"A business developer should always be ahead of the industry's trends" Do you agree?

Depending on the type of Business developer you are set out to be. You can either be commercial and follow the trends quickly to catch the market at the begining of the trend or you can work way ahead of the trend and be the market leader. Both have their pros and cons, risks and measures.

Not really. Following the trends might be a good business. Staying ahead is a different type of business, not the only way to do business. It depends on the industry you are doing business in. Remember Samsung following Apple's Iphone launch, remember all the soft drinks companies, retail, real estate, human resources services and so on. Following a trend is often a smart way of doing business. Sometimes not.

I totally agree.

Staying up-to-date about industry news, trends & technology is a must for a savvy business developer. Being ahead of industry trends provides such a powerful competitive advantage. It basically makes you a trend-setter & a pioneer; one title that can never be taken away from you & one that's hard to forget (by customers, media AND competitors).

Will anyone in the mobile, music & internet  industry forget who Steve Jobs was in the coming200 years? Was he a marketer or a business developer?

Yes.

Development has to be an on going process and scope of improvement has to be identified and set for others to follow.