companies face a choice

altran’s science and technology magazine
In the loop
Lotus F1 Team and
Altran: a passion
for innovation
p. 12
In the world
Altran Spain:
partner in
excellence
p. 14
in the know
Digital
transformation:
companies
face a choice
p. 08
> José Barrigón Del Santo,
Consultant for Altran Spain
altran.com
october-december 2013
#26
02 | Contents & Contributors
altran’s science and technology magazine
october-december 2013
Contents & Contributors | 03
04 | in the air
#26
In the loop
Lotus F1 Team and
Altran: a passion
for innovation
p. 12
In the world
Altran Spain:
partner in
excellence
p. 14
in the know
© Cambridge Consultants
Digital
transformation:
companies
face a choice
p. 08
> José Barrigón Del Santo,
Consultant for Altran Spain
Publishing Director:
Philippe Salle
Editorial Director:
Frédéric Fougerat
Editor in Chief:
Kaling Chan
Editorial content:
Martin Bellet, Pierre
Michaud, Nicolas Six
Contributors:
Florence Barré, Emilie
Bartier, Ángeles
Bernáldez, Owen
Burdekin, Leonor De
L’hermite, Julien Gascó,
Sébastien Heuclin, JeanLuc Hozé, Christian Le
Liepvre, Debbie Mayhew,
Luca Mazzocco, Lauriane
Mouly, Darold Ochoa
Fernandez, Susana
Perfecto, Réjane Prioux,
Alexia Van Daele,
Khedidja Zidour
Design and page layout:
01 77 45 86 86
Publishing Manager:
Martin Bellet
Art Director:
David Corvaisier
Page layout:
Fabienne Laurent,
Marion Stepien
Editorial secretary:
Corporate Editions
Translation:
Corporate Editions
Cover credit:
Adam Lubroth,
CAPA Pictures
On the cover:
José Barrigón Del Santo,
Business Control and
Marketing Consultant,
Altran Spain
Production:
Sylvie Esquer
Print by:
Design Color
Copyright:
October 2013
ISSN: 1767-9974
Altitude (Paris 2003)
altitude | # 26
United Kingdom
Editorial by Philippe Salle
Chairman and Chief
Executive, altran
Innovation
Excellence made in Altran
At Altran, excellence is a state of mind which
all our Innovation Makers strive to embody
each and every day.
Excellence means searching for solutions,
innovations and beyond, with a single goal
in mind: better serve our clients.
It is a great source of pride for our group
when our clients recognise this value, be
it Patrick Louis, CEO of Lotus F1, stating
in this edition of Altitude that, “We need
professionals that are highly specialised
in technology and have a passion for
innovation… This is a unique state of
mind shared by all Altran consultants”;
or Telefónica, which is renewing and
intensifying its alliance with Altran Spain,
its partner in excellence of 20 years.
Excellence is also an in-house value,
as seen last May with the launch of
THE i PROJECT (i for innovation): a contest
that lets us identify and support innovations
designed by our employees to meet our
clients’ future needs in all industrial and
service sectors worldwide. This exceptional
programme, set to start up again this
November, will put teams in action in pursuit
of excellence, with prizes awarded to the best
projects.
Excellence is as much a value as an added
value, but, on top of all, it is a shared state of
mind.
Mission Across America
accomplished!
Congratulations to Altran teams
for safely guiding Solar Impulse
across America!
Altran reinvents
innovation and
operational excellence
Thanks to its global Lifecycle
Experience solution, Altran
accompanies its clients in
achieving the transformations
necessary to adapt to their new
environment.
06 | In the labs
Inventing the food
of the future
To meet the growing need for
food on our planet, new solutions
for producing foodstuffs are
beginning to emerge. 3D printing,
GMOs and stem cells – take a
glimpse at what may be on your
plate tomorrow.
08 | in the know
Digital transformation:
companies face a choice
Smartphones, tablets, the
cloud, 4G, big data – digital is
everywhere. For companies,
successfully transitioning to
digital is imperative. The next
digital generation is now!
12 | in the loop
europE
Lotus F1 Team and
Altran: a passion
for innovation
competition
This year, the Altran Foundation for
Innovation is organising national
awards in five European countries
(Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Spain and
the UK) to recognise innovative
projects of general interest. In
most countries, registrations are
open from September to October
2013. An independent jury will
award the prize to a laureate in
each country, in November 2013.
In January 2014, the five national
laureates will have the opportunity
to participate in the international
final.
More information on
www.altran-foundation.org.
