News•Feb 19, 2026
Macquarie Flags ESOP Costs, Revenue Concentration Concerns over PhonePe IPO
Macquarie has highlighted two key risks in PhonePe’s upcoming IPO: elevated Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) expenses that compress EBITDA margins, and a heavy reliance on a few revenue streams that could be hit by regulatory shifts. The broker estimates that new regulations may shave 20‑25% off PhonePe’s top line. The IPO will also feature an offer‑for‑sale component, adding further dilution concerns. Analysts will watch how the company addresses these cost and concentration issues before pricing.
By Mint (LiveMint) – Markets
News•Feb 19, 2026
EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Ceva Baron in Talks with MSC to Lead Forwarding Charge
A former Ceva Logistics executive, often dubbed the "Ceva baron," is reportedly in advanced discussions with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) to head its freight‑forwarding division. The move comes as MSC seeks to broaden its logistics portfolio and challenge rivals such...
By The Loadstar
News•Feb 19, 2026
How MSPs Can Ensure Regulatory Compliance and Secure Sensitive Data
Managed Service Providers (MSPs) serving healthcare, finance and legal sectors must embed regulatory expertise into every service layer to meet HIPAA, SEC, FINRA and related compliance mandates. The article outlines how MSPs can implement encryption, MFA, role‑based access, documentation and...
By ChannelE2E
News•Feb 19, 2026
Bank Indonesia Keeps Rates Steady, as Rupiah Weakness Threatens to Delay Easing
Bank Indonesia left its policy rate unchanged at 4.75% as the rupiah continued to weaken amid fiscal‑sustainability concerns and volatile investor sentiment. Moody’s downgraded Indonesia’s credit outlook to negative, reflecting uncertainty over policy direction and transparency. Real‑rate differentials with the...
By ING — THINK Economics
News•Feb 19, 2026
Agility in the Face of Compliance and Risk
In an interview, Mohan Paranthaman and Karthik Iyengar of We Build Products argue that compliance agility, not sheer technology scale, is the true differentiator for banks and fintechs. They cite their experience at Citi, Shopify and other institutions to show how small,...
By The European Financial Review
News•Feb 19, 2026
RaceTrac: Don't Expect a Potbelly in Every Convenience Store
RaceTrac bought Potbelly for $566 million but will not install a sandwich shop in every convenience store. Senior vice‑president Jennifer Durham says the rollout will be selective, starting with a pilot company‑owned location in Atlanta. The acquisition’s core purpose is to...
By Restaurant Business
News•Feb 19, 2026
Innovation Is A Game Of Two Halves
The article argues that innovation historically relied on public markets, not just private venture capital, citing Amazon, Microsoft, Cisco and Nvidia as examples that scaled after early IPOs. It highlights a shift toward “private‑for‑longer” financing, with the median age of...
By Crunchbase News
News•Feb 19, 2026
Aurasell Launches AI-Native OS for GTM Workflows
Aurasell announced the launch of the world’s first AI‑native Go‑To‑Market Operating System (GTM OS) that layers intelligent, automated workflows onto any existing CRM such as Salesforce or HubSpot. The platform promises to double productivity and deliver measurable impact within two...
By Demand Gen Report
News•Feb 19, 2026
How to Build AI Ready Knowledge Foundations: What Leaders and KM Teams Must Get Right
AI tools promise faster answers, but inconsistent results reveal a deeper issue. APQC research shows AI merely magnifies the quality of an organization’s underlying knowledge assets. Companies that invest in structured, high‑quality, governed content—taxonomy, metadata, and lifecycle management—see more reliable...
By APQC Blog
News•Feb 19, 2026
Artificial Intelligence Drives Autonomous Networks, Customer Service Gains
Nvidia’s State of AI in Telecommunications survey of 1,038 industry leaders shows AI is now a revenue engine, with nine‑in‑ten respondents reporting cost reductions and higher earnings. Autonomous networks top the AI use‑case list, accounting for 50% of reported ROI,...
