Coach and Kate Spade Conclude Global Media Pitch
Luxury conglomerate Tapestry, owner of Coach and Kate Spade, has appointed Dentsu as its global agency of record for media planning and buying outside the United States. The agreement covers the APAC region—including Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand—as well as EMEAI markets, replacing multiple incumbent agencies. Dentsu’s selection builds on a successful pilot in China and aligns with Tapestry’s strategic focus on accelerating growth in Asia. The partnership also dovetails with Dentsu’s expanding luxury portfolio, which now includes BMW Group media services.
The Race Between the Marriage and the Labour Markets
A field experiment in Pakistan offered graduating women a small reward to apply for at least four jobs within a month of graduation. Women who applied early were 20.4 percentage points more likely to accept offers, raising six‑month employment by...
Qatar Can Keep Goods Flowing Amid Tensions, Customs Chief Says
Qatar’s customs chief assures that supply chains remain secure despite regional tensions, citing strategic reserves, digital customs systems, and multiple transport routes. The Al Nadeeb electronic platform and recent upgrades have accelerated clearance and increased transparency. Coordination with the GCC Customs...
ATO, FWO Plan ‘Sham Contract’ Clampdown, Warn of Massive Fines
The Australian Taxation Office and Fair Work Ombudsman are intensifying a joint crackdown on sham contracting, a practice where employers misclassify employees as independent contractors to evade obligations. Penalties have been raised, with fines up to $500,000 for larger firms...
Uber Eats Sponsors Comedy Category on Prime Video UK
Amazon Ads announced Uber Eats as the first brand to sponsor Prime Video’s comedy slate in the UK, launching on March 19 2024 alongside the Season 2 premiere of *Last One Laughing UK*. The partnership runs through the end of 2026 and includes...
What I Learned Building a Fractional Executive Career
Harvard‑trained executive turned to fractional leadership after a chance Bollywood acting gig, discovering that part‑time C‑suite roles can rival full‑time compensation. He secured his first fractional General Counsel positions through networking at startup conferences, emphasizing the hidden job market and...
Fastmarkets Set to Launch New Rare Earth Spot Prices to Capture Global Trade Outside China
Fastmarkets will introduce three new global spot prices for dysprosium oxide 99.5%, terbium oxide 99.99% and ferro‑dysprosium 80% on March 19. The move responds to Chinese export controls and dwindling non‑Chinese supply, which have forced Japan and other magnet‑dependent economies...
The HR Podcast Ep 3: Antarctic HR, April Law Changes, Neurodiversity
Personnel Today’s HR Podcast Episode 3, recorded March 13, 2026, examines staffing challenges at the British Antarctic Survey’s remote research bases and explores the upcoming April employment‑law reforms. Guest Darren Newman outlines new statutory sick pay from day one, expanded paternity and...
Microsoft Weighs Legal Action over $50bn Amazon-OpenAI Cloud Deal
Microsoft is reportedly considering legal action after Amazon secured a roughly $50 billion cloud partnership with OpenAI. The deal, which positions Amazon Web Services as the primary infrastructure for OpenAI’s next‑generation models, threatens Microsoft’s dominant role in the AI‑cloud market. Sources...
Delayed US-China Summit Raises Stakes for Takaichi Ahead of White House Visit
US President Donald Trump’s scheduled summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was postponed, pushing back the pre‑China coordination meeting ahead of Trump’s Beijing visit. Analysts link the delay to the escalating Iran‑Israel conflict and the newly announced Chinese meeting...
SA Is Off the FATF Grey List – Now It’s Time to Modernise Compliance
South Africa exited the Financial Action Task Force grey list in October 2025 after completing a 22‑point AML/CFT action plan. The removal lifts cross‑border restrictions and restores investor confidence, giving local banks a chance to expand. Analysts argue that compliance...
L Catterton Bullish on India, but There Won't Be Any Blind Bets
L Catterton is launching a $400 million India Fund I, backed by a $200 million greenshoe, to double down on the country’s consumer sector. The firm will target founder‑led, differentiated brands in structurally attractive categories while shunning businesses that chase top‑line growth without...