© Airbus / A. Doumenjou
Altitude #26
© Altran
54-56 avenue Hoche
75008 Paris
France
www.altran.com
[email protected]
© B. Paget
altran.com
Product development firm and
subsidiary of the Altran group,
Cambridge Consultants is
helping conservationists at the
Zoological Society of London
protect some of the world’s most
rare and endangered species.
A remote monitoring system of
satellite-connected and motiontriggered cameras is providing
early warning of illegal poaching
activity, as well as evidence for
prosecutions. And a mobile app
is allowing users anywhere in
the world to track and identify
animals from near-real-time
images.
france
production optimisation
Altran France has been chosen by
Airbus to implement an innovative
industrial optimisation project
at the Saint-Eloi production site
outside of Toulouse. The project
aims to accelerate production
output for the A320neo
programme, Airbus’ single-aisle
A320 Family. This is Airbus’ most
successful aircraft programme
to date, with over 9,000 orders.
Altran will help Airbus optimise
the launch phase of the A320neo,
scheduled for 2015.
In Formula One, speed and
innovation are the winning
combination. Altran is bringing
both to Lotus F1 Team as it
challenges for the Formula One
World Championship.
14 | in the world
Altran Spain: Partner in
Excellence
20-year partner of the Telefónica
group, Altran Spain brings its
expertise in telecommunications
networks and services to Telefónica
Global Solutions.
# 26 | altitude
04 | in the air
in the air | 05
Solution
Energy
Jake Evill, a young design graduate
from New Zealand, has developed
a new generation of casts with
the orthopaedics department at
his university. 3D-printed from an
x-ray of the fracture, the cast offers
customised support. This revolutionary
breakthrough for broken bones is not
only washable and lightweight, but it
also allows skin to breathe.
In conjunction with the
Pierre Audoin Consultants
agency, Altran drew up a white paper
More:
http://lifecycle-experience.altran.com/
SOLAR IMPULSE
Mission Across America accomplished!
that analyses the evolution of IT testing
and proposes an integrated approach,
geared to enhance IT quality.
This study can be
downloaded at:
125
dollars
This is the cost of
renting a miniature satellite
for three days. ArduSat, launched
into orbit by the HTV-4 cargo ship
in August, has numerous sensors
(camera, temperature probe,
spectrometer, etc.).
altitude | # 26
© Solar Impulse
http://www.altran.com/
information-systems/
white-paper.html
A
nation deeply rooted in the aviation industry, America was on the
edge of its seat for Solar Impulse’s majestic two-month flight from San
Francisco to New York that began on 3 May. Its success came as no
surprise to Altran. The solar aircraft’s two pilots, Bertrand Piccard and André
Borschberg, faced changing weather conditions during their six flights. Altran
engineers meanwhile carefully prepared all flight plans to minimise safety risks,
working round-the-clock to update flight trajectories in real time according
to weather conditions. Thanks to their responsiveness and training in crisis
management, these engineers were able to respond with poise to the incident
that occurred during the last flight. Configuring an emergency landing, they
took into account the energy in the batteries, the time to reach each suitable
landing spot, and the risk of turbulence during descent. Congratulations to
Altran teams for safely guiding Solar Impulse across America!
When Smartphones
obey both hand…
and eye!
A
Pavegen floor at the arrival of the 2013 Paris Marathon.
W
hat do the London Olympic Games and the Paris Marathon
have in common? In both cases, a large number of people
migrated along a marked path in a very short span of time:
in London to reach the Olympic stadium, in Paris to cross the finish
line. The two events provided a picture perfect opportunity for English
company Pavegen Systems to demonstrate that the kinetic energy
produced by hundreds of thousands of footsteps could be recovered.
Thanks to a system of sensitive tiles made from recycled materials,
the pressure of pedestrians’ or runners’ feet is converted into
electricity. The only requirement is heavy traffic, as each step only
produces 8 watts. During the Games in 2012, the 12 tiles installed
by Pavegen served to light the bridge connecting the West Ham
Underground station to the Olympic stadium all through the night.
Given the success of this experiment, 176 tiles were installed on
the Champs Élysées for the most recent Paris Marathon. The energy
produced was used to power backlit signs. However, it would have
been enough to light up the Eiffel Tower for two hours. These two
educationally-oriented experiments are a step towards sustainable
cities. Eventually, their use could become widespread.
fter years of clinging to your
old Nokia, you finally resolved
to part ways. With your latestgeneration Smartphone, you’re finally up
to speed. But for how long? The advent of
eye tracking could soon relegate touchscreen technology to the digital Stone
Age. Capturing eye movements with the
telephone’s built-in camera, this technology
– already included in the Samsung Galaxy
S4 – will free users
from the confines
of touch. For
example, it
already allows
users to control
video playback.
