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Learn to Earn community, Qureos secures $3M funding round to accelerate 100M careers

Qureos

UAE-based EdTech and Future of Work marketplace Qureos has raised $3M million in its pre-seed round led by Dubai-based early-stage VC COTU Ventures and New York-based early-stage VC Colle Capital as it seeks to fast track growth and democratize “Learn to Earn” opportunities for talent globally. The round also saw participation from global and regional investors, including Globivest, Plutus21 Capital, Dubai Angel Investors, and AlZayani Venture Capital. ​​Several angel investors including current and former leaders of Swvl, Boston Consulting Group, Moelis & Company, Careem, Cisco Systems, Koinz, Message Bird, Bain & Company, Hiperpool, ADNOC, QIA, and other notable individuals. Founded in August 2021 by Alexander Epure, Mehrad Yaghmai and Usama Nini, Queros began life as a passion project for the founders to accelerate careers by making mentorship more accessible. This passion project was validated when selected by the Dubai Future Accelerators to solve the skill gap in the transition from campus to the workplace and in between jobs. Qureos is building an experiential learning community to change how people connect, learn and work. Qureos is helping people from over 127 countries learn in-demand skills through cohort-based learning paths led by world-class industry experts that match the hiring demands from Qureos’ business partners. Qureos is solving the skill gap in the transition from campus to the workplace and those changing careers. Globally, there are 254 million Gen Z who have graduated and are still unemployed due to the skill gap, most notably in emerging markets where youth unemployment is above 36%. The job market is changing faster than school curriculums and emerging talent are not getting traditional job placements. Qureos is tapping into the $470B e-learning and future of work markets that are currently separated. “We believe that new learning models like Qureos, which combine cohort-based, synchronous education with community, are going to become more mainstream and disrupt traditional players. From our perspective, the energy and passion that the team exhibited from our initial conversations, to the traction demonstrated so early on, and the deep product vision, were all ingredients to driving our conviction in the business. We’re excited to be a part of this journey and seeing the team’s vision of upskilling talent become a reality. “ said Amir Farha - Founder and Managing Partner at COTU Ventures With instant applications on many job platforms today, hiring fatigue is becoming a burden on HR teams with 47% of candidates failing job interviews due to a lack of alignment to the company. By 2025, Millennials and Gen Z will make up 75% of the global workforce according to Deloitte. As a result, businesses are facing an increasing average cost of hiring of $4,129 per hire and an average time-to-hire of 42 days. By creating a learning community, Qureos allows growing businesses to tap into an on-demand workforce of talent who have been mentored to deliver a high quality of work. With Qureos, businesses are able to reduce their cost-to-hire by up to 79% and their time-to-hire by 36% through Qureos’ proprietary performance-based hiring framework. “Learning and hiring are disconnected and Qureos aims to leverage its unique position at the nexus of these two markets through an experiential learning community where emerging talent can learn from industry experts and gain experience through mentor-led hiring cohorts from businesses,” said Alexander Epure, Co-Founder and CEO at Qureos. “Qureos is going after a massive opportunity with the ultimate aim of creating an ecosystem that unlocks the potential of the human capital. There is a huge untapped potential amongst emerging talent which is not harnessed and it’s about time we create an inspirational story that brings together people who align with our mission” said the founders. With native network effects of the platform, Qureos has been able to achieve phenomenal organic growth of 25,000+ users, as well as attracting mentors from leading organizations including Google, Paypal, Amazon, Cisco, and more than 100 business partners globally. “Creators and industry experts can seamlessly monetize their knowledge, build an online presence and personal brand while giving back to the local and global community.