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Read our columns to stay up-to-date and learn how people and culture is the key to success in this rapid age of transformation. Our experienced columnists are Global Business Leaders, Intercultural Experts, and Diversity and Inclusion specialists writing for websites like SSON, CFO.nl, CHRO.nl and other knowledge platforms. We regularly interview prominent CEO’s, CFO’s, CIO’s, CDO’s and CHRO’s, to share their vision and learnings.
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Transformational leadership serie part 3
In the third and final part of our CIO leadership series, Jeroen Cornelissen, CIO Transavia talks with Ilse Kerling from Global Business Academy about organisational change. Change and transformation is a big topic in any department, but within IT it is huge. It’s about transforming the way your people work.
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Transformational leadership serie part 2
Jeroen Cornelissen is de CIO van Transavia. In deze drie-delige serie vertelt hij meer over mensgerichte en tech savvy organisaties. Omdat CIO’s vaak een voortrekkersrol hebben binnen hun organisatie kunnen we veel van ze leren. Jeroen licht in dit artikel toe waarom dat zo gegroeid is: IT had in het
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Transformational leadership serie part 1
Jeroen Cornelissen, CIO Transavia en Global Business Academy in gesprek over digitale transformatie: hoe nieuw leiderschap, het verleiden van mensen, controle loslaten en bevlogenheid cultiveren leidt tot een toekomstbestendige IT organisatie. Jeroen, jouw visie gaat vooral over het ontwikkelen van mensen, iets dat ik niet zo snel verwacht van CIO’s.
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VodafoneZiggo’s environmental transformation: tying billions of Euros to halving CO2 by 2025
Het bedrijfsleven zit in de fase tussen greenwashing en echte actie. Tussen vrees – wat als mijn organisatie niet meer competitief is door duurzaamheid – en moed. Ik vind het inspirerend wat jullie doen: Sustainability Linked Notes gekoppeld aan een CO2 halvering in 2025. Wat bewoog jullie? “Bij de start
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How to create a successful M&A – the story of VodafoneZiggo
Als global change specialist ondersteun ik fusies tussen bedrijven van verschillende culturen. Als werknemer van Verizon in Azië heb ik in acht jaar vier fusies meegemaakt en de daarbij behorende spanning. Het is best lastig. Ritchy, hoe hebben jullie de integratie en cultuurverandering gecreëerd voor Vodafone en Ziggo? “Cultuur heeft
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THE STORY BEHIND VODAFONEZIGGO’S SUCCESSFUL MERGER
In the 8 years that I worked for Verizon in Asia, I experienced four takeovers. I have seen the fall out when management doesn’t engage its workforce. I witnessed fierce internal competition, people leaving (always the best first) and prolonged distrust between employees of the merging organisations. It’s inspiring to
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Why people and culture are the most important asset – an interview with Ritchy Drost, CFO VodafoneZiggo
Why would a CFO, whose responsibility is financial and strategic, find people and culture so important? How does this add to the bottom line from a CFO perspective? This fascinated me. This curiosity led to an amazing meeting of minds with Ritchy Drost. Our conversations turned into a four-part interview, in
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Innovation Types
For the preparation of a culture workshop earlier this year, a client told me about a problem in his global team: “some of our team members have great ideas, but get criticism from other team members who say it’s too vague, not practical enough. And with that, ideas are off
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21st century global skills #4: (Self) Management
The effect of globalization and digitization is that our work is more complex and global. The speed of change is faster than ever. To stay ahead of competition, teams must communicate and collaborate more effectively, efficiently and inclusively across the globe. That is why Global Business Academy has created 8
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21st century global skills #3: Effective Communication
The effect of globalization and digitization is that our work is more complex and global. The speed of change is faster than ever. To stay ahead of competition, companies must communicate and collaborate more effectively, efficiently and inclusively across the globe. That is why Global Business Academy has created 8
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21st century global skills #2: Remote Team Building
The effect of globalization and digitization is that our work is more complex and global. The speed of change is faster than ever. To stay ahead of competition, companies must communicate and collaborate more effectively, efficiently and inclusively across the globe. That is why Global Business Academy has created 8
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21st century global skills #1: Strategy and Planning
The effect of globalization and digitization is that our work is more complex and global. The speed of change is faster than ever. To stay ahead of competition, teams must communicate and collaborate more effectively, efficiently and inclusively across the globe. That is why Global Business Academy has created 8
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Transformation (Part 6): how NXP achieved a cultural overhaul
This column is co-written by Sebastiaan Laurijsse, Senior Director IT & Digital Transformation Manager at NXP and Ilse Kerling, Founder of Global Business Academy. Missed Part 5 of the series? Read it here. In the previous article of this series, dissecting the journey at Dutch manufacturing company NXP to realise
