, and allow you to spend efficiently. When companies get that right, their investments generate value quickly

“ The ability to find talented contractors and online tools to help has never been easier” — Angus McLean, Director at Ebiquity

and they develop strong relationships based on trust with their customers.

within an organisation. Moving offline

MM: Put the customer at the centre of

research processes online allows you

your strategy. Understand: how do they

to keep the customer close while also

engage online, where they are going, and

maintaining the integrity and quality of

what content are they consuming? As a

your research.

digital brand, these questions are para-

71

AM: The most effective strategy is one

mount. Digital tracking is an effective

that gets implemented, which generally

way to spot changes in digital search and

means keeping it simple. Defining the

buying behavior. With access to in-app

vision and setting goals, establishing a

buying behaviour and mobile search, our

timeline and clearly communicating the

clients use digital tracking to understand

strategy to everyone who needs to be

when and how consumers shop. Brands

involved. A strategy cannot be effective

should also focus on user centric design.

if people are not aware of it and have not

A good UX designer always has the con-

bought into the vision.

sumer at the centre of their design. With

Management support is also key to

this approach, users are at the centre of

any digital initiative. They require invest-

every step of the design process.

ment in tools and people but progress

Digital is not only about the external,

is better than standing still so don’t over

it’s about the internal. Employing digital

complicate it. Set goals, use data, test,

technology in areas like research speeds

iterate, support successes and learn

up decision-making and creates agility

from failures. busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

TECHNOLOGY

72

DECEMBER 2020

Cisco:How to Get the Most Value Out of IoT WRITTEN BY

GEORGIA WILSON

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

73

TECHNOLOGY

Business Chief speaks with Vikas Butaney, Vice President & General Manager, Cisco IoT on how to get the most value out of the internet of things (IoT) TAKING IT BACK TO BASICS, WHAT IS IOT? Vikas Butaney, Vice President and General Manager of Cisco IoT, defines the internet of things (IoT) as a set of technologies that extends connectivity to edge devices and a wide range of ‘things’ to extract value from business data 74

and accelerate digitalisation. An example of IoT powered devices in an operational setting include automated robots that need to work 24/7 with no interruption in their communications in a pick and pack distribution centre or manufacturing facility.

In all cases where IoT is deployed, Butaney emphasises the importance of a secure and reliable communication system as foundational to success with this technology.

“ Securely connecting IoT devices is paramount” — Vikas Butaney, Vice President & General Manager, Cisco IoT

DECEMBER 2020

61% of enterprises show a high level of IoT maturity, Gartner

75bn of enterprises show a high level of IoT maturity, Gartner

127 new devices are connect to the Internet every second, McKinsey

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

75

ericsson.com/ 5g-switch

Move towards zero touch, cut down on time

Ericsson.

The 5G switch made easy.

With automated provisioning and insight-driven service assurance, Ericsson Dynamic Orchestration simplifies operations, moving you closer to the zero-touch experience.

This means greater savings and shorter time to market.

TOP FIVE TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING AN IOT STRATEGY

3. Establish cross-functional teams

1. Be strategic and maintain focus.

4. Ensure that technology partners

It is important to understand the

have a high level of experience in

objectives and use cases before

your industry and the market power

designing IoT connectivity and

to maintain business operations for

solutions.

decades. Butaney notes that “these

that have shared business objectives.

types of operational settings have a 2. Avoid having a site by site, custom deployment of IoT. Instead, define

long shelf life. It is important to make sure that IoT solutions do too.”

company-wide standards, which are deployed step by step across

5. In addition to ensuring technology

the company as facilities are

partners have a high level of indus-

built or refreshed. “This standard

try experience, it is also important to

approach will drive the greatest

engage IoT partners at every stage

amount of efficiency at all levels

to accelerate learning and over-

of the organisation.”

come challenges. busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

77

TECHNOLOGY

“ Video and mission critical communications over wireless are exploding edge bandwidth requirements and requiring new wireless technologies to support near-zero latency connectivity” — Vikas Butaney, Vice President & General Manager, Cisco IoT

THE CHALLENGES IOT Complexity: frequently operational settings across industries are legacy

78

THE BENEFITS IOT

systems that have been around for

Productivity improvements: the

decades. As a result rolling out new

capabilities of IoT are enabling

solutions with IoT can be complex.

improved operational efficiency such as: reduced downtime, improved

Security: when deploying IoT solu-

resilience and efficiency, as well as

tions, organisations need visibility

improved output and speed.

on what is connected and potential threats. It is important for organisa-

New customer experiences:

tions to leverage IoT security tools

Cisco’s Control Center connects

to ensure that they are not vulnerable

over 60 million cars, enabling new

to cyberattacks.

driver experiences, shile machine builders and device makers use

Scalability: With IoT being com-

Cisco Control Center to connect

plex to deploy and manage at scale.

100 million devices offering their

Butaney explains that IoT projects

customers new capabilities.

require a strong partnership between IT and OT in order to build scalable

Improving the way people work:

and secure projects for lower lifetime

improving workplace safety, produ-

TCO. “Bespoke projects are hard to

tivity, efficiency and revenue.

sustain over time.”

DECEMBER 2020

Vikas Butaney, Cisco | Cisco Live EU Barcelona 2020 CLICK TO WATCH | 17:49

79

IOT TRENDS TO KEEP AN EYE ON AS WE COME TO THE END OF 2020

for high bandwidth, low latency wire-

With 75 billion IoT devices expected

devices on the move, “this wireless

to be connected by 2025, Butaney

connectivity to ‘things’ in motion is

details that “securely connecting IoT

frequently much more demanding

devices is paramount,” but requires

than connecting data to people over

a new level of security vigilance than

wireless. Video and mission critical

before. As a result it is important to

communications over wireless in min-

implement IoT security solutions out-

ing, ports, manufacturing, trains and

side of traditional network firewalls.

roadways are exploding edge band-

In doing this, IoT devices can be con-

width requirements and requiring new

nected securely and continuously

wireless technologies to support near-

monitored for potential threats.

zero latency connectivity.”

less. With the increase in connected

Another key trend highlighted by

In addition to security and high band-

Butaney is the increased demand

width, low latency wireless, Butaney busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

TECHNOLOGY

E M E R G I N G I O T T R E N D S A S A R E S U LT O F C O V I D - 1 9

80

IoT has become a CXO-level conversation again: IoT’s value proposition is rapidly expanding from productivity, efficiency, and new services to enabling the board-level topic of 2020 - business resiliency. Businesses need to rapidly adjust operations based upon the workforce availability, supply chain interruptions, and changing customer expectations – exactly the places where IoT now sits.

IoT is delivering secure remote operations: over the last few years, the focus for IoT was on connecting devices to tap into new data for analytics. Now, in response to COVID, there is an added requirement to enable remote operations for both business resiliency and cost efficiency. This will fundamentally change how IoT devices will be connected.

DECEMBER 2020

IoT is now accelerating the move to a new class of networking: companies need secure remote access to IoT devices for diagnostics and remote technicians, in addition to remote controlling and operating IoT devices. This new dependence on IoT raises the bar on secure remote access requirements, including: • Connectivity for IoT devices requiring increased bandwidth • Extremely low latency wireless connectivity for applications at high speed • C ybersecurity to protect expansion of the threat surface • Network automation to make deploying and managing IoT devices at scale doable with finite resources • Edge computing for when going to the cloud is too slow to support real-time edge processes and analysis is needed closer to the IoT device

81 highlights the role 5G will play in the

weaknesses that address specific

future of IoT. “Wireless technologies

goals. The same is true for connectiv-

are a key pillar of IoT and 5G has

ity needs in IoT deployments.”

huge promise,” comments Butaney,

With organisations needing a

who also states that, by 2023, 34%

cohesive strategy that doesn’t result

of all mobile connections will be IoT

in costs, complexity and security

connections, up from 13% in 2018.

risks, particularly in a post COVID-19

However, he does emphasise that

world, Butaney explains that there is

there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.

an increased need for business resil-

“Think of your mobile phone: one type

iency and remote operations. “These

of wireless technology doesn’t meet

needs are driving an evolution of

all your needs. You have LTE/5G

automation systems to be more end-

cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and

to-end connected, more autonomous,

NFC - at least five wireless technolo-

and able to be remotely supervised

gies - each with their strengths and

via IoT connectivity.” busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

TECHNOLOGY

82

“ This wireless connectivity to ‘things’ in motion is frequently much more demanding than connecting data to people over wireless” — Vikas Butaney, Vice President & General Manager, Cisco IoT DECEMBER 2020

