IT services and outsourcing

More than 30 startups to join Plexal’s Cyber Runway accelerator

Now in its second year, the Cyber Runway accelerator has been designed to support firms at various stages of growth, as well as help the cyber security sector to improve on its diversity, inclusion and regional representation Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

FCSA calls for government clampdown on cloned umbrella companies

One year has passed since the Freelancer and Contractor Services Association spoke out about the problem of umbrella company cloning, and it claims the authorities are not moving fast enough to tackle the issue Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Datacentre Editor

How AWS is tapping the groundswell in cloud adoption

Phil Davis, managing director of Amazon Web Services in Asia-Pacific and Japan, talks up the company’s growth strategy and how it is retaining customers amid rivals nipping at its heels Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Copenhagen Fintech connects its members to the world

Copenhagen-based startup initiative is driving fintech developments across the Nordic region, with Mastercard its latest global partner Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

IR35 reforms to be scrapped in public and private sectors from April 2023, government confirms

The government has confirmed that the 2017 and 2021 roll-out of the IR35 reforms to the public and private sectors, respectively, will be repealed in April 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Datacentre Editor

Post Office scandal inquiry chair intervenes in slow compensation progress

Chair of statutory public inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal has aired his disappointment over the slow progress in making interim payments to victims Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How Great Eastern is transforming its IT organisation

Singapore-based insurer Great Eastern made painstaking efforts to rid itself of legacy systems and transformed its IT organisation to become nimbler by building up its cloud and DevOps capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Tech Nation announces 13 startups for 11th Future Fifty cohort

Thirteen high-growth startups set to join Tech Nation’s 11th annual Future Fifty programme to help them scale further Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Nordic private equity firms pursue cyber security acquisitions

Increasing interest in the security sector from Nordic private equity firms is a reflection of growing threats and increasing enterprise security budgets Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Dr Martens goes feetfirst into cloud-to-cloud backup

Iconic bootmaker laces up for a strategy to move all applications to the cloud, beginning with cloud-to-cloud backup for Microsoft 365 apps plus on-site VMware operations Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Contractors call for IR35 review and tax cuts in Chancellor’s mini-Budget

The contractor community is patiently awaiting the outcome of this Friday’s mini-Budget, with hopes for some concrete details on the Prime Minister’s proposed IR35 review and news of a corporation tax cut Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Datacentre Editor

A gold medal performance for networking

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how the IT team behind the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham delivered a winning performance. We also look at how the centuries-old London insurance market is going digital, thanks to Lloyd’s of London. And we find out how low-cost high street stores succumbed to the inevitable and are going online. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Barnet Council awards Capita contract extension

Barnet Council has awarded Capita a contract extension as part of its transition away from a large contract with the supplier Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

US to see huge increase in embedded finance transactions

Retailers and other non-financial businesses are increasingly offering their customers financial services, such as credit and payment options Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

VMware Cloud on AWS debuts in Hong Kong

VMware has expanded its VMware Cloud on AWS to Hong Kong, following the launch of the Alibaba Cloud VMware service in Greater China Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Cloud compromise a doddle for threat actors as victims attest

Two separate studies into the state of public cloud security reveal insight into the ease with which threat actors can compromise vast numbers of targets, and some of the challenges security teams are facing in the cloud Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

AI Sweden connects the dots to keep the country competitive

How and why a centre dedicated to accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence technology has been created in Sweden Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

JP Morgan acquires fintech for payments modernisation

JP Morgan acquires cloud-native payments technology as it modernises its IT infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Blancco works with charity to provide IT for African schools

Blancco is providing data sanitisation and erasure software to The Turing Trust so that old IT equipment can be securely reused by school children in Sub-Saharan Africa, instead of adding to world’s growing e-waste problem Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Contractors lack confidence in prime minister to follow through with promised IR35 review

