LSI President Brett Tennar says, “Steve’s success in developing operational strategies that improves the bottom line, builds teamwork, reduces waste and ensures quality product development and distribution checks many of the boxes of what we were looking for in a COO. This, coupled with his career in the Air Force working with highly technical systems and his in-depth understanding of Lean Six Sigma and Business Process Management sealed our offer. As our tagline states, our products are Powered by Science. This data driven approach is one reason why our company has grown exponentially as we employ the most advanced technology to product development. I am confident that Steve is the right person to drive operational strategy for our diverse and growing brands.” Advertisement With more than 20 years of experience across multiple industries and functional areas, deMoulpied has particular expertise in organizations with complex technical products. Combined, his prior positions have required a spectrum of skills in corporate strategy, operations improvement, product quality, and revenue cycle management. He has an impressive history of utilizing data driven problem solving (Lean Six Sigma) and project management (PMP and CSM) to achieve strategic goals surrounding customer satisfaction, operational efficiency and improved profit.  AMSTERDAM — In line with the company’s plans to drive global performance improvement measures, AkzoNobel has announced several new appointments.AdvertisementClick Here to Read MoreAdvertisement Lin Liangqi has been appointed president, AkzoNobel China, in addition to his role as managing director, Decorative Paints China and North Asia. Jaap de Jong, previously a principal at McKinsey & Co., has been appointed regional director, Latin America, and president, AkzoNobel Brazil. Amit Jain remains group managing director for India, in addition to his role as managing director of Decorative Paints India and South Asia. The appointment of theses country leaders coincides with several leadership changes within the company’s businesses as well. Bob Taylor, currently managing director of AkzoNobel Marine and Protective Coatings (M&PC), will become managing director of Decorative Paints North America. Rob Molenaar will move from AkzoNobel Powder Coatings to become the new managing director of M&PC.  AB Ghosh, currently director of the Automotive and Aerospace Coatings Americas business, will succeed Rob Molenaar as managing director, Powder Coatings. “These appointments strengthen the company’s senior leadership in key markets. The leadership changes will capture growth and business opportunities, and will help drive a common agenda across AkzoNobel,” said Marjan Oudeman, AkzoNobel’s Executive Committee member responsible for Organizational Development and HR.,Lubrication Specialties Inc. (LSI), manufacturer of Hot Shot’s Secret brand of performance additives and oils, recently announced the expansion of senior leadership. Steve deMoulpied joins LSI as the company’s chief operating officer (COO). AdvertisementClick Here to Read MoreAdvertisement DeMoulpied has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Management from the United States Air Force Academy and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Dayton in Marketing and International Business. He served six years with the USAF overseeing the development of technology used on fighter aircraft and the E-3 Surveillance aircraft, finishing his career honorably as Captain. DeMoulpied comes to LSI from the Private Client Services practice of Ernst & Young where he managed strategy & operations improvement engagements for privately held client businesses. Some of his prior roles include VP of strategic development, director of strategic initiatives, and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt at OptumHealth, UnitedHealth Group’s health services business, as well as Lean Six Sigma Black Belt at General Electric, where he applied operations improvement principles to customer service, supply chain and product development. A successful entrepreneur, deMoulpied is also the founder of PrestoFresh, a Cleveland-based e-commerce food/grocery business.  read more

The Civil Recovery Unit will recover the money under an agreed civil settlement with Braid Logistics, which accepted that it had obtained business through unlawful conduct. The recovered funds will be used for community projects across Scotland.Braid Group (Holdings) is the parent holding company for various subsidiary companies, including Braid Logistics (UK), which is based in Glasgow and specialises in freight and logistics.In an official statement, COPFS said that Braid became aware of potentially dishonest activities in relation to two Braid UK freight forwarding contracts in 2012. The company initiated an investigation, that revealed there had been breaches of the terms of the Bribery Act 2010.The first contract related to an agreement between a Braid UK employee and the employee of a customer. An account was used as a means for unauthorised expenses to be incurred by the customer’s employee and was funded by the dishonest inflation of invoices provided to the customer. The expenses included personal travel, holidays, gifts, hotels, car hire and cash.During the investigation into the above contract, separate bribery offences in relation to a second customer were discovered. A profit sharing arrangement with a director of the customer company had been operated, where the profit achieved on services provided to the customer was split, in return for orders continuing to be placed with Braid UK. As a consequence of the investigation, Braid voluntarily made a self-report to the Crown Office and accepted that it had failed in its responsibility to prevent this happening, similarly accepting responsibility for a contravention of Sections 1 and 7 of the Bribery Act 2010.Under the self-reporting initiative, the case was deemed suitable for civil recovery settlement based on the gross profit made in relation to the relevant contracts. Although these two cases were confined to its UK subsidiary, Braid has taken steps to implement new policies and training throughout all of its subsidiaries to ensure that no unlawful conduct can take place in the future.Linda Hamilton, head of the Civil Recovery Unit, said: “It is vital to the health of the Scottish economy that any form of bribery or corruption is identified and stopped as soon as possible.”Only in this way, can businesses who play by the rules flourish, without competing with those who obtain commercial advantage through unlawful means. Braid is to be commended for self-reporting the unlawful conduct to Crown Office.”Braid Logistics was founded in 1955 and was formerly known as John S Braid & Co.www.braidco.comwww.crownoffice.gov.uk read more

