When the future begins: a guide to long-term thinking in turbulent times

In the past few years, we have seen financial chaos, climate change, An Arab spring, Angry Birds, Gagnam Style Dancing and the G7 expand to a G20 and then contract to a G-Zero, a world where nobody is in charge. How do we plan long-term in a changing world? What changes should we pay attention to and which ones should we ignore?

In his keynote, Magnus Lindkvist will explore:
• How a long-term view can create greater clarity for business.
• The difference between horizontal and vertical trends.
• Explore different visions of "The Future" and how they affect our behaviour.
• Give examples of strategies and behaviour that have proved successful for companies and organisations that have thrived in times of flux.

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Magnus Lindkvist is a trendspotter and futurologist who weaves together the most important and exciting current trends to forecast what life, society and business might look like in the future. With a uniquely energetic speaking style, his talks are a multimedia-infused boost of intellectual inspiration about topics ranging from trendspotting and innovation to future-living and the business world of tomorrow.

Magnus is a graduate of Stockholm School of Economics and UCLA School of Film, Television and Theatre and has made a career out of fusing the measurability and tangibility of the business world with the imaginative storytelling of Hollywood. He founded his company Pattern Recognition in 2005 to help companies make sense (and money) out of the future. In 2009, he won the coveted "Business Speaker of the Year" award in Sweden. In 2008, he created the world's first academically accredited course in Trendspotting and Future Thinking at Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship. Magnus is a member of renowned conference TED - technology, entertainment and design.

http://www.magnuslindkvist.com/
 

Keynote Address: The Outlook for the Euro

In his keynote presentation, Roger Bootle, Managing Director of Capital Economics and one of the City of London’s best-known economists, will examine the outlook for the Euro. Contained within this he will address how the euro-zone is doing with regard to growth and employment, how monetary union came about and its fundamental problems with regard to, public debt, a lack of competiveness, the weakness of the banks, and growth prospects.

Roger Bootle will further address, the questions of what it would take to keep the monetary union together, the impact of the German problem at the heart of the system and how a country might go about leaving the Euro from both the perspective of problems and solutions, with a view to answering:

• Which countries are most at risk of leaving?
• Could a strong country leave?
• What are the prospects for the euro exchange rate?
• The consequences for Europe, the UK and the world, if it broke up?

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One of the City of London’s best-known economists, Roger Bootle runs the consultancy, Capital Economics, which specialises in macroeconomics and the economics of the property market.  He is also a Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons Treasury Committee and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries.  He was formerly Group Chief Economist of HSBC and, under the previous Conservative government, he was appointed one of the Chancellor’s panel of Independent Economic Advisers, the so-called “Wise Men”. In July it was announced that Roger and a team from Capital Economics had won the Wolfson Prize, the second biggest prize in Economics after the Nobel.

Roger Bootle studied at Oxford University and then became a Lecturer in Economics at St Anne’s College, Oxford.  Most of his subsequent career has been spent in the City of London.
 
 

Keynote Address: The road to success

Rosie Swale Pope, a record holding solo runner and adventurer, is a true believer that if she can realise her dreams, anyone can. In her keynote address, Rosie will share some of the life lessons she learnt in her 20,000 mile journey around the world.

Rosie believes life responds to the way you think and feel. When a wolf puts its head inside your tent, you have to cope or become its dinner. This, along with facing a mad axe-man and frostbite in Siberia all tested Rosie’s desire to succeed.

Interwoven with inspirational stories of her journey, Rosie’s message is clear:
 •Huge challenges can be faced and overcome.
•Seemingly hopeless situations can be turned around.
•Attitude & mind-set can be the biggest barrier to achievement.
•How to cope with adversity and believe there is no such word as failure - only degrees of success.
 
Rosie will also be running professional development workshops.

Projects fail when they lose touch with reality

Tomorrow's Information Security

In order to face the challenges of mobile computing, social media, cloud, cyber crime, advanced persistent threats etc., organisations need to develop an integrated and coordinated response. This response should be developed assuming a green field operation:

• what is the information security strategy going forward?
• what is the sustainable security architecture we need to have in place
• what is the best structure and mandate for the information security function
• who should this function work with other risk functions?

The 2012 Ernst & Young Global Information Security Survey will disclose what such a ‘fundamental shift’ means and what organisations are doing to make such a shift successful, as well as providing an insight into how the Information Security function is viewed within an organisation and most importantly by the board of directors.
 

BYOD: It's about the data, stupid

oin Keith Awcock in this interactive session as he breaks down the tangible security, dreality that is “bring your own device”. With an focus on data, attendees will discuss:

• Getting data into the hands of those that will use it for good or bad
• This is my data and that's yours - let's not share
• It's your device but I want squatters rights
• Breaking it down: Phones, Tablets, Laptops
 

Marketing Technology --- Opportunity or Threat?

Web-based marketing technology (MRM) is recognised as probably the greatest growth area of IT-related spend across the next 5 years  and is widely recognised a key enabler to sustained corporate growth.  Using existing skill-sets, experience and process management this will offer the IT function a valuable opportunity to remain at the heart of this strategically important innovation while further developing a deep and productive relationship with marketing colleagues.

