EEOC Rescinds 2024 Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace
On Jan. 22 the EEOC voted 2‑1 to rescind its 2024 Enforcement Guidance on Workplace Harassment, a near‑200‑page reference that had become the de‑facto standard for employers. The Republican‑led commission justified the move under President Trump’s Executive Order 14168 and a Texas court ruling that the guidance exceeded agency authority on sexual orientation and gender identity. The rescission revived the BE HEARD Act in Congress and prompted new EEOC case law, including a February decision limiting bathroom rights for transgender federal employees. Employers now face uncertainty as they must rely on case law and state statutes without the agency’s consolidated guidance.
Quebec Construction Commission Launches Three-Year Campaign to Combat Construction Site Harassment
The Quebec Construction Commission (QCC) has launched a three‑year, province‑wide campaign to eliminate discrimination, intimidation and harassment (DIH) on construction sites. A 2023 Léger survey revealed that 9% of workers experienced DIH, 61% witnessed it, and 79% of victims never...
Department of Work and Pensions' Answer to AI Job Fears Is a Bot to Polish Your CV
The UK government unveiled a three‑month trial of an "AI Work Assistant" that helps jobseekers draft CVs, write applications and receive career advice around the clock. Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented the service at London Tech Week, positioning it as...
The 12 Most Strategically Important IT Initiatives Today
CIOs across industries are prioritizing AI—especially generative and agentic models—alongside security, data analytics, and automation as their top strategic initiatives for 2026. The State of the CIO survey shows AI at the forefront, followed by agentic AI, analytics, and risk...
AI | Work, Reinvented: Defining the Human-AI Partnership
AI is reshaping work by moving organizations toward a human‑AI partnership rather than a replacement model. Leaders are grappling with how to redeploy the capacity freed by automation toward strategic innovation, relationship building, and emotional intelligence. Workday’s internal pilots show...
Enterprise Network Teams Are Falling Behind as AI Raises the Stakes
Enterprise network operations teams are falling behind as AI workloads increase pressure, according to Enterprise Management Associates' Network Management Megatrends 2026 report. Only 31% of surveyed IT professionals rate their network strategy as completely successful, down from 42% two years...
Meet the Bank CEO Who’s Still Embracing Social Impact
Amalgamated Bank’s CEO Priscilla Sims Brown is doubling down on ESG and DEI while the broader financial sector retreats. Under her leadership, the bank’s assets grew from $6.6 billion to $9.2 billion and its stock is up 25% this year, outpacing the...
Hg-Backed Gen II Weighs Potential $6bn Sale
New York‑based Gen II Fund Services, backed by Hg and General Atlantic, is weighing a sale that could value the firm at up to $6 billion. The company administers more than $1.5 trillion in assets for roughly 14,000 fund entities across private...
Polycab's Latest Campaign Puts Electricians in the Spotlight
Polycab India, a leading cable manufacturer, launched a digital campaign ahead of Electricians' Day on June 10, featuring a short film that positions electricians as “Electrical Safety Experts.” The video highlights their role in preventing outages and hazards in homes and...
SA Firms ‘Rewire’ Leadership for AI Future
South African CEOs are reshaping their C‑suite to embed artificial intelligence, with 67% appointing a chief AI officer and 83% integrating AI across workflows. Executives report growing confidence, as 80% feel comfortable basing strategic decisions on AI‑generated insights. However, only...
Duluth Holdings Inc. Announces First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
Duluth Holdings Inc. reported a narrower Q1 net loss of $10.0 million, improving from $15.3 million a year earlier, while adjusted EBITDA climbed to $2.6 million, up $6.4 million YoY. Gross margin expanded 540 basis points to 57.4% and inventory fell 24.8% to $132.4 million,...
Wrapper or Moat? How AI Is Re-Pricing HealthTech M&A
Health‑tech M&A has moved from speculative, growth‑only pricing to a disciplined model that rewards integrated, data‑rich platforms. In 2025 global deal value rose 46% while transaction volume fell 5%, concentrating 70% of value in fewer than ten mega‑deals. The new...
