Bain & Company announces senior leadership appointments in its Enterprise Technology practice
With the rapidly evolving role of AI and fundamental technology innovations fueling tech-driven change across industries, Bain is continuing to see strong growth in client demand for its deep technology expertise. Tech- and AI-enabled revenue already accounts for more than 30% of the firm's business and is expected to reach half of revenues in coming years. The firm's new Enterprise Technology practice leadership team will play a pivotal role in the continuing development of its ET capabilities and its broader tech-related support for clients.
Bain announced today that Pascal Gautheron will take over as the global leader of its Enterprise Technology practice, succeeding Stephen Phillips, who has headed the firm's global ET team for the past seven years. Phillips becomes chairman of the ET practice, working directly with Bain's clients and market-facing forums to raise awareness of enterprise technology's full potential.
Gautheron takes over the global leadership position having previously served as head of the ET practice in Asia-Pacific (APAC). He brings to his new role more than 27 years of experience in shaping some of the region's largest technology-enabled business transformations, particularly in the banking and financial services sector. Since joining Bain in 2017, Gautheron has supported multiple clients in developing and implementing successful digital and core systems transformations, next-generation technology architectures, agile at scale, and leading-edge AI deployments.
Having previously been based in Sydney, Australia, and having begun his career as an engineer in Stuttgart and Paris, and with an MBA from the HEC Paris Business School, Gautheron will return to those roots to lead Bain's ET practice from the firm's Paris office.
In further key changes in Bain's regional ET leadership, the firm also announced today that Damian Stephenson replaces Gautheron as regional leader of the ET practice in APAC. Based in Sydney, Stephenson has spent nearly 20 years at Bain (both in APAC and North America). He specializes in supporting clients in all industries to pursue technology modernization and technology-led strategy and transformation. Stephenson is also a leader in the firm's Financial Services and M&A practices.
Laurent Hermoye becomes regional leader for ET in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), succeeding Marc van der Vleugel. Brussels-based Hermoye brings two decades' experience in shaping and delivering large-scale digital transformations, particularly in the consumer brands sector. Major business transformations he has led have involved large-scale initiatives enabled by enterprise resource planning (ERP), digital marketing, commerce, and operations enhancements, as well as post-merger integrations and separations. He has also led multiple technology and AI strategies, operating model redesign programs, and cost transformations. Hermoye also serves as chairman of Enterprise Blueprints, a Bain company providing enterprise and solution architecture services.
Denver-based partner Will Poindexter continues to serve as regional leader for ET in the Americas (AMER).
Chuck Whitten, partner and global head of Bain's digital practices and capabilities, commented: 'With investment in AI and data now a paramount priority for companies across industries, the new Enterprise Technology leadership announced today will further accelerate our work to bring the power of cutting-edge technologies to help our clients solve some of the most complex business challenges. More than just identifying the best means for technology to benefit a business, today companies need to reinvent entire business models and value chains atop their tech infrastructures. Our new ET leaders will enable our clients to lead the field in grasping these critical business challenges.'
Whitten added: 'With today's transition, I want to thank Stephen Phillips and recognize the outstanding contribution to Bain that he has made over more than two decades in leadership roles in our Enterprise Technology team. Stephen has been the guiding hand in the rapid growth of the ET practice through those years, in developing the breadth and depth of its capabilities, its expertise, and its people – and in bringing the very best of Bain to deliver industry-leading results for our clients. I'm delighted that, as ET practice chairman, Stephen will be playing a continuing and central role in the world-class work our ET team are bringing to clients around the globe every day.'
Bain & Company's global Enterprise Technology practice consists of a team of more than 1,500 multidisciplinary experts including data scientists, architects, software engineers, innovators and designers. Along with nearly two-dozen focused partnerships with some of today's most renowned technology firms, Bain's ET team equip client businesses with market-leading capabilities to power growth and accelerate value creation.
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