Panel Discussion: «The New Pecking Order in the World»

• Ana C. Rold, CEO & Publisher, “Diplomatic Courier”
• Edward Tse, Founder & CEO, GAO FENG Advisory
• Yoshimasa Hayashi, Former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan
• Klaus Hommels, Founder & CEO, Lakestar

Panel Discussion: «Leading Creative Teams: The Rotating Roles of Masters and Servants»

• Vivianna Fang He, Senior Researcher, ETH Zurich
• Angelica Anton, Founding Partner, Silk Ventures
• Lea von Bidder, Co-Founder & President, AVA Science
• Dave Allemann, CEO, ON

Livestream:

WORLDWEBFORUM shares the knowledge. The keynotes will be streamed live on

• worldwebforum.com/livestream
• YouTube.com
• 20min.ch
• Blick.ch

In addition to keynotes and panels, WORLDWEBFORUM offers tracks and interactive sessions to exchange cross-industry insights and find answers to future challenges. In the tracks, speakers present a variety of projects and initiatives that use the power of ideas.

Tracks at WORLDWEBFORUM 2019:

• Future of Work chaired by Atos
• Blockchain chaired by Everyware
• Global Talent Summit chaired by “Diplomatic Courier”
• Digital Health chaired by ETH Zurich
• Food Chain chaired by V-Zug und Staufen.inova
• Real Estate chaired by Avelon
• Future of Marketing chaired by “Financial Times”
• Tourism chaired by Zurich Tourism
• Living Business chaired by Accenture
• Mobility chaired by Volvo
• Insurtech chaired by Helvetia

WORLDWEBFORUM welcomes Zurich Insurance Group as new Black Diamond Partner.

As part of the preparations for the 7th annual meeting, the WORLDWEBFORUM has entered into a cooperation with Zurich Insurance Group (“Zurich”). As “Black Diamond Partner”, Zurich becomes a member of the highest partner level of the WORLDWEBFORUM. Zurich, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, is the leading multi-line insurance company. With approximately 53,000 employees, Zurich offers a comprehensive range of products and services in property-casualty and life insurance. Its customers include individuals, small, medium-sized and large companies as well as multinationals in more than 210 countries and territories.

“Zurich is an important strategic partner for us, shaping the real and digital world of tomorrow worldwide,” says WORLDWEBFORUM founder and CEO Fabian Hediger. “We are proud to expand our highest partner level with Zurich.” Next to Zurich, McKinsey & Company, ETH Zurich and “Financial Times” are Black Diamond Partners.

About WORLDWEBFORUM

Over the past seven years, WORLDWEBFORUM in Zurich has developed into a meeting place for leaders who want to make a difference in the world. The keynotes, workshops and discussions at the annual meeting go far beyond topics like technology and business. With this in mind, we are developing WORLDWEBFORUM both thematically and geographically. In essence, we are dealing with the question:

“What do we have to do today to be successful tomorrow – also for the next generation?

Thanks to close relationships with thought leaders in Silicon Valley, China, Europe and top academics worldwide, WORLDWEBFORUM brings together the most progressive minds with the aim of promoting the courage to change in the world.

Facts & Figures

1,500 C-level executives, pioneers and visionaries from all over the world

85% CEO’s and C-Levels

100 media representatives

Media enquiries:

Chanchal Biswas, Chief Marketing & Communications

chanchal.biswas@worldwebforum.com

+ 41 76 527 91 45

Images & Logos: https://worldwebforum.com/media

Blog: www.worldwebforum.ch/blog

Social Media: #worldwebforum

Twitter & Instagram: @worldwebforum

McKinsey & Company to become WORLDWEBFORUM Black Diamond Partner

McKinsey & Company and WORLDWEBFORUM have joined forces to shape the changing Swiss and European business landscape. The global management consulting firm and the leading community for shaping the digital future have signed a strategic partnership agreement for three years.

Just in time for the preparations of the 2019 conference (January, 17-18), WORLDWEBFORUM is pleased to announce a partnership agreement with McKinsey & Company. This puts McKinsey & Company, the most renowned consulting company, with thought leadership and services in all aspects of the digital future, at the top level as a “Black Diamond Partner” of WORLDWEBFORUM.

“We are enormously pleased with this strategic partnership. McKinsey & Company is a top-rank partner for us, with a strong commitment to shaping the digital world of tomorrow, worldwide and across all industries” says WORLDWEBFORUM founder and CEO Fabian Hediger. “What’s more, this cooperation with McKinsey & Company is a perfect fit with our partnership strategy focusing on a small group of prominent partners.”

