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Category: 3. Business

  • Garanti BBVA Named Best Transaction Bank in Türkiye by Euromoney

    Garanti BBVA Named Best Transaction Bank in Türkiye by Euromoney

    This international award showcases Garanti BBVA’s prowess across a broad range of transaction banking services, including cash management, liquidity solutions, trade finance, and value-added digital products designed to support the daily financial running of a business. Euromoney cited the bank’s innovation-driven approach, flexible solution design, and customer-centric service model as key factors in the selection process.

    Garanti BBVA’s latest accolade is another feather in its cap, as the bank had previously received Euromoney’s Türkiye’s Best Cash Management Bank award on three separate occasions. This year’s award in the transaction banking category marks yet another achievement, illustrating the breadth of its offering and cementing its international standing in a different but closely related field.

    Sinem Edige, Head of BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) in Türkiye, said that the award was a testament to Garanti BBVA’s agile and tech-focused service model that turns digital transformation into tangible value for corporate clients. She pointed to the bank’s efforts to develop comprehensive solutions that help businesses become more operationally efficient, mitigate risks, and manage cash flows more effectively in a rapidly evolving economic environment.

    Fellow Deputy CEO Cemal Onaran noted that the accolade demonstrates Garanti BBVA’s long-standing pledge to deliver practical, value-added solutions for businesses operating across Türkiye. He said the bank continues to prioritize responsiveness to changing client needs while maintaining a long-term partnership approach rooted in its radical client perspective.

    Currently in its 56th year, the Euromoney Awards assess financial institutions at the sectoral, national, regional, and global levels. Banks are benchmarked on criteria such as product strength, technological infrastructure, client experience, and innovation capacity. The transaction banking category covers a broad spectrum of services enabling companies to operate efficiently in increasingly complex and fast-moving business environments.

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  • EssilorLuxottica to acquire Signifeye, further growing its ophthalmology clinics footprint – EssilorLuxottica

    1. EssilorLuxottica to acquire Signifeye, further growing its ophthalmology clinics footprint  EssilorLuxottica
    2. Essilux acquires Signifeye and strengthens in ophthalmic sector  ANSA
    3. EssilorLuxottica to buy Belgian ophthalmology platform Signifeye  marketscreener.com
    4. EssilorLuxottica Acquires Signifeye in Belgium  marketscreener.com

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  • Exclusive: BOJ to pledge more rate hikes at next week's policy meeting, sources say – Reuters

    1. Exclusive: BOJ to pledge more rate hikes at next week’s policy meeting, sources say  Reuters
    2. BOJ to hike rates to 0.75% in Dec, 1.0% by next Sept, majority of economists say: Reuters poll  Reuters
    3. Bank of Japan governor says economy has weathered Donald Trump’s tariffs  Financial Times
    4. GBP/JPY eases as Yen strengthens on rising BoJ rate-hike expectations  FXStreet
    5. BOJ May Hike Interest Rates Four Times by 2027, Ex-Official Says  Bloomberg.com

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  • A.P. Moller – Maersk appoints new Chief Financial Officer

    A.P. Moller – Maersk appoints new Chief Financial Officer

    Executive Summary

    • The A.P. Moller – Maersk Board of Directors appoints Robert Erni as new Chief Financial Officer
    • Robert Erni is a Swiss national with more than 30 years of experience in finance functions across the global logistics sector
    • Current CFO, Patrick Jany, will oversee the year-end closing and the annual report, to be announced on 5 February, after which the transition takes effect

    Today, Maersk has appointed Robert Erni as the company’s next Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Member of the Executive Board. He succeeds Patrick Jany, who has served the company over the past six years.


    I would like to sincerely thank Patrick for his dedication and contributions, which have helped position the company for its next phase. On behalf of the leadership team, I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

    Vincent Clerc

    CEO of Maersk


    Patrick Jany says: “It has been an exciting time to be part of Maersk, and the past six years have in many ways been truly unprecedented for the company. It has been a privilege to contribute to this transformation and time has now come for me to move on. I wish Maersk and my colleagues the very best moving forward on the journey.”

    Robert Erni, a Swiss national, brings more than 30 years of experience in finance functions across the global logistics sector. He spent 20 years at Kuehne+Nagel, where he held several executive finance positions and was stationed in Hong Kong, India, Argentina, the United States and Switzerland. He later served as Group CFO of Panalpina, until the company was acquired by DSV, and most recently, he was Group CFO of Dachser, one of the leading global providers of supply chain solutions.


    With Robert Erni, we welcome a highly qualified CFO with deep roots in the global logistics sector and a proven track record of driving process and cost efficiency as well as growth on a global scale. His extensive international experience and strong leadership profile make him an excellent fit for the Maersk team, and I look very much forward to working with him.

    Vincent Clerc

    CEO of Maersk


    On joining Maersk, Robert Erni comments: “I am truly excited to join Maersk, a company I have followed throughout my career and come to know from the customer side. Maersk is executing an ambitious and industry-defining strategy, and I look forward to contributing. I have always admired Maersk’s culture, which aligns closely with my own values, both professionally and personally.”

    A smooth handover is ensured during Q1, with Patrick Jany overseeing the year-end closing and the annual report, to be announced on 5 February, after which the transition takes effect.

    About Maersk

    A.P. Moller – Maersk is an integrated logistics company working to connect and simplify its customers’ supply chains. As a global leader in logistics services, the company operates in more than 130 countries and employs around 100,000 people. Maersk is aiming to reach net zero GHG emissions by 2040 across the entire business with new technologies, new vessels, and reduced GHG emissions fuels*.

    *Maersk defines “reduced GHG emissions fuels” as fuels with at least 65% reductions in GHG emissions on a lifecycle basis compared to fossil of 94 g CO2e/MJ.


    For further information, please contact:

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  • Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 1.44% – Investing.com

    1. Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 1.44%  Investing.com
    2. Nikkei climbs on Wall Street relief rally  Business Recorder
    3. Japan Stocks Extend Winning Streak As Topix Hits Record High  Finimize
    4. SoftBank shares slide as Oracle’s earnings revive concerns over AI investment payoffs  TradingView
    5. Tokyo Stock Market Week Ahead: Nikkei 225 and Topix Face BOJ Rate Decision, CPI Print and Yen Volatility  ts2.tech

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  • UK economy shrank unexpectedly before budget, data shows | Economic growth (GDP)

    UK economy shrank unexpectedly before budget, data shows | Economic growth (GDP)

    Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank in October before Rachel Reeves’s budget, official figures show, as activity failed to regain momentum after the cyber-attack on Jaguar Land Rover.

    Figures from the Office for National Satistics (ONS) showed gross domestic product fell by 0.1%, after a 0.1% drop in output in September. City economists had predicted a 0.1% rise in October.

    It comes as the Bank of England mulls cutting interest rates next week amid a slowdown in headline inflation and fears over a sluggish growth outlook and rise in unemployment.

    The latest snapshot will probably cement City predictions for a sixth reduction in borrowing costs since the summer of last year, after the chancellor’s budget included a number of inflation-cutting measures alongside sweeping tax rises.

    Threadneedle Street has said Reeves’s policies – including relief on energy bills, prescription charges and fuel duty – could cut headline inflation by as much as half a percentage point next year.

    Economic output fell in September after hackers breaching JLR’s systems resulted in the country’s second-largest carmaker halting its UK production lines for several weeks.

    In an incident estimated to have cost the economy at large up to £1.9bn, the halt crippled hundreds of smaller companies in the manufacturer’s supply chain, causing monthly output in the car industry to collapse by a third.

    More details soon …

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  • New laws to be considered after ‘harrowing stories’ from ex-Vodafone franchisees | Vodafone

    New laws to be considered after ‘harrowing stories’ from ex-Vodafone franchisees | Vodafone

    The government will consider new laws to correct the power imbalance in franchise agreements in response to the “harrowing stories” of small business people running Vodafone stores.

    The move follows allegations of suicide and attempted suicide among shopkeepers who had agreed to deals to run retail outlets for the £18bn telecoms company, which were revealed by the Guardian on Monday.

    During Thursday’s business questions in the Commons, Justin Madders, a former minister, said: “I’m sure the department will have been aware of the coverage this week of some of the harrowing stories of the treatment of Vodafone franchisees … [The department] will no doubt recognise the power imbalance in that relationship and will they consider looking at some measures to redress that imbalance perhaps by a statutory code of practice or a national arbitration system?”

    Chris Bryant, a minister of state at the Department for Business and Trade, said: “I am happy to sit down with him and discuss whether there are specific proposals that we could bring forward which would address that issue of imbalance.”

    Outside the chamber another former business minister, Labour’s Gareth Thomas, added: “This case continues to raise disturbing echoes of the Post Office scandal and raises the question as to whether the law around franchising needs to be toughened up to ensure small-business owners are better protected.”

    On Monday, the Guardian revealed allegations that Adrian Howe, a former Vodafone employee who had agreed to become a franchisee in 2018, had taken his own life after becoming convinced his deal with the multinational company would prove financially disastrous.

    Rachael Beddow-Davison and Dan Attwal also told the Guardian about how commission cuts by Vodafone in 2020 caused their franchising companies to run up huge debts, which they each said contributed to them attempting to kill themselves.

    A group of 62 former Vodafone franchisees brought a high court claim in 2024, alleging the telecoms company “unjustly enriched” itself by slashing sales commissions paid to the small business owners for running the stores in 2020.

    In September, Vodafone commenced offering financial settlements to a selection of former franchisees who are outside the group of claimants currently suing the business – as it launched its fourth investigation into the historical conduct within its franchising division.

    Vodafone says the ongoing legal claim is a “commercial dispute” but has previously apologised to claimants who blamed pressure from the telecoms group for triggering suicidal thoughts. A survey of franchisees during September 2020 resulted in 78 out of 119 respondents leaving overwhelmingly critical comments about the effects Vodafone’s actions had had on their mental health.

    In response to the Guardian’s investigation, a Vodafone UK spokesperson said: “While we are sorry if any partners have had a difficult experience, we reject any suggestion that our franchisees were put under undue pressure.

    “We continue to run a successful franchise operation, and many of our existing franchisees have expanded their business with us by taking on additional stores. We encourage everyone to raise issues, and we will always seek to resolve them, and we remain open to further discussions with claimants to resolve the commercial dispute.”

    The company said it “wholly rejects” any suggestion that it “knowingly or recklessly or negligently” put anybody involved with its franchise stores under unreasonable pressure.

    In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org

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  • Dollar staggers to third weekly decline as investors ponder Fed outlook – Reuters

    1. Dollar staggers to third weekly decline as investors ponder Fed outlook  Reuters
    2. US dollar sags as Fed outlook undermines; Swiss franc gets SNB lift  Reuters
    3. EUR/USD, GBP/USD and EUR/GBP Forecasts – US Dollar Still Soft After FOMC  FXEmpire
    4. Dollar Extends Post-FOMC Losses  inkl
    5. Forex Today: US Dollar steady ahead of the Fed decision, US employment data  FXStreet

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  • Multi-criteria spatial assessment of urban open spaces for promoting physical activity and spatial justice: a case study of Tehran metropolitan

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  • Africa CDC and Zipline Partner to Advance Health System Responsiveness and Epidemic Preparedness Across Africa – Africa CDC

    Africa CDC and Zipline Partner to Advance Health System Responsiveness and Epidemic Preparedness Across Africa – Africa CDC

    Together, they will expand access, improve emergency preparedness, strengthen data systems, and enhance epidemic early warning and response capabilities that work even at the last mile

    Washington / Addis Ababa, 11 December 2025 — The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Zipline International, Inc. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve health outcomes and expand economic opportunities across Africa through drone-enabled health logistics.

    The partnership marks a significant step towards realising Africa’s vision of resilient, technology-driven, and equitable health systems — ensuring that life-saving medical products, from vaccines to diagnostics and essential medicines, reach every community, no matter how remote.

    The collaboration aligns with the Africa CDC Strategic Plan (2023–2027) and Africa’s Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) agenda, which emphasise African-led solutions to strengthen institutions, expand local manufacturing, empower the health workforce, and leverage innovation for continental health security. It further supports Africa CDC’s One Health approach and Digital Transformation Strategy, aimed at connecting and modernising public health systems across the continent.    

    This partnership is guided by five core principles:

    • Member State Ownership and Leadership: All activities are undertaken under the leadership of AU Member States and with the coordination and guidance of Africa CDC.
    • Equity and Access: The collaboration prioritizes underserved, remote, and vulnerable populations.
    • Sustainability and Sovereignty: The partnership strengthens domestic systems, integrates with existing public health infrastructure, and promotes Africa’s health sovereignty including via capacity building of local industry partners.
    • Transparency and Accountability: Both parties maintain open communication, shared reporting, and compliance with ethical, legal, and data protection standards.
    • Innovation for Impact: Joint efforts focus on scalable, evidence-based innovations with measurable impact on epidemic control and service delivery.

    Through the MoU, Africa CDC and Zipline will collaborate to support countries on strategic initiatives including capacity building, workforce development, operational research, innovation, epidemic preparedness, emergency response, and technology transfer. The partnership will support the integration of drone-based logistics as decided by national governments, strengthen data-driven surveillance and early-warning systems, and promote coordinated action to ensure service continuity in hard-to-reach and disaster-prone areas.    

    “This partnership with Zipline is more than an innovation in logistics, it is a commitment to equity, access and resilience,” said Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC. “By leveraging advanced drone technology, we can connect communities that have long been beyond the reach of essential health services, empower our health workforce with real-time data and supplies, and build a continent that responds faster, works smarter, and saves more lives”.

    Under this agreement, Africa CDC will work with Member States, partners, and donors to mobilise political commitment, investment, and collaboration in digital and drone-enabled logistics. Zipline will leverage its operational expertise, warehousing capabilities, autonomous aircraft network, and data-driven supply chain management systems to support the integration of aerial delivery into public health systems across Africa.

    “Africa CDC and Zipline are working together to accelerate a continent-wide shift toward equitable, resilient, responsive health systems,” said Caitlin Burton, Chief Executive Officer of Zipline Africa. “By combining African leadership with Zipline’s technology and operational expertise, we’re strengthening supply chains, empowering health workers, improving early-warning systems, and ensuring every community has reliable access to care. This is innovation in service of health equity — and in service of Africa’s future.”

    Since launching its first operations in Rwanda in 2016, Zipline has expanded to operate the world’s largest autonomous      delivery network, partnering with governments and health institutions to transform how essential goods are distributed. Its technology now powers last-mile health delivery across several African countries, contributing to stronger supply chains, improved health outcomes, faster outbreak      detection and response, and economic stimulation.          

    The MoU also commits both organisations to fostering knowledge exchange, advocacy, and technical dialogue, promoting innovation and collaboration through policy fora, joint research, and communication initiatives that highlight Africa’s leadership in health technology and systems resilience.

    This partnership supports the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and advances the continent’s collective vision of a prosperous, healthy, and self-reliant Africa, driven by innovation, partnership, and the power of technology.

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    About the Africa CDC

    The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a public health agency of the African Union. It is autonomous and supports member states in strengthening health systems. It also helps improve disease surveillance, emergency response, and disease control. Learn more at: http://www.africacdc.org and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

    About Zipline

    Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced autonomous delivery service. Today Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and serves more than 5,000 hospitals and health facilities. Zipline’s customers include federal and state health systems, health care institutions, restaurants and retailers. With more than 120 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown to date, Zipline is transforming access to healthcare, consumer products, and food. Our customers rely on Zipline to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide new logistics services at scale.

    For years Zipline has worked with visionary governments and philanthropic organizations willing to take bold action to improve health outcomes for tens of millions of people. Partners include the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Gates Foundation, Gavi, Pfizer, and The UPS Foundation, which have helped Zipline and its partner governments develop a wealth of empirical evidence that advances our understanding of how improved supply chain performance increases timely treatment and ultimately saves lives. For more information, visit Zipline.com/Africa.

    Media Contacts

    Margaret Edwin | Director of Communication and Public Information | EdwinM@africacdc.org

    Zipline Media Contacts    

    Olugbeminiyi Idowu | Talking Drum Communications (on behalf of Zipline) zipline@talkingdrumcomms.com

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