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One big trend you cannot avoid talking about is AI , particularly Gen AI .
We are very close to natural and rich interactions with machines with our natural language , which will improve diversity of thought and increase access .
AI has the potential to eliminate social barriers and make connections that humans may miss . The sheer quantity of information brings tremendous potential .
Of course , it ’ s not ready yet but it took us time to bring mobile phones from vision to reality , and now we have it ! It ’ s always the same : we dream of something , and finally we do it .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ? but also all-consuming . My magic recipe is to do something outside work that you love but that requires your full attention . I like to play the piano or ride a motorbike and I fly small planes . Obviously , when I ’ m in my plane , I think only about flying !
If you could go back and change one career decision , what would it be ?
I would have loved to combine my passion for flying with my software and technology knowledge . In your plane there is a lot of automation in the cockpit and as a pilot you need to know how it all works . This would have been the intersection of my passions .
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in Europe ?
This is a vast debate ! I think Europe brings a lot of value in technology . Many of the AI experts come from here and we tend to take a very rigorous approach to AI and data . Europe has been really focussed and clear on the need for safeguards and regulatory processes .
In the Managed Services industry , investment is in transforming the current world of IT services into something that is software driven and fully automated .
This means the potential to remove or reduce physical problems , such as bugs and issues with servers , and we can provide scale and solve new problems . We can see this simply by looking at the numbers . We used to have people who had to look after hundreds of physical servers and manually maintain them , now we can manage hundreds of thousands of high-quality servers with reduced cost and speed . This is a fundamentally different business model .
• Servers became virtual machines in a Cloud
• Networks are becoming SW-driven overlays over established physical lines
• IoT is connecting real factory assets to algorithms
Moving towards a software driven environment is what my industry needs to do as well as IT managed services .
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside of the office ?
I ’ m in the lucky position of enjoying my work so some stress can be positive
But we must not be behind the innovation curve . We must be in the race whilst also taking the time to reflect on the impact of new technology and preparing for a world where differentiating fake from truth and human versus AI-generated information is going to become increasingly difficult .
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months ?
We ’ re truly at a transition point right now and must adjust job roles and skill sets to meet future needs . We have a technical challenge around creating , developing and deploying IT services but we also need to see a workforce shift where people acquire new skills and new approaches . My role has been developing the team and providing the inspiration to get everyone moving towards the same goal .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain C-level position in your industry ?
You must have a vision , trust it and be consistent about it . You cannot be satisfied with business as usual . Even if you proceed in small incremental steps and short-term business outcomes , you need to know where you are going to make the right first step . In short , know where you are going and embark on the journey with a proper map ! p
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