Empirix Launches New Hammer Partner Program to Capitalize on the Growth of the Contact Center as a Service Market (CCaaS)

Contact center testing and experience assurance market leader transitions to fully channel centric model

BILLERICA, Mass., Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Empirix, an Infovista company and leader in contact center testing and experience assurance, has announced a major expansion of its partner strategy that aims to transform the business to a 90%+ channel centric vendor within 5 years.

The increased focus on channel enablement aligns with the booming Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) market, which Gartner projects reaching $17.9 billion by 2024 at Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 29%[1]. The new Hammer global partner program represents a major overhaul of its channel strategy and coincides with the appointment of new channel leadership and launch of a new partner portal that includes deal registration and other enablement benefits to support and grow its global community of around 100 partners, including Presidio.

Led by Kacey Kemmerer, VP Sales and Channels, the program benefits from the experience of Rosemary Cormican, appointed as director of channels America earlier in the year. Cormican comes from F5 Networks where she led system integrator partnerships under NGINX Business Unit. Cormican has more than 20 years of experience working in sales, channel, and distribution. She successfully pioneered a large partner program at Cisco Systems and developed extensive go-to-market partner practices across various IT companies.

She is joined by Dominic Kleiren, Channel Director EMEA, who joins Empirix following his role of EMEA channel director at Binary Tree. Kleiren has over 10 years of experience working in channel within the UCaaS industry. He has held various channel positions at Intrado, Kollective Technologies and Quest Software where he has consistently developed extensive partners. Both Cormican and Kleiren have been instrumental in creating the new Hammer partner program.

“Our channel strategy recognises that the CCaaS market opportunity is growing rapidly, and the channel is best placed to deliver the needed expertise to help their contact center and enterprise clients attain and maintain the highest levels of customer experience,” said Kacey Kemmerer. “The new program and portal will be joined by additional support including our first global distribution agreement that will be announced later this year.” Infovista acquired Empirix in April 2021, enabling its contact center end-to-end testing and assurance business to expand its footprint and reinforce its market leadership. Leveraging more than 20 years of experience and innovations, Empirix solutions based on Hammer technology accommodate all existing service pricing models including hybrid, cloud-based, on-premise, subscription based and perpetual licences. This flexibility helps selected partners to deliver contact center solutions with high-quality, profitable customer experiences across all voice, IVR and digital communication channels.

“The combination of our leading Hammer technology and our vision helps channel partners to deliver its capabilities in the most flexible way from simple resale all the way through to platform as a service. We have both the desire and resources to work with our partners across the world to build sustainable and growing businesses to capitalize on the demand from the market, more specifically customers migrating from traditional on-premise solutions to Contact Center as a Service platforms,” adds Rosemary Cormican.

“We are also actively recruiting a handful of targeted resellers in Europe and working with key strategic value-added partners to onboard them and help build out regional offerings through our local teams,” said Kemmerer. “For the last 12 months, the percentage of our business that comes from the channel has consistently grown and we believe that becoming a 90% channel centric business by 2026 is both achievable and beneficial to us and our partner community,” concludes Dominic Kleiren.

[1] Forecast Analysis: Contact Center, Worldwide by Daniel O’Connell and Megan Fernandez – January 2021 https://www.gartner.com/document/3995677

About Empirix

The largest contact centers around the world rely on Empirix and its proven Hammer technology to guarantee optimal customer experience and business outcomes. Through automated end-to-end testing and assurance solutions that mimic real-world citizen and customer engagement, Empirix ensures its clients deliver high-quality communications across voice, IVR and digital channels. Empirix solutions play a pivotal role in ensuring excellence in day-to-day operation of more than 250 large enterprises, including 6 of the top 10 global banks, 8 of the top 10 healthcare global organizations and 7 of the top 10 largest insurance companies. www.empirix.com

Contact:
Infovista
Alexandre Le Coq
alexandre.lecoq@infovista.com

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Element Finance Raises Second Fund to Lend $40M to Growing SaaS Companies

The fund is set to be used to assist growing SaaS companies by providing them with access to revenue-based finance and term loans.

Element Finance

Element Finance

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Element Finance, a leading provider of growth funding offering flexible and capital-efficient venture debt and revenue-based finance solutions, has announced the raise of its second fund, giving it access to over $40 million. The investment comes from both new and original investors from the firm’s initial $14.5 million fundraising effort.

Element Finance provides alternative growth finance to SaaS companies with recurring revenue to help bridge the funding gap. The team prides itself on its partnership approach and flexible funding up to $10 million with no board seats, personal guarantees, or equity warrants.

Element Finance is led by seasoned SaaS operators and General Partners: Lew Moorman, former President of Rackspace; Ed Byrne, Entrepreneur; and John Gallagher, CEO and Partner. The management team has a proven track record of guiding founders, such as Athletic Greens, Mural, and Chargify, through the challenges they faced when they need flexible finance options to grow without dilution.

Element Finance plans to use the fund to help growing SaaS companies build a robust capital stack by giving access to revenue-based finance and term loans.

“The closure of this funding round marks a significant milestone for Element Finance,” said Gallagher. “These funds will allow us to provide finance solutions to more high-quality companies that need a capital partner for the long term and can benefit from debt finance instead of dilutive equity raises. Many of the current finance offerings we see are misaligned with the needs of their customers. We believe in using the right type of capital for the right use and are committed to providing SaaS founders a simple alternative funding option to address historical limitations.”

For more information, please visit www.elementfinance.com.

About Element Finance

Let’s face it. Not all debt is created equal. We believe there’s a different way to grow, and finance should be straightforward and tailored to the needs of a fast-growing business. Founded in 2019, Element Finance is a leading provider of growth funding, offering flexible capital-efficient, finance solutions. The team has a proven track record of guiding founders, such as Athletic Greens, Mural, and Chargify, through the challenges they faced when they needed funding to grow without dilution.

Our alternative venture-debt finance provides a better way to build a capital stack, turning MRR into ARR to bridge the SaaS funding gap through fixed-rate term and revenue-based finance loans, as well as venture-debt term loan solutions. Our straightforward finance options are customized to the needs of the business with no hidden terms and conditions, board seats, personal guarantees, or equity. We believe in relationships and the people behind the products. We take a personal, partnership-led approach to learn your business and support your growth.

Contact Information

Jamie Short

Marketing Director

Jamie@ElementFinance.com

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Foster + Partners Completes Strategic Partnership With Hennick & Company

LONDON and TORONTO, Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Foster + Partners today announced that it has completed a strategic partnership with Hennick & Company, a private family investment firm founded by the Hennick family (“HennickCo”).

For Foster + Partners, this new partnership is an important step in the evolution of the practice and will encourage further growth and innovation while maintaining its distinctive culture. The long-term agreement establishes a ‘perpetual partnership model’ that enables the practice to expand beyond its current 180 partners, ensures that the next generation of professionals can become shareholders in the practice, and allows for an orderly succession of existing partners over the long-term. At a general meeting of the shareholders, 100% of the partners voted and were unanimous in their support of the partnership with HennickCo.

