African Analyst: 2025

Friday, July 4, 2025

Spend, Earn & Win with Deem Finance’s first-of-its-kind loyalty program

Using the Deem Mobile App, customers can seamlessly switch between two distinct reward programs to earn rewards on their credit card spend.

In a move to redefine the credit card loyalty landscape, Deem Finance has launched the Joy-Win Credit Card Program to give customers more control over how they earn rewards. With this new program, cardholders can switch between guaranteed rewards with Joy and the chance to win big through a lucky draw with Win, all based on their everyday spending.

The program was developed using feedback from customers, who want clear, flexible reward options. Some prefer guaranteed benefits, while others enjoy the thrill of prize draws. Now, both groups can get what they want — when they want — without any extra cost. Every dirham spent brings customers closer to the rewards that suit them best.

The Power of Choice: Two Programs, One Card

Designed to be flexible, switchable, and rewarding, the program allows cardholders to switch between two unique reward modes directly from the Deem Mobile App

JOY Program: Earn guaranteed rewards on Lifestyle and Travel spend

WIN Program: Earn entries into an AED 250,000 grand draw every time you spend AED 100

The program underlines Deem’s promise to simplify access to finance and build trust through transparency by designing products based on customer needs and preferences.

“At Deem, we empower customers through simplicity, transparency, and choice,” said Chris Taylor, CEO of Deem Finance. “The Joy-Win Credit Card reflects this by giving people real freedom in how they’re rewarded. We’re not just launching a product, we’re delivering on our promise to make financial tools more meaningful and accessible for everyone.

“We’re putting the power of choice back in the customer’s hands,” said Suji Gopalakrishnan, Head of Retail Assets. “As our customer feedback revealed a desire for more control, transparency, and flexibility in how rewards are earned and redeemed, we curated a card to serve this requirement. Whether you prefer guaranteed rewards or a shot at a big win, you can now switch between both, all within the same card, every month.”

How it works:

Customers can switch modes monthly via the Deem App. Those choosing JOY can also toggle between Lifestyle and Travel categories and earn accelerated rewards up to AED 1,000 based on spend thresholds.

With Deem’s new loyalty experience, every dirham spent is the customer's choice to win big or earn more.

For more details, visit www.deem.io/cards.

About Deem Finance:

Deem Finance LLC is a digitally-led financial services provider established in 2008 and regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE. The financial service provider was acquired in September 2021 by the Gargash Group, one of UAE’s leading business conglomerates. With a commitment to innovation, Deem offers a wide range of personal and corporate financial services, including credit cards, personal loans, merchant financing, auto loans, and corporate investments.

Permalink

https://www.aetoswire.com/en/news/deem0262025

Contacts

Namita Thakkar - namita@matrixdubai.com

Curve Pay and Thales Join Forces to Securely Transform Digital Wallets on iPhone

MEUDON, France -

This collaboration between Curve and Thales provides iOS users with greater control, flexibility, autonomy and digital-security for in-store contactless payments and digital wallets

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Curve, the ultimate digital wallet, today announced deepening its collaboration with Thales, the global leader in advanced technologies, delivering secure modern payment solutions for financial institutions.

This partnership comes on the back of Curve launching Curve Pay on iOS, marking a watershed moment in mobile payments. This partnership is a significant step to reshaping everyday spending, allowing Curve customers to benefit from NFC payment directly in the Curve App for contactless payments in store for all end-users on iOS and Android.

Curve Pay is underpinned by Thales’ D1 platform on iOS and Android in Europe which allows customers to digitize a payment card through a mobile wallet. The cloud-based D1 platform operates in real time, enabling seamless integration with existing systems to deliver secure, flexible, and instant payment services.

With over six million customers in Europe, and existing partnerships with major brands such as Samsung and PayPal, Curve has long led the charge against the traditional players avoiding fees and offering consumers real choice. This collaboration with Thales confirms a longstanding technological partnership which successfully provided for Huawei Pay powered by Curve.

“At Curve, we're committed to redefining the digital wallet experience. Our collaboration with Thales marks a significant step in providing users with a seamless, secure, and innovative payment solution,” said Shachar Bialick, Founder and CEO of Curve. “By building robust guardrails into Curve Pay, powered by Thales’ industry-leading platform, we're not just safeguarding transactions, we're empowering our customers to take full control of their financial lives.”

“At Thales, we believe that secure, open, and user-centric digital payment experiences are the future. Our collaboration with Curve Pay is a clear example of how innovative fintechs and trusted technology partners can shape that future together,” said François Chaffard, Vice President of Digital Payment Services at Thales. “By integrating our D1 platform, we’re enabling a new level of freedom and flexibility for mobile NFC payments - without compromising on security or compliance. This milestone reflects our shared commitment to giving users more control, while supporting a dynamic payment ecosystem.”

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.

The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.

Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.

About Curve

Curve Pay is a pioneering digital wallet that works to save you money and enhance every payment you make. It avoids hidden currency conversion fees, lets you switch cards after purchase, and helps you earn more rewards on top of your existing benefits. At the heart of the experience is the Curve Wallet, bringing all your cards into one secure place and putting your finances on autopilot.

Available across the UK and EEA, Curve has over 6 million users and processes billions in payments annually. Authorised and regulated internationally, Curve continues to simplify and unify the way people spend, send, see, and save their money.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250702696837/en/

Permalink

https://www.aetoswire.com/en/news/0307202547723

Contacts

PRESS CONTACT

Thales, Media Relations:

Vanessa Viala – Cyber & Digital

vanessa.viala@thalesgroup.com

Curve, Media Relations:

Joseph Moses

joseph@campaignpr.tech

Campaign PR

TASC Slashes Tech Hiring Time in Saudi Arabia with Launch of Tech Vertical AIQU

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is driving a significant surge in demand for technology talent, especially in AI and machine learning. However, many companies face challenges such as lengthy hiring processes, high costs, and limited flexibility, which cause delays that put critical digital projects at risk. Overcoming these obstacles is essential to sustaining the Kingdom’s fast-moving digital transformation.

AIQU, powered by workforce solutions provider TASC, builds on its established presence in Saudi Arabia by introducing innovative solutions like Deploy-on-Demand, which is designed to cut tech hiring timelines by up to 50%. With a proven track record in Tech Talent, Statement of Work, Digital, and Managed Services, AIQU continues to evolve to meet the Kingdom’s growing demand for agile workforce solutions. They enable clients to rapidly fill specialized roles while handling iqama, payroll, compliance, and onboarding, providing pre-verified talent ready to deploy within 2 to 6 weeks, compared to the market average of 3 to 6 months. This innovative solution is already supporting public sector digital programs, banking and fintech transformations, global consultancies, and rapidly scaling SAP and ERP projects across the Kingdom.

Tackling the Tech Talent Shortage

Industries such as cloud computing, AI, and cybersecurity are expanding faster than available talent can keep pace, creating an urgent tech crunch in Saudi Arabia. Roles like cloud architects, SAP consultants, and data engineers are in high demand, but local expertise remains limited. For specialized skills such as OT/ICS security or data governance, the talent gap is even more pronounced. AP consulting roles, for example, have a local talent shortfall of up to 40%.

Traditional hiring methods are often too slow and rigid to meet these evolving needs. “Many businesses simply cannot afford the three to six-month hiring cycles associated with conventional recruitment or global system integrators,” says Tim Harlow, Head of AIQU. “Critical transformation projects cannot wait, yet the complexity of the Saudi recruitment market makes speed challenging. Vision 2030’s momentum has created an enormous opportunity for organizations able to close their talent gaps quickly.”

