France Telecom faces trial as former deputy CEO speaks out

In the week that a French court has launched an investigation into whether France Télécom SA should face trial over the suicide of its workers, Louis Pierre Wennes (former deputy CEO of the group) gives his first public interview since his resignation exclusively to MeetTheBoss.tv. Louis resigned from France Telecom in October last year after twenty-four of his staff commit suicide.

Louis was blamed for causing widespread stress in the company owing to his brutal cost-cutting measures. Union leaders pointed the finger at Louis for the suicides owing to a vicious, target-obsessed company culture in which, they say, well-qualified employees (most in their 40s) were pushed to "breaking" point.
An astonishing 22,000 staff have resigned in the last four years. But many remain and have been shifted into high-pressure call centres where individuals compete for monthly results-based bonuses. Mr Wennes, 60, had been overseeing a programme called "Next" to modernise the firm.

Throughout the interview Wennes maintained a professional approach “All I asked from my people was do the best you can, I can’t expect more than your best, but not less because we need it.” When asked about the 24 suicides in 18 months he replied “I do not want to underestimate the issue, but it’s a biased view of the situation, if we look at the facts the suicide rate at France Telecom did not increase during that period, it was more in the year 2000 and similar to the overall French corresponding population.”

This week an investigative judge will decide whether there is enough evidence to open a court case accusing France Télécom and some of its managers of involuntary homicide, which can lead to three years in jail and a substantial fine.
The first public interview with Louis Pierre Wennes (former deputy of France Telecom) will go live this week on MeetTheBoss.TV

Saatchi and Saatchi give a personal approach to the recovery

Bob Seelert, chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi, speaks candidly for MeetTheBoss.TV on how he was intent on taking the helm of what was a sinking ship and steering it into a course of thirteen years of concessive growth. What is his secret? The personal approach!

Saatchi & Saatchi are a truly world-wide communications network having 135 offices in eighty-five countries. From the first day of his arduous voyage Bob achieved incredible feats, and within six months he had built face-to-face connections with staff accounting for over 60% of the company’s revenues.

“From my first day at Saatchi & Saatchi, I met with as many people as I possibly could, There is no substitute for a personal presence, I went to four companies in London and then got on a concord and did the same in New York before meeting with the Chairman of our biggest client Proctor and Gamble”.

Bob wanted to break barriers, and he had to be seen as an approachable rock for the company, sharing his vision and hope for the future. Bob wanted everyone to know this and did the same exercise with client’s, bringing both his charisma and long term outlook to meetings and building faith in the brand and in his strategies.

“To be revered as the hothouse for world-changing ideas is what create sustainable growth for our clients.”

Bob Seelert’s uncanny ability to talk about his leadership is one of his many talents, which has lead him to make strong relationships with his clients, earn respect from his staff and attract new business relationships.


To see the full interview with Bob Seelert and learn about the skills that made him successful at Saatchi & Saatchi, visit MeetTheBoss.tv

Healthcare CFO’s V-tach on Obama’s Healthcare Reform

Urgent meetings are being held by the financial leaders of American Healthcare companies in the wake of Obama’s Healthcare Reform being passed 219 – 212 in the House of Representatives. The introduction of this policy heralds a transformation in the fabric of American society, and the way U.S citizens receive medical care has suddenly been revolutionalised in a direction which healthcare CFO’s cannot afford to ignore.

Obama states: “[It] answers the prayers of every American who has hoped deeply for something to be done about a healthcare system that works for insurance companies, but not for ordinary people.”

As miraculous as this sounds, the campaigns against the bill have been vehement, and during these unstable economic times not everyone is content with Obama’s changes. CFO’s need to strategize together to implement a plan that ensures the successful revenue cycle of their organizations. Industry leaders such as Vince Schmidt SVP and CFO of Multicare Health System, Mark Spafford CFO and VP of Health Management Associates, Robert Booth CFO of Summit Medical Group, and Larry Dupper CFO of Valley View Hospital are attending a series of closed door meetings at the ‘CFO Healthcare Summit US 2010’ in Arizona to discuss at this illustrious occurrence what action needs to be taken, and how.

