Dynamics Day 2014: Keynote Introduction

Editor's Notes

• #2: Good Morning & Welcome to Dynamics Day 2014, Australasia’s largest annual Dynamics-focused customer event. Just by way of introductions, I’m James, GM of Dynamics for New Zealand. This is our sixth event showcasing the latest updates from the world of Microsoft Dynamics – we are really excited by the content this year, had a sneak preview of what the team are planning to share with you and must say it looks really fantastic. Just dispensing quickly with some formalities, for the benefit of others around you if we can keep mobiles on silent that would be appreciate. In case of emergencies the Fire Exits on the ??? are clearly marked over in the corners of the room and I’ll be the first out so follow me!! Each year Microsoft goes one step better than the last, again this is the biggest product release year in Microsoft history and as such we think todays event has some relevance in terms of timing. With that in mind we are delighted to be able to present the first public demonstration of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2015 solution. You make this a success, Thank you all for attending; we appreciate the time commitment you are all making today. Just a show of hands, who have attended Dynamics Day before? 4 or more? All SIX? (Wow, thank you) We had over 269+ registrations this year so with the joint teams across Intergen and Microsoft here we have a great conference attendance.
• #3: We have a packed agenda again this year starting with a focus on our conference theme, then looking at the shape of Intergen and what recent market announcements mean to you. We are delighted with the continued support from the Microsoft leadership who will take us through an update on the Microsoft vision for Dynamic business and how businesses are succeeding in this ultra competitive global economy through the strategic application of Microsoft technology. Through-out the year our team have been working on some outstanding projects but one has really stood out as a shining example of the Microsoft stack in action so we will bring the keynote to a close with preview of where this organisation is going with their investment in Microsoft. In terms of the Intergenites @ Dynamics Day, we have 37 members of our team here including 9 members of our Leadership and also 7 members of the Microsoft team here – we are all keen to work and spend time with you – they are an easily recognisable bunch as are all wandering around in Dynamics Day black shirts, I encourage you to leverage this unique opportunity to have so many experts in one place and look forward to catching up with you throughout the day.
• #4: So in coming up with our theme we wanted to convey what we perceive to be a key strength of Microsoft.
• #5: Suspect we have all been on the receiving end of disconnected user or customer experiences, largely due to disconnected systems and processes. Consumers expect immediate, 24/7 connected experiences. I’m reminded of an experience recently where my wife was booking flights on an overseas airline, sitting in our lounge on her mobile phone when she comments with frustration, ‘this is hopeless, it won’t even let me select my seats’ having just transacted a major purchase. This is how far we have come. If we go back 6 or7 years or so the concept of booking flights by mobile phone would not even be in our vocabulary. Cast you mind a little further back and we can recall a time when flights had to be booked in Travel Centres. Providing joined up, seamless experiences is paramount, so too is the visual experience which provides the brand reinforcement your front end systems need to convey to your customers and clients. With the proliferation of devices, users expect stuff just to work as well as being beautiful applications. They expect systems to be simple to use. Spending on IT that engages and understands your customer is accelerating fast, increasingly focused on consumption of features and functions as services. By contrast the traditional back end ‘plumbing’ is not. [CLICK] As Gartner predicts, CMO’s will have a larger IT budget than their CIO counterparts by 2017. This is only made possible by having platforms that are already natively pre-integrated releasing organisations IT spend to focus on systems that will engage the customer, empower better decisions and respond swiftly to market opportunity. Today we will see the latest Dynamics solution features, the roadmaps and importantly how Microsoft are building these solutions with their broader stack in mind. Most competitors say, and quite rightly so ‘we integrate with Microsoft’. This is distinctly different from Microsoft who develop their solutions together mindful of one another, connectedness is part of the DNA if you like. We view Microsoft as unique, the only vendor that provides market leading solutions from the server, line of business tools, through to the front office and now in the hands of mobile users through their many devices. So are Microsoft making it simple for us?
• #6: So our theme this year is just that, “Making IT Simple” In an increasingly complex world, systems and processes must be business enablers. The pace of market change does not afford us all the luxury of time. This means a real emphasis on shorter “Time to value” for IT projects.
• #7: The Pace of Innovation has been outstanding this year with significant releases across the Dynamics family. Pre-baked into Dynamics solutions is Office 365, SharePoint, Lync, Power BI, and of course built on top of the fabulous platforms of Windows and Azure. Microsoft can help you market smarter, engage customers and provide seamless customer care experiences through market leading Dynamics CRM solutions. They can help you Sell Productively, run you business dynamically to support rapid expansion on top of adaptive Dynamics ERP platforms. In terms of the cadence of releases this year has been outstanding. Dynamics AX 2012 R3 was a major feature release with the addition of Advanced warehousing and Transport management solution. Dynamics CRM 2013 had an unprecedented 8 functional releases in this Microsoft fiscal year with solutions such as Microsoft Social Listening, Microsoft Dynamics Marketing and Parature whilst we eagerly await the release of Dynamics CRM 2015. We will see many of these solutions in action throughout the day however specifically we want to call out Dynamics NAV 2015 in particular.
