Category: 3. Business

Air China, as China’s sole national flag carrier, is a long-term strategic customer for Rolls-Royce. By establishing BAESL jointly, the two companies have deepened their cooperation. In the meantime, it further enhances Air China’s strategic layout in the aircraft maintenance industry chain, improving its overall fleet operational support capabilities.

As one of four authorised joint-venture overhaul facilities within the Rolls-Royce global services network, BAESL will be an integral part of its worldwide Trent MRO ecosystem, which also consists of two Rolls-Royce maintenance facilities, seven joint-venture or independent Authorised Maintenance Centres, and customer-owned shops.

Starting from 2026, BAESL will begin introducing overhaul capability for Trent 700, Trent XWB-84 and Trent 1000 engines, with capacity expected to ramp up to 250 overhauls per year by 2034.

Rialto focused on low-value transactions such as remittances and other person-to-person payments executed via the traditional banking channel. Despite past efforts to reduce the inefficiencies associated with such payments, FX and settlement remain key frictions.

In the search for more efficient options, there has been an increasing focus on instant payment-versus-payment (PvP) solutions that allow for fast and reliable access to liquidity in foreign currency.

Rialto’s technical experiment combined PvP and automated FX with tokenised central bank money settlement in a simulated cross-border payment infrastructure by building on previous work by the BIS Innovation Hub such as Project Mariana and Project Nexus.

The technical report describes the Project Rialto proof of concept, its architecture and design as well as the economic considerations regarding the viability of the Rialto technical approach.

Elon Musk’s space exploration company SpaceX is preparing to list on the stock market next year in a move that could raise more than $25bn (£19bn) and value the business at more than $1tn, according to reports.

SpaceX, which designs, builds and launches rockets, is said to have started discussions with banks about an initial public offering (IPO). It could join the stock market in about June or July, according Reuters, which cited an unnamed source familiar with the matter.

A flotation could rival the market value that the oil company Saudi Aramco achieved during its listing in 2019, which remains the biggest in history. It raised $29bn at the time, at a valuation of $1.7tn.

SpaceX could raise “significantly more than £30bn”, according to a separate report by Bloomberg, which said Musk was targeting an overall valuation of about $1.5tn.

Reuters said SpaceX planned to use the funds from the public listing to fund its space-based datacentres, including buying the chips required to run them.

The company was expected to make about $15bn in revenue in 2025, rising to between $22bn and $24bn in 2026, Bloomberg reported. Most of this is due to come from Starlink, its internet satellite business.

Last week, media reports suggested SpaceX was in talks with investors about a share sale that would value it at $800bn, pitting it against OpenAI to become the most valuable private company in the world.

However, Musk said the reports were inaccurate on Saturday. He wrote: “SpaceX has been cashflow positive for many years and does periodic stock buybacks twice a year to provide liquidity for employees and investors. Valuation increments are a function of progress with Starship and Starlink and securing global direct-to-cell spectrum that greatly increases our addressable market.”

SpaceX was approached for comment.

HERNDON, Va., 9 December 2025 – ST Engineering iDirect, a global leader in satellite communications, today announced that its Chief Technology Officer, Sridhar Kuppanna, has been named CTO of the Year (Solution Provider, Global) in the Leadership Excellence category at The Fast Mode Awards 2025. The award recognizes Kuppanna’s visionary leadership in advancing satellite technology and its integration into the global telecommunications ecosystem.

The inaugural awards program from The Fast Mode, a leading industry media, research and analysis platform, celebrates the organizations and leaders driving innovation in connectivity and digital transformation. The Leadership Excellence category honors executives whose work has significantly shaped the telecom industry through strategic vision, measurable achievements, and forward-looking impact.

Under Kuppanna’s leadership, ST Engineering iDirect has pioneered breakthroughs in cloud-native satellite ground systems, AI-driven network automation and 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN). His strategic direction has been instrumental in unifying satellite and terrestrial networks, highlighted by the industry’s first demonstration of interoperability between a cloud-native ground system and a 5G Core. This work is paving the way for a standardized 5G-6G future where satellite connectivity is seamless.