A leading source, who wished to remain anonymous stated, “ I think most CFO’s feel thrown in at the deep end like never before. It is sink or swim, and we need a consistent approach to tackle these difficulties so the ‘CFO Healthcare Summit US 2010’ is a crucial event for our company, and for the American Healthcare industry as a whole.”

Obama’s greatest allies and fiercest critics await the outcome of the ‘CFO Healthcare Summit US 2010’ with baited breath, as not only the financial future of the American Healthcare system will be decided, but also the sagacity of the bill which Obama fought so hard to win will be revealed.

$18bn African Investment – but can the Middle East take the call?

Since 2001, Investment into the African telecommunications sector has hit $18bn, however Africa has missed many opportunities to deploy cable infrastructure to the same extent as its competitive continents such as the Middle East and Asia.
Nevertheless leading authorities understand that such an infrastructure is vital for the continents development and they are planning to announce future moves into 4G at NGT Africa summit hosted by GDS international.
South Africa’s international connectivity received a major boost last year with the launch of the Seacom cable, a high-bandwidth data link connecting Africa with India and Europe. Two further major cables, the West African Cable System and the East African Submarine Cable, are due to come into operation over the next two years.

Africa can offer competitive prices to emerging companies and has obvious mass growth potential. Recent infrastructure improvements throughout the African Markets have allowed the continent to rival the likes of Dubai. As a direct result of the NGT meetings regions such as East Africa are now the choice of many multinationals as a gateway to the Middle East and Africa.

“So far, technology has been a strong point for Dubai. But the arrival of the new submarine cables will allow Africa to run services at a reduced cost.” Will Gary Austin, NGT Director

With so much growth potential and increased investments into the African telecoms market it comes as no surprise that the Middle East telecoms elite have been quick to announce their attendance at the NGT MENA summit to discuss how they plan to maintain their dominance within the market and provide the best services possible to outside investors.
Representatives confirmed to attend the NGT Discussions include Tony Shakib – VP Service provider Emerging Markets from CISCO and Knut Aasrud GM Communications Sector EMEA who will be on hand to share their thought leadership as technology innovators with Ghana Telecom (Vodafone Ghana) - Eric Valentine, Head of Technology Core Networks Orange Uganda - Phillipe Luxey, CEO MTN Group - Sifiso Dabengwa , COO Telkom SA - Charlotte Mokoena, CEO Vodacom Group - Vujani Jarana, Ex. Director Operations Virgin Mobile South Africa - Steve Bailey, CEO

"Cisco and SEACOM share a common goal to enable accessible broadband across Africa while lowering the cost of communication to spur growth within urban and rural communities. We're working with SEACOM to help transform Africa by outlining process change, building networks, and then providing the application services and expertise that support key services for citizens, such as education, healthcare, public safety, economic development, and national security. SEACOM will provide the catalyst for African consumers, business and government to realise the benefits of connectivity and collaboration across the globe." Courtesy of CISCO Systems Inc

Big Banks Back Paperless Push

Finance Giants have met at the recent FST US summit to discuss ECM – practical solutions to a green problem.

The banking world has been under pressure for the last 12 months, if we put aside the global credit crunch, something which isn’t easy to do, banks have been facing a well documented consumer dispute over bank charges and clerical expenses, the need to review an extended history of client’s accounts is now a necessity. Government and consumer pressure to go green also means that traditional business practices must be re thought to meet sustainable demand.

“The ability to examine appropriate paperwork for an increasing number of client claims over extended periods of time is now a daily challenge. We must also consider the environmental impact of paper intensive banking.” Rein Hofstra – Bank of America

Discussions at the FST US summit (hosted by GDS International) quickly turned to the need for green solutions; top of the list was pushing the consumer to back paperless banking, how to create a system which allows easy options for the consumer to choose the green solution, and encouraging in house paper saving.

