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Even with the COVID pandemic going on Canadian real estate market continues to develop and grow. Particularly the retail CRE (commercial real estate) sector has experienced significant growth during this year, many investors see a large potential for profit within Canada.
It’s no secret the pandemic has impacted the market unexpectedly but this is a chance for room to be made for new trends focusing on resilience and specific strategies. According to the Urban Land Institute research and PwC Canada, these are the upcoming real estate trend for 2021 within Canada that everyone should watch out for.
15-Minute and 18-Hour Cities Being Built
More people are looking at remote work and more companies are opening up to the idea, and with this allows Canadians to live anywhere they like. People are looking at suburban and rural areas to move into affordable housing, now that commute time isn’t a factor, to get away from the densely populated cities.
This is helping to grow a trend of 18-hour cities, which are medium-sized cities that have higher than average population, jobs, wage growth, higher cap rates, along with a lower cost of living and doing business. 15-minute cities are also on the rise, the concept is that everything a person needs for daily life; work, grocery store, school, and more are fully accessible within 15 minutes, either by walking or biking.
These city types both pose excellent real estate opportunities, especially because they have massive growth potential.
Developing Suburban Offices
With the rise in remote work, suburban offices can potentially become the new normal for many in 2021. According to PwC Canada, 34% of employees prefer to be working from home, while 37% of employees prefer being in the office.
Everyone wants to work a bit closer to home, and this might be a wish come true. More Canadian companies that can afford remote working are reassessing their properties and looking more at the development of suburban office spaces.
Increasing Warehouse Space
With the pandemic going on and many stores closed online shopping has had a huge increase and many retailers are looking into investing in more warehouse opportunities.
Some investors and realtors seem to have found a potential solution; taking the excess space in shopping malls and repurposing it for distribution, warehousing, or other purposes. Many are even looking at grocery malls for this especially.
Medical Office Space and Repurposing Shopping Malls
Telehealth in Canada has seen an increase during COVID, particularly within the senior population. But nevertheless, there is still a need for physical space. Plenty of healthcare centres while going digital are looking into repurposing their medical office space.
Countless shopping malls that had high foot traffic are also repurposing space and moving to bring in various healthcare functions, as hospitals struggle with space.
There have been some major shifts from the pandemic affecting how we use commercial real estate. Plenty of mixed-use and retail CRE opportunities will continue to be available in 2021.
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FLORENCE, SC – The Junior League of Florence in partnership with the Florence Downtown Development Group presents the Fourth Annual Lucky Shamrock Festival in Downtown Florence. This year’s festival will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, March 17 at the 100 block of South Dargan Street.
“We started the Festival in 2014 as a unique fundraiser for our signature Habitat for Humanity project. We realized there was a need for something other than our normal fundraisers and the idea for Lucky Shamrock was born.” said committee Chairwoman April Smith. “It was very successful and the JLF Board decided to make it an annual event. This year marks our fourth festival and we really enjoy being able to give back to the Florence community.”
Festival goers will enjoy live entertainment provided by Too Much Sylvia who will be playing beach music, Motown and current hits by Bruno Mars, Pharrell Williams, Florida Georgia Line and more. Children will be able to participate in a kids’ zone, presented by T-MOBILE, that will include an inflatable obstacle course, mini golf, face painting, balloon animals, and see a live reptile exhibit!
Food vendors and beverages will be on site. Smith said there will be several Irish options – Reuben Fritters, Irish Pasties, and Whiskey Cured Salmon to name a few. More kid-friendly food options will be available including chicken tenders, nachos, fries, and cotton candy. For those craving something sweet, we’ll have specialty funnel cakes, deep fried oreos, Italian ice, green kettlecorn, cake jars, cookies and more.
“We also have a unique item this year, limited edition Lucky Shamrock Festival t-shirts. They were highly requested last year and we wanted to meet that request. We have about 40 shirts so they’re going to go quickly! The money raised from the t-shirt sales will enable us to donate school uniforms to children in need.,” said committee member Katherine Barnette. “The t-shirts are $15 and available at the Junior League’s booth.”
Everyone is encouraged to wear green or purchase St. Patrick’s Day merchandise from the Junior League’s booth. Festival-goers will be able to purchase tickets on-site for anything they may want to buy. Each ticket is priced at $1.
Proceeds from the event will benefit several community non-profit organizations that the Junior League has partnered with.

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Black Friday Discounts By Retailers: 2015 Vs. 2016
Following its retail channel checking, Wedbush said Black Friday's importance is paling in significance, as reflected by higher promotions year-over-year and slowing in-store traffic. Analyst Morry Brown presented the promotions offered by companies in 2016 compared to what was offered in 2015.
Chico's FAS, Inc. (NYSE: CHS)
- Chico's: 40 percent off purchase, 45 percent off for members in 2016 vs. 40 percent off entire boutique, 45 percent off for members in 2015.
- White House Black Market: 30 percent off full-price and additional 40 percent off clearance in 2016 vs. 30 percent off entire purchase in 2015.
Coach Inc (NYSE: COH)
- 30 percent off purchase in 2016 vs. 20 percent off up to $250, 25 percent off for $250–$500, 30 percent off for over $500 in 2015.
Express, Inc. (NYSE: EXPR)
- 30 percent off entire purchase until noon and 40 percent off everything in both 2016 and 2015.
Francesca's Holdings Corp (NASDAQ: FRAN)
- 30 percent off everything in both 2016 and 2015.
Gap Inc (NYSE: GPS)
- Banana Republic: 50 percent off five full-priced items in 2016 vs. 40 percent off your purchase, 50 percent off all sweaters, accessories, shoes and long-sleeve tees in 2015.
- Gap: 50 percent off everything in 2016 vs. 60 percent off entire purchase before 10 a.m. and 50 percent off entire purchase in 2015.
- Old Navy: 50 percent off entire purchase, both in 2016 and 2015.
Kate Spade & Co (NYSE: KATE)
- 30 percent off everything, surprise sale of up to 75 percent off between November 22 and 26 in 2016 vs. 25 percent off everything and surprise sales of up to 75 percent off between November 24 and 28.
L Brands Inc (NYSE: LB)
- Victoria's Secret: 50 percent off all sports bras, bralettes and select bras in 2016 vs. BOGO 50 percent off all bras in 2015.
Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN)
- Anthropologie: 30 percent off each and every item in 2016 vs. 25 percent off each and every item in 2015.
- Free People: 50 percent off most loved items and additional 25 percent off clearance in 2016 vs. 60 percent off entire purchase before 10 a.m. and 50 percent off entire purchase in 2015.
- Urban Outfitters: BOGO 50 percent off all apparel and additional BOGO 50 percent off clearance in 2016 vs. additional 30 percent off clearance and additional 40 percent off clearance for members.
Wedbush's Bottom Line
Wedbush noted based on third-party research that the net sales on Black Friday slipped 10.4 percent, with a 5 percent drop in in-store sales and 7.9 percent decline in transactions. The firm attributed the drop in in-store sales to extended promotional environment seen since Tuesday and stronger online sales. While noting that promotions increased, the firm said it expects margins to be fine for the fourth quarter, as cleaner inventories obviates year-end markdowns.
Among softlines, the firm noted that Urban Outfitters ran deeper promotions and L Brands' Victoria's Secret also ran deeper promotions and markdowns. However, the firm believes traffic remained strong for these.
Wedbush termed Kate the "traffic winner" relative to handbag peers over Black Friday weekend, as its storewide promotional percentage was modestly higher than last year and it ran a surprise sale. The firm is of the view that Michael Kors Holdings Ltd (NYSE: KORS) was the laggard among with handbag retailers, with minimal response to tiered promotion.
At last check, the SPDR S&P Retail (ETF) (NYSE: XRT) was down 0.07 percent at $46.04. Over the past five trading days, the ETF is up 1.66 percent, and over the past month, it's up 9.33 percent. Year-to-date, XRT is up 6.52 percent.
Latest Ratings for XRT
© 2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Scrutiny of TurboTax and H&R Block intensified this week as U.S. senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and other lawmakers called for an investigation into whether the tax prep giants intentionally steered low-income customers away from free filing services.
The move follows an investigation by the nonprofit news website ProPublica that found that TurboTax INTU, +0.66% and H&R Block HRB, +0.32% use website coding that drives customers away from the free tax prep services that those companies are supposed to provide as part of an IRS program called Free File. Any taxpayer who makes less than $66,000 in income is eligible for Free File, but not many take advantage of the program.
“These companies’ actions in hiding Free File from search engine results — and therefore from consumers — in order to artificially inflate profits and deprive low-income consumers of a cheaper product merit investigation as unfair and deceptive practices,” the lawmakers wrote in a Friday letter to the FTC.
See also: Senate Democrats push bill that would get the IRS directly into offering free online tax filing
In a separate letter to the IRS, the lawmakers called on the IRS “to take any available actions” to remove TurboTax and H&R Block from the Free File program.
The letters were signed by — among several other lawmakers — three of the now-21 candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination: Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts; Sanders, an independent from Vermont; and Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey.
TurboTax spokesman Rick Heineman did not respond specifically to a question about the lawmakers’ move, but reiterated that TurboTax is “committed to growing Free File, not shrinking it.” He added, “More people have filed their taxes for absolutely free using a TurboTax product than any other company. Any suggestion that Intuit doesn’t support Free File is flat wrong.”
H&R Block did not respond immediately to a request for comment on the lawmakers’ request for an FTC investigation, but the company has previously disputed ProPublica’s findings. A spokeswoman noted earlier this week that H&R Block’s Free File program grew by 8.3% this year, compared to a 6.8% increase among taxpayers overall.
The FTC and IRS did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
When some TurboTax customers who were eligible for Free File but paid for TurboTax called the company to ask for a refund, some customer service reps called the ProPublica stories “fake news.”
Earlier this week, New York governor Andrew Cuomo called on state regulators to probe TurboTax and H&R Block.
ProPublica reported Thursday on internal documents from H&R Block that showed the company instructed its employees to guide customers away from its free products. “Do not send clients to this Web Site unless they are specifically calling about the Free File program,” the document stated, according to ProPublica, referring to the site with the company’s free option. “We want to send users to our paid products before the free product, if at all possible.”
Intuit shares have been up 26% this year and H&R Block shares have been up 5.93%. That compares to a 13.62% increase for the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.75% and a 17.38% increase for the S&P 500 SPX, +0.88%
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Irish consumers struggle to understand PCP car finance
Irish consumers do not understand important aspects of Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) plans, according to new research undertaken by the ESRI’s Behavioural Research Unit. The study, conducted in collaboration with the Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), suggests that while PCP deals have become a popular form of car finance, many consumers’ grasp of these products is poor.
PCP deals usually have lower monthly payments than hire purchase agreements or loans, increasing affordability. But they also have more complex financial arrangements and conditions. The ESRI team undertook an experiment with a representative sample of consumers. The participants were given information about PCPs typically given to car buyers. They were then tested to see if they could judge PCP offers accurately and if they understood the key features. The findings raise concerns about consumer protection.
The participants found it harder to choose consistently between PCP deals than hire purchase deals. When rating adverts, they often rated inferior PCP deals to be better value than superior ones. The tests demonstrated a clear lack of understanding. Almost one quarter of the consumers performed no better than chance on multiple choice questions that tested whether they had absorbed the central facts about how PCPs work. All the participants made some mistakes.
These results imply that many car buyers are unlikely to grasp important aspects of these large financial transactions. Of particular concern is consumers’ understanding of what happens at the end of the deal. Car buyers who take out PCP finance may be surprised to discover that after putting down a deposit, making three years of monthly payments, caring for the vehicle and staying within agreed mileage limits, they end up owning little or no asset in return.
ESRI researcher, Terry McElvaney, who led the study said: “The findings of this experiment suggest that PCP deals should be considered complex financial products. Given that buying a car is the second biggest financial transaction most people undertake, it is vital that consumers entering these deals know what they consist of and what they are getting into.”
More encouragingly, the study found that participants’ comprehension improved significantly following the provision of independent advice and diagrams explaining how PCP deals work. Nevertheless, stronger regulation of these complex products may be required, with a particular focus on the information given to car buyers at the point of sale. The study has already been used to improve the advice about PCPs available to consumers on www.ccpc.ie.


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A new set of concept renders for Apple's "iPhone 8" — sometimes known as the "iPhone X" or "iPhone Edition" — envisions the device making use of augmented reality technology to let Siri and widgets connect with the outside world.
In images by Hungarian designer Gabor Balogh, shared with AppleInsider, the phone would by default display a translucent version of what's behind it whenever it's raised, using the rear camera. Holding down a virtual Home button would make the rear view clear, and let users issue Siri commands based on what they see, akin to a realtime, built-in version of Google Goggles visual search.
In a basic example, Siri could identify landmarks and present details. Contextual widgets would appear next to the Home/Siri button, offering options like the camera or Facebook.
Tapping on a Maps icon, though, might start navigation, whether by foot or public transit. Balogh even suggests being able to point a phone at a family member and see their Health data shared via iCloud, though the security implications of such a feature make it a highly unlikely possibility.
The concept also envisions augmented reality support in third-party apps like Facebook, suggesting it could let people watch the same event from different viewing angles.
Balogh's design is based on some of the most common rumors surrounding the "iPhone 8," which are that it will use an edge-to-edge OLED screen, replacing a physical Home button with a virtual one, or possibly a "function area."
Apple is also known to be investing heavily in technologies like machine learning, facial recognition, and of course augmented reality. In fact CEO Tim Cook has admitted the company's interest in AR on several occasions, for instance calling it "huge" in a recent interview.
At the same time he claimed there were "things to discover before that technology is good enough for the mainstream," which may make an AR-capable iPhone in 2017 far less likely.
Separate rumors have suggested that Apple is working on an AR headset which could ship in 2017 or 2018. That would presumably take a path similar to devices like Google Glass or the Microsoft HoloLens, albeit with an Apple spin.
Apple is expected to unveil the flagship, redesigned "iPhone 8" — Â along with a lower end "iPhone 7s" series — Â this September, its usual iPhone product launch timeframe. It has been suggested that the 10th-anniversary handset could cost more than $1,000 due to the new design and advanced technology.


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The War on Drugs is far from over, and the racist ideologies that inspired it in the first place are alive and well in today's America. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, nearly 600 thousand people were arrested for marijuana possession last year. 46.9% of arrestees for drug violations were black or Latino Americans, a much higher percentage than their representation in the general population. The ACLU cites data that in some states, people of color are up to 8 times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people. Almost half a million Americans remain behind bars for drug-related charges. The racist nature of drug law enforcement has resounding impacts, even in states where cannabis is legal for adult consumption.
In Washington state, a felony conviction, or even two misdemeanors, immediately disqualifies anyone who would otherwise apply for a legal, marijuana retail license. Because people of color are given harsher criminal convictions than white people across the board, a greater percentage of people of color have no chance at all of entering the market. What’s more, people with real cannabis experience and expertise are denied access to the legal industry, because they fell victim to the war on drugs. Despite the fact that cannabis consumption is roughly equal across racial lines, white business owners in Washington are greatly over-represented. 80 percent of marijuana-related businesses are owned by white people, under 6 percent of owners are Hispanic, and under 5 percent of owners are black. Non-white communities end up severely underrepresented at the highest level of the marijuana industry.
The broken criminal justice system is just one obstacle potential businessmen and women face. Assuming a budding entrepreneur meets all of the LCB’s requirements, applied during the correct period of time, and were awarded a license, they now must face a severe financial challenge. Ever wonder why you can’t use your credit card at your favorite local dispensary? Federal prohibition of marijuana means that banks aren’t allowed to give loans or credit to marijuana businesses. Poorly designed laws that are supposed to prevent money-laundering, require multi-million dollar business to operate solely in cash.
What does this mean for the rapidly growing cannabis industry? That any potential business operator has to be able to independently fund their startup. Even our dear commander in chief received a small loan of a million dollars to begin his empire - no such handouts exist in the green economy. Because cannabis store owners have to be able to pay their own way, this creates a homogenous looking group at the executive level.
Given the obvious reality of racial inequality in the legal cannabis industry, what is being done to combat it? On the part of the state and federal government, basically nothing. Just this past June, the United States Senate panel on appropriations blocked an amendment that would allow cannabis businesses to function financially like any other business; access to loans and other vital services from banks. The WSLCB isn’t helping the matter either. Having reached its arbitrarily decided number of license allotments, it is extremely difficult for new players to enter the market.
Luckily, we are not totally powerless! Until legislative action can be taken, we can all make an effort to support those businesses near us that are managed by diverse communities. And as we arrive at election season - do your research. Support candidates that will allow the legal marijuana industry to be more representative of Washington’s diverse populations, and help business to grow to their fullest potential.


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ZTE Axon 30 Ultra with a periscope camera on the official video
The press service of ZTE has published a video showing the design of the flagship Axon 30 Ultra. The company focused on the main camera of the device, which will receive four sensors, three of which will shoot at 64 megapixels. In addition, the new product will be equipped with a periscopic lens, and at the same time, the owners of the device will have access to a special mode for shooting the moon.
The Axon 30 is expected to receive a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution and 144Hz refresh rate. The front camera of the device will presumably be located under the surface of the screen, although in the presented official teaser it is clearly visible and located in the upper center. It is possible that only the older model of the series will receive such a feature.
According to past insider reports, ZTE's flagship gadget will be presented in several modifications: Axon 30, Axon 30 Ultra, and Axon 30 Pro. All of them will presumably be built on the Snapdragon 888 platform. Detailed characteristics of the new products will be disclosed on April 15 during the official presentation.


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New guidance on food safety has finally answered the burning question - are eggs meant to be stored in the fridge or in the cupboard? The guidance recommends that eggs, as well as grapes and ‘bendy parsnips’ should actually be kept in the fridge. Good to know! Do you agree with this?
Onions, bread and potatoes should then be stored in the cupboard. We get the bread and potatoes but we’re not sure how we feel about onions not being kept in the fridge.
It states that eggs are “best kept in their box to protect them” in the fridge. They should be accompanied by apples, aubergines and pairs, which should all go in the fridge too, while bananas should be kept “somewhere nice and cool. In a cupboard or on the side, ideally in their original packaging.”
Food waste has increased by a whopping 30% during lockdown according to food watchdog Wrap.
Whether you’re an eggs in the fridge or cupboard gal, there’s one place you definitely should not be storing your breakfast go to - and it’s more surprising than you think - the fridge door. Yep, that part of the fridge that literally has the perfect spot to keep eggs is apparently the worst place of all.
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‘Not only is the door the warmest part of the fridge, it’s also the most susceptible to temperature fluctuations,’ says Sara Benwell, consumer editor for Good Housekeeping.
Another new study has found that eating milk chocolate more than once a week 'could keep the heart healthy ', and it's the news us chocaholics needed in our lives this week! As if we needed another reason to break out the share bars...
The study which involved over 336,000 volunteers and was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, revealed that eating chocolate more than once a week could be good for your heart
Although as ever, moderation is key, so while they're not giving us the green light to delve into the chocolate drawer a few times a night, a small amount of our favourite treat a few times a week could actually help reduce heart disease.
The results showed that eating chocolate, in moderation, but more than once a week was linked to a reduced risk of coronary artery disease. An 8% decrease, in fact.


