Author: Bryanne Van de Kant

The rules of the game have changed. A few years ago, companies could still slumber and adopt a wait-and-see attitude, but those times are over: organizations that do not transform, lose. But how can you win? The key to this success lies in the combination of the Digital Enterprise model and the Multimodal approach: the ‘winning formula’. Read on quickly.  

Why the Digital Enterprise? 

A Digital Enterprise goes beyond just implementing technology. It is a strategic approach in which you seamlessly integrate business activities, technology and data to be flexible, efficient and customer-oriented. This requires strategic leadership. But why is this transformation essential? 

• A head start on competitors 

Companies that use digital possibilities smartly are at the forefront and make the difference in speed, innovation and performance. In short: as a Digital Enterprise you remain relevant. 

• Improve customer experience 

Customers expect a consistent and distinctive experience, from product to service and from app to store. A Digital Enterprise makes this possible by using all its channels and services in the right way. 

• Operational excellence 

A Digital Enterprise builds an operational backbone that is scalable, efficient and connected: ready to deliver, and ready for innovation. 

The five building blocks of a Digital Enterprise (customer experience, operational backbone, digital infrastructure, shared data and digital smartness) together form the foundation on which companies build their future. Want to know more? Check out our page on Digital Enterprises here. 

What is Multimodality and why is it essential? 

Not all business activities are the same. Some are stable and need to be efficiently organized, while others need to be dynamic and distinctive. Multimodality is a practical framework, developed by Anderson MacGyver, that has been proven in practice and is scientifically substantiated. The model divides business activities based on their dynamics and distinctiveness. Organizations use it, among other things, when making important strategic choices, complex transformations, sourcing issues and to create focus and alignment between disciplines. 

The Multimodal model divides business activities into four categories, each of which we have given a color: 

• Common (green): Generic, stable activities that in most cases do not differ much from similar activities in other organizations. These are focused on efficiency and reliability, such as administration, purchasing or other supporting processes. 

• Adaptive (blue): Dynamic, generic activities that are not necessarily very distinctive, but must be continuously adapted to changes in the market or technology, such as marketing. 

• Specialized (orange): Stable activities that require very specific expertise and/or resources, such as the integration or maintenance of complex infrastructure, or implementation of specific legislation and the like. 

• Distinct (purple): Unique and dynamic activities, such as product innovation or customized customer solutions, that distinguish you from the competition. 
   

Want to know more about Multimodal? Read our whitepaper on Multimodality. 

Why is this combination a winning formula? 

The power of the Digital Enterprise model lies in the transformation from reactive to proactive management of digital success. In a clear manner: per building block. But without Multimodality, you cannot optimally use these building blocks. The Digital Enterprise model ensures that you know where you need to go, and Multimodality offers the right approach to get there. Together they form an indispensable combination that simplifies the complexity of digital transformations. The entire transformation process is guided by our passionate consultants, with practical and interactive tools. 

“The Digital Enterprise model ensures that you know where you need to go, and Multimodality offers the right approach to get there.“

Ready to apply the winning formula? 

The Digital Enterprise and Multimodality together form the winning formula for companies that want to remain relevant. If you want to get started practically with a strong vision, you can already do the following: 

Download the whitepaper ‘How to become a Digital Enterprise’ and learn everything about the five building blocks of the Digital Enterprise. 

Download the whitepaper ‘Multimodality‘ and learn how to optimally organize business activities. 

Contact Gerard Wijers or Edwin Wieringa and share your ambitions and challenges without any obligation. We are happy to help you! 

The rules of the game have changed. Are you ready to win? 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a captivating subject that resonates widely. While experimenting with ChatGPT and image generation can be thrilling personally and professionally, translating AI into large-scale business value proves to be more challenging. The recent CIO Masterclass by Anderson MacGyver provided actionable insights in this area, with contributions from Management Consultant Anton Bubberman and Frank Ferro, who spent the past decade overseeing Analytics, Data Insights, and GenAI at PostNL.

