Bitcoin

Featured image: Darwin Laganzon from Pixabay

This article does not have any basis on paid advertisement, affiliation, or sponsorship by any of the organizations or people mentioned below. This article expresses my opinion based on my personal experience and views.

Bitcoin has always been at the forefront of cryptocurrencies. Since 2008, when it was first presented by — the until today unidentified — Satoshi Nakamoto (it is not clear yet whether Satoshi Nakamoto is one person or a group of people), noise always surrounded this famous digital asset. On the one hand, Bitcoin became very popular since it is a decentralized digital currency that can be sent from user to user (peer-to-peer) directly without intermediaries (financial institutions or administrators). On the other hand, the fact that Bitcoin’s ownership was anonymous (at least during the beginning) paved the way for its misuse on the dark web and its vilification. With this in mind, we will dive deeper into the core of Bitcoin and try to analyze the technical aspects of Bitcoin in an attempt to understand what it is.

Courtesy of VIN JD from Pixabay

What is Bitcoin ? (A very simple explanation)

Firstly, let us define what is Bitcoin in simple terms. For those users that have absolutely no idea about coding (computer programming) and the technicalities of digital products in general, this is the simplest way to define Bitcoin. (You can also view the video below as suggested by bitcoin.org to get a general idea about Bitcoin). Simply put, Bitcoin is a representation of a group of information (data). The data represented by Bitcoin are online financial transactions. These data are recorded in chronological order and categorised in small chunks called blocks that altogether form a sequence or else chain (the blockchain). Many blocks constitute larger groups represented by a digital coin that is called Bitcoin.

Courtesy of WeUseCoins

What is Bitcoin and why was it created? (according to Satoshi Nakamoto’s paper)

Satoshi Nakamoto created Bitcoin to solve the problem of double-spending in online transactions. In his original paper titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System.” Nakamoto suggested electronic peer-to-peer cash to avoid double-spending by eliminating financial institutions as intermediaries. According to Satoshi Nakamoto, financial institutions are using the Trust-Based Model in online transactions. Nakamoto postulates that the Trust-based model the following flaws. 
Firstly, increased transaction fees due to the involvement of intermediary parties. 
Secondly, loss due to inability to address the problem of “non-reversible payments for non-reversible services”.
And finally, loss tolerance up to an amount due to inevitable fraud. 

Ulterior States was completely self-funded and produced as a final project for: London South Bank University [MA – Arts & Humanity – Digital Film]. A Film By Tomer Kantor – An IamSatoshi Production.

According to Satoshi Nakamoto, such flaws do not exist in transactions that use cash. Therefore, he outlines the need for an electronic payments ecosystem that would resemble the physical (cash) ecosystem. His proposal is a payment system based on cryptographic proof instead of trust that would allow any two parties to transact with each other, directly without the need of a third party. Moreover, sellers would be protected from fraud by transactions that would be computationally impractical to reverse, while buyers would be protected by “routine escrow mechanisms” that could be implemented accordingly. Furthermore, Nakamoto provides technical details with respect to the implementation of a peer-to-peer timestamp server that would generate computational proof of the chronological order of transactions and outlines that the system would be secure as long as “honest nodes” collectively own more CPU power than “attacker nodes.”

Courtesy of SQ1.tv

Some thoughts about Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a very well structured idea that could solve a problem. All of the crazy headlines that colour Bitcoin with dark shades or bright light have nothing to do with its true nature. Bitcoin’s representation as the coin of the villains is far from true as every transaction on the chain contains detailed information given during the transaction. Therefore, if a transaction takes place on a specific platform (i.e. an e-shop), will this platform provide information about the user? As an example, one of the darkest uses of Bitcoin happened on the Silk Road marketplace, a completely anonymous Darknet black market website for buying or selling illegal products or services.

Is Bitcoin the way forward, or a high-risk currency with little practical value? Courtesy of Journeyman Pictures

Concerning Bitcoin’s value, it is irrelevant to the original purpose of Bitcoin. There was always uncertainty concerning Bitcoin’s value. Several factors made this digital asset’s price volatile. Firstly, several cases of past Bitcoin’s misuse resulted in negative press announcements and led to a phobia of adoption in the early years. However, since the structure of Bitcoin ensures that every piece of past, present and future data was, is, and will always be available, this phobia is not present anymore. Secondly, financial markets transformed Bitcoin into a product for sale. As a result, a non-stop price rally led the price of Bitcoin to around 40,000.00 USD as of today.

Bitcoin: Beyond The Bubble – Full Documentary. Courtesy of 100thMonkeyChannel.

Moreover, this massive Bitcoin adoption led to the creation of numerous other cryptocurrencies and similar products. In other words, the genesis of Bitcoin resulted in the creation of a new economic ecosystem, a crypto ecosystem. After Bitcoin was created, several other cryptocurrencies emerged such as Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, Dogecoin, and others. Additionally, various relevant products entered the crypto ecosystem. Some of them are Stablecoins, Tokens, Social Money, Smart Contracts, Yield Aggregators, NFTs and collectibles, and plenty more. Not to mention the numerous cryptocurrency exchanges that entered the crypto space. According to Coinmarketcap, some of the top cryptocurrency exchanges ranked by volume are Binance, Huobi Global, Coinbase, Kraken, Bitfinex, and others. Furthermore, the Blockchain which is practically a Nakamoto invention is considered a highly efficient way of storing information as all records are “linked together using cryptography”. This is why there are numerous applications of the blockchain apart from cryptocurrencies such as smart contracts, financial services, video games, energy trading, supply chain, anti-counterfeiting, healthcare, domain names, music distribution, the insurance industry, IoT and others. 

Conclusion

Bitcoin and the technology around it changed the past, shape the present and will affect the future of finance and technology. Will the effects of this technology be positive or negative? Is this technology good or bad? The answer to these questions is that the technology itself is neither good nor bad. Technology is merely a tool. The matter is who uses this technology and for which purpose.

Why Real Python is the best resource for online Python training

Featured image: courtesy of Real Python

This article does not have any basis on paid advertisement, affiliation, or sponsorship by any of the organizations or people mentioned below. This article expresses my opinion based on my personal experience and views.

When i first heard of Python I didn’t know what to expect. There was this tendency to consider Python a very easy language to learn. As a student I undertook modules such as programming with Basic, Pascal, Visual Basic, C, C++ , and others. Later on as a web developer, I learned JavaScript, ES5, ES6, PHP, and some years later during my MBA studies for the sake of my thesis I used R to perform sentiment analysis on tweets. I was always fond of programming and I was lucky enough to be mostly surrounded by programmers and Computer Scientists. This brought me even to the point where I learned some Java. However, I never used Python. I never knew what to expect until one day, I was involved in a Python module. This is where I came across this magnificent language. Yes, it is considered quite easy by programming beginners probably due to its comprehensive standard library. However, if you take a deeper dive, you will notice that Python is a very strong language that “supports multiple programming paradigms, including structured (particularly, procedural), object-oriented, and functional programming. ” (Source: Wikipedia)

Courtesy of kropekk_pl from Pixabay

We all know the feeling of being stuck for hours at a certain point while writing our code where suddenly everything seems unknown and impossible to comprehend. This moment seems like an eternity. Nothing moves on, your mind gets stuck. You think that this is it! You are useless, you know nothing, the code is worthless, you need to rewrite everything from the beginning! Then the endless search begins. You go everywhere, you visit every possible resource online. Your first choice is stackoverflow. Yes, there is a solution there, but you don’t quite understand it. (No! I am not going to do something I don’t understand!) You search every possible link available. GitHub is full of other approaches but you want to write your own unique code. Everything is so blurry, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You can’t even see a tunnel! Suddenly, you discover Real Python! You search at the website. There is an example! You are not alone, someone was there before you! There are more examples. There is also the theory that explains why this is happening. But what is Real Python? I have never seen something like this before! (I want to hug these guys!)

Courtesy of Pexels from Pixabay

This is how I felt when I discovered Real Python and there is more. There is absolutely nothing about Python that is not included at the Real Python website. For instance, did you know that there is an option to create an Instagram bot with Python and InstaPy? Yes, there is! And you can find so many more applications, examples, and lessons at Real Python. So what exactly can you use Real Python for?

Courtesy of Real Python

At Real Python you’ll learn all things Python from the ground up. Their tutorials, books, and video courses are created, curated, and vetted by a community of expert Pythonistas. With new content published weekly, custom Python learning paths, and interactive code challenges, you’ll always find something to boost your skills. Join 3,000,000+ monthly readers and take your Python skills to the next level at realpython.com. (Source: Real Python)

Do you have to pay?

Well, no, it is absolutely free but if you need a membership that includes everything, then yes, you need to pay a very small fee which is too small for what you receive in exchange. It is natural to pay something as in this way you support an amazing learning resource to continue growing. In a sense, it is like helping the rest of the world as well, as, the more the resource is growing, the more free content there will be available for those that can not afford to pay. In the following video Mr Dan Bader is speaking about about Real Python’s mission at the official Real Python YouTube channel.

