Gaining Ecosystem Advantage

While Big Tech firms keep growing and expanding, and as political momentum to regulate and restrain them gains ground, the question is- what will happen in terms of the future of tech ecosystems? Will regulation change how business is done, or who benefits from it? Or will Big tech continue their path to dominance only to be potentially thwarted by changes in data processing, search, ad tech, certification and blockchain or AR?

The Guardian is one of the world’s leading news organisations. It has successfully evolved from a national newspaper to a global provider of high-quality, impactful journalism in multiple formats, on multiple platforms, in multiple countries. In this session we were joined by Keith Underwood, interim CEO of the Guardian Media Group and previously the COO/CFO at Channel 4. In a stimulating discussion, we covered the changing dynamics of the media and digital landscape; the capabilities required to define and deliver digital transformation; how he orchestrates - and participates in - ecosystems inside and outside his organisation; and the power of purpose in driving business engagement and performance.

PingAn has been synonymous with ecosystem success. PingAn started modestly as a Chinese traditional insurer and used technology not only to transform its operations but also to power an ambitious ecosystem that spans from healthcare to lifestyle, becoming the world’s most valuable insurance firm along the way. Join us for a discussion with Jonathan Larsen’s, PingAn’s Chief Innovation Officer who’ll walk us through this remarkable ecosystem success story, to help us understand not only what led to this success but also how to organize to best support a successful if potentially sprawling ecosystem.

Engaging with the AI ecosystem. One of the most pervasive changes in how business is conducted is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which turns information and data into knowledge and predictive power. But AI is not just an abstract technology. It is enabled, produced, and leveraged by firms which form their own AI ecosystems. These ecosystems, dominated by Big Tech like Google, Microsoft, AliBaba and Tencent, shape what firms, and what nations can achieve  So join us for an illuminating discussion with the Global Director of BCG’s Henderson Institute, Francois Candelon, who’ll draw on his recent research and work with leading firms to help us understand how the AI ecosystem works, what are the options for firms that engage with it, and why the structure of the Chinese AI ecosystem may be an important driver of its increasing AI prowess.

"Talk about tough starts. In his first few days, the CEO of Premiership Rugby, Darren Childs, faced salary cap breaches by the one of the top clubs, Saracens, and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. How do you orchestrate a complex, high profile ecosystem of clubs, sponsors, media companies, merchandisers and fans in a such a crisis? How do you lead without “hard” authority over a club chairperson who often pursues their own agendas? How do you withstand pressure to mitigate commercial downsides in order to protect player safety? Find out how Darren worked closely with Government to provide £88million of support for clubs, whilst also concluding an extension of its long-standing broadcast partnership with BT Sport and a new 10-year deal for the European competitions Champions Cup and Challenge Cup."

Mastercard is a household name; 2.5 billion cards are embossed with its logo worldwide. Ecosystems play a pivotal role in making transactions “safe, simple and smart”. It faces dynamic new entrants: Fintechs are collaborators, and potential competitors. How does Mastercard evolve its ecosystems to include players such as Square, Stripe and Revolut? How do the inter-ecosystem dynamics shape intra-ecosystem competition? And how does it ensure a fair, open and competitive framework for all participants? It also operates in a society facing major issues, such as financial exclusion. What role does it play in addressing them? Specifically, how can it build the trust necessary for people to share their data as we move towards open-banking? Join Kelly Devine, the President, UK and Ireland, of Mastercard to explore these opportunities, tensions and trade-offs.

Who said drastic innovation and platform enabled eco-systems was the sole domain of tech firms? COVID19 has, if anything, cemented the hold of the Big Tech firms, which have been the archetypical ecosystem builders. If Big Tech offers such seamless experiences, what is there to dislike? Why should we look at the increasing role of a few powerful orchestrators, who both underpin our lives on a daily basis, and determine the fate of a vast number of complementors? Cristina Caffarra, one of the leading antitrust practitioners, will consider the dark sides of these shiny new ecosystems, and will discuss with us what we can do, or at least attempt to do, to curb competitive excesses to protect customers, smaller business partners, and innovation, without throwing out the baby along with the tub water.

How one Real Estate and Retail Conglomerate Builds Eco-Systems to Win: Majid Al Futtaim’s retail/mall ecosystems in the GCC. Retail, conventional wisdom goes, has been one of the hardest hit sectors due to the rapid acceleration of e-commerce and the effects of the pandemic. So when a firm operates 28 shopping malls across the Middle East and North Africa and has over 350 retail outlets from Uganda to Pakistan, you might think this is an existential moment for the business. Interestingly, not. Join us in a discussion with Ahmed Galal Ismail, Chief Executive Officer Majid Al Futtaim – Properties and a distinguished alumnus of London Business School, MBA Class of 2002, to understand why Majid Al Futtaim was steadily working on a digital transformation strategy that enabled it to pivot its business within weeks of the pandemic setting in. By creating ‘phygital’ worlds, building digital eco-systems, and placing data, insights and experiences at the heart of its offering, Majid Al Futtaim h

COVID-19 has been a massive challenge for healthcare systems the world over and has highlighted the challenges we face due to the fragmentation and limited information sharing in health. At the same time, it has helped technology forge ahead by leaps and bounds, as in addition to new products and services, we see the willingness of patients, doctors, administrators and societies to engage with digital health. So, what should we expect moving forward? Are we at the beginning of a revolution or will all such grand designs fall flat, killed by regulation and unwilling users? Join us in a discussion with Philip’s CSO/CIO, who will expand on a recent paper and consider how digital platforms and ecosystems are changing health, and what we should expect in the future.

Michael G. Jacobides, Sir Donald Gordon Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at London Business School, gives an introduction to our webinar series 'Gaining Ecosystem Advantage'. You can find the recordings for the entire series at