Latest news with #BusinessinFocus
Business News Wales
a day ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
Business Wales Offers Real Advice from Real Experience
When people first hear about Business Wales, it's easy to assume it's just another government support programme. And yes, it is funded by Welsh Government, but to stop there would be to miss what truly makes the service so valuable to thousands of entrepreneurs and business owners across Wales. One of the most powerful and often overlooked assets of Business Wales is the people behind it. The advisors, mentors, and relationship managers who meet with business owners day in, day out are not simply reading from a manual. Many of them have been there themselves. They've started businesses, scaled them, stumbled, pivoted, succeeded, failed, and tried again. They've got the t-shirts, several of them, in fact, to prove it. That lived experience is what sets Business Wales apart. When you're sitting across the table from an advisor, you're talking to someone who understands not just the theory of business, but the reality of it. Someone who knows what it's like to worry about cash flow on a Friday afternoon. Someone who's had to make tough calls about recruitment, branding, or whether to take on debt to seize an opportunity. These are advisors who have walked the same path, and their advice is grounded in hard-won wisdom, not hypothetical guidance. At Business in Focus, we're proud to deliver parts of the Business Wales service, and this human touch is something we try to emphasise in everything we do. While spreadsheets and strategy matter, so does empathy, credibility, and relevance. When you're navigating a problem in your business, whether it's how to grow, how to start, or how to survive, you want to talk to someone who genuinely understands where you're coming from. That's what Business Wales offers. What's more, because of this depth of experience, our advisors aren't just there to highlight challenges, they're uniquely placed to spot opportunities. They can see what's around the corner, offer a fresh perspective, and challenge assumptions in a way that's constructive and empowering. They're not there to tell you what to do, they're there to help you figure out what you can do. And the truth is, no matter how seasoned a business owner might be, there's always room for support. Whether it's help applying for funding, developing a digital marketing strategy, accessing export markets, or building a more resilient supply chain, Business Wales has the infrastructure, the expertise, and crucially, the people to help businesses at every stage. Wales is full of talented, driven individuals with great ideas. But even the best ideas need backing, mentally, emotionally, and practically. So, if you're reading this and wondering whether Business Wales is 'for you,' I'd say this: absolutely. Whether you're a start-up founder sketching your first plan, a solo trader with a side hustle, or a seasoned business leader ready to scale, this service was built for people like you, by people like you. And behind the logos and government frameworks, what you'll find is what really matters, real people, helping real businesses, to do really great things. Phil Jones is CEO of Business in Focus, a not-for-profit social enterprise supporting entrepreneurship and business growth in Wales. Learn more at or access business support via
Techday NZ
08-07-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
ANZ businesses overestimate cyber readiness amid resilience gap
A new study by Commvault has shown that most business leaders in Australia and New Zealand overestimate their preparedness for cyberattacks, with many experiencing confusion and delays following incidents. The annual report, titled "The State of Data Readiness – Continuous Business in Focus", was commissioned by Commvault and conducted by Tech Research Asia. It draws on the views of 408 business leaders across the region and examines the readiness of organisations to handle cyber threats and maintain business continuity. The findings reveal a critical difference between perceived and actual resilience. While most organisations believe they have robust plans to recover from cyberattacks, only 12% rate their ability to operate effectively during an incident as 'excellent'. Nearly a quarter rate themselves as 'bad' or 'terrible' when it comes to resilience during a cyber event. Widespread attacks According to the study, 70% of organisations in Australia and New Zealand experienced a cyberattack in the past year. Almost all were subjected to ransomware demands. Interestingly, while 54% of surveyed companies have policies not to pay ransoms, 15% of those still made payments when faced with real-world incidents. Expectations among business leaders around recovery times diverge significantly from reality. 80% expect systems to be restored within five days of a cybersecurity event. Almost a quarter believe their organisation can recover fully in a single day. In practice, IT leaders report it takes an average of four weeks to reach even a minimum level of operational recovery, with 55% of organisations requiring more than a week to restore key functions. Notably, 20% of respondents say it takes their business an average of 45 days to fully recover from a cyber incident, compared to a global average of 24 days. This mismatch underscores a resilience gap that presents particular challenges for organisations as they confront rising attack volumes and operate within the context of some of the world's strictest cyber and privacy regulations. Growth in cloud adoption and data sprawl, combined with emerging requirements such as artificial intelligence rules and increasing compliance pressures, mean that resilience strategies must continually adapt. "The data is clear - many ANZ organisations still treat cyber resilience as a post-incident task, and not a strategic priority," commented Martin Creighan, Vice President, Asia Pacific. "The rising frequency and impact of cyberattacks across the region should serve as a wake-up call. With recovery times stretching into weeks, the risk to business continuity has never been higher. Resilience must be driven from the boardroom - not just the IT team," added Creighan. Rising complexity and compliance While data growth in the region slowed moderately at 27%, the complexity of IT infrastructures increased. 62% of organisations now operate in hybrid or multi-cloud environments. However, over half of companies in both Australia (54%) and New Zealand (63%) report lacking full visibility into their cloud environments, including relationships, metadata, and system dependencies. This level of visibility is necessary for a coordinated and effective recovery when incidents occur. Compliance issues further complicate recovery efforts. 34% of businesses surveyed are subject to at least four different regulatory and compliance requirements, such as APRA and SoCI rules. 27% admit that they are uncertain about the regulations with which they need to comply to be fully legal. Additionally, 54% face conflicting regulatory regimes for cross-border data transfers, increasing the pressure to achieve resilience not only technologically but also through compliance readiness. Incident responses lag The research finds that although the majority (70%) of organisations have incident response plans, only 30% regularly test all mission-critical systems. This lack of comprehensive testing leaves concealed weaknesses in cyber recovery strategies. The consequences of such gaps can be severe. Three quarters of companies surveyed (74%) have experienced data exfiltration, and one third lost access to all data following a cyber incident. Only 32% managed to recover 100% of their data after an attack. "True resilience doesn't begin at the point of attack, it is built long before," said Gareth Russell, Field CTO, Asia Pacific, Commvault. "We need to shift from a response mindset to a readiness mindset where one must ask the hard questions: 'If we were hit tomorrow, how quickly and how cleanly, could we recover?' If that answer isn't clear, then investment and focus are urgently needed." Added Russell. The report is based on a survey of Chief Information Officers, Chief Information Security Officers, IT Leaders, decision makers, and their direct reports from across Australia and New Zealand. The snapshot highlights the continuing challenges faced by the region's organisations as they strive to strengthen cyber resilience in an evolving landscape.
