News Archives - Page 41 of 53

Astuta acquires leading UK public sector finance software specialist Trojan

Posted on January 15, 2019 | by root

UK software group Astuta has announced the acquisition of Trojan Consultants, a UK leader in public sector finance systems. The move heralds an exciting new chapter in both businesses’ growth.

Trojan has developed, supplied and supported specialist finance systems for Social Services, National Health Service and Local Government organisations the length and breadth of the UK for more than 30 years.

Astuta excels in identifying, organically-developed British IT companies with longevity and high-growth potential. Its plans for Trojan are to ensure smooth continuity for loyal customers, while unlocking more of its potential by investing in a new generation of features and functionality.

Although there will be no disruption to the customer experience or every-day operations, Astuta’s outright purchase of Trojan will provide the business a timely injection of funds to finance a new phase of software enhancement and expansion. Specifically, it will allow Trojan to migrate its software to a modern, cloud-optimised development and delivery platform. This will offer customers the option to run systems externally, as a secure, flexible and cost-effective alternative to maintaining fixed licensed products on their own premises.

Migrating Trojan’s systems to a state-of-the-art Microsoft development platform and the Azure cloud-based infrastructure will also enable more frequent updates to the software, keeping pace with user expectations and making the user experience richer and more intuitive.

“We want to reassure all of Trojan’s valued customers and staff that we’re 100% committed to continuing the success of the company and its products,” said Howard Sears, Astuta’s founder and executive chairman. “This is a business which already has exemplary customer service and, by no coincidence, a very loyal customer base. Our plan is to protect and build on that.”

Explaining Trojan’s stand-out appeal to Astuta, he added, “Trojan is a leader in safeguarding vulnerable groups. Key to the solution it provides to more than 80 local authorities is CASPAR, a system that monitors and records spending for vulnerable people. Ultimately this spending has to be reported to the regulator. All of this fits very well with the regulatory reporting-related activities of the other software organisations we have acquired and funded. The intelligent automation of regulatory reporting and compliance is a central interest of Astuta, and it’s one of the pivotal ways we add value to the technology companies we acquire.”

CPA Global’s FoundationIP named as leading IP software

Posted on January 14, 2019 | by root

CPA Global, the world’s leading IP management and technology company, earns G2 Crowd“Leader” badge for FoundationIP software.

G2 Crowd provides real-time and unbiased user reviews to help decision makers objectively assess which software is best for their business. Based on user reviews and feedback in G2 Crowd’s Intellectual Property Management Software category, FoundationIP was recognised for its excellence.

FoundationIP is an industry-leading SaaS IP management software that enables businesses to store and docket key IP information. With more than 600 customers – including corporations and law firms – it supports more than 25,000 active users.

“FoundationIP was designed to be a powerful, efficient and hassle-free tool that would support and improve IP performance for industry professionals,” says Simon Webster, CEO at CPA Global. “FoundationIP being recognised as a leading product in IP management is testament to CPA Global’s continued investment in delivering solutions that enable IP professionals to work more efficiently and easily access IP insight”.

Key benefits for FoundationIP users include:

• Clean, reliable data: algorithms and data scientists apply data record updates covering 100 jurisdictions and correct millions of customer records each week

• Efficient workflows: improved collaboration between firms and clients and increased productivity with automated workflows

• One-click docketing: USPTO PAIR outbound correspondence makes for faster records management

• Expert support: reliable guidance from highly skilled IP specialists across all jurisdictions and country law issues

• Predictable costs: a simple, subscription-based pricing model that scales as firms grow

• Low Maintenance: software requires no IT support & is automatically updated to latest version

• World class security: data is protected and monitored 24 x 7

• Smart Dashboards: quick and easy access to client information

Discover how FoundationIP can help you manage your portfolio and book a demo today.

CySure partners with Frost Solutions to deliver cyber security services in South Africa

Posted on January 11, 2019 | by root

Cyber security specialist CySure Ltd has appointed Frost Solutions as a specialist value added reseller partner in South Africa. Frost Solutions specializes in delivering IT services to the small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) market and has added CySure’s information security management system, VOSO to its product and service portfolio.

Richard Frost, CEO and Founder at Frost Solutions said, “We are delighted to introduce CySure’s Virtual Online Security Officer (VOSO) to our offering. Our vision is to provide market leading services to our clients using the latest cutting-edge technologies and VOSO fits perfectly into this category. With new threats appearing daily cyber security is important and complex, yet many SMEs don’t have the bandwidth to take the trend seriously. VOSO is cost effective and easy to use, it’s an exciting opportunity and there is a gap in the South African market for a cyber security solution of this nature.”

