Entries by Patrick Heffernan, Practice Manager and Principal Analyst

EY 2021: Hybrid and omnipresent

TBR perspective A few years ago in a wide-ranging discussion, TBR analysts and EY executives considered the future consulting business model, noting how most industries had been fundamentally disrupted by technology while consulting had seemingly remained unchanged. Fast forward to the current pandemic, and EY clearly anticipated where consulting was headed: hybrid engagements, delivered in-person […]

Innovation and transformation centers: Smart strategies pre-2020 will lead to success in a hybrid future

What the elite vendors have known: It is all about talent, location and network In meeting with leaders at innovation and transformation centers around the world and discussing their approaches to talent, TBR learned that the most aggressive and successful vendors understood key human resources elements: Talent developed at a center could be dispersed across the […]

PwC’s design of a Central Lending Platform concept for Singapore: Acceleration and digitization for struggling SMEs

A pandemic-induced national problem with a PwC-designed solution In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic fallout, Singapore’s government sought to bolster the SME market, which employs 70% of the city-state’s workforce and generates 50% of its gross domestic product (GDP), in part through a risk-sharing program for loans to eligible SMEs. Early efforts […]

EY’s Strategy and Transactions practice takes shape amid evolution across the entire firm

A full breadth of services to tackle fundamental capital deployment questions Setting the stage for EY’s shift from Transaction Advisory Services to Strategy and Transactions, Nadine Mirchandani, deputy global vice chair of Strategy and Transactions at EY, and team noted that as COVID-19 has served as an accelerant to disruptive trends across technology, macroeconomics and […]

PwC’s Saratoga, diversity and inclusion challenges amid the shifting landscape of HR management

Beer carts do not lead to promotions   Prior to the pandemic, companies across all industries marketed their diversity and inclusion scores, rankings and awards, demonstrating to clients, investors and potential recruits their efforts in this area and good corporate citizenship. Combine fewer marketing opportunities with increased scrutiny of what exactly well-run diversity and inclusion programs […]

Atos gains AI consulting expertise through the Miner & Kasch acquisition to enable digital transformations

Miner & Kasch’s deep AI expertise in North America helps Atos extend global reach and scale According to Atos SVP of Big Data & Security Jerome Sandrini, Miner & Kasch’s appeal included raw talent — “pure data scientists, real PhDs, not citizen data scientists” — and reusable components, particularly assets that will work with Atos’ […]

Global trade and maritime ports: How EY tackles both with digital transformation and data

Bringing expertise, technology and experience to the business of running a port   TBR has covered EY extensively, reporting on the firm’s evolution in both technology and global operations, most recently in a special report that noted, “EY has rapidly evolved its technology consulting practice and its overall value to clients around emerging technologies and […]

Intelligent supply chain and ports: Atos on the present and future of digital transformation in port operations

Applying emerging technologies to supply chains   In a wide-ranging discussion, Atos Technology and Innovation Lead Erwin Dijkstra and his colleague Bas Stroeken, Scrum Master & Pre-sales Consultant – Intelligent Supply Chain, shared a few key insights into their company’s strategy on integrating emerging technologies, such as AI, blockchain and IoT, into maritime port ecosystems, […]

IT services vendors react as the pandemic persists

TBR perspective The first theme to emerge in TBR’s discussions with industry participants — coping with COVID-19 — centered on the maturation of approaches, solutions and ongoing concerns across the IT services space. Vendors continue to prioritize employee safety while increasingly looking to employee productivity measures, and continue to prioritize sales and go-to-market motions around […]