Category: 3. Business

  • Powered by E-commerce: How South Korea’s Beauty & Personal Care MSMEs Are Scaling Global Exports

    Powered by E-commerce: How South Korea’s Beauty & Personal Care MSMEs Are Scaling Global Exports

    Scaling South Korea’s beauty & personal care sector through e-commerce

    South Korea has established itself as a global leader in the beauty & personal care sector. Built on decades of coordinated industrial policy, advanced manufacturing, and robust research and development (R&D), the country now stands as the world’s second-largest exporter in the category.1
    While the Korean Wave (Hallyu) has already made Korean beauty & personal care products a household name, a structural shift is underway. E-commerce is no longer a secondary channel, but the next frontier for South Korea’s export success.

    The MSME opportunity and its barriers

    For micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the digital landscape offers a significant opportunity to scale internationally. However, the path to global expansion is complex. Many Korean MSMEs must navigate evolving regulations in export destinations while managing rising logistics costs. Beyond these operational hurdles, a persistent knowledge gap remains–without the necessary digital capabilities, even the most innovative brands struggle to compete on a global stage.

    Addressing the analytical gap

    While digital trade continues to reshape global commerce, empirical data regarding the specific trajectory of South Korea’s beauty & personal care e-commerce exports has remained limited. This latest report addresses that critical gap. By quantifying the true scale of the e-commerce export opportunity and providing a qualitative analysis of the challenges facing MSMEs, the study offers a comprehensive view of the current landscape.

    Through a rigorous benchmarking of South Korea’s policy framework against international best practices, the report offers a strategic outlook and key considerations for policymakers and industry stakeholders to sustain the country’s global competitive advantage.

    Full report in English

    한국어로 된 전체 보고서

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  • InPost, Advent, FedEx, A&R and PPF announce agreement on recommended all-cash offer for all issued and outstanding InPost shares at an offer price of EUR 15.60 per share

    This is a joint press release by InPost S.A. (“InPost” or the “Company”) and Iris Lux Bidco S.à r.l. (the “Offeror”). This joint press release is issued pursuant to the provisions of Section 17, paragraph 1 of the European Market Abuse Regulation (596/2014), as well as the provisions of Section 4, paragraphs 1 and 3, Section 5, paragraph 1 and Section 7, paragraph 4 of the Dutch Decree on public takeover bids (Besluit openbare biedingen Wft) (the “Decree”) in connection with the intended recommended public offer by the Offeror for all the issued and outstanding shares in the capital of the Company (the “Offer” together with the transactions contemplated in connection therewith the “Transaction”). This press release does not constitute an offer, or any solicitation of any offer, to buy or subscribe for any securities in the Company. Any offer will be made only by means of the offer memorandum (the “Offer Memorandum”) approved by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the “AFM”). This press release is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in or into, directly or indirectly, in any jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution would be unlawful.

    Transaction highlights
    • The offer price of EUR 15.60 (cum dividend) values 100% of the Shares at EUR 7.8 billion, providing immediate and certain value for InPost’s shareholders with a highly attractive offer premium of 50% to the Undisturbed Share Price on 2 January 2026 and 53% to the three-month Volume Weighted Average Price prior to 2 January 2026.
    • The Consortium will help drive InPost’s growth potential as a leading European e-commerce solutions enabler by supporting its existing growth strategy including further expansion of its parcel locker network and growth in consumer-centric digital solutions.
    • FedEx brings deep industry expertise based on its diversified and global network, and advanced technology.
    • InPost’s Boards through a special committee conducted a thorough review of the Transaction with external advisors. The Boards consider the Offer to be in the best interest of all stakeholders and unanimously support the Transaction and recommend that shareholders tender their Shares under the Offer.
    • The Transaction is supported by shareholders representing 48% of the outstanding Shares in the Company.
    • PPF will sell the entirety of its stake in support of the Transaction but will remain committed to InPost through the reinvestment of a part of the proceeds to become a 10% shareholder in the Consortium.
    • InPost will continue to operate under the InPost brand with its head office in Poland and with its current management structure led by CEO Rafał Brzoska who will maintain his stake in InPost through the Consortium.
    • The Consortium has committed financing in place providing certainty of funds.
    • The Consortium has agreed to certain Non-Financial Covenants following Settlement of the Offer.
    • The Transaction is expected to complete in H2 2026.

    Amsterdam & Luxembourg, 9 February 2026 – Funds managed and/or advised by Advent International, L.P. and its affiliates (“Advent”), FCWB LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of FedEx Corporation (“FedEx”), A&R Investments Ltd. (“A&R”) and PPF Group (“PPF”), together with InPost – a leading European e-commerce solutions enabler specializing in out-of-home delivery and automated parcel lockers – have reached a conditional agreement on an intended recommended all-cash public offer for all issued and outstanding shares in InPost at an offer price of EUR 15.60 (cum dividend) per share.

    As a leading European e-commerce enabler, InPost offers secure, automated, and easily accessible parcel pickup solutions that generate profitable last-mile business-to-consumer (B2C) shipments. The Transaction, expected to be completed in the second half of 2026, brings together InPost, Advent, FedEx, A&R, a company founded by Rafał Brzoska, and PPF (the “Consortium”), to unlock growth, consumer choice and value creation in Europe’s fast-growing delivery sector. Post-Settlement, the Consortium will be structured with Advent holding 37%, FedEx holding 37%, A&R holding 16% and PPF holding 10%. PPF will tender the entirety of its stake in support of the Transaction and will reinvest a part of the proceeds to become a 10% shareholder in the Consortium. InPost will continue to operate as a standalone company, bringing together a proven and visionary founder and long-term, experienced financial and strategic investors in the sector. The business operations will be maintained in their current form, and the head office remains in Poland.

    Building on the strength of its position as an innovative out-of-home delivery enabler in Poland, InPost has expanded successfully into Western Europe, quadrupling parcel volumes between 2020 and 2025. With a network of 61,000 automated parcel lockers, combined with pick-up and drop-off (PUDO) locations and fast and flexible doorstep delivery options, there is a clear path to significantly grow InPost’s out-of-home network and extend its reach to consumers across Europe. InPost also benefits from strong tailwinds in the European delivery market, including rising consumer demand for speed and convenience, attractive pricing for merchants, and the shift towards more sustainable technology enabled delivery solutions.

    The Consortium is committed to supporting InPost’s existing strategy, including further expansion of its European footprint in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Benelux and the UK, the largest e-commerce market in Europe. The Consortium will also support InPost’s ongoing initiatives to redefine the European e-commerce sector by deepening partnerships across the value chain, including continued investment in its consumer-centric mobile offering.

    Hein Pretorius, Chair of the Supervisory Board of InPost and the Special Committee: “Together with our advisers, we have thoroughly assessed the interest expressed by the Consortium in InPost in a Special Committee and conducted a careful, structured process, reviewing alternatives and weighing a broad range of financial and non-financial considerations. We are confident that the Offer represents a compelling opportunity for shareholders to realize immediate and certain value at an attractive premium. We believe that the Transaction provides a solid foundation for the future of InPost, with the Consortium that has a long-term perspective on value creation and fully endorses the strategy. We are convinced that the Offer serves the best interests of the Company and all its stakeholders, and therefore the Supervisory Board members unanimously support the Offer.”

