Island ‘must build on digital gear change during pandemic’

Digital Jersey Annual Review.Professor Alan Brown from Exeter University..Picture: DAVID FERGUSON. (32614648)

SEVERAL global industry experts have urged Jersey to seize digital opportunities by using the Island’s existing skills and experience, as well as upskilling others.

Speaking at the first Digital Jersey annual review to take place in person since 2019, the experts told the audience that Jersey was also perfectly placed to replicate its trillion-dollar financial stewardship sector and create a global data stewardship industry (see article on page 28).

There was a definite change in gear from previous reviews, boosted by the acceleration in digitisation during the pandemic, across all industries.

Digital Jersey chief executive Tony Moretta said: ‘What I was really pleased about today is we are moving from the strategy to the execution and that’s what Jersey really needs to focus on.

‘We have lots of opportunities for lots of other industries, not just in building up the digital sector.’

In his highlights of 2021, Mr Moretta mentioned progress with fintech, the Island leading the world in broadband speeds, initiatives in open banking, the launch of the funding platform initiative, Springboard, and work with Andium Homes to install damp sensors to anticipate problems for tenants.

He also told the audience that, despite the pandemic, last year had been the most successful period in advertising Jersey as a place to relocate a business and that they had never had a stronger pipeline of prospects looking to bring their companies to the Island.

Looking at initiatives for 2022, Mr Moretta said that Digital Jersey would work with government to ensure the Technology Accelerator Fund was used to find technology solutions for the Island’s productivity and environmental challenges.

A digital matchmaking tool is also being launched to link Jersey Finance members who have projects they need to complete with Digital Jersey members who can solve them.

He added that it was hoped the local digital procurement platform would be expanded to other sectors.

Attendees were also shown how technology is helping traditional industries via the Smart Fields project, which works with farmers to increase yields and reduce resources needed to produce Jersey Royal potatoes.

Using soil sensors and drones to collect data, the project enables farmers to pinpoint any issues in their fields.

Alan Brown, professor of digital economy at the University of Exeter Business School, told the audience that, following the pandemic, everyone had very different expectations of technology.

‘We are moving away from the digitisation of our current ways of working and reimagining how we can work.

‘There is currently an epidemic of people around the world, the Great Resignation effect, who are asking: Why am I doing this? Is this what I want to be doing? Is it making a difference?

‘Jersey needs to take advantage of what you have here, which larger jurisdictions don’t.

‘It’s easy to be fearful of larger ones who can direct change, but smaller jurisdictions can be more nimble, but only if you take advantage of it.

‘Jersey needs to work together and drive change, and underpinning that is the right skills base because it’s all about people.’

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