- With a brighter economic outlook for the UK in 2010, the conference allows senior finance and IT professionals to gain insight and practical advice from fellow professionals and an expert panel -

Following the success of the inaugural event in 2009, the UK’s second national software licensing and management conference will take place on Wednesday 21st, April 2010 at the Madejski Stadium in Reading. This annual one-day event is being organised by the Software Industry Research Board (SIRB) in conjunction with FAST IiS and research firm IDC.

The conference will help CIOs, CFOs, Finance Directors, IT Directors and all those who have responsibility for the commercial and operational management of software licenses to understand the significant benefits of having effective software management processes in place. They will learn good governance practises, methods to save their organisations significant financial sums as well as have an opportunity to network and interact with peers.

Alex Hilton, Chairman of the SIRB and Vice President at FrontRange Solutions, comments: “The event highlights the critical steps to take to create a successful software asset management (SAM) strategy, and sets out how to identify and overcome the barriers to effectively manage software.

Guest speakers from a variety of organisations will share their insights and offer practical advice based on first hand experience, including their perspective on the why and how, and the business benefits achieved. SIRB members Microsoft, Oracle, FrontRange, Computacenter and new Associate SIRB member, Phoenix Software will shed light on best practice, commercial licensing models and SAM tools, and give guidance on the steps to ensure effective management of software estates. Leading experts from the legal, accounting and media professions will provide a broader context, covering regulation, governance and the economics of the software industry.

“Business leaders can no longer afford to be unaware of the cost and risk to their businesses resulting from ineffective software asset management. Organisations are often faced with confusion, jargon and complexity and consequently do not actively manage their software as rigorously as they should. This conference is a good platform for anyone who is responsible for - and involved in - licence management and SAM projects. Attendees will receive practical guidance on how to kick start a successful practice and/or develop more sophisticated SAM processes to enjoy enhanced benefits,” said Alex.

The SIRB’s mandate is to provide education and guidance to UK organisations on software licensing and management. It champions best practice and is committed to improving the understanding of licensing practices and attitudes towards commercial software management. In parallel the SIRB helps both the private and public sector recognise how they can make simple changes that enable them to keep on top of this important discipline.

John Lovelock, Chief Executive, FAST IiS added: “Given the continuing recession and resulting financial uncertainty that is now the everyday reality for most organisations in the UK, it is important that the software industry helps businesses to navigate the financial and operational risks surrounding poorly managed software.”

“With the daily issues of budget constraints and the pressure from the board to manage software assets more effectively, this event will help delegates identify effective software asset management tools and learn from organisations who have themselves overcome the challenges.”

For more information please contact the SIRB on 0845 521 8630.