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How to overcome structural barriers to digital transformation – Akkodis study ‘What CTOs think’ reveals insights

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The report combines insights from global CTOs on this latest era of digital transformation and recommendations for navigating the shift to an AI-powered enterprise

ZURICH, Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In recent years, digital transformation has become an indispensable priority for the C-suite, with many CTOs recognizing that digitalization is an ever-evolving concept; unlike earlier phases that focused on process automation, a majority of CTOs now see “catalyzing business growth” as a top benefit. However, according to a major study published today by global digital engineering company and Smart Industry leader, Akkodis, CTOs report numerous challenges and acknowledge that there is still much progress to be made. There are still many uncertainties surrounding the introduction of AI technologies and there is also a discrepancy between the CTOs’ concepts and the corporate reality.

“What CTOs Think: Navigating the Path to the AI Enterprise” is a report that explores how CTOs are approaching this current era of digitalization and offers recommendations for a successful transformation to an AI-powered enterprise. The survey[1], conducted in collaboration with Oxford Economics, covers 2,000 C-suite leaders, including 509 CTOs, across nine countries and 18 sectors, including Aerospace, Automotive, Energy, Life Sciences, and Technology.

Uncertainty and inaction hold back digital transformation

Despite a clear imperative for CTOs to digitally transform their organizations, uncertainty paralysis poses a barrier to action. External challenges rank high, including regulation and compliance, as well as security risk concerns. Yet, with new tech rapidly evolving, the number one barrier CTOs cite across industries is selecting the right technology. AI stands out as a defining feature of this emerging new digitalization era. Although most CTOs see it as a game changer for their companies, the technology remains nascent and 60% of CTOs believe their organization’s leadership lacks sufficient AI skills and knowledge. Skills gaps within the C-suite may trickle down to impact readiness across the wider workforce.

CTOs need to collaborate to deliver the AI enterprise

There is a gap between CTOs’ ambition and implementation when it comes to their AI strategies, worsened by broader uncertainties. While 80% of CTOs are “very confident” in their AI plans compared to 67% from the rest of the C-suite, there’s still work to be done. Only about half of CTOs say their organizations offer AI usage guidance, provide a framework for ethical data use, and offer AI training (56%, 51% and 46%, respectively). To address the disruption new technologies bring across business models, CTOs must foster cross-departmental collaboration to secure enterprise-wide buy-in.

There is an urgent need for digital workforce strategies

CTOs identify critical digital skill gaps that are expected to widen as this new wave of digital transformation accelerates. They expect this will likely to drive up wages for technical staff, with strong demand for digital skills anticipated over the next five years. CTOs are bold on upskilling and reskilling existing employees and expect generative AI to positively impact workforce strategies across the organization in the coming year. To address these gaps, there’s a need to balance building, buying, and renting talent, with a focus on upskilling and reskilling existing employees.

“This research highlights the challenges and opportunities business leaders face with the new wave of digitalization and emerging technologies,” said Jan Gupta, President, Akkodis. “The Smart Industry is all about leveraging digitalization to help us connect everything, use data to inform sharper decisions, and create new business models and smarter systems. The CTO plays a crucial role in bringing this to fruition. Their collaboration across the C-suite is critical to navigating talent gaps, building AI-ready foundations, and ultimately transforming the enterprise.”

The full report is available here.

Notes to Editor

1. Akkodis’ “What CTOs think” is based on the Adecco Group’s Business Leaders research, which investigates the changing world of work from the executive perspective.

About Akkodis 

Akkodis is a global digital engineering company and Smart Industry leader. We enable clients to advance in their digital transformation with Consulting, Solutions, Talent, and Academy services. Headquartered in Switzerland and part of the Adecco Group, Akkodis is a trusted tech partner to the world’s industries. We co-create and pioneer solutions that help to solve major challenges, from accelerating the clean energy transition and green mobility, to improving user and patient centricity. Empowered by a culture of inclusion and diversity, our 50,000 tech experts across 30 countries combine best-in-class technologies and cross industry knowledge to drive purposeful innovation for a more sustainable tomorrow. We are passionate about Engineering a Smarter Future Together. akkodis.com | LinkedIn | Instagram | FacebookTwitter

