The DiG Festival, to be held in Newcastle on 12 & 13 October, is intended to inform existing businesses and act as a catalyst for attracting a new generation of business and investment to the Hunter focused on clean, green and innovative business.

 

This year’s theme is Digital Disruption and Transformation – How your Business can Survive & Thrive.

A series of local and international presenters will detail their “war-stories”, inspirational successes and cautionary failures, while structured workshops will introduce attendees to the tools, systems and knowledge their organisation needs to survive and thrive.

 

There will be a wide array of events, including:

● Disruption and why it affects youJesper Lowgren (Sweden): Transform from ordinary to extraordinary; Panel: Is Australia being left behind in the tech era?

 

● How to manage change

Gavin Heaton (Aus): Go disrupt yourself. The seven unbelievable rules for survival; Paul Wallbank (Aus):

Future proofing your business – how to grab opportunities in a rapidly changing marketplace & workforce;

Craig Wilson (Aus): Narrow & Deep – finding your business niche; Brian Daly (Aus): Weapons of mass disruption – How the tools of branding are now in everybody’s hands

 

● The new rules for managing people in your business

Alison Michalk (Aus): Is work a place? Creating a company & culture without an office; Rebecca Caroe (NZ):

Working with Millennials – should we adapt business practices for them?

 

● 21st century marketing

Kit Seeborg (USA): The Disruption Resilience Toolbox – which tools are best for your marketing goals?;

Tracy McKelligott (AUS): Crisis Communications – How to manage the new 24/7 cycle; Panel: Blogging for Business; Eve Mayer (USA): When social media erupts; Workshop: Eve Mayer (USA) – The Social Media Business Equation

 

● Building community for business

Scott Yates (USA): How crowdsourcing can transform your business; Workshop: Brian Hill (Aus):

Collaboration Practices

 

● Systems and software to help transform your business

Levi Saubrei (USA): Throw Away Your Servers – Finding an affordable IT infrastructure in the cloud; Panel:

Tech Agnosticism: The machine no longer matters; Special Workshop: As selected by the audience – we solve your biggest business issues and challenges.

The DiG Festival will also include an exhibition of select organisations.

Early bird tickets are available up to 31 August.