Going forward, Lord Norman Foster and his family will remain the practice’s largest shareholders after the Hennick family who acquired a significant interest as part of this transaction. The practice’s existing partners will all remain as long-term shareholders and retain the balance of the equity. Lord Foster, who founded the practice in 1967 with his late wife Wendy, will continue to serve as Executive Chairman. All present partners will remain in their current roles and the existing leadership team will retain responsibility for day-to-day operations, thereby maintaining the integrity of the practice’s design ethos and providing long-term stability for the professionals who are central to its success, now and in the future.

To mark the occasion, Foster + Partners also announced that 24 of the current Partners were promoted to the position of Senior Partner.

Foster + Partners

Foster + Partners is a global studio for architecture, infrastructure, design, and engineering services. Its team of 1500 is headquartered in London, with studios in 13 other cities (Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Hong Kong, Madrid, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Singapore and Sydney). The average age of the team is 36, it commands over 65 languages and counts more than 200 skills by qualification.

Its landmark buildings include the Great Court at the British Museum in London, the Reichstag German Parliament in Berlin, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Norton Museum of Art in Palm Beach, and the Narbo Via Museum of Roman Antiquities in Narbonne, France. The practice also designed the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Tower in Hong Kong and the Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt, as well as the corporate headquarters for Apple in California, Bloomberg in London, and Comcast in Philadelphia.

Foster + Partners also has experience delivering large scale infrastructure projects, such as the international airports in Hong Kong, Stansted, Beijing and Amman, sporting venues including Wembley Stadium in London and Lusail Stadium in Qatar, and bridges such as the Millau Viaduct in France and the Millennium Bridge in London over the River Thames. The practice’s projects currently under construction or shortly about to start on site include the new headquarters for JP Morgan in New York, the Prado Museum in Madrid, the One Beverly Hills development in Los Angeles, the Museo de Bellas Artes in Bilbao, Spain and InnHub La Punt, Switzerland.

Lord Foster, Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners, said –

“Towards the end of last year, we started to explore long-term structures for the practice that would respond to the challenges and opportunities of growth and encourage the next generation of leadership and this partnership is the culmination of that process. We are delighted to be joining forces with the family trust of the Hennick’s, who share our values and the pursuit of excellence. This evolution has the potential to expand the range and depth of our studio – particularly in the fields of sustainability, infrastructure, urbanisation and recycling.”

Matthew Streets, Managing Partner, Foster + Partners, said –

“Our new partnership further fortifies the strong foundation upon which our practice was built. HennickCo’s long-term investment horizon and partnership philosophy were important factors in our decision to align with them. On behalf of all the professionals and partners of Foster + Partners, we could not be more excited about the future.”

Bradley Hennick, Managing Director, HennickCo, said –

“We are proud to partner with Lord Foster, his family and the other highly accomplished professionals and partners of this iconic global brand. This new partnership presents a unique opportunity to leverage our experience and long-term perspective to strengthen Foster + Partners’ position as the world’s preeminent architecture, infrastructure, engineering, and design consultancy. We look forward to working with the practice’s exceptional leadership team and partner shareholders to harness the extraordinary skills within the practice to grow into new and exciting areas in the years to come.”

About Hennick & Company

Hennick & Company is a private family investment firm that invests in high quality, growth-oriented businesses and real estate for the long-term. Established by the Hennick family, which founded and owns a significant interest in Colliers International and FirstService Corporation, HennickCo has made investments in professional services, financial services, and manufacturing businesses as well as institutional quality real estate properties. As a privately-owned company backed by permanent capital, HennickCo can invest in any industry or geography, in private or publicly traded businesses, at any point in the economic cycle. The firm does not have pre-determined investment hold periods and operates in an entrepreneurial fashion consistent with its founding. HennickCo’s goal is to identify, invest in and participate in the growth of great businesses and high-quality real estate assets in partnership with strong leadership teams. To learn more about HennickCo, please visit our website at www.hennick.com

For further information
Katy Harris
Foster + Partners
press@fosterandpartners.com
www.fosterandpartners.com

AirRetailer Among First to Receive DUAL IATA New Distribution Capability (NDC) Level 4 Certification on Schema 21.1

•AirRetailer, the airline retailing based Corporate Booking and Expense Management tool, as IT Provider, is NDC-Capable Level 4 on schema version 21.1.•NDCAggregator.com the air content aggregator from AirRetailer, is NDC-Certified Level 4 on schema version 21.1

AirRetailer achieves IATA NDC Dual Level 4 Certification

AirRetailer achieves IATA NDC Dual Level 4 Certification

KANNUR, India, Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AirRetailer – specialized in Airline Retailing, NDC Offer & Order Management and multi-source airline content aggregation and normalization – is one of the first to achieve Dual New Distribution Capability (NDC) certification on schema version 21.1 from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

NDC (New Distribution Capability) is a travel industry-supported program launched by IATA for the development and market adoption of a new, XML-based data transmission standard to communicate between airlines and travel agents, directly or via aggregators. As of date, 102 airlines have been certified by IATA on different Levels.

IATA certifies AirRetailer, both as an IT Provider and as an Aggregator on Level 4 on schema version 21.1.

Airlines optimally distribute their products and services through their own website channels and now adopting New Distribution Capability, the industry is looking forward to replicate the same functionality in indirect channels used by travel agents and other intermediaries.

Yanik Hoyles, Director, Distribution IATA said: “Congratulations to AirRetailer for achieving Level 4 NDC Certification on schema 21.1 both as an IT Provider and Aggregator. As an NDC certified Aggregator and IT Provider, AirRetailer is helping airlines to redefine their distribution strategy by enabling full servicing and product differentiation across all channels while supporting the business travel value chain’s adaptation to the world of airline retailing.”

Sreejith Kunniyoor, AirRetailers’ Vice President Products said: “While AirRetailer is busy building an easily navigable, scalable end to end corporate booking and expense management tool, we are extremely proud to receive the dual NDC Level 4 certification from IATA as an IT Provider and Aggregator on the latest NDC Schema 21.1.

“AirRetailer Corporate Booking and Expense Management Tool will be a simpler and seamless tool both for the Corporate Travel and Spend Decision Makers as well as the end users while NDCAggregator.com will assist the Travel Management Companies to access aggregated and normalized airline content from GDS, NDC & LCC-based sources in one single screen.”

The integration of IATA Financial Gateway (IFG) as a single universal payment orchestration platform to AirRetailer Corporate Booking and Expense Management tool and NDCAggregator.com helps streamline the payment process by facilitating acceptance and enabling increased travel payment processing flexibility for the world’s airlines and travel suppliers to build a cost-efficient payment strategy that will help facilitate the industry’s recovery.

More details on IATA New Distribution Capability is available here

More details on IATA Financial Gateway (IFG) is available here

About AirRetailer

AirRetailer is based on Airline Retailing – one of the biggest industry disruptions in recent years and the latest development in airline sales and distribution. AirRetailer offers two products – a new generation corporate booking and expense management tool for Corporate Travel and Spend Decision Makers, Travel Management Companies and Airlines as well as a mobile application for the end users  and NDCAggregator.com – a multi-source airline content aggregation and normalization tool for Travel Management Companies to access aggregated and normalized airline content from global distribution system – and New Distribution Capability-based sources, in one single screen.

