Business Chief Canada – July 2019 by Business Chief Canada

CANADA EDITION JULY 20 19 canada.businesschief.com

Supporting Canada’s underbanked

Cutting-edge technology with client obsession Chief Information Security Officer Cory Gould outlines the bank’s recipe for success

City Focus

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FOREWORD

elcome to the July issue of Business Chief Canada!

This month we also spoke to Greg Onoprijenko of Ingram Micro. Director of Cloud Canada for the IT giant, he explained the ways in which cloud computing have facilitated digital transformation at the company. Meanwhile, Chief Operating Officer of Cashco Financial, Raymond Wilson, profiles the values that drive a technological approach to the client experience.

The Edmonton based Canadian Western Bank features in this month’s issue as we speak with Cory Gould, Chief Information Security Officer for the organisation. Touching on topics such as relationship building, user awareness and Cory Gould, cutting-edge Our City Focus this month CISO, Canadian Western Bank technology, Gould sees us explore the city of explains his company’s Halifax, Canada’s ‘Ocean City’, strategy in the realm to uncover the three industries in of cybersecurity and the which it excels. confidence it inspires in clients. Do you have a story to tell? If you would “We are obsessed with our clients’ like to be featured in an upcoming issue success and our proactive approach to of Business Chief Canada, get in touch supporting them, and we are obsessed at william.smith@bizclikmedia.com. with ensuring that the information they entrust us with remains confidential Enjoy the issue! and secured,” says Gould. William Smith

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CANADA EDITION EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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CONTENTS

12 Future proof digital transformation security for the enterprise

32 Using collaboration to unlock the power of the ecosystem

How is digital transformation revolutionising the supply chain sector?

ELEPHANT

The in the digital room: unplanned downtime

74 City Focus

HALIFAX

84 Social impact: balancing profit and purpose

TOP 10

Manufacturers in the US

CONTENTS

100 Cashco Financial

114 Ingram Micro

128 University of Toronto Mississauga

142 Town of Caledon

156 Service New Brunswick

170 ANDRITZ

188 Flexential

206 Bartell Drugs

226 Heath Consultants

Future proof digital transformation security for the enterprise WRITTEN BY

HARRY MENEAR PRODUCED BY

JAKE MEGEARY

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CANADIAN WESTERN BANK

Cory Gould, the first CISO at Canadian Western Bank FInancial Group, discusses using cutting-edge technology, relationship building and user awareness to combat cyberthreats and help realize the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bold vision

he world is evolving. The proliferation of digital devices, mass migration to the cloud,

and a rising tide of data is changing the nature of the enterprise. In few verticals is this truer than the banking and finance sector. Bank vaults piled high with paper money are being replaced by digital vaults, in-person meetings at a local branch are giving way to 24/7 mobile banking solutions, and major banking houses are facing serious competition from a new generation

J U LY 2 0 1 9

of digital-only ‘challenger banks’. Digital

“We appreciate that this is the new

transformation means new opportuni-

world; things are changing and they’re

ties, greater efficiency and insight into

changing very, very quickly,” says

the business ecosystem, but every

Cory Gould, Chief Information Security

paradigm shift brings new challenges.

Officer (CISO) at Canadian Western

According to the Ninth Annual Cost

Bank (CWB) Financial Group. “20 years

of Cybercrime Study, released in

ago, we were concerned with things

March 2019 by Accenture, the methods,

like debit skimming - manual, tactical

targets and impact of cyber attacks

ways of committing fraud. Now, the

is evolving at an accelerated pace.

proliferation of digitization and the

In 2018, the report found, the average

sheer accessibility of financial services

cost of cybercrime to companies rose

remotely and somewhat anonymously

by 12% year on year to US$13mn.

is certainly driving the rise of cybercrime. c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

CANADIAN WESTERN BANK

We’ve seen a significant rise in the

started at CWB Financial Group in 1997,

levels of organization, structure and

and became the first CISO in the

sophistication of these threats.”

bank’s history in December 2018.

One of the youngest banks in

“The financial industry has been fairly

Canada, CWB Financial Group is

static for a century. Over the last 15

headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta

years, however, we’ve seen a real shift

and positions itself as the top choice

in the demands of our clients. Traditional

for Canadian enterprises in search

banking isn’t fitting the bill anymore,”

of expert advice delivered through

he explains.” We sat down with him to

a relationship-based approach. “Our

explore the approach Gould is taking

size provides us with a level of agility

towards neutralizing cyber threats to

that is allowing us to respond to change

CWB Financial Group as it continues

in the industry,” says Gould, who

to grow at an industry-leading rate

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘CWB – OBSESSED WITH YOUR SUCCESS’ 17 (recently surpassing the $30bn total asset milestone for the first time) alongside the global digital banking revolution. “We’re on the cusp of something really special,” enthuses Gould. “Increasingly, we’re being recognized for the value that we bring to our clients.” As the first CISO in CWB’s history, Gould is part of a bold and innovative shift in the bank’s own culture. A crucial success factor, he explains, is establishing an enterprise architecture in which security methodology is embedded at the initial stage.

“ We’ve seen a significant rise in the levels of organization, structure and sophistication of these threats” — Cory Gould, CISO, Canadian Western Bank

“It’s a really big win and, I think, critical c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

CANADIAN WESTERN BANK

20 for an organization as they move forward,” says Gould, admitting that

proactive with respect to security.” This closer, more collaborative

CWB Financial Group had experienced

relationship with the enterprise and

challenges maintaining strong relation-

technology side of CWB Financial

ships between security and leadership

Group is also driving a shift in the

before, “because we didn’t have a senior

philosophy of the security side of

dedicated role for information security.

the business. The traditional role of

It’s 2019. Nobody is going to deny the

a security division as a deterrent,

need for security, but it’s very easy for

Gould explains, simply isn’t the best

security to take a backseat in the wake

way forward in the modern world.

of rapid change. Now, we have a senior

“Gone are the days when security just

security leader out in the organization,

pounds its fist on the desk and says

pounding the pavement and building

‘No! Come back later.’ That’s not

relationships with key decision makers,

practical in the digital world we live in.”

positioning us to be much more

The rapid advancement of technology

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is at the center of CWB’s progress, and Gould’s mantra of “enable not deter” reflects it. Technology, he contends, may be creating both business and cybercriminal opportunity, but it is also enabling and empowering security. Stronger relationships between the security and business elements of CWB Financial Group is at the core of this. “Our ability to sit at the table with the business, talk through their needs and challenges, and offer up technology solutions we know are inherently secure, brings to them functionality

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Cory Gould Chief Information Security Officer Cory Gould is the Chief Information Security Officer at CWB Financial Group, a diversified organization providing specialized business and retail financial services across Canada. Mr. Gould has over 20 years experience in Information Technology and Security primarily within the Financial industry and as the first CISO at CWB Financial Group, is working to mature the Information Security practice by embedding sound security awareness and behaviours within the culture of the organization.

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CANADIAN WESTERN BANK

“ Our size provides us with a level of agility that is allowing us to respond to change in the industry” — Cory Gould, CISO, Canadian Western Bank

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WHAT DOES A

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and capability they’ve never had

machine learning. “One of the key

before,” Gould explains.

things to enable is machine learning.

Rapid and ongoing digital transfor-

We are absolutely neck deep in data

mation has become the day to day

and analytics like everyone else on

reality for any enterprise seeking to

the planet. The more dependent we,

stay abreast of the information

as an organization, become on our data

revolution. Gould recognizes the power

and knowledge, the more it becomes

of employing technology to automate

currency. So, we’re using it within our

day to day operations in an institution,

information security program to gain

as well as process data to generate the

intel and understanding,” Gould explains.

kind of insights that lead to high-level

In addition to boosting the detection

decisioning. The key to both applica-

and insight gathering capabilities of

tions is artificial intelligence (AI) and

CWB’s security department, AI and ML c a naa da nz .busi ne ssc h ief. com

CANADIAN WESTERN BANK

is set to play a key role in automation. “Like any other position in IT, there are the necessary evils of day-to-day operational activities,” Gould notes. “With those ongoing, almost mundane tasks that we have to perform, there is the risk of human error. Any time that you can remove that day-to-day work that just needs to be done from very capable resources and have them focus on the big picture, it’s valuable.” Striving for a near-perfect security architecture is no mean feat, and Gould recognizes that CWB Financial Group 26

cannot stand against the rising tide of cybercrime alone. “We rely on strong partners who have a genuine interest in our success; FireEye is one of those partners. FireEye sees the world of Cyber Security through the eyes of active threat actors. It is this relevant, real world experience that is assisting CWB Financial Group in meeting our Cyber Security objectives,” he explains. Every year, driven by experience, artificial intelligence and increasingly sophisticated software, cybersecurity solutions reach closer and closer to infallibility. “With the inception of AI, ML and all of the things that we’re able to do with technology today, there’s a lot J U LY 2 0 1 9

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CANADIAN WESTERN BANK

“ With the inception of AI, ML and all of the things that we’re able to do with technology today, there’s a lot that can be prevented” — Cory Gould, CISO, Canadian Western Bank

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that can be prevented.” However, as technology grows more sophisticated, the most common vulnerability for an organization grows more obvious: the human element. According to Accenture’s report, “Whether by accident or intent, many employees are often the root cause of successful cyberattacks.” While security systems and protocols can be updated and tweaked on a daily basis, Gould points out: “You can’t patch humans. Humans are vulnerable, passionate and intellectual; they don’t

think in terms of bits and bytes and

We spend a lot of time with the organi-

ones and zeros, so people make

zation educating, bringing about greater

mistakes and we recognize that.” In

awareness. We know that we will never

order to shore up this potential weak

be 100% in that area but will continue

point, Gould is turning to the flagship

working with the business and our

skill in his arsenal: relationship building

internal clients to keep security at the

and management. “It wasn’t until one of

forefront of the way CWB Financial

our more recent and most significant

Group operates.”

initiatives that we really recognized how

The threat of cybercrime is only

important change management is,” he

expected to rise, and the constant arms

recalls. “Now, one of the most critical

race of technology, training and

tools in our security toolkit is our User

relationship building shows no signs

Awareness Program.

of slowing down. Looking to the future, 29

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CANADIAN WESTERN BANK

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Gould has the responsibility of ensuring that CWB Financial Group remains agile and responsive, even as it continues to scale. With phishing and ransomware replacing cheque fraud and men with guns in balaclavas, Gould and his team are on the front line, protecting CWB Financial Group as it strives towards greatness. Reflecting on over 20 years at the bank, Gould looks ahead filled with confidence and optimism. “As an organization, we pride ourselves on listening intently and asking the right questions to provide our clients with the right financial solutions. We are obsessed with our clients’ success and our proactive approach to supporting them, and we are obsessed with ensuring that the information they entrust us with remains confidential and secured,” he says. “It’s a bold vision but I think it’s achievable. I’ve spent my career here and I can honestly say that when this group of great individuals puts its mind to something, there’s little that gets in the way.”

