Monica Jiman, TDC Director Europe, Globant: As we embark on this journey of integration, it’s crucial to acknowledge the strength and potential of our collective talents

Diving in the Integration process context for Pentalog

In May 2023, Pentalog, a digital transformation company that creates high-quality technology solutions and products for digitally native organizations in key industries such as finance, sports, gaming, travel, and education announced that it was acquired by Globant, a digitally native company that helps organizations reinvent themselves and unleash their potential.

According to Brand Finance, Globant is the fastest-growing IT brand since 2023 and the 5th strongest IT brand globally.

The acquisition supports Globant’s plans to expand its footprint and services in France and continue its growth in Europe.

Positive impact on the local market: growing the team thanks to the talent development center that the company already had in Cluj (an acquisition done 5 years ago). The Romanian talent development center is about to become one of the most important Globant hubs in Europe. That means more products, more opportunities for the local market and for our colleagues: AI powered projects, business reinvention, consumer experience. Just a few examples: Google, Electronic Arts and Santander, Nissan, Disney and FIFA. 

Globant is enhancing its delivery by introducing its proprietary AI-powered tools and platforms to assist at each stage of the development cycle: from GeneXus Next for code generation and Augoor to boost code productivity, to Navigate for clearing up bottlenecks in process mapping, and MagnifAI for product testing.”

More info resource at: https://www.globant.com/news/globant-acquires-pentalog-reinforcing-presence-france

 Addressing a fast & challenging integration process

At this moment, we have a major challenge in Romania for this year, which involves successfully transitioning from Pentalog, an already established and recognized brand in the market, to Globant. To achieve this, we are working in coordination with all teams from various areas involved in Europe to ensure that this change has minimal impact both internally and externally, allowing us to continue operating smoothly while incorporating all the learnings and capabilities that Globant has brought us.

Taking into account the synergies, the process is challenging & fast. We take our time to discover and explore the things we have in common and the different ones that can bring value to our community.

As we embark on this journey of integration, it’s crucial to acknowledge the strength and potential that lies within our collective talents. The collaboration between Globant and Pentalog represents not just a merging of companies, but a fusion of diverse perspectives, methodologies, and experiences. Together, we will navigate challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and ultimately emerge as a unified force in the realm of digital innovation.

We’re facing many challenges, but we’re actively searching for ways to make the  integration process easier for our teams. Our goal is to keep things running smoothly for both our teams and clients.

To make this integration successful, we need good communication, strong leadership, careful planning, and everyone working together. We’ve been proactive in tackling these challenges, using the strengths of both Pentalog and Globant to ensure a smooth integration.

It’s a complicated process, but our aim is to continue the positive efforts we’ve started. We’re not just bringing together people, but also everything we’ve learned in the 30 years since Pentalog began.

Pentalog’s focus in 2024 in terms of business strategy and services

Pentalog is joining Globant’s vision to create technology that really dares to delight. Our common goal is to become one of the most cherished brands in Europe, valued by both clients and talent.

Find explanatory resource video here: https://youtu.be/IWFEJuyeQjo?feature=shared

From cloud migration to data management strategy, digital branding projects to AI initiatives, companies are resuming investments to stay ahead of the innovation curve. We see this change reflected in our pipeline. Clients are requesting a wider scope of transformation projects that require more sophisticated and dynamic solutions. As we close 2023, we saw a higher demand for projects with AI components. The AI-related business is outpacing the total growth of our service offering.

According to Forrester, generative AI will have a 36% CAGR through 2030 to finally capture 55% of the AI software market. Gartner estimates that by 2027, 90% of service providers will use generative AI for software development services, including code compiling and optimization, automated debugging, and automated quality assurance testing. Globant has been significantly investing to take advantage of the estimated $450 billion opportunity we see in AI services. Since the consolidation of our AI studio, we have built up capabilities in the space that are ready to apply now that AI is going truly mainstream and with IT service companies as the proxies for adoption.

