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Fortinet Acquires Cloud Security and Networking Innovator OPAQ Networks

SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) has become a topic of increased industry discussion and interest for enterprises and partners alike. That is because today’s organizations require immediate, uninterrupted, and secure access to the network and cloud-based resources and data – especially business-critical applications – no matter where their users are located. Digital innovation creates new challenges for organizations, including dynamically changing network configurations and the rapid expansion of the attack surface. This has resulted in new and incremental opportunities to provide additional levels of protection and access control that these organizations and users require. These are challenges that a SASE solution is designed to address. However, there are two critical things to remember about the selection and implementation of any SASE solution. The first is that it must be easily integrated into your larger security strategy. If not, you are simply creating yet another set of s

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Pru Life UK establishes AI and Data Analytics Center to accelerate digital transformation

Leading life insurer Pru Life UK has established the AI and Data Analytics Center to accelerate its digital transformation with the use of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics. The virtual center is designed to drive the integration of advanced technology solutions within Pru Life UK’s business to enhance its delivery of value-added products and services to customers and the public. It also helps facilitate collaboration among its internal functions and external stakeholders, such as the regulators and business partners. Pru Life UK President and CEO Antonio “Jumbing” De Rosas believes harnessing technologies such as AI and data analytics not only prepares the company and its growing workforce to be future-ready but also helps advance digital health in the Philippines. “In addition to enhancing the efficiency of our operations and building a smart business, the AI and Data Analytics Center will help deepen public understanding of how new

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Experts see pandemic accelerating adoption of AI solutions in customer service

Experts see the pandemic accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence solutions in customer service as consumer behaviors change in response to the global crisis. “I think everyone will be pushed to go online. E-commerce will be pushed, even services will be pushed online. So AI will have to handle that volume to aid the agents in handling each of those calls,” said PLDT Enterprise Innovation Center head Andy Santos at the Voix Live! 2020 webinar. Telus International Vice President for Digital Solutions Nalakumar RS said the pandemic has fast-tracked the adoption of AI chatbots as people begin to move away from accessing customer services through voice calls. “There is that push from our customers to transform the way we used to do things to fit our current lifestyle and work style that is needed right now,” said TeamAsia Managing Director Bea Lim. Roadblocks in AI adoption However, Google Cloud Customer Engineer Graeme Merrall pointed out that there are roadblocks in the

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How Filipino SMEs ‘Reset for the Rebound’ Post-COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly affected many industries since the implementation of the community quarantines.  But as the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens, as many businesses, especially the small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs), still found a way to remain resilient in the “new normal.” A survey by SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) and Oxford Economics, called “Digital Resilient, and Experience-driven: How Small and Midsize Organisations Can Prepare for the New Economy,” revealed that 88 percent of SMEs in the Philippines remain confident that they will continue to grow over the next three years. The survey also said that 89 percent of SMEs in the country adjusted their employees to work remotely amid the pandemic. SAP recognizes that Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, continues to be one of the fastest-growing markets in the world amid the pandemic. According to the SAP survey, 69 percent of SMEs in the Asia Pacific has invested in IT and digital solutions to b

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Data drives COVID-19 recovery for Asia Pacific businesses and global travel bounces back with a more local focus

Deep data insights are driving COVID-19 recovery strategies across all industries, including the travel and entertainment sectors where promising signs of improvement are starting to emerge, according to two reports by Mastercard that analyze how companies and consumers are weathering the pandemic and preparing for the future. Sailing Against the Wind features case studies on six sectors in the Asia Pacific – restaurants, finance, mass retail, health & beauty, travel, and government – that highlight effective tactics to harness the power of analytics, including performance clustering, phased benchmarking, and consumer segmentation. The specific examples also connect to broader themes for each industry on how to use the right data, tools, and expertise to understand the impact of a crisis and drive response strategies. “Businesses in the Asia Pacific have been dealing with the pandemic longer than anywhere else. In the midst of continued uncertainty in the operating environment and th

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UBX’s online shop builder Sentro now with over 13,000 sign-ups