Listed Australian firm Slater and Gordon today confirmed it has reached a deal to settle class actions brought by disgruntled shareholders. The company, whose share price has slumped in the past two years, has agreed in principle to pay almost £21.6m to investors to settle their claims.Slater and Gordon faced two shareholder class action proceedings, with the potential for a third still to come, from former and existing shareholders.The settlement deal involves a £19m payment from the firm’s directors and officers’ liability insurance. The remainder is being paid by the firm’s new lenders, led by hedge fund Anchorage Capital, who effectively took control under a new agreement last month which saw long-time head Andrew Grech leave the firm.Payment of approved legal costs incurred by the claimants is made out of the shareholder creditor scheme fund. Slater and Gordon’s announcement states the settlement is made without admission of liability.The settlement figure is only a fraction of that sought in the name of investors who saw the value of their holding fall from a high of A$8 a share two years ago to just eight cents a share today.Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, the Melbourne firm that led one of the class actions, said the proposed settlement represents almost all of what is available under the company’s insurance policies, with the hedge funds who bought nearly all the company’s debt making a £2.4m contribution.Andrew Watson, head of class actions, said the settlement was the best outcome from a ‘terrible situation’ for shareholders, given the alternative would mean ‘likely insolvency’ for Slater and Gordon.He said that Slater and Gordon has no assets that would be available to fund a settlement or satisfy a judgment against the company.  The company’s secured debt exceeds the value of its assets, and the new owners of the debt hold a fixed and floating charge over those assets. As a result, said Watson, the only source of potential recovery from the company for shareholders were the benefits from responsive insurance policies, which were found to have an ‘unexpectedly low’ policy limit.Watson added: ‘Given the insurance policy limits, and the fact that Slater and Gordon’s defence costs for all actions also come out of the insurance, the proposed settlement will avoid further erosion of the available fund and return to class members as much of what remains under the policies as possible.’The settlement is in principle at this stage and is subject to approval from the Federal Court of Australia.Slater and Gordon shares closed up 9.5% at A$0.081 (5p), but are still down nearly two-thirds on the year to date. read more

US-headquartered firm White & Case has announced that its executive partner in London has stepped down so he can concentrate on taking the fight to the City’s magic circle elite.In a statement today the firm said Oliver Brettle has been asked by the firm’s chairman Hugh Verrier to focus on delivering the firm’s 2020 strategy. He has been replaced by Melissa Butler.Verrier said: ‘I have asked Oliver Brettle in his ongoing role on the executive committee to focus on delivering our 2020 strategy, including global initiatives that support its execution and strengthen the firm’s competitive position vis-à-vis the magic circle. To allow him to dedicate the time needed to drive these important activities, Oliver has stepped down as London office executive partner after nearly ten years in the role, during which time our London office has become an acknowledged market leader.’Brettle said: ‘I look forward to continuing to drive our 2020 strategy globally. In London, that includes cementing our status at the top of the legal market and competing toe-to-toe with the magic circle and other elite global firms.’The firm declined to comment further. read more