Contractor poll suggests lack of faith among freelancers about new prime minister Liz Truss honouring her pledge to review the IR35 rules Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Datacentre Editor

How graph technology is making a dent in the database market

Graph databases are making a splash in the database market, with specialist, multimodal and cloud database suppliers jostling for a slice of the pie Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Interview: Keeping an IT business going during the Russian invasion

After heading home and discovering that his country had been invaded, Konstantin Klyagin was forced to make life-changing family and business decisions Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CW Europe: Why Russia could become the world’s biggest market for illegal IT

Faced with international sanctions and the departure of many global IT suppliers from Russia, companies there are seeking alternative, and sometimes illegal, routes to access IT products. Also read how new requirements are driving scientists and engineers in Europe back to the lab to start developing 6G technology. Continue Reading

Sweden is ideal breeding ground for a direct-to-consumer unicorn

Sweden’s socially driven technology prowess could soon yield an e-commerce unicorn digitising direct to customers Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Tech Nation Libra programme selects 35 scaleups for second cohort

The Libra 2.0 programme is designed to help underrepresented founders in the UK who are growing and seeking specific support for scaling up their business Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

How Sweden goes about innovating

A country of only 10 million people, Sweden is holding its own in the international community when it comes to innovation – and it’s no accident Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Saudi Arabian organisations choose to outsource to improve cyber security posture

Overwhelmed by rising threats and a growing number of government mandates, many organisations in Saudi Arabia are looking for outside help to take care of cyber security Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Out with the old at Asda

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to Asda’s CIO, Carl Dawson, about the supermarket’s cloud-oriented renovation of its technology stack. We narrate the security woes at Twitter. And we examine best practices for data backup. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

VMware doubles down on cloud in ASEAN

Paul Simos, VMware’s managing director and vice-president for Southeast Asia and Korea, dives deeper into the company’s cloud strategy for the region Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

How Okta is regaining customer trust after a cyber attack

In early 2022, cyber firm Okta was among several tech companies hit by the Lapsus$ gang. Vice-president of customer trust Ben King talks about how he has been working behind the scenes to rebuild confidence after the incident Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security Think Tank: Good procurement practices pave the way to app security

Application security is as much a question of good procurement practice as it is good development practice, says Petra Wenham of the BCS Continue Reading

By

• Petra Wenham

Cloud bursting: What it is and what it’s good for

We look at cloud bursting, which allows organisations to meet demand by bursting compute and storage to the cloud Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

Interview: Sibstar, the fintech app for dementia sufferers

Creator of app and debit card designed to support people living with dementia tells Computer Weekly how the idea developed Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Dutch government finally allowed to use public cloud

Public cloud is finally within reach for Dutch public services. Previously, the Dutch government was only allowed to use private clouds due to risks concerning privacy and security Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Police interview Horizon scandal victim in investigation into potential perjury by Fujitsu staff

The Met Police have interviewed a former subpostmaster as part of an investigation into potential perjury by former Fujitsu staff Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Google workers oppose cloud contract with Israeli government

Google workers and Palestinian rights activists call on company to divest from involvement in cloud and artificial intelligence contract with Israeli government and military, following allegations the tech giant has retaliated against an employee for being publicly critical of the deal Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

VMware beefs up Tanzu portfolio, adds OpenShift support

The Tanzu Application Platform will include support for Red Hat OpenShift, air-gapped installations and other capabilities to improve developer productivity and code security Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

NetApp storage goes GA for VMware Cloud on AWS

Move will bring up to 50% decrease in TCO for customers running VMware apps in the Amazon cloud, says NetApp. No date yet for extension of the service across other public clouds Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Cloud storage TCO: Key pitfalls and how to avoid them

Cloud’s flexibility is part of the attraction, but it can also lead to costs that spiral. We look at key elements in cloud TCO and how to intelligently make use of the cloud Continue Reading

