That Ireland has been very successful at attracting high-value Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by both well-established and high-growth companies, particularly from the US, is without question. The track record is well publicised and promoted: 9 out of 10 global software companies, 9 out of 10 global pharmaceutical companies, 15 of the top 20 medical technology companies, over 50% of the world’s leading financial services firms and so on, have set up significant operations in Ireland. It may well be hard to argue with success, but the promotion and marketing of Ireland as a home for FDI investment is too often reduced to a high-concept “Why Ireland” bullet-point list of high-level facts regarding Ireland: Access to skilled talent across the EU Access to EU market Efficient, online regulatory and tax system Low cost of business Eurozone English speaking Physical location These high-concept, high-level facts are certainly important reasons why Ireland has been so successful at attracting FDI, and should be part of the marketing and promotion of Ireland as an FDI home. But, as important as such high-concept, high-level facts may be, they are only a start, as they overlook an overall more important reason why FDI companies have been so successful setting up and operating in Ireland: business and social cultures of Ireland in which such FDI companies and their employees actually operate, work and live in. Culture is a big word and is crucial to any FDI company deciding where to set up in Europe. The intertwined business and social cultures of a country affect every facet of a company’s business life and the lives of its employees. Ultimately, the business and social cultures of the society an FDI company chooses will determine the company’s: speed and efficiency in setting up operations in Europe; and success of those operations in Europe. Ireland is unique as a European country in that it is not just the geographically closest EU member state to the US, but the closest culturally as well. When asked how Germans view Ireland, the responses could be summarised as "stubborn, creative, under-European". [i] And there is much truth in that. A prime example is the work culture of Ireland. US companies, particularly technology companies, will find a work culture in Ireland not dissimilar to the US: a work culture familiar with and readily adaptable and accepting of tech work culture. Coupled with Ireland's refreshingly economically minded policymaking, it is the fact that overseas companies and personnel find Irish business and social cultures easy to understand and adapt to, and thus navigate, manage, operate, work and live in, that makes Ireland such a successful location for FDI. If you and/or your organisation are interested in setting up EU operations, talk to Interval's expert advisors today. We offer a range of services to support you in making your venture a success. [i] https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/how-germany-sees-ireland-stubborn-creative-under-european-1.2811885

Engaging with everyone in the room will release the full potential of the talent in your organisation – here are some simple considerations to make sure everyone’s voice is heard. As writer and inspirational speaker Verna Myres famously stated: ‘Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance’. Feeling safe in the knowledge that your input is valued works wonders for motivation, collaboration and efficiency. If you host meetings in your organisation, keep reading to explore a few techniques to improve the inclusivity of the meeting-space that you create – and you won’t have to dance (unless you insist). Accessibility The accessibility arrangements that you create for meetings that you host is a great way to provide the cultural script for the organisation that you represent. Here are a few things to bear in mind before your next meeting: Has everyone who might benefit from this meeting been invited? Have I sent out a clear agenda in advance, in a way that every invitee can provide contribution, alongside recording it to suit people in a wider variety of contexts? Have I enabled closed captions and if not, could I switch to software where closed captions or transcribing are more readily available? Will my meeting be suitable be accessible for people who don’t speak English as a first language? How will I ensure that certain people won’t dominate the meeting? If it’s online, could I ask anyone not speaking to mute themselves? In person, could I make sure people raise their hand if they want to speak? Simple adaptations make all the difference. It gives everyone an equal footing and demonstrates an awareness that context is key. While planning your next meeting, run through the questions above and scope out the changes you could make. Not in my name! Our names are vessels, capturing culture, history, tradition and social identity – or at the very least, a meaningful choice made by parents. In a world where a quick search online will give you the entire etymology of someone’s name, hearing it mispronounced can feel like an act of war. It might be completely unintentional, but mispronouncing someone’s name sends the message that they’re less important in the environment that you’re facilitating – it could become the reason that someone doesn’t give their valuable input in the meeting. When it comes to face-to-face meetings, a simple step to take is to ask everyone to introduce themselves, rather than assuming that you know exactly how to pronounce everyone’s name. Giving everyone a chance to speak affirms their place in the room and is a great tool in reducing anxieties around speaking up for the first time. If you’re conducting the meeting online, could you ask invitees to RSVP to your invitation with the phonetic spelling of their name? This attention to detail is a signal to all attendees that you’re trying to create a safe space, where everyone’s experience and background is respected. Reflect Building on your experiences and reflecting on the way you orchestrated your last meeting could lead to positive change in your next. Within this process, actively seek the feedback from as diverse a range of people as possible. Sending out a quick form for participants to complete about ways to improve could provide you with actionable, context-specific methods in improving the inclusivity of your next meeting. At the feedback stage, It’s vital that you’re not only seeking thoughts from colleagues who you know will affirm your beliefs. Let everyone be a part of the conversation and embrace growth together. Orchestrate Creating a truly inclusive culture is an evolutionary process – it takes time and commitment. But at Interval, we believe that by making a few subtle changes, you can drastically improve the way in which your organisation collaborates, engaging with voices sometimes unheard. You’ve got the golden opportunity to orchestrate an environment where everyone can thrive, so why not start with your next meeting? If you’d like to learn more about ways to improve the inclusivity of your organisation, we offer a multitude of solutions for your organisation. Please get in touch with us to learn more.