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Transformation (Part 5): 21st century intercultural skills
This column is co-written by Sebastiaan Laurijsse, Senior Director IT & Digital Transformation Manager at NXP and Ilse Kerling, Founder of Global Business Academy. Missed Part 4 of the series? Read it here. In the previous article we outlined the complexities that service providers add to transformations. In this article
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Transformation (Part 4): the challenge with service providers
This column is co-written by Sebastiaan Laurijsse, Senior Director IT & Digital Transformation Manager at NXP and Ilse Kerling, Founder of Global Business Academy. Missed Part 3 of the series? Read it here. In the previous article of this series, we looked at the internal complexities of transformations: the ability
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Transformation (Part 3): the crucial role of the CHRO
This column is co-written by Sebastiaan Laurijsse, Senior Director IT & Digital Transformation Manager at NXP and Ilse Kerling, Founder of Global Business Academy. Missed Part 2 of the series? Read it here. In the last article, we looked at the crucial role of the CFO in driving transformation. In this
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Transformation (Part 2): the crucial role of the CFO
This column is co-written by Sebastiaan Laurijsse, Senior Director IT & Digital Transformation Manager at NXP and Ilse Kerling, Founder of Global Business Academy. Missed Part 1 of the series? Read it here. In the last article we examined that 70% of all global transformations miss their goals, and its impact
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Transformation (Part 1): The Law of Evolution
This column is co-written by Sebastiaan Laurijsse, Senior Director IT & Digital Transformation Manager at NXP and Ilse Kerling, Founder of Global Business Academy. Darwin’s evolution “If the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near,” said Jack Welch, years
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The future is now (Part 3): Asia, embrace change!
Missed Part 2 of the ‘Future Is Now’ series? View it here. Every day we see headlines about Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Process Automation, Blockchain (see the 2019 SSON Blockchain Market Report) and many more. Jobs are disappearing and we hear predictions that Gen Z will have four careers. But what does it all mean?
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The future is now (Part 2): Thrive in a global environment
In the Netherlands, we like to make jokes about our Belgian neighbours. Usually these jokes are about how Belgians are a little dumb, and the Belgian reply to that would be jokes about how the Dutch are tight – which is not so far from the truth. We are not
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The future is now (Part 1): Asia, the new power
In 20 years, Asia is predicted to top half the global GDP according to McKinsey. Yes, you read that right. Already, Asia represents a third of the global economy. For those born in the 50’s and 60’s, Asia was exotic, yet far away from being a super power. Then the
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RPA (Part 3): The Case of Culture Mis-identity
In this article, The Case of Culture Mis-identity, cultural differences are under the spotlight. In this case, they turned an RPA implementation that should have lasted 6 weeks into 13 months. Find out about warning signs that things are going wrong. “Hello hello…Holmes can you hear me…?” Watson shouted into
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RPA (Part 2): The Adventure of the RPA Derailment
A series co-written by Ankur Bansal, Director Strategy and Transformation at Deloitte and Ilse Kerling, Founder Global Business Academy. A continuation of: The Mystery of the Delayed RPA Caper... A week later, Holmes and Watson met up in the Mumbai Cigar Club, just before Watson was flying back to Amsterdam. “Hello
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RPA (Part 1): The Mystery of the Delayed RPA Caper
Holmes and Watson Unravel RPA Derailment A few weeks ago, Ankur Bansal, Director Strategy and Transformation at Deloitte and Ilse Kerling, Founder Global Business Academy – aka Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson – met up for lunch. Sherlock had just visited a client in India who had recently embarked on a RPA journey. As he entered
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Why is Cross-cultural Communication the #3 Skillset of the Future?
This month’s article is different than usual. Instead of interviews and analysis, I am sharing a true story, because it perfectly illustrates the cultural differences that Western and Asian teams need to overcome. The story takes place in Amsterdam, at the VU university. Three law students, two Dutch and one
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The Costs, Reasons, Indicators and Solutions to Churn in India
“I finally got my Indian peer up to speed and we’re working well together. But now he is leaving and I have to start all over again…” Churn is a big headache in India. The cost of attrition is 18 months’ salary and hiring externally hikes up salary costs by
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The Hidden Cost of Non-alignment Between Global Teams and India
The talk of the town at SSON’s flagship Shared Services and Outsourcing Week event in Orlando last month was RPA. Understandably so – the efficiencies it brings are incredible. Yet, for a cost-effective Global Business Support offering, India remains crucial – this will not change despite automation. Now that we
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