SSONext

In a special episode of SSONext, we sit down with a few of the solutions providers of SSOW Orlando to discuss key insights from senior executives. 

Conversations covered some of the most pertinent topics of the event, including:

• Key takeaways from the Environmental Social Governance boardroom
• Top Insights into corporate spending trends and risk in 2023 and the power of analytics and AI to identify and navigate risk
• How AI is delivering the Future of Work and how it defines itself from automation
• Trends in the Future of Finance, from new skillsets, emerging tech and AP error detection and prevention
• Drilling down into the critical role process management will play in the modern shared service organization

Kai Eberhard Lueg is the Chief Operating Officer, Global Business Services, Siemens AG.  He has vast international experience in the Siemens Shared Services environment in various leading positions such as Head of Business Process Shared Services and Finance Shared Services as well as CFO of Global Shared Services. Siemens Global.

Prior to these engagements, he was acting as global CFO of the Siemens Wind Power Division. He has been a long term supporter of SSON where he has generously shared Siemens GBS story of cutting-edge digital transformation and end-to-end process excellence. In 2022, for the 6^th year running - Siemens GBS made the list of SSON’s top 20 most admired Shared Services Operations.

In this conversation, Kai shares:

• How Siemens GBS have gone beyond traditional services to take on technical activities such as Engineering
• The importance of demonstrating integrity and work-life balance during a GBS job interview 
• The wealth of opportunity a career in GBS and Siemens has to offer

SSON Research & Analytics reports that Order-to-Cash is the second most popular service provided by 66% of surveyed SSON members. With the present focus on process transformation and the rise in consideration for the customer – two topics that were certainly front and center at the recent SSOW Orlando event – O2C is posed to be the next site of customer-centric service delivery. 

In conversation with three senior leaders from Sidetrade, this episode covers:

• The emergence of a 'secondary' customer; the government tax collection agencies, and how that affects Time to Invoice and Customer Experience
• Leveraging AI and prescriptive analytics for better collection outcomes
• The relationship between the customer and cash applications

It's been an exciting couple of days at SSOW Orlando 2023! I sat down with Barbara Hodge, Global Editor of SSON to discuss our key learnings onsite and the magic of a live event. 

In this episode of GBS Careers Corner we talk to Edoardo Peniche, VP GBS at Aptiv. Edoardo is a master shared services leader with extensive global experience establishing world-class operations. He led critical initiatives that included design, implementation, development and transformation of multiple Global Shared Service Centers since 1996, establishing operations in Mexico, Costa Rica, USA, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, China, India, Philippines and Egypt. In this episode Edoardo delves into his 27 year long GBS career honing in on:

• The importance of making mistakes and making your team a safe place to fail, innovate and come back stronger
• How leaving his home country, Mexico and getting international experience transformed his career trajectory and shaped him as a leader
• How GBS can be a multi-faceted career option allowing you to explore finance, customer experience, sales, marketing and much more!

Christy has been with Mastercard for 7 years. In her current role as Director of Engagement and Communications for Mastercard’s shared services group, she leads a customized framework aimed to optimize the employee experience, and ultimately the customer experience. In the last year, phrases like quiet quitting, burnout and disengagement have become all too common in discussions around workforce productivity. With this in mind, SSONext sat down with Christy to probe a little deeper into what a people-centric culture looks like in practice. 

Key Areas Covered Include:

• Defining and measuring nebulous terms like employee engagement
• What does a healthy workforce look like? 
• How the modern workplace needs to change in order to prevent disengagement

In this episode of GBS Careers Corner we are joined by Dr Frank Schühler. Frank is the Managing Director for DHL Global Forwarding‘s, Global Service Center which was recently named one of the top 20 most admired SSOs by SSON Research and Analytics.  The shared services organization operates with 4600 employees located in Bogota, Mumbai, Chennai, Chengdu and Manila augmented by many bots operated by a Virtual Delivery Center based in Chennai.  He has a wealth of experience in leadership, digital transformation and finance.

In this episode we discuss Frank's career path from military service to Global GBS Lead, focusing in on his advice on:

• Gaining international experience
• Use shared services reputation as an underdog to generate pride, energy, belonging and comradeship within your team
• Translating technology into tangible business benefits

Egypt is a rapidly growing economy and labor market, with key skills in the IT and outsourcing industry. In this episode of SSONext we welcome to the podcast Ricardo Langwieder, the Regional Lead for Middle East and Africa at Alorica. Ricardo has over 20 years of international corporate and entrepreneurial experience. He’s lived and worked in Europe, South America, the US, Asia, and he has worked in the MENA region just shy of ten years, making him the perfect person to probe deeper into how Egypt compares on the global stage. 

