Digital Landscapes

29.01.2010
Google’s John Herlihy speaks ahead of a major conference in March that will tackle such topics as creating a digital strategy; exploiting new technologies; and digitising your business model.

“We are about to be hit by the fifth big wave of computing, and that’s the mobile internet. Desktops could be pretty irrelevant in about three or four years’ time.”

That’s according to John Herlihy, vice-president of online sales and operations at Google. He was speaking about future trends ahead of the Digital Landscapes event that is to be held by UCD Smurfit School on 3 March in Dublin, as part of the school’s Growing Ireland series.

Herlihy and other speakers will examine how businesses can utilise technology, and in particular the online arena, to transform their business models and create growth. He is just one of an impressive line-up that includes Dr Chris Horn, Colm Long of Facebook, Eamonn Fallon of Daft.ie, Dylan Collins of Jolt Online, Dr John Breslin, co-founder of Boards.ie and Martin Murphy of HP. Eamon Ryan, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, will also speak at the event.

According to Herlihy, mobile is just one way in which the internet will continue to revolutionise the way businesses operate and go to market. “With over 1.5 billion people online worldwide, all connected, creating, communicating and searching for information, online business will be a key factor in the rebuilding of the Irish economy in the coming months.

“Businesses that focus more on online opportunities will have a greater chance of speeding up their growth and competing during the downturn,” he continued. “In truth, there are four million people here in Ireland and 6.3 billion on the planet. Businesses must focus their efforts on people outside of Ireland. Clearly online has got to be part of that strategy.”

Digital Landscapes takes place on Wednesday, 3 March, 2010, from 7.40am to 12.30pm at O’Reilly Hall, Belfield, UCD. For more information or to book, visit UCD's Growing Ireland website or phone 01 7168050.

Photo: John Herlihy, Google's vice-president of online sales and operations

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