Only world-class solutions are good enough

In my role as CEO of IBM Sweden, I’ve had the opportunity to meet people whose experience of living and working in Stockholm various tremendously. I’ve noticed that most of them wonder how we can make Stockholm a smarter city.

The congestion tax solution that Stockholm’s politicians voted to introduce in 2006 has demonstrated the viability of constructing an infrastructure that can solve Stockholm’s traffic problems. I see the potential for integrated traffic solutions. I want to know as soon as I get behind the wheel if there is a traffic jam and where, and if I should park at outside the city and use public transportation instead. On the days I do decide to drive into town, I want to know where the empty parking spaces are so I can avoid wasting time cruising around, hunting for a parking space.

But a lot of other things in Stockholm could be smarter as well. For example, I see great potential to work smarter in the educational system. Digital tools enable us to bridge many of the gaps existing in Stockholm. We can connect urban high schools with suburban schools, and create a more efficient and flexible system of education, where students and teachers share their knowledge, enthusiasm and learning models.

Healthcare is another area where I think we should be able to utilize technology better. The Stockholm county council is about to begin construction on a new university hospital. According to the statement of objectives it is to be the most advanced hospital in northern Europe, and I see no reason we can’t build the most advanced hospital in the world.

Five foreign delegations visit Stockholm every month to see our congestion tax solutions, which are considered to be the most advanced in the world. I hope that even more foreign delegations will line up to study the most advanced school in the world or the new Karolinska Hospital. Stockholm should not be satisfied with solutions that aren’t world-class, and we, the members of Stockholm IT Region, are the people who can bring them to fruition.

Johan Ekesiöö
CEO, IBM Svenska AB