Mastek is betting that the next phase of enterprise technology will be defined less by AI adoption and more by how effectively companies turn it into measurable business value. The Mumbai-based firm is responding by shifting towards AI-led transformation, deeper domain expertise, AI-enabled talent and outcome-based engagements. Mastek CEO Umang Nahata discusses with Sudhir Chowdhary how the company is preparing for this shift and where it sees its next phase of growth. Excerpts:
What does Mastek’s ‘Lead with AI’ strategy mean in practice?
AI is no longer just a strategic priority; it is becoming the foundation of how businesses will operate and create value. At Mastek, we see this transformation across three areas. First, client engagement. We are moving beyond delivering AI as a technology solution to using it as an enabler of business transformation and measurable outcomes. This means combining AI with contextual data, process transformation and change management.
Second, talent and skills. We are evolving our workforce towards AI and data capabilities while strengthening domain expertise and business understanding. Our forward deployed domain consultants (FDDCs) help bridge technology with real-world business needs.
Third, our commercial model. We are moving from traditional time-and-materials engagements towards outcome-based models, aligning our success more closely with the business outcomes we deliver. Together, these shifts are positioning Mastek as an AI-led transformation company rather than simply an engineering services organisation.
What is driving the shift towards a wide enterprise AI adoption?
We are witnessing the conversation around AI move decisively beyond pilots and proofs of concept towards enterprise-wide transformation. What has become clear is that meaningful business value cannot be achieved through technology alone. AI transformation also requires organisations to rethink their data, processes, workflows, governance and people capabilities.
The shift is being driven by a change in expectations – from delivering technology outputs to delivering measurable business outcomes. Our conversations with clients are increasingly centred on building the foundations for enterprise AI, including governance, risk and compliance, data readiness, process transformation, talent and skills, and alignment with broader business and technology roadmaps.
At Mastek, we are following the same journey internally. We see ourselves as Customer Zero, using our organisation as a proving ground to build and scale enterprise-wide AI capabilities and bring those insights directly to clients.
Where are you seeing the strongest AI demand and results?
We are seeing particularly strong adoption across financial services, manufacturing and private healthcare. The public sector and public healthcare are taking a more measured approach, with greater emphasis on risk, governance, policy frameworks and sovereign AI considerations.
Three use cases are gaining significant momentum. First, service as a software – a shift from traditional SaaS platforms towards bespoke, AI-native applications built around specific business needs. Second, legacy modernisation, where AI is creating new opportunities to transform technology that was previously difficult or expensive to modernise. Third, AI for technology. Organisations are increasingly using AI across development, testing, maintenance and managed services to drive productivity and efficiency gains.
Together, these represent some of the strongest areas of enterprise AI adoption we are seeing today.
How will AI reshape software engineering, technology delivery and required skills?
AI-assisted development is fundamentally changing the skills required across the technology industry. The impact extends beyond coding to testing, managed services and DevOps, with productivity gains already visible across many client programmes. Depending on the use case and complexity, we are seeing efficiency improvements of 30% to 80%.
However, faster coding does not necessarily translate into faster business outcomes. Delivering meaningful outcomes requires the right data, processes, workflows, domain expertise, change management and business context.
As AI accelerates the technology development layer, the differentiator will increasingly be the ability to understand the business problem and translate technology into tangible value.
This is also changing the profile of technology talent. Roles such as forward deployed engineers (FDEs) and forward deployed domain consultants (FDDCs) are emerging. They combine technical expertise with domain knowledge, business understanding and the ability to leverage AI tools.
How is Mastek preparing its workforce for an AI-led future?
The first phase focused on foundational AI capabilities, from understanding AI platforms and coding assistants to prompt engineering and adopting tools that enhance productivity. We are now moving into the next phase, which goes beyond technical proficiency to domain knowledge, business context and client-facing capabilities. Our programmes are focused on evolving engineers into technology professionals who combine engineering and AI capabilities with a deeper understanding of industry and business challenges.
We also see the workforce of tomorrow comprising a combination of engineers, domain consultants, AI-native developers and professionals who can bridge technology with business outcomes.
How do you see AI demand evolving across key markets over the next 12-18 months?
The UK and Europe will continue to be our most important markets. Healthcare and financial services continue to show strong demand, while the public sector remains stable. We expect public-sector technology investment to accelerate as governance frameworks and regulations around data and AI sovereignty become more established.
North America represents an important growth opportunity. Our focus will be on healthcare and life sciences, particularly AI-native transformation. Combining domain expertise with AI-native platforms and strategic partnerships will be a key differentiator.
The Middle East also has significant long-term potential. Markets such as the UAE and Qatar are demonstrating strong momentum in technology adoption and digital transformation. Our focus will remain on healthcare and financial services.
What are your strategic priorities for FY27?
Our primary priority is to position Mastek as an AI transformation company with deep expertise in select industry verticals. We are evolving from an engineering-led organisation into a transformation partner focused on measurable business outcomes. Our focus will be on healthcare, the public sector and financial services, where we see opportunities to build differentiated AI capabilities.
We are also moving towards outcome-based commercial models, with AI at the core of the technology proposition and greater alignment between our success and the business outcomes we deliver. Alongside strengthening our core business in the UK and Europe, we will accelerate growth in North America, where we have built a strong foundation and are now positioned to scale.