System integrators add further cost and complexity with approval processes and onboarding delays, making these models less sustainable. “Cost, speed, and flexibility are the three pillars every client struggles with. Existing models are too rigid for today’s dynamic projects,” Taha Esmail, VP - AIQU added.

Deploy-on-Demand: A Faster, Flexible, and Cost-Effective Solution

AIQU’s Deploy-on-Demand model is built to overcome these challenges by offering pre-verified, project-ready tech talent mobilized up to 70% faster than traditional hiring models. Clients submit role requirements tied to project deliverables, and AIQU matches candidates from a continuously refreshed bench of regional and international professionals. The service also manages full onboarding, including iqama, payroll, compliance, and Saudization requirements, ensuring faster time-to-productivity and regulatory alignment.

Beyond speed, AIQU’s approach delivers significant cost savings, typically 30% to 50% compared to traditional system integrators, by cutting multilayered consulting overheads and providing transparent pricing. “Clients want agility. We enable them to scale teams up or down based on project phases without the cost and complexity of long-term headcount commitments,” said Pinky Mistry, VP – AIQU.

With multiple Vision 2030 initiatives moving into execution phases, demand for specialized tech expertise will only intensify. To meet this need, AIQU is expanding its pipeline of Arabic-speaking professionals, partnering with local training academies, building offshore development centers and growing its presence across the Kingdom.

“Vision 2030’s momentum has created a massive opportunity for those who can close talent gaps fast. Our focus is on giving clients the agility they need to keep pace with this transformation,” concludes Tim.

About AIQU:

AIQU is a strategic technology partner specializing in managed services, project execution, and talent solutions that enable organizations to scale and deliver digital transformation with confidence. Through a unique blend of top-tier tech talent and fully scoped project delivery teams, AIQU helps businesses streamline operations, reduce risk, and accelerate time to value. From cloud-native solutions to cross-border team augmentation, AIQU combines agility with accountability—ensuring results through structured execution and expert delivery.

Permalink

https://www.aetoswire.com/en/news/3072025477288

Contacts

Namita Thakkar - namita@matrixdubai.com

Thursday, July 3, 2025

ISDA and Ant International Lead New Industry Report on Use of Tokenised Bank Liabilities for FX Settlement and Cross-Border Payments Under Project Guardian

SINGAPORE - Thursday, 03. July 2025 AETOSWire Print

Report builds on shared ledger technology and industry expertise of the co-leads as well as members of the Project Guardian FX workstream

It includes proposed principles for leveraging tokenised bank liabilities and shared ledgers to drive industry adoption of tokenisation and enable 24/7, real-time FX settlement and lower costs for businesses globally

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) and Ant International led the Project Guardian FX industry group to develop a new report for implementing tokenised bank liabilities and shared ledger in cross-border payments and foreign exchange (FX) settlement.

The joint report is produced under the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) Project Guardian, a global collaboration between policymakers and key industry players to enhance liquidity and efficiency of financial markets through asset tokenisation. ISDA and Ant International are members of the industry group and lead the FX workstream to develop FX data specifications, risk management frameworks and FX documentation. Other contributors to the report include BNY, HSBC, OCBC and the Global Financial Markets Association’s Global Foreign Exchange Division.

Available on MAS’ website, the report draws on the partners' technology expertise, FX payment experience and extensive industry partnerships to propose principles for leveraging tokenised bank liabilities and shared ledgers in transaction banking services. This includes:

Design principles for tokenised bank liabilities to standardise industry practices and enable interoperability;

Key risks and mitigation actions for shared ledger-based payments; and

Use cases showcasing real-world shared ledgers and tokenised payments in transaction banking.

As a Project Guardian participant, Ant International also leveraged its blockchain-based Whale platform to develop a global treasury management use case for real-time multi-currency clearing and settlement.

Addressing Current Challenges in Cross-Border Payments Through Tokenisation

FX-related risks and costs remain a major hurdle in cross-market and cross-currency payments, especially for businesses in the digital economy. On top of limited settlement windows, they also face time zone delays and different settlement assets and platforms. This results in slower settlement and higher fees, with an estimated US$120 billion (S$154.2 billion) spent annually on cross-border transaction fees1.

In contrast, use cases by the industry group show that tokenised bank liabilities and shared ledgers can result in faster, more secure and efficient cross-border payments. By enabling interoperability between bank solutions, payments can be completed 24/7 with FX settlement conducted in real-time. Payment settlement time is also reduced to minutes or even seconds, providing a more seamless payment experience for businesses and their customers.

However, a universally-accepted industry framework is needed for industry-wide adoption, which could lower cross-border transaction costs by 12.5%, saving businesses more than US$50 billion (S$64.2 billion) by 20302.

ISDA and Ant International, together with the Project Guardian industry group, will continue to broaden the applications of shared ledgers and tokenised bank liabilities by developing more use cases for the digital economy. This includes integrating with existing banking systems and supporting other digital assets so that businesses big and small can benefit from this innovative technology.

Scott O’Malia, Chief Executive of ISDA, said: “Tokenisation has the potential to revolutionise cross-border payments and FX settlements, significantly increasing efficiencies and reducing costs and risks. Our work with MAS and the industry group has highlighted the critical importance of common standards and industry documentation to support the safe and efficient use of tokenised bank liabilities, and this will continue to be a focus for ISDA as we further develop the potential for tokenisation.”

Kelvin Li, General Manager of Platform Tech at Ant International, said: “We are honoured to help shape industry adoption of tokenisation with ISDA under Project Guardian's leadership. Since 2019, Ant International has used tokenised deposits to streamline wholesale payments and treasury activities. We now process over a third of our transactions on-chain. In addition to faster, cheaper and more secure cross-border payments, tokenisation programmes are translating technology into more competitive FX rates and faster FX settlement for customers. We will continue evolving our Whale platform to serve businesses of all sizes with the latest shared ledger technology, such as tokenised deposits and stablecoins.”

Kenneth Gay, Chief FinTech Officer, MAS, said: "The use of tokenised bank liabilities marks a milestone in the evolution of cross-border payments and FX settlements. Underpinned by shared ledger infrastructures, tokenised bank liabilities can enable 24/7, real-time settlement across borders and help optimise liquidity management in transaction banking. Together with members of Project Guardian, we look forward to advancing efforts towards more efficient global financial markets."

About ISDA

Since 1985, ISDA has worked to make the global derivatives markets safer and more efficient. Today, ISDA has over 1,000 member institutions from 76 countries. These members comprise a broad range of derivatives market participants, including corporations, investment managers, government and supranational entities, insurance companies, energy and commodities firms, and international and regional banks. In addition to market participants, members also include key components of the derivatives market infrastructure, such as exchanges, intermediaries, clearing houses and repositories, as well as law firms, accounting firms and other service providers. Information about ISDA and its activities is available on the Association’s website: www.isda.org. Follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Ant International

With headquarters in Singapore and main operations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, Ant International is a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider. Through collaboration across the private and public sectors, our unified techfin platform supports financial institutions and merchants of all sizes to achieve inclusive growth through a comprehensive range of cutting-edge digital payment and financial services solutions. To learn more, please visit https://www.ant-intl.com/

_________________________________

1 Unlocking $120 billion value in cross-border payments.(2021) https://www.jpmorgan.com/kinexys/documents/mCBDCs-Unlocking-120-billion-value-in-cross-border-payments.pdf

2 Better, faster, cheaper: Multibank tokenisation networks could transform cross-border payments (2024) https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/financial-services/financial-services-industry-predictions/2025/bank-tokenization-global-payments.html

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250702791535/en/

Permalink

https://www.aetoswire.com/en/news/0307202547722

Contacts

Media Contacts

ISDA

Christopher Faimali

ISDA London

+44 20 3808 9736

CFaimali@isda.org

Nikki Lu

ISDA Hong Kong

+852 2200 5901

nlu@isda.org

Ant International

Kahmun Leong

kahmun.leong@ant-intl.com

LambdaTest Announces Deeper Collaboration with Appium as Strategic Partnership

Move to accelerate mobile test automation at scale with LambdaTest’s expansive real device cloud, delivering unmatched accuracy, speed, and global reach.

