Tag: leader

Infineon Technologies opens new R&D Centre in Cork

Infineon Technologies AG: a global leader in power systems and IoT, has officially opened its new Cork office at City Gate Park, Mahon. The new office has capacity for growth as the Cork team expands. This is  part of a €60 million investment plan announced in 2024, by Infineon for its Irish operations.

This R&D hub will focus Infineon’s innovations in the Automotive and Consumer microelectronics space such as Battery Management, Motor Control and Touchscreens. Supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland, the continued growth will include senior and junior positions as well as a strong contingent of local university graduates through the Infineon Ireland Graduate Program.

Minister for Enterprise Tourism and Employment Peter Burke TD said: “I welcome Infineon Technologies’ continued commitment to Ireland, as well as today’s opening of their new Design Centre in Cork. This investment strengthens our position as a hub for cutting‑edge research and development in microelectronics and supports additional high‑quality jobs for both experienced engineers and new graduates. The expansion reflects Ireland’s strong talent base and our growing role in advancing innovation across the automotive and consumer technology sectors. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this centre will deliver for Cork, for Ireland’s technology ecosystem, and for the global transition toward digitalisation and decarbonisation.”

Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and at the Department of Transport, Jerry Buttimer TD said: “This new centre reflects the increasingly international nature of research and development, where teams collaborate across borders to solve shared technological challenges. Infineon’s investment in Cork underlines Ireland’s role as a trusted partner in global innovation networks.”

The Infineon research teams in Ireland are focused on IP development for the automotive and consumer markets. The new hires will support the development of new technologies and products that help driving digitalisation and decarbonisation on a global scale.

“At Infineon, we are committed to actively driving decarbonisation and digitalisation. As a global semiconductor leader for the automotive industry, we are shaping the future of mobility with products and solutions to make cars clean, safe and smart,” said Thomas Mende, Senior Vice President of Development, Microcontroller Automotive at Infineon. “The strategic development of our research and development sector in Ireland is central to this mission with semiconductor-based system integration and artificial intelligence for highly connected and increasingly autonomous vehicles being among major trends. This new office enables us to strengthen our team even further with the high-calibre talent that Ireland has to offer.”

Positions in the new office have already been opened online and include roles in Analog Design, Digital Design, Architecture and Verification.

“Just over two years ago, Infineon announced a multimillion-euro investment in its Irish R&D activities, which will result in the addition of approximately 100 jobs across its sites in Dublin and Cork“ said Executive Director of IDA Ireland, Dónal Travers. “I am honoured to join the team here today in Cork to celebrate the progress that has been made since then. This investment not only enhances Ireland’s deep-tech landscape, Infineon is also a critical part of the South West’s recognised semiconductor cluster. I wish the company, and the teams here in Ireland, continued success“.

 

Datalex and easyJet Activate Stellex Air Bundles

Datalex, a global leader in airline ecommerce, today announces a major advancement in its partnership with easyJet through the activation of Stellex Air Bundles within the Stellex Offer Management platform.

Through the use of Stellex Air Bundles, easyJet can now design and deploy a variety of more personalised bundled offers – combining a wider selection of flights and ancillaries to suit the customer’s preference and making it easier for them to find what they are looking for. 

Powered by Datalex’s Digital Configurator, the airline gains full control to create, refine, and manage bundled products without technical intervention. Together with the Stellex Product Catalogue and Stock Keeper, easyJet can accelerate product innovation, reduce time to market, and unlock new products with greater precision and agility, improving the shopping experience for its customers.

In addition, Datalex has enabled the launch of Flexpass, a new ancillary now available in the booking flow. Configured independently by easyJet using the Digital Configurator, Flexpass allows customers to change flights without incurring change fees—strengthening easyJet’s value proposition and supporting its strategy to offer more flexible, customer-centric travel options.

Robert Birge, Chief Customer Officer at easyJet, said:

“The activation of Stellex Air Bundles is a major step in our retail transformation. It gives us the flexibility to deliver more tailored experiences and bring new products to market far faster. Early customer response shows strong receptiveness to these more flexible options.”

