ReleaseWire

Like many other industries, investment management is about to undergo some significant changes. From the need for greater customisation and digital engagement to the fact that regulation is increasingly driving towards greater transparency - there are many different forces at play. What's clear is that technology is going to have a central role in making this transformation happen.

Procurement professionals act as a vital connection between manufacturers and buyers, ensuring that components, inventory, and goods reach their final destination, making individuals in this sector crucial in supporting the global economy through all international supply chains. Without the expertise and skillsets of procurement specialists, catastrophic bottlenecks would occur, and this in turn would have a significant knock-on effect to a multitude of industries. Procurement professionals also significantly contribute to a company's bottom line development, accounting for up to two-thirds of an organisation's sales, meaning that even minor improvements in this area can lead to considerable growth.

Switzerland has been a longstanding industry leader within the supply chain and logistics sectors, however, even their agility and experience couldn't have prepared them for the knock-on effects brought about by the pandemic. The international crisis saw the acceleration of several trends that were already evident. The disruption to trade and transport challenged the structure and composition of international supply chains to breaking point.

While there is no doubt that COVID-19 has had a significant impact on many areas of life sciences, drawing funds and resources to its cause, there are still R&D projects that continue to thrive. Cell and gene therapy is one of these areas because, despite the fact that the effects of the pandemic were far-reaching, the number of advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) clinical trials continued to increase throughout 2020.

Clinical careers across the spectrum have been influenced by the advance of COVID-19 over the past year - and in many different ways. Research ethics is one area that has faced a number of key challenges since March 2020, as the fight against the virus at the heart of the pandemic has forced progress at high speed. Research Ethics Committees (RECs) have been at the forefront of tackling many of these challenges and analysis has revealed the ways in which RECs have coped with these difficulties on a practical level.

Water scarcity affects numerous areas of the globe and today it still remains one of the largest global risks and challenges in terms of potential impact over the next decade as the Earth's population continues to shift towards urbanisation. Furthermore, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has indicated that 97% of the globe's water supply is salt water, whereas the additional 0.3% is fresh water located across lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, and swamps.

Industrial engineering jobs can take talented people in many different directions. Space programs are fairly familiar territory in the US but there are many jurisdictions where this is developing work that still has plenty of firsts.

Forensic Structural Engineering is a field of engineering which involves the study of structure and determining the causes of failure of structure. Forensic structural engineering is evolving into a designated field of professional practice of determining the causes of structural failures and identifying the parties responsible.

According to new stability evidence assessed by Swissmedic, (the Swiss surveillance authority for medicines and medical devices) the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech efficacy can be assured for up to two weeks when stored at -25 to -15 degrees Celsius (freezer temperature). This is a critical factor for the Swiss vaccine rollout programme, enabling the vaccines to be available in health centres, medical practices and pharmacies throughout Switzerland. This increase in the elasticity and adaptability of the distribution as well as the handling and management of the vaccine - is likely to help increase Switzerland's vaccination rate.

As part of the ongoing global battle against the coronavirus, the Federal Council of the Swiss Government has approved a new ordinance designed to avoid issues regarding the supply of important medical goods. Swissmedic now has the ability to approve the import of essentially identical medicinal products as a short-term solution for any temporary shortage of medicinal products. Medical treatments such as Remdesivir and Propofol are among the active substances included under the Covid-19 Ordinance, with goods being allocated based on their respective availability, via the department for the Federal Office of Public Health, who are responsible for procuring these types of medical goods.

Clinical jobs span a broad spectrum of roles, from those "at the bench" to clinical operations careers that involve overseeing the research process and ensuring that protocols are being adhered to. In the year of COVID-19, the importance of the clinical trial has been much more broadly appreciated as many more people take an interest in how the process works and what's involved. In the US there have been critical trials that have underpinned the efficacy of various vaccines, including the AstraZeneca US Phase III trial, called D8110C00001.

Fintech in Singapore continued to develop in 2020, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic and restrictions on working and development. The establishment of Singapore's very first digital banks, as well as fintech initiatives introduced by local regulators were just two of the factors that had a very positive influence on the market for financial technology in Singapore during 2020.

The field of quantitative analysis is a fast evolving one and has had a big impact on investing strategies, business models and the structure of markets in recent years. The past decade has seen quants change the stock trading game and there is more to come if the predictions from some of the top quants are right.

Accessibility in the built environment is a topic that can stimulate a wide range of discussions. We are all different and accommodating the various requirements of people with pushchairs, walking sticks, wheelchairs, dogs or mobility requirements, for example, can pose a real challenge. Creating a more inclusive creative workplace is a key element in construction and as a civil engineering recruiter it's clear to see that there is a real trend towards inclusive design that is also more playful, tactile and engaging. Perhaps after a year of frequent lockdowns across the world there is now a big appetite for spaces that give something back.

