New Delhi (India), April 8: ACI Infotech (ACI) is a new generation Global Technology and Services firm with strong expertise in offering business-driven technology solutions that enable customers to optimize and efficiently manage their operations. Serving a global clientele that includes Fortune 500 corporations, small and medium-sized organizations, and individuals.
ACI Infotech offers digital transformation solutions and services that combine digital customer experience (DCX) and digital operational experience (DOX) with corporate innovation to create new revenue streams. ACI Infotech allows enterprises to reorganize traditional IT systems into a linked digital enterprise by leveraging highly flexible business processes, a smooth worldwide delivery network, and domain and industry experience.
1. What inspired you to start ACI Infotech?
After receiving my Masters in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Louisville in 2000, I became very interested in technology and how it might affect people's lives. However, it was also during this period that I witnessed the great Y2K burst, which assisted me in understanding the dynamics and impact of information technology. I noticed a distinct gap between the three main pillars - technology, process, and people - and this is where I discovered the blue ocean. The desire to create sustainable value for clients and communities we serve while also uplifting society via technology inspired the establishment of Advanced Computing International (ACI), also known as ACI Infotech.
2. Tell us something about your past journey until starting this venture.
Before establishing ACI Infotech, I spent around 6 years working for renowned Wall Street firms. I was giving consideration for institutional and industrial endorsement for my hypothesis, which I might have gotten by being among these technocrats. I collaborated with some of Wall Street's brightest minds, including Investment Bankers, CIOs and CTOs, who assisted me in validating my ideas and fuelling my entrepreneurial ambitions.
3. What motivates you the most?
I adore speed and unbridled ambition. We only have one life to live, and I understand we ought to capitalize most of it. I sleep 4-5 hours every day to maximise my productivity throughout the day. Secondly, I take every opportunity to celebrate with my family, both at work and at home.
Technology, people, as well as nature inspires me. I'm very concerned about the environment and sustainability, and thinking about and contributing to it motivates me.
4. How does a typical day for you look like?
My normal routine begins at 5:30 a.m., followed by a 1 hr intensive workout session. This keeps me on my toes all day. The fitness regime is followed by a quick cadence meeting with my sales and delivery teams, particularly those in the APAC region, as they prepare to wrap up the day. By 9:30 a.m., I'm in the ACI Infotech global headquarters in New Jersey, where I have rapid meetings with some of my key clients and my core team in the US. Every day, I make an effort to engage with my customers directly. To speed things up, I prefer to have a working lunch with my team in the US. My late evenings are mostly invested with my teams in APAC to ensure that we are aligned when it comes to starting the day/week's objectives. Evenings are when I prefer to spend time with my family and friends. I am blessed with an understanding wife and a caring daughter.
5. Tell us about ACI Infotech since inception and how you diversified globally, covering the length and breadth of the business.
We started our journey with a focus on developing applications and solutions for Banking and Financial Services vertical, given my background on Wall Street. After the 2008 financial crisis, we diversified into other industries delivering our core solutions of application development, modernization, ERP, CRM, automation, and more once we had established ourselves as a bankable brand for enterprises in the US. We extended our footprint to provide onsite-offshore implementation and managed services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and initiated operations in India.
We were on a quest to convert Capex to Opex for our customers, and our strength was in providing world-class experience and services. With cloud and digital transformation at the forefront, we established a centre of excellence for cloud adoption, migration, and cloud apps, which eventually expanded to cover data on the cloud, MDM, and the digital customer experience stack. I’m confident and proud to say that we also specialize in making businesses take informed decisions backed by data, and all of this is possible because of a phenomenal data engineering and analytics COE we have built in Hyderabad.
6. What are the future plans for ACI Infotech?
ACI Infotech is striving to become a force multiplier by delivering innovative technology, intelligent processes, and motivated people. We are additionally seeking to improve agility, creativity, and adaptability by using cutting-edge technologies like AI, hybrid cloud, and intelligent workflows. We want to assist our clients at the nexus of digital customer experience, digital operational excellence, and digital innovation.
We are strengthening our positions in AI, cybersecurity, industrial IoT, and other areas to ensure long-term solutions. In terms of expansion, we intend to establish new centres of excellence and technology pods in key cities such as New Delhi, Singapore, Dubai, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Hong Kong to ensure that we are close to our clients.
7. How ACI Infotech looks to realign with global macroeconomic changes while rebranding the brand identity in 2023?
In 2023, we rebranded and repositioned ourselves to serve customers at the convergence of digital design, technology, people, and process. Our brand symbol depicts the endless and persistent efforts made by all ACIeans to have a customer-first mindset. Our subtle blue hues represent trust and security in our brand and services.
We seek to be an "internationally acclaimed IT Services, Solutions and Digital Engineering firm with an employee-centric approach."
Our primary goal is to achieve mutual success for all of our stakeholders, including our employees, shareholders, and clients. We place great attention on our clients and leave no stone unturned in providing world-class service. We work hard to communicate with our clients in a transparent and clear manner so that they can interact with decision-makers with ease. Our unique selling point is the enthusiasm we bring to our client's initiatives. To deliver the finest services possible, we rely on our solution-driven and inventive approach.
The global macroeconomic condition is influenced by a variety of factors, including the geopolitical scenario, inflation, and global conflict. As far as I can see, this might have some impact on the Western economy, but the silver lining is that ASEAN countries are growing. This is expected to expand by more than 8% of GDP and is one of our priority growth sectors. By 2024, we expect to recruit around 1800+ people in this region.
However, the worldwide situation, including North America, is expected to improve by the end of 2023. The business, however, is as usual, but there is more stress on the value vs cost conversation. It is also an opportunity for an ambitious and rising company like ours. Customers want more value-driven business in this environment, and that's where we specialize.
8. Where do you see ACI Infotech in 2025?
Advanced Computing International would be on track to meet its client and expansion ambitions. With approximately 2500 people from 35 countries, we expect to generate $100 million in revenue by 2025. We are also evaluating going for an IPO in India, Singapore or Hong Kong in early 2025. A specific ESOP pool is also being created by the management to attract and retain the best talent.
9. What are your priorities owing to the increase in digital transformation initiatives globally and increased focus on customer experience?
We intend to broaden our bouquet of services to include AI, Cloud (hybrid, public, and private), cybersecurity, intelligent automation, Analytics, and Data Sciences. We are optimising our hybrid work culture by hiring diverse people to work worldwide while also cultivating a sustainable culture where workers feel engaged and appreciated, channelling innovation across the organization, and investing in employee upskilling to create an agile and collaborative culture as well as Utilizing the three Ps" — platforms, practices, and partners — to assist customers in reducing technological debt while increasing distinction and shared accountability also to Streamline Team Alignment and Operationalize the Business and IT Partnership.