Author: head dubai

Science & Tech

Microsoft to add more fizz to Coca-Cola with 5-year pact

head dubai April 28, 2020 No Comments

San Francisco: The Coca-Cola Company on Monday announced a five-year agreement with Microsoft for an undisclosed sum to utilise the capabilities of Microsoft Azure, Dynamics 365 and Microsoft 365.

The solutions will help Coca-Cola gain new insights from data across the enterprise, enabling a 360-degree view of the business, and providing enhanced customer and employee experiences.

Coca-Cola “is taking its digital innovation a step further, leveraging Dynamics 365, Microsoft 365 and Azure to better connect people and opportunities through breakthrough productivity and powerful information management that will drive continued business success over the next decade,” said Judson Althoff, executive vice president, Worldwide Commercial Business, Microsoft.

Once deployed, new Dynamics 365 AI-driven insights and real-time dashboards will allow call centre managers to monitor performance metrics for overall employee satisfaction scores and benefit from real-time insights into which call topics are driving scores.

These investments will also enable The Coca-Cola Company to access the latest innovations in the Dynamics 365 portfolio of applications and expanding capabilities, the companies said in a statement.

“This partnership with Microsoft allows us to really step change our employee experience through replacing previously disparate and fragmented systems. These platforms allow us to deliver relevant, personalised experiences as we network our organisation,” said Barry Simpson, senior vice president and chief information and integrated services officer of The Coca-Cola Company.

The Coca-Cola Company is also rolling out Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams worldwide, equipping employees with a single hub to connect and collaborate across chat, calling, meetings and documents.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Coca-Cola said it is leveraging Microsoft’s collaboration technologies to support the increased demand of a largely remote workforce.

Coca-Cola offers over 500 brands in more than 200 countries and territories.

Sports

COVID-19: Fate of new 100-ball cricket event in England hangs in balance

head dubai April 28, 2020 No Comments

London: England cricket chief Tom Harrison says the controversial Hundred has become “even more important” due to the economic damage from coronavirus ahead of a meeting that will decide the fate of the new competition.

Last week, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) further delayed the start of the 2020 season until July 1 at the earliest but said the inaugural Hundred would be on the agenda this Wednesday.

The new 100-balls-per-side format, to be played by eight franchises rather than English cricket’s established 18 first-class counties, is meant to start in July.

ECB officials have long insisted it will attract a new audience vital to safeguarding cricket’s future, with some matches set to be broadcast live on terrestrial television.

But public health restrictions, the problems of bringing in overseas stars and the issue of launch costs at a time of economic crisis mean a delay appears inevitable.

“We’ll look at how the situation impacts the Hundred, which was envisaged as being a tournament that enabled us to widen the audience for the game,” said Harrison.

“With an in-stadia environment, with international players, it’s going to be very, very difficult.”

Many voices within English cricket have been opposed to the Hundred from the outset, arguing there is no space for a new format in an already congested calendar.

They say many of the ECB’s aims could be achieved with better support for the existing Twenty20 Blast.

Sports

In pictures: Sport takes baby steps to make a comeback in June-July

head dubai April 28, 2020 No Comments

Bundesliga: The top tier of Germany’s football leagues are set to be the first among top European leagues to resume action from May 9, albeit behind closed doors. Most of the clubs started training from mid-April, in small groups of four to seven, for a continuation of the 2019-2020 season. The German Football League (DFL) is planning to play matches behind closed doors to finish the campaign by the end of June, subject to a final clearance by the local authorities.

Premier League: All eyes of course are trained on when the most widely followed football league in the world, as the coronavirus pandemic is still not under control in the United Kindom. A media report says that the league has submitted a ‘Project Restart’ report to the stakeholders which looks at a resumption of June 8 with matches behind closed doors. There are 92 matches still to be played and the authorities have drawn up a blueprint which stipulates a total attendance of 400 people – including players, officials and media who have tested negative for the virus, to be allowed entry.

Sports

Next year’s Olympics to be cancelled if COVID-19 pandemic not over: Games chief

head dubai April 28, 2020 No Comments

TOKYO: The postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be cancelled if the coronavirus pandemic isn’t brought under control by next year, the organising committee’s president said in comments published Tuesday.

The pandemic has already forced a year-long delay of the Games, which are now scheduled to open on July 23, 2021, but Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori said no further postponement was possible.

In an interview with Japan’s Nikkan Sports daily, Mori was categorical when asked if the Olympics could be delayed until 2022 if the pandemic remains a threat next year, replying: “No.”

If the virus is successfully contained, “we’ll hold the Olympics in peace next summer”, he added. “Mankind is betting on it.”

Under heavy pressure from athletes and sports associations, Japanese organisers and the International Olympic Committee agreed in March to a year-long postponement of the Games.

Organisers and Japanese officials have said the delayed Olympics will be a chance to showcase the world’s triumph over the coronavirus, but questions have arisen about whether even a year’s postponement is sufficient.

