This year’s Tomorrow Show includes four roundtable outlook sessions: Industry, Global, Financial and Technology. Featuring industry leaders and experts from top-tier companies, these roundtables will inspire the audience with new insights and perspectives.
A short while ago we interviewed our EVP & Chief Commercial Officer to explore The Tomorrow Show’s Industry Outlook roundtable this coming September. This time, we sat down with EVP and Chief Strategy Officer Benedicte Willumsen Grieg to learn more about the potential of technology and AI to drive strategic growth. Check out the interview below to learn more and get an idea of what panelists look forward to discussing during the Financial Outlook session.
The Tomorrow Show creates an engaging space where we can connect with industry leaders and peers to exchange ideas and best practices. Following a very successful event in 2023, I look forward to more discussions with our panelists about how advancements in new trends and technologies are driving strategic growth.
More specifically, I’m excited to explore aspects like what distinguishes an excellent company from a mediocre one – and what criteria is factored in when companies are evaluated? What role does technology and AI play in that? We know that companies who outperform peers on growth draw attention, but we want to hear from investors how they evaluate the underlying business strategies connected to this growth.
Today, innovation happens faster than ever before. Where we see AI making a difference is as a driver of better decision-making quality in every aspect of a business, from maintenance to operations and through to market analysis. We want to understand how this plays out in the real world – the audience will really benefit from discussions where industry leaders share their experiences around how AI facilitates improved decision support to turn insights into actions.
Another area of interest: the speed of value creation. I’m curious about industry views on how technology innovation can be combined with a long history of industry know-how in a partnership ecosystem to accelerate tangible value outcomes.
In an investment market, big market trends impact the pricing of companies – so we know that the AI buzz is impacting investment decisions in energy, maritime and beyond. It’s always a dilemma, though. Do you pay a premium for a more established AI company now, or do you do the opposite and pick up companies that are lacking AI and thus more affordable, with the chance of higher returns later?
We saw a similar trend with ESG and a heightened focus on sustainability across industries. Companies with an ESG profile have been valued at high price premiums but will not necessarily give shareholders the best return on investments. Will AI go the same way? And can you afford to not participate in this paradigm shift?
I look forward to hearing from our panelists on this topic. Just like our audience, I’m curious about how investors approach this topic and look forward to hearing their advice on what companies should consider as they develop their AI strategies.
When investing in any software company, it is always safer to look for need-to-have solutions, and not nice-to-have ones. In digitally immature industries and with innovative solutions, it can be difficult to measure the actual value that new technology unlock – and it’s the same with trending technologies like AI. It will be exciting to hear how investors evaluate AI driven companies, valued at a premium price, as well as how they evaluate the value that can be unlocked for the customers using their actual AI products and AI use cases.
First and foremost, any AI strategy needs to be aligned with business goals that focus on the AI functionality that can unlock value for the customers. Lacking that, the opportunity won’t produce successful outcomes. Secondly, cultivating an AI-friendly culture, investing in digital skills and prioritising ethics and trust. And as I’m sure our panelists will agree, implementing robust data management and having the right technology foundation remains essential.
With these foundational elements in place, the opportunities are seemingly endless. I believe this roundtable outlook session will give us more insights into where AI can be leveraged for the most rewarding outcomes.
The agenda is full of exciting sessions so that’s a tough one, but I would say:
