Digital Innovation Magazine - December 2020

Top 10 digital transformation forecast for 2021

Nicolas Gonzalez and the Mondelēz team launch their pioneering Buyer Central Platform

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elcome to the December edition of Digital Innovation, your final instalment for 2020, and what a year it’s been! While many of us will be pleased to see the back of it, it’s not been without innovation in abundance, as the tech world responded to business as usual amid a global pandemic. And with that mantra in mind, this issue, we chatted to Nicolas Gonzalez, Associate Director Global Source to Contract at Mondelez International, and his team (p6). Introducing the company’s brand-new Buyer Central Platform, it was fascinating to find out more about this unique proposition.

One of the main aims of rail freight operator, Lineas, is to take transportation away from the roads and onto the railway. As Chief Information Security Officer, Christophe Rome is responsible for maintaining uptime and keeping those trains running! You can read our full interview with Christophe over on page 24.

What’s more, we have an intriguing article on wearable medical devices courtesy of Bernard Ross, Sky Medical’s CEO and Founder (p38), as well as a Q&A with Richard Jackson, CEO and Founder at Alphaletz.com (p52). Richard expounds the virtues of Alphaletz.com’s cloud-based management solution, aiming to make life easier for property landlords.

Plus, we bring you the latest from the NCSC on cybersecurity (p64), a report on the top digital transformation trends for 2021 (p78), as well as our regular start-up of the month feature (p92).

The Digital Innovation team and I would like to wish all our readers a very merry Christmas.

See you in 2021!

Editor Anna McMahon

Director Danielle Harris

editorial@ithink.media

d.harris@ithink.media

Senior Digital Designer Daniel May

Director Tom Barnes

design@ithink.media

t.barnes@ithink.media

+44 (0) 203 890 1189 enquiries@digitalinnovationeu.com All rights reserved. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published in Digital Innovation Magazine. However, the company cannot accept responsibility for the claims made by advertisers or contributors, or inaccurate material supplied by advertisers.

Digital Innovation is a product of iThink Media Ltd. Company Registration Number: 10933897.

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Meet Nicolas Gonzalez, Ass Source to Contract at Mo

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We talk to Richard Jackson, founder and CEO at Alphaletz.com

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Christophe Rome, Chief Information Security Officer at Lineas, talks cyber resilience and the role of a human firewall

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38

Sky Medical’s CEO and Founder, Bernard Ross, on wearable medical devices

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Our star health an

sociate Director Global ondelez International

t-up of the month is new nd fitness app, No Big Deal

Forbes’ top 10 digital transformation trends for 2021

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The NCSC reports on coronavirusrelated cybersecurity incidents 5

B U S I N E S S I N T E RV I E W

NICOLAS GONZALEZ, Associate Director Global Source to Contract at Mondelēz International, introduces the company’s new Buyer Central Platform, aiming to connect all systems and offer full transparency to its users.

Written by Anna McMahon • Produced by Jennifer Davies

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NEt earnings in 2019

Mondelēz Inter global snack com mission is to lead of snacking by right snack, f moment, made

Its global brands can be found in over 150 countries, with operations in over 80 countries, employing approximately 80,000 people worldwide. In 2019, Mondelēz International reported a net revenue of almost $26 billion and net earnings of around $3.4 billion.

Nicolas Gonzalez is Associate Director Global Source to Contract at Mondelēz International, responsible for all tools and processes used by its procurement community.

With the goal of making processes as efficient and

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rnational is a company whose lead the future y offering the for the right the right way.

operations in over 80 countries

as user-friendly as possible for its buyers, Nicolas describes Mondelēz International’s procurement software strategy

Leading the future of snacking

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Our BRANDS

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The fact that we can customise a tool to do exactly what we want in a specific part of the process has helped us to ensure we are using the best tools across the board. This has proven to be very successful

as the use of best-in-class software for every step.

He says, “We want to have the best software for each specific part of our process, so we are not using end-toend software that covers everything. Our objective is to have the best solution for resourcing, contracts and lifecycle management etc. This means efficiencies improve when the tool to do the best job for each part of the process is chosen.”

Mondelēz International was recently recognised at the Procurement Leaders World Procurement Awards 2020, scooping the H&Z Transformation Award; Internal Transformation – Establishing the Function for the best transformation programme.

Nicolas says, “The fact that we can customise a tool to do exactly what we want in a specific part of the process has helped us to ensure we are using the best tools across the board. This has proven to be very successful.”

