It is vital that we rise to the digital challenge

By Richard Threlfall2021-09-29T06:00:00

The infrastructure sector is among the last to embrace the potential of the digital revolution but it is in all of our interests to do so, says Richard Threlfall

It took less than five minutes to complete the process when I decided to open a new online bank account. Somewhere in the electronic ether, databases were cross-checked for my name, address, passport number, employment, credit score and other details.

No human was involved. It is a small element within the digital revolution in banking that we now all take for granted.

The infrastructure sector, however, is still a laggard in embracing the digital revolution; it is arguably the last sector to really exploit its potential. To be fair, infrastructure is difficult because it involves real and very complex things, unlike the world of money which, to quote Yuval Noah Harari, “isn’t a material reality”.

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