8th October 2008
BITE organised and hosted World Hi-Forum 2008: Focus India in London
Prime Minister Gordon Brown stresses innovation and global partnership in welcome message to World High Tech Forum
 The World Hi-Tech Forum 2008: Focus India opened with a dinner introduced by television presenter, Nick Ross on 7 October at the Science Museum. The Forum on October 8, at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London, was presented by Nicholas Owen and speakers included, financial secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Timms, one of the founders of the Internet, Dr Lawrence Roberts and leading international figures. The WHTF is supported by the British Institute of Technology & E-commerce (BITE), Rolls Royce, Microsoft and KPMG.
In his welcome message, Prime Minster, Gordon Brown said, “Your presence during these two days and your continued contribution to this industry is of great importance. In the future, our shared successes will be defined not only by technology and skills but by innovation and global partnership – global businesses using creativity and collaboration to drive development and to find creative new solutions to the challenges we face today.
He added, “Today’s great challenges and great opportunities span borders and continents – and our response must be in kind. We need to work together to find concerted, collaborative approaches to securing a shared global prosperity.
“So I welcome you all, representatives of many nations, to the United Kingdom. Britain stands ready to be a hub of innovation and a focus for partnership across your industries so that together we can face and overcome the challenges of the future.”
At the Forum, financial secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Timms outlined how the Government is developing the use of on-line services. He said, “At Job Centre Plus job-point terminals now offer around 400,000 job vacancies and have contributed to falling unemployment levels. They are an example of transforming public services through the use of technology.” He outlined how government departments are similarly improving the efficiency with which they communicate with each other.
The Forum considered Business Success through Innovation and Global Partnering with plenary sessions on the role of Government, the innovation process, global partnering and beyond the Internet. Speakers included Dr Bhishma Narain Singh, former cabinet minister, India; Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, High Commissioner of India; Professor Sundarajan Ramachandran, vice chancellor, University of Madras; Arun Aggarwal, vice president, Tata; Sam Beale of Rolls Royce; Ivan Boyd of BT; Sir Brian Burridge of Finmeccanica; Mr Narasimhan Ram, editor in chief of The Hindu and Jerry Fishenden of Microsoft UK.
This was the first in a series of Forums in London and overseas. Chair of the World Hi-Tech Forum, Dr Muhammad Farmer said, “The aim of the Forums is to concentrate on a different ‘focus country’ each year, with presentations from government and leading companies providing valuable high-level, shared learning. They will bring the global community together to facilitate technological and business partnerships.”
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