Pullman & Les Mills Set Out To Host The World’s Largest Virtual Fitness Class

Two inspiring brands join forces to break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for most viewers of a strength training workout live stream on YouTube, led by Pullman’s Power Fitness Squad

Pullman will make a Guinness World Records™ attempt on Saturday, November 13, 2021 – World’s Largest Virtual Fitness Class

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Pullman Hotels & Resorts, a leading brand within the Accor group, is pleased to invite fitness fans from all over the world to participate virtually in a ground-breaking attempt to set a Guinness World Records™ title. On Saturday, November 13, 2021, as part of Dubai Fitness Challenge, ambassadors from Pullman’s Power Fitness Squad will gather on the panoramic rooftop of the Pullman Dubai Downtown. Against the backdrop of the evening skyline and the spectacular Burj Khalifa, the team will lead a one-hour strength training session, which will be livestreamed globally on the Les Mills’ YouTube channel. The livestream kicks off at 7pm Dubai time, with the goal of attracting more than 13,000 participants – the current world record.

“At Pullman, playful meets peak performance. We believe records are made to be broken. We push past our limits and raise our game so that guests can stay at the top of theirs,” said Kishan Chandnani, Vice President, Global Brand Management, Premium Brands, Accor. “By striving to achieve a Guinness World Records’ title, Pullman is actively fueling success by inspiring the minds and energizing the bodies of our friends, fans, and followers – and we’ll have a lot of fun together while we’re at it.”

The one-hour virtual strength training class will be specially choreographed by Les Mills for the Guinness World Records attempt. As the world leader in group workouts, Les Mills is uniquely placed to give customers an unbeatable omnichannel experience by combining the blockbuster production value its digital content is famed for, with its unparalleled network of 21,000 gym partners and 140,000 certified Instructors across 110 countries.

“Our mission is to create a fitter planet, so we are absolutely on board with Pullman’s bold and ambitious plan to break a new world record for a virtual fitness class. We are especially keen to host this event in Dubai – during the Dubai Fitness Challenge- bringing the Pullman Power Fitness Squad here to tap into the electric energy of this vibrant city,” said Glen Stollery, CEO, Les Mills Middle East. “Our collaborative livestreamed classes make people feel engaged from their own homes and we love the idea of bringing people from all over the world to sweat together, smile together, and be a part of something big.”

The one-hour virtual strength training class will be specially choreographed by Les Mills and led by Pullman’s Power Fitness Squad.

“This global livestream event is an invitation for the whole world to unite in making fitness history, with plenty of incentives from Accor and our partners, who have graciously sweetened the pot to get our participants happily breaking a sweat,” said Ralitza Iordanova, Vice President, Global Partnerships, Luxury & Premium Brands. “Power Fitness is a key passion for Pullman and our partnership strategy is to align ourselves with forward-thinking health and wellness brands, such as Les Mills and Hyperice, who fully engage our guests and encourage them to claim the time and space to unlock their fitness potential.”

The world record attempt is taking place during Dubai Fitness Challenge (29 October – 27 November), a citywide initiative which encourages everyone to embrace a more active lifestyle, try new fitness activities and enjoy the outdoors.  An action-packed calendar of fitness events, activities and classes helps participants complete their 30 minutes of daily activity across 30 days.

Each registered participant will receive a LES MILLS+ 30-day free trial and 15% off Hyperice purchases to kick off their fitness goals and get ready for the event. Hyperice is a technology-driven company leading a global movement at the confluence of recovery and wellness, specializing in percussion, dynamic air compression, vibration, thermal technology, mind technology (Core by Hyperice) and contrast therapy. As a holistic high-performance wellness brand, Hyperice supports elite athletes, teams and individuals all over the world to do more of what they love, everyday.

Additionally, registered participants will have the chance to be one of six lucky winners sharing ONE MILLION ALL – Accor Live Limitless reward points for use at any Accor hotel worldwide. ALL – Accor Live Limitless is a lifestyle loyalty program that goes beyond hotel stays, offering truly spectacular experiences and rewards.

Virtual guests are asked to log in individually on their own unique devices to ensure each participant counts toward the record. To register for the November 13th event, simply visit www.pullman-lesmills.com and follow along on the social channels of Pullman and Les Mills to get ready for a record-busting day. Virtual guests from around the world can set their watches and devices to log in by these local start times:

7am – Los Angeles

10am Toronto/NYC

12pm – Rio de Janeiro

3pm – London

4pm – Paris

7pm – Dubai

11pm – Shanghai

About Pullman
Pullman Hotels & Resorts sets a new tempo in global travel and living, delivering an inspiring, energizing and enriching experience to its communities. Pullman welcomes guests with the space they need to focus, work and play. Forward-thinking, hyper-connected and with a passion for art and fitness, Pullman retains the adventurous spirit and open-minded ambition that drove it to become a pioneering travel brand over 150 years ago. Today Pullman features more than 140 properties in vibrant and cosmopolitan destinations around the world including flagship properties such as Pullman Paris Bercy, Pullman Suzhou Zhonghui in Greater China and Pullman Maldives Maamutaa. Pullman is part of Accor, a world leading hospitality group consisting of more than 5,200 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries.

pullman.accor.com | all.accor.com | group.accor.com

About Les Mills
Les Mills is the global leader in group fitness and creator of 20 programs available in leading fitness facilities around the world. Les Mills programs include the world’s first group exercise resistance training workout BODYPUMP™, BODYCOMBAT™ (martial arts), RPM™ (indoor cycling), BODYBALANCE™ (yoga), LES MILLS GRIT™ (30-minute high-intensity interval training) and the revolutionary immersive cycle experience, THE TRIP™. Each workout is refreshed and updated with new choreography and music every three months.

The company was founded by Les Mills – a four-time Olympian and head coach of New Zealand’s track and field team – who opened his first gym in 1968 with the aim of taking elite sports training to the masses. Today, Les Mills workouts are delivered by 140,000 certified instructors in 21,000 clubs across 100 countries and are available as live, livestream, virtual and immersive classes, as well as via the LES MILLS+ streaming platform.

lesmills.com

About Dubai Fitness Challenge 

The Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) is an initiative of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai. The Challenge was created to support His Highness’ vision of making Dubai one of the most active cities in the world. Now in its fifth annual edition – with more opportunities than ever to get involved – Dubai Fitness Challenge brings friends, families, colleagues and communities together to improve their health and wellbeing with 30 days of fun and fitness. Featuring a packed calendar of activities and events across the city including Dubai Run and Dubai Ride, this year’s Challenge runs from Friday 29 October through to Saturday 27 November 2021.

Contact: Mike Taylor, Global Communications, Accor, mike.taylor@accor.com;   Gautier Rouquayrol, Global Communications, Accor, gautier.rouquayrol@accor.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1677017/1200x628_ALL_Photo2.jpg
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1677016/1200x628_ANTHONY_Photo1.jpg

IFRS Foundation announces International Sustainability Standards Board, consolidation with CDSB and VRF, and publication of prototype disclosure requirements

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As world leaders meet in Glasgow for COP26, the UN global summit to address the critical and urgent issue of climate change, the IFRS Foundation Trustees (Trustees) announce three significant developments to provide the global financial markets with high-quality disclosures on climate and other sustainability issues:

  • The formation of a new International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to develop—in the public interest—a comprehensive global baseline of high-quality sustainability disclosure standards to meet investors’ information needs;
  • A commitment by leading investor-focused sustainability disclosure organisations to consolidate into the new board. The IFRS Foundation will complete consolidation of the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB—an initiative of CDP) and the Value Reporting Foundation (VRF—which houses the Integrated Reporting Framework and the SASB Standards) by June 2022;
  • The publication of prototype climate and general disclosure requirements developed by the Technical Readiness Working Group (TRWG), a group formed by the IFRS Foundation Trustees to undertake preparatory work for the ISSB. These prototypes are the result of six months of joint work by representatives of the CDSB, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), the VRF and the World Economic Forum (Forum), supported by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and its Technical Expert Group of securities regulators. The TRWG has consolidated key aspects of these organisations’ content into an enhanced, unified set of recommendations for consideration by the ISSB.

Together, these developments create the necessary institutional arrangements, set out in the Foundation’s revised Constitution, and lay the technical groundwork for a global sustainability disclosure standard-setter for the financial markets. They fulfil the growing and urgent demand for streamlining and formalising corporate sustainability disclosures.

The ISSB will sit alongside and work in close cooperation with the IASB, ensuring connectivity and compatibility between IFRS Accounting Standards and the ISSB’s standards—IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards. To ensure public interest legitimacy, both boards will be overseen by the Trustees, who are in turn accountable to a Monitoring Board of capital market authorities responsible for corporate reporting in their jurisdictions. The ISSB and the IASB will be independent, and their standards will complement each other to provide comprehensive information to investors and other providers of capital.

Proven demand

Financial markets need to assess the risks and opportunities facing individual companies which arise from environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, as these affect enterprise value. This is driving significant demand for high-quality information. Investors and other providers of capital want global sustainability disclosure standards that meet their information needs. Voluntary reporting frameworks and guidance have prompted innovation and action, although fragmentation has also increased cost and complexity for investors, companies and regulators.

Many investors and regulators have called for the IFRS Foundation to build upon market-led initiatives and to use its experience in creating accounting standards used in more than 140 jurisdictions to bring globally comparable reporting on sustainability matters to the financial markets.

The Trustees’ decision to create the ISSB is informed by the feedback received in their two public consultations, discussions with advisory groups, frequent dialogue with the IFRS Foundation Monitoring Board, and with support from IOSCO and others.

Comprehensive global baseline

The ISSB will develop IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, including disclosure requirements that address companies’ impacts on sustainability matters relevant to assessing enterprise value and making investment decisions. The ISSB’s standards will enable companies to provide comprehensive sustainability information for the global financial markets. The standards will be developed to facilitate compatibility with requirements that are jurisdiction specific or aimed at a wider group of stakeholders (for example, the European Union’s planned Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive as well as initiatives in the Americas and Asia-Oceania).

The G20 Rome Leaders’ Declaration and the Financial Stability Board have both welcomed the IFRS Foundation’s work programme to develop global baseline standards for sustainability disclosures.

Consolidating and building on existing initiatives

Consistent with feedback received through consultation, the ISSB will build on the work of existing investor-focused reporting initiatives to become the global standard-setter for sustainability disclosures for the financial markets. To achieve this goal, the IFRS Foundation has reached commitments with the CDSB, whose secretariat is hosted by CDP, and the VRF to consolidate their technical expertise, content, staff and other resources with the IFRS Foundation. It is intended that the technical standards and frameworks of the CDSB and the VRF, along with those of the TCFD and the Forum Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics, will provide a basis for the technical work of the new board.

Recognising the urgency and the desire to provide the ISSB with a solid foundation on which to start its work, the Trustees created the TRWG — comprising representatives from the CDSB, TCFD, IASB, VRF and the Forum — to provide recommendations to the ISSB. The TRWG has concluded its work on two prototype documents published today — one which focuses on climate-related disclosures that build on the TCFD’s recommendations and includes industry-specific disclosures, and a second that sets out general sustainability disclosures. The ISSB will consider the prototypes as part of its initial work programme.

Informed by expert advice

The ISSB will draw upon expertise from several advisory groups. Technical advice on sustainability matters will be provided to the ISSB by a new Sustainability Consultative Committee, whose members will include the International Monetary Fund, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United Nations, the World Bank and additional expert members drawn from public, private and non-governmental organisations.

The remit and expertise of the IFRS Advisory Council will be extended to provide strategic sustainability-related advice and counsel to the ISSB, as well as the Trustees and the IASB. Finally, the Trustees have formed a working group to create a mechanism for formal engagement on standard-setting between the ISSB and jurisdictional representatives, including from emerging markets (similar to the Accounting Standards Advisory Forum, which fulfils this role for the IASB).

The Foundation intends to leverage the existing CDSB and VRF advisory groups, which include investors and other experts who have demonstrated long-standing support for improved sustainability disclosure. As well, the Forum’s private sector coalition will be engaged. The Foundation also intends to use the International Integrated Reporting Council to provide advice on establishing connectivity between the work of the IASB and the ISSB via the fundamental concepts and guiding principles of integrated reporting.

Global footprint

The ISSB will have a global and multi-location presence. All regions—the Americas, Asia-Oceania and EMEA (Europe, the Middle-East and Africa)—will be covered. Engagement with developing and emerging economies will be an important priority.

Offices in Frankfurt (the seat of the Board and the office of the Chair) and in Montreal will be responsible for key functions supporting the new Board and deeper co-operation with regional stakeholders. Offices in San Francisco, following the consolidation with the VRF, and London will also provide technical support and platforms for market engagement and deeper cooperation with regional stakeholders.

Based on expressions of interest received, the IFRS Foundation will engage without delay with Frankfurt and Montreal to make the necessary arrangements to enable the ISSB to commence work early in 2022. Further discussions will continue with proposals for offices from Beijing and Tokyo to finalise the new Board’s footprint in the Asia Oceania region. Timely actions are needed to respect the urgency expressed by IOSCO and other important stakeholders.

Next steps

The Trustees are at advanced stages in appointing a Chair and Vice-Chair(s) to the ISSB. The Trustees will commence shortly a search for the additional board positions, up to the full complement of 14 members.

The ISSB’s work is expected to commence as soon as the Chair and Vice-Chair(s) have been appointed and to begin with public consultations to inform the ISSB’s work plan and on proposals informed by recommendations from the TRWG. Following these consultations, the ISSB’s work will follow the IFRS Foundation’s rigorous due process, including public discussions by the ISSB of feedback received to the consultations and possible improvements to the proposals prior to their finalisation as standards. The entire process will be overseen by the Trustees’ Due Process Oversight Committee.

Erkki Liikanen, Chair of the IFRS Foundation Trustees, said:

‘Sustainability, and particularly climate change, is the defining issue of our time. To properly assess related opportunities and risks, investors require high-quality, transparent and globally comparable sustainability disclosures that are compatible with the financial statements. Establishing the ISSB and building on the innovation and expertise of the CDSB, the Value Reporting Foundation and others will provide the foundations to achieve this goal.’

Mary Schapiro, Head of the TCFD Secretariat, said:

‘Development of the ISSB’s global baseline will deliver transformative change in sustainability disclosures for the financial markets. The TCFD welcomes the formation of the ISSB, which builds upon the foundation of the globally accepted TCFD framework and the work of an alliance of sustainability standard setters. The ISSB represents a major step forward in establishing consistent, comparable global reporting standards.’

Richard Sexton and Robert K Steel, Co-Chairs of the Value Reporting Foundation Board, commented:

‘Today’s announcement is a reflection of the changed world we live in – a world in which sustainability and long-term thinking are increasingly at the heart of business and investor decision-making. This is a transformation that both the IIRC and SASB helped lead, made possible by the many thousands of stakeholders who volunteered time and offered resources to develop the Integrated Thinking Principles, Integrated Reporting Framework and SASB Standards that are today used by businesses and investors around the world. The Value Reporting Foundation Board believes the consolidation announced today will help deliver effective disclosures to drive global sustainability performance. We count on your continued collaboration as we embark on this exciting next step.’

Richard Samans, Chairman of CDSB, and Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP said:

‘CDP pioneered environmental disclosure twenty years ago and has hosted CDSB since its formation in 2007. CDSB’s global partnership of business and environmental organisations supported by the international accounting community was formed to create a generally-accepted framework for corporate reporting of material climate, environmental and social information to investors and regulators.

We are delighted that the IFRS Foundation is forming the ISSB to drive forward the development of global standards for sustainability-related financial disclosures. The ISSB’s integration of CDSB will ensure that the new board has a strong foundation and can move rapidly building on existing best practice. CDP looks forward to supporting the ISSB process with its global market led environmental disclosure mechanism and expertise on data.’

Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, said:

‘Creating long-term value requires both a focus on financial and sustainability performance. This means we need tools for measuring sustainability performance just as we have for financial performance. The World Economic Forum and its private sector coalition made a contribution on this front, proposing a core set of ‘Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics’. We are pleased that this effort will provide a basis for the technical work of the ISSB. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the IFRS Foundation in support of the ISSB, during its establishment and as it delivers on its historical mandate.’

IFRS Foundation Trustee Chair Erkki Liikanen will announce the ISSB as part of the COP26 Finance Day Presidency event: ‘A Financial System for Net Zero’ which begins at 10:15 GMT on 3 November 2021. The event will be livestreamed and available to watch on the COP26 website.

The IFRS Foundation will also be hosting its own live broadcast at 14:30 GMT on 3 November, providing further information about the proposed ISSB. The event will be livestreamed on our site and via the IFRS Foundation’s LinkedIn and YouTube channels.

Notes to editors

The IFRS Foundation Trustees carried out two rounds of global public consultation, which confirmed an urgent demand for global sustainability disclosure standards and extensive support for the Foundation to play a role in developing such standards. The Trustees have today published a revised Constitution to facilitate the formation of the ISSB and a feedback statement summarising 177 comment letters received during the Trustees’ second consultation.

