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Chang, the change agent

Dion Chang is in Cape Town to speak to an academic institution and the CEO of a major financial business – both want advice on how to spot disruptive trends, and to manage change. 

“I think interest in me sparks when businesses see the danger signs on the horizon,” says Chang who’s sitting in a trendy inner city hotel ahead of an open presentation he’s giving on ‘the war zone’.  

The battle royale that brands and businesses are facing now is the war for relevance. Think of how Uber upended the taxi business and transport sector by using technology to connect people with cars, to people who needed rides. “For the most, businesses aren’t proactive when it comes to disruption; they tend to be reactive, so in our business what we’re seeing is a lot of catchup.”  

In Chang-speak, ‘catchup’ is what happens when brands get caught in the headlights of oncoming change and realise they need to do something smart pretty soon, or face obsolescence.  

Chang explains how the insurance industry made its bread and butter from insurance brokers and how the digital era has disintermediated this, making insurance a direct product where comparison browsing online is a key consumer activity. “In the digital era, it’s absolute suicide to have a third party represent your brand and sell your product. But that is how the entire industry’s been set up,” he says. 

“In a digital era you want to control your own omnichannel, you want to sell your own product. If there’s social media spewing out content, then you want to be able to manage this totally,” adds Chang.

His knowledge speaks to trends, technology, future-casting and how the future will challenge and change businesses.  ?“If there is an intermediary disrupting your relationship with your clients this is a problem. And if your entire industry is built on a disrupted relationship with your client, how are you going to change that?” Chang asks.  

“It’s gobsmacking to see how far ahead, or how far behind, certain industries or sectors really are. Sometimes I get a real shock. But that’s maybe because I live in the future perpetually,” says the trend analyst.  

Three top trends from Dion Chang  

What’s in store for 2016 and beyond? Dion Chang offers Finweek insight ?into some of the rising trends of which retailers and brand owners should be aware.

1. Transhumanism: A trend that will forever change capitalism, transhumanism is about the convergence of human and machine. It is already evident in ingestible technology and pioneering breakthroughs in neurology and technology.

2. Nanotechnology: The weaving of technology with material fibre to create items like USB-enabled belts, clothing that can display information or stain-repellent clothing. This trend will see clothing used to give wearers feedback about their wellbeing to help them live longer, healthier lives.

3. The rise of the spornosexual: Gone is the hipster facial hair. The spornosexual – clean shaven and muscularly ‘ripped’ – will see men’s grooming companies jump for joy. Men’s razors will be back with a vengeance as being clean-shaven becomes de rigueur.

This is an excerpt of an article that originally appeared in the 24 September 2015 edition of Finweek. Buy and subscribe to the magazine here

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