“Take-off Monday”, a day of high-caliber conferences, to kick off CEBIT

• Global experts to speak on economic and social consequences of digitization
• Star-studded program features Jaron Lanier, Adel Al-Saleh, Auma Obama et al.
• Online registration via CEBIT website

CEBIT 2018 kicks off on 11 June with an illustrious program of international conferences at the Hannover Exhibition Center. Under the patronage of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the program will take place at the CEBIT Conference Center, featuring prominent speakers talking on burning issues touching on all aspects of digital transformation. The spotlight is on tomorrow’s working environment and digital infrastructure as well as the profound social changes wrought by new technologies. Keynote speakers include VR legend Jaron Lanier, the new T-Systems CEO Adel Al-Saleh and journalist and author Dr. Auma Obama.

Opening with VR legend Jaron Lanier

Virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier will open Take-off Monday at 10 a.m. Lanier developed the first hardware and software for virtual reality applications back in the 1980s, including a trend-setting data glove. Today, Lanier is one of the Internet’s most critical observers. As a computer scientist, entrepreneur and author, U.S. citizen Lanier received the Peace Prize of the German book trade for his cautionary analysis of the business models of global Internet companies, and rejects social networks on principle.

Auma Obama to speak on digitization as help for self-help

Another prominent speaker is Auma Obama – an ambassador for ecological, economic and social sustainability. As the founder of the Sauti Kuu Foundation, she provides a voice to financially and socially disadvantaged children and young people. Obama talks about how digitization can help young people take their fate into their own hands. “It is not enough to help disadvantaged people just by giving them money. It is equally important to create a space in which they can freely develop,” asserts the half-sister of former U.S. president Barak Obama.

CEBIT Executive Talk examines digitization from different angles

From several different angles, the CEBIT Executive Talk event explores how our increasingly powerful digital technologies can lead to economic growth and prosperity while at the same time strengthening social cohesion. The speakers are BDI President
Dr. Dieter Kempf, Germany’s Federal Internet Ambassador
Dr. Gesche Joost, Fraunhofer Society President Dr. Reimund Neugebauer, Datev CEO Dr. Robert Mayr and Accenture CEO Frank Riemensperger.

CEBIT Future Work Forum discusses tomorrow’s working world

As a contribution to the Science Year 2018 of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the CEBIT Future Work Forum discusses how digitization will change work and companies, what skills will be required in the working environments of tomorrow and how the fear of job loss and the erosion of qualifications can be reduced.

The speakers include Ursula Morgenstern, the new CEO of Atos Germany, Dr. Wolf-Dieter Lukas from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and Andrew Filev, CEO of San José-based Wrike, who will report on his company’s work in Silicon Valley.

Open dialogue at CEBIT InnovationCamp

The CEBIT InnovationCamp in the afternoon is also about tomorrow’s working world. The Bitkom digital association will be offering a number of workshops on how to organize and manage digital enterprises. The focus is on open dialogue and shared experiences. The topics range from “Leadership in an AI-supported Work Environment”, “Open Innovation and Community Building” and the acquisition of new talent.

Broadband summit on expanding the digital infrastructure

On CEBIT Monday 2018, the German Broadband Initiative will examine the avenues to expanding Germany’s digital gigabit infrastructure, featuring representatives from politics, business and public administration. Their importance for location policy is undisputed, as companies without access to broadband networks suffer from a sever competitive disadvantage. The German Broadband Initiative includes the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, the D21 Initiative and the Bitkom digital association.

German-Arab Digital Forum explores digital transformation

The German-Arab Digital Forum deals with the rapid pace of digital change in the Arabic countries and the business opportunities resulting from this. Featuring representatives from international business and politics, the forum will focus on the questions “Which digital solutions can be used to close supply gaps” and “How can the expansion of the IT sector strengthen employment opportunities in the Arab nations?”

CEBIT Welcome Night to feature Ginni Rometty

Take-off Monday will conclude with the CEBIT Welcome Night – the ceremonial opening of CEBIT 2018 – with a special highlight being the keynote address by IBM CEO Ginni Rometty. She has headed one of the world’s most important technology companies for six years and is on the Forbes list of the 10 most powerful women in the world.

Taking part in Take-off Monday

If you would like to attend the Take-off Monday conferences, you will need to be in possession of a valid CEBIT visitor-ticket. In addition, you will need to register in advance on the CEBIT website

Important information

Attendance at the CEBIT Welcome Night is by personal invitation, only. The exhibition halls and d!campus will be open from Tuesday, 12 June, starting at 10 a.m.