London, 23rd May, 2018. The public sector badly needs innovative technology solutions that are more attuned to digital service design and which can replace legacy IT constraints. The private sector can offer a wide range of new, lower cost and innovative solutions to this challenge, but struggles nonetheless at times to engage the public sector.
Our breakfast seminar, “DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION – WHAT THIS MEANS, AND DELIVERING INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY TO SERVE THE PUBLIC SECTOR” sought to tackle this conundrum, with speakers and attendees from a variety of backgrounds bringing their experience to bear in an interactive discussion that included SMEs, financiers and systems integrators.
After a welcome from WTA Partner Jeffrey Jenner, four industry leaders, gave inciteful presentations which were enthusiastically received by the forty strong audience. Jos Creese, opened describing the challenges of selling into government and how to address them. Georgina O’Toole, chief analyst at TechMarketView, then described the size of the market and who the larger suppliers are. Nick Nardi, Senior Executive Vice President in Harris Computer’s Public Sector operation, defined the $200 billion opportunity in the United States and the pitfalls for software suppliers looking to win part of this government spend. Ian Bowles, CEO of the Tribal Group completed the presentations relating his experience of selling to government across Defence, Education and Healthcare in the UK and Australia.
A poll was conducted at the beginning of the event and reported in the final session. Opinion was divided whether the recent increased levels of buy and sell-side activity was nothing more than the general trend rather then sector consolidation. Most attendees thought the general uncertainty in the economy and public sector budget constraints would make owners more likely to look at their exit options, but responders were neutral on whether the market will remain favourable to them. The audience was evenly split though on whether valuations would drift lower but very much in agreement that software companies serving the sector which had “sticky” customer contacts would be in demand.
The event concluding with a Q&A session moderated by WTA Partner, Alan Butterfield. Jeffrey Jenner closed the formal session and invited the delegates to stay for refreshments and the opportunity to network.
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