Courtesy of Real Python

Products

(Source: Real Python)
Professional developers and organizations around the world level up their programming skills with Real Python‘s online Python training resources:

Real Python Membership

Members get unlimited access to Real Python‘s library of 1,600+ expert-made Python tutorials and video lessons. Weekly “Office Hours” virtual workshops and the Real Python Community Slack chat provide hands-on support.

Real Python for Teams

Membership access for groups of learners through a single billing account. Team license management and progress analytics helps new developers get up to speed with Python and keeps them up-to-date with the latest best practices.

Books

• Python Basics: A Practical Introduction
  to Python 3
• Python Tricks: A Buffet of Awesome Python Features
• CPython Internals: Your Guide to the Python 3 Interpreter

Courtesy of Real Python

All of Real Python‘s materials are created, curated, and vetted by a team of expert Pythonistas. At Real Python, developers get the trusted resources they need on their path to Python mastery. (Source: Real Python)

Courtesy of Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

I am thrilled about Real Python not only for the high quality and vast amount of content it offers, but also because Real Python is one of the most friendly connections on social media. Please feel free to connect them or get in touch. Here are all Real Python social media channels: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, for any other info their email is: info@realpython.com. The Real Python team will respond in the most friendly manner.

Learning new skills online during the COVID-19 second lockdown

Featured image: courtesy of Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

This article does not have any basis on paid advertisement, affiliation, or sponsorship by any of the organizations or people mentioned below. This article expresses my opinion based on my personal experience and views.

The second Coronavirus lockdown is happening! Despite the fact that COVID-19 remains a huge threat, we need to stay positive and active and treat this situation as an opportunity for personal development.

Courtesy of Queven from Pixabay

With this in mind, I did some online research and found some interesting resources that may help anyone convert the “lockdown” time to personal development time.

The edX^® platform

Courtesy of edX^®. EdXis a registered trademark of edX Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Founded by Harvard University and MIT in 2012, edX Inc. is a leading MOOC provider. The edX® platform is an online learning destination offering high-quality courses from the world’s best universities and institutions to learners everywhere. EdX is the only leading MOOC provider that is both nonprofit and open source.

Source: edX Inc. EdX is a registered trademark of edX Inc. All Rights Reserved

Courses are offered in a plethora of subjects such as Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Economics & Finance, Math, Business & Management, Law, Medicine, Humanities, Language, and many more. edX^® offerings are: the MicroBachelors® program, the MicroMasters® program, Professional Certificate programs, XSeries programs, the Global Freshman Academy, and online Master’s degrees. Students can attend courses for free or obtain certificates for a small fee. Tuition for attending Master’s degrees is quite affordable.
MicroBachelors is a registered trademark of edX Inc. All Rights Reserved.
MicroMasters is a registered trademark of edX Inc. All Rights Reserved.
EdX is a registered trademark of edX Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Courtesy of Udacity

For those interested in acquiring unique, cutting edge tech skills form technology experts, Udacity is the only online learning platform that offers nanodegrees such as: Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Digital Marketing, Flying Car and Autonomous Flight Engineer, Intro to Self-Driving Cars, Machine Learning Engineer, and Robotics Software Engineer. Additionally, there are numerous other subjects available to study that lead to a nanodegree.

Courtesy of Udacity

Nanodegree courses are interactive, project based and paid (Udacity offers many free courses as well). Projects are real world projects, not toy examples. For instance, when I was attending the Digital Marketing program at Udacity, some modules included Facebook and Google advertising. From my experience working at the Digital Marketing department of an agency, the only difference between the projects at the agency and the projects at Udacity was the amount of money spent by each student on ads. Moreover, Udacity offers one to one mentor support, a personal career coach, and career services to every student. There are numerous examples of successful students that advanced or changed their career completely through Udacity.

Courtesy of Coursera

“Life-transforming learning experiences”

Moreover, Coursera which was founded back in 2012 by Stanford University‘s computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller is also a leading online learning platform, offering numerous courses from top Universities such as Stanford, Penn and many others and organizations such as Google and IBM, and a plethora of others, both free and paid (at an affordable low price). There are several subjects to choose from such as: Computer Science, Data Science, Information Technology, Math and Logic, Business, Health, Arts & Humanities and many more. Potential students may also pursue (full paid) Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in fields such as Computer Science, Data Science and others. Of course there is the option to obtain a verified certificate for a relatively small fee. Since its beginning Coursera’s vision was to provide “life-transforming learning experiences to anyone, anywhere.”

