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BRITISH TECH VISIONARIES BUILDING THE VIRTUAL WORKPLACE METAVERSE #virtualworkplacemetaverse

PixelMax

VIRTUAL WORKPLACES WILL DRAMATICALLY REDEFINE THE OFFICE & WORK CULTURE OF THE FUTURE TECH INNOVATORS PIXELMAX OUTLINE THEIR VISION IN THOUGHT LEADERSHIP British tech innovators PixelMax have outlined their vision for the hybrid work revolution and the future of the virtual workplace metaverse in a ground-breaking thought leadership blueprint that will reshape how the workplace and office of the future will evolve. With so much attention and media chatter on what the metaverse will look and feel like, PixelMax have not only outlined their visionary plans, but have also been innovating and developing in this space for the past two years. Entitled ‘The Virtual Workplace – Enter The Metaverse’, https://pixelmax.com/virtual-workplace/metaverse-thought-leadership the thought leadership document outlines its vision for the virtual workplace, including how the office and work culture of the future will adapt to change. At the core of its thinking is how businesses and economies are future proofed to deal with changing dynamics of workforces, consumer demand and global events, such as future pandemics. It goes further to outline the importance of how this will impact employee well-being, mental health and work-life balance – all of which play crucial roles in shaping the virtual workplace we work in, as well as how we hire and retain the best employee talent. In turn, this also affects wider issues of global warming and climate change because of individual and workplace carbon footprints. PixelMax defines the virtual workplace as ‘a virtual space that enables employees and wider communities to effectively communicate, collaborate and co-create regardless of location’. Every company will eventually have a hybrid of the virtual workplace. BMW, for instance, has already partnered with Nvidia to build a virtual factory as a digital twin: a virtual representation and real estate of its physical assets, systems and processes. The possibilities for car manufacturers to have virtual showrooms, as well as training centres for technicians and engineers, are endless. Manchester-headquartered PixelMax are innovators in building 3D worlds, digital real estate and online corporate assets, creating immersive multi-platforms. This can range from building the #WePlayStrong UEFA Women’s Champions League final fan engagement event in an immersive world, to a multiple blue-light emergency services simulation and training exercise with first responders and mass-casualty incidents for the ATACC Group. 2020 dramatically changed the way we worked. Practically overnight, businesses were forced to adopt a remote-first work model – and employees, businesses, Governments and students were all forced to grapple with the worlds of Microsoft Teams and Zoom. A dramatic sea change, which under normal circumstances would have likely taken years, was accelerated exponentially. Zoom and Teams were not built to become the sole form of communication in everyday life, as exemplified when people regularly disengaged from the platforms, turning their cameras off during video calls. The overnight shift allowed businesses and global economies to conduct a degree of normality in business life and enabled global economies to retain some functionality, albeit in ‘limp-mode’. With this dramatic new way of working came issues of connectivity, ‘Zoom fatigue’ and working in a 2D environment, not to mention the mental health issues that came pre-packaged with this imperfect way of business and workplace communication. What this did do, however, was open our eyes to the benefits of remote working and greater work-life balance. It meant not spending two hours commuting every day, saving hundreds of pounds in car parking, fuel and travel costs, all of which contribute on a daily basis to global warming and climate change. At the same time, air quality in the majority of cities drastically improved during the lockdown period and air pollution was at record-low levels in 2020. The sea change in the workplace environment also showed how vulnerable businesses and global economies were to a pandemic. Lockdowns had huge impacts on companies, management of employees, their productivity and output. Supply chains, logistics and fulfilment were all impacted. 2020 showed our vulnerability to a physical virus and the impact of a post-Brexit economy. PixelMax focused its technical expertise and development on multi-user cloud deployment, partnering with AWS and other cloud service providers during the pandemic. This enabled PixelMax and its clients to host and showcase virtual conferences and global events that companies, employees and delegates could attend virtually. During this period, PixelMax saw exponential growth and garnered several awards, including the Top 10 Manchester-Based Start-Ups to Watch in 2021, a list created by EU Start-Ups. More recently, the company was highly commended in the Rapid Growth category at the Prolific North Tech Awards. The PixelMax thought leadership piece was borne from analysing how 2020 impacted the office and workplace environment. It led its three visionary founders, Shay O’Carroll, Andy Sands and Rob Hilton, to understand how the virtual workplace could become a hybrid: the new enterprise metaverse. The virtual workplace metaverse of the future will exist in a virtual and real-world parallel, a mixed and immersive reality. There is a popular belief that virtual reality has to be viewed and experienced using VR Headsets or 3D glasses, but this is not the case. The mixed immersive reality of the virtual workplace is entered through your computer, laptop, smartphone or smart device, making it accessible to the entire workforce. Prior to Covid, around 85% of employees were in the office working every day/most days, with around 42% of the workforce conducting remote working once a week and around 32% never having remote-worked from home before. Post Covid, the preference for future working is quite revealing, with 32% wanting to work remotely every day and 52% wanting to work two to three days remotely. Only 12% want to work remotely once a week. This demonstrates that over 84% of the workforce want a hybrid model for the future. The benefits of a hybrid workplace to the corporate