Peter Hacker

Peter Hacker: „The battle for talent, skills, data and distribution becomes dramatically different. Creativity, Intuition, Analytics and New Work Culture reflect unprecedented value.“

Peter Hacker, an outside-­the-­box-­minded entrepreneur, global thinker and advisor with a Focus and Passion on Digitalization, Cyber Security and Crypto­-Technology.

Peter Hacker has two decades of global innovation, risk and technology leadership experience in the broader Financial Services (Corporate and Retail) and Communications, Media and Technology Sectors. The focus of his work and research has been for many years on top management level of leading global companies, successful midcap niche players and risk stakeholders of financial institutions (Venture Capital/Private Equity).

In the last five years, Peter Hacker advised successfully B2C and/or B2B across Asia Pacific (China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand), the European Union (plus Switzerland, Israel), North America (USA, Canada and Mexico), Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile), South Africa and the Middle East (UAE, Oman, Bahrain, KSA, Kuwait).

With more than 250 presentations in excess of 80 countries over the last 6 years, Peter Hacker is being considered as a thought and innovation leader in the broader Financial Services Sector. As multilingual (E, G, SP, F, P) expert he has been addressing numerous international and regional organizations as keynote speaker, for instances, the IIS, FERMA, AIRMIC, PLUS, DWIC, SIRC, SIRM, ABGR and BCP Asia. His dynamic and insightful keynote style aims at Cyber Security, Cyber Crime and Crypto-­Technology developments mainly reiterating the risks and opportunities from the 4th Industrial Revolution. Peter wants his audience to understand and feel the context of the phrase ‘The Second Half of the Chess Board’ in real terms with first-hand examples and video scripts. To him, it is not just the picture that changes, but most important the entire business framework.

Prior to co­-founding Distinction. Global, an independent, stealth  observatory in the Cyber Security and Innovation Space, Peter Hacker hold leadership responsibilities in Risk Advisory, Insurance and Broking Companies in Zurich, London, New York and Singapore. In this respect, his main focus has been on Communications, Media and Technology Corporations, Financial Services Companies and their respective emerging risk, technology and capital advisory requirements.

In 2018, his main advisory work ranges from mandates into innovation requirements (global distribution, risk aggregation and restructuring challenges), regulatory (GDPR  requirements) and broking/insurance associations (processes and education) with regards to Cyber Risks (‘Cyber Security’), Blockchain and InsurTech/FinTech at Board or Investment Committee Level.

Peter Hacker has built a reputation for going the extra mile, exploring new risk territories and distribution models, leading and implementing successfully change, customer focused,  innovative and profitable solutions and launching international industry practices. In 2017, he performed as an expert for top managements (banks, insurers, brokers and VC backed stealth companies) who required impartial advice on cyber risk threat awareness, risk aggregation, incidents (WannaCry/NotPetya ransomware) and market entry strategies (InsurTech). Peter holds an Economics Degree from the University of Applied Sciences Zurich, a dual MBA Degree from both London Business School (Distinction) and Columbia Business School (Honors) and was nominated by Columbia Business School to the international honor academic society -­ Beta, Gamma, Sigma – in 2004.

Speech Topics Peter Hacker

Digitalization and Disruption

Disruption is spreading fast beyond the technology sector with big consequences for boards, employees, consumers, regulators and stakeholders. This combination sets the stage for a  new  generation  of business models with unparalleled risks and opportunities. The Internet  of Thing, Big Data, Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence will bring fundamental  structural change. By 2030, up to 20% of the global workforce could have their jobs automated. Will companies be prepared to pay for retraining, if so, at what cost? What about fast emerging privacy risks/violations or competitive environment changes as digitalization spreads? Gearing up for the time is vital.

Cyber Security

By 2021 global cyber crime cost will surge to GBP 4,9 Billion. This challenge is a fundamental board topic. Cyber Security and Crime is an area that develops at high speed  from  an  abstract risk relevant for some industries to a real threat for almost every private and public sector entity. Foreseeing such change is no longer something that can be left to an organization’s  risk,  legal  and  IT-­security  teams  alone.  Every  board  member,  truly  every executive and ultimately employee, must grasp the idea of digitalization and emerging cyber security and crime risk if their business is to prosper and not to bleed. There is no golden panacea, but there are distinctive ways and means to prepare for or respond proactively on security breaches at board level.