An informal survey among the attendees revealed that everyone had experience with ChatGPT. When moderator Fiep Warmendam asked participants to share their last-used prompt with the person next to them, it became clear that the tool is primarily useful for personal tasks—such as planning an exciting holiday destination, complete with the best routes, or selecting a new phone or other potential purchases.

Smartwatches, on the other hand, appeared to be less popular. Warmendam confessed she avoids letting her running routines be dominated by an abundance of data: “This likely influences your behavior and decisions. I fear it could take the joy out of running—I don’t want to lose the human touch.” This risk can also apply in business. However, data and intelligence can add value in other areas, like predicting delivery times for meals, groceries, or packages.

This set the stage for the insights and experiences shared by the two specialists. “In line with Roy Amara’s Law, we tend to overestimate the short-term impact of AI while underestimating its long-term effects,” noted Anton Bubberman. The senior Management Consultant is also Guild Lead Data to Value at Anderson MacGyver. Has extensive relevant data experience in sectors ranging from healthcare to energy and finance.”

Cognitive Skills

Under the ironically yet compelling title “Create a clickbait title for my AI-vision talk”, Bubberman introduced the concept of AI, which becomes more powerful as autonomy and adaptability increase. Ultimately, we are moving toward artificial general intelligence (AGI), which matches human cognitive skills. This would allow AI to independently perform complex tasks across diverse domains and adapt to new situations. However, since we are far from the AGI phase, human oversight and monitoring of AI remain essential.

Bubberman outlined three success factors for scalable and potentially value-creating AI deployment within organizations, using analogies from chess, jazz, and philosophy.

Chess is all about planning, foresight, and continuous evaluation. “Circumstances and opportunities are constantly evolving, and organizations and leaders must adapt. You must always think ahead to the next move on the chessboard.”

The connection with jazz is that while playing music and improvising might appear effortless, it often follows a long period of practice. Beyond technical skills, it requires an understanding of theoretical frameworks and foundational principles. “Dedication is necessary to master an instrument. It involves hard skills but also soft skills, such as interacting with other band members.” In the digital domain, a culture driven by AI is essential, alongside technical prerequisites, with attention to ethical considerations.

Finally, philosophy highlights the dual-edged nature of tools. A surgeon’s scalpel can perform miracles but, in the hands of an unskilled or malicious individual, it can cause disaster. Similarly, AI carries risks such as polarization, information bubbles, misinformation, and bias—particularly when data is incorrect or human oversight fails to address potential negative impacts. “In the right hands, AI has the power to positively change the world,” Bubberman concluded.

Lessons Learned

Frank Ferro reflected on his decade of experience in realizing business value with data and AI. He began his presentation with a cloud of personal data—trivia and relevant details that only gained meaning after verbal explanation. From his birth to the year 2025, when after nearly 17 years at PostNL and a temporary role as Program Director GenAI at ANWB, he will take on the position of CIO at Amsterdam UMC.”

Ferro is a recognized frontrunner in adopting and implementing new technologies. At PostNL, the focus gradually shifted from physical services to leveraging data and algorithms. “Our vision was that data would eventually deliver value,” he explained. This transformation was pivotal in positioning PostNL as a ‘postal tech company,’ emphasizing the importance of in-house data and technology capabilities.

PostNL’s IT strategy has long relied on principles fostering a flexible architecture to adapt to new developments, including AI. The company has consistently stayed ahead of the curve, from fully embracing the cloud in 2013, launching a Data & Insights Competence Center and Advanced Analytics in 2017, to applying GenAI in 2024.

All of this was driven by developments where the volumes of mail and parcels continually shifted places. Data and intelligence were essential to optimize the use of available physical assets. Furthermore, control over the delivery process gradually shifted from the sender to the recipient. The importance of accurate data was further highlighted by the changing relationships with supply chain partners, who were also seeking to capitalize on critical information for their own benefit.

