May 2026 Featuring: Transformational Leadership Programme Returns for a Second Year Why Every Marketing Agency Needs an AI Wingman
AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility. Welcome to the May 2026 issue of Corporate Vision Magazine, a monthly publication dedicated to delivering the latest insight and news from right across the corporate landscape directly into your hands. The news and features shared this month cover everything from pay and partnerships to insights across marketing, leadership, IT, HR, student management, and employee absence, reflecting the diversity inherent in modern industry. Those featured within these pages are all doing something to move the needle, not just for the benefit of their own teams and organisations but also to help others strive for better and tread new ground as the world continues into the unknown and our needs pivot. We wish all of our readers and featured businesses success for the rest of the month and invite you back again for more engaging content in June. Sofi Parry, Senior Editor Website: www.corporatevision-news.com Editors Letter Editorial Team Sofi Parry, Senior Editor | Kita Thomas, Writer | Joshua Beardsmore, Writer Design Team Emma Hunt, Creative Team Manager | Lauren Baldwin, Graphic Designer
Contents 4. News - Auris Now Gives Employees Access to Wages Before Payday - Vantiq and NTT ExC Partner Corporation Expand Strategic Alliance to Bolster HR Operations 6. From Brand Builders to Revenue Operators: Why Marketers’ Futures Must Be More on the Money 8. Transformational Leadership Programme Returns for a Second Year 9. The Computer Clinic Bicester: Going the Extra Mile with Managed IT Support in Bicester 10. Thesis SM: Where Ongoing Success Builds Momentum 11. Lemonade HR: Professional and Practical HR Advice for Developing SMEs 12. Why Cyber Security Needs Diverse Thinking to Stay Ahead 14. Why Every Marketing Agency Needs an AI Wingman 15. 67% of Employers Say They Needed More Notice Before the Changes to Statutory Sick Pay
Corporate Vision Auris Now Gives Employees Access to Wages Before Payday New feature powered by ZayZoon offers employees financial flexibility while helping employers improve retention and reduce financial stress Auris, a leading small and medium-sized business payroll and HR partner, has launched a new service that enables workers to access a portion of their paychecks before payday directly within the Auris platform. Via an embedded integration with ZayZoon, earned wage access is now available for all Auris customers. The tool, which requires no additional setup or administrative effort by employers, allows employees to access earned wages between pay cycles. If hours are worked, those wages are available. Repayment is handled automatically through payroll deductions during the next pay cycle. “In the past, pay advances put employers in an uncomfortable position,” said Adam Mitchell, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Auris. “With earned wage access through ZayZoon, that burden shifts off the employer entirely, and what they get in return is a workforce that’s less stressed and more likely to stay.” ZayZoon is fully embedded within Auris, using the same payroll data businesses already trust without requiring changes to payroll schedules, systems or processes. Employers remain in control without added complexity, while employees gain on-demand access to wages they’ve earned in a safe, secure and compliant environment. The launch comes as financial flexibility has become increasingly important for employees. Recent research shows that 75% of workers experience financial stress related to everyday expenses such as recurring bills, groceries, rent and medicine, which can impact productivity, retention and recruitment. Employers offering ZayZoon have reported measurable benefits, including reduced absenteeism, lower turnover and increased job applicant volume. Earned wage access has been enabled for Auris customers at no cost, and employees can begin using the feature immediately. Employers have the option to opt out of the tool. For more information, visit their FAQ page.
News Vantiq and NTT ExC Partner Corporation Expand Strategic Alliance to Bolster HR Operations Vantiq, a global leader in real-time AI orchestration, and NTT ExC Partner Corporation announced the expansion of their strategic partnership to enhance functionality and accelerate the broader market rollout of YourNAVI-QAI-General Affairs, a Human Resources back-office support solution leveraging Vantiq’s generative AI and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) integration technologies. Through this expanded partnership, the two companies will initiate development to enable on-premises deployment, in addition to the existing SaaS-based offering, in order to accommodate diverse corporate security policies and IT infrastructure environments. By leveraging operational insights gained within the NTT Group, the companies will also commence full-scale commercialization of the solution for the broader market. Purpose and Background of the Partnership As the labor force continues to decline, improving the efficiency of human resources back-office operations has become a shared management challenge for many organizations. At the same time, due to the sensitive nature of HR and general affairs data, many companies require AI solutions to be deployed within secure, in-house (on-premises) environments. To address these market needs, Vantiq and NTT ExC Partner will further strengthen their collaboration and advance solution development by fully leveraging Vantiq’s flexible integration technologies. In addition to SaaS-based delivery, the companies will promote the development of a deployment model that ensures secure operation within on-premises environments. Starting this year, NTT ExC Partner will progressively expand the availability of YourNAVI-QAI-General Affairs to the broader market. By combining the practical expertise cultivated through deployment within the NTT Group and Vantiq’s technologies in AI orchestration and multi-domain integration, the companies aim to establish a framework to support back-office digital transformation (DX) across a wide range of enterprises. Future Outlook: Autonomous HR Operations and Multi-Agent Collaboration Looking ahead, alongside enhancing inquiry response capabilities, the companies will continue R&D to expand functionality as “AI Agents” that autonomously support application processing and data entry. In the future, they aim to further advance operational support within the HR domain and explore the development of a “multi-AI agent” environment, where AI agents across different departments can seamlessly collaborate based on specific business needs. Through these initiatives, the companies will contribute to realizing next-generation workstyles for enterprises.
