RTC dinner on British Competiveness in Technology (22 May 2007)

Can The UK No Longer Compete In Technology?

The UK is fifth largest economy in the world, yet confidence wanes over our ability to compete other than in financial services, with worries that our remaining R&D, let alone production, back office and content creation centres will emigrate to China and India. The UK once designed and exported products for the world, so where are our Microsofts, Apples, Googles, Yahoos, eBays, Ericssons, Nokias, Sonys, Canons, Symantecs, Dells, …?

On 22nd May Andrew Hilton, London’s leading critic of financial & technological innovation will chair a debate covering

  • culture & structure – introduced by Richard Hudson, who runs a news service covering early-stage investment in R&D, previously managing editor of the Wall Street Journal’s European edition and co-author of “The (mis)Behavior of Markets: A Fractal View Of Risk, Ruin & Reward”.
  • finance – introduced by Craig Pickering, formerly LSE and HM Treasury concluding as head of the Industry Division. Currently with the Engineering and Technology Board Group on public procurement of technology.
  • wealth and R&D company performance – introduced by Norman Price OBE, serial manufacturing MD and Chairman, also currently working with the Business Finance and Investment Unit of the DTI, Vice President of the EEF and various CBI and RDA posts.
  • tax & law – introduced by Maury Shenk who heads Steptoe & Johnson’s European technology practice and handles technology transactions and regulatory issues in the UK, Europe, US and around the world.
  • education – Professor Philip Treleaven is Pro-Provost and Professor of Computer Science at University College London, whose students have gone on to create multi-million pound businesses, but rarely in the UK.

To make best use of the time available the speakers will speak for three minutes each after grace, to stimulate discussion over dinner, debate will then be joined over coffee.