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- LambdaTest, a unified agentic AI and cloud engineering platform, has announced it has become a strategic sponsor of Appium, the world’s most widely used open-source framework for mobile automation. This collaboration aims to significantly simplify and accelerate mobile test automation by integrating Appium’s capabilities into LambdaTest’s cloud-based distributed testing platform.

LambdaTest has an active open-source program that provides access to LambdaTest’s testing infrastructure to community projects, so maintainers can run comprehensive test suites without worrying about servers or setup. The organization had also launched LambdaTest Grants for Open Source to support innovation in software testing frameworks and toolsets. As part of the Grants, LambdaTest had announced a $250,000 grant for open source projects and contributors building solutions for the QA and Testing community. With this Appium Strategic Partnership, LambdaTest is doubling down on the commitment made to the open source community.

Through this partnership, LambdaTest users will gain tighter integration and early access to improvements. Since Appium is at the heart of the LambdaTest platform, our contributions will allow the platform to incorporate updates and new capabilities faster than ever. This partnership also sets an example of how commercial platforms and open-source projects can join forces to uplift the entire tech community.

By combining Appium’s flexible automation capabilities with LambdaTest’s powerful real device cloud, users gain the ability to test native, hybrid, and web apps on actual hardware, ensuring 100% accuracy. LambdaTest’s real device testing environment captures true device behaviour, performance, and user interactions, offering detailed insights through app logs, crash reports, video recordings, and network data.

Built specifically for Appium automation at scale, LambdaTest’s infrastructure supports high-performance parallel testing, allowing faster release cycles and greater test coverage. Teams can simulate various network conditions and offline modes to assess real-world performance, while geolocation testing enables validation of app behaviour in over 170 countries.

“Appium is a cornerstone of modern mobile test automation, and we’re proud to be their strategic partner,” says Asad Khan, CEO & Co-Founder at LambdaTest. “Our platform empowers testers to execute faster, more secure, and globally distributed Appium tests, turning quality engineering into a competitive advantage.”

About LambdaTest

LambdaTest is an AI-native, omnichannel software quality platform that empowers businesses to accelerate time to market through intelligent, cloud-based test authoring, orchestration, and execution. With over 15,000 customers and 2.3 million+ users across 130+ countries, LambdaTest is the trusted choice for modern software testing.

Browser & App Testing Cloud: Enables manual and automated testing of web and mobile apps across 10,000+ browsers, real devices, and OS environments, ensuring cross-platform consistency.

HyperExecute: An AI-native test execution and orchestration cloud that runs tests up to 70% faster than traditional grids, offering smart test distribution, automatic retries, real-time logs, and seamless CI/CD integration.

KaneAI: The world’s first GenAI-native testing agent, leveraging LLMs for effortless test creation, intelligent automation, and self-evolving test execution. It integrates directly with Jira, Slack, GitHub, and other DevOps tools.

For more information, please visit https://lambdatest.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250702647486/en/

Permalink

https://www.aetoswire.com/en/news/0207202547719

Contacts

press@lambdatest.com

Venture Global Announces 20-Year Sales and Purchase Agreement with PETRONAS

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Today, Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE: VG) announced the execution of a new 20-year Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with PETRONAS LNG Ltd. (PLL), a subsidiary of the Malaysian state-owned oil and gas company, PETRONAS. Under the terms of the SPA, PETRONAS will purchase 1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Venture Global’s third facility, CP2 LNG, for 20 years. This builds upon Venture Global’s existing agreement with PETRONAS for 1 MTPA of LNG supply from Plaquemines LNG.

PETRONAS, a world-class partner in the LNG industry, joins other CP2 LNG customers in Europe, Asia and the rest of the world in a strategically important project to global energy supply and security. To date, approximately 10.75 MTPA of the 14.4 MTPA nameplate capacity for CP2 Phase One has been sold.

About Venture Global

Venture Global is a long-term, low-cost provider of U.S. LNG sourced from resource rich North American natural gas basins. Venture Global’s business includes assets across the LNG supply chain including LNG production, natural gas transport, shipping and regasification. Venture Global’s first facility, Calcasieu Pass, commenced producing LNG in January 2022 and achieved commercial operations in April 2025. The company’s second facility, Plaquemines LNG, achieved first production of LNG in December 2024. The company is currently constructing and developing over 100 MTPA of nameplate production capacity to provide clean, affordable energy to the world. Venture Global is developing Carbon Capture and Sequestration projects at each of its LNG facilities.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein are “forward-looking statements.” In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “project,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “pursue,” “target,” “continue,” the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology.

These forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us, may include statements about our future performance, our contracts, our anticipated growth strategies and anticipated trends impacting our business. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. There are important factors that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Those factors include our need for significant additional capital to construct and complete future projects and related assets, and our potential inability to secure such financing on acceptable terms, or at all; our potential inability to accurately estimate costs for our projects, and the risk that the construction and operations of natural gas pipelines and pipeline connections for our projects suffer cost overruns and delays related to obtaining regulatory approvals, development risks, labor costs, unavailability of skilled workers, operational hazards and other risks; the uncertainty regarding the future of global trade dynamics, international trade agreements and the United States’ position on international trade, including the effects of tariffs; our dependence on our EPC and other contractors for the successful completion of our projects, including the potential inability of our contractors to perform their obligations under their contracts; various economic and political factors, including opposition by environmental or other public interest groups, or the lack of local government and community support required for our projects, which could negatively affect the permitting status, timing or overall development, construction and operation of our projects; and risks related to other factors discussed under “Item 1A.—Risk Factors” of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and any subsequent reports filed with the SEC.

Any forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of this date. We undertake no obligation to update these statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as may be required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250703555517/en/

Permalink

https://www.aetoswire.com/en/news/0307202547727

Contacts

Venture Global Contacts

Investors:

Ben Nolan

IR@ventureglobalLNG.com

Media:

Shaylyn Hynes

press@ventureglobalLNG.com

Eurasian Development Bank raises funds on the UAE Capital Market to finance its investment projects in Central Asia

The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), a supranational financial institution headquartered in Almaty, Kazakhstan, has issued a private placement bond, denominated in dirhams, on the local UAE capital market. This pioneering issuance of AED 200 million (equivalent to c. US$ 54 million), was arranged by First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the largest bank in the UAE, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), a leading national development finance institution.

This issuance supports the EDB’s strategic objective of enhancing regional infrastructure, trade, and industrial projects, while also promoting the use of local currency in cross-border transactions. The proceeds will be channeled into high-impact development initiatives across the Bank’s member states, furthering economic resilience and integration in Central Asia.

This transaction marks an important stage in the financial cooperation between Central Asia and the United Arab Emirates. In April 2025, the EDB successfully placed its debut AED-denominated bonds on the Astana International Exchange (AIX), becoming the first issuer of UAE dirham bonds in Kazakhstan.

The new issuance carries several milestones, including:

A collaborative effort with ADFD and FAB, strengthening UAE-Kazakhstan financial ties.

Supporting the EDB’s mission to drive economic growth and prosperity in Central Asia.