Pausing couldn’t
be easier: just
look away from
the camera. The
video starts up
again when the user
looks back at the
screen. In time, this
technology could
be used to select
and call a contact in
the address book. A
solution that could
prove particularly
useful for people with
disabilities.
Online
Track changes
in the Earth’s
vegetation over the
course of a year with
data gathered by a
sensor on the Suomi
NPP satellite between
April 2012 and April
2013.
On 4 August, Kirobo, a
Japanese robot developed
by Toyota, was flown
to the International Space
Station. Capable of holding
a conversation, Kirobo will
keep his fellow countryman
Commander Koichi Wakata
company.
The wirelesslycharged electric
bus moves up a
gear: in the South
Korean city of Gumi,
an entire bus line has
been equipped with
underground cables for
induction charging.
# 26 | altitude
lax y S4
a custom designed cast
our own. Our 1,600 consultants
who today work on these topics
intend to become developers of and
players in much larger and more
ambitious projects. They encourage
the company to open up both
within its own ranks and towards
its environment”. A manufacturer of
heat processing systems who used
this global approach boosted project
profitability by reducing costs over
20%. This makes for a compelling
result that should motivate other
industries to trust Altran to
reinvent innovation and operational
excellence.
Telecoms
© Samsung Ga
Improve productivity, integrate new
standards, continue to innovate,
invent new business models, conquer
new markets – companies striving
to remain competitive on the market
face a host of challenges. Addressing
these issues separately provides only
partial results. “Thanks to its global
Lifecycle Experience solution, Altran
accompanies its clients in achieving
the transformations necessary to
adapt to their new environment:
changes in the portfolio of products
and services, processes involving
innovation, manufacturing and
support, as well as the supply
chain”, explains Jean-Luc Hozé,
Executive Director of this Altran
solution. “The transformation is also
One small step for man,
a giant leap for ecology
© Pavegen
© Jake Evill and Cortex Cast systems
Altran reinvents innovation
and operational excellence
in the labs | 07
06 | in the labs
How a 3D printer works
food innovation
STEP 1
Inventing
the food of
the future
health
Eating with confidence
Food safety has become a major
concern for consumers. Recent
scandals – the mad cow crisis in
1996, melamine-tainted milk in
2008, and the latest horsemeat
fraud – have made them increasingly
suspicious. To reassure customers,
manufacturers have put traceability
at the forefront. Above and beyond
labels that guarantee a certain level
of quality, new technologies such as
RFID tags allow us to verify products’
origin remotely at each step of the
production chain. Industrial designer
Hannes Harms even suggests
incorporating them directly into
foodstuffs so individuals can look up
the distribution circuit directly from
their computers.
insight
1777
Following his discovery of
fertilisation of eggs by sperm,
Lazzaro Spallanzani performs
the first artificial insemination
of an animal.
F
uelled by p opulation
growth, food consumption
is set to double by 2050.
Meanwhile, the capacity
of traditional agriculture
seems to be slowing. How will we feed
the entire world without skyrocketing
production costs? To overcome this twofold challenge, producers are innovating
at each level of the food chain. Manufacturers of beef products, for example,
have used bovine genome sequencing
since 2008 to genetically map the animals. This technology enables laboratories to select the finest bulls and export
their sperm around the world. Their
calves undergo genetic sequencing from
birth; we now understand their potential
without having to wait for adulthood.
Grain producers go a step further,
artificially introducing new genes into
certain species to improve their resist-
1983
A tobacco plant modified
to resist the antibiotic kanamycin
becomes the first genetically
modified plant.
2009
Cricketburger
With the rise of artificial and imitation
ingredients, food production may redefine what we see as “natural”. This market is far from trivial; it represents over
a billion dollars in the United States and
sees annual growth of over 20%. For
example, the American company Beyond
2013
The first burger with
meat created from stem cells
is served. It costs 290,000 euros
to make.
Alexia van
Daele
2
Mix
Senior Marketing
Communications
Specialist,
Altran Belgium
and Luxembourg
Chambers
© DR
Using pressurised gas, the powders
in the cartridges are mixed in special
chambers to form dough that will become
the printer’s “ink”.
