PAC Horizons London 2025: Insights, Innovation, and Industry Connections

The recent PAC Horizons London event brought together industry leaders, analysts, and technology executives for a day of rich discussion, insight-sharing, and collaboration. From fireside chats and analyst presentations to 1-2-1 meetings and networking sessions, the event was a showcase of grounded expertise and forward-thinking dialogue.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all speakers, analysts, and participants for their valuable contributions and engagement. The event received fantastic feedback and PAC Horizons 2025 would not have been possible without your input and participation!

“Leading Through Disruption: Tech Strategy for the AI Era”

The UK Digital Market Outlook

Nick Mayes presented PAC’s latest forecast for the UK Software and IT Services (SITS) market, predicting over 6% annual growth over the next five years. Transformation initiatives in defence, healthcare, transport, and retail are driving this momentum. Nick highlighted four key priorities shaping investment decisions across industries:

• Increasing efficiency
• Tackling talent shortages
• Enhancing resilience
• Improving engagement

Nick also outlined the scale of the opportunity for providers and partners in the UK Mid-market landscape, in supporting digital transformation in this vibrant and fast-evolving segment. Nick shared insights into how decision-making and innovation priorities differ across industries—highlighting in particular the strategic investment approaches of leading online retailers and major UK transportation companies as they balance customer experience, efficiency, and resilience in their digital roadmaps.

A special thank you to Dave M. for his valuable contribution to the panel discussion and to Beatriz Moore, Group Strategy and Architecture Director at FirstGroup, for sharing her perspectives on innovation, operational transformation, and customer engagement within the transport sector.

Unlocking the Potential of Agentic AI

Spencer Izard and Robin McAlpine – CTO and Consulting Director for a leading professional services organisation – explored the strategic and operational implications of agentic AI. Their session examined the challenges of maintaining data sovereignty amid growing reliance on hyperscalers, as well as the complexities of partnerships with providers such as Nvidia. They discussed emerging AI use cases in finance, healthcare, and retail, emphasizing the importance of secure data pipelines, governance, and responsible AI deployment.

Gen AI-Driven Search: Redefining Customer Engagement

In a session led by Dan Bieler, Jennifer Jonat, and Ralf Gehrig (WongDoody), attendees examined how AI-powered search is reshaping how customers find information and engage with brands. This shift is redefining customer experience design, marketing strategy, and brand management, making search a strategic enterprise capability rather than a purely technical function.

Beyond Labor Arbitrage: Operationalizing the Autonomous Enterprise

Tom Reuner and Sajesh Gopinath (UST) discussed how organizations can prepare for the AI-driven autonomous enterprise. The panel explored how automation and cloud computing continue to transform talent strategies and operating models. They underscored the need for effective change management to align business and technology objectives—critical to avoiding the pitfalls that often derail transformation initiatives.

Quality Engineering in the GenAI Era

Dominique Raviart highlighted how Quality Engineering (QE) is being reinvented through Large Language Models (LLMs). GenAI is introducing up to 50% productivity gains in functional testing, though organizations must adapt LLMs to their unique corporate contexts. Key challenges include integrating AI into existing “brownfield” projects, selecting optimal models, and translating productivity gains into measurable operational savings. As Dominique concluded: “The LLM journey in QE has only just begun.”

Looking Ahead to 2026

PAC Horizons 2025 was a clear reminder of how digital transformation, AI, and automation are reshaping the way businesses operate and compete. The ideas, insights, and experiences shared by our speakers will continue to spark conversation and collaboration well into 2026 – and beyond.

More than just an event, PAC Horizons is a space where the brightest minds in software and IT services come together to swap ideas, tackle challenges, and explore what’s next.

Looking ahead to 2026, opportunities abound—but the pace of change means organisations will need to be more agile, responsive, and adaptive than ever to seize the benefits of this fast-evolving market. The same goes for technology providers and partners. The era of big, one-size-fits-all deals is fading, replaced by a focus on smarter, faster, and more innovative initiatives, often tailored to specific sub-sectors.The message is clear: adaptability and innovation will be the keys to success in the year ahead.

Thank you again for being part of PAC Horizons this year. We’re already looking forward to continuing the conversation at PAC Horizons 2026!