#BCXDisrupt: "Disrupting is the new norm"

Ian Russell, CEO of BCX.

The BCX Disrupt Summit will be held at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and International Convention Centre in Midrand on Thursday, 16 November 2017 and Friday, 17 November 2017.

Attendees are looking forward to an impressive lineup that includes the likes of global music artist, creative innovator, entrepreneur and tech investor will.i.am; a masterclass with author of modern business bibles Outliers and The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can make a Big Difference, Malcolm Gladwell; with trends disruption specialist and founder of SA’s own Flux Trends, Dion Chang as MC; all set to share their stories of inspiration in creating the business of tomorrow.

I caught up with Russell behind-the-scenes to find out why brands need to safeguard themselves against being disrupted by ‘the next big thing’, and what he’s most looking forward to from the Summit…

BCX Disrupt is dubbed ‘not just a tech summit’. Explain the impact of technology on every industry.
If you look at global GDP, you can see that countries with growing and thriving technology sectors also show the highest GDP growth. Technology has the power to move South Africa forward and propel it to a role as a key player in the global digital economy.

Disruption is everywhere at the moment. How can brands safeguard themselves against being disrupted by the next big thing?
Disruption is the new norm. While BCX may not be the first company to call itself a disruptor, the company is making seismic shifts to its operating model and cultural identity to embed disruption as a core value. Through its products, solutions and practices, BCX is the enabler of disruption in South Africa.

Business is all about relevance. We focus not on the technology and solutions that will be relevant now, but on the solutions that will be relevant to our customers 20 years from now.

We understand that many business leaders are scared of disruption, because to them disruption means revamping operations and, often, spending money. That’s why we’re shifting our operating model to show that disruption makes your company more agile and efficient, and increases longevity rather than it.

Talk us through the importance of conferences like BCX Disrupt and the power of sharing the impact of technology and innovation with the youth.
Youth and students are poised to be the next technology innovators and disruptors. A forum like the BCX Disrupt Summit is an amazing opportunity for students to hear from industry leaders about the potential they see for technology and innovation, and hopefully inspire them to pursue their own disruptive ideas.

Technology education for young people is a key priority for us. We feel that a focus on education and skills development, specifically among 18 to 25 year olds, is an action that will have a great impact on South Africa.

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BCX has invested millions in promoting digital education, digital skills development and enhancing business growth and connectivity all over the country. These programmes all remove the barriers to entry for South Africans to become key players in the technology space.

What can attendees look forward to from the BCX Disrupt Summit?
People will leave the sessions at the BCX Disrupt Summit feeling excited, energised and inspired. I hope to spur people to approach problem-solving differently, like the students we work with at WeThinkCode.

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To qualify for that programme, they must pass an assessment that involves looking at a challenge and coding an innovative solution. I want people to leave the Summit feeling like when they see a challenge, they are motivated to tackle it from every angle, rather than feeling intimidated by it.

What are you personally most looking forward to from the Summit?
I’m so excited by the calibre of speakers we have attracted. I’m particularly looking forward to the Masterclass session with Malcolm Gladwell!

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Really getting a chance to find out how a brilliant, disruptive mind like his works and applying it to a business case is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Seems the claim is true that attendees will never think the same again! Keep an eye out for our conference coverage, and visit the BCX Disrupt website and social media feeds: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn.