The 2024 School of Innovation will feature three global virtual sessions, open to organizations from around the globe to join in and participate. Alongside these sessions, each participating region will host a variety of local forums. These forums will provide a platform for face-to-face interactions and context-specific discussions. And don’t worry if you miss or can’t attend a forum due to your location —recordings will be promptly available on our online learning platform. Join us as we explore innovation on a global scale while embracing local nuances.
Today’s organizations are increasingly investing in digital innovation initiatives that leverage data and AI capabilities to achieve their strategic goals. In this session, we are delighted to bring back Dr. Nils Fonstad from MIT Center for Information Systems Research (MIT CISR) to discuss findings of a report drawn from MIT CISR’s research studies, prepared by their researchers for Avanade. The report identifies four critical success factors for digital leaders to systematically realize value from AI-based innovations.
Dr. Nils Fonstad
As an Academic Research Fellow with the MIT Center for Information Systems Research (CISR), Dr. Fonstad researches how organizations are redesigning themselves to realize greater business value faster (and minimize risks) from a diverse portfolio of digital innovation efforts. Drawing on both in-depth qualitative data and survey data from hundreds of firms, he has identified what investments and innovation practices distinguish the most competitive firms. 
Andrea Silvestri
Andrea Silvestri is a dynamic innovation leader passionate about driving transformative change. Currently serving as Italy's Innovation Lead at Avanade, Andrea is dedicated to fostering a culture of innovation while nurturing Avanade Open Innovation program in his region. He's committed to driving growth for clients and communities, and actively engages in discussions around the impact of AI on business strategy, work and experiences.
Delve into the integration of AI in the creative and innovation process with giants of the online collaboration and design thinking space, Mural. Join us as we dissect case studies which demonstrate how AI can act as a lever in the innovation process by fostering collaboration and driving creative solutions, accelerating the pace of innovation, aiding in the rapid evaluation of idea feasibility and stimulating creativity and innovation through the adoption of AI personas.
Jim Kalbach
Jim Kalbach is a noted author, speaker, and instructor in innovation, design, and the future of work. He is currently Chief Evangelist at Mural, the leading online whiteboard. Jim is the author of several books: Designing Web Navigation (O’Reilly, 2007), Mapping Experiences, 2nd Ed. (O’Reilly, 2020), and The Jobs To Be Done Playbook (Rosenfeld, 2020). In 2023 he co-authored Collaborative Intelligence (Wiley, 2023) with Mariano Battan. He is also the Co-founder and Principal at the JTBD Toolkit, an online resource with learning, trainings, and content.
Amelia Jones
Armed with a background in design thinking and human resources as a seasoned Principal Customer Success Manager at Mural, Amelia brings a wealth of knowledge garnered from 10 years of experience in the dynamic realm of Startup SaaS products. Her fervor for change management, technology education, and innovation is the driving force behind her success in nurturing client relationships. 
Melissa Witheriff
Melissa is the Australian Innovation Lead at Avanade, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience across finance, insurance, mobility, public works, IT, education, and retail sectors. As a former Head of Digital Innovation in financial services, she excels in partnering with C-suite executives to transform ideas into profitable ventures. Melissa's expertise includes strategic innovation, emerging technology, organizational culture, partnerships, and corporate governance. She also serves as a Non-Executive Director and Advisory Board Member of the Service Innovation Alliance.
How can organisations ensure that their AI systems are fair, transparent, accountable, and trustworthy?
AI is not a neutral technology; it reflects the values, biases, and goals of its creators and users. This raises the question whether it is enough for organisations to be responsible with their use of AI, or whether they should actively seek virtuous outcomes to the benefit of humanity. How can organisations go beyond simple responsibility and align their AI initiatives with 'common goods'. What are the best practices and tools for embedding ethics into the innovation lifecycle, from ideation to evaluation? Join us as we explore the ethical dimensions of AI and innovation, and how organisations might adopt a virtue-based approach to AI design and deployment.
Martin Harper
Martin works with Avanade's Chief Sustainability & Innovation Officer to develop Avanade’s vision for innovation across the UK & Ireland. He has dual responsibility for bringing the latest research, thought leadership and emerging technology to clients, as well as shaping our own internal culture of innovation at Avanade. This includes taking executives through interactive workshops to help them understand the value of technology and new ways of thinking about their business. Martin provides guidance on innovation developments, scoping proof of concept projects and training their teams on topics such as innovation strategy, practical design exercises and sustainability. More recently he has taken on responsibility for developing partnerships with start-up and academic organizations to better shape Avanade’s vision of innovation globally.