Online shop builder Sentro of UBX, the fintech arm of Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), has gained significant traction from entrepreneurs with now over 13,000 platform users, barely four months since its launch. Sentro provides an outlet for people looking to showcase their products online or have their own website. The platform is particularly relevant as businesses pivot to digital to survive amid the public health crisis. Entrepreneurs can create their online shop that accepts payments in minutes, for free with no set-up fee nor commission from sales. For casual sellers or small businesses who are interested to go online, sell and grow their business, just log on to sentro.ph. Sentro is one of four ventures of UBX that aim to provide clients with the much-needed access to technology and create marketplaces that have otherwise been impossible for other companies to offer during the pandemic. For its notable contributions in leading the Filipino finance market’s digita

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Singlife and GCash now offering no-fuss protection to Filipinos

Entering the market, mobile-first life insurer Singlife Philippines officially launched its partnership with the country’s leading mobile wallet GCash, showcasing an innovative customer experience that will be available on the GCash app. Life insurance has been present in the Philippines for more than a century, but only 5% to 6% of the insurable population owns at least one policy. Market research indicates that another 15% to 20% of Filipinos are attracted by the value of life insurance. While some still haven’t purchased a policy as they feel intimidated to speak with sales representatives, others who have purchased found the overall value and customer service lacking. These often lead to discontinuation of contributions – and in most cases, waiving of benefits. Singlife identified several hurdles that prevent people from getting insured: limited access, complex products, and high premiums. Limited access to buy through financial advisors lead to doubt if the customer’s needs are

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MSI Officially Enters the Business Laptop Market With New Logo

Micro-Star International (MSI), the technology and laptop giant debuted its brand new “Business & Productivity” lineup, The Summit, Prestige, and Modern series. The company also revealed its new, minimalistic, and modern logo for the new lineup. This bold new direction is a major milestone for MSI. The new line also includes one of the first laptops, Prestige 14 Evo certified on Intel’s Evo platform, which indicates advanced efficiency and better mobility. The gaming series also unveiled the world's thinnest 15-inch gaming laptop, the Stealth 15M. All powered by the latest 11th Gen Intel processor, the new lineup provides unprecedented efficiency and performance in the face of the new remote working trend due to COVID-19. Summit Series provides secure solutions for business professionals The Summit Series, as the name implies, is the pinnacle of a mountain and represents the determination to lead and succeed in a career. The chassis and new logo showcase minimalism and modernism to

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SAP Recognized by Top Research Firms as a Leader in Supply Chain Management

SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today announced that once again it has been named as a Leader in Gartner Magic Quadrants for Warehouse Management Systems and Transportation Management Systems. Moreover, by worldwide market share, SAP was ranked by Gartner Inc. to be among the top supply chain management (SCM) software providers. SAP also was ranked number one in the overall supply chain management market share by IDC. SAP believes the recognition demonstrates its ability to help global businesses stay resilient in times of supply chain disruption with its customer-centric products. According to recent reports, SAP has been: · Placed in the Leaders Quadrant of the Gartner “Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems” for the sixth time in a row · Placed in the Leaders Quadrant of the Gartner “Magic Quadrant for Transportation Management Systems” for the sixth year in a row · Ranked by Gartner as the number one market share leader in supply chain management software, worldwide, for the 18th 

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Fujitsu Philippines selects NetFoundry’s Zero Trust Networking Platform

Fujitsu Philippines, Inc., a global information technology (IT) systems integrator and solutions provider, has worked with NetFoundry Inc., the leader in zero-trust networking, to help businesses in the country address key networking challenges resulting from the acceleration of digital transformation caused by the current global health crisis. With the sudden changes brought by the pandemic, the alliance between Fujitsu and NetFoundry enables businesses to respond effectively to the disruptions and achieve organizational resilience often referred to as Business Continuity Management (BCM). Amid the pandemic, organizations need to provide secure, high quality networking everywhere, including over broadband Internet access, such that knowledge workers can be productive in new flexible working arrangements, while IT organizations need solutions they can roll out and manage efficiently and effectively. The work-from-anywhere VPN replacement solutions, formulated by the two companies, he

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