In this episode we spoke about:

• What makes Egypt such a competitive location for outsourcing
• The partnerships and infrastructure the government has built to promote ease of business
• The fast-growing and highly educated workforce whose skillsets compliment many of the services provided by BPOs

In this episode of GBS Careers Corner we welcome to the podcast Dennis Lui, Chief Executive of VITAL Shared Services.  VITAL is the shared services arm of the Singapore Public Service. It serves over 100,000 public officers today across 100 Ministries, Departments, Organs of State and Statutory Boards in the areas of finance, human resources and procurement. It has become an award winning hub for innovation and a fantastic example of creative technology use which has been showcased at events worldwide. 

In this episode we spoke about:

• Collaborating with tech vendors and educational institutions to provide top level training which will enthuse your staff and give them purpose
• The three skills a shared services leader must develop 
• Using RPA and low-code technology to empower employees and give them powers of creation

In this episode of GBS Careers Corner, Sally Fletcher talks to Paul Bryanhill. Until recently Paul acted as the VP, Finance Operations at NBC Universal. He has over 30 years of experience in shared services and finance roles where he has been responsible for design, establishment and operating both captive and outsourced services. He now spends his time mentoring to help support and develop careers for future shared services leaders.  

In this episode Paul shares with us the highs and lows of his illustrious career in shared services, honing in on topics such as:

• How to demonstrate your vision and ideas to your manager
• The importance of keeping a learning mindset throughout your career
• Mentoring and reverse mentoring, the benefits of taking feedback from unexpected sources
• When to switch jobs and companies and how to pick the right one

In this episode of SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Jennifer Kelly Greene, Senior Director of Global Payroll at Otis. A business-oriented professional with hands-on experience in managing multi-location, multinational teams, Jennifer brings a history of success in leading teams in B2B and B2C environments. Highly effective at managing vendors, building consensus, and working collaboratively with all levels to assess, plan, and implement enterprise-wide standard solutions. She is a seasoned strategist with proven superior problem resolution, communication, and leadership skills; able to align teams and prioritize goals while focusing on continuous process improvements and efficiencies to maximize revenue for GBS. 

On the docket today is the topic of broadening the skill sets of your people. Jennifer and Barbara dissect:

✅The case for focussing on broadening the skill sets of your talent base so they can capitalize on learning and growth opportunities.

✅Where the balance is for GBS between the people, the process, and the technology to be really efficient.

✅The need to communicate success stories across service management, operations management, transformation, change management, and leadership.

For the full details on that and a lot more, 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧 

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In this episode of GBS Careers Corner we're joined by Helen Emmett, CFO Global Finance Services at Experian. Helen is not only the first female CFO, but the first CFO outright of Global Finance Services reflecting the growth and transformation of the award winning GFS at Experian.

During the podcast we discuss how Helen got ahead in her career by putting herself forward for big opportunities and taking on unpopular tasks. Also what she learnt working with diverse, global teams and recruiting shared services professionals around the world.

It's a great listen if you are looking for ways to stand out in your role and in search of career inspiration!

In this episode of GBS Careers Corner we talk to Gary Critchley, Senior Vice President for Global Business Services at Qatar Airways which was recently named one of SSONs Top 20 Most-Admired GBS.  

During his career Gary has worked for a number of well-known brands, both in the UK and Middle-East, including Marks and Spencer, National Grid, Pepsi Co and BOC Group helping them to transform their finance functions and implement shared services. He has a wealth of experience in leading through change, integrating digital strategies and building strong, diverse teams. 

We talk about, how to make your CV standout through storytelling, taking a leadership position and how "varying your altitude" is a crucial skill for shared service leaders. 

In this episode of SSONext, Sally Fletcher, SSON's Head of Online Events, sits down with George Connell, former VP Strategy and Finance at Shell GBS. The episode is a sneak peek into GBS Careers Corner where Sally will be exploring the multitude of different career paths available to you in the modern global business services space and how to get ahead in your own GBS career. Whether you’re working in finance, HR, IT, automation or the multitude of other shared service disciplines available today, there should be something in here for you.  

In this week's episode Sally and George discuss: George's career path to finance lead in Shell GBS, his defining career moments, the importance of having a mentor and how to pick the right GBS organization for you. 

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In this episode of SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Charlie Chang, Global Talent Acquisition leader and Director at Page Outsourcing in Manila, Philippines. Charlie joins us to explain how outsourcing recruiting functions can provide GBS organizations with the agility they need today; and how to optimize the onboarding process.

Charlie and Barbara dissect:

✅ How the needs of employees and employers differ across regions, and why the GBS recruitment process should reflect that.
✅ What processes GBS are typically looking to outsource? 
✅ The struggle to attract and retain the right talent and why employer branding and a clear strategy make all the difference.