workplace are immense, with increased productivity from employees, reduced absenteeism, happier and more productive employees. With increased employee well-being comes higher staff retention and improved performance, as well as an attractive brand culture to work for. The virtual workplace metaverse will allow: Companies to create, design and own their virtual workplaces alongside their physical offices or workplace. To create a virtual workplace that is a true representation of company brands, values and cultures. To provide an engaging hybrid experience for productivity, where employees co-create regardless of their location. A platform that encourages a positive company culture and work environment that brings together and energises remote and hybrid teams. The virtual workplace that incorporates third-party platforms all in one place. Applications such as Slack, YouTube and Dropbox can all be integrated and linked seamlessly for work productivity and integration. Dedicated employee well-being areas and activities. Access to on-demand physical well-being where employees can meditate, do yoga or Pilates classes and receive mental health counselling. A virtual workplace that allows for some separation between home and work environments, where staff can have the experience of walking into and out of a virtual office each day. The current lack of separation between home and office is a widely documented challenge of home working. Employees can order food and drink in their virtual workplace and have it delivered to their physical or virtual workplace location. The virtual workplace will also have an impact on global warming and increasingly, companies and employees are being asked to consider their own carbon footprint reduction. Reducing commuting and business travel generally would lead to a decrease in air pollution for the environment and credits towards carbon reduction programmes. The average employee can save around £1,234 per annum on fuel costs and around £500 per annum on parking and congestion charges, as well as air pollution taxes. The virtual workplace means the average person will also save on average around two hours per day commuting, which equates to around 10 hours per week in productivity. PixelMax is not advocating such a radical change that the ‘in-person’ real-world of the office or workplace will cease to exist; quite the contrary, as we all need human physical interaction. In the gaming world, this has been achieved. It is the immersing and embracing of technology and the real world to create the perfect hybrid enterprise metaverse for the office or workplace of the future that creates the perfect balance. ‘The Virtual Workplace – Enter The Metaverse’ The PixelMax-authored thought leadership piece is available to the public to view and download here https://pixelmax.com/virtual-workplace/the-virtual-workplace-enter-the-metaverse For more information on PixelMax, please go to www.pixelmax.com For more information, please contact Gerard Franklin @i5Media e: gerard@i5media.co.uk w.www.i5media.co.uk PixelMax CEO Rob Hilton is available for media interviews Available for download by WE TRANSFER https://we.tl/t-iN6ka9U60D Images of the Virtual WorkPlace Metaverse Video animation of the Virtual WorkPlace Metaverse Logo’s and images of PixelMax Co-Founders ABOUT PIXELMAX Founded in 2019, PixelMax has changed how organisations network, promote, inform and educate its users. Their 3D immersive communications platform has been used by brands like UEFA to deliver world-first virtual events. Their latest product offering is the virtual workplace. PixelMax integrates an organisation’s physical and remote working environments to enable the hybrid workplace of the future. Hybrid is now a necessity, PixelMax energise this, making it engaging and fun. PixelMax has created an enterprise version of the most immersive gaming experiences, allowing organizations to produce compelling and engaging virtual workplaces that meld seamlessly with the physical world. This allows a business to project its personality, creating an experience that is the embodiment of both the organisation and individual. As a PaaS, PixelMax will provide a platform that any third party can seamlessly integrate with to further enhance the overall experience and deliver a true unified workplace, with everything finally in one place. ABOUT PIXELMAX CO-FOUNDERS Rob Hilton | Andy Sands | Shay O’Carroll | PixelMax was founded by three entrepreneurs, Andy Sands, Shay O'Carroll and Rob Hilton in 2018, trading as Imagin3D. Andy's role is Head of Technology and he's an experienced technical development manager with a proven track record of successfully managing 3D technology teams in high growth environments. He is passionate about the use of immersive technologies to enhance and improve existing processes and experiences with proficiency of achieving this across multiple industries such as education, health and manufacturing. What drives Andy is innovation and disruptive technologies, not for a gimmicky, prescriptive use but using something new to improve a process, a workflow or a way of life. Shay, who's the Head of Sales at PixelMax, has extensive levels of experience working in various businesses throughout the UK. In his last role, Shay built the 3D technology sales division of an established communications service provider, which enabled the business to grow from £800k to £3.1m revenue in just three years. He's overseen several award-winning projects in the immersive technology space and led one of the first major virtual reality pilots on the governments Manufacturing Made Smarter programme in 2020. Rob was a senior programme director who was heading up the Project, Programme & Commercial Management Practice globally for Mott MacDonald. He has recently left Mott MacDonald after circa 15 years to become the CEO of PixelMax. Rob brings with him over 20 years' of successfully leading, assuring, governing and delivering complex mega projects across a multitude of sectors. He has worked with many blue-chip companies both UK and internationally. Rob is a dynamic leader who is personable, driven and conscientious with a focus on stakeholder development and management. His career has been shaped as a result of over 20 years of successful delivery and growth in many sectors. Contact Details i5Media Gerard Franklin gerard@i5media.co.uk

