Latest news with #Barter
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Insurtech Blink Parametric appoints Brian Barter as CEO
Irish Insurtech Blink Parametric has anounced the appointment of Brian Barter as Chief Executive Officer. Blink Parametric is a B2B SaaS company and part of CPPGroup Plc, it was founded in 2016 and has offices in Cork and Dublin. Cork native Brian Barter will lead the Blink team to drive the company's growth, as it has ambitions to be the parametric platform of choice for insurers and financial services partners worldwide. Mr Barter's exposure to business through his family's travel agency business (Cork based, Barter's Travelnet) gave Brian an early grounding in one of Blink's core sectors – travel. Before joining Blink Parametric, Barter held senior positions at Accenture, Bank of Ireland and more recently as Managing Director at BoatyardX (initially developed as part of Shipyard Technology Ventures), a global software business that builds and runs software for fintech, payments, e-commerce and IoT companies in Europe, North America, South America, Africa and South East Asia. Here, he led the company from inception to acquisition by Ergo in 2022 and steered the successful integration of BoatyardX into the wider Ergo Group. Brian Barter will succeed Sid Mouncey, who will remain with Blink Parametric as Chief Commercial Officer, continuing to progress the execution of Blink's growth and distribution strategy through an even greater focus on delivering value and innovation for partners worldwide. David Morrison, CPPGroup Plc Chairman, said: "This appointment comes at a pivotal time as we build on Blink's strengths to capture the compelling opportunities ahead. "Brian's extensive strategic and operational experience in the financial services, IT and InsurTech sectors make him the ideal leader to guide Blink through its next chapter." Mr Barter described the appointment as "a real privilege to join the Blink team and lead the company through the next phase of its evolution." "These foundations were built under Sid Mouncey's leadership, and in his new role as Chief Commercial Officer, he will continue to play a key role in the team, staying close to partners to shape the growth of the business."
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gold ulu heads to Hockey Hall of Fame to mark Nunavut's historic Arctic Winter Games win
It was an offer so special, David Clark thought at first it must be fake. But the offer was real, and now Clark's gold ulu from the 2023 Arctic Winter Games (AWG) is going to be displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Clark was the coach of Nunavut's U18 male hockey team when the team defeated Alaska at the 2023 games in Alberta to bring home the gold. It was the territory's first gold in hockey at the AWGs. "I couldn't be more proud," Clark said about his gold ulu going on display. "You know, like, I'm just a kid from Nunavut and I never thought I would go to the Hockey Hall of Fame for anything. "Getting my gold medal at the Hockey Hall of Fame and having those boys be part of it just means the world to me. I'm getting emotional just talking about it." The hall of fame's interest began with a recent visit from a group of young hockey players. Lee Barter is a youth hockey coach in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). He's helped to facilitate a youth hockey exchange where teams from southern Ontario visited Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, and Rankin players visited the GTA. While the Nunavut players were in Ontario, they visited the Hockey Hall of Fame archives. Barter said the museum had set aside special Nunavut items like Jordin Tootoo's jersey. Tootoo is a Rankin-born former NHLer and was the first Inuk to make the major league. Barter said his team told archives staff that several of the players on prior exchanges had been part of the gold-winning AWG team, and the hall of fame was interested in acquiring a jersey or gold ulu to pay tribute to the win. "When they realized that there was a historic moment that had happened that they could commemorate, they were happy to reach out and we were excited to help make the connection," Barter said. Having had many of the players on that winning team participate in the exchange, Barter said it's been special to follow those players' progress as young athletes and see the AWG win. "We were very proud of them from here in Toronto, so we're obviously excited to see that they'll be celebrated at the hall of fame," he said. For Clark, the recognition shows the value of working hard and dreaming big. "I knew when we were going there, I said, 'we have the team.' We got the team and I believed when we left that, hey, we're going to win." A ceremony to induct Clark's gold ulu into the hall of fame will take place this summer in Toronto.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liverpool Linked with ‘Press-Resistant' 19-year-old Midfielder
