Exclusive: Trade Nation Revenues Rise 17% in 2025 to £25M Following CEO Change
Trade Nation Financial UK Ltd posted record revenues of £25.3 million (about $33 million) in 2025, a 17% increase over the prior year, while net profit jumped to £3.8 million (roughly $5 million). The growth followed a leadership transition, with former IG Group COO Jon Noble taking over as CEO and a wave of senior hires from IG, Wirex and Capital.com. Client funds held by the broker slipped slightly to £8.5 million despite the revenue surge. The firm remains optimistic, citing continued UK retail market strength and expanding staff headcount.
Monday Memo: “Tell Me What Happened”
Personal injury attorneys face a paradox: injuries happen constantly, yet the market is flooded with lawyers, creating an oversupply that outstrips demand. Most firms rely on interchangeable billboards and TV spots promising six‑figure settlements, resulting in a noisy, undifferentiated advertising...
Zeidler Advises on UCITS Eligibility for Structured Notes
Zeidler Group has highlighted the regulatory hurdles UCITS funds face when seeking exposure to structured debt securities, noting that eligibility must align with Article 50(1) of the UCITS Directive and the Eligible Assets Directive. The firm recently guided a Luxembourg‑based...
Credit Crunch: GSAM’s McClain on High Yield Risks, Resilience
Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s high‑yield co‑head John McClain says the post‑COVID high‑yield market remains robust, with scarce new issuance, minimal downgrades and strong investor demand anchored by elevated base rates. Credit spreads are holding at reasonable levels, reflecting solid underlying...
The Future of Energy Geopolitics Is Written in Patents
The International Energy Agency’s State of Energy Innovation 2026 report finds energy‑related patents now account for roughly 10 percent of all global patents, with batteries alone representing about 40 percent of those filings in 2023. China has captured close to two‑fifths of...
Why SimplyCast Bet Early on Student Talent
Canada’s youth unemployment rose to 14.1% in February, the highest level since 2010. SimplyCast CEO Saeed El‑Darahali has built a hiring model that relies on student co‑ops, using the ICTC’s Work‑Integrated Learning (WIL) Digital program to offset salaries. The program...
Sett Raises $30m to Scale AI-Driven Marketing Automation Platform
Sett, a 2023 startup, raised $30 million in a Series B round to expand its AI‑driven marketing automation platform. The platform automatically generates playable and video ads while optimizing campaign performance across the user‑acquisition funnel for game publishers. The funding, led by...
Dollar General Slashes 1,500 SKUs, Boosts In-Stocks
Dollar General has eliminated more than 1,500 SKUs, driving a leaner product mix and reducing fourth‑quarter merchandise levels by 5.7%, equivalent to a $379 million drop. Inventory fell to $6.3 billion, while in‑stock rates improved by roughly 250 basis points year over...
Jack in the Box Names CMO to Strengthen Product Innovation, Loyalty
Jack in the Box appointed Katelyn Zborowski, former Yum Brands executive, as chief marketing officer to boost product innovation and loyalty. Zborowski previously created over 40 limited‑time offerings at Taco Bell and led brand strategy for Pizza Hut. The chain...
IRS IRIS System: What Filers Must Do Before 2027
The IRS will retire the legacy FIRE system on December 31 2026, making the newer Information Returns Intake System (IRIS) mandatory for all 1099 and 1042‑S filings. IRIS, live since 2023, offers real‑time validation and multiple submission routes, from a web portal...
Mars Gum Brands Mix Memes, ‘Borrowed Nostalgia’ in Global Campaign
Mars Snacking’s OEFY gum portfolio launched the global “Total Overthink of The Head” campaign, remixing Bonnie Tyler’s 1983 hit and weaving in viral memes to speak to Gen Z’s overthinking moments. The initiative, developed with BBDO Chicago and Omnicom, forms...
DHL Express, Parcel Workers’ Union Reach Deal on 4-Year Contract
Negotiators for DHL Express and the Teamsters reached a tentative four‑year labor agreement two days before a strike deadline, averting a potential disruption to U.S. parcel shipments. The contract delivers a 20% wage increase, enhanced health and welfare benefits, and...