Software Buyout Market Slumps to Post-Pandemic Low as AI Disruption Weighs on Valuations
Private equity software buyouts have slumped to roughly $50 billion in the first five months of 2026, the lowest level since the pandemic‑induced dip of 2020. The decline follows a 2025 boom that saw $290 billion of deals, driven by recurring‑revenue models...
Digital Loyalty Programs Are Becoming Community Participation Systems
Digital loyalty programs are evolving from static point balances to participation-driven systems that keep customers engaged between purchases. Brands now embed rewards within app experiences, social channels, and community groups, turning loyalty into a real-time operating layer. Studies show personalization,...
After More than a Decade of Pay Disputes, Grill’d Boss Insists His Staff Come First
Grill’d, Australia’s premium burger chain with about 180 outlets and 4,000 staff, is confronting a class‑action lawsuit alleging systematic denial of mandatory paid breaks for roughly 1,700 workers. CEO Simon Crowe, who opened the first store in 2004, reiterated that...
Former Peugeot Global CEO Linda Jackson Joins AM100 Group's Board
Hendy Group has added former Peugeot global CEO Linda Jackson as a non‑executive director, bolstering its board amid a three‑year transformation aimed at higher profitability. Jackson brings two decades of Stellantis experience, including leadership of Peugeot, to support operational efficiency...
How the Search for Purpose Is Rewriting the Social Contract Between Employer and Employee
The latest AsiaHRM Sustainability in Business episode highlighted purpose, connection and continuous learning as the new pillars of talent strategy. Speakers Vivian Seo and Vincent Chen argued that purpose now rivals compensation as a key differentiator for attracting and retaining...
Kiwi Targets Rs 5,000 Crore Premium Book with AI-Led Insurance Model
Kiwi General Insurance, backed by WestBridge Capital and veteran Neelesh Garg, has secured regulatory approval and a Rs 150 crore ($18 million) seed fund, with a further Rs 500 crore ($60 million) slated for this year. The startup plans to build an AI‑driven insurer that redesigns...
Ghent’s Companion.energy Raises €7.8 Million to Help Large Enterprises Manage Energy in Real Time
Companion.energy, a Ghent‑based AI startup, closed a €7.8 million (≈ $8.5 million) seed round led by Realyze Ventures and Pi Labs to accelerate its real‑time energy optimisation platform across Europe, starting with Germany and Spain. The platform gives large industrial and commercial firms...
Inflation Poses Bigger Risk than Growth This Fiscal as Monsoon and Crude Weigh on Rural Demand: Nuvama
India’s FY27 outlook is shifting from a growth‑centric view to an inflation‑driven slowdown, especially in rural areas. Nuvama projects headline CPI at about 5.7%, well above the RBI’s 4.6% target, as food prices rise amid delayed monsoon and high crude...
Wassist Raises $1.1M to Bring No-Code AI Agents to WhatsApp Commerce
Wassist announced a $1.1 million pre‑seed round led by Playfair to turn WhatsApp into a default storefront for online retailers. The startup’s no‑code platform lets brands launch AI‑powered agents on WhatsApp in minutes, handling product queries, order updates and recommendations. In...
The New Risk Equation: Why Endpoint Security Is a Financial Imperative
Financial institutions are treating endpoint security as a financial lever, driven by AI expansion and hybrid work. The endpoint detection and response (EDR) market is projected to grow rapidly as threat sophistication rises. AI‑powered solutions such as Lenovo’s ThinkShield XDR...
Stop Blaming Your ERP Vendor
A new doctoral study of six small manufacturers in Pennsylvania reveals that ERP success hinges on internal discipline rather than vendor performance. The research identified three consistent drivers: meticulous preparation with executive sponsorship, role‑specific execution approaches, and strict scope control....
Why CFOs Are Turning to NetSuite to Fix Their Intercompany Transaction Problem
Multi‑entity companies struggle with manual intercompany reconciliations that slow month‑end close. NetSuite OneWorld includes native intercompany tools—dedicated accounts, a framework, and automated transaction generation—that many firms haven’t fully enabled. Proper configuration, including multi‑currency alignment and entity representation, eliminates spreadsheet work...
Dual Track Processes, IPO Readiness in Vogue, Says Alvarez & Marsal; Sharp Reduction in Dealmaking, Finds Bain & Co Midyear...
