text:
|Bid||27.08 x 1300|
|Ask||30.70 x 900|
|Day's Range||28.88 - 30.61|
|52 Week Range||28.88 - 54.50|
|Beta (5Y Monthly)||0.64|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||7.44|
|Earnings Date||Feb 11, 2020|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||2.70 (8.55%)|
|Ex-Dividend Date||Dec 12, 2019|
|1y Target Est||37.71|
Taubman Centers, Inc. (NYSE: TCO) announced today the tax allocations of the 2019 dividend distributions on its common shares and 6.5% Series J and 6.25% Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares.
Simon Property (SPG) to enjoy the largest network of Return Bar counters in the shopping-center industry, with the latest expansion of the Happy Returns' service desks to 52 locations.
A New York-based coworking company is planning a second location in Denver, but it won't be in the standard office building one might expect. Industrious, which operates 90-plus locations across more than 45 cities in the U.S., is gearing up to remodel and create a 25,000-square-foot flexible workspace in Denver's Cherry Creek Shopping Center by late 2020. The company's first Denver location — 26,600 square feet at 1801 California St. — opened in late 2017, years after the Industrious founders first earmarked the city for expansion.
Taubman Centers, Inc. (NYSE: TCO) will announce its fourth quarter 2019 earnings after the market closes on February 12, 2020. The company will host a conference call to discuss these results on February 13, 2020 at 10 a.m. EST.
TORONTO, Dec. 23, 2019 -- Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (“CAPREIT”) (TSX:CAR.UN) announced today that Mr. René Tremblay has been appointed as a.
Though Macerich's (MAC) share-price performance has been disappointing in 2019, it is undertaking all appropriate measures to turn around tables in the upcoming year.
While Kimco Realty (KIM) will gain from its ownership of premium assets in key markets amid healthy job market and high consumer spending, e-retail boom and dispositions' dilutive impact are woes.
After several tireless days we have finished crunching the numbers from nearly 750 13F filings issued by the elite hedge funds and other investment firms that we track at Insider Monkey, which disclosed those firms' equity portfolios as of September 30th. The results of that effort will be put on display in this article, as […]
While Regency Centers (REG) benefits from premium portfolio of grocery-anchored shopping centers, choppiness in the retail real estate market is a concern.
Taubman Centers, Inc. (NYSE: TCO) today declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.675 per share of common stock. The common dividend is payable December 31, 2019, to shareholders of record on December 16, 2019.
Some parking lots at Fair Oaks Mall could someday be replaced with new development, now that Fairfax County officials have signed off on a key zoning change for the property. The county’s Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed Tuesday to reduce the minimum parking requirements at several large shopping centers, including the Fair Oaks Mall. The development’s owner, Taubman Centers, pressed for the change, arguing the county’s parking standards were outdated and preventing new development on underused lots at the mall.
The acquisition of single-tenant retail properties, with roughly 5.1 million leasable square feet upon completion, will offer Realty Income (O) a significant scale and competitive edge.
While SL Green Realty's (SLG) opportunistic investment policy will enhance its overall portfolio, high supply of office assets will impact its ability to backfill near-term tenant move-outs.
Rating Action: Moody's affirms eleven and downgrades two classes of MSBAM 2013- C7. Global Credit Research- 26 Nov 2019. Approximately $1.00 billion of structured securities affected.
Retail Properties (RPAI) recent lease deal with Shake Shack at Circle East redevelopment project aims at attracting young, well-off and educated shoppers.
Acadia Realty Trust's (AKR) strategic acquisitions and selective dispositions are in sync with the company's efforts of generating ample dry powder to execute its accretive external growth moves.
Construction should begin in early 2020 on Pinstripes and the mall's new luxury dine-in theater.


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Flickr has just launched Photo Book, a new service hat further marries the digital and analog world of photography. This premium service allows users to create their own hardcover photo book that will help keeping their memories and tell their stories.
The company considers the timing of the announcement notable because Flickr users can create their own book just in time for the holidays.
Once ordered, books should arrive between 5 to 7 business days. There is a catch however, it is only available to Continental US at this point. We do hope Flickr will open this to the rest of the world in the near future.
- Visual Web – The Next Big Thing
- Real-Life Instagram Filters in London
- Go Blue for More Likes on Instagram
More from Other Platforms
In an event yesterday, Instagram has launched IGTV a standalone app that allows users to upload videos up to an …
YouTube unveiled a new creative suite for brands and agencies to create a "more delightful experience for the user" that …
Pinterest is moving into real-world business as the discovery platform is about to launch its first subscription box with FabFitFun.

domain: news


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of you who thought there’s nothing in the world that could make you envious of Kansas City (aside from good barbecue),
I’ve got news for you.
Tech geeks everywhere are green with envy after Google announced that their Google Fiber internet connection and
cable TV service will launch in the city on both the Missouri and Kansas sides of town this fall.
The tech company that turned an internet
search engine into a verb, a valuable stock and part of the vernacular has made its foray into the market for bundled internet
and television services, promising access speeds more than 100 times faster than those of traditional US cable and telecommunications
Imagine downloading the entire Godfather trilogy in high definition in about a minute. Or putting every single Beatles
song ever made onto your iPod in even less time. That’s the speed we’re talking about here, folks. And now you
see why this tech reporter is teeming with envy.
The project to turn the Midwestern city of about 600,000 into a hub of hyper-fast
internet — called Google Fiber — promises Gigabit speeds at the cost of regular broadband.
Google hopes to later roll out the service
to other cities — giving more people in more places access to high-speed internet.
“Access is the next frontier that
needs to be opened,” said Google chief financial officer Patrick Pichette. “We’re going to do it profitably.
That is our plan.”
“We are at a crossroad,” he added, noting that internet speeds had levelled out for broadband since around
2000. “We at Google we believe there is no need to wait.”
The service, which will be available starting this September,
will let users download unlimited internet data at the speed of 1000 megabits (Mbps) per second for $70.
In addition to the blazing broader than
broadband internet, Google’s also offering a new TV service called Google Fiber Television. The service is a lot like
Google TV, but with more features such as the ability to record eight TV shows at a time and store up to 500 hours of high
definition programming. Users will also be able to use an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet as a voice-activated remote
control and at some point, they’ll be able to stream video on those devices as well.
The TV package will have most broadcast
networks along with hundreds of “Fiber channels”. Some major TV networks like Fox News, CNN and the Disney Channel
are not yet available. Google executives said the company is still in negotiations to add more content before the service
goes live in September.
After just two days, already 20 percent of Kansas City, Missouri (the more populated Kansas City) had signed up.
Mayor Sly James is clearly pleased his city will be the first to receive such a service.
“We now have an opportunity to
take a giant step and if we don’t it’s all on us,” Mr James said. “It’s going to be a great
educational tool that’s going to create innovators and entrepreneurs, and that’s exactly what we want.”
launch of the citywide network could highlight the broader issue of slow internet as speed become crucial for innovation in
a digital economy. The company hopes it will spur phone and cable companies into upgrading their own networks.
have simply not kept pace with the phenomenal increases in computing power and storage capacity that’s spurred innovation
over the last decade,” Milo Medin, Google’s vice president of access services, wrote in a blog post.
ultra high-speed connections and television offerings are aimed at surpassing those of current providers. Until now, Time
Warner Cable has dominated the Kansas City market, charging $99.95 for its fastest internet-only service. Google Fiber would
be 20 times faster.
For $120 a month, users can get Google Fiber’s cable TV service, one gigabit per second internet speeds and
one terabyte of cloud storage. The company is also offering an internet-only package priced at $70 a month, also with speeds
of be one gigabits per second. Both require a $300 installation fee, but it looks like a bargain when you consider that many
of us here in Bermuda pay more than four times as much per month for internet that’s 100 times slower.
Now if only we
could talk Google into making Bermuda its first international Google Fiber market …
Kansas City, Kansas,
will be the first city to receive Google’s experimental high-speed Internet network. The announcement Wednesday ends
a year-long process that sparked a heated
nationwide competition between
more than 1,000 U.S. communities.
The search giant first announced its intention to build an experimental fiber network with speeds 100 times faster than the typical U.S. Internet connection — an astounding 1 GB per second. Google’s
goal wasn’t to become an Internet service provider (ISP) that would compete with the likes of Comcast but rather was
to help push broadband and Internet delivery forward.
After Google’s initial announcement, dozens of cities started their own campaigns
to persuade Google to bring its high-speed network to their cities. Most famously, Topeka, Kansas, briefly changed its name to Google, Kansas, but other cities went to great lengths to get Google’s
a full year later, the technology titan has chosen its winner: Kansas City, which has already signed a development agreement
with Google to start the project.
So why did Google choose Kansas City, a city with a population of 145,000? Here is the company’s explanation:
“In selecting a city, our goal was to find a location where
we could build efficiently, make an impact on the community and develop relationships with local government and community
organizations. We’ve found this in Kansas City. We’ll be working closely with local organizations including the
Kauffman Foundation, KCNext and the University of Kansas Medical Center to help develop the gigabit applications of the future.”
If your city wasn’t
chosen, don’t fret; Google says it is “looking closely at ways to bring ultra high-speed Internet to other cities
across the country.” If Kansas City turns out to be a success, then don’t be surprised if Google Fiber starts
stretching its way from coast to coast.
That’s good news for Topeka, Kansas City’s neighbor sixty
miles to the west....


