UBDS Digital taking lifecycle transformation approach

UBDS Digital taking lifecycle transformation approach

chombosan – stock.adobe.com chombosan – stock.adobe.com By Customers are looking for digital transformation specialists that can provide more than just a one-and-done approach and are prepared to guide them through a process that can take years to evolve and implement. The phrase “digital lifecycle specialist” is one that Diptesh Patel, CEO at UBDS Digital , argues is the right approach to take to provide customers with a consultative partnership. The firm has a range of customers from central government to financial services players, and recently bulked out The UBDS Group’s security credentials with the recent acquisition of 3B Data Security. Patel said the business, which started life in 2019, was now 175 staff strong and – although it did not share results publicly – would generate around £21m in net revenue in the last fiscal year. “We’re very focused on supporting clients on their outcomes, rather than being a resource augmentation type of organisation. So, looking at a focus on infrastructure, project and programme management of client side delivery, and also around some of the technical capabilities around Microsoft and infrastructure, more so networks,” he said. “Everyone talks about digital transformation [and positioning themselves] as a digital transformation partner. […]

18F shutters, leaving agencies without a key partner in digital transformation; GSA tells agencies to terminate contracts with top-10 consulting firms

The General Services Administration has eliminated its 18F program , an internal team of tech consultants and engineers that develops open-source tools to improve digital services across the federal government. The announcement, which came over the weekend, is the latest in the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to slash the federal workforce. The move was foreshadowed weeks ago when Elon Musk, who’s become become the figurehead for the Trump administration’s slashing of government programs and the federal workforce, tweeted that the decade-old program had been “deleted.” Early Saturday morning, Thomas Shedd — a mechanical engineer and former Tesla employee recently appointed as the director of GSA’s Technology Transformation Services, which houses 18F — announced the program had been eliminated as part of the ongoing reduction-in-force effort, according to an email viewed by FedScoop. A GSA spokesperson also confirmed the terminations to FedScoop on Saturday, writing in an email that members of the 18F office were notified that they had been identified as part of GSA’s Reduction in Force and reorganization plan and were being separated from federal service. The top-10 highest-paid consulting firms contracting with the federal government are set to make “$65 billion in fees” in 2025 and beyond, […]

AI in public sector: A call for digital transformation

AI in public sector: A call for digital transformation

Screens are seen at the InaTEWS earthquake and tsunami monitoring room at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) headquarters in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, on Sept. 30, 2024. The BMKG ensures that the agency issues a disaster warning within three minutes of the first detection. (Antara/M Riezko Bima Elko Prasetyo) T he adoption of artificial intelligence in Indonesia’s public sector remains a formidable challenge. While AI holds immense potential to revolutionize governance, enhance decision-making and improve public service delivery, Indonesia’s current standing in global AI indices reveals significant gaps. In the 2024 Global AI Index, Indonesia ranks 49th out of 83 countries, trailing behind regional peers like Singapore and Malaysia. Similarly, the Government AI Readiness Index 2024 places Indonesia at 38th out of 181 nations, highlighting gaps in policy, infrastructure and technical capacity. The Stanford AI Index further underscores Indonesia’s absence from the top-50 countries in AI research output, patents and investment. Meanwhile, the Global Innovation Index 2024 ranks Indonesia 54th out of 133 countries, reflecting insufficient investment in R&D and digital infrastructure. These rankings reveal a stark reality: Indonesia is lagging in the global AI race. Without decisive action, the country risks being left behind in the digital […]

