Businesses are beefing up the revenue x56 every day, hooking up with their audiences, and influencing them to be their own. It’s smart. Brands are required to stand out and deliver impressively. When it hits right, it leaves a legacy known as a trend.
Heads up! We teamed up with Asher Ali Mirza, a digital marketing expert, to unfold the secrets of a booming revenue through digital strategy. Grab your notebooks and start taking points.
1. Before talking business, tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a Digital Marketing Specialist, helping brands grow their revenue for the past ten years. From developing a proximal marketing strategy to the full fledge social media advertising to running PPC campaigns, I’ve worked with around 150 top-notch brands and top 15 digital media agencies. Currently, my team and I are working with 50 brands comprising diverse niche networks, including education, real estate, eCommerce, healthcare & pharmaceuticals, fashion industry, hospitality& tour, and lifestyle.
Right now, I have a team of 25 working with me to bring massive value to the business. Formally, we named our digital marketing agency Digital Melons where we’ve catered to 800+ projects so far.
2. What made you become a digital marketing enthusiast?
Since high school, I have been very fond of marketing. Since we are moving towards digitalizing, I enjoy testing the latest marketing tools and how they can turn out beneficial for businesses. That’s how it began.
3. What’s a successful campaign for you?
Any digital marketing method that brings a high turnover to the objective and ultimately triggers the sale and loyal community -that’s a successful campaign. If you ask me about strategies, it’s simple to answer. Like my coffee, I prefer performance marketing methods that are intensely buzzing and hard-hitting.
A campaign’s success is based on the right message to the right audience that meets the objective just right.
4. What’s your advice for entrepreneurs who are looking for digital marketing solutions?
That’s my favorite part to discuss! Entrepreneurs are connected to their work -these beautiful souls are enthusiastic, brave, and optimistic. Since this journey is about learning and earning -I recommend a few things that can save their time, energy, and money.
Don’t avoid ad spending or fear it -even on a new page. It’s not about conversions and leads; instead, spend ad amount at the right place. Keep sharing and experiment. Do your best to bring out your brand essence digitally.
5. How can businesses ace their growth with digital marketing?
With the fast pace, we all need to be updated, Which will make us more competitive. There are so many factors of why to opt for digital marketing along with fancier outputs. Like, social media has improved brands’ image by getting many followers online.’
I suggest businesses shouldn’t overlook the power of social media marketing, SEO, and PPC, no matter what. Instead of burning your money to get views or likes. Go for strategic help that ensures a great outcome.
I’ve worked with more than $5M ad spent over time and found it’s all about great ideas, greater content, and the greatest performance strategy. That’s why professionals are there to help your business turn into a brand.
6. How can we connect with you for more incredible digital growth?
I’m always up for consultation and put my efforts into bringing the best for your business. You can visit my website www.ashermirza.com to write me up at [email protected]. To get updated with the latest marketing insights -feel free to follow my social media channels.
OneTrust, the market-defining leader for coordinated trust intelligence, today announced Wendy Zheng as the company’s first Chief Accounting Officer. Zheng brings 20 years of experience, which includes building accounting teams for technology companies such as Okta and Lending Club, and serving as audit manager at Ernst & Young. In this role, Zheng will report to OneTrust’s Chief Financial Officer, Guido Torrini, leading a global team to scale operations and drive financial success in public or private markets.
“I am thrilled to welcome Wendy to OneTrust,” said Guido Torrini, Chief Financial Officer at OneTrust. “Her leadership and deep technical knowledge will be a key strength for the company as we continue to grow and scale the business. She is a proven professional who has built and managed global teams for fast-growing SaaS companies, while orchestrating the transition from private to public. By bringing Wendy’s impressive experience to OneTrust, we are well-positioned to continue to deliver on our vision of trust intelligence.”
Also Read: Overcoming Top 3 Barriers of enterprise-wide Internet of Things (IoT) applications
“With trust intelligence, OneTrust has established the de-facto software category for trust and delivered the cross-functional platform that today’s companies need to build, measure, and understand trust,” said Wendy Zheng, Chief Accounting Officer at OneTrust. “OneTrust counts 12,000 customers today, but as more organizations embark on their trust transformations, the company is focused on building for durable, long-term growth. I look forward to scaling the accounting function and working closely with our Chief Financial Officer to drive OneTrust on a path for success.”
During her two-decade-long career, Zheng has led numerous global accounting teams and provided financial and operational leadership. Most recently, Wendy served as the Vice President, Corporate Controller of Okta, Inc., growing the team from less than 10 people to over 100 people worldwide. Wendy was an instrumental leader of Okta’s initial public offering and continued to scale the teams and global processes to support the organization as it grew from $100 million to over $1.3 billion in revenues.
Prior to Okta, Wendy led accounting teams at LendingClub, Inc. and was an auditor manager at Ernst & Young, LLP, overseeing audits of publicly traded multinational corporations. Wendy is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) (inactive) and earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.
What are the exciting areas in finance? What career paths should students consider? How do current economic conditions affect these career paths? What skills and courses should students focus on?
New York, NY – June 23, 2021: Looking down 125 St in the Manhattanville neighborhood of Manhattan … [+] NYC The Henry R. Kravis Building of the Columbia University Business School’s stands behind the the Riverside Drive Viaduct, an elevated highway built in 1901
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Every year early in the fall, we at Columbia Business School, run a faculty led panel where we get together to talk about hiring trends and skills that we are hearing about especially in finance, banking and investing related jobs. The audience is predominantly MBA students and students getting a masters in fundamental analysis or financial engineering.
Faculty are usually asked to touch on the following five questions:
What is most exciting about what is happening in your particular area/industry/sector of focus right now (paraphrased as “area” later)?
What kinds of career opportunities/paths do you encourage students to consider in this space (“paths” later)?
What is your perspective on how current economic conditions are impacting the space and hiring opportunities (“economic conditions”)?
What should students be doing now in school to best prepare for a career in this space (“skills”)?
What courses and other curricular/co-curricular opportunities do you encourage students to consider (“courses”)?
This year, I thought I’d do something different. I put these questions to four of my friends on the Street with different functional titles and backgrounds (ex-head of Analysis for one of the bulge-bracket banks, Head of Client Services at one of Europe’s largest banks, top consultant, and the Head of research of a very large passive asset manager).
Here are their thoughts on these questions. I add my own take later in the piece.
Ex-head of analysis for one of bulge bracket banks
Area
I would define my area as Research – both Buyside and Sell side. To me, the most interesting trend is the increasing use of quantitative tools in non-quantitative areas like fundamental research. This includes data analysis of unstructured data sets, better behavioral tools around forecasting and general use of alternative data.
Paths
Developing coding and statistical skills to augment traditional research skills.
Economic conditions
The recent market volatility demonstrates that the ability to generate alpha in developed markets is almost non-existent. Most successful asset managers are really just beta miners. Asset owners will be less willing to pay for this type of investing in the future.
The successful investors of the future will combine alternative data analysis with risk/reward frameworks that provide decent risk adjusted returns.
Skills and courses
One answer for both questions. Coding, data analytics and probabilistic skills are areas for students to study in preparation for future careers.
Head of Client Services at one of Europe’s largest banks
Area
Torn here between pull factors such as the global macro backdrop/geopolitical issues and push factors such as business level initiatives around Sustainability and Digital Transformation
Inflation and supply side issues are presenting real issues making post pandemic unwinding of QE (quantitative easing)/stimulatory actions far harder.
We will see extreme dislocations between asset classes and even within single asset term structures and yield curves as monetary policy attempts to address a problem it can’t really address.
Paths
As an industry, we are going to be very focused on all aspects of our business and how we can utilize current and future technologies to improve our front to back business processes and reduce operational costs. Data will continue to play a bigger part in all aspects of our business and we will begin to assign higher value to anything we can capture or create that can provide better signals as to client demand or logistical bottlenecks. As such, we will continue to look for candidates with quantitative and computational skill sets – think of us as much as technology companies as financial service companies.
Economic conditions
Current environment will have an impact on hiring – at all levels – we are seeing a marked slow- down in primary capital markets and this will impact all parts of the business- both public and private. However, do not let that put you off – there is no right time to join this business and it is inherently cyclical.
Whatever the current outlook the areas of the business that are going to continue to grow and need talent will be ESG/Sustainable Finance /Carbon and all things related to it -(Compliance/Voluntary/Reduction/Removal/Offsets)
Private markets will continue to grow and will require skills in accountancy/ structuring and financial analysis
Skills
If in doubt as to how to equip yourself – whatever your major – take a course in Python, learn how to organize and present data via Tableau etc.
Read a quality periodical such as The Economist.
Courses
See earlier comments re Python. Would also encourage participation in any campus based financial societies. Learn about the political economy and keep a close eye on global macro economics
Top consultant
Area
Coming at this from the consulting rather than the banking perspective, ESG is all the rage. I think the key thing is not only is this a great business opportunity but being involved in making this a success is giving our people a purpose. Not that being a vital part of the financial reporting ecosystem isn’t important, I think it is just much more abstract for our people than ESG.
Economic conditions
The economic clouds are clearly darkening and we are seeing it in the transaction space for sure. In the consulting area, this only adds to the appeal of ESG as it is not cyclical. As an aside, the academic community could really help everyone calm down a bit about inflation. Remember the then huge Gulf Oil LBO happened when the risk-free rate was well into the double digits.
Skills and courses
In terms of advice, I get this all the time. In order to be a trusted advisor, you need to have a base level of knowledge about a lot of things. This means you need to read. This allows you to connect the dots on the fly in meetings with clients, prospects and other forums. Anyone can look things up. What is critical is that when something is raised you have something substantive to say.
Here is my example. I went into a meeting on a deal. Due to confidentiality, no information was provided in advance. It turned out it would be the biggest deal in an Eastern European country ever. I knew enough about that country, but it is a tiny country and not in the Euro zone. So, this deal could actually freeze the financial plumbing in the country if they tried to execute it in the local currency. This built a lot more credibility than saying, it would be challenging to do a deal in Eastern Europe or some other vague statement like that. In terms of courses, the right balance between deepening your knowledge in your specialty and broadening your knowledge base.
Head of research of a very large passive asset manager
Areas and skills
On exciting areas, I would say voting choice/advances in proxy voting, and at the analytical end I would say natural language processing (NLP).
On schooling, it almost feels like a blend of law and data science with an emphasis on NLP. Especially an ability to do multi-language NLP. I can definitely say that text from China is very different…both because of linguistic differences and differences in the press and disclosure environment.
My take
I spent most of time chatting with CFOs (chief financial officers), top analysts interested in fundamentals work and folks interested in ESG. Here is what they would like from us and our students:
CFOs
The ability to zoom into details and zoom out to understand whether the issue being discussed is material to the business and how it furthers or weakens the strategic direction in which the firm is headed.
They are consistently frustrated with data scientists. Most of them don’t understand the business context and are rarely able to ask the “so what” or “what next” question. Many data scientists are not able to make the leap from doing “academic” work to work that helps the company make better decisions. One CFO told me, “data scientists I have seen seem to say, “Oh, there’s a microcosm of an academic environment. I can keep asking academic questions that are interesting to me.” How is it monetizable? That is what I want to know.”
Fundamentals
Most “research” that gets done is either highly commoditized or naively extrapolates the recent past adding to return momentum we see in markets. By commoditized, I mean something that is not on CAPIQ and Bloomberg terminals in an easily digestible form is considered unimportant. Folks are rarely trained to go into the primary documents to think about whether and how the business is financially sustainable. The deep analysis that gets done in a P-E (private equity) kind of framework where we ask who buys the product, why, can we deliver the product to the customer, what is the talent available to deliver the product to the customer, how do costs behave, what to do with capital structure, how does management get paid and how do these pieces fit together is rarely seen any more for publicly traded companies.
ESG
The ESG world is over-populated by folks with backgrounds in development economics, non-profits and NGOs. There is a crying need for students and professionals who are skilled in accounting, financial reporting, a basic sense for economics, finance and law and how these skills interact and then work with the development folks and the scientists to have economically meaningful impact, both on the business and on society in general.
Your comments, both from the perspective of finance students and senior folks interested in hiring these students, are welcome.
State of Canada’s Digital Skills Training Research
To collect data on this topic, Jelly Academy surveyed over 500 businesses across Canada in industries from industries such as Digital Applications, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Retail, Food & Beverage, Financial Services, Clean Tech, Education, Advanced Health, Oil & Gas, and many more. Questions in the survey covered how these businesses are approaching digital marketing training and education opportunities, and what financial offerings they have for skills-focused opportunities.
The study pulled some key findings surrounding the state of training and highlighted potential discrepancies between different training. A mere 7.44% of respondents said they are actively providing digital marketing training resources. From this percentage of participants, 39.74%, provide partial funding to their employees to enroll in required training, 37.73% provide full funding, and 22.53% offer no funding at all. While the study couldn’t identify the exact reasoning why some businesses offer no funding at all, it could be due to lack of awareness surrounding available government funding opportunities, or potentially unknown individualized reasoning within the companies.
Of the respondents surveyed that said they do offer training, 40.84% are sourcing it via external programs, and 32.05% provide it through internally developed offerings. The remaining 27.11% of respondents stated that they have the expectation their employees acquire credentials and relevant training before commencing their role versus offering it once hired. This points to a clear differentiation between businesses and can lead to lack of industry standards when it comes to training the workforce.
Despite having these differences amongst participants, the majority of all those surveyed stated that they had plans in the future to implement digital marketing training if they weren’t already. Prior to these businesses initiating training, it would be valuable to build out a standardized training model in order for the industry to have consistency amongst digital marketing candidates.
Suggestions that Jelly Academy presented in their study to achieve this level of standards, included having public and private stakeholders support in developing a regulatory framework . Additional funding programs are also valuable, such as the Canadian Digital Adoption Program, Ontario Go Digital, and WorkBC. Companies utilizing these available opportunities would be a huge asset to getting more employees trained.
When it comes to actual training programs, clear guidelines for what offerings and skills are accepted as industry-recognized, would be a really valuable intervention from stakeholders. Similar to increasing access to available funds, it would be beneficial to boost knowledge on already recognized courses. Some existing programs that employers can enroll their employees in now include Jelly Academy, Meta Blueprint, SEMRush, Google Grow Certificates, and Hootsuite Academy.
The digital workforce is only going to expand, and creating standards will be a really important piece of the puzzle. Having standardized training helps employers ensure they are acquiring appropriate candidates, and helps employees expand their own knowledge and feel confident in such a large industry. To learn more about the key findings and recommendations made by Jelly Academy, read the study here.
DARTMOUTH — A host community agreement with a recreational marijuana retailer has been signed by the Select Board, but the location on Route 6 still faces scrutiny.
The vote was 4-1 with Select Board member Shawn McDonald voting against approval. He said the proximity to the hotel next door to the proposed Apotho Therapeutics retail store is concerning, and there should be an 8-foot fence, not the existing 6-foot fence between it and the retail store.
He also said there should be outside security monitoring the site even when the store is closed despite all the cameras that will be placed around the property as required by the state. He said the traffic along Route 6 is also a major concern.
“I’m not happy with where the facility is going because of all the problems next door that the town has habitually had with its clientele, and I would say for the most part the clientele there is pretty good, but they do have their unsavory characters,” he said.
Brothers Andrew and Mathew Medeiros started Apotho Therapeutics in September 2018, and the company opened its first recreational marijuana retail store in February 2021 on Route 1 in Plainville.
They plan on converting a former restaurant site at 747 State Road into a retail location while also utilizing the former Dartmouth Indoor Tennis site behind it as a cultivation facility.
Mathew Medeiros, left, and his brother Andrew Medeiros stand outside Apotho Therapeutics, a cannabis dispensary they opened in Plainville. [Daily News and Wicked Local Staff Photo/Ken McGagh]
At the meeting with the Select Board, Mathew Medeiros assured the Select Board that they will comply with all Cannabis Community Commission requirements when it comes to safety and addressed concerns about the number of customers exiting Route 6 to go into the retail store at one time.
Medeiros said they can do something similar to what they do in Plainville where they are also located on a major route through town. He also tried to allay concerns that there could be more business than anticipated.
He said no appointment is needed for anyone age 21 or older to shop there, but they can mitigate traffic by scheduling online orders so that there is a limit on the number of orders per hour. He said they also worked closely with the police department in Plainville to address traffic concerns and can do the same.
Zoning for recreational marijuana and cultivation
A zoning district for recreational marijuana retail establishments and cultivation facilities on Faunce Corner Road was created by the Planning Board and approved at Town Meeting.
A recreational marijuana retail store is under construction on Faunce Corner Road in the zone approved at Town Meeting, but that’s not the case with the Apotho facilities.
When the tennis court property was suggested as a location for cultivation, the Zoning Board of Appeals granted the variance where Town Meeting had voted to not allow it.
Select Board Chairman David Tatelbaum said he is very concerned about the location and making sure that the rules are followed. As he explained, board members have questions about the granting of variances.
Tatelbaum said the Select Board has scheduled a workshop with the Zoning Board in September to discuss how its members interpret their role when it comes to granting variances because they are doing so on a case-by-case basis.
“Over the years, in our view, they have not paid that much attention to the town’s will or of committees and boards around town when they look at it strictly from a case-by-case basis from what they perceive as a reason to give a variance,” he said.
The Select Board approved the host community agreement with Apotho for manufacturing and cultivation a few months ago. The town’s approval is another step in a lengthy process before the Cannabis Control Commission.
A variance for Apotho’s retail facility was granted by the Zoning Board in July 2021, and site plan approval was granted in January. Site plan review was required because it’s in the general business/aquifer protection district. There would be 27 parking spaces that could be shared as needed.
The town would receive at least 3 percent of the gross sales as a community impact fee, a $50,000 annual contribution and 3 percent of the excise tax payments to the state based on gross sales from the finalized agreement. The town is expected to receive approximately $1.5 million from 2022 to 2025.
The company has committed to making its “best effort” to hire at least 50 percent of its staff of 26 employees from Dartmouth.
The proposed business hours for the Apotho Therapeutics retail store are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Sunday. The goal is to open by December.
Standard-Times staff writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @kgallreporter. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
Seattle, Sept. 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — According to Coherent Market Insights, the global tissue banking market is estimated to be valued at US$ 1.63billion in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 10.8% during the forecast period (2022-2030).
Key Trends and Analysis of the Global Tissue Banking Market:
Companies in tissue banking market are proactively working towards the research and development of new opportunities. For instance, in January 2021, biomedical research is supported by National Investigation Agency (NIA) through several programs that require studying aging in animal models. Non-human primates (NHPs) are important models for investigating the biology of aging, including the effects of environmental and social determinants. They also have the potential to provide data more directly translatable to human biology and aging. The National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) aimed to maximize the use of already available NHP biospecimens and provide a mechanism for multiple investigators to share tissue. The proposed contract will maintain and manage a collection of tissues and blood derivatives. Furthermore, it will expand the reach of the Non-human primates- NHP-TB, improve coordination with NHP-holding institutions and other tissue banks, increase the number of species and ages, and establish a registry of donors for efficient tissue collection.
Furthermore, in October 2018, male to female (MTF) Biologics announced the formation of a new tissue recovery relationship with Regenerative Biologics, Inc., Biotechnology Research Center. The organizations will seek to provide expanded birth-tissue donation opportunities for expectant mothers and their families and enhance patients’ access to high-quality placental tissues for wound care applications.