Feature Flag-Based Rollout: A Safer Way to Ship Software
Feature‑flag‑based rollout decouples code deployment from user release, letting teams push code to production while controlling exposure via runtime switches. By incrementally enabling a feature—internally, to beta users, or by percentage—organizations can test in live environments, detect issues early, and...
RudderStack Now Supports the Singular SDID for Mobile Attribution
RudderStack announced native support for Singular’s new universal device identifier, SDID, in its server‑side pipeline. The update automatically detects the `singularDeviceId` in event payloads and routes them to Singular’s V2 endpoint without any SDK modifications or configuration changes. By forwarding...
AWL Agri Business Looking to Scale up Acquired Brand Tops Rapidly
AWL Agri Business is accelerating growth of its newly acquired GD Foods brand, Tops, which posted roughly $60 million in revenue after an 80% stake purchase last year. The company plans to double Tops’ topline to about $120 million and eventually push...
OpenAI’s ChatGPT Ads Trial Surpasses $100m in Six Weeks
OpenAI has opened a pilot that lets advertisers place ads directly inside ChatGPT conversations. Within six weeks the program generated over $100 million in ad spend, showing strong advertiser appetite. The format offers brand‑safe, native placements and reports higher engagement than...
An Employer’s Guide to Neonatal Care Leave and Pay
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023, effective April 2025, gives employees a statutory right to neonatal care leave (NCL) and, where eligible, neonatal care pay (NCP). Employees earn one week of NCL for each uninterrupted week their newborn...
Ethiopia Lands $13bn in Deals, Dwarfing Kenya’s $2.9bn Haul
Ethiopia announced $13 billion in new investment deals at a conference in Addis Ababa, far outpacing Kenya’s recent $2.9 billion haul. The agreements cover manufacturing, agriculture, energy, construction and other strategic sectors, with a standout $10 billion renewable‑energy package from China’s Ming Yang Smart Energy...
How the Iran War Is Reshaping Kazakhstan’s Role in Eurasia
The Iran‑Russia war has shut the Strait of Hormuz, forcing Central Asian exporters to abandon the Southern Corridor. Kazakhstan’s Trans‑Caspian “Middle Corridor” has surged from 0.8 million to 4.5 million tons between 2020 and 2024, growing over 60 % in 2024 alone. The...
Afterverse Found TikTok’s True ROI Was 2x Higher. Singular’s MTA Showed What Last-Touch Missed.
Afterverse, the Brazilian studio behind PK XD, added Singular’s multi‑touch attribution (MTA) to its TikTok user‑acquisition campaigns in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. MTA revealed TikTok’s return on investment was twice the level reported by last‑click models, with a 70% assisted‑install rate,...
US Treasury to Consult with Insurance Regulators on Private Credit: Sources
The U.S. Treasury will hold its first meeting with domestic and international insurance regulators to address concerns in the $2 trillion private‑credit market. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent plans regular consultations starting in the second quarter, focusing on liquidity, transparency, fund‑level leverage,...
SAP Migration Advances Even as Complexity, Cost Weigh on Enterprises
Enterprise migration to SAP S/4HANA is progressing, but companies are proceeding cautiously due to cost pressures, skill shortages, and operational risk. The ISG 2026 SAP Migration Report, based on 200 senior executives, finds many firms treating the move as a...
Kinshasa Launches Disarmament Push Against Rwanda Genocide-Linked Militia
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s army has begun a disarmament operation against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The push follows a US‑brokered peace deal renewed in Washington, where...
DAS Health Appoints Lee Horner as Chief Executive Officer
DAS Health announced the appointment of Lee Horner as its new chief executive officer, marking a strategic leadership shift aimed at accelerating growth. Horner brings more than two decades of executive experience in healthcare software and services, having led high‑growth...
John Textor’s Eagle Empire at Risk of Breakup
Administrators have been appointed to John Textor’s Eagle Football Holdings Bidco, signalling the start of a formal insolvency process. The move puts the multi‑club empire – which includes RCD Mallorca, Botafogo and other assets – at risk of being broken...
