West Monroe’s leading experts reveal the trends shaping seven major industries in 2025. From the transformative power of AI in manufacturing and healthcare to the clean energy shift in utilities and the growing importance of digital transformation in financial services, this episode highlights the innovations and challenges poised to redefine business landscapes.

For more information on our 2025 Industry Outlooks, visit westmonroe.com/2025outlooks

In this episode:

Energy and Utilities

• Shift to clean energy and unprecedented load growth    
• Challenges in regulatory pushback and infrastructure investment
• Balancing customer affordability with decarbonization efforts 

Private Equity  

• Pressure from LPs and aging portfolio companies
• Operational improvement as a competitive advantage
• Predictions on AI adoption and measurable results 

Insurance  

• Impact of inflation, weather events, and inflationary pressures
• Increased focus on business transformation and personalization
• Differentiation through targeted investments in technology  

Healthcare

• Balancing operational efficiency, growth, and cybersecurity
• Leveraging AI for efficiency and supplemental decision-making
• Predictions on ethical AI use and cyber-resiliency investments  

High Tech and Software  

• Transition from efficiency to growth-focused strategies
• Data-driven decision-making and AI-driven insights
• Predictions on capital market movement and deal flow  

Manufacturing (Consumer and Industrial Products)  

• Adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in mid-market manufacturing    -
• AI-enabled automation and operational flexibility    
• Addressing labor shortages and sustainability goals

Financial Services  

• Accelerating digital transformation and customer experience improvements    
• Opportunities created by a favorable regulatory and interest rate environment    
• Predictions for growth, M&A, and AI adoption in banking 

Christina Galoozis discusses the role of AI in enterprise-level workforce optimization with experts Steven Kurz and Brigitte Coles from West Monroe. They explore how AI should be viewed as a type of talent rather than just a technology, emphasizing the importance of training employees to leverage AI effectively. Listeners will learn how this mindset shift can drive significant cost savings and elevate workforce performance across industries.


In this episode:

• Introduction to AI and workforce optimization
• West Monroe's unique perspective on AI
• AI as a talent type: changing mindsets
• Augmentation vs. productivity: the AI advantage
• Training employees: the key to AI success
• Incentivizing AI use among employees
• AI Week: fostering a culture of innovation
• Strategic workforce optimization framework
• The future of AI in enterprises
• Generative AI: a game changer
• Practical tips for using AI “interns”

Christina Galoozis hosts Moody's economists Matt Colyar and Justin Begley to explore the latest economic trends following the Federal Reserve’s Sept. 18 meeting. They dive into the implications of the deeper-than-expected rate cut, the nuanced state of the labor market, and the anticipated effects of the upcoming election on business decisions and consumer sentiment. 

In this episode:

• Understanding the Fed's rate cut
• The role of the labor market
• Business investment trends
• Consumer spending dynamics
• Impact of the upcoming U.S. presidential election
• Predictions for the future

What are the five technology trends driving business right now? West Monroe’s Erik Brown, Senior Partner, PXEL, is joined Casey Foss, Chief Commercial Officer, and Jonathan Williams, Managing Director of Technology Experience, to provide practical advice on navigating the rise of AI-driven productivity, the resurgence of cloud infrastructure, the potential of synthetic data, the balance between techno-optimism and tech backlash, and the critical role of humanity in the digital age. Each trend is examined through the lens of how businesses can leverage technology to drive efficiency, innovation, and human-centered outcomes. 

In this episode:

• Overview of West Monroe’s annual Tech Trends to Watch report
• The new productivity paradigm
• Resurgence of cloud and infrastructure
• Synthetic data
• Humanity in the Digital Age
• Techno-optimism vs. techlash: balancing the human element

Host Joe Brown interviews Stefanie Khan, Director of Business Intelligence and Data Analytics at UPS about the transformative power of data science and AI within the logistics giant. Stephanie shares insights on leveraging advanced analytics to tackle strategic challenges, the importance of upskilling and democratizing data science across the organization, and the future of technology in logistics. 

