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British fintech Nimbla attracts £5.1m investment as embedded insurance takes off

Stockwood Strategy

Fintech business insurance startup Nimbla has today announced a £5.1m funding round led by Silicon Valley venture fund Fin VC with participation from Barclays Bank. The funding comes as Nimbla seeks to scale its operations with increased demand from embedded credit risk solutions through its API with banks and alternative lending platforms. Founded in 2016, the Nimbla platform has given businesses the confidence to trade with a peace of mind using invoice insurance with quotes provided within seconds. Their proprietary digital automated credit risk platform is able to process requests immediately and provide real time quotes. Nimbla has processed over 67m invoices worth £2.5b. During the pandemic, volumes of invoices tripled as economic uncertainty and supply chain concerns increased and Nimbla continued writing new business. Flemming Bengtsen, CEO at Nimbla commented: “We have been growing steadily over the past few years, ramping up our technology and team to better understand businesses, the nature of B2B debt and to make faster decisions to serve our growing customer base. 2020 was a seminal year for Nimbla, at a time of global crisis, we were there for businesses enabling them to trade with a peace of mind and giving them confidence to carry on. This funding round will enable us to expand our platform, grow the team as we enable a confident and trusted trading environment for businesses across the UK and beyond”. Nimbla has worked directly with businesses and brokers to provide invoice insurance cover and more recently has launched a new API for Banks, fintech lenders and B2B platforms to enable more business to access the service. Nimbla partnered with Barclays Bank in 2020 to give their one million small business customers the ability to take out insurance against individual invoices, rather than the whole book. “We have built a powerful and robust credit risk model, automated large parts of the process and have now launched a new API to enable others to embed seamless credit risk solutions into their platforms” added Flemming Bengtsen. On investing in funding round Henry Cashin, Head of EMEA at Fin VC, commented: “Nimbla is giving businesses the confidence to trade again. They have a proven credit risk model and its tech is being adopted by top tier banks and a host of lending platforms. We believe this will scale their reach and help more businesses benefit long term”. Looking ahead, Flemming Bengtsen commented: “UK companies have added £1.9tn debt in 2020 to their balance sheets, taking the total amount outstanding to over £6.6tn. This number was inflated by the various government loan schemes. Over half of them are carrying ‘toxic debts’ which carries enormous risk for their trade creditors, there is a huge opportunity and responsibility for Nimbla to give companies a peace of mind and insure their invoices against insolvencies”. About Nimbla Nimbla makes sure businesses get paid for their hard work, even if a customer becomes insolvent. Founded in 2016, the company is on a mission to give SMEs the confidence to trade with a peace of mind using invoice insurance. Nimbla’s digital insurance platform backed by expert risk analysts, allows businesses to check a buyer’s ability to pay and insure individual invoices against non-payment in a fast and affordable way. This will enable business owners to safeguard against insolvent customers, expand into new and existing markets and secure better borrowing terms. The platform can be accessed directly (www.nimbla.com) and through partnerships with Barclays and insurance brokers. Based in London, Nimbla aims to bring the trade credit industry into the 21st century. Challenging traditional insurance models, the cover is flexible and adapts to fit your business — whether it’s a one-off invoice or multiple transactions. Contact Details Nimbla Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.nimbla.com/

November 03, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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SMEs “keep calm and carry on” despite rising costs from suppliers

