What’s Next returns for 4th edition as digital disruption heats up

• Business leaders talk about and share how their businesses are adapting
• CXO of media powerhouse & CEO of top condom maker come together to talk disruption

PROBABLY more than any other group, DNA’s readers are well informed and acutely aware of the rapid pace of change that digital is bringing to business and industries.

And the table below is but just the most recent attempt by analysts, in this case, from global bank, HSBC, to try and present a visual example of this pace of change and how this is unfolding.

And it’s no secret that among Brick & Mortar businesses, media has been hardest hit by digital disruption. Chew on this stat: Globally, it is estimated that Google and Facebook between them capture 60 cents of every dollar spent on A&P. And this is the stat that I love. Between them, guess how many journalists they employ. Zero, or “telor” as we like to say in Malaysia. Digest that.

And because we are at the frontlines of facing digital disruption, it makes sense for a media company to organise a conference on digital disruption, which is exactly what DNA has been doing since 2015 with its business conference, “What’s Next: The Business Impact of Digital Disruption.” This year’s conference will be held on Aug 30 at LeMeridien Hotel in KL

The key feature of What’s Next is how we bring Brick & Mortar, not tech leaders, to come talk about how digital disruption is affecting their business and what they are doing to adapt.

And that is why, I am excited to welcome Astro Holdings Bhd Group Chief Content and Consumer Officer, Henry Tan, as one of the key speakers in this latest edition of What’s Next.

[Para edited for accuracy to reflect the correct designation of Henry Tan.] 

In my opinion, no company in Malaysia has better prepared itself for digital disruption than media powerhouse, Astro. As early as 2010 it was aware of the coming hit its business model would take from the way content distribution would change because of digital.

Tan will share how Astro has accepted and embraced digital into its business and what has worked and what hasn’t as it adapts to the reality of being a broadcast company in a digital world.

There will be key lessons that attendees will be able to pick up.

I am also super excited to welcome a CEO whose business is totally not affected by digital disruption. That is unless you are an uber geek who thinks virtual sex (doesn’t that just sound like the ultimate oxymoron?) will one day pose a real threat to the way we humans enjoy sex.

To be sure, Goh Miah Kiat is an unlikely choice of speaker for a Digital Economy conference. After all, Goh is CEO of the world’s largest condom maker, Karex Bhd. Fret not, it will not be an x-rated presentation by the engaging Goh. Rather he will be sharing what his business is doing to adapt its culture and processes to take advantage of digital disruption. The session will open the eyes of many business leaders who have yet to embrace digital disruption, naively thinking it won’t affect their business.

It will. In fact, this kind of thinking is what will imperil a company’s chances to adapt to and take advantage of digital disruption.

There is deep irony in the fact that while Malaysian corporates are slow to adapt to digital, the country has a leader who has long recognised that technology changes have to be embraced and taken advantage of by nations and its people.

In fact, in his June trip to Japan, Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad had already expressed concern that Malaysian companies were slow to adapt to the digital disruption happening around them.

And that is why DNA has extended an invitation to Mahathir to deliver the keynote at What’s Next. It will be an immense session, should he accept, as clearly his views will have a catalytic impact on the policies Malaysia adopts to prepare itself to take advantage of the global economy that is fast becoming a digital economy.

As one of the leading consulting and corporate advisory companies in the world, Ernst & Young, has long been helping clients adapt to changes in the business world, and they clearly see digital disruption as a mega trend and have joined What’s Next as its Presenting Sponsor.

Aiming to help business leaders experience some aspects of the digital economy, E&Y will be hosting some exciting sessions around Virtual Reality and Smart Cities and more. 

Joining them as organizations that see the importance of a platform such as What’s Next are Fusionex International and Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), which return for the fourth year in a row as Supporting Sponsors.

Further details and tickets for What’s Next can be obtained here.

Among our partners are: Leaderonomics Sdn Bhd as Leadership Partner, Reprise Sdn Bhd as Digital Partner, iTrain Sdn Bhd as Training Partner and Valiram Group as Lifestyle Partner sponsoring two TUMI laptop backpacks for the lucky draw.

Lock in the 30^th and we will see you there. You can also check out the highlights of last year’s conference below.