Latest news with #GFT
Glasgow Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow Film appoints chief executive and head of programme
This September, Seonaid Daly will be taking the role of chief executive, and Paul Gallagher will serve as the head of programme at Glasgow Film. The pair will succeed Allison Gardner, who will be retiring in October after more than 30 years with the organisation. Glasgow Film is an educational charity that manages Glasgow Film Theatre, the city's first independent arthouse cinema. The charity also runs the Glasgow Film Festival and the Glasgow Youth Film Festival, and serves as the lead organisation for Film Hub Scotland. Yahya Barry, chair of the board of trustees at Glasgow Film, said: 'Our people are Glasgow Film's greatest asset – and in Seonaid and Paul, we have two truly exceptional leaders stepping into key roles at a pivotal time." Seonaid has been the executive director of Glasgow Film for more than five years. Her career has also included roles as head of partnerships at The Prince's Trust (now The King's Trust) and Director of the Scottish Contemporary Art Network. Seonaid Daly will take up the post of Chief Executive this September (Image: Supplied) Seonaid said: "I'm proud to take on the role of CEO at Glasgow Film, a place that has shaped both my career and my love of cinema. "It's a huge privilege to be responsible for such an important institution, and I'm very excited to play a key role in ensuring its future. 'I'm inspired by my brilliant colleagues, our dedicated partners, the filmmakers we work with, and our loyal audiences, who remind us daily why our cinema means so much to them." Paul, who has been a part of Glasgow Film's management team for more than a decade, will assume the role of head of programme. He has been instrumental in the year-round programming at Glasgow Film Theatre since 2018. Paul will step into the new role of Head of Programme at Glasgow Film this September (Image: Supplied) Paul said: "I am thrilled to take on the responsibility and privilege of the new head of programme role at Glasgow Film. "Over the past six years, I have loved leading on the year-round programme at GFT: working with such a wide range of partners and receptive audiences has been an education in expanding my horizons and understanding the vital role that independent cinema can play in the lives of so many different people." Allison Gardner, the outgoing chief executive of Glasgow Film and director of Glasgow Film Festival, expressed her confidence in the new appointments. She said: "I am delighted that Seonaid will be taking up the position of chief executive at Glasgow Film as I know she is passionate about our organisation and upholding our values. "I know she will do an excellent job, working alongside our brilliant staff to continue to make Glasgow Film a vibrant and important cultural venue for film and talent. 'Paul is an excellent appointment to make sure GFT and GFF continue to provide great cinema that is accessible to all. "His programming work at GFT has been exceptional and, alongside the teams, has made our cinema the best in the world. "I retire knowing that our organisation is in good hands and will be celebrating Glasgow Film's future successes from afar.'
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Glasgow Film appoints new Chief Executive and Head of Programme
Glasgow Film is an educational charity which runs Glasgow Film Theatre. It also runs the award-winning Glasgow Film Festival and Glasgow Youth Film Festival, and is the lead organisation for Film Hub Scotland. Seonaid Daly said: 'I'm proud to take on the role of CEO at Glasgow Film, a place that has shaped both my career and my love of cinema. It's a huge privilege to be responsible for such an important institution and I'm very excited to play a key role in ensuring its future. 'Glasgow Film is in a really strong position thanks to all the staff, volunteers, different people and organisations who make up our vibrant communities, and of course Allison Gardner, whose leadership has been central to Glasgow Film's success. READ MORE: 'Cinema creates empathy in you. And we need a lot more empathy in this world' Lynch, Hitchcock, Tarantino lead GFT birthday line-up 'I'm inspired by my brilliant colleagues, our dedicated partners, the filmmakers we work with, and our loyal audiences, who remind us daily, why our cinema means so much to them. There's always more to do to ensure everyone can see themselves on screen, explore creative careers, and feel at home in GFT. Cinema has the power to both reflect and shape the world around us and I believe deeply in the importance of open, inclusive cultural spaces, places where people feel welcome, inspired, and connected.' Paul Gallagher said: 'I am thrilled to take on the responsibility and privilege of the new Head of Programme role at Glasgow Film. Over the past six years I have loved leading on the year-round programme at GFT: working with such a wide range of partners and receptive audiences has been an education in expanding my horizons and understanding the vital role that independent cinema can play in the lives of so many different people. I'm excited to take that experience and build on those relationships as I step up to lead the curatorial vision for GFT and GFF. I can't wait to work with Seonaid and the brilliant GFT and GFF Programme teams on what is an incredibly bright future for Glasgow Film.' Allison Gardner, outgoing Chief Executive of Glasgow Film and Director of Glasgow Film Festival, said: 'I am delighted that Seonaid will be taking up the position of Chief Executive at Glasgow Film as I know she is passionate about our organisation and upholding our values. I know she will do an excellent job, working alongside our brilliant staff to continue to make Glasgow Film a vibrant and important cultural venue for film and talent. Allison Gardner will retire in October from her dual role as Chief Executive of Glasgow Film and Director of Glasgow Film Festival (Image: Gordon Terris) 'Paul is an excellent appointment to make sure GFT and GFF continue to provide great cinema that is accessible to all. His programming work at GFT has been exceptional and, alongside the teams, has made our cinema the best in the world. I'm sad to be leaving after over 30 years but immensely proud to have worked here and helped to contribute to the success of GFT, GFF and our youth and community work. I retire knowing that our organisation is in good hands and will be celebrating Glasgow Film's future successes from afar.' Sambrooke Scott, Head of Audience Development at Screen Scotland, said: 'Seonaid and Paul have each played a vital role in the success and growth of Glasgow Film in recent years and their appointments reflect the organisation's commitment to excellence and to developing talent within the Scottish screen exhibition sector. 'Under their leadership, the future of Glasgow Film is bright, and the GFT will continue to flourish as a vital home for cinema culture, a welcoming home to diverse audiences and filmmakers, and a driving force for independent cinema from Scotland and beyond. We congratulate them both and look forward to working with them closely.'
