Exploring New Frontiers, together!

It is undoubtedly the dawn of a new age for all. We can sense the optimism and eagerness to build a more robust social and economic environment to withstand any fall back and effectively tackle challenges, especially those brought on and accelerated through the onset of COVID-19.

Since it was launched in 2016, Canon Frontiers of Innovation initiative is a testament on how we have always been keen on providing a platform for driving innovation and ideas, gain insights and experiences and generate solutions for businesses in our region.

With the same core objective, Canon's ‘Frontiers of Innovation Forum 2020’ edition is uniting industry and sector experts, this time under one online platform to foster industry learning during the COVID-19 crisis. The forum took the format of an online weekly broadcast series streamed on our LinkedIn page, discussing key evolving trends and the impact of the pandemic on individuals and economies. The online series also explores how different sectors are preparing themselves for the post-COVID-19 phase.

With industries entering the second phase and opening more to business, both the Forum and GCC governments’ strategies aim to evolve cultures of innovation. Throughout the past few months, everyone accrued invaluable lessons, and right now we must be ready and open to share our learnings and experiences so that we all benefit from them – and in turn, help serve our community and grow our businesses through a new lens for a better future.

There is no doubt that the pandemic has accelerated the digital ecosystem. Today, businesses everywhere are embracing the latest digital technology to reshape operations and deliver better value to customers. It is estimated that digital transformation will create 1.3 million new jobs in the region by 2025.

We see more people rely on online marketplaces, cashless payment, contactless delivery and livestreaming today. In short, we live in an ‘always-digital’ and ‘digital-first’ world, and it is important that we are agile and flexible.

Agility and flexibility in the workforce caught many organisations off guard. Often dismissed as a non-essential aspect of working environments, the ability of organisations to adapt swiftly came into serious question during the pandemic. It became overwhelmingly clear that the future of doing business is going to be fundamentally different as corporate hierarchies change and remote working becomes a norm. It also highlighted the need for added cyber security protocols as more people work from home. However, it is quite evident that flexible working has actually improved data security through decentralization, usage of cloud services, and video conferencing!

Equally, we are probably seeing the biggest change and development in communication area as the future of communication transitions right before our eyes. Naturally, we may be looking into which communications tools to use and how, but what resonated with me was the emphasis on communicating authentically and instilling trust with core audience and the greater emphasis on alignment of all internal and external stakeholders as we prepare to discuss newer and increasingly relevant topics.

COVID-19 indeed was a turning point to accelerate change for a more prominent future. I believe that everyone will need to learn and adopt new technologies, processes and skills. Continuing with Frontiers of Innovation in these challenging times is to support all who seek innovative strategies to rise and shine in the post-COVID world.

Following the forum’s success and wide viewership, The forum will resume airing every month live on Canon EMEA LinkedIn page. You can view all previous sessions on Canon EMEA Youtube channel

I look forward to your participation in the Forum and for your valuable feedback. I also welcome ideas for future discussions. Your views matter most to us.