Expecting the unexpected: technology in emerging markets

In this presentation, the CEO of Vital Wave Consulting will discuss market dynamics across the developing world and how they shape the unprecedented innovation and impact of technology use in these emerging markets. Particular areas of focus will include the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and mobile technology applications (mServices). mHealth, mFinance, mGovernance and others will be examined, including a discussion on different application types emerging in the area of mHealth. Critical success factors for reaching sustainability and scale of these mServices in the developing world will also be discussed. Throughout the presentation, one will see examples of how technology adoption, socio-economic development and business growth are inextricably linked in these environments.

Presenter(s)

Brooke Partridge is CEO and founder of Vital Wave Consulting. She created the company to further emerging markets as a new discipline in business management. Ms. Partridge has led the company’s development of innovative methods of research and analysis that enable the gamechanging strategies needed for successful growth in emerging markets

For over 18 years Ms. Partridge has been a leader in emerging-market and emerging-technology businesses. Previously, she was the Business Director of the Emerging Market Solutions Organization at HP where she built the team that designed and commercialized HP’s first technology solutions for developing economies. Throughout her career, Ms. Partridge has brought to market a wide variety of innovative technology solutions, managing all business functions including marketing, operations and R&D.

Ms. Partridge has lived and worked in several developing economies, including Perú, Chile and México, and spent extended periods of time in Western Europe and in South Africa. She lectured in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Stanford University and holds a Master’s of Pacific International Affairs from UC San Diego, as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics and International Relations from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.