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LEADERSHIP

Using collaboration to unlock the power of the ecosystem Sean Thompson, SVP Business Network and Ecosystem at SAP Ariba and SAP Fieldglass, shares his insights into the power of collaboration and SAP Aribaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new partnership with American Express WRITTEN BY

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HARRY MENEAR

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LEADERSHIP

rogress is a cyclical journey. Creation leads

to hype, which leads to a bubble, followed by a return to earth and, finally, true adoption and

advancement of the market. With the perspective of over 20 years in the business intelligence leadership space, Sean Thompson, Senior Vice

President of Business Network and Ecosystem at SAP Ariba and SAP Fieldglass, is familiar with the process. Having witnessed and been deeply involved in major technological cycles like natural language processing, ecommerce and now the Big Data boom, Thompson is well aware of the key strategies that help push the envelope and work 34

towards lasting growth. “As the gray haired guy in the room, looking around and having seen different cycles unfold, it’s an amazing time to be alive and in the software business,” he reflects. “My career has been a journey that has, in many ways, come full circle.” We sat down with Thompson to discuss a career spent at the forefront of business intelligence, and how SAP Ariba’s new partnership with American Express highlights one of his core teachings: embracing collaboration to unlock the power of the ecosystem. Thompson’s own entry into the software ecosystem began in the early 1990s at professional services giant Deloitte. “Back then, process re-engineering was all the rage,” he recalls. “We were consultants helping companies figure out their business processes and how to make them more J U LY 2 0 1 9

efficient.” Thompson took to this prototypical form of digital transformation with even greater enthusiasm in 1995, when he moved to Seattle and was assigned to the installation of a then lesser-known business intelligence (BI) platform at Microsoft. “My boss and I later laughed about the fact that we had no idea what SAP was,” recalls Thompson. He quickly recognized the power of SAP to build connections and facilitate an interconnected business. “It was a pleasure to help companies leverage c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

LEADERSHIP

“ It was a pleasure to help companies leverage software and technology to change the way they did things, to drive true collaboration” — Sean Thompson, SVP, Business Network and Ecosystem SAP Ariba and SAP Fieldglass

software and technology to change the way they did things in order to drive true collaboration,” remembers Thompson, who wasted no time in telling his boss that he wanted to fully commit to working with SAP’s products, later going on to run Deloitte’s Northwest SAP practice. The years that followed saw Thompson work with multinational market leaders like Microsoft, as well as serving on the boards and executive teams of groundbreaking startup firms. Always passionate about the potential applications of new

technology, in 2012 he co-founded a natural user interface company called Nuiku with Barry Padgett, a longserving executive at Concur (bought by SAP in 2014 for $8.3bn). Thompson and Padgett quickly became friends and collaborated over the next few years on natural language interfaces for sales ERPs. “Think of it as Siri for Salesforce,” explains Thompson. The mass adoption of the smartphone and the introduction of automated natural language assistants into products like the iPhone signalled to Thompson a new cycle of technological adoption. “We started a company that was based J U LY 2 0 1 9

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘DELOITTE STREAMLINES ITS PROCUREMENT PROCESSES AS PART OF ITS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION’ 37 on the concept of taking that paradigm

I got a call from my buddy Barry, who

to the enterprise. My experience

had just been appointed as president

installing SAP systems and being

of the SME business unit at SAP,”

at Microsoft was always that in the

recalls Thompson. “He said ‘there’s

enterprise, when we go to work,

nobody that I would want to go on this

the experience we have with the

adventure with more than you’.

applications we use at work is not

Thompson joined as CRO, and just over

nearly the delight that we have as

18 months later, the pair moved over to

a consumer,” he says. Padgett and

SAP Ariba. “That’s where the job came

Thompson built up Nuiku for five years

full circle. Procurement is near and

before selling the company, but their

dear to my heart, because it’s where

collaboration was fated to continue.

I originally fell in love, in terms of the

“In the spring of 2016 I, after the sale of Nuiku, I was thinking about what the next project was going to be when

concept of saving money to fund core systems implementation.” The move couldn’t have come at c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

LEADERSHIP

a better time for Thompson, who sees SAP Ariba as at the forefront of two major trends in the business intelligence space: data and collaboration. “At Ariba, we think a lot about it. We have a treasure trove of data – $3trn in annual commerce that flows through us. The technology is available, the computing power is available, we have the data and now, all of a sudden, I think we are poised to provide businesses with insight into enterprise performance that is similar to the way Google provides insight into 38

search,” he enthuses. “It’s just a matter of good old-fashioned execution.” The power of the information revolution, Thompson believes, lies in its ability to further facilitate collaboration between enterprises and customers, enterprises and one another, buyers and suppliers – the entire ecosystem. “In the past, collaboration was point-to-point. Now, at Ariba, we’re approaching this as a network to achieve true business collaboration. We’re breaking down the silos and fostering more collaborative relationships, in terms of being able to have companies interact with each other, as if they were within J U LY 2 0 1 9

the same four walls – within the same firewall, if you will,” he explains. Thompson and Padgett have, over the past 18 months, changed the course of SAP Ariba, redirecting the business towards the promotion of the business ecosystem. “The Ariba you knew a year ago is very different to the Ariba of today,” he says. “We’ve changed our strategy and culture, helping everybody within the company understand that if we are open and embrace the third party ecosystem and the creative genius that can come from that, amazing things can happen.” One of the first steps that Ariba is pursuing in its campaign to unlock the power of the ecosystem is rebalancing the buyer-supplier relationship. “The buyer has become the hero, to a point where we’ve spent so much time building value for them that we’ve left the supplier on the side of the road with their suitcase wondering what their value is to the network,” admits Thompson. As such, improving value proposition for the supplier is a key element of Ariba’s strategy. Announced in April 2019, SAP Ariba’s new partnership with American Express will, among other things, work c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

LEADERSHIP

to rebalance the buyer-supplier relationship throughout the procurement process. “In the corporate space, the single use account virtual card is a very compelling offering, which allows a buyer, through integration of Ariba and American Express’ systems to generate a single use account authentication or authorization key from the virtual card provider,” explains Thompson. “The buyer is able to leverage virtual card protection and efficiency. At the time of purchase order (PO), the buyer creates a PO, attaches 40

their virtual card, and the supplier pays using that.” Value is created for the supplier as they are paid at the time of order, rather than having to invoice

“ We’re breaking down the silos and fostering more collaborative relationships” — Sean Thompson, SVP, Business Network and Ecosystem SAP Ariba and SAP Fieldglass

the buyer, which saves time and reduces error. Thompson views the American Express partnership as a collaborative win that is enabled by, and will enable, further data based digital projects. “About half of our buyers are also American Express corporate card users,” he says. “On the supplier side, there’s also an opportunity for us to offer loans and financing to suppliers through our Amex partnership. The more we know

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C O M PA N Y B I O S

SAP Ariba is how companies connect to get business done. On the Ariba Network, buyers and suppliers from more than 3.8mn companies and 190 countries discover new opportunities.

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com

about suppliers, the more the financial

play a unique role, if you will, in that

institutions like American Express

open ecosystem. Ultimately, it’s about

knows, we will be working with them

choice. Buyers will be able to choose

to offer financing opportunities for

the financial institution that they want to

suppliers outside of the normal

work with and, if we do it right at Ariba,

payment process.”

we’ll be able to shape the ecosystem

Going forward, Thompson is

around us for years to come.”

confident that SAP Ariba’s early embrace of the open ecosystem will see it in good stead. “We will have an open approach and the different relationships that we have will each c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

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

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TECHNOLOGY

HOW IS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION REVOLUTIONISING THE SUPPLY CHAIN SECTOR? Vivek Wikhe, Domain Expert of Retail and Supply Chain at LatentView Analytics, discusses the future of supply chain management and the impact of digital transformation WRITTEN BY

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VIVEK WIKHE

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TECHNOLOGY

ll over the world, supply chains are disrupted by the advance of technology and leaders must rethink their strategies.

Business Chief caught up with LatentViewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vivek Wikhe to find out how organisations can make the most of digital disruption to best serve the end consumer. Why must companies rethink their supply chain strategies in the age of digital transformation? There areÂ major cascading factors contributing to companies rethinking their supply chain strat46

egies in the age of digital transformation. First, the demand side has changed rapidly. Today, there are more channels and touchpoints than ever before, which all serve different needs along the customer journey. This has resulted in a migration away from the way that demand has traditionally been generated. Invariably, it is the ability to service and optimise these new channels that allows companies to differentiate and gain a competitive edge. Organisations are no longer sure of the costs and margins in each channel that touches consumers, and are still figuring out which channels they need to service and promote in the digital era. Ensuring profitable margins across channels requires a well thought out supply chain strategy according to a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customer base and an J U LY 2 0 1 9

“ Ultimately,all organisations across industries must rethink their supply chain strategies as the digital era continues moving towards the diversification of channels” — Vivek Wikhe, Domain Expert of Retail and Supply Chain, LatentView Analytics

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TECHNOLOGY

optimised channel mix. Ultimately, all

a specific brand, which is easier to

organisations across industries must

predict based on demographics, (for

rethink their supply chain strategies as

example, purchasing Nike sneakers),

the digital era continues moving towards

they will typically begin their shopping

the diversification of channels.

journey by searching online for certain

Â What are some immediate steps that need to be taken in order for

attributes and features that they want (â&#x20AC;&#x153;stylish white sneakersâ&#x20AC;?). Organisations need to tune their

companies to maximise profitability

supply chains to reflect this shift. Instead

in their supply chains?

of serving a target market based on

Buying behavior is moving towards more

demographics, supply chains must take

nebulous attribute-based purchases.

into account a larger market brought

Instead of consumers focusing on

about by the digital era. Supply chains

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should evolve to fulfillment chains, which

supply and demand, supply chains need

can serve multiple channels profitably.

to get increasingly more agile and more

The first step to maximising profitability

in tune with short-term planning. Even

is to get a clear picture of order costs

traditional industries need to stay abreast

incurred in every channel. This is a com-

of quickly developing consumer trends

plex problem with multiple, co-depend-

and desires. For example, food and

ent factors. It gets complex because

groceries are a traditional and staple

the costs need to be predicted to ensure

category. However, today, there are

an enterprise has a profitable order

trends in food that pop up quickly, giving

fulfillment scenario. The analysis of the

traditional consumer buying behavior

cost structure and visibility to them is

a very short-term strength. Many cate-

the first step to maximise profitability

gories overall are moving towards the

for supply chains.

shorter-term life cycles, and enterprises need to move to reflect that as well,

What are the challenges that enterprises face as they move to digitise

and become leaner and more agile. Â

their supply chain, and what are

How does having better data strategy

a few best practices to overcome

create greater supply chain efficiency?

these challenges?

So much of demand is influenced by

The main challenge is that due to the

what consumers are seeing online - you

changing nature of modern consumer

essentially can predict what consumers

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TECHNOLOGY

are going to buy by having strong insights into data on what influences customer behavior. For example, a few years back, Amazon became famous for predicting demand. In fact, they were so good at it, that they were shipping goods before the customer even purchased them. All companies need to have a view of the latest technology for predicting customers purchasing behavior. As buying cycles continue to grow shorter, there is no longer time to procure and supply a product without advance 50

preparation. Ultimately, in order to not miss out on profitable opportunities, and to have a more focused organisation of the supply chain, a modernised data strategy that involves predictive analytics for both the supply and demand sides is necessary. A â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;betterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; data strategy is one where enterprises have a single view of all data points and these are integrated to respond in sync with unit changes. An integrated data strategy helps move the fulfillment chain in three phases - increasing visibility thereby reducing variability and finally increasing velocity. All these three phases require a different yet integrated data strategy. J U LY 2 0 1 9

As enterprises continue through their digital transformation journeys, how are innovations in AI and predictive technologies specifically playing a role? Most enterprises on digital transformation journeys go through several stages, as they learn to apply machine learning and artificial intelligence. These stages are: descriptive, prescriptive, and predictive. In the first, you can only see what the data does, and it can help inform decisionmaking processes. In the second stage, you can employ an AI technology to gain prescriptive intelligence to solve specific problems or gain insight into definitive opportunities - for example, AI can identify demand per channel, or identify which models are the most profitable. In the third and final stage, you reach an exalted state of sorts wherein the ability to predict trends in the data becomes so accurate that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to preempt action around the insights. This final stage will lead to a much more focused and streamlined supply chain, and allow for comprehensive preemptive planning for all relevant supply and demand factors. c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

TECHNOLOGY

Are there any particular industries

What do you see as the biggest

which have the best opportunity to

trends going forward related to

gain a competitive advantage by

emerging technology in AI and the

adopting this technology before the

supply chain?

rest of their peers?

Going forward, I see a number of ways

I can’t think of any industry that should

that emerging technology will continue

not be investing in emerging technology

to influence the supply chain. The next

solutions. In fact, it is no longer really

step in using data in the supply chain

a question of competitive edge, but

will be merging all sources of customer

rather of survival. If you’re not investing

data, including social media data. Down

in emerging technology and at least

the line, we’ll be looking at more IoT

exploring opportunities with AI, you’re

data. In coming years, we expect to see

making yourself vulnerable to other

the rise of the intelligent home assis-

companies in the field that may have

tant as the first point of understanding

higher efficiency and greater analytical

consumers and the supply side. Informa-

abilities (and thus a greater competitive

tion on demand signals will no longer

advantage) in their supply chain.

be coming directly from consumer

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“ The main challenge is that due to the changing nature of modern consumer supply and demand,supply chains need to get increasingly more agile and more in tune with short-term planning” — Vivek Wikhe, Domain Expert of Retail and Supply Chain, LatentView Analytics

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TECHNOLOGY

“ I can’t think of any industry that should not be investing in emerging technology solutions. In fact,it is no longer really a question of competitive edge, but rather of survival” — Vivek Wikhe, Domain Expert of Retail and Supply Chain, LatentView Analytics 54

data, but rather personal assistants inside the home. On the logistical side, I expect we’ll also be seeing a greater ability to deal with smaller markets. Once analytics helps optimise supply chains to a greater degree, things such as home delivery models will become profitable, even for smaller markets and chains. The overwhelming trend will be intelligent assistants embedded in various enterprise chains interacting with each other to ensure regular chores are carried out without constant human intervention J U LY 2 0 1 9

Are there any recent projects LatentView Analytics has worked on related to supply chain analytics that you can discuss? Currently we’re working on several interesting projects. We’re helping some big name retailers understand how in an omni-channel environment they can understand their net cost for every consumer channel. There are certain aspects where it becomes not just a supply chain solution. Once you understand the optimal channel mix, you also have to take into account downstream promotion, and make the data actionable and profitable. We’re also doing some work in supply chain and predictive analytics. In the US market, over the past two years, there have been more occurrences of incorrect delivery windows, due to shortages of supply. This creates both a greater cost to the company, as well as operational inefficiency. We’re now looking at a predictive model that compiles and analyses data to help more accurately predict arrival times of packages for consumers.

