WEF Selfies, Sweet Investing & 25 Teaser Topics

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Hi folks

How has 2024 been treating you? Did you tune into the World Economic Forum with avid interest? Or did you just see your mates taking selfies there?

I’ve left this edition a couple of weeks into the year to give you (me) time to wake up.

There’s more optimism in the City I’ve noted, particularly around the eagerness for investors to do deals. Pricing is sweet for those looking to buy and both VC and PE firms have held firm for long enough to worry those who back them.

I think we’ll see more activity in Q1 than we have in a while and the tech industry will come out of the doldrums as a result.

On the demand side of tech, global financial companies are adopting AI and have been investing in huge transformation programmes. This is driven by change in digital client experience, regulation and new market structures.

And if I am also reading the room correctly, while tech companies have been making job cuts, financial firms have struggled to hire enough capable tech people.

These are good signs.

So what questions do you need to answer this week? (Two because I am just warming up again.)

1. Have you really worked out what AI is going to do for you? If not, why not? And if you’re playing with it cautiously, it’s time to talk to people (not vendors) who really know the answer.
2. Where can you capitalise on the deal frenzy I think we’re about to see?

Have a great week

Dan

PS…
Predictions and resolutions are iffy beasts, but plans are a little easier to manage. Mine this year are better self care and to kick off the Executive Summary breakfasts in London. Quarterly drinks will continue, sometimes with guest speakers and sometimes for giggles alone.

We have contributors for the Executive Summary newsletter this year. If you would like to address the CEO ecosystem and those who serve them, please do speak up if you’d like a shot at the title. Topics we are covering this year include:

1. Adaptive AI & trust
2. Risk & identity
3. Digital immune systems
4. Sustainable tech and energy
5. Compute power vs mining for raw materials
6. Sales performance vs potential
7. Platform engineering and platform bloat
8. AI-Augmented development
9. Super apps and intelligent applications
10. The trouble with legacy
11. Data engineering
12. Fundraising
13. Deal making
14. Augmented connected workforce
15. Machine customers
16. Productivity of technology
17. Next Gen blockchain
18. Crypto betting and ETFs
19. B2B Growth strategies
20. Edge computing
21. Payments
22. The Consumer Duty Act
23. Brand building
24. Emerging tech
25. Skills and people