Digital Innovation Magazine - June 2021

The latest environmentallyfriendly products from sustainable brands across Europe.

Jon Parry Asda Logistics Services’ continuous strategy to improve compliance, enhance quality of service and lower costs

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The launch of our June edition marks the fact that we are halfway through 2021! I am not sure where the last six months have gone, but, for me, it has been refreshing to finally look towards the future. In a world that has been plagued by so much uncertainty recently, we talk plans for 2021 and beyond with our cover star, Jon Parry, Vice President of Asda Logistics Services (p6), as well as discussing the digital transformation success story of Schnellecke Logistics, courtesy of Karsten Keil, Vice President Group IT & Digitization (p50). What a pleasure to hear such positivity from both interviewees!

We cannot mark our June issue without reflecting on the journey of the last six months, so we explore some of the trends to have emerged as a result of the pandemic. Turn to page 36 to find out how digitalisation is helping to boost business recovery post-Covid, as well as advice on what we can do to reduce the threat of a cybersecurity attack (p68).

Plus, we investigate the reasons behind the shift towards a hybrid multicloud approach on page 106, along with our rundown of the latest eco products to hit the market following the recent boom in environmentally-friendly innovations (p78).

The late st environ mentallyfriendly sustain products from able bra nds Europe. across

Jon Parry Asda Log istics strateg y to imp Services’ continu rove com ous quality pliance of service and low , enhance er costs

e x c l u s i v e

Danielle Harris Director d.harris@ithink.media

Tom Barnes Director t.barnes@ithink.media

Daniel May Senior Digital Designer design@ithink.media

Finally, do check out this issue’s intriguing startup of the month (p114) – MiroBio has developed a platform that has the potential to benefit patients around the world.

Have a great month!

+44 (0) 203 890 1189 enquiries@digitalinnovationeu.com

Anna McMahon Editor editorial@ithink.media

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Published by

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In conversation with Jon Parry, Vice President of Asda Logistics Services

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Exploring the rap migration to digit technologies driv pandemic

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Arthur Herman, F AI and computin on quantum tech

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106

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The trend for a hybrid multicloud approach

Our rundown of the latest eco innovations

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MiroBio is this issue’s start-up of the month

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Forbes’ ng writer, hnology

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Talking digital transformation with Schnellecke Logistics’ Karsten Keil

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What actions can be taken to safeguard against cybersecurity risks?

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C OV E R STO RY

We catch up with Jon Parry, Vice President of Asda Logistics Services, to reflect on the last year and find out more about his plans for 2021 and beyond.

Written by Anna McMahon • Produced by Jennifer Davies

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AFTER A YEAR THAT WAS LIKE NO OTHER, JON PARRY, VICE PRESIDENT OF ASDA LOGISTICS SERVICES, IS KEEN TO EXPLORE THE NEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE PANDEMIC PRESENTED.

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or Jon, 2020 was incredible on many fronts, but it was not without a wide-ranging number of challenges that he and his team met with enthusiasm. He explains, “When the first lockdown happened, we were extremely thankful to be working in the retail and food industry, helping to feed and serve the nation, but it was also a very challenging time. Our

core purpose within Asda Logistics Services is to serve our customers better than anyone else. The impact of social distancing meant in order to serve our customers better, we really had to open up the capacity of our online channels. Within a few weeks, we managed to double the capacity of our online grocery channel, provide more vans for home delivery, and increase our click-and-collect capacity.

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“Our George.com business also grew, and our role was to fulfil that product for our customers on the doorstep, as well as our click-and-collect customers.

The investment and support from the board meant we could provide more opportunities for our customers to buy through that channel. As we needed to put social distancing into our logistics network, we had to adjust our operating models so that colleagues picking, packing and dispatching were doing so in a socially-distanced way. This presented challenges in terms of the number of colleagues we could use and the space in which they needed to operate.”

“AS NEW INNOVATIONS COME INTO THE INDUSTRY THROUGH AUTOMATION, WITH MORE PROVIDERS OFFERING AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOTS (AMRS) AND AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLES (AGVS), WE ARE PAVING THE WAY TO AUTOMATE MANY MORE OF OUR PROCESSES”

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Asda AND VANDERLANDE A PARTNERSHIP WHICH DELIVERS EVERY TIME. The Partnership between Asda and VANDERLANDE began back in 2013, during the selection process for the supplier of choice to design, build and maintain Asda’s first automated case picking (ACP) DC solution at NWADC in Warrington. Fast forward to 2016 and the first products moved through the impressive 28,600m2 facility handling more than 840,000 cases per day and processing over 7,800 SKUs; operating over 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

This year marks the 5th year of partnership since the opening in 2016 and in the last 12 months we have all had to live in challenging circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted us all. Asda and Vanderlande have worked closely to support their customers in these incredibly challenging times by ensuring that the DC operates efficiently and safely whilst operating at peak levels of demand continuously.

Helping Asda to meet the needs of its customers is the objective for the Vanderlande onsite service team. Gary Stubbs, Vanderlande Managing Director Warehouse Solutions UK: “Our partnership with Asda is based on trust by delivering our promises and increasing reliability, thus ensuring we support Asda’s everyday low price business model; which leads to a special relationship. We achieve our targets together, always looking for continuous improvements and celebrating our joint successes. We are proud of NWADC, working endlessly to support delivering outstanding service and availability to stores and customers every day in any environment.”

Want to have more information?

Please watch the video showcasing the Warrington DC at www.vanderlande.com or contact us at info@vanderlande.com for more information

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Asda adopts Toyota’s TRANSFORMATIVE TECHNOLOGY Toyota Material Handling UK has recently entered into a successful working partnership with Asda at its Warrington Ambient Distribution Centre, providing the retail giant with an advanced automated pallet transfer system involving twelve Toyota ‘Autopilot’ Automated Guided Vehicles. The scalable solution offers Asda an agile and flexible means of moving palletised loads between an existing Vanderlande fixed, automated system and the dispatch marshalling area ¬– a non value added task, perfect for mobile automation.

In addition to the Autopilot system, Toyota Material Handling has also supplied an extensive fleet of 57 conventional forklift trucks, incorporating gas and electric counterbalance trucks, 13.5m reach trucks and a variety of warehouse vehicles fully equipped with Toyota’s market-leading, in-house I_Site telematics and lithium-ion battery technology. The manual trucks will work alongside, and in harmony with, the Autopilot vehicles, which are equipped with an array of advanced safety features, such as personnel protection and machine detection scanners and 360 degree CCTV cameras.

Also, as part of the initial phase of a major transition of Asda’s electric warehouse fleet from lead-acid to advanced lithium-ion battery technology, a further order for 62 Toyota counterbalance, reach and warehouse trucks has recently been supplied to Asda’s cross-dock distribution centre in Erith, Kent.

