The CTO is no longer just a . They are a TECHNOLOGIST strategic , BUSINESS LEADER driving digital transformation and .INNOVATION
Editor’s Note
Architec ng Business Growth in a Versa le Market
Revenueisvanity,profitissanity,butcashisreality.
ThisadageunderscoresthecriticalroleofChief RevenueOfficers(CROs)inmodernbusiness. CROsarethearchitectsofanorganization'srevenue strategy,coordinatingsales,marketing,andcustomer successtodrivesustainablegrowth.Theirroletranscends traditionalsalesleadership,embracingaholisticapproach torevenuegeneration.
Inthisdemandingmarket,CROsfacethechallengeof adaptingtoswiftlyprogressingcustomerexpectationsand technologicaladvancements.Theymustleveragedata analyticstoidentifyopportunities,optimizepricing strategies,andstreamlinerevenue-generatingprocesses.
SuccessfulCROsarevisionarieswhocanaligndiverse teamstowardscommonrevenuegoals.Theyfosteraculture ofrevenueresponsibilityacrosstheentireorganization, breakingdownsilosbetweendepartments.Asbusinesses increasinglyprioritizecustomer-centricgrowth,theCRO's
rolecontinuestoevolve.Theyserveasacruciallink betweenvariousbusinessfunctions,ensuringthatrevenue strategiesalignwithoverallcompanyobjectivesandmarket realities.
Highlightingtheseleaders,TheCIOWorldbringsforthan edition,2024'sTopChiefRevenueOfficerstoFollow featuringthemostinfluentialandforward-thinkingCROs whoaresettingnewstandardsintheindustry Theseleaders havedemonstratedexceptionalskillsinmanagingcomplex marketdomains,drivinginnovation,andachieving remarkablerevenuemilestones.Theirstrategiesand insightsoffervaluablelessonsforaspiringCROsand businessleadersalike.
-AlayaBrown Managing Editor
Editor-in-Chief
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Managing Editor
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Visualizer
Art & Design Head
Art & Design Assitant
Business Development Manager
Business Development Executives
Technical Head
Assitant Technical Head
Digital Marketing Manager
Research Analyst
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David
Richard
Chris an
Jamie
Jess Gaedeke CRO
Marco Ficarelli CRO
Ma hias W. Strobel CRO
Nicky
Willem Hendrickx CRO
Willem Hendrickx is a cybersecurity innovator who has driven the expansion of Vectra AI, a renowned network threat detec on and response company. Anyline www.anyline.com Company S-RM www.s-rminform.com
Chris an Stadlmann is a technology leader who has spearheaded the success of Anyline, a pioneering mobile data capture company
Jamie Adams is a digital marke ng strategist who has spearheaded the growth of Scorpion, a renowned online marke ng and technology firm.
Jamie Mellalieu is a brand protec on expert who has contributed to the growth of Corsearch, a leading provider of trademark and brand protec on solu ons.
Jess Gaedeke is a market research leader who has guided the success of Dig Insights, a prominent consumer insights and analy cs firm.
John Kemp is a security and risk management specialist who has contributed to the success of S-RM, a global intelligence and advisory firm.
Marco Ficarelli is a beauty industry execu ve who has driven the success of Orveon Global, a prominent cosme cs and personal care company.
Ma hias W. Strobel is a digital learning expert who has guided the growth of Netex Knowledge Factory, a prominent eLearning solu ons provider.
Nicky Peshwani is a seasoned telecom professional who has driven innova on and growth at Bankai Group, a leading ICT and services provider
Rajiv Shesh is a so ware industry veteran who has overseen the growth of HCLSo ware, a leading enterprise so ware solu ons provider.
ON
Coverstory
Mr. Wan Yussman
IT Management Executive with 25+ Years of Expertise
How Can CTOs Ensure the Successful Adoption of AI in Their Organizations? 28.
15 Challenges CTOs Will Soon Face (And How to Get Ready)
NTENTS
Ali Safri
Revamping the Paradigm of Digital Transformation & Achieving Exemplary Business Acumen
Dmitry Marinov
Combating Cyber Threats with Technical Mastery and Creative Flair
Gil Bernabeu
De ning and Implementing the Technical Roadmaps
Vijay Jaswal
A 30-Year Journey in the Technology Industry
Mr. Wan Yussman Chief Technology Officer
AirAsia
Mr. Wan Yussman
IT Management Executive with 25+ Years of Expertise
Leveraging Technology, Talent, and Innovation Across Diverse Industries!
Challengesareaninevitablepartoflife,andour approachtothemcanmakeasignificantimpact.
Mostofusarefamiliarwiththesaying, "Challenges are opportunities in disguise," andalthoughit mayseemcliché,itholdsagreatdealoftruth.
ForWanYussman,thiscouldn'tringtruer.Hehasalways hadapassionforfindinginnovativeandcreativewaysto solveproblems,whetherthey'reforindividualsor companies.Yussman'sjourneyintheworldoftechnology hasbeenaremarkableone,spanningover25years.He's knownforhisexpertiseinITmanagementandhisabilityto usetechnologytohelporganizationsgrowandsucceed.But whatmakeshisstoryevenmoreinterestingiswherehe started.
BeingthefirstbornofacareerMalaysiandiplomat, Yussman’sglobetrottingdaysbeganatanearlyage, constantlymoving,travelling,switchingeducationsystems andhavingculturalexchanges. Histhirdcultureindividual rootshaveplayedabigroleinshapinghiscareer, supportinghisadaptabilityandperseverance,withan expandedworldview,allowinghimtobeadeptatbuilding relationships.He’safamilyman,marriedwithfourchildren andlivesinMalaysia.
Yussman'scareerhastakenhimthroughvariousindustries, fromaviationtoshipping,oilandgas,consumergoods,and more.He'snotjustaboutusingtechnologyforthesakeof it;he'sallaboutfindingsmart,flexible,andscalable solutionstosolvereal-worldproblems.
Buthisstoryisnotjustabouthisprofessional achievements.BeingaCTOatAirAsia,he'salsoamentor, passingonhisknowledgetothenextgenerationoftech leaders.Hispassionforemergingtechnologiesandhis commitmenttofindingpracticalsolutionshavemadea significantimpactonthetechindustry.
AsweturnthepagesofYussman'slifestory,onethingis clear:hisjourneyisfarfromover.Hisdedicationtousing technologytodrivegrowthandinnovationisasourceof inspirationforanyonewhowantstosucceedinaworld wherechangeisconstant.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
AirAsia'sTalentDevelopmentJourney
AccordingtoYussman,AirAsiaisdedicatedtonurturing entry-leveltalentandhelpingthembecomeproficientin theirchosenfield.Thisinvolvesprovidingmentorship,
guidelines,trainingonstandardization,anduseofexternal trainingplatforms,focusingontechnicalskills.However, softerskillslikeleadershipandmanagerialabilitiesarenot emphasizedatthisstagesincetheindividualsarestill masteringtheirdomain.Yussmanalsoreliesonhispersonal unconventionalapproachtodevelopingtalentby introducingthemearlytoolderconceptsadaptedand refinedtofitcurrenttrends,andtechniquesacquiredfrom serving11otherorganizations,thatwouldsustainhigh performanceandproductivityamongsthisoperationsor deliveryteams.Healsoinstilstherightmindsetandfosters disciplinefortalentstobalancebetweenbeingbrilliantas basicsandbeingobsessedwithprojectsandinnovation, rewardingbothequally.
Movingontomid-levelmanagement,AirAsiafocuseson teachingtheimportanceofnetworking,teamwork, problem-solvingonalargerscale,andmanagingpeople. Theseskillsarecrucial,asindividualsinthisstagealready haveasolidgraspoftheirdomain.Theemphasisshifts fromtechnicalproficiencytoleadershipandmotivation.
Attheseniormanagementlevel,Yussmanaimstodevelop servantleaders.Thisleadershipstyleisessentialfor achievingresultsthroughothers.Thefocusshiftsfrom individualheroismtohelpingotherssucceed.Asthe organizationgrows,itbecomesimpossibleforonepersonto dotheworkofmany.Instead,leadersmustidentifyand overcomeobstaclestofacilitatetheirteam'ssuccess.This approachalignsthegoalsoftheentireteamandfosters talentdevelopment.
IndevelopingtheLeadersDevelopLeaders(LDL) program,Yussmanisresponsibleforchartingaroadmapfor technologyleadershipdevelopmentplansandproviding training,withasignificantfocusontalentmanagement.The goalistoinspirehistechnologyleaderstohelptheirteam membersfindanoblecauseandalignitwiththeirpersonal goals.Thisshiftfromself-centricdesirestoagreater purpose,suchasbenefitingsocietyorthecommunity, provideslong-lastingmotivationandfulfillment.Thiscan includeobjectivessuchaspromotingwomenorinclusivity intechorpromotingempathyandsocialmissionsin productdevelopment.Hedemonstratesthatmaterialistic desiresareshort-livedwhilecontributingtoagreater purposebringsgenuinesatisfaction.
