Retail, the media, airlines, telecommunications, even governments globally are all in the throes of fundamental change in response to disruption. Is it a threat to your industry or profession, a problem to be managed – or an opportunity to be seized?

If you work in insurance, law, banking or finance your business models are under threat. Take general motor insurance: the key to profitability is usually scale combined with effective cost and risk management. Imagine…as driverless cars start to become the norm over the next decade. There will be fewer cars on the road (as cars become efficiently utilized across families and groups) and some estimate 95% fewer accidents with human error largely removed. As a consequence both the number of policies and premium levels will be much lower. What will your organization do to compensate for the lost revenue?

As processes get more and more automated and information becomes increasingly available, lawyers will find it difficult to justify high charge-out rates. Sophisticated computers like IBM’s Watson will take over many of the functions of financial planners. And peer to peer lending models have the potential to disintermediate some bank lending activities, such as home mortgages.

Many more administrative roles will be outsourced to around-the-clock technologically advanced back offices and freelancers in developing countries, as labour rates in those countries continue to cost 10% or less of Australian salaries and on costs. Disruption will continue to force down prices as more people bid for freelance work across the globe.

It is critical for leaders from all sectors to do some serious crystal ball gazing to work out what they need to do proactively and defensively to best manage these future threats and opportunities. This is why Creative Innovation 2015 is the one event you need to attend and send your people and stakeholders along to.

Creative Innovation 2015 Asia Pacific: From Disruption to Sustainable Growth(Ci2015) will give you the chance to understand disruption, to innovate in response, or take the initiative and be a disruptor. Learn from the who’s who of global thinkers and innovators at Ci2015, 23-25 March 2015 at Sofitel Melbourne On Collins. Ci2015 will feature 40+ global innovators, leaders and disruptors in a program including 15 Master Classes, Deep Conversations, two action-packed Conference days, a Gala Dinner with a grand disruptive debate, Artists-in-Residence and networking opportunities. The theme for the debate featuring a number of the keynote speakers and audience is: ‘How will we humans compete with machines that compose, diagnose or smell a rose?’

Deep Conversation tickets start at $125 and Master Classes at $220. Pleasesee Program at a Glance for more information. If you book early bird tickets for Ci2015 before 30 November you will save up to $615.

We are delighted to offer an additional 10% discount to my LinkedIn network and followers. Please use the password “Growth” when registering for conference packages.

Ci2015 shares bold ideas, strategies and sustainable growth solutions across all sectors, sparking revolution for leadership, innovation and change, and creating real business opportunities. This is the fifth Creative Innovation Global event. Ci2013 was named Corporate Event of the Year in the global Eventex Awards.

Ci2015 is about not only managing the dramatic changes being wrought by new business models associated with the internet, technology and globalisation, but learning from these changes and seeing opportunities.

Disruption is undoubtedly the greatest commercial and cultural threat all organisations will face over the next 5 years.

The changes driven by digital technology don’t discriminate. Virtually every business and institution faces competitive threats from new, nimble competitors not hampered by past practice or thinking. Yet, once understood, the threat of disruptive change from outside can be turned to a huge competitive advantage with the opportunities that flow from that understanding.

Learn, think and debate with: Founder X Prize Foundation and Co-Founder Singularity University Peter Diamandis (USA), leading physicist and futurist Michio Kaku (USA), Venture capitalist and CEO Our Crowd Jon Medved (Israel), Indiegogo Founder Danae Ringelmann (USA), Innovation expert and Harvard Business author Scott Anthony (Singapore), Leadership expert and author of “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” Dan Millman (USA), CEO of ANZ Global WealthJoyce Phillips, design thinker, IDEO Partner and Stanford University ProfessorBrendan Boyle (USA), venture capitalist and incoming CEO CSIRO Larry Marshall (USA), UK Government innovator Rory Gallagher (UK), VC of Swinburne University Linda Kristjanson, economic development expert Ernesto Sirolli (USA), Microsoft CEO Pip MarlowSteve Vamos, Tim Flannery, Founder of Freelancer.com Matt Barrie, former Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner, WesfarmersIan McLeod, Rufus Black, Dr Alan Finkel and more!

Please see more about the Ci2015 speakers and the program at a glance.

Don’t miss this stimulating, inspiring, educational and important event. Please would you also be so kind as to share this information onto your colleagues and other networks? We look forward to seeing you there.

Early Bird Tickets selling quickly at www.ci2015.com.au

10 scholarships for emerging innovators closing November 30.http://www.creativeinnovationglobal.com.au/Ci2015/scholarships/

To inspire you and your team’s creative juices, please watch and share my recent TEDxMelbourne talk viewed by over 14,000 people so far!:) We are changing the world, one voice at a time!

And follow me on Twitter @TaniadeJong