Butaney recommends a four-step process for picking the right IoT wireless technology to reduce costs, complexity and security risks: 1. Decide what IoT device you are going to connect 2. Decide the application requirements - latency, reliability, cost, thrupu, etc 3. Decide the deployment scope indoors or outdoors, over miles or a few hundred feet 4. Assess the technology options against those requirements Overall, Butaney expects IoT to continue to deliver radical transformation across industries. “In a sense, the future is now. IoT is already critical today for many businesses. This will only become more pervasive.” Just a few examples of the future and

Combined, businesses, governments and consumers will invest nearly

US$1.6trn to install IoT solutions in 2020, PwC

current impacts of IoT include: connecting intersections to reduce traffic and improve road safety; connecting robots to reduce machine downtime through predictive maintenance; and connecting workers to improve worker safety ( measuring worker proximity in an age of pandemics). busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

83

T O P 10

Top 10 APAC Mergers and Acquisitions of the Last Two Decades

84

Business Chief APAC ranks – by year – its top 10 mergers and acquisitions of the past two decades WRITTEN BY

GEORGIA WILSON

DECEMBER 2020

85

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

T O P 10

10

JD.com & Kuayue Express

August 2020 saw JD.com acquire Kuayue Express in a US$43mn deal, fueling its ambitions to be the leading supply chain-based technology and service provider. As part of the deal JD.com’s subsidiary JD Logistics acquired a controlling interest in Kuayue-Express.

“Kuayue Express is a reliable delivery services provider and industry leader in express courier services with innovative technology and advanced operations. Collaborating with Kuayue Express advances our integrated supply chain management, technology initiatives and service expansion to third party merchants. We will leverage our respective advantages and the synergy the collaboration creates to

86

enhance the client experience and increase overall supply chain efficiency for JD and society at large,” commented Zhenhui Wang, CEO of JD Logistics.

DATE OF MERGER

08/13/2020 VALUE USD

$43mn

DECEMBER 2020

DATE OF MERGER

06/28/2020 VALUE USD

$192mn

09

87

KKR & First Gen

With a track record of investing in Southeast Asia, KKR acquired First Gen – an independent power producer – for US$192mn in June 2020.

The acquisition forms a key part of KKR’s Asia infrastructure strategy.

“We are thrilled to make this infrastructure investment in the Philippines in First Gen. We have long viewed First Gen as an exceptional business with a high-caliber leadership team, and we have great respect for the Lopez family for building this strong, wellestablished company,” commented David Luboff, Partner and Head of Asia Pacific Infrastructure at KKR.

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

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T O P 10

08

Bain Capital & Virgin Australia

After Virgin Australia went into voluntary administration in April 2020 as a result of COVID-19, Bain Capital entered into discussion to acquire the airline.

“Bain Capital has spent many hours over the past weeks speaking to us and getting a deep understanding of our business and working to secure a deal with our administrators. We know they are committed to investing in the airline and we are thrilled to be working with them into the future,” commented Paul Scurrah, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Virgin Australia Group.

89

DATE OF MERGER

26/06/2020

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

T O P 10

07

Samsung Electronics & TeleWorld Solutions

For an undisclosed value, Samsung Electronics acquired TeleWorld Solutions in January 2020 to address its need to deliver end-to-end support in delivering network solutions.

As part of the acquisition, TeleWorld Solutions operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics for its American locations.

“The acquisition of TWS will enable us to meet mobile carriers’ growing needs for improving their 4G and 5G networks, and eventually create new opportunities to enhance our service capabilities to our customers,” commented Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics.

90 DATE OF MERGER

13/01/2020

DECEMBER 2020

DATE OF MERGER

08/01/2019

06

Takeda & Shire

91

January 2019 marked the acquisition of Shire by pharmaceutical company Takeda. The acquisition was made by the company with ambitions to drive its goal of becoming a global, values-based, research and development-driven, biopharmaceutical leader.

“We are delighted that the acquisition was approved by an overwhelming majority of our shareholders at Takeda’s extraordinary general meeting on December 5, 2018. We are also pleased to have completed the acquisition several months earlier than expected, which was enabled through the hard work of our respective organisations and the smooth receipt of regulatory clearances,” commented Christophe Weber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Takeda.

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T O P 10

DATE OF MERGER

18/10/2018

05

93

Temasek & Sygnia

October 2018 saw Temasek acquire Sygnia for an undisclosed amount – though rumoured to be US$250mn – to ramp up its cybersecurity business.

“Cyber, in its current magnitude, is a new domain of technology, a new domain of warfare, and a new domain of business. Companies are today confronted with a level of risk which until lately was the realm of militaries and states. We assist them in balancing this asymmetry with ‘military grade security’ – conceptual frameworks, methodologies and technologies built to build resilience and win the battle within their network,” commented Shachar Levy, CEO of Temasek.

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

T O P 10

04

Vodafone India & Idea Cellular merger

August 2018 saw the completion of Vodafone India Ltd’s merger with Idea Cellular Ltd. As part of the merger, Vodafone India rebranded to Vodafone Idea and is jointly controlled by Vodafone and the Aditya Birla Group. Separate to the merger, Aditya Birla Group completed a purchase of a 4.8% stake in Vodafone Idea from Vodafone Group for US$353mn. “The merger creates India’s leading telecoms operator, with nearly 408mn customers. During the 12 months to June 30, 2018, Vodafone India and Idea generated revenue of US$8.4bn,” noted Vodafone in a corporate statement relating to the merger.

94

DATE OF MERGER

13/08/2018

DECEMBER 2020

DATE OF MERGER

18/07/2016 VALUE USD

$31.4bn

03

Softbank & ARM Holdings

95

For a value of US$31.4bn, Softbank acquired – in cash – semiconductor and software design company ARM Holdings in July 2016.

As part of its acquisition, SoftBank intended to keep ARM Holdings as an independent business, investing in the company, supporting its management team, and accelerating its strategy, to fully realise its potential.

“We have long admired ARM as a world-renowned and highly respected technology company that is by some distance the market leader in its field. ARM will be an excellent strategic fit within the SoftBank group as we invest to capture the very significant opportunities provided by the ‘Internet of Things’,” commented Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank.

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Adaptability is no longer an aspiration, it’s a business asset that can help you stay connected to your customers, integrated with your partners, and ahead in your industry.

T O P 10

DATE OF MERGER

28/11/2008

98

02

Westpac Bank & St. George Bank

November 2008 saw Westpac Bank merge with St. George Bank, with a mission to bring together the best of both banks, developing a strong platform for future growth, as well as accelerating its customer-focused strategy.

“The core of our strategy for the combined organisation has always been to retain the distinctive brands and distribution networks of St.George and Westpac. This is reflected in the Treasurer’s conditions. The merger will create an even stronger bank which is important in these times of global economic uncertainty,” commented Ted Evans, Chairman of Westpac Bank.

DECEMBER 2020

99

Westpac Institutional Bank – We are your partners in Change CLICK TO WATCH | 1:53

busi ne ssc hief. a s ia

T O P 10

100

DATE OF MERGER

23/10/2001 DECEMBER 2020

SingTel Australia & Optus Completed in October 2001, Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) acquired all of the outstanding ordinary shares in Cable & Wireless Optus (Optus) that were not acquired by its parent company SingTel Australia, resulting in the parent company holding 100% of the ordinary shares.

“SingTel will still have significant capacity for expansion in the region.

We are definitely not going to stop if the opportunity presents itself,” commented Koh BoonHwee, Chairman of SingTel.

101

Views & insights from a mentee – Terence Koo Commercial Director at SingTel Optus CLICK TO WATCH | 9:18

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102

DECEMBER 2020

Technology Coping with Crisis WRITTEN BY

JOHN O’HANLON PRODUCED BY

KRISTOFER PALMER

103

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YMCA VICTORIA

167 year-old YMCA Victoria is surviving the existential threat of the pandemic thanks to tech solutions and leadership

T

oday YMCA Victoria is a not for profit organisation employing over 5,500 people and providing a wide variety of

services including camps, community recreation and sporting facilities, swimming lessons, as well as children’s programs such as before and after 104

school care, and early learning centres from more than 150 locations across the state of Victoria, Australia’s most populous.

Naturally the YMAC today has evolved as society has evolved, and welcomes all genders, races and religions, though its core commitment to supporting and empowering young people is as strong as ever. Safe to say its founder Sir George Williams couldn’t have predicted this transformation though he’d surely approve. And he’d be sad to learn that problems like social isolation, youth depression and suicide he set out to address then have only grown, or that a new pandemic would threaten the very continuation of not-for-profit organisations like his.

