"Cost optimization is planned on the complete IT and communication platforms" - Ved Prakash Nirbhya, CIO, Tech Mahindra

After qualifying as a mechanical engineer, Ved Prakash Nirbhya started his career as a trainee engineer in the tool room of the Indian Telephone Industry (ITI). This was followed by a stint with Bharat Electronics. In 1994, he moved to Tech Mahindra as a program engineer and director. In 2010, he shifted to the CIO role, and with this position Nirbhya automated Tech Mahindra's internal processes with great zeal. He follows a 'unanimous decision-making' style of management, which has made his approach transparent and encouraged innovation. To comprehend what drives Nirbhya, read on to an exclusive interaction with VOICE&DATA. Excerpts -

- Ved Prakash Nirbhya,
CIO, Tech Mahindra

You have seen your profile change in the organization. What are your immediate focus areas as the CIO of Tech Mahindra?

I moved to Tech Mahindra in 1994. For a major part of my tenure with Tech Mahindra, I have been working as a program engineer and director. In UK, I was a customer delivery manager for British Telecom, managing delivery of multiple programmers. It was last year in 2010 that I shifted to the CIO role.

Currently, my key focus area is to provide a reliable communication and application infrastructure for the merged entity.

What are the Top 5 ICT challenges faced by Tech Mahindra? And the key challenges for the Indian IT Industry?

A few areas where Tech Mahindra is facing difficulties are rapidly changing customer expectations, end-to-end vision on opportunities, quality value proposition, and collaboration at the team level.

Overall, there are still some major over-empowering issues that IT industry at its internal processes faces. These include rise of cost, availability of a quality talent pool, retention of the talent pool, security and IP protection, required infrastructure availability, and changing customer expectations rapidly.

Which are the areas where you are planning to cut down cost through ICT solutions?

Cost optimization is planned on the complete IT and communication platforms. This is achieved with negotiation on the new requirement against stringent norms and also on the annual renewal as and when it comes.

Which are the software solutions and ICT tools that have been deployed, or are being planned, at Tech Mahindra for increasing employee productivity?

We at Tech Mahindra have been investing in employee productivity at regular intervals. Initiatives include a free voice portal, where associates can express their concerns and suggestions; a knowledge management portal; a social media platform for collaboration; a business intelligence solution; and a cloud based CRM solution for the sales force.

How is Tech Mahindra using 3G for its own internal functioning with respect to different departments? How do you plan to leverage LTE and 4G?

3G is being used only by the senior management and by those projects that have 3G as a specific requirement. At present, we are not using 3G (unless there are specific project needs) due to inadequate pan-India coverage issue of service providers. There is no plan for 4G usage at this juncture.

Who are your telecom and networking partners?

For its ICT needs and demands, Tech Mahindra is currently dealing with Verizon, BT, C&W, Bharti airtel, TTSL, TCL, Reliance, Sify, Cisco, Check Point, RSA, and Proventia.

How are you ensuring that cloud computing becomes a successful proposition for enterprises?

Tech Mahindra is a cloud solution integrator helping cloud service providers to build their cloud services. We have built a cloud computing lab at Tech Mahindra's Pune center, where we do a lot of integration and customization for the customers and help them in bringing out their services. Our OEM partners are actively involved in this activity and are working hand-in-hand with us.

Security is a big issue in the IT world. What is your security policy and how do you see it unveiling over the years?

Our security policy is regularly reviewed and refined to technology and business environment changes. We also follow customer-specific security policies and procedures. Also, we have set these policies for customers in an offshore environment, which is an additional control to our certified security standards. We also have Internal Information Security Group which manages the over all security posture of Tech Mahindra.

Which are some of the trends in ICT that you see gaining immense importance in the near future for the IT Industry?

There are many trends which have been creating a buzz for many years. These technologies are here to stay and gain strength in the years to come. Technologies like virtualization, cloud computing, fabric computing, mobile and wireless technology rise, and unified communication.

Have you outsourced any activity, or plan to?

Hand-and-feet support is completely outsourced on an operational front with overall control being with Tech Mahindra. On the connectivity front, international, domestic, and internet connectivity have been outsourced as a managed service to the service provider, again within overall control of Tech Mahindra.

How do you plan to move on in international connectivity services with your offices spread across the world?

This is similar to what we do today and there is no major change. We have managed international MPLS connectivity with 100% back-up on equipment, local lead, PoP, and connectivity perspective. We have connectivity from 2 different service providers, with connectivity sharing in the ratio of 40:60. Hence we are not dependent on a single service provider.