Ian Bennett, National Accounts Manager for Toyota Materials Handling comments: “We are delighted to be working with Asda on an exciting new initiative to bring the latest advances in materials handling technology to their distribution network. Asda is a leader in adopting innovative technology that drives productivity and delivers on environmental objectives. They have used advanced mobile automation to great effect, cutting out repetitive tasks, and have embraced lithium-ion battery technology with all the environmental, cost and operational benefits that it brings.”

For more information on Toyota Materials Handling’s transformative technology go to www.toyota-forklifts.co.uk

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Jon is very proud of that fact that the company worked hard to shield colleagues classed as vulnerable or extremely vulnerable during the height of the pandemic. He says, “There were 25,000 of 145,000 colleagues in the Asda business that were vulnerable. We paid for those colleagues to shield themselves at home. This created some operational challenges because we had fewer colleagues to serve our customers.

A couple of thousand of those were in the logistics network, so we went on a rapid campaign to recruit new colleagues to

work for us on a temporary basis.

It was amazing how the team managed to recruit and train that number of new colleagues in such a short space of time with a large number of new colleagues recruited through our friends and family initiative. The upside was that we were able to provide people struggling with employment with temporary jobs, such as those in the airline business or hospitality industry. Some of these colleagues are still with us today, having decided to take a career change.”

It has certainly been an exciting journey for Asda Logistics Services over the last year, and as life gradually returns to our new normal, Jon says that there has been a definite reshaping of the business. He explains, “Customers

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MOVING YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD TOGETHER Toyota Material Handling and Vanderlande working in collaboration to provide a full warehouse and distribution centre solution. From process automation solutions to manual and automated materials handling equipment.

Find out more: www.toyota-forklifts.co.uk www.vanderlande.com

want to continue to shop more online, and we have been able to welcome more customers back to our stores as restrictions ease.

We have also invested more in keeping people safe, both our customers and our colleagues on the front line; for example, with enhanced cleaning measures and Perspex screens. There is no doubt that the learnings of the last 12 months will be with us forever.”

“THERE IS NO BETTER PROCESS THAN ONE THAT ENABLES US TO LISTEN TO OUR COLLEAGUES THAT DO THE JOBS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS” Innovation and automation have played a key role in enabling Asda Logistics Services to generate more capacity to serve its customers. Jon talks about three top priorities for the team: “Our strategic vision starts with innovation. There are 15,000 colleagues working within logistics and we try to provide them with a platform where 17

they feel empowered to simplify the way we work through new and innovative ideas. There is no better process than one that enables us to listen to our colleagues that do the jobs on a day-to-day basis. Those colleagues come up with some stunning ideas that allow us to improve a concept, test it, and roll it out across the broader logistics landscape. This helps us to become more compliant, gives us a greater quality of service, and enables us to serve our customers better. It also allows us to operate at a lower cost by unlocking the value in our logistics network and ultimately passing that value on to the customer.”

“The second and third priorities are related, and they are automation and technology.

We are doing a huge amount here, as our technology strategy has accelerated significantly. As new innovations come into the industry through automation, with more providers offering autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), we are paving the way to automate many more of our processes.

If you want to link into your warehouse management system and transport management system, you need the right level of technology to do so.

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“We are working hard on our robotic process automation, where administrative tasks are automated, which allows us to make the process more efficient and create skilled roles in our distribution centres and new opportunities. We are also embarking on a journey to change our entire warehouse management system in our distribution centres and fulfilment centres. Progress in our transport management system will also provide greater visibility, giving us the ability to see every movement and add value by consolidating them. It is all about bringing people and automation together to improve the way that we work.”

Asda has nine service centres throughout the UK, which process cardboard and plastics which come back from the stores, as well as fixing and maintaining equipment.

Traywash facilities in these locations allow Asda to procure their own trays for movement of product, maintaining and washing them to benefit suppliers. Jon continues, “Alongside our partner, XPO Logistics, which runs our service centres, we plan to automate more process and operation.

This year will see the first fullyautomated traywash, where we will be able to wash and recycle

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At the heart of British grocery and consumer supply chains “Asda and Wincanton’s long-term, valued partnership is unlocking collaborative value in new ways and supporting our country’s response to the pandemic… and digitalisation will underpin our future together” Wincanton’s Managing Director for Grocery and Consumer James Hurrell

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s we faced into the challenges posed by the pandemic in 2020, there was a greater appreciation of collaboration – with grocers and their supply chains working together in new ways to feed and support consumers.

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Wincanton enables supply chain collaboration for its customers - delivering cost and environmental benefits through resource sharing and reducing road miles. We also facilitate collaborative supply chain initiatives between grocers and consumer brands – creating new, collaborative ways of working.

Together, Asda and Wincanton deployed shared assets and experienced teams of key workers and the latest digital fulfilment technologies to enable: • Delivering regular, unplanned peak volumes – ensuring food availability in store, as consumer demands flexed to the latest government guidance.

• Repurposing distribution centres and creating new supply chains at speed to support pandemic response.

• Storing, handling and delivering >12 million COVID tests to >6,500 schools in one week, enabling children to return to education.

Wincanton is enormously proud of our collaborative partnership with Asda and what we have achieved together, supporting our nation’s response to the pandemic.

Where next?

More data science, new technology, and agile automation and robotics; digitalisation will underpin the next chapter in the Asda and Wincanton collaboration story.

Find out more at wincanton.co.uk 21

XPO’s Industry Leading Asset Management System Saves Costs and Reduces Waste for Customers Ensuring the right equipment arrives in the hands of the right supplier at the right time within the supermarket reverse supply chain is essential to keeping the flow of goods moving. For that to happen, a robust, data-driven asset management system is critical.

For more than 20 years, XPO’s Equipment Management Service has been providing tailored reverse logistics and asset management solutions to Asda Stores Ltd. Using a web-based equipment management system, XPO manages more than eight million individual assets in its Asda solution, such as product trays, dollies, totes, and shippers, through a network of nine sites. The returned assets are either washed, inspected, and reused for product distribution or sold or recycled.

Data about the state of Asda’s physical assets and their availability are shared to assist Asda to maximise their assets and minimise costs by adding, moving, or retiring items as necessary.

XPO and Asda’s close strategic partnership has led to significant process improvements and cost reductions for the leading supermarket chain. The alliance has also resulted in far-reaching waste reduction initiatives across Asda’s reverse network, as XPO ensures eco-friendly recycling of cardboard, plastic, and food waste.

Driven by XPO’s mission to help customers like Asda extract the most value from their supply chains in a data-driven world, the company continually invests in new technologies. “Right now, we are working to further enhance our existing proprietary digital asset management system by embedding the very latest technology,” says Gavin Williams, managing director, supply chain - UK and Ireland.

“Powered by rich insights and data analysis, the system will enhance and speed up the experience for customers like Asda.

