We are big users of Big Data and IoT: George Fanthome, Group Head IT, Vedanta and CIO, Cairn
Vedanta is at the cusp of a major transformation, enabled by IT. From being an enabler, IT is shifting towards being a partner at the frontlines, directly enabling businesses, states George Fanthome, Group Head IT, Vedanta and CIO, Cairn, in an extensive interview with Ankush Kumar. George has over 25 years of global experience in IT management, innovation, solution architecture, program management and software development. He has worked extensively in India, US and Africa in the areas of IT strategy, acquisitions and IT implementation with leading telecoms, ITES, insurance and software product companies.
Some edited excerpts:
How important is the role of IT in your organization? What are the key areas where IT has helped in bringing significant improvements?
We are in the cusp of a complete transformation at Vedanta and the role of IT is changing in the organization. From being an enabler, IT is shifting towards being a partner at the frontlines, directly enabling businesses. This is happening through a digital program being sponsored at the senior most levels in the organization. Some of the areas we are looking to have significant impact of IT are logistics automation, connected mines, integrated operations center, mobility, IoT based analytics and wearables.
Can you give us an overview of how IT is being used in Vedanta?
We are going through a challenging cycle at most of the business units, including low commodity and oil prices. This is both a challenge as well as an opportunity and there couldn’t be any better time other than this for innovation and truly shifting gears. Traditionally, IT has not been at the core of business but it’s still a great enabler – we have started a few strategic initiatives at some businesses and others are being planned. The engagement model is being worked on to reduce costs and enable business. We work with our operational technology partners and are big users of Big Data and IoT, as most of the partners collect information from sensors in field which are used for variety of operational requirements. We have started to use this for front-end business applications as well and also integrating back-office applications and operational data. Mining and metals have not been early adopters of integration but that’s changing now.
What are the major issues that are bothering CIOs in recent times? How are you handling these issues in your organization?
It’s certainly not the oil price or lower commodity pricing or any such business constraints that is bothering CIOs today. I believe moving beyond presentations on digital to real world execution / value realization is the real challenge. We all hear the potential of digital in PPTs but it is only beginning to have real impact beyond proof-of-concepts. Talk to anyone in IT and business teams, most will share what POCs they have done till date, especially in India. Besides that, security is something which is on the top of our agenda.
Data leakages have been one of the major issues for large conglomerates. How are you managing the process of sharing business critical data in your organization?
Overall Information protection and information security are at the core of what we do as part of technology adoption at Vedanta. We are leveraging a lot of cutting edge technology solutions to ensure that the organization’s data is protected. This includes containerized mail delivery using MDM solution, data leakage prevention solution, end point encryption, data protection of end user machines by backups and, security incident and event management (SIEM).
How do you ensure that the IT systems in your organization are efficient and secured?
We have a defined security policy across the group and our management assurance does periodic assessment with support from audits firms. There is elaborate assessment which is not only at technology assessment but also how processes are being adhered aligning to group security policy. An IT assessment is performed using the tools of industry known research firm. This gives us the maturity and efficient level of the IT systems.
Users are key like in any other business – to make sure that our IT systems are secured, we understand that pulse from the ground. We do CSAT with business team. The action items are picked up and converted to projects and we are happy to report that we are improving 10 percent (YoY) on that. The approach we are taking is move to proactive support than reactive by ticket logging by users.
What is your IT innovation and investment plan till 2020?
Current investments are more focused on IT ‘Lights-On’ meaning a bigger share of Run in the Run-Grow-Transform buckets. The innovation and efficiencies I am driving will start funding for transformation by keeping the costs flat starting this year. Also large transformations being planned are targeted as self-funded, where business efficiencies and benefits are far more than investments required.
Currently we are using SAP extensively and also other technology that we use is of Microsoft, along with few home grown applications. I am trying to standardize and consolidate them over next 12-18 months period.
We are partners with Babelfish, Schlumberger, and Yokogawa etc. for operational applications used for exploration and operations.