Courtesy of Khan Academy

“You can learn anything”

Another amazing resource for free online learning is also Khan Academy. This resource has been quite popular to mathematics students since this is how it originally started back in 2008 by Sal Khan. Today it offers courses in math for school, high school, and college, science, arts & humanities, and reading & language arts. What is amazing about Khan Academy is that it is nonprofit and relies only on donations (I encourage anyone who finds it useful to donate and help this great organization continue existing and growing). Moreover, Khan Academy recently updated its website and now provides Distance learning resources for teachers, districts, and parents to keep everyone learning. I think during the COVID19 crisis this is a huge offering to the global community.

Courtesy of Real Python

If you are a Python lover like me, and you do not already know Real Python, you need to visit at least once this wonderful Pyhon resource. I am confident one visit is enough for you to make you stick with Real Python forever.

At Real Python you’ll learn all things Python from the ground up. Their tutorials, books, and video courses are created, curated, and vetted by a community of expert Pythonistas. With new content published weekly, custom Python learning paths, and interactive code challenges, you’ll always find something to boost your skills. Join 3,000,000+ monthly readers and take your Python skills to the next level at realpython.com. (Source: Real Python)

Please feel free to watch what Mr Dan Bader has to say at the official Real Python YouTube channel about Real Python’s mission in the video below.

Courtesy of Real Python

Products offered at Real Python

Professional developers and organizations around the world level up their programming skills with Real Python‘s online Python training resources: (Source: Real Python)

Real Python Membership

Members get unlimited access to Real Python‘s library of 1,600+ expert-made Python tutorials and video lessons. Weekly “Office Hours” virtual workshops and the Real Python Community Slack chat provide hands-on support. (Source: Real Python)

Real Python for Teams

Membership access for groups of learners through a single billing account. Team license management and progress analytics helps new developers get up to speed with Python and keeps them up-to-date with the latest best practices. (Source: Real Python)

Books

• Python Basics: A Practical Introduction to Python 3
• Python Tricks: A Buffet of Awesome Python Features
• CPython Internals: Your Guide to the Python 3 Interpreter

All of Real Python‘s materials are created, curated, and vetted by a team of expert Pythonistas. At Real Python, developers get the trusted resources they need on their path to Python mastery. (Source: Real Python)

I am thrilled about Real Python not only for the high quality and vast amount of content it offers, but also because Real Python is one of the most friendly connections on social media. Please feel free to connect them or get in touch. Here are all Real Python social media channels: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, for any other info their email is: info@realpython.com. The Real Python team will respond in the most friendly manner.

Courtesy of freeCodeCamp

“Learn to code at home, build projects, earn certifications”

Since I started mentioning programming I could not leave behind the freeCodeCamp. This is one of the greatest resources to learn programming. Available subjects are: Responsive Web Design, JavaScript, Algorithms and Data Structures, Front End Libraries, Data Visualization, APIs and Microservices, Quality Assurance, Scientific Computing with Python, Data Analysis with Python, Information Security, and Machine Learning with Python. What makes them unique is that freeCodeCamp offers verified certifications in the aforementioned subjects that the user earns merely by practicing (coding). There are no lectures, each section is presented in small blocks, step by step with examples and exercises. The student starts from a very simple small lesson with an example. To proceed to the next lesson, the student has to submit the answer of the corresponding exercise. What is even more interesting is that there are several freeCodeCamp successful students that advanced or changed their career and achieved their dreams.

Courtesy of Pixabay from Pexels

Those were some available online resources that offer free learning. However, this is not an exaustive list. There are numerous online platforms that offer training in almost any skill one can imagine. We are fortunate enough amid the COVID-19 lockdown to have some time at our disposal. The Coronavirus pandemic soon will be over and the world will return to normality. So, this might be the only opportunity to upgrade your skills or acquire an entirely new skill set or even change your career completely. Therefore, stay safe and happy learning!

What is Business Process Management (BPM)? via Salesforce

Click To Enlarge

Via Salesforce

TechCrunch: Disrupt Berlin 2019 Dec 11 – 12

Featured image: courtesy of Ingo Joseph from Pexels

TechCrunch is the organizer of another incredible event, Disrupt Berlin 2019 which gives the opportunity to entrepreneurs in the European continent to showcase their ideas and products. This is an interesting alternative for entrepreneurs that reside in the European continent and found it difficult to attend Disrupt SF 2019. Disrupt Berlin 2019 is taking place in Berlin Germany on the 11th and the 12th of December.