Daniyar Imangaliev, Vice-Chairman of the EDB Management Board, commented:

“Raising AED financing on the UAE capital market is a consistent step for the EDB to finance sustainable development in our member states, especially following our recent dirham issue listed on the Astana International Exchange in Kazakhstan.

By building strong and mutually beneficial relationships with local investors of the dynamically developing financial market in the UAE, we not only diversify our sources of financing, but also deepen economic cooperation between Central Asia and the Middle East. This transaction is ideally aligned with our mission to invest in the prosperity of Eurasia.”

His Excellency Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, said “This strategic collaboration with the Eurasian Development Bank and First Abu Dhabi Bank underscores ADFD’s commitment to strengthening global development partnerships and leveraging the UAE’s financial ecosystem to support sustainable growth beyond our borders. By enabling this pioneering AED-denominated issuance, we aim to support high-impact investments across Central Asia that align with our mission to drive economic progress, resilience, and integration through innovative development financing.”

Linos Lekkas, Group Head of Investment Banking and Markets with FAB, said: “FAB’s exclusive mandate to arrange the Eurasian Development Bank’s AED-denominated private placement marks a breakthrough for regional capital markets. This AED 200Mtransaction, co-invested with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, strengthens our partnership with the EDB and reinforces our commitment to advancing innovative financing solutions across the region. As the first AED issuance by a supranational in the UAE, it sets a new benchmark for regional capital markets and supports high-impact development across Central Asia.”

Additional information:

The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is a multilateral development bank investing in Eurasia. For more than 19 years, the Bank has worked to strengthen and expand economic ties and foster comprehensive development in its member countries. By 2025, the EDB’s cumulative portfolio comprised 305 projects with a total investment of US $16.5 billion. Its portfolio consists principally of projects with an integration effect in transport infrastructure, digital systems, green energy, agriculture, manufacturing and mechanical engineering. The Bank adheres to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles in its operations.

Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD)

Established in 1971, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development is a national entity owned by the Abu Dhabi government that aims to support the economic and social development of emerging countries through the provision of concessionary loans, grants, and equity investments. ADFD also plays a pivotal role in strengthening the UAE’s development finance ecosystem and facilitating international cooperation through partnerships with multilateral institutions and sovereign entities. To date, the Fund has financed development projects in over 100 countries across key sectors such as energy, water, infrastructure, health, and education, with a focus on promoting sustainability, innovation, and inclusive growth.

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi with a global footprint across 20 markets, FAB is the finance and trade gateway to the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). With total assets of AED 1.31 trn (USD 356 bn) as of March-end 2025, FAB is among the world’s largest banking groups. FAB is listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and rated Aa3/AA-/AA- by Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch, respectively, with a stable outlook. On sustainability, FAB holds an MSCI ESG rating of ‘AA’, and is also ranked among the top 6% of banks globally by Refinitiv’s ESG Scores and ranked the Best diversified bank in MENA by Sustainalytics ESG Risk Rating.

The EDB Media Centre:

+7 (727) 244 40 44, ext. 6148 and 3730

pressa@eabr.org

http://www.eabr.org/

Permalink

https://www.aetoswire.com/en/news/0307202547721

Contacts

For media interviews please contact Anastasia Medvedeva, the EDB External Relations Department, medvedeva_as@eabr.org

SE Labs Award Reinforces NetApp Status as the Most Secure Storage on the Planet

NetApp wins 2025 SE Labs Award for Enterprise Data Protection

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- NetApp® (NASDAQ: NTAP), the intelligent data infrastructure company, today announced that it was recognized as a standout performer in cybersecurity in the SE LABS ® Awards 2025. NetApp won the 2025 SE Labs Award for Enterprise Data Protection, validating NetApp’s status as the most secure storage on the planet.

This recognition as a winner of a 2025 SE Labs Award is a result of NetApp’s exceptional innovation in cyber resiliency to deliver NetApp ONTAP® Autonomous Ransomware Protection with Artificial Intelligence (ARP/AI), which was tested and validated by SE Labs. NetApp ARP/AI demonstrated 99 percent detection of tested, advanced full-file encryption ransomware attacks with zero false positives, indicating a strong ability to operate in a business context without contributing to alert fatigue.

“Great security doesn’t just happen—it’s built, tested and proven,” says Simon Edwards, Founder and CEO of SE Labs. “Behind every high performing security product is a team committed to excellence. We believe that we should celebrate the technologies and teams pushing the boundaries in protection and resilience against cyberattacks. The standard of competition for the top place in each category has been very high this year and all of our winners are to be congratulated.”

Now in its seventh year, the SE Labs Awards recognize those security vendors that deliver the very best in their field and are making a real difference in keeping systems secure. Judged based on a combination of continual public testing, private assessments, and feedback from SE Labs’ corporate clients, these are the products setting the benchmarks for the rest of the cyber security industry.

“Winning the 2025 SE Labs Award for Enterprise Data Protection highlights NetApp’s commitment to providing the most secure storage on the planet. With ARP/AI, NetApp is the first and only storage vendor with built-in, real-time AI-powered ransomware detection in primary storage for file workloads,” said Gagan Gulati, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Data Services at NetApp. “Keeping data and their businesses safe is a top concern for companies everywhere, with discussions about the disruption of ransomware attacks rising all the way to the boardroom. To combat the relentless threat of targeted, automated and destructive cyberattacks, companies need an intelligent data infrastructure with built-in cyber resilience.”

Since the release of ARP/AI, NetApp has continued to build and innovate its cyber resiliency solutions, announcing advanced capabilities to orchestrate protection of critical workloads in native cloud environments and the upcoming enhancements for ARP/AI to protect block storage workloads.

Statements by NetApp about unreleased offerings and future plans are for informational purposes only, are subject to change without notice, and should not be relied upon for purchasing or other decisions. Such statements do not constitute a commitment, obligation, guarantee, or warranty of any kind by NetApp, including about availability, functionality, pricing, or timing.

No ransomware detection or prevention system can completely guarantee safety from a ransomware attack. Although it’s possible that an attack might go undetected, NetApp technology acts as an important additional layer of defense, and our research indicates NetApp technology has resulted in a high degree of detection for certain file encryption-based ransomware attacks.

Additional Resources

NetApp Earns AAA Rating for Industry-First AI-Driven On-Box Ransomware Detection Solution

NetApp Sets New Standard for Cybersecurity at the Storage Layer

Ransomware Protection—Protect, Detect, Recover; Guaranteed

About NetApp

NetApp is the intelligent data infrastructure company, combining unified data storage, integrated data, operational and workload services to turn a world of disruption into opportunity for every customer. NetApp creates silo-free infrastructure, harnessing observability and AI to enable the industry’s best data management. As the only enterprise-grade storage service natively embedded in the world’s biggest clouds, our data storage delivers seamless flexibility. In addition, our data services create a data advantage through superior cyber resilience, governance, and application agility. Our operational and workload services provide continuous optimization of performance and efficiency for infrastructure and workloads through observability and AI. No matter the data type, workload, or environment, with NetApp you can transform your data infrastructure to realize your business possibilities. Learn more at www.netapp.com or follow us on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

NETAPP, the NETAPP logo, and the marks listed at www.netapp.com/TM are trademarks of NetApp, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Media Contact:

Kenya Hayes

NetApp

kenya.hayes@netapp.com

Investor Contact:

Kris Newton

NetApp

kris.newton@netapp.com

Ferring ADAPT-1 Trial Builds on Dosing Evidence for Follitropin Delta

Data presented today at the ESHRE congress builds evidence for conventional-based Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH) dosing for Rekovelle® (follitropin delta); alongside its existing unique algorithm-based dosing

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Follitropin delta starting dose of 15 micrograms (µg)/day has comparable efficacy and safety as a starting dose of 225 International Units (IU)/day of follitropin alfa for ovarian stimulation in vitro fertilisation (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol cycles. This is the key finding of a trial presented today at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) Congress in Paris and published in Human Reproduction. These data build on previous studies which have established an estimated point of clinical correspondence for 10 µg follitropin delta to 150 IU follitropin alfa in this class of medications.1,2

The ADAPT-1 trial was a multicentre, randomised, assessor-blind study involving 300 women aged 18-40 years undergoing IVF or ICSI.3 The trial compared the efficacy and safety of follitropin delta and follitropin alfa using conventional dosing regimens with a primary endpoint of number of oocytes retrieved.