November 23, 2021 09:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

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100 TWIN CITIES BUSINESSES AWARDED A TOTAL OF $1 MILLION THROUGH COMCAST RISE, NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

Comcast Twin Cities

Comcast today announced it will award $1 million in total grants as well as technology and marketing resources to more than 100 Twin Cities small businesses owned by people of color. The recipients are among nearly 6,700 entrepreneurs nationwide who have been selected through the Comcast RISE program, which provides marketing, technology, and capital support to small business owners. To further build on the program’s success and provide support to even more small businesses, Comcast also announced today a major expansion to eligibility, enabling all women-owned small businesses nationwide to apply. This expansion recognizes and seeks to help address the persistent inequities women continue to face in accessing the resources and funding that are critical to success. Comcast RISE and the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, initially launched as a response to help small businesses owners of color hardest hit by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to focus on uplifting small businesses, ensuring they continue to prosper in an ever-shifting post-pandemic economy. With today's announcement, 100 selected businesses will each receive a $10,000 grant. Twin Cities grant recipients include: The Greenery Minneapolis LLC Stunning Beauty Supply Revival Training LLC Maraki Beauty Salon The full 100 businesses that received a $10,000 grant can be found here. “This opportunity is a positive aspect to my business and the community. Not only will we be able to reach more future prospects, we’ll also be able to add a few employees to the team," said Henrietta Smaller of Stunning Beauty Supplies in Burnsville, Minnesota. “It feels great to know someone believes in me and my dream.” “As we continue to rebuild and emerge from the effects of the pandemic, small businesses will continue to be the backbone of our economy – and we must take every opportunity to help them thrive,” said Kalyn Hove, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast Twin Cities. “Looking forward, this expansion will enable Comcast RISE to further empower and strengthen even more small businesses that are the heart of our local communities across the country.” In the year since its inception, Comcast RISE has awarded more than $11 million in grants and $50 million in in-kind support for marketing and technology services, impacting more than 6,700 entrepreneurs of color in 432 cities across 34 states. By the end of 2022, 13,000 businesses across the country are expected to benefit from the Comcast RISE initiative, either through the grant program or from the resources provided through Effectv and Comcast Business. In addition to the financial and business support services provided, a key part of the program is ensuring the long-term sustainability of businesses. To help address this, Comcast invests in and partners with organizations such as Ureeka to provide ongoing mentorship and resources to help small businesses succeed over the long-term. Comcast RISE, which stands for Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment, is part of Project UP, Comcast’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help provide underrepresented small business owners with access to the digital tools and funding they need to thrive. Over the next 10 years, Comcast has committed $1 billion to programs and partnerships that will reach an estimated 50 million people with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. The program will continue to be open to racially and ethnically diverse small business owners and the expanded Comcast RISE eligibility to all women-owned businesses will be effective on January 16, 2022. More information and the applications to apply for either the grant program or marketing and technology services are available at www.ComcastRISE.com. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Jill Hornbacher +1 651-425-1695 Jill_Hornbacher@comcast.com Company Website https://twincities.comcast.com/

November 23, 2021 08:00 AM Central Standard Time

ASMBLE launches powerful micro-community platform for brands, influencers, and their superfans

