Agenda

Breakfast: Strathearn Restaurant

M&A outlook 2023: The Ballroom

In this breakfast insight session, Knight Corporate Finance Director Adam Zoldan will share insights into M&A trends in the comms sector, spotlight the opportunities and challenges ahead, assess the themes that are reshaping deal structures, and explore the key aspects of successful M&A decision making in 2023 and beyond.

Conference Start: Welcome Comments - The Henry Hall

Innovating to grow in the Golden Triennium

Innovation is a powerful driver for growth but how can we turn this abstract concept into tangible business results? In his keynote address entrepreneur, innovator and business strategist Josh Valman, founder and CEO, RPD International, shares insights into the impact that innovation has on growth – and he shines a light on the critical factors that successfully disrupt established business models, challenge received wisdom and enable innovators to grow faster.

Delivering breakthrough customer experiences in the Golden Triennium and beyond

The Golden Triennium will be a catalyst for greater complexity as the channel focuses ever more sharply on ultrafast, full fibre, the move to all-IP and Net Zero, plus a raft of other business challenges and opportunities at play – and amid this transformational period, ensuring you do not lose sight of the human dimension is critical to success. In his keynote address, Zen CEO Paul Stobart will explore what human-centered customer experience actually means in the digital age, and discuss how to bring the best possible customer experiences to life through creating moments of magic.

Making a social impact in the Golden Triennium

The Golden Triennium is a time to elevate societal purpose and values, with social mobility and equitable levelling up becoming universal priorities. In his keynote, Diego Tedesco, Director of Wholesale Fixed, Virgin Media O2 Business, will explore how organisations, bound by purpose, can work together to tackle the challenge of inequality across society, highlighting not only the critical role of telcos, but how businesses can positively influence the way society operates and catalyse the spread of social cohesion.

Taking action: Making choices that shape the nation's future

The connectivity environment is being reshaped by the unprecedented roll out of full fibre projects which are central to building a digital society. More than ever, project success comes from understanding the changing dynamics of the market, challenging industry norms and focusing on strategic choices that create new opportunities. In his Comms Vision interview, CityFibre Group COO Simon Holden discusses why digital infrastructure is critical to strengthening Britain’s social and economic future. He will also explore the challenges facing the fibre investment landscape, the importance of competition – and what this all means for channel partners with decisions to make about their future growth plans.

Conference break

1-to-1 Networking and Boardroom Sessions

Lunch: Strathearn Restaurant

Welcome back to Conference - The Henry Hall

Taking advantage of industry change with confidence

Charting a strategic roadmap in response to industry developments means knowing where to focus and how to build a competitive advantage. Reflecting on these priorities in his Fireside Interview, BT Enterprise CEO Rob Shuter will discuss how to navigate the increasingly complex comms landscape, including unchartered territory, with confidence. He will share insights into the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead during the Golden Triennium and beyond, address fundamental questions about the wholesale market’s strengths and weaknesses, assess once in a generation shifts in technology, culture, ways of working and diversity and inclusion – and how to take full advantage of these exciting opportunities.

Accelerating scale through partnerships

Onecom CEO Martin Flick proposes that it’s time to reimagine the nature of channel partnerships and the capacity of resellers to scale up while contending with a range of market challenges and opportunities. In his Comms Vision Fireside Interview, Flick will discuss why he thinks traditional value drivers in channel partnerships are no match for a business scale up network underpinned by high levels of interconnection and collaboration, and he advances his belief that future success could depend on the extent to which you ‘dare to be different’.

Capitalising on digital infrastructure markets

Investments into the UK’s full fibre digital infrastructure space continue at pace and as the fragmented altnet market matures all eyes should be on positioning to win. In her keynote address, TalkTalk CEO Tristia Harrison will provide insights into TalkTalk’s own strategic manoeuvres and explore how the evolving infrastructure market will drive growth for partners. Key for TalkTalk to build an integrated connected future is its acquisition of Virtual 1. In his Fireside Interview, Virtual 1 CEO Tom O’Hagan will discuss the key role of wholesale fibre aggregators in providing partners with access to networks and new market opportunities at scale.

How anthropology underpins successful business strategy

In his keynote address high performance anthropologist and author Rasmus Ankersen will unveil a new dimension to the evolution of business strategy, drawing on insights into why one athletics club in Kingston, Jamaica, succeeded in producing most of the world’s best sprinters, why Brazil habitually generates soccer supremos and why so many champion runners hail from one Ethiopian village. As well as revealing how to generate better results through the close observation of remarkable people, Ankersen will share ideas on growing talent, creating your own disruption, sustaining success, warding off complacency, developing new ideas – and why so many successful organisations struggle to stay at the top.

Closing Remarks

1-to-1 Networking and Boardroom Sessions

Drinks Reception: Century Bar

Gala Dinner: The Ballroom

Networking Breakfast: Strathearn Restaurant

Sports Activities: Golf & Clay Pigeon Shooting

Lunch: Strathearn Restaurant

Coach Transfers to Edinburgh Airport

Coach Transfers to Glasgow Airport