Fintech PR
EQT Acquires Leading SaaS Talent Solutions Provider PageUp to Accelerate Global Expansion and Product Innovation
- PageUp will leverage EQT’s expertise to accelerate international expansion and drive product innovation in talent management software.
- EQT’s investment builds on PageUp’s strong track record of expansion through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.
- The partnership reinforces EQT’s commitment to supporting high-growth software businesses in Asia Pacific and international markets.
STOCKHOLM, Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — EQT and PageUp Group today announced that EQT, a purpose-driven global investment organization, has acquired Australian-founded PageUp, a global leader in SaaS talent acquisition, recruitment marketing, and talent management solutions from existing majority owners, Battery Ventures.
The deal will enable PageUp to leverage EQT’s deep expertise in scaling high-growth global technology businesses to capture greater opportunities in the talent management software space, accelerate its international expansion, and enhance product innovation.
Founded in 1997, PageUp now delivers its cutting-edge talent acquisition and recruitment marketing software to top-tier corporates, universities, hospitals, and public-sector customers worldwide via offices in Australia, North America, and Europe. PageUp’s product suite powers the end-to-end talent management of global brands such as Flight Centre Travel Group, Ramsay Healthcare Australia, Bank of Ireland, Boston Medical Centre, and University of North Texas Systems.
EQT’s investment, through its BPEA Fund VIII (“EQT Private Capital Asia”), builds on PageUp’s operating momentum in achieving substantial organic and acquisition-led growth in recent years. This has included the acquisitions of Clinch in 2019 and eArcu and PathMotion in 2021. With EQT’s investment and strategic backing, PageUp will accelerate its expansion into priority international markets and deepen its offering in key sectors and verticals.
PageUp represents EQT’s latest investment in the Human Capital Management (“HCM”) software sector, which it views as an attractive and dynamic segment as HR professionals leverage technology to meet the challenges of attracting and retaining an evolving global workforce. PageUp adds to EQT’s global portfolio of investments in HCM software businesses across strategies, which includes Peakon, Unmind, Hume, Sana Labs, and HRBrain.
The investment further builds on EQT’s experience supporting market-leading Asia Pacific-based software businesses to capture global market opportunities. EQT will work with PageUp to construct a board of HR technology veterans from members of EQT’s industrial advisor network, pursue targeted inorganic growth opportunities in key markets worldwide, and accelerate the company’s AI product roadmap with help from EQT Digital.
Nicholas Macksey, Partner in the EQT Private Capital Asia advisory team, said: “PageUp’s impressive track record of innovation and growth makes it a standout leader in the talent management space. We are excited to partner with PageUp at this defining moment for the company. We look forward to leveraging EQT’s global reach and sector expertise to accelerate PageUp’s international expansion and amplify its product innovation, particularly in dynamic, high-growth markets. As the human capital management landscape rapidly evolves, we are committed to helping PageUp unlock new opportunities for its clients worldwide. This investment reinforces EQT’s strength in supporting software businesses that align with our core investment themes, allowing us to apply our deep expertise to foster innovation and drive impact in key industries.”
Following the successful completion of the transaction, Mark Rice has announced his intention to retire as CEO of PageUp. Over 13 years (initially as COO/CFO and as CEO for the last six years), Mark has led the Group’s dynamic and profitable growth and driven its international expansion both organically and through several successful acquisitions.
Commenting on the successful acquisition and his decision to retire as CEO, PageUp Group’s outgoing CEO Mark Rice said: “EQT’s investment is a ringing endorsement of our business and the significant opportunities for market and product expansion ahead. After 13 years leading the business, and with EQT’s investment now secured, I have decided that now is the right time for me to retire as CEO, safe in the knowledge the company I have helped build is in safe hands. I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished at PageUp as a team and this decision was made easier knowing the business is well-positioned with supportive partners for its next phase of growth.”
Mark will oversee a transition period with incoming CEO Eric Lochner. Eric has over 25 years of leadership experience scaling SaaS companies globally, most notably HR Tech companies Kenexa, Achievers, and Careerbuilder.com. Eric Lochner said: “Under Mark’s stewardship, PageUp has gone from strength to strength. I am delighted to have accepted the opportunity to step into the CEO role and look forward to working with our new partners in transforming our clients’ hiring experiences and empowering individuals to find opportunities where they are happy, engaged, and fulfilled. With EQT’s expertise and support, we’ll accelerate our strategy with increased focus on customer experience and innovation, including the continued integration of responsible AI to rapidly evolve our platform and enhance the automation of talent management.”
