For more than a decade, digital transformation has been at the heart of corporate strategy. Organisations across every sector have invested heavily in new technologies, modern platforms, cloud infrastructures and data-driven initiatives, all with the promise of becoming more agile, more efficient and more customer-centric.

Yet today, a fundamental question remains: has digital transformation truly delivered on its promises?

In a business landscape where access to technology has become increasingly democratised, competitive advantage is no longer created simply by adopting the latest tools. Most organisations now operate with similar technologies, comparable sources of information and often remarkably similar operating models. As a result, differentiation has become both more difficult and more critical than ever.

The challenge is no longer technological. It is strategic.

Perhaps the limitations of many transformation programmes lie not in the tools themselves, but in the way they have been conceived and executed. Too often, transformation efforts have focused on the means –  platforms, systems, automation and data – without fully translating these investments into tangible business outcomes. Improved customer experiences, measurable value creation, operational excellence and new service opportunities have not always followed at the pace expected.

This raises important questions. Has digital transformation gradually shifted from a process of innovation to one of optimisation? And where does genuine value creation now reside, for organisations and their customers alike?

These were some of the themes explored during the Fujitsu Masterclass at Golden-i 2026.
For this first edition, Fujitsu assembled a panel bringing together technology leadership, enterprise architecture and industrial expertise, with Franck Niatel (Fujitsu Luxembourg), Yannick Huchard (Foyer Group) and Sébastien Wiertz (Paul Wurth), to debate the future of transformation in front of an audience of senior technology professionals from end-user organisations

 

Taking the Pulse of Transformation

The session opened with a live audience poll designed to gauge the current state of digital transformation across participating organisations.

The responses revealed both ambition and uncertainty.

Asked to compare their organisation’s transformation journey to a mission to the moon, the majority described themselves as having “launched but not yet left the Earth’s atmosphere” – a striking metaphor for programmes that are underway but still far from achieving their ultimate objectives.

When questioned about what motivates continued transformation efforts today, the dominant response was equally revealing: “We must change or die.”

And despite the current excitement surrounding Agentic AI, the main reason organisations cited for not yet implementing it was straightforward: they remain uncertain about which business processes are best suited to the technology.

Together, these responses painted a picture of organisations that recognise the urgency of transformation, yet are still searching for clarity on how best to realise its value.

 

Beyond Technology: The Foundations of Sustainable Transformation

The discussion that followed brought together Franck Niatel, Head of Hyperautomation and Digital Lab at Fujitsu Luxembourg and moderator of the session; Yannick Huchard, CTO and Head of Enterprise Architecture, Technology and IT Strategy at Foyer Group; and Sébastien Wiertz, Associate Vice President at industrial group Paul Wurth.

One theme quickly emerged: many transformation initiatives have historically been designed primarily to improve operational efficiency rather than fundamentally enhance customer value.

For organisations that have already experienced multiple transformation programmes over the years, the distinction is significant. Efficiency gains alone rarely guarantee long-term success.

According to Yannick Huchard, the transformations that continue to deliver value over time share several common characteristics:

• A clear vision
• Architectural clarity
• Focus and discipline
• Mastery of technology
• Sustained expertise

 

These elements, he argued, provide the foundations that allow transformation programmes to evolve beyond isolated projects and become genuine business capabilities.

 

The Value Equation

For Sébastien Wiertz, the challenge is particularly visible in industrial environments, where digital maturity varies considerably from one customer to another.

Not every customer adopts technology at the same pace, nor perceives digital services through the same lens. Ultimately, transformation succeeds not when technology is deployed, but when value is recognised by the customer.

This perspective resonates strongly with the current wave of interest surrounding Agentic AI.

While many employees are becoming increasingly comfortable with AI tools in their personal lives, that familiarity does not automatically translate into a clear business case for enterprise adoption. Organisations continue to wrestle with questions around governance, process suitability, risk management and measurable outcomes.

Data governance, a topic that will be explored in greater depth during the next Fujitsu Masterclass, emerged as a particularly significant challenge. The panel also discussed the delicate balance organisations must strike between innovation and stability — embracing new technologies while maintaining the reliability of critical legacy systems that continue to underpin daily operations.

 

Transformation Is Ultimately About People

Technology may enable transformation, but people determine whether it succeeds.

As organisations adopt new operating models, processes and technologies, change management remains one of the most decisive factors in achieving long-term outcomes. Securing buy-in from teams early in the process is essential, but equally important is involving customers and stakeholders from the outset.

Frank Niatel highlighted the importance of creating continuous feedback loops throughout transformation programmes, ensuring that projects remain aligned with real business and customer needs as they evolve.

The discussion concluded with a reminder that technology leadership today extends well beyond selecting platforms or implementing tools.

As Frank Niatel summarised:

“Our role as technology leaders within our organisations is to provide clarity of vision. Although Agentic AI adoption requires a clinical analysis of processes, organisational change also involves people.”

In many ways, this statement captured the central message of the Masterclass. The next phase of digital transformation may be less about technology itself and more about leadership, strategic clarity and the ability to connect innovation with meaningful business value.

The organisations that succeed will not necessarily be those with access to the most advanced technologies. They will be the ones that understand why they are transforming, who they are transforming for, and how to turn technological potential into measurable outcomes.