Alvarez & Marsal says dual‑track processes—running a sale auction while testing IPO readiness—are becoming the preferred exit strategy for many owners. Clients want to compare private‑buyer bids with public‑market valuations before committing. Meanwhile, Bain & Company’s mid‑year report shows a sharp slowdown...
Transactions in Connection with Share Buyback Programme
ISS A/S announced a share buyback programme of up to DKK 3.1 billion (≈$434 million) running from 19 Feb 2026 to 22 Feb 2027. The first tranche, capped at DKK 1.25 billion (≈$175 million), will close by 7 Aug 2026. To date the company has repurchased 3.18 million shares for DKK 240 million (≈$33.6 million), raising...
New Appetite for Maritime Digitech Investment as Mergers Continue
French industrial leader GTT, renowned for LNG storage solutions, announced the creation of GTT Marine in April. The new division consolidates three recent maritime data technology acquisitions—Danelec, Ascenz Marorka, and Vessel Performance Systems—under a single brand. Danelec’s chief executive, Casper...
Intex Taps Cricket Audience Through Afghanistan Men’s Team Partnership
Intex Technologies has signed on as the official associate sponsor of the Afghanistan Men’s Cricket Team for its India tour in June 2026. The partnership covers a Test match and three One-Day Internationals, giving Intex brand visibility across broadcast, digital...
India Rupee Defense Lifts Key Forex Tool Past $110 Billion Mark
India’s central bank has pushed its net‑short dollar book to roughly $110‑115 billion, setting a fresh record across both on‑shore and off‑shore markets. The position rose sharply from $95.3 billion in April, eclipsing the previous high of $103.1 billion recorded the month before....
Houthis Enter the Fray as Israel and Iran Trade Missiles
Israel struck a petrochemical plant in Iran’s southwest and Tehran responded with missile attacks on northern Israel, marking the first direct clash since the April cease‑fire. The escalation prompted Yemen’s Houthi movement to announce a navigation ban on Israeli‑linked vessels...
Pyra AI Launches Lead Seeker, an AI-Powered Prospecting Workspace for Revenue Teams
Pyra AI unveiled Lead Seeker, an AI‑driven workspace that lets B2B revenue teams generate prospect lists using plain‑English prompts. The platform combines natural‑language search, verified contact data, intent‑signal recommendations via Lead Compass, and research‑backed dossiers in a single interface. Built‑in...
AI Agents Force Finance to Fix the Sandbox Problem
Enterprise AI in finance is trapped in sandboxed pilots that never reach decision‑making. CFOs report models that surface insights but sit idle as quarterly pressures close dashboards. The issue stems from finance’s emphasis on control and auditability, turning AI outputs...
72% of Firms Still See Relief Ahead as Forecasting Confidence Slips
The PYMNTS Intelligence 2026 Certainty Project shows forecasting confidence slipping among payment leaders. In March, 27% of firms reported high uncertainty while 72% still expect conditions to improve within a year, down from 78% in January. Goods‑focused companies remain the...
Buy, Build or Govern: The CIO Decision Model AI Just Broke
The rise of generative AI is upending the long‑standing CIO mantra of “buy unless there’s a compelling reason to build.” AI‑assisted coding tools now let small teams prototype functional applications in days, making custom development far cheaper and faster than...
AI Hiring Tools Raise Fairness Risks for Singapore Employers
A Stanford‑led study of the Pymetrics AI hiring platform uncovered racial disparities affecting Black and Asian applicants across millions of applications. The research highlighted the concept of "algorithmic monoculture," where many employers rely on the same models, causing repeated rejections...
Market Outlook for the Week of 8thst-12th June
The week ahead is light on major events, but markets will focus on a slate of data releases and central‑bank decisions. Australia’s Westpac sentiment index rose 3.5% in May, yet remains in the low‑80s, while the U.S. is set to...
Private Equity and Shipmanagement
Private equity has poured capital into third‑party shipmanagement, driving consolidation and technology upgrades, but industry leaders warn the sector’s safety‑critical, people‑focused nature clashes with typical PE short‑term horizons. Critics argue PE can erode crew training and long‑term relationships, while proponents...
