“Our primary focus will be on the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.”
Abdi Ibrahim Technology Company Director Koray Kurt: “With Abdi Business Technologies, which we set out to provide solutions to help companies optimize their business processes, increase their efficiency and improve their business results, we aim to share our experience and knowledge we have gained during the digital transformation journey with customers.”
A 1997 graduate of Istanbul Technical University, Department of Mathematical Engineering, Koray Kurt has been working in technology for 26 years. Having worked in senior positions for national and global brands in many different sectors from automotive to pharmaceuticals, textiles to construction, Kurt joined Abdi Ibrahim in 2019 as Director of Information Systems and Technologies. As of January 2023, he continues his career as Abdi Ibrahim Technology Company Director.
We discussed the goals and activities of Abdi Ibrahim Technology, new generation technologies in the pharmaceutical industry and Abdi Ibrahim’s approaches to digital transformation with Koray Kurt, one of the valuable and experienced leaders of the technology world…
In which areas of the pharma industry do next-generation technologies have the most impact? What benefits do you achieve by using these technologies?
As in every field, the use of new generation technologies in the pharmaceutical industry provides great convenience to companies in the way they do business. In particular, studies in areas such as digital marketing, pharmacy automation, supply chain management, artificial intelligence and data analytics help to realize projects that will increase efficiency in the production process. In this sense, we also gain various benefits by using these technologies. For example, through artificial intelligence, automation and robotic process automation studies, we develop solutions that will increase quality and shorten production time. Thanks to sensors and IoT technologies, we make the pharmaceutical production process traceable and collect and analyze the data generated in the process. This helps us reduce errors and losses in the production process and enables us to proactively manage the processes.
Can you give us some information about Abdi Ibrahim’s IT infrastructure? Which hardware and software systems do you use?
We are very sensitive when choosing hardware and software systems, as it is vital to carry out our business processes effectively and efficiently. The selection of these systems is based on company needs and best practices in the industry. Our goal is to continue our operations in a secure, fast and efficient manner and to maximize customer satisfaction.
We have integrated the Information Systems and Technologies Directorate with other management units and structured it to incorporate information technologies into all business processes, promote digitalization and automation, increase the company’s efficiency and provide competitive advantage. We also work to determine and implement the company’s information technology strategies, manage cyber security and data management responsibilities, optimize business processes, offer technological solutions, manage and maintain existing systems, follow technological trends in the pharmaceutical industry, and work closely with all business units to understand their needs.
We do all this with 59 people who are currently working in the Turkey organization. We have 4 main units: Systems, Network and Security, ERP Solutions, Business Solutions and Governance, Risk and Compliance, but we shape this structure according to the needs within the company. In addition, we are working to train labor force through Technopark-university collaborations.
Could you tell our readers about Abdi Ibrahim Technology, what kind of work you are doing here and what do you aim to achieve in this technology unit?
Abdi Business Technologies (Abdi BT) can be considered as an initiative of Abdi Ibrahim. Abdi Business Technologies is a technological business solutions company established within Abdi Ibrahim and offers technological business solutions services to its customers with its experts.
The business idea behind Abdi Business Technologies can be summarized as making Abdi Ibrahim’s business processes more efficient and effective, leading the digitalization process and making Abdi Ibrahim companies more efficient, competitive and innovative. At the same time, we aim to share Abdi Business Technologies’ experience and know-how gained during Abdi Ibrahim’s digital transformation journey with its customers. We also set out to provide solutions to help companies optimize their business processes, increase their efficiency and improve their business results. We quickly launched a range of services to help companies achieve their goals, including cloud computing, data analytics, cyber security, digital marketing, artificial intelligence, robotic process automation and the Internet of Things. Our goal is to replicate Abdi Ibrahim’s 111 years of experience and industry leadership in the field of technology and to find a place among the leading companies with global competitiveness.
As a newly established technology company, our primary goals are to fulfill the basic operations required to be a successful business, to bring our products and services to the market, and to build our customer base. The paths and solutions we will follow to achieve this goal are as follows;
- Product or service development: The primary goal of technology companies is to offer a product or service that meets the needs of their customers. Therefore, product or service development is one of the cornerstones of technology companies.
- Getting investment: Technology companies need investment to grow and compete in the market. Therefore, it is critical to attract investors to invest in the company and support its growth.
- Building the customer base: The success of technology companies is directly proportional to building a customer base.
