Category: Press Releases

His Excellency Khalid Al-Mudaifer, Vice-Minister for Mining Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources at the Future Minerals Forum press conference

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — At a press conference today, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIM) announced details of the third edition of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF), to be held in Riyadh 9^th-11^th January at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

Speaking at the conference, H.E. the Vice Minister for Mining Affairs, Khalid Al-Mudaifer, looked forward to further achievements delivered by the Ministerial Roundtable and FMF 2024. In previous editions, both platforms have seen participation from ministers and a leading group of international speakers to address issues and turn talk into action.

The Vice Minister discussed the unique role of the FMF in hosting the only Ministerial Roundtable of its kind in the industry. He said: “We have succeeded in making this meeting a strategic and influential platform led by governments, providing a voice for many countries and official organizations.”

Over 70 countries will be represented by government ministers and high-ranking officials at the Ministerial Roundtable on January 9. For the first time, a Geological Survey Leaders meeting will be held concurrently with the Roundtable, allowing institutions to discuss key mineral issues in the Super Region.

Following the Roundtable, 250 key speakers will participate in 75 sessions over the two-day Forum. Some 90% of them are CEOs of some of the largest companies in the sector.

“We created the FMF to support delivery of the energy transition and create responsible, resilient minerals value chains in the Super Region of Africa, Western and Central Asia. Last week we attended COP and delivered a simple message: without minerals there cannot be an energy transition,” Al-Mudaifer added.

The conference noted the Kingdom’s leadership in supplying the world with energy, and its current substantial role in supporting the development of resilient value chains to deliver clean energy solutions. The Kingdom has the potential to become an international hub for the production and processing of green minerals. This is supported by the Manara Minerals Company, which invests in mining assets globally to help achieve flexibility in global supply chains and accelerate the pace of the energy transition.

For a full list of speakers and more information about FMF 2024 please visit https://www.futuremineralsforum.com/conference-speakers/.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/029ac455-d922-4185-bdb6-7b83fa717128

Media Contact:
Omar Shereen
E: Omar.shereen@fleishman.com
M: +966 50 663 0489

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000903779

• Acquisition adds smelting capability to serve spent automotive catalyst customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa
  
• Complements ECMS recycling operations and global precious metal services

• Broadens range of materials that can be processed by ECMS

• Closing of transaction expected in early first quarter 2024

ISELIN, N.J., Dec. 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) has signed an agreement to purchase the assets of Arc Metal AB in Hofors, Sweden. The company currently conducts toll smelting and processing of spent automotive catalyst, among other services, and will further complement ECMS’s existing global precious metal recycling operations in Cinderford, UK, Seneca and Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Caldwell, Texas, USA. The closing of the transaction is expected early in the first quarter of 2024.

“This investment will allow us to grow our recycling business in Europe and bring in best-in-class pyro-metallurgical technology providing flexibility to process high carbon containing materials, like Silicon Carbide found in spent automotive catalyst materials as well as access to new markets,” said Tim Ingle, Senior Vice President, Precious Metal Services and Recycling, ECMS. “We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues who bring vast experience in smelting and processing of spent automotive catalysts.”

The additional smelting capacity at the Sweden site will also increase utilization of the new refinery capacity in Seneca, South Carolina. Recycled catalysts go through a smelting process and are then refined to produce the high purity precious metal needed to make new catalysts and other end use products, supporting a circular economy. Recycled platinum group metals can also lower carbon emissions by up to 97 percent, in comparison to refining mined or primary materials¹.

“The asset purchase will enable ECMS to meet increased customer demand for spent automotive catalyst recycling and position ECMS more competitively in the region,” said Dirk Bremm, President and CEO, ECMS. “The acquisition also aligns with our sustainability efforts and those of our customers since catalyst recycling as a secondary supply is a significant source of precious metals, preserving our critical resources.”

To learn more about BASF’s recycling business, visit www.basf.com/ecms.

¹ Source: Sphera Solutions GmbH (2022): GaBi Database Edition 2022, SP37

About BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions
Leveraging its deep expertise as a global leader in catalysis and precious metals, BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) serves customers in many industries including automotive, aerospace, indoor air quality, semiconductors, and hydrogen economy, and provides full loop services with its precious metals trading and recycling offering. With a focus on circular solutions and sustainability, ECMS is committed to helping our customers create a cleaner, more sustainable world. Protecting the elements of life is our purpose and this inspires us to ever-new solutions. ECMS operates globally in 15 countries with over 4,500 employees and 20 production sites.

Media Relations contact:
Betsy Arnone
Phone: +1 973-519-9808
betsy.arnone@basf-catalystsmetals.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8992710

Accomplished executives bring decades of insurance and technology expertise to new board roles

Barbara Bufkin

Board Member / Senior Advisor

BOSTON, Dec. 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Duck Creek Technologies, the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance, has announced the appointments of Barbara Bufkin and Diane Fanelli to the company’s board of directors. Bufkin joins Duck Creek’s board with an extensive background in global (re)insurance, distribution, underwriting, and technology, advising companies in originating and fostering strategic partnerships. Fanelli is a global customer-centric operations leader known for her expertise in guiding global enterprise software teams and company growth.

