Month: August 2025

The International Optical Technologies Association has appointed Chander Jeena as its new General Secretary as it gears up for growth and expansion. The International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA), formerly the International Hologram Manu­facturers Association, has appointed Chander Jeena as its new General Secretary as it gears up for growth and expansion. IOTA membership embraces developers and suppliers of security features based on technologies that in addition to holography, feature micro-lens arrays, micro-mirrors, plasmonics, nano-gratings, colour change, caustics, polari­sation, photonic crystals, special print-generated effects, or a combination of all of these. The move aligns with the organisation’s ongoing transfor­mation as it broadens its operational scope, shapes its identity, and strengthens its position in the international optical security technologies (OST) sector. Responding to rapid developments in the field, IOTA has recently expanded its membership criteria, updated its articles of association, and rebranded the Hologram Image Register as the Security Image Register (SIR), reinforcing its role as a hub for OST innovation. Chander Jeena has extensive experience in anti-coun­terfeiting, backed by degrees in industrial relations, public relations, and communication. From 2006 to 2023, he led the India-based Secretariat of the Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA), where he contributed to expanding its focus from a holog­raphy association to a broader association of providers of authentication and traceability technologies. In addition to overseeing the development of ongoing op­erations, he will also focus on expanding global membership, enhancing member engagement, and strengthening partner­ships with organisations such as Intergraf, the Counterfeit Intelligence Bureau, and the Secure Identification Union in China, while leading efforts to drive the next phase of growth for IOTA. Dr Mark Deakes, Chair of IOTA, said, “Chander will be an asset to our organisation. His industry knowledge, experi­ence, strategic insight, and good relationship-building skills make him well-suited to support IOTA into its next phase. “With a proven track record in building connections and relations with industry associations, he will help IOTA achieve its mission to promote a more inclusive and innova­tive ecosystem for optical security technologies, solutions, and systems.” Chander Jeena said, ‘I am honoured to join IOTA at this exciting time. The association is evolving with a vision for the future, grounded in a strong legacy. I thank my prede­cessor, Micaal Sidorov, for his contributions, and the IOTA board for their trust in me. Together with the team, members, and partners, we will work to enhance the optical security technologies ecosystem for the benefit of the industry and society at large.” Read More

A new study from Juniper Research, the foremost experts in IoT markets, has found the adoption of smart traffic management solutions will save up to 923 million metric tons (MMT) of CO2 by 2030. This is an increase of 151% on the 368 MMT CO2 savings forecast for this year. This substantial increase in CO2 saving represents 1.5% of 2030 global carbon emissions. Cybersecurity Remains a Key Concern To achieve these CO2 savings, Juniper Research be­lieves it is essential that security measures can scale alongside the growing number of sensors in smart traffic management solutions and the increasing volume of data generated. We have identified technologies specifically designed for high-end security in data-intensive and auto­mated environments, such as data minimisation solutions and federated learning, as ideal for processing real-time information from smart traffic management solutions. Juniper Research finds that the technologies that provide data anonymisation, particularly in the face of real-time decision making, will position smart traffic man­agement vendors best to capitalise in a market expected to grow from $14.8 billion globally in 2025, to $32.7 billion in 2030. Integrating these technologies will enable vendors to analyse traffic data without compromising any personal data collected; enhancing public trust and reducing the risk of data breaches. As smart traffic management solutions continue to collect valuable personal data to optimise traffic flows, the threat of cyber-attacks is increasing. Smart traffic vendors must deploy robust security measures to ensure system reliability, continually enabling optimised traffic flows; leading to significant emission reductions and cost savings Michelle JoynsonResearch author The research suite offers a comprehensive assessment of the smart traffic management market, including insight­ful market analysis and in-depth forecasts for 60+ countries. The dataset contains over 37,000 market statistics within a five-year period. It includes a ‘Competitor Leaderboard’ to examine the current and future market opportunities. Juniper Research has, for two decades, provided market intelligence and advisory services to the global technology sector, and is retained by many of the world’s leading intermediaries and providers. Read More

