As organisations continue along the road to Digital Transformation, many are reaping the benefits of engaging professional services to assist with the delivery of strategic goals. We hear from Richard Shaw, Director, Argantic, who says: “Professional services are essential for businesses to succeed in today’s rapidly changing technology landscape.” Professional services play a critical role in helping businesses to adopt cloud technologies and successfully undergo Digital Transformation. These services provide businesses with the expertise, experience and support needed to navigate the complexities of cloud computing and Digital Transformation, ensuring that technology investments deliver the desired results. Richard Shaw, Director, Argantic The widespread adoption of cloud computing has changed the way businesses approach professional services. Cloud-based solutions offer flexible, scalable and cost-effective alternatives to traditional on-premise technology solutions. As a result, professional services in ICT are increasingly focused on cloud migrations, cloud security and cloud management. Professional services are an essential part of any cloud adoption and Digital Transformation strategy. They provide businesses with the expertise, experience and support needed to ensure that their technology investments deliver the desired results and help them to remain competitive in today’s rapidly changing business environment. Whether you’re looking to migrate to the cloud […]

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Ajit Kolhe is the World Wide Partner Lead for Automotive at AWS. He builds and scales market differentiating solutions to solve customers’ unique business Digital Transformation Digital Transformation Digital Transformation Technology Magazine is the ‘Digital Community’ for the global technology industry. Technology Magazine covers the ‘7 Pillars of Digital Journey’ – Digital Transformation, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Digital Ecosystems, Strategic Alliances, Data & Data Analytics and AI – connecting the world’s largest community of enterprise IT and technology executives. Technology Magazine focuses on technology news, key technology interviews, technology videos, the ‘Technology Podcast’ series along with an ever-expanding range of focused technology white papers and webinars.

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Jacob Lund via Getty Images Dive Brief: Corporate board directors are struggling to oversee the rapidly evolving threat of cyberattacks, according to a report from Diligent Institute , which specializes in corporate governance issues. They consider cyber and data security as their most challenging issue. The report, based on a survey of 300 directors, shows corporate boards are struggling to understand cybersecurity and digital transformation issues. Nearly half of board members are pursuing director education programs to prepare themselves for new breach disclosure rules the Securities and Exchange Commission is proposing, according to the report. Dive Insight: The report underscores how the surge in sophisticated cyberthreats – including ransomware – in recent years has challenged traditional corporate governance. Cybersecurity and business interruption are now considered the top corporate risks, according to research from Allianz Group. Data security is a priority issue at the most senior levels of U.S. corporations. Business leaders are now facing requirements to rapidly share intelligence with industry partners while remaining upfront with customers and transparent with investors and government regulators. “Overseeing cyber risk is incredibly challenging,” Dottie Schindlinger, executive director of Diligent Institute, said via email. “With the global cost of cybercrime expected to reach […]

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Irina Gutyryak It has been a rough ride for WestRock (NYSE: WRK ) shareholders. The stock has declined 45% over the past five years and is down nearly 25% in the last year, significantly underperforming the broader market. Shares declined last week after the company withdrew full-year EBITDA guidance citing weakness in its global paper segment and an uncertain demand outlook (high customer inventories) given the economic environment. While the global paper segment, which represented ~30% of EBITDA (3 year average), is subject to greater volatility than the company’s consumer packaging and corrugated packaging segments, I believe the market has overly discounted WestRock shares which now sell for just ~8x current year (depressed) free cash flow per share. As I discuss below, I see modest upside even if the business continues to experience weak results and significant (+150%) upside should management achieve its 2025 targets. Reasons to like WestRock Improved industry structure following years of industry consolidation. Ten years ago, the top five players controlled less than 50% of the corrugated packaging market. After a decade of consolidation, the top 4 players now control 75-80% of the market which creates a much more favorable dynamic in terms of capacity […]

