Multi-party democracy. The rule of law. Cybersecurity. 🇺🇦 www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-donegan-53ba00/
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Articles by Patrick Donegan
Rising to SASE and Zero Trust Challenges
on Posted on Reading Time: 3 minutes As the pace of software innovation continues to “eat the world,” it can feel like cyber threats are driving our economies and societies at least one step back for every two steps we take forward. Halfway through 2021, the overall track record of government and industry at protecting themselves, their employees, and citizens against cyber attacks is, to put it mildly, pretty poor.
Telco Strategies for Consumer Security - The Mobile Network
This article was first published in Issue 41 of TMN Quarterly. You can subscribe to receive issues of the magazine here. Historically, telecom operators have had a spotty record of protecting consumers online. Embedding standards-based security protocols into network infrastructure has always been considered important – if not mandatory – but beyond that not a lot has been done. Reselling anti-virus software has been quite common going back many years.
Court of Appeal puts default interest rate clause to the test in Houssein v London Credit Ltd (2024)
Court of Appeal puts default interest rate clause to the test in Houssein v London Credit Ltd (2024) 24/07/2024 Two important issues in the context of financing transactions were considered by the Court of Appeal in the recent decision in Houssein & Others v London Credit Limited & Another [2024] EWCA Civ 721 (28 June 2024):whether the contractual default interest constituted...
Council Post: HR Has A Key Role In Helping Employees Come Around On AI
Patrick Donegan, Chief Strategy Officer, SEI. There's something big happening in the world of work. While it isn't new by any means, it has recently exploded into the limelight, shaking up how businesses operate and forcing leaders to rethink the very fabric of their organizational culture. If you guessed the answer is artificial intelligence, you're right. AI is undeniably changing how we work.
Council Post: How To Avoid The ‘Gym Membership’ Pitfall In The AMS Market
Patrick Donegan, Chief Strategy Officer, SEI. Have you ever signed up for a gym membership, only to stop going after a few weeks or months—then forget to cancel it? It happens to the best of us. We tend to get so caught up in our enthusiasm that we move to action without truly thinking about our long-term goals or needs. I see this happen a lot in the application management services (AMS) market.
Council Post: The Death Of 'Good Enough': Embracing Optimization After A Go-Live
Patrick Donegan, Chief Strategy Officer, SEI. Is your company in the process of launching a new product or system internally? As an HR leader, this could be a major opportunity to reshape how your workforce interacts with new technologies and processes. All too often, reaching the go-live phase of a project implementation becomes a checkmark activity, with leaders settling for "good enough" and missing a vital opportunity for growth.
New EU rules on Non-Performing Loans
Home / Publications / New EU rules on Non-Performing Loans An EU law update relevant to sellers, purchasers and credit servicers. The amount of loans made by EU-regulated banks which are technically classified as non-performing loans (“NPLs”) was estimated to be EUR 345 billion in the third quarter of 2023, representing 2.27% of the EU’s total bank loans.
Council Post: The Ripple Effect Within: Why A Vendor’s Culture Matters
Patrick Donegan, Chief Strategy Officer, SEI. When you enter the crucial phase of year-end budgeting and planning, you typically turn an eye toward one of the most understated yet critical facets of your business strategy: vendor relations. Vendors are any entity you're utilizing and paying for on behalf of your employees.
Leveraged finance: handling an impending financial covenant breach
A forecast breach of a financial covenant is often an early warning sign that a business is not performing to plan. Unless self-help remedies are open to the borrower, lenders will have an opportunity to ‘get around the table’ and have their say on what happens next. The current macro-economic and interest rate environment is resulting in an increase in PE-owned businesses finding themselves in this situation.
Council Post: Do You Onboard Clients Like Your Employees? It's Time To Start
Patrick Donegan, Chief Strategy Officer, SEI. Introducing a new person to your company should take some time and perspective, but that’s not always the case—especially with clients. Employees often receive thoughtful induction experiences that consist of introductions, orientations and integration into the new company culture. Meanwhile, clients are ushered in with considerably less fanfare.
Cisco’s most likely target is telecoms in $28bn acquisition of Splunk
The telecom sector is likely to be a lead target for Cisco leveraging its acquisition of Splunk. More rigorous cyber incident reporting is at the heart of many of the new cybersecurity regulations that telecom operators are being subjected to. Government regulators the world over are raising the bar. They’ve had enough of leaving consumers and businesses to bear most of the burden of protecting themselves against cyber threats.
The impact of Pillar Two and the BEPS Actions on finance transactions
10/08/2023 Increasing interest rates, inflationary costs and the threat of restricted growth (or even recession) continue to add pressure on borrowers. Those pressures, combined with the lower headroom on financial covenants since higher interest rates have taken hold, will... Read more
The impact of Pillar Two and the BEPS Actions on finance transactions
Increasing interest rates, inflationary costs and the threat of restricted growth (or even recession) continue to add pressure on borrowers. Those pressures, combined with the lower headroom on financial covenants since higher interest rates have taken hold, will mean a number of financing transactions will be under stress. That stress can be further exacerbated if there is a risk of additional tax exposure materialising, particularly in highly structured transactions.
Council Post: Breaking Through Complexity: HR's Path To Efficiency And Influence
Chief Strategy Officer, SEI. There's no denying that running a successful business involves some degree of complexity. From production and marketing to customer service and HR, each aspect of operations has its unique set of tasks and tools to manage. At a minimum, you must juggle numerous processes, employ a range of tools and keep up with multiple workflows to maintain a dynamic, competitive environment.
Council Post: Flipping The Narrative On Tech Company Consolidations
Chief Strategy Officer, SEI. getty You don't have to look far to find news about another tech consolidation these days. From Broadcom and VMware to Adobe and Figma, some of the biggest industry names are acquiring smaller companies in an effort to build their influence, expand capabilities and keep up with the competition. Though the intent of these mergers and acquisitions (M&As) is to improve business functions, they can bring about a host of operational and cultural challenges.
Council Post: Aiming Higher Than Success: Excellence In Business
Chief Strategy Officer, SEI. Getty If someone asked you what the definition of a sports team was, would you say it’s a group of people working toward a shared objective? Recently, someone from my team sent me an article about Brad McCarty, head coach of the men's soccer team at Messiah University, and his philosophy of excellence over success. It got me thinking: Professional services may be the biggest team sport there is.
To assign or not to assign - that’s a real question
When taking security over assets, often the default position for lenders has been to take an assignment over assets where they can, in preference to alternative forms of security such as a charge. However, as recent case law has shown, this is not always the most effective approach and can result in unintended consequences.
To assign or not to assign - that’s a real question
13/04/2023 When taking security over assets, often the default position for lenders has been to take an assignment over assets where they can, in preference to alternative forms of security such as a charge. However, as recent case law has shown, this is not always the most... Read more
Re Avanti Communications Ltd (2023): fixed v floating charge - a spectrum of control?
04/05/2023 This briefing considers the recent case of Re Avanti Communications Ltd [2023] EWHC 940 (Ch) in which the English Court considered what was required to characterise a fixed charge, rather than a floating charge and the degree of control necessary to have a fixed... Read more
Pain: Just The French Word For Bread
I wouldn’t say I necessarily recommend running the marathon. It isn’t for everyone. But if you've not done it before, I definitely recommend turning out to line the streets of one. I ran the Brighton Marathon yesterday and it was one of the best experiences of my life. Us humans have been having a torrid time of it of late – so much of it self-inflicted too.
Council Post: Employees Are Done Climbing Ladders—It’s Time For The Career Portfolio
Chief Strategy Officer, SEI Boston. The pandemic, as we all know, has ushered in a new era of work. Gigs, hybrid and remote models, and a growing cultural emphasis on redefining the work-life balance have afforded employees the flexibility to change not just how they work but how they live. Gone are the days when employees looked to the next rung on the career ladder for their progression.
Don't worry about the government?
2023 is going to be another busy year for telecom security. Last year, the ramping up of geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia saw an elevated level of cyberthreats targeting telcos from nation-state threat actors affiliated with Iran, Russia and China. Government abuses of NSO spyware continue to surface, as does new evidence of other vendors like Tykelab selling similar products.
Exit Interview by Patrick Donegan #99.5
For some time, I’ve been looking for one “source” that curates modern takes on HR Tech, perspectives from the people who build it, and its impact on enterprise — something that’s tailor-made by professionals for decision-makers. I never found it — so I decided to build it. Every week, I’ll be sharing fresh insights on tech platforms, design, data, and the future of work — straight to your inbox. My Thoughts Curious why you’re not reading the 100th edition of Exit Interview this week?
Council Post: Your Recruitment Data Is A Goldmine—Are You Utilizing It?
Chief Strategy Officer, SEI Boston. If your recruiting strategy consists of listing a position on a job board and sifting through the stackof robo-applies to find the one diamond in the rough, it’s time to change. The talent climate isn’t what it used to be and will continue to evolve as prospective hires flood the market in search of better pay, flexible schedules and companies that align more closely with their values.
Council Post: The Unspoken Support And Accessibility Needs In Remote Workplaces
Chief Strategy Officer, SEI Boston. The pandemic has made changes to the world of work, the scale of which we might have expected over the course of 50 years—yet we have seen these changes in just two years. But in the discussion of remote work and new workplace challenges, there is one subject that has fallen to the wayside: support and accessibility needs. Remote working is generally considered to be a step in the right direction for individuals with various accessibility needs.
Telecom Threat Intelligence Sharing [ 22-23 Jun 2022]
The view from the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre The UK is a leader in both the telecom and cybersecurity sectors. Technical Director of the NCSC, Ian Levy, will give his assessment of the threats to telecoms services, what the sector does well in response and point to areas for potential improvement.
Council Post: The Truth About Toxic Remote Workplaces
Chief Strategy Officer, SEI Boston. It’s no secret that Covid-19 has radically changed our entire world—and shifts within the world of work have led to increased discussion and openness about “the workplace.” Employees are now more empowered than ever to reflect on and share personal experiences about their working environment, and they are increasingly willing to simply move on to a new job if they’re dissatisfied in their current positions. Right now, we’re truly in an employees' marketplace.
Council Post: Taking Employee Ownership To The Next Level
Managing Director, SEI D.C. getty While there are many ways to implement employee ownership, it is widely accepted that the primary purpose is to create a highly engaged culture where employees, by thinking and acting like owners, are more invested in the company and its prosperity. But are today’s employee ownership models actually achieving this?
Exit Interview by Patrick Donegan #64
For some time, I’ve been looking for one “source” that curates modern takes on HR Tech, perspectives from the people who build it, and its impact on enterprise — something that’s tailor-made by professionals for decision-makers. I never found it — so I decided to build it. Every week, I’ll be sharing fresh insights on tech platforms, design, data, and the future of work — straight to your inbox.
Exit Interview by Patrick Donegan #56
For some time, I’ve been looking for one “source” that curates modern takes on HR Tech, perspectives from the people who build it, and its impact on enterprise — something that’s tailor-made by professionals for decision-makers. I never found it — so I decided to build it. Every week, I’ll be sharing fresh insights on tech platforms, design, data, and the future of work — straight to your inbox. My Thoughts This week, The Changing Workplace will feature the next in our series of thought pieces.
Council Post: Why You Should Stop Running From Your People Data
Managing Director, SEI D.C. Getty Thanks to digital transformations, people data is more secure and accessible than ever. So why do so many organizations avoid it? Based on my experience, here’s how to use people analytics for good.
Council Post: Thinking Of Implementing Employee Surveillance? Pro Tip: Think Again
Managing Director, SEI D.C. getty With more employees working remotely, many companies are turning to surveillance tech to keep tabs on their teams. But is remote monitoring the best way to ensure productivity? (Hint: It's not.) The use of surveillance technology in warehouses has become an increasingly hot topic, particularly thanks to recent articles that have coined the term “Bezosism,” Amazon’s system for using surveillance to increase employee productivity.
Exit Interview by Ryan Costello #48
For some time, I’ve been looking for one “source” that curates modern takes on HR Tech, perspectives from the people who build it, and its impact on enterprise — something that’s tailor-made by professionals for decision-makers. I never found it — so I decided to build it. Every week, I’ll be sharing fresh insights on tech platforms, design, data, and the future of work — straight to your inbox.