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PEOPLE

n i T N A H P E L E e Th : m o o al r 56

t i g i d e th d e n n unpla e m i t n w do

Mark Homer, VP Global Customer Transformation, ServiceMax , discusses how businesses must improve asset management and servicing to reduce unplanned downtime pressure due to a growing reliance on automation and digital transformation

WRITTEN BY

J U LY 2 0 1 9

MARK HOMER

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PEOPLE

s industrial automation continues to digitize, one area in particular is becoming a critical area of concernâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;

unplanned downtime. The shift to outcomebased business models, equipment assets becoming more sophisticated and connected,

and of course, the pervasive and increasing reliance on machines, are all adding to the pressure to avoid outages. Mitigating downtime is now a strategic priority in the digital age. Take power as an example. In the US, generating units are unavailable on average for 15% of 58

the time due to outages and maintenance. In fact, 6% of the time they are unable to meet demand at all.Â And the Energy Information Administration highlights that a further 6% of electricity is lost in transmission and distribution due to both technical factors and outages. The growing reliance on automation is already widening performance gaps. Businesses are losing sight of assets, especially in terms of efficiency, leading to a fractured insight of manufacturing or service delivery. The upshot is that unplanned downtime becomes a real problem and even worse, the lack of visibility leads to an unnecessary lengthening of recovery time. Closing this downtime gap is a fundamental step in an organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital maturity, and a core part of their transformation journey. J U LY 2 0 1 9

“ The growing reliance on automation is already widening performance gaps” — Mark Homer, VP Global Customer Transformation, ServiceMax

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PEOPLE

According to a recent Vanson Bourne global study After The Fall: Cost, Causes and Consequences of Unplanned Downtime, 82% companies have experienced at least one unplanned downtime outage over the past three years, and two on average. These outages have lasted four hours. Depending on the company and type of equipment, this can cost organizations anywhere from $50k-$150k per hour for say, a medical device company, and up to $2m for a major outage on an industrial critical asset. (Aberdeen estimates the cost across all businesses

to be $260,000 an hour). The research also revealed high levels of asset estate ignorance across organizations, with 70% of companies lacking full awareness of when equipment is due for maintenance, upgrade or replacement. In addition to financial losses, the research found that almost a third of respondents said they were unable to service or support specific equipment assets, while 65% of respondents from the energy and utilities sector, and 62% from the medical sector cited losing the trust of their customers as J U LY 2 0 1 9

CLICK TO WATCH : â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;SERVICEMAX DAY IN THE LIFE OF TECHNICIAN OVERVIEWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 61 a possible impact of suffering a high-

industrial digital strategies. Key to this,

profile incident or disaster. Across all

is an understanding of and investment

sectors, around one in ten admitted

in field service management and asset

their company would never recover

performance management capabilities.

from such critical incidents and would

According to Vanson Bourne, eight

ultimately cease to exist. Nobody wants

in ten companies have already

to be blindsided with those sorts of

recognized this, at least that digital

numbers. But what are companies

tools can improve visibility of assets

doing about it?

and help eliminate unplanned down-

The research hints at a tipping point

time. Around 50% of companies

in recognition of the problem and

confirmed they plan to invest in field

planned investment to address it. Over

service and asset management

time, zero tolerance and zero unplanned

technologies in the next three years,

downtime will become the norm as

while 72% of firms claim that zero

companies develop and invest in their

unplanned downtime is now a number c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

PEOPLE

one priority. So, the message is sinking in at least. The challenge for most businesses is to digitally transform without losing oversight of key products, services and of course assets. Digital transformations do not automatically improve control and visibility. Companies need to pursue a service-led approach to business, to ensure that their ability to manage the actual assets that make products or ensure services run smoothly are always up and running. A clear asset management and predic62

tive maintenance strategy should ensure that businesses take the right path towards reducing, if not completely eliminating downtime. Understanding problems before they happen and having knowledgeable

within the next two years and you have a recipe for transformation. We often hear the phrase, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;you cannot

and digitally-empowered service tech-

account for human errorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but that seems

nicians to ensure the smooth running

illogical in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s connected world. We

of assets will go a long way to making

have the technology to not just account

this happen. A digital twin of physical

for human error but to eradicate it. The

assets will help considerably here, and

internet of things with the proliferation

the research has revealed that around

of affordable and reliable sensors is

54% of companies are planning

changing the way in which we can view,

to invest in a digital twin by 2020.

manage, service and support technol-

Throw-in the fact that field service

ogy, processes and any physical object.

is expected to become a primary

By mirroring a process, product or

revenue driver for most businesses

service into a virtual world, we can

J U LY 2 0 1 9

“ Digital transformations do not automatically improve control and visibility” — Mark Homer, VP Global Customer Transformation, ServiceMax

create environments in which machines

turbines. Easy access to this combination

can automatically analyse performance,

of deep knowledge and intelligence

warn of impending issues, identify

about your assets paves the road to

existing or potential errors and even

wider optimization and business

suggest part upgrades or changes to

transformation.

procedures to make them more efficient.

Digital twin technology spans across

This is the digital twin idea. As a con-

all industries where the value is in assets

cept, it’s been around for a while (NASA

and more generally complex systems.

used it on early space missions) but the

Its ability to deliver early warnings,

emergence of IoT has made it a com-

predictions, and optimization is fairly

mercial reality. Digital twin eliminates

universal. In time, I think we’ll see the

guesswork from determining the best

concept of a digital twin to be applied

course of action to service critical

to human beings as well, playing a sign-

physical assets, from engines to power

ificant role in healthcare. c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

PEOPLE

“ Digital twin technology spans across all industries where the value is in assets and more generally complex systems” — Mark Homer, VP Global Customer Transformation, ServiceMax

However, just mirroring is not enough. If the aim is to achieve zero downtime or at the very least, overall insight into on-going product and process performance, the digital twin has to be analysed and that analysis has to feed other functions. What the digital twin produces, when bundling data with intelligence, is a view of each asset’s history and its potential future performance. The digital twin can use historical data and current data to provide a complete picture of a particular asset, its past performance, what it should be J U LY 2 0 1 9

achieving now and its likely end of life date, when it would be predicted to be less efficient. This sort of knowledge is gold dust for product designers and manufacturers as it can feed back accurately, which parts work well and where machines would need improving or upgrading. Combined with the knowledge of field service professionals this makes for a powerful tool for upselling products and services to customers. Any new ideas or enhancements can be fully supported with data analysis and perhaps even simulations to illustrate how new parts and functions would improve performance. It offers justification and also accountability and should cut through irrelevant or unsuitable product or service ideas. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transforming service at the edge by bringing together all the facets that make businesses and machines tick - and goes a long way to creating a world of zero unplanned downtime.

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

Social impact: balancing profit and purpose Natasha Mudhar, Global CEO of Sterling Group and The World We Want, discusses why CSR should be a company-wide initiative rather than just ticking a box WRITTEN BY

J U LY 2 0 1 9

NATASHA MUDHAR

c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

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

hile most corporates and

CSR is a means for companies to

businesses have imple-

bring benefit to themselves and employ-

mented a social impact

ees whilst also benefiting society. While

strategy, many are typically incongru-

businesses are becoming increasingly

ent with the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s profitability

aware of the benefits of having such

and growth objectives, and are often

a strategy, they are still lacking in aware-

rendered obsolete. Effective social

ness as to how deep a social impact

impact strategies need to be ingrained

strategy needs to be embedded in

in the very fabric of a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

a company and why it needs to be

corporate DNA, and not just a tick in

embraced in this way.

the box. Companies are still failing to

A global study by the SEFORIS project

grasp how having an effective social

(the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest study of social

impact strategy is key to long term

enterprises to date) has revealed how

growth and viability.

companies delivering inclusive growth

J U LY 2 0 1 9

by implementing a social impact strategy

purpose alongside each other. In order

are also seeing rapid growth in revenue.

for a company to truly thrive, it needs to

Effective social impact strategies are

be both profitable and purposeful

designed to improve a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall

simultaneously. An organization that is

mission, not just its brand identity. Not

both profit and purpose driven provides

to be confused with marketing or

mobility to its employees and resourc-

corporate philanthropy, social impact

es in a way that is incomparable. For

strategies provide a concrete plan that

a business to grow, purpose needs to

has quantifiable business outcomes

be embedded in its core. Companies

combined with a measurable and defin-

need to do well by doing good.

itive societal impact. It is no longer enough to be just profit

In order to address this, companies must fully understand how their employ-

driven. What makes companies stand

ees can be one of their biggest assets

out is their ability to place profit and

to expand their social impact footprint. c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

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

“ CSR is a means for companies to bring benefit to themselves and employees whilst also benefiting society” — Natasha Mudhar, CEO, Stirling Group and The World We Want

Exhibiting a strong social impact strategy not only enhances trust among the public and makes the company attractive to prospective employees but also results in a more engaged workforce, geared to generate not only revenue, but valuable channels for marketing and public relationships. The people of a business provide the most genuine representation of a company’s brand and value, organizations need to remember this when considering social impact.

J U LY 2 0 1 9

Employees are much more engaged

and are not measurable against an

and satisfied when given the opportu-

embedded, well-implemented social

nity to perform impactful work. This will

impact strategy, focusing on the day-

result in a stronger feeling of fulfilment

to-day contributions towards community

and purpose amongst employees and

engagement as opposed to the occa-

essentially enhance a positive impact

sional donation or charitable event.

in the workplace. Studies have shown

Scaling up social impact needs to be

how corporate social responsibility has

a multi-sector process. Effective cross-

been highlighted as one of the key most

sector collaboration will enable new

important drivers of employee engage-

techniques and approaches to be

ment, and engaged employees are

deployed to achieve better social

effective workers and drive results.

outcomes. The combination of public,

Weak outreach efforts to the community should no longer be acceptable

private and social sector collaboration can address complex social challenges

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Natasha Mudhar Natasha Mudhar is an international communicator and director working on some of the most socially relevant global campaigns. She is also Global CEO of Sterling Media, the multi-disciplinary, international business consultancy with a robust communications backbone, established in 1995. Representing SMEs, FTSE 100 companies including billion-dollar hedge funds, as well as disruptors, innovators and high-profile celebrities, Mudharâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s insight and global understanding in the realm of business, brand development, market growth and entry strategies has assisted major players in aligning their vision with their business strategies.

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

“ Weak outreach efforts to the community should no longer be acceptable” — Natasha Mudhar, CEO, Stirling Group and The World We Want

by pulling resources from various players to ensure the improvement of effectiveness and efficiency of the services companies can offer to the public through joint efforts. Too often public, private and social sectors are segregated and siloed, with their resources fragmented, they need to work together towards common goals and enable mutually desired social outcomes. Who does the responsibility lie with? It is up to the company’s leadership to ensure that social impact is at the top J U LY 2 0 1 9

of the business agenda. They must ensure that an effective strategy is embedded into the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day-today workings, prioritizing long-term value in a way that mutually benefits both employees and society at large. CEOs must outline clear objectives and purpose of the company beyond financial touchpoints, defining their values. It is important that these guiding values permeate every decision-making process, from environmental footprint to social impact to investment decisions. Businesses must consider social impact as a company wide initiative and not just a tick in the box. Otherwise, they risk losing the trust of the public which can be extremely damaging in the long term. In this age of heightened transparency and increased accountability, companies cannot afford to leave this issue unaddressed. The consequences in doing so can be profound.

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CITY FOCUS

HALI

City Focus 74

Business Chief takes a deeper look at Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ocean City, and examines three industries where the Nova Scotian capital is making its mark WRITTEN BY

J U LY 2 0 1 9

LAURA MULLAN

IFAX c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

C I T Y F O C U S | H A L I FA X

ome to a bustling waterfront and historic heritage buildings, as well as a thriving arts, cultural and culinary scene,

Halifax is by all means a capital on the rise.

