rf IDEAS Delivers WAVE ID® Secure Access Technology for LG Electronics

 ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill.-Wednesday 6 January 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- rf IDEAS, a leading of credential readers for logical access and authentication, and LG Electronics Inc., today announced a partnership to incorporate WAVE ID® OEM secure access technology into LG’s 24CN670 All-in-One Thin Client for Healthcare.

The LG 24CN670 thin client has received IEC60601, CE MDD, FDA Class 1 certification. It will be used worldwide throughout the medical industry, having received significant attention and numerous PoC requests from hospital IT managers and channel partners. With privacy and efficiency at the heart of the healthcare digital infrastructure, the WAVE ID embedded reader enables HIPAA-compliant access control, simplified hardware access and, ultimately, an improved patient experience with clinicians more focused on care than on tedious password logins.

“LG has a great partnership with rf IDEAS,” notes Bongsoak Kim, VP of IT Vertical Sales at LG. “Through their unmatched expertise in RFID technology, the rf IDEAS team has proven the universal compatibility of its products with solutions from such companies as Imprivata and other major healthcare-focused tech providers. Starting with the 24CN670 thin client, LG will provide more value to customers with rf IDEAS.”

The LG partnership showcases the trust that leading OEMs have in the flexibility, form factors and wide range of credentials of WAVE ID readers.

“We are thrilled to partner with LG to serve the needs of healthcare industry worldwide,” says David Cottingham, President of rf IDEAS. “Our secure authentication solutions deliver seamless performance in all-in-one thin clients like these, and our commitment to providing expert design and support to OEM partners will ensure a collaborative and productive relationship.”

The new LG thin client with WAVE ID reader technology is expected to be available early in 2021. To learn more, contact an LG representative at lgeit.bizsolutions@lge.com.

About rf IDEAS

rf IDEAS, Inc. is a leader in logical access solutions for healthcare, manufacturing, government and enterprise. Backed by the company’s strong partnerships with leading identity access management providers, rf IDEAS readers enable innovative solutions for single sign-on, secure printing, attendance tracking and other applications that require authentication. rf IDEAS readers support nearly all credentials worldwide including the growing set of mobile credentials. For more information, visit www.rfIDEAS.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210105005123/en/

Contacts

Megan Flynn

P: 312.573.2220 x209

E: Marketing@rfIDEAS.com

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Takeda Completes Sale of Select Non-Core Assets to Cheplapharm

 OSAKA, Japan-Wednesday 6 January 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) (“Takeda”) today announced the completion of its previously-announced sale of a portfolio of select prescription products to Cheplapharm for a total value of $562 million USD1. The portfolio includes 16 prescription pharmaceutical products sold predominantly in Europe which is part of Takeda’s Europe and Canada Business Unit. This divestment agreement was first announced in September 2020.

The divested portfolio is comprised of non-core prescription pharmaceutical products in a variety of therapeutic categories that includes Cardiovascular/Metabolic and Anti-Inflammatory products along with Calcium. In line with Takeda’s long-term growth strategy, these products, while addressing key patient needs in these countries, are outside of Takeda’s five core business areas: Gastroenterology (GI), Rare Diseases, Plasma-Derived Therapies, Oncology and Neuroscience.

Takeda remains focused on executing its long-term growth strategy to optimize our business mix around our key business areas, and simplifying our operations to better serve patients by delivering innovative treatments in these areas.

The Company intends to use the proceeds from the sale to reduce its debt and accelerate deleveraging towards its target of 2x net debt/adjusted EBITDA within Fiscal Years 2021–2023.

Takeda has sustained momentum in its divestiture strategy in 2020 and exceeded its $10 billion non-core asset divestiture target, announcing 11 deals since January 2019 to date for a total aggregate value of up to approximately $11.6 billion, including agreements to divest:

Takeda Consumer Healthcare Company Limited to Oscar A-Co KK, a company controlled by funds managed by The Blackstone Group Inc. and its affiliates for a total value of approximately JPY 242.0 billion ($2.3 billion USD).

Other non-core portfolio assets within the Growth & Emerging Markets Business Unit, totaling up to approximately $2.3 billion with five separate buyers.2

Select OTC and non-core assets in Europe to Orifarm for up to approximately $670 million.

The TachoSil Fibrin Sealant Patch to Corza Health, Inc. for approximately €350 million.

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments, guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Genetic and Hematology, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline.

Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries.

For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com.

Important Notice

For the purposes of this notice, “press release” means this document, any oral presentation, any question and answer session and any written or oral material discussed or distributed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (“Takeda”) regarding this release. This press release (including any oral briefing and any question-and-answer in connection with it) is not intended to, and does not constitute, represent or form part of any offer, invitation or solicitation of any offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, exchange, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction. No shares or other securities are being offered to the public by means of this press release. No offering of securities shall be made in the United States except pursuant to registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom. This press release is being given (together with any further information which may be provided to the recipient) on the condition that it is for use by the recipient for information purposes only (and not for the evaluation of any investment, acquisition, disposal or any other transaction). Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws.

The companies in which Takeda directly and indirectly owns investments are separate entities. In this press release, “Takeda” is sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Takeda and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and any materials distributed in connection with this press release may contain forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions regarding Takeda’s future business, future position and results of operations, including estimates, forecasts, targets and plans for Takeda. Without limitation, forward-looking statements often include words such as “targets”, “plans”, “believes”, “hopes”, “continues”, “expects”, “aims”, “intends”, “ensures”, “will”, “may”, “should”, “would”, “could” “anticipates”, “estimates”, “projects” or similar expressions or the negative thereof. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements: the economic circumstances surrounding Takeda’s global business, including general economic conditions in Japan and the United States; competitive pressures and developments; changes to applicable laws and regulations; the success of or failure of product development programs; decisions of regulatory authorities and the timing thereof; fluctuations in interest and currency exchange rates; claims or concerns regarding the safety or efficacy of marketed products or product candidates; the impact of health crises, like the novel coronavirus pandemic, on Takeda and its customers and suppliers, including foreign governments in countries in which Takeda operates, or on other facets of its business; the timing and impact of post-merger integration efforts with acquired companies; the ability to divest assets that are not core to Takeda’s operations and the timing of any such divestment(s); and other factors identified in Takeda’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and Takeda’s other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, available on Takeda’s website at: https://www.takeda.com/investors/reports/sec-filings/ or at www.sec.gov. Takeda does not undertake to update any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statements it may make, except as required by law or stock exchange rule. Past performance is not an indicator of future results and the results or statements of Takeda in this press release may not be indicative of, and are not an estimate, forecast, guarantee or projection of Takeda’s future results.

1 Based on the agreed price of 475 million EUR, and exchange rate at the time of the agreement in September 2020

2 Includes agreement with Hasten Biopharmaceutic (China) for the sale of non-core products in China, Hypera S.A. for the sale of select non-core products in Latin America which remain subject to close; and, completed sales of non-core assets in the Russia-CIS region to STADA, the Near East, Middle East and Africa region to Acino, and Asia Pacific to Celltrion Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210104005889/en/

Contacts

Japanese Media

Kazumi Kobayashi

kazumi.kobayashi@takeda.com

+81 (0) 3-3278-2095

Media outside Japan

Justine Grosvenor

justine.grosvenor@takeda.com

+1 872 226 6701

Investor Relations

Christopher O’Reilly

takeda.ir.contact@takeda.com

+81 (0) 3-3278-2306

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Africa Finance Corporation Secures US$250 Million Capital Loan From US Government’s International Development Finance Corporation

 LAGOS, Nigeria-Tuesday 5 January 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Africa Finance Corporation (“AFC” or “the Corporation”), the leading infrastructure solutions provider in Africa, today announces it has successfully secured a US$250 million tier-2 capital loan from U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

Formed in December 2019, DFC is the United States Government’s development bank established with a lending capacity of up to US$60 billion to provide financing for solutions to some of the most critical challenges facing the developing world. DFC expanded and modernized the tools of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).

The facility to AFC, which consists of a US$250 million tier-2 capital loan, will strengthen AFC’s investment capacity by enabling it to provide competitive financing solutions for closing Africa’s infrastructure deficit. It also further complements AFC’s strategy of diversifying its investor base.

Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO of Africa Finance Corporation, commented on the announcement: “Africa and the United States have enjoyed a longstanding partnership spanning several decades. Indeed, AFC has partnered with the US on several infrastructure initiatives, including the Power Africa initiative, and regularly receives investments from US-based investors in its Eurobond issuances.”

“This announcement therefore marks a natural evolution as the US Government seeks to play a greater role in Africa’s development by establishing a dedicated DFI. Crucially, this funding will also ensure the Corporation is able to continue fulfilling its objectives in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has placed a greater responsibility on development finance institutions in helping to drive a sustainable recovery across Africa.”

Adam Boehler, CEO of DFC also commented on the announcement: “DFC is proud to expand our relationship with a key infrastructure investor in Africa. This financing advances DFC’s strong commitment to Africa by supporting investment in the modern infrastructure that is essential to economic growth and expanded connectivity with the world.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

About AFC - www.africafc.org

AFC, an investment grade multilateral finance institution, was established in 2007 with an equity capital base of US$1.1 billion, to be the catalyst for private sector-led infrastructure investment across Africa. With a current balance sheet of approximately US$6.6 billion, AFC is the second highest investment grade rated multilateral financial institution in Africa with an A3/P2 (negative outlook) rating from Moody’s Investors Service. AFC successfully raised US$700 Million in 2020, US$1,150 billion (US$650 million and US$500 million) in 2019, US$500 million in 2017 and US$750 million in 2015 through Eurobond issuances; out of its Board-approved US$5 Billion Global Medium-Term Note (MTN) Programme. All Eurobond issues were oversubscribed and attracted investors from Asia, Europe and the USA.

AFC’s investment approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth. AFC invests in high-quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications. To date, the Corporation has invested over US$8.4billion in projects within 35 countries across Africa.

Follow us on Twitter - @africa_finance

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210104005357/en/

Contacts
Lucy Savage
Senior Vice President, Communications
Tel: + 234 1 279 9600
Email: lucy.savage@africafc.org

Bobby Morse / Augustine Chipungu
Buchanan
Tel: +44 20 7466 5000
Email: afc@buchanan.uk.com



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Al Ain Film Festival 3rd Edition: 23rd – 27th January 2021

 378 films and 4 new initiatives in Al Ain Film Festival

Al Ain, United Arab Emirates-Tuesday 5 January 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

Al Ain Film Festival has announced the launch of its third edition, Under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan member of the Executive Council, which will take place in Al Ain city, between 23rd – 27th of January 2021, under the slogan "Future Cinema".

In which the Festival continues to support local and Gulf filmmakers by implementing new initiatives, various programs, distinctive shows and agreements, in the service of "the 7th Art", to be the most prominent platform for discovering and presenting the best productions and talents of cinema in the region.

The Festival was announced during a press conference held yesterday, attended by Amer Salmeen Al Murry, Founder and Director General of the Festival, Hani Al Shaibani, Art Director, and Saeed Salmeen, who joined the Festival management to take over the task of Art Director of the program "Cinema Of The World.

The Third Edition of Al Ain Film Festival 2021 offers the audience of the "Golden Screen" a bouquet of distinctive events, which celebrate the most prominent filmmakers, of professionals and fresh young talents over a period of 5 days. After the impressive success of the First and Second Editions of the Festival, with the testimony of the audience as well as the critics, which enables the Founder and Director of the Festival, Amer Salmeen Al Murry, to achieve his ambition by including the name of "Al Ain" city, on the map of international festivals, and supporting the young Emirati talents.

