The Licensing Executives Society International presents a Gold Medal to Ocean Tomo Co-founder James E. Malackowski.

SINGAPORE and JERICHO, N.Y., April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — J.S. Held announces that the Licensing Executives Society International (LES) has recognized intellectual property expert James E. Malackowski with its highest honor in the business of intellectual property – the LES Gold Medal. Mr. Malackowski was presented with the LES Gold Medal for his exceptional contribution to LESI and the licensing profession during the 2025 LES International Annual Conference in Singapore. He is only the 31st recipient of the LES Gold Medal, first awarded in 1971.

Notably, Mr. Malackowski joins only six others who have received the LES Gold Medal and inclusion in the IP Hall of Fame, a combination generally regarded as the ultimate recognition in the IP services industry. Mr. Malackowski was inducted as the 87th member of the IP Hall of Fame in 2022. 

Others who have been similarly recognized with both such awards are Dudley B. Smith who was instrumental in forming the Licensing Executives Society; Heinz Goddar who is widely regarded as a global IP luminary dedicating his career to advancing the understanding of IP across academia, research, governmental, and commercial enterprises; Thierry Sueur who helped shape IP policy in his role at the International Chamber of Commerce as well as his work as chairman of the IP Committee of the French business federation MEDEF and vice chairman of the board of the French Patent Office; Francis Gurry as the former Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); Randall R. Rader as former Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; and, Hon. Pauline Newman who was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in 1984. 

Mr. Malackowski’s latest award follows annual recognition since 2007 by leading industry publications. He has been included as one of the ‘World’s Leading IP Strategists’; listed among “50 Under 45” by IP Law & Business™; included in the National Law Journal’s inaugural list of 50 Intellectual Property Trailblazers & Pioneers; named as one of “The Most Influential People in IP” by Managing Intellectual Property™; selected as 1 of 50 individuals, companies, and institutions that framed the first 50 issues of IAM Magazine; and noted as 1 of 60 leading global Economics Expert Witnesses by the same publication. In 2011, Mr. Malackowski was selected by the World Economic Forum as one of less than twenty members of the Network of Global Agenda Councils to focus on questions of IP policy. In 2013, he was inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame by the Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Business Administration.

Mr. Malackowski is widely known for his work to develop a more efficient and transparent market for IP rights, including oversight for the Ocean Tomo 300® Patent Index, the first large-scale public auction for patents, the framework for the Intellectual Property Exchange International, and the current online market for patent sales—OceanTomoBidAsk.com. Mr. Malackowski has led the publication of the Ocean Tomo Intangible Asset Market Value® study for more than twenty years documenting the transition of global markets from tangible assets to intangible assets driven. Malackowski’s firm continues to update this study, which has been downloaded and cited by third parties on more than 150,000 occasions.

Mr. Malackowski has focused his not-for-profit efforts with organizations leveraging science and innovation to benefit children and students, including those in less developed countries. He served for more than twenty years as a Trustee or Director of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Inc., an organization providing summer enrichment programs for more than 100,000 students annually. For more than ten years, Mr. Malackowski served as a Director of Chicago’s Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, advancing the organization’s agenda to measure and report the impact of its pediatric research.

Mr. Malackowski is a frequent speaker on emerging technology markets and related financial measures. He has addressed mass media audiences, including Bloomberg Morning Call, Bloomberg Evening Market Pulse, Bloomberg Final Word, CNBC Closing Bell, CNBC On the Money, CNBC Street Signs, CNBC World Wide Exchange, CBS News Radio, and Fox Business National Television, as well as other recognized news-based internet video channels.

As an inventor, Mr. Malackowski has twenty issued U.S. patents. He is a frequent instructor for graduate studies on IP management and markets and a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Notre Dame, majoring in accountancy and philosophy. He is a Certified Licensing Professional and a Registered Certified Public Accountant in the State of Illinois.

About Ocean Tomo

Advertisement

Ocean Tomo provides Expert Opinion, Management Consulting, Advisory, and Specialty Technical Services focused on matters involving intellectual property (IP) and other intangible assets. Practice offerings address economic damage calculations and testimony; business licensing strategy and contract interpretation; patent-focused business intelligence; portfolio development strategy; litigation support; trade secret reasonable measures; asset and business valuation; strategy and risk management consulting; merger and acquisition advisory; debt and equity private placement; and IP brokerage.

About J.S. Held

J.S. Held is a global consulting firm that combines technical, scientific, financial, and strategic expertise to advise clients seeking to realize value and mitigate risk. Our professionals serve as trusted advisors to organizations facing high stakes matters demanding urgent attention, staunch integrity, proven experience, clear-cut analysis, and an understanding of both tangible and intangible assets. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services, products, and data that enable clients to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations.

