Global Payments Company Relaunches as MiFinity Payments

Corporate Rebranding and New Identity Reflects Market Expansion and Vertical Specialisation

DUBLIN - Friday, January 29th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NXSystems LTD, a global payments provider serving the travel, hospitality and gaming industries – as well as large multinational companies with the need for a way to transmit money across the globe efficiently, cost-effectively and securely – announced today that, as part of its restructuring and expansion, it will now operate as MiFinity Payments. The company’s new name and branding reflects its commitment to the seamless and secure processing of payments across borders, and of the infinite possibilities made available through its technology and solutions.

“Our new corporate identity as MiFinity Payments reflects our ongoing commitment to providing innovative, best-in-class payments technology solutions to the travel, hospitality and gaming sectors, and to fostering long-term partnerships with new stakeholders in need of secure, efficient, and compliant payments technology," said Gay Hamilton, Chief Operations Officer at MiFinity Payments. "The rebranding provides us with new direction and focus on broadening the use and application of our technology as a comprehensive solution for companies’ payment needs.”

The rebranding comes shortly after the company’s announcement of a management restructuring and private buyout in late 2015.

As MiFinity Payments, the company is poised to help growing businesses keep pace with their changing needs for secure, cost-effective and efficient payments transaction solutions. As the global payments ecosystem adapts to recent market changes – such as the EMV liability shift, the rise of new malware threats, and an increasing volume of mobile payments and ‘digital wallet’ transactions – retail merchants and multinational companies alike require better solutions to boost data security and lower their vulnerabilities to fraud and other forms of financial crime. Through its end-to-end transaction processing platform and suite of custom solutions, MiFinity Payments offers businesses the flexibility they need to ensure transactions are conducted in the most secure means possible, while addressing all of their unique business rules, needs and constraints.

The company’s first appearance as MiFinity Payments will take place at the ICE Totally Gaming Conference in London, February 2-4, 2016.

For media inquiries or to speak with a company executive, please contact Karina Castano in the US at +1.305.749.5342 x240 or Vanessa Horwell in the UK at vhorwell@thinkinkpr.com or +44.20.3807.3735.

About MiFinity Payments

MiFinity Payments (formerly NXSystems) is a global payment solutions provider with offices in the US, UK, Ireland and Malta. The company provides secure, cost-effective payment products for global companies including those in the travel and gaming industries. MiFinity Payments is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority and currently holds a full European E-Money licence. The company is an approved issuer of plastic cards for Visa®, MasterCard® and China UnionPay. MiFinity Payments is PCI DSS regulated so airlines and multi-national entities can ensure their payments operate in a safe, controlled and regulated environment. Visit www.mifinitypayments.com for more information.    

Contacts

ThinkInk

US: Karina Castano, +1-305-749-5342 x240

kcastano@thinkinkpr.com



UK: Vanessa Horwell, +44-20-3807-3735

vhorwell@thinkinkpr.com







Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/16889/en

GSMA Provides Update for Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2016

GSMA Signs Partnership for New Co-Located Event, Launches GSMA Asia Mobile Awards

HONG KONG - Thursday, January 28th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The GSMA today provided further details for the 2016 GSMA Mobile World Congress Shanghai, which will be held 29 June – 1 July 2016 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). The GSMA announced several updates, including a partnership that will bring the International Smart City Expo – Shanghai Pudong to Mobile World Congress Shanghai, as well as the launch of the new GSMA Asia Mobile Awards.

“As we look ahead to welcoming more than 50,000 people to Mobile World Congress Shanghai in June, we’re introducing new events, experiences and activities that will address the varied interests of our attendees, whether they are from the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industry sectors, or major consumer brands and their mobile-savvy customers,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “We’re pleased to be extending our collaboration with the Pudong New Area government to offer our attendees the International Smart City Expo – Shanghai Pudong, in addition to the Shanghai Digital Information Festival which is returning for a second year to Shanghai. We are also very excited to launch the Asia Mobile Awards, which will honour innovation and excellence in the Asia mobile industry.”