Currently, follitropin delta is approved for use via a dosing algorithm based on serum anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) and bodyweight individualised for each patient, and aims to obtain an ovarian response which is associated with a favourable safety/efficacy profile. The clinical value of this approach has been well established4,5,6,7,8, particularly in treatment-naïve patients where the algorithm aims to achieve 8–14 retrieved oocytes while minimising the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) to optimise the live birth rate in a fresh and frozen transfer cycle.4,5,6,7,8

Key Findings:

Ovarian Response: Both treatment groups achieved a mean of 9.9 oocytes retrieved, indicating similar efficacy

Clinical Pregnancy Rates: Clinical pregnancy rates were similar for follitropin delta 31.6% versus 31.0% for follitropin alfa

Drug Product Usage: After measurement unit conversion, the mean total dose patients were exposed to was numerically lower for follitropin delta (143.7±33.6 µg) than follitropin alfa (154.3±23.1 µg or 2,105±315 IU)

OHSS Rates: Early OHSS rates were low (2.5% for follitropin delta and 3.0% for follitropin alfa), with no cycle cancellations due to excessive ovarian response on either arm of the study.

Dr Andrea Bernabeu, Medical Director at Instituto Bernabeu and principal investigator of the ADAPT-1 trial, said: "No patients we see as fertility doctors are the same and the ability to optimise therapy based on patients age, treatment goal and whether they have a high or low response to follicular stimulation are all relevant. These data provide confidence and expand our understanding for dosing in follitropin delta."

Pierre-Yves Berclaz, Chief Science and Medical Officer at Ferring Pharmaceuticals, stated: "The ADAPT-1 trial results confirm the efficacy and safety of follitropin delta across the full range of dosing strategies, making it the only recombinant FSH with robust clinical evidence supporting multiple dosing strategies. Ferring will take forward the implications of this study in future dialogue with regulatory authorities."

About GnRH protocols

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and antagonists are used as concomitant treatment during ovarian stimulation to prevent premature luteinisation and ovulation for IVF/ICSI.7,8

About Follitropin Delta (Rekovelle®)

Follitropin delta is a human cell line-derived rFSH with an approved dosing algorithm designed for a predictable ovarian response.3 It is the first rFSH derived from a human cell line (PER.C6® cell line). Follitropin delta is structurally and biochemically distinct from other existing rFSH gonadotrophins.3,4 Follitropin delta is approved in certain markets for use in controlled ovarian stimulation for the development of multiple follicles in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART), such as IVF or ICSI cycle. The individualised dosing of follitropin delta is determined using an approved algorithm, based on a woman’s AMH level and body weight.3,5 AMH is a biomarker used to assess ovarian reserve and can help predict ovarian response.5,6 The follitropin delta dose should be based on AMH level, measured using the ELECSYS AMH Plus immunoassay from Roche, the ACCESS AMH Advanced from Beckman Coulter, or LUMIPULSE G AMH from Fujirebio.3

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a privately owned, research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group committed to building families and helping people live better lives. We are leaders in reproductive medicine with a strong heritage in areas of gastroenterology and urology, and are at the forefront of innovation in uro-oncology gene therapy. Ferring was founded in 1950 and employs more than 7,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Saint-Prex, Switzerland, and has operating subsidiaries in more than 50 countries which market its medicines in over 100 countries.

Learn more at www.ferring.com, or connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X.

REFERENCES

1 – Arce JC, Larsson P, Garcia-Velasco JA; Establishing the follitropin delta dose that provides a comparable ovarian response to 150 IU/day follitropin alfa; RBMO; 2020

2 – Yang R, Zhang Y, Liang X et al; Comparative clinical outcome following individualized follitropin delta dosing in Chinese women undergoing ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization / intracytoplasmic sperm injection; Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology; 2022

3 – Clinical Trials.gov page: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05263388 (Accessed June 2025)

4 – Andersen, A. N., Nelson, S. M., Fauser, B. et al. (2017). Individualized versus conventional ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization: A multicenter, randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded, phase 3 noninferiority trial. Fertility and Sterility, 107(2), 387-396.

5 – Bosch E, Havelock J, Martin FS, Rasmussen BB, Klein BM, Mannaerts B, Arce JC; ESTHER-2 Study Group. Follitropin delta in repeated ovarian stimulation for IVF: a controlled, assessor-blind Phase 3 safety trial. Reprod Biomed Online. 2019 Feb;38(2):195-205. PMID: 30594482.

6 – Ishihara O, Arce JC, Japanese Follitropin Delta Phase 3 Trial G. Individualized follitropin delta dosing reduces OHSS risk in Japanese IVF/ICSI patients: a randomized controlled trial. Reprod Biomed Online. 2021 May;42(5):909-18. PubMed PMID: 33722477. Epub 2021/03/17.

7 – Qiao J, Zhang Y, Liang X, et al. A randomised controlled trial to clinically validate follitropin delta in its individualised dosing regimen for ovarian stimulation in Asian IVF/ICSI patients. Hum Reprod. 2021 Jun 28;36(9):2452-62. PubMed PMID: 34179971. Epub 2021/06/29.

8 – Blockeel C, Griesinger G, Rago R, et al. Prospective multicenter non-interventional real-world study to assess the patterns of use, effectiveness and safety of follitropin delta in routine clinical practice (the PROFILE study). Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2022 Dec 22;13:992677. PMID: 36619578.

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For more information, please contact

Matthew Worrall

Director of Corporate Communications

+44 7442 271 811 (mobile)

matthew.worrall@ferring.com

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

ACI Worldwide and iNet Extend Partnership to Bolster Fintech Growth in Saudi Arabia

ACI’s RPS for Postilion to power iNet’s omnichannel POS infrastructure

(BUSINESS WIRE)--ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW), an original innovator in global payments technology, today announced that iNet, the first independent Saudi Central Bank-licensed Network Service Provider (NSP), has joined ACI’s Retail Payment Solutions (RPS) for Postilion program to support the Kingdom’s rapidly growing fintech sector. Under this partnership, iNet will deploy and manage a Point of Sale (POS) infrastructure using ACI Postilion, an acquiring platform that enables banks, fintechs and merchants to deliver fast and seamless omnichannel transaction processing while staying compliant with evolving regulatory standards.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250630588169/en/

Earlier this year, iNet secured principal licenses to operate as an independent POS NSP, allowing it to deliver POS services directly to banks and merchants. A customer of ACI since 2006, iNet will join ACI’s RPS for Postilion program to broaden its market reach and service portfolio in support of this strategic leap. Today, iNet processes over 5 million transactions daily with plans to scale significantly in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 — a strategic blueprint to boost the Kingdom’s fintech sector by fostering a cashless society and building a future-ready digital financial ecosystem.

“The rapid expansion of Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector underscores the need for a resilient, locally anchored infrastructure to scale securely and sustainably," said Turki Almadi, Executive Vice President, iNet. “iNet’s POS infrastructure, powered by Postilion, combines our deep local expertise with ACI’s advanced acquiring technology, enabling fintech providers and merchants with faster speed to market, allowing them to focus on their core business without being encumbered by regulatory, technological or operational challenges.”