Media contacts

IFRS Foundation: Kirstina Reitan, Head of Communications
Email: kreitan@ifrs.org, Mob: +44 7894 573721

CDSB: Patrick Hanrahan, Head of Communications, CDSB
Email: Patrick.Hanrahan@cdsb.net, Mob.: +44 (0) 792 9414191

VRF: Europe: Katie Riminton, FleishmanHillard katie.riminton@fleishmaneurope.com Mob: +32 4 78 70 19 83. Other regions: Taylor Fenske, Stern Strategy: Tfenske@sternstrategy.com Mob: +1 973-477-4983

About the IFRS Foundation

The IFRS Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit organisation, overseen by a Monitoring Board of public authorities. Its vision of a single set of global financial reporting standards is supported by G20 leaders and other international organisations with responsibility for the global financial system.

The mission of the IFRS Foundation is to develop IFRS Standards that bring transparency, accountability and efficiency to financial markets around the world, fostering trust, growth and long-term financial stability. The International Accounting Standards Board is the independent standard-setting body of the IFRS Foundation, made up of experts from diverse professional and geographical backgrounds. IFRS Standards are required by over 140 countries globally.

For detailed information on the organisation’s structure, standard-setting and the adoption of IFRS Standards, visit www.ifrs.org.

About the Climate Disclosure Standards Board and CDP

The Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) is an international consortium of business and environmental NGOs, hosted by CDP. We are committed to advancing and aligning the global mainstream corporate reporting model to equate natural and social capital with financial capital.

We do this by offering companies a framework for reporting environment- and social-related information with the same rigour as financial information. In turn this helps them to provide investors with decision-useful environmental information via the mainstream corporate report, enhancing the efficient allocation of capital. Regulators have also benefited from CDSB’s compliance-ready materials.

CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states and regions. CDP pioneered using capital markets and corporate procurement to motivate companies to disclose their environmental impacts. Over 14,000 organizations around the world disclosed data through CDP in 2021, including more than 13,000 companies worth over 64% of global market capitalization. Fully TCFD aligned, CDP holds the largest environmental database in the world, and CDP scores are widely used to drive investment and procurement decisions towards a zero carbon, sustainable and resilient economy.

About the Value Reporting Foundation

The Value Reporting Foundation is a global nonprofit organization that offers a comprehensive suite of resources designed to help businesses and investors develop a shared understanding of enterprise value — how it is created, preserved or eroded over time.

The resources – including Integrated Thinking Principles, the Integrated Reporting Framework, and SASB Standards – are already adopted in over 70 countries. They comprise the 21st century market infrastructure needed to develop, manage and communicate strategy that creates long-term value and drives improved performance. To learn more, visit www.valuereportingfoundation.org.

‫تطلق مجموعة الزاهد مبادرة “لا للبلاستيك”

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

تفخر مجموعة شركات الزاهد بالإعلان عن إطلاقها لمبادرة “لا للبلاستيك ذو الاستخدام الواحد” حيث اتخذت المجموعة قراراً باستبدال جميع المواد البلاستيكية ذات الاستخدام الواحد بمنتجات مستدامة وصديقة للبيئة على نطاق جميع شركات المجموعة داخل وخارج المملكة العربية السعودية بنهاية عام ٢٠٢٢.GNW

وتماشياً مع أهداف المجموعة ووعيها بأهمية حماية البيئة بممارسات مستدامة، فسيتم استبدال المواد البلاستيكية التي يتم استخدامها لمرة واحدة في فروع شركات المجموعة بحلول صديقة للبيئة، والذي سيكون له دور كبير في تحقيق التأثير الإيجابي المطلوب.

وأضاف الرئيس التنفيذي للمجموعة زيد محمد زاهد: “إنني على يقين أننا جميعا على علم بالأضرار التي تلحقها النفايات البلاستيكية على بيئتنا. والآثار السلبية بعيدة المدى التي تعرض الحياة الفطرية في البر والبحر للخطر، وتشوّه السواحل والمناظر الطبيعية وتلحق بنا الأذى وبمن نحب. إن التغاضي عن هذه المشكلة له تأثيرات مدمرة على كوكبنا وعلى الأجيال القادمة، ومن خلال تحقيق هدفنا بجعل شركاتنا خالية من البلاستيك ذات الاستخدام الواحد، نكون قد حققنا الأثر الإيجابي الواضح على محيطنا ومجتمعنا وكوكبنا.”

الهدف واضح، والالتزام جاد، والتغييرات قد بدأت بالفعل. كل فرد في مجموعة الزاهد، وعوائلهم، هم جزء من حل المشكلة، وتؤمن المجموعة بأنه سيكون لجميع هذه الجهود الفردية مجتمعةً بإذن الله تأثير مباشر في الحد من تلوث الكوكب وحماية البيئة؛ وبذلك ستكون مجموعة شركات الزاهد القدوة التي يحتذى بها في هذا المجال.

مجموعة الزاهد
مجموعة الزاهد هي شركة خاصة مقرها في جدة، المملكة العربية السعودية وتعمل بها لأكثر قرن، ويعمل بها أكثر من ٥,٠٠٠ شخص. وهي عضو رائد في العديد من القطاعات كقطاع الطاقة والانشاءات والآلات الثقيلة والنقل والخدمات المالية، واللوجستية، والتصنيع، والضيافة. تمثل مجموعة الزاهد علامات تجارية عالمية رائدة كمعدات كاتربلر وشاحنات فولفو ورينو وتوتال.

