iStrategy 2010; Bridging the gap in Social Media Marketing

We all know that time is money and understand that Social Media Marketing is a real-time, targeted way of communicating with an engaged and active demographic – one that gives as much feedback to the company in question as the company in question provides to the demographic – thus, its usefulness and transcendent ability.

Most companies, both on the business and consumer sides know and try to practice this. However, success has not been equally quick for all enterprises. One of the reasons may be the lack of training within today’s companies. The global iStrategy 2010 conference packages this expertise in a way that all marketing and managerial professionals can utilize, no matter the company size, budget, or experience.

For a company, a single tweet, blog post or YouTube video can spread in a matter of hours, naturally finding its way into the attention of potential customers and clients. Even the most traditional are accepting the power of the tweet.

iStrategy 2010 is hosted by GDS International; the company has over 15 years in some of the largest international industries in the world, Oil and Gas, Pharmaceuticals, IT and Mining to name but a few. Their C-level business to business summits and clients have given them an innate understanding of how to translate and explain the future of social media in B2B and B2C to executives who know their companies should be aggressive, but do not know how to execute. iStrategy 2010 is bridging the gap the way so many other social media conferences either haven’t, or haven’t bothered to.

Already confirmed are representatives from Disney, HSBC, Pfizer, AMD and Coca-Cola eager to see the B2B and B2C capabilities of the right social media marketing package. They will be working with the leading social media experts from companies such as Adidas, Cisco, MTV, Kodak, Evian and PepsiCo who are part of the iStrategy program, explaining the practicalities of their groundbreaking initiatives, and how to responsibly integrate today’s new marketing into the longstanding traditional approaches.

The success of these companies is obvious; their brands are synonymous within their relevant sectors; the Pepsi Refresh Project allowing the customer to interactively distribute profits, Evian’s Roller Babies viral spread on YouTube and Cisco’s winning the People's Choice award in the tech company’s category for its myPlanNet campaign - a downloadable simulation game. Despite the simplicity of each idea, the impact is incomparable; creating brand awareness money can’t buy. Their relationship with iStrategy 2010 means that the power of social media marketing is now available to all, from the minds of some of the sectors best innovators and architects.

For More Information contact visit http://www.istrategy2010.com/contact/

Is a local supply model the future for energy distribution? MeetTheBoss.tv finds out

Recent analysis of Texas utility Austin Energy’s annual report indicates that despite relatively modest gas prices, renewable energy is still a cheaper option for most. What’s more, Austin saved $50 million for its customers over the past two years using alternative energy sources.

Now, in an exclusive interview with MeetTheBoss.tv, Karl Popham, Austin’s CIO, speaks directly about the energy company’s plans to provide a fairer energy independent system, giving their customers a unique opportunity to not be as affected by market prices.

Austin Energy’s customers have enjoyed over 17 years of a fixed rate price, unaffected by global market trends owing to the companies obligation to there “community”, putting profits back into the pockets of the consumer (but in turn reducing the obvious tax bill). Such a unique business model cannot be sustainable in the long-term, so Austin Energy is looking at other options to further reduce inefficiency’s and thus secure pricing.

“By 2020, 35 percent of our power will come from renewable energy. We’ve had the largest sales in renewable energy of any utility in the US for eight years in a row now, and that is mostly from wind farms in Texas,” Karl explains.

Reducing reliance on foreign energy is clearly the way forward for all suppliers, but the responsibility does not just lie with generation? Austin Energy has given a strong focus to the consumer as it is them making the real savings after all. The obvious answer is with smart grids, allowing customers to apply real-time metrics to energy consumption and evaluate usage independently, but such trust presents a new challenges.

Karl Popham continues, “Some might be very attracted to smart grid software, what Google has been able to offer as a power dashboard and as a power meter, but my grandmother, for example, might not be interested in that at all, but still interested in the benefits of lower cost, so we are now looking at this so everyone can benefit.”

Such efforts are clearly commendable, but in a gas guzzling state, will renewable energy provide a sustainable business model?

To see the interview in full go to MeetTheBoss.TV

Prudential Financial: running the risk

For Tom Doughty, CISO for Prudential Financial, a financial services leader with approximately $693 billion of assets under management, security – and risk management – are key.

Yet, in a recent presentation, Doughty admitted that “the security manager [i.e.: him] isn’t accountable for security, rather, he is accountable for making sure everyone else in the company is accountable for security.” Now, in an exclusive, candid interview with the executive business channel, MeetTheBoss.tv, Doughty explains this thinking further – and just how it translates into helping make Prudential a leading financial services firm.

“Typically speaking, what’s important to someone's boss is important to them,” Doughty explained to MeetTheBoss.tv’s editor-in-chief Adam Burns. “And in each one of those areas they probably don't think of information security deliverables as the things that are in the forefront of their mind.

“What they tend to think of is their P&L, their operational efficiency. So tying the impacts or implications of security measures, or lack thereof, to something they already think they own is, in my mind, what it is all about.”

Following the global financial meltdown over the last two years, risk management remains a huge issue for legislators, consumers and financial services professionals alike.