Commenting on the added complexity of using a variety

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Customer focus

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of software solutions, Nicolas argues that this is simply a necessary evil. He explains, “In order to have the best, you need to employ a number of different solutions. This presents a sourcing issue when you have a project that uses different tools. It is also difficult to track endto-end, it requires training and maintenance, and the information might not be congruent. For example, information in one tool might not correspond with information in another tool if it has been inputted at a different time.�

Nicolas and his team have been working hard on a solution in response to these challenges, partnering with a number of like-minded companies on their digital journey.

we are working with Zycus for our contract management and simple sourcing 13

"Buyer Central enables the flow of information across systems, improves data congruency, and ensures flexibility" He explains, “On the software side, we are working with Coupa for our catalogue solution to operationalise our contracts, as well as Coupa CSO for our parametric bidding, and Zycus for our contract management and simple sourcing. We have also recently partnered with Pegasystems for our new Buyer Central platform.”

Mondelēz International’s expectation in terms of its procurement software and technologies is to offer a more specialised software solution, allowing for flexibility when changes occur.

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Mondelēz International: Purchasing Simplification made right – with Pega

10% decrease in processing effort Higher efficiency and productivity Improved employee satisfaction Ability to concentrate on core duties Optimized supplier selection process

© 2020 Pegasystems Inc. All rights reserved.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Mondelēz International sought out a solution to simplify its procurement and purchasing processes. They chose Pegasystems, the leading specialist in customer engagement and digital process automation with whom Mondelēz International has already had a very successful collaboration in the area of customer service. Pega unified the various individual systems under its Pega Infinity platform: Employees now have a single point of contact where they can access their projects and all of the relevant data and monitor the status of those projects and important figures; they can see what tasks need to be completed and receive notifications when processes require their attention – all at a single glance.

Mondelēz International and Pega teamed up to tackle purchasing complexity: • Five central purchasing systems together under one interface • Pega Platform controls the various systems, handles data queries, and updates changed data in the background • Automation of many manual processes or replacement with controlled processes • No programming effort due to low code development • Implemented in just a few weeks

www.pega.com/mondelez

We are Pegasystems, the leader in software for customer engagement and operational excellence.

For the past 35 years, our adaptive, cloud-architected software empowers people to rapidly deploy and easily extend and change applications to meet strategic business needs.

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Our Aim cont making the rig the right momen to keep doing doing, especiall of uncertainty the procuremen our goal is t flexible processes enabling us to new world we

Nicolas Gonzalez, A Global Source t Mondelēz In

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tinues to be ght snack for moment. We want what we are ally during times y. In terms of ement function, to have good, ocesses in place, o adapt to the e are living in

Associate Director to Contract at nternational

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Approximately

people employed worldwide!

"We have generated a huge database of information, enabling us to analyse our processes and optimise on inefficiencies" Nicolas explains, “In the current situation, we see a lot of new technologies coming in, which will soon become the norm. Flexibility is the key. It is not just about using best-in-class software and being specialised. If there is a change in the market or a new regulation, we need the ability to adapt what we have built very easily.”

The company’s Buyer Central offers a layer on top of Mondelēz International’s bestin-class software, providing an interface for users to monitor their sourcing projects endto-end. Nicolas says, “Buyer Central gives us flexibility. If we 21

want to change a calculation, add a new field, or remove a step in the processes, we can do it quite easily. If a buyer is starting a project, they will enter it in Buyer Central and be able to see its status and which system it is in, linking all the systems in one place to help guide the buyer through the processes and advise on which is the next logical step.”

The benefits of the platform are plain to see, ensuring total visibility from start to finish.

Nicolas explains, “There are lots of advantages. Buyer Central enables the flow of information across systems, improves data congruency, and ensures flexibility. We are not reinventing the specialised tools, but connecting them with this additional layer on top. It also provides the buyer with consolidated information in one system, so they do not have to check all the different systems for alerts. It is a whole new world in terms of visibility and efficiencies.”

Mondelēz International is looking to mirror the same Buyer Central experience for its vendors, as well as utilise 22

the information gleamed from the project to improve internal operations. Nicolas explains, “We have generated a huge database of information, enabling us to analyse our processes and optimise on inefficiencies. The data will give us details about our performance, which will then help us to improve on such things as quality and sustainability.”

As for the recent coronavirus pandemic, Nicolas says that the company’s focus has been on resolving any operational issues they have faced as a result. He continues, “Our aim continues to be making the right snack for the right moment. We want to keep doing what we are doing, especially during times of uncertainty. In terms of the procurement function, our goal is to have good, flexible processes in place, enabling us to adapt to the new world we are living in.”

FIND OUT MORE

For further information on Mondelēz International, visit www.mondelezinternational.com

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B U S I N E S S I N T E RV I E W

KEEP ON R

Christophe Rome, Chief Inform discusses the role of a huma in the event of

Written by Anna McMahon •

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RUNNING

mation Security Officer at Lineas, an firewall and cyber resilience f a cyberattack.