He Skipped College to Intern with an Ex-Sequoia Director. Three Years Later, He's a Cofounder.
Raghav Saraf left high school in 2022 to intern at Zamp after meeting ex‑Sequoia director Amit Jain at a hackathon. He chose to skip college, rapidly took on product responsibilities, and three years later was elevated to cofounder. Under their...
Majority of Aussie Startups Have Less than 12 Months of Cash in the Bank
Australian startups are facing tighter cash constraints, with 65.4% reporting less than 12 months of runway, according to Carta’s survey of 500 founders. Only 2.8% have enough capital to last 18‑24 months, and no company can sustain operations beyond two...
Israeli Strike Hits Central Beirut After Evacuation Warning
An Israeli airstrike hit Beirut’s central Bachoura neighbourhood on March 18 after the military warned residents to evacuate the building. The strike was part of a broader wave of attacks across Lebanon targeting Hezbollah, following the militant group’s March 2 assault on...
FWC Rejects WFH Was Necessary to Accommodate ADHD, Anxiety
Australia’s Fair Work Commission ruled that an employer was justified in refusing a request for full‑time remote work from an employee with ADHD and anxiety after the company had already provided adjusted hours and a trial return‑to‑office arrangement. The employee...
Gen Z Doesn’t Hate Your Brand, They Hate Being Talked Down To
Brands that try too hard to mimic Gen Z often backfire, eroding credibility. Successful examples like Tower 28, SULT, and Hinge demonstrate that treating Gen Z as peers, embracing transparency, and leveraging authentic long‑form storytelling resonate better. The article outlines...
Can Penguin's Playful Flock Carry the Brand Into the Digital Age without Losing Soul?
Penguin Random House unveiled “Playful Penguins,” a modular visual identity featuring a suite of illustrated penguin characters in varied poses and props. Unlike a single mascot update, the kit allows the brand to mix and match illustrations across campaigns, seasonal...
Wellness Briefing: How Top UK Wellness Brand Ancient + Brave Is Cracking the U.S. Market One City at a Time,...
UK‑based wellness brand Ancient + Brave launched its U.S. entry with a multi‑week pop‑up in Los Angeles, backed by influencer partnerships and out‑of‑home advertising. Head of U.S. marketing Hannah Rowe highlighted strong foot traffic, social engagement spikes, and valuable brand...
Why One Creator Commerce Platform Is Connecting Brands and Creators for ‘Flat-Fee’ Campaigns
Creator commerce platform LTK has introduced Quick Collabs, a new feature that lets brands launch flat‑fee, one‑click campaigns that creators can opt into. The tool leverages LTK’s data on 44 million monthly shoppers, $6 billion in annual spend, 400,000 creators and 8,000...
From Greenwashing To Gaslighting: Clean Creatives Documents Big Oil Marketing Shift
Clean Creatives released the “Toxic Accounts” study, analyzing 1,859 ads, press releases and social‑media campaigns from 2020‑2024. It finds BP, Chevron, Shell and Exxon have abandoned climate‑friendly narratives, instead portraying fossil‑fuel use as essential for economic stability and national security....
Some Creators Don’t See Immediate Value in Instagram’s Controversial ‘Shop the Look’ AI Test
Instagram tested an AI‑driven “Shop the Look” feature that automatically tags products in creator posts, aiming to boost social commerce. The rollout, launched in February, sparked backlash as tags appeared without creators’ consent, linking followers to unvetted items and knockoffs....
IT Process Automation: Definition, Tools, and Use Cases
IT process automation (ITPA) uses software to orchestrate multi‑step IT workflows, eliminating manual tasks like password resets and data migrations. By linking systems across the tech stack, ITPA enables automated onboarding, ticket routing, infrastructure updates, and security compliance. Platforms such...
The Real Winners of March Madness? Brands that Move Fast on NIL Deals
Brands are racing to sign college athletes for NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals as March Madness draws record viewership, turning the tournament into a high‑impact marketing platform. Companies from footwear to fast‑food chains have partnered with stars like Azzi Fudd,...
Watsons Malaysia Celebrates Raya with ‘The Raya Glam Stage’ Campaign via MBCS
Watsons Malaysia, in partnership with Omnicom’s MBCS, launched the “Pentas Raya Glam” campaign to celebrate the Hari Raya festive season. The multi‑channel activation features a humorous film starring local celebrities, a #WatsonsPentasGlamRaya dance challenge on Instagram and TikTok, and in‑store sensory...
After Unbundling, Nigerian Fintechs Are Building Full-Stack Financial Services
Nigerian fintechs that began by unbundling single services are now rebundling into full‑stack platforms offering payments, savings, credit and business tools. Companies such as Moniepoint, Kuda, FairMoney and Paystack have expanded product suites after securing licences and capital. The shift...
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Situational Leadership Theory
Situational leadership theory, created by Hersey and Blanchard, posits that effective leaders must adapt their style to the maturity and competence of their team members. The original model outlines four styles—telling, selling, participating, delegating—matched to four maturity levels, while the...
Future Fund Loses Private Markets Investment Leads
Australia's sovereign wealth fund, the Future Fund, announced the resignations of David Bluff and Tammi Fisher, who jointly oversaw private equity and real assets. Their departure adds to a recent wave of senior leadership exits at the fund. The exits...
Foodcase Unveils New Brand Identity as Global Travel F B Partner
Foodcase has unveiled a refreshed brand identity that positions it as a full‑service food and beverage partner for the global travel industry. The new messaging emphasizes end‑to‑end capabilities, from concept design through onboard execution, across airlines and other travel operators....
Hakuhodo Appoints Naoyuki Kawakita as ASEAN COO + Yuta Sasaki as Vietnam Group President
Japanese advertising giant Hakuhodo announced two senior appointments to accelerate its ASEAN strategy. Naoyuki Kawakita, currently Group President of Hakuhodo International Vietnam, will become ASEAN Regional COO, overseeing an 800‑person network and focusing on regional integration and data‑driven marketing. Yuta...
Fed Set to Hold as Deutsche Bank Flags Geopolitics Clouding Outlook
Deutsche Bank expects the Federal Reserve to keep its policy rate unchanged at the March 2024 meeting, with only modest tweaks to the post‑meeting statement. The bank says the Fed will downplay volatile payroll data and instead spotlight rising geopolitical...
India's Digital Economy to Account for 20% of GDP by 2030, Says MeitY Secy S Krishnan
India’s digital economy, currently contributing about 13 % of GDP, is projected to rise to nearly 20 % by 2030, growing at roughly twice the pace of the broader economy. The surge is driven by rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and expanding...
Contingent Workforce Misclassification Poses Ongoing Prosecution Risks
Employers face heightened prosecution risk over contingent worker misclassification as regulators intensify enforcement. Recent 2024 Closing Loopholes amendments overturn the previous reliance on written contracts, reverting to a substantive, multifactor test rooted in 2022 High Court rulings. The shift reintroduces...
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Strategic Planning Process: Complete Guide (2026) | ClearPoint Strategy Blog
ClearPoint Strategy’s October 2023 guide distills insights from more than 30,000 real strategic plans into a step‑by‑step framework for organizations of any size. It outlines a 90‑day planning cycle, recommends assembling a 12‑15‑person cross‑functional team, and emphasizes data‑driven decision‑making through...
Comings & Goings
Yorkshire’s largest independent estate agency Dacre, Son & Hartley appointed Cleo Howell as head of finance, overseeing accounting for its 17 offices and recent acquisitions. Knight Frank promoted Arya Salari, Eddie Thomas and James Thistle to Proprietary Partner, highlighting leadership in lettings, capital...
Discovery Parks Introduces ‘Australia’s First Official Bark Manager’ in New Campaign via Born
Discovery Parks has introduced Bruce, a red Border Collie, as Australia’s first Official Bark Manager in a character‑led campaign created with agency Born. The initiative merges traditional storytelling with AI‑assisted production, using tools like Nano Banana, ElevenLabs and Unreal Engine...
Casting Guild of Australia and Showcast Reveal First Nations Acting Finalists
The Casting Guild of Australia and Showcast have announced the 20 finalists for their inaugural First Nations Acting Initiative, a program designed to elevate Indigenous performers across Australia. The finalists, ranging from 15 to 80 years old, will each receive...
