To my mind, there is no bigger discussion than how companies are tackling the enormous challenge of integrating Human & Artificial Intelligence in order to build a sustainable organisation for the digital economy. So it was my great pleasure to MC a recent HR Summit held jointly by the NSW Business Chamber and S P Jain School Of Global Management which explored this very topic. We assembled first class speakers and panelists for a 360 degree view across the SI, Vendor, Management Consulting, BPO and end-user landscapes to look under the covers beyond the rhetoric to dissect this complex topic. I thought I’d summarise the salient points that were well received by a large and engaged audience:
Deepak defined “Industry 4.0” at a high level before providing some deeper analysis around the changing landscape of the Top Market Cap companies globally and locally from 1990 to the present. Australia is looking quite pedestrian with Banks and Resource companies still dominating our stock exchange by stark contrast to the US stock exchanges which read as the “who’s who” of the tech sector. He then continued to detail the winners and losers from the shift in employment by sector from 2011 to 2017 - Jobs in Arts & Recreation Services and Health Care & Social Assistance up 63.82% and 42.51% respectively whilst Wholesale Trade & Manufacturing down 6.71% and 1.92% respectively were notable. Deepak then critiqued the “hot” technologies that are the driving forces behind this Fourth Industrial Revolution: AI, NLP, The Rise Of The Drone; 3D Printing, Deep Learning; Gene Editing and much more… Deepak then itemised some technology tipping points expected to occur by 2025 including:
Finally, Deepak profiled Society 5.0 a.k.a. “The Super Smart Society”:
We then saw the 1st Panel discussion tackling the Technology dimension of Industry 4.0 with Deepak joining the following experts: Andy Bateman, National Lead Partner, Innovation Strategy, Deloitte /Nick Dunford, CEO at CoVentured / Jeff Frazer, Head Robotic, Intelligent Process Automation Consulting, Cognizant.
Andy was the optimist in the room, happily dismissing the view that significant automation-driven job losses were on the horizon. His mantra is that it’s just that the nature of work, the worker and the workplace are all changing and that the binary view of job losses to machines is one-dimensional. It’s the augmentation and design of new work that is the fascinating part…..
Nick approached innovation with a different emphasis positing the view that cutting-edge innovation for large corporate entities should be outsourced. The best innovators are the individuals locked in/incentivised by LTIs and RSUs, often as part of start-ups. In-house innovation could never compete with this. For the record, I agree wholeheartedly with this as I witness top innovation talent headed inevitably for Silicon Valley/IPO territory as part of my daily diet!
Jeff spoke authoritatively about the AI-enabled Robotics road train about to hit us all. With his Fortune 500 Robotics implementation experience from the more mature markets of North America, he was adamant that automation is not a fad but a reality of life and we must prepare for what is coming.
This brought us to the second stream of the Summit focusing on PEOPLE and how they were being impacted by this raft of digital technologies just examined.
Brady’s digital transformation remits sit at the very junction of human and artificial intelligence and he shared the complexities and nuances of digital transformation from his experiences at Australia Post, NBN, Telstra and, currently, Virgin Australia. His use of Facebook and other social media in times of crisis (such as floods) evidenced the power of digital technologies to bring people together, quickly, protecting the Enterprise, the Customer and the shareholder in the process. The 2nd panel discussion tackling the people dimension in this People v’s/with Technology debate then assembled which included Mathew Scott, HR Director, American Express / Julie Hyam Elliott, Former CEO, Bank Of Sydney and now Director, Chair Audit and Risk Committee, Member Remuneration Committee at Australian Invoice Finance / Vanessa Gavan, Founder & Managing Director, Maximus International.
Matthew detailed some of the key HR solutions/strategies that are currently available to practitioners and the need/opportunity for the HR profession to reinvent itself and play a more meaningful and quantifiable role on the org. chart. HR practitioners need to firstly understand Digital to be able to respond to it! Focus on the core human attributes that robots can’t replace such as empathy and the ethics of decision-making and develop people along those lines. Gender diversity was an ongoing challenge given the male domination of STEM qualifications/skills.
Julie shared some insights into discussions that are taking place on the several Audit & Risk Committees she either attends or Chairs. Cyber security is a real issue and the digitisation of everything opens up threats at every turn. Balancing the implementation of RPA/AI technology without intruding on employee privacy is a delicate balancing act and, in some respects, privacy as we knew it will be fundamentally challenged going forward. Existing benchmarks and constitutional frameworks will need to be revisited.
