Eni Plans to Raise Shareholder Returns
Eni announced it will raise its shareholder distribution range to 35‑45% of cash‑flow from operations, backed by a €1.10 dividend and a €1.5 billion share‑buyback program that could retire up to 303 million treasury shares by 2027. The 2026‑30 plan trims annual capex to under €6 billion, cuts investment by €2 billion versus the previous roadmap, and targets free cash flow above €40 billion. A joint‑control deal with Ares will de‑consolidate the Plenitude renewables arm, injecting €1.5 billion of new equity. Eni also aims for 10‑15% gearing by 2030, supported by a €9 billion revolving credit facility.
SAP Moves to Refresh Business Model Around AI Workflow
SAP is overhauling its business model, product architecture, and leadership to place AI at the core of its enterprise software offering. CEO Christian Klein now directly oversees AI strategy and has introduced a hybrid pricing model that adds consumption‑based AI...
“Always On”: 83% of Employees Stay Connected to Work During Time Off, Fuelling Digital Anxiety
A Kaspersky survey of employees in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa found that 83% stay connected to work outside regular hours, with 85% replying to instant messages and emails during personal time. The constant "always‑on" mindset is driving heightened...
Viventium Expands HCM Platform with Acquisition of Perks4Care to Strengthen Caregiver Retention Solutions for Post-Acute Care Providers
Viventium announced the acquisition of Perks4Care, a points‑based rewards platform designed for post‑acute care workers, to broaden its human‑capital management suite. The integration adds real‑time caregiver recognition and customizable incentive programs to Viventium’s existing payroll and workforce tools. The move...
Tanzania Tax Review Warns of Trust Erosion, Proposes Sweeping Overhaul
A presidential tax reform commission in Tanzania presented a sweeping overhaul after a 17‑month delay, warning that the current tax system is eroding public trust. The nine‑member panel delivered 284 recommendations, including a formal National Tax Policy, a new Tax...
Ani Gujrathi Joins Otelier as Chief Technology & Product Officer
Otelier has appointed Ani Gujrathi as chief technology & product officer, consolidating its engineering, product, data, UX and cloud operations under a single leader. Gujrathi arrives with more than two decades of B2B SaaS experience, most recently scaling Conexiom to...
Sir James Dyson Buys 50% of Bath Rugby
Sir James Dyson has purchased a 50 % stake in Bath Rugby, the reigning Premiership champions, and pledged multi‑million‑pound funding to clear debt and build a new stadium. The deal pairs Dyson with current owner Bruce Craig, who will remain chairman,...
Survey Shows China’s Professionals Have High Expectations – for Low Pay
A Hays survey of 13,000 Asian professionals shows 44 percent of Chinese workers expect no pay rise in 2026, the highest rate across the region. Over half (51 percent) received no salary increase last year, and 6 percent even faced cuts, reflecting deepening...
Env Zero and CloudQuery Complete Merger to Create a Unified Cloud Intelligence Platform
env zero, a leading IaC governance platform, has merged with CloudQuery, a cloud asset management specialist, forming a unified cloud intelligence solution under the env zero brand. The combined offering merges continuous cloud asset discovery with automated infrastructure provisioning, promising end‑to‑end lifecycle...
Loyalzoo Unveils Integrated CRM and Advanced Loyalty Functionality for New MX™ POS Smart Terminals
Digital loyalty specialist Loyalzoo has partnered with POS provider Priority to embed its CRM directly into the new MX™ POS terminals. The built‑in solution gives merchants immediate access to customer data, AI‑powered segmentation and tiered loyalty programs without separate installations....
DHL Expands White-Glove Logistics for Construction of AI Data Centers
DHL announced a major expansion of its North American data‑center logistics network, adding ten dedicated warehouses that will total more than seven million square feet by 2026. The new sites are purpose‑built for hyperscale and colocation operators constructing AI‑focused data...
Perfect Storm or Long Overdue Reckoning?
A wave of regulatory reforms—including CAA 2021, CAA 2026, Department of Labor PBM disclosure proposals, and FTC enforcement—are reshaping employer‑sponsored health plans. The changes expand ERISA disclosure requirements to any service provider influencing plan costs, forcing PBMs to reveal rebates,...
