CIOs Seek Simplicity in Complex IT Ecosystems: Kyndryl Leader

Arvind S. Shetty, Kyndryl’s Leader for Global Development, is sharing insights about Kyndryl's role as the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, catering to various industries like banking, manufacturing, and telecommunications. Central to their offerings is Kyndryl Bridge, an AI-integrated platform that simplifies IT management by providing real-time insights, automating manual tasks, and enhancing operational efficiency. Excerpts from an interview:

Redefining IT Resilience and Efficiency for India’s Digital Transformation – A Conversation with Arvind S Shetty

What does Kyndryl do, and what types of businesses or industries does it primarily cater to?

We are world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider, trusted by thousands of enterprises across more than 60 countries. We design, build, manage, and modernize the mission critical systems that power businesses worldwide, ensuring they remain resilient and agile in an increasingly complex landscape.

We serve a broad spectrum of industries, including Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), manufacturing, telecommunications, automotive, and more. Our comprehensive portfolio spans Cloud, Core Enterprise and zCloud, Digital Workplace, Applications, Data and AI, Network and Edge, and Security and Resiliency. This breadth and depth of expertise allows us to deliver customised, innovative solutions that address the unique challenges of each sector.

At the heart of our services and offerings is Kyndryl Bridge, an open-integration platform providing customers with real-time insights into their IT environments, enabling them to maximize and modernise operations for future needs. Leading this effort is Kyndryl Consult, our expert-led consulting service designed to guide businesses through their most pressing technology transformations.

Can you provide a brief overview of Kyndryl Bridge and its core functionalities?

Today’s CIOs are navigating increasingly intricate technology ecosystems, with a need for simplified yet powerful management solutions. Kyndryl Bridge rises to this challenge by delivering a next-generation platform that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) with operational data, allowing enterprises to observe, integrate, and orchestrate their entire IT landscape in real-time.

It's a platform that centralizes management across diverse cloud investments and hybrid environments, offering actionable insights that drive operational efficiency and innovation. It automates over 100 million manual tasks each month, enabling businesses to prevent disruptions and improve performance, with customers realizing nearly $2 billion in annual savings.

"What sets it apart is its seamless compatibility. It operates on a plug-and-play model, ensuring integration with existing technologies without the need for system overhauls, enhancing operational maturity while preserving past investments."

How is it leveraging AI to enhance its offerings?

It is designed with AI at its core, empowering businesses with insights that are not only predictive but conversational. The platform processes vast amounts of operational data, enabling enterprises to anticipate and proactively address system bottlenecks before they escalate into downtime critical issues. This shift from reactive to proactive management transforms how businesses approach IT.

With over 3 million actionable insights generated monthly, Kyndryl Bridge continuously learns from data across industries, delivering enhanced automation and operational efficiency.

"Partnerships with leaders like NVIDIA bring generative AI capabilities into the platform, offering real-time analytics and advanced solutions tailored to industry-specific challenges."

What strategies are you implementing to attract and retain top talent in India, particularly in data analytics, AI, and cloud computing?

We are deeply committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where employees feel empowered to grow and innovate. Through initiatives like Kyndryl Inclusion Networks (KINs), we create an environment that supports diversity in thought and experience, ensuring that every employee can contribute their authentic selves.

We focus on professional growth of employees  from technical roles like software engineers to non-technical ones like HR. We guide them to gain deeper skills, competency, proficiencies and eminence in the industry for themselves and Kyndryl.

"We encourage employees on continuous learning of Data, AI and cloud and to pursue advanced certifications for enhancing expertise.  Kyndryl’s focus on employee development aligns them better to deliver on our strategic goals and exceed customer expectations."

What are the most common data challenges businesses face today, and how does Kyndryl Bridge address them?

Modern enterprises grapple with several data management challenges, including ensuring accessibility, scalability, and security while maintaining compliance with a growing number of data privacy regulations. Data accuracy is critical for making informed decisions while safeguarding against breaches is paramount.

Kyndryl Bridge addresses these challenges by providing a centralized platform that aggregates and secures data across IT environments. Its AI-driven insights allow businesses to optimize data management, ensuring both compliance and data security and reliability, while helping companies navigate the complexities of data sovereignty and privacy.

How does it address varying levels of digital maturity among Indian businesses, from large enterprises to SMEs?

Its approach is multifaceted, focusing on providing customised solutions that cater to the distinct needs of different business sizes, their respective technological footprint and stage of their transformation journey.

It offers over 190 services that enhance operational efficiency and productivity, which are crucial for both large enterprises and SMEs. This includes capabilities for AI integration, automation, and observability across complex IT environments and their utilisation.

"The platform's ability to deliver 100 million automations and 3 million actionable insights monthly supports businesses in streamlining operations, regardless of their size. This is particularly beneficial for SMEs that may lack an innovation platform like Bridge, deep industry experience and skilled talent to maintain extensive IT oversight."

The platform’s open integration model allows companies to incorporate existing tools and systems without needing a complete overhaul of their technology stack. This flexibility is essential for SMEs that often rely on legacy systems but wish to modernize incrementally. 

The platform also addresses growing regulatory requirements and sustainability goals, which are becoming increasingly important for all businesses, including SMEs. The platform helps organizations track compliance and optimize performance against sustainability objectives, ensuring that both large enterprises and smaller firms can meet modern business demands

In addition, to assist organizations in navigating their digital transformation journeys, Kyndryl offers maturity assessments and strategic incremental roadmaps through Kyndryl Consult. These services help businesses identify their current digital maturity levels and outline steps for improvement, making it easier for SMEs to engage with advanced technologies at a manageable pace

By offering a robust set of tools and services tailored to various levels of digital maturity, Kyndryl Bridge positions itself as a valuable partner for Indian businesses across the spectrum—from large enterprises seeking comprehensive IT solutions to SMEs aiming for gradual digital transformation. The platform's emphasis on automation, AI integration, and flexibility ensures that all businesses can enhance their operational efficiency while navigating the complexities of modern technological evolution.

How can government agencies leverage Kyndryl Bridge?

Gartner predicts that worldwide government IT spending will reach $589.8 billion in 2023, reflecting a 7.6% increase from 2022. As governments contend with challenges such as inflation and the growing competition from the commercial sector, they are re-evaluating their strategies to address internal talent shortages and improve service delivery.

Government agencies can leverage the various capabilities that an integrated platform like Kyndryl Bridge offers such as real-time observability across their IT estates. The platform facilitates proactive identification of inefficiencies, while advanced security features ensure protection against cyber threats—critical for safeguarding sensitive public data. It also does not host data or move it out for processing.

Kyndryl Bridge also automates routine tasks, helping agencies streamline operations and focus resources on mission-critical functions. The platform’s ability to integrate legacy systems with modern cloud services ensures compliance with regulatory requirements while enhancing service delivery.

A significant number of the Kyndryl Bridge team including the leadership is based out of India and our India team has played a crucial role in the development of the platform.

How does it ensure compliance and protect sensitive data amid increasing focus on data privacy regulations in India?

Kyndryl is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of data privacy and regulatory compliance. Kyndryl Bridge incorporates industry-leading security protocols that ensure sensitive data is managed in full compliance with India’s data privacy laws and regulations.

Our platform is designed to protect personal information, offering end-to-end data encryption and secure access controls that safeguard both at-rest and in-transit data. We do not host or move data out for any processing. This commitment to data integrity and privacy underpins our mission to foster trust and transparency across all business operations.