South Wales Argus
17-06-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Wild Creations in Cardiff is making its mark on world stage
Wild Creations, based in Cardiff, has produced large-scale props for global theme parks, film launches, and major events, including the famous Ball in the Wall at Cardiff Castle during the 2015 Rugby World Cup and the 13ft smoke-flaring dragon at Caerphilly Castle. Now exporting 90 per cent of its work, the company has built an international reputation with projects such as a life-sized Tyrannosaurus Rex for the launch of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and a replica Dodge Charger car for Fast and Furious 8. Matt Wild, founder and director of Wild Creations, said: "Business Wales' support has been truly outstanding. "Their dedication to helping both growing and new businesses thrive is incredibly inspiring. "It's fantastic to see them championing success at every stage of the journey." Backed by Welsh Government's Business Wales service, Wild Creations has created 36 high-quality jobs in the past year and continues to grow and recruit. Rebecca Evans, cabinet secretary for economy, energy and planning, recently visited the company to see its latest projects and meet other businesses supported by Business Wales. The visit was organised by Business in Focus, the social enterprise delivering entrepreneurship and growth support services for Business Wales. Ms Evans said: "We are eager to unlock new opportunities for businesses across Wales, whether that be to access finance, help them evolve as business leaders, or navigate challenges. "Business Wales has helped businesses across Wales succeed – including Wild Creations – and our team stands ready to offer support at every stage of a business' journey." Phil Jones, CEO of Business in Focus, said the company is proud to partner with Business Wales. He said: "As the lead delivery partner for Business Wales, Business in Focus is proud to champion start-ups and growing enterprises across Wales, offering expert guidance and hands-on support to help businesses thrive, scale, and succeed."
Business News Wales
13-06-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Wild Creations Expands Global Reach with Welsh Government Backing
A creative company is enjoying a hugely successful growth journey with support from Welsh Government Business Wales service. Wild Creations carve, mould and cast to create large scale props and displays for use in global theme parks and at major events across the world. The company produced the Ball in the Wall at Cardiff Castle in celebration of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and a 13ft smoke-flaring dragon at Caerphilly Castle in association with Cadw. Internationally, Wild Creations' impressive portfolio includes developing a life-sized Tyrannosaurus Rex for the launch the Jurassic World – Fallen Kingdom film in 2018, and a replica Dodge Charger car to promote Fast and Furious 8. Exporting now accounts for around 90 per cent of the business' work. Supported by the Business Wales service, Wild Creations has created 36 jobs over the past 12 months, and continues to grow and recruit. Matt Wild, Founder and Director of Wild Creations, said: 'Business Wales' support has been truly outstanding. Their dedication to helping both growing and new businesses thrive is incredibly inspiring. It's fantastic to see them championing success at every stage of the journey.' Rebecca Evans, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, visited the Cardiff-based business to see some of its current projects. She also met a range of other businesses which have received support from the Business Wales service to discuss the business support ecosystem in Wales. The event was arranged by Business in Focus, a social enterprise responsible for delivering Entrepreneurship and Start Up and Business Development & Growth support services for Business Wales. The Cabinet Secretary said: 'We are eager to unlock new opportunities for businesses across Wales, whether that be to access finance, help them evolve as business leaders, or navigate challenges. 'Business Wales has helped businesses across Wales succeed – including Wild Creations – and our team stands ready to offer support at every stage of a business' journey.' Phil Jones, CEO of Business in Focus, said: 'As the lead delivery partner for Business Wales, Business in Focus is proud to champion start-ups and growing enterprises across Wales, offering expert guidance and hands-on support to help businesses thrive, scale, and succeed.'
