Sure in 2022: Leadership in Jersey’s digital space
by Paul Acton
I am a firm believer that offshore territories such as Jersey are in the unique position to become leaders in advancements in the digital space. Businesses have a lot of choice as to where they should locate, and Jersey has successfully attracted several key players in the Financial Services industry to its shores. However, the island isn’t yet a paradise of business interest, and issues like cost of living, increasing levels of global regulation, and finding and retaining talent are issues that shouldn’t be ignored.
Digital diversity
We’re focused on how technology can solve problems, and meet our customers’ needs.
It is imperative that Jersey’s technology industry develops a plan to drive competitiveness and attract new businesses and new work. That’s why Sure continues to position itself as a leader in Jersey’s digital economy, as a business that can craft an environment of innovation. Jersey has found great success in financial services, but it must expand and evolve to embrace the new technological opportunities of 2022: green and blue economies, smart industries such as agritech, and offshore data trusts, all of which Sure can help mobilise by creating conditions to turn these ideas into real and successful business ventures. Additionally, as an offshore territory, Jersey is in the position to help businesses build successful ventures involving offshore data, as well as other key developments in tech such as AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and next-gen smart services.
As a major telecommunications and IT provider, it’s no surprise that Sure’s future is inextricably tied to the digital progression of Jersey. We have an obligation to provide a critical service to the island and work to ensure that service enhances the islands’ economy. This is why we continue to invest in technology, provide assurance on the quality of our platforms, and always aim to meet our customers’ needs. However, Sure’s role in the digital future of Jersey goes beyond our day-to-day service. We also need to lead by driving innovation. This means being attuned to the direction of where our customers, government, and fellow businesses are heading. Though analogue business functions like payroll services can be outsourced with relative ease, what about complex IT and network management? Sure’s role in developing innovations that can automatise business needs will be key to its progression as a leader in the digital space.
Driving innovation in our local businesses is a key ongoing focus that ultimately aims to put Jersey on the digital map. Current innovations in AI and Cloud are tantalising to businesses of varying sizes, but it can be a daunting process to try and fold them into a workstream without expert advice and knowledge. By working with best-in-class partners both internationally and locally, Sure continues to lead as an enabler of next-generation digital workstreams. Our professional services team are skilled and provide trusted services to develop the roadmap and strategy for your business and importantly can take customers new and old on the first step of that journey.
Focus on the customer
That’s how I believe Sure can help create a powerful framework for Jersey’s digital revolution. From my own perspective, as Chief Executive of Sure Jersey, I intend to use my background in digital development in diverse territories to put an increased the focus on the customer. My previous role was at a digital company whose market spanned the Caribbean and Central America, and saw me lead across countries with vastly different cultures, levels of economic development, business environments, and languages. Yet the one constant across the businesses I led was my focus on the customer, something I have brought to Sure. Identifying customer needs and requirements and ensuring that our tech offering is focused on delivering measurable, meaningful benefits is key as we shape Jersey’s digital innovation, showing leadership in the technological space.
In terms of my leadership style, I empower my team and trust them to get on with the job. A wise person once said that “micromanagement is the death of productivity”, and I couldn’t agree more. It is my belief that a team delivers its best work when they’re serious about the job but enjoy it at the same time. That’s why I strive to seek a balance between setting achievable goals and outcomes while focusing on a healthy work life balance. At Sure, we celebrate success as a sense of achievement at a job well done.
Jersey has a strong foundation as a leader in the digital space thanks to its gigabit fibre network and a powerful legacy of innovation and leadership in the financial services industry to back it up. Sure is now in the perfect position to strengthen the island’s leadership in this area and support our local businesses by introducing exciting new technological developments that meet their organisational and operational needs.
To find out more about how your business can lead its own digital growth, get in touch with Sure by emailing contactus@sure.com
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