IBM Cloud in Europe

IBM has announced partnerships with six European firms using its cloud services.

With Dutch Logistics firm Koopman Logistics, it wil work to build a track and trace solution using IBM’s blockchain technology. Koopman transports consignments across Europe and was looking to replace its current paper-based tracking process.

With Italian multimedia organization Gruppo 24 Ore, IBM is using its Watson AI services hosted on the IBM Cloud to help tax professionals respond to questions about the Italian tax coding system.

French bank Credit Mutuel is using IBM Watson on IBM’s cloud environment to power its virtual assistants as well, in this case to help the company’s 20,000 relationship managers advise its customers.

Teckel Medical is running its digital health checker on IBM Cloud.

RS Components is making use of IBM’s Cloud platform, building its peer-to-peer marketplace in IBM’s London Cloud Garage, helping startups to promote, test and sell their inventions online.

And with Osram AG, a lighting solutions company, IBM has helped the company switch to a digital environment using IBM Cloud, resulting in greater operational savings and flexibility.

London Stock Exchange Group Collaborating with IBM on Blockchain Solution

Borsa Italiana, part of London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and IBM today announced they are building a blockchain solution to digitize the issuance of securities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Europe.

Designed to simplify the tracking and management of shareholding information, the new system intends to create a distributed shared registry containing a record of all shareholder transactions, helping to open up new opportunities for trading and investing. 

“Through our work with IBM on this blockchain solution, Borsa Italiana is taking the lead in transforming the way European SMEs can manage their shareholder data and at the same time expand credit access – all on a trusted digital platform,” said Raffaele Jerusalmi, CEO, Borsa Italiana.

The blockchain solution for unlisted SMEs in Europe is designed to replace the paper trading certificates that are commonly issued to private companies today.

With a more digitized, streamlined and transparent process enabled by the blockchain solution, various parties – including issuers, regulators and investors – will have increased insight into company information.

Traditionally, private SMEs lack access to public stock exchange networks or formalized credit structures. With this solution, SMEs in Europe can better access credit and link into a broader and more mature investor ecosystem, enabling them to set up new trading networks and obtain funding by sharing financial data in a security-rich and transparent public arena.

By implementing the blockchain solution, Borsa Italiana is taking the lead in transforming how private companies can exchange and bring transparency around shareholder data and expand credit access.

Built on Hyperledger Fabric version 1.0, a blockchain framework and and one of the Hyperledger projects hosted by The Linux Foundation, the system is designed to help ensure that highly sensitive securities data can be shared amongst permissioned network participants while remaining secure and gated.

This blockchain solution, developed in collaboration with IBM, is built on highly secure infrastructure technology that provides the highest levels of encryption commercially available. The solution is also built to achieve interoperability with LSEG’s existing systems, promoting efficiency and business continuity.

You can learn more about IBM Blockchain solutions here.

IBM Opens European X-Force Command Center In Poland

IBM Security today announced the official opening of its modernized European IBM X-Force Command Center based in Poland.

The center has new cognitive capabilities, including IBM Watson for Cybersecurity, and expanded data localization services designed to help address clients’ preferences and GDPR requirements.

Located in Wrocław, Poland, the center joins the global network of IBM X-Force Command Centers, which process upwards of one trillion cyber incidents each month, helping to protect 4,500 clients across 133 countries.

This global network is staffed by over 1,400 security professionals who provide around the clock service to clients. The IBM X-Force Command Center in Poland builds upon IBM’s $200 million investment in incident response capabilities announced last year.

The key areas of focus for the IBM X-Force Command Center in Poland are supporting clients in responding to cybersecurity incidents and serving as the hub in the company’s global network for GDPR expertise and specialized services.

Through the center, IBM will be able to offer clients the option of managing their security data via IBM staff and infrastructure in Europe. IBM X-Force analysts and experts will also help clients with expedited incident response reporting, which could aid clients with the data breach notification requirement of the GDPR.

According to the 2017 IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index, which surveys cyber security trends, 2016 saw a dramatic increase in records compromised, from 600 million to more than 4 billion incidents of illegally acquired records, climbing 566% from 2015. 

Analysts warn that the problem will be exacerbated, as the number of incidents within the next 5 years is expected to double. These statistics expose the companies to hefty potential losses, with the average total cost of a data breach amounting to $4 million.

The newly-launched IBM X-Force Command Center in Wrocław is staffed by world-class security professionals who will use cognitive technologies like Watson for client services, including chat sessions and data delivery, as well as Watson for Cyber Security to quickly address cyber security events.

The new center has expanded its space by nearly three times, while client engagement spaces have also been modernized to include telepresence systems. IBM analysts will be working in a modern space designed to promote an agile work environment, including new workstations which enable better communication between employees.

Wroclaw Center’s services can now be provided under the EU delivery model, which implies that the client’s data will not be moved outside of the European Union.

For more information on or to arrange a visit to the IBM X-Force Command Center visit http://www.ibm.com/security/xforcecommand.