The South African government conducted a Cybersecurity Readiness Survey in 2017(i), in order to establish a baseline of the current security status in different sectors in the country. Key findings showed that only 28% of organisations had a Chief Information Security Officer. The survey also revealed that the top three challenges facing organisations in South Africa with regard to cybersecurity were insufficient skills (57%), lack of in-house skills (49%) and the lack of awareness (39%). The survey also found that for most organisations surveyed, employees posed a bigger threat than criminals from outside the organisation. Yet, when it came to the level of security awareness training, only 27% of organisations offered beginner training.

CySure’s simple-to-use, web-based Virtual Online Security Officer (VOSO) incorporates a comprehensive range of features such as remote monitoring and secure configuration of all networked devices, asset mapping, vulnerability scanning and patching, dashboards to display compliance progress against selected standards, as well as online security training videos for continual staff training. VOSO reduces the requirement for expensive in-house cyber security consultants or compliance officers, mitigates the risk of law suits and regulatory fines and ensures employees are trained regularly and kept informed of the latest cyber security updates.

Joe Collinwood, Chief Executive Officer of CySure concluded, “By underestimating the true impact of a cyber attack, small businesses are putting themselves at significant financial and commercial risk. Managing risk from inside the organisation is vital and relies upon the application of a consistent set of policies and processes, backed up by continual employee training. By utilising VOSO which incorporates leading cyber security standards, SMEs can benefit from the expertise of online cyber security consultants at a fraction of the cost, enabling them to create robust, best-practice policies to help keep their organisations safe.”

For more information on CySure and its full suite of services, visit CySure

For more information about Frost Solutions, visit http://www.frostsolutions.co.za

Development of the ‘Long-Range Summon’ Automatic Remote Retrieval (Long-Range Calling) System

Posted on January 10, 2019 | by root

Clarion Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Atsushi Kawabata, called ‘Clarion’ below) has developed the ‘Long-Range Summon’ automatic remote retrieval system for automobiles, which combines unique external recognition technology, connected technology, position information control technology spun off from the development of navigation systems, and HMI with high usability along with integrated vehicle control technology from Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. (President & CEO: Brice Koch, called ‘Hitachi Automotive Systems’ below) which controls actuators for steering and brakes etc.

The ‘Long-Range Summon’ system that Clarion has developed realises long-range automatic remote retrieval of vehicles. The main technologies that comprise the new system are ‘sensor fusion technology’ and ‘integrated technology’ that combines connected technology and position information control technology.

Sensor fusion technology: Strengthens the sensor functions in the low-speed automotive driving technology achieved in the unique ‘Park by Memory’*1
automotive parking system.
▪Integrated technology that combines connected technology and position information control technology： Integrates TCU*2 and Smart Access*3 servers
comprising ‘connected technology’ and ‘position information control technology’ from navigation systems.

The flow for automatic remote retrieval is as follows.
(1*) When the vehicle is being parked, the peripheral environment, route, and external information within the lot is recorded up to when the vehicle is parked.
(2*) To retrieve the vehicle, when the driver presses the button on the smartphone to call the vehicle, automatic retrieval starts based on the smartphone’s position information and the recorded information about the vehicle.
(3*) The drivable area is specified based on sensor fusion technology, and the vehicle is automatically driven within the parking lot to the position where the user is waiting.

If there are obstacles in the driving route, the sensor fusion technology is used to avoid them. Initially the servers will only comprise authentication and retrieval request notification functions, but it is possible to add management functions like functions that monitor other vehicles and vehicle operating functions.

The envisaged usage situation is large-scale overseas parking lots, for example. Users can use their smartphones to automatically call their vehicles to their positions based on the parking environment recorded when the vehicle was being parked. Entering vehicles in overt locations such as entrances of buildings is effective in terms of preventing crime. Furthermore, this system provides a pleasant environment for drivers to avoid getting cold and getting wet, when there are low temperatures outside or storms, etc.

Up until now, in terms of automatic parking systems, Clarion and Hitachi Automotive Systems have developed a remote parking system in which users use smartphones alongside vehicles to park them automatically, and the Park by Memory system that records and reproduces the peripheral environments and routes for parking spaces, such as residential spaces, to automatically park vehicles. This time, Clarion has developed intermediate- and long-range automatic retrieval technology based on the preceding automatic parking technology. In the future as well, Clarion will work to further improve this technology for practical application.

EDP Gains Backing From Financial Institution, MSIF.

Posted on January 8, 2019 | by root

EDP Consultants ltd has secured an equity investment from Liverpool based financial institution, MSIF.

