THEMES
Our Programme is taking shape but what can you expect and what will you learn from our expert panels at this year's event?
METAVERSE - WEB3
Debugging the buzz words, Metaverse and Web3 and what they really mean for business?
Ever since Facebook announced it was changing its name to Meta, talk of the metaverse has been on the tip of people’s tongues, but what does it mean? If you’ve been struggling to find a definition you’re not alone - The metaverse as a concept feels vague and speculative because it is. It is not a shiny product ready to launch but a work in progress. The creation of a second virtual world which will require significant input and collaboration to truly take form. Web3, on the other hand, appears to be much simpler, providing clear solutions to specific shortcomings of the Web 2 internet including data extractions and privacy breaches by addressing issues of ownership and control.
In this session we will discuss what the buzz words mean and what they mean for business. We will look at how they will relate to the work we do and how we plan to operate businesses in the future.
FINTECH
Payment has never been easier but is it safer?
It is hard to believe that not so long ago we still paid mostly with cash or even a cheque. However with the introduction of shopping online came the need to make payments simpler, more efficient and via multiple sources. Right now it’s never been easier to pay for goods and services using smartphones or simplified check out processes which recall your details or send a code enabling you to complete your transaction swiftly. During this session we will be discussing how technologies like embedded finance are streamlining processes for consumers whilst creating operational efficiencies for business. Plus we will explore the other financial innovations set to make their mark on the consumer journey and how businesses can provide consumer confidence that new and innovative payment methods are safe.
RETAIL
Embracing Omnichannel
We’ve long since heard of the death of the high street but we all know that the truly innovative retailers will remain in their physical locations, not because they are not open to change but because they are embracing the change which is omnichannel - a way of selling their products that is as equally good for the consumer as it is for retailers. Customers interacting with an omnichannel experience on average spent 4% more in-store and 10% more online as a result of the joined-up approach. We’ll be discussing how retailers can adapt and what this means for business models and operations now and in the future.
DIGITAL MARKETING
omnichannel beyond retail - the tech behind the strategy
Whilst retail is leading the way in omnichannel it is a way of selling products and services which is being quickly adopted by other sectors and marketers who want to create a seamless experience for customers across all the channels through which they sell. The offline touchpoints have been just as important as the online ones but crucially it all depends on the tech driving it from shoppable Instagram posts to customers receiving an SMS message whilst shopping in store or being retargeted by online ads after abandoning their purchase or leaving the online store. We’ll be discussing how marketers are embracing the technologies which are enabling this omnichannel strategy and what might be next.
GREEN TECH
Leveraging tech to meet sustainability ambitions
Never before have businesses been under quite so much pressure to operate in a way that is sustainable. Increasingly consumers want to work with and purchase from businesses that operate in a way that aligns with their values on environmental issues and sustainability. We’ll discuss how businesses can leverage technology to help meet their own sustainability ambitions and crucially what is expected of them from their customers, clients and the wider world.
CYBER SECURITY
There’s no such thing as too much security
In 2020 47.3% of organisations reported a medium to high level of security automation compared to 39% reported the year before. More and more businesses are investing in security and security automation and after almost two years of working and living online it’s easy to see why. We’ll be discussing how AI continues to play a crucial role in automating security systems online and how multi factor authentication (MFA) including authorisation codes, facial recognition and finger techniques are providing businesses with an additional layer of security for their people and systems.
HEALTH TECH
The Tech Engagement Divide in Healthcare
Healthcare like all other sectors has been forced to change the way it operates from bringing appointments online to rolling out an entire vaccination programme. But how are people responding to the innovations in tech and who is being left behind? We’ll be discussing the two extremes from the patients at the forefront of innovation, contributing to communities and suggesting advances and solutions to healthcare issues to those for whom poverty is a direct contributor to accessing services and information online and how we can bridge the gap between the two.
TALENT
Recruitment Robots and Interview with an algorithm
The talent ecosystem is changing and fast. Both technology and people drive today’s talent solutions but within the next five years this is set to change. Consider the current job market? Whilst specialist knowledge can never be undervalued, it’s largely down to technology when it comes to finding for, applying for and even been shortlisted for a role. AI is playing a huge part in optimising the time spent on recruitment processes, eliminating human bias, reducing cost and delivering a more suitable candidate. But what does this mean for the future of recruitment, will candidates be interviewed by bots and will algorithms play an even bigger part in selection processes?