Yussmanhighlightsthepatternobservedinsomeofthe world'srichestindividualswho,oncetheyachievegreat wealth,shifttheirfocustophilanthropyandmakeapositive globalimpact.Recognizingthispattern,Yussmanbelieves ininstillingthesevaluesintalentdevelopmentatanearlier stageratherthanrealizingtheimportanceofhelpingothers intheirlateryears.
Ultimately,Yussman'stalentdevelopmentapproach involvesnurturingtechnicalskillsattheentrylevel, focusingonleadershipandteamworkatthemid-level,and developingservantleadersatthesenioruppermanagement level.Theorganizationbelievesinaligningpersonalgoals withagreaterpurposetodrivemotivationandcreatea positiveimpactonsociety
CreatingIntellectualPropertyandSolvingPainPoints
Yussmanhighlightsthattechnologyshouldbeseenasatool ratherthansomethingtobemesmerizedbyorobsessed with.Itspurposeistoaddresscurrentconstraints,problems, andpainpoints.Todevelopintellectualpropertyandassets, itiscrucialtoidentifypainpointsandfindwaystoutilize existingtechnologytocreatesolutions.Sometimes,these solutionsrequirecreativethinkingandassemblingdifferent componentswherethecombinationscanbedisruptivein itself.Furthermore,technologyplaysaroleinfostering entrepreneurshipbyenablingindividualstosolvepeople's problemsandcreatebusinessesindirectly.Itisanassetthat shouldbecontinuouslycreatedandutilized.Yussman highlightstheimportanceofcreatingreusableplatforms, whichallowforquickerscalability.Forinstance, developinganapplicationframeworkthateliminatesthe needtorewritecertainelements,suchastheloginpageor menu,cansavetimeandeffort.Oncetheplatformis established,solutionscanbeappliedtoaddresspainpoints andcreateproducts.
Yussmanprovidesanexampleofhowtechnologywas utilizedinPETRONASDaganganBerhad(PDB)tocreate GAS2U,anapplicationthataddressesthepainpointof purchasingLPG(cookinggas)withoutastandardmethod. Byallowingcustomerstoorderonlineandhavethegoods delivered,PDBusersandcustomersfoundtheconvenience disruptiveandcontinuedtousetheapplicationrepeatedly. Thisnotonlyimprovestheproductbutalsoexpandsthe customerbase,ascustomersappreciatetheconvenienceand stickwiththeappinsteadofvisitingcompetingstores.
Itisimportanttonotethattechnologyshouldnotbevalued solelyforitsshinyandcoolaspects.Itstruevalueliesinits abilitytosolvepainpointswhencombinedwithother technologies.Thisapproachleadstothecreationofmore intellectualproperty Yussmanillustratestheneedto developITthatsurpasseswhatothershaveoroffersabetter solution.Reusableplatformsplayacrucialrolein expeditingthecreationofIT,preventingtheneedtostart fromscratchwitheachnewidea.
Yussmansharesaninnovativeidearegardingtheuseof outdoorpaymentterminals(OPT)atpetrolstations.Instead ofsolelycollectingdata,theseterminalscanbeusedfor advertisingpurposes.Byupgradingtheoutdoorpayment
,
, It’s not enough to just democratize data, but we need to use the Corporate Data Literacy Index to measure whether your organization is improving its data literacy skills year on year. We want to do this so that we can roll out more programs to make data-driven decisionmaking pervasive.
terminalswithlargerscreens,PDBwasabletoadvertisethe gas-sellingapptoitsexistingcustomerbasewithout spendingadditionalmoneyonadvertisements.This approachleveragesthe10-15minutesofcaptiveaudience timewhilecustomersarerefuelling.Yussmansuggests usingthistimetoentertaincustomers,promoteinternal products,orevenearnrevenuethroughotheradvertising purposes.Thiscreativeuseoftechnologyhelpstofurther thebusinessandincreasecustomerengagement. Additionally,gamifyingtheexperiencebyallowing customerstoplaysimplegamesandearnloyaltypointscan enhancetheoverallvalueandcreateauniquesellingpoint.
EmpoweringOrganizationstoMakeInformed Decisions
Yussman,emphasizingtheimportanceofdata democratization,shared,"Inthepast,decisionswereoften madewithoutreal-time,data-driveninsightsduetothe unavailabilityofdata."Inthosetimes,organizationsheavily dependedonlagmeasures,whichrelyonpastdataandare ineffectiveforpredictingthefuture.
Withtheevolutionoftechnologyandtheabilitytosupport bigdata,Yussmanpassionatelyadvocatesforadata democratizationagenda.Hefirmlybelievesthatthisagenda aimstomakeinformationaccessibletoanyone,anytime, andanywhere,withouttheinvolvementofIT Yussman passionatelystated,"InsteadofrelyingonITtobuild dashboardsandreports,individualswithintheorganization cannowaccessdatadirectlyandasktheirquestions."
However,Yussmanunderlinesthatmereaccessibilityis insufficient.Educationplaysapivotalroleinensuring individualsknowhowtoreadandeffectivelyusethedata. Hestressed,"Educationshouldstartfromthetop,with CEOsandboardmembersdemandingreal-timedatafor decision-makingratherthanrelyingonlaginformation."By educatingindividualsondataavailabilityandequipping themwiththenecessarytools,organizationscaningraina cultureofdata-drivendecision-making.
YussmansuggeststheuseofaCorporateDataLiteracy Indextomeasureimprovementsindataliteracyskills withinorganizations.Thisindex,ashepassionately describes, "Helps monitor and track progress, allowing for the implementation of more programs to promote datadriven decision-making at all levels of the organization."
Furthermore,heproposestheadoptionofanEnterprise Scoreboard,inspiredbytheprinciplesof4DX(Four DisciplinesofExecution).Thisscoreboardoffersaquick overviewofgoalachievementandenablesleadersto identifyareasrequiringattention.Yussmanardentlyasserts, "Byfocusingonexceptionsandaligningthescoreboard withtheCEO'sgoals,leaderscaneffectivelymonitor performanceandaddressissuespromptly."
Inorganizationswheredataanddecision-makingare dispersedacrossvariousteams,Yussmanunderlinesthe importanceofgoverningdatasharing.Hechampionsthe useofadatamesh,allowinguserstodeterminewhohas accesstospecificdatacolumns,tables,androwswithout relyingonIT.Thismeasureensurestheprotectionof sensitiveandsecuredatawhileensuringaccessibilityfor thosewhorequireit.
RevolutionizingBusinessProcesses
Emphasizingtheimportanceofreusabilityininnovation andtheneedfortoolsthatfacilitatefastandefficient innovation,Yussmanbelievesinchallengingthestatusquo andencourageshisteamtoidentifypainpointsandcreate innovativesolutions.Hedisplaysthevalueofneverbeing satisfiedwiththecurrentwayofdoingthingsand constantlyaskingifthereisabetterapproach.Hesuggests techniqueslikebusinessprocessreengineeringtoevaluate andimproveexistingprocesses.Thisinvolvesanalyzingthe currentprocess,identifyingareasforimprovement,and findingwaystostreamlineandautomatetasks.Yussman alsohighlightstheimportanceofdigitalizationand leveragingtechnologieslikemachinelearningandartificial intelligencetooptimizeprocessesandreducehuman intervention.Bychallengingtraditionalmethodsand embracingnewtechnologies,businessescanachieve efficiencyanddisruptthemarket.Heusestheexampleof AirAsia,wheretheyhaveimplementedonlinecheck-into
maketravelmoreconvenientforpassengers.Theyhave embracedadigital-firstapproachandaimtoeliminate traditionalprocesses.Furthermore,hebelievesinfostering innovationbyprovidingtherighttoolsandencouraging ideasfromallteammembers,ratherthanrelyingsolelyon theopinionsofhigh-rankingindividuals.
Inaddition,Yussmanreinforcestheimportanceof deliveringthroughotherseffectively,whichallowsleaders tofreeuptimeforimportantandurgenttasks.Hesuggests keepingupwithemergingtechnologiesandexploringtheir potentialtoaddressorganizationalpainpoints.He recommendsnetworkingwithotherinnovators,attending conferences,andstayingupdatedthroughvendorupdates. Bydevelopingtheskillofconnectingthedots,leaderscan identifythepotentialoftechnologiesandcombinethemto createintellectualproperty.
Yussmanalsomentionstheroleofsocialmedia,specifically LinkedIn,instayinginformedandconnected.Byactively connectingwithothersandfollowingrelevantfeeds,leaders canstayupdatedonindustrytrendsanddevelopments.
FromStartuptoEnterprise
Inhiscareer,Yussman,astartupenthusiast,followedhis advice.InitiallyfocusedonSoftwareEngineering(SE),he delvedintovariousaspectsofthefieldbeyondcoding, includingQA,requirements,anddatabaseadministration. OncehemasteredSE,hefeltconfidentenoughtoexplore otherareas.Heexpandedhisskillsettoincludecommercial operationsandfinance,whichledhimtotransitionfromhis roleasSeniorDirectorofEngineeringatMonsterto becomingaGeneralManagerofSoftwareEngineeringat Mesiniaga.Inthisnewposition,Yussmanfacedthe challengeofrunningastrugglingbusinesswithoutany formaltraining.Hisgoalwastoturnthecompanyaround andmakeitprofitable.Byaddressingtroubledprojectsand implementingareusableapplicationframework,he successfullystoppedthefinanciallossesandtransformed thecompanyintoaprofitableventurewithinthreeyears. Thisledtosignificantgrowth,withtheorganization expandingfrom70to150employees.