In this episode:

• Stefanie’s introduction and background
• Leveraging data science and AI for strategic challenges
• Democratizing analytics and customizing solutions
• Experimentation and scalability
• Creating a digitally fluent culture through upskilling
• The future of logistics: AI, sentiment analysis, and human-machine convergence

How do employees and employers navigate the evolving usage of generative AI tools in the workplace? We explore the risks and benefits of employees using AI tools independently, the importance of creating a safe space for experimentation, strategies for successful generative AI adoption, and how companies measure the benefits of generative AI. 

In this episode:

• Employees Bringing AI Tools to Work
• Creating a Safe Space for Experimentation
• Employee Perspective and Feedback
• Inspiring People to Embrace Generative AI
• Empowering People to Innovate
• Balancing Governance and Inspiration
• Providing Examples of Appropriate Use
• Engaging in Ethical and Governed Use

Silicon Valley Bank has redefined banking in its quest for the frictionless customer experience. Milton Santiago, Global Head of Digital Solutions at Silicon Valley Bank, joins us to discuss SVB's journey in adapting its services to meet the sophisticated needs of tech companies. We also cover the need to prioritize the client's needs and to experiment and learn from internal solutions before implementing AI capabilities for customers. 

In this episode:

• Introduction to Santiago and his role with Silicon Valley Bank
• Leveraging technology to enhance customer experience
• Balancing innovation and cost-effectiveness
• Collaboration with fintechs: friends, not foes
• First Citizens Bank acquisition and new ownership structure

What is the 10-second customer journey? Todd Unger, Chief Experience Officer and Senior Vice President of Marketing & Member Experience at the American Medical Association, discusses the importance of breaking down silos to create seamless customer experiences. He offers insights from the AMA’s digital reboot and his new book, The 10-Second Customer Journey.

In this episode:

• Universal challenges in the digital landscape
• What is a Chief Experience Officer anyway?
• Breaking down silos and overcoming friction for a seamless experience
• The 10-second customer journey
• The role of storytelling in marketing
• The American Medical Association’s digital reboot
• Creating a vision for change
• Advice for Chief Experience Officers
• Harnessing the power of AI

We're celebrating International Women’s Day. Over the past three seasons, we’ve had phenomenal women on our show who have shared their passion for their work! Listen in as we showcase the best moments from inspiring women I had an opportunity to have a conversation with.

In this episode:

• Tiffani Bova, Global Growth Evangelist at Salesforce
• Betsy Ziegler, first female CEO of 1871
• Dana Peterson, Chief Economist at The Conference Board
• Janice Fraser, auther of Further, Faster, and with Far less Drama!
• Helen Yu, founder and CEO of Tigon Advisory and WSJ Best Selling Author
• Ekta Chopra, Chief Digital Officer, e.l.f. Beauty

From thought-provoking discussions to inspiring interviews, the Best of Season 3 features the most memorable moments from our diverse range of topics and guests throughout the season. Join us as we revisit the most captivating moments, inspiring conversations, and game-changing insights from the past season.

In this episode:

• Ekta Chopra, Chief Digital Officer of e.l.f. beauty on how they’ve worked to differentiate themselves as a digitally native brand
• Don White, CEO and Co-founder of Satisfi Labs on the digital fan experience
• Tyson Jominy, Vice President, Data & Analytics at J.D. Power on if EV’s can be considered digital products
• Sara Vaezy, EVP, Chief Strategy and Digital Officer with Providence, talks about the latest healthcare digital adoption
• Nick Mehta, CEO at Gainsight explains how he helps clients make the case for customer success
• Scott Crabill, Managing Partner of Thoma Bravo, on the trends shaping the business landscape today
• Erik Brown, Sr. Partner of Product Experience & Engineering Lab at West Monroe discusses the new video podcast series, This is AI
• Curtis Dubay, Chief Economist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, on his predictions for AI in the workplace

Explore the transformative power of AI and digital technology in the sports industry on our latest episode, which features Satisfi Labs CEO Don White. Fresh off the Super Bowl's digital showcase, dive into how these technologies are enhancing fan experiences by making sports more accessible and interactive than ever. Don shares his journey from finance to founding Satisfi Labs, emphasizing the role of AI in personalizing fan engagements and the future of digital consumerism in sports.

