Enterprise Social Media is growing up. Those working in the areas of corporate knowledge sharing, knowledge management and workplace collaboration have long known that the systems they help devise and implement can drive business transformation. Yet the industry has long been dogged by questions about measurable Return On Investment (ROI).

Instinctively, we’ve always known that enterprise social tools help businesses by increasing the opportunities for workers to collaborate more effectively on projects, share knowledge and experience more efficiently, and often help those seeking to get things done to cut through unnecessary bureaucracy by flattening corporate structures. Those of us in the industry know it’s true – we’ve seen it work time and time again – yet a good five or more years since the term “Enterprise 2.0” came into regular use, only now are tough questions about ROI being asked, and answered, in ernest. The second wave of adopters are demanding to see real numbers before taking the leap.

During Social Media in the Enterprise on the 15th of March, we’ll be asking all our contributors tough questions about ROI. What is measurable? What are they measuring? How do the costs and benefits of implementing enterprise social tools compare, directly, with the costs and benefits of parallel activities?

We’ll hear case studies from leading corporations, including Virgin Media, Pfizer, Santander, ASDA, AXA and ING.

We’ll also hear from the consultants who make their living helping their clients better understand the impact enterprise social tools can have on their business processes and, ultimately, their bottom line.

Leading journalists from the field will also be on hand, including Dion Hinchcliffe from Social Computing Magazine, Pete Swabey from Information Age, and Jemima Gibbons who has recently authored a book on Social Media at work, to provide an industry overview, helping us understand how these case studies and the work of leading enterprise consultants fits within the overall picture.

Along the way, we’re hoping to learn more about how the businesses at the forefront of the social business revolution overcome the obstacles to implementation, work towards increased levels of engagement, and sustain positive outcomes. What are the main obstacles and how can they be overcome? What resources are required? What tools are needed? Who “owns” enterprise social media?

Those of us working in enterprise social media know that it can and does transform businesses that embrace it and, on this day, we’ll be rolling up our sleeves and sharing our insights into exactly how we, and others, are making business transformation a reality.

Robin Hamman is Head of Social Media, Headshift
http://www.headshift.com

To find out more about the next Enterprise Social Media event taking place on 15th March 2010 at Olympia, London, visit http://www.enterprisesocialmedia.net/

Speaker line-up announced at the London Social Media Events.  200 confirmed speakers across the conferences.  See our full line-up below.

Speakers @ Enterprise Social Media & Cloud Computing http://www.cloudcomputingcongress.com – 15/16th March

* David Akka, MD, Magic Software Enterprises UK, Eire & Nordics
* Chris Rae, EMEA Director, Automation Solutions, CA
* Dion Hinchliffe, Editor in Chief, Social Computing Magazine & Web 2.0 Journal
* Geoff Timblick, Group Internal Communications Manager, New Media, Vodafone Group
* Helen Farrar, Head of Internal Communications, Virgin Media
* Martin Bellamy, CIO, Cabinet Office
* Adrian Steel, Head of Infrastructure Management, Royal Mail
* Thanos Kokkiniotis, Business IT Analyst, Shell International Ltd
* Eachan Fletcher, CIO, Sporting Index
* Simon Revell, Associate Director, Collaboration and Web Technologies, Pfizer
* David Wilde, CIO, Westminster City Council
* Per Rombouts, Project Manager Intranet & Social Media, ING Group
* Kenneth Verlage, CIO, DHL Express
* Paul James, CIO, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, MOD
* Dominic Burch, Head of Corporate Comms and New Media, ASDA
* Sonia Carter, Senior Manager Online Communications, AXA
* Anthony Frost, Head of Corporate Communications, Santander
* Euan Semple, Independent Advisor/former Director of Knowledge Management BBC
* Alison Coward, Owner, Bracket
* Evangelos Kotsovinos, Vice President, Technology, Morgan Stanley
* Eachan Fletcher, CIO, Sporting Index
* Richard Ellis, Manager, UK & Ireland, Iron Mountain Digital
* Andrew Charlesworth, Director, Centre for IT and Law, University of Bristol
* Dr Bill Ashraf, Director of Technology Enhanced Learning, University of Sussex
* Adrian Davey, Head of IT, Tube Lines

Speakers @ Social Media World Forum 15/16th March – http://www.socialmedia-forum.com

