GORDON LAM

President, APJ, Syniti The disruptions brought on by remote connectivity are pervasive. From the obvious ways of how we engage, communicate, or ideate with one another, to the subtle changes in buyer behaviors, and the decision-making process both in style and substance. These challenges have manifested beyond the physical distance, but also to mental and psychological distance, impacting mental health and adding on to work and personal stress. With an agile mindset, we were able to shift our priorities to our stakeholders and emphasize the importance of employee well-being. As a result, we established new programs and communication channels to stay connected while apart. There will be a lot of innovation around bridging the physical divide. In the 20th century it was all about trains, planes, and automobiles bringing people closer, and that is important as we are social beings – communication is much more than just the spoken and written words. In the new normal, we need to be able to create that proximity and intimacy as we engage, communicate, and share ideas while being miles apart. The other area that is experiencing a tsunami level of innovation, and a topic close to my heart, is data. This is a pivotal moment as emerging technology like artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and IoT are creating tremendous shifts across all industries. Covid-19 has placed the rate of these innovations on steroids and all these shifts intersect at two pronounced technological intersections — silicon and data, which impacts every aspect of business and our daily lives. Organizations will therefore continue to prioritize their digital transformation journeys to build a robust digital infrastructure and ensure business continuity in a hybrid working environment.