DECEMBER 2020

1853

Year founded

5,500 Number of employees

105

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YMCA VICTORIA

106

“ I could never have response to the industrial revolupredicted that my tion: today we are seeing the third first nine months industrial revolution, and the YMAC is embracing that challenge. with theYMCA In January 2020 YMCA Victoria would see us faced brought in Shane Riddle, an experiwith a pandemic enced ICT professional and CIO, as that would see the General Manager of Technology and Strategy to assess its needs and set the majority of the organisation up to optimise its services, business closed!” simplify and strengthen its internal Williams founded the YMCA in

processes and governance, and make sure the YMCA had the technology and expertise to deliver on its mission.

DECEMBER 2020

— Shane Riddle, General Manager of Technology and Strategy, YMCA Victoria

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

Shane Riddle Title: General Manager of Technology and Strategy Company: YMCA Victoria Industry: Social enterprise Location: Greater Melbourne On his appointment as the YMCA Victoria’s General Manager of Technology & Strategy, Shane Riddle knew he faced a complex challenge to bring the benefits of digitisation to an organisation that had taken only rudimentary steps on that journey but he didn’t think he’d be a crisis leader. In the event he had only seven weeks of ‘normal’ activity before COVID-19 hit.

Everything changed almost overnight. “As a leader I’m not immune to my own doubts and fears on what was happening locally and around the world and where we were going with pandemic. The world was starting to look a very different place. The YMCA’s business model is not-for-profit: with the closure of centres and no revenue, we were facing the very real possibility that this 167 year old organisation was not going to survive.” As a leader and part of the executive team this was a real test of his leadership skills. As the technology leader, his contribution over the next few weeks was critical to the organisation’s survival.

At only seven weeks in at the YMCA, he had a very short time to build rapport with the executive team. “One of the best methods I use when I join any team or organisation, is to create trust, but this is not something that happens overnight. Thrown into the pandemic we were able to rally as an executive. Respect, transparency, collaborating and candour allowed us to work quickly and for me to start influencing the direction of actions we needed to undertake.” busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

107

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#YWeAreHere for Young People | YMCA Victoria CLICK TO WATCH | 0:50

109 Then came Covid-19. Government

5,500 staff, I am proud of what we’ve

restrictions meant that from March

been able to achieve and how we

most of the business (Y activities and

have utilised technology to innovate

services being mainly face-to-face)

through this tough period.”

from recreation centres to camps,

In early April, Australia’s Federal

pools and offices, had to close. The

Government, introduced the

impact was huge: more than 5,200

JobKeeper initiative to minimise job

staff had to be stood down. Shane

losses. “We knew this would be of

Riddle’s job started to look very differ-

great assistance for thousands of

ent: “I could never have predicted that

our staff,” says Riddle. “However it

my first nine months with theYMCA

took several weeks to pass JobKeeper

would see us faced with a pandemic

through parliament and into legisla-

that would see the majority of the busi-

tion.” The details of the process were

ness closed! But while it has been a

not clear, nor what the government

difficult time for the organisation and our

expected from employers to facilitate busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

YMCA VICTORIA

“ We had just over a week from concept to payroll processing to ensure our people could get the back payment before the end-of-April cutoff” — Shane Riddle, General Manager of Technology and Strategy, YMCA Victoria 110

DECEMBER 2020

the self-nomination process so staff could receive the payment. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) finally released a form, to be collected by the employer, outlining the staff member’s nomination. TheYMCA was responsible to hold these forms and advise the ATO of numbers.

Thousands of forms had to be processed, explained, collected, collated and processed into payroll.

The process needed to be robust to pass rigorous ATO audit, and flexible

PA R T N E R S H I P – N O PA N I C

Driven by Covid, with

two days to comply with the ATO’s

almost no time to do it, YMCA

deadline and get eligible staff onto the

Victoria was able to automate

pay cycle to ensure they get paid for

JobKeeper applications.

the month. “We had to ensure that we could get those forms out, get the peo-

Y Victoria had to apply for the JobKeeper support package announced by the Australian Tax Office (ATO) when it had to close more than 150 locations, including swimming pools, gyms, youth programs and camping sites, which had resulted in the standing down of some 5,200 staff.

Introduced by Microsoft, specialist in Power Platform implementation, Melbourne-based Barhead Solutions

ple to review and populate the form, and then send a signed form back,” he said. “Because within the regulations that the ATO had laid out, no one would be paid unless they had a signed form.” The solution also needed to meet good governance requirements in case any of the applications were queried by the ATO later. As well as being easy enough to be used by non-tech savvy users.

developed a solution by which the

Said Barhead founder John Orrock:

application form is pre-populated with

“Our expertise and experience with

an individual’s information required to

Microsoft’s Power Platform allowed us

apply for the support package.

to complete the solution and support

The timeline was more than aggressive: the Y’s GM of Technology and Strategy Shane Riddle reached out at 6pm on a Wednesday asking for a completed solution on Friday the same week! The development of the PowerApp had a turnaround time of

the Y’s team through end-user processing of 5,000+ records. It was a true rapid solution delivery with the appropriate controls.” He also paid tribute to the Y’s approach to teamwork – this was technology partnership at its most effective, agile and result-oriented.

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

111

enough to accommodate individual

we built a replica of the ATO form,

changing circumstances. And all this

we emailed our staff their unique

had to be done in short order. “We

encrypted URL to access their form

had just over a week from concept

as well as details outlining their indi-

to payroll processing to ensure our

vidual circumstances in relation to

people could get the back payment

JobKeeper: the link presented the

before the end-of-April cutoff. Using

ATO form pre-populated with their

a manual approach to this was just

information, allowing the staff to simply

not an option for the size of the task

validate and complete or update any

and organisation.”

incorrect or missing information and

Riddle explains his use of technol-

submit it.”

ogy tools. “Together with our software

On submission, a digital signature

partner Barhead, we used Microsoft

was created, and copies sent to the

PowerApps and 365 Dynamics to

staff member and stored in Dynamics.

achieve this: through PowerApps,

“By using this solution, we were able

DECEMBER 2019

“ Together with our software partner Barhead, we used Microsoft PowerApps and 365 Dynamics to achieve this: through PowerApps, we built a replica of the ATO form” — Shane Riddle, General Manager of Technology and Strategy, YMCA Victoria

staff to review and complete the form.

Microsoft Tech for Social Impact were great support to theYMCA during this rapid development and allowed us to

to automate our processes, reducing

deliver a great platform for our internal

human error, admin hours and associ-

support team.” The rapid turnaround

ated costs” he explains. “Dynamics

had real human impact across the

gave us a platform that our support

organisation by securing JobKeeper

teams could use and refer to as

payments forYMCA staff at a very

they addressed queries from staff:

stressful time, and their feedback bore

across the weekend we asked our

out their appreciation.

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

113

YMCA VICTORIA

The technology Shane Riddle put in place has wider benefits for the business, beyond navigating a crisis and ensure staff were able to receive the full government benefit package. It set the organisation on the route to automate its processes reducing human error, make its data more secure, traceable and auditable, and save costs. Within the business as a whole, the success of the exercise raised the profile of the technology team, and gained them a newfound appreciation.

114

“It highlighted the value technology can bring to all of us at the Y, and was a great example of moving towards a more digitally-savvy and agile culture, something many organisations are having to adapt to amidst the new reality of Covid-19.”

“ We were proud theYMCA introduced online bookings to once again be as facilities were gradually reopened, able to support our with the safety of staff and customers community with inas a priority. Online bookings, perhaps surprisingly, had not previously been person operations” In May as the lockdown was eased

attempted: it was clear, however, that a system would have to be put in place to help restrict numbers and manage compliance with government DECEMBER 2020

— Shane Riddle, General Manager of Technology and Strategy, YMCA Victoria

access to the facility in a fair and equitable way.”