In this episode:

• The features of Satisfi Lab’s two-way chat solution
• How the chat solution is benefitting the sports organization
• Specific examples of how Satisfi Lab is transforming the fan experience
• Are fan expectations going too far?
• Why is this important to revenue strategy?
• How sports organizations are leveraging the data
• How digital impacts the in-stadium and at-home experiences
• Why the increase in private investment across sports verticals in recent years

Kim Seals and Rick Sabatino of West Monroe unpack the findings of the 'Digital Disconnect' report and discuss the complexities of aligning digital strategies with customer demands and team dynamics. Learn about the critical role of organizational structure and culture in successful digital transformations.

Read our report, The Digital Disconnect: Linking Vision to Real-World Execution
In this episode:

• Challenges organizations face when aligning their workforce with digital processes
• Importance of the full C-suite to own digital
• Steps for executives to disperse accountability for digital transformation throughout the organization
• How to get buy-in for digital transformation
• How companies can avoid investing heavily in technology and data – but leave the “human part” for later
• Pros and cons of smaller micro-transformations vs longer-term initiatives
• Example of clients who have been successful at infusing digital into their company culture

We explore the crucial role of digital in creating connections when customers don’t necessarily need your product or service. Our guest, Sara Vaezy, Chief Strategy and Digital Officer at Providence, delves into how a healthcare system thinks about this: How do they connect with and serve patients when they’re not sick or in the hospital? Sara shares insights on how healthcare providers can effectively connect with patients during their everyday lives, ensuring a continuous and proactive relationship even when healthcare is not immediately needed.

In this episode:

• Importance of maintaining patient relationships
• Key challenges in maintaining patient engagement
• Technology's role in bridging the gap between patients and healthcare providers during non-acute periods
• Creating personalized experiences and measuring success
• Future of patient engagement

Can generative AI fix your data problems? Is prompt engineering a role or a skill? How is ChatGPT really useful for leaders? Host Rissa Reddan welcomes leaders from West Monroe’s AI Lab–and the hosts of West Monroe’s podcast miniseries “This Is AI–to answer your burning questions about gen AI heading into 2024. Plus, learn about the technology’s limitations and the massive change management crisis looming from its expansion.

In this episode:

• The current generative AI landscape
• The importance of generative AI use cases that are industry relevant
• How to get involved with the West Monroe accelerator
• Focusing on jobs to be done
• Use cases that marketers should be talking about
• Your readiness to engage or benefit from AI
• Limitations of generative AI
• Hire or train your employees on AI
• How West Monroe’s marketing team is using generative AI

How do you define a strong customer success mindset and what are the benefits? Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight and Dhaval Moogimane, Senior Partner and High Tech and Software Industry Leader at West Monroe, discuss how digital businesses prioritize customer success for Net Revenue Retention gains. The discussion also touches on the challenges of adopting a customer-first mindset and the significance of digital tools in enhancing customer success efforts.

In this episode:

• Making the case for customer success within your organization
• Helping employees understand the benefits of customer success
• Assess the sophistication of a customer success function
• What makes a good client success manager
• Building a durable business that scales with digital customer success

In a year of mixed economic signals, Curtis Dubay, Chief Economist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, offers some clarity and what businesses can expect in 2024. We discuss the current and future job market—and AI's role in it. Plus, the impact of deglobalization.

