BEIJING, Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The 2024 Beijing Forum on Swift Response to Public Complaints opened in the Chinese capital on Wednesday, where leading global academics and representatives share their insights and explore strategies for modernizing urban governance.

With the theme of “Modernizing for People-Centered Urban Governance,” the two-day event from Wednesday to Thursday has gathered more than 700 participants, including domestic and international guests, representatives from China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Macao SAR and the Taiwan region, scholars from universities and representatives of grassroots workers.

Beijing is a city with a profound history and rich cultural heritage, as well as a vibrant, modern international metropolis. Covering an area of over 16,000 square kilometers, it has a permanent population of 21.858 million.

In response to urban governance challenges, Beijing launched the swift response to public complaints reform in 2019, providing rapid responses and efficient handling of citizens’ concerns through the 12345 Citizen Service Hotline.

Over the past five years, the city has handled 150 million complaints from citizens, achieving a resolution rate of 96.5 percent and a satisfaction rate of 96.9 percent.

The attendees have been invited to visit the Beijing 12345 Citizen Hotline Service Center on the sideline of the forum, to gain firsthand insights into Beijing’s exploration and innovation in the governance of mega-cities.

Sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Media Group, Communist Party of China Beijing Municipal Committee and the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, the forum has a main forum and six parallel sessions.

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Agreement reached on acquisition of Sonoco’s TFP business as TOPPAN Group accelerates expansion of sustainable packaging business in Americas

TOKYO, Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — TOPPAN Holdings Inc. (TYO: 7911) (TOPPAN Holdings) has entered into an agreement with Sonoco Products Company (NYSE: SON) (Sonoco), a global leader in high-value sustainable packaging, to acquire Sonoco’s Thermoformed & Flexible Packaging (TFP) business for approximately $1.8 billion on a cash-free and debt-free basis and subject to customary adjustments.

This acquisition is highly complementary, combining the robust sales network, customer base, and solution development capabilities of Sonoco’s TFP business in North and South America with the technical expertise and manufacturing capabilities of TOPPAN Group’s global packaging business.

Sonoco’s TFP is a leading thermoformed and flexible packaging business serving a wide range of customers in food, retail, and medical verticals. TFP provides a variety of complex packaging to value-added categories including snacks, condiments, healthcare, prepared meals, fresh products, coffee, and pet food. On a pro forma standalone basis, TFP had revenue of approximately $1.3 billion in 2023.

“We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to bring Sonoco’s TFP business to the TOPPAN Group. In order to accelerate our strategy to become a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, we will employ the complementary strengths of both parties to drive growth, solve customers’ needs and create significant value for our shareholders,” said Hideharu Maro, Representative Director, President & CEO of TOPPAN Holdings. “This is an essential milestone in the TOPPAN Group’s global strategy to scale the sustainable packaging business.”

This transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the first half of 2025.

The TOPPAN Group’s Strategy

The TOPPAN Group aims to be a leading solution provider addressing global issues. Under the current medium-term-strategy, the TOPPAN Group has been transforming its portfolio, and one of its key strategies is to drive sustainable packaging solutions at global scale.

The vision of the TOPPAN Group’s packaging business is “Change the World through Packaging Innovation,” and its mission is to “Foster a society focused on well-being and sustainability, while safeguarding our planet for future generations, through the continuous development of innovative packaging solutions that explore cutting-edge materials and technologies.”

The TOPPAN Group has been driving innovation in the development of sustainable packaging solutions by establishing a global supply chain from film manufacturing to packaging manufacturing and optimizing cost to meet brand owners’ needs locally and globally.

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Advisors
Houlihan Lokey is acting as lead financial advisor and Morrison & Foerster LLP is acting as legal advisor to TOPPAN. Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd. is also acting as financial advisor to TOPPAN.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is acting as lead financial advisor and Freshfields LLP is acting as legal advisor to Sonoco. RBC Capital Markets, LLC is also acting as financial advisor to Sonoco.

About the TOPPAN Group

Established in Tokyo in 1900, the TOPPAN Group is a leading and diversified global provider committed to delivering sustainable, integrated solutions in fields including printing, communications, security, packaging, décor materials, electronics, and digital transformation. The TOPPAN Group’s global team of more than 50,000 employees offers optimal solutions enabled by industry-leading expertise and technologies to address the diverse challenges of every business sector and society and contribute to the achievement of shared sustainability goals.

https://www.holdings.toppan.com/en/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/toppan/

About Sonoco’s TFP

Sonoco’s TFP business has a strong customer base and manufacturing footprint in North America and South America with approximately 4,500 employees in 22 manufacturing plants, over 700 patents, and design capability across 10 countries.

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The global law firm Jones Day announces that the 37 lawyers listed below will be admitted to the Firm’s partnership effective January 1, 2025.

“This class of new partners once again reflects Jones Day’s ability to provide our valued clients the guidance and legal solutions for their most complex business challenges across the globe,” said Gregory M. Shumaker, Managing Partner of Jones Day.

The full announcement is also available on Jones Day’s website. The list follows:

1. Rebecca Wernicke Anthony, Business & Tort Litigation, Dallas                                
2. Matthew Barrett, Corporate, London                                                            
3. Joseph C. Barry, Financial Markets, Cleveland                                                                     
4. Irina K. Bleustein, Securities Litigation & SEC Enforcement, Washington    
5. Mathis Bredimus, Corporate, London                                    
6. Kelsey S. Bryan, Business & Tort Litigation, Los Angeles       
7. Emily W. Cai, Corporate, New York
8. Diana L. Calla, Business & Tort Litigation, San Francisco      
9. Andrew J. Clopton, Issues & Appeals, Detroit                                    
10. Arturo de la Parra, Financial Markets, Mexico City                          
11. Adrien Descoutures, Corporate, Paris
12. Preslava Dilkova, Government Regulation, Brussels
13. Amanda L. Dollinger, Financial Markets, New York
14. Anna A. Dwyer, Real Estate, Chicago
15. Justin P. Farra, Corporate, Columbus
16. Matthew J. Gherlein, Financial Markets, Cleveland
17. Fabio Maria Guidi, Financial Markets, Milan
18. Ryan Harmanis, Business & Tort Litigation, Columbus
19. Jared P. Hasson, Corporate, Cleveland                                  
20. Andrew D. Iammarino, Financial Markets, Cleveland
21. Kurt A. Johnson, Detroit, Issues & Appeals
22. Andrew J. Junker, Business & Tort Litigation, Dallas
23. Thomas S. Koglman, Intellectual Property, Cleveland
24. Laura E. Koman, Health Care & Life Sciences, Washington  
25. Marta Lahuerta Escolano, Government Regulation, Paris
26. Justin D. Martin, Labor & Employment, Miami
27. Alexander V. Maugeri, Government Regulation, New York
28. Justin W. McKithen, Financial Markets, Atlanta
29. Karl S. Moussalli, Global Disputes, London
30. Victoria Cuneo Powell, Business & Tort Litigation, Atlanta
31. Gabrielle E. Pritsker, Business & Tort Litigation, Washington
32. Kaitlinn P. Sliter, Corporate, Chicago 
33. Bijan Tavakoli, Government Regulation, Frankfurt
34. Jessica Tierney, Health Care & Life Sciences, Washington    
35. Collin L. Waring, Real Estate, Dallas 
36. Ann-Marie Woods, Labor & Employment, Chicago
37. Jason Z. Zhou, Business & Tort Litigation, Chicago    

Jones Day is a global law firm with more than 2,400 lawyers in 40 offices across five continents. The Firm is distinguished by: a singular tradition of client service; the mutual commitment to, and the seamless collaboration of, a true partnership; formidable legal talent across multiple disciplines and jurisdictions; and shared professional values that focus on client needs.

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