Interview: Ram Ramachandran, senior vice president – MEA at Tech Mahindra

How do you see the regional technology landscape?
Middle East businesses have always been adopting niche and next-generation technologies well across all major sectors. The public and private sectors have taken major steps towards creating a strong digital infrastructure that fosters innovation and opens new economic opportunities. The region is a significant participant in the technology landscape with proliferation of home-grown IT companies and increased local investments. Advancement of technology will positively impact businesses and lives of citizens in the region.

Why is the MENA region a top priority market for Tech Mahindra?
The GCC and MENA region are on a fast-track of technology development and we have long strategic plans in the region. While MENA is still heavily reliant on oil and gas production and exports, countries in the Middle East are making a massive effort to diversify their economies from hydrocarbons to digital technologies. In fact, countries in the GCC are investing heavily in digital technologies across government and private sectors. S&P Global predicts that non-oil GDP in Gulf countries will reach nearly 37 per cent by 2022. That is up from 29.2 per cent in 2012.

We have an early mover advantage in driving digital transformation and expanding the scope of cloud technology. Tech Mahindra strategically chose MEA as a focus geography in the early 2000s. We have benefitted from a long successful traction and growth over the past two decades. Our clients include the region’s key industries such as Oil & Gas and Utilities that enable us to generate and present use cases, which we can refer globally. We have significantly invested in recruiting, training, and deployment of local talent for global projects. We have been able to showcase our expertise and leadership since there is a strong demand for next-generation technology in the region. Having been associated with our MENA clients for many years, we have realised that companies are looking out for strategic partners who can help them in their ongoing digital transformation journey. Moreover, the government has been placing immense trust on Smart Cities and Smart Transformational Initiatives, which is coincidently a high priority agenda for CXOs as well. Added to that, the region’s employment-friendly policies and simplified Visa guidelines offer significant impetus in our services business, as human resources play a critical role. All these factors enable businesses to explore opportunities in the region and expand their horizons to facilitate an all-inclusive growth led by next-generation technology.

How are you addressing today’s organisations’ diverse technology needs? Share some use cases.
We have a significant footprint in the MENA region, and the confidence of the local industries which we have partnered with through the years. We are a purpose-led organisation, extremely focused on our customers. At Tech Mahindra, we live the philosophy of connected world and connected experiences. We thrive on change that is powered by the intelligent symphony of technology and humans designing meaningful and sustainable experiences. Our major emphasis areas in the region include key growth sectors such as Telecom, Public Sector, BFSI, Oil and Gas, Retail, Construction and Property, Utilities.

To share with you some use cases, we recently developed a marketplace and went live with it for a leading telecom operator. We have deployed next-generation managed services for a leading public sector department in UAE. Additionally, we have developed transformational initiatives including Risk & Compliance solutions for leading banks and ERP transformations and roll-outs for country level utility companies. We have enabled cognitive Chatbots implementation and integration in a globally renowned Oil and Gas branded client. These bots self-learn with every interaction and empower employees across all streams to work, engage and learn better. We are also facilitating citizen services for a major city municipality in GCC. While the list will go on, we believe that the region is fast transforming on the back of various technological interventions, and this is just the start of the big bang transformation that we are yet to witness.

Tell us about your recent partnerships in the region.
We have been a global partner with leading technology companies. Overall, we depend on alliances as the pathway to fast-track inorganic growth since it expands our capabilities and adds value. We believe by identifying synergies in our partners, the chances of achieving success and sustaining it grows multifold. Our recent partnerships with various organisations have further strengthened our belief in the importance of strong long-lasting partnership. For instance, we have alliances with hyperscalers in the region and other software & hardware providers who have helped us add value to our clients in their digital transformation journey. We are also focussing on new age niche partners like those specialising in Data Science platforms, Machine Learning and AI-based products.

We recently signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology to support the Oman Vision 2040 by training 200 students from Oman on niche technologies like AI, AR/VR IoT, and Metaverse. Our development center in Oman focuses on upskilling and reskilling local Omani talent to take on projects in their own country and around the world.

What are your goals and objectives for the next two years?
Our goals and objectives are well set for the coming years, which are in sync with the vision of GCC governments. We will contribute to the regional development of digital skills and focus on increasing innovation in the region, complementing the vision of GCC. We plan to recruit from local universities, thereby providing job opportunities for the younger generation. We envision to enable our customers to Run Better, Change Faster and Grow together in select verticals and markets, thereby supercharging their growth momentum. We are strongly motivated to growing our market share in the region by providing value and being their preferred partner in their continued digital transformation journey. Customer experience is our key focus, and we will invest in our expertise woven around this. Leveraging the power of Cloud, Big Data, Analytics, Robotics & Automation, we aspire to shape the future by crafting solutions that are unique and market-making for our valued clients.

Read: Interview: George Pawlyszyn, general manager – MEA at Rackspace Technology