Founded in 1996, MSIF has provided funding and invested over £165 million in over 2000 SMEs in the Liverpool City region and surrounding areas. This funding has helped create and preserve around 15,000 jobs and brought in over £300 million investments from the private sector on the back of its own investments.

Originally MSIF assisted the EDP management team with the Management Buy Out (MBO) of EDP Health, Safety and Environment Consultants in 2014. MSIF are now providing more funding to help with the global expansion of the EDP group. This is following a strong demand for EDP’s services from customers.

The EDP management team have been responsible for the execution of the business’s growth strategy and since the MBO in 2014 the team has been able to acquire as asbestos consultancy business from the Institution of Occupational Medicine in 2017.

Also in order to capitalise on the shift in technology, EDP will use the additional funding to invest in state of the art technology. Allowing them to continue to be one of the most innovative service providers in the market.

MSIF Investment Director, Simon Thelwall-Jones said:

“We’re delighted to be able to support EDP once again with the growth and development of the business. EDP has unparalleled traction within the market and an impressive blue-chip client base. Mark is very knowledgeable and skilled within his sector, resulting in the great success that he and his team at EDP have achieved already.”

“We made sure that during the investment process we took the time to really understand EDP’s goals, needs and strategy, so that we could tailor the support we provided. MSIF and I look forward to continue working with EDP through post-investment support during the next chapter of their evolution.”

EDP’s Mark Haydock, Managing Director and CEO, has been the one to lead the group and has overall responsibility for the performance of the business and the companies growth. Having a successful track record of within the international consulting environment. Dedicating most of his career to the growth and development of environmental and safety consultancies, he has built and established three separate businesses in both the UK and Australia.

Mark Haydock (MD and CEO) has added:

“Having worked with MSIF on the original MBO in 2014, we felt that they were the natural partners for EDP in the next stage of our growth. Over the coming years we plan to expand internationally with a particular focus on Australia, whilst also scaling up our operations in the UK. This is an exciting time for everybody at EDP and we are pleased to be working with MSIF to bring our plans to life”

Nick Harris is the Founder and MD of VClean Life

Posted on January 8, 2019 | by root

Nick Harris is the Founder and MD of VClean Life

Nick is on a mission to clean up the ‘dirty’ dry-cleaning sector. He has a passion for delivering great service, value for money and incredibly high standards without jeopardising the environment.

The entrepreneur recently launched the VDrop, a ‘drop-and-go’ style vending machine for dry cleaning, alongside his 100% eco-friendly cleaning facility. Users simply drop off their ‘dirties’ at VDrop machines, located around the capital, at tube stations and office buildings, and collect them 24 hours later, at the cost of just £3 per garment.

With more than 25 years of experience in the clothing industry, Nick set up his own business in 2001, as a visiting tailoring service, which rapidly developed to encompass corporate uniform provision, and then the collection, dry clean and delivery of those uniforms.

From this, he witnessed first-hand the damage done to garments and the environment by traditional solvents used in dry cleaning. This is what spurred him on to search for an eco-friendly responsible way to clean clothes.

Having spent many months considering different options, it became clear to Nick and his team that wet cleaning was the only way to go, and whilst it cost a very considerable amount of money to dispose of his entire dry cleaning set up and start from scratch with the wet cleaning technology, he risked it all and did just that. In 2014, having put everything on the line, his first little wet cleaning unit opened in East London, and the business evolved to become VClean Life in June 2017.

By August 2018, and with the launch of the first VDrops, the company’s “little” unit quickly became too small, and so to service the new state-of-the-art machines, Nick opened the UK’s largest (and only) multi-million pound 11,500 square foot eco-friendly cleaning facility in Watford.

What is the main aim of VClean Life?

We want to clean up the ‘dirty’ dry cleaning sector that has been stagnant for 60 years by providing an eco-friendly and responsible cleaning service that is still extremely good value for money, and ultra-convenient to use.

How does VClean Life differ from the traditional dry cleaning industry?

The dry cleaning industry has seen very little innovation for the past 60 years. 85% of dry-cleaners around the world use a chemical called Perchloroethylene – aka ‘PERC’ – to clean clothes. ‘PERC’, which is classified as a toxin by health organisations, including the Environment Protection Agency and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, is known to cause cancer, neurological disorder, kidney and liver damage.

We have opened the first major facility in the UK to clean clothes exclusively using state-of-the-art green cleaning technology that uses mild, biodegradable soaps and conditioners that keep fabrics bright and undamaged, whilst saving the environment from the dreaded solvent. The only waste produced by our cleaning method is water, and our waste is nearly pure enough to drink!

How is VClean Life innovating with new technology?

