Mark Newton-Jones Joins Gordon Brothers as Senior Managing Director, Head of the U.K. & EMEA

London, Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mark Newton-Jones has joined Gordon Brothers, the global advisory and investment firm, as Senior Managing Director, Head of the U.K. and Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA), serving as the chief executive for the region.

Based in London, Newton-Jones will lead the continued expansion of the firm’s valuation, disposition and capital services working in partnership with a seasoned team of professionals to provide comprehensive solutions, including lending to, investing in and providing advice, for retail, consumer, commercial, and industrial clients and partners.

Newton-Jones has over 35 years of experience leading, operating and restructuring physical and digital retail brands to transform their approach toward strategy, marketing, design and buying, warehousing and distribution, and property and investment. He also has extensive financial services’ experience having managed the consumer debtor book of retailers and as a member of the board of directors at a neobank.

Prior to joining Gordon Brothers, Newton-Jones was the group chief executive officer of Mothercare plc where he led the retailer’s turnaround into a profitable global business. He was previously CEO of Shop Direct Group and transformed the company from a large-scale, loss-making, brick-and-mortar and catalogue operation to one of the U.K.’s leading digital retail businesses, known today as The Very Group. Newton-Jones spent the earlier part of his career at Next plc where he held various roles in retail operations before becoming the director responsible for its catalogue, taking it online in the late 90s.

“We are delighted to welcome Mark to the Gordon Brothers’ team. His experience in leading companies through transition exemplifies the core of our history and is part of our DNA,” said Frank Morton, Chief Investment Officer of Gordon Brothers. “Under Mark’s leadership, we look forward to expanding our global footprint to deliver comprehensive, bespoke solutions for our clients and partners throughout our established U.K. and European markets and into new markets in the Middle East and Africa.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining Gordon Brothers to lead the continued growth and expansion of the business across multiple territories and partnering with retail, commercial and industrial companies that are looking to grow, consolidate or exit their sectors,” said Newton-Jones. “There is a significant opportunity to build off the solid foundations already in place and partner with organisations through strategic change.”

About Gordon Brothers

Since 1903, Gordon Brothers (www.gordonbrothers.com) has helped lenders, management teams, advisors and investors move forward through change. The firm brings a powerful combination of expertise and capital to clients, developing customized solutions on an integrated or standalone basis across four services areas: valuations, dispositions, financing and investment. Whether to fuel growth or facilitate strategic consolidation, Gordon Brothers partners with companies in the retail, commercial and industrial sectors to provide maximum liquidity, put assets to their highest and best use and mitigate liabilities. The firm conducts more than $100 billion worth of dispositions and appraisals annually and provides both short- and long-term capital to clients undergoing transformation. Gordon Brothers lends against and invests in brands, real estate, inventory, receivables, machinery, equipment and other assets, both together and individually, to provide clients liquidity solutions beyond its market-leading disposition and appraisal services. The firm is headquartered in Boston, with over 30 offices across five continents.

Lauren Nadeau
Gordon Brothers
+1.617.422.6599
lnadeau@gordonbrothers.com

Mark Newton-Jones
Gordon Brothers
mnewton-jones@gordonbrothers.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8754096

Synchronoss to Showcase AI-Powered Personal Cloud Platform at Mobile World Congress

Purpose-Built and Widely Deployed by Leading Telecom Operators, the New Synchronoss Personal Cloud Includes Genius, BackTrack and Other Features to Ensure Data Security and Privacy

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (“Synchronoss” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SNCR), a global leader and innovator in cloud, messaging and digital products and platforms, today announced it will showcase the latest version of Synchronoss Personal Cloud at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

The new Synchronoss Personal Cloud platform enables telecom operators to offer premium and value-added services to backup and manage files, photos, videos, and digital content stored on mobile phones and other devices.

Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) the new Genius feature provides tools to optimize photos. Users can colorize black and white photos, enhance photos, and touch up faces, among other effects. The addition of BackTrack provides the capability to revert back and restore files if they are deleted, corrupted, or lost. Additionally, by integrating machine learning, the platform’s Advanced Highlights feature makes it easy to categorize and tag photos, videos, and other digital content so they can be easily highlighted, managed, and shared.

“Unlike OTT apps, our cloud platform provides a carrier-grade solution for service providers to deliver value-added services that also focus heavily on data security and privacy,” said Jeff Miller, President and CEO of Synchronoss. “The capabilities of generative AI and machine learning allow us to deliver innovative functionality such as Genius, BackTrack, and Advanced Highlights, giving users new ways to engage and share their digital content.”

