BIP UK and Futureworld host night of digital discussion

BIP UK has hosted a night examining tomorrow’s world, with leaders from across the UK’s economy meeting in London’s Southbank. The discussion held in collaboration with Futureworld took in how businesses can shape their organisations to survive coming technological and social disruption.

BIP is a multinational consultancy firm with a global team of over 5,500 professionals, which specialises in management consulting and digital transformation. As part of this remit, the firm has sought to keep clients and UK businesses abreast of the current changes sweeping the world, by hosting an exclusive evening at London’s Southbank’s Sea Containers venue.

Co-hosted by FutureWorld, the gathering welcomed attendees to explore the future of business and society. With sweeping panoramic views of the city in the event’s backdrop, attendees engaged in thought-provoking discussions about the forces shaping the world of tomorrow.

The event was opened by Roei Haberman, CEO of BIP UK, followed by an introduction from Dr. Mark Powell. Anton Musgrave, Founder of FutureWorld, then took the stage, walking through some of the fundamental shifts set to redefine industries and economies in the coming years.

Musgrave’s futuristic presentation urged leaders to embrace transformation, rather than remain tethered to outdated models. He also highlighted the need to go beyond conventional industry silos, leveraging deep industry knowledge to tackle present and future challenges. According to him, looking ahead, businesses must not simply react to trends, but instead, “actively observe the signals that shape the future” – cues which could come from conversations, headlines, and or “even children’s behaviour”. 

A panel discussion followed, chaired by John Neill, Founder, former Chief Executive, and Chairman of Unipart Group. Panellists included Andre Van Den Berg, Chief of Staff for Anglo American PLC, Daksh Gupta, CEO of Huws Gray Ltd, Eleni Chalmers, Brand Strategist, and Michael Rocha, Commercial Director at Brand Finance. The discussion touched on pressing global issues; from technological evolution and geopolitics to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations. In the shadow of this, the discussion noted that the imperative now is “to reimagine capitalism, redefine success, and forge a new social contract that restores a sense of purpose and optimism”.

As technology continues to advance, the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence formed a key theme. Musgrave emphasised that generative AI, and the likes of ChatGPT, is already old news. He contended that the next phase, interactive AI, will unlock unparalleled opportunities, with AI-led projects projected to generate trillions in value over the next five years.

He added, “We can expect Smart in every direction by 2030. From Smart Humans, Smart Industry, and Smart Systems to Smart Business, Smart Customers, Society, and Smart Cities.”

The closing message was one of urgency, excitement and inspiration, according to a further statement from BIP UK. It concluded that in order to survive the future, “leaders must make space to breathe, reflect, and innovate continually. Tomorrow is unwritten and unpredictable, so those willing to embrace change and rewrite the rules will be the ones to shape it.”