UTS completes digital transformation with Boomi support

UTS completes digital transformation with Boomi support

Story image The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has completed a digital transformation project integrating Boomi to enhance student experiences and streamline administrative processes. UTS serves over 40,000 students, which requires efficient handling of a vast amount of enrolment and academic data. The recent project involved migrating the core student management platform to the cloud, facilitated by Boomi’s Managed Cloud Services (MCS). This move is intended to improve the institution’s capacity to provide rapid, data-driven services. Anthony Heiler, Head of Enterprise Platforms at UTS, noted, "In April this year, we migrated our formerly on-premises core student management platform to the cloud, making Technology One our first major user of MCS. It was a huge piece of work, requiring a rejig of 400 integrations. Yet, this was practically a non-event, which was a huge relief to the organisation. Because we worked with Boomi to ensure MCS was ‘right sized’ to handle the load, students didn’t feel a thing." Boomi’s MCS offers UTS fast and scalable access to cloud services without the need for configuration, monitoring, or management on their part, allowing the university’s IT team to focus on process automation. Heiler further explained, "Rather than maintaining integrations, we’ve invested in […]

Adobe: Driving Singapore’s digital transformation through Smart Nation 2.0

Adobe: Driving Singapore’s digital transformation through Smart Nation 2.0

Adobe Driving Singapore’s digital transformation through Smart Nation 2.0 Singapore has long been at the forefront of digital transformation, pioneering the Smart Nation initiative since 2014 to enhance public services, improve quality of life, and strengthen economic competitiveness. Over the past decade, the government has built a robust digital infrastructure, introducing innovations such as Singpass, PayNow, and AI-driven healthcare solutions. These efforts have positioned Singapore as a global leader in smart governance, with a clear focus on seamless digital experiences for citizens and businesses. As Singapore enters the next phase— Smart Nation 2.0 —the government is sharpening its focus on three key pillars: Trust, Growth, and Community. This evolution acknowledges that while much progress has been made, emerging challenges require new strategies. Cybersecurity, AI governance, and digital inclusivity have become top priorities, as Singapore seeks to balance rapid innovation with responsible and ethical technology adoption. According to John Mackenney, Director, Digital Strategy Group APAC, Adobe, Smart Nation 2.0 presents a bold vision for a trusted, inclusive, and future-ready digital government. He notes, “While nearly all public services are now online and Singapore has done well in maintaining citizen satisfaction in customer experience, there remains room for improvement in digital […]

Explore South Africa's Digital Future at the 35th Digital Transformation Summit

Explore South Africa’s Digital Future at the 35th Digital Transformation Summit

Physical conference on March 12 at Johannesburg, South Africa Johannesburg, South Africa, Mar 4, 2025 – (ACN Newswire) – South Africa has made significant progress in transferring its government, businesses, and public services to digital platforms, thereby promoting inclusive growth. The key to this transition is increasing access to digital technologies and ensuring that all citizens are included in the digital world through effective regulations. The South Africa Connect (SA Connect) effort, which began in 2018, intends to connect underserved and rural areas by linking 42,000 government buildings, including schools and healthcare facilities, by 2026. Phase 1 connected 970 government buildings in eight rural districts, laying the framework for future growth. Phase 2, which began in late 2023, aims to connect an additional 882,000 households with an R2.4 billion investment. This phase also involves a feasibility assessment conducted in partnership with the Popular Bank of Southern Africa to identify the most effective rollout techniques. Through these initiatives, the program hopes to minimise the digital divide, promote digital inclusion, and enable residents to participate in the digital economy, thereby promoting both social and economic progress. Over View of the event: The 35th Edition of the Digital Transformation Summit is a […]

