PANEL: How can you transform your company culture?
Most large organisations have found it hard to adapt to digital partly due to legacy structure. So how can they possibly adapt to a joined up world where all channels are integrated?
Stakeholder politics. Is generational change required at board level before tangible progress can be made? What are the best ways of educating senior management? How can buy-in be assured? How do you get directors onboard?
Training. A strong, well-funded and enabled customer services department is key to customer retention. Yet this is one area that has largely been perceived as a cost to the business. How can you start to empower customer services teams? Which other parts of the business need to be trained in the science of digital? How can you join up your business through education? Where do you start with training?
Comms. Internal communications are one thing, but how can you make sure that your agencies are singing from the same songsheet? Ideas are one thing but execution is everything. We'll be asking the panel to suggest best practice approaches to internal and external comms.
About the speakers
John Barnes, Managing Director Digital & Tech, Incisive Media
John Barnes joined Incisive Media in February 2007 following its acquisition of VNU Business Publications where John was Managing Director. He started his career in 1985 in editorial and has edited numerous weeklies and monthlies. John was director of VNUs European Media Strategy from 2000 - 2003.
In his current role John is responsible for the direction and delivery of Incisive Media's digital strategy. He manages over 600 web sites, within Incisive Media's core market places in UK, US and Asia.
John is also an executive board member of the Association on Online Publishers (AOP), also chairing it's B2B group, and is a member of the BPA European advisory board and the Princes Trust Technology leadership group. He has a degree in English from London University.
Ottokar Rosenberger, UK Managing Director, eHarmony
As UK Managing Director for eHarmony.co.uk, Ottokar lead all aspects of the UK business, including marketing communiations, product localisation, pricing and customer care; ensuring the continued growth of eHarmony.co.uk which launched in market in 2009, and has already amassed over 1.5 million registered users. His goal is to make the brand as successful and famous in the UK as it is in the US.
His career spans 13 years in brand and management roles for some of the largest FMCG brands in the world. He brings a cross-cultural business approach to eHarmony.co.uk, having spent years localizing and building up global brands in new markets.
Ottokar spent 10 years at Procter & Gamble working in both the UK and US and was rated ‘top talent’ working across a number of marquee brands including Pantene Pro-V, Head & Shoulders and Olay where he led the launch of Regenerist. Ultimately, he was appointed as General Manager, SK II Prestige Skin Care, the 2nd largest P&G skincare brand; building the commercial model and managing a team of 100.
Before joining eHarmony, he spent two years at internet services company Rated People as Commercial Director, taking the company from small start-up to profitability.
Jess Burney, Subscription and Database Director, BBC Worldwide
Jess Burney has taken BBC Magazines subscriptions from cottage industry to best in class. Best selling listing title, Radio Times, in particular, has seen stellar growth, from 11,500 subscribers to 210,000 today. Jess is a past chair of the PPA Customer Direct Marketing group, she writes for industry publications, speaks at events and she is a board director of Kent-based subscription fulfillment bureau, Dovetail.
Neil Morgan, Senior Director, EMEA Marketing Digital Marketing, Adobe
Neil is Senior Director EMEA Marketing for the Omniture Business Unit at Adobe. A twenty year veteran in technology marketing, he brings experience of doing business at companies including Oracle Corp and Siebel systems.