Automation, AI Reshape the Workforce
Randstad’s Workmonitor 2026 report, based on 1,752 workers, 55 employers and over a million job postings, finds AI adoption accelerating while worker confidence in technology plummets. While 98% of U.S. employers expect growth, only 55% of talent share that optimism,...
‘Dumb Is Hard to Replicate’: How Garage Beer Wins with Content, Community
Garage Beer is turning absurd, low‑budget content into a growth engine, from the "Attorney at Lager" March Madness spot with Jay Bilas to a Super Bowl ad that quickly pivoted to horse‑themed merchandise. The brand’s weekly Instagram series "Thank Garage...
ProRail CEO John Voppen to Step Down From Dutch Infrastructure Manager
ProRail CEO John Voppen will step down in July after nearly six years leading the Dutch rail infrastructure manager. Voppen, who spent over 20 years in the rail sector and held senior roles at ProRail and European rail bodies, will...
Amex Soups up Cards for Concur
American Express announced integration of its virtual‑card solution into SAP’s Concur expense management platform. The new capability lets corporate users generate single‑use card numbers, set spending limits and automatically reconcile transactions, initially rolling out to select U.S. customers with a...
Affirm Outlines Options if Economic Stress Rises
Affirm's CFO Rob O’Hare said the buy‑now, pay‑later lender could tighten its underwriting if U.S. economic stress intensifies, including dropping low‑margin loans, requiring down payments, and asking for more financial information. He emphasized these measures are hypothetical and that the...
Cleavr Raises €1M to Develop an AI Solution for Accounts Receivable
Cleavr announced a €1 million funding round led by Kima Ventures and other investors to accelerate its AI‑driven accounts‑receivable platform. The solution automates reminders, reconciliation, dispute handling and multi‑channel communication, aiming to cut late‑payment losses for finance teams. Already deployed with...
Vestiaire Collective Restructures Executive Team
Vestiaire Collective has appointed Thomas Hezard and Rémi Bouchez as its new heads of innovation, consolidating strategy, product and engineering under seasoned insiders. Both executives have spent more than seven years at the company, with Hezard previously overseeing strategy, people...
How Crumbl Leveraged CTV to Drive Mobile App Downloads
Crumbl’s inaugural connected‑TV campaign, run with Samsung Ads, delivered more than 16,000 mobile‑app downloads—213% above its goal—over a seven‑week period. The CTV‑to‑Mobile solution used machine‑learning to place ads across Samsung TV Plus, mastheads and other screen‑first environments. In the first week...
RGP Launches Streamline 360™ to Help Enterprises Prepare for ERP Modernization and AI Adoption
RGP has launched Streamline 360™, a structured ERP readiness framework designed to help enterprises assess legacy systems, align technology spend, and lay the groundwork for AI‑driven operations. The methodology moves beyond traditional implementation, emphasizing business processes, data architecture, and organizational...
UnderCurrent Talent: A Platform Model for Scaling Niche Creators in a Consolidating Market
UnderCurrent Talent, founded in 2020, has built a platform that pairs entrepreneurial managers with niche creators across dozens of verticals, representing over 300 creators and 30 managers. The bootstrapped firm offers full‑service support—including content strategy, business development, PR, and product...
The EBA Publishes Final Draft Amending Technical Standards Shortening the Timing for the Application for Prior Permission to Reduce Own...
The European Banking Authority released a final draft amending the Regulatory Technical Standards on own funds and eligible liabilities, cutting the processing time for reduction applications from four to three months. The change reflects the EBA’s confidence that authorities have...
South Korea’s Arms Exports Are Now Involved in the Iran War
South Korea’s defence industry has become a key supplier to the United Arab Emirates, delivering M‑SAM 2 interceptors that have achieved a reported 96 percent hit rate against Iranian missiles. The conflict has forced Seoul to air‑lift interceptor reloads into an active...
Kale’s Isha Patel: Why Fan-Powered Marketing Works Better Than Average Influencer Campaigns
Isha Patel and Luis Molina founded Kale in 2021 to turn everyday customers into a scalable, trackable marketing channel. Leveraging insights from LinkedIn’s creator ecosystem, Kale offers a fan‑advocacy platform that rewards low‑friction content and provides real‑time analytics. The company’s...