Stockwood Strategy

Supply chain issues and increasing costs have impacted SMEs countrywide and yet they seem to be handling it in their usual resilient stride. Fintech business lender MarketFinance asked 1,000 SME owners 1 across the UK how they are managing rising supplier prices, what measures they have put in place and sought their long term outlook on the increasing costs of doing business. Supplier costs Four out of five (79%) SMEs have faced increased prices from suppliers over the past 6 months. An increase of cost of raw materials was the top ranked rationale for price increases by suppliers, most keenly felt by businesses in the north west of England (85%). This was followed by staff shortages, the ongoing impact of the pandemic slowdown and supply chain disruptions owing to a shortage of truck drivers. Across the UK, a quarter of SMEs reported supplier prices have almost doubled over the past 6 months. Impact A third of SMEs (32%) have been able to absorb the increased costs without passing them on to customers, suggesting that these businesses have the necessary cash reserves to handle the impact. Only a fifth (21%) are passing a portion of the increased costs onto customers. Businesses in the south west of England and Northern Ireland are least likely to absorb the costs while businesses in the north west and Yorkshire are the most likely to do so. Their customers are proving to be equally understanding of the wider supply chain situation with only a fifth (20%) challenging business owners about the price rises. Outlook Looking ahead to the festive season, SMEs feel they will be able to manage the situation but some could increase prices if the pressure gets too much. Two fifths reported they could increase their prices by as much as 10% in the run up to Christmas. Longer term, three quarters (73%) of SMEs are already preparing for the current higher prices to be the norm until at least the end of 2022. A third of SMEs (34%) have taken out loans or are using other finance facilities to manage the increased cost of doing business. Anil Stocker, CEO at MarketFinance, commented: “ The current economic environment with rising costs is presenting some headwinds and headaches for SME owners but they are proving to be as resilient as ever. The vast majority have been thinking ahead and accounted for the longer term scenario, which will hold them in good stead to do business. It’s great to see that SME owners are taking the long view and preserving their customer relationships and managing suppliers by having a finance facility in place to deal with the overhead for now. The British Business Bank announced last week that it will extend its Recovery Loan Scheme to June 2022. This extension will give SMEs easier access to more affordable finance they need to continue running and growing operations in the face of ongoing challenges such as staff shortages and supplier price increases.” 1 Research findings based on a survey of 1,000 UK companies (who are employers with a minimum turnover of £100,000) conducted for MarketFinance in October 2021 by LMRMC Research (a Market Research Society approved partner and ESOMAR corporate member). About MarketFinance MarketFinance is a fintech business lender which believes that SMEs are building the world. By making finance frictionless, they’re solving the cash flow issues getting in the way of progress. MarketFinance uses smart technology to deliver better access to faster, more affordable finance; with one-to-one help whenever businesses need it. Since 2011, MarketFinance has advanced over £2.6 billion worth of invoices and loans, enabling thousands of UK businesses to bridge today’s funding gaps and fuel tomorrow’s big ambitions. MarketFinance is an accredited Recover Loan Scheme lender and has a wide-reaching network of strategic partners including Barclays Bank UK PLC, Tide, Equals Group and Ebury. MarketFinance is backed by Barclays Bank UK PLC, Mouro Capital, Paul Forster (co-founder of Indeed.com) European venture capital fund Northzone (invested in Klarna, iZettle and Trustpilot), Viola Capital and private equity group MCI Capital (also invested in iZettle, Azimo and Gett). Contact Details MarketFinance Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://marketfinance.com/

November 02, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Recording Artist Guild (RAG) Selects BEASY to Empower and Enable Musicians for the Metaverse

