Rapid technology changes are fuelling a “fourth industrial revolution” which is fundamentally altering the way people, live, work and relate to one another. This has been accelerated in the public sector with Intel finding that COVID-19 has brought forward digital transformation by up to 7 years. It is now more important than ever to focus on the key technology trends impacting global governments: cybersecurity, 5G, cloud, artificial intelligence and future ways of working. Intel, with their “digital readiness for leaders programme”, has educated and empowered government leaders on these emerging technologies. Representatives of the UK Government and Defence gathered to hear the insights Intel had to move forward and transform ways of working through technology-enabled opportunities.

Today’s manufacturing industry is awash with huge amounts of data that could offer significant insight into operations and strategy. However, many enterprises face challenges with data quality, accessibility, literacy and insight within their organisations. Research produced by Cognizant and MuleSoft in partnership with Nimbus Ninety highlighted some of the key areas for improvement for manufacturers, as well as outlining the steps needed to achieve data maturity. Manufacturing leaders gathered online to hear the headline insights that came out of the research, and to discuss the path forward to data maturity.

Getting more value out of data was considered the number one digital initiative for businesses in the short term, according to Nimbus Ninety’s 2021 Digital Trends Report. Yet, a recent Deloitte survey discovered that 63% of business leaders say that their companies are not yet “analytics-driven”. So, how can organisations cross the gap from aspiration to action?

In 2021, 83% of teams reported that they’re under pressure to accelerate the pace of delivery thanks to DevOps. Establishing a centralised DevOps programme and following proven strategies for evolving traditional packaged application quality processes allows for faster, safer enterprise application releases. But the journey to DevOps maturity is not an easy one: it requires a culture change for organisations, incremental implementation, and a fearlessness in the face of failure.

Consumers are more discerning and demanding, so organisations must find ways to engage and serve clients while improving both the customer and employee experiences. The pandemic has illustrated that these organisations that have not leveraged the capabilities of AI risk being left in the dust by the digital transformation disruptors. According to Nimbus Ninety’s 2021 Digital Trends Report, the number one challenge for organisations when it comes to serving customers effectively is an inability to deliver a consistent experience across all channels.

The pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation strategies of many a strategically languid organisation. This wake-up call from digital inertia has set leaders on the path of a decentralised approach to IT infrastructure, utilising networks, cloud and data to build a digital advantage.

Aside from the pandemic, society has faced multiple seismic shifts in the fabric of society as we entered the 2020s. From Black Lives Matter to the “Me Too” movement, “diversity” and “inclusion” have become the buzzwords of the new decade. So how can organisations be seen to be taking the issue of workplace diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging seriously as opposed to jumping on the social activism bandwagon? At Chief Disruptor LIVE Virtual April 2021, our Senior Editor Shammah Banerjee sat down with Brandie Deignan, Chief Executive Officer of Pier Health Group, Ann Roberts, Chief People Officer of Flo Health, Abigail Wilmore, Chief People Officer at Stella McCartney, and Commodore Steve Prest, Deputy Director Acquisition at the Royal Navy. The group passionately debated the visibility of women in leadership positions, the importance of creating a sense of belonging, and the controversial accusation of organisational “virtue signalling”.

Digital transformation is necessary for businesses to grow, to increase revenue and to reduce costs. However, when it comes to enterprise applications, there are additional challenges around customisations, updates and upgrades that IT teams must keep up with in addition to maintaining business-as-usual. Cost, speed, quality and risk are at the top of the agenda for safe and efficient releases of enterprise application updates, integrations and customisations. So, how can businesses minimise the risk of enterprise application integrations? Tricentis sat down with DevOps experts to discuss the importance of de-risking enterprise application integrations by using end-to-end test automation tools.

When it comes to the future of our cities, business mavericks like Elon Musk have captured the public imagination with the potential that technology has to define a landscape. With the world of logistics, delivery and supply chain completely altered by the pandemic, how transport connects has become more important than ever. At Chief Disruptor LIVE: Virtual April 2021, Nimbus Ninety’s founder and Managing Director, Emma Taylor, interviewed Karla Jakeman, Innovation Lead for Connected Transport at Innovate UK, to learn more about how data and emerging technologies are fuelling the future of mobility.

Tech is at the forefront of tackling the climate crisis. As part of Chief Disruptor LIVE Spring 2021, we held a fireside chat with CEO and Founder of Evocco, Ahmad Mu’azzam, who is tackling the climate crisis with his innovative app. In 2017, he and his co-founder, Hugh, realised their mutual passion for sustainability and, specifically, for tackling the climate crisis. They both endeavoured to dedicate their professional careers to support people to drastically change their lifestyles. Evocco is an app that allows users to track, improve, and offset food shopping emissions with a simple snap of a shopping receipt. Shammah and Ahmad discuss how tech is changing the way we are thinking and talking about food, how plant-based diets are on the rise, and how businesses need to illustrate to consumers that they truly are invested in “the common good”.