Businesses will need to avoid scattergun approaches to registering trade marks following an eagerly awaited High Court ruling. In Sky plc v SkyKick UK Ltd, Lord Justice Arnold ruled that a software company had infringed a trade mark of broadcaster Sky – but strongly criticised Sky for filing trade mark applications as a weapon. IP experts said the ruling would significantly change trade mark practice. The ruling in the Business and Property Courts followed a referral to the Court of Justice of the EU on points of EU law – perhaps one of the last to be made by a court in England and Wales. The action began when Sky brought proceedings against Skykick, a supply of cloud computer systems, alleging infringement of trade marks. SkyKick hit back saying that Sky’s registration of its trade mark on products it had no intention of supplying constituted bad faith. The CJEU judgment broadly agreed. In the latest ruling Arnold LJ declared many of Sky’s trade marks invalid, but found that SkyKick had infringed trade marks registered for ‘electronic mail services’. ‘The fact that the trade marks are partially invalid on the ground that they were applied for partly in bad faith does not affect this.’Ben Mark, a partner at City firm RPC and a member of the Law Society’s intellectual property committee, said the judgment takes further the CJEU’s ruling that applying to register a trade mark without any intention to use it for specified goods or services may constitute bad faith.’The decision may initially trouble brand owners. However, it will not affect a trade mark’s ability to protect core goods and services or goods and services that brand owners believe they may use their marks for.’Going forwards, a trade mark filing strategy that reflects this should avoid similar judgments. For existing trade mark registrations, the court made clear that a mixed specification (containing goods and services that the applicant both did and did not intend to use its mark for) will not taint the registration, as a whole.’Aaron Wood, chartered trade mark attorney and partner at Keystone Law, said the decision marks ‘a substantial change in practice in EU trade mark law, which will move it significantly closer to US trade mark practice and create a potential breaker to the barrier of broad EU trade marks.’ Geoffrey Hobbs QC and Philip Roberts QC, instructed by Mishcon de Reya LLP, appeared for Sky;  Simon Malynicz QC, Tom Hickman QC and Stuart Baran, instructed by Fieldfisher LLP, for SkyKick. read more

MEETING in Lugano on May 4, representatives of Swiss Federal Railways, Italian State Railways, the Swiss canton of Ticino and the Italian province of Lombardia agreed to develop a cross-border rail link between the Gotthard and Simplon corridors. An international committee has been set up to manage the project and call tenders for construction.Around 7 km of new line is needed to connect Mendrisio on the Gotthard route with Ariscate on the FS branch from Varese to Porto Ceresio. Together with upgrading of the existing lines, the aim is to create a direct link from the resorts of Lugano and Como to Gallarate on the Simplon line, which is close to Malpensa airport. This would reduce the need for air travellers from the region to travel via the centre of Milano.CAPTION: Half-hourly Malpensa Express services between central Milano and the redeveloped Malpensa airport were due to start on May 30. Ferrovie Nord Milano began ghost running with its dedicated TAF fleet on May 5, although the flying junction with the Saronno – Novara line at Sacconago had yet to be completed read more

HUNGARY: A framework agreement for the supply of up to 40 Kiss double-deck electric multiple units including a firm order for an initial 10 was signed by national passenger operator MÁV-Start and Stadler on April 12. Stadler said these would be the first double-deck vehicles in Hungary when they enter service from spring 2019.MÁV-Start had called tenders in December for the supply of up to 40 high-capacity EMUs over eight years, and the start of negotiations with sole bidder Stadler was announced on March 17. The framework contract covers the purchase of an initial 10 units worth €195m, including training and spare parts, and an agreement enabling MÁV-Start to place further firm orders subject to the availability of European Union funding. To provide operational flexibility, the Kiss EMUs will be compatible with the 123 single-deck Flirt EMUs which Stadler has delivered to MÁV-Start over the last 10 years. The six-car Kiss units will be 155·88 m long, 2 800 mm wide and 4 600mm high, with 600 seats to provide a 50% increase in capacity compared to a single-deck unit of the same length. They will have with four toilets, one being accessible for persons with reduced mobility, and multifunctional areas for four wheelchairs as well as 12 bicycles or five pushchairs. There will be a ‘state-of-the-art’ passenger information system, and free wi-fi.The 25 kV 50 Hz EMUs will have national and ETCS Level 2 train control systems, and will be able to run at up to 160 km/h on suitably upgraded routes. The initial batch of EMUs is primarily intended for use on the Budapest – Vác –Szob and Budapest – Cegléd – Szolnok routes, but they will also be deployed around Debrecen and Nyíregyháza on weekends and around Lake Balaton and Lake Velence in the summer season, when the number of cycle spaces can be increased to 24. Future orders would include units for use on the Budapest – Újszász – Szolnok and Budapest – Hatvan – Gyöngyös routes. read more

