娇色导航

Welcome to SEO Leadership Live I'm Lee Rennick executive director of 娇色导航communities for cio.com.

Unknown And I'm very excited and honored to introduce and welcome Michel Lamba, Chief Digital Officer, Quadra Group. Michel, please introduce yourself and maybe tell us a little bit about your current role. Outstanding. Well, first I'd like to say thank you for having me.

It's definitely an honor to have this opportunity. So yes, as you just mentioned, I'm

Unknown Michel Lamba, I'm chief digital officer at Quadra Group.

Unknown My role is all about leading our digital strategy and transformation. Naturally, finding the right ways to use technology, data and innovation to help the business grow and, run more effectively.

So at Quadro, more specifically, what we do is we distribute chemicals and ingredients across a wide range of industries. And my job is to make sure our digital strategy not only supports our company's vision, but also keeps us ahead of the curve.

Unknown That means working on big projects like moving our infrastructure to the cloud. Improving the employees experience, as well as fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. Not only within the digital team, but also throughout the organization.

But at the heart of it, my role is really about people helping them navigate change, adopt new tools, and succeed in this ever evolving digital world that keeps on growing every, every, every day.

Unknown I guess the most rewarding part, is seeing how our work doesn't just impact the bottom line of the business, but also how it transforms the way our teams collaborate and create value for our customers. Unknown Wow.

You've got a very large remit remit at a very large company. And, you know, taking into account and making sure you're putting people first is really inspiring.

Unknown And I know we've had a chance to chat about that in the past, and we will today as well too. So I'm really I really appreciate you joining us here today. Today, Michel, thank you so much.

Unknown So we have developed a series to support the tech leader and the 娇色导航in their tech and leadership journey. And the first question I ask and I ask everyone this question.

Unknown Could you please tell me a little bit about your career path today and leadership journey to date? And maybe are there any lessons learned you could share along that happened along the way?

Unknown So that's a great question, Lee. Thank you for asking. I've always been drawn to technology. It actually started when I was a kid. Just curious about how things worked. By 13, I had a little side business building websites.

Unknown And, at the time, I didn't really see it as a business. I was just having fun figuring things out. And loving the process. But looking back now, that was my first real dive into entrepreneurship. And, it sparked my passion for tech and problem solving.

That passion led me to study IT engineering. And over the years I've worked across different industries.

Unknown But, when I look at it, I really found my place more in the manufacturing and distribution, side of businesses, which I really enjoy. And there's something about seeing technology that makes a real, tangible impact. That incredible is incredibly rewarding.

Along the way, I also started two businesses of my own, which gave me a whole new perspective, not just on tech, but on leadership, problem solving, and what it really takes to run a company, basically.

Unknown One of the biggest things that shaped me was the mentorship and support I also received throughout my career. And what I realized early on in my career is that leadership isn't just about getting results. It's about empowering people, creating the right environments, and helping others grow.

They're the ones basically making things happen. At the end of the day, it's technology is basically just a tool.

Unknown So that's that's why as much as I love tech, that what really drives me is working with people, unlocking potential and seeing what we can accomplish together.

Unknown And in the end, the people first, my mindset is basically what is what has guided me through my whole career. And it's still what drives me today.

Unknown That's very inspiring. And I love the fact that you started making websites when you were 13 or 14, and then the fact that you've owned businesses because, you know, we do a lot of research and we just released the state of the CIA report.

Unknown And, you know, a lot of sales are talking about the ways that they have to approach business approach, being a business leader, not just a technologist.

So, you know, certainly that idea of running companies and understanding the full remit of what had to happen to move a company forward must have been really instrumental and it must be instrumental in your roles. Unknown Now.

So I wanted to talk a little bit further about, you know, the idea of leaving your tech teams you just talked about. That sounds like it's servant leadership at its best.

And you did talk about leading your tech teams and really looking at ways to remove obstacles to lead and work together to build innovation and cutting edge technology.

Unknown So we're hearing a lot now about skills building and skills distribution with teams. Perhaps you could talk a little bit about your leadership approaches to skills building, especially in this current space right now with generative AI? Unknown Yeah.

Great question. So if we if we embark on the skills development side, skills development is something that I care personally deeply about as a leader, especially in a in such a fast moving landscape.

Unknown One of my key responsibility is making sure my team isn't just keeping up with change, but leading. Also, the way. For me, it all starts with building a culture of continuous learning.

Technology evolves too quickly, and the best way to stay ahead is by creating opportunities, whether that's through training, certifications, mentorship, or simply hands on experience with new tools.

Unknown I also encourage my teams to step outside of their comfort zones and take on new challenges.

Unknown That's where real growth happens, both for the individuals and for the team as a whole. We take a strategy, strategic approach to, skills development, focusing on the areas that will have the biggest impact. Naturally, cybersecurity is one that comes out often data analytics, cloud technologies, process automation.

Unknown And more.

We don't just react to change. We try to stay ahead of it. And of course, that includes generative AI. And AI has a huge potential to boost productivity and innovation. But it's not just about using the tools, it's about knowing how to apply them effectively.

In our line of business and so on. At the end of the day, my goal is to make sure skills development isn't just a box we check.

Unknown At the end of the day, it's really more of a mindset that we we try to and store and create.

And, when people feel supported and equipped to grow, they are more confident, more innovative, innovative and better positioned to drive success in a never changing digital world that again keeps on evolving.