3D printer
printer
1
Powder
Cartridges
STEP 2
3
Printing
“In 2013, the Altran
Foundation will
recognise an agrifood project”
Nozzle
Inert gas
3D printing
could revolutionise the
way we cook. Connected
to a computer, a 3D
printer could allow
us to create food with
just a few clicks.
ance to inclement weather, pesticides
and pests. This method remains controversial. Europe and China still prohibit marketing of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), pending formal
proof of the safety of these products.
But although the benefits of genetically modified grains have yet to gain
unanimous approval, the amount of land
devoted to growing GMO crops has continued to grow in recent years. In 2012,
it reached 395 million acres worldwide
– 10% of the planet’s cultivated land.
The French Culinary Institute
and School of Culinary Arts
in New York create the
Fab@home programme to print
3D food at home.
Powders containing carbohydrates,
proteins, macro- and micronutrients are
packaged in cartridges. They have
a shelf life of 30 years.
Lorenzo Timon
To meet the growing need for food on
our planet, new solutions for producing
foodstuffs are beginning to emerge. 3D
printing, GMOs and stem cells – take a glimpse
at what may be on your plate tomorrow.
STEP 3
According to a computerised recipe previously sent
to the printer, a nozzle progressively deposits the
different layers of ingredients until it becomes a 3D
foodstuff. The RepRap printing platform – open source
and open design – is particularly suited to this
application.
Meat already markets imitation chicken
that tastes so much like the real thing
that even famous New York Times food
critic Mark Bittman was fooled. Their
meats are manufactured using soy powder that is heated, cooled and then processed under high pressure.
Meanwhile, the Dutch government
is exploring other ways to keep soaring meat prices at bay. It is investing in
research on insects: crickets, grasshoppers, worms, and ants.
While Western consumers still fiercely resist
this option, they may
be able to overcome
their reluctance if the
meat were to come in
the form of a steak.
The environmental
impact of insect meat has the advantage of being low: two calories of fossil
fuel energy are required to produce one
calorie of insect meat, as opposed to an
8:1 ratio for beef.
Seaweed, one of the fastest growing
plants, is also raising hopes. Scientists
at Sheffield Hallam University have
developed a seaweed salt for victims of
hypertension. Its outstanding productiv-
ity could save millions of acres of land
and billions of litres of water.
Printable… pizza!
The food of the future may well defy traditional manufacturing methods. Dutch
researchers succeeded in growing animal
muscles in vitro. If artificial meat were to
replace beef, it would require only 1% of
the land used for raising livestock and only
4% of the water the animals drink. A mere
6 weeks are needed to
create this meat, which
could make it to our
plates in the next five
to ten years.
Yet it is 3D printing
– an industrial process
in full swing – that may
truly revolutionise our
idea of sustenance. Harnessing this technology, the American start-up Modern
Meadows designed a machine capable
of manufacturing a steak by alternating
two layers of tissue: cells and hydrogel.
NASA meanwhile commissioned SMRC to
develop a pizza printer for space travel. Its
oil, tomato, dough and protein cartridges
have a thirty-year shelf life – enough for
several trips between the Earth and Mars!
Researchers
have succeeded
in growing animal
muscles in vitro.
What is the mission of the Altran
Foundation?
Altran built a foundation that works
for the public interest. Each year,
it presents an award in several
countries. Assistance is free of
charge and suited to beneficiaries’
needs: R&D, marketing, distribution,
organisation, manufacturing,
financing, etc. The jury is made
up of industrial entrepreneurs,
elected officials and employer
representatives, thus allowing us to
establish strategic contacts. Within
the Group, the prize is a unifying
project, offering our consultants
the chance to get involved in the
company in a different way and to
develop new skills.
Why have you now chosen to
focus on agri-food issues?
The agri-food industry is exhibiting
strong growth in Belgium: + 47%
over 10 years. It is a true challenge
to produce greater quantities while
guaranteeing stability and supply
quality, and without sacrificing health
or the environment. We therefore
decided that the Foundation’s 2013
prize would go to an innovative
project in this sector.
What are the next steps?
We want to find companies or
individual researchers on the
forefront of these issues, even if that
means contacting them ourselves.
The prize will be awarded in late
November. For six months, we will
help the winner to grow and develop
thanks to the advice of our experts.
insight
altitude | # 26
# 26 | altitude
08 | in the know
in the know | 09
DIGITAL
Smartphones, tablets, the cloud, 4G, big data –
digital is everywhere. For companies, successfully
transitioning to digital is imperative. What are the
stakes? Meeting clients’ needs and better managing
relationships among employees and with suppliers.