Programmed algorithms will automatically review supplier orders, ensuring the right quantities of assets get to the right suppliers exactly when they are needed,” says Gavin.

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“And with extensive reporting capacities, the system will track assets at any point in our network, highlighting cost-saving opportunities such as asset sharing between customers.”

XPO’s customised technology solutions are just one reason why the company maintains long-standing partnerships with customers; an average customer contract is around 15 years.

“With Asda, our partnership extends beyond two decades, and we are currently working with them to automate three out of four of their tray wash lines, at Bristol their Asda Service Centre which equates to approximately 95% of the site volume,” says Gavin. “By incorporating robotics into the front and back-end of the process, this level of tray wash automation will be the first of its kind in the UK and Ireland.”

XPO’s technological solutions, and the size and scale of its reverse network, are unmatched: they offer a complete end-to-end – or in this case, field-to-fork – supply chain solution.

Across XPO’s 33 equipment management sites throughout the UK and Ireland, the company handles more than 24 million assets across 700 supplier accounts. Annually, XPO employees are responsible for managing 2.5 million equipment repairs, cleaning 530 million items of supply chain equipment, and recycling 655,000 tons of waste packaging.

the trays without any colleagues being required. If this is successful, we will be able to automate more of our service centres throughout 2022.”

With sustainability more important than ever before, it is at the top of Asda’s priority list, stretching across every sector within the business.

The company opened its first sustainability store in Middleton in Leeds, introducing loose product, less plastic, and different ways

for customers to shop in a more sustainable way. Jon is hugely in support of the Asda agenda on sustainability. He says, “The biggest thing that we are doing at the moment is in our fleet innovation.

By the end of the year, 50 per cent of our big trucks that move our product around our network will be run on liquid natural gas. We will be the number one user in the UK of trucks powered by natural gas. This allows us to have fewer emissions, the fleet can do more 23

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“DRIVING MORE AUTOMATION AND TECHNOLOGY THROUGH OUR LOGISTICS CAPABILITY WILL ULTIMATELY ENABLE US TO BE MORE COMPLIANT, OFFER A BETTER QUALITY OF SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS, AND LOWER COSTS SO WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT” Jon Parry, Vice President of Asda Logistics Services

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AMH Material Handling is a leading specialist in designing, installing and maintaining material handling automation and warehouse solutions, both to meet customer demands now and deliver futureproof solutions.

Modern Robotic Solutions

As e-commerce requires faster and more flexible movement of goods on demand, warehouse and manufacturing operators face increasingly complex logistic, production and commercial challenges.

Product diversification, same-day delivery, increased volumes and safety impact all industries, from apparel, retail and automotive to electronics, energy and pharmaceutical.

AMH Material Handling’s extensive knowledge and understanding of automated and complete end-to-end solutions is a great fit for supply chain customers.

AMH has been designing and incorporating the latest innovative technologies using AMR automation and has a proven track record in developing

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solutions in this field, helping to give customers peace of mind when selecting a solution.

challenges of resource and productivity are increasingly discussed amongst the industry.” (Adrian Carter, Sales Director)

“Having recognised the benefits and need for advanced automation and robotic solutions in warehouses, it was a strategic decision to choose Geek+ as our partner.

The partnership is now well-established, not only as a key sales distributor but also as a key maintenance and service provider in the UK. Modern robotic solutions using AMRs for certain applications are much more affordable than the traditional dense ASRS using mini load cranes, multi-shuttles and autostores. This makes both the technology and return on investment more accessible than ever.

During a consultation stage, our team of professionals will understand the logistical challenges before advising and designing the optimal solution to meet the customer requirements.

With both European and global challenges as a result of Brexit and Covid-19, the

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“WE ARE DEVELOPING MORE ELECTRIC VANS FOR OUR ONLINE GROCERY FLEET, WITH MANY BEING ROLLED OUT THIS YEAR ACROSS OUR NETWORK FOR HOME DELIVERIES” miles on less fuel, and the fuel itself is much better for the planet. Not only that, we are developing more electric vans for our online grocery fleet, with many being rolled out this year across our network for home deliveries. With the growth of this online channel, the number of vans has grown since the start of the pandemic. It has nearly doubled in the last 12 months, so you can see how much that business has evolved. This makes it even more important for us to have sustainable ways to serve our customers through the use of electric home delivery vans.”

Jon describes the partnerships that Asda Logistics Services enter into as two-way relationships.

He talks about Asda Logistics Services going on a journey together with its partners, with 28

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each party’s focus on investing in each other to be more compliant, improve the quality of service, and lower costs. He continues, “We are working with a number of key partners on our AMR programme. About 18 months ago, a group went out to Poland to see AMRs in use at a fulfilment centre. We decided that is what we needed to do here. The efficiency comes from the robot bringing the product to the colleague, as opposed to the colleague having to walk around the distribution centre to find it, so the rate goes up by three or four times. We have worked

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with AMH and Geek + to implement this. Geek + is the provider of the AMR, while AMH integrated with our capability, providing the engineering services.

Within nine months, we had a new operation in Yorkshire, with 60 of these robots sorting parcels for our Asda toyou external clients and our George.com business.

These robots sort 100,000 parcels a day, which we would never have dreamed of 12 months ago. The efficiency, quality of service and ability to link the colleague to the robot have surpassed all of our expectations.”

What’s next for AMRs? Jon and the team plan to look at delivering a George.com returns process, as well as opportunities within the regional distribution centres and food network. Jon adds, “AMH and Geek + have been front and centre with us. It is the first project of its kind in the UK.” Furthermore, AGVs provided by Toyota were introduced to Asda’s Warrington depot, which is the company’s most automated depot. Jon says, “We have done more and more with Toyota over the last 12 to 18 months. We have eight AGVs in Warrington and we will soon have another seven. I have just signed off on a project in Didcot, using AGVs for tramming and marshalling product to the loading lanes, and I can see us partnering with Toyota on more 32

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processes in our logistics network within the next five years.”

Tata Consultancy Services have a long history with Asda Logistics Services, working with the company on its robotic process automation programme, specifically Power Up, which focuses on employing robots to perform clerical administrative processes, thus reducing downtime and indirect hours. Jon adds, “We are working on five or six potential implementations throughout the course of this year, enabling us to 34

free up resources to concentrate on more meaningful operations that support our logistics strategy.”

The essence of these strong and collaborative relationships revolves around trust. Another company that has earned Jon’s respect is Wincanton. He explains, “We trust Wincanton to manage safe, productive and engaging logistics operations. This has allowed us to spend more time on the more collaborative and strategic agenda; two key priorities that will add real

value, both in the short term, and also provide a solid foundation for an end-to-end sustainable logistics solution for the future. We very much value our longstanding relationship, and we are excited about working together in the future to further develop and enhance our logistics services.”

