Meet the Leaders: Mihai Constandiș, Country Manager, Cognizant Romania

This year, The Diplomat-Bucharest shares with its valued partners and audience, a momentous milestone – the 20th anniversary on the business media segment in Romania.

So, we came a long, wonderful and also challenging way to this year, when we celebrate two decades of unwavering dedication to excellence in media and our relentless pursuit of delivering insightful, timely and impactful business news and events. To celebrate this milestone, THE DIPLOMAT-BUCHAREST connects with businesspeople and put into light their excellence and performances in a special event, THE DIPLOMAT-BUCHAREST AWARDS GALA.   This year, the special Awarding Gala ceremony will take place on October 22, at JW MARRIOTT BUCHAREST GRAND HOTEL, Grand Ballroom.

To mark the occasion, we invited Mihai Constandiș, Country Manager, Cognizant Romania to share with us some of his opinion regarding the business expectations and conclusions for the first half of this year.

The business sentiment of 2024

We look at 2024 with balanced optimism despite the macro-economic challenges. Clearly in the past year we have seen the effects of the overall economic uncertainty which transformed into an increased level of cautiousness when it comes to running budgets, especially when we look at discretionary spending. The technology sector has also been impacted by this with various players redefining their priorities when it comes to new digital initiatives while there is a focus on cost optimization. While this is challenging it is also an inflection point which can be turned into an opportunity and technology has proved to be historically a true partner in such times. We managed to navigate well these times, adapt constantly, keep our business stable, partner with our clients to continue our journey together while adding new ones to our portfolio. This year will definitely make us stronger and our knowledge and flexibility will have improved significantly also with the help of the new tech trends including AI.

What matters most for a leader in 2024

I believe in 2024, effective leadership is powered by emotional intelligence, adaptability, and a forward-thinking mindset.  Leaders need to navigate the rapid advancements in technology, such as generative AI and sustainable tech, while fostering a culture of innovation and resilience.

As a leader, understanding and managing your own emotions, as well as empathizing with your team, is crucial. This builds trust and a supportive work environment.  We all see how the tech world is evolving rapidly. Leaders must be flexible and open to change, embracing new technologies and new approaches and methodologies.  At the same time, a strategic vision is paramount, having a clear, long-term vision that aligns with technological trends and business goals is essential. This includes staying informed about trends like AI, robotics, and sustainable technologies and market insights.

I do believe in empowering people to be their best selves, to give them the tools and context to create and innovate. I think it’s important to constantly encourage team members to take initiative, so that they can get a sense of ownership and motivation.

It’s a great time to embrace the opportunities that new technologies bring.

Our strength lies in our adaptability and our commitment to continuous learning. Together, we can harness the power of AI, drive sustainable practices, and innovate beyond boundaries. In the end, our creativity and resilience are our greatest assets. We all live in a transformative industry, and this context can inspire everyone to assess their goals and skills, add new skills, and inspire leaders to lead with empathy and curiosity. 

To ensure growth and evolution in a sustainable and remarkable way both businesses and people need to focus on several factors that not only drive success but ensure long-tern resilience and adaptability. As mentioned before, I believe the most important factor is continuous learning, and adaptability. Companies must foster a culture of learning where employees are encouraged and supported to develop new skills.

Professionals need to “own it” as our fifth value states, to own their work and their career development by being proactive about learning; staying curious, seeking out new challenges, and embracing change, to adapt quickly to new opportunities and challenges, all while having a mindset driven to deliver value.

The fundamentals of leadership

At Cognizant, we encourage a culture of continuous learning and development. This not only helps in personal growth but also keeps the team updated with the latest trends and technologies. I prioritize understanding and addressing the needs and concerns of our teams. This builds trust and a supportive work environment. I believe flexibility is key, so I adapt my leadership style to different situations, but I always have a collaborative approach. I think it’s important to cultivate a mindset where failures are seen as learning opportunities rather than setbacks.

