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Dear Readers,
Welcome to the latest edition of The Technology Ledger, where we spotlight the innovators shaping the future of enterprise technology, data, AI, infrastructure, and digital transformation across the globe.
We begin with Dru Melidossian, Director of Strategic Sourcing and Procurement at Binance.US, who shares how procurement is evolving into a strategic, tech-enabled function at the intersection of innovation and regulation in the fast-moving world of cryptocurrency.
Robert Wibring, Head of IT Operations at Enity Bank Group, brings over 15 years of experience leading cloud and infrastructure strategy, offering insights into how a post-merger technology integration can drive resilience and inclusivity across financial services.
At MOGOPLUS, Muhammad Hejvani, Chief Data & Technology Officer, is pioneering a pragmatic approach to AI and data-driven finance, leading the development of an internal Agentic AI Factory while staying laser-focused on regulatory alignment and real-world problem solving.
Jeremy Miller, Chief Information Officer at Solero Technologies, reflects on global IT leadership, cybersecurity maturity, and cultural alignment as he guides the company through post-acquisition transformation in the automotive sector.
We also explore how Sunny Bhatia, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Digital61, is supporting Australia’s public sector and critical infrastructure through secure, cloud-native innovation and SOCaaS delivery, helping government agencies navigate complexity and modernise at scale.
James Howes, Director of Procurement at BrainRocket, offers a candid look at what it takes to build procurement from the ground up in a highgrowth tech business, balancing speed with structure and machine-led negotiations with human trust and tone.
In our Executive Insights, Dr Roland Schmid, former Global Head of Corporate IT at Syngenta Group, delivers a grounded perspective on responsible AI and enterprise ethics, while Sjef Kerkhofs, Managing Director at Franke Media, highlights how practical AI implementation is driving international expansion and reshaping global operations.
This edition captures the forward thinkers and doers leading with clarity, building with purpose, and redefining what technology can enable in modern business.
EDITOR Christopher O’Connor
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Martyn Oakley
DESIGN SUPPORT
James Pate
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Summah Buisson
PROJECT DIRECTORS
Alex Reay
Fabian Stasiak
Phillip Forde
Denitra Price
Cisco Loevendie
Stuart Irving
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Ewa Piwoni
No.159, Field Maple Barns, Weston Green Road, Weston Longville, Norwich, Norfolk, NR9 5LA
ACCOUNTS
Emilio Vences
Joseph Heaton
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Alex Barron
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The Technology Ledger does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher.
Strategic Evolution: Dru Melidossian on Redefining Procurement at Binance
Driving Scalable Innovation: Robert Wibring on Leading IT Operations at Enity Bank Group
INSIGHT: ROLAND SCHMID
Responsible AI in Practice: Dr Roland Schmid on Trust, Accountability and Enterprise Impact
Redefining Intelligent Lending: Muhammad Hejvani on the Future of DataDriven Finance in the Agentic AI Age at MOGOPLUS
Driving Global IT Excellence: Jeremy Miller on Leading Solero Technologies Through Transformation and Innovation
Practical AI Adoption and Global Growth at Franke Media
Driving Digital Defence: How digital61 Is Transforming Government Services and Critical Infrastructure Under Sunny Bhatia’s Leadership
Building Smart, Fast, and Human: James Howes on Launching Procurement at BrainRocket
STRATEGIC EVOLUTION
Dru Melidossian on Redefining
Procurement at Binance US
In a fast-moving industry where innovation and regulation collide, procurement can no longer afford to be a back-office function. At Binance US, Dru Melidossian, Director of Strategic Sourcing and Procurement, is leading a transformation that positions procurement as a key driver of agility, compliance, and long-term business value. In this exclusive interview, Dru shares insights into building a lean, tech-enabled procurement function, forging collaborative supplier partnerships, and staying ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency.
Professional Background and Role at Binance US
Can you share your career journey and what led you to your current position as Director of Procurement & Strategic Sourcing at Binance US?
It is an undeniable truth that our personal and professional development is shaped by the experiences we have and the relationships we forge throughout our lives. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have collaborated with a multitude of talented, dedicated, and professional individuals during my career. Each person—whether they were considered a “good” leader or a “bad” leader— provided valuable lessons that have contributed to my growth.
My early career was rooted in the highly regulated, high-tech manufacturing sector, where I honed my skills in direct commodity management. This experience exposed me to a diverse range of industries, including biopharmaceuticals, aerospace and defense, and medical devices—each with its unique set of challenges and opportunities.
Driven by a strong desire to elevate the strategic importance of procurement and sourcing functions, I made a conscious decision to transition into the wealth and asset management space, where procurement and sourcing were unfortunately often relegated to the back office and viewed as merely administrative functions within many organisations. Over the past 15+ years, I have immersed myself in this industry, working as both a consultant and a practitioner across multiple organisations.
My current role at Binance US represents a perfect alignment of my professional experience and expertise with the company’s needs. I joined the company during a period of rebuilding and was entrusted with the unique and exciting opportunity to re-establish the procurement function from the ground up. This clean slate has allowed me to shape procurement according to my vision, leveraging my extensive experience and industry knowledge to build a best-in-class function that not only meets but exceeds expectations and supports Binance US’s strategic growth objectives.
Digital Transformation in Procurement
With the increasing role of technology in procurement, how is Binance US leveraging automation, AI, and data analytics to optimise procurement processes and enhance decision-making?
Building a Lean and Agile Procurement Function – The traditional model of procurement, characterised by cumbersome and expensive P2P/ERP solutions and complex implementations, is no longer sustainable. At Binance US, we’re taking a lean and agile approach to building our procurement function. By leveraging best-in-class point solutions and strategic partnerships with innovative providers we’re able to optimise our operations without the need for significant headcount expansion.
We are optimising our procurement function through an integration of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics across various critical processes. AI is providing deeper insights and enabling more informed decision-making throughout the procurement lifecycle.
Our procurement process is designed with the user experience and operational efficiency in mind. We’ve implemented a clean and intuitive intake system that captures all relevant data in a systematic and intuitive way. This enables us to expedite downstream processes—including approvals, coding, payment, and strategy identification—while ensuring that our decisions are informed by meaningful and rich data.
Data analytics plays a pivotal role in our procurement strategy. By capturing and analysing data at every stage of the procurement process, we’re able to identify trends, optimise spending, mitigate risks, and make informed decisions that drive meaningful business value. Positioning procurement as a growth driver.
Looking ahead, we are committed to future-proofing our procurement capabilities. This is being achieved through a multifaceted approach that includes diligent strategic planning, the continuous exploration and adoption of technological innovations, and an unwavering commitment to the principle of continuous improvement. The goal is to establish a procurement function that not only operates with exceptional efficiency and effectiveness in the present but is also inherently adaptable and resilient to future changes and challenges. This forward-thinking strategy will enable the organisation to remain at the forefront of procurement best practices and consistently deliver optimal results, ensuring long-term organisational value and sustainability.
Strategic Sourcing in a Fast-Paced Industry
Given the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency industry, what strategies do you use to ensure Binance US’s sourcing decisions align with business growth, cost efficiency, and innovation?
In the dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape of cryptocurrency, strategic procurement and vendor selection are of paramount importance. Each purchasing decision and vendor partnership must align with the overarching business strategy and support long-term growth objectives. To achieve this, a collaborative and intentional approach to supplier relationship management is essential.
Strategic sourcing necessitates close cooperation and alignment between procurement teams, business leaders, and budget owners. This collaborative approach ensures that procurement decisions are informed by business needs and budgetary considerations, fostering a sense of shared ownership and accountability.
An agile and flexible approach to procurement is crucial in a fast-paced and volatile market like the cryptocurrency industry. Market conditions, industry trends, and regulatory requirements can change rapidly, and procurement strategies must be adaptable to these shifts. Continuous monitoring of market conditions, supplier performance, and internal business needs enables procurement teams to identify opportunities for improvement and respond proactively to emerging risks.
Collaboration with key suppliers through proactive contract management approach that includes regular check-ins, volume-driven adjustments, and performance monitoring ensures that supplier relationships remain aligned with business objectives and continue to deliver optimal value. In the cryptocurrency market—where innovation and disruption are constant—a collaborative and forwardthinking approach to supplier relationship management can create a competitive advantage and drive sustainable growth.
By embracing a strategic, collaborative, and agile approach to procurement and supplier relationship management, businesses operating in the cryptocurrency market can navigate the complexities and uncertainties of this dynamic industry and position themselves for long-term success.
Supplier Innovation and Collaboration
How does Binance US work with suppliers to drive innovation, particularly in areas like blockchain infrastructure, security solutions, and digital payment processing?
Innovation is the lifeblood of our organisation, and it thrives on collaboration. We are a lean, highly technical team, relentlessly pursuing groundbreaking advancements. Our excellence stems directly from our talented individuals and the strong relationships we forge within the industry. We actively seek out and collaborate with the brightest, most innovative partners to achieve breakthroughs in infrastructure, security, and processing.
We have a clear understanding of our strengths and focus our efforts accordingly. At the same time, we recognise our limitations and acknowledge that others may excel in areas where we do not. We build bridges and foster strategic relationships with those who complement our skills and expertise. These relationships are characterised by daily interaction, collaborative goal-setting, and shared successes and failures. We learn from both our triumphs and setbacks, constantly evolving and improving our capabilities.
While strong contracts that address both standard and unforeseen circumstances are essential, we believe that true partnerships go beyond contractual obligations. We seek out like-minded teams who share our passion for shaping the future of currency and payments. These relationships are built on trust, mutual respect, and a shared vision. Together, we can push the boundaries of what is possible and redefine the financial landscape.
Risk Management in Procurement
The cryptocurrency industry faces unique risks, from regulatory uncertainties to cybersecurity threats. How does your procurement function mitigate these risks while maintaining supply chain resilience?
Risk management within the cryptocurrency space is a multifaceted endeavor, demanding a collaborative approach to navigate both known and unforeseen challenges. This dynamic market characterised by its volatility and evolving threat landscape necessitates a proactive strategy to safeguard assets and operations.
Procurement plays a pivotal role in mitigating these risks by ensuring thorough due diligence on business partners and their capabilities. This involves maintaining vigilant awareness of evolving market trends and emerging players. Through close collaboration with Compliance, Information Security, Legal, and Risk teams, Procurement orchestrates a multi-departmental effort to identify, assess, and minimise potential threats by aligning objectives and providing visibility into the needs and risks of the business.
This comprehensive risk management strategy leverages a dual approach, incorporating both tactical and strategic elements. On a tactical level, the implementation of standardised workflows and the adoption of advanced technologies are essential for facilitating seamless communication, enabling efficient information sharing across departments, and ensuring a rapid and coordinated response to any emerging risks or identified incidents. These tactical measures provide the operational agility required to navigate the fast-paced nature of the cryptocurrency market. From a strategic perspective, the establishment of ongoing communication channels and the maintenance of comprehensive visibility into both internal operational changes and external market developments are crucial for ensuring that risk management protocols remain adaptive, relevant, and aligned with the ever-changing dynamics of the crypto industry. This continuous monitoring and reassessment process allows for the proactive identification of new risk vectors and the timely adjustment of mitigation strategies.