“ said Tomas Panek - Digital Marketing at Qatar Airways. Victoria Grace, Founder and Managing Partner at Colle Capital said: “We see tremendous opportunity in Qureos’ mission to bridge knowledge gaps and upskill professionals through leveraging the extraordinary pathway with direct mentorship. Simultaneously this platform provides a fantastic opportunity for highly skilled individuals to directly monetize their knowledge base, compounded by distinct network effects, and for companies to access high quality and motivated pool of talent. It is also extremely gratifying to see the proliferation of entrepreneurial talent in the region directly stemming from the success of Swvl. It is clear to us at Colle Capital that the rising Swvl Mafia will be at the forefront of ushering in a new and exciting wave of innovation in the MENA region and beyond.“ In November 2021, Qureos announced its partnership with DP World, a Dubai-based multinational logistics provider, to digitize the Tumoohi program, an initiative to support the Emirati society and contribute to the UAE government’s efforts to enable Emirati youth. “I am excited to see Alex and Usama, Swvl alumni, and the rest of the founding team raise a highly successful and oversubscribed round and launch in multiple markets. From Swvl’s reliable and affordable transport to Qureos’ Learn to Earn model, the common mission is enhancing access to work and education opportunities and empowering livelihoods. I am also encouraged to see Victoria, the CEO of Queen’s Gambit Growth Capital, the SPAC Swvl is combing with, continue to invest in global players emerging out of the Middle East to scale internationally and access global pools of capital” said Youssef Salem, CFO of Swvl and Member of Board of Advisors of Qureos. Qureos plans to use this investment to build product-led operations and expand its remote-first team with a focus on hiring talent for their offices in the UAE, Pakistan and India. Its diverse team comes from 11 cities and 10 nationalities with experiences at Swvl, Cisco, Careem, EY, Daraz, HSBC and Aleph. About Qureos Qureos is a ‘learn to earn’ marketplace that makes it easy for emerging talent to learn in-demand skills from world-class industry experts through cohort-based learning paths led by world-class industry experts that match the hiring demand from Qureos’ business partners. About Investors COTU Ventures is a Dubai-based leading seed stage venture firm in the Middle East who partners with incredible founders at the beginning of their journey and accelerating their path to product-market fit and ensuring that they get access to the right capital and expertise. Colle Capital Partners is a global, opportunistic, early stage technology venture fund, based out of New York and founded by Victoria Grace who is also the founder of Queen’s Gambit Growth Capital which is leading the SPAC IPO of Swvl. Dubai Angel Investors is member-led Micro-VC made up of more than 100 like-minded angel investors and are passionate about entrepreneurs that have taken their ideas from concept to customer traction to scale with drive, energy, determination and ambition. Globivest, is a Beirut-based private investment firm with a primary focus on innovative and scalable early stage start-ups. Investments range across a spectrum of sectors and asset classes mainly in Europe and the USA. Plutus21 Capital, is a US-based multi-strategy investment firm focused on blockchain infrastructure investments. AlZayani Venture Capital, a portfolio company of AlZayani Investments and is focused on investing in innovative start-ups and disruptive technologies. Currently, it has investments in various companies in sectors such as Fintech, Retail, Food & Beverages, Tourism and EdTech. Contact Details Qureos Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodtrategy.com Company Website https://www.qureos.com/