Amadou Kone to Liverpool: A Project Midfielder with Power and Potential In the latest Transfer Market Metrics episode from Anfield Index, Dave Davis and Dr Phil Barter shifted focus to emerging talents, including Amadou Kone of Stade de Reims—a name reportedly drawing interest from Liverpool. Kone, a powerful midfield presence, was profiled through the lens of data and tactical suitability. Advertisement Dr Barter was candid from the outset: 'He is the most raw of the three,' referring to Kone in comparison to other prospects. Yet, he highlighted something that immediately caught the eye: 'He's a physical beast. Like, when you see him, it's literally straight off the bat you go, 'Wow, this lad's massive.'' It's clear that Kone's size and athletic profile are not in question. Barter pointed to the appeal: 'That profile we know works, it's just how quickly can you get him to the Premier League intensity?' Tactical Fit and Development Curve A central theme in the discussion was Kone's development stage and whether Liverpool under Arne Slot—fresh off a title-winning debut season—could afford to carry a player who would require adaptation time. 'He's played in a midfield two,' explained Barter, 'so he's not the most structured in terms of positional discipline.' Advertisement This immediately raised questions about fit. 'That's where the red flag goes up slightly for me,' Barter admitted, 'because you are going to need to teach him.' Still, he was clear not to write Kone off: 'I don't think it's a 'no', I just think it's a 'development needed'.' Davis added that it would be about where Kone is deployed. 'If you see him as a rotational six that builds… maybe,' he speculated. But both agreed the player isn't a plug-and-play solution. Strengths in Ball-Carrying and Recovery Despite concerns, Kone brings standout traits that suit Liverpool's high-octane style. 'He's got strong recovery pace,' said Barter, and when discussing his ball progression, he added: 'He carries the ball confidently and draws fouls… it's very press-resistant.' Advertisement In a team that values transitional strength and breaking lines through direct midfield movement, these are positive signs. 'You can tell he's got that raw power and a bit of chaos to his game,' said Davis, noting it might be something the team lacks. Barter summarised it well: 'He's the type of player who'll either get booked or start a counter… and sometimes both.' Photo: IMAGO A Long-Term Prospect, Not a Quick Fix While Liverpool's need for midfield depth remains real, the verdict on Kone was measured. 'I think if you're buying him, you need a clear plan,' said Barter. 'You're not putting him in as your second-choice six immediately.' Davis noted that Kone's signing would be more in the mould of a future bet, echoing Liverpool's history of developing players over time rather than demanding instant impact. 'He's the type where a year on loan might even do him good,' he suggested, hinting that Kone's potential may be best nurtured slowly.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'There's Things to Like About Him' – Liverpool Could Sign 19-year-old Defender as Trent Alexander-Arnold Replacement
Givairo Read and Martím Fernandes: Can Either Challenge Conor Bradley at Liverpool? As Liverpool prepare for life after Trent Alexander-Arnold, the spotlight has naturally fallen on Conor Bradley. But should the young Northern Irishman be handed the right-back role without competition? On the Stat Me Up podcast from Anfield Index, Dave Davis and Dr Phil Barter dissected two potential signings—Givairo Read of Feyenoord and Martím Fernandes of Porto—both of whom have been linked with moves to Anfield this summer. Givairo Read: Too Raw for the Step Up? At just 19 years old, Feyenoord's Givairo Read is admired for his athleticism and youth. But when it comes to hard data, concerns quickly surface. 'There is not a lot of data on Givairo Read,' Dr Barter noted. 'He plays in the Eredivisie, so they don't do a lot of stats there… they do stats but they're not public.' Advertisement Even in the limited metrics available, Barter was sceptical: 'Pass completion 83rd but it's still in the 50th. Aerials, 4th percentile. That's not great.' When it comes to attacking contribution, Read's profile falls flat. 'He's red on going forward,' Barter explained bluntly, pointing out that aside from tackling, there are few standout areas. Davis questioned whether even his limited attacking impact could be translated to Liverpool: 'Six assists in those minutes seems decent, or is it just because it's the division?' Barter's reply was cautious: 'Pro-rata, that is pretty low. Expected assist is 0.1… that's pretty low.' Photo: IMAGO In summary, Read may be full of potential, but for a team needing immediate quality behind or alongside Bradley, he remains a risky choice. 'There's not enough to draw a reasonable conclusion… I'd be a fool if I was sat here now telling you to go and sign him,' said Barter. Martím Fernandes: Better Stats, But Still Incomplete Picture Porto's Martím Fernandes offers a slightly more promising profile, albeit still with a small sample size. 'Expected assists, yeah okay, 87th percentile. Passes into the penalty area, 94th. Through balls, 99th percentile,' Barter highlighted. There are clear green flags when it comes to passing and creative contribution. Advertisement 'Portugal translates to the Premier League at a better rate than Eredivisie,' Barter added, noting a '10%' better conversion rate. Fernandes is also just 19 but already has five assists in limited minutes. 