Hult Alumni Magazine NEW Edition Hult Alumni Magazine 2017 | Page 15

Moving closer toward the internet of things
How to build a great company
Corporate diplomacy and geopolitical risk
How to win in the sharing economy
Timothy Chou, Stanford professor and former CEO of Oracle On Demand, gave a fabulous talk entitled“ Toward a Precision Planet” to conclude the first day of the summit. Chou, widely acknowledged as a pioneer in cloud computing, shared his thoughts and made participants reflect on how software technology can change our planet by being able to deliver common things such as precision farming, healthcare, power, or water. As Chou affirmed,“ Technology is going to keep impacting every day, building things we have never seen before. For the first time, those of us in software might not only change the virtual world, but also the physical world, transitioning from the internet of people to the internet of things.”
Chip Conley, Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy at Airbnb, gave a phenomenal keynote speech on how great companies get their mojo.
Using Maslow as his inspiration, the founder of Joie De Vivre Hospitality— California’ s largest boutique hotel company— provided alumni with many inspiring ideas and firsthand experiences on how to instill a culture of recognition in companies and create happy and passionate employees. Conley shared his perspective on how this approach helps attract and engage the top talent in any company, develops a loyal customer base, and helps build a sustainable and profitable business.
One of Hult’ s most distinguished professors, Cari Guittard, delivered a Master Class on corporate diplomacy and geopolitical risk. Her expertise in global affairs allowed her to relate to Hult’ s global alumni audience and identify top trends and shifts in our global economy. Her Master Class touched on the relevancy of diversity, human values, and sustainable development for succeeding in business and impacting our global economy. She challenged delegates to answer the question,“ What does being a Hult alum mean to you?” Hult’ s alumni were highlighted as global citizens who understand their responsibility to create and foster a positive impact in the world.
Hult professor Ted Ladd concluded proceedings with a Master Class entitled,“ Five Ways to Win in the Sharing Economy.” His entrepreneurial mindset and passion for the topic gave alumni a rare look into the evolution of the sharing economy. His solution to win in a sharing economy revolved around leveraging multiple sales points, careful design, buying early market share, seducing regulators, and increasing organic switching costs. He was able to highlight the success of companies in the sharing economy and illustrate the importance to our economy of adapting in the ever-changing business landscape.
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