INSIGHTS 2018 15Stephen Coop was appointed CEO
and Managing Director of NHP
Electrical Engineering Products
Pty Ltd in February 2015. Previ-
ously, he was CEO of Schneider
Electric’s Pacific business since- Prior to then, he was CEO
of Schneider Electric businesses
in the United Kingdom, the Bal-
kans and Slovakia for varying
periods since 2001. In total,
Stephen has over 30 years of
management experience in the
electrical engineering industry.
What opportunities do you predict for your industry
in 2018?
Our industry is under increasing pressure to achieve competitive
advantages through optimising asset utilisation, improving energy ef-
ficiency and complying with standards.
However, despite the competitive nature of the industry, now
more than ever businesses need to not only capitalise on technologi-
cal advancements but in doing so, embody and adopt an element of
corporate citizenship. What I mean by this, industry should invest in
and implement initiatives that are environmentally friendly ensuring a
sustainable and energy-efficient future is strived for.
Within our industry, a major opportunity has been identified for
2018 cascading a steady growth into the future. With climate change
impacting the automotive industry, in an attempt to reduce harmful emis-
sions there is a shift away from fuel-reliant vehicles towards electric.
Electric vehicles are forecast to make up over a third of new vehicle
sales by 2040, indicating a huge part of the future of our industry.
So with this in mind, recently, we have partnered with innovative
clean energy solutions provider Delta to bring their range of electric
vehicle chargers to the Australian market. We are confident in the drive
to a greener future and even more so with our latest global partner-
ship and their sophisticated technology to achieve this.
What impact will big data and smart device
technology have on your industry in 2018?
As we move further in to the era of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT), the emergence and importance of big
data and smart-device technology has never been more critical to
maintain a competitive edge in our industry.
It’s not just about accessing and aggregating data anymore, it’s
about making that data work for you by creating better visibility that
facilitates improved operational performance. This is where smart-
device technology provides a platform to remotely assess, manage
and control collated data. New business models and opportunities are
arising from managing data to empower decision makers through a
centralised real-time portfolio of information.
Recently there have been huge advancements in machine learning
which grant the ability to identify and correct inaccuracies. These
improvements in data quality allow us to turn assumptions and ideas
into actionable, testable real-world hypotheses. Companies that don’t
adapt by planning and implementing critical technology initiatives will
fall behind, and the gap between success and failure will continue to
widen exponentially.
What are your clients demanding of you now that
they didn’t demand five years ago?
The digital world is evolving quickly and our customers are demanding
access to information and content to base their purchasing decision
off faster than ever before, transforming the way we do business.
With customers at the centre of all decision making, at NHP we
ensure we are not only choosing the right technologies but implement-
ing them effectively to create value-add experiences.
As the digital world continues to rapidly expand, our customers are
becoming savvier with their consumer trends. Inundated with options
at their fingertips, they have developed inbuilt filters to sift through
what is relevant to them and what’s not. Because of this, it is our
responsibility to ensure customers have access to all our business has
to offer providing an exceptional and seamless customer experience.
And even though the digital realm plays a big part in satisfying
customer demands, ultimately, customers are looking for a partner
who is reliable, competitive and reputable — this is still a promise
NHP is committed to keeping with our customers.How should Australian industry respond to global
competition?
To begin unpacking this, a business needs to have a concrete
understanding of their place in the industry and the offering they
supply to the Australian marketplace.
I have experienced being the global influence on the Australian
industry, and now at NHP, being Australian owned and operated, have
experienced how that global competition impacts our local market.
When it comes to NHP, ultimately we are a people business with
a local footprint delivering the world’s best products and knowledge
through global partnerships to your doorstep. Working closely with
these partners, NHP brings together our own extensive technical
knowledge and expertise of the ranges we stock, to develop innova-
tive customer-focused solutions that are tailored for the local market.
It’s the local touch that sets us apart from the global competition,
not only providing local jobs across Australia and New Zealand, but
we have established a network of metro and regional locations that
ensure our people, products and services are available where and
when you need them.
Finding the balance between having a local presence and leverag-
ing off global innovations is the key to assuming a successful place
in the Australian industry.STEPHEN COOP
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR,
NHP ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING PRODUCTS
INSIGHTS
2018