If we were to argue that big business is interested in the bottom line then switching to ECM is the sensible choice, printing and mailing costs can reach anywhere up to $3.50 per customer but the preparation and delivery of and electronic statement is a snip at $0.15 per customer.
“Data Document automation will aid in freeing up staff, reducing costs and maintaining 100% data accuracy. Changing compliance regulations, non-integrated technologies, and the complexity of the document life cycle are the main document management challenges integral to the financial services industry. Big business discussed how they would reduce costs and eliminate wasted resources ultimately saving money and streamlining processes.” Madhavan Rhagamacharvi – Morgan Stanley
We could become enamored with the glamorous savings, an environmentally sustainable banking system and improved customer relations but ultimately the test will come when implementing the technology to reach the consumer majority and digital storage capabilities.

Jeanne Capachin – Research VP, Global Banking, IDC Financial Insights led the 50 strong conglomerate including Rein Hofstra – Bank of America, Leon Wilson – BB&T and Madhavan Rhagamacharvi – Morgan Stanley discussing Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Streamlining information sharing and information access across all business lines, Eliminate paper waste and the costs associated with it and supporting green initiatives that promote environmentally responsible practices.
If we are to reach the ultimate goal of a green banking future and consumer control of digital banking solutions meetings such as the FST US summit must remain an open discussion platform for financial executives to discuss as an industry and not as a sole corporation.

Consumer Confusion Push for industry labeling agreement

The European Committee has just voted against consumer pressure to introduce a traffic light colour code for food labeling. But how has the industry reacted. Coca Cola, Kellogg’s, DANONE, Kraft Foods and Nestle among many other industry leading representatives meet at the illustrious NGF Summit at the Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin, The Netherlands to discuss action plans.

The new system already adopted in the UK has been unanimously agreed upon by consumer boards as the best way to combat global health concerns for obesity. It is no secret that this was widely rejected by the industry with growing fears of reduced competitiveness and unfairly portraying certain food products such as cheese and pâté as an unhealthy choice.

As in many other areas of food manufacturing, the rules have changed for packaging and labeling. Regulations surrounding ingredient and nutrition disclosure as well as allergen labeling necessitate changes in labeling operations, while sustainability and security in packaging become increasingly challenging. The attendees at the NGF EU summit hosted by GDS International will explore the innovative technologies and practices to enable both compliance and efficiency within the areas of packaging and labeling and debate the widely controversial subject of honest and clear fat, salt, calorie and sugar content labelling.

Under the system – a version of which is in use in the UK – food companies would be required to label the front of their packages with red, amber or green icons to denote the amounts of fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar they contain.

Despite the rejection BEUC, Europe’s largest consumer organisation, called the vote “a severe blow” for public health. A unified strategy is expected to be reached at the next NGH EU summit with representatives from Coca – Cola enterprises, Danone, Kellogs Europe, Kraft Foods, Nestle all of which who have openly stated their concerns with the traffic light.

With the consumer struggling with a mix match of food labeling solutions and confusing information an ever growing health conscious society is pushing for a standard solution. Although voluntary use of the traffic light system has been embraced by stores such as Waitrose and Marks and Spencer’s other companies are using different percentage break downs and varying colour coding systems. But can a viable solution be agreed upon given consumer pressure?

From Regional to Global: how Pfizer reworked the pharmaceutical business model

Jorge Puente, Regional President of WW Pfizer gives MeetTheBoss.tv an inside look into how Pfizer became global.

Jorge Puente explained to Adam Burns, Editor in Chief of meettheboss.tv, that the fact he did not know there was a Pfizer international office until they invited him to do a lecture, really became a telltale sign that change needed to take place at the pharmaceutical giant.
Jorge goes onto develop the example by supplying the underlying corporate culture that lead Pfizer International to generate more revenues then Pfizer US. The ability to “have this customer oriented philosophy where we are there for the customer first” was the basis for change.

When Pfizer looks globally at providing medication the need to look at the needs of patients in regions becomes a much greater challenge then looking at providing a blanket of solutions. Jorge cites the example of diabetes in the US, as opposed to Asia, to show why going global needed to be though about differently.

