The first fully-virtual event gathers global industry leaders
PLDT Enterprise has recently concluded its annual Philippine Digital Convention (PH Digicon), garnering overall positive responses from its delegates across various industries. In its sixth year, convention carried the theme “IMPACT” which is particularly relevant during this time as the convention presented innovative technological solutions to address the challenges enterprises face today in the New Future of Work.
In the convention’s latest iteration, PLDT Enterprise made history as it brought together local and global digital thought leaders and industry pioneers in a fully virtual setting to engage with delegates as they share insights on the latest technologies that can help drive technological enablement among enterprises throughout the region. Also featured were emerging technologies such as 5G, IoT, cybersecurity, cloud, specific industry solutions, among others, that will pave the way for enterprises to pivot towards success in the new future of work.
Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT’s President & CEO and SVP for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups, officially opened the three-day convention with a visual feast by showcasing the capabilities of the digital venue’s immersive platform as he gave the delegates an executive summary on what this year’s theme is all about. “IMPACT is both a recognition and a call to action.
PLDT’s Chairman and CEO, Manuel V. Pangilinan underscored the language of IMPACT as it resonates with contemporary circumstances in his keynote presentation. “This year’s Digicon aims to supply a wider access to global best practices and prepare ourselves for a tougher and difficult future,” Pangilinan said, “but our message is one of hope, that these times call for people of purpose and commitment.
Headlining Day One’s plenary session was Chuck Robbins, Chairman, and CEO of Cisco Systems, a global leader in ICT and Digital Collaboration solutions. He said that people now work from home en masse, and discussed the interrelation of technology, leadership, and impact in a fireside chat with Cathy Yang, PLDT’s FVP and Group Head for Corporate Communications and the official host and moderator of PH Digicon 2020.
Concluding the first-day plenary session was a fireside chat between Ms. Yang and PH Digicon 2020 celebrity headline speaker Academy Award-winning actress and founder & CEO of goop Gwyneth Paltrow. “Now is a very strange moment to be alive,” said Paltrow. “As a person, I always try to find the blessing in everything. From a business perspective, we went back to our content root in goop and focused on being of service.”
Day Two of PH Digicon 2020 opened with a triad presentation, by PLDT Enterprise’s VP and Head of ICT Business Nico Alcoseba, FVP, and Head of Enterprise Core Business Solutions Jojo Gendrano, and VP and Head of Enterprise Digital Solutions John Gonzales, on the degrees of IMPACT in transitioning to e-work thru the emergence of e-industries such as eLearning, eCommerce, eBanking, eGovernment, eHealth, eManufacturing & eLogistics, eTravel & Tourism, and eBPO – topics that were discussed in the breakout sessions for days two and three.
Al Panlilio, President and CEO of Smart Communications Inc. He discussed the unprecedented global change that was brought about by the pandemic, mentioning that Cisco in partnership with PLDT is creating a next-generation digital network platform enabled by 5G, multi-cloud, and SDN focused on value creation among enterprises.
This was followed by Nokia President and CEO Pekka Lundmark’s “The Rock N’ Roll IMPACT of Industry 4.0,” who said that Nokia always has IMPACT as a top of mind. The most promising applications such as virtual reality, Industrial IoT, and so on require more elastic networks in order to give individual users what they want when they want it.”
David Schmaier, Salesforce Industries CEO, discussed “Digital Transformation: a Point of Impact Across Industries,” saying that all industries have now gone online. Home delivery, telehealth, online loan applications have become the norm, and Salesforce recognizes that each industry is different hence the need for digital transformation using Industry Cloud. He highlighted Salesforce’s Industry 360 that delivers tailored, purpose-built cloud solutions according to the different requirements and needs of industries such as media, telecommunications, health, financial services, education, among others.
NTT Research President and CEO Mr. Kazuhiro Gomi closed Day 2 of the Plenary Session and explained “The Impact of Basic Research: Looking Beyond the Horizon.” He reiterates the need for fundamental research, and that NTT is committed to carrying out advanced research for impactful technologies such as encryption and data security.
Checkpoint Philippines, Enghouse Interactive, and Fujitsu Philippines were Gold Sponsors, and Commscope, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Microsoft, NetFoundry and Soprano Design were PH Digicon, 2020 Silver Sponsors. All sponsors were present at the Virtual Exhibit Hall, where delegates had the chance to digitally visit each booth, chat with company representatives for business networking, watch technology use-case videos, and browse or download brochures. Substantial content, engaging format, highly interactive, and fun!” Indeed, PH Digicon 2020 has set the new standard for virtual events in the country, surpassing expectations from its previous iterations during the last five years.
PH Digicon 2020 was organized by the PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the largest and only integrated telecommunications company in the Philippines, PLDT.
For more information on Philippine Digital Convention 2020, visit pldtenterprise.com/phdigicon2020.
