Tech Insights: Interview with Anand Deshpande, Persistent Systems.

In our new Tech Insights series, we quiz industry leaders to get their views of what the year ahead holds for the IT world. Today we speak with Anand Deshpande, Founder, Chairman & Managing Director of Persistent Systems.

What do you see as the single biggest challenge facing the ICT industry in the year ahead, and why?

If I can quote Yoda to a young Luke Skywalker, “You must unlearn what you have learned!” In other words, things that have made companies successful in the past are often in their way of a successful future. Industry lines are blurring; digital-born innovations are disrupting markets and threatening to make companies - and industries - obsolete. Though there is a lot of discussion on why this matters and what the future will be like, I see very little emphasis on how to get there.

The biggest challenge facing the industry is to shift attention from the hype of technology innovation to the realities of use and sustained adoption at scale.

What do you see as the two or three biggest growth opportunities for your customers in 2015, and why?

Easily it’s digital, which is driving companies to improve everything they do. This includes those who don’t see themselves as being in the software business, but who are becoming software builders to digitally transform themselves.

The biggest growth opportunities for our customers in 2015 will be driven by this move. Their key to success with these opportunities will come from separating their digital transformation journey from the IT operations that support today’s business.

What emerging trends or developing technologies may influence or change the way the ICT industry will do business in 2015, and why?

Data continues to be the 800-pound gorilla. Almost every ICT company and its technology or services should look at how the influx of data impacts and benefits their customers.

A closely related trend is mobile and beyond - the emergence of wearables and other new devices. ICT companies need to adapt quickly to build new experiences for their customers and end consumers, and not just build technologies to unleash the potential of these technologies.

Most importantly, the ICT industry will be influenced in 2015 by how early movers or innovators start building software-driven businesses based on these developing technologies.

What are your customers demanding of you more today than five years ago, and how will you meet these requirements in 2015?

Now and into 2015, more than ever before, we are seeing demand from companies that one would not associate with the business of software or technology.

The imperative to go digital is a call for every company in any industry to build software that drives their business. We did not see this five years ago, when most companies were focused on implementing and maintaining IT to support their business.

We see this demand driving our growth at Persistent Systems in 2015 and beyond. Our software product DNA, which distinguishes us from IT outsourcers or systems integrators, positions us strongly for this new customer demand. To meet this new demand, we are strengthening our partner ecosystem of technology platforms and we are helping customers bring speed to their digital transformation using a combination of technologies and approaches.

Dr Anand Deshpande began his career at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories in Palo Alto, California, before becoming Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Persistent Systems, responsible for the strategy and management of the company. Anand identifies and invests in next-generation technologies and encourages intrapreneurship, ensuring Persistent stays at the forefront of technology innovation.