Disrupt Berlin 2018 Highlights ¦ Courtesy of TechCrunch

What TechCrunch claims about Disrupt Berlin 2019

If you’re serious about startups, we’re still keeping it as real as ever. At Disrupt, everyone is a startupper – no matter if you’re a founder, investor, hacker or tech leader. So much more than just on-stage interviews, Disrupt is where you’ll find the renowned Startup Battlefield competition, hundreds of startups in Startup Alley, Workshops and legendary networking at our After Parties… and we’re in Berlin, right where many startup dreams begin.

Source: TechCrunch

Who is Disrupt Berlin 2019 for?

Disrupt Berlin 2019 is mainly focusing around the following tech categories:

• Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning
• BioTech/HealthTech
• Blockchain
• FinTech
• Gaming
• Investor Topics
• Media
• Mobility
• Privacy/Security
• Retail/eCommerce
• Robotics/IoT/Hardware
• SaaS
• Space
• Social Impact & Education

However, participation does not exclude audience coming from any background. In fact Student & Government, Non Profit, NGO and Innovator passes can get a significant discount. There is still time for lower price passes as price increases on the 11th of December. More information about tickets can be found here.

Startup Battlefield

Legacy wins the Startup Battlefield Finals at Disrupt Berlin ¦ Courtesy of TechCrunch

According to TechCrunch there is also a “Startup Battlefield” competition at Disrupt Berlin 2019 the prize of which is $50,000. “The world’s top early-stage startups” present their businesses on the “Disrupt Main Stage” and “compete for the coveted Disrupt Cup” which results to a prize of $50,000 USD added by the “attention of media and investors.” At the moment applications for participation in “Startup Battlefield” at Disrupt Berlin 2019 are closed.

Startup Alley

Moreover, TechCrunch suggests the Startup Alley as the ideal networking environment. According to TechCrunch for the startups that have purchased a Startup Alley Exhibitor Package there will be a drawing to win 3 tickets to the “Speaker & Editors Dinner” where ” TechCrunch editors, investors, and other tech enthusiasts” are meeting together. Additionally 50 startups from Startup Alley will be randomly selected to “have a 60-second flash pitch on the Showcase Stage.”

Conclusively, TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin 2019 seems to be the one of the most interesting and rewarding global startup conferences. The conference may very well serve entrepreneurs as vehicles that lead to global exposure, recognition, funding and (why not?) as a medium of evaluation of their capabilities.

CMI CEO Ann Francke: keynote speaker at the Midlands Conference 2019

Featured image: courtesy of CMI

Ann Francke will be a keynote speaker at the the CMI Annual Midlands Conference 2019, that will be held in Birmingham on Friday the 4^th of October 2019 at the Birmingham International Conference Centre.

Ann Francke, CEO of Chartered Management Institute (CMI), Winner of the Louis Armstrong Award for outstanding leadership of a UK professional body 2016 and Author of: Financial Times Guide to Management: How to Make a Difference and Get Results.

Source: CMI

CMI describes Ann Francke as “a transformational leader with vision, pace and proven ability to deliver profitable growth and build organisational capability.”

Anne Francke. Courtesy of AnnFrancke

Ann Francke is Strategic Advisor at Tongal and a Non-Exec at Grant Thornton International additionally she is a member of the CRUK Women of Influence Board, WACL, MGGB and an Advisory Board member of Lancaster Management, Nottingham Trent and the Open University Business Schools. 

At CMI, she uses her experience in leading organisations to promote best practices in management and leadership, and improve management standards across the UK and beyond. Ann has been named in the top 100 women to watch in the 2015 Female FTSE report from Cranfield and is an expert on current challenges facing women in the workplace.

Source: CMI

Ann Francke on Sky news – Men-only charity gala

Ann speaks constantly in the media and at conferences about management best practice, gender equality in the workplace. 

Ann Francke, CEO of the Chartered Management Institute, interview at UWE Bristol

Before CMI Ann Francke held roles such as ‘Global General Manager at the British Standards Institution’, member of the executive board at Boots and Yell and ‘European Vice President’ at Mars. Ann started her career at Procter & Gamble where Ann managed numerous international brands such as Pampers, Always and Olay.

Ann holds a BA with Distinction from Stanford, an MBA/MS from Columbia; Honorary Doctorates in Business Administration from UWE and Nottingham Trent Universities and a Doctor of the University from Oxford Brookes.

Source: CMI

Her book Create a Gender-Balanced Workplace will be available on the 26th of September. To get a copy of the book please visit this link.

Courtesy of Penguin

In the Penguin Experts: Create a Gender-Balanced Workplace, Ann Francke, the CEO of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), introduces her solution to combating the problems at the heart of the continued imbalance and offers clear, actionable strategies for making a positive change in your organisation.