Yussman'sabilitytoleverageexistingITresourcesand deliverclientsolutionsswiftlyandcost-effectivelygavehis companyacompetitiveedge.Withthecompany'sfinancial stabilitysecured,hemovedbeyondthestartupphaseand establishedamedium-sizedenterprisewithaloyalclient base.
Seekinganewchallenge,YussmanjoinedPrestariang, drivenbyapatrioticdesiretocontributetothesecurityof hiscountry'simmigrationsystem.Unfortunately,dueto politicalreasonsandconcernsaboutthird-partyvendors
takingadvantageofMalaysia,hisplansdidnotmaterialize asexpected.
Hewantedtobeinvolvedinnewtechnologies,sohejoined asmallandnewcompany There,helearnedaboutAI, blockchain,andotherinnovations.Thecompanywasfastpaced,sohehadtotakeonmanydifferenttaskswithoutthe helpofmanagers.Thisletshimstayconnectedtonew technologiesandworkoncreatingnewanddifferent products.Theproductstheymadeatthecompanydidwell, andevenbigcompanieslikeAxiatausedtheirideastofind newCEOs.
Transitioningtoenterpriseorganizations,suchas PETRONASandAirAsia,Yussman'sfocusshiftedtowards bringingdiscipline,standards,andcertificationsto minimizemistakes.Uponjoiningtheseorganizations,he recognizedtheneedforoptimization.Forinstance,PDB hadoutstandingpaymentstovendorsdatingbackto2011, resultinginservicedisruptionsandmissedSLAs.By rectifyingpaymentissuesandenforcingpenaltiesfornoncompliance,heimprovedvendorrelationshipsandreceived first-classserviceinreturn.Similarchallengeswere addressedatAirAsia,resultinginenhancedoperations.
Duringhisinitialperiodinenterpriseorganizations, Yussmanprioritizedfixingexistingissuesandexcellingin foundationalpractices.Thislaidthegroundworkfor innovationandtheimplementationofresilientsystemsand bestpractices,suchasdailydisasterrecoverysimulations andimprovedbackupprocesses.
SecrettoCareerSuccess
AccordingtoYussman,amentoronceadvisedhimto switchindustrieseveryfouryearsandswitchrolesevery twoyears.Hehasfollowedthisguideline,asheiscurrently inhisthirdyearatAirAsia,transitioningfrom operations/techtoamorecommercialrole.Hehighlights theflexibilityofworkinginIT,asitallowsindividualsto adapttovarioustechnologicalenvironments.Hementions histrackrecordindifferentsectorssuchasbordercontrol, HRtech,oil&gas,andshippingandlogistics,wherehe gainedadeepappreciationforprogramming.Thankstothe mentorshipofexperienceddirectorsofengineering, Yussmanquicklyprogressedfromaprogrammertoatech leadatayoungage.Thisexperiencewasinstrumentalin establishingtechcapabilitieswithintheMalaysianchapter.
WorkinginmultinationalcompaniesexposedYussmanto diverseperspectivesandcultures,withSouthAfrican, Russian,Australian,British,American,ASEAN,localand femalebossescontributingtohisgrowth.Hisupbringingas adiplomat'schild—livingabroadandfrequently relocating—facilitatedhisabilitytoadaptandgainathird-
partyperspectiveonhisownculture.Hehighlightsthe significanceofalwayslearningandlookingforchange. Regardlessofbackground,hethinksanyonecanadvancein theircareerthroughskilldevelopmentandtakingadvantage ofopportunities.Heexhortspeopletospeakup,nevergive up,andwelcomechange.
WordsofWisdom
Yussmanexplained, "Technology is poised to simplify many tasks and has the potential to gradually replace human involvement in various areas. The service desk, for instance, is being substituted by chatbots. Furthermore, as machine learning and artificial intelligence become more reliable, certain routine decision-making processes may be taken over by these technologies." HeemphasizedthatAI operatescontinuouslywithouttheneedforrestor experiencingillnesses,enablingittoworkaroundtheclock. Inlightofthis,Yussmanadvisedentrepreneurstoalways focusoncreatingvalue.Bycarefullyexaminingthe challengesathand,entrepreneurscanidentifyopportunities anddisruptthemarket. "Our objective should be to address pain points and provide effective solutions," headded. CIO
,,
The number one thing you need to understand is that technology is a tool. It is not something for you to get mesmerized by or become obsessed with. It is a tool to overcome a constraint today, to overcome a problem you have today or a pain point that you have today.
Chief Technology Officer
Ali Safri
Avanza Innova ons
Ali Safri
Revamping the Paradigm of Digital Transforma on & Achieving Exemplary Business Acumen
Exploring Boundless Horizons of Computer Software and Leading the Web 3!
Inaworldwhereeverypartofourlivesconnectswith thedigitalworld,animportantquestionarises:What willthefuturedigitalworldbelike?Howwillitimpact thewaywelive,work,andcommunicate?Theanswersare notguesses,butthedrivingforcebehindthedigital revolutionthatishappening.
AliSafri,aforward-thinkingChiefTechnologyOfficer, Innovator,andArchitect,isleadingtheway,discovering newopportunitiesincomputersoftwareandleadingthe changeinourdigitalenvironment.
Ali'sjourneyisatestamenttohisprofoundunderstanding oftheever-evolvingtechnologylandscape.Hehas witnessedthetransitionfromtheearlydaysofx86 machinesandDOS-basedoperatingsystemstothecurrent digitalera.Hisvisionextendsbeyondthepresent,witha keeneyeonthefuture,drivenbyemergingtechnologies.
TheadventoftheInternet,theproliferationofsmartphones, andtherapidlyapproachingWeb3.0eraunderscoreAli's commitmenttostayingattheforefrontofdigital innovation.He'safirmbelieverinthetransformativepower oftechnologieslikeBlockchain,Metaverse,GenerativeAI, IoT,andQuantumComputing.Forhim,it'snotjustabout adoptingthesetechnologiesforthesakeofit;it'sabouthow theycanreshapebusinesses,createnewmodels,enhance efficiency,andempoweremployeesandcustomersalike.
AliSafri'sjourneybeganwithaninsatiablecuriosityabout howsoftwareworksandhowitcanevolvetoopennew possibilities.Hisrelentlessexploration,learning,and implementationofemergingtechnologiesareallaimedat aligningtechnologywithbusinessobjectives.Forhim, technologyisameanstoimprovelives,enhance experiences,optimizeefficiency,reducecosts,andkeep enterprisesrelevantintheever-shiftingdigitallandscape.
Hispassionisnotjustforsoftwarebutforthe transformationandempowermentthatsoftwarecanbringto
Biggest challenge is the retention of the skillset as when you work in an emerging technology area not many people understand the tech stack and as soon as you train them, they nd better opportunities.
individualsandorganizations.AliSafriisnotjustan industryleader;he'savisionaryshapingthefutureofthe digitalworld,oneinnovationatatime.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Couldyoupleasebriefaboutyourcompanyandits inceptionstory?
TheAvanzaGroupcompany"AvanzaSolutions"startedan innovationcentertoincubatenewideasfromwithinthe companyitself.Theorganization-wideprogramwascalled Cosmosandwasstartedaround2015.SinceIwasheading GlobalPresaleswithabasketofbankingandalternate deliverychannelproductsandhadalotofideas,Iwas askedtoleadthatdivisionasanadditionalresponsibility.
Thatresultedincertainideasthatthecompanyopenedasa fewseparatebusinesses.Thiswasaround2016whencrypto andblockchainwerebothnotthatpopular,butduetomy interestinemergingtechnology,Iwasactivelyfollowing andhackingthisdiscipline.Iconvincedthemanagementto participateinanacceleratorprogrambytheDubai governmentanddevelopedanenterpriseblockchain solutionforreconciliationandsettlements.Afteritssuccess andduetotheaddressablemarketchunkoftheenterprise blockchainanditspossibilities,anewcompanynamed AvanzaInnovationswasformedwiththemandatetowork immediatelyintheenterpriseblockchainspacealongwith amandatetoexploreotheremergingtechnologiesin general.
IwasnominatedastheCTOandco-founderofthisnew companynamed"AvanzaInnovations."Thenameofthe companyreflectsitsmissionasAvanzaInnovations!We lovetoinnovate!
Whatstrategiesdoyouemploytodriveinnovationand technologicaladvancementwithinyourorganization, andhowdoyouprioritizetechnologyprojectsand initiativestoalignwiththecompany'sgoalsand objectives?
