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The Week in Canadian Press Releases: 10 Stories You Need to See

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A roundup of the most newsworthy press releases from Cision Distribution this week

TORONTO, Feb. 16, 2024 /CNW/ – With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on Cision. To help journalists and consumers stay on top of the week’s most newsworthy and popular releases, here’s a recap of some major stories from the week that shouldn’t be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

A&W celebrates Family Day with a week of ‘Burger Family Deals’ through the A&W Mobile App 
This Family Day, A&W is inviting Canadians to savour and save on delicious food all week long with the launch of their ‘Burger Family Deals’. Enjoy seven days of mouthwatering deals available exclusively through the A&W mobile app. The seven appetizing offers will be available starting February 19th to February 25th. A&W mobile app users can access the daily deals to save big on A&W classics like the Teen Burger and Onion Rings. Simply download, create an account and open the A&W mobile app and go to the ‘offers’ section each day to redeem a free item with your purchase to enjoy for dine-in or pickup. To enjoy the seven days of exclusive deals with your Burger Family, go to https://bit.ly/3OAcFIY to download the A&W mobile app.Freed Developments Announces 5-Star Luxury Hotel and Residences Project, An $800M Skyscraper Set To Transform The Toronto Skyline
Visionary real estate developer Peter Freed of Freed Developments announces first-ever Freed Hotel and Residences tower located at Adelaide and Duncan, just west of University. This $800M skyscraper will bring both Katsuya by Sam Nazarian’s Disruptive Group by sbe and artwork by renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami to Toronto. Designed by Chicago-based tall building experts Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, renowned for the next world’s tallest and most luxurious skyscraper Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, as well as  Central Park Tower in New York, the project will feature 100 five star luxury hotel rooms and 400 luxury condominiums with a world class Skybar/restaurant on the 63rd floor, boutique spa, and a 10,000 sq ft Katsuya Restaurant on the 2nd floor.A&W’s New Spicy Piri-Piri Buddy Burgers draw inspiration from a popular menu hack 
If you’re looking to spice things up, A&W has got you covered with the launch of their new limited-time offer (LTO), the Spicy Piri-Piri Buddy Burger. The new Buddy Burger brings the heat with a distinctive piri piri sauce (hot chili pepper flavour), topped with crisp whole-leaf lettuce, and a slice of tomato and red onion, and comes with your choice of seasoned 100% breaded chicken breast, a 1.6 oz grass-fed beef patty, or opt for a crispy hash brown potato patty. Sandwiched between a freshly toasted bun, each Spicy Piri-Piri Buddy Burger in this fiery new lineup is just $3.99. The Spicy Piri-Piri Potato Buddy Burger is A&W’s first Buddy Burger that highlights a crispy hash brown as the star. The new LTO is a result of community-driven innovation. For years, A&W employees have been quietly building a menu hack for themselves as well as guests, predominantly from the South-Asian community.Staples Canada Appoints Rachel Huckle as CEO 
With more than 20 years of distinguished experience in the retail sector, Huckle brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to her new role. Having served as Chief Retail Officer (2019), and President and Chief Operating Officer (2022) at Staples Canada, Rachel has played a pivotal role in its transformation to The Working and Learning Company. Under her guidance, Staples has expanded its products and services to provide more value and selection for consumers, grown its business-to-businesses offerings serving Canadian businesses of all sizes, and forged important strategic partnerships that have significantly enhanced the business. “I am deeply honoured to assume the role of Staples Canada’s CEO,” said Huckle. “Together with our talented team, I am committed to building upon the company’s legacy of success and innovation, fostering a culture of excellence, and delivering value to our customers, employees, and retail partners across Canada.”TELUS reports operational and financial results for fourth quarter 2023; announces 2024 financial targets 
“Throughout 2023, our team successfully navigated a highly competitive industry, overcame a challenging macroeconomic landscape and a dynamic regulatory environment, to achieve strong financial and operational results across our business. Indeed, our results for the year demonstrate execution strength in our TTech business segment, characterized by the potent combination of leading customer growth, complemented by strong operational and financial results, and enhanced by our significant and ongoing focus on cost efficiency. These results were buttressed by improving and resilient fourth quarter profitability from our DLCX segment, despite the continued challenging macroeconomic operating environment faced by TELUS International,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO.Scotiabank announces departure of Jake Lawrence; Paul Scurfield and Michael Kruse take on expanded roles 