The next digital generation is now!
transformation:
companies face a choice
J
$1,000
bn
© Thinkstock
2013 e-business
turnover worldwide
altitude | # 26
ust a few years ago, things
were simple. Modernising a
company’s image and opening a new sales channel were
as easy as launching a website. That was yesterday. Winning over clients involves more than a
digital storefront. Always connected
and informed, consumers have become
more demanding. Their expectations
go above and beyond the ease of shopping, booking hotels or managing bank
accounts online. To get customers’
attention, companies must now offer a
real “experience” and rethink their traditional model. Leading Booz & Company’s most recent Industry Digitalisation
Index 2012, the banking / insurance
sector is at the forefront of this process.
“Insurance companies redesigned the
way their digital customers navigate”,
explains Leonor de L’Hermite, AXA
Global Account Manager at Altran. “The
goal is to simplify and accelerate the act
of purchasing. From understanding the
need to taking out a policy and filing a
claim, consumers have the possibility
to personalise the offer, which renders
it all the more attractive”.
Réjane Prioux,
Marketing
Manager, Altran
© Altran
Digital
Guiding the digital
transformation
Involving decision-makers at the highest
echelons of the company is the leading
factor for success in the digital transformation. Going digital not only requires a
complete overhaul of the business model,
but also of the tools, infrastructure and
even employee tasks. Sure steering is
a must. Building on the strength of its
cross-sector experience, Altran deftly
manages complex cross-border projects.
The company also boasts unique knowhow in the fields of information systems,
intelligent systems, product lifecycle
management and corporate governance.
Far from being compartmentalised, these
various solutions are complementary,
making Altran a specialist in the digital
transformation. Companies that quickly
understand this paradigm shift and
modify their DNA accordingly will have
the best chance to survive and prosper.
Insight
This paradigm shift is even making
waves in the “real” world. “Operating a network of branches – once the
strength of the insurance sector – may
now be a weakness, as the offer proposed in physical points of sale is not
always the same as the online offering. The industry must therefore make
sweeping changes, especially to foster
exchanges among the various departments: marketing, purchasing, etc.”. In
addition to this challenge, going digital means approaching risk differently:
on the Internet, the slightest flaw can
be quickly disseminated, especially via
social networks.
Digerati*: the new leaders
Adaptation is good. Innovation is even
better. In an increasingly digital environment, the first to launch a new solution
has a strategic advantage over competitors. In air transport, for example, the
low-cost carrier EasyJet offered the first
set of à la carte services for passengers
over the Internet (seat choice, checked
luggage, etc.), gradually nibbling away
at the market share of historical companies such as Air France-KLM and
# 26 | altitude
10 | in the know
in the know | 11
© Thinkstock
Customer
relationships
go digital
The number of smartphone subscriptions was 1.1 billion at the end of 2012 and is expected to reach 3.3 billion by the end of 2018.
(2012 Ericsson annual report)
Lufthansa that were built on “all inclusive” business models. EasyJet is now
the 4th largest European airline in terms
of passengers transported.
Brands themselves are also re-examined. Nike is a prime example. In addition to a line of customisable shoes, the
American company offers Nike+ shoes
that connect via watch or smartphone to
allow the user to track his or her performance and share it with a community of
users. This expertise in digital strategy
has made Nike one of the most prominent “digerati”.
The title of “digerati” has been given to
primarily high-tech companies such as
Apple or Google, along with The North
Face, Admiral and Volvo. And it is not
merely honorary: an MIT (Massachusetts
Institute of Technology) study demonstrated that companies with a digerati
approach are 26% more profitable than
their competitors, while companies that
are less digitally mature are 24% less
profitable. This represents a whopping
difference of 50%!
altitude | # 26
89%
of e-consumers swap brands after
a poor customer experience
Build on in-house experience
The digital transformation also alters
relations within the company. For some,
it is an opportunity to boost collective
creativity. In 2007, IBM launched “IBM
Innovation JAM”. For 72 hours, employees were invited to submit innovations
and leave comments on the different
projects online. In all, 40,000 ideas
were submitted to the first JAM, 37 were
selected, and the top 10 were developed. Appliance specialist Electrolux
built on this innovative concept, even
raising pay for the most active contributors. In 2011, the company also launched
an internal social network to enable its
58,000 employees to share their experi-
ences. This is a real booster for integrating and training new employees.