Sirus Ramezani, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, comments on the agreement: “We are delighted to partner with WORLDWEBFORUM and contribute with our expertise and thought leadership to this dynamic, forward-looking community.” Daniel Läubli, Digital Hub Leader in Switzerland and Partner of McKinsey & Company adds: „As knowledge partner, we can further highlight our favorable position as thought leader in digitization and analytics transformations as well as our impact across industries.”

McKinsey & Company joins the existing Black Diamond Partner ETH Zurich at the top partner level of WORLDWEBFORUM. Black Diamond Partners of WORLDWEBFORUM have unrivalled strategic impact on the mission of the conference, ranging from vision, topic, speaker lineup, industry tracks, and corporate hospitality. To bring the strategic value of this partnership to fruition, Sirus Ramezani will join Fabian Hediger and Ruedi Noser, entrepreneur and member of the senate for the Canton of Zurich, in the board of directors of WORLDWEBFORUM.

McKinsey & Company

Consistently named the world’s most prestigious consulting firm, McKinsey continues to deliver the top management advice leaders have trusted for nearly a century. Over the past decade, McKinsey has broadened its offerings in areas such as digital transformation, advanced analytics, design, and implementation to help clients succeed in a rapidly evolving business context. With more than 28’000 people, McKinsey serves clients in 129 offices in 65 countries.

WORLDWEBFORUM

WORLDWEBFORUM is an annual thought leadership movement in Zurich that attracts more than 1,900 guests, of which 85% are C-level executives. With deep relationships with influencers in Silicon Valley and top global academia, WORLDWEBFORUM brings together the most forward-thinking business minds with a mission to inspire courage to drive change in Switzerland and greater Europe.

For further media enquiries, imagery and logos contact:

Chanchal Biswas, Chief Marketing & Communications

chanchal.biswas@worldwebforum.com

Tel: +41 76 527 9145
Blog: www.worldwebforum.ch/blog

Social Media: #worldwebforum

Twitter & Instagram: @worldwebforum

WORLDWEBFORUM & Ringier Medienmitteilung

Marc Walder erhält Transformer Award des WORLDWEBFORUM für seine Verdienste rund um die Standortinitiative digitalswitzerland

Zürich, 19.01.2018 – Marc Walder, CEO der Ringier AG, wurde gestern Abend anlässlich des 6. WORLDWEBFORUMS, der grössten Business Konferenz zum Thema Digitalisierung in der Schweiz, mit dem Transformer Award ausgezeichnet.

An der Konferenz, auf der über Geschäftsstrategien in einer digitalen Welt gesprochen wird, nahmen rund 1’500 Besucher sowie über 70 Speaker aus der ganzen Welt teil. Diesmal waren dies insbesondere innovative Unternehmer wie Bruce Dickinson, Geschäftsmann, Pilot und Lead Sänger von Iron Maiden, hochkarätige Manager wie Terry von Bibra, General Manager Europe von Alibaba, der grössten IT-Firmengruppe Chinas und mutige Investoren wie Nancy Pfund, eine der ersten Investoren von Tesla.

Der Transformer Award wird jedes Jahr an Wirtschaftsgrössen verliehen, welche sich im Wandel der digitalen Transformer verdient gemacht haben. Der Preisträger wird für ein Jahr Mitglied im exklusiven Transformer Club des WORLDWEBFORUM. Die Mitglieder teilen die Leidenschaft für den Aufbau einer mutigen Gemeinschaft unternehmerischer Köpfe und sind verbunden durch den Slogan «Was soll ich heute tun, um morgen erfolgreich zu sein?». Im Transformer Club werden die grossen Zukunfts-Themen, die von der Vision des Paradigmen Wechsels inspiriert wurden, ausgetauscht. 2017 erhielt Sir Tim Berners-Lee, britischer Informatiker, Pionier und Begründer des World Wide Web, HTML Erfinder und Professor am Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), den Transformer Award.

In diesem Jahr erhält Ringier CEO Marc Walder die Auszeichnung für seine Verdienste rund um die Standortinitiative digitalswitzerland sowie als Digital Transformer für die Schweiz. Es war die Idee von Marc Walder am 21. November 2017 den ersten Digitaltag in der Schweiz durchzuführen, der innerhalb der auf breites Interesse stiess. Neben den grossen, namhaften Unternehmen wie SBB, Schweizer Post, UBS, Swisscom und Migros, gelang es Marc Walder, den Bundesrat vertreten durch Bundespräsidentin Doris Leuthard sowie den beiden Bundesräten Johann Schneider-Ammann und Alain Berset aktiv einzubinden.

Die Laudation auf Marc Walder hielt gestern Abend der Verwaltungsrat des WORLDWEBFORUMS, Ständerat Ruedi Noser. In seiner Rede hob er insbesondere Marc Walder`s Beharrlichkeit bei der Umsetzung seiner Idee, die Schweiz zu einem relevanten digitalen Standort in Europa zu machen, hervor. «Beim WEF in Davos und in zahlreichen Telefonaten sprach Marc Walder Lukas Gähwiler (UBS), Patrick Warnking (Google), Marcel Stalder (EY), Corine Mauch (Stadtpräsidium Zürich), Susanne Ruoff (Post), Herbert Bolliger (Migros), Heinz Karrer (Economiesuisse), Urs Schaeppi (Swisscom), Andreas Meyer (SBB und ICT-Unternehmer) und mich an. Wir waren von seiner Idee begeistert und sagten spontan zu, ihn zu unterstützen», erinnert sich Ruedi Noser an die Anfänge, die knapp zwei Jahre zurückliegen. «Marc hat unermüdlich für seine Idee, der Gründung einer Initiative zum Thema Digitalisierung, geworben. Er liess sich von den zahlreichen Bedenkenträgern und negativen Kommentare, die dieses Unterfangen als fixe Idee belächelten, nicht aufhalten. Es ist ihm gelungen, Wirtschaftsunternehmen und Institutionen der Schweiz unter dem Dach von digitalswitzerland zu versammeln, um gemeinsam die Digitalisierung voranzutreiben. Für seine Beharrlichkeit und die praktische Umsetzung seiner Vision, gebührt ihm höchste Anerkennung und unser aller Dank», so Ruedi Noser.

WORLDWEBFORUM Media Relations
Aargauerstrasse 180, 8048
CH-Zürich-Altstetten
E-Mail. media@worldwebforum.ch

T +41 43 336 33 00

Ringier AG, Corporate Communications

Für weitere Informationen kontaktieren Sie bitte:

Media Relations, Ringier AG,
Tel. +41 44 259 64 48
media@ringier.com

Ringier AG
Media Relations
Dufourstrasse 23
CH-8008 Zürich

E-Mail: media@ringier.com

T +41 44 259 64 44

Diese Pressemitteilung kann heruntergeladen werden unter:
http://www.ringier.ch/de/media

Der erste Tag des WORLDWEBFORUM mit über 1’600 Teilnehmenden im komplett ausverkauften Stage One in Zürich geht mit einer grossartigen Stimmung und provokativen Aussagen der Speaker zu Ende. Am zweiten Tag werden in 11 Verticals unterschiedliche Industrietrends vorgestellt und diskutiert. Dive into the future!

Bruce Dickinson, Businessmann, Pilot und Leadsänger von Ironmaden, hat zum Abschluss des ersten Tages die Bühne gerockt. Spontaner Applaus entflammt bei seiner offensiven Aussage zum diesjährigen Hauptthema “End of Nation”: “Sind Politiker gut in dem was sie tun? Nein – sie hatten nie einen Job.”

Dirk Klee, COO UBS Wealth Management, lässt die Teilnehmenden wissen: “Ich sehe die traditionellen Banken nicht mehr als unsere Hauptkonkurrenten an, sondern eher die Tech-Unternehmen, welche unsere Core Services anbieten.”

Atlassian, das Software Unternehmen, hat keine klassischen Sales Teams. Das zwingt es, andere Wege wie Design Thinking zu gehen und konsequent selbsterklärende Produkte zu entwickeln. Spannende Einblicke gab Sean Regan, Head of Software Teams Atlassian, der den notwendigen Umbruch durch die Digitalisierung aufzeigte.

Wir freuen uns sie auch morgen beim WORLDWEBFORUM zu begrüssen und tiefer in die Zukunft zu tauchen.

Link zu Fotoimpressionen: https://worldwebforum.com/impression/

Zürich, 18. Januar 2018

“End of Nation” – das WORLDWEBFORUM jetzt geht es los!

Seien Sie live dabei:

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr8I4EkrtQ4nR0YqKkgZ4QQ SRF.ch
Blog: www.worldwebforum.ch/blog
Sozial Media: #worldwebforum

Infos für die Presse:

Logos: https://worldwebforum.com/media/logos
Impressionen (wird laufend aktualisiert): https://worldwebforum.com/impression
Presse Bilder: https://worldwebforum.com/media/presspictures
Presse Mitteilungen: https://worldwebforum.com/media/press-releases

Presse Mitteilung WORLDWEBFORUM TRANSFORMER AWARD

“… und der Preis geht an: …!” Dieses Jahr wird am WORLDWEBFORUM der TRANSFORMER AWARD am Networking Dinner im Restaurant La Salle in Zürich vergeben.

Der Preis geht an eine Wirtschaftsgrösse der Schweiz, welche sich im Wandel der digitalen Transformation verdient gemacht hat. Den Gewinner erwartet eine einjährige Mitgliedschaft im exklusivem TRANSFORMERS CLUB des WORLDWEBFORUM.

Die Mitglieder des TRANSFORMERS CLUB teilen die Leidenschaft für den Aufbau einer mutigen Gemeinschaft unternehmerischer Köpfe und sind verbunden durch den Slogan “Was soll ich heute tun, um morgen erfolgreich zu sein?” Mitglieder sind Unternehmer, Visionäre und Innovatoren, der in der heutigen Zeit relevantesten Unternehmen mit dem Ziel unsere Gesellschaft erfolgreich auf die zukünftigen Herausforderungen vorzubereiten. Im TRANSFORMERS CLUB werden die grossen Zukunfts-Themen mit Speakern und Gästen ausgetauscht, welche von der Vision des Paradigmen Wechsel inspiriert wurden.

Details zur Presse Akkreditierung:

• Der Award wird am 18. Januar um 21.30 – 21.45 Uhr im Restaurant La Salle verliehen. Please join us! Ein Interview mit dem Gewinner ist natürlich vor Ort möglich
• Adresse: Restaurant LaSalle, Schiffbaustrasse 4, 8005 Zürich
• Eintreffen Journalisten: 21.00 Uhr – Gratis Apero in der Bar, bis der Award losgeht
• Teilnahme Networking Dinner: nur für geladene Gäste, nicht für Journalisten
• Teilnahme am Award: gratis für Journalisten
• Eine Teilnehmer Liste wird vorgängig nicht versendet
• Wir haben eine beschränkte Teilnahme am Award für Journalisten zu vergeben – bitte bewerben Sie sich unter media@worldwebforum.com – bis morgen um 09.00 Uhr

Zudem werden über 100 Speaker des WORLDWEBFORUM am Dinner dabei sein und namhafte Persönlichkeiten der Schweizer Wirtschaft.

“End of Nation” – die massgebende Rede von Bundesrat Johann Schneider Ammann am WORLDWEBFORUM in Zürich

“Facebook ist die grösste Nation der Welt”, lässt Fabian Hediger zur Eröffnung verkünden und fragt die Teilnehmenden: braucht es noch Nationen? Bundesrat Johann Schneider Ammann wird auf diese Frage mit seinem leidenschaftlichen Statement für funktionierende Demokratien antworten. Der Tag verspricht Spannendes.

Innovative Unternehmer, wie Bruce Dickinson, Businessman, Pilot und Lead Sänger von Iron Maiden, hochkarätige Manager wie Terry von Bibra, General Manager Europe von Alibaba, der grössten IT-Firmengruppe Chinas und mutige Investoren wie Nancy Pfund, eine der ersten Investoren in Tesla, geben sich am ausverkauften WORLDWEBFORUM die Klinke – respektive die Maus –  in die Hand.

Das WORLDWEBFORUM ist die grösste Business Konferenz zum Thema Digitalisierung in der Schweiz mit 1’500 Besuchern und über 70 Speakern aus der ganzen Welt, an welcher die Top Entscheidungsträger der Schweizer Wirtschaft wie Marc Walder, CEO Ringier, Susanne Ruoff, CEO Post, Patrick Warnking, Country Director Google Switzerland und viele mehr zusammenkommen, um zu networken und sich von den Best Cases der Digitalisierung inspirieren zu lassen. Neuheit der diesjährigen Durchführung sind Break-out Sessions mit ausgewählten Speakern, die den Teilnehmer Tuchfühlung mit den prominenten Gestaltern der weltweiten Digitalisierung ermöglichen.

Bundesrat Johann Schneider Ammann wird den Journalisten am WORLDWEBFORUM für Interviews zum Thema “End of Nation” in der Pause von 10:25 – 11:05 Uhr zur Verfügung stehen. Zudem wird Bruce Dickinson sein Buch „What does this button do“ persönlich vor Ort signieren. Bitte akkreditieren Sie sich via media@worldwebforum.com oder auf der Website WORLDWEBFORUM und melden Sie uns Ihr Interesse an einem Interview mit den Speakers.

Wie auch schon in 2017 wird das WORLDWEBFORUM auch in diesem Jahr auf SRF live sowie YouTube.ch Blick.ch, 20min.ch und Heise.de übertragen.

Themen und Speakers am WORLDWEBFORUM 2018:

Opening: Fabian Hediger, Gründer und CEO WORLDWEBFORUM

State of the «End of Nation»: Johann Schneider-Ammann, Bundesrat und Wirtschaftsminister

Becoming the leader you have to be in the new paradigm: Mark C. Thompson, Senior Executive Coach & Bestselling Author. Unter anderen war er Coach von Steve Jobs und Richard Branson.

Navigate the landscape of empathy + responsibility: Carissa Carter, Director of Teaching and Learning, d.School, Stanford University

Why you better become a game-changer: Nancy Pfund, Gründerin und Managing Partner bei DBL Partners. Sie gehörte zu den ersten Investoren von Tesla, SpaceX und SolarCity, die Elon Musk gehören.

Building tomorrow, today: Prof. Dr. Lino Guzzella, Präsident ETH Zürich

Global Innovation Hubs: Marc Walder, CEO, Ringier AG, Hugh Forrest, Director, SXSW und Taavi Kotka, VP of Sales, Plumbr

Be the change you seek: David Le, Managing Counsel, LYFT

The power of innovation as a business driver: Glenn Gore, Chief Architect bei Amazon Web Services, Sean Regan, Head of Product Marketing bei Atlassian, Ray O’Farrell, EVP & CTO bei VMware

The evolution of the revolution: Wilhelm Oehl, Partner und CXO bei Eight Inc. Er erfand zusammen mit Steve Jobs den Apple Store.

The couch potato evolution: Sasha Schriber, Principal Digital Artist & Digital Platforms Group Lead bei Disney Research Zürich

Terry von Bibra, General Manager Europe, Alibaba Group

From corrupt human systems to transparent, democratic algorithms? Sam Rosenblum, Director of Business Development bei Coinbase, der weltgrössten Handelsplattform von Cryptowährungen, Ed Brown, Vice President & General Counsel bei Malwarebytes, Dirk Klee, COO, UBS Wealth Management

Why value driven companies are the new pillar of our society: Suzanne DiBianca, Executive VP. Corporate Relations & Chief Philanthropy Officer bei Salesforce

End of Nation: David J. Teece, Thomas W. Tuscher Professor in Global Business, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, CA

How to lead and disrupt the establishment? David J. Teece, Thomas W. Tuscher Professor in Global Business, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, CA, Charles A. O’Reilly, Frank E. Buck Professor of Management, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, Jérome S. Engel, Adjunct Prof. Emeritus, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, CA

Rock the world: Bruce Dickinson, Geschäftsmann, Pilot und Leadsänger der Heavy-Metal Band Iron Maiden

Am zweiten Tag der Veranstaltung (Freitag, 19. Januar 2018) werden branchenspezifische Problemstellungen zur digitalen Transformation in Verticals diskutiert. Letzteres sind Themen wie Finance/Blockchain, Foodchain, Retail, Augmented Reality, Internet of Things, Digitimmo, Future of Work, Responsive Cities, Tourism sowie Cloud.

The 4th WORLDWEBFORUM took place in Zurich today. 650 guests attended the sold-out conference, which was devoted to the topic of digital leadership. The international technology elite agreed on one thing: Switzerland has enormous potential for innovation, but is only using a fraction of it.

In his opening speech, Fabian Hediger clearly outlined what the WORLDWEBFORUM seeks to achieve: “We have to think out of the box and beyond our national borders. This is something Switzerland has always drawn strength from”, says the Founder and CEO of the increasingly important conference. This view was shared by 650 international decision makers, who attended the event. Swiss parliamentarian Ruedi Noser supported this approach, saying that Switzerland has to develop a different strategy: “We’re good at getting small things going – but sometimes we fall short when it comes to really growing the business.”

Highlight with former CEO of Apple and Pepsi

This is precisely where the WORLDWEBFORUM comes in. International innovation leaders from various business sectors showed how to actively tackle the challenges posed by digital transformation. In his speech, Google’s Creative Evangelist, Jeremy Abbett, said that “in the search for innovation, we have to play more and think like children.” He is convinced that new business is driven by value, while outdated approaches continue to focus on price. “If you wait too long, you end up in a price war, rather than setting yourself apart with a market advantage from the outset”, said Abbett. The majority of speakers gave the same piece of advice: Believe in your ideas, and you will go far. This is also where the difference in mindsets between individuals from the United States and Switzerland, or Europe in general, came to the surface.

Global CEO of Young & Rubicam, David Sable, summed it up – “Do it big, or stay in bed!”. In his presentation about Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Founder & CEO Dirk Ahlborn announced the development of a test track for Elon Musk’s visionary high-speed train, which has the capacity to travel at a speed of 540 km/h. John Sculley’s session was the highlight of the day. The former CEO of Apple and Pepsi spoke about his history with Steve Jobs, and elaborated on his take on where business opportunities arise today – namely where a specific consumer problem can be solved. “This even makes traditional marketing obsolete, because the customers are so closely networked with each other.”

Startup Award goes to Sobu

Innovation is the driving force behind the WORLDWEBFORUM. Therefore, the “Coolest Startup Award” was presented for the first time this year, giving recognition to young entrepreneurs with unique ideas. Six startups were nominated – Ava, Parquery, Selfnation, Home.Global, Boldomatic, and Sobu – with the latter being selected as the winner. Sobu is Switzerland’s largest recommendation platform, with 200 online shops already involved in the project. The service focuses on social media advertising, and allows buyers and their online networks to profit equally when purchases are made.

Heute fand das 4. WORLDWEBFORUM in Zürich statt. Die mit 650 Gästen ausverkaufte Konferenz widmete sich dem Thema “Digital Leadership”. In einem war sich die internationale Technologie-Elite einig: Die Schweiz hat ein enormes Potenzial für Innovation, genutzt wird jedoch erst ein Bruchteil davon.

Fabian Hediger macht den Anspruch an sein WORLDWEBFORUM gleich bei der Begrüssungsrede klar: “Wir müssen Normen sprengen und über die Grenzen hinausdenken. Das hat die Schweiz schon immer stark gemacht”, so der Gründer und CEO der Veranstaltung. Rund 650 Entscheidungsträger im Publikum pflichteten bei. Ständerat Ruedi Noser unterstützte diesen Ansatz mit der Aussage, die Schweiz müsse mehr Ideen aus dem Ausland adaptieren: „Wir sind gut darin, kleine Dinge zum Laufen zu bringen – aber es mangelt daran, das Business wirklich gross zu machen.”

Höhepunkt mit ehemaligem CEO von Apple und Pepsi

Hier setzt das WORLDWEBFORUM an. Internationale Innovationsführer aus verschiedenen Branchen zeigten heute, wie man der digitalen Transformation aktiv begegnet. „Auf der Suche nach Innovation müssen wir mehr spielen und denken wie Kinder”, sagt Jeremy Abbett. Der Creative Evangelist von Google ist davon überzeugt, dass neues Business von Wert getrieben ist, während altes preisfokussiert ist: “Wartet man zu lange, endet man im Preiskrieg statt sich von Anfang an mit einem Marktvorteil hervorzuheben.” Vertraue auf deine Ideen, und du wirst Erfolg haben. Das ist es, was der Grossteil der Referenten immer wieder propagiert. Hier lässt sich auch oft der Unterschied zwischen dem Mindset der Amerikaner und Schweizer erkennen. Globaler CEO von Young & Rubicam, David Sable, brachte es auf den Punkt – “Do it big, or stay in bed!”.

Gründer und CEO von Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Dirk Ahlborn, kündigte die Entwicklung einer Teststrecke für Elon Musk’s visionären Hochgeschwindigkeitszug “Hyperloop” an, der Menschen in naher Zukunft mit einer Geschwindigkeit von 540 km/h transportieren soll. Der Höhepunkt des Tages war der Auftritt von John Sculley. Der ehemalige CEO von Apple und Pepsi sprach über seine bewegende Vergangenheit mit Steve Jobs, und seine Meinung darüber, wo heute erfolgreiches Business entsteht – nämlich dort, wo ein konkretes Konsumentenproblem gelöst wird. “Das macht sogar das klassische Marketing obsolet, weil die Kunden untereinander so stark vernetzt sind.”