This simple strategy resulted in a real boost for the organisation. Since May, more than 200,000 online bookings have been made at the Y’s aquatic and health and wellness centres. “We were proud to once again be able to support our community with in-person operations, and be able to provide opportunities for many of our staff to return to work. It also took some financial pressure off the organisation, with increased income,” says Shane Riddle as he prepares to meet the further challenges the pandemic will undoubtedly throw up. Meanwhile, the experience has provided a great example of how technology can sustain a vital social enterprise like theYMCA and stimulate guidelines. “As centres reopened,

better service, using digital tools.

customers were able to book via their centre’s website, we created a very simple process for the customers to follow the prompts to book the date and time and make payment. The booking system allowed us to control the headcount at our sites as part of the government restrictions while also ensuring that everybody had the same busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

115

Powering Cell Tower Infrastructure in the Philippines 116

WRITTEN BY

DOMINIC ELLIS PRODUCED BY

STUART IRVING

DECEMBER 2020

117

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

PHILTOWER CONSORTIUM

PhilTower Consortium Chief Operating Officer Rodrigo Araujo is at the forefront of a new industry as it plans a rapid roll-out of cell towers in the Philippines

R

odrigo Araujo, the Chief Operating Officer for PhilTower Consortium, has dialled in from Phnom Penh for our Zoom meeting

and the connection is so clear he could be in the 118

next room. The ease of connectivity seems appropriate for a man who has bold plans to revolutionise Philippines’ cell tower infrastructure.

PhilTower Consortium, which launched late 2019, is one of the first incorporated ITCs in the country. The consortium has a group of international private investors, which specialises in integrated niche infrastructure.

The opportunity is self-evident; the Philippines currently has around 16,000 cell towers for a country of 100 million people. Yet on a whole host of fronts – from sites and capacity, to coverage and quality – the industry has come up short.

“There’s a lot of pressure on operators to improve capacity, especially with the Pandemic,” says Araujo.

DECEMBER 2020

2019

Year founded

500+ Number of employees

119

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

PHILTOWER CONSORTIUM

Whereas in the past the pace

telecommunications, based on the

of change was slow, now there is

IMD World Digital Competitiveness

clear impetus from the government

Rankings of 2020, but that may be

and Department of Information and

because it lags on several key metrics

Communications Technology (DICT),

(58 for internet users, 61 for internet

which issued provisional certificates

bandwidth speeds and 62 for commu-

to 23 tower companies in September,

nications technology).

allowing them to own, construct, man-

Undoubtedly, there is now clear

age and operate common towers

momentum and optimism, and for

hosting cellular sites.

all the challenges associated with

The Philippines has broken into the

COVID-19, it has provided Araujo and

Top 10 countries for investments in

his team with time to develop its supply

120

“ It’s a new business and industry, and the project planning is in place” — Rodrigo Araujo, Chief Operating Officer, PhilTower Consortium

DECEMBER 2020

E X E C U T I V E PR O FILE :

Rodrigo Araujo Title: Chief Operating Officer

Company: PhilTower Consortium

Industry: Cell Tower infrastructure

Location: Philippines

Rodrigo Araujo works with provincial governments and courts partnerships with the Commission of Higher Education (CHED), such as its Smart University and Cities initiatives, to drive innovation and future growth, and supports Secretary Gregorio Honasan in pushing more fair and modern ITC regulations to accelerate the country’s telecom industry. “Our business philosophy is that we should not only be contributing to the development of the industry but also add value to society,” he says. “ I see myself as the client’s ambassador. I align local needs with anticipation of technology trends in or meet client’s expectation with future proof infrastructure and services. I am hands on, work for the team and lead by example by focusing on delivering what was committed.”

He is very protective of the financial stakeholder’s interests, providing comfort and trust so they can be sure that their investments will be maximised and yield strong returns. “ I see ourselves as catalysts, integrating several different technologies in order to meet our client’s demands and provide them future proof solutions that can support their growth and evolution. “ I work closely with our Strategic Partners, interpreting the local industry’s need and translating them into meaningful solutions for our clients and stakeholders. These solutions become the foundations for our success of our delivery to our clients.” “ Human Capital is absolutely paramount, he concludes.

Powerful tools and detailed processes will not generate real value without committed people behind them.”

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

121

PHILTOWER CONSORTIUM

“ The Philippines is the most promising as it has immediate demand” — Rodrigo Araujo, Chief Operating Officer, PhilTower Consortium

chain and business partners. Together with GSM Towers, there has been a 122

lot of work customizing new structure concepts to fit into Philippines standards and requirements and support the high demand of the operators.

Anything up to 50,000 new common

Also, due to the necessity of working

towers could spring up across the

remotely, new tools have been put in

country in the next seven to 10 years,

place, such as automated project man-

according to regional reports. Telcos

agement and development of AI based

may select from the 2,500 sites made

asset control.

available by DICT and contract any

“It’s a new business and industry,” he

of the common tower companies that

continues. “The project planning is in

have signed an MOU with the DICT to

place. There was a lot of work by oper-

put up a cell site infrastructure to be

ators and the government to provide

shared with other telcos and inter-

1,500 permits in a matter of weeks.

ested stakeholders.

The service issues can be minimised

Besides of being used to the usual

and the pace can increase further by

‘high tower approach’, PhilTower

the common towers approach.”

Consortium will focus on small cells,

DECEMBER 2020

he added, and is “close” to signing contracts with Smart Communications and Globe Telecom and is in talks with a third operator, Dito Telecommunity; the latter claims to have completed 1,532 cell towers nationwide and is confident of covering about a third of the population with mobile signals ahead of its January 2021 technical audit.

“We are one of the first on the ground and expect a few hundred sites until end of 2021 and growing rapidly to a few thousands afterwards,” he said.

The ingenious part is the “street furniture”, as he describes it, with

IMD 2020 Digital Competitiveness Ranking CLICK TO WATCH | 1:50

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

123

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“ We expect a few hundred sites until the end of 2021 and growing rapidly to a few thousands afterwards” — Rodrigo Araujo, Chief Operating Officer, PhilTower Consortium

curve. There will be increased efficiencies of CAPEX and reduced costs for

cells able to be erected quickly and

operators,” said Araujo.

efficiently in electricity-style poles,

The impetus coincides with the ubiq-

with the technology embedded within,

uitous push towards 5G and demand

minimsing their impact to local com-

for new apps and revenue streams.

munities. He said they can go up in one

“2G is moving out, there will still be

week, around five less than it takes to

demand for 3G for the next five years

erect a conventional cell tower.

and 4G will be the main tech,” Araujo

For population-dense cities such as Manila – the principal initial focus, along with Luzon Islands, although Mynamar, Malaysia and Indonesia are also in his sights – this is a huge benefit and offers the added benefit of circumventing site acquisition and permitting challenges that accompany larger installations.

“The Philippines is the most promising as it has immediate demand. The new infrastructure is highly optimised.

Operators are still understanding the benefits and there will be a lot of ongoing talks with vendors – it’s a learning busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

125

PHILTOWER CONSORTIUM

126

“ Our business philosophy is that we should not only be contributing to the development of the industry but also value to society” — Rodrigo Araujo, Chief Operating Officer, PhilTower Consortium DECEMBER 2020

adds. “The average costs of MBs will reduce and consumers will have much more capacity. I believe that we can expect something around 25 to 30 per cent of the population having 5G coverage by 2025.”

Telecommunications and digital services provider PLDT recently announced it is poised to ramp up its capital spending in the “foreseeable future”, as it expands its network and 5G roll-out.

127

Alongside the commercial drive,

“Our business philosophy is that we

Araujo says it is working with provincial

should not only be contributing to the

governments and courting partner-

development of the industry but also

ships with the Commission of Higher

value to society,” Araujo concludes.

Education (CHED), such as its Smart University and Cities initiatives, to drive innovation and future growth, and supporting Secretary Gregorio Honasan – who has been extremely active – in pushing more fair and modern ITC regulations to accelerate the country’s telecom industry. busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

128

Embedding Quality in Procurement DECEMBER 2020

129

WRITTEN BY

SHANNON LEWIS PRODUCED BY

CAITLYN COLE

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

CROWN RESORTS LIMITED

Thomas Tuszynski, Head of Procurement – Goods at Crown Resorts, about how the company adds value for its customers by ensuring curating quality throughout its supply chain

F

ounded in 2007, Crown Resorts consists of a mix of hotels, events, conferencing, theatre, gaming, and restaurants across

two properties in Perth and Melbourne. With a mission statement around “creating memorable 130

experiences”, the company instills its core values at every level of the business, particularly as it gears up to open Crown Resorts Sydney in the next 8-12 months.

According to Thomas Tuszynski, Head of Procurement – Goods, the company aims to bring value to the community. “There has to be a level of local provenance,” he explains. “My team and I are making regular trips to Sydney to find the suppliers who can bring that uniqueness to the property and a sense of community.”