About the Adecco Group

The Adecco Group is the world’s leading talent company. Our purpose is making the future work for everyone. Through our three global business units – Adecco, Akkodis and LHH – across 60 countries, we enable sustainable and lifelong employability for individuals, deliver digital and engineering solutions to power the Smart Industry transformation and empower organisations to optimise their workforces. The Adecco Group leads by example and is committed to an inclusive culture, fostering sustainable employability, and supporting resilient economies and communities. The Adecco Group AG is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN). www.adeccogroup.com

Media contacts: 
Anne Friedrich
SVP
Global Head of Communications
Akkodis
+4915174633470
anne.friedrich@akkodis.com

Lisa Bushka
VP
Global External Communications
Akkodis
+18604630770
lisa.bushka@adeccogroup.com

SOURCE Akkodis

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JAMS Launches AI for Enterprise Job Scheduling: JAX and JAMS MCP

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A new AI agent and an open-standard connector let IT teams query, diagnose, and manage automation in plain language, on the model they choose, with operational data able to stay onshore inside their own network

SYDNEY, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — JAMS Software, an orchestration solution for scheduled and event-driven automation, today announced the general availability of two AI capabilities for enterprise job scheduling: JAX, an AI agent built into the JAMS Web Client, and JAMS MCP, a connector built on the open Model Context Protocol standard that brings JAMS into external AI coding tools. Both capabilities ship at no additional cost as part of JAMS Web.

Automation environments grow faster than the teams that run them. Jobs multiply across SQL Server, Azure Data Factory, Airflow, SAP, JDE, and Banner, and when one fails, finding the root cause often means searching several consoles at once, frequently outside business hours. At the same time, IT leaders carry pressure to adopt AI while staying accountable for where operational data goes. JAX and JAMS MCP close both gaps together.

Full details on how JAX and JAMS MCP work, including the control model behind every action, are available at jamsscheduler.com/product/ai.

JAX is an AI agent that runs inside the JAMS Web Client. It finds jobs, troubleshoots failures, and answers how-to questions in plain language, with each response grounded in the JAMS user guide and checked against a built-in glossary. JAX acts only when a user asks it to. Reads flow freely, and every write action pauses for the user’s explicit approval before it runs. JAX does not learn between sessions, and conversations are not retained on the server.

JAMS MCP is a connector, built on the open Model Context Protocol standard, that brings JAMS into the AI tools engineering teams already use, including Cursor, VS Code with Copilot, Claude Code, Claude Desktop, and Codex. Users query jobs, investigate failures, and manage runs in plain language without leaving their tool.

Both capabilities run inside the customer’s own network and act as the signed-in user, with that user’s exact JAMS permissions. There is no elevated AI account: whatever a user cannot do in the JAMS interface, JAX and JAMS MCP cannot do on that user’s behalf. Every JAX and MCP operation is recorded in its own dedicated log, and changes made through the JAMS API land in the JAMS audit trail like any other change. Customers choose their own AI model, whether a commercial provider such as OpenAI or Anthropic or a model running entirely on their own hardware, and JAMS never trains on customer data. In the current release, neither feature edits or deletes a job, folder, schedule, or agent definition. For teams that need operational data to stay onshore, JAX runs on a local model entirely inside the customer’s own network, so nothing leaves at all.

“Adopting AI usually means giving something up, most often visibility into where your data goes,” said Pete Hegland, Chief Executive Officer of JAMS Software. “We built JAX and JAMS MCP so that trade does not have to happen. Every action runs as the signed-in user, every change waits for approval, and the model can run on the customer’s own hardware, keeping operational data onshore.”

“For teams across Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore, two things matter: keeping data onshore, and getting answers when a job fails after hours,” said Shayne Cooper, Account Executive for APAC at JAMS Software. “JAX and JAMS MCP address both. The model can run on the customer’s own hardware, and the answer arrives in plain language at the moment it is needed.”

JAX and JAMS MCP are available now to all JAMS Web customers across Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore, with no separate licence, SKU, or additional cost. AI-assisted creation of new jobs and workflows from a plain-language description is on the roadmap for a future release, gated by the same approvals and permissions as every other action.

Learn how JAX and JAMS MCP work at https://jamsscheduler.com/product/ai.

Fast facts

JAX is an AI agent built into the JAMS Web Client for job scheduling and workflow automation.JAMS MCP is a connector built on the open Model Context Protocol standard, for Cursor, VS Code with Copilot, Claude Code, Claude Desktop, and Codex.Both act as the signed-in user, with that user’s exact JAMS permissions, and there is no elevated AI account.Customers choose the AI model, including a local model that runs entirely inside their own network.JAMS never trains on customer data.Both are available now at no additional cost as part of JAMS Web.

About JAMS Software
Founded in 1987, JAMS Software is an orchestration solution that helps IT teams centralize, automate, and manage scheduled and event-driven jobs across complex, hybrid environments. Over 850 customers rely on JAMS to run their automated workloads. JAMS Software, LLC is headquartered at 108 Patriot Drive, Suite A, Middletown, DE 19709.

Media Contact
Bobby Schmidt, Vice President of Marketing
press@jamssoftware.com
800.261.4267

 

 

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/jams-launches-ai-for-enterprise-job-scheduling-jax-and-jams-mcp-302833800.html

SOURCE JAMS Software

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FIBRA Prologis Declares Quarterly Distribution

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MEXICO CITY, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — FIBRA Prologis (BMV:FIBRAPL 14), a leading owner and operator of Class-A industrial real estate in Mexico, declared today a cash distribution of Ps. 1,220.1 million (US$70.1 million), or Ps. 0.7314 per Certificado Bursátil Fiduciario Inmobiliario (“CBFI”) (US$0.0420 per CBFI).

The distribution is payable August 4, 2026, to CBFI holders.

Ex-dividend date of August 3, 2026.

Record date of August 3, 2026.

Legal Basis

Concept

Generated

Payment
Date

Total Amount
(Ps$)

Number of
CBFIs

Ps$/CBFI

Article 187, section VI, ISR Law

Fiscal Result Distributed in cash

Jun-26

4-Aug-26

$      1,220,115,676.63

1,668,204,310

$                   0.7314

Fiscal Result Distributed in Certificates

Jun-26

4-Aug-26

$                                 –

 Total Distributed Fiscal Result (subject to withholding as applicable)

$      1,220,115,676.63

1,668,204,310

$                   0.7314

Article 188, section IX, ISR Law

Capital reimbursement

Jun-26

4-Aug-26

$                                 –

$                            –

Total amount distributed (Fiscal Result + Capital Reimbursement)

$      1,220,115,676.63

1,668,204,310

$                   0.7314

ABOUT FIBRA PROLOGIS

FIBRA Prologis is a leading owner and operator of Class-A industrial real estate in Mexico. As of June 30, 2026, the company’s portfolio comprised 515 Investment Properties, totaling 87.3 million square feet (8.1 million square meters). This includes 352 logistics and manufacturing facilities across 6 industrial core markets in Mexico, comprising 66.6 million square feet (6.2 million square meters) of Gross Leasing Area (GLA) and 163 buildings with 20.7 million square feet (1.9 million square meters) of non-strategic assets in other markets.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry and markets in which FIBRA Prologis operates, management’s beliefs and assumptions made by management.  Such statements involve uncertainties that could significantly impact FIBRA Prologis financial results. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature.  All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to rent and occupancy growth, acquisition activity, development activity, disposition activity, general conditions in the geographic areas where we operate, expected distributions, and our debt and financial position, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained and therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that may affect outcomes and results include, but are not limited to: (i) national, international, regional and local economic climates, (ii) changes in financial markets, trade relations, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, (iii) increased or unanticipated competition for our properties, (iv) risks associated with acquisitions, dispositions and development of properties, (v) maintenance of real estate investment trust (“FIBRA”) status and tax structuring, (vi) availability of financing and capital, the levels of debt that we maintain and our credit ratings, (vii) risks related to our investments (viii) environmental uncertainties, including risks of natural disasters, (ix) risks related to global pandemics, and (x) those additional factors discussed in reports filed with the “Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores” and  the Mexican Stock Exchange by FIBRA Prologis under the heading “Risk Factors.” FIBRA Prologis undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements appearing in this release.

Non-Solicitation – Any securities discussed herein or in the accompanying presentations, if any, have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. Any such announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities discussed herein or in the presentations, if and as applicable.

 

SOURCE FIBRA Prologis

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Agoda Reveals Growing Travel Interest Ahead of Japan’s Summer 2026 Fireworks Festivals

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― Searches for Nagaoka during the Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks up 50x, as interest in “fireworks travel” expands nationwide ―

SINGAPORE, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Agoda Company Pte. Ltd. (Headquarters: Singapore; CEO: Omri Morgenshtern), which operates the digital travel platform Agoda, revealed growing travel interest during Japan’s fireworks season among domestic and international travelers, based on accommodation search data related to major fireworks festivals taking place across Japan in summer 2026.