“Barbara and Diane are each accomplished and recognized experts in their respective fields, and they will add incredible value to guide Duck Creek’s long-term mission and business strategy,” says Mike Jackowski, CEO of Duck Creek Technologies. “Barbara’s and Diane’s areas of expertise are highly complementary and a perfect fit to enhance our customer success initiatives, advance our partner ecosystem to benefit our insurer customers and their policyholders, and enable our global growth aspirations. It is an honor to have their talents on our board of directors.”

Bufkin is a C-suite executive leader with vast experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry, with roles encompassing operational and strategic responsibilities, business and product development, underwriting, claims, risk management, and corporate governance. Most recently, she served as a senior advisor to Amwins and was a founding member of the Amwins Group Diversity & Inclusion Council. Bufkin has also held executive leadership roles at Argo Group, Assurant, Hamilton USA, Guy Carpenter, Sedgewick Payne (acquired by Guy Carpenter), and Swiss Re. Bufkin advocates for the value of the insurance industry as a career of choice in her role on the Board of Trustees of Gamma Iota Sigma (GIS) and is past president and chair of the governance committee formed during her tenure. Bufkin is a 2012 recipient of the Association of Professional Insurance Women’s (APIW) Woman of the Year award and was inducted into the Insurance Business America Hall of Fame in 2019. Her philanthropic work includes the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Council of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF).

Diane Fanelli

Board Member / Chief Operating Officer

Fanelli currently serves as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at iCIMS, where she leads the company’s professional services, award-winning customer success, technical support, revenue operations, go-to-market enablement, and customer training teams. In 2019 Fanelli was recognized with a CRN Channel Chief award and the CRN Women of the Channel award in 2018 and 2017 for her success in driving innovation, growth, and revenue through channel partners and customers. Prior global enterprise software executive leadership experience includes COO roles at Citrix and SAP. She has previously served as an executive sponsor of diversity and inclusion programs, including the Veterans to Work initiative at SAP. She is an active supporter of STEM initiatives to inspire today’s youth to focus on the digital careers of tomorrow.

Bufkin and Fanelli’s roles were sourced through the external board program operated by Vista Equity Partners, a global investment firm focused on enterprise software, data, and technology-enabled businesses and a majority investor in Duck Creek. Launched in 2017, the board program leverages Vista’s ecosystem and additional resources to identify, train, and appoint qualified board candidates for its portfolio companies. The program works to create a diverse pipeline of qualified board candidates through programs and partnerships that advance diversity for all boards and drive impact for the corporate world at large.

About Duck Creek Technologies

Duck Creek Technologies is the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of the property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance industry. We are the platform upon which modern insurance systems are built, enabling the industry to capitalize on the power of the cloud to run agile, intelligent, and evergreen operations. Authenticity, purpose, and transparency are core to Duck Creek, and we believe insurance should be there for individuals and businesses when, where, and how they need it most. Our market-leading solutions are available on a standalone basis or as a full suite, and all are available via Duck Creek OnDemand. Visit www.duckcreek.com to learn more. Follow Duck Creek on our social channels for the latest information – LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contacts

Carley Bunch
carley.bunch@duckcreek.com

Drake Manning
drake.manning@duckcreek.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c91b7515-576d-4ff6-9c4b-e66a7b01bd9a

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d472257b-c63f-491f-b566-7786e54b60e4

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8991936

London, Dec. 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — London, UK – December 11, 2023 – OPEN Health, a preeminent global provider of consulting, HEOR and market access, patient engagement, and scientific and creative communications services, is excited to announce a strategic collaboration with Nested Knowledge, a leading provider of AI-based SaaS platform solutions for systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Together, we aim to enhance the speed, efficiency, and depth of evidence synthesis, ultimately aiding biopharmaceutical researchers in making crucial healthcare decisions and bringing products to market quicker.

“This collaboration underscores OPEN Health’s unwavering commitment to leveraging innovative solutions and AI technologies for superior client delivery,” said Richard Jones, President of OPEN Health Evidence & Access. “We are excited to formalize our collaboration with Nested Knowledge and collectively bring market-leading evidence synthesis solutions to our clients.”

Systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses facilitate the methodical evaluation of all pertinent research on a specific topic and are fundamental components of comprehensive outcomes assessments, often in preparation for health technology assessment (HTA) and reimbursement submissions. Boosting the speed and increasing the transparency at which they’re conducted will hasten the translation of research into actionable insights and approved healthcare interventions. Nested Knowledge’s AI-driven platform will be applied within OPEN Health’s strategic market access and evidence synthesis teams, dramatically speeding up research analysis and the derivation of insights. By combining Nested Knowledge’s technological prowess with OPEN Health’s scientific and analytical expertise, the partnership aims to elevate the standards, speed, and precision of healthcare evidence analysis.

