

Deloitte and Deloitte Digital have submitted several presenters for SXSW 2017. Help bring these awesome panels to life by voting for these submissions on the SXSW PanelPicker site. You can click on the links below to vote and comment. Anyone can vote easily and comment, so share these bright ideas with everyone in your network before voting closes on September 2!
SXSW is a coming together of the dare-to-be-different leaders, freethinkers, innovators, and all-out game changers in industries such as gaming, advertising, retail, music, sustainability, and beyond—and we’re hoping to contribute to the conversations. Deloitte Digital is passionate about fostering these moments and hopes to contribute through our suggested presentations and panels. And we need votes to help us do it*.
Here’s how to vote
Create a PanelPicker account—it’s quick, easy, and free.
Once you have an account, click on “Search/Vote” in the top right corner. Then, search "Deloitte" and separately “Heat,” which will pull all of our submissions. Vote by clicking the “thumbs-up” icon—it takes just one minute and 15 seconds to vote for all of our submissions!
Here’s a look at what we’ve submitted—give us your thumbs-up vote to see us at SXSW!
Robots can restore our humanity – John Hagel, Director and Co-chairman, Center for the Edge, Deloitte LLP
Robots and artificial intelligence can be powerful catalysts to redefine work in ways that will restore our humanity. Today's work is tightly specified, highly standardized & tightly integrated – something that algorithms can do much better than humans. As machines take over this work, we may have an opportunity to redefine work around things that are uniquely human: imagination, creativity, curiosity, and emotional and social intelligence. There will be no shortage of this kind of work given our ever-expanding desire for products and services that can help us achieve more of our potential. But the transition may be painful, as our institutions will need to go through a profound transformation to make this possible.
The Great Debate: Agencies vs. Consultancies - Andy Main, Head of Deloitte Digital, Deloitte Consulting LLP
What’s the future of digital marketing? One view held by traditional agencies say creativity is the “secret sauce” of marketing sought after by the world’s top brands. Moreover, agencies have invested heavily in digital technologies and talent enabling them to transport their creativity into new realms for their clients. The contrarian view is that digital requires a complete transformation of brand marketing, and data drives creativity and messaging. In this view of the future, ad agencies will be replaced by strategic consultancies that combine business strategy with technology implementation and creative execution. These opposing views of the future lend themselves to The Great Debate panel.
The Internet of Things: From Sensing to Doing - Robert Schmid, Chief IoT Technologist, Deloitte Digital, Deloitte Consulting LLP
As IoT gains momentum, many organizations find themselves paralyzed by the sheer volume of vendor promises, the number of novelty examples being imported from the consumer realm, and an overarching conviction that something real and important—yet frustratingly out of focus—is waiting to be tapped into. To sidestep such distractions, focus on solving real business problems by creating bounded business scenarios with deliberate, measurable value.
If organizations want to maximize value, reduce risk, and learn fast, those just beginning their IoT journey should follow three innovation principles: “Think big, start small, scale fast”.
Transforming Commercial Lending - Dounia Lievan, Consulting Managing Director, Deloitte Digital, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Many banks have not significantly updated or invested in their commercial lending capabilities putting them far behind the times in this key business. The process of obtaining a commercial loan can be complex, opaque and slow, leading to customer frustration and reduced conversion and retention. By digitizing all of the data associated with commercial lending and harnessing the latest technologies — including data analytics and workflow automation — banks can simplify and accelerate the commercial lending process. Transforming a commercial lending business can be a difficult challenge — but it’s an achievable one.
From “Doing Digital” to “Being Digital” - Garth Andrus, Principal, Deloitte Digital, Deloitte Consulting LLP
The DNA of “digitally native” companies put technology at the core of everything they do. Traditional companies, in order to remain competitive and avoid disruption, are actively expanding their efforts and investments in digital. However, “doing digital” is not the same as “being digital.” This session will highlight some of the most important characteristics of digital natives, and offer practical advice to help traditional companies rewire their DNA for the future without undermining how they achieved success in the past
Look up for Infrastructure, It's Now in the Sky - Jason Killmeyer, Senior Consultant, Strategy and Operations, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Open: short animation showing an earthquake disaster response in Haiti set in 2020. The U.S. government donates a kit that, instead of having grain or rice, will have smartphones and three to four small WiFi-emitting drones. With that kit, the Haitian government can now begin the process of instantiation and maintenance of public records, using the hardware (smartphone) to begin biometric registry, and WiFi to connect back to the world economy, ordering supplies from an online retailer and directly broadcasting its needs to donors. But where to record this information with flooded servers? On the distributed ledger called block chain executing on top of the cloud. Discussion to follow: The heart of infrastructure is now up.
The Changing Role of the CMO in the Digital Era - Alicia Hatch, CMO, Deloitte Digital, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Average tenure of a corporation in 1958 was 61 years, in 2012 it was 18 years. And 40 percent of current Fortune 500 companies won’t exist in the year 2025. Simply put, the rate of change is increasing and companies can’t keep pace. This change includes exponential increases in computing, power, storage, and bandwidth; products and services hit the market faster; and customers use them in new and unexpected ways, which generates new products and services. So how can companies move faster than the rate of change? This session will help answer this question, address the implications for the C-suite, and the evolution of CMO leadership as a result.
The Missing Middle: Women in Management Roles - Alicia Hatch, Chief Marketing Officer, Deloitte Digital, Deloitte Consulting LLP
In between the nearly half of women who are in entry-level positions and the less than a quarter of women who are in the C-suite sits the “missing middle.” By reaching this segment of women leaving their careers before they reach upper-management level position, we have the ability to transform the strength of our companies, women of all ages, and even the U.S. economy. The “missing middle,” where women fall off of the corporate ladder, is also a key to gender balance in the workplace and closing the wage gap. This session will explore how women can overcome challenges, achieve work-life balance, and get to the next level of leadership.
Algorithms Don’t Feel, People Do - Alan Schulman, National Director of Content Marketing & Creative Experience, Deloitte Digital, Deloitte Consulting LLP
While enabling programmatic media and proving its effectiveness seems to be the primary focus of marketers, there’s still a lot of work to be done in making programmatic creative a more emotional sell. Are dynamically created, algorithmically fed banner ads actually moving anybody emotionally? To reach the heart, not just the head, of consumers, programmatic creative must use data that can help us both write for and reach the audience emotionally – not just feed business rules that push a product, price, and some measure of personal data. This session will address ideas for developing emotionally driven programmatic creative and today’s barriers that must be overcome to get there.
Lessons from Outside Music - Paul Lee, Partner & Head of Global Research, TMT, Deloitte LLP
The music industry is at a pivotal juncture. So is gaming and eSports, which could be the next billion-dollar entertainment industry. New technologies, like VR and AR, are exploding with popularity with more mainstream adoption. Emerging markets are innovating in unexpected ways. But what can this all mean for the music industry and its future?
Providing different insight into how the music industry can learn from other entertainment industries and markets, this panel presents perspectives from gaming (Craig Fletcher, Multiplay), technology and media research (Paul Lee, Deloitte), and emerging markets (Catherine Lückhoff, NicheStreem), with music economist and big-data expert Chris Carey moderating.
Digital Economies for Digital Art - Phillip Klein, U.S. Art & Finance Leader, Digital & Innovation | Art & Finance, Deloitte Consulting LLP
The subject is to address new digital economies and business models for the post-digital art world. The art market is just recently getting out of its traditional bricks-and-mortar position, and embracing distribution strategies and business models that are digitally native. Despite its association with innovation and the avant-garde, the art world has been slow to embrace technology beyond a simple means of communication. Not only are the traditional roles of museums and galleries called into question with this new media, but the notions of ownership and usage are being called into question, as well.