For further information on AirRetailer, visit www.airretailer.com or www.ndcaggregator.com

Press Contact
Anusree Sreejith
Media Contact
AirRetailer Technology Private Limited
Email anusree@airretailer.com

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Promptlink Expands CPE Atlas Testing Capability to Include Wi-Fi 6e and Multi-Gigabit Ethernet

CPE Atlas Provides Operators, 3PLs and Certification Labs with the Latest Technology to Test Broadband CPE

Promptlink CPE Atlas

Promptlink CPE Atlas

OCEANSIDE, Calif., Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Promptlink Communications, Inc., a leading provider of software applications for broadband network management and customer premise equipment testing, announced today that it has launched support for Wi-Fi 6e wireless testing, as well as multi-gigabit Ethernet testing. This advancement gives customers the ability to certify the latest broadband CPE devices to the full capability of the Device Under Test (DUT). Promptlink is shipping CPE Atlas systems equipped with these upgrades today.

Promptlink’s CPE Atlas is currently helping Promptlink’s globally installed customer base to certify and recertify broadband CPE devices. This has become even more critical considering the global component shortages affecting delivery of factory-new CPE. CPE Atlas allows customers to maximize the deployment of current and recently received CPE by providing a shielded Wi-Fi environment to test the full functionality of broadband CPE. Current CPE technology, either DOCSIS, PON, DSL and or wireless routers, may have Wi-Fi 6e plus a 2.5GB Ethernet port that needs to be tested. With this added support, CPE Atlas can qualify all these devices and all previous Wi-Fi and Ethernet technology in a single, Wi-Fi shielded test platform. CPE Atlas is deployed worldwide to major cable and telecommunications operators, along with certification labs and resellers of recertified CPE equipment.

“Promptlink has responded to customer requests for this technology to be added to our patented Wi-Fi testing systems,” said Dr. Foad Towfiq, President and CEO of Promptlink Communications. “Promptlink always provides the most complete, most advanced CPE testing options to help meet the demands of our global customer base. Wi-Fi 6e and multi-gigabit Ethernet support is simply the next step in this evolution.”

About Promptlink Communications

Promptlink Communications has been providing software and system integration solutions to the broadband industry since 1994. Promptlink Communications is an innovative company with a focus on the development and deployment of tools for broadband network service providers. Promptlink customers have included all major telecommunications operators in the Americas and around the world.

Promptlink Communications is a privately held company headquartered in Oceanside, California. Promptlink offices can be found in North America, Latin America, and Europe.

Learn more at www.promptlink.com.

Media Contact

Christopher J. Boring
VP, Sales & Marketing
Promptlink Communications, Inc.

chris.boring@promptlink.com

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Teledyne DALSA’s 16k multifield TDI camera captures multiple images in a single scan

Linea HS 16k Multifield TDI

The Linea HS 16k Multifield TDI camera significantly improves inspection speeds and image quality

WATERLOO, Ontario, Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Teledyne DALSA is pleased to announce that its Linea™ HS 16k Multifield TDI camera is in volume production. The Linea HS 16k Multifield can capture up to three images simultaneously in a single scan using light sources at different wavelengths. Its charge-domain CMOS TDI sensor with 16k x (64+128+64) TDI arrays and a 5×5 μm pixel size, uses advanced wafer-level coated dichroic filters with minimal spectral crosstalk to spectrally isolate the three images. The camera also comes with high-speed CLHS interface, delivering up to 8.4 Gigapixels per second over a single and long length fiber optic cable.

“Advanced multifield imaging technology is what differentiates the Linea HS 16k Multifield camera from other line scan cameras,” said Xing-Fei He, Senior Product Manager, Teledyne DALSA. “The dichroic filters overcome spectral crosstalk of traditional color filters and enable image isolation within the spectral domain.”

The Linea HS 16k Multifield camera significantly improves inspection speeds and image quality. It eliminates the need for multiple scans, thereby boosting inspection system throughput and improving detectability with minimum impact from mechanical vibration. The Linea HS is ideally suited for applications such as inspection of flat panel displays, printed circuit boards (PCB), and semi-conductor wafers; web inspection of film and metal foil; general purpose machine vision and life science applications.

The camera can also be used for color imaging with a white light source. The spectral characteristics of dichroic filters provide unique color representation that can be used to improve detectability.

Key Features:

  • Captures three field images at once in a single scan
  • High speed line rate of 133 kHz x 3
  • High sensitivity multi-array TDI
  • Bi-directional scanning
  • Assisted alignment marks

For more information visit the website. For high quality images, please visit our online media kit.

Teledyne DALSA is a part of Teledyne’s Vision Solutions group and a leader in the design, manufacture and deployment of digital imaging components for machine vision. Teledyne DALSA image sensors, cameras, smart cameras, frame grabbers, software, and vision solutions are at the heart of thousands of inspection systems around the world and across multiple industries. For more information, visit www.teledynedalsa.com/imaging.

All trademarks are registered by their respective companies. Teledyne reserves the right to make changes at any time without notice.

Media Contact:
Brooks Riendeau
Vice President of Marketing
613-736-4077 ext. 120
brooks.riendeau@teledyne.com

Sales Contacts:
sales.americas@teledyne.com
sales.europe@teledyne.com
sales.asia@teledyne.com

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Webtel.mobi’s System Brings the World’s 2 Billion Unbanked Persons – And Global Cash Use – Into a Global Digital Economy

WM’s years of detailed testing and optimization has enabled its System to include all Unbanked Persons and all Cash Payments in all countries worldwide into the 21st Century Digital Economy. Solves entrance issues for two of the world’s largest single market-sectors

A TUV for 11 000 Kenyan Shillings – equivalent to approximately USD 100
A TUV for 11 000 Kenyan Shillings – equivalent to approximately USD 100. The Kenyan Shilling is one of the Currencies for which the TUV is used by Unbanked Persons as a subsititute for cash
A TUV for 3 300 Thai Baht – equivalent to approximately USD 100
A TUV for 3 300 Thai Baht – equivalent to approximately USD 100. The Thai Baht is one of the Currencies for which the TUV is used by Migrant Workers for remitting funds home as a substitute to legacy-system transfer or remittances services

ST PETER PORT, Guernsey and NEW YORK, Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global Telephony Provider Webtel.mobi (“WM”) has spent years perfecting and optimizing its TUV Global Digital Currency and its Global Clearing System. Its structuring and refinements included facilitating the inclusion of all the world’s Unbanked Persons and Cash Payments into its ecosystem – as described below:

Situation

Cash
All current planning for a Global Digital Economy or a Global Cashless Society is based on flawed assumptions that the usage of Cash is declining, and the use of Digital Money is increasing. These assumptions are wrong. Cash usage is increasing globally and has been doing so, year-on-year, for the past decade. This includes the usage of Cash in Developing and Developed countries. On average, 50% of all transactions, worldwide, are carried out with Cash. No planning for “Cashless Societies” or “Digital Economies” has taken this into account because echo-chamber discussion on these matters presuppose that the entire world functions in the same manner as high-tech cities in Developed Countries – but it does not. Part of the Cash market uses Cash due to choice, and part of it uses Cash because the persons are Unbanked. Cash Payments and the use of Cash represent the largest single market-sector in the world (see the “Resources” section at the end of this article).