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80% of the food served at the Olympics will be sourced from local British businesses!
Hello food lovers and entrepreneurs! Here is some great news for those of you working in the UK food and catering industry: the London 2012 Organising Committee has recently pledged in its ‘Food Vision’ http://www.london2012.com/publications/food-vision.php to serve ‘the best of British food’ during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
And what fantastic opportunities for British businesses: 80% of the food served at the Olympics will be sourced from local British businesses – the remaining 20% being supplied by London 2012 commercial partners, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Cadburys etc.
The recently disclosed London 2012 Food Vision aims to set new standards for catering at UK events; Local, seasonal, healthier and sustainable standards will be favored. All dairy products, beef, lamb and poultry must be British. In addition, bananas, tea, coffee and sugar will be Fairtrade. And 100% of the 19 tonnes of eggs that will be served will have to be cage-free.
And to help you get a feel for the size of the operation – a whopping 14 million meals to be served, this roughly means businesses will need to supply some:
*25,000 loaves of bread
*232 tonnes of potatoes
*82 tonnes of seafood
*31 tonnes of poultry
*100 tonnes of meat
*75,000 litres of milk
*21 tonnes of cheese (yum) and
*330 tonnes of fruit and vegetables
If you would like to be one of the lucky businesses that will cater at the Olympics, the search to find catering suppliers is now underway! For your chance of obtaining a piece of the 2012 pie (sorry couldn’t help it!) get your business onto www.competefor.co.uk And if you’re more pie filling than form filling let us foodies at Win That Bid give you a helping hand. Growing businesses is really what we do best.


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UK Inflation to Fall to Just Above 2% by end of 2023, Citi Says - BLOOMBERG
(Bloomberg) -- The UK’s inflation rate will tumble from double digits to close to 2% by the end of 2023 as the slump in gas prices provides welcome relief to households and businesses, according to Citigroup.
Economists at the bank said in a note that consumer-price growth will slow even more sharply than the Bank of England expects, falling to 2.4% in the fourth quarter of 2023 from its current level of 10.1%.
A slump in inflation that sharp would be a major boost to Rishi Sunak’s government, which has made easing the cost-of-living crisis a key pledge. It would also relieve the pressure on the BOE to raise interest rates even further after the most aggressive hiking cycle in three decades.
Citi UK economist Benjamin Nabarro said the changes to its forecasts were driven by “in particular the further selloff in European gas prices.” The effect of the energy-price surge is beginning to fade out of the inflation figures while household gas and electricity bills are expected to fall soon.
The BOE expects inflation to decline to 4% by the end of the year but some private-sector forecasters are now predicting an even sharper easing in price pressures. The consensus in this month’s Bloomberg survey is for inflation to fall to 3.9% in the fourth quarter, with Pantheon Macroeconomics and Investec also seeing price growth slowing to close to the BOE’s target.
The BOE is mulling a pause in its rate rises amid hopes that inflation in the UK has now peaked. The rate has fallen for three consecutive months after hitting a four-decade high of 11.1% in October.


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Laminating company to add 42 jobs in Henry County
Laminate Technologies Inc. to invest $4M in expansion
Custom laminating company Laminate Technologies Inc. will invest $4 million to expand its Henry County facility in Ridgeway, creating 42 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday.
The company’s manufacturing facility, which opened in 2012, is located at 775 Industrial Park Drive, where an automated hardwood plywood press line will be installed to increase its capacity and production.
“With our skilled workforce, competitive operating costs and access to key markets, manufacturers like Laminate Technologies are finding opportunity in Virginia,” Northam said in a statement. “Expansions in the advanced manufacturing sector will aid our economic recovery during this ongoing pandemic, and we look forward to partnering with the company on its next phase of growth in Henry County.”
Based in Ohio, Laminate Technologies was founded in 1985 as a laminated panel product, fabricated component and furniture product supplier. It has manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The commonwealth competed with Ohio for the expansion.
“We studied several of our East Coast production facilities for expansion but selected our Ridgeway, Virginia, location for multiple reasons, including the solid workforce, proximity to customers and supply chain logistics,” Laminate Technologies Chief Operating Officer Randy Joseph said in a statement. “Adding hardwood plywood production to our current lamination and fabrication capabilities provides a great product synergy. This, coupled with our neighboring supply partner, Southern Finishing in Martinsville, enables us to bring a lot of value to the market.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) worked with the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation on the project, and Northam approved a $100,000 Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund grant to help Henry County with the project.
Laminate Technologies is eligible for Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program benefits as well as benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program. The Virginia Talent Accelerator Program will provide recruitment and training services.


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Road-side vendors urged to get permit ahead of Valentine's Day
MCALLEN – City officials are warning road-side vendors to follow the law ahead of Valentine’s Day.
Director of Health and Code Enforcment in McAllen, Steven Kotsatos, warns vendors selling everything such as flowers, chocolates and stuffed animals must make sure the law is being followed.
Kotsatos urges vendors to get a permit to sell anything this Valentine’s Day in order to sell in authorized locations such as agricultural or commercial areas.
Vendors are encouraged to stop by City Hall to pick up an application, which does include a fee.
For more information watch the video above.


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Access to China’s retail banking sector has not come easily for foreign operators. The regulatory reforms that came at the end of 2006 were supposed to break down the barriers between them and full participation in the local currency market. In practice, things have not been so easy.
Approval of new products – notably debit cards, which can still only be issued by two foreign banks in the mainland – has been slow. Obviously this has an impact on the services that can be offered in the field of wealth management, an area in which overseas expertise is expected to pay dividends.
“They have product innovation capabilities, but unfortunately they can’t launch many products,” said Samuel Chen, a vice president in the banks and financial services division at JPMorgan Securities in Hong Kong. “So far, their products are not much different from those launched by the Chinese banks.”
While the regulatory environment is strict, banking industry figures hint the approvals process is getting easier.
“As the market develops and as the regulators become more comfortable about the overall situation, things are changing,” said Richard Leung, head of wealth management at UBS Securities, the Swiss bank’s Beijing-based brokerage joint venture. “In the past, almost all new products required prior approval by the regulator, but now they are increasingly products that only have to be reported after they are launched.”
This is borne out by Citibank’s experiences getting new products off the ground. According to Anand Selva, who heads the US lender’s consumer banking operations in China, debit cards were a challenge because they represent a new product category. But for Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) products – a category in which Citibank has a track record – regulatory filings can be made up to five days after launch.
Nevertheless, there are still areas in which foreign participation is limited, to the detriment of banks’ local expansion plans. For example, overseas players are allowed to sell products developed by local insurers, but they are currently unable to offer clients direct access to local mutual fund products. Their only exposure to the domestic stock market comes through the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (QFII) scheme.
Leung notes that discretionary investment accounts and investment trust-based products – which have license to engage in a wide variety of financial activities – are now both within the foreign banks’ remit. But other, more sophisticated areas, such as securitization and project financing, are off limits.
The complicated option is not always the best one, though, especially in a country that is only just coming to grips with wealth management.
“With structured products, the underlying assets vary – it could be a couple of indices, a basket of stocks or a commodity,” said Citibank’s Selva. “As all of these products are new to the market, we keep them fairly simple. It tends to be a basket of stocks that are all well-known or a group of indices that are easily understood, such as the Jim Rogers commodity index.”


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South Australians will soon be able to find cheap petrol whenever they want under a state government push for real-time fuel prices.
New laws introduced to state parliament on Wednesday will ensure fuel retailers report prices within 30 minutes of a change.
The laws are in response to findings from the South Australian Productivity Commission, with a two-year trial to commence in spring.
The Productivity Commission’s report found the presence of real-time pricing data helped consumers find low-cost fuel.
After looking at interstate models, it was decided adopting the outlet price reporting method was best suited.
The Commission found Western Australia’s approach of freezing prices for 24 hours may have greater compliance costs for fuel retailers.
Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said the accumulated price data would be owned and operated by the state government.
The information would then be made available for free to private app providers, like in Queensland, so consumers could choose which app to use.
She said a $10,000 fine applied to fuel retailers who failed to report price changes.
“While this may not reduce the overall cost of petrol, it will help motorists make informed choices and find the cheapest prices at any given time,” Chapman said.
“The expectation from the Productivity Commission is that this could provide up to $8 million a year in savings for consumers.”
The Royal Automobile Association welcomed the announcement, while fuel expert Mark Borlace said it will give motorists much-needed information to save money.
More on 7NEWS.com.au
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- Melbourne mum horrified after biting into McDonald’s burger
- For more SA news, head here
“RAA research shows Adelaide has the greatest variation in petrol prices of any state capital,” he said.
“It is so important that motorists will soon have this money-saving tool.”


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São Paulo – The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce signed a memorandum of understanding this Tuesday (12) with SP Negócios, the investment and export promotion agency of the municipality of São Paulo. The document was signed by Arab Chamber president Rubens Hannun and SP Negócios president Juan Quirós during the opening of a cycle of lectures on consumer habits at the Arab Chamber’s headquarters in São Paulo.
The agreement should boost the cooperation between the Arab Chamber and SP Negócios, which have already worked together in some initiatives. Hannun said that one of the goals is bringing companies based in São Paulo closer to the Arab market, and this should assist in one of the Arab Chamber’s goals, which is diversifying exports to the Arab countries, since most companies in the city produce finished goods. The idea is that products with a higher added value should complement exports, which now consist mostly of commodities.
“Taking companies based in the city of São Paulo to the Arab countries, helping them break into that market. This help us diversifying exports,” Hannun told ANBA. Other fronts of the agreement includes offering training to the Arab Chamber members to become international through programs of SP Negócios as well as the exchange of information between both institutions.
The cooperation should bring the Arab Chamber closer to the city’s small- and medium-sized enterprises, which is line with an agreement signed by the organization and Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) last month during president Jair Bolsonaro’s travel to the Arab country. The agreement is aimed at drawing Saudi investment to Brazilian SMEs and startups, and vice versa, and SP Negócios may help identify potential companies.
Before signing the agreement, SP Negócios president talked a little about his own history with the Arab countries. Besides having an Arab background himself, Quirós worked with the Arab Market and collaborated with the Arab Chamber when he was president of two other organizations: the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), where he worked from 2003 to 2007, and Investe São Paulo, a branch of the government of the state for trade and investment promotion, from 2015 to 2017.
He said that, when he took office at Apex, his goal was breaking into new foreign markets and one of his chosen focus was the Arab market, deciding that Dubai should be the first place where the agency should take a Brazilian corporate mission to. “We already saw Dubai as a logistics hub for distributing products,” said Quirós, pointing out that Apex opened its first office to support trade with the Arab countries in Dubai.
“We spent a lot of time negotiating everything from chicken wings to Embraer planes, and we were very successful,” Quirós said. He said that the Arab Chamber was fundamental for this strategy. The SP Negócios president gave tips to entrepreneurs and said that the relations with Arab businesspeople is based on trust. “We must build emotional ties because foreign trade is based on emotion,” he said.
The signing of the agreement was followed by lectures on the Arab consumer given by three experts: H2R Pesquisas commercial director Alessandra Frisso, Euromonitor Strategic Intelligence for Middle Eastern and North Africa Markets consultant Kinda Chebib, and Minerva Foods exports manager Janaína Azevedo.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda


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A car show celebrating Collector Car Recognition Day was held on Saturday, July 15th at Galuppi’s Restaurant in Pompano Beach, FL. The event was sponsored by SEMA, the Fort Lauderdale Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) with assistance from Rick Case Automitive Group and the City Of Pompano Beach. Donations were collected to benefit Honor Flights.
Over 100 cars were on display, ranging from classic American muscle cars to European sports cars. There were also a number of special interest vehicles, including a 1959 Chevrolet Apache 3100 pickup, a 1952 Chevrolet De Luxe Bel Air Hardtop, and a Good Humor ice cream truck.
In addition to the car show, there were also a number of other activities, including a 50/50 drawing, Scott The Music Man DJ, and goodie bags to all participamts. The event was a great way for car enthusiasts to celebrate their love of cars and to learn more about the history of automotive restoration.
The event was a success, and organizers are already planning for next year’s event. If you’re a car enthusiast, be sure to mark your calendar for July 13, 2024.
“This was a great event for car enthusiasts of all ages,” said SEMA President and CEO Christopher Kersting. “We’re proud to partner with the Fort Lauderdale Region of AACA to celebrate Collector Car Recognition Day and to help raise awareness of the importance of automotive restoration.”
“We had a great turnout for this year’s event,” said AACA Fort Lauderdale Region President Frank Rizzo. “We’re grateful to SEMA for their sponsorship and to all of the car owners who brought their vehicles to show off.”
If you’re a car enthusiast, be sure to mark your calendar for July 13, 2024. Visit the SEMA website for more information about Collector Car Recognition Day. Join the Fort Lauderdale Region of the AACA to stay up-to-date on upcoming events.


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Two days ago, Snapchat announced on its official blog a new partnership between the Snap Inc. and Amazon, which will enable Snapchatters worldwide to shop for Amazon’s products at any time via the Snapchat platform.
Snapchat reveals that they are still testing a new tool which allows users to search for products on Amazon right from their Snapchat camera, starting from this week. It also points out that they will be rolling it out slowly in the near future.
In commenting on this partnership, there are two notes that should be kept in mind; the first one is that back in July 2018, TechCrunch revealed that the Snapchat team is working hard on launching new visual product search tools, which was built on insights given by the back-end code of the app.
The second note is that this Snapchat’s Visual Search feature completely looks like the Pinterest’s Lens tool, which is a tool that helps users scan objects and find related visual matches on the Pinterest platform. But, the difference here is that Snapchatters will be directed to Amazon’s product library, unlike Pinterest’s Lens which directs users to an in-built product catalog.
To access to this Snapchat’s Visual Search feature, some easy steps should be taken as stated by Snapchat:
It is clear that recently, Snapchat is trying slowly to shift towards eCommerce similar to other social media platforms. Accordingly, last week, Snap Inc. has announced on its official blog that they are introducing two different webinars which focus on eCommerce on the Snapchat platform, within the coming days.
These two conferences -which were Deep Dive on the Snap Pixel and eCommerce Advertising on Snapchat- were built to provide a valuable set of insights which help advertisers learn how Snapchat can boost eCommerce campaigns, in order to enable them to make sure their campaigns are performance-ready and able to reach the targeted objectives.
Finally, we can say that Snapchat clearly knows that maintaining its value in today’s competitive market is not an easy mission, that’s why Snapchat is continuously working on providing an integrated platform for all Snapchatters globally.
COPYRIGHTS DIGITAL MARKETING COMMUNITY 2019


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|WorldCargo News the world's leading resource for international cargo professionals
Published: 13 March 2017
People on the move
Latest round-up of appointments known to WorldCargo News in the shipping, ports and allied industry sectors
ZIM has nominated Eli Glickman as President and CEO of the company effective 1st July. Glickman will replace Rafi Danieli, current CEO, who last year advised that he would be stepping down after eight years in post. In addition, Guy Eldar, CFO, has asked to leave the company after 4.5 years in this position. A replacement is yet to be nominated. Glickman was previously CEO of Israel Electric Company and before that held senior posts with Orange Cellular Communication and Partner Orange’s Customer Division. He is also a former CEO of Exel MPL.
Brazilian mining and shipping giant Vale has stepped up its search for a new CEO to replace the departing Murilo Ferreira, who will not renew his current contract, expiring on 26th May. Local sources say that major shareholders are anxious to protect the world's largest iron ore miner and shipper from political influence (Reuters).
Dr Toshiyuki Shigemi has been appointed as Executive Vice President as well as Executive Director of ClassNK. Yasushi Nakamura has stepped down as Senior Executive Vice President, and has been appointed as an Advisor to the Society.
Hutchison Ports Mexico has appointed Francisco Orozco Mendoza as its new Commercial Director. He replaces Agustín Arroyo Toledo, who has left the company after 11 years in post. Orozco leaves his existing job as Operations Director (Mexico) of Maersk Line, for which he has worked for the past 23 years. Orozco continues as VP of the Mexican Association of Shipping Agents (Amanac), having previously held the post of president for two years, before giving way to Felipe Bracamontes in 2016.
David Robinson is leaving his position as CEO of PD Ports to move to a position with the company's shareholder Brookfield Asset Management, becoming Director of Operations within the Brookfield Infrastructure European team, with an initial focus on the UK and European ports assets. He will also become Chairman of PD Ports. With effect from 15th March, Frans Calje is the new CEO of PD Ports, reporting to Roberto Marcogliese in Brookfield. In turn, Jerry Hopkinson, replaces as PD Ports' COO and Vice Chairman.
In Mexico, Miguel Casanueva has been appointed as the first ever Director General of the Mexican Port, Maritime and Coastal Infrastructure Association (AMIP) in the 50 years of its existence. Formerly he was Communications Director. He forms part of a new team being put together by incoming president Claudia Sánchez, with the aim of developing training and education courses for national and international engineers.
Raimund Stüer has been appointed Managing Director, Sales at DB Cargo AG as of 15th March. As a member of DB Cargo's five-person Management Board, he will be responsible for all of the German and Europe-wide sales and marketing activities of Europe's largest freight operating company. Stüer has spent most of his career in rail freight and was a co-founder of TX Logistik AG and also previously held senior positions at Kühne + Nagel Management AG.
Oakland, CA: XVELA, a Navis company and creator of the world’s first SaaS collaboration platform for ocean carriers and terminal operators, has appointed Guy Rey-Herme as CEO. Rey-Herme previously served as co-founder and COO of GT Nexus, now Infor, one of the leading many-to-many SaaS platforms in the supply. The appointment signals XVELA’s "continued commitment to addressing the fundamental need for collaboration in the ocean shipping industry, ultimately helping terminals and carriers to see the full stowage picture, realize new operational efficiencies and capture substantial untapped savings across the ocean supply chain."
Parsippany, NJ: INTTRA, the ocean shipping electronic marketplace, has announced that Vijay Minocha has joined the company as President, Asia Pacific. He will report to John Fay, INTTRA's CEO. The post is based in Singapore.
Rotterdam: Royal Vopak has announced that it will recommend that Hanne B Sørensen be appointed a member of the Supervisory Board during its AGM on 19th April 2017. Mrs Sørensen has broad experience in international logistics, including in the area of shipping of refined oil products and managing a global network. She is a former CEO of Maersk Tankers and of Damco.
Leading coating manufacturer Hempel has appointed Michael Hansen as EVP and COO with effect from 1st May. He joins Hempel from Maersk, where he most recently held the position of Vice President & Global Head of Sales in Maersk Line. He will be part of Hempel’s Executive Management Board, reporting directly to Group President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Henrik Andersen.
Atlanta, GA: Leading forestry products shipper Georgia-Pacific has named Christian Fischer as its new President and CEO, succeeding Jim Hannan. Fischer joined Georgia-Pacific in 1989, and has held a number of senior posts, most recently that of EVP, packaging and cellulose segment.


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The Christmas shopping season kicks off officially this weekend - the first Saturday in December - when retailers will be desperately hoping they can end a difficult economic year on a high.
Traders face tough opposition from fickle customers looking for bargains in a cut-price market, and inevitably the threat of the internet.
This Monday has been dubbed Mega Monday because it is the biggest day of online shopping frenzy with £320 million predicted to be spent on Visa cards alone, as transactions hit 6.8 million.
For Eastbourne shops, faced with competition from Brighton and Tunbridge Wells, the retail offering is better than ever with the town centre and the Arndale Centre buzzing.
An array of late night shopping activities have been laid on to lure shoppers to the town centre.
News that there will be free parking from 4pm on three consecutive Thursdays in the town centre will serve as music to traders’ ears.
Parking continues to be a major issue for businesses, claimed to act as a deterrent, and the fact that the Arndale Centre is also offering the incentive from 6pm on those night will serve as a major boost to traders and an incentive to shoppers who might prefer the ease of access of out-of-town stores or the simple click of a mouse on the internet.
It is an innovative idea, let’s see if the forward-thinking is rewarded by shoppers.