Germany has one of the largest pharmaceutical production industries in the world. They have well-trained professionals, state-of-the-art technical facilities and, close proximity to other industries throughout Europe. Germany's particular strengths lie in the complex production of biopharmaceuticals and as the European leader, in terms of the number of active ingredients produced, staggeringly as a country Germany sit in second place just after the United States when it comes to worldwide positionings. If you're looking to take your career to the next level, the German biopharmaceutical industry is a great place to explore rewarding opportunities that can guarantee both career-progression and personal growth.

Germany has frequently been described as a European tech powerhouse. This name is bestowed upon the nation due to their world-leading research facilities that drive innovative and imaginative new technology ventures. They are established as the second biggest global tech investor, after the USA and are home to an unprecedented number of high-tech start-ups. Germany's status as a technological giant is set to continue over the next decade with a wealth of opportunities for promising professionals to get involved within an ever-growing and fast-paced industry.

Recent figures from the World Bank show the global population increasing significantly - and set to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050. For a civil engineering recruiter with a deep connection to the infrastructure sector we understand the challenges that this represents, in particular the need to produce more with less. There is one aspect of civil engineering where this is especially crucial and that is with respect to water innovation. Across the world the water sector has been accused of failing to embrace innovation - a 2018 survey found that only 16% of 500 industry decision makers globally running projects in excess of $1tbn believed that infrastructure was innovating at a sufficient pace to keep up with target efficiencies.

The global civil engineering market is expected to grow significantly between 2021 and 2028, despite the impact of national lockdowns and restrictions on movement and travel in the past 12 months. Residential construction in particular has created thousands of civil engineering jobs and is considered largely responsible for predicted growth rates that could achieve a CAGR of 5.7% in the next seven years.

At the beginning of March 2021, The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) jointly issued a paper on managing and mitigating new risks that are predicted to emerge from the extensive remote working arrangements adopted by financial institutions (FIs) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper indicated that financial institutions should continue to review and enhance their risk management practices to address evolving risks.

Germany represents one of the European states that have halted the rollout of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine following 37 reports of blood clots, out of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and United Kingdom. After the EU's European Medicines Agency's meeting, they stated that "It's [the vaccine's] benefits in protecting people from Covid-19 with the associated risks of death and hospitalisation [that] outweigh the possible risks." This review swiftly prompted EU States such as Germany, France and Spain to resume their vaccine rollout. Pharmacovigilance professionals play an important role in the medical industry and protect public health by ensuring drug safety through the collection, detection, assessment, monitoring, and prevention of the adverse effects of pharmaceutical products.

March marked the month where e-commerce giant Amazon opened it's first 'just walk out' grocery store in the UK. Technological advancements around artificial intelligence (AI) have meant that shoppers no longer need to interact with a human being to purchase their groceries. The Amazon Fresh store, located in Ealing, west London, uses sensors on the shelves to detect when an item has been removed and other AI-backed technology to monitor individuals' movements whilst shopping. Customers must scan a code upon entry to the store as well as on departure, and then their bill is charged to the individuals Amazon account. This new way of shopping represents how technological developments can make everyday experiences even more smooth and streamlined.

In a hybrid working world with employees both working from the office and from home, it is more important than ever to ensure that security and connectivity are water-tight. It may be surprising to learn that poor technology isn't usually to blame for cyber security breaches. According to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), 90% of data breaches in 2019 were caused by human error.

The German Port of Kiel is using ground-breaking technology from Siemens to monitor energy usage. By optimising the cloud-based technology, the team working there is able to improve operations by collecting a wide range of data. This project focuses on the shore power system which allows ships to connect to an onshore power plant rather than using their own generators, thus improving air and noise quality. Siemens has stated that the new technology will enable operators at the port to "determine consumption, identity faults, avoid downtimes, and plan maintenance routines better".

There has never been a more exciting time to develop your career in the pharmaceutical industry. Pharma recruiters are on the lookout for diligent professionals who can be pioneers in the industry by providing all-encompassing expertise and knowledge. The Pharmaceutical Excipients Market is set to grow exponentially, with a projected CAGR of 5.8% by 2026, reaching USD 10.6 billion. The rising pharmaceuticals market, advancement in functional excipients, and the growing genetics market all add to the overall growth of the sector, which, in turn, has generated mass job openings for pharma professionals in the United States and beyond.

In Switzerland, the biotech sector is one of the most innovative, with more than 1,000 small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups working on novel therapies (drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines) all providing services in these sectors. The industry generated about 50,000 high-paying jobs and spends around CHF 1.5 billion on the research and development of new therapeutic solutions each year. With this in mind, it's no surprise that Switzerland is able to offer extensive opportunities to medical professionals who are looking to further their careers as well as a diverse collection of world-leading organisations looking to recruit top-talent.