April 06, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Ukraine and Libya conflicts microcosms for upending today's world order

Morgan Marketing & Communications

Speakers JASON PACK ( Senior Analyst at the NATO Foundation and President of Libya-Analysis LLC ) and Ambassador Jonathan Winer (Former US Special Envoy to Libya and Non Resident Fellow at the Middle East Institute) will be illuminating today's dis-order in today's geopolitics at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on the occasion of the launch of Mr. Pack's new work, Libya and the Global Enduring Disorder, being held on Monday, April 11th from 3-5PM in the Zenger Room. The world seems to have gone directly from a hegemonic US-led international system to an interregnum in global order. The traditional phase of multipolarity—or a restoration of the balance of power, or even a struggle among rival systems of order, has been skipped. Jason Pack's Libya and the Global Enduring Disorder (Hurst/Oxford University Press) presents the Libya and Ukraine conflicts as an ideal microcosms for examining the collective action failures typical of our new geopolitics. Jonathan Winer's Afterword contextualizes what the Libya conflict reveals about today's international arena. Their talk is an examination of the current state of the world and American and Western policy towards key geostrategic hotspots framed in light of Jason Pack's Enduring Disorder concept. Broadening out from the discoveries of his core research on Libya, he will discuss how the West's response to the Ukraine crisis highlights where today's geopolitics seem to be headed -- bringing into sharp focus the need for a Western-led, rules-based global order. For more background on the book's main argument and its applicability to the current Ukraine crisis consult, Jason's recent pieces in New Lines Magazine Why Putin Is Playing Poker, Not Chess or with Foreign Policy ' Libya’s Chaos Is a Warning to the World '. For Mr Pack's, argument for a more robust transatlantic approach to order the current disorder, see his: When the US shrinks from the stage, things fall apart --- lead article Boston Globe IDEAS Section. For more information on the event, go to https://www.press.org/events/ukraine-libya-and-global-enduring-disorder Morgan Marketing and Communications is a client-based, retained marketing and communications agency in the maritime industry committed to providing its clients with the highest quality professional marketing and communications services available. Our mission is to partner with our clients to meet their needs, and exceed their goals. Contact Details Morgan Marketing & Communications Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-260-0480 c.walker@morganmarketcomm.com Company Website https://morganmarketcomm.com/

April 05, 2022 04:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Kivvit Named Finalist in 26 Categories at the 2022 Reed Awards

Kivvit

Kivvit has been named a finalist in 26 categories at Campaigns & Elections magazine’s 2022 Reed Awards, including Public Affairs Firm of the Year. The firm’s client work has also been shortlisted for a wide range of notable awards, including Best Public Affairs Campaign, Best Online Advertising Campaign, Most Daring and Successful Tactic, as well as categories spanning television, radio, social media and digital, media buying, and more. Taken together, these recognitions demonstrate Kivvit’s versatility, creativity, and commitment to innovation across formats, tactics, and sectors. The winners will be announced at the 2022 Reed Awards & Conference on May 4 th & 5 th in Nashville, TN. Below are all of the categories Kivvit was shortlisted for: Overall Public Affairs Firm of the Year Best Public Affairs Campaign Best Online Advertising Campaign Most Daring And Successful Tactic Best Radio Ad Best Online Video – Public Affairs Digital Advertising & Targeting: Best Use of OTT - Connected TV Advertising & Targeting: Best Use of a Social Platform Online Video: Most Original Online Video Online Video: Best Online Video Series Online Video: Best Online Video - 30 Seconds or Under Online Video: Best Online Video - Snackable (6 Seconds or Under) Online Video: Best Online Video for Public Affairs Campaign or Issue Advocacy – Infrastructure Online Video: Best Online Video for Independent Expenditure Online Video: Best Online Video for Public Affairs Campaign or Issue Advocacy - Public Health (COVID) Online Video: Best Use of 360, VR or AR Television Best TV Ad for Public Affairs Campaign or Issue Advocacy - Public Health Best TV Ad for Independent Expenditure Campaign – Mayoral Best Spanish Language TV Ad Best TV Ad - 15 Seconds Best TV Ad - 30 Seconds Radio & Podcasts Best Use of Radio Targeting Best Radio Ad for Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy Campaign or Ballot Initiative Media Buying Most Innovative or Layered Media-Mix OTT & CTV Best OTT/CTV Video for Public Affairs Campaign or Issue Advocacy Best OTT/CTV Video for Independent Expenditure About Kivvit Kivvit is one of the largest and fastest-growing independent strategic communications and public affairs firms in the United States, with over 130 professionals across six offices in Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. Kivvit has earned over 60 awards and recognitions in the past 5 years, including Public Affairs of the Year (Reed Awards), Digital Agency of the Year (PRovoke SABRE North America), Most Innovative Agency (Bulldog Stars of PR Awards), and a Best Agency to Work For (PRovoke). Kivvit also leads O'Dwyer's national rankings of independent communications firms across multiple categories, including #1 for Real Estate Finance & Development, #2 for Non-profits, #2 for Energy, #3 for Education, and #4 for Purpose & CSR. To learn more and see what we do, visit www.Kivvit.com and follow us @TeamKivvit. Contact Details Zach Silber +1 212-929-0669 zsilber@kivvit.com Company Website https://www.kivvit.com/