- Increasing brand awareness: Technology companies need to increase brand awareness in order to build their customer base.
- Optimizing business processes: Technology companies use technology to increase efficiency and optimize business processes. Therefore, there is a need to optimize business processes and increase efficiency.
We aim for return on equity to be above 20% by the end of the year.
Our solutions:
- Enterprise Solution Support (SaaS software products, SAP consultancy services, business analytics solutions, e-signature and mobile signature solutions, etc.)
- Data Infrastructure Services (Network and infrastructure, disaster recovery, business continuity, data storage and backup services, IoT services, factory production systems infrastructure services, etc.)
- Supporting digital transformation processes, which are gaining momentum in the pharmaceutical industry as in all business lines
- Providing the necessary technological support and establishing the necessary infrastructure to respond to customer demands, which are constantly updated in line with sector dynamics, in the fastest and most efficient manner
- Providing support and solutions on cyber security, which is a major priority in remote/hybrid working models that are becoming increasingly common globally and in our country.
Can you tell us about your long and short term goals in your company?
Our short-term goals are to update the IT infrastructure, increase cyber security measures, improve data management, as well as minimizing the turnover rate in terms of engagement and turnover;
- Developing automation and digitalization solutions to increase the efficiency of business processes
- Initiate R&D projects for technological product development and innovation
- Preventing cyber threats by improving corporate security systems
- Launch and market introduction of the first product or service
- Identifying core business processes and establishing the necessary infrastructure
- Building the first customer portfolio
- Setting financial targets and securing initial investments
Our long-term goals include determining digitalization strategies, integrating new technologies into the company’s business model, and managing big data;
- Expansion of product or service portfolio
- Building strategic partnerships for innovation
- Identifying and implementing growth strategies
- Expanding into new markets to accelerate the company’s growth
- Becoming a leading company in data management and analytics
- Research new technologies and integrate them into the business model
- Creating brand value and increasing market share as a result
What are the biggest challenges you face in the digital transformation process? What do you do to overcome these challenges?
The most common challenge companies face in the digital transformation process is managing cultural change. Habits come into play here a lot, but there is also a wrong perception. Digitalization should not only be associated with technology and automation. Digitalization is a transformation process that is not only about the use of technological tools, but also about the change of organizational culture, leadership approach and business processes, making business processes and activities more efficient, effective and innovative by supporting them with digital technologies. Therefore, digitalization is not limited to technological tools, but refers to a broader transformation process. At Abdi Ibrahim, we are moving forward with this understanding.
Of course, this process is a long and challenging path. Awareness and communication are important to overcome this challenge. We provide our employees with regular communication and trainings to raise awareness about the necessity and benefits of digital transformation, and we develop projects for this purpose. We are also working to ensure that our employees are able to implement and internalize the programs they use for business applications, business intelligence and data analytics applications in all business processes without the need for assistance. We also have a demand collection process to evaluate employee participation and feedback in the redesign of business processes. They can share their demands, requests and suggestions here 24/7 throughout the year. All incoming ideas are scored with an algorithm. And then these ideas come to a digital committee. The digital committee evaluates all these processes with the idea owners and the road map is created together with the employees.
What potential does edge computing have in the pharmaceutical industry? Are there any areas in your company where you plan to use edge computing?
For pharmaceutical companies, border informatics has a number of potentials. First of all, the use of edge computing in production processes will enable data analysis and processing processes to be carried out close to the devices. This will offer advantages that will increase production efficiency and make it easier to monitor and improve processes. At the same time, by monitoring the data of production equipment and sensors in real time, it will improve operational continuity and quality by identifying fault detection and maintenance needs in advance. Another area of use is supply chain management. It will help to monitor and manage supply chain processes such as edge computing, logistics and inventory management more efficiently. Through real-time data analysis, stock levels, demand forecasting and logistics flows will be better managed, reducing supply chain costs and increasing customer satisfaction.
In our company, areas where we plan to use edge computing include production optimization, productivity improvement, quality control and supply chain management. By using edge computing technologies, we aim to make faster decisions, optimize business processes and ensure operational excellence in these areas. At the same time, we are implementing projects to collect instant data from production lines through sensors and smart devices, detect errors in advance and take corrective measures quickly. Thanks to real-time data analysis, we create an important source of information for monitoring and improving production processes. With these studies, we both increase our efficiency in production processes and take important steps to ensure product quality and reliability. This helps us gain efficiency and flexibility in a competitive environment, enabling us to provide better service to our customers.