Teledyne Gas & Flame Detection (Teledyne GFD) is supporting its business presence in the Middle East by partnering with Industrial Detection Solutions (IDS) to establish a new 699m² manufacturing facility in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This partnership will enable the local production of high-precision sensors for detecting toxic and combustible gases, helping to protect workers and assets at oil and gas production/ drilling facilities, LNG/ CNG plants, and refining and petrochemical sites. A grand opening ceremony has official­ly declared the plant open on June19, 2025. Gas detection is an essen­tial safety aspect throughout the oil and gas industry. With so much activity in the Middle East, Teledyne GFD wanted to bring the production of key gas detection solutions closer to their point of use. This strategy also aligns with the IKTVA (In-Kingdom Total Value Add) programme that promotes local manufacturing in KSA. IKTVA is an initiative to increase economic diversifi­cation and create a sustainable ecosystem in KSA’s oil and gas industry. The programme aims to increase the use of in-Kingdom suppliers, expand local supply chain capabili­ties and capacities, and drive industry collaboration through supplier development. By partnering with Industrial Detection Solutions, Tele­dyne GFD will help to meet the ambitions of the IKTVA via the local manufacture of popular products like its DM- 700 toxic gas sensor, and FP-700 and IR-700 combustible gas sensors. “Our new partnership with Industrial Detection Solu­tions ensures that manufacturing is closer to both customers and suppliers, enabling even faster delivery of class-leading gas detection products in support of more efficient supply chains,” said Thomas Moeller, VP Sales & Marketing at Teledyne GFD, “The proven solutions manufactured in KSA will better serve a vast regional industry that recognises the impor­tance of a robust and prevalent safety culture. We are proud to be part of KSA’s remarkable ongoing journey of economic and industrial growth, and we look forward to a successful future together.” The DM-700 is a non-intrusive ‘smart’ sensor that detects and moni­tors oxygen and toxic gases in the air using electrochemical sensor technol­ogy. The intelligent, plug-in, field-re­placeable cell automatically recognis­es gas type and range. Teledyne GFD’s FP-700 is also a non-intrusive ‘smart’ sensor, this time for the detection and monitoring of combustible gases over the range of 0-100% LEL using catalytic bead sensor technology. The IR-700 is a similar solution for combus­tible hydrocarbon gases. It uses miniature non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) optical sensor technology to detect and monitor gases over the range of 0-100% LEL. All of these gas detectors support maximum safety with an innovative design that virtually eliminates sensor failure due to water ingress, corrosion, vibration or transient spikes. Read more

Malaysia’s Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCoE) expands curriculum with self-paced training for civil servants through EC-Council’s advanced learning platform BlackBerry Limited and EC-Council, a global player in cybersecurity certifications and learning tech­nology, recently announced a new partnership that will offer government employees nationwide with increased access to cybersecurity training and certifications through the Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCoE) in Malaysia. The collaboration supports Malaysia’s pioneering efforts to boost human cyber capital and strengthen the nation’s defenc­es against growing digital threats, equipping government employees with advanced, industry-relevant skills through flexible learning modules. In collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the partnership will further expand the CCoE Cybersecurity Curriculum, which already offers a wide range of globally recognized course offerings and certifications. With the addition of the cutting-edge EC-Coun­cil Learning (ECL) platform, one of the world’s most ad­vanced cloud-based cybersecurity education ecosystems, the CCoE is expanding self-paced online and in-person learning for Malaysian civil servants, helping more men and women to upskill and complete courses in their own time. In support of the Malaysian government’s commitment to cybersecurity capacity building, the addition of EC-Coun­cil Learning marks a significant evolution of the CCoE’s curriculum, enhancing its existing programs with a robust, cloud-based platform to bolster government workforces with world-class skills and qualifications as cyber threats escalate. Jaclyn Sim, Cybersecurity Training Manager for Black­Berry at the Malaysia Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, said, “BlackBerry’s partnership with EC-Council represents a meaningful step forward in the shared mission to build a cyber-resilient Malaysia. This initiative builds upon the CCoE’s extensive curriculum of online and in-person train­ing, with an advanced, flexible platform that empowers civil servants to learn anytime, anywhere. Together with MCMC, we remain committed to upskilling and fostering a culture of continuous learning across the public sector.” Jay Bavisi, Founder and CEO of EC-Council added, “At the heart of this partnership is a shared mission between EC-Council, BlackBerry and the Cybersecurity Center of Excellence to build a cyber-resilient Malaysia by placing trusted, modern cyber learning tools in the hands of every civil servant.” Through this initiative, Malaysian civil service profession­als will gain access to a full spectrum of programs aligned with national digital ambitions, including: This BlackBerry and EC-Council news also coincides with the recent 12-month anniversary of the Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCoE), which has rapidly grown into an international hub for cyber talent development, attracting a $3.9M CAD investment from the Government of Canada. Over the past year, the CCoE has launched several initia­tives, including multiple partnerships with globally-certified partners such as CompTIA, SANS Institute, ICS2 and Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, awarded scholarships to aspiring cyber leaders and introduced programs to foster diversity and inclu­sion in the sector. Read More