Looking ahead, Jon is very keen to leverage these third-party

relationships to create new, innovative solutions that will help the business to build its capabilities whilst bringing new capabilities to its logistics network. Jon concludes, “Driving more automation and technology through our logistics capability will ultimately enable us to be more compliant, offer a better quality of service to our customers, and lower costs so we can be more efficient.”

For further information on Asda Logistics Services, visit www.linkedin.com/company/asda-logistic/ 35

D I G I TA L I S AT I O N

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Keeping Apace The rapid migration to digital technologies driven by the pandemic is set to continue into the recovery period, according to the latest McKinsey report.

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By now, most C-suite executives have led their companies to digitise at least some part of their business to protect employees and serve customers facing mobility restrictions as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. ndeed, recent data shows that we vaulted five years forward in consumer and business digital adoption in a matter of around eight weeks.

Banks have transitioned to remote sales and service teams, grocery stores have shifted to online ordering and delivery as their primary business, and many schools have adopted online learning and digital classrooms. Doctors have begun delivering telemedicine, aided by more flexible regulation, while manufacturers are actively developing plans for ‘lights out’ factories and supply chains. The list goes on.

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As some regions begin reopening, businesses will need to confront three structural changes that are playing out. First, customer behaviours have changed significantly, with the use of digital services here to stay, at least to some degree. Companies will need to ensure that their digital channels are on par with or better than those of their competition to succeed in this new environment.

Second, as the economy lurches back, demand recovery will be unpredictable. While a few sectors will face unusually strong demand, leaders in many industries must deal with periods of structural overcapacity. Those companies face the painful need to rightsize the cost base and capital of their operations, supply chains and organisations overall, and to transition their fixed costs to variable costs aggressively wherever possible. New data and completely rebuilt analytical models will be essential to steer operational decisions.

Finally, many organisations have shifted to remote-working models almost overnight. A remotefirst set-up allows companies to mobilise global expertise instantly, organise a project review with 20 or 200 people immediately, and respond to customer enquiries more rapidly by providing 39

everything digitally. This step change in remote adoption is now arguably substantial enough to reconsider current business models.

only the first phase of the changes that will be necessary. McKinsey’s digital agenda focuses on four key efforts: refocusing and accelerating digital investments in response to Quickly pivoting the business evolving customer needs, using agenda to address these changes new data and AI to improve will be critical for a successful business operations, selectively recovery. McKinsey has come up modernising technology capabilities with a 90-day plan to realign the to boost development velocity, and digital agenda and implement the increasing organisational agility to enablers for acceleration during the deliver more quickly. recovery and beyond.

Refocus digital efforts towards changing customer The digital agenda expectations for recovery For many companies, customers have already migrated to digital.

But, the changes to date represent 40

Many companies are accelerating their shifts toward digital-first models at warp speed. But it’s not

Leaders who want to succeed in the digital-led recovery must quickly reset their digital agendas to meet new customer needs just about digitising. Companies must also reimagine customer journeys to reduce friction, accelerate the shift to digital channels, and provide for new safety requirements.

In the next 90 days, CEOs should ask their business leaders to assess

how the needs and behaviours of their most important customers have changed and benchmark their digital channels against those of their competition. Chief digital officers and chief information officers (CIOs) can then quickly refocus agile teams to execute the most urgent priorities. Continually measuring 41

digital-channel performance during the 90 days will be critical so that companies can quickly adapt as they learn more.

Use new data and artificial intelligence to improve business operations Hundreds of operational decisions get made daily, weekly, and monthly. Modern businesses have several forecasting and planning models to guide such operational decisions.

Organisations will need to validate these models because of the massive economic and structural shifts caused by the pandemic. As companies construct these models, analytics teams will likely need to bring together new data sets and use enhanced modelling techniques to forecast demand and manage assets successfully.

In the next 90 days, as a first step, the chief analytics officer (or equivalent) should mobilise an effort to inventory core models that support business operations and work with business leaders to prioritise them based on their impact on key operations and their efficacy drift. This assessment is urgent and should be completed as quickly as possible. It will essentially 42

define a program of quick fixes that the data and analytics team can undertake, working hand-in-hand with business and functional leaders. Once the situation stabilises, CEOs and business leaders should push their data and analytics teams to develop next-generation models that leverage new data sets and modelling techniques better suited for fast-changing environments.

Selectively modernise technology capabilities Successfully executing the described agenda requires investment capacity and development velocity. CIOs can contribute to both by right-sizing the IT cost structure to new demand levels and reinvesting the freed-up resources into customer-facing digital solutions and critical decision-support systems. Companies can also dedicate some of the savings to modernising selectively the technology stack and softwaredevelopment tooling. As CIOs consider upgrading their tech stacks, two features of a modern technology environment are particularly important and can be rapidly implemented: a cloud-based data platform and an automated softwaredelivery pipeline. Without these,

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In the next 90 days, during the first sprint, identify the business areas where digital-execution velocity is needed and map out plans for digital factories to support them development velocity stalls and becomes mired in complexity.

to pay close attention to cybersecurity.

In the next 90 days, develop the plan to right-size and create a more variable cost structure, the faster the better to free up resources for the digital agenda.

In the second 30-day sprint, choose your cloud partners. While speed is of the essence, CIOs should thoughtfully consider the contractual structures offered by technology providers. Remember to launch appropriate internal efforts to train and prepare teams to operate in the new environment.

During this sprint, it is also time to modernise the tech stack selectively. By focusing on setting up or enhancing a cloud-based data platform and equipping agile teams with automated software delivery, CIOs can double, or even triple, development velocity in the short term. In the final sprint, launch the recruiting of additional digital talent and accelerate digital upskilling of the entire organisation. Finally, continue

Increase the organisational drumbeat Companies that have led the way in adopting flatter, fully agile organisational models have shown substantial improvements in both execution pace and productivity. While many companies have at least a few agile teams in place, few have successfully scaled to hundreds of teams staffed, which is what is needed to drive the accelerated organisational pace the next normal demands.

Standing up a digital factory is largely the best approach right now because it can be constructed and scaled in three months or less. Many organisations have accelerated and scaled their digital delivery by establishing these internal factories, with interdisciplinary teams aligned to businesses’ digital priorities.

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In the next 90 days, during the first sprint, identify the business areas where digital-execution velocity is needed and map out plans for digital factories to support them.

In parallel, assess where remote work models could unleash productivity benefits. These two lenses should set the table for targeted changes to the operating model. In the second 30-day sprint, design the new models with consideration for staffing level, expertise mix, governance, and operating procedures. Finally, in the third month, implement and operationalise the new designs.

Leaders who want to succeed in the digital-led recovery must quickly reset their digital agendas to meet new customer needs, shore up their decisionsupport systems, and tune their organisational models and tech stacks to operate at the highest effective speed. In other words, C-level executives must point their digital firepower at the right targets and quickly execute against them. Achieving better across digital channels to win the revenue race, rebuilding the most critical decision-support models, and doubling development velocity, are goals that are all within reach.

