Reconeyez has appointed Mark Williams as Vice President of Sales, EMEA, as it expands following its integration into the VOSKER group.

Williams will lead sales across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where the company is looking to broaden its presence and strengthen support for installers, integrators and other partners. His arrival adds another senior executive to the leadership team as the security technology business enters a broader international growth phase.

He brings security industry experience from senior roles at AMAG and Remsdaq, as well as work with a major integrator. That background spans both the manufacturing and integration sides of the market, which Reconeyez views as central to its regional channel strategy.

Reconeyez specialises in remote surveillance and perimeter protection, with products designed for sites where conventional security systems can be difficult to deploy. Its systems combine wireless, battery-powered devices with cloud-based artificial intelligence to provide visual verification and reduce false alarms in remote and high-risk environments.

The company recently became part of the VOSKER group, a move that sets the context for the latest management change. Reconeyez expects the expanded organisation to support further development of its technology platform and extend its reach in international markets.

Chief Executive Officer Peter Young linked the appointment to that broader expansion.

“Mark joins Reconeyez at an incredibly exciting time for the business. Having joined the VOSKER group, we are bringing together two industry-leading technologies, VOSKER and Reconeyez, to deliver the best in remote surveillance and perimeter protection for remote and hard-to-reach sites.”

With the launch of VOSKER PRO and the expansion of our combined technology platform, we are entering a new phase that will see developments in our AI capabilities, cloud platform, and security technology.

Mark’s deep experience across the security industry, particularly in leading global teams, developing partner-led growth strategies and driving organic growth across international markets, will be invaluable as we continue to scale across EMEA and support our installer and integrator network.”

Regional push

Williams’ experience leading international teams and working with partner networks was a key factor in the appointment. EMEA remains an important region for security suppliers serving sectors such as critical infrastructure, energy and border security, where sites are often remote and operators need systems that can be installed with limited supporting infrastructure.

That backdrop has increased competition around reliability, remote monitoring and alarm handling. Reconeyez argues that autonomous systems appeal to customers seeking to avoid the complexity of traditional fixed installations, particularly in locations that are hard to reach or costly to maintain.

Williams outlined his view of the market in comments released alongside the announcement.

“What drew me to Reconeyez was the technology. The ability to deliver reliable, autonomous security, combining durable hardware with AI-powered detection, in locations where traditional systems simply do not work, is a powerful proposition, particularly as demand grows across critical infrastructure, energy, border security, and other remote environments.”

With the backing of VOSKER and the introduction of new technologies such as VOSKER PRO and video streaming, Reconeyez is expanding what is possible in remote surveillance.

“I’m excited to work closely with our team and partners across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, building on Reconeyez’s reputation for excellence and delivering practical, scalable security solutions, with AI that reduces false alarms, lowers operational burden, and solves real-world challenges for installers, integrators and end users.”

Reconeyez said its combination with VOSKER brings it into a broader global organisation with more than 3 million cameras deployed worldwide and operations in more than 120 countries. That scale could help support product development and channel expansion as it seeks a larger share of the EMEA market.

Williams joins at a time when remote security suppliers are trying to widen their distribution networks while responding to demand for systems that can be monitored and managed across dispersed sites. His appointment underlines the importance Reconeyez places on partner sales as it builds out its regional strategy.

Tes has launched Tes360, a platform designed to connect school and trust data in one system, marking a strategic shift for the education technology group.

The platform is intended to bring together information often spread across separate teams and software tools in schools and academy trusts. Tes360 is set to cover safeguarding, special educational needs and disabilities, recruitment, timetabling, staff retention, classroom management and human resources.

It combines Tes’s existing products while working alongside school or trust management information systems already in use. The aim is to give leaders and staff a clearer view of operations and pupil-related issues without requiring schools to replace their core systems.

Data fragmentation

The launch comes as schools and trusts face pressure on staffing, administration and oversight. In many organisations, data exists but sits in separate systems, slowing decisions by senior leaders, teachers and operational teams.

According to Tes, the issue is not a lack of software or information but a lack of connection between sources. That gap can delay action on issues ranging from pupil welfare to staffing and school improvement.

Tes has positioned Tes360 as a way to reduce manual work and improve visibility across an organisation. The system is designed to support earlier identification of risks, faster decision-making and greater consistency across schools and trusts.

