Featured power panelists of the REVOLUTION: Philippine Digital Convention 2021 Day 1 Plenary Session imparted significant insights and takeaways on embracing revolutionary technology as a means to thrive and serve the shifting needs of their customers in the post-pandemic world.

Part of the power panel of the digital convention’s Plenary Session which happened last October 6 were Yasuo Suzuki, President of NTT Global Data Centers; John Harrington, Nokia Senior Vice President and Head of the Asia Pacific and Japan; Manuel V. Pangilinan, Chairman of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, Dave West, President of Cisco Asia Pacific, Japan, and Greater China; and Nicholas Ma, Huawei Asia Pacific Enterprise Business Group Head.

Pangilinan discussed key perspectives to the delegates, along with other industry leaders in technology. He says companies nowadays are measured on sustainability and digitalization or their adaptability to technology which is “no longer a luxury but an imperative.”

“We have to persuade senior management that it’s important to adopt digital technology because you will be obsolete if you don’t do that. And values are now driven by your ability to do your digital pivot, especially if you are a publicly-listed company,” said Pangilinan.

The MPIC head, who also chairs the PLDT Group, added that businesses need to adapt to innovation to leverage the revolutionary solutions of tech companies. 

“We’re seeing revolution happening across the board for businesses, so it’s our job to be able to encourage if not push them into that space. The enterprise group should provide the solutions to these companies in their pivotal switch…They need somebody to tell them what to do…,” Pangilinan noted.

Huawei executive Nicholas Ma said that as time goes on, “networks will become self-organizing, self-healing, self-optimizing, and autonomous,” allowing enterprises to access intelligent connectivity with more straightforward and secure service to organizations.

“The technology is always working for the people and the entire organization. With the revolutionary technology, we hope our customers and the people can live a simple, personalized, and secure life with ICT technology,” said Ma.

Meanwhile, Suzuki highlighted that NTT Global Data Centers is constantly looking to develop more efficient data centers while maintaining sustainability. With their long history of world-class networking products and services, he said that NTT is well-positioned to lead the industry amid the demand for additional capacity.

Likewise, Harrington noted the role of Nokia in allowing the world to act together through the use of critical networks that are secure and trusted.

He said that 5G is more than just a faster experience for consumers but is about bringing digitization, productivity, and growth to industrial sectors suffering from low growth even before the pandemic. 

“Nokia’s off to a great start in terms of leadership with over 240 commercial 5G agreements,” the Nokia executive said. 

For Cisco, West shared that their purpose is creating an inclusive future and building technology that allows people to be included no matter who they are, where they are, or how they work.

“Our technology is built in a way that enables people to feel included, and it is core to our cultural beliefs as a company… As we think about next-generation technology, it is providing connectivity to the unconnected, how we create technology and innovation, and how we use technologies to do the right things and provide capabilities for innovation,” West said.

The Philippine Digital Convention is the most prestigious digital thought leadership event hosted by PLDT Enterprise. Titled “REVOLUTION”, this year’s PH Digicon featured over 120 industry leaders and experts, sharing their expertise on topics such as technology predictions, industry evolution, emerging technologies, among others.

Relive the three-day convention like no other via content on-demand available exclusively on phdigicon2021.com. 

For more information, visit pldtenterprise.com.