For further information on McKinsey’s 90-day plan, visit www.mckinsey.com 46

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B U S I N E S S I N T E RV I E W

Karsten Keil, Vice President Group IT & Digitization, at Schnellecke Logistics, talks us through his company’s digital transformation journey.

Written by Anna McMahon • Produced by Jennifer Davies 50

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From its humble beginnings as a classic transportation company in Germany more than 80 years ago, Schnellecke Logistics has evolved into a global value-added logistics provider, offering a variety of logistics services to its customers. Karsten Keil is Vice President Group IT & Digitization at Schnellecke Logistics, as well as a member of the management board.

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e reflects, “It was in the 1980s and 1990s that Schnellecke Logistics really became a logistics service provider. We started by managing external outsourced warehouses, offering more valued-added services, and improving our processes. With sequencing and the assembly of parts for our customers, we were able to improve their stock levels and save valuable time on the production line.”

The last few years have seen the company embark on its digitalisation journey, adding more SAP solutions to its portfolio, as well as launching its 2025 vision, which focuses on making its operational processes smarter. Karsten says, “We are not looking to replace the people in the business, but, instead, humans and machines working in collaboration in order to be more independent from volatile processes. This enables us to work at peak capacity.”

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“Comarch is the hosting provider, with whom we have been in partnership for the last three or four years. We first entered into a relationship with them for our cloud services” 54

One of Schnellecke Logistics’ major strategic projects is its digital control tower. Karsten explains, “It is a digital twin of our logistics operations. It will give full transparency of our processes in real time by collecting data from our internal systems and customer environments. In an inevitably heterogeneous system landscape, due to the use of our own systems and customer systems, we have found with RPA the solution to minimise information breaks and automate the transfer of data from legacy systems to the digital control tower. We use cyber

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sensors on trolleys to track and trace containers wherever they are. This is the first step towards transparency. In the next step, we will be able to offer predictions by analysing the data and creating forecasts to provide service operators with decision proposals.

By the end of 2025, our general vision is to drive decisions by

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algorithms, and we are working on a number of these at the moment.

Thanks to a state-of-the-art cloud architecture and user interfaces in responsive design, the digital control tower can be used via desktops or mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. And because this generates real added value for stabilising the supply

“The aim for us is to have a holistic optimisation of the total value chain.

For that, we use algorithms, machine learning and AI to bring digital solutions and human beings together” chain, it can also be used by our customers and partners. This means that those responsible for operations can monitor the status of the supply chain from home via their smartphone.”

Schnellecke Logistics decided to take a cloud-first approach as part of its digitalisation journey, bringing its core applications into the cloud back in 2017. Karsten says, “With a cloud-first approach, we were able to reduce the running costs, improve availability, and decrease time to market. We have several cloud partners; InfoWAN – a Skaylink company – is our key partner for cloud solutions around office applications. Together with infoWAN, we were able to transfer all the existing global exchange mail servers to a cloud service from Microsoft, with more than 5,000 mailboxes in operation and high security protection. As a result, we were able to provide a digital workplace for our colleagues, enabling them to work anywhere 57

“Five years ago, we partnered with Ubimax, now part of the TeamViewer company, on their Google Glass solution.

We were the first logistics provider in the automotive logistics industry using Google Glass to steer operations”

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at any time, which was extremely helpful during the Covid-19 pandemic. For us, this was a really positive experience insofar as all the architecture was already in place. Our employees are happy because new work concepts make it much easier to combine work and family.”

In 2016, the Google Glass solution was implemented by Schnellecke Logistics for order picking.

Karsten continues, “In the past, we picked using printed lists. The efficiency was not good enough, so we decided to try a number of different solutions. Five years

High speed processes with zero errors © Schnellecke Logisitcs

Situation

TeamViewer Solution

The strong partnership between TeamViewer and Schnellecke Logistics is built on a shared commitment to continuous innovation. For years, Schnellecke Logistics has been using the innovative and industry-proven TeamViewer Frontline solutions productively at various sites around the globe.

The AR platform TeamViewer Frontline offers reliable support for Schnellecke Logistics’s operations. Its solutions improve processes along the entire value chain through augmented reality-based wearable computing technology. The foundation of the success: visual stepby-step presentation of information, ensuring quick and intuitive processing. The vision picking solution xPick supports logistics procedures, enabling multiorder picking for up to 24 orders simultaneously. And TeamViewer Frontline’s Make-by-Vision solution xMake supports assembly procedures.

By offering logistics services ranging from transport and warehousing through pre-assembly and value-added services to the sequential assembly of individual parts Just-In-Time (JIT) as well as Just-In-Sequence (JIS), their processes are highly dependent on optimized, error-free operations. Conventional methods with handheld devices or paper-based documentation often led to a high error rate and delays within potentially intertwined assembly processes.

The hardware-agnostic solutions run on smart glasses, smart watches, or tablets and can be combined with various confirmation devices, like TeamViewer’s RFID wristband xBand, depending on the use case. For fully streamlined processes, the TeamViewer Frontline solutions are integrated into Schnellecke Logistic’s IT infrastructure, e.g. their JIT system SJS.

Benefits

Hands-free operations along the entire process chain by using wearables, making frontline workplaces more ergonomic

Delivery of perfect end results to customers without any extra steps required for final quality control

Shorter training times for onboarding new employees and more flexible staff deployment wherever they are needed

Convincing results: 20% time savings

ZERO errors

100% satisfied workers

Learn more about TeamViewer’s award-winning Frontline solutions, setting new standards in industrial AR: www.teamviewer.com/frontline

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Karsten Keil, Vice President Group IT & Digitization

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“We needed a tool to transfer the incoming format to one outgoing format.

LOBSTER is an excellent platform for this purpose. It is very stable and flexible in converting one format to the next, connecting partners in whichever way you need. It gives us total visibility across the whole business” ago, we partnered with Ubimax, now part of the TeamViewer company, on their Google Glass solution. We were the first logistics provider in the automotive logistics industry using Google Glass to steer operations. It was a real success story. We had no more lists to work on, but every order was in the Glass. Using a scanner, the worker confirmed the status of the delivery, and we therefore improved the process quality to 100 per cent and increased efficiency.”

Data exchange is a huge challenge for any logistics provider, due to the crossover between working with several original equipment 62

manufacturers (OEM) and first-tier suppliers feeding the production line. Karsten says that this is not helped by the fact that Schnellecke Logistics has data exchange with 500 global partners, communicating in over 100 different formats, with a volume of more than 100,000 files per days. He adds, “The poor level of standards means everyone uses his own format to exchange information. As a collaborator between the supplier and the OEM, that creates a problem.

