These days, if businesses don't have a digital strategy, then they simply don't have a strategy, Callaghan Innovation chief technical officer Dr Chris Hartshorn says. We caught up with him after a presentation to the Tauranga business community.
These days, if businesses don't have a digital strategy, then they simply don't have a strategy, Callaghan Innovation chief technical officer Dr Chris Hartshorn told a 100-plus audience of Tauranga businesspeople yesterday.
"I don't care what business you think you're in," he said. "If you don't choose to get onthis train, it is going to run away from you and you will be playing catch up forever."
Dr Hartshorn, who joined Callaghan Innovation last year after 20 years abroad in high profile research roles advising multinationals, gave a wide-ranging presentation on his vision of what the future holds for businesses and how they are using new technologies to drive growth globally.
In particular, he focused on what has become known in tech circles as the internet of things (IoT) and big data solutions.
The concept covers the intersection of the worlds of data, design and ideas, and the physical world of materials and living things.
"That is where a lot of the growth is coming from. Companies that don't get that will be analog players in a digital age - and that's not a good place to be."
Dr Hartshorn described some of the new opportunities that have opened up in the agrotech and food and beverage sectors.
That included new developments in pesticides being developed from natural sources as a result of environmental concerns and increased regulations around synthetic pesticides; microbial soil; amendments designed to improve soil quality; and the vast array of sensors and remote devices being developed that can help farmers and horticulturalists monitor and manage herds and crops more efficiently.
As an example of changes being driven by technology, he noted that multinational food company Campbell Soup was the sole investor in Habit, a startup launched to produce diets tailored to personal nutritional requirements through DNA testing.
"If you are selling food and beverage products [you need to be aware] they are already being marketed in a different way," he said.
"The future of F&B resides in the future of health and wellness."
And it was increasingly being driven by new technologies and the vast amount of data about individuals being continually harvested online, he added.
Callaghan Innovation is now partnering with Bay of Plenty chambers of commerce to provide services to the region.
Kirstin Mead is based out of the Tauranga chamber, which also partners with the Rotorua and Whakatane chambers, to explain the research institute's role and services.
Chamber chief executive Stan Gregec said there was no doubt that the pace of technological change was having a profound impact on every business environment.
"All businesses - large and small - are affected by this. The message is: take steps now to embrace change, or it may be too late down the track. "
However, there was plenty of support available, he said.
"New Zealand faces a huge productivity challenge with its legacy approach and industries. The positive about our small scale and distance from markets is that these traditional constraints can be turned into advantages through the application of new and smarter technologies like 3D printing."
Callaghan interim chief executive says progress made
Callaghan Innovation was criticised in a report published late last year for "fuzzy management" and a lack of clear direction. The comments were contained in a Performance Improvement Framework review written by Paula Rebstock.
However, interim chief executive Hemi Rolleston said yesterday that the review the report was based on had been completed more than a year ago. "A lot has happened since then."
Mr Rolleston was appointed after the surprise departure in August of Mary Quin, a high-flying expatriate Kiwi who had been lured back to take the role in Callaghan Innovation, created nearly four years ago from the Crown Research Institute, IRL.
Ms Rebstock's review said the institute's "earlier hierarchical leadership models managing the production and delivery of products and services are no longer suitable to deliver Callaghan Innovation's vision, mission, and strategy."
Speaking after yesterday's seminar on the future of business, Mr Rolleston said there had been a significant change of leadership. He noted that the changes included the recruitment of chief technical officer Dr Chris Hartshorn, and general manager external relations Cas Carter, who both spoke at the event.
Mr Rolleston said there had been a "reasonably large area of misunderstanding" about Callaghan Innovation's role and the areas where it could help clients.
"Our model has been refined and we are clear on where we are focusing. We are really reaching out to the regions."
Yesterday's road show in Tauranga was the fifth in two months, he said.