Driving Digital Transformation in Freight: The Catalyst Role of eFTI and VWT

Driving Digital Transformation in Freight: The Catalyst Role of eFTI and VWT

Mikael Lind PhD, (Adjunct) Professor in Maritime Informatics, Senior Strategic Research Advisor Safety and Transport, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden | 4.03.2025 Share Fot. AdobeStock/ipopba Co-authors: Wolfgang Lehmacher, Rudy Hemeleers, Jan Bergstrand, Lasse Nykänen, Toni Penttinen and Ulla Tapaninen. This shift enhances real-time data sharing and automation, enabling stakeholders to anticipate and mitigate disruptions while optimising operations and minimising environmental impact. The electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) European regulation , set to become effective on 9 July 2027, aims to transform the logistics and transport sector across the European Union (EU) by digitising freight documentation and facilitating the electronic exchange of information. eFTI can be seen as an enabler that obliges authorities to accept digital freight information. Companies can innovate and refine their processes to fully leverage this capability, aligning their operations with sustainability and efficiency objectives. Alongside this legislative development, the global VWT (virtualwatchtower.org) is a collaborative ecosystem geared towards innovation for improved supply chain and freight management, focussing on primary data sharing across supply chain networks. VWT is powered by TWIN – a digital architecture developed to enable paperless trade. Both initiatives, VWT and TWIN build and support an ecosystem of actors who use the solutions. VWT […]

‘Make in India’ initiative, Ennoconn is set to boost industrial automation, digital transformation

‘Make in India’ initiative, Ennoconn is set to boost industrial automation, digital transformation

The Taiwanese company has registered a company in Tamil Nadu with plans to bring their products to the domestic market, according to reports New Delhi: In yet another boost for the ‘Make in India’ initiative, Ennoconn, which is a Foxconn subsidiary, is set to start operations in the country with a focus on industrial automation and digital transformation market. The Taiwanese company has registered a company in Tamil Nadu with plans to bring their products to the domestic market, according to reports. Its parent firm Foxconn operates an Apple iPhone assembly plant in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu , employing 40,000 workers. Ennoconn Corporation is a global leader in integrated cloud management services, Industrial IoT and embedded technology. In 2007, Ennoconn became a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group, headquartered in New Taipei City . Ennoconn Group delivers world-class industrial IoT and embedded technology, design manufacturing services, IT and system integration services into high-growth markets, including Smart City, Smart Manufacturing, Smart Retail, Financial Services, and Media and Entertainment. “We deliver Digital Transformation strategies across all internal design, manufacturing, and supply chain platforms and disciplines,” according ton the company. Currently, the India market is dominated by players including Siemens, Taiwan-based Advantech and Rockwell […]

The Evolving Role of CIOs in the Digital & Sustainable Age

The Evolving Role of CIOs in the Digital & Sustainable Age

Michael Ringman, CIO at Telus Digital, explains the changing role of a CIO Telus Digital executive highlights how Chief Information Officers have evolved with strategy, digital transformation and environmental responsibility The role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) has evolved alongside development across multiple economic cycles. Once primarily responsible for maintaining computer systems and resolving technical issues, CIOs now hold positions on corporate boards with direct influence on business strategy, sustainability initiatives and revenue growth – reflecting the accelerating pace of digital transformation across industries globally. According to PwC’s Pulse Survey on business reinvention, executives have prioritised investments in emerging technologies, including Gen AI for the 2025 financial year. Michael Ringman, CIO at Telus Digital, explains that this shift positions technology leaders at the centre of organisational strategy. “The modern CIO is entering an era that demands strategic oversight and decisive action to shape the future of tech leadership in organisations,” he says. Telus Digital CIO outlines historical progression of technology leadership The evolution of the CIO position reflects broader technological and economic developments over four decades. During the 1980s, when enterprise computing began its expansion, CIOs focused on maintaining operational integrity of back-end systems. CIO at Telus Digital, […]

Building a Digital Roadmap for procurement technology transformation (Part 1) — The foundations

Building a Digital Roadmap for procurement technology transformation (Part 1) — The foundations

Adobe Stock A successful procurement digital transformation starts with a clear roadmap. Without one, organizations risk fragmented investments that fail to deliver value. Although there’s no universal approach (each roadmap must align with business priorities, existing capabilities, and long-term goals), this article explores the foundational elements of any digital roadmap, from defining transformation objectives to structuring initiatives using the Double Diamond framework. Learn how to prioritize procurement processes, balance automation with intelligence, and set the stage for a scalable, impactful digital journey. This article requires a free Basic membership. Please log in or create an account to view this article