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A few hours after the announcement of Tesla’s signature cyber whistle, all planned collectibles were sold out on the official website of the American electric vehicle manufacturer.
We will remind, earlier Elon Musk presented a new cyberwhistle, which was inspired by the Cybertruck electric pickup truck. The device, made of medical grade stainless steel with a polished finish, was priced at $ 50.
Now this accessory, unique and desired by many fans and owners of Tesla electric vehicles, has appeared in online auctions. According to the source, one of the whistles is already trading at the $ 900 mark.
At the time of the announcement, Elon Musk recommended not to spend money on an expensive Apple napkin, but instead buy a cyber whistle.
I am Derek Black, an author of World Stock Market. I have a degree in creative writing and journalism from the University of Central Florida. I have a passion for writing and informing the public. I strive to be accurate and fair in my reporting, and to provide a voice for those who may not otherwise be heard.


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The coronavirus is expected to deliver Australia its worst economic performance since the start of the global financial crisis as companies struggle to get key components for cars, TVs and smartphones out of China.
The flu-like disease has now infected 44,742 people and killed 1115. Up to 4846 have recovered. In Australia the number of cases has remained stable at 15. Overseas, 12 Australians are now in quarantine in Japan after being infected aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
The Morrison government has offered counselling to the 220 Australians still stranded on the ship. They face at least another week of a floating quarantine with 3700 others and infections continue to mount.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organisation, said on Wednesday the disease posed a "very grave threat" that could have "more powerful consequences than any terrorist action".
The warning comes as banks and ratings agencies forecast Australia will suffer one of the world's biggest hits from the virus outbreak. A series of economists downgraded forecasts for the March quarter on Wednesday.
BIS Oxford Economics chief economist Sarah Hunter said the combination of the virus [0.4] with bushfires [0.1] would likely reduce Australian GDP by almost 0.5 percentage points in the three months to March - reducing overall growth to zero. The impact of the virus is estimated at four times that of the fires.
"We think tourism, travel and retail will be the main channels through which the drag on China and the global economy more broadly will be felt," she said.
Dr Hunter said transistors, wiring, iPhones, washing machines and cars were the type of goods that would be affected by the slowdown in China.
The coronavirus also threatens to delay the roll out of 5G mobile networks and hike TV prices, as crucial technology components get swamped by freezes in the supply chain.
Deloitte's chief economist in China, Xu Sitao, said Wuhan is a key hub for global electronics manufacturing.
"Wuhan has the largest display manufacturing clusters in China," he said. "LCD prices [TV's] and production are almost certain to take a hit this year."
"The rollout of 5G may also be impacted, as Wuhan is a critical supplier of optical components used in 5G networks."
Telstra, Vodafone and Optus were on Wednesday moving to assess their exposure to the optical components as all three look to roll-out their 5G networks across the country.
An Optus spokeswoman said the network had not forecasted impacts to our 5G rollout, "but will continue to monitor the situation". Telstra said it had "put in workarounds" to keep customers connected and network builds progressing but was "not experiencing any customer impact yet".
Australia's largest electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi has said it is prepared to muscle other retailers out of the queue if there is a coronavirus-induced supply shortage for items such as smartphones and TVs.
S&P Global analysts said Australia was one of the nations most exposed to a downturn in China because of the strong trade links between the countries. "Australia, despite its physical distance, is hit relatively hit hard given its exposure," it said.
UBS economists also revised down their forecasts for the Australian economy, saying GDP would contract by at least 0.l percentage points and possibly by 0.5 percentage points.
They said service exports, such as tourism and education, could suffer a $6 billion hit in the quarter.
"We now think first quarter GDP growth is likely to be negative, even with arguably still optimistic assumptions," they said.
The $38 billion education industry is among the sectors likely to be hardest hit.
Education Minister Dan Tehan has been negotiating with the sector on minimising the impact of the travel ban for up to 100,000 Chinese international students.
The 14-day ban is expected to be extended when it is reviewed on Saturday, preventing them from joining classes at the start of semester.
"We all want things to return to normal as soon as possible," he said. "The safety of Australians is our government's number one priority."


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A little-known Balkan food product has been introduced to the global marketplace by British chef Philip Evans.
The entrepreneur is exporting his own-recipe premium “ajvar”, a red pepper relish, manufactured in Macedonia, to 13 countries worldwide.
Evans first came across the product when he moved to Macedonia with his wife Anna in 2009, after she took a job with a local NGO.
Ajvar is a household staple across the Balkan states, and many families have recipes that go back generations.
“Everyone’s auntie makes the best variety,” he says. “People are so passionate about the stuff here.”
“It was made in September when the peppers were fresh and cheap. It was a way to preserve them to eat throughout the winter,” he continues.
He set up Pelagonia, named after the south west region of Macedonia, to manufacture the relish, alongside a range of other Macedonian products, after attending a food show in 2011 with his own-recipe relish and catching the attention of a Waitrose buyer. “I realised that there was all this quality food from the region that was completely unknown to foreign markets,” he says .
His “aivar” – “We dropped the 'j’ so that people would know how to pronounce it” – is now stocked in more than 200 Waitrose stores across the UK, and is also available on Ocado as well as in more than 300 independent shops and delicatessens.
Evans is hoping to recreate the “humous phenomenon”, he says. Humous was first introduced to the UK in the late 1980s. “Today, 25pc of British households keep it in their fridge,” he says. “Other categories like pesto, olives and sundried tomatoes have become huge. This will be just as big.”
Rival ajvar manufacturers do exist, such as Croatian food giant Podravka, but Evans is going for the premium end of the market, he says. “Podravka only sells to the Balkan diaspora. We’re going for the international middle-class foodie.”
The UK is Pelagonia’s biggest market, but its products are stocked in 13 other countries, from Dubai to Norway.
Pelagonia’s revenues grew 76pc last year and are forecast to double again in 2014. “We’ve had Jamie Oliver and Ottolenghi submit recipes for our aivar, and that’s been great for sales,” says Evans.
Having cracked the Western markets, Asia is next on Evans’ hitlist. “If we can export to the UK, we can export anywhere,” he says “This regional speciality has never found its place in the world – until now.”


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- For the fourth year in a row, L’Oréal has been recognized as a global leader for its climate change mitigation strategy in the annual CDP (ex-Carbon Disclosure Project) ranking.
- L’Oréal Group
L’Oréal has been given an “A” ranking, the highest level of performance on the Climate Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI), for its management of its carbon footprint, its climate change strategy and the transparency of its policies.
“We are very proud of this renewed recognition that encourages us to go further and to accelerate L’Oréal’s transition to a low carbon business”, said Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman and CEO of L’Oréal.
L’Oréal has committed to reduce by 60% the CO2 emissions from its production by 2020, calculated in absolute terms and using a 2005 baseline. L’Oréal had already achieved a key milestone at the end of 2015: the group reduced its CO2 emissions from production by 56% for the 2005-2015, despite a 26% increase in production over the same period. This achievement is due to an ambitious strategy of improving energy efficiency across facilities, increasing the use of renewable energy, and developing low carbon innovations.
The CDP is a not-for-profit organization providing a global system measuring and disclosing environmental information that evaluates the strategy, the commitment and the performance of companies regarding climate change mitigation. L’Oréal has been a member of the CDP since 2002. In 2007, L’Oréal joined the CDP’s Supply Chain Program to encourage its suppliers to measure and manage their CO2 emissions, an essential part of taking action effectively on the entire value chain and encouraging exchanges of best practices.
Last year L’Oréal has been given an “A” ranking for its management of its carbon footprint and a score of 99/100 for the transparency of its policies.
L’Oréal has devoted itself to beauty for over 105 years. With its unique international portfolio of 32 diverse and complementary brands, the Group generated sales amounting to 25.26 billion euros in 2015 and employs 82,900 people worldwide. As the world’s leading beauty company, L’Oréal is present across all distribution networks: mass market, department stores, pharmacies and drugstores, hair salons, travel retail, branded retail and e-commerce.
Research and innovation, and a dedicated research team of 3,870 people, are at the core of L’Oréal’s strategy, working to meet beauty aspirations all over the world. L’Oréal’s sustainability commitment for 2020 “Sharing Beauty With All” sets out ambitious sustainable development objectives across the Group’s value chain. www.loreal.com


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THE Wall Street Journal is very confused.
Here’s what one Journal story recently had to say about inflation: “Even Pat Jackman, economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which calculates the official inflation rate, says the widely reported numbers understate the rising cost of life from one year to the next. The fact is, he says, ‘more money is coming out of your pocket.’ “
I’ve been crusading against the way the government reports its inflation numbers for a long time.
This isn’t just about some statisticians messing around with digits to distort the truth. This is about Washington cheating people out of money – Social Security recipients, retirees whose annual increases are tied to the inflation rate, people who invest in bonds. Lots of people. And lots of money.
People are getting screwed. And, back when I was in school learning this miserable trade, that’s what we were told to ferret out.
Let me explain something else. Jackman isn’t just one of the thousands of economists in our government bureaucracy. He is the senior economist in charge of the consumer price index. He is the man. And he’s a guy I’ve spoken with in the past – but never when he was as forthcoming as he apparently was with the Journal.
And the man says – according to the Journal’s own words – that the “widely reported numbers understate the rising cost of life from one year to the next.”
So why is the Journal confused? Because even as it has such an authoritative source saying that inflation is being understated by the government numbers, the paper is also running countless other stories that fret about deflation.
A recent headline: “Having Defeated Inflation, Fed Girds for New Foe: Falling Prices.” Then there’s the Journal story on June 5 that shows the depth of its confusion. It starts: “OK, is it deflation or inflation?”
This’ll all get more confusing today, when the government announces how much consumer prices changed during the month of May. The betting is, not much – at least according to the way the government calculates it.
So you can bet on a fresh round of deflation stories making the rounds.
But “not much” inflation doesn’t mean deflation, does it? And if Jackman is right, the “not much” being reported by the government is probably not true.
As I’ve said before, if you take out all the tricks that Jackman was referring to, the rate of inflation is probably around 5 percent a year. That’s certainly not deflation.
What tricks? The government uses a statistical technique call “geometric weighting” so it can keep inflation down. The theory behind this is that people will switch to cheaper products – like hamburger – if steak gets too expensive, so the price increases are offset.
Then there are quality adjustments. If a new feature like mandated pollution equipment is added to a car, then a price increase can be ignored even if the customer has no choice but to pay for the upgrade. You pay more, but inflation goes down.
And there’s the famous “intervention analysis” technique. If something like gasoline goes up more than the government’s computers expect, then the increase can be reduced. “Smoothed out” is the euphemism the economists use.
To be honest, the Journal isn’t the only publication confused. As I said in a recent column, this inflation/deflation thing is something newspapers have been wrestling with for years.
But at the Journal there’s a rare oddity. The paper’s editorial page seems to understand this stuff even as the rest of the paper doesn’t.
Here’s what their editorial page and I understand.
What Alan Greenspan is worried about isn’t price deflation, it’s asset deflation. He isn’t worried about you paying less for clothes or a pizza. He is concerned about the price of your house and your stock portfolio going down.
Asset deflation has been happening and it is troubling. Back in the ’90s, Greenspan was fretting about inflation – and all the gurus and journalists got it wrong then, too. Greenspan was worried about asset inflation, not price inflation.
Had they understood, the gurus wouldn’t have been so surprised when Greenspan started raising rates in the middle of the asset inflation – a.k.a The Bubble.
Yesterday’s large rally, in fact, probably made Greenspan feel a lot better about the problem of asset deflation. Maybe even good enough not to cut interest rates next week.
Asset deflation, not price deflation. Understand that, and you have penetrated the mind of Chairman Greenspan – and boy it is gray in here.


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Federal regulators issued brand new guidelines on Thursday that may drastically rein in access to pay day loans and limit specific practices which have drawn ire from customer advocates.
Payday advances, which offer strapped consumers with fast access to cash, are generally described as their ultra-high interest levels and brief payment durations. Borrowers usually can not manage to spend them right straight back therefore wind up taking right out brand new loans and getting stuck in a period of financial obligation.
Beneath the brand new guidelines, the buyer Financial Protection Bureau will need payday loan providers to find out a borrower’s power to repay the mortgage while nevertheless fulfilling fundamental bills and major obligations. a customer will additionally be struggling to sign up for a lot more than three loans in fast succession.
The guidelines will additionally limit the methods in which a loan provider can pursue payment. For example, loan providers will undoubtedly be forbidden from making a lot more than two failed re payment efforts without gaining additional consent. Duplicated re payment efforts can potentially trigger fees and end in a customer losing their banking account.
вЂњThe CFPB rule limits payday lendersвЂ™ capacity to place families in to a vicious cycle of financial obligation by adopting the wise practice requirement that lenders start thinking about a borrowerвЂ™s capacity to repay and also by limiting how many unaffordable back-to-back loans,вЂќ said Lauren Saunders, connect manager associated with National customer Law Center. Continue reading “Customer Watchdog Reins In Payday Lenders With Strict Brand Brand New Measures”


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With the advent of the commercial cannabis market in Colorado and Washington, it is readily apparent that the business of marijuana, which has grown from the black market streets of America into a legitimate and thriving community-oriented industry, is bound only by the limitations designated by the federal government.
In just seven months, regulated pot commerce has generated millions of dollars in state tax revenue, while destroying ancient marijuana laws that once unjustly imprisoned low-level drug offenders — proving that legal weed is well on its way to becoming one of the most beneficial industries to the socioeconomic landscape of the United States.
As a contribution to this uprising of statewide cannabis commerce, the marijuana reform organization, NORML has announced the launch of the marijuana industry’s equivalent of the Better Business Bureau — it is called the NORML Business Network.
The primary objective of this network, according to NORML’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, Sabrina Fendrick will be to collaborate “with marijuana companies and ancillary businesses that are committed to using their enterprise as a positive example of corporate social responsibility, and a platform for ending marijuana prohibition nationwide.”
Establishing high standards during the marijuana industry’s infancy is crucial to its credibility and overall development, which is the reason the NORML Business Network intends to operate under immense scrutiny when it comes to its business affiliations. “The Network’s mission is to empower the market early on to become invested in creating a culture of self-regulation, and to encourage entities to adopt a socially conscious corporate model that integrates the interests of their customers and communities into the fabric of their business’ DNA.”
Marijuana-related businesses that wish to brandish the seal of NORML Business Partners in their storefronts or on their products “will be required to meet certain criteria, including various market and industry qualifiers such as testing, labeling, environmental sustainability, fair wages, decent pricing and special discounts for certain populations such as seniors and veterans.”
As the business of marijuana continues to evolve, NORML believes it is essential to establish accountability within the industry and look after the consumer’s interests. “We want to recognize the positive impact these marijuana businesses are having on their communities by highlighting those who go above and beyond the letter of the law in an effort to align their economic benefits alongside the interests of their customers and communities,” said Fendrick, adding that the efforts to establish a responsible industry will help sustain it as the market expands nationwide.
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Tax season brings rule changes for business owners, and this year is no different. For example, this year you can deduct 100% of your company’s restaurant spending in 2022 from your taxes. But in 2023, that number will rise back up to 50%.
What never changes, experts say, is the need to keep accurate records and work with a tax professional you trust.
“Business owners often look at their financial accounts as the last thing on the list. And they do it themselves, and they do it in the evenings over a cup of coffee while they watch TV,” says David Levi, chartered accountant and chief executive officer at CBIZ, a tax, accounting, insurance and human resources consulting firm with offices across the United States.
“[But] you don’t know what you don’t know. And the only thing that is certain in the tax world is change,” says Levi.
Here are some important rule changes and deadlines to keep in mind as you file your 2022 taxes and plan for 2023.
Plus: Many small business owners remain resilient and optimistic: Here’s what 2023 may have in store for entrepreneurs
Find out if you can still claim the Employee Retention Tax Credit
The employee retention tax credit — a policy designed to encourage business owners to retain employees during the COVID-19 pandemic — only applied to wages paid before October 1, 2021, so you won’t be able to claim it on your 2022 tax return can do.
But there’s still time to change your returns for 2020 and 2021 to claim the ERTC, which was worth up to $7,000 per quarter per employee while it was in effect. You can usually change tax returns within three years of filing the tax return.
“It’s probably one of the strongest credits I’ve seen in my 30 years with the [Internal Revenue] Service,” says Eric Hylton, national director of compliance at Alliantgroup, a tax consulting firm, and former IRS commissioner for the Small Business/Self-Employed Division.
You can qualify for the ERTC if your business had to close in whole or in part in 2020 or 2021, or if your sales fell by more than 50% in 2020 or by more than 20% in 2021 compared to 2019.
Talk to a tax professional about whether you qualify. Hylton also notes that there have been “significant delays” in processing ERTC applications over the past year.
Prepare for bonus write-offs to start phasing out this year
From mid-2017 to late 2022, business owners who bought costly equipment could claim 100% of the asset’s bonus depreciation — which is normally spread over the life of the equipment — in the same year they bought the asset.
This provision lapses unless Congress extends it. In 2023 bonus amortization drops to 80%. After that, it decreases by a further 20% each year.
“People were like, ‘You know, if I go out and buy a device or I go out and spend on my property, it’s fully capitalizable; I could maybe take 100% bonus [depreciation],’” says Levi. “That’s not the case, [in 2023] it’s 80%.”
Consider setting up a retirement plan for your employees
Businesses with up to 50 employees can now claim a tax credit for 100% of the cost of starting a retirement plan up to $5,000. You can also request a credit of up to $1,000 in employer contributions to each employee’s plan.
The tax credit expires for companies with 51 to 100 employees. Previously, it covered 50% of the pension plan’s start-up costs.
“When a business owner is on the fence [about] Regardless of whether they should start a 401(k) or a retirement plan, some of those credits could get them over the decision point,” said Janel E. Carroll, CPA and board-certified financial planner at Truepoint Wealth Counsel in Cincinnati.
Also read: Got problems with the IRS – or does the IRS have a problem with you? Read this before you act.
Plan a tax and energy efficient renovation
If you’ve been thinking about going green, 2023 could be a good time from a tax standpoint, says Hylton. The Anti-Inflation Act, which went into effect in August 2022, included several tax credits and business deductions.
A change increased the size of the deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings, allowing business owners to claim higher deductions per square foot of renovation if their projects qualify. In addition, tax-exempt organizations such as charities and church organizations can now claim these deductions.
Additionally, in 2023, companies can claim up to a $7,500 tax credit when purchasing electric or fuel cell electric vehicles. For vehicles over £14,000, the loan can be as high as $40,000.
Hylton encourages business owners to “check your CPA or accountant for some of these other loans [to see] whether your company is actually entitled to these tax benefits.
See: It can pay off to make your small business more sustainable – here are 3 ways to get started
Get ready for a more robust IRS
The Internal Revenue Service has announced plans to hire 4,000 phone support staff and 700 in-person support staff for the 2023 tax season. According to Hylton, this is the result of a funding boost designed to help the agency provide better customer service and reduce turnaround times.
When Waiting for a Refund or Tax Credit “Time is money,” says Hylton.
While Hylton notes that a better-staffed IRS can also lead to a “slight increase in audits,” he and Carroll believe most business owners needn’t worry.
“I think the focus will be on customer service — and based on the wait times we have when we call the IRS, that’s definitely where the need is,” says Carroll.
More from NerdWallet
Rosalie Murphy writes for NerdWallet. Email: [email protected]
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A recent piece in Eater New York features a great story about Kiki Adami, former owner of GustOrganics, who is working to veganize every restaurant in New York City.
Her Greenwich Village health food restaurant GustOrganics closed last year after switching from paleo to vegan, a choice that made her the target of angry emails from “Crossfit people” and eventually a lawsuit from investors that wiped out funds. But Adami still believes that restaurants — not to mention, animals and the environment — can benefit financially from adding more vegan items, and her latest project Veganizer NYC aims to do just that. The company turns non-vegan restaurant menus vegan for one night pop-ups, with the hope that the chefs will start adding more vegan items or host vegan nights, Adami says. The big, dreamy goal: For every New York restaurant menu to be 50 percent vegan.
“If all restaurants had half their menu vegan, things would be so much better in the world,”
For one, Adami notes that GustOrganics was making more money the summer they turned vegan than any other summer. The lawsuit from investors drained the restaurant of cash and led to the closure. Now, she works as a cruise director and works on Veganizer as a passion project. “For me, it’s simple,” Adami says. “I do it for the animals.”
‘If these restaurants can veganize, anything can veganize’
Since starting last year, Adami has helped transformed five restaurant menus vegan for pop-ups, including Pagani, Cabalito, andCafe Frida. The process for chef Hadara Slok to help the in-house chefs develop the offerings takes about two months, and the resulting menu looks virtually identical, except all the items come meat-and-dairy-free. Keg 229’s pizza burger with fried mozzarella on top turned into a seitan-based burger with vegan mozzarella, and any items with mayo use Vegenaise instead. Adami mostly reaches out to restaurants that don’t cater to vegans at all, such as Keg 229, which focuses on burgers. “I want to show people that if these restaurants can veganize, anything can veganize,” she says.
So far, several of the restaurants have decided to either keep offering a few vegan items or host more vegan-only nights.
Keg 229 owner Calli Tedesco is considering hosting a Veganizer event at her wine bar across the street, Bin 220, and Pagani is considering hosting a vegan night every month. Cabalito, a small Salvadorian restaurant on the Lower East Side, started offering more items like mushroom and bean papusas that can be ordered without cheese after the Veganizer event, says owner Randy Rodriguez. “Some of the most popular items on our menu are the vegan items,” he says.
By offering vegan options these restaurants are catering to a new and fast-growing market segment. That’s right! The number of people ditching meat is growing rapidly, and this will only continue with the rise of millennials.
We are a team of nutritional experts and vegan activists, who work 24/7 to bring you accurate, well-researched information that will empower you to make the right choices. Whether you are looking for in-depth nutritional advice, latest stories, or a mouthwatering recipe - this is the place!


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About a week ago, we’ve reported that two of the new iPhone 8 units from Taiwan and Japan have swollen batteries in them. One was while charging and the other was coming out straight from the retail box. Another reported cases has hit the Web and the incident has already been a widespread concern as reports are coming in not just from the two countries we’ve mentioned but also in China, Canada and Greece.
Apple is now seriously looking into the matter and has an undergoing investigation about these reports. While this could be a serious battery issue, this as we’ve already talked about previously still cannot be compared with the Galaxy Note7 as although they forced the device to cracked open, the iPhone 8 devices haven’t burst into flame. Batteries after a long time of using it tends to swell towards the end of its life but the case on the iPhone 8, these are new devices and then really are expensive ones. What causing them is a big wild guess from us until Apple release a statement about these incidents.
Second Taiwan iPhone 8 buyer reports casing split open by swollen battery pic.twitter.com/lf6Tnp7wqc
— Brightwire (@BrightwireInc) October 5, 2017
For now, We repeat and say it again, only get your shiny new iPhone 8 devices from the official sources and that your device is covered with full warranty so that if something bad happens, you’ll know where to go.


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Policygenius partners with Brighthouse Financial to launch a faster, simpler way to access term life insurance
We wrote about Policygenius back in January after the Brooklyn, New York-based insurtech startup closed $100 million in Series D funding to grow its online insurance marketplace. Since then, the company has been busy working behind the scene on a new product that will support consumers who want to secure life insurance but are worried about taking a medical exam due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Interest in getting life insurance has surged broadly due to the pandemic, but with social distancing guidelines in place, many consumers are concerned about taking the medical exam involved in applying.
Today, Policygenius announced it has partnered with Fortune 500 life insurance provider Brighthouse Financial to create a new life insurance product that addresses this need. Dubbed Brighthouse SimplySelectSM, the new product is a new term life insurance product available online through Policygenius.
Brighthouse SimplySelect features a fast and simple purchase process that doesn’t require invasive testing, allowing an underwriting decision within 24 hours for most applicants. This collaboration between Policygenius and Brighthouse Financial provides a way for consumers to easily secure the life insurance coverage they need from two companies dedicated to helping improve the life insurance-buying experience.
This partnership is yet another example of the insurance industry — both carriers and digital marketplaces like Policygenius — moving quickly to respond to changes in consumer preference. Now, consumers can receive comprehensive coverage in as little as three to four days, with zero in-person testing or lab work involved. The purchase process is designed to be quick, simple and affordable — aimed at helping families get financial protection right.
“Brighthouse SimplySelect offers busy people a quick and convenient way to provide the financial security for their families that term life insurance gives,” Conor Murphy, chief operating officer, Brighthouse Financial, said. “We are delighted to be working with Policygenius, an industry leader in providing a seamless and easy insurance-purchasing experience.”
Brighthouse SimplySelect offers life insurance protection with guaranteed coverage for 10, 20, or 30 years, giving consumers a choice in planning how to provide for loved ones should the unexpected happen. The product also provides guaranteed level premiums, which can help make financial planning more predictable.
To apply, consumers visit the Policygenius website to answer a few questions and then work with a licensed Policygenius agent to complete the application by telephone. There are no required medical exams, and consumers aren’t asked to undergo lab work, significantly speeding up the underwriting process and enabling consumers to get a decision faster than is typically possible with a traditional underwriting process.
“We know it’s important for families to get the financial protection they need,” Jennifer Fitzgerald, CEO and co-founder of Policygenius, said. “We are excited for this relationship with Brighthouse Financial to launch Brighthouse SimplySelect to help even more families get life insurance right.”
Policygenius was founded in 2014 by two former McKinsey consultants, Francois de Lame and Jennifer Fitzgerald. The duo saw a gap in the insurance industry and dedicated themselves to shifting the industry online and into the hands of the consumer. Through its highly tailored Insurance Checkup™, users can discover their coverage gaps and review solutions for their exact needs. The company provides the only place online to shop for life, long-term disability, renters and pet insurance through its highly accurate quoting engines that offer side-by-side comparisons of tailored policies.
Policygenius has helped more than 30 million people shop for insurance and is one of the largest term life insurance brokers in the United States. It is the leading destination for online comparison and buying of all types of insurance, including life, home, auto and disability insurance.


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PSD2 is Here. Here’s What You Need to Know.
No policy change coming in 2018 promises to disrupt the payments industry more than the Revised Payment Services Directive, or PSD2.
The EU directive, which took effect on the 13th January 2018, opens a world of new opportunities for consumers and businesses. But like any major policy change, there’s a lot of uncertainty involved.
Let’s delve into the new PSD2 and see what benefits—and new vulnerabilities—you should expect.
The PSD2: Explained
The Revised Payment Services Directive is a proposal adopted by the European Parliament in October 2015. Under the new rules, both consumers and businesses operating in the EU will be able to use third-party services to fill many of the roles previously restricted only to banks.
Players like Facebook and Google, for example, are now free to offer services like integrated bill pay, funds transfers, and analytics. Banks and card schemes are no longer insulated from competition with PSD2 in place; the field is open to any entity willing to offer financial services.
The European Commission drafted the PSD2 protocol with three specific goals in mind:
The Revised Payment Services Directive promises to simplify commerce and banking online. This sounds good, but we must ask: can there be unintended negative consequences?
The PSD2 introduces opportunities for new payment initiation service providers (PISPs) to bring products to market. With PISPs, consumers have the option to make payments direct from their bank accounts, rather than using a credit or debit card as an intermediary. Many hail this as an opportunity to upend the card schemes’ dominance over payments and open the market to greater competition, but it also introduces new uncertainties:
When consumers use their credit or debit card, they are protected by the card schemes as they have effective chargeback programs in place. When transactions are processed using PISPs, theses transactions will be treated as money transfers which means this card scheme protection will not be available. If PISPs cannot provide the same level of protection on payment cards, consumers confidence will be shaken.
PSD2 also mandates that online payments employ 2-factor authentication. While experts have advocated for adopting 2-factor authentication tools like biometrics for years, it’s not as simple as it looks.
The European Banking Authority suggests that their regulatory technical standards should be viewed as formal guidelines for implementing these tools. But the final draft of these standards will not be published until the end of 2018. The gap between the beginning of PSD2’s adoption and the finalizing of regulatory standards creates a gap for criminals looking to take advantage of inconsistent policies.
The regulatory standards also mean merchants won’t be able to implement customised fraud prevention tools based on personal risk assessment. In terms of security, the standards prescribe what a merchant must have…regardless of whether they need it or not.
A Trident of Change in Europe
Download our FREE WHITEPAPER to understand how to turn the challenges that come with the Digital Single Market (DSM), the Revised Payments Services Directive (PSD2) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to your advantage.
Effect on Non-EU Merchants
“So what?” you may be asking, “I operate outside the EU.” Be prepared: the PSD2 will affect your business, no matter which side of the pond you call home.
These standards still apply to so-called “one-leg transactions,” or transactions in which at least one party is in the EU. Thus, merchants in North America will need to abide by these rules if they want to do business with consumers in EU member states.
Positive Change, but Uncertain Adoption
Overall, the PSD2 is a positive step forward for global eCommerce; the directive promises to improve and standardise security across the board, and to promote greater innovation and competition. However, the scope of this policy update still leaves us with uncertainties.
Rational and well-intentioned revisions can often have negative consequences. Think how EMV adoption in the US led to a surge of post-EMV chargebacks for eCommerce retailers, or how the Digital Single Market threatens to turn Europe into a “walled garden” for eCommerce.
There will still need to be a consumer fraud protection mechanism in place under PSD2. It’s not clear yet whether that means adopting existing chargeback policy to a post-PSD2 environment, or creating a new consumer protection practice. Either way, we recommend that you insulate yourself against any potential negative ramifications from this update; that way, you can enjoy the added benefits of widespread standardisation, without any of the risk. Click below to find out how.


