Reflections from CGI's Leadership Connect 2024

I had the privilege of attending CGI APAC Financial Services Business Unit (FSDC) Leadership Connect 2024. This event was about bringing together leaders from across APAC FSDC business unit under one roof to reflect on our journey through FY 2024, align our goals for FY 2025, and most importantly, connect with fellow leaders to drive faster and more effective collaborations.

Here are some of my key takeaways from this enriching experience:

1. Top 3 Quotes

"Approach every opportunity with the position of strength, not with the fear of competition." - Ashok Chaturvedula

This reminded me of the importance of confidence and clarity when tackling new challenges. It’s not about fearing what others may do but focusing on what we can offer better.

"Mind share before market share." - Rakesh Aerath

Building trust and value in the minds of customers will always pave the way for long-term success. A strong reputation leads to lasting market presence.

"Control the controllable." - Ashok Chaturvedula

This is my favorite and something I firmly believe in.?Often, we stress over variables beyond our control. Focusing on what we can influence brings more quality and increase efficiency.

2. Collaboration Leads to Innovation

The discussions and interactions with leaders across the business unit provided fresh perspectives on the problems we are solving. Sharing challenges openly allowed for brainstorming new solutions that otherwise wouldn’t have emerged.

• Collaboration isn’t just about working together—it’s about combining strengths and ideas to fuel innovation. These conversations will no doubt spark new ways to approach our work, and I’m excited about the innovative projects that could come from these partnerships.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

3. Building Another You (BAY)

This concept really stood out to me—hiring the right people doesn’t just mean having the right skills on paper. It’s about finding people with the right attitude and mindset. We’re growing consistently, and we need individuals who are not just here to do a job but to help CGI evolve into an even stronger partner for our clients.

• Our vision for hiring is focused on creating future leaders as partners, not just filling roles. The ‘BAY’ philosophy is about empowering individuals who can represent the best of CGI and mentor others to do the same.

“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” – Simon Sinek

4. Focus on Quality while Improving Automation and Adopting AI

Automation and AI are critical for driving efficiency, but we must ensure that while adopting these new technologies, we don’t lose focus on quality. The goal is to use automation as a tool to enhance our delivery, not to replace the human touch that ensures excellence.

• Quality remains at the heart of what we do. As we implement AI-driven solutions, it’s essential to maintain the balance between speed and precision, always putting client needs and project integrity first.

“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.” – Aristotle

5. Be Aggressive with Solutions but Stay Grounded in Delivery Excellence

We are encouraged to think big, bold, and aggressive when it comes to solutions. Innovation thrives when we’re not afraid to push boundaries. But it’s also important to remember that the basics of delivery—timeliness, accuracy, Ramping up never be compromised.

• The balance between innovation and operational excellence is crucial. We are building the future of financial services, but we must do so with careful planning and execution.

“Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.” – Pat Riley

6. Our Commitment to DE&I and ESG Is Phenomenal

It was eye-opening to hear about the deep commitment CGI has made towards Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. The leadership team’s dedication to making a real difference in the community is inspiring. We can proudly say that CGI is leading the charge in promoting these values across the business.

• We are not just talking about change—we are actively making it happen by ensuring diversity in our workforce and making sustainable choices that benefit both the environment and society.

“Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness.” – Ola Joseph

7. Our Expertise in Building GCCs Is a New Strength

One of the key highlights of the event was recognizing our strength in building Global Capability Centers (GCCs). This has become a significant asset for us, allowing CGI to partner with captives to support them in setting up GCCs in India

Quote: “Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.” – Stephen R. Covey

Conclusion:

This two day conference has given a lot of positive vibes to me. We as CGI are pumped up to support our clients with high quality deliverables with innovation in their business process leveraging Automate everything as mindset, we adopt AI responsibly and building great leaders. I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the organizing team lead by my go to person in CGI Mahesh Palagani and team for their dedication and commitment in putting together this incredible event. It was a fantastic opportunity to learn, grow, and build connections that will undoubtedly help us in the FY 2025.

To be part of this wonderful team choose best role that could suite you - https://www.cgi.com/en/careers

Narendra Borwankar Jayalatha Ramachandran Krishna Prasad Kasthuri Prasad Durga Prasad Tirunala Santhanagopalan AG Rajesh Srinivasan Gopi Krishna P Binoo Mathen Kiran K. Sudip Datta Sanjay Adasul Arvind Karanth Saurav Kumar Ashok Kumar Mysore @manjunath Prasanna Krishnamoorthy Jeshwanth Tikare Sujithkumar P Sukumaran Rekha ( She / Her )