Osmar Polo

TBY talks to Osmar Polo, CEO of T-Systems Iberia, about recent developments, AI, and the future of the industry in Spain.

What have been some key developments and achievements at T-Systems in the last few years?

Since COVID-19, our company has transformed significantly, aiming to restore normalcy. Since 2021, our company has consistently grown, exceeding double-digit increases annually, far surpassing the market average of 4-5%. In the previous year alone, our growth soared to 25-27%, five times higher than the market average. Our strategic positioning within the Deutsche Telekom group, specifically in its business-to-business division, has made us the largest operation outside of Germany. This positioning grants us a unique portfolio and facilitates international investments within the group. Formerly focused domestically, we now provide solutions globally. For example, we apply AI in European train route management, assist flights from Spain to Brazil, and contribute to German car manufacturing processes. This success underscores T-Systems’ capabilities and its role as a global technology provider, elevating our country’s status as a technology hub, especially in data center infrastructure. Through investment, we have established a South Europe region for our cloud services and two significant value centers to support internal operations and customer digital transformation journeys.

What are the company’s main focus areas, and how does its global infrastructure support these services?

T-Systems focuses on four key areas: cloud services, digital transformation, advisory services, and cybersecurity. We offer a range of private and public cloud solutions from major providers like Microsoft, AWS, Google Cloud, Oracle, and IBM. Our team of skilled engineers and developers specializes in building agile applications tailored to clients’ needs. We provide advisory services to guide clients in addressing industry-specific challenges, and cybersecurity is a top priority, with dedicated teams protecting assets. Our global cloud infrastructure, Future Cloud Infrastructure (FCI), spans regions including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Spain, with plans for expansion into the US and beyond. FCI offers the power of public cloud services while maintaining the security and standards of a private cloud. In Barcelona, we have established a data center to support applications, backed by our value centers staffed by 2,000 experts, with significant investment in Granada, Andalusia. Our cybersecurity operations center (SOC) in Madrid works in tandem with the main center in Germany, ensuring robust protection against cyber threats for both our organization and our clients. We do not just provide a portfolio of services; we tailor solutions to specific industries, leveraging technologies like big data, IoT, and AI to deliver value where it matters most.

In which industries do you observe the highest demand for your services?

T-Systems has a strong presence in the public sector, ranking as one of the top providers in the Spanish IT market. Our services extend from national ministries to local municipalities, with numerous products tailored for this sector. Approximately 20 million Spanish residents indirectly benefit from our systems, and half of the country’s major cities are our clients, utilizing our solutions to enhance efficiency and implement smart city technologies. We support municipalities in asset management, tax systems and e-administration, facilitating citizen interaction. Additionally, we specialize in automotive manufacturing and healthcare industries, leveraging our expertise to assist clients on their industry-specific journeys toward improvement and innovation. While progress continues, we remain committed to advancing these sectors with our global portfolio of solutions.

T-System’s Catena-X initiative aims to establish a collaborative data ecosystem for the automotive industry. How does this initiative set new standards for the industry?

The market demands secure data exchange among ecosystems, ensuring industry sovereignty. T-Systems pioneers this through its involvement in GAIA-X, an association establishing standards and architecture for safe data exchange. GAIA-X’s initiatives, like Catena-X, enable companies to exchange information swiftly while safeguarding industry secrets. T-Systems contributes to this effort, witnessing productive outcomes as more companies adopt these technologies. This European initiative, supported by the majority of European OEMs, is gaining global traction through the European Institute.

T-Systems has introduced its AI strategy consulting services. What value does this bring to its clients in Spain?

AI adoption varies among clients due to differing maturity levels. Our engagement with AI began in 2021, but its widespread adoption accelerated with the emergence of generative AI, enabling broader user reach. This rapid adoption has resulted in diverse client maturity levels. Some clients are in the experimental phase, while others are strategically implementing AI. For those exploring AI, we provide tailored platforms to suit their organizational needs. Clients further along in their AI journey receive consultation on optimal platforms, solutions, and product integration. T-Systems acts as an integrator, facilitating seamless incorporation of AI components. As clients progress, we collaborate closely, operating AI environments jointly and providing talent to drive progress. For clients using AI to disrupt their business, we offer strategic consulting, drawing on our group’s use cases and cross-industry experiences to foster innovation. This collaborative approach underscores our commitment to co-creating tailored solutions, leveraging our clients’ business expertise alongside our technological know-how.

T-Systems offers the Syrah solution for ESG management. How does this platform facilitate comprehensive digital management of ESG factors?

Syrah is an initiative aimed at monitoring and measuring the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), initially focusing on the public sector. It provides a dashboard utilizing technology such as data analytics, IoT, big data and AI to visualize progress toward sustainability goals. While originating in the public sector, Syrah’s applicability extends to private sector companies prioritizing sustainability and ESG objectives. T-Systems leverages this technology to assist companies in visualizing and tracking their progress in meeting SDGs or ESGs.

What are the key goals and priorities for T-Systems in the upcoming year?

We have three core objectives: love, wow, and grow. Love entails prioritizing our customers and placing them at the heart of everything we do. Simultaneously, we prioritize caring for our employees, ensuring their well-being and professional development. Talent retention is a key focus, with our below-market turnover rate reflecting our success in this area. In 2023, we hired over 600 IT talents in our company. Sustainability is integral to our love principle, as we strive to care for our planet and contribute to a sustainable future. Wow emphasizes surprising both clients and employees with exceptional experiences. This requires a culture of innovation and empowerment, where individuals feel like co-founders of the organization, fostering a sense of ownership and dedication. Finally, grow focuses on technological advancement and industry-specific expertise. We aim to provide cutting-edge technology solutions to our customers while continuously expanding our knowledge and capabilities to meet their evolving needs. From a business standpoint, our goal is to sustain growth above market standards while becoming recognized experts who add significant value for our clients. Whether serving the public sector or individual clients, our focus remains on empowering them to grow and enhance their competitiveness. Additionally, we aspire to create an exceptional workplace that attracts top talent.