Source: Penguin

Ann will be a keynote speaker at the the CMI Annual Midlands Conference 2019, that will be held in Birmingham on Friday the 4^th of October 2019 at the Birmingham International Conference Centre.

Interested in the conference? Please use the button below to book your place:

Book your place

Meet the keynote speakers of the Midlands Conference 2019

Featured image: courtesy of CMI

The CMI Annual Midlands Conference 2019 will take place on Friday 4th October at the Birmingham International Conference Centre. The focal point of the conference will be the discussion subject of the national campaign Management 4.0 as announced earlier this year. The event will explore Management 4.0 themes through high-profile keynote speakers, and engaging workshops.

Who are the CMI Annual Midlands Conference 2019 keynote speakers?

The following content (text and images) belongs to CMI. Other elements (images) have been attributed to their original source.

ANN FRANCKE, CEO, CHARTERED MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE

Courtesy of Ann Francke

Ann Francke is Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute.

 

She started her career at Procter & Gamble and has held senior executive positions at Mars, Boots, Yell and BSI.
Ann is an expert on gender balance in the workplace and speaks frequently in the media and conferences on this and other management topics. Her book on gender balance publishes on 26th September 2019. Ann also authored the ‘Financial Times Guide to Management’ and has been named in the top 100 women to watch in the 2015 Female FTSE Cranfield report. She was awarded the MemCom award for outstanding leadership of a UK professional body’ in 2016.Ann holds several Board positions and five Honorary Doctorates for her work in management and leadership. Ann and her husband live in West London; she has one daughter.

DILSHAD SHEIKH, CHAIR, CMI WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL BOARD

Courtesy of CMI

Dilshad Sheikh is Chair of the CMI West Midlands Regional Board

Dilshad has over 20 years of teaching experience in the Higher Education sector and is currently the Dean of the Business School at University College Birmingham (UCB).

Her academic career commenced with her appointment as a Business & Marketing Lecturer, she progressed to middle management to become the Associate Dean of the Business School and then later progressed to Senior Management, when she became Dean of School. In addition to overseeing the strategic management of the Business School at UCB, Dilshad also oversees the effective management of the Business Incubator (Enterprise Hive) at UCB whereby business start-ups are supported in a variety of ways to ensure their success.

Dilshad’s previous appointments have included Retail Manager for a leading supermarket in the UK and International Marketing Manager for a multinational confectionary organisation where she was based in the south of France for two years.

The move into teaching and the Higher Education sector came as a result of Dilshad wanting to combine her academic knowledge with her industry experience and as such she successfully completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education. Dilshad completed her BSc. (Hons) in International Business Management (with French), and MSc. specialising in Marketing Management, at Aston University. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute.

Being of Asian origin herself, Dilshad’s most recent research interests have focused on the diversity in leadership and management across the Higher Education sector. She has delivered several keynote presentations both locally and nationally advocating the benefits of a diverse leadership and management team, is a mentor for the 30% Club and continues to engage with audiences across a variety of sectors in her endeavours to encourage more females, especially from minority ethnic backgrounds, attaining senior leadership roles.

SIMON BLAKE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID ENGLAND

Wednesday, May 27, 2015. Photographer: Jason Alden Photographer: Jason Aldenwww.jasonalden.com0781 063 1642

Simon Blake is Chief Executive at Mental Health First Aid England

Simon has dedicated his career to working with young people and has a long track record of championing difference and creating platforms for people’s voices to be heard. In doing this, Simon has worked on some of the most talked about and complex social issues of today; sex and relationships education, sexual and reproductive rights, volatile substance abuse, Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) and Citizenship and LGBTQ rights. He is driven by a passion for a better, more inclusive society where everyone can be themselves.

With over 20 years working with young people Simon has been involved in several projects and initiatives to promote positive wellbeing and mental health. He has written over 40 publications on all aspects of PSHE and Citizenship.

PAVITA COOPER FOUNDER, MORE DIFFERENCE

Courtesy of CMI

Pavita Cooper is the Founder of More Difference

Pavita is recognised as a leading talent and diversity expert; she has over 25 years’ experience as an executive talent leader across a range of multi-sector global blue-chip organisations, including Shell, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group. Pavita has acted as an advisor to CEOs, executive teams and business leaders across sectors that include financial services, energy, consumer, professional services and luxury goods.

Having led in-house Board level appointments and promotion processes, she understands that organisations need fresh and innovative thinking for their ongoing talent challenges. Pavita combines her deep technical expertise with an ability to frame insights in a direct but compelling style.

