SABF 2020: Navigating Through Uncertainty
The directors saw something in you that told them you were unique, and all we ask of you is that you pour that essence into the SABF, and we promise you that you are going to get back so much more.
Those were Federico Cimini’s final words to the new organizing team of the 16thedition of SABF, on the 19th of December at 19:30 hours. Family, friends, and members of the community were gathered inside ITBA’s Aula Magna to get to know the students who next year will be responsible for continuing this thingthat we have been building for more than 15 years now.
I am speaking, of course, about the conference that will be taking place on the 30thand 31st of July, and 1st of August of 2020 called the South American Business Forum.
Federico, a SABF ex-organizer of the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 that has remained close to the organization since then and up to this day, talked about what SABF means to him (answering the never ending question of “but, what is SABF?”), and what the experience has given him personally over the years. He mentioned several other ex-organizers who are now start-up owners and founders of big companies, having started their working career as SABF volunteers. He mentioned Luciana Reznik, co-founder of Wolox, and Martín Siniawski, CEO of The Podcast App, among others.
These stories served as an inspiration to organizing team, who was visibly excited to start this new chapter in their lives; and this was noted by 2020’s directors: Lucila Bettiga and Francisco Bonomi. After presenting each member:
The new directors climbed down the stage to talk to them face to face, in a moment that was both inspiring and emotional. They thanked them for having accepted the invitation to join the team, specially pointing out how their enthusiasm for taking on this herculean task could already be clearly seen in their faces. They thanked them for having the will to become responsible of organizing for a year, together, an international conference of this scale, adding to the mountain of responsibilities that implies being a college student, accepting to being there in their free time for meetings and video calls, arguing and trying to tie together the logistical challenge that represents the SABF year after year.
Finally, next year’s topics were presented. Without further ado, I will leave you to them:
Navigating through Uncertainty
Global processes have become too complex and in many cases impossible to understand. It is increasingly common to find ourselves in situations where, as individuals and society, we do not know how to respond. So how do we live in a world where bewilderment is an intrinsic feature? Traditional stories of work, freedom and individualism are weakened by technological disruptions, putting human beings in check. What skills will be needed to find our way through uncertainty?
On the Edge of Irrelevance
To what extent is the human being able to adapt and remain relevant in the face of machines? Is there any area where the human being maintains an advantage over them? Or will there come a point where every occupation is overtaken by technology? And in that case, what will be our role in society?
Coding Behaviour
We live in a world flooded with information. Our interactions feed the information to the algorithms of the technological giants that offer us more and more recommendations. Now, are we willing to give the decision power to the algorithms? Do we expose ourselves to any risk? To what extent does our identity not become a simple line of code?
Traversing Times of Collaboration and Individualism
More and more technologies are facilitating remote collaboration. However, the emergence of groups that voluntarily isolate themselves from one-anothers is a reality. What is the reason for this phenomenon? Why does selfishness emerge as an engine of progress in times of globalization? Can individualistic logic address the challenges we face as a society, or is our collaboration essential?
Applications for attending the conference and getting to know more than 100 students from across the globe and 40 international speakers discussing these topics will be open from February the 1st up to April the 11th at apply.sabf.org.ar.
Welcome, organizing team 2020! On behalf of the community I want to wish you good luck next year and hope that you can take advantage of everything SABF has to offer. The best is yet to come.