Ultimately, Procurement serves as a vital linchpin within the broader risk management ecosystem. By actively fostering a culture of collaboration, transparency, and shared responsibility, Procurement empowers informed decision-making at all levels of the organisation and facilitates an agile and adaptive response to the fluid risk landscape. This proactive and collaborative approach is not merely a defensive measure but a strategic imperative for sustainable growth and long-term success in the dynamic and often unpredictable world of cryptocurrency.
Technology’s Role in Procurement Strategy
How is Binance US incorporating emerging technologies such as blockchain, smart contracts, and digital identity verification into its procurement and strategic sourcing processes?
The landscape of technology options in the procurement sector has been—and continues to be— characterised by remarkable and rapid advancements. Technology serves as the catalyst that has empowered us at Binance US to implement targeted and effective solutions, yielding near-instant results. These solutions stand in stark contrast to the overly technical and complex systems that were prevalent in the past.
We have witnessed a clear evolutionary trajectory in this domain. We are transitioning into an era defined by highly specialised and focused solutions. These tools are evolving at an unprecedented pace and are redefining competencies within the procurement space. By forging strategic partnerships with a select group of providers, we have successfully scaled our procurement operations without the need to staff the repetitive tasks that often plague larger and more outdated systems. Our procurement stack consists of providers who are not generalists claiming mastery over all areas; rather, they are specialists with deep expertise in specific domains, delivering best-in-class solutions within those areas.
Our relationships with procurement technology providers are characterised by open, two-way communication. We actively seek feedback from our providers and take concrete action based on that feedback. The days of extensive customisation are also behind us. The “that will not work here” mentality that was prevalent in the last decade is no longer relevant. To maintain a competitive advantage in today’s rapidly evolving landscape, it is imperative to adopt a new, more agile and adaptable mindset.
“Ultimately, Procurement serves as a vital linchpin within the broader risk management ecosystem.”
Adapting to Regulatory Changes
The regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies is continuously shifting. How do these changes impact procurement decisions at Binance US, and what strategies do you use to stay ahead of compliance requirements?
In the dynamic and rapidly evolving cryptocurrency landscape, regulatory compliance stands as the cornerstone of every successful operation. At Binance US, we recognise that our actions must be firmly grounded in a robust regulatory and compliance framework. This encompasses a wide array of critical areas, including Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) measures, tax compliance, volatility management, and meticulous supplier selection. We also prioritise the regulatory management of our suppliers and maintain a keen focus on both regulatory and operational risk. Our commitment to compliance extends to reputation management, recognising that our standing in the industry is intrinsically linked to our ability to uphold the highest standards of integrity.
The cryptocurrency market is characterised by constant regulatory change, necessitating a proactive and agile approach from procurement organisations. At Binance US, our teams remain vigilant and informed about the evolving regulatory environment. We continuously assess the implications of new regulations and proactively adopt strategies that ensure ongoing compliance while positioning us to capitalise on emerging opportunities.
Our diverse workforce and network of strategic suppliers provide us with a wealth of collective intelligence. We draw upon a rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and insights to navigate the complexities of the cryptocurrency market. The procurement team plays a pivotal role in bringing together diverse stakeholders to facilitate thoughtful decision-making and effective management. By fostering a culture of compliance, embracing diversity, and maintaining a proactive approach to regulatory change, Binance US is committed to leading the industry in responsible and sustainable growth. We believe that our unwavering commitment to compliance not only protects our customers and stakeholders but also strengthens the overall integrity and resilience of the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
Future Vision for Procurement at Binance US
Looking ahead, what are your key priorities for the Procurement & Strategic Sourcing division at Binance US, and how do you see procurement evolving in the crypto industry over the next five years?
Procurement’s evolution from a traditional back-office function to a strategic partner is essential in today’s dynamic business landscape. This transformation requires a shift in focus from purely operational tasks to aligning procurement priorities with broader business goals. By fostering strong relationships with both external suppliers and internal stakeholders, procurement can optimise processes, reduce operational costs, and drive overall business value.
In the digital age, agility and adaptability are paramount. Procurement must be responsive to evolving business needs, regulatory changes, and customer feedback. While objectives like cost savings, cycle time reduction, talent development, and digital tool implementation remain important, they must be pursued within a strategic framework centered on core business objectives. Consistency in procurement processes is valuable, but it should never come at the expense of adaptability and strategic alignment.
To achieve this alignment, procurement professionals need a deep understanding of the business’s key priorities and how procurement can contribute to them. This means collaborating closely with other functions—such as finance, marketing, and operations—to uncover opportunities where procurement can add value. For instance, procurement can play a pivotal role in supporting new product development by sourcing innovative materials and technologies.
Furthermore, procurement can leverage its expertise in supplier relationship management to drive innovation and enhance product quality. By working closely with suppliers, procurement can identify opportunities to co-develop new products and services that meet the needs of both the business and its customers.
Digital transformation is also critical for procurement’s continued evolution into a strategic partner. By investing in modern digital tools and technologies, procurement can automate routine tasks, enhance data visibility, and enable more informed decision-making. This allows procurement professionals to shift their focus to high-impact strategic activities such as supplier collaboration, innovation, and long-term value creation.
Binance US is a regulated cryptocurrency exchange based in the United States, offering secure access to over 150 digital assets with some of the industry’s lowest fees. Launched in 2019 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, it provides a reliable platform for buying, trading, and staking cryptocurrencies.
Dru Melidossian Director of Strategic Sourcing & Procurement
DRIVING SCALABLE INNOVATION
Robert Wibring on Leading IT Operations at Enity Bank Group
As Head of IT Operations at Enity Bank Group, Robert Wibring plays a pivotal role in building a resilient, secure, and agile technology foundation for one of the Nordics’ most forward thinking financial institutions. From his early days at Klarna to navigating a major post merger integration at Enity, Robert brings over 15 years of experience in leading infrastructure, cloud strategy, and digital transformation initiatives. In this executive insight, he shares how his team is modernising legacy systems, embedding cybersecurity and compliance into daily workflows, and using technology as a catalyst to support financial inclusion. His leadership philosophy centers on collaboration, transparency, and enabling teams to learn fast and deliver with confidence.
Professional Background
Can you share your career journey leading up to your current role as Head of IT Operations at Enity Bank Group? How have your previous experiences prepared you for this position?
I joined Klarna in 2008 as a Junior Sysadmin and Support Engineer, back when the company was still small, with around 90 employees across two Nordic countries. What started as a temporary job between university semesters turned into a 10 year journey. After four years, I became Manager of the Support Team, and three years after that, I took over Corporate IT. By the time I left, the company had grown to 3,000 employees across more than 10 countries, including the US. The fast-paced growth and the trust and responsibility I was given helped me grow significantly, both personally and professionally.
Two key experiences from my time at Klarna really prepared me for my current role. First, the wide range of responsibilities I held as an IT manager gave me hands-on experience with many different technologies, especially during a period of rapid expansion. Second, because Klarna was also a bank, security was paramount, and I quickly became involved in compliance and regulatory matters from an early stage in my career.
Role and Responsibilities
What are your primary responsibilities as the Head of IT Operations at Enity Bank Group? How do you ensure alignment between IT operations and the bank’s strategic objectives?
In my role, I’m responsible for our cloud platforms and infrastructure, ensuring they are available, resilient, secure, compliant, and cost effective. I also oversee the bank’s digital workplace, which encompasses how our employees use technology to access productivity tools, internal systems, and engage with customers.
I work closely with our development teams and product owners to ensure that our core services and cloud platforms enable their vision rather than become an obstacle. I also collaborate with other parts of the organisation to explore how we can automate or use technology to reduce repetitive tasks, allowing teams to focus on more value adding work.
Additionally, my role involves close cooperation with security and risk teams to ensure our technology roadmap balances innovation with strong security and regulatory compliance.
IT Integration Post-Merger
Following the merger with Bank2 and the consolidation under the Enity Bank Group brand, what were the key IT integration challenges you faced, and how did you address them?
Post-merger IT integration is, in my opinion, one of the most complex and impactful projects you can undertake. There are many aspects that need to be balanced simultaneously, from technological platforms and data structures to people and culture. Our key challenges included transforming the product portfolio into our own systems while mapping product parity, managing communication send outs, meeting regulatory requirements, and dealing with a completely different data structure.
To tackle this, we quickly established a steering group with representatives from all areas of both organisations and mapped them to different “streams,” each responsible for specific aspects of the integration. We met weekly to track progress and align on dependencies across the streams. To avoid becoming overwhelmed from the outset, we divided the work into milestones based on hard legal deadlines and prioritised business value.
Digital Transformation Initiatives
Enity Bank Group emphasises making banking simple and accessible. What digital transformation initiatives have you implemented to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency?
During the merger, we had subsets of raw data stored without an effective interface for querying, accessing, or using it. We conducted a proof of concept using our own internal AI instance to create a user friendly interface that allows data to be queried and utilised without requiring prior knowledge of query languages. We’re now exploring similar use cases to rapidly unlock further efficiency gains across the organisation.
On the customer experience side, we recently launched an AI-powered conversational chatbot assistant. It’s designed to support our customers and website visitors by answering general questions about the bank, assisting with their interactions, and handling common customer service inquiries.
Cybersecurity Measures
In the evolving landscape of cyber threats, how does Enity Bank Group ensure the security and integrity of its IT infrastructure and protect customer data?
We take a risk based, proactive approach to securing our IT infrastructure by leveraging modern technologies that reduce exposure and enable early threat detection. As cyber threats continue to evolve, we focus on staying ahead through continuous monitoring, regular security audits, and up to date threat intelligence.
We also recognise that people play a critical role in cybersecurity. Beyond implementing robust technologies, we emphasise fostering a strong security culture, delivering regular training and embedding security as an integral part of the product development lifecycle.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, we focus on staying ahead through continuous monitoring, regular security audits, and up to date threat intelligence.
Digital Transformation
What’s your strategy for modernising legacy systems without disrupting ongoing operations?
Modernising legacy systems requires a careful, phased approach that balances innovation with stability. My strategy begins with a thorough assessment, understanding system dependencies, business impact, and existing pain points. From there, we prioritise components that are either high risk or high value, often starting with those that can be decoupled and modernised incrementally.
We typically adopt a “strangler pattern,” where new services are built alongside legacy systems and gradually take over functionality. This approach enables us to introduce modern tech stacks and cloud capabilities without a disruptive “big bang” migration. At every stage, we ensure rollback plans are in place, and maintain close communication with business stakeholders to align expectations and manage risk.