Europe Arrives At Al Ain Film Festival

Amer Salmeen Al Murry, revealed during the conference, that he had reached an agreement with the "European Union" office, whereby a bunch of distinctive European films, that have met with success in Europe and some of international film festivals, will be displayed during the Festival. Different European countries show high interest in collaborating with the festival, with the aim of exchanging experiences and cultures in this field, and providing an opportunity for Emirati and Gulf audiences, to watch various films of high artistic value.

Through its summer program of the weekends, the Festival will display a group of European films, and each week will be devoted to a specific country, in addition to organizing workshops by filmmakers from many European countries.

Fareed Ramadhan Award

"Fareed Ramadhan" award for the best screenplay for a long Gulf film, is one of the new and distinctive awards that Amer Salmeen Al Murry revealed during the conference, and was intended to encourage the scriptwriters as well as to honor the spirit of the late Bahraini writer and screenwriter, Fareed Ramadhan, who had a prominent presence in the First and the Second Editions of the Festival, and his writings have enriched Bahraini and Gulf cinema in general.

Abu Dhabi Festival

The General Manager of Al Ain Festival expressed his pleasure to collaborate, in this edition, with Abu Dhabi Festival, one of the leading cultural events locally and internationally, as the Festival's strategic cultural partner, and Al Ain Film Festival announced the opening of submission through its official website, for a new competition entitled "Abu Dhabi Festival Unproduced Screenplay", Targeting young Emirati scriptwriters, to create a new generation, that can enrich local content with fresh unique topics presented to cinema. Three prizes have been allocated to this purpose, best three unproduced screenplays (short film), at a value of 20 thousand dirhams each, with support of Abu Dhabi Festival, as Al Ain Film Festival prepared the conditions and regulations for the competition, in which the winners will be disclosed in June 2021 after the evaluation and selection processes that will be conducted by a special jury for this competition, consisting of a group of Arab filmmakers and scriptwriters.

H.E. Huda I. Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival "We are proud to support Al Ain Film Festival (AFF) as a thriving part of the nation’s vision for the development of film in the UAE and as an influential celebration of local and international achievements in cinema.”

Her Excellency added: "Together with AFF, we are committed to continuing our work to cultivate the nation’s film industry and our investment in Emirati youth to empower them to realize their artistic ambition and develop their creative abilities. Throughout ADMAF’s 25 years, our work has contributed to the sustainable development of film and all the arts. Our partnership with AFF is an invaluable opportunity to support Emirati directors and launch many outstanding new films through this prestigious Arab and international film festival.

As the 3rd edition of AFF gets underway in these challenging times, it is more important than ever to continue ADMAF’s ongoing efforts to foster a culture of cinema in the UAE.”

Achievements of the Artists

The Festival manager revealed that in the new edition of "Al Ain Film Festival", and as a part of "Honoring Artists' Achievements" program, a group of art professionals will be honored, for their artistic career full of many achievements in the world of film industry, and their great contributions to the advancement of the "Seventh Art". They are Sheikha Alyazia Bint Nahyan, Emirati director Nujoom Al-Ghanem, and the late Bahraini writer and screenwriter Fareed Ramadhan. He said: “Al Ain Film Festival raises the slogan "Future Cinema", but we cannot forget those who have served this art for many years, and I am pleased that the 3rd Edition of the Festival will honor Emirati and Arab, who have made rich and important additions, throughout their artistic experience.

Competitions and surprises

Among the new initiatives that "Al Ain Film Festival" is witnessing in its 3rd edition, is an exceptional competition entitled "Make Your Film in the Time of Corona". It is a competition that gives the filmmakers an opportunity to benefit from the quarantine, by filming a short film, with a duration of 3 to 15 minutes, revolving around Details of daily life in light of the quarantine imposed by the Corona pandemic, and the competition that was announced in the summer of 2020 was met with great participation by Emiratis and residents of various nationalities in the country. For this competition, the festival allocated two awards, the first for the (best film) and the second for the (best idea).

The exceptional difficult circumstances imposed by the crisis of the repercussions of "Covid-19" on the world, have not prevented filmmakers from participating in more than 378 films, which confirms their confidence in the Festival, which is taking steady steps towards achieving its goal of "a bright future for cinema". Films of all kinds have been chosen. From fiction and documentary, long and short, which will compete with each other for prizes in the official competitions: Falcon Emriati Film, Falcon Gulf Feature Film, Falcon Gulf Feature Short Film, Falcon Student Films, Falcon Resident Films, and the special competition of the 3rd Edition of the Festival “Make Your Film in the Time of Corona”.

Al Murry affirmed that the Festival's management has challenged the exceptional conditions that the world is experiencing today as a result of "Covid 19" and decided to organize the 3rd Edition of the Festival, but in return it adapted a new plan that guarantees adherence to the necessary preventive and precautionary measures, to ensure the health of the public and those in charge of the Festival, as it has set a capacity for show halls to ensure physical distancing, as well as some virtual events, similar to some international festivals.

Hani Al Shaibani, Art Director of the Festival, said during the conference: “The Festival received a large number of films in all competitions, as the 3rd Edition witnessed a significant increase in the number of participating films by 35% over the previous edition, which confirms the importance of the Festival in creating a progressive cinematic activity in the UAE.

World Cinema

In his turn, Director Saeed Salmeen expressed his happiness to join the Festival's management and assume the task of Art Director of the "World Cinema" Program, and confirmed that he, in turn, will contribute to a greater activation of the program, by presenting a number of successful and distinctive foreign and Arab films to the local audience.

It is noteworthy that "Al Ain Film Festival" presented in its 2nd Edition 54 films that participated in the official competitions of the Festival, 15 of which were in the world premiere, representing the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and the Sultanate of Oman. The winning films have got 10 prizes in various competitions of the Festival, and 4 award winner feature films in the "Cinema of the World" program, were shown in the previous edition.

The Festival witnessed a qualitative leap in its second session, as the opening and closing ceremonies were organized at the historic Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain. The Festival also honored 5 movie stars, namely the late Bahraini artist "Ali Al Ghurair", the professional Egyptian actor "Ahmed Bedier" and the Kuwaiti actor "Tariq Al Ali" The Emirati artist, Maryam Sultan, and the Emirati artist, Dhaen Jumaa.

In its 2nd Edition, the Festival met with great success in terms of organization and quality of the participating films, with the testimony of Gulf, Arab and foreign guests.

 

Contacts
Matrix PR

Krishika Mahesh, +97143430888

Krishika@matrixdubai.com



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Moody’s Acquires Catylist, Inc., Advancing its Commercial Real Estate Capabilities

 NEW YORK -Tuesday 5 January 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Moody’s Corporation (NYSE:MCO) announced today that it has acquired Catylist, Inc., a provider of commercial real estate (CRE) solutions for brokers. The acquisition advances Moody’s Analytics (MA) CRE platform, substantially enhancing its coverage of property-level data and expanding its range of analytical solutions to the broker market.

“Catylist offers deep insights into CRE markets through its impressive scope and coverage, intuitive user interface, and innovative research services for brokers,” said Stephen Tulenko, President of Moody’s Analytics. “The acquisition of Catylist complements Moody’s analytical capabilities and augments our growing suite of CRE tools that integrate rich and relevant data with powerful analytics. We look forward to continuing to invest and enhance our CRE capabilities to help our customers make better decisions.”

Catylist’s innovative platform provides CRE brokers with a comprehensive suite of data, analytical tools and verified property listing information. Combined with Moody’s existing CRE capabilities, Catylist’s powerful proprietary tools, research, and market information enable customers to analyze inventory, pricing, and vacancy trends.

