In today’s episode of Consulting the Future, we welcome Carla DeSantis, Partner in Operations Transformation at PwC, for a timely and thought-provoking conversation. Carla unpacks the key findings from PwC’s latest Trends in Digital Operations Survey, offering a rare, inside-out view of why so many companies are still struggling to achieve returns on their technology investments in supply chain and operations.

Among the findings, one statistic looms large: 69% of companies report they are not seeing the expected benefits from their tech investments. Carla explores the underlying reasons, including the complexity of integrating new solutions with legacy systems, persistent data quality challenges, and a narrow focus on isolated pain points instead of holistic transformation strategies. She urges leaders to rethink how they approach operational change, emphasizing the need for systemic, end-to-end thinking that moves beyond siloed initiatives.

A particularly fascinating part of our discussion centers around AI integration. While nearly all respondents to the survey are experimenting with generative AI, only 20% report widespread operational use. Carla shares what differentiates successful AI adoption efforts: clear, specific use cases that augment human capabilities rather than seeking to replace them. She addresses common misconceptions about AI, particularly the dangerous notion of AI as a silver bullet or a tool for workforce reduction, and highlights the risks that come with misaligned expectations.

Carla also stresses the human element behind digital transformation. She advocates for reimagining workforce training as an ongoing journey of continuous learning rather than a one-off event. By involving detractors early and balancing encouragement with accountability, leaders can build a workforce that embraces, rather than resists, new technologies.

Finally, Carla looks ahead, discussing how sustainability and evolving regulatory frameworks are becoming increasingly pivotal in shaping operations strategies. She invites listeners to explore PwC’s Digital Operations Report, which provides industry-specific insights and actionable recommendations for companies navigating today's digital complexities.

How is your organization approaching digital operations transformation? Are you creating real, sustainable change or chasing short-term fixes? Tune in to gain deeper insights from Carla DeSantis and explore new ways to align technology, people, and strategy for lasting impact.

What does it take to build a digital foundation that supports innovation, profitability, and long-term resilience?

In this episode of Consulting the Future, I speak with Andy Tay from Accenture to explore findings from their latest research, Reinventing with a Digital Core. As organizations face increasing pressure to modernize and compete in a tech-driven marketplace, this conversation brings clarity to what it means to evolve with purpose. Tay breaks down Accenture’s approach to building a strong digital core and why it remains one of the most important levers for business reinvention today.

We examine three guiding principles that organizations can use to strengthen their digital foundation. These include re-engineering systems to support AI operations, customizing digital advancements to align with specific business goals, and striking the right balance between addressing technical debt and investing in scalable infrastructure. Tay shares how leading firms that raise their innovation investments by at least six percent each year are better positioned to introduce new products, redesign operations, and enter emerging markets with confidence.

This episode also covers how a digital core connects critical functions across cloud, data, and cybersecurity, creating a more adaptive and responsive enterprise. With a recommendation to allocate around fifteen percent of IT budgets to manage technical debt, Tay outlines the importance of sustaining evergreen capabilities while embracing new technologies.

We also discuss how top-performing companies are seeing up to twenty percent higher revenue growth and thirty percent more profitability by embracing these strategies. Tay emphasizes that responsible AI integration, iterative scaling, and an innovation-first culture are now essential components of any transformation effort.

Whether you're in the early stages of rethinking your digital infrastructure or already leading large-scale change, this episode offers timely guidance from someone helping shape enterprise strategy on a global scale.

Can we accelerate our digital ambitions while still keeping a strong moral compass? In this conversation on Consulting the Future, Deborah Golden of Deloitte shares her frontline experiences shaping AI strategies that put ethics at the core, and she offers her predictions for a surge in M&A activity across AI, cloud, cybersecurity and even the nascent space economy.

We balance the promise of breakthroughs (like AI‑driven drug discovery and zero‑trust architectures) with the real‑world challenges of bias audits, supply‑chain vulnerabilities and the skills gap. Deborah’s practical advice on blending deep industry know‑how with cutting‑edge technology leaves you equipped to both seize new growth and safeguard against unintended fallout.

Where do you see the biggest opportunity or blind spot in today’s tech revolution? I’d love to hear your perspective.