When a company has the money to renovate an existing IT system or build a new one from scratch, the world of systems integrators and technology solutions providers becomes an important factor in how the business continues to compete. Lots of businesses know – or suspect – they don't have the right people in house to do this work, so they need to find someone who does.

This world is dominated by some big and familiar names: Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte Consulting, IBM Consulting, CDW, Wipro and Tata Consultancy Services among them. But navigation through these large bureaucracies can be challenging.

Few of these companies are based outside of the usual-suspect large cities, but World Wide Technology (WWT) – headquartered in Maryland Heights, Missouri., a suburb of St. Louis – certainly is. The 34-year-old, privately held consultancy operates in that hugely competitive shark tank, yet despite being under the proverbial radar most of the time, it is flourishing. At last glance, WWT employed north of 10,000 technologists worldwide and had its hands full with some prominent customers.

While a complete list isn't available, WWT mentions clients in case studies or press advisories. Here are a few examples:

• Verizon: WWT has partnered with Verizon on various projects, including network transformation and 5G deployments.
• Department of Defense: WWT has a long history of working with the DoD, providing solutions for cybersecurity, network infrastructure, and data centers.
• Major League Baseball: WWT has helped MLB with technology initiatives, including upgrading their data center infrastructure.

What WWT brings to the party WWT's competitive acumen is shaped by several factors, including wide-ranging expertise in:

• Digital transformation: As businesses undergo digital transformations, the demand for cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data analytics solutions is increasing, intensifying competition.
• Emerging technologies: The rapid adoption of technologies like AI, IoT, and edge computing is creating new opportunities and challenges for technology providers.
• Customer experience: Providing exceptional customer service and support is increasingly important in differentiating from competitors.

WWT claims differentiation through innovation, its Advanced Technology Center (ATC) for proof-of-concept testing, and its strong customer relationships. WWT focuses on Kubernetes-based container approaches for AI deployments, though VMware and its virtual machines remains a partner. WWT has developed its own tools, including Atom AI in Azure, and continues to build its own IP, partnering with companies such as NVIDIA.

Q&A with the head of AI Mike Trojecki, head of AI at WWT, spent three years as a director at Intel before joining WTT earlier this year. He highlighted the challenge of integrating specialists in high-performance compute, storage, and software to meet diverse customer requirements.

SDxCentral: You've recently joined WWT after a stint at Intel. What made you decide to come this time?

Trojecki: I’ve worked with WWT as a partner over the years and built strong relationships with the team, seeing firsthand the incredible work they’re doing in AI—a field I’m passionate about. I’ve spent many years in the partner and systems-integrator space, and while I loved my time at Intel, returning to this environment felt like a natural fit for me.

SDxCentral: What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve encountered so far at WWT?

Trojecki: The biggest challenge is definitely the scale of AI. People often think of AI as futuristic, like robots in movies, but it’s really about achieving specific outcomes across many different verticals. This requires a broad approach, meaning you need specialists in each area. So, my team is structured around expertise—high-performance computing, storage, GPUs, software, and solutions. Bringing all this together into a cohesive strategy has been one of the primary challenges.

SDxCentral: Are you seeing the increasing demand for a container-based approach to AI rather than virtual machines?

Trojecki: Absolutely. Nearly everything we build in the Proving Ground is based on Kubernetes and containers, along with some open-source tools. Containers are becoming the dominant approach for AI deployments, although there’s still a place for virtual GPUs and solutions like VMware. We continue to partner with VMware, but overall, the trend is definitely moving toward containers.

SDxCentral: How do you see WWT positioned in the market, compared to companies like Accenture, Wipro, and CDW?

Trojecki: There’s definitely some overlap, a “coopetition” in certain areas. In consulting and managed services, we may compete with firms like Accenture and Deloitte, but we also collaborate with similar companies in the systems-integrator space. We handle execution, implementation of hardware and software, product resale, and managed services, which positions us uniquely in the market.

SDxCentral: WWT has done some software development in-house, like with Atom AI. Can you tell us more about that? Are you planning further development?

Trojecki: Yes, we developed Atom AI internally, initially on Azure, along with other tools like RFP assistant and coding tools. For code assistance, we collaborate with companies like Codium. We plan to continue developing our own intellectual property while partnering with others, such as Nvidia, to provide comprehensive, ready-to-deploy AI solutions. This includes a mix of in-house use cases, customer-specific applications, and “off-the-shelf” tools.

SDxCentral: WWT seems to be providing solutions across a vast range of industries. Is there any sector you’re not involved in?

Trojecki: Not really! We’re a much larger company than we were 30 years ago, and we’re active across many verticals—retail, utilities, health care, life sciences, and manufacturing, to name a few. We’re also heavily invested in the service provider space, where GPU-as-a-Service is growing, and the public sector. Each of these segments represents significant investments for us, especially in AI.

SDxCentral: As someone who’s been covering tech for a long while, this is my first time writing about WWT. Why is the company seeking more visibility now?

Trojecki: It’s true, we’ve been something of a “$20 billion secret,” as our CEO Jim Kavanaugh puts it. Partner recognition can be difficult, as there are many major players in the field. But Jim has made it clear that WWT is moving forward as an AI company. With the industry focus shifting toward AI, this is where our leadership sees the future of the company and why we’re prioritizing recognition in AI specifically.