ASMBLE

Micro-community network ASMBLE has today announced the public launch of its platform for brands, creators, influencers, and superfans. Brands are using ASMBLE to build communities of influencers, creators, and superfans to identify and develop direct relationships with these powerful creators. These brand-owned micro-communities serve as a launchpad enabling content co-creation, influencer campaigns, focus groups, and customer insights. Following a year of beta testing with 2000 influencers and a range of brands in the US, ASMBLE is now accessible globally for all creators, influencers, and brands to join. ASMBLE was launched to help brands with creator-powered marketing while also addressing major underlying problems faced by the average semi-pro creator. Over 35 million semi-pro creators report burnout, isolation, and negative outcomes stemming from social media. In addition to financially rewarding creators through brand communities, ASMBLE’s creator-led communities provide creators with in-app tools, educational content, and peer support around topics of interest. Micro-communities from TikTokTips, to BlackParenting, to MindSet Matters - and dozens of other micro-communities - provide valuable industry insight and support that creators can’t find anywhere else. Nadeem Mazen, CEO and Co-Founder of ASMBLE commented: “The creator economy is today worth $100B every year and growing. Creators and influencers are the future of advertising because they wield authenticity and unprecedented audience trust, while the ground is shifting under traditional digital tracking and digital ads. Everything from streaming studio content wars to Big Tech acquisitions hinges on creators. Creators - as technologists, as producers, as trend-setters, and as subject-matter experts - are the fulcrum on which enormous industries tip. Trillions are at stake.” How ASMBLE works Brands purchase a seat to spin up one or more micro-communities in ASMBLE A dedicated community-building consultant is assigned to each brand. Brands and community-building consultants populate their micro-communities by inviting influencers, creators, superfans, or customers with whom they have an existing relationship. Brands invite influencers and superfans to their micro-community from other relevant micro-communities in ASMBLE, in order to grow their base and extend their creative capacity or reach. Brands create conversations, contests, focus-groups, live in-app events, and paying influencer marketing projects within their micro-community to learn from members or leverage their valuable skills. All micro-community members see when the brand responds to any given community-member - whether that is approval for a project idea, feedback on co-created content, or instant payment from the brand. Each community member learns from feedback that any other community member receives, creating a race to the top in ideation, collaboration, and quality content. Regarding the problem that ASMBLE has set out to solve, Nadeem Mazen said: “The creator economy is naive in its current state - almost every corner of this brave new world is messy, painful, stressful, and unsustainable for stakeholders on all sides. Marketplaces are lackluster, brands are skeptical, influencers get squeezed, and new creator business models fail to capture enough influencer buy-in to really scale. Both long-standing influencer marketplaces and new business models implicitly rely on creator trust and wellbeing in order to scale - yet explicitly treat popular creators as disposable and interchangeable. ASMBLE addresses these problems by addressing creators’ needs: creators are our partners and our fuel. By committing deeply to collective creator community and individual creator wellbeing - something largely missing across the social internet - we assemble a foundation of creator trust, retention, and activity that brands can leverage for their campaigns and strategic imperatives.” Looking ahead Nadeem Mazen added: “ASMBLE creators takes the opposite approach of the industry at present. Instead of focusing on how to woo paying brands, we offer influencers access to real, substantive emotional, professional, and creative support. The core of what we do is offer influencers and creators a safe space where they can talk about their work - which is seen as a cake walk from the outside, but is actually one of the highest pressure jobs” “ASMBLE will become the Y-Combinator for creators - an entire ecosystem of entrepreneurship curriculum, peer and mentor support, and even direct investment where we take a stake in content development and other financial growth.” About ASMBLE As the only social network for influencers and content creators, ASMBLE is uniquely positioned to accelerate brand awareness and market penetration for businesses. Our mobile-first platform promotes collaboration that raises the bar for compelling, authentic content. Our community focuses on human development, peer/mentor connections, and the value of authenticity. ASMBLE is deploying its network of talented, brand and product-obsessed creators against the toughest challenges of today’s leading brands. To explore ASMBLE, please visit: https://asmble.online/ Contact Details ASMBLE Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://asmble.online/

November 23, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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milestoneBased Announces Launch Update. The First Blockchain DAO for Milestone Collaboration Between Investors and Startup Companies

milestoneBased

milestoneBased, the first company to leverage a blockchain DAO (Distributed Autonomous Organization) in a ground-breaking milestone collaboration platform for investors and startups, today provided an update regarding its Beta user availability and upcoming launch. Started in 2018 by a group of global blockchain and startup experts, milestoneBased enables early-stage crypto startups to list company roadmap and milestone goals, then connect with crypto VC and Angel investors to fund them. Funding decisions and governance are voted on by the investor token holders as part of the DAO, funds are securely held in an escrow smart contract, then released when a funded milestone is verified complete. The platform offers investors superior capital efficiency, process efficiencies, and automation of a collaboration process that can take many months. Investors can be confident funds are secure, they benefit from data-driven insights for decision making, and the path to monetization and liquidity of their investments is faster. Startup teams gain access to crypto investors and funding, and more motivation to achieve specific milestones for strengthened performance. “Our team has been working hard to create a next-generation platform to solve existing problems of a broken funding management process in the crypto ecosystem” said Founder, Ian Arden. “Our mission is to automate and dramatically improve milestone management and collaboration between crypto investors and their portfolio startups, resulting in a more sustainable financing model''. He added “We see a huge opportunity for this platform to be adopted beyond the crypto ecosystem, to all startups and investors. We look forward to the launch of our platform and token offering in the coming weeks.” A Beta launch will commence in December; the company is currently qualifying interested VCs and startup users. An IDO (Initial Dex Offering) token launch is planned in the first quarter of 2022. It will be conducted through a Power Launch with no private sales or pre-sales, but a registered list of contributors wishing to add value will be given first opportunity to buy. Potential Beta users or those interested in registering for the token launch can find more information/sign up on the company web site. W ebsite: www.milestonebased.com Telegram group: https://t.me/milestoneBased Twitter: https://twitter.com/MilestoneBased The company is also planning a Sustainable Finance Forum in 2022, exploring blockchain as an enabler of financial equality and societal goals in the startup funding ecosystem and beyond. About milestoneBased: milestoneBased is on a mission to fix a legacy system of VC capital inefficiency by revolutionizing collaboration on milestone management between crypto investors and startups. We are the first company to leverage a blockchain DAO and escrow smart contract capabilities, in an automated governance and milestone achievement management platform. Early-stage investors achieve greater capital and process efficiency, better security, transparency, and data-driven insights, for a faster path to liquidity and monetization of deployed funds. Startup teams become milestone focused and motivated for strengthened performance. www.milestonebased.com Contact Details Linda Montgomery, Chief Communications Officer linda.montgomery@milestoneBased.com

