Digital disruption and the uncertain times we live in

1. #ISSLearningFest
Digital Disruption &
The Uncertain Times
We Live
Mr Damien Cummings
Chief, Digital Strategy & Leadership
Practice, NUS-ISS

2. Chief, Digital Strategy & Leadership, NUS-ISS
Damien Cummings
30 years as a digital transformation leader.
CEO, CMO, Head of Digital & Entrepreneur.
linkedin.com/in/damiencummings

3. We live in an uncertain
(digital) world.

4. 01
02
03
06
07
08
Digital transformation
has accelerated: 10
years compressed into 2
years.
The post-pandemic future
of hybrid and remote-
work.
Consolidation of
software & tech
vendors. “Who do you
trust?”
Data & Data Science.
Immersive Internet:
“The metaverse”.
Web3 &
Decentralisation.
Digital transformation trends we are now facing
04 09
AI & Hyper automation.
Digital misinformation
(& the fall of social
media.)
05 10
Digital customer
experience.
We’re being left behind:
Digital reskilling &
upskilling.

5. Digitization vs. Digital Transformation
• Low business impact
• Paper to Excel/Software
• Becoming data-ready
• Incremental innovation
• Improving processes
• New digital products
• Cost savings
• Massive impact!
• x10 or x100 times growth
• Rescue struggling organisations
• Change entire industries
Change the world!
“Test the waters” Improve your
company

6. What is Digital Transformation?
© 2021 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved. 6
Strategy Engagement Innovation Technology Data &
Analytics
Digital
Transformation
+ + + + =
People: Culture, Leadership, & Skills/Competency

7. What is Digital Transformation?
© 2021 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved. 7
84% of
digital transformation
programs fail

8. Where Digital Transformation Goes Wrong
Strategy Innovation Technology
Data &
Analytics Resistance
+ + + + =
Strategy Engagement Technology
Data &
Analytics
Incoherent
Action
+ + + + =
Strategy Engagement Innovation
Data &
Analytics Frustration
+ + + + =
Engagement Innovation Technology
Data &
Analytics Digitization
+ + + + =
Strategy Engagement Innovation Technology Stagnation
+ + + + =

9. How Likely Your Industry Will Be Disrupted?
© 2021 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved. 9
https://hbr.org/2018/01/how-likely-is-your-industry-to-be-disrupted-this-2x2-matrix-will-tell-you

10. The Most Digitally Disrupted Industries
The most disrupted industries
suffer from a perfect storm of two
forces:
1. Low barriers to entry into these
sectors lead to more agile
competition.
2. They have large legacy business
model which often generate
majority of their revenue.
© 2021 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved. 10

11. The Most Innovative Companies of 2021
© 2021 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved. 11

12. 1. 10-years of digital transformation has happened over the
last 2 years (of the Covid-19 pandemic).
2. It’s incredibly difficult to keep-up with the pace of change.
3. Digital transformations mostly fail (often due to resistance
to change).
4. Digital disruption is here and will impact you.
Final Reflection & Summary

13. www.iss.nus.edu.sg
Thank you!