By

• Stephen Pritchard

Home Office announces Scale-up visa for fast-growth firms

Scale-up visa launched to help high-growth businesses employ talent from overseas, but sponsorship requirements could undermine effectiveness Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Farming tech projects get £16.5m in government funding

Projects receiving funding through latest round of farming innovation programme include tech to improve fruit farming and the use of artificial intelligence to improve pigs’ welfare Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Google Cloud and Singapore government team up on AI

Singapore’s National AI office will tap Google Cloud’s expertise in artificial intelligence to build artificial intelligence applications and train public sector officers on AI Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Cozy Bear targets MS 365 environments with new tactics

Cozy Bear, or APT29, is trying out new tricks as it seeks access to its targets’ Microsoft 365 environments Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

LexisNexis sued by immigration advocates over data practices

Four immigration advocacy groups launch lawsuit in Illinois alleging data broker’s collection, aggregation and sale of people’s personal data, including non-public information, to corporations and government bodies Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Growing MFA use spurs ‘pass-the-cookie’ attacks

The exploitation of stolen session cookies by cyber criminals is once again back on the agenda, thanks to the growing popularity of multifactor authentication tools Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Cyber security accelerator launches in Greater Manchester

Accelerator will add to Manchester’s growing cyber security ecosystem, which already includes several tech unicorns, arms companies and the offices of GCHQ Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

FCSA appoints independent panel to bolster dispute resolution protocols for umbrella firms

In a statement to Computer Weekly, the Freelancer and Contractor Services Association says the panel will provide umbrella companies with a route to appeal against the decisions made by its CEO Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Met Police ramps up facial recognition despite ongoing concerns

The Metropolitan Police is taking an “irresponsible” approach to deploying live facial-recognition technology, say experts. We talk to civil society groups, lawyers and politicians about the controversial programme Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

NHS may take a month to recover from supply chain attack

Ransomware attack victim Advanced warns its NHS customers they could be waiting until early September to fully recover their operations Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Increase in UK startups scaling to exit, but half still struggle

Despite more startups scaling to the point of exit than ever before, half are still stuck in low growth stages – particularly those working with emerging technologies Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Google Cloud to open three new cloud regions in APAC

New Google Cloud regions in Malaysia, Thailand and New Zealand will enable local organisations to maintain low latency and meet data residency requirements Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

APAC organisations warm to cloud networking

Organisations in Asia-Pacific are getting up to speed with cloud networking services, even as they grapple with the challenges of managing a hybrid cloud environment Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

UK to surveil convicted migrants with facial recognition

A Home Office scheme to biometrically scan the faces of convicted migrants who have already carried out punishments has come under fire from privacy and human rights groups for being discriminatory Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

NHS recovering key services after attack on supplier

Incident at software provider Advanced took out multiple NHS services before the weekend, including the 111 advice service Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Podcast: How storage AIOps is revolutionising hybrid cloud ops

We talk to Tintri about storage and AIOps, which is the application of AI and machine learning-based software to monitor storage infrastructure to be able to detect patterns and predict failure, the need to upgrade, and so on Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Inside Bukalapak’s cloud strategy

Indonesian e-commerce unicorn Bukalapak’s multicloud strategy, underpinned by the use of microservices and DevOps, has enabled it to meet the diverse needs of its users while addressing business requirements Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Financial Ombudsman Service mining for gold in cloud HR and finance

The Financial Ombudsman Service is reaping the benefits of the cloud-based human resources and finance system it implemented last year Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Reimagining ethical digital technology

With ever-increasing digitisation leading to greater dependence on a range of digital technologies, enterprises need to urgently look at how they can incorporate ethical and social considerations into the tech they develop Continue Reading

By

• Simon Rogerson

New EU due diligence law needs amending to stop tech sector abuse

European corporate due diligence directive seeking to transform how companies approach their human rights and environmental risk is welcome, but without further changes, it will fail to effectively curb tech firms’ harmful practices, claims international non-profit Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Twilio eyes CDP opportunity in APAC