'There are things to like about him,' Barter admitted. 'He outperforms Read.' Photo: IMAGO But he was quick to balance the optimism: 'We're talking about 312 minutes. This is not something to be making huge assumptions on.' While Fernandes shows technical promise—particularly in long and progressive passing—he still lags behind when it comes to consistency and defensive output. 'Against dribblers he's okay… not really a high presser,' said Barter. 'Takes players on but not successful—22nd percentile.' What This Means for Liverpool's Summer Plans The underlying theme throughout the podcast was caution. Liverpool are clearly exploring young, developmental options for right-back depth, but neither Read nor Fernandes looks ready to push Bradley immediately. 'It does feel like it's one of these two,' Davis said, adding that the data suggests they're 'coming in to be number two… maybe see if they can challenge long-term.' Advertisement Barter concluded: 'Maybe the data they have is good enough they're prepared to make a gamble on him at 19. If it's low value, maybe it's worth it.' But in terms of current readiness, both players fall short of what's needed to match the output of Bradley—let alone replace the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold. For Arne Slot, the choice may not be whether to sign either Read or Fernandes, but whether he can mould Bradley fast enough—or needs a more experienced alternative in the short term.
CBC
16-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
MUN student protester wins against university in Supreme Court decision
Years after being sanctioned, a student who was punished over protesting at Memorial University has won his say in the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador. Matt Barter, who was accused by the university of bullying and intimidation after silently protesting the university's tuition hikes in late 2021, says he is relieved. "For the Supreme Court to intervene, the decision has to be really, really bad," Barter told CBC Radio's On The Go. His protest involved holding a sign that read "Stop Vianne" while silently standing next to now-former university president Vianne Timmons at a media briefing on Dec. 2, 2021. The university later claimed Barter violated the student's code of conduct, and its lawyer said his protest was a form of bullying. As a result, Barter was banned from campus, except to attend classes, for three months while an investigation was launched into his actions. The following investigation imposed sanctions on Barter for two offences: bullying and causing a disturbance. He was given a letter of reprimand, ordered to attend a bullying seminar and was placed on non-academic probation for one year. Barter appealed the investigation's findings, but lost. He then decided to take legal action against the university to review the administration's decision. His case was heard in court in March 2023 and the decision was released on Sunday. Justice Rosalie McGrath found that the university's sanctions against Barter were unreasonable, and sent it back to the university for reconsideration. She also awarded legal costs to Barter. In a statement, MUN spokesperson Chad Pelley says the university will reconsider its decision to punish Barter. Pelley says McGrath found that MUN followed due process, adding she also agreed with MUN's claim that Barter conducted bullying and harassment. "While I may not have necessarily have come to the same finding based on the evidence I have referred to above, I cannot say that the conclusion reached was not within a range of reasonable outcomes," wrote McGarth in her decision. "It's not my role on judicial review to interfere with factual findings or re-evaluate the evidence." Barter's lawyer, Kyle Rees, says he's happy with the outcome. It's not typical for the court to make a judicial review of an administrative decision, says Rees, as the process to apply for one is not easy. Rees says the university's decision to punish Barter didn't consider provisions that address the right to peaceful protest. "Something needs to be truly disruptive to create a disturbance beyond what should be expected of sort of free speech and free protest at the university in order for it to be sanctionable under the code," said Rees. As a result, he says the judge sent the decision back to the university with instructions of what to consider next. Barter says he has been involved in protest against the university's tuition increase and spending decisions since he began as a student in 2015. Barter has continued protesting and looking into information about the university. He has issued more than 400 access-to-information requests from the university, and publishes them on his personal blog. He says MUN is trying to stop him from doing his investigative work. "They've pretty much conducted a targeted campaign against me," said Barter. As for what happens next, Pelley said that will be communicated with Barter's lawyer.