Weareatechnologyprovider,andthemostimportantthing forusisourcustomersandtheirjourneyswithinnovation andemergingtechnology.Thestrategyisbasedonthree steps:knowingtheTrends,QuicklyBuiltPlatforms,and DeliverQualityImplementations. Wekeepourselvesupdatedwiththeevolvingtechnology,
researchanddevelop,experiment,anduseourmaturityin developingsoftwareproductsandplatformsaroundthe concept,andweshowourtargetcustomerstheefficiency andeffectivenessthatnascenttechnologyadoptionwill bringalongwithapropervaluerealization.Atthesame time,implementationofsuchhugemulti-levelorganization projectsisachallengewhenyoutakeenterpriseblockchain, forexample;thus,theplatformmustberobust,basedon lowcodewithalotofmicro-servicesaswellassecurity, performance,andqualitybakedin,andnotviaacustom productfittingonespecificrequirement.Thus,ourmaturity inquickplatformdevelopmentanddeploymentgivesusan advantageintheimplementationofproduction-grade systemsfasterwithlessbudgetandmorerepeatable outcomes.
ThethreemostprominentplatformscreatedareCIPHER forenterpriseblockchain(whichwonmanyinternational awards,e.g.,APICTA),ORIONformetaverse,andImpulse tocatertoGenerativeAIAdoption,andamhumbledto haveanopportunityatAvanzatoideateanddevelopthe same.
Atthesametime,internalprocessestoscaletheresource poolbasedoncustomerdemandaremature,sowedeliver asperourclientexpectationsoroverachieve.
Canyoushareanexampleofasuccessfultechnology implementationthatyouhaveoverseenanditsimpact ontheorganization?
We,AvanzaandI,asCTOandArchitect,havedelivered manysuccessstoriesofmulti-organizationEnterprise Blockchainandboasttoholdthemostmarketshareinthe GCCforbigenterprise-gradeproductionblockchain consortiums,workingin3+yearsinproduction,someof whicharebelow.
• UAETradeConnectisaplatformof14+UAEBanks cateringtoTradeFinanceandinvoiceduplication fraud.BuiltfortheBanksandbytheBanks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyZGPH9Qpus
• ARMACOInvoiceVerificationisARMACO'sfirst blockchainsuccessstoryforquickinvoiceverification withitssuppliersandcapturesthecontractual conditionsofextremelycomplexlong-formcontracts, thelifecycledataoftheProcuretoPayprocess capturedonblockchain,andautomaticblockchainenabledinvoiceandsupportingdocumentgeneration withmutualtrust.ItisusedbyARAMCOandits10+ suppliernetwork.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSWwLuWuJM&t=29s
• Thelostpassportuse-caseisablockchain-enabled solutionutilizedbyDubaiPolice,GDRFA,Dubai Courts,andProsecutionforissuinglostpassport certificates.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/emergencies/dubai -police-use-blockchain-to-issue-nearly-4000-lostpassport-certificates
• BENEFITKYCistheblockchain-enabledKYC sharingnetworkfor40+Banksandfinancial institutionsutilizedin Bahrain.https://avanzainnovations.com/blog/portfolio/b enefit/#:~:text=Idea%20of%20eKYC%20is%20to,this %20network%20seamlessly%20and%20effectively.
• DubaiCustoms,E-CommerceChain,isaconsortium of40+logistics,Couriers,E-Commercecompanies, and3freezonesspearheadedbyDubaiCustomsand aimstohaveacleartraceofe-commercetransaction journeysend-to-endonablockchain,facilitatingquick customsprocessingandgettingappropriatesubsidiesto optimizethee-commercesupplychain.
https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2023/September/1109/Dubai-South-completes-blockchain
• K-CompaniesinKuwait,shippingnominationuse case,isaconsortiumofKNPC,KPC,KOC,KOTC, anditsgroupofinspectors,shippinglines,andother playersaimedatautomatingtheend-to-endshipment nominationprocesstogenerateelectronicverifiable documentsbackedbyblockchainviamutual consensus.
Howdoyouensurethesecurityandintegrityofthe organization'stechnologyinfrastructure?
Securityisanintegralpartofoursoftwaredevelopment methodologyandacorepartofthesoftwaredevelopment lifecycle.
• Thedevelopmentphasehascodereviews,threat modeling,misusecasedesign,andverificationusing real-timevulnerability-checkingtools.
• Theplatformthuscreatedhasapplicationsecurity bakedin.
• Theplatformishardened,soanyimplementationgets in-builtsecurity,andtheimplementationengineerofa specificprojecthaslesschanceofviolatingthesecurity asitisbuiltintotheplatform.
• Deploymentisdoneonclientinfrastructureusinga secureautomaticDevOpsprocess.
• Securityisacontinuousprocess,andwetakeitvery seriously
• Ourenterprise-gradeplatformshaveclearedwithflying colorssecurityassessmentsfrommultiple organizationsthatarepartoftheblockchain consortiumslistedaboveandhavebeeninproduction forthelast2–3years.
Whatstepsdoyoutaketostayup-to-datewiththelatest trendsandadvancementsintechnology?
Cultivateacultureofpassionatetechguyswholove technologyandkeeponexploringwhatishappeninginthe marketintermsofemergingtechnologies.Allocate resourcestoexperimentandhacktheseemerging technologiesandbakeyourenterpriseexperiencetocreate platformsthatdelivervalue.
Atthesametime,participateinthoughtleadershipby attendingandspeakingatvarioustop-notchconferencesso thatselectedtopicspushandchallengeyoumoreto innovate.
Howdoyoufosteracollaborativeandproductive relationshipbetweenthetechnologyteamandother departmentswithintheorganization?
Asatechnologyprovider,99%ofourorganizationis technologyitself.Ratherthanusingtechnologyinternally, wearetechnologypartnerswithourcustomersandhelp themintheirjourneyofadoptionandimplementationof nascenttechnologies,showingthemwhatispossible.
Canyoudiscussanychallengesyouhavefacedasa CTOandhowyouhaveovercomethem?
Thebiggestchallengeistheretentionoftheskillset,as whenyouworkinanemergingtechnologyarea,notmany peopleunderstandthetechstack,andassoonasyoutrain them,theyfindbetteropportunities.Thatiswhywehave maturedourtrainingpipelineandbakedthemostpower intotheplatformsthatwehavebuilt.Byhiringfreshtalent, wecantrainthemonourplatformandderivemutualvalue forthecompanyaswellasvaluefortheemployeeby growingtheirskillset,behavior,andabilitytochallenge whatispossible.Wearealwayshappytoseeourworkforce grow,eitherwithusoriftheywishtoleaveus.Theyare muchmorerefinedandpolished,andanyoneworkingfor Avanzacanvouchforthesame.
Howdoyoupromoteacultureofcontinuouslearning andprofessionaldevelopmentwithinyourtechnology team?
Acultureofcontinuouslearningandprofessional developmentcomesfromexamples.TheCTOknowshow togetproblemssolved,evenatthecodelevel,ifrequired. TheAlphamanagers,themanageriallayerbelow,are peoplewithasoftwarebackgroundwholovetechnology andgetintocodeifrequired.Alllowerlayersshould alwayslookattheirmanagersassmarter,more knowledgeable,moretech-savvy,andleaderswhosolve problems.Ifthatisacultureatthegrass-rootslevel,then
continuouslearninghappensasanoutcomeautomatically aspeoplearepassionateabouttheircore.
Comparethattomanagerswhoarejustreportingfrom lowerlayerstoupperlayerswithoutaddinganyvalueof theirown;thensuchorganizationalculturebecomes political,theblamegamestarts,andthedesiretoshineby virtueofknowledge,skill,andcreativitydeclines.
Whatareyourthoughtsonemergingtechnologiessuch asartificialintelligence,blockchain,andtheInternetof Things,andhowdoyouseethemimpactingyour industry?
Blockchain,AI,Metaverse,QuantumComputing,andIoT arethefuturetechnologystack,andalltheseemerging technologieswillconvergeandmutuallyboosteachotherin theiradoption.WeatAvanzaarepassionateaboutallof themandhavesolutionstohelpenterprisesadoptand implementthemaswearetechnologyproviders.
GenerativeAIisapromisingtechnologythatwillallow generatingcontentatsuperspeedsandaccuracy,whichin turnwillcreatetheproblemoffakepaperdocumentsthat look100%genuine,whichwillresultintheadoptionof blockchainasaverifiable,authentic,andtraceabledigital record.
Similarly,vulnerabilityanalysisofcode,whichis,bythe way,80%opensourceutilizedacrosstheworld,will becomeeasyandinthehandsofthemassesifgenerative AI-basedvulnerabilitytoolsmature,thusaddingtothe surfaceareaofcybersecurityandputtingpressureon centralizeddatabasesastheywillbecometargetsofdata integrityviolations,whichagainwillresultinblockchain adoptionastheonlyviablesolution.
Real-timevoiceandaudio-generatedsocialengineeringwill advanceviagenerativeAI,whichwillquestionthevery existenceofatrueidentityandblockchain-basedtraceable identitywillbetheonlycure.