Just this week, in fact, reports about the recently Senate-passed overhaul-bill say that the new legislation weakens banks’ risk-taking and profitability. What’s more, if the final bill – currently being negotiated between the House and Senate – shares certain characteristics with this draft-bill, then ratings companies, such as Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s, will almost certainly lower credit ratings for some of the biggest banks.

Doughty agrees that risk has to be micro-managed. “What we really want to do is provide the information, options and a framework within which those risk owners can make good informed residual risk decisions. It’s not about telling somebody what to do; it’s about facilitating options around how.”

In the exclusive interview with MeetTheBoss.tv, Doughty discusses how initial business strategies have to start with the security manager. Speaking about security focus in general, he explains that the security manager has to be the one who is focused on making sure everyone else in the company is accountable for the security of data; and that everything else has to fall in line after that.

“80 percent of the time you are dealing with default expectation to risk,” he adds, “which is the basic everyday business getting done with a ‘controlled amount of risk’. The other 20 percent of the time you are dealing with a non-standard business risk and to handle that 20 percent, there needs to be interactive programs for stakeholders to get involved in protecting the company.”

In the end though, it is the secrets about taking risks that Doughty reveals that seem to be most enlightening. “If it were not for taking risks we wouldn’t be generating any revenue, we wouldn't be taking care of our shareholders, and we wouldn't be taking care of our customers. That's how we deliver, by taking prudent risks.”

Growth a given in Africa?

Mzolisi (Zoli) Diliza – Chief Executive, Chamber of Mines of South Africa, spoke out last week at the Next Generation Mining Summit on mining futures within the continent.

The Chamber exists as the Principal advocate of major policy positions endorsed by the mining employers and represents these to various organs of South African national and provincial governments, they spoke to the ultimate objectives of a so-called "New Approach" to the development of effective strategies for the sustainable growth and meaningful transformation of the South African mining sector.

Forecasts predict that South Africa’s mining sector will reach a value in excess of US$37bn by 2014. Africa is expected to be one of the first to bounce back from the depressed levels of 2009, and is likely to be among the first to benefit when the global economy returns to strength. Mining remains a key economic sector for South Africa, contributing some 8% to GDP. What the long-term future holds for the South African mining industry depends a lot on the result of exploration activities and any future changes made to mining regulations by the government.

Urgent discussions and negotiations aimed at producing the required strategies are currently taking place between major, tripartite industry stakeholders announced the NGM Committee – Government, business and organised labor. These strategies will provide a comprehensive process that has been established to arrive at a new and productive economic policy for the country. Functioning in the correct environment the business of mining in South Africa retains considerable potential to assist Government in the achievement of critical public policy imperatives which include expanded economic growth, job creation and the alleviation of poverty.

The continent's is also embracing foreign investment agreed representatives from African Diamonds Plc - James Campbell, Managing Director , Banro Corporation - Michael Prinsloo, President & CEO , Ghana Chamber of Mines - Joyce Aryee, CEO and the Xstrata Group - Andile Sangqu, CEO Africa Executive Director, the mining industry is continually expanding and adapting to changing conditions with more international companies scrambling for a piece of the continent's resources.

Although underexplored, Africa hosts about 30% of the planet's mineral reserves, including 40% of gold, 60% of cobalt and 90% of the world's PGM reserves - making it a truly strategic producer of these precious metals. Most recently Russia is ready to invest US$1 billion (R7.5 billion) in uranium exploration in Namibia, as well as investment from Brazil, Australia and China.

South Africa has readied itself for a lucrative future and it seems that the rest of the world has taken heed.

Customer is Key for Retail Growth

US retail sales have seen a rise for the seventh consecutive month in April amid economic recovery. Sales picked up 0.4 percent, higher than the 0.2 percent expected by most economists, according to data from the Commerce Department.

A new research study shows retail demand intelligence (RDI) as the most pressing investment issue currently facing retailers and this is agreed by the elite members who form the NGR US committee. According to the new report, retailers are not only implementing advanced demand-forecasting tools, but are using RDI as a foundational retail technology, tightly integrated with retail planning systems, supply chain applications, and customer selling systems.

In today’s economy, consumers are increasingly demanding. They require customized, targeted promotions carrying personalized benefits and incentives, highly automated and easy-to-use multi-channel technology, and rapid response times to their changing preferences. The retailer needs to be apparent, with accessible product information, clear communications, brand-appropriate service levels, and consumer-centric multi-channel support – all without being intrusive.

To properly address these requirements executives which make up the NG Retail US summit (hosted by GDS International) will look at the best way to deliver a truly improved shopping experience, and gain competitive advantage, retailers must fine-tune their business processes to be able to make quick decisions. Demand trends change rapidly, and consumers expect companies to be always up to date and ready to deliver whatever they want in the shortest amount of time.

Representatives from Amazon - Rick Batye, VP Retail Systems, eBay - James Barrese, VP Architecture, Platforms, Systems, Best Buy - Jeff Peterson, VP Store Operations, Lowes - Ron Blahnik, VP IT Engineering and Starbucks - Elizabeth King, VP Global HR Solutions & Services hope to discuss practical steps and approaches for RDI, identifying common failings to ensure success and how to initiate RDI programs.