Business Wire
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
GFT Acquires SAP Specialist Megawork to Accelerate Strategic Growth
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GFT Technologies SE (GFT) has agreed to acquire 100 percent of Megawork Consultoria e Sistemas Ltda. (Megawork), a leading Brazilian SAP consultancy, in a strategic move that aligns directly with GFT's five-year strategy. The acquisition advances the company's goals for high-value added service growth, expanded profitability, and deeper integration with major Independent Software Vendors. With this acquisition, GFT formally enters the SAP ecosystem – built around one of the most influential software companies worldwide. The move paves the way for GFT to offer a comprehensive SAP portfolio, supported by its GenAI product Wynxx to help accelerate and streamline SAP transformations. This offering will include implementation, upgrades, migrations, and ongoing support, while also embedding its next-generation AI capabilities to help clients navigate the evolving SAP landscape, particularly around SAP Cloud ERP. 'This deal reflects our ambition to scale into high-margin, high-value added services with SAP, one of the world's most recognized ISVs,' said Marco Santos, Global CEO of GFT. 'Megawork's SAP expertise, combined with GFT's leadership in cloud and AI, forms a powerful growth engine for the future. We want to massively improve the efficiency of SAP migrations, upgrades and implementation projects by 40 percent or more with our leading GenAI Product Wynxx. It's a natural next step as we continue to go beyond traditional transformation and deliver real business impact.' 'For everyone at Megawork and all our clients, this marks an exciting new chapter,' said Alexandro Carvalho, CEO of Megawork. 'Megawork becoming part of GFT gives our clients access to a global talent pool, cutting-edge innovation, and a broader set of capabilities to support their digital transformation journeys – regarding their SAP projects and beyond. We see a strong cultural and strategic fit, and this will strengthen our ability to deliver even greater value to our clients.' GFT is acquiring Megawork in an all-cash transaction, fully financed from existing funds, from the company's founders. The current leadership team are staying on to ensure continuity and a smooth transition. The acquisition advances GFT's five-year strategy. It accelerates the company's growth by opening new industry verticals – especially in manufacturing, pharma, public sector, energy, and consumer goods – where SAP is deeply embedded. And critically, it solidifies GFT's position in high-value added services by initiating collaboration with SAP. This partnership has the potential to enhance both GFT's revenue growth and profitability, as SAP services represent a higher-margin segment with sustained global demand. A key strategic advantage of the acquisition is the integration of Wynxx, GFT's GenAI product, into Megawork's SAP services. Wynxx will play a central role in accelerating SAP Cloud ERP migrations and project implementation, driving automation, reducing complexity, and unlocking faster time-to-value for clients. This not only reinforces GFT's AI leadership but also positions the company as a preferred partner for clients seeking to adopt SAP's AI-powered innovations. The acquisition also unlocks substantial cross-selling opportunities. A majority of GFT's existing global client base already uses SAP, presenting a clear path to expand services, secure new project wins, and deepen client relationships. Conversely, Megawork's clients will now benefit from GFT's strengths in cloud transformation, AI, data platforms, and Salesforce. There is minimal client overlap between GFT and Megawork, which presents clear opportunities for complementary growth and cross-selling across both portfolios. Megawork's team consists of approximately 350 highly skilled professionals. They are specialized in SAP consulting, support, and implementation. In 2024, the company reported revenues of around €14 million and an EBITDA margin of 21 percent, underscoring its strong profitability and operational efficiency. The closing of the transaction is planned for the fourth quarter of 2025 at the latest. The transaction is subject to approval by the national antitrust authority in Brazil. This press release is also available for download via the GFT newsroom About GFT GFT Technologies is a responsible AI-centric global digital transformation company. We deliver advanced Data & AI transformation solutions, modernize technology architectures, and develop next-generation core systems for industry leaders in Banking, Insurance, Manufacturing and Robotics. Partnering closely with our clients, we push boundaries to unlock their full potential. With deep industry expertise, cutting-edge technology, and a strong partner ecosystem, GFT delivers responsible AI-centric solutions that combine engineering excellence, high-performance delivery, and cost efficiency. This makes us a trusted partner for sustainable impact and customer success. Our team of 12,000+ technology experts operate in 20+ countries worldwide, offering career opportunities at the forefront of software innovation. GFT Technologies SE (GFT-XE) is listed in the SDAX index of the German Stock Exchange. Let's Go Beyond_
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
GFT: Guiding US banks' stablecoin ambitions while maintaining compliance