IoTistheearsandeyesoftherealworld,whichwouldbe relayingdataintoimmersiveexperiencesbasedon metaverses,whichhaveatouchofthephysicalworldand thepowerofthedigitalworld.GenerativeAIwillbeused tocreate3Drealmsandfantasyworldsfaster,thusbothIoT andGenerativeAIwilladvancethedisciplineofthe metaverse.
Seemytalkhereonmypredictionsontheconvergenceof alltheemergingtechnologies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsnYuEOgjMw&t=1s
- Roy T. Bennett
Dmitry Marinov
Comba ng Cyber Threats with Technical Mastery and Crea ve Flair
Theextentofpeople'sdigitalfootprintsgrowsalong withsociety'sdependenceondigitaltechnology.
Onlineplatformsandservicesreceiveenormous volumesofsensitiveandpersonaldata.Thegrowingdigital footprintofindividualsincreasesthepossibilityofsecurity lapsesandamplifiestheconsequencesofcyberattackson theirmoney,privacy,andevenphysicalsafety
Theseenhancedfootprintsgeneratetheneedtomakethe digitalworldsafer,andthisiswheretheroleofChief TechnologyOfficersiscrucial.Alongwithplayingan importantroleinensuringcybersecurity,thesestrategic leaderschartthetechnologicalcourseoftheircompanies.
AmongthemostinfluentialCTOsintheMiddleEast, DmitryMarinov,ChiefTechnologyOfficerof ANY.RUN,isanoteworthyname.Hefocusesondriving transformativesolutionsthatredefinecybersecurity standards.
Duringourconversationwithhim,wediscussedhisrolein orchestratingcomplexprojectswithtechnicalmasteryand creativeflair
Below are the highlights from the interview!
Couldyoupleasetellusaboutyourselfandwhat motivatedyoutoembarkonthissector?
MynameisDmitryMarinov.IamtheChiefTechnology OfficerofANY.RUN.Myadventureincybersecuritybegan eightyearsagoasafront-enddeveloperatatinystartup thatevolvedintoANY.RUN,thesandboxingservicethat pioneeredinteractivemalwareanalysis.Iwentfromfrontendleadtoback-endengineer,HeadofDevelopment,and finallyCTO.Thisjourneyreflectsnotonlymyowngrowth butalsoANY.RUN'stransformationintoanindustryleader
Asformymotivation,Ihavealwayshadadeepercommitmenttomakingthedigitalworldsafer.Thatiswhy,asa CTO,Imakesurethateverystepwetakeasacompany equipsourclientswithbettertoolstocombatcyberthreats. AndIamproudofwhatwearedoing.
Couldyoupleasebriefusaboutyourcompanyandits inceptionstory?
AtANY.RUN,fromtheverybeginning,weweredrivenby aclearvision:torevolutionizemalwareresearch.Wesaw thelimitationsofslow,automatedanalysisandenvisioned aninteractivesandboxmimickingarealmalwareanalysis lab.Asaresult,wehavebuiltauser-friendlyplatform capableofdeliveringalmostinstantinsightsintothreatsthat havecompletelytransformedthelandscapeofmalware investigations.Today,ANY.RUNstandsasatestamentto ourambitionandexpertise,andwecontinuepushingthe boundariesofwhatispossibleinmalwareanalysis.
Whatstrategiesdoyouemploytodriveinnovationand technologicaladvancementwithinyourorganization, andhowdoyouprioritizetechnologyprojectsand initiativestoalignwiththecompany'sgoalsand objectives?
Ifosteracultureofcreativitybyaligningtechinitiatives withbusinessobjectivesandusingagilemethodsforrapid development.Customer-centricsolutionsandtheuseof emergingtechnologiesarekeytoenhancingourproduct offerings.AsignificantportionofourbudgetgoestoR&D, notjustfornewproductsbutalsoforexploringlong-term, forward-thinkingprojects.
Canyoushareanexampleofasuccessfultechnology implementationthatyouhaveoverseenanditsimpact ontheorganization?
Certainly,leadingthedevelopmentoftheThreat IntelligenceLookupwasamajorachievement.Our diverseuserbase,fromcybersecurityexpertsto researchers,struggledwithquicklyidentifyingand understandingcyberthreats.Theyneededinstant informationonindicatorsofcompromise(IOCs)and intricatedetailslikeregistryandfileactivities.
Inresponsetothisneed,wedevelopedtheuniqueTI Lookupplatform.Thisserviceallowsuserstosearch forthreatsandcontextualinformationrelatedto existingindicatorsofcompromisebysearchingfor variousidentifiers,includingdomainnames,IP addresses,filehashes,andcommandlines.
Userscancombinethesesearchtermsformore comprehensiveresults.Uponsubmittingaquery,the applicationretrievesandpresentsrelevantthreat intelligencedataextractedfrommillionsofinteractive sessionsinANY.RUN.Thisdatamayincludedetails
aboutassociatedthreats,interactivesessioninformation, relatedhashes,networkactivitylogs,filesamples,andother importantcontextualinformation.
Howdoyouensurethesecurityandintegrityofthe organization'stechnologyinfrastructure?
Inmyview,securityissomethingthatappliestoboth peopleandtechnology.Thisiswhyweconductregularstaff trainingprogramsonthelatestthreatsandbestpractices. Weemployamulti-layereddefense-in-depthstrategywith accesscontrol,intrusiondetection,endpointprotection,and securewebgateways.Allsensitivedataisencrypted,and datamanagementpoliciesensureintegrityandconfidentiality
Whatstepsdoyoutaketostayup-to-datewiththelatest trendsandadvancementsintechnology?
Firstofall,Iameagertolistentowhateveryonearoundme hastosay—employees,peersatconferences,friendsinIT, andeveninsightsfromblogs.Thetechcommunitykeeps meinformedaboutnoteworthytechnologies.WhileI'm cautiousaboutadoptingbrandnewsolutions,theirnovelty oftencomeswithinstability.
I always had a deeper commitment to making the digital world safer, which is why, as a CTO, I make sure that every step we take as a company equips our clients with be er tools to combat cyber threats.
Secondly,IrecognizeAI'srapidexpansioninvirtuallyall areas,andcybersecurityisnoexceptionhere.At ANY.RUN,I'veinitiatedapolicyforeveryengineertotake abasicAIcourse.Thisessentialunderstandingfosters innovationandhelpsusanticipatehowAIcanshapefuture projects.
Finally,Ifirmlybelievethatprioritizingastrongcomputer sciencefoundationallowsourteamtoreadilyadapttonew technologiesandbeproactiveinoursolutions.This approachensureswe'renotjustkeepingpacebutcontributingtotheindustry’sevolution.
Howdoyoufosteracollaborativeandproductive relationshipbetweenthetechnologyteamandother departmentswithintheorganization?
AtANY.RUN,collaborationbetweenthetechnologyteam andotherdepartmentsiscrucial.Openandfrequent communicationacrossalllevelsensureseveryone'svoiceis heard.Regularcross-departmentalmeetingsandjoint planningsessionsalignourtechinitiativeswithbroader goals.
Wecreateopportunitiesformutuallearningwhereteam membersshareinsightsandexpertise,fosteringunderstandingandrespectforeachother'sroles.Feedbackmechanismsandcelebratingsuccessestogetherbuildunityanda sharedpurpose.Thiscollaborativespirit,withempathy, understanding,andauser-centricapproachattheforefront, drivesproductivityandfuelsinnovationthroughdiverse perspectives.
Canyoudiscussanychallengesyouhavefacedasa CTOandhowyouhaveovercomethem?
TheThreatIntelligenceLookuppresentedasignificant challenge.Venturingintothisnewterritoryinvolved creatingauniquevalueproposition,notjustcopyingwhat othershavedone.
Iidentifiedwhatcompetitorsweren'tofferingandledthe developmentofauniquesolutionwithin-depthsearch capabilities,presentingnewwaystohuntformalware.And we’renotstoppingthere,asthisyearwewillexpandthe service’scapabilitiesevenfurther
Howdoyoupromoteacultureofcontinuouslearning andprofessionaldevelopmentwithinyourtechnology team?
Ifocusoncreatinganenvironmentwheregrowthstems fromdailyactivities.Teammembersareencouragedto engageinprojectsthatsparktheirpassion,makinglearning anintegralandfulfillingpartoftheirwork.Stayingcurrent isessential,soIemphasizecontinuousself-improvement andstayingaheadinthisfast-evolvingfield.Ourteam exploresandengageswithnewtechnologies,nurturingan innovativemindsetdrivenbycuriosityandexperimentation. Regularknowledge-sharingsessionsfostercollaboration andstrengthenourteamspirit.
Whatareyourthoughtsonemergingtechnologiessuch asartificialintelligence,blockchain,andtheInternetof Things,andhowdoyouseethemimpactingyour industry?
AIisrevolutionizingcybersecuritybyautomatingthreat detectionandresponse.Itsabilitytolearnandadapt significantlyenhancesourcapabilities.AtANY.RUN,we leverageAItoanalyzevastamountsofdataefficiently, identifyinganomaliesthatcouldindicatecyberthreats. Recognizingitscriticalimportance,we'reactivelyworking onandcontinuouslyinvestinginAImalwareresearch withinANY.RUNtofurtherrefineandenhanceourservices’ capabilities.