Open letter from 57 civil society organisations across EU member states, accession countries and wider Europe urges institutions to raise anti-corruption standards in final negotiations. Recently, 57 civil society organ­isations, including 23 Trans­parency International chapters and partners, published an open let­ter calling on the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament to uphold and strengthen the anti-corruption measures adopted by the European Parliament as part of the proposed EU Anti-Corruption Directive. Designed to establish common standards for preventing and ad­dressing corruption across member states, the Directive is now entering a critical final phase of interinstitutional negotiations. The signatories call on EU leaders to demonstrate genuine political will to combat corruption and set a higher standard for integrity and accountability across the bloc. The letter highlights growing pub­lic frustration with corruption across the EU. According to Transparency International’s research, only 21 per cent of people believe that officials face appropriate penalties for corrup­tion in the EU, while 53 per cent think the government is run by a few big interests serving themselves. Recent scandals such as Qatar­gate and the Huawei controversy have only deepened these concerns. Civil society leaders warn that this is no time for half-measures. EU policymakers must build on, not weaken, the Parliament’s stance. Andrea Rocca, Head of Policy & Advocacy, Transparency Interna­tional, said, “This Directive is a test of the EU’s commitment to integri­ty and good governance. Anything less than the European Parliament’s proposals would send the wrong message to citizens and the world. If the EU is to claim global leadership on corruption, it must be willing to act decisively and set a standard for transparency and accountability that all member states must uphold. This is a pivotal moment, and it must not be missed.” Nick Aiossa, Director of Transpar­ency International EU, said, “Citizens across the EU are demanding account­ability and transparency, and it is now up to policymakers to answer that call. A strong anti-corruption direc­tive would not only hold bad actors accountable but also demonstrate that the EU is serious about upholding the rule of law and defending democratic integrity.” Read More

ASSA ABLOY has ac­quired Calmell, a Spanish manufacturer of smart cards, smart paper tickets and magnetic tickets. “I am very pleased to welcome Calmell to ASSA ABLOY, an excit­ing technological addition that will reinforce our current offering within smart cards, and provide complemen­tary growth opportunities,” said Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY. “Calmell is a fantastic addition to our growing public transportation ecosystem, and we are excited to welcome them to the HID family,” said Björn Lidefelt, EVP and Head of HID, “Calmell’s offering and expertise ena­ble people to get where they need to go, aligning well with our desire to help the world travel more freely.” Calmell was founded in 1920 and has some 100 employees. The main office is located in Barcelona, Spain. Calmell will be part of HID´s business area Identification Technologies. Sales for 2024 amounted to about MEUR29 (approx. MSEK330) with a strong EBIT margin. The acquisition will be accretive to EPS from the start. Read More