“If you look at diabetics in the West, your typical type two diabetic tends to be overweight, and hyperinsulinemic. In many Asian countries, diabetics are very different and tend to be hypoinsulinemic”. This means that the same medication cannot be provided across multiple regions based on same diagnosis.

“Sometimes for one patient there is a benefit/risk ratio that may be different for another patient. Obviously that changes with geography because conditions are also very geographically determined.” This is one of the very basic concepts that Jorge describes as translating from medical to corporate management.

To manage many different geographical medical solutions Pfizer became “a collection of small units”, each one of those completely focused on a specific area. So one unit in Asia would focus primarily on oncology and be “100 percent accountable within that unit for all decisions that are being made in the cancer space” and this is done in conjunction with global executives in Pfizer as well as governmental executives in the specific region, in this case Asia.

These corporate changes have allowed Pfizer the flexibility to reach any region globally, as well as the speed in which to make changes and implement programs: but does that translate to the patient trusting Pfizer? Possibly not, given that Jorge agreed only 42 percent of people trust the healthcare industry to do the right thing, a drop of 16 percent from last year.

But once the structure was been available for regional units to take responsibility for the needs of the patients in that unit then programs to rebuild that trust, such as the Maintain Program – Jorge’s innovative program to help eligible unemployed Americans and their families maintain access to their Pfizer medicines for free – could be created.

MENA versus APAC in the Battle for Limited Commodities

The MENA region has lead the way in the global oil and gas industry for some time now, but has this level of dominance made them complacent? Are they still in a position to compete with the emerging APAC region?
Well this week leading oil and gas executives from the APAC region met at the illustrious NG O&G APAC summit at Sentosa to discuss new technology and innovation which will allow them to close the gap on the Middle East supply.
2009 saw the biggest pullback in oil demand in history and the economic downturn saw oil consumption drop by 3 million barrels per day (bpd). 2010 has seen the global market splutter back towards relative normality, offering investment opportunities across the industry, which has been capitalized on by the attendees at the recent NG O&G APAC summit hosted by GDS International.
Industrialization and population growth in developing countries drive demand in the oil and gas industry, but a stable economy is a necessity for development, something that is finally beginning to appear on the horizon.
Growth also needs support, a good infrastructure and the harnessing of new and emerging technologies, a debate which will be key at the NG O&G MENA summit set in April.
The consortium looking to maintain the Middle East's hold on the market is chaired by Ali Singab, GM Exploration & Production at Emirates National Oil Company; Farouk Hussein Al Zanki, Chairman, Kuwait National Petroleum; Yousef Al Taher, Board Members, Operations; Dr. Mirza, Minister of Oil & Gas for Bahrain and Nabi Mukhtar, Head of Drilling at BAPCO. They are all looking at how we can improve business and operational performance while transforming data into actionable intelligence.
Business and operational leaders face a number of challenges related to diverse and non-integrated technologies and informational systems. Quite often they are overwhelmed by data overload and technology obsolescence issues. Such scenarios can lead to low ROI and missed business opportunities. In addition, emerging technologies and enhanced regulatory and safety compliance are adding to the complexity at a time of dwindling skilled resource bases.
“Consolidation in the sector is inevitable as larger companies take advantage of strategic opportunities. The positive trends that we have seen in recent months are likely to continue this year and the outlook for oil and gas transactions is healthy in upstream and oilfield services. This is a pattern which emerges globally by the Middle East, Africa and Asia – Pacific” Summit Director
Economically, more cooperation between the oils and gas sector's ‘big businesses’ would reduce the economic costs for the Asia–Pacific region thus reducing their reliance on the Middle East.

Forward Thinking Telecoms

Executives from the telecoms industry have just met at the closed-door NGT20 meeting to discuss the vision for the future and key growth markets.

2010 so far has been un-momentous in the telecoms industry, but this is about to change if we are to believe the latest news from the NGT NA summit hosted by GDS International.