Richard Saldanha: 'Coming Back to Aviva Was Very Much Like Returning Home'
Richard Saldanha re‑joined Aviva Investors in early 2025 after a brief tenure at Royal London Asset Management that began in December 2024. His return surprised industry observers, given the short duration of his RLAM stint and his prior long‑standing role...
Epic Games, EGA Get Peely From Fortnite to Play up Lantern Fest During Ramadan
Epic Games partnered with Esports and Gaming Agency MENA to launch Lantern Fest in Fortnite during Ramadan, featuring the iconic character Peely in Saudi‑themed scenes. The hero video went viral, resonating with regional gamers and spilling over to global audiences....
EU Duty Changes Are Coming. Are You Ready for July?
From 1 July 2026 the EU will scrap the €150 (≈ $165) de minimis exemption, imposing a €3 (≈ $3.30) duty on each imported item. The change targets low‑value parcels that have surged with cross‑border e‑commerce and aims to curb undervaluation. UK brands shipping directly...
Lilly Races to Become First Longevity Big Pharma
Eli Lilly has signed a deal with AI‑focused biotech Insilico Medicine valued up to $2.75 billion, with $115 million paid upfront and the remainder tied to milestones. The agreement grants Lilly an exclusive worldwide license to several preclinical oral candidates and access...
Fama Technologies 2025 Report: Workplace Misconduct Signals Surge 34% as Risk Shifts to Professional Networks
Fama Technologies released its 2025 State of Misconduct at Work report, showing a 34% year‑over‑year increase in online behavior risks, with 6.45% of screenings flagging misconduct. Media and Entertainment led the sector rankings at a 33.6% misconduct rate, followed by...
Aviation Business News Seeks Sector’s Top Employers for Best Places To Work In Aviation 2026
Aviation Business News has opened registration for its Best Places To Work In Aviation 2026 awards, inviting global aviation‑focused employers to compete for a free accolade. Eligibility requires companies to derive the majority of revenue from aviation, and the independent...
Devon Energy’s Gaspar Sees Good Things Ahead, Stemming From His First Year and the Imminent Merger with Coterra Energy
Devon Energy CEO Clay Gaspar reflected on his first year, highlighting a three‑pillar strategy that sharpened culture, organic growth, and portfolio optimization. He explained that the recently announced merger with Coterra Energy is a strategic fit that delivers scale and operational...
Next Steps on a Much Improved Basel III Endgame
The revised Basel III endgame proposal released this month marks a major step toward finalizing U.S. capital reforms. It introduces a suite of improvements, including the removal of the output floor for internal market‑risk models, enhanced cross‑product netting under SA‑CCR,...
Czechia’s SŽ Targets Foreign Suppliers with Procurement Shake-Up
Czech infrastructure manager Správa železnic (SŽ) will host its first "Suppliers Day" on April 14 to unveil a new procurement framework that breaks large rail contracts into discipline‑specific tenders. The shift aims to lower entry barriers for foreign and smaller...
Xiaomi, Alibaba Ramp up AI Recruitment Amid Global Talent War
Chinese tech giants Xiaomi and Alibaba have launched spring AI recruitment drives as they pivot toward AI‑first strategies. Xiaomi posted more than 200 AI‑related openings and pledged up to 16 billion yuan ($2.3 bn) in AI R&D and capex, part of a...
The Skills Retail CEOs Need To Win In The AI Era
Retail CEOs are confronting an unprecedented wave of turnover, with 1,500 exits recorded in 2025 – the highest since tracking began. Boards are responding by prioritizing leaders who blend merchant insight with deep technology and AI fluency. AI is slated...
Sprouts’ CEO Says the Chain Needs to Be a Better ‘Value’ for Shoppers
Sprouts Farmers Market missed its 2025 sales targets as price‑sensitive shoppers slowed comparable‑store growth and transaction volume. The chain is now emphasizing "value" through clearer product pricing, health‑trend relevance, and convenient ready‑to‑eat options. A newly launched loyalty program will gather...
Hormuz Closure Triggers ‘Havoc’ for Project Logistics Supply Chain
The near‑total closure of the Strait of Hormuz has slashed vessel transits by 97% in the past 25 days, halting all traffic on March 25. The paralysis is driving sky‑high insurance premiums, causing carriers to refuse quotes for cargo entering the...