Making the best of technology  

The rapid pace of change in technology means that teams must be agile and adaptable.

This involves being open to change, experimenting, and quickly iterating based on feedback and market insights.

The way we approach work and performance has undergone significant changes, especially in today’s tech industry, driven by several factors such as the technological advancements the rise of AI, particularly GenAI, the hybrid & remote working model, and employees evolving behaviors – all these are contributing more and more towards a value generated approach to work. We all have to look at work and wonder “What value does this work bring to the customer or the company?” Thinking this way encourages innovation and creativity and employees are motivated to identify customer’s pain points, to design the most effective solutions rather than simply completing tasks, or measuring results.

Actually, we’ve just launched our values that are foundational to our culture and way of working:

• Work as one: We think beyond roles, relying on each other’s strengths to win as a team.
• Do the right thing: We all lead with integrity and always make the ethical choice.
• Dare to innovate: We push boundaries and take chances to reimagine what’s possible.
• Raise the bar: We always aim for excellence in how we work and what we deliver.
• Own it: We own the outcomes for our company, colleagues and community.

The hybrid work models required a change in how we work and our performance; flexibility has become essential, with a focus on providing employees with the autonomy to manage their work in a way that best suits their lifestyle and productivity peaks. This not only boosts morale but also enhances productivity by allowing employees to work when and where they are most effective. I believe it’s also important to create a culture where open communication and collaboration is encouraged and at Cognizant we are focused on that, and on continuous learning and development. Employees are given resources to upskill and reskill as this not only helps in personal career growth but also keeps the company at the cutting edge of technology and innovation.

I do believe when employees feel valued and supported they are more engaged and productive and we aim every day to create a workplace where people are empowered to do their best work.

The emergence of AI has had a profound impact driving both innovation and efficiency across various functions, as well as new opportunities for growth, for new solutions, see our GenerativeAI services, creating dedicated innovation and AI programs for clients. AI has opened up new avenues for innovation, allowing us to design services that leverage AI capabilities – see recently launched Cognizant Moment.

AI helps us optimize our operations and contributes to our clients’ efficiency – it’s a game changer for all businesses, enhancing our capabilities, our offerings, and driving significant improvements across various operations.

The success of AI-driven innovation and solutions is measured by customer feedback and the adoption rate of AI features among our employees and clients alike. To measure the impact of AI, we rely on a comprehensive set of metrics that cover cost savings, productivity gains, customer satisfaction, innovation outcomes, and risk management.

The strongest business potential

In Romania our focus is primarily Digital Engineering which is for sure an area of continuous growth in the coming years. I believe the world will continue to transform with the help of technology and software companies will play a major role in this as they have until now. However, we have seen an unprecedented evolution of technology which will accelerate even more in the future therefore software companies will need to continue to stay ahead in order to stay relevant and bring value at the right price points. Romania and our business here are well positioned from both a talent, experience, knowledge and geographical perspective. With a continuous growth mindset in which technology is always our partner that we use in the benefits of our clients and help them by creating digital experiences that improve everyday life.

Challenges in business

As our value best stated, “Do the right thing” is the way to avoid red flags.

The tech industry is very dynamic, hence staying competitive requires continuous innovation, adaptation, agility, and continuous learning. We encourage open-mindedness, propose and experiment with new ideas (see Blubolt Garage) and embrace change as a constant part of our workflow. As I’ve said earlier, we should take advantage of all the learning and development programs and advance our skills, upskilling/reskilling, to position ourselves for success.

It’s also important to prioritize well-being and we all should support each other in maintaining a healthy workplace.

Improving customer experience is a key area of opportunity. By understanding our customers better and anticipating their needs, we can deliver outstanding solutions and build stronger relationships.

Diversity and inclusion are crucial for fostering innovation and creativity, and we’re promoting a culture of inclusivity, where everyone feels valued and heard, by actively seeking out diverse voices and encouraging different viewpoints, we can create together even greater success.