Danny Kuivenhoven, CTO of EMEA and APAC, and Global Head of GenAI at TP, in conversation with Krishna Baidya, Senior Director, ICT, Frost & Sullivan
As the boundaries between human expertise and artificial intelligence continue to blur, global organizations are redefining how they engage customers and deliver value at scale. Few embody this transformation as completely as TP, a global leader in customer experience (CX) management that has evolved far beyond its BPO roots into a digital integrated services powerhouse.
In this Movers & Shakers interview, Danny Kuivenhoven, , about TP’s AI journey, the TP.AI FAB (Foundation AI Backbone) framework, and the evolving relationship between artificial and emotional intelligence in shaping the next generation of customer experience.
A Journey of Innovation and Reinvention
Krishna Baidya: Thank you for joining us. You’ve been with the company for more than a decade. Can you tell us about your journey and how it led you to drive AI innovation across the organization?
Danny Kuivenhoven: It’s been a remarkable 14 years. My background is rooted in innovation, technology, and product transformation. I started on the IT side, even serving as CIO at one point, but my real passion has always been business transformation. Over time, that focus expanded into leading transformation programs across regions and, more recently, driving global AI initiatives.
I became involved with AI quite early, long before it became mainstream. I experimented with early transformer models and collaborated with OpenAI during its formative years. Those experiences shaped how we designed our AI approach. Today, we’ve progressed from generative AI to agentic AI, and it’s an exciting time for both our organization and the customer experience space
Catalysing Transformational Growth
Krishna Baidya: You’ve mentioned transformation several times. From your perspective, what does transformational growth mean for your organization and your clients?
Danny Kuivenhoven: Transformation has always been part of TP’s DNA. Over the years, we’ve adapted to every major shift in technology, from the rise of offshoring and automation to the current era of AI. For TP, transformational growth means continually evolving our capabilities to stay ahead of client needs. Technology enables us to manage rising volumes of interactions more efficiently while improving quality and outcomes.
For our clients, transformation is equally critical, because customer expectations have never been higher. If brands don’t evolve, their customers will simply look elsewhere. In today’s world, CX transformation isn’t optional; it’s essential for survival. We see ourselves as setting the pace for the industry, leading by example and demonstrating what’s possible with disruptive technologies, while ensuring clients and their customers both benefit.
Bringing Innovation to Life
Krishna Baidya: How does TP bring innovation into its operations? How do you balance global direction with local creativity?
Danny Kuivenhoven: Innovation at TP is both top-down and bottom-up. From the top, our global leadership sets strategic priorities and right now, AI is clearly at the forefront. I lead the global AI team, ensuring that our strategy, governance, and technology adoption align worldwide.
At the same time, we’re a massive organization operating in over 170 countries, local innovation plays an equally important role. Many of our most successful solutions started as grassroots ideas in one region, scaled regionally, and then became global offerings.
We also have an Innovation Working Group that continuously scans the landscape for emerging technologies and identifies gaps in our proposition. Through partnerships, startup collaborations, and internal pilots, we ensure that innovation is a constant, living process within TP.
The Evolution: From BPO to Digital Integrated Services
Krishna Baidya: TP has clearly evolved far beyond its BPO origins. What does that transformation look like from the inside?
Danny Kuivenhoven: The change has been profound. Five years ago, we were known primarily as a customer experience BPO company. Today, we describe ourselves as a provider of Digital Integrated Business Services (DIBS). Our portfolio has expanded to include consulting, data services, and technology-enabled offerings. We’ve introduced a series of “as-a-service” models. From Recruitment-as-a-Service and Quality-as-a-Service to Technology-as-a-Service.
This shift allows us to support both traditional outsourcing clients and “captives”, organizations that may not want to fully outsource operations but still want to leverage our capabilities and expertise.
The result is that our client relationships have transformed from vendor-based contracts to strategic partnerships focused on co-innovation and measurable business outcomes.
Driving Competitive Differentiation with TP.AI FAB — Foundation AI Backbone
Krishna Baidya: You’ve mentioned TP.AI FAB as a cornerstone of this transformation. What is it, and how does it change the way you approach AI?
Danny Kuivenhoven: TP.AI FAB, or Foundation AI Backbone, is our global framework for orchestrating all AI capabilities across TP.
Over time, we realized AI was being developed and deployed everywhere. Across teams, geographies, functions, and we needed a unified approach. TP.AI FAB consolidates all our AI assets, models, and solutions into one modular, composable platform.
This platform enables us to design tailored, outcome-based AI solutions that directly align with client priorities. We call this philosophy “orchestrating intelligence.”
It’s about aligning artificial and human intelligence to achieve the outcomes clients care about most, whether that’s cost efficiency, quality improvement, or customer satisfaction.
The Power of Orchestrated Intelligence
Krishna Baidya: You mentioned “orchestrating intelligence.” That’s a powerful phrase. Can you elaborate on what it means in practice?
Danny Kuivenhoven: Absolutely. “Orchestrating intelligence” reflects how we combine artificial intelligence (AI) and emotional intelligence (EI). AI is a powerful enabler but it’s not perfect. It can process vast amounts of data, but it lacks empathy, authenticity, and contextual understanding. Humans, on the other hand, excel at managing emotions, resolving ambiguity, and creating trust.