Produced by Jennifer Davies

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RAIL FREIGHT OPERATOR, LINEAS, IS A LOGISTICS COMPANY, WHOSE CORE BUSINESS IS THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS OVER RAILWAY. eing at the centre of As Chief Information Security many of its customers’ Officer, Christophe is responsible supply chains, one of its for IT security and data main objectives is to take protection. It is a fairly new transportation away from role for Lineas, as Christophe the roads and onto the railway. explains, “I started in March Christophe Rome is Lineas’ Chief last year. There was a gap at Information Security Officer. From the company when it came to the company’s headquarters cybersecurity, insofar as nobody in Belgium, he picks up the was actually formally dealing story; “Moving goods over with it, so it was a challenge I railway is not only good for wanted to accept. Previously, the environment, but from an Lineas was only covering the operational perspective, you basics. don’t have the problem of goods being stuck in traffic. Lineas is the biggest private player in Europe currently, and we are number one in Belgium. We are looking to expand into other regions in Europe with our unique offering, the Green Express Network. It works by driving trains on fixed and regular moments between major cities across Europe.

These trains bundle different types of goods, ranging from steel, chemical substances and consumer goods, to pallets and containers.”

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IS IT TIME FOR SUSTAINABLE CYBERSECURITY? Do what Lineas did and team up with our cyber-experts!

Telenet Business, an experienced Belgian player, has what it takes to guide you through the world of cybersecurity. Your path to greater cyber-resilience begins with a targeted discussion of your needs and expectations. The Telenet experts are at your service. Thanks to their technical experience and market knowledge, they are in the perfect position to guide you to a fully customised cybersecurity plan.

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Click here to make an appointment for your tailored cybersecurity plan.

ONCE YOU HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY, YOU NEED THE RESOURCES TO WORK WITH THE OUTPUT “There was an IT department handling cybersecurity. In terms of monitoring and alterting, it was all very ad hoc. There was no ownership in terms of security policies, guidelines and standards, and there was no formal security incident response process. From that perspective, it was a great opportunity to be able to start a formal security program from almost zero.”

The primary focus for cybersecurity at Lineas is on the operations side, keeping the trains running and avoiding disruption. In doing so, the strategy Christophe has employed is one of cyber resilience. He says, “It is about making sure that when we are hit by a cybersecurity incident, we are able to contain it, react to it, and then come back in the shortest amount of time towards full capability and availability 29

of systems. If one of our core IT systems went down, even for a short amount of time, it would have an impact on production very quickly. That is why it is so important.”

Christophe takes the view that every company should accept that it will be breached one day. It is something he likes to call ‘assume breach mentality’.

Christophe explains, “You can invest a lot in protection, but you have to invest in detect and response capabilities. That is our focus currently, making sure we have put everything in place to detect an incident quickly. The only way to get there is to create

the necessary visibility. A lot of the attacks today are not very obvious and the worst case will only become obvious when it is too late i.e. when systems go down. It is important to be able to detect attacks in the early stages. So, we have invested heavily in technology and processes using behavioural technologies to make sure we can monitor all possible activity within our network.”

Once a threat has been detected, the key is to be able to react swiftly with the right kind of knowledge, technology and processes. However, Christophe is keen to point out that technology is one thing, but you need people to be able to manage those capabilities effectively.

He says, “Once you have the technology, you need the resources

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THE HOXHUNT APPROACH IS WORKING. IT IS LIGHTWEIGHT, EMPLOYEES DO NOT FEEL IT IS TOO INTRUSIVE, AND YOU CREATE CONSTANT ALERTNESS

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YOU CAN INVEST A LOT IN PROTECTION, BUT YOU HAVE TO INVEST IN DETECT AND RESPONSE CAPABILITIES. THAT IS OUR FOCUS CURRENTLY, MAKING SURE WE HAVE PUT EVERYTHING IN PLACE TO DETECT AN INCIDENT QUICKLY Christophe Rome, Chief Information Security Officer

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WE PREFER TO SEE OUR EMPLOYEES AS ASSETS AND APPROACH IT POSITIVELY BY SPREADING CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS to work with the output.

Every system in your network outputs a lot of security events, which are centralised in one area, within which, analysis is performed. We outsource the management of this setup and of its output to Telenet Business.

They analyse the output of the technology and alert us if something is happening. We can then decide if we need to act in our environment, but the gathering of information, analysis and initial incident detection is all outsourced to Telenet Business.”

Lineas’ 2,100 employees form part of the company’s security strategy, acting as a kind of human firewall. According to Christophe, you need to have the employees on board, who are working with the data and using the systems every day. He continues, “What attackers try to do is work around the technology 35

IT IS ABOUT EMPOWERING OUR EMPLOYEES. THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEY ARE ESSENTIAL IN KEEPING THE UPTIME OF OUR SYSTEMS. THAT IS A MUCH MORE POSITIVE MESSAGE defences and get through to the employees do not feel it is data and systems by making use too intrusive, and you create of the end user, often referred to constant alertness. Hoxhunt uses as the weakest link in the chain. a tiering system, so every time We prefer to see our employees an employee reacts correctly as assets and approach to the training, he/she will get it positively by spreading into a higher tier and will receive cybersecurity awareness. We tougher challenges on his/her need the employee to make plate. I strongly believe we have our strategies work. It is about turned a boring IT-related subject empowering our employees. into a success.”