Twilio is tapping opportunities in customer data platforms and will deploy APAC instances of its Segment platform next year Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

UK safety tech sector sees strong revenue and employment growth

Safety tech is now one of the fastest-growing sectors in the UK tech industry, with jumps in revenue, investment and employment Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

VMware CEO defends Broadcom deal

Raghu Raghuram is confident that Broadcom will invest in growing VMware through a broad portfolio of assets that will serve its entire customer base, not just its biggest customers Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Estonia is building AI Gov Stack

Data scientists in Baltic nation are creating a repository of software code that provides building blocks for digital services Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CloudMile banks on trust in regional expansion

Taiwanese cloud and AI startup CloudMile keeps its billing transparent and provides round-the-clock support to build trust with customers as it grows its business in Southeast Asia Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Luxembourg taps into innovation for better government tech

With a diverse population and a digital inclusion and open innovation strategy, Luxembourg has developed a way of using technology to improve government services Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Artificial intelligence to reduce waiting list for neurology appointments

The Walton Centre is working with Tata Consultancy Services to apply digital technology to its operation, starting with a time-saving AI chatbot Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

NCSC startups scheme turns focus to operational technology, SME security

NCSC for Startups initiative turns its focus to supporting innovation around securing operational technology and addressing the challenges facing small businesses Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Has the cloud caught up with the mainframe?

Yes, you read that right. For much of the last couple of decades, it's felt as if everyone has been talking about the impending demise of the mainframe, whilst simultaneously attempting to emulate ... Continue Reading

By

• Tony Lock, Freeform Dynamics

Home Office selects CGI as strategic delivery partner

IT services supplier will act as strategic delivery partner for the Home Office’s plans to modernise and join up UK law enforcement’s digital capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Hibs push for the backup premier league with Acronis

Hibernian FC signs Acronis to get top division data protection and make the most of ticketing information and match footage as it tries to gain more value from the data it holds Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Ocado revenue drops despite distribution centre successes

Ocado has spent the past six months rolling out new customer fulfilment centres and signing partners for its smart platform, but the cost-of-living crisis still sees revenue taking a hit Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Telstra and Microsoft deepen cloud and connectivity ties

Telstra will use Azure as a preferred cloud while Microsoft will look at boosting its capacity on Telstra’s subsea cable network in a wide-ranging deal Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Supermarket facial recognition challenged by privacy group

Big Brother Watch’s legal challenge against Southern Co-op’s use of facial recognition claims the use of the technology in stores is ‘unlawful’ and ‘Orwellian in the extreme’ Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Post Office attacked subpostmasters who questioned Horizon, say victims

When the Post Office’s lie about the Horizon system failed to silence subpostmaster critics, it took more extreme measures, say victims of the scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Six more subpostmaster convictions overturned in Horizon scandal

More former subpostmasters have their wrongful convictions for theft and fraud overturned in the Court of Appeal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Umbrella IT contractors could get back-dated holiday pay windfall following Supreme Court ruling

Umbrella industry stakeholders weigh-up the financial implications of a Supreme Court ruling, which could pave the way for IT contractors to submit back-dated claims for holiday pay Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Russia could become the world’s largest market for illegal IT

Russia could become the biggest market for illegal IT equipment as companies try to get round sanctions imposed on the country Continue Reading

By

• Computer Weekly correspondent

Singapore to restart datacentre builds with sustainability focus

The Singapore government is running a pilot exercise to drive the sustainable development of new datacentres following a moratorium on datacentre builds Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

UK government introduces data reforms legislation to Parliament

Proposed changes to UK’s data protection regime include new grounds for data processing, significant powers for the secretary of state to direct the regime’s application, and fewer restrictions on law enforcement’s use of data Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Starling Bank withdraws application for licence in Ireland

App-based bank decides against completing its application for a banking licence in Ireland after concluding it did not offer enough value Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Barnet Council to bring work outsourced to Capita back in-house by 2026