As I mentioned before, yeah, I really love the approach, and I love the approach of Bet about being, you know, in-tune and adaptive with your employees, looking at ways to improve skills, looking at, you know, you talked about improving productivity.

Unknown That happens with technology, but it also happens with people and technology together. So I think it's really a fantastic approach to it. And I really appreciate you sharing that with us. And it it really segues really well into the next question perfectly. So

Unknown we chatted about digital transformation not just being about a digital shift, but a culture, excuse me, shift, which, requires really good organizational management.

Unknown And I was thinking about this as you were, you know, answering the last question. So I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about that and how you approach digital transformation projects as a leader.

Unknown Well, that's a great observation, and I completely agree with you, Lee. So digital transformation is really as much about people and culture as it is about technology.

Unknown In fact, I'd say no transformation can truly succeed without a cultural shift as a whole. When I approach digital transformation that always starts with putting people first. And again, that mindset I was speaking to at the beginning.

Sure, we have the tech, the processes and the systems, but it's the people who make them work. A change is only effective if it connects with the people who have to live it every day.

Unknown Which is why organizational change management is always at the top of my list. We make it a point to ensure everyone from senior leadership to frontline team members understand why we're making the change.

The the other point attached to this is communication, which is which is key here to, it's not just about giving orders from the top.

Unknown It's about creating space for dialog feedback and even co-creating solutions with the particular individuals in the business. When people feel informed, involved, and value, they're much more likely to get on board and help drive the transformation forward. And then

Unknown another piece I think is also subject's importance here is, strong project management, which is also essential. Every successful transformation needs a clear plan, realistic timelines and alignment across teams.

Unknown But what really makes a project stand out is waving change management into every phase of the project, from the initial design and stakeholder engagement to the training and post-launch support. So it's before and after as well. That way the change isn't just a one time shift.

It becomes a lasting evolution and you make it sustainable as well.

Unknown At the end of the day, digital transformation is all about enabling people to work better, smarter, and more collaboratively together. By focusing on culture, communication, project management and change management. We're not just shifting technology, we're empowering our teams and creating real value for the organization. Together.

That is really inspiring. I just about interrupted you because I was I was really thinking about that aspect, and I had a, discussion with another 娇色导航about, that shift in the transformation and that it being ongoing.

Unknown And it just doesn't you don't just pick up something, change it, put it down here and it's done. It's like that ongoing process.

So, it sounds like you've really worked that out and map that out, taking into consideration your teams and your organization and knowing, I'm sure that you get a lot of pressures from your senior leadership about making this change and maybe making it quickly, but it sounds like you've really put that project management piece and process together.

Unknown So congratulations to you. Very, very inspiring to hear and thank you for sharing. Okay,

Unknown so next question and our final question here. It's a big one. And it's still on the minds of so many tech leaders right now. But you know we're learning a lot about how IT leaders are utilizing gen AI to build productivity.

And we've been talking about that today and value at the business.

Unknown So you know, you just you just talked about the this role and technology and how it will play into the future of work. And you've talked a lot about people and process, in our discussion today. So what are your thoughts about Gen AI on the tech S-curve.

And you know, what do you see the impact to business, society and workforce and the workforce?

Unknown Yeah, the the big question. Indeed. It's on top of every CIO's mind. And yes, well, look, in my opinion and my opinion only on this, I guess I is one of the most exciting and disruptive technology that we've seen in years so far.

And I think we're still just scratching the surface on it. Right now, we're in that phase of rapid innovation where businesses are experimenting and figuring out where it creates the most value.

Unknown But from a business standpoint, Gen AI has the power to transform productivity. It can take over repetitive tasks, improve decision making, and, advanced insights and even change the way we interact with data.

But I guess what excites me the most is how it can enhance human creativity and innovation. On the other side, you know, my people first mindset always starts to like, think that way.

Unknown And I'm looking here by automating the routine that frees people up to focus on what really matters,

Unknown which is judgment, strategy and problem solving, which often time we don't get the time to because we're so ingrained in the execution. Of course, there's a bigger picture to all this, but Jenny brings incredible opportunities.

But it it also raises important questions on ethics bias and ensuring it's used responsibly, like any powerful tool.

Unknown And it has to be developed and deployed, thoughtfully to avoid unintended consequences like widening inequalities or displacing jobs without a plan. Speaking of jobs, gen AI is both a challenge and an opportunity for the workforce. It's going to shift the skills we need.

But it also creates a chance to reskilling, upskill people for the future. And as leaders it's on us to help the teams adapt, to provide the right tools, training and mindset.

Unknown So they're not just keeping up with the change, but also embracing it as as humans and seeing how it can help them. At the end of the day, Gen A's impact depends on how we choose to use it, in my opinion.

And, if we focus on leveraging it to enhance not replacing humans human potential, it can help us build a future that's more innovative, inclusive and connected.

Unknown And again, I say all this and my own opinion and, I think it can make, a lot of benefits and bring a lot of benefits to tons of companies. Really, really inspiring. Thank you so much, Rochelle. What a great way to end the interview.

And thank you so much for joining me here today. I very much appreciate it.

Unknown Thank you very much. The appreciate it. Thanks again. And if you're interested in learning more listening to this interview or others, please tune in to us over at cio.com. Thanks again.