HFS PODCASTS

AI-first is table stakes; instead, outcomes-first delivery in collaboration with a partner ecosystem unlocks growth, access, and resilience. Key discussion points include: AI-first is no longer differentiating, but outcomes are. Most providers claim AI-first, but the real shift is to outcomes-first delivery tied to better health, better experience, lower cost, and equity. The old delivery playbook...

In this HFS Unfiltered conversation, Krishnan Ethirajan, Chief Digital & AI Officer at Mosaic Insurance, and Selva Vaidiyanathan, Chief Business Officer – BFSI at WNS, join Saurabh Gupta to discuss how Mosaic and WNS are building a new model for insurance — one defined by trust, speed, and intelligence. From founding a capital-light hybrid insurer to scaling globally with AI-first operations,...

LucyRx & Veltris on vertical AI for PBMs—omnichannel member experience, specialty savings, faster time-to-therapy, net-cost wins. Key points discussed include: Vertical AI is the key to unlocking speed-to-market in a PBM industry dominated by heavyweights. Omnichannel, human-first member experience reduces friction and operating load. Measure what matters and moves from rebate dynamics to net-...

In this Unfiltered Stories episode, Hansa Iyengar sits down with NewRocket CEO Harsha Kumar to dismantle the AI hype and get real about how enterprises can drive outcomes, not just experiments. The conversation zeroes in on building AI you can trust, redefining services as software, and what enterprise leaders must do now to avoid becoming irrelevant in the AI-first era. The key takeaway from the...

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered, Saurabh Gupta, President at HFS Research, sat with Hiral Chandrana, CEO and Board member of Veltris, to explore how verticalized AI is transforming digital product engineering, reshaping pricing and delivery models, and redefining what true customer-centricity looks like in an AI-native world. Hiral shares real-world insights on AI readiness, micro-industry innov...

The last six months have seen CEOs seize the opportunity to reengineer their businesses with AI, particularly Agentic AI. HFS Research Executive Research Leader David Cushman and HCLTech’s Alan Flower, EVP, Global Head AI Labs, dive deep into what’s changed and why every enterprise leader should be paying attention. Key points discussed include: After moving from POCs to production, the next signi...

TCS was recognized as a Horizon 3 Market Leader in the HFS Workday Services Horizons 2025 report for its advisory-led, industry-focused, and AI-infused transformations. The discussion highlights: How TCS’s Crystallus Framework, proprietary accelerators, and GenAI capabilities are redefining Workday-enabled HR and finance transformation. The conversation also explores the rise of the “superworker”...

GBS is moving from a cost-center to a growth-engine. AI-first models and platforms are rewiring enterprise operations. In this Unfiltered Stories episode, Ashwin Venkatesan, Executive Research Leader at HFS Research, sits down with Saurabh Gupta, President at HFS Research, and Shashidhar N, VP & Global Head of Platforms at EdgeVerve, to discuss what next-gen GBS really looks like—beyond slidew...

HFS Research and Ema discuss how agentic AI is transforming enterprise operations. From AI pilots to AI employees, learn what defines an agentic system, how to scale responsibly, and what the human-plus-AI workforce of the future looks like. The key takeaways from the discussion include: Enterprises are moving from AI experimentation to AI as a core operating model. True agentic systems are goal-o...

Life sciences are staring at a $1.5T revenue hit—time to rethink the playbook. Suppliers can’t keep doing what worked yesterday. To help the industry navigate headwinds and continue delivering cures, they’ll need new capabilities, new partnerships, and faster execution. In this episode of HFS Unfiltered Stories, Rohan Kulkarni, Executive Research Leader at HFS Research, talks with Paul Watson, Vic...

Clean energy is confusing right now. Economics says yes to wind and solar, especially. The IEA says $2tr was invested in clean energy in 2024 vs $1tr in fossil fuels. But politics, at least in rhetoric—and the oil and gas sector, suggest otherwise. Despite recent US legislation, clean energy projects are accelerating to claim the remaining subsidies, other E&U firms are doubling down on what t...

HFS Chief Research Officer Tony Filippone speaks with Stephanie Ayoub, Chief Growth Officer at ICG, about their work together in Saudi Arabia and across MENA. The discussion focuses on how research-led strategy and on-the-ground execution help enterprises and governments deliver real transformation at scale. They explain how HFS and ICG are moving clients from plans to results: modernizing technol...