    Rafał Brzoska, CEO/Founder of InPost: “Building on our success in Poland, this Transaction will support our next phase of growth as we continue to grow across Europe. By partnering with the long‑term financial and strategic investors of the Consortium who know our business and the industry well, we benefit from the expertise, stability and resources needed to capitalize on the strong tailwinds including increasing e-commerce penetration, rising consumer demand for speed and convenience and the shift towards more sustainable delivery solutions. Together, we will strengthen our network and reach more consumers with enhanced fast and flexible delivery options as we continue our objective of redefining the European e-commerce sector. I remain fully committed to leading InPost in the years ahead. Our headquarters, our brand, business management and the core of our innovation capabilities will remain in Poland, which continues to be the blueprint for our successful strategy. With the support of our partners, I believe we can unlock InPost’s full potential and further grow our position as an e-commerce enabler in Western Europe.”

    Ranjan Sen, Managing Partner at Advent: “InPost is transforming the European e-commerce landscape and we are excited to form this strategic partnership with FedEx, a global sector leader, to help accelerate InPost’s growth. Building on Advent’s strong track record in the logistics, technology and consumer sectors, we will support InPost’s proven strategy including the expansion of its locker network, deepening its partnerships with customers and enhancing its offering for consumers. We look forward to working with Rafał, the management team and the Consortium to provide the strategic support and long-term view needed to unlock InPost’s growth potential and enhance its position as a leading pan-European e-commerce enabler.”

    Raj Subramaniam, CEO of FedEx: “FedEx has a global network that powers the industrial economy, and InPost has a strong and successful presence in Europe’s out-of-home delivery segment. We will be entering into agreements with InPost following completion of the Transaction that will provide our customers access to InPost’s last-mile B2C capabilities while bringing FedEx’s global network and logistics expertise to support InPost’s next phase of growth. Our investment in InPost reflects our disciplined approach to capital allocation and long-term value creation. Together with InPost’s leadership and our fellow consortium members, we see a clear path to unlocking growth, improving the efficiency of our B2C last mile operations, enhancing returns, and better serving customers across Europe.”

    Didier Stoessel, Co-CEO of PPF: “Since our initial investment in InPost almost three years ago, we have committed to helping the company realize its vision for InPost’s European expansion. We believe the offer is attractive and are therefore selling the majority of our interest in support of the transaction. We are pleased to continue our support as a minority investor as InPost begins a new chapter in pursuit of sustainable growth.”

    The Consortium believes the Transaction has compelling financial attributes for accepting shareholders and will support long-term value creation for customers, communities and employees. Alongside Advent, Rafał Brzoska and PPF, FedEx brings deep industry expertise based on its diversified and global network, and advanced technology, and supports InPost’s ambition to become a leading European e-commerce enabler. FedEx and InPost will not integrate their operations and will remain independent competitors in their respective markets and segments.

    Following completion of this Transaction, in compliance with applicable antitrust laws, InPost and FedEx will enter into arm’s length commercial agreements that will enable both businesses to benefit from complementary strengths and a shared vision by:
    • Connecting FedEx’s global network of 3 million businesses and 225 million recipients worldwide with InPost’s locker network and B2C last mile operations, allowing efficient delivery to consumers where they want to receive goods.
    • Allowing FedEx to accelerate the rapid growth of out-of-home parcel delivery across key European markets, improving profitability and returns in its European operations.

    InPost’s shareholders will receive a cash consideration of EUR 15.60 for each validly tendered Share. The offer price values all issued and outstanding shares of InPost (“Shares”) at approximately EUR 7.8 billion and delivers an immediate, certain and compelling valuation to the shareholders of the Company.

    The offer price represents the following premia to the undisturbed share price referenced as of 2 January 2026 (the “Undisturbed Share Price”):
    • 50% to the closing share price of EUR 10.4;
    • 55% to the 1-month volume-weighted average share price up to and including 2 January 2026 of EUR 10.1;
    • 53% to the 3-months volume-weighted average share price up to and including 2 January 2026 of EUR 10.2; and
    • 43% to the 6-months volume-weighted average share price up to and including 2 January 2026 of EUR 10.9.

    Transaction governance
    Following the initial expression of interest of the Offeror in InPost, a special transaction committee (the “Special Committee”) was formed of all non-conflicted members of the Supervisory Board and of the Management Board for the purpose of considering all aspects of a potential transaction, and ensuring that the interests of the Company and all of its stakeholders were taken into account in the decision making. The Boards have received financial and legal advice to evaluate the proposed Transaction.

    The Special Committee entered into discussions with the Offeror, while assuring a diligent and careful process in compliance with applicable laws. The Special Committee met on a frequent basis throughout the process to discuss the negotiations with the Offeror, to monitor the progress of the Offer, and to contemplate key decisions in connection with the Transaction.

    Mr. Rafał Brzoska has not participated (and shall not participate) in any (future) discussion or meeting of the management board with respect to the proposed Transaction. Consequently, any reference in this press release to the decision-making of the management board in relation to the Transaction refers to the management board of InPost excluding Mr. Brzoska (the “Management Board”) and any unanimous action by the Management Board or Boards should be read as the unanimous action of the members of the Management Board or Boards other than Mr. Brzoska.

    Mr. Stoessel, Mr. Sen, Mr. Huep and Mr. Harrer have not participated (and shall not participate) in any (future) discussion or meeting of the supervisory board with respect to the Transaction. Consequently, any reference in this press release to the decision-making of the supervisory board in relation to the Transaction refers to the supervisory board of InPost excluding Mr. Stoessel, Mr. Sen, Mr. Huep and Mr. Harrer (the “Supervisory Board” and together with the Management Board, the “Boards”) and any unanimous action by the Supervisory Board or Boards should be read as the unanimous action of the members of the Supervisory Board or Boards other than Mr. Stoessel, Mr. Sen, Mr. Huep and Mr. Harrer.

    Consistent with their fiduciary duties, the Boards, with the assistance of their advisors, carefully reviewed and evaluated all aspects of the proposal, including, amongst others, the financial value of the Offer to accepting shareholders, deal certainty, the strategic, operational and social aspects, and other terms of the proposal. Subsequent to these reviews, discussions, and evaluations, the Boards entered into the Merger Agreement with the Offeror on the date hereof under the terms and conditions as set out in this press release.

    Support and unanimous Board recommendations
    After multiple rounds of negotiations, the Offeror has put forward a final conditional and non-binding proposal. Following a diligent evaluation, the Boards believe that the Offer provides InPost’s shareholders with an attractive offer price at an attractive premium, with attractive non-financial terms while also delivering strong commitments in respect of deal certainty. Further, the Boards conclude that the Offer is in the best interest of the Company and will allow it to deliver superior value for all stakeholders.

    Accordingly, the Boards unanimously support the proposed Transaction and recommend that InPost’s shareholders tender their Shares under the Offer, if and when made, and vote in favor of the resolutions relating to the Transaction at the relevant extraordinary general meeting of the Company (as further described under the heading ‘EGMs’).

    Consortium
    The Consortium will be structured with Advent holding 37%, FedEx holding 37%, A&R holding 16% and PPF holding 10% of the shares in (the indirect sole shareholder of) the Offeror entity upon settlement of the Offer (“Settlement”). PPF will tender all of its Shares under the offer and will subsequently reinvest part of its proceeds in exchange for a 10% indirect equity stake in (the indirect sole shareholder of) the Offeror upon Settlement.

    A&R will roll-over their existing shareholding in full, underscoring their long‑term commitment to supporting InPost’s strategic development and growth trajectory following Settlement.

    Irrevocable undertakings
    In addition to PPF and A&R, AI Prime (Luxembourg) & Cy S.C.A., who holds approximately 5.9% of the Shares in the Company and Advent Global Opportunities Master Limited Partnership, who holds approximately 0.6% of the Shares in the Company, have each irrevocably undertaken to tender their Shares into the Offer, subject to the Offer being made and other customary conditions, and vote all those Shares in favor of the Resolutions (as defined below). In total, approximately 48% of the Shares in the Company have been irrevocably committed to be tendered in the Offer.