With the retail sectors future already picking up it is now to invest in securing growth and remembering the customer is always right.

Smart Grids – The Governmental Approach

Scott Blake Harris is the General Council for the US Department of Energy, and has recently spoken out at the NGU US summit (hosted by GDS International). He was nominated in the position by President Barack Obama in March 2009, and was confirmed by the United States Senate in May 2009. He focused his address on the $4 billion investment into smart grids and renewables across the US.

Scott spoke at the most recent NGU US summit, a closed event which brings together more than 50 leading executives and whose sole purpose is to discuss the future of the industry in the US, with the worlds glare firmly on America’s energy futures and increased pressure for green solutions he did not disappoint.

From an operational perspective, many utilities are making their "smart grid" investments in the distribution network. To fully take advantage of the potential still to be unlocked from investments into smart grids it is imperative to improve reliability and stability while accommodating new revenue models for utilities.

“This is an unrivaled opportunity to develop a greater network of peers - the creation of a dynamic, collaborative community of thought leaders focused on consumer participation in the Smart Grid and the role each of us will play is key.”
The big challenge is how to engage the community and utilities together into a full-throttled drive to create the optimal Smart Grid solutions that will reduce energy costs for consumers and utilities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build national energy security. The stakes are high, and it’s not a given that the Smart Grid will be built in the most intelligent and cost-effective ways. Those Utilities which are to receive Smart Grid funding are concerned on the ability to deliver especially when looking at the bandwidth capabilities needed to tackle the smart grid initiatives, and when faced with a short time frame of three years. Working together will be key, agreed the NGU Committee, we are capable of achieving the goals it is now time to prove it.
But the advantages to smart grid implementation for the consumer are easy to measure; Jeff Johnson of Constellation Energy stated that by informing customers of peaking prices during the day, they are able to reduce electricity consumption by as much as 20%. As technology around the household increases the need for an effective way to measure output is becoming more important, with multiple TV’s and computers now the norm in the average household monitoring output will be essential.
Also taking a stand was Cyrus Wadia who focused on the technical implementations of smart grid technology including T&D to an audience including invited representatives from Alcatel lucent, Itron, Hp, PV Powered and Smart Synch who came to share their thought leadership with the senior executive community.

“Smart meters with two-way fixed communications (AMI) enable utilities to capture information/metrics rapidly and make business decisions faster than ever before. They also facilitate the integration of functional units within utilities and open the door for greater customer engagement and communications.”

If government investment into smart grids has made it the technology of the future meetings such as the NGU US are necessary to ensure a collaborative driving force in implementing the right strategies.

Australia’s Green Supply could be the Envy of the World

Despite the global recovery, sixteen countries have had their ratings downgraded since the start of 2010 showing a prevalent commercial risk. However, Australia has bucked the trend with its risk grade being upgraded and even championed as the “safest country to invest”.

However, to maintain strong trading relationships and to continue to attract foreign investment to their shores, Australia must at the very minimum be building a secure supply chain that matches their inevitable growth. So Australia’s business leaders are uniting with their global partners with this in mind at the illustrious Next Generation Supply Chain congress scheduled to be held in Queensland. The closed private committee, which includes thought leaders from Australia’s Divisions of Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Bayer, BlueScope Steel and Quantas are set to re-evaluate existing processes to ensure that their infrastructure can not only open up further distribution channels to Europe/US for their growth in product output, but to also give the world a competitive route to a burgeoning consumer market.

“As the rest of the world recovers, global competition will intensify. Therefore, we need to ensure our focus on reform, and strong economic management through global supply and demand channels must continue, and that is why a meeting such as the NG Supply Chain Summit (run by GDS International) is vital to our development,” said a source from the NG Supply visionary committee.

Such reform obviously comes at a cost so the consortium wants to ensure that the right processes are in place for the “long-term” focused discussions on sustainability.

“Sustainability is more than just a hot topic in the world of supply chain: it’s a standard of practice that can be used to not only differentiate oneself from the competition, but become more lean and efficient in the process.”

Such analysis into various sustainability techniques and processes can create a whole new factor of competitive advantage for supply chain in the enterprise and such a meeting could allow for Australia’s Green supply chain model to be the envy of the world.

“The critical factor now is how Australia’s executives respond to this improving environment. We need to maintain our growth momentum in the quarters ahead if we are to continue to perform, it has been a pleasure to be invited to oversee this meeting which will lead to further growth in the region,” Summit Director Australia Tyron McGurgan.

Barca: Beating Real on the pitch is only stage one...

Why F.C. Barcelona are taking the battle to the boardroom, and beating Real Madrid (and Manchester United, and Chelsea) all over again.


These are good times for F.C. Barcelona. The world’s favourite team* has just won Spain’s La Liga title, and an incredible six pieces of silverware from the last two seasons alone.

Fans and critics alike are lauding Pep Guardiola’s team as the best ever, with its breathtaking blend of sexy football, individual and team brilliance, and a hunger that is second to none.