By modernising in parallel while keeping legacy systems stable, we minimise disruption and steadily transition toward a more agile, scalable architecture that supports long term growth.
“Beyond implementing robust technologies, we emphasise fostering a strong security culture, delivering regular training and embedding security as an integral part of the product development lifecycle”
Technical Debt vs. Innovation
What’s been your biggest challenge in maintaining a balance between reducing technical debt and delivering new features, and how have you addressed it?
Aligning business urgency and feature requests with addressing underlying technical debt is always a challenge, as the latter often lacks immediate, visible impact or value. In the past, we encountered performance and stability issues that stemmed from prioritising quick wins and deferring refactoring during a period of rapid feature releases, growth, and expansion into new markets.
To tackle this, we shifted the conversation with stakeholders and introduced a more transparent framework for quantifying technical debt. We mapped it to risk, support overhead, and future development costs to help visualise the long term impact of neglecting these areas. We also adopted a dual track approach, ensuring that each sprint includes both feature development and scheduled technical debt reduction.
It’s still a balancing act, and stakeholder communication remains crucial, but this approach has significantly improved the reliability and resilience of our systems.
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“Beyond implementing robust technologies, we emphasise fostering a strong security culture, delivering regular training and embedding security as an integral part of the product development lifecycle”
Regulatory Compliance
With the financial industry’s stringent regulatory environment, how does the IT Operations team ensure compliance while maintaining agility in operations?
It’s a balance between the “iron fist” and the “velvet glove.” I believe it’s important not to treat compliance as a checkpoint or a one time hurdle but to weave it directly into our workflows. For example, we enforce policy through infrastructure as code and use real time monitoring to track adherence, making compliance a core part of our DevOps engine.
Both our operations and development teams treat audit findings as backlog items, addressed alongside feature development. This ensures that compliance is built in from the start, rather than patched on later, with everything logged and traceable. We also keep access management centralised and tightly controlled, using just in time access for privileged roles. This means elevated access must be temporarily checked out and is always logged, further reinforcing compliance while maintaining operational agility.
Team Development and Leadership
What strategies do you employ to build and lead a high performing IT operations team, and how do you foster continuous learning and innovation within the team?
My strategy focuses on fostering a culture of trust, ownership, and curiosity. I prefer to set clear goals and boundaries rather than dictate how each problem should be solved or which specific solution to use, though I’m always available to coach and discuss different approaches when needed. My team is diverse, with engineers from a range of technical backgrounds. Our support and CloudOps engineers work closely together, sharing the same space and holding joint meetings. The support team acts as our eyes and ears within the organisation. Since they’re often the first to detect issues or observe the effects of infrastructure changes, it’s crucial that they can feed this information back directly to the cloud infrastructure team.
I believe in empowering teams to own outcomes and creating an environment where failure is viewed as a learning opportunity. I encourage the team to continuously challenge the status quo and run small proof of concept tests frequently. To further support innovation and alignment, my team is actively involved in our division’s architecture forums, demo sessions, and increment planning. This integration ensures close collaboration with development and product teams, allowing us to add real value to the company’s product vision.
Future Outlook
What are your key priorities for Enity Bank Group’s IT operations in the coming years, and how do you plan to support the bank’s mission to increase financial inclusion in society?
Looking ahead, my priority is to continue making our platform leaner and more efficient, focusing on resilience at scale without over engineering or adding unnecessary complexity. The goal is to build a truly cloud native platform that leverages infrastructure as code, embedded FinOps practices, and automated scaling to support evolving demands seamlessly. Another core focus is maintaining strong collaboration between IT operations, product, and development teams. By aligning closely with them, we can best support our shared vision of driving automation, increasing operational efficiency, and accelerating growth. Ultimately, our collective mission is to expand financial empowerment by recognising the full potential of our customers. We aim to make banking simple, accessible, and future ready for everyone, advancing financial inclusion through thoughtful, scalable technology.
Enity Bank Group is a Nordic financial institution offering innovative mortgage solutions through its brands: Bluestep Bank, Bank2, and 60plusbanken. Focused on financial inclusion, Enity provides tailored lending services to individuals underserved by traditional banks, empowering customers across Sweden, Norway, and Finland to achieve their financial goals.
Robert Wibring Head of IT Operations
RESPONSIBLE AI IN PRACTICE
Dr Roland Schmid on Trust, Accountability and ImpactEnterprise
As AI moves from experimentation to enterprise impact, technology leaders face increasing pressure to drive innovation responsibly. Dr Roland Schmid offers a strategic and grounded perspective shaped by two decades of executive experience at the intersection of technology, business, and ethics. As former Global Head of Corporate IT at Syngenta Group, he led major digital transformation initiatives, unlocked productivity through advanced analytics and AI capabilities, and spearheaded the development of Syngenta’s publicly available AI Manifesto. Today, Dr Schmid remains deeply engaged in the evolving AI landscape, with a focus on value realisation, trust, and responsible adoption at scale. In this Executive Insight, he shares his perspective on what it will take for leaders to navigate AI’s next chapter responsibly — and why accountability, transparency, and practical execution matter more than ever.
How are organisations you have worked with ensuring that AI systems are ethical and fair?
First, organisations must be crystal clear on what ethical and fair actually mean in their specific context. Most have a code of conduct or ethical framework in place, which serves as the right starting point. At Syngenta, I led the development of an AI Manifesto that made these principles explicit for both internal and external audiences, demonstrating how they align with existing policies, governance structures, and practical approaches to fairness. The manifesto includes commitments such as fostering diverse perspectives within teams and ensuring transparency through community collaboration. It became the foundation for operationalising responsible AI, informing policies and procedures, system design principles, and supplier contracts.
Importantly, awareness was treated as a shared responsibility: Syngenta rolled out training to the entire workforce, recognising that with GenAI now broadly accessible, every employee must act responsibly. I firmly believe that a clear and visible approach prevents responsible AI from becoming a constraint and instead turns it into a strategic differentiator rooted in trust.
What approaches have you seen work well to prevent bias in AI models?
It is important to distinguish between classic machine learning and generative AI. With traditional machine learning, you typically have full control over the dataset. When developing such solutions, I always ensure a structured approach, focusing on careful data selection, transparent documentation, testing for different types of bias, and ongoing monitoring of outcomes after deployment.
With generative AI, the situation is different. You are working with large language models where the training data is not fully transparent or controllable. This places greater emphasis on how
the model is used, requiring careful curation of data for fine-tuning or retrieval-augmented generation, as well as thoughtful prompt design strategies. Ultimately, testing and monitoring for bias becomes even more critical in GenAI.
In both cases, human oversight remains the most important safeguard—from design and development through to the model’s use. At Syngenta, we defined this as the first principle in our AI Manifesto: AI must always include a human in the loop who possesses the expertise and bias awareness to critically assess AI outputs.
Finally, not all use cases carry the same level of risk. A biased result in weed detection is very different from one in hiring. Taking a risk-based approach ensures the level of scrutiny matches the potential impact.
How do you handle transparency and accountability in AI decision-making?
Transparency starts with clearly defining the purpose of an AI system—what problem it is solving, how it works, what its limitations are, and the intended outcomes. This includes documenting assumptions, data sources, and key design decisions in a way that both technical and non-technical audiences can understand. It is also important to clarify what the system can and cannot do, and to make trade-offs visible so people can make informed decisions. When people understand the system, they are more likely to trust and adopt it.
Accountability goes beyond simply assigning responsibilities—it is about ownership. The people who will ultimately use the solution need to be involved from the beginning. That means engaging business stakeholders early, rather than delivering a finished tool without their input. When stakeholders contribute to shaping the logic and understanding the outputs, they take real ownership.
I also believe transparency and accountability are directly tied to value realisation. When people trust the solution, they use it. When they use it, it delivers value.
Can you share an example of how responsible AI principles have been applied in your work?
One example is an AI-based procurement tool we developed, which unlocked significant optimisation potential in the long tail of indirect spend. The value came from working closely with experienced category managers who helped shape the logic, test outputs, and drive adoption. They were involved from the start, truly co-creating the solution. The tool was designed to provide clear, transparent insights, fully empowering them to own decisions and actions. In other words, the human remained in the loop by design.
More broadly, responsible AI has been a core element in much of my work identifying opportunities and defining strategies for AI-enabled digital transformation. I placed strong emphasis on running workshops and hackathons to engage a broad range of stakeholders—not only to generate ideas, but also to raise risk awareness and build sensitivity around responsible AI. Responsible use is not just about designing systems and controlling AI models; it is also about how people understand, apply, and trust the technology in practice.
What do you see as the biggest ethical challenge for AI in the future?
The biggest ethical challenge is overarching: what role do we want AI to play in the world? As a society, we have not yet answered that question. And it will not be easy to resolve, given differences in value systems across global regions and the rapid pace of AI evolution—for example, the emergence of autonomous AI and agents raises new ethical questions. Like any major technological shift, it will take time to balance opportunity and risk.
One specific issue is the impact on jobs. I believe AI will create more new jobs than it eliminates, but many professions will be reshaped. The transition will be uneven, and both companies and governments will need to manage it with care, clarity, and a strong ethical foundation to minimise disruption. For tech leaders, ethical questions already appear
in daily decisions. Which use cases are acceptable? How should the EU AI Act be applied and aligned with emerging regulations across regions? How should rules be set for vendors and how can they be held accountable? There are still significant grey zones to navigate.
AI will remain in flux for some time. What matters most is that leaders stay aware of the risks and act responsibly within their context. In practice, that means asking tough questions early, involving diverse perspectives, being honest about limitations, and focusing on outcomes that genuinely matter to people, businesses, and society.
Dr Roland Schmid
REDEFINING INTELLIGENT LENDING
Muhammad Hejvani on the Future of Data-Driven Finance in the Agentic AI Age at MOGOPLUS
As the financial services industry continues its rapid evolution, MOGOPLUS stands at the forefront of innovation, transforming how banks and lenders leverage transactional data to make smarter, faster, and more accurate decisions. Leading this transformation is Muhammad Hejvani, Chief Data & Technology Officer, whose two-decade career spans Asia Pacific and the Middle East. In this Executive Insight, Muhammad shares how his team is pioneering the use of AI-powered unstructured data analytics, building an internal Agentic AI Factory, and ensuring robust data privacy and regulatory compliance. With a firm belief in prioritising real-world problems over buzzword driven solutions, Muhammad offers a refreshingly pragmatic take on the future of AI in finance, the challenges of open banking, and the essential skills tomorrow’s leaders will need to thrive in a data first world.
Career Journey
Can you share your career journey and what led you to your role as Chief Data & Technology Officer at MOGOPLUS? What key experiences have shaped your approach to leadership in data and technology?
