Munich, 3 March 2022 – Codasip, the leader in processor design automation, has appointed Emmanuel Till-Vattier as its new VP of Sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Till-Vattier brings 25 years of experience leading sales teams at Imagination and Arm with significant customer relationships across Codasip’s key EMEA region.
An experienced electronics engineer, Till-Vattier started his career with Philips Semiconductors in the mid-1990s, followed by applications engineer at Intel, then 15 years at Arm where he developed the company’s key OEM relationships in the EMEA region. Since 2017, he has been Senior Sales Director, EMEA at Imagination Technologies.
Till-Vattier commented, “Apart from the fact that I feel well-positioned to help Codasip with its growth ambitions, Codasip is definitively a global company but strongly and strategically European in a way that sets it apart from its competitors.
“With an existing installed base of over 2 billion devices using Codasip IP, I am keen to lead the charge to ensure the industry in EMEA understands the difference Codasip brings. Its strong portfolio of RISC-V processor IP and unique Studio custom design tools enable companies of all sizes to quickly, easily and cost-effectively benefit from Codasip’s Design for Differentiation offering”.
Codasip Chief Revenue Officer, Brett Cline, added, “The Codasip team is growing fast, and Emmanuel’s important role is to lead the team and further our European relationships. We are very lucky to have his experience, skills and strong connections.”
Only 5% of UK SMEs have no issue with their current Payment Service Provider (PSP)
More than half of SMEs (52%) are frustrated by slow response times
Fear (29% worry about adoption costs), uncertainty (31% worry a change will impact CX), and contract lock-in (28%) are preventing UK SMEs from switching PSP
London, UK, 03 March 2022: Mollie, one of the fastest growing payment service providers in Europe, today shared initial findings from a survey examining the state of the UK ecommerce sector, through the lens of small and medium-sized (SME) merchants. The assessment of the 500-strong representative cohort reveals a lack of proactive advice and support from Payments Service Providers (PSPs) but also a fear of switching.
More than half of SMEs (52%) reported being frustrated by slow response times. Nearly two in five (39%) complain that communications methods are not appropriate to their needs, and over a third (35%) say that their biggest frustration with their PSP’s customer service is the lack of issue resolution. Over one third of businesses surveyed have unresolved issues and a staggering 95% of those report service issues – just 5% were completely satisfied with the service they receive.
In the last two years a third (34%) of UK SME ecommerce merchants have switched PSP and a further 37% have considered switching. Only 12% have never changed and 9% have never even considered it. The main reasons for switching, or considering a switch, are cost, complexity and poor customer support, but there are a number of factors that prevent switching.
Uncertainty surrounding the potential impact on customer experience (31%), fear of the costs of adopting new technology (29%), and complications with switching (28%) are the key factors preventing UK SMEs from switching PSP. Also ranking highly is the feeling it is too risky (23%), a lack of internal skills to manage the change (18%); and integration concerns (28%). For almost a third (28%) of UK SME ecommerce merchants, contractual lock-in was a major factor preventing switching.
“UK SMEs are quietly dissatisfied with their payment service providers, accepting and working around unresolved problems and unresponsive support. Fear, uncertainty and lock-in prevent them from switching,” says Josh Guthrie, Mollie’s UK Country Manager. “Amazon already accounts for more than 30% of UK ecommerce sales and this will intensify, threatening UK SME growth ambitions. UK SMEs deserve better – they need PSP partners with hosted onboarding to ease switching, a superior checkout experience to drive conversion and dedicated customer support that can help SMEs compete and grow, not just process their payments.”
AccelerComm recognized for 5G physical layer IP for Open RAN that Maximizes Spectral Efficiency at MWC22 Barcelona
3rd March 2022, Barcelona: This week, AccelerComm, the company supercharging 5G with a complete physical layer solution which increases spectral efficiency and reduces latency, was presented with the Best Digital Tech Breakthrough Award for Companies with Under $10 Million Annual Global Revenue Award at the 2022 Global Mobile (GLOMO) Awards at MWC22 Barcelona. The Award, which recognizes AccelerComm for 5G physical layer IP for OpenRAN that Maximizes Spectral Efficiency was announced during a virtual ceremony co-hosted by Sasha Twining and Justin Springham from Mobile World Live and streamed to audiences around the globe via LinkedIn.
