Mark your mark at Think Summit

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Author: Benjamin Montague, Head of Brand Marketing, A/NZ & Think Summit Concierge 

On February 18th, our premier event, Think Summit, is coming digitally to Australia and New Zealand. We have assembled an incredible line-up of leaders and changemakers to share their insights and advice on how they are achieving greater speed and flexibility to respond to today’s market, economic, political and environmental changes.

With so many inspiring speakers, it isn’t easy to pick the one session I’m most looking forward to, so here are a few of my must-sees:

1 – Modelling Parkinson’s disease

Hear from Michael J. Fox, iconic actor, author and advocate. While he may be most well-known for his Hollywood career, Michael is also leaving a lasting legacy in medical research, having launched the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000 after publicly disclosing his own Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis in 1991, aged 29. Today, IBM Research and The Michael J Fox Foundation are developing a modelling methodology to help understand Parkinson’s Disease through machine learning.

At Think Summit, Michael will share an incredibly personal and powerful story of his belief that optimism and resilience are the secrets to coping with whatever life throws at you.

 2 – The Quantum Computing Era

Dr Mohammad Choucair, CEO of Archer Materials Limited, is at the forefront of research and development in quantum and will be bringing its vast potential to life. This session will demonstrate how Archer’s technology, together with IBM, will make quantum computing more accessible to consumers and businesses, and in doing so, enable a positive financial and social impact. Examples include streamlining financial systems, designing lifesaving drugs and redesigning materials and industrial processes to combat climate change. 

3 – Woodside Energy – the intelligent plant of the future

Two years ago, Shelley Kalms and Woodside Energy initiated the use of the IBM Garage methodology to help them undertake significant digital transformation within their business. As Chief Digital Officer, Shelley led an implementation of AI that began as a tool to streamline and improve new employees’ onboarding experience but has since expanded to permeate their business. Woodside’s ultimate ambition is to create an “intelligent plant” that leverages AI and quantum computing to improve safety, efficiency and further reduce operation costs. 

4 – The Foundations of Digital Transformation

The work of digital transformation is urgent and consequential. As organisations of all sizes dramatically accelerate their efforts to modernise and adapt, it’s important to remember that the technology decisions made today will determine competitiveness for decades to come. In this keynote, IBM President Jim Whitehurst will demonstrate how hybrid cloud and AI are the keys to maximising flexibility, resiliency, and innovation in any market conditions.

5 – Reducing the plastics in our oceans

“If we can have rubbish bins on land, then why not have them in the ocean?” This is the question Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski, two avid water lovers asked themselves. This simple question led to the creation of the Seabin that collects trash, oil, fuel and detergents in marinas. Hear from Pete as he shares his story of the Seabin Project and his team’s vision of creating “pollution-free oceans for our future generations,” and how they are working to optimise their operations’ technology and scale globally. 

These are just a few of the event’s highlights, so make sure to check out the entire agenda and register to attend Think Summit today.

For every event attendee on February 18th, we will even be planting a tree in partnership with Keep It Cool and Wakatipu Reforestation Trust to support the reforestation of environments right here in Australia and New Zealand!