Stuart Coleman
Stuart is Director of Strategic Business Development and Learning at the ODI. He is passionate about opportunities for people across society to use technology, data and machines to learn new skills and shape a better future.
Join us for a thought-provoking session led by Adam Burden, Accenture’s Global Innovation Lead. This talk will navigate the evolving landscape of technology, focusing on the trend of technology becoming increasingly human-like. We’ll touch upon the advancements in AI and its transformative power, the emergence of new computing mediums, and the progress in human-computer interaction. The session will also address the challenges and breakthroughs in technology’s understanding of human intent. As we move towards a future where machines interact with humans on their terms, we’ll discuss the potential implications and opportunities this presents. This exploration of ‘Human by Design’ will provide a glimpse into the future of technology.
Adam Burden
Previously, Adam led Accenture’s Intelligent Cloud & Engineering practice both globally and within Asia-Pacific where he was based. This organization focused on accelerating Accenture’s growth in cloud and custom solutions, setting a new market standard for truly integrated, full-stack cloud and engineering capabilities. A pioneering business area for Accenture at the time, the practice provided world-class cloud technical architects and custom system engineers to Accenture clients as well as incubating next-generation capabilities related to blockchain, artificial intelligence and similar disruptive technologies.
Adam studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Virginia and his background also includes graduate studies in fault-tolerant digital systems design. He and his family live in Tampa, Florida. In his spare time, he coaches internationally ranked middle-school academic competition teams and enjoys modernizing vintage automobiles.
Join us for an enlightening session with Lucio Ribeiro, Director of Marketing Digital and Innovation at the Seven Network and Forbes Tech columnist. Lucio will equip you with the cases and strategies to transform your approach to AI, shifting the focus from isolated use cases to a holistic, ecosystem-wide vision. Lucio will delve into the vast landscape of AI applications, emphasizing the importance of considering entire ecosystems rather than isolated use cases.
In this session, Lucio will discuss the establishment of enablers that facilitate AI productivity, providing a holistic approach to integrating AI into your operations. He will also share insights on the practical application of AI learnings, empowering you to facilitate your identified use cases effectively. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a seasoned expert and gain a broader perspective on AI implementation.
Discover how to move beyond isolated AI use cases and unlock true productivity with a holistic approach.
Lucio Ribeiro
Lucio Ribeiro is Director of Marketing Digital & Innovation at Seven Network and Tech Columnist at Forbes AU, former Director of Technology Innovation and Activation at Optus. His work involves identifying and developing new technologies and new use cases for rising technology. Before Optus, Lucio was a consultant in digital transformation. His consultancy work involved Financial Services, Retail, Automotive and FMCG, with clients like Goldman Sachs, Mercedes-Benz, US Defense Force, MINI/BMW, Mondelez, AMP and Vicinity Centres. He is also a former University Lecturer in Digital Marketing and a lecturer in AI for MBA. Graduated in Law with MBA and further specialisation in Innovation and AI with MIT Sloan, Lucio is an alumnus of the prestigious Marketing Academy and was voted Top 100 worldwide most influential digital marketers by Marketing Today in 2014.
Join us at the Executive Forum of Avanade School of Innovation, where we’ll explore AI’s strategic importance and its translation into actionable plans. Through real-world case studies, keynote speeches, and interactive sessions, we’ll showcase successful AI integrations in businesses and provide a comprehensive understanding of AI’s potential. Network with professionals and thought leaders as we demystify AI, breaking it down into executable steps for your organization’s digital transformation journey.
This session is a panel format.
We’ll explore how AI is expanding the realms of possibilities, offering a glimpse into a future where technology seamlessly integrates with our daily lives. Witness firsthand how AI is revolutionizing various sectors, providing practical, real-world examples. Understand how to harness AI’s potential within your organization, driving unparalleled experiences that put your customers at the heart of everything you do.
This session is a panel format.
Led by Giulio Coraggio, this session will explore the European AI Act. Giulio Coraggio serves as a Partner at DLA Piper, where he oversees the Intellectual Property & Technology department in Italy and holds the position of Global Co-Chair of the Gaming & Gambling group within the firm. His current focus revolves around analyzing the impact of the AI Act on European businesses, emphasizing the crucial necessity of aligning with the evolving regulations concerning artificial intelligence. His extensive expertise encompasses advising on groundbreaking initiatives in the realms of AI, NFTs, the metaverse, and cryptographic contracts.
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