Welcome back to Ringside. Besides our own leading lights, this series invites insights from business leaders beyond our walls. In partnering with others to help create the future of work, we\u2019re curious to uncover a broader perspective on business communications. This episode welcomes Simon Skellon from Atos, a leading global provider of digital IT solutions.<\/p>\n
Simon has been with Atos for three years. Prior to this, he was with one of Atos Unify\u2019s biggest competitors, Mitel Networks, for many years running their UK&I and Sub-Saharan Africa business. Among Simon’s many qualifications for his current role is the fact that his favourite food is cheese and in particular Saint Agur \u2013 which is appropriate given his affiliation with a French organisation \u2013 accompanied with a nice glass of port and some good company.<\/p>\n
Speaking of good company, Atos’ key ambition, as stated by CEO Elie Girard, is to become the leader in de-carbonised digital within the next few years, so this is an excellent opportunity to listen closely to what Simon says.<\/p>\n
My role is global Chief Sales Officer, running the $1B sales business for Atos UCC, covering all countries and regions globally and with offices in over 60 countries, which once upon a time before COVID-19 I used to visit regularly. Now I visit these countries and offices only virtually, using Unify Office (Atos\u2019 flavour of RingCentral Video). The solutions we provide to our customers are the full range of unified communications<\/a> and collaboration (UC&C), all with the desired outcome of improving a company’s productivity, efficiency and ultimately profitability.<\/p>\n Firstly, we are far from a post-pandemic economy and are very much in the middle of the pandemic in most regions worldwide. However, like the opinions of a lot of industry analysts and my vendor peers, I believe the working world has changed forever and quite frankly the 60 flights I did last year visiting my colleagues in other countries and regions will be dramatically reduced moving forward as video, UC and collaboration has become the norm for meetings and people have realised that working from home<\/a> and\/or flexibly is achievable, desirable and productive. Businesses will survive these unprecedented times by completely restructuring their working practices and perhaps their go-to-market model and thinking outside the box to address their customers’ needs, as whilst customers requirements may have shifted, may have changed, they still have a need and this has to be satisfied and will be by someone.<\/p>\n\t\tWhat are your thoughts on the post-pandemic economy and how businesses can survive or thrive?<\/h2>\n