NEW YORK, Sept 20 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Madison Realty Capital, a vertically integrated real estate private equity firm focused on debt and equity investment strategies, today announced that it has provided a $315.6 million loan to Carpenter & Company, Inc. and Woodward Interests, LLC for the completion of the renovation at the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences New Orleans located at 2 Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Josh Zegen, Managing Principal and Co-Founder of Madison Realty Capital, said, “The Four Seasons New Orleans is well positioned along the Mississippi River, between the French Quarter and Central Business Districts, to capitalize on the demand from New Orleans’ robust tourism market and expanding business district. We are pleased to leverage our familiarity with the Four Seasons brand to deliver a timely and customized financing solution to an experienced borrower group for a well-recognized New Orleans landmark with exciting cultural attractions.”
The 341-key Four Seasons hotel opened in July 2021 and is part of a mixed-use tower that includes 92 residential condominiums on the top floors. Operated by the Four Seasons, the residences have a private entrance from the hotel and offer one- to three-bedroom units and four-bedroom penthouses. To date, the property has sold 50% of the condominiums.
The 33-story hotel and residence offers event space and amenities including two restaurants, a lobby and bar, full-service spa, fitness center, outdoor pool, and private gardens. The highly awarded hotel was named a “Best Hotel in New Orleans” and one of the “Best New Hotels in the World” by Travel + Leisure; a “Best of the Best” New Hotels in the World by Robb Report; and a “Best New Hotel in the Country” by USA TODAY 10Best. Additionally, the building is home to Vue Orleans, a unique indoor and outdoor observatory with panoramic views of the city and historic and cultural exhibits.
Richard Friedman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carpenter & Company Inc., said, “Madison Realty Capital has significant expertise investing in Four Seasons projects and we are pleased with their team’s ability to work quickly and provide certainty of execution. We look forward to moving to the next stage of this exciting project as we raise the hotel quality bar in New Orleans with the customized and flexible financing Madison delivered.”
Madison Realty Capital has significant experience investing in Four Seasons Hotels. Notable transactions include a $210 million loan to Fort Partners for the construction of the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale and $105 million loan to Fort Partners for the acquisition and modernization of the Four Seasons Hotel Miami.
Riaz Cassum and Henry Schaffer from JLL Capital Markets arranged the financing.
About Madison Realty Capital
Madison Realty Capital is a vertically integrated real estate private equity firm that, as of August 31, 2022, manages approximately $9.5 billion in total assets on behalf of a global institutional investor base. Since 2004, Madison Realty Capital has completed approximately $21 billion in transactions providing borrowers with flexible and highly customized financing solutions, strong underwriting capabilities, and certainty of execution. Headquartered in New York City, with an office in Los Angeles, the firm has approximately 70 employees across all real estate investment, development, and property management disciplines. Madison Realty Capital has been frequently named to the Commercial Observer’s prestigious “Power 100” list of New York City real estate players and is consistently cited as a top construction lender, among other industry recognitions. To learn more, follow us on LinkedIn and visit www.madisonrealtycapital.com.
Nathaniel Garnick/Grace Cartwright
Gasthalter & Co.
(212) 257-4170
madisonrealty@gasthalter.com
SOURCE : Madison Realty Capital
Tuesday, 20 September 2022
MADISON REALTY CAPITAL ORIGINATES $315.6 MILLION LOAN FOR THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL AND RESIDENCES IN NEW ORLEANS
Monday, 19 September 2022
INVESTOPIA, SALT DECLARE NEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- Investopia, the global investment platform launched by the UAE Government in September 2021, announced new strategic partnership with SALT, a premier global thought leadership forum, at SALT New York 2022.
According to a statement, the parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining collaboration on a joint event to take place in 2023 in the UAE.
The agreement was signed by Mohamed Naser Al Zaabi, CEO of Investopia, and Anthony Scaramucci, Chairman of SALT, in the presence of Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Chairman of Investopia, and Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of ADDED.
“Investopia’s main objective is to create a global ecosystem for investment,” said Bin Touq Al Marri. “Through this partnership, Investopia and SALT will collaborate to bring together investors and business leaders from all over the world to discuss trends shaping the future of investment and identify investment opportunities in sectors that will define the economy in years to come.”
As strategic partners, SALT and Investopia will work together to organise a prestigious, invitation-only conference featuring the world’s leading investors, entrepreneurs and policy experts. The event will mark Investopia’s second annual conference and SALT’s second Middle East edition, following the success of SALT Abu Dhabi 2019.