Jonathan Rockett, CEO of Datalex, commented:

“Stellex Air Bundles removes the constraints of static offers and gives easyJet the agility to launch new offers that drive measurable commercial value. With the Digital Configurator, easyJet teams can optimise their retail offering at pace and deliver stronger value for customers.”

Sanmina Announces Expansion of Ireland Manufacturing Site, Creating up to 150 Jobs

Sanmina Corporation a Fortune 500 company and leading global provider of integrated electronic manufacturing solutions, today announced an expansion of its Fermoy medical facility in North Cork. The investment is expected to create up to 150 highly skilled new jobs, with recruitment already underway.

The completed facility expansion will be opened today by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin. The operation in Fermoy dates back to the site’s opening in 1989. Since then, it has grown to become Sanmina’s largest medical facility in Europe. The expansion to the site is expected to further enhance Sanmina’s capabilities for the finished medical device market, reinforcing Ireland’s role as a leading hub for medical technology manufacturing.

The site includes advanced manufacturing capabilities, and its first new automation line is already installed and commissioned. The expansion will also include a new ISO8 clean room and several high-volume automation lines dedicated to producing wearable medical devices.

Attending this event, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, said “I am delighted to visit Sanmina today as they officially open this expanded facility with the creation of up to 150 new jobs in Fermoy. Sanmina has been part of the community in Fermoy since 1989, home to its largest medical facility in Europe. This expansion is a strong vote of confidence in the skills, talent and ability of the workforce in Cork and beyond, and of Ireland’s continued attractiveness as a destination for international investment and a global leader in medical technology innovation.”

Sean Moran, SVP of IMS Europe at Sanmina, said “This expansion underscores Sanmina’s long-term commitment to Fermoy and to Ireland as a centre of excellence for medical technology manufacturing. For over 36 years, our Fermoy site has been driven by exceptional talent and a strong culture of innovation and quality. That combination has been central to our success and to supporting the growth of our customers in the global medical device marketplace while creating high-quality employment and opportunity in the region.”

Mary Buckley, Executive Director of IDA Ireland, said “Sanmina has been providing significant employment in Fermoy for many decades. This expansion future proofs the site and demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to the Southwest Region. I wish to congratulate Sanmina and assure them of the continued partnership with IDA Ireland.”

Recruitment for the facility’s new positions is focused on roles in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing and Operations. To find out more about open roles, click here www.sanmina.com.

Disengaged employees and poor leader communications key challenges for Irish organisations

Disengaged employees and poor leader communications are among the top challenges facing Irish businesses in 2024, a new report from Springboard Communications has found.

The leading Irish communications agency’s Internal Communications in Ireland Report 2024, supported by the Public Relations Institute of Ireland, also found the number one most important metric for C-level executives is improved employee engagement. The full report is available to download at springboardcommunications.ie/2024ICreport.

Speaking on the Report, Susie Horgan, Founder and Managing Director of Springboard Communications said: “From working with national and global clients across sectors, we have seen first-hand the challenges facing organisations — from recruitment and retention to navigating dispersed teams. Your employees are a primary stakeholder, and post-pandemic, there has been a growing recognition of how critical they are to maintaining and enhancing your reputation both internally and externally.

“Our research backs this up with employee engagement and talent attraction and retention coming out as having the most impact for the C-suite. As we know, this can be increasingly difficult in a hybrid working world, with respondents flagging the dilution of company culture as a top five challenge. As a result, we are also seeing a 26% increase in interactive employee events, including conferences and town-halls – highlighting the desire for connection between colleagues. Effective internal communication is the crucial first step, so it is heartening to see its recognition as a business-critical function. 50% say their team sizes have increased since 2022 while 35% say budgets have also been increased.”