Beasy, LLC

Blockchain Made Easy, LLC (dba BEASY) and Recording Artist Guild (RAG.ORG) announced today that RAG.ORG and Lookhu.com have signed a multi-year enterprise licensing agreement with BEASY to deliver the utility of blockchain to RAG’s more than 20,000 members. “We’ve sought tirelessly to understand and deliver the benefits of blockchain to our members for years and although we succeeded in some ways, we lacked consistency and the ability to scale.” said Byron Booker, Chairman and Founder of RAG. “We’ve been talking with everyone who’s anyone at the intersection of blockchain and entertainment, and while solutions have advanced, BEASY stands out as our winner. BEASY’s solution puts enterprise grade software and the power to legally trade and enforce ownership in the hands of the artist. It’s easy to use, works with all our systems, supports NFT transactions on credit cards and allows us to do so within our brand identity,” he added. “We’re incredibly grateful and excited to be working with RAG. We started building BEASY three years ago for organizations just like RAG to help their communities realize their dreams. And now our dream is coming true as well.” said Bob Kramich, Founder and CEO of BEASY. For RAG creators or sellers, BEASY provides a complete metaverse identity management solution in one simple package through which they can: Mint, rarify and sell their own digital assets on any NFT marketplace, or directly from their web sites. Accept credit cards as a payment method for NFTs. Smarten, manage and control song contracts including fractional ownership splits. Easily onboard friends as fans which expands their serviceable obtainable market and prepares fans to participate in upcoming NFT drops. Establish and manage their official Sovereign Digital Identities including their digital name, official credentials and accomplishments. Manage their Official Partner Network. Maintain the true state of receivables owed and paid across multiple contracts and multiple mediums, no matter how many or how fractional the ownership or micro payment due. Customize, scale and continuously improve using enterprise-grade BaaS software. Rapidly team with a variety of business partners and sell and go to market. For buyers and fans, BEASY makes it possible to participate in the digital asset economy without using cryptocurrencies. As most NFT sites require buyers to use cryptocurrencies, the BEASY Wallet allows RAG fans to buy NFTs using credit cards. The buyer benefits from ease of use and the creator benefits from the expansion of their serviceable obtainable market (SOM). At its highest level, BEASY mainstreams the adoption of blockchain to improve the economic situation of individuals, businesses and communities. “BEASY is not a blockchain game and BEASY is not an NFT marketplace,” explains Kramich. “BEASY is Blockchain-as-a-Service software that is easy to install and use and acts as a combined personal notary and digital asset control center. With BEASY, influencers and creators can participate in multiple blockchain-based games and sell NFTs on any NFT marketplace while preserving the true state of how much is owned and owed across all mediums - no matter how fractional the ownership or how micro the payment. What’s more is that sellers, while operating in main blockchain networks, can do so without forcing themselves or their clients to ever purchase cryptocurrencies. We allow people to use the assets and the networks without forcing them to use the underlying cryptocurrency. Our aim is to do this to any Dapp and any network, to bring crypto-based solutions to the next billion users.” # # # About BEASY Blockchain Made Easy ™️, LLC is a Massachusetts-based technology and professional services company empowering retail and business customers with the ability to deploy customized blockchain-based strategies through easy-to-use blockchain software products. The company’s core product, BEASY Authentication ™️, is a multi-blockchain platform and associated wallet solution allowing users to seamlessly create, sell, and track digital goods in addition to a broad range of other applications such as digital identity management, fractional and whole digital asset ownership, royalties management, contract-to-smart contract management and more. BEASY does this without requiring owning or managing any cryptocurrency on major compatible blockchain networks such as Ethereum, Matic and more. BEASY is committed to making blockchain adoption easy. For more information, go to www.BEASY1.com About RAG.ORG Recording Artists Guild (RAG), a non-profit focused on empowering recording artists since 2009 provides its thousands of members with tools, resources, and technology to help monetize their skills and IP while bringing them exposure and a platform to make their voices heard. About Lookhu Lookhu ( www.lookhu.com ) is a cord-cutter’s dream, delivering unlimited streaming TV channels, exclusive series, and live events worldwide. Lookhu offers influencer driven a la carte channels within specific genres including MMA, Comedy, Spanish, Faith, and more for free, subscription and or on-demand. About Talynt Talynt is an NFT marketplace that focuses on providing a robust marketplace for creators offering Phygital NFTs with live events. Talynt offers exclusive NFT collections from notable celebrities and limited campaigns from TokenOfRespect.com, ApeRockStars.com, CryptoRoadies.com, NFTV.life and more Media Relations Contacts: BEASY, LLC. Contact: David Kaupp SVP, Head of Marketing info@beasy1.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeasyInc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beasy-blockchain-made-easy-llc/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beasy1859/ RAG and Lookhu Contact: Melissa Jones press@lookhu.com Contact: Mellissa Jones press@rag.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragworld/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RAGWORLD/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RAGWORLD Blockchain Made Easy, LLC is a Massachusetts-based technology and professional services company empowering retail and business customers with the ability to deploy customized blockchain-based strategies through easy-to-use blockchain software products. The company's core product, BEASY Authentication, is a multi-blockchain platform and associated wallet solution allowing users to seamlessly create, sell, and track digital goods in addition to a broad range of other applications such as digital identity management, fractional and whole digital asset ownership, royalties management, contract-to-smart contract management and more. BEASY does this without requiring owning or managing any cryptocurrency on major compatible blockchain networks such as Ethereum, Matic and more. BEASY is committed to making blockchain adoption easy. For more information, go to www.BEASY1.com Contact Details BEASY, LLC David Kaupp +1 978-360-6698 info@beasy1.com RAG and Lookhu Melissa Jones press@rag.org Company Website https://www.beasy1.com

