Databricks Hires SAP’s Simon Davies to Lead APJ
Databricks has appointed former SAP Asia Pacific president Simon Davies as senior vice president and general manager for the APJ region, based in Singapore. Davies brings over 30 years of experience across SAP, Splunk, Microsoft, Salesforce, Oracle, Citibank and PwC, and will oversee strategy, operations and growth in markets including Australia, New Zealand, ASEAN, India, Japan, Korea and Greater China. The move follows Ed Lenta’s six‑year tenure during which the region generated more than $500 million in ARR and built a team of over 1,000 staff. Databricks also plans to relocate to a 32,000‑sq‑ft headquarters in Singapore, quadrupling its local footprint.
4 KPIs Supply Chain Leaders Should Prioritize as Tariff Pressures Persist
Tariff volatility remains a daily reality for supply‑chain leaders in 2026, forcing a rethink of traditional performance dashboards. Operators are shifting to decision‑oriented metrics that expose cost exposure and enable proactive action. Amy Dean highlights four priority KPIs: inventory levels...
What Mandarin Oriental Is Seeing in Luxury Travel That Others Are Missing
Mandarin Oriental is shifting its luxury strategy from pure expansion to a brand‑led, guest‑centric model that emphasizes authentic, culturally resonant experiences. The hotel group plans to more than double its portfolio over the next decade, targeting locations such as Mallorca,...
Retaining Director After "Proven S-Xual Misconduct" Forced Employee to Quit
The Fair Work Commission rebuked WA Mirning People Aboriginal Corporation for keeping a director on its board after sexual harassment allegations were substantiated, forcing a communications manager to quit. The manager filed a general protections dismissal claim, arguing the board’s...
Is Target CEO Michael Fiddelke’s Plan to Refresh the Brand Working?
Remittances to HCMC Decline in Q1 Amid Global Headwinds
Remittances to Ho Chi Minh City fell 16.9% year‑on‑year in Q1 2026, dropping to $2 billion, after a 15.6% decline from the previous quarter. The State Bank of Vietnam attributes the slide to global economic uncertainty, high inflation, monetary tightening, and geopolitical tensions....
Who Is Manufacturing the Faces We Trust?
Indian advertisers and brands are rapidly adopting AI‑generated digital spokespersons that can speak regional languages, adjust facial features, and deliver consistent messages without fatigue. Mankind Pharma announced a partnership to embed these generative systems across its marketing and multilingual communications,...
Fujitsu GLOVIA One Targets AI Era of Japanese ERP
Fujitsu has relaunched its GLOVIA ERP line as GLOVIA One, a cloud‑based suite tailored for mid‑size Japanese firms. The platform embeds AI agents that provide decision‑support insights while staying aligned with Japan’s complex legal and tax environment. Built on the...
When the Tax Base Walks Out the Door
The article examines the fiscal fallout when a major employer exits a community, citing the Tyson Foods plant closure in Lexington, Neb., Cabela’s headquarters move from Sidney, and the GM plant shutdown in Janesville, Wis. It explains how sales‑tax receipts...
Enercon Profitable Again but CEO Rules Out Discounts Amid Falling Onshore Tender Prices
German wind turbine manufacturer Enercon reported an operational profit for 2025, marking a turnaround after years of losses. Despite the rebound, CEO Udo Bauer said the company will not offer temporary discounts to developers, even as onshore wind tender prices...
Hayden-Murphy Hosts Premier Executive Leadership Forum
Hayden‑Murphy Equipment Company hosted its first Executive Leadership Forum on Feb. 20, 2026 in Golden Valley, Minnesota. The day‑long event brought together construction executives for strategic discussions on tax management, macro‑economic trends, and leadership resilience. By shifting focus from equipment showcases to...
Uganda’s Power Paradox: Cheap for Industry, Costly for Households
Uganda offers the continent’s second‑lowest industrial electricity tariff at $0.055/kWh, yet its residential price sits at $0.206/kWh, the second‑highest among COMESA members. The disparity stems from a deliberate policy to subsidize manufacturing and spur industrialisation, even as the country enjoys...