There is nothing else like this on the market in the UK, or globally! Our technology has been developed over four years – it combines not just the intelligent cleaning tech, but also an advanced logistics function, intelligent VDrop communication and advanced garment tracking system, as well as a full customer user interface through the website. The VICE system – our own software that controls all aspects of the process – represents the pinnacle of technological development and is set to bring the revolution the industry needs. ‘Always on’ intelligent VDrop machines speak to the factory through the VICE software, whilst the factory uses very advanced tech to track the items, sort the orders, pack them and prepare them for delivery back to the VDrops. It’s as high tech as it gets, and with a bonus of reducing the chance of human error, it not only makes the service efficient, but incredibly reliable.

How do the VDrop machines work?

Once you have created an account and been given a unique QR code getting your garments dry-cleaned is really easy and quick. All you have to do is head to your nearest VDrop vending machine, pop your items in the VDrop-provided biodegradable bag, attach the ticket you are given and drop it down the chute. The clothes are then taken away to be cleaned by our garment-care experts. An email notification will be sent out within 24hours, when your clothes are back in the machine and ready to be collected.

What’s in store in the future of VClean Life?

We already have plans in motion to roll out nationally, and in early 2019 we’ll provide even more VDrop machines across Transport for London, Thameslink, South Eastern Trains and major corporate buildings for office workers. Our goal is to make this service as accessible as possible, to decrease the damage other dry-cleaning services output to the environment and to their workers, and to do it at such a low price that it simply offers the very best in value for money.

For enterprise social networks, adoption and engagement starts at the top

Posted on January 5, 2019 | by root

Whether your company already has a social network in place, or is looking to introduce one here’s what you need to know in order to make it a success. By Peter Hall, senior consultant at WM Reply, a company dedicated to building world-class intranets and solutions to help organizations overcome business challenges.

As technology has improved and the internet and use of the cloud has become increasingly prevalent, the workplace hasn’t just changed; it’s constantly changing. Employees can commonly be found working flexible hours in diverse locations, connecting to each other and the company remotely through collaboration tools like Yammer.

There are numerous benefits for both employees and their employers, so it’s really no surprise a whole range of companies and organisations have been keen to capitalise on the impact enterprise social networks can have for their operations, culture and employee wellbeing. But as with most things of value, creating a network with genuine worth to a business takes time and effort. And while they can undoubtedly provide incredible value to employees and management alike, it is often the latter who hold the key to whether a network will be a true success or not.

It doesn’t really even matter whether you’re about to launch a new social network, looking to breathe new life into an existing one, or wanting to take the next step to help your network reach maturity. Whichever situation you find yourself in, the journey invariably starts at the top. Here are some key pieces of advice to help secure buy-in from senior management and give your network the best possible chance of success.

Getting the ball rolling

If you’re introducing a new company-wide social network like Yammer, you need to make sure you have the right people helping you to launch. Having key stakeholders in your exec, IT and comms teams is vital in creating excitement, sharing information and supporting with ongoing promotion. The simple reason is, you need to be sure the people who are your advocates from the start are also people who can get things done.

It’s for this reason leadership buy-in isn’t optional. You need someone at the top showing people this is a valuable way to communicate and collaborate. You also need that person to be getting their peers onboard to have a wider impact across your organisation.

But what if you don’t have this buy in? It may be there is a genuine lack of interest or resistance to getting involved. But before you consider it a lost cause and resign yourself to defeat, ask yourself honestly: have you really tried? You might need to spend a bit of a time, one on one, showing your exec what the software can really do. For example, let them sit in on a live conversation between employees to bring the concept to life so they can see it working in action. Offer them training so they are confident using the software and know how to really use the network for their benefit.

Make it meaningful

This last point is key, because simply showing them the program’s features isn’t going to cut it. If you want to engage senior management you need to work out how to link your network to a business objective that’s a real concern for them. Show them the tangible benefits your network will deliver.

Be brave, too. Don’t be afraid to link this wider business objective to their personal responsibilities and goals. The more personalised your meaning is for them, the more likely they will sit up and take notice. You’re not asking them to do something for you, you’re giving them something they can use for their own benefit and that of the wider company. Sometimes it’s even as simple as getting your first ‘win’, where they see for the first time the impact they can have on the network and vice versa.

Your work is never done

Even if your network has had fantastic endorsement at launch or in the past, don’t let yourself get comfortable. Take the time to re-connect with senior management fairly regularly to make sure they are continually able to use the tool, in some way, to meet their own objectives. This is critical to remember as your network evolves and matures. Running a successful network on Yammer or equivalent is a journey. It’s all very well if they engage with all guns blazing at launch, but it has to remain consistent, so you cannot afford to lose your business leaders along the way.