They need to understand they are essential in keeping the So, while Christophe’s priorities uptime of our systems. That is a have been cyber resilience and much more positive message.” the formation of a human firewall since his appointment in 2019, The human firewall works by he hopes to be able to shift his not putting employees into attention to other security matters training rooms, but by offering within the next couple of years. continuous phishing training. On He concludes, “At this stage, the average, each Lineas employee focus is on these two areas, but receives a phishing email every we will move on to other securitythree days, combined with related areas in the coming years. a mini training. Christophe Up until now, it has all been about says, “The Hoxhunt approach making sure we keep those trains is working. It is lightweight, running!”

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For further information on Lineas, visit www.lineas.net 37

M E DT EC H

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Sky Medical’s CEO and Founder, Bernard Ross, explains how the company’s cutting-edge, wearable medical device can help save lives, relieving the pressure on overstretched health services.

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TIME FOR CHANGE The world is in the process of a fundamental demographic change. According to a 2019 United Nations report, the global population aged over 65 has grown by one third since 1990, from six per cent to nine per cent. In 2019, this equated to 700 million people globally. By 2050, this will have doubled again.

The improvement in life expectancy globally is a positive consequence of an era where exercise and nutrition have improved radically. But, it does not come without its own issues – many of which are focused on addressing the challenges in delivering a suitable health and social care platform.

A GROWING MEDICAL CHALLENGE More people living longer means more people in retirement, not necessarily contributing to economic output and taxes; they will need more care as many learn to live with chronic illnesses and conditions for longer. The pace of medical development has meant that serious medical issues, such as heart disease and cardiovascular problems like strokes and venous thromboembolism (VTE), otherwise known as blood clots, are now more treatable than they were in the past.

Shockingly, every 37 seconds, someone in the western world dies from a VTE. Yet it is still often overlooked as a serious health issue despite causing around 40,000 deaths in England alone each year. 62 per cent of VTE-related deaths are deemed preventable given the proper treatment, and approximately 30 per cent of people who have suffered a VTE will develop further health problems during the next 10 years of their life.

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The wider public will be aware of the growth of health monitoring devices, such as smart watches, enabling people to do more to manage their own wellbeing

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As lifespans lengthen, healthcare providers need different approaches to managing medical issues to be able to meet growing demand.

No healthcare system in the world has unlimited resources, nor should it. But, as our ability to keep people alive increases in step with the growing elderly population, yesterday’s medical solutions become less viable. Traditionally, healthcare has relied on the development of new pharmaceutical treatments to address healthcare challenges more effectively. However, these are extremely expensive to develop and do not always achieve the required accuracy needed to treat patients without some unfortunate side effects.

The wider public will be aware of the growth of health monitoring devices, such as smart watches, enabling people to do more to manage their own wellbeing. But, more significant is the number of clinically-proven medical technology solutions that are currently being deployed in hospitals and healthcare services to drive improved outcomes for patients.

The appeal of these device-based treatments is twofold: they are designed to hone in on and target specific medical challenges (as opposed to many drug therapies which can have an impact on all cells) to stimulate or restrict certain actions in the body; and secondly, they are clinically proven to improve outcomes for patients.

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INNOVATION IN HEALTHCARE Sky Medical Technology is one of the companies trailblazing in a pathway for the wider use of bioelectronic medical devices. We have created, designed and manufactured a bioelectronic nerve stimulation device to increase blood circulation and deliver enhanced recovery and accelerated healing. Our geko™ device is the first bio-electronic product of its kind to receive both NICE approval and FDA clearance for VTE prevention.

The size of a small wristwatch and strapped to the lower leg, the battery-powered geko™ device stimulates the common peroneal nerve with painless electrical pulses, returning blood from the lower leg to the heart at a rate equal to 60 per cent of walking, without the patient having to move. The geko™ device addresses multiple clinical application areas, most notably the prevention of life-threatening VTE. We conducted a year-long study with Royal Stoke University Hospital, trialling the use of the geko™ device to prevent the risk of VTE in 1,000 acute stroke patients. One of the challenges facing stroke clinicians is the currently limited standard of care for post-stroke VTE management, 44

NHS Trusts are currently working to adopt the geko™ device into their acute stroke pathways which, in the first instance, recommends the use of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) sleeves. Not only can these prove uncomfortable for patients, but there are a number of contraindications for IPC treatment.

Of the 1,000 patients in the study, 29.5 per cent were contraindicated or unable to tolerate IPC, making them eligible for an alternative anti-stasis intervention – the geko™ device.

Of 463 patients treated with IPC, 11 patients (2.4 per cent) suffered from VTE. Of the 203 patients prescribed the alternative VTE prevention method – the geko™ – no incidence of VTE was reported 90 days postdischarge.