Feature By aligning people, processes, and platforms across the go-tomarket, ensuring that the same data, definitions, and performance measures drive it all, RevOps creates a single growth engine, where effort compounds, insights flow, and accountability is collective. Leaders must, however, recognise that technology and processes alone cannot fix fragmented thinking, driving a culture of collaboration supported by shared wins and regular interdepartmental interactions to support people-driven change. Marketers as revenue operators Within this new framework, marketers begin to approach what might be traditionally recognised as revenue operators in role. Their job isn’t just to attract attention but to understand how that attention converts into pipeline, expansion, and retention. Modern marketers must collaborate closely across functions, capturing and converting attention in accordance with – not in parallel to – sales strategy, to prevent discordance. Meanwhile, they must ensure that the stories they tell tie back to the balance sheet. Resonating and engaging with customers is all well and good, but unless those relationships can be tangibly measured in terms that benefit the entire company, their impact and meaning are lost. How many of us chuckled knowingly at the relatable flaws of the PC in the Apple campaign, with zero intention of ever purchasing a Mac, for example? Connection and conversion RevOps-driven marketers bridge the gap between connection and conversion, not only making brands memorable but ensuring the attention and custom lasts. Creative thinking must be combined with operator strategy – with marketers designing, managing, and optimising in line with commercial performance. The AI catalyst Artificial intelligence is fast becoming a great accelerator of this shift, quietly automating repetitive, routine tasks. It can generate skeleton content, analyse datasets, and assist with targeting and reporting – all in just seconds. Far from making marketers redundant, this bolsters their strategic capacity. With basic execution handled, human marketers can sharpen their focus on creative direction, systems thinking, and growth design. Rather than asking, “What campaign should we run next?”, marketers can consult the AI data, rapidly determining direction and focusing on the levers they can pull to improve pipeline velocity, conversion rates, and retention. In defining the inputs that drive measurable outcomes, they’re becoming architects of the revenue system. Machine-powered analytics and forecasting are closing the longstanding gap between marketers’ actions and their commercial impact, as data can now track it in real time. Vanity metrics give way to economic KPIs, AI being the final piece in the From Brand Builders to Revenue Operators: Why Marketers’ Futures Must Be More on the Money By Julia Payne, founder of Fractional CMO Services Apple’s 2006 Get a Mac campaign became an instant commercial success. The humorous clashes between PCs and Macs – personified by human actors – redefined tech advertising as we know it. Relatability replaced the polished, jargon-heavy outreach the world had grown used to – driving three years of 42%-marketshare-grabbing success. This marked a new era of marketing: one where authenticity definitively outperformed formal professionalism – across all sectors. Now needs more Being relatable constituted a major differentiator back then. Nowadays, however, it’s a bare-minimum requirement. In our always-on, social-media-fuelled economy, consumers don’t just expect brands to speak to them but to engage with them directly, demanding instant, continuous, personalised interactions from firms that embody their values. The Get a Mac strategy is no longer sufficient. Progress came with walls Whilst the late 20th century was characterised by marketers essentially pitching to their audiences with the aim of driving sales – the 21st was all about replacing blatant close-deal chasing with building consumer-first connection. But there was an unintended consequence. As marketing became more creative and engagement-focused, its metrics began to drift away from the commercial heartbeat of the business. The early-2000s were dominated by campaign outputs, impressions, and marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) – disconnected from the sales qualified leads (SQLs) that sales teams pursued. Collective, companywide outcomes split at the seams – broader commercial measures replaced with siloed departmental KPIs that blinded teams to each other’s progress. Clunky handoffs were still happening, but balls were dropped as collaboration became competition, co-ordinated communications became conflicting messages delivered to consumers and clients, and interdepartmental finger-pointing replaced accountability as the standard procedure for addressing failures. Businesses simply cannot thrive like this. A second revolution If today’s firms wish to move minds and money, marketing, sales, customer success, finance, and planning teams will have to coordinate, centring collaborative efforts around shared goals. This is why Revenue Operations (RevOps) is growing in both prevalence and importance. Sitting at the centre of growth, RevOps unites teams under one single, shared commercial mission, ensuring every single action taken by every single department translates into efficient, predictable profit.
Small Business Awards 2023 | 7 puzzle when it comes to removing the ambiguity between activity and revenue performance. Marketing is less about doing and more about deciding in this sense; less executing tasks and more engineering outcomes. Those who can interpret, question, and strategically direct AI output will excel in this context, setting the course for company growth. Money, not mentions As marketing moves closer to the financial core, accountability is likewise changing. Future marketers will be held to the same standards as finance and sales – measured by impact, not influence. Budgets will no longer be defended with creativity but commercial logic including customer acquisition cost, lifetime value, payback periods, and pipeline velocity. Perhaps uncomfortable at first, this shift from marketing-influenced revenue to marketing-delivered is liberating. When marketers can demonstrate clear, measurable links between strategy and profit, they move from justification to leadership. Accountability doesn’t kill creativity; it secures its seat at the top table, where economic progress is the lingua franca. Skills for the new era With data fluency, systems thinking, and commercial literacy now foundational to effective marketing, future marketers are less artsy brand advocates and more revenue operators, using their creativity to support wider strategic mettle. At leadership level, this calls for Chief Marketing Officers to transform from mere campaign managers to chief growth operators in parallel. The ability to diagnose bottlenecks will become just as vital as creating briefs – with marketing leaders capable of balancing imagination with business acumen, not only surviving this new economy but actively shaping it. Marketing at the heart of growth Understanding sales cycles, pipeline mechanics, and customer lifetime value matters just as much as brand narrative and positioning nowadays. Yet, the metamorphosis from brand builder to revenue operator doesn’t have to be painful. Strategy amplifies creativity’s relevance, the art of connection forming the solid foundations upon which to build measurable growth. The next era of marketing is all about joined-up, business-focused operations. To succeed, intuition must embrace intelligence as art and analytics merge. It seems ‘being on the money’ really is the industry’s new reality.
Corporate Vision Transformational Leadership Programme Returns for a Second Year After a successful inaugural programme in 2025, the Global Certificate in Company Direction - from the Institute of Directors (IoD) in collaboration with The University of St Andrews Business School is returning for 2026. The IoD and The University of St Andrews Business School have leveraged the insights gained last year to deliver an even more impactful, strategically focused programme. Welcoming business leaders from around the globe, ensuring high-calibre networking opportunities, the six-and-a-half-day residential course aims to empower directors to meet the complex challenges of the global business landscape. Participants will explore essential topics, including the role of the board in corporate governance, professional growth and measurement, and strategy development. Following feedback, the course will be bringing back the unique boardroom simulation which allows the global cohort to experience realworld scenarios that mirror today’s governance challenges in a boardroom environment. The course also features high-profile speakers covering critical themes such as environmental, social factors, artificial intelligence and crisis management, with the week culminating in a key-note speech from iconic environmental and consumer activist, Erin Brockovich. Commenting on her experience of last year’s course, Helena McLeod, global executive and course delegate said: “The Global Certificate in Company Direction has been a transformative experience. The insights from world-class speakers like Erin Brockovich and the practical tools provided by the programme have been inspiring and have deepened and reshaped how I approach leadership and governance. I feel robustly equipped to lead complex boards and organisations with confidence, grace and drive meaningful, sustainable impact.” The course for visionary leaders will be run by a mixture of IoD subject experts and academics from The University of St Andrews Business School. Those completing the course, will leave with a globally recognised board-level qualification. Jonathan Geldart, Director General of the IoD, said: “We are excited to bring back this transformational programme for a second year. The feedback we received from our inaugural year made the value of the course overwhelmingly clear. Together, the IoD and The University of St Andrews Business School bring 734 years of combined learning and leadership expertise, which is invaluable as we face geopolitical, technological and environmental disruption. “This programme is delivering transformational impact in boardrooms across the world, creating leaders who are empowered to tackle real-world challenges with confidence, expertise, responsibility and vision.” Professor Mark Brewer, Dean and Head of School at The University of St Andrews Business School, said: “The University of St Andrews Business School is proud to build on its established collaboration with the Institute of Directors in delivering the Global Certificate in Company Direction Programme. Taught jointly by IoD experts and staff from our Business School and School of International Relations, the programme offers senior executives a rigorous, practice-focused learning experience in the distinctive setting of St Andrews. We are delighted to welcome an international cohort in October 2026 to strengthen their board-level expertise, broaden their networks, and achieve the globally recognised IoD Certificate in Company Direction qualification.” The programme will take place from 1pm Saturday 10 October to 4:30pm Friday 16 October 2026 at the Fairmont Hotel (plus virtual delivery Monday 30 November - Wednesday 2 December 2026). Learn more about the programme by visiting https://www. iod.com/professional-development/chartered-directorprogramme/global-certificate-in-company-direction/ or express interest by emailing [email protected] or call 020 3855 4309.