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Hosted by the world’s number 1 sci-fi entertainment magazine SFX, the weekend saw over 4,000 revellers descend on Pontins to immerse themselves in sci-fi culture. Now in its third year and sold out for the first time ever, guests enjoyed an array of entertainment from the likes of Brian Blessed, Eve Myles, Hattie Hayridge and Craig Charles.
The Galactic Knights (pictured) also stole the show with their assortment of professional costumes. The Star Wars and Sci-Fi costuming group who bring together enthusiasts from all over the world paraded around the site in an array of outfits ranging from Star Wars to Halo Spartans, Dr Who and Batman.
Joanne Beck, Galactic Knights Commanding Officer says “The SFX Weekender is a totally immersive weekend of sci-fi and fantasy fun. The guests, the entertainment, everything; all combine to make for a truly outstanding experience and one that allows the Galactic Knights costuming club to do what we do best!”


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A local restaurateur and developer is making two big investments this summer with hungry office workers and football fans in mind.
Bert Terranova, owner of Bodillaz on West Broad Street, is headed to Jackson Ward to open a second location for his restaurant’s brand of Americanized quesadillas, Buffalo wings and other fare.
Terranova is buying his way into a busy stretch of Jackson Ward’s North 2nd Street. Bilder and Terranova Development, a company he runs with Josh Bilder, bought the property at 321 N. 2nd St. It paid $120,000 for the space in a deal that closed last month.
An August opening is planned for Bodillaz new 700-square-foot space, which was previously home to Sweet Peaz Bistro.
The new space is smaller than Bodillaz 1,600-square-foot location near Virginia Commonwealth University. But setting up in Jackson Ward gives Terranova a spot to appeal more to nearby office workers and try to capitalize on downtown delivery and takeout.
“Bodillaz on Broad is more a VCU and college spot,” Terranova said. “Now that we’re closer to downtown, we’re going to have more of a professional, formal setting.”
Lucy’s, catering more to the dinner crowd, opened late last year at 404 N. 2nd St.
“We’re trying to create a little food court on that whole strip,” Terranova said.
Jackson Ward isn’t the only food court where Terranova hopes to gain traction.
Bodillaz operates a food truck that will be among those operating later this month at the Washington Redskins Training Camp Food Court on West Leigh Street.
Terranova applied last month and paid a $2,500 fee to participate.
For Terranova, the cost of entry is worth it if he can conjure up enough sales and introduce more people to Bodillaz.
“It’s definitely a premium price,” he said. “As one truck, it might not make sense, but when you have other locations around town…it’s almost like a marketing tactic. We further promote business, promote our brand and get more customers.”
Carytown Burgers and Fries, Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue, Red Eye Cookie Co., The Boardwalk Hot Dogs, and Opa Food Truck will join Bodillaz at the three-week training camp.
Lesa Williams of SMG Management, the firm that manages the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center at 2401 W. Leigh St., said 14 other local food vendors applied for a spot this summer.
Once Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III and company leave town, Terranova will return his focus to his brick-and-mortar operations.
Terranova, 35, opened the first Bodillaz in 2009 at 916 W. Broad St. near VCU’s Monroe Park campus.
Bilder said he and Terranova used money from their nearby homebuilding activities in Carver to purchase the new Bodillaz space.
“I think there’s a lot of opportunity in the neighborhood,” said Bilder, who is also converting a rundown theater in Church Hill into apartments.
Snipes Properties represented the sellers in the deal, Windsor and Debra Edwards, according to a city record. The couple owned Sweat Peaz Bistro.
Terranova said he got into the food industry after the economy took a hit in 2008. He was inspired by his family’s experience with opening diners in the Northeast.
“Once the market slowed down as far as housing, I decided to open a restaurant at VCU,” Terranova said.
Along with its food truck, Bodillaz also operates a cart and a trailer around town. And Terranova said he wants to start franchising next year.
“It pretty much took me five years to get established,” he said. “I’d love to branch out into different surrounding areas, maybe Henrico, Chesterfield or Hanover.”


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Retail in a socially distanced era? Insights from our webinar of experts
Earlier this month, Quill co-hosted a webinar with our digital partner, Jellyfish, in which we explored the key challenges for retail in a socially distanced era.
“The digital economy is here. The way we all shop has fundamentally changed. Forever.” – Steve Warrington, VP Retail & Ecommerce for Jellyfish.
As Steve Warrington explained, the global pandemic has effectively crammed more than three years of consumer behavioural change into the space of just seven months, ushering in unprecedented changes across all industries. In the UK alone, ecommerce has suddenly colonised a huge proportion of retail sales, accelerating to a 30% overall share. Critically, much of this change is set to become permanent, leaving bricks and mortar retailers facing make-or-break challenges in the digital-first economy.
In this webinar, we took a closer look at ecommerce acquisition and conversion strategies for success, with advice on how to deliver effective and efficient growth, even in economically uncertain times. We explored strategies for overcoming the main obstacles inherent in the current market and suggested ways of making retail offerings more resilient – both now and for the future.
The discussion emphasised some implications of Google’s so-called ‘messy middle’. Once-linear purchase journeys have evolved into far more complex affairs – thanks to the digital economy. As a result, consumers can easily become ensnared in seemingly endless exploration and evaluation loops, which delay purchase journeys and raise the possibility of losing business to online competitors.
Our webinar outlined the effective solutions adopted by retailers who are pivoting quickly and successfully to a digital-first model and delved into the vital role played by pre-purchase Performance Content.
As Ed Bussey, Founder & CEO of Quill, put it: “Optimised Performance Content drives action, propelling users to make a purchase. It’s critical in the digital-first economy, playing a central role in attracting digital ‘footfall’, emulating the ‘sales assistant’ and replacing the offline ‘fitting room’. OK is no longer enough, yet 79% of UK retail sites are missing out on revenue due to having poor Performance Content.”
We also looked at ways that retailers can differentiate their tactical approach in digital media, measurement, and technology. “Online advertising is your new shop window,” Josh White, Senior Director of Paid Media, explained. He added that, “retailers are now looking at bringing the in-store experiences to the comfort of people’s homes with VR and AR”.
More posts from the blog


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Residents and visitors of Valenzuela City were in for an early Christmas treat with the opening of the Valenzuela Food Fiesta this Friday, December 2. Over thirty food outlets are participating in this weekend food festival. Foodies can hang out and try out snacks, barbecues, desserts, and other local products that the city has to offer.
The festival was opened to highlight Valenzuela’s food businesses, and give the city’s entrepreneurs a venue to showcase their products and culinary expertise.
When it comes to food, Valenzuela City takes pride of the putong pulo, a rice cake originally created in the town of Polo. The rice cake is steamed, mixed with annatto (atsuete) to give its reddish color, and topped with cheese.
This local favorite is known for its versatility as a side treat with various dishes. Residents would create artistic versions of the putong pulo, making it one of the highlights of the Feast of San Diego de Alcala, celebrated every November 12.
With Valenzuela’s continuous economic growth, more food establishments are opening up in the city. It’s not just the putong pulo, but even the city’s potential as a food hub is gaining attention, especially with its growing population of students. This rapid growth is creating more opportunities and opening a wide variety of places to dine in for food lovers. These establishments will surely find a place to shine and reach out to more people with the opening of events such as the Valenzuela Food Fiesta.
(I apologize for not adding a lot of food pictures here; it’s been a long while since I last wrote anything, and eating out isn’t part of the budget nowadays.)