    Fairness Opinions
    On 8 February 2026, J.P. Morgan Securities plc has issued a written opinion to the Boards and Banco Santander, S.A. has issued a separate written opinion to the Supervisory Board, in each case that, as of such date and based upon and subject to the assumptions, qualifications and limitations set forth therein (i) the offer price is, in its opinion, fair to the shareholders from a financial point of view and (ii) the purchase price payable to the Company in respect of the Demerger Share Sale is fair to the Company from a financial point of view (the “Fairness Opinions”).

    The full text of the Fairness Opinions, which sets forth the assumptions made, procedures followed, matters considered and limitations on the review undertaken in connection with the opinion, will be included in the Company’s position statement. The Fairness Opinions have been given solely to the Boards and to the Supervisory Board respectively, and not to the holders of Shares.

    Non-Financial Covenants
    The Company and the Offeror have agreed to certain non-financial covenants (the “Non-Financial Covenants”), including the covenants summarized below, in respect of, amongst others, strategy, financing, governance, employees, customers, consumers and minority shareholders. The Offeror shall comply with each of the Non-Financial Covenants for a duration of eighteen months after Settlement, subject to any deviations with the prior approval of the Boards including the affirmative vote of at least one independent Supervisory Board member.

    Strategy
    The Offeror supports InPost’s publicly communicated business strategy and organic and inorganic growth ambitions. The Offeror also endorses the current required Environmental, Social, and Governance principles, policies and goals of the Group.

    Financing
    The Offeror shall procure that the Company will remain prudently capitalized and financed to safeguard the continuity of the business.

    Employees
    Existing employee rights and benefits will be respected, as will the Group’s current employee consultation structure. No material changes to the Group’s workforce is envisaged as a direct consequence of the Transaction.

    Organization, operations and governance
    The Offeror intends that the Company’s corporate identity, culture and values are maintained as a separate independent entity. The Offeror will maintain the Group’s business locations including its head office, key support functions and continue to manage the Group’s business from its head office and from the respective regional offices.

    Minority shareholders
    The Offeror will respect the interests of all minority shareholders within the Company. As long as the Company has minority shareholders, the Company will not: (a) issue new shares for cash without offering pre-emption rights to minority shareholders; (b) engage in transactions with the Offeror or its affiliates that are not at arm’s length; or (c) take any action that disproportionately prejudices the value or rights of minority shareholders.

    Customers and consumers
    The Offeror intends that the Company will maintain customer centricity and provide continued quality of service and offering to customers and consumers.

    Financing of the Transaction
    The Offeror will fund the Transaction through a combination of equity funding and debt financing. The equity funding for the Transaction in an aggregate amount of EUR 5,918 million is to be provided by Advent, FedEx, A&R and PPF, which is secured through binding equity commitments. The Offeror has secured committed debt financing from a consortium of reputable financial institutions for an aggregate amount of up to EUR 4,950 million (which will be reduced if any existing financing of InPost (or any portion thereof) remains in place) comprising senior term facilities (to be denominated in EUR and PLN), senior secured bridge facilities and a multi-currency revolving credit facility, which is fully committed on a ‘certain funds’ basis. The Offeror has no reason to believe that any conditions to the equity financing or the debt financing to be satisfied by the Offeror will not be fulfilled on or prior to Settlement. From the aggregate debt commitment amount and equity commitment amount pursuant to the arranged equity financing and debt financing, the Offeror will be able to fund the acquisition of the Shares under the Offer and the Squeeze-Out Proceedings (as defined below) (if implemented), the purchase price under the Post-Closing Demerger and Liquidation (as defined below) (if implemented) and the payment of fees and expenses related to the Offer. It is envisaged that (part of) the current financing arrangements of InPost will be refinanced as a result of the Transaction.

    Post settlement restructuring
    InPost and the Offeror believe the sustainable and long-term success of InPost will be enhanced under private ownership and acknowledge the importance of the Offeror acquiring 100% of the Shares (or 100% of the businesses of the Group). Both InPost and the Offeror believe that private ownership will allow InPost to operate more efficiently and will increase its ability to achieve its goals and implement its strategy, while removing costs related to listing requirements and dependency on market expectations driven by short-term performance outlook and periodic reporting. Furthermore, a private setting increases the ability to achieve and implement a more flexible and efficient capital structure.

    If, after Settlement or settlement of the Shares tendered during the post-acceptance period (if applicable), the Offeror holds at least 80%, but less than 95% of the Shares, the Offeror and the Company have agreed to execute a post-closing demerger whereby the Company (a) at the occasion of a legal demerger, will incorporate a subsidiary (“Company Splitco”) to which the Company transfers its business and (b) subsequently will sell its shares in Company Splitco to the Offeror ((a) and (b) together, the “Demerger Share Sale”), (c) following which the Company is liquidated ((a), (b) and (c) together, the “Post-Closing Demerger and Liquidation”).

    If the Offeror holds at least 95% of the Shares after Settlement or settlement of the Shares tendered during the post-acceptance period (if applicable), the Offeror shall commence statutory squeeze-out proceedings to obtain 100% of the Shares (the “Squeeze-Out Proceedings”).

    EGMs
    Two extraordinary general meetings of shareholders of InPost (each an “EGM”) will be convened in connection with the Transaction. The first EGM will be held during the Offer period to inform shareholders about the Transaction and to allow them to vote on governance changes, subject to and effective as per Settlement (the “Offer Resolutions”). The second EGM will take place after Settlement, during which shareholders will vote on the resolutions approving the Post-Closing Demerger and Liquidation (the “Demerger Resolutions” and, together with the Offer Resolutions, the “Resolutions”). The Demerger Resolutions will be subject to a 75% majority requirement and will be subject to Settlement. By tendering their Shares under the Offer, shareholders will give a proxy and voting instruction to vote in favor of the Demerger Resolutions. The Boards recommend that shareholders vote in favor of the Resolutions.

    Pre-Offer Conditions and Offer Conditions
    The commencement of the Offer is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of pre-Offer conditions customary for a transaction of this kind, including:
    • no material breach of the Merger Agreement having occurred;
    • no material adverse effect having occurred;
    • the AFM having approved the Offer Memorandum;
    • no competing or mandatory offer having occurred;
    • no adverse Board recommendation having occurred; and
    • the irrevocable undertakings of the relevant Board members and shareholders being in full force and effect.

    If and when made, the consummation of the Offer will be subject to the satisfaction or waiver of Offer conditions customary for a transaction of this kind, including:
    • minimum acceptance level of at least 80% of the Shares;
    • no material breach of the Merger Agreement having occurred;
    • no material adverse effect having occurred;
    • all Regulatory Clearances (as defined below) in relation to the Transaction having been obtained;
    • no Competing Offer having occurred; and
    • no adverse Board recommendation having occurred.

    Regulatory Clearances
    InPost and the Offeror shall seek to obtain the relevant and recommended regulatory and competition clearances (the “Regulatory Clearances”) as soon as practicable and prepare and file with the regulatory authorities the relevant applications. To that end, they shall provide the regulatory authorities with any additional information and documentation that may be reasonably requested in connection with these applications.

    Exclusivity and Competing Offer
    As part of the Merger Agreement, InPost has entered into customary undertakings not to solicit any third party offers. If a bona fide third party makes an offer for at least eighty per cent (80%) of the Shares which, in the reasonable opinion of the Boards, is a more beneficial offer and transaction for InPost than the Transaction and exceeds the Offer price by at least 10% (a “Competing Offer”), the Offeror has the opportunity to match such Competing Offer. If it does, and on balance the terms and conditions of such revised offer are, in the good faith opinion of the Boards, at least equal to those of the Competing Offer, the Merger Agreement will remain in force. However, if a Competing Offer is not matched by the Offeror, the Company shall be entitled to (conditionally) agree to the Competing Offer, after which each party may terminate the Merger Agreement. The same conditions apply to any consecutive Competing Offer.

