Thriving in the digital economy requires an unprecedented level of agility and the pressure on technology leaders to deliver at speed has never been greater.

Existing challenges will escalate. Huge data volumes and unparalleled consumer demands mean IT leaders must rethink approaches to cloud, data and applications, if businesses are to build the digital advantage they envisage.

What are the strategic imperatives in this challenging environment? Join IT leaders for cross-industry learning around 6 critical trends that will accelerate your technology strategy.

08.00 Registration, Breakfast and Business Networking

08.30 Welcome by Nimbus Ninety

08.35 Equinix

08.50 Case Studies

09.10 Interactive Discussion Groups

• Discussion 1: Rethinking ROI: how does IT investment strategy need to evolve?
The pace of technological change requires a new approach to investment. We discuss the challenges in determining the new economics of today’s technology decisions, and what critical questions will ensure the right investment strategy.

• Discussion 2: Solving critical workloads with digital-ready infrastructure
With multiple infrastructure options and a challenging business environment, managing business-critical workloads requires a delicate balancing of priorities. We explore the key decisions to balance optimal performance and availability, with security and flexibility to scale.

• Discussion 3: Cloudonomics: The Power of Cloud at Scale
Major investment in cloud has underpinned digital transformation. Yet more must be done to realise cloud’s full potential, deliver future innovation and embed a digital advantage. What’s the right strategy? What goes in, what stays out, and how do you advance towards cloud at scale?

• Discussion 4: Customer Experience Edge: Beyond Digital First to Digital Only?
Customers demand seamless, immediate services and data-rich personalised experiences, and these expectations are set to accelerate over the next decade. We discuss essential new approaches to drive a step change in the digital experience.

• Discussion 5: Driving value from data: navigating volume, velocity and variety
Advances in cloud, interconnection and analytics are enabling new sources of value to emerge from previously unwieldy data sets. How do you shift to this new approach and situate data right at the heart of value creation and decision-making?

• Discussion 6: Innovation Edge: Coherence from Pilot to Scale
The disruptive potential of technologies such as AI, IoT and blockchain is revitalising the imperative to innovate. We discuss where innovation is happening, what’s driving it, and how to transition from a successful pilot to the wider business.

10.00 Lessons learnt with Q&A panel

10.30 Takeaway actions

10.40 Conclusions

10.45 Close

In partnership with:

Speaker - Matt Watts

As EMEA CTO, Matt Watts provides guidance on NetApp’s overall strategy and technology solutions to a wide base of customers and the global partner community. Matt is also part of the EMEA leadership team providing advice and guidance on technology and transformation.

He is a sought-after keynote speaker who combines his knowledge of the IT industry with anecdotes and stories. On stage, Matt is known for bringing technology to life with witty, easily understandable examples.

Matt started his career in technology as an aircraft engineer and has since accumulated over 25 years of IT experience, 14 of which have been spent with NetApp. Prior to his current role, he oversaw a number of significant IT projects, managed a team of System Engineers responsible for providing installation and onsite support, as well as being responsible for IT outsourcing contracts. This experience has put him in contact with all levels of IT leadership, enabling Matt to understand, communicate with and support clients across a wide range of industries and sizes with their IT strategies.

Matt Watts shares his experiences and industry learnings on his personal blog www.watts-innovating.com.