Mr. Lawrence joined Scotiabank in 2002, and has held progressively senior roles in Finance, Treasury and Global Banking and Markets, most recently leading the Bank’s wholesale banking and capital markets business. “I would like to thank Jake for his significant contributions over his impressive 22-year career with Scotiabank and wish him every success as he joins another storied Canadian institution. Under Jake’s leadership of the Global Banking and Markets business, we have strengthened our brand and prioritized alignment in our key markets, building out our presence in the U.S. and positioning this business well for future growth,” said Scott Thomson, President and Chief Executive Officer for Scotiabank. “Among his many contributions, Jake has built a talented team that is strongly positioned to deliver against our strategy for sustainable and profitable growth across our priority markets.”Lightspeed Announces the Return of Dax Dasilva as CEO 
Dasilva rejoins Lightspeed in the interim CEO role after the Company announced its third-quarter 2024 financial results last Thursday, February 8, 2024. Results for the quarter included total revenue of $239.7 million, which grew 27% year-over-year, and improved Net loss and Adjusted EBITDA1 ($40.2) million and $3.6 million respectively,  surpassing previously established outlooks. Along with Dasilva’s appointment as interim CEO, Lightspeed announced several changes to the leadership team and the Board. John Shapiro, SVP of Retail Technology has been promoted to Chief Product and Technology Officer, replacing Ryan Tabone who will be departing the Company in April 2024. In addition, Patrick Pichette, currently the company’s Lead Independent Director, will move into the role of interim Chair of the Board. These leadership changes are a reflection  of the Company’s ongoing succession planning.Canada Post proposes new postage rates for 2024 
Canada Post is proposing to increase postage rates in 2024. For stamps purchased in a booklet, coil or pane, which represent the majority of stamp sales, the rate would increase by seven cents, to 99 cents per stamp. The new rates would take effect May 6, 2024. Prior to these proposed changes coming into effect, domestic letter mail rates have increased twice over the last decade (five cents in 2019 and two cents in 2020), with the last major pricing change made on March 31, 2014. Canada Post understands the importance of the delivery service it provides and works to minimize the impact of price changes on all customers, ensuring any increases are fair and reasonable. The impact of the rate increase for the average Canadian household is estimated at 65 cents per year. For the average Canadian small business, the estimated impact is $12.07 per year.1 Permanent™ stamps will always be accepted at the current domestic postage price.Sentrex Health Solutions Inc. Expands Innovative Healthcare Services with Strategic Acquisition of PerCuro Clinical Research Ltd. 
Renowned for its nurse-led model of care, PerCuro (Latin for “to heal thoroughly”) fulfills a significant need in helping to deliver crucial medical services to patients across several therapeutic areas, including inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, neurology, dermatology, and rare diseases.  Established in 2003, PerCuro has become an essential partner among healthcare providers on Vancouver Island and is able to bring healthcare services closer to physicians and patients. Commenting on the acquisition, Leeanna Bulinckx, Founder & CEO of PerCuro, said: “Joining forces with Sentrex represents a pivotal moment for us. We’re excited to extend our tried-and-true PerCuro model beyond Vancouver Island to serve patients, and Sentrex, with its similar focus on exceptional patient care, will make this possible.”Intact Financial Corporation reports Q4-2023 results 
Charles Brindamour, Chief Executive Officer, said: ” The past year has been challenging for society, particularly in the face of numerous natural disasters. Through it all, our people worked relentlessly to ensure customers get back on track quickly. Despite shouldering elevated catastrophe losses as a result, the business demonstrated tremendous resilience. We achieved mid-teens operating ROE and maintained a strong balance sheet with $2.7 billion of total capital margin. As we look ahead to 2024, we are well positioned for outperformance, given strong top line momentum, continued underwriting discipline, and a refocused UK&I segment. We are pleased to increase dividends to common shareholders for the nineteenth consecutive year.” Over the next twelve months, we expect hard insurance market conditions to continue in most lines of business, driven by inflation and catastrophe losses.