We needed a tool to transfer the incoming format to one outgoing format. LOBSTER is an excellent platform for this purpose. It is very stable and flexible in converting

LOW CODE. HIGH SPEED. HIGH ADAPTABILITY. LOBSTER INCLUDED IN FORRESTER REPORT. Forrester, the leading international research and advisory company, has dedicated its recent report “Now Tech: General-Purpose Low-Code Development Platforms, Q1 2021” to analysing the benefits that lowcode development platforms offer digital business strategies. In this context Forrester lists Lobster in the midsize provider segment with a market presence primarily in EMEA and a vertical focus on logistics, retail, and manufacturing. As a European provider with an excellent understanding of regional market requirements we are thus more than happy to advise you on all aspects of your digitalisation strategy based on a low-code approach.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FORRESTER REPORT.

More about us: www.lobster-world.com/en

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www.skaylink.com

www.skaylink.com

Your Cloud Journey starts here.

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Meet the leading provider for cloud transformation in the German-speaking area: Skaylink is the answer for all organizations looking for a reliable partner when it comes to cloud migration and cloud operations. Thanks to its own cloud frameworks, methods and software-supported tools, ensures a rapid and secure path to the cloud and serves the entire cloud journey.

“We have several cloud partners; InfoWAN – a Skaylink company – is our key partner for cloud solutions around office applications. Together with infoWAN, we were able to transfer all the existing global exchange mail servers to a cloud service from Microsoft, with more than 5,000 mailboxes in operation and high security protection” one format to the next, connecting partners in whichever way you need. It gives us total visibility across the whole business.”

The own-developed SILENA core application in the cloud is Schnellecke Logistics’ global system for warehouse management, sequence and assembly order management, a system that is chosen around the world for its 24/7 availability.

Karsten says, “Because of the high level of required availability, we decided to use SILENA with a georedundant data centre concept.

Comarch is the hosting provider, with whom we have been in partnership for the last three or 65

four years. We first entered into a relationship with them for our cloud services. We use one data centre in Dresden (Germany), and another one in Krakow (Poland) in case the primary data centre is down. In the case of an emergency, we can switch to the other data centre in a matter of minutes, so our availability will not be impacted. Because it has 66

been such a positive experience, I can see us partnering with Comarch for years to come.”

On the whole, Karsten views the drive for digitalisation as a twostep process, as he explains, “The first step is to continuously innovate our business to get better performance, increase efficiency, and decrease the costs.

that can be used independently of the vehicles' hardware, and enables tracking and control in real time.”

Speaking of which, Karsten believes AI and machine learning can be utilised to optimise processes in order to improve the customer experience. Using machine learning to identify patterns in the data can change incoming material processes to enable the optimal process flow in real time. Karsten adds, “The aim for us is to have a holistic optimisation of the total value chain. For that, we use algorithms, machine learning and AI to bring digital solutions and human beings together.”

Developing new business ideas gains revenue away from existing operations. This is the second step. It means we are open, we can have new platform ideas in mind, and we can create different services for our customers. An initial digital product is already being offered and demanded on the market as a service. It is a guidance control system for AGVs

But, for Karsten, the most exciting part of the job involves motivating his great IT & Digitization team every day and changing the company culture. He concludes, “It is one thing to implement technology and bring it into your business, but the biggest challenge is cultural change, creating an internal culture that allows you to fail and learn. Not every technology is a success story. In the end, we need entrepreneurs in our business to detect customer needs and use our internal solutions to feed their requirements.”

For further information on Schnellecke Logistics, visit www.schnellecke.com 67

CYBERSECURITY

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Cyberthreats are accelerating.

As the number of user devices and cloud resources increases, organisations must solve for distributed security risks.

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Cyberse The Covid-19 pandemic presented chief information security officers (CISOs) and their teams with two immediate priorities. One was securing workfrom-home arrangements on an unprecedented scale, and the other was maintaining the confidentiality, integrity and availability of consumer-facing network traffic as volumes spiked.

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ecurity So, as the threat level continues to increase, what actions can be taken to fulfil these two priorities?

Accelerate patching for critical systems Shortening patch cycles for systems, such as virtual private networks (VPNs), end-point protection and cloud interfaces, will help companies eliminate vulnerabilities soon after their discovery.

Scale up multifactor authentication Employees working remotely should be required to use multifactor authentication (MFA) to access networks and critical applications. Scaling up MFA can be challenging: the protection it will add calls for a surge in shortterm capacity. Several practices make the roll-out of MFA more manageable. One is to prioritise users who have elevated privileges

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and work with critical systems.

Targeting those users in pilot roll-outs of modest scale will allow cybersecurity teams to learn from the experience and use that knowledge to shape more extensive implementation plans.

Install compensating controls for facility-based applications migrated to remote access Some applications are available only to users working on site at their organisations’ facilities. To make such facilitybased applications available to remote workers, companies must protect those apps with special controls. For example, companies might require employees to activate VPNs and use MFA to reach what would otherwise be facilitybased assets, while permitting them to use MFA alone when accessing other parts of the corporate environment.

Account for shadow IT At many companies, employees use so-called shadow IT systems, which they set up and administer without formal approval or support from the IT department.

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Extended work-from-home operations will expose such systems because business processes that depend on shadow IT in the office will break down once employees find themselves unable to access those resources. IT and security teams should be prepared to transition, support and protect businesscritical shadow assets.

Quicken device virtualisation Cloud-based virtualised desktop solutions can make it easier for staff to work from home because many of them can be implemented more quickly than on-premises solutions. Bear in mind that the new solutions will need strong authentication protocols; for example, a complex password, combined with a second authentication factor.

Even with stronger technology controls, employees working from home must still exercise good judgment to maintain information security. Building a ‘human firewall’ will help ensure that employees who work from home do their part to keep the enterprise secure. Organisations and 73

their workers must together take certain actions in order to keep cybersecurity threats in check.

Communicate creatively A high volume of crisisrelated communications can easily drown out warnings of cybersecurity risks. Security teams will need to use a mix of approaches to get their messages across. These might include setting up two-way communication channels that let users post and review questions, report incidents in real time, and share best practices; posting announcements to pop-up or universal-lock screens; and encouraging the innovative use of existing communication tools that compensate for the loss of informal interactions in office settings.

Focus on what to do rather than what not to do Telling employees not to use tools they believe they need to do their jobs is counterproductive. Instead, security teams must explain the benefits of using approved messaging, file-transfer and document-management 74

“AS Much as organisations are stepping up internal protections for enterprise networks, security teams in organisations that manage consumer-facing networks and the associated technologies will need to continue to scale up their technological capabilities and amend processes quickly” tools. To further encourage safe behaviour, security teams can promote the use of approved devices; for example, by providing stipends to purchase approved hardware and software.

Increase awareness of social engineering Covid-19-themed phishing campaigns have surged.