Partnership with the International Smart City Expo – Shanghai Pudong

The GSMA signed an agreement with The People’s Republic of China Shanghai Pudong New Area Commission of Commerce and the Pudong New Area Commission of Economy and Informatization to co-locate the “The International Smart City Expo – Shanghai Pudong” with Mobile World Congress Shanghai. The International Smart City Expo will be held alongside Mobile World Congress Shanghai 29 June – 1 July in Hall E6 at the SNIEC, with attendees having access to both events.

Jian Danian, Deputy Governor of Pudong New Area government commented, “Pudong New Area is pleased to be expanding its cooperation with the GSMA. With Pudong’s strength in free trade zone and technology innovation, we are actively promoting the integration of information and exhibition into tourism, commerce and culture. We look forward to working with the GSMA to promote Pudong New Area’s developments in areas such as smart exhibition, smart tourism and smart cities.”

GSMA Launches 2016 Asia Mobile Awards

The GSMA today announced the return of the Asia Mobile Awards (the AMO Awards) for 2016 at Mobile World Congress Shanghai. The AMO Awards recognise everything from game-changing mobile devices and technologies to applications and services developed or available in all Asian markets, showcasing the ever-growing value that mobility brings to users, businesses, industries, communities and economies across the region. Judged by a panel of leading independent experts who report on, assess and research mobile services and products, the AMO Awards will include 12 awards across four categories: “Best Mobile Apps”, “Connected Lifestyle”, “Best Mobile Devices” and “Outstanding Achievement”.

The AMO Awards 2016 will be open to companies across the entire mobile ecosystem and may be entered online from 18 February 2016. Entries for the AMO Awards will close on Friday, 22 April 2016 and the GSMA will announce the shortlist of nominations in early June. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, 29 June at Mobile World Congress Shanghai. Further details, as well as information on sponsorship of the AMO Awards, can be found at www.asiamobileawards.com.

Additional Exhibitors Confirmed for Mobile World Congress Shanghai

The GSMA announced additional companies that will be participating in the Mobile World Congress Shanghai exhibition, showcasing the leading products, services and technologies that are shaping the future of mobile, from handsets and devices to network infrastructure, software and services and much more. Newly confirmed exhibitors include CGI, Cisco Systems, ENEA, LongSys, Mobi Antenna, PortaOne, Qualcomm, Shanghai MobVoi, Skymizer, Sun Cupid, SunFly, WinWinWin and Xiamen Meitu, as well as a regional pavilion from Romania. They will be among 400 participating companies at Mobile World Congress Shanghai, including previously announced exhibitors such as Datang Telecom Technology & Industry Group, Empirix, Hewlett Packard, Huawei, LeTV, MediaTek, Oberthur, Sandisk, SAP, SK Telecom, Snail Mobile, Sony Imaging, Visa and ZTE, among others. For more information, visit www.mwcshanghai.com/exhibition.

New Partner Programmes at Mobile World Congress Shanghai

Mobile World Congress Shanghai hosts a range of Partner Programmes, developed and presented by organisations across the mobile ecosystem, to help attendees amplify their knowledge about the mobile industry. The GSMA today announced the first Partner Programmes taking place in Shanghai: China Unicom will hold its International Partners Conference prior to Mobile World Congress on Tuesday, 28 June and GTI will host the GTI SUMMIT 2016 Shanghai on Wednesday, 29 June.

Conference to Explore Latest Trends and Topics in Mobile

The conference at Mobile World Congress Shanghai will feature two days of keynotes and track sessions exploring topics such as 5G, automotive, cyber security, digital commerce, gaming, the Internet of Things (IoT), hardware innovation, mobile media and content, mobile identity and personalisation, and smart cities. The Call for Papers for Mobile World Congress Shanghai has been extended and prospective speakers can submit proposals through Friday, 11 March 2016. For more information on the conference, visit www.mwcshanghai.com/conference.

Get Involved at Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2016

For more information on the 2016 Mobile World Congress Shanghai, including how to attend, exhibit, partner or sponsor, visit www.mwcshanghai.com. Follow developments and updates on Mobile World Congress Shanghai through our social media channels – follow us on Twitter at @GSMA and use #MWCS16, get regular updates through our LinkedIn Showcase Page at www.linkedin.com/company/mobile-world-congress-shanghai, and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mwcshanghai. In China, you can follow us on Sina Weibo http://weibo.com/mwcshanghai or on the GSMA account on WeChat. For additional information on GSMA social channels, visit www.mwcshanghai.com/register-plan/networking/social-media/.

-ENDS-

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.





View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160128005381/en/

Contacts

For the GSMA

Ava Lau

+852-2533 9928

alau@webershandwick.com



or

Charlie Meredith-Hardy

+44 7917 298428

CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com



or

GSMA Press Office

pressoffice@gsma.com





Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/16880/en

Pivot3 to Acquire NexGen Storage to Shift the Hyper-Converged Market toward More Dynamic Solutions

 Combined company uniquely addresses software-defined data center challenges with broad portfolio that includes HCI, high-performance storage and QoS

AUSTIN, Texas - Thursday, January 28th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pivot3, a pioneer and innovator in the development of hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI), today announced that it will acquire NexGen Storage, a privately held leading provider of hybrid storage appliances, dynamic all-flash arrays and Quality of Service (QoS) capabilities. By adding NexGen’s portfolio of products, Pivot3 will deliver the industry's most complete set of dynamic hyper-converged solutions. For the first time ever, enterprise and mid-market companies will have access to a suite of solutions that will allow them to apply the right infrastructure and priority to each workload, application or business service according to business value.

By adding NexGen’s strengths in accelerated all-flash and hybrid storage, Pivot3 is uniquely expanding the traditional notion of hyper-convergence. Now, customers have complete implementation flexibility and QoS management, so IT no longer has to overprovision for peak workloads, but instead can use just-in-time dynamic provisioning of resources and scale as the business grows. Pivot3 intends to market and enhance all current and planned NexGen products.

“Everyone talks about the need for agility in terms of business needs, but in hyper-convergence, workload utilization and performance have been gating factors to expansion beyond the usual initial use cases,” said Ron Nash, CEO of Pivot3. “With the addition of NexGen’s capabilities, Pivot3 is now the only company in the market that broadly and deeply addresses this central data center challenge with a solution that allows IT to prioritize application performance based on business priority. We believe this agility is critical as customers move from legacy data centers to a software-defined data center that effortlessly handles a heterogeneous set of workloads. We welcome the NexGen customers, partners and team to Pivot3.”

Unlike other storage arrays and hyper-converged systems that treat all data the same, NexGen’s dynamic QoS governs performance targets, input/output (I/O) prioritization and data placement, allowing customers to meet business service-level agreements. For example, an organization serving the healthcare market can prioritize mission-critical hospital system applications over the internal Microsoft Exchange server, preventing a surge in employee email downloads from interrupting life-or-death health care system operations.

“We categorize all of our applications as mission-critical, business-critical or non-critical,” said Michael Frank, manager IT services group, NCS Credit. “We need our systems to be able to recognize that not all applications are created equal and to process them appropriately and differentially.”

“Not all data should be treated the same; the growing momentum of the Internet of Things (IoT), together with ever-increasing user-expectations and application-demands, means there is a pressing need for HCI platforms that are optimally built to manage the onslaught of disparate data,” said Mark Peters, practice director and senior analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG). “Pivot3’s new approach offers precisely this with its hyper-converged solution-suite; it includes compelling differentiations which enable it to support more extensive and expansive use cases by delivering increased and optimized value from the data it manages.”

