Hightech Partners and ICT Control Create Ataya & Partners
June 14, 2019 – Executive search firm Hightech Partners (HTP) has joined forces with Georges Ataya, founder of ICT Control, to create Ataya & Partners. The new venture will provide clients with a full-circle “digitally enabling” menu, ranging from assessments, targeted education, and certification to advisory and staffing services in digital transformation, data protection and information security, said Ataya & Partners. The operation consists of a team of 20.
The entrance of new businesses using digital and data-driven technologies on the market is putting pressure on existing organizations to set up digital and data-driven initiatives, said Ataya & Partners. These new technologies are changing the traditional business models and allow new entrants to approach potential clients more effectively and on a larger scale.
“Existing companies that don’t prioritize digital transformation risk lagging behind and becoming obsolete, even to the point of potentially losing their competitive advantage,” said Raffaele Jacovelli, HTP’s managing director.
Regulations and compliance rules make digitalization even more challenging. All businesses have to follow a number of compliance rules that are based on industry’s best practices, said the firm. These rules are a prerequisite for new companies that are entering the market, but also for the existing organizations that want to stay.
Shortage of Skilled Talent
“Above that, a lot of organizations are confronted with a pressing shortage of skilled talent,” said Ataya & Partners. “There are simply not enough skilled digital experts that have the competences to follow the demands for data-driven processes and digital transformations. More specifically, there is a lack of risk-focused program managers and professionals that are able to orchestrate these activities together and consistently in line with the strategy of the company and external compliances and constraints.”
Ataya & Partners is focused on creating value at the crossroads of trust, compliance and digital transformations. The firm offers best-of-breed assessments, reskilling, advisory and certification and staffing services in digital transformation, data and trust enabling domains.
“Ataya & Partners will allow companies to address trust topics such as regulatory compliance, information security and IT / digital governance in an orchestrated and methodical manner, and moreover in line with the company’s digital & data strategy,” said Mr. Ataya.
For more than two decades, Mr. Ataya has been contributing to the development of knowledge bodies for various professional certifications and governance frameworks. Since 2001, he has been director of IT and information security management at the Solvay Brussels School.
“Both decision-makers and technical experts believe that their common sense can resolve most challenges,” said Mr. Ataya. “However, what brought them where they are now is currently not sufficient to keep them there. Few digital experts sufficiently master the common practices in the governance of the digital strategy and operations.”
Finding Digitally Skilled Talent
Over the past 30 years, Hightech Partners has specialized in the acquisition of executive and digitally skilled talent. “In the current heavily loaded digital transformation climate we would be failing our clients if we didn’t broaden our focus,” said Mr. Jacovelli.
Hightech Partners Strengthens Search Team
Hightech Partners (HTP) has announced that Elly de Vrijer, founder and owner of Dutch executive search firm Hill Consulting, will be joining HTP as a partner while still operating her own firm. This collaboration, said HTP, will help the firm strengthen its international reach.
HTP set up a broader platform years ago, including not only talent acquisition talent, but also the reskilling of talent and the creation of a partnering network that clients can use. “The attraction of Georges Ataya as a new partner in the HTP group in charge of the reskilling practice is how this fits perfectly within this broader digital strategy,” said Mr. Jacovelli. “Professor Ataya is one of the most prominent academics when it comes to digital education in its broadest sense. Moreover, he boasts solid business experience, with, amongst others, the foundation and management of ICT Control.”
The newly formed company will not only rely on Mr. Ataya’s personal knowledge and track record, but will also incorporate the management consulting activities of ICT Control SA, the advisory firm founded by Mr. Ataya 20 years ago.
Ataya & Partners aims to boost its team of experts and business consultants from 20 to 40 by end 2020, said HTP. For ad hoc specialist questions, the team can call upon a broad network of niche professionals.
Hightech Partners specializes in digital transformation. The firm leverages forward-looking methods such as big data analysis and artificial intelligence into the executive search process to help companies embrace new ways of working. HTP has offices in Brussels and Geneva, Switzerland with local partners across the major regions of Europe. The firm also founded ITP Worldwide, an alliance of specialized search and consulting firms in the technology industry in the U.S. and Asia.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