Google DeepMind Hires New AI Chief Strategy Leader, Who Plans ‘To Develop AGI Safely To Empower Humans’
Google DeepMind has hired former Yale professor and Bridgewater chief scientist Jasjeet Sekhon as its new chief strategy officer. Sekhon will work directly with CEO Demis Hassabis to steer DeepMind’s roadmap toward safe artificial general intelligence (AGI). The move follows...
ZipRecruiter Launches ChatGPT App for AI-Powered Job Discovery
ZipRecruiter has launched a dedicated app for ChatGPT, embedding its job‑search engine directly into the generative‑AI platform. Users can invoke the service with an @ziprecruiter command, specifying criteria such as salary, location, or remote flexibility, and receive real‑time listings from...
Industrialising the Challenge Process: AI in Operational Risk Scenario Analysis
Banks are moving operational risk scenario analysis from a regulatory back‑stop to a core forward‑looking tool for capital planning and resilience. Patrick Naim and Nedim Baruh argue that structured modelling—exposure, occurrence, impact (XOI)—turns narrative scenarios into parameterised loss generators. Yet...
The Iran War Tests Taiwan’s Energy Resilience
The US‑Israel war with Iran is disrupting Middle‑East oil and LNG shipments, exposing Taiwan’s heavy reliance on imported energy. Taiwan imports 95% of its energy, over 99% of oil and gas, and holds about 150 days of oil reserves but...
#paid Partners With Pinterest to Connect Brands With Consumers Through Creator-Led Campaigns
#paid has become an official execution partner for Pinterest’s Idea Ads, linking its creator‑brand matching technology and Handraise workflow with Pinterest’s creator ecosystem. The integration enables creators to self‑select campaigns and produce Idea Ads that blend organic inspiration with paid...
Appspace Expands Executive Team to Drive AI Innovation and Solidify Global Workplace Experience Platform Leadership
Appspace has bolstered its executive ranks by naming Eric Daggett as chief sales officer and Dan Ward as chief technology officer. The hires are timed with the rollout of Appspace Intelligence Assistants, an AI layer that aggregates data from digital...
HR Tech Partnership Roundup
HR tech firms announced multiple strategic partnerships aimed at streamlining talent acquisition and workforce planning. Vidle.com integrated LaborEdge’s ATS, allowing staffing agencies to push job orders directly to its traveler platform. Workable earned LinkedIn and Indeed Platinum Partner status, reinforcing...
ING’s Sustainable Finance Activity Jumps 28% in 2025
ING reported €166 bn of sustainable finance mobilised in 2025, a 28% increase year‑on‑year and surpassing its €150 bn annual target for 2027. The bank’s Q4 volume hit €56 bn, the strongest quarter, while green‑loan transactions rose 45% to become the top product...
David vs Goliath: How Vanuatu Is Standing up to the US
Vanuatu is leading a diplomatic push at the United Nations to adopt a resolution that would implement the International Court of Justice’s 2025 advisory opinion on climate‑justice obligations. The draft, slated for an Earth Day vote on 22 April 2026, calls for...
Net Insight Appoints Larissa Görner-Meeus as Chief Product Officer (CPO)
Net Insight has named Larissa Görner‑Meeus as its new Chief Product Officer, adding her to the executive management team. Görner‑Meeus holds a Dipl‑Ing. in Electrical Engineering, an MBA, and more than 15 years of experience in media and broadcast technology....
NRG Media to Sell Northern Wisconsin Stations to Midwest Communications
NRG Media announced the sale of its Northern Wisconsin radio portfolio, including WOBT‑AM and eleven FM translators, to Midwest Communications’ WRIG, Inc. The transaction expands Midwest’s presence in the Wausau and Rhinelander markets and brings a suite of sports‑talk programming...
The Secrets to a Good Employee Survey
The Economist article outlines best practices for crafting effective employee surveys, stressing the need for a clear purpose, anonymity, brevity, and actionable follow‑up. It cites research that short, transparent surveys achieve higher response rates and more reliable data. The piece...
