Despite a string of challenges from the pandemic with more reliance on remote work and careful investment by customers, Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management and automation, is looking into digital power as a tool to unlock obstacles and believes it can be digital partner for Thailand.
Mr Nuss says his goal is to grow business and help Thailand move towards the next level of digitalisation.
"We are in the right technology position for the future as the world leader in energy management and automation. We are at the right value proposition to assist Thailand as a partner for digital transformation journey in sustainability and efficiency," Stephane Nuss, the company's cluster president for Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, told the Bangkok Post.
The 43-year-old executive said digital drive will be a key enabler for business and peoples' daily life.
The emphasis on green energy, green data centre and electric vehicles (EVs) would also be a sustainable way to fight against the climate change.
The company has technology for digital transformation in energy management and automation.
In the energy grid, the company offers digital solutions, such as sensor-equipped machines which can serve as smart hardware as well as software for machine operation.
Data drawn from the machines can be stored in cloud and brought in for analysed with artificial intelligence (AI) tools for optimal efficiency and automation.
"When the world is more reliant on digital and electric modes, it needs intelligence and efficiency. Our digital technology can serve smart factories, data centres and smart buildings," Mr Nuss said.
REMOTE MONITORING
Digital solutions can be used to support remote monitoring and maintenance.
"Without digital, experts need to fly to fix machines or come to the plants. But in the digital world, machines can be self-diagnosed and workers can use 'Augmented Operator Adviser' application for suggestion on how to fix machine components through augmented reality technology," said Mr Nuss.
There has been a rise in demand for digital solutions in energy sector.
Last year, Schneider secured a smart grid project of the Provincial Electricity Authority, the firm's biggest project among global Schneider.
Digital technology can help reduce energy loss, support availability for preventive maintenance and ensure remote management support.
For smart buildings, digital technology can help reduce electricity consumption, such as lighting and temperature being adjusted in line with the number of people at the place.
Data from facility areas can be brought to cloud through EcoStruxure, an open and agnostic platform of Schneider.
The company also offers solutions for entire project lifecycle from design and build to operate and maintain.
Over the past few years, the company acquired some software firms that can provide tools to turn paper-based construction designs into digital forms and leveraging digital data for building, operating and maintaining.
The approach enables early detection of concerning issues and support preventive maintenance.
"Our technology integrates energy and automation systems, which is the core digital transformation," he said.
In February, Schneider was ranked the world's most sustainable corporation out of more than 8,000 corporates by Corporate Knights, a media and research firm focused on corporate sustainability performance. The company's decision, investment, operation and products are rooted from sustainability as a core, he said.
NEW OPPORTUNITY
Thailand offers a new business opportunity. In the short run, there will be many smart grid projects due to the growing urbanisation, while the government aims to have 100 smart cities across the country in 2025, according to Mr Nuss.
Over the next 2-3 years, global internet giants are expected to invest in data centres in Thailand, similar like Singapore over the past five years.
Over the next 5-10 years, the country's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) scheme would usher in various transport infrastructure investments and 5G network development, which would be conducive to high tech-based foreign investment in S-curve industries.
This will level up Thailand from a labour and agriculture-based country to a high-tech and automated country, he said.
"The company is positioning itself for the future," Mr Nuss said.
In the future, more machines will be integrated with sensors and use Internet of Things and software to store data from multiple sources in the cloud, which can be analysed for efficiency and preventive maintenance, he said.
Mr Nuss said his goal is to grow business and help Thailand move towards the next level of digitalisation, from a labour-intensive country to high-tech-based nation.
"We believe our technology is in line with the digital nation of Thailand 4.0," he said.
Although sluggish economy is putting customers under budget constraint, technology investment is imperative for them to receive promising returns over the next 2-3 years or faster, depending on projects based on their efficiency and productivity, he said.
In the first quarter of this year, the company registered the global revenue growth of 13.5%, above earlier forecast at 5-7%, Mr Nuss said.
"In Thailand, we believe we will grow on par with the global operation or even higher, and of course, the growth will be better than the economic and industry growth," he said.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT
Mr Nuss said a laser-like precise focus would be a key to crisis management. Employee safety, critical missions and continuity of business must be highlighted.
He once oversaw the business in Turkey and faced various challenges, such as exchange rate instability and terrorism.
Mr Nuss moved to work in Singapore, covering business more than 10 countries in East Asia and Japan, and then to Thailand with family during the pandemic.
He said his local team in Thailand is resilient and digitally-ready as they have to work remotely.
"Empowering employees for open discussion and taking risks will bring in new initiatives and make different, which will consequently drive business continuity and growth," said Mr Nuss.
FUTURE CEOs
According to Mr Nuss, chief executives in his view need to empower employees for open discussion, allowing them to express their feeling and opinions, which would help create new initiatives.
"CEOs should not be like chief command officers who sit at the top of a hierarchical structure," said Mr Nuss.
Schneider works in a decentralised management with various hubs -- such as France, Boston, Dubai and Singapore -- which have their own management decision to serve local needs.
The company pivots towards factory location diversification for resilient supply chain and has an inclusive culture in relation to employees, regardless of sex, race and disability.
He said he likes challenges and excitement, with one example being his penchant for triathlon competitions.
"Sports give us discipline and 'me time' to unlock our brain to come up with ideas," said Mr Nuss.
"We spend eight working hours a day, so we should love what we do," he said. "I think business is fun and I love discovering the world."
He said having experiences in working in various countries bring him with flexibility, resilience and agility.