Unbanked Persons
Part of the market utilizing Cash are the +/- 2 Billion persons in the Unbanked Sector worldwide. This sector represents people who do not have bank accounts either because of the lack of infrastructure in countries, lack of banks in rural areas, lack of access to reach physical banks from rural areas, lack of online banking facilities, the cost of maintaining bank accounts and of transfers and payment, and the lack of KYC documentation.

Causes
The reasons for the predominance of Cash usage internationally are due to two factors, choice, and force of circumstance:

Choice (due to a variety of reasons, including):

  • The cost of opening and maintaining Bank Accounts
  • The costs of Digital Payments
  • The multiple varieties of fraud possible in Digital and Card Payments
  • Chargebacks to Merchants
  • Late settlement to Merchants and high retention fees to Merchants

Force of circumstance (due to a variety of reasons, including):

  • Lack of Identity Documents / Utility Bills / other documents to satisfy KYC Requirements
  • The cost of opening and maintaining Bank Accounts
  • The costs of Digital Payments
  • Lack of national infrastructure for people to reach towns or cities to access Banks
  • Lack of Banking Infrastructure
  • Lack of Support Infrastructure for Online Payment problems
  • Lack of Infrastructure for ATM placement (for conversion of Digital to Cash when needed)
  • Inability of current systems to render digital payments as instant payouts to Merchants
  • Inability of current systems to provide conversion between all currencies
  • Inability of Mobile Apps to function on Pre-Smart Mobile Phones (50% of Phones in use)
  • Inability of Image-Rich and Dynamic (high bandwidth) websites and Mobile Apps to be used in high-cost internet / high-cost mobile data / slow bandwidth countries

Consequences
If using the erroneous views and planning to date, it will not be possible for a Digital Economy to be implemented worldwide, in a unified and standardized manner. If it cannot be implemented in a unified way worldwide, it cannot be implemented at all.

The largest single market-sector in the world by transaction value – Cash Payments – remains a fragmented market sector of 164 different currencies in 197 different countries (245 if including Territories), with no single company providing a unified global service with unified standards to this largest – and potentially most valuable – single market-sector in the world by transaction value.

The largest single market-sector in the world by sector – the +/- 2 Billion Unbanked Persons in the world – are ignored, and continue to labor under adverse circumstances. Those working as Migrant Workers have to remit funds while losing large percentages of their salaries in currency conversion fees and transfer costs. Others experience the dangers of carrying or keeping Cash, and are denied access to the advantages of the 21st Century Digital Economy – being de-facto Second-Class Digital Citizens.

How WM resolved all of these issues
During its nine years of fully operational testing and refinement worldwide, WM specifically structured its Global Financial System to cater for full inclusion of the Global Cash market and Global Unbanked Sector – including in-situ studies and research in Developing countries among Unbanked communities.

Not only has it resolved all of the issues, its system that resolved all the issues is fully tested, proven, due diligenced and fully-operational worldwide. It has resolved all the issues regarding both Cash Payments and Unbanked Persons – even eradicating the concept of “Banked” and “Unbanked” – consolidated the world’s Cash usage into one unified system with global standards, as follows:

Substitute KYC
WM developed a “Substitute KYC Documentation” system that facilitates a full and satisfactory KYC process for persons without Identification Documents, Utility Bills, and other forms of Personal or address identification. This has been so successful that these Substitute KYC Documents are used by their holders for a variety of non-WM activities too – as they are accepted by other parties independent of WM (see the “Resources” section of this article for an example of WM’s “Substitute KYC Documents”).

Enhanced AML Procedures
WM itself does not accept Cash. Persons using Cash to acquire TUV Digital Currency obtain it from WM’s VSMP Affiliates and Independent Agents, who have in advance transferred funds (“Stored Credit”) to WM for the value of the TUV Digital Currency that they issue. There are advanced AML processes for the acquisition of TUV Digital Currency using Cash – including limits on amounts, frequency, and other tested forms of effective AML – before, during, and after the acquisition of TUV Digital Currency for Cash.

“Best of Both” regarding Digital Money and Cash
WM’s TUV Digital Currency incorporated all the best characteristics of Cash (instant and simultaneous payment and receipt, zero transaction cost, 24/7/364 usability) with the best of Digital (secure storage, secure transfer, global reach, low currency conversion rates, AML, etc). WM also removed the negative aspects of both forms of currency (potential for counterfeiting, fraud, chargebacks, money laundering, etc)

Global distribution and accessibility
WM’s Online Platform is compressed, simplified, and optimized for use by all Smart Phones and Pre-Smart Mobile phones, including in high-cost internet / high-cost mobile data / slow bandwidth countries – including by the 75% of people on expensive prepaid contracts worldwide, and the 50% of Pre-Smart Mobile Phones worldwide. It is therefore deliverable, accessible by, and usable by all persons in all countries.

SCRM Machines and TUV Redemptions for Unbanked persons
For Unbanked persons to redeem TUV Digital Currency back to Cash, WM has developed its own kiosk for “Stored Credit” refund withdrawals – the “Stored Credit Refund machine” or “SCRM”. It is being rolled out in 2022. They are centrally controlled by WM, and are subject to the same security and other standards. They also have limitations on withdrawal amounts conformant with global regulatory standards. They also have mobile and battery-operated versions for remote area placement or access. WM also has a TUV Redemption Process where accredited WM VSMP Affiliates and Independent Agents can redeem TUVs for Cash – subject to stringent KYC and AML processes.

Non-interference with Money Supply, Monetary Policy or Currency Sovereignty
WM does not create or issue currency. It converts currency already issued by Central Banks into Digital Format, using the TUV as a vehicle. The funds (“Stored Credit”) remain in a regulated bank account for the life of the TUV. “Stored Credit” is not a payment, part-payment, or deposit, and remains the property of the owner (and therefore of the country of origin) until redeemed by the owner. As such, no exchange control regulations are contravened because the “Stored Credit” funds remain the property of the owner and issuing country until repatriated. In fact, if owners convert their “Stored Credit”, this has the effect of de-facto raising the issuing country’s foreign exchange reserves.

Zero Cost
Acquisition, Payments, Transfers, Splitting, Consolidation and Redemption of WM’s TUVs are at zero cost.

Through these tested, proven and fully operational structures and processes worldwide, WM has successfully resolved the entry of Unbanked persons and the cash economy into the 21st Century Digital Economy, and made it possible for a real and practical Global Digital Economy to exist.

The Global and Unified Digital Economy does not have to be waited for or striven for. With the WM System, it already exists.