Drawing on more than 10 years practical experience of working with marketers and their agencies on specifying and implementing marketing systems Charles will outline how IT can remain at centre stage of this exciting growth area.  Through reference to case studies derived from working with international “blue-chip” marketing organisation he will identify the key issues, typical obstacles and practical solutions to successfully embedding MRM systems through collaboration between IT, marketing and specialist external suppliers.
 

Transforming the Healthcare Environment - A Life after NPfIT Discussion Group

The 2013 CIO agenda

Gamification of IT & Leveraging the Gen Y Users: A Discussion Group

With any organisation with employees or agents of Generation Y, making IT and IT based task more in-tune with their day-to-day computing experiences can offer huge rewards to the corporate workplace.

Gamification is the use of game-thinking and game mechanics in non-game contexts in order to engage users and solve problems.  Gamification is used in applications and processes to improve user engagement, ROI, data quality, timeliness, and learning.

As Gamification can seem to dumb-down corporate IT system spread out remotely, a number of IT-related issues can present themselves: Culture focus, change management, security issues galore to mention just a few. Traditionally, the IT department has been leaned upon to keep core system high in functionality – now have to also be high in usability and give instant reward and recognition to the user.

As technology has evolved however, the IT department is in a completely new position: one that can pro-actively encourage, train and update their workforce so everyone is synchronised as one, but in a way that fits their generation. Join Clifford Wetherall of The Utility Warehouse (and wrangler of 650 staff and 35000 self-employed remote agents himself) as he leads this discussion group on the many possibilities and advantages making IT more engaging and virtually rewarding:

• Achievement "badges"
• Achievement levels
• Leaderboards
• Virtual currency
• Systems for awarding, redeeming, trading, gifting, and otherwise exchanging points
• Challenges between users
• Embedding small casual games within other activities.
• Personal engagement on a remote level

The Impact of Agility on Culture

Business agility and agile working play a key part in ensuring the future effectiveness of Greater Manchester Police.  The rate of organisational change required to remain effective has accelerated ahead of the rate of change in GMP, consequently our ability to embrace agile working will be fundamental in our future, where agility include changing routines, ways of working, adopting new processes, technology etc.   

Agility encompasses two entirely different concepts: the physical concept (the workplace and its environment) and the business concept based on human and social need.

This presentation explores how requirements for “agility” may impact GMP’s culture, ways of working and future policing model which supports our prime objective defined as “Protecting Society and to help keep people safe”; our ethics, ethos and culture reflects this fundamental proposition. Agility will support this.
 

The Reality of Big Data: a Discussion Group

What is the reality of big data amongst all the hype? While vendors are trying to shape their own definitions, the reality is that Big Data is a new paradigm in which we are creating more data than we have the means to efficiently store and/or make use of (process).  Big Data includes the 3 Vs – Velocity (how quick we generate/access data), Volume (how much  - Petabytes, etc) and Variety (structure v unstructured). 

Within the Context of “Data Sharing” and enhanced co-operation, the need for greater information sharing across agencies and partners is fundamental. Join Mario as he moderates this discussion on Data and its true place today.
 

IT Leadership in action…

In a world where 84% of IT Directors do not have an agreed Personal Development plan, this session will challenge you to take greater control over your own development. You will have the opportunity to review conventional Strategic Leadership definitions, challenge the blockers that cause inaction and consider how to prioritise the aspects of your “day job” that have greatest positive impact on the business.

The purpose of this session will be to improve personal effectiveness with easily implementable actions that will help the most commonly discussed frustrations amongst IT Directors. To include:

• Building greater Board influence,
• Driving IT to the top of the business strategy agenda,
• Enhancing the internal perceptions and value of IT,
• Driving business change and profitability through IT,
• Delivering service excellence through high performance 

......An engaging, participative workshop focussed on overcoming the inactions that prevent great IT people from becoming great leaders.
 

CYOD: A Discussion Group

Are you interested in how BYO has evolved into CYOD through to UYOD?  Do you want to discuss and share thoughts on how, from the early objectives of BYOD having to have a tangible ROI to now being demanded by users through consumerisation?  Has the need for ROI gone or is there more value in delivering an ever increasing choice of device?  Does the smart phone mobile policy filter down through to laptops and desktops?  Should it?  Should Heads of IT invest on Mobile Device Management (MDM) or focus on securing the data?  Join Toby Clarke as he poses these and many other questions in this topical discussion group.

Outsourcing for Outcomes and Innovation: A Discussion Group

CIO 1-2-1

As the CIO role becomes more business-focused, what’s needed at the top of the organisation is someone who can bridge both the technology and business worlds.  Mentoring and personal development are key factors in enabling good IT people to step up the ladder into a CIO or wider business role.

During a 30 minute one-to-one coaching session you will be able to confidentially explore a personal or professional challenge that’s getting in the way of you achieving your aspirations, objectives or goals.  Dedication and commitment to personal and professional development is often what marks out the top CIOs – take this opportunity to set aside some time with professionals who can help.
 

Team Engagement