Cloud to Cup: How IoT can solve world water crisis - William Sarni, Director and Practice Leader, Water Strategy, Social Impact Services, Deloitte Consulting LLP
According to CompTIA’s “Sizing Up the Internet of Things (IoT)” report, the Internet of Things will be composed of 50.1 billion connected devices by the year 2020 and $1.9 trillion in global economic value-add. These devices hold the promise of connecting communities and businesses, helping deliver smarter services to the public while revolutionizing business. Our panel will focus on the IoT landscape from a water-conservation perspective, touching upon technology and policy considerations. Starting with the water supply, traveling across the water infrastructure, and ending at the consumption from the tap, we will trace the lifecycle and how the IoT and agtech are influencing water.
Can I Tweet That? - Jenn Kennedy, Head of Business Affairs, Heat
Our panel will discuss the latest in ad law, how advertisers, agencies, and production companies use social media, and who is getting away with what. With social media advertising at an uptick and brand developing more unique methods to market in creative ways, we’ll address what happens when you are then faced with increasing scrutiny for practices on social media. We’ll also discuss new platforms and tech products and the legal considerations in utilizing the technology, what editorial uses are and when they apply, and tackle the question of why brands continue to exploit celebrities’ names and likenesses for commercial purposes without permission.
The Art of Selling Out - Jon Korn, Writer, Heat
Everyone gets all hot and bothered by the myth of the starving artist. Some hypothetical creative who lives on the high road and remains untouched by the filthy compromise of work-for-hire. But does anyone actually live like that? More importantly, would you want to? Maybe some version of selling out helps you realize your next goal. Maybe it puts your work in front of more people. Maybe it gives you the freedom to concentrate on your craft, instead of worrying about bills. Maybe it even makes you into a better artist! Join a diverse panel of working creatives for a refreshingly honest examination of money, inspiration, success, and the best ways to sell out, artistically.
What’s Working in the Fight to End Modern Slavery? - Nes Parker, Manager, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Modern slavery is global business, generating an estimated $150 billion in profits each year. Global partners are trying to combat this illicit industry affecting between 21 and 36 million individuals worldwide. While the problem seems overwhelming, we need to focus on progress. One successful intervention has been the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. How do they know it’s making a difference? As the U.K. begins its own hotline and tries to adapt this model, what lessons can be learned when adapting this in a new country? How does legislation affect success? This session identifies how successful interventions can be measured and adapted to further progress toward eradication.
After the Bell Rings: Digital Ed outside of Class – Greg Merchant, Managing Director, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Scheduled for release in September 2016, Deloitte's inaugural Digital Education Survey identifies trends and insights across education technology from the most critical perspectives: teachers, parents and their students. During this talk we'll discuss the prime opportunity for digital education outside the classroom; teachers', parents', and students' views on the evolving role of learning technology; how their influence impacts purchasing decisions and technology adoption outside the classroom; and how technology can be used to manage students' “summer slide” between school years.
Virtually Limitless: Engagement in VR Classrooms - Josh Bersin, Bersin by Deloitte, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Virtual reality often conjures images of overly expensive and overly complex tools that are five to10 years from mainstream use. Yet there are many tools on the market that can improve the collaboration, engagement, and effectiveness of online-hybrid learning systems, while interfacing directly into existing systems. Join our panel for a lively discussion on the benefits and pitfalls of new distance-learning solutions, as well as some insight into the future of online education, as we move from massive and impersonal MOOCs to a more focused world of engaged, synchronous SPOCs (small, personal online classrooms).
More Female MBAs, More Gender Equality at Work? - Kristen Schultz, Manager, Deloitte Consulting LLP
Elite MBA programs are now over 40 percent female. This record high marks an important shift, as historically the MBA has been an important prerequisite for key leadership roles in global business. But do more females with MBAs mean more women in leadership and a more gender-equal workplace? Evidence is mixed: more women are getting skills critical to success in all industries, but women with MBAs are still often disproportionately represented in female occupations like marketing and HR
A panel of administrators, recent MBA grads, and recruiters will explore why this is the case and how the MBA can be altered to be a springboard for greater gender equality in the workplace.
*While voting from the community is important, these totals are not the only factor in deciding SXSW programing. The SXSW staff and Advisory Boards also inform a significant percentage in determining the content lineup. Community voting counts for 30 percent.
Related links:
Deloitte Digital at SXSW 2016