EXECUTIVE INSIGHT
“WITHOUT QUESTION , MONITORING FORMS THE FOUNDATION OF ANY DECISION THAT ’ S MADE IN A FACTORY ”
SIMON FLOYD , GENERAL MANAGER FOR MANUFACTURING AND MOBILITY INDUSTRIES FOR THE AMERICAS , MICROSOFT
development . As a leader , I prioritise clarity in our goals and vision .
I believe in providing my team the freedom to contribute in their own way – and I advocate this through my coaching . I provide everyone with the latitude to achieve these goals in the best way they can , while ensuring that quality and customer-centricity is the foundation of our work .
I ’ m a lifelong learner and I love to learn from others . I believe this fosters an environment where everyone can improve through collaboration . I also develop our team goals in tangent with everyone ’ s core skills and interests , which is why my team is aligned by industry verticals . This enables everyone to bring their industry expertise , skills and interests to the foreground .
Q . WHICH CURRENT DEVELOPMENT IN MANUFACTURING DO YOU FIND THE MOST EXCITING ?
» The most exciting development for me is AI . It captures so much attention due to its unprecedented accessibility , allowing people to quickly derive tangible benefits .
It ’ s remarkable how generative AI has permeated consumer experiences , making its relevance and potential more apparent to individuals and businesses alike . This familiarity has facilitated rapid adoption within the manufacturing industry .
I think we made a wise choice at Microsoft to name our AI “ Copilot ”. It really embodies the nature of being assistive but also being a very capable partner .
62 January 2025