More than 1,500 professionals serve organizations across six continents, including 84% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 75% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies (90% of the NAIC top 50 Property & Casualty Insurers), and 71% of the Fortune 100 Companies.

Verdantix, in their Green Quadrant: Enterprise Risk Management Consulting Services (2025) report, benchmarks 15 of the most prominent enterprise risk management (ERM) advisors, identifying global consulting firm J.S. Held among the leading companies based on capabilities and momentum.

J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not certified public accounting firm(s) and do not provide audit, attest, or any other public accounting services. J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not law firms and do not provide legal advice. Securities offered through PM Securities, LLC, d/b/a Phoenix IB, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/ SIPC, or Ocean Tomo Investment Group, LLC, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/ SIPC. All rights reserved.

Kristi L. Stathis | Global Public Relations | +1 786 833 4864 | Kristi.Stathis@jsheld.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2674387/Malackowski_Gold_Medal_2025.jpg
Logo –  https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824221/5289263/JS_Held_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/james-e-malackowski-recognized-with-the-highest-honor-in-intellectual-property-licensing-302439258.html

HANGZHOU, China, April 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hikvision has announced its full-year financial results for 2024 and first-quarter results for 2025. In 2024, the company reported total revenue of RMB 92.496 billion, marking a 3.53% year‑over‑year (YoY) growth. In the first quarter of 2025, the company reported revenue of RMB 18.532 billion, up 4.01% YoY. Net profit attributable to shareholders reached RMB 2.039 billion, reflecting a 6.41% YoY increase.

Over the past two decades, Hikvision has established itself as a global security leader, developing a robust AIoT ecosystem encompassing over 30,000 products. Today, the company remains committed to steady and solid progress, navigating uncertainties with a positive and prudent approach. It maintained its leading position in the domestic security market while seeking growth from overseas markets and innovative businesses. With profitability as a central focus, the company is driving organizational transformation and refining management practices to support long-term, sustainable growth. Notably, Hikvision is at the forefront of leveraging breakthroughs in large-scale AI model technologies to accelerate scenario-based digitalization across diverse industries.

Throughout the past year, the company strengthened its overseas presence, with main business revenue from international markets rising to RMB 25.989 billion, accounting for 28.10% of total revenue and reflecting an 8.39% YoY growth. Hikvision’s overseas revenue spans over 180 countries and regions, with developing markets contributing more than 70% of that total. The steady increase of overseas business revenue has emerged as an important driver of the company’s overall profit growth. Meanwhile, Hikvision’s innovation businesses continued to grow rapidly, with revenue reaching RMB 22.484 billion.

In 2024, Hikvision continued to prioritize research and development, investing RMB 11.864 billion in R&D, accounting for 12.83% of its total revenue. Over the years, the company has built a multi-level R&D system with the headquarters’ R&D capabilities at the core, radiating to key regions both domestically and internationally.

In its latest developments, Hikvision is actively advancing AIoT technologies, with its Guanlan Large-Scale AI Models integrating vision, language, and multimodal capabilities, among others. These innovations have significantly enhanced both perception and cognition abilities of Hikvision’s products and solutions. For instance, in perimeter protection, the large vision model can achieve a 90% reduction in false alarms.

Looking ahead, Hikvision is committed to a strategy of high-quality growth, with a stronger focus on driving innovation, enhancing efficiency and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Click here for more information.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2674132/Hikvision_releases_2024_full_year_2025_first_quarter_financial_results.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hikvision-releases-2024-full-year-and-2025-first-quarter-financial-results-302439140.html

• $135M Capital Raise, Comprised of Private Placement and In-Kind Contributions, Aims at Increasing iMENA’s Shareholding in Existing Businesses
• Company completes restructuring into a Saudi company, iMENA Holding
• Transformation part of evolution into regional digital powerhouse.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — iMENA Group (“iMENA”), a regional leader in digital platforms in the MENA region, has raised $135 million from Sanabil Investments, a wholly owned company by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), FJ Labs, a global venture capital firm known for backing category-leading marketplace and network-effect platforms, and Saygin Yalcin, the founder and CEO of SellAnyCar, and a number of other leading Saudi investors.

The capital raise is compromised of a private placement and in-kind contributions and is the first tranche of a pre-IPO funding round. The new funding round will be used to increase iMENA’s shareholding in its three high-performing businesses: OpenSooq, SellAnyCar, and Jeeny; to drive vertical and geographic expansion; and to improve synergies across its platforms.

iMENA confirmed that it has now restructured into a Saudi Closed Joint Stock Company (CJSC) under the name of iMENA Holding. This transformation marks a major milestone in the company’s evolution into a regional digital powerhouse, ahead of a potential public listing. Furthermore Saygin Yalcin will also join iMENA’s Board of Directors and management committee to help drive strategic direction for the company.