Tuszynski has over 20 years’ experience in the procurement field, with the last seven at Crown Resorts. “One thing I like about procurement is you don’t realise how much value you add to the community and the industry,” he says. “I love

DECEMBER 2020

131

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

CROWN RESORTS LIMITED

“ We visit manufacturers ourselves to validate and get a sense of where the item is coming from” — Thomas Tuszynski, Head of Procurement – Goods, Crown Resorts

continues Tuszynski. “We invest that time to go meet the producers and understand their practices.”

Crown Resorts ensures quality by taking advantage of the assets it already has available. “Crown has given me great opportunities to innovate in a procurement function,” states Tuszynski. “It has more flexibility and

132

negotiating terms that are mutually

creativity than most companies.”

beneficial and create value.”

When Tuszynski first started at the

Tuszynski says that, in partner-

company, its two properties oper-

ships, he looks beyond transactional

ated on a decentralised procurement

supplier-customer relationships,

model. Within nine months, his team

seeking parties interested in grow-

shifted into a centralised procurement

ing alongside Crown Resorts. “One

division, leveraging the common-

thing we manage is very good supplier

alities in supplies between Perth and

relationships, trying to go deep,” says

Melbourne. “We were finding new

Tuszynski. He is confident in the value

ways of delivering value rather than

of face-to-face interaction. “When

thinking in isolation,” he continues.

there’s an opportunity to go see a

With over 40 restaurants across

producer in another country, I take it,”

two properties, and more to come

DECEMBER 2020

Crown Towers Awarded Forbes 5 Star Rating CLICK TO WATCH | 1:34

133

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

Thomas Tuszynski Title: Head Of Procurement – Goods

Industry: Hospitality

Location: Greater Melbourne Area A visionary procurement leader with over 15+ years experience in working across various categories in the Automotive, FMCG & Casino industries. Areas where I’ve added value to organisations are in building high performing teams, implementing solutions to balance operational business priorities and strategic category outcomes, negotiating long term sustainable supplier agreements, establishing formal processes to improve supplier relationships/value and creating innovation in the supply chain whilst reducing overall business risk. busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

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CROWN RESORTS LIMITED

once Sydney opens its doors, Crown Resorts optimises spending by buying in bulk and consolidating brands for base kitchen ingredients. “We work with our chefs to choose the most premium ingredients, then go for critical mass and volume to negotiate prices,” Tuszynski says.

When an innovation opportunity crops up, Crown Resorts takes it. It is working alongside its chief stakeholders to find a solution for a food quality problem: employing a chef on the load136

ing dock for all quality assurance (QA) inspection at its Melbourne property.

The role reduced quality issues by 66% and ended up replicated for the Perth and Sydney locations.

tempers by being compliant and

Crown Resorts has also been able to

risk driven. With a catalogue of over

minimize food waste by taking advan-

30,000 items, the company relies

tage of opportunity buys to feed its

on technological tools. Changing

12,500 members of staff, which it does

to barcode scanning has allowed it

complementary. “We have to be on our

to “take the supply chain to the next

toes to ensure we take advantage of

level.” Force to Pay (F2P) systems

opportunities when they occur,” says

let the company do due diligence for

Tuszynski. “But also when something is

its supply partner onboarding pro-

about to hit us and have a risk manage-

cess and manage its contracts and

ment plan to execute.”

spend analytics. “The tool has given

The food industry can be extremely

us good data and lets us effectively

volatile, something Crown Resorts

manage our catalogue,” Tuszynski

DECEMBER 2020

137

says. Its supply relationship tool

work actively on their own brand’s

develops a score for all suppliers

marketing and activation on premise,

based on performance. “We have

growing supply volume in a way that

that record forever,” he continues,

is mutually beneficial.

“we can look at performance over

Partners also bring expertise. M&J

time and reward suppliers who per-

Chickens approached Crown Resorts

form consistently.”

seven years ago to propose supply-

Considering the food industry’s

ing all the company’s poultry, which

volatility, partners like global consuma-

was previously provided by its meat

bles supplier Huhtamaki, which bring

suppliers. As a chicken expert, M&J

assurances around pricing and quality,

was able to connect with chefs to

are extremely valuable. Meanwhile,

improve servicing, and work alongside

innovators like partner Byron Beer

Crown Resorts to solve challenges busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

SAME AGAIN Yep, every single time.

At M&J that’s what we pride ourselves on.

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A little something we made

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

“ We have to be on our toes to ensure we take advantage of opportunities when they occur, but also when something is about to hit us and have a risk management plan to execute” — Thomas Tuszynski, Head of Procurement – Goods, Crown Resorts around pricing and product availability.

Searching for quality can often come at a high cost. As such, Crown Resorts values premium relationships like the one with sourdough bread manufacturer Noisette, which can produce high-quality bread using traditional methods in the large volumes the company requires.

“As a five-star property, quality is something that has to be at the forefront of everything we do, from ingredients to service,” Tuszynski

says. To ensure this, Tuszynski’s team runs fortnightly meetings with the stakeholders at Crown Resorts who deal directly with customers, collaboratively planning ways to enhance customer value. Part of this bid for quality includes embedding the supply chain with ethical sourcing and best practice. Crown Resorts goes through extensive due diligence when onboarding new suppliers, enquiring about environmental status and compliance with modern slave labour legislation. It does random QA checks at the docks to ensure

2007

Year founded

$368mn + Revenue in Aud dollars

30,000

Items in the company catalogue busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

139

CROWN RESORTS LIMITED

“ We were finding new ways of delivering value rather than thinking in isolation” — Thomas Tuszynski, Position and company 140

Live a Little Merrier CLICK TO WATCH | 0:15

DECEMBER 2020

141 proteins meet specifications. It also

few years, the company is looking into

meets regularly with top suppliers and

how it can ensure it continues to add

risk suppliers, discussing innovation

value through that. “Crown is going

and improvement to create greater

from strength to strength,” concludes

transparency along the supply chain.

Tuszynski. “We have the right mix of

“We visit manufacturers ourselves to

people, leadership, and strategy to

validate and get a sense of where the

make our vision happen. The next five

item is coming from,” he explains.

years represent a very exciting time

Over the next three to five years,

for Crown.”

Crown Resorts is looking to optimise its opportunity buys by making a freezer into a warehouse; this will allow it to increase storage capability and reduce how much food goes to landfill.

As food inflation rises over the next busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

142

DECEMBER 2020

Smartfren. BUSINESS Strives to Digitally Transform Indonesia WRITTEN BY

GEORGIA WILSON PRODUCED BY

STUART IRVING 143

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SMARTFREN

Puneet Garg, CTO Enterprise at smartfren. BUSINESS on digitally transforming Indonesia, the current tech and telco trends, and the impact of COVID-19

S

tarting his career in the technology and telecommunications industry in 1991 at HCL Ltd. in India, Puneet Garg brought

27 years of experience in the industry with him when joining Smartfren. BUSINESS in 2019 as 144

the company’s CTO Enterprise. “Working at HCL Ltd. in 1991 as his first job in India after college. Following HCL Ltd. Puneet worked with a few other market leading organisations before joining Smartfren. BUSINESS in 2019, including American Express, Astro in Malaysia, Lucent technologies in Singapore, CTO in Bharti Airtel, Board of Director and CTIO in IndosatM2 and Board of Director and CTO MyRepublic ID. Puneet has been working as a CTO & CIO and Board of Director positions bringing new technologies and solutions to our customers, primarily in domains: Telecommunications (1st TD LTE rollout in India), 1st IPTV rollout in India, Wifi Hotspots, Cloud Services, Fixed Voice and IoT Platform. It is a passion of Puneet in bringing new technologies to

DECEMBER 2020

“In this market, it is all about partnership” — Puneet Garg, CTO Enterprise, smartfren. BUSINESS

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145

SMARTFREN

“ The biggest challenge in digital transformation is human capital and how to convince people of the value of adopting digital transformation changes that we are bringing into the market” — Puneet Garg, CTO Enterprise, smartfren. BUSINESS

the market with 360-degree holistic view. As CTO Enterprise of Smartfren Business bringing in Core Telco, ICT (Network Hardware, Software, Cloud Based Services and Multi Cloud) and (the internet of things) IoT products

146

and solutions for the customer.

Founded in 2011, Puneet explains that the Smartfren. BUSINESS unit “is responsible for providing enterprise services to our customers. We are providing Mobility based products such as voice, data and video. To address whole segment of Enterprise Market as One Stop Solution, we offer next generation Fixed-line-telephony, that is based on a cloud platform; Data Internet Connectivity; Unified Conferencing; Bulk SMS; ICT Hardware and Software amalgamated with cloud based services (such as virtual and hybrid); IoT services; big data analytics; and artificial intelligence (AI).”