“An innovative solution that comes back to the heart of radiocommunications: the physical layer and spectrum efficiency. Undoubtedly a key element of the OpenRAN architectures which will support its success going forward,” said the GLOMO Award Judges.
The company’s award winning 5G Physical Layer IP For Open RAN is a carrier-grade solution that increases spectral efficiency and reduces latency in an Open RAN 5G communications system AccelerComm’s IP packages can be quickly integrated for use in custom silicon (ASIC), programmable hardware (FPGA) or as software solutions.
“While much of the focus in Open RAN to date has rightly been on interoperability, it also requires optimization in order for it to deliver the full benefits of 5G,” said Tom Cronk, CEO of AccelerComm. “We are delighted to have received this award which underlines the importance of spectral efficiency and performance to the industry as a whole. I would like to thank the judges, our partners and customers and the whole AccelerComm team for making this happen.”
“Congratulations to all of our 2022 GLOMO Award winners. The GLOMOs recognise the most innovative organisations in our ecosystem. The winners are changing how people, communities and businesses interact and evolve in a digital-first world. said John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd. “This win affirms achievements of the highest merit, as judged by peers across the entire industry.”
The GLOMO Awards, chaired by Shaun Collins, Executive Chairman of CCS Insight, are adjudicated by over 200 independent industry experts, analysts, journalists, academics, mobile operator representatives, and CTOs; and are widely recognised as the most prestigious accolade in the mobile industry.
Further information about winners and nominees of the GLOMO Awards 2022 can be found here https://www.mwcbarcelona.com/mobile-awards.
Ministry of Furniture, has collaborated with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) in partnership with Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind (MTIB) to deliver a revolutionary new office space that leverages the principles of the circular economy in all aspects of the design and fit out.
The WLGA, the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), The National Lottery Community Fund, and Data Cymru have relocated their Cardiff sites to the fourth and fifth floors of One Canal Parade on Dumballs Road, Cardiff.
All four organisations had a vision to create a space that reflects the diversity of their sectors – something Ministry of Furniture has embraced and integrated throughout the entire project.
The brief was to create a flexible workspace which fully supported blended working and encouraged colleagues to work together when in the office. Ministry’s design team specified products that were both sustainable and collaborative.
The new space used a local supply chain wherever possible for this job, leveraging the principles of the circular economy. Much of the furniture has been re-manufactured at Ministry’s factory in South Wales and carpet was supplied by Greenstream Flooring, a social enterprise with a mission to maximise community benefit from the reuse of flooring in the UK.
Chris Llewelyn, Chief Executive at Welsh Local Government Association, said:
“We are really pleased with the completed project at One Canal Parade. The team at Ministry of Furniture helped us realise our vision. It is important to us as an organisation that we support local suppliers with social aims. Ministry’s remanufacturing capabilities enabled us to minimise waste from redundant furniture. Our staff love the lockers and desking made from our old desks and they look great.”
Graham Hirst, Managing Director, Ministry of Furniture, said:
“This has been a great opportunity for Ministry and MTIB to demonstrate the social and sustainability benefits that can be achieved when public sector organisations practice responsible procurement. We are grateful to WLGA, WCVA and the National Lottery Community Fund for working with us.”
The contract was awarded under Lot 3 of the NPS (National Procurement Service) furniture framework. When opting for Lot 3, purchase orders will be placed with Ministry of Furniture, which will, in turn, provide project management, estimating, interior design, bid management, light manufacturing and installation services.
Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind (MTIB) is a charity and company limited by guarantee, whose mission is to provide people with disabilities the opportunity for sustained employment.
The resort set in 500 acres specialises in free range holidays and short breaks within its stunning countryside location where it has more than 300 luxury lodges, cottages and apartments situated around a private village. It also has its own Blue Lagoon water park, The Well Spa retreat and offers a range of indoor and outdoor activities including the all weather all year round Serendome.