April 05, 2022 02:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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ShipIn Systems Secures Funding for Innovative Visual Fleet Management Platform from Munich Re Ventures

ShipIn

ShipIn Systems, the world’s first Visual Fleet Management Platform, today announced an investment by Munich Re Ventures, the venture capital arm of Munich Re Group, one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, primary insurance, and insurance-related risk solutions. “By partnering with Munich Re Ventures, we are helping to build a safer and more productive future for the maritime industry,” said Osher Perry, Co-Founder and CEO of ShipIn Systems. “The reality is that as ships are getting bigger, crew are getting smaller. ShipIn’s mission is to give seafarers the advanced digital tools required to do their jobs better and fleet managers the experience and benefits of working ‘shoulder-to-shoulder’ with their seaborne teams. We believe every ship will have Visual Fleet Management in the near future.” By deploying AI-powered cameras and real-time visual analytics, ShipIn proactively alerts shipowners, managers, and seafarers to onboard anomalies around bridge activities, safety and security, cargo operations and maintenance. With real-time notifications, benchmarking of vessel performance, and remote audits, ShipIn delivers a reduction of 40% in incidents and increase of cargo operations efficiency by 8%, directly improving financial performance of global fleets. "By investing in ShipIn, Munich Re Ventures has clearly shown their belief in the platform and the power it has to reduce incidents onboard ships, making voyages safer with AI technology,” said Dr. Kirsi Tikka, ShipIn Advisor and Maritime Leader. “I can foresee a future where having ShipIn onboard may reduce the cost of insurance for ship owners and will benefit the insurance industry as well." The maritime industry transports more than 90% of the world’s goods and energy, accounting for $14 trillion in world trade. The partnership with Munich Re Ventures will support ShipIn’s expansion, broadening access to Visual Fleet Management for fleets worldwide. “ShipIn’s patented platform brings the vision and capability to support the broader digitalization of the marine and cargo shipping industry,” said Timur Davis, Investment Principal, Munich Re Ventures. “We see this trend as an important enabler for marine organizations to make more informed decisions in managing assets at sea. Munich Re Ventures looks forward to collaborating with ShipIn to reduce incidents on a ship, improve overall safety and operations, and ensure effective and timely resolution to on-board incidents.” With more than $1 billion in assets under management, Munich Re Ventures invests in the most innovative startups engaged in developing new technologies and business models that will transform the future of risk and risk transfer. With its inaugural maritime investment, Munich Re Ventures supports a future of marine insurance and reinsurance driven by ShipIn’s innovative AI solutions to de-risk the future of transportation. “It’s clear to see the potential in ShipIn’s advanced AI technology for the maritime industry.” said Ronald Kargl, Chief Underwriting Officer for Marine Reinsurance, Munich Re. “We’re excited to see a solution that can make shipping safer for all onboard.” ShipIn Systems is the world’s first Visual Fleet Management Platform, enabling seamless ship-to-shore collaboration for maritime fleets. By deploying AI-powered cameras and real-time visual analytics, ShipIn’s platform proactively alerts shipowners, managers, and seafarers to onboard anomalies, reducing incidents onboard and increasing cargo operations efficiency. Creating a digital bridge between ship and shore, ShipIn provides objective insights into safety, security, cargo operations, maintenance, and more. With all tracking rolling up to an analytics dashboard, the platform makes it easy to benchmark performance, conduct remote audits, and improve the operational ROI of your entire fleet. Learn more at ShipIn.ai. Contact Details ShipIn Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-260-0480 c.walker@morganmarketcomm.com

