digital transformation

We conducted a Q&A interview with Deepthi, Head of Technology Upskilling and Communication (Corporate and Investment Banking Technology) at Société Générale, around digital transformation, automation, and the potential future for technology.

Could you introduce yourself and what you do?

My name is Deepthi Rajan. I have over a decade of experience in the technology and financial services space. I’m the Head of Technology Upskilling at Société Générale, an inspiring role I took up early this year.

One of the key themes was the pace of technology changes. Specifically, how does it affect organisations & its people? It brought back vivid memories of my Digital Transformation experiences. On reflection, I can definitely share three gotchas & lessons. If you are leading a Digital Transformation or being a part of one, keep an eye on these three gotchas! 

Gotcha #1: Partial digitalisation and/or digitalising bad process are not good. 

As a start-up you can do two things. Create a digital service which falls in the wow category of social mobile app, cool gadget, another cryptocurrency, or similar. Nothing that will make this world a better place. Alternatively, you can try to solve a really hard problem with some really clever technology and try to sell your new product or service.

Driving security transformation is becoming key; not justifying investments

The age-long debate around security metrics and dashboards seems very much alive within the CISO community. But it is often positioned in an outdated historical perspective.
For many CISOs, it seems to be still about “justifying investments” or articulating some form of “return on security investment”.

Over the past 15 years of working in the cybersecurity industry I have been privileged to have worked with highly intelligent, experienced and articulate colleagues. My experiences in large scale transformation programmes, workshops, interviews, managing both project and operational teams encompass consulting and internal business roles. These experiences led to interactions with hundreds of individuals where I have become aware of some consistent and humorous behaviour types displayed. These include eight positive and negative types including:

Design Thinking is currently enjoying a surge in popularity and not without good reason. Processes for creation and innovation are worth their salt and are indeed integral to Digital Transformation. Having said that, one is not a substitute for the other. Here is my take on Design Thinking and where it fits with Digital Transformation.

Business School must come before Design School.

In my opinion, most enter the room of Design Thinking assuming they’re bringing the right diagnosed challenge to the table to be fixed.

Uber or Black Cab – Which is Your HR Function?

I’ve used Uber a few times, but have to say I’ve been a Black Cab kind of girl for years and there is something familiar about them that makes me stick with them.

Yesterday though I started to think differently.  My last few trips to London have involved a Cab ride, none of the drivers have known where to go and the cost, compared to what an Uber would have been almost double the cost and the card machines haven’t been working so cash has been paid, one driver even dropping me at a cash machine.

The existence of contrasting ways of managing people - agile and traditional top-down leadership - creates divergent experiences for employees, also sending mixed messages about what the organisation values. The case for all leaders becoming more agile in their thinking and actions ahead of changing structure in any part of an organisation, when introducing agile ways of working.

Organisations are shaped by the needs and demands of the eras they have travelled through. Change has always been part of a business, but the seismic changes brought by technology today means organisations need to change faster than they ever have before.

It’s not that organisations haven’t done change before – it’s just now it’s a lot faster. And to cope with change that fast, some things need to be done differently.

Strategy creates competitive advantage,

People and a culture of innovation sustains it and

Technology and communications are the means by which it is delivered.