At TP, we combine these strengths. Our AI systems handle routine or data-driven interactions, while our people who are trained in emotional intelligence manage complex, high-empathy situations.
Together, this creates a continuous feedback loop:
- AI makes people better in the moment by augmenting their capabilities, and
- People make AI better over time through annotation, validation, and oversight.
This is the essence of orchestrated intelligence — humans and AI learning and improving together to deliver outcomes that neither could achieve alone.
Delivering Value in the Age of AI
Krishna Baidya: Every company today talks about AI. How is TP’s approach different?
Danny Kuivenhoven: Technology alone isn’t a differentiator anymore, it’s accessible to everyone. Our differentiation comes from three pillars:
- Our People: We are a company of nearly 500,000 people, and we’ve trained over 65,000 employees in AI to date. We embed “human-in-the-loop” across our processes to ensure quality, oversight, and accountability.
- Our Data Services: We’ve built deep expertise in data labeling, annotation, and model training, capabilities that evolved naturally from our trust and safety operations. These services not only power client AI models but also strengthen our own internal systems.
- Our Vertical Expertise: With over four decades of industry experience, we bring deep understanding of both horizontal processes and vertical-specific nuances, enabling us to design AI that’s practical, ethical, and effective in real-world CX environments.
In short, TP is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between technology potential and operational reality.
Beyond Automation — Toward Augmentation
Krishna Baidya: Many people assume AI will replace humans. You’ve argued the opposite. How do you see the role of people evolving in this AI-driven world?
Danny Kuivenhoven: People aren’t going anywhere, but their roles are evolving.
AI will take over repetitive, low-complexity tasks, allowing human experts to focus on higher-value, emotionally nuanced interactions. The danger is that as AI removes the easy work, what’s left can be more intense — emotionally or cognitively for humans.
So, we’re redesigning work to create balance. Our employees will spend less time on live interactions and more time training, refining, and improving AI systems.
In essence, we’re moving from automation to augmentation where we’re empowering people with AI, not replacing them. The future of CX will be defined by collaboration between AI and human empathy.
AI and EI: The Human Touch in a Digital World
Krishna Baidya: You’ve often spoken about balancing AI with emotional intelligence. How do those two coexist in practice?
Danny Kuivenhoven: Emotional intelligence has been part of TP long before AI became mainstream. At the heart of great customer experience lies one simple truth, it’s not about the transaction; it’s about how the customer feels.
AI can automate interactions, but it can’t replicate authentic empathy. For instance, if a customer misses a flight, no algorithm can change that, but a compassionate, emotionally intelligent response can still turn a negative experience into a positive memory.
That’s where EI meets AI. We use technology to handle scale and complexity but rely on our people to humanize the experience. Together, they create what we call “controllable empathy”, consistent, authentic, and measurable emotional engagement at scale.
The Road Ahead
Krishna Baidya: TP is evolving rapidly, expanding into new service lines like technology and data services. What’s next on this journey?
Danny Kuivenhoven: We’re entering an era where every business outcome can be delivered “as a service.”
Our goal is to help clients achieve “outcome-as-a-service”, measurable results, not just managed processes. Whether it’s improving customer satisfaction, reducing handling time, or enhancing brand loyalty, we’re accountable for the outcome.
With TP.AI FAB, our expanding data services, and our people-first AI philosophy, we’re uniquely positioned to help clients navigate transformation confidently powered by technology, grounded in empathy, and focused on impact.
As organizations worldwide race to harness AI, TP is redefining what true transformation looks like combining cutting-edge technology with deep human understanding. Under Danny Kuivenhoven’s leadership, the company’s TP.AI FAB framework and orchestrated intelligence philosophy are setting a new standard for responsible, empathetic AI adoption in customer experience. In an era where automation often overshadows empathy, TP reminds us that the future of CX lies not in choosing between AI and humans, but in orchestrating both to create lasting value.
Danny Kuivenhoven, CTO of EMEA and APAC, and Global Head of GenAI at TP, is the driving force behind the creation of innovative AI tools like StoryfAI and TP Power Steering. These tools not only revolutionize machine translation and provide generative AI support for employees, but also underscore Danny’s dedication to enhancing both customer experiences and operational efficiency. Beyond his technological innovations, Danny is committed to harmonizing the relationship between people and technology. He focuses on leveraging the unique strengths of each to create a perfect synergy, ensuring TP remains a leader in digital transformation delivered with a human touch.
Growth Expert and Senior Director, ICT at Frost & Sullivan. Krishna Baidya leads customer experience and connected work research for the Asia Pacific region. Krishna has extensive experience in the technology sector, particularly in areas like contact center solutions and customer experience management. He is known for his thought leadership and strategic insights, making him a respected voice in the industry
About Krishna Baidya
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Appendix: Advancing Customer Experience with Purpose
For readers looking to explore the technologies and strategies shaping the future of customer experience and digital engagement, the following Frost & Sullivan thought leadership features complement our mission to highlight innovation, intelligence, and empathy in action.
📌 Agentic AI: Emerging Trends and Opportunities
📌 AI Orchestration in CX – Powering Innovation & Transformation
📌 Frost Radar™: Business Process Management Services, 2025
📌 English Proficiency 2.0: The Growth Accelerator for Nearshore CX Management
