Pitch report

Thursday, 4 July 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Looking at life on earth, it is known that mankind evolved through Ice Age, Stone Age, Agricultural Age, Industrial Age, and the Information Age. CIMA Regional Director for Middle East, South Asia and North Africa Bradley Emerson opined that the world is heading to an age he terms as the speed age. “In the process of evolution, at every point of transition there has been an authentic initiative which was probably radically different from what prevailed through the conviction of which there emerged certain individuals, both in business and in politics that led the transformation over

time. If you look back into more recent history, we have seen rise and falls of communism led by Marxism, Leninism, Maoism on one side of the earth and Nazism on another side, Lutherism and Gandhism in yet another location and much more, and recently Nelsonism,” Emerson expressed. He added that while the West is focusing on pessimism, the focus of CIMA Business Leaders’ Summit is on realism this year. “Some of us have the privilege or comfort for that matter to wake up and face the future at a pace of our choice. The future is now a beast and the beast is not waiting for us to reach, but is dashing towards you gathering speed at every spin of day and night,” he said. Why does he call the future a beast? He does so because, according to him, given that the population will grow to 8.5 billion by 2030 of which 80% will be outside the West, this impact on the future remains unknown. He noted that of this population, four billion people will make the middle class. “This also validates that out of the MDGs adopted by UN, the only one we would probably reach by 2020 is poverty alleviation. Whether Sri Lanka will be part of that is up to the business leaders,” said Emerson. He elaborated that the purchase power parity of this massive middle class people will exert pressure on the production of services and goods, not just in terms of sameness, but more to evolve to the newness. Noting the prediction of the Asian Development Bank, that almost 50% of the population will be privileged to acquire secondary education prescribing that there will be greater literacy, he said the McKinsey report titled ‘Education for Employment’ produced in March predicts that there will be increased graduate supply, increased job opportunities, and an increase in employment, which would lead to a third world war not for resources but for talent. Emerson observed that Africa, which was historically seen as a poor, illiterate, affected by famine and malnutrition, will see an urbanised nation of 800 million people by 2020, with Chinese investments. “This human transformation will make the beast and that is the reality. The word REAL sums up the theme where the need to lead, no matter where you are, be it in the animal kingdom, during Ice Age or in the human kingdom from Stone Age to today’s Real Age. There were individuals who had no position but had a radical thought that they believed they can evolve to a genuine authentic new era through leadership,” he said.