FLIR Systems Awarded $2.6 Million Contract for Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance Systems for United States Army Soldier Borne Sensor Program

WILSONVILLE, Ore.-Thursday, May 31st 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) has been awarded a $2.6 million order from the United States Army to deliver FLIR Black Hornet® Personal Reconnaissance Systems (PRS). The units delivered under this contract will support squad-level surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in the Army’s first batch order for the Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) program.

The United States Army purchased the Black Hornet PRS from FLIR for test and evaluation purposes in both 2016 and 2017. The Army will continue its evaluation and consider broader scale roll out of the Black Hornet for full operational deployment within all infantry units.

“The United States Army’s selection of FLIR to provide the Black Hornet PRS in this initial delivery of the Soldier Borne Sensor program represents a key opportunity to provide soldiers in every U.S. Army squad a critical advantage on the modern battlefield,” said James Cannon, President and CEO of FLIR Systems. “This contract demonstrates the strong demand for nano-drone technology offered by FLIR and opens the way for broad deployment across all branches of the military. We’re proud to provide the highly-differentiated Black Hornet PRS to help support the U.S. Government to achieve the objective of protecting its warfighters.”

This contract expands the use of FLIR’s Black Hornet PRS for military surveillance and reconnaissance programs. FLIR has delivered the Black Hornet PRS systems to 30 nations around the world, and the U.S. Army will receive the latest generation of the system under the SBS program.

Deliveries of these systems will take place in 2018. For more information about the FLIR Black Hornet PRS, please visit www.flir.com/blackhornet (U.S.) or www.flir.eu/blackhornet (Europe and Asia).

About FLIR Systems, Inc.

Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon, FLIR Systems is a world-leading maker of sensor systems that enhance perception and heighten awareness, helping to save lives, improve productivity, and protect the environment. Through its nearly 3,500 employees, FLIR’s vision is to be “The World’s Sixth Sense” by leveraging thermal imaging and adjacent technologies to provide innovative, intelligent solutions for security and surveillance, environmental and condition monitoring, outdoor recreation, machine vision, navigation, and advanced threat detection. For more information, please visit www.flir.com and follow @flir.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this release by Jim Cannon and the other statements in this release regarding the contract, including contract amount and anticipated delivery dates, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including the following: the ability to manufacture and deliver the systems referenced in this release, continuing demand for the product referenced in the release, constraints on supplies of critical components, excess or shortage of production capacity, the ability of FLIR to manufacture and ship products in a timely manner, FLIR's continuing compliance with U.S. export control laws and regulations and ability to sell to the U.S. government, and other risks discussed from time to time in FLIR's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports. In addition, such statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates, and general domestic and international economic conditions. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and FLIR does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release, or for changes made to this document by wire services or Internet service providers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180530005476/en/

Contacts

FLIR Systems, Inc.
Media:
Tim McDowd, 503-498-3146
tim.mcdowd@flir.com
or
Investor Relations:
Shane Harrison, 503-498-3547
shane.harrison@flir.com

Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/flir-systems-awarded-26-million-contract-for-black-hornet-personal-reconnaissance-systems-for-united-states-army-soldier-borne-sensor-program/en

New GSMA Study: Operators Must Look beyond Connectivity to Increase Share of $1.1 Trillion IoT Revenue Opportunity

GSMA Intelligence Releases Global IoT Connections and Revenue Forecasts

LONDON-Wednesday, May 30th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- The global Internet of Things (IoT) market1 will be worth $1.1 trillion in revenue by 2025 as market value shifts from connectivity to platforms, applications and services, according to new data from GSMA Intelligence. By that point, there will be more than 25 billion IoT connections (cellular2 and non-cellular), driven largely by growth in the industrial IoT market. The Asia Pacific region is forecast to become the largest global IoT region in terms of both connections and revenue3.

“As the number of connected consumer devices and industrial machines grow rapidly, the IoT ecosystem will evolve to become a trillion-dollar market over the course of the next decade,” said Sylwia Kechiche, Principal Analyst, IoT, GSMA Intelligence. “But the IoT revenue opportunity is shifting away from simply connecting devices to addressing specific sectors with tailored solutions, and successful ecosystem players will need to adapt their business models in line with these market trends.”

Revenue Opportunity Moving Beyond Connectivity

Although connectivity revenue will grow over the period, it will only account for 5 per cent of the total IoT revenue opportunity by 2025, underscoring the need for operators to expand their capabilities beyond connectivity in order to capture a greater share of market value. This is a challenge already being addressed by a number of operators, which are creating dedicated IoT business units and service lines.

Meanwhile, the platforms, applications and services segment will continue to increase as a share of overall IoT revenue, capturing two-thirds (68 per cent) of the total by 2025. This category spans multiple IoT layers such as platforms; application services; cloud; data analytics; and security. IoT professional services – which include system integration, managed services and consulting – will account for the remaining 27 per cent share of total IoT revenue by 2025.

Industrial IoT To Drive Connections Growth

GSMA Intelligence forecasts that the total number of IoT connections (cellular and non-cellular) globally will reach 25.2 billion in 2025, up from 6.3 billion in 2016. The industrial segment, which refers to IoT solutions deployed within enterprises or vertical-specific applications, will account for more than half of the connections total by that point (13.8 billion), while the number of IoT connections in the consumer segment will reach 11.4 billion, driven by developments in the smart home market.

“It’s well understood that connectivity will represent only a fraction of the total IoT opportunity. Complementing our IoT connections data with this major new dataset and analysis on IoT revenue provides a comprehensive and realistic view on where market opportunities exist for operators, vendors, integrators, and everyone else playing in the IoT ecosystem,” explained Peter Jarich, Head of GSMA Intelligence.

IoT connections and revenue forecasts are now available on the GSMA Intelligence platform for subscribers to the full service. The datasets provide forecasts for 2010-2025 for every region worldwide. Two accompanying reports provide commentary and further insight:

‘IoT: the $1 trillion revenue opportunity (May 2018)’

‘IoT: the next wave of connectivity and services (March 2018)’

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

1 Excluding IoT hardware revenue (device, module and chipset).

2 Licensed cellular IoT refers to cellular M2M (2G/3G/4G/5G) and Mobile IoT (NB-IoT/LTE-M).

3 GSMA Intelligence forecasts that the Asia Pacific region will account for $386 billion in revenue (35% of global total) and 11 billion connections (44% of global total) by 2025.

Contacts
Media Contacts:
For the GSMA
Beau Bass
+44 79 7662 4962
beau.bass@webershandwick.com
or
GSMA Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com



http://aetoswire.com/news/new-gsma-study-operators-must-look-beyond-connectivity-to-increase-share-of-11-trillion-iot-revenue-opportunity/en

Johns Manville Releases 2016/2017 Sustainability Report

DENVER-Wednesday, May 30th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Johns Manville (JM), a leading global manufacturer of energy-efficient building products and engineered specialty materials and a Berkshire Hathaway company, released its 2016/2017 Sustainability Report today. JM’s sixth report communicates its commitment to core values, sustainability and conducting business in ways that balance the needs of stakeholders as well as the environment. The report is available at www.jm.com/sustainability.

Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer Mary Rhinehart said a sustainability mindset has been key to JM’s longevity, which is particularly significant as the company celebrates its 160th anniversary in 2018.

“I am proud of the progress we have made since our founders established JM 160 years ago. This company has stood the test of time with fortitude and vision,” said Rhinehart. “Guided by our core values – People, Passion, Perform and Protect – we will continue to embrace opportunities to grow in a sustainable manner. I am confident we will thrive as the Employer and Supplier of Choice for many years to come.”

Vice President of R&D and Chief Sustainability Officer Tim Swales stressed the important role that companies play in creating a more sustainable world. The 2016/2017 report reaffirms JM’s commitment to sustainable development, he said.

“On a global scale, JM has the capital and the scientific and engineering expertise to help address some of society’s most complex issues, like energy efficiency and lifecycle durability,” said Swales. “We will continue to take a business approach to sustainability that creates long-term value for our stakeholders – one that also helps JM to become even more productive, innovative and competitive.”

Significant accomplishments outlined in the 2016/2017 report include:

Environmental Achievements

•     Reducing greenhouse gas emission intensity by 2.5 percent.
•     Attaining JM’s goal three years early to implement environmental management systems in 100 percent of North American and European plants.
•     Developing product category Environmental Product Declarations for JM’s HVAC, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and mechanical insulation materials.
•     Completing an extensive water survey to better understand local water source vulnerability at JM’s plants in the U.S. and around the world.

Stakeholder Value

•     Investing approximately $2 billion over the past 10 years to make JM more productive, safe, innovative and sustainable.
•     Increasing customer value by developing sustainable new products and technologies for insulation and lightweighting.

Employee Wellbeing

•     Decreasing JM’s lost time incident rate by more than 50 percent from 2016 to 2017.
•     Promoting employee wellbeing with 52 percent of U.S. employees participating in on-site biometric screening events.

Community Investment and Volunteerism

•     Achieving JM’s community service and volunteerism goals three years early.
•     Inspiring 27 percent more volunteers to give 34 percent more volunteer hours while participating in 60 percent more volunteer projects over our 2015 baseline.

The 2016/2017 report was developed “in accordance” with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 Guidelines Core option and has undergone review by GRI’s Materiality Disclosures Service to confirm the correctness of the locations of the G4 Guidelines Materiality Disclosures.

About Johns Manville

Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B), is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality products for building insulation, mechanical insulation, commercial roofing, and roof insulation, as well as fibers and nonwovens for commercial, industrial and residential applications. JM serves markets that include aerospace, automotive and transportation, air handling, appliance, HVAC, pipe and equipment, filtration, waterproofing, building, flooring, interiors and wind energy. In business since 1858, the Denver-based company has annual sales of approximately $3 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. JM employs approximately 7,500 people and operates 43 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Additional information can be found at www.jm.com.

Contacts

Johns Manville
Holly Leiker, 303-978-2042
Holly.Leiker@jm.com

Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/johns-manville-releases-2016-2017-sustainability-report/en

NAF and Lenovo Announce Winners in Mobile App Competition

 Nonprofit and Global Tech Leader support STEM learning, career opportunities

NEW YORK & RALEIGH, N.C.-Wednesday, May 30th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Lenovo, a leading global technology company, together with NAF, a nonprofit organization focused on high school education, today announced the winners from NAF academies participating in the fourth annual Lenovo Scholar Network National Mobile App Development Competition.

The competition and app development program encourages greater interest among underserved high school students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) while providing them with the high-tech skills to succeed in the 21st century. In this competition, teams of students from more than 100 NAF academies across the U.S. spent months developing mobile apps that will be of service in their classrooms and communities. The results every year are a testament to the students’ talent, innovation, and originality in applying their classroom-learning to solve a real-world issue.

This year’s final six winning apps are:

Guardian Defense

    Cimarron-Memorial High School, Academy of Information Technology, Las Vegas, NV
    Created to save lives by preparing users for a variety of dangerous situations and working to make the world a safer place

Human Nature: Puberty Edition

    Detroit Institute of Technology at Cody, Detroit, MI
    Teaches students about their bodies and makes them feel comfortable while going through puberty

Klinik

    Emmett J. Conrad High School, Academy of Engineering, Dallas TX
    Provides users with a list of health, food, and educational resources close to their current location

Lace Up

    Cox Mill High School, Academy of Information Technology, Concord, NC
    Allows users to keep and track their pace throughout a run

Respirate

    Enloe High School, Academy of Health Sciences, Raleigh, NC
    Supplements Pulmonary Rehabilitation to provide a more accessible resource to those diagnosed with COPD and other respiratory diseases

SpeakEZ

    Lee County High School, Academy of Engineering, Sanford, NC
    Helps overcome fears and challenges that come with public speaking

Mobile App Competition Fan Favorite Voting Through July 10

A panel of more than 200 judges selected the six winners. Panelists included representatives from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), members of education and tech media, Lenovo leadership, and NAF corporate partners including Intel, Moody’s and Citi, as well as NAF alumni. The winning teams will present their apps at NAF’s annual teacher development conference, NAF Next 2018, in Washington DC, July 8-11.

“Fan Favorite” voting opens will be open through July 10. The winning team will also receive state-of-the-art technology, courtesy of Lenovo. Visit the Lenovo Scholar Network site to view the top 6 and to vote.

To learn more about the Lenovo Scholar Network and follow along with students’ app creation journey, visit http://lenovoscholars.com/ or check out #LenovoScholars on social media. The 2018-19 school year will mark the fifth year of the Lenovo and NAF partnership and the Lenovo Scholar Network, with more than 6,000 students participating from NAF academies across the U.S.

Quotes:

Matt Zielinski, president Lenovo North America

“The mobile app competition is especially meaningful because the students use creative thinking to develop innovative solutions through their mobile apps to address challenges they experience in their communities. We believe that can inspire them to pursue STEM studies and careers. Lenovo is proud to support NAF, and to help introduce students nationwide to critical skills in technology that will only grow in significance in the future.”

JD Hoye, president, NAF

“Year after year, we are constantly amazed by the hard work and innovative thinking that our Lenovo Scholar Network students invest in their app creations. Not only are they sharpening their STEM skills and learning how to be leaders in their classrooms, but they are also serving their communities. Congratulations to the 2018 winning teams and all who participated and thank you to Lenovo for their continued commitment to ensure that high school students are future ready!”

About Lenovo

Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$45 billion Fortune 500 company with a vision to become the global leader in Intelligent Transformation through smart devices and infrastructure that create the best user experience. Lenovo manufactures one of the world’s widest portfolio of connected products, including smartphones (Motorola), tablets, PCs (Thinkpad, Yoga, Lenovo Legion) and workstations as well as AR/VR devices and smart home/office solutions. Lenovo’s next generation data center solutions (ThinkSystem, ThinkAgile) are creating the capacity and computing power for the connections that are changing business and society. Lenovo works to inspire the different in everyone and build a smarter future where everyone thrives. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo, or visit us at http://www.lenovo.com/

About NAF

NAF, is a national network of education, business, and community leaders who work together to ensure that high school students are college, career, and future ready.

NAF works with high need communities to transform the high school experience through an educational design that includes industry-specific curricula, work-based learning experiences, and relationships with business professionals, culminating in a paid internship. NAF academies fit within and enhance school systems, allowing NAF to become an integral part of a plan for higher achievement at a low cost. NAF academies focus on one of five career themes: finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences. During the 2017-18 school year, over 100,000 students attended 644 NAF academies across 36 states, including DC and the US Virgin Islands. In 2017, NAF academies reported 97% of seniors graduated with 90% of graduates planning to go to college. For more information, please visit: http://naf.org/

Contacts

Media:
Lenovo
George Farthing, (919) 257-6242
gfarthing@lenovo.com
or
NAF
Courtney Savoia, (646) 896-3881
csavoia@naf.org



Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/naf-and-lenovo-announce-winners-in-mobile-app-competition/en

GSMA Reveals Shortlist for 2018 Asia Mobile Awards

HONG KONG-Wednesday, May 30th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The GSMA today announced the nominees for the 2018 Asia Mobile Awards. Winners of the “AMO Awards” will be honoured in presentations during the Mobile World Congress Shanghai conference, as well as an AMO Awards cocktail. Mobile World Congress Shanghai will take place 27-29 June at the Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre (SNIEC).

“Congratulations to all nominees for the 2018 Asia Mobile Awards,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “The AMOs put a spotlight on the technologies, products, services, companies and individuals that are playing a leading role in the development of the Asia mobile industry. We wish all those shortlisted the very best of luck and look forward to celebrating our industry’s innovation at Mobile World Congress Shanghai.”

For 2018, 102 nominees have been shortlisted for 14 awards across seven categories: “Mobile Tech”, “Consumer”, “Fourth Industrial Revolution”, “Device”, “4YFN”, “Social Good” and “Outstanding Achievement”. The AMO Awards are judged by more than 60 world-leading independent experts, analysts, journalists, academics and, in some cases, mobile operator representatives. The winners of the AMOs will be unveiled in presentations across the Mobile World Congress Shanghai conference programme, as well as a cocktail reception on Wednesday, 27 June; full details of the schedule and presentations are available at www.mwcshanghai.com/conference-programmes/asia-mobile-awards-2018/asia-mobile-awards-onsite-presentations/.

Supporting Media Partners for the AMO Awards include AVING News, Technode and Yesky. The full list of nominees, as well as additional information on the AMO Awards, is available at www.mwcshanghai.com/conference-programmes/asia-mobile-awards-2018/asia-mobile-awards-2018-nominee-shortlist/.

Get Involved at Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2018

For more information on Mobile World Congress Shanghai, including how to attend, exhibit, partner or sponsor, visit www.mwcshanghai.com. Follow developments and updates on Mobile World Congress Shanghai through our social media channels – follow us on Twitter at @GSMA and use #MWCS18, get regular updates through our LinkedIn Showcase Page at www.linkedin.com/company/mobile-world-congress-shanghai, and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mwcshanghai. In China, you can follow us on Sina Weibo weibo.com/mwcshanghai or search “GSMA_MWCS” in WeChat.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

Contacts
For the GSMA
Ava Lau, +852 2533 9928
alau@webershandwick.com
or
Beau Bass, +44 79 7662 4962
beau.bass@webershandwick.com
or
GSMA Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com


http://aetoswire.com/news/gsma-reveals-shortlist-for-2018-asia-mobile-awards/en

Philip Morris International: Why World No Tobacco Day Should Be World No Smoking Day

People who smoke and those who care about them deserve to learn about smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes


LAUSANNE, Switzerland-Wednesday, May 30th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Philip Morris International (PMI) will mark World No Tobacco Day with a call to recognize this day as “World No Smoking Day.” PMI is publishing informational advertisements highlighting that people who smoke deserve the opportunity to learn about smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes.