The RPS for Postilion platform empowers iNet to drive payment innovation and deliver new services such as SoftPOS, QR payments, link-based payments and digital wallets. Deployed across two PCI-compliant data centers in Saudi Arabia, its active-active infrastructure ensures high availability, minimizing service disruptions and operational risk. In support of the Kingdom’s ambition to showcase cutting-edge innovation in digital infrastructure, iNet is well-positioned to be a strategic technology partner for major events like Saudi Arabia’s FIFA World Cup 2034.

“Our partnership with iNet is grounded in a shared vision to simplify payments, unlock new growth opportunities and support the Kingdom’s journey toward a digital-first economy,” commented Alexis Haessler, Regional Head, Middle East, ACI Worldwide. “Together, we are creating a frictionless and interoperable payment experience and powering a modern, inclusive and future-ready financial ecosystem.”

About ACI Worldwide

ACI Worldwide, an original innovator in global payments technology, delivers transformative software solutions that power intelligent payments orchestration in real time so banks, billers, and merchants can drive growth, while continuously modernizing their payment infrastructures, simply and securely. With 50 years of trusted payments expertise, we combine our global footprint with a local presence to offer enhanced payment experiences to stay ahead of constantly changing payment challenges and opportunities.

© Copyright ACI Worldwide, Inc. 2025
ACI, ACI Worldwide, ACI Payments, Inc., ACI Pay, Speedpay and all ACI product/solution names are trademarks or registered trademarks of ACI Worldwide, Inc., or one of its subsidiaries, in the United States, other countries or both. Other parties’ trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners.

About iNet:

Integrated Networks LLC (INET). is a private organization founded in 2001, delivering state-of-the-art ICT solutions and services across multiple sectors for more than 20 years. iNet is the first independent Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)-licensed Network Service Provider (NSP). iNet offers payment infrastructure solutions and services such as NSP, payment gateway, SoftPOS, HSM services and others. It operates under highly secure environment with PCI DSS certification, SAMA certification and ISO certifications.

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Wizz Air Tops Major Airline Emissions Rankings

LONDON - Wednesday, 02. July 2025

Cirium, the aviation analytics company, creates a new transparent standard and ranking for airline CO2 emissions, identifying the best performing airlines in specific categories

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Wizz Air is the world's most emissions-efficient airline in new rankings released today by Cirium, the aviation analytics firm. The Cirium Flight Emissions Review ranks the top 20 airlines globally, through a consistent benchmark for flight emissions.

Wizz Air, the Hungary-based ultra-low-cost airline emits an industry low of 53.9 grams of CO₂ per Available Seat Kilometer (ASK)*, followed by Frontier Airlines (54.4 grams) and Pegasus (57.1 grams) according to the report.

The rankings provide the aviation industry with verified comparable data on an equal playing field as the sector advances toward Net Zero by 2050 commitments. The rankings performance use Cirium's EmeraldSky platform, which achieved ISAE 3000 Reasonable Assurance from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and official accreditation from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI).

Wizz Air, Frontier, and Pegasus Top 3; The Top 20 Major Airlines Ranked by CO2 Emissions/ASK

The top 20 Major airlines globally are presented in the corresponding tables.

Of note is the performance of Indigo, top in Asia, Volaris, top in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Jetstar, for its performance in Australia.

The CO2/ASK Emissions of the World’s Largest Airlines

Cirium’s reporting also ranked the 10 largest airlines in the world by ASK. At the head of the table is Ryanair, followed by Southwest Airlines, and Delta Air Lines. Each of the major U.S. carriers earned spots at the table, while Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airlines and Emirates rounded out a group of primarily long-haul operators.

Enabling Fair Comparison Across the Industry

“For the first time, airlines can compare their emissions performance using a consistent, verified methodology,” said Jeremy Bowen, CEO at Cirium. "EmeraldSky provides the industry-standard benchmark that enables fair comparison and meaningful progress tracking."

The comprehensive Review analyzed global operations using dual-accredited methodology, with the full report containing extensive findings across:

Global Category Rankings showing the top 20 Major airlines and the World’s 10 largest airlines by CO₂ per Available Seat Kilometer

Regional Performance breakdowns showing which airlines excel on intra-region and inter-region routes

Route-Level Improvements identifying specific airport pairs with the greatest efficiency gains

Operational Insights revealing how fleet composition, load factors, and route optimization drive performance differences

The Review provides comprehensive operational insights that support industry-wide efficiency improvements, offering actionable intelligence for aviation stakeholders committed to sustainability progress.

Setting New Industry Transparency Standards

EmeraldSky's methodology achieved the highest level of assurance under International Standard on Assurance Engagements through rigorous independent review. The Rocky Mountain Institute's accreditation under the Pegasus Guidelines validates the approach for climate-aligned aviation financing, enabling banks and investors to make informed decisions based on verified emissions data.

This standardized approach addresses aviation's fragmented sustainability reporting, where inconsistent methodologies have made meaningful comparisons impossible. The verified benchmark enables airlines to assess their operational efficiency accurately, investors to evaluate performance reliably, and corporations to report Scope 3 emissions with confidence.

Quarterly Updates Drive Accountability

The Flight Emissions Review will be updated quarterly, tracking performance changes and operational improvements across the industry. With hundreds of data points and detailed analysis across multiple categories, the report provides the most comprehensive view of aviation emissions performance available.

Access the Complete Rankings and Analysis

The full Flight Emissions Review, including detailed carrier rankings, regional breakdowns, route-specific analysis, and operational insights, is available for download at www.cirium.com/flight-emissions-review.

Notes to Editors

* Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) is a metric in the airline industry that represents the total passenger capacity of an airline

About Cirium

Cirium® is the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics. The company delivers powerful data and cutting-edge analytics to empower a wide spectrum of industry players. It equips airlines, airports, travel enterprises, aircraft manufacturers, and financial entities with the clarity and intelligence they need to optimize their operations, make informed decisions, and accelerate revenue growth.

Cirium® is part of LexisNexis® Risk Solutions, a RELX business, which provides information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The shares of RELX PLC are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.

Download the complete Flight Emissions Review with full rankings, regional analysis, and operational insights at www.cirium.com/flight-emissions-review

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Media Contact:

Mike Arnot, Cirium spokesperson

Mike@Juliettalpha.com

+1 (212) 518-4796

Callum McGoldrick

cirium@pc.agency

+44 (784) 2971398

SE Labs Award Reinforces NetApp Status as the Most Secure Storage on the Planet

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Wednesday, 02. July 2025 AETOSWire

NetApp wins 2025 SE Labs Award for Enterprise Data Protection

Additional Resources

NetApp Earns AAA Rating for Industry-First AI-Driven On-Box Ransomware Detection Solution

NetApp Sets New Standard for Cybersecurity at the Storage Layer

Ransomware Protection—Protect, Detect, Recover; Guaranteed

About NetApp

NETAPP, the NETAPP logo, and the marks listed at www.netapp.com/TM are trademarks of NetApp, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Media Contact:

Kenya Hayes

NetApp

kenya.hayes@netapp.com

Investor Contact:

Kris Newton

NetApp

kris.newton@netapp.com

PUMA and Borussia Dortmund Extend Partnership

HERZOGENAURACH, Germany - Wednesday, 02. July 2025 AETOSWire Print

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sports company PUMA has extended its long-standing partnership with Borussia Dortmund, and will continue to create products that cater to BVB’s many passionate fans around the world and match the club’s dynamic, fast paced style of football.

