Social Media Portal

Noel McAvennie tells us what to expect from the pending Nordic Digital Business Summit later this month

Social Media Portal (SMP): What is your name and what do you do there for Nordic Digital Business Summit?

Noel McAvennie (NM): I?m Noel McAvennie, event manager for the Nordic Digital Business Summit.  I manage the full process of planning and executing the event.

SMP: Briefly, tell us about Nordic Digital Business Summit #NDBS2015, what is the event trying to achieve?  

NM: It was created to bring together Nordic and international companies working across the Data Centre, Cloud and Internet of Things sectors to generate new business growth.  The Nordics are becoming very well known in these areas and there?s a lot of expertise and unique infrastructure here that make the region quite unique.  

Nordic companies need international connections to grow, and there are many opportunities for international companies to benefit by getting involved with Nordic developments.  The event is a B2B conference and we have a genuine focus on bringing together large corporates and customers with innovative young growth companies.

SMP: When is the event, who are your target audience and why should they attend?

NM: 24.09.2015.  The target audience consists of professionals working in these industries who want to hear world class presentations and the IT decision makers who are exploring and adopting these changing technologies.

SMP: What should attendees take away from your event? 

NM: A number of new ideas for how to take their businesses in new directions, an understanding of what makes the Nordic region so successful in these areas and a fistful of business cards from the new contacts made at the event.

SMP: How can they get involved and are there any discounts available for the keen eyed?  

NM: The simplest way is via the event website at www.NDBSevents.com.  There?s a special 33% discount available through our media partner SMP.  Just enter the code SMP when registering to receive 100? + VAT discount off standard registration.  For relevant start-ups we also have a limited number of tickets available at half price (150? + VAT) and free exhibition booths.  

SMP: What do you think is going to be the most interesting aspect regarding digital for the next 12 to 18-months and why?  

NM: I think this is going to be the uptake in implantable technology as something ?normal?.  Currently the idea of merging man and machine is still very much regarded as being in the realms of sci-fi but over the next 12 to 18 months I think we will see consumers starting to accept that the next stage of ?things? or connected devices is integration with the human body.  




SMP: What are your top five predictions for digital for the next 12 to 18-months and why?

NM replies with:

• Huge increase in the adoption of connected car technologies, not just in the form of new vehicles, but as aftermarket devices fitted to older vehicles.
  
  
• Widespread adoption of IoT development by average consumers using simple devices and development platforms.  Expect your children to be developing their own IoT products as the next step from Lego Technics.
  
  
• A massive improvement in stock management and logistics due to cheap positioning and tracking technology.
  
  
• The continued explosive growth of non-mission critical data will continue to drive Data Center growth in locations far removed from expensive city locations, like the Nordics.
  
  
• The exponential increase of connected devices will drive large-scale security and privacy projects within all major corporations.

SMP: What are your top overall five digital tips and why?

NM replies with:

• Get involved with local IoT meet-ups.  You?ll be amazed by what?s going on that you could be part of, for personal or business development.
  
  
• Explore other cloud services if you default to one in particular (just because everyone is using it).
  
  
• Take the privacy & security of your personal data seriously.  We haemorrhage personal information without realising it.
  
  
• If you have customers in Russia pay attention to data storage laws because you may find your services are blocked in the near future if you don?t store a duplicate of your Russian customers? data within Russia.
  
  
• Think about bringing IoT start-ups into your business for a fresh perspective on your problems and processes.  What you perceive as fine may be ripe for change.

SMP: Is there anything else we should know, or is there anything that you?d like to share?

NM: This event has been created for the benefit of the participants and we value all constructive feedback, which helps us build a better event.  

SMP:  Best way to contact you and Nordic Digital Business Summit?

NM: Through the website www.ndbsevents.com


Get a feel for what to expect at the Nordic Digital Business Summit with the 2014 showreel.






SMP: What did you have for breakfast / lunch?

NM: Porridge with berries.

SMP: What?s the last good thing that you did for someone?

NM: This morning I untangled a bungee cord from a young girl?s bike.

SMP: If you weren?t working at Nordic Digital Business Summit what would you be doing?

NM: Managing technology projects and/or attracting data centre investments into Finland.

SMP: When / where did you go on your last holiday and why?

NM: This summer, Turkey, because I had never been there and my children liked the look of a slide at one of the hotel swimming pools.

SMP: What?s the first thing you do when you get into the office of a morning?

NM: Grab a cup of green tea and flip my laptop open.

SMP: If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

NM: Slowing time, so I could fit more into each day.


See the SMP events page for discounts

Fancy telling us about your event? Get in touch....