In July I facilitated a CEO round table discussion focused on Ecosystems, collaboration, and the role of strategic Mergers and Acquisitions. It was a fascinating discussion captured in this Post-Session Article.

A GLIMPSE INTO THE ARTICLE

Virtually every industry has begun entering the early innings of a major, technology-fueled revolution. As companies attempt to anticipate and counter inevitable disruption, CEOs must try to predict, as accurately as possible, what the world will look like over the next five to 10 years, where the company will fit into new and emerging ecosystems, and how it will get to where it needs to be to stay relevant and profitable. Understanding the larger ecosystem(s) in which you operate will help you determine where you can add real value and, ultimately, the best path to take. “That analysis requires using a wider lens,” said Audrey Brady, vice president of Commercial Systems and Services at Sikorsky. “You have to look at the whole infrastructure.” For Sikorsky, which is assessing where helicopter travel fits in the future of urban mobility, that means engaging multiple players to make travel by helicopter work. Otis Elevator will be one such collaborator. “You need the elevator; you need the specific technology so that you have the specific password on your cell phone that gets you to the top floor and to the secure area where you need to go,” she explained. “You really need to start thinking about the adjacent markets you need to work with in order to introduce these things.”