Tes has long operated across several parts of the education market, providing software and services for timetabling, SEND provision, behaviour management, staff wellbeing, parents’ evenings, recruitment and professional development. It also publishes Tes Magazine, giving it a role in both school operations and education media.

Strategic shift

Tes described the launch as the result of years of development and investment. By centring its offering on a connected platform, it is linking products that schools may already use separately rather than selling them only as standalone tools.

The approach reflects a broader trend in education technology, where software suppliers are trying to address fragmentation created by multiple specialist systems. Schools often rely on a patchwork of products for attendance, safeguarding, HR, timetabling, parental communication and recruitment, with data shared manually or not at all.

For academy trusts operating across several schools, that fragmentation can make it harder to compare performance, identify emerging problems and spread working practices between sites. A single view across different functions has become more attractive as leaders are asked to do more with constrained budgets and limited staff time.

Tes360 is now available in all markets where Tes operates. The company serves schools internationally, though it has deep roots in the UK education sector and says its offering draws on more than a century of experience.

Rod Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Tes, said: “Disconnected technology in education slows down decision-making for both school leaders and teachers. By connecting technology, opportunities for improvements and action are enabled, saving staff time and improving pupil outcomes. This launch represents years of development and investment so that schools and trusts can act earlier and reduce complexity. It’s not about adding more technology, but making what they already have work better together.”

The platform is intended to help schools act earlier, reduce administrative workload and improve oversight across teams by bringing together information from school operations and staff management in one connected view.

Heron Foods has rolled out an in-store communications platform from x-hoppers across its UK estate, covering more than 340 stores.

The system combines wireless headsets with a mobile app to link shop-floor staff, back-office teams, regional field representatives and head office. The retailer says the move has improved communication between stores and managers, while supporting operations and staff safety.

Established in Hull and employing about 6,000 people, Heron Foods has also integrated the platform with its existing StaffSafe security system. That allows staff to access a helpline through the headsets during in-store incidents.

The deployment comes as retailers face rising levels of crime and abuse in stores. Figures cited by the companies show shoplifting incidents have risen by 133% over the past five years, while abuse against retail workers remains four times higher than before the pandemic.

The platform also gives area and regional managers a direct communication line to store teams through the mobile app. Smart notifications have helped create more consistency in store processes and compliance, according to Heron Foods.

Store safety

The StaffSafe integration is designed to give workers real-time verbal and visual contact during incidents. Heron Foods says this has helped colleagues feel more connected and safer on the shop floor.

Retailers are investing more heavily in tools aimed at reducing risk for frontline workers as concerns over theft, violence and verbal abuse continue to grow. Communications systems that can quickly connect employees with managers and security teams are increasingly part of that response.

At Heron Foods, the headset rollout replaced an earlier communication setup. The newer system offers broader links with internal systems and field-based teams than the previous arrangement, the retailer said.

“The headsets extend functionality beyond our previous solution, improving team collaboration, enhancing CX with prompt service and increasing colleagues’ sense of safety,” said Jon Newson, Head of Information Technology at Heron Foods.

Newson said the retailer also values the way the platform connects with other parts of the business.

“The real value we see from x-hoppers extends beyond just colleagues talking. It’s the deep integration with [our] systems, the field-based communication and collaboration it enables, and how it aligns with our future roadmap, [which] makes it incredibly powerful,” he said.

Operational link

The platform is designed to route messages to specific teams at specific times, according to information provided by the companies. That structure has helped improve the speed and consistency of communication across Heron Foods’ store network.

The retailer is also examining whether to add more artificial intelligence functions to the headsets. These features would allow staff to check live inventory, access procedural guidance, and handle customer questions and technical issues through voice prompts.

That reflects a wider push among retailers to put more digital tools directly in the hands of frontline staff rather than relying only on fixed terminals or back-office support. The aim is to reduce delays on the shop floor and help workers respond faster to customer requests.

x-hoppers, part of Wildix, sells communications tools for retail stores. The company said Heron Foods has used the system to create more consistent communication across different layers of the business, from frontline staff to managers.

“Bricks-and-mortar success depends on seamless service, underpinned by intelligent, real-time information and clear cross-team communication,” said Graham Dixon, CTO at x-hoppers. “With unified store connectivity, Heron Foods has unlocked the personalised and consistent communications that deliver across every layer of the business, supporting CX, team cohesion and colleague safety.”