“Digital Payments Utsav” – A Festival of Digital Transformation

“Digital Payments Utsav” – A Festival of Digital Transformation

On 9th February 2023, the Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the ‘Digital Payments Utsav’ – a comprehensive campaign aimed at promoting digital payments across India. The “Digital Payments Utsav” is a 10-month-long festival that will showcase India’s journey towards digital transformation through a series of events and initiatives. The focus of the campaign will be to increase awareness and adoption of digital payments in the cities of Lucknow, Pune, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru, as part of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) event. Vision for a Complete Digital Credit System Rollout In his address, the Minister shared his vision of the complete rollout of the digital credit system in 2023 and directed National Payments Corporation of India to take the lead in this direction. He expressed his support for the Prime Minister’s vision of a digital revolution having a transformative impact on the hard-to-reach people in India. He also informed that Mission Bhashini – National Language Translation Mission and Digital Payments have come together to make UPI 123 Pay available in local languages, making it easier for people to make payments in their preferred language through voice. Efforts to Expand the Reach […]

Tech giant showcases solutions for Kingdom’s digital transformation

Tech giant showcases solutions for Kingdom’s digital transformation

Chinese tech giant Huawei highlighted tech applications designed to meet the needs of various sectors in the Kingdom, including government, at the LEAP 2023 global conference. (AN) Riyadh: Chinese tech giant Huawei highlighted tech applications designed to meet the needs of various sectors in the Kingdom, including government, at the LEAP 2023 global conference. The company’s end-to-end innovations, 5.5G, cloud computing, AI, digital power, cybersecurity and industry applications will help the world better manage the challenges it faces, the Riyadh forum was told. Huawei participated as a strategic partner for the forum, which ended on Thursday. in a speech titled “Ecopolis Now,” Safder Nazir, senior vice president for public sector at Huawei Middle East & Central Asia, addressed the triple challenge of sustainability, circularity and resilience facing the world. A national digital twin empowers government decision-makers with predictive intelligence to better manage such challenges and create a sovereign digital nation, he said. Huawei’s presence reflects its efforts to offer tech advances to more industries, and help governments and enterprises in the Kingdom and wider region achieve digital transformation. Nazir said that AI could help determine the amount of green space needed to translate into carbon credits as part of […]

Why Cirque Du Soleil Prioritizes Customer-Centric Digital Transformation

Why Cirque Du Soleil Prioritizes Customer-Centric Digital Transformation

Tony Uphoff hosts Philippe Lalumiere , Vice President of IT, Cirque du Soleil , and a featured speaker at the upcoming Digital CIO Summit , to discuss how he progressed to a career in information technology (IT) and his top priorities for the upcoming year. Register for your free Digital CIO Summit streaming pass here . To hear more data modernization and growth strategies from CIO practitioners, tune into Acceleration Economy’s Digital CIO Summit, which takes place April 4-6. Register for the free event here . Highlights 00:11 — Tony asks Lalumiere to give an overview of how he embarked on a career in IT and to describe his current role as Vice President of IT. Lalumiere’s IT career started “through the world of project management.” In 2018, he joined Cirque du Soleil as the company’s head of the Project Management Office. 01:16 — In 2019, he took over as the head of the Business Solution Delivery Unit, before being furloughed in 2020 due to the pandemic. In 2021, Lalumiere joined the team again, taking on the role of Vice President of IT. 02:20 — He describes how the company had to work to rebuild the team after the […]

The Importance Of Considering Collaboration During Digital Transformation

The Importance Of Considering Collaboration During Digital Transformation

Martin Birch, CEO and president of ibml , has 20 years of experience as a global leader in the intelligent information management industry. getty The last few years have permanently changed how we live, operate businesses, and integrate technology into our everyday lives. Most notably, we’ve shifted our mindsets from a hyper-individualistic culture to a more collaborative viewpoint. Many are emphasizing the greater good and how our actions impact the people around us. This paradigm shift in the fabric of our society is certainly not limited to how we connect and interact: It also heavily influences the way we do business and integrate new technologies. Here’s why collaboration is the key to digital transformation and how our businesses operate as a whole. Collaboration Boosts Employee Engagement During the pandemic, collaboration became center stage as companies scrambled to communicate and get work done in a fully remote environment. One study by Gartner indicates that after the first 18 months of the pandemic, 80% of workers reportedly used digital collaboration tools, up from 40% at the start of 2020. Additionally, the need for mixed meeting modalities in a remote work environment meant companies had to work together to implement the digital […]

Digital transformation creates new experiences for GCC-based UK investors

Digital transformation creates new experiences for GCC-based UK investors

Speed, accessibility and usability can help providers meet the growing demand of Middle Eastern investors. World-class technology designed around the customer is the solution What is the appetite for Middle Eastern investors looking to buy UK property, and have their expectations changed? Home purchases in some of the most exclusive UK postcodes have long been associated with Middle Eastern buyers. Although prime central London has historically served as the preferred location for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) investors, satellite locations such as Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Milton Keynes have grown in popularity in recent years as investors look to dodge the London premium, seek higher rental yields and diversify their portfolio — especially in the new-build market. The perceived long-term safe-haven benefits of UK property, and personal ties to the UK — such as enrolment of their children at world-class UK schools and universities — continue to play a major role in driving demand for British properties among GCC-based investors. The unstoppable rise of the digital economy means that, unless banks and lenders are prepared to be faster, more accessible and more user-friendly, opportunities with GCC buyers will be missed. At Nomo, we saw a chance to digitise the mortgage […]

