C-CHANGE 2017: Breaking silos for effective digital transformation

Digital transformation is the buzz word these days. Notably, it isn't a necessity anymore, it’s inevitable. However, it's not just the technology, but how you are rethinking and reinventing your business with technology, that counts. And to make the process effective, certain systematic and systemic changes need to be made. This was the ground talk of the C-Suite panel- Breaking silos for effective digital transformation, consisting of Ambi Parameswaran, CEO, DraftFCB; Pradeep Gupta, CEO and MD, CyberMedia India Ltd; Ashank Desai, CMD, Mastek Ltd; Mayank Bathwal, CEO, Aditya Birla Life; and Prof. DB Phatak, IIT-B.

Prof Phatak kickstarted the discussion stressing the need of digital transformation and why and how CIOs and organisations need to adapt to that change. He said that CIOs need to continuously learn and relearn to stay updated with changing technology. It is no longer the conventional source of learning, re-skilling is an ongoing process." And a significant way to do so is acquisitions of new companies and talent pools.

While acquisitions and mergers are in full-bloom in the West, Indian companies are yet to adopt the phenomena on a large scale. In 1980, to store 1GB data, it used to cost 9000 dollars. Today, it costs a few cents. That is the precise point of digitization according to Ashank Desai. "If we reskill, we will be able to handle more challenges and contribute to improving the consumer experience. Digital poses a challenge in how we reskill ourselves and cope with the increasing consumer challenges," Desai said.

Pradeep Gupta, CEO, CyberMedia India, however, noted that more than re-skilling, it's about changing the mindsets and rethinking technology from newer perspectives. "The biggest challenge is the existing Mindset in understanding and embracing digital transformation. Given such a mindset, new agile startups are able to establish themselves, by disrupting existing status quo."

Mayank Bathwal, CEO, Aditya Birla Life seconded Gupta's point. "Digital is not about having someone or part of the function, but a way of life. Every person in organisation needs to inherit and think about." And this where "we need to have reverse mentoring," he added.

Ambi Parameswaran, CEO, DraftFCB spoke in Indian context speaking about the growth of print media. According to Parameswaran, the true transformation is inheriting conventional modes and infusing them with innovative changes to suit the current needs i.e. blended learning is way ahead.

Apparently, it all comes down to how the technology is channelized for maximum effect. It is how Desai put it: "The CIO has to ensure the talent pool within the enterprise is in sync when it comes to technology." The better the sync, better would be the delivery and hence better growth of the company.