How is IoT being used in the pharmaceutical industry and at Abdi Ibrahim?
IoT has a very important application area in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in manufacturing companies. For example, in supply chain management, IoT helps to monitor the shipment and storage conditions of medicines. By using sensors in containers and storage environments where medicines are transported, we can continuously monitor factors such as temperature, humidity and light. This way, we can ensure that medicines are stored in appropriate conditions and maintain quality standards. Furthermore, thanks to smart labeling and tracking systems, we can monitor the location of medicines in the supply chain in real time and optimize inventory management.
In manufacturing processes, IoT is also used to monitor machine performance and improve efficiency. Through sensors and connected devices placed on production lines, machine data is collected and analyzed. This enables production processes to be optimized, errors to be detected quickly and maintenance planning to be improved. IoT also contributes to our sustainability goals, such as increasing energy efficiency, optimizing resource use and reducing waste.
In our company, IoT is a technology we use extensively to improve efficiency and quality. Sensors work in integration with connected devices and IoT platforms to collect and analyze data so that we can optimize our business processes. This enables us to increase production efficiency, improve quality and deliver safer and more effective medicines to customers. In addition, the data analytics enabled by IoT enable us to make more informed and faster decisions.
How do you protect the integrity of your business data and business processes when implementing new technologies?
When implementing new technologies, we take a number of measures to protect the integrity of our business data and business processes. We implement a strong data protection and access control policy to ensure the security and confidentiality of our business data. This policy aims to protect data from unauthorized access, ensure data integrity and reduce the risk of data loss.
We use encryption technologies to ensure data security. We use strong encryption algorithms and data storage methods to protect sensitive and important information, especially in pharmaceutical manufacturing. We also strengthen network security by using security software and hardware such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems.
We create continuous backup and disaster recovery plans to protect the integrity of business processes. We use backup systems and data recovery procedures to quickly ensure business continuity in the event of data loss. We take measures to ensure the accuracy and consistency of data through automation and monitoring systems in business processes.
In addition, we provide regular training to our employees to protect data security and the integrity of business processes. We ensure that they consciously comply with data security policies and are alert to potential threats. Thus, we are able to undergo a safe and healthy digital transformation process.
What are your company’s cybersecurity policies? What tools do you use to implement these policies? In addition, how do you ensure data privacy and compliance?
Our company’s cybersecurity policies take a comprehensive approach to ensure data and system security. These policies include strong technological measures. We use a variety of technologies to secure our data, including strong encryption methods, access control, firewalls and intrusion detection systems. We also regularly apply up-to-date security updates to ensure network security, and antivirus and anti-malware solutions to detect and block malware are some of our other solutions…
However, our cyber security policies are of course not limited to technological measures. With the awareness that the most important vulnerabilities come from within the system, we organize awareness programs and trainings to ensure that our employees are also aware of cyber security. With these trainings, we inform our employees about using secure passwords, being careful against social engineering attacks, recognizing threats such as phishing and developing safe working habits. We also implement strict data access policies and authorization processes to ensure data privacy and compliance. Thus, we ensure that sensitive data is protected against unauthorized access and that we comply with the applicable legislation.
What do you think about the potential of blockchain technology in the pharmaceutical industry? In which areas do you plan to implement blockchain?
I think blockchain technology has a great potential in the pharmaceutical industry. This technology offers benefits in many areas such as supply chain management, anti-counterfeiting and tracking of drug records by enabling a secure and transparent data sharing and tracking mechanism.
We are also evaluating blockchain technology in our company. We plan to apply this technology especially in areas such as supply chain management, fraud prevention and tracking of pharmaceutical records. By working on a blockchain-based platform, we aim to ensure that the process from production to distribution of medicines can be monitored transparently and recorded securely. In this way, we can offer customers more reliable and high-quality products and increase trust in the industry.
Can you tell us about your data management and storage approach and the tools you use?
Since we generate and manage large amounts of data, we prioritize data storage, security and accessibility. We use an integrated and centralized database system for data management. This system ensures that all data is brought together and organized. This facilitates data sharing between relevant departments and increases collaboration. In addition, we achieve data accuracy and integrity by using an effective resource planning system (ERP) for data entry and updates.
