Philippe Gabulon, CEO of SG GSC Romania: Effective leadership creates a sense of ownership and co-creation of our business’s future vision

As 2024 has started, the sentiment in our industry is one of cautious optimism and now, after the tumultuous period of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing a stabilization in the market, focusing on growth and development.

This means redesigning our strategies to incorporate new technologies such as AI and machine learning, which have become increasingly important in all industries.

One of the most important priorities for companies this year should be to continuously invest in people and talent. Job are evolving faster and faster, so it is crucial that we focus on upskilling and reskilling our employees to ensure their continuous growth and development. This will not only benefit the employees, but also the companies, as we will have a more skilled and capable workforce.

These would be the most important areas to focus on: embracing new technologies and investing in people and talent. This will help us remain competitive and continue to grow and develop in the years to come.

We have observed a consistent pattern in leadership behaviors that significantly impact our business operations and our people. From an operational standpoint, effective leadership involves transforming our business operations by integrating the latest proven technologies and business transformation models. Our leadership teams excel at fostering innovation and creativity while maintaining a focus on the bottom line.

On the people side, effective leadership involves creating a sense of ownership and co-creation of our business’s future vision, which is built on the can-do/self-starter attitude of our organization’s teams. Our leadership teams strive to bring clarity and predictability to the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment in which we operate. As a result, we maintain our focus on the future vision and continuously transform ourselves and our organization’s processes to bring that vision to life.

In our ever-changing environment, staying updated with the new technology is vital for everyone in our organization, no matter the role. Additionally, effective leadership requires us to constantly adapt to new ways of working, while staying true to our organizational values. Good leadership isn’t just about formal training; it’s also about learning from each other. Our experienced managers play a crucial role by sharing their expertise through knowledge sharing sessions and mentoring programs, helping others grow & develop professionally. Ultimately, successful leadership means having the skills to support our business goals, fostering creativity, and being open to integrating new technologies & approaches as we move forward.

Growing perspective of business in 2024

There are several areas of services that are considered to have strong potential to generate business growth in 2024. While the majority of Shared Service Centers (SSCs) are Finance SSCs, there is no single activity that guarantees success.

Nowadays, companies are targeting growth and success by expanding geographically, developing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Cybersecurity.

The geographical expansion part satisfies the companies’ need to increase their presence in new markets, and this expansion can lead to increased revenue and market share, as well as access to new customers and opportunities.

Also, the business landscape is becoming more focused on sustainability and responsible business practices, meaning that there is a growing need for services that can help them meet their ESG goals. Similarly, as cyber threats become more prevalent, companies are looking for ways to protect their data and systems from attacks. Finally Data management, analysis with AI, usage is an area that is developing very rapidly in all industries. Services that can help companies develop and implement ESG, Cybersecurity and Data management practices are likely to see strong demand in 2024.

Finally, companies are seeking to extend and enhance their current activities/services, which may involve broadening their service scope, enhancing quality, or innovating to deliver more value to customers, thereby positioning themselves for long-term success through continuous improvement and innovation.

Our partners’ expectations have evolved significantly over the years, with a consistent emphasis on efficiency and a stable production environment while expecting more accountability, leadership and value addition.

The expectation remains on delivering the same level of satisfaction, with a more open mindset to change and innovation, including embracing new technologies, automation, and digitalization, and us being the drivers of all these changes.

However, there are also challenges that we face in meeting these expectations, such as political instability and changes in fiscal laws, and these aspects can make it more difficult to deliver and grow the shared service centers industry. These are external factors that we cannot control, but they have a direct impact on our ability to meet our partners’ expectations.

In 2024, companies will face even greater challenges in this respect. The pace of technological change is accelerating, and our partners will expect us to keep up. At the same time, political and regulatory uncertainty is likely to continue, making it even more difficult to navigate the external environment. In order to overcome these challenges, we must continue to focus on efficiency and stability, delivering best in class services, while also being open to change, innovation and constantly adapting to a changing world.

In 2023, our company has achieved several significant milestones that have solidified our position as key player within our industry

Despite facing political changes and uncertainties, we managed to maintain our business operations without any negative impact, experiencing a constant and sustained growth, currently having over 3000 employees in Societe Generale Global Solution Centre, in Romania. This growth has made us one of the largest SSCs in the region, and we are proud to have become the partner of choice for our headquarters, in France, and to continue providing high-quality services to our partners.

As a leader in our company, I am particularly proud of all my colleagues, their achievements, constant proactivity and of the positive work environment we have created. The satisfaction of our staff is also proved by the constantly increasing engagement rate (over 80% annually) and our colleagues’ feedback has also positioned us as a certified “Great Place to Work” employer, for the 3^rd year in a row. This represents a testament of our commitment towards creating a healthy & safe space to work, where our employees feel valued, empowered, and encouraged to grow.

Also, we understand the importance of work-life balance and we always strive to offer our colleagues a wide range of benefits, in order to best fit their needs and expectations. From flexible working arrangements to wellness programs, moments of celebration & fun gatherings, learning & development opportunities,  we are committed to creating an environment where our employees can thrive, both personally and professionally.

So, I have numerous reasons to be proud of my colleagues and our company, and I am excited to see what the future holds for us.

In the world of business, we are constantly facing both challenges and opportunities that require us to adapt, innovate, and evolve

It is how we respond to these challenges that ultimately defines our success. As leaders, it is our responsibility to empower our teams to embrace change, to have an open mindset and turn obstacles into achievements. In 2024, let us seize every opportunity that comes our way, whether it be in the form of new technologies, emerging markets, or innovative business models.

Let us not shy away from the unknown, but rather embrace it as a chance to learn, grow, excel and be a partner of choice. As we navigate the complexities of the business world, let us never lose sight of our values and principles, ensuring that we not only achieve success but do so in a way that is ethical and sustainable.