Resources:

Media Contact:
Nick Lambert: wm@thoburns.com

G45 World Cash Report – Headline Facts:
https://www.g4scashreport.com/top-facts

G45 2018 World Cash Report:
https://www.g4scashreport.com/-/media/g4s/cash-report/files/2018-world-cash-report—english.ashx?la=en&hash=0F3BECD46B4820D7FA32112E99252AAB

Congressional Research Service – Cash Usage in the USA:
https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R45716.pdf

Deutsche Welle – Cash Use in Germany:
https://www.dw.com/en/times-change-but-german-obsession-with-cash-endures/a-43718626

McKinsey and Co – Number of Unbanked Persons Worldwide:
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/counting-the-worlds-unbanked

Wikipedia – Number of Unbanked Persons in the USA:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unbanked#The_unbanked_in_the_United_States

WSBI – Number of Unbanked Persons in the European Union:
https://www.wsbi-esbg.org/press/latest-news/Pages/Close-to-40-million-EU-citizens-outside-banking-mainstream.aspx

WM Substitute KYC Document:
https://webtel.mobi/static/pdf/Personal_KYC_Substitute_Document.pdf

Research Reports on the Capacities of the WM System:
https://tinyurl.com/TUVresearch

Video on the Capacities of the WM System:
https://youtu.be/XYBrCikUhn8

WM’s urls:
https://webtel.mobi/pc (Tablets / Laptops / Desktops)
https://webtel.mobi (Smart Phones)
https://webtel.mobi/wap (Pre-Smart Mobile Phones)

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/31777266-792a-4ada-9405-f03136f769c3

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cd27d45e-ccef-44a5-9439-cc17df013bb7

Photos are also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress

Schneider Electric Calls for Urgent Action in the Race to Decarbonize by Accelerating Net Zero Pathways

Innovation Summit World Tour 2021 Image

Innovation Summit World Tour 2021

  • Innovation Summit World Tour 2021 urges rapid acceleration of carbon emission reduction to reach 2050 net zero ambition
  • Expansion of consulting services for meaningful sustainability progress
  • Call to act 3-5 times faster and halve emissions this decade, with smart, green electricity and next-generation automation

Rueil-Malmaison (France), October 12 2021– The world can accelerate urgent climate action and halve carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2030, according to Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, recognized as the World’s Most Sustainable Corporation in 2021 by Corporate Knights. Kicking off the Innovation Summit World Tour 2021, Schneider Electric Chairman and CEO Jean-Pascal Tricoire’s keynote advocates achievable pathways to net zero set out in the “The 2030 imperative: A race against time” report from the Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute.

Schneider Electric’s flagship annual Innovation Summit World Tour (October 12-November 12) will address global climate challenges and guide customers, partners, regulators, and policymakers on rapidly reducing emissions to decarbonize the world’s economy in this decisive decade. Attendees will experience Schneider Electric’s digital and sustainable innovation and learn more about Electricity 4.0 and Next-generation automation.

Urgent need to act fast to decarbonize

Tricoire’s Innovation Summit World Tour keynote urges attendees to adopt critical decarbonization measures and offers Schneider Electric’s own research as a blueprint to stay within a global warming trajectory of 1.5°C degrees. This report details the need to reduce emissions by 30-50 percent this decade, compared to current levels. Missing this makes it virtually impossible to limit temperature rise to a 1.5°C degree threshold as outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC).

The Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute modelling shows how 10GtCO2/y can be realistically and affordably abated by 2030. The report focused on a subset of global greenhouse gas emissions. Out of 50GtCO2e/y, “The 2030 Imperative” scenario finds a 30% (10GtCO2e/y) abatement opportunity from a 30GtCO2/y baseline of all energy-related emissions, a significant acceleration from current pledges (ranging around 3GtCO2e/y, which is 10% of the emissions reduction target). There remains however around 20GtCO2e/y of non-energy related emissions which is not covered in this report’s modelling.

Schneider Electric is calling for a 3-5 times greater effort from governments and corporates. The Institute believes the only realistic roadmap for success is to deploy proven digital technologies alongside increased electrification as the fastest way to decarbonize buildings, transport, and industry. This approach buys time to address hard-to-abate sectors. Its modelling clearly shows alternative pathways will place too high a burden on consumers.

“Despite increased momentum around sustainability and more companies adopting ambitious targets to tackle climate change, this research reveals how we need to speed up. At Schneider Electric, we are uniquely part of the solution. To support organizations in their quest to decarbonize at pace and deliver on their climate commitments, we are accelerating the expansion of our global sustainability consulting services business to meet the increasing demand for meaningful progress on energy transition and climate action goals,” said Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Chairman and CEO, Schneider Electric. “What organizations require today is a trusted partner who combines strategic planning and target setting with a proven track record of solutions implementation to deliver faster, tangible sustainable outcomes. Having successfully overcome many sustainability challenges ourselves, and in so doing, achieved world-leading digital and electric solutions in our own facilities, we are well-positioned to help others go faster and further.”

Strategies and solutions to decarbonize value chains

Building on its sustainability leadership and the ambition of the 2021-2025 Schneider Sustainability Index, Schneider Electric is accelerating its global sustainability consulting business and expand on a 10-year track record of success in energy and sustainability services.

Today, Schneider Electric is the world’s leader in energy efficiency, energy management, renewable energy procurement, carbon reporting, climate risk assessment, and supply chain decarbonization, providing software and consulting services to more than 30% of the Fortune 500. Customers include Johnson & Johnson, Walmart, Faurecia, Kellogg, Takeda, Velux Group, Unilever, and T-Mobile, among others.

Increasing demand for Schneider’s “ambition + action” advisory services is behind this expansion, including:

  • Climate action consulting, and affiliated supply chain decarbonization and climate risk assessment services,
  • Communications services, including ESG reporting/ratings and reputational and sustainability claims,
  • Circularity and traceability services,
  • ESG modules for the award-winning EcoStruxure™ Resource Advisor platform to track societal and governance metrics.

Being part of the solution through digital disruption

As part of its ambition to drive sustainable innovation and build net zero pathways, Schneider Electric helps customers in many sectors to innovate and move to open, interoperable, digital, and simplified systems and smarter ways of doing business. At Innovation Summit World Tour, Schneider Electric is unveiling digital innovation for carbon abatement in homes, buildings, data centers, power grids, and industries.

  • Electricity 4.0: Powering the New Electric World with Smart Green Energy

Today, we are witnessing the convergence of digital and electric at scale with software. Electric makes energy green and the best vector for decarbonization. Digital makes energy smart to drive efficiency and eliminate waste. This convergence delivers ‘Electricity 4.0’, the fuel for a New Electric World.

Data Centers: The new APC™ Smart-UPS™ Ultra 5kW is the industry’s first 5kW Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS), designed to deliver more power, flexibility, and intelligent monitoring in the smallest footprint, freeing up valuable IT space for edge applications. Schneider data center customers have reduced their carbon footprint by 37%.

Smart Homes: Today, Schneider is announcing a series of smart sustainable home solutions, including Wiser, that help fight energy waste. By 2050, households are expected to be the single largest consumer of electricity, and the biggest contributor of CO2 emissions with as much as 34% generated by homes.

Resilient Digital Grids: Schneider’s range of pure air SF6-free technology for net zero grids is extended with the RM AirSeT Ring Main Unit and Modular Switchgear and the MCSeT Active Medium Voltage Air Insulated Distribution Switchboard.