Following the positive results of the clinical audit within the acute stroke unit, the geko™ device is now in routine use and has marked a significant change to nursing practice. This can have a hugely positive impact on the wider healthcare system – reduced recovery time means less time spent in hospital, which, in turn, reduces the financial cost of care.

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“With 28 NHS Trusts c geko™ device into th of Sky Medical Techn is likely to be a signif savings and improved

Bernard Ross, Sky Medical’

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pulses per minute (1hz)

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currently working to adopt the heir acute stroke pathways, the impact nology and other innovative companies ficant opportunity for healthcare d efficiencies�

’s CEO and Founder

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By treating conditions where there is currently an unmet need, technology of this kind can benefit millions of patients worldwide

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A GROWING MARKET As a direct result of the innovation in the medical devices sector, the global market is expected to be worth more than $17.5billion by the end of 2020, growing rapidly at a rate of more than four per cent year-on-year – with bioelectronic medicine being one of the fastest growing areas of healthcare.

The UK market is currently the third largest in Europe, and the sixth largest in the world, employing nearly 50,000 people and supporting the employment of many more in the wider supply chain. The lengthening lifespans of the general population, combined with government commitment to substantial innovation in medical device technology, is driving this growth.

With 28 NHS Trusts currently working to adopt the geko™ device into their acute stroke pathways, the impact of Sky Medical Technology and other innovative companies is likely to be a significant opportunity for healthcare savings and improved efficiencies.

By treating conditions where there is currently an unmet need, technology of this kind can benefit millions of patients worldwide. As the technology evolves further, bioelectronic devices could eventually be used to treat more acute and chronic conditions, improving the lives of patients and reducing the strain on health services with finite resources.

For further information on Sky Medical Technology, visit www.skymedtech.com

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B U S I N E S S I N T E RV I E W

We talk to Richard Jackson, founder and CEO at Alphaletz.com.

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Tell us about Alphaletz...

Alphaletz.com is a British technology start-up, focused on great customer experience, ease of use and functionality.

The founders are landlords from a tech background, providing the two vital ingredients for a powerful cloud-based solution.

It helps landlords manage their property business via a single console from anywhere, and from any device including our new mobile app for IOS and Android.

What are the key benefits?

Demand for housing, along with more complex government compliance requirements, is everincreasing, and landlords need to find more efficient ways to manage their business. Our goal is to help simplify their dayto-day administration through a simpleto-use app.

By embracing technology, landlords can drastically improve how they manage their property

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portfolio, and, ultimately, provide a better service to their tenants How does the app offer a way for landlords to keep on top of government compliance?

With more government compliance, it is crucial that landlords can track that they are compliant and manage the different regulation renewal dates. Alphaletz.com provides a way for landlords to store documents against the relevant property and set reminders on renewal dates. If any dispute arises, all relevant documents, emails and notes can be easily found. This saves so much time and stress for landlords, who may have

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misplaced documents or are unable to track email communications.

The app also has editable reminder fields, so that it can be customised to user requirements and cater for changing government compliance standards, or for use in other countries or regions.

Where did your inspiration for the app come from?

As a landlord myself, I fully understand the problems that landlords face. Over several years, I created and used a spreadsheetdriven database that helped me develop the idea for the app.

Although the product is new to market, the prototype has been

worked on for three years, and the app development for 12 months, so that we now have a fully-baked and fully-functional product that users love.

What has been the overall reaction of app users?

We know we are on the right course when we receive user feedback like this; “This app is amazing! I have started using the web version and I love it! I got the pro membership.

So excited!� (Kal Musa, Founder of Property Calculator). From our social interactions and user feedback, we can see that the market is reacting and ready for change. With over 2.5 million landlords in the UK, we feel extremely well-placed to become

Benefits to Landlords A single place to manage all properties, tenants, suppliers, reminders, documents and notes The ability to track all income, expenses and cash flow with an interactive dashboard Secure document management, correspondence and notes that can be saved and assigned to properties, tenants or suppliers Set automated notifications One-click contact functionality to call, text or email 57

“As we move forward and gather feedback from users, we will continue to bring out more functionality, more features and more related products and services, helping make landlords’ lives even easier” Richard Jackson, Founder and CEO at Alphaletz.com

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the market leader and go-to solution.

How can you manage the finances of multiple rental properties?

Traditionally, as landlords, we have had to manage properties in several separate systems such as spreadsheets, QuickBooks or Xero, setting calendar reminders, storing documents on various computers, and so on. Our goal has been to bring that all together in a purposebuilt, low-cost app for landlords in a beautiful design, which is modern, cloud-based, mobile, always in sync, and available from anywhere anytime, and on any device.

How does digitalisation play a role in making life simpler for landlords?

Embracing technology is key in helping businesses become more efficient. Managing information in multiple sources is time-consuming and can easily become disorganised. By keeping everything relating to rental properties, tenants and suppliers in one place, landlords can provide a better service to tenants, stay on top of the finances, and, crucially, keep track of compliancy regulations for each property.