Code will work with Bluestone to implement new digital systems and update existing technology, allowing them to deliver new and improved digital experiences for their guests. They’ll also explore opportunities for greater agility and scale, providing the flexibility for customers to better tailor their stay and have a market-leading experience.
Code has already created an innovative digital strategy, which looks at the design and build of a range of digital products for Bluestone, including a new frictionless booking experience for guests, and a digital brand that truly showcases its award-winning holiday experience.
Pamela McNamara, Commercial Director of Bluestone, said: “We’re excited to be working with Code to create digital experiences that enhances the whole experience of the Bluestone brand experience for our guests.
“The team at Code has a clear understanding of our sector and needs, with in-depth customer research and testing of value-driven changes to elevate our digital presence, this all supports our ambition to embrace new digital technologies to create a best-in class guest experience.”
Gemma Handley, Commercial Director at Code Computerlove, added: “Bluestone has lots of fantastic things to offer holiday makers both on resort and within the surrounding areas of beautiful Pembrokeshire.
“The next stage in our partnership is to execute against the digital strategy we’ve developed by creating a unique and market-leading digital experience for them and their customers with the team here at Code acting as their extended digital team.
“The past year has been challenging for everyone in the hospitality industry and we look forward to supporting Bluestone on this next phase of their journey.”
COLEG CAMBRIA has unveiled a suite of higher education programmes in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU).
Prospective students can apply to study Foundation degrees in Criminal Justice, Tourism and Hospitality and Sport Coaching at the north east Wales college’s University Centre from this September.
The courses will be validated by the Merseyside institution, which is ranked 49th in the UK (Times Higher World University Rankings).
Emma Hurst, Dean of HE and an Assistant Principal at Coleg Cambria, said: “To be working with Liverpool John Moores is a fantastic USP for these programmes and I’m sure that relationship will lead to the unveiling of further degree-level qualifications in the future.
“With the state-of-the-art facilities we have at Yale Wrexham and Deeside I’m sure these three programmes will prove popular with learners in north-east Wales and beyond.”
Sports Coaching will be held at Deeside over two years, with the option of a further year to complete a BSc at LJMU’s world-renowned School of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Possible careers include sports coach, sports development officer and PE teacher.
Tourism and Hospitality Management is to be held at Yale Wrexham face-to-face, with the opportunity to go on and ‘top-up’ in a different field, and Criminal Justice will be in person at Yale Wrexham over two years (subject to validation) with modules including History of Crime and Criminalisation, Media, Public and Criminal Justice, and the Criminal Justice System.
There is the option to study online if needed.
The collaboration with LJMU comes as Cambria unveils a new website and student guide, taking its HE offering to the next level.
“For those learners who do not want to go away to university we are the perfect option,” said Emma.
“You can study at one of our pioneering north-east Wales sites and have the opportunity to go on and top-up the qualification at Liverpool John Moores or one of our other partner institutions.”
She added: “The University Centre at Cambria has grown in stature, with prospective students deciding to take the opportunity to study for a degree in first-class facilities on their own doorstep.
“We recognise that and will continue to lay the foundations for HE in this region, with the future of our students and their career prospects at the heart of everything we do.”
LJMU Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience) Professor Phil Vickerman welcomed the collaboration and said: “LJMU is proud to partner Coleg Cambria in offering life-changing opportunities to students in north-east Wales and, hopefully, we will see many of them in Liverpool in the near future.”
Four in ten over 50s who left the workforce for good during the pandemic might be tempted back if they were offered flexible working, latest data from the Office for National Statistics suggests.
Steve says: “We’ve had the Great Resignation and now seem to be going through the Great Retirement when, with a new spirit, we can foster the Great Return by updating our perspective on what the over 50s can contribute to our economy in the 21st century.
“At a time when we collectively need the experience of mature colleagues in a turbulent economy, companies should be focusing on how they can retain knowledge and skills which will be invaluable.
“We know the pandemic saw a shake-out in older people leaving the workplace but this snapshot shows that just under half could be persuaded to return if business built on the widespread success of hybrid working which helped many weather the pandemic.
“It’s a fact older colleagues have to juggle demands like caring for relatives and employers who recognise this will reap the rewards in productivity, creativity and engagement. Now is the time to extend the lessons we learned during covid, not to consign them to history.”