For the past two decades, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most talented professionals across Asia Pacific and the Middle East, primarily serving clients in Financial Services, Telecommunications, Retail, and Public Services. While my titles evolved, my core focus remained constant: I’m a solutionist at heart, leveraging data and technology to address business challenges for clients and their customers.
A few key lessons stand out from my leadership journey. First, understanding the real business problem, analysing data objectively (without bias), and selecting the right technology for implementation are the key ingredients for successful solutions. Many technology projects fail when solutions are “desired” rather than “suitable.” For example, today’s demand for AI often overlooks whether it’s genuinely the most effective tool for the task.
Second, I’ve learned the vital importance of cognitive diversity within teams. Encouraging varied perspectives and diverse thinking, often undervalued, significantly enhances problem solving and drives innovation.
Leveraging Data for Smarter Financial Decisions
MOGOPLUS focuses on data driven insights for financial services. How does your team harness data to help businesses make smarter lending decisions?
At MOGOPLUS, we harness data to enable smarter lending decisions by tackling one of the most valuable yet underutilised datasets: bank transaction data. While rich in insight, this data is often difficult to analyse due to its volume, inconsistent descriptions, and privacy considerations.
Our core strength lies in unstructured data analytics specifically, our proprietary Categorisation Engine, which has been meticulously developed over a decade. This engine accurately classifies complex transaction data, consistently achieving industry leading benchmarks in both confidence and accuracy. It transforms messy, raw data into structured, actionable insights.
By providing lenders with this high quality, categorised data, we empower them to make more informed, reliable, and ultimately smarter lending decisions, accelerating their digital transformation. Looking ahead, we’re integrating AI agents to further support the credit decisioning process while maintaining full regulatory compliance.
The Role of AI and Machine Learning
How is MOGOPLUS utilising artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance data analysis, risk assessment, and customer insights? What recent advancements have had the most significant impact?
Great question! Since early 2023, we’ve been modernising our Categorisation Engine with the support of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). A key initiative has focused on using ML/AI to augment our existing rules-based engine, improving the accuracy and reliability of enriched data. This leads to deeper customer insights derived from transaction data and enables more robust risk and affordability assessments for our clients.
We’ve also developed several AI Agent prototypes, leveraging state of the art AI technologies. These initially focused on streamlining the complex task of maintaining the engine’s rules, boosting their efficiency and consistency, critical for reliable analysis.
Responding to the rapid pace of AI innovation, our most significant recent advancement is strategic: the establishment of an “Agentic AI Factory.” This internal framework accelerates the creation and deployment of specialised AI Agents. These Agents are designed to perform advanced data analysis, enhance risk and affordability models, and uncover richer customer insights, at scale and speed. We’re currently testing some of these Agents with one of our partners in the Middle East.
Driving our exponential growth is a dynamic partnership strategy centred on the integration of our solutions within our partners’ ecosystems. This powerful synergy is exemplified by our recently announced alliance with Provenir, a progressive global software company delivering a comprehensive AI Decisioning Platform for Credit Risk, Fraud, and Compliance across the entire customer journey, perfectly complementing our own strengths.
Data Privacy and Security in Financial Services
With increasing concerns around data privacy and cybersecurity, how does MOGOPLUS ensure the protection of sensitive financial data while maintaining compliance with global regulations?
Data privacy and security are top priorities at MOGOPLUS. We are ISO 27001:2022 certified, ensuring that our processes and products meet the latest international standards for information security management systems (ISMS).
Security is embedded from the outset, we follow privacy by design and security by design principles, supported by a zero-trust architecture. Our authentication and authorisation mechanisms are developed in-house, aligned with Financial grade API (FAPI) specifications to enable secure data exchange. All sensitive data is encrypted both at rest and in transit. We also enforce the principle of least privilege (PoLP) and apply Role Based Access Control (RBAC) across all teams.
We rigorously test our security posture through annual Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity (DR/BC) drills and partner with third party vendors for regular penetration testing, meeting the stringent requirements of our tier 1 bank clients in Australia.
Additionally, as we advance initiatives such as our Agentic AI Factory, we’ve established a dedicated security and compliance team to proactively manage evolving threats and maintain strong governance.
Challenges in Implementing Open Banking Solutions
Open banking is reshaping financial services. What are some of the biggest challenges in implementing open banking solutions, and how is MOGOPLUS addressing them?
While Open Banking (OB) holds immense potential to reshape financial services, its adoption faces several significant hurdles. In my experience, particularly in Australia, a key challenge is that some institutions still view Open Banking and the Consumer Data Right (CDR) primarily as regulatory obligations, rather than as strategic opportunities to deepen customer insights.
Other major obstacles include navigating complex multi-party consent processes, managing systemic integration challenges across the ecosystem (banks, data recipients, service providers), and ensuring consistent data quality throughout.
As an Outsourced Service Provider (OSP), MOGOPLUS tackles these integration challenges head on. Following significant platform modernisation, our modular architecture enables rapid integration with Accredited Data Recipients (ADRs), reducing typical connection times from weeks to hours.
Additionally, our Google Cloud Marketplace solution allows users to bring their own data (BYO) and access our insight reports within minutes, drastically simplifying how lenders and ADRs can leverage Open Banking data for valuable decision-making insights.
Balancing Innovation and Regulatory Compliance
How do you balance the need for rapid innovation in financial technology with the strict regulatory requirements that govern the industry?
Regulatory frameworks are essential for safeguarding consumer rights and ensuring long term stability, but their implementation must evolve to remain relevant in the age of AI. Innovation is equally critical for the continued relevance and competitiveness of the banking and finance industry. We should leverage technology, particularly the reasoning capabilities of AI Agents, to enhance and streamline compliance efforts.
I anticipate the emergence of practical Compliance Agents in the near future, moving beyond controlled lab environments into real world applications. A key step in this transition will be expert human collaboration to build comprehensive knowledge bases that capture potential compliance issues and regulatory concerns. These will serve as foundational learning material for the Agents, allowing them to adapt and evolve.
While historical data is still valuable, the ability to detect novel patterns and emerging fraud risks is becoming increasingly important, especially as financial ecosystems grow more complex.
Proactive adaptation of audit and compliance mechanisms is essential to keep pace with the rapid advancements in multi agent AI systems. This is how we will ensure innovation and regulation can move forward hand in hand.
The Future of Data Driven Decision Making in Finance
As financial institutions become more data driven, what key trends do you see shaping the future of data analytics in banking and lending?
I see several key trends emerging as data analytics transforms the financial industry in the post GenAI era. First, there’s a shift from traditional decision support dashboards towards AI-powered Assisting Agents that augment human expertise in complex credit application scenarios. These agents will not only provide insights but also guide analysts through intricate metrics, regulatory frameworks, and risk assessments, leading to more informed and consistent decision making. That said, human input will still be crucial in defining key metrics and performance measures.
I also anticipate the adoption of Automated Decisioning Agents for simpler, non-complex credit applications. However, widespread implementation will depend on how well we address compliance and regulatory concerns. These AI-driven systems will be able to autonomously process applications based on predefined rules and risk parameters, allowing human analysts to focus on more nuanced cases and boosting overall efficiency.
Finally, the increasing importance of regulatory compliance will drive the rise of Audit and Compliance Agents. These systems will continuously monitor transactions, flag potential compliance breaches, and generate audit trails, helping institutions stay aligned with evolving regulations and mitigate operational risks.
Together, these trends are set to reshape the future of data analytics, enabling greater automation, enhanced efficiency, and improved accuracy across banking and lending.
Enhancing Customer Experience with Technology
How is MOGOPLUS using technology to improve customer experience and engagement in the financial sector?
MOGOPLUS, as a B2B provider, enhances the customer experience in the financial sector by streamlining credit decisioning for lending institutions. Our advanced analytics process diverse data sources, equipping credit officers with key metrics to assess affordability and serviceability. This reduces decision times from hours to minutes, resulting in faster, more efficient loan application processing for consumers, ultimately improving their competitiveness in the market.
Looking ahead, our Agentic AI Factory is set to further revolutionise this experience. These smart, assisting AI Agents will provide real time support to credit officers, helping ensure consistent, unbiased lending decisions and a more personalised application process. By identifying individual customer needs and suggesting tailored solutions, these AI Agents enable our clients to deliver a more efficient, accurate, and transparent experience, fostering greater trust and satisfaction across the board.
“Looking ahead, our Agentic AI Factory is set to further revolutionise customer experience”
Collaboration with Financial Institutions
How does MOGOPLUS collaborate with banks and financial service providers to integrate data driven solutions into their existing frameworks?
MOGOPLUS’ solutions are specifically architected for seamless integration, particularly to support financial institutions pursuing a best of breed technology strategy.
At the core of our solution architecture is an API-centric approach, enabling smooth, standardised data exchange between our capabilities and clients’ diverse platforms, avoiding the complexities associated with traditional, tightly coupled integrations.
This is further supported by a modular, microservices architecture. This design allows for the efficient creation of data pipelines, ingesting data from various endpoints into existing client workflows, and enables our components to integrate flexibly as part of a broader client solution.
Ultimately, these technical foundations minimise disruption and reduce integration timelines. They empower banks and financial service providers to rapidly adopt our data driven insights within their existing frameworks, making collaboration with MOGOPLUS both straightforward and efficient.
Advice for Aspiring Leaders in Data and Technology
For professionals looking to build a career in data analytics, financial technology, and artificial intelligence, what skills and experiences do you believe are most valuable?
Rather than listing clichés or favourite tools, let me share what has truly helped me stand out in my career.
First, a strong blend of technical expertise and business acumen is perhaps the most valuable asset. It enables you to effectively translate business needs into technical requirements, challenge assumptions critically, and seek diverse perspectives to uncover the real problem beneath the surface.
Second, always prioritise the problem over the technology. Don’t chase trends blindly. Instead, focus on understanding the ‘why’ behind a technology and objectively choose the most suitable tool for the specific challenge at hand.
Third, cultivate the ability to navigate ambiguity while maintaining thoroughness. It’s essential to deeply understand requirements before committing to, or prematurely finalising, a solution.
Lastly, stay hands-on and be a fast learner. Technology evolves rapidly. The most effective leaders stay relevant, aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty with code or tools, regardless of seniority, and lead by example through sharp, up to date skills.
MOGOPLUS is an Australian fintech company specialising in transforming unstructured financial data into actionable insights to support smarter lending and credit decisions. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Sydney, MOGOPLUS operates across Australia and the UK, partnering with banks, credit unions, and digital lenders to enhance decision-making through datadriven solutions.
