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The former chair of London’s biggest independent charity funder is one of two elected members of the City of London Corporation recognised in the King’s New Year Honours.

Giles Shilson, who chaired City Bridge Foundation for three and a half years from 2021 to 2024, has been awarded an OBE for services to outreach and inclusion and to charity.

He led the 900-year-old charity, of which the City Corporation is sole trustee, through the aftermath of the pandemic and oversaw major changes to its governance which brought together its duties as a bridge owner and charity funder.

Dr Shilson also served for three years as chair of the Barbican Centre Board and as chair of governors of the City of London School. In all those roles, he championed a more inclusive approach, particularly with regard to neurodivergent people.

Giles Shilson said:

“I am delighted to receive this honour, and grateful to have had the opportunity to carry out public service in the City of London over the past two decades. This award reflects the tremendous impact of the City Bridge Foundation’s work, both as trusted owner of the City’s five bridges and as London’s largest independent funder.

“We now have a new governance model, a new brand and a renewed sense of purpose; and it has been a great privilege to work alongside so many talented colleagues leading an institution that has a huge impact on so many thousands of lives.”

Meanwhile, Peter Dunphy, currently chair of the City Corporation’s Port Health and Environmental Services Committee, has been awarded an MBE for services to amenity conservation and to volunteering.

Mr Dunphy contributed towards securing asset of community value status for City venues including The Tipperary, reputedly London’s oldest Irish pub, safeguarding its future as a Fleet Street hostelry.

He previously chaired the City Corporation’s licensing committee, where he oversaw the growth of the night time economy to a record size without a single licensing appeal. He also oversaw new safety policies and the development of the night time levy to pay for additional policing and cleaning.

More recently Mr Dunphy served as Chief Commoner – one of the City Corporation’s most historic roles dating back to 1444 – initiating a groundbreaking new member code of conduct.

He also spent over a decade as trustee and two years as deputy governor of The Honourable The Irish Society, a grant-giving charity connected to the City Corporation which supports cross-community initiatives in and around County Londonderry.

Peter Dunphy said:

“I was very pleased when I opened the envelope and I know my entire family will also be delighted I’ve been acknowledged in this way. I’m really thankful for all the support I’ve received over many years from colleagues at the City Corporation, as well as friends and family.

“I’m particularly proud that as chair of the licensing committee and deputy governor of The Honourable The Irish Society, I was able to support numerous businesses through Covid which, without that support, probably wouldn’t be here today.”

The UAE’s leadership in digital innovation is entering a new phase. As artificial intelligence accelerates adoption across HR, healthcare and insurance, organisations now have a real opportunity to rethink employee experience, simplify benefits and deliver wellbeing solutions that create measurable value.

AI-enabled tools are reshaping how HR, healthcare and insurance systems connect. One example is the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, which deployed an AI-powered HR assistant to support more than 50,000 federal employees by automating large volumes of routine HR queries and improving access to services in both English and Arabic.¹

Beyond this, digital identity, automated claims and integrated pharmacy systems are reducing friction across healthcare and insurance processes. These developments are creating smoother, faster interactions across the ecosystem, improving experiences while reducing administrative overhead.

Looking ahead, AI will play a growing role in helping organisations make smarter decisions. Predictive analytics, real-time alerts and intuitive reporting tools are already enabling HR teams to reduce manual effort and focus more on insight-driven action.

Impact on HR and Employee Experience

For employees and employers alike, the benefits from this transformation are becoming increasingly visible in day-to-day interactions.

Employees gain a faster, more transparent, more connected experience of their wellbeing resources. They can monitor the status of approvals or healthcare requests directly via mobile app. They have clear visibility into coverage details, claims status and approval requirements.

For employers, digital-first systems remove many of the administrative burdens that have traditionally created service bottlenecks. Routine insurance and benefits queries no longer require extensive manual handling by HR teams, freeing them to focus on long-term strategy, engagement and organisational culture.

The result is a more empowered, informed and self-sufficient employee base, supported by HR functions that are better positioned to deliver strategic value.

Wellbeing and Insurance in the Digital Age

Digital transformation in HR isn’t only about faster claims or simpler insurance, it’s about expanding the scope of employee benefits to a more holistic view of wellbeing.

Employers can now offer employees genuinely personalised and continuous wellbeing support. Through wearable technology, health apps and digital platforms, employees can track their physical activity, sleep, stress and general health in real time.

Thanks to integrated platforms and data analytics, wellbeing programmes can be tailored to individual needs – offering targeted support rather than generic, one-size-fits-all initiatives. Benefits become more relevant, useful and integrated with daily life.

For employers, this deeper engagement creates better outcomes. Data-driven insight allows organisations to anticipate needs, spot trends and intervene earlier, helping to reduce costs while improving continuity of care and oversight across providers, insurers and regulators.

AI and Future Readiness

If the last few years have been about digitising organisations, the next phase is likely to be about magnifying their intelligence.

AI is no longer a nice-to-have option, it’s a strategic enabler of employer and employee experience. The benefits are real and tangible: automatic, intuitive reports with minimal human input; predictive analytics that forecast claims and wellbeing trends; real-time alerts; strategic personalisation of employee support; and analytics-driven insights into workforce needs.

AI-enabled tools are helping HR teams reduce administrative workload, generate clearer insights and embed smarter decision-making into workforce strategies. Used thoughtfully, technology becomes less about efficiency alone and more about creating meaningful connections between people and the benefits that matter most to them.

Why the UAE Stands Out

Organisations in the UAE are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation. Early government-backed initiatives, such as the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, have helped create a strong foundation for widespread adoption across both public and private sectors.²

With established digital infrastructure, AI-friendly policies and integrated platforms, organisations in the UAE can move beyond fragmented solutions toward holistic, data-driven employee experience strategies that deliver real value.

For HR leaders, the message is clear: the time to act is now. By embracing technology and AI with purpose, organisations can build more transparent, resilient and human-centered employee experiences.

Tomorrow starts today. Let’s build a stronger, more resilient workforce together.

¹UAE Government Launches HR AI Agent (opens a new window)

²Dubai’s State of AI Report: The Public Sector Version 2025 (opens a new window)

In the rapid age of artificial intelligence, China has come forward with new rules for AI firms, aiming to protect young minds from online abuse and chatbots that promote self-harm and violence.

Rapid proliferation of chatbots and AI models has been the main driving force behind the planned regulations. Recently, China’s DeepSeek made headlines worldwide as it topped download charts.

Online safety net for children

The draft rules published by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) will focus on measures, aiming to ensure child online safety. The rules will oblige AI companies to offer personalized settings.

The firms would not only impose time limits on usage but also get parental consent before providing emotional companionship services.

Compulsory human-based intervention

The operators will be required to have mandatory human intervention in any chat related to self-harm and suicide. They must notify the user’s guardians in the case of such conversation.

Content moderation

Under the planned proposal, the developers will be responsible for moderate content generation. They must ensure that their model won’t generate any content that promotes gambling and violence .

Responsible use of AI

The regulations would also promote the responsible and ethical use of AI, preventing the sharing of “content that endangers national security, damages national honour and interests [or] undermines national unity.”

Once the regulatory draft is finalized, these rules will be applied to all AI services and products, marking a paradigm shift in efforts to regulate AI bots, which are under fire over safety concerns.

Earlier this week, China also issued new draft rules, aiming to regulate AI with human-like interaction.

The recent move also highlights Beijing’s effort to govern AI and strengthen consumer-oriented safety and ethical requirements.