A Successful Journey

PostNL has undergone a successful journey overall. According to Frank Ferro, several aspects remain crucial in this process. Ownership of data initiatives must lie with the business, and organizations should start small and at a manageable scale before industrializing algorithms on a larger scale. Authorized access to high-quality data and embedding robust data governance are also essential.

Ferro also elaborated on the federated structure of internal data capabilities, designed to operate as closely as possible to the business. He highlighted the accelerating impact of a dedicated GenAI task force, all with the aim of creating value as effectively and rapidly as possible.

Aside from data-related content, the closing Q&A raised the question of how leaders and organizations determine which aspects of data and AI to manage in-house and which to delegate to partners. Distinctive processes and activities appear to be the key factors in this decision: ‘Your own intellectual property and what sets you apart from the competition,’ Bubberman and Ferro agreed. ‘Of course, consultants can help clarify this.

Want to know more about becoming an AI-driven enterprise? Read our blog series: How do we become an AI-driven enterprise?

Leading organizations distinguish themselves through their approach to digital opportunities and issues. The main difference from laggards is that leaders of truly digital organizations do not blindly pursue trends and developments, but approach them strategically and proactively. This is the difference between the so-called ‘Catch-up Enterprise’ and the Digital Enterprise. 

Catch-up: surviving instead of thriving 

Many companies still operate as Catch-up Enterprises. They wait until external pressure forces them to embrace new technologies. This race to catch up often leads to reactive decisions that sometimes help them keep their heads above water, without really making progress. The focus is more on survival than on growth and innovation. 

This type of company only adopts technologies when they have no other choice. Or they have no higher plan, which leads to thoughtless and reactive ‘snacking’ on often irrelevant digital solutions within the organizational context. Catch-up then means ‘add a little ketchup and eat!’ While a healthy basis for sustainable growth is lacking. 

Digital: vision and action hand in hand 

The leaders of a true Digital Enterprise have a completely different approach. Here, digital technology is not seen as a necessity for survival, but as a force for thriving. These organizations proactively integrate technology into their core strategy, with every step aimed at creating efficiency, increasing competitive advantage and exploiting opportunities. 

Their success rests on five building blocks: a strong customer experience, a robust operational backbone, a flexible digital infrastructure, shared data and so-called ‘digital smartness’. In combination, these core components ensure a culture of continuous improvement and agility, allowing the organization not only to respond to changes, but also to predict and capitalize on them. 

Anderson MacGyver developed the Digital Enterprise model to help companies develop (further) digitally. In addition to the five building blocks, it places the organization within the context of the digital ecosystem of customers, partners and other stakeholders. The idea is that companies and their leaders can work better and more deliberately on their digital development through insight and visualization. 

Dare to choose sustainable growth 

It is up to you as a leader to shape the future of your organization. Are you in the sometimes tempting, but reactive Catch-up mode? Or are you ready for the transition to sustainable digital growth and development? The path to proactive digital strategies starts with the right insights and tools. 

Learn how to transform your organization into a Digital Enterprise. Read our whitepaper ‘How to become a Digital Enterprise?’ or contact us. Take the first step towards a successful future. 

By Tim Beswick

We are often asked whether becoming an AI-driven enterprise requires something different than becoming a data-driven enterprise. In this series of blog posts Anderson MacGyver shares her point of view on this topic. 

Data-driven enterprise

It is good to start with looking at what a Data-driven or an AI-driven enterprise is. Anderson MacGyver takes a business value centric view and defines a Data-driven enterprise as an organization that unlocks the business value of data in any of the following three ways: 

1. Enabling digital systems with the exchange of data: Today’s society relies on systems exchanging data. The importance of the exchange of data between digital systems has superseded the importance of spoken and written words between humans. Without the timely exchange of the right data between digital systems, an organization and our society come to a standstill. Data-driven enterprises ensure that the digital systems in their organization and eco-system have the right data, of the right quality, at the right time. 

