Breakout Sessions 2011

In addition to inspiring speakers Rebuild21 hosts a number of break-out sessions in which leaders, politicians, entrepreneurs and journalists are discussing and laying the foundations for 21st century progressive leadership and growth.

The breakout sessions will be facilitated by experts in their respective fields.

 

August 30: Redefining the cornerstones of 21st century business

Day one at Rebuild21 is dedicated to identifying the cornerstones of progressive 21st century business. We believe that the competitive parameters for future businesses will look quite different from the ones taught at many MBA schools around the world today. We don’t have all the answers. Join the breakout sessions, get inspired and help define the cornerstones of 21st century business.

 

 

1. THE MEANING ORGANISATION

Date: August 30 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Will McInnes, Managing Director, NixonMcInnes

Businesses worldwide are struggling to recover from the economic downturn. They’ll need to shift their focus from profit to authentic social engagement in order to have meaningful impact in the world.

In this breakout session we will look at how companies centered around a higher purpose attracts employees, foster innovation and generate profits. We will discuss how companies can get a competitive edge by focusing on making a difference and giving a damn.

How do you focus your organizations around on a higher purpose? Will the CEO be replaced by the Chief Meaning Officer? What is authentic meaningful business and how can we avoid backfiring and fake storytelling?

 

2. REBUILDING LEADERSHIP

Date: August 30 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Johan Peter Paludan, Director, CIFS

We have witnessed a major meltdown of 20th century management thinking and ethics. A new wave of self-reflection is sweeping through the business environment from global CEO’s to leading business schools and thinkers.

We are in the midst of a shifting paradigm; going from R.O.I. and ‘extracting value’ to ‘creating share value’ in the words of Michael Porter from Harvard Business School.

Alongside the rebirth of ethical business we are witnessing a more fundamental break away from long rooted industrial traditions for central planning and control. It’s a move towards leadership and structures that supports group creativity and allows employees to make decisions in a much less hierarchical structure.

How do we lead radically more transparent and open companies? How do we balance the ‘triple- or quadruple’ bottom lines of the future? And what kind of leadership skills are needed in organisations consisting primarily of loosely structured networks of self-motivated teams?

 

3. OPEN INNOVATION & CO-CREATION

Date: August 30 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Ask Agger, CEO, Works

LEGO, BMW, Starbucks, P&G, De and Nike are just some of the companies that have pioneered the field of open innovation, co-creation and mass-customization.

Engaging partners and customers to be involved in the process holds major potential for businesses. But it’s also a challenge to the company culture, logistics and competitors.

Front-runner companies have inspired many to experiment with engaging customers via idea platforms. But participation takes a lot more effort than just launching an idea platform and hope for people to start flocking towards a cause or a brand.

In this breakout session we look at the potential and pitfalls of opening up and engaging customers and partners in product and service development.

 

4. OPEN BUSINESS MODELS OF THE 21st CENTURY

Date: August 30 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Marting Von Haller, Partner and Co-founder Bender von Haller Dragsted and Chairman of Open Source Forum

 

5. THE NETWORK ORGANISATION

Date: August 30 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Jacob Bøtter, Partner and Co-founder Wemind

How many people work in your company? The answer to this question will get increasingly more difficult to answer in the 21st century.

We often pigeon-hole organizations by defining them only by the employees on the company payroll. But in a  world connected by the web, whole new ways of organizing and collaborating emerge.

In this breakout session we look at some of the innovative people challenging our perspectives of organizations by tapping into ‘the global brain’. We will discuss: loosely structured network organizations, global teams, distributed innovation, design competitions and crowd-sourcing. What are the potentials and challenges of these new ways of working and organizing?

 

6. MARKETING R.I.P.

Date: August 30 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Lori Webb

The Chief Marketing Officer as we know him will very likely become an endangered species in the 21st century. Too loud, too expensive and too short on results we will see him replaced or squeezed by the Vice President for Customer Experience or The Chief Listening Officers of the 21st century – or so some claim.

To create more alert and responsive organizations we need to break down the traditional silos between Marketing, Sales, Customer Service and Product Development.

Who is leading the way in this field? Will the marketing department disappear in the 21st century? What will it be replaced by? Stay tuned… this session is evolving based on your input.

 

7. INVESTORS WAKE UP!

Date: August 30 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: To be announced…

The owners of today’s corporate giants aren’t who you think they are. Thanks to mutual funds and retirement plans, the actual owners of corporate giants like the oil operators of Nigeria, global chemical companies in Germany and the arms industry are not a few wealthy families. These companies are owned by people who have invested their life savings through in pension funds. People like you and me!