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CFOs this calendar year played a critical job in navigating their organizations as a result of a worldwide economic crisis. The raising pressure intensified the spotlight on finance chiefs, and numerous CFOs remaining their posts around the last 12 months. Some joined new organizations, others pursued new possibilities. Their locations ended up taken, in some situations, by executives promoted to the major finance place. The adhering to ended up some of the additional notable CFO departures (and arrivals) of the earlier 12 months.
Luis Visoso was named finance chief of Amazon Website Expert services (AWS). Visoso, who has headed finance for Amazon’s around the globe client section considering the fact that 2018, joined the enterprise from Cisco the place he was senior vice president of business, engineering, and financial operations. Prior to to that he invested 23 years at Procter & Gamble. Visoso can take around for Sean Boyle who has transitioned to the job of vice president at AWS.
Verily, the well being and lifetime sciences device of Google parent enterprise Alphabet, named Deepak Ahuja as chief financial officer. Deepak was CFO for Tesla from 2008 to 2015, then all over again from February 2017 until finally he retired in 2019. Prior to Tesla, he was at Ford Motor Organization as a finance government in a variety of roles, like CFO for Ford Southern Africa and CFO of AutoAlliance International.
Video clip platform Vimeo appointed Narayan Menon as CFO. Prior to joining Vimeo, Menon served as chief financial officer at cloud-centered presentation platform Prezi. His prior management roles include company vice president at Intuit, senior director of finance at Microsoft, and senior director at Skype.
Thomas Ondrof joined Aramark as the foodstuff- and uniform-expert services giant’s chief financial officer. Ondrof formerly served as CFO with foodservice distributor Overall performance Foodstuff Group. Prior to that, Ondrof invested 24 years at Compass Group North The us, the place he served in a wide range of financial and business growth management roles.
Linda Zukauckas joined Nielsen Holdings as chief financial officer on February 3. Zukauckas started off performing at American Categorical in 2011, most just lately serving as the government vice president and deputy chief financial officer. Prior to American Categorical, Zukauckas held a variety of senior management roles at Ally Economical. She serves on the board of MTS Systems, the place she is on the audit and the governance and nominating committees.
Northrop Grumman named veteran finance government David Keffer as its new CFO, changing Kenneth Bedingfield. Keffer has most just lately been a general associate at investment organization Blue Delta Money Partners just after formerly serving as CFO at CSRA and its predecessor enterprise SRA International.
Private label packaged foodstuff enterprise TreeHouse Foods named William Kelley Jr. as chief financial officer. Kelley formerly served as interim CFO. Kelley joined TreeHouse in 2016 as company controller and was promoted to senior vice president, company and operations finance in 2018. Prior to joining TreeHouse, he was head of worldwide audit for Kraft Heinz. Prior to that, he was company controller and chief accounting officer at Hillshire Makes.
Groupon’s interim chief financial officer, Melissa Thomas, assumed the job forever. Thomas joined the e-commerce market in 2017 as vice president of business finance and has served as interim CFO considering the fact that August 2019. She at present also serves as the company’s chief accounting officer and treasurer.
Matthew Mate, Nike’s CFO of functioning segments and vice president of trader relations, took around as enterprise CFO. Mate joined the athletic attire retail giant in 2009, performing on company technique and growth right before getting appointed CFO of rising markets in 2011. He has served as CFO of worldwide categories, product or service and features CFO of worldwide brands and features and CFO of the Nike manufacturer. He succeeds CFO Andy Campion, who transitioned to the job of chief functioning officer.
Toy manufacturer MGA Entertainment (MGAE) promoted Martin Elliott to chief financial officer. Elliott joined MGAE in 2015 as vice president of financial planning and investigation. Elliott was the senior director of technique at Mattel and the director of finance at The Walt Disney Organization right before joining MGAE.
Michael Crotty was named Showtime Networks’ new chief financial officer. Crotty will also have oversight of Wager Networks’ finance workforce. Crotty returns to the leisure enterprise just after serving as CFO of media platform The Players’ Tribune considering the fact that 2016. Crotty formerly served as senior vice president of affiliate earnings and business operations for Showtime Networks.
Fidelity Investments named Maggie Serravalli as chief financial officer. Serravalli was most just lately government vice president at the company’s healthcare team. Serravalli joined Fidelity in 2007 from JPMorgan Chase the place she served as controlling director for 7 years.
Adrianne Lee was named finance chief at Overstock. Lee joined Overstock from Hertz the place she was CFO of the company’s $7 billion North American Rental Car or truck device. Prior to joining Hertz, Lee led financial planning and investigation for Greatest Buy’s multi-billion-greenback e-commerce business. She formerly held many roles in finance, strategic planning, accounting and financial reporting, trader relations, and audit at PepsiCo, Allianz Everyday living, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Delta CFO Paul Jacobson rescinded his retirement, which he introduced in February. CEO Ed Bastian requested Jacobson to rethink his determination to retire though the provider navigates while the devastating impression that the coronavirus pandemic has experienced on air journey. Jacobson joined the enterprise in 1997 as a financial analyst and was named CFO in 2012.
Anheuser-Busch InBev’s longtime CFO, Felipe Dutra, stepped down. Dutra was replaced by Fernando Tennenbaum. A fifteen-calendar year veteran of the enterprise, Tennenbaum most just lately served as vice president AB InBev’s South The us division as properly as CFO of its Brazilian subsidiary, Ambev. Tennenbaum will also join the company’s government committee.
United states of america These days parent Gannett appointed Douglas Horne as chief financial officer. Horne most just lately served as worldwide controller for The We Organization, which features business-sharing startup WeWork. Prior to that, he invested 8 years at Warner Media, most just lately as senior vice president and controller. Prior to joining Warner, he served as deputy chief financial officer and chief accounting officer at AOL. Horne succeeds Alison “Ali” Engel, who stepped down at the end of the first quarter.
Retailer Ted Baker named Rachel Osborne as chief government officer. Osborne joined the enterprise as chief financial officer in November 2019 right before getting appointed performing chief government officer in December 2019. She joined Ted Baker from Debenhams, the place she experienced labored as CFO. She was formerly chief financial officer at Domino’s Pizza, finance director of team organization at Vodafone, and finance and technique director at John Lewis.
Gustavo Arnal was appointed CFO at Mattress Tub & Outside of. Arnal joined the retailer from Avon, the place he was team chief financial officer. Prior to that, he was CFO of intercontinental divisions and worldwide features at Walgreens Boots Alliance. He has formerly served in senior positions at Procter & Gamble, like CFO of India, Center East, and Africa, CFO worldwide cloth and home treatment, and CFO worldwide private splendor. Arnal succeeds Robyn D’Elia, who is leaving the enterprise.
Adam Townsend is the new finance chief at Vizio. Prior to joining the client-electronics manufacturer, Townsend served as chief financial officer at Showtime Networks. Prior to that, he held several roles at CBS, like government vice president of company finance and trader relations. He also played vital roles in CBS’s out of doors advertising business and CBS Radio. Townsend can take around for chief functioning officer Ben Wong, who experienced been dealing with chief financial officer obligations.
Health care products manufacturer BVI named David Murray as chief financial officer. Most just lately, Murray served as CFO of Alcon AG until finally its $30 billion spin-off from Novartis Group AG in 2019. All through his 19 years with Novartis, he also served as CFO for its vaccines and diagnostics division, as properly as many other senior finance management roles inside of the Pharma division. Prior to Novartis, he held senior management roles at Basic Motors, Swiss Financial institution Corp, and British Petroleum.
Tyler Sloat was named chief financial officer at Freshworks. Prior to joining the shopper engagement application enterprise, Sloat was CFO at subscription payments enterprise Zuora the place he guided the start-up as a result of its IPO. Prior to that, he held government finance roles at a wide range of organizations like NetApp and Siebel Systems.
Biotechnology enterprise Moderna named David Meline as chief financial officer. Meline joined Moderna from Amgen, the place he was CFO from 2014 as a result of 2019. Prior to Amgen, he invested six years at 3M Organization, the place he most just lately served as finance chief. Earlier, Meline held management positions at Basic Motors, like CFO for GM North The us.
Todd McElhatton took around as finance chief at cloud-centered platform Zuora on June 22. McElhatton was most just lately chief financial officer at SAP Cloud Business Group. Prior to that, he was the CFO for SAP North The us. Prior to joining SAP, he held several senior finance management roles, like as CFO at VMware’s Hybrid Cloud Business, CFO at Oracle’s Cloud Expert services, and CFO at Hewlett Packard Managed Expert services Business.
Brian DelGhiaccio was promoted to finance chief at waste selection enterprise Republic Expert services. DelGhiaccio, who was most just lately government vice president and chief transformation officer, joined Republic Expert services in 1998 and has considering the fact that held roles of raising accountability across the finance organization. He also prospects the information and facts engineering, cybersecurity, and data administration departments. DelGhiaccio succeeds Charles Serianni, who will retire on June one, 2021.
Previous Residence Depot CFO Carol Tomé turned chief government officer at UPS. Tomé, who invested eighteen years as the home enhancement company’s CFO, is the first exterior CEO employ the service of in UPS’ 112-calendar year record. Tomé started off her profession as a business loan company with United Financial institution of Denver and then was director of banking for the Johns-Manville Corporation. Prior to joining Residence Depot, Carol was vice president and treasurer of Riverwood International Corporation.
Anthony DiSilvestro was employed as the new CFO at Mattel. From 2014 to 2019, DiSilvestro served as CFO at Campbell Soup Organization. He joined Campbell’s in 1996 and has held a variety of financial management roles, like senior vice president of finance, treasurer, controller, chief financial officer of the company’s North The us and intercontinental divisions, and head of strategic planning and company growth. DiSilvestro can take around for Joseph Euteneuer, who is leaving the enterprise.
Monish Patolawala was employed as CFO at 3M. Patolawala most just lately labored at GE Health care, the place he has served as chief financial officer of the close to $seventeen billion business considering the fact that 2015. Patolawala joined GE in 1994, getting management roles of raising accountability. Patolawala succeeds Nick Gangestad, who is retired.
Murray Auchincloss, CFO of BP’s Upstream section, turned chief financial officer at oil and gas enterprise BP on July one. Auchincloss turned CFO for BP’s Upstream section in 2015 just after two years as Upstream deputy CFO and head of business growth. Auchincloss succeeds Brian Gilvary who will retire on June 30. Gilvary has experienced a 34-calendar year profession with BP, like around 8 years as CFO.