Improving communications from leaders is the number one challenge facing internal communicators in 2024, with over half citing it as a top concern. Commenting on this, Sandy Boundy, Director of Strategy and Insight at Springboard Communications, added: “People leaders are increasingly influential in a hybrid culture as they are the ones directly reaching the wider workforce. Effective communication from leaders is essential as they bridge the gap between the organisation and the broader employee base, ensuring vital information is conveyed accurately. Without the proper tools, resources, and training, leaders can hinder employee engagement and, at worst, contribute to a negative workplace culture.”

Elsewhere, the Report highlights that AI is a key trend along with sustainability communications. While over 60% of internal communications professionals are incorporating AI into their roles, half of organisations lack formal AI policies or guidelines. Susie Horgan added: “Businesses are exposing themselves to significant reputational danger. Failure to have transparent policies in place heightens exposure to risk and the likelihood of outdated information being shared.”

The Report was launched at a Springboard-hosted industry event with insights from leading communications experts including Rosemary Garth, Communications Director, Tesco Ireland; Catherine Dennehy, Senior Internal Communications Manager, Meta; and Sarah Ryan, Director of Communications, daa and PRII National Council Member. The Harnessing the Power of People-Centred Internal Communications event at the Iveagh Garden Hotel, Dublin (30 May), tackled trends and challenges in communications, from reputation management to recruitment and retention.

Deepfakes and Hacktivism Take Centre Stage at Cyber Leader Summit in Belfast

Deepfakes have jumped from the pages of science fiction to become a legitimate business risk that could influence polls in the upcoming UK election . That was one of the messages from Deryck Mitchelson, Global CISO at Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a leading AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber security platform provider, when he spoke at the Cyber Leader Summit held in Belfast at the Titantic Belfast on the 14th of February. As these sophisticated manipulations proliferate, the integrity of democratic processes faces unprecedented challenges, highlighting the urgent need for robust defences against AI-driven disinformation campaigns.

The one-day event brought together over 110 delegates and experts from Check Point, Microsoft, GitHub and Women in Cyber Security, among others, to explore the biggest cyber threats facing organisations today. It is the first time the event has been held in Belfast, which is fast becoming a hub for major players in the technology space.

During his presentation, Deryck explored the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in relation to cybercrime and its influence on attack methods. He discussed how it has evolved to become a serious instrument in a cybercriminal’s arsenal when executing phishing, ransomware or hacktivism campaigns. “AI is not a new notion; we have been using it as the brain behind our threat intelligence for many years, “said Deryck. “However, the technology has changed so rapidly over the last twelve months and new versions such as Generative AI (GenAI) have made it more attainable for cybercriminals. While these skills were once reserved for technically minded hackers, anyone with access to the internet and free online tools can now generate alarmingly realistic phishing emails with a few good prompts.”

Deryck went on to share examples of how deepfakes, including voice clones, have had an impact on businesses and could potentially influence major events such as the general elections later this year. There have been several incidents recently, including a worker in Hong Kong who paid out £20 million to a fraudster impersonating a CFO during a conference call. However, he was also clear that defenders are using AI to fight fire with fire. He added: “Deepfakes used to be the work of science fiction, but they are now a legitimate risk for businesses and their bank balances. They could also be used to influence public opinion during the upcoming elections.

“It is important that we don’t underestimate the potential impact this technology could have on organisations of all sizes. The good news is that companies like Check Point are leveraging the power of AI and Deep Learning to predict and prevent attacks from happening.”

In the morning, delegates also heard from other industry experts such as Lotem Finkelstein, Director of Threat Intelligence at Check Point. He provided insights into the world of hybrid cyberwarfare, demystifying the role of cybercrime during time of conflict. Other sessions included talks from Lesley Kipling, Chief Advisor at Microsoft on the importance of zero trust and Martin Woodward, VP of Developer Relations at GitHub regarding vulnerability fixes in open source.

The afternoon featured more presentations with Jennifer Cox, Director at Women in Cyber Security advocating for diversity in the industry, before the day finished on a panel discussion where experts covered a range of topics, including bringing new talent into the industry. This was a sentiment shared by Seamus McCorry, Check Point’s country manager, in his closing remarks. He was keen to emphasise the potential for Northern Ireland to become a cybersecurity powerhouse.

