Based on information from your website, Publicis Sapient aims to “reimagine impact.” Could you provide more details about what this statement entails?
Publicis Sapient
(formerly known as Sapient) came into existence in 1990 during the dawn of the internet era, with the conviction that technology would dramatically alter business operations. Nowadays, this shift is even wider and quicker, propelled by advancements like artificial intelligence, fueled by changing customer demands and the necessity for companies to enhance their adaptability and resilience.
Our aim is to “empower individuals to excel as they courageously chase what’s next.” This embodies our dedication to providing digital business transformations that aren’t merely cutting-edge from a technological standpoint but also deeply considerate of humans, environmentally responsible, and consistent with enduring corporate objectives.
When we talk about our commitment to reinvent influence, we’re aiming for something much more ambitious than just making small enhancements. Our focus is on assisting businesses to thoroughly reassess and understand their methods of generating worth—be it through completely innovative approaches to operations and consumer interactions or significantly transformative cost-saving measures.
We achieve this through an emphasis on organizational SPEED capabilities — encompassing Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, Data & AI — enabling comprehensive transformation and expediting our clients’ progress. For instance, whether assisting Goldman Sachs in launching fresh digital banking features, collaborating with Renault for electric vehicle charging advancements, or teaming up with Marriott to enhance travel experiences via generative AI-driven intent searches, we integrate technology, insights, and innovative thinking to yield outstanding business results.
Do you think that numerous companies are struggling to survive or might be at risk due to the rapidly digitizing world, as Publicis Sapient suggests they assist with this challenge?
Technology, along with the emergence of digitally-native enterprises it facilitates, has always posed an existential threat to traditional companies. This peril has grown more acute due to advancements in artificial intelligence. We’re witnessing a significant change: AI is not merely another tech fad but a key driver propelling digital business evolution. Businesses failing to integrate AI into their overarching restructuring strategies run a high risk of lagging and becoming obsolete.
When Publicis Sapient talks about enabling firms to “endure and excel” in our digitally driven age, what we’re referring to is assisting these organizations in fundamentally reassessing their approach to generating value. By integrating cutting-edge technology with skilled personnel, we aim to steer them successfully into the AI epoch. This period marks an unprecedented shift where numerous enterprises find themselves ill-equipped due to myopic focus on immediate concerns, making it difficult for them to adapt effectively to such swift and extensive transformations.
The way for enterprises to make the most of AI is to get their data in order and keep testing what’s working and what’s not. Embed AI in decision-making, empower your teams with intelligent capabilities and redesign services around real-time insight and automation. It’s a key aspect of digital business transformation, not just a tech upgrade.
Endurance now hinges on flexibility rather than size or reputation; it’s about adaptability. Those who grasp how to leverage AI for enhancing nimbleness, significance, and velocity won’t just endure but also set the course forward. It falls upon us to assist them in achieving this with lucidity, assurance, and effectiveness.
Could you elaborate on AI-driven innovations in this area—what major developments have you observed? In comparison to global standards, how does the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region fare in terms of advancements in this sector?
The Middle East is a critical player in the future of AI and digital business transformation. What we’re seeing in MENA is a region that’s moving with real intent and pace when it comes to AI-powered innovation. There’s a deep recognition – at both government and enterprise level – that AI is a generational opportunity to leapfrog traditional transformation curves and build digitally native economies. Take both Saudi Arabia and the UAE: governments are making significant infrastructure investments to foster innovation. Importantly, the region also has a strong commitment to developing local talent to drive these initiatives. That’s a powerful message about the long-term vision.
In many ways, the region is less constrained by legacy systems and thinking, which means organizations are often more open to bold, structural change. Whether it’s national AI strategies, future-focused investment funds, or mega projects that integrate smart infrastructure and services, the ambition is very real.
In terms of business transformation, we’re witnessing AI being utilized in deeply strategic manners: enhancing smart consumer interactions within sectors like retail and finance, advancing predictive medical practices, and improving public services with a greater focus on citizens’ needs. This incorporation of AI into extensive digital business transformations is occurring at a quicker pace compared to numerous well-established markets due to a stronger desire for innovation and reduced obstacles towards implementing changes.
What sets the MENA region apart is its eagerness to expand—choosing to implement AI extensively rather than limiting it to small trials. This approach is essential since the true worth of AI lies in transforming complete operational frameworks, not merely through individual instances. The future challenge involves transitioning from testing phases to full-scale integration, and here, the area is establishing itself as a world pioneer.
Publicis Sapient keeps growing its presence in the Middle East, and we’re tasked with turning this vision into reality. Our aim is to make sure that the effects of AI aren’t merely technical; instead, they should be significant and quantifiable for individuals, productivity, and overall mission.
How do you envision contemporary consulting evolving over the next decade?
We’re already in the midst of a massive shift in consultancy work. Ten years from now, consulting as we know it will look fundamentally different because the problems we’re helping clients solve will be fundamentally different. Modern consulting will be defined by its ability to deliver impact at speed, not through scale of people, but through scale of intelligence. AI, data, and engineering will be at the core, enabling firms to move from advising to actually building and evolving solutions in real time. It will be less about projects, and more about continuous transformation – embedded, adaptive, and outcome-led. That’s the model we’re already shaping at Publicis Sapient.
Fundamentally, consulting will have a strong connection with technology, especially AI, as well as with areas like data management, product development, and user experience design. Simply advising clients on actions isn’t sufficient anymore; consultants must assist them in constructing, operating, and adapting these elements continuously.
We’re witnessing a transition in consultancy moving away from short-term projects towards extended, platform-focused collaborations. These new arrangements involve delivering value through repeated phases of exploration, education, and expansion. This evolution makes consultancies more interdisciplinary, deeply involved, and tightly integrated into their clients’ core operations. Looking ahead, the top-tier consultants will not necessarily excel due to superior methodologies; instead, they’ll succeed because they can offer an optimal blend of understanding, technical skill, and execution prowess.
Therefore, for me, contemporary consulting isn’t focused on external advice-giving; instead, it revolves around internal transformation. This approach is daring, immediate, and evaluated not through suggestions but via outcomes.
What do you perceive as the primary dangers associated with advancements in artificial intelligence over the next few years?
Artificial intelligence possesses immense promise, yet it also brings about significant risks that businesses, governments, and societies must address carefully. Among these dangers, one of the most substantial issues lies not within technology itself but at an organizational level. Numerous enterprises are hastily adopting AI technologies before grasping precisely which problems they aim to resolve or learning how to integrate such systems ethically into their processes. This hasty approach can result in isolated applications, ambiguous ethics, and frequently lost chances for success. The real peril doesn’t lie in AI failing outright; rather, it’s more likely to falter from being deployed without clear intent and strategy.
There is also the very real concern around bias, privacy, and transparency. AI systems are only as good as the data and governance behind them. If we don’t put the right safeguards in place and ensure AI is explainable, accountable, and inclusive, we risk eroding trust before the technology even reaches maturity.
And finally, there’s a cultural risk. AI is often framed as a replacement for human capability, when the true opportunity lies in augmentation. The organizations that will thrive aren’t the ones using AI to replace people, but the ones using it to elevate them – freeing teams from repetitive tasks and empowering them to focus on more strategic, creative, and value-driven work. It’s about investing not only in your people, but in the tools that amplify their potential. Think of it like Iron Man and the suit: the real power doesn’t lie in the technology alone, or the individual alone, but in the combination. When human ingenuity meets intelligent systems, that’s when you get truly transformative impact.
So, the challenge ahead isn’t just to build powerful AI; it’s to apply it in ways that are human-centric, ethically sound, and aligned with long-term impact. That’s where real leadership will lie.
You have worked with so many different clients in different sectors. Which have been the highlights?
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with a diverse array of organizations across sectors including financial services, retail and consumer products, automotive, hospitality, and the public sector. Each has brought unique challenges and opportunities. My book
Digital Business Transformation: How Established Companies Sustain Competitive Advantage From Now To Next
, elaborates on my experience in partnering with clients on how to take a holistic and multidisciplinary approach that infuses digital into superior business outcomes.
Publicis Sapient is a digital native organization that built some of the first online banks, share-trading platforms and content-rich paywall platforms for media organizations. The first airline seat-selection tool was built by Publicis Sapient, a digital product that, even today, represents the second largest generator of revenue for airlines. For more than 30 years, Publicis Sapient has helped many Fortune 50 organizations to transform their businesses. Today it continues to chart the course for how technology can be harnessed to make a positive difference in the world, through innovations such as ‘Plug Inn’ – the award-winning, peer-to-peer electric vehicle charging platform for Renault.
We have assisted financial organizations in updating their systems and redesigning how they engage with customers using artificial intelligence and data analytics. For retailers, we’ve spearheaded extensive transformations of their digital operations, covering everything from system transitions to revamping supply chains. Within the automotive sector, we’ve crafted innovative service-oriented strategies aligned with evolving mobility patterns. And for those in travel and hospitality, we’ve leveraged AI to create more tailored and user-friendly experiences.
The common thread across all these efforts is a collective dedication to driving meaningful change that produces tangible outcomes—not solely via technological means, but also by overhauling the way businesses generate and provide value in an increasingly digitized landscape.
Being recognized as one of the Top 25 Global Leaders—what qualities does it take to be an effective leader?
This acknowledgment is indeed an honor; however, I have always viewed leadership as more than just titles or praise. Instead, it’s about fostering environments where others can thrive. In our current landscape—characterized by rapid change, uncertainty, and growing technological influence—the requirements of effective leadership differ significantly from those needed merely ten years prior.
The crucial characteristic is having a clear objective. It’s essential for leaders to offer a distinct direction regarding where the organization is going and the significance behind this path. This clarity acts as a guide during times of transformation or uncertainty—and such periods will undoubtedly occur frequently.
Secondly, empathy is essential. As the world changes due to advancements in AI, automation, and increasing complexities, the importance of human qualities grows rather than diminishes. It is crucial for leaders to comprehend and address the emotional and psychological requirements of their teams, customers, and communities.
The third point is the capacity for learning, unlearning, and relearning. Continuously acquiring knowledge empowers you to release old information from yesterday so you can absorb fresh insights today. It’s crucial to proactively discard outdated ideas since what ensured your success previously may be ineffective in current circumstances.
Lastly, let’s talk about resilience. Whether you’re dealing with individual growth, an organization change, or widespread social transformation, progress does not occur smoothly but rather through ups and downs. What distinguishes effective leaders from those who make a significant difference is their capacity to remain centered, manage intricate situations, and respond effectively as circumstances evolve.
Ultimately, leadership nowadays is not about knowing all the solutions. Instead, it involves enabling others to pose pertinent queries and fostering an environment where these solutions can develop, adapt, and expand.
Can leadership skills be imparted to anybody, or must individuals possess certain inherent traits?
I firmly believe that leadership is definitely developable, yet it needs to be deliberate. Frequently, there’s a misconception that leadership is an innate trait, centered around charm or authority. However, true leaders actually emerge through their response to difficulties, their capacity for growth, and their ability to engage and advance others alongside them.
Certainly, specific attributes such as curiosity, resilience, and empathy play a role—but I view these less as unchangeable characteristics and more like skills that can be honed over time. In my experience, top-notch leaders are individuals who consistently dedicate themselves to learning, listening, and adapting, rather than those who believe they possess every solution already.
In our current era, particularly with regard to advancements in artificial intelligence and digital business evolution, effective leadership has shifted from focusing primarily on control towards emphasizing transparency and cultivating company culture. Are you able to establish a setting where individuals can flourish? Can you provide them with a distinct sense of direction followed by the liberty to experiment and develop new ideas within this framework?
Therefore, I don’t believe leadership is reserved for only a chosen number of people. However, I feel it requires dedication to understanding oneself, accepting feedback, and fostering development. Since the instant you cease to grow as a leader is when your organization halts progress alongside you.
Could you share your perspective on how Publicis Sapient might evolve over the next ten years? Do you think it will become quite distinct from what we know now?
In the coming ten years, Publicis Sapient will keep evolving – not in terms of their core identity, but in what they can do. Given how quickly things are changing technologically, especially when it comes to artificial intelligence, we have to continually adjust ourselves to stay as valuable partners for our clients. We aim not just to assist them during disruptions, but also to guide them right through these challenges.
Our objective remains unchanged: to propel significant digital business transformation through AI and assist individuals in excelling in their bold endeavors towards progress. However, as advancements in AI have become an integral component of clients’ comprehensive digital business transformation needs, the way we fulfill this mission is undergoing evolution.
Publicis Sapient has recently transformed to concentrate on three main sectors: Digital Business Transformation at Its Foundation, Updating Older Systems, and Applying Artificial Intelligence in Marketing.
To energize these key areas, Publicis Sapient has created exclusive AI platforms and accelerators:
Bodhi
our large-scale AI-driven system;
Sapient Slingshot
, an AI software development platform accelerator; and CoreAI, created by Publicis Sapient with our parent company Publicis Groupe, to connect marketing and commerce with real-time intelligence, creating new levels of relevance and efficiency for brands around the world.
Publicis Sapient believes that the company’s business focus areas, underpinned by proprietary AI tools that empower clients to accelerate transformation through growth-oriented value creation, cost-out innovation or both, reflect the client demand-led shifts that will come to reshape our industry.
Regardless of whether we’re establishing the globe’s premier digital trade finance institution, Anglo-Gulf Trade Bank (AGTB), ground-up with an emphasis on user-focused trade banking services and fostering digital environments via streamlined data processes; transforming the retail experience for giants like Carrefour and Walmart; or cutting down software development durations for extensive healthcare organizations—we maintain a consistent objective. Our aim is to delve into what drives expansion within these entities, rethink strategies, cut costs, and generate tangible outcomes.
Absolutely, we will have a distinct appearance. Our approach will be more aligned with artificial intelligence, integrated into our clients’ operational frameworks, and increasingly dedicated to swiftly providing value. However, concerning our identity and core values — we’ll remain unchanged: a digital business transformation ally devoted to assisting clients in thriving in an ever-evolving landscape.
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