PIT café 17 mei: How digitalization changes boardwork

Social media, mobile, wearables, Internet of Things, real-time — these are just some of the digital technologies that are disrupting markets. Digitalization has now started to impact most industries and organisations – whether you’re a travel company that has already gone through digital transformation, a car company being confronted by car sharing models or a hospital facing the demands of a 24/7 society and video consultations.
We live in a time that Wired magazine has labelled ‘digital Darwinism’ — an era where technology and society are evolving faster than organisations can naturally adapt. The real threat and opportunity in digitalization lies in the evolution of customer and employee behaviour, values, and expectations. This sets the stage for a new era of leadership, a new generation of business models, and innovation charging behind a mantra of “adapt or die.”
Digitalization not only impacts strategic decisions, it also affects boardwork. Or doesn’t it? That is what we will discuss in the PIT café on May 17.
PIT founder Hanske Plenge and partner Fennemiek Gommer initiated this café because the subject fits perfectly with the objective of “PIT Platform Innovatie in Toezicht” (Innovation in Governance) – to be a catalyst for new ideas and different behaviour in the boardroom.
Wehkamp, a true pioneer when it comes to digital transformation, hosts the café. CEO Piet Coelewij will share his personal observations on the topic, both from his perspective as a digitally savvy executive and from his experiences as a non-executive director. Does it require different expertise or skills for non-executive directors? What can you do to support your CEO on this journey?

Liselotte Engstam, co-founder of Digoshen, a company based in Stockholm and Silicon Valley that works closely with boards to help them embrace the opportunities digitization has to offer, will speak next. Liselotte Engstam, who also acts as a non-executive director and start-up coach, will share her views on why she feels this topic belongs on the board’s agenda, how she thinks board work is changing because of digitalization and what the implications for board members are on a personal level. Additionally, she will also explain what role the Digoshen research can play in this journey.

More on the Digoshen research
To prepare for this session you are all invited to take part in this research – see https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2571756/pit-cafe-1705
The survey is confidential and takes about 10-15 minutes to fill in. You will directly receive a personal feedback report including results and recommendations. It will give you an indication of the digital position of both your organisation and you personally.
When you take this survey before April 21 your results will be included in the presentation on May 17. The feedback from the survey shared at the event will be on a consolidated level, individuals will not be identifiable.

Group discussions
After these introductions, we will split up in smaller groups to further discussion. The introductions will be in English, the discussions can be in Dutch or English, depending on who’s at your table.
Discussion topics are:

1. Digitalization requires different people on the supervisory board
More and more you read about the need for digital natives or ICT specialist on the board – but is that really the answer? Or should all board members be aware of how digitalization could potentially impact their organisation?
Chaired by Piet Coelewij, CEO Wehkamp and non-executive director
2. The future of board work
In the digital world, organizations work in a different way. No more 5 year plans that can be approved by the supervisory boards, but constantly changing actions by agile organisations that align behind a shared purpose. Less focus on thinking and more fast-failing and co-creation with customers and other external stakeholders. What implications does this have for board work?
Chaired by Liselotte Engstam, Chairman of the Board, Digoshen, non-executive director
3. How can you personally be a catalyst for digital transformation
For those of you who have done the research before coming and want to discuss it in more depth. What can you learn from the findings? How to use it in your organisation? What can you do personally to inspire change?
Chaired by Katy Caroan, CEO, Digoshen
4. Can the same board deal with ‘exploit’ and ‘explore’?
“Every organization needs to do 2 things, exploit what is and create what is not yet” according to business and innovation gurus Ridderstråle and Nordstrom. How do you deal with the different approaches ‘exploit’ and ‘explore’ require at the Supervisory Board level? Do you need a separate innovation committee? Or even a different disruption board – as suggested by Belgian entrepreneur Peter Hinssen?
Chaired by Fennemiek Gommer, Caracta, strategy & innovation specialist, non-executive director in youth care
5. Digital transformation in the public sector
Today, many of the ‘digital’ start-ups that have disrupted their industry are private companies such as Uber, AirBnB and Netflix. Will it be the semi-public sector tomorrow? Or should the focus be on ICT as an operational support system?
Chaired by Ilse Vegter, digital marketer, non-executive director in the public housing sector
6. When digital becomes human
Successful digitalization requires a user-centric approach: organisations need to truly become client focused. The client relation of the future is both digital and human as professor Steven van Belleghem from Vlerick business school describes in his book ‘when digital becomes human’. In his opinion boards underestimate the strategic value of human touch – do we agree? And how to supervise a high tech – high touch culture?
Chaired by Anne Mieke Eggenkamp, Caracta, creativity & learning expert, non-executive director in the cultural sector

