Rajgopal Nayak, Chief Technology Officer, Metro Brands Ltd. on the footwear main’s strategy to expertise, focus areas and tech interventions…

Metro Brands Ltd.’s chief Technology Officer Rajgopal Nayak’s tech Mantra is: Innovate with function and execute with precision. An completed IT skilled with over 20 years of expertise in enterprise evaluation, strategic planning, IT governance, and system improvement, Nayak joined Metro Brands Ltd. (MBL) in May 2020—in the course of the pandemic.

He was tasked with the accountability of overseeing the event and dissemination of expertise to assist enhance and enhance the corporate’s enterprise.

Nayak’s imaginative and prescient for the group is to make MBL a technology-driven firm. Under his management, his crew is extraordinarily motivated to undertake and drive change by adopting new methods. He is extraordinarily keen about driving change with a transparent imaginative and prescient of what to realize.

In an unique interview with IndiaRetailing Nayak speaks in regards to the footwear main’s strategy to expertise, focus areas and tech interventions. Edited excerpts…

What is the scope and complexity of your function as CTO?
I handle a multifaceted function that extends throughout varied domains, reflecting the expansive nature of my obligations in steering the technological panorama of the corporate.

My purview encompasses a complete oversight of all technological sides inside Metro Brands, spanning digital innovation, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, software program improvement, and information administration.

A pivotal dimension of my function lies within the formulation and execution of the corporate’s expertise technique, a process that calls for a eager understanding of enterprise aims to make sure seamless alignment. Collaboration with different departments is intrinsic to my obligations as I actively have interaction in figuring out alternatives for progress and effectivity enhancements by way of technology-driven initiatives.

Moreover, I handle a various crew of IT professionals, distributors, and companions, orchestrating their efforts to ship tailor-made expertise options that exactly meet the evolving wants of the corporate.

When making expertise choices, do you depend on tech or intestine?
Our decision-making course of is a nuanced mix of data-driven insights and skilled judgment. We acknowledge the worth of instinct, contemplating intestine emotions inside the context of obtainable information and trade finest practices. This strategy ensures a balanced and knowledgeable decision-making course of, the place each quantitative evaluation and qualitative experience contribute to strategic decisions.

As the Chief Technology Officer, my function revolves round sustaining equilibrium amongst innovation, threat administration, and operational effectivity. This delicate steadiness is important to place Metro Brands on the vanguard of expertise within the retail trade.

By navigating the intersection of those parts, I goal to drive the corporate ahead, fostering a dynamic technological panorama that not solely embraces innovation but in addition strategically manages dangers and optimizes operational processes for sustained success.

What function has expertise performed in enabling the corporate’s progress?
Technology has been instrumental in Metro Brands’ progress, driving the enlargement of its on-line presence, streamlining provide chain operations, and enhancing digital buyer engagement.

The strategic use of expertise has expedited the corporate’s evolution in e-commerce, optimized provide chain effectivity, and fostered dynamic buyer interactions.

This tech-driven strategy has not solely elevated accessibility and operational effectivity however has additionally positioned MBL as a forward-thinking and adaptable participant within the digital retail panorama, contributing considerably to its ongoing success.

What is the corporate’s strategy in direction of expertise?
At MBL, our strategy to expertise is proactive and strategic. We acknowledge expertise as a key driver of innovation and effectivity, prioritizing investments that promise a aggressive benefit. This perspective helps us in leveraging technological developments to propel our enterprise ahead, making certain that our use of expertise aligns with our broader objectives and fosters a sustainable edge out there.

Can you determine just a few areas through which Metro is utilizing expertise to alter the sport?
We are dedicated to elevating the client buying expertise by way of strategic technological purposes, primarily specializing in e-commerce platforms and loyalty packages. In our pursuit of steady enchancment, we acknowledge the potential of RFID expertise for stock administration and provide chain optimization, contemplating it a pivotal space for exploration and harnessing.

Moreover, we see important promise within the integration of synthetic intelligence (AI) and Large Language fashions inside our present methods. This transformative strategy has the potential to reshape our operational panorama, serving as a strategic differentiator.

Key areas of transformation embrace customized product suggestions, enhancing demand forecasting accuracy, and fortifying fraud detection measures.

According to a latest examine, 40% of these reporting AI adoption of their companies in India say their firms count on to take a position extra in AI total, because of generative AI, and 28% say generative AI use is already on their board’s agenda.

The integration of Large Language fashions, particularly, holds immense potential for pure language processing duties. This consists of deploying chatbots for streamlined buyer help and producing content material throughout varied domains, together with merchandise, campaigns, expertise acquisition, and analysis.

By strategically using these applied sciences, MBL goals to not solely improve operational effectivity but in addition keep on the forefront of innovation, delivering a extra customized and environment friendly expertise for our prospects.

Is Metro exploring deploying in-store applied sciences?
Yes, Metro Brands invests in enhancing the in-store expertise. We consider that applied sciences that improve interactive buyer engagement and permit for seamless in-store expertise and operations maintain a number of promise. We constantly scan the startup ecosystem panorama for revolutionary options round these themes.

Tell us about utilizing expertise for inside prospects i.e. staff.
We harness expertise to empower our staff with important instruments for collaboration, productiveness, {and professional} improvement. This consists of the strategic deployment of intranets, communication platforms, and information analytics instruments.

These applied sciences are instrumental in fostering seamless collaboration, enhancing productiveness, and offering avenues for steady skilled progress amongst our crew members.

By leveraging these instruments, we goal to create a dynamic and supportive work setting that maximizes the potential of our workforce.

Three expertise challenges you face as a CTO…
I face three pivotal challenges: Ensuring information safety and compliance amid evolving rules; attracting and retaining high tech expertise in a aggressive market and scaling IT Cloud infrastructure for a rising enterprise.

Meeting these challenges includes proactive approaches to information safety, fostering an attractive work setting for expertise, and strategic investments to maintain our IT infrastructure agile and scalable.

Navigating these complexities requires a multifaceted strategy, combining strategic foresight, expertise administration, and technological acumen to make sure our sustained success in a dynamic tech panorama.

Which applied sciences are you investing in for the long run?
We keep a steady vigilance over the tech and startup ecosystem, actively looking for out rising applied sciences and options. Our goal is to determine improvements that may infuse agility into our group, basically reworking the way in which we work and conduct enterprise.

By staying abreast of the newest developments within the tech panorama, we place ourselves to undertake cutting-edge options that improve effectivity and contribute to the general development of our operations.

This proactive strategy displays our dedication to remaining on the forefront of technological evolution and leveraging improvements for sustained organizational success.