Altran has not been left behind. Group
employees have a blog – www.innovation
-makers.com – to promote their projects
and career paths since 2012. The goal
is to reach both within and outside of
the company and to communicate on
Altran’s wealth of expertise and ability
to innovate, and forge a bond between
people who generally do not work
closely with each other. In May 2013,
Altran also launched an in-house contest,
THE i PROJECT (i for innovation), via a
call for inventive projects. The Season 1
was a resounding success with teams
all over the world and the Season 2 will
start this November.
Design differently
To what extent has the advent of digital
affected relations between companies and
their suppliers? Traditionally, the latter
produced components from a set of specifications imposed by their client. Room for
offering new solutions was limited.
“While online retail sales
represent only 12% of our
activity, 60% of those who buy
our tyres get information on
the web before purchasing”,
explains Jean-Denis Perche,
Sales and Marketing Director
for Goodyear Dunlop’s French
Consumer Division. “In addition
to having a marketing strategy
suited to this media and
improving our search engine
indexing, we must have the
tools needed to ensure that
product information on our
distributors’ sites is up to date.
Our relationship with these key
partners is also digital: 60% of
their orders are now placed via
an electronic platform. They can
also access our inventory in real
time, to offer their customers
the most relevant products and
services possible”.
Open source completely overturned
this dynamic. It opens up access to computer software codes so any user can
suggest improvements or even transformations. The automotive industry, which
experienced significant digital growth in
2012, has already capitalised on the idea.
A pioneer in the field, auto manufacturer
Ford gave its “Sync” voice command software open source access. Result: independent developers may now offer applications to personalise each car in every
way for the benefit of the consumer.
Everybody wins. Since the end of 2011,
Altran has had an Open & Connected
Car platform on which constructors and
equipment manufacturers will be able to
test their applications – a cheaper and
faster way to develop and test new concepts. Compatible with smartphones and
tablets, the car of the future has successfully entered the digital era and is now an
example for other industries.
* Digerati are companies that make the most
highly developed use of digital technology as a
tool for strategic transformation.
> Laurent Habib,
President of the
strategy and
communications
agency Babel
> Leonor de
L’Hermite,
AXA Global Account
Manager, Altran
> Jérémie
Ballouard,
Digital Marketing
Manager, Fiat Group
Digitalisation represents a significant
challenge for companies because it
upsets both their business model and
ecosystem. Given the magnitude of the task,
company leaders tend to see the change in terms
of problems instead of opportunities. In my
opinion, they must not only ask themselves how
to digitalise their business over time, but also
how their company would look if it were founded
today. This way of thinking would give them an
idea of the measures to be taken in the short and
medium terms when it comes to defining their
product and service offering, production facilities,
talent management and marketing methods, as
well as relationships with stakeholders.
The digital transformation has an
impact on all sectors of activity, but
these sectors exhibit varying levels
of maturity. For example, the pharmaceutical
industry currently lags behind in this area.
To accommodate the emergence of new
technologies, companies must identify new
markets and change their current modes of
operation. In becoming more mobile, more
collaborative and more responsive to their
customers, they will be better informed and
therefore more reactive.
When I started working for Fiat in
January 2012, I began by reassessing
our digital maturity so we could
implement a coherent digital strategy. To be in
the right place at the right time with the right
message, we put ourselves in our clients’ shoes
so we could better understand how they came
to our brand. This has enabled us to improve
our visibility on Google – the digital world’s
homepage.
Get digerati or get behind
To help clients rise to the challenge of the digital transformation, Altran
has created a custom offering that brings together the Group’s different
savoir-faire. The “Get digerati or get behind” solution launched in 2013 has
a tripartite focus. The first is to put ourselves in the position of the final
customer to better understand his or her expectations and then to define
the products and services that correspond to those needs. Secondly, it aims
to have an overall vision of the client’s evolution, to make it as pleasant as
possible and encourage customer loyalty. Lastly, this new solution endeavours
to create a real link with the client, in continuously optimising the services
offered. Putting these principles into practice requires great operational
agility, a quality that Altran is committed to sharing with its partners.
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# 26 | altitude
12 | in the loop
in the loop | 13
interview
Lotus F1 Team
In Formula One, speed and innovation are the winning
combination. Altran is bringing both to Lotus F1 Team as it
challenges for the Formula One World Championship.
Altran:
and
a passion
for innovation
It’s official! On June 2013, Altran
became a technical partner of Lotus F1
Team. This announcement came at a
turning point in the history of motor
sports. Changes in racing regulations
have led to a sizeable technological
overhaul, requiring the designers
of tomorrow’s cars to rise to new
challenges for the 2014 season.