“We are thrilled to bring SALT back to the UAE, which is an important crossroads of capital and epicentre of innovation,” said Scaramucci. “The debut editions of both Investopia and SALT Middle East were transformational events, and we can’t wait to collaborate to host what will be one of the premier gatherings on the global calendar.”
The gathering will be hosted in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.
Al Shorafa, Chairman of ADDED said: “Against the backdrop of a continuously evolving global market, convening with international peers to tackle current trade and investment headwinds, assessing economic indicators and exchanging expertise and perspectives is of vital importance if we are to stay ahead and pre-empt for shifts in market trajectories.”
-- BERNAMA
WATTPAD BRINGS SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN WEBNOVELS TO PODCASTS ON SPOTIFY
MANILA, Philippines & JAKARTA, Indonesia, Sept 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Wattpad, the global entertainment company and leading webnovel platform will launch a series of podcasts created by popular Wattpad authors exclusively on Spotify. Some of the biggest names in webnovels in Indonesia and the Philippines will bring their stories to life through a range of podcasts, with 20 titles available to listeners on the world’s most popular audio streaming platform.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220915005721/en/
Indonesian and Filipino authors including Pit Sandi whose hit story My Ice Girl has over 22M reads on Wattpad, Ma. Cristina Lata, author of the 321M-read sensation, The Four Bad Boys and Me and Ariesa Jane Domingo of For Hire: A Damn Good Kisser (42.1M reads) will launch shows ranging from intimate explorations of an author’s creative journey to personal musings on everyday life from the lens of an author. Fans can also look forward to behind-the-scenes commentary on their favorite web novels from Ventre Canard, author of Caught in His Arms (56.2M reads); and April Avery, whose Titan Academy of Special Abilities has over 55M reads on Wattpad, among others.
“Southeast Asia is home to many of the most successful and influential authors on Wattpad,” said Kelly O’Mara, Director of Account Management, Wattpad Brand Partnerships. “As Wattpad’s first major podcast deal in Asia, our partnership with Spotify will fuel our fans' love for the literary world through audio. Wattpad's authors have built enormous global fandoms for their work, writing stories that will continue to inspire a generation of readers.”
“Indonesia and the Philippines are brimming with creativity and brilliant storytellers. This is why we’re thrilled to work with Wattpad to bring their authors to Spotify where they’ll have a chance to take listeners deeper into their craft, inspiration and lives. By adding podcasts to their Wattpad webnovels, it will allow the authors to engage with their fans in a unique way and reach new fans and listeners,” says Carl Zuzarte, Spotify Head of Studios for Southeast Asia.
The podcasts will premiere on September 17 in the Philippines and on September 30 in Indonesia. Each podcast will have 24 episodes and stream weekly on their respective Spotify Podcast pages.
Some shows include:
- Dy-dengar by author Dyah Ayu Arumsari Abdullah: The popular Indonesian author will share details of her life as a GenZ, giving her fans a more intimate look at her hopes and dreams for the future. Her podcast will also touch on relationships, as well as her anxieties and fears in life and everything in between.
- Love and Wander with Tina by author Ma. Cristina Lata: The Filipino author will discuss love and other topics that make the mind wander, sharing letters from fans on the topic. Each podcast episode will tackle sub categories of love from balancing relationships and career, past romance, to love languages.
About Wattpad
Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. A leading webnovel platform and home to a community of 90 million people who spend over 23 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories, Wattpad has democratized storytelling for a new generation of diverse Gen Z writers and their fans. Alongside Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, the company’s TV, film, and publishing counterpart, Wattpad combines art and science to unearth incredible stories and cultivate the fandoms driving the future of entertainment. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada.
Wattpad has had a stream of hit adaptations in the Philippines and Indonesia via Wattpad WEBTOON Studios. A group of Vidio Originals adapted from Wattpad has broken records for the streamer, the company has a growing imprint with Bliss Books in the Philippines, and LUV IS: CAUGHT IN HIS ARMS, from Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and GMA7, is set for release early next year.
About Spotify
Spotify transformed music listening forever when we launched in 2008. Our mission is to unlock the potential of human creativity by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by these creators. Everything we do is driven by our love for music.