Small Business Awards 2023 | 9 May 2026 | 9 a result of this same AI progress. In navigating these developments, the company behind these business IT security services is doubling down on its security focus, as well as helping its customers to understand which AI tools are best for their environment, underpinning its rigorous approach. In the face of AI’s widespread adoption, Daniel seeks to remind SMEs that having strong IT is not about the most tools, but the right foundation. For most businesses, this means standardising their setup, patching everything, using proper endpoint protection, having a robust backup strategy, building a simple cybersecurity baseline, implementing efficient onboarding/offboarding to prevent the likes of data leakages, monitoring and maintaining (not just reacting), documenting their environment, and planning for downtime. Having a trusted partner on hand like TCCB is essential in both building this foundation and accessing managed IT support as a business grows. And, with the company set to continue improving how it delivers this comprehensive IT support for small businesses in Oxfordshire and beyond, its team are proud to be driving smarter standardisation, automation, and a security-led service delivery in this space. Daniel added: “Our goal is to remain the trusted partner SMEs rely on for stable, secure, well-managed IT.” The value of working with an IT support partner that blends support and security with process across a full-service approach is clear for those who rely on the Computer Clinic Bicester, and it is this distinction that has led to us naming the company as offering the Best Computer Repair & IT Support Service 2026 – Oxfordshire in this feature. Contact: Daniel Reeves Company: The Computer Clinic Bicester Web Address: https://thecomputerclinicbicester.co.uk/ The reality SMEs across the UK face is lots of responsibility, small teams, and limited time, making the need for practical solutions paramount. Nowhere is this more true than across their IT, which, as mentioned above, is often crucial for their business. Making IT simple, secure, and useful for SMEs in Oxfordshire and across the UK, the Computer Clinic Bicester ensures customers can focus on running their businesses, sound in the knowledge that their technology is being protected, supported, and modernised by experts. Putting security first – always – TCCB’s values of accountability, customer empathy, continuous improvement, and professional integrity position it as the true technology partner that its customers seek, not simply another ‘break/ fix’ provider. Customers also value TCCB’s process-driven, business-minded nature, with the company standing out on the back of the fast, structured support it provides, its Cyber Essentials support and certification, and its deep capability across the likes of Microsoft 365 support and management. However, this barely scratches the surface when it comes to pinpointing TCCB’s excellence, which is best seen through some of the recent projects it has carried out. Examples include Azure AD and Intune standardisation and migration being completed for multi-site organisations, as well as the redesign of new-starter processes in cases where HR and office management inputs were not aligned. This alignment reduces risk and improves employee experiences, as a strong onboarding process helps protect businesses. Making all of these projects successful was TCCB’s blend of a clear scope, setting expectations up front, leveraging standardised processes and checklists, and retaining strong communication with the teams. In short, this reflects the company’s baseline approach of ‘secure by default’, rather than performing a one-off fix. Regarding this, Daniel commented: “It’s not just about fixing issues – it’s about understanding what the business is trying to achieve and then designing a solution that genuinely supports that goal.” “Technology is one of the few areas where you can take something complex, simplify it, and immediately improve how a business operates day to day.” With many businesses turning to AI tools in an attempt to achieve these goals and ensure they are not left behind, one of the biggest developments for TCCB is managing not only this, but also the increased cybersecurity brought about as For many SMEs in the UK, it does not bear thinking about how they would function if their IT infrastructure was unavailable for just one day, underscoring the heavy reliance we as a society have on this technology. Recognising its importance, the Computer Clinic Bicester (TCCB) makes sure that its customers can access fast, reliable, and problem-free IT. On the back of its recognition as having the Best Computer Repair & IT Support Service 2026 – Oxfordshire, we caught up with the founder of TCCB, Daniel Reeves, for more on how it achieves this. Going the Extra Mile with Managed IT Support in Bicester
Corporate Vision I am proud that, as a Student Information System (SIS) provider, Thesis SM is the trusted partner to a diverse range of higher education clients in the UK from small specialist institutions including the Royal College of Music to large, complex institutions such as Manchester Metropolitan University. We’re motivated every day to make the student and staff experience efficient and empowering, and we’ve dedicated ourselves to streamlining mission-critical student management processes. We have done this so that institutions can focus on what truly matters: student experience, staff time and academic excellence. To achieve this, our cloud-native SIS covers the entire student lifecycle, from application through to award. Hosted on Microsoft Azure, our SaaS solution was developed in close collaboration with the UK and Canadian higher education sectors, ensuring that it meets both common institutional demands and regionspecific requirements. Our feature rich solution covers all the core functionality expected in a SIS, including admissions, curriculum, registry, assessments, progression and billing. Our team has deep roots in the UK sector, with many of us, myself included, having previously worked within higher education institutions. This means our team is shaped by practical insight and a shared commitment to institutional success. We are industry experts who have a deep understanding of the sector pain points, especially as we have