Indra Sistemas S A : Minsait afirma que la digitalización es el habilitador clave para el éxito futuro de las empresas

• The sectors most affected by the pandemic, such as tourism, the hospitality and restaurant business and retail, are accelerating their digital transformation through the use of disruptive technologies
• Technological platforms will allow SMEs to optimize their processes, improve demand predictions and customize their products and services
• Digitalization and sustainability are vectors of transformation that develop in parallel and complement each other

Yesterday, Luis Abril, General Manager of Energy, Industry, Consumption and Business Management Solutions at Minsait, an Indra company, stressed "that technology is a key element to be successful in the future and to survive in a tremendously competitive business context." In his speech, which was streamed in an online meeting organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Madrid and together with its president, Angel Asensio, he highlighted that "although 2020 was a very difficult year, we learned many lessons from it, such as the fact that many companies were able to maintain their lines of business thanks to digitalization, by working from home as well as maintaining their sales thanks to the success of e-commerce."

At the virtual meeting entitled "Digitalization as a Transforming Element of Spanish Companies in the New Economy" between Minsait and the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, Minsait's General Manager pointed out that, "although there are sectors such as the financial sector or the telecommunications sector with a higher degree of digitalization due to historical needs, the ones that were most affected by the pandemic are moving forward really fast with truly innovative technologies." Specifically, Abril referred to the tourism industry, where digital check-in and facial recognition solutions are being adopted in hotels, along with digital keys, data analysis, artificial intelligence associated with the information available about the customer, innovation in payment methods, etc. He also referred to the hotel and catering industry, which is witnessing a rise in delivery and incorporating new functionalities in websites and digital menus through QR codes, etc. Finally, he referred to the retail industry, where complete overhauls of e-commerce strategy, customer service and shipping and returns management have been carried out.

The debate also touched on the question as to whether digitalization may widen the gap between small and large companies. In that respect, Luis Abril said that, although sometimes technology may seem a threat, the truth is that "you have to be willing to take advantage of technology for your own business in order to benefit from everything it has to offer." He added that the potential access to the European recovery funds should facilitate the transformation of many sectors of the Spanish economy and will be particularly important for SMEs. At Minsait, Abril stresses the importance of a major technological concept which is central to the preparation of proposals for such funds: the technological platform. "It is especially important for SMEs, since they would connect to such platforms to optimize processes, improve their demand predictions, and customize product and service offerings. And, of course, to expand the commercialization of their products and services domestically and internationally and through transparent and sustainable models," he said.

Digitalization and sustainability: parallel but closely related paths

For approval, the European funds demand a high level of digitalization and a sustainable contribution. According to Luis Abril, digitalization and sustainability are processes that advance in parallel, but are related, even overlapping, since digitalization can contribute to the achievement of sustainability. For example, with technology or digitalization you can transform the energy model of a country and pave the way for more renewables, energy storage, etc.

At Minsait, "we work with many solutions that touch on both disciplines, technological solutions for detecting and reducing losses in the management of electrical or water networks, systems for detecting leaks in gas pipelines or for detecting oil spills at sea." "All this is digitalization with a very significant impact on the environment and on sustainability. In fact, this year we were chosen as the leading IT services provider by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index," he added.

Another topic discussed was the concern about the increasing number of cyber-attacks on companies. For Abril, it is an issue that needs to be addressed and that must necessarily be managed by putting the means in place to prevent the impact that attacks may have on the day-to-day operations of companies. Fortunately, awareness is growing and Minsait is working hard on cybersecurity projects of all kinds: detection of attacks, prevention and anticipation of attacks, protection of personal data, and secure payment processing. In addition, a year ago, Indra acquired SIA, a company that specializes in cybersecurity, and becoming a leader in this field, so cybersecurity is clearly one of the strategic lines needed for future growth.

To conclude, Luis Abril was optimistic about the future of Spanish companies "as we have a solid base, and technology will allow us to make a qualitative leap in business." Moreover, there is no turning back, since technology today has transcended the purely digital and is integrated into the physical world. However, he reminds us that "while technology and digitalization are key elements for transformation to take place, the first step must be a deeper change in the strategies, processes, organization and culture of companies."

About Minsait

Minsait, an Indra company (https://www.minsait.com/en), is a leading firm in Digital Transformation Consultancy and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America. Minsait possesses a high degree of specialization and knowledge of the sector, which it backs up with its high capability to integrate the core world with the digital world, its leadership in innovation and digital transformation, and its flexibility. Thus, it focuses its offer on high-impact value propositions, based on end-to-end solutions, with a remarkable degree of segmentation, which enables it to achieve tangible impacts for its customers in each industry with a transformational focus. Its capabilities and leadership are demonstrated in its product range, under the brand Onesait, and its across-the-board range of services.

About Indra

Indra (www.indracompany.com) is one of the leading global technology and consulting companies and the technological partner for core business operations of its customers worldwide. It is a world-leader in providing proprietary solutions in specific segments in Transport and Defense markets, and a leading firm in Digital Transformation Consultancy and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America through its affiliate Minsait. Its business model is based on a comprehensive range of proprietary products, with a high-value focus and with a high innovation component. In the 2020 financial year, Indra achieved revenue of €3.043 billion, near 48,000 employees, a local presence in 46 countries and business operations in over 140 countries.

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