On Tuesday, the head of Japan Medical Association warned it would be “exceedingly difficult” to hold the Games next year if a vaccine had not been found.

“I would not say that they should not be held, but it would be exceedingly difficult,” Yoshitake Yokokura told reporters at a briefing.

“In that case, it’s cancelled,” Mori said.

Mori said the Games had been cancelled previously only during wartime and compared the battle against coronavirus to “fighting an invisible enemy”.

Business

Abu Dhabi’s Hub71 gets in more startups

head dubai April 28, 2020 No Comments

Abu Dhabi: Fifteen startups have joined Abu Dhabi based Hub71’s incentive programme, where the benefits include free housing and office space for two years. They also get free medical insurance. “Seed” companies get to avail of these services, while “emergent” companies can access 50 per cent subsidises for three years.

“The 15 winning startups will add immense value to Abu Dhabi in terms of knowledge-sharing and ecosystem diversity as the world rapidly accelerates its digital transformation,” said Ibrahim Ajami, interim CEO of Hub71 and Head of Ventures at Mubadala Investment Company. “Like our startups, Hub71 is rising to the challenges COVID-19 is presenting, and we are adapting to the needs of our wider community alongside the government, businesses and our community of entrepreneurs.

Diverse origins

The 15 startups include US-based healthtech company Aumet, with the firm able to connect 50,000 medical manufacturers with distributors for essential Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for hospitals. Others include Altibbi, the end-to-end Arabic language digital health information platform from Jordan, and Kinderly, a UK-based early childhood edtech company.

Hub71 now houses 51 startups. “It’ll be technology companies that prevail in these challenging times,” said Eddy Skaf, deputy CEO of the cluster. “The VCs (venture capitalists) Hub71 has partnered with or are part of the community are still sourcing for their investment pipeline and finalising deals with startups. So we are encouraging our startup community to keep calm and continue fund raising.”

Business

COVID-19 counter: UAE F&B businesses to launch own food order-delivery app

head dubai April 28, 2020 No Comments

Dubai: More than 100 small and mid-sized F&B outlets in Dubai are coming together to launch their own order booking and delivery app and take on Zomato, Talabat, Uber Eats and others. The app could be ready to roll in three months.

Orders made through the app will also have no servicing fee imposed on the consumer.

The decision to launch follows the break down in talks between these F&B outlets and “food aggregators” – the online portals that take in orders and even deliver them – on the issue of the commissions they charge restaurants. These fees can make up to 35 per cent of an order (if delivery is included as well), and with the discounts and other costs added, there is little left for F&B owners to survive on.

Businesses say that such high commissions can only be justified when they had their restaurants and cafes running at full capacity.

Their situation has turned dire after the one-month long restrictions on commercial and social activity. Now, even with the restrictions rolled back gradually, there are still clear limits on the number of patrons F&B outlets can serve at any one point. (It should not exceed 30 per cent and there should be safe distances between tables and seating arrangements.)

“Most aggregators have outright rejected our request for commission reductions,” said Shanavas Mohammed of the Golden Fork chain. “Some only offered partial deferment of commissions – and right now, that’s not much.

“More than ever, the restaurant community in the UAE feels our interests are not best served by food aggregators. This app service will be owned and operated by the restaurant owners.”

F&B 2
Partial openings… Some F&B operators continue to shutter some of their operations as the cost-to-revenue mix remains fraught.
Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
What F&B operators want
The demand has been for all aggregators to cap their commissions at 15 per cent of the total sale price because “they are also charging customers for delivery,” according to one business owner.

Business

Virus hit: HSBC bad loan charges could touch $11b

head dubai April 28, 2020 No Comments

London: HSBC Holdings Plc cautioned bad loan charges may climb to as much as $11 billion this year – the highest since the last financial crisis as the coronavirus pandemic halts economic activity around the world.

Adjusted profit slumped 51 per cent and expected credit losses surged to $3 billion in the first three months of the year, driven in part by a Singaporean client exposure, according to its earnings statement. The Asia-focused bank also pushed back parts of its restructuring programme until at least till the end of 2020.

Newly appointed CEO Noel Quinn’s plan to boost profitability at Europe’s biggest lender is being curtailed by the virus outbreak that has also shaken peers worldwide. Even as turbulent markets boosted trading income, the biggest banks in the US set aside about $25 billion in the quarter to cover bad loans, while loan losses are also mounting in Europe.

HSBC estimated that expected credit losses may reach $7 billion to $11 billion this year. That will result in “materially lower profitability” in 2020, which will be cushioned by lower expenses. “The impact will vary by sectors of the economy, with heightened risk to the oil and gas, transport and discretionary consumer sectors,” according to HSBC.

Business

COVID-19 counter: UAE F&B businesses to launch own food order-delivery app

head dubai April 28, 2020 No Comments

Dubai: More than 100 small and mid-sized F&B outlets in Dubai are coming together to launch their own order booking and delivery app and take on Zomato, Talabat, Uber Eats and others. The app could be ready to roll in three months.

