Intervju: Eric Pradier, HP EMEA

Filip Majkić

Intervju: Eric Pradier, HP EMEA

Eric Pradier se pridružio kompaniji HP kao novi potpredsednik i partner Technology Consulting odeljenju za Evropu, Bliski Istok i Afriku (EMEA region). Njegova odgovornost je rast HP Technology Consulting biznisa u EMEA regionu. Posebno je zadužen za servise svetske klase i njihovu isporuku preduzećima koja prolaze kroz značajne transformacije IT infrastrukture, prelazeći na eksploataciju data centara, konvergentnu strukturu i klijentsku infrastrukturu koje se baziraju na HP tehnologijama. Pradier će odgovarati direktno Johanu Dešjufeleru, starijem potpredsedniku i direktoru Technology Services EMEA odeljenja kao deo menadžment tima i Executive Leadership tima.

Pradier se nedavno pridružio HP-u nedavno iz kompanije Nokia Siemens Networks, gde je predvodio Global Consulting and Systems Integration odeljenje. Pre kompanije Nokia, radio je u Motorola Networks Worldwide Services odeljenju i obavljao različite menadžment funkcije u kompaniji Honeywell Bull Information Systems and Intershop AG. Sa više od 25 godina iskustva u industriji, sa vodećim ulogama u sferama IT-ja, razvoja prodaje i funkcionisanja servisa, razvijao je i vodio različite inicijative u pogledu biznis transformacija. Živi i radi u Parizu, u Francuskoj. Njegova puna funkcija glasi Vice President and Managing Partner of Technology, EMEA Region

Benchmark: Gospodine Pradije, mnogi mistifikuju konsalting. Gde je po vašem mišljenju ključ kvalitetnog konsaltinga u IT industriji?

Eric Pradier: Kvalitetan konsalting znači da vendor – HP u našem slučaju – biva doživljen od mušterije kao partner od poverenja kome može poveriti svoje poslovne izazove. To znači da moramo stalno demonstrirati kvalitet u svakodnevnim operacijama; na primer, u izvršavanju projekata i ugovora u skladu sa preuzetim obavezama.

Takođe, to nas obavezuje na visok nivo razumevanja poslovnih potreba našeg korisnika i sposobnost da se artikulišu i osmisle IT rešenja koja će omogućiti klijentu da na najbolji način koristi svoje tehnologije – naročito inovativne, kako bi mogao da odgovori na posebne poslovne izazove. Primera radi, da obezbedi sniženje troškova, ostvari konkurentnu prednost, i tako dalje.

Benchmark: Šta je ono što današnjoj, savremenoj industriji i firmama treba od IT-ja?

Eric Pradier: Inovativne pristupe i tehnologije koje ih čine fleksibilnijim, efikasnijim, donose manje troškova i više fokusa na njihove korisnike. Mobilnost i eksplozija količine podataka sa kojima se barata su ključne promene koje utiču na interne procese, procese kod kojih je korisnik u fokusu, kao i na organizaciju radnih resursa. To su ključne stavke koje danas za industriju predstavljaju i bitne potencijale i bitne prepreke.

Benchmark: Sa druge strane, šta je najveća zabluda kompanija kada je reč o korišćenju IT infrastrukture? Gde se obično kompanije „spotaknu“?

Eric Pradier: Korisnici se suočavaju sa veoma kompleksnim i raznovrsnim ekosistemima koji koriste nove tehnologije (mobilnosti, cloud…), sa puno različitih igrača na tom polju, sa puno gledišta i različitih mišljenja. Veliki je izazov da u svemu tome nađu pristup koji je najbolje prilagođen njihovom poslu i njihovim ambiacijama.

To je kombinacija njihovog trenutnog statusa i njihovog krajnjeg cilja, kako svaka IT transformacija zapravo i jeste put koji počinje iz jedne tačke i ide kroz seriju prekretnica ka svom cilju koje su relevantno za njihovo poslovanje i njihove željene ciljeve.

Benchmark: Kako se aktuelni svetski trendovi i dešavanja odražavaju na vaš domen IT biznisa, pa i na vaš nastup? Je li to prilika za vas da doprete do onih koji ranije nisu razmišljali ne samo o uštedama, već o promeni poslovnog modela i zadovoljavali se načinom na koji je nekada sve funkcionisalo?

Eric Pradier: Kao što smo spomenuli, neke bitne tehnološke evolucije postaju realnost. Mobilnost je ključna, kao i konvergencija IT i telekomunikacione infrastrukture. Obe stavke omogućavaju eksponencijalni razvoj konekcija i eksploziju generisanja podataka. Takođe, vode ka rastu upotrebe virtualizacije i implementaciji cloud arhitektura. To ima veliki uticaj na odnose između korporacija i njenih zaposlenih, njihovih korisnika, njihovih snabdevača, regulatornih i vladinih tela. Definitivno vidimo to kao generator promena poslovnih modela i upravo za pravilno razumevanje uticaja koji tehnologija ima na te tokove i vrednosti koju može da generiše služi HP Technology Consulting, jer je to ono što mi donosimo pred naše klijente.