In its early days, the maritime city made its mark on the world as an Atlantic trading hub it has delighted visitors with its unique charm ever since. American travel website TripAdvisor seems to agree; in its 2018 Travelersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Choice Awards, Halifax was 76

named as one of the Top 10 global destinations on the rise. Yet, whilst the Nova Scotian capital is set to become a promising travel destination, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all it has to offer. With local businesses leading the way in areas such as marine defence, fisheries and data analytics, Halifax has also proved to be a burgeoning business hub. Halifax has plenty to offer businesses looking to get a foothold in the Canadian market, with its strategic geographic location meaning the city is near both the European and US markets; it boasts a highly skilled and educated workforce; and on top of this, businesses can be sure of competitive business costs and generous R&D tax incentives. To find out more, Business Chief examines three of the J U LY 2 0 1 9

‘ Not only has Nova Scotia’s coastline has been shaped by the ocean, its people and businesses have too’ c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

C I T Y F O C U S | H A L I FA X

“ Halifax is simply a great place to establish a business. Building a business here makes sense” — Cal Gosse, Senior Location Executive, IBM Canada

J U LY 2 0 1 9

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘TOP 10 REASONS TO VISIT HALIFAX IN 2019’ 79

city’s most prosperous industries to

tions of ocean-related PhDs in the

dig deeper into Canada’s so-called

world. The ocean economy is a vital

‘Ocean City’.

one for the region: it provides a key source of food, energy, minerals,

MASTERING THE OCEANS

health, leisure and transport which

Not only has Nova Scotia’s coastline

hundreds of millions of people

been shaped by the ocean, its people

depend upon. It also carries financial

and businesses have too. Nova Scotia

heft too: including spin-offs, ocean-

Business Inc. says that an impressive

related industries generate

one-in-five jobs in the province are

approximately $4.5bn, , accounting for

connected to the ocean, with the

12.2% of Nova Scotia’s GDP. It’s no

maritime industry employing almost

wonder that Nova Scotia and Atlantic

35,000 local people. Nova Scotia also

Canada were chosen as the epicenter

boasts one of the highest concentra-

of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster – c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

C I T Y F O C U S | H A L I FA X

a federally supported initiative that

Chris Lowe Planning and Manage-

aims to nurture ocean start-ups. Lots

ment Group, found that the Port of

of notable maritime companies call

Halifax’s operations provides almost

Halifax home but the city’s aptitude

$2bn in economic output every year.

is perhaps best encapsulated by the

Speaking to the American Journal of

Port of Halifax, a major economic

nsportation (AJOT), Karen Oldfield,

driver for both the city and the

President and CEO of the Halifax

province. Indeed, the latest eco-

Port Authority, said that this “reflects

nomic impact report produced by

the incredible hard work and

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dedication of the many organizations

tuna, the region is home to 178

that make up the Port of Halifax.”

processing companies that offer access to more than 50 species

A MECCA FOR SEAFOOD LOVERS

of high-quality fish and seafood.

Nova Scotia is often touted as Cana-

Leading seafood exporters in Halifax

da’s top seafood exporter. In 2018,

include Biscay Seafoods Canada,

the region recorded more than $2bn

Breakers Fish Co., Fisherman’s

in exports to over 75 countries.

Market International Incorporated

From Atlantic halibut to herring or

and Merex Incorporated.

c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

C I T Y F O C U S | H A L I FA X

A DIGITALLY-SAVVY CAPITAL Like many cities across the globe, Halifax has worked hard to keep up

1 in 5 jobs in Nova Scotia are connected to the ocean

with the blistering pace of innovation and is now reaping the benefits. Indeed, some of the biggest titans in the technology space are based in Halifax, including IBM, Capgemini, CGI, Citco and DHX Media. “Halifax is simply a great place to establish a

22%

students enroll in ICT related fields at Nova Scotia Universities

business. Building a business here makes sense,” Cal Gosse, Senior Location Executive of IBM Canada 82

told Halifax Partnership. Jay MacIsaac, Senior VP, Atlantic Canada for CGI, also attested to the region’s IT prowess. Speaking to Halifax Partnership he said: “For CGI, Nova Scotia has proven to be a very sound decision regarding the location of our Atlantic Global Delivery Centre, serving the business needs of our clients from around the world.” But why have these technology powerhouses found Halifax to be such an inviting location? It may be partially due to the regions highly educated workforce: Nova Scotia’s universities have 22% more students enrolled, per capita, in ICT related field than the Canadian averJ U LY 2 0 1 9

Port of Halifax provides

$2bn

economic output every year

“ For CGI, Nova Scotia has proven to be a very sound decision regarding the location of our Atlantic Global Delivery Centre, serving the business needs of our clients from around the world” — Jay Maclsaac, Senior VP, Atlantic Canada for CGI

age and more than two-thirds of Halifax’s working age population has a trade, college, or university designation. On the other hand, it may also be due to the city’s competitive costs: Halifax has the 6th lowest operating cost for digital industries among competing jurisdictions. Elsewhere, businesses may be wooed by Canada’s compatible data laws: the country’s data privacy laws are compliant with Europe’s meaning international companies can easily store data securely in North America. With all this in mind, Halifax is quickly proving to be the perfect location for any global technology operation. c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

T O P 10

J U LY 2 0 1 9

TOP 10

Manufacturers in the US Business Chief counts down the top 10 manufacturers in the US, according to Forbesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Global 2000 ranking of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest public companies WRITTEN BY

WILLIAM SMITH

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T O P 10

PepsiCo

Forbes list 86

PepsiCo traces its history back to 1898, when Caleb Bradham first formulated Pepsi-Cola for sale in his North Carolina pharmacy. Today, the company is responsible for the production of its eponymous cola as well as beverage brands such as Mountain Dew and Gatorade, and food brands like Lay’s and Doritos. 86th on Forbes’ list, the company’s revenue reached $65bn, with profits totalling some $12.6bn in 2018.

J U LY 2 0 1 9

DowDuPont Forbes list 81

Formed from the 2017 merger of American stalwart chemical companies Dow Chemical and DuPont, DowDuPont is the world’s largest manufacturer of chemicals. Historically, the two companies have pioneered innovative materials such as nylon, in DuPont’s case, and styrofoam in Dow Chemical’s. With its 2018 revenue at $86bn and profits of $3.8bn, it came 81st on Forbes’ list.

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T O P 10

United Technologies Forbes list 78

Multinational conglomerate United Technologies is active across a range of manufacturing areas, from aircraft engines to air conditioners. Originally a pure aircraft manufacturer, its diversification was reflected in its 1974 name change away from United Aircraft. They placed 78th, with revenue totalling $66.5bn and profits reaching $5.3bn. Subsidiaries include the Otis Elevator Company, HVAC specialist Carrier and Collins Aerospace.

J U LY 2 0 1 9

Reimagine the impossible

Bring together people, data, and processes to transform your organization. With the latest in AI technologies, you can engage your customers in new ways, empower your employees more than ever before, and optimize operations to become an industry leader. Start your digital transformation today.

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T O P 10

Cisco Systems Forbes list 74

A manufacturer of networking and telecommunications hardware, Cisco is the youngest company on this list, having been founded in 1984. It counts among its clients service providers, small to medium businesses, and enterprise customers such as corporations, government agencies, utilities and educational institutions. A pioneer of networking technology, the company states that 85% of Internet traffic travel across its systems. It was 74th on Forbesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; list, with revenue of $50.8bn and profits totalling $12.9bn.

J U LY 2 0 1 9

General Motors Forbes list 56

The largest American automotive manufacturer, General Motors came in at 56th on Forbesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; list. Responsible for iconic US brands such as Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac, the company is headquartered in Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Motor City, Detroit, along with its rivals Ford and Chrysler. Possessing by far the largest revenue of companies on this list at $147bn, they made profits of $8.1bn in 2018. The company has achieved something of a rebirth under the leadership of CEO Mary Barra, after its bankruptcy in 2009.

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T O P 10

Pfizer

Forbes list 54

Pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer is based in New York City, and oversees the development and production of medicines and vaccines. Some of their better known drugs include Atorvastatin and Viagra. With a revenue of $53.6bn and profits of $11.2bn, the company ranked 54th worldwide. Founded in 1849, in late 2018 the company announced it was merging its consumer healthcare division with that of British pharmaceuticals company GlaxoSmithKline.

J U LY 2 0 1 9

SAP runs its SAP HANA® platform on Lenovo. Let Lenovo run yours, too.

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T O P 10

Procter & Gamble Forbes list 53

Consumer goods manufacturer Procter & Gamble specializes in a broad range of products for the home. From personal care to cleaning products, its brands include detergents like Tide and Odor eliminators like Febreze. The company was founded back in 1837 in Cincinnati, where it is still headquartered. It made it to 53rd on Forbesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; list. In 2018, their revenue and profits reached $66.9bn.

J U LY 2 0 1 9

Boeing

Forbes list 49

The Boeing Company is the United Statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; largest player in the aerospace industry. A defense contractor as well as a civilian manufacturer, the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designs range from aircraft to satellites. Founded in Seattle in 1916 and named after its founder, William Boeing, the company is now based in Chicago, Illinois. According to their figures, they employ more than 153,000 people across 65 countries. They placed in 49th position, with profits of $10.5bn from a revenue of $101.1bn.

c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

T O P 10

Intel

Forbes list 44

Silicon Valley’s Intel is well known for its manufacture of semiconductors, and the company’s processors can be found in most personal computers, alongside those

of their rival AMD. Unlike AMD, the company fabricates its own designs rather than outsourcing to semiconductor foundries, and also fabricates designs for others. Founded in 1968, the company’s co-founder Gordon Moore is well known as the author of Moore’s law regarding the doubling of transistors on a microchip every two years. It was ranked in 44th place, with revenue of $70.8bn and profits of $21.1bn.

J U LY 2 0 1 9

c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

T O P 10

Johnson & Johnson Forbes list 37

Founded in 1886 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Johnson & Johnson is a multinational pharmaceuticals and medical devices producer. They are also known for

their consumer products such as Neutrogena and the Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s baby brand. 37th on Forbesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; global list, their revenue reached $81.6bn in 2018, with profits totalling $14.7bn. The company remains headquartered in the city of its founding, and describes itself as employing more than 130,000 people across the globe.

J U LY 2 0 1 9

c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

VALUES DRIVING CASHCO FINANCIALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

100

WRITTEN BY

HARRY MENEAR PRODUCED BY

JAKE MEGEARY

J U LY 2 0 1 9

101

c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

CASHCO FINANCIAL

Raymond Wilson, COO of Cashco Financial, discusses the company’s five core values and how they are driving the digital transformation of its customer journey

oday, more than 30% of Canadians are living from paycheque to paycheque. The number of people in debt is rising too,

with the Bank of Canada reporting in May 2018 that the average Canadian typically owes around 102

CA$1.70 for every dollar they own. Canadians are not just struggling financially: according to a report by NBC, financial pressure and consequential stress can both directly and indirectly affect mental and physical health. Millions of underbanked Canadians are in need of banking and money management services, of short-term loans to make it to the next paycheque, and of long-term services to nurture and support their aspirations. The idea of Cashco has been rooted in a number of businesses founded by the company’s CEO, Tim Latimer. Cashco Financial as it exists today has been around for a decade delivering alternative financial services to the citizens of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, both through brick and mortar and online – providing over 140,000 clients with long and short-term personal J U LY 2 0 1 9

103

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CASHCO FINANCIAL

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“ We work hard to make sure these are living, breathing values embodied throughout the organization” — Raymond Wilson, COO, Cashco Financial J U LY 2 0 1 9

loans, cheque cashing and, as of 2017 in Alberta, banking services. “Over the course of our history our business model has continued to evolve, at a time we were focused solely on providing access to payday loans, then added and evolved to installment products, and now we’re focused on bringing banking services to our clients. There isn’t a one size fits all solution to our clients banking needs so we work to offer banking-like products that can offer support to

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘CASHCO MOM’S REALITY’ 105

people that can’t get help anywhere

clothe the both of us,” he recalls.

else,” says Raymond Wilson, Chief

“I really feel passionate about the

Operating Officer (COO) at Cashco.

subprime loans market because I can

Wilson, who has served in his current

connect with the customers. There

role for three years, is able to bring

were plenty of days growing up when

a powerful sense of empathy to the

there was nothing in the fridge. I know

company’s relationship with the numer-

where they’re coming from.”