We use both local servers and cloud-based services for data storage. We reduce the risk of data loss by storing our important data on secure and redundant servers. We also use cloud-based services to facilitate access to data from anywhere. We also take measures to ensure data security, such as encryption and access controls.
We also use specialized tools for data analysis and reporting. We use business intelligence (BI) and data analysis tools to transform our data into meaningful information and use it in decision-making processes. These tools help us conduct in-depth analysis of our data and identify trends and insights.
We continuously review and update our management and storage processes. We keep abreast of the latest technologies and regularly implement updates to ensure data security, integrity and accessibility. We also regularly update our data management policies and procedures to adapt to changing requirements.
Which technologies will you use to achieve your future digital transformation plans?
We will continue to use new technologies to realize our company’s future digital transformation plans. When selecting these technologies, we will consider our priorities, such as increasing efficiency, driving innovation and enhancing the customer experience.
Our primary focus will be on the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). We aim to use these technologies in areas such as optimizing our production processes, increasing efficiency, quality control and inventory management. AI and ML will support our decision-making processes and improve our operational processes by analyzing big data and creating predictive models.
Another important technology area will be the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT devices allow us to collect and analyze data through sensors and connected devices on our production lines. This allows us to monitor machine performance, identify productivity-critical areas and optimize maintenance processes. We also plan to build a flexible and scalable infrastructure using cloud computing technologies. This will help us increase our data storage and processing capacity and quickly transition to new projects and services. Cloud-based services will also facilitate mobile access, enabling our field workers to access data quickly.
By utilizing these technologies in our future digital transformation plans, we aim to achieve our goal of becoming a smarter, more efficient and innovative business. We will continue to maintain our competitive advantage by constantly following innovations, evaluating and implementing technological developments.
Koray Kurt in his own words…
What boosts your motivation?
My family is my biggest source of motivation. Being successful and progressing in business motivates me as it reinforces my goal of providing a better future for my family. At the same time, my personal goals and passions are another motivating factor. Setting and achieving new goals for myself is a force that keeps me motivated and moving forward. Contributing to my own personal development and working to become a better me always encourages me.
What are your favorite personal technological devices?
The first things that come to my mind among the personal technological devices I like to use in my personal life are my camera, handheld camera, smartwatch and smartphone. They all have very different areas in my life. For example, I use the smartwatch for health and fitness tracking. I use it to track my steps, measure my heart rate, record my workouts, and monitor my sleep patterns. At the same time, the smartwatch’s ability to receive push notifications is very useful for me when I am racing against time.
I use the handheld camera to capture more spontaneous moments. I use my smartphone both for my business processes and for many different functions such as communication, social media, listening to music, reading e-books. The camera is an indispensable tool for me to take high quality and clear photos. I immortalize these moments by photographing my children’s smiles, first steps and special events. The camera offers the ability to capture details and make the photos more impressive with different lens options. I also love to edit the images that come out of it and create short movies from them.
If you could learn something you don’t know how to do, what would it be?
Developing amateur captain skills in the maritime world. I would like to learn how to sail a small ship, navigation, reading nautical charts and the basic competencies of ship management. It is a big dream of mine to travel the seas, to discover the world of sailors and to be able to direct these voyages with my own hands. It would be a great experience for me to set my own course, make discoveries and travel freely at sea. Apart from all these, I believe that this hobby will offer me different perspectives in areas such as leadership and teamwork.
Which entertainment/information-oriented content would you recommend?
Actually, I love content that has mystery and adventure in it, and I love it when it is equipped with science. I am especially interested in such books and movies. If you are someone who loves math and is interested in scientific content, you might like the following movies and books that are entertainment and information oriented:
“The Imitation Game” (2014): This movie tells the story of Alan Turing’s work on the Enigma machine, which he developed to decrypt Nazi Germany’s ciphers during the Second World War. A gripping production for those interested in mathematics and cryptography.
“A Beautiful Mind” (2001): This movie tells the life of Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Nash. It explores Nash’s mathematical genius and the difficulties he faced, and examines the relationship between mental health and mathematics.
“Fermat’s Last Theorem” (Simon Singh): This book tells the story of Andrew Wiles’ struggle to solve Fermat’s Last Theorem, a 350-year-old mathematical problem. If you are interested in the history of mathematics and the problem solving process, this book will draw you in. Enjoy watching and reading!
