Global Lighthouse Network 2025

Page 19 of 52 · WEF_Global_Lighthouse_Network_2025.pdf

FIGURE 11 Lighthouses build holistic transformation teams 12 Transformation leaders 4Data scientists 5Data engineers 3Automation specialists 3Cybersecurity 2 Product managers 3Business translators 2Business owners 2Agile coaches 113Digital transformation roles added by domain1 # FTEs added per 1,000 Business Technical 1. Original question from GLN Research Survey (July 2024): “What are the roles that you have added over the past 2-3 years to enable digital transformation across your lighthouse site(s) and corporate teams?” Source: Global Lighthouse Network.Digitally driven, but not just by technologists Lighthouses are dispelling the notion that technology alone drives digital transformation. Instead, they make digital transformation everyone’s job – embedding the technology and people capabilities needed to deliver reimagined processes. On average, this translates into 25 new transformation roles hired per 1,000 factory FTE, of which nearly half are business and operations roles (see Figure 11).34 In early development, they typically establish centres of excellence (CoE)35 to design and deploy practical, innovative solutions across the network. Some focus on technologies such as manufacturing execution systems (MES) or “digital twins”, while others focus on processes like “prototyping” or “batch release”.36 These CoEs often partner with enterprise teams and third-party providers to fill capability gaps, but over time they render themselves obsolete by upskilling frontline site operations and technology leaders, who take on the responsibility of deploying and scaling-up these new technologies in localized contexts. Siemens has long fostered a CoE-led approach in the context of its digitalization programme “Lean Digital Factory” (LDF). Their experts gather around core digitalization technologies and build up capabilities through pilot projects carried out in dedicated sites. As the insight around a specific tool matures within the CoE, knowledge is shared within the LDF network and the mandate to scale the technology is shifted to the plants. The role of the local expert then concentrates on managing the development backlog and supporting a potential external distribution.37 At Siemens and elsewhere, site leaders are taking back the responsibility of identifying and integrating advanced technology solutions. As this happens, a new focus has emerged on ensuring these frontline roles are upskilled to match the implications of future technology on their processes and advanced capabilities are democratized (e.g. via low/no code) to enable employees without coding knowledge to become “citizen developers” who create, modify and optimize applications. EXAMPLE Siemens Global Lighthouse Network: The Mindset Shifts Driving Impact and Scale in Digital Transformation 19
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