November 23, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise introduces new desk phones

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, a leading provider of communications, cloud and networking solutions tailored to customers’ industries, has launched a new range of desk phones designed for the digital age. In line with the evolution of workstyles such as hybrid and remote working, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise has developed the new range of desk phones to meet the expectations of a variety of users. The range offers advanced features to enable communications from anywhere, underlaid by the latest technology and a modern design. Innovations include 3D voice capture for meetings in large rooms, connections to wireless networks, embedded VPN client for remote working, as well as a vast choice of colours and accessories. There are three categories in the new range of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise desk phones: Basic: With a compact format and SIP connectivity, this desk phone is compatible with Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise communication servers and provides advanced telephony business features. Essential: Features a streamlined design, excellent audio quality, and a unique port enabling hybrid digital and IP connectivity. Enterprise: Provides a modular, stylish design, unmatched 360°audio quality and available in four colours through customisation kits. These desk phones feature a multitude of connectivity options and are ideal for office and remote working situations. Nicolas Brunel, EVP, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Communication Business Division, said: “The new Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise desk phones are part of the latest generation of devices that leverage the most advanced technological innovations to offer unprecedented audio quality. The desk phones have been made to connect to the enterprise environment, even when working remotely. Their design and advanced capabilities make them an essential component of any digital workplace in combination with our communication servers and Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise’s cloud-based Rainbow UCaaS platform.” The introduction of the new desk phones follows the recent launch of the OmniPCX Enterprise Purple communications platform and further enhances Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise’s communications solutions portfolio. The launch is also part of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise’s Digital Age Communications (DAC) strategy which centres on three pillars: The digital workplace: Enabling employees to work from anywhere (at the office, at home, or remotely), with efficient communications, collaboration, and customer service, cloud-based solutions available at any time, from any device. Communications as the catalyst for enterprise agility: Connecting everything (people, applications, and objects) to enrich traditional business interactions, accelerate decision-making, automate business processes, and proactively detect potential incidents before they occur. Flexible cloud-model solutions and architecture: From enterprise premises to a full-cloud solution (private, public, or hybrid), organisations can decide on the best approach to support their transformation in terms of budget, timeframe, and objectives. Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise desk phones are available through the company’s network of partners. About Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise delivers the customised technology experiences enterprises need to make everything connect. ALE provides digital-age networking, communications and cloud solutions with services tailored to ensure customers’ success, with flexible business models in the cloud, on premises, and hybrid. All solutions have built-in security and limited environmental impact. Over 100 years of innovation have made Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise a trusted advisor to more than a million customers all over the world. With headquarters in France and 3,400 business partners worldwide, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise achieves an effective global reach with a local focus. al-enterprise.com | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Press contact: Global Press Carine Bowen press@al-enterprise.com Contact Details Carine Bowen +33 1 55 66 31 09 press@al-enterprise.com Company Website https://www.al-enterprise.com/

November 23, 2021 05:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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CSG Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer Rollie Johns & Appointment of Hai Tran as New CFO