GFT is rolling out a dedicated programme to support US banks' stablecoin ambitions now that the GENIUS Act has passed the US senate. This work will consider upcoming US regulatory considerations for payments stablecoins, ensuring compliance for organisations that choose to launch their own. And here, GFT has form that highlights its credentials. Specifically, it can flag up its success in launching decentralised finance projects across Latin America, Europe and Asia. Examples include GFT's work with Standard Chartered Bank via its innovation, fintech and ventures arm SC Ventures and Deutsche Bank to complete the first proof-of-concept digital currency transfer on the Universal Digital Payments Network (UDPN). That track record has informed the launch of its new US-based offering. According to Christopher Ortiz, Region Manager North America, APAC and UK at GFT, there is a growing promise for a framework that will reduce the risk of launching stablecoins. Stablecoins have experienced substantial growth across the globe over the past year, reaching an adjusted transaction volume of $6trn, a 63% year-over-year increase. While banks like JP Morgan are venturing into decentralised payments technology to enhance transaction efficiency, for most banks, building stablecoins within the context of existing technology is tricky due to the vast array of technologies to choose from - even with the promise of federal regulation that will reduce risk. GFT works in tandem with the bank's existing core banking and payments ecosystems, such as Thought Machine, to launch compliant stablecoin products that not only meet their current needs but also scale for the future. Ortiz tells EPI that GFT will now enable US banks to: Select the right decentralised financial technology to meet their needs before launching, within their current ecosystem; Implement the technology in a way that meets current GENIUS Act policy expectations and evolve it as future changes emerge, and Build their stablecoin products with scalability to meet future transaction volume increases. The GENIUS Act recently passed the US Senate, indicating that a regulatory framework for stablecoins is likely on the horizon to define and govern them for payments. The regulation has several key components. It stipulates that stablecoins must be backed by a reserve that is equal in value to the stablecoin, ensuring a level of stability for stablecoins, as the name suggests. The regulation also stipulates what type of organisations can launch a stablecoin and what governing bodies regulate stablecoins. Among other aspects of the regulation, it creates a framework which reduces the risk of launching stablecoins. While stablecoin regulation has passed in certain states, this is the first time the US federal government has made substantial progress on the matter. Even though the regulation has not become law yet, it indicates a move towards regulated stablecoins. Stablecoins such as the PayPal USD (PYUSD) have existed for some time, but they were not clearly protected by law or widely used. Now, with a clear legal definition at the federal level about what a stablecoin is, who can issue a stablecoin, what they can be used for and more, there is an indication that issuing and using stablecoins will involve less risk. Even though stablecoins are still in their infancy in the US, other countries have more mature stablecoin ecosystems and we have been working with companies in those regions to support their roll out. For example, in Europe, we are working with a consortium of banks who are coming together to launch a stablecoin. Additionally, we've launched the Universal Digital Payments Network (UDPN) Digital Currency Sandbox and worked with organisations including Standard Chartered Bank via its innovation, fintech and ventures arm SC Ventures and Deutsche Bank to complete a digital currency transfer on the system. These are just two examples. Over the past several years GFT has been working alongside organisations to help them launch, manage and transact stablecoins. Now, GFT is leveraging all of this experience and bringing a new offering to the US market. Specifically, banks in the US want to launch stablecoin products and offerings compliant with upcoming regulations. The problem is that many of the bank's internal legacy systems are configured to transact fiat currency on standard payment rails such as ACH. This is where we come in, with our new US based offering. We are helping banks undergo the digital transformation necessary to launch stablecoin products that drive value for businesses. This includes helping the bank identify what technology solutions are best to achieve their goals and integrate new products with their legacy systems. As implementation partners, we can then work with the bank to ensure compliance with upcoming regulations and scale to meet future transaction and volume needs. Some banks like JP Morgan are already using digital currencies similar to stablecoins internally to move money 24/7 globally for their clients. The biggest benefit of stablecoins, compared to traditional rails, is that they are faster and, in some cases, more cost-effective. Additionally, stablecoins are stable by design because stablecoins are pegged to reserve assets and can be redeemed at a 1:1 ratio. Using stablecoins for internal money movement and treasury management is one of the more immediate business benefits. On the B2B side, there is also the potential to use stablecoins to pay suppliers, anywhere in the world, faster and cheaper than with traditional payment rails that can take days to settle into an account. This use can also be extended to peer-to-peer