Vanessa has spent the past 18 years transforming a range of leading international organisations and the leaders within them and she noted the challenges of re-educating Baby boomer/Gen-X leaders required to provide digital leadership to digital native employees on the rise! She takes these leaders on field trips to Asia and Silicon Valley to experience first-hand the dynamics at play. Leadership profiles are changing in response to the digitisation of the Enterprise so core attributes now required to provide relevant and authentic leadership included: agility, adaptability, foresight, fast-learning, resilience and curiosity.
I could not resist closing the Summit with a quote from Gary Kasparov, the World Chess Champion famously defeated by a computer in 1997: “We’re not being replaced by AI. We’re being promoted! Please stop fretting: Technology is the reason most of us are alive to complain about technology! Qualing about awesome robots is like refusing to get into a lift without an operator!”
Many thanks to Amanda Currie, Event Producer with the NSW Business Chamber and John Miles, CEO of S P Jain School Of Global Management for coordinating this Summit.
As a run-up to its prestigious HR Summit, the S P Jain School of Global Management has conducted a large-scale Industry survey of HR professionals across its campus locations in Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and Mumbai. The purpose of this study is to identify current scenarios and emerging trends related to the theme. The findings of the study complement the insights shared by the panel members and are shared with the attendees of the HR Conclave.
A dynamic market environment and evolving customer expectations are the current realities faced by businesses. In the digital economy, the survival and success of firms is dependent on their ability to rapidly embrace new business models and emerging technology.
We will explore the ‘hot’ new technologies disrupting the market, the challenges they present to businesses globally and the means by which business leaders can respond to these digital dynamics in navigating this organisational transformation imperative. What does Digital transformation truly look like? How should organisations prioritise their technology spend? What should be done to leverage opportunities while mitigating risks? How can customer centricity be embedded into the operational DNA of the Enterprise via such technology?
Our panels will share their insights and experiences in addressing some of the challenges faced by their industry and firms.
A recent McKinsey report is forecasting that up to 60% of contemporary jobs as they are currently performed will cease to exist in the next 10 years!
Human Resource professionals face the daunting task of future-proofing their workforce with skills that will equip them for the new workplace. The pace at which new age roles and skill sets come online is staggering, matched only by the speed at which more traditional skills succumb to automation. In this context, what are some of the crucial challenges faced by the HR professionals? What are the major workplace disruptions anticipated due to rise of automation and disruptive technologies? How will these changes alter the talent landscape and employment models? What will be the key drivers of employee motivation and retention in this new paradigm whilst improving customer experience?
Our panel will share their insights and experiences through an interactive discussion.
07.30am Registration and light breakfast
08.00am John Miles, Head of Campus, SP Jain School of Global Management
8.10am Keynote address
Integrating human intelligence and technological advancements in order to build a sustainable organization for the digital economy Deepak Nangia, Corporate Vice President & Chief Customer Officer, Capgemini Asia-Pacific & Middle East
8.30am - 9.15am Panel 1 – The Future of Digital Enterprises
Panel sharing their insights and experiences in addressing some of the challenges faced by their industry or organisation.
9.20 am Keynote address
Integrating human intelligence and technological advancements in order to build a sustainable organization for the digital economy – Brady Jacobsen Head of Operations, Velocity Frequent Flyer, Virgin Australia Group
9.50am – 10.35am The HR Imperative - Integrating Human and Technological Capital
Panel sharing their insights and experiences and how they are equipping their workforce with smart skills and how these changes alter the talent landscape and employment models
10.45am Event concludes
A powerful panel drawn from various industries will be addressing the event.
Deepak Nangia is the Corporate Vice President & Chief Customer Officer, Capgemini Asia-Pacific & Middle East. Capgemini is a global leader in consulting, technology services and digital transformation, It is at the forefront of innovation to address the entire breadth of clients’ opportunities in the evolving world of cloud, digital and platforms. It is a multicultural company of 200,000 team members in over 40 countries. The Group reported 2017 global revenues of EUR 12.8 billion. Capgeminik is at the forefront globally of introducing new technologies and Deepak has a unique insight as part of his role is also talent development and retention.
