“当你比较当地人才的可用性时, 成本和生活质量因素, 全球最大的博彩平台的科技产业和硅谷一样好, 如果不是更好的话。”
Safa Al凯特b, Autocab的首席执行官
2022年12月15日星期四, senior leaders from Greater Manchester's leading digital and tech businesses were invited to join us at the Tech Incubator for our final Chair’s Reception event of the year.
主席招待会, 由回转滑雪赞助, gave attendees the chance to network over a light breakfast before sitting down for an in-conversation session, 由凯瑟琳·威尔克斯领导, 激流回旋高级总监, 和Safa Al凯特b, 市场领先出租车公司的首席执行官 & 私人租车预订和调度软件提供商 Autocab, 还有安迪·麦克吉尔弗里, Group Director of Engineering at managed vacation rentals and holiday resorts business Awaze.
凯瑟琳·威尔克斯, 激流回旋高级总监, Safa Al凯特b, Autocab的首席执行官, 安迪MacGilvery, Awaze集团工程总监
在一次深刻的讨论中, both Safa and Andy discussed the big changes they had recently overseen with their businesses. 对于Autocab, it has been the acquisition by Uber following several years of growth and the pivot to cloud based software solutions for local taxi firms. Awaze meanwhile has seen a rapid digital transformation over the past few years, 改变整个组织的运作方式. Both companies have moved their UK headquarters to Manchester in recent years.
对于Awaze, Andy explained that it was a daunting prospect to move the company’s headquarters to Manchester, whilst closing several other UK locations as part of a company-wide restructure. With the tech talent available in the Greater Manchester region it was the right move for the business, but getting the initial foothold in and making the first key hires was tricky.
作为过程的一部分, Awaze从一个以项目为主导的组织转变为一个以产品为主导的组织, with the emphasis placed on thinking about long running product teams, rather than trying to squeeze as much as possible into each project.
安迪MacGilvery (right) discusses Awaze's recent digital transformation and move to Manchester
Safa then explained some of the recent changes that have taken place within his business, 因为Autocab将办公室从钱德尔搬到了圆形广场, 就在全球最大的博彩平台市中心牛津路附近, a move that gave them the opportunity to design an office from the ground up for the post-Covid world, giving their employees the opportunity to get involved with the process and tell them how they wanted to work. 结果是一个跨越两层楼的办公室, 一半的空间是为合作设计的, and a further quarter of the space dedicated to customer collaboration - “Innovate with Autocab” is something the business promises its client base.
对于Awaze, communication and collaboration with their customers is equally important. The digitisation of the business enables them to communicate with greater ease with the guest portion of their client base, whilst property owners are invited to attend regular conferences and meet Awaze’s product managers who are ready to share their latest innovations.
旅游业是受新冠疫情影响最严重的行业之一, but during this period Andy explained how the business shifted four previously on-prem based monolithic applications to the cloud. When it was announced that Britons could holiday again (as long as they stayed within the UK), Awaze的网站准备得很好, and in a sign of a successful migration saw no major incidents following a 400% spike in traffic.
话题转到了优步收购Autocab一事上, 以及这对Autocab员工的影响. Safa explained how the move has led to a new level of operation for the business, 因为他们现在必须按照国际标准工作, 但他的团队已经接受了这一举措.
Safa Al凯特b (middle) discusses the impact that Uber's acquisition of Autocab has had on his teams
据萨法说, the tech scene 在这里 in Manchester is just as impressive as what is happening in Silicon Valley, 我们的地区是非常聪明的人的家园, 有创新精神，态度端正的人. We should be looking to innovate and change the world with technology, 不仅仅是利用技术来降低成本.
最后一点, Safa suggested that you have to recognise that your business will operate on a different level following an acquisition and you won’t be able to retain your old culture. 但与此同时, 你不应该放弃让你的公司与众不同的东西, and it’s up to you to demonstrate to you buyers that t在这里 was a good reason that they bought you in the first place.
创新显然是这两项令人印象深刻的业务的关键, and in Manchester they have found the perfect home with access to a wide range of digital talent. It was fascinating to listen to both Safa and Andy share some of Autocab and Awaze’s recent journey with us in an intimate setting.
全球最大的博彩平台的赞助商
Slalom is a modern consulting firm focused on strategy, technology, and business transformation.
They enjoy solving problems through collaboration; helping their clients to modernise, 为生活带来解决方案，改变他们的文化. 他们把人放在一切工作的中心.
了解更多全球最大的博彩平台激流回旋的信息 在这里 或非正式聊天，请联系Paul Squire (保罗.squire@slalom.com).
参与
如果你想被邀请参加下一届主席招待会, members in our large and corporate tiers can ask to be put on the invitation list by contacting 凯特.wilson@dharashiv.net..
Our next Chair's Reception will take place on Thursday 30th March 2023.
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