Dynamic hyper-convergence provides enterprises with a practical and proven path to extend the economics and simplicity of HCI to all business services, effectively enabling the first generation of software-defined data centers. Pivot3 provides HCI, hybrid and all-flash storage in appliance and blade form factors. Their patented Scalar Erasure Coding gives their HCI technology the ability to yield up to 94 percent usable storage, and their all-flash HCI appliances are specifically designed to provide maximum input/output operations per second (IOPS) for high-performance applications. Combined with NexGen’s proven QoS and dynamic provisioning capabilities, high-performance hybrid storage and all-flash form factors, Pivot3 now provides the most extensive suite of HCI solutions available in the market.

“We’re proud of our rich history and our reputation as a leader in new technology storage products, and we see enormous synergies in bringing together these two innovative businesses,” said John Spiers, founder and CEO of NexGen. “The pedigrees of our teams in the storage and high-performance computing markets are unparalleled in the industry. Combining these powerful teams and innovative solutions gives our customers and partners an incredible advantage in their respective markets.”

Pivot3 executed a definitive agreement to acquire NexGen following the unanimous approval of the Boards of Directors of Pivot3 and NexGen. The transaction is expected to close in February 2016.

About Pivot3

Pivot3 is the world’s leading provider of dynamic hyper-converged solutions. Pivot3’s patented solutions dramatically improve data center simplicity and economics by increasing scale-out performance, driving down complexity and cost, saving an extraordinary amount of disk and physical space and ensuring fault tolerance. With Pivot3’s unique Quality of Service and Virtualization Management capabilities, customers are able to prioritize data and application performance based on business value. Today, Pivot3 has more than 2,000 customers around the world deploying more than 16,000 globally hyper-converged infrastructures in multiple industries such as video surveillance, healthcare, government, transportation, entertainment, education, gaming and retail. Join us on LinkedIn, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@Pivot3Inc) or visit us at http://pivot3.com. The company has won numerous awards and was most recently featured by CRN in their top 50 Virtualization list. To learn more about Pivot3, visit http://www.pivot3.com.    

View this news release online at:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160127005545/en

Contacts

Pivot3

Allison Francis, 972-235-3439

afrancis@ideagrove.com





 

The Estée Lauder Companies Promotes Three Executives

NEW YORK - Thursday, January 28th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) announced three Executive Leadership Team promotions, effective January 1, 2016:

    Stephane de la Faverie has been promoted to Global Brand President, Origins and Darphin. He will continue to report to Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Group President, The Estée Lauder Companies.
    Beth DiNardo has been promoted to Global Brand President, Smashbox. She will continue to report to John Demsey, Executive Group President, The Estée Lauder Companies.
    Daniel Rachmanis has been promoted to President, Latin America. He will continue to report to Cedric Prouvé, Group President, International, The Estée Lauder Companies.

“At The Estée Lauder Companies, we are proud to recognize the growth of our outstanding leaders and provide them with high-potential opportunities to further grow their careers and our business,” said Fabrizio Freda, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Estée Lauder Companies. “Stephane, Beth and Daniel have been integral in advancing the Company’s strategic initiatives across fast-growing markets, demographics and categories. Their well-deserved promotions reflect their diverse talents and strong abilities to continue leading their areas of business into the future.”

Stephane de la Faverie previously held the role of Senior Vice President/General Manager, Origins and Darphin, an appointment he assumed in April 2014. Mr. de la Faverie is widely recognized for his acumen in channel diversity, leading innovative retail and digital concepts for Origins that strategically expanded the brand’s reach with millennial consumers. Also known as a leader in skin care, Mr. de la Faverie has launched many coveted franchises and products, such as Origins Original Skin and Darphin 8-Flower Nectar Oil Cream, with great success. Under Mr. de la Faverie’s leadership since 2014, Darphin has accelerated and expanded global distribution and launched a new counter design in Asia/Pacific markets. Mr. de la Faverie has expanded Origins’ global reach by accelerating growth in China, opening varied retail models throughout Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America, and fueling the specialty-retail business in North America. Mr. de la Faverie has been with The Estée Lauder Companies since 2011, when he joined the Company as Senior Vice President, Global General Manager, Aramis and Designer Fragrances.