Contact Information:

Mrouj Barefah
SUPLess@zahid.com

Zahid Group Is Committed to Stop the Use of Single-Use Plastics by the End of 2022

Zahid Group Is Committed to Stop the Use of Single-Use Plastics by the End of 2022

‘No to Single-Use Plastic’: An initiative in line with Zahid Group’s commitment towards sustainability

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zahid Group is proud to announce the launch of its ‘NO TO SINGLE-USE PLASTIC’ initiative, a commitment to eliminating the use of single-use plastic across Group companies in and out of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the end of 2022. As a leading organization, Zahid Group recognizes the importance of setting the standard and doing its utmost to protect the communities it impacts and the planet.

In line with the Group’s ongoing enhancement of sustainable practices, single-use plastics have been identified as an area where significant results can be achieved. The elimination of single-use plastics from all facets of all Group companies and their replacement with environmentally friendly solutions will help protect our seas, oceans, and land.

Mr. Zayd M. Zahid, Zahid Group’s Chief Executive Officer commented, “We all see the harm single-use plastics have on our environment and we can no longer afford to not be part of the solution. The effects of single-use plastics are far reaching – damaging our environment, adding to the climate change problems, destroying marine life, damaging landscapes and coastlines and ultimately harming each of us and our loved ones. Left unchecked, the harmful impact we are witnessing today, will have devastating effects on our planet and future generations. In achieving our stated goal of removing single-use plastics from all our operations, we will have a significant, positive impact on our families, communities, and planet.”

The goal is clear, the commitment is second-to-none and the work has already started. Every Zahid Group employee and their families are part of the solution. Their efforts will have a direct impact in reducing the pollution to the planet and protecting the environment; therewith setting an example for others to follow.

About Zahid Group

Zahid Group is a privately held organization headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for over a century. It employs more than 5,000 people and is a leading player in multiple industries that include, energy & utilities, heavy machinery, financial services, industrial manufacturing, transport, and hospitality. The Zahid Group partners with leading global brands including Caterpillar, Volvo and Renault trucks, and Total.

Contact Information:

Mrouj Barefah
SUPLess@zahid.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a1ee69df-958d-4889-8304-d36522d92f82

Synchronoss Names Taylor C. Greenwald Chief Financial Officer

Finance leader brings more than 20 years of public company experience to Synchronoss

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Nov. 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNCR), a global leader and innovator of cloud, messaging and digital products and platforms, today announced that Taylor C. Greenwald is appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. In his new role at Synchronoss, Greenwald will oversee global financial operations for the company, including accounting, treasury, business planning and analysis, corporate development, and investor relations.

Greenwald brings to Synchronoss extensive experience managing all financial functions of large global public organizations. He most recently served as Senior Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Web Presence for Endurance International Group, an IT services company. Prior to that, he spent 18 years with Convergys Corporation where he held several senior leadership roles, including Senior Vice President Finance, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer.

“I am pleased to welcome Taylor to our senior leadership team,” said Jeff Miller, President and CEO of Synchronoss. “Taylor brings to the table significant experience driving revenue growth and profitability for large companies in the technology and business service industries. In addition, he offers deep corporate development knowledge, including acquisitions and divestitures, proven proficiency with turnaround strategies, and a strong technical background. I’m confident his expertise and financial acumen will make an immediate impact as we continue to position Synchronoss for the future and ensure our customers across the globe have the resources they need to connect with subscribers in trusted and meaningful ways.”

Miller added that Lou Ferraro, who had been serving as Acting Chief Financial Officer for the last quarter, will remain with the company as Executive Vice President of Financial Operations and Chief Human Resources Officer, reporting to Taylor. “Lou did a fantastic job after being asked to take on the acting CFO role earlier this summer in addition to his other responsibilities. The board and I look forward to his ongoing leadership with us going forward,” Miller said.

Greenwald said he is excited to be joining the company. “The work that Synchronoss has accomplished in the past year to improve its business trajectory is impressive, and I’m honored to join the company at such an important time. I look forward to helping Synchronoss build momentum for revenue growth and deliver on its strategic goals for customers and its other stakeholders,” he said.

Greenwald earned his MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Sloan School of Management, and his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.

About Synchronoss
Synchronoss Technologies (NASDAQ: SNCR) builds software that empowers companies around the world to connect with their subscribers in trusted and meaningful ways. The company’s collection of products helps streamline networks, simplify onboarding and engage subscribers to unleash new revenue streams, reduce costs and increase speed to market. Hundreds of millions of subscribers trust Synchronoss products to stay in sync with the people, services and content they love. That’s why more than 1,500 talented Synchronoss employees worldwide strive each day to reimagine a world in sync. Learn more at www.synchronoss.com

Media Contacts

For Synchronoss:
Anais Merlin, CCgroup UK
Diane Rose, CCgroup US
E: synchronoss@ccgrouppr.com

Investor Contact
For Synchronoss: Todd Kehrli/Joo-Hun Kim, MKR Investor Relations, Inc., E: investor@synchronoss.com

Merck to Support SaudiVax in Becoming First Developer and Manufacturer of Halal Vaccines and Biotherapeutics in Saudi Arabia

Merck to work with SaudiVax to design best-in-class facility for Saudi-based manufacturing of life-saving biotherapeutics

SaudiVax selects Merck for its expertise in GMP manufacturing, biopharmaceutical manufacturing equipment, consulting services, and product testing and development

The Merck-SaudiVax collaboration underscores both companies’ commitment to expand access to life-saving and life-enhancing biologic therapies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced that it will support SaudiVax Ltd., based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to design a best-in-class, multi-modality manufacturing facility to localize manufacturing of biologics and vaccines for the MENA region.

Merck today announced that it will support SaudiVax Ltd. to design a best-in-class, multi-modality manufacturing facility to localize manufacturing of biologics and vaccines for the MENA region.

SaudiVax is positioned to become the first developer and manufacturer of Halal vaccines and biotherapeutics in Saudi Arabia, leveraging Merck’s integrated Contract Development Manufacturing Services (CDMO), innovative product offerings and single-use technologies.