Exit Interview by Patrick Donegan #45
For some time, I’ve been looking for one “source” that curates modern takes on HR Tech, perspectives from the people who build it, and its impact on enterprise — something that’s tailor-made by professionals for decision-makers. I never found it — so I decided to build it. Every week, I’ll be sharing fresh insights on tech platforms, design, data, and the future of work — straight to your inbox. My Thoughts Season 3 of the HBO dramedy Succession premiered this week.
Rising to SASE and Zero Trust Challenges
Posted by Patrick Donegan on Posted on 21 Jun 20217 Jul 2021Reading Time: 3 minutes As the pace of software innovation continues to “eat the world,” it can feel like cyber threats are driving our economies and societies at least one step back for every two steps we take forward. Halfway through 2021, the overall track record of government and industry at protecting themselves, their employees, and citizens against cyber attacks is, to put it mildly, pretty poor.
Telcos: Security Is Not In Your DNA
Although I've done business in the US and worked with Americans for 30 years -- and even married one of them -- I've never been motivated to invoke the veritable icon of American culture that is the Twelve Step Recovery Program. Until now, that is. Those who know it will recognize that Step 1 is the hardest. It requires confronting your own inner demons of denial that have you pinned down in destructive behaviors and beliefs, and escaping them to admit you have a problem.
Malware in IoT, Crypto-coins & Smart Devices - Prevention and Appropriate Action
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The Global Cyber Security Alliance? Meh
Since I founded the company a little over a year ago, I’ve made it one of HardenStance’s core missions to support and encourage investment by telcos in the cyber security space. I’ve worked with telcos like KPN to support that. I’ve worked with the Cyber Rescue Alliance to help telco clients prepare their response to cyber attack impacts and I’m also doing a lot of ongoing work in the telco security space for Analysys Mason.
DT in Cybersecurity - Good but Could Do Better | Light Reading
Around 1,000 delegates attended Deutsche Telekom's second two-day "Magenta" cybersecurity event for customers and partners in Munich this week. That 1,000-delegate number makes it a pretty strong candidate for Europe's largest ever telco-hosted cybersecurity event. It was held nearly six months since the reorganization of Telekom's security assets into Telekom Security.
Evolving the Mobile Security Architecture Toward 5G | Light Reading
The announcement at RSA 2017 of the Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) -- a non-profit trade association formed by several leading security vendors for sharing cyber threat intelligence -- is timely. It reminds us how much threat intelligence matters. And it reminds us that for large organizations with complex security requirements, such as communications service providers (CSPs), the scope and scale of their security capabilities is increasingly important.
Nokia's Efforts to Lead in Security | Light Reading
You get a sense of the challenge facing traditional telecom vendors in network security when you look at the financial results of some of the leading names in this space. Juniper, once a trail-blazer in security, just rounded off a terrible year for its security business, reporting fourth-quarter 2016 security revenues down 30% compared with a year earlier. Meanwhile Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.
Kevin Lo's Move to Facebook: Sign of Things to Come?
I don't often get hot under the collar about executive chair-swapping. Tell me that "Fred's left so-and-so's optics division to head up so-and-someone-else's routing division," and I'm unlikely to offer up much by way of fevered speculation. For one thing, I might not know Fred. Even if I do, I know that the "Nice Fred" persona he projects to me could be totally at odds with "Fred the Terrible" who presents himself behind closed company doors.
DNS: The “Third Way” to Digital Transformation
Last week we launched a new whitepaper by Patrick Donegan of Heavy Reading, titled “Innovation in Communications Services: Breaking with the Past without Waiting for the Future.” The paper discusses a ‘third way’ to service provider digital transformation, utilizing DNS. Read the blog post below for an excerpt from Donegan’s paper, which you can download in its entirety here.
EE: Building a Better Mobile Broadband Brand
The merger of T-Mobile UK and Orange UK into Everything Everywhere, followed by the launch of the new re-branded EE in September 2012, is an interesting case study in quality-oriented branding in the mobile broadband era. The EE brand is significantly more powerful in the UK today than the separate T-Mobile and Orange brands were prior to the merger.
CSP Network Security Becomes White Hot
The past few weeks have provided a couple of poignant reminders of the security threats faced by communications service providers (CSPs) and how prominent security is becoming in the thinking of players through the communications services ecosystem. Both of the high-profile recent examples originated in the UK, a market that is generally considered among the world's leaders in ICT security.
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