CSG

CSG ® (NASDAQ: CSGS), the leader in innovative customer engagement, revenue management and payments solutions, today announced that Rolland “Rollie” B. Johns, executive vice president and chief financial officer of the company, has shared plans to step down. Concurrently, Hai Tran has been appointed as the company’s new executive vice president and chief financial officer effective November 29. “On behalf of the entire CSG team, I thank Rollie for his significant contributions and many years of service,” said Brian Shepherd, president and CEO for CSG. “Rollie has been a trusted and valuable business leader and partner to me, our Board, and our employees. Equally important, Rollie has built a strong global CFO team that is well positioned for continued success. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.” Shepherd added, “At the same time, I am very excited to announce the addition of Hai to Team CSG. Hai has a proven track record as a strategic, growth-oriented chief financial officer with deep public-company, global technology experience. He is a fantastic fit for CSG at this transformational juncture of our company’s history and will be instrumental in helping us passionately pursue our plans of becoming a more purpose-driven, higher growth, SaaS platform company.” “I am honored to be appointed chief financial officer during this truly exciting time at CSG, as the company accelerates our strategic transformation,” said Tran. “CSG’s guiding principles and mission resonate deeply with me as we look to not only grow and diversify into new verticals, but also make ordinary customer and employee experiences extraordinary. Putting customers and employees at the center of everything we do will drive long-term and sustained value-creation for all of our stakeholders.” Tran will be responsible for overseeing CSG’s global financial operations, including CSG’s finance, accounting, treasury, risk, and investor relations functions and will report directly to Shepherd. Tran brings 30 years of finance and business experience, having most recently served as president and chief operating officer at Soc Telemed, the largest U.S. provider of acute care telemedicine services. Prior to that he has served as chief financial officer at a number of companies including Soc Telemed, BioScrip, Inc., Harris Healthcare Solutions and Catalyst Health Solutions. Johns joined CSG in 2013 as chief accounting officer and since becoming CFO in 2018 has led CSG’s finance, accounting, treasury, risk, and investor relations functions. About CSG CSG is a leader in innovative customer engagement, revenue management and payments solutions that make ordinary customer experiences extraordinary. Our cloud-first architecture and customer-obsessed mindset help companies around the world launch new digital services, expand into new markets, and create dynamic experiences that capture new customers and build brand loyalty. For nearly 40 years, CSG’s technologies and people have helped some of the world’s most recognizable brands solve their toughest business challenges and evolve to meet the demands of today’s digital economy with future-ready SaaS platforms that drive exceptional customer experiences. With 5,000 employees in over 20 countries, CSG is the trusted technology provider for leading global brands in telecommunications, retail, financial services, government, and healthcare. Our solutions deliver real world outcomes to more than 900 customers in over 120 countries. To learn more, visit us at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contacts: Tammy Hovey Public Relations +1 (917) 520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com John Rea Investor Relations +1 (210) 687-4409 john.rea@csgi.com Contact Details CSG Tammy Hovey +1 917-520-2751 tammy.hovey@csgi.com Company Website https://www.csgi.com

November 22, 2021 02:01 PM Mountain Standard Time

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Unbox Real Happiness: Don't Let Counterfeit Goods Ruin Your Holidays

YourUpdateTV

Click to download Top 10 Tips to #shopsmart: https://bit.ly/324p9TS Counterfeit goods are a problem all year long, but demand for gifts, household products, virtual learning items, and even health products, mean that the holiday season is an especially busy time for crooks. Counterfeit products cost the global economy over $500 billion dollars a year. Ahead of the holiday shopping season, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, businesses, and law enforcement are raising awareness among consumers about the dangers of counterfeit goods and how to avoid falling for scams, and instead “unbox real happiness” This year, due to the global pandemic, supply chain crisis, and shifting shopping habits, millions of consumers are purchasing their holiday gifts and other necessities online. With the ease and convenience of direct-to-consumer purchasing, consumers must also remain vigilant to be sure they receive authentic products. Business can’t do it alone. That’s why business is also partnering with U.S. Customs and Border protection to raise awareness across the nation to educate Americans about the dangers of counterfeits. On November 19 in conjunction with YourUpdate TV, Frank Cullen, the Vice President of U.S. Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Innovation Policy Center; AnnMarie Highsmith, Executive Assistant Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; John Leonard, Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Mary Beth Westmoreland, VP, Technology, Amazon; all provided their insights for consumers during local TV interviews across the country. For more information about what you can do you can do to can do to shop smart this holiday season, make sure to visit www.USChamber.com/shopsmart Click to download Top 10 Tips to #shopsmart: https://bit.ly/324p9TS About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

November 22, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Osmo Kicks Off Black Friday With Up to 60% Off Exclusive Kits & Bundles at PlayOsmo.com (11/25 - 11/29), and Cyber Monday Deals of Up to 40% Off at Amazon