DECEMBER 2020

When implementing a digital

cloud-based solutions to bring more

transformation strategy, first and

and more value to our customers.”

foremost, Puneet stresses the

However, Puneet identifies that

importance of embracing digital

“the biggest challenge in digital

transformation, understanding it

transformation is human capital and

and adopting the best practices.

how to convince people of the value

After conducting a thorough analysis

of adopting digital transformation

of local market trends and customer

changes that we are bringing into the

needs, Puneet says, “in our industry

market.” Puneet adds that having the

for this digital journey; our strategy

right culture and mindset is the most

includes moving from hardware-

important thing when it comes to digi-

based solutions to more agile

tal transformation, “so first we need 147

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

Puneet Garg Title: CTO Company: Smartfren Business Industry: Telecommunications Location: Singapore Puneet Garg, An accomplished business and technology leader with a proven track record of 20+ years in Indonesia, India and Asia Pacific Region. He has a deep understanding of emerging trends and technologies for revenue generating products and services. Puneet has been working as a CTO & CIO and Board of Director positions bringing new technologies and solutions to the customers, primarily in three domains: Telecommunications, ICT and IoT (internet of things). He always strives to bring the best for the company and committed to develop talents within the organization. busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

SMARTFREN

148

2007

Year founded

$500m Revenue in US dollars

5,000 Number of employees

DECEMBER 2020

to build confidence in what we are trying to build with a proper reason and justification. It is important to make our people a part of the journey right from the beginning, in order for them to understand the value that digital transformation is providing - not only for them - but for the entire company, the customers and the country.” By developing this culture of inclusiveness from the top-down, Puneet further explains that “digital transformation becomes about more than just embracing new technology, it’s about personal career growth and learning, as well as

the ability to create more value for the

Helping to provide its services to

organisation, customers and country.”

its customers, Smartfren. BUSINESS

Describing Smartfren. BUSINESS as

partners with many OEMs for bring-

a “mediator between the technology

ing ICT products and solutions for

producer and technology user,” Puneet

enterprise customers. Puneet, who

explains that the company is seeing IoT

explains that “in this market, it is all

data analytics and cloud as two of the

about partnership. We are not a tech-

most important things happening in the

nology producer, but we are taking

market. “Due to operating in multiple

the best technologies from market

regions and industries, we are leverag-

leaders OEMs like Cisco, HPE, Google,

ing these technologies as well as AI

Microsoft, Polycom and Dell, to bring

and EMI to bring customised solutions

their products and solutions with in

to our customers to meet their vary-

house Consulting, Service Delivery

ing requirements, and provide useful

and Service Assurance Services round

insight reports into revenue and costs.”

the clock, 365 days to our customers.”

FTTH APAC Conference 2019 Interview: Puneet Garg, CTO, MyRepublic Indonesia CLICK TO WATCH | 6:51

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

149

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“ A lot of customers are seeking our help on how we can put together remote working capabilities for their end-users or their employees”

Following the impact of COVID-19, Puneet - like many others in the industry - has seen an increase in customer demand for remote working capabilities. “A lot of customers are seeking our help on how we can put together remote working capabilities for their end-users or their employees and

— Puneet Garg, CTO Enterprise, smartfren. BUSINESS

also seeing AI-based analytics, auto-

The benefits of this kind of model

solutions catching up fast, as well as

include a fast time to market, a high-

the increased need for outsourcing

quality brand pool in the market and

services,” comments Puneet.

increased value and resources being provided to the customer.

ensuring business continuity. We are mation and cloud-based enterprise

Further discussing the impact of COVID-19, Puneet highlights some of

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

151

SMARTFREN

the challenges the company has faced in the last few months. “COVID-19 has been an unprecedented situation. Most of the challenges have been centred around no longer being able to meet customers face to face.

Explaining solutions, products and new ideas via virtual communication environments is not as effective as face to face communication. We are seeing a trend in customers delaying their investments due to market uncertainty. Therefore, the CapEx rollout is 152

getting delayed, which in turn affects the selling of ICT and connectivity due to severe impact on certain industry verticals such as Travel and F&B. When these elements are hampered, there is then a development of cost and revenue pressure.” In addition to cost and revenue pressures, Puneet has experienced challenges relating to engineers being required to fix any problems that may occur.

Looking to the future of the industry, Puneet concludes that “it looks like COVID-19 will have a long-lasting impact for one or two more years, with the whole ecosystem needing another three to five years to recover DECEMBER 2020

“ COVID-19 has been an unprecedented situation. Most of the challenges have been centred around no longer being able to meet customers face to face” — Puneet Garg, CTO Enterprise, smartfren. BUSINESS

153

completely. During that time, we still

customers in the meantime for making

need to hold our customer hands

them comfortable and stand with them

for smooth operations like a family,

till they are ready for the new technol-

putting together new services and

ogy adoption.”

products so that our customers can continue their business operations in whatever shape, form or size the business is in.” Puneet believes that “the future will be more about 5G, cloud, AI and data analytics, and while COVID-19 may have slowed down the progress of these technologies, it is important for us to support our busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

154

Netskop the powe cyberse

DECEMBER 2020

pe and er of SASE ecurity WRITTEN BY

HARRY MENEAR PRODUCED BY

KRIS PALMER

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

155

NETSKOPE

David Fairman, CSO APAC for Netskope, discusses the company’s powerful, cloudnative cybersecurity solutions

T

he global cybersecurity industry is undergoing a radical transformation. As enterprise network architectures move

steadily away from centralised infrastructure-based solutions and towards the cloud, cybersecurity teams are being presented with a completely differ156

ent landscape. A significant number of legacy firms are struggling to achieve the same level of cyber defence in these cloud-native environments.

“Traditionally, cybersecurity was very on-premises and control based. You’d pivot and run your users, transactions and data through your network to be inspected and controlled through your stack. In a cloud-based environment, that on-prem approach doesn’t work anymore,” explains David Fairman, Chief Security Officer (CSO) APAC at Netskope.

Founded in 2012, Netskope has spent the past decade becoming a trailblazing innovator and industry leader in the cloud security space. “We’re a cloud-native data protection and data security platform. Period,” says Fairman. “We’re the only pure play, cloud native secure access service edge (SASE - pronounced “sassy”) platform in the DECEMBER 2020

157

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NETSKOPE

“We’re the only pure play, cloud-native SASE platform in the industry” — David Fairman, CISO, Netskope

industry. SASE is a services-oriented approach that allows full data protection, next-gen secure web gateway, zero-trust, cloud security policy management and CASB, ‘all-in-one’ platform, through one single pane of glass with one policy engine.”

Fairman joined Netskope as CSO APAC in June 2020, after more than a decade overseeing the cybersecurity functions of some of the world’s biggest banks. Now, he explains, he’s looking to broaden his horizons and

158

work to continually build a product he believes in, made by a “vendor that’s solving real problems and making security operations teams’ jobs easier.”

We spoke with Fairman to find out more about Netskope’s unique, powerful and cloud-native cybersecurity offerings, and how the company’s Cloud XD technology helps customers eliminate blindspots, achieve deep visibility and granular control over their data.

THE JOURNEY TO CLOUD Over the past decade, the importance of data collection, management and security has become paramount to the success of the modern enterprise.

DECEMBER 2020

As more and more enterprises turn

distributed edge networks, with legacy

to the public and hybrid cloud as the

players left unsure where the enter-

place to store their data, the nature

prise ends and the network begins.

of a cybersecurity function has

“When an organisation is progress-

shifted dramatically.

ing on its digital transformation

The traditional approach to cyber-

journey, what’s happening now is that

security, involving on-premises IT

traditional security teams are start-

devices and a strong firewall with sim-

ing to come up against blind spots,

ple “block vs allow” permissions, has

because they’re not necessarily

been replaced by sprawling cloud and

seeing the complete picture of cloud

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

David Fairman

159

Title: CSO APAC

Company: Netskope

Industry: Cybersecurity

Location: Melbourne, Australia

David Fairman is a highly-experienced professional and academic in the security and financial crime disciplines, working and consulting for several large financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies across APAC, North America, the UK, and EU. He most recently served in CSO roles for both the National Australia Bank and Royal Bank of Canada. He previously held leadership positions at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Royal Bank of Scotland, and also served as an adjunct professor at New York University, University of Toronto, and Deakin University. Fairman is a passionate leader and actively involved in founding industry alliances and expert groups such as the Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange, and holds several board advisory roles including Digital Shadows, ClearSky, and Glilot Capital Partners.

busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

NETSKOPE

native traffic,” Fairman explains. He

cybersecurity architectures holds a

adds that the modern security team

great deal of promise for making com-

has to focus on removing those blind

panies not only more secure, but more

spots in order to find a way to embrace

flexible and transparent. “The ways

the cloud without compromising secu-

we used to control activity, users and

rity. “That’s one of the benefits that

data don’t necessarily apply now,” he

Netskope brings to the table. We’re

says. “The traditional ways of thinking

able to remove those blind spots and

about cybersecurity architecture in

give full visibility into the cloud.”

the industry need to transform.”

