Sid Ahmed Miliani is the Director of Global Strategic Initiatives at 8x8, based in France. He has over 18 years of experience in the tech industry, starting his career as an Analyst in a Competitive Intelligence company. Since then, he has held several senior managerial roles and is an 8x8 EMEA Regional Leader, in charge of championing 8x8 France as we develop our customer experience (CX) offering. We caught up with Sid to hear about his leadership philosophy, the changes in the French market, and his enviable treks in the deserts of southern Algeria.

8x8: How does it feel to be an EMEA Regional Leader?

Sid Ahmed Miliani (SAM): I was honored, and I welcomed the opportunity. I am a natural people person, I care a lot for others, and I enjoy helping people on a day-to-day basis. So, in many ways, the opportunity was a natural evolution for me. It also complements my role as Director for Global Strategic Initiatives, where I manage several transition processes following the Fuze acquisition, and make sure a whole ecosystem of different players and processes runs smoothly. In that role, I enjoy helping to create the product alongside the rest of our teams. Ultimately, it is about making working with 8x8 a success for our customers.

8x8: What are the French UCaaS and CCaaS markets like at the moment for deliving better CX?

SAM: AI is expanding significantly, and customers are demanding more integration between UC and CC. That’s resulted in a growing and dynamic market. On top of this, the role of the CCaaS and the contact center agent is changing. Agents are now doing much more, and, at the same time, more personas are using agent tools in new use cases. This is a massive change, and the boundaries between agents and other roles are dissolving. This is only possible because of the greater granularity and personalisation that systems like ours can provide. Ultimately this leads to a better customer experience and is a win for all concerned.

8x8: What do you see as your key priorities and what does success look like?

SAM: In my role as EMEA Regional Leader, I am keen to build our culture and our people. I want to create the best atmosphere and place to work. We’ve had some new hires recently, so ensuring they feel like key members of the team is important, too. Like I said, I care about others. This also matches with my core role, as I’m involved in customer-facing discussions and deals in order to help the business grow. I’m also working with our partners so we will grow and enhance not only 8x8 but also their businesses.

8x8: What previous experience helped you prepare for this moment?

SAM: I’ve been in the tech industry for 18 years, having started as an analyst focusing on corporate and competitive intelligence in emerging markets. My first role as a manager was over 10 years ago, so I’ve had a lot of experience and time to develop my soft skills. I’m good at knowing what people need to perform well and succeed in their roles.

Agents are now doing much more, and, at the same time, more personas are using agent tools in new use cases. This is a massive change, and the boundaries between agents and other roles are dissolving.

8x8: What are the challenges and opportunities you see facing 8x8 in your area?

SAM: There are more opportunities than challenges. We have a very good product combined with an office filled with highly skilled people focused on delivering customer satisfaction. That’s a winning combination and the market recognises that.

8x8: For you, what’s the appeal of working at 8x8?

SAM: 8x8’s fous on CX and customer obsession is exciting. I enjoy being part of a team that always goes the extra distance and gets things right from day one. We have a trusting and reliable team here in France, from pre-sales to customer success to support, everyone in our process is focused on customer satisfaction.

8x8: For others in the IT industry and beyond looking to advance to leadership, what advice would you give them?

SAM: Management is about managing people, so you need to like people to do it. You have to understand their differences and bring out the best in them. Management today is not like it was 20 years ago. It has moved away from traditional styles and micromanagement towards trust, confidence building, and mentoring people. For me, trust is the key, because when you trust people, you put them in the best environment for them to succeed.

8x8: What relevant books/podcasts/websites would you recommend for others to listen to?

SAM: The book Leading Change by John Kotter is a powerful step-by-step guide for dealing with change. It also emphasizes that change is a constant in businesses. For podcasts, I’d recommend two: Coaching Real Leaders by Muriel Wilkins, part of Harvard Business Review, and Future State, hosted by Richard A Clarke, a former senior White House advisor. Future State keeps me informed about the intersection of technology, politics, and national security. However, Coaching Real Leaders lets you hear other leaders’ problems and see how an expert coach helps them to address them. It’s a revealing and insightful podcast and shows you that many leaders face the same challenges that you do.

8x8: In your downtime, what does relaxing look like?

SAM: My wife and I have two children, five and seven, and we try to do as many nature-based activities with them as we can. We love camping, hiking, and biking. We can do some things in Paris, but we enjoy getting out of the city to the Alps or the Pyrenees too. I also do a lot of trekking in Algeria, and when they’re older I’d like to bring my children with me. Recently I trekked 140km through the Sahara Desert for six days, climbing up to 2,000 meters of altitude. I was exploring the Tassili n'Ajjer region which has one of the highest concentrations of prehistoric cave paintings, dating from over 10,000 years ago.