“I am deeply honored to receive this prestigious award from The Fast Mode,” said Sridhar Kuppanna. “This recognition is a testament to the incredible talent and dedication of the entire ST Engineering iDirect team. Our focus is on building an open, standardized, and interoperable future where satellite and terrestrial networks converge. By harnessing the power of cloud, 5G, and AI, we are committed to delivering autonomous, intelligent networks that redefine the possibilities of global connectivity.”

As announced by The Fast Mode on 1 December 2025, winners will be honored at the LiveX Kuala Lumpur 2026 summit on 6 February 2026. The event will bring together industry leaders to explore the technologies and strategies shaping AI-first telecommunications.

*****

Media contact:
Donna Armstrong
Brodeur
Email: darmstrong@brodeur.com

MADRID, December 10, 2025 — MEDVIDA Partners, a Spanish insurer specializing in the acquisition, integration and optimization of life insurance businesses, has signed an agreement with Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), a leading provider of mission-critical enterprise technology services. Under this collaboration, Kyndryl will help MEDVIDA Partners improve the user experience for its professionals and strengthen the security, resilience, and robustness of its technology operations.

The collaboration aims to optimize the management of the insurer’s technology systems by applying high standards of quality, service and security, enabling the company to meet regulatory requirements and evolving market trends. In addition, the company will be able to leverage Kyndryl Bridge, an AI-powered open integration platform, with advanced capabilities in automation, governance, observability, and AI-driven insights for predictions and optimization.

“At MEDVIDA Partners, we count on top-tier partners like Kyndryl for the execution of our strategy of consolidation and modernization of technology assets,” said Thomas Esclavard, Chief Technology Officer, MEDVIDA Partners. “This collaboration allows us to rely on cutting-edge capabilities in cybersecurity, automation and observability, significantly strengthening the resilience and security of our operations. At the same time, it lays the foundation for a highly scalable infrastructure and operating model, ready to accompany the acquisition and agile integration of new businesses.” 

“We are proud that MEDVIDA Partners has trusted Kyndryl and its consulting services to support compliance with a demanding regulatory environment and the transformation of the systems that accelerate its operations,” said Antonio Rodríguez Perales, Vice President, Kyndryl Spain and Portugal. “We are committed to delivering innovation and strengthening security through the best technology to continue to bring value to our customers.” 

Kyndryl’s expertise in cybersecurity, cloud, IT consulting, mainframe modernization and digital workplace will enable it to provide MEDVIDA Partners with access to the technologies they need to support their business processes.

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) announces that TDK has won the Gold Award from the WICI Japan Integrated Report Award 2025 for the second consecutive year. It is an award program organized by WICI Japan (the Japan chapter of the World Intellectual Capital/Assets Initiative-WICI).

WICI Japan established the WICI Japan Award for Excellence in Integrated Reporting in 2013 as a way to promote integrated reporting activities in Japan.

TDK United Report 2025 (Integrated Report) was praised for its near-perfect integrated reporting and could be a model for other companies integrated reports. Also, it was highly acclaimed as a company whose management is carried out with integrated thinking, and whose medium- to long-term value creation capabilities are shown in an easy-to-understand manner in relation to each stakeholder, with the expectation that it will continue to increase its corporate value.

TDK’s Integrated Report was renamed “TDK United Report” starting in 2025. Based on TDK’s unique corporate culture of functional equality, the report is structured to show how the efforts of TDK United team members (employees) contribute to maximizing FCF (Free Cash Flow), reducing cost of capital, improving the expected growth rate, and enhancing corporate value.

TDK United Report 2025 can be downloaded on the TDK website.
https://www.tdk.com/system/files/integrated_report_pdf_2025_en.pdf

More details about the award can be found at the website below (only in Japanese).
https://wici-global.com/index_ja/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/20251202wiciaward.pdf

