Allied Digital–India's leading Global Digital Transformation Architect and Master Systems Integrator

Nitin Shah – CMD, Allied Digital Services Limited (ADSL) is a unique combination of a questing, restless spirit imbued with patience and perseverance. These seemingly contrarian qualities have paid off well for Allied Digital Services Ltd., the company he founded in 1984. As a business leader, Nitin has always looked out for the next big challenge, the next big opportunity. Over the years, his push to become and remain best-in-class has helped the company consistently conquer new frontiers.

With each change of scenario in technology, market demand and economic outlook, Nitin continuously tweaked growth strategy of the company.

On 6 separate junctures in the company’s journey he took bold calls - changing business model and growth trajectory, adopting innovative approaches to tackle market demand and keeping abreast with latest technology to attract and fulfil client’s everchanging demands.

It was in 2013, Allied Digital version 5.0 that the company underwent total transformation, moving away from premise computing to cloud computing to keep pace with the times. Nitin realized early on that the future is IP-based solutions and used the IP backbone for creating Intelligent Building Management Solutions (IBMS),Safe and Smart City and various other IP-based integrated solutions.

“It was small pain, but long gain to transform the entire business model to adopt next-gen technology and to be ready for future challenges. We had to drop a low margin business. It was a sharp turn in the growth trajectory to align with the paradigm shift that happened in the IT industry in terms of computing platforms (Social media, Mobility, Analytics and Cloud, Cyber Security etc),” says Nitin.

It is listed on the BSE and NSE stock exchanges in India with over 2000 employees and spread for business in 70 countries in the Americas,EMEA and APAC regions. It has a proven track record of 35 years of successful delivery of ICT Solutions and Services and offers various solutions on cutting edge technologies like AI/ML, IoT, Robotic Process Automation, Managed IT Services, Cybersecurity, Digital Transformation etc.

ADSL has developed its own platform known as ADiTaaS (Allied Digital IT as a Service) which is ITIL based for ITSM(IT Service Management) but now extended to Digital Service Management platform. Its Ticketing platform is being used even for Command & Control center.

ADSL is a pioneer in Smart Cities in India and executed their 1st Safe/Smart city Project in 2015 at Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad & with other 4 such smart City projects like Rajkot, Aurangabad,Bidkin and Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation, under execution is India’s leading Master System Integrator(MSI).

Nitin Shah at the helm with amazing foresight and like a true leader worked towards transformation to re-skill and repurpose staff towards Digital World, identify the right opportunities, expand globally with robust process driven approach. Nitin has worked relentlessly towards reducing overall debt of the company to make it virtually debt-free.

The effort towards meeting strict compliance norms that was Allied Digital version 5.0 across the organization has paid off well.Nitin Shah says “Transformation is over now and company is poised for a bigger growth in this Allied Digital version 6.0 which is purely disruption driven growth be it technology or Business from year 2020 onwards.”

Allied Digital clientele include Fortune1000, large,mid-size companies and Government bodies across the globe in multiple industry domains. As an MSI it provides IP based solutions and implements various SLA driven fixed priced ICT projects. These are multi-year IT Infrastructure Management services (IMS) and Managed Information Security services (MSS) contracts which results into healthy annuity revenue.

Allied Digital has 1200+ seater co-incubation and co-workspace center in Navi Mumbai. It will be supporting selected incubatees in their business models and mentor them from Idea stage to IPO. It has a Center of Excellence (COE) for emerging technologies like AI/ML, Deep Learning, IoT, Blockchain, AR/VR, Cyber security etc. The facility will offer High Performance Computing (HPC) learning in multiple technologies and international standard classrooms for conducting training.

Journey of Allied Digital can be broken down into 6 versions namely:

Version 1.0 -1984-1993: Profit Driven

• Supporting mainframes of IBM/ICL/Digital equipment (DEC)and Data general

• Supported data entry machines

• In 1987 joined the PC bandwagon

• Networking and communications focus

• Managing lifecycle of products and services

• Grew from a team of 3 to 150 people

Version 2.0 - 1994-2001 : Value Driven

• Standardized vision, mission and core values

• Created C-suite for each specialized function –CEO/CIO/COO/CFO/CTO etc

• Delegated to C suite for its core function to continuously creating the intrinsic value of the company

• Expanded geographical presence and established Direct to client support model.

• Achieved stupendous growth with several awards and accolades.

Version 3.0 - 2001-2007 : Strategy Driven

• Dotcom bubble burst

• IT industry in recession

• Discontinued end stage Lines of Business

• Industry was laying off people but Allied Digital increased manpower to grow business on strength of healthy annuity revenue from large sized IT infrastructure contracts.

• Created compelling valuations to attract funding for further expansion plans and launch IPO.

 Version 4.0 - 2007-2013 : Inorganic growth Driven

• Maiden IPO in 2007 oversubscribed 69 times

• QIP in 2009

• Created robust back office system by deploying best technologies

• Established global delivery center in Mumbai, NOC & SOC

• Strategic purchase of Digicomp Pvt Ltd in 2008; sold in 2013 at 7 times acquisition value

• Acquired NASDAQ listed US company Enpointe‘s service division for $24 million

• Recruited experienced core team to scale up and scale out the business

Version 5.0 - 2013 – 2019 : Transformation Driven

• Pre-empted major shift in IT computing environment with the advent of Cloud mobility

• Reoriented the business to make it next-gen ready

• Increased Global footprint

• Adopted tools and technology and shared model for matured service delivery

• Skilled up the entire team in next gen technology

• As a result of transformation bagged path-breaking Pune City Surveillance project of Rs.225 crore under GOI initiative of Digital India

• Achieved market leader status in Safe and smart city projects which is expected to be $50 Billion opportunity in India.

• Successfully executed the path breaking Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Safe City project in 2015 and bagged Rajkot , Bidkin , Aurangabad , Kalyan-Dombivli Smart City projects which are under execution

• Expanded global footprint to 70 countries.

Version 6.0 – 2020 onwards : Disruption Driven

• Adopt newer disruptive technologies to result into disruption in business models by leveraging internet capabilities, cloud computing, social media, Big data Analytics,Blockchain, AI/ML etc

• Focus on urgent need for business models to get transformed using emerging technologies to make businesses more personalized, cost efficient, profitable and thrive

• Allied Digital is positioning itself to be a major player as Global Digital Transformation Architect focusing on B2E/B2G , Smart Cities and other IP based solutions.

• Started incubation center to support start-ups

The efforts have resulted into healthy growth in revenue on a YOY basis.In version 6.0 Allied Digital will adopt newer disruptive technologies to result into disruption in Client business models by leveraging cutting edge technologies.

Allied Digital is positioning itself to be a major player as Global Digital Transformation Architect focusing on B2E/B2G, Smart Cities and other IP based solutions.

Nitin Shah says “As always we believe in strong customer relationships, flexibility and are committed to our core values of Ethics and trust.”

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