2. Deriving commercial value from data: Data on itself can have commercial value. Data-driven enterprises derive monetary value from their data by trading data either for a direct monetary reward or in exchange for other goods or services. 

3. Creating insights through analysis of data: Data analysis provides insights that can be used for improving customer intimacy, strengthening business control, driving operational efficiency and for the development or as part of new products & services. Data-driven enterprises unlock value from data by using data-driven insights to optimize their business processes and offerings. 

AI-driven enterprise 

So how does an AI-driven enterprise differ from a Data-driven enterprise? Let us first look at what an Artificial Intelligence is. Anderson MacGyver uses the following terms to define an AI. An AI is a digital system that: 

• Has the ability to learn and adapt. 

• Can generate output in the form of new data and content (video, image, text, sound, code). 

• Triggers or autonomously take actions. 

What does this mean in relation to the three types of value from data? 

1. Exchange of data between digital systems: An AI can be used to optimize the processes that drive the timely availability of data for digital systems. This does not result in new types of value in this domain. 

2. Commercial value: An AI can be used to generate new data and content that has commercial value. AI becomes the core production engine of your commercial goods that contain data, video, image, text, sound or code. 

3. Insights: AI can provide dynamic data-driven insights and if desired autonomously act. By autonomously acting an AI often improves process efficiency. The AI generated insights are used for improving customer intimacy, strengthening business control, driving operational efficiency and for the development or as part of new products & services. In these kinds of applications, AI is an extension of using data driven insights to optimize your business processes and offerings. 

An analogy to a smart car can help to make the point on dynamic insights and ability to act autonomously more tangible: 

• A route planner that calculates the best route to your destination based on a static map and ignoring current traffic situation is not an AI. 

• A route planner that dynamically recommends the best route based on the current and predicted traffic situation is not an AI if the recommendations are based on predefined rules (Note: rules can be defined using historic data-driven insights). 

• A route planner that dynamically recommends the best route based on the current and predicted traffic situation is an AI if the recommendations are based on predicted future traffic patterns, the system continually learns from historical data and optimizes the route based on multiple, complex factors. 

• A system that controls your autonomous vehicle taking the most advantageous route into account, must be an AI if you would want to safely make it past even the first junction. It would have to respond to the ever-changing circumstances on your route. 

Autonomously acting is not an absolute phenomenon. It comes in many forms. From a simple trigger in the form of a recommendation to operating and controlling systems without any human intervention. 

Summarizing the above, an AI-driven enterprise is an organization that leverages Artificial Intelligence to unlock business value by using digital systems that, based on data, learn and adapt and: 

• Generate new video, image, text, sound and code. 

• Trigger actions or autonomously act. 

Data analytics is typically used as part of an AI system. This implies that an AI-driven enterprise is an extension of a Data-driven enterprise. 

Data-to-AI-to-Value 

Becoming a Data-driven or and AI-driven enterprise is a journey. Anderson MacGyver uses the terms Data-to-Value and Data-to-AI-to-Value for an organization’s journey to become a Data-driven or an AI-driven enterprise. 

In the next blog post we share the good practices that we learnt to apply in these journeys: Data-to-AI-to-Value journey. 

Interested in further insights into this topic? Join our CIO Masterclass on becoming a scalable, AI driven enterprise on the 13^th of November. 

Since 2019, Anderson MacGyver has been supporting top rower Lisa Bruijnincx on her road to success. She recently competed for the first time at the European Championships in Hungary with the Dutch National Talent Team, and with the Olympic Games just around the corner, now is a good time to give an update on her achievements.

After winning the Junior World Championships, Lisa was looking for the next step in her sporting career. With this in mind, she signed up with Anderson MacGyver five years ago. A huge development followed on the sporting front, but in 2022 she ran into the ‘have to’. It was a big step and the Olympic team didn’t work out. Meanwhile, Lisa is back and has joined the talent squad to play her way into the spotlight of the Dutch senior team.