Amazon Ads and Spotify Expand Partnership in Australia
Amazon Ads and Spotify have integrated Spotify’s premium audio and video inventory into Amazon’s demand‑side platform in Australia. The partnership lets Australian marketers buy across connected TV, display, audio and video through a single programmatic workflow, leveraging Amazon’s shopping and...
Stop-Bullying Orders Denied for Employee Who Engaged in "Spiteful Campaign"
The Fair Work Commission refused to issue a stop‑bullying order for a Telstra employee who alleged bullying by two managers while on leave. Deputy President Nicholas Lake described the employee’s actions as a “spiteful campaign” and ruled that the alleged...
PBOC Sets USD/ CNY Mid-Point Today at 6.8909 (Vs. Estimate at 6.8798)
The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) set the USD/CNY reference rate at 6.8909 for the current session, modestly above the 6.8798 market estimate. The central bank maintains the yuan’s daily fluctuation band at plus or minus 2% around this midpoint....
Dalal Street Newbies Using IPO Muscle to Beat Down Debt
India’s recent IPO surge is increasingly being leveraged to reduce corporate debt rather than fund expansion. Companies earmarked roughly ₹35,055 crore—about a quarter of total IPO proceeds—for debt repayment across 95 issuers in 2024‑2026. This marks a reversal from 2020‑21, when...
Creativity over Coding: The New Preference in the AI Era
A Resume.org poll shows 57% of hiring managers now value creative skills—especially thinking, communication, and storytelling—over technical abilities. Over the past five years, appreciation for creativity rose to 68%, while coding’s perceived value fell 14% as AI automates code generation....
Former WAIO Boss Brandon Craig to Replace Henry at BHP
Former Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO) boss Brandon Craig has been appointed to succeed Mike Henry as chief executive of BHP, effective July 1. Craig, currently president of BHP Americas, brings extensive experience in iron‑ore operations and recent turnaround successes....
Turkey Emerges as Revived Route for Iraqi Oil Amid Hormuz Crisis
Iraq announced the rapid revival of the 600‑mile Kirkuk‑Ceyhan pipeline, aiming to resume crude shipments to Turkey and bypass the Hormuz bottleneck caused by the Iran‑US‑Israel conflict. The oil ministry expects the line to be operational within a week, targeting...
Philippines Down to Its Last Three Weeks of Fuel Reserves, Turns to Russia for Help
The Philippines faces a looming fuel shortage, with national reserves estimated at only three to four weeks of supply. The crisis stems from Iran’s restriction of the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for 20% of global oil, which has...
Flipkart Celebrates Ugadi with ‘Ugadi vs Yugadi’ Campaign by 22feet India
Flipkart has launched the ‘Ugadi vs Yugadi’ campaign with agency 22feet India, targeting the harvest festival celebrated in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. The activation uses the regional pronunciation debate as a humorous hook, directing users to a microsite where...
How Nvidia’s Newer, Pricier Chips Will Shape India’s Data Centre Ambition
Nvidia unveiled its Vera Rubin and Groq 3 chips, promising ten‑times higher energy efficiency for AI workloads. Indian data‑centre operators now face a trade‑off: invest in costly, power‑saving GPUs or scale capacity with older, cheaper models. Analysts expect the sector’s power...
Aligning Resources with Company Goals
The article stresses that corporate vision must be translated into personal, measurable KPIs so every employee sees a direct line to the company’s big‑picture goals. Leaders are urged to communicate these goals in language that resonates with teams, especially Gen Z,...
Reeves Plans to Give England’s Regional Leaders a Share of National Tax Revenues
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced plans to devolve a share of national tax revenues, starting with income tax, to England’s regional mayors. The Treasury will also allocate £2.3 bn in city investment funds and allow future business‑rates revenue to stay with metro...
Sustainable Farming Push Could Avoid £150bn Economic Hit, Report Warns
A cross‑party think‑tank report, funded by McCain Foods, warns that the UK could face a £150 billion economic hit by 2050 if sustainable farming is not scaled up. It estimates regenerative practices could unlock over £56 billion in natural capital by 2035...