Read more of the latest releases from Cision, see our resources for journalists, and stay caught up on the top press releases by following @cnwnews.

About Cision Canada

Cision is a comprehensive communications platform enabling more than 100,000 public relations and marketing professionals around the world to understand, influence and amplify their stories. As the market leader, Cision enables the next generation of communication professionals to strategically operate in the modern media landscape where company success is directly impacted by public opinion. Cision has offices in 24 countries through the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and offers a suite of best-in-class solutions, including Newswire, Brandwatch, Cision Communications Cloud® and Cision Insights. To learn more, visit www.cision.ca and follow @CisionCA on Twitter.

SOURCE Cision Canada

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IAG’s Hangar 51 Accelerator 2024 Takes Off with New Cohort of Startups Focused on Sustainability, Customer Experience, and Operational Efficiency

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VIENNA, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — International Airlines Group (IAG) announced the launch of its eighth Hangar 51 Accelerator program, welcoming a new cohort of startups poised to revolutionize the aviation industry. Plug and Play, a global innovation platform connecting startups and corporations is proud to support this year’s program as the innovation partner of IAG. 

The selected startups will tackle some of the industry’s biggest challenges across four core areas:

Sustainability: Exploring new technologies that can help decarbonize aviation.

Customer Experience: Enhancing the passenger journey through innovative products and services.

Operational Efficiency: Testing new solutions to improve efficiency and performance.

Airports: Optimizing turnaround management and ground operations.

Over twelve weeks, the startups will work closely with IAG experts to test and refine their solutions in a real-world environment. The culmination of the Hangar 51 Accelerator 2024 will be a Demo Day held on November 27 at IAG’s Headquarters in London. This event will provide a platform for the startups to present their projects to key stakeholders across IAG and its operating companies: Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, Vueling, IAG Loyalty and IAG Cargo. This event will foster networking, knowledge exchange, and collaboration, enabling IAG to showcase the potential of these solutions across the group.

Plug and Play provided support to IAG with key program activities, including global scouting, startup assessment, and event management. Beyond the program itself, Plug and Play has connected IAG to its wider partner ecosystem, offering speaking and participation opportunities at events across Europe. This creates opportunities to connect with other industry leaders to exchange best practices and identify potential synergies.

“We’re truly excited to partner with one of the world’s largest airline groups to drive impactful improvements in airline operations and sustainability. Working with IAG is a unique highlight within our global ecosystem, showing how open innovation across diverse companies/carriers, regions, and approaches can make a real difference for the entire industry. In aviation, collaboration is key, and we’re proud to work together in tackling challenges like CO2 emissions and climate impact. The best startups have made it through our selection process and are now collaborating with various airlines and business units to test their solutions. I’m personally looking forward to Demo Day to see the impact they’ve made,” said Nik Munaretto, Director of Plug and Play Vienna.

Congratulations and welcome to the new Hangar 51 Accelerator 2024 Cohort:

Aeon BlueAiir InnovationsbederFlyOROKeepFlying®Nexus LabNoyaOreyeonParloaTarmac TechnologiesTomorrow.ioZero®ZestIoT

For more information about Plug and Play, please visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com.

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 60+ locations across 5 continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/

About IAG

International Airlines Group (IAG) is one of the world’s largest airline groups with 585 aircrafts flying to over 250 destinations and carrying more than 115 million passengers in 2023. The Group was created in 2011 and includes the airlines British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL, and IAG Loyalty and IAG Cargo. It is a Spanish-registered company with its corporate office in London, United Kingdom. Its shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and on the Spanish stock markets. IAG’s vision is to be the leading airline group in sustainability. The group is proud to have been listed on the Carbon Disclosure Project’s A List for its commitment to sustainability and action on climate change.