“Moody’s is widely recognized for excellence in data and analytics, and their evolving commercial real estate capabilities have made them a trusted name in the industry,” said Ronald D. Marten, CCIM, the Founder, President and CEO of Catylist. “We’re excited to continue growing our business and to serving the evolving needs of the sector as part of a dynamic company like Moody’s.”

The acquisition builds on Moody’s 2018 purchase of Reis, Inc., a leading CRE data and analytics provider. Catylist’s data, including information sourced directly from brokers, will further inform and enhance Moody’s extensive and growing network of CRE products and services.

The acquisition was funded with cash on hand and is not expected to have a material effect on Moody’s 2020 financial results.

ABOUT MOODY’S CORPORATION

Moody’s (NYSE:MCO) is a global risk assessment firm that empowers organizations to make better decisions. Its data, analytical solutions and insights help decision-makers identify opportunities and manage the risks of doing business with others. We believe that greater transparency, more informed decisions, and fair access to information open the door to shared progress. With over 11,400 employees in more than 40 countries, Moody’s combines international presence with local expertise and over a century of experience in financial markets. Learn more at moodys.com/about.

“SAFE HARBOR” STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

Certain statements contained in this release are forward-looking statements and are based on future expectations, plans and prospects for the business and operations of Moody’s Corporation (the “Company”) that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such statements may include, among other words, “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “plan”, “will”, “predict”, “potential”, “continue”, “strategy”, “aspire”, “target”, “forecast”, “project”, “estimate”, “should”, “could”, “may” and similar expressions or words and variations thereof that convey the prospective nature of events or outcomes generally indicative of forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and other information in this release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation (nor does it intend) to publicly supplement, update or revise such statements on a going-forward basis, whether as a result of subsequent developments, changed expectations or otherwise, except as required by applicable law or regulation. In connection with the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Company is identifying examples of factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ, perhaps materially, from those indicated by these forward-looking statements. Those factors, risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact of COVID-19 on volatility in the U.S. and world financial markets, on general economic conditions and GDP growth in the U.S. and worldwide, and on the Company’s own operations and personnel. Many other factors could cause actual results to differ from Moody’s outlook, including credit market disruptions or economic slowdowns, which could affect the volume of debt and other securities issued in domestic and/or global capital markets; other matters that could affect the volume of debt and other securities issued in domestic and/or global capital markets, including regulation, credit quality concerns, changes in interest rates and other volatility in the financial markets such as that due to Brexit and uncertainty as companies transition away from LIBOR; the level of merger and acquisition activity in the U.S. and abroad; the uncertain effectiveness and possible collateral consequences of U.S. and foreign government actions affecting credit markets, international trade and economic policy, including those related to tariffs and trade barriers; concerns in the marketplace affecting our credibility or otherwise affecting market perceptions of the integrity or utility of independent credit agency ratings; the introduction of competing products or technologies by other companies; pricing pressure from competitors and/or customers; the level of success of new product development and global expansion; the impact of regulation as an NRSRO, the potential for new U.S., state and local legislation and regulations, including provisions in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank”) and regulations resulting from Dodd-Frank; the potential for increased competition and regulation in the EU and other foreign jurisdictions; exposure to litigation related to Moody’s Investors Service’s rating opinions, as well as any other litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries to which the Company may be subject from time to time; provisions in the Dodd-Frank legislation modifying the pleading standards, and EU regulations modifying the liability standards, applicable to credit rating agencies in a manner adverse to credit rating agencies; provisions of EU regulations imposing additional procedural and substantive requirements on the pricing of services and the expansion of supervisory remit to include non-EU ratings used for regulatory purposes; the possible loss of key employees; failures or malfunctions of our operations and infrastructure; any vulnerabilities to cyber threats or other cybersecurity concerns; the outcome of any review by controlling tax authorities of the Company’s global tax planning initiatives; exposure to potential criminal sanctions or civil remedies if the Company fails to comply with foreign and U.S. laws and regulations that are applicable in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates, including data protection and privacy laws, sanctions laws, anti-corruption laws, and local laws prohibiting corrupt payments to government officials; the impact of mergers, acquisitions or other business combinations and the ability of the Company to successfully integrate such acquired businesses; currency and foreign exchange volatility; the level of future cash flows; the levels of capital investments; and a decline in the demand for credit risk management tools by financial institutions. These factors, risks and uncertainties as well as other risks and uncertainties that could cause Moody’s actual results to differ materially from those contemplated, expressed, projected, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements are currently, or in the future could be, amplified by the COVID-19 outbreak and are described in greater detail under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, and in other filings made by the Company from time to time with the SEC or in materials incorporated herein or therein. Stockholders and investors are cautioned that the occurrence of any of these factors, risks and uncertainties may cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those contemplated, expressed, projected, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements, which could have a material and adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. New factors may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict new factors, nor can the Company assess the potential effect of any new factors on it.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210104005152/en/

