Deloitte Digital CEO Andy Main confirms India is next in line
A visit from to India from Head of Deloitte Digital, Andy Main, has confirmed the launch of the consulting segment in the country this year. While in India, Main spoke in detail about the plans, incentives, and objectives of the firm with the new initiative.
Launched in 2012, Deloitte Digital is the technology arm of Big Four professional services firm Deloitte. The arm was established in light of the rapid wave of technological innovation that has flooded global markets. The disruption caused by new technologies has sent businesses across the world into a flurry of updating their practices, creating monumental demand for consulting in the digital space.
Deloitte Digital has been successful in filling this demand. Since its establishment, the arm has spread across 48 countries, operating with over 10,000 professionals. Services provided by Deloitte Digital include supporting companies with digital transformations, mobile developments, cloud based working and customer experience. The division works across several industries, spanning retail, finance, health, media, and gaming, for clients such as LG Electronics, Pepsico, Manulife, Papa Murphy’s, Pizza Hut and Estee Lauder.
In recent times, Deloitte Digital has been looking to expand its profile to encompass advertising and creative capabilities as well. To this end, the firm recently acquired Acne, a European ad agency, Heat, which is a San Francisco based agency, as well as the creative leadership team of McCann Australia. Now, Deloitte Digital has decided to open operations in India, according to its Head Andy Main. In his words, “Through the India division we are looking to incubate innovation, drive digital mind share and grow digital offerings as well as the market”
According to Main, what makes India an attractive market for the practice is the combination of digital innovation from the major tech companies and the digital maturity amongst the general public. A report from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) earlier this year revealed that India is set to have 850 million online users by 2025, which substantiates Main’s assessment of the market’s future.
In addition, India is currently home to a number of upcoming brands, who are aggressively trying to construct their profile in the market, for which both the digital and advertising capabilities offered by Deloitte Digital will be attractive options.
Not your average ad agency
When asked about how Deloitte Digital will differentiate itself from regular advertising agencies when it comes to branding, Main argued that the depth of expertise at Deloitte allows it to transform an entire business, from its Chief Executives, through its Human Resource capabilities, all the way down to its supply chains and sales.
On top of a connection with the consumers that a regular ad agency would establish, Deloitte Digital can even engage in data management, using latest technologies such as artificial learning and cognitive technology. In the current market, social media offers companies a chance to side-step ad agencies and disseminate their content independently, provided that they have the digital and creative capacity, which is where Deloitte Digital would assist. Moreover, Deloitte’s internationally renowned cyber-security expertise will allow the firm to help companies seal the vulnerabilities that come with digitalising a business, despite a dent in reputation that the consulting firm itself has faced due to a major data breach recently.
In India, television remains the priority for most companies that are budgeting for advertising spends. However, Main emphasises the need to move away from this domain. According to Deloitte research, individuals are exposed to over 1,200 ads on a daily basis from different mediums. This significantly reduces the capacity to recall each ad, and consequently diminishes its value.
Main advocates a shift to social media, primarily due to the fact that usage of these platforms has skyrocketed in India. Online, making a personalised video advertisement, complete with embedded links and interactive features, would significantly boost the value of the ad.
For the future
When asked what is next for the Indian market, Main said, “We are going to be upping our game in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Using these data driven technologies, we will be providing consumers with rich brand experiences.”
These efforts are an attempt to boost Deloitte’s profile in a market where its competitors such as Accenture, PwC, KPMG, and EY have all been bolstering operations. PwC recently launched two cloud-based platforms in the country, in order to tap into the ever expanding cloud market in India, while also Big Four rivals EY and KPMG have invested significantly in their consulting offerings. Deloitte itself took a giant leap in ramping up its Advisory wing earlier this year, when it poached approximately 300 advisors from KPMG.