Crypto-Technology

The advance of disruptive technologies such as IoT, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence,– and the rapid rate at which it is advancing – presents growing challenges for corporations, regulators, legal systems, investors and risk takers. Whilst such disruptive technology is faster advancing than governments and regulators can foresee and react, a whole new ecosystem emerges that creates a different way to make business and networking in distribution. The meaning of business and human relations is revolutionized. Big data, robotics, deep learning accelerate models to achieve financial, technological and even gender and social inclusion. Some executives will be axed -­ those who do not invest early to ensure they will keep their company’s competitive edge will flounder. The business model of an interconnected society will not be stopped by regulatory uncertainties, potential liabilities, privacy risks or trade frontiers. The upside is simply too good.

FinTech & InsurTech

IoT, Blockchain (Big Data) or Artificial Intelligence (Robotics/Deep Learning) have the  ability to sink market leaders, who are focused on their existing and  most  profitable  markets, and don’t see the threats coming from below. In the Financial Services Industry (including Insurance), it is vital to know about the future. Because we are not investing or transferring what has been, we are investing or transferring in what would be. The  rate  things are changing is alarming. Changes are good for everyone, only if it does not catch us unaware. New companies models will emerge in the not too distant future, with the lines between them blurring as interconnectedness grows within and outside the Banking and Insurance Sector. Any company hesitant to accept this rapid shift in technology will have its growth stunted. The World itself is very good at adapting to changes, and for us keep on  being relevant, we have to keep up with the pace. Business model will shift from insight to foresight with a clear demand for computational thinking skills to make meaning of the vast amounts of data efficiently. Adapting to this environment will require new  risk strategies   and oftentimes a shift in a rather entrenched outlook.

Digital Disruption and Transformation -­ The Second Half of the Chessboard

We are now preparing to enter the ‘second half of the chessboard’ – the  power  of  exponential growth that in technological terms is synonymous with  Moore’s Law. Things  only get crazy in the second half of the chessboard where technology and society  are  revolving at a pace that humans and businesses can’t cope with naturally. Enormous growth in Data Mining and Analytics is being anticipated. Digital disruption is here not just a  concept. Many more opportunities beyond disruptive technologies will present themselves if we find a way to compose them, attract the talent from outside and offer an organizational culture that accepts failure and change.

4th Industrial Revolution

Digitization and online models are disrupting conventional business models. Four fundamental trends driving this revolution -­- the galloping growth of mobile devices, rising popularity of social media, wider acceptance of online commerce and the shift from tangible into intangible values. Most present sectors will be irrelevant whilst some sectors will be in high demand and strive well. The use of Artificial Intelligence in Retailing is a perfect  example how to remodel and drive successfully a sector. Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and the Internet of Things and with it Big Data, Machine Learning and Robotics will have a massive impact on risk and business culture. Companies must become anticipatory, cleverer and leaner whilst most is being automated and digitalized. More likely, in the years ahead, anything that can’t be automated will be of unparalleled value.

The Emerging Markets Race

Even 10 years ago, no one would have accurately predicted the level of technological innovations we are experiencing globally, and in particular in Emerging Markets Race. Barriers of distance are eliminated, almost everyone having their fair share. And now technology is its second half of the chessboard where digitalization and automation will increase exponentially and humans will have to adapt fast. The World’s entire framework has shifted and not simply its picture.

The ‘Want’ vs ‘Fang’ race has just started where billions of people are connected to the Web and disruptions will happen in unparalleled waves. In many sectors, we are now at a stage where digitalization and online models are disrupting conventional business models. The   rise of mobile devices, social media, social media networking and online commerce have simply expanded and accelerated disruption rather than completely replace conventional methods.

The fundamental question we have at hand is not just whether it might be disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing or an Alternative Business Model approach that will shake up the World’s Economy and eat into our cake, but most important our ability to equip ourselves with the right tools, models and skills to remain relevant within a New Work and business Environment.