Of the four in ten, the ONS survey, carried out last month, found more than half would change their mind to spend time with colleagues and for income but one in three cited flexible working as the most important aspect, followed by home working (18%) and consideration for caring obligations (16%).
The ONS will publish more detailed survey findings on March 14th.
Steve has published four books, including Manage the Gap: Achieving success with intergenerational teams, which looks at the impact of an ageing population on the workforce, and why companies need to focus on employees at every stage of their career, but especially older workers, who can often be overlooked.
He also co-authored a book called the Midlife Review: A guide to work, wealth and wellbeing with writer Tony Watts OBE, offering business leaders, managers and employees guidance to help them understand and support ‘midlife’ workers.
Previous data from ONS at the end of 202, showed 170,000 fewer over 50s employed compared to pre-pandemic levels, and over 50s were facing the largest number of redundancies of any age group – over 39,000 between August and October 2021[i].
And recent research from the Achievers Workforce Institute showed that the Great Resignation in the UK continues with four in ten of planning to look for new jobs in 2022[ii].
Global employee benefits and rewards platform, Perkbox, has partnered with Gympass, the world’s leading corporate wellness platform, to offer employees greater wellbeing support.
The partnership opens the door to more than 420,000 UK employees eligible for Perkbox, giving them the option to access over 2,000 UK fitness facilities and over 30 wellbeing apps available through the Gympass platform.
The deal marks the start of a strategic partnership, with Perkbox clients receiving favourable financial conditions and giving Gympass the opportunity to reach over 4,500 businesses through Perkbox, as it looks to continue growing its client base.
Over 2 million benefits and rewards are redeemed by employees each year on the Perkbox platform; its holistic benefits offering includes access to a wellbeing hub that supports across financial, physical and mental health, making the addition of Gympass timely and welcome.
Employers signed up to Perkbox give a monthly allowance of points for their employees to spend on their choice of perks. With workplace wellbeing viewed as increasingly important amongst employees, the wealth of in-person fitness facilities, on-demand workouts and 1-to-1 PT sessions available via Gympass adds significant value to the platform.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Perkbox and extending our entire portfolio to over 4,500 businesses in the UK,” says Sami Missous, Head of Strategic Partnerships UK & Ireland at Gympass. “Perkbox clearly has a highly engaged and responsive audience of employees looking for benefits and rewards, and we are excited by the prospect of bringing them more physical, mental and financial health and wellbeing options. We have high hopes for this strategic partnership and look forward to helping Perkbox meet the growing demand for wellbeing perks and benefits.”
“In the era of hybrid working, employees are looking to employers to support their wellbeing like never before. Providing users with dynamic and comprehensive support allows them to choose the benefits that serve them best across the wellbeing pathways – whether physical, mental or financial,” says Joel Tobias, Global Partnership Director at Perkbox. “Adding Gympass to our platform enhances our digital wellbeing offering and means that employees in any location, whether in the office or at home, can take advantage of a range of wellness solutions including live and virtual classes, personal trainers, nutrition programmes or fitness education.”
The push to rapidly deliver new digital services is accelerating enterprises’ plans for migrating to the cloud. But too often, the ability to execute on those plans is stalled by a shortage of IT professionals with the required skills. Digital transformation technology company WSO2 is helping customers overcome this hurdle with the introduction of the WSO2 Lift-and-Shift Cloud Migration Program, aimed at enabling WSO2 customers to move their on-premises APIs, integrations, and identities to the cloud in as little as five weeks.
Depending on a project’s complexity, WSO2 will either lift-and-shift customers from their on-premises deployments of WSO2 API Manager, WSO2 Enterprise Integrator, and WSO2 Identity Server to WSO2’s cloud native platforms or create a private software as a service (SaaS) operated by WSO2. WSO2’s next-generation cloud native platforms include the Choreo integration platform, as a service (iPaaS), which is available in beta, and Asgardeo identity as a service (IDaaS), which is now available as an early adopter release. Additionally, based on an enterprise’s requirements, WSO2 can provide a hybrid of on-premises, private SaaS, and full SaaS deployment options.
