On the lighter side of things, we ask Alyssa Sliney, SVP of Delivery EMEA at Syniti, what makes her tick.
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement?
I love problem-solving – that challenge of discovering what’s at the root of a problem and discovering the most effective solution. So, when it comes to work, it’s no surprise that my most memorable achievement is one full of complexity: the success we’ve had with our Master Data Management (MDM) solution at Johnson & Johnson.
Our goal was to replace several existing MDM tools by implementing a global template for Materials on the Syniti solution. We had a very difficult first three rollouts due to a very complex design, but after taking a break and assessing how we were executing the program, we’ve done subsequent releases and a full APAC regional rollout very successfully and with strong adoption.
The key change was to allow the regions variations of the process that fit their business while keeping in line with the concepts everyone needed to support. By changing from a strict technical interpretation of the global design, we were able to meet the needs of the business much better while still delivering the process measurement capabilities they needed.
What first made you think of a career in technology?
I’ve always been drawn to technology: it’s the problem-solving and the pace of change. Knowing that I’m working on projects that will have a real impact on the way organisations function, and ultimately on their success.
Other industries do this too. But I happened to be in the right place at the right time to be introduced to the space. By starting in the industry as an intern, I’ve experienced a full range of roles which has helped me to understand which parts of the industry I love most.
The reason I stayed has more to do with culture. The way our founder broke down complex problems and the way our people invested in each other, meant that I wanted to stay and grow my career in tech.
What style of management philosophy do you employ in your current position?
I would say consultative, which isn’t a surprise given my background. I’ve learned from some great leaders who asked questions and listened to their teams. Leaning on others with different experiences and gaining a global perspective as inputs to decisions is really important to me, but I also value the accountability of being the final decision-maker and taking ownership of it.
What do you think has emerged as the technology trend of this year and why?
This year is easy – it’s GenAI. I think the possibilities it opens to everyone are very exciting and the ease of use for informal users is what makes it so attractive. You don’t have to be an expert to come up with and solve use cases.
But what remains to be seen is whether it’s truly revolutionary or whether it will just be another tool in the kit. There’s a real risk that we miss out on GenAI’s potential by neglecting the data it’s using to generate results. We’ve seen examples of this already: where poor quality data leads to inaccurate or biased content.
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry?
The move to SAP S4/HANA is huge and it will only get bigger. The transformation means tens of thousands of organisations migrating from old SAP ERP systems to a business suite hosted on-premise, in the cloud or as a hybrid. Imagine the volume of data that will be migrated. And imagine how much of that is probably inaccurate, is duplicated data, or is simply not needed.
Although the investment in the new platform will be substantial, investing in data quality will be crucial too to avoid spiralling costs, missed deadlines and, ultimately, failed projects.
What I find interesting is the way companies are pushing back a bit when it comes to migrating to the new platform. They’re not settling for the status quo and instead are looking for different options to get there. I think it’s forced more thoughtful solutions in the market, and is a great model for the future.
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside of the office?
With my dogs – I have 2 rescues, Darcy and Bennet. I also enjoy golf with my family and I’m now starting to explore all that Barcelona has to offer after my move.
If you could go back and change one career decision, what would it be?
I wish I had advocated more for myself sooner. I was very passive in my early career when it came to opportunities and asking for what I wanted. It takes a level of experience and confidence to do that though, and although perhaps I missed out on some opportunities by not speaking up, the route I’ve taken has opened different doors and made me the leader I am today.
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in Europe?
Compliance challenges with data residency, data sovereignty and GDPR are some of the biggest challenges, although, as a region we are overcoming them by developing and introducing thoughtful architecture. For example, by localising data through regional data centres, using data encryption to protect personal data, or introducing robust data governance frameworks to make sure data remains compliant.
It’s important to remember that culturally EMEA is very diverse, so one solution may not be a good fit everywhere. It’s one of the things that makes this region so interesting, and we need to consider that in program planning and change management as well.
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months?
By moving into the EMEA SVP role this year I’ve made a pretty major change that has already impacted my day-to-day – especially with a move across the Atlantic. My responsibilities have expanded, and I now lead a much larger team with a strategic EMEA focus.
Add to that Capgemini’s recent acquisition of Syniti, giving us an even stronger offer for our customers, bringing together Syniti’s data management expertise and Capgemini’s deep industry knowledge. That will accelerate my purpose here, which is to scale, and I’m excited about that.
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain C-level position in your industry?
Learn how to communicate effectively. Understanding your audience, their level of knowledge and the information they need to know to make a decision is really important.
My instinct is to give as much detail as possible, but this isn’t always helpful. It can be overwhelming to be presented with a ton of information that is only vaguely relevant and can turn people off.
So, if you’re like me, editing yourself can be useful. The key skill lies in taking out the information that’s not needed and keeping in the important details. If that doesn’t come naturally, start practising now to spot the areas you need to develop more.
Click below to share this article