Fairman continues, adding that the security practitioners don’t neces-

CLOUD XD: UNLOCKING THE POWER OF SASE

sarily apply in the world of cloud, but

The SASE approach to cybersecurity

that the move away from traditional

combines intelligent data analysis

methods of thinking used by traditional

160

DECEMBER 2020

Reimagine Your Perimeter CLICK TO WATCH | 1:46

161 and threat detection technology with

powerful security solution over the

powerful, micro-segmented, granular

past decade, with hyper-specific

permission control. “I like to think of

instance awareness at its heart, all

us as the inspection and the policy

driven by Cloud XD.

enforcement point between the iden-

“Cloud XD is the engine of the

tity - whether that’s a machine or a user

Netskope platform,” enthuses Fairman.

- and the data,” Fairman explains. “That

“It’s what enables instance aware-

inspection point allows us to apply fine

ness, which is our key differentiator.”

grain control and access between a

Instance awareness empowers

company’s most vital asset - its data

Netskope users with an unrivalled level

- and places where it’s used, manipu-

of granular visibility into their network’s

lated and transferred.”

users, devices, applications and activity

Netskope’s position as a cloudnative company has led to the development of a truly modern, highly

- both in the cloud and on the web.

“We can differentiate if an end user is going to a corporate instance of a busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

In a world of change, rely on Verizon.

Verizon can scale with your tech needs and provide secure tools for remote collaboration and operation. enterprise.verizon.com/en-au

© 2020 Verizon

“The traditional ways of thinking about cybersecurity architecture in the industry need to transform” — David Fairman, CISO, Netskope

can differentiate between them, as well as drill in and identify the commands that I’m making in those different instances. Netskope could then enable me to have full privileges on my corporate instance of the app, but only be able to read on my personal instance.”

The result, he explains, is that “the days of ‘Block or Allow’ are over”.

With Netskope able to decode APIs

cloud-based application. Let’s say I’m

and JSON, it can give its users a much

going from my corporate account to my

finer, more granular level of control

corporate instance of an app,” poses

over their network edge. Fairman

Fairman. “If I try to then access my per-

adds that, “the policy enforcement

sonal instance of that app, Netskope

we can do is really powerful.”

DECEMBER 2020

VERIZON

Verizon is a key strategic partner for us, not just in APAC but globally,” comments Fairman.

“Through this partnership, we’ve been able to advance our customers’ goals together. At the moment those goals are usually centred around digital transformation and managing digital risk in their organisations.

Through our partnership with Verizon, we’re able to help them achieve those goals effectively and efficiently.

sacrificing connection speeds and other performance elements is critical.

Netskope’s NewEdge was released in July of 2019 and has been rolled out across multiple markets over the last year, receiving recognition in September 2020 as one of the most interconnected networks in the world.

“Businesses today are increasingly supporting a distributed workforce, but struggle to find the cloud and web security tools to support employees anywhere, on any device, at any time,” said Netskope founder and CEO Sanjay Beri at the launch event.

“When companies deploy security appliances in a few select locations, or work with a security vendor with legacy-technology-based points of presence, they settle for a less-thandesirable, latency-prone experience for remote offices and remote

INTRODUCING NEWEDGE

employees. Netskope NewEdge pro-

At a time when the industry-wide

vides all users, regardless of location

journey to cloud is being accelerated

or connectivity, with an unparalleled,

by the COVID-19 pandemic’s crea-

global network infrastructure that

tion of an increasingly remote global

enables the right balance of control

workforce, the ability to deliver com-

and speed to meet the demands of

prehensive cybersecurity solutions

today’s modern enterprises, without

across modern architectures without

added complexity.” busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

163

NETSKOPE

2012

Year founded

1,029 Number of employees

164

DECEMBER 2020

T H E G L O B A L R EMO T E WO RK EXPERI M EN T

Since March, countries around the world have been forced into varying degrees of lockdown and social distancing measures in order to combat the ongoing spread of COVID19. Enterprises have responded by entering into what amounts to the largest social and economic experiment with remote work in history.

A number of companies have seen productivity increase, employees have felt their worklife balance shift to a better place, and many organisations have changed their previous stance on working from home permanently. The world that COVID-19 leaves behind will be one of more distributed workforces and increasingly digitalised operations.

However, this has presented a problem for many enterprise security teams. They have found the number of endpoints with access to their system doubling, as more people use

personal devices for workrelated activities; employees logging on using unsecured networks and devices; increased network load; all present an increasingly difficult challenge for enterprise security teams.

This is where Netskope comes in. “The crisis has been a great opportunity for Netskope to help our customers make a very rapid transition toward remote work. Obviously we’re helping them better understand and protect their data, but our platform also brings zero-trust capabilities to the table, which has been a technology that has really increased in prominence over the past six months. We’ve been a player in that space for quite some time and can provide very flexible and adaptable zero-trust capabilities to our customers. It’s been great to be able to help them respond to their needs in such a short space of time,” says Fairman.

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165

NETSKOPE

Delivering global access from anywhere, extensive peering solutions and a host of other features, NewEdge is unlocking the power of SASE solutions for Netskope and its customers.

“It makes Netskope the most wellconnected cloud security offering on the market right now, and gives our customers massive performance and scalability,” says Fairman.

THE FUTURE FOR NETSKOPE Fairman notes that his arrival, along with 166

the recent completion of the NewEdge launch, has put Netskope in a position

“We are the epitome of SASE. As we continue into 2021, you’ll see our SASE journey continue to evolve as we work to become the dominant SASE player in the market” — David Fairman, CISO, Netskope

to explore new directions and possibilities for their offerings. “We’re shifting our focus towards rounding out our data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities, as well as exploring new capabilities outside of web and cloud,” says Fairman.

The company is also looking to further embrace artificial intelligence and machine learning, which Fairman sees as critical to the future of an industry in the grip of a historic skills shortage.

“Every security function and every security team needs to be focusing on two key metrics: time-to-detect and

DECEMBER 2020

167

time-to-contain. The more that you need

greater automation, which is where we’ll

to throw a person at those problems, the

see AI and ML come to fruition and start

longer the process takes. Using AI and

to create compounded benefits.”

ML to tackle those problems at machine-

As Netskope moves towards 2021,

speed, will help organisations reduce

the company is still doggedly pursuing

those times dramatically,” he explains.

its principal goal: to set the standard for

“The more we can automate that

the SASE cloud-based cybersecurity

detection process, the more we can

industry. “We are the epitome of SASE.

redirect human resources towards the

As we continue into 2021, you’ll see our

modelling of AI and ML, teaching those

SASE journey continue to evolve as we

models to work better and faster. There’s

work to become the dominant SASE

a skills shortage in cybersecurity, so the

player in the market.” says Fairman.

industry needs to use its workforces in a smarter, more effective way to support busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

Disrupting the Digital Marketing Industry WRITTEN BY

168

WILL GIRLING PRODUCED BY

KRISTOFER PALMER

DECEMBER 2020

169

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ADA

Kirill Mankovski, Managing Director, describes digital marketing postCOVID-19 and how ADA’s datacentric approach is yielding greater results

D

ata’s value to marketing in the digital era cannot be overemphasised; as the technologies capable of rendering large

amounts of consumer information usable continue to grow more sophisticated, companies are developing significantly improved methods for 170

monetising digital experiences. Founded in 2013, ADA is a data and AI (artificial intelligence) based enterprise located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that understands this fundamental principle. Intent on realising ‘the future of marketing’ through data-rich insights, advanced analytics and a farreaching understanding of consumer mindsets, the company specialises in channelling growth and strategy optimisation for its clients.