However,it'sadouble-edgedsword;asmuchasAI advancesourdefenses,italsoempowerscybercriminals withsophisticatedtoolsforattacks,necessitatingongoing innovationonourpart.
Pleasegiveusafewtestimonialsfromyourclientsand awardsorrecognitionthataccuratelyhighlightyour achievementsinthecorporateniche.
OurworkatANY.RUNhasreceivedrecognitionfromboth topawardsandusersaroundtheworld.In2023alone,the platformwasawarded:
• Fortress Cyber SecurityAward (2023):WinnerintheThreatDetectioncategory.
• Malware Monitoring andAnalysis Innovator of the Year 2023(InnovationinBusiness).
• Most Innovative in MalwareAnalysis (TheCyberDefenseAwards).
Additionally,ANY.RUNboastsover60verifiedreviewson G2,apopularreviewservice,witha4.6outof5-starrating.
Challenges CTOs Will Soon Face
Theresponsibilitiesandduties ofaChiefTechnologyOfficer (CTO)arealwayschanging. CTOsareresponsibleformanaginga complicatedenvironment,seeing trends,andmakingsuretheir companiesarepreparedforthefuture astechnologyadvancesatan acceleratedrate.Onefieldwith enormouspromiseandformidable obstaclesisartificialintelligence(AI).
Here, we explore 15 key challenges CTOs will face shortly regarding AI adoption and how to prepare for them:
1.IdentifyingtheRightUseCases:Not allproblemsrequireAIsolutions. CTOsmustbediscerningwhen evaluatingpotentialAIapplications. Focusingontasksthatarerepetitive, data-driven,orrequirecomplexpattern recognitionwillyieldthemost significantbenefits.
HowtoGetReady:Investindata analysistoidentifyareaswherehuman performancecanbeaugmentedor replacedbyAI.
2.DataSilosandIntegrationIssues: Manyorganizationsstrugglewithdata
scatteredacrossdisparatesystems. AI algorithmsrequireclean,integrated datasetstofunctioneffectively.
HowtoGetReady:Developadata governancestrategytocentralizeand standardizedatacollectionandstorage. Utilizedataintegrationtoolstobridge thegapbetweensiloedsystems.
3.TalentAcquisitionand Development: Thedemandforskilled AIprofessionalsfaroutstripssupply. Attractingandretainingtoptalentis crucialforsuccessfulAI implementation.
HowtoGetReady:Partnerwith universitiesandresearchinstitutionsto establishtrainingprograms.Upskill existingemployeesthroughboot campsandinternaltraininginitiatives focusedonAIconceptsandtools.
4.ExplainabilityandTransparency: UnderstandinghowAIsystemsarrive atdecisionsiscriticalforbuildingtrust andensuringcompliancewith regulations.
HowtoGetReady:InvestinAI solutionswithexplainableAI(XAI) capabilities,allowingyouto understandthereasoningbehind algorithmicoutputs.
5.AlgorithmicBias:AIsystemstrained onbiaseddatacanperpetuate discriminatorypractices. CTOsmust bevigilantinmitigatingbias throughouttheAIdevelopment lifecycle.
HowtoGetReady:Employdiverse teamstodevelopandtestAImodels. Utilizefairnessmetricstoidentifyand addresspotentialbiasesintrainingdata sets.
6.SecurityThreats: AIsystemscanbe vulnerabletohackingand manipulation. Robustsecurity protocolsareessentialtoprotect
sensitivedataandpreventmalicious actorsfromexploitingvulnerabilities.
HowtoGetReady:Conductthorough securityauditsofAIsystemsto identifyandaddresspotential vulnerabilities.Implementdata encryptionandaccesscontrolsto safeguardsensitiveinformation.
7.EvolvingRegulatoryLandscape: RegulationsgoverningAIarestill underdevelopment. Stayinginformed aboutregulatorychangesandensuring complianceiscrucial.
HowtoGetReady:Collaboratewith legalteamstomonitorevolving regulationsandadaptAIpractices accordingly.Advocateforclearand responsibleAIdevelopmentpolicies.
8.ManagingExpectations:AIisa powerfultool,butit'snotasilver bullet. CTOsmustmanage expectationsandcommunicatethatAI adoptionisajourney,notaone-time fix.
HowtoGetReady:Clearlydefine successmetricsforAIinitiativesand communicaterealistictimelinesfor implementationandROI(Returnon Investment).
9.FosteringaCultureofInnovation: A successfulAIstrategyrequiresa culturethatembracesexperimentation andcalculatedrisk-taking.
HowtoGetReady:Encourage experimentationbyestablishing innovationlabsorsandbox environmentsfortestingnewAI concepts.Celebratefailuresaslearning opportunitiesandprovide psychologicalsafetyforteamsto explorenewideas.
10.InfrastructureConsiderations: RunningAImodelscanrequire significantcomputingpower. CTOs mustensuretheirITinfrastructurecan
handlethedemandsofAIworkloads.
HowtoGetReady:Evaluatecloudbasedsolutionsofferingscalableand cost-effectivecomputingresourcesfor AIprocessing.Modernizeon-premise infrastructuretohandletheincreased processingneeds.
11.TheHumanFactor: AIwon't replacehumanworkersentirely,butit willtransformthewaywework. Reskillingandupskillingthe workforceiscrucialtoensureasmooth transition.
HowtoGetReady:Developtraining programstoequipemployeeswiththe skillsneededtocollaborateeffectively withAIsystems.Fosteracultureof human-AIcollaboration,leveragingthe strengthsofboth.
12.ResponsibleAIDevelopment: EthicalconsiderationssurroundingAI developmentanddeploymentare paramount.
HowtoGetReady:EstablishanAI ethicsframeworkthatoutlines principlesforresponsibledevelopment anduseofAI.Prioritizetransparency, fairness,accountability,andhuman well-beinginallAIinitiatives.
13.CommunicationandChange Management: SuccessfulAIadoption requireseffectivecommunicationand buy-infromallstakeholders.
HowtoGetReady:Developaclear communicationstrategytoexplainthe benefitsofAIandaddressemployee concerns.
14.TheBlackBoxProblem: While XAI(ExplainableAI)helps,some complexAImodelscanstillbeopaque intheirdecision-makingprocesses. Thislackoftransparencycanbe problematic,especiallyinhigh-stakes applications.
HowtoGetReady:Explorealternative AImodelsthatprioritize interpretabilityalongsideaccuracy Encouragethedevelopmentof standardsforexplainabilityinAIto ensureabaselineleveloftransparency acrosstheindustry
15.TheCostFactor: Developingand deployingAIsolutionscanbe expensive. CTOsneedtocarefully evaluatethecost-benefitanalysis beforeembarkingonAIprojects.
HowtoGetReady:Startsmalland scalestrategically.FocusonhighimpactusecaseswithaclearROIto demonstratethevalueofAIandsecure fundingforfutureinitiatives.Explore cost-effectivesolutionssuchascloudbasedAIplatformsoropen-sourceAI tools.
Byproactivelyaddressingthese challenges,CTOscanpavethewayfor successfulAIadoptionwithintheir organizations. AIholdsimmense potentialtorevolutionizevarious industries,andCTOswhoareprepared willbebestpositionedtoleverageits powerandunlockitstransformative potential.
- Alaya Brown
Everyaspectofcontemporarylivinghasbeen
enhancedbytechnology,improvingcomfort,safety, andconvenience.Modernworkplacesareno exceptiontothis,whicharenowmoreefficientand adaptable.Thedevelopmentofremoteworksolutionshas madeitpossibleforemployeestoworkremotelywithno barriers.
Tosetthetechnologicalvisionandstrategyofthe organizationinalignmentwithitsoverallgoals, organizationsrelyonChiefTechnologyOfficers.They foreseeupcomingdevelopmentsandtrends,seeingchances tousetechnologytogainacompetitiveedge.
IntheheartofthisversatilelandscapestandsGil Bernabeu,ChiefTechnologyOfficeratGlobalPlatform, avisionaryleaderdrivenbyapassionfordigitalizationand security.
At57yearsyoung,hisjourneyepitomizestheintersection ofexperienceandinnovation.Withaferventbeliefinthe transformativepoweroftechnology,hehasdedicatedhis careertoexploringhowadvancementsindigitalizationcan revolutionizethewaywework,communicate,andlive.Yet, amidstthepromiseofprogress,herecognizestheinherent risksposedbycyberthreatsandvulnerabilities.
AsthecustodianofGlobalPlatform'stechnological roadmap,Gilbringsawealthofexperienceandaforwardthinkingapproachtothetable.Hisunrelentingcommitment tosecurityunderscoreseverydecision,ensuringthatdata, systems,andpeopleremainsafeguardedinanincreasingly digitalworld.
Butwhatdriveshimbeyondtheconfinesofhisprofessional title?It'sarelentlesscuriosity,aninsatiableappetitefor learning,andanunrelentingenthusiasmfortacklingnew challengeshead-on.ForGil,theallureofthedigitalfrontier
liesnotonlyinitscomplexitiesbutinitspotentialtoshape asafer,moreconnectedfutureforgenerationstocome.
