Press Releases

16 February 2023

Kate Eberle Walker of Presence scoops top honor at Business Innovation Leaders Forum 2023 Awards

San Jose, CA, USA.February 16, 2023: The winner of the Business Innovation Leaders Forum ‘Women Business Leaders’ award was announced at the NetEvents Global Media & CxO Summit at the Hayes Mansion, San Jose, California, USA. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding leadership in technology innovation, strategy and execution.

Kate Eberle Walker from Presence was the much-deserved winner. Kate, a highly accomplished education industry leader and author won for her exceptional work as the CEO of Presence, a leading provider of teletherapy solutions for children with diverse needs. Kate has over 20 years of experience in driving growth at high-profile education companies and has built value through strategic acquisitions, technical innovation, and cultural transformation. Her majority female remote workforce at Presence has delivered over 5 million teletherapy sessions across 45 states. She is also the author of the book The Good Boss, which shares valuable advice for women in the workplace. Kate is a contributor at Fast Company and Forbes and serves on several education-focused boards.

“We are delighted Kate has been awarded the Women Business Leaders award. Her dedication and commitment to work in education and wellbeing, utilising technology to facilitate teletherapy to children in need of such services, is remarkable and to be admired”, said Mark Fox, CEO of NetEvents. “Her philosophy that technology should enhance human connection is something we believe in and is one of the main challenges facing IT professionals today. She shines a spotlight on the importance of technology delivering vital services, hybrid working and empowering women in the workplace.

I know fellow Business Innovation Leaders board members found choosing the winner a difficult task. The finalists are a group of exceptionally talented and focussed professionals and we thank all of them for being a part of NetEvents 2023.”

The NetEvents Global IT Summit offers a stimulating and topical two-day conference program of hot debates, head-to-heads and presentations by visionaries and industry analysts. For vendors it provides an exceptional opportunity to meet these networking and communications industry gatekeepers and spend quality time together in an informal yet focused environment. For full details of the NetEvents program of events and awards visit: www.netevents.org

This event in San Jose has brought together top international business and tech media and analysts representing 25+ countries around the globe. The next European NetEvents will take place in Rome on September 20 and 21st 2023.

Press enquiries, please contact –
Sian Aceto
Tel: +1 631 653 1223
siana@netevents.org

16 February 2023

Pavan Pidugu of the US Department of Transport (FMCSA) scoops top honor at Business Innovation Leaders Forum 2023 Awards

San Jose, CA, USA.February 16, 2023: The winner of the Business Innovation Leaders Forum ’CxO of the Year’ award was announced at the NetEvents Global Media & CxO Summit at the Hayes Mansion, San Jose, California, USA. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding leadership in technology innovation, strategy and execution.

Pavan Pidugu, Chief Technology Officer at FMCSA, an agency in the U.S. Department of Transportation, has won the Business Innovation Leaders Forum ‘CxO of the Year’ award for his outstanding leadership in pioneering digital transformation within his organization, supporting Motor Carrier Safety.

He has adopted platform and hardware independence to the digital toolkit FMCSA provides to millions of commercial vehicle drivers, hundreds of thousands of motor carriers, and 12,000+ federal and state enforcement authorities. With a background in retail and international markets, running IT for retail giants like Walmart and Target, Pavan is experienced in delivering innovative technology at a rapid pace to meet ever-changing business needs and customer expectations.

“Managing the strategy and execution of digital transformation for a large, complex operation such as the US Department of Transport (FMCSA) is quite an undertaking. Pavan’s impressive IT background as well as the scale and responsibility of his role make him a very worthy winner of this award. We are pleased to be able to honor him”.

“I know fellow Business Innovation Leaders board members found choosing the winner a difficult task. The finalists are a group of exceptionally talented and focussed professionals and we thank all finalists and winners for being a part of NetEvents 2023.”

The NetEvents Global IT Summit offers a stimulating and topical two-day conference program of hot debates, head-to-heads and presentations by visionaries and industry analysts. For vendors it provides an exceptional opportunity to meet these networking and communications industry gatekeepers and spend quality time together in an informal yet focused environment. For full details of the NetEvents program of events and awards visit: www.netevents.org

This event in San Jose has brought together top international business and tech media and analysts representing 25+ countries around the globe. The next European NetEvents will take place in Rome on September 20 and 21st 2023.

Press enquiries, please contact –
Sian Aceto
Tel: +1 631 653 1223
siana@netevents.org

25 August 2022

Final reminder to enter the CIO of the Year Award, North America

San Jose, CA – August 25, 2022. The Business Innovation Leaders Forum CIO of the Year Award (North America), closing date is fast approaching – please enter your nomination here: https://www.businessinnovationleadersforum.org/public/bilf-awards/cio-of-the-year-award-2022/

 

This award is open to all business sectors where the CIO/CISO plays a key decision-making role. The closing date is the 2nd September 2022 and the winner of the award will be announced during an awards dinner on 28th September at the CIO Summit, San Jose, CA.

The role of the CIO/CISO has changed dramatically. The global demand for digital transformation across every business and organizational sector puts the Chief Information Officer firmly in the driving seat. With the rise in DevOps, agile operations and the application of AI, Automation and Analytics for business, the CIO/CISO is now at the very heart of overall business strategy.

It is no longer enough for a CIO/CISO to simply understand new technologies and deliver solutions on demand as the organization grows. Business models are increasingly shaped by technological innovation, and today’s CIO/CISO needs a sound grasp of the overall enterprise structure and business, in addition to being alert to ways in which IT can drive new revenue opportunities and accelerate growth. With the surge in remote working, the CIO/CISO is increasingly focused not only on customer experience but also enhancing employee experience and effectiveness. Today’s leading CIOs/CISOs excel in many cross-functional skills – communication, inter-group bridge building – even empathy can be every bit as vital as sheer IT credentials.

“That’s asking a lot from CIOs” comments Ron Layton, Business Innovation Leaders Forum Board Member, Vice President, Sallie Mae Bank and former Deputy CIO for the Secret Service. “But today’s top CIOs are proving that it can be done. Our CIO of the Year Award shines a spotlight on what it takes – and celebrates those who have it. It also serves as an inspiration for every business leader actively exploring innovative technologies and solutions to propel their enterprise forward.”
The CIO of the Year Award is open to any CIO/CISO playing this essential role in any innovative business on any scale – whether a trail-blazing multinational or a small company driving some radical business model.

“No question that we are in the interesting market state today. But if you look back, some of the greatest companies were all born in the recession timing. Amazon, Netflix, Instagram, Airbnb, Uber, WhatsApp, Square, Slack, Venmo, just to name a few” adds Hiro Rio Maeda, Business Innovation Leaders Forum Special Advisor and Managing Partner, DNX Ventures.
“Founders have unusual strong commitment and entrepreneurial spirits in this kind of time. Enterprises have reduced budgets so the products need to have clear sense of ROI and gain the position of “necessity” and not the “nice to have”. All of these characters will lead to the explosive success in the startup growth.

The field is still wide open, and that is why I am especially excited to be on the judging panel for this year’s Business Innovation Leaders Forum CIO of the Year Award.”

For media enquiries please contact:
Becky Rudyard
Email: becky.r@BusinessInnovationLeaders.org
Tel: +1 650 785 2039
www.BusinessInnovationLeadersForum.org
LinkedIn: @Business Innovation Leaders Forum
Twitter: @BusinessInnovLF

8 March 2022

Greater recognition for women business leaders

San Jose, CA – March 8, 2022. The Business Innovation Leaders Forum is asking the industry to nominate their choice for the Women Business Leaders Award. Entries are now open, to coincide with today’s International Women’s Day.

This award recognises CEOs, CIOs or C-Suite woman executives for their exceptional contribution towards business innovation. It will shine a spotlight on these leaders and their potential to inspire a new generation of successful women business leaders and entrepreneurs. The winner of the award will be announced during September 2022.

“There is growing recognition that diversity fosters innovation,” commented Mark Fox, Chair of the Board of the Business Innovation Leaders Forum. “People of different gender, culture, age and race bring the challenge of different experiences and approaches. Their collaboration breeds creativity and strategies better adapted to the diversity of global markets.”

Last year’s Fortune 500 list, as compiled and published by Fortune magazine, featured only 41 companies run by women, barely 8% of the total. This figure, up from up from 5% in 2018, represents more women business leaders today than there have ever been since the Fortune 500 was established in 1955.

Different vertical sectors are clearly moving at different rates. The UK Government’s Women in Finance charter, established to encourage gender diversity targets in the banking sector, recently reported that the proportion of women in senior management positions increased by just 1% between 2018 and 2020.