Smart Electrical Distribution: Rethinking Schneider’s Low Voltage TeSys Giga, Canalis Busbar, PrismaSeT Active, New Gen ComPacT, TransferPacT and EcoStruxure Power™ digital products will deliver a simpler, more sustainable, safe and secure user experience for installer and service partners to enhance the resiliency of the world’s growing digital economy, as part of the Partnerships of the Future program.

Step changes in efficiency and agility can be achieved through artificial intelligence, digital twin technology, human insight supported by advanced analytics, and vendor-agnostic industrial software—including Performance Intelligence from AVEVA.

EcoStruxure™ Automation Expert 21.2 provides water and wastewater plants with complete life cycle management. The world’s first software-centric automation system seamlessly integrates IT and OT services, to boost security, increase system longevity, and easily evolve over time. As a universal automation solution, EcoStruxure™ Automation Expert can be implemented with existing hardware. The virtualized controller can run on any Windows or Linux edge computing device, providing industrial enterprises with unprecedented flexibility. Digital collaboration of this sort has the potential to unlock more than $100 billion in value for industries.

EcoStruxure Machine increases efficiency for machine builders and shortens their development time. With the new Lexium MC12 multi carrier for transporting, grouping and positioning products, OEMs can achieve greater productivity and unprecedented flexibility with up to 40% savings on investment costs and 50% faster machine installation and commissioning. Combined with digital twin technology, the new multi carrier also reduces machine design and time-to-market by up to 30%.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency.

We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.

www.se.com

        Follow us on:

Visit Schneider Electric Insights Portal by clicking HERE

Hashtags: #LifeIsOn #Sustainability #energytransformation #decarbonization #climateaction #NetZeroHomes #Ecostruxure #IndustrialAutomation #DigitalTransformation #PowerManagement #IoT

Attachments

New workforce research from Degreed identifies the links between continuous learning, revenue growth, employee engagement and agility

How the Workforce Learns report shows diverse learning experiences, manager support and opportunities to stretch skills are core components of employee engagement

PLEASANTON, Calif., Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A positive learning culture is directly linked to greater organizational agility, faster revenue growth, and increased employee engagement. These are some findings from Degreed’s How The Workforce Learns 2021 report, which unpacks the value of positive workplace learning experiences at a time when business leaders are grappling with challenges like the great job migration and skills shortages. Currently, 55% of the workforce state that they’re likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months. Degreed research found that employees want more guidance on how and what to learn, and they want more diverse and active learning experiences that go beyond the standard live, virtual and online classes. It also highlights the critical role and habits of managers and the importance of getting feedback for career development.

Degreed asked more than 2,400 workers from 15 countries, across retail, healthcare, financial services, technology, professional services, and travel and hospitality, about the behaviors, values, and assumptions that lead to positive learning and career growth experiences at work. Respondents were divided into those who rated their cultures as positive (promoters) and those who rated it as neutral or negative (detractors). The report explores the differences between these two groups.

The link between performance and learning was explored. Promoters are 53% more likely to learn in order to perform better in their current roles. Promoters are also 50% more likely to upskill to prepare for their next potential role. Detractors are disproportionately motivated to learn only to complete requirements (68% higher in the detractor group), highlighting this group’s low levels of engagement.

The findings also challenge the industry’s obsession with content as the only solution for learning and instead show there are four key factors that correlate with more continuous and impactful upskilling and career development:

  1. Guidance on what and how to learn
  2. Diverse and active development experiences
  3. Feedback and insights on progress
  4. Opportunities to practice, apply, and stretch skills

In a positive culture, opportunities for career growth are readily available and employees feel more in control of their career, with 81% of promoters stating that they have access to easy-to-use tools for their career planning and 73% saying it’s easy to find new roles internally. While promotions are important in a positive learning culture, How the Workforce Learns data shows that opportunities to move laterally or work on collaborative stretch assignments are just as important and boost retention. Promoters are 235% more likely to switch to a new function in their organization, 101% more likely to work on temporary projects and 189% more likely to work with a mentor or coach; ensuring all of their skills are used to their full potential.

The role of managers in creating strong workplace cultures is also highlighted, with promoters being 270% more likely to say that their manager supports their development. Conversely, detractors were 92% more likely to feel that their manager hasn’t meaningfully supported their development over the past year.

It is more critical than ever to ensure a workforce has the right skills to transform, succeed, and adapt to change. By honing in on the factors that create a positive learning culture in organizations, business leaders can ensure that their upskilling investment is truly engaging their people and driving innovation.

Discover more about How The Workforce Learns 2021 here.

About Degreed

Degreed is the workforce upskilling platform for one in three Fortune 50 companies. We connect all your learning, talent development, and internal mobility opportunities to intelligence on the skills your business needs next. And we do it all in one simple, fluid, skill-building experience that’s powered by your people’s expertise and interests. So you can transform your workforce from within. Founded in 2012, Degreed is headquartered in Pleasanton, California, with additional offices in Salt Lake City, New York, London, Amsterdam, and Brisbane.

Learn more about Degreed: Website | YouTube | LinkedIn | Twitter

Media Contacts:

Sarah Danzl
Head of Global Communications
sdanzl@degreed.com

Investments & Wealth Institute and Association of Professional Fund Investors Form Strategic Alliance

Certified Investment Management Analyst® -CIMA® certification recognized as global standard for fund allocators

Denver, Co, Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Two associations for investment practitioners who are committed to competent and ethical practice of investment management analysis and fund allocation have formed a multi-year strategic alliance to raise the bar of professionalism, and promote standards of quality for investment professionals around the world.

The strategic alliance aims to support and advance each organization’s respective objectives.

  • The Association of Professional Fund Investors (APFI) will work collaboratively with the Institute to promote global awareness and adoption of the CIMA certification as the most relevant global standard for manager research and fund investing, thereby enhancing the competency and professionalism of services delivered to investors.
  • Investments & Wealth Institute® has entered into a service agreement with APFI to support their aims to empower professional fund investors to learn, share ideas, network with their peers, and have a collective voice to national and global standards bodies and regulatory authorities.

The APFI has previously released a International Accreditations for Fund Selectors evaluating international accreditations available to industry professionals. While the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation is by far the most widely-held and most well-known accreditation in the financial services industry, the APFI believes that the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA) accreditation is a better fit for professional fund selectors and recommended the CIMA certification as the most relevant and practical for fund allocators.

Adam Choppin, Executive Chairman of the Board for the APFI said, “All of the credentials we reviewed have excellent curricula and provide professionals with the necessary educational core to act as professional fund and manager selectors. But what sets them apart when you look at them side by side is how relevant, practical and useful each one is to a real working professional and what you have to do to maintain it. When we looked at those things objectively, the CIMA certification rose to the top.”

“We really started from a point that said, what set of tools and skills should a fund allocator have, based on our individual experience from across the globe,” said APFI Director, Gandy Gandidzanwa .

