ICT Forum Wales brings UK's top industry experts to Wales

The cream of the UK's IT industry is heading to Wales in November for a fortnight of events aimed at helping Wales compete for business with the world's technology superpowers.

ICT Forum Wales is a biennial festival of technology-focussed events developed and organised by ITWales in partnership with both public and private sector organisations. ITWales provides practical support to business in Wales; helping them embrace the latest in computer technology and enhance their competitive edge. Since its inception in 2000, when ITWales held its first ICT Week in Swansea, the event has grown beyond all recognition and is now a truly pan-Wales event. From just seven events for businesses and academia in its first year, incorporating fifteen speakers, ICT Forum Wales has now grown substantially with almost 30 events taking place this year right across Wales, with more than 70 speakers participating. This year sees the highest number of events being held in north Wales yet, rising from just three in 2005 to ten.

Headline speakers at this year's two week long pan Wales event, which kicks off on the 12th November with a dual Launch Lunch in Llanelli in the South and Conwy in the North, include some of the most respected industry experts in the country. Professor Mike Rodd, Director of External Relations & Knowledge Services of the British Computer Society will lead a discussion on Technology in Education, whilst Mark Sunner, Chief Security Analyst for Messagelabs will deliver a speech on E-Policy and business resilience. BBC's New Media and Telecoms correspondent Rory Cellan Jones will close the ICT Forum Wales programme of events at a Business Lunch at the Vale Hotel in Hensol on 23rd November, where the subject for discussion will be 'See The Future', a visualisation of the future for Wales and the UK.

Director of ITWales, Beti Williams, who last year won the Best Woman in Technology at the Blackberry Women and Technology Awards, commented: "ICT Forum Wales is now firmly established as one of the leading platforms in the UK for demonstrating the key role that technology has to play in driving forward business development, economic growth and community regeneration, allowing the business, community and education sectors to come together to stimulate innovation in Information Communication Technology. Its standing in the industry is reflected in the quality of speakers and the exciting programme of events that we have put together for the this year's ICT Forum Wales, which I believe is the most exciting yet.

"ICT Forum Wales will once again raise awareness of the importance of ICT, future technologies and the benefits it can bring to Welsh businesses, as well as the wider community as a whole, right across Wales. Technology has the ability to significantly improve efficiency, productivity, competitiveness and quality of life, and I believe that the programme offers something for everyone, whether you are interested in existing or emerging technologies, have concerns about skills and security, or need to know how to manage or market your business more effectively in the fast moving world that we operate in today."

Topics under discussion during the fortnight long event include Business Optimisation - Risk, Recovery & Resilience, Transport and Logistics and Creative Industries, whilst a special conference will seek to address the skills shortage in the IT industry in Wales, and ways in which this problem can be overcome by an increase in collaboration between business and academia. Speakers will include representatives from businesses and blue chip organisations such as IBM, Fujitsu, Disklabs, Sun Microsystems and North Wales Police.

Venues hosting events during the two weeks include Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, Waterton Technology Centre in Bridgend, Technium Pembrokeshire, Swansea's Dragon Hotel and The Vale Hotel, as well as Quay Hotel in Conwy and Technium CAST in Gwynedd.

Sali Earls, Head of Communications at ITWales, added: "We believe that the programme of events we have put together for ICT Forum Wales 2007 will not only deliver immediate business benefits to those who attend, but will also ensure that Wales is a step closer to achieving a higher status in the global technology marketplace."

In addition, there will be a number of community and education events running throughout the fortnight across south Wales. The popular Technocamps workshops for schools return, and are designed to enourage young people to consider the challenge of a career in the ICT industry, whilst a range of community centres will play host to a series of 'safe internet sessions' in conjunction with the BBC and Get Safe Online, to encourage a better understanding of safe surfing.

ICT Forum Wales 2007 is organised by ITWales in collaboration with Swansea University and Bangor University and is part-funded by the European Social Fund. For further information please visit www.ictforumwales.com and www.itwales.com.