Lokesh Dadhich

Partner

Lokesh is a trusted advisor to telecom operators on strategy, organization, transformation, customer experience, and operations excellence.

Education

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
Post Graduate Program
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
B.Tech (Hons), Chemical Engineering

Past Experience

Hewlett Packard
CRM Consulting
Techmahindra
CRM consulting

Lokesh is a Partner at Arthur D. Little, based in our Dubai office, focusing on Strategy, Organization, and Digital transformation topics for our TIME (Telecommunication, Information, Media & Electronics) clients.

Since joining Arthur D. Little in 2007, Lokesh has advised telecom operators across the Middle East in complex strategy and organization projects: Fixed & Mobile infrastructure networks (Fiber to the x/ Mobile Broadband), Customer Experience, Information Communication Technology (ICT) diversification, Organization Design, Big Data, and E-commerce.

Lokesh has led many consulting projects for ICT players, among which: 

  • Developing an Operating Model Transformation program to enable an integrated ICT provider vision, with a central product development factory and a customer-centric product development process, as well as an integrated technology organization structure
  • Defining and implementing a company-wide operating model to support Big Data Monetization strategy
  • Developing a FTTx strategy and rollout plan, considering market and competitive scenarios, and access technology options
  • Defining an asset monetization and partnership model to monetize the telecom assets of a utility
  • Developing a Customer Experience Excellence roadmap comprising cross-functional initiatives and aimed at providing a consistent and aligned experience across touchpoints throughout the Customer’s life cycle, and implementing it through a BOT (Build, Operate, Transfer) Model, then handing over the program ownership to a full-time operational position
  • Implementing several CEX improvement initiatives across touchpoints, e.g. product/service experience audits, up-/cross-sell campaigns for data products, e-bill take-up improvement, IVR redesign, Customer Complaints handling process redesign
  • Conducting a detailed review of the Customer Care Operational setup with an objective to improve customer experience
  • Developing a marketing analytics solution using the latest CRM analytics tools and data warehousing technologies
  • Supporting a CRM implementation project and implementing an outsourcing plan aimed to move the project to an offshore delivery center

Lokesh contributed to delivering tangible impacts for each of those consulting projects, at both strategic and operational levels. 

Prior to joining Arthur D. Little, Lokesh worked at Hewlett Packard and Tech Mahindra in CRM and Marketing Analytics consulting.

Lokesh holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering obtained from the  Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

The future workforce
The future workforce
Generation Z (widely known as Gen Z), encompassing those born between 1997 and 2012, is anticipated to make up over one-quarter of the global workforce by 2025, according to the World Economic Forum. As the first digitally native and globally connected generation, Gen Z brings distinctive skills and capabilities to organizations, making their recruitment and retention essential for sustained business success in the era of digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI).
Embracing the telco productivity race
Embracing the telco productivity race
Improving productivity is a critical element of the journey telcos must take to become ambidextrous — and improving productivity is about going way beyond cost-cutting. In this Viewpoint, we discuss a transformative approach that we call the “Productivity RACE” (Radical, Accelerated, Continuous, and Effective). This framework sets out to improve and sustain business productivity, while addressing commonly observed challenges and barriers to successful execution of productivity measures.
Tightening the data belt
Tightening the data belt
The era of big data has delivered real business impacts across industries. However, increased data gathering has a downside; ever-growing data storage volumes and compute requirements lead to budgetary and operational constraints. Automatically generated log files silently drive this rapid, enormous data growth. This Viewpoint identifies how companies can successfully improve holistic log file management to deliver benefits by controlling costs, ensuring compliance, and unlocking data value.
Reimagining India’s supply chain
Reimagining India’s supply chain
The sustainable and highly productive supply chain
At the same time, national and international sustainability laws and initiatives require a fundamental shift within global supply chains. It is clear that organizations require a strategic framework that supports decision makers in creating supply chain value by synchronizing supply chain layers beyond short-term and reactive crisis management.
Extracting network operations efficiency in the post-COVID-19 era
How telecom operators can overcome complexity and demand challenges
Public procurement transformation in the GCC region – post-COVID-19 era
Reimagining telco operations in a hyper-digital world
Organizations in today’s digital age are witnessing technology trends that are profoundly reshaping value chains across industries. Digitalization is an all-pervasive trend acting as the disruptor-in-chief of business and operating models across converging industries. The telecom industry, which is at the heart of the digitalization megatrend and a key digitalization enabler, is not immune to this disruption.
Four key questions to consider for successful digital transformation
The majority of “analog-native” companies are struggling to become digitally mature enough to compete with “digital-native” rivals. How can they adapt strategies, business models, organizational structures and capabilities to remain competitive and relevant? This article focuses on the four key questions analog-native companies need to address if they are to successfully embrace digital transformation.
Utilities’ contribution to national fiber development
The ultra-broadband demand-supply balance remains an unsolved equation
Samena Trends
Telecom operators have a real opportunity to reduce operational costs by 30-40% whilst improving service quality and customer satisfaction.This is primarily achieved by reducing / eliminating operational complexities accumulated during the growth phase and digitalizing the operations.  
Beyond the best network operations!
Current international industry trends predict mid-term reductions of profitability margins for telecom operators, in particularfor mature markets. This is a result of huge investments (GSMA estimates that telecom operators will invest $1.7 trillionon capex during 2014-2020) that are required to build next-generation networks in order to satisfy the data- demandexplosion and revenue reduction caused by mobile price wars and competition from OTT.
Big Data: A gold mine in Telcos’ backyard
Big Data is an invaluable strategic lever for telecom operators to reverse the revenue decline trend affecting markets worldwide. Big Data enables Telcos to leverage one of their strongest hidden assets, customer insights.