T-Cellular promoted Peter Osvaldik to chief financial officer. Osvaldik, who was most just lately senior vice president of finance and chief accounting officer, joined the enterprise in 2016 as vice president of exterior reporting and complex accounting. Prior to T-Cellular, Osvaldik held chief accounting officer, controller, and administration roles at Outerwall, Coinstar, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Hearst named Debi Chirichella as interim president of its journal team. Chirichella has been the journal group’s finance chief considering the fact that 2011. Prior to joining Hearst, Chirichella invested 7 years at rival Condé Nast, the place she served in many government positions, like chief functioning officer at Condé Nast Digital, COO of the Fairchild Fashion Group, and CFO at Condé Nast Publications.
Kristina Salen was appointed finance chief at Planet Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Salen served as the first CFO of on-line market Etsy, the place she grew the business from $895 million in gross gross sales to $3 billion in 4 years and led and executed the company’s IPO. Salen formerly held CFO and COO roles at Moda Operandi and Translation Enterprises/United Masters, and managed worldwide media and telecom cash with Fidelity Investments.
Domino’s Pizza promoted Stu Levy to chief financial officer. Levy, who was most just lately government vice president of provide chain expert services, joined the pizza chain in 2019 just after serving as government vice president and chief transformation officer at Republic Expert services. Prior to joining Republic Expert services, Levy invested 13 years at Bain & Organization and served as a associate from 2008-2014. Levy can take around for Jeffrey Lawrence, who is retiring from Domino’s just after additional than twenty years at the enterprise.
Ajay Vashee stepped down as CFO at Dropbox just after additional than 8 years at the enterprise. Tim Regan, who was the company’s chief accounting officer, turned the company’s new CFO. Regan has labored at Dropbox for virtually 4 years. He has around two many years of encounter in finance right before Dropbox, from his job as vice president finance and controller at Pandora Media, to senior positions at Dolby Laboratories and Ernst and Younger.
Roku chief financial officer Steve Louden made the decision to stay with the enterprise. In December, Louden mentioned he was stepping down once his alternative was discovered. He prepared to return home to the Seattle location with his family just after aiding in the transition. Roku mentioned that Louden will go on to serve as its CFO though performing remotely in Seattle, and they have ended the lookup for his successor.
Cisco finance chief Kelly Kramer introduced her retirement just after 5 years in the placement. Kramer joined the laptop or computer networking products maker in 2012 as senior vice president of company finance and turned senior vice president of business engineering and operations finance right before getting named CFO in 2015. Prior to Cisco, Kramer was CFO of GE Healthcare’s Health care Systems business.
Jamere Jackson turned the new finance chief at AutoZone just after stepping down as CFO at Hertz. Invoice Giles, the company’s existing CFO, will retire at the end of December 2020 just after 14 years in the job. Prior to joining Hertz, Jackson served as chief financial officer at Nielsen Holdings.
Jeff Wallace is the new CFO at USAA. Wallace joins the enterprise from Financial institution of The us, the place he was most just lately chief financial officer of the client banking and worldwide wealth and investment administration business. Previously in his profession, he held financial management roles at Wachovia Securities, Deutsche Financial institution, and Fidelity Investments. Wallace succeeds Laura Bishop, who is retiring just after additional than 19 years at the enterprise.
McAfee appointed Venkat Bhamidipati chief financial officer. Bhamidipati joined the cybersecurity enterprise from healthcare enterprise Providence, the place he was CFO. Prior to that, he invested 13 years at Microsoft, the place he held many government positions, like CFO of the around the globe organization team, CFO of the around the globe operations and engineering team, and controlling director for business growth and progress technique.
Gina Goetter was named finance chief at Harley-Davidson. Most just lately, she served as CFO at Tyson Foods’s prepared food items section, the place she led the reinvention of the segment’s business model to stabilize dollars movement and correct-size the charge composition. Prior to Tyson, Goetter held a variety of worldwide management positions at Basic Mills, the place she led business model re-engineering and optimized procurement tactics and logistics. She can take around for interim CFO Darrell Thomas, who will go on as vice president and treasurer.
John Lawler took around as CFO at Ford. Lawler has most just lately been serving as CEO of Ford Autonomous Cars and vice president of mobility partnerships. He has invested substantially of his 30 years at Ford in finance management and general administration. Lawler served as president of Ford China for virtually 4 years when the enterprise reached history in-place functionality. He also served as company controller and CFO, worldwide markets, and head of around the globe technique. Lawler took around for Tim Stone, who remaining the enterprise to become CFO and chief functioning officer at application enterprise ASAPP.
Hertz promoted Kenny Cheung to CFO to exchange R. Eric Esper, who resigned just after small additional than a thirty day period in the placement. Esper joined United All-natural Foods as accounting officer and controller, in accordance to a regulatory filing. Esper was promoted to CFO from chief accounting officer when Jamere Jackson resigned from Hertz in August. Cheung was most just lately government vice president of finance, chief operational finance, and restructuring officer.
Papa John’s appointed Ann Gugino chief financial officer. Gugino joins the pizza chain from Focus on, the place she was most just lately senior vice president of financial planning and investigation. Prior to that, she invested eighteen years at health-related materials enterprise Patterson Firms, like 4 years as government vice president and chief financial officer. Gugino can take around for Steve Coke, who has been serving as interim principal financial and accounting officer.
Adrian Mitchell was named Macy’s new finance chief. Mitchell joined the retailer from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) the place he was a controlling director and associate in the digital BCG and client tactics. Prior to joining BCG, Mitchell experienced huge-ranging retail experiences. Mitchell took around for interim CFO Felicia Williams. Williams was named interim CFO in May just after chief financial officer Paula Price tag introduced she was leaving the retailer just after fewer than two years in the job.
Nasdaq promoted Ann Dennison to CFO. Dennison, who is at present senior vice president, controller, and chief accounting officer, will get around as chief financial officer on March one, 2021. Dennison has been with Nasdaq for 5 years and has additional than twenty years of encounter in financial reporting and investigation. Prior to joining Nasdaq, Dennison labored at Goldman Sachs as controlling director, head of financial reporting. She can take around for Michael Ptasznik, who will retire on February 28.
Tapestry, the parent enterprise of Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman, named CFO Joanne Crevoiserat as chief government officer. Crevoiserat, who turned CFO in August 2019, took around as interim CEO in July. She joined the enterprise from Abercrombie & Fitch, the place she was employed as chief financial officer.
Stanley Sutula is the new finance chief at Colgate-Palmolive. Sutula has served as government vice president and chief financial officer at Pitney Bowes considering the fact that February 2017 and formerly invested 28 years at IBM. His tenure at IBM incorporated financial administration roles of raising accountability, culminating in support as IBM’s vice president and controller. Sutula can take around for Henning Jakobsen, who will think the job of senior vice president until finally his retirement on December 31.
International Automotive Factors (IAC) finance chief David Prystash will become its up coming CEO and a member of the company’s board of directors, powerful January one, 2021. Prior to joining IAC in November 2018, Prystash held management positions at Basic Motors, like vice president and CFO of worldwide product or service growth, purchasing, and provide chain. Kevin Graham, who is vice president of finance, will become CFO.
WarnerMedia CFO Pascal Desroches has been named the new finance chief at AT&T, powerful April one. Prior to serving as CFO at WarnerMedia, Desroches was chief financial officer at Turner and worldwide controller at Time Warner. Desroches can take around for John Stephens, who will retire in March just after 28 years with the enterprise and 9 years as CFO.
Lululemon promoted Meghan Frank to chief financial officer. Frank joined Lululemon in 2016 as senior vice president of financial planning and investigation and, considering the fact that April, has served as interim co-CFO, together with Alex Grieve, vice president, controller for the enterprise. She formerly held senior roles at Ross Merchants and J.Crew, the place she served for virtually a decade.
Sysco named Aaron Alt as the foodservice distribution company’s new CFO, powerful December 7. Alt most just lately served as chief financial officer at retailer Sally Natural beauty Holdings and president of Sally Natural beauty Source. Alt’s encounter also features government management roles in finance, operations, and grocery transformation at Focus on. Alt replaces Joel Quality, who will think the recently created job of government vice president of business growth.
Cisco named R. Scott Herren finance chief. Considering the fact that November 2014, Herren served as CFO and senior vice president at style and engineering application enterprise Autodesk. At Autodesk, he assisted the enterprise change its business model from perpetual licenses to SaaS and recurring subscriptions. Herren succeeds Kelly Kramer, who is retiring just after 9 years at the enterprise.
Amy Weaver was named president and CFO at Salesforce. Weaver, a existing president and chief authorized officer at the enterprise, will get around for finance chief Mark Hawkin on February one. Hawkin, who is retiring on January 31, will transition to an advisory job as CFO emeritus as a result of Oct 2021. Prior to joining Salesforce, Weaver was government vice president and general counsel at Univar.
Money One particular promoted Andrew Younger to finance chief, powerful March one. Younger has served as senior vice president and business line CFO at the enterprise considering the fact that April 2018. He has also served as the chief financial officer of Money One particular, N.A., the premier of the company’s two nationwide financial institution subsidiaries, considering the fact that July 2018. He can take around for R. Scott Blackley, who is leaving the enterprise to become CFO at coverage startup Oscar Health and fitness Insurance.
Procter & Gamble promoted Andre Schulten to finance chief, powerful March one. Schulten, who joined the enterprise in 1996, is at present senior vice president of child treatment in North The us. Previously in his profession, Schulten held other roles, like senior vice president of finance and accounting in West Europe and for P&G’s worldwide family treatment, child treatment, and female treatment enterprises. He succeeds extended-time CFO Jon Moeller, who will keep his job as vice chairman and chief functioning officer.
Coty promoted Laurent Mercier to chief financial officer, powerful February fifteen. Mercier, who is at present the splendor company’s deputy CFO, joined Coty as CFO of its luxury division in 2017. He formerly invested twenty years at worldwide foodstuff and beverage giant Danone, the place he held many management roles. He succeeds Pierre-André Terisse, with whom he has labored closely at each Coty and all through their prior roles at Danone.