Since the start of their partnership in the 2012/13 season, BVB has celebrated many successes, such as reaching the finals of the 2012/13 and 2023/24 UEFA Champions League and winning the 2016/17 and 2020/21 German DFB Cup. The club is currently participating in the FIFA Club World Cup, where it has already reached the round of 16.

BVB continues to set the standard in European football when it comes to matchday attendance, with more than 80,000 fans visiting the Signal Iduna Park on average.

“By extending our long-term partnership with BVB ahead of schedule, we are showing how deeply committed we are to the club and its values,” said Matthias Bäumer, Chief Commercial Officer at PUMA. “Season after season, we are inspired by the club’s incredible fan culture, the passion of the legendary Yellow Wall and the team’s attractive style of play. We look forward to continuing to write German football history together.”

“Our partnership with PUMA has worked so well, because our views of the sport and our values are so closely aligned,” said Carsten Cramer, Managing Director of Borussia Dortmund. “What we have achieved together so far could not have been done with any other partner and we are very excited to continue on this path for the coming seasons.”

As part of the contract extension, PUMA will continue to equip all male, female and youth teams and create replica and fanwear products.

PUMA

PUMA is one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories. For more than 75 years, PUMA has relentlessly pushed sport and culture forward by creating fast products for the world’s fastest athletes. PUMA offers performance and sport-inspired lifestyle products in categories such as Football, Running and Training, Basketball, Golf, and Motorsports. It collaborates with renowned designers and brands to bring sport influences into street culture and fashion. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and stichd. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs about 20,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

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Media Contact: Robert-Jan Bartunek – PUMA Corporate Communications – robert.bartunek@puma.com

LTIMindtree Launches GCC-as-a-Service

An integrated, AI-powered offering with deep industry expertise to drive growth and transformation

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- LTIMindtree [NSE: LTIM, BSE: 540005], a global technology consulting and digital solutions company today introduced its GCC-as-a-Service. The services cater to organizations that may want to set up GCCs, scale their existing ones to optimize costs and create added value. The catalogue covers a spectrum of Build, Operate, Transform and Transfer services, offering clients the option to pick and choose what they require.

GCC-as-a-Service commercials are designed on a per-seat or per service basis to ensure cost optimization and value realization. LTIMindtree’s Talent Solutions, part of our Build Services enables clients efficiently onboard business-ready talent from day one through its in-house AI-powered talent acquisition ecosystem. As a part of Transform Services, the Company provides industry specific offerings; technological solutions and frameworks that lead to acceleration of value realization. Clients will be able to leverage its BlueVerse Agentic AI Ecosystem with industry and function specific agents as well as its AI studios across the world to accelerate their AI journey.

Venu Lambu, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, LTIMindtree, said, “GCCs are becoming strategic centers for industry-specific transformation and efficiency. LTIMindtree’s GCC-as-a-Service helps enterprises build, scale, and evolve their GCCs into global innovation hubs, leveraging our BlueVerse ecosystem to drive next-gen capabilities and gain a competitive edge with scalable, responsible AI.”

LTIMindtree’ s GCC-as-a-Service includes:

Build: End-to-end support for setting up entities, ensuring legal and compliance readiness, and building infrastructure in major global cities. Services include operational enablement for finance, accounting, tax, workspace setup, and IT.

Operate: Services include transition management, program governance, delivery excellence, and knowledge management. This is further enhanced through LTIMindtree’s Talent Engage platform and LTIMindtree Shoshin, an AI-based learning platform for building industry, technology, and soft skills.

Transform: Full suite of transformation enablers including industry-specific offerings, technology solutions and frameworks. Clients can also access LTIMindtree’s AI studios across the US, Europe, and India.

Transfer: Structured transition services covering talent migration, capability handover, change management and knowledge transfer to ensure long-term success and continuity.

To learn more about LTIMindtree’s GCC-as-a-Service please click here.

About LTIMindtree:

LTIMindtree is a global technology consulting and digital solutions company that enables enterprises across industries to reimagine business models, accelerate innovation, and maximize growth by harnessing digital technologies. As a digital transformation partner to more than 700 clients, LTIMindtree brings extensive domain and technology expertise to help drive superior competitive differentiation, customer experiences, and business outcomes in a converging world. Powered by 84,000+ talented and entrepreneurial professionals across more than 40 countries, LTIMindtree — a Larsen & Toubro Group company — solves the most complex business challenges and delivers transformation at scale. For more information, please visit www.ltimindtree.com.

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Media Contact:

Michelle Kumar | Global Media Relations | michelle.nalinikumar@ltimindtree.com

Shambhavi Revandkar | Global Media Relations | shambhavi.revandkar@ltimindtree.com

Cargill Sets a New Global Benchmark for More Sustainable Cocoa Supply Chains

AMSTERDAM

Cargill reimagines the cocoa journey to cut emissions and reduce waste.

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cargill today announced a transformation of its global cocoa supply chain, unveiling a series of interconnected investments that reduce carbon emissions, eliminate waste, and boost efficiency from cocoa origin countries in West Africa to processing hubs in Europe. The company’s upgrades span renewable energy, circular logistics, and smart infrastructure.

“Sustainability isn’t a single project at Cargill—it’s how we operate,” said Emiel van Dijk, Managing Director of Cocoa & Chocolate Europe and West Africa. “From circular waste reuse to renewable transport and clean energy, we’re showing that climate action can scale, without compromise.”

In Côte d’Ivoire, cocoa shells once discarded are now used to fuel biomass boilers. In Ghana, a solar plant powers production in Tema, and new ISO tanks are replacing disposable packaging, providing the opportunity to cut up to 100 metric tons of waste each month.

Once the beans and semi-finished cocoa products produced in origin arrive in Europe, they enter a fully integrated logistics network. Beans are stored in solar-powered warehouses near Amsterdam, The Netherlands, then transported to Cargill’s factory in Zaandam via the world’s first fully electric barges—eliminating 190,000 kg of CO₂ emissions annually. The electricity for these vessels, and for Cargill’s Dutch facilities, comes from Windpark Hanze, a renewable energy partnership with Vattenfall.

After processing, cocoa shells are reused again—this time as fuel in Cargill’s new biomass boiler in Amsterdam, which will cut greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 19,000 tons each year. Together with the wind farm Cargill and Vattenfall operate in partnership with Windpark Hanze, the CO₂ emissions reduction reaches 31,000 tons per year - representing a reduction of site CO₂ emissions of up to 90%.

The final leg of the journey continues with low-emission transport. Semi-finished cocoa products are shipped to Wormer—home to the world’s largest cocoa processing site—using BIO LNG trucks, and finished cocoa powder is stored at a next-generation warehouse in Zaandam. Operated in partnership with Green Valley Cocoa Logistics, the facility features solar panels, automated vehicles, and intermodal rail and barge connections to reduce last-mile impact.

The chain ends where indulgence begins: chocolate production. Cargill’s semi-finished cocoa products are delivered to its own chocolate processing sites and its customers across Europe using renewable fuels and short sea shipping, supporting the company’s global target to reduce supply chain emissions by 30% per ton of product by 2030.

This integrated effort also supports Cargill’s broader climate goals which include reducing operational emissions by 10% by 2025.

As a leader in cocoa processing and supply chain management, Cargill’s efforts underscore its role in shaping a more resilient, responsible global food system.

This is what sustainability at scale looks like,” adds van Dijk. “It’s measurable, circular, and designed to serve both people and the planet.”

###

About Cargill

Cargill is committed to providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way. Sitting at the heart of the supply chain, we partner with farmers and customers to source, make and deliver products that are vital for living.

