Interview to Bas Boorsma the author of “A new Digital Deal”

“Bas, friday 20th April was a great day: an audience at the Council in the City of Milan, the launch of the Smart City Association Italy, that you have founded with other italian guys and above all the launch of the Italian Edition of “A New Digital Deal”, what is your comment about that ?”

Wonderful to see the light of day over the Italian translation of my book.

Bas: “It was a wonderful, intense and innovative day. It was fabulous to be able to interact with so many peers, so many Italian leaders and professionals, ready to make a difference. Yes, definitely, wonderful to see the light of day over the Italian translation of my book, ‘A New Digital Deal’, yet at least as good, if not better, to see, first hand, the seeds of an Italian New Digital Deal being sown. The Association has a clear mission, and it is good to see that it resonates. Last but not least, I very much hope we’ll continue the conversation with the city of Milan”

At the Council of the City of Milan you had the chance to present your book to the Commission of Urban Planning and Smart City and above all you exchanged some words with the Councillor Bruno Ceccarelli, the President of the Commission, Alice and the Deputy Mayor, Pierfrancesco Maran, what was your feeling about their interests and approach to the digitalization?

These are professionals that have the vision, understand what it takes to get there, and are realistic about the challenges.

Bas: “Passionate, well informed, and mission-ready. Thats how they struck me. Those are the type of leaders I enjoy working most with. These are professionals that have the vision, understand what it takes to get there, and are realistic about the challenges. What exchanges such as the one during my presentation allow for is to get everybody, myself included, on a next level. We need each other in this space. Digitalization has no firm established rules, we are still at the beginning of the journey, and that where we all need to help each other. Together with the Association I believe we can.”

Bas you made a passionate and stimulating speech at the TSCAI launch event in front of about 100 people, which feedback did you get later during the aperitif ?

Bas: “Well that is a tough question to respond to! Whatever my response, it would sound as a judgement on my own presentation. So, if you allow, I will decline a direct comment – except for saying this: my passion on the topic of A New Digital Deal, why we need one, and why we need one urgently, is deep and authentic. Having worked in the space of smart cities for 16 years, I may consider myself informed. The combination of the two factors work in a speech like the one I gave. Power corrupts, and PowerPoint corrupts absolutely. Thin on slides, rich on narrative. I truly hope it touched all.”

Thank you very much Bas, it was a honor and pleasure to meet you and have great talks. Hope to see you soon again here in Brescia!