* Lucas Herscovici, Global Marketing Manager, Becks
* Dr. Torsten Wigenter, Head of Social Media Marketing, Lufthansa
* Trevor Johnson, Head of Strategy and Planning, EMEA, Facebook
* Stephane Panier, Global Head, Bebo
* Nick Halstead, CEO, Tweetmeme
* Allison Wightman, Head of Marketing Systems, Virgin Atlantic
* Kerryn Dinsdale, Senior PR Manager, Barclaycard
* Muhammad Karim, Senior Brand Manager, Mars
* Peter Crosby, COO, Viadeo
* Dr. Helmut Becker, COO, XING
* Mark Schmid, Communications Director, Talk Talk
* Martine Edgell, CRM Specialist, Mercedes Benz
* Neal Sato, CTO, mixi
* Christian Schultz, Head of Communications, Mattel
* Michael Smith, Deputy Director of Interactive Services, COI
* Lorenz Bogaert, CEO, Netlog
* Jason Baker, Head of CRM and Digital Media, Ikea UK
* Justin Kan, founder and President, Justin.tv
* Guy Clapperton, Freelance Journalist, Editor and Broadcaster
* Penny Power, Author, International Speaker, Entrepreneur and founder of Ecademy
* Matthew Fraser, Senior Fellow at INSEAD & co-author of  ‘Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom
* Fred McIntyre, Vice President, Product, CBS Interactive
* Sienne Veit, Social and Mobile Commerce Development, Manager, M&S Direct
* Ricky Chopra, Digital Marketing Manager, Speedo International Limited
* Igor Beuker, Founder, SocialMedia8
* David Henry, VP Digital Marketing, Europe, Monster Worldwide
* Mark Watts-Jones, Head of Development & Innovation, Orange UK
* Lisa Mane, Head of Social Media, COI
* Mike Gamoroff, Owner & MD, Gamoroff
* Will McInnes, Managing Director, NixonMcInnes
* Michael Caselli, Editor, Online Casino News
* Adam Caplan, Vice President – Virtual Currency (Super Rewards), Adknowledge
* Neal Sato, CTO, mixi
* Fred McIntyre, Vice President, Product, CBS Interactive
* Oli Newton, Head of Emerging Platforms, i-Level
* Celina Maguire, Consumer Director, Gorkana
* Laila Takeh, Online Manager, British Heart Foundation
* Kristin Wadge, Director, Metrica
* Sam Barratt, Head of Media, Oxfam
* Craig Elder, Online Communities Editor, Conservative Campaign HQ
* Alex Aiken, Head of Communications, Westminster City Council
* Kerry McCarthy, Labour MP for Bristol East & New Media Communications Spokesperson
* Mark Jones, Online and Social Media Editor, Thomson Reuters
* Alex Miller, Head of Social Media, i-Level
* Markus Berger – de Leon, CEO, VZ Networks
* Angel Gambino, Vice President, Sonico

Speakers @ Social TV & Mobile Social Media 15/16^th March  include – http://www.social-tv.net & http://www.mobilesocial-networking.com

• Robert Marsh, VP, Interactive & Telephony, Freemantle Media
• Peter Ward, Co-founder & CEO, WAYN
• Bob Rapp, Head, User Communities, Vodafone Group
• Rahul Chakkara, Controller of TV Platforms, BBC
• Angel Gambino, Vice President, Sonico
• Mark Watts-Jones, Head of Development & Innovation, Orange UK
• Yoel Flohr, Head of Mobile, Bebo
• Andrew Kearney, Vice President TV Products at UPC Broadband
• Richard Griffiths, Director TV and Entertainment, Eircom
• Nicolas Bry, Vice President, Orange Vallee
• Kevin Baughan, Head Technical Strategy, Virgin Media
• Ian Kegel, Head of Future Content Group, BT UK
• Triona Campbell, CEO, Campbell Ryan
• Pasa Mustafa, Head of Digital Studios, Endemol
• Damien Byrne, Head of Entertainment, T Mobile
• Miroslaw Smyk, General Manager TV Business Division at Romtelecom
• Matt Dicks, CMO, Flirtomatic
• John Cole, Managing Director UK, Adknowledge
• Claudio Venezia, Researcher, Telecom Italia
• Cian O’Sullivan, Editor in Chief, GoMo News
• Tim Hussain, Head of Mobile and Video Advertising
• Guillaume de Saint Marc, VP R&D New Initiatives, NDS
• Konstantinos Papamiltiadis, Head of Product, Mobile – EU, Yahoo!
• Paul Berney, Managing Director Europe, Mobile Marketing Association
• Adrian Drury, Principle / Media, Broadcast & Telecoms, Ovum
• Paul Berney, Managing Director, Europe, MMA
• Deborah Porton, Head of Mobile Development, Badoo Ltd
• Franco Beschizza, Head of Mobile, Interactive Services, COI
• Konstantinos Papamiltiadis, Head of Product, Mobile – EU, Yahoo!
• Martin Harris, SVP Corporate Sales, Bango
• Peter Ward, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, WAYN.com
• Stefanie Hoffmann, CEO Finance, Business Development, aka aki
• Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive, Association for International Broadcasting
• Dan Cryan, Head of Broadband, Screen Digest
• Paul Bristow, Vice-President of Strategy, ADB
• Dr William Cooper Founder and Chief Executive, informitv.com
• Justin Kan, founder and President, Justin.tv
• Aliza Beckett, Business Development, Web, Mobile & New Platforms, Channel 4
• Chi-chi Ekweozor, Director, RealFresh.tv
• Dick Rempt, CEO, Talents Media
• Richard Lindsay Davis, Director General, DTG
• Benjamin Schwarz, Owner, CTO Innovation Consulting
• Martin Jarrold, Chief, International Programme Development GVF