World’s Largest Zinc Smelter Sees Opportunity in US Energy Bill

World’s Largest Zinc Smelter Sees Opportunity in US Energy Bill

WATCH: Korea Zinc, the world’s largest zinc smelter is betting on electric-car batteries in a move to decarbonize its fossil fuel-driven metals refining. The world’s largest zinc smelter is betting on electric car batteries and clean energy to help decarbonize its fossil fuel-driven metals refining business and hopes US President Joe Biden’s landmark climate bill will create opportunities rather than obstacles. Korea Zinc Co. , a Seoul-based company that processes many of the Earth’s major metals, is seeking to diversify into electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy sources, in addition to holding onto its almost half-a-century-old zinc refining roots, with the ambition of turning net zero by 2050. One of those moves that’s been drawing market watchers’ attention is a joint venture between Korea Zinc’s affiliate Kemco Co. and battery giant LG Chem Ltd. that makes investments in the production of precursor, a key element for EV cells. “Kemco itself will need to make significant investment in the near future in order to secure its position in the battery industry,” Korea Zinc Chairman Yun Choi said in an interview with Bloomberg News at the company’s office in Seoul on Thursday. It’s a “possibility that Korea Zinc will increase its […]

TikTok: a missed opportunity by health professionals to provide accurate weight loss information?

TikTok: a missed opportunity by health professionals to provide accurate weight loss information?

Obesity is a key risk factor for many non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. It has been associated with a reduction in life expectancy by 5-20 years. This makes weight-loss interventions important, and recent research has shown that social media may be successfully integrated into such interventions to curb the obesity epidemic. In this regard, a new Public Health study analyzed the 100 most trending TikTok videos related to weight loss. TikTok: a far-reaching opportunity for health professionals to address weight loss Background Cancer Research eBook Besides the risk of diseases mentioned above, a high body mass index is also associated with an inferior body image, which could lead to poor mental health. Generally, treatment strategies for obesity start with small goals leading up to a 5-10% loss. Changes in dietary habits and increased physical activity are generally recommended. The digital world has now transformed people from passive receivers of information to active seekers of information. Individuals can now reach out to people with similar health goals, and social media has a big role in this. Sharing and discussing "lived experiences” can be empowering for individuals trying to lose weight. Additionally, barriers such as cost and […]

Amazon's first HQ2 incentive payment delayed to at least 2026

Amazon’s first HQ2 incentive payment delayed to at least 2026

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) could have received its first HQ2-tied incentive payment from Virginia this July, based on its payment schedule with the commonwealth — but it has yet to apply for any funding, pushing disbursement at least three years into the future, the Washington Business Journal has learned. The e-commerce and cloud computing giant’s memorandum of understanding with Virginia requires it to formally apply for cash incentives based on its local hiring progress and capital investments, payments that could reach $750 million by 2039. To this point, the company has instead submitted progress reports to the commonwealth in April 2020, April 2021 and April 2022. The Washington Business Journal has obtained those reports through a Freedom of Information Act request. Under the MOU, agreed to in 2019, Amazon is required to submit its first application for payment no later than April 1, 2023. The choice to delay will push its first payment to at least July 1, 2026, the amount of which will be based on Amazon’s performance through Dec. 31, 2022, said Suzanne Clark, spokeswoman for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. In a statement, Amazon said it never intended to apply for payments prior to 2023. The […]

U.S. Businesses Need to Be More Prepared for Physical Risks

U.S. Businesses Need to Be More Prepared for Physical Risks

Summary. Today’s threat environment for businesses is more extreme than ever, with risk events like homicides, gun violence, and catastrophic weather on the rise. CEOs need to apply the same rigor to physical security as they do to cybersecurity. Business leaders need… With supply chain disruption, civil unrest, gun violence, global pandemics, catastrophic weather, war, inflation, and fear of recession, we’re in a new era of risk. Organizations have never faced a more extreme or uncertain threat environment. Business leaders should stop asking if they’ll face a crisis and get prepared for when . Most businesses are already doing this in the area of cybersecurity — which they view as the top business risk, according to recent data from PwC’s Pulse Survey . Now, CEOs need to apply the same rigor to physical security as they do to cybersecurity. Business leaders need to implement new operational strategies and cultivate new skills to protect their organizations. Specifically, this means creating new risk frameworks and implementing well-defined crisis plans to protect their organizations proactively. In short: Prepare now, or be caught unawares when the next crisis hits. Threats have been increasing Leaders should start by assessing today’s risk landscape and identifying […]

The Walt Disney Company Announces Strategic Restructuring, Restoring Accountability to Creative Businesses

The Walt Disney Company Announces Strategic Restructuring, Restoring Accountability to Creative Businesses

The Walt Disney Company today announced details of its strategic restructuring that will refocus the organization on creativity, empower creative leaders and ensure they are accountable for all aspects of their businesses globally, and put the company’s streaming business on a path to sustained growth and profitability. Effective immediately, the company will be organized into three core, collaborative business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. The leaders of each business segment will have full operational control and financial responsibility for creative development, marketing, technology, sales, and distribution, and will be accountable for driving business efficiencies globally. “For nearly 100 years, storytelling and creativity have fueled The Walt Disney Company, with virtually every interaction we have with our consumers emanating from something creative,” said Robert A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “I am committed to positioning this company for a new era of growth. Our strategic restructuring will return creativity to the center of the company, increase accountability, improve results, and ensure the quality of our content and experiences.” Disney Entertainment will be co-chaired by Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, who will be responsible for the company’s full portfolio of entertainment media and […]