The CIMA accreditation is one of only six global accreditations approved by the APFI and of those only two require ongoing education to maintain the designation. “I was actually shocked when we did this review and found how few of these accreditations required ongoing education,” Choppin said. “That you would say you never have to do anything ever again to be equally qualified doesn’t make sense to me. I would never hire a fund manager who never made an effort to improve themselves.”  Formed in 1988 as a credential for investment management consultants, CIMA certification is one of only a handful of professional certifications in financial services that meets the rigorous accreditation requirements of ISO 17024, a global standard for personnel certifications. Earlier this year, CIMA certification was accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board under this standard. Today, the certification requires three years of professional experience, several background checks detailing a clean disciplinary and legal history, completion of a comprehensive executive education program at one of four registered programs – The Wharton School, Chicago Booth School, Yale School of Management, or the Investment Management Research program in Australia. Following 300 hours of self-study, candidates must then pass a 140 question, five-hour examination, with a first time pass rate of 56%. All certified professionals must recertify every two years by maintaining ongoing ethics and continuing education requirements (40 hours every two years).

Operated and managed entirely by member volunteers, and independent of commercial interests, the APFI is a hub for professional allocators and manager research professionals from across the globe. Originally founded in Switzerland and now headquartered in the UK, with a leadership team spread from Cape Town to Kerala and Seattle to Sweden, the APFI’s membership reflects the global diversity of the fund investing profession. The APFI has turned to the Investments & Wealth Institute as a technical partner to enable its global membership access to the modern tools of networking and collaboration for an increasingly digital age. Working with the Institute to globalize the reach of the APFI’s most highly recommended accreditation (the CIMA), also furthers the APFI’s goals of promoting the industry’s highest levels of professional standards and integrity in fund investing.

“This partnership will unlock opportunities for members of the Association of Professional Fund Investors and bring substantial benefits to both organizations,” said Sean Walters, Chief Executive Officer of the Investments & Wealth Institute. “Members and practitioners around the world can benefit from rich content sharing, moderated discussions, and a networked community of the world’s best and brightest global investment professionals, hosted on our new community platform, and facilitated by APFI members, who work on nearly every continent around the globe.”

About the Investments & Wealth Institute

Founded in 1985, the Investments & Wealth Institute is the premier professional association, education provider, and standards body for financial advisors. Through its award-winning events, publications, courses, and acclaimed certifications—Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®), Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®), and Retirement Management Advisor® (RMA®)—the Institute delivers Ivy league-quality, highly-practical education to more than 30,000 practitioners annually in over 40 countries.  Members of the Institute include the industry’s most successful investment consultants, advanced financial planners, and private wealth managers who embrace excellence and ethics in applying a broad set of knowledge and skills in their daily work with clients. www.investmentsandwealth.org

About the Association of Professional Fund Investors

Formed in 2011, the Association of Professional Fund Investors advances the interests of investors by promoting professional standards and integrity in fund investing. APFI members are all professional fund investors – professionals whose principal occupation is the identification and evaluation of investment managers, funds, vehicles, etc. that are external to their own organization. APFI promotes best practices in fund investing by setting global standards of professionalism and accreditation, while empowering professional fund investors to learn, share ideas, network with their peers, and have a collective voice to national and global standards bodies and regulatory authorities. www.profundinvestors.org

Cindy Chaifetz
Investments & Wealth Institute
303.850.3079
cchaifetz@i-w.org

FreedomPay Selects Hill+Knowlton Strategies as Communications Agency of Record Amidst Global Expansion

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FreedomPay, a global leader in Next Level Commerce™ has selected Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K) as its communications partner, following a competitive agency review. H+K will work with FreedomPay’s in-house marketing team to execute the global fintech leader’s national communications strategy as it continues its global expansion across 130+ countries, more than one hundred currencies and thousands of commerce partners.

FreedomPay is the only, fully independent, ‘open’ and agnostic Commerce Platform supporting the most innovative partners across banking, acquiring, processing and software vendors around the world. A pioneer in Commerce Technologies, FreedomPay’s cutting edge technology is unrivaled in speed, security, and capacity. With its award-winning, world-class Platform now serving 3 Billion+ transactions across the globe and accelerating into advanced cloud infrastructure, the company is growing rapidly to meet the needs of merchants with over 600+ integrations and the ‘new norm’ consumer demanding more experiences across in-store, online and on mobile commerce.

“FreedomPay’s singular focus on the evolving needs of both merchants and consumers distinguishes our solution set and is driving exponential growth,” said Chris Kronenthal, President & CTO at FreedomPay. “As technology continues to unite markets across all continents, our international partners are turning to our globally available and scalable Platform to support increasingly complex requirements to satisfy merchant and consumer requirements. With a focus on continued innovation for the fintech industry, as well as an extensive US and global presence that delivers an understanding of the markets and stakeholders that we are expanding to reach – we look forward to collaborating with Hill+Knowlton as our communications partner and sharing our entrepreneurial drive and culture of innovation.”

FreedomPay’s global footprint delivers full Omni-channel capabilities to merchants in 130+ countries and territories. FreedomPay’s Next Level Commerce™ platform is now fully compliant with PSD2 strong customer authentication, on-line PIN and foreign language support now meeting the needs of hundreds of thousands of merchants around the world.

About FreedomPay

FreedomPay’s Next Level Commerce™ platform transforms existing payment systems and processes from legacy to leading edge. As the premier choice for many of the largest companies across the globe in retail, hospitality, lodging, gaming, sports and entertainment, food service, education, healthcare and financial services, FreedomPay’s technology has been purposely built to deliver rock solid performance in the highly complex environment of global commerce. The company maintains a world-class security environment and was first to earn the coveted validation by the PCI Security Standards Council against the Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE/EMV) standard in North America. FreedomPay’s robust solutions across payments, security, identity, and data analytics are available in-store, online and on-mobile and are supported by rapid API adoption. The award winning FreedomPay Commerce Platform operates on a single, unified technology stack across multiple continents allowing enterprises to deliver an innovative Next Level experience on a global scale. www.freedompay.com

 

About Hill+Knowlton Strategies   

Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Inc. is an international communications consultancy, providing services to local, multinational, and global clients. H+K operates 77 offices in 43 countries worldwide, as well as an extensive associate network, delivering award-winning campaigns to clients across all sectors and disciplines and with a focus on continued innovation for the industry. Headquartered in New York, the firm is part of WPP, one of the world’s largest communications services groups.

Media Contact

Amy Dalkoff

Hill+Knowlton for FreedomPay

Amy.dalkoff@hkstrategies.com

312-255-3078 

Taylor Durovsik
FreedomPay
taylor.durovsik@freedompay.com

Helsinn and Fosun Pharma sign exclusive license and distribution agreements for Aloxi®, Akynzeo® oral, NEPA IV and anamorelin in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR

Helsinn and Fosun Pharma sign exclusive license and distribution agreements for Aloxi®, Akynzeo® oral, NEPA IV and anamorelin in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR

Lugano, Switzerland – Shanghai, China, October 12, 2021 Helsinn Group (“Helsinn”), a Swiss Biopharmaceutical Group with an innovative R&D pipeline in cancer supportive care and oncology therapeutics, strategically investing in a fully integrated targeted therapy structure to develop, manufacture and commercialize small molecules in precision medicine with higher market potential, and Fosun Pharmaceutical A.G., a corporation organised and existing under the law of Switzerland and a wholly owned subsidiary of Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. (Fosun Pharma), a leading global pharmaceutical and healthcare provider in China, announced today the signing of exclusive license and distribution agreements effective from October 1st 2021 in the territory of Mainland China for Aloxi®, Akynzeo® and anamorelin.