Orders made through the app will also have no servicing fee imposed on the consumer.

The decision to launch follows the break down in talks between these F&B outlets and “food aggregators” – the online portals that take in orders and even deliver them – on the issue of the commissions they charge restaurants. These fees can make up to 35 per cent of an order (if delivery is included as well), and with the discounts and other costs added, there is little left for F&B owners to survive on.

Businesses say that such high commissions can only be justified when they had their restaurants and cafes running at full capacity.

Their situation has turned dire after the one-month long restrictions on commercial and social activity. Now, even with the restrictions rolled back gradually, there are still clear limits on the number of patrons F&B outlets can serve at any one point. (It should not exceed 30 per cent and there should be safe distances between tables and seating arrangements.)

Uncategorized

Lilly Iaschelcic

head dubai April 23, 2020 No Comments

 

Lilly Iaschelcic, combines beauty, athleticism, and intelligence and maximises her natural gifts with determination, dedication, and diligence to exceed potential in multiple fields, all whilst maintaining elegance and integrity.

 


Her beauty and determination has seen her become a successful model held in high esteem by many exclusive and boutique fashion designers. She is the face of Esthetica Clinic one of London’s leading laser treatment centres, was crowned Miss Monaco Grand Prix in 2018, and is now to appear on the other side as a judge in the next Miss Philippines.
Her athleticism and dedication have seen her rise to the top as a black belt Taekwondo champion, regularly beating better known international stars in local competitions. She has now won the English Open Championship 3 years in a row and will defend it again in 2020.
Her intelligence and diligence have seen her qualify as a vet, work for a year in a practice in Chelsea, and then cross over into human medicine. She will shortly be awarded her second degree from the internationally renowned British College of Osteopathic Medicine.
This might be enough for some but she also manages to actively support and promote both the Global Kidney Foundation and Save The Children charities.
Lilly has a deep rooted kindness and some her friends will feel this as she converts them from meat lovers to veganism – kind to them and the animals! Her strong moral and ethical code born from her own freewill and strength of mind means she leads well and follows rarely. This is a Russian girl you won’t catch wearing fur !

Uncategorized

Ali El Husseini

head dubai April 18, 2020 No Comments

In Africa, the opportunities for land administration reform – that is, securing and providing titles and deeds to millions of property owners who previously did not have the privilege – drive the heart of the technology and bundles of products and services Medici Land Governance (MLG) is developing.

Africa is an especially important continent to us at MLG because we are recognizing the potential of the young people’s desire for entrepreneurial small business opportunities and their rapid capabilities for adopting technology. Many African countries have, on average, millions more of young people in comparison to elsewhere in the world. For example, Rwanda is among the youngest countries, in terms of age demographics.

We see mutually strategic benefits and opportunities for working with governments both on a local and national level to reform their land administrations systems with a blockchain platform that provides streamlined, secure access to titles, deeds, and all pertinent information about properties. More importantly, MLG is incorporating a broad bundle of technological applications, such as drones, to augment the work of enumerators working in the field. The net result will be that people who previously were unable to secure legal titles and deeds for their properties will now be able to secure one for their personal economic and business use.

We are seeing first hand how the land administration reforms that are underway in Africa could engage the youth to use their creative power for influencing the world around them and finding solutions to common problems. Perhaps more than other age groups, youth instinctively understand how adopting technology early on opens up creative outlets in their communities to work together and develop new opportunities for their career dreams and aspirations. One area that has gained traction in youth focus is agri-preneurship (small farms or specialized businesses in agriculture). Certainly, reforms in the land records system and access to titles and deeds so that young entrepreneurs can use their properties for economic resources and development open the door to youth engagement initiatives.

Our field work in Africa – Lusaka, Zambia, Rwanda and soon, Liberia – is a gateway to building networks for tech-savvy young people, some of whom have been locally hired to build awareness in their communities as MLG continues its work and as enumerators for collecting the data that will be incorporated into blockchain records platform.

There are opportunities to build business and technical skills that young people can translate into creating their own innovative incubators and micro-enterprises. And, as MLG’s land titling reform work also is focused on economic empowerment for women as titled property owners, there are opportunities for permaculture initiatives and training for capacity development and value chain opportunities. An integral part of MLG’s technology focus on the individual is acknowledging how this enhances the technological culture in the locations where we are carrying out projects. And, young people are definitely being engaged. And, they are enthusiastic about the technology they see in our work.

At MLG, we consider data to be part of the foundation for wisdom and, in turn, direct our efforts to finding the best practices process to create, use and act on information. It is capitalizing on experience for everyone’s benefit.

The approach MLG takes to working with communities and governments is to maximize the personal impact of adopting its technologies into a holistic program uniting commitment and partnership across the board, including women, youth and others who for the first time can enjoy the benefits of having a secure, legal title to their property.