'Accountability Is Key' | The B-Corp of DEI? Inside The Blueprint's Push for Measurable Inclusion in UK PR
Elizabeth Bananuka’s Blueprint, launched in 2020, offers a measurable, accountable DEI framework for UK PR agencies, moving beyond token‑style fixes. The model requires independent assessment, data submission, and annual re‑certification, focusing on recruitment, development, and retention of diverse talent. By mandating transparency, it transforms DEI from feel‑good gestures into verifiable business outcomes. The initiative arrives as many firms trim DEI budgets and seek concrete evidence of impact.
Nestlé Leans Into ‘Convenient Indulgence’ as the Fourth Wave of Coffee Accelerates
Nestlé is targeting the "fourth wave" of coffee, a Gen Z‑driven shift toward at‑home café experiences that prioritize cold, convenient, customizable, and crafted drinks. The company is expanding cold‑forward offerings, including Starbucks Crema Collection concentrates and a new Coffee Mate Cool Crème frozen...
Rwanda Wants to Be Where Africa-Focused Capital Gets Structured and Domiciled
Rwanda’s Kigali International Finance Centre (KIFC) has risen to become Africa’s third‑largest financial hub, trailing only Casablanca and Mauritius, after passing 22 laws and offering a 3% corporate tax, zero withholding tax and six‑hour company registration. The centre now hosts...
Mango Appoints Former Estée Lauder Exec as New Brand Director
Mango has appointed Sara Donnielli, former senior executive at Estée Lauder, as its new Brand Director and Management Committee member. Donnielli, who spent two decades leading luxury fragrance and cosmetics portfolios, will report to CEO Toni Ruiz. The hire aligns...
Austria: Restoring the Public Finances in the Face of Ageing
Austria’s public finances have deteriorated after energy price shocks and a post‑pandemic slowdown, leaving the 2025 deficit at 4.5% of GDP and debt at roughly 80% of GDP. The government has launched a seven‑year fiscal consolidation plan aiming to cut...
Setting Up a Business Abroad? 6 Mistakes to Avoid, From a Singapore-Based Financial Planner
U.S. entrepreneurs establishing businesses overseas face a complex web of tax, legal and operational hurdles. The article outlines six common mistakes, from choosing an inappropriate foreign entity that triggers GILTI liability to overlooking forced‑heirship inheritance rules. Real‑world case studies illustrate...
Accedo One and Magine Pro’s Leyra Delivers Unified OTT SaaS Platform
Accedo One and Magine Pro have launched Leyra, a joint‑venture SaaS platform that unifies their respective OTT technologies. The new offering blends Magine Pro’s subscriber‑lifecycle management with Accedo One’s streaming stack and Marketplace, delivering a single end‑to‑end solution. Leyra promises...
Buying Traffic: Does It Work?
Affiliates are increasingly turning to paid traffic as organic search becomes volatile, but success hinges on a simple margin test: earnings per click must exceed cost per click. High‑ticket SaaS, finance, and insurance offers provide enough commission to absorb higher...
Venatus Delivers 5x Higher Video Ad Attention by Activating Audiences “In the Zone”- Lumen Research Finds
Venatus Media, in partnership with Lumen Research, reports that its video‑ad platform achieves up to five times higher attention by targeting audiences "In the Zone"—users deeply engaged in gaming, sports or entertainment. The technology assesses mindset, context and timing to...
Traditional Channels Beat Digital as ‘Super Touchpoints’
A new DMA and Jicmail report finds traditional media outperform digital in trust, creativity, targeting, and measurement. Channels like TV, radio, out‑of‑home and direct mail—dubbed “Super Touchpoints”—deliver 25% higher effectiveness but are used in only 55% of campaigns. Effectiveness rises...
Ferrero’s Bold Snacks Deal Signals Strategy Shift
Ferrero announced the acquisition of Brazil’s protein‑snack brand Bold Snacks, marking its first entry into the better‑for‑you segment. The deal brings Bold’s Divinópolis factory and a workforce of roughly 300 employees under Ferrero’s umbrella. By adding a high‑protein, health‑focused line...
Technology Moves Down the List of Favoured CV Sectors – Houlihan Lokey
Investment bank Houlihan Lokey reports that technology has slipped down the list of preferred sectors for corporate venture secondary transactions. Managing Director Michael Pilson told Secondaries Investor that investors are increasingly gravitating toward sectors such as healthcare, consumer, and industrials....
