GET TO KNOW
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside of the office ?
I walk a lot . Every weekend I do a 21k walk . Walking is an opportunity to not only exercise , but overall , it helps me unwind . If it ’ s not walking , then I enjoy running or playing tennis .
What do you think has emerged as the technology trend of this year and why ?
Absorb and learn as much as you can ensuring you specialise in an area but also broaden your skills thinking about transferability .
and experience . So , I wouldn ’ t change anything , but I would give myself more reassurance – and probably a
pat on the back every now and then .
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement ?
I think working in CGI is fantastic because I work with a great team and other partners towards a common shared sustainability goal . Growing our team and working with others to achieve success across the organisation is always one of my favourite and greatest achievements . We ’ ve had some fantastic accomplishments over the years ; we ’ ve enhanced our accreditations , supported more clients , developed new innovations and showcased some trailblazing sustainability solutions to the media .
What style of management philosophy do you employ in your current position ?
I love to mentor and grow the people I work with and those around me . I believe in lifelong learning , which is why I ’ ve stayed in academia , continuously doing PhD research and teaching at the University of Oxford .
My management philosophy is all about growth – nurturing and supporting each other and those around us . I believe people need the time and space to work out solutions and develop ideas . People also need a space to fail safely ; a space where through failure they can learn and grow .
There ’ s no way of really pinpointing just one technology . I follow several horizon-scanning communications such as Intelligent CIO . Hence , I ’ ve seen an acceleration in the adoption of satellite capabilities , the use of cloud platforms , AI , Big Data , blockchain and Digital Twins in today ’ s operations and sustainability .
AI – as it has with all areas – has had a profound impact on sustainability . We ’ re moving past the conversation of the ‘ dangers of AI ’ and seeing the opportunities it presents .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
There is a lot of investment in AI . However , it ’ s important to note that the adoption and use of AI is different to investment in AI . There are a lot of organisations that are investing in AI to uncover patterns to support sustainability initiatives . At the same time , some guardrails need to be set , specifically around how it is used and validated so the adoption may be slower .
Big platforms and satellite technology are also key areas requiring further investment . Including supply chain tracking , monitoring of nature and identifying risks in our operations which all need reliable technologies such as these .
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in Europe ?
There are several noticeable differences across regions when it comes to technology . For example , AI is increasingly being adopted in Europe , Asia and the US but not so much in other regions . The infrastructure , skills and legislation for example could act as barriers to adoption in certain regions . Understanding these nuances plays a key role for sustainability experts in terms of how and what we develop to support different geographies . p
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