Muhammad Hejvani Chief Data & Technology Officer
DRIVING GLOBAL IT EXCELLENCE
Jeremy Miller on Leading Solero Technologies Through Transformation and Innovation
As Solero Technologies continues to evolve into a top global automotive supplier, the role of IT has become pivotal in enabling seamless integration, operational efficiency, and strategic growth. At the center of this digital journey is Jeremy Miller, Chief Information Officer, who brought his deep expertise in enterprise systems, cross-cultural leadership, and digital transformation to guide Solero through the complexities of post-acquisition integration and global expansion. In this insightful conversation, Jeremy shares how he’s shaping a unified IT culture, building resilient infrastructure, and aligning global strategy with local intelligence. From driving cybersecurity maturity and talent development to exploring emerging technologies like AI and XR, his approach is both pragmatic and forward thinking. He also reflects on how personal passions, like off grid travel with a mischievous wolfdog, inform his leadership style and approach to problem solving.
Transition to Solero Technologies
Having joined Solero after its acquisition of Kendrion’s automotive business, how has your transition been, and what unique perspectives have you brought to your role as CIO?
Joining Solero during the acquisition brought both complexity and exciting opportunities. I had been Global Head of Enterprise Business Solutions at Kendrion since 2020, so I already knew some of the systems, the processes, and importantly, the people. That helped smooth the transition and gave me a head start in identifying where things might fall through the cracks, especially when it came to aligning IT systems and organisational structures.
One thing I’ve found particularly helpful is having a global perspective. I’m originally from the U.S., but I’ve worked extensively across Europe, including opening and managing a manufacturing facility. That blend of operational and IT experience has helped me bridge cultural and business differences, which has been vital as Solero shifts from a U.S.-centric company to a truly global one.
Post Acquisition Integration
What were the primary IT challenges during the integration of Kendrion’s automotive business into Solero, and how did you address them?
The biggest challenge was navigating the sheer complexity of the inherited systems. Every European location had its own setup, often undocumented or dependent on institutional knowledge that wasn’t part of the transfer to Solero. Our first step was almost detective work: mapping out what we’d inherited and stabilising operations without interrupting the business. Luckily the US Solero Leadership team had contracts with Alpha Helio to start mapping out the dependencies well before we had an internal global IT Team.
At the same time, we had to build a new IT team from scratch. That meant quickly filling critical roles in cybersecurity, business applications and infrastructure. We’ve since grown the team through both recruitment and internal promotions. I’ve been incredibly impressed with everyone’s willingness to learn, adapt, and take ownership, whether it’s diving into regulations, learning our network architecture, or strengthening our cybersecurity posture.
We also had to build a new global network and a European data center from the ground up, while everything else was still in motion. It wasn’t just about infrastructure; it had to be scalable, secure, and compliant from day one. Partners like Alpha Helio were key, bringing deep expertise and a solutions-first mindset.
Global IT Strategy
With Solero’s expanded global footprint, especially in Europe and the U.S., how are you aligning the IT strategy to support diverse regional operations?
We’re aiming for what I call “global consistency with local intelligence.” That means creating unified systems and processes wherever possible, while allowing for local or regional adaptations when truly needed. It’s a hybrid approach that balances efficiency with flexibility.
One complexity we’re navigating is the variety of regulations and business expectations, not just between the U.S. and Europe, but within Europe itself. Every country has its own nuances, from data privacy requirements and tax reporting to work practices. So, our IT strategy has to be both globally aligned and regionally responsive. To make this successful we need to foster a strong business partnership, utilizing their expertise and deep domain knowledge.
Looking ahead, Solero has global ambitions, so we’re designing our systems to scale, not only in terms of infrastructure, but also our approach to data, security, and governance.
At the core of our IT strategy is a clear vision: to enable sustainable growth by equipping every team, from finance and operations to sales and product development, with the tools and insights they need to make faster, more informed decisions.
Cybersecurity Measures
In your role, how do you approach strengthening cybersecurity across Solero’s global operations, especially with the recent expansion?
As Solero continues to grow globally, cybersecurity has become an even greater strategic priority. We’re taking a risk-based approach, identifying our most critical assets and potential vulnerabilities, then focusing our efforts where they’ll have the most impact. That helps us allocate resources effectively and implement the right controls in the right places.
We’re also designing systems and processes to align with leading industry standards like TISAX, ISO/ IEC 27001, and IATF 16949. These frameworks are especially relevant in the automotive sector, where both compliance and customer trust are essential.
On a technical level, we’ve implemented layered defenses including endpoint protection, advanced threat analytics, continuous monitoring, and well-defined incident response protocols. But cybersecurity isn’t just about tools, it’s about people, too. That’s why we’re investing in company-wide awareness training. Ultimately, cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue, it’s a business wide responsibility, and we’re embedding that mindset into everything we do.
Data Governance
How are you managing data governance to ensure compliance with varying international regulations and to maintain data integrity?
We’re in the process of establishing a comprehensive data governance framework to support both compliance and operational efficiency across our global footprint. As we expand, ensuring that data is accurate, secure, and handled responsibly has become a top priority, especially given the range of regulatory environments we operate in.
Our approach focuses on creating standardised data practices that can scale globally while remaining flexible enough to meet local compliance requirements. That includes defining clear data ownership, setting consistent policies, and implementing tools that provide visibility, traceability, and ensure data integrity.
While it’s still a work in progress, we’re taking a purposeful, proactive approach. Co-ownership with business and cross functional teams will play a key role in embedding strong data stewardship practices throughout the organisation.
Ultimately, we’re building a governance model that not only meets today’s requirements but is resilient enough to adapt as both our business and the regulatory landscape evolve.
IT Culture & Integration
How are you building a unified IT culture across Solero that includes legacy members from both organisations and new team members?
We knew early on that merging three different IT perspectives: Solero, the acquisition, and new recruits would be both our biggest challenge and our greatest opportunity. That’s why culture became the foundation of our Solero IT Success Framework. For us, culture means shared values, principles, and behaviors that empower teams to collaborate, innovate, and drive results.
Getting the team fully onboarded, aligned, and motivated wasn’t just a priority, it was the only way we could successfully carve out legacy IT systems and build a cohesive, integrated infrastructure. The complexity of the work, standing up new networks, securing global operations, and aligning platforms, couldn’t have been achieved without a culture rooted in integrity, collaboration, and empowerment.
As the graphic says: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.” It’s more than a clever play on the Peter Drucker quote, it’s a reminder that no matter how strong your roadmap or tech stack is, it’s the people and shared values that drive sustainable success. That mindset continues to fuel our transformation.
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Talent Development
Can you share your approach to talent development within the IT department, and how you’re fostering innovation and growth among your team?
From the outset, it was critical to build a global IT team that not only brought strong technical skills but could also quickly adapt to a new and evolving environment. Given the complexity of our systems, new team members were expected to rapidly learn the landscape, document their findings, and actively share knowledge across the team.
To support ongoing development, Solero introduced a mentorship program that pairs experienced professionals with emerging talent. This fosters collaboration, accelerates learning, and deepens understanding of the broader business.
We also promote a culture of continuous learning , encouraging certifications, conference participation, and staying current through relevant reading and training, as well as stretch assignments to encourage growth. By investing in our people, we’re not just strengthening technical expertise, we’re creating an environment where innovation is expected, supported, and shared.
Digital Transformation
Given your certification in Digital Transformation from MIT, what initiatives are you leading to drive digital innovation at Solero?
Following the acquisition, our first priority was integrating the acquired companies into a unified global IT network, internally dubbed the “Solero-Sphere.” This became the foundation of our broader digital transformation journey, ensuring connectivity, consistency, and scalability across all operations.
A major part of the integration involved reducing legacy systems by harmonising applications wherever possible. By standardising our technology stack, we simplified the IT environment, enabling faster decision making and improving efficiency across regions.
With the integration phase now behind us, we’re shifting focus to deeper harmonisation and digitalisation. We’re modernising workflows, enhancing data accessibility, and introducing more automation across functions. These efforts aim to unlock the full potential of the Solero-Sphere, driving long term value through technology driven innovation.
Supporting Sustainability
How is the IT department contributing to Solero’s goals of electrification and sustainability in the automotive industry?
It’s definitely part of the picture. By retiring fragmented legacy systems and transitioning to a centralised infrastructure, we’re improving energy efficiency and reducing our environmental footprint.
We’re also partnering with vendors that prioritise digital supply chains and sustainable practices. Our IT decisions are aligned with this broader goal, focusing on efficiency, transparency, and long-term responsibility.
Future Technologies
What emerging technologies do you foresee having the most significant impact on Solero’s operations in the next 3–5 years?
AI and machine learning are at the top of the list, particularly for predictive maintenance, quality control, and real-time decision support. We’re also exploring IoT and edge computing to enhance responsiveness on the factory floor.
Another exciting area is extended reality (XR) for training and remote support. This could be a game changer for vendor audits or technical troubleshooting, especially as we expand globally and look to reduce travel.
And of course, we’re closely monitoring sustainable IT practices, consolidating systems, retiring outdated hardware, and investing in infrastructure that is both powerful and energy efficient.
Personal Interests
Balancing a demanding role, how do your personal interests, such as hiking and exploring Europe in a campervan, influence your leadership style and approach to problem solving?
Spending time outdoors, whether hiking or traveling through Europe in our campervan, helps me reset and gain fresh perspectives. It’s often during those off-grid moments that I find solutions to problems that seemed stuck before.
We usually travel with our dogs, including Hopper, our smart but mischievous wolfdog. He’s taught us a lot about being proactive. If there’s a way to get into trouble, he’ll find it, so we’ve learned to think ahead and design around him.
It’s actually a lot like IT security: you can’t assume things will go to plan, so you build guardrails and stay one step ahead. It’s a funny comparison, but it genuinely reflects how I think about systems and leadership. Stay curious, stay adaptable, stay alert, and of course, be ready for the unexpected.
Solero Technologies is a global supplier of controls, offering a comprehensive range of actuator and solenoid valve solutions that energize many automotive systems, including Transmission & E-Drives, Active Suspension, Thermal Management, Engine, and Comfort. We have served the automotive industry for more than 100 years with a reputation for safety, quality, and precision.
Jeremy Miller Chief Information Officer
SJEF KERKHOFS ON PRACTICAL AI ADOPTION AND GLOBAL GROWTH AT FRANKE MEDIA
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve from hype to real-world application, the true challenge for businesses lies in execution. Sjef Kerkhofs, Managing Director of Franke Media, offers a refreshingly pragmatic view shaped by hands-on experience implementing AI at scale. With a clear focus on aligning technology with business vision, Kerkhofs has successfully leveraged AI to fuel Franke Media’s international expansion, combining automation, generative AI, and data integration to overcome the traditional barriers of global growth. In this Executive Insight, he shares how AI is transforming problemsolving, the importance of human intuition alongside machine learning, and why decisive leadership remains critical to achieving long-term success with AI.
How has AI/ML reshaped your approach to solving business problems?
The beauty of AI is that it provides you with an entire extra workforce on top of your own team, a workforce that is fast, intelligent, relatively low-cost, and almost endlessly scalable. For leaders, that’s an incredible asset, as it shortens the time span between decisionmaking and implementation and increases the growth capacity of the organisation. Once a decision is made, implementation can begin immediately by combining human capacity with technology.