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SAN DIEGO — San Diego County officials reminded holiday shoppers Thursday to double-check receipts to make sure they are not being overcharged due to faulty cash register price scanners.
Overcharges, however, do occur. County inspections routinely find about 20 percent of businesses make overcharge errors, county officials said. Agriculture, Weights and Measures department officials said consumers can protect themselves checking the receipt, then notifying the store’s management of any discrepancies; and using sales advertising to verify prices and knowing that retailers cannot legally charge more than their lowest advertised, posted or quoted price.
Shoppers should also watch for publicized sales, make a shopping list, comparison shop and use a spending plan and a timetable to take advantage of future sales, county officials said.
County officials said overcharges that cannot be resolved at the store level should be reported to the Agriculture, Weights and Measures by calling (888) 878-3722.


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A global drug maker with a manufacturing operation in the region has opened a 98,500-square-foot warehouse to free up production space on its campus.
New York-based Pfizer unveiled last week the new warehouse, Building 541, at its Pfizer Global Supply operation in Portage, at 7000 Portage Rd.
It will house work-in-progress and finished products, all of which will be moved into the building by the end of the first quarter.
“Our current facility is one-million square feet, and we needed to claim the space at the current warehouse for new production,” said Bob Betzig, Portage site leader, Pfizer.
“We built this space to move the products into the new space and have enough room for future growth.”
The warehouse cost $30 million, along with $11 million for parking lot construction and other site features.
Construction started on Sept. 29, 2016 and was completed in January.
Read the entire article on the website of our partner, the Grand Rapids Business Journal, or pick up this week's edition of the Business Journal on your newsstand.


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Offering less-than-sincere condolences for a competitor’s misfortune, a Microsoft spokesperson publicly hoped the ongoing PlayStation Network outage would lead to more action on Xbox Live.
Electronic Theatre quotes a U.K. Microsoft mouthpiece:
“Of course it’s regretful that Sony is encountering issues at such a busy time, and Microsoft takes no joy in the problems gamers are having playing their favourite games online. That being said, we are expecting Microsoft’s robust online network to see an increase of traffic from those gamers who own both systems. Being able to play their games via the Xbox LIVE network could make all the difference for some gamers, and the Xbox Nations event will allow all of them to do just that – whether they have a Gold subscription or not.”
On Friday, Sony revealed the outage that knocked its network offline — stopping gamers from playing online, as well as from playing some games altogether due to digital rights management snafus — comes from an “external intrusion.”
If you play on the PS3, is the outage driving you into the arms of a competitor?


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By Se Young Lee
SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd forecast a sharp jump in quarterly profit, trumping expectations and sending its shares surging as favourable currency rates and robust component sales appeared have to offset weakness in smartphones.
The extent of the expected quarterly profit gain, its first in two years, will do much to allay concerns that the South Korean tech giant's earnings would not be able shake off the loss of smartphone market share to Apple Inc in the premium segment and to Chinese rivals at the lower end.
Samsung Electronics estimated July-September operating profit would leap 80 percent from a year earlier to 7.3 trillion won (4.1 billion pounds), higher than a 6.7 trillion won profit Thomson Reuters SmartEstimate derived from 30 analysts.
"There were worries that overall earnings will continue falling as mobile profits declined, but now the numbers make the case that Samsung has the capacity to withstand weakness from the mobile business," said IBK Securities analyst Lee Seung-woo.
Its stock jumped 8.7 percent, the biggest daily percentage gain in nearly seven years. But it remains down 5.7 percent so far this year, underperforming a 4.7 percent advance for South Korea's benchmark index due to the long-standing worries about its earnings outlook.
The world's No.1 maker of smartphones and memory chips guided for a 7.5 percent revenue increase for the third quarter, in line with expectations. It gave no further details about its performance, and will disclose full results in late October.
A 12 percent depreciation of the average won exchange rate against the dollar in the third quarter was widely cited as a key factor behind the bullish earnings forecast. Dongbu Securities analyst Yoo Eui-hyung estimated the favourable currency rate added about 300 billion won to operating profit.
Analysts also said Samsung's chip division likely remained its top profit contributor for a fifth straight quarter due to new smartphone launches from a range of manufacturers, while display profits were probably helped by rising sales to clients such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [XTC.UL].
And while Samsung has yet to regain lost market share, smartphone earnings likely improved from a year earlier on the back of new lower-end models and the August launch of the Galaxy Note 5 - a premium large screen phone.
South Korea's top two mobile carriers, SK Telecom Co Ltd and KT Corp, also said Samsung will cut prices for Galaxy S6 models by as much as 124,300 won starting Thursday - a move that could boost sales volume but also hurt margins. Samsung declined to comment on the price cuts.
HDC Asset Management fund manager Park Jung-hoon said fourth-quarter operating profit would probably ease from the third quarter due to higher smartphone marketing bills ahead of the year-end holidays.
(Additional reporting by Sohee Kim and Joyce Lee and Tony Munroe; Editing by Stephen Coates and Edwina Gibbs)


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Charleys Philly Steaks is celebrating the 2022 Holiday Season by hosting their 12 Days of Charleys event starting December 1, 2022.
Story continues below
From December 1 through December 12, 2022 on the Charleys app, rewards members who make a check-in will receive a surprise reward in the app, like dollars off or free food. Additionally, every order made on the app will also come with a surprise offer, so there’s an opportunity for 36 surprise offers across the 12 days of Charleys.
On social, Charleys will be doing giveaways on a daily basis, including free cheesesteaks, gift cards and unique holiday swag.
The 12 days of Charleys event is valid at participating locations nationwide for a limited time from December 1 through December 12, 2022.
Image via Charleys


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Published on :
When Renault makes its revolution, it gives rise to “Renaulution”. The strategic plan of the French car manufacturer was presented this Thursday, January 14 to relaunch the company in great difficulty. New models are planned, and the focus is on the electric car.
Renault is doing badly. The figures released at the start of the week were just confirmation: global sales have dropped by 21% last year. A year 2020 full of turmoil for Renault: the Covid-19 crisis of course, but also the change of CEO. Carlos Ghosn, accused of financial embezzlement, was replaced this summer by the Italian Luca de Meo, former CEO of Seat.
An economy plan is also underway. Nearly 15,000 job cuts are planned in the various factories and technocentres. Renault sells less, the manufacturer must renew itself and bounce back. For this, Renault will ” produce less, be more economical and target only profitable markets in order to improve margins », Announced the group this Thursday morning.
The savings plan, launched last May, has been completed. in advance “. It will therefore be extended to 2023 to reach 2.5 billion euros in savings, with a target of at least 3 billion euros within four years. The group will also resize its industrial capacity. From 4 million vehicles produced in 2019, it will increase to 3.1 million in 2025.
Ten new electric models
The automaker, however well started in the electric race with the famous Zoe in 2012, has gradually fallen behind its competitors. Ten new electric models are therefore found at the heart of Renault’s strategy. Among them, a battery-powered Dacia. Renault wants to make it the cheapest electric car on the market.
Luca de Meo explains that “ Renault wants to work for the “democratization” of electricity “. It will be able to rely on a new model: the return of the legendary R5, Renault’s historic car, star of the 1970s. Retro in style for a slightly greater commitment to ecological transition.
This comprehensive strategy is widely criticized by the unions. In a press release, the CGT castigates this strategic plan, which it describes as ” communication operation whose objective is to respond to the demands of the financial markets “. For the CGT, nothing changes among the leaders of Renault. ” Profitability and short-term profit remain the compass that guides them », Declares the union.
The CFE-CGC, the majority union at Renault, also criticizes the economy plan. The four unions, often in disagreement, are at least on this point. The savings plan is catastrophic, they say, and employees are afraid. The closure of the Choisy-le-Roi (Val-de-Marne) site and the conversion of the Flins (Yvelines) plant, which will soon no longer produce new vehicles, are also worrying.
At the Lardy research and development center, near Paris, nearly 900 jobs will disappear by the fall of 2021, on a site that normally has 2,400.


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Letterman and Tiger caught cheating, divorce on the down because of the economy and people like The Bachelor's Melissa Rycroft getting dumped on national television were some of the sensational trends and highlights of 2009. And in the same calendar year, that former bachelor/dumper Jason Mesnick started his own safe online haven for single parents, and former Eliot Spitzer call girl Ashley Dupre was "rewarded" with an advice column in the New York Post.
Sensational headlines aside, what's in store for singles in 2010? SingleEdition.com put our trend watchers on the lookout and here are some of their predictions:
Starting Businesses on a Single Income: A flailing economy and high unemployment will continue to push people towards starting up their own new businesses. We suspect that an increasing number of them will be single income entrepreneurs. Of course the tax breaks offered by the Obama administration to small businesses will be added inspiration! Yes it's true, under the small business tax break, small businesses are able to claim up to 50 percent when they purchase new assets, including computers, before 31 December 2009. So hurry up if you need to get a PC, because the deadline is fast approaching!
Mobile Love: While big name dating sites like Match.com will continue to unleash applications that introduce singles to one another on the fly, also on the horizon for 2010 is a steady stream of flirty and fun voice-enabled social networking and dating tools. Teligence, a Canadian-based company, is ahead of the game, giving new meaning (and function) to group chatlines by allowing individuals to connect using LiveLinks for fun, friendly and flirty conversations. Available in 1,300 markets across North America, LiveLinks may just give those big dating sites a run for their money.
Solo Travel Remains a Big Focus: In 2009 we heard about the first singles-only matchmaking flight to New Zealand followed by a Royal Caribbean Cruise for Cougars in the Fall. Tour and hospitality providers will continue to recognize the solo travel segment, offering specialty trips and discounts to independent travelers. In fact, Single Cruise International and Dating Coach Kira Sabin have already organized a single women's only makeover cruise that is scheduled to set sail sometime in the New Year. And once again, our partner, Escape to Shape, has extended a super saving of 25% to SingleEdition.com readers for an exclusive and magical seven-night journey to Marrakech, Morocco. All vacations are scheduled for May 2010 and subject to availability.
Surrogates for Single Men: Though it’s hard to calculate surrogacy statistics accurately, all evidence shows that surrogacy has been experiencing a baby boom. Single by choice moms will be accompanied by an increasing number of unmarried men who choose to go down the parenting route. With the increasing number of single straight men looking to start their own biological families, this baby boom among single dads will not necessarily be a gay-man phenomenon.
Do It Yourself Dining: Food is personal so it makes sense that the focus this year will be on individuality among consumers. The "I, Me, Mine" trend predicted by the Food Network for 2010 will have more people brewing their own beer, curing their own meats and customizing restaurant meals based on personal tastes and preferences.
By Sherri Langburt for SingleEdition.com