Inourdiscussionswithhim,Gilunderscoredhisrolein supportingtheevolutionoftheDigitalIdentityandSecurity roadmap.
Below are the highlights from the interview!
Canyoupleasebriefusaboutyourcompanyandits inceptionstory?
GlobalPlatformisaconsensus-driven,technicalstandards organization.Ourmembersworktoenabletheefficient launchandmanagementofinnovative,secure-by-design digitalservicesanddevicesthatdeliverend-to-endsecurity, privacy,simplicity,interoperability,andconvenienceto users.
GlobalPlatformwasfoundedin1999bysevencompanies: AmericanExpressandGemplus.Giesecke+Devrient, Mastercard,Motorola,Schlumberger,andVisa.Today,our membershipcomprisesover80companiesandrepresents theentiredeviceanddigitalservicesecosystem,from hardwaretoservices.
TheinitialgoalofGlobalPlatformwastosupportthefirst waveofdigitaltransformationinbankingandIDby definingstandardstohelpthefinancialandgovernment sectorstransitionfromplasticcardstosmartcards.Since then,wehaveexpandedourscopetoincludeothersecure componenttechnologies,likeTrustedExecution Environments(TEE),andothermarketsectors,suchas identity,mobile,automotive,andIoT
Asanexampleofoursuccess,morethan6billionobjects areproducedeveryyearwiththistechnologyandusedall aroundtheworld.
Whatinspiredyoutopursueacareer intechnologyandultimatelytakeon leadershiproleswithinthefield?
Ihavealwaysbeeninterestedin technologyandhowitcanimprovethe livesofpeopleandsociety.Ipursueda careerintechnologybecauseIwantedto helprealizethepotentialoftechnology, learnnewthings,solveproblems,and createinnovativesolutions.Myreason forpursuingleadershiproleswasto sharemyvisionandwhatIhadlearned fromexpertsandtechnologyleaders,as wellastoconnectwithdifferent industriesandmakeapositiveimpact.
AsaCTO,whatarethekeyaspects youprioritizeindrivingtechnological innovationwithinyourorganization?
AstheCTOofaglobalstandards organization,thechallengesIfaceare differentfromthosefacedinacompany. Our‘product’isthetechnical specifications,certificationprograms, andleadershipandeducationthatwe providetothedeviceanddigitalservices ecosystem.Itiscreatedbyexpertsfrom multipleandoftencompeting companies.Eachexpertneedstofindthe balancebetweenimprovingthe technologybycontributingtoinitiatives andprotectingtheirowncompany's productinvestment.
Thisrequiresagoodcollaborativeenvironment,whichI strivetofoster AkeypartofmyroleasCTOis implementingprocessestoenableandmanagethe developmentoftechnicalspecifications,butImakesure theyareagileanddonothinderprogress.Prioritizingtime torefreshmymindandgaininsightsintomarkettrends, customerbehaviors,andinternalperformanceisalsoa fundamentalpartofmyrole.Howdoyouensureeffective communicationandcollaborationbetweentechnology teamsandotherdepartmentstoalignwithoverallbusiness objectives?
Canyoushareaspecificchallengeyou'veencountered inyourroleandhowyouapproachedandovercameit?
Thereisacommonchallengeinthestandardizationsector, whereexpertsfromdifferentandoftencompeting companiescollaboratetocreateacommonproduct.Hereis
howIapproachedandovercamethisprobleminmyroleas CTOofGlobalPlatform:
• Iestablishedaclearandsharedvisionofthevalue propositionandthebenefitsofstandardizationforall thestakeholders,includingtheircustomers,aswellas theindustryandindividualcompanies.
• Ifosteredacultureoftrust,transparency,andmutual respectamongtheexpertsbyfacilitatingopen communication,sharinginformation,and acknowledgingcontributions.
• Iencouragedtheexpertstofocusonthecommongoals andcustomerneedsratherthantheirowninterestsand agendasbycreatingacustomer-centricfeedbackloop andinvolvingend-usersinthevalidationprocess.
• Ibalancedthetrade-offsbetweenbeingtoogenericand respondingontimetotheneedsofthemarkets.
Intherapidlyevolvingtechlandscape,howdoyoustay updatedonemergingtrendsandensureyourteam remainsattheforefrontoftechnologicaladvancements?
ThisisauniqueadvantageofbeingtheCTOof GlobalPlatform.Aspartofmyday-to-dayrole,Iamableto meetanddiscusswithcompaniesattheforefrontof cybersecurityresearch.
Whatstrategiesdoyouemploytofosteracultureof creativity,problem-solving,andcontinuouslearning withinyourtechnologyteam?
Collaborationandknowledgesharingarekey Weare invitingmanyexternalexpertstobringnewideasandnew usecases.Wealsoorganizeseminarsandworkshopswhere expertsfromindustryandgovernmentarepresentingand whereourmemberorganizationsareabletoparticipate freely.Ithinkthatface-to-facemeetingsareamandatory partofthe“collaborationequation.”
Howdoyoubalancetheneedforinnovationwiththe importanceofmaintainingrobustcybersecurity measuresinyourorganization?
GlobalPlatformisacommunityofsecurityexperts,andso theneedtobalanceinnovationwithcybersecurityiswell understoodandpracticed.
Thissentimentisfoundationaltoourwork.GlobalPlatform providesstandardizedtechnologiesandcertificationsthat enabledevicemakersandserviceproviderstofocuson theirbusinessmodelsandinnovation,safeintheknowledge thatstandardizedsecuritywillcontinuetoworkforthemas newrisksandopportunitiesarise.
Canyouhighlightaspecifictechnologyimplementation orprojectyouareparticularlyproudofandwhat impactithadonyourorganization?
Thefactisthat100%ofallSIMsandeSIMsproducedafter 2001relyonGlobalPlatformtechnology.Thismeansweare protectingbillionsofsmartphoneusersallaroundthe world.
Asaleader,howdoyounurturetheprofessional developmentandgrowthofyourteammembers,and whatroledoesmentorshipplayinyourleadership approach?
Asaleader,Ibelievethatnurturingtheprofessional developmentandgrowthofmyteammembersisoneofmy keyresponsibilities.Idothisby:
• Settingclearandrealisticgoalsandexpectationsfor eachteammemberandprovidingregularfeedbackand recognitionoftheirperformanceandachievements.
• Encouragingandsupportingcontinuouslearningand improvement,byprovidingtrainingopportunities, coachingsessions,andresourcesforskilldevelopment.
• Creatingacultureoftrust,collaboration,and empowerment,bydelegatingtasks,sharing information,andsolicitinginputandfeedbackfromthe team.
• Providingguidanceanddirectionbutalsoallowing autonomyandcreativitybydefiningthevisionand strategyandallowingthespaceandflexibilitythatare neededforpeopleandteamstofindtheirownsolutions andapproaches.
• Celebratingsuccessesandlearningfromfailuresby acknowledgingandrewardingtheteam'seffortsand accomplishmentsandalsoanalyzingandaddressing challengesandareasforimprovement.
• Mentorshipplaysavitalroleinmyleadership approach,asIbelievethatitisapowerfulwayto inspire,motivate,anddevelopmyteammembers.Iact asamentorformyteamby:
• Sharingmyknowledge,experience,andinsightsby offeringadvice,tips,andbestpractices,andalsoby sharingstoriesandlessonslearnedfrommyowncareer journey
• Beingarolemodelandanexamplebyshowingmy passion,enthusiasm,andcommitmenttothework.
• Challengingandstretchingtheteammembers,by askingthemthought-provokingquestionsand providingconstructivefeedback.Ithinkitisimportant tocreateanenvironmentwhereunconventional thinkingandcalculatedrisk-takingarepossible.
• Connectingandencouragingmyteamtonetworkby introducingthemtootherpeersandexpertsinthefield, aswellasbyfacilitatingcollaborationand communicationwithinandacrosstheteam.
How Can CTOs Ensure the Succe ful Adoption of AI in Their Organizations?
Artificialintelligence(AI)is rapidlytransforming industries,offeringatreasure troveofopportunitiesforenhanced efficiency,innovation,anddecisionmaking.However,formany organizations,thepathtosuccessfulAI adoptioncanbefraughtwith challenges.
Here's where CTOs step in as strategic leaders, guiding their teams towards a smooth and impactful AI integration.
AligningAIwithBusinessGoals
ThefirststepforCTOsisensuringAI initiativesdirectlyaddresscore businessneeds.Don'tgetcaughtupin thehypeofthelatestAItrends. Instead,conductathoroughanalysisof yourorganization'spainpointsand growthaspirations.CanAIautomate repetitivetasks,streamlineworkflows, oruncovervaluableinsightshidden withinyourdata?Clearlydefinethe desiredoutcomesandchooseAI solutionsthatdemonstrablyachieve them.