William Blair acted as the exclusive financial advisor to PageUp Group on this transaction. Barclays and Barrenjoey acted as the exclusive financial advisor to EQT on this transaction.
With this transaction, BPEA Private Equity Fund VIII is expected to be 80-90 percent invested (including closed and/or signed investments, announced public offers, if applicable, and less any expected syndication) based on target fund size and subject to customary regulatory approvals.
The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security and may not be used or relied upon in connection with any offer or solicitation. Any offer or solicitation in respect of BPEA Private Equity Fund VIII will be made only through a confidential private placement memorandum and related documents which will be furnished to qualified investors on a confidential basis in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The information contained herein is not for publication or distribution to persons in the United States of America. Any securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold without registration thereunder or pursuant to an available exemption therefrom. Any offering of securities to be made in the United States would have to be made by means of an offering document that would be obtainable from the issuer or its agents and would contain detailed information about the issuer of the securities and its management, as well as financial information. The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration.
Contact
EQT Press Office, [email protected]
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Fintech PR
WSPN Appoints Former EY Global Chief Innovation Officer Jeff Wong as Independent Director
SINGAPORE, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Worldwide Stablecoin Payment Network (WSPN), a leading stablecoin infrastructure company, announces the appointment of Jeff Wong as Independent Director. Mr. Wong brings over 25 years of experience in technology innovation and enterprise transformation to WSPN. He most recently served as EY’s Global Chief Innovation Officer from 2015 to 2024, where he spearheaded the firm’s global innovation initiatives and established EY’s advanced technology labs focusing on Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and Web3.
Prior to EY, Mr. Wong held leadership roles at eBay and JPMorgan Partners. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Forbes Technology Council, and the founding Chair of Asia Society’s Technology and Innovation Council, helping drive the innovation and transformation agenda. He was also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Innovation Ecosystems. He has previously served on the Oxford Foundry Board at Oxford University and the Advisory Board for AI4All. Mr. Wong is a recipient of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business award and an honoree of the A100 List by Gold House, recognizing individuals with Asian Pacific heritage who have made a significant impact on American culture and society.
“Joining WSPN at this pivotal moment in the stablecoin industry is incredibly exciting,” said Mr. Wong. “I look forward to contributing my experience in emerging technologies and enterprise transformation to help WSPN build the next generation of digital payment infrastructure.”
“Jeff’s appointment represents a significant strategic addition to WSPN,” said Raymond Yuan, Founder and CEO of WSPN. “His deep expertise in innovation management, enterprise transformation, and emerging technologies, combined with his leadership experience at global institutions, will be invaluable as we accelerate our market expansion and global development.”
About WSPN
WSPN is a leading provider of next-generation stablecoin infrastructure, committed to building a more secure, efficient, and transparent payment solution for the global economy. Their flagship product, WUSD stablecoin, is pegged 1:1 to the U.S. Dollar and aims to optimize secure digital payments for Web3 users. WSPN’s Stablecoin 2.0 approach prioritizes user-centricity, community governance, and accessibility, paving the way for widespread stablecoin adoption.
Learn more: www.wspn.io | X | LinkedIn
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Refining Capacity of the Base Surpasses 50 Million Tons per Year
NINGBO, China, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation‘s (HKG: 0386, “Sinopec”) recently announced the mechanical completion of the second-phase expansion and advanced materials project at its Zhenhai Refinery. This milestone sets new benchmarks for innovation, smart manufacturing, and energy efficiency in large-scale projects. The refinery’s capacity has now been upgraded to 40 million tons per year, contributing to the Zhejiang Ningbo Petrochemical Industrial Base surpassing a total refining capacity of 50 million tons annually. The achievement solidifies its position as China’s largest, most advanced, and globally competitive petrochemical industrial base.
Located in the Yangtze River Delta, a key downstream product consumption hub, the Zhejiang Ningbo Petrochemical Industrial Base plays a vital role in Sinopec’s value chain. The second-phase expansion and advanced materials project, with a total investment of CNY 41.6 billion, incorporates 18 production units, including atmospheric distillation, catalytic cracking, polypropylene, and propane dehydrogenation units. By emphasizing chemical-focused processes, the project creates multiple high-value-added supply chains.
The facility’s expanded production capacity supports the development of high-end polyolefins, advanced materials, and specialty chemicals. It is expected to provide approximately 8 million tons of petrochemical products annually, significantly boosting the overall capacity of supply chains for industries such as automotive, home appliances, and textiles in the region. This expansion is forecast to generate trillions of yuan in upstream and downstream industrial value.
The project achieved remarkable progress in technological innovation and sustainability. Highlights include:
- Localization of 10 core technologies, including the world’s highest-load vertical labyrinth compressor.
- Extensive deployment of smart technologies, enabling simultaneous delivery of digital and physical factories.
- Integration of a fully localized industrial operating system and a self-developed industrial internet platform to enhance decision-making and management.
- Implementation of comprehensive energy-saving measures, achieving an overall reduction in energy consumption of 11.7%.
- Safety and quality were paramount during construction, with over 90 million consecutive safe man-hours recorded and a 100% quality pass rate for all units, setting a new industry benchmark.
Zhenhai Refinery, Sinopec’s largest integrated refining and chemical enterprise, boasts an ethylene production capacity of 2.2 million tons per year. It is also the only enterprise in China consistently ranked in the top performance group of the Solomon Global Ethylene Performance Evaluation.
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sinopec-completes-construction-of-chinas-largest-petrochemical-industrial-base-302339157.html
Fintech PR
2025 Will See Increased QR Code Payments but Payment Card IC ASPs Will Not Return to Pre-Covid Levels
ABI Research’s 5th annual Trend Report identifies the key Digital Payment Technologies trend that will come to fruition —and the 1 that won’t—in 2025
NEW YORK, Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — As 2025 kicks off, predictions abound on the technology innovations expected in the year ahead. In its new whitepaper, 101 Technology Trends That Will—and Won’t—Shape 2025, analysts from global technology intelligence firm ABI Research. ABI Research analysts identify 54 trends that will shape the technology market and 47 others that, although attracting vast amounts of speculation and commentary, are less likely to move the needle over the next twelve months. In the Digital Payment Technologies space, 2025 will see increased QR code payment acceptance but little growth for payment card IC ASPs.
“2024 has been marked by challenges, from global conflicts and inflationary pressures to political uncertainty. These factors have strained enterprise and consumer spending, leading to market inertia, short-term technology investments, sidelined capital, and the exposure of vulnerable suppliers,” says Stuart Carlaw, Chief Research Officer at ABI Research. “From a technology perspective, many industries and end markets are in that awkward stage of technology adoption where they are formulating implementation strategies, assessing solutions and partners, and trying to see if they have the resources needed to roll out solutions at scale. This is a particularly sensitive time, which tends to suggest 2025 will have tech implementers and end users on the brink of a period of a massive technology shift as they work through these issues.”
What Will Happen in 2025:
QR code payment acceptance will continue to increase with use cases expanding
Although QR code payment acceptance is prevalent in countries such as China and growing in emerging digital payment markets, including in India, use cases and potential growth areas are not limited to these countries. Significant and continued investments by vendors, including PayPal, Stripe, and SumUp, are setting the foundation for increased adoption in other mature and established economies with use cases expanding. Although QR codes are already being used by many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and pop-up retail businesses, 2025 will mark the year when the technology begins to shift from one niche to partial mainstream.
What Won’t Happen in 2025:
Payment card IC ASPs will not return to pre-COVID-19 levels
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, chipset pricing has been on a continual rise, driven by increased pricing in myriad manufacturing areas, including energy, raw material, transit pricing, and inflation, driving up wages. The chip shortage further compounded this, and according to ABI Research, the Average Selling Price (ASP) for a payment card Integrated Circuit (IC) increased by approximately +30% between 2020 and 2023. However, despite pricing pressures returning, the cost of payment ICs is some years away from matching pre-COVID-19 levels. Although 2025 will mark another year of pricing deprecation, it will not be until around 2028 when pricing is expected to drop to levels similar to those achieved in 2019 steadily.
For more trends that will and won’t happen in 2025, download the whitepaper, 101 Technology Trends That Will—and Won’t—Shape 2025.
About ABI Research
ABI Research is a global technology intelligence firm uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology solution providers and end-market companies. We serve as the bridge that seamlessly connects these two segments by providing exclusive research and expert guidance to drive successful technology implementations and deliver strategies proven to attract and retain customers.
ABI Research是一家全球性的技术情报公司，拥有得天独厚的优势，充当终端市场公司和技术解决方案提供商之间的桥梁，通过提供独家研究和专业性指导，推动成功的技术实施和提供经证明可吸引和留住客户的战略，无缝连接这两大主体。
For more information about ABI Research’s services, contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific, or visit www.abiresearch.com.
Contact Info:
Global
Deborah Petrara
Tel: +1.516.624.2558
[email protected]
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/2025-will-see-increased-qr-code-payments-but-payment-card-ic-asps-will-not-return-to-pre-covid-levels-302338531.html
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