Discover, manage, and share over 82 million tracks and 4 million podcast titles, for free, or upgrade to Spotify Premium to access exclusive features including improved sound quality and an on-demand, offline, and ad-free music listening experience.
Today, we are the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service with a community of more than 433 million users, including 188 million Spotify Premium subscribers, across 183 markets. We are also the largest driver of revenue to the music business today.
For more information, images, or to contact the press team, please head over to our press page at https://newsroom.spotify.com/
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220915005721/en/
Contact
Lauren Hopkinson
lauren.hopkinson@wattpad.com
Source : Wattpad
Thursday, 15 September 2022
SABIN SECURES ADDITIONAL US$21.8 MILLION FROM BARDA TO ADVANCE MARBURG VACCINE
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- The Sabin Vaccine Institute announced it is receiving an additional US$21.8 million under an existing contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). (US$1 = RM4.527)
BARDA is part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
According to a statement, these funds advance development of a vaccine against Marburg virus disease, a virus that is related to Ebola Zaire which killed 2,200 people during the last major outbreak that ended in 2020.
“Beginning Phase 2 clinical trials for the Marburg vaccine is a pivotal milestone for us and we appreciate BARDA’s continued confidence in our work and support for this critical next step,” said Sabin Chief Executive Officer, Amy Finan.
“Vaccines remain our best bet against death and disability from deadly viruses. I am hopeful that in the years ahead, we can offer this life-saving vaccine to every person who needs it.”
The Sabin Marburg vaccine is the only candidate currently slated for a Phase 2 clinical trial. Marburg is among the world’s deadliest viruses, resulting in the death of approximately half the people the virus infects.
Currently, there are no approved vaccines or treatments for the disease. As recently as July this year, two people in Ghana died after being infected with Marburg virus, reinforcing the urgent need for medical therapies.
The latest tranche of funds enables Sabin to conduct a randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial among adults in the U.S. to further evaluate the safety and the efficacy of the Marburg vaccine candidate and advance non-clinical vaccine dosing studies.
The Phase 2 clinical trial in the U.S. will begin after Sabin has initiated a same-stage trial in Africa, currently scheduled for 2023. Sabin will also undertake a non-clinical study on the vaccine candidate during this phase.
More details at www.sabin.org.
-- BERNAMA
ENABLE FIBRE BROADBAND SELECTS INCOGNITO SOFTWARE SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT NEXT-GEN NETWORK
Incognito delivers automated service orchestration and assurance to enhance network efficiency and customer experience VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept 15 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Incognito Software Systems Inc., a leading global provider of broadband service orchestration software solutions for digital service providers, announces that Enable, provider of ultra-fast fiber broadband for greater Christchurch, has selected its next-gen broadband OSS solutions to deliver a more efficient, customer-centric network powered by automated service orchestration and assurance. By leveraging Incognito’s solutions, Enable can introduce closed-loop processes to reduce the time-to-market for new fibre products and deliver a quality subscriber experience. As a growing network provider for fiber (FTTH) services, Enable was seeking support for the roll-out and expansion of their next-gen, multi-vendor network. They needed to implement a reliable and robust orchestration platform allowing them to efficiently launch and scale ultra-fast broadband services across their network, reduce the need for manual processes, and maintain a comprehensive view of network and service performance. By adopting Incognito’s Service Activation Center (SAC) to deliver automated service activation, fulfillment, and order management, Enable will benefit from closed-loop operations to enable B2B2C service provisioning using standards-based APIs. Enable is also leveraging the industry-awarded Digital Experience (DX) platform to orchestrate voice services on next-gen network equipment, as well as monitor and manage ONT devices with real-time KPI analytics and diagnostics. Incognito’s solutions offer autonomous closed-loop operational processes that deliver the following benefits:
Enable is well-positioned for strategic growth. “Incognito’s solutions provide the security, stability, and efficiency we need to deliver an exceptional network to our customers across the greater Christchurch community,” said Johnathan Eele, Chief Executive Officer at Enable. “We are pleased to be working with Enable as a strategic partner in their continuing quest to innovate, smash boundaries, and improve the customer experience as part of their rollout of ultra-fast fiber broadband services,” said Pete Koat, Chief Operating Officer at Incognito. “Automating the provisioning and orchestration processes ensures less manual work, while the proactive solution ensures fewer customer calls are made during the customer lifecycle. We are proud to work together with Enable to achieve their goals through increased efficiency and reduced costs and to drive industry leading broadband services in their community.” The Incognito Service Activation Center (SAC) is an industry flagship solution used around the world by premier telecommunications and broadband service providers. The modular platform automates orchestration and service activation while streamlining back-end processes to reduce operational costs. The award-winning Digital Experience Solution (DX) is a unified and secure platform that features TR-069 Auto Configuration Server and TR-369 User Services Platform support to monitor and manage endpoint devices over any network. About Incognito Incognito Software Systems Inc. provides service orchestration software and services that help digital service providers manage the next-generation broadband experience. Founded 30 years ago, Incognito has over 200 customers worldwide, including Claro, Cox, Digicel, Globe, and Orange, leveraging its solutions to fast-track the introduction of innovative broadband services over fiber, cable, and fixed wireless technologies, while delivering a great customer experience. The company is a division of the Lumine Group, a portfolio of Constellation Software Inc., the largest independent software company in Canada. Visit www.incognito.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. About Enable Fibre Broadband Enable is a fiber (FTTH) wholesale network provider based in New Zealand, providing ultra-fast broadband services for the greater Christchurch region as part of the national ultra-fast broadband initiative. Enable's network currently covers about 200,000 homes, businesses, and schools with the aim of connecting their community with unlimited opportunity. Visit www.enable.net.nz or follow on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005198/en/ Contact Media Matt Mariani Digital Marketing Manager, Incognito Software Systems +1 613-762-996 Matt.mariani@incognito.com Source : Incognito Software Systems Inc. |
Wednesday, 14 September 2022
SUN GROUP BAGS ASIA’S LEADING INTEGRATED TOURISM GROUP 2022
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- Sun Group, one of Vietnam's leading real estate and tourism developers, was recently honoured at the World Travel Awards Asia and Oceania 2022, in Ho Chi Minh City.
In recognition of the best providers in tourism and high standard products, World Travel Awards (WTA), the travel industry's most prestigious awards programme, has named Sun Group as “Asia's Leading Integrated Tourism Group 2022”.
In addition, Sun Hospitality Group, a resort brand under Sun Group, was also awarded "Asia's Leading Hospitality Development Company", according to a statement.
Four hotels & resorts created and owned by Sun Group, including Capella Hanoi, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, New World Phu Quoc and Premier Village Halong were also honoured with prestige awards by WTA.
It’s an honour for Sun Group and also Vietnam's tourism industry as this is the first time a Vietnamese enterprise has won this award by WTA, which was likened to the “Oscar of the world travel industry”.
“This is a pride and a meaningful gift for Sun Group,” said chairman of the director board of Sun Group, Dang Minh Truong.
“This award will surely motivate Sun Group to continue its journey of 'beautifying our lands' by providing more classy products and services, contributing to gradually changing and raising the position of Vietnam tourism on the world tourism map.”
With the pioneering world-class leisure travel in Vietnam, the tourism ecosystems of the world-class resort and entertainment programmes created by Sun Group have brought a fresh change and a new position to many destinations.
Established in 1993, the WTA was created by Graham Cooke to reward and celebrate excellence across various sectors within the travel industry. It is an internationally-recognised award.
-- BERNAMA
OKC LAUNCHES NEW FEATURES INCLUDING IBC TRANSFERS
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- OKC (OKX Chain), the programmable smart contracts platform backed by leading cryptocurrency platform OKX, has launched new features including IBC transfers and announced that OKC users stand to receive both airdropped ETHW and OKT following the ETH Merge.
“At OKC, we believe that cross-chain and multichain interoperability is the future of the blockchain. That is why our team is constantly working towards establishing better interoperability without compromising either scalability or security.
“Powerful new features like IBC allow us to take steps towards this, while also bringing us closer to our vision of a multichain network that delivers equal opportunity to all,” said Chaige Li, OKC Ecosystem Lead, in a statement.
OKC’s inclusion of the IBC protocol has opened a bridge between OKC and other public chains that support the IBC protocol. This allows users to transfer assets between OKC and other chains more efficiently.
Other new features include OKC Swap and OKC Bridge Upgrade. OKC Swap is an official DEX, backed by OKX, which delivers safe and stable swaps with reduced slippage.
OKC is also launching a bridge upgrade that allows every user who bridges over US$100 worth of any supported token to OKC to receive OKT in an airdrop. (US$1 = RM4.520)
More details at https://okx.com/okc.
-- BERNAMA