ous underserved families and individu-

Cashco serves its clients by working

als across the country. “I grew up in a

tirelessly to embody its five core

single parent home; my mother raised

values: Respect the vision, Embrace

myself and my brother, and there were

Can I, Live the Golden Rule, Own the

many times I could see the stress on

Results and Communicate Honestly.

her face as she was trying to feed and

The core values set the expectations c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

CASHCO FINANCIAL

106 for staff on how Cashco employees

commitment to them. “At the time, it was

behave and treat each other. “We work

transformational for our business, today

hard to make sure these are living,

it means we can make better decisions

breathing values embodied throughout

on affordability and support our clients

the organization,” says Wilson. “The

need in order to help them maintain a

organization moves quickly, and we

positive relationship with their money.”

have a big job to do. If we don’t have

That technology now needs to be

clear expectations of ourselves and

monitored and adjusted continuously

the people around us, it’s very hard

to ensure that, first, clients keep moving

to do what we do every day.”

along their credit journey, and second,

Over the last 5 years Cashco

that Cashco builds a sustainable

introduced a decision engine that takes

business that can be around for many

all the data feed into it and works to

years serving the underserved and

make better predictions on client’s

underbanked. This technology is heavily

likelihood of honoring their financial

based on artificial intelligence/machine

J U LY 2 0 1 9

learning that speeds up the delivery

he says. The company’s efforts range

and removes friction from the client’s

from simple steps, like attaching an

journey with Cashco.

employee’s picture to an email to

One of the largest challenges that

humanize the interaction for the client,

Wilson recognizes is the preservation

to the construction of an entirely new

of the empathetic, personal experience

portal to allow for easy access to

as Cashco increases its digital offerings.

account information and Cashco’s new

“We know we can be successful when

banking services. Rather than cold

the client sits down at the desk and we

functionality that widens the distance

have a conversation. But, as we move

between Cashco and its customers,

into a more digital age, we need to start

Wilson sees the “exponential growth

looking at other ways to create those

of technological applications” as an

touchpoints and still maintain that

enabler for increasingly personalised

relationship while the client benefits

and empathetic services. “We’re

from the accessibility of digital products,”

utilizing technology to make our

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Raymond Wilson Raymond Wilson has been with Cashco Financial for 10 years where he started as a VP managing the branch network. In 2016 he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer and now oversees all operations. He has worked in this market for almost thirty years and is very passionate about what Cashco stands for and the people they serve. Wilson has four beautiful children and has been married to his wife Leslie for 13 years. He is also an avid golfer and enjoys the outdoors with his family.

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CASHCO FINANCIAL

108

140,000 Clients served

2009

Year founded

Edmonton, Alberta Canada

J U LY 2 0 1 9

customer journey as painless as possible,” he explains. In particular, Cashco is employing analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to both empower the front end of its business and augment its back-end decision making. “We use AI for our loan decisioning, which we’re constantly tuning to make more efficient, and twinning with our analytics to create a higher loan completion and closing rate,” says Wilson. Cashco has also made the decision to build its AI in-house. “Our CEO has the entrepreneurial spirit,” Wilson explains. “With that comes quick change; this way we don’t have to wait to make alterations the way we would if you bought something off the shelf. We acknowledge that there’s a cost to doing things in-house, but it allows us to be much more agile.” AI also plays a critical role in Cashco’s latest project: applying decision making to the loan recovery process. “We’re working with another company to bring AI into our recovery and collections department,” says Wilson. “If clients are unable to make a payment, there’s a reason for that. AI can help us understand not only how to best communicate with people, but how c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

109

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘CHRISTINA’S REAL WORLD STORY’ 111

to help them ensure they can complete their loans with us.” To maintain relevancy Cashco has recently mapped out the strategic direction for the next three years, identifying the necessary business decisions in order to compete in their space – knowing the space continues to grow and demand is increasing. “A digital Cashco is imperative, and we have it centered around the idea of digital client-care services,” says Wilson. “Overall, our digital ecosystem

“ Respect the Vision, Embrace Change, Live the Golden Rule, Own the Results and Communicate Honestly” — Raymond Wilson, COO, Cashco Financial

is focused on leveraging our data, and c a naa da nz .busi ne ssc h ief. com

CASHCO FINANCIAL

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘ELISIA’S REAL WORLD STORY’ 112

advanced analytics platforms are built together so decision making is driven by the business, and AI/machine learning will be the driving factor is producing sound recommendations to guide the process.” The entire enterprise is designed to accommodate and exceed the needs and expectations of the underserved. Cashco provides relief today by making it easy to get an immediate loan regardless of current or past credit history. The company accepts its J U LY 2 0 1 9

“ We’re utilizing technology to make our customers’ journey as painless as possible” — Raymond Wilson, COO, Cashco Financial

113

clients, wherever they are on their

resilient business with a loan book of

journey. Due to the multiple solutions it

$250mn by 2021, serving underbanked

offers, Cashco is the only finance

Canadians with subprime loans, and

company that can help move clients

continue to offer meaningful banking

through the entire credit continuum to

delivered through advice-based,

achieve a better credit rating and

intimate, one-to-one relationships.”

create hope for tomorrow. Looking to the future, Cashco Financial has bold ambitions. “Our big, hairy, audacious goal is to be recognized as a new, different kind of bank by 2025,” Wilson concludes. “We’re going to build a forward-looking c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

114

Enabling technology transformation to the J U LY 2 0 1 9

cloud

115

WRITTEN BY

SOPHIE CHAPMAN PRODUCED BY

JAKE MEGEARY

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INGRAM MICRO

As the technology industry evolves, Ingram Micro continues to enable digital transformation with the cloud

ngram Micro is an emergent leader in the global technology sector; dedicated to enabling its customers and its entire

organization to achieve technological transformation. “Technology underpins our organization and the pressure is on to get it right. To achieve a 116

competitive advantage, companies must align with the evolving landscape. Ingram Micro is well poised to meet the demands of this evolution,” says Greg Onoprijenko, Director of Cloud for the company’s Canada operations. “We’re continuously innovating to maintain relevancy for our customers and our entire organization.” As the world’s largest technology distributor, the company provides a wide array of products to its customers including laptops, smartphones, printers and IT infrastructure and services to its wide variety of customers, reaching from retail to telecommunications to value-added resellers (VARs). In Canada, Onoprijenko heads the company’s fastest-growing division: Cloud. “As customers transform their businesses and start to adopt more cloud services, their dependence on the IT channel for guidance J U LY 2 0 1 9

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INGRAM MICRO

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“ Technology is extremely important to us, and there’s a lot of pressure to get it right” — Greg Onoprijenko, Director of Cloud Canada Ingram Micro

J U LY 2 0 1 9

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘INGRAM MICRO CLOUD OVERVIEW’ 119 has become increasingly critical to

backup and recovery, and communica-

their success,” he says. “This increase

tions and collaboration services.

in demand has resulted in revenue

The third unit is the Infrastructure-as-a-

growth as we develop more solutions

Service (IaaS) team. “The IaaS team is

in the portfolio and add a larger staff to

completely focused on data centre

support the demand. We’re fortunate

transformation and public cloud

to be leading an extremely profitable

infrastructure. The solutions we sell

and fast-growing business.”

within that portfolio include Microsoft

The company’s Cloud operations

Azure, Amazon Web Services, and

are divided into three business units.

IBM Cloud,” explains Onoprijenko.

The first is the Microsoft team, which

“One of the competitive advantages

primarily focuses on Office 365 and

we have in the Cloud division is just the

the associated licensing models. The

sheer breadth and depth of the team.

second unit addresses Software-as-a-

We have over 1,500 dedicated cloud

Service (SaaS), such as cloud security,

employees globally, with extensive c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

INGRAM MICRO

120

industry experience. For our custom-

another clear differentiator that

ers and channel partners who need

separates it from its competitors.

guidance and advice, we have the

Ingram Micro offers a fully automated

industry’s best team to lean on,”

platform that enables cloud services

comments Onoprijenko. As Ingram

transactions with centralized dash-

Micro transforms its business model,

boards, reporting and support.

change management across the

“The platform covers any need that

company has its challenges. To

a partner may have when delivering

effectively combat these challenges,

cloud services,” he continues.

Ingram Micro’s Cloud team is continu-

“As channel partners become mature

ously providing education to ensure

and more successful in the cloud, they

that “the entire company is aligned

recognize that automation is critical to

with the cloud strategy.”

scale their businesses and that they

The company’s platform strategy is J U LY 2 0 1 9

need to have their eCommerce platform

to transact cloud services. Our global cloud service offerings make us a logical option for these companies.â&#x20AC;? As customers within the technology sector shift towards an as-a-service model, Ingram Micro is adapting its strategy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Instead of customers buying and owning IT products, the evolution is towards everything-as-a-monthlyfee. That puts pressure on the IT channel partners to evolve and change to meet customer demands. It also puts pressure on IT distributors to change how they deliver solutions to the market. Finally, the onus is on the

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Greg Onoprijenko, Director, Cloud Canada Greg Onoprijenko is Director of Cloud for Ingram Micro Canada. He provides overall strategy, guidance and leadership for Ingram Microâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cloud services business unit. He assumes all responsibilities of the cloud business in the Canadian market which includes sales, marketing, vendor management, and new strategic alliances.

c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

121

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vendors, who are ultimately creating these products and services to evolve,â&#x20AC;? reveals Onoprijenko. To embrace the change in demand for both hardware and software products, Ingram Micro is increasingly introducing new service options, with Onoprijenko claiming they are leading the industry. Onoprijenko cites traditional software licensing as an example, with customers purchasing the licenses and associated maintenance to own and manage. With the current evolution underway, firms are moving away from owning these licenses, instead opting J U LY 2 0 1 9

for a pay-as-you-go alternative to access the software, which typically resides in the cloud. “It’s an evolution. A lot of the channel partners recognize this and are proactively transforming their companies. While some companies recognize the need to change, and that they need help with it, others are unresponsive to change and risk getting left behind.” With the experience of the Cloud team, Ingram Micro can offer its partners guidance and knowledge through seminars, educational opportunities and one-on-one

“ We recently moved the entire company to Microsoft Office 365 instead of hosting the solution ourselves” — Greg Onoprijenko, Director of Cloud Canada Ingram Micro 123

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INGRAM MICRO

coaching, differentiating the firm from its competitors. “We can surround our clients with resources which can guide them along and motivate them to change proactively,” he adds. As well as enabling its customers to advance their operations, Ingram Micro is working towards the same goal of innovating its functions internally. “We’re changing our business model and evolving to the cloud. We previously had large data centres with IT infrastructure that serviced the 124

entire company. As an example, we recently moved the entire company to Microsoft Office 365 instead of hosting the solutions ourselves. We also standardized the entire company on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, versus hosting our own.” With cloud adoption increasing at such a rapid rate, one of the company’s biggest challenges is to compete with other businesses taking advantage of the advancement. “Everybody understands the opportunity and is pursuing it. Ingram Micro envisioned this opportunity before our competitors and started delivering cloud services about 12 years ago. We certainly J U LY 2 0 1 9

$50bn Approximate revenue

1979

Year founded

33,000

Approximate number of employees

c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

125

INGRAM MICRO

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“ Everybody understands the opportunity and is pursuing it. Ingram Micro saw this opportunity before our competitors”

invested early,” Onoprijenko says. Within such a competitive industry, the company has the advantage of its hardworking team with its breadth of knowledge, as well as its years of experience in the sector. As the firm continues to grow, the cloud will be a foundational part of its strategy.