Media Relations Contact

press@pnptc.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iags-hangar-51-accelerator-2024-takes-off-with-new-cohort-of-startups-focused-on-sustainability-customer-experience-and-operational-efficiency-302305116.html

SOURCE Plug and Play

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Frost & Sullivan Launches FrostAI to Help Organisations Identify and Leverage Growth Opportunities

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Accelerating your Transformational Growth Journey: FrostAI’s elevated user experience acts as your company’s Growth Partner

LONDON, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan proudly announces the launch of FrostAI, designed to transform the way organisations access and utilise industry insights. FrostAI uses advanced natural language processing (NLP) to allow users to interact with its analytics platform in conversational language, moving beyond traditional keyword limitations. By simply asking questions, users receive precise, in-depth responses along with highlighted source references, making complex data exploration more intuitive and user-friendly.

The addition of FrostAI significantly enhances the value of Frost & Sullivan’s analytics platform by making it easier for businesses to uncover actionable insights and capitalise on growth opportunities. With access to comprehensive and continuously updated data spanning from January 2020 to today, users can explore trends, analyse market shifts, and validate potential strategies with exceptional accuracy and depth. FrostAI is built to empower users across all industries and sectors, making it invaluable for companies seeking a strategic edge in an increasingly competitive and transformative landscape.

“This launch marks the next step of our broader initiative to integrate AI-driven technologies into our platform,” said Joe Fristensky, Senior Partner and Chief Analytics Officer at Frost & Sullivan. “FrostAI reflects our commitment to innovation and to supporting our clients as they navigate a world where industries are transforming and evolving at an unparalleled pace. By allowing users to ask questions in natural language, FrostAI not only saves time but also makes complex insights more accessible and actionable,” he added.

FrostAI is designed for a wide range of applications, including identifying emerging growth opportunities and monitoring disruptive technologies across various sectors. As businesses continue to face transformational changes, from technological advancements to shifting consumer behaviours, Frost AI is positioned to become an essential resource for decision-makers looking to stay ahead of the curve.

This launch marks the beginning of a series of strategic developments from Frost & Sullivan, aimed at providing clients with leading-edge growth solutions to make informed growth investment decisions with enhanced efficiency.

Frost & Sullivan is committed to a future where AI and analytics intersect seamlessly, bringing the power of advanced data science into everyday strategic planning.

To schedule a personalised demo of the FrostAI platform, please contact melissa.silvas@frost.com

Frost & Sullivan, the growth pipeline company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation, and leadership. The company’s Growth Pipeline as a Service provides the CEO and the CEO’s Growth Team with transformational strategies and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth initiatives. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 60 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses, and the investment community from more than 40 offices on six continents.

Contact:

Kristina Menzefricke
Marketing & Communications
Global Customer Experience, Frost & Sullivan
kristina.menzefricke@frost.com
+44 (0)20 331 01228

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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Former Team USA Chief Joins Enhanced Games, Among Other Senior Hires Ahead Of 2025 Debut

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Enhanced Games expands team with leading experts in Games Delivery, Athlete Relations, Safety, and Digital.New hires bring world-class experience from US Olympic & Paralympic Committee, Nike, Red Bull, and Real Madrid C.F.Future-forward vision reinforces momentum, athlete empowerment, and innovation ahead of the 2025 games.

LONDON, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Enhanced Games announces several recent additions to its growing leadership team, marking a significant step forward as the organisation prepares for its inaugural games at the end of 2025. The key hires bring a wealth of experience from elite sporting organisations, world-renowned athletic programs, and pioneering content platforms. The new leaders collectively bolster the Enhanced Games’ mission to reshape the future of sport.