Benchmark: Koliko se nastup, kompanijin i vaš lični, razlikuje od tržišta do tržišta? EMEA je prilično raznolik region.

Eric Pradier: EMEA je zaista vrlo raznovrstan region, koji kombinuje veoma zrela tržišta gde se klijenti prevashodno rukovode potrebama za transformacijom ili adaptacijom svojih poslovnih modela, kao i tržišta u razvoju gde se klijenti još uvek nalaze u fazi opremanja tržišta i implementacija potpuno novih poslovnih modela. U svim slučajevima se postavljamo kao partner od poverenja, trudimo se da upoznajemo klijentove poslove i potrebe do u detalja, intimno partnera upoznajući sa našim tehnologijama koje mu mogu pomoći ili predlažući rešenja za implementaciju koja klijentu mogu doneti najviše koristi. To je naša ambicija kada je u pitanju celo EMEA tržište.

Benchmark: Da li su usluge budućnost IT-ja, naspram „gvožđa“, odnosno hardvera?

Eric Pradier: Servisi i proizvodi su dve strane iste medalje kada se radi o pristupu naših klijenata. Nalaženje pravog balansa između njih prevashodno ima veze sa sledećim bitanjem: “Da li je inovacij u ovom trenutku na strani proizvoda?” Danas jasno vidimo da su mobilnost i cloud glavni faktori u inovacijama koji omogućavaju i ubrzavaju evoluciju IT infrasstrukture.

To za HP znači da je upravo tuglavni element naše budućnosti, i da se tu stvara dodatna vrednost, što opet znači da visok nivo razvoja usluga omogućava našim klijentima da iskoriste punu prednost svog portfolija proizvoda i obogate ih tehnoloških invoacijama. Servisi će biti jedina budućnost IT-ja tek onda kada hardver i softver ne budu bili značajan faktor u inovaciji. No, kako to nije slučaj danas, i aktuelne evolucije “vole” velike količine podataka, konvergencija IT-ja i telekomunikacionog sektora će nastaviti da podstiče dosta inovacija u domenu hardvera i softvera.

Benchmark: Gde vidite ključne prednosti HP portfolija u IT domenu u odnosu na konkurenciju?

Eric Pradier: HP raspolaže end-to-end opcijama koje donose korist, u kombinaciji sa velikim tržišnim dometima i tržišnimudelom. Mi smo ključni inovatori tržišta u smislu storidž rešenja, baratanja velikim količinama informacija, mreža, i drugih tehnologija vezanih za cloud. Dalje, HP ima veliki i ubedljiv ekosistem koji se sastoji od najboljih mogućih partnera iz celog EMEA regiona. Imamo snažan i konzistentan fokus na proizvode i servise koji isporučuju top rešenja iz oblasti bezbednosti, clouda i menadžmenta informacija. To je ključna vrednost HP-a.

Benchmark: Imate li neki savet za one koji žele da svoj biznis uspnu na višu lestvicu, i za to im treba novo-osmišljeno IT okruženje?

Eric Pradier: Odvojite vremena da razmotrite svoje poslovne prioritete i da prožmete potencijalne prilike sa svojim poslovnim planom. Razmišljajte o tome kao o putovanju, umesto o završnom statusu, odnosno završnom cilju. Pobednici u ovom poslovnom svetu su oni koji razmišljaju o prolaznim tačkama na svom putovanju i koriste najveće prednosti tehnološke evolucije kako bi maksimizovali poslovne efekte i redukovali troškove transformacija. Potražite ljude koji vam mogu pomoći u tome – kao na primer HP – i koji razumeju poslovne izazove, koji su intimno upoznati sa tehnološkim rešenjima i koji misle i na svoj i na vaš budući potencijal, uz precizne tajminge.

Konačno, imajte u vidu da je tehnologija katalist poslovne transformacije, ali da vaš posao i njegov uspeh zavise od procesa adaptacije. Morate investirate u svoje ljude, treninge, inovacije u jezgru vašeg poslovanja, nove planove i izgrađivati svoje poslovne procese korak po korak, kombinujući kratkoročne dobiti sa dugoročnom evolucijom.

English version

Eric Pradier has joined HP as the new vice president and managing partner of Technology Consulting for Europe, Middle East and Africa.  In this role he will be responsible for continuing to grow the HP Technology Consulting business in EMEA. In particular, he will deliver world-class services to enterprises engaging in significant IT transformations covering the data centre, cloud, converged infrastructures and client infrastructures enabled by HP technologies. Pradier will report to Johan Deschuyffeleer, senior vice president and managing director, Technology Services EMEA as part of the management team and will serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team.

Pradier joins HP most recently from Nokia Siemens Networks, where he led Global Consulting and Systems Integration. Prior to Nokia, he was head of Motorola Networks Worldwide Services and has previously held various management positions at Honeywell Bull Information Systems and Intershop AG.  With more than 25 years’ experience in the industry, his past global leadership roles span IT, sales development and services functions where he developed expertise in leading large-scale business transformation initiatives. Pradier is based in Paris, France.