This mentality will stand you in good stead in instances such as a change in leadership or business objectives. A once-engaged leader might be replaced with a cynic, or someone who simply doesn’t know much about it. By periodically checking in and always referring back to current business objectives, you’ll be sure to keep your network relevant, useful and ultimately something worth them investing time in.

Top Global Brands Select Sectigo to Manage Their Digital Certificate Deployments Across the Enterpri

Posted on January 3, 2019 | by root

Sectigo (formerly Comodo CA), the world’s largest commercial Certificate Authority and a leader in web security solutions, today announced a 40% year-over-year increase in enterprise sales, highlighted by the addition of leading brands worldwide in financial services, government, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, technology, travel, and other sectors.

The new customers join an already impressive roster of companies, including Intel, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Gap, and ManuLife, which use Sectigo’s Certificate Manager, S/MIME, Internal PKI, and/or IoT Manager solutions.

“As we have seen recently with Ericsson and the Equifax breach report, expired certificates can have major implications on day-to-day operations for a business. It is critical that enterprises partner with a provider that can deliver a simple and automated way to manage any certificate in their environment,” said Bill Holtz, CEO, Sectigo. “The cost to the business, as well as consumer confidence, is far too high to risk downtime from unexpected expirations.”

Sectigo Certificate Manager is a cloud-based solution that delivers complete real-time visibility and lifecycle control over any certificate in an environment. The platform provides the automation, tools, support, and capabilities to prevent manual errors and outages from unexpected certificate expiration. Unique to Sectigo, Certificate Manager provides enterprises with a low-cost way to secure and manage their private intranet certificates, such as intranet sites, VPN or wireless authentication, and device identification (mobile device deployments, BYOD), while adhering to corporate and industry compliance standards. In turn, API administrators can manage every possible type of certificate from a single intuitive dashboard, including:
• Public TLS/SSL certificates

• Private CA certificates

• Corporate email encryption S/MIME certificates

• Code signing certificates

• Device certificates

“As enterprises deploy more non-Windows machines, Android devices, and iOS devices, it’s become more challenging to rely exclusively on Microsoft CA to secure the entire network. With the growth of connected devices and mobile workers, ‘free’ or bundled PKI solutions cannot consistently deliver adequate flexibility or security,” explained Jennifer Binet, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Sales, Sectigo. “Large organizations need a single source of truth for Public SSL, S/MIME certificates, and Private CA, to meet the increasingly complex connectivity requirements.”

Sectigo has also seen significant adoption of its secure email (S/MIME) solution by brands worldwide. With the average pretexting or business email compromise (BEC) attack costing companies around $130,000 each instance (Verizon Data Breach Report 2018), BEC and policies related to email encryption require that organizations look for comprehensive and easy-to-deploy solutions with automation functionality. Sectigo continues to innovate with an aggressive roadmap, across its product portfolio, in order to meet the evolving needs of companies tackling an increasingly complex threat landscape.

The Used Car King

Posted on January 2, 2019 | by root

Despite Theresa May’s best efforts, a grey Brexit cloud hovers over UK businesses, showering them with daily uncertainty and fear about their future. With experts predicting serious delays to imports and exports, and a virtual stand-still to manufacturing, the motoring industry is preparing for impact.

Despite the serious warning signs to the automotive trade, one business owner in particular, is not concerned at all.

The Brexit Effect

Thomas Delgado is CEO of We Buy Cars Today, the UK’s third biggest car buying website and one of few business owners who believes Brexit will have a positive impact.

Luckily for Delgado, the used car industry is booming, and this shows no sign of slowly down come March 29th but why exactly does he expect Brexit to be so lucrative for his business?

“I might be optimistic in saying this, but I think Brexit will be good for the used car market purely because there will always be a need for them! Families grow, cars break down and sometimes people just want to change their vehicle but not everyone can afford to have brand new”.

Delgado continues: “I think the new and luxury car market will struggle over the next two years’ as people pull back from making such big purchases in light of economic uncertainty. However, used car businesses like mine will do well. In fact, I anticipate a 30% increase to revenue next year but who knows what is going to happen!”.

We Buy Any Car

Launched in 2012, We Buy Cars Today offers transparent, independent and instant car valuations to motorists across the country and unlike their rivals, ensure payment is made to each customer within 30 minutes of doing a deal. Their biggest USP is their ability to collect vehicles from anywhere in the UK, completely free of charge and although the business model isn’t new, the ethics behind it are refreshing.

Delgado says: “The reputation of the used car market has been damaged significantly over the years and I really wanted to help change perceptions with We Buy Cars Today. I have huge integrity as a business owner and I know what it’s like to be ripped off. The most important thing for me and the reputation of the business is knowing consumers are getting a great deal, which is why we use independent assessors and stay with the customer until payment has reached their bank account. Not only that, but we are investing heavily in AI technology to guarantee consumers the best deal possible”.