transactions. These external use cases are still a few years away – but most banks are already thinking that far down the line. Banks that choose not to participate in stablecoins risk falling behind their peers. As with the adoption of any new technology and business model, there will be a learning curve that is unique to each bank. This means that starting now will give banks the opportunity to test stablecoin use cases within their environment and slowly roll them out. Delaying ideation and testing will ultimately leave banks behind their peers who will build new business models shrinking margins for late entrants. When banks start rolling out stablecoin use cases to their customers, customers will ultimately choose the bank that provides the best service at the lowest cost. This may lead to losing customers to more innovative competitors. "GFT: Guiding US banks' stablecoin ambitions while maintaining compliance" was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Business Wire
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
GFT and NEURA Robotics Create Strategic Partnership to Build Next Generation Software for Physical AI
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GFT Technologies has been selected as a strategic partner by NEURA Robotics to develop the software platform powering the next generation of physical AI – underscoring GFT's technological strength and marking its entry into one of the most dynamic sectors of the decade. NEURA Robotics, a global pioneer in cognitive robotics, is creating intelligent machines that learn, adapt, and act autonomously in real-world environments. Following the successful completion of a next generation software platform project, and based on its deep expertise in data, AI, and high-performance architecture, GFT is ideally positioned to partner with NEURA Robotics' mission to bridge the gap between software intelligence and physical action. 'Being chosen as a strategic partner by NEURA Robotics is a powerful validation of GFT's next generation technology leadership,' said Marco Santos, Global CEO of GFT. 'We are bringing our core AI software and digital platform expertise into the robotics realm—extending our responsible AI-centric strategy into a sector that's set to transform industry and everyday life alike: robotics and physical AI.' 'With GFT, we have found a strategic partner that shares our vision of bringing cognitive robotics into real-world application. Their deep technological expertise and strong track record in AI software engineering and in complex and highly regulated industries helps us close the gap between AI insight and physical execution – laying the foundation for a new era of intelligent machines,' said David Reger founder and CEO at NEURA Robotics. This partnership not only reinforces GFT's credentials as a global innovation leader but also opens up new growth opportunities in the booming robotics sector. This press release is also available for download via the GFT newsroom About GFT GFT Technologies is a digital transformation pioneer. We design AI-centric business solutions, modernise technology infrastructures, and develop next-generation core systems for industry leaders in Banking, Insurance, and Manufacturing. Partnering closely with our clients, we push boundaries to unlock their full potential. With deep industry expertise, cutting-edge technology, and a strong partner ecosystem, GFT delivers AI-centric solutions that combine engineering excellence, high-performance delivery, and cost efficiency. This makes us a trusted partner for sustainable impact and customer success. Our team of 12,000+ technology experts operate in 20+ countries worldwide, offering career opportunities at the forefront of software innovation. GFT Technologies SE (GFT-XE) is listed in the SDAX index of the German Stock Exchange. About NEURA Robotics NEURA Robotics was founded in 2019 by David Reger to close relevant innovation gaps and usher in the era of cognitive robotics. The award-winning innovators from Metzingen pursue a strict "one-device" approach across their entire product range - from industrial to household robots. Behind this is the idea of a smartphone with arms and legs, combining all central components and sensors for physical artificial intelligence in one device. With the "Neuraverse," the company creates the prerequisites for the iPhone moment in robotics and bridges the gap between technology and humanity. Fundamental cognitive abilities, safety and operating system, and a partner-open development environment enable the scaling of robotics applications in unprecedented ways. A growing range of apps and autonomous learning open up a wide field of applications for robots of all types in everyday society, as well as previously unattainable flexibility and cost efficiency in automation. The robotics hub emerging around NEURA attracts many international market leaders. NEURA Robotics has established partnerships with Kawasaki Robotics, Omron Robotics and Safety Technologies, Delta Electronics, and other leading manufacturers. All innovations and technological components required for this success, including Al, are developed by NEURA Robotics itself. This has set new standards in physical Al, precision, and safety. NEURA's cognitive robots can see, hear, and have a sense of touch. They act fully autonomously and learn from experience. At Automatica 2025, NEURA is presenting the third generation of the humanoid all-purpose robot 4NE1. NEURA is also bringing MiPA, the world's first cognitive household and service robot, to market.