— Greg Onoprijenko, Director of Cloud Canada Ingram Micro c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

LOGO HERE

128

WRITTEN BY

SEAN GALEA-PACE PRODUCED BY

CRAIG KILLINGBACK

J U LY 2 0 1 9

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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

AHMED AZHARI, DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES, SUSTAINABILITY & GROUNDS AT UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA, DISCUSSES HOW HIS ORGANIZATION IS DEVELOPING TOWARD A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

roviding one of the largest further education facilities in Canada, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) holds the

reputation of a leading organization in the country. The university is accelerating its prestige with significant growth over the past few years through 130

the development of new facilities, and is home to over 25 buildings with more on the horizon. With sustainability recognized as a top priority at UTM, from both an environmental perspective and as a boost to its reputation as a sustainable organization, the university has formed key plans to meet the challenge head-on. Tasked with enabling the university to achieve a more sustainable future, Ahmed Azhari, Director of Utilities, Sustainability & Grounds at UTM, believes student engagement is key to realizing this important ambition. “Staff and student engagement is incredibly important because sustainability isn’t just one person’s job,” he affirms. “It’s our job collectively as the UTM community to ensure everything we do reduces the impact on the environment and help mitigate climate change. J U LY 2 0 1 9

131

ÂŠ Jiaying Song c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

“ STAFF AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SUSTAINABILITY ISN’T JUST ONE PERSON’S JOB” 132

— Ahmed Azhari, Director of Utilities, Sustainability & Grounds at UTM

J U LY 2 0 1 9

We’ve conducted lots of student engagement activities to educate both students and faculty members, ensuring they are aware as to how they can use the buildings in a more efficient manner.” The university has installed energy dashboards into a number of the key buildings on campus to equip students and staff members with the knowledge to understand how much energy the building is using on a real-time basis. To accelerate this project, the university has established a ‘Grow Smart, Grow Green’ strategy which focuses on key topic areas such as green

buildings, natural areas, transportation,

“We’re trying to create an educational

water management, energy manage-

campaign in the community to

ment, waste and recycling. “As part

encourage our students and staff

of this scheme, we’ve introduced a ban

to recycle things properly,” remarks

on bottled water,” explains Azhari.

Azhari. “It’s a big engagement project

“Bottled water isn’t available to buy

that will help standardize all the waste

anywhere on campus and we’ve

bins we have on campus, as well as

replaced the single-use plastic with

producing new recycling schemes and

water fountains that allow those on

educating the faculty and community

campus to refill their bottles instead of

on how to dispose of waste properly.”

purchasing new ones. This is key to our sustainability strategy moving forward.” Operating with a clear goal in mind,

With many buildings across campus recognized with a silver standard minimum in Leadership in Energy and

the university is engaging with students

Environmental Design (LEED), the

to develop waste and recycling plans.

university’s buildings – which are made

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘SUSTAINABLEUOFT’

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133

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

134 from recycled and regional materials – include features such as green cleaning programs, low-flow fixtures, energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems, low-emitting materials and green roofs. “The construction policy that we have in place is that any new buildings must meet our requirements of being a minimum of LEED silver,” says Azhari. “However, we can’t stop there; we’re always looking to achieve more.” UTM’s HMALC (Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre), instructional building, Deerfield Hall and innovation complex all meet this requirement, as well as the J U LY 2 0 1 9

“ IT’S OUR JOB COLLECTIVELY AS THE UTM COMMUNITY TO ENSURE EVERYTHING WE DO REDUCES THE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND HELP MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE” — Ahmed Azhari, Director of Utilities, Sustainability & Grounds at UTM

minimum target of the upcoming

campus,” notes Azhari. “It’s targeted

North Building. In addition, the Health

to be a minimum LEED silver that will

Sciences Complex and David building

incorporate two major renewable

third floor renovation have both

energy systems; geothermal system

achieved LEED gold status, while the

for building heating and cooling as well

new science building is also anticipat-

as a solar photovoltaic system to offset

ed to achieve this goal. “I have heavily

some of the building electrical require-

participated in the design of the New

ments. We will ensure that it utilizes other

Science building at UTM, which is set

sustainability measures that qualify it to

to house of the majority of the wet and

be certified above the minimum target

dry lab research that takes place on

under the LEED program.”

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Ahmed Azhari Ahmed Azhari has a diverse range of primary skills such as Sustainable Design, Facilities Management and Energy Management. Professionally, Ahmed manages the design of progressive disciplinary building systems; oversees the installation, operation and monitoring for the safe, comfortable, and environmentally friendly operations of modern buildings. He has delivered designs that play a significant role on the sustainability and energy demand of buildings while utilizing renewable energy, sustainability, low carbon technologies, LEED strategies, and energy management techniques. Ahmed is currently registered with Professional Engineers Ontario as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.), with Canada Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP), and with Association of Energy Engineers as Certified Energy Manager (CEM).

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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

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137

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ahmed Azhari, Director of Utilities, Sustainability & Grounds at UTM c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

collaborative partner for a sustainable future. EXP has the right blend of expertise and experience to understand, innovate, partner, and deliver.

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139 The university formed a key partnership with EXP, through a competitive public procurement process, to help with the design retrofit for two projects on campus; the Recreational Athletics and Wellness Centre (RAWC) and the Kaneff Centre. “EXP designed the system and helped us put the tender out for public pricing. They currently help us on the construction administration and the project management to help successfully deliver,” he says. “The RAWC is an athletics building, it has a swimming pool and a sauna, with significant heating demand

“ MY VISION FROM A SUSTAINABILITY PERSPECTIVE IS TO DESIGN AND ENABLE ALL FUTURE BUILDINGS TO BECOME CARBON NEUTRAL” — Ahmed Azhari, Director of Utilities, Sustainability & Grounds at UTM c a naa da nz .busi ne ssc h ief. com

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

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requirements. We realized a solar hot water system would be an ideal installation in a building like this to help offset some of the building heating demand and fulfil our commitments to utilizing renewable energy sources in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Looking to the future, Azhari has a clear vision of how UTM can continue the promising start it has made. “We haven’t finished – we’re always looking to grow. We’ve signed up for the University Climate Change Coalition Challenge (UC3 Challenge), which aims to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 37% by 2030, against a 1990 baseline. My vision from a sustainability perspective is to design and enable all future buildings to become Carbon Neutral in order to help remediate our environmental impact and help mitigate climate change.”

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How technology and people have inspired sustainability and climate action in Ontario WRITTEN BY

MARCUS LAWRENCE PRODUCED BY

CRAIG KILLINGBACK

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143

TOWN OF CALEDON

Katelyn McFadyen, Manager of Energy and Environment for the Town of Caledon, discusses the push for sustainability through the use of technology and empowering the people behind climate action

aledon, located in southern Ontario and an hour’s drive from Toronto, is a shining example of the positive impact that can

be generated through sustainability initiatives at 144

the municipal level. Katelyn McFadyen, Manager of Energy and Environment at the Town of Caledon, and Cristina Guido, the Energy and Environment Specialist in McFadyen’s team, are enthusiastic and passionate about the impactful initiatives being enacted across the municipality. “I think it’s safe to say that, no matter the size of the municipality, you’re still able to be creative when addressing climate change,” says McFadyen. “The Energy and Environment division is responsible for providing corporate and community stakeholders with guidance and tools for addressing climate change, energy management and sustainable operations practices,” says McFadyen. “We do a lot of research and facilitation to build corporate and community capacity, so that projects that address climate change can be implemented collaboratively and effectively.” J U LY 2 0 1 9

145

“ Energy consumption in buildings is our number one contributor to corporate GHG emissions” — Katelyn McFadyen, Manager of Energy and Environment c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

TOWN OF CALEDON

146

“ We were recognized by the Mayor’s Megawatt Challenge for a 10% reduction in energy usage in our Town Hall” — Cristina Guido, Energy and Environment Specialist

The overarching aims of the Town’s corporate environmental initiatives can be boiled down to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and maximizing the efficiency of buildings and transport networks. “Energy consumption in buildings is our number one contributor to corporate GHG emissions,” says McFadyen. Guido is currently working on updating the Town’s corporate five-year energy management plan, which is set to be released in 2019. “It’s a requirement of the provincial government, but we took this as an opportunity to go beyond provincial regulations and expand this to broader corporate GHG emissions,” says Guido. “We’re assessing strategies to enhance operations and maintenance, and get our buildings to be as efficient as possible.” Through a collaborative partnership with the Town’s Corporate Energy Team, a group made up of the Town’s building operations specialists, Caledon is working to minimize emissions stemming from its buildings. This is being done through enhanced operational efficiency and conservation-focused retrofits. “We’re very

Recieving the award from Mayor Allan Thompson J U LY 2 0 1 9

fortunate to have the level of engage-

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘CAPTURE CALEDON’ 147 ment from our Building Operations

a software developed by Natural

Team that we do,” says McFadyen.

Resources Canada, a department of

“They’re an incredible group of people

the Canadian Government. It stream-

who’ve totally embraced our corporate

lines the Town’s building benchmarking

strategy and are actively engaged in

initiative as well as visualizing progress

– and excited about – efforts to

on Caledon’s goals. “RETScreen

leverage opportunities and retrofits to

allows us to normalize for variables that

reduce energy consumption.”

drive energy consumption which staff

At the outset of her time with the

cannot control, such as weather. This

Town of Caledon, Guido was pivotal in

allows us to isolate factors such as

the development of the Town’s building

heating degree days, cooling degree

benchmarking initiative that McFady-

days, and the number of days arena ice

en’s team has since used as a powerful

is operational in facilities. For some

indicator of building efficiency. The

facilities, we also look at recreation

project is driven by RETScreen Expert,

building booking hours and how this c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

TOWN OF CALEDON

148

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influences their energy performance,”

Another major area of focus is

says Guido. “We also use RETScreen

transport, with McFadyen’s team

to monitor progress towards our

working not only to reduce the GHG

reduction targets. For example, our

impact of Caledon’s fleet but also to lay

current corporate energy management

the groundwork for future vehicular

plan has a target of a 9% reduction in

solutions. “One of our main focuses

building energy consumption, and we

with Town-owned vehicles will be

use the software to monitor how close

developing a corporate green fleet

we are to reaching that target,”

strategy and doing some modelling to

explains Guido. Caledon is well on its

see what types of lower-emission fuels

way to meeting its current goals, and

are less harmful to the environment,”

McFadyen enthuses that doing so is

says Guido. Progress has already been

just the beginning.

made in this area, with McFadyen 149

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Katelyn McFadyen Katelyn McFadyen is Manager of the Energy and Environment Division at the Town of Caledon. Having completed her Master’s degree in Environmental Sustainability at the University of Edinburgh, McFadyen has worked at the Town for almost six years as a key driver of the Town’s environmental portfolio successes. In her previous role as Energy and Environment Officer, McFadyen launched the Corporate Energy Team and established the Town’s Corporate Energy Revolving Fund, a self-sustaining fund that financially enables energy retrofits in Town facilities. McFadyen is currently updating the Town’s community climate change mitigation and adaptation action plan, driving the implementation of the Peel Climate Change Strategy, and leading the Energy and Environment Division.

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TOWN OF CALEDON

$100mn+ 1974 Annual budget for 2019

150

J U LY 2 0 1 9

Year founded

350+

Approximate number of employees

151

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The Savings by Design program helps builders improve energy and environmental performance in new construction projects. When a building model exceeds the Ontario Building Code’s energy performance requirements by 15% (combined gas and electrical savings), it becomes eligible for incentive funding.

Savings by Design Program

The Town of Caledon Southfields Community Centre Conceptual Rendering

TOWN FACILITY ADOPTS ENERGY EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE ENERGY The Savings by Design program offers many options to help customers build resiliency into their projects, lowering long-term operational and ongoing energy costs. A Visioning Session helps define project requirements and sustainability priorities by exploring site, regulatory, and market conditions. Issues are then identified and prioritized in the Integrated Design Process Session (IDP). At the full-day IDP workshop, a team of design experts in sustainable building, lighting, HVAC, storm water management, and planning explore possible design improvements to the building. The team works with the SBD experts to explore alternative opportunities to save energy and meet the goals of the program. Real-time modelling allows the team to explore energy savings measures with immediate feedback on the energy impacts. After the workshop, SBC delivers a final energy model based on the ECMs selected as well as a report summarizing the discussions of the day.

The Town of Caledon has a Corporate Green Building Standard that requires LEED Silver certification for all new facilities over 10,000 square feet. When planning its new recreation facility at Kennedy Road and Dougall Avenue, the Town of Caledon turned to Enbridge Gas and Savings by Design. “The Savings by Design program presented a strong alignment with our Council-approved building standard,” says Katelyn McFadyen, Manager, Energy and Environment, Finance and Infrastructure Services. “It provided an integrated learning opportunity between Town staff and the project consulting team. All the parties came together to share information about facility construction best practices and energy efficient technologies.” The 65,000 square foot Southfields Community Centre contains a pool, fitness area, library, OPP station, youth and seniors space, and a community hub containing a Montessori School, Parent Child Centre and other community partners. A groundbreaking ceremony took place in the fall of 2017. A significant outcome of the Savings by Design program, according to the Town of Caledon, was the integrated learning opportunity about construction best practices, technologies and approaches available to reduce energy consumption, plus methods to improve the management of stormwater. The SBD program also had a direct impact on projects beyond Southfields Community Centre. “We invited staff outside of the project to expand their knowledge capacity and understand the justification for the construction of high performing facilities.”

INTEGRATED DESIGN WORKSHOP Sponsored by Enbridge and facilitated by Sustainable Buildings Canada (SBC), Savings by Design provides incentive funding for projects to engage in an integrated design workshop process with real-time energy modelling. Enbridge offered the Town of Caledon free access to a team of multidisciplinary experts to explore high performance building energy targets as well as other environmental objectives including wellness, low impact design, water management, and more. “Although some of the stormwater management technologies and approaches presented during the SBD workshop were not integrated into the Southfields Community Centre, these practices were integrated into other facility construction projects in Caledon,” adds McFadyen.

For more information, visit savingsbydesign.ca

“ We were recognized by the Mayor’s Megawatt Challenge for a 10% reduction in energy usage in our Town Hall” — Cristina Guido, Energy and Environment Specialist

noting that the Town has developed a strong foundation for future electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. “For a municipality of 70,000, we’re really proud that we have 13 publicly available EV charging stations, and six plug-in hybrid vehicles in our fleet,” she adds, noting that these successes are of particular importance to Caledon with its geographically large landscape. Through the Peel Climate Change Partnership, which involves the municipal governments of the Region of Peel, Town of Caledon, Cities of Mississauga and Brampton, Credit

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Cristina Guido Cristina Guido is the Energy and Environment Specialist with the Town of Caledon. Guido has her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from York University in Toronto, and has recently received the Business Energy Professional certification from the Association of Energy Engineers. Guido has been with the Town since 2015, beginning in the role of a student and progressing to her current full-time role. She is driven by her passion for climate change mitigation and is inspired to make a change in the community that she grew up in. Guido continues to lead the Town’s corporate energy and environmental initiatives.

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TOWN OF CALEDON

Valley Conservation Authority, and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Caledon is helping to develop a new regional strategy to accelerate the adoption of low-emission and zero-emission vehicles by residents and businesses in Peel Region. Further actions earmarked for improvement in this area include a ramp-up of vehicle maintenance to maximize efficiency, as well as optimizing fleet route selection. “We’ve installed a GPS-based system into every vehicle in our fleet which could, for example, optimize 154

routes for snow removal in the winter,” says McFadyen. Automation-based technologies are also playing a part in the Town’s sustainability drive, such as the deployment of smart thermostats through many of its buildings and an algorithmic tool that collates utility bill data in the back end of Caledon’s energy management software. The benefits of such upgrades are far reaching: by being able to remotely control a building’s internal climate, McFadyen notes that operations teams no longer have to travel between locations to make adjustments, thereby reducing transport-based emissions. The algorithmic solution J U LY 2 0 1 9

mitigates the risk of additional costs or disruptions accruing through mishandled or misinterpreted data, provides alert reports with consumption anomalies and enhances administrative elements of processing utility bills. The efficacy of these endeavors has been reflected in the awards that McFadyen’s team has received. “We were recognized by the Mayor’s Megawatt Challenge for a 10% reduction in energy usage in our Town Hall, and received similar recognitions for two of our recreation complexes,” says Guido, highlighting a handful of the many awards received from local associations and climate action drivers – but for the team, the satisfaction lies in the results themselves. “Something we really value is that once you implement a project you can see its results,” says Guido. “We can see these retrofits and then, on the data side, we can measure and see that they are saving energy and reducing emissions. It’s amazing to see the impact of our work and to know that we are making a difference.”

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156

Service New Brunswick: procurement as a business enabler WRITTEN BY

LAURA MULLAN PRODUCED BY

ARRON RAMPLING

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SERVICE NEW BRUNSWICK

With a winning procurement strategy underway, Renée Laforest, Vice President of the Finance and Strategic Procurement Division at SNB, highlights how the crown corporation is having a lasting impact on New Brunswick

158

hether registering land and property or receiving healthcare, the citizens of New Brunswick have definitely crossed

paths with Service New Brunswick (SNB), a crown corporation that provides almost all direct public services on behalf of the government. SNB’s regular clientele includes provincial and federal government agencies, municipalities, lawyers, surveyors, appraisers, realtors, financial institutions, utilities, engineers, consultants and more – this means the organization’s procurement team have a massive, yet vital, task on their hands. Renée Laforest, Vice President of the Finance and Strategic Procurement division, highlights how SNB’s procurement function isn’t just about improving cost efficiency: it’s also about making meaningful change. “Service New Brunswick does strategic procurement for most of the government entities in the entire province including the health J U LY 2 0 1 9

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SERVICE NEW BRUNSWICK

“ We’re starting to have more conversations about value-based procurement, whereby the results are based on outcomes” — Renée Laforest, Vice President, Finance and Strategic Procurement Division, Service New Brunswick

sector,” she explains. “Five or six years ago there was an emphasis on cost, and the strategic procurement division was asked to find substantial savings for the government. Therefore, not unlike a lot of procurement teams, we shifted towards a category management strategy.” In essence, this involves clustering similar items that the company wants to buy under a single cost-effective deal. “We have achieved a significant amount of savings through this new strategy,” Laforest enthuses.

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘RECENT ECONOMIC SUCCESSES’ 161 However, in the most recent chap-

has implemented a range of innovative

ters of the firm’s procurement journey,

procurement strategies but it seems,

it has shifted towards value-based

in a lot of cases, you can’t underesti-

procurement. This can perhaps be

mate the power of conversation and

best seen within the healthcare

understanding the product or service.

division, notes Laforest: “We’re starting

“We really consider our clients’ needs

to have more conversations about

and requirements when procuring

value-based procurement, whereby

goods and services for them,” Laforest

the results are based on outcomes.

notes. “It’s important that we have these

For example, when we purchase

in-depth conversations, particularly

insulin pumps for diabetes clients,

when it comes to services. If you’re

we’ll carefully look at the needs of

buying a service you may have more

our clients and ensure we meet their

complex needs and requirements,

demands rather than automatically

so this dialogue is critical.”

opting for the cheapest pump.” SNB

Procurement has proven to be at the c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

SERVICE NEW BRUNSWICK

162 bedrock of SNB’s operations, ensuring that the organization can deliver the vital government services needed to keep the region ticking along. The function has a lasting impact on the people who provide government services, as well as an indirect impact on those who receive them. Yet, notably, the reverberations of SNB’s innovative procurement strategy can be felt by New Brunswick suppliers too. “We’re trying to support New Brunswick suppliers to become prosperous so they can successfully bid to the government,” Laforest explains. “We’re J U LY 2 0 1 9

“ We are trying to support New Brunswick suppliers to become successful so that they can successfully bid to the government” — Renée Laforest, Vice President, Finance and Strategic Procurement Division, Service New Brunswick

trying to explain to them when we can

of technology supply contracts with

give preference to a local supplier

the Government of New Brunswick.

versus having an open tender, and why

“Currently, they hold four separate

we need to do that to support our New

multi-year contracts of supply for

Brunswick companies.” On top of this,

technology goods, including data centre

SNB has shown a flair for supplier

infrastructure and client computing

relationship management (SRM)

equipment,” explains Laforest. “All of

through in-depth conversations,

these contracts were awarded through

outreach programs and more. One

competitive open tenders and support

such company that has worked closely

SNB service delivery to three main parts

with SNB is IMP Solutions, who were

of government: core government

successful in winning a number

departments, education, healthcare.” 163

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Renée Laforest Laforest obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration from the Université de Moncton and is a CPA CGA with 29 years of experience in the civil service. She began her career as an internal auditor at the Office of the Comptroller, then as a treasury officer in accounting services. She then moved to the Department of Health and held various roles in financial services, including the Executive Director role, and also the Assistant Deputy Minister of Health Corporate Services where she was responsible for financial services, construction services, health analytics, procurement, emergency preparedness and business technology. Laforest joined Service New Brunswick in June 2017 as Vice President of Strategic rocurement, and become responsible for Financial Services in the Fall 2018.

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SERVICE NEW BRUNSWICK

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$266mn Approximate revenue

1990

Year founded

2,400

Approximate number of employees

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SERVICE NEW BRUNSWICK

Pulling back the curtain of complexity IMP Solutions is a leading “end to end” IT solutions company serving all of Atlantic Canada. As such, we work with a broad range of both public and private sector clients to provision, design, develop, implement, service and support IT solutions. This is accomplished through our various lines of business which include: Hardware/Software Fulfillment Professional Services Advanced Solutions (Networking and Cloud) Technical Services Managed Services

IMP Solutions is proud to be a strategic procurement partner for the Province of New Brunswick. Through competitively secured supply arrangements, IMP Solutions provides both data center (storage and server) and endpoint device (desktop, laptop and accessories) technology to meet the Province’s business needs.

Learn More +

“ I want to really add value for our clients so that they don’t see procurement as a roadblock but rather see it as a valueadding function” — Renée Laforest, Vice President, Finance and Strategic Procurement Division, Service New Brunswick 167 Any business leader will tell you

it to submit their proposals and we

that the procurement sector has been

do all our evaluations within the tool.

a stomping ground for innovation lately

It’s all automated and all our stakeholders

and this hasn’t gone amiss at SNB.

have found it beneficial.”

Laforest describes how the organiza-

Looking at the wider procurement

tion is in the midst of implementing

landscape, Laforest has seen an uptake

a new enterprise resource planning

in innovative procurement practices.

(ERP) system. “We are investing in a

This helps to encourage greater collabo-

new eERP solution for all of govern-

ration with vendors and promotes new

ment, so we need to replace the HR

ways of doing things. “I think the days of

management, financial, and procure-

listing endless requirements for procure-

ment and supply chain systems,” she

ment processes are in the past,” she

explains. This is further compounded

proposes. “In some instances, you may

by the group’s strategic sourcing

know that the business needs to buy

platform used for health sector

a blue chair that’s a particular height,

procurements, Bonfire. “Vendors use

for example, and that’s easy to do. c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

SERVICE NEW BRUNSWICK

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But when you’re not quite certain what the market has to offer then it’s important to have a process where procurement can be more open. For instance, you may say ‘I need a system to help me track health inspections’ and outline your requirements so vendors could bring forward unique suggestions. It’s fair and transparent and I think it brings about more successful outcomes.” SNB’s procurement success is far from coincidental. The crown corporation has put its weight behind a multi-year procurement integration and it is already reaping the benefits for both the government and its citizens. In the upcoming years, Laforest asserts that SNB will continue to spearhead leading procurement practices so that stakeholders can see the function is not a hindrance but rather, an enabler. “I want to really add value for our clients so that they don’t see procurement as a roadblock but rather see it as a value-adding function,” she affirms.

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LEVERAGING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE EVOLVING MINING SECTOR WRITTEN BY

SEAN GALEA-PACE PRODUCED BY

RICHARD DEANE

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ANDRITZ

Arthur Gooch, Director of Innovation, and Sohail Nazari, Business Development Manager of ANDRITZ, discuss the importance of innovation amidst a digital transformation in the mining industry

ith a desire to establish a lead in the mining sector through innovation amidst a worldwide digital transformation,

ANDRITZ, which provides industry-specific 172

products and solutions for sectors including mining, has a history of setting the bar high. With the task of embracing the right technology to drive operations forward vital to growth in all fields, the mining sector is often considered slower to adopt new software. However, ANDRITZ remains determined to enable mining operations all over the world to bridge the gap between concept and production, facilitate operational readiness and stay ahead of the curve. The firm has made a significant impact in the mining space in recent years, winning the prestigious #DisruptMining 2019 innovation competition through its disruptive Digital Twin technology capable of training artificial intelligence (AI). â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a very exciting experience and a little bit surreal to win the competition.

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1852

Year founded

10,000+

Approximate number of employees

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ANDRITZ

“ONCE WE BECAME A FINALIST, IT’S A SHARK TANK STYLE COMPETITION AND THE FINAL THREE GO ON STAGE” — Sohail Nazari, Business Development Manager, ANDRITZ

174 We couldn’t quite believe it,” says Arthur Gooch, Director of Innovation at ANDRITZ. “There’s a fair amount of pressure associated with the event so it all happened in a bit of a blur.” The competition, hosted by gold mining giants Goldcorp and now in its third year, had approximately 90 submissions from mining firms to showcase the technologies they have implemented to drive innovation in the sector. “It was amazing when we were on the stage,” adds Sohail Nazari, Business Development Manager of ANDRITZ. “It’s vital that you spend a lot of time J U LY 2 0 1 9

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘ANDRITZ CORPORATE VIDEO’ 175 ensuring that everything on your

dynamic simulator, IDEAS, the tool is

application is correct.”

now enabling operations across the

The competition is whittled down

sector to reduce risk and experience

until three finalists remain. “Once we

considerable cost savings. The

became a finalist, it’s a Shark Tank

software is considered the leading

style competition and the final three go

dynamic simulator for oil sands

on stage,” explains Nazari. “They pitch

operations in the north of Canada

their ideas to the judges with 500

and for hard rock mining operations

people watching in the audience. It’s

worldwide. Gooch explains how

fair to say it’s a high-pressured event,

his company is utilising Digital Twin

and the stakes were really high, but

software. “The first physical model is

after we were announced as the

like a software wrapper for all of the

winner, we all felt a massive relief and

engineering equations that we know

were incredibly satisfied.”

define each piece of equipment,” he

Having impressed the judges with its

says. “For example, if we have a pipe, c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

ANDRITZ

176

J U LY 2 0 1 9

we know that there are correlations

matter of solving a number of equa-

between pipe geometry, surface

tions. Instead, it’s setting the conditions

roughness, the pressure across the

and the operating points – like the

pipe as well as the pipe’s flow rate.

positions of valves and the set points

Those equations, alongside those for

of controllers – enables the simulation

every other piece of equipment, get

to replicate the behavior of real

embedded into objects in the model in

running equipment.”

a graphical format. This allow us to

“Engineers make mistakes like

connect them together, and it means

everyone else in life. However, when

that when someone wants to figure out

you build the simulation model, you

what is going on in the plant, it’s not a

actually go through all these designs

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Dr. Sohail Nazari, BDM

177

Dr. Sohail Nazari has worked in various industries including automotive and oil and gas. His current focus in ANDRITZ is to develop the business of applying advanced automation technologies in mining and mineral processing. He was one of the instrumental contributors to the ANDRITZ team that just won first prize in the Goldcorp/Newmont Disrupt Mining competition with IDEAS Reinforcement Learning Artificial Intelligence. His areas of expertise include design and implementation of advanced process control, intelligent condition monitoring, Digital Twin and machine learning algorithms. Dr. Nazari holds a patent on developing a model predictive control algorithm for power optimization in data centers. He received his PhD from University of Alberta, Canada, Department of Electrical and Computer engineering in 2013. c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

ANDRITZ

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“THE FIRST PHYSICAL MODEL IS LIKE A SOFTWARE WRAPPER FOR ALL OF THE ENGINEERING EQUATIONS THAT WE KNOW DEFINE EACH PIECE OF EQUIPMENT” — Arthur Gooch, Director of Innovation, ANDRITZ 179

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ANDRITZ

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control systems combine all our extensive operation, troubleshooting, and start-up experience in one tailored automation solution. With the broad portfolio of scalable automation solutions, applicable for

a wide range of purposes (e.g. predictive maintenance, process monitoring, troubleshooting, long-term trending, etc.), ANDRITZ is your full-service provider for filter presses.

181

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Arthur Gooch, Director of Innovation Arthur is responsible for product development at ANDRITZ. A mechanical engineer by training, most of his career has focused on process automation projects for the mining and pulp and paper industries. From his background in control system configuration and commissioning, he now directs the creation of artificial intelligence and simulation technologies for industrial control.

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ANDRITZ

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and it allows you to ensure the design is going to work. It highlights any mistakes that are made,” adds Nazari. “We build the model, validate the design and ensure that it includes all the concepts on physics, chemistry, control systems, metallurgy, or whatever the plant is for. It’s all there. Then, we make sure that the design will work under different scenarios before we connect the model into the control system, even before the plant is built.” Following its success, Gooch affirms that ANDRITZ continues to take innovation seriously to avoid complacency and ensure it differentiates itself from rivals. “It’s a constant process of trying to review the technology we have and look at how we can take new strides with the things we couldn’t do yesterday.” Reflecting on his company’s achievements, Nazari affirms how teamwork has been key to ANDRITZ’ endeavors. “This success definitely comes down to teamwork,” says Nazari. “The things that we are accomplishing in our division, with regards to AI at ANDRITZ, are made possible by the leadership culture in place to support this and help push for innovation. We are passionate and we c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

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ANDRITZ

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“I BELIEVE MANAGERIAL PRUDENCE AND CAUTION ARE CERTAINLY KEY TO ENSURING SUSTAINABILITY” — Sohail Nazari, Business Development Manager, ANDRITZ

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ANDRITZ

are one team working together to

be quite deliberate and restrained

innovate – it is so important.”

regarding how many people we

With sustainability considered a key

approach. At some point, we could

pillar at ANDRITZ, Gooch points out

potentially run the risk of making

how crucial it is that, despite success,

promises that we simply wouldn’t

the company doesn’t take on more

have the resources to execute in

projects than it’s capable of delivering.

the agreed timescale.”

“I believe managerial prudence and

Looking to the future, Nazari aspires

caution are certainly key to ensuring

for ANDRITZ to become the default

sustainability,” he says. “We’ve

provider of Digital Twin technology in

experienced a tremendous flurry

mineral processing and pulp and paper.

of activity; however, we have had to

“With our well established process

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simulation technology, ANDRITZ is

paper is going to work. We’re going

becoming a natural frontrunner of this

to automate and then optimize as

innovation and is being considered as

much as possible. This is what we

a pioneer in the use of real time Digital

at ANDRITZ have at the forefront of

Twins for optimizing the process and to

our thoughts.”

better monitor the conditions from the process point of view,” explains Nazari. “The plan for the next few years is to continue to push innovation through more showcases, and we’re going to undergo a large evolution of how the mineral processing and pulp and

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Flexential: Customer-centric investment in data center infrastructure WRITTEN BY

MARCUS LAWRENCE PRODUCED BY

TOM VENTURO

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FLEXENTIAL

CEO Chris Downie discusses the key differentiators putting Flexential ahead of the competition as a flexible and essential data center partner with a company-wide focus on customer success.

aving combined in August 2017, Peak10 and ViaWest rebranded as Flexential in January 2018 to highlight the organization’s

commitment to being both flexible and essential 190

to its IT customers. Since then, the data center and hybrid IT operator has continued its forbears’ strong expansion methodology and commitment to the customer experience. “We spend a ton of time making sure that we’ve got a customer success culture – an organization-wide strategy that puts customers at the top,” says CEO Chris Downie. A seasoned data center industry veteran, Downie is also a passionate rugby fan with both college and postgraduate playing experience. He carries the cooperative, strategic and spiritual ethos of the sport through his role as chief executive – with great success thus far. “Rugby is a sport where strategy and teamwork are key to how you execute plays – you have to pass backwards to advance your team and there are no breaks between plays. At Flexential we also focus on strategy and teamwork. J U LY 2 0 1 9

Flexential expanded its data center to 142,000 sq. ft. in Atlantaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s technology corridor

191

Data centers

1,000

Approximate number of employees

Domestic and international markets c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

FLEXENTIAL

“ We spend a ton of time making sure that we’ve got a customer success culture – an organizationwide strategy that puts customers at the top.” 192

— Chris Downie, CEO, Flexential

Our brand is anchored in the concept, ‘The Power of People in a Technical World®, which for us is all about making our customers successful. Their success is infused in everything we do.” Having been at the heart of the data center industry for more than ten years, Downie has seen firsthand how it has become a vital component of modern business. In light of today’s demands for capacity, security, redundancy, reliability and recovery, flexibility and network expansiveness, Flexential has invested heavily in establishing itself as the best option for companies undergoing digital transformation and expansion across the US. The sheer volume of data being created and being digitized is set to necessitate continuous upgrades to capacity as more data-heavy technologies take root. “There are massive amounts of data being generated for technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and a whole host of other applications requiring a data center to function effectively,” says Downie. “Having the capacity for this accelerating growth, and the exponential amount of information that needs to be stored, contained and kept safe for the rest of time, is massive for our

J U LY 2 0 1 9

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘FLEXENTIAL FLEXANYWHERE TM SOFTWARE-DEFINED NETWORK’ 193 strategy going forward.” With 40 data

Flexential’s ability to go beyond the

centers across 21 US markets, Flexential

traditional expectations of a data

has not only the capacity but also the

center operator. Enterprises increasingly

geographical reach to set it apart from

operate in a hybrid world where their

a significant chunk of the competition.

infrastructure is located in many

“Having the ability to offer our products

physical locations and in a variety

across a broad geographical reach

of forms, making Flexential an ideal

allows us to get in front of demand

choice as the home base for a customer’s

across the country,” adds Downie.

hybrid IT operations. “We can provide

The company recently announced

our customers a variety of colocation

expansions to its facilities in Portland,

and cloud infrastructure choices,

Nashville, Charlotte and Atlanta.

helping them manage and protect the

Highlighting customer demand for

data that fuels their business, and most

solution providers with broad capabili-

importantly interconnect that infra-

ties, Downie is enthusiastic about

structure in a highly scalable, secure, c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

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FLEXENTIAL

196

and reliable fashion,” he says. “Our ability

being consumed and where, Flexential

to also offer professional services that can

is working to help them “future proof”

solve the challenges that our customers

their infrastructures. “One of our critical

face serves to make their engagement

differentiators is the network; the

with Flexential even more meaningful.”

investments we’ve made in resources

Flexential’s broad utility set is further

across our portfolio enables our

enhanced by its stellar network

customers to federate their data and

capabilities, and its aggressive invest-

resources anywhere and everywhere

ment strategy in this area is reaping

they need to.”

dividends. As more and more enterprises

A significant facet of Flexential’s

are considering architecture for edge

network platform is its access to the

and distributed computing, as well as

Asia Pacific market via subsea cables.

machine learning and artificial intelli-

Hosting direct access to three

gence toolkits to analyze how data is

trans-Pacific subsea cables, supplying

J U LY 2 0 1 9

connectivity between Asia and the

those cables we have an entry point

West coast of the US offers a huge

to massive data sets, and this puts us

opportunity to Flexential’s customers

in a position to assist consortium

and makes Flexential more competi-

members, and other customers that

tive abroad. “The New Cross Pacific

want to be near those cables, to

(NCP) cable has some of the largest

complete the solutions they’re looking

cloud and communications providers

to build in the US.”

in Asia as consortium members, and it

Flexential has also been actively

extends to China, Taiwan, Korea and

investing in capitalizing on the

a whole host of other countries,” says

opportunities afforded by its size and

Downie. “We also host the Hawaiki

geographic reach, namely the ability

subsea cable which extends to

to communicate with larger customers

Australia and New Zealand. In hosting

that make decisions across multiple 197

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Chris Downie, CEO Chris leads Flexential as a proven Chief Executive Officer with deep expertise in the economics, delivery and operations of the data center and hybrid cloud businesses. He is responsible for setting and managing the strategic priorities that drive profitable growth. Chris joined the company in 2016. Prior to Flexential, Chris was the Chief Executive Officer of Telx Holdings, a leading interconnection and data center solutions provider based in New York City, New York. He has more than 25 years of combined executive leadership experience in finance and operations, working for Daniels & Associates, BroadStreet Communications and Motient Corporation. Chris holds a B.A. degree in History from Dartmouth College as well as a M.B.A. degree in International Business from New York University.

c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘THE NEXT BIG THING IS HERE: ATLANTA – ALPHARETTA EXPANSION’ 199 geographies and themselves have

financial institution at one of our

demanding requirements. “You can call

southeastern facilities, and that’s

it wholesale, you can call it multi-mega-

going to become one of the largest

watt transactions, but it’s really serving

processing centers for financial

large enterprises and large technology

trading transactions in the world.”

companies with greater deployments

The attractiveness of Flexential’s

than your average company.” Flexential

offering is further compounded by its

has been investing in its internal capabili-

leading security and recovery capabili-

ties to facilitate such deals with growing

ties, aiming to maximize peace of mind

success. “We recently completed a

for customers. “Security starts with

3MW deal in one of our western markets,

the physical security of the data center

with a large SaaS provider that’s

itself,” says Downie. “We’ve been very

focused on data storage; a hyper-scaler

focused on meeting and maintaining

in terms of their global growth. We have

compliance standards across a

also secured a 1.5MW contract with a

number of verticals in our domain. c a na da .busi ne ssc h ief. com

FLEXENTIAL

200

111,000+ square-foot data center with unprecedented PUE of 1.3 at full capacity

J U LY 2 0 1 9

“ Our ability to offer Professional Services that can solve the challenges our customers face, serves to make their engagement with Flexential even more meaningful.” — Chris Downie, CEO, Flexential

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We also have a host of security functions

DRaaS. At the time of writing, seven of

built into our network to ensure data

Flexential’s facilities are equipped with

running through it is safeguarded,

its disaster recovery capabilities, with

encrypted and so forth. The network