In this episode:

• Are recession fears receding?
• Reconciling a strong job market with tech industry layoffs
• Workforce shortages
• What will the future workforce look like?
• Deglobalization's impact on businesses
• Leveraging AI to fill a workforce shortage
• How businesses will manage risk
• U.S. tax and regulatory environment impact on 2024
• Causes of current inflation
• Economic outlook for 2024 and 2025

Don’t forget to check out our new video podcast, This is AI:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-is-digital/id1648757398


YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsJ11mYrTYBGJrQGWBV-W5lLtlpScia1z

In this episode, host Rissa Reddan discusses the transformative impact of electric vehicles (EVs) with experts Tyson Jominy, Vice President of Data and Analytics at JD Power, and Sam Uyeno from West Monroe's Energy & Utilities practice. The conversation delves into the intricacies of EV adoption, the importance of infrastructure readiness, and the potential of EVs as digital products. The episode underscores the interconnectedness of EVs, the grid, and the broader digital ecosystem, highlighting the need for strategic planning and the value of data in shaping the future of transportation.

In this episode:

• Current state of auto industry, particularly EVs, from an industry perspective and utilities perspective
• Key data trends the industry is leveraging for innovation
• Importance of analyzing customer data
• Leveraging this data for customer-facing strategies
• Challenges utilities face in collecting requisite data to support EV adoption
• Are EVs digital products?
• Concerns utilities have in enabling EV commensurate with legislative targets
• Digital capacities helping utilities address these concerns
• Future of auto industry in terms of digital innovation

In today’s economy, it’s not easy for companies to balance growth and profitability in their enterprise software. Thoma Bravo Managing Partner Scott Crabill joins This Is Digital to talk about how his firm, one of the largest software investors in the world, evaluates software companies, pulls value creation levers, and simultaneously balances both growth and profitability.


In the episode:

• Criteria Thoma Bravo uses to evaluate software companies for investment
• Unique ways Thoma Bravo partners with its portfolio companies
• Common challenges that software companies face as they strive for profitable growth
• Trends shaping the software landscape

This is Digital host Rissa Reddan announces our new video podcast miniseries, This is AI. Join our West Monroe experts as they show you real use cases for applying AI to your business.

Topics will include: Navigating use case landmines, effective ways to implement Gen AI in your business, a deep dive on tools we've built, the impact of generative AI on software development, insights on other large language models, and our perspective on a tool-based approach versus bespoke-built solutions, and why they're both important for organizations to consider in their day-to-day business.

Listen on your favorite podcast app or watch us on YouTube where we share our screen to show you how to apply these ideas to your business. Our AI experts include Eric Johnson, director, Product Experience & Engineering Lab; Erik Brown, senior partner, Product Experience & Engineering Lab; and Ryan Elmore, Innovation Fellow and Head Data Scientist at West Monroe.

Subscribe on Apple

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Watch Episode 1 on YouTube - Unpacking AI: The Rise & Reach of Generative Models

Watch Episode 2 on YouTube: AI Dilemma: What Comes First, the Technology or the Use Case?

Chris D’Agostino, Global Field CTO at Databricks, and West Monroe’s Data Innovation Fellow Doug Laney join the podcast to unravel the current challenges and focal points for data leaders, discussing data literacy, organizational change, and how the right tech stack can play a crucial role in your success.

In this episode:

• Common challenges business leaders face
• What is data democratization
• Examples of data democratization
• Ensuring data is accessible and secure
• Data democratization at different companies
• Data democratization in different industries
• Steps to implement data democratization
• Pitfalls to avoid
• Databricks’ role in the data democratization revolution

NEW PODCAST SERIES LAUNCHES SEPTEMBER 30!

Are you interested in AI, but not sure how to apply it to your business? You’re in luck! Our AI experts at West Monroe are launching a new video podcast called This is AI. It won’t be like anything else you’ve seen or heard. Instead of just talking about AI, our experts will show you real examples of how to apply AI to your business. It will launch September 30 and you can find it wherever you listen to podcasts — and on YouTube.