For the full details on that and a lot more, 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧 

If you are a new visitor to our podcast, welcome! Could you please do us a favor, and give us 5 stars? Your ratings help us rank better, and be found by more people. Thanks again.

In this episode of SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Simon Brown and Gerard Hussey. Simon is an experienced practitioner in HR transformation, as well as GBS and HR Shared Services leadership. And Gerard is a senior HR practitioner with extensive multifunctional, and multi-industry experience. His focus is on enabling organizations to improve their productivity, performance, and to successfully execute business transformation. 

Simon, Gerard, and Barbara dissect:

✅ Why a key factor that GBS and shared services leaders need to focus on right now is supporting employee well-being. 
✅ The importance of an intensive survey relating to Human Resources, so decision-making can become not just scientific, but also driven by emotional intelligence.
✅ How HR leadership is changing across different industry segments.
✅ Why more GBS organizations need to focus on career development and mentoring for employees.

For the full details on that and a lot more, 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧 

If you are a new visitor to our podcast, welcome! Could you please do us a favour, and give us 5 stars? Your ratings help us rank better, and be found by more people. Thanks again.

In this episode of SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Emma Beaumont to talk about all things change management, and its pivotal importance for GBS leaders. A serial networker with a passion for brand messaging, communication and content that builds community, trust, and value, Emma is GBS Change Management & Communications Lead at JTI. She brings an Industry and SME focus across GBS, Digital Transformation, Technology, AI and Automation, Data Analytics, Shared Services and BPO.

Emma and Barbara dissect:

✅ A case study of how the CM&C (change management and communications) team at JTI handled the pandemic and managed operations systematically
✅ Why change management has emerged as a critical enabler for GBS at JTI
✅ A foundational framework to guide GBS leaders in setting up a change management team (particularly as we move towards a post-pandemic recession)

For the full details on that and a lot more, 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧 

If you are a return visitor to our podcast, thank you! Could you please do us a favour, and hit the rating button to give us 5 stars? Your ratings help us rank better, and be found by more people. Thanks again.

Welcome back to SSONext! This is part 2 of an in-depth mini-series where host Barbara Hodge sits down with Tom Bangemann, Head of Data Development & Research at SSON Research & Analytics. Tom brings profound experience in delivery, sales, and business development, with an impressive international career in Practice Management. 

Tom and Barbara offer a deep dive into the state of Global Business Services (GBS), based on SSON survey data. You’ll hear details on:

✅ Why is GBS so important right now, particularly as we head into a recession?
✅ The difference between shared services and GBS 
✅ The emergence of “ESG” in GBS scope and responsibility
✅ Organizational structures and leadership in a GBS model – and whether having a single central hub of leaders in GBS is sufficient

For the full details on that and a lot more, 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧 

If you haven’t heard the first part of the conversation with Tom, you’ll find it in episode 20, where Barbara chats with him about why GBS needs to refocus on location.

Returning to our podcast? Thank you! Could you please hit the rating button to give us 5 stars? Your ratings help us rank better, and be found by more people. Thanks again.

In this episode of SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with Tom Bangemann, an experienced manager, coach, mentor and board member with a proven content and executive track record. Tom is Head of Data Development & Research at SSON Research & Analytics. He brings profound experience in delivery, sales, and business development, with an impressive international career in Practice Management. 

Tom and Barbara take you behind the scenes into SSON’s expansive data resources to offer a deep dive into the topic of location as it relates to GBS and shared services. You’ll hear details on:

✅ Why NOW is the right time to focus on and study in detail your locations of operations
✅ How leaders can leverage their existing footprint
✅ The big driver that is most relevant in today's GBS

For the full details on those points, and a lot more, 🎧please listen to the episode 🎧 

If you are a return visitor to our podcast, thank you! Could you please do us a favor, and hit the rating button to give us 5 stars? 

Your ratings help us rank better, and be found by more people. 

Thanks again.

In this episode of SSONext, host Barbara Hodge sits down with David Hughes, Shared Services Director for Bidvest Noonan, a leading facilities management business in the UK, providing Finance and HR support across the board.

David has over 20 years’ experience designing and operating world class Global Business Services operations. He has a passion for creating values-based cultures and great places to work, where people are inspired and motivated to achieve their full potential.

David and Barbara dig into:

✅ Why automation is a really powerful (and perhaps underutilized) tool for GBS leaders
✅ How to refocus on the fact that the main objective of automation is to improve a company's workflows - so we we can reduce costs, time, and waste, as well as increase productivity.
✅ New automation opportunities come along every day; what markers can GBS use to evaluate, assess and implement the right ones?

For the full details on that and a lot more, 🎧 listen to the episode 🎧 

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