experienced many of them first-hand. This fuels our focus every day as we strive to create value from our expertise and deliver a solution that improves the student experience while reducing the burden on staff. As with any spin-out from a larger company, it can sometimes be a challenge to communicate that our modern, flagship product is still underpinned by a significant depth of experience and institutional knowledge to the market. We want to ensure future customers understand that Thesis SM is not a startup; while our name and brand are relatively new, our history ensures that our expertise and track record are extensive. Our SIS product reflects this: built on the collective knowledge, lessons learned, and experience of our team, without the legacy baggage that can limit innovation. Over the next five years, we plan to further innovate the student experience by deepening our collaborations with partners across the sector. We will do this to deliver an even smarter, configurable, more intuitive SIS built for trust and ready to scale and evolve ing to reflect changing institutional needs. We recognise that many institutions live with legacy constraints created from past requirements that no longer reflect the modern sector landscape. These may be functional constraints but equally how the overall service reflects the technical and financial challenges currently facing UK higher education. We at Thesis are committed to working with institutions to ensure that our SIS does not stand still and nor does our organisation. We get up every morning and consider what we can do better. To realise this vision, we have built a product roadmap centred on four strategic pillars, guiding our approach to digital transformation across the sector. Awarded in Corporate Vision’s Technology Excellence Awards 2026 not only for its innovative product but for its team’s deep rooted experience, Thesis SM is built for trust and ready to scale . Its pioneering cloud-based SIS was designed to streamline and enhance core institutional operations for the UK, Irish, and Canadian education sectors, and it’s a pleasure to hear more from CEO Louise Thorpe below. Thesis SM: Where Ongoing Success Builds Momentum Our four pillars are: enhancing self-service to improve student experience and make effective use of staff time; empowering end users through automation, no-code workflow tools, and reduced reliance on IT; optimising regulatory and statutory processes as embedded core functionality; and streamlining integration with other campus systems to enable cohesive, data-driven operations. And yes, we do all know them off by heart. Across all four, our goal is to deliver technology that is configurable, intuitive, and built around the real-world needs of higher education institutions, today and in the years ahead. We will continue investing in secure, scalable infrastructure and growing our team’s expertise, so we can deliver consistent value and support to every institution we serve. Our strategic pillars recognise that mere compliance is not enough and that it is imperative for a SIS provider to optimise regulatory and statutory processes, ensuring institutions remain compliant and with minimal operational overhead. We operate as the backbone of an institution’s edtech ecosystem, and we strive to deliver streamlined integrations with other campus systems to enable a cohesive experience for users and support data-driven decision-making across the student lifecycle. We aim to deepen our presence across the markets we serve, with a clear commitment to being the leading local SIS provider for higher education in the UK, Ireland, and Canada. Alongside this, we are focused on strengthening our long-term engagement with the higher education community, A core part of our growth strategy is to collaborate closely with our surrounding communities, users, partners, and thought leaders, and translating their feedback into meaningful product improvements that solve real challenges in the student lifecycle. It is this unwavering dedication to continuous improvement and innovation that has earned Thesis SM recognition as the UK’s Best University Student Management Software 2026. Contact: Louise Thorpe Company: Thesis SM (Thesis Student Management) Web Address: www.thesis.sm
Corporate Vision Professional and Practical HR Advice for Developing SMEs HR is a crucial aspect of any business, and yet, particularly for smaller businesses, it can often feel overwhelming. Through the fractional HR services and employment law support it provides to SMEs in the UK, Lemonade HR takes the hassle out of these areas, replacing this distraction with the clarity and confidence business owners and leaders need to run and grow their operations. Named the Best Outsourced HR Partner 2026 – UK in this feature, we caught up with Carol Smith, the woman behind this HR consultancy in Hertfordshire, for more on its HR support for SMEs. After spending 20 years developing her HR knowledge and skills across major brands such as Buyagift, Philips, and American Express, Carol Smith recognised the value she could add to smaller organisations across the UK. Establishing Lemonade HR in 2023, the day-one purpose of the consultancy was simple: to give access to practical, compliant, and grounded HR support without the cost or complexity of hiring and managing an in-house HR team. After all, the point of HR is to help and empower, not hinder and create uncertainty. “Guided by fairness, professionalism, and integrity, we work closely with businesses to make sure that their people decisions are not only legally sound, but sensible, ethical, and right for the organisation.” Under Carol’s expert guidance, what Lemonade HR delivers is experienced-based, hands-on HR leadership, not the generic advice or off-the-shelf solutions that many HR consultancies offer. The practical approach it delivers can be accessed in a few different ways – on an ad-hoc basis, as a retained service, or on a project-to-project basis. Regardless of the nature of the support requested, Lemonade HR sees that any issues are dealt with early and without escalation, giving businesses peace of mind concerning their handling of people. The challenges this work brings are welcome in Carol’s eyes, as she is motivated by helping leaders to navigate complex situations by finding a solution that is fair and