April 05, 2022 12:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Stagwell’s (STGW) Flagship Media Agency Assembly Selected by Lenovo as Global Agency of Record For EMEA, North America, & Latin America

Assembly

Global omnichannel agency Assembly has been named a Media Agency of Record for Lenovo, one of the world’s largest technology companies. Assembly will lead Lenovo’s full-funnel paid media program for its consumer (including Yoga and Lenovo Legion gaming), commercial (including ThinkPad), and small and medium-sized business segments (including ThinkBook) across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Lenovo has brought Assembly on to strengthen its audience-centric and insight-led media approach, with an emphasis on data convergence, performance measurement, and technology, to drive greater marketing effectiveness. The appointment supports the operationalization of Lenovo’s global marketing strategy, which sees agency partners and Lenovo’s Global Media Strategy Center of Excellence working together in an innovative hybrid model. “As the technology and marketing industries undergo a profound transformation in an increasingly fragmented digital ecosystem, marketing needs to adapt and modernize as we navigate this new environment,” said Gina Qiao, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Lenovo. “We look forward to working with our new agency partners to continue innovating how and where we tell Lenovo’s vision of smarter technology for all, and to further advance the industry.” Lenovo represents one of the world’s widest portfolio of technology devices, solutions and services, with a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, from smarter supply chains to human-centered technology that improves the lives of communities everywhere. “It's such an exciting time to partner with Lenovo. With huge opportunities for transformation and growth, we look forward to bringing data, technology, and omnichannel media solutions to Lenovo’s global marketing strategy,” said James Townsend, Global CEO of Assembly and Global CEO of Stagwell Media Network. “This is a partnership aligned in the ambition to continue transforming marketing and we’re grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the whole Lenovo team.” Assembly is part of Stagwell, the challenger network built to transform marketing. “Lenovo is a world-class, globally-recognized brand, and we look forward to growing their business and transforming their marketing capabilities for the future,” said Mark Penn, Stagwell CEO and Chairman. Assembly’s appointment is effective April 2022. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. ABOUT ASSEMBLY: Assembly is made of the ingredients of the modern agency, bringing together data, talent, and technology to deliver a connected set of solutions for media + more to the best brands on the planet. We're home to more than 1,500 of the industry's top talent, who bring unmatched global omnichannel media expertise + data, technology, and business consulting capabilities that help brands find the change that fuels growth. Assembly is a proud member of Stagwell, the challenger network built to transform marketing. Visit www.assemblyglobal.com for more information. ABOUT LENOVO: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$60 billion revenue Fortune Global 500 company serving customers in 180 markets around the world. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, we are developing world-changing technologies that power (through devices and infrastructure) and empower (through solutions, services and software) millions of customers every day and together create a more inclusive, trustworthy and sustainable digital society for everyone, everywhere. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com and read about the latest news via our StoryHub. ABOUT STAGWELL: Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com. ABOUT STAGWELL MEDIA NETWORK: Stagwell’s Media Network is a group of leading multichannel agencies home to more than 3,000 experts with an expansive global footprint across 40+ offices in 20 countries, managing close to $5 billion in media. Agencies include Assembly, MMI Agency, Goodstuff and Grason, creative consultancy GALE, B2B specialist Multiview, multi-lingual content agency Locaria, and travel and media experts Ink. The network offers marketers a more dynamic partner for global B2B and B2C solutions spanning data, technology, media, and creativity aimed at accelerating business growth for brands worldwide. Contact Details Assembly Sara Pollack, VP of Marketing +1 917-438-4922 sara.pollack@assemblyglobal.com Company Website https://www.assemblyglobal.com/