Young Entrepreneur

The interesting thing about this business is Delgado himself, who is 29 years old and on course to turnover an impressive £10m this year.

Like many successful entrepreneurs before him, Delgado didn’t respond well to academia and by the age of 16, was flogging motors from his Mum’s driveway (until she found out and put a stop to his wheeling and dealing).

In 2007, Delgado’s father encouraged him to go to University but within two years of starting a business degree, dropped out to pursue his entrepreneurial destiny. Working as a “trolley dolly” for Sainsbury’s, Delgado managed to save £500 to launch We Buy Cars Today and within 12 months, was turning over £60k a year.

Sacrifice

Although success was seemingly achieved quite quickly, it came with him huge amounts of personal sacrifice.

Instead of partying with his mates in Ibiza, Delgado spent every evening and weekend, buying and selling cars around the UK. While his mates were buying football magazines, Delgado was reading Business Insider. Every spare second was spent investing in his business, which inevitably caused some personal relationships to fracture, which the young entrepreneur is cleverly using to his advantage:

“While I’m so focused on building my business, I don’t really have time to invest in a relationship but actually, I think that gives me a competitive edge. I am free to work as hard as I want without feeling guilty about neglecting a wife and kids. It also means I get to travel for business at the drop of a hat which is important to me as I’m launching another office in Pakistan”.

Delgado continues: “Being a young entrepreneur without any personal commitments, makes me a better business leader and I will embrace that for as long as I can. I’m still only 29 and while I’ve got bundles of energy and motivation, I will use it to drive We Buy Cars Today as far forward as possible”.

Role Model

One of the biggest driving forces in Delgado’s life is his Mother, who unwittingly helped transform him from a cheeky little “del-boy” from Hertford to the accomplished young businessman he is today:

“I actually owe a huge amount of my success to my Mum who instilled a great work ethic in me. She raised me single handed whilst working multiple jobs to put food on the table and seeing that made me very driven as a person”.

Delgado says: “At one point, Mum was juggling two cleaning jobs and an after-school nannying gig. It wasn’t entrepreneurial but it was definitely enterprising and it made me look at other ways of earning money. In that sense, Mum was definitely my first role model”.

Expansion

By 2017, We Buy Cars Today was turning over £3.5million but Delgado decided to accept an injection of cash to accelerate the company’s growth, which practically doubled the size of the company overnight.

Multi-millionaire entrepreneur Jamie Waller met Delgado by chance at a networking event and was so impressed by Delgado’s credentials, offered him £500k for 45% of the business.

The injection of cash enabled the business to increase its purchasing power and to further invest in artificial intelligence software:

“Taking investment was a really hard decision to make at first especially when you’ve built a business from scratch. You don’t want anyone to swoop in and take it all away. Jamie has been fantastic as a mentor, business partner and friend and I’m so glad, we went into business together”.

“As a young entrepreneur, I’ve faced my fair share of challenges but resilience and a willingness to graft has helped me succeed far beyond what I thought possible. Now, I know nothing is impossible”.

Thomas Delgado is CEO of We Buy Cars Today

CIPHR appoints Andrew Carwardine as new CEO

Posted on December 19, 2018 | by root

CEO Chris Berry will become deputy chair on 7 January 2019; Andrew Carwardine joins the UK HR software provider from Dynama Solutions

CIPHR (www.ciphr.com), the leading provider of HCM software solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK, is pleased to announce that Andrew Carwardine will be joining its board as CEO in January 2019.

Chris Berry, CIPHR’s founder and CEO, has decided to step back from his day-to-day responsibilities from 7 January next year. He will continue to be deeply involved at board level, becoming deputy chair, with specific responsibility for non-UK expansion. Chris has led CIPHR for over 20 years, taking the decision in 2011 to make the company the first purely SaaS provider of HCM services, and thus enabling its recent remarkable growth. He will be succeeded by Andrew Carwardine, until recently managing director of Dynama Solutions, part of the Allocate Software Group.

Between 2013 and 2018, Andrew grew Dynama Solutions from separate defence and maritime units in the Allocate Group, building a standalone business focused on delivering best of breed crewing and capability software to the government, maritime and engineering sectors worldwide. He has wide experience in developing and selling SaaS solutions internationally. Previously a senior officer in the British Army, he brings significant leadership and management experience as well as deep customer knowledge of HR and manpower software systems.