practical. Carol explained: “I really enjoy working alongside business when the path forwards isn’t immediately clear – bringing structure, perspective, reassurance, and ultimately helping them to feel as though they are back in control of their people-related decisions.” Recently, Carol has had plenty of opportunities to do exactly this with her diverse clientele. Across many of the newest projects Lemonade HR has carried out in the realm of HR for SMEs, the common trend has been helping businesses to get ahead of their people challenges, rather just reacting to them. This has led Carol to take on projects including driving performance and accountability for a client, supporting a business’ people practices as its reach and services grew, and helping an organisation to reduce risk and any future disruptions by putting preventative HR foundations in place at every level of the business. “Lemonade HR played a key role in helping us establish and scale our UK business. Their calm, practical approach gave us the confidence that our people practices were being built properly from day one.” Support of the calibre provided by Lemonade HR is becoming increasingly valuable to employers of all shapes in and sizes across the UK, as it can often feel as though the goalposts are always moving in the HR and employment landscape, with the balance that has to be struck between legal obligation and commercial pressure becoming harder to achieve. Carol and Lemonade HR empower their people to reach this target by helping them to focus on the developments that impact their businesses. Carol commented: “For Lemonade HR, this evolving landscape reinforces the value of senior, practical HR support that helps organisations adapt, stay compliant, and build workplaces that are both resilient and fit for the future.” Accessing this HR support when situations feel sensitive or complex often makes all the difference, and this is something Carol’s clients have experienced first-hand, with their ability to separate emotion from evidence and make balanced, confident decisions forever changing their companies. Simply put, it all boils down to this: HR is not a cure, it is all about prevention. In helping businesses to stay ahead of their issues and avoid unnecessary stress, it instils a much-needed sense of calm in a sea of noise. With Lemonade HR, all of this is just a few clicks away, and the relationship that will nurtured between Carol and a business leads to an experienced and trusted HR partner being on hand whenever this guidance is needed. It is thanks to this that Lemonade HR has been recognised in this feature. Contact: Carol Smith Company: Lemonade HR Web Address: https://lemonadehr.co.uk/
Corporate Vision Purvi Kay brings front-line credibility to debates around cyber resilience, leadership and inclusive innovation. A global cyber security leader with experience across government, defence and national infrastructure, she is known for translating high-pressure security work into clear lessons on leadership, confidence and performance. Her authority is built on both technical depth and strategic reach. A technology expert with a background in aerospace engineering from the University of Bath, Kay has led teams across major government departments including the Home Office and HMRC, and now serves as Head of Cyber Security within a UK Defence Prime, where she champions a secure-by-design approach to air and defence systems. In this exclusive interview with the Motivational Speakers Agency, Purvi Kay reflects on why diversity gives organisations a sharper edge, what still holds women back in tech, and why neurodivergent talent remains one of cyber security’s most overlooked strengths. With keynote appearances at London Tech Week, Infosecurity Europe, International Cyber Expo and the Global Cyber Forum behind her, her perspective is grounded in real leadership at the sharp end of the sector. Q: In cyber security, where threat actors are constantly adapting, why does diversity give organisations a real strategic edge rather than simply meeting a target? Purvi Kay: “If you think about high-stakes environments like security, for example, the threats that we face in security themselves are quite diverse. The threat actors themselves are from all over the world, so they are thinking very diversely as well. “So the people that we need to defend against these threats, they themselves need to be diverse. They need to be able to think differently. They need to be able to think like the threat actors. They need to be able to notice those blind spots. They need to be able to see risks differently. “So, whether it’s gender diversity, ethnicity or neurodiversity, we need these people to be able to think one step ahead of the threat actors. And when that happens, we accelerate innovation and we start making decisions that stand up to the real world, and that is when diversity actually becomes a strategic advantage.” Q: The sector often talks about getting more women into tech, but retention remains a weak point. What still needs to change if organisations want women not just to join, but to stay and progress? Purvi Kay: “So when it comes to gender equality in tech, we’re great at recruiting women in tech, but the main problem lies when it comes to retaining them and helping them progress. “What we’re not good at is understanding that women don’t leave tech because of their ability or inability. They leave because the system itself wasn’t built with them in mind. “And what I mean by that is you have the lack of mid-career support. This is the time when women are in their mid-career positions that they need additional support. For example, if they’re going to become a parent or are a parent, they need additional support, and some businesses, some organisations are not fully equipped to understand that or to give them the support. And what happens is women end up leaving. “So I think with organisations, we need to have bias-aware policies. We need to have really robust mid-career support for them. And more importantly, we need leadership cultures that prioritise equity, that prioritise psychological safety and even fair progression for women. “So whilst we’re great at ticking the boxes to say we recruited this much percentage increase in women in our organisation or in tech, we need to see how many of them are actually staying in