In what way is Formula One
bracing for one of the most
significant technological
changes in its history?
> Patrick Louis: Next season, we will
be replacing the current 2.4-litre V8
normally aspirated engines with V6
Lotus F1 Team, racing
ahead
We share with Lotus a certain
culture of performance
> Mike Simms,
Chief Executive Officer,
Altran UK.
We see Altran engineers
as integral members of our team
> Patrick Louis,
Chief Executive Officer,
Lotus F1 Team.
Based in central England, the team
first entered the Formula One World
Championship in 1981 under the
Toleman name, undergoing subsequent
evolutions as Benetton, Renault F1
Team, Lotus Renault GP and now Lotus
F1 Team. With four Drivers’ and three
Constructors’ World Championships
collected along the way, Lotus F1 Team
has been home to some of the greatest
drivers in history such as Ayrton Senna,
Michael Schumacher, and Fernando
Alonso. The 2013 season has seen the
team make a flying start in its bid for
championship glory, with 2007 Formula
One World Champion Kimi Räikkönen
and team-mate Romain Grosjean
taking eight podium finishes from the
opening ten races. Currently occupying
second position in the Drivers’ and
fourth in the Constructors’ World
Championships, the Enstone-based
squad is on the hunt for championship
glory once again.
insight
turbo engines with built-in energy
recovery systems. In addition, each
car will only be allowed 100 kg of
fuel on board per race, compared
to 160 kg today. To take full
advantage of this new generation of
automobiles, we must make highly
strategic decisions. In 2014, the rules
of the game are changing so radically
that constructors may very well be
dealt new hands.
Why was Altran consultants’
know-how in simulation
particularly valuable?
> Patrick Louis: Because the rules
governing F1 prohibit us from
building test vehicles. We must
therefore rely almost exclusively
on simulation when making the many
technical choices to optimise
the performance of future cars.
On questions such as the distribution
of weight between the front and rear
of the vehicle, accurate simulations
are essential.
Is the Altran-Lotus F1 Team an
extension of the Group’s former
partnership with the Renault F1
Team?
> Mike Simms: Of course. This
shared adventure began in 2002,
when we signed an agreement
with Renault F1 Team to supply
engineering and design expertise.
Our consultants worked alongside
Renault engineers on aerodynamics,
control systems, energy recovery
systems, etc. It is in large part
thanks to their contribution that
the V-Car has been developed. This
virtual vehicle, which allows us to
test electronic components, is still
used by Lotus F1 Team today. From
2004 to 2010, we organised the
Altran Engineering Academy, an
innovative competition that enabled
young engineering graduates from
around the world to compete for a
year-long internship with the team.
Many of the winners subsequently
won permanent contracts and two
of them are still with Lotus F1 Team
today. The Technological Partnership
between us ended in 2010, but we
have continued to work together.
> Patrick Louis: In 2011, thanks
to Altran engineers, we deployed a
major wind tunnel upgrade. Today
this tool is seen as state-of-the-art
in the industry. The following year
they developed our new driving
simulator and, since the beginning
of 2013, they have been preparing
next season’s transmission.
What are the mutual benefits
of this partnership?
> Patrick Louis: We appreciate
Altran’s ability to provide us
with high-level experts. We need
professionals that are highly
specialised in technology, have a
passion for innovation and above all
are totally invested in their work.
The Altran consultants currently on
our site in Enstone share this mentality
unique to F1, and we see them as
integral members of our team.
> Mike Simms: Lotus F1 Team is
an extremely demanding client
that drives us to give our best.
The partnership is a great way of
raising brand profile for Altran, both
in the UK and globally. Since the
official announcement, the number
of unsolicited applications we have
received from candidates in the UK
has nearly quadrupled!
© David Fisher
Our team boasts the best performance to budget ratio; Altran
and its engineers are undoubtedly to thank!
> Patrick Louis, Chief Executive Officer, Lotus F1 Team.
altitude | # 26
# 26 | altitude
14 | in the world
in the world | 15
Telecommunications
bio
Our versatility: an
asset for Telefónica
M
y main task is to analyse the
revenue generated by customers
and compare it with the internal
costs for Telefónica Global Solutions.
I verify that these revenues are in line with
the budgets established at the beginning
of the year, and develop forecasts and
objectives for the following years.