April 04, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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ECI Report Shows That the Size of an Organization Affects Reporting of Misconduct and Efficacy of Ethics & Compliance Programs

Ethics & Compliance Initiative

The Ethics & Compliance Initiative™ ( ECI™ ) has released a report that shows that ethics & compliance (E&C) programs operate differently in small- and medium-sized organizations compared to large enterprises. The strength of an E&C program is critical to decreasing the likelihood of misconduct, increasing reporting of misconduct and decreasing retaliation in an organization. The report - State of Ethics & Compliance in the Workplace, Differences between Small, Medium and Large Enterprises - outlined seven key findings, including that ethical culture strength is similar, regardless of the organization’s size; E&C program elements are increasingly embedded as organizational size increases; and employees at medium-sized and large organizations are better prepared to handle potential misconduct. Other key findings showed that – although all organizations can benefit from an enhanced E&C program to temper pressure and misconduct – medium-sized organizations have a more urgent need to develop their E&C programs if they are not already formalized. “In medium-sized organizations that are transitioning to a large-sized enterprise, more employees feel pressure, and observe misconduct and perceive retaliation after reporting misconduct compared with employees in small- and large-sized enterprises,” said Evren Esen, ECI Vice President of Research & Analytics at ECI. "Medium-sized organizations often still have the advantage of being nimble, agile and more interconnected. They may need, however, to establish ethical practices and programs that are more sophisticated and have a broader reach.” “ECI encourages organizations that are growing to be aware of a ‘tipping point’ at which informal ways of doing things give way to formal programming and support to help guide employees on workplace ethics standards and how to address wrongdoing,” Esen concluded. The State of Ethics & Compliance in the Workplace, Differences between Small, Medium and Large Enterprises report examines data from the ECI’s Global Business Ethics Survey® (GBES®). Data from more than 5,000 employees in the United States were analyzed by the size of the enterprise in which they work (i.e., organizational staff size). For the purposes of the report, small-, medium- and large-staff-sized organizations were defined by the following categories: Small organizations: Fewer than 500 employees Medium organizations: 500 to 999 employees Large organizations: 1,000 or more employees Results discussed include ethical culture strength and four major ethics outcomes that are connected to E&C program implementation: pressure, observed misconduct, reporting misconduct and retaliation. Additional comparisons are made to show the impact of a strong versus a weak ethical culture on ethics outcomes. ECI will hold an ECI Live event during which E&C professionals will discuss the State of Ethics & Compliance in the Workplace, Differences between Small, Medium and Large Enterprises report. The event is scheduled for April 27, 2022, and panelists include Alistair Raymond, VP and Chief Compliance officer, AVANGRID; and Elizabeth Simon, VP of Compliance for FirstKey Homes. Register for the event here. The Business Ethics Resource Center (BERC), powered by U.S. Bank; and the Melrose & The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership at the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, Minnesota funded the report. About ECI Established in 1922, the Ethics & Compliance Initiative™ (ECI™) comprises the two oldest nonprofits in the ethics & compliance industry; the Ethics Resource Center® (d.b.a. the Ethics Research Center) and the Ethics & Compliance Officer Association (d.b.a. the Ethics & Compliance Association). Through its research, ECI identifies the practices that improve ethics & compliance program effectiveness and build institutional culture strength. As an association, ECI brings together ethics & compliance professionals and academics from all over the world to share techniques, resources and exciting new ideas. ECI also has an established track record of providing support to organizations seeking to transform their cultures, often in the wake of significant challenges with noncompliance. Contact Details Florence Sumaray +1 301-717-9063 florence@ethics.org Company Website https://www.ethics.org

April 01, 2022 02:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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WATCHDOG GROUP SAYS FOREIGN AGENT INVESTIGATION OF HUNTER BIDEN SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO NONPROFIT GROUP AND UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