November 01, 2021 04:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Greenland’s Prime Minister to Keynote ZESTAs COP26 Burns Supper

Morgan Marketing & Communications

Prime Minister of Greenland, Múte Bourup Egede, will be delivering the keynote address at ZESTAs COP26 Burns Supper on Monday, November 1 st hosted by SHIFT clean energy. The supper will conclude the first day of Ship ZERO hosted by ZESTAs (Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association) in Glasgow as part of the COP26 activities. It is expected that the Prime Minister will be announcing a major Greenland government initiative relating to fossil fuel use. "With the Arctic warming at a rate three times faster than the rest of the world, we are in Greenland experiencing the drastic changes first-hand “stated the Prime Minister. “The science is alarming and our collective actions must be accelerated. That is why the Government of Greenland has announced an immediate halt to all new oil and gas explorations and are putting all efforts into developing our green energy sources. We believe that Greenland can become an important partner for zero-emission shipping. We have huge untapped hydropower resources that exceed our domestic demand multiple times, which can generate cheap renewable electricity for e-fuels, and we have an infrastructure well suited for being early adapters." “Ship ZERO 0 – Charging to True Zero” is a three-day workshop including robust technical presentations from zero-emissions solutions providers, as well as finance, insurance, classification sectors and regulators. Speakers’ panels, audience Q&A, and brainstorming sessions will follow each session to facilitate collaborative solution building, as well as giving stakeholders an opportunity to examine how solutions will fit with their individual business cases. The event takes place well before COP26 transport day, which will give the team of researchers and stakeholders time to summarize the outcomes to be taken in consideration by regulators beforehand. “We are honored that Prime Minister Egede will be making such a pivotal keynote address as part of our event”, stated Madadh MacLaine, Secretary-General of ZESTAs. “His leadership will resonate around the globe as we address a zero emission future.” Highlights of the ShipZERO conference include a keynote by Peter Thomson, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations as well as the UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Ocean on A healthy planet requires a healthy ocean, a healthy ocean requires clean shipping; Why Zero Emissions Needs Better Battery Safety Standards, delivered by Brent Perry, ZESTAs Board Chair and CEO of SHIFT; and How Financiers, Insurers and Cargo owners can enable innovation and accelerate the transition to true zero emissions from Michael Parker, Chairman of Global Shipping, Citibank and Chairman of the Poseidon Principles Association. Registration is still open, and media are welcome. Go to https://zestas.org/ship-zero/ The Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association promotes the rapid and large-scale uptake of Zero Emissions Ship Technology (ZEST). Zero emissions means zero GHG emissions at the point of use on the vessel with minimal upstream impacts. By combining zero emission technologies, it is possible to achieve zero emissions at the shipboard level faster. With today’s technologies, the shipping industry can achieve fully zero emissions now, particularly on smaller return to base vessels, as well as drastically reduce emissions on larger, ocean-going vessels with more complicated operational profiles. Contact Details Morgan Marketing & Communications Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-260-0480 c.walker@morganmarketcomm.com Company Website https://morganmarketcomm.com/

October 29, 2021 01:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Global Climate Uprising Festival at COP26 in Glasgow in November to Raise Awareness of Environmental Challenges