Dr Aron D’Souza, President of the Enhanced Games, shared his enthusiasm for the new team members, stating, “We’re delighted to welcome Rick, Tim, Dan, and Alejandro to the Enhanced Games. Each brings invaluable expertise, energy, and momentum, setting us up for future success. As we prepare to host the first-ever Enhanced Games, their combined knowledge and deep experience will play a pivotal role in delivering a truly innovative sports experience.”

The new appointments include:

Rick Adams, Senior Vice President, Games Delivery
With a distinguished career in the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), including serving as Chef de Mission of Team USA at the Beijing and Tokyo Olympic Games, Rick Adams brings expertise in managing top-tier sports events and operations. Formerly Chief of Sport Operations, Chief of Sport Performance and National Governing Body Services, and Chief of Paralympic Sport at the USOPC, Adams also led USA Weightlifting as CEO and served as President and CEO of the East Coast Hockey League. His expansive experience in sports delivery and athlete services will be instrumental in designing and orchestrating the inaugural Enhanced Games.

Tim Phelan, Vice President, Athlete Relations
Tim Phelan joins the Enhanced Games from Nike, where he directed sports marketing initiatives across multiple regions, including North America, Russia, and EMEA. With a strong background in track and field and a Master’s in Human Kinetics and Sports Management, Phelan’s focus on connecting with athletes aligns perfectly with the Enhanced Games’ commitment to athlete empowerment. His global insights and deep industry connections will strengthen relationships with athletes worldwide.

Dr. Dan Turner, Ph.D., Director, Athlete Safety
A seasoned sports performance scientist, Dr Dan Turner has been at the forefront of high-performance science with Red Bull North America, consulting for elite athletes, and working within performance medicine. With a Ph.D. in Clinical Human Physiology, Turner’s work has centred around optimizing athlete safety and performance. His expertise will be pivotal in ensuring that Enhanced Games athletes have access to cutting-edge, science-backed support for optimal well-being.

Alejandro Arenas, Director, Content & Digital Channels
Alejandro Arenas, a leader in digital sports engagement, brings experience from Snapchat as Head of International Sports Partnerships and from Real Madrid C.F. as Global Head of Social Media. Known for his innovative approach to engaging sports audiences, Arenas will lead Enhanced Games’ digital strategy, ensuring a dynamic and accessible experience for fans and athletes alike. His focus on immersive digital content will amplify the Enhanced Games’ vision across global platforms.

Each of these leaders will contribute critical expertise to the Enhanced Games’ mission as we shape the future of competitive sports. Their combined skills across Games Delivery, Athlete Relations, Athlete Safety, and Digital Channels mark a robust expansion of our leadership team and set Enhanced on a dynamic course toward the 2025 games.

About the Enhanced Games:

The Enhanced Games are redefining the future of sports, merging scientific innovation with athletic achievement to create a captivating competition for sports fans, tech enthusiasts, and the science-curious. Founded in 2023 by Australian entrepreneur Aron D’Souza, the Enhanced Games challenge conventional views on human performance, embracing advancements in medicine and technology to safely expand the boundaries of what is possible. With a vision to inspire superhumanity, the Games provide athletes with the opportunity to enhance their abilities under professional supervision, focusing on transparency, safety, innovation, and record-breaking feats.

Backed by pioneering investors like Peter Thiel, Balaji Srinivasan, and Christian Angermayer, the Enhanced Games represent a global movement at the intersection of sport, science, and cultural evolution. Empowered by a diverse team of experts from organizations including FIFA, Nike, Red Bull, and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, we are committed to creating a fair, financially equitable platform that inspires humankind to overcome limits and redefine human potential.

For further information, please contact:
Mike Oakes, Communications Director, Enhanced Games
mike.oakes@enhanced.org
Visit: enhanced.com

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2557015/Enhanced_Games.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2557016/Enhanced_Games_Logo.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/former-team-usa-chief-joins-enhanced-games-among-other-senior-hires-ahead-of-2025-debut-302304826.html

SOURCE Enhanced Games

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