The European Championships

“It was very educational,” says Lisa of her first ‘real’ senior tournament last month. “So far I have been to two World Cups. You realize that these are senior teams are tough, but at a European Championship like this you realize that all the Olympic teams come prepared and well-oiled. They’re really at the top of their game and it’s impressive to suddenly be one of them.

The build-up to the European Championships was certainly not ideal. A teammate suffered an injury that prevented him from completing the final training sessions. “As a team we were able to deal with it and mentally we were able to handle it well. But in a first race it is important to be in sync and this was the first time we were in the boat together. Then you notice, on the field it goes hard, the opponents don’t wait. It was quite a reality check.

There is a lot to learn on the standard two-kilometre distance, and the subsequent races at the European Championships showed a lot of progress in the Dutch talent pool. “It was very brave to see that we could do it with this team. We made up seven seconds per race. On Thursday we were 14 seconds behind the Polish team and in our last race we beat them. These margins are not normal, but that was our growth in the tournament.

While the Dutch senior team is working on a different programme for the Olympic Games, the junior team has been in action. Among the other countries, it was the Olympic teams that were making the final preparations for Paris. “It is very cool to be able to compete with them. The Netherlands have actually decided that no competition is important except the one they are training for and that is the Olympics. The European Championships didn’t come out during that period. For us as a talented team, it’s just a learning tournament.

Olympic Games

Lisa will therefore not be able to participate in her original goal, as she does not have a place in the boat for this summer’s Olympic Games. “This summer I don’t find it ‘painful’ to follow. There are a lot of girls I look up to who can sail very hard. It has certainly been confrontational, because of course there is a little voice of ‘imagine if you had been there’, but I also appreciate all the effort and commitment the athletes have put in. I can only hope for a lot of medals for them.

Slow down and connect

The 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles are circled on Lisa’s calendar. But she had to take a step back to see if that was still her goal. “It’s still a goal. Over the past year I’ve taken a hard look at myself to see if this is really what I want. By distancing myself from rowing, I have actually found the joy again and decided that this is something I really want to devote time to in the coming years. It is difficult to look at an Olympic cycle in four years, but I am sure I will be in the team next year.

From May 1^st, Gerrit Schipper (66) joined Anderson MacGyver’s Advisory Board. With the establishment of the Advisory Board, the consultancy firm aims to strengthen the outside-in perspective to continue operating in line with the spirit of times and client’s needs. “Moreover, the advisory board helps reflect on its own leadership and the organisation as a whole,” said Benelux managing director David Jongste.

As an executive and entrepreneur, Gerrit Schipper has gained treasures of experience in the international technology domain. His career started at Philips in 1981 and included top positions at ABZ, ADP, RDC and Geodan NEXT International, among others, until 2017. “At 60, I thought it was time for a new phase of life. From learn and earn to return. I wanted to give something back to the profession and society with my knowledge and experience.”

Pragmatic approach

Until this year, Gerrit Schipper was Executive Director of the Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics (ECDA) before moving to the Advisory Board. Since 2020, he has also been involved on behalf of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) as part-time programme director in the Data, AI & Digitalization Convergence Alliance, in which EUR collaborates with ErasmusMC and TU Delft. Since 2017, Schipper has been a supervisor at NEMO Science Museum, among others, an advisor to Recharge Earth and chairman of the BDR Project Foundation, which works to educate especially girls and women in technical professions.

“In my new roles, there is a strong focus on the public and civil society domain,” says the experienced former executive. “Anderson MacGyver is an interesting exception in several areas. The firm combines a strongly personal, substantive and pragmatic approach in consultancy projects. Just like the television hero MacGyver, who had an intelligent solution for everything.”

His added value is in the area of governance and business. “I still have a large network and know that there is a growing need for hands-on support and more learning than lecturing consultancy – also abroad. From the Advisory Board, I am mainly focused on the direction and development in the Benelux organisation, but I like to help translate that to the other regions.”

International experience

“We are very impressed by Gerrit Schipper’s international experience and perspective,” says Benelux managing director David Jongste of Anderson MacGyver. “He knows how to set up and develop an organisation in a global context. That fits well with our current position of international scale-up. Gerrit also has great substantive knowledge of data, artificial intelligence and digitalisation. He can also provide input and feedback from those competences and experience.”

The latter the Advisory Board member prefers to do by asking questions. To then let the other person make the right decisions themselves. “The advantage is that I also learn something from this myself, because I am still very eager to learn. Humour, fun and putting things into perspective are also very important to me.”

As advisor and ambassador, Gerrit Schipper, like Mario der Weduwen, who also joined the Advisory Board, will help think about the productisation of the range of services, which will include a standardised online consultancy process in addition to tailor-made advice. Jongste: “That, in combination with Generative AI, will become an increasingly important part of the strategy.”

Get to know our other Advisory Board member, Mario der Weduwen! Read it here.

From May 1st, Mario der Weduwen (65) joined the Advisory Board of Anderson MacGyver. With the establishment of the Advisory Board, the consultancy firm aims to strengthen its outside-in perspective to continue operating in line with the spirit of the times and clients’ needs. “Moreover, the advisory board helps reflect on its own leadership and the organisation as a whole,” said Benelux managing director David Jongste.

After a sabbatical, during which he travelled around Asia with his wife Farida, Mario der Weduwen decided to change tack in 2022. “In almost ten years as CIO of Holland Casino and in the 30 years before that at ANWB, Air France-KLM and Ahold, among others, I have experienced virtually all major trends and developments at close quarters,” he says. “I was keen to use all my knowledge, experience and network as widely as possible.”

In-depth experience

Mario der Weduwen founded CIO-nxt in July 2023 together with several peers: an association of entrepreneurs with in-depth experience as Chief Information Officer and/or Chief Digital Officer at large, nationally or internationally operating organisations. “Objectives are to boost the digital maturity of companies and society based on service and knowledge sharing. In addition, CIO-nxt keeps us as members relevant and substantively engaged.”

About a year ago, he came into contact with the management of Anderson MacGyver. Der Weduwen: “A personal and substantive click soon emerged. Gradually, we came up with the idea of setting up an Advisory Board, with members who can critically reflect on Anderson MacGyver’s current and future activities from their seniority, experience, competences and network.”

According to the former CIO, the consulting industry is on the eve of a major upheaval due to changing client-side needs and requirements. “Technology is and will continue to be a driver of digital innovation and change. But instead of a push from vendors and consultancy, timing and directing this transformation is becoming increasingly important for companies and their leaders. This requires adaptation.”

Versatile and colourful

Benelux managing director David Jongste of Anderson MacGyver is impressed with the new Advisory Board member. “Besides his widely recognised stature as a technology leader, Mario der Weduwen is a very versatile and colourful personality: flamboyant, open, extroverted, energetic and with a huge amount of knowledge and experience as CIO. That critical outside view, partly based on his market knowledge and vast network, can help us think outside our own vision and frameworks when necessary. In this way, we as Anderson MacGyver are even better able to empathise with our clients’ opportunities and challenges.”

Besides being a supervisor at Roba Metals, Mario der Weduwen is a member of the advisory board of Network C. He is also active for EVG Start. This organisation selects, supervises and develops top digital talent.

“On the basis of a personal traineeship, we train promising young people together with partner companies. This allows them to develop at lightning speed to help companies with their digital transformation.” Besides Mario der Weduwen, Gerrit Schipper has also joined the newly established Advisory Board. Both will help think about the productisation of the service offering, in which a standardised online consultancy process can be purchased in addition to customised advice. Jongste: “That, in combination with Generative AI, will become an increasingly important part of the strategy.”

Get to know our other Advisory Board Member Gerrit Schipper! Read it here.