Fujitsu is serious about driving a services-led business that prioritises co-creation with partners and customers.
Kathy Gibson learnt more about the technology and business models that will enable the company to achieve this goal at Fujitsu Forum 2018 in Munich.
All change for Fujitsu operations
Fujitsu has announced a new global structure to help the organisation address the opportunities around digital transformation.
“We have put in place measures for strengthening the business,” says Tatsuya Tanaka, president of Fujitsu.
The plan to increase profitability with connected services, along with growing Fujitsu as a service-orientated company has failed as regards operating margins and volume of sales outside of Japan, Tanaka explains.
“The market is changing drastically, and this presents a number of opportunities,” he says.
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What’s on the CIO’s mind?
CIOs have got a lot to think about: not only do they have to figure out how to craft a digital transformation roadmap that embraces technologies like hybrid cloud, big data and analytics, and mobility everywhere, they have to think ahead to a world that includes technologies only now being hyped.
Dr Joseph Reger, chief technology officer: EMEIA at Fujitsu, unpacks how he sees the emerging technologies of quantum computing, artificial intelligence and blockchain – and how CIOs should start factoring them in.
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Sizwe shows South African innovation to the world
Fujitsu partners are coming up with innovative solutions to real customer requirements – and South Africa’s Sizwe IT Group is up there with the best in the world.
The company was a runner-up for Fujitsu’s Global Select Innovation Award, which was won by France’s DFI. GreenIT, based in Germany, was another runner-up.
Sizwe and Fujitsu designed an insulated container-based classroom that is off the grid, providing its own power with solar panels.
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To HCI or not to HCI? That is the question …
Is a hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) now the first choice for CIOs?
In fact, most IT leaders still consider hyperconvergence as an option rather than the primary choice, says Gernot Fels, head of integrated systems: international product marketing at Fujitsu.
Analysts see HCI growth rates reaching about 40% by 2022, with 25% of business-critical applications currently on HCI and 85% of CIOs intending to spend more.
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How to pick the best storage for the job
There are more storage options today than ever before – and picking the correct solution can be a problem for IT administrators.
Choices are between all-flash and hybrid options, and solutions that are software-defined or hyperconverged, says Megha Shukla, product marketing manager at Fujitsu.
“It becomes very important to understand what each solution can do for you, to help decide which you should invest in,” she says.
To do this, CIOs should look at their scalability requirements, Shukla advises.
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People, technology work together for co-creation
Technology is a key component of digital transformation, but nothing can be achieved without putting people at the centre of any transformation.
“But it is always people who bring about transformation. The passion of someone who wants to make a difference will always inspire others and bring people together.”
Digital technologies are making it easier than ever for people to connect, Tanaka adds. “This is why Fujitsu is focused on co-creation; because we believe that the focus of these efforts must benefit people.”
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Fujitsu and the journey to hybrid cloud
Fujitsu has been very clear that it is building a services-oriented company that prioritises hybrid cloud services to support its customers as they negotiate their digital transformation journeys.
“There can be little doubt that senior business leaders across Europe have digital transformation very much on their minds,” says Duncan Tait, head of EMEIA region at Fujitsu.
“But it is about more than just technology.”
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Balancing digital strategy with real-world realities
Companies around the world are struggling to balance their digital strategies with implementation on the ground.
“We think co-creation helps to bridge the gap,” says Duncan Tait, head of EMEIA region at Fujitsu. “We talk about co-creation for success, and have invested heavily in people and centres of excellence to accelerate customer results.
“Not only are we training brilliant technical people, we are developing collaborators who can help to accelerate value.”
Fujitsu has opened a number of new digital co-creation centres in locations around the world. “And our customers love them,” Tait says.
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Fujitsu’s new hub model enables global services
Connected services are fundamental to the Fujitsu strategy.
“We are going through an era of digital transformation,” says Helen Lamb, head of industry and services, and deputy head of global service delivery at Fujitsu.
“But Fujitsu doesn’t pay lip service to it, we are very serious about delivering a high level of services in digital transformation.”
The company recognises that there is a need to provide consistent global delivery, balanced against a war for global talent.
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Fujitsu commits to growing partner ecosystem
Partnering is key to Fujitsu’s go-to-market strategy going forward.
The Fujitsu Select programme sees more than 30 000 partners working with Fujitsu around the world, co-creating solutions for customers.
The company’s growth strategy is premised on edge computing in the form of Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence and hybrid cloud solutions, underpinned by security.
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A question of trust …
Trust is more important than ever in the digital age, but our understanding of it is changing radically.
Rachel Botsman, author and influential management thinker, points out that the concept of trust is difficult to pin down.
In the physical world, we pick up subconscious signals that cause us to trust people or things; and we may believe we have enough information to make a call on trust.
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Sky is the limit for blockchain
Blockchain is by no means a new technology, but it is poised to underpin new and innovative applications that will have a profound effect on how we interact with systems and one another.
An everyday example would be a distributed database of vehicle services and interactions so that used car buyers can be confident about the mileage and service history of the car.
This database would be secure, transparent and immutable, as well as distributed, says Dr Joseph Reger, chief technology officer of Fujitsu and Fujitsu Fellow.
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A roadmap for digital transformation
Digital disruption is real, and often even embracing the latest technologies isn’t enough to keep companies competitive.
The development of technology could be seen to level the playing fields in many industries – but just having the technology to create solutions doesn’t mean that just anyone is able to do so.
“The key is partnering,” says Thomas Häggström, hybrid IT offering manager at Fujitsu. “Digital technology spanning artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), cloud and more is complex.”
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