By ComputerWeekly
News•Feb 19, 2026
Loan Note: Carlyle’s Sidhu on the European Opportunity; Configure Highlights Mixed M&A Picture
Carlyle’s Taj Sidhu expressed optimism about Europe’s private‑debt market, citing strong borrower resilience and attractive financing conditions. He highlighted low‑interest‑rate environments and a growing pipeline of mid‑market deals as catalysts for continued asset growth. Meanwhile, Configure’s latest M&A snapshot described...
By Private Debt Investor
News•Feb 19, 2026
Freshfields Advising EBay's $1.2B Depop Purchase From Etsy
eBay announced a $1.2 billion cash acquisition of Depop, the mobile fashion resale platform, from Etsy. Freshfields LLP is advising eBay, while Fenwick & West represents Etsy. The deal aims to strengthen eBay’s appeal to younger, Gen‑Z shoppers and expand its...
By Law360 — Mergers & Acquisitions
News•Feb 19, 2026
Markets Signalling a Broader Base for Upside; Positive on Financials, Says Devarsh Vakil of HDFC Securities
Devarsh Vakil, head of prime research at HDFC Securities, says Indian equities are showing a broader base for upside after rebounding from the February 2, 2026 lows. He highlights resilient corporate earnings and a particularly positive outlook for financial stocks....
By Mint (LiveMint) – Markets
News•Feb 19, 2026
IHG Profits Jump 13% to $1.3bn Amid ‘Record’ Hotel Openings
IHG Hotels & Resorts posted a 13% jump in operating profit to $1.3 bn for 2025, driven by a record 443 hotel openings that added 65,100 rooms. Group RevPAR rose 1.5% overall, with Europe‑EMEAA up 4.6% while Greater China fell 1.6%....
By Hotel Owner (UK)
News•Feb 19, 2026
Amazon and City Hall Line up for Battle over Delivery Licence in New York
New York City Council is poised to adopt the Delivery Protection Act, a licensing regime that would require final‑mile delivery operators, including Amazon’s third‑party partners, to obtain city permits and directly employ warehouse workers. The legislation follows a city comptroller...
By The Loadstar
News•Feb 19, 2026
UK Raises Antitrust Concerns In Getty's Shutterstock Deal
Getty Images announced a $3.7 billion acquisition of Shutterstock, aiming to create a global leader in stock photography. The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued a provisional assessment that the merger could restrict the supply of editorial images in...
By Law360 — Mergers & Acquisitions
News•Feb 19, 2026
Uganda Overtakes Rwanda, Tanzania in Startup Funding
Uganda attracted $30 million in venture capital in 2025, surpassing Rwanda ($12 million) and Tanzania ($5 million). The number of Ugandan deals doubled to 22, marking a seven‑fold increase from the previous year. Local financing from Uganda Development Bank and supportive tax incentives...
By The East African
News•Feb 19, 2026
US ETF Launches From 12th to 19th February, 2026
Between February 12 and 19, 2026, U.S. exchanges saw a flurry of 25 new exchange‑traded funds covering a wide range of sectors and strategies. Highlights include the first share‑class offering from F/m Investments, Simplify’s DBi CTA Managed Futures Index ETF,...
By ETF Express
News•Feb 19, 2026
Sony Music France Acquires Paris-Based Indie Label and Publishing Company Spookland
Sony Music Group France announced the acquisition of Spookland, a Paris‑based independent label and publishing company best known for representing French singer‑songwriter Jain. The deal, whose financial terms were undisclosed, transfers recorded‑music and publishing rights, as well as the full...
By Music Business Worldwide (MBW)
News•Feb 19, 2026
Faces of HR: How Monique Mahler Is Rewriting the Legal Leadership Playbook
Monique Mahler, now Chief Human Resources Officer at Snell & Wilmer, has risen from a front‑desk receptionist to a global HR leader overseeing people strategy across 17 U.S. and Mexico offices. Her career, built on mentorship and a people‑first philosophy,...