Google Launches Search Profiles for Publishers and Creators
Google launched Search profiles, giving publishers and creators a dedicated landing page that aggregates articles, videos, and social posts. The profiles appear in Discover feeds and can trigger Knowledge Panels, increasing visibility. Eligibility requires 100 K followers on YouTube, Instagram or...
Only a Third of CFOs Lead Long-Term Investment Decisions, Research Finds
EY’s survey of 170 UK CFOs reveals that only 31% lead long‑term, indirect or uncertain investment decisions, while 40% play an active but non‑leading role. Finance leaders are also seldom the primary drivers of strategic initiatives, with just 30% heading...
Call for Responsible AI Adoption to Help Advance Women’s Careers
Joint research by Nationwide, Bain & Company and Cambridge Judge warns that AI in financial services can either narrow or widen gender gaps, depending on design, deployment and governance. The paper shows AI could make recruitment and promotion more merit‑based,...
HR Tech For The Four-Day Workweek And Outcome-Based Employment
The article outlines how HR technology is reshaping work models by shifting focus from hours logged to measurable outcomes. AI‑driven platforms enable real‑time performance tracking, workload forecasting, and employee engagement monitoring, supporting flexible schedules such as the four‑day workweek. Pilot...
GALVANY Secures €10M Seed Round for Heat Pump Expansion
Berlin‑based GALVANY Energy GmbH secured a €10 million seed round—about $10.9 million—led by SET Ventures, with AENU co‑leading. The funding will accelerate its end‑to‑end heat‑pump platform that combines Panasonic‑manufactured hardware, battery storage and GALVANY Fusion software for multi‑family residential retrofits. To date...
Digital Infrastructure Expansion Requires Push in ILS and ART Solutions: Aon
Aon warns that the rapid build‑out of digital infrastructure is outpacing traditional insurance capacity, creating limit shortfalls and coverage gaps. The firm highlights alternative risk transfer (ART) tools—especially insurance‑linked securities (ILS) and captives—as essential to finance data‑center projects. By 2030,...
China Sees Record Panda Bond Issuance in 2026 as Foreign Borrowers Pile In
Panda bond issuance in China surged to a record 136.5 billion yuan (about $19 billion) in the first five months of 2026, a 90.3% year‑on‑year increase. In May alone, 11 foreign issuers sold 14 bonds worth 26.64 billion yuan ($3.7 billion), with Kazakhstan and...
Candidate Verification: What It Means in the Age of AI Fraud
The rise of AI‑generated synthetic identities is upending traditional candidate verification, which historically relied on phone calls, degree confirmations, and background checks. Fraudsters can now fabricate work histories, credentials, and even deepfake video interviews within an hour, shifting the verification...
UK Startup NewOrbit Raises $18.5 Million in Series A Round
UK‑based NewOrbit Space announced an $18.5 million Series A round led by Voyager Ventures, earmarked for its first very low Earth orbit (VLEO) mission slated for 2028. The funding will also finance a new production complex in Reading that aims to scale...
Recruitment Fraud: What You Need to Know
Recruitment fraud surged in 2023, with the FBI reporting over $367 million lost—an 118 % jump from the prior year. Scammers now leverage AI‑generated job ads, deepfake recruiter video calls, and spoofed company domains, making deception harder to spot. The remote‑work boom...
Former Manager Sues Kate Spade, Blaming Race, Age and Disability Bias
Rhonda P. Stewart, a former Kate Spade store manager in Oak Brook, Illinois, filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was fired weeks after returning from approved disability leave due to race, age, and disability bias. The complaint details heightened scrutiny, hostile...
Solar Projects to Be Hit by Big Increase in Costs Due to New Australian Anti-Dumping Decision
The Australian government has announced a 48% anti‑dumping duty on hollow steel tubing imported from China, Taiwan, Malaysia and South Korea, a component critical for utility‑scale solar mounting systems. The tariff is retroactive to September 2023, meaning projects already built...
Update on the Simplified Tender Offer for North Atlantic Energies Shares
North Atlantic France announced it closed an acquisition of 82.89% of North Atlantic Energies on Nov. 28, 2025 at €26.19 per share (≈$28.8). It will now launch a mandatory tender offer for the remaining shares at €28.93 per share (≈$31.8), a premium...