Exclusive interview with Fujitsu Americas CEO Asif Poonja 

Focusing on technology, its user-friendliness, and education around the transformative impacts to drive economic development and sustainability transformation, will be essential for small island developing countries in the Caribbean.

Asif Poonja, CEO of Fujitsu’s Americas Region, expressed this strong belief during a one-on-one interview with Advo Magazine. This was Poonja’s first official visit to the island as a senior figurehead of one of the biggest technology companies in the world. 

Poonja, who was previously Head of Customer Markets and Chief Technology Officer for the Americas, intends to fully use his experience as an inventive and adaptable leader to work with the Americas leadership team to drive growth in the region and strengthen its position as a leader in digital transformation.

He acknowledged that even though this is his first trip to Barbados as CEO, he and his family have had many enjoyable vacations here over the years. He added that while Barbados and the region as a whole have much to offer, there is a need to push for a greater emphasis on using technology to streamline a range of services. 

“How many people know how to use technology to its fullest extent?” he asked, “it is shocking. I was in DAVOS last week at the world economic forum; as I was entering the village there was this huge sign by a company there, which read Did you know, there are still over 25 percent of the global population that does not have internet access? My jaw just dropped because it is something we take for granted.”

“What I am seeing, [is] that you can go into many government entities today, that staff a lot of folks that do not know how to use the technology… yes, they might have their computer and email, but that is it. Education around technology and its use [is important], even around difficult areas like AI right now.”

Considering this, Fujitsu has changed its hiring practices over the past few years. While they still use interns, their hiring procedure is now more accommodating to the demands of the contemporary workplace.

“We have been working with our human resources over the past two years to change the criteria. Its not that you always need a university degree. You can have a college degree, a trade degree, it does not matter nowadays. In the past people used to be absolute sticklers, which is changing within the society. So, we have been pushing our organization to change that.”

The hospitality industry, which has experienced impressed growth coming out of the height of the COVID pandemic, also has a role to play introducing the new form of flexibility and tech push to small nations according to the CEO, who said seamless check-in procedures which get rid of paperwork in place of fully digital platforms was also a new directions hotels and other forms of regional accommodation can go.

He however quickly added that the strength and trust in homegrown banks, as well as the security that supports them, was imperative.

“I have heard of stories in the Caribbean of new banks starting up and things not working out well. So, how does regulation help but not hinder. If a new bank is going to set up, where is the security around that bank, [what are] the processes and procedures. I am not only saying that you should bank with the top banks, I am not saying that, but the technology is out there, and it is about building trust”.

“There are a lot of Canadian banks here. For example, I bank with RBC, and they have a function online where you can take a picture of the front and the back of the cheque and its deposited. But I trust my bank, so I can do that. That level of trust [in new banks] that is the key.”

The customer experience, according to Poonja, must remain at the forefront of the financial services industry, which he believes sadly has slightly lost its way in the name of chasing profits.

“The financial services industry has been going through a transformation over the years even before COVID. They chose to shut branches down to reduce costs, [going] more online, but you cannot forget those that do not do online. Whether it is a senior, whether it is someone not technology [savvy], you cannot leave these people behind. That is the challenge they face.”

“I am seeing even in Canada and the US, those branches that stay open, they would only staff it with two people, which is not good enough. We all know the banks make good profits, and they need to find a way to balance.”

The CEO also hinted that one of the main areas where the company will start its major push into the Caribbean economic space will be through Fujitsu Uvance, a new portfolio that aims to encourage innovation within nations in a novel yet environmentally friendly method.