“With more than 30 years of experience designing, building and operating our own global CDMO network, we are pleased to support SaudiVax in fulfilling its mission to localize the development and manufacturing of vaccines and therapeutics in Saudi Arabia,” said Sébastien Ribault, Head of End-to-End Contract Development Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) Services, Life Science business sector at Merck. “This partnership brings together our shared commitment to expand access to life-saving and life-enhancing therapies.”

The first phase of this collaboration will focus on conceptual and equipment selection studies, followed by facility fit-out, consulting, and process development services to enable SaudiVax to achieve self-sufficient cGMP manufacturing that meets international regulatory requirements. As part of this first phase, Merck will support the training of SaudiVax employees in its M Lab™ Collaboration Center in Molsheim, France, and on its End-to-End GMP site located in Martillac, France. Merck and SaudiVax formalized their collaboration with a signing ceremony on October 24.

“Merck’s comprehensive expertise, services, and bioprocessing products, coupled with its focus on both the customer and international regulatory requirements, makes them the ideal strategic partner to enable us to localize the manufacturing of high-quality, Halal, and affordable vaccines and biotherapeutics in Saudi Arabia for distribution throughout the MENA region,” said Mazen Hassanain, Managing Director of SaudiVax.

About Merck
Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics. Around 58,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene-editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2020, Merck generated sales of € 17.5 billion in 66 countries.

Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Electronics.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1676792/Merck_SaudiVax.jpg

Strong Growth Figures Hotel Industry good for investors

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Barrows, the provider of hotel investment and advisory services for hotels in the Middle East, is very positive for the global hotel industry and sees huge opportunities for investors and developers.

Last year, the company noticed lower sales due to restrictions imposed by travel restrictions and declining demand for global hotel bookings. The turnover decline in hotel room sales was a fact, but the differences with the advisory branch of the company were very large. Never has the company managed to achieve such significant growth.

Many Hotels across the globe had massive problems and hired Barrows as their regular advisory partner. Today, the development of new hotels and the sales of hotel rooms are stronger than ever before. Investors are massively signing up for new hotel projects and they really come from all over the world.

The company expects strong growth in the hotel industry for the last quarter of this year and for 2022. “The economies are slowly closing, and world trade is returning back strongly,” said Barrows Hotel Enterprises Chairman – Erwin Jager. The market has been recovering for a few months now and hotels are opening their doors to the public again, which is giving a huge boost to employment.

Barrows Hotel Enterprises internationally manages more than 10,000 hotel rooms in more than 10 countries. The company started in 2008 as a real estate investor in the residential market in Dubai. Since 2012, Barrows has changed its strategy and the company is fully focused on the fast-growing hotel industry in the Middle East and Africa.

For more information
media@barrowshotels.com

Assouline Fall 2021 Introduces The Classics Collection – Diamonds

Foreword by Edward Enninful

In Partnership with the Natural Diamond Council
In today’s world, diamonds are as entrenched in luxury, glamour and aspiration as they have been through history, but as the representations of those ideals are changing, so is the diamond.
—Edward Enninful, Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue

DUBAI, UAE, Nov. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Formed billions of years ago deep below the surface of the earth, natural diamonds have always had an ethereal mysticism about them. Once reserved only for royals, red carpets, and life’s most celebratory moments, diamonds were seen as symbols of wealth and prosperity that only few could access. But with a new century comes a new expression of luxury, as a new crop of young designers and heritage jewellery houses alike including Sabyasachi, Messika, Anita Ko, Boucheron, and Fernando Jorge are celebrating natural diamonds as an everyday indulgence. Today’s tastemakers are incorporating diamonds into their designs in unexpected ways, unafraid to play around with interesting cuts and colourful hues.

In telling the story of today’s expression of natural diamonds and their continuous impact on the world, this new volume dives into tales of the world’s most captivating stones, from the Hope Diamond to the legend of the Beau Sancy Diamond. Featuring stunning images; tall tales; and interviews with top designers, tastemakers, and enthusiasts alike; Diamonds is the definitive book on the world’s most sought-after jewel.

Richa Singh, Managing Director – India & the Middle East, Natural Diamond Council said, “Natural diamonds are a timeless embodiment of classical beauty that never go out of style. A piece of jewellery can make you feel so special like you walked into a room not alone but with your own 10 thousand. It is a thrilling experience for us to introduce this book which brings out the fascinating nature of the stone. Featuring jewellery designers, fashionistas and celebrities, this book will be every diamond lover’s favourite and a great coffee table addition.”

Sabyasachi, “Very soon jewellery will be sold like art. The only difference is that along with perceived value, there is intrinsic value in jewellery as well.”

Gigi Hadid, “My mom taught me the importance of investing in jewellery that is timeless, that you can wear forever.”

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, “A great piece of jewellery is crafted with so much love and precision. It can make you feel strong, sexy, beautiful and everything else in between.”

The mission of Natural Diamond Council is to advance the integrity of the modern diamond jewellery industry by inspiring and educating consumers around the world. “While it is these pop culture diamond moments that are forever etched in our collective memories; out of the spotlight, all around the world, people are having their own diamond moments,” says David Kellie, CEO of Natural Diamond Council. In collaboration with Assouline, the organization is proud to have been able to further share their passion, by bringing an incredible compilation of timeless pieces to life within this beautiful tome.

Click on the link to purchase the book: https://www.assouline.com/products/diamonds-diamond-stories?search=autocomplete

About the Natural Diamond Council:

The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) advances diamonds’ desirability by publishing trends and sharing resources and information with consumers on the ultimate timeless and natural luxury good. The NDC also works to support the integrity of the natural diamond industry, providing transparency, and insight on the ethics, sustainability and progress of this sector.

