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Blackpearl Group announces US-based COO to drive aggressive growth strategy

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PHOENIX, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Blackpearl Group Limited (NZX:BPG) has appointed Christie Kerner as its Chief Operating Officer (COO) to support the company’s strategic go-to-market (GTM) strategy and drive its next phase of growth in the US market. With over 30 years of experience scaling companies of all sizes, leading global teams and driving operational excellence, Kerner will play a pivotal role in strengthening Blackpearl Group’s leadership team as it accelerates expansion.

“The US is our primary market and local expertise is key to our success. To do this, we need to secure world-class talent with the chops, experience and proven ability to align company operations with trajectory,” comments Nick Lissette, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Blackpearl Group.

With extensive experience in both high-growth startups and profitable, long-term businesses, Kerner brings a rare ability to balance ambition with structure. “Her leadership will be instrumental in ensuring Blackpearl Group scales effectively while preserving the ingenuity and agility that set us apart,” adds Lissette.

Leading from the US – scaling with vision

Kerner will be based in the US and will work to closely align the company’s US and NZ teams. Her focus will be on building the infrastructure needed to support long-term success. “We’re sitting on a launchpad right now – our trajectory is set and my role is to refine our strategies, remove barriers and shape the rocketship for sustainable growth,” she says.

“Scaling isn’t just about growth though – it’s about ensuring the right people are in the right seats, that priorities are aligned and that we’re disciplined in execution,” explains Kerner. “I focus on creating an environment where people thrive – because when they do, the businesses will thrive.”

A track record of leadership and impact

With a Master’s in Management and Leadership, Kerner’s career spans senior leadership roles across startups, corporates and academia where she is renowned for her ability to balance aggressive growth with sound fiscal strategy, ensuring businesses scale effectively while maintaining strong foundations.

Kerner has been instrumental in shaping the growth-stage startup ecosystem in the US, helping companies as they scale toward $200M+ in revenue. As a board member of StartupAZ and Founder of the Founders Collective, she has championed high-growth founders navigating this critical phase and has scaled international programs with Startup Grind.

Kerner has also built and exited multiple companies and served as an Entrepreneur in Residence advising founders on growth, leadership and decision-making. Previously, she led the Center for Entrepreneurship at Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business (the largest public university in the US) and was Executive Director of Student Entrepreneurship across ASU.

“This experience aligns seamlessly with Blackpearl Group’s trajectory as it moves beyond $11M in ARR and into its next stage of growth,” adds Lissette.

A billion-dollar vision

“AI and emerging technologies can disrupt markets overnight,” notes Kerner, adding that “Success lies in building resilience and that’s rooted in an ability to innovate on an ongoing basis.”

Blackpearl Group leverages a portfolio approach to product development within a rapidly evolving tech landscape, reflected in the development of Bebop, the company’s AI-powered sales intelligence tool, in a single quarter. Bebop is a game-changer for SMEs, offering powerful sales intelligence at a fraction of the cost of competitors like ZoomInfo, Kaspr and Apollo. The beta launch of Bebop follows the success of Pearl Diver, Blackpearl Group’s flagship prospect identification platform. Pearl Diver is a marketing intelligence platform which offers businesses a way of off-setting their reliance on traditional pay-to-play ad platforms.

“Under Nick’s progressive leadership, we have the potential to be a billion-dollar company. Importantly, we’re not building that success around a single product – we’re creating a portfolio of solutions that balance high-risk innovation with consistent, long-term performance,” she adds.

“Christie shares a belief that’s been fundamental to our success so far: it’s time to stop playing small. This appointment brings together ambition, strategy and the discipline to execute at scale and I’m excited to see its effects,” concludes Lissette.

About Blackpearl Group (NZX: BPG)

Blackpearl Group is a market-leading data technology company that pioneers AI-driven, sales and marketing solutions for the US market. 

Specifically engineered for small-medium-sized businesses (SMEs), Blackpearl Group consistently delivers exceptional value to its customers. Our mantra is simple: ‘Creating Motivating Opportunities.’ 

Blackpearl creates the opportunities that motivate action. We create high-impact products that pivot at speed to serve what businesses really need, kick-starting action – turning data into dollars. 

Founded in 2012, Blackpearl Group is based in Wellington, New Zealand, and Phoenix, Arizona. blackpearl.com 

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blackpearl-group-announces-us-based-coo-to-drive-aggressive-growth-strategy-302419103.html

SOURCE Blackpearl Group Limited

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Hong Kong ICT Awards 2025 opens for enrolment

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HONG KONG, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong ICT Awards (HKICTA) 2025 opens for enrolment on April 22. Entries of locally developed information and communications technology (ICT) products and solutions are invited to compete for the Grand Awards in the eight award categories and the top accolade of the competition – the Award of the Year. Enrolment is free of charge and the deadline is July 14, 2025.

