Reaching for the clouds with Accenture and AWS

Sudesh Shah has spent his entire career in the technology sector. Find out why he’s so excited by the potential of cloud and Accenture’s partnership with AWS to drive transformation for our clients.

I’ve been drawn to technology from a young age. During my childhood in the mid ’80s, I embraced the potential of my first computer the Commodore 64 and was fascinated by popular culture, including sci-fi like Star Wars, Star Trek and of course, KITT and Knight Rider!

I tinkered with electronics and computers all my life, building powered amplifiers and repairing electronic equipment after school. This led me to study Engineering at the University of Wollongong, before my first job with a multinational tech corporation as an IT architect. This gave me great experience with customers across APAC in the Financial Services and Telecommunications sectors. Leading large-scale delivery transformation, leveraging automation and consolidation to drive commercial efficiencies and agility to improve the way people did their jobs. A few scars later, earned from the many lessons learned working on the ground with clients, I was soon pulled into client engagements as an expert consultant helping sell new strategic outsourcing contracts. The winning formula was built around an innovative commercial model that was based around delivering outcomes. Cloud epitomises this concept that can really allow you to consume as much or as little as you need to get started.

That drive to create better experiences comes to life every day now in my role as the lead of the Accenture AWS Business Group (AABG) ANZ. We’re working with public sector and enterprise customers with their digital transformations focused on three key areas:

1. Helping to improve customer engagement and experiences
2. Creating new sources of revenue
3. Disrupting the traditional operations of these businesses

We’ve got one of the largest AWS capabilities in ANZ and our ambition is to grow significantly over the next 18-24 months. Why? We recognise that cloud capabilities are a strategic area for the future, especially in a post-COVID world as organisations’ look to better service customers digitally.

Globally, there’s not enough talent in the cloud space to meet the growing demand from customers. This means there’s massive potential for career change and progression. As AWS global partner, we’re able to offer an environment with access to the best resources and training programs where you can define for yourself the direction your cloud career takes. With demand for cloud skills expected to increase for at least 5-10 years, it’s a great time to get into this area of IT and play a key role in the digital transformations of organisations across Australia and beyond.

Start-up energy with the support of a large organisation
As a group with growth aspirations, working with emerging technology, we offer high energy and agile work environment. Accenture has a culture that embraces change and that’s especially the case in our team. We’re using cloud technology to drive change and create new tomorrow.

It’s an environment that’s fast-paced and provides encouragement to be constantly learning and trying new things. We’re not afraid to fail, as we know that’s all part of the learning experience.

Our people have a huge amount of flexibility in the way we operate. We’re able to work from anywhere – whether that’s customer sites, homes or our offices. A typical day will include collaborating with the team and meeting customers to understand their problems and challenges. Every problem will be different, so we embrace a mindset of trying new things and sharing ideas. Our team comes together to help everyone be successful.

Projects that change daily life for citizens
We’re proud to be at the leading edge of helping our clients with their digital transformation projects. In the public sector, we’re working with the Australian government with the shift to digital services across multiple departments. Removing many of the physical processes that are involved in applying for government services and increasing real-time responses are streamlining life for millions of citizens.

The banking sector is also at the forefront of digital transformation and we’re working with clients to drive things like real-time payments, simplified direct debits and eliminating paper-based sign-up processes.

Ultimately, we’re helping our clients to use technology to make life simpler and easier for customers. The potential for change is growing as more organisations see the success of early adopters and together with AWS, we’re transforming the IT industry globally. It’s a great time to be a part of the cloud space and create your own future in this growth sector.

Are you looking for a career with growing demand and the chance to work on projects transforming the lives of millions of Australians? Discover the opportunities of the cloud with Accenture.