What Drives you?
Problem solving. Within the tech space there can be a whole host of different ways to tackle a problem. Working together to solve those problems and to finalise one final plan demands teamwork and different skillsets. Being open to what others have to say, and seeing new and exciting ways others think outside the box, not only keeps me interested in the work I am doing, but drives me to further my own education so I can continue to contribute to the overall group.
Why did you start NEJAVI?
I think we identified a real niche in the market to be able to truly advise the customer across all aspects of technical integration and delivery. We couldn’t really see companies in the sector with the agility and understanding of the customer and the technology fit.
We felt it was important to take the delay out of the process and to truly work with the customer to really transfer knowledge, so they can be much better informed with respect to the decision process and not just take our word for it. The complex landscape of technologies, companies and markets are becoming even more nuanced and competitive. With that in mind, it’s crucial for our customers to have access to expert analysis on new industries, verticals, sectors, and partners.
How do you define digital strategy?
The purpose of a digital strategy, is a part of an overall marketing strategy, to help a business improve its competitive advantage by increasing its sales, customer base, or exposure. A digital strategy defines the content, methods, technologies, and measurable outcomes of a business' digital media activities, such as use of the Internet, telephony, and more. I believe a digital strategy does not stand on its own; it is only one part of a business' overall marketing strategy and plan. A digital strategy should not be confused with an online strategy. In fact, an online strategy, or how a business uses web pages and other interactive tools, is, at most, only one part of an overall digital strategy.
What do you see as digital transformation?
There are many commentators in the marketplace who will tell you about digital transformation and what that means from their perspective such phrases as "establishing a digital link between their customers and their company". We feel that digital transformation (DT) is all about data, but what does that mean in the real world? While you can find many convoluted definitions for DT, the easiest way to think about it, is that it enables companies to use customer data directly to drive their processes more and more efficiently.
Having the ability to see and harvest the data, analyse and use results in converting that data into a digital payload, and then wrapping it with protocols so it can be sent on the network. From there, the data makes its way to the public cloud and then into a database, where it can be processed by analytics software or artificial intelligence. This processing creates models that produce information that is stored in the company’s business systems—which various departments within the company can access and use to streamline and improve how they operate and transform.
5 words to describe NEJAVI
Authentic, Adaptive, Consistent, Agile, Scalable
What moments have defined your career as its progressed?
There are not only moments that have defined my career, but people also. I have worked all over the world, working across a wide area of sectors, from tech companies to government projects in hostile areas. I have worked with people who have truly inspired me and continue to do so. I believe an important part of connecting with others is asking questions; we can become more interesting by making these connections. I have met lot of interesting professionals both in the private and public sectors and some have left a real imprint on me with respect to how we conduct ourselves. So, I would say the one thing that has defined my career is the ability to listen and adapt to others and situations.
What challenges have you overcome?
I think one of the biggest challenges I had to overcome was moving overseas to work in a country I knew very little about. There were the obvious challenges of language barriers and environment, but also the challenge of accountability. I was the company representative on the ground, so representing the company in all aspects of business. This was very new to me, as I had always worked as part of a team. People always talk about the “learning curve’ this curve was incredibly steep. I learnt about breaking the problem down into manageable blocks and solving the here and now step by step. One take away was that communication was and still is key to all problems we face.
How do you recharge after work?
I am a big rugby fan; I like nothing better that watching the game. I have travelled to all corners to watch Wales win and lose but when at home I love to spend time with family and to socialise over a glass of wine or two. I am also a true believer in the power of reading, physical fitness gets plenty of attention, and for good reason. I feel mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness, and certainly helps to destress after work.
Where do you see NEJAVI in five years?
It would be great to look back over the last five years of business having stayed true to our values. My father recently sold his business and was still supplying customers from year one, twenty years later. I want the business to adapt not just adjust. It’s true that people want to do business with the people they like and know. It’s a basic fact of life. A company’s small discount or slightly better product is rarely going to take a client away if we have built a strong business relationship over time.