Kirill Mankovski, Managing Director, tells us that he joined ADA following his own experiences dealing with other marketing agencies as a client. Having held managerial and executive positions at leading tech firms, he became accustomed to being told that what he needed couldn’t be achieved, “not simply because the agencies or the partners were bad,

DECEMBER 2020

171

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ADA

“ The whole existence of the company is centred on disrupting the digital marketing industry” — Kirill Mankovski, Managing Director, ADA

unique, flexible and dynamic approach appealed to him immediately. “The whole existence of the company is centred on disrupting the digital marketing industry,” he affirms. “It uses data as a core resource for any kind of decision making and AI, cloud and analytics to change the way marketing works.”

This latter statement is significant as it indicates that marketing in its current form doesn’t work optimally.

172

but often due to the level of technologi-

Mankovski continues, “Very often, mar-

cal development not being available.”

keting is done based on ‘gut feeling’.

Transitioning from the multinational

In general, it’s still not very academic

corporations which make up the

or data-driven.” Therefore, ADA’s goal

bulk of his resume to the startup-like

is to overturn this industry standard and

culture of ADA could have been chal-

introduce a thoroughly digital approach

lenging, yet Mankovski states that its

based on automation and innovation.

The true value of the company’s culture was realised at the beginning of 2020: while the COVID-19 pandemic began to disrupt those who neglected to develop their digital transformation

Senior team members get together in a Leaders session

DECEMBER 2020

Hello! We are ADA CLICK TO WATCH | 1:19

173 strategy, Mankovski says that ADA was

“XACT”, which comprises over 375 mil-

able to weather significant changes

lion mobile phone user records across

like remote working with noticeable

its nine operational markets. Using

ease. This is not to say there weren’t

XACT, the company is capable of gain-

some adjustments to make: “Even

ing a distinct overview of consumer

having important meetings like share-

habits, including where they live, the

holder-level discussions, which would

places they frequent and which apps

usually require face-to-face interac-

they use.

tions, are now online instead. The world

For many tech companies, an interest

has changed but I think we are adapting

in AI and automation has been cata-

very quickly; we’ve maintained good

lysed by the pandemic and the need

morale and team spirit throughout the

for increased efficiency to weather the

crisis.” In many ways, ADA is relatively

economic downturn. ADA itself has

unique in the space for having its own

been heavily invested in the technol-

DMP (data management platform),

ogy since the company’s inception busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

Faradi Bachri, our Agency Country Director hangout with the team

ADA

174

two years ago, although Mankovski

jobs - creative jobs that traditionally

insists that its true impact has yet to

were considered to be for humans only

be felt globally. Referencing recent

- could soon be replaced by machines.”

developments in the media which

For a digital-native like ADA this could

demonstrated the advanced capability

present its own opportunities. However,

of machines to write engaging copy,

Mankovski says, the company is not

he speculates that marketing could

necessarily focusing on its own digital

be on the cusp of a big shift, “These

transformation: “For ADA, it is more

DECEMBER 2020

about digitising our clients; we want

valuable insights for its clients to act

to help our customers make the change,

on. “We truly believe that an automated

as well as the industries we work

decision-making process allows us

in themselves.”

to make better decisions,” Mankovski

Data is the core asset that is help-

says. Capable of controlling multiple

ing ADA achieve its vision. Moreover,

essential aspects of the marketing

it is the company’s rigorous analytical

process automatically, including media

capabilities that allow it to extract

planning, placement and production,

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

Kirill Mankovski Title: Managing Director

Company: ADA Indonesia

Industry: Marketing & Advertising

Location: Indonesia

Kirill is a seasoned marketing professional, passionate about innovation and technology. His experience spans across multiple industries and sectors from FMCG to Consumer Goods to high-technology sectors like Telecoms and Internet of Things, including start-up roles where he was responsible for building a brand from scratch.

Prior to joining ADA, Kirill held several senior management positions in Axiata group of companies, including Chief Sales and Chief Marketing Officer roles. Before joining Axiata, Kirill held senior positions in several multinational companies such as Samsung, Philips and Siemens. He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Judge Business School of Cambridge University (UK) and Bachelor’s degree from Belarusian State Economic University. busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

175

The Leading Telecom Solutions & VAS Provider VAS & Apps Fintech eSIM Consumer Platform

Yoppi Game Portal Omnichannel Platform

sales@montymobile.com UK | UAE | Lebanon | Germany | Belgium | Croatia | Indonesia | India | Vietnam

ADA can target small ‘nano-segments’

Understanding consumers is a task

of people with a message tailored to

that is becoming easier as the value

be specifically relevant for them. The

of data is unlocked further. However,

honed nature of this targeted market-

maintaining a strong focus on custom-

ing is particularly important, he claims,

ers cannot be sacrificed and there is

in terms of driving overall engagement.

no substitute for carefully researched

“If the messages you’re receiving are

insights into core demographics.

interesting and not annoying, data

We discuss the ongoing challenge of

is helping to achieve that ultimate

adequately marketing to millennials

goal. That is why ADA believes in

and Mankovski is quick to point out that

a data-centric approach that serves

things are rarely simple when it comes

both the consumer’s and the mar-

to ‘identifying your audience’. “For

keter’s interest.” This result is what

many companies, millennials are their

Mankovski refers to as the “holy grail”

primary segment, but, even then, there

of marketing.

are a lot of sub-segments.” Citing

DECEMBER 2020

“ Very often, marketing is done based on ‘gut feeling’. In general, it’s still not very academic or data-driven” — Kirill Mankovski, Managing Director, ADA

research that demonstrates millennials can run the gamut of demographics, many of which might contradict preconceptions of the group (for example in a recent study released by ADA 41% of millennials have children; only 5% are students; the majority are in a relationship; etc), he states that ADA’s job is to make this multiplicity apparent and to help formulate strategies accordingly. “We’re focusing on achieving a client’s desired outcome, whether that’s regional expansion or driving higher revenues. But, because of the amount of data available, there is no single solution.”

The company’s mission to keep its clients informed has extended to COVID-19-based consumer research, which it hopes will clarify patterns of behaviour during a seemingly chaotic

P ARN T ERS

One of ADA’s key partners is Monty Mobile, a value-added service (VAS) and telecom solutions provider headquartered in London. Founded in 1998, the company has an extended portfolio of clients across multiple sectors, including fintech, IoT (internet of things) and mobile advertising.

Regarding their partnership, Mankovski says, “We have been partnering with Monty Mobile to monetise our telco channels.

With new messenger apps replacing previous forms of SMS, we are trying to see how these technologies can still be utilised.

Monty is helping ADA to monetise these channels and find new clients and use-case applications.”

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177

ADA

178

“ We’re true believers in AI as an important to this topic,” Mankovski says. “ADA has tried to cover it from various angles, driver of change in including how social restrictions have the industry” time. “We’ve provided insights and also launched a series of webinars devoted

impacted consumer behaviour.” In fact,

the company has even discovered nine distinct customer ‘personae’, each DECEMBER 2020

— Kirill Mankovski, Managing Director, ADA

The team get together in our cozy breakout corner

defined by their measurable reac-

The subject of data security and

tion to the pandemic. “That’s actually

GDPR is sometimes a difficult subject

helped to build the segments using

when discussing business plans that

non-generic profiles. Pre-COVID, most

are heavily reliant on volumes of cus-

of our clients were thinking about digi-

tomer data. However, Mankovski states

tal communication, but it’s beyond that

that ADA is soberly aware of the issue:

now; it’s not just communication, it’s

how much data is accumulated and

also sales.”

how it is used form crucial concerns busi ne ssc hi ef . a s ia

179

ADA

“ It is for our collective good to make use of this data in the proper way, one which benefits both brands and consumers” — Kirill Mankovski, Managing Director, ADA

180

DECEMBER 2020

for the company, which is fully prepared to meet the challenges, privacy concerns and consumer perceptions inherent.

For Mankovski, the future of ADA goes hand-in-hand with the evolution of AI and automation. “We’re true believers in AI as an important driver of change in the industry,” he explains. “Many more use-cases are emerging, especially as voice recognition technology is becoming more advanced.” Indeed, the numerous creative adaptations of AI and its capacity for analysing a wide variety of data indicates that marketing could change significantly in a relatively short time frame. As ecommerce continues to expand exponentially and the adoption of digital technology continues to permeate the industry, ADA will be pioneering a new approach that values data and its integral use. “The digital marketing landscape is becoming increasingly complex. It is for our collective good to make use of this data in the proper way, one which benefits both brands and consumers,” he concludes. “This approach isn’t the easiest one, but we believe at ADA that it is the right one.”

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