Startup Award geht an Sobu

Innovation ist die treibende Kraft hinter dem WORLDWEBFORUM. Deshalb wurde dieses Jahr zum ersten Mal der “Coolest Startup Award” verliehen. Nominiert waren sechs Startups: Ava, Sobu, Parquery, Selfnation, Home Global, und Boldomatic. Gewonnen hat Sobu, die grösste Schweizer Empfehlungsplattform, bei der bereits 200 Onlineshops engagiert sind. Das Erfolgsrezept: Werbung über Social Media, durch die sowohl der Käufer, als auch sein Online-Netzwerk, gleichermassen profitieren können.

On the 28th of January, the 4th edition of the WORLDWEBFORUM is taking place in Zurich. The well-established conference at Komplex 457 will be focusing on digital transformation. Over 20 speakers will be on stage, including international experts such as John Sculley, fmr. CEO of Apple and Pepsi, and other high-ranking representatives from companies including Google, Uber, HTC, NASA, Y Combinator, Rocketspace, Hyperloop T.T., and more.

The WORLDWEBFORUM’s target audience are business leaders in the Swiss economy. It presents solutions for the successful implementation of digital strategies. Founder & CEO Fabian Hediger wants to make C-level executives think out-of-the-box: “We bring international innovation experts from different sectors to Zurich in order to learn from their success and visions.” The WORLDWEBFORUM becomes more widely recognized each year: Swisscom and Swiss Post have committed to long-term partnerships. New main partners include Ringier, Leonteq, Swiss Life, and the Aduno Group.

Top-class speakers
The WORLDWEBFORUM has received much attention from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. Representatives of the most successful incubators, including Kirsty Nathoo, Partner & CFO at Y Combinator, Duncan Logan, Founder & CEO of RocketSpace, and Bruce Gibney, fmr. Partner at Founders Fund, have secured their position on this year’s Panel “Startup”. Among countless other companies, they have launched Uber, Airbnb, Dropbox, Hootsuite, Reddit, and Spotify.

The highlight of the conference is a fireside chat between John Sculley, fmr. CEO of Apple and Pepsi, and Thomas Schulz, Silicon Valley Correspondent for Business & Technology at Der Spiegel. Other renowned experts speaking on January 28th include Matt Atkin, Head of Strategy at Uber, David Sable, Global CEO of Young & Rubicam, Claude Zellweger, Vice President of Design at HTC, Ambarish Mitra, Co-founder & CEO of augmented reality app Blippar, and Dirk Ahlborn, Founder & CEO of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies.

New: Startup Award and 9 Satellite Events

The WORLDWEBFORUM is all about innovation. Therefore, the “Coolest Startup Award” will be introduced at the 2016 conference, in order to empower young entrepreneurs with unique ideas. The jury consists of Prof. Markus Püschel, Head of the Computer Science Department at ETH, Dominique von Matt, President of the Board at Jung von Matt / Limmat, Thomas Dübendorfer, President of the Swiss ICT Investor Club, and Fabian Hediger, Founder & CEO of WORLDWEBFORUM.

Satellite events are becoming an increasingly relevant format at WORLDWEBFORUM. Apart from those organized by main partners, the conference is organizing two of its own satellite events. WORLDWEBFORUM/FinTech is an event dedicated to financial technology and the sector’s risks and opportunities. Another official satellite event is the WORLDWEBFORUM/NextGeneration which is taking place at ETH Zurich and has an audience of students and young entrepreneurs.

Following on from Steve Wozniak last March, WORLDWEBFORUM will be honored to welcome a further Apple veteran to Zurich in John Sculley. As Apple CEO, Sculley made the Mac the best-­selling computer in the world. He had a tremendous influence on the development and use of modern technology, and remains a major innovator and motivator in the high tech industry to this day.

John Sculley (76) rose to international fame as the CEO of Apple from 1983 to 1993, and is regarded as a marketing genius. His impressive career has already been portrayed in several films, such as “Pirates of Silicon Valley” and “Jobs”, and the new film “Steve Jobs” by Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle coming to cinemas in the fall.