The new features of Synchronoss Personal Cloud are being rolled out to millions of subscribers, including cloud users at AT&T, Verizon, and one of the largest global operators that recently signed a multi-year cloud agreement launching later this year.

Entering Mobile World Congress, Synchronoss will also showcase its carrier-grade email platform, Synchronoss Email Suite. The company recently announced a new contract expansion with a prominent service provider that is delivering email services to over 50 million users, powered by Synchronoss Email Suite and the Mx9 core messaging platform.

“Representing the future of connectivity and drawing the biggest names in the industry, Mobile World Congress is a tremendous venue to build on the momentum of the new Synchronoss Personal Cloud and Synchronoss Email Suite platforms. We look forward to working with our global customers, partners, and new prospects to deliver innovative cloud, messaging, and digital solutions that drive new revenue opportunities for their business,” added Miller.

Meet Us in Barcelona

To schedule a meeting at Mobile World Congress, visit: https://synchronoss.com/events/#schedule.

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. Learn more at www.synchronoss.com.

Media Relations Contact:
Domenick Cilea
Springboard
dcilea@springboardpr.com

Investor Relations Contact:
Matt Glover / Tom Colton
Gateway Group, Inc.
SNCR@gatewayir.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8754201

Call for Entries Issued for The 20th Annual International Business Awards®

New Awards Categories for Achievements in Sustainability

FAIRFAX, Va., Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Stevie Awards are now accepting nominations for The 20th Annual International Business Awards®, the world’s premier business awards competition, which attracts nominations from organizations in more than 60 nations and territories each year.

All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small – may submit nominations to The International Business Awards. The early-bird entry deadline, with reduced entry fees, is 12 April. The final entry deadline is 10 May, but late entries will be accepted through 14 June with payment of a late fee. Entry details are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

Juries featuring more than 150 executives around the world will determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners. Winners will be announced on 11 August and celebrated at a gala banquet in Rome, Italy this October.

The International Business Awards recognize achievement in every facet of the workplace. Categories include:

There are many new and revised features of The International Business Awards for 2023:

Stevie Award winners in the 2022 IBAs included Anexa BPO (Mexico), Abu Dhabi Ports Group (UAE), DHL Express (worldwide), Filinvest Alabang Inc. (Philippines), Halkbank (Turkey), IBM (USA), LLYC (Spain), Lotte Duty Free (South Korea), MDI Ventures (Indonesia), Megaphone (Australia), MetLife China, Octopus Energy (UK), Ooredoo (Singapore), Sleepm Global Inc. (Canada), Unicef Cambodia, Viettel Group (Vietnam), Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., and many more.

About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

Contact:
Nina Moore
+1 (703) 547-8389
Nina@StevieAwards.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8752852

Inscrições abertas para o 20th Annual International Business Awards®

Novas Categorias de Prêmios para Conquistas em Sustentabilidade

FAIRFAX, Va., Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Os Stevie Awards abriram as inscrições para o 20th Annual International Business Awards, a principal competição Stevie® para premiação de empresas que atrai indicações de organizações em mais de 60 países e territórios todos os anos.

Todas as pessoas e empresas de todo o mundo – públicas e privadas, com fins lucrativos e sem fins lucrativos, grandes e pequenas – podem enviar indicações ao The International Business Awards. O prazo para a inscrição antecipada, com taxas reduzidas, é 12 de abril. O prazo final para inscrições é 10 de maio, mas aceitaremos inscrições até 14 de junho mediante o pagamento de uma taxa de atraso. Os detalhes da inscrição podem ser encontrados em www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

Corpos de jurados com mais de 150 executivos de todo o mundo escolherão os vencedores do Stevie Award Ouro, Prata e Bronze. Os nomes dos vencedores serão anunciados em 11 de agosto e homenageados em um banquete de gala em Roma, Itália, em outubro.

Os International Business Awards homenageiam as conquistas em todas as facetas do local de trabalho. As categorias incluem:

Existem muitos recursos novos e revisados do The International Business Awards para 2023:

Os vencedores do Stevie Award nos IBAs de 2022 incluíram Anexa BPO (México), Abu Dhabi Ports Group (Emirados Árabes Unidos), DHL Express (em todo o mundo), Filinvest Alabang Inc. (Filipinas), Halkbank (Turquia), IBM (EUA), LLYC (Espanha), Lotte Duty Free (Coréia do Sul), MDI Ventures (Indonésia), Megaphone (Austrália), MetLife China, Octopus Energy (Reino Unido), Ooredoo (Cingapura), Sleepm Global Inc. (Canadá), Unicef Cambodia, Viettel Group (Vietnã), Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., e muitos mais.

