A MAJOR conference will turn the spotlight on the skills needed to drive economic growth in the 21st century.
Business Minister Jamie Hepburn MSP will deliver the keynote address at the event at Edinburgh Napier University’s Business School on Wednesday October 23.
A series of expert speakers will also focus on key issues like the potential of Blockchain and cyber currencies, changing expectations on business transparency, the evolving workforce of the future, and how management education programmes must respond.
Today’s business leaders have to plan a strategy which takes into account factors like technological advances, purpose-driven clients and social and environmental issues – Industry 4.0.
Speakers at ‘The Next Generation of Business: The management skill set required for Industry 4.0’ will discuss how to stay ahead of the competition, and researchers will unveil the latest thinking on management and leadership across all sectors of the economy.
Jamie Hepburn, the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, will speak about the new framework for economic development and what it means for business in the decade ahead.
The afternoon conference for business managers and researchers will also hear from Professor Christine Bamford, CEO of Women’s Coin, on why and how Blockchain will power business.
Bruce Hedley, Director of PwC, will present research on The Workforce of the Future, and Catherine Burnet, of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, will address the changing bottom line for business growth, with an increased focus on transparency.
Edinburgh Napier’s Professor Brian Howieson will look at the changing skillset demanded of managers by industry, a topic which will later form the basis of a question and answer session with business leaders including Kat Brogan of Mercat Tours, Paul Atkinson of Par Equity, and Robert Crawford, a past CEO of Scottish Enterprise. Delegates will also hear what the university is doing to prepare students for the future world of work.
Gail Boag, Dean of The Business School, said: “Everything we do as a Business School is focused on developing the right blend of knowledge and skills to create impact in the communities in which we work and live, to drive productivity and support economic growth.
“In order to do that, and to do that effectively, we need to work with industry, and businesses and governments.
“As the world of business evolves and the pace accelerates, Edinburgh Napier University is rising to the challenge and providing its students with every opportunity to be the leaders of the future.”
An evening reception, also at the Craiglockhart-based Business School, will feature a series of short talks on ‘The Mind Set for Industry 4.0’ by FinTech leader Professor Christine Bamford (Women’s Coin); Edinburgh Napier alumnus and ex head of Europe for Ecommerce and Digital Marketing, ASICS, Gary Murray, who is now advising young brands; adventure travel operator Peter Syme; and entrepreneurial technologist Paul Winstanley CEO of CENSIS, the Glasgow-based sensing agency working on IOT (the Internet of Things).