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“We are continually and can quickly tu into new features. are cloud-based, u benefit from these help them reduce t and save

y looking to innovate urn user feedback . And because we users will instantly e new features to time, reduce stress e money”

How important is ease of use?

It was vital that we created an app that is easy to use and accessible anywhere, on any device. We want landlords to have the ability to track information with just a few clicks.

Think of Alphaletz.com as your virtual assistant!

How have you employed your specialities in the development of the app?

Having worked in the IT industry over the last 20+ years, I have been able to merge the benefits of a digital world with the challenges faced by landlords, who have traditionally used quite manual methods to manage their business. It has been incredibly rewarding to put my experience to use and bring an app to market that addresses the difficulties that landlords specifically face. Since Covid-19, the whole world has realised the importance of being ‘online’. This is something we are extremely focused on too. I think there is a genuine shift in people’s appetite to look at new ways and new systems to help them get there.

Even less tech-savvy people are realising that technology has moved on significantly and is really not that frightening anymore! We are seeing the huge

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is so important. In my experience, combining a cool solution that addresses real-life pain points with a team focused on a shared vision ultimately leads to success. It is an exciting time, and finding the right people to join us on our journey is crucial. We want to have fun, but also rise to the challenges together.

Are you working on any new developments?

benefits of cloud computing, like Apple iCloud, where you buy a new device, and, within minutes, all your data is synced up to all your other devices. No more back-ups, no more out-ofsync data, no more searching across multiple devices to find the right file. My vision for Alphaletz.com is to integrate other complementary solutions to continually provide value to its subscribers.

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Yes, we are continually looking to innovate and can quickly turn user feedback into new features. And because we are cloud-based, users will instantly benefit from these new features to help them reduce time, reduce stress and save money.

What does 2021 have in store for Alphaletz.com?

You have extensive experience in building teams. What is your ethos at Alphaletz.com?

As we move forward and gather feedback from users, we will continue to bring out more functionality, more features and more related products and services, helping make landlords’ lives even easier. We envisage a single place for landlords and tenants to go for everything they need. I will let you know as soon as we are ready to announce our plans!

Building the right team with the same values and energy

For further information, visit www.alphaletz.com

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CYBERSECURITY

The UK’s cyber-threa Covid-19 attacks in its

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at agency confronts s latest annual report.

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he findings were revealed in the NCSC’s latest annual report, according to which, the pandemic occupied an even higher proportion of the agency's efforts after the first lockdown began.

In total, there were 723 incidents of all kinds, marking close to a 10 per cent rise on the previous period. Of those, 194 were Covid-related. Some of the incidents related to countering nation-state attacks, but most were criminal in nature.

The report also disclosed that it had thwarted 15,354 campaigns that had used coronavirus themes as a ‘lure’ to 67

fool people into clicking on a link or opening an attachment containing malicious software.

Some involved fake shops selling PPE, test kits and even vaccines.

The NCSC wrote that protecting the NHS and health-related research has been a priority.

In July, the UK accused Russia of trying to steal vaccine-related information through cyberespionage. Officials said they had continued to see an “ongoing threat" of states targeting the vaccine research-and-delivery programme.

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Ransomware locks people out of their computers and demands victims make a blackmail payment to restore access – and even then it is not always granted

The NCSC stated that it had scanned more than one million NHS IP (internet protocol) addresses to look for vulnerabilities, and had shared 51,000 indicators of compromise.

The NCSC also carried out ‘threat hunting’ to look for security risks on connected devices, and worked on the security of the NHS Covid-19 contact-tracing app.

Ransomware attacks also became more common during the pandemic. Ransomware locks people out of their computers and demands victims make 69

Rather than just lo out of access to th ransom was paid, att warned they would victims if they refus Paul Chichester, Dire Operations at the NC “We have seen the th being leaked�

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ocking people heir data until a tackers often d embarrass sed to comply. ector of CSC, said, hreat of data

Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the NCSC

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NCSC has been working to i in the cybersecurity industr 12,000 girls had taken part competition, which aims to in a career in cybersecurity challenging environment t

a blackmail payment to restore access – and even then it is not always granted.

The NCSC said it had handled more than three times as many ransomware incidents as in the previous year. These included an attack against Redcar and Cleveland Council, which, the officials said, had “caused considerable damage and disruption”.

In addition, the report noted that the NCSC had observed a growing 72

increase skills and diversity ry. It reported that almost in its 2020 CyberFirst support girls interested y by providing a fun and to inspire the next generation

trend for such attacks to be more targeted and aggressive than had previously been the case. Rather than just locking people out of access to their data until a ransom was paid, attackers often warned they would embarrass victims if they refused to comply. Paul Chichester, Director of Operations at the NCSC, said, “We have seen the threat of data being leaked.�

Examples included details of staff salaries being published online.

This meant victims were at risk even if they have backed up their data.