The global tissue banking market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 10.8% during the forecast period due to the increasing funding from the Capital market company. For instance, in September 2021, OrbiMed Advisors LLC, Capital Market Company, funds the LifeCell International, Stem Cell Bank with US $255 billion for meeting growth capital requirements and foray into adjacent stem cell units. The funds will help in development growth plans in the storage divisions of the stem cell. LifeCell seeks to further leverage its technological expertise, strong brand position, and wide network to foray into adjacent new categories like fertility health and cell based therapeutics. The funds raised by OrbiMed will help to accelerate this agenda and further strengthen the LifeCell market position.
On the basis of product, the media and consumables segment is expected to dominate the segment growth over the forecast period, owing to the launch of new products in the market. For instance, in May 2022, the largest U.S. report of elective fertility preservation outcomes to date found that 70 percent of women who froze eggs when they were younger than 38—and thawed at least 20 eggs at a later date—had a baby. Led by experts at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the NYU Langone Fertility Center, the new finding was based on 15 years of real-life frozen egg thaw outcomes for women who had delayed childbearing and faced natural, age-related fertility decline.
Competitive Landscape:
Key players operating in the global tissue banking market include AbD Serotec (a Bio-Rad company), AMS Biotechnology Limited, BioLife Solutions, Inc., Beckman Coulter, Inc., BioCision LLC, BioStorage Technologies, Inc., Custom BioGenic Systems, Eppendorf AG, EMD Millipore Corporation, Fisher BioServices, Inc., Genzyme Corporation, Hamilton Company, Merck KGaA, PHC Corporation, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
Cell Cryopreservation Market, by Product Type (Cryoprotectant Agents(Glycerol,Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO),Others) and Equipment), by Application (Stem Cells, Oocytes and Embryos, Sperm, Semen, and Testicular Tissue, Hepatocytes, and Others), by End User (Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies, Academic and Research Institutes, Biobank, and Others), and by Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa) – Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2022 – 2030
Tissue engineering Market, by Material Type (Synthetic, Biological, and Others), by Application (Dermal, Orthopedic, Dental, Neurology, and Others), and by Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa)- Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2022 – 2030
About Us:
Coherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization focused on assisting our plethora of clients achieve transformational growth by helping them make critical business decisions. We are headquartered in India, having sales office at global financial capital in the U.S. and sales consultants in United Kingdom and Japan. Our client base includes players from across various business verticals in over 57 countries worldwide. We create value for clients through our highly reliable and accurate reports. We are also committed in playing a leading role in offering insights in various sectors post-COVID-19 and continue to deliver measurable, sustainable results for our clients.
Nearly two months after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling in a case about a House Oversight Committee subpoena on an accounting firm for former President Donald Trump’s financial records, Trump’s lawyers revealed that all parties involved have reached a settlement agreement.
Attorneys from the law firm Consovoy McCarthy notified the federal appellate court of the latest development in a Wednesday court filing.
“In light of the panel’s opinion, Plaintiffs, Mazars, and the Committee reached a settlement of this case on August 30, 2022,” the filing said, noting that as a result, Trump and his businesses were withdrawing a request to have the matter reheard by the full court in an en banc hearing.
The July 8 D.C. Circuit Court ruling reflected guidance from the U.S. Supreme Court, which said the appellate court should engage in “careful analysis” of the separation of powers issues in the case. In light of this, the court ruled that while the House Oversight Committee could properly subpoena certain of Trump’s financial records from accounting firm Mazars USA, the subpoena in question had to be narrowed in scope.
US APPEALS COURT RULES TRUMP FINANCIAL RECORDS MUST BE TURNED OVER TO HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Former President Donald Trump reached a settlement with the House Oversight Committee over a subpoena for financial records. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
The Circuit Court panel noted that they reached this conclusion “in carrying out the Supreme Court’s directive to ‘insist on a subpoena no broader than reasonably necessary to support Congress’s legislative objective.’”
Trump was not satisfied with the ruling and sought a rehearing by the full roster of the court, but just over a week later, all sides reached a settlement.
House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., celebrated the settlement with former President Donald Trump in a case where she sought his financial records. (Bill Clark-Pool/Getty Images)
TRUMP INVOKES FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN DEPOSITION FOR NEW YORK AG JAMES’ CIVIL INVESTIGATION
Details of the agreement remain unknown. Fox News reached out to Trump’s legal team, but they did not immediately respond. House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., issued a statement on Thursday in which she characterized the settlement as a win for her side.
“After numerous court victories, I am pleased that my Committee has now reached an agreement to obtain key financial documents that former President Trump fought for years to hide from Congress,” the statement said. “In April 2019, the Oversight Committee issued a lawful subpoena for financial records as part of our investigation into President Trump’s unprecedented conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and foreign financial ties.
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“After facing years of delay tactics, the Committee has now reached an agreement with the former President and his accounting firm, Mazars USA, to obtain critical documents,” the statement continued. “These documents will inform the Committee’s efforts to get to the bottom of former President Trump’s egregious conduct and ensure that future presidents do not abuse their position of power for personal gain.”