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered Stories, Saurabh Gupta, President of Research and Advisory Services at HFS Research, sits down with Jay Desai, Head of IT Infrastructure Operations at JTI, for an eye-opening conversation on bridging the often-disconnected worlds of business, IT, and cybersecurity. Jay shares hard-earned lessons from leading Global Business Services (GBS) through geopolitical shoc...

This HFS Videocast was created as part of our Horizons research ( https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/hfs-horizons-the-best-service-providers-for-commercial-banks-2025/ ), which explores how service providers are helping commercial banks embrace innovation across three distinct Horizons. EY was recognized in this research for its role in accelerating digital transformation in the banking sector....

HFS Research and LTIMindtree discuss the intertwined transitions shaping the future of energy and utilities, sustainability, AI, and talent. Josh Matthews, Practice Leader for Sustainability, Energy, and Utilities at HFS Research, sits down with Ramesh Kannan, EVP and Chief Business Officer, Head of Energy and Utilities at LTIMindtree, to explore how the industry must navigate these simultaneous s...

What do you learn when you place an agent in charge of HR for 30,000 people? How is the concept of minimum viable agent changing the way agentic AI gets deployed? How do you control and measure performance in agents - and clamp down on proliferation? Hitachi Digital Services CTO Premkumar Balasubramanian opens up to HFS Research Executive Research Leader David Cushman. HDS is learning from its int...

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered Stories, Ashish Chaturvedi sits down with Nitesh Mirchandani, Chief Business Officer at Mindsprint, to unpack how the convergence of CPG brands and retailers is redefining go-to-market strategies across industries. From AI-first delivery models and outcome-based engagements to real-time supply chain visibility, the conversation reveals how Mindsprint is helping en...

Why is enterprise AI still stuck in pilot mode? And what does it take to actually scale? In this episode of HFS Unfiltered Stories, Saurabh Gupta, President, Research and Advisory Services at HFS Research, is joined by Khalid Siddiqui, Global Finance Operations Offering Leader at IBM Consulting, for a no-fluff conversation about how to move from AI aspiration to enterprise-wide activation. Khalid...

What happens when engineering collides with AI, robotics, and software-defined everything? LTTS’s Abhishek Sinha joins HFS’s Hansa Iyengar to explore how the firm is doubling down on deep tech, cross-industry innovation, and outcome-led models to deliver scalable value—and whether that’s enough to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Key Points Discussed: LTTS is charting its path forwar...

Bridging the Gap: Healthcare AI Aspirations vs. Ground Realities: In this episode of HFS Unfiltered Stories, Rohan Kulkarni, Executive Research Leader at HFS Research, sits down with Nikhil Mendhi, President and COO of Exponential AI, to explore the disconnect between healthcare organizations’ AI ambitions and the reality of implementation. Key discussion points include: Healthcare buyers aspire t...

In this videocast, Joel Martin, Executive Research Leader at HFS Research, sits down with Cedric Foray, Global and EMEIA Telecommunications Sector Leader at EY, for an insightful conversation on the evolving telecom landscape. Together, they explore how accelerating transformation in the telecom industry demands a strategic realignment of AI and operations, driven by outcomes, not just activity. C...

Bosch’s Vision for Software-Defined, Outcome-Led Engineering in the Age of AI. In this engaging and forward-looking conversation, Ashwin Venkatesan, Executive Research Leader at HFS Research and Digant Shah, Chief Revenue Officer, Software and Digital Solutions at Bosch explored how Bosch is reimagining engineering and R&D (ER&D) in an era dominated by software innovation and artificial in...

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered Stories, Saurabh Gupta, President, Research and Advisory Services at HFS Research, sits down with Deepak Arora, SVP of Financial Services at HCLTech, to explore the dynamic transformation sweeping through commercial banking. From macroeconomic volatility to regulatory complexity and rapid digital disruption, banks are being pushed to act—not wait—for change. Deepa...

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered Stories, Saurabh Gupta, President of Research and Advisory Services at HFS Research, chats with Gil Rosen, Chief Marketing Officer at Amdocs. They discuss Amdocs' bold move into broader IT services with the launch of Amdocs Studios. Gil explains how Amdocs is uniquely positioned to lead the emerging "services as software" revolution by leveraging its...

Publics Sapient has been named a Horizon 3 Market Leader for a second time in the HFS Generative Enterprise Horizon report. In this episode of HFS Unfiltered Stories, HFS Executive Research Leader David Cushman and Publicis Sapient’s EVP and CPO Sheldon Monteiro discuss how the firm’s 'non-conflicted' approach helps enterprises break free from legacy constraints—accelerating their ability...