Under the terms of the agreements, Helsinn will grant Fosun Pharmaceutical A.G. an exclusive license to distribute, promote, market, and sell the following products in the aforesaid territory:

Approved products:

  • Aloxi® (Palonosetron hydrochloride) for the prevention of Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) and for Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting
  • Akynzeo® oral (Netupitant and Palonosetron hydrochloride) for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy and with moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy

Products under development

  • NEPA (Fosnetupitant and Palonosetron hydrochloride) IV, which is being developed in China for the prevention of CINV
  • anamorelin, a selective, novel, orally active ghrelin receptor agonist, which is being developed for the treatment of Malignancy Associated Weight Loss and Anorexia in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Helsinn will also grant Fosun Pharmaceutical A.G. an exclusive license for the said products in Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR. In addition, Helsinn’s Chinese subsidiary, Helsinn Pharmaceuticals Beijing Co. Ltd. (HPC) will provide Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Industrial Development Co. Ltd., a subsidiary company of Fosun Pharma with certain medical, marketing and commercial services, including co-promotion services in Shanghai, China, in support to the commercialization of the products in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR.

Riccardo Braglia, Helsinn Group Vice Chairman and CEO, commented: “Delivering therapies and supportive care to those living with cancer is at the core of what we do here at Helsinn, and we are pleased to have found a partner in Fosun Pharmaceutical A.G. that shares our values. Through these agreements we are able to provide patients across Mainland China and other territories with much needed therapies, targeting a variety of cancer-related illnesses and we look forward to working closely with Fosun Pharma in doing so.”

Wu Yifang, Chairman and CEO of Fosun Pharma, commented: “We are very pleased to sign this agreement with Helsinn. At Fosun, we are passionate about providing better health solutions for patients and these exclusive license and distribution agreements for Aloxi®, Akynzeo® and anamorelin across Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR show our commitment to that mission. We are looking forward to working with Helsinn and to making these therapies available to patients in these territories as soon as possible.”

About Aloxi® in China

Palonosetron hydrochloride injection (strength: 5 ml/ 0.25 mg as Palonosetron) is indicated in adults for prevention of acute nausea and vomiting associated with Highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy and Moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy. This product is indicated in pediatric patients aged 1 month to less than 17 years for: Prevention of acute nausea and vomiting associated with emetogenic cancer chemotherapy, including highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy.

Palonosetron Hydrochloride Soft Capsules (0.5 mg as Palonosetron) is indicated for the prevention of acute nausea and vomiting associated with moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy.

Palonosetron hydrochloride injection (strength: 1.5 ml/0.075 mg as Palonosetron) is indicated in adults for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) for up to 24 hours following surgery.

About Akynzeo® oral in China

Netupitant and palonosetron hydrochloride capsules is indicated in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy and with moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy.

NEPA (Fosnetupitant and Palonosetron hydrochloride) IV

The product containing 235 mg of fosnetupitant (equivalent to 260 mg fosnetupitant chloride hydrochloride) and 0.25 mg of palonosetron (equivalent to 0.28 mg of palonosetron hydrochloride) is being developed in China for prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with emetogenic cancer chemotherapy.

About anamorelin

Anamorelin is a selective, novel, orally active ghrelin receptor agonist. Ghrelin is an endogenous peptide primarily secreted by the stomach. Upon binding to its receptor, ghrelin stimulates multiple pathways in the positive regulation of body weight, muscle mass, appetite and metabolism. Anamorelin is an investigational agent, which is being developed for the treatment of Malignancy Associated Weight Loss and Anorexia in non-small cell lung cancer patients. Anamorelin is not approved by the China National Medical Products Administration (“NMPA”).

About the Helsinn Group

Helsinn is a Swiss Biopharmaceutical Group with an innovative R&D pipeline in cancer supportive care and oncology therapeutics, strategically investing in a fully integrated targeted therapy structure to develop, manufacture and commercialize small molecules in precision medicine with higher market potential, thanks to a consolidated track record, a solid revenue stream in B2B and strong cash flow and cash position.

Helsinn is building market differentiation in B2C in the U.S. and China and is owned by a third-generation healthcare entrepreneurial family.

Since 1976, Helsinn has been improving the lives of patients, guided by core family values of respect, integrity and quality and through a unique integrated licensing business model, and by collaborating with success in about 190 countries with long-standing partners, who share our values.

The Group’s pharmaceutical business (Helsinn Healthcare S.A.) is headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland with operating subsidiaries in the U.S. (Helsinn Therapeutics (U.S.), Inc.) and China (Helsinn Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd) which market the Group’s products directly in these countries. The Group has additional operating subsidiaries in Switzerland (Helsinn Advanced Synthesis S.A., an active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer) and Ireland (Helsinn Birex Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a drug product manufacturer).

Helsinn Group plays an active and central role in promoting social transformation in favor of people and the environment. Corporate social responsibility is at the heart of everything we do which is reinforced in the company’s strategic plan by a commitment to sustainable growth.

To learn more about Helsinn Group please visit www.helsinn.com

About Fosun Pharma

Founded in 1994, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. (“Fosun Pharma”; stock code: 600196.SH, 02196.HK) is a leading global pharmaceutical and healthcare provider in China. Fosun Pharma strategically operates businesses in the pharmaceutical and health industry, including pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical devices and medical diagnosis, and healthcare services. Through its associated company Sinopharm Co., Ltd., Fosun Pharma’s business extends to pharmaceutical distribution and retail.

Fosun Pharma takes pharmaceutical manufacturing as its core business and sticks to innovative research and development. Through in-house R&D, co-development, in-licensing and incubation, Fosun Pharma had established platforms for small molecule innovative drugs, antibody drugs and cell therapy, focusing on major therapeutic areas, including oncology, immunology, “4 hypers” (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia and hyperuricemia) and their complications, as well as central nervous system. In the meantime, Fosun Pharma keeps close track of cutting-edge technologies, such as targeted protein degradation, RNA, oncolytic virus and gene therapy to enhance its innovation ability.

Looking forward, under guidance of 4IN strategy (Innovation, Internationalization, Integration and Intelligentization), Fosun Pharma practices innovation and transformation, integrated operation and steady development, as well as the concept of sustainable development. Fosun Pharma is committed to becoming the first-class enterprise in the global mainstream healthcare industry.

For more information, please visit: www.fosunpharma.com

For more information:

Helsinn Group Media Contact:

Paola Bonvicini

Group Head of Communication

Lugano, Switzerland

Tel: +41 (0) 91 985 21 21

Email: Info-hhc@helsinn.com

For more information, please visit www.helsinn.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

Fosun PharmaMedia Contact:

Mr. Barney Liu

Dircetor of Media and Public Relations

Tel: +86-21-3398 7123

Email: liumingyi@fosunpharma.com