Reference Links:

Website – www.naturaldiamonds.com

IG – @onlynaturaldiamonds_in – https://www.instagram.com/onlynaturaldiamonds_in/?hl=en

YT@onlynaturaldiamondsIN- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZzPdS4CoBGICsi2oMG7xnQ

About Assouline:

Assouline Publishing is a book publisher founded in 1994 by Prosper and Martine Assouline. It has published about 1,500 titles on subjects including architecture, art, design, fashion, gastronomy, lifestyle, photography and travel.

For more information, contact: Shubhangi.chaturvedi@pitchforkpartners.com

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1676791/DIAMONDS_Book.jpg

شركة كوغنيتيف تعلن تعيين موريزيو بيسيكي مديرا إداريا لعملياتها في أوروبا، الشرق الأوسط وأفريقيا

المسؤول التنفيذي الجديد يأتي بخبرة قيادة عالمية لتعزيز خطط النمو الإقليمي

تورنتو، 3 تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر، 2021 /PRNewswire/ — أعلنت شركة كوغنيتيف كوربوريشن (Kognitiv Corporation)، وهي شركة عالمية رائدة في التجارة التعاونية المتزايدة التوسع بسرعة، تعيين موريزيو بيسيكي مديرا إداريا لعملياتها في أوروبا، الشرق الأوسط وأفريقيا، على أن يدخل أمر التعيين حيز التنفيذ فورا.

Maurizio Bisicky Managing Director, EMEA

ينضم بيسكي إلى شركة تكنولوجيا الأعمال للأعمال التي تتخذ من كندا مقراً لها بعد مسيرة مهنية تقدمية تولى فيها مناصب قيادية في قطاعات العقارات وخدمات المستهلك والضيافة على مستوى العالم. شغل السيد بيسيكي مناصب تنفيذية في مجال التسويق والمبيعات والعمليات في أسواق متنوعة مثل إسبانيا وألمانيا وإيطاليا والمملكة المتحدة وتايلاند والبر الرئيسي للصين. وفي أحدث منصب له، كان السيد بيسيكي هو الرئيس التنفيذي للعمليات في شركة أنانتارا فاكيشن كلوب (وهي جزء من شركة مينور إنترناشونال مينت: بانكوك)، حيث كان مسؤولاً عن زيادة أعداد العملاء والإيرادات وتطوير السوق الصيني لحساب الشركة.

وقال الرئيس والمدير التنفيذي، شون بيرسون، “إن نموذج التجارة التعاونية لشركة كوغنيتيف يمكّن المؤسسات من العمل بسلاسة بين النظراء للكشف عن رؤى أكثر ثراءً حول المستهلكين الأكثر قيمة لديهم وتقديم برامج أكثر إقناعًا تؤدي إلى نتائج الأعمال لجميع الأطراف. وهذا يمكن أن يعني إطلاق العنان لشراكات جديدة مع نظرائهم الجدد أو الحصول على عوائد أكثر كفاءة وتوسيع نطاق الشراكات القائمة لديهم بالفعل. بالنسبة للشركات التي تسعى إلى حوار يعتمد على البيانات وأكثر شفافية مع المستهلكين الأكثر أهمية، فإن هذه القدرة أمر حيوي. نموذج العمل هذا غير مقتصر على قطاع أو جغرافيا معينة. وكشركة دولية، تتمتع كوغنيتيف بالقدرة على تقديم التجارة التعاونية للعملاء والشركاء على مستوى العالم. نظرًا لأننا نرى زيادة في الرغبة في حلنا خارج أميركا الشمالية، فمن الأهمية بمكان أن يكون لدينا مدراء تنفيذيون يفهمون التحديات الفريدة التي تواجه القيادة التنفيذية للشركات. موريزيو هو أحد هؤلاء المديرين التنفيذيين، وهو مشغل محنك ومتمرس في استخدام البيانات وهو أيضًا على دراية بقدرات كوغنيتيف حيث كان له دور أساسي في نشر منصتنا التجارية التعاونية في Anantara Vacation Club خلال فترة عمله كرئيس تنفيذي للعمليات. يسعدنا انضمام أحد الأوائل في مجال التجارة التعاونية إلينا في منصب المدير التنفيذي في أوروبا والشرق الأوسط وإفريقيا. سيكون موريزيو عاملاً مساعدًا لنمونا في تلك المنطقة وخارجها “.

Kognitiv Logo

“لقد كنت محظوظًا لأن رأيت بنفسي كيف يفتح نموذج التجارة التعاوني لشركة كوغنيتيف فرصًا جديدة وجماهير جديدة وشراكات جديدة للمؤسسات التي تركز على النمو”، كما قال السيد بيسيكي. “على الصعيد العالمي، تبحث المؤسسات عن شركاء وحلول يمكن أن تساعدهم في فهم المتطلبات المتغيرة للمستهلكين وهجمة تغييرات خصوصية البيانات وتتبع البيانات. باختصار، يريدون استعادة السيطرة على أهم علاقات العملاء وتقليل الاعتماد على النماذج المدعومة بالإعلانات. مع هذه التغييرات، يحتاج المدراء التنفيذيون، لا سيما أولئك الذين يعملون في وظائف التسويق والولاء، إلى تفكير جديد وحلول جديدة. تعتبر منصة التجارة التعاونية ونموذج كوغنيتيف مناسبين تمامًا لتلبية متطلباتهم. مع تركيزنا على التخصيص العالي، وعدم التحفظ على بيانات الأطراف وإطلاق شراكات جديدة بين النظراء، تمتلك كوغنيتيف حلاً مناسبًا لبيئة الأعمال اليوم. بعد أن كنت من أوائل المتبنين للتجارة التعاونية في دوري السابق، فأنا متحمس لأخذ هذه التجربة إلى الميدان كجزء من توسعأعمال كوغنيتيف في أوروبا والشرق الأوسط وإفريقيا “.