A typical timeline for a simple migration includes one week for assessment, two weeks for in-cloud and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD), up to two weeks for artifact and data migration, and one week for verification and user acceptance testing (UAT) before deploying. In addition to enhancing agility and accelerating innovation, other key benefits of the program include a reduced total cost of ownership (TCO); guaranteed deployment; automated updates, CI/CD, and performance tuning; and a secure, zero-trust environment. To learn more, visit https://wso2.com/cloud-migration.
The captivating stories of female writers whose work lies in Exeter Library’s “cage” have been brought to life in a new augmented reality installation. “Unlocking the Cage” has been researched, written and narrated by first female James Bond author Kim Sherwood and launches on International Women’s Day, 8 March. It can be experienced for free at Exeter Library.
Exeter Library’s special collections lie below the library floor in what is known as “the cage”. Out of 800 books in the collection, only 8 are written by women. Unlocking the Cage is an immersive visual and audio journey through the lives and works of four of these women, whose books reside within the “cage”.
The installation features a uniquely designed book which viewers use to navigate their journey. With each turn of the page, a new chapter begins on the screen, breathing life into the intricate illustrations.
Unlocking the Cage has been researched, written and narrated by award-winning author Kim Sherwood. Kim, shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award 2019, is known for her award-winning debut novel Testament, and has been selected to expand upon the 007 universe as the first woman to write a James Bond novel with her upcoming trilogy later this year.
Of Unlocking the Cage, Kim Sherwood said: “Though there are only eight books written by women in the Cage, these few names represent a long revolution, from the rise of Bluestocking salons to the campaign for female suffrage. Immersing myself in the lives of these pioneering women connected me to a line of writers stretching back to the eighteenth century. I’m thrilled to bring their inspiring stories into the now with this exciting collaboration.”
You can experience Unlocking the Cage for free at Exeter Library, from Tuesday 8th March for 6 weeks during library opening hours. The exhibit can be enjoyed alone, or in groups of up to 4 people at a time and takes approximately 28 minutes to complete.
Daniel Clark, Creative Director of Libraries Evolve, said: “We are really pleased to be sharing these women’s stories at Exeter Library on International Women’s Day and beyond, and to showcase the innovative work of the artists involved in creating this moving experience.”
He added, “Anyone can come along and discover the story behind these incredible writers. Just visit Exeter library and take a seat at the installation. You are in control of your own experience, turning the pages of the specially designed book to start a new chapter. The stunning illustrations are brought to life on a screen with the fantastic accompanying audio narration – Unlocking the Cage is a unique experience, not to be missed.”
Kim Sherwood worked with composers John Matthias and Jay Auborn, illustrator Sarita McNeil, creative audio company dBs Pro, and the Augmented Reality developer Zubr Curio to bring the stories to life in the innovative installation.
The four writers featured in the augmented reality book are:
Elizabeth Montagu (1718–1800), critic and host to literary salons
Elizabeth Carter (1717–1806), poet and translator
Lady Rosalind Northcote (1873 – 1950), nature and place writer
Ethel Lega-Weekes (1864 – 1949), historian
Selected works by these trailblazing authors will be available to view as a part of the exhibit.
Unlocking the Cage launches alongside Redressing the Balance, which is an online interactive showcase – curated by artist and producer Becca Gill – championing the work and contributions of women and non-binary writers and artists. Whereas Unlocking the Cage features the work of women who have been unseen in 19th and 20th century culture, Redressing the Balance adds to this with the work and influences of women and non-binary people, who have to fight hard for their space to be heard and seen in the present and for the future.
Redressing the Balance will include profiles of the women featured in Kim’s research and the Unlocking the Cage augmented reality experience, but this is just the starting point for the online archive making the work of women and non-binary artists of the past, present and future more visible. Redressing the Balance will be available to access online via librariesevolve.org.uk from International Women’s Day on Tuesday 8th March.
Libraries Unlimited is the charity responsible for running Devon and Torbay Libraries. Unlocking the Cage is just one of the activities in the wide Libraries Unlimited cultural offering. Evolve is delivered in partnership with artists and communities and funded by Arts Council England and Exeter City Council.
