You know , the word

‘ transform ’ is used a lot . It ’ s everywhere . Transformation . I ’ m transforming . You ’ re transforming . Everyone ’ s transforming ! “ But it ’ s the purpose . That ’ s the key .” Yogesh Malik stands in a corner office on the sixth floor of VEON ’ s headquarters in Amsterdam , describing a philosophy that has helped him drive a root-and-branch reformation of one of the largest telcos on the planet . Malik has been awarded a Group CTO of the Year 2017 by Mobile Europe and has just been named Oracle ’ s CIO of the Year . As he reveals the stunning scope of the transformation he ’ s helping to lead , around us the final touches are being made to the decor of a building that now looks as aspirational as the company ’ s brand , products and culture feel .

VEON the platform The company renamed itself VEON , from VimpelCom , in February of this year . A commitment to what the company calls ‘ radical transformation ’ is encapsulated in the name – it ’ s the brand of its existing personal internet platform , technology through which it doesn ’ t just connect its customers , it aims to provide worldbeating localised services and liberate them from such anxieties as going

32 December 2017