Behind the Scenes: Interview with Nik Umrani, NSM Global Chief Information Officer
Since November 2019, Nik Umrani has served as NSM’s Global Chief Information Officer — leading more than 150 IT professionals across the global enterprise.
Before joining NSM, Nik brought a robust track record of leading technology and business functions across a variety of industries.
Over the last five years, Nik has established a clear mission and vision for NSM’s technology and operations organization that has led to an effective systems and strategy roadmap; creating a strong results-oriented culture; preparing for the challenges and advancements in technology; and executing flawlessly to deliver technology, people and process solutions that make it easier for customers to do business with us.
Nik and the NSM IT team have recently received several key awards for NSM’s continued innovation, including winning the Philadelphia Region, Large Corporate ORBIE Award; the 2024 HMG Global Leadership Institute Award; and the CXO 2.0 Outstanding Leadership Award. These impressive recognitions honor leadership excellence and spotlight best-in-class IT organizations driving meaningful impact and inspiring future technology leaders.
We sat down with Nik to learn more about these notable award wins and keys to building a strong, collaborative IT department.
What do these recent awards and recognitions mean to you?
External recognition is always welcome, but these awards are more about our technology team than about me. I believe the industry recognitions boost our technology team’s confidence, which perhaps inspires them to continue to be more innovative, take a few more risks and find creative solutions to drive profitable business growth. These awards also help enhance the overall NSM brand and position us to continue to attract and retain top-notch IT talent.
I also feel strongly that when we receive these awards and recognition, our business teams and support organizations also win — because our technology solutions are built through collaboration between IT and the business and support teams. This teamwork helps us continue building success at NSM.
Why are you passionate about IT?
IT and technology in general is at the forefront of continuous innovation — be it digital transformation, Cloud, IOT, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, AR/VR or, more recently, Artificial Intelligence (AI). All businesses are dependent on and driven by technology in some form or shape. The opportunity to make a difference to the business is one of the most exciting aspects — the other being the ability to make a difference in people’s lives. Every one of the IT team members has the opportunity to learn, grow and create solutions to solve a variety of business problems that arise within the company.
The implementation of AI will have an impact on all businesses — specifically in the way they operate and evolve in the future. Just as Covid-19 forced rapid digitization, AI will force changes on sales processes, distribution channels, supply chains, operational processes, back offices, etc.
However, with our talented and capable teams at NSM, I am confident that we will manage the change effectively and win.
In summary, having the opportunity to understand different aspects of our company — and to work collaboratively with business leaders to leverage technical advances to profitably grow our business — is what excites me the most and makes me so passionate about IT.
How do you overcome challenges and how do you inspire your team to do the same?
I think of challenges as opportunities. These opportunities arise with changes in technology, acquisitions, cybersecurity issues, resource constraints and the need for accelerated time to market.
With acquisitions, we welcome teams that have different cultural mindsets, different approaches to delivery and utilize different technology. The key opportunity with our acquisitions is determining how best to integrate the teams without impacting or diluting the x-factor that made them special. With cybersecurity, resources, time to market, etc., the opportunity lies in focused planning, effective risk mitigation and results-focused execution.
To inspire our teams, we communicate our vision and the business benefit of IT projects, so our talented team members feel vested in their work. I encourage IT employees to make connections across the company to get a better understanding of our business — this allows growth beyond technology. My teams also have access to training tools to advance their knowledge and understanding of technology to help them upskill and enhance their careers.
Our IT department stays connected through team outings and social gatherings outside of work. We know that personal challenges arise, including health or family issues, and we are proud of the support we provide our team members during difficult times. With the connection and camaraderie, it becomes that much easier to handle situations during difficult times.
How do you recruit and retain top IT talent at NSM and what are some defining characteristics from your perspective?
When I joined NSM, I was fortunate to inherit a team of very sharp employees. When we recruit externally, we look for people who are passionate about technology, passionate about solving problems, not fazed by a fast-paced work environment and eager to learn and grow with our business long-term.
When it comes to recruiting leaders, I look for people who “are right,” not people “who want to be right.” Being right is logic and data driven, with a willingness to consider different perspectives, revise beliefs based on new information and have the courage to admit when one is wrong — while focusing on delivering the best possible solution and outcome for the larger good of the organization.
Being right does not stem from a need for recognition or validation, being resistant to feedback or criticism, focusing on defending one’s ego or maintaining a personal agenda.
To retain top talent, we strive to make work and our environment exciting. We allow the freedom to explore other aspects of the company outside of the IT department and empower each person to find unique ways to build success in their role and put their personal touch on the project.