Alastair Hazell, CIPHR’s chairman, said: “This is an important development for CIPHR, which has grown quickly since investment by LDC in mid-2016. We are fortunate to be able to attract someone of Andrew’s experience to lead the company into the next stage of its development. At the same time, the HCM market is changing in new and exciting directions. Retaining Chris’ deep knowledge of the sector at board level will therefore be important in enabling CIPHR to maintain its growth, both organically and through acquisition.

“I look forward to working with both Chris and Andrew during this next phase in the company’s evolution.”

Chris Berry, CIPHR’s CEO, said: “I have known and respected Andrew professionally for some time, and am delighted therefore that he is joining us. The skills and experience he will bring to CIPHR are exemplary and will increase the potential for us to continue to grow. He will be part of a great team.”

Andrew Carwardine, CEO (designate), said: “CIPHR is a successful and dynamic company whose products, people and ethos I have continued to admire. I welcome the chance to work with its management team in what is a fast-changing and competitive marketplace. The opportunities are enormous.”

Alastair Weinel, investment director at LDC, said: “Since our investment in 2016, CIPHR has continued to go from strength-to-strength under Chris’s leadership. Adding additional expertise to the board with the appointment of Andrew will further the company’s growth journey in a market that presents significant opportunities.”

How to cater for senior citizens in the workplace

Posted on December 17, 2018 | by root

According to the U.S. jobs report which was released in July 2017, around 19 per cent of people aged 65 years old or over were working at least on a part-time basis during the second quarter of 2017. This is the highest employment to population ratio that has been recorded by this age group in 55 years. What’s more, the Labor Department’s good employment report has recently recorded that the number of individuals aged over 85 years old who are still working is increasing too.

There is a very good chance that there’ll be at least one elderly citizen within your workplace if you’re an employer in the US then. With this in mind, everything should be done to provide older employees with support so that they are able to continue working in the most effective manner. Acorn Stairlifts, an award-winning stair lift supplier, has provided the following advice about how workplaces can be modified so that the spaces suit elderly staff members. They have also advised on some techniques employers can adopt to better support senior citizens at their firm…

1. Provide part-time opportunities and flexible working alongside full-time work
Some staff members, especially those who are reaching elderly age, will find the typical 9 ’til 5 shift from Monday to Friday unappealing. Flexible hours and part-time roles could suit them much better.

Older employees may appreciate the shorter working weeks that part-time work will provide them with. This is because it will give them an opportunity to transition out of the workforce in a smoother manner. Meanwhile, flexible working will grant older employees the chance to remain in employment while better balancing their other responsibilities — perhaps they need to care for an elderly loved one, for instance.

2. Look at the ergonomic and accessibility aspects of your current workplace
Your workplace can be altered in various ways to make it much more appealing to elderly employees. For one, take the time to assess your workspace and the tasks performed during a day’s work to ensure that nothing could be contributing to musculoskeletal issues, making adjustments and improvements where necessary. Can mechanical assist devices be introduced to achieve less stressful handling, for instance? How about a platform being used to raise a worker so that they don’t have to bend their wrists as much while working? Obviously, the measures will be different depending on the type of industry you’re a part of.

Be sure to take the time to evaluate how accessible a workplace is for employees too. Consider the distance someone must cover to get from their parking spot to their workspace, for example, as well as to and from either a break room or restroom once they are at work.

After this evaluation, many ways to make a space easier to navigate should be identified. If the workplace is not on the ground floor or over multiple floors, look at installing either a straight or curved stair lift on the stairs so that nobody has trouble navigating across levels. Automatic doors should make entering a building quicker too, while altering a layout so that workspaces are closer to break rooms could prove beneficial to both the employee and business as well.

3. Let older employees know how valued they are to a business
When an employer simply makes assumptions about what a staff member will want once they reach a certain age but chooses to remain in work, issues can quickly develop. Take out the guesswork by always having an open dialogue with staff members. Regular one-to-ones with line managers prove very useful here, as they allow employees to get things off their chest or query aspects of their work in a private and confidential environment. As an employer, keep on reminding staff that your door is always open if someone needs anything too.

Be sure to avoid having people believe that a workplace only caters for a specific age group or demographic too. UK pub company JD Wetherspoon is keen to ensure its workforce is incredibly broad, with their recruitment manager Sarah Carter pointing out to Caterer.com: “Some people’s perception of our industry is that it’s a youth-oriented one. So, while we were very good at employing students, we’d always struggled to attract applications from the older age bracket. We still get people ringing up saying, ‘I’m 45 – am I too old for a bar manager job?’. The answer is absolutely no way!”

A diverse workforce that senior citizens can help to provide to a business can actually bring with it some unique benefits. Ms. Carter explains: “One of our older workers said he felt he had a great rapport with our customers, because some of them are more comfortable talking to staff their own age.”

