We can create a post-Brexit great brand Britain and build a world class digital economy
Cast your mind back to Summer 2012, where London’s once grimy now gentrified East end played host to a glorious Olympics. Danny Boyle’s bonkers but brilliant opening ceremony kicked things off, confidently re-lauching post-colonial brand Britain; a curation and genius celebration of our all that makes us, well us. A tour de force of our industrial and social history and a tribute to our diversity and openness. And the games them just got better as the medals kept coming, the logistics appeared seamless; team GB pulled it off.
All of that cost though, £9 billion which some would argue could have been better spent on our NHS, so lauded by Mr Boyle. So what was the legacy? Well, the area genuinely transformed and London attracted tourism and investment. In terms of sport, Olympic accomplishment is a story of inspiration like no other and participation is up. Things feel different here — men of a certain age are out on their bikes, rather that in the pub on Saturday afternoons now.
Team GB defied the (mostly British) doom-mongers and it’s greatest legacy was self-confidence. And in the face of the biggest political and economic upheaval for our country in modern times (Brexit), it’s a spirit we should reflect and draw on in a Britain which feels a little battered, bruised but hopefully unbowed, seven years on.
As someone who voted to Remain, I am wary about the challenges of leaving the EU and we must build resilience to deal with the troughs and valleys ahead. However, in a democracy you get the country you deserve, so having cast our votes I believe that as a creative and business community, we should seek out optimism, pragmatism and balance, putting personal politics aside.
This is no time for blind faith but there’s opportunity in upheaval, so let’s double down and nurture our digital economy and foster key skills like on ingenuity, creativity and technical excellence. We have some fantastic new businesses to be proud of like Skyscanner, Peak, retailers like BooHoo and but let’s not rest on our laurels. What other business or partnerships are needed? How can we collaborate across sectors, grow networks and stay agile? What gaps are there in our digital infrastructure, digital services and in the talent pipeline? In the face of disruption, what are we doing that’s not necessary (investing in old rusting IT that isn’t going to grow but instead hamper an established business for example) and where could that be redirected to modernise and power future growth? This is not the time to hesitate, where can we go bold and leapfrog ahead?
“Estonia has been investing in tech education since 1998, when all schools in the country went online; today, companies such as Skype are worth billions of dollars and, as co-founder Taavet Hinrikus told the Economist back in 2013, high-school students now dream of being entrepreneurs instead of rock stars.”
Martha Lane Fox, The Guardian
Seven years ago we presented Britain to the world as an open and creative country, the next couple of years are crucial in terms of how we reclaim brand Britain after what’s felt like a low-point. We can forge a new global identity which embraces our differences, our eccentricity, and presents our authentic selves as stronger than our collective parts. Perhaps we can finally get that balance right of confidence and humility without the post-colonial arrogance or the self-deprecation or sabotage to find an identity. A Britain which creates more IP, which fosters technical excellence, a home for the fourth industrial age to flourish with resilient, agile, yet compassionate economic principles. There’s a tricky road ahead, but time to put our heads up, learn from recent missteps and contribute to positive change. A country where our kids dream of being engineers and entrepreneurs. Britain is already the largest digital economy in Europe and with a lot of belief and hard work, we could yet become a global digital leader. We may just surprise ourselves; here’s hoping.
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