Osmo

Osmo announces an exciting holiday sale that encourages kids ages 3 to 10+ to explore reading, writing, math, coding, drawing, creative problem-solving, and more. From 11/21 through 12/4, get 30% off bestselling kits and games at PlayOsmo.com, Amazon, Target, Best Buy, Meijer, PC Richard’s, Kohl’s, and select InMotion airport locations. To kick off Black Friday, Osmo offers up to 60% off select kits and bundles at PlayOsmo.com from 11/25 to 11/29; and on Cyber Monday, Osmo offers special deals of up to 40% off select products through its Amazon store. From 11/21 to 11/27, Target offers a Black Friday deal on an Osmo bestseller, while Walmart offers holiday rollbacks on eight Osmo exclusives through 1/15/22. Bestselling kits and games at 30% off through 12/4 at PlayOsmo.com, Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and other retailers include: Genius Starter Kit (base included) Little Genius Starter Kit (base included) Coding Starter Kit (base included) Creative Starter Kit (base included) Pizza Co. (base required) Detective Agency (base required) Super Studio Disney Mickey Mouse & Friends (base required) Super Studio Disney Princess (base required) Super Studio Disney Frozen 2 (base required) Math Wizard and the Magical Workshop (base required) Math Wizard and the Secrets of the Dragons (base required) Exclusive Black Friday / Cyber Monday Deals at PlayOsmo.com From 11/25 to 11/29, Osmo offers exclusive deals of up to 60% off specific kits and bundles at PlayOsmo.com, which include: Essential Math Bundle (60% off) Early Literacy Bundle (60% off) Ultimate Expansion Bundle (60% off) Kindergarten Starter Kit (60% off) Super Osmonaut Starter Kit (40% off) Preschool Starter Kit (40% off) Genius Family Starter Kit (40% off) Explorer Starter Kit (40% off) Math Wizard Bundle (up to 30% off) Pretend Play Bundle (30% off) The full list of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals at PlayOsmo.com can be viewed here. Exclusive Cyber Monday Deals at Amazon Osmo’s Amazon Deal of the Day runs on Cyber Monday (one day only)--starting at 12:01 AM Pacific Time--and features 30% off several items, including the bestselling Genius Starter Kit for iPad (includes base set), in addition to 40% off Genius Starter Kit + Family Game Night for Fire Tablet (includes base set). The full list of Black Cyber and Monday deals at Amazon can be viewed at Osmo’s Amazon store. Exclusive Black Friday Deals at Target Target offers a Black Friday deal of 40% off the Little Genius Starter Kit for iPad from 11/21 to 11/27. The full list of Osmo‘s Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals at Target can be viewed here. Exclusive Holiday Deals at Walmart Through 1/15/22, Walmart offers holiday rollbacks of 13-20% on these items: Super Studio Disney Princess Starter Kit for iPad Super Studio Disney Mickey Mouse & Friends Starter Kit for iPad Sticks & Rings Starter Kit for iPad Monster Starter Kit for iPad Words Starter Kit for iPad Numbers Starter Kit for iPad Pizza Co. Starter Kit for iPad Detective Agency Starter Kit for iPad The full list of Osmo’s holiday specials at Walmart can be viewed here. About Osmo Osmo is an award-winning STEAM brand whose products are used in over 50,000 classrooms and 2.5 million homes. It is building a universe of hands-on play experiences that nourish the minds of children by unleashing the power of imagination. The company brings physical tools into the digital world through augmented reality and its proprietary reflective artificial intelligence. Osmo is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and is part of BYJU’S, a global leader in online learning. Learn more at PlayOsmo.com. For information about its educational division, Osmo for Schools, visit schools.playosmo.com. Contact Details Carolyn Kamii +1 310-251-0550 carolynkpr@gmail.com Company Website http://www.playosmo.com

November 22, 2021 03:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

Velocity Global’s 2022 Work In Progress Report: Businesses and talent benefit from distributed work

