Taking Stock - Is no one interested in e-business?

For all the talk of the new economy, when it comes to e-business conferences just how bothered are all those get-up-go and can’t-be-kept back dot.com start-up types?

The English ICA in its constant bid to be relevant to the bright new things of business and commerce armed with their institute qualifications, decided to get in on the big e-business thing and organise its very own 2000 ICAEW TMT e-business finance conference in prestigious Whitehall Place, London.

Its aim was to provide entrepreneurs and management teams with ‘clear and practical guidance on the best routes to finance and the development and growth of their organisations.’

A partner at accountants and financiers Smith & Williamson Simon Morris was to chair the conference, and in his circular grappled with popular misconceptions about investors’ lukewarm attitudes to the sector.

‘The high profile collapse of boo.com along with the market reaction to recent e-business flotations may lead you to believe that the future of e-business ventures is not quite as bright as was once thought.’

Quite so Mr Morris. The conference was cancelled for lack of interest.