The Shann Group, a prominent player in the supply chain industry, understands the need for digital transformation and has embarked on a transformative journey to leverage emerging technologies and drive exponential impact.

ADAPT’s Principal Research Analyst, Shane Hill, had the privilege of sitting down with Krist Davood, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Shann Group, to gain valuable insights into their approach and lessons learned in implementing digital transformation at scale.

A Cultural and Technological Refresh

Krist Davood emphasised that digital transformation encompasses not only technological advancements but also a cultural shift within the organisation.

The Shann Group, being a traditional organisation resistant to change, required a comprehensive approach that addressed both cultural and technological aspects.

Krist brought radical ideas to the table, encouraging the organisation to embrace change and reimagine their operations.

As part of the succession planning process, new board members and executive team members were introduced, including Krist himself.

This executive team revitalisation served as a catalyst for change, facilitating a refresh in both cultural and technological domains.

The goal was to instil a mindset of embracing big bang transformations, rather than incremental changes.

The Role of Culture in Successful Digital Transformation

Krist stressed that successful digital transformation hinges upon fostering a culture that values adaptability, continuous learning, and customer-centricity.

He recognised that introducing new software technologies alone would not yield the desired outcomes. Instead, it was essential to establish an inclusive culture where every team member felt invested in the organisation’s digital objectives.

At the Shann Group, Krist spearheaded initiatives to shape such a culture of inclusivity and digital readiness. One notable example was the integration of machine learning into stock management and procurement processes.

By involving cross-functional teams in the implementation, Krist ensured that relevant stakeholders understood the potential of emerging technologies and actively contributed to their success.

Lessons Learned and Operational Insights

Through his experiences at the Shann Group, Krist Davood identified several crucial lessons and insights crucial for successful digital transformation:

• Bringing People Along the Journey: Engaging the right individuals within the organisation, be it at the executive level or middle management, is essential. By partnering with change agents, organisations can expedite the transformation process, reduce human error, and cut procurement costs. Krist’s emphasis on collaborating with the right people led to significant efficiency improvements, data-driven decision-making, and cost savings.
• Embedding Technology Teams Across the Business: To truly understand how the organisation operates and identify areas for transformation, technology teams need to be embedded across the business. By gaining operational perspectives and commercial acumen, these teams can make informed decisions and tailor technological implementations to organisational requirements.
• Machine Learning and Connecting Organisational Outcomes: Krist shared insights on the integration of machine learning and other emerging technologies to connect the Shann Group’s operations with organisational outcomes. Leveraging AI technologies like RStudio and deep learning, they enabled the machine learning process to optimise data analysis and decision-making.

The inclusive approach at the Shann Group, involving both business operations and technology teams, played a vital role in this process.

By working collaboratively and co-locating teams, they obtained invaluable insights into the data and identified outliers that could impact the machine learning models.

Krist’s ability to communicate in layman’s terms further facilitated the alignment of technology with organisational objectives, ensuring a successful digital transformation journey.

Conclusion

The Shann Group’s digital transformation journey, under the leadership of CIO Krist Davood, exemplifies the power of embracing cultural change and leveraging emerging technologies.

By fostering a culture of adaptability, continuous learning, and customer-centricity, they have successfully implemented transformative initiatives.

Through the integration of machine learning and an inclusive approach to collaboration, the Shann Group has achieved remarkable results, including increased efficiency, accuracy, and cost savings.

As organisations continue to navigate the digital landscape, the insights shared by Krist Davood serve as a valuable guide to driving transformational change at scale.

Embracing digital transformation, both culturally and technologically, is not only a necessity but a strategic advantage in today’s rapidly evolving business world.