the organisation. And I think we’ll get gender equality not when we think about it just in terms of numbers, but when we look at how many are staying and, more importantly, thriving to become the leaders of tomorrow.” Q: You have described neurodiversity and cyber security as a match made in heaven. What is it about the demands of cyber work that makes neurodivergent talent so valuable? Purvi Kay: “So neurodiversity and cyber security is one of my favourite topics because I work in cyber security, and what I understand is the kind of traits and behaviours that neurodivergent people have are so critical to some of the cyber security roles that we’re currently trying to fill. We have such a gap when it comes to skill sets. “The type of neurodivergent traits I’m talking about are things like hyper-focus, attention to detail or pattern recognition. These are some of the behaviours that we need in some of our cyber analysts who are looking at patterns for abnormalities within our networks, and some of the neurodivergent analysts we have are able to notice that better than even any of the AI tools we have because of that strength in them, and I see those behaviours as strength personally. “And this is where, with neurodivergence in cyber security, we’re bringing creativity, we’re bringing precision, and we’re building resilience within our teams. So I feel that cyber security thrives on thinking differently, and this is why the neurodivergent professionals that we have, for me, are the greatest untapped talent pool that we really need to get into.” Q: When you speak publicly about inclusion, leadership and cyber security, what do you most want audiences to leave the room thinking or doing differently? Purvi Kay: “So normally, when I’m speaking in my public engagements, I want the audiences to feel empowered, and I always go with that intention for audiences to feel empowered. I want the audiences to feel that they can challenge the norms and they can embrace inclusivity, whether it’s about inclusive security, inclusive leadership, bringing in diversity in their organisations. “I want them to think about how very small changes in behaviours can shape the culture in their organisations. But one point I’d Why Cyber Security Needs Diverse Thinking to Stay Ahead This exclusive interview with Purvi Kay was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Champions Speakers Agency.
May 2026 | 13 make is when I speak, I don’t want the audience to listen. I want to inspire them to take away some action points that they will go and implement and create positive impact in the world. “If after I’ve spoken the audience leave feeling that they can personally drive some change, then I feel like my job is done and transformation in the world has already begun at that point.”
Corporate Vision Why Every Marketing Agency Needs an AI Wingman By Peter Juhasz, Founder and CEO of Syrvi Marketing agencies have always thrived on creativity, instinct, and the ability to read people. At their best, they blend strategic thinking with an intuitive understanding of what audiences care about, but the pace of change in modern marketing is forcing agencies to rethink how they operate. The volume of channels, data, and audience touchpoints has exploded. Prospects interact with brands across email, social platforms, search engines, messaging apps, and communities, often all within the same day. Expectations for personalisation have risen just as quickly and what once required a large team can now be attempted by a single marketer armed with the right tools. This is where artificial intelligence is quietly reshaping the agency model. Not as a replacement for marketers, but as something closer to a wingman: a partner that amplifies human capability, removes friction, and helps agencies move faster without sacrificing quality. The scale problem facing agencies One of the biggest challenges for agencies today is scale. Clients expect campaigns that are more personalised, more responsive, and more measurable than ever before. Yet agency teams are still constrained by time and capacity. Writing tailored outreach messages, researching prospects, analysing engagement patterns, and adjusting campaigns manually can consume enormous amounts of effort. The reality is that much of modern marketing work is repetitive. Prospect research, lead qualification, performance monitoring, and message optimisation often follow predictable patterns. These are precisely the types of tasks where AI can make a meaningful difference. Instead of replacing marketers, AI can take over the heavy lifting that slows them down. It can analyse data faster, identify patterns earlier, and automate processes that previously required hours of manual work. When that happens, the human team is free to focus on what truly differentiates great agencies: creative thinking, relationship building, and strategic insight. The shift from tools to teammates For years, marketing technology has promised efficiency, but many tools have added complexity rather than removing it. Agencies now juggle a patchwork of platforms for analytics, outreach, social media, CRM systems, and automation workflows. AI is beginning to change this dynamic. Rather than acting as another tool in the stack, modern AI systems are evolving into collaborative assistants. They can observe patterns across campaigns, suggest improvements, draft variations of messaging, and flag opportunities that marketers may otherwise miss. Think of AI less as software and more as a colleague that never gets tired of analysing data. For example, AI can help agencies identify which prospects are most likely to respond, adjust messaging based on engagement signals, or recommend the optimal time and channel for outreach. These insights can dramatically improve campaign performance while reducing the trial-and-error approach that often dominates marketing experimentation. Human creativity still leads the way There is a persistent misconception that AI will make marketing more generic, but from my experience, in reality, the opposite is true. When used effectively, AI frees marketers from mechanical tasks so they can invest more time in creative strategy. Instead of spending hours gathering data or testing endless variations of copy manually, teams can concentrate on the bigger picture: brand storytelling, campaign ideas, and