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The annual report also highlighted the agency's role in protecting parliament as it became ‘virtual’ in order to prevent hacking of debates or votes However, the NCSC said the UK did not appear to be as heavily targeted as other countries, because British victims were less likely to pay the attackers.

As a result of the findings, the NCSC has been working to increase skills and diversity in the cybersecurity industry. It reported that almost 12,000 girls had taken part in its 2020 CyberFirst competition, which aims to support girls interested in a career in cybersecurity by providing a fun and challenging environment to inspire the next generation.

The annual report also highlighted the agency's role in protecting parliament as it became ‘virtual’ in order to

prevent hacking of debates or votes, as well as revealing that the NCSC had just updated the system for producing cryptographic keys, which encrypt classified government and military systems. A new electronic system was introduced to replace oldfashioned punch-tape.

With hackers taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, there is hope that news of a vaccine will help to reduce Covidrelated cybersecurity incidents next year. However, threats will continue to evolve and agencies such as the NCSC must continue to stay one step ahead.

For further information, visit www.ncsc.gov.uk 75

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TOP 10

FORECA

We explore Forbes transformat

No one could have predicted where 2020 would take us – the last six months alone have produced more digital transformation than the last decade. What does this mean for 2021? Will core technologies like AI 78

AST FOR

s’ projected digital tion trends.

and data analytics still dominate headlines, or will we see newer, previously emerging technologies take the lead? Here are Forbes’ top 10 digital transformation predictions for 2021, in no particular order.

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5G WILL FINALLY GO MAINSTREAM We have been hearing about the benefits of 5G for years now, but it wasn't until remote working, videoconferencing and digital collaboration became core parts of our lives that the need for reliable connectivity and more bandwidth became a real, concrete benefit. Today, businesses cannot afford to be disconnected, and 5G deployments have become a vital part of the solution.

As we continue to work from our homes, the value of 5G will become increasingly mainstream in 2021.

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CDP GAIN MOMENTUM We have already seen an explosion of Customer Data Platforms (CDP) in the last few months, and with good reason. Fragmented data from multiple sources can be notoriously difficult to organise, which obviously isn’t ideal for companies relying on timely, well-curated data to operate optimally. Addressing this challenge has become a priority for organisations of all sizes. CDPs help solve this problem by collecting data from all available sources, organising it, tagging it, and making it usable for anyone who needs access to it. Companies like Adobe, SAP, Oracle, Treasure Data and Microsoft are already heavily invested in providing the market with powerful new CDPs, so we can expect them to become especially relevant next year.

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CYBERSECURITY REMAINS RELEVANT With the pandemic, cybersecurity has become very important again.

Hackers exploited the situation to expand their campaigns of attack against businesses worldwide. With fewer employees working on site on the same secure network, companies need to upgrade their cybersecurity strategies and expand them to home networks and mobile work-from-home devices. AI and machine learning will be key players for cybersecurity, as we will see the continued increase in attempted nefarious activities requiring more sophisticated tools and algorithms to fish out. There are many companies playing in this space, but software, cloud and hardware makers will be amplifying efforts to make their products and services more secure to deal with certain growth in threats.

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H T A

in h We in b cen exp and high you

HEADLESS TECH DISRUPTS INDUSTRIES Businesses are now able to separate their front-end presentation layer from their back-end data functionality to create customised shopping experiences. This can be as simple as telling your Amazon Alexa to replenish your favourite coffee or being able to make instant purchases via social media. People are doing a lot more of this type of commerce, which means organisations need to maximise the ROI of their net new customer acquisition costs, and it is more important than ever to focus on customer development and retention. By moving beyond the omnichannel experience to connect everything from warehouses to storefronts to online services, companies can become more efficient, more streamlined, and get a leg up on competitors if they adopt it faster than they do.

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HYBRID CLOUD DECLARED THE WINNING ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE

We have known for a while that businesses are increasingly moving towards a hybrid cloud infrastructure. From SaaS applications and onpremises solutions, to a mix of public and private clouds, hybrid cloud strategies help organisations strike the right balance for their unique cloud infrastructure needs. Over the past year, we have seen major investments hybrid from large public cloud providers like AWS, Azure, Google, IBM and Oracle. are also seeing OEMs like HPE, Dell (VMware) and Cisco increasing investment building tools that enable simpler connectivity between on-premises data ntres and cloud. These investments are all about addressing the challenges of ponential data growth, while also being proactive on issues like privacy, security d compliance. The widespread, sudden disruptions caused by the coronavirus hlighted the value of having as agile and adaptable a cloud infrastructure as u can, enabling faster change in moments of uncertainty and disruption.

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DEVICE FORM FACTORS BECOME INTERESTING AGAIN With a new focus on being always connected, customers want devices that are lighter, smaller and more versatile. Instead of carrying several devices, users are increasingly interested in hybrid devices like the Microsoft Surface Duo and the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 that can double as phones or as tablets, and can fold and unfold depending on their needs. 2021 will see the return of folding smart phones, only these will be able to provide the same high quality and connectivity as non-folding phones. What’s more, we are also going to see the always connected PC gain more momentum.