National Legal & Policy Center

The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), an ethics watchdog group, called upon U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David C. Weiss to investigate the Truman National Security Project, the University of Pennsylvania and its Penn Biden Center to determine whether they violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) for engaging in political activities on behalf of Burisma and Chinese interests. Recent press reports indicate a Delaware grand jury is looking into possible violations of FARA by Hunter Biden, and whether foreign payments received from CEFC China Energy, which paid $4.8 million to entities controlled by Hunter Biden and his uncle, should have triggered registration. NLPC’s 12-page complaint originally filed in October 2020 with the Department of Justice’s FARA Unit, draws upon press reports and other evidence that disclose incriminating emails and text messages on Hunter Biden’s laptop computer and statements against Hunter and his father President Biden by Tony Bobulinski, Hunter’s partner on Burisma, the Ukrainian oil company. Bobulinski was interviewed by the FBI in a criminal investigation into activities that most likely involve money laundering, tax evasion, wire fraud, and other crimes, and implicates his uncle James Biden, and his father, President Biden. The complaint cites one such text message on May 1, 2017 by Hunter to Bobulinski regarding their Chinese energy client, CEFC, “We don’t want to have to register as foreign agents... which is much more expansive than people who should know choose not to know.” In another email dated April 17, 2015, Burisma’s Vadym Pozharski thanks Hunter for arranging a meeting with his father, who was then Vice President. Hunter served as a board member until 2019 on the liberal Truman National Security Project along with Sally Painter, COO of Blue Star Strategies, a lobbying firm retained by Burisma to promote its interests before the State Department. The Truman Project, which endorsed Kamala Harris in 2016 for her Senate race, failed to note on its 2017 tax filing that Hunter and Painter had a business relationship with each other through Burisma. Finally, NLPC demands that U.S. Attorney Weiss investigate the source of over $22 million in anonymous donations from China to the University of Pennsylvania and its Penn Biden Center that may have been earmarked to promote Chinese interests and thus trigger registration as foreign agent. NLPC’s complaint cited prior FARA rulings in similar cases. “Hunter Biden did not act alone in a crack-induced fog. He was part of a network of individuals and institutions that received millions from foreign interests,” said NLPC Chairman, Peter Flaherty. “U.S. Attorney Weiss should pursue the larger Biden family influence-selling operation without any political pressure from the Merrick Garland Justice Department,” said Paul Kamenar, NLPC’s counsel who drafted the complaint. Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education, and legal action. www.nlpc.org. Contact Details Paul Kamenar +1 301-257-9435 paul.kamenar@gmail.com Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

April 01, 2022 12:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Kivvit’s Megan O’Leary Inducted Into PRWeek’s 2022 Women To Watch Class