customer experience. Creativity remains the driving force behind memorable marketing and AI simply provides the analytical support that helps those ideas land more effectively. In many ways, the best marketing teams of the future will look similar to the best teams today. They will still be imaginative, curious, and collaborative, but the difference is that they will have an intelligent system working alongside them, helping translate creative ideas into scalable campaigns. A new operating model for agencies Interestingly, the rise of AI is also pushing agencies to rethink how they structure their teams. Traditionally, agencies have scaled by adding more people, however as client demand grows, so do the number of account managers, campaign specialists, and analysts. This model becomes increasingly difficult to sustain as expectations for speed and personalisation increase. AI offers a different path. Agencies that integrate AI into their workflows can operate with far greater agility with smaller teams managing more campaigns, experimenting more frequently, and responding to performance data in real time. Essentially, AI allows agencies to punch above their weight; a team of five can deliver the output that once required fifteen That shift is not just about efficiency. It also allows agencies to stay competitive in an environment where clients expect measurable impact rather than simply activity. The future: marketers and machines working together The agencies that thrive over the next decade will not be those that simply adopt AI tools, it’ll be the ones that learn how to collaborate with AI effectively. This means rethinking workflows, training teams to work alongside intelligent systems, and recognising that technology should enhance human expertise rather than overshadow it. The role of the marketer is not disappearing. If anything, it’s being reinvented and as a result becoming more important. Strategy, empathy, and storytelling cannot be automated. What can be automated is the repetitive work that once stood in the way of those strengths. In that sense, AI is not replacing marketing talent. It is amplifying it. For agencies willing to embrace that partnership, the opportunity is significant. With the right AI wingman, marketing teams can move faster, think bigger, and deliver results that were previously out of reach. And in a world where attention is scarce and competition is relentless, that advantage can make all the difference.
May 2026 | 15 The research also highlighted the fact that 18% of employers believe that the changes to SSP will present a significant challenge to their business in the next 12 months – rising to nearly a quarter (24%) of large employers with over 250 staff. Of those employers who feel the changes will be a challenge to their business, 47% said they will respond by reducing the generosity of other employee benefits, 42% will increase the prices of their products or services, 36% will look to reduce employment costs (such as reducing headcount), and 31% may look to reduce the generosity of employer pensions contributions. Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, said: “The new statutory sick pay changes, part of the Employment Rights Act 2025, are well-intended and rightly seek to strengthen support for employees during periods of illness or injury. The Act, which received Royal Assent in December 2025, left employers with only around four months to overhaul payroll systems and update policies ahead of the April 2026 deadline. These are not insignificant operational challenges for businesses to absorb at a time when they are already contending with rising costs and sustained economic pressures. Indeed, the research has found that some businesses are not prepared to simply absorb the cost and will be looking to make cuts in other areas.” GRiD cautions that although the changes are likely to be welcomed by employees, SSP alone is unlikely to provide sufficient financial security for those who need time away from work due to illness or injury, even when it is paid from day one. The most effective way employers can support their workforce, is to take a proactive view of support, ensuring employees have access to a coordinated and comprehensive package that goes well beyond statutory payments and has the shared goal of enabling a sustainable return to work. This should include meaningful income replacement, vocational rehabilitation services, timely access to GPs and treatment, employee assistance programmes, and mental health support, all working together to expedite a return to the workplace. Some employee benefits, such as group risk benefits (employersponsored life assurance, income protection and critical illness benefits), include these and other proactive services designed to reduce sickness absence before it happens, which could help an employer reduce their higher statutory sick pay costs expected from April. Katharine Moxham continued: “Even when statutory sick pay is paid from day one it is unlikely to make a significant difference for most employees. What actually Over two-thirds (67%) of employers would have preferred more notice to deal with the forthcoming (April 2026) changes to statutory sick pay (SSP), according to GRiD research. The industry body for the group risk sector found that, despite this, 60% of employees support the changes that will introduce SSP from the first day of illness, rather than the fourth, remove the lower earnings limit, and require a new earnings-related method of calculation. 67% of Employers Say They Needed More Notice Before the Changes to Statutory Sick Pay makes an impact is well-designed, proactive support, support that helps prevent illness by encouraging healthier lifestyles, provides timely and effective help when people are off work, and is firmly focused on enabling a safe and swift return to work.” “While many employers are underprepared for the pace of change and concerned about the practical and financial impact of the statutory sick pay reforms, it is vital they remain focused on what truly matters, ensuring their people are fully supported, both financially and otherwise, when they are off sick. This can only be achieved through well-designed and thoughtfully implemented employee benefits.”
www.corporatevision-news.comRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUyMDQwMA==