Vietnam 4.0: why this country stopped being a "factory" and became an industrial platform
A few years ago Vietnam was most often mentioned as a cheaper alternative to China. Today that formula is rapidly becoming obsolete. The country is moving into a different league: from a model of large-scale manufacturing to a model of managed, digital and technologically mature industry. And it is precisely this that makes Vietnam one of the most interesting markets for Industry 4.0 in Southeast Asia.
Today, discussions about data centers almost always start with the “hardware”: which UPSs to choose, how many air conditioners are needed, which chiller is better. But if this is the starting point for a project, it is beginning from the wrong place.
Svetlana Potapova, Head of Artificial Intelligence Cluster at a major steel manufacturing company, talks about the implementation of AI in metallurgy: automatic control accelerated rolling by 50%, computer vision increased productivity by 5%, and the adoption rate was 90%.
How do personal athletic achievements impact the professional effectiveness of IT managers? Yuriy Glushchenko, CIO of iStapel and founder of SigmaSport.pro, joined experts and practitioners to discuss the connection between regular training and the ability to manage complex projects without burnout. This article features the experiences of participants in the Global CIO summer challenge and an honest conversation about when sport becomes a working tool.
How do CIOs stop being "support services" and gain real business influence? At the Global CIO panel, executives from Tele2/Altel, MBANK, Kolesa.kz, and Kazzinc shared hard-earned lessons: alignment starts not with translating tech into business language, but with financial literacy and upfront stakeholder work. A candid conversation about crises, talent development, and the path to CEO.
As the holiday season approaches, we are happy to share New Year greetings from members of the Global CIO community — IT executives and digital leaders from different countries, industries, and cultures.
When CIOs from manufacturing, pharma, aviation, and banking met virtually this year, one question dominated: where is all the money going? The answer surprised even seasoned technology leaders.
In the context of energy shortages and growing ESG requirements, investments in digital infrastructure are becoming a source of strategic advantage for Central Asia. Digital twins, drones for monitoring gas networks, and blockchain payments are forming a new digital "Silk Road", where energy technologies are the key commodity.
Implementing a corporate communications system is a complex process. On paper, it all seems simple: there's a product, a team, and a deadline. In practice, there are dozens of participants, overlapping responsibilities, user resistance, and endless approvals from the information security department.
Ekaterina Belyatinskaya, business coach and executive coach for IT leaders, held a master class on team communications for members of the Compass CIO IT Leaders Club. The focus was on the Bruce Model Tuckman's four stages of team development: formation, storming, stabilization, and effectiveness. Participants learned how to adapt their leadership style at each stage to create a high-performing team.
Today, monetizing services and services is no longer just a financial process – it's now part of the customer experience. Companies that can flexibly manage pricing, respond more quickly to market changes, and forecast revenue more accurately win.
When IT initiative selection becomes a debate of opinions rather than data-driven decisions, a systematic approach is essential. Georgy Pastukhov, IT management expert, shows how to transform an abstract digital agenda into a clear portfolio in 1–2 working days. The material features 14 technologies (Foundation, Accelerators, Differentiators), practical frameworks (Gartner, McKinsey, BCG, TOGAF), and a proprietary assessment methodology with specific decision thresholds: implement ≥70%, pilot 40–69%, postpone <40%.
Hoff Tech carried out a large-scale digital transformation in a turbulent market with a drop in purchasing power of 8% YoY. CEO Andrey Pluzhnikov spoke about the transition to a microservice architecture, the introduction of omnichannel logic and AI, which made it possible to increase conversion by 10-15% with a flat budget. The key to success is an integrated approach, from technology to corporate culture and product teams.
Industry 4.0 is no longer just a fashionable term for Kazakhstan. The country is confidently moving towards digital transformation, turning pilot projects into large-scale programs. Roman Yashin, Director of Softline Group in Central Asia, talks about key trends, barriers and market opportunities.
According to a recent survey conducted by the international IT community Global CIO, more than 40% of IT leaders look to professional associations not only for networking, but also for opportunities to learn. The Global CIO editorial team spoke with Barbara Dossetter, a leading practitioner at CXO Connect, a leadership development firm from London. In this interview, Barb delves into the evolving role of the CIO, the critical skills gap in communication and strategic presence, and how targeted executive education is shaping the next generation of IT leaders.
The hotel business in Uzbekistan is growing and digitizing: the hotel management system, ticket offices, online sales channels, mobile keys, smart devices in rooms, active social networks. Along with this, the risks are also growing. We talked to Ilkhom Begmatov, a regional representative of the Softline Group of companies in Uzbekistan, about how to build protection without losing speed and convenience for guestsSoftline.
The Uzum digital ecosystem became the first technology "unicorn" in Uzbekistan in 2024 and continues to grow. The GlobalCIO editorial team spoke with Roman Lavrentiev, COO of Uzum. An IT leader with a product background, he has built companies whose solutions operated from North America to Africa. Today, his experience in scaling global IT products is helping to build a key digital ecosystem in Uzbekistan.