SmartAsset: Can Medicaid Take Life Insurance From a Beneficiary?
Medicaid provides a way to pay for medical costs. But it can also lay claim to the assets that you leave behind, including life insurance if you do not have a designated beneficiary. Let’s break down what Medicaid can claim and how to protect your assets. A financial advisor can help you create an estate plan that protects your assets for your family.
What Is Medicaid?
Medicaid is a government-sponsored health insurance program, it’s run by the federal government in conjunction with state governments. Importantly, the program is designed for Americans in need.
Each state sets income limits for Medicaid eligibility. Although the exact qualifications vary, you likely qualify for Medicaid if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than 100% to 200% of the federal poverty level. As of 2022, the federal poverty line sits at $18,310 for a two-person household.
Medicaid Estate Recovery Program
Medicaid coverage can assist with both short-term and long-term healthcare services. So, as you can imagine, the costs for the program can add up quickly.
The Medicaid Estate Recovery Program works to recoup the costs of benefits. Although the details of the program vary by state, it means that Medicaid can pursue payment for benefits provided through the recipient’s estate.
Ultimately, the results of the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program can lead to smaller inheritances for estate beneficiaries.
Can Medicaid Take Life Insurance From Beneficiary?
SmartAsset: Can Medicaid Take Life Insurance From a Beneficiary?
The Medicaid Estate Recovery Program can lay claim to a number of assets you leave behind. But, can Medicaid take life insurance from beneficiary? Generally, Medicaid cannot take a life insurance payout from a beneficiary. That’s because the life insurance company will send the funds of your death benefit directly to the beneficiary. However, it’s critical to name a beneficiary on your life insurance policy.
If you don’t specify a beneficiary on your life insurance policy, the proceeds of the policy will go to your estate. Since Medicaid has the right to recoup its costs from your estate, a life insurance benefit that winds up in your estate could end up in the hands of Medicaid.
How to Protect Your Financial Legacy
If you use Medicaid funds, it’s possible the program will seek reimbursement from your estate after you pass away.
The reality of extremely high medical costs can mean that the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program can take a big bite out of your financial legacy.
The good news is that careful planning can protect your assets to pass on to beneficiaries. Here are three common options to consider when protecting your financial legacy from medical costs:
Medicaid trust. A Medicaid trust is specifically designed to protect your assets in the event that you or your spouse require long-term care. This irrevocable trust can help protect qualified retirement accounts, personal assets, life insurance policies, real estate, and more.
Give financial gifts. While you are still alive, you can make gifts to your heirs to lower your estate’s assets. Although there’s a limit to the amount you can give, it will get some of the funds into your family’s hands. As of 2022, you can gift up to $16,000 in assets or cash to a family member without filing a gift tax return.
Buy long-term care coverage. Long-term care can be financially devastating. Long-term care insurance allows you to avoid working with Medicaid altogether. Instead, your insurance policy will pay for the care you need. Of course, this is an expensive option upfront. But it could give your estate the protection it needs.
Before moving forward with any of these strategies, discuss your options with a financial advisor. The right professional can help you craft an estate plan that takes your specific wishes and assets into account.
Bottom Line
SmartAsset: Can Medicaid Take Life Insurance From a Beneficiary?
The Medicaid Estate Recovery Program gives Medicaid the ability to lay claim on the assets you leave behind. If you designate a beneficiary on your life insurance policy, the funds should be distributed directly to your beneficiary. Without this clear designation, the funds will be considered fair game for Medicaid as a part of your estate.
Financial Planning Tips
A financial advisor could answer questions about how Medicaid impacts your financial legacy. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
A Medicaid trust is a type of irrevocable trust that can provide some protection for your financial assets against healthcare costs. The complex legal structure might come in handy for your beneficiaries.
Healthcare costs can have a big impact on your retirement nest egg. If mapping out your retirement dreams, take advantage of our free retirement calculator.
It’s a digital world, and organizations that show digital agility continue to win out.
Consultants say that despite headwinds, CEOs must champion digital transformation.
Jessica Jensen, an Indeed exec, shared how leaders can use a digital approach to boost growth.
This article is part of a series called “Culture of Innovation” exploring how companies are setting the stage for innovation, transformation, and growth.
How we entertain ourselves has changed since then — and so has how we find a job. It’s a digital world now. Job-search platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed have become the primary means of landing a new gig.
Organizations that show digital agility continue to win out.
As economic headwinds swirl and C-suite leaders look to trim bottom lines, consultants say CEOs need to take the lead in championing digital transformation, strategy, and growth within their organizations.
“The necessity of digital transformation is critical for any company and leadership team that wants to be efficient and effective in reaching their business goals,” Jessica Jensen, the chief marketing officer at Indeed, said in an email.
Indeed says that over the past three years, the number of job seekers hired on Indeed has doubled from 10 people hired every minute to 20 every minute. It says its platform now draws more than 250 million users from around the world each month, making it the largest job site.