Our 160,000 team members innovate with purpose, providing customers with life’s essentials so businesses can grow, communities prosper, and consumers live well. With 159 years of experience as a family company, we look ahead while remaining true to our values. We put people first. We reach higher. We do the right thing—today and for generations to come. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

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Esports World Cup Foundation and Lenovo™ Partner to Power the Next Generation of Esports Champions

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia

Lenovo’s Legion premium gaming brand joins the world’s largest esports event to fuel elite performance and elevate the fan experience through world-class hardware.

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and Lenovo today announced a partnership to make Lenovo’s Legion brand of gaming devices the Official PC & Gaming Hardware partner of the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC). Lenovo Legion is the one of the world’s leading gaming ecosystem brands, and will be bring its relentless commitment to innovation and performance to the global stage, empowering EWC athletes to compete at their highest level.

From training rooms to tournament zones, EWC athletes will be equipped with Lenovo Legion Towers, Lenovo Legion laptops, and peripherals – built for elite esports play with advanced thermal systems, high-performance silicon, high refresh-rate displays and low latency keyboards and mice that meet the demands of top-level competition.

Key models such as the Legion Tower 7i and Legion Tower 5i will feature across the event’s player infrastructure, delivering the reliability and power needed to perform under the intense pressure of elite competition. Designed for esports, both towers offer expansive I/O for a complete gaming setup and Legion Coldfront: Liquid cooling thermal solutions. The Legion Tower 7i boasts advanced cooling and an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5080 Desktop GPU for the extreme performance that top-tier esports athletes rely on, while the Legion Tower 5i pairs intelligent cooling with the RTX 5070 Ti Desktop GPU to deliver focused, winning gameplay.

EWC will also feature Legion Pro 7i laptops to give attendees the full Lenovo Legion experience. Legion laptops untether elite-level gaming experiences from the desk, allowing gamers to win anywhere they find themselves in competition for the top spot with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPUs and Legion Coldfront: Vapor thermal systems, allowing the laptop to deliver up to 250W TDP that brings the most demanding games to life on the 16” PureSight OLED display.

“We’re building the Esports World Cup to set a new global standard — in both competition and the technology behind it,” said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer at Esports World Cup Foundation. “Lenovo’s Legion brand understands what elite players need: speed, efficiency, and reliability under pressure. These machines deliver the competitive edge required on the world’s biggest stage, and together we’re pushing the limits of performance — while delivering an experience that meets the expectations of athletes, fans, and the future of global esports.”

“Lenovo Legion equips gamers around the world with outstanding devices to help them achieve their goals and reach their impossible,” said Volker Düring, VP, PC Gaming Business, Lenovo. “The Esports World Cup is the ultimate forum for the world’s best gamers to showcase their mettle and emerge at the top of the world leaderboards, and when the best gamers compete on Lenovo Legion devices, anything is possible.”

As part of the partnership, Lenovo’s Legion branding will appear across EWC’s global broadcast, digital content, and onsite experiences, including fully equipped festival zones with PCs, gear, and laptops available for attendees to play on-site, helping drive deeper engagement with fans while highlighting the ecosystem that supports world-class gaming.

Fans can expect exclusive content, player-focused storytelling, and digital activations across Lenovo Legion’s social channels, offering an inside look at the road to victory – and the technology that powers it.

Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, 2025, the Esports World Cup will unite global gaming communities for a celebration of esports culture. With 25 tournaments across 24 games, 2,000 elite players, and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, the EWC will feature the largest prize pool in esports history, over $70 million. Fans can expect exclusive experiences, from high-stakes competition to live music, anime cafes, retro arcades, cosplay, and more, drawing millions of fans online and in person.

To learn more about EWC, visit esportsworldcup.com and follow Esports World Cup Foundation on LinkedIn.

Explore Lenovo Legion’s full lineup at www.lenovo.com/legion.

About The Esports World Cup

The Esports World Cup (EWC) is a premier annual sporting event and global celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom. The competition features a unique cross-game format that pits the world's top esports clubs against one another for the largest prize pool in esports history. Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the summer of 2025, the EWC will bring gaming and esports communities together again to crown the next Esports World Cup Club Champion. esportsworldcup.com

About Lenovo

Lenovo is a US$69 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #248 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company with a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets), infrastructure (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), software, solutions, and services. Lenovo’s continued investment in world-changing innovation is building a more equitable, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY). To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

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Contacts

Esports World Cup media contact:

Anna Rozwandowicz

Head of PR

a.rozwandowicz@worldcupfoundation.org

Esports World Cup media contact:

The Story Mob

EWC@thestorymob.com

Lenovo Media Contacts:

Global PR – Justin Alters – jalters@lenovo.com

EMEA PR – Monica Garcia de Lucas – mogarcia@lenovo.com

MENA PR – Mazin Nagib – mnagib@lenovo.com

China PR – Wang Xuegang – wangxg9@lenovo.com

Transition Industries Signs Strategic Agreements for the Pacifico Mexinol Project, the Largest Standalone Ultra-Low Carbon Chemical Production Facility in the World

Pacifico Mexinol project, a 6,130 MT per day ultra-low carbon methanol production facility worth more than US$3.3b will be located near Topolobampo, Ahome, Sinaloa.

Once operational in 2029, Pacifico Mexinol is poised to be the largest standalone ultra-low carbon chemical production facility in the world.

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Transition Industries LLC, a developer of world-scale, net-zero carbon emissions methanol and green hydrogen projects in North America, held a signing event for an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract with the consortium of Samsung E&A Co., Ltd. (Samsung E&A), Grupo Samsung E&A Mexico, S.A. de C.V., and Techint Engineering and Construction for the Pacifico Mexinol project located in Ahome, Sinaloa, Mexico, which is contingent upon the fulfillment of customary conditions precedent and obtainment of all required approvals.

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MAIRE group’s technology division NextChem, through its subsidiary KT TECH SpA, also signed a Basic Engineering, Critical and Proprietary Equipment Supply Agreement with Samsung E&A in connection with its proprietary NX AdWinMethanol®Zero technology supply to the project.

Transition Industries is jointly developing the Pacifico Mexinol project with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. When it initiates operations in 2029, Pacifico Mexinol is poised to be the largest standalone ultra-low carbon chemical production facility in the world – producing approximately 350,000 MT of green methanol and 1.8 million MT of blue methanol annually from carbon capture and natural gas.

“Today’s signing ceremony represents a significant milestone for the Pacifico Mexinol project, enabling us to showcase our world-class innovation and partnerships with Samsung E&A of South Korea, Techint of Mexico and MAIRE Group of Italy. It also puts us on track to break ground in 2025 and begin delivering on our unwavering commitment to build the world’s most sustainable large-scale project in Mexico,” says Rommel Gallo, CEO of Transition Industries.

The event was attended by federal, state and municipal government officials, as well as ambassadors from the countries involved in this multi-national project.

IFC was also present at the ceremony, along with other strategic commercial partners that will deliver key aspects of state-of-the-art technology and engineering to the project, including green hydrogen and the largest industrial wastewater recycling and use program globally.

Transition Industries expects to sign additional strategic agreements and reach significant milestones this summer. The project is expected to be presented as an example of an ultra-low carbon chemicals project at scale at COP 30 in Belem, Brazil in November 2025.

About Transition Industries

Transition Industries LLC, based in Houston, Texas, is a developer of world-scale, net-zero carbon emissions methanol and green hydrogen projects in North America to address climate change and promote environmental and social sustainability. For additional information about Pacifico Mexinol or Transition Industries, email inquiries@transitionind.com.

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Contacts

Karn Nunan

Global Head of Corporate Affairs

inquiries@transitionind.com