Predictions 2013

Big 2013 Ideas From Big People

Alexandr Tovstenko | E+ | Getty Images

What's the Big Idea?


Industry heavyweights -- in finance, technology, real estate, media -- give us their perspective on the one issue, innovation or event they think will change the world in 2013.

The following eight big thinkers were chosen for their experience and smart perspectives. We now present LinkedIn's online guide to some of the sharpest ideas in business.

Some took bold stances on policy. BP Capital Chairman and CEO T. Boone Pickens thinks that in 2013, control of the energy debate in the U.S. will shift from the federal government to individual states.Virgin Group Founder Richard Branson predicts the 40-year war on drugs will end.

Others had big ideas about the rise of social media in brand marketing, including Olivier Fleurot, CEO of MSLGROUP, a Publicis Group company, one of the biggest advertising holding companies. Whatever the issue, these ideas will influence the professional conversation in 2013.


By Francesca Levy, LinkedIn

Posted: 20 Dec. 2012

Branson: War on Drugs Ends

"I'd like the business community to take a hard look at the failures of the drug war and adopt humane solutions that focus on education and health care rather than criminalization and incarceration. Let's make 2013 the year we Break The Taboo."


-- Richard Branson, founder Virgin Group.

Krawcheck: Fix a Woman's Workday

Sallie Krawcheck, former president of the wealth management division for Bank of America Corp.
Peter Foley | Bloomberg | Getty Images

"Smart companies will allow movement among different workstyles during the course of a career without implicitly penalizing individuals for their choices. They will recognize that technology enables flexibility, productivity and team formation in ways not previously possible. … And, most of all, smart companies will recognize that really embracing 'flexibility without shame' is a smart long-term investment."


-- Sallie Krawcheck, past president of Merrill Lynch, US Trust, Smith Barney.

Pickens: Governors Take Energy Into Their Own Hands

T. Boone Pickens
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

"The 21st century gold rush is shale containing oil or natural gas. Huge deposits have been discovered around the nation, instantly adding jobs. ... Now, we need to create demand. The most efficient way to do that is to move our fleet of heavy-duty trucks from diesel that is largely imported from OPEC to natural gas that is produced in North America. … The move in both intellectual energy and fossil energy from Washington to the states – fueled by natural gas – will be the big idea for 2013."


--T. Boone Pickens, founder, chairman and CEO at BP Capital and TBP Investments Management.

Smith: Big Data for the Little Guy

Intuit CEO Brad Smith.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

"In 2013, we will see data fueling innovation that will empower small businesses and individuals with insights and analysis that were once only available to big, multimillion dollar companies. … No one seminal event or killer app will mark the change; we are living through a revolution. Data is the raw material of the innovation age."


-- Brad Smith, president and chief executive officer, Intuit.

Gross: We'll Change How We Think About Climate Change

Bill Gross CEO Idealab
Tony Avelar | Bloomberg | Getty Images

"During this century, we will run out of fossil fuels, and switch mankind to renewable energy. We can get there with lots of pain, or we can get there with lots of forethought. I believe that this decade, and next year in particular, will be remembered as the time when the tipping point toward action will occur."


-- Bill Gross, founder and CEO of Idealab.

Caan: Youth to the Rescue

James Caan CEO Hamilton Bradshaw
Getty Images

"There has been a major shift in the way business is viewed by the general public, and entrepreneurs are now seen as creative and exciting role models. As a result more and more young people are looking to set up their own business. So I believe that if we want to see the economy to flourish once again, we need a renewed focus on youth entrepreneurship."


-- James Caan, CEO of Hamilton Bradshaw.

Burns: Home Prices Set to Skyrocket

Source: Curtis Bloom, Enchanted Portraiture

"Don't be surprised if home prices begin to appreciate rapidly. Why? The ratio of homeownership costs to income is at an all-time low, and people are not going to continue renting homes at a monthly cost that exceeds a mortgage payment."


-- John Burns, CEO and owner, John Burns Real Estate Consulting.

Fleurot: Brands as Social Curators

Olivier Fleurot CEO MSLGroup
Source: MSLGroup.com

"In 2013, social curation by brands will be a given. … More brands will follow the model pioneered by Pepsi Pulse and IQ by Intel and create dedicated branded social curation platforms. Especially, brands like LVMH (with Nowness), Coca-Cola (with Coca-Cola Journey), American Express (with OpenForum), Qualcomm (with Spark), Cisco (with The Network) and HSBC (with Business Without Borders) who are already committed to branded content are likely to reimagine their owned media platforms by putting social curation at their core.


-- Olivier Fleurot, CEO of MSLGROUP, a Publicis Group company.

Big Ideas From LinkedIn

Jin Lee | Bloomberg | Getty Images

These ideas -- and dozens more that can be found on LinkedIn -- will influence the professional conversation in 2013. And they're just the beginning.