Leading technology companies SAP, Accenture, IBM and Goldman Sachs yesterday presented to School of Management students on the key critical trends affecting the sector − from the Internet of Things and Big Data, to Cloud and Cybersecurity.

In a market where it takes Google seconds to find out what consumers want to purchase, Mark Darbyshire, UK Chief Technologist at SAP, highlighted how the Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data is impacting every stage of the value chain and the importance of making data responsive and real-time.

“The IoT is not just about digitising the home or digitising ourselves − it’s also about freeing this information and how we use this information,” said Mark.

“IoT and Big Data are two sides of the same coin. Companies need to bring IOT and Big Data together in real time to lock down the value of datasets.”

Additionally, Peter De Rooij, Security Manager at Accenture emphasised that these “mega trends” make it an exciting time to work in the technology sector.

“You can now develop things that go quickly into the hands of consumers. Operations, IT and security no longer sit on the side. With Cloud and the speed of DevOps, we need be need to be much more responsive and coordinated,” said Peter.