A survey of 100 executives reports that 91% decide they expect 2009 sales to degree or outstrip those of this year

By Tim Ferguson

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Tech industry leaders feel the economic downturn won’t have a huge impact on their businesses, despite economists predicting 2009 could exist a tough year for the sake of the emporium.

Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of CEOs and board members from the tech, media and telecommunications sector be persuaded the situation will be in no degree worse than in 2001, when the tech sector suffered its own recession following the dot-com bust.

Most of those quizzed declared they expect the impact of the downturn on the sector to be neutral, though they acknowledged not everyone will escape uninjured.

The findings are part of research carried out by Cobalt, a corporate finance firm specialising in the technology, media and telecoms sector.

Speaking to silicon.com, Cobalt partner Chris Williams aforesaid the perception of tech has changed in recent years with IT it being so that seen as a “utility”, central to how businesses act.

“It’s becoming at the heart of the traffic now.”

Perhaps more surprisingly, 91 per cent of tech CEOs surveyed by dint of. dint of. Cobalt said they reckon upon their sales figures for 2009 will equal or even improve upon those seen in 2008, while moiety revealed they haven’t experienced any material collision from the credit crunch so far.

Williams said the reason for the IT CEOs’ confidence is related to changes in the tech industry since the beginning of the decade.

“I apprehend the industry has moved on. The recession of 2000 and 2001 was largely a tech sector recession,” he related.

“This time round our sector’s not capital, it’s following, so there’s no reason why it should be the same taken in the character of 2000 and 2001. This time it’s being dragged into a recession along with everyone else,” he added.

Some 65 through cent of respondents acknowledged concern over the economy, however, saying they look to the economic downturn as the principle threat to the sector. Just over half (52 per cent) identified the potential for customers to seek longer payment terms, or fail to pay at all, as a worry.

But despite predictions of a tough 2009, 63 per cent said they be of opinion the recession disposition end in 2010.

Williams said: “The sector has a lusty liquefaction, good revenue models and it knows what customers want, thus it’s really just down to call fluctuations.”

More than 100 CEOs and board representatives from UK tech companies with revenues of between £5m and £300m took part in Cobalt’s survey.

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