Velocity Global

1,000 surveyed tech leaders say distributed work increases productivity and diversity Most remote talent to remain untethered to an office post-pandemic Tech leaders desire to increase remote work for themselves 72% utilize a distributed workforce but face hurdles to expand it Remote and distributed workforces are here to stay due to the mutual benefits to both businesses and talent according to a new study from Velocity Global, the leading provider of global employment solutions. The 2022 Work In Progress — The State of Distributed Work: Tech Sector published today touts multiple benefits of distributed work, shows optimism for growth in the tech sector, but also names challenges for businesses to increase their global workforce. More than 1,000 U.S. and UK tech company decision-makers participated in the study and 72% say their business utilizes a substantial distributed workforce; 59% say more than half of their workforce is remote, and 61% of U.S. tech leaders report more than half of their remote workers will remain that way for the foreseeable future. “The world of work is forever changed. The global pandemic accelerated the desire to work from anywhere, and it lit a fire for employers to embrace a truly distributed workforce,” said Velocity Global founder and CEO Ben Wright. “The untethered nature of work was on the rise before COVID-19, but the tailwinds accelerated this new way of work as businesses tapped into new talent pools and workers themselves embraced a new freedom. Neither is going back - this change is here to stay.” Despite the growth of distributed and remote work, businesses cite several challenges to embrace the change even further. “This dramatic shift accelerated faster than the legacy ecosystem built to support the employment infrastructure was capable of handling,” added Wright. “We remove the roadblocks to grow businesses and connect employers and talent to simply get work done anywhere and anyhow.” Organizational and personal benefits of remote and distributed work Remote work refers to talent working at a location other than a company-owned office. Related to the concept of remote work is distributed work, in which companies employ talent that is located in multiple locations domestically or internationally. The majority of companies (72%) employ a distributed workforce and 79% of these organizations’ talent also works remotely. Respondents who utilize a distributed workforce report clear advantages: 95% say a distributed workforce model benefits their company by increasing productivity (54%), securing top talent (40%), and building a more diverse team (37%). Respondents indicate talent prefers remote work for similar reasons, reinforcing the mutual benefits. Interestingly, 3 in 4 of the tech leaders themselves work remotely at least one day per week and desire to increase the amount of time they work remotely. “Business leaders are people too, and they see the benefits in their personal life as well to their broader organization,” said Wright. “Flexibility and mobility are now must-haves for workers fresh out of school or in upper management, and lead to greater productivity and long-term talent retention. It’s a win-win.” Optimism for growth with an untethered workforce The increase in remote and distributed work drove unprecedented demand in the tech sector and organizations feel optimistic about expansion. The survey reports 96% are very or somewhat confident about their company’s financial growth over the next year, and 83% believe their industry will grow as well. That growth is realized by a remote and distributed workforce that mostly will not return to an office. More than half (54%) of respondents say 51-75% of their remote workforce will remain remote over the next year. Roadblocks create disconnect between employers and talent The data indicates a brewing dilemma regarding remote work. Talent and businesses both recognize significant benefits, but logistical challenges drive businesses to initiate a return to the office for some. The implications for this disconnect are great, considering the difficulties of finding skilled talent and employees’ desired flexibility. One factor contributing to that discord is the lack of involvement of talent in the decision to return to the office. Eighty-seven percent of organization leaders say their company decides whether remote talent transitions back to working at a company-owned office, as opposed to it being a joint decision. Only 12% report that both the company and talent make that determination. Tech leaders point to a pivotal moment for distributed work as both businesses and talent desire the benefits. The pandemic increased distributed work for most tech businesses, and 43% will maintain their current distributed workforce. However, the next stage is in question: 21% say they will expand their distributed workforce, 26% plan to reduce it. These decision-makers cite several forces that challenge their ability to grow their distributed workforce domestically and internationally, particularly among U.S. companies. Ninety-three percent of U.S. tech leaders say they do not have plans to expand their domestic distributed workforce. They point to recruiting, legal registrations in other states, and managing multiple vendors among other challenges. The growth of international distributed work faces similar roadblocks. Again, 93% of U.S. and UK tech leaders say they do not plan to expand their worldwide distributed workforce, adding foreign entity set-up, global payroll and immigration challenges to a similar list of difficulties. “The same friction comes up over and over again. Finding the right talent tops both lists and businesses want to tap larger talent pools across the country and the world,” said Wright. “Add in the bureaucracy of global regulation and the multiple vendors to navigate it on disparate platforms, and businesses get skittish. We built an end-to-end platform that removes all of this friction because the data is clear: employers and talent just want to work with anyone, anywhere, and anyhow.” Click here to download the full report: 2022 Work in Progress — The State of Distributed Work: Tech Sector. Methodology To gather the data in this report, Velocity Global surveyed 506 U.S. and 505 UK business leaders in the technology industry (e.g., software, hardware, and IT) who are employed at companies with 50–1,000 employees. The respondents work in a wide range of technology subsectors, including technology, media, and telecom; biotech; mortgage technology, property technology, and real estate technology; insurance technology; cryptocurrency; cybersecurity; and more. Respondents are in director-level and higher positions, including C-suite officers and business owners. Their job functions include human resources, finance, legal, IT/ technology, and operations. About Velocity Global Velocity Global accelerates the future of work beyond borders. Its global work platform simplifies the employer and employee experience to employ any talent anywhere with just a click through its proprietary cloud-based workforce management technology, backed by personalized expertise and unmatched global scale. As the largest global Employer of Record (also known as International PEO) in 185 countries and all 50 United States, more than 1,000 brands rely on Velocity Global to build global teams without the cost or complexity of setting up foreign legal entities or state registrations. The company offers additional services including Independent Contractor Compliance to assess a workforce, and Agent of Record (AoR) to streamline payments to contractors. Velocity Global was named a “Leader” in Global Employer of Record services by prominent analyst firm NelsonHall. Founded in 2014, the company has hundreds of employees across six continents. For more information visit velocityglobal.com. Contact Details Velocity Global John Hall +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

November 19, 2021 07:02 AM Mountain Standard Time

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