
The Independents Acquires Terminal 9 Studios
Founded by Claude Lacaze in 2013, Terminal 9 Studios specialises in long-form storytelling for luxury brands; it has worked with clients including Dior and Mugler. The previously independent production company's flagship series, 'Inside the Dream,' follows the design processes of Lucia Silvestri, creative director of high jewellery at Bulgari, and is available on Prime Video. Under The Independents' ownership, Terminal 9 Studios hopes to expand its collaborations with partners across the fashion PR giant, with Lacaze remaining as chief executive.
'Long-form documentaries offer an opportunity to explore brand narratives in a more nuanced and emotionally resonant way,' Lacaze said in a statement. 'With The Independents, we're excited to deliver a fully integrated approach — connecting powerful storytelling with strategic amplification across communications and experiences, in collaboration with our partners across the group.'
Terminal 9 Studios is The Independents' latest acquisition in a fast-growing portfolio of 19 global agencies, including PR firm Karlo Otto, creative agencies Kitten Production and Bureau Béatrice and design studio 2x4. Just last week, it announced it was backing PR firm Lucien Pagès' joint venture with AIPR. In March, the Banijay Group- and Towerbrook Capital Partners-backed PR giant launched an incubator programme to support emerging talent, entrepreneurs and creative agencies.
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Why Fashion's Biggest PR Firms Keep Getting Bigger
With the news that The Independents is adding another firm, Ctzar, to its roster, BoF breaks down the factors driving consolidation in the space, and what it means for the industry.
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Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
‘New kind of frontier': Shareholder proposals on AI becoming increasingly widespread
When Canada's most valuable companies hosted their annual general meetings this year, there was a new topic for shareholders to vote on among the usual requests to appoint board members and OK their executive compensation. The proposal from Quebec-based investor rights group le mouvement d'éducation et de défense des actionnaires centred on artificial intelligence. It asked 14 companies, including Canada's biggest banks, retailer Dollarama Inc. and telecom giant BCE Inc., to sign a voluntary code of conduct the federal government developed to govern the technology. Experts say the proposal is likely just the start of what they expect to become an annual phenomenon targeting the country's biggest companies — and beyond. 'This is a new kind of frontier in Canada for shareholder proposals,' said Renée Loiselle, a Montreal-based partner at law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. 'Last year, this was not on the ballot. Companies were not getting shareholder proposals related to AI and this year, it absolutely is.' Loiselle and other corporate governance watchers attribute the increase in AI-related shareholder proposals to the recent rise of the technology itself. While AI has been around for decades, it's being adopted more because of big advances in the technology's capabilities and a race to innovate that emerged after the birth of OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot in 2022. The increased use has revealed many dangers. Some AI systems have fabricated information and thus, mislead users. Others have sparked concerns about job losses, cyber warfare and even, the end of humanity. The opportunities and risks associated with AI haven't escaped shareholders, said Juana Lee, associate director of corporate engagement at the Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE). 'In Canada, I think, in the last year or two, we're seeing more and more shareholders, investors being more interested in the topic of AI,' she said. 'At least for SHARE ourselves, many of our clients are making it a priority to think through what ethical AI means, but also what that means for investee companies.' That thinking manifested itself in a proposal two funds at the B.C. General Employees' Union targeted Thomson Reuters Corp. with. The proposal asked the tech firm to amend its AI framework to square with a set of business and human rights principles the United Nations has. It got 4.87 per cent support. Meanwhile, MÉDAC centred its proposals around Canada's voluntary code of conduct on AI. The code was launched by the federal government in September 2023 and so far, has 46 signatories, including BlackBerry, Cohere, IBM, Mastercard and Telus. Signatories promise to bake risk mitigation measures into AI tools, use adversarial testing to uncover vulnerabilities in such systems and keep track of any harms the technology causes. MÉDAC framed its proposals around the code because there's a lack of domestic legislation for them to otherwise recommend firms heed and big companies have already supported the model, director general Willie Gagnon said. Several companies it sent the proposal to already have AI policies but didn't want to sign the code. 'Some of them told us that the code is mainly designed for companies developing AI, but we disagree about that because we saw a bunch of companies that signed the code that are not developing any AI,' Gagnon said. Many of the banks told MÉDAC they'll soon sign the code. Only CIBC has so far. Conversations with at least five companies were fruitful enough that MÉDAC withdrew its proposals. In the nine instances where the vote went forward, the proposal didn't succeed. It garnered as much as 17.4 per cent support at TD Bank but as little as 3.68 per cent at engineering firm AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. Loiselle said you can't measure the success of a proposal based on whether it passes or not. 'The goal of these shareholder proposals is more for engagement,' she said. Sometimes, even just by filing a proposal, companies reveal more about their AI use or understand it's an important topic for shareholders and then, discuss it more with them. While proposals don't always succeed, Lee has seen shareholder engagement drive real change. SHARE recently had discussions with a large Canadian software company. AI was central to its business but didn't crop up in its proxy statement — a document companies file governing their annual general meetings. The firm also had no board oversight of the technology. SHARE was able to get the company, which Lee would not name, to amend its board charter to include oversight of AI and commit to more disclosure around its use of the technology in its annual sustainability report. 'This is a really positive development and it's leading to improvement related to further transparency,' she said. If the U.S. is anything to judge by, Lee and Loiselle agree Canadian shareholders will keep pushing companies to adhere to higher AI standards. South of the border, AI-related proposals first cropped up around two years ago. They've targeted Apple, The Walt Disney Co. and even Netflix, where a vote on disclosing AI use and adhering to ethical guidelines amassed 43.3 per cent support. The frequency and spectrum of AI-related requests shareholders have has only grown since and is likely to be mirrored in Canada, Loiselle said. 'The landscape for shareholder proposals is changing and I think that change is here to stay,' she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025.