It’s also no longer (only) about automating analytical work or operations. AI allows us to significantly increase the speed and agility of problem-solving within the business. With the thinking power of AI, we now have far more intelligence available, which can be processed much faster and in greater detail than ever before. While decision-making remains in the hands of (human) managers, AI provides far better insights and knowledge to base those decisions on.
What key challenges do you face when implementing AI-driven solutions?
The key challenge is no longer the technology itself, for the first time in human history, it has essentially become a commodity. Anyone can access it, anyone can use it, whenever and wherever they want. You no longer need to be a developer to take advantage of what tech has to offer. AI is turning technology into a product that’s easy to use.
What truly matters now is how we implement AI, how we actually use everything that’s available to us. So, if technology is no longer the issue, what is? The main challenge lies in implementation and adoption. There’s a significant gap between the capabilities of AI and the knowledge and experience within the labour force to apply it effectively in day-to-day work and strategic organisational contexts.
Deloitte describes this as ‘the speed of technology’ versus ‘the speed of organisations’. Technology moves much faster than organisations are able to process. To bridge this gap, we need pragmatic, decisive project leaders who can successfully implement AI across both business and government.
When I implemented a large-scale AI project within my own organisation, I learned that the technology itself accounted for only about 20% of the work, the remaining 80% was about proper implementation and integration. This is something we, as organisations, need to adapt to in the coming years. We need to dramatically improve our tech implementation capabilities.
How do you balance human intuition with machine learning insights in decision-making?
The interesting thing is that human experience, intuition, and decision-making skills are becoming even more important than before. Without them, you can’t properly feed AI or fully leverage its capabilities. When I speak to specialists who fear their jobs might be at risk, I always tell them that their years of experience in the industry are actually becoming more valuable.
Experienced specialists and leaders know how to make decisions. They understand the industry and what it takes to be successful—and that experience becomes excellent ‘fuel’ for AI. Human insight, combined with AI,
becomes a very powerful tool for scaling your business. The balance between human intuition and ML/AI is about creating a feedback loop between data and decision-makers. That means using ML/AI to uncover patterns and trends, while relying on human judgment to interpret those insights within the full business context.
You can also flip the process through reverse engineering using human intuition and experience to form hypotheses, which ML/AI can then test and validate.
Can you share a successful use case where AI significantly improved outcomes?
Absolutely. There’s a lot of talk about AI, but many socalled gurus who speak on the topic haven’t actually implemented it at scale with real impact. Just scroll through LinkedIn, it’s full of AI experts showing off “Look at this cool visual I created with ChatGPT.” In my view, that’s not what AI is really about. It’s about structurally embedding AI into organisational processes. While there still aren’t a huge number of mature case studies out there, I’d like to share an example from our own business.
At Franke Media, we’ve set our sights on becoming a much more internationally focused platform. Historically, we’ve concentrated on our core markets, The Netherlands and Belgium, but these markets are relatively small, so international growth is essential. Scaling with a purely human workforce would require hiring teams in nearly every country we enter, which
would be time-consuming and expensive. Instead, we’ve used automation and AI to generate localised content by connecting multiple data sources and applying generative AI algorithms to transform raw data into high-quality content. This approach has had a huge impact on our ability to expand internationally and significantly accelerated our growth.
We also use AI to generate shopping-related video content, which has greatly improved the user experience. Traditionally, platforms like ours (and those of our competitors) focused mainly on textbased content. But content marketing has evolved— short-form video is now the standard. Based on content created by our editorial team, we can now automatically generate localised videos with shopping tips, tailored to individual stores or brands.
How do you ensure AI adoption aligns with your company’s long-term goals?
I’d actually turn that phrase around. It’s not about aligning AI adoption with our long-term goals—it’s about making AI a structural part of those long-term goals. For me, AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a game changer for our business. It has become part of the strategy. By fully utilising AI, we’re able to redefine our long-term goals and make them far more ambitious. That said, it ultimately comes down to leadership. Goals often driven by human experience, intuition, and vision (as discussed earlier) remain the guiding force behind all business processes. When you truly embrace the power of AI, those goals not only become more ambitious, but also more achievable at speed and scale.
DRIVING DIGITAL DEFENCE
How digital61 Is Transforming Government Services and Critical Infrastructure Under Sunny Bhatia’s Leadership
As Australia’s public sector and critical infrastructure providers navigate complex challenges around digital transformation, cybersecurity, and legacy IT systems, digital61 is emerging as a trusted partner in modernisation. At the helm of its technology strategy is Sunny Bhatia, Chief Information and Digital Officer, whose 20+ years of experience across telecommunications, banking, health, and government is helping shape a future ready, cloud first, and security first organisation.
In this interview, Sunny discusses how digital61 is scaling its operations across Australia, implementing secure and agile solutions through its VelocityOps framework and Managed SOC offering, and maintaining a clear focus on simplicity, mobility, and security. From collaborating with agencies like the Clean Energy Regulator to prepare for the future of cloud in government, digital61 is redefining how digital transformation is delivered in some of Australia’s most sensitive environments.
Career Path and Leadership
Can you share your professional journey leading up to your current role as Chief Information and Digital Officer at digital61? How have your previous experiences, particularly at Macquarie and Optus, shaped your approach to leadership in the technology sector?
With over 20 years of leadership experience across ICT, telecommunications, banking, healthcare, and both state and federal government, I currently serve as Chief Information and Digital Officer at digital61. In this role, I drive digital transformation strategies, oversee cybersecurity initiatives, and ensure that robust technology solutions align with our broader business objectives. Throughout my career, I’ve led strategic programs and collaborated with global partners such as AWS, Microsoft, Google, Dell, and various government agencies.
My professional journey has provided deep insights into operational excellence and customer-centric service delivery, with a strong focus on scaling enterprise systems and managing large technology portfolios. I’ve had the opportunity to lead and execute large-scale digital transformation projects, experiences that reinforced the importance of agility, innovation, and collaboration.
These experiences have equipped me to lead with a strategic mindset at digital61, driving innovation and fostering partnerships that deliver impactful solutions for our clients. Under my leadership, we have expanded into New South Wales and Queensland, broadened our cybersecurity offerings, and introduced industry leading initiatives like our VelocityOps framework and Managed SOC solutions. Our success has been recognised through accolades such as our inclusion in the CRN Fast50. I remain passionate about delivering customer-centric solutions, harnessing emerging technologies, and fostering a culture of innovation to enable sustainable growth and success.
Digital Transformation in Government Services
digital61 focuses on assisting government and critical national infrastructure providers with cloud integration. Could you elaborate on how your team facilitates digital transformation in these sectors, and what unique challenges you encounter?
At digital61, we partner with government agencies and critical national infrastructure providers to modernise their digital ecosystems and drive digital transformation. Our focus is on simplifying complex IT environments through cloud integration, enabling seamless service delivery while ensuring systems remain aligned with evolving government and sector specific requirements. One of the key challenges customers encounter is navigating legacy systems. Many government agencies and infrastructure providers operate long standing IT systems that are deeply embedded in their daily operations. Modernising these systems without disrupting services requires careful planning, technical expertise, and a deep understanding of the operational landscape. This is where our cloud integration capabilities come into play, helping to modernise legacy systems in a manner that ensures continuity and minimal disruption.
Another significant challenge is ensuring data sovereignty and compliance with strict security regulations. Government and infrastructure sectors are subject to rigorous legal requirements, particularly concerning data storage and handling. At digital61, we ensure that all deployed solutions comply with these mandates, incorporating transparency and robust data protection mechanisms. Our deep expertise in government security frameworks including the PSPF, ISM, and Essential Eight, enables us to deliver secure cloud-based solutions that meet critical compliance standards. Maintaining security compliance throughout digital transformation efforts is also a continual challenge. As government agencies transition to the cloud, the security landscape becomes increasingly complex. To meet this challenge, we apply agile methodologies and domain expertise to design and implement solutions that are both secure and adaptable to the dynamic needs of the public sector. Security is embedded at every layer of the transformation process.
A strong example of our success in this area is our collaboration with the Clean Energy Regulator, where we deployed our VelocityOps framework to enhance operational efficiency and streamline service management. This solution has enabled them to manage IT operations more effectively, while positioning them for future digital growth.
In addition, our Manged SOC (Security Operations Center as a Service) offering has empowered several government clients to strengthen their cybersecurity posture. This scalable,IRAP assessed at PROTECTED Level, cost effective solution provides 24/7 security monitoring, detection, and response, helping agencies stay ahead of emerging threats without the overhead of building and maintaining in house security operations.
By addressing these unique challenges and delivering tailored, scalable solutions, digital61 continues to play a critical role in the digital transformation of government services and national infrastructure, ensuring our clients can thrive in the digital era while maintaining the highest levels of compliance and security.
Principles of Simplicity, Mobility, and Security
digital61 emphasises simplicity, mobility, and security in its solutions. How do you ensure these principles are effectively integrated into your projects, and can you provide examples of their successful implementation?
At digital61, the principles of simplicity, mobility, and security are embedded into every solution we deliver, forming the core foundation of our approach to digital transformation. These principles are actively integrated into our projects to ensure we provide solutions that are effective, user friendly, and aligned with the evolving needs of organisations across sectors.
Simplicity
We prioritise user centric design to ensure that our solutions are intuitive and easy to navigate. Simplifying processes is essential to improving operational efficiency and enabling organisations to focus on their core mission, rather than managing complex systems. By streamlining workflows, reducing redundancy, and providing clean, user friendly interfaces, we ensure that technology becomes an enabler, not a barrier. This approach is reflected in our cloud integration efforts, where we help clients transition from legacy systems to modern, scalable platforms with minimal disruption or complexity.
Mobility
Mobility is at the heart of our solution design, ensuring seamless access to data and applications regardless of device or location. In today’s hybrid work environment, enabling secure remote work and flexible service delivery is more important than ever. We leverage cloud technologies to provide users with secure, always on access to systems and services. This not only enhances productivity but also supports business continuity, especially during periods of disruption such as lockdowns or emergency operations.
Security
Security is paramount in everything we do. We embed proactive threat management and zero trust architecture into all our solutions to protect against evolving cyber threats. Our security first approach safeguards data, systems, and applications at every layer, whether in the cloud or on premise. Security is considered from the design phase onward, with continuous monitoring and risk mitigation strategies built in to ensure comprehensive protection.
A great example of this is our Security Operations Center as a Service (SOC) offering. It provides real time threat intelligence, 24/7 monitoring, and rapid incident response, helping critical infrastructure clients stay secure without the need for costly on-premise setups. Our Managed SOC model is scalable and cost effective, allowing organisations to meet compliance requirements while staying ahead of emerging threats.