Sharing is caring! “Moisture and instability associated with a tropical wave will produce cloudiness, shower activity and possible isolated thunderstorms across the island chain during today and tonight,” the Dominica Meteorological Service has advised. The weather outlook issued at 6:00 AM on Friday, July 1, 2016 for Dominica and the Lesser Antilles, is urging persons in areas prone to flooding, landslides and falling rocks are advised to be vigilant and to exercise caution.Meanwhile, another tropical wave is expected to move across the area by late Monday.Moderate sea conditions are expected during the next 24 hours with waves peaking near 7.0 feet. Thereafter, a slight increase to peak near 8.0 feet is expected. Small craft operators and all users of the sea are advised to exercise caution.Forecast for today and tonight: mostly cloudy and breezy with scattered showers and possible isolated thunderstorms. Share Share Tweet Share LocalNews WEATHER: A tropical wave is affecting the region by: Dominica Vibes News – July 1, 2016 253 Views   no discussions read more

283 Views   no discussions LocalNewsRegional $35,000 to establish pilot coconut nurseries in Dominica by: Dominica Vibes News – September 12, 2016 Sharing is caring! Dominica is to receive thirty-five thousand US dollars (US$35, 000) to establish two coconut nurseries as part of a regional coconut industry development project.This was announced by regional coordinator of the project, Dr Compton Paul during a national one-day workshop at the Barana Aute Model Village in the Kalinago Territory on Wednesday 7 September 2016.The workshop was to collectively train thirty coconut farmers and agricultural officers from the North to North east communities.The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, CARDI, is spearheading this Regional Project which aims to enhance the competitiveness of small-scale coconut farmers by identifying market opportunities, creating synergies between national and regional programmes and improving access to advisory services for improved coconut production.“We have started in each country where we pick two or three sites where we will develop nurseries and that activity has already started,” Dr Paul informed.“So we will be supplying about thirty five thousand US dollars to finance the operations in those two nurseries in Dominica, two or three in each country and thirty five thousand plus in each country. We will be paying for that over one year period to develop the nurseries,” he added.Wednesday’s workshop was a follow up to the workshop in 2015 to launch the Coconut Industry Development for the Caribbean. The previous workshop, held at the Fort Young Hotel, focused on nursery management, nursey establishment and maintenance. The technical report on Coconut Production Technology compiled by Consultants Paul and Evans has been developed into a manual and was the basis of the training sessions in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).Dr Paul informed that CARDI embarked on this project “because people are not using proper seedlings” just as ne would obtain proper seedlings for vegetables.“They look around coconut trees and they find little white trees growing up, some plants growing up and they figure it looks ok. Yea it might look ok but you will learn that it probably is not ok because if it doesn’t grow fast, if it doesn’t grow in good steady stem etc., it is not free from diseases and pest etc., it will not produce properly or adequately when it grows up,” he explained.Dr Paul believes that proper seednuts and nurseries are essential to enhancing the island’s coconut industry.“So the nurseries will try to establish how to prepare the beds for seedlings development, and how to prepare these beds and nurseries for development of your own seedlings in your own plantations, and some of you might even go into seedling production to sell to other producers,” he noted.Dr Paul and the Project Agronomist will return here next month to visit the two pilot nurseries housing approximately one thousand (1,000) seednuts of the best varieties of coconut seednuts from around the island. Share Share Tweet Share read more

Tweet Share Sharing is caring! Share Artiste impression of what the hotel will look likeOwner of the Tranquility Beach Resort, Ian Edwards has stated that while the resort design will be unique, it will also be sustainable in keeping with Dominica’s goal of becoming a climate resilient nation.He made that statement while speaking at the resorts official groundbreaking ceremony for on Thursday, November 1st 2018.The tranquility beach resort is the fourth Citizen by Investment funded project to occur in Dominica.Construction was scheduled to commence in October of 2017 but was postponed due to the passage of Hurricane Maria last September.“We are now ready to dive into the construction phase we commit to using sustainable and sound construction to execute our unique designs, since Maria’s onslaught, Dominica has taken a strong leadership role in developing a climate resilient nation. As a designer and developer, I also appreciate this approach and I have included the pillars for sustainability and greenness in this project,” he stated.Edwards added that the resort will be built in accordance with Dominica’s thrust towards being an eco-friendly and resilient nation.He noted that energy and water saving appliances will be used to keep with the eco-friendly thrust.“We are fully onboard Dominica’s thrust to be one of the leading nations in climate resilience and eco sensitivity. We invite use to participate in joining hearts and hands in making Tranquility Resort a remarkable success,” Edwards added. Share 271 Views   no discussions LocalNews Tranquility Beach Resort to stick with climate resilient theme by: – November 6, 2018 read more