In April 2024, Ebrahim Rahman joined Epson Middle East, Turkey, Africa, and Central West Asia (Epson META-CWA) as the company’s new head of IT. A year into his role, CIO South Africa caught up with him to explore his insights on leadership, innovation, culture, and AI.
Ebrahim is deeply committed to customer service and building high-performing service delivery environments. His leadership approach is driven by innovation, human capital development, and operational optimisation, with a strong focus on IT strategy and service management.
He highlights that Seiko Epson Corporation’s Global AI Ethics Committee is establishing a strong ethical framework to guide responsible and effective AI adoption across the business, and much more.
Q: What has been the most surprising or rewarding aspect of your role at Epson, and how has your perspective on IT leadership evolved over the past 12 months?
A: Epson Middle East, Turkey, Africa, and Central West Asia (Epson META-CWA) is a newly established sales affiliate, having split from Epson Europe and officially launching operations in October 2024. My current role is focused on laying the groundwork for our IT organisation and function, ensuring that we meet the business's evolving needs. Over the past 12 months, I have been developing our IT strategy while also managing day-to-day tactical tasks to keep the business running smoothly.
What I found particularly rewarding was building an IT organisation from scratch, much like constructing a house from the foundation up. This allowed me to create a robust base and integrate best practices into our plans from the very beginning, ensuring long-term stability and success. This has given me the opportunity to apply a more proactive focus to IT leadership.
Q: Can you share a glimpse into the most innovative or transformative IT projects Epson is currently working on, and how they align with the company’s global strategy?
A: As a newly established sales affiliate, we are in the process of rationalising and stabilising our key systems. Simultaneously, we are solidifying our strategic approach across various business areas. Much like a ship navigating through uncharted waters, we are carefully adjusting our course to ensure smooth sailing ahead. We are mindful of the unique focus in our region and have laid out plans for continuous improvement to align with these regional needs.
Q: Epson has deep roots in Japanese corporate culture. How does this influence IT decision-making, collaboration, and innovation within the company from an African context?
A: Epson’s Japanese corporate culture, with its focus on craftsmanship, creativity, collaboration, and care, deeply shapes our approach to IT decision-making and innovation in Africa. In the African context, craftsmanship ensures we build reliable and scalable IT systems, while creativity pushes us to find innovative solutions tailored to local needs. Collaboration helps us work closely with local teams and partners, ensuring our strategies align with regional challenges. Care drives our commitment to supporting the community and adapting to Africa’s rapidly evolving market, ensuring that our IT initiatives are both effective and responsible. Together, these values help Epson stay agile and innovative as we grow in the African market.
Q: As a multinational electronics company, Epson must balance global IT demands with regional nuances. What are the biggest challenges in managing such a complex IT landscape?
A: At Epson META-CWA, we operate in 10 countries across the region, supporting the needs of over 80 countries. This expansive presence brings a range of complexities that demand thoughtful and strategic solutions. Key challenges include data sovereignty, country-specific legislative requirements, regional IT infrastructure issues, and language barriers. However, we are fortunate to be in an era where numerous solutions exist for every challenge – the key is identifying the right one that aligns with our strategy.
Q: Many companies are exploring AI’s potential. How is Epson experimenting with AI, and what promising use cases are emerging in your IT strategy?
A: At Epson, we are adopting a highly strategic approach to the implementation of AI tools. In 2023, our parent company, Seiko Epson Corporation in Japan, established a global Epson AI ethics committee. This initiative has since been extended to all Epson sales affiliate companies worldwide. Through this committee, we are laying the groundwork for responsible and effective AI usage across our business, ensuring the development of a robust and ethical policy framework. Regarding use cases, we are exploring opportunities to enhance how our teams leverage technology to drive business outcomes, and experimenting with AI for web optimisation. Our goal is to ensure that these use cases deliver tangible value while improving the experiences of our employees.
“Overall, the past 12 months have been very rewarding at Epson – I have thoroughly enjoyed working through the challenges, and look forward to the roadmap ahead!”
