Abhishek

Charting a Course for the Future with power of Technology

A Leader with Diverse Background Fostering Innovation

As the Group Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) at Global Marketing Systems (GMS) and Lila Global, Abhishek possesses a rich and varied background with extensive global experience across diverse markets in the UAE, Australia, Scandinavia, the UK, the USA, and India. Throughout his career, Abhishek has contributed his expertise to various industries, such as technology and services, construction, oil and gas, utilities, environmental services, and is active in different technological advisory forums, including Forbes, Oracle, and Microsoft with different certifications and accolades under his name. This diverse expertise allows him to utilize a wide range of knowledge and insights to foster innovation and enhance efficiency within GMS and Lila Global.

Global Marketing Systems (GMS) and Lila Global are two prominent entities in the maritime industry, each making valuable contributions in their respective fields. While GMS has established itself as the world's largest buyer of ships and offshore assets for recycling, Lila Global is a leading ship owning company. Together, they shape the maritime landscape, promoting responsible practices and sustainable solutions.

Throughout his previous positions, Abhishek has gained significant expertise in implementing solutions with different ERPs such as Oracle, SAP, Microsoft, Salesforce along advanced technology solutions, optimizing business processes, and aligning IT strategies with organizational objectives. With a strong foundation in technology, he possesses a profound understanding of leveraging technology to enrich business insights through data management, security, and analytics, ultimately driving operational excellence.

As part of his role, Abhishek’s responsibilities entail spearheading cloud and on-premises infrastructure, applications, security, analytics, and driving digital transformation within the group. He prioritizes enterprise systems, data management, business intelligence, along with robust cybersecurity measures and compliance frameworks to safeguard sensitive information while aligning IT strategies with company goals. Abhishek constantly explores emerging technologies, assesses their potential impact on the industry, identifies opportunities and implement to enhance their services, streamline processes, and deliver value to their esteemed customers.

Leveraging his diverse background and experiences, Abhishek brings a unique perspective at GMS and Lila Global that empowers him to drive technological advancements, champion sustainability initiatives, and ensure that the company remains at the forefront.

Equipping with a Solid Foundation

The past experiences, achievements, and lessons have shaped Abhishek’s journey by equipping him with a wide range of skills, knowledge, and perspectives. It has provided him with a solid foundation to navigate the complexities of the maritime industry and drive technological innovation in the group. Here are some of the notable highlights:

  1. Working in diverse industries has honed Abhishek’s business acumen and strategic thinking. He has learned to align technology initiatives with overall business objectives, identify opportunities for growth and efficiency, and leverage technology as a strategic enabler.
  2. He has gained valuable cross-industry knowledge, allowing him to bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, drawing upon successful practices and lessons learned from other sectors and driving innovation. Having experience in different sectors has taught Abhishek how to quickly adapt to diverse environments, understand new business models, and effectively navigate organizational structures.
  3. It has given him a deep understanding of various technologies and their application in different sectors. This broad technology expertise enables him to leverage the right tools and solutions to drive innovation and address specific challenges in his current organization.
  4. Abhishek has successfully implemented technologies and processes to optimize operations, streamline workflows, and enhance productivity. These experiences have equipped him with valuable insights into improving efficiency in the industry.
  5. Abhishek has learned the importance of effective change management, including stakeholder engagement, communication, and training, to adopt new technologies and processes successfully. He has cultivated strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including business leaders, employees, and vendors. This ability to collaborate and communicate effectively is vital in driving successful technology initiatives in his current company.

Adapting to the industry and with new Disruptive Technologies

Abhishek was coming with his past experiences without understanding the maritime industry much. He needed to understand the sector profoundly and ensure that the technology solutions he implemented aligned with them. Developing a digital strategy that enabled the group to stay competitive in the market was crucial. This included introducing right applications in place along with business analytics to bring data-driven culture, inducing new technologies, such as AI, robotic automation, and cloud computing, and identifying areas where the company could leverage technology to improve operational efficiency.

In parallel, Abhishek needed to manage the existing systems and ensure they continued to meet business requirements while modernizing them where necessary. As cybersecurity is a critical concern, he needed to ensure that the group’s technology solutions were secure and had robust cybersecurity measures to protect against cyber threats. Implementing new technology solutions can be disruptive, and managing change effectively was crucial to ensure that employees were adequately trained and supported during the transition.

By focusing on business outcomes and collaborating with stakeholders, Abhishek overcame these challenges and delivered value to the organization.

Sharing Valuable Insights on Essential CIO Traits

Abhishek shares some of the vital attributes that every CIO must possess. A CIO should possess:

  1. The ABILITY to think strategically and align technology to identify opportunities for innovation and growth and develop strategies that support the company's goals.
  2. Excellent LEADERSHIP skills and be able to motivate, inspire their team and lead by example.
  3. Expertise in the latest TECHNOLOGIES and be able to apply them to solve business challenges. They should stay current with the latest trends and innovations in their field.
  4. Excellent COLLABORATION skills and be able to work effectively with stakeholders across the organization. They should be able to build strong relationships and foster a culture of teamwork.
  5. In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, to be ADAPTABLE and open to change. They should be able to navigate through technological disruptions, shifting priorities, and market dynamics, while maintaining agility and finding innovative solutions.
  6. Strong PROBLEM-SOLVING AND ANALYTICAL skills to identify and resolve complex technology-related challenges. They should be able to analyze data, anticipate potential issues, and make data-driven decisions that drive operational efficiency and business growth.