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Officials had to submit five places filmmakers might be interested in and those places included Riverfront Park, areas in downtown Beaumont and Tyrell Park. BEAUMONT, Texas — Southeast Texans who hope to work on film and television sets may soon see their dreams become reality right in Beaumont. City officials are hoping to jump on a trend sweeping the state and attract filmmakers through a new film production certification. They believe the idea could generate millions of dollars without costing the city a cent. Beaumont officials have already taken the steps to get certified through the Texas Film Commission. If the idea is approved, historical buildings in downtown Beaumont could become sound stages and lush views along Riverfront Park could become a backdrop for films. Officials had to submit five places filmmakers might be interested in and those places included Riverfront Park, areas in downtown Beaumont and Tyrrell Park. Beaumont officials came up with the idea in January. “It doesn’t cost the city at all once we become certified upon our council approval,” Miles Haynes, assistant to the city manager, said. The idea is expected to go in front of the Beaumont City Council soon. Haynes is leading the […]

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Source: Shutterstock Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AEIS ), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw a significant share price rise of over 20% in the past couple of months on the NASDAQGS. As a mid-cap stock with high coverage by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the company’s outlook is already priced into the stock. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Today I will analyse the most recent data on Advanced Energy Industries’s outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists. What Is Advanced Energy Industries Worth? The share price seems sensible at the moment according to my price multiple model, where I compare the company’s price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. In this instance, I’ve used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stock’s cash flows. I find that Advanced Energy Industries’s ratio of 18.89x is trading slightly above its industry peers’ ratio of 17.55x, which means if you buy Advanced Energy Industries today, you’d be paying a relatively reasonable price for it. And if you believe that Advanced Energy Industries should be trading at this […]

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The Texas Legislature has a record amount of money to spend as it writes the next two-year state budget – but will it? In May 2022 file photo, a Super Flower Blood Moon eclipse rises over the Goddess of Liberty atop the Texas State Capitol in Austin. AUSTIN — Texas lawmakers have a stunning — some say unprecedented — opportunity to improve state residents’ well-being and educational attainment by tapping some of the nearly $70 billion that’s available this year for new initiatives. But will they? Why do they seem to loathe, at least initially, to propose much new state spending — other than to again buy down local school property taxes? As Senate hearings on the next two-year state budget kicked off last week, Comptroller Glenn Hegar spoke of a “historic and unprecedented” flow of money into the treasury since Texas emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. When the current budget cycle ends on Aug. 31, Hegar expects a $32.7 billion balance in the state’s general fund. But in addition to the whopping “revenue surplus,” as some call it, Hegar projects that $155.5 billion of general-purpose revenue will be collected in 2024-25. Compared with current spending of $119.2 billion, […]

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Despite difficult January 1st renewals, the outlook for agriculture business looks very promising for 2023, with growth opportunities for reinsurers, according to Aon’s January Reinsurance Market Dynamics report. Historically profitable markets saw only minor changes, but territories with recent losses experienced hardening terms, Aon analysts observed. These changes were driven by the outsized Brazil loss of 2021 – which developed and was quantifiable in 2022 -, the continued increase in commodity prices and the strengthening of the U.S. dollar. A shortage of capacity, along with the withdrawal of a major reinsurer and others having to reduce their agriculture portfolios, has also fuelled the hardening terms. Pro-rata capacity has been in short supply, as some reinsurers only offered pro-rata capacity in limited territories. Those continuing to support pro-rata were often able to improve terms and would only commit capacity if modelled margins showed a reasonable increase year-over- year. Despite these improvements, Aon noted, pro-rata treaties were difficult to fill out, and in certain territories, clients had to reduce their EPI to ensure full placement. On top of this, the strong dollar has meant that 40 percent more capacity is required over last year for the U.S., the world’s largest crop […]

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NYC Mayor’s Office | Flickr New York City launched applications for small businesses to receive pandemic relief funding through a new loan program called the “NYC Small Business Opportunity Fund” on Jan. 23. Through the city’s Department of Small Business Services, $75 million will be distributed to approximately 1,500 local businesses in the five boroughs.The Small Business Opportunity Fund is a part of a public-private partnership between Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Mastercard Inc. Additionally, eight different community development financial institutions are also a part of the partnership, according to Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin Kim in a news conference .Small businesses may apply for loans up to $250,000 at a market-leading rate of 4%. Businesses must make a revenue of less than $5 million and will be allowed to use the loan to refinance higher-interest debts. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the financial help arrives at a time when the city’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is reaching a crucial point in time. He added that the loan fund is the city’s way of “giving back” to the small businesses that kept the city going. “Our efforts to cut red tape and jumpstart our recovery are […]

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