Successful Integration
In every engagement, we strive to maintain a balanced focus on simplicity, mobility, and security. These principles work in harmony to deliver comprehensive solutions that accelerate digital transformation while improving user experience and operational resilience.
By integrating these three pillars into each project, we empower organisations to navigate complexity with confidence, enabling them to innovate, adapt, and thrive in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.
Expansion and Growth Strategy
With the recent opening of a new office in Sydney and the introduction of enhanced security offerings, what strategic goals is digital61 aiming to achieve through this expansion? How do these developments align with the company’s long term vision?
The recent expansion of digital61 into New South Wales and Queensland, alongside the launch of enhanced security offerings, marks a significant milestone in our strategic growth journey. These developments are directly aligned with our long term vision to become Australia’s leading cloud native systems and security integrator, delivering secure, scalable solutions that accelerate digital transformation across key industries.
Establishing a presence in New South Wales and Queensland brings us closer to critical government agencies, national infrastructure providers, and high value enterprise clients. This proximity allows us to foster deeper relationships and offer more localised, responsive support, ensuring we meet the specific needs of each region with agility and precision. It enables us to contribute to the local economy and capability. Our Sydney office, in particular, serves as a strategic hub for our expanding cybersecurity practice, enabling us to strengthen our offerings in response to growing demand for robust, proactive security solutions.
The move into Queensland also opens the door to scale our cloud and managed services portfolio. As more organisations look to modernise their infrastructure and migrate to the cloud, our enhanced offerings are becoming increasingly critical in supporting their transformation journeys. We’re focused on helping clients achieve operational efficiency, scalability, and long term resilience through flexible, cost effective digital solutions.
In summary, our expansion into New South Wales and Queensland, combined with our continued investment in security services, positions digital61 to lead the way in cloud native integration and cybersecurity. These strategic initiatives enable us to build stronger partnerships, extend our market reach, and continue delivering high impact solutions that drive digital transformation across Australia
Cloud First Solutions and Security Integration
As a cloud native systems and security integrator, how does digital61 approach the integration of security measures within cloud solutions to meet the specific needs of government clients?
At digital61, we integrate security at every layer of our cloud solutions, ensuring that government clients benefit from secure, scalable, and resilient environments. Our approach begins with robust identity management practices, including multi factor authentication (MFA), role based access control (RBAC), and just in time (JIT) access, ensuring that only the right people can access critical systems and data at the right time.
We also implement real time threat detection, using tools such as Microsoft Sentinel, leveraging AI and threat intelligence to proactively identify and mitigate security risks. This continuous monitoring helps us stay ahead of emerging threats and maintain strong security postures for our clients. A key element of our strategy is continuous compliance monitoring. We ensure that all cloud environments align with government mandated security frameworks such as the Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF) and the Information Security Manual (ISM). By automating compliance checks, we reduce manual overhead and support clients in maintaining consistent, auditable security standards.
A prime example of our approach is our Security Operations Centre as a Service (Managed SOC) offering, which delivers 24/7 monitoring, rapid incident response, and enhanced resilience. This service empowers government clients to quickly detect and respond to threats, minimising downtime and reducing operational disruptions.
By partnering with leading cloud providers, we tailor solutions to the unique needs of government agencies. Through our comprehensive, security first approach, we enable public sector organisations to confidently adopt cloud technologies while maintaining regulatory compliance, data integrity, and operational continuity.
Adapting to Technological Advancements
The technology landscape is rapidly evolving. How does digital61 stay ahead of emerging trends, and what strategies do you employ to ensure your solutions remain cutting edge?
At digital61, staying ahead of emerging technological trends is fundamental to our business strategy. We recognise that the technology landscape is constantly evolving, and continuous learning and innovation are essential to keeping our solutions at the forefront. To maintain this edge, we actively invest in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity automation. These tools enable us to develop smarter, more efficient solutions that enhance service delivery while strengthening security.
One of the key ways we integrate these advancements is through our VelocityOps framework, which leverages AI-driven insights to optimise service delivery and incident management. This framework allows us to improve operational efficiency and support better decision making through real time analytics and predictive capabilities. Additionally, our Managed SOC offering continues to evolve to detect and respond to emerging cybersecurity threats, ensuring our clients’ digital environments remain secure and resilient.
We also place strong emphasis on collaboration with industry partners and actively participate in initiatives like the CRN Fast50 and ITnews Benchmark Awards. These engagements keep us informed about the latest innovations and help foster a culture of continuous improvement. By maintaining close relationships with technology leaders and remaining deeply involved in industry dialogue, we ensure our solutions remain cutting edge and provide tangible value to our clients.
Building and Maintaining Client Relationships
In working with government and critical infrastructure providers, what approaches does digital61 take to establish and maintain trust and long term partnerships with clients?
At digital61, building and maintaining long term client relationships is central to our approach. We prioritize trust, transparency, and consistent delivery in all of our engagements. Our deep understanding of government operations and the challenges facing critical infrastructure providers allows us to offer practical solutions that are closely aligned with our clients’ strategic goals. To sustain strong relationships, we emphasise regular engagement and collaborative workshops. These sessions help us stay attuned to evolving needs, address immediate priorities, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. We maintain open communication throughout the project lifecycle to ensure our solutions remain adaptable and relevant as demands change.
A key part of our strategy includes dedicated account management, providing clients with a single point of contact to streamline communication and ensure swift, effective responses to any issues. By remaining proactive and responsive, we deliver tailored solutions that grow and evolve alongside our clients’ needs.
Ultimately, our reputation as a reliable and innovative partner is built on our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional results. By consistently meeting and exceeding expectations, we form strong, lasting partnerships that foster trust and support future collaboration. Our focus on transparency, active engagement, and flexibility ensures that we remain a trusted advisor and strategic partner over the long term.
Future of Cloud Integration in Government Services
What trends do you foresee in the realm of cloud integration for government services, and how is digital61 preparing to meet the future demands of this sector?
The future of cloud integration in government services will be shaped by several key trends, including the rise of multi cloud strategies, the evolution of enhanced cybersecurity frameworks, and the growing adoption of AI-driven automation. As government agencies continue their digital transformation journeys, the demand for secure, flexible, and scalable cloud environments will increase, requiring solutions that can manage diverse workloads across multiple cloud platforms.
At digital61, we are well positioned to meet these evolving needs by delivering secure, interoperable cloud solutions that enable government agencies to operate efficiently and resiliently. The shift toward multi cloud environments demands seamless integration across various cloud providers. Our expertise in cloud architecture allows us to design and implement solutions that are both adaptable and secure, ensuring compliance with the rigorous standards required in the public sector.
Our offerings such as Managed SOC and VelocityOps will continue to play a central role in supporting these trends. These services provide essential capabilities in real time threat detection, incident response, and operational optimisation, critical as agencies manage sensitive data and critical infrastructure in increasingly complex cloud environments.
We continue to invest in advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning to further enhance the security, automation, and efficiency of cloud-based services. By integrating these technologies into our core solutions, we help government clients not only keep pace with digital change but also stay ahead of emerging challenges.
As cloud adoption in government accelerates, our focus remains on building adaptive, future-ready solutions that empower agencies to deliver high quality public services, while upholding the highest standards of security, compliance, and operational excellence.
Advice for Aspiring Technology Leaders
Drawing from your extensive experience, what advice would you offer to individuals aspiring to leadership roles in technology and digital transformation?
For individuals aspiring to leadership roles in technology and digital transformation, my advice is to cultivate a mindset of curiosity and continuous learning. The technology landscape is constantly evolving, and staying informed about emerging trends, new technologies, and best practices is essential. This mindset not only helps you remain relevant but also positions you as a proactive leader who can anticipate challenges and identify opportunities before they arise. It’s important to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. In the fast-paced world of technology, obstacles are inevitable. However, it’s how you approach these challenges that defines your leadership journey. View every challenge as a learning experience that strengthens your capabilities as both a leader and an innovator.
Collaboration is key to successful leadership. Strong leaders empower their teams, encourage diverse perspectives, and foster a culture of innovation. Great technology leaders don’t just focus on delivering results, they also focus on building cohesive teams that can execute and evolve together. Keeping your team motivated and aligned with a shared vision and clear goals is essential. Another crucial aspect is understanding the intersection of business and technology. The most effective technology leaders recognise that technology should serve business objectives, not the other way around. Ensuring that your solutions are aligned with the broader strategic goals of the organisation is fundamental to long term success.
Seek mentorship and build a strong professional network. Leadership is a journey, and having mentors who can provide guidance, honest feedback, and new perspectives is invaluable. Networking with peers also opens the door to exchanging ideas and strategies that can elevate your thinking and leadership.
Finally, adaptability and resilience are vital traits for any aspiring leader. Technology is unpredictable, and being able to pivot quickly, lead through uncertainty, and inspire others to do the same is what truly defines a successful leader in this space. In sum, a great technology leader not only possesses technical expertise but also the ability to inspire, collaborate, innovate, and consistently deliver value. Stay curious, embrace change, empower your team, and lead with resilience, and you’ll be well on your way to a meaningful and impactful leadership journey in technology.
digital61 is a Canberra-based Australian SME specialising in cloud-native systems and security integration. Established in 2017, the company is dedicated to assisting government agencies and critical national infrastructure providers in harnessing the simplicity, mobility, and security of cloud technologies.
Sunny Bhatia Chief Information and Digital Officer
BUILDING SMART, FAST, AND HUMAN
James Howes on Launching Procurement at BrainRocket
When James Howes stepped into BrainRocket as Director of Procurement, there was no playbook, no legacy system, just a high growth tech company moving fast and building big. With a career spanning industries from FMCG and Financial Services to Energy and Real Estate, James brings a refreshingly pragmatic mindset to the table: procurement should accelerate progress, not slow it down. In this candid and insightful interview, he shares what it takes to build a procurement function from the ground up, balancing technology with people skills, structure with flexibility, and speed with smart decision making. From machine led negotiations to the power of trust and tone, James offers a clear eyed view of what procurement can, and should, look like in a modern, fast paced business.
Career Journey
Can you share your career journey and what led you to your current role as Director of Procurement at BrainRocket? What key experiences have shaped your approach to procurement?
I fell into it, really. I earned a place on an ultra competitive graduate scheme at A.P. Moller-Maersk and did a placement in procurement toward the end. From there, I moved to Sweden and then Denmark, sharpening the skills I’d picked up. Later, I returned to the UK and leaned into one of procurement’s best traits, its massive transferability.
I pivoted into Financial Services, then FMCG, broadening my category exposure, and then spent a decade as an independent contractor across Financial Services, FMCG, Energy, Telecoms, Consulting, Real Estate, and Payments. I’d been eyeing a departure from the UK for a couple of years, which came to fruition with my move to BrainRocket.
Now, I’m building the procurement function from scratch, something I’m excited about, not just because of the challenge, but because it brings together everything I’ve learned so far in a truly dynamic environment.
