Transformation cases on the verge of a new reality.
The 13th Annual International Conference Investments, Innovations, Information Technology held on February 25, 2022, at the RANEPA School of IT-Management was dedicated to Digital Transformation Practices: Expertise, Cases, and Methodology.
The hybrid event gathered more than 150 participants and 42 speakers from Russia, the USA, Japan, Denmark, and China. Traditionally, most of the conference participants are alumna and academic staff of the RANEPA School of IT Management.
The plenary session Global Challenges of Digital Transformation was opened by Dr. Alexander Sokolov, Director of the RANEPA School of IT Management. The conference was hosted and moderated by Dr. Alexander Ryzhov, Vice-President of IAC, Professor, Department Head with the RANEPA School of IT Management.
Jean-Pierre Auffret, President of IAC (International Academy of CIO), Professor George Mason University (USA), delivered his keynote lecture on Digital Transformation, COVID-19 and the Post Pandemic World.
Toshio Obi, President Emeritus of IAC, Professor Waseda University (Japan) and Naoko Iwasaki, President of IAC Japan, Professor Waseda University, Institute of e-Government (Japan), published their video message to the conference participants, sharing their experience and practical applications of Smart city solutions and further stages of digital economy development in Japan.
Talent acquisition and hiring was extremely relevant across the whole scope of matters discussed. According to an assessment by the Information & Computer Technologies Industry Association of Russia (APKIT), staff shortage in the Russian IT industry already ranges from several hundreds of thousands to one million people and it may reach two million by 2027. The panel discussion Cybersecurity in the Context of Digital Transformation was also largely centered around staffing issues.
The speakers reported several cases of Russian users being cut off from international vulnerability databases and other information sources critical for IT security. As pointed out by Rustem Khayretdinov, Business Development Manager with BI.ZONE and lecturer at the RANEPA School of IT Management, in the current situation, new sources of information will inevitably appear, but this is a lengthy, expensive, and complex process. Some features will have to be disabled, while the rest of them are to be implemented using tools that still remain available. Rustem Khayretdinov warned against investing in companies focusing on global markets.
Another closely-followed session was the plenary discussion Management and Risks of Digital Transformation moderated by Alexander Selyutin, Advisor to the General Director of the Eye Microsurgery National Medical Research Center.
The discussion was attended by:
- Dmitry Razumovsky, Deputy Governor of the Kaluga Region
- Yuri Lits, IT Digital Delivery director, VELUX (Denmark)
- Leonid Golovin, Advisor to the General Director for Digital Transformation, Gazpromtrans
- Oleg Smirnov, IT Director, Nikamed
- Alexander Balabanov, CDTO, Iceberry Company Group.
Upon review of digital transformation cases managed or assisted by the speakers, key risks and common pitfalls were identified.
The section Practical Cases of Digital Transformation presented another opportunity for experience sharing.
Participants and presentation summary.
- Valery Rybolovlev, Project Office Head, MMK Informservice, Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works PJSC, digital strategy implemented by the holding.
- Alexander Farizanov, Head of IT, Bonduel, RPA applications for accounting documentation handling.
- Natalia Starikova, Director, Shared Service Center Branch, URALCHEM Group, AI applications for in-house services.
- Oleg Vintovkin, IT Director, CountryCom Company Group, transition to hybrid operation for offices.
Two presentations by the School students from China:
- Zhang Jianhua, Senior IT Project Manager, Beijing Zhuoxin Zhiheng Data Technology Co. Ltd., a practical case of building an information system for the digital transformation of a large industrial enterprise.
- Ma Lei, Senior Engineer, AI Department, Weihai Aomu Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd., assessing the efficiency of an enterprise digital transformation.
The concluding remarks were made by Abel Gezevich Aganbegyan, a full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Director of the RANEPA School of IT Management