Jensen said the focus on digital transformation has been vital to Indeed’s success. “As part of this ongoing transformation, we are focused on automation to source, screen, and schedule interviews, connecting quality talent to hiring managers faster,” Jensen told Insider.
We reached out to Jensen to learn how leaders can transform their digital approach to ensure long-term growth. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
What are you doing internally to foster innovation at Indeed?
We are providing products and tools that are matching people to the right roles, connecting candidates directly with hiring managers, enabling skills-based hiring, and leveraging automation to provide quicker end-to-end hiring while removing bias from the hiring process. Everything we do is in support of our mission of helping all people get jobs.
Our Indeed Hiring Platform, introduced during the pandemic, is just one example, as it’s already automating more than 70% of recruiting steps to help employers interview screened candidates faster — making a better experience for job seekers and employers.
How is Indeed’s job-search function different now because of the innovations you’ve made?
We’re offering job seekers smart search filters to quickly narrow in on ideal roles; personalized career experiences based on qualifications and preferences; tools inviting job seekers to interview with employers within hours instead of days or weeks; assessments to ensure your skills stand out; and much more.
By automating the repetitive tasks in the hiring process, talent-acquisition teams can increase their efficiency and time to hire, saving recruiters up to nine hours per requisition, helping connect quality candidates to employers faster, and speeding up the entire hiring process.
Google recently worked with Kantar to survey dozens of Fortune 1000 leaders and marketers about what it takes to achieve the greatest gains in digital transformation. The one alliance identified as most essential was the relationship between chief marketing officer and chief financial officer. How have you used this partnership toward digital transformation at Indeed?
The CMO-CFO relationship is the secret to our success. Because we share business goals from the start, the finance team can in turn make smarter decisions on how to invest in certain business efforts. We work together to unlock the highest impact for business growth.
Courtney Rose, VP of sales in the services sector at Google, told Insider that Indeed is a great model of a company that has effectively leveraged the CMO and CFO alliance toward digital transformation. “Jessica and Sean exemplify this dynamic duo — they challenge one another beyond their traditional comfort zones to be more flexible with their investments and fund future growth opportunities,” she said.
How does your partnership with Google fit into this model?
Working with Google and our finance team, it’s much more about rolling out a campaign, testing, learning, and changing the investment depending on performance trends, and keeping our finance partners updated on where or if financial investment could change too.
Through this model, we’ve exceeded many of our business goals. We have a partner in Google that allows for this dynamic, performance-driven marketing, and we have finance partners that understand this and support it.
Kohl’s has been named in a new lawsuit that accuses the retailer of misleading shareholders.
In a class action lawsuit filed in a Wisconsin court on Friday, Kohl’s shareholders said the retailer “made materially false and misleading statements regarding the company’s business, operations, and compliance policies,” including failing to disclose that the company’s strategic plan was not engineered in a way to help the company achieve its goals.
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Kohl’s outlined a strategic growth plan in October 2020, which centered on expanding its operating margin between 7% and 8% and positioning the retailer “for long-term success.” In addition, Kohl’s announced that the company would become “the destination for active, casual and beauty for the entire family from the most trusted brands, always delivering quality and discovery.”
According to the suit, Kohl’s “overstated” its success in executing this plan and failed to disclose certain information to shareholders in advance of the company’s annual meeting in May.
Kohl’s did not return FN’s request for comment.
Kohl’s in May reported lower than expected results in the first quarter of 2022 amid weakened demand and inflationary pressures. First quarter net sales decreased 5.2% to $3.72 billion compared to $3.9 billion in the same period last year. Net income came in flat compared to the same period last year at $14 million in the first quarter of 2022. These results, the complaint argued, took shareholders by surprise, as they expected to see better results from the strategic plan. The suit claims that if the plaintiffs had known the truth about Kohl’s earlier, they would not have purchased shares.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of another troubling quarter for Kohl’s. The retailer in August cut its outlook for the year after reporting a hit to its business in Q2 from macroeconomic headwinds. Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass said inflation and weaker consumer spending, especially among middle-income customers, impacted the company’s results in the quarter.
Kohl’s also failed to complete a negotiation to sell itself a few months ago. After entering into exclusive negotiations in early June with Franchise Group to discuss a potential sale of its business, the Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based retailer said on July 1 that it withdrew from the process. The offer, initially priced at $69 per share, was downgraded to around $60 per share on June 6 and revised again to $53 per share on June 29.
Private-equity firm Sycamore Partners reportedly also dropped its initial $65 per share bid to a deal priced in the mid-$50s per share.
Despite the failed deal, Kohl’s said its board was still “open to any opportunities to maximize shareholder value.” According to a report last week, Kohl’s is in talks with private equity firm Oak Street Real Estate Capital LLC to discuss potentially selling up to $2 billion worth of property.
More shared “banking hubs” are to be rolled out across the UK to help communities hit by branch and ATM closures to get continued access to cash.
A banking hub is a shared service that operates in a similar way to a standard branch, with a counter service run by Post Office staff where customers of almost any bank can withdraw and deposit cash, make bill payments and carry out regular transactions.