The Revenue Impact of Human-Centered AI
Sales teams are inundated with AI dashboards that sit outside the flow of work, limiting impact. Highspot’s human‑centered AI, embodied in Deal Agent and AI Role Play, embeds real‑time insights and guided practice directly into sellers’ workflows. While 77% of...
More Structure Needed in Employee Sponsorship and Advocacy
Employee sponsorship is a key driver of career advancement, yet most companies treat it informally, which tends to favor bold, outspoken staff. Victoria Butt, founder of Parity Consulting, argues that without structured sponsorship programs, quiet high‑potential employees are overlooked, creating...
Health QSR Chain Acai Theory Raises Funds From All In Capital, TDV Partners, Others
Acai Theory, a Bengaluru‑based health‑focused quick‑service restaurant, closed a pre‑seed round of Rs 4 crore (about $480,000). The round was led by All In Capital with participation from TDV Partners and several high‑profile angels. The capital will fund expansion to 8‑10 stores, a central kitchen,...
Advantages and Disadvantages of Leadership Styles: Uncovering Bias and Generating Mutual Gains
The article examines how leadership styles shape gender bias, citing Google’s struggle with a male‑dominant workforce and low female representation in technical and managerial roles. It details Google’s response—unconscious‑bias workshops, video lectures, and promotion‑process checks—to curb a 1% evaluation bias...
Canada’s Federal Staff Face Stricter In-Office Checks
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has launched a pilot that uses IP‑login data to monitor staff compliance with the Treasury Board’s four‑day in‑office requirement, while executives must be present five days a week. The initiative follows similar programs at Immigration, Refugees...
K Food Exports Set to Take Major Hit After Losing Middle East Growth
South Korea’s K‑Food exports rose 4% YoY to $2.56 bn in Q1 2026, driven largely by the Middle East, which contributed $106 m and 32.3% of the growth. Escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran disrupted logistics, causing a sharp...
Garrigues Merges with BSVV to Strengthen Chile Presence
Spanish law firm Garrigues announced a merger with Chilean boutique Barros Silva Varela & Vigil (BSVV), creating a combined Chilean practice of 130 lawyers and 24 partners. The deal, pending partner approval, adds BSVV’s 11 partners and its 50‑lawyer, 21‑practice...
Women’s Foodservice Forum Names Ellie Doty Chief Brand Officer
Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) has appointed Ellie Doty as its chief brand officer. Doty arrives from Denny’s, where she has led brand strategy since May 2025, and brings a résumé that includes CMO roles at Burger King and Chili’s as well...
Exclusive: The Laundress Co-Founder Returns to Luxe Laundry with Lindry Lab
Lindsey Boyd, co‑founder of The Laundress, has launched Lindry Lab, a direct‑to‑consumer luxury laundry brand. The line debuts with 17 SKUs, including six detergents priced at $45 for 32 oz, a fragrance‑free option, and specialty washes. Boyd positions the brand around...
Kudlow - Monday, April 20
Fox Business aired a 41‑minute episode of "Kudlow" on Monday, April 20, where host Larry Kudlow examined three high‑profile issues: the Iranian regime’s aggressive posture, U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith’s ongoing investigations, and the risk of a Hormuz Strait blockade....
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Reimagine Asia 2026: People & Business
Reimagine Asia 2026: People & Business is a C‑level conference targeting senior business and HR leaders across Asia to discuss productivity, growth, and technology amid economic pressure and talent constraints. The agenda features executive panels, focused small‑group discussions, and peer...
Glossy Research: 3 Out of 4 Brand Leaders Are Using AI for Data Analysis, but ROI on AI Spend Remains...
Glossy Research reports that three‑quarters of top fashion and beauty brands now rely on AI for data analysis, yet the financial returns on those investments remain modest. The study highlights an average ROI of under 10% per year, indicating early‑stage...
Beauty Briefing: How Mind Games Achieved Double-Digit Sales Growth with No Hero Fragrance
Mind Games, the chess‑themed fragrance label, posted double‑digit sales growth last quarter by eschewing a single "hero" scent and instead courting fragrance collectors. The brand rolled out a rapid cadence of limited‑edition releases, leveraging community‑driven storytelling and digital‑first marketing. This...
Popeyes Sets Sail with ONE PIECE with an Anime-Inspired Menu
Popeyes has partnered with Toei Animation to launch its first anime collaboration, Popeyes × ONE PIECE, across select Canadian locations. The limited‑time menu features items like Chopper’s Cupcake (≈ $3 USD) and the Luffy Bento Bundle (≈ $7.40 USD) that combine the chain’s signature chicken with themed...
AI Job Scams Are Booming – and I Was Fooled by One. Here Is How to Avoid Them
A surge in UK recruitment scams is exploiting job seekers, with Lloyds reporting a 237% rise and Report Fraud noting double the complaints compared to 2022. Fraudsters use AI to generate hyper‑personalised offers that mimic real recruiters, often demanding money for...
How to Become a Social Media Influencer in 9 Steps
The creator economy is on track to reach roughly $480 billion by 2027, with influencer marketing alone projected at $33 billion in 2026. A new guide breaks down nine practical steps for aspiring influencers, from defining a niche to automating workflows with...
The New Trade Order
At Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for a "new trade order" to correct imbalances in the global economy, invoking Václav Havel’s 1978 essay on powerlessness. He urged multinationals and governments to prioritize supply‑chain resilience, fair labor standards, and climate‑aligned tariffs....
LALO Tequila Builds a Legacy of Craftsmanship, Transparency
Co‑founder Eduardo “Lalo” González says tequila sales are booming worldwide, even as overall spirits soften. LALO Tequila, launched in 2020, has grown tenfold while staying true to a three‑ingredient, small‑batch formula. Its Blanco expression is NielsenIQ’s top share gainer across...
How to Fight an Economic War
At Davos, former Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned that globalization has morphed into economic warfare, with great powers weaponising tariffs, finance and supply‑chain dependencies. The United States and China now dominate key chokepoints—U.S. dollar payments, AI chips and...
How ThredUp Is Using AI to Improve Its Marketing Operations and Move Further up the Funnel
ThredUp, the online resale platform, is embedding artificial intelligence across its operations, from automated product tagging to personalized recommendation engines. In its marketing division, AI is now being used to sharpen demand forecasting, allowing the team to allocate spend more...
Kim’s Dangerous Liaisons
In June 2024 Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first trip to North Korea in 25 years, culminating in the signing of a Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Kim Jong Un. The ceremony featured extensive North Korean pageantry, underscoring the regime’s propaganda style....
Hephzibah Pathak Named the New Chief Executive Officer of WPP Creative in India
Advertising giant WPP announced that Hephzibah Pathak will serve as CEO of WPP Creative in India, overseeing the network’s flagship agencies such as Ogilvy, VML, AKQA, and Landor. Pathak will continue as executive chairperson of Ogilvy India, making her the...
Worker Protests Across India
Workers across India staged large‑scale protests demanding higher pay and better conditions. In Hyderabad, roughly 50,000 Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation contract workers called for a minimum wage of Rs 26,000 (about $312) per month, along with leave, bonuses and safety gear....
Orange Cleared to Take Full Control of MasOrange
Orange has obtained Spanish government approval to acquire the remaining 50 percent of MasOrange, completing the merger of Orange Spain and MásMóvil. The deal values the transaction at €4.25 billion (about $4.6 billion) plus €50 million ($55 million) in accrued dividends to the selling shareholders. The...
After Building Global Startup, Two Founders Who Met at Uni Are Backing a New Generation of Kiwi Students
University of Auckland alumni Alliv Samson and Hengjie Wang have pledged roughly US$18,000 (NZ$30,000) to launch the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Alumni Fund. The fund will back the university’s Velocity startup program and related initiatives, giving students free...
From Lab to Market: The Financing Gap Plaguing the Deeptech Sector
India’s deep‑tech sector is generating breakthrough work in semiconductors, climate tech, defence and quantum computing, yet many ventures stall before reaching market. In 2025 deep‑tech startups raised $1.65 billion, a clear increase from prior years, but funding dries up after early‑stage...
Lawyered Raises $2.5 Mn To Expand Legal Assistance Beyond Mobility
Lawyered, a Delhi‑NCR legal‑tech startup, secured about $2.5 million (₹23.2 cr) in a pre‑Series A round co‑led by Rainmatter and Turbostart, with existing backer Finvolve participating. The funding will fuel scaling of its AI‑enhanced SaaS platform, broaden product features, and accelerate user acquisition....
Deepika Chavan Is Now CPO-Group, POWERCON
POWERCON, the Indo‑German renewable‑energy joint venture, has appointed Deepika Chavan as its new chief people officer. Chavan returns after a four‑year stint as HR manager, bringing more than two decades of experience across technology, manufacturing, and education sectors. Her mandate...
Global Fintech Adyen Extends Partnership with lastminute.com By Launching Virtual Card Issuing for Supplier Payments
Adyen has expanded its partnership with travel‑booking platform lastminute.com by adding Visa‑branded prepaid virtual cards for supplier payments. The new issuing capability lets the travel company create multi‑currency virtual cards in seconds, cutting payout times by two to three days...
OpenAI Eyes Deeper APAC Growth with New Marketing Head
OpenAI has appointed Jennifer Lien as head of marketing for the Asia‑Pacific region, operating out of Singapore. Lien will steer brand, user growth, enterprise adoption and partnership strategies across both consumer and B2B segments. The hire follows OpenAI’s recent regional...
Victory Giant Founder on $2.6 Billion HK Listing, AI Boom
Victory Giant Technology Huizhou Co. debuted on the Hong Kong exchange, raising HK$2.6 billion (≈$332 million). Founder Chen Tao told Bloomberg the PCB maker expects high‑speed growth driven by AI and computing power demand over the next five years. The company announced capacity...
If the Price Is Right: Four Key Pricing Strategies to Optimise Trade Plans
Understanding price elasticity is essential for optimizing trade plans. By applying econometric models to gauge both shelf‑price and promotional elasticities, retailers can classify products into four pricing strategies: Hi‑Lo Promoters, Price Leaders, Margin Builders, and Price Disrupters. Each strategy dictates...
YouTuber Copyright Struck After Others Layer AI Voiceovers On Video Game Music
YouTuber Nubzombie’s Silent Hill 2 playthrough was hit with two copyright strikes after AI‑generated voiceovers were layered onto Akira Yamaoka’s original track. The claims came from separate entities—"Agro memos" and "詹姆斯.K"—both using the same underlying music and filing automated takedowns. Evidence suggests...
Can Perfectionist John Ternus Steer Apple Through the AI Age?
Apple’s long‑time hardware engineer John Ternus is set to replace Tim Cook as CEO on September 1, bringing a product‑first philosophy to a company that has lagged in AI. Ternus stresses leveraging technology to ship great products rather than shipping technology...
Revamped Tata Neu to Bet on Loyalty, Financial Services: Tata Digital CEO Sajith Sivanandan
Tata Digital is reshaping its super‑app Tata Neu into a loyalty‑centric financial‑services hub, moving away from a broad commerce aggregator. CEO Sajith Sivanandan, who took the helm seven months ago, is streamlining the portfolio, emphasizing payments, investments and insurance tied to...
AI’s Real Challenge? Closing the Skills Gap
AI is reshaping Southeast Asian industries far faster than anticipated, with Cognizant reporting that 93% of jobs could be impacted. Executives expect AI and big‑data proficiency to be essential by 2030, yet only 30% believe their workforce is ready. This...
Marketing’s Ability to Game the System Is Diminishing: Anoop Manohar, Axis Bank
Axis Bank’s chief marketing officer Anoop Manohar argues that the era of blanket impressions is over, urging marketers to prioritize real engagement. He describes how the bank leverages AI‑driven real‑time signals to deliver personalized offers at key life milestones, while...
Not Wieden+Kennedy Creates Identity for Premier Jumping League
Not Wieden+Kennedy has crafted the visual identity and launch film for the Premier Jumping League (PJL), a new global equestrian jumping circuit. The agency built the brand around the sport’s signature rail, creating a dynamic logo that captures the horse’s...