The HKICTA 2025 is organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO) with each award category to be led by a local industry association or professional body. The award categories and respective leading organisers are listed below:

Award categories

Leading Organisers

Digital Entertainment Award

Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association

FinTech Award

Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia

ICT Startup Award

Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association

Smart Business Award

Hong Kong Computer Society

Smart Living Award

Hong Kong Information Technology Federation

Smart Mobility Award

GS1 Hong Kong

Smart People Award

The Hong Kong Council of Social Service

Student Innovation Award

Hong Kong Education City

 

A Grand Award will be granted in each category, and the Award of the Year will be selected by a Grand Judging Panel from the eight Grand Awardees.

In a bid to foster the innovative use of AI, the Best Use of AI award winner will be selected in each of the eight categories to magnify and honour outstanding achievements in harnessing the power of AI in respective areas.

Established in 2006, the HKICTA is an annual signature event of the local ICT industry which aims to recognise and promote outstanding ICT inventions and applications, thereby encouraging the pursuit of innovation and excellence among Hong Kong’s ICT professionals and enterprises to develop innovative applications meeting business and social needs, use innovation and technology (I&T) to bring benefits to the community, and foster Hong Kong’s I&T and smart city development. Through concerted efforts of the ICT sector, academia and the Government, the HKICTA has always been highly regarded by the information technology industry, and the winners may also be nominated to compete in other regional and international competitions on behalf of Hong Kong and be sponsored to participate in overseas I&T exhibitions. The award acts as an encouragement and recognition to the winners, and enables their access to both Mainland and overseas markets.

Details of the HKICTA are available on the thematic website (www.hkictawards.hk). Enquiries can be made to the DPO at 3974 5224 or by emailing hkictawards@digitalpolicy.gov.hk

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/hong-kong-ict-awards-2025-opens-for-enrolment-302435483.html

SOURCE Hong Kong ICT Awards 2025

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New Pearson research: The new AI talent strategy is redesigning roles

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Along with the importance of global reskilling, new Pearson Research shows age of AI calls for employers to focus on creative strategies to close talent gaps in their workforce

LONDON, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — New research from Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L), the world’s lifelong learning company, shows that, as roles in the technology industry are being reshaped by automation and AI, employers should consider a strategy of ‘role redesign’ to solve talent needs and maintain competitiveness.

For this latest Skills Outlook, Solving the Tech Talent Gap from Within, Pearson looked at how the tech workforce might evolve and be reshaped by emerging technology over the next five years. The study focused on five of the most common and high-value tech roles in the UK. The research found that these highly valued workers will save around a day a week by 2029 – just through augmenting and automating key tasks with technology.

The research notes business leaders need to think creatively and proactively about redesigning roles to more effectively use technology and to help their employees use this saved time for upskilling. This strategy helps employers better utilise current workers rather than replacing them with newly skilled ones – essentially solving talent needs from within their own workforce and providing job agility and security for these valued employees.

By examining how automation and new technologies are likely to impact tech roles, Pearson was able to identify that LLM chatbots (such as CoPilot or ChatGPT) and RPA for Internal Processes (software robotics) hold the greatest potential to save time. 

Oliver Latham, Regional Sales Lead for EMEA in Pearson’s Enterprise Learning and Skills Business Unit, said: ”In a world where Generative AI is rapidly transforming the world of work, tech leaders need to rethink and evolve skilling pathways, or risk being left with an underutilized, undervalued, and unprepared workforce. By adopting a role redesign approach now, businesses can bridge talent gaps, achieve stronger growth and create the capacity they need without relying solely on external hiring.” 

Looking at the impact on hours spent on tasks within the roles in a working week, Pearson found that between 5.2 hours and 7.8 hours could be saved in 5 years’ time through effective use of technology – about a day. This creates an opportunity to rethink how roles are structured and redefine what “core” tasks will remain with human employees.

Pearson’s tech impact modelling revealed the following results for the five jobs analysed in the UK:

Systems Software Developers

Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 5.2 hoursBiggest potential impact: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for Internal Processes (software robotics)Most automatable tasks: Correct errors in existing software; perform software system maintenanceRole evolution: Role should evolve to emphasise more creative, strategic elements of development, such as architectural design, security enhancements, and collaboration with cross-functional teams on high-level project goals.

Computer programmers

Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 6.7 hoursBiggest potential impact: Large Language Model (LLM) chatbotsMost automatable tasks: Rewrite programmes; write, update and maintain computer programmes and software packages; compile programme development documentationRole evolution: May be redefined to focus more on complex algorithm development, AI oversight, or system architecture, while automating routine coding work.

Computer system engineers / architects

Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 5.2 hoursBiggest potential impact: LLM chatbotsMost automatable tasks: Providing technical guidance for the development of systems and system troubleshooting; advice on design conceptsRole evolution: A shift in the role from hands-on troubleshooting to more strategic responsibilities, such as overseeing system integration, long-term infrastructure planning, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. The role could also evolve to focus on human-AI collaboration.

