Debashis, Principal Lecturer & Consultant of e-Government Leadership Centre, is adept at developing digital transformation strategies for organisations on a world stage, but did you know he is an avid content creator with budding photography skills, plays the guitar and enjoys a game of sudoku? Bet, you didn't. Read on to find out more about Debashis, who is also currently the chairperson to NUS-ISS' recreational committee 20/21.
1. Hi Debashis, please tell us about your professional background:
With over 30 years of experience, I have worked in various roles and industries – starting my career as a plant engineer in a utilities industry to a business consultant to research and advisory. More recently, I have been involved in the field of digital business transformation – assisting both private and public sector leaders understand the power of digital transformation, the journey through various stages of digital transformation and how to implement it in their respective domains. Currently I work with NUS-ISS’ e-Government Leadership Centre of Excellence and am involved in providing learning journeys on Smart Nation, Digital Government, Citizen Engagement and Public Service Innovation. I graduated as a Mechanical Engineer and have a Master’s in Business Management.
2. Could you share more about the modules/courses, which you teach at NUS-ISS?
The course that I teach at NUS-ISS is Developing Digital Government Strategies. This involves various dimensions including Digital Government Framework, Digital Government Transformation, Smart Nation, Emerging Technologies in Digital Government as well as leadership topics like Leading and Managing Change.
One of the key elements across all my modules is how Singapore has taken the journey towards becoming the world’s first Smart Nation, and how people, process and technology played important roles in this journey.
3. Why did you choose to teach at NUS-ISS?
Digital transformation is like retrofitting the engine of an airplane while in flight – you cannot stop the day-to-day operations, yet transform the core business strategies dramatically to create higher value for your customers, citizens or business partners. This means that you have very little room for making mistakes, and I thought it would be great to share knowledge with a broader community and help them make the right choices while undergoing transformation. I also believe that I am in a position to assist leaders make the right choices by following best practices. Additionally, I am a people person. I like engaging with people. This role gives me the opportunity to meet people from all around the world. In fact, this is the most exciting part of my role at NUS-ISS
4. What do you enjoy most about your work?
It gives me immense pleasure meeting various kinds of people, from diverse backgrounds, different cultures and different ways of looking at life. Each country being at various stages of economic development, each person with a rich experience of how to handle challenges in the face of insurmountable obstacles, yet aspiring to create value of their citizens and businesses. Simply by exchanging notes with them, small talks over coffee breaks and lunches, I gain huge exposure to the various faces of humanity. Any other role can hardly match this opportunity to know the world stage better.
5. How do you keep up with the industry?
By reading articles, news, blogs, social media posts and industry forums. A wealth of information is available out there to consume. Unfortunately, a day has only 24 hours, and there is not enough time to collect every valuable piece of information that is out there while constantly getting refreshed.
6.What are your favorite activities when you are not working?
I enjoy spending time with my family. I am very fond of Sudoku – spending quite a lot of time on that. Other times I watch movies – my favorite theme is Family Drama and Romance. I am not a fitness junkie – although every new year I make some promise to be in fine fettle, only to be broken within a couple of months!
7.Tell us something about yourself that very few people know.
Since the last twenty years or so, one thing I do religiously is to learn something new every day or at least every week. I picked up photography and videography on my own. I also picked up guitar and sometimes I do sing songs (mostly Indian songs). Recently I shot a short film (directed by one of my close friend), completely on an iPhone in handheld mode and edited the film at home. You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/QAGb4ddZE-g (turn on subtitles by clicking the ‘cc’ button, if you do not understand Bengali). Both portrait and landscape photography is my passion, and recently I am picking up grunge photography. Sharing some of my travel shots here:
The Thames at Dusk
Oxford Street London
The Moon and the Notre Dame
