Karl W Feilder - Y2K Issues

Event Report

24 February 2000

The Mayor of Fareham, Cllr Roger Price, hosted an exciting and successful buffet reception for members of the Forum at the Civic Offices on 24th February 2000.

You may not have been aware of this but the world-renowned Y2K authority, Karl W Feilder, is right on our doorstep and is a new member of the Forum. His global company, Greenwich Mean Time, moved its headquarters to the 15th Century barn at Dean Farm in Fareham a year ago. GMT were voted the fastest growing IT company in the US last year.

Karl himself doesn't spend much time here since he travels extensively as an advisor to nine world governments, including the UK, Canada and Japan. He is no stranger to the Pentagon either and his amusing weekly columns appear in seven publications around the world, including the UK's Computer Weekly. [Photo alongside: left to right: The Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Councillor Seán Woodward, Karl W Feilder, The Mayor of Fareham, Councillor Roger Price JP.]

For almost four years Karl has repeated one statement time and time again: "It's not about the 1st of January 2000". By February 2000 most people will have begun to understand what Karl means as Y2K continues to dominate. He predicts that during the first quarter of 2000, any unresolved Y2K problems will accumulate on a monthly basis, increasing the complexity of the problem. Karl has often described the effect of Y2K as being creeping - rather than sudden - chaos.

His presentation updated members on current issues and problems, particularly important with the next critical date of 29 February 2000 just around the corner.

Later, members had a very successful networking session - too busy talking to eat the splendid hot buffet!

To add your company to the membership for the Forum, which is entirely free, please contact Tony Mundy on Tel: 01329 236100 or e-mail him on economic.development@fareham.gov.uk.