“Uniting technology with expertise is core to the mission of Nested Knowledge, as well as to overcoming key barriers in conventional evidence synthesis processes,” according to Kevin Kallmes, CEO and founder of Nested Knowledge. “OPEN Health’s leading evidence synthesis capabilities and approach to AI augmentation in the context of expert oversight makes them a perfect partner for scaling up more rapid, interactive, and technologically integrated solutions.”

About OPEN Health

OPEN Health unites deep scientific knowledge with wide-ranging specialist expertise to unlock possibilities that improve health outcomes and patient well-being. Working in partnership with our clients, we embrace our different perspectives and strengths to deliver fresh thinking and solutions that make a difference. OPEN Health is a flexible global organization that solves complex healthcare challenges across consulting, HEOR and market access, scientific communications, patient engagement, and creative omnichannel communications. For more information on OPEN Health, visit www.openhealthgroup.com.

About Nested Knowledge

Nested Knowledge is a living evidence platform that houses, auto-extracts, and analyzes published clinical literature for conducting systematic literature reviews. As a result, each review produces evidence as interactive, web-based visuals. The platform emphasizes updateability, traceability, and visual interactivity—revolutionizing the way evidence is understood without depending on scattered, non-updatable, incomplete PDF outputs. For more information, visit https://about.nested-knowledge.com

Press contact:

OPEN Health

Candice Subero, candicesubero@openhealthgroup.com

Nested Knowledge

Keith Kallmes, keith.kallmes@nested-knowledge.com

Attachment

• OPEN Health and Nested Knowledge announce strategic research collaboration to leverage AI technologies for evidence synthesis

Candice Subero
OPEN Health
candicesubero@openhealthgroup.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8991999

The Future of Luxury Real Estate Is Going Global! eXp Luxury Launches in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom

eXp Realty, “the most agent-centric real estate brokerage on the planet” and a core subsidiary of eXp World Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPI), proudly announces the continued expansion of its luxury real estate program, eXp Luxury, into the dynamic international markets of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

BELLINGHAM, Wash., Dec. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — eXp Realty, “the most agent-centric real estate brokerage on the planet” and a core subsidiary of eXp World Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPI), proudly announces the continued expansion of its luxury real estate program, eXp Luxury, into the dynamic international markets of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Having built an impressive 1,100 members and counting across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico over the last fifteen months, eXp Luxury continues its exponential growth trajectory. The program made its debut in the United States in October 2022, followed by a launch in Canada in September 2023 and most recently, it extended its reach to Puerto Rico, further expanding its presence.

The remarkable success and high demand for eXp Luxury have paved the way for this launch into new international territories, providing eXp Realty Luxury agents unrivaled access to extraordinary investment opportunities. With memberships that provide the ability to showcase remarkable listing campaigns through exclusive partnerships, elevate brand aesthetics through a bespoke design center, and foster growth through robust learning events and vibrant networking opportunities, agents can truly thrive in luxury real estate.

“eXp Luxury represents our dedication to empowering elite real estate professionals with unparalleled tools and resources to enhance production and strengthen their individual brands while elevating their customer service offerings,” says Michael Valdes, Chief Growth Officer at eXp Realty. “This strategic international expansion marks a pivotal moment, showcasing eXp Realty’s unwavering commitment to not only revolutionizing the global real estate landscape but setting a new benchmark for excellence in luxury real estate.”

For more about the eXp Luxury program, visit expluxury.com.

About eXp World Holdings, Inc.

eXp World Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPI) is the holding company for eXp Realty^®, Virbela^® and SUCCESS^® Enterprises.

eXp Realty is the largest independent real estate company in the world with more than 89,000 agents in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, India, Mexico, Portugal, France, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Italy, Hong Kong, Colombia, Spain, Israel, Panama, Germany, Dominican Republic, Greece, New Zealand, Chile, Poland and Dubai and continues to scale internationally. As a publicly traded company, eXp World Holdings provides real estate professionals the unique opportunity to earn equity awards for production goals and contributions to overall company growth. eXp World Holdings and its businesses offer a full suite of brokerage and real estate tech solutions, including its innovative residential and commercial brokerage model, professional services, collaborative tools and personal development. The cloud-based brokerage is powered by Virbela, an immersive 3D platform that is deeply social and collaborative, enabling agents to be more connected and productive. SUCCESS^® Enterprises, anchored by SUCCESS^® magazine and its related media properties, was established in 1897 and is a leading personal and professional development brand and publication.

For more information, visit https://expworldholdings.com. 

Safe Harbor Statement

The statements contained herein may include statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views 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 such statements. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update them. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in forward-looking statements include changes in business or other market conditions; the difficulty of keeping expense growth at modest levels while increasing revenues; and other risks detailed from time to time in the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Media Relations Contact:

eXp World Holdings, Inc.

mediarelations@expworldholdings.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Denise Garcia
investors@expworldholdings.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b26750df-b0f2-4a7f-b570-8ec482a94384

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8991551