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  • Ferose on Multidimensional Talent Discovery

    03 Aug 2020
  • Ferose, Senior Vice President and HEAD of SAP Academy for Engineering, discusses talent development beyond basic training, with the goal of driving a culture change across the company. Ferose also describes his formula for measuring the value of a life's work, what changes companies and employees can expect in a post-COVID work environment.

    Hosted by Jeff Kavanaugh, VP and Head of the Infosys Knowledge Institute.

    “Our core insight was the best engineers are not just good technologists or good coders, but we call them the multidimensional engineers, engineers who have compassion, who build communities, who have courage, are curious...”

    - Ferose

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Show Notes

  • 00:15

    Ferose, you work in SAP, heading the Academy for Engineering, developing the next generation of technology leaders. Can you share an inspiring example of how your Academy is making a difference?

  • 01:47

    Jeff introduces Ferose

  • 02:43

    You're obviously multi-talented and interested in diverse topics. What inspires you to go into a technology role every day?

  • 04:33

    What is unique in your current role as the head of the SAP Academy for engineering? How is it different than maybe a traditional training institute?

  • 07:30

    Can you share with me the influences that have caused you to be passionate like this and combine or intertwine social with the technology?

  • 09:20

    You mentioned earlier that you had some background with a book that was on children and helping others. What was the influence for that, and then where have you taken that?

  • 11:09

    For our listeners who might be fortunate or able to do so, what are the things you encountered, like challenges, and how did you make the most of the opportunity to lead at an early age?

  • 14:29

    What is the biggest impact [COVID has] had on your business and your life, and what is your takeaway from it?

  • 20:31

    What's your view on thought leadership and how it can help professionals, not just writers, but others, be more successful?

  • 22:29

    You mentioned too many people today, today being post-COVID, are focused on recovery, but you want to focus on discovery. Can you go into that?

  • 25:25

    What is it that an executive, let's say in industry, that might not be in a hardcore tech firm, what can they do to energize and to bring about some of this change for their own organization?

  • 27:39

    What are some of the favorite books, or other influences that made an impact on you?

  • 28:54

    Ferose shares is contact information and how to find his publications online

About Ferose

Ferose

Based in Palo Alto, Ferose heads the newly minted SAP Engineering Academy. His vision for the academy is to produce “multidimensional” engineers who will solve real world problems that will make the world a better place for all. With over 20 years with SAP, Ferose was previously the head of Globalization Services, and was responsible for enabling the global adoption of SAP products worldwide. The unit consists of 1200+ employees spread across 40+ countries across the globe with a mission of empowering all businesses to run compliant locally and compete globally.

Before heading Globalization Services, Ferose was the Managing Director of SAP Labs India. Starting at the age of 33, he held this post for over 5 years during which he transformed SAP Labs India into an innovation hub. In 2012, the company was recognized as one of the “Great Places to Work” in India for its very first time.

Ferose is a Director on the Board of Specialisterne Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation with the goal to create one million jobs for people with autism and similar challenges. He is the founder of the India Inclusion Foundation a nonprofit, aiming to bring the topic of inclusion at the forefront in India. The India Inclusion Summit, The Inclusion Fellowship and Inclusion Platform (Incluzone) are some of the initiatives under the nonprofit.

Ferose has co-authored a best-selling book on people with disabilities, GIFTED. The book has been translated into four Indian regional languages. The Kannada translation won the prestigious Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award. Ferose also teaches “Personal Leadership” at Columbia University, New York.

Selected links from the episode

Ferose’s publications

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