    Termination
    If the Merger Agreement is terminated in the event the Company agreed to a Competing Offer or made an intervening event recommendation change, the Company shall pay the Offeror an amount of EUR 78 million. If the Merger Agreement is terminated in the event a shareholder irrevocable undertaking is no longer in full force and effect, the Offeror shall pay the Company an amount of EUR 78 million. If the Merger Agreement is terminated because of a material breach of the Merger Agreement by either the Offeror or the Company, the defaulting party shall pay the non-defaulting party an amount of EUR 78 million.

    Next steps and additional information
    The Offeror intends to launch the Offer as soon as practically possible and in accordance with the applicable statutory timetable. The Offer Memorandum is expected to be published, and the Offer is expected to commence, in Q2 2026.

    InPost will hold an informative EGM prior to the closing of the Offer period and will publish its position statement at least ten business days prior to the closing of the Offer period in accordance with Section 18a Paragraph 1 of the Decree, to inform the shareholders about the Transaction and adopt the Offer Resolutions that will be applicable after Settlement. InPost will hold a second EGM after Settlement to adopt the Post-Closing Demerger and Liquidation Resolutions.

    Based on the required steps and subject to the approval of the Offer Memorandum, InPost and the Offeror anticipate that the Offer will close in H2 2026.

    ✆ Audio Webcast
    Hein Pretorius (Chairman of the Supervisory Board), Michael Rouse (CEO International) and Javier van Engelen (CFO) will host a conference call for analysts and investors at 8:30 AM UKT / 9:30 AM CET on 9th February at:
    https://brrmedia.news/INPST_Update

    For more information, please contact:

    Press enquiries for InPost

    Wojciech Kądziołka,
    Spokesman
    wkadziolka@inpost.pl
    +48 725 25 09 85

    Gabriela Burdach,
    Director of Investor Relations
    ir@inpost.eu

    Press enquiries for the Consortium

    FGS Global

    About InPost.

    InPost (Euronext Amsterdam: INPST) has revolutionised e-commerce parcel delivery in Poland and is now one of Europe’s leading out-of-home (OOH) e-commerce enablement platforms. Founded in 1999 by Rafał Brzoska, InPost provides delivery services through a network of over 61,000 Automated Parcel Machines (APMs) and more than 33,000 pick-up and drop-off (PUDO) points across nine European countries: Poland, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, alongside to-door courier and fulfilment services for e-commerce merchants.

    InPost’s extensive OOH network supports rapidly growing parcel volumes across its markets, with 1.4 billion parcels delivered in 2025. Its locker solutions offer consumers a delivery option that is cheaper, more flexible and convenient, environmentally friendly and contactless. As a leading OOH logistics provider, InPost is recognised for transforming parcel delivery economics in Europe, appealing to both consumers and merchants through its flexible, technology-driven solutions.

    About Advent.

    Advent is a leading global private equity investor committed to working in partnership with management teams, entrepreneurs, and founders to help transform businesses. With 16 offices across five continents, we oversee more than EUR 85 billion in assets under management* and have made 435 investments across 44 countries.

    Since our founding in 1984, we have developed specialist market expertise across our five core sectors: business & financial services, consumer, healthcare, industrial, and technology. This approach is bolstered by our deep sub-sector knowledge, which informs every aspect of our investment strategy, from sourcing opportunities to working in partnership with management to execute value creation plans. We bring hands-on operational expertise to enhance and accelerate businesses.

    As one of the largest privately-owned partnerships, our 675+ colleagues leverage the full ecosystem of Advent’s global resources, including our Portfolio Support Group, insights provided by industry expert Operating Partners and Operations Advisors, as well as bespoke tools to support and guide our portfolio companies as they seek to achieve their strategic goals.

    To learn more, visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn.

    *Assets under management (AUM) as of June 30, 2025. AUM includes assets attributable to Advent advisory clients as well as employee and third-party co-investment vehicles.

    About FedEx.

    FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce, and business services. With annual revenue of $90 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions utilizing its flexible, efficient, and intelligent global network. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 500,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit fedex.com/about.

    About A&R.

    A&R is an independent investment company founded by Rafał Brzoska that manages a diversified portfolio of private and public investments. Since the InPost IPO A&R has been a shareholder in the company holding a stake of approximately 12%.

    About PPF.

    PPF Group, a privately held investment and industrial holding company, operates in 25 countries, investing in multiple sectors, including telecommunications, media, financial services, e-commerce, real estate, and mechanical engineering. The Group owns assets to the value of EUR 43.5 billion and employs 45,000 people globally (30 June 2025). Learn more about PPF Group on https://www.ppf.eu/en.

    Inside Information
    This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Section 7, paragraph 1 of the European Market Abuse Regulation (596/2014).

    General restrictions
    The information in this press release is not intended to be complete. This press release is for information purposes only. This press release is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form part of any offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to this press release or otherwise. This press release does not constitute investment advice or an inducement to enter into investment activity. Any public offer will be made only on the basis of the Offer Memorandum, approved by the AFM, which shall contain the full terms and conditions of the Offer.

    The distribution of this press release may, in some countries, be restricted by law or regulation. Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this document should inform themselves of and observe these restrictions. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Offeror and the Company disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of any such restrictions by any person. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of that jurisdiction. Neither the Company, nor the Offeror, nor any of their advisers assume any responsibility for any violation by any person of any of these restrictions. The Company shareholders in any doubt as to their position should consult an appropriate professional adviser without delay. This press release is not to be released, published or distributed, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in any jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution would be unlawful.

    Forward looking statements
    This press release may include ‘forward-looking statements’ and language that indicates trends, such as ‘anticipated’ and ‘expected’. Although the Company and the Offeror believe that the assumptions upon which their respective financial information and their respective forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, they can give no assurance that these assumptions will prove to be correct. Neither the Company, nor the Offeror, nor any of their advisers accept any responsibility for any financial information contained in this press release relating to the business or operations or results or financial condition of the other or their respective groups.

    Notice to Company shareholders in the United States

    The Offer will be made for the Shares of the Company, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg with its Shares listed on Euronext Amsterdam. It is important that U.S. shareholders of the Company understand that the Offer and any related offer documents are subject to Dutch disclosure and procedural requirements and Luxembourg corporate law, which are different from those of the United States. U.S. shareholders of the Company are advised that the Company’s Shares are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange and that the Company is not subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), and is not required to, and does not, file any reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) thereunder.

    The Offer will be made in the United States in compliance with, and in reliance on, the exemption provided by Rule 14d-1(d), known as “Tier II” exemption, under the Exchange Act and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of Dutch law. Accordingly, the Offer will be subject to certain disclosure and other procedural requirements, including with respect to the Offer timetable and settlement procedures that are different from those applicable under U.S. domestic tender offer procedures and laws.

    The receipt of cash pursuant to the Offer by a U.S. holder of the Company’s Shares may be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes and under applicable state and local, as well as foreign and other tax laws. Each holder of the Shares is urged to consult their independent professional advisor immediately regarding the tax consequences of acceptance of the Offer.

    It may be difficult for U.S. holders of Shares to enforce any rights and claims arising out of the U.S. federal securities laws, since the Company is located in a country other than the United States, and some or all of its officers and directors may be residents of a country other than the United States. U.S. holders of Shares may not be able to sue a non-U.S. company or its officers or directors in a non-U.S. court for violations of U.S. securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-U.S. company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court’s judgment.

    Neither the SEC nor any U.S. state securities commission has approved or disapproved or passed judgment upon the merits or fairness of the Transaction or determined whether this press release is adequate, accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.


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  • ADNOC Gas Delivers Record $5.2bn Net Income in 2025

    ADNOC Gas Delivers Record $5.2bn Net Income in 2025

    $3.6 Billion Dividend for 2025 endorsed by Board
    Domestic gas business EBITDA grew 10% year-on-year in 2025, supported by a 4% growth in domestic sales volumes
    Final Investment Decisions for Rich Gas Development phases 2 and 3 targeted in Q1 2026, reinforcing long–term capacity growth

    ABU DHABI, UAE, Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ADNOC Gas plc and its subsidiaries (collectively “ADNOC Gas” or the “Company”) (ADX: ADNOCGAS) (ISIN: AEE01195A234), today announced a record net income1 of $5.2 billion, a 3% increase compared to 2024, demonstrating structurally resilient earnings and an ability to perform consistently through commodity cycles. The Company’s results underscored the strength of its long-term strategy, delivering record full-year results despite an average Brent crude oil price of $69, a drop of 14% year-on-year. The Company’s robust 2025 net income was primarily driven by the strength of its domestic gas business where its EBITDA was up 10% on sales volume growth of 4% year-on-year (YoY) and improved commercial terms.

    Fatema Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer of ADNOC Gas, said: “2025 was a defining year for ADNOC Gas. We delivered record earnings while investing in growth, demonstrating that our business is resilient, scalable, and globally relevant. As demand for reliable delivery of gas continues to expand, ADNOC Gas is strategically positioned to serve both the UAE and international markets with confidence and discipline.”

    Looking ahead, ADNOC Gas remains well positioned to capture continued domestic demand growth beyond 2026, supported by strategic infrastructure investments, including the ADNOC Estidama gas pipeline project, which will expand access to the Northern Emirates and reinforce the UAE’s long–term objective of achieving gas self–sufficiency. The Final Investment Decision (FID) for phases two and three of the Rich Gas Development (RGD) project is anticipated in the first quarter of 2026. This expansion, benefiting from the growth of ADNOC’s upstream operations, is one of the critical projects to enable ADNOC Gas by 2029 to expand its overall capacity by 30%. As global demand for gas continues to grow, ADNOC Gas is investing with confidence to support the UAE’s energy security whilst growing its international markets.

    Q4 2025 net income was $1.2 billion despite softer export market pricing. ADNOC Gas increased sales volumes by 5% compared to Q4 2024, primarily driven by strong domestic gas performance, with demand remaining steady throughout the UAE’s milder weather conditions in the final quarter of 2025. Overall, domestic Adjusted EBITDA for Q4 2025 rose 6% year-on-year2. This sustained demand is attributable to the robust industrial sector, which contributed to a 4.8% UAE GDP3 growth rate in 2025.

    Capital expenditure at $3.6 billion increased in 2025 as several major projects progressed. In 2025 we launched phase one of the RGD project, which expands domestic gas processing capacity and increases production of export-traded liquids from new, richer gas supplies, which progressed in line with ADNOC Gas’ strategy.

    Following the commissioning of IGD–E2 in the final quarter of 2025, work is advancing as planned on the ADNOC Estidama gas-pipeline project, which aims to enhance access for industrial and utility customers in the Northern Emirates. Together, these projects reinforce ADNOC Gas’ role as a critical enabler of the UAE’s industrial growth, and a pillar of long–term energy security.

    For the financial year 2025, ADNOC Gas confirms its dividend of $3.584 billion, of which an interim cash dividend of $1.792 billion was paid in September 2025, a quarterly dividend of $896 million paid in December 2025, and a final dividend of $896 million is expected to be paid in April 2026, pending approval at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The FY 2025 dividend is in line with the company’s robust policy to increase the annual dividend by 5% annually and reflects the company’s strong free cash flow, which exceeds the dividend commitment by over $500 million.

    Key Highlights:

    • Record full-year net income: $5.2 billion, up 3% year-on-year
    • Capital expenditure increased to $3.6 billion in 2025, up 98% year-on-year
    • ADNOC Gas confirms its 2025 dividend of $3.584 billion

    $ Million

    Q4 24

    Q3 25

    Q4 25

    Year-on-Year %

    QoQ %









    Q4 25 vs.
    Q4 24

    Q4 25 vs.
    Q3 25

    Full Year 
    2024

    Full Year 
    2025

    FY 25 vs.
    FY 24

    Revenue

    6,060

    5,931

    5,482

    -10 %

    -8 %

    24,428

    23,473

    -4 %

    COGS

    -3,299

    -3,217

    -2,906

    -12 %

    -10 %

    -13,770

    -12,782

    -7 %

    Opex

    -479

    -537

    -533

    11 %

    -1 %

    -2,009

    -2,054

    2 %

    EBITDA

    2,282

    2,178

    2,043

    -10 %

    -6 %

    8,648

    8,636

    0 %

    Net Income

    1,381

    1,338

    1,173

    -15 %

    -12 %

    5,001

    5,166

    3 %

    EBITDA Margin

    37.7 %

    36.7 %

    37.3 %

    -38bps

    +55bps

    35.4 %

    36.8 %

    +139bps

    Net Income Margin

    22.8 %

    22.6 %

    21.4 %

    -139bps

    -115bps

    20.5 %

    22.0 %

    +153bps

    Alternative performance measures:

    • Financial information as presented above includes ADNOC Gas’ proportionate consolidation of JVs financial results.
    • EBITDA includes proportionate consolidation of JVs and represents Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization.
    • The reconciliation between the financial data as presented and the IFRS financial statements is presented in the Management Discussion & Analysis Report.

    1 All FY 2025 results are preliminary unaudited figures
    2 Reported Q4 ’24 EBITDA included a Domestic Gas contract renewal of $188m for the whole of 2024
    3 Source IMF October 2025 

    Cautionary note:

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of ADNOC Gas. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. ADNOC Gas does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events, or other information. Results could differ materially from those stated, implied, or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

    About ADNOC Gas

    ADNOC Gas, listed on the ADX (ADX symbol: “ADNOCGAS” / ISIN: “AEE01195A234”), is a world-class, large-scale integrated gas processing and sales company operating across the gas value chain, from receipt of feedstock from ADNOC through large, long-life operations for gas processing and fractionation to the sale of products to domestic and international customers. ADNOC Gas supplies approximately 60% of the UAE’s sales gas needs and supplies end-customers in over 20 countries. To find out more, visit: www.adnocgas.ae

    (X) @ADNOCGas

    For investor inquiries, please contact:

    Richard Griffith
    Vice President, Investor Relations
    +971 (2) 6037445
    [email protected] 

    For media inquiries, please contact:

    Colin Joyce
    Vice President, Corporate Communications
    +971 (2) 6037444
    [email protected]

    Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2822271/5620609/ADNOC_Gas_Logo.jpg

    SOURCE ADNOC Gas

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  • India’s Earnings Are Under the Lens as US Trade Deal Redraws Winners and Losers – bloomberg.com

    1. India’s Earnings Are Under the Lens as US Trade Deal Redraws Winners and Losers  bloomberg.com
    2. Indian shares open higher on India-US trade optimism, global cues; SBI rises 6%  Reuters
    3. India’s position in Asia improves with India-US deal, positive for equities and export-oriented sectors: Report  BusinessLine
    4. India-US Deal Fine Print ‘Soothes Nerves’ — Here’s What Brokerages Are Saying On Demand And Risks  NDTV Profit
    5. Dalal-Steet likely to cheer trade deal progress  The Times of India

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  • Coca-Cola (KO) Q4 Earnings Report Preview: What To Look For

    Coca-Cola (KO) Q4 Earnings Report Preview: What To Look For

    Coca-Cola (KO) Q4 Earnings Report Preview: What To Look For

    Beverage company Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) will be announcing earnings results this Tuesday morning. Here’s what investors should know.

    Coca-Cola met analysts’ revenue expectations last quarter, reporting revenues of $12.41 billion, up 3.9% year on year. It was a satisfactory quarter for the company, with an impressive beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.

    Is Coca-Cola a buy or sell going into earnings? Read our full analysis here, it’s free for active Edge members.

    This quarter, analysts are expecting Coca-Cola’s revenue to grow 5.2% year on year to $12 billion, improving from the 4.2% increase it recorded in the same quarter last year. Adjusted earnings are expected to come in at $0.56 per share.

    Coca-Cola Total Revenue
    Coca-Cola Total Revenue

    Analysts covering the company have generally reconfirmed their estimates over the last 30 days, suggesting they anticipate the business to stay the course heading into earnings. Coca-Cola has a history of exceeding Wall Street’s expectations, beating revenue estimates every single time over the past two years by 2.6% on average.

    Looking at Coca-Cola’s peers in the beverages, alcohol, and tobacco segment, some have already reported their Q4 results, giving us a hint as to what we can expect. Constellation Brands’s revenues decreased 9.8% year on year, beating analysts’ expectations by 2.9%, and Altria reported flat revenue, topping estimates by 1.1%. Constellation Brands traded up 5.3% following the results while Altria was down 1.8%.

    Read our full analysis of Constellation Brands’s results here and Altria’s results here.

    There has been positive sentiment among investors in the beverages, alcohol, and tobacco segment, with share prices up 7.4% on average over the last month. Coca-Cola is up 11.8% during the same time and is heading into earnings with an average analyst price target of $79.45 (compared to the current share price of $78.92).

    P.S. STOP buying the AI stocks everyone’s talking about. The real money? It’s in the profitable pick nobody’s watching yet. We’ve identified an AI profit machine that’s flying under Wall Street’s radar—for now. We can’t keep this research public forever—grab your FREE copy before we pull it offline. GO HERE NOW.

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  • What ASEAN Governments Can Learn from the Russian State-Backed Attacks on Amazon Web Services

    What ASEAN Governments Can Learn from the Russian State-Backed Attacks on Amazon Web Services

    Russian state-backed cyberattacks on cloud-linked critical infrastructure in the West highlight the need for ASEAN governments to develop stronger laws and larger cybersecurity talent pools for critical infrastructure protection.

    A recent Amazon Web Services (AWS) threat intelligence report highlighted that Russian state-backed cyber operations have been targeting critical infrastructure of Western countries, particularly energy infrastructure, by pivoting their tactics to exploit misconfigured customer network edge devices to gain initial access into the infrastructure. Such edge devices included routers, VPN gateways, and remote-access consoles hosted in AWS environments. By targeting the “low-hanging fruit” of misconfigured customer devices that exposed management interfaces, the attackers could achieve the same strategic objectives of gaining persistent access to critical infrastructure networks and harvesting credentials for accessing online services. All at significantly less cost and risk of exposure.   

    This development should alarm governments and enterprises globally, including those in ASEAN, especially when many ASEAN public sector agencies use cloud services like AWS for e-government services, national data repositories, and possibly even to support essential service delivery. The AWS case demonstrates that vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure today are often not a function of advanced malware, but of organisational capacity and governance in the public sector.

    Several ASEAN states have, in fact, introduced cybersecurity laws intended to protect critical information infrastructure (CII) or functionally equivalent systems, whose failure or disruption would affect essential public services. However, these regimes remain unevenly developed across the region. At present, only four out of eleven ASEAN member states, namely, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, have enacted statutory frameworks that explicitly identify and regulate CII or systems essential to national security and public services.

    Singapore’s Cybersecurity Act establishes a detailed CII regime supported by sector-specific codes of practice and mandatory risk assessments. Malaysia’s Cyber Security Act 2024 introduces a National Critical Information Infrastructure (NCII) framework, while Thailand’s Cybersecurity Act empowers authorities to designate CIIs and impose compliance obligations. Vietnam’s cybersecurity laws regulate “information systems critical to national security”, which functionally serve a similar role, albeit within a more state-centric model. By contrast, the majority of ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, and Laos, do not yet have dedicated CII statutes. Instead, cybersecurity governance in these states relies on general cybercrime laws, ICT regulations, and personal data protection acts (PDPAs). In practice, this has resulted in PDPA compliance becoming a proxy for cybersecurity governance, not because PDPAs are well suited to protecting infrastructure, but because they are often the most mature, enforceable, and institutionally embedded digital regulations available.

    Singapore remains a notable outlier in this respect. Among ASEAN states, Singapore is the only jurisdiction where cybersecurity and CII laws clearly and consistently extend enforceable obligations and liability to private-sector service providers, including cloud companies supporting public-sector critical services, rather than relying primarily on contractual arrangements or data protection law as proxies for accountability. Its cybersecurity framework reflects a level of regulatory coherence, enforcement capacity, and technical resourcing that few ASEAN states currently match, as most ASEAN governments face fiscal and institutional constraints that limit their ability to replicate Singapore’s model in the near term. As a result, while cybersecurity and CII laws exist on paper in some jurisdictions, their operationalisation remains inconsistent.

    Existing critical information infrastructure regimes tend to assume clearly bounded systems under direct organisational control, whereas modern critical services increasingly rely on cloud platforms, outsourced service providers, and shared-responsibility models.

    The AWS incident exposes a common regional vulnerability arising from this uneven landscape. Existing CII regimes tend to assume clearly bounded systems under direct organisational control, whereas modern critical services increasingly rely on cloud platforms, outsourced service providers, and shared-responsibility models. Misconfigured customer-controlled components, such as edge devices and access gateways, often fall into a grey zone where legal responsibility is formally assigned but operational oversight is weak. Attackers are increasingly exploiting this gap, especially when the services are provided by private companies.

    As ASEAN governments are actively pursuing digital transformation through smart cities, e-government platforms, and cross-border data flows, these initiatives risk expanding the attack surface of critical sectors without corresponding investments in cybersecurity skills and regulatory clarity. Cybersecurity readiness surveys have repeatedly shown that many state agencies lack personnel with deep operational expertise in cloud security and network engineering, even where formal compliance roles such as Data Protection Officers (DPOs) exist. Given this vulnerability, governments in the region could consider the following steps for stronger cybersecurity, especially in the public sector.

    First, governments could raise cybersecurity leadership standards in critical sectors beyond the narrow area of compliance with data protection requirements. Cybersecurity and infrastructure resilience roles should be clearly distinguished from data governance functions, with regulators requiring demonstrable technical competence for those responsible for securing critical systems.

    Second, regulators would have to shift from point-in-time audits towards continuous configuration monitoring and risk assessment, particularly for internet-facing and cloud-hosted infrastructure. Static compliance checks are poorly suited to environments that change rapidly and could be targeted by adaptive adversaries.

    Third, governments need to invest in cybersecurity workforce development to make these standards achievable. National training schemes, scholarships, and public–private partnerships are essential to building a sustainable talent pipeline. National cybersecurity agencies should also arrange for regular upskilling and recertification of DPOs and IT officers in government, reducing recruitment pressures on local agencies while promoting consistent professional standards.

    Fourth, ASEAN could consider deepening regional threat-intelligence sharing. The AWS case shows the value of timely, actionable information on how intrusions occur and how attackers operate. Strengthening cooperation through the ASEAN Regional Computer Emergency Response Team (ASEAN-CERT) would allow member states to improve collective preparedness for cross-border threats.

    The AWS incident is a strategic alarm bell for ASEAN governments. As cyber actors refine their methods to exploit basic operational oversights, ASEAN countries must equip themselves not just with rules, but with people, skills, and practical security practices that close the gap between compliance and resilience.

    2026/38

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  • Government-led innovation ecosystem is derisking space cybersecurity for private investors

    If it takes a village to raise a child, the story of Singaporean deeptech startup SpeQtral is the progeny of a specialised innovation ecosystem with coordinated public and private support. 

     

    Started as a bold lab concept in a local university, the space-based quantum communications startup is turning into a global contender in space cybersecurity. 

     

    Its humble origins were nurtured by a “village” of Singapore public agencies (like the space office, cybersecurity agency, research centre of excellence, and the innovation agency) that provided the critical scaffolding for its growth – be it policy, funding, networks, or the technical expertise.  

     

    Nine years since SpeQtral ventured into a niche area like space cybersecurity, space has now become a national priority and securing it is key for governments. 

     

    For an emerging yet critical frontier for national resilience, SGInnovate’s Deputy Director of Strategic Projects Desiree Tung says to GovInsider that there is an imperative for governments to lead investments in this sector to instill market confidence and catalyse the sector. 

     

    Tung was speaking on the sidelines of the CYSAT Asia, the inaugural event in Asia dedicated to cybersecurity of space infrastructures on February 5. It was organised by SGInnovate and European cybersecurity company CYSEC. 

     

    Delivering the keynote at the event, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA)’s Chief Executive David Koh highlighted that the current space ecosystem today relied on technologies and geopolitical assumptions of “a very different era”, when cybersecurity was not a design requirement.  

     

    But the current vulnerabilities are not just limited to orbiting satellites, but across the entire space value chain from ground stations, control systems, management networks, and supply chains. 

    Government as a pioneer investor 

     

    SGInnovate is a private organisation fully-owned by the Singapore government, serving as an entity to build deeptech innovation in the country.  

     

    “We look at investing in early-stage technology – from pre-seed to Series A – and areas where perhaps they are not ready for the private sector yet,” Tung explains. 

    Drawing parallels between space cybersecurity and quantum, SGInnovate’s Desiree Tung believes that early investments by SGInnovate will catalyse additional investments and signal to the private sector to invest in the sector. Image: SGInnovate

     

    Quantum tech is an example. “We were one of the early investors of quantum startups about three to four years back,” she says. 

     

    As a result of these early investments, she believes that they have catalysed additional investments and signalled to the private sector to invest in the quantum sector. 

     

    Market intelligence firm Quantum Insider also reported that a driver of the sector is the continued government funding, especially through the national quantum strategies, to derisk early adoption and spur private investments in the sector. 

     

    Tung highlights that the same strategy is now required for space cybersecurity. 

     

    As the Asia-Pacific region awakens to the risks in space, she emphasises the importance of building security in its infrastructure from day one. 

     

    Doing so avoids the high costs of “last minute fixes,” ensuring that governments can ensure their sovereignty through secure-by-design infrastructure than reactive defence. 

     

    In the panel “Strategic Partnerships & International Investment in Space Cybersecurity”, Innovaud (economic promotion agency of Vaud, Switzerland)’s Managing Director Patrick Barbey, and SGInnovate’s Head of Investments Tong Hsien-Hui also highlighted a gap in private investments for a startup category combining both space and cybersecurity.  

     

    “In many of these cases, they are not pure venture capitalist (VC) investments. It’s a combination of contracts by the European Space Agency (ESA), public organisations and other sources. 

    Government as a convener in an interconnected space 

     

    Tung highlights that building a startup can be a solitary path, which is why SGInnovate believes in building the “village,” in this case an ecosystem, around the startups.

     

    By bringing together the right players like researchers, corporates and other investors, SGInnovate is creating a collaborative platform for the startups to build their capabilities and connections to lead in an emerging tech space, she says.  

     

    In the panel, SGInnovate’s Tong expanded further that the current solutions in the space cybersecurity sector remain “narrow,” often focused on specific parts of the infrastructure. 

     

    To “level up” these solutions, he argued for more global collaboration between governments and companies.  

     

    His call for a systemic approach to space cybersecurity aligned with CSA’s David Koh, as he stressed the importance of tackling space cybersecurity not by components, but “as a network of interconnected systems” spanning different organisations, developers and end users. 

     

    In a separate address, UK Royal Marines’ Deputy Director for Cyber and Electromagnetic Effects and Special Operations’ Brigadier Richard Alston noted that in the military sector, it is also rethinking its relationship with the private sector to leverage the latter’s expertise. 

     

    “That’s a very different and normal approach. Rather than come up with a series of requirements and ask industry to go and address those requirements, we’re bringing industry in to define and design, not just targeting the requirements,” he said. 

     

    As for next steps for the Singapore public sector, SGInnovate’s Tong reflected that while different public agencies support the space cybersecurity support, there remains a lack of coordinated effort.

     

    He hoped that the setting up of the National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) in coming April would consolidate these efforts and instill confidence in more private investors to get involved in the space cybersecurity sector.  

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  • 49-Year-Old Mom Of 3 Says Frugality Helped Her Reach $1.5M In Savings – No ‘Fancy Job Or Big Salary’

    49-Year-Old Mom Of 3 Says Frugality Helped Her Reach $1.5M In Savings – No ‘Fancy Job Or Big Salary’

    It’s getting harder for average Americans to make ends meet and still find a way to save. Yet, some stories prove that building wealth is still possible if you’re willing to practice financial discipline.

    A 49-year-old woman recently took to r/Fire— a Reddit community about early retirement—to celebrate hitting a massive $1.5 million in savings after decades of relentless frugality. The poster shared that she’s a single mother of three who has been working for the same employer for over 20 years.

    “Behind everyone here, but still happy,” the Redditor wrote. “I do not have a fancy job or big salary. I checked my account today and was delighted that my frugality has resulted in $1.5M. Feeling proud of myself, happy, grateful.”

    Don’t Miss:

    The Redditor said that her annual expenses are around $45,000. This includes her mortgage, which she expects to pay off in five years. She said she maxes out her health savings account, IRA, and 401(k) each year and plans to retire at 55.

    The poster shared more details about her path from financial hardship to stability. She said she bought her first home in 2003 and later filed for bankruptcy at 26. She sold the house for a significant profit after home prices shot up in her area and used the proceeds as a “springboard” to rebuild her finances.

    “I was also invested (albeit very, very little) in my 401k during the housing crisis,” she said. “My value skyrocketed once the market came back. Did the same after 2020.”

    Many Redditors asked the poster for advice on saving money. She said she has been frugal for years and, since her separation two decades ago, has been pouring money into savings with the goal of retiring early.

    Trending: Americans With a Financial Plan Can 4X Their Wealth — Get Your Personalized Plan from a CFP Pro

    The poster said she shops at thrift stores and has taught her kids to do the same. She also said she isn’t impulsive and is willing to wait for lower prices.

    “My car was bought used and I’ve been driving it for 10 years,” she said. “I don’t think I own any clothes that weren’t from a thrift store. Since I was dead broke when the kids were little, they’re also accustomed to thrifting.”

    She also joined local groups that give away items for free and finds high-quality household goods she would otherwise have to buy.

    “If I buy something and then realize I don’t need it, I return it,” she added. “I know a lot of people don’t bother. I’m really just frugal and I guess that helped a lot.”

    Careful financial planning and accounting for every dollar can truly go a long way in changing your life. People with a formal financial plan are up to 4X wealthier by the time they retire, and 95% of people who work with an advisor say it’s worth the money. Domain Money is designed especially for professionals and households earning over $100,000 a year, who are ready to take their financial planning to the next level with personalized, expert guidance.

    Read Next: 

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    This article ‘Behind Everyone Here, But Still Happy’: 49-Year-Old Mom Of 3 Says Frugality Helped Her Reach $1.5M In Savings – No ‘Fancy Job Or Big Salary’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com

    © 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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  • ‘No Reasonable Scenario’ Forces Strategy To Sell Bitcoin As $440 Target Stands: TD Cowen

    ‘No Reasonable Scenario’ Forces Strategy To Sell Bitcoin As $440 Target Stands: TD Cowen

    Strategy Inc (NASDAQ:MSTR) shares surged 22% Friday as TD Cowen maintained its $440 price target, arguing there is “no reasonable scenario” forcing the company to sell Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) despite trading underwater on its holdings.

    TD Cowen analysts Lance Vitanza and Jonnathan Navarrete said Strategy is “better positioned than ever” to participate in a potential recovery, even as the premise looks strained amid steep declines. The company’s shares are down 13.4% so far in 2026, adding to a 47.5% slump last year.

    The volatility looks intentional ― analysts noted Strategy’s common stock is designed to be about 1.5 times more volatile than Bitcoin.

    “It should come as no surprise that Strategy’s shares outperform Bitcoin when the price rises, and underperform when falling. This is, in fact, by design,” they said.

    Don’t Miss:

    On solvency concerns, TD Cowen argued Strategy has the “wherewithal to ride out a hypothetically much steeper Bitcoin rout.”

    They pointed to the company’s $2.25 billion cash reserve that could fund $900 million in fixed charges for nearly 17 months while covering $1 billion of convertible notes putable in 2027.

    The earliest trouble point appears in March 2028, when additional convertibles mature or become putable.

    Moreover, TD Cowen maintained Bitcoin price targets at $177,000 by December 2026 and $226,000 by December 2027.

    TD Cowen’s view aligns with recent Strategy executive comments.

    On the Q4 earnings call revealing $126 billion in losses, CEO Phong Le said Bitcoin would need to fall to around $8,000 and remain there for five to six years before Strategy faces difficulty servicing convertible debt.

    Executive Chairman Michael Saylor reiterated the capital structure is designed to withstand extended volatility, dismissing quantum computing threats as “horrible FUD.”

    Trending: Earn While You Scroll: The Deloitte-Ranked #1 Software Company Growing 32,481% Is Opening Its $0.50/Share Round to Accredited Investors.

    TD Cowen highlighted Strategy’s emerging “digital credit engine” as a key thesis component.

    The company raised over $7 billion of preferred equity in fiscal 2025, representing 33% of all preferred equity sold in the U.S.

    The firm’s STRC preferred stock pays an 11.25% annualized dividend rate with daily liquidity above $118 million, providing an alternative funding mechanism beyond convertible debt.

    See Also: This ETF issuer isn’t chasing the index — it’s building tools for income, leverage, and conviction

    Strategy’s shares are up 22% Friday, bouncing after testing the critical $100-$110 support.

    However, the stock remains trapped in a descending channel with overhead resistance.

    The SAR indicator at $155.29 positions above current prices, indicating the bearish trend remains intact. Immediate resistance sits at $155, followed by $165-$175, then $200+.

    Additionally, the RSI at 36.45 shows bouncing from oversold but remains below 50, confirming momentum stays bearish.

    Support sits at $100-$110—if this fails, next support appears at $75-$85.

    Image source: Shutterstock

    Read Next: Put professional stock research to work in a single ETF — explore Motley Fool Asset Management’s factor-based funds.

    Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, professional financial guidance, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

    Rad AI’s award-winning artificial intelligence technology helps transform data chaos into actionable insights, enabling the creation of high-performing content with measurable ROI. Their Regulation A+ offering allows investors to participate at $0.85 per share with a minimum investment of $1,000, providing an opportunity to diversify portfolios into early-stage AI innovation. For investors seeking exposure to the rapidly growing AI and tech sector, Rad AI offers a chance to get in on the ground floor of a data-driven growth story.

    Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

    Lightstone DIRECT gives accredited investors direct access to institutional-grade real estate, going beyond typical crowdfunding platforms. By cutting out middlemen, it aligns investor and manager interests while providing exposure to a $12B+ portfolio spanning multifamily, industrial, hospitality, retail, office, and life science properties. This approach allows investors to diversify their portfolios across multiple property types and markets, gaining professional-grade real estate exposure without the fees or misalignment common on other platforms.

    Domain Money helps professionals and households earning $100,000+ take control of their finances with personalized, CFP professional-led guidance. By offering tailored financial planning, Domain empowers users to make smarter, more confident decisions across investments, retirement, taxes, and overall wealth strategy.

    Masterworks enables investors to diversify into blue-chip art, an alternative asset class with historically low correlation to stocks and bonds. Through fractional ownership of museum-quality works by artists like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, investors gain access without the high costs or complexities of owning art outright. With hundreds of offerings and strong historical exits on select works, Masterworks adds a scarce, globally traded asset to portfolios seeking long-term diversification.

    BAM Capital offers accredited investors a way to diversify beyond public markets through institutional-grade multifamily real estate. With over $1.85 billion in completed transactions and guidance from Senior Economic Advisor Tony Landa, the firm targets income and long-term growth as supply tightens and renter demand remains strong—especially in Midwest markets. Its income-focused and growth-oriented funds provide exposure to real assets designed to be less tied to stock market volatility.

    As digital assets become a larger part of diversified portfolios, traders increasingly look for platforms that offer transparency, efficiency, and control. Kraken Pro is an advanced trading interface from Kraken, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, designed for users who want more sophisticated tools without added complexity. With low, volume-based fees, a streamlined interface for managing spot, margin, and futures trading, and a strong focus on security and regulatory compliance, Kraken Pro provides a way to gain diversified crypto exposure through a clear, professional-grade trading experience.

    REX Shares designs specialized ETFs for investors who want more precision than traditional broad-market funds can offer. Its lineup spans options-based income strategies, leveraged and inverse exposures, spot-linked crypto ETFs, and thematic funds tied to structural trends. By targeting specific income objectives, volatility profiles, or market themes, these ETFs can be used alongside core holdings to introduce differentiated return drivers and reduce reliance on a single market outcome, while maintaining the liquidity and transparency of the ETF structure.

    Mode Mobile is redefining how people earn money through everyday smartphone use. Its EarnPhone and app ecosystem allow users to earn and save by playing games, listening to music, and reading news—turning screen time into income. With over 50 million beta users and a low $99 barrier to adoption, Mode Mobile has proven extreme competitiveness in the mobile market. Accredited investors can participate in the company’s growth at $0.50 per share, gaining exposure to a platform with a total addressable market exceeding $1 trillion and plans for a Nasdaq IPO. For investors looking to diversify into innovative consumer tech and mobile monetization, Mode Mobile offers a unique opportunity to tap into a fast-growing, user-driven digital economy.

    UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets.

    Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga:

    This article ‘No Reasonable Scenario’ Forces Strategy To Sell Bitcoin As $440 Target Stands: TD Cowen originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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  • Qantas frequent flyer boss Andrew Glance addresses loyalty program concerns and RBA credit card changes

    Qantas frequent flyer boss Andrew Glance addresses loyalty program concerns and RBA credit card changes

    Qantas loyalty division boss Andrew Glance admits he’s been taken aback by the airline’s remarkable turnaround since the dark days that saw former chief executive Alan Joyce and chairman Richard Goyder ousted by angry investors in 2023.

    Vanessa Hudson beat Olivia Wirth, former boss of the loyalty program, to the top job and has won widespread praise for rebuilding the flying kangaroo’s reputation. Glance’s star has also been rising since taking on the frequent flyer business after the overlooked Wirth left for Myer.

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