Enterprise 2003
Welcome to ENTERPRISE 2003.
As we meet for the sixth year, Enterprise CEOs face a new stage in the life of the software industry.
When this conference began in 1998, Y2K buying was fueling significant growth. The Internet boom then took that growth to unprecedented levels.
In 2001 it all stopped. Observers expected the industry to resume its double-digit growth after a respite. But there’s been no upturn.
Why?
We must accept that software is now a mature industry. "Good bye" to double-digit growth. No more double-digit profit margins. Add to that the post-Enron scrutiny of corporate governance and you have a whole new phase of corporate life.
Now is the time to re-group and learn to live again. The fact is that mature industries create billions of dollars of shareholder value based on single digit growth rates and profit margins. The software industry can too.
In the coming days, Enterprise 2003 will focus on these issues in today's challenging business climate:
- Re-learning Growth. As the software industry matures and consolidates, experts present new ideas for growth and profits.
- The Next ERP? A new tech trend bound to reignite growth and cause fundamental change might be just around the corner. You’ll hear CEOs from young, fast-growth-companies pitch their next-big-thing strategies.
- Your Customers Speak. CIOs from America’s top companies present their perspective on enterprise customers’ needs today and into the future.
- Heading Offshore. It’s the hottest trend in software development, but what are the real implications for cost and competitiveness? We’ll get the latest insight from offshore veterans.
- Regarding Regulations. Here’s how savvy software companies are grappling with the new requirements of the Sarbanes Oxley act and other corporate governance regulations.
We would like to thank our advisors – Erik Keller, Roger McNamee, Chuck Phillips, Bruce Richardson and the McKinsey team, Greg Hughes and Ken Berryman – for their valuable input into this event. We would especially like to thank Mike Nevens for his participation and congratulate him on his recent retirement from McKinsey & Co. after an illustrious career.
Once again, welcome to Enterprise 2003.
MR Rangaswami & Constantin Delivanis
