Date: May 21, 2024 - May 24, 2024Location: National Harbor, MD
Higher rates. Challenged growth. Scarce labor. Cost pressure. Security threats. And the scramble for AI use cases. Current conditions are driving an enterprise focus on productivity across all assets to unlock resources for investment and growth, putting finance in the spotlight again in 2024. Join us at Gartner CFO & Finance Executive Conference 2024, where we will explore this year’s theme, Autonomous Finance: Driving Transformation to Unlock Enterprise Value. Discover how your organization can navigate these challenges with confidence by rapidly evolving, transforming and redefining your data, processes, technologies, staff capabilities and organizational models. Learn more here
Additionally, incumbents have the upper hand. They develop deep capabilities in all digital technologies (including cloud, AI, data analytics, blockchain, and robotics) and distributed energy resources. Flexing their muscles, they manage intricate energy systems and offer a range of bespoke, flexible solutions. Moreover, they set the standards for product integration across the industrial, commercial, residential, transport, and trading sectors. They offer additional services based on their knowledge and portfolios.
Second subheading: The stagnant utility company:
On the other hand, established companies ‘capture’ government policy-making and regulatory mechanisms to block change. They lock out or slow down new entrants, or hinder the introduction of new services into the market. Additionally, new and emerging technologies are restricted by the vested interests of network operators and critical technical changes happen slowly, if at all. Roll-outs are frequently delayed or disrupted. Furthermore, utility-scale renewable generation and distribution fail to achieve critical mass. Consequently, companies compete on a limited, commoditized array of services and prices remain high.
Third subheading: Gartner CFO & Finance Executive Conference Fallen giant:
Meanwhile, consumers switch, in large numbers, to behind-the-meter solutions. Energy is generated and traded at a community level, resulting in inefficiencies in the wider system. Moreover, the lack of scale inhibits the spread of technology and creates a so-called ‘death spiral’ for incumbents, where declining customer numbers mean falling revenues. Additionally, infrastructure is not properly maintained. Consequently, service levels drop. Eventually, energy companies are reduced to providing the barest of power services. As infrastructure providers, new players (large industrial conglomerates, oil & gas majors, tech companies) disrupt the value chain. Digital and communications technologies are essential to providing a wide range of integrated services. Incumbents are reduced to offering basic transmission and distribution services, along with some billing.