SBWire

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.

Switzerland is leading the way in the development of new technology to help the early detection of cancer based on the use of a new innovative biomarker and liquid biopsy. After clinical trials, the product has demonstrated an unprecedented potential in successfully identifying early lung, prostate and breast cancer diagnoses. The Swiss start-up, 4D Lifetec AG, is an example of the trailblazing aptitude that the Swiss research and development sector has, which will ultimately have immense benefits for public health across the globe.

For many organizations, 2020 was a year when the business went into survival mode. Entire workforces went online, brick and mortar enterprises went digital and it became crucial, almost everywhere, to speed up digital transformation so as not to get left behind. Now that we're in 2021, there is a chance for every organization to move beyond survival mode and into something more growth-driven and profitable - and enterprise solutions jobs are likely to form the core workforce able to make this happen. Some of the trends that could potentially drive this accelerated interest in enterprise solutions include a speeding up of cloud migration, the increasing role of edge computing, far more use of automation on a much wider scale and the need to employ Artificial Intelligence (AI) to gain business insight.

According to the FDA, a biosimilar is a biological product that is highly similar to and has no clinically meaningful differences from an existing FDA-approved reference product. Biosimilars represent the fastest-growing class of therapeutic products in the United States. Biosimilars allow consumers to save money on health care without sacrificing treatment quality. As a product, they are incredibly important as they have the potential to offer consumer competition and increase patient access to essential medicines. With this in mind, it's not surprising that R&D professionals are in high demand throughout the USA to further sectors such as biosimilars.

IT and technology have already played a crucial role in the way that the world has responded to the crisis of COVID-19. From track and trace to vaccine passports, it has enabled governments to develop measures to keep economies afloat and promote a faster recovery. Those in IT and technology jobs in the USA also have the potential to contribute to a more inclusive recovery from the pandemic, as emerging cutting-edge technologies can be used to minimize the inequalities that the pandemic has highlighted. UNCTAD's Technology and Innovation Report 2021 was published in February this year and established that rapidly developing frontier technologies, such as robotics, big data, drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI) (and ensuring that developing countries have equal access to them) - are going to be essential to COVID-19 recovery.

One of the best international recruitment agencies in the world, Volt International offers recruitment services to help businesses manage their long-term and short-term recruitment needs. Hiring the right talent is essential, however, ensuring a consistent flow of talent into a business can be a tough task. This is where Volt International comes in, as they assist the clients in filling both permanent & temporary positions. In addition, Volt specialises in recruiting for an array of sectors including sales & customer service, IT, PR & marketing, finance & accounts, and PA & Secretarial.

The European Union is set to face a mammoth task of strategically positioning itself economically in a world of global competition. Europe's economy is set to remain dependent in this process on open and secure world markets to unfold its strength. The EU financial market has a pivotal role to play in ensuring Europe's economic success. One integral precondition for protecting the European and thus the German economy is that EU member states do not allow themselves to be divided and ruled. Undoubtedly, the EU is a market with incredible purchasing power and a productive investment location with almost 450 million citizens. The long-term success of the EU strategy rests on it undertaking a holistic view of the various aspects of the economy.

Technological innovation grows exponentially, and in the field of quant financial careers this means there are always new trends and breakthroughs. When it comes to these trends, candidates and companies will need to align themselves with a leading recruitment agency in order to pivot and adapt to the post-Brexit hiring landscape. Now that freedom of movement has ended between the EU and the UK there will be notable changes within the recruitment industry. As a leading specialist recruiter for banking and financial services throughout the UK, Selby Jennings are ideally placed when it comes to key trends in the sector, as well as leading industry news and updates.

Frankfurt is the business and financial centre of Germany and the largest city in the German state of Hesse. The city is renowned for its futuristic skyline as well as the busiest German airport. Frankfurt is also the financial capital of Continental Europe and the key transportation centre of Germany. Companies based in key financial locations such as Frankfurt in Germany, have been planning for Brexit for years, and as a result, numerous head offices and teams have moved to the continent to mitigate risk among a legion of other factors.

Financial crimes are on the up and financial institutions are reacting to this by expanding their teams in both anti-money laundering (AML) and counterterrorism funding financing (CTF). Looking ahead, as we approach year-end, organisations have already started the planning process when it comes to hiring business-critical talent. Plus, thanks to renewed budgets there is set to be a rise when it comes to on-boarding any prior headcounts that they were previously placed on hold. As the leading specialist recruiter for banking and financial services careers in Hong Kong, Selby Jennings have indicated that the first half of 2021 will make way for a mini-boom in the talent landscape.

The promise of numerous successful vaccines as well as effective therapeutics being available to the mass market in early 2021 has generated an increase across hedge fund sectors. There is expected to be a significant spike in hiring for this sector because of pandemic related market volatility. This is especially true for hedge funds, which resort to impenetrable and complex strategies when it comes to their quest for gains.

The increasing digital divide between countries is a hot topic of conversation today, especially in the wake of the pandemic as recovery begins for many. The World Economic Forum has warned that a deepening of the digital divide could be incredibly problematic going forward. That's why next generation tools and the new evolution of platforms offering vital financial services, such as savings, loans and international transfers, is increasingly essential. This has become even more pressing given the global health crisis of the last year when national lockdowns meant that traditional access to financial services was suddenly severely limited.