In Saudi Arabia, the place financial diversification and institutional reform are reshaping the function of enterprise, know-how is changing into a central thread in how organisations adapt and develop. The nation is present process a generational shift, not solely in infrastructure and funding, however in mindset, the place long-standing industries are being requested to modernise with out shedding their identification.
For Filip Nekvinda, chief info and digital officer (CIDO) at Abdul Latif Jameel Enterprises, this presents each a problem and a possibility. His function requires navigating the strain between sustaining the steadiness of core IT techniques and pushing ahead with digital initiatives that demand experimentation and velocity.
“You possibly can’t innovate in case your core techniques don’t run effectively,” he says. “And you may’t simply hold techniques operating if you wish to keep related.”
In his view, reliability and innovation usually are not in battle, they’re interdependent. It’s this twin focus, grounded within the realities of Saudi enterprise tradition and the nation’s broader transformation, that defines his method to management.
“That stability is likely one of the hardest but additionally most rewarding components of my job,” says Nekvinda. “You possibly can’t innovate in case your core techniques don’t run effectively, and you may’t simply hold techniques operating if you wish to keep related.”
For him, the 2 domains usually are not in competitors, they’re deeply related. “Operational reliability builds belief. Upon getting that basis, you earn the proper to experiment.”
Information-based choices
His method to innovation is pragmatic. Nekvinda favours small, quick pilots with clear outcomes. “We check, be taught and scale solely what proves worth,” he explains. “That means, we hold the spirit of experimentation alive with out placing every day operations in danger.”
This philosophy is especially resonant in a family-run enterprise like Abdul Latif Jameel Enterprises. In contrast to purely company or authorities organisations, the corporate’s long-term imaginative and prescient and values-driven management create fertile floor for significant transformation. “There’s a powerful sense of function right here,” Nekvinda notes. “Selections are guided by what’s proper for the enterprise and the neighborhood, not simply the subsequent quarter.”
That readability of function permits agility. With management carefully related to operations, innovation can transfer rapidly and land with impression. But Nekvinda is obvious: transformation at Abdul Latif Jameel is evolutionary, not disruptive. “It’s about connecting a long time of success with the alternatives that trendy know-how brings.”
“We check, be taught and scale solely what proves worth. That means, we hold the spirit of experimentation alive with out placing every day operations in danger”
Filip Nekvinda, Abdul Latif Jameel Enterprises
One such alternative lies in reimagining buyer experiences. Within the firm’s automotive providers, the whole buyer journey, from reserving to suggestions, has been digitised. “What used to contain a number of telephone calls and guide steps is now absolutely digital, sooner and much more clear,” he says. The outcome? New income streams, stronger loyalty, and smarter decision-making powered by information.
Certainly, information is central to Nekvinda’s technique. “Information is effective solely when it results in higher choices,” he explains. By connecting info throughout enterprise models, the corporate can anticipate wants, personalise providers, and shift from reactive to predictive operations. “That’s the place the actual worth lies, transferring from assuming to understanding.”
This data-driven method is already yielding tangible outcomes. By analysing service patterns and buyer suggestions, the corporate has improved scheduling, elevated satisfaction, and unlocked new efficiencies. “The true impression comes from motion,” Nekvinda says. “Information helps us transfer from reacting to predicting.”
Making innovation significant
Saudi Arabia’s Imaginative and prescient 2030 offers a nationwide framework for this sort of innovation. Nekvinda sees pure alignment between the nation’s ambitions and Abdul Latif Jameel’s digital priorities. “Imaginative and prescient 2030 units a transparent course for a way innovation, know-how and expertise can drive the subsequent chapter of development,” he says. “Our initiatives, whether or not bettering buyer expertise or growing effectivity, match squarely inside that imaginative and prescient.”
But, he’s equally dedicated to preserving the corporate’s DNA. “Transformation should really feel human,” he insists. “Know-how ought to empower folks and strengthen the connection between our providers and prospects. That’s what retains innovation significant and lasting.”
In fact, not each transformation is met with enthusiasm. Resistance, whether or not from senior executives or frontline workers, is inevitable. Nekvinda’s technique is to contain folks early, hearken to their issues and ship fast, seen wins.
“When folks see how digital instruments make their work simpler, resistance turns into curiosity,” he says. With senior leaders, the bottom line is linking digital initiatives to enterprise outcomes. With frontline groups, it’s about empathy and collaboration. “Folks don’t resist change itself; they resist feeling omitted of it,” Nekvinda observes. “When communication is open and progress is seen, most sceptics develop into advocates.”
Selections are guided by what’s proper for the enterprise and the neighborhood, not simply the subsequent quarter. It’s about connecting a long time of success with the alternatives that trendy know-how brings Filip Nekvinda, Abdul Latif Jameel Enterprises
Trying forward, Nekvinda sees synthetic intelligence (AI) as probably the most instantly impactful know-how. “AI is already bettering buyer expertise, rushing up inside processes, and serving to folks make higher choices,” he says.
Generative AI, specifically, is reworking how groups work together with information and with one another. “It simplifies communication, automates repetitive duties, and makes data extra accessible.”
However he’s fast to make clear that AI’s worth lies in augmentation, not automation. “It helps folks deal with higher-value work, be extra artistic and ship sooner outcomes. That’s the place know-how actually turns into a accomplice in progress.”
As Saudi Arabia continues its fast digital evolution, Nekvinda believes the subsequent technology of know-how leaders will want greater than technical experience. “Adaptability, strategic considering, and the power to attach know-how with actual enterprise and buyer outcomes can be important,” he says.
Curiosity and steady studying can even be key. “The panorama is altering quick, and leaders who keep open to new concepts whereas retaining a transparent sense of function will proceed to maneuver the nation ahead.”