LakeArts Foundation

The Global Climate Uprising Festival, produced by the LakeArts Foundation, will bring together organizations supporting the environment, education and culture to showcase their work in climate change research, advocacy and new solutions through media, art and technology to raise awareness of the global challenges facing today’s world at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, starting on Nov. 2. TongAbove, The Sustainable Glasgow Landing, Tuesday, Nov. 2 TongAbove presents a film showcasing the design and plan to rescue island nations from rising seas due to climate change. Created by Jakob+MacFarlane and Uili Lousi, Tonga-based visionary artist and environmental activist, and OHAI, a Tongan organization for climate change awareness and official representative of the Tongan Government to COP24. With the sea levels rising due to climate change, several Pacific Island states, including Lousi's homeland Tonga, are threatened with disappearing under the sea in the future. Without a way to relocate them elsewhere, they are developing a response to this extreme condition, using nature as a way forward. Partners: Jakob+MacFarlane, (France); OHAI, Government of Tonga, (Tonga), Supporting Partners: Global Climate Uprising (USA) and The City of Glasgow. The Vital Signs of the Planet Concert at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 19:30 (GMT) Vital Signs of the Planet Concert brings together a 100-strong symphony orchestra of young musicians from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to create a live spectacular blend of sound and cinematic visuals, including footage from NASA and The National Geographic. The concert will also include a performance by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield, who will perform her worldwide hit “Unwritten,” an uplifting message about the future. This is a special moment for global youth and the arts to speak for the planet in Glasgow at this vital time for the world. Several young, international environmental leaders from the most impacted areas of the world will address the concert audience: Agar Castro Tejada and Iniquilipi Chiari (Panama), Cedric Dzelu (Ghana), Natalie Sinclair (Scotland) and Elizabeth Wanjiru Wathuti (Kenya). The unique occasion is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Royal Conservatoire Orchestra, NASA, National Geographic, the Royal Family Foundation’s Earthshot Prize and the Global Climate Uprising Festival. IMAX Film, A Beautiful Planet Cinema, Science Centre, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 18:30 (GMT) The Award-winning IMAX film, “A Beautiful Planet,” is a breath-taking portrait of Earth from space, providing a unique perspective and increased understanding of our planet and galaxy as never seen before. Produced in cooperation with NASA, the film features stunning footage of our magnificent blue planet — and the effects humanity has had on it over time — captured by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The film is narrated by award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence and was produced by IMAX Entertainment and Toni Myers, the acclaimed Canadian filmmaker behind celebrated IMAX documentaries Blue Planet, Hubble 3D, and Space Station 3D. Presented by the Global Climate Uprising Festival, the film contains warnings regarding climate change and environmental degradation using IMAX footage of Earth from space and time-lapse photography. It also offers positive reasons to take better care of our planet. IMAX veteran Jackson Myers, son of the film’s director, the late Toni Myers, will participate in a post-screening discussion with John Turner, who is Head of Documentaries for IMAX Corporation and oversees the development of all documentary films and non-fiction content for the IMAX global network. Partner: IMAX. The Bamboo Ark, Panama Pavilion, Euroclime Pavilion, Tramway Station, Nov. 5 to 12 The Bamboo Ark opens at the historic Tramway Station in Glasgow on Nov. 5. The Geoversity 2030 Bamboo Ark is a global and sustained campaign for biocultural leadership and living design for sustainability in harmony with nature. The debut of the Bamboo Ark taking place at COP26 in Glasgow is being led by Iniquilipi Chiari, co-founder and first president of the Guna Youth Congress, Micaela Ironshell Dominguez, co-founder and first secretary of the Indigenous Youth Council (North America) and other young Indigenous leaders as a worldwide call to action. Partners: The City of Glasgow, Global Climate Uprising City Kids Foundation. LakeArts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to working at the intersection of film, performance arts and media technology. LakeArts works closely with local, national and international communities and partners to make positive change through innovation in arts and technology. Contact Details LakeArts Foundation Bonnie Nelson Schwartz +1 202-390-1634 bnelsonschwartz@gmail.com Company Website http://www.lakeartsfoundation.org/

October 29, 2021 11:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cyvatar Named Finalist in Computing Security Excellence Awards 2021

