Digitalization and Disruption
Disruption, you could call it the revenge of digitalization. Those of us who consciously experienced the dotcom era at the turn of the century may remember how stock prices soared due to the combined promise of the digital transformation and the Internet. The Internet would create whole new business models and would rapidly change entire sectors. The corporate establishment stood by and watched. Working with a personal computer (PC) in the office, emailing instead of faxing or calling, that was one thing, a bit of business development online was another, but a whole new business model or a new strategy for the sake of the Internet? That’s just not on!
That was back then: the days of slow-modem Internet, exponentially less processing power for computers, memory chips and so on. The Internet hype came and went. Apart from a few companies, such as Google and Amazon, many of the new Internet companies failed miserably.
We now have WiFi and 5G and above all: very powerful computers that can effortlessly handle complex software, often provided with artificial intelligence. The dreams of the dotcom era are now becoming reality. Innovations involving mobile and social are the order of the day. Selling is as much done through Facebook and Google Maps as through a brick-and-mortar shop. Completely new strategies create new business models and these create changing value chains. An Internet platform like Marktplaats changed numerous sectors. We may then indeed call it disruption. The large corporations that remained almost bored on the sidelines at the turn of the century are now themselves forced to undergo a digital transformation or digital transition, as it is sometimes called.
This disruption does not end where we are now. Major themes such as climate change, the focus on sustainability, the stakeholder model, social impact and the rise of purpose-driven organizations require our brightest minds to focus on even faster digitalization, digital innovations and software solutions.
Digitalization is also causing a revolution in companies. Agile working, the agile organization, international decentralization, the rise of all kinds of robotics and robotization in general: none of this would be possible without digitalization, and especially the use of data, which is made available to whomever needs it via a cloud application.
Three Female Executives Discuss Generative Artificial Intelligence: ‘A Significant Call to Action’
Although working with generative artificial intelligence systems (GenAI) can at present be compared to driving a car without brakes, no organization can afford to be passive, according to the three experts at our roundtable. ‘Leaders do not think fundamentally about the implications of GenAI for the mission and strategy often enough. It permeates the entire business operations. All executives will have to stay abreast of this.’
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When it comes to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), the egg of Columbus has not yet been hatched, says Vroukje van Oosten Slingeland, general counsel at ING. The future potential of AI is great, she thinks, also for lawyers: ‘However, human intervention will always be important to steer artificial intelligence in the right direction.’
While some call Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) a stochastic parrot, others consider it the most important innovation since the invention of the internet. It is crucial for legal professionals and organizations to act now and give AI a place in their own business operations and processes.
Vroukje van Oosten Slingeland (ING Group) on AI Applications in Legal
When it comes to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), the egg of Columbus has not yet been hatched, says Vroukje van Oosten Slingeland, general counsel at ING. The future potential of AI is great, she thinks, also for lawyers: ‘However, human intervention will always be important to steer artificial intelligence in the right direction.’
‘Legal + GenAI’: Ample Opportunities for The Taking
While some call Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) a stochastic parrot, others consider it the most important innovation since the invention of the internet. It is crucial for legal professionals and organizations to act now and give AI a place in their own business operations and processes.
Developments in data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are moving incredibly fast. But which solution do you invest in? That is a question many executives struggle with. Valcon partner Sander de Jongh lists the most important investment trends.
On her first hundred days as Executive Director Strategy, Insights & Digital Transformation at VodafoneZiggo, Fleur van Beem says: ‘I wanted to be at the helm.’
While cybersecurity is a major priority within companies, knowledge on the subject in the Board is often poor. Sometimes Executives and Supervisory Board members themselves are the weakest link in the fight against cyber criminals. This is worrisome, was the message to company secretaries during a master class by Management Scope. ‘Also because Executives will be held liable more often in the future.’
Five Data Solutions Worth the Investment
Developments in data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are moving incredibly fast. But which solution do you invest in? That is a question many executives struggle with. Valcon partner Sander de Jongh lists the most important investment trends.
The First 100 Days as Executive Board Member at VodafoneZiggo
On her first hundred days as Executive Director Strategy, Insights & Digital Transformation at VodafoneZiggo, Fleur van Beem says: ‘I wanted to be at the helm.’
Digital Savviness is Becoming More Urgent: Masterclass Cybersecurity for Boards
While cybersecurity is a major priority within companies, knowledge on the subject in the Board is often poor. Sometimes Executives and Supervisory Board members themselves are the weakest link in the fight against cyber criminals. This is worrisome, was the message to company secretaries during a master class by Management Scope. ‘Also because Executives will be held liable more often in the future.’
Javier van Engelen (Signify) Sees a Broader Role for the CFO
What motivates Signify CFO Javier van Engelen is clear: he is convinced that the lighting company can make a positive impact and therefore wants to contribute to the group’s vision and strategy. The fields of finance, IT and data reinforce each other: ‘Insight into financial flow as well as information flow leads to a better understanding of the company - the CFO’s field.’
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Supervising digital transformation
Good supervision of the digital transformation requires Supervisory Board members who are eager to learn. Specific expertise is not needed, but experience with disruption can certainly help with the many unknowns and dilemmas, according to the four participants at our round-table meeting who share their digital portfolios as common ground.
The First 100 Days as CIO B2C KPN
‘Revolution instead of evolution’, says Artie Debidien about her first hundred days as CIO/EVP Consumer, Enterprise & Wholesale Technology Solutions at KPN.
Investor Relations Officer, Embrace the Upcoming Data Revolution
A Board Full of Prey: Your Digital Private Life as a Business Risk
Jo Deblaere (Cyberwolf.io): 'Hackers Gain Access to Corporate Networks Via the Private Sphere'
Rik Klercq (EK Retail): 'Data Standardization is the Big Challenge'
The First 100 Days as CIO B2C KPN
Supervising Digital Transformation