Reeves Urges G7 to Reject Protectionism as Hormuz Crisis Escalates
The Strait of Hormuz blockade, now in its second month, has halted the flow of roughly 21 million barrels of oil per day—about 20% of global consumption—and disrupted 30% of the world’s nitrogen‑based fertilizer trade, sending Brent crude sharply higher. British...
How ‘Vaseline Ghabga’ Turned Ramadan Gatherings Into Entertainment on MBC Shahid
Vaseline, through Unilever Arabia, launched “Vaseline Ghabga,” a four‑episode branded series on MBC Shahid that captures the traditional Gulf Ramadan gathering known as a ghabga. Produced by Team Reactivate Middle East with media agency PHD and influencer agency Mumkin, the...
Glystn Just Landed Stagwell, Influential, Weber Shandwick – CEO Ethan Fassett Says the Agency Intelligence Race Is On
Glystn, the San‑Francisco AI social‑intelligence platform, has inked enterprise partnerships with three of the five largest public agency holding companies—Stagwell Marketing Cloud, Influential and Weber Shandwick. The integrations embed Glystn’s app and its Model Context Protocol directly into agency workflows, turning...
Ruder Finn Atteline Launches Internal Comms, Capability Practise rf.engage
Ruder Finn Atteline has launched rf.engage, a strategic internal communications service line that delivers bespoke leadership training, change management, and employee‑engagement programs across the MENA region. The offering blends real‑world simulation, personalised coaching, and proprietary narrative frameworks to boost leaders'...
Uganda Moves to Join WTO Fisheries Deal as Tanzania Holds Out
Uganda is accelerating its accession to the WTO fisheries subsidies agreement, with a cabinet paper now awaiting approval. The deal, which curbs $22 billion in harmful subsidies annually, promises technical assistance and grants for better fisheries management. Uganda’s lake‑based sector generated...
Schools in the South East Making Strong Progress Towards Fairer, More Transparent Hiring, Supported by New Data
New research commissioned for Teaching Vacancies shows Midlands schools are rapidly adopting transparent, inclusive hiring practices. Over the past two years, 44% of schools added pay scales or progression details to adverts, 39% highlighted wellbeing and workload support, and 17%...
TikTok Spotlights Savannah Space Founder Cherie Kihato in African All-Stars Series
TikTok featured Cherie Kihato, founder of Kenya’s Savannah Space, in its African All-Stars Series. Kihato detailed a disciplined content schedule, allocating an hour each morning to create TikTok videos while running her furniture and home‑decor brand. She measures success through...
Capitol AI Ramps up UK and EU Expansion With Regional Leadership and New Advisory Board
Capitol AI appointed Mike Nayler as Vice President of GTM for the UK and Europe, tasking him with leading the firm’s regional expansion and securing high‑security AI contracts. The company also unveiled a new advisory board featuring former Financial Times...
Treasury Curve Steepens After Weeks of Flattening
The U.S. Treasury yield curve, which has been flattening throughout 2026, showed a modest steepening on Friday as the 5‑year note held at 4.07% and the 30‑year bond nudged up to 4.98% by market close. The move came after bullish...
Kayrros Launches Biodiversity Risk Assessment Platform for Investors
Kayrros, the Paris‑based environmental data firm, has launched its Nature Impact Platform, a tool that quantifies biodiversity risk at the individual asset level using machine learning, satellite imagery, and geospatial analytics. The solution tackles the finance sector’s “biodiversity blind spot”...
Duke Health Names Familiar Face as New CEO
David Zaas will re‑join Duke Health as chief executive on May 1, 2026, after a decade leading Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, where he oversaw eight hospitals and 27,000 employees. Zaas previously spent nearly two decades at Duke Health in various senior...
International Business Briefs | Nigerians Face 65% Surge in Fuel Prices
Fuel prices in Nigeria have surged 65% as the newly built 650,000‑bpd Dangote refinery failed to offset market pressures from costly crude imports and debt‑linked export obligations. In the UK, mortgage approvals rose to 62,584 in February, outpacing forecasts, while...