Security teams must prepare employees to avoid being tricked. These teams should not only notify users that attackers will exploit their fear, stress and uncertainty, but also consider shifting to crisisspecific testing.

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Identify and monitor high-risk user groups Some users, such as those working with personally identifiable information or other confidential data, pose more risk than others.

High-risk users should be identified and monitored for behaviour that can indicate security breaches.

Few businesses are designed to support extensive work from home, so most lack the right 76

embedded controls. This needs to change as the threat level continues to rise. In such cases, complementary security-control process can help mitigate risks.

»» Supporting secure remote-

working tools »» Testing and adjusting IR and BC/ DR capabilities »» Securing physical documents »» Expanding monitoring »» Clarifying incident-response protocols

»» Confirming the security of third parties »» Sustaining good procurement practices Levels of online activity that challenge the confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA) of network traffic are accelerating.

Whether your organisation provides connectivity, serves consumers or supports transactions, securing the CIA of network activity should be a top

priority for any executive team that wants to protect consumers from cyberbreaches during this period of heightened vulnerability.

As much as organisations are stepping up internal protections for enterprise networks, security teams in organisations that manage consumer-facing networks and the associated technologies will need to continue to scale up their technological capabilities and amend processes quickly.

Source: McKinsey

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TOP 10

The latest environmentally-friendly products from sustainable brands across Europe.

was a catalyst for change, so six months later, we chart the most cutting-edge green innovations to have hit the European market.

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Hitch Courier Container The Hitch Courier is the world’s first reusable water bottle with a removable, leak-proof baristaapproved coffee cup hidden inside. Both the bottle and cup are full-size, vacuum-insulated, plasticfree, and come with their own lids. This means not sacrificing performance whilst going zero waste and having the added convenience of carrying both water and coffee at the same time.

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Bscly Packaging Bscly has created a system of sustainably-made, universally-designed fashions that are both easy to wear and look good on the eye. The company has now added another string to its bow by delivering its products in 100 per cent home compostable boxes.

The box is made from sugarcane fibre whilst the tissue paper used is acid-free and FSC-certified, so shoppers can now buy online guilt-free.

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New Balance Test Run PRJ 3.0 Trainers The new sustainable sneakers from New Balance are characterised by their busy design made using leftover scraps of material to enhance their eco nature. Every material used is environmentally-friendly, including the sock liner, upper mesh, webbing and cushioning pellets, showcasing what can be done to make use of surplus materials in creating eye-catching designs.

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The Unhoused Self-Cleaning Hoodie Premium quality and double-stitched for durability, The Unhoused Self-Cleaning Hoodie has been engineered with innovative FreshTech technology to repel dirt, liquid and stains off its surface. A hygienic sweater that will help its wearer stay clean, the result is fewer washes, making it an eco-friendly garment choice. What’s more, for every hoodie bought, one will be donated to a homeless person in the UK.

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The Air Co. Hand Sanitiser Many alcohol brands produced hand sanitisers during the pandemic to help boost global supply. The Air Co. Hand Sanitiser is made in the same way as the brand’s vodka, by distilling carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to create ethanol that can be used for sanitisation purposes. A carbon-negative product, it came out of a growing number of initiatives to help support healthcare workers.

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LastTissue Tissue Pack This easy, on-the-go tissue pack is eco-friendly, as well as soft on the nose! A modern take on the handkerchief, its maker, LastObject, reinvents many single-use items in a bid to help save the planet. One dishwasher-safe silicone pack contains six reusable handkerchiefs made from 100 per cent organic cotton, with a dedicated spot for storing and separating the used and unused cloths.

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Bilio Protective Mask Industrial firm Bilio has created a zero-waste face mask thanks to a knitting process, which allows for the masks to be made in a single piece, even when different materials and components are required. Not a scrap of excess is generated, whilst the mask is also washable and reusable.

There are two types of design – Koala and Kangaroo – and the latter includes a filter pouch.

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FinalFork and FinalSpork Cutlery Two reusable collapsible cutlery designs, FinalFork and FinalSpork have been created to help reduce plastic waste. The idea is that these portable and easy-to-clean items can be carried in your pocket or bag, and expanded into full-size stainless steel eating utensils when needed. Available in five colours, cutting waste on your lunch break is a great step in the right direction.

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Orre Modular Composter Keeping compost is one of the pillars of ecological life, allowing you to produce less waste and make valuable fertiliser. The Orre modular composter is a handy solution for the modern home, aiming to change habits, as it takes up little worksurface space, whilst the carbon filter protects against any odours.

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The Briiv Air Purifier A sustainable air purifier that will clean the air in a space without synthetic filters, the Briiv air purifier features filters made from 100 per cent natural and renewable materials. The unit also functions as a smart speaker and has a minimalist design, ensuring sleek looks whilst also keeping those eco credentials intact.

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"A highly professional approach" Andy Brierley, Vice President, Cloud Application Modernisation at IBM

"Proud to be part of Digital Innovation" Bouke Hoving, Executive Vice President Networks and IT

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SUBSCRIBE "The team were professional and diligent throughout" Leigh Feaviour, CTIO for BT’s Supply Chain

"Absolute pleasure working with the Digital Innovation team" Mun Valiji, Chief Information Security Officer at Sainsbury’s

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Q U A N T U M T E C H N O L O GY

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Cutting The Supply Chain Knot Arthur Herman, Forbes’ AI and quantum computing writer, explores how technology can be exploited in tackling today’s supply chain issues.

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It seems in ancient Greece there was a man named Gordias, who devised a rope knot so large and complicated no one could untangle it. The claim was that the person who could undo the Gordian knot would become master of Asia. hen Alexander the Great showed up and with one swift sure stroke of his sword, cut the knot – and subsequently, true to prophecy, made himself master of Asia.

Likewise, quantum computers are poised to cut the knot that has tied up supply chain management for

centuries, and has made responding to the need to surge manufacturing or production of any commodity, highly problematic – that is, until now.

Where to get the supplies and components you need, and how to make a product or provide a service can be challenging enough.

When you also try to

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forecast how much you’ll need in future, it can become overwhelming.

Just ask a lithium-ion battery maker trying to get the minerals he needs from the other end of the world; or an auto manufacturer facing today’s microchip shortage. Ask any defence contractor, who depends on a single supplier of a key component, what he or she will do if that supplier goes out of business. When the usual routes you’ve sweated to create for getting and keeping your crucial supply chains suddenly break down, the scramble to find replacements and alternatives can be all-consuming, while everything waits – and your company’s fate hangs in the balance.

In some cases, it’s the fate of the nation. Supply chain issues nearly ground America’s mobilisation in World War II to a halt in its early stages; untangling the Covid vaccine’s supply chain were among the biggest headaches faced

by Operation Warp Speed.