Beth DiNardo was appointed Senior Vice President/Global General Manager, Smashbox following The Estée Lauder Companies’ acquisition of the brand in 2010. With Ms. DiNardo at the helm, Smashbox, the premiere L.A. photo studio-based makeup brand, has had impressive global growth, and now has a presence in 40 markets worldwide. Ms. DiNardo has strengthened Smashbox’s core equity with a focus on hero products, while spearheading new launches, trend leadership, and significantly growing the color business. Ms. DiNardo is a leader in merchandising and digital, and along with her team, has led Smashbox to receive multiple awards in the digital space. Additionally, Ms. DiNardo re-launched the legendary Smashbox Photo Studios, resulting in a state-of-the-art renovation and experience that support the brand’s DNA of creativity, community and collaboration. Before joining Smashbox, Ms. DiNardo held various global marketing leadership positions at the Company for brands such as Clinique and Darphin since 1997.

Daniel Rachmanis has led the Company’s expansion in Latin America since 2009, when he was named Senior Vice President, General Manger, Latin America and International Business Development. Mr. Rachmanis’ keen understanding of the diverse consumer base and retail dynamics has helped the Company triple sales in Latin America over the last five years to become the number one prestige beauty company in Latin America. Under his leadership, the Company’s growth in Latin America has included a shift to a retail distribution model, the launch of seven new brands and expansion into more than 30 key second-tier cities across 17 markets. Mr. Rachmanis joined The Estée Lauder Companies in 2007 as Senior Vice President, International Development/General Manager, BeautyBank.

“The long-term success of The Estée Lauder Companies is rooted in great brands and great people,” said William P. Lauder, Executive Chairman, The Estée Lauder Companies. “Stephane, Beth and Daniel have each demonstrated exemplary leadership throughout their respective distinguished careers and reflect the world-class talent and expertise that drive our Company’s sustainable growth.”

About The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. The Company’s products are sold in over 150 countries and territories under brand names including: Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Prescriptives, Lab Series, Origins, Tommy Hilfiger, M•A•C, Kiton, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Donna Karan New York, DKNY, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Michael Kors, Darphin, Tom Ford, Smashbox, Ermenegildo Zegna, AERIN, Marni, Tory Burch, RODIN olio lusso, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle and GLAMGLOW.    

View this news release online at: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160128005730/en


Contacts

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

Media Relations:

Alexandra Trower, (212) 572-4430



or

Investor Relations:

Dennis D’Andrea, (212) 572-4384    







Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/16881/en

Hilton Worldwide and Atlantica Hotels Sign Deal to Develop Hilton Garden Inn Brand in Brazil

SÃO PAULO - Friday, January 29th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) and Atlantica Hotels announced today the signing of an exclusive management license agreement for Atlantica to develop and manage Hilton Garden Inn hotels in Brazil. The announcement underscores the continued momentum of the award-winning upper midscale Hilton Garden Inn brand into new markets and tourism destinations throughout the region, including recently opened hotels in Montevideo, Uruguay and Cusco, Peru.    

“Brazil is the largest economy in South America and provides great potential for growth. We are excited to introduce the Hilton Garden Inn brand to this booming market,” said Ted Middleton, senior vice president, development, Latin America, Hilton Worldwide. “The partnership with Atlantica represents a great milestone for Hilton as their experienced and knowledgeable team will help drive our growth efforts throughout the country.”

“It is an honor for Atlantica to partner with Hilton Worldwide, one of the largest hospitality companies in the world, to develop the Hilton Garden Inn brand in Brazil,” said Paul J. Sistare, founder and CEO of Atlantica Hotels. “This partnership will allow us to expand our portfolio in all Brazilian regions, as we plan to develop at least ten Hilton Garden Inn hotels in the main capitals, as well as the biggest secondary cities, offering quality services to our guests, linked to the brand’s values.”

The Hilton Garden Inn brand will join Atlantica’s portfolio of more than 12 brands represented by 85 hotels in Brazil and a sales force of more than 150 executives. The company has been in the hospitality industry since 1996, and established itself as a leader through innovation and strategic alliances.