• #8: Today we celebrate the release of Microsoft’s largest selling ERP solution by volume, Dynamics NAV. Microsoft announced the release of Dynamics NAV 2015 on the 1st October and the 6th October for existing customers. With tools to support faster, high quality deployments across traditional client, web client and an inbuilt tablet client, NAV provides real time insight virtually anytime, everywhere. Before we move on from Dynamics NAV, just want to play this video quickly that encapsulates our theme nicely, the ‘native plumbing’ in action as it were;
• #10: Powerful but simple, as Albert Einstein put it, make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. Throughout this event we want to celebrate the power of these Dynamics Solutions, how they provide a connected experience leveraging all of Microsoft. Additionally we will explore how we can consume these solutions as services which further simplifies the deployment of workloads to your business. As the market moves at pace, Intergen had to respond by providing a structure that delivers connected outcomes to our clients. To take us through some of the changes and what the future holds for Intergen, please join me in welcoming Simon Bright, CEO New Zealand. Welcome Simon…
• #11: (helps evolve thinking and ultimately drives a more comprehensive solution) Industry capability / functionality As-a-service delivery models
• #12: from services peaks to continuous consumption We have demonstrated our ability to build and deliver solutions as a service – our Cohesion solution has been selected as one of the three preferred Enterprise Content Management solutions for all of government. This has tough us….. from mobility to Workforce mobilisation Sometimes mobility is viewed as something that they add on to their business or business processes – we hold the view that the value of mobility is about enabling people to execute a business process in a way that fit with the role they have and the location they are from Application to platform management
• #14: Re-organised our business to be nationally aligned [rather than regionally aligned] Best people available to projects without restrictions – where we have people with strong skills in a particular centre we are able to align these to the right projects Consistent delivery approach across all projects – strong and consistent application of frameworks nationally Aligned supporting functions to underpin the technology solutions practices Emphasis on outcomes being owned by our practices Seamless service experience Single point client responsibility for all services we provide Focus on long term relationship Strategic ‘ownership’ and insight baked in to what we do [together]
• #17: On Tuesday morning we announced this to the Australian Stock Exchange and the media release attached has also been circulated.   We are very excited about this next step in our journey and what this means for our valued clients. While there is a change in legal ownership of the company, in New Zealand our leadership, operations, strategy and brand remain unchanged. Intergen’s directors and major shareholders are committed to and actively involved in the success of Intergen and Empired and our clients going forward. At all levels of Intergen, you will be dealing with the same people and have the same key contact points.  
• #18: As a company, we have always prided ourselves on our exclusive Microsoft focus, on our Microsoft pedigree and knowledge and ability to deliver leading edge solutions right across the spectrum, or “stack” in Microsoft parlance. We believe it’s this unwavering focus, and also our direct line to – and direct involvement with – future Microsoft technologies through our Microsoft Corp connection, that gives us our strongest advantage as a Microsoft solutions provider. It’s days like today (Dynamics Day) that make us the proudest – being able to deliver real value and show thought leadership in the Microsoft space.   In terms of what our next chapter with Empired means for you as our clients, while there will be no change in who we are, the solutions we deliver or how we deliver them to you, the one thing that does change is our standing in the APAC region, becoming the strongest Microsoft services provider – given our history and our deep Microsoft connection, we’re really excited about drawing on this increased depth and breadth of Microsoft expertise, not to mention having twice as many Microsoft experts available to us, and bringing this to our New Zealand projects with you… This move significantly strengthens Intergen as a company and significantly enhances our service portfolio and depth of expertise right across Australasia. We are very excited to be joining with some of the most prestigious and recognised Microsoft partners across Australia and to be bringing this pedigree to the technology solutions we build for you.   You may be aware that in recent years in Australia, Intergen has grown from a start-up sized operation to a 50-strong team of experts across Australia. Part of our overarching vision has always been to build a substantial Trans-Tasman operation with a leading edge innovation hub in North America. In joining with Empired we have achieved this. From 1 November, our Intergen Australia operations will become a part of Empired’s operations.   With Australia having now reached critical mass, in New Zealand and North America we will engage even more strongly to grow and support our New Zealand clients and our New Zealand and North American business as a whole.   I look forward to Intergen continuing to support your organisation and bring new innovations to your people and your customers, just as we always have, but with increased backing and support from a much larger team of experts.  
• #20: Thank you Simon. The structure of the business is setup to realise the potential that the breadth of Microsoft solutions can bring to your projects. With the combined team across the Empired Group we are really excited by what the future holds for Intergen. Our continued strong partnership with Microsoft is vital to us and the innovation Microsoft is bringing to market provides us all enormous opportunity. To take us through the Microsoft strategy, vision and business update, please join me in welcoming Adrian Johnston, Vice President, Microsoft Dynamics Asia and Stephen Fowler, Director of Solutions – CRM Asia
• #21: Our partnership with Intergen is of utmost importance to us. Wanted to call out four areas of the partnership where Intergen gains unique insight in Microsoft technologies to help guide their clients across projects: Seattle / Microsoft Projects – the visibility and leadership across the latest technology allows Intergen to be better prepared for upcoming releases of new solutions Inner circle – delighted to recognise Intergen globally in the top 1% of Microsoft partners, gives Intergen connections across the region TAP Programmes – Microsoft continue to work closely with Intergen on upfront beta software programmes where Intergen participate globally with software reviews and feedback. MVP – the ultimate recognition for the Intergen team is the MVP status. Intergen have four MVP’s who are plugged into a range of teams at Microsoft providing a direct channel of feedback from the market into the product teams Would like to welcome one of those MVP’s, the man with the load shirt, Mr Chris Auld to demonstrate “The Stack in Action”