By HR Daily Advisor
News•Feb 19, 2026
EQ Dry & Teads Redefine Diaper Marketing with a Campaign That Wins Hearts & Attention
EQ Dry partnered with global media platform Teads and agency UM to launch an omnichannel, attention‑driven campaign for its diaper line. The initiative leveraged Teads’ contextual targeting, inRead video and connected TV formats to reach parents across mobile and big‑screen...
By ExchangeWire
News•Feb 19, 2026
Growing Pains - Juggling Complexity
Growing technology firms must juggle three inter‑related complexity streams—task, environment, and organization—as they scale. Task complexity spikes when moving from an MVP to a production‑grade product, while market expansion drives incremental then step‑change environmental complexity. Organizational complexity evolves in discrete...
By Notion Capital
![[Industry News] 400,000 Euros Gamecity Hamburg Prototype Funding 2026](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/260219_gamecity_hamburg_prototype_funding26_en.png)
News•Feb 19, 2026
[Industry News] 400,000 Euros Gamecity Hamburg Prototype Funding 2026
Gamecity Hamburg is allocating €400,000 in non‑repayable prototype funding, with individual grants of up to €80,000 for digital‑game projects. The application window runs from February 23 to March 30, 2026, and targets developers, start‑ups, and SMEs that are based in or relocating...
By MCV/Develop
News•Feb 19, 2026
FixEd Podcast: The Guide to Running Newsletters in 2026, with Dan Oshinsky
In a FixEd podcast episode, newsletter veteran Dan Oshinsky outlines how AI, quality content, and strategic partnerships will shape newsletters in 2026. He warns that AI‑powered inbox tools could either elevate newsletters into curated feeds or diminish engagement if they...
By The Fix
News•Feb 19, 2026
Jon Nash & Danny Moggs Join UK Ad Tech Firm 59A to Drive North American Expansion
UK ad‑tech firm 59A announced the appointment of Jon Nash as US CEO and Danny Moggs as SVP of Sales to spearhead its North American launch from a new Venice Beach hub. Nash, a longtime collaborator with founder Adam Ray, will...
By ExchangeWire
News•Feb 19, 2026
Deere Soars as Tractor Maker Sees Upturn in Farm Economy
Deere & Co. saw its shares jump the most in six years after the company lifted its annual profit outlook. The farm‑machinery giant said it expects a sustained upturn in the global agriculture economy. CEO John May highlighted recovering demand...
By Bloomberg – Markets
News•Feb 19, 2026
China’s Economy Is Robust for Year of the Horse Despite Headwinds: FTSE Russell
FTSE Russell reports that China’s economy remained robust in 2025, achieving its 5% GDP growth target despite a deceleration in the final quarter. Industrial activity continued to be a bright spot, offsetting persistent deflationary pressures. The slowdown to 4.5% growth...
By FinanceAsia
News•Feb 19, 2026
Vietnam New Zealand Seek Level up in Ties
New Zealand’s agricultural exports, especially fresh fruit, rely on unique climate conditions and rapid air‑freight logistics that preserve peak quality. Vietnam’s expanding middle class and growing health consciousness are turning the market into a strategic destination for premium NZ produce...
By Vietnam Investment Review (VIR)
News•Feb 19, 2026
Procedural Complaints: Raising Procedural Issues in CMA Cases
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) provides an independent Procedural Officer and, for newer regimes, a Procedural Complaints Adjudicator to resolve procedural disputes in competition, merger, digital markets and consumer enforcement cases. Parties must apply within five working days after...
By UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
News•Feb 19, 2026
ClearBank Appoints Ex-Uber Exec to Oversee European Expansion
ClearBank has appointed former Uber payments chief Tristan Kirchner as its European CEO to accelerate the bank’s cross‑border growth. The fintech already holds an EU banking licence and serves more than 30 clients across multiple markets. Kirchner will oversee the...