“Atlantica’s expertise and the Hilton Garden Inn brand’s market positioning provide an attractive option for local investors,” said Sistare. “The entrance of the new brand will support Atlantica in accomplishing its plan to reach 100 hotels in the first semester of 2016.”

As part of the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands, all Hilton Garden Inn hotels participate in Hilton HHonors, the only hotel loyalty program that allows members to earn Points & Miles® on the same stay and No Blackout Dates on reward stays. HHonors members always get the lowest price with the Best Price Guarantee, along with HHonors Points, digital check-in and no booking fees only when they book directly through Hilton.

Hilton Worldwide currently has a portfolio of more than 80 hotels and resorts open and welcoming travelers in Latin America and more than 4,500 hotels open in 100 countries and territories globally. The company is actively pursuing additional Latin American growth opportunities and currently has a robust pipeline of more than 50 hotels throughout the region.

For more Information about the award-winning Hilton Garden Inn brand, please visit www.hiltongardeninn.com or www.news.hgi.com.

About Hilton Garden Inn

Hilton Garden Inn is the award-recognized, peaceful and energizing hotel brand that continually strives to ensure today’s busy travelers are appreciated and have everything they need to be most productive on the road. Hilton Garden Inn offers the amenities and services for travelers to sleep deep, stay fit, eat well and work smart during their stay. Approachable and professional team members operating at more than 650 hotels around the world are committed to providing a welcoming and dependable hotel experience for every guest, every time which is reflected in the satisfaction promise to do whatever it takes to ensure every guest is satisfied, or they don’t pay. You can count on us. Guaranteed™. Hilton HHonors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to benefits including free standard Wi-Fi, as well as digital amenities that are available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton HHonors app, where HHonors members can check-in, choose their room, and access their room using a Digital Key. Visit, www.hgi.com or news.hgi.com for more information about our locations.

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxury and full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and focused-service hotels. For 97 years, Hilton Worldwide has been dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences. The company's portfolio of thirteen world-class global brands is comprised of more than 4,600 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties, with more than 758,000 rooms in 100 countries and territories, including Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio – A Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors®. Hilton HHonors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to benefits including free standard Wi-Fi, as well as digital amenities that are available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton HHonors app, where HHonors members can check-in, choose their room, and access their room using a Digital Key. Visit news.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, flickr.com/hiltonworldwide, and linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.

About Atlantica Hotels

Founded in 1996 by Paul J. Sistare, CEO, Atlantica Hotels, based in São Paulo, Brazil, is the largest privately held hotel management company in South America. Atlantica Hotels maintains exclusive strategic alliances with Choice Hotels (owner of Sleep Inn, Comfort, Comfort Suites, Quality and Clarion brands) and with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group (owner of Radisson BLU, Radisson, Radisson RED and Park Inn by Radisson brands), including Atlantica proprietary flags – Go Inn and by Atlantica Hotels, for independent hotels. Atlantica with over 5,500 employees currently operates 87 hotels which total more than 14,500 rooms in 44 cities in Brazil and more than six thousands hotels around the world in its reservation portfolio.

Atlantica Hotels is also one of the largest supporters of Childhood Brasil committed to the prevention of child and adolescent sexual exploitation.





View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160128005980/en/

Contacts

Suzana Cardozo

Hilton Worldwide

+55 11 2845 0268

suzana.cardozo@hilton.com



or

Fábio Hyppolito

Atlantica Hotel

55 11 3531 4804

imprensa@atlanticahotels.com.br







Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/16888/en

MoI Council Calls for Teaching “Internet Risks” in School Curricula

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Friday, January 29th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

Participants in the Ministry of Interior’s Council hosted by UAE national Saeed Mohammed Khalaf Al Rumaithi at his residence in Al Ain under the theme “The Risks of Internet Use on the Youths’ Thought,” recommended including a topic on the risks of Internet use in school curricula, so as to raise awareness of young people. Moreover, they stressed the need to develop awareness-raising programs through the various media channels to provide solutions and proposals to combat the risks of the Internet.

