At Avec, our strength comes from the expertise and passion of our people. In our new ‘Spotlight On’ series, we’re putting the focus on the leaders driving change in their fields.
This month, we sat down with Carl Raath, who leads Avec’s Automation, AI, and Data practices.
From Training Rooms to Tech Transformation
Carl’s career began in IT training, where he saw firsthand how upskilling could change lives and accelerate businesses. What started as teaching eventually scaled into building his own IT training company, growing it to over 165 people before selling the business.
After discovering Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Carl knew he wanted to focus on the future of automation and AI. His journey led him to Avec, where he brought both his team and clients to form the foundation of Avec’s automation practice.
“I saw RPA as one of the most impactful technologies I’d experienced in years — and I knew I had to be part of it.”
Leading Avec’s Automation, AI & Data Practices
Today, Carl leads three interconnected practices: Automation, AI, and Data. While distinct, they often overlap, and data, Carl points out, is the foundation for making any AI or automation initiative successful.
“Without the right data foundations, organisations’ ambitions can’t be achieved. Automation and AI are powerful — but data makes it real.”
Carl’s role is about more than just technology. He works closely with our clients to frame their challenges, explore what’s possible, and translate that into practical solutions that deliver impact.
What is Carl seeing in the market?
Here’s the verdict on what’s happening in the market. Carl sees three big shifts shaping the market:
- Efficiency is still the driver. Many organisations continue to look to automation and AI for cost savings and productivity gains.
- Opportunity is the next frontier. Increasingly, businesses are using AI not just to do more with less, but to launch new products, solve new problems, and innovate faster.
- The risk of waiting. With technology advancing so rapidly, some organisations are adopting a reluctance “wait and see” approach. Carl believes that’s a mistake. Don’t wait, get the foundations in early.
“The winners over the next five years will be determined in the next 12–24 months. Those investing now, even while the tech evolves, will gain an exponential advantage over those who wait.” gs.
Why Timing Matters More Than Ever
Carl is clear that the biggest opportunity and the biggest risk right now comes down to timing.
The organisations laying the foundations for AI and automation today — building skills, updating policies, strengthening architecture and security — are already seeing outsized results. The multiplication effect of getting in early is radical.
By contrast, those sitting on the sidelines risk falling far behind. Even if they decide to act later, it will take 6–12 months to establish the right foundations — by which time competitors who moved earlier are already operating at “warp speed.”
“If you looked at image generation AI in its infancy, the outputs were clunky. If you’d dismissed it then, you’d be regretting it now. The lesson? Don’t wait. Get started.”
So, what sets Avec apart?
Carl believes Avec’s difference comes down to two things: a disciplined, best-practice delivery model, and a philosophy of empowering clients.
“We don’t want clients dependent on us. We share our methodologies and tools, we mentor, we train — so that organisations can become self- sufficient if they choose to. Our goal is to leave them stronger, not tied to us.”
At Avec, we help organisations move beyond the hype to real delivery, ensuring that strategy, people, and technology come together to create lasting impact.
Ready to lay the foundations for your organisation’s future? Get in touch with our experts today.