Debugging the buzz words, Metaverse and Web3 and what they really mean for business?
Ever since Facebook announced it was changing its name to Meta, talk of the metaverse has been on the tip of people’s tongues, but what does it mean? If you’ve been struggling to find a definition you’re not alone - The metaverse as a concept feels vague and speculative because it is. It is not a shiny product ready to launch but a work in progress. The creation of a second virtual world which will require significant input and collaboration to truly take form. Web3, on the other hand, appears to be much simpler, providing clear solutions to specific shortcomings of the Web 2 internet including data extractions and privacy breaches by addressing issues of ownership and control.
In this session we will discuss what the buzz words mean and what they mean for business. We will look at how they will relate to the work we do and how we plan to operate businesses in the future.
FINTECH
Payment has never been easier but is it safer?
It is hard to believe that not so long ago we still paid mostly with cash or even a cheque. However with the introduction of shopping online came the need to make payments simpler, more efficient and via multiple sources. Right now it’s never been easier to pay for goods and services using smartphones or simplified check out processes which recall your details or send a code enabling you to complete your transaction swiftly. During this session we will be discussing how technologies like embedded finance are streamlining processes for consumers whilst creating operational efficiencies for business. Plus we will explore the other financial innovations set to make their mark on the consumer journey and how businesses can provide consumer confidence that new and innovative payment methods are safe.
RETAIL
Embracing Omnichannel
We’ve long since heard of the death of the high street but we all know that the truly innovative retailers will remain in their physical locations, not because they are not open to change but because they are embracing the change which is omnichannel - a way of selling their products that is as equally good for the consumer as it is for retailers. Customers interacting with an omnichannel experience on average spent 4% more in-store and 10% more online as a result of the joined-up approach. We’ll be discussing how retailers can adapt and what this means for business models and operations now and in the future.
DIGITAL MARKETING
omnichannel beyond retail - the tech behind the strategy
Whilst retail is leading the way in omnichannel it is a way of selling products and services which is being quickly adopted by other sectors and marketers who want to create a seamless experience for customers across all the channels through which they sell. The offline touchpoints have been just as important as the online ones but crucially it all depends on the tech driving it from shoppable Instagram posts to customers receiving an SMS message whilst shopping in store or being retargeted by online ads after abandoning their purchase or leaving the online store. We’ll be discussing how marketers are embracing the technologies which are enabling this omnichannel strategy and what might be next.
GREEN TECH
Leveraging tech to meet sustainability ambitions
Never before have businesses been under quite so much pressure to operate in a way that is sustainable. Increasingly consumers want to work with and purchase from businesses that operate in a way that aligns with their values on environmental issues and sustainability. We’ll discuss how businesses can leverage technology to help meet their own sustainability ambitions and crucially what is expected of them from their customers, clients and the wider world.
CYBER SECURITY
There’s no such thing as too much security
In 2020 47.3% of organisations reported a medium to high level of security automation compared to 39% reported the year before. More and more businesses are investing in security and security automation and after almost two years of working and living online it’s easy to see why. We’ll be discussing how AI continues to play a crucial role in automating security systems online and how multi factor authentication (MFA) including authorisation codes, facial recognition and finger techniques are providing businesses with an additional layer of security for their people and systems.
HEALTH TECH
The Tech Engagement Divide in Healthcare
Healthcare like all other sectors has been forced to change the way it operates from bringing appointments online to rolling out an entire vaccination programme. But how are people responding to the innovations in tech and who is being left behind? We’ll be discussing the two extremes from the patients at the forefront of innovation, contributing to communities and suggesting advances and solutions to healthcare issues to those for whom poverty is a direct contributor to accessing services and information online and how we can bridge the gap between the two.
TALENT
Recruitment Robots and Interview with an algorithm
The talent ecosystem is changing and fast. Both technology and people drive today’s talent solutions but within the next five years this is set to change. Consider the current job market? Whilst specialist knowledge can never be undervalued, it’s largely down to technology when it comes to finding for, applying for and even been shortlisted for a role. AI is playing a huge part in optimising the time spent on recruitment processes, eliminating human bias, reducing cost and delivering a more suitable candidate. But what does this mean for the future of recruitment, will candidates be interviewed by bots and will algorithms play an even bigger part in selection processes?