Benchmark: Mr Pradier, consulting is mystified by many nowadays. In your opinion, what is the key of quality consulting in the IT industry today?

Eric Pradier: Quality consulting first means that the vendor (HP in our case) is perceived by the customer as a trusted partner for engaging with him in his business challenges. That means we must permanently demonstrate operational excellence i.e. delivering projects and contracts according to our commitments.

It also implies excellence in understanding customers’ business requirements and the ability to articulate an IT solution that will allow the customer to take advantage of technologies – especially innovative ones – for addressing his particular business challenges (e.g. cost reduction, competitive advantage…)

Benchmark: What do contemporary industry and corporations need from the field of IT these days?

Eric Pradier: Innovative approaches and technologies that allow them to be more flexible, more efficient, less costly, and more focused on their own customers. Mobility and data explosion are key changes which impact internal processes, customer centric processes and organization of working resources. They are key opportunities as well as constraints for industry today.

Benchmark: On the other hand, what are the biggest fallacies of companies regarding the IT infrastructure? Where do companies usually stumble?

Eric Pradier: Customers face a very complex and varied ecosystem with new technologies (e.g. mobility, cloud), new players, lots of different viewpoints and opinions. A huge challenge for them is to find the means and approaches that are best adapted to their business needs and ambitions. It is a combination of their current status and their end goal, as any IT transformation is a journey with a starting point and a series of precise milestones which are relevant to the customer’s business milestones and objectives.

Benchmark: How do current world trends and happenings reflect on the IT domain of your business and your appearance? Is this an opportunity for you to reach those who were satisfied with how everything functioned in the past, those who have never thought not only about the significant savings, but also about changing business models?

Eric Pradier: As mentioned above, some significant technology evolutions are becoming reality. Mobility is a key one as well as IT/Telco infrastructure convergence. Both enable the exponential development of connections and the explosion of data generation. They also lead to the generalization of virtualization and the implementation of cloud architectures. That has a very strong impact on the relationships between an enterprise and its employees, its customers or suppliers, and regulation bodies (e.g. tax authorities, pension funds, etc.). That will definitely foster changes in business models and understanding the impact of technology, for it is a key value-add that HP Technology Consulting brings to the customer’s table.

Benchmark: How does the appearance, company’s and your own, vary from market to market?  EMEA is a pretty diverse region.

Eric Pradier: EMEA is a very diverse region as it combines mature markets where customers are mainly driven by transforming or adapting their business models and more emerging or developing markets where customers are still in the equipment phase and are therefore implementing new business models when setting up or developing further their activities.

In all cases we engage as a trusted partner, understanding the customer’s business and needs in detail, intimately knowing what technology can bring or enable and proposing solutions to implement them which bring maximum value to our customers. That is our ambition in all of the markets across the EMEA region.

Benchmark: Are “services” the future of IT, and not the hardware?

Eric Pradier: Services and products are always the two legs of a solution approach for our customers. Finding the balance between both at a given time has mainly to do with the following question: “Is innovation strong at the moment on the product side?” We clearly see today that mobility and cloud are key innovation factors which enable and accelerate the evolution of IT infrastructure. That means for HP that it is a key element of our future and that our value proposition is to add to it with high level services allowing customers to take full advantage of product and technology innovation. Services will be the only future of IT when hardware and software are no longer strong vectors of innovation. This is definitely not the case today and the current evolutions like big data, IT/Telco convergence continue to foster a lot of innovation in hardware and software.

Benchmark: According to your opinion, what are key advantages of HP portfolio in the IT field compared to the competing solutions?

Eric Pradier: HP has an end to end value proposition with an extensive market reach and market share. We are key market innovators in terms of storage, big data, network and other cloud-related technologies. Furthermore, HP has a very large and compelling ecosystem of best of breed partners across the EMEA region. We have a very strong and consistent transverse focus spanning products and services to deliver market-leading security, cloud and information management solutions. That is the unique value of HP.

Benchmark: Can you give a piece of advice to those who would like to elevate their business and who want to do it by implementing newly-created IT solution?

Eric Pradier: Take the time to assess your business priorities and to interlock the potential opportunities from IT with your business plan. Think in terms of a journey and not in terms of the ultimate status. The winners will be the ones who build the journey that takes best advantage of technology evolution for maximizing business impact and reducing costs of transformation. Engage people (like HP) who understand your business challenges and who are intimate with the technology, i.e. who know its current and its future potential with precise timings in mind.

Last but not least, technology is an enabler or a catalyst of a business transformation but the return for your business comes if you adapt your processes and behaviours. That also implies investing in training your people, blue-printing your new organization and processes and taking a stepped approach to combine short term wins with long-term evolution.

Benchmark: Mr. Pradier, thank you very much!

Eric Pradier: Thank you.