View a PDF of VM's 2018 Summit.

NEW YORK—Business trend analysts, branding experts and health and vision care experts shared their views about how leaders can help their organizations adapt to rapid changes in the “climate” of technology and work at the 12th annual Vision Monday Global Leadership Summit, held at the Times Center here on March 14. The day-long Summit program and networking event explored the theme, “workSMART: Leadership Tactics for Transformative Times.”

The diverse range of speakers offered insights about how the fast sweep of digital technology, empowered consumers and unexpected competition is reshaping the world of work, and why business leaders of startups or established companies need constant learning, swift tactical moves and organizational resilience.

In his opening remarks, Marc Ferrara, CEO, Information Services Division, Jobson Medical Information, said the modern business is an “evolving organism,” with changes in workspace design and available technologies fueling the growing telehealth industry and noted companies’ need for an agile team that can thrive within this new work environment by “fostering connections and excitement about work” in addition to embracing new technologies.

Next, Jobson senior vice president and Vision Monday editorial director Marge Axelrad observed most, if not all, of the optical industry is feeling the accelerating pace of change happening in our field. She urged optical colleagues to “latch onto the future” and highlighted “the new killer skill set”—one that is agile, flexible and “prizes learning about what you don’t know on top of what experience has taught you.”

The 2018 VM Summit Premier Sponsors were Essilor, Europa Eyewear and Luxottica. Signature Sponsors include ABS Smart Mirror, Alcon, The Vision Council and VisionWeb. Supporting Sponsors were VSP Global and CareCredit.

Starting on Page 50, Vision Monday’s editors offer a detailed overview of all the sessions from the 12th annual Summit.