John Sculley started with Pepsi-­Cola as a trainee in 1967. By the age of 30 he had become the company’s youngest marketing vice president, and in 1977 became its youngest-­ever president and CEO. Steve Jobs attracted him to Apple in 1983, seeking to bring his visionary marketing approach for multinational groups to Silicon Valley. Success soon followed with the first Macintosh computer: during his time as Apple CEO, the Mac became the best-­selling computer in the world. John Sculley ultimately ousted Steve Jobs and quadrupled the company’s revenues, but had to leave Apple in 1993. Since then he has been active as an independent entrepreneur and investor. He has supported a whole range of start-­ups, has been active in Big Data analytics, and has helped establish leading biotech and healthcare firms, some of which he remains involved with to this day.

Latest project: cheap smartphones
John Sculley has always been driven by delivering exceptional customer experience – this was already the case at Apple, long before the smartphone era. Now he is lining up against his former employer with the start-­up Obi Worldphone. Its eponymous smartphones are to be cheap and technically sophisticated, with the focus being on the custom user interface Lifespeed and the design. The latter have been developed by Robert Brunner, whose company designed the Beats headphones until Beats was bought by Apple. Obi Worldphones will be on sale online from October, and available in retail stores in certain countries.

• Swisscom and Swiss Post bolstering commitment as Main Partners
• Leonteq, Swiss Life and Ringier new Main Partners
• Strategic Board with Pierin Vincenz, Marc Walder, Ivo Furrer, and Susanne Ruoff
• Speakers to include former nuclear submarine commander David Marquet on high-­stress situations

The WORLDWEBFORUM increases in importance every year, enjoying impressive growth. Swiss Post and Swisscom have expanded their long-­term commitment to the event as Main Partners, and new Main Partners have also come on board: Leonteq, Ringier, and Swiss Life. They are all also founding members of the newly launched initiative DigitalZurich2025, which aims to position the Greater Zurich Area as an attractive location for digital start-­ups, companies and talents, and to assist firms throughout Switzerland in mastering digital challenges. “The annual digital conference WORLDWEBFORUM is an ideal partner for DigitalZurich2025 since it is already successfully established and has a global reach,” said Marc Walder, CEO of Ringier and one of the founders of DigitalZurich2025. Ivo Furrer, CEO of Swiss Life Switzerland: “I am delighted with this partnership with WORLDWEBFORUM. Digital transformation is having an effect on Switzerland’s economy as a whole and is being felt in all sectors – and we want to help in addressing this change actively with an approach driven by innovation.”

Strategic support from leading figures in Swiss business
Together with CEO Fabian Hediger, those responsible for the event have set up a new Strategic Board. With its wealth of expertise, this high-­caliber body is to take the WORLDWEBFORUM to the next level. The board comprises leading figures from Swiss business, such as Marc Walder (CEO of Ringier), Susanne Ruoff (CEO of Swiss Post), Ivo Furrer (CEO of Swiss Life Switzerland), Roger Wüthrich-­Hasenböhler (Head of SME division at Swisscom), and Pierin Vincenz (CEO of Raiffeisen Switzerland and President-­designate of the Board of Directors at Helvetia Insurance). Dr. Vincenz added: “I was very impressed by the quality of speakers at the WORLDWEBFORUM 2015. This is a platform where Swiss CEOs can get fresh inspiration, showing them how they as leaders should be dealing with the digital transformation. It also offers a superlative networking opportunity. I am proud to be able to play my part in the successful development of the conference going forward.”

Exciting speakers in store as in 2015
At the 3rd WORLDWEBFORUM in March 2015, Steve Wozniak enthralled the audience as the keynote speaker. On January 28, 2016, a range of nationally and internationally renowned speakers will once again present their visionary insights into leadership. For example, one confirmed attendee is David Marquet: the former commander of the nuclear submarine USS Santa Fe and bestselling author will talk about his leadership strategy, centered on delivering the best results even in high-­pressure environments where there is no margin for error. His key message to the CEOs is that leadership means relinquishing control and making it possible for leaders to emerge at all levels.
Another eagerly awaited speaker is Richard Ayers, former Head of Digital for the top English football club Manchester City. With his company Seven League, he advises clients such as UEFA, Wimbledon, UFC, Premier League, Juventus, etc. on their digital strategy, and has received many awards in this field. Other confirmed speakers include the former Swiss astronaut Claude Nicollier, and Jeremy Abbett, creative evangelist at Google. SPIEGEL’s US correspondent Thomas Schulz, whose Silicon Valley Blog presents regular reports from the technology epicenter around San Francisco and who wrote the book “What Google Really Wants”, will also be addressing the conference. A multi-­award-­winning journalist, he experienced the rise and fall of the new economy at first hand at with an Internet start-­up.