The Big Interview: NTT Data UK boss on indulging his wanderlust and why going downhill is a good thing

Simon Williams opens up to CRN about what new spaces the services firm is investing in and the key to good leadership

‘Going downhill' is not an adage usually associated with something positive, but for NTT Data UK chief executive Simon Williams it's the easiest way he can describe how he feels about his job.

"I liken working here to running downhill," he stated.

"It's fun, it makes you think of when you're a child and gravity's on your side; it's much easier to run downhill than uphill and it's exciting.

"If the slope is a bit steep, it can be a bit scary, because you're going a bit too fast. So it's about making sure the slope's not too steep and it's about making sure that you've got people around you who can help make sure you don't fall over."

Using that metaphor, 2019 has so far proved to be a gently sloping hill for Williams as NTT Data recently opened an innovation centre in London, and vowed to invest £68m in its UK operations over the next few years.

The company had some of its toys on display at the centre's opening, including its real-time 3D mapping capabilities and a robot that can be used either by the elderly to take simple blood pressure tests or to acclimatise children to hospital environments.

These are some examples of the areas that NTT Data is throwing its weight behind, said Williams, adding that robotic process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI) and middleware are three spaces where the company is "going in at scale".

Middleware, in particular, is proving to be a significant driver as customers battle with their legacy technology.

"Middleware covers a whole world of complications, but particularly around things like micro-services and MuleSoft, where we're seeing a lot of our clients really struggling with their legacy technology," he said.

"So if you put in middleware as a layer to take the legacy and put it in a box, you can then build the differentiated capabilities on top of it - we're finding that to be a real benefit to our clients."

The wanderer

Williams' early career path could probably be best described as ‘winding' rather than downhill, but data - in some form - has always played a part in it.

He came out of university with a law degree before changing tack and qualifying as an accountant. But that was "far too exciting" and Williams ended up becoming a consultant, which included a six-year stint at Capgemini.

He then decided to try his hand at becoming an entrepreneur, setting up the UK subsidiary of Italian IT services provider Value Team.

"In hindsight it was an interesting time to do a start-up, during a major recession," he mused.

"But we were successful, and we doubled in size every year until NTT Data bought Value Team in Italy [in 2011], which meant I rolled into NTT Data in the UK."

Williams was installed as the UK boss just over two years ago and enjoys both the wide range of topics and the obstacles that cross his path.

"I like variety," he said. "I think I have the best job in the world because I get to have massive variety in my life."

That enthusiasm for variety perhaps comes from his childhood spent in Germany, where his father was stationed in the army. Williams makes annual pilgrimages back with his parents to visit the Christmas markets.

But Germany isn't the only country that interests him, as the CEO admits to indulging in wanderlust and counts travelling as one of his hobbies, along with supporting Harlequins rugby team, cooking, and wine.

"When visiting any country I love finding out about the local culture, I like going to local markets, I like eating in restaurants where there are only locals," he explained.

"I like to get involved in walking the streets and taking in the atmosphere."

However, it is Japan, the home of NTT, that ranks highest on his top spots to visit.

"There's a lot of countries in the world you visit, where there's a great deal of similarity," he explained.

"Japan is so different. It's such a wonderful culture that I've barely scratched the surface of in my visits there."

The path forward

Williams' enthusiasm for variety also translates into his role as leader, where he lists being a good listener and ensuring each employee feels valued as key criteria in his leadership style.

"It's very important that you celebrate the people and recognise that a business is fundamentally made up by people," he stated.

"It's about listening to people so they can be their authentic selves at work, and listening to them to make sure that you're adapting your business to make sure that it works for the environment that you're in and that it works for the people who make it work.

"People put so much effort into coming to work and driving a business for success. I think that it's critical that they are recognised for what they do, for the success that they drive in their own career, and also the success they drive in a business."

This enthusiasm to engage with people is a characteristic that in another life could have seen him be a teacher or a sommelier, but for now Williams is happy in his role as NTT Data UK's boss.

His ambition as chief executive is to grow the UK arm of the Japanese services giant and continue his downhill run.

"One of our core values is clients first," he explained.

"It's not about making NTT Data great, it's about making the clients great. To do that we are very much investing in the new technologies, in the centres of excellence, in recruiting brilliant people, in geographical growth, and also doing some acquisitions of differentiated capability, so that we can provide more and interesting capabilities to our clients."