How to implement an effective waste management plan for your business

Posted on December 12, 2018 | by root

Whether you’re starting up a business or an experienced entrepreneur, managing how to dispose of your waste, in both a cost efficient and ethical way will always be a challenge.

Wastage, as in what the business actually throws away, can accumulate costs as high as 4.5% of a business’s overall turnover according to CIPS, and in some extreme cases, can accumulate up to 10% of the business’s overall gross profits.

The costs can by concerning for many businesses if they are not making the necessary attempts to recycle and dispose of their waste in the correct way. With rising landfill taxes, as well as recycling and sustainability becoming a main concern within ethical business principles, creating a reliable waste management solution is more important than ever for any forward-thinking business that is looking to make a change.

Responsibilities
Based on the UK’s legislation and the government stipulations, businesses have key responsibility to manage and dispose of their waste properly. The requirements that you should meet are broadly as follows:

· Adopt the Waste Hierarchy principles in order to keep waste to a minimum by preventing, reusing, recycling, and recovering waste where possible.

· Store or sort waste securely in a safe environment.

· Complete a waste transfer note for each load of waste that leaves the premises.

· Check to establish whether your waste carrier is registered. This can be done by visiting the official Environment Agency website.

· Do not let your waste carrier dispose of waste illegally. As a producer of waste, the legal responsibility for safe and correct disposal falls on you, and not the waste carrier. You have a responsibility to ensure safe disposal through an auditable document trail.

Organising and storing your business waste
To store waste safely and securely, businesses should as standard:

· Use suitable and EU-approved containers to prevent leakage.

· Label containers in a way which clearly stipulates what type of waste they contain.

· Use waterproof covers — where appropriate — so that no contaminated run-offs are created.

· Use lockable containers to safeguard your waste.

Dispose of business waste
As specified, for any non-hazardous waste that you want removed from your premises, you will need a waste transfer note or a document containing the same information such as an invoice. You should register online with the appropriate services if you wish to fill in a waste transfer note, or you can create a season ticket for a series of loads that will occur in the future.

· Both your business and the third party that collects your waste will need to do the following: Fill in the sections of the note that applies to them.

· Sign it.

· Keep a copy for two years.

· Be able to present it to an enforcement officer from the local council or the Environment Agency, if requested.

Reduce the cost of your waste disposal
For most businesses, there is an aim to bring down the disposal cost of waste produced. However, this can be a leap in the dark if business owners are uncertain of how to do this effectively.

A solution is segregation, but you will need to monitor closely and conduct a report to see the volume, material and cost of your waste in order to do this. From this you can set your strategy, highlighting your own targets and goals to ensure the best results possible when it comes to disposal.

It’s important for businesses to be aware of TEEP as well, which stands for technically, environmentally and economically practicable. This determines whether a business should segregate and store various types of produced waste within the business premises prior to its collection by a waste management contractor you have teamed up with.

As part of EU legislation in 2015, the EU Waste Framework addresses that commercial and municipal waste producers are obliged to manage their waste correctly. They can use a third party to achieve this, but businesses will continue to remain responsible.

Business need to separate the waste that they produce for many reasons and one which stands with the highest ethical standard is whether there will be an environmental benefit or reduce a negative that currently exists.

Measuring waste disposal
Waste management providers are likely t=o use online automated systems to help monitor the business waste volumes and spend – giving their clients a greater insight to their overall waste plan. Through waste management portals, each business can have tailored permissions that help provide them with an overview of waste statistics and management information.

To experiment on how much waste your business is producing and before going to a waste management contractor, it might be worth visually assessing how much waste your company is disposing on a regular basis, monitor the bins over the week until they are collected by noting how much waste a bin holds and how full it is before the collection date.

It may be beneficial for all businesses to reduce the amount of waste collections that they currently have and to help with this, set themselves a challenge to think about what they throw away, which will eventually lead them to make better decisions and in the end, save them money. They will have to deal with the limited bin space they have for waste ensuring that every decision is important.

These evaluations are crucial when production a waste management solution, especially with the cost of landfill tax that is rising.

The cost per tonne of landfill was priced at £80 on 1st April 2014, then it was increased to £84.40 on the 1st April 2016, and on the 1st April 2018, It went up to £88.95. With the cost of landfill waste rising year or year, it’s clear that businesses need to ensure that their waste solution system is driven towards recyclable methods to keep the costs of landfill waste to a minimum.

We’ve teamed up with Reconomy, the UK’s leading providers of outsourced waste management provider with unrivalled 8 yard skip hire coverage. We hope it article advises on how to dispose of your waste properly and how to put in place a business-wide waste management strategy that can save your business money.