The Iran War Casts a Shadow over BASF’s Nascent Revival
CEO Markus Kamieth labeled 2026 a transition year for BASF, citing significant headwinds. He remains optimistic that market conditions will improve by year‑end and set the stage for a stronger 2027. However, the outbreak of war between the United States,...
Public Opinion in China Is Hardening on America and Taiwan
A new poll reveals Chinese public opinion is hardening toward the United States and Taiwan, with growing anti‑American sentiment and declining support for Taiwan’s independence. The survey, covering over a thousand respondents in major cities, shows a 12% drop in...
Three Ways AI Can Help CSCOs Navigate Emerging Supply Chain Cost Pressures
AI is reshaping how chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) confront rising cost pressures by exposing hidden cost‑to‑serve drivers, enabling real‑time, SKU‑level optimization, and powering scenario modeling of geopolitical disruptions. By integrating siloed procurement, logistics and planning data, AI uncovers margin...
As AI Fuels In-Housing Surge, Agency Execs Take The Entrepreneurial Path
Artificial intelligence is accelerating a wave of in‑house creative adoption, as brands seek tighter data control and faster production cycles. A recent NewtonX/Adweek survey finds 32% of brands plan to handle nearly all creative internally within the next 12 months,...
Dave Luz, Flower Child
Dave Luz, a veteran restaurant executive with more than three decades of experience, has been appointed VP of Operations for Flower Child, the healthy fast‑casual brand owned by Fox Restaurant Concepts. Luz began his career as a server at The...
The TOGAF Standard: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters for Enterprise Architecture
The Open Group’s TOGAF Standard, now at version 9.2, remains the leading open‑source framework for enterprise architecture, offering a modular structure, updated business‑architecture guidance, and a comprehensive Architecture Development Method (ADM). It covers the four core domains—business, data, application, and...
China’s Central Bank Pledges Stability in Capital Markets Amid Global Sell-Off
China’s central bank has elevated capital‑market stability to a major task for 2026, pledging to safeguard stock, bond and foreign‑exchange markets amid heightened global volatility. The announcement came as the Shanghai Composite slipped 1.39%, reflecting broader sell‑offs triggered by the...
Taiwan’s New Southbound 2.0: Rewiring the Indo-Pacific Beyond China
At the 2026 Yushan Forum, President Lai Ching‑te recast Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy as a broader Indo‑Pacific strategy that blends trade, technology, democratic cooperation, and security. The forum attracted over 70 leaders from 22 nations, underscoring Taiwan’s push to deepen...
The AI Era Is Turning Corporate America Into a CEO Churn Machine
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen is stepping down after 18 years, pressured by investors demanding AI results. His exit highlights a broader surge in CEO turnover, with 168 new CEOs named in the S&P 1500 last year, the highest in 15...
Utiva Selected Into Techstars as It Expands From Talent Training to AI-Powered Global Workforce Infrastructure
Utiva, an AI‑driven workforce platform, has been admitted to the Techstars accelerator, signaling its shift from pure talent training to providing end‑to‑end global hiring infrastructure. The company has already upskilled more than 200,000 professionals in 39 emerging‑market countries and partnered...
Alpine Eagle Scales Sentinel Production with New Munich Facility and European Expansion
Alpine Eagle is scaling production of its Sentinel counter‑drone system, adding a 2,000‑square‑metre interceptor plant near Munich and expanding across Europe after its German Bundeswehr launch. The company has grown from 12 to 50 staff and aims to reach 100...
Side Letter: Consolidation Complications
A limited partner (LP) is encountering challenges as recent M&A activity consolidates the private‑equity market, complicating side‑letter negotiations. The article notes that defensive investment strategies are already delivering returns, offsetting some of the consolidation risk. It also highlights Partners Group’s...
Leading with Emotional Intelligence: Meet The People CFO on Transforming Finance Teams
Lu Hur, newly appointed Group CFO of Meet The People, leverages a background at IAC, United Airlines, Microsoft and Washington Mutual to reshape finance across a network of 750 agency employees. She has replaced fragmented, siloed finance operations with a...