Global Business Evolution Director & Head of the Prague Digital Development Center at CEMEX
Speaking topics
› Digital transformation (technology, culture) in construction and other traditional industries
› Digitization of the construction and building materials industry – Application of AI, Machine learning, Industry 4.0
› Opportunities for the construction industry
› Digitization of Supply Chain for the construction industry
› The importance of diversity in the construction industry
› Women in construction
Abstracts
The Construction industry is considered to be one of the world’s least digitized. “The typical construction project involves a multitude of independent subcontractors and suppliers, which have little incentive to embrace new methods during the brief periods when they are on the job” (McKinsey, Decoding Digital Transformation in Construction, August 2019). However, some corporations are leading the way to transform the industry by integrating key practices and initiatives that focus on solving customers’ pain points, promoting collaboration, connecting with the ecosystem. This abstract will focus on the learnings from CEMEX and other players in the industry.
Supply chain improvements including visibility and execution area a significant opportunity for the construction industry. Integrating robust processes enabled by digital technology could drive to optimization of costs, real time supply chain coordination and increased ability to deliver products, services, and overall projects. This abstract will focus on some of the processes and technologies that are transforming building materials corporations.
Technology is certainly shaping the way we live, the way we work, and the way we interact with each other. New industries and business models have been born by the integration and adoption of emerging technologies. The construction industry however, is still “underserved” by new emerging technologies. Corporations in this sector who are leading the way on integrating breakthrough technologies (Robotics, Drones, digital tools that offer visibility and promote collaboration) could make a difference in the overall transformation of the industry. The speech will focus on how CEMEX and other players have integrated emerging technologies to become more customer centric, efficient, and sustainable.
Construction is one of the world’s least diverse, least innovative industries in the world. The industry is struggling to attract new talent and sustain current and future demands. Diversity is not only the solution to the ongoing systemic talent shortages, but also to the lack of innovation required to pave and build a sustainable future. The talk will focus on how Diversity could save the industry, and the actions taken by corporations to transform the “construction is a men’s industry mindset.
While many industries have radically transformed processes, construction remains one of the world’s most stagnant, using many of the same methods that were known since the 19th century. Although there are valid reasons behind the stagnation, there is a tremendous opportunity to transform processes by enabling technology that will allow us to build a better future – sustainably, agilely, and less costly.
Bio note
Azeneth Ferrero Russell is the Global Business Evolution Director and Head of the Prague Digital Development Center at CEMEX, a global building materials company that provides high-quality products and services to customers and communities in more than 50 countries. Azeneth has more than 20 years of experience in leading board-level transformation programmes. In her role, she is responsible for providing leadership to digital transformation programs designed to continuously enhance the journeys of customers, operational workforce and partners across the supply chain by the integration and delivery of new business process models enabled by digital technologies – AI, Machine learning, Data Analytics. Her team was instrumental to the design and delivery of CEMEX Go (https://www.cemex.co.uk/go) the first fully digital customer integration platform that allows its users to increase their productivity, make better business decisions, and have more control over their businesses. She is also responsible for the digitization of Marketing, Supply Chain and Operations and to the promotion of new ways of working for the industry. As the head of CEMEX Prague Digital Development Center, she supported AGILE teams composed by members of more than 30 nationalities who were responsible for the development of CEMEX Go, influential to the overall digital transformation journey of the organization, and an example of diversity and the new ways of working. Azeneth holds an MBA from TRIUM – a joint offering of the London School of Economics, New York University and HEC in Paris.
