Dr Trevor Davis, IBM Subject Expert – Consumer Products Industry

Dr Trevor Davis

Dr Trevor Davis is an IBM consumer products industry futurist and expert on good practices for developing and launching sustainable consumer brands successfully.

With over 20 years of international business experience in brand development and brand building, Trevor has extensive experience of consumer and market insight through advanced analytics (e.g market segmentation and launch analytics), consumer communications (incl. digital marketing), portfolio and project management and open innovation.

Trevor’s work in the area of innovation has been used by manufacturers and retailers to improve launch success, and features in text books on the topic.

In recent years Trevor has brought digital techniques such as social media analytics into the business of designing and launching products. His work on using social media to predict fashion trends – ‘Birth of a Trend’ – has been featured in Advertising Age, the New York Times and Forbes.

Curiosity has always motivated Trevor. As a teenager he would cycle any distance to find a rare comic book or a cool jacket. “New things have always excited me, so I learnt early on to spot trends and I’ve not stopped.”

Prior to consultancy he worked in the automotive and aerospace industries on projects such as saving the world one day of oil production by making cars lighter, and improving reliability for the Space Shuttle.

“I found my calling in the Department of Metallurgy at the University of Aston, where I was drawn to a unique alchemy of hard science and industrial arts. My experience there inspired me to devote my life to designing and making things that make the world a better place.”

“The way we design, make and use services and products has to change to make better use of this planet’s resources. High end predictions suggest 16 billion people by 2100 – that world requires a re-think of development processes to ensure that products and services encourage and enable sustainable lifestyles..” – Dr Trevor Davis speaking at Sustainability 2012 in Bonn.

  • “Over 20 years of international business experience, Trevor has worked with a variety of leading clients on multi-year transformational programmes particularly in R&D, Marketing and Supply Chain. Clients include Unilever, Nestle, Cadbury and Mars where Trevor has helped executive teams and senior managers formulate and execute strategies for creating value from new technology, market and capabilities.” – LinkedIn Profile, 2013
  • Member of the IBM Industry academy
  • London-based enthusiast for strategy, innovation, sustainability. Also a keen interest in movies, comics and cycling.

Email Trevor Davies

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davistruk

Blogs:

http://asmarterplanet.com/blog/2013/01/22562.html/sp-trevor-davis-jan-2013

http://icurious.typepad.com/the_icurious_blog/2012/10/sustainability-2012-bonn-dr-trevor-davis.html

Q&A

Q: What is IBM’s perspective on sustainability?

We believe that there are powerful macro-forces that require all businesses to embed sustainability in their operations.  There is a new economic reality in terms of the rise of developing and emerging nations and recent economic crises.  There are known environmental constraints and threats, and pressure for a step change in social responsibility.

As more and more businesses become globally integrated, meeting these challenges on an international scale requires information and communication technologies and services such as those provided by IBM and our business partners.

Q: What sustainability services does IBM offer to customers?

Our focus is on sustainability services to IBM customers that secure growth in shareholder value – ensure their long term profitability –  and protecting their reputation.  For us, this is key to recruiting and retaining key talent and retaining investor confidence.

In practice this means services and software covering:

  • Analytics and reporting for corporate social responsibility and sustainability (e.g. using IBM Cognos)
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Energy efficiency for IT (e.g. using IBM Tivoli), in the supply chain, in asset utilisation and across buildings / property portfolios (e.g. using IBM TRIRIGA software)
  • Social business for employee engagement in sustainability (e.g. using IBM Connections)
  • Advanced optimisation techniques for supply chain, transport and logistics (e.g. using IBM iLog)
  • Advanced optimisation techniques for water management and waste
  • Managing reputation (e.g. using IBM Social Media Analytics)
  • Sustainable product and packaging design

Q: Why should companies talk to IBM about sustainability?

Only one company has twice received the Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development in the 28-year history of the World Environment Center’s annual award.

IBM’s long-term commitment to integrating sustainable development into business strategy and operations were cited in 1990, and again in 2012 both for business practices and for specific efforts toward developing IT products and services for sustainable cities as part of our Smarter Planet initiative.

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