As public and private sector organizations prepare for the post-pandemic future and leading in the new reality, governments and leaders must now shift their mindset to one focused on sustainability and innovation.

To encourage actions in this direction, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) recently held its flagship CEO and Leaders Forums over two days on 4-5 November, as detailed discussions centered around “shaping a better future” and how to “win the new customer” took place.

Globally renowned Marc Randolph, Founder and former CEO of Netflix, led the CEO Forum on day one, where he elaborated on the online movie and television streaming service’s inspiring success story and discussed new consumer demands with senior leaders of distinguished regional companies and BCG’s leadership team. BCG’s Joerg Hildebrandt, Managing Director and Senior Partner who heads Middle Eastern operations, began the proceedings while Hans Clement, also Managing Director and Partner, served as the event’s moderator.

“Today, with the future less transparent than ever before, creativity, innovation, and experimentation are required to win new customers and stand out from the competition,” said Marc Randolph.

“How we adapt to this new reality and how the business community creates the processes and cultures required to survive and thrive are the questions demanding solutions. Speaking during BCG’s virtual CEO Forum – sharing my story of how an audacious DVD-by-mail idea changed the way entertainment is consumed and disrupted the entertainment industry forever – was a unique experience and one I hope inspired all attendees.”

The ongoing crisis has created a heightened emphasis on how organizations apply themselves within society. Issues such as the climate and sustainability remain prevalent as ever as part of the common goal to shape the future, and widespread public sector collaboration is integral to establishing new groundwork and driving progress.

As such, new to this year’s invitation-only event was the inaugural Leaders Forum on day two, which was moderated by Maya El Hachem, BCG Managing Director and Partner, and aimed to reach out and engage public sector organizations. Former Prime Minister of Finland Alexander Stubb, who recently concluded his tenure as European Investment Bank Vice-President and now serves as Director of the School of Transnational Governance, explained why the world would be a better place when society emerged from the current difficulties and shared his proposals to navigate the next decade and beyond.

“We humans have a tendency to do three things – over-rationalize the past, over-dramatize the present, and underestimate the future,” said Alexander Stubb. “Having the opportunity to discuss ways in which we can maintain stability in the current world of disorder and hopefully make the world a better place was a privilege.”

Despite the widespread challenges stemming from the pandemic, BCG provided clients with the opportunity to explore avenues to lead and succeed, combat pressing topics, and shape a prosperous and sustainable future through a virtual platform. The intimate setting enabled participants to engage in open conversations with guest speakers and BCG’s leadership team and other industry leaders/agenda shapers, who subsequently provided excellent feedback.

“We are delighted with the response and reception from our clients regarding the beneficial extent of our CEO and Leaders Forums,” said Joerg Hildebrandt, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG. “Besides gaining valuable insights from tier-one speakers and networking with peers, attendees also accessed exclusive BCG content so we could ensure they received specific and detailed responses to their specific areas of interest. Public and private sector guests were invited to separate sessions this year for the first time, which allowed us to offer content tailored to their specific priorities and markets. The event was a huge success and as we head into 2021, the conversation concerning how best to lead in the new reality can continue to gain traction with inputs from every member of regional leaders’ community.”