TPF Group chief executive Steve Brundle, DSTi Output chief executive Tim Delahay and Tangent Communications chief executive Nicholas Green were all selected to speak at Ipex's Innov8 theatre because they had all been awarded the "innovator" icon in the PrintWeek Power 100.

Brundle kicked off the proceedings, which were chaired by PrintWeek columnist Lawrence Wallis, by sharing his approach to business. "We simply do not say 'no'," said Brundle. "There is no such thing as outside of our remit."

Brundle added that he started every deal by finding out what the client's requirements were. "We then tell them we can sort it, then we find a solution, and we move hell and high water to deliver it," he said.

DSTi's Delahay said the success of his company, a pioneer in colour transactional print, was down to finding a product "that innovates technically but also with a cost advantage".

He added that the business had a "culture" of innovation that ran through everyone at the company. "Some of the best ideas for our business come from the people who do it every day."

Tangent's Green went on to say that every company should have someone whose job it is to innovate, "someone whose job it is to look beyond the business today".

He added that the company positioned itself not just as a print business, but as a "messaging business", encompassing all forms of delivery from text messaging to email. "Print will continue to be a huge part of that just not the only part," he said.


Speaker soundbites

- TPF's Steve Brundle: "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room"

- DSTi's Tim Delahay: "We're somewhere between being opportunistic and being smart arses"

- Tangent's Nicholas Green: "There are two types of people in this world: starters and finishers. Starters can see what is not there"