It is clear that despite the well-known health risks associated with smoking, many people continue to smoke. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that there will be more than 1 billion people who smoke in 2025, about the same number as today. Their best choice would be to quit—but many don’t. It makes sense that these men and women should have access to and information about less-harmful alternatives to cigarettes. Why would anyone deny them this opportunity? PMI is calling for an additional, bold approach to public health.

“For people who will otherwise continue to smoke, WHO is in the perfect position to drive switching from cigarettes to sensible alternatives. A policy that informs people about those alternatives—in essence, a World No Smoking Day—would reduce smoking prevalence to a far greater extent and at a much faster rate than the existing suite of tobacco-control measures alone,” said André Calantzopoulos, PMI's Chief Executive Officer. “People who smoke deserve a sensible plan that takes full account of better alternatives to cigarettes. For our part, we’re determined to deliver a smoke-free future through innovations that stand up to scientific scrutiny and that meet consumer needs.”

PMI has already committed $4.5bn in supporting a team of 400 world-class scientists, engineers and technicians who have spent years creating and testing a range of smoke-free products that offer a much better choice for the millions of smokers who don’t quit. More than 5 million smokers worldwide have already completely abandoned cigarette smoking and switched to IQOS, PMI’s heated tobacco product, with 10,000 smokers switching every single day. And PMI is not the only company pursuing innovation as important to the world’s 1 billion smokers worldwide—the tobacco industry generally is beginning to move in this direction, to the benefit of men and women who smoke.

“Our short-term ambition is that one out of three of our consumers, 40 million men and women who smoke, will have switched to better alternatives by 2025. Ultimately, we want to be in a position to stop selling cigarettes entirely. However, we need the support of governments and the public health community to make this happen in as short a time as possible. I believe that instead of just designating one day as World No Tobacco Day, we should promote every day as World No Smoking Day,” said Calantzopoulos.

PMI is proposing that governments and authorities investigate thoroughly how scientifically substantiated smoke-free products can be used as a complementary public health strategy alongside smoking prevention and cessation. With appropriate government control and oversight, these products can have a meaningful and positive impact on public health.

To learn more about PMI’s views on World No Tobacco Day, visit http://www.pmi.com/world-no-smoking-day-2018. PMI commenced publication in national and international media on May 30-31.

Philip Morris International: Who We Are

We are a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the United States of America. We’re building our future on smoke-free products that are a much better choice than continuing to smoke cigarettes. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, we aim to ensure that our smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. Our vision is that these products ultimately replace cigarettes to the benefit of adult smokers, society, our company and our shareholders. For more information, see our PMI and PMIScience websites.

Contacts

Media enquiries
Philip Morris International media office
T: +41 (0)58 242 4500
E: Ryan.Sparrow@pmi.com

Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/philip-morris-international-why-world-no-tobacco-day-should-be-world-no-smoking-day/en

GSMA Announces Speakers for Mobile 360 Series – Africa 2018

2018 Edition Features Innovation Showcase and #BetterFuture Stage; Mobile 360 – Africa Registration Now Open


LONDON-Tuesday, May 29th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The GSMA today announced the first speakers for the 2018 Mobile 360 – Africa conference, which will take place 17-19 July 2018 at the Kigali Convention Centre, Kigali, Rwanda. Sponsors for the event include MTN Rwanda (Host Sponsor); Channel VAS (Headline Sponsor); Remade, Telecel Global and Telepin (Industry Sponsors); and Ericsson and Intelsat (Series Sponsors). New for 2018, the event will feature the Innovation Showcase including the #BetterFuture Stage, highlighting how the mobile and ICT industry is working towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“The transformational impact of mobile is being felt more profoundly in Africa than anywhere else in the world. With more than half a billion people across Africa now subscribed to a mobile network, this connectivity provides a gateway to a range of essential services such as digital identity, healthcare and financial services,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “As a country sculpting a strong national identity around harnessing the collective power of youth, Rwanda is the perfect backdrop to explore the direction and impact of Africa’s digital revolution.”

At Mobile 360 – Africa, CEOs and senior executives from leading companies in the mobile industry and throughout the digital ecosystem will address the most pressing trends and issues in mobile. Speakers confirmed to present at Mobile 360 – Africa include:

    Bassim Haidar, CEO, Channel IT
    Patricia Adusei-Poku, Executive Director, Data Protection Commission, Ghana
    Onyeka Akumah, Co-Founder and CEO, Farm Crowdy
    Ciiru Waithaka, CEO, FunKidz
    Sebastian Rodriguez, Co-Founder and CEO, KopaGas
    Claudette Irere, Director General, Ministry of Information Technology & Communications (MiTEC)
    Kenfield Griffith, CEO, mSurvey
    Robert Shuter, CEO, MTN Group
    Njavwa Mutambo, CEO, Musanga
    Dorcas Muthoni, CEO and Founder, Openworld
    Aurelien Duvaldelort, Managing Director, Orange Bizao
    Patrick Nyirishema, Director General, Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA)
    Samba Sow, CEO, Sudapay
    Amma Aboagye, Science, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships Advisor, USAID West Africa
    Karanvir Singh, CEO, Yego Moto

The conference will comprise thought-provoking keynote addresses, fireside chats and panel discussions. Over the three days, the event will delve into issues such as how the digital future will socially and economically impact communities and industries; how the mobile industry will work to ensure inclusion for all; and how innovation is bringing about positive change. The final day will host the bi-annual GSMA Mobile Money Leadership Forum, which brings together an international audience of regulators, policymakers and the entire mobile money ecosystem to discuss current trends and future innovations in mobile money. The full conference agenda is available at www.mobile360series.com/africa/#agenda.

In addition to the main conference, Mobile 360 – Africa will highlight the initiatives and activities undertaken by the GSMA Mobile for Development programme. The event will focus on its work to increase access to and use of life-enhancing mobile services and to accelerate socio-economic improvements for the underserved, especially women, rural communities and youth. Additionally, the event will explore digital and financial inclusion, as well as identity for the unregistered.

New For 2018: Innovation Showcase and #BetterFuture Stage

This year, Mobile 360 – Africa attendees will experience the Innovation Showcase, where pioneering and influential companies from across Sub-Saharan Africa will present their products and solutions. Through interactive demonstrations, attendees will gain insights into the latest solutions available to address current challenges and facilitate the digitisation of Africa going forward. Mobile 360 – Africa will also feature the #BetterFuture Stage, which traces the journey of Africa’s digital successes and challenges. The #BetterFuture Stage is located within the Innovation Showcase, with sessions running during networking breaks.

Mobile 360 – Africa Registration Now Open

Registration for Mobile 360 – Africa is now open; individuals wishing to attend should visit www.mobile360series.com/africa/attend/attendee-registration/. For further information on Mobile 360 – Africa, including sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.mobile360series.com/africa/overview/. Follow developments and updates on Mobile 360 – Africa (#M360Africa) on Twitter @GSMA, on Facebook www.facebook.com/Mobile360Series and LinkedIn on www.linkedin.com/company/gsma-mobile-360-series.

Further information on the entire Mobile 360 Series of events is available at www.mobile360series.com/. Follow developments and updates on Mobile 360 Series (#Mobile360) on Twitter @GSMA and on Facebook www.facebook.com/Mobile360Series.

-ENDS-

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

Contacts

For the GSMA
Beau Bass
+44 79 7662 4962
beau.bass@webershandwick.com
or
David Ntwampe Maila
+ 27 72 015 4702
dmaila@webershandwick.com
or
GSMA Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com

Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/gsma-announces-speakers-for-mobile-360-series-ndash-africa-2018/en

Large-Scale Study Provides First-Ever Insights into the Genetic Causes of Bedwetting

SAINT-PREX, Switzerland-Tuesday, May 29th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

It is likely to be hereditary: children whose parents wet the bed are more likely to be bedwetters1

The world’s first genome-wide association study (GWAS) in bedwetting identify specific genetic variants that increase the risk of bedwetting

Further delineation of the genetic component of bedwetting could help to identify children predisposed to bedwetting and lead to better tailored treatment

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- New evidence from the world’s first genome-wide association study (GWAS) identifies genes and genetic variants associated with bedwetting and may lead to earlier identification of children predisposed to bedwetting and improved earlier treatment options.The results are being presented by the International Children’s Continence Society (ICCS) and the European Society for Paediatric Urology (ESPU) on World Bedwetting Day on 29 May 2018.

“We have known for over a century, there has been strong evidence suggesting a genetic background for bedwetting.2 The risk of bedwetting is 5-7 times higher among children with a parent who suffered from bedwetting as a child, and approximately 11 times higher if both parents were bedwetters”,1 said Dr. Søren Rittig, Professor at the Department of Child and Youth, Nephro-urologic Team, Aarhus University Hospital who together with associate professor Jane Hvarregaard Christensen, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University is responsible for this new study.

Bedwetting is a common medical condition that has a serious impact on a child’s self-esteem, emotional well-being and day time functioning, including school and social performance3,4,5; and improvements in their working memory and other daily activities have been seen after treatment.6

The GWAS used the iPSYCH2012 nationwide population-based sample of around 80,000 Danish individuals collected to study among others ADHD and autism. Genome-wide association studies work by scanning markers across the entire genome of large numbers of people in order to find genetic variants associated with a particular disease.

Associate professor Jane Hvarregaard Christensen said, “By comparing the frequency of millions of genetic variants in thousands of DNA samples from bedwetting children we have been able to demonstrate specific genetic variants that each contribute to increase the risk of bedwetting. The genes implicated by this are known to function in deep brain areas responsible for regulation of day-night rhythms, urine production and sleep. This supports that bedwetting is linked to physiological mechanisms rather than being caused by psychological problems.” This is an important first step to provide new insights into the biological processes leading to bedwetting.

There are at least two main reasons why children are bedwetting – a reduced bladder capacity and/or an increased urine production during night-time (polyuria). By analyzing millions of genetic variants in bedwetting children, researchers were able to point to specific genes and thereby suggest specific biological causes of bedwetting.

Dr. Søren Rittig said, “We believe further research using the genes and genetic variants we have detected could help us identify bedwetting children earlier, determine which children would benefit from medication and tailor treatment to alleviate their condition.”

About Bedwetting

Bedwetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis, is an uncontrollable leakage of urine while asleep.7 In most cases it is caused by over-production of urine at night or reduced capacity of the bladder.4 An inability to wake up can be another cause.4 Bedwetting does not seem to have a psychological cause.4 Bedwetting is a common childhood medical condition, with approximately 5–10% of 7-year-olds regularly wetting their beds and the problem may persist into teenage and adulthood.8

About World Bedwetting Day

World Bedwetting Day was initiated to raise awareness among the public and healthcare professionals that bedwetting is a common medical condition that can and should be treated.

World Bedwetting Day 2018 will take place on 29 May and occurs on the last Tuesday of May each year. The theme is: ‘Time to Take Action’, in recognition that much more can be done to diagnose and treat those children who suffer from bedwetting.

For more information please visit www.worldbedwettingday.com.

About the World Bedwetting Day Steering Committee

The World Bedwetting Day Steering Committee brings together experts from across the globe to support this initiative and consists of the International Children’s Continence Society (ICCS), the European Society of Paediatric Urology (ESPU), the Asia Pacific Association of Paediatric Urology (APAPU), the International Paediatric Nephrology Association (IPNA), the European Society of Paediatric Nephrology (ESPN), the Sociedad Iberoamericana de Urologia Paediatrica (SIUP), and the North American Paediatric Urology Societies. The initiative is supported by Ferring Pharmaceuticals.

References

1 Jarvelin, M. R., Vikevainen-Tervonen, L., Moilanen, I. & Huttunen, N. P. Enuresis in seven-year-old children. Acta paediatrica Scandinavica 77, 148-153 (1988).
2 von Gontard, A., Schaumburg, H., Hollmann, E., Eiberg, H. & Rittig, S. The genetics of enuresis: a review. The Journal of urology 166, 2438-2443 (2001).
3 Iannelli V. Bedwetting. Available at https://www.verywell.com/bedwetting-bedwetting-statistics-2633257. Last accessed January 2017.
4 Vande Walle J et al, Practical consensus guidelines for the management of enuresis. Eur J Pediatr 2012;171:971-98
5 Joinson C et al. A United Kingdom population-based study of intellectual capacities in children with and without soiling, daytime wetting, and bed-wetting Pediatrics. 2007;120(2):e308-16
6 Van Herzeele C, Dhondt K, Roels S P et al. Desmopressin (melt) therapy in children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis and nocturnal polyuria results in improved neuropsychological functioning and sleep. Pediatr Nephrol. 2016; DOI 10.1007/s00467-016-23351-3
7 Austin P et al. The Standardization of Terminology of Lower Urinary Tract Function in Children and Adolescents: Update Report from the Standardization Committee of the International Children’s Continence Society, The Journal of Urology. 2014;191:1863-1865
8 Nevéus T. Nocturnal enuresis—theoretic background and practical guidelines. Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26:1207–1214

Contacts

Burson-Marsteller, on behalf of World Bedwetting Day Steering Committee
Jack Dixey, +44 (0)207 300 6221
Jack.Dixey@bm.com

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Gemalto Announces Collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies to Integrate eSIM Innovation into the Snapdragon Mobile PC Platform

AMSTERDAM-Tuesday, May 29th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

Now available to OEMs building devices with future generations of the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Mobile PC Platform

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Gemalto announces a new collaboration that will see its advanced mobile connectivity solutions integrated with Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ mobile PC platform, a product by Qualcomm Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated. This paves the way for iSIM commercialization on a growing range of Always Connected PCs, laptops and tablets.

The effort will support the integration of Gemalto’s eSIM technology and remote subscription management solutions, with the new Secure Processing Unit (SPU) on the Snapdragon mobile PC platform. As a result, this innovation will provide seamless LTE and forthcoming 5G connection, extended battery life, and a foundation for consumer applications such as online payments, transport ticketing and authentication to cloud services. This initiative represents the first time an eSIM will be integrated with processing platforms designed to power Always Connected PCs and similar consumer devices.

Providing benefits for industry players:

    OEMs optimize their bill of materials and supply chain costs. With Gemalto solutions they facilitate late eSIM customization during or after the device manufacturing process.
    Mobile operators benefit from a larger addressable base of connected devices and a trusted platform for secure services. Based on existing standards the technology will be open and secure.

The first wave of Always Connected PCs to incorporate Snapdragon mobile PC platforms featuring Gemalto’s technology are expected as early as 2019.

“This new agreement with Qualcomm Technologies aims at accelerating adoption of seamless cellular connectivity in PCs, tablets and other mobile products,” said Frédéric Vasnier, executive vice president for Mobile and IoT at Gemalto. “We are committed to continued innovation with Qualcomm Technologies in order to provide superior built-in security and connectivity experiences.”

Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO) is the global leader in digital security, with 2017 annual revenues of €3 billion and customers in over 180 countries. We bring trust to an increasingly connected world.

From secure software to biometrics and encryption, our technologies and services enable businesses and governments to authenticate identities and protect data so they stay safe and enable services in personal devices, connected objects, the cloud and in between.

Gemalto’s solutions are at the heart of modern life, from payment to enterprise security and the internet of things. We authenticate people, transactions and objects, encrypt data and create value for software – enabling our clients to deliver secure digital services for billions of individuals and things.

Our 15,000 employees operate out of 114 offices, 40 personalization and data centers, and 35 research and software development centers located in 47 countries.

For more information visit www.gemalto.com, or follow @gemalto on Twitter.

Contacts

Gemalto:
Tauri Cox
North America
+1 512 257 3916
tauri.cox@gemalto.com
or
Sophie Dombres
Europe Middle East & Africa
+33 4 42 36 57 38
sophie.dombres@gemalto.com
or
Jaslin Huang
Asia Pacific
+65 6317 3005
jaslin.huang@gemalto.com
or
Enriqueta Sedano
Latin America
+52 5521221422
enriqueta.sedano@gemalto.com

Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/gemalto-announces-collaboration-with-qualcomm-technologies-to-integrate-esim-innovation-into-the-snapdragon-mobile-pc-platform/en

Octapharma present new data on the benefits of Nuwiq® in patients with haemophilia A at the World Federation of Hemophilia 2018 World Congress

LACHEN, Switzerland-Tuesday, May 29th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Octapharma announced today that new data on the benefits of Nuwiq® in patients with haemophilia A were presented during a symposium at the recent World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) 2018 World Congress in Glasgow, UK. Nuwiq® is a 4th generation human cell line-derived recombinant FVIII (rFVIII) approved for the prevention and treatment of bleeding episodes in patients of all ages with haemophilia A. The symposium, entitled ‘Going further to meet clinical needs: New data with Nuwiq®▼ (simoctocog alfa; human-cl rFVIII) from clinical trials and real-world experience’, focused on the challenges within the current haemophilia treatment landscape and opportunities to improve patient care.

The symposium, chaired by Craig Kessler, addressed the reality that no two haemophilia A patients are the same. An optimal treatment approach should therefore reflect each individual patient’s profile. Striving towards this goal, two approaches to using pharmacokinetic (PK) data to personalise prophylaxis with Nuwiq® were presented in the symposium. John Pasi (The Royal London Hospital, London, UK) shared a summary of the NuPreviq study, which uses an individual’s PK profile to optimise the treatment plan1. This individualised dosing approach enabled over half (57%) of patients in the NuPreviq study to reduce dosing with Nuwiq® to twice weekly or less, whilst maintaining effective bleed protection (median annualised bleeding rate [interquartile range]: 0 [0, 1.9]) for all bleeds). During personalised prophylaxis with Nuwiq®, 83% of patients were spontaneous bleed free. A second approach, using WAPPS (Web Accessible Population Pharmacokinetics Program), was presented by Stacy Croteau (Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, USA). This approach uses the PK analysis of a group of people to predict the optimal treatment for an individual, and provides a flexible approach to dosing that requires fewer samples. A Nuwiq®-specific WAPPS model is available and is based on PK data from 114 patients, including 26 children, treated with Nuwiq®. These approaches represent promising steps towards achieving personalised haemophilia care.

For previously untreated patients (PUPs), the risk of inhibitor development remains the greatest concern with haemophilia treatment. Ellis Neufeld (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, USA) presented an overview of interim data from the NuProtect study, which is investigating Nuwiq® in PUPs2. The interim data indicate a cumulative incidence of high-titre inhibitors of only 12.8% in patients treated with Nuwiq®.The presentation also included data from a recent sub-analysis of inhibitor development based on patients’ F8 gene mutation status3. This analysis demonstrated a cumulative inhibitor incidence of 26.7% in patients with high-risk mutations, whilst no patients with low-risk mutations developed inhibitors. Dan Hart (The Royal London Hospital, London, UK) presented a novel genomic approach to further analyse data from the NuProtect study, with the aim of predicting inhibitor risk using transcriptional profiles.

Ri Liesner (Great Ormond Hospital for Children, London, UK) presented real-world data on the use of Nuwiq® for immune tolerance induction (ITI), which remains the only proven strategy to eradicate inhibitors. Three of the five patients in the cohort have achieved eradication of inhibitors, while the other two remain on ITI and show continued decline in inhibitor levels.

Larisa Belyanskaya, Head of Octapharma’s IBU Haematology stated “we at Octapharma are delighted with the excellent data presented at WFH 2018, which build on the growing wealth of positive experience with Nuwiq®. The broad range of data demonstrate the expanding value of Nuwiq® in clinical practice and highlight Octapharma’s commitment to ‘going further’ to address the developing demands of haemophilia A patients”. Olaf Walter, Board Member at Octapharma, added “The data presented at the symposium build on a broad portfolio of clinical experience with Nuwiq®. The WFH congress is a key platform for sharing information in the haemophilia field and Octapharma is proud to present new data on Nuwiq to the international haemophilia community at this meeting”.

About Nuwiq®

Nuwiq® is a 4th generation rFVIII protein4, produced in a human cell line without chemical modification or fusion with any other protein5. Nuwiq® is cultured without additives of human or animal origin5, is devoid of antigenic non-human protein epitopes6 and a high affinity for the von Willebrand coagulation factor7. Nuwiq® treatment has been assessed in seven completed clinical trials which included 201 PTPs8,9 (190 individuals) with severe haemophilia A, including 59 children10. Nuwiq® is approved for use in the treatment and prophylaxis of bleeding across all age groups of PTPs with haemophilia A in the EU, US, Canada, Australia, Latin America and Russia. Further worldwide submissions for Nuwiq® are planned.

About Haemophilia A

Haemophilia A is an X-linked hereditary disorder caused by FVIII deficiency which, if left untreated, leads to haemorrhages in muscles and joints and consequently to arthropathy and severe morbidity. FVIII replacement prophylactic treatment reduces the number of bleeding episodes and the risk of permanent joint damage. This disorder affects one in every 5,000 to 10,000 men worldwide. Globally, 75% of haemophilia cases are left undiagnosed or untreated. The development of neutralising FVIII antibodies (FVIII inhibitors) against infused FVIII represents the most serious treatment complication. The cumulative risk of FVIII inhibitor development is reported to be currently up to 39%.

About Octapharma

The vision of Octapharma is “Our passion drives us to provide new health solutions advancing human life”. Headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, Octapharma is one of the largest human protein manufacturers in the world, developing and producing human proteins from human plasma and human cell lines. As a family-owned company, Octapharma believes in investing to make a difference in people’s lives and has been doing so since 1983; because it’s in our blood. Our company values are Ownership, Integrity, Leadership, Sustainability and Entrepreneurship.

In 2017, the Group achieved €1.72 billion in revenue, an operating income of €349 million and invested €287 million to ensure future prosperity. Octapharma employs around 7,700 people worldwide to support the treatment of patients in 113 countries with products across three therapeutic areas:

• Haematology (coagulation disorders)

• Immunotherapy (immune disorders)

• Critical care

Octapharma has seven R&D sites and six state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Austria, France, Germany, Mexico and Sweden.

For more information visit www.octapharma.com

References:

1. Lissitchkov T, et al. Haemophilia 2017;23:697-704.

2. Liesner R, et al. Haemophilia 2018;24:211-220.

3. Liesner R, et al. Blood eLetter 2018; available at http://www.bloodjournal.org/content/early/2017/08/02/blood-2017-06-791756

4. Lieuw K. J Blood Med 2017; 8: 67–73.

5. Casademunt E, et al. Eur J Haematol 2012; 89: 165-76.

6. Kannicht C, et al. Thromb Res. 2013; 131: 78-88.

7. Sandberg H, et al. Thromb Res 2012; 130: 808-17.

8. Valentino LA, et al. Haemophilia 2014; 20(Suppl. 1): 1-9.

9. Lissitchkov T, et al. Haemophilia 2017; 23: 697–704.

10. Klukowska A, et al. Haemophilia 2016; 22, 232-39.

Contacts

Octapharma AG
International Business Unit - Haematology
Olaf Walter
Olaf.Walter@octapharma.com
or
Larisa Belyanskaya
Larisa.Belyanskaya@octapharma.com
Tel: +41 55 4512121


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CosmeSurge Unveils Its 13th Branch in UAE NMC to Open New Cosmetic Entities around the World

• UAE’s Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health presides over the opening ceremony for new specialist department

• Dr. Amin Al Amiri, said: "We are pleased to welcome to the region, the many qualified, licensed doctors who will provide exceptional, specialised healthcare to the people in our communities.”



Sharjah, United Arab Emirates-Thursday, May 24th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

CosmeSurge launched its 13th branch in Al Zahra Hospital Sharjah, marking the latest addition to its innovative, modern and highest quality aesthetic derma and plastic treatments. H.E. Dr. Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Public Health Policy & Licensing at the UAE Ministry of Health, opened the new facility, which includes a team of 20 specialising in laser, cosmetic dentistry, aesthetic derma and plastic surgery.

CosmeSurge’s latest expansion is a huge boost for the region’s cosmetic healthcare sector, further highlighting its dedication to strengthening the brand position as a regional centre for high-end derma and plastic treatments.

Commenting on the newest facility, Dr. Amin Al Amiri, said: "We would like congratulate NMC for opening this fantastic facility, which emphasises CosmeSurge’s position at the forefront of advanced surgical procedures. With the growth of medical tourism on the rise in the UAE, we are pleased to welcome to the region, the many qualified, licensed doctors who will provide exceptional, specialised healthcare to the people in our communities.”

Prasanth Manghat, CEO and Executive Director of NMC Healthcare, said: "Healthcare is as much into treating diseases and disorders as it is into wellness and beauty. Men and women aspire to look good and desire to enhance their confidence, which ultimately boosts their performance. We are delighted to be able to offer Sharjah, and the wider region, the best in plastic surgery, dermatology and aesthetic treatments, and helping people form a positive self-image. Since NMC’s acquisition of CosmeSurge, the latter has gone through several major developments at various levels of medical and service upgrades.”

He added: “We are keen to expand NMC’s cosmetic services arm into new levels by opening additional centres to provide the best practices and services to the larger communities world-wide, and the CosmSurge experience, expertise, and knowledge has enabled us to maintain our position as a driving force in the field of aesthetic derma and plastic treatments premium services.”

Through the addition of an advanced, innovative facility such as this, Al Zahra Hospital Sharjah continues to add value to its longstanding history of almost four decades. It remains devoted to providing exceptional healthcare and expert treatment to Sharjah’s community and beyond, just as it has done since it opened its doors in 1981. As one of the oldest hospitals in the UAE, Al Zahra Sharjah has a responsibility to utilise its extensive experience to set the highest medical standards in the region.

Contacts

SAHARA Communications

Farah Al Obaidi, Head of Media Relations, +97143298996, +971503323158

farah@saharagcc.com / www.saharagcc.com


Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/cosmesurge-unveils-its-13th-branch-in-uae-nmc-to-open-new-cosmetic-entities-around-the-world/en

Lenovo Drives Strong Fourth Quarter and FY2017/2018 Results; Innovation and Efficiencies Power Continued FY2018/2019 Improvement

• Lenovo continues transformation from single PC hardware company into multi-business innovator in smart devices, data centers, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence

• Q4 revenue of US$10.6 billion was up 11% YTY, the first double-digit increase in 10 quarters

• Group Q4 PTI up sharply to US$37 million versus US$15 million last year; group operational performance improved US$255 million year-on-year

• Q4 net income was US$33 million

• Year-on-year growth with overall FY revenue up 5% to US$45.3 billion

• Personal Computer Group, Smart Devices, Mobile Business fully combine into new, ‘Intelligent Devices Group’

HONG KONG-Thursday, May 24th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Lenovo Group (HKSE: 0992) (PINK SHEETS: LNVGY) today announced results for its fourth fiscal quarter and full fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. For its fourth fiscal quarter FY2017/18, Lenovo reported US$10.6 billion in revenue, up 11% year-on-year - the first double digit increase in 10 quarters - demonstrating solid performance momentum.

In the fourth fiscal quarter Lenovo’s group pre-tax income was US$37 million, up 143% year-on-year from US$15 million. The company also improved profitability in all three key businesses for the quarter year-on-year, with group operational performance1improving US$255 million year-on-year to US$76 million. Profit attributable to shareholders for Q4 was US$33 million, lower than the same period last year due to a larger tax credit recorded in FY2016/17.

For the full fiscal year, the company’s overall revenue was over US$45.3 billion, up 5 % year-on-year. Group operational performance reached US$193 million, improving US$96 million year-on-year. The company recorded a US$189 million net loss for the full year mainly due to a one-time non-cash write-off charge of US$400 million from deferred income tax assets in Q3 FY2017/18.

Basic earnings per share in the fourth fiscal quarter was 0.28 US cents or 2.19 HK cents, and for the full year basic loss per share was 1.67 US cents or 13.05 HK cents. Lenovo’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of 2.61 US cents, or 20.5 HK cents per share for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.

Business Group Overview
•         Lenovo continued to execute on its three-wave strategy, emphasizing leadership in core businesses, growth in key segments and investment in emerging technologies. All three of Lenovo’s key business groups demonstrated strength and momentum in both the fourth quarter and fiscal year

•         Personal Computers and Smart Devices (PCSD) reported US$7.7 billion in FYQ4 revenue, up 16% from the same period a year earlier and the highest growth in four years. For the year, PCSD reported US$32.4 billion, up 8% from FY2016/17

•         The Data Center Group (DCG) revenue grew 44% during the quarter compared to Q4 FY2016/17 to US$1.2 billion. For the year, DCG reported US$4.4 billion in revenue, up 8% from FY2016/17

•         The Mobile Business Group (MBG) revenue for Q4 FY2017/18 was US$1.3 billion and for the full year was US$7.2 billion. Lenovo remains optimistic that aggressive cost-cutting and exceptionally strong performances by MBG in Latin America (volume grew 40% year-on-year for the full year), or more than 20 times the industry) and North America (volume +57% year-on-year for the full year) are expected to yield substantially improved results as FY2018/19 continues

“Last quarter, we resumed double-digit revenue growth with strong profitability improvement year-on-year, closing the fiscal year with a strong momentum and proving that Lenovo has truly entered a new phase of growth,” said Yang Yuanqing, Lenovo Chairman and CEO. “Lenovo’s vision has long been to become a global leader in intelligent transformation. We will focus on building competitiveness in Smart IoT devices, data center infrastructure and vertical intelligent solution, and we are well positioned to take advantage of smart IoT and intelligence era.”

During the quarter Lenovo also announced the integration of its Personal Computer and Smart Devices Group with its Mobile Business Group, creating the Intelligent Devices Group (IDG). This new group will further fast-track the company’s innovation leadership and ambitions for growth across the full spectrum of smart devices. This new structure will create a number of efficiencies by leveraging shared global supply chain and services. IDG will also accelerate Lenovo innovation as communications and computing technologies come together under a single platform to better connect devices, users, applications and content.

ADDITIONAL BUSINESS GROUP HIGHLIGHTS

PC and Smart Devices (PCSD) business group: During the fourth quarter, PCSD posted strong revenue growth of 16% compared to the same period a year earlier. For the year, PCSD reported an 8% increase in revenue, and remained the world’s #1 PC and Tablet maker2, with market share growing 0.2 points to 15.6% globally. Additionally:

•         Returned to industry-leading PTI margin of 5% in Q4 FY2017/18. All geographies continued to be profitable with margin expansion in four out of five

•         Strong, double-digit, year-on-year revenue growth across regions in the Americas, Asia Pacific, and EMEA
•         Focused strategy in high-growth segments paying off with strong double-digit shipment growth year-on-year in both Gaming (+42%) and Workstation (+32%) in FYQ4. Both surpassed the US$1 billion-dollar scale in FY2017/18 with gaming reporting double-digit revenue growth year-on-year

•         Named Best Laptop Brand 2018 by LAPTOP Magazine for a second consecutive year
Data Center Group (DCG): The Data Center group is well positioned to provide the infrastructure for the smart IoT era and continues to be a significant growth business for Lenovo. The group’s financial performance serves as a tangible proof point that the DCG strategy is yielding significant results:

•         In Q4 FY2017/18 delivered second consecutive quarter of double-digit year-on-year growth and achieved highest revenue growth (+44%) since the IBM System x acquisition in 2014 – with all geographies showing positive year-on-year revenue growth

•         North America and EMEA posted their fourth consecutive quarter of strong year-on-year revenue growth
•         Software Defined Infrastructure (SDI) continued strong revenue growth - 130% year-on-year

•         HPC solidified the number two position globally in the top 500 Supercomputing list, fast closing the gap to number one player


see full report: http://aetoswire.com/news/lenovo-drives-strong-fourth-quarter-and-fy2017-2018-results-innovation-and-efficiencies-power-continued-fy2018-2019-improvement/en

GCEL Releases G20 Nations Case Study Involving 90 Ministries, NGOs & IGOs Defining the Guidelines for the Digital Economy Era

European Union Parliament - SME associations embark on a journey with GCEL to digitize the world’s SMEs with aim to increase world’s GDP by 17% and create 300 million jobs.

BRUSSELS-Thursday, May 24th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- GCEL, INSME, BVMW and CONFAPI executed a strategic agreement at the European Union Parliament to deploy the Digital Economy Platform (DEP) through GCEL’s HumaWealth Program that digitizes the USD 140 trillion B2B marketplace. These agreements will implement the newly released G20 Nations Case Study recommendations providing the roadmap to reduce annual domestic and international trade costs by USD 3.7 trillion, increase trade by USD 7.7 trillion, create a USD 1 trillion SME fund and generate 300 million manufacturing, agricultural and service industry jobs by 2030.

The agreement was signed by Captain Samuel Salloum, GCEL Co-Chairman, Dr. Sergio Arzeni, INSME President, Mr. Patrick Meinhardt, BVMW Executive Board Member and Ms. Annalisa Guidotti, CONFAPI Director for Communication and Marketing.

GCEL’s HumaWealth Program includes “Connecting the Strengths of the World Community Creating Well-being Across Humanity”, by delivering new digital tools to increase efficiency and transparency that will de-risk trade, reduce excess trade costs, ease access to finance, and connect businesses with global markets. The program will increase the buying power of mid and low-income countries, creating new demand for high-income countries, increasing global trade and benefiting SMEs worldwide.

The DEP includes seamlessly integrated e-commerce, e-finance, e-insurance, e-logistics and e-grant tools to be deployed by the world’s leading technology firms, at no cost to the end user.

The strategic agreement signed between GCEL and INSME involves deployment of the DEP through 4 Benchmark Trade Lanes (BTL) over 18-months that will digitize trade activities in Europe, Asia, Americas and Middle-East/Africa. This agreement enables transnational cooperation through a public-private partnership to deploy innovative technologies benefiting SMEs globally.

Captain Samuel Salloum cited, “this an important step in the ‘birth of a new 21st Century Digital Economy Industry’ towards implementing the G20 Digital Economy policy directives to achieve sustainable economic growth.” He stated, “we must focus our efforts to enlarge the global economic pie by addressing the B2B marketplace needs and provide the technology industry with new revenues to meet shareholders’ expectations.”

Further, INSME and GCEL signed a strategic agreement with BVMW and CONFAPI to launch the European BTL between Italy and Germany that will create digital interconnectivity to drive greater trade efficiency offsetting growing trade protectionist policies. BVMW is Germany’s largest SME association and CONFAPI is Italy’s leading SME organization.

Dr. Sergio Arzeni commented, “these agreements are a natural step to facilitate B2B trade among SMEs and boost growth and employment.”

The BTL implements the recommendations of GCEL’s recently completed G20 Nations Case Study, a diagnostic assessment of trade efficiency based on what technology makes possible.

The Case Study was performed with 90 G20 ministries, IGOs/NGOs, academia, and private experts, collecting nearly 1.2 million data points through face-to-face interviews across 19 industries. The results yielded: 90.4% of respondents have no integrated system and 94.5% want the DEP.

The DEP deployment will be led by the World Logistics Council which has executed strategic agreements with the world’s top 26 technology firms towards selection to deliver the DEP tools and realize a new USD 400 billion market opportunity, driving a multifold increase in earnings by 2030.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180523006259/en/

Contacts
MEDIA INQUIRIES:
GCEL
Ms. Dalia Bou Mitri
+1 313 324 6462
info@gcel.net
or
INSME
Mr. Giovanni Zazzerini
+39 06 68806803
secretariat@insme.it


Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/gcel-releases-g20-nations-case-study-involving-90-ministries-ngos-amp-igos-defining-the-guidelines-for-the-digital-economy-era/en

M-Brain Appoints New CEO

HELSINKI-Friday, May 25th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- M-Brain, a global leader in market and media intelligence solutions, has appointed Christian Cedercreutz Chief Executive Officer as of 13.8.2018.

Christian holds a Master of Economics degree from Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki. His career has been built with IBM over the past 20 years, in which he has held various management positions in five different European countries. Christian brings strong consultative selling experience and has over the years worked across the IBM Corporation in roles such as leading global client relationships, and leading SW and HW technology businesses in Finland. His most recent role has been to lead the cognitive SW solutions (Watson) business in Finland.

Simultaneously the company’s long-time CEO and Chairman of the Board Kim Nyberg will step down from his position as CEO. He and Marjukka Nyberg, the founder of M-Brain, will retire from the company by the end of the year. They will continue as members of the board of M-Brain.

“I’m really excited to join the M-Brain team. I’m convinced that we can continue to enhance the value we bring to our clients globally and also develop new services and solutions that cater to the future demands of our customers. M-Brain offers a good foundation to build upon, with talented people, smart technology platforms and excellent industry and customer understanding”, says Christian Cedercreutz.

“After a long career in PR & Communications during the industry’s upswing, I have truly enjoyed having the opportunity to be part of building yet another prominent industry, the Business and Market Intelligence”, says Kim Nyberg. “As the industry is moving more and more towards complex AI based solutions, it was vital for us to find somebody whose expertise included this particular knowledge. At the same time, our challenge is to continue expanding globally. Christian’s strong international sales experience is therefore highly appreciated.”

M-Brain offers best-in-class intelligence services and software through a workforce of 400 global experts. The company delivers value to its customers through a combination of industry best-practice expertise and in-house proprietary artificial intelligence development. Operating from 13 countries across the globe M-Brain supports its customers operations with optimized intelligence solutions, enabling them to seize opportunities, mitigate risks and make strategic business decisions based on objective insight.




Contacts

M-Brain
Kim Nyberg
kim.nyberg@m-brain.com
+358 400 430538
or
Christian Cedercreutz
christian.cedercreutz@gmail.com
+358 400 613249




Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/m-brain-appoints-new-ceo/en

IDEMIA: Enter the world of Augmented Identity at Money 20/20 in Amsterdam (4th-6th June 2018)

COLOMBES, France-Thursday, May 24th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity, today announces its presence at Money 20/20 Europe 2018, regional largest exhibition covering the world of Payments and Fintech. It will take place in Amsterdam from June 4th to June 6th, 2018.



IDEMIA stands for Augmented Identity in a connected world in which the security of identity has become essential, especially when it comes to financial transactions. IDEMIA guarantees secure, authenticated and verifiable transactions for clients from Financial, Telecom, Identity, Public Security and IoT sectors.

At Money 20/20 Europe, IDEMIA invites you to experience its innovative solutions to reinvent the way we “Transact,” “Identify” and “Pay,” through dedicated demonstration areas.

IDEMIA will showcase a wide range of innovations on its booth, such as:

Open banking and Strong Customer Authentication
3D face recognition and payment
Remote and contactless payments
Digital customer onboarding and Know Your Customer solutions for Financial Institutions
IDEMIA’s next generation of payment powered cards (F.CODE, BLINK, MOTION CODETM)
Opportunities related to new PSD2 regulations
Contactless Biometric data capture and matching with a single hand movement (Morpho wave)... and much more to discover.
« All consumers are more and more using new ways of making financial transactions that can provide better user experience, combining convenience and security – which are both in IDEMIA’s DNA. IDEMIA is the leader in biometric solutions and will present at Money 20/20 Europe 2018 how the group supports the digital transformation of its customers in a connected world, always making security a priority, » said Pierre Barrial, Executive Vice-President for Financial Institutions activities at IDEMIA.

To discover the world of Augmented Identity
IDEMIA speakers and demonstrators are looking forward to welcoming you!

Prepare your visit on our dedicated website: http://money2020europe.idemia.com/

Take a tour of our stand in E50

Join us for a panel discussion on Tuesday, June 5
Nathalie Oestmann, SVP Innovation, Strategy and Marketing of the FI BU
"Breaking the compromise between security & convenience"
12:10-12:50 Track Room 1

Get an additional discount of €200 by entering the IDEMIA200 code at the checkout stage

About IDEMIA

OT-Morpho is now IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity for an increasingly digital world, with the ambition to empower citizens and consumers alike to interact, pay, connect, travel and vote in ways that are now possible in a connected environment.

Securing our identity has become mission critical in the world we live in today. By standing for Augmented Identity, we reinvent the way we think, produce, use and protect this asset, whether for individuals or for objects. We ensure privacy and trust as well as guarantee secure, authenticated and verifiable transactions for international clients from Financial, Telecom, Identity, Public Security and IoT sectors.

OT (Oberthur Technologies) and Safran Identity & Security (Morpho) have joined forces to form IDEMIA. With close to $3 billion in revenues and 14,000 employees around the world, IDEMIA serves clients in 180 countries.

For more information, visit www.idemia.com / Follow @IdemiaGroup on Twitter



View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180523006215/en/

Contacts
Press contact:
Havas Paris
Hanna SEBBAH
idemia@havas.com

Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/idemia-enter-the-world-of-augmented-identity-at-money-20-20-in-amsterdam-4th-6th-june-2018/en

NITI Aayog and ABB India Partner to Make India AI-Ready

 ABB and NITI Aayog will make key sectors of Indian economy ready for a digitalized future and realize the potential of AI, big data and connectivity



NEW DELHI-Wednesday, May 23rd 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), the think tank of the Indian government, and ABB India have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to support the Indian government to realize its ambitious vision of “Make in India” through advanced manufacturing technologies that incorporate the latest developments in robotics and artificial intelligence.

NITI Aayog will work with ABB to prepare key sectors of the economy, such as the power and water utilities sector, industries like food as well as the heavy industries sector; and the transport (rail and metro) and infrastructure sectors for digitalization, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The initiative also covers the fast growing segment of electric mobility. Jointly, NITI Aayog and ABB will work with government ministries, solicit feedback for areas critical to them and discuss solutions using industrial automation, and digitalization technologies.

“We are looking forward to learning more about practical applications of future technologies such as AI and IoT, especially in streamlining governance and economic systems. This collaboration, which will include cross-sectoral understanding of digitalization at ABB’s world class centers, will be key in driving progress of key sectors in India. This collaboration is meant to lead to actionable insights and focused plans that will help India become a center for advanced manufacturing,” said Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog.

Through this SoI, NITI Aayog will facilitate policymakers and government functionaries’ participation in workshops and training programs organized by ABB India. Such programs will feature subject matter experts and will aim to sensitize policymakers and government officials about relevant AI capabilities, and explore ways they can be used for revolutionizing manufacturing productivity.

“We are excited to partner with NITI Aayog and develop ways for key areas of India’s economy to benefit from and implement the latest technologies in digitalization, artificial intelligence, robotics, and industrial automation. We look forward to working with key stakeholders in the Indian government, and supporting key initiatives of Prime Minister Modi such as ‘Make in India’,” said Dr. Ulrich Spiesshofer, CEO of ABB. “ABB’s more than a hundred years’ presence in India and our pioneering technology leadership in industrial digitalization position us well to support India in its ambitions for the next phase of its transformation.”

The first workshop for senior government officials, under this collaboration, would be organized in June, 2018, at the ABB Ability Innovation Center in Bengaluru. Given the importance of the Indian food processing sector, the workshop will focus on digital and automation technologies for this sector. Senior officials from the Central and State Governments as well as autonomous bodies will be nominated for this workshop. Similar workshops will be organized for other sectors such as power, urban development and transport in the near future.

NITI Aayog and all stakeholders will experience hands-on experience of ABB Ability™, the company’s comprehensive digital portfolio of solutions that deliver value of industrial digitalization to utilities, industries and transportation & infrastructure. ABB Ability™ integrates all of ABB’s services and domain expertise to turn data into analytic insights and direct action to drive competitiveness of Indian and global customers.

The workshops and training programs will be held at the ABB Ability Innovation Center (ABB AIC). As the company’s biggest research and development center in the world, located in Bengaluru, it develops technologies in areas such as AI, cyber security, automation engineering, data analytics, augmented and virtual reality and industrial software. ABB AIC also collaborates with premier academic institutes to pool expertise and funnel synergies for the benefit of society.

In addition, workshops will be held at ABB Power Technology Experience Center (ABB PowerTEC), Vadodara, India’s leading technology and knowledge training institute, which focuses on power engineering, grid automation and digitalization. Both facilities integrate best-in-class technologies and in-depth technical knowledge.

Based on the interactions with ABB India, NITI Aayog will also make recommendations to government ministries for guidelines and policies regarding development and adoption of AI technology in sectors such as power & water utilities, manufacturing, e-mobility and infrastructure, with industrial automation and digitalization as the backbone.

About NITI Aayog

The National Institution for Transforming India, also called NITI Aayog, was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015. NITI Aayog is the premier policy ‘Think Tank’ of the Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs. While designing strategic and long term policies and programs for the Government of India, NITI Aayog also provides relevant technical advice to the Center and States. As part of a larger mandate to promote scientific endeavor and evolve a National AI Policy, NITI Aayog is establishing a series of partnerships with industry pioneers to promote indigenous advanced manufacturing, build capacity in frontier technologies and promote the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government of India.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization with two clear value propositions: bringing electricity from any power plant to any plug and automating industries from natural resources to finished products. As title partner of Formula E, the fully electric international FIA motorsport class, ABB is pushing the boundaries of e-mobility to contribute to a sustainable future. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 135,000 employees. www.abb.com

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180523005618/en/

Contacts

ABB Ltd
Media Relations
Phone: +41 43 317 71 11
Email: media.relations@ch.abb.com

Permalink : http://aetoswire.com/news/niti-aayog-and-abb-india-partner-to-make-india-ai-ready/en

Hilton Commits to Cutting Environmental Footprint in Half and Doubling Social Impact Investment

New Consumer Research Confirms Environmental and Social Efforts Are Central To Hotel Guest Booking Decisions




MCLEAN, Va. -Wednesday, May 23rd 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hilton today announced it will cut its environmental footprint in half and double its social impact investment by 2030. With this commitment, Hilton will become the first major hotel company to institute science-based targets to reduce carbon emissions and send zero soap to landfill.

The company will also double the amount it spends with local and minority-owned suppliers, and double its investment in programs to help women and youth around the world. These goals are part of Hilton’s Travel with Purpose corporate responsibility strategy to further the United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

New consumer research reaffirms Hilton’s corporate responsibility strategy. According to a survey of 72,000 Hilton guests, social, environmental and ethical considerations are central to their buying preferences, especially those younger than 25 years old. The six-day survey was conducted in May 2018 and asked travelers if they research a hotel company’s environmental and social efforts. It discovered:

    33% actively seek this information before booking – of those, 60% conduct research even if the information is not easily accessible
        44% under the age of 25 actively seek this information
        36% of leisure travelers actively seek this information, compared to 29% of business travelers
    Female travelers (39%) are more likely to actively seek this information before booking than male travelers (29%)
    Guests staying in Central/South America (46%), the Middle East/Africa (45%), Asia Pacific (41%) and mainland Europe (35%) are more likely to seek this information before booking

“For nearly 100 years, Hilton has been driven by our mission to have a positive impact on the communities surrounding our hotels,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, President and CEO, Hilton, and Chairman, World Travel & Tourism Council. “In this Golden Age of Travel, we are taking a leadership role to ensure that the destinations where travelers work, relax, learn and explore are vibrant and resilient for generations of adventurers yet to come.”

In April, Nassetta joined Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, to engage travel and tourism industry leaders in a “common agenda” to take action on climate change, implement the Paris Climate Agreement and adopt science-based targets to reduce carbon emissions.

Hilton’s new 2030 Goals include the following environmental and social targets:

Cut Environmental Impact in Half to Help Protect the Planet

    Reduce carbon emissions intensity by 61%, in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)
    Reduce water consumption and produced waste by 50%
    Remove plastic straws from managed properties
    Sustainably source meat, poultry, produce, seafood and cotton
    Expand existing soap recycling program to all hotels and send zero soap to landfill

Double Social Investment and Drive Positive Change in Communities

    Double the amount spent with local, small and minority-owned suppliers
    Double investment in opportunity programs for women and youth, including partnering with local organizations and schools
    Contribute 10 million volunteer hours through Team Member initiatives
    Double monetary support for natural disaster relief efforts
    Advance Human Rights capabilities in Hilton’s value chain to eradicate forced labor and trafficking

Hilton is already an environmental leader in the industry. Since 2008, the company has reduced carbon emissions and waste by 30% and energy and water consumption by 20%, saving more than $1 billion in operating efficiencies. LightStay, an award-winning performance measurement system calculates, analyzes and reports the environmental impact at each of Hilton’s more than 5,300 hotels. Hilton will use LightStay to track its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 61% across its portfolio by 2030.

“The World Tourism Organization commends Hilton’s focus on sustainability, which is in line with our overall commitment as the UN’s agency that is dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism for development worldwide,” said Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). “Hilton has been our partner in this endeavor, raising awareness among customers with examples of best practices for the hospitality industry.”

“Companies play an integral role in solving our climate crisis,” said Sheila Bonini, Senior Vice President, Private Sector Engagement, World Wildlife Fund. “By committing to significant intensity emissions reductions based on science, Hilton is setting in motion a plan that will have ripple effects across the hospitality industry while providing more sustainable options for travelers.”

Click here to learn more about Travel with Purpose and the 2030 Goals.

About Hilton

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, with a portfolio of 14 world-class brands comprising more than 5,300 properties with more than 863,000 rooms, in 106 countries and territories. Hilton is dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company by delivering exceptional experiences – every hotel, every guest, every time. The company's portfolio includes Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton Honors. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose exactly how many Points to combine with money, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else, and free standard Wi-Fi. Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

About Travel with Purpose

Travel with Purpose is Hilton’s corporate responsibility strategy to redefine and advance sustainable travel globally. By 2030, we plan to double our social impact and reduce our environmental footprint in half. We track, analyze and report our environmental and social impact at each of Hilton’s 5,300 hotels through LightStay, our award-winning performance measurement system. Travel with Purpose capitalizes on Hilton’s global scale to catalyze local economic growth; promote human rights; invest in people and local communities and preserve our planet by reducing our impact on natural resources. Our strategy aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development goals. Visit cr.hilton.com to learn more.

View this news release and multimedia online at:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180522006472/en

Contacts

Natalie Godwin, Hilton
+1.703.883.6085
Natalie.Godwin@hilton.com



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Workiva Signs OEM Agreement with SAP to Offer SAP® Cloud Platform Integration with the Workiva Wdesk Platform

Partnership integrates processes and data between cloud and third-party applications and on-premise solutions to deliver powerful linking, auditability and control features



AMES, Iowa-Friday, May 25th 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Workiva (NYSE:WK), a leader in cloud-based data collaboration, reporting and compliance solutions, today announced it has signed an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement with SAP (NYSE:SAP).

Through this agreement, Workiva is partnering with SAP to provide a first-party integration with the Wdesk platform using the SAP® Cloud Platform Integration service. The bundled solutions are expected to provide customers with powerful linking, auditability and control features.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates that Workiva and SAP are committed to providing customers with a rich integration experience,” said Matt Rizai, chairman and CEO of Workiva. “Through our OEM partnership, we will help customers all over the world improve the value of their business data.”

After users integrate their SAP business data directly into the Wdesk platform, they can benefit from the full capabilities of Wdesk, including synchronized data, dynamic commentary, controlled collaboration, granular permissions and clear audit trails. Wdesk enables narrative to be linked to data across documents, spreadsheets, presentations and reports.

Customers will be able to rely on the data transparency and consistency that Wdesk provides to help mitigate risk and have confidence in their data-driven decisions.

“SAP customers across every industry are looking to leverage cloud technology to improve data collaboration, reduce costs and gain greater business insights,” said Diane Fanelli, senior vice president, Platform Channels at SAP. “Our partnership with Workiva will help our customers improve data integrity and drive better business performance.”

About Workiva

Workiva delivers Wdesk, a leading enterprise cloud platform for data collaboration, reporting and compliance that is used by thousands of organizations worldwide, including over 70 percent of the Fortune 500®. Companies of all sizes, state and local governments and educational institutions use Wdesk to help mitigate risk, improve productivity and gain confidence in their data-driven decisions. For more information about Workiva (NYSE:WK), please visit workiva.com.

Read the Workiva blog: www.workiva.com/blog
Follow Workiva on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/workiva
Like Workiva on Facebook: www.facebook.com/workiva/
Follow Workiva on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Workiva

Claim not confirmed by FORTUNE or TIME INC. FORTUNE® and FORTUNE 500® are registered trademarks of Time Inc. and are used under license. FORTUNE and Time Inc. are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of, Workiva Inc.

Workiva Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbor created thereby. These statements relate to future events or Workiva’s future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements of Workiva or its industry to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. In particular, statements about Workiva’s expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, future events or future performance contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “outlook,” “guidance” or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. Please see Workiva’s documents filed or to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Workiva’s annual reports filed on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and any amendments thereto for a discussion of certain important risk factors that relate to forward-looking statements contained in this report. Workiva has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While Workiva believes these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Workiva’s control. These and other important factors may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Workiva disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate company) in Germany and other countries. See www.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

SAP Forward-looking Statement
Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

Contacts

Workiva Inc.
Kevin McCarthy, 515-663-4471
press@workiva.com

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