Computer system analysts 

Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 6.8 hoursBiggest potential impact: LLM chatbotsMost automatable tasks: Providing assistance to customers or users in solving computer or programme related malfunctionsRole evolution: May evolve to emphasise the strategic application of data insights, aligning technology solutions with broader business needs, and facilitating the implementation of more complex, large-scale system changes.

Computer network architects

Potential time saved per week by 2029, with effective use of technology: 7.8 hoursBiggest potential impact: RPA for Internal ProcessesMost automatable tasks: Maintain project reporting systems; performing file addition/backup/deletion activities on networksRole evolution – likely move toward higher-level responsibilities, including network design innovation, cyber resilience planning, and future-proofing infrastructure to accommodate the rapid evolution of cloud technologies, AI, and IoT.

Employers have a real opportunity to reallocate saved time to more strategic, innovative and high-value work. The research identifies what those tasks are for each of these key roles and how best to redirect and repurpose this added capacity to maintain their competitive edge.

Media contacts
Hannah Hawkins, hannah.hawkins@pearson.com

Methodology 

Five high-value tech roles were selected by finding the most common roles in the ICT job family which earn an above-average wage for ICT jobs.Our tech impact modelling was applied to these roles at a task level, modelling the future impact of 34 emerging technology types on each of 76,600 granular tasks. The tech impact shown is for a 5-year outlook from 2024, using projected adoption rates in the UK’s ICT industry.

About Pearson
At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realise the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That’s why our c. 18,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world’s lifelong learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn’t just what we do. It’s who we are. Visit us at pearsonplc.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/new-pearson-research-the-new-ai-talent-strategy-is-redesigning-roles-302435029.html

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ChangAn Automobile Embraces Innovation with “Together for a Smarter World” Theme at Auto Shanghai 2025

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SHANGHAI, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ChangAn Automobile (“ChangAn” or “the Company”), an intelligent low-carbon mobility technology company, officially unveiled its Together for a Smarter World theme at Auto Shanghai 2025. At the event, the spotlight was on the Company’s three major strategies, namely, its Mission of Shangri-La for new energy, Dubhe 2.0 Plan for intelligence, and its Vast Ocean Plan for global expansion, marking the beginning of a new chapter in advanced, green automobile technology.

As part of its ongoing transformation, ChangAn has made major technological strides through its three core strategies. As part of the Mission of Shangri-La, the Company developed the Golden Shield solid-state battery and a full range of new energy products, including the BlueCore 3.0 powertrain and the industry’s first PREV, combining PHEV and REEV technologies. The Dubhe 2.0 Plan has advanced intelligent systems such as the Intelligent TS Drive, Intelligent TY Cockpit, and Intelligent TH Chassis. The Vast Ocean Plan has expanded ChangAn’s global footprint, particularly in Europe.

With years of investment in R&D, ChangAn Automobile has built a strong foundation in new energy and intelligent mobility, driving the rollout of next-generation smart vehicles. At Auto Shanghai 2025, ChangAn unveiled three flagship digital intelligent models—CHANG-AN Q07, DEEPAL S09, and AVATR 06—a new generation of smart solutions from its three core brands that highlights the company’s leadership in advancing and popularizing smart mobility—each exemplifying the company’s leadership in digital-intelligent automotive development. In a global first, the company revealed a future mobility lineup that includes flying cars, humanoid robots, robot dogs, wheeled robots, and smart exoskeletons. These innovations offered a striking vision of tomorrow’s transportation landscape and ChangAn’s role in shaping it.

ChangAn also brought together over 500 domestic and international media outlets and more than 600 global partners to witness the digital-intelligent achievements of its three major brands at this year’s Auto Shanghai. Through immersive brand pavilion experiences, cutting-edge technology showcases, and a dedicated global media briefing, ChangAn delivered a compelling demonstration of its innovation capabilities—marking the start of a dynamic, tech-powered journey with global resonance.

“In 2017, ChangAn Automobile fully implemented its business venture, advancing three major strategies—the Mission of Shangri-La, Dubhe 2.0 Plan, and Vast Ocean Plan—to resolutely transform into an intelligent, low-carbon mobility technology company. “said Mr. Zhu Huarong, Chairman of ChangAn Automobile. Since then, ChangAn Automobile has consistently embraced innovation and pursued a high-end, intelligent, and green development path.

As the global industrial landscape evolves at an accelerating pace, ChangAn is committed to exploring new possibilities for future mobility in collaboration with the broader industry. The Company believes the power of science and technology will drive and illuminate this new era of human mobility.

About ChangAn Automobile
ChangAn is an intelligent low-carbon mobility technology company. Its product lineup includes passenger vehicles, pick-ups, and light commercial vehicles. Powered by innovation and industrial upgrading, the Company is committed to advancing sustainable mobility and becoming a global industry leader. In April 2025, ChangAn released its 2024 ESG Report—the 17th since 2008. The company has supported initiatives such as disaster relief in Southeast Asia, the Luban Workshop in Peru, and desertification control in Saudi Arabia. Its commitment to sustainability earned it a place on the “Top 100 ESG-listed Companies in China” for the first time.

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