The senior executives gathered to develop a vision on the key steps needed to capture new markets and revenues. The meeting was moderated by Melanie Posey – Research Director Telecom Markets, IDC. Key points discussed focused on the future of cloud computing; hype, opportunity, or disintermediation? Customer experience and the role of portals: delivering customer satisfaction, reducing costs, and managing customer expectations and telecoms regulation.

As expected Cloud Computing was a talking point among the majority of attendees. Cloud is set to transform the way we do business; the opportunity it offers to business provides endless possibilities, surmised the executives who also discussed in detail the need to upgrade fibre-based networks, increasing the speed and quality of delivery to the consumer.

“Everybody wants a piece of the cloud - hardware, software, IT outsourcers, telecom carriers, and cloud-native X-as-a-service providers are all jostling for position in this emerging (and in some ways, ill-defined) arena.” Joe Weinman – VP Strategy & Business Development, AT&T

Given the myriad of challenges telcos face to their core businesses, they cannot allow themselves to be left out of the industry discussion. They must get on the cloud bus or risk being thrown under it. This is understood by representatives at AT&T Business Solutions - Joe Weinman, VP Global Portfolio Strategy & Business Development, Cox Communications - Dan Estes, Executive Director of Business Operations & Engineering, Global Crossing - Adam Uzelac, Director of Converged Network Architecture & Engineering, Pac-West Telecomm - Mike Hawn, SVP Sales, Sprint Nextel - Danny Bowman, President – Integrated Solutions Group, T-Mobile - Jim Zerbe, Director Product Development, Virgin Mobile USA - Dan Acton, Chief Information & Technology Officer .

The good news is that for once in almost 30 years, software is changing. No longer are you stuck with simply new features using outdated technology. You now have an alternative technology solution. But as is the case with most drastic business change the consumer will be the driving force.

The Grass is Greener over in MENA

The Middle East and North African Utilities Industry is in a state of growth, global investment has meant that the Middle East is officially out of the recession. Investment banks are increasing their spending within the utilities sector. Maintaining the correct balance between supply and demand has meant large scale investment such as the recent $1.8bn going to the SEC (Saudi Electric Company) and more than $5.4bn is being spent in Dubai to increase their power capacity from 6000MW to 9800MW by the end of 2011.

But how do they plan to spend new investments and meet demand? This is the question on every ones lips at the NGU MENA Summit hosted by GDS international in Abu Dhabi.

“One key factor facing the utilities industry is emphasis on using environmentally sustainable resources and smart technology to reduce the environmental impact.” Said a spokesperson for the illustrious NGU 20 consortium chaired by Mr Fareed Al Yogout, President National Power Company Saudi Arabia and Mr Khalil Issa, CEO Energy Central Company.

The MENA region is already one step ahead in harnessing the power of its abundant sun. Global investment is coming in thick and fast entering the multibillion dollar solar market and the returns so far have been incomparable.

The World Bank plans to invest more than $5.5bn in solar energy projects around the MENA region through there Clean Energy Fund (CTF) in a hope to accelerate the global deployment of PV (Photovoltaic’s) and concentrated solar power generation facilities. With huge production the potential for export revenue is an exciting prospect for investors and one that hasn’t gone unmissed by attendees at the NGU MENA summit.

New technology is also key in the growth of the MENA energy markets. The UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain are close to achieving their collective goal of a joint power grid for all six member states. The grids aim is to supply adequate power even in an emergency situation and to reduce the cost of power generation to all six states.

“Investment into new technology and green energy solutions offer growth potential and a bright future for the MENA region. This is being capitalized on by industry leaders, but a platform to discuss collaborations, concerns and investments is key to move forward” Kieran Crawford - Summit Director

The Middle East region is firmly back on track to become one of the largest and most lucrative energy markets globally and the meeting of some of the leading names in the utilities at the NGU MENA demonstrates this has not gone unnoticed by the industry .

Evangelizing in the Business Space with Social Media

Kodak CMO share his experiences with MeetTheBoss.TV on the future of Social Media

In another exclusive interview for MeetTheBoss TV, Jeff Hayzlett CMO for Kodak, shares his vision on the future of social media and how Kodak are utilizing Facebook and Twitter as saleable technology resources.