“People buy from people, and they’ll go the extra mile for someone they like and respect.”
Procurement’s Role in Software Development
BrainRocket is known for developing innovative software products across various markets. How does the procurement function support the company’s commitment to delivering cutting edge digital solutions?
Speed is everything. Time to market is critical in our industry, and as companies scale, the agility once gained from a lack of structure can become a liability. That’s where Procurement comes in, securing great deals, reducing risk, and ensuring high quality service delivery from suppliers, while still moving fast.
I often recall Einstein’s quote: “Things should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” That mindset guides me as I build this function. Procurement here isn’t about control for its own sake, it’s about enabling progress without friction. Decision making is pragmatic, and bureaucracy is the enemy.
I’ve worked in huge enterprises before, and while they often had impressive systems, they also had layers of unnecessary process. At BrainRocket, I’m deliberately designing something leaner, sharper, and more responsive.
Building Procurement from Scratch
You’ve joined BrainRocket at a time when no procurement function exists. What are your first priorities, and how do you begin building structure without slowing down the business?
Henry Ford used to take executive candidates to lunch as a final test. He’d watch discreetly to see if they salted their food before tasting it. If they did, they didn’t get the job. Why? Because he believed one shouldn’t make decisions without first understanding the situation. I share that belief.
At BrainRocket, my first priority has been to observe—how things are bought today, where the pain points are, and what stakeholders need. Only once I’ve “tasted the food” do I begin to introduce structure.
That said, the day to day still needs handling, contracts must be negotiated and signed, and work can’t stop while the function is being built. So it’s not passive. It’s responsive, adaptive, and grounded in what the business needs now, not what a textbook might say procurement should look like. This isn’t about bringing in a pre-packaged solution, it’s about building the right solution for BrainRocket, and meeting the company and its stakeholders where they’re currently at.
Supplier Relationships and Quality Assurance
In past roles and in this new role, what strategies do you use to build strong, transparent relationships with suppliers, and how do you ensure suppliers consistently meet the high standards required for quality?
I treat suppliers as people, not businesses. I make time for small talk and build rapport on a personal level, which helps create trust. I’m also transparent, I run fair processes, but I’m not overly rigid about communication protocols. I don’t believe in creating artificial barriers between suppliers, stakeholders, and my team. Removing myself as a bottleneck not only accelerates the process, but fosters stronger cross functional relationships.
People buy from people, and they’ll go the extra mile for someone they like and respect. That human connection has helped me navigate plenty of tough spots over the years.
As we grow, I’ll introduce more formal Supplier Relationship Management, but not the kind filled with unnecessary meetings for meetings’ sake. It’ll be focused instead on innovation, problem solving, and proactive engagement. Relationships are an asset, especially when things go wrong. And they always go wrong eventually. The question is: will your supplier care enough to help you fix it?
Digital Transformation in Procurement
How is BrainRocket leveraging digital technology to enhance procurement operations, and what recent advancements have had the most significant impact on efficiency and transparency?
The biggest challenge I’ve identified is a lack of visibility into the procurement process. Stakeholders often don’t know what to do, who approves what, or what information is needed. Most legacy ERP based systems have very poor UX and, as a result, very low adoption rates. There’s a reason every company that uses them has to rigidly enforce compliance, with varying success. These tools often overlook the upfront workflow, the ‘orchestration’ of getting something from initial request to a signed contract which, to me, misses the point entirely.
In this respect, tools like Omnea are changing the game. They focus on intake and intelligent procurement workflow, making the process intuitive for requesters, approvers, and the procurement team. This encourages adoption rather than circumvention, critical when you’re building from scratch. If no one uses the tools, the function won’t gain traction.
Beyond intake, Omnea also offers AI powered sourcing capabilities that let me spin up RFPs in minutes, not days, along with integrated third party risk management that lays the groundwork for effective SRM. Technology should enable agility, not create friction, and Omnea does just that
BUILDING A BEST-OF-BREED TECH STACK
Why BrainRocket chose Omnea to Operationalize Procurement
How did you defi ne BrainRocket’s requirements for a technology partner, how did you run the selection process, and why did you choose Omnea?
I approached the market with a clean slate and a clear set of priorities that really mattered to us: our focus areas were high adoption, automation, and a user interface that makes things faster—not more bureaucratic. We needed a platform that could support the full procurement process—from intake and approvals to renewals and risk—without requiring specialist resources to maintain or optimise. Good UI wasn’t a nice-to-have; it was essential to ensuring the process would quickly be adopted across the business.
I spoke to a wide range of vendors, from P2Ps like Zip and Procurify to negotiation-as-a-service providers like Vertice and Tropic. While each had strengths, and different value propositions, the fit with Omnea was best. It was the solution that truly combined scalable procurement governance with modern, user-centric design. Everything from supplier assessments and onboarding to renewals and stakeholder routing, is orchestrated through a single, intuitive platform that is easy to manage without complex development work or extensive workshop sessions. Risk, finance, legal, and infosec are all looped in at the right moments, and the whole thing is designed to be easy to adapt as our needs evolve.
Did you also consider folding accounts payable (AP) functionality into the same tool?
We did explore that path, but ruled it out. AP is a specialised, deeply complex function, and we didn’t want to compromise on functionality—or take on unnecessary risk—by trying to transform everything at once.
Some of the “all-in-one” platforms we looked at tried to package procurement and AP into a single proposition, but in reality, that added cost, complexity, and implementation risk. Instead, Omnea’s orchestration layer gives us the flexibility to integrate with our AP systems where it makes sense—without compromising on core procurement functionality or speed. It’s created the strongest possible foundation for our procurement tech stack—and the agility to evolve it over time by integrating the right tools for each team when needed.
What’s it been like working with the Omnea team?
Working with Omnea has felt like a true partnership from day one. They didn’t come in with a one-size-fits-all pitch—they took the time to understand our specific pain points, challenges, and goals, and worked closely with us to shape the right solution. It was clear they were focused on building something that would actually work for us—not just on making a sale.
The team brings deep expertise across procurement, risk, and finance, and that’s been invaluable as we’ve designed and built out our workflows. Their consultative approach has made a huge difference. We’re not just implementing software—we’re establishing a set of processes and controls that will help BrainRocket grow efficiently, stay compliant, and maximise the value we get from every supplier relationship.
Operating in a High Growth Environment
What are the biggest procurement related risks that come with rapid expansion in a company like BrainRocket, and how do you keep them in check while the business continues to grow aggressively?
The biggest internal risk in any business is overspending. In a high growth company, this becomes even trickier, there’s often a mindset that you have to invest aggressively to grow. I agree to an extent, you can’t save your way to prosperity. But you can spend your way out of it.
Growth brings a rising cost base, and the idea of “savings” often becomes irrelevant. What matters more is smart spend: are we spending on the right things, in the right way, with the right flexibility? Long term software deals might look great on paper, but if they lock you into a direction you later need to pivot from, they can become liabilities. Flexibility is sometimes worth paying for.
I also keep in mind a piece of advice I was once given: numbers on their own don’t matter, it’s the relationship between them that does. Context is everything. So while you won’t see a reducing cost base in a growing company, you may see a reducing cost base relative to revenue, or customers, or other growth related metrics.
Supplier Risk and Governance
When onboarding new vendors or managing existing ones, what risks do you pay closest attention to, and how do you mitigate them without adding friction?
I work closely with our legal team who, I should say, are some of the fastest and most pragmatic I’ve ever worked with. As our Head of Legal once put it to me: “I don’t need another lawyer, I need commercial people who can understand contracts.”
When onboarding or reviewing vendors, I’ll pre read contracts, engage with suppliers, and clarify key points before sending anything over. That way, Legal receives a contract overview, not a blank file, as well as an engaged partner to help us reach agreement pragmatically and quickly. It saves time and reduces back and forth.
What do I focus on? Termination rights (flexibility is crucial), renewals, overages, liabilities, data protection, and most importantly from my perspective, the schedule of services. That’s where expectations live or die.
My view? The best contracts are the ones you can file away and never look at again. But if you do have to dig them out, they need to be watertight.
Challenges in Procurement
Procurement is often misunderstood or met with resistance in growing companies. How have you approached shifting perceptions and gaining buy in for the function at BrainRocket?
When you’re building procurement from scratch, you’re not just creating a function, you’re changing how people work. That’s always going to generate some friction. Procurement is often misunderstood as a blocker, a cost cutter, or a bureaucratic gatekeeper. I’ve worked hard to flip that narrative by being visible, responsive, and pragmatic. I try to show that procurement can accelerate progress by removing ambiguity, enabling better decisions, and taking unnecessary admin off people’s plates. Ironically, the things Procurement does already exist in many companies budgeting, legal reviews, infosec checks, with Procurement driving each strategically and shepherding requests through the mire.
A lot of it comes down to tone and timing. No one wants to be handed a rulebook, or have a fat policy foisted upon them, when they’re in a hurry to keep moving forward. So I focus on partnership early in the process, and I never forget that the goal isn’t compliance for compliance’s sake, it’s outcomes.
Future Trends in Procurement and Supply Chain Management
What trends do you see shaping the future of procurement and supply chain management, and how is BrainRocket preparing to adapt to these changes?
I see a future of radical transparency and machine led negotiation. As data becomes more accessible and AI matures, I can imagine a world where most deals are negotiated between bots, each representing buyer and seller, optimising terms in seconds, not days. Trust in these tools will be so high that humans won’t need to intervene in the mechanics.
Ironically, that makes the human side of procurement even more important. Relationship building, empathy, loyalty these will become key differentiators. I also expect an explosion in dynamic pricing and smart contracts, micro adjustments happening automatically based on live variables. This will fundamentally reshape Legal, Procurement, and Sales roles. In that future, what will matter most won’t be your process, it’ll be your people skills.
Career Advice
You’ve worked across multiple industries and now stepped into a completely greenfield role. What principles or mindsets have served you best in progressing your procurement career?
Get really good at more than one thing. The future belongs to the adaptable. Those with a couple of standout skills, and a solid grasp of many others, will connect dots faster and see the bigger picture more clearly. To build that range, expose yourself to variety. Seek out new challenges. Be curious, even when you think there’s nothing to learn. Often, it’s one small idea, a way of framing a problem, a clever analogy, that sticks with you and reshapes your thinking elsewhere.
Also, as a general rule: ask for forgiveness, not permission. Back yourself. Be bold, but not reckless. Some of the best opportunities in my career have come from having the confidence to just go for it.
BrainRocket is a fast-growing international software development and digital solutions company headquartered in Cyprus, with additional offices in Malta and Portugal. Established in 2020, the company has rapidly expanded to over 1,300 employees representing 15 nationalities. BrainRocket has developed more than 100 innovative products across 20 global markets, focusing on areas such as backend and frontend development, DevOps, UX/UI design, and product management.
