Construction Magazine August 2020 | Page 109

ABB : accelerating digitalisation with McDermott

ABB is a leading global engineering company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive , sustainable future . By connecting software to its electrification , robotics , automation and motion portfolio , ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels .
Heather Cykoski is the Group Vice President at ABB . Having worked for the organisation since 2005 in several different leadership positions , she has a comprehensive understanding of the industry and has observed her organisation ’ s digital transformation journey first-hand . “ It ’ s incredibly interesting to be where we are today . Digitalisation has been at the core of what we do for many years ; however , the acceleration of implementation today is truly transformational ,” explains Cykoski . “ Now is the time for those who lead in this space to transform and deliver digital value to both our own operations and to our customers . Today ’ s challenging economy makes this more urgent than ever . There is so much more to deliver , and we need to deliver fast .”
Rajesh Ramachandran is the Chief Digital Officer for ABB ’ s Industrial Automation business . He joined ABB in February 2019 and brings over three decades of experience in technology and business leadership to ABB , having helped to transform world-class multinational organisations such as Oracle , Siemens , PayPal and more .
“ Different customers are at different points of their digital transformation journeys ,” says Ramachandran . “ This is even true with the solution providers as they are learning along with the customers on what the real value of digital is to drive business outcomes . In today ’ s highly competitive landscape , industries are able to embrace digital technologies to address their core challenges , while striving for operational excellence and output of the highest quality . Digital transformation has become a high priority due to its promise of addressing strategic business imperatives . Many companies are struggling with how to leverage this potential . We believe the industry must adopt a clear roadmap of how to address digitalisation , from enabling it to implementing it through focused solutions , keeping in mind the longer digitalisation journey . At ABB , we can help our customers effectively with these challenges .”
“ Having established a key , strategic business relationship with McDermott , Cykoski affirms that this collaboration is influential to mutual success .
“ The partner ecosystem has changed . The combination of a technology provider like ABB , and an EPC like McDermott , supporting the end user , is the trifecta that creates the perfect project ,” says Cykoski . “ We know how important an EPC is : 80 % of large projects go through an EPC . When you look at digitalisation and partnerships , what it truly means is that you trust one another and collaborate to provide value . McDermott and ABB both have very similar outlooks and values , and that is key .”
“ With the future in mind , Ramachandran has a clear idea of what the partnership with McDermott could hold . “ We ’ re actively working on how to build solutions together that have a lifecycle value for customers , from design through operations through continuous improvement ,” he says . “ The trusted relationship that we have with McDermott is important to ensure projects are delivered on time at the right cost . There is now a new normal in the industry following the pandemic . It ’ s the right time for partners to come together and develop , test and implement new technologies that challenge traditional ways of working . We ’ re confident that by working together , we will ensure safer , smarter and more sustainable operations across the industry . “ It ’ s a great opportunity to bring the combined power of domain knowledge and leading technology to our customers . We ’ re confident this joint value proposition will help our customers succeed today and tomorrow .”
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