Fintech PR
J.F. Lehman & Company Announces Promotions and Team Additions

NEW YORK, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — J.F. Lehman & Company (“JFLCO”), a leading middle-market private investment firm focused exclusively on the aerospace, defense, maritime, government and environmental sectors, is pleased to announce several promotions and team additions.
Promotions include Karina Perelmuter to Managing Director, Megan E. Kanefsky to Director, Bridget A. Harding to Vice President and Bailee D. Glass to Associate. “Our latest promotions highlight the exceptional contributions by these individuals as well as our established track record cultivating career progression,” said Louis N. Mintz, Partner. “Their dedication and impact across our own organization and our portfolio companies illustrates our commitment to excellence and fostering sustained success.”
The firm also recently welcomed several new investment professionals including Sandra Wong, Jack R. Chandler, Yosef W. Medhin, Jack R. Smith and Emily O. Strambi. JFLCO’s functional capabilities were augmented with the addition of Isabel R. Grabel and Jessica S. Godt in Investor Relations, Miguel Zhindon in Technology and Grace Xu in Finance & Accounting.
“We continue to attract outstanding new talent following the successful closing of our latest buyout fund,” said Glenn M. Shor, Partner. “These new team members further enhance the firm’s capacity and capabilities.”
Recent Promotions
Karina Perelmuter, Managing Director, Marketing & Investor Relations. Prior to joining the firm in 2019, Ms. Perelmuter served as a Vice President in Lazard’s Private Capital Advisory practice, a member of the Investor Relations team at Tiger Global and a Fund Accountant at Mount Kellett. She began her career in Assurance at