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The number of workers whose deaths were tied to their jobs in the U.S. likely rose last year to the highest number since 2008, according to figures released on Thursday by the Labor Department.
The number of oil-and-gas industry workers who died in job-related accidents rose dramatically, continuing a pattern that has troubled worker-safety experts.
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- Basic cyber security features to be built into products
- Consumers will get better information on how secure their devices are
- Consultation now launched ahead of potential legislation
Plans to ensure that millions of household items that are connected to the internet are better protected from cyber attacks have been launched by Digital Minister Margot James.
Options that the Government will be consulting on include a mandatory new labelling scheme. The label would tell consumers how secure their products such as ‘smart’ TVs, toys and appliances are. The move means that retailers will only be able to sell products with an Internet of Things (IoT) security label.
The consultation focuses on mandating the top three security requirements that are set out in the current ‘Secure by Design’ code of practice. These include that:
- IoT device passwords must be unique and not resettable to any universal factory setting.
- Manufacturers of IoT products provide a public point of contact as part of a vulnerability disclosure policy.
- Manufacturers explicitly state the minimum length of time for which the device will receive security updates through an end of life policy.
Following the consultation, the security label will initially be launched as a voluntary scheme to help consumers identify products that have basic security features and those that don’t.
Digital Minister Margot James said:
Many consumer products that are connected to the internet are often found to be insecure, putting consumers privacy and security at risk. Our Code of Practice was the first step towards making sure that products have security features built in from the design stage and not bolted on as an afterthought.
These new proposals will help to improve the safety of Internet connected devices and is another milestone in our bid to be a global leader in online safety.
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Technical Director, Dr Ian Levy said:
Serious security problems in consumer IoT devices, such as pre-set unchangeable passwords, continue to be discovered and it’s unacceptable that these are not being fixed by manufacturers.
This innovative labelling scheme is good news for consumers, empowering them to make informed decisions about the technology they are bringing into their homes.
CEO of techUK Julian David said:
techUK welcomes the publication of the Government’s consultation on regulatory next steps for consumer IoT. This follows the Government’s voluntary Secure by Design Code of Practice for consumer IoT security launched last year, which techUK supported. The Code advocates for stronger cyber security measures to be built into smart products right from the design stage.
We are pleased that the security requirements outlined in the consultation are consistent with the Secure by Design Code of Practice and key industry standards that already exist for consumer IoT devices. This is an important first step in creating flexible and purposeful regulation that stamps out poor security practices, which techUK’s research shows can act as significant barriers on the take-up of consumer IoT devices.
The proposals set out have the potential to positively impact the security of devices made across the world and it is good to see the Government is working with international partners to ensure a consistent approach to IoT security. techUK looks forward to responding to this consultation on behalf of our members.
The consultation follows the government’s voluntary Secure by Design Code of Practice for consumer IoT security launched last year. The Code advocates for stronger cyber security measures to be built into smart products right from the design stage, and has already been backed by Centrica Hive, HP Inc Geo and more recently Panasonic.
The proposals come a day after Margot James held a roundtable on IoT security with global technology companies. As a result Amazon, Philips, Panasonic, Samsung, Miele, Yale and Legrand affirmed their commitment to taking steps to ensure that effective security solutions are being implemented across IoT products on the market.
The Government is working with international partners to ensure that the guidelines drive a consistent approach to IoT security. The proposals set out in the consultation have the potential to impact security of devices made across the world to meet the UK’s future standards.
Alternative options to the label that Government are also consulting on would be to mandate retailers to not sell any products that do not adhere to the top three security requirements of the Code.
Notes to editors:
The consultation document will be available on the Government’s Secure by Design pages and is open for 5 weeks. It has been published alongside a consumer survey report which tested various label designs with 6,482 UK consumers as part of helping to create a labelling scheme that was backed by evidence.
The public consultation is part of a wider evidence based approach, to create regulatory proposals for consumer IoT products.
In February, ETSI, the European Standards Organisation, Iaunched Technical Specification 103 645, the first globally-applicable industry standard on the cybersecurity of internet-connected consumer devices. TS 103 645 builds on the Code of Practice for Consumer IoT Security, but has been developed for wider European and global needs. Cybersecurity Tech Accord signatories endorsed the ETSI TS 103 645 in March 2019.
Stakeholders can submit feedback to the consultation via email@example.com
The UK Government has also updated its guidance for consumers (‘Smart devices: using them safely in your home’) - the guidance has been published on DCMS and NCSC’s website.
The Industrial Strategy sets out a long term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK. It sets out how we are building a Britain fit for the future – how we will help businesses create better, higher-paying jobs in every part of the UK with investment in skills, industries and infrastructure.
The Minister made the announcement at the PETRAS/IET Living in the Internet of Things Conference (1-2 May 2019), at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Savoy Place.


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Rihanna plays shape-shifter Bubble in the upcoming buzzed about sci-fi thriller, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, out this Friday. Her part is, reportedly, very small. But that didn’t stop her from stealing the spotlight at the premiere last night.
The singer showed up in a millennial pink Giambattista Valli Couture off-the-shoulder baby doll gown with a train designed for an interstellar queen. She topped off the look with a pair of custom lace-up Manolo Blahnik heels. Rih posed pretty on the black carpet while doing what she does best: being the flyest of them all.
Rihanna had our attention for the night, but Cara Delevingne, who stars in the film, also came to slay in a futuristic Iris van Herpen Couture metallic dress and old-school finger waves.
Together, they were a cosmic couture couple from the future.


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Ervin Equipment, Inc., a dealer of Wabash National trailers and a leading supplier of new and pre-owned transportation equipment, has begun donating a portion of its Wabash DuraPlate sales to the Wounded Warrior Project.
The Wounded Warrior Project is a non-profit organization that benefits military service members who incurred service-connected injuries or illnesses on or after Sept. 11, 2001. The charity works to raise awareness and encourage the public to contribute to helping them by providing direct programs and services. It also assists those service members’ families.
Supporting the project extends Ervin’s long-standing dedication to American jobs and workers, according to Vice President of Sales and Marketing Jeff Weber. “These warriors have served, and paid a price, to protect what we at Ervin believe in strongly,” he said. “The Wounded Warrior Project is close to our heart, to the core of what we’re trying to promote, which is an industry with strong ties to the USA, to the U.S. worker and to American-made products.”
Weber added that many of Ervin’s customers and trucking executives have come from a service or military background or have sons or daughters who are currently serving.
Weber says offering part of Ervin’s proceeds to this program is a good fit for the market as well because many Ervin customers have been seeking an American-made alternative. The Wabash DuraPlate is an excellent American-made trailer, he said, and about 70 percent of Ervin’s dry van sales are from the DuraPlate. “The Wabash DuraPlate is one of the best-selling van trailers on the market, and we’re proud to donate a portion of our sales of these trailers to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.”
Wabash National was the first company to engineer a composite panel trailer. Initially manufactured in 1996, DuraPlate trailers are designed for low cost of ownership, maximum space and equipment longevity. The trademarked DuraPlate design now has a proven 16-year track record for durability, limited maintenance and high residual value.
Due to its one-piece, solid design, the interior of the DuraPlate trailer limits the need for maintenance and delivers a longer trailer life. As a result, the trade-in value of the Wabash DuraPlate trailer is higher than any other trailer on the market.
Composite van trailers make up over 50 percent of the dry van market today. While other companies have re-engineered their composite products using imported materials, Wabash National continues to produce and assemble its American-made composite panel in Lafayette, Ind. The company has manufactured more than 300,000 DuraPlate dry van trailers in Lafayette, where it employs 2,500 people.
Ervin delivers convenience for customers by staging its trailers at multiple locations across North America. That strong geographic presence, along with the company’s ability to buy and sell in large quantities, provides fleet managers a huge selection for upgrading equipment. It also gives them the flexibility to drop off trade-in trailers at one location and pick up their upgrades at another, whether it’s in the United States, Canada or Mexico.
Ervin Equipment, Inc. is a supplier of pre-owned semi-trailers and trucks. Ervin carries a large selection of used and new fleets of trailers, trucks, construction and oil and gas equipment, and offers expert consulting service to every customer. The company, which was founded in 1984, has its headquarters in Toledo, Ill., and satellite facilities throughout North America. For more information, contact Ervin Equipment toll free at 877-873-6863, or visit the website at www.ervinusa.com.


