Revolution – Prince’s Trust Technology Leadership Group ICT Leaders Dinner

As most readers know I am the current Chairman of the Prince’s Trust Technology Leadership Group. You also probably know that since 1988 I have given an annual “State of the ICT Nation” address to the UK’s leading tech CEOs. From 2002 I have done this for the Prince’s Trust and the main annual event has been sponsored by BT. This year is no exception with the ICT Leaders Dinner scheduled for the top of the BT Tower on 25th Sept. We are just about to send out invitations at £1250 per ticket. I expect the ‘Sold Out’ signs up in days – like all other Prince's Trust events of late. I also expect almost every CEO of a major tech company operating in UK to attend - like in previous years. Because of BT’s sponsorship, the Prince’s Trust will raise in excess of £60K from the event.

Readers also know that I start every one of my presentations with a snatch of music. This year I have entitled my presentation, and the following discussion, Revolution. I’m sure you can start humming the theme music already!

I started my so-called career in tech at the start of the IT revolution in 1966. Since then I’ve witnessed three further revolutions – PCs in the early 1980s, mobile in the late 1980s and the Internet in the late 1990s. I now have little doubt that we are on the cusp of another revolution as all the previous Holway themes like SaaS, Web 2.0, ubiquitous/fast mobile comms and a significant change in social attitudes, all ‘Come together’ in a kind of ‘Perfect Storm’. But, as the song says, some people ‘tell me that it’s evolution”. Unlike previous revolutions, this one still doesn’t have a recognisable title yet.

One thing is certain – this revolution is going to change forever the ‘fortunes’ of every single person and company operating in tech today. I’ll certainly report more on this theme and the event itself on HotViews in the months to come.

Which leads me onto…