Kathy Gibson reports – The new-look NTT Data Middle East & Africa (MEA), having grown out of the 40-year-old Dimension Data, continues to innovate and invest – particularly in vertical market solutions.
Alan Turnley-Jones, CEO of NTT Data, explains that NTT Data is a $30-billion organisation, with 190 000 employees around the world. The group operates in more than 50 countries, serving 75% of the Fortune Global 100.
Innovation is important to the company, which spends $3,6-billion on R&D, making it the sixth most valued brand in the world and the 47th most innovative company.
Both Dimension Data and NTT Data have a rich heritage – NTT as a Japanese company founded in 1952, and Dimension Data as a South African organisations set up in 1983.
In 2010, NTT acquired Dimension Data, and since 2024, the company has completely transitioned to the new brand.
“We have a lot of our global peers based in South Africa,’ Turnley-Jones explains. “A lot of our service delivery to other parts of the world happens here.
This is part of a deliberate intent to continue investing in the South African market.”
Outside of Japan, about 150 000 employees work for NTT Data, generating about $18-billion in revenue.
The company is focusing on vertical industries, using its own IP to break into new areas.
“Speaking to CIOs, we are seeing a lot of excitement, we are in a position to be relevant to our clients because we understand their business, and can address it with solutions for their industry.”
The NTT Data portfolio includes connectivity and edge, cloud, data intelligence, applications, and consulting.
In terms of scale, NTT Data is the sixth-biggest IT services market player.
Turnley-Jones explains that NTT Data has deployed some innovative solutions based on leading edge technologies.
Among these are the Vatican Library using Web3 technology.
The Open is able to provide a better experience using digital twin, IoT and edge analytics, and private 5G.
Walmart is implementing customer support solutions based on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) that audits transactions.
Indeed, NTT Data is becoming a GenAI-driven company itself, seamlessly integrating GenAI with its asset-based business approach to exceed client expectation.
Turnley-Jones adds that the company is embedding GenAI into its business model, with GenAI by design principles applied to innovation and scale in value delivery.
It is also embedding GenAI into all offer co-created with clients; into its delivery model for self-improvement through automation; and within the pyramid of talent to empower a future-ready workforce.
In the Middle East Africa region, NTT Data aims to elevate growth through a focus on industry solutions and cross-play; strategic partnerships and new business models; co-innovation with its business-driven assets; and elevating its brand as an industry thought leader.
“We will continue to drive the core parts of the business. But as we set sail into new opportunities, these are the areas we expect to see new growth coming from.”