Globant has completed over 500 AI-centric projects in nearly every field of AI, including predictive analytics, natural language programming, computer vision, and custom-made neural networks, among others. In generative AI, we have been leveraging many of the large language models since 2017 in internal applications, powering efforts behind code enhancement, feedback, and testing tools.

Navigating in a complex year

In 2024, we’re navigating a complex year as we strive to integrate the best solutions for our clients, aiming to foster their growth. The future growth of our total addressable market remains promising. After an uncertain 2023 for IT spending, Gartner estimates momentum to return in 2024 with 6.8% expected growth globally.

Attracting and retaining talent who understand and master new digital tools is becoming quite a challenge for companies. According to the latest report by Randstad, 75% of companies are facing significant challenges when trying to fill job positions. Among entities in the technology sector, 57% identify this challenge as the primary one they currently face. Thus, the lack of talent trained in this field has become an evident fact that is affecting the entire economic ecosystem.

To effectively address this common challenge, two key strategies are presented: investment in educational resources and a focus on talent and internal training. In this regard, there are various companies that have taken the lead in seeking solutions by promoting comprehensive and specific training in digital tools, such as Globant through Globant University.

Keep the focus on expertise and making the best of it

Whenever we seek a seniority position that requires a lot of expertise, it becomes challenging. Moreover, in technology, things change rapidly. In the past, there was talk of Java, SAP, then came the mobile explosion, and now the trend is artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and so on. There will always be very specific positions that will be difficult to fill. That’s why we try to focus more on developing competencies than on the specificity of what we are looking for. We also encourage people to keep learning. We have established Globant University, where we follow these trends so that teams can undergo reskilling. That’s where the focus should be, on the ability to learn and relearn that people working in technology must necessarily have.

At Globant, we work on a myriad of services for all industries, from gaming to financial services and even in the manufacturing industry. However, earlier this year, we identified some key tech trends for 2024 that we are already focusing on, as we believe they bring about real change for the customer.

Firstly, we have determined that action-enabled AI products will take the lead. Current leading generative AI tools can “generate” but cannot “act.” The future of AI will be able to do both. In 2024, we will witness advancements in products and solutions entering the market, with a particular focus on action-enabled AI. Possible pioneers in this field may emerge from the hospitality, entertainment, and retail industries.

We are also considering that quantum computing will take several steps forward towards reality, so we see it as crucial to anticipate with our clients. In 2024, we are seeing many organizations investing in education and planning on how quantum computing can benefit their businesses. Applications in data and computation-intensive fields, such as finance and pharmaceutical research, are likely to be the first to show interest and invest. Organizations must also prepare to increase the risks associated with quantum technology. While quantum computing may offer better levels of cybersecurity than current methods, it may also have the capability to break the security protocols that protect our data.

Furthermore, we are advancing in robotics as it will lead a new wave with multimodal robots. Robotics has evolved for over two decades, and in 2024, the robotics market will reach a tipping point with the emergence of multipurpose robots thanks to advancements in AI. We are witnessing how robotics expands beyond the traditional realm of “non-manufacturing,” where it has been primarily used for automation and efficiency, and ventures into areas such as food service and healthcare, where the use of robots, drones, and task-optimized designs is on the rise. Companies will adopt robots as a service (RaaS), with many robots taking on optimized forms for specific tasks, such as rolling delivery robots.

The fundamentals of leadership in a challenging context

In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world, effective leadership hinges on qualities such as adaptability, innovation, and empathy. As we witness rapid technological progress and frequent market disruptions, the demand for leaders who can adeptly steer through uncertainty and instigate impactful transformations is more pronounced than ever. This dynamic environment underscores the importance of human-centric leadership approaches, where empathy and understanding play pivotal roles in fostering collaboration, resilience, and sustainable growth amidst constant change.

THE POWER WORDS in 2024:    EMPATHY   |    ADAPTABILITY     |   STRATEGIC VISION