CeBIT 2009 in Hannover - Germany is sending a signal to buck the crisis
The countdown has begun. CeBIT, the international ICT industry's leading event, is about to start. 'CeBIT 2009 is sending a signal to buck the international crisis mentality,' declared Ernst Raue, Managing Board Member at Deutsche Messe. 4,300 companies from 69 nations are going to be represented at the event, compared with 5,845 in 2008, he said. 'Given the depth of the world economic crisis, this number represents a success.
In view of the overall business environment, we are extremely satisfied. 4,300 enterprises will demonstrate they are in solid shape and want to put the recession behind them quickly,' he continued. 'At CeBIT 2009 the goal is - now more than ever - to develop new business and act boldly and with confidence vis-ā-vis the future.'
Given the latest economic data, Raue accorded CeBIT a special significance. He pointed to the Japanese economy, which he said was currently shrinking at a double-digit rate, with the gross domestic product (GDP) down 12.7 percent year-on-year.
He continued that the U.S. economy had reached an existential low, with the GDP there down by almost four percent. And for Germany, the German Institute for Economic Research DIW was predicting negative growth of 4.5 percent in the first quarter year-on-year, he reported.
The world economic crisis is leading to cutthroat competition which has also left its mark on the ICT industry, declared Raue: 'Companies that have gone under cannot exhibit at CeBIT. Companies which have slashed their marketing budgets to zero will not be represented in Hannover this year. But companies which are eager to do new business are choosing CeBIT as a platform for business, for growth and for the future,' affirmed Raue.
That is why, he reported, some 300 companies had rejoined the ranks of CeBIT exhibitors for the first time in several years, including Nokia Siemens Networks and eCommerce specialist Intershop.
Another 200 companies were appearing at CeBIT for the first time ever, he reported, including in the new Webciety display sector. 'These exhibitors are among the companies which are presenting solutions to cut costs, improve quality and enhance flexibility,' explained Raue.
The key focus at this year's event will be on energy-efficient IT applications - summed up under the term 'green IT' - as well as on the continued development of the Internet, as epitomized by the buzzword 'Webciety'.
CeBIT 2009 will also feature all aspects of business IT solutions, including risk management and business intelligence applications.
Compared with last year's event, the following sectors have grown substantially: Green IT, FutureParc, eLearning, TeleHealth and Public Sector Parc - a special display showcasing solutions for public administration applications.
The number of exhibitors in the IT hardware subcontracting sector on the other hand is off sharply, particularly the number of small-sized enterprises from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Raue added that the worldwide significance of CeBIT was further underscored by the high-caliber attendance at the opening ceremony as well as the CeBIT Global Conferences. CeBIT will be opened by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. 'In addition we look forward to welcoming Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from our Partner State California as well as the Chairman of the Board of Intel, Craig Barrett, plus BITKOM President August Wilhelm Scheer and Lord Mayor of Hannover Stephan Weil,' said Raue.
SAP's co-CEO Leo Apotheker, Alcatel Lucent CEO Ben Verwaayen, Marco Börries of Yahoo and LinkedIn President Reid Hoffman are among the international IT elite who have confirmed their participation as speakers at the CeBIT Global Conferences.
'A high-class congress program of this kind indicates two things: One, that the ICT sector is eager to free itself from the crisis's embrace. And two, that CeBIT possesses a worldwide reputation as the leading platform for the ICT industry,' commented Raue. 'We are going to consistently promote the professionalization of our event.
With the support of the entire industry, we plan to further sharpen the profile of CeBIT as an international business platform, gearing the event even more closely to the needs of our professional attendees. This will include a beefing up of our 'business days' from Tuesday to Friday from the year 2010 onward. Saturday will be dedicated to the self-employed, the skilled trades and SMEs as well as to high-tech enthusiasts. In response to exhibitor demand, CeBIT will no longer take place on a Sunday as of 2010.
Our exhibitors felt the percentage of trade visitors on Sunday was simply too low,' concluded Raue.
The following enterprises are among the exhibitors at CeBIT 2009: Deutsche Telekom, Microsoft, IBM, SAP, Software AG, Datev, Vodafone, Intel, Dell, Hitachi, Panasonic, Adobe, Alcatel-Lucent, British Telecom, Hewlett Packard, Rittal, Lampertz, Oracle, Samsung, Yahoo, symantec, E-Plus, Xing, LinkedIn, Acer, Porsche and Volkswagen.
An overview of all CeBIT exhibitors and their products is available at www.cebit.de.
Private picture CeBit 2006
Text: Deutsche Messe, Photo: concon internet service