There are also private spaces where customers can speak to someone, with trained specialists from different banks available on different days.
The additional 13 hubs announced on Tuesday take the total number planned to 25. However, of the first wave of 12 hubs, only two are in operation: in Rochford in Essex and Cambuslang, on the edge of Glasgow.
The other 10 already announced are expected to open over the next few months. It is understood that in some cases it has been taking longer than anticipated to find a suitable property for the shared branch or get the selected building ready.
The hubs are aimed at “providing vital cash and banking services where they are needed most”, said the Cash Action Group, which includes banking industry representatives and others, and ATM network Link.
The initiative comes after continued branch and ATM closures, and concerns in some quarters that millions of people could be left behind as the shift to a cashless society accelerates.
Many of the big banks have been cutting their branch networks, arguing that customers are spurning traditional counter services in favour of banking online and via mobile phones.
UK banks and building societies have closed or announced the closure of an estimated 430 branches this year.
The newly announced hubs are planned for Brechin in Angus, Forres in Moray, Carluke in Lanarkshire, Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway, Axminster in Devon, Barton-upon-Humber in Lincolnshire, Lutterworth in Leicestershire, Royal Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire, Cheadle in Staffordshire, Belper in Derbyshire, Maryport in Cumbria and Hornsea in east Yorkshire. In addition, the first banking hub under the scheme in Northern Ireland will open in Kilkeel in Newry.
The Cash Action Group includes senior representatives from big banks including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and NatWest.
The action group and Link said the Rochford and Cambuslang hubs “have proved extremely popular, with usage more than doubling since they have opened”.
They added: “As the impact of the cost of living crisis becomes increasingly apparent, the hubs are likely to become an ever more important resource, particularly in communities with minimal or limited cash access or banking facilities.”
The death of an Ernst and Young (EY) employee in New South Wales, Sydney, has triggered conflicting accounts as to exactly what occurred in the hours before the tragedy.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, the body of a 27-year-old woman (previously reported to be 33) was found at the financial service firm’s Sydney CBD offices. Police are not investigating her death as suspicious and believe self-harm was involved.
However, the events of the night and the hours before the incident are still murky and inconsistent between investigations conducted by NSW Police and the financial services firm.
Five-hour missing window
On Wednesday, communication from EY stated that “initial investigations indicate she left the EY building at around 7.30pm and returned after midnight”.
However, news.com.au understands these comments were made separate from the official police investigation.
According to The Australian, police are “unequivocal” that the woman returned to the office between 7pm and 7.30pm, with CCTV and witnesses confirming her attendance. At 8pm she was on a call with her husband who flew into Sydney from Singapore later that night, when he learned of her death.
The publication also reports she left the office about noon on Friday before attending a function organised by EY’s social committee held at The Ivy.
Where both accounts converge is the fact that emergency services were called to EY’s Sydney CBD’s offices about 12.20am early Saturday morning following a concern for welfare report. There, they found the body of the 27-year-old.
News.com.au has contacted EY for comment, however they did not respond at the time of publishing.
The woman attended a work social function at The Ivy before returning to the offices.
EY ‘aren’t addressing it at all’, staff say
Since Saturday morning, staff at EY have complained of being left in the lurch.
News.com.au understands that since Saturday morning’s tragedy, staff have only received one email which stated that a team member had died at the Sydney building over the weekend.
During a pre-scheduled firmwide meeting on Wednesday, employees say the woman’s death was not addressed.
“They brushed over the incident at the start of the call and then went on to talk about the EY demerger for the remaining 50 minutes,” one employee told the anonymous social media page, Aussie Corporate.
Another current staffer said: “There’s a black cloud looming over us at EY and it has been so odd because people are skirting around the event. They’re either saying ‘it’s so sad’, or just aren’t addressing it at all.”
News.com.au understands that even financial auditors at the Sydney office are unaware of the identity of the woman.
On Reddit, one Sydney employee said they were shocked no flowers had been left at the building.
“I do care deeply that I walked into the office this week and not even a single bunch of flowers acknowledged the deeply tragic events of the weekend,” wrote one Reddit user.
In a statement to news.com.au, CEO and regional managing partner David Larocca confirmed that a 24/7 Employment Assistance Programme has been offered to all staff and families, with onsite counselling services also available.
Inside dark work culture where 27-year-old died
Since the employee’s death, current and former employees have told news.com.au of the culture of overwork which occurs in major financial services businesses, particularly among financial auditors. Ex-staff cited 70 to 80-hour work weeks, especially during peak periods from July to September.
These claims were consistent with those made by employees from other Big 4 accounting firms which include PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), KPMG and Deloitte.
One former auditor who’s worked at PwC and EY described the culture at the Big 4 firms as an “iron man contest”.
“You survive or leave,” he told news.com.au, on the basis of anonymity.
News.com.au is not suggesting the work culture at EY contributed to the employee’s death and the employee’s identity and role within the company has not been disclosed.
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