Cyvatar

Cyvatar today announced that it has been chosen as a finalist in Computing’s Security Excellence Awards 2021 for the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Security Solution Award. Computing celebrates the achievements of the IT industry's leading security companies, solutions, products, and personalities that keep every other part of the industry operating. Award categories include product- and project-related recognition, organizational achievements, and accolades for outstanding individual success. Computing selected Cyvatar for its cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) platform, designed with SMEs in mind. SMEs are increasingly at the mercy of ransomware attacks, phishing scams, and other cyber threats, but unlike larger orgs, most SMEs don’t have the budget or expertise to invest in comprehensive in-house security programs. Moreover, they struggle to show value from the security tools they do buy. Cyvatar CSaaS democratizes cybersecurity, making the best protection accessible and affordable for any SME regardless of budget, even if they have no cybersecurity expertise in-house. Customers can select the membership and pricing that meet their desired business outcomes in seconds; a freemium model ensures they can achieve tangible results fast with no out-of-pocket costs--an industry first. And they can cancel anytime--another industry first. “We don’t throw technology over the wall and expect our customers to figure it out themselves the way many product companies do,” said Corey White, Cyvatar co-founder and chief executive. “We deliver all three pillars of cybersecurity—the teams, technology solutions, and best practices—to SMEs that would not otherwise be able to implement them. Our subscription model ensures they don’t end up buying solutions they can’t use or don’t need, and our platform lets them see at a glance what’s going on in their environment to give them the best cyber prevention available.” Cyvatar offers its proprietary ICARM™ (install, configure, assess, remediate, maintain) methodology to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions, allowing SMEs to achieve security compliance and cyber-attack prevention faster and more effectively. ICARM ensures SMEs won’t get crushed under the weight of too many products, and guaranteed outcomes mean they get maximum value from their technology spend. Choose the Cyvatar membership with the best outcomes for your business today. About Cyvatar Cyvatar is committed to effortless cybersecurity for everyone. As the industry’s first subscription-based, cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) company, it’s our mission to transform the way the security industry builds, sells, and supports cyber solutions. We empower our members to achieve successful outcomes by providing expert practitioners, market-leading technologies, and proven best practices to guarantee business results. Our approach is rooted in a proprietary ICARM (installation, configuration, assessment, remediation, maintenance) methodology that delivers measurable security solutions for superior compliance and cyber-attack prevention, all bundled into a fixed monthly subscription that members can cancel anytime. Cyvatar is headquartered in Irvine, California, with locations around the world. Begin your journey to security confidence at cyvatar.ai and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact Details Cyvatar Dan Chmielewski +1 949-231-2963 dchm@madisonalexanderpr.com Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

October 28, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Mirriad Taps Music Industry Veterans to Diversify Music Alliance Brand Partnerships