As citizen investors we have the potential to reshape the corporate agenda of multinational companies. At the same time we represent an enormous new market for progressive pension and investment funds.

Who is leading the way in enabling green, social and sustainable investments? What needs to be done to make it easier, more transparent and profitable to make social investments? How do we mainstream investing in a better world?

 

8. REBUILDING EDUCATION

 

 

9. REBUILDING THE WAY WE RUN PROJECTS

Date: August 30 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Andreas Johannsen, Partner, Klean

When rebuilding organizations we need to rebuild our project approach. Not a month goes by without press stories of prestigious private or public projects off track – either  over budget or late. Why do so many traditional projects go astray?

More dynamic, flexible and inclusive ways of planning, budgeting, staffing and running projects are emerging. What do new software developments like Agile, Scrum and Self Directed Teams have to offer? What are the benefits when it comes to time, budget and quality of projects? What are the pitfalls? And how do we avoid them in our quest to rebuild the way we run projects?

10. INNOVATION ASIA STYLE

Date: August 30 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Peter Hesseldahl, Science communicator at Danfoss Universe

How is the innovation approach of Asian companies different – and how can Western companies learn from them in order to make their innovation process more effective?

In the global marketplace companies with very different styles will be competing. Rapid reactions, close understanding of customer needs and cost innovation are among the characteristics of Asian companies.

In this session we will discuss how Western companies might adjust their current approach to developing new products and solutions – and what the implications of change means for organizations, skills, budgets and risk-taking.

The session will be based on the findings of Asia New Business Creation, a two-year research project in which 5 large Danish companies compared and exchange methods with similar companies in China, Korea and Singapore.

Peter Hesseldahl
Peter Hesseldahl is a senior specialist in the Danish Universe Foundation – a  think tank focusing on learning and innovation. He coordinates the AsiaNBC project, comparing Asian and Western companies’ approach to innovation. Peter Hesseldahl’s expertise lies in future studies and strategic foresight in business. He is the author of 5 books, the latest is “Ground rules for the 21st. century”.

 

August 31: 21st century progressive growth

Day two at Rebuild21 is dedicated to identifying new and more constructive areas of 21st century growth. We believe that some of the most admired and profitable businesses of the 21st century will be providing answers to global challenges. Get inspired by the people and companies that make a profit while making an active contribution to a more engaging, livable, healthy, fun and sustainable world.

 

 

 

1. LIVABLE AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES OF THE FUTURE

Date: August 31 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: To be announced…

By 2030, 60% of the world’s population will live in cities. How do we create cities, which are greener, more social and fun to live in?

We look at some of the most likable cities in the world today. Discuss why and how we can transform the knowledge of today to city-planning of tomorrow, and how politicians, city-planners, developers, architects and contractors have to work together with citizens to create the cities of the future.

 

2. REVITALIZING LOCAL FOODS – OR HOW TO REBUILD McDONALD’s

Date: August 31 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Signe Wenneberg, Journalist/Author/Guerilla Gardener, signewenneberg.dk

Agriculture and food consumption accounts for nearly a third of all greenhouse emissions. How do we stop the global transportation of foods and start appreciating the food next door?

How do we revitalize local foods to compete with global mainstream companies like McDonald’s and 7-Eleven? Or should we rebuild McDonald’s to the 21st century? Are companies responsible for changing the mentality or is it really down to customer demand?

In this breakout session we look at how various international companies successfully have managed to change people’s mentality and vice versa.  Find out how innovative companies can lead the way and inspire others to do the same.

 

3. THE GREEN ENERGY REVOLUTION

Date: August 31 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Søren Houmøller, Founder and Partner, 1stmile

European countries have embraced the green potentials in very different ways. We look at the different strategies they have adapted, and discuss which countries will be the frontrunners in Europe, and who will fall behind. And how will Europe as a whole  compete with US and China in the future?

 

4. RECYCLING FOR PROFITS

Date: August 31 10.00-11.30 & 14.00-15.30
Moderator: Thomas Becker, CEO, Genan

Companies such as Nike, Interface and Genan have shown how recycling can be profitable for business and radically change the company’s image. Nike Grind motivated young people all over the world to hand in their old trainers. Genan have created a new technology that convert high quality recycled rubber into new tyres. And Interface has revolutionized the re-purposing of flooring.

What can we learn from Nike, Genan and Interface? What are the challenges of recycling on a big scale? And what are the new areas in which recycling can drive green growth?