Brady Jacobsen - Head of Operations, Velocity Frequent Flyer at Virgin Australia Group In the last 15 years Brady has held key customer experience, sales and operational roles in eCommerce, freight & logistics, telco and media. With a focus on customer experience strategy, design and operations. Brady Jacobsen is a proven performer in setting direction, then delivering against customer experience, revenue, cost and cultural operating plans.
Greg Tanna – Principal - Tanna Partners Pty Ltd. Executive Search - CX Domain - BPO, ICT, WFO, Social, Mobile, Analytics, Cloud, Digital, Robotics, AI, Sales, Service Greg is CEO of Tanna Partners, a boutique Executive Search Practice he established in 2004 which specialises in core domains of Customer Experience, Big Data, Robotics & Artificial Intelligence. Greg’s firm has successfully completed several hundred Executive Search mandates throughout the APAC region focusing on roles critical to delivering true digital transformation to a cross-section of Enterprise, Vendor, Systems Integrator and Consulting entities. He maintains that People are the only genuine, sustainable point of differentiation for any corporation wishing to successfully navigate the digital landscape in which we must now all operate.
Nick Dunford is CEO at CoVentured a company that brings Corporates and Start-ups together to unlock innovation. Most of the world’s problems will only be solved through the innovation of businesses, and regardless of altruism, businesses must innovate to survive. Nick is linking start-ups with businesses who have high staff numbers like Westpac and Telstra so has first-hand knowledge of how companies are reacting to emerging technologies and their impact on business and the structure of work.
Head, Robotic/Intelligent Process Automation Consulting, Cognizant Jeff is a global subject matter expert in the field of Robotics and Intelligent Process Automation. He brings extensive experience in operational management, business process / technology consulting and thought leadership in technology transformation through robotic process automation, autonomics, digitisation, financial analysis and outsourcing. Jeff spearheads Cognizant’s Digital Operations’ RPA/IPA Consulting Services for Australia and New Zealand, applying his deep knowledge of/experience with the more mature North American and European markets in the process.
Andy Bateman is National Lead Partner, Innovation Strategy at Deloitte. He heads up Innovation Strategy at Deloitte as national lead partner, where he is responsible for scaling the practice and working directly with teams and clients to solve strategic innovation and growth challenges. Andy’s a specialist in the technology sector and his focus is in helping businesses lead through changing market dynamics, find new ways to differentiate themselves and transform their business to unlock the pathways to dramatic growth. He is a a co-founder of two tech start-ups, director of strategy for NPF Advance. org and founder of strategy growth business.
Matthew Scott is Human resources Director at American Express. He is an experienced HR leader with a strong interest in the business impact of HR. His skills are in nurturing HR professionals, leadership development coaching, employment relations, HR business partnering, remuneration strategy and operations, change management (including mergers/acquisitions), HR systems and HR process design/improvement and implementation. American Express is one of the most famous brands in the world and are having to be at the forefront of technology in a incredibly competitive market. The impacts on human capital can be immense.
Julie Hyam Elliott - Director, Chair Audit and Risk Committee , Member Remuneration Committee at Australian Invoice Finance Ltd Rising to senior executive ranks with National Australia Bank and then Westpac, Julie was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Bank Of Sydney where she revitalised the bank by re-invigorating the leadership team and embedding a culture of achievement and ownership via collaboration, delivering the best results in the Bank’s history based on revenue, operating profits and growth of loan book and deposits. Julie also sits as Director and Chair of several Audit & Risk Committees including Australian Invoice Finance Ltd and P&N Bank and is also a Member Audit & Risk Committee for NSW Department of Industry. Julie offers deep insights into the threats and opportunities presented to corporate governance by the digital revolution and what that means for the core skills, knowledge and attributes she seeks in her leaders.
Vanessa Gavan – Founder & Managing Director, Maximus International. Vanessa is an entrepreneur who has spent the past 18 years transforming a range of leading international organisations and the leaders within them. In 2001, she founded Maximus International, an innovative, future-focused consultancy that offers highly customised leadership and organisational development services, challenging the status quo and pushing the limits of what it means to be a truly purpose-driven and authentic leader. Vanessa works with top leaders to develop their business strategies, improve executive leadership capability, redesign organisation structures and deliver business-wide performance solutions, equipping her with a powerful perspective on the impact of the digital revolution on the modern leadership profile.
CONTACT
John Miles at john.miles@spjain.edu.au
LOCATION
New South Wales Business Chamber, North Sydney (Map)
WEBSITE
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