Nasir Alsharif, Chairman of iMENA Holding said: “This transaction marks an important inflection point for iMENA in its journey to IPO-readiness by taking advantage of the great opportunities provided by the Kingdom’s Vision (2030) and in cooperation with the largest investment entities. We are shaping the future of the region’s digital economy as a platform of internet marketplaces driving innovation at pace and at scale. The high growth and profitability of our businesses, in sectors and markets within which we have high conviction, provides material value creation opportunities and an exciting pathway for us to accelerate forward.“ 

A spokesperson at Sanabil Investments added: “We are excited to invest in iMENA Holding, a digital platform with proven scalability and profitability. Leveraging our own experience in internet marketplaces, we understand their unique strategy and are committed to bringing our expertise to support their growth and future IPO aspirations on the Saudi Exchange.“

Acting as financial advisor to iMENA Holding on the private placement, Hossam AlBasrawi, CEO of Al Rajhi Capital commented “Al Rajhi Capital is proud to support iMENA’s transformation and potential IPO journey. The group’s integrated model and strategic vision make it a standout in the region’s digital landscape“.

Closing of the capital raise remains subject to standard closing conditions and the approval of the authorities in Saudi Arabia.

iMENA Holding’s new Board of Directors will comprise the following regional leaders and sector veterans:

• Nasir Alsharif, Chairman of iMENA, Board Member at AWJ Holding Company and Executive Chairman of Sackville Capital
• Khaldoon Tabaza, Co-founder & Managing Director of iMENA
• Adey Salamin, Co-founder of iMENA and CEO of OpenSooq
• Saygin Yalcin, Founder & CEO of SellAnyCar
• Mazin AlDawood, CEO of Osool & Bakheet Investment
• Usman Sikandar, Head of Investment Banking at Al Rajhi Capital
• Marco Somalvico, Vice President M&A of E&

Sanabil Investments will also appoint a member to the Board of Directors of iMENA Holding in due course.

iMENA’s businesses, OpenSooq, SellAnyCar, and Jeeny, are regional leaders in horizontal and vertical marketplaces across the largest sectors in the region, including real estate, automotive, and mobility, with operations in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, and the broader Middle East region. iMENA’s businesses are profitable and growing rapidly, with an average annual growth rate exceeding 55%. Almost 40% of the aggregate revenues of iMENA’s businesses come from Saudi Arabia, with another 40% from the UAE, making them iMENA’s two core strategic markets. iMENA’s businesses aim to serve as a compelling proxy for the digital economy in the Middle East and North Africa region, giving investors direct exposure to the region’s fastest-growing online sectors.

About iMENA Holding:

iMENA was founded in 2012, and has evolved into a regional internet champion, building and scaling high-growth internet businesses across the Middle East and North Africa region. The company was co-founded by Nasir Alsharif, Khaldoon Tabaza, and Adey Salamin,  joined as part of this restructuring by Saygin Yalcin, plan to leverage their expertise in technology and investment to continue building and operating digital marketplaces. Over the years, iMENA has launched, acquired, scaled, and successfully exited from a number of successful regional platforms, thereby becoming a strategic consolidator in the digital economy.

Advertisement

• Nasir Alsharif, iMENA’s Chairman, is an experienced investor and builder of investment businesses across venture capital, technology and broader private markets, with current roles including Board Member at AWJ Holding Company and Executive Chairman of Sackville Capital.
• Khaldoon Tabaza, Managing Director of iMENA Holding and Chairman of Opensooq, is a pioneer in the region’s technology and venture capital ecosystem with more than 30 years of experience in building and investing in digital ventures across MENA, including founding the first venture-backed online business in the MENA region more than 25 years ago.
• Adey Salamin is a marketplace expert and the CEO of OpenSooq, known for scaling the platform into one of the region’s most visited websites and mobile applications. Adey has over 20 years of experience as a founder, operator, investor, and advisor of growth businesses.
• Saygin Yalcin is a serial entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of SellAnyCar, one of the most prominent digital automotive brands in the Middle East. Previously, he was Founder and CEO of Sukar.com and Vice President of Souq.com following a merger forming the Middle East’s largest E-commerce group that was later acquired by Amazon.

For more information on OpenSooq, please visit: www.opensooq.com

For more information on SellAnyCar, please visit: www.sellanycar.com

For more information on Jeeny, please visit: www.jeeny.me

Contact:

• info@imena.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2673526/iMENA_Holding_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/imena-restructures-as-saudi-cjsc-and-announces-first-tranche-of-pre-ipo-capital-increase-302438930.html