Exploring Technologies that Appeal to Target Audiences

Abhishek explains how the company innovates that appeal to the target audience.

  1. The company stays at the forefront of technological advancements and actively explores new technologies to enhance its services. on manual processes with help of low code platform, robotic automation and AI, it aims to provide customers with more efficient, transparent and sustainable solutions.
  2. The group prioritizes sustainability in its services by adopting environmentally friendly practices, adhering to strict compliance standards, and GMS is the pioneer in the industry to develop the unique and award-winning Sustainable Ship and Offshore Recycling Program (SSORP), highlighting its commitment to sustainability.
  3. GMS and Lila Global invest significant effort in understanding the target audience's needs and pain points. The team conducts market research, engages in customer feedback sessions, and collaborates closely with industry stakeholders to gain insights into their requirements and challenges.
  4. GMS and Lila Global bring collaboration by joining forces with like-minded organizations, it leverages its expertise, access innovative solutions, and co-create new services that address emerging industry trends and customer needs.
  5. The company and the team embrace a culture of continuous improvement and feedback loops. The group encourages its customers to provide feedback on the services and use this feedback to drive innovation and enhance the offerings. Regularly reviewing the processes, optimizing workflows, and adopting industry best practices enables the company to deliver high-quality, value-added services.
  6. The company positions itself as an industry thought leader by sharing expertise, insights, and best practices through various channels such as blogs, webinars, podcasts, and industry events. It establishes trust and credibility and differentiates it from competitors by providing valuable resources and thought leadership content.

Embracing and prioritizing Innovation to Thrive

Abhishek says, “Disruptive technologies are reshaping innovation by accelerating change, transforming business models, enhancing customer experiences, enabling data-driven fast decision-making, requiring agility and adaptability, and fostering collaboration.” Technologies such as AI, robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and cloud computing are fueling innovation at an unprecedented pace. These technologies enable companies to gather and analyze vast amounts of data, streamline processes, automate tasks, and create new business models. He continues that these technologies are creating new opportunities for innovation and driving significant changes across various industries, including the maritime industry.

As a result, the role of a leader has shifted from a traditional hierarchical approach to one that embraces innovation, encourages agility, leverages data, and technology, and fosters collaboration across boundaries. Leaders must adopt a data-driven mindset, leveraging analytics, big data and machine learning tools to extract actionable intelligence from data. This shift requires leaders to develop analytical skills, foster a data-driven culture, and invest in the necessary infrastructure and talent to harness the power of data. Today's leaders must be visionary, open-minded, adaptable, and capable of navigating the complex landscape of disruptive technologies to drive sustainable growth and success in their organizations.

Additionally, tech leaders must be able to manage change effectively. Disruptive technologies can create significant disruption, and leaders must navigate this disruption and help their organizations adapt and thrive.

Finally, cybersecurity has become a critical concern in the age of disruptive technologies. Leaders must be able to prioritize cybersecurity and ensure that their organizations are protected against cyber threats, he concludes.

A Promising Future Ahead

Abhishek sees a promising future for GMS and Lila Global and the maritime industry. Companies investing in technology, innovation, and relationships will be well positioned to succeed and drive positive change.

By embracing digital transformation to enhance operational efficiency, enable better decision-making processes, prioritizing sustainability as a competitive advantage, fostering collaboration to drive innovation, and staying adaptable, the company has position itself as leaders in the industry and continue to deliver value to its customers.

As different technologies become more powerful and interconnected, we will see a blurring of the lines between them. For example, AI will be used to power VR and AR experiences, and blockchain will be used to secure and track transactions in a variety of industries. Data will become the new oil in the 21st century. Companies that can collect, store, and analyze data will have a significant advantage over their competitors.

I believe we can create a future where technology is used to solve problems, improve our lives, and create a more sustainable world.

What is your advice for budding or emerging CIOs/tech leaders/executives?

Abhishek says that being a successful CIO or tech leader is not just about technology but also about effective leadership, strategic thinking, and business alignment. As a budding or emerging tech leader, it's essential to develop a business-first mindset, stay up to date with emerging technologies, focus on data-driven decision-making, build strong relationships with stakeholders, and prioritize cybersecurity.

  1. Technology is constantly changing, and it's essential to be adaptable and willing to pivot quickly when necessary. Engage in continuous learning through industry events, conferences, webinars, online courses, and professional networks. Be curious, explore emerging technologies, and proactively seek opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills.
  2. Think beyond the immediate needs and consider your solutions' long-term impact and scalability. Anticipate future trends and opportunities and be proactive in driving innovation and digital transformation.
  3. Foster an environment where ideas are encouraged, and experimentation is supported. Look for opportunities to collaborate with external partners, startups, and industry experts to bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to your organization.
  4. Stay up to date with the latest security threats and best practices. Implement robust cybersecurity measures to protect your organization's data, systems, and reputation. Educate your team and the broader organization on cybersecurity awareness and maintaining a strong security posture.

Quote: In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, visionary leaders must embrace change and leverage cutting-edge advancements to reshape tomorrow's horizons. By transcending industries and unlocking boundless possibilities, we forge a path towards a transformative and limitless future.

Management: Abhishek Saurabh, Group Chief Technology and Information Officer

Website: https://gmsinc.net/ and https://lilaglobal.net