These lightweight, powerful notebooks are equipped with full connectivity via 5G and/or LTE. Powered by Windows on ARM or Intel-certified Project Athena CPUs that incorporate modem connectivity, users are able to connect on their laptops like we do on our mobiles. This gives remote working another reliable connectivity option.

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QUANTUM MOVES TO MAINSTREAM Quantum computing may not be on your radar yet, but we have seen unprecedented growth in this field. Partnerships like Splunk and Quantum Computing Inc, Honeywell and Microsoft, and AWS and IonQ are all pushing quantum computing. We are likely to see more use cases as people realise the power it has to offer – the ability to easily query, monitor, analyse, and act on data at scale, from any source at any time.

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AI DEMOCRATISED AT SCALE The coronavirus pandemic triggered an acceleration in the democratisation of AI and data. Virtually overnight, companies, governments and other agencies found themselves needing to work together to create a faster solution to stop the spread of the virus. Data, AI and machine learning were the tools that they naturally turned to. The work that was begun in 2020 will continue into 2021, and will likely expand to a breadth of pressing opportunities that these types of groups are now uniquely equipped to tackle, like solving global and market problems faster, better, and at scale.

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WORK FROM HOME CONTINUES Workers have wanted increased flexibility for a long time, but working from home suddenly became the only viable option for companies in areas with strict coronavirus lockdowns. Even as economies slowly reopen and employees are finally allowed to return to work, companies will continue to be tasked with protecting employees from possible outbreak resurgences. Part of what made this possible has been the rapid deployment and development of smart work-from-home technologies. We have heard a lot about Zoom, Webex and Microsoft Teams, but we have also seen significant growth in the deployment of WFH devices, which has led to growing PC sales, as well as investment in new and improved connectivity. Now that companies have better equipped employees with tools and technology to be productive at home, we can expect to see this continue for the next few years at least.

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PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIAL COMPUTING Another approach to shoring up cybersecurity, particularly when addressing communications and data privacy, is confidential computing. The idea is to encrypt the entire computing process, not just the data, creating additional layers of security around sensitive information. Google, Microsoft, IBM, Alibaba, and VMware are helping develop new protocols and best practices by way of the Confidential Computing Consortium. The tech is still in a state of relative infancy, but we should begin to see confidential computing slide into the mainstream in 2021.

In sum, the coronavirus epidemic has changed both the trajectory and the velocity of digital transformation, and will continue to do so into 2021. The new priorities facing organisations of all sizes that we observed in 2020 will thus inform the focus, decisions and technology investments driving the list of digital transformation strategies, defining 2021 and the years ahead.

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IN THE SP OTLIGHT

START-UP OF THE MONTH No Big Deal is a new health and fitness app, bringing you exclusive rewards for walking, running and other feel-good activities. ne of Luxembourg’s latest apps, the concept of No Big Deal is very simple – you can earn rewards from your favourite brands for walking, running and reducing your screen time. You benefit by reaching your fitness goals and are then rewarded by companies that support your health and boost your motivation.

No Big Deal enables businesses of any size to incentivise their customers with exciting rewards. As a user, from the moment you open the app, you are greeted with pictures of exclusive rewards to explore, but you need to work 92

for them! First, you choose your reward, then you need to complete your challenge (whether it’s walking 10,000 steps or running 10km within a set timeframe), and then you will receive a QR code or e-coupon to redeem it. It could be a free trial at your local gym or a complimentary beverage at your favourite restaurant, for example. You can earn more than one reward, but you are limited to carrying out one at a time.

Co-founder Nigel Bergstra wanted to create an app that piqued human interest, as well as tapping into our instinctive drives for exploration, discovery and achievement.

“We founded No Big Deal to bring out the explorer, the treasure hunter in all of us, and incentivise community wellbeing in the process” Nigel Bergstra, Co-founder He said, “We founded No Big Deal to bring out the explorer, the treasure hunter in all of us, and incentivise community wellbeing in the process.”

The No Big Deal platform comprises the mobile app for users and an online portal for business partners. This enables brands to create their own challenges, manage their marketing campaign, and track progress in real time. The process has been designed for scalability, meaning it is entirely self-service, quick and intuitive.

Once a business has uploaded a reward and created the associated challenge, it becomes available to users in the mobile application.

The application has been developed from the ground up to create a journey and sense of achievement around the rewards. Not only is this great for users, it is the perfect

way for brands to create engaging, supportive experiences for consumers whilst promoting their products or services.

No Big Deal says there is a reward for everyone, and the app is entirely free to use. Available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store, the company plans to expand its focus beyond Luxembourg in 2021.

For further information, visit www.nobigdeal.io

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Merry Christmas from the Digital Innovation team

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