 حول كوغنيتيف

شركة كوغنيتيف كوربوريشن هي شركة تكنولوجيا الأعمال للأعمال تتيح التجارة التعاونية لعملائها العالميين في صناعات مثل البيع بالتجزئة والخدمات المالية والإعلام والاتصالات والضيافة والنقل والترفيه. بالتركيز على مستقبل الولاء واللامركزية في Web3.0، تمكن كوغنيتيف العملاء من استخدام منصتها لزيادة التعاون مع شركائهم الأكثر قيمة وتقليل الاعتماد على الوسطاء وبالتالي خلق قيمة كبيرة للمستهلكين وزيادة التحكم في بياناتهم والخبرة. مع ظهور اقتصاد الاشتراك، والتركيز على النماذج المباشرة إلى المستهلك والتخصيص العالي، يمكن للعملاء الاستفادة من أن يصبحوا أكثر كفاءة في كيفية تخطيط شراكاتهم وتوسيع نطاقها وتنفيذها، وخلق قيمة للمستهلكين ودفع النمو. يقع مقر الشركة الرئيسي في كندا، ويعمل بها أكثر من 450 شخصًا في 50 دولة، ومن بين أكبر مستثمري كوغنيتيف شركة أيميا إنك، وهي شركة قابضة مدرجة في بورصة تورونتو (TSX: AIM). اكتشف المزيد على www.kognitiv.com.

الصورة – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1674596/Kognitiv_Corporation_Kognitiv_Corporation_announces_Maurizio_Bis.jpg

الصورة – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1674597/Kognitiv_Corporation_Kognitiv_Corporation_announces_Maurizio_Bis.jpg

للتواصل: هلتون بربور Hilton.barbour@kognitiv.com

Kognitiv Corporation announces Maurizio Bisicky as Managing Director, Europe, Middle East & Africa

Executive brings global leadership expertise to fuel regional growth plans

TORONTO, Nov. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Kognitiv Corporation, a global leader in the rapidly expanding market for collaborative commerce, announces the appointment of Maurizio Bisicky as Managing Director, EMEA effective immediately.

Maurizio Bisicky Managing Director, EMEA

Bisicky joins the Canadian-headquartered B2B technology company following a progressive career of leadership positions in the real estate, consumer services and hospitality sectors globally. Mr. Bisicky has held executive marketing, sales, and operational roles in markets as varied as Spain, Germany, Italy, the UK, Thailand, and mainland China. In his most recent role, Mr. Bisicky was the Chief Operating Officer of Anantara Vacation Club (part of Minor International MINT: Bangkok), where he was responsible for customer and revenue growth and developing the China market on behalf of the organization.

President and Chief Executive Officer Shawn Pearson said, “Kognitiv’s collaborative commerce model enables organizations to work seamlessly peer-to-peer to uncover richer insights about their most valuable consumers and deliver more compelling programs that drive business results for all parties. This can mean unlocking new partnerships with new peers or getting more efficient returns and scale from the partnerships they already have. For organizations seeking a data-driven, more transparent dialogue with their most important consumers, this capability is vital. This business imperative is not bound by sector or by geography. As an international organization, Kognitiv has the ability to deliver collaborative commerce to clients and partners globally. As we see increased desire for our solution beyond North America, it is critical that we have executives who understand the unique challenges facing today’s C-suite. Maurizio is one of those executives. A seasoned operator and data-savvy marketer, he is also very familiar with Kognitiv’s abilities as he was instrumental in deploying our collaborative commerce platform to Anantara Vacation Club during his time as Chief Operating Officer. We’re excited to have one of the early champions of collaborative commerce join us as MD in EMEA. Maurizio will be a catalyst for our growth in that region and beyond.”

“I’ve been fortunate to have seen first-hand how Kognitiv’s collaborative commerce model unlocks new opportunities, new audiences and new partnerships for growth-focused organizations, “shared Mr. Bisicky. “Globally, organizations are looking for partners and solutions that can help them make sense of the shifting demands of consumers and the onslaught of data privacy and data tracking changes. In short, they want to regain control of their most important customer relationships and reduce their dependency on ad-supported models. With these changes, executives, particularly those in marketing and loyalty functions, need fresh thinking and novel solutions. Kognitiv’s collaborative commerce platform and model is well-suited to meet their demands. With our focus on hyper-personalization, zero-party data and unlocking new peer-to-peer partnerships, Kognitiv has a solution that is positioned for today’s business environment. Having been an early adopter of collaborative commerce in my former role, I’m excited to take that experience into the field as part of Kognitiv’s EMEA expansion.”

About Kognitiv

Kognitiv Corporation is a B2B technology company enabling collaborative commerce for its global clients in industries such as Retail, Financial Services, Media, Telecom, Hospitality, Transportation and Entertainment. Focused on the future of loyalty and de-centralization in Web3.0, Kognitiv enables clients to utilize its platform to increase collaboration with their most valued partners and reduce dependency on intermediaries thus creating significant value for their consumers, and increasing control of their data and experiences.  With the advent of the subscription economy, and the focus on direct-to-consumer models and hyper-personalization, clients can benefit from becoming more efficient with how they plan, scale, and execute their partnerships, create value for their consumers and drive growth. Headquartered in Canada, and employing over 450 people across 50 countries, Kognitiv’s largest investors include Aimia Inc., a publicly-traded holding company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: AIM). Find out more at www.kognitiv.com.

Kognitiv Logo

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1674596/Kognitiv_Corporation_Kognitiv_Corporation_announces_Maurizio_Bis.jpg

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1674597/Kognitiv_Corporation_Kognitiv_Corporation_announces_Maurizio_Bis.jpg

CONTACT: Hilton Barbour (Hilton.barbour@kognitiv.com)