Jeff Hayzlett is not like your regular Chief Marketing Officer. From creating innovative marketing strategies to appearing on NBC’s hit television show, Celebrity Apprentice, Hayzlett knows what it means to think outside the box.

He also recognizes the importance of social media and the very real power that channels such as Facebook and Twitter can harness when it comes to getting your message about a product across to consumers.

In short, says Hayzlett, social media is reversing marketing. Instead of having to reach out to customers, customers are reaching in. And that’s something that Hayzlett knows all about. As an avid user of the site – and largely off the back his appearance on Celebrity Apprentice – Jeff currently has 15,000 followers on Twitter, meaning that he can instantly communicate with thousands of consumers at the click of a button.

In fact, Hayzlett and Kodak have built a strategy that centers around “the four E’s” – Engagement, Educaton, Excitement, and Evanglism – and as he explains exclusively to MeetTheBoss TV’s Editor-in-Chief Adam Burns, “the key thing is that [we] are listening.”

And Hayzlett’s ear-to-the-ground attitude still shows today, in everything his does, especially as he takes on significant leadership responsibilities at Kodak. Hayzlett, who is responsible for worldwide marketing operations, leads the company's efforts for marketing programs, marketing network operations, brand development and management, business development and corporate sponsorships.

“Social media really allowed you to listen,” he explains. “Twitter [in particular] is a way for me to interact directly without filters and without someone else telling me what they said or how they said it. I’m directly talking to bloggers.”

“I started Twittering for my family. That’s how I got started. The only reason I wanted to Twitter was to let them know what I was doing and a way to update my friends on Facebook. That’s how I got started. Then I started noticing all these Kodak families, my extended Kodak family, which I’ve got 27,000 of. Well, 20 or 30 percent of those are on Facebook. I have almost 100 percent of the employees on Kodak Gallery, but we don’t share in our day-to-day – we don’t share photographs and Kodak moments that way “

“But more than that social media allows me to hear customer suggestions about products, to say, ‘If you did this, I’d buy it.’ To be able to get that insight to the product team and find out how many other people out there want to do the same is really invaluable to us.”

To see the interview in full go to MeetTheBoss.TV

And the Oscar goes to – Kodak

With the Kodak Theater capturing the smiles of last night’s Oscar winners, Jeff Hayzlett, CMO of Kodak, sits down with MeetTheBoss.tv to discus how an impressive corporate turnaround has let their customers know “It’s time to smile”.

When you think of Kodak, film, pictures, and cameras come to mind. And this was the concept Kodak was looking for, before the recession. “We were experiencing double-digit growth in our digital products”. So what happens when revenues for film are at $5 billion and the market falls to being worth just over 200 million? For Jeff, the ‘Oscar Winning’ answer is deep corporate transformation.

To develop a transformation in a corporation with a strong hierarchal chain of command is no easy task and one that needed to “see a real operation procedure inside the company”. One of the first things Jeff implemented was “FAST” (Focus, Accountability, Simplicity and Trust). “So even if we screwed up, and if all we got out of it, then we screwed up faster,” Jess Hayzlett- CMO Kodak.

Such a red carpet initiative brought Kodak together, causing the staff to ask the right questions of themselves; “What is it I do inside the company, my accountability? What are the promises that I must keep for the company? – and so on- how can I do them faster?”

A lighter-hearted corporate culture grew because of ‘FAST’, with employees wearing pins that said I’’m fast, I’m faster, and I’m fastest.’ But without operational procedure there could be no culture change that would kick start the needed transformation. This allowed Jeff to do “my job, and that is to take everybody to the edge of the table, not to the center of the table”. Once Jeff’s staff began to question the status quo, an internal transformation began. Roll on the final act. Time for an external transformation. One of the fist initiatives for the B2C component of Kodak’s businesst was letting everyone know “It’s time to smile”. And Cut, that’s a Rap.

To see the full interview please visit MeetTheBoss.TV

Get Smart – the sensible solution

Leading Executives from the utilities industry are meeting at the NGU EU summit this week to discuss EU renewable targets.

An illustrious meeting of the most influential Power and Energy suppliers took place this week in Germany. Chaired by Michael Lewis MD Eon Renewables, the challenge of the meeting was to look at innovative ways to source 20% of energy needs from renewable.

“The EU has set itself an enormous energy policy challenge over the next decade which will involve massive capital investment into new technologies, huge investment into grid infrastructure and replacing existing capacities as older plants reach the end of their lives,” says Michael Lewis (EON, MD EON Climate and Renewable) at the Next Generation Utilities Summit (hosted by GDS International).

To reach a 20% Renewable energy share in the EU will mean raising the current figure by around 35%. Even with a moderate increase in EU power demand to 2020, renewable share in power production would be more than the current power generation of France and Germany combined.

How can this demand be met? Key solutions discussed were Technology and process changes required to integrate Renewable and Distributed Generation resources, Emerging energy technologies such as Virtual power plants, Energy storage, Electric vehicle charging infrastructure, Information technology implications deriving from the "new generation", technology and process changes required to support energy efficiency, demand response programs and goals and smart metering/smart grid programs and Market development and utility deployment of renewable and distributed generation.
.
Electricity is the most flexible and efficient energy source we know. In fact, electricity is the only energy source that makes power from renewables directly available without any detours. And just as important, the efficiency of electricity generated from renewable energy sources is far higher than that of fossil fuels. This gives electricity a clear advantage, particularly when the goal is to achieve a sustainable energy system and this was concluded at the summit.

“Smart Grids will be indispensible in the future” Eckhardt Günther – VP Smart Grid, Siemens AG who spoke out to leading representatives from E.ON, EDF Energy, BKK, and CEZ at the NGU EU summit.

For some years now, the share of small and medium-sized power generation plants using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar has been growing. These smaller units making the overall energy system far more complex and difficult to operate, since the renewable energy units don't produce a steady output of electricity. Their power feed-ins to the main grid fluctuates since their operation ultimately depends on whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining. This requires a flexible, optimally managed and controlled network infrastructure, not least in order to reduce the danger of blackouts to a minimum. The sudden lack of power output from a wind farm through a lull in the wind, for example, can force quick responses with the grid's controlling power range.

We are entering a new age of electricity! And the number of electric applications – as well as the consumption of electricity – will continue to grow, concluded the NGU summit.

Transforming Green to Gold

The week that Coca Cola’s staff are sporting uniforms made from recycled bottles at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, Esat Sezer, CIO of Coca Cola Enterprises, explains candidly to meettheboss.tv how going Green is more than just a Corporate responsibility.

Esat Sezer is the current SVP and CIO with Coca Cola Enterprises and has been working with them since 2006. The Challenge with Green IT, is to take the buzz that has been created around the recent phenomenon and mobilizing it into effective strategies for growth and efficiency.

Esat explains “I think we could use Green IT as an opportunity to reform, especially in companies like Coca-Cola Enterprises, where corporate responsibility and sustainability is an integral part of the operating framework.” This allows for upgrading and implementing concepts like virtualization and data center consolidations that help to reduce the carbon footprint.

Not only is the efficiency seen through implementing upgrades through the hype around Green IT, but Esat delivers efficiency when transitioning over 70k mobile employees to SaaS in under six months time. There are a number of factors like communication collaboration partnerships and infrastructure partnerships that need to come into play to integrate so many employees, but for Esat the challenge was bringing it all together “with the speed and pace that we achieved which was really what created the wow factor for me”.

To juggle this type of efficiency and transition meettheboss.tv asked Esat how does one balance cost reduction and the need for innovation come into play. For Esat it is “all about the things that can create resources for you to invest back into your maintenance or business space to invest back into your growth related initiative.” There still needs to be “funding of growth related initiatives that should be shared within business and IT.”

To watch the full interview visit Meettheboss.tv