Anand Sahay, CEO & Govt Director, Xebia – Interview Collection

Anand Sahay is the CEO & Govt Director at Xebia, previous to becoming a member of Xebia, Sahay was a vp at Interglobe and a normal supervisor at HCL Applied sciences. He started his profession as a software program programmer at Tata Consultancy Providers.

Xebia is a pioneering and confirmed authority within the digital transformation enviornment, partnering with most of the world’s main firms to assist them grow to be digital leaders and construct resilient organizations at any scale.

Whether or not it is harnessing the potential of information and AI, leveraging the pliability of cloud computing, fashionable software program improvement, or embracing the effectivity of low code, Xebia gives complete companies that handle each facet of the digital panorama.

Since its founding in 2001, Xebia has grown to greater than 5,000 individuals throughout Europe, North America, the Center East, Africa, and Asia Pacific – together with over 3,000 staff in 5 supply facilities in India.

Xebia began within the Netherlands in 2001, and has since expanded internationally, and most lately has opened its headquarters in Atlanta, GA. May you talk about a few of the challenges of increasing to the USA, and why Atlanta was chosen?

As an IT consultancy and software program engineering firm with a longtime presence in EMEA and APAC, we’re navigating challenges that include scaling operations within the U.S. – from constructing and managing a fast-growing world group to honing our price proposition in a hyper-competitive market. Nevertheless, there may be important upside for our enlargement and now we have plans to develop income 4x and create 1,000+ jobs within the Americas over the following a number of years.

Deciding on Atlanta was a choice that reduce throughout a number of strategic areas. It places us near a handful of our present prospects, in addition to a big roster of prospects. The Atlanta metro space is a thriving hub for digital innovation and residential to startups, in addition to Fortune 500 manufacturers which might be remodeling their companies and reshaping their industries with AI and clever automation.

Atlanta additionally permits us to proceed our legacy of trade partnerships with a regional presence of Microsoft, Google, AWS, and Salesforce. Because the world is in a brand new section of digital transformation, fixing enterprise issues requires leveraging a companion ecosystem and a set of capabilities that allow the absolute best options and outcomes for purchasers.

Lastly, Atlanta is a superb place for us to scale up our group. Town has a sturdy expertise pool based mostly on the proximity to top-tier universities like Georgia Tech, The College of Georgia, Moorhouse College, and Emory College.

How does Xebia entice and retain prime expertise within the extremely aggressive discipline of AI?

Demand for AI expertise, particularly software program engineers and knowledge scientists is barely rising. Continued layoffs in sure tech sectors solely inform a partial story. The fact is that firms throughout banking, insurance coverage, retail, journey, pharma and different industries are all changing into digital-first and want tech expertise that makes a speciality of knowledge and AI.

There’s a long-standing fantasy of the lone wolf software program engineer or knowledge scientist however that couldn’t be farther from the reality. Whereas it’s true that everybody has their very own working type and preferences, at Xebia, we imagine that the best way to draw and retain prime tech expertise is to create an organization tradition that prioritizes neighborhood and steady studying.

We take excessive delight in all 5,500+ Xebians. In a world the place AI is quickly changing into a commodity, it’s simple to additionally take into consideration the individuals constructing AI options as a commodity. Our method is individuals first and our prime precedence is to help the fervour of exceptionally good individuals from the recruiting course of throughout to ongoing skilled improvement.

How does Xebia measure the success and effectiveness of its AI initiatives, each internally and for its shoppers?

At Xebia, we firmly imagine that for AI, and particularly GenAI, to transcend the hype, there must be a real system and technique in place to operationalize the AI to make it scalable throughout the enterprise and have these initiatives be aimed toward attaining some form of tangible enterprise goals.

For shoppers, Xebia measures the success of its AI initiatives by way of a multifaceted method that aligns carefully with our shoppers’ strategic objectives and operational benchmarks. KPIs embrace the acceleration of digital transformation, enhancement of buyer experiences, enchancment in operational effectivity, and the achievement of aggressive benefits out there. Finally, effectiveness is gauged by tangible outcomes equivalent to income progress, price reductions, and enhanced decision-making processes, supported by data-driven insights​​.