BuildingtheRightInfrastructure
AIthrivesondata.CTOsmustensure theirorganizationpossessesthe
necessaryinfrastructuretocollect, store,andanalyzevastamountsofdata effectively.Thisincludesrobustdata pipelines,securestoragesolutions,and powerfulcomputingresources. Additionally,investindatagovernance frameworkstoensuredataquality, security,andcompliancewithevolving privacyregulations.
SelectingtheRightAITools
TheAIlandscapeisbrimmingwithan arrayoftoolsandtechnologies.CTOs mustcarefullyevaluatetheiroptions basedonspecificneeds.Consider whetheryourorganizationrequires machinelearningmodelsforpredictive analytics,naturallanguageprocessing forsentimentanalysis,orcomputer visionforimagerecognition. Furthermore,exploreopen-source frameworksandcloud-basedAI solutionsthatofferflexibilityand scalabilitywithoutbreakingthebank.
BuildingtheAIDreamTeam
SuccessfulAIadoptionnecessitatesa skilledteamwithdiverseexpertise. Datascientistswithastrong foundationinstatisticsandmachine learningarecrucialformodel developmentandtraining.Software engineerswithexperienceincloud computingandAPIintegrationare essentialforbuildinganddeployingAI applications.Don'tforgetthehuman element:domainexpertswho understandthenuancesofyour businessprocessesareinvaluablefor guidingAIdevelopmentand interpretingitsoutputs.
UpskillingandReskillingthe Workforce
AIadoptionoftenleadstoworkflow modificationsandevenjob displacementconcerns.Aproactive CTOwillchampioninitiativesto upskillandreskilltheexisting workforce.Providetrainingprograms
onAIfundamentals,dataliteracy,and howtocollaborateeffectivelywithAI tools.Thisfostersacultureof adaptationandempowersemployeesto leverageAIasaforcemultiplier,nota threat.
ChangeManagement
ImplementingAInecessitatesawelldefinedchangemanagementstrategy. Peopleareoftenresistanttochange, especiallywhenitinvolvesnew technologiesimpactingtheirdaily routines.CTOsmusteffectively communicatethebenefitsofAI, addressingemployeeconcernsheadon.Encourageopendialogue,involve employeesintheselectionand planningprocess,andcelebrateearly winstobuildtrustandenthusiasm.
EthicalConsiderations
AIalgorithmscanperpetuatebiases presentinthedatatheyaretrainedon. CTOshaveanethicalresponsibilityto ensurefairnessandtransparencyinAI development.Implementrobustbias detectionandmitigationstrategies withinyourAImodels.Furthermore, ensureclearcommunicationregarding howAIdecisionsaremade,fostering trustandaccountability.
DemonstratingROI
SuccessfulAIadoptionrequiresaclear understandingofitsreturnon investment(ROI).Definekey performanceindicators(KPIs)aligned withyourchosenAIprojectgoals. Trackmetricssuchasproductivity gains,costsavings,orimproved customersatisfaction.Regularly evaluatetheperformanceofyourAI modelsanditeratebasedonreal-world datatoensuretheycontinuetodeliver value.
Collaborationiskey.
AIisrarelyasingle-department endeavor.CTOsmustfoster collaborationacrossvariousteams withintheorganization.Workclosely withbusinessleaderstounderstand theirprioritiesandtailorAIsolutions accordingly.Engagewithmarketing, sales,andcustomerserviceteamsto ensureAIapplicationsintegrate seamlesslywithexistingworkflows andprovideapositiveuserexperience.
Embraceacultureof experimentation.
AIisaconstantlyevolvingfield.The mostsuccessfulCTOsfosteraculture ofexperimentation.Encouragepilot projects,embracea"failfast,learn faster"mentality,andbewillingto iterateandadaptbasedonresults.This allowsyourorganizationtostayahead ofthecurveandcontinuouslyimprove itsAIcapabilities.
Conclusion:
Byfollowingtheseguidelines,CTOs canplayapivotalroleinensuringthe successfuladoptionofAIwithintheir organizations.ByaligningAIwith businessgoals,buildingtheright infrastructure,andfosteringaculture ofcollaborationandexperimentation, CTOscanunlockthetransformative potentialofAIandnavigatetheirteams towardsafuturebrimmingwith innovationandcompetitiveadvantage.
- Alaya Brown
Vijay Jaswal CTO IFS
Exploring Innovation, Solving Challenges, and Delivering Value to Customers!
Whatkeepsmemotivatedistherapidpaceof
changeinthissector—therearealwaysnew thingstolearnandvaryingcustomerbusiness challengestosolveinamultitudeofdifferentways,usinga plethoraofdifferenttechnologysolutions!"sharesVijay Jaswal,CTOofIFSacrossAsiaPacific,Japan,Middle East&Africa.Withoverthreedecadesofexperienceinthe technologyindustry,hispassionforinnovationremainsas ferventasever.
AstheCTOofIFSAPJ&MEA,heorchestrates transformativeinitiativeswithunrivaledfinesse,sculpting solutionsthatnotonlymeetbutexceedthediverseneedsof theirclientele.Aconnoisseurofinnovation,hissteadfast resolveliesincraftingcost-effective,high-value propositions,ensuringswiftreturns,andenduringclient satisfaction.
Vijay'sindomitablespiritembodiestheepitomeof technologicalprowess.Fromhishumblebeginningstohis ascensionasareveredindustryluminary,histrajectory resonateswiththeresoundingechoesofsuccess.His indeliblemarkonthelandscapeoftechnologyservesasa beaconofinspirationforaspiringluminariesacrossthe globe.
Below are the interview highlights:
Canyoupleasebriefusaboutyourcompanyandits inceptionstory?
IFSdevelopsanddeliverscloudenterprisesoftwarefor companiesaroundtheworldthatmanufactureanddistribute goods,buildandmaintainassets,andmanageservice-
focusedoperations.Theindustryexpertiseofourpeople andourgrowingecosystem,togetherwithacommitmentto delivervalueateverysinglestep,hasmadeIFSa recognizedleaderandthemostrecommendedsupplierin oursector
IFSisproudofitsSwedishorigins.Thecompanywas formedby5graduatesin1983whoallhadonevision—to buildabusinessthatbecamerenownedfortheinnovation ofitsproducts,gotclosertoitscustomers,andhadafun environmenttoworkforandwith.WhileIFShasgrownto beacompanyemployingover6,000peopleworldwide,this visionremainstruetoday
Whatinspiredyoutopursueacareerintechnologyand ultimatelytakeonleadershiproleswithinthefield?
Ihavealwaysbeenfascinatedbytechnologyandhowitcan transformtheworldforthebetter.Itallstartedattheageof around7yearsoldwhenmygrandfathertookmetothe cinematowatchthefirstStarWarsfilm.Iwasawestruckby alltheseflyingspaceships,lightsabers,andholograms!This iswhatstartedmeonthejourneytotechnologyand gadgets!
Ienjoysimplifyingtechnologysothatbusinessaudiences canunderstanditscapabilities,butmoreimportantly,the benefitsitcanbring,bothfromamonetaryperspectiveand anoperationalefficiencyperspective.
Ihave3mainaspects:
1. Technologymustalwaysserveapurpose,andmaking ourliveseasierisamajorpartofthatpurpose!SoIam alwayslookingforwaysthatIcanmakethelivesof ourcustomers,prospects,andcolleaguesbetterand moreefficient.
2. Nextcomesthewholemonetarybenefitsideofthings, especiallyinthisdayandageofincreasingcostsof livingandhigh-interestrates.Thisisbecomingmore andmoreimperative.
3. Easeofuse:weareallspoiledconsumersofsuper customer-friendlyappsthatweallhaveonour smartphones.Thiseaseofusemustalsobepresentin theworkplace.Ihaveseenmanyorganizationsstruggle andfighttogetsimpleinformationoutofmultipledata sourcesfromtheirmultitudeofITsystems.Thismust stop!
Howdoyouensureeffectivecommunicationand collaborationbetweenthetechnologyteamandother departmentstoalignwithoverallbusinessobjectives?
Toensurethattechnologyteamsandotherdepartmentsare aligned,itisessentialtoestablishclearcommunication. Thiscanbeachievedbysimplifyingtechnicaljargon, sharingbusinessobjectives,andactivelylisteningtoone another
Collaborationcanbefosteredbyimplementingjoint planningsessions,formingcross-functionalteams,and utilizingsharedmetrics.Trustcanbebuiltbyproviding transparentupdates,encouragingopenfeedback,and acknowledgingsuccesses.Itisimportanttonotethat leadershipsupportandarespectfulculturearecrucialfor creatingalastingimpact.Byworkinginunison,technology andotherdepartmentscanoperatelikeawell-coordinated machine,propellingthebusinesstowarditsgoals.
Canyoushareaspecificchallengeyou'veencountered inyourroleandhowyouapproachedandovercameit?
ThebiggestchallengeIfaceasaCTOiskeepingpacewith thelatesttechnologicaladvancementsandthendeciphering thehypetechnologiesfromtheonesthatcanmakea tangiblebusinessimpact.
Intherapidlyevolvingtechlandscape,howdoyoustay updatedonemergingtrendsandensureyourteam remainsattheforefrontoftechnologicaladvancements?
- Robert Frost
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