Intelligent CIO Africa Issue 72 | Page 71

Uday Shankar Kizhepat , Vice President and General Manager – MEA , WSO2
On the lighter side of things , we ask the industry experts what makes them tick . . . .

. . . GET TO KNOW . . .

Uday Shankar Kizhepat , Vice President and General Manager – MEA , WSO2

wWhat would you describe as your most memorable achievement ?

Among the most recent professional achievements that stands out is the signing of a strategic partnership with a regional player to accelerate Digital Transformation through hybrid delivery approaches , including an onshore , best-shore , and cloud models . This partnership is the biggest in the region in recent years , with a potential value of US $ 200 million over six years .
What first made you think of a career in technology ?
I joined the IT industry because I saw the tremendous potential for technology to make the world a better place , and I wanted to contribute to that adoption .
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position ?
A leader , in my opinion , should be a visionary , and that ’ s what I ’ ve been striving to be . I ’ m constantly preparing the company ’ s next big thing with an eye on improvement , whether it ’ s employee or process development . I also firmly believe in collaborative leadership because it enables you to get the
best performance out of your team . In my current profession , I attempt to put my years of experience dealing with a complicated region like the Middle East to good use by taking on the roles of advisor to my clients and coach , as well as a mentor to my team members and colleagues .
What do you think is the current hot technology talking point ?
The Middle East and Africa region is riding the Digital Transformation wave . In particular , the region is experiencing phenomenal growth in the areas of Artificial Intelligence , the Internet of Things , robotic process automation , and migration to the cloud .
A leader , in my opinion , should be a visionary , and that ’ s what I ’ ve been striving to be . I ’ m constantly preparing the company ’ s next big thing with an eye on improvement .
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