OPTIONAL: VISIT OF THE WEHKAMP WAREHOUSE

14.30 Guided visit of the Wehkamp warehouse – one of the largest and technologically most advanced e-commerce distribution centers of the world. Opened in September 2015, this new distribution centre has an advanced storage and retrieval system with 450.000 units and 24 pick stations. 468 robots pick up more than 10.000 items per hour, so that each order is ready for delivery in less than 30 minutes. This is twice as fast as in the previous distribution centre

NB: this visit will only take place when at least 15 people will participate, so please indicate your interest when signing up for this café.

AGENDA

14.30 Guided visit of the Wehkamp warehouse (optional)

15.30 Participants start arriving
16.00 Welcome and introduction by Hanske Plenge, PIT founder and Fennemiek Gommer, organising PIT partner
16.05 Personal observations from a digital leader by Piet Coelewij, Wehkamp
16.15 The impact of digitalization on board work By Liselotte Engstam, Digoshen
16.30 Invitation to join discussion at one of the 6 tables
16.40 Start table discussion
17.30 Plenary sharing of highlights per table
18.00 Drinks
19.00 Closure

OUR GUESTS
Piet Coelewij, CEO Wehkamp
Piet is a multilingual Dutch national who has an extensive international background and a proven track record of leading growth businesses in innovative and disruptive business environments.
In August 2016 Piet was appointed CEO of the Wehkamp Group, the holding company of Wehkamp.nl and Lacent Financial Services BV. Wehkamp is the leading player in the Dutch online B2C e-commerce market.

Previously, he was Vice President of Global Operations and Managing Director, Europe of US-based Sonos, a wireless HiFi equipment manufacturer. Before that Piet held senior positions at Amazon.com in the UK between 2007 and 2011 and at Phillips Consumer Electronics in China between 2004 and 2006. Piet joined Philips in 1986 and before moving to China has held senior global product creation and development positions in Singapore, the US and Europe.
Piet is also a non-executive Director of BCA marketplace Plc and Displaydata, both based in the UK.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pietcoelewij/
Liselotte Hägertz Engstam, Chairman of the Board, Digoshen
Co-Founder of Digoshen and non-executive Director at listed and non-listed companies with global reach. Partner in Venture Capital Company and Startup Business Coach with background from International Executive Leadership positions at HCL Technologies (India) and IBM (US).

Liselotte is passionate about digitally influenced business strategies, innovation, global collaboration and bridging the corporate and the entrepreneurial world.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/liselotteengstam/

Katy Caroan, CEO, Digoshen
Co-founder of Digoshen, Executive Coach and Digital Strategist Partner in Caroan Consulting with background in Management Consulting and International Business HR Leadership roles at IBM and Accenture.

Katy is passionate about advancing leaders, digital strategies and bringing more entrepreneurship into the corporate world.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katycaroan/

LOGISTICS
Date and time: Wednesday may 17, 15.30-19.00
Location: Wehkamp LSC distribution center, Paderbornstraat 21, 8028 NB Zwolle, The Netherlands Address for navigation: Ravensburgstraat 8 8028 PZ Zwolle

Access to this event is free for partners of PIT. (€ 50,- no show fee). Aspiring PIT partners or guests are welcome at an introductory fee of € 50,- payable at the door (cash) or by invoice.

Subscribe through your Eventbrite invitation or by stating your interest in participating at info@toezichtmetpit.nl. Please indicate your interest in participating in the guided tour (starts at 14.30, you don’t want to miss this!) and your first and second preference for the table discussions.

Admission numbers are limited, tickets are issued at a ‘first come, first serve’ base, so subscribe early!