POS Agents Made Cash Accessible. Now It’s Time to Rethink Them
POS agents have been vital for financial inclusion in Nigeria, providing cash access and basic banking services to the informal sector. However, rising fees and anti‑agent sentiment are eroding trust, as withdrawals through agents can now cost more than ATM...
Entry-Level Jobs Should Be Entry Level
Cindy Meis, director of undergraduate career services at the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business, highlights a growing mismatch between how employers label "entry‑level" positions and the experience they actually require. A SHRM study shows 61 % of advertised entry‑level...
Evaluating Workforce Partnerships Through a Broader Lens
The article argues that evaluating contingent clinical staffing solely on cost overlooks critical performance dimensions. It highlights speed of placement, predictability of onboarding, assignment stability, and transparency as essential factors that affect operational continuity and patient experience. The piece also...
HDFC Bank Chair’s Hostile Exit Leaves Board ‘Baffled,” Investors Confused
HDFC Bank’s chairman abruptly resigned under hostile circumstances, leaving the board perplexed and investors unsettled. The departure was announced without prior notice, sparking speculation about internal power struggles and governance lapses. Market reaction was muted but volatility rose as analysts...
Middle Market Deal Terms at a Glance – March 2026
The Lead Left published SPP Capital Partners’ March 2026 Middle Market Deal Terms snapshot, comparing deal components, leverage and pricing for micro, small and mid‑cap companies against March 2025. The data show modest tightening of leverage ratios and a compression of EBITDA...
MCM Begins Year-Long 50th Anniversary Celebration
German luxury label MCM is marking its 50th anniversary in 2026 with a year‑long campaign that includes a refreshed logo, a digital content series, and refreshed versions of iconic products such as the Ella Boston handbag and Liz tote. The...
Covenant Trends – 3/16/2026
Covenant Trends released its March 16 2026 data set highlighting the average EBITDA adjustment cap applied to synergies and cost‑saving initiatives in loan agreements. The chart shows the cap hovering around the low‑teens percentage range and climbing steadily year‑over‑year. The release includes...
Former Buccaneer & Cineflix Execs Launch Drama Outfit High Road Entertainment
Former Buccaneer co‑CEO Richard Tulk‑Hart and ex‑Cineflix scripted head James Durie have launched High Road Entertainment, a co‑production and sales consultancy focused on drama. The venture, rebadged from Volteo Media, is already developing the Greek‑set crime series Antiparos and the...
More Promotions, Modern Stores, Storytelling: Jumbo CEO Jesper Højer’s Plan
Jumbo’s new CEO Jesper Højer unveiled a multi‑year plan to revive the retailer’s lagging performance. The strategy emphasizes aggressive promotions, especially on meat, and a comprehensive modernization of store formats. Højer also pledged to streamline the executive committee and eliminate...
Octus: Private Credit & Deal Origination Insights – 3/16/2026
In the third quarter of 2025, Octus reported that the average fair‑market‑value‑to‑par (FMV/Par) ratio on non‑accrual drawn loans rose for three of the five leading sectors—Communication Services, Consumer Discretionary and Industrials. The increase reflects deeper discounts on these loans, signaling...
From Manual Salaries to Smart Systems: The Evolution of Payroll in Schools and Universities
Payroll management in education has progressed from handwritten ledgers to cloud‑based platforms. Early manual processes were error‑prone and time‑consuming, prompting a shift to spreadsheet calculations that reduced mistakes but still required heavy data entry. Dedicated payroll software automated tax rules...
Navigating the Latest Apprenticeship Funding Changes
The UK government will cease funding for 16 apprenticeship standards, chiefly leadership and management programmes, by December 2026, redirecting resources toward technical and project‑focused training. The move aims to address national skills shortages while preserving a broad apprenticeship ecosystem. Simultaneously,...
Competition for Marketing Roles Increases
The marketing talent pool grew 5.6% to 1.07 million candidates, yet the number of applicants per role jumped 26% to 92, while advertised positions fell 8.2%. Employers are shifting toward senior hires and relying on AI to cover junior responsibilities. This...
