Innovation and telecommunications visionary to give BT Lecture

Matt’s role is to set the BT Group strategy on technology as well as developing innovation and building and leading technology focused partnerships. He is also responsible for BT’s Research and innovation capabilities globally and exploiting technology for the benefit of customers and shareholders.

During his talk, entitled ‘Innovation at the Speed of Life’, Matt will focus on the importance of promoting an innovation culture within a business and will explain how BT uses a network of partners, including universities, start-up companies and consumers, to enhance the innovation of the group as a whole.

The culture of collaboration that Matt is fostering within BT is something that he believes in strongly. He promotes the idea that organisations must look beyond their own internal assets and connect to a much wider group of creative thinkers in order to maximise innovation.

Matt has has had a varied career and originally made his fortune in an IT start-up in the 1990’s. He does not hold a single degree qualification despite now holding one of the world’s top corporate positions.

“Invention is not innovation until it is meaningful for customers and the world at large. This places a unique challenge on innovation practitioners to make it real.” said Matt.

In 2008 Matt Bross was admitted as the new BT William Pitt Fellow at Pembroke College taking over from Sir Christopher Bland, former Chairman of BT who retired in September 2007.

BT and the University of Cambridge have a long history of collaboration with BT signing a strategic agreement with the University in 2002 and joining the Corporate Partnership Programme at Pembroke College.

The aim of the Corporate Partnership Programme is to provide a way for businesses to work with both Pembroke College and the University as a whole. This is done by developing a small number of close relationships with leading UK and international companies.

In the last six years the University, Pembroke College and BT have collaborated over a range of research, consultancy and executive education activities. BT has also provided recruitment and placement opportunities for Cambridge students. The interaction has spanned all areas of BT’s business and has involved academics from Cambridge departments including the Computer Laboratory, Physics, Engineering, Economics, Social Anthropology, Philosophy and Judge Business School.

The talk is taking place at 5.30pm on the 30 April in the Nihon Room, Pembroke College. Refreshments will be available from 5pm. Places are limited so please contact Jane Moorman on 01223 332598, or email corporate@pem.cam.ac.uk if you would be interested in attending.