BCM World Conference
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Spread the word BCM boom in asia
D
espite warning delegates
that he was not a ‘morning
person’, within minutes of H
enry Ee FBCI of BCP Asia began
his presentation by giving
delegates a brief overview of
standing to speak Bob Geldof had the size and cultural diversity of the Asia
grabbed the full, undivided attention region, which covers some 29.9% of
of every person in the room. the global land mass and approximately
In his 30 minute speech, he focused 60% of the world’s population.
on communication and the fl ow of Placing BCM into this picture, Henry
information in today’s global society. explained that in the early 1990s, it
He explained that, while we have was found primarily in the fi nancial
developed into a global civilisation, sector. However, the emergence of
in effect we all live within our own more stringent corporate governance
particular space and are quite insular. requirements served to push business
In this social structure, the web has continuity out into the wider business
become a central component in terms community, initially into healthcare and
of how we exchange information. telecoms, and then further into most
While describing it as being “in a business sectors in recent years.
primitive state”, Bob said that it has This evolution has been facilitated
played a major role in facilitating the Th is increasing by events such as 9/11 and the SARS
rapid change in society that we have virus, but also by the emergence of new
witnessed in recent years. In effect it
interconnectivity
standards and guidelines in the fi eld of
has helped create a beehive society in
provides us with a
BCM. Henry listed a range of these, from
which we use it as a means to pass on the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s
information. However, he continued,
means of ensuring
BCM Guidelines issued in December
it is this very structure, the hive-like 2002, to the Singapore Standard SS 540:
global network where change can
that the opportunities
200 on business continuity management.
happen in the blink of an eye, that has The discipline, he added, had also been
contributed to the fi nancial crisis we aff orded by the world infl uenced strongly by international
are experiencing today. developments such as BS25999.
“The future,” Bob said “is unknown,
we live can be shared
The development of BCM, however,
but that does not mean that we cannot
anticipate what it might bring.” He
more widely
is limited by a number of factors, Henry
explained. First and foremost is the
highlighted the fact that the credit confusion over what BCM actually is,
crisis was anticipated, yet many of us formalise supply chains and create with many confusing it with disaster
considered those who warned of its virtual currencies. recovery, crisis management, insurance
arrival as simply an annoyance. We This increasing interconnectivity, he and even simply evacuation plans.
must be constantly aware of change, explained, provides us with a means In addition, the multiple languages,
he urged, and striving to ensure that it of ensuring that the opportunities cultures and religions that are
is balanced with the needs of society if afforded by the world we live represented in the region also serve as
it is to be managed properly. can be shared more widely. The stumbling blocks, particularly where the
Turning to his work in Africa, Bob technologies we have at our disposal, cultures do not promote the sharing of
said that the continent was going he concluded, such as the internet information or discourage thinking about
through a period of rapid change, as and mobile telephones are helping to ‘worst case scenarios’.
the population increasingly moved enforce a level of global co-operation. However, compliance requirements
from rural areas into towns and cities. Only through this co-operative and the growing awareness of
Central to this period of transition was approach and by sharing information the fi nancial benefi ts of BCM are
their ability to communicate using can we put in place the structures helping to overcome these issues. In
mobile telephones. In fact, the nation which need to be in place to tackle fact, governments in the region are
now has one of the largest mobile this rapid period of change that we offering funding to subsidise BCM
telephone industries in the world. have entered. implementation, particularly to help
Through mobiles and laptops, social View Bob Geldof’s speech at businesses become more resilient in
life is changing radically in the region www.thebci.org/Bob_Geldof_ the face of swine fl u. Henry concluded
as the people use the technologies to Speech(191109).mov by saying that there are a number of
positive BCM trends emerging in the
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Asia region, particularly with more
a round of applause and more countries implementing new
standards and guidelines and the fact
I
have been to numerous conferences dedicated to various market sectors that Asia has one of the highest levels of
and industry disciplines over the years and always the sign of a good companies seeking certifi cation under
event is the number of delegates who are still in the room for the fi nal relevant BCM standards.
presentation. As David Hutchenson, MBCI, of Glenn Abbot, took to the
stage at the end of day two to discuss the issue of pandemic it was to the
niGEl allEn
sound of applause from a well fi lled room.
Nigel allen is editor of continuity
Cont Nov/Dec 09_insides.indd 25 27/11/09 14:13:53