Every business is an AI business – insights from the London event
“AI won’t wait – and neither should we. This event confirmed a fact that cannot be ignored: businesses that don’t act on AI now risk falling behind for good. But AI isn’t here to replace people but to empower them. Used correctly, it unlocks speed, creativity, and relevance like never before.” - Sasa Popovic
Last week, over 200 senior leaders came together in London for Every Business is an AI Business – an incredible event proudly hosted by Vega IT in collaboration with its partners from Sullivan & Stanley.
The energy in the room was palpable, and the conversations were refreshingly honest – no empty hype, no abstract theory. The goal? To understand how AI is really reshaping business: in practice, in the challenges it brings, and in the opportunities it creates.
AI waits for no one – a message that resonated with everyone in the room. Here are some fresh impressions and key takeaways.
AI is here, it’s accelerating – don’t get left behind
The evening opened with a CEO fireside chat between Pat Lynes of Sullivan & Stanley and Sasa Popovic of Vega IT, discussing the role of AI in today’s businesses. Both Pat and Sasa are already embedding AI within their organisations – not just to make internal decisions smarter and delivery smoother, but to create entirely new value for their clients.
Drawing from their own experience, they shared how AI is reshaping their own businesses. At Vega IT, AI-driven digital twins enable rapid prototyping, allowing clients to visualise, test, and validate ideas in days, not months. Meanwhile, at S&S, AI powers MissionHub, a platform that matches the right people to the right missions, making teams more effective and resilient.
Both speakers were crystal clear: AI demands a fundamental shift in how we think about leadership, teams and execution. The future belongs to those who move early and move intelligently, and with a human-first mindset.
“Transformation used to be a roadmap. Now it’s a rhythm,” Pat said. “If you're still planning in five-year increments, you're already behind.”
AI is the compound advantage of the decade. The businesses that move now; documenting processes, structuring data, and enabling their people, will pull ahead fast. Those who delay will spend the next five years playing catch-up.
AI in practice: what it really takes to deliver value
The opening session set the tone for the rest of the evening – a deep dive into how AI is really being put to work across organisations, from underwriting and unstructured data to governance and generative agents.
The second session on demystifying AI brought together leaders from Merlin, Howden, Sullivan & Stanley, and Vega IT, who shared their insights on what it really takes to make AI deliver results in the enterprise.
Nenad Percic, Partner & Director, Digital Strategy at Vega IT, focused on practical AI applications rather than flashy innovation. He explained that most clients don’t need chatbots but solutions that reduce rework, automate handoffs, and speed up compliance. Vega IT uses rapid prototyping with digital twins, AI-driven models of business processes, that let teams visualise changes before implementation.
“If we can show you a working version of your new process next week, not just a spec, then the conversation changes. It becomes: how do we make this real?”
Kinnari Ladha, Chief Data Officer at Merlin, spoke openly about the gap between AI’s potential and its reality in organisations. She explained that AI needs the right data, people, and a flexible business model, and emphasised starting with small, solvable problems to build trust.
“We’re not in the business of AI. We’re in the business of change,” Kinnari of Merlin said at one point. “AI just happens to be one of the most powerful tools we’ve ever had.”
Paul Hillier, Managing Director at Howden, explained that AI isn’t about replacing people, but freeing them from repetitive tasks so they can focus on higher‑value work. He gave examples of how Howden is already using AI to speed up contract reviews and claims processing and they have partnered with Vega IT to identify high-impact use cases and co-create AI solutions that deliver real, measurable value.
His advice was simple: start with a clear problem and a solid dataset, and build trust early, long before the first pilot goes live.
Archie Cobb, Senior AI Consultant at S&S, offered a final rallying cry: “Everyone in the organisation needs to become just a little bit more tech-savvy,” he said. “It frustrates me when I hear, 'This is for the next generation.' It’s not. AI is everyone’s business now.”
Adapt or risk obsolescence: the AI wake‑up call
The evening closed with a message that echoed its opening – a powerful wake‑up call from Danilo McGarry, global AI authority, UN advisor and host of the world’s fastest-growing AI podcast. His message to leaders was blunt and urgent: “If you haven’t started with AI, there’s a really big chance your company will go bankrupt.”
Danilo warned that AGI will be here within the next two to three years, reshaping work as we know it: “So while you guys are getting your head around how to infuse AI into your companies, two or three years from now, you’re going to get whacked in the face with AGI — and it’s going to disrupt the system again.”
He urged leaders to stop treating AI as just another tool, and to start rethinking their businesses from the ground up – focusing on where AI can truly add value, and freeing people to do the work AI can’t. His advice was clear: forget chasing trends, solve concrete problems first, and adapt AI to fit your business needs.
The takeaway: AI won’t wait – and neither should we
This was the biggest event the team has organised in London to date, and it proved to be a pivotal moment. From seamless logistics and sharp presentations to bold, thought‑provoking conversations, one thing became clear: AI is here, it’s accelerating, and hesitation will only cost ground.
The event made its mark. As Alex Bernett, Client Director at Vega IT UK observed, “Whether you’re hosting or attending an event, you want to walk away feeling like you’ve gained something valuable. The fact that so many attendees were taking notes throughout the keynote and panel discussions shows this was truly worth their time. I can’t wait for the next one!”
The takeaway is simple: AI is no longer a theory or a trend – it’s a reality that demands action. The future belongs to those ready to adapt, innovate, and lead.