London borough is bringing swathes of outsourced services back in-house next year, with more to follow by 2026 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How NEC is transforming its business

While NEC is known for its public safety systems, the company has been expanding into new areas including e-government, financial services and customer experience in Asia-Pacific Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

European IT services see bumper quarter, but signs of slowing emerge

Spending on IT and BPO services in Europe saw significant growth in the past quarter, but there are signs of a slowdown Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK fintech outperforms global sector

Investment in UK fintech continues to increase, outpacing a flat global sector, according to Innovate Finance Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Tracking the rise of homeworking across the UK

In this week’s Computer Weekly, new figures show that homeworking has more than doubled in the UK due to the pandemic – we look at the regional differences. The pressure is growing on cyber security teams – we analyse the expert advice on how to avoid staff burnout and lost talent. And we examine the important role that tech startups play in the rapid growth of Amazon Web Services. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Putting automation into motion will put the wheels on UK economic growth

Automation technologies and artificial intelligence will change the workplace for the better, giving people time to focus on high-value creative work Continue Reading

By

•  Anne-Marie Malley

Dutch multinational hires HCL for digital transformation

Netherlands-based DSM is moving to a single-supplier IT services model for its digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Drivers’ union calls for immediate dismissal of Uber executive

Uber’s continued employment of an executive directly involved in efforts to resist regulatory oversight puts the ride-hailing firm in breach of its 2018 licence conditions, says drivers’ union Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

HPE expands private cloud capabilities in GreenLake

HPE’s GreenLake for Private Cloud Enterprise is a managed service that provides flexibility in deployment models with automation capabilities for a cloud-like experience Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Global IT services market shows signs of slowing

Spending on IT and business process services could be set to reduce over the coming months as the latest ISG figures show early signs of decline Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Enterprise interest in sovereign cloud on the rise, Capgemini research suggests

Capgemini Research Institute probe into enterprise attitudes towards use of sovereign cloud services suggests interest is on the up Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

NHS trust cuts costs and refresh cycle with Wasabi cloud storage

Imperial College NHS Trust expects to saves 30% in storage costs and cut back on five-year refresh headaches in a move that has seen backup and archive data move to the Wasabi cloud Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Is time running out for legacy payments technology used by banks?

The company bringing Google-like processing to core banking for banks has added the same proposition in payments Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UKtech50 2022: The most influential people in UK technology

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we reveal the 50 most influential people in UK IT for 2022, and talk to the winner of the 12th annual UKtech50, National Cyber Security Centre CEO Lindy Cameron. Also, we take an in-depth look at the crisis in chip supply and what’s needed to solve it. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

NetApp Ontap to be sole vSAN storage alternative in the cloud

NetApp Ontap storage will provide file access capacity to extend VMware data stores in AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google clouds as a cheaper alternative to VMware vSAN Continue Reading

By

• Yann Serra, LeMagIT
• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Retailers choose from menu of mobile apps to help reduce food waste

Supermarkets, convenience stores and coffee shops are among the retailers connecting with mobile apps and tech firms to drive down the wastage of food Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Ofcom publishes Online Safety Roadmap

The roadmap sets out how the online harms regulator will approach implementing the UK’s online safety regime, and tells tech firms to start preparing for the new rules Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

How Bank BPD Bali modernised its datacentre infrastructure

The Indonesian bank has deployed the Nutanix Cloud Platform in a move to modernise its datacentre infrastructure and pave the way towards hybrid and multi-cloud Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

CW Middle East: UAE citizens embrace new digital technologies

A survey shows that people in the United Arab Emirates believe next-generation technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence will become widespread in the country. Also read how the UAE has improved its security posture amid mounting cyber threats. Continue Reading

Manchester United signs DXC for digital transformation

Football club is working with IT services firm DXC to support its digital transformation on multiple fronts Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA