Industry news

Avanade, the leading provider of innovative digital and cloud services, business solutions and design-led experiences for its clients, today announced that it will help Aspect to manage its IT platform with scalable product support and development, supporting the company’s strong growth trajectory.

Rapid transformation in the global commodities trading market combined with often dramatic volatility in the global trading prices for oil and gas, has driven exponential growth in demand from FTSE 100 and S&P 500 companies for Aspect’s cloud-based trade, risk and market data solutions. The company needs an IT platform to meet this demand while also delivering the improved operational efficiency that is key to its growth ambitions.

Another boost for the UK economy as a survey from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply suggests that the manufacturing sector is growing at a healthy pace. The manufacturing PMI jumped to 57.3, well above 50 (an indication of stagnation), as the weak pound and an undercurrent of global stability helped boost confidence.

Related news: CBI Notes Export Increase

Theresa May has managed to back herself into a corner in Brexit negotiations before they have really started by declaring she can be ‘Bloody difficult’. After rumours of a disastrous meeting with Jean-Claude Junker, the European Commission President, Theresa May stressed her credentials, but to some it might appear slightly childish to start negotiations in such a chilly and robust way.

Related news: Tories to Target Take-overs

Hull City Council has entered a new partnership with Civica Digital, a division within the Civica Group which provides organisations with end-to-end digital solutions. The new engagement will see Civica Digital provide a Digital Enablement Suite to increase the efficiency of back office automation. You can read more of the story here.

Related news: Newark and Sherwood Council Join with Civica

Wipro unveiled its new brand identity that signifies a higher level of engagement and brand permission that helps clients leverage Wipro’s expertise to address their business requirements and drive future opportunities in this digital era. The new brand identity marks Wipro’s emergence as a trusted digital transformation partner to clients, delivering at global scale with increasingly localized capabilities, and leveraging hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics, cognitive and emerging technologies. Click here to read more.

Related news: Data Discovery Platform from Wipro and IBM

The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) has awarded National Grid Gas Distribution Ltd, in partnership with DNV GL, a major new innovation contract which will seek to improve the way gas bills are calculated, and enable the use of lower carbon alternative gases to fuel the homes and businesses of the future.

Related news: Energy Firms Face Price Cap

The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will have a global impact when it goes into effect on 25th May, 2018, according to Gartner, Inc. Gartner predicts that by the end of 2018, more than 50 per cent of companies affected by the GDPR will not be in full compliance with its requirements. You can read the full story here.

Related news: KPMG Warns Against Brexit Complacency

Indian IT services firm, Infosys, says it has plans to hire 10,000 workers in the US over the next two years and open two new tech hubs in the United States over the next few years. Indian IT firms have become a target in the US after Trump pointed the finger at them for outsourcing American jobs. The Indian IT service industries relies heavily on the H1-B visa program, which U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered federal agencies to review. You can read more here.

Related news: Infosys Looking to Avoid Distraction, Trump Continues Outsourcing Attack

The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has called on party leaders to remember other business policies rather than simply talk about Brexit on the campaign. The BCC wants parties to consider business environment and upgrades to infrastructure.

Related news: UK Election Announced

The Tories are likely to unveil plans this week in their election manifesto over takeovers by foreign firms. In a move to raise further drawbridges around the UK economy, plans to scrutinise foreign take-overs of more than 25% in business considered critical national infrastructure could be included by the party in the election campaign.

Related news: BCC Warns of Brexit Tunnel Vision