Lokesh is a Partner at Arthur D. Little, based in our Dubai office, focusing on Strategy, Organization, and Digital transformation topics for our TIME (Telecommunication, Information, Media & Electronics) clients.

Since joining Arthur D. Little in 2007, Lokesh has advised telecom operators across the Middle East in complex strategy and organization projects: Fixed & Mobile infrastructure networks (Fiber to the x/ Mobile Broadband), Customer Experience, Information Communication Technology (ICT) diversification, Organization Design, Big Data, and E-commerce.

Lokesh has led many consulting projects for ICT players, among which: 

  • Developing an Operating Model Transformation program to enable an integrated ICT provider vision, with a central product development factory and a customer-centric product development process, as well as an integrated technology organization structure
  • Defining and implementing a company-wide operating model to support Big Data Monetization strategy
  • Developing a FTTx strategy and rollout plan, considering market and competitive scenarios, and access technology options
  • Defining an asset monetization and partnership model to monetize the telecom assets of a utility
  • Developing a Customer Experience Excellence roadmap comprising cross-functional initiatives and aimed at providing a consistent and aligned experience across touchpoints throughout the Customer’s life cycle, and implementing it through a BOT (Build, Operate, Transfer) Model, then handing over the program ownership to a full-time operational position
  • Implementing several CEX improvement initiatives across touchpoints, e.g. product/service experience audits, up-/cross-sell campaigns for data products, e-bill take-up improvement, IVR redesign, Customer Complaints handling process redesign
  • Conducting a detailed review of the Customer Care Operational setup with an objective to improve customer experience
  • Developing a marketing analytics solution using the latest CRM analytics tools and data warehousing technologies
  • Supporting a CRM implementation project and implementing an outsourcing plan aimed to move the project to an offshore delivery center

Lokesh contributed to delivering tangible impacts for each of those consulting projects, at both strategic and operational levels. 

Prior to joining Arthur D. Little, Lokesh worked at Hewlett Packard and Tech Mahindra in CRM and Marketing Analytics consulting.

Lokesh holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering obtained from the  Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

The future workforce
The future workforce
Generation Z (widely known as Gen Z), encompassing those born between 1997 and 2012, is anticipated to make up over one-quarter of the global workforce by 2025, according to the World Economic Forum. As the first digitally native and globally connected generation, Gen Z brings distinctive skills and capabilities to organizations, making their recruitment and retention essential for sustained business success in the era of digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI).
Embracing the telco productivity race
Embracing the telco productivity race
Improving productivity is a critical element of the journey telcos must take to become ambidextrous — and improving productivity is about going way beyond cost-cutting. In this Viewpoint, we discuss a transformative approach that we call the “Productivity RACE” (Radical, Accelerated, Continuous, and Effective). This framework sets out to improve and sustain business productivity, while addressing commonly observed challenges and barriers to successful execution of productivity measures.
Tightening the data belt
Tightening the data belt
The era of big data has delivered real business impacts across industries. However, increased data gathering has a downside; ever-growing data storage volumes and compute requirements lead to budgetary and operational constraints. Automatically generated log files silently drive this rapid, enormous data growth. This Viewpoint identifies how companies can successfully improve holistic log file management to deliver benefits by controlling costs, ensuring compliance, and unlocking data value.
Reimagining India’s supply chain
Reimagining India’s supply chain
The sustainable and highly productive supply chain
At the same time, national and international sustainability laws and initiatives require a fundamental shift within global supply chains. It is clear that organizations require a strategic framework that supports decision makers in creating supply chain value by synchronizing supply chain layers beyond short-term and reactive crisis management.
Extracting network operations efficiency in the post-COVID-19 era
How telecom operators can overcome complexity and demand challenges
Public procurement transformation in the GCC region – post-COVID-19 era
Reimagining telco operations in a hyper-digital world
Organizations in today’s digital age are witnessing technology trends that are profoundly reshaping value chains across industries. Digitalization is an all-pervasive trend acting as the disruptor-in-chief of business and operating models across converging industries. The telecom industry, which is at the heart of the digitalization megatrend and a key digitalization enabler, is not immune to this disruption.
Four key questions to consider for successful digital transformation
The majority of “analog-native” companies are struggling to become digitally mature enough to compete with “digital-native” rivals. How can they adapt strategies, business models, organizational structures and capabilities to remain competitive and relevant? This article focuses on the four key questions analog-native companies need to address if they are to successfully embrace digital transformation.
Utilities’ contribution to national fiber development
The ultra-broadband demand-supply balance remains an unsolved equation
Samena Trends
Telecom operators have a real opportunity to reduce operational costs by 30-40% whilst improving service quality and customer satisfaction.This is primarily achieved by reducing / eliminating operational complexities accumulated during the growth phase and digitalizing the operations.  
Beyond the best network operations!
Current international industry trends predict mid-term reductions of profitability margins for telecom operators, in particularfor mature markets. This is a result of huge investments (GSMA estimates that telecom operators will invest $1.7 trillionon capex during 2014-2020) that are required to build next-generation networks in order to satisfy the data- demandexplosion and revenue reduction caused by mobile price wars and competition from OTT.
Big Data: A gold mine in Telcos’ backyard
Big Data is an invaluable strategic lever for telecom operators to reverse the revenue decline trend affecting markets worldwide. Big Data enables Telcos to leverage one of their strongest hidden assets, customer insights.

More About Lokesh
  • Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
    Post Graduate Program
  • Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
    B.Tech (Hons), Chemical Engineering
  • Hewlett Packard
    CRM Consulting
  • Techmahindra
    CRM consulting