EDITOR’S LETTER

Welcome to the January edition of Illuminar.

We begin with a cover story on The Quiet Shift from Task Automation to Intelligent Process Orchestration—a theme that reflects how enterprise automation is maturing beyond scripts, bots, and isolated efficiency gains.

For years, automation initiatives focused on speeding up individual tasks. While this delivered measurable benefits, it often left end-to-end processes fragmented and exception-heavy. Today, enterprises are rethinking this approach. The shift toward intelligent process orchestration emphasizes outcomes over activities—where workflows adapt dynamically, systems collaborate intelligently, and human decision-making is engaged only where it adds the most value. This evolution marks a move from executing tasks to managing processes with context, resilience, and governance at scale.

We’re also delighted to feature an insightful interview from the archives with Rene Dortmundt, Director – Global Shared Services at Brightstar Lottery. Drawing on his global experience across Europe, the U.S., Brazil, and India, Rene shares practical and strategic advice for enterprises beginning their SSC/GBS journey. From building governance and process ownership to embedding culture and communication, his reflections are a masterclass in how to set up shared services for long-term impact.

As organizations enter a new year with renewed transformation agendas, we hope this edition encourages leaders to pause, reflect, and rethink how automation is designed and governed—quietly, deliberately, and with long-term impact in mind.

As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas to help make Illuminar a meaningful platform for shared learning and insight. Thank you for your continued engagement and support.

We wish you and your loved ones a successful and fulfilling start to the year ahead.

Best regards,

Srividya Kannan
Editor