Post #41: Thinking – still in fashion
Any business with 108 years of history deserves listening to. Further, any business that has been the top recipient of patents in the US for the last 26 consecutive years deserves even more attention. The company in question? IBM. We were lucky enough to spend the morning at IBM’s ‘Think Summit’ a rolling global roadshow thathas now come to London. IBM describes the event as “an annual festival of innovation,” a chance to meet everyone from executives to developers. Our three key take-aways follow –
1: The cloud opportunity remains significant: The keynote speech at the conference was given by the Head of IBM’s UK and Irish business, Bill Kelleher. He highlighted how just 20% of corporate workloads have been currently migrated to cloud environments. “Chapter 2”, as IBM calls it, relates to how the much bigger remaining bulk should be moved over. IBM believes that the paradigm which will drive further cloud growth is founded on ‘containerisation.’ What this means to the layperson is that developers need only build once and then they can deploy anywhere; with any cloud provider. Think of the analogy of a shipping container and its multi-modality. Such an approach matters since, per IBM, the average business currently works with between 5 and 15 cloud providers, utilising different capabilities for different applications. Trust and agility can help promote simplification and cloud growth.
2: Mind the buzz words: The message from everyone with whom we spoke was that terms such as AI (artificial intelligence), blockchain and IOT (the internet of things) were generally overused and hence misunderstood, particularly among businesses seeking to implement such solutions. As James Smith, Director of Digital at Nationwide, a large UK financial organisation and an IBM customer put it, advanced technological deployments are more about “augmenting” than “replacing” humans. We found it notable that while 83% of businesses view AI as a strategic opportunity, 81% of them do not understand which data are required to make this a reality (per IBM).
3: Technology can do good: Guest speaker at the Think Summit was Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, an English celebrity chef and TV personality. He made an impassioned speech about food wastage, the negative impact of plastic pollution and the case for increased recycling – all topics which matter to us when we considering future trends. Importantly, however, he highlighted how “a big part of the solution lies in some very smart technological thinking.” Examples cited include better algorithms for managing fishing quotas, improved supermarket supply chain management and smart waste identification systems.
Disclaimers
The document is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or any recommendation to buy, or sell or otherwise transact in any investments. The document is not intended to be construed as investment research. The contents of this document are based upon sources of information which Heptagon Capital LLP believes to be reliable. However, except to the extent required by applicable law or regulations, no guarantee, warranty or representation (express or implied) is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this document or its contents and, Heptagon Capital LLP, its affiliate companies and its members, officers, employees, agents and advisors do not accept any liability or responsibility in respect of the information or any views expressed herein. Opinions expressed whether in general or in both on the performance of individual investments and in a wider economic context represent the views of the contributor at the time of preparation. Where this document provides forward-looking statements which are based on relevant reports, current opinions, expectations and projections, actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. All opinions and estimates included in the document are subject to change without notice and Heptagon Capital LLP is under no obligation to update or revise information contained in the document. Furthermore, Heptagon Capital LLP disclaims any liability for any loss, damage, costs or expenses (including direct, indirect, special and consequential) howsoever arising which any person may suffer or incur as a result of viewing or utilising any information included in this document.
The document is protected by copyright. The use of any trademarks and logos displayed in the document without Heptagon Capital LLP’s prior written consent is strictly prohibited. Information in the document must not be published or redistributed without Heptagon Capital LLP’s prior written consent.
Heptagon Capital LLP, 63 Brook Street, Mayfair, London W1K 4HS
tel +44 20 7070 1800
email [email protected]
Partnership No: OC307355 Registered in England and Wales Authorised & Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Heptagon Capital Limited is licenced to conduct investment services by the Malta Financial Services Authority.
