Rich Falcone, Ahead’s president, emphasizes the company’s commitment to future growth by focusing on delivering increasing value to clients. “Our goal is to provide more value tomorrow than we do today,” he states. “Achieving this will naturally lead to growth.”
Following Ahead’s acquisition of CDI, the company is poised to enhance its offerings and transform its market approach. As the integration of CDI into Ahead nears completion, Falcone stresses the importance of communicating the benefits of their unified service catalog to clients.
In February, Ahead, headquartered in Chicago, acquired CDI from New York, creating a $3.7 billion global leader in digital transformation solutions.
Jason Kalvesmaki, Ahead’s EVP of specialty sales, notes the positive reception from customers and partners, who are enthusiastic about the enhanced value the combined company is bringing to the market. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are excited about the consolidated service catalog,” he says. “Our next-gen sales strategy aims to consolidate value efficiently to drive impactful outcomes and services.”
Looking ahead, Ahead is set to focus on security and observability, with substantial investments planned for these areas. Falcone explains that while both companies were strong in their respective areas, the merger allows them to refine and enhance their advanced solutions.
“Security remains a top priority for us this year due to its critical role in the current landscape,” adds Kalvesmaki. “We’re also advancing our capabilities in intelligent operations and managed services.”
The company is not exploring new geographic markets but is instead leveraging its expanded scale to improve service in existing regions. “Our focus is on maximizing our impact within our current markets by utilizing our increased scale,” Falcone says.
Additionally, Ahead is making a significant investment in talent, particularly in sales and engineering. “This is one of our largest investments to date, underscoring our dedication to delivering exceptional client value,” Falcone comments. Sales staff will receive extensive training through Ahead’s Sales University, with a focus on senior-level support and mentorship. “We emphasize transparency and leadership across all levels,” Kalvesmaki adds.
Ahead is also advancing its efforts in AI, developing custom solutions to meet client needs. “AI is rapidly evolving, and we are actively working with clients to build tailored solutions,” Kalvesmaki notes. “Our goal is to support clients in effectively deploying and managing AI technologies.”
Ahead’s strategy centers on continuous improvement and sustaining value for clients, with the belief that this focus will drive their future growth. “Our goal remains to be more valuable to our clients tomorrow than we are today,” Falcone concludes. “Achieving this will lead to natural growth.”