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The CEOs of Pakistan’s top companies from all sectors at The CEO Summit, 2018 vowed to align Pakistan’s Business landscape with UN Sustainable Development Goals with the collective aim of sharing strategies and setting direction for the future of business in the country.
The Summit was organized by the Employees Federation of Pakistan in collaboration with International Labour Organization in a local hotel with the objective to bring CEOs and Top Management Professionals together at a platform for an interactive session and dialogue to provide them with the vision and opportunity to share their strategic wisdom enabling transformation in their organizations in the fast-moving world of corporate excellence.
Speaking as the Chief Guest, Mr. Takashi Kurai, Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan expressed the resolve that Japan will work with the new Government to extend economic cooperation to Pakistan to further cement the bilateral ties which is still far from the actual potential. Mr. Kurai said that there are around 80 Japanese Companies which have been operating in Pakistan and desired for expansion in their operations to contribute in the national economy of Pakistan. “we are trying to find the local partners for Japanese companies and Japanese partners for Pakistani companies to bolster the economic cooperation between the two countries” the Japanese envoy said.
Mr. Majyd Aziz, President EFP in his opening remarks welcomed the presence CEOs in such a large number at the Summit and said that their presence indicated their overwhelming positive response to the challenge of shaping the future of business by combating challenges and availing opportunities available for Pakistan’s share in the global business. He stressed the importance of changing top-down hierarchies to facilitate flexible work cultures more suited to achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.
The CEO Summit 2018, held under the theme “Shaping the Future of Business: Challenges and Opportunities upto 2030 & Beyond”, was addressed by Ms. Ingrid Christensen, Country Director ILO,
Mr. Ravindra Peiris, Senior Specialist ILO ACT/EMP New Delhi, and Mr. Andrew Moore from Dutch Employers Cooperation Programme in the inaugural session.
Ms. Ingrid Christensen, Country Director, International Labor Organization, in her remarks, appreciated the efforts of EFP and underscored the liaison between organizations and ILO in supporting and regulating occupational safety, employment opportunities and creating dialogue through all levels of the business ecosystem.
Mr. Zaki Ahmed Khan, Vice President EFP and Mr. Fasihul Karim Siddiqi, Secretary General EFP also addressed the inaugural session.
The inaugural session was followed by an MOU signing ceremony between Employers’ Federation of Pakistan and Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMA Pakistan) with the objective to collaborate with each other to promote industry-academia linkages to prepare management accounting professionals to respond to the ever changing needs of the labor economy, and to maintain highest level of excellence in ethical practices and rules of good governance as dictated by a demand driven economy. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Mr. Asim Husain Khan, Acting Director Continuing Professional Development, ICMA and Members of the EFP Board of Directors with the MOU signed by Mr. Aamir Ijaz Khan as Executive Director of ICMA Pakistan and Mr. Zaki Ahmed Khan, Vice President EFP.
In the Session titled “Sharing CEOs Success Stories”, Ms. Shazia Syed, CEO, Unilever Pakistan, shared the rising contribution of millennials in corporations with value-driven and inclusive business projects on health, education and energy. Mr. Alexander Reisch, CEO & MD, Philip Morris Pakistan, urged that businesses should be more inclusive by putting the consumers at the top priority. Ms. Ameena Saiyid OBE S.I., Chair Oxford University Press, urged for promoting the culture of institutionalizing the businesses to deal with the emerging challenges and complexities. Mr. Fakhar Ahmed, Chief Marketing and Communication Officer K-Electric Limited, highlighted the success story of his organizations and their initiatives in building the future of business in Pakistan. Dr. Prof. Mustaghis-ur-Rehman of Bahria University Karachi Campus, chaired the session.
Discussing the role of CEOs as enablers, Mr. Saquib Shirazi, CEO, Atlas Honda Limited, pointed out that business corporations need to aim toward becoming institutions for their long-term positive impact on society. Mr. Sirajuddin Aziz, President & CEO Habib Bank AG Zurich, chaired this session.
Speaking at the session on the “Future is now”, Ms. Mahvash Siddiqi, COO Epla Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., dwelled upon the Autopsy of Pharmaceutical Business in Pakistan and making a business case urged upon the Government and Industry to collaborate to create a better regulatory framework that serves public health goals and allows industry to thrive. Mr. Perwaiz Khan, CEO Dalda Foods Limited emphasized upon the need for business to avail the technological opportunities to make a positive difference in the lives of people with their products and services. He stressed upon the water scarcity in the country and called for investing in harvesting crops with less water stress which could be a game changer in the context of Pakistan’s Future of Business.
Dr. Naseem-ul-Ghani Sahito, Commissioner Sindh Employees Social Security Institution, who was chairing the Session, pointed out that Pakistan’s business sector would be dealing hard times in view of Chinese imports in Pakistan and said that myopic approach of policy makers and business companies would be putting the local companies in an awkward situation. “We have not been doing anything substantial and practical in the face of huge challenges”, he noted and believed that this might be proved a disaster for the local trade sector. He called upon the businessmen to put pressure on the political forces of the country to create conducive environment for the local industries for its operations.
In the session on “Building a Fantastic Tomorrow”, Leisure Leagues shared their vision of creating a happier future for the youth through engagement with football. Dr. Peter O Brian, an Irish economist, addressed the summit via video link, sharing research results on the prevalence of global corruption.
Mr. Riyaz T. Chinoy, CEO International Steels Limited pointed out towards the need to revamp the performance appraisal systems to make performance more convertible into results. Mr. Syed Nadeem Ahmed, CEO The Searle Company Limited highlighted the impactful role of business in building a fantastic tomorrow and quoted that the five companies from Pakistan make it to Forbes ‘Best under a billion list’, Searle being one of them. He proudly mentioned that his company will be the first Pakistani Pharmaceutical company which will go global, get US FDA approval, start manufacturing in several European countries, will be listed in UK and USA stocks, will launch globally bio-tech products and APIs and will be truly multinational. Mr. Ahsan Mehanti, MD & CEO Arif Habib Commodities chaired this session.
The last business session was on the future of business and its linkage with UN Sustainable Development Goals. Mr. Zubair Bawany, Global Director Partnerships & Social Impact, Leisure Leagues Pakistan,
Ms. Madiha Javed, Public Affairs Manager, Nestle Pakistan, Ms. Sadaf Khan, Project officer, Sona Welfare Foundation-Fauji Fertilizer Company limited, highlighted the initiatives taken be their company in aligning their strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals and pointed out towards the need for more collaborative partnerships among business to promote and implement SDGs and make their impact on communities they work around. Mr. Saghir Bukhari, Senior Programme Officer, ILO Country Office Islamabad stressed upon the need of public private partnership in implementing decent work which has been placed at the center of SDGs having cross cutting impact on all SDGs. Mr. Zeeshan Lakhpaty international management trainer who was chairing the session winded up the session by concluding that business has immense potential to gain sustainability by implementing the SDGs since they were already making deep impact and difference in the lives of communities through their CSR activities.
The CEO Summit was an overall success. The summit, which was attended by a large number of CEOs, COOs, CFOs, and members of the senior management, concluded with a national declaration on business vision for 2030 which stipulated the business to make exhaustive efforts in combating issues and challenges upto 2030 and beyond to make Pakistan a real Asian tiger. It also called upon the CEOs to align Pakistan’s business landscape with UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.


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Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Home Services in the UAE on Wednesday, a new marketplace for consumers to book over 70 professional services.
The services include home cleaning, AC cleaning, mobile repair, pet grooming, car washing, and installation of some products, such as TVs, treadmills and other home equipment.
“Today, we are pleased to announce the launch of Amazon Home Services as a simple way for customers to book services from handpicked, locally-based service providers with the same ease as purchasing products on Amazon.ae,” Ronaldo Mouchawar, VP of Amazon Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement.
Users will be able to book the services through Amazon’s app or via their mobile or desktop browser on Amazon.ae.
The service providers are all locally based, Amazon said in the statement, noting that Amazon Home Services will be available in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah at launch.
With the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing, the company also said that safety is a priority for customers.
“Amazon rolled out robust health and safety guidelines for all Amazon Home Services providers. In addition to standard health and safety best practice measures, these guidelines also comply with COVID-19 related recommendations from authorities such as the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Department of Economic Development in the UAE, and the World Health Organization (WHO),” the statement read.


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Cinemark wants to put eSports events in its theaters across the US
By Bob Garcia
The movie theater chain has teamed up with Mission Control to get in on the eSports craze
It seems that eSports will now take over the big screens after it was announced that the renowned movie theater company Cinemark has reached a partnership with eSports firm Mission Control. Both companies, through this agreement, have announced that gaming and eSports events can now be enjoyed in movie theaters in the US, something that undoubtedly excites the large number of fans who like the intensity experienced in these rooms.
This partnership will result in many of Cinemark’s movie theaters in the country now being the home of different public eSports events. As if this were not enough, the firm also indicated that it will be in charge of organizing tournaments for different titles and making them available to this very competitive community in a short period of time. According to a press release, patrons will be able to use their Nintendo Switch consoles to go head-to-head with other players and enjoy titles such as Rocket League, Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on some of the theater’s screens.
“Our purpose at Mission Control is to bring together and grow communities, particularly through our passion for gaming. By partnering with Cinemark, a brand already synonymous with community and entertainment, we have the opportunity to achieve our purpose by giving Cinemark communities another entertaining way to come together on our eSports platform,” said Austin Smith, CEO, and co-founder of Mission Control.
A new Mission Control project represented by the name “Cinemark Esports” was also announced at the launch. The idea is to be able to “offer online gaming opportunities for those looking to compete with other Cinemark fans.” This being the case, both companies will pool their expertise to organize a series of online and offline tournaments in a variety of titles.


