BDO Malaysia's Hari Iyer unloads digital arsenal for the new norm

Robotics and cloud-based solutions will allow businesses to adjust to working remotely, he says.

Hari Iyer, executive director for advisory at BDO Malaysia, is a specialist when it comes to high-end technology solutions, someone you can talk to to give you a rundown of what’s going on with the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, cloud-based solutions, cyberstrategy, AI, machine learning, robotics and digital technology.

Hari believes that this is a fantastic opportunity for the tech entrepreneurs and startups in Malaysia to play a significant role in the post-lockdown recovery period, as government loans and other incentives spur companies to adopt digital technologies, given the increasingly growing demand for such solutions and skills.

With years of experience partly gained from the Big 4 accounting firms in Australia and the UK, Hari’s expertise also revolves around external IT audit assurance, project assurance, business process reviews, IT internal audit, Sarbanes–Oxley readiness and attestation, as well as governance, risk & compliance (GRC) reviews.

Hari has led a number of complex engagements across various industries for high-profile clients, including large MNCs, blue chip organisations and conglomerates. He is also a regular speaker at conferences and professional network events on digital technologies.

In an interview prior to the announcement of the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards, Hari shared his thoughts on the importance of remote work capabilities in Malaysia’s post-lockdown economy and why an agile mindset will play a critical role in the road to recovery.

Can you share with us your work experience and backstory that contributed to your professional career?

I am a qualified chartered accountant from Australia and have been in the public practice for more than 30 years specialising in technology advisory services, including digital technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, big data, cloud-based solutions and enterprise resource planning. I am a regular speaker at conferences and professional network events on digital technologies.

With BAU and BCPs being tested amidst the circuit breaker. How are enterprises coping in their operations and how are they responding to consumer expectations? Which new products or services do you think would thrive post-crisis?

With the current COVID-19 global pandemic, almost all economies have been affected and every business—small or large—is learning and making changes to the way business is conducted post-lockdown. The most important lesson is the ability to work remotely. Employees being able to connect to the business systems and ability to work from home is one of the significant changes that the business community will see post-lockdown period. Meetings will continue to be conducted via Zoom, Teams or WhatsApp instead of face-to-face meetings. The demand for digital technologies, such as robotics, cloud-based solutions, are great at present to enable businesses to adjust to the new norm of working remotely.

What’s your view on Malaysia’s tech entrepreneurs and startup ecosystem? Which industries are ramping up with their digital innovations?

Almost all industries in Malaysia are currently considering adopting digital technologies. The demand is greater from the critical services, such as banking, insurance, healthcare, education, manufacturing and the service industries. This is a fantastic opportunity for the tech entrepreneurs and startups to play a significant role in the post-lockdown recovery period. The Malaysian Government is offering loans and other incentives for companies to adopt digital technologies, and therefore, the demand is great for these solutions and skills.

Aside from doubling down on tech and digital innovations, what do firms need to consider to become more profitable and sustainable in the future?

The most important aspect of this COVID-19 pandemic is that businesses need to become more agile and change management will play a critical role in this. No longer can businesses operate the way they used to operate pre-lockdown and assume that everything will be the same. Change is here and technology can assist in adapting to this change; however, businesses need to be willing to embrace the opportunities presented in the new working model and capitalise on this. Whether it is working from home or caring for your employees and making sure that their safety and health is taken care of are some of the changes that businesses would have to adopt in the new world of operating their businesses.