Internally, we assess the affect of our AI initiatives on bettering our methodologies, innovation charges, and worker talent developments.

With rising considerations about moral AI and knowledge governance, how does Xebia make sure the accountable use of AI in its tasks and options?

AI has been an integral a part of Xebia’s choices for years, so Accountable AI (RAI) is deeply ingrained in our tradition and requirements. Our dedication to utilizing AI and GenAI responsibly manifests by way of our rules of equity, consistency, explainability, knowledge privateness, robustness, and accountability of our coaching knowledge and algorithms.

We’ve discovered success in upskilling our groups by way of organizational initiatives on the potential affect that AI can have each positively and negatively. Coupled with an information governance mannequin that emphasizes knowledge privateness, safety, and integrity, now we have discovered that on a person stage, our group takes a conscientious method to follow Xebia’s dedication to moral AI adoption.

Xebia is understood for its give attention to Cloud Providers, AI, and Machine Studying. Are you able to elaborate on how Xebia is integrating these applied sciences into its consulting companies and the affect that is having in your shoppers?

It is a nice query. A lot of what was thought-about “digital transformation” two or three years in the past is now desk stakes. Right this moment we’re at an inflection level of Trade Digitalization, which is a fruits of the digital transformation journey. Organizations at the moment must harness the collective energy of cloud companies, AI/ML (in addition to low code, agile and devops) to basically reshape their firms and industries.

Integrating these core applied sciences into our consulting companies will not be one-size-fits-all. We glance to construct a customizable basis with various tasks and buyer wants. By specializing in 4 areas of digital convergence – clever automation, utilized and GenAI, cloud & knowledge modernization, and digital merchandise/platforms, we assist organizations chart a course for long-term success. By advising and supporting our prospects on technique, we’ve helped prospects throughout industries drive important effectivity good points and aggressive benefit.

Xebia locations a powerful emphasis on information sharing and innovation. How does this focus contribute to Xebia’s success and its capacity to remain on the forefront of technological development?

Our give attention to information sharing is a key pillar of Xebia’s success. Initiatives like information exchanges, Innovation Days, and tech rallies be certain that our present and potential group members have the sources and atmosphere to discover and obtain their full potential and drive innovation and experience in AI and different applied sciences. We additionally help ongoing studying with our Xebia Academy which gives our group members with coaching programs and upskilling alternatives to make sure they continue to be as aggressive as potential.

Given Xebia’s experience in AI, how do you envision AI remodeling enterprise operations and consumer companies within the subsequent 5 years?

Because the early 2000s, Xebia has been on the forefront of information and AI and this has supplied us with an ongoing aggressive edge. We’ve watched the assorted AI traits emerge and have constantly stayed forward of the curve. Whereas utilized AI (utilizing ML and different AI strategies to unravel particular enterprise issues) will proceed to remodel companies and consumer companies, GenAI will quickly speed up the creation of completely new options. Over the following 5 years, the convergence of AI capabilities will empower firms to garner new insights, innovate at scale globally and ship prospects unprecedented personalised experiences.

Generative AI is taking the world by storm, what are your views on it and the way is Xebia staying on the forefront of this groundbreaking know-how?

The alternatives and benefits introduced by GenAI are multifaceted and fully actual. On the similar time, so are the challenges. We see three particularly: companies must seize the worth of AI, handle AI responsibly and in a cost-efficient method, and grasp the talents essential to thrive within the new Hybrid Workforce.

Training will stay a key a part of how Xebia stays on the forefront of GenAI. We’re dedicated to serving to information and help prospects by way of their journey with a full vary of AI Workshops and Coaching Applications, together with GenAI Use Case Discovery, GenAI “How To”, and AI-Assisted Software program Growth Enablement. As well as, Xebia gives Licensed Pods/Consultants for implementation, and we may help arrange an AI Middle of Excellence for companies to drive the adoption of AI throughout the group.

Thanks for the nice interview, readers who want to study extra ought to go to Xebia.