The aim is to facilitate the decision-making
process to maintain healthy and profitable
growth. I also work with the department
that develops future services
to be commercialised. At Telefónica,
Altran consultants work with various teams
on projects of all kinds, and they have very
multidisciplinary profiles. For Telefónica,
this is true added value.
active at virtually all levels of TGSol’s value chain –
from design to development, and even presales and
marketing of innovative services: VoIP, VPN, CDN and
unified communications, as well as WAN and mobile
services. A sign of trust between the two partners,
Altran Spain recently began helping TGSol’s executive committee to develop a new culture of innovation within the company.
20-year partner of the Telefónica group, Altran
Spain brings its expertise in telecommunications networks and services to Telefónica
Global Solutions (TGSol). With a global footprint,
this division is in charge of three segments: outsourcing services for multinational corporations,
capacity-sharing among operators and roaming
services. Altran Spain’s teams are highly involved,
bio
José Ramón Vela CEO of Telefónica Global Solutions
altitude | # 26
bio
A partner
we can count on
José Barrigón
DEL SANTO
Business Control
and Marketing
Consultant
n highly technological sectors such as
telecommunications, we must be very
dynamic to meet our clients’ needs and
expectations. We also have to be extremely
effective to remain as competitive as possible.
To achieve our goals, we decided to consider
certain service providers as full-fledged
partners, partners we call on to provide
us with procedures very close to our core
business. That is the case with Altran, which
has often proven its loyalty, effectiveness
and dynamism over the years. Throughout
our collaboration, Altran has transformed
and developed along with us. Our contacts
at Altran truly understand our requests, and
their initiatives, aimed first and foremost at
improving our working methods, provide us
with real added value. We are very pleased to
have Altran as a partner, and we look forward
to working together in the same spirit for a
long time to come.
© Adam Lubroth
I
© Adam Lubroth
1981 Joined
Telefónica Group
1982
Telecommunications
Engineering Degree –
Polytechnic University
of Madrid
1983 International
Collaboration
Degree – Polytechnic
University of Madrid
1984-1994 Led
Radio System and
Mobile Network
projects
1994-1998 Worked
for Telefónica in
various positions in
Peru and Argentina
1998-2003 CEO of
Telefónica del Peru
2003-2005 General
Manager of Corporate
Development
of Telefónica
International
2005 CEO
of Telefónica
International
Wholesale Services
2012 CEO
of Telefónica
International Global
Solutions
2006 Telecom
Technical Engineer
Degree, University
of Valladolid –
Joined Altran as
a Consultant for
Motorola and then
British Telecom
2007 Started
working for
Telefónica as
Project Manager of
International Projects
2008 Business
Consultant
2011 In charge
of overall plans
for international
projects
2013 Became
Business Control
and Marketing
Consultant for
Telefónica Global
Solutions
© Adam Lubroth
Partner in excellence
Roberto
Olmeda Arroyo
Product
Development
Manager and
Agreement Leader
2005 Computer
Science Degree –
University of Alcala
de Henares
2006 Software
Developer for TIWS
2007 Database
Consultant for TIREA
2008 Joined Altran
as a Database
Consultant for
Telefónica I+D
Since 2011
Product
Development
Manager and
Agreement Leader
for Telefónica Global
Solutions
A cross-border career
I
have two roles within the organisation launched by Altran
Spain for Telefónica. First, I am Product Development
Manager for several solutions aimed at the mobility
and needs of multinational clients. I work within a precise
methodology that I must both track and optimise. I also act
as Agreement Leader from the design stage – according
to the needs expressed by Telefónica and the clients – up
to implementation of products and solutions. I negotiate
agreements with every operator in the world. Working in a
very international environment, I have to adapt to cultural
disparities between countries. It is not always easy, but it
makes my job all the more rewarding.
Altran spain
Altran has been present in Spain since 1992
with a differentiated model of consultancy
focused on innovation processes, providing
business solutions, strategy, engineering,
development and technology applications.
With more than 2,000 highly qualified
professionals, Altran Spain operates
country-wide for 150 major companies
in different industries: Aerospace and
Defence, Automotive, Infrastructure and
Transportation, Energy, Government,
Industry and Life Sciences, Financial
Services and Telecoms & Media.
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# 26 | altitude
Discover our
Innovation Makers
M A D E I N A LT R A N
innovation-makers.com
For Altran, its greatest asset is its unique and particularly varied human capital, made up of the women and men within
the Group working on some of the largest industrial projects for hundreds of clients across more than 20 countries.
Altran is proud of its 20,000 “Innovation Makers” and has decided to create a blog in their honour: innovation-makers.com
Discover Altran through its professional and individual talents!