Mirriad

Mirriad, the leading in-content advertising company that uses AI-powered technology for brands including Conde Nast, Universal and Johnson & Johnson, today announced two new strategic hires: Martin Moor as Vice President and Head of Music & Brand Partnerships and James Goodhall as Head of Music Sales EMEA. Moor and Goodhall join Mirriad following the 2020 launch of Mirriad’s Music Alliance, a coalition dedicated to merging the marketing and music industries to offer brands, artists, and fans creative and financial opportunities through seamlessly placing brands’ content into music videos and media. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have such creative and forward-thinking minds such as Martin and James to join us as we expand our Music Alliance initiatives,” said Stephan Beringer, Chief Executive Officer, Mirriad. “As the advertising industry continues to evolve with brands looking for authentic ways to engage with their consumers, we at Mirriad are continually working to present impactful and non-disruptive in-content advertising opportunities that drive brand recognition. These additions to our team will have a tremendous impact on our future success as a company.” As the new Vice President and Head of Music & Brand Partnerships at Mirriad, Moor is responsible for music brand partnership growth within the Americas. Moor began his career at Penalty Records and served as the label’s first Director of Artists and Repertoire (A&R), launching the careers of N.O.R.E, David Banner and to working with multi-platinum artists and Grammy award-winning producers such as Pharrell Williams, Swizz Beats and Kanye West. Moor also led teams at Sony Music Entertainment, serving as Senior Director of A&R Executive for Epic Records. He has worked with leading global brands such as Adidas, Coca-Cola, Visa, Red Bull, Airbnb and Microsoft. Based in New York City, Moor will report to Mark Melvin, EVP, Sales & Brand Partnerships, US, Mirriad. Goodhall joins Mirriad as Head of Music Sales in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and is responsible for building out Mirriad’s recently developed Music Alliance program and revenue stream across the region - primarily for the UK, France and Germany. Goodhall brings 20 years of music industry experience in streaming, VOD, marketing, brand partnerships, distribution, A&R and live events to his new role. As Head of Music Sales, Goodhall will closely work with the insights and marketing teams to use evidence-based research to demonstrate the power of in-video advertising to brands. Goodhall’s career began at Amato Distribution where he ran the UK Sales division, moving on to work in successful A&R roles at Sony Music UK and Universal Music. He then worked in commercial positions at EMI Music UK and Warner Music UK, where he managed high-profile music clients Spotify, Deezer, Napster, YouTube and Vevo during his time and launched artist campaigns for the likes of Coldplay, Tinie Tempah, Dua Lipa, Jason Derulo, Gorillaz, David Guetta, Annie-Marie, and helped deliver UK chart history for Ed Sheeran, Jess Glynne, Stormzy and Emeli Sande. Goodhall has also worked with leading brands Google Play, Microsoft, Vodafone and O2. Based in London, he will report to Miles Lewis, CRO, Mirriad. “I’m especially excited to join forces with Mirriad because of the company’s focus on technology innovation and amplifying the multicultural marketplace through the Music Alliance,” said Goodhall. “I’m looking forward to working alongside empowered minority-owned music labels and artists and offering an entirely new way for brands to authentically connect with audiences in a very natural way.” “Mirriad’s exceptional work speaks for itself and I can’t wait to begin my journey centered on music and creativity,” said Moor. “The unique approach of Mirriad's tech-powered fusion of data, AI, cultural reach and limitless creativity opens up a world of possibilities for brands and musicians.” Mirriad’s new Music Alliance program partners with global leading music labels and artists to connect the creatives to Mirriad’s AI-powered tech to find the most relevant context for brands and seamlessly integrate advertisements in relevant content like music videos, which reaches audiences without disrupting or bombarding. Mirriad’s Music Alliance program already worked with placing Tecate (Heineken) in Giovanny Ayala’s music videos and Bushmills into Viceland web series content. For more information about Mirriad, please visit https://www.mirriad.com/ About Mirriad Mirriad's award-winning solution unleashes new revenue for content producers and distributors by creating new advertising inventory in content. Our patented, AI and computer vision technology dynamically inserts products and innovative signage formats after content is produced. Mirriad's market-first solution seamlessly integrates with existing subscription and advertising models, and dramatically improves the viewer experience by limiting commercial interruptions. Mirriad currently operates in the US, Europe and China. Contact Details Kite Hill Shania Roper +1 843-693-7161 shania@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.mirriad.com/

October 27, 2021 09:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Velocity Global adds DJ Matt Cassidy as Dance Floor Director

Velocity Global

Cassidy responsible for vibe creation for growing global team Cassidy to play company’s annual party this week in his hometown of Denver Cassidy featured in lineup for Icelantic’s Winter on the Rocks in January Velocity Global officially named DJ Matt Cassidy as Dance Floor Director as the company makes final preparations for its annual party this week. Cassidy is responsible for vibe creation for the company’s growing global team of more than 400 people across six continents. He reports to Sam Warren, recently promoted to Chief Fun Officer, or CFUNO. “We’re thrilled to officially welcome Matt to the Velocity Global family. Matt’s contributions to Velocity Global’s Fun department over the past three years established him as an instrumental member of the team,” said Warren. “Matt embodies what the company does every day — serves up smiles and delivers unforgettable experiences.” Cassidy is a native of Denver which also serves as corporate headquarters for Velocity Global, a remote-first company. Cassidy shares the company’s passion for global influence, often mixing international beats into his repertoire. This week, Velocity Global welcomes team members from around the globe to Denver for an event to celebrate its employees and their contributions to the company's growth, including two acquisitions this year. The event will follow strict protocols including vaccination requirements and COVID-19 testing. “The dance floor has grown immensely over the past three years as the company takes off,” said Cassidy. “I’m honored to officially be part of the family and to continue to focus on how to have fun amidst hard work and tremendous success.” DJ Matt Cassidy will open for global DJ and record producer, Diplo, at the 10th annual Icelantic's Winter on the Rocks on January 28, 2022, at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Velocity Global is a presenting sponsor of the upcoming event that Cassidy has played for the last seven years. Stream music from DJ Matt Cassidy here. 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 John Hall +1 720-650-4348 news@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