By UKTN (UK Tech News)
News•Feb 19, 2026
Gary Mar: Why Canada Needs a New National Agriculture Strategy
Gary Mar argues that Canada’s $150 billion agriculture sector, responsible for $92 billion in exports and roughly one‑in‑nine jobs, is hampered by fragmented infrastructure and the absence of a coordinated national strategy. He highlights bottlenecks such as rail bridges and interprovincial trade...
By Financial Post – Commodities
News•Feb 19, 2026
RBNZ Governor Anna Breman: Monetary Policy Must Focus on the Future
RBNZ Governor Anna Breman stressed that New Zealand’s monetary policy must be anchored in forward‑looking inflation forecasts rather than current price data, given the lag between rate changes and economic impact. She reaffirmed confidence that inflation will return to the 2 percent...
By Reserve Bank of New Zealand — Feeds hub
News•Feb 19, 2026
Québec Has a New Digital Sovereignty Plan. Will It Work?
Quebec announced a $1.4 billion digital sovereignty plan to shift data hosting and procurement to local providers, aiming to reduce reliance on US tech giants. The policy emphasizes sovereign cloud services, hydro‑powered data centres, and free‑software development. However, recent cost‑overrun scandals...
By BetaKit (Canada)
News•Feb 19, 2026
Banks that Won on Deposit Growth in 2025 Got Boost From M&A
Regional banks with $10‑$100 billion in assets leveraged mergers and acquisitions to outpace the broader market in 2025, boosting core deposits by more than 8% versus the industry’s 4% average. The 27 midsize lenders that completed deals saw a collective 29%...
By American Banker
News•Feb 19, 2026
“AI Didn’t Create the Cracks in the System, It Exposed Them”: Q&A with Oz Etzioni, Clinch
In a Q&A with Clinch CEO Oz Etzioni, the interview highlights how AI has exposed deep fractures in traditional advertising workflows built on siloed point solutions. The surge in creative permutations and real‑time media demands has turned these fragmented systems...
By ExchangeWire
News•Feb 19, 2026
Malawi: Malawi Signs Strategic Mineral Deal With U.S., But Questions Linger Over Transparency
Malawi has signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S. trading firm Traxys North America to market graphite from the Kasiya rutile‑graphite project, aiming to supply up to 80,000 tonnes annually to the United States’ Project Vault strategic reserve. The deal,...
By AllAfrica – Mining
News•Feb 19, 2026
Warmer Weather Hits Profits at British Gas Owner
British Gas, owned by Centrica, saw operating profits in its residential supply business drop 39% to £163 million in 2025, partly due to an £80 million hit from the UK’s warmest year on record, which reduced heating demand. Despite the profit slump,...
By BBC News — Business: Companies
News•Feb 19, 2026
Geopolitical Jockeying in Nepal Ahead of March General Elections
The September 2025 Gen Z uprising toppled Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and installed an interim government, prompting India, China and the United States to converge on a common goal: prompt, stable elections in Nepal. All three powers fear prolonged instability could...
By The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific
News•Feb 19, 2026
Ghana: President Sets Ambitious Target to End Raw Mineral Exports Within 5 Years
President John Dramani Mahama announced Ghana's goal to cease exporting raw minerals within five years, shifting toward domestic refining and processing of oil, bauxite, manganese, and lithium. He highlighted the sector's $6.6 billion export revenue in 2023 but noted limited local...
By AllAfrica – Mining
News•Feb 19, 2026
San Francisco–Based Venture University Launches UK Investor Accelerator
Venture University, a San Francisco‑based investor accelerator, has launched VU UK, an innovation hub delivering a hands‑on VC, PE and angel investing program in the United Kingdom. The cohort‑based accelerator blends a rigorous education curriculum with an apprenticeship that lets participants...