Sobre os Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards são concedidos em oito programas: Stevie Awards Ásia-Pacífico, Stevie Awards Alemão, Stevie Awards Oriente Médio e África do Norte, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, Stevie Awards para Grandes Empregadoras, Stevie Awards para Mulheres Empresariais e Stevie Awards para Vendas e Serviço ao Cliente. Os concursos Stevie Awards recebem mais de 12.000 nomeações todos os anos de empresas de mais de 70 países. Honrando empresas de todos os tipos e tamanhos, e as pessoas por trás delas, os Stevies reconhecem excelente desempenho no local de trabalho em todo o mundo. Saiba mais sobre os Stevie Awards em http://www.StevieAwards.com.

Contato:
Nina Moore
+1 (703) 547-8389
Nina@StevieAwards.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8753770

Appel à candidatures émis pour la 20e édition annuelle des International Business Awards®

Nouvelles catégories de prix pour les accomplissements en matière de durabilité

FAIRFAX, Virginie, 22 févr. 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Les Stevie Awards acceptent désormais les candidatures pour la 20e édition annuelle des International Business Awards®, le programme international de récompenses pour les entreprises le plus prestigieux au monde, qui attire chaque année des candidatures d’organisations provenant de plus de 60 pays et territoires.

Toutes les personnes et organisations du monde (publiques et privées, à but lucratif et à but non lucratif, grandes et petites) peuvent soumettre leurs candidatures aux International Business Awards. La date limite des premières candidatures, qui bénéficieront de frais d’entrée réduits, est fixée au 12 avril. La date limite des candidatures finales est fixée au 10 mai, mais les candidatures tardives seront acceptées jusqu’au 14 juin, moyennant le paiement de frais de retard. Les détails des candidatures sont disponibles à l’adresse www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

Les jurys composés de plus de 150 cadres à travers le monde détermineront les lauréats des Prix Stevie d’or, d’argent et de bronze. Les lauréats seront annoncés le 11 août et célébrés lors d’un banquet de gala qui se tiendra à Rome, en Italie, en octobre.

Les International Business Awards récompensent les réalisations dans tous les aspects du lieu de travail. Les catégories comprennent :

L’édition 2023 des International Business Awards propose de nombreuses fonctionnalités nouvelles et révisées :

Les lauréats de Stevie Award lors des IBA 2022 comprenaient Anexa BPO (Mexique), Abu Dhabi Ports Group (EAU), DHL Express (mondial), Filinvest Alabang Inc. (Philippines), Halkbank (Turquie), IBM (États-Unis), LLYC (Espagne), Lotte Duty Free (Corée du Sud), MDI Ventures (Indonésie), Megaphone (Australie), MetLife Chine, Octopus Energy (Royaume-Uni), Ooredoo (Singapour), Sleepm Global Inc. (Canada), Unicef Cambodia, Viettel Group (Vietnam), Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., et bien d’autres encore.

À propos des Stevie Awards
Les Stevie Awards sont décernés dans huit programmes : les Stevie Awards en Asie-Pacifique, les Stevie Awards en Allemagne, les Stevie Awards au Moyen-Orient et en Afrique du Nord, les American Business Awards®, les International Business Awards®, les Stevie Awards pour les grands employeurs, les Stevie Awards pour les femmes entrepreneurs et les Stevie Awards pour les ventes et le service à la clientèle. Les concours des Stevie Awards reçoivent chaque année plus de 12 000 candidatures émanant d’entreprises de plus de 70 pays. En récompensant les entreprises de tous types et de toutes tailles, ainsi que leurs collaborateurs, les Stevie Awards reconnaissent les performances exceptionnelles sur le lieu de travail dans le monde entier. Pour en savoir plus sur les Stevie Awards, rendez-vous sur le site http://www.StevieAwards.com.

Contact :
Nina Moore
+1 (703) 547-8389
Nina@StevieAwards.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8753770

Russia Says No Firing Hypersonic Missile at South Africa War Games

Russia has said it will not test fire a hypersonic missile during joint naval drills with China and South Africa, contradicting earlier reports in Russian state media.

A senior Russian naval official told a news conference in Richards Bay, on South Africa’s east coast, that the country had no plans to fire the Zircon missile during the ten-day exercise, Reuters reported Wednesday.

A frigate that carries the weapon, the Admiral Gorshkov, is in South African waters — one of several Russian ships deployed to Exercise Mosi II.

Russian news agency TASS reported earlier this month that the Zircon — which President Vladimir Putin has called “unstoppable” — could be used in a training launch during the exercise.