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Windows Phone 7 Series is a lost cause
Could Windows Phone 7 Series save Microsoft's mobile platform? Yes. In 2007. In 2010, it's a non-starter. That's not easy for me to write, because with Windows Phone 7 Series Microsoft is following much of the advice I offered via blog posts over the last few years.
That advice would have meant something when given, not months and years later when the competitive landscape has radically changed. Then there is the crucial analysis given last week -- that Microsoft failed to deliver on: Immediate release of new phone software and/or Microsoft phone. Holiday delivery on new Windows Phone 7 Series handsets is simply too late.
The geeks may be gaga this week about Windows Phone 7 Series, but that won't much last beyond next month's MIX10 conference. Apple's shipment of iPad and presumably March iPhone 4.0 OS announcement will change geek chatter away from Microsoft mobile. (For the last two years, Apple announced new iPhone OS versions in early spring.)
Microsoft's problem is more about timing than strategy -- or technology (Hey, I like the user interface and presumed user experience, too). If Microsoft were running a marathon, its new runner would be entering the race to replace the one falling behind the leading group. But the new runner would be starting when the others already were well ahead to their 26-mile goal. No matter how good the runner, the leaders would be too far ahead to easily catch.
Sure, the market for converged handsets (e.g., smartphones) is seemingly small-- about 15.4 percent of 2009 global handset shipments, according to IDC -- but it grew 39 percent last year. Microsoft is reviving its mobile strategy just as competition increases among established players like Nokia and Research in Motion and newcomers Apple and Google -- all while losing market share and mindshare.
Because I'm still struggling with the flu, I'm going to blast from the past, using my previous predictions for context about now and the 12 months or so ahead (I purposely have chosen posts before 2009, for predictive emphasis). In short, Windows Phone 7 Series is a lost cause because:
- There is no Windows monopoly leverage to jumpstart the platform
- Windows Mobile has lost too much sales and developer momentum
- Android adoption -- by manufacturers and mobile users -- is too great
- Microsoft doesn't have an end-to-end software plus hardware plus services platform
Now for some long-form explanation:
Windows Phone has no Windows Leverage
Just the opposite, mobile devices leverage against Windows. I've been predicting -- for years -- that during this decade the connected mobile device would replace the PC as primary computing platform. I wrote in February 2008 post, "Microsoft's Mobile Madness":
The future of mobiles is PC replacement. It's an inevitable outcome and one Microsoft simply isn't accepting. Microsoft's denial is madness, too.
The cellular phone market is:
- Enormously bigger than that for PCs. For every PC in use there are three cell phones, based on analyst estimates of 3 million mobiles in 2007.
- Captive, as most people carry mobiles most of the time; but not PCs.
- Personal, because people care more about their cell phones than PCs. Who asks to be buried with their computers, but it's a common request for mobiles.
- More global, as more people are likely to have cell phones than PCs, particularly in emerging markets.
- More connected than PCs, as cellular services reach many places than does the wired or WiFi Internet.
To update the first bullet point, combined analyst estimates put the total number of cell phone subscribers at 4.6 billion worldwide. PC install base: About 1 billion. IDC predicts the number of cellular subscribers will increase by 1.3 billion by 2013.
In July 2008 post, "iPhone 3G: Windows 95, Only Better," I wrote: "The mobile remains the future of computing and connectivity. How long before dictation replaces typing? If you don't need a keyboard, why would you need a PC when the cell phone offers anywhere computing, any time?" Dictation already replaces the keyboard on Google's Nexus One.
Matters are worse, Apple and imitator Google have better platforms already because of mobile application stores. In 2005, I warned Microsoft executives they should use product activation to build a third-party application store into Windows. Developers could sell and distribute applications from within Windows, ensuring a revenue stream for them, while better protecting their software from piracy. A Windows app store would have been great leverage to mobile devices.
About three years later, Apple did with App Store on mobile devices what Microsoft failed to on the desktop. As I explained in October 2008 post, "Windows Mobile Is an Also-ran," in Apple's application store, developers have:
- a software distribution mechanism built into every device and means for getting paid for the applications
- access to millions of captive devices because people carry cell phones everywhere
- digital rights management protection that hugely diminishes piracy of distributed applications
Apple claims about 135,000 mobile applications in the iTunes App Store and more than 3 billion downloads. By the time the first Windows Phone 7 Series handsets ship, Apple will offer apps for three mobile devices -- iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Meanwhile OEMs are pushing Google's Android on ebook readers, netbooks and smartphones. The two rising stars already have leverage, with developers and mobile users, because of applications stores. Sure, Microsoft has an app store, as some Betanews commenters will surely observe. I say them: Have you looked at it lately and seriously compared what Microsoft offers compared to the Android Marketplace or App Store? Yes, games will come for the holidays, but Apple will only have widened its portable gaming lead to three devices.
Windows Mobile has Fallen Too Far Behind
The chart below, which Silicon Alley Insider put together from ComScore data, is nearly all that's needed to demonstrate Microsoft's mobile fall from reign. The data is for US subscriber share (from a poll of 30,000 consumers). Some other perspective: Based on global smartphone sales to end users, Microsoft's mobile market share declined to 7.9 percent during third quarter from 11.1 percent a year earlier, according to Gartner (Q4 data isn't yet available).
Smartphone is the category where Windows Phone 7 Series will compete with upstarts Apple and Google and leaders Nokia and RIM. IDC has released full-year smartphone shipments, but not for operating systems. For Apple, they're synonymous -- 21.5 million. Based on the first three quarters of data, it's likely that more iPhone OS handsets shipped than Windows Mobile devices in 2009 -- and that's without accounting for iPhone touch.
Android Adoption is Simply Too Great
In June 2007 post, "Why Google Succeeds, Part 2," I warned: "If Google and its partners can bring to mobile devices what they have to the desktop, I predict it will be game over for Microsoft. Windows' relevance will diminish before the Web platform." Google delivered with the G1, as I explained in September 2008 post, "How Android hurts Microsoft." I referred to the G1 as Google's "alternative platform to the Windows PC."
A month later, in the Windows also-ran post, I wrote:
Once Android reaches the world markets, it will be too late. Microsoft has no Windows desktop leverage to drive mobile development or sales. The question now: When will HTC make Android a priority over Windows Mobile? That will be the day when all doors close Microsoft's mobile operating system into a tomb.
Android has global reach (and competes with Windows Mobile/Phone for same licensees), nearly all of the coolest HTC handsets run Android and Google claims surprisingly brisk sales. Yesterday, at Mobile World Congress, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that 60,000 Android phones ship every day. That works out to nearly 22 millions for the year, but the figure could be hugely conservative. According to IDC, 1.35 million Android phones shipped in third quarter (Q4 data isn't available), or 14,674 a day. That puts daily shipments up nearly 4 times in less than two quarters. If the growth curve continues, and Schmidt's figure is accurate, Android shipments would easily exceed iPhone as early as this year (but not when combined with iPad and iPod touch).
"Android is reaching the mainstream," IDC analyst Kevin Restivo expressed during our Skype chat earlier today. "Awareness efforts are paying off in the form of increased distribution, which is widening quarterly. More importantly, additional models are being offered by Android manufacturer partners -- hence increased sell-in."
The day of Android as "alternative platform to the Windows PC" has come. Yesterday, Schmidt said that Google's priority would now be mobile applications "first" before desktop apps: "Our programmers are working on things mobile first." While Microsoft has little Windows monopoly leverage for Windows Phone 7 Series, Google has huge leverage from search and supporting Web services.
There's No Microsoft Phone
For years, Microsoft has rallied behind the banner of software plus services. But in January 2008, I boohooed Microsoft for failing to add hardware to the equation. In post, "The Minus in Software Plus Services," I explained that Microsoft needed to add hardware to the software-plus-services equation. At the time, there was no Google phone. I wrote:
Microsoft enters 2008 in position to leapfrog Google by early 2009 or 2010, depending on how both companies execute. The company that best delivers software plus hardware plus services will best the other. Yes, that's a prediction.
Google has done much better than Microsoft delivering software plus hardware plus services -- to the point of having a phone (the aforementioned Nexus One). But Apple has done even better, as I acknowledged in post "iPhone 3G: Software + Hardware + Services." Apple's approach is one stack it controls. Google has it both ways -- three, really, considering open source -- by making Android available to hardware manufacturers and shipping its own handset. Microsoft is a licensor only. There is no Microsoft phone.
Apple is making huge margins from selling iPhone as a single software-plus-hardware-plus-services device. The iPhone accounted for about 36 percent of Apple's fourth calendar quarter $15.6 billion revenue. Microsoft will compete against Apple, which makes mountains of money off iPhone, and Android, which is free. Microsoft will charge for licenses (of course) and make little for its efforts. According to Silicon Alley Insider estimates on Windows Phone 7 Series OS revenue during Microsoft fiscal 2011: "A reasonable average is somewhere in the $300 million range, which is less than 0.5 percent of the $66 billion in revenue that Wall Street expects Microsoft to generate in fiscal 2011."
My November 2008 post, "I Believe in a Microsoft Phone," expressed hope Microsoft would do a handset -- keeping with a software-plus-hardware-plus-services approach. "The time has come," I wrote. "It's inevitable: Either Microsoft has a secret phone project or its mobile strategy is collapsed." I warned that even for 2009 "Microsoft's biggest problem is time to market," because of Apple's App Store/iPhone/iPod touch platform.
Time-to-market situation is way worse looking at holiday 2010. Microsoft needed to announce a phone this week, shipping within a few months. Perhaps Microsoft executives think they can show off a reasonable software-plus-hardware-plus-services strategy next month at MIX. Maybe they can without Microsoft doing its own phone. But time to market is too long -- and Microsoft competes with Apple big money making software plus hardware and services (Nokia and RIM, too) and Google free. Microsoft has started the marathon late. Apple, Google, Nokia and perhaps even RIM will set the agenda for your mobile future. Microsoft's mobile platform is a lost cause.


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Today & Other Stories announced it's collaborating with Rodarte on a collection coming to stores and online in spring 2016. Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy will create ready-to-wear, accessories, and shoes for the H&M-owned retailer as part of its series of co-lab collections, which has featured Rachel Antonoff and Clare Vivier in the past. Aside from citing Los Angeles as a jumping-off point for inspiration, there's no word yet on what the pieces will look like or how many there will be, although we know prices will range from $29 tights to $325 sequin dresses. Here's an official campaign image to mull over:
In the meantime, we can try to glean some clues from the designers' spring 2016 collection: Will there be a continuation of big fuzzy coats? Glittery pantsuits? Flowy scarves? Stay tuned.


