Process Excellence news – Siemens-Salesforce partnership, Appian misappropriation case, IBM updates & more

The latest news in process and operational excellence, business process management, digital transformation and more

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Michael Hill
01/26/2024

PEX Network brings you the latest news in process and operational excellence, business process management (BPM), digital transformation, Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen, data/process mining and more.

Week of 01/22, 2024 includes:

Siemens and Salesforce partner to accelerate operational efficiency

Siemens and Salesforce announced a new collaboration to help manufacturers increase service efficiency and create new revenue streams, with a key focus on improving operational efficiency. The new Teamcenter SLM app connects product engineering and product service operations by bringing together the Teamcenter Service Lifecycle Management solution from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software with Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud and Salesforce Service Cloud. It enables manufacturers to adopt more service-centric business models, improve the customer experience and increase service revenue, the pair said.

“The app delivers an enhanced customer service experience that can revolutionize service operations, foster collaboration between engineering and service teams and drive enhanced customer satisfaction by delivering the right information at the right time in a single, centralized location,” commented Zvi Feuer, senior VP of digital manufacturing, Siemens Digital Industries Software.

AIoT a key driver of digital transformation

The combination of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies with the internet of things (IoT) infrastructure to achieve more efficient operations and enhance data management/analytics is expected to be a key driver of digital transformation in the coming years. That’s according to a new report from Telenor IoT and research firm Omdia.

As IoT applications generate a tremendous quantity of data, many enterprises struggle to effectively analyze and extract meaningful insights from it. Simply collecting data does not bring value, and human intelligence can’t process the information as efficiently as AI, according to the report. With the support of AI, applications become smarter and more autonomous. This convergence unlocks higher operational efficiencies, better customer experience, and higher productivity gains across diverse sectors, from automotive and industrial manufacturing to transport, utilities and smart cities.

Law firm investigates Pegasystems over Appian trade secret misappropriation

Investor protection law firm Kaskela Law LLC announced it is investigating Pegasystems Inc. over trade secret misappropriation affecting Appian, a leader in software that automates organizational processes.

An amended securities fraud complaint was filed against Pegasystems on behalf of certain investors who purchased shares of the company’s stock between June 16, 2020 and May 9, 2022. According to the complaint, during that time period, Pegasystems and certain senior executives/employees “engaged in a systematic, willful. and malicious scheme to misappropriate and profit from Appian [Corp.]’s trade secrets and confidential information.”

On May 9, 2022, Pegasystems disclosed that a jury had awarded Appian over US $2 billion for Pegasystems’ trade secret misappropriation. The investigation seeks to determine whether the members of Pegasystems's board of directors violated securities laws and/or breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the alleged misconduct.

Stellar Health appoints new COO to lead operational excellence

Healthcare technology company Stellar Health announced the appointment of Rebecca Schwietz as its new chief operating officer (COO). Schwietz joins from Bright Health where she served as the VP of clinical performance. In her new role, Schwietz is set optimize the firm’s processes, drive strategic initiatives and deliver value-based care solutions.

“It is an honor to join the Stellar Health team during this exciting phase of growth and innovation,” said Schwietz. “Stellar Health has consistently demonstrated its commitment to transforming the way healthcare is delivered, and I am eager to drive operational excellence and customer outcomes. Together, we will advance the company’s mission to deliver exceptional value-based care solutions to our customers and an engaging and rewarding experience to provider offices.”

READ: 5 operational excellence trends for 2024

Infosys brings new AI technology to Australian Open

Global digital services and consulting giant Infosys is advancing its AI footprint at the 2024 Australian Open with generative AI technologies for fan engagement, player performance and digital content creation. Infosys and the Australian Open are also leveraging a digital skilling platform to build future leaders in Australia.

“AI is enabling new dimensions of interactivity for fans and insight for players, not to mention the speed and scale it brings to our content delivery,” said Craig Tiley, CEO of Tennis Australia and Australian Open tournament director.

Infosys’ association with the Australian Open has enabled it to push the boundaries of innovation across key digital and physical touchpoints, creating experiences that inform and engage as much as they entertain, added Andrew Groth, executive VP Asia Pacific at Infosys. “This year, we are leveraging Infosys Topaz to bring a host of AI-first experiences to serve players, fans and the media, and shape the future of the game. We are also excited to see our purpose in play at the Australian Open, even as our technologies continue to empower and manifest the next opportunity for everyone.”

IBM’s Riyadh headquarters, Sevilla FC partnership & fourth quarter results

Multinational technology, consulting and BPM platform provider IBM announced the inauguration of its regional headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The launch of the regional headquarters expands IBM’s presence in the Kingdom and reiterates the company’s commitment to accelerating Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation, the firm said. “IBM is helping clients in Saudi Arabia and around the globe reshape their business models and leverage these technologies to increase productivity and drive innovation,” commented Arvind Krishna, chairman and CEO of IBM.

Spanish soccer (European football) team Sevilla FC has partnered with IBM to transform its player recruitment process. “Scout Advisor” – built upon IBM’s watsonx AI platform – is designed to unlock the full potential of Sevilla FC extensive players database to create new competitive advantages through the use of generative AI, according to a press release. This helps Sevilla FC bridge the gap between traditional human-centric and data-driven scouting in the identification and characterization of potential recruits, it added. Among other features, the solution’s natural language processing capabilities have enabled Sevilla FC to use multiple large language models (LLMs) to help enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of their player identification. “With the appropriate guardrails and governance in place, AI continues to be a game-changer for businesses across many industries looking to modernize operations,” said Ana Paula Assis, chair and general manager at IBM EMEA.

READ: Generative AI’s game-changing role in digital transformation

IBM released its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2023. Highlights include:

Revenue of $17.4 billion, up 4 percent, up 3 percent.
Software revenue up 3 percent.
Consulting revenue up 6 percent.
·Infrastructure revenue up 3 percent, up 2 percent at constant currency.
Gross profit margin: GAAP: 59.1 percent, up 1.4 points; operating (Non-GAAP): 60.1 percent, up 1.4 points.
Pre-tax income margin: GAAP: 21.6 percent, up 1.8 points; operating (Non-GAAP): 24.0 percent, up 1.1 points.

“In the fourth quarter, we grew revenue in all of our segments, driven by continued adoption of our hybrid cloud and AI offerings,” said Krishna. “Client demand for AI is accelerating and our book of business for watsonx and generative AI roughly doubled from the third to the fourth quarter. For the year, revenue growth was in line with our expectations, and we exceeded our free cash flow objective. For 2024 we expect revenue performance in line with our mid-single digit model and about $12 billion in free cash flow.”

Insurance industry prepares for much needed digital transformation

Three-quarters (75%) of global insurance organizations are preparing to implement new, digitally-focused management platforms in the next two years as the industry prepares to adopt much-needed digital transformation. That’s according to a new report from Novidea based on data collected in a 2023 survey of 330 full-time, C-level insurance leaders across eight countries. The research underscores the struggles insurance organizations face with ageing, disparate technology that is difficult to manage, scale and leverage to meet digital transformation needs.

“The data shows that insurance leaders are ready to make future-forward decisions about the technological shift required to better meet customers’ expectations of a modern, digital-first experience,” commented Roi Agababa, CEO of Novidea. “As the survey shows, there is a clear acknowledgment that current systems are ageing, disconnected and do not support today’s digital demands.”

Gulftainer selects RISE with SAP to drive digital transformation & operational efficiency

Gulftainer, a leading operator of regional ports and terminals and a provider of customized supply chain and logistics solutions, announced that it will migrate its core ERP to the cloud, adopting RISE with SAP to enhance its regional and global operations as part of its wider digital transformation roadmap. Leveraging RISE with SAP will allow Gulftainer to adopt new technology solutions, reduce operating costs and cut time to market with customized solutions, aiming to realize its digital ambition of becoming more innovative and resilient, the company said. It will also grant Gulftainer access to advanced analytics, machine learning and robotic process automation (RPA) technologies for improved business operations and insightful decision-making, while helping the company meet its environmental commitments, it added.

“The adoption of RISE with SAP will ensure unparalleled operational efficiency – from streamlined updates to more robust security features – the solution will empower Gulftainer with advanced technological data to enhance our business operations, licenses optimization and customer service,” said Vinay Sharma, director of IT at Gulftainer.

Topics: Business Transformation AI Process Excellence BPM Business Analytics Digital Transformation OPEX