The Pulse of Private Equity – 3/16/2026
U.S. private‑equity firms recorded a solid rebound in 2025, delivering the second straight year of exit growth. Exit value climbed to roughly $150 billion, positioning the year just behind the 2021 peak. Deal count surpassed 1,200 transactions, erasing the multi‑year slump...
Leveraged Loan Insight & Analysis – 3/16/2026
U.S. primary market leveraged loan yields rose to 8.09% in March, the highest level since April 2025. The increase reflects broader pricing pressure on first‑lien institutional term loan Bs with a three‑year repayment horizon. Single‑B rated credits led the yield...
IWD Voices: Geetanjali Bhattacharji – ‘Fairness Is Not Neutrality; It’s Intentional Care’
Geetanjali Bhattacharji argues that fairness is an act of intentional care rather than a neutral stance, emphasizing that women’s humanity and ambition must be equally valued. She positions leadership as a conduit, creating pathways for other women to enter, stay,...
New Tax Regime Will Relieve Burden for Small Companies
Nigeria enacted four interconnected Tax Reform Acts, consolidating legacy statutes into the Nigeria Tax Act effective Jan 1 2026. The reforms raise the small‑company exemption threshold to $74,088 in annual turnover and set a N250 million fixed‑asset ceiling, easing the federal tax burden...
Bloomberg: Leveraged Lending Insights – 3/16/2026
US leveraged loan issuance has stalled after a sharp February slowdown, with weekly launches falling from the $30 b levels seen in January to just $12.1 b through the week ending March 18. The dip reflects heightened market volatility that continues to deter...
Sonali Bendre-Led The Happy Pawdcast Teams up with The Souled Store for Co-Branded Line
India’s pet‑focused podcast The Happy Pawdcast, hosted by Sonali Bendre, announced a co‑branded merchandise line with online retailer The Souled Store. The partnership follows Season 2’s strong performance, which reached over 14 million pet lovers, generated more than 20 000 hours of content,...
IWD Voices: Hiroko Okita – ‘A Leader Isn’t Merely Someone Who Articulates What’s Right; They Are Someone Who Demonstrates It’
In an International Women’s Day interview, branding executive Hiroko Okita emphasizes that true leadership goes beyond articulating values; it requires embodying rights, justice, and authentic action. She links personal authenticity with tolerance, celebrating diversity and urging organizations to accept multiple...
UK Job Market Softens as Economy Set to Worsen
UK employment data show a softening labour market, with payroll jobs falling by 49,000 in February and vacancies slipping to 721,000, the lowest level in recent months. The unemployment rate held steady at 5.2% despite the job losses. Wage growth...
IWD Voices: Ida Mak – ‘Senior Leaders Have a Responsibility to Look Beyond the Handbook’
Ida Mak, General Manager of TBWA Hong Kong, reflects on International Women’s Day 2026’s theme – Rights, Justice, Action – and argues that senior leaders must move beyond rule‑books to embed empathy and authenticity in advertising. She describes how her...
Government Launches Tech Jobs Drive to Bring More Women Into the Sector
The UK government unveiled a £4 million TechFirst Women’s Programme to fund 300 paid six‑month placements and a return‑to‑work “returnship” pilot for women who have been out of tech roles for at least 18 months. The initiative also launches a TechFirst...
Up the Ranks: Renyi Yan Joins Embed Financial Group Holdings as Its New Chief People Officer
Embed Financial Group Holdings has appointed Renyi Yan as its new Chief People Officer, transitioning from a senior advisory role at Saudi Aramco. Yan brings two decades of organisational transformation experience across Asia‑Pacific and the Middle East, having served firms...
Patriot Taps New MD to Drive Growth at Peruvian Silver Project
Patriot Resources has appointed CEO Dominic Duggan as managing director of its high‑grade Tassa silver project in Peru. The project holds a JORC‑inferred resource of 18.53 Mt at 52.68 g/t silver, equivalent to over 31 million ounces. Recent drilling delivered intercepts exceeding 200 g/t...
A Guide to Emerging Markets Investing Solutions>
Emerging markets, home to 87% of the global population and projected to generate 60% of world GDP by 2026, are vastly under‑represented in international equity indices, creating a structural allocation gap. VanEck leverages this gap with $8.1 billion in EM assets,...
Two Palantir Veterans Just Came Out of Stealth with $30M and a Sequoia Stamp of Approval
Edra, a New York‑based startup, announced a $30 million Series A round led by Sequoia, with participation from 8VC and A*. The company, founded by former Palantir executives Eugen Alpeza and Yannis Karamanlakis, builds an AI‑driven knowledge base that automatically extracts and...
Influencer Marketing Around IPL Set to Touch ₹700 Crore in 2026: Report
Influencer marketing tied to the Indian Premier League is projected to hit roughly ₹700 crore by the 2026 season, according to Qoruz. Spending has risen from about ₹250 crore in 2023 to ₹550 crore in 2025, reflecting a 40 % compound annual growth rate....
We Need to Be Honest About Iran – and How Our Rampant Greed for Oil Is Causing Mayhem | George...
George Monbiot argues that Western interventions in Iran, beginning with the 1953 oil‑driven coup, illustrate how fossil‑fuel greed fuels geopolitical conflict. He links that historic struggle to today’s climate emergency, noting that oil profits sustain wars, authoritarian regimes, and climate...
2025 ANNUAL RESULTS - Transdev Group in 2025: Solid Growth, Enhanced Visibility, and Financial Strength
Transdev reported 2025 results showing solid growth, with revenue reaching €10.44 bn (+4%) and adjusted EBITDA rising 5% to €691 m. Operating investments increased 9% to €691 m, supporting vehicle electrification and heavy‑mode expansions such as the Marseille‑Nice rail line and the Cable C1...
Developing the Next Generation of Leaders
Higher‑education leaders Marilu Goodyear and Jenny Mehmedovic discussed how intentional mentorship, sponsorship, and cross‑disciplinary insight shape the next generation of campus leaders. Drawing on decades of experience in IT, research, and faculty development, they emphasized tailoring communication to each leader’s...
Explainer | Why India Is Pushing to Cut Remittance Costs at WTO
India is spearheading a WTO proposal to slash cross‑border remittance fees that currently eat 5‑6% of transaction values. The initiative targets regulatory and technical barriers, aiming to bring costs below the UN Sustainable Development Goal of 3% by 2030. Backed...
Why Is Glossier Closing Stores to Chase Gen Z?
Glossier announced it will shutter nine of its twelve global stores over the next 2.5 years, retaining only flagship locations in New York, Los Angeles and London. The move follows a slowdown in millennial‑driven growth and a strategic pivot toward...
Pérez-Llorca Posts 28% Increase in ‘Pro Forma’ Revenue to Hit €211.3m
Spanish law firm Pérez‑Llorca announced a 28% rise in pro forma revenue, reaching €211.3 million. International operations—Portugal, Mexico and a newly merged Colombian practice—contributed €55.5 million, representing 26% of total earnings. Domestic revenue grew 17% to €155.8 million, continuing a five‑year streak of...
Inside FinSight Ventures’ Bet On A Pricey Yet Durable Indian Fintech Market
FinSight Ventures, led by Pavel Gurianov, has committed roughly $20 million per deal to Indian fintech and consumer super‑app companies, backing firms such as Razorpay, Easy Home Finance, Gupshup and Car Dekho after an initial fund‑of‑funds strategy. While Gurianov acknowledges that...
Rethinking the ‘Standard’ Accountant – The Case for Neuro-Inclusion
ACCA’s new report highlights that 15‑20% of the UK workforce is neurodivergent, prompting leading accountancy firms to abandon one‑size‑fits‑all talent models. It outlines five strategic pillars—cognitive profiling, safe disclosure, tech leverage, co‑created support, and personal networks—to redesign workplaces for neuro‑inclusion....
What Does A Beta Test Of A Sell-Side Agent Look Like?
Publishers are piloting AI‑powered sell‑side agents that use large language models to negotiate and package ad inventory on behalf of sellers. Early adopters such as The Weather Company and Optable have built prototypes leveraging the open Prebid framework and Anthropic’s...
What Does A Beta Test Of A Sell-Side Agent Look Like?
Publishers are experimenting with sell‑side agents—LLM‑powered sales bots that negotiate ad inventory on their behalf. An open‑source framework donated by AdCP to Prebid now lets companies build and test these agents, with early pilots at The Weather Company and data‑clean‑room...