According to Agoda’s latest data, accommodation searches saw an increase as fireworks festival dates approached. In particular, Nagaoka City in Niigata Prefecture, the host location of the Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks, recorded a 50x increase compared to searches conducted before the event period, marking it the highest growth among the fireworks festival destinations coming up this summer.

Accommodation searches also grew in other regional destinations hosting fireworks festivals across Japan, including the Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Festival, Numazu Summer Festival and Kano River Fireworks Festival, Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival, and Matsue Suigosai Fireworks Festival.

Agoda’s findings show that interest is growing among domestic and international travelers to destinations where they can enjoy “fireworks travel” experiences that combine fireworks viewing with local sightseeing, dining, and overnight stays.

The data compares accommodation searches made between 90 and 60 days before each fireworks festival date with accommodation searches for check-ins on the day before and the day of each event.

Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks Leads with a 50x Increase in Searches

Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture | Searches up 50x

Known as one of Japan’s three great fireworks festivals, the Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks continues to attract domestic and international travelers with its breathtaking scale. Highlights include the “Shosanjakudama,” a massive firework with a diameter of approximately 650 meters, and the “Phoenix Fireworks for Recovery,” which stretch roughly two kilometers across the banks of the Shinano River. In addition to the fireworks, travelers can enjoy Echigo’s rich natural scenery, local sake, and regional cuisine, making Nagaoka a highly popular destination for overnight trips combined with fireworks viewing.

Interest in “Fireworks Travel” Destinations Expands Across Japan

Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Festival, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture | Searches up 7x

Held over Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake, this festival features approximately 10,000 fireworks and attracts many travelers with its magical reflections on the water and scenic lakeside setting. Its convenient access from Kyoto also makes it a popular choice for travelers looking to combine the event with sightseeing in the surrounding area.

Numazu Summer Festival and Kano River Fireworks Festival, Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture | Searches up nearly 3.5x

Held along the Kano River, which runs through the heart of Numazu City, this fireworks festival offers visitors an up-close and powerful viewing experience, with launch sites located near spectator areas. Numazu is also known for its fresh seafood and serves as a popular base for exploring the Izu area.

Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture and Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture | Searches up nearly 3.5x

The Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival is a rare fireworks event jointly hosted by two cities, with approximately 15,000 fireworks launched from both sides of the Kanmon Straits. Its dynamic location spanning Kyushu and Honshu, combined with local cuisine and charming port-town scenery, makes it an attractive travel destination.

Matsue Suigosai Fireworks Festival, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture | Searches up more than 3x

Known as one of western Japan’s leading fireworks festivals, the Matsue Suigosai Fireworks Festival is celebrated for its water-based fireworks over Lake Shinji and the enchanting reflections that appear on the lake’s surface. With nearby attractions such as Matsue Castle and Tamatsukuri Onsen, the area continues to be popular as an overnight travel destination.

These results suggest that as Japan’s fireworks festivals season approaches, these regional destinations are gaining attention as travelers seek opportunities to experience “fireworks travel” and enjoying local sightseeing, dining, and accommodations.

Tadashi Ikai, Senior Country Director, Agoda International Japan, shared, “Japan’s fireworks festivals are one of the country’s signature summer experiences for both domestic and international travelers. Agoda’s latest search data shows that interest is growing in destinations that offer a ‘fireworks travel’ experience that combines the events with local scenery, cuisine, and sightseeing.

The increase in searches for regional cities such as Nagaoka, Matsue, and Numazu also indicates growing interest for travel experiences that allow visitors to discover the unique appeal of local destinations. With great deals on accommodation, flights, and activities, Agoda will continue to support travelers in enjoying more fulfilling summer journeys.”

Agoda offers travelers access to a wide range of travel products, including hotels, private homes, flights, and activities. By booking activities in advance through Agoda, travelers can better plan their itineraries and enjoy a smoother, more fulfilling travel experience in their chosen destinations.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/agoda-reveals-growing-travel-interest-ahead-of-japans-summer-2026-fireworks-festivals-302822621.html

SOURCE Agoda

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