The council is part of the awareness councils organized by the Law Respect Culture Bureau, in cooperation with the Security Media Department at the General Secretariat of the Office of H.H Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. The council was moderated by media figure Ali Salem Al Shamesi.

In his address on this occasion, Colonel Dr. Jasim Al Antali, Professor of Criminal Law at the Police College, pointed out that the United Arab Emirates has become a leading model and achieved a quantum leap in the field of E-government services.

Additionally, Colonel Al Antali noted that protecting children from the dangers of using the Internet is an integrated family and social responsibility. “We should not underestimate the valuable role played by the family and school in protecting the youth and raising their awareness,” he underlined.

Participants in the Council indicated that the Internet is a double-edged sword. It is an important tool that offers many positive benefits in terms of science, culture, research and studies, but has many dangers and harmful effects. Furthermore, they urged parents to supervise their children’s internet use, by monitoring the programs and media viewed, as well as their interaction with others via social networks. Council participants also called for using dialogue to open discussions with children and increasing children’s confidence both in themselves and in their families.

For more information about:

The Ministry of Interior, please click HERE

Abu Dhabi Police, please click HERE

Follow us and check our Social Media feeds on: YouTube, Facebook, Google +, Instagram and Twitter

The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.



Contacts

The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department

Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media

Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-666-4891

E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com









Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/16891/en

HD+ Records 11.3 Percent Growth in Subscribers in 2015

LUXEMBOURG - Friday, January 29th 2016 [ME NewsWire]

· HD+ had 1.84 million subscribers in 2015, up from 1.65 million in 2014

· Growth of subscribers supported by strong backlog of over 1.1 million customers in free-trial period

· Strong growth driven by demand for high-quality TV content

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SES S.A. (NYSE Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) announced today that its German HD platform HD+ recorded an 11.3 percent increase in subscribers in 2015. HD+ had 1.84 million subscribers at year-end 2015, compared to 1.65 million at year-end 2014. In addition, HD+ had over 1.1 million customers in their six-month free-trial period.

Users of HD+ have access to more than 50 HD channels, comprised of 30 public channels and 21 channels delivered by the largest commercial broadcasters in Germany, as well as the Ultra HD (UHD) demo channel, UHD1 by Astra / HD+.

“TV screen sizes positively correlate to picture and sound quality; people who own big screens would like to watch TV content in better quality and are prepared to pay for this. The strong growth that we are seeing in HD+ is proof that our customers like what they see on HD+ and are willing to pay for it,” said Wilfried Urner, Chairman of the Management Board of HD PLUS GmbH.

“And it doesn’t stop there. With one million UHD screens sold in Germany in 2015, HD is now seen as a minimum requirement for these UHD TVs. It is clear that the desire for better picture quality has never been greater. Additionally, the introduction of our new demo UHD channel, UHD1 by Astra / HD+, has also allowed our HD+ customers to immerse themselves fully in the spectacular visual experience,” said Urner. “Satellite covers virtually 100% of households with broadcast video capability, delivering flawless HD and UHD content, and is the ideal infrastructure to offer the brilliant TV viewing experience that audiences are looking for.”

Follow us:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SES_Satellites

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SES.YourSatelliteCompany

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SESVideoChannel

Blog:http://www.ses.com/blog

SES Pictures are available under https://extranet.ses.com/18706236/pictures

SES White Papers are available under http://www.ses.com/18681915/white-papers

About SES

SES (NYSE Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) is the world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of more than 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.

SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the satellite industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements.

SES holds a participation in O3b Networks, a next generation satellite network combining the reach of satellite with the speed of fibre.

Further information available at: www.ses.com.    

View this news release and multimedia online at:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160129005287/en

Contacts

SES

Markus Payer

Corporate Communications

Tel : +352 710 725 500

Markus.Payer@ses.com









Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/16893/en