DR. MARCELL VOLLMER CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER, CELONIS

Courtesy of Dr. Marcell Vollmer

Dr. Marcell Vollmer is Chief Innovation Officer at Celonis

Marcell is responsible for defining and driving innovations and digital transformation for customers globally.

A thought leader in procurement, supply chain, finance and shared services, Marcell’s expertise

lies in defining digital transformation strategy and to make‚ “Run Simple” a reality for global customers and consumers by delivering transformation success and process productivity gains.

Previously, he was Chief Digital Officer In SAP’s Cloud Business Group and Chief Operating Officer for SAP Ariba where he successfully developed and led global business development, procurement, go to market, sales operations, and enablement. And prior to that Marcell was Chief Procurement Officer of SAP and was responsible for the reorganization and process optimization for and end-to-end source-to-pay organization. Since joining SAP in 2005 he has held various leadership roles involving restructuring, improving project efficiency and execution of global programs in finance, procurement, sales, human resources and post-merger integrations.

Interested in the conference? Please use the button below to book your place:

Book your place

The Midlands Conference 2019

Featured image: courtesy of CMI

Now in its 6th year, the CMI Annual Midlands Conference 2019 will take place on Friday 4th October at the Birmingham International Conference Centre.

Source CMI

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) is organizing the Midlands Conference, an annual event that takes place in either West or East Midlands in the UK every year. As West and East Midlands are relatively close, the conference happens every year in either one of the two areas as a unanimous event. This year, the Midlands Conference will be held in Birmingham on Friday the 4^th of October 2019 at the Birmingham International Conference Centre. The focal point of the conference will be the discussion subject of the national campaign Management 4.0 as announced earlier this year.

Courtesy of CMI

CMI defines Management 4.0 as management in the fourth industrial revolution where technology plays the most important role shaping a new business landscape, and businesses are called to demonstrate their compatibility to this change. Please use the button below to download the Management 4.0 discussion paper:

Management 4.0 discussion paper

The event will explore Management 4.0 themes through high-profile keynote speakers, and engaging workshops

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

ANN FRANCKE CMgr CCMI
CEO, CMI

DILSHAD SHEIKH CCMI
Chair, CMI West Midlands Regional Board

PAVITA COOPER CCMI
Founder,
More Difference

SIMON BLAKE OBE CCMI
Chief Executive, Mental Health First Aid England

DR. MARCELL VOLLMER
Chief Innovation Officer,
Celonis

WORKSHOP HOSTS:

Dorothy Francis MBE CCMI
Co-Director, CASE

Patrick Kniveton CCMI
Visiting Professor, University of Derby

Claire-Elaine Arthurs CMgr MCMI
CMI Women Champion,
CMI West Midlands Regional Board

Claire Whitehead-Wall
FCMI
Mentoring Champion, CMI West Midlands Regional Board

Management 4.0 themes to be explored

Technology Transformed
The meaning of innovations
(AI, automation, new ways
of communication) for managers.
Discussion paper

Patterns of Work Transformed
Working force flexibility
and remote work.
Discussion paper

Leadership Transformed
New leadership styles and
new leadership skills.
Discussion paper

Society Transformed
New challenges for
managers deriving from
diversity of population.
Discussion paper

Business Transformed
The meaning of technology
for existing business models.
Discussion paper

Lifelong Learning Transformed
The importance of Up-skilling
and re-skilling.
Discussion paper

Interested in the conference?
Please use the button below
to book your place:

Book your place

CMI works with businesses and education providers to create skilled, confident and successful managers and leaders. With more than 81,000 currently studying our practical qualifications and over 132,000 members dedicated to improving their management and leadership skills and performance, CMI provides the tools and resources for success. Backed by a unique Royal Charter, CMI is the only organisation allowed to award Chartered Manager status – the ultimate management accolade.

Source CMI

TechCrunch Startup Alley at Disrupt SF and Disrupt Berlin 2019

Featured image: courtesy of TechCrunch

TechCrunch is the organizer of Disrupt SF 2019 which may be the best place on earth for startup owners/entrepreneurs to be at. Undoubtedly, the notorious San Francisco Bay area and more specifically Silicon Valley is the Holy Land of technology. The “flagship tech conference” is from 2-4 October.

What TechCrunch claims about Disrupt SF 2019

Disrupt is where the startup world gathers to see the present and the future of tech in one place. Be inspired by the insights of today’s leaders and tomorrow’s best startups, learn from industry analysts sharing their business expertise, witness the latest innovations and up-and-coming founders, and make the right connections easily to propel your business forward.

Source: TechCrunch

Why attend Disrupt SF 2019? ¦ Courtesy of TechCrunch

Moreover, TechCrunch, suggests the Startup Alley as the ideal networking environment. To participate, startups should Buy a Startup Alley Exhibitor Package. This particular “package” enables startups to exhibit for “one full day” while it includes three additional “Founder passes.” What’s more, early-stage startups that exhibit in Startup Alley are eligible to win a Wild Card entry to the “Startup Battlefield pitch competition” where the prize is $100,000.

Startup Alley at Disrupt SF 2019 ¦ Courtesy of TechCrunch

Similarly, TechCrunch encourages all startups to “Buy a demo table exhibit in Startup Alley and network their way to greatness.” As mentioned previously, Disrupt SF 2019  is between 2-4 October 2019. TechCrunch calls potential sponsors to Disrupt SF 2019 to contact their sponsorship sales team at this link.

However, there is an interesting alternative for entrepreneurs that reside in the European continent and find it difficult to attend Disrupt SF 2019. TechCrunch is also organizing Disrupt Berlin 2019 on the 11th and the 12th of December.

What TechCrunch claims about Disrupt Berlin 2019

If you’re serious about startups, we’re still keeping it as real as ever. At Disrupt, everyone is a startupper – no matter if you’re a founder, investor, hacker or tech leader. So much more than just on-stage interviews, Disrupt is where you’ll find the renowned Startup Battlefield competition, hundreds of startups in Startup Alley, Workshops and legendary networking at our After Parties… and we’re in Berlin, right where many startup dreams begin.

Source: TechCrunch

Disrupt Berlin 2018 Highlights ¦ Courtesy of TechCrunch

According to TechCrunch it might be possible for startups to exhibit at Disrupt Berlin 2019 absolutely free of charge!

Startups that belong to any of the following tech categories: AI, Machine Learning, Biotech, Healthtech, Blockchain, Fintech, Mobility, Privacy, Security, Retail, E-commerce, Robotics, IoT, Hardware, CRM, Enterprise and Education, can fill out an application and expect to be evaluated by the TechCrunch team. TechCrunch experts will examine thoroughly all applications and select five winners from each category. These startups will get a free “Startup Alley Exhibitor Package.” The “package” enables winners to exhibit one day, use three additional “Founder passes”, with “access to the full conference and all programming at the event.”

Legacy wins the Startup Battlefield Finals at Disrupt Berlin ¦ Courtesy of TechCrunch

There is also a “Startup Battlefield” competition at Disrupt Berlin 2019 the prize of which is $50,000.

All things considered, Disrupt SF 2019 and Disrupt Berlin 2019 seem to be the most interesting and rewarding global startup conferences. These conferences may very well serve entrepreneurs as vehicles that lead to global exposure, recognition, funding and (why not?) as mediums of evaluation of their capabilities.

Dr Marcell Vollmer: keynote speaker at the Midlands Conference 2019 in Birmingham, UK

Featured image: courtesy of Dr Marcell Vollmer

Dr Marcell Vollmer will be a keynote speaker at the the CMI Annual Midlands Conference 2019 that will take place on Friday 4th October at the Birmingham International Conference Centre.

Dr Marcell Vollmer. Courtesy of Dr Marcell Vollmer.

Marcell Vollmer is Chief Innovation Officer at Celonis and is responsible defining and driving innovations and digital transformation for customers globally.

Courtesy of Celonis

A thought leader in procurement, supply chain, finance and shared services, Marcell’s expertise lies in defining digital transformation strategy and to make “Run Simple” a reality for global customers and consumers by delivering transformation success and process productivity gains.

Dr Marcell Vollmer. Courtesy of Dr Marcell Vollmer.

Previously, he was Chief Digital Officer In SAP’s Cloud Business Group and Chief Operating Officer for SAP Ariba where he successfully developed and led global business development, procurement, go to market, sales operations, and enablement.

Dr Marcell Vollmer. Courtesy of Dr Marcell Vollmer.

And prior to that Marcell was Chief Procurement Officer of SAP and was responsible for the reorganization and process optimization for and end-to-end source-to-pay organization. Since joining SAP in 2005 he has held various leadership roles involving restructuring, improving project efficiency and execution of global programs in finance, procurement, sales, human resources and post-merger integrations.

Dr Marcell Vollmer will be a keynote speaker at the the CMI Annual Midlands Conference 2019 that will take place on Friday 4th October at the Birmingham International Conference Centre. The tittle of the event is Management 4.0. CMI defines Management 4.0 as management in the fourth industrial revolution where technology plays the most important role shaping a new business landscape; where businesses are called to demonstrate their compatibility to this change.