But it’s not just on the pitch where Guardiola’s men are triumphant. Off the pitch, the Messi’s and Ineista’s of the corporate box are weaving their own quick-footed blend of business artistry: taking on the likes of Man United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich – and winning all over again.

MeetTheBoss.TV has secured a rare interview with Lander Unzueta, Chief Marketing Officer, F.C. Barcelona: the man charged with making reality of Barça’s strapline, ‘més que un club’ (more than a club).

Lander has plans to make this the most recognizable sporting brand on earth. And he’s not far off.

He believes the sports industry has evolved “too much” over the last ten years, and that it is indigestion, not starvation, that poses the biggest threat. Too many opportunities, too many sponsors, and players’ wages going through the roof. F.C. Barcelona have adapted well, with a strong and clear direction, and invested in strong assets.

“Stadium development has been key. A stadium is no longer a place where teams play, or athletes run, they are venues to hold big concerts and social, cultural activities,” says Lander. “This has been a big revenue growth for us. F.C. Barcelona is more than just a football club. It’s a theme park, we have an arena, several pitches and a stadium; we even have an ice hockey rink.”

What about the cult of the player? With obscene wages still being paid in a global recession, and players’ antics filling the tabloids, how can Lander – or anyone – protect a football club’s brand?

Lander believes passion is key – and to always keep an eye on the long-term goal: to become “more than a club around the world”. Unlike most clubs, Barça have no lucrative shirt sponsor. Instead, it spends US$2 million a year to have UNICEF’s logo grace the beloved shirt, believing this creates a culture of responsibility and obligation to those less fortunate.

With giants such as Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Real Madrid sure to up the stakes on the pitch next season, F.C. Barcelona’s clear identity and altruistic ideals hold the secret to its success.

“We are at the top, without using our jersey sponsor and without putting a sponsor’s name in writing on our stadium,” says Lander. Which means there’s plenty more money to come…

To see this interview in full, visit www.meettheboss.tv. Registration is fast and free.

*According to a recent survey by www.sportundmarkt.de.

Intel inside? Who cares?

Six billion PC-buyers ‘processor unaware’ says AMD’s Nigel Dessau, despite Intel spending ‘billions’ on advertising. “It’s time marketing executives stop hiding behind meaningless metrics and deliver clear ROI instead…”

“Our biggest competitor has spent billions of dollars trying to market to those [who don’t understand these kinds of technologies]. But you know what? I bet if you did the research ten years later you would find the same numbers of people are processor unaware as they were before.”

In an exclusive interview with the executive business channel MeetTheBoss.tv, AMD’s Chief Marketing Officer Nigel Dessau explains how marketing trends are changing; and how AMD is rising to the challenge this presents.

“I think in marketing you have to be careful, we’ve got to a place where we have introduced so many metrics that tell us everything, that actually help us to do nothing,” he explains. “At the end of the day it’s really about what are we going to do to generate profit of the company.”

But is it really that simple? In an age where processes such as social media and viral marketing are becoming just as critical to an organization’s marketing strategies as more traditional forms of messaging, CMOs run a real risk of becoming saturated by marketing options.

Dessau agrees, suggesting that too many marketing strategists are caught up with media channels that fail to really provide any real ROI. “It’s really about simplifying the message,” offers Dessau. “For everything [a consumer] buys there’s a good, better and best option.

“The question is how do [we] help a consumer understand whether the good, better or best is the right thing for them? Because otherwise what they default to is buying the cheapest option, which may not actually solve their problems: we have to get to a point where we are giving consumers a tool to work out whether they actually need anything higher on the scale.”

Of course, AMD has long been dedicated to collaborating with customers and technology partners to ignite the next generation of computing and graphics solutions both at work, at home and at play; and now, as the company looks to 2010 as a key opportunity to build on the strategic changes the company has already made, the way AMD is marketing itself has to play a part in that.

“It’s simple to say, it’s not so simple to do necessarily. We’re all under resourced currently and under budget, and we need to work out how we argue for more? How do we argue that the company invests in marketing and in go-to-market versus traditional engineering or sales? The answer lies in demonstrating that for every dollar we give, we give and we give back more.”
What’s more, says Dessau, marketing has to lead the way, has to inspire, and has to create excitement about a brand. “There are two things we do here,” says Dessau. “One is that we try and put the best leadership team in place and then we give people the chance to be promoted to that leadership team.

“You have to create a proper marketing career structure. There are some very basic things you have to do when you are creating any role in a company, but knowing that you’re there and supporting them and backing them and helping them solve their problems when they need you is the most important thing.”

Perhaps this is why Dessau believes AMD has been so successful, not least because the company has a track record of supporting consumers as much as there staff. “So that’s actually the thing I think AMD has done really interestingly in the last 200 days. Last September we stood up and we said, ‘You know what? We’re going to stop trying to convince the ‘processor unaware’ that they need to be aware.’

“At the end of the day, the market knows the answer. We have been doing research into areas of our business in the market, and everybody’s got an opinion, but the market knows the answer, and you just have to go and listen. If you listen, the market will give you the answer.”

To find out more about what AMD is doing to streamline their marketing ROI, please go to www.meettheboss.tv, where you can watch the interview in full. Registration is free.

Time is Money in Healthcare

The healthcare industry in the US has been a bone of contention for some time now. The reform and economic crisis have taken their effect. Job losses are ripping out the heart and health of America and improved systems to deal with the changes bring their own challenges to the community. The NG Healthcare Summit which has just taken place in Florida has been key the sort of future planning which will protect the industry into the future.

The United States spends around $2 trillion a year on healthcare expenses, more than any other country across the globe, but critics are still questioning if the country’s finances will be able to support the reform. Despite original predictions that costs would be initially reduced it would do little to stem healthcare expenditure, something which executives from the industry are determined not to let happen.

Electronic medical records (EMR) have been named as key technology innovation to improving patient care and reducing medical errors say the NG Healthcare committees who have just had their latest meeting. This has been backed through federal stimulus money that along with legislation can reshape the healthcare industry.

Still, talk to people in healthcare and it is clear that there are myriad issues that need to be resolved before there is unanimous adoption of electronic records. Key challenges include financing the conversion from paper to computerized records, designing the work flow, making systems easier to use, integrating files from multiple sources and, of course, ongoing technical support.

“Staff time is valuable especially within the healthcare industry where understaffing can mean the difference between life and death. Rather than paying trained staff overtime to enter data at the end of their shift it allows them to update as they go along without having to input the same thing multiple times” The discussion was moderated by Greg Caressi —the SVP of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Frost and Sullivan—and is was used as an exercise to openly discuss the common challenges that the group is facing as they move their respective hospital systems to a more digitally-centric future. Participants included, Mark Elmer, the CTO of Texas Health Resources; Paul Brown, the CIO of Trinity Health; Tom Doyle, the VP & Chief Architect from HCA; Eric Paternoster, SVP and Unit Head—Insurance, Healthcare & Life Sciences at Infosys Technologies; Jeff Gartland, VP of Business Development for RelayHealth and Diana Nole, President of Digital Medical Solutions for Carestream Health.

The Federal stimulus Bill has promised anywhere from $44,000 and $65,000 to doctors who convert to electronic records but the funds will be paid in increments over a span of a few years and there are still questions the committee wants answered.

“We must also remember that a shift to electronic files will not just be a financial strain but will require an overhaul of the processes used for treating patients, to make this a smooth transition is key to success”Continued the committee “With the targets set it is now up to us to implement the strategies to achieve greatness within the industry.

Despite the concerns it has never been argued that change isn’t hard but with a united industry and the budget to support the future seems set.

Body-slamming strategies with WWE

It’s a big week for WWE, who have not only confirmed that next week’s guest host for Monday Night Raw will be none other than second-man-to-walk-on-the-moon Buzz Aldrin, but that the show will also mark the final appearance of Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart.

In the same week, MeetTheBoss.tv, the executive business channel, is broadcasting an exclusive interview with WWE’s EVP International, Andrew Whitaker. In the interview, which sees the experienced business leader talk about just why the company is one of the most popular global brands in the entertainment industry, Whitaker reveals the processes involved in reaching a diverse and intensely loyal fan base all across the globe.

“In essence, we are storytellers,” Whitaker explains to MeetTheBoss.tv’s Jonathan Spragg. “We are producing a television programme that introduces compelling characters, strong storylines and, in return, delivers an action soap opera to audiences now in 145 countries around the world.”

Speaking candidly about corporate strategy at WWE, Whitaker explains how the global domination of the brand continues to flourish. “In the beginning, the challenge was one of education […] But one of the best lessons [we’ve learned] is that doggedness and being slightly relentless is a very much a positive.”

Whitaker also talks about creating WWE superstars (“You either have charisma, or you don’t”), and what impact technology is having on strategizing for a global brand (“There is always an aspect to the corporate world that means you are ‘always on’ and there are times when you just have to push those [technology] devices away from you so that can get a chance to take a step back and think”).

To suggest Whitaker is the man behind the push for WWE’s global domination, is something of an understatement. Having joined WWE in 1987 as part of the team delivering television syndication and developing WWE’s pay-per-view business, he later moved to WWE’s international division in 1991, working in live events, international television and the pay-per-view business from WWE’s London office. It was here that Whitaker negotiated the largest international television contracts in the company's history.

Of course, Whitaker is more humble about his approach: “By having good people and building relationships with those people and encouraging them and giving them accountability and sharing your goals with them, you can create a situation where you really are able to multiply the force capability of what it is you are able to accomplish.

“And it really wasn’t any business school that really taught me this. It has been something that I learned from doing and then realizing that you just can’t do it all by yourself.”

To watch the interview in full, please log in to MeetTheBoss.tv. Sign up is free.

LNG – A Future without Risk?

Latin America has become an attractive opportunity for upstream investment and southern Cone countries are looking to LNG to meet rising demand for gas. The NG O&G Latin America summit will discuss the opportunities available and how they plan to capitalize on new demand.

The LNG import business in Latin America is set to see growth this year as a number of recent projects across Brazil, Argentina and Chile are completed and this has not gone unnoticed by leading executives from the oil and gas industry who believes the time to invest is now and the returns will be substantial.

The Development of LNG imports has been driven by the industries reluctance to increase investment in Bolivia despite its large natural gas reserves. And discussions on constructing a $1.6bn pipeline to boost imports from Bolivia have now been stalled. Investment into LNG now seems to be the preferred option. More than ever the political risks have been brought to the fore front and LNG is the safest future for the industries community. A large number of energy investors that were formerly government owned are now looking for new market opportunities and Latin America is holding its own.

Peru, with its large natural gas reserves is keen to lead the way in exporting LNG to the US and is one of the most advanced projects in South America, with major companies from the US, Spain and Korea industry executives are eager to hear how future projects will succeed in a similar way to those in Peru. A committee who will focus on political, geographical and technological futures will meet at the NG O&G LA summit (hosted by GDS International) and the announcement of future projects is sure to shape the future of LNG supply and demand.

Key to the talks will be representatives from Gregory Hebertson GM Exploration Latin America Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Hector De Santa Ana Director of E&P ANCAP, Jose Vicente Zapata Lugo President Columbus Energy Sucursal Colombia, Steve Benedetti VP Latin America Petro Vista Energy and George Lusco New Ventures Manager Repsol YPF who have now joined the respected committee at NG O&G LA.

The growth of LNG within Latin America relies on stable and consistent input from both the governments and industry but the time to act is now, is this the bright future we have been led to believe?

Skype growing to eBay’s initial valuation

In the week that online retailer eBay has reported that their turnover is up by nine percent to $2.2bn, Skype’s Chief Strategy Officer Christopher S. Dean speaks candidly for MeetTheBoss.TV on how their recent break up was clearly the best thing for both parties.

eBay, which also owns the PayPal payments system, is in the second year of a three-year restructuring, part of which involves making its site easier and cheaper to use. Last year saw the online auctioneer sell its telephony business, Skype, at a $1.1billion loss, having acquired Skype four years earlier for $3.1 billion. At the time, this had massive ramifications for both companies, including a drawn out legal battle over just who had the rights to Skype’s innovative technology. What’s more, investors sparked rumours that Skype was not the ‘big money spinner’ that eBay had once lauded them as.

Christopher, however, in his interview for MeetTheBoss TV, soon put these concerns to rest: “I do think that the amount of money that eBay paid for Skype was very dear when they bought it, but Skype is on its growth trajectory today and is very much growing into the valuation that was ultimately paid for the company.”

Nonetheless with eBay sticking to revenue forecasts for the full year of $9bn, and with turnover growing by 18% since relinquishing Skype, its easy to see why the critics would come down hard on the Skype model.

“Actually Skype has been an incredibly successful business since we cut ties with eBay,” offers Christopher. “We have 560 million users globally at this stage. We did $713 million of revenue last year, which marks a 30 percent increase year-to-year, and the company's been profitable for the last 12 quarters.”

In the end, the split has been to the benefit of both parties, suggesting that maybe they just weren’t meant to be: But now, with Skype’s much publicised move into browser-based communication, perhaps the future relationship between such giants could get competitive.

To watch the interview with Christopher S. Dean in full, please go to www.meettheboss.tv

Why Men’s Wearhouse is a business for the people

Charles Bresler discusses why people matter.

US retailer Men’s Wearhouse is a business that prides itself on being about its most valuable asset: its people. In an exclusive interview with MeetTheBoss.TV, the company’s EVP of Human Resources, Charles Bresler, details why people are so important to the company and how this vision impacts everything the retailer does.

Already on record as saying that Men’s Wearhouse is firmly in the “people’s business”, not the “men’s clothing business”, Bresler is the perfect example of someone at a well-run company with a very clear value proposition. In short, the company has a decidedly different sales point of view, where, according to Charlie employee happiness is the priority.

While the interview with MeetTheBoss.TV’s Editor-in-Chief Adam Burns digs deep into the nitty-gritty of what drives Men’s Wearhouse in terms of metrics and motivation, it is that “staff-first” mantra at the company that really sets Men’s Wearhouse apart.

“We put a lot of energy into the training of the men and women who work in our stores and we’ve seen tremendous results as a function of the type of training we do,” Bresler explained to Adam.

“The practice involves treating people really decently, listening to them, being compassionate when they have problems in their personal life or when their performance dips, trying to understand what's really going on in their life rather than just simply trying to manage them to absolute key performance indexes,” details Charles.

The company also aims to manage according to something Bresler calls “personal best” –something that Bresler equates to how athletes work within sports: “When you're training a swimmer, for example, they don’t look at the world record, they don’t look at the best time in the US for their age group; instead they look at their own best time, and then they try to beat that. After they beat that time, they try to set a new goal and so on and so forth.”

The underlying theory for personal best to build people's confidence, which assumes that if you manage people to some absolute number, they may not be able to hit that goal.

Ultimately Men’s Wearhouse aims to build an environment that not only nurtures creativity, empowerment, responsibility and trust. Cultural connectedness is also a key component to how Men’s Wearhouse operates: “We always have senior executives, including our CEO, present at your meetings because we want people to hear directly from the people that are making the business decisions and also the HR decisions that are affecting their lives.”

Men’s Wearhouse is all about being connected, both through culture and through engagement with its people to build energy. “I think it's hard to train the people working in the stores on a day-to-day basis to be energetic. In sports they have this saying, you can't coach speed. And energy is a little bit like that. Energy is a product of feeling cared for but also hiring somebody who is coachable and has the potential to have that energy,” notes Bresler.

“There's all kinds of things you can look for among people you hire, so I think the first part of connectedness and energy is hiring the right person. And the next part, instead of focusing on the trainee, you focus on yourself and how you're connected to them. It's really all about the energy you bring to them.”

To watch the interview in full, please go to MeetTheBoss TV

Corporate Services Drive Competition

IBM is a company so broad and diverse, that it comes as no surprise a commitment to corporate social responsibility has taken such a precedent for the firm.

IBM’s Corporate Service Corps (CSC), created through their corporate social responsibility division, aims to expose high performance IBM employees to the 21st century context for doing business – emerging markets, global teaming, diverse cultures, working outside the traditional office, and increased societal expectations for more responsible and sustainable business practices.

In an exclusive interview with Meettheboss.tv, Stan Litow, IBM’s vice president for corporate citizenship and corporate affairs and president of the IBM International Foundation, explained the benefits that the CSC brings to IBM.

“The CSC really marked the beginning of a transformation for IBM,” he explains. “We went from what I would characterize as ‘checkbook philanthropy’, which is writing checks to solve problems, into a more substantive and meaningful contribution, which is helping people solve their problems.

“The result in the community, and the result for the company, is much more fundamental and much more connected to your business strategy and your mission.” He also commented that an engaged and connected social contribution is more likely to survive during difficult times compared to a ‘spare change’ approach: “If you don’t have spare change, you can’t give it away,” explained Litow.

IBM’s version of The Peace Corps

The project brings together 500 people working in groups of eight to 10 from countries all over the world to help developing areas with social issues. “I see the CSC as not only being a model in how IBM develops its next generation of global leaders, but we’re increasingly seeing other companies wanting to emulate that model.”

Stan describes the Corporate Service Corps as a corporate version of the Peace Corps, saying the entire program is “fundamentally about leadership and leadership development.”

Because employees taking part in this program spend time preparing, living, and then following up with the people they work with, there are three main benefits that are experienced from this process, says Litow: the individual benefits, the benefits in the community and the benefits to the company.

But how does smarter planet initiative shape the future of learning? Stan believes that a smarter planet is directly connected to the corporate citizenship and corporate social responsibility and that as the planet becomes smarter through the use of technology to influence transportation, energy, healthcare and education, we need to be aware of other factors that influence a smarter planet.

“The planet isn’t going to be smarter just on the basis of technology or innovation,” Stan told Meettheboss.tv’s Editor-in-Chief Adam Burns. “What it is going to involve local action and local activity and the CSC brings these to the local level and translates the need to local leaders, giving them the tools to manage these issues once the IBMers leave.”

Because there is such a large number of IBM employees applying for this, the criteria for who gets accepted is quite high and Stanley compares it to being more difficult than getting accepted to some of the best schools in the US.

“Due to the critical skills that are required to do the jobs, top performers in every job position and skill provided by IBM compete for these positions,” he explains.
“An independent evaluation is done by the Harvard Business School, and 100 percent of the participants in the CSC indicated that participation in this program increased their likelihood of completing their career at IBM, so obviously the benefits to the business are huge.”

From an HR standpoint, the ability to retain top performers who have been with the company for 10 or so years is highly beneficial from a corporate standpoint. “It’s not only been a way of training your best leaders but retaining your best too.”

To see the interview in full go to MeetTheBoss.tv

Sustainability key to growth in Africa

Africa is the most mineral rich continent on earth and open for business in a big way, this has not gone unnoticed by the industry’s executives who have announced their meeting at the latest NG Mining Africa summit.

The continent's mining industry is continually expanding and adapting to changing conditions with more international companies scrambling for a piece of the continent's resources. But is now the time to start considering the environmental impact.

For good reasons, the mining sector has come under more scrutiny globally than any other in the past two decades. Whereas mining has attracted considerable foreign direct investment into Africa, has generated ancillary infrastructure, and boosted export earnings, it’s environmental, developmental and governance records have been highly uneven, ranging from the exemplary to the corrupt, unscrupulous and destructive.

Yet the mining sector has and continues to reform itself in significant respects and a new genre of mining operation is evident in Africa. Its role is to not just be a good Corporate Citizen but also a potential driver of local, regional and national development.

New age mining in Africa is not only possible, it is essential for long-term sustainability and a need for real, rather than nominal, trilateral partnerships between mining houses, government and local communities are fundamental to success, a committee of African Mining Execs has now been formed to confront the environmental impacts while sustaining profitable growth. The Committee consisting of executives from African Diamonds Plc - James Campbell, Managing Director , Banro Corporation - Michael Prinsloo, President & CEO , Ghana Chamber of Mines - Joyce Aryee, CEO and the Xstrata Group - Andile Sangqu, CEO Africa Executive Director, will meet at the NG Mining Africa summit (hosted by GDS International) to discuss the future.

With considerable environmental complications, including chronic soil degradation, chemical contamination, and air pollution it is the responsibility of a few to protect the many and the sustainability of Africa’s mining future will be key in its viability. Is the industry ready to face its responsibilities?

EHM – Probable problem or Serious Solution

Electronic medical records (EMR) have been named as key technology innovation to improving patient care and reducing medical errors say the NG Healthcare committee Meeting in May in Dallas. This has been backed through federal stimulus money that along with legislation can reshape the healthcare industry.

Still, talk to people in healthcare and it is clear that there are myriad issues that need to be resolved before there is unanimous adoption of electronic records. Key challenges include financing the conversion from paper to computerized records, designing the work flow, making systems easier to use, integrating files from multiple sources and, of course, ongoing technical support.

The NG Healthcare Committee believe it is the responsibility of the healthcare Giants to support the smaller midsized companies and a meeting such as the NG Healthcare summit (hosted by GDS International) by openly discussing there implementation techniques.

Key challenges to be faced as raised by representatives from Mark Eimer – CTO, Texas Health Resources, Steve Heilman – CMIO, Norton Healthcare, Will Showalter – VP and CIO, Sisters of Mercy Health System, Mark Gilliam – VP and CIO, Ardent Health Services are the obvious fiscal responsibilities. To convert the millions of paper files to digital records will be expensive. The Federal stimulus Bill has promised anywhere from $44,000 and $65,000 to doctors who convert to electronic records but the funds will be paid in increments over a span of a few years and there are still questions the committee wants answered.

“We must also remember that a shift to electronic files will not just be a financial strain but will require an overhaul of the processes used for treating patients, to make this a smooth transition is key to success”

So, leading executives from the healthcare industry will address some of the key barriers to adoption and standardization is the federal support enough to back the change?

Australia’s Smart Grid Opportunity

Australia is now considered to be one of the world leaders in a technology, comparable only to the United States in terms of smart grid innovation. Last year received the Federal Government for a National Energy Efficiency Initiative granted AU$100 million to develop a smart-grid energy network.

A recent study, conducted by IDC, polled utility leaders from Australia, about their major initiatives, objectives, expected payback, readiness and challenges.

The study noted that smart utility technologies are generating vast amounts of data and analytics, although less than half of the top 20 utilities are applying analytics to energy consumption. Even so, utilities executives worldwide believe that with the proper organization, companies can reach profitability goals in a relatively short amount of time and with the coming together of some of the top names in the utilities industry across Australia the future is looking bright.

Key to the debates will be representatives from Horizon Power, Ergon Energy, Western Power, Energy Australia, and Power Link focusing on key topics such as Distribution Management which is currently one of the most crucial elements to smart grid implementation, what have been the primary innovative achievements in the Australian smart grid sector since investment has begun to roll in and where they expect to have developed by the end of the year.

With huge investment and endless possibilities are the industry Ready?

From Challenge to Opportunity

The economic volatility of the past few years has undoubtedly transformed the scope of technology for business, creating enormous pressure for CIOs globally. While market giants in the US and Europe struggle to weather the storm, Australia is in an enviable position, with forecasted growth significantly higher than other regions. Executives from across the technology industry believe now is the time to act and plan for the future. Opportunity is rife and the time to invest is now. So the NG CIO summit (hosted by GDS International) has been set in Queensland at the end of July to discuss who will be leading the way in shaping Australia’s technology future.

The role of IT in the next few years is crucial for any organization seeking to gain strides over the competition. CIOs in Australia recognize 2010 as an opportunity to explore IT best practices, which will not only optimize infrastructure in a cost-effective manner, but create opportunities for innovation and growth within the organization.

Within Australia, IT spend is anticipated to surpass 4% growth overall, with some technology areas like CRM and Virtualization catapulting to over 15% increase in sales. Initiatives such as the National Broadband Network in Australia will provide tremendous opportunities to organizations within the region looking to bring innovative platforms to their businesses and this has not goe unnoticed by the NG CIO Australia Committee.

Representatives from Adecco - Dominic Panzera, CIO , Australia Department of Immigration - Peter McKeon, Head of IT , Kiwi Bank - Ron van de Riet, GM IT , PepsiCo - Jackie Montado, CIO and Energy Australia - Sharron Kennedy, CIO expect a boost in Q3 and Q4 of 2010 and government tenders to drive considerable spending over the next 12 months. Key focus areas will include Regulatory compliance and the to need spend as a result of intense competition in the retail sector, spurring spending on customer relationship management (CRM) and back office systems.

New government projects in sectors such as e-government, healthcare and education are also a driving force for meetings such as the NG CIO Australia summit offering significant opportunities for IT vendors. In mid-2010, the Australian government is expected to launch a standardised reporting system scheme. Australia's National E-Health Transition Authority has the goal to create a paperless environment in Australia's health sector, including public hospitals and influenced the NG CIO committee to set there next meeting date for the end of July.
With so much change on the horizon who will be the first to capitalize.