ACADEMIA

IDG World Expo, the leading producer of world-class tradeshows, conferences and events for technology markets, and the Global Grid Forum (GGF), a community of users, developers and vendors leading the global standardization effort for grid computing, today announced the keynote lineup for the inaugural GridWorld, scheduled to take place October 3-6, 2005 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers. GridWorld is a B2B conference focused on the commercial benefits of grid computing for Enterprise IT strategists worldwide. GridWorld also brings together the international grid community for in-depth working sessions on user requirements, best practices and interoperable software standards. During their keynote addresses, senior executives from Credit Suisse First Boston, British Telecom, Microsoft Corp., CIO magazine and Engineous Japan will discuss the commercial benefits of integrating grid computing technologies, products, and solutions into core IT operations. Gary J. Beach, Group Publisher, CXO Media Inc. (the publisher of CIO magazine) will deliver the opening keynote address titled, "The Business Case for Why Leading IT Organizations are Adopting Grids." During his keynote, Beach will discuss the global business trends helping to shape next generation Enterprise IT. He will explore the 10 reasons IT professionals are adopting grid technologies to enable business advantage. In the process, he will help frame the interactive discussion between participants at GridWorld as they discuss the business case and roadmap for successful grid adoption within the Enterprise. "In today's dynamic business environment, enterprises around the world are aggressively working horizontally across organizational and geographic boundaries to deliver greater customer value and competitive advantage," said Beach. "CIO's are challenged to increase the business value of their IT services and enable integration with customers, suppliers and partners. As large commercial enterprises transition from vertical silos to horizontally-integrated infrastructure and applications they are adopting grid solutions that enable industry collaboration while providing flexible, cost-efficient solutions for informational integration and resource sharing." In his keynote address, Steve Yatko, Global Head of Research and Development IT, Credit Suisse First Boston, will discuss how trends of network-based computing coupled with the challenge of operational complexity have resulted in increased IT cost pressures. Yatko will explore how the long-term impact of ongoing cost pressures on innovation can be directly correlated to the ability of IT to enable and accelerate the business. He will also discuss how the economics of agility will support new business opportunities and help IT fund and manage change as a competitive weapon. Takehiko Kato, President, Engineous Japan, Inc. will explain during his keynote address how grids are making it possible for the world's engineering community to expand beyond national borders and how this globalization trend is affecting the aerospace, automotive and electronics industries. Kato will describe the global collaboration that Grid computing makes possible in engineering design and illustrate how Grids permit companies to streamline their design processes as a result of inter-company and inter-national engineering collaborations. Additional keynote addresses will be delivered by Frank Falcon, Grid Delivery Manager for British Telecom; Tony Hey, Vice President, Technical Computing for Microsoft Corporation; and Andrew Grimshaw, Professor of Computer Science, University of Virginia. For more information or to register for the event, visit its Web site.