Thomas J. Lynch, Chairman and CEO of TE Connectivity, with its executive headquarters in Berwyn, is the latest business leader chosen for PwC’s 2016 CEO Survey feature. The feature uses in-depth video interviews with business leaders to discover the priorities and strategies that make them so successful in their positions.

As the Chairman and CEO of TE Connectivity, Tom Lynch’s goal is to increase TE’s so-called ‘digital IQ’ across the company’s 125 factories as well as 30 design centers which produce over half a million of products for several vital markets, including military and health care, while still staying faithful to the company’s commitment to social responsibility.

In the in-depth interview, Lynch talks about the prospects of U.S. and world economy, the company’s short term and long term future, and major transformations in the company’s investments and spending. He also talks about barriers he has been running into during these changes and touches on social responsibility and its overall importance.

Talking about world economy over the next year and how it will impact TE, Lynch comments that while the U.S and European economies have been growing slowly but consistently, China has shown clear signs of weakening over the last half year.

“With everything in the world becoming smarter and more connected, you need companies like TE to enable that connectivity, to provide the sensors, so the secular economic drivers are very strong,” he said “When the short‑term growth rates change, we get smart about our cost structure, but don’t change our strategy.”

While his immediate goal for TE over the next three years is to grow at twice the rate of global GDP, for the longer term, he aims to strengthen the company’s customer-focused reputation.

“Ten years from now, I hope they still say we absolutely deliver the extraordinary customer experience,” he remarked. “Innovation and quality are the pillars that support that, but developing a culture of excelling with customers is an important differentiator.”

Lynch also talks about the next step in company’s transformation, saying that serving the indirect customers that comprise 20% of company’s business the same way the company serves its big OEM customers is currently its priority.

“One barrier in that transformation, though it’s not insurmountable, is the war for talent,” states Lynch. “The world’s become much smaller over the last 20 years with the advent of the Internet, as far as more competition and things moving faster, and we need to embrace the digital tools of today.”

Lynch also takes special pride in the company’s social responsibility.

“Our corporate social responsibility report tells more of the story about the company, our people and what they do in their communities, such as helping out after natural disasters,” he enthused. “That excites people in the company, because we stand for more than just dollars and cents.”