That drew condemnation from South Africa’s main opposition Democratic Alliance as well as the Ukrainian Association in South Africa. South African officials denied the report.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Captain Oleg Gladkiy, who is heading the Russian contingent, said, “The hypersonic weapon will not be used in the context of these exercises… There is no hidden meaning in the exercises that we are performing today,” according to Reuters.

South Africa has been heavily criticized for going ahead with the exercises, which coincide with the first anniversary of the ongoing Ukraine war. But the South African government, which has officially remained neutral on the conflict, has defended its right to hold drills with “friends.”

The ruling African National Congress party has a long relationship with Moscow, dating back to the days when the Soviet Union supported the ANC’s struggle against white minority rule.

Source: Voice of America

NATO Chief Sees ‘Some Signs’ China Could Back Russia’s War

NATO’s chief said Wednesday that the military alliance has seen “some signs” that China may be planning to support Russia in its war in Ukraine, and he strongly urged Beijing to desist from what would be a violation of international law.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also told The Associated Press in an interview that the alliance, while not a party to the war, will support Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”

Asked whether NATO has any indication that China might be ready to provide arms or other support to Russia’s war, Stoltenberg said:

“We have seen some signs that they may be planning for that and of course NATO allies, the United States, have been warning against it because this is something that should not happen. China should not support Russia’s illegal war.”

Stoltenberg said potential Chinese assistance would amount to providing “[direct] support to a blatant violation of international law, and of course [as] a member of the U.N. Security Council, China should not in any way support violation of the U.N. Charter, or international law.”

Putin hosts Chinese visitor

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the Chinese Communist Party’s most senior foreign policy official, Wang Yi, raising concern in the West that Beijing might be ready to offer Moscow stronger support in the almost year-old war.

China has pointedly refused to criticize the invasion of Ukraine while echoing Moscow’s claim that the U.S. and NATO were to blame for provoking the Kremlin. China, Russia and South Africa are holding naval drills in the Indian Ocean this week.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said any Chinese involvement in the Kremlin’s war effort would be a “serious problem.” Ties between China and the U.S. are under severe strain over Taiwan and other issues.

Stoltenberg spoke to The Associated Press in Warsaw, following a meeting of NATO’s nine eastern flank members with U.S. President Joe Biden on the region’s security.

He stressed that while NATO “is no party” to the Ukraine conflict, its tasks are to “ensure that Ukraine prevails” and to “prevent this war from escalating beyond Ukraine and becoming a full-fledged war between Russia and NATO.”

He said the main message from the meeting in Warsaw was that “we will provide support to Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

It would be a “tragedy for the Ukrainians if President Putin wins in Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said, and also “dangerous for all of us” because it would “send the message to all authoritarian leaders that when they use military force, they get what they want.”

The Russian attack on Ukraine has prompted Sweden and neighboring Finland to abandondecades of nonalignment and apply to join the 30-nation alliance. But their bids, particularly Sweden’s, are being delayed by Turkey, which wants the two countries to crack down on mostly Kurdish groups Ankara regards as terrorists.

Stoltenberg told the AP that following talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week he could see Turkey “is moving closer to being ready to ratify and [to] welcome Finland into the alliance. But [Ankara continues] to have some challenges with Sweden.”

He said he welcomed the fact that he and Erdogan agreed to a meeting soon “of experts and officials in Brussels” from the three countries involved “to look into how we can make progress also on the ratification of Sweden as a full NATO ally.”

Source: Voice of America

Three U.N. peacekeepers from Senegal killed in central Mali

Bamako, Three peacekeepers from Senegal were killed and five seriously injured after their convoy hit an improvised explosive device in central Mali, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country and Senegal’s army have said.

Mali is struggling to stem an Islamist insurgency that took root after a 2012 coup and has since spread from the West African country’s arid north. Thousands have died and millions have been displaced across the Sahel region.

Some of the groups have links to al Qaeda and Daesh, Reuters reports.

Tuesday’s incident took place near the village of Songobia, 29 km (18 miles) southwest of the town of Bandiagara in Mali’s Mopti region, the U.N. peacekeeping mission MINUSMA said in a statement.

Senegal’s army also issued a statement saying the victims were part of a Senegalese contingent of the U.N. mission.

At least 168 peacekeepers have been killed in Mali since the start of the mission in 2013, making it the deadliest U.N. peacekeeping effort in the world.

“This is another tragic illustration of the complexity of our operational environment and the sacrifices made by the international community for peace in Mali,” said MINUSMA Head of Mission El-Ghassim Wane.

Source: Bahrain News Agency