Workday Industry Insights EMEA: Accelerating the Journey to Becoming a Digital Enterprise

Businesses must continue to accelerate their journey to become agile, digital enterprises that are primed to respond to unseen challenges. On 18 November, Workday Industry Insights EMEA will bring together a cross-section of industry experts who will share valuable insights on thriving in such uncertain times.

Firms across the world may be at different points in their journeys to becoming a digital enterprise, but there’s little doubt that the tumultuous nature of the last 18 months or so has driven many businesses to deliver a decade’s worth of innovation in less than two years. 

For some companies, this has been uncharted territory; for others, it’s meant revving up their digital transformation engines. To stay ahead of the pack in this changing world, firms must continue to accelerate their journey to become agile, digital enterprises that are primed to respond to unseen challenges that lie around the bend.

With that in mind, we’re thrilled to be hosting Workday Industry Insights EMEA: Accelerate Your Digital Enterprise Journey, a virtual event where we’ll discuss the impact of digital acceleration on businesses across a variety of sectors. The event is coming up on 18 November, and attendees will have the opportunity to learn, find new ways to innovate, and gain inspiration from other business leaders. 

We’ll be joined by a mix of industry experts, Workday customers, and a few special guests who will be sharing their insights on thriving in a changing world. Here’s what you can look forward to across each unique industry track: 

Embracing Digital Acceleration in Professional and Business Services 

As global organisations of all sizes adapt to a changing world of work, they must look to services firms to fill gaps and help them rebuild for the future. Now is the time for professional and business services (PBS) firms to harness this opportunity to shape the skills and offerings that will be key to businesses everywhere. 

To help unpack all of this, Kate Russell, journalist, author and speaker, will host a series of conversations with expert guests. These sessions will explore how through increased competition, an uncertain economic climate, and new remote delivery models, professional and business services firms must up the ante on digital acceleration. 

She’ll be joined by Jeremy Lief, partner, HR transformation and technology consulting, PwC, for a session discussing how professional services firms are embracing digital and shifting gears when it comes to innovation and change.

In a separate session, we’re honoured to be joined by a number of Workday PBS customers, including BDO UK and Capita. These firms from across the EMEA region will be on hand to discuss the challenges they face and how they’ve been able to thrive during such unprecedented times. 

How Retail Has Moved the Needle on Digital

For retailers, the last 18 months have exposed which organisations were prepared for disruption and which were not. Companies that had already invested in technology to support rapid changes to business operations, such as curbside pickup, delivery, and online ordering, were able to quickly pivot to new business models. For retailers that did not, there’s work to do. 

For some companies, this has been uncharted territory; for others, it’s meant revving up their digital transformation engines.

At Workday Industry Insights EMEA, Craig Crawford, a digital transformation strategist with over 30 years of experience in the retail industry, will host a session on retail industry trends. During his career, he’s worked for well-known brands such as Burberry, Tory Burch, and Gap, and is an advisor/lecturer at Istituto Marangoni. Crawford will be joined by Ben Perkins, head of consumer business research, Deloitte, to discuss what retailers should be thinking about next when it comes to digital.

We’re also excited to be joined by representatives of a number of Workday retail partners and customers, including Deloitte and Pick n Pay, to share their insights on technology and the evolving business and work landscape, and to inspire guests with ideas to take back to their own organisations.

Digital Acceleration in Banks and Financial Institutions 

Like other industries, banks and financial institutions have been impacted by the challenges of the last 18 months. Many have seen branches and offices closed and experienced increased demand from customers for digital services. All of this whilst trying to reskill and empower their workforces and plan for the future.

For this industry track, we’re delighted to be joined by Claer Barrett, a journalist and broadcaster with deep expertise in finance. She’s the consumer editor at the Financial Times and the presenter of the FT’s Money Clinic podcast. Barrett will be joined by Thomas Merry, managing director, banking strategy, Accenture, for a financial services industry-focused session.

The pandemic and other factors have quickened the transition to the cloud, and legacy models are becoming obsolete faster as the agility the cloud provides becomes clearer.

Later, attendees can hear from a special partner and customer panel that will include representatives of Accenture, Schroders Personal Wealth, and Tokio Marine Kiln. These organisations will take part in two separate sessions, where they’ll be sharing their success stories and providing best practice on the complexities of digital transformation.

Technology and Media: A Fine Balance

The technology sector was, perhaps unsurprisingly, an early adopter of the remote workforce. But now, with remote work far more prevalent and likely to continue, how can businesses ensure they can facilitate employees wherever they are and manage freelancers and contingent workers?

Like with other sectors, the pandemic and other factors have quickened the transition to the cloud, and legacy models are becoming obsolete faster as the agility the cloud provides becomes clearer. 

At Workday Industry Insights EMEA, our technology and media track will be hosted by BBC Click presenter Kate Russell. Russell will be joined by Rusbeh Hashemian, partner and new ventures leader, PwC Europe, to discuss the balance among continuity, cost, and innovation.

We’re delighted to give the last word to a number of our customers from the technology and media sectors, including Criteo and Free Now. These organisations will be providing insights on new ways of working and the war for talent, digital acceleration, and building agility for growth.

Take a deeper dive through the agenda and join us for Workday Industry Insights EMEA, happening on 18 November. Register Now.

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