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How can quantum comp computers are excepti optimisation

puters help? Quantum ionally good at solving n problems

How can quantum computers help?

Quantum computers are exceptionally good at solving optimisation problems. These are problems where you are looking for the best of many possible combinations of variables, such as what’s the most efficient route I need to deliver a stack of packages to multiple cities; or what’s the quickest, cheapest way to get the components I need to manufacture my product, including the best possible alternative sources if my main suppliers run out. These are also puzzles that classical computers, even super-computers, can’t figure out.

But quantum computers will. Thanks to the unique properties of the quantum bits or qubits that are linked up or ‘entangled’ for processing data – including being in two different physical states at once – these machines will be able to solve the 99

supply chain or logistical problems that stump a classical computer.

Fortunately, however, we don’t have to wait until large-scale quantum computers are available. Socalled quantum annealers, like the one Canada-based D-Wave Systems Inc. uses, are able to calculate the lowest energy level between the qubits’ different states of entanglement, which equals the optimal solution. D-Wave has used this method successfully to address

D-Wave has used this method successfully to address traffic flow problems for Volkswagen in both Beijing and Lisbon 100

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traffic flow problems for Volkswagen in both Beijing and Lisbon.

The Japanese company Fujitsu has even developed a digital annealer that mimics the processing of a quantum annealer – so much so that it can tackle the knotty supply chain problems that used to elude managers. The company that’s proving it is American-based

Entanglement Inc., which has teamed up with Fujitsu to use the annealer to tackle supply inventory problems for the U.S. Army.

Recently, the Entanglement-led team moved on to Arizona to tackle an even more urgent problem: how to manage Covid vaccination operations at the state level, including handling

They’ve been able to use the digital annealer to dispel some of the fog of crisis management by helping with decisions about where vaccines are needed most, how to distribute vaccines most equitably, and how vaccine distribution operations can be optimised

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widely dispersed inventories of the vaccine. They’ve been able to use the digital annealer to dispel some of the fog of crisis management by helping with decisions about where vaccines are needed most, how to distribute vaccines most equitably, and how vaccine distribution operations can be optimised. The flexibility built into the annealer model means 104

Entanglement could take on these challenges on a national, even global, level.

Supply chain management, and the allocation of strategic commodities like steel and copper, almost derailed the biggest and most important manufacturing surge in American history, the mobilisation for World War II. It’s

amazing to think what would have happened if executives had had a quantum computer, or annealer, at their disposal, and how the breakthroughs that resulted would have shortened the war.

Thanks to annealing, what would have been a miracle then, is reality now. And what

happens when full-scale quantum computers are turned loose on our toughest optimisation problems? Cutting the Gordian knot made Alexander the master of Asia. Could he who cuts the supply chain management knot once and for all be master of the global economy?

Source: www.forbes.com 105

U R B A N I S AT I O N

Hybrid Multicloud

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d Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n The increase in urban areas is driving the need for digital engagement to enhance local interaction.

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By 2 0 30, u r b a n a rea s a re proj ec t ed t o ho u s e 6 0 pe r ce n t of p eo p le g lo b a l l y, and t h e n um b er of c i t i es w i t h po pu l ation s b et ween 1 a nd 5 million w il l g ro w t o n ea r ly 6 0 0.

Urbanisation is driving an increase in population centres needing digital engagement. However, a recent trend has been migration out of cities due to Covid-19. This is causing an expansion in the overall digital edge, which has broadened to more markets as people spread out.

Deploying a globally consistent, scalable digital platform to enhance local interaction drives a need for hybrid multicloud transformation across regions. Hybrid multicloud is the de facto IT architecture of today because it focuses IT where IT does things best, and simultaneously takes advantage of innovation.

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Customers are no longer bound to a specific provider. They can combine their own infrastructure and applications with data services in various public clouds.

" Spe e d , a gil it y a nd fle xibil ity a re t he to p fact or s in c lo u d decision s, w h ic h remai n motiv at ed b y bus ine ss ob j e c t i v es " According to Forrester Research, cloud strategies connected to digital transformation and hybrid are the reality. Furthermore, 95 per cent of enterprises use cloud and 81 per cent use a multicloud strategy. Both public and private cloud adoption have grown significantly.

With these shifts, IT is no longer the sole owner of the purchase decision.

Application owners, development teams, developers and project leaders now influence these decisions as they put data at the centre. Speed, agility and flexibility are the top factors in cloud decisions, which remain motivated by business objectives.

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M a n y o r g a ni s at i o n s und e f in d t hem s el v es i n a co m t hree s t r at e gi e s a 1 Building new applications on cloud-native platforms

2

Adding clo to existing a modernis migr

The result? Taking a hybrid multicloud approach can lead to a 70 per cent reduction in connectivity costs to clouds, greater connectivity choice and reduced complexity.

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e r go ing I T t r a n sf o r m at i o n m mo n s cen a r io in v o l v i n g at the s a me tim e :

2

3

oud services applications; sing while rating

Optimising on-premises capabilities; promoting efficiency and improving utilisation and flexibility of assets

Connecting to multiple clouds in strategic locations with high concentrations of cloud and network providers therefore establishes a hub for business continuity, as well as the capability to scale across regions.

Source: Equinix 113

IN THE SP OTLIGHT

START-UP OF THE MONTH

MiroBio has developed a platform that has broad applications across a range of diseases with the potential to benefit patients all over the world.

The mission of MiroBio is to develop novel, best-inclass therapeutics that bring significant benefits to patients suffering from a range of auto-immune diseases.

MiroBio's medicines activate natural mechanisms to regain control of over-active immune responses triggering these diseases.

The platform is based on groundbreaking research by MiroBio’s scientific founders at the University of Oxford delineating how immune cells communicate and how they are activated. These insights have enabled the company to create antibodies that can leverage natural signalling mechanisms to restore 114

“Thanks to a dedicated team of scientists, experienced executives and advisers, backed by international life sciences investors, the fundamental principles of immune control are being applied to discover and advance safe, efficacious treatments for these debilitating diseases” immune system balance and control.

Thanks to a dedicated team of scientists, experienced executives and advisers, backed by international life sciences investors, the fundamental principles of immune control are being applied to discover and advance safe, efficacious treatments for these debilitating diseases.

How does it work? MiroBio has the expertise to select optimal targets and to generate, and thoughtfully select, antibodies that activate and trigger immune receptors. When this mechanism is directed towards inhibitory targets, it can dampen the overactive immune response seen in auto-immune diseases and

restore balanced immune function, preventing further tissue damage.

MiroBio is focused on the development of more targeted therapeutics with a novel mechanism of action by utilising our understanding of antibody signalling and by characterising the immune response in patients. Through this biologicallydriven approach, the company plans to target the cells that drive disease and control their activity in their work, leading to superior treatments of auto-immunity and helping to treat patients worldwide.

For further information, visit www.mirobio.com 115

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