Contacts

For Moody’s:

SHIVANI KAK

Investor Relations

+1 212-553-0298

Shivani.kak@moodys.com

OR

JOE MIELENHAUSEN

Communications

+1 212-553-1461

Joe.Mielenhausen@moodys.com

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Northern Data: Existing Bitcoin Mining Customer Expands Contract Volume by More Than 200 MW

 FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany -Monday 4 January 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

The rise of Bitcoin catapults customer demand to new heights

Northern Data participates in the positive bitcoin price development through performance-based component of customer fees

Accelerated expansion of up to five new data center locations

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Northern Data AG (XETRA: NB2, ISIN: DE000A0SMU87), a leading provider of high-performance computing (HPC) solutions, can announce the extension of a customer contract of a volume of ASIC chips worth USD 100 million. The existing customer, from the bitcoin mining sector, is making use of an extension option, which it drew at the end of the year. The USD 100 million order volume of ASIC chips corresponds to an additional capacity of more than 200 MW, which will be allocated to Northern Data's up-to-five new Scandinavian and Canadian data center locations, among others. The expansion of these new HPC data centers is being accelerated due to the massive growth in customer demand.

In addition to the expanded order volume, Northern Data also benefits from a performance-based remuneration component with this customer on top of the basic fee, meaning that Northern Data participates in the positive development of the bitcoin price. This additional revenue driver is not included in the Company's forecast for 2021 and therefore represents additional significant upside potential. As recently as mid-December, the Company forecast revenues of EUR 350 million to EUR 400 million with EBITDA of EUR 100 million to EUR 125 million for the 2021 financial year, which has just begun.

The need for bitcoin mining infrastructure is growing rapidly, especially due to the fast-developing acceptance of bitcoin as a new asset class. With around eight years of experience in the field of infrastructure for HPC applications such as bitcoin mining, Northern Data's offering is built upon many proprietary technologies. These include an innovative air-cooling system developed in-house, as well as artificial intelligence for controlling and optimizing the operation of the HPC hardware. These solutions enable Northern Data to deliver capacity to customers in record time.

CEO Aroosh Thillainathan comments, "The upsizing of this customer order is a great testament to our technology-leading solutions for bitcoin mining infrastructure. With this customer, we will directly participate in the rising bitcoin price and thus have an additional upside that we had not previously factored into our forecast for 2021. But bitcoin mining is only one of the many growth drivers in our business: In addition to the accelerated expansion of our bitcoin mining activities, we are also benefiting from rapidly developing customer demand in other application areas of high-performance computing. Just in early December, we started commissioning our GPU cluster, which will allow us to benefit from the exploding demand for HPC services for artificial intelligence, deep learning, research and rendering."

About Northern Data

Northern Data AG develops and operates global infrastructure solutions in the field of high-performance computing (HPC). With its customized solutions, the company provides the HPC applications in areas such as bitcoin mining, artificial intelligence, blockchain, Big Data analytics, IoT and rendering. The international company is now a leading provider of HPC solutions worldwide. Northern Data offers its HPC solutions both in large, stationary data centers and in mobile high-tech data centers that can be set up at any location worldwide. The company combines self-developed software and hardware with intelligent concepts for a sustainable energy supply. The Northern Data Group currently employs around 150 people.

Disclaimer

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities of Northern Data AG, nor does it constitute a securities prospectus of Northern Data AG. The information contained in this press release is not intended to be the basis for any financial, legal, tax or other business decision. Investment or other decisions should not be made solely on the basis of this press release. As in all business and investment matters, please consult qualified professional advice.

Language:

 

English

Company:

 

Northern Data AG

 

Thurn-und-Taxis-Platz 6

 

60313 Frankfurt/Main

 

Germany

Phone:

 

+49 69 34 87 52 25

E-mail:

 

info@northerndata.de

Internet:

 

www.northerndata.de

ISIN:

 

DE000A0SMU87

WKN:

 

A0SMU8

Listed:

 

Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich (m:access), Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210103005046/en/

Contacts

Press contact

Northern Data AG

Dr. Hans Joachim Dürr

Head of Corporate Communications

Thurn-und-Taxis-Platz 6

60313 Frankfurt

E-Mail: h.duerr@northerndata.de

Telefon: +49 69 348 752 89

Investor Relations

Sven Pauly

E-Mail: ir@northerndata.de

Telephone: +49 89 125 09 03 30

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Ras Al Khaimah Ushers in 2021 With One of the World's Largest Fireworks Displays Inspiring Hope and Confidence

 Show reiterates Ras Al Khaimah’s position as the GCC Capital of Tourism in 2021

RAS AL KHAIMAH, United Arab Emirates-Friday 1 January 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

The Ras Al Khaimah New Year’s Eve Celebrations dazzled the world with a 10-minute fireworks show that underlined the UAE’s message of hope, peace and achievements, as the world welcomed 2021 with optimism and renewed confidence.

Lighting up the sky over the Arabian Sea, the fireworks spectacle was organised by following all safety protocols. While guests, including UAE residents and tourists, at hotels in Al Marjan Island and Al Hamra Village watched the show on-ground, the event was also broadcast live on television channels globally and via social media channels, reaching millions of viewers around the world. People can catch up on the exciting show on raknye.com.

Abdulla Al Abdouli, member of the event Organising Committee, said: “The Ras Al Khaimah New Year’s Eve Celebration is indeed a tribute to the resilience and strength of humanity. We are sending a message of positivity to the world from here in Ras Al Khaimah, urging people to move forward with confidence after what was an unprecedented year. As we move into 2021 with Ras Al Khaimah chosen as the GCC Capital of Tourism, we aim to inspire people to visit the emirate and explore its wonders in full confidence.”

The Ras Al Khaimah New Year’s Eve fireworks show was indeed like no other with its location in the picturesque setting of the Arabian Sea, framed against the landmarks of Ras Al Khaimah’s natural landscape, the architectural edifices of Al Marjan Island and Al Hamra Village.

With 8,500 kg of fireworks used, the display spanned a length of 4 km and width of 3.9 km, creating one of the brightest spots on earth. The festive panorama of colours was achieved from 81 launch pontoons that shot up 15,281 firework shells. The show took 20 days of offshore and onshore preparation with 30 technicians. More than 3 km of optical fibre was laid in addition to 6 km of control cables.

The 10-minute show was made all the more captivating with musical themes. With the countdown setting in, a great thunder and breathtaking display of colours followed to usher in the New Year.

Contacts

ASDA’A BCW

Nivine William, +97144507600

nivine.william@bcw-global.com

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