The Morris Internet Worm source code (source: Computer History Museum) The Landscape Cyber security awareness has its origins in the 1980s (during the cold war) with the Morris worm, the world's first genuine malware. In the next years, as tools evolved and computers were adopted worldwide, automated malware made it to the centre stage. Script-kiddies (amateur hackers) started to grow in number and the rise of the anti-malware industry began. Hacks have changed extensively since then, not only in number but also in terms of their targets. In the last decade cyber threats have grown dramatically in volume, complexity and diversity. Professional hacker groups are also growing in number, particularly as isolationism increases across the world. Recently, the spotlight has fallen on countries such as Russia and India, with many high-profile attacks appearing to originate there. In reality, the largest hacker groups are decentralised, with members spread across the world. Whether they are looking for ransom money or to punish what they perceive as evil behaviour (known as “hacktivism”), these attacks cause heavy monetary and social damage and need to be taken seriously. The attacks have also become harder to track and therefore harder to prevent, giving black-hat hackers and hacktivists the opportunity to take advantage of unprepared corporations and governments with little chance of being caught. Modern cyberattacks have shocked the world and have shown us how vulnerable our institutions and corporations are. Yet one thing hasn’t changed throughout the years: end users are still the biggest targets for hackers. In the last couple of years, ransomware, social engineering and keyloggers have taken central stage in the industry, making endpoints (end-user devices) a critical pillar in corporate cybersecurity. The Role of Endpoint Management in Cybersecurity Not long ago, an up-to-date antivirus and a basic remote access app were enough to constitute endpoint management. Nowadays, corporate devices typically run dozens of apps, certificates, plugins, security agents and VPNs in order to function. Managing this is a complicated task. One that IT admins have worked tirelessly to automate in their management systems and integrate with their company's operational procedure. A professional Endpoint Management System has a multitude of dimensions critical to cybersecurity. From security updates and agents to operational procedures, a solid endpoint management system has three structured pillars: lean operational procedures, documented and automated/scripted management policies and strict privilege access management. Lean and Clear Operational Procedures Operational speed is critical to a systems cybersecurity response. Operational procedures need to be seamlessly integrated into their organisation’s processes to avoid delays which could cause severe damage. For example, most corporations have approval systems for new purchases (such as new software). All software to be bought will have to go through this process of approval, including cybersecurity software. If this process is not streamlined or at least diversified the system might run into the issue of having to wait days to patch a threat. This delay might cause threats to escalate and end up in catastrophe. Documented and Automated/Scripted Management Policies Modern endpoint managers must handle dozens of agents, programs and updates every day while on top of this having to report to complex corporate systems. This makes handling well their time and focus even more critical. So how do we make sure that even on the busiest of days, all endpoints remained hardened and therefore protected? Automation. Modern IT admins must rely on automation to maintain updates and security agents in place no matter what. A modern system must automate critical compliance tasks and seamlessly block non-compliant devices. Keeping devices up to date, helping them avoid online threats and making sure that specialised users (such as developers) maintain a safe profile are just a few of these critical functions. Strict Privilege Access Management Whether using Intune, Jamf or any other MDM tool, access management is the base of any cybersecurity strategy. System admins and their policies must clearly identify roles, privileges and behavioural patterns for all computers, mobile devices, system and local accounts and any other identifying dimension in the system. Break Glass accounts need to be in place and maximum authentication security should be in place (MFA, etc) at every step, in combination with The Principle of Least Privilege. Apple and the future of Endpoint Management As Endpoint Management evolves, more and more companies are looking for simplicity and easily manageable devices. Apple has proven itself again and again in this realm with lean and easy to use devices. In the last few years Mac has steadily grown in popularity in corporations for three main reasons: Lean and Stable With a lean operating system, solid support and easily scriptable workflows, managing MacBook devices is a much simpler task than their Windows based counterparts. MacOS has very few services running compared to Windows. It also has a much stronger support compared to most Linux systems making it a great option for corporations to implement. Long Term Costs This simplicity and their longer lifetime help overcome the difference in initial hardware costs making Macs cheaper over time. Employee Retention In the modern world employee retention is a key goal for all corporations. With their famous design, simple OS and brand value, MacBook devices can play a key role in attracting talent to an organisation. Furthermore, employee buyback programs can make this proposition even more attractive. If we glance back at the three pillars of a solid Endpoint Management system (lean operational procedures, documented and automated/scripted management policies and strict privilege access management), we start to see the growing benefits of introducing Mac to the enterprise environment. Windows-based organisations can also strengthen endpoint management using the same principles; this often requires more tailored planning but can certainly be achieved in conjunction with introducing Apple technology to the enterprise. Conclusion Endpoint Management has become a critical dimension for all corporations and governments worldwide. As technology changes and threats increase, making our processes leaner and more efficient will be critical for the safety of our assets. As a result, Apple devices and their simple, effective design will play a key role in the future of cybersecurity. Interval is proud to be delivering several Endpoint Management and Cybersecurity engagements to valued clients. We offer the full range of Endpoint Management services, from consulting, architecture, design, implementation, preventing and recovering from cyberattacks. If you are interested in understanding more about what we can do for you and your business, get in touch with us. As Interval’s Cybersecurity Lead, I would like to thank you for reading this article and I look forward to hearing from you. Sources Codecademy Team: The Evolution of Cybersecurity, https://www.codecademy.com/article/evolution-of-cybersecurity FBI News, The Morris Worm: 30 Years Since First Major Attack on the Internet, https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/morris-worm-30-years-since-first-major-attack-on-internet-110218