I recall that it was a typical cold and dreary winter day in London — it was probably raining — when I decided that I was ready for a change of scene. The year was 1978, and the local British media was lamenting the apparent “brain drain” phenomenon that was then sweeping the nation.

Yes, I had decided to leave and go live in America, but I’ve always looked back with fondness at the place that I called home. Granted, I had become one of those British expat engineers that discovered there were alternative places to thrive — where my ideas and ongoing research could be fully explored.

Read More »

Tags: digital business ecosystem, East London Tech City, education, talent development, UK

As you plan and prepare for the delivery of a high-profile major project, would your peers describe you as being “cool, calm and collected?” According to one source, the definition of that expression is to become “relaxed and ready for anything; able to endure any difficulty.”

Apparently, this is also one of the traits that may help to explain what it really means to be British. When I first settled in the United States — now more than thirty years ago — my American associates would compliment me for being very polite and respectful to guests. In other words, being a gentleman. Truly, I’ve never given that aspect of my character much thought, until today.

Read More »

Tags: East London Tech City, economy, infrastructure, London 2012, Olympic Games

In my first editorial in this series, I introduced the notion of some very bold aspirations for community regeneration and economic growth, that’s about to occur in East London.

I’m sharing the following key data points about the London 2012 socioeconomic impact, to give you an idea of the scale of this purposeful investment strategy — and the anticipated economic development related outcomes.

Read More »

Tags: BT Openreach, East London Tech City, ICT, infrastructure, legacy, London Olympics

By Pippa Collett,  Cisco UK

“There’s the gun and they’re off!”

Cisco House officially opened its doors yesterday in a five month marathon to inspire leaders seeking new ideas around the business transformation of countries, cities and organisations.

Read More »

Tags: Building a Brilliant Future, Cisco House, East London Tech City, London Olympics

My wife was shopping online this past week. While she was watching the rich-media cat walk feature on asos.com, which is now the norm for clothing retailer websites, it occurred to me how things have changed. Moreover, how our expectations have dramatically evolved.

On a regular basis I hear friends, colleagues and business partners complain about the perceived speed of their internet connection – web pages not loading fast enough, unable to reach a particular website, or a poor user experience on Skype. Consumers are demanding more – more broadband speed, better applications and abundant availability.

Read More »

Tags: BIG Initiative, East London Tech City, ecommerce, internet, mobile, video, vni