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We’re back from our summer break! Kicking off the second season of IT/OT Insider, we welcome Bram Van Genabet, a recognized leader in digital transformation. Bram, formerly the Director of Digital Innovation at Barry Callebaut, now heads Digital Strategy at La Lorraine Bakery Group. With a career spanning roles at ExxonMobil, Barry Callebaut, and now La Lorraine, Bram brings a unique perspective to industrial digital transformation.

For our first episode, we dive into crucial themes like Digital Transformation, MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems), and change management. Bram’s wealth of experience shines through, offering deep insights into industrial innovation. You won’t want to miss the exciting announcement at the end of the podcast!

Setting the Stage for Digital Transformation

Returning from our summer break, we, David and Willem, are excited to bring you a new wave of content focused on innovation and transformation. Bram Van Genabet sets the tone, emphasizing that digital transformation is more than a tech shift—it’s about fundamentally rethinking how businesses operate. According to Bram, aligning digital initiatives with core business strategies ensures that technology acts as an enabler, not just an add-on. This strategic alignment, he says, is what separates successful transformations from those that fall short.

From Innovation to Execution

A standout takeaway from our conversation is the critical shift from innovation to execution. Many businesses excel at generating innovative ideas, but Bram notes the true challenge lies in turning these ideas into actionable plans. “The excitement of new technology is easy to get caught up in, but without a clear execution plan, these ideas often fail to produce tangible business results,” Bram explained.

His focus on scalable, integrative solutions helps drive meaningful change, improving both efficiency and customer experience in the process.

IT/OT Collaboration Models

During his time at Barry Callebaut, Bram was instrumental in bridging the IT/OT divide by fostering cooperation between cross-functional teams. One of his key projects—an MES implementation—brought together IT, OT, and business units to form a cohesive, results-driven team. For more mature operations, such as industrial cybersecurity, a liaison approach proved effective, with IT maintaining responsibility but drawing on OT’s domain expertise.

Special Announcement: Bram Joins IT/OT Insider!

Before we conclude, we have an exciting announcement: Bram is officially joining the IT/OT Insider team as a co-author! Bram shared his enthusiasm, saying:

“Over the past year, I’ve followed IT/OT Insider closely. The insights resonated with my own experiences in IT/OT collaboration. Despite not knowing David and Willem for long, we’ve found a great deal to talk about, and I’m excited to contribute to this platform. Over the past decade, I’ve faced many of the same challenges around IT/OT collaboration and navigating the complexities of people, processes, and technology. I believe that by sharing our stories and learning from one another, we can find better solutions. Joining this community feels like the perfect opportunity.”

Welcome to the team, Bram!

Make sure to subscribe to IT/OT Insider for weekly in-depth articles, expert interviews, and insights. Starting next week, we’ll launch a new series: “Unlocking Success in Digital Transformation,” focusing on implementing MES projects. 🎉