By Startups Magazine
News•Feb 19, 2026
JWI Promotes Adele Baxter to Managing Director, Signalling New Phase of Growth
JWI, the Dubai‑based independent creative agency, has promoted longtime client services leader Adele Baxter to Managing Director as founder Charli Wright steps into the CEO role. Baxter, with nine years of regional experience, will now steer operational strategy and deepen...
By Campaign Middle East
News•Feb 19, 2026
Why the IMF’s Newest Report Finds that the Yuan Is Undervalued
The International Monetary Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook finds the Chinese yuan about 16 % below its equilibrium level. The IMF’s valuation combines a trade‑weighted basket of currencies with purchasing‑power‑parity calculations, reflecting China’s sizable trade surplus and capital‑control regime. It warns...
By The Economist – China
News•Feb 19, 2026
Movers & Shakers: Uncommon, Adam & Eve\TBWA, BBC Creative, Dentsu, YouGov and More
Campaign’s weekly "Movers & Shakers" roundup spotlights senior hires, exits and promotions across the UK advertising and media landscape, featuring notable moves at Uncommon, Adam & Eve, TBWA, BBC Creative, Dentsu and YouGov. The piece serves as a snapshot of...
By Campaign UK
News•Feb 19, 2026
Covetrus to Merge with Cencora’s MWI Animal Health in a $3.5B Deal
Covetrus and Cencora have signed a definitive agreement to merge Covetrus with MWI Animal Health, creating a unified animal‑health platform valued at $3.5 billion. Cencora will receive $1.25 billion in cash, $800 million of preferred equity and $1.45 billion of common equity, securing a...
By PharmaShots
News•Feb 19, 2026
Brookfield Builds up Team Dedicated to 401(k) Opportunities
Brookfield Asset Management announced the formation of a dedicated team to pursue 401(k) investment opportunities. The move follows a 40% increase in the firm’s private‑wealth capital‑raising last year, underscoring strong fundraising momentum. By targeting retirement‑plan assets, Brookfield aims to broaden...
By Private Equity International
News•Feb 19, 2026
USB Drives and the Hidden Front Door Into Secure Systems for Startup Security
Removable media remains a critical attack vector despite the rise of cloud‑based file sharing. Recent Honeywell research shows USB drives are increasingly used to deliver malware in industrial environments, and historic incidents like Stuxnet illustrate how air‑gapped networks can be...
By Startups Magazine
News•Feb 19, 2026
MTN SA Foundation Invests in Youth With ICT Learnership Programme
MTN SA Foundation, together with Helios Towers and Datacomb Development Hub, has launched a 12‑month ICT Learnership Programme aimed at transitioning South African youth from digital training to paid employment. The initiative expands on the foundation’s Digital Skills for Digital...
By IT News Africa
News•Feb 19, 2026
The Case for Being Exclusive at Work
The article argues that deliberately excluding certain customers and employees through values‑based repelling and explicit audience definition can strengthen brand loyalty, reduce misalignment, and cut costs. Broad messaging often leads to disengaged staff, wrong‑fit customers, and wasted resources. Patagonia’s “Don’t...
By Fast Company — Leadership
News•Feb 19, 2026
The Geopolitics of AGI
RAND’s Geopolitics of AGI initiative released a webinar on February 19, 2026, examining how advanced artificial intelligence, including potential artificial general intelligence, could reshape global politics and security. Speakers Jim Mitre and Joel Predd outlined the strategic implications of an...
By RAND Blog/Analysis
News•Feb 19, 2026
Schroders Capital Hires Asia Fundraising Head From Oaktree
Schroders Capital has appointed Sabrina Meng as its new Head of Asia Fundraising, transitioning from Oaktree Capital Management. Meng will assume the role next month, bringing extensive experience in private‑debt capital raising across the region. The move underscores Schroders' ambition...
By Private Debt Investor