Secon Cyber Leadership Interviews
Janakan Nadarajah in conversation with Que Tran, Head of IT Europe & Russia, DP World J: What’s your current role and what does it involve? Q: I currently lead technology and digital for Europe and Russia region at DP World. DP World is a leading enabler of global trade and an integral part of the global supply chain. We have over 150 operations in 40 countries handling about 10 percent of the world’s container trade. In the last the last 12 months, with regards to the pandemic, the delivery of goods and global trade has become ever more important in our current situation. In addition to the technology leadership, I’m focused on cyber and digitisation and innovation initiatives across the organisation. That’s really, I suppose, three parts. One is to protect the organisation; another is to optimise our business. The other part is to transform both the organisation and industry in how we work and operate. Maritime is one of the oldest industries in the world. With that comes a lot of cultural heritage, but also a lot of opportunities to use technology to drive it forward. My day-to-day work includes a challenging range of things from the people management, which is still a very core part of any business, to working on the business challenges. That’s developing the technology strategy and digital roadmap, working with internal and external teams, and partners, on solutions and product development and what we can do better with regards to our existing operations, but also potential new acquisitions. A lot of work is also working with the risk and audit teams on improving our technical design and security processes and managing the technical integration of new products because we don’t just live in a greenfield environment. The new digital products and security products we put in have to be embedded onto our existing environment so that takes a lot of consideration, thought and planning. 4
J: What brought you your current role and what is it that you like about it? Q: Like most of my career, it’s come about from being inquisitive and connecting with people. Technology is systems and infrastructure and hardware. At the same time, it’s about collaborating with people, those within your teams and those outside of your teams as well. And what do I like about it? It’s a business that materially impacts everyone. We probably take it for granted these days because we click something online and it magically appears at our doorsteps a day later, but it’s a real business that has material impact. Even though I’ve been to so many of the terminals in the business, it’s still amazing every time I go to see the sheer size and scale of the business and the actual automation in place. It’s still a physical business, but enabled by digital. I think that’s what really excites me about the business. J: Is there anything about your role that keeps you awake at night?
Q: I think sometimes it’s about approaching the question in a different way, because obviously if you approach a question in a certain context, then you answer it in a certain context. From my perspective, I would prefer to think of it as what motivates you to get up in the morning, which for me, it’s leading the delivery of secure, leading technology and digital that underpins and drives the organisation forward. That is what motivates me to get up in the morning, to do that work rather than mull over it in the evening. I think it’s more like, we’ve done what we needed to do, the next morning is another day to do even better. J: What are the top two or three biggest lessons you’ve learned as a CIO? Q: I suppose whether it’s as a CIO or whether it’s generally through business life, I think across organisations what you need really is great people, to build a capable team and trust. I think early in my career, I probably wanted to do everything and to revolve everything around myself, be-
“It’s amazing every time I go to see the sheer size and scale of the business and the actual automation in place. It’s still a physical business, but enabled by digital.”
SECON CYBER