The tech sector offers a slightly more encouraging example, according to Silicon Valley based entrepreneur Tam Dell’Oro, Founder & CEO of tech market analysis firm Dell’Oro Group, and a Special Advisor to the Business Innovation Leaders Forum: “From my experience, the culture in the high tech industry in Silicon Valley, welcomes diversity in leadership positions,” she said. “High tech is very competitive, and the winners are richly rewarded, so the focus is on the best person for the job.”

12 October 2021

Announcing a new global ecosystem for innovative business leaders

San Jose, CA – October 12, 2021. The Business Innovation Leaders Forum is a global community of independent business leaders actively exploring innovative business transformation technologies and solutions to propel their enterprises forward.

The Forum launched today with the appointment of a truly international founding board including:

  • Ron Layton who brings his extensive experience in cybersecurity and future security needs for the financial sector.
  • Martin Curley, Leading Tech Innovator known for driving pioneering advances in international healthcare (and creating the Open Innovation 2.0 paradigm).
  • Bill Burns, a business innovation leader advancing the application of data analytics and automation inretail, e-commerce, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, healthcare, public and other sectors.
  • Kevin Deierling, entrepreneur and multi-patent holder, standing at the forefront in the application of AI for business.
  • Ramesh Marimuthu, accomplished business leader in strategic management, design thinking and rapid prototyping solutions. Currently holds more than a dozen US patents.
  • Saqib Chaudhry, award-winning digital transformation leader across telecom, energy, nuclear, law enforcement, financial, healthcare & public sectors in North America, Middle East & Europe.
  • Mark Parr has a strong pedigree in delivering IT systems – from military command and control networks to risk management, cyber security, information assurance and digital transformation.
  • Mark Fox, Chairman, known for his skill in initiating creative collaborations of diverse interests to drive technological and business innovation.

 

“Despite being highly connected, society and business have never been more fragmented” says Mark Fox. “What is needed is a new type of collaborative experience – one that is rich in content, communications, and networking across the globe. Most importantly this Forum also provides a platform for CIOs to inform and influence the future development of digital transformation solutions that will better serve the needs of forward-looking businesses.”

Members will be like-minded and progressive senior executives, industry peers and thought leaders which wish to share business transformation challenges, experiences and solutions. They are looking for better ways to manage and adapt to new realities in a shifting social, business, and political landscape. Members can recommend industry peers who they consider might benefit from, and contribute to, the growing community. Looking to the Forum’s long-term potential, there is no membership fee for the first six months.

All members benefit from access to timely advice and insights. They can take advantage of new opportunities to interact and meet like-minded executives, analysts, technologists, business visionaries and thought leaders. The aim is to facilitate easy and productive discussion in a comfortable format – freed from the pressures of today’s fragmented and noisy communication environment.

“I am delighted to be joining the Founding Board” says Dr. Ron Layton. “The Business Innovation Leaders’ Forum offers a new way to communicate, in an efficient manner with industry peers. Today we are facing global challenges, and it demands a broader collaborative mindset – one even greater than the sum of its parts.”

According to Ramesh Marimuthu: “We anticipate a fertile ecosystem, where members benefit from the experience, shared wisdom, and insights from this exclusive, unbiased, and independent community of Business Leaders. The Forum serves as a seedbed for innovation – to drive growth, shape industry conversation and channelize the global business narrative.”

In addition to the Founding Board, leading experts – from academia, research organizations, financial services, banking and intergovernmental organizations – are being invited to be “Ambassadors” and Special Advisors to the forum leadership. Some of those already on-board include: research analysts Brad Casemore, IDC, Tam Dell’Oro, Dell’Oro Group and Erin Dunne of Vertical Systems Group, providing trending data and informed market predictions; innovation spotter/investor Hiro Rio Maeda, DNX Ventures; Nalanie Harelela Chellaram, science of the mind advisor, balancing business and life skills; plus additional experts.

Mark Fox, the Business Innovation Leaders’ Forum Chairman, is known for over 20 years’ experience in bringing together business leaders to foster dynamic and fruitful projects in the technology arena. His initiatives have already played a seminal role in the establishment of many of today’s most significant business communication innovations, including – new generations and applications for Ethernet; Software Defined Networking; Cloud Computing as well as championing  industry adoption of AI in networking and cybersecurity. These and other once-radical concepts are now taken for granted as essential for successful enterprises.

 

For media enquiries please contact:

Becky Rudyard

Email:  becky.r@BusinessInnovationLeaders.org

Tel: +1 650 785 2039

www.BusinessInnovationLeadersForum.org

LinkedIn: @Business Innovation Leaders Forum

Twitter: @BusinessInnovLF

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