October 27, 2021 07:01 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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EVOLUTION OF UK RESTAURANT BUSINESS

Revenue Management Solutions

Revenue Management Solutions, a global enterprise providing sales and profitability solutions for over 100,000 restaurants in more than 40 countries, has released its findings from a survey of more than 400 UK diners, examining consumer intent to dine out and the factors affecting their decisions. Traffic down in city centres Nearly half of all respondents report they are commuting to an office or workplace again. Yet, fewer UK respondents are back in the office when compared to Germany and France. In a similar survey conducted by RMS in Germany, 64% of respondents are back at work, and another 11% can choose between home and work. In France, 62% are commuting, and 12% enjoy a hybrid. According to Philipp Laqué, Managing Director for the UK at RMS, the huge shift away from city centres and commuting forced 8% of all UK restaurants to close (10,000 units, roughly) as of the end of Q2. Reasons for optimism Still, Laqué projects a more optimistic future and agrees with predictions that the UK will experience a complete recovery of the out-of-home (OOH) market by the end of 2022. “Consumers are ready for hedonistic experiences.” Indeed, ‘socialising with friends’ was the key motivator to dine out for survey respondents, followed by ‘lazy meals.’ Comparatively, French respondents cited ‘good food’ and ‘socializing with friends’ as the reasons to dine out more or much more. In Germany, ‘lazy evening meals’ ranked as the top reason to dine out more. In all three countries, business lunches were likely to decrease substantially. Increased spending A significant 43% of survey respondents reported increasing restaurant spending by more than 15% in the past three months. Whilst 31% of those spending more are using restaurants more often, delivery fees and higher prices factor into the increased spend. A majority of respondents believe most of the pressures on restaurants are justifiable reasons for rising prices, particularly the impact of increased wages and rising food costs. Increased spending and a renewed desire to eat out are a blessing for brands, Laqué said, but it’s complicated. “People are falling in love with restaurants again, but now we face paralyzed supply chains and Brexit, creating a perfect storm,” Laqué says. “Customers have higher expectations of food quality and service, whilst supply chains are unstable and availability of hospitality workers is scarce.” Longevity lies in new approaches Diversification seems to be the way forward, at least for some brands. In RMS’ survey, 43% of people are still working more from home. As a result, says Laqué, parameters for a convenient location have shifted from being next to a travel or office hub to being easily accessible from their homes, making residential areas outside London more attractive for food-service providers. Respondents also report a big uptick in QSR and value meal purchases. Almost 1 in 2 reported purchasing a combo meal from a quick-service restaurant in the past month. For Gen Z and millennials, that number sails to 70%, and of 68% families grabbed a combo meal from a QSR in the past month. The combination of convenience and value may explain why major US QSR brands are eyeing the UK for growth. Most recently, McDonald’s announced it would open 50 units in the short term, Wendy’s announced it will build 400 UK units, and Popeye’s opened its first London location in September, the first of a planned 350 units. Overall, says Laqué, “the UK is staged for growth, but brands will need to adjust to address a shift in traffic patterns and consumer behaviour — which may remain permanent — to succeed.” About Revenue Management Solutions RMS provides numerous data-driven solutions and services to the restaurant industry, all designed to help brands drive sales and profitability while maintaining traffic and enhancing brand value long-term. RMS works with more than 50 major brands in more than 40 countries, with its patented processes of revenue management used in more than 100,000 restaurant locations globally. The company holds five US patents on menu pricing and customer segmentation and supports ongoing academic research efforts. For more information on how RMS helps its clients, visit www.revenuemanage.com. Contact Details Tracy Henderson +1 720-989-3530 tracy@centerreachcommunication.com Company Website https://www.revenuemanage.com

October 27, 2021 02:05 AM Central Daylight Time

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