Category: 3. Business

In the news release, Booking Holdings Inc. to Present at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, issued 27-Feb-2026 by Booking Holdings over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end:

Booking Holdings Inc. to Present at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference

NORWALK, Conn., Feb. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) today announced that Chief Financial Officer Ewout Steenbergen will participate in a fireside chat at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, held in San Francisco, on March 3, beginning at 4:05 pm PT / 7:05pm ET. A live audio cast of the presentation will be available to the public at https://ir.bookingholdings.com/events, and a replay will be available approximately 24 hours later.

Source: Booking Holdings
#BKNG_Corporate

About Booking Holdings
Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) is the world’s leading provider of online travel and related services, provided to consumers and local partners in more than 220 countries and territories through five primary consumer-facing brands: Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK and OpenTable. The mission of Booking Holdings is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. For more information, visit BookingHoldings.com and follow us on X @BookingHoldings.

Correction: The time of the fireside chat has been updated to 4:05 pm PT / 7:05pm ET.

SOURCE Booking Holdings

Insider Brief

• Quantum Economic Development Consortium announced the completion of a National Institute of Standards and Technology-funded research program to improve the size, performance, and manufacturability of quantum control and readout electronics.
• $1.4 million in matching funds awarded in 2022 supported work by Amphenol RF, Maybell Quantum Industries, Rigetti Computing, and XMA to address supply chain and scalability challenges.
• The projects delivered advances including reduced size and thermal load in cabling, improved room-temperature electronics, and new chip-level temperature measurement methods across multiple qubit platforms.

PRESS RELEASE — The Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) has announced the completion of a research program funded by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to make control electronics for quantum hardware more compact and manufacturable. The work addresses the needs identified by QED-C members in the enabling technology roadmap, Control and Readout Electronics for Quantum Systems.  

In 2022, $1.4 million in government matching funds were competitively awarded to QED-C member companies to enhance the control and readout electronics supply chain and its capabilities. 

The results achieved by QED-C members Amphenol RF, Maybell Quantum Industries, Rigetti Computing, and XMA, in collaboration with NIST, demonstrate improvements in size and performance of control and readout technologies across several qubit modalities. 

Amphenol RF reduced the size, weight, and loss of room-temperature control readout electronics in quantum systems while improving overall performance. This advance will enhance room-temperature control readout electronics in future quantum systems in a manufacturable package designed for production scalability. 

Maybell Quantum Industries changed the design of control and readout electronics to tightly integrate passive and active devices with interconnects, shrinking the overall size. This new cable design delivers high performance in a simpler, denser, and more integrated package. 

Rigetti Computing created a way to measure temperature directly on the chip alongside the qubit circuitry using nanoscale superconducting structures that are relatively straightforward to fabricate and integrate into existing manufacturing flows. This will make it easier to identify and diagnose heating issues that can degrade qubit performance.  

XMA solved three bottlenecks to scaling quantum hardware: cost, footprint, and thermal impact. A new cabling solution increases channel capacity while reducing the cost and shrinking the size of this crucial infrastructure. 

Companies had to be members of QED-C to participate in the sponsored R&D program. Participants’ work had to support one of four goals from the roadmap:

• Reduce the thermal load and physical footprint associated with microwave-control cabling in cryogenic environments
• Locate digital and mixed signal electronics closer to the quantum processer in cryogenic environments
• Enable tighter integration of active and passive components with each other and with quantum devices in cryogenic environments
• Reduce the size, weight and power of room-temperature control and readout electronics 

QED-C aims to identify gaps in enabling technologies for quantum computing, quantum sensing, and quantum networking. To learn more about the Control and Readout Electronics program, visit here.  

Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements that are inherently uncertain and difficult to predict, including statements regarding planned investments, anticipated business activities, the effect of conditions, and expected benefits of the strategic partnership between Amazon and OpenAI, such as expected development of the Stateful Runtime Environment and stateful developer environments and other developments, performance, scaling, capabilities, customization, offerings, or impacts that will result from the partnership; the applications, utilization, or effectiveness of artificial intelligence technologies; accessibility of new features, models, and tools; and expected compute capacities, capabilities, performance characteristics, and delivery timing of Trainium chips. We use words such as will, to, believes, expects, intends, anticipates, plans, future, potential, continue, look forward, opportunity, keep, designed and similar expressions, as well as words referring to future outcomes such as train, accelerate, achieve, commit, deliver, power, bring, collaborate, develop, become, build, enable, deploy, provide, invest, use, meet, expand, run, support, lower, improve, offer, next generation, and variations of such words, to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results and outcomes could differ materially for a variety of reasons, including, among others, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and energy prices, changes in global economic conditions, tariff and trade policies, resource and supply volatility, including for memory chips, and customer demand and spending, inflation, interest rates, regional labor market constraints, world events, the rate of growth of cloud services and new and emerging technologies, the amount that Amazon invests in new business opportunities and the timing of those investments, the mix of products and services sold to customers, competition, management of growth, international growth and expansion, the outcomes of claims, litigation, government investigations, and other proceedings, data center optimization, variability in demand, the degree to which we enter into, maintain, and develop commercial agreements, and proposed and completed acquisitions and strategic transactions. Other risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks related to new products, services, and technologies, security incidents, system interruptions, government regulation and taxation, and fraud. In addition, global economic and geopolitical conditions and additional or unforeseen circumstances, developments, or events may give rise to or amplify many of these risks. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon’s future business, product development, and financial results is included in Amazon’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

Ask fishermen what determines fish quality, and most won’t hesitate. It comes down to two things: time and temperature. MJ Jackson, a commercial fisherman in Bristol Bay and for Northline Seafoods, has been saying that for decades, and he doesn’t see any reason to complicate it now.

“Time and temperature is quality,” Jackson said in an interview with National Fisherman. “That’s what equals quality.”

That equation sits at the heart of our conversation about refrigeration, slurry ice, and cold-chain efficiency in fisheries across the board, but Bristol Bay was the highlight. While these systems are increasingly discussed through a low-carbon lens, Jackson made it clear: fishermen don’t adopt new refrigeration technology to reduce emissions. They do it to protect their fish.

Looking back, Jackson sees one major fork in the road that shaped today’s cold-chain reality.

“Close to 40 years ago, the industry made a deal with the devil,” he said. “They decided to go with small-boat RSW (refrigerated sea water) instead of building an ice infrastructure for slurry ice.”

At the time, RSW systems offered a practical solution. But Jackson argues the tradeoff came at a cost.

“Once you dump 6,000 pounds of fish into an RSW system, the temperature goes from 33 degrees up to 42 degrees,” he said. “It slowly works its way back down, but the damage is already done. Bacteria starts working against you.”

Slurry ice, in contrast, chills fish rapidly and evenly. “Slurry ice is far superior,” Jackson said. “We can get fish down to 31.2 degrees. You can’t do that with RSW- it’ll freeze up.”

At Northline Seafoods, slurry ice is used on barges to stabilize fish quality quickly and consistently. By slowing bacterial activity, it preserves firmness and shelf life- outcomes that fishermen and processors alike care deeply about.

Why slurry hasn’t taken over

If slurry ice performs better, why hasn’t it become the standard across fleets?

“The answer is money,” Jackson said.

Slurry systems remain expensive, and the infrastructure to support them hasn’t scaled. “There’s no economy of scale yet,” he said. “You might see 20 slurry systems a year compared to thousands of RSW installs.”

Without widespread adoption, prices stay high. Without affordable financing, most fishermen can’t justify the risk- even if they know the quality benefits.

“There will always be outliers,” Jackson said. “Guys who want that quality and will make it happen. But that’s not going to become the industry standard anytime soon.”

What often gets overlooked in refrigeration conversations is that quality-driven upgrades frequently improve energy efficiency as a byproduct.

By freezing and holding fish onboard, Northline avoids running energy-intensive processing equipment in Alaska, where power generation relies heavily on diesel. Processing instead happens farther south, where grid power- sometimes renewable- is available.

“We’re saving money, number one,” Jackson said. “And we’re reducing our footprint.”

That logic resonates with fishermen because it mirrors how they already think: fewer moving parts, less wasted fuel, better product.

The same applies at the vessel level. Efficient refrigeration systems reduce generator run time, stabilize temperatures faster, and limit the need for re-icing or additional handling, all of which save fuel without changing how fishermen fish.

Jackson doesn’t believe fishermen lack interest or understanding when it comes to better refrigeration. What they lack is affordable capital.

“Fishermen don’t have $200,000 to repower a system,” he said. “Not on a seven-year note at prime plus two.”

Longer-term, low-interest financing, the kind that matches the lifespan of major equipment, is what allows quality-driven innovation to spread. Without it, fleets default to what they know works, even if it’s not optimal.

Until that gap is addressed, Jackson expects refrigeration advances like slurry ice to remain incremental rather than transformative.

For Jackson, refrigeration upgrades aren’t about chasing trends; they’re about respecting the fish and the work it takes to harvest them. “When people start thinking about it- really thinking about quality- that’s when things change,” he said.

Carbon benefits and energy savings may follow, but neither replaces fishermen’s need to get the fish cold quickly and keep it cold until they hit the dock. 

As expected, French inflation increased in February, reaching 1.0% (1.1% for the harmonised index), up from 0.3% in January (0.4% harmonised). Although the figures are slightly higher than the consensus forecast, this rise was expected on our side: it is mainly explained by less favourable base effects. In February 2025, regulated gas tariffs had been cut by 15% following a government decision. That decrease has now dropped out of the price index calculation, as regulated gas tariffs have since remained stable. This mechanically contributes to the rise in the inflation rate. In addition, energy prices on global markets have edged up slightly. Overall, energy inflation is now down only 3% year-on-year, compared with a 7.6% fall in January.

Beyond these energy-related base effects, inflationary pressures remain moderate. Services inflation is still contained at 1.8% year-on-year, following 1.7% in January, whereas Insee was still expecting a rate close to 2% for February in its December forecast. This moderation in services prices helps to limit the overall increase in inflation. Prices of manufactured goods are falling year-on-year (-0.3%), but the decline is less pronounced than in January (-1.2%), notably due to a different timing of the sales period.

In the coming months, a further small rise in headline inflation is likely, as energy base effects gradually become less favourable. Energy inflation should therefore move back into positive territory. This does not, however, signal a marked resurgence in inflationary pressures. On the contrary, inflation in France should remain subdued in the months ahead and fluctuate within a range of 1% to 1.5%. France should therefore continue to be among the countries with the lowest inflation rates in the euro area.

Movistar Centre at Plaça Catalunya will reorganize its space on March 2, coinciding with the start of Mobile World Congress (MWC), to offer visitors a new area dedicated to showcasing the latest technological innovations. The aim is for anyone to come to the heart of Barcelona and discover, in one single location, some of the key new releases from the technology brands participating in the world’s leading mobile industry event.

The ground floor (Floor 0) will be transformed into a large showroom, organized by areas and manufacturers, where visitors will be able to see and try devices related to mobility, entertainment, connected home and wellbeing technology.

More space to discover manufacturers’ latest innovations

The new layout of Movistar Centre enhances Floor 0 as an exhibition and experience area, featuring dedicated islands for leading mobile and electronics manufacturers. Brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi and OPPO will present their latest launches in this space, coinciding with their unveiling at Mobile World Congress, allowing visitors to discover and test the new devices first-hand.

Meta will feature a dedicated area showcasing its AI-powered smart glasses developed with Ray-Ban and Oakley, as well as Meta Quest devices, bringing visitors some of the most advanced mixed reality experiences on the market.

Apple and Google Pixel will also display their latest devices and accessories in temporary exhibition spaces that will evolve into permanent branded areas in the coming months.

In addition, Movistar Centre will introduce new themed areas that are part of Movistar’s current portfolio: a “Beauty Tech” zone featuring personal care and beauty devices from brands such as Dyson, Foreo and GHD; a “Gaming” area where visitors can try consoles and gaming experiences from leading manufacturers, alongside Movistar-related services; and an “Entertainment” zone combining Movistar Plus+ content with next-generation televisions and audiovisual solutions.

The space will also include a “Connectivity and Home Ecosystem” area, featuring next-generation routers, smart home devices, robot vacuum cleaners, air fryers and other small appliances, as well as a dedicated Movistar Prosegur Alarmas point with an interactive display allowing visitors to easily and visually explore home and business security solutions.

This reorganization enables customers to explore, in just a few minutes, a comprehensive overview of the categories and brands included in Movistar’s current portfolio, without having to visit multiple stores across the city.

An agora for demonstrations, workshops and meetups

The street-level floor will also incorporate an agora equipped with a large videowall designed to host talks, product demonstrations and workshops led by manufacturers and Movistar.

This space will enable the organization of product launch presentations, hands-on sessions and meetups with spokespeople and influencers from the tech sector, reinforcing Movistar Centre’s role as a connection point between brands and users during Mobile World Congress and throughout the year.

A permanent window into the Mobile World Congress ecosystem

With this new phase, Movistar Centre aims to consolidate its position as a permanent window into the technological ecosystem that gathers in Barcelona each year during MWC. During the days of the Congress and throughout the year, the space will offer citizens, customers and visitors the opportunity to discover first-hand, in the city center, the most relevant solutions and devices from leading manufacturers in the sector.

This initiative is part of Telefónica’s global proposal for Mobile World Congress and strengthens the company’s ties with Barcelona as an international capital of innovation and connectivity.

Chema Casas, Director General of Telefónica in Catalonia, stated: “This year we are once again opening the Movistar Centre at Plaça Catalunya to bring Mobile World Congress closer to the public. The expansion of the exhibition space reflects Movistar’s evolution toward a broader ecosystem of products and services, and makes it possible to bring together, in a single location, the latest innovations from major manufacturers so that visitors can discover and experience technology first-hand.”

For more information: Telefónica at MWC 2026

LONDON, Feb. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L) today announced the appointment of Simon Robson as Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO), succeeding Sally Johnson, who has informed the Board she will leave the company to take up the role of CFO at a large privately owned business. Pearson enters 2026 with momentum and confidence in delivering mid-single digit underlying sales growth in 2026, along with the medium term outlook outlined in our full year results on 27 February 2026.

Following a planned succession process, Simon will join Pearson on 30 March 2026. He will assume the role of Group CFO and Executive Director on 8 May 2026, after working through a coordinated transition with Sally.

Simon brings extensive financial leadership experience from Sky, one of Europe’s largest media, technology and connectivity businesses. He joined Sky in 1997 and has held a number of senior finance and strategy roles, including CFO of Sky Deutschland from 2015 to 2018, Deputy Group CFO, and Group CFO since June 2020. Simon holds a degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Sheffield and is a chartered certified accountant.

Sally has spent nearly 26 years at Pearson, including six years as Group CFO. During her tenure, she has played a central role in strengthening Pearson’s financial performance, advancing significant business and finance transformation, and sharpening the Group’s approach to capital allocation.

Omar Abbosh, Chief Executive Officer of Pearson, said:

“I would like to congratulate Sally on her new opportunity and thank her for the outstanding contribution to Pearson over many years. We are very grateful for her leadership as CFO, especially the critical role she has played in strengthening the company and positioning it for the future.

I am delighted to welcome Simon to Pearson. He brings deep financial expertise, strong leadership experience and a proven track record from a large, global business. I am confident that he will be a great addition to the executive team and will support the continued delivery of our strategy.”

Sally Johnson, Group Chief Financial Officer, said:

“It has been a privilege to spend nearly 26 years at Pearson and to serve as CFO over the past six years. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together and grateful to colleagues across the business for their support and partnership.

I will remain fully focused on delivering our priorities and ensuring a smooth handover to Simon.”

Simon Robson, incoming Group Chief Financial Officer, said:

“I am delighted to be joining Pearson at an exciting time for the company. Pearson’s purpose, scale and global reach, alongside its strong strategic momentum, make this a compelling opportunity.

I look forward to working with Omar, the Board and colleagues across Pearson as we continue to deliver for learners and shareholders, and I am committed to supporting a seamless transition.”

About Pearson
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That’s why our c. 18,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world’s lifelong learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn’t just what we do. It’s who we are. Visit us at plc.pearson.com.

Media Contacts
[email protected] – UK

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2921642/Pearson_Simon_Robson_Chief_Financial_Officer.jpg

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/617186/Pearson_Logo.jpg