Kivvit

Out of almost 250 nominations, PRWeek has selected Kivvit Associate Director Megan O’Leary to be inducted into the 2022 Women to Watch class alongside 24 leading communications professionals. As a member of this prestigious group, Megan has proven she is up for every challenge and ready to go above and beyond to ensure results exceed client goals and achieve creative excellence. “Megan consistently delivers outstanding results as a top strategist and trusted colleague and mentor at Kivvit. She managed Kivvit’s work for the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice (NCCCJ) on behalf of the Council on Criminal Justice, which was named one of the top 40 PR campaigns in the world last year. Megan also led Kivvit’s work on behalf of the Public Religion Research Institute to promote the organization’s groundbreaking insights into the QAnon conspiracy theory,” said Chief Operating Officer Molly Scherrman. Outside of work, she is a mentor through Vanderbilt University’s alumni network, helping undergraduates pursue their career goals and is pursuing a Master’s of Public Policy at Georgetown University. “Every single Women of Distinction and Women to Watch honoree is a role model. They have proven themselves to be tireless, fearless, compassionate, and effective business leaders — especially in recent times of crisis; but even more important, they are, quite simply, good people. Many spend their spare time raising up other women in the industry by educating, empowering, and advocating for them,” said Diana Bradley, associate news editor at PRWeek. Now in its seventh year, PRWeek selects women who have achieved success within their own organization, inspired colleagues and, through innovative and transformative work, elevated the practice of public relations to new heights. The 2022 Women of Distinction will be profiled in the March-April print issue of PRWeek and honored at a celebratory event on June 9 in NYC. Profiles of all honorees can be found at https://www.prweek.com/article/1748506/ About Kivvit Kivvit is one of the largest and fastest-growing independent strategic communications and public affairs firms in the United States, with over 130 professionals across six offices in Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. Kivvit has earned over 60 awards and recognitions in the past 5 years, including Public Affairs of the Year (Reed Awards), Digital Agency of the Year (PRovoke SABRE North America), Most Innovative Agency (Bulldog Stars of PR Awards), and a Best Agency to Work For (PRovoke). Kivvit also leads O'Dwyer's national rankings of independent communications firms across multiple categories, including #1 for Non Profits, #2 for Energy, #3 for Corporate Social Responsibility, #3 for Real Estate, and #4 for Education. To learn more and see what we do, visit www.Kivvit.com and follow us @TeamKivvit. Contact Details Zach Silber +1 212-929-0669 zsilber@kivvit.com Company Website https://www.kivvit.com/

April 01, 2022 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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The Smiley Company Illuminates Cities for International Day of Happiness

YourUpdateTV

Timed to International Day of Happiness, The Smiley Company unveiled large-scale projections around the world featuring the iconic smiley logo in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. The projections are in support of the United Nations International Day of Happiness “2022 Happiness for All, Ukraine”* initiative and serve to call attention to and honor the bravery and resilience of the people of Ukraine. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/AyFO6v2Ihbg The Smiley projections appeared on the streets of major cities around the world including London, Los Angeles, New York, Berlin, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome and Sydney. As part of this announcement, Smiley also donated to various humanitarian organizations supporting Ukraine and has been using its platform, The Smiley Movement, to further raise awareness and share resources for ways to donate to the Ukraine effort. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, International Day of Happiness aims to remind people around the world that actions matter and each person can help build a more compassionate world, wherever they are. Since its inception 50 years ago, Smiley’s mission is to spread good news to demonstrate the immense power in a smile through the spread of positivity, good news and optimism around the world. For more information on how to support Ukraine, visit https://smileymovement.org/ for a list of charities, ways to donate and resources taking positive action. * This initiative is in support of the United Nations official International Day of Happiness campaign and The Smiley Company is not officially affiliated with the UN or their initiatives surrounding International Day of Happiness. About The Smiley Company: For the past 50 years, Smiley has embraced positivity, creativity, and collaboration, inspiring forward-facing optimism around the world. Born as a symbol for good news in the newspaper France Soir in 1972, Smiley is now a universally recognised TOP 100 global licensing company registered in over 100 countries. Working with brand partners and leading retailers, Smiley spreads positivity through fashion, accessories, beauty, homewares, food packaging, stationery, and entertainment products. A lifestyle brand that encourages everyone to express more empathy, compassion, and gratitude, Smiley is determined to build a better future. About The Smiley Movement: Smiley Movement is a nonprofit community interest company sponsored by the original SmileyⓇ brand. Our vision is to inspire positive change in society by creating a happier, more equal and sustainable world, where everyone works hand-in-hand to address urgent societal and environmental problems. In 2017, philanthropist and social entrepreneur Nicolas Loufrani – Smiley’s CEO – identified a gap in the market between the people looking for opportunities to give back and the millions of charitable causes in need of support. Market research at the time showed ‘92% of the UK public want to do good in the world but are unsure how to’ and ‘82% would volunteer more if they were better informed about the charity sector’. Smiley Movement was born in 2018 to address this need by providing the technology and ecosystems that empower communities around the world to act on issues important to them. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

March 31, 2022 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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