Seamus said: “We have a great pool of talent coming through our universities and it is important that we engage and encourage this new generation to live and work in this vibrant city. The cybersecurity industry is a thriving business, and together we can build a resilient future.”

Why Is BTC the Industry Leader?

Without hesitation, BTC has a considerable edge over other crypto assets. Following the launch of Bitcoin, the sector saw a massive number of new ventures. The bulk of them wants to succeed the king. Will altcoins be able to topple Bitcoin’s authority? It is pretty improbable. Since this crypto has been available for sale for the better decade, it’s possible to say it depends on reputation. Neither alternative can alter this. Therefore, upon starting their journey into the realm of cloud services, all newcomers (and at minimum, the bulk of them) ultimately learn about Bitcoin. Later on, though, they discover that there are additional tokens available, although, in the event, they hardly pique their interest as much. Learn how to invest in cryptocurrencies effectively in the long term.

 

There is a remote chance that specific cryptos regarding uses, durability, etc., may surpass BTC. But they can remove its renown. Many times, the buyers are first-time buyers of any investment type. Additionally, they generally have little interest in the mathematics that underpins cryptocurrencies. The element luring early investors towards the industry is its renown. As stated, they go for BTC since it is the most well-known. Since the beginning of time, the concept of trade has progressed by integrating web marketplaces and financial derivatives, making commodity trading more straightforward. 

Shepherds leading a herd of sheep

People are becoming increasingly interested in BTC. Unfortunately, they sometimes let a basic need for money blind them. BTC is the most well-known commodity in existence. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that it is often the user’s first experience with crypto.

There’s a further important point that has to be made here. Individuals often act following the norm; they join a group when a phenomenon arises since they believe it merits notice or head to a cafe where so many lives because they believe the cuisine is better. But back to the moment: these circumstances are comparable to those surrounding BTC transactions. Individuals adhere to the herd of money-hungry individuals.

Cash that is not centrally managed

Many currency fans see it favourably, primarily because one is autonomous. There is no centralized body or organization in charge of this coin. It is beneficial since it is independent of governmental entities and investment firms. Even Nakamoto, who invented BTC, kept his secret identity. After this, crypto has become much more appealing to those who value autonomy and freedom.

For a more effective illustration, let’s utilize an example. Imagine if the bank where you hold all your money closes your wallet and freezes everything one night for no apparent reason. Your future depends on the central authority’s benevolence since you are impoverished. Everything here is performed with BTC according to wholly new rules. Your Bitcoin wallet is now your crypto bank account. It has two keys: a secret key. Later acts as your account’s Password. Nobody else can obtain, restrict, or remove your money. You alone have complete authority over and accountability for your finances. In terms of BTC, this is great.

How are cryptocurrencies doing? Did they have almost the same trait as well? 

Cryptos vary from one another. Users must mention some pretty significant advantages that blockchain technology can have here. Safety, autonomy, and adaptability are these. Users can’t have them all ready at once, regrettably. For instance, Ethereum, the furthermore used cryptocurrency following BTC, prioritizes safety and transparency at the price of scale.

The relationship that cryptocurrencies have with their inventors may be a drawback. If the bad news finally came, the economy would undoubtedly respond. Take BTC SV as an example. Craig Wright attempted to persuade others how he had acquired the credentials to the money amassed in BTC from a messenger. The current state of the BSV ecosystem has a significant impact on how this coin will develop.

No member of the Cryptocurrency industry might equally lead to growth or decreases based on their behaviour. An additional characteristic that cryptocurrencies lack is this one.

Do you honestly think BTC is superior to other crypto assets?

Everything is dependent on one’s frame of perspective. Even though crypto is increasing in value in some sectors, other currencies could provide more technology. But neither of the companions will become as well-known as BTC, which affects this virtual currency’s more comprehensive long term.