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Coinbase Embraces Bitcoin Lightning Network: Faster Transactions Await
• Coinbase, a major cryptocurrency exchange, announced it will integrate the Bitcoin Lightning Network for faster transactions and lower fees.
• The news has been met with enthusiasm by the crypto community, but some have questioned the timeline of the integration.
• The adoption of the Bitcoin Lightning Network has grown steadily over the past year, with its total value locked (TVL) reaching an all-time high in February.
Coinbase Embraces Bitcoin Lightning Network
Coinbase, a major cryptocurrency exchange, recently announced its plans to integrate the Bitcoin Lightning Network into its platform. This feature promises faster transactions and lower fees for customers. CEO Brian Armstrong expressed his enthusiasm for this development on Twitter when responding to a fan’s question about his stance on it.
Positive Reactions from Crypto Community
The news was well-received by members of the crypto community like Michael Saylor, founder of MicroStrategy. Other users expressed their excitement about how this could benefit deposits and withdrawals through Coinbase. Meanwhile skeptics raised questions about when exactly this integration would happen given current regulatory environments.
Growing Adoption of Bitcoin Lightning Network
The adoption of the Bitcoin Lightning Network has been growing steadily over the past year as evidenced by its Total Value Locked (TVL), which reached an all-time high in February 2021. The network is seen as an attractive solution due to its scalability features including faster transaction speeds and reduced fees compared to other options available today.
Benefits of Using Bitcoin Lightning Network
The use ofBitcoin Lightning Network offers several potential benefits for users looking for faster transactions at lower costs compared to traditional solutions such as credit cards or bank transfers. It also provides more privacy since no personal information is required to make payments and transfers are almost instantaneously confirmed without waiting periods or long processing times associated with other payment options available today.
Coinbase’s decision to incorporate the Bitcoin Lightning Network into its platform is yet another step towards wider adoption among cryptocurrency exchanges and platforms alike. Its advantages such as speed and cost savings make it an attractive option that is likely to become increasingly popular in coming years if current trends continue on their upward trajectory..


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An MP has launched the Newport Pagnell Independent Shop of the Year competition to take place over the Christmas period to promote local businesses.
Mark Lancaster is asking people to vote over the months of December and January for their favourite Newport Pagnell-based shop. Votes can be registered online at www.lancaster4mk.com/newport-pagnell.
Those who vote for the winning shop will be automatically be entered for the chance to win a bottle of House of Commons wine, promises Mark.
Voting will end on Friday 18th January and the winner announced on Monday 21st.
Last year the same competition was held in Olney and, after thousands of votes had been cast, was won by Olney Pancake Parlour (pictured).
Mark said: “Over the Christmas period hundreds of shoppers will head to the independent shops in Newport Pagnell. This is a great opportunity for people to shop local and promote their favourite.
“This competition gives us a chance to highlight the success stories of the many small businesses in Newport Pagnell, and promote the great services and produce they offer."


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Soaring temperatures and Brexit uncertainty meant Britain’s high street sales continued to melt in August, figures released today by accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP reveal.
According to the High Street Sales Tracker (HSST), like-for-like in-store sales dropped by -0.1% last month from an already gloomy base of -2.7% for August last year.
The final week of the month resulted in a calamitous fall for in-store sales as record-setting temperatures singed sales into the bank holiday weekend. The result marks six months of negative like-for-like in-store sales this calendar year, as consumers tighten their belts in the face of mounting uncertainty.
In-store lifestyle sales fell -1.8% in August from a flat base of 0.0% last year, culminating in 19 months of no growth for the category as retailers head into the crucial Christmas trading period on fragile footing.
Despite back to school promotions kicking in, fashion in-store sales managed only a +0.9% boost in like-for-like sales in August from a weak base of -3.6% for the same month last year.
Following an eight-month run of positive in-store sales, homewares failed to continue its pattern of encouraging results. In-store like-for-like sales fell by -0.8% from a very poor base of -6.1% for August 2018.
The hottest summer on record didn’t halt online shoppers, however, with non-store sales increasing by +18.6% in August from a base of +13.7% for the equivalent month last year. The category continued to be a source of growth for the sector as retailers failed to convert rising footfall into in-store sales.
Sophie Michael, Head of Retail and Wholesale at BDO LLP, said: “2019 continues to deliver bad news for the British high street, with crumbling consumer confidence and growing uncertainty discouraging discretionary spend.
“Despite some improvement in footfall in the final week of August, retailers were unable to convert this into higher sales. With another worrying month of no growth and a Government distracted by Brexit negotiations and now a potential General Election, retailers are heading into the crucial Christmas period on very unsteady footing.”
Sophie added: “As the retail landscape changes, the pressure on traditional retailers to adapt is bigger than ever. However, recent research suggests retailers are failing to invest in their digital strategy and omnichannel offering despite the huge shift online.
“The current political and economic uncertainty is adding to the struggles of cash-strapped retailers and their increasing reluctance to make investment decisions. The sector is in desperate need for the government to take action, provide some clarity and give retailers the confidence to make the necessary investment to deliver long-term growth.”
Note to editors
Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP provides integrated advice and solutions to help businesses navigate a changing world.
Our clients are Britain’s economic engine – ambitious, entrepreneurially-spirited and high growth businesses that fuel the economy.
We share our clients’ ambitions and their entrepreneurial mind-set. We have the right combination of global reach, integrity and expertise to help them succeed.
BDO LLP operates in 17 offices across the UK, employing 5,000 people offering tax, audit and assurance, and a range of advisory services. BDO LLP has underlying revenues of £590m and is the UK member firm of the BDO International network.
BDO’s global network
The BDO global network provides business advisory services in 162 countries, with 80,000 people working out of 1,600 offices worldwide. It has revenues of $9bn.
Oliver Druttman, Sophie Isles or Erin Dodds
Tel: +44(0)20 7758 3900
Email: [email protected]


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Manufacturers have warned of an imminent increase in prices of paint starting this year following a sharp rise in production costs in the past six months starting July last year.
Regional paint manufacturer, Crown Paints, experienced a shrink in demand last year during the electioneering period last year and will be eyeing to grow its premium products market share from 60 to 65% in 2018.
Crown Paints CEO Rakesh Rao, while outlining the firm’s 2018 strategy on Friday, said most clients in the real estate sector have indicated they would liquidate the current stock as the economy recovers from the effects of last year’s political crisis.
Rao exuded confidence that the sector would bounce back in the next two years to register full potential and boost the firm’s earnings. He, however, warned that the market should prepare for higher prices due to increased production costs.
“The prices of raw materials have gone high. Some have shot up by over 100 per cent since July. A tonne of titanium could go for US$ 1,900 and currently it is going for US% 3,600 per tonne and we do not have an option as it translates to increases in price,” said Rao.
Last year, Crown Paints reported a 51.6% jump in the half-year profit reporting Ksh 60.4 million net earnings. Rao said the company plans to launch a major campaign drive to educate and connect with the painters’ customers as a way of establishing a long-term partnership that will improve demand for its products.
“We also intend to offer many new value added services for homes by engaging with customers for research in order to develop products and services that meet and even exceed their expectations to grow this segment of our business,” said Rao.
He said since most clients choose compromising quality when paint prices rise, the firm will develop low cost paint for the housing sector. These, he said, will be availed at a lower prices than prevailing products in the market.
Last year, Crown Paints manufacturing plant in Kisumu was adversely affected as most of its suppliers in the Western Kenya region were unable to access and distribute its products due to post-election chaos. Most of the clients had works halted, a situation Rao said the company had no viable strategy to overcome given it was a repeat election.
The company had recorded highest product uptake in August last year, but business deteriorated as the country’s suck further into elections that were marred with protests.
Joseph Sosi is a reporter with Business Today. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Communication and Media Technology) degree from Maseno University. Previously, he was a sub-editor of Ureport and social media administrator at The Standard Group. He is passionate about politics, education and technology.


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New Delhi, 1st August, 2022, 11:16 am IST
In a much-needed increase to home corporations like Micromax, Lava, Karbonn and others, the Indian authorities apparently needs to ban China-based smartphone gamers from promoting low-end smartphones (under Rs 12,000). Based on a Bloomberg report printed on Monday and quoting sources, the nation “needs to ban Chinese language smartphone makers from promoting devices beneath Rs 12,000 ($150).”
Based on a report citing folks with information of the state of affairs, the transfer may power Chinese language smartphone makers “out of the underside of the world’s second-largest cell market”. If the federal government’s ambitions pan out, it is going to be a loss of life blow for manufacturers like Xiaomi and Realme, which account for practically 50% of the sub-$150 (Rs 12,000 and under) market share in India.
Based on Tarun Pathak, Director of Analysis, “General, smartphones beneath $150 contributed 31% to whole smartphone volumes in India within the June quarter this yr, in comparison with 49% in the identical quarter final yr.”
“In mild of the current progress of Jio PhoneNext, the share of Chinese language manufacturers is 75-80%. Realme and Xiaomi at present maintain 50% market share on this section,” Pathak advised IANS.
Learn additionally | Oppo, Xiaomi, Vivo India served notices for tax evasion, says Nirmala Sitharaman
The current raids on Chinese language smartphone companies like Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi are proof that India has already taken a really robust stand towards Chinese language producers. Three Chinese language cell phone companies, Oppo, Vivo India and Xiaomi, are beneath investigation by the Indian authorities over doable tax avoidance.
The Directorate of Income Intelligence (DRI) despatched letters to Oppo India, Xiaomi India and Vivo India for tax evasion, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman knowledgeable the Rajya Sabha final week. Based on Sitharaman’s written response, 5 expenses of customs tax evasion have been filed towards Xiaomi Expertise India, whereas a show-cause discover of Rs 4,403.88 crore has been despatched to OPPO Mobiles India Ltd.
Learn additionally | Amazon Nice Freedom Competition 2022 sale begins August 6; Varied gives on telephones, electronics
Final Up to date Aug 9, 2022, 11:16 AM IST