On the lighter side of things, we ask Mattie Yeta, Chief Sustainability Officer, CGI UK and Australia, what makes her tick.
What first made you think of a career in technology?
Technology wasn’t the first starting point in my career; I actually started in sustainability and finance. At the time I was starting out, I was working with huge organisations like the UN and stakeholders from all across the world. Technology as a means of collaboration and communication was invaluable. Thus, there was no way to not become a big advocate of technology.
As I developed in my sustainability career, I continued to learn more about technology – and indeed how to apply it. For instance, in my role at DEFRA, I had to apply the use of satellite capabilities in agriculture and think about sustainability and business outcomes or the use of data centres for hosting our solutions and the energy consumption associated with it.
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months?
Sustainability has been an evolving area. In the 90s, it was clear that sustainability was very environmentally focused. However, now everyone is talking about ESG with a focus on social and governance. What I’ve seen over the years is a focus on deep sustainability expertise to allow us to quantify and calculate the impact on society.
Specifically in the last 12 months, I’ve seen a big emphasis – at CGI and in the industry – on the integration of sustainability into different business functions like finance, marketing and operations. I’ve spent quite a few years supporting CEOs with large transformation programmes. What I’ve seen is a need to ensure a systems thinking approach. There is definitely an increase in the adoption of sustainability across many industries, and I’m incredibly proud that CGI is leading the way.
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain C-level position in your industry?
Attaining a C-suite title all boils down to the experience and skills you’ve developed over the years and being able to apply the experience and skills in a meaningful to add value. So, my advice would be to absorb and learn as much as you can ensuring you specialise in an area but also broaden your skills thinking about transferability. Simply put: ask questions, be curious and be inquisitive. For example, obtaining a certificate or qualification in a different subject area, receiving some coaching from people who are subject matter experts or shadowing someone, are all relevant and expose you to new experiences and skill sets which are crucial.At the C-suite level of course you will need subject matter expertise and be able to see the bigger picture and the small picture be able to devise plans and strategies.
If you could go back and change one career decision, what would it be?
It’s not necessarily a specific decision in my career, but if I could go back and speak to my younger self, I’d say ‘you’re doing OK’. I think I was always anxious about whether I was investing in the right learning and experience. So, I wouldn’t change anything, but I would give myself more reassurance – and probably a pat on the back every now and then.
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement?
I think working in CGI is fantastic because I work with a great team and other partners towards a common shared sustainability goal. Growing our team and working with others to achieve success across the organisation is always one of my favourite and greatest achievements. We’ve had some fantastic accomplishments over the years; we’ve enhanced our accreditations, supported more clients, developed new innovations and showcased some trailblazing sustainability solutions to the media.
What style of management philosophy do you employ in your current position?
I love to mentor and grow the people I work with and those around me. I believe in lifelong learning, which is why I’ve stayed in academia, continuously doing PhD research and teaching at the University of Oxford.My management philosophy is all about growth – nurturing and supporting each other and those around us. I believe people need the time and space to work out solutions and develop ideas. People also need a space to fail safely; a space where through failure they can learn and grow.
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside of the office?
I walk a lot. Every weekend I do a 21k walk. Walking is an opportunity to not only exercise, but overall, it helps me unwind. If it’s not walking, then I enjoy running or playing tennis.
What do you think has emerged as the technology trend of this year and why?
There’s no way of really pinpointing just one technology. I follow several horizon-scanning communications such as Intelligent CIO. Hence, I’ve seen an acceleration in the adoption of satellite capabilities, the use of cloud platforms, AI, Big Data, blockchain and Digital Twins in today’s operations and sustainability.
AI – as it has with all areas – has had a profound impact on sustainability. We’re moving past the conversation of the ‘dangers of AI’ and seeing the opportunities it presents.
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry?
There is a lot of investment in AI. However, it’s important to note that the adoption and use of AI is different to investment in AI. There are a lot of organisations that are investing in AI to uncover patterns to support sustainability initiatives. At the same time, some guardrails need to be set, specifically around how it is used and validated so the adoption may be slower. Big platforms and satellite technology are also key areas requiring further investment. Including supply chain tracking, monitoring of nature and identifying risks in our operations which all need reliable technologies such as these.
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in Europe?
There are several noticeable differences across regions when it comes to technology. For example, AI is increasingly being adopted in Europe, Asia and the US but not so much in other regions. The infrastructure, skills and legislation for example could act as barriers to adoption in certain regions. Understanding these nuances plays a key role for sustainability experts in terms of how and what we develop to support different geographies.
