As you may have seen last week, we officially unveiled our data products at HfS, where we bring together the full gamet of demand and supply side data to share everything you ever needed to know about the big change agents impacting business operations. So who better to help support our new range of offerings that a veteran analyst with a broad knowledge across all services markets, who’s developed a solid reputation with the likes of Ovum and NelsonHall: Suvradeep Bhattacharjee.
In addition to being a true gent and an eloquent observer of the market, what also appeals is the fact he moved himself to our new HfS headquarters in Cambridge England (where his wife teaches HR practice at one of the local colleges), but he also comes from the great city of Calcutta, where you can actually visit man-eating tigers. My 8-year-old boy is begging me to take him, so I will need some local expertise to give me the lowdown….
Welcome, Suvradeep – it’s just terrific to be working with you at HfS! Can you share a little about your background and why you have chosen research and strategy as your career path?
I think, I am curious by nature. I am usually stimulated by new knowledge which is mostly esoteric by nature, in my experience. Also, I would like to know how this new knowledge affects the big picture. From software development to being my own boss for a while, then as an industry analyst, it is indeed a bit of serendipity as well, but research and strategy has become my natural career turf.
Why did you choose to join HfS… and why now?
Blinding optimism of the Silicon Valley in the corner of old and gentle England – I just couldn’t believe my luck when I discovered that HfS was moving its HQ to Cambridge, England. I have always admired the frankness and genuineness of thoughts opined by HfS. In particular, your blogs on outsourcing and automation, Phil, has breathed a lot of fresh air in a rigourous industry often lacking the big picture. Thanks for that, Phil. Finally, I am a lot quieter now but still a rebel. Joining a gang of rebels in HfS, isn’t it natural?
Where is the industry right now, Suvradeep? Are things really that different than they were five years ago?
The services industry is in a state of flux right now – we are in a transition to a world where we we do more for less! The twitching corpse of labour arbitrage is still looming large, while RPA and AI are promising a very different future, but right now it’s a scramble to balance both the new and the old model with a blended approach. Political developments across the world around outsourcing have become much more prominent with the rise of populism across many western political systems, and it has become nigh-on impossible to ignore the calls to curtail offshoring or nearshoring. As you have pointed out, Phil, the next five years will be transitory, but it’s the five after that which will be truly frightening!
So what can we expect to see from you at HfS… can you give us a little snippet of what you’re going to be working on?
I will manage the delivery of HfS contracts database, delivery of HfS buyers guides, and delivery of HfS PriceIndicator. Also, I will be working with the HfS analysts to utilize data around product areas more effectively and develop relationships across the industry to help support and promote these products. I will be aligning our data with our insight to really drive our view of the future, and am very excited to be working with Jamie Snowdon (Chief Data Officer) who has some great ideas for innovative data solutions for our clients.
And finally, is the analyst industry as exciting as it was 10 years’ ago?
I am tempted to say that the analyst industry is more exciting now as we are about to watch really big changes in the world around us! It’s a great time to be here. Change and uncertainly drive the need for clarity and insight, so where better to be than a firm like HfS?
Good to have you with the HfS family, Suvradeep… look forward to seeing our data products really make a difference in the analyst business!
Posted in : Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), IT Outsourcing / IT Services