Business Wire
2 hours ago
- Business Wire
Airwallex Recognised as a Company of Good for Commitment to Corporate Purpose and Social Impact in Singapore
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We believe innovation and impact go hand in hand – and we'll continue finding new ways to use our time, product, and expertise to drive economic empowerment, inclusion, and opportunity.' Airwallex Impact: Turning purpose into action Airwallex's recognition is a strong endorsement of Airwallex Impact, its global social impact programme launched in late 2024, grounded in the company's pledge to the Pledge 1% movement – a global initiative that encourages companies to commit 1% of equity, product, profit, and employee time for the greater good. Since committing to Pledge 1%, over 120 Airwallex employees globally have contributed volunteer days across a diverse range of activities in the first half of 2025 – a 58% uplift compared to the whole of 2024. Through Airwallex Impact, the company will continue to deliver volunteering initiatives, forge social impact partnerships, and establish donation frameworks across its global offices, including its Singapore headquarters. Creating lasting impact on the ground in Singapore In Singapore, Airwallex employees have already begun making a tangible difference through a range of volunteering initiatives in 2025 that support youth empowerment, marine conservation, and environmental innovation. Highlights include: Inspiring the next generation of tech leaders: In partnership with United Women Singapore's Girls2Pioneers initiative, Airwallex hosted 16 aspiring young women for a hands-on FinTech & Career Readiness Workshop. The experience included crash courses in Engineering, Product, Commercial, Brand and People Operations – giving participants a real-world window into STEM careers. Marine conservation in action: Employees took part in a reef survey with Marine Stewards, contributing data to preserve Singapore's marine biodiversity and protect its coastal ecosystems. Ocean clean-up initiative: Airwallex employees joined Ocean Purpose Project – a Pasir Ris-based social enterprise – for a half-day kayak clean-up and learning journey. Participants collected trash from the sea, explored a native seaweed farm, and learned how plastic waste is being converted into low-sulphur fuel and bio-stimulants to restore our oceans. Looking ahead: 'Invest In Our Home' with Endowus Airwallex is also proud to be the Gold Partner for the upcoming Endowus Giving Machines (EGB) Campaign, running from August 2025 to January 2026. These islandwide 'virtual giving machines' – which can be found at high traffic areas such as MRT stations, bus stops, malls and cinemas – enable individuals to make charitable donations to a wide range of causes. Since its launch, the initiative has raised nearly S$300,000 in donations for over 40 local charities. This year, EGB is held in conjunction with SG60, aligning with the theme of 'Building Our Singapore Together' where contributions may be eligible for the SG Gives matching grant. 'We're excited to partner with Airwallex on the Endowus Giving Machines campaign to make giving more accessible, visible and impactful across Singapore," said Gregory Van, Co-founder and CEO, Endowus. "Airwallex's commitment to social impact aligns with our shared belief that finance can be a force for good – not just in building wealth, but in enabling broader social impact. Together, we're empowering more people to support meaningful causes that they care about in simple, everyday ways." As Airwallex continues to grow in Singapore and across the region, its focus remains clear: to create long-term value for businesses, communities and the broader economy by pairing world-class financial infrastructure with strong corporate purpose. About Airwallex Airwallex is a leading financial platform building the future of global banking for modern businesses. By combining proprietary infrastructure with software and AI, Airwallex is reimagining how businesses manage accounts, access capital, control spend, and embed financial services. Designed to replace fragmented, legacy systems, Airwallex offers a unified platform for global financial operations – providing everything from multi-currency business accounts to payments to spend management and embedded financial products. Founded in Melbourne and trusted by over 150,000 businesses worldwide – including TikTok, Rippling, Navan, Qantas, and SHEIN – Airwallex is powering a new era of global banking without borders.

Business Insider
2 hours ago
- Business Insider
Russia's high military recruitment bonuses are straining its economy
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