About TDK Corporation

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) is a global technology company and innovation leader in the electronics industry, based in Tokyo, Japan. With the tagline “In Everything, Better” TDK aims to realize a better future across all aspects of life, industry, and society. For over 90 years, TDK has shaped the world from within; from the pioneering ferrite cores to cassette tapes that defined an era, to powering the digital age with advanced components, sensors, and batteries, leading the way towards a more sustainable future. United by TDK Venture Spirit, a start-up mentality built on visions, courage and mutual trust, TDK’s passionate team members around the globe pursue better—for ourselves, customers, partners, and the world. Today, the state-of-the-art technologies of TDK are in everything, from industrial applications, energy systems, electric vehicles, to smartphones and gaming, at the core of modern life. TDK’s comprehensive, innovative-driven portfolio includes cutting-edge passive components, sensors and sensor systems, power supplies, lithium-ion and solid-state batteries, magnetic heads, AI and enterprise software solutions, and more—featuring numerous market-leading products. These are marketed under the product brands TDK, EPCOS, InvenSense, Micronas, Tronics, TDK-Lambda, TDK SensEI, and ATL. Positioning the AI ecosystem as a key strategic area, TDK leverages its global network across the automotive, information and communication technology, and industrial equipment sectors to expand its business in a wide range of fields. In fiscal 2025, TDK posted total sales of USD 14.4 billion and employed about 105,000 people worldwide.

Developing business ideas in a commercial environment and connecting with entrepreneurs from around the world – this opportunity is offered to the start-up Atera Water through Porsche‘s new social flagship initiative ‘Start-up Your Dream’. This initiative supports fledgling companies worldwide with outstanding innovations that can contribute to improving living and working conditions of people, primarily in countries of the Global South. Furthermore, ‘Start-up Your Dream’ also targets founders who create chances for others with innovative business ideas in the areas of climate change, integration, or education.

After a visit to Porsche’s headquarters in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, the two Atera Water founders, Tai Kee and Dr Adrian Yeo, experienced another highlight: participating in the one-week Ignite program at the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. This intensive training program provides entrepreneurial frameworks based on academic research with startups in the Cambridge ecosystem and globally. Participants benefit from practical teaching sessions as well as guidance from experienced entrepreneurs and innovators. Dr Adrian Yeo said, “Participating in the Ignite program enabled us to further develop our business idea and exchange ideas with other entrepreneurs on site.” Tai Kee added, “The keynotes, workshops, mentoring sessions, and networking events were very valuable to us and broadened our perspective.”

As part of ‘Start-up Your Dream’ Porsche supports the participation of the two Atera Water founders in the Ignite program in order to prepare them specifically for the next development steps of their start-up. “With this project, we support selected start-ups in bringing their innovative business ideas to market and in improving the living conditions of people in areas of social engagement important to Porsche,” explains Dr Philipp Metz, Head of the Strategic Field Partner to Society.

The kick-off for ‘Start-up Your Dream’ took place in summer 2025. During a visit to Porsche’s headquarters, the Atera Water founders gained comprehensive insights into Porsche’s world and culture. Until the end of the multi-month program, Tai Kee and Dr Adrian Yeo will benefit from numerous training modules, mentoring offers, and networking events designed to further strengthen their development.

Porsche: ‘Start-up Your Dream’

With ‘Start-up Your Dream’, Porsche is implementing a flagship project to provide support for start-ups. The initiative aims to reach as many people as possible in important social areas. The funding is based on the four pillars of education, networking, mentoring and financing and is individually tailored to the needs of the courageous and creative founders.

About Atera Water

Atera Water is developing water filtration technology designed to make clean drinking water available even in regions where water is scarce or polluted – with minimal use of chemicals. The start-up combines scientific excellence with practical use and sees itself as a partner to help solve global water problems. Atera Water combines innovation from membrane research with applied engineering to bring a cost effective and energy efficient filtration system to market maturity. Initial pilot deployments have shown promising results.

About Ignite

Now in its 27^th year, Ignite boasts an impressive track record: the program at the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, has successfully launched numerous new business ventures and strengthened companies in their internal development and structure. Since its inception, more than 1,200 participants from 50 countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas have benefited from Ignite. It is estimated that Ignite alumni have created around 300 business ventures that are still active today. The program is designed based on proven methods of academic and practical entrepreneurship education and provides a unique space at the heart of the Cambridge ecosystem.

Porsche: Partner to Society

‘Partner to Society’ is a strategy field in sustainability at Porsche. With various initiatives, donations and CSR activities, the sports car manufacturer aims to assist regions around the world in preserving the environment, guaranteeing good working and living conditions and strengthening social cohesion. Under the motto ‘Creating Chances’, Porsche is particularly committed to self-help projects designed to empower people in their living and working environment – and to help make their very personal dreams come true.