IBM CUA – Business Partner group

Thursday 10th October 2002 – IBM Warwick

Agenda

09.30    Registration   (Tea/Coffee)

10.00    Introduction   
Ray Titcombe, Chairman of Council - IBM Computer Users' Association

Ray will summarise the objectives of the IBM Computer Users' Association Business Partners group and introduce our speakers.

10.10    Business Partner update
 Steve Coppin, Director of Business Partners - EMEA -  Region North.

Steve will update delegates on developments in the overall Business Partner programme since our last meeting. Steve will also review IBM’s business performance. 

11.00    Tea/Coffee

11.20    Managing Data for Business Success
 Gary Beecheno, IBM TotalStorage and Tivoli Business Development Manager - Avnet

Helping IBM Business Partners understand the data management requirements of end user customers in driving up customer satisfaction and driving down associated IT costs.

Gary Beecheno has 15 years channel sales, marketing and brand management experience, the last 9 years with a storage and storage management bias. Gary has worked both for partners and vendors, including holding senior channel positions with Sterling Software, Exabyte and IBM.

 12.00 What is PLM and how is it relevant to other Business Partners?

Geoff Haines, Managing Director – Cenit

What is PLM and where can it be applied? Geoff will also be looking at the relationship that CENIT has had with IBM over the years and how this has developed.

Geoff started his working life as a design engineer following graduating in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College. Early employment was in the textile industry with Courtaulds, followed by the shipping industry with OCL. His last job as an employee was in Oxford, with Oxford Magnet Technology, with the mechanical design responsibility for the development of super conducting magnets for the healthcare industry. Whilst at OMT he teamed up with the Marketing Manager and started Desktop Engineering in 1986 – a company focused on engineering software, solutions and consulting into the design and manufacturing in industry. In 1999, Geoff sold the business to Cenit AG Systemhaus, a large IBM partner based in Germany. Following a period of integration and reorganisation, Geoff got the opportunity to buy out the UK operation from the parent – which was completed 10 months ago. A core focus is IBM PLM solutions into manufacturing industry. Recent areas of business development are with Tivoli, having developed the skills and experience in the performance, availability, configuration and operations arena. 

 12.45 Panel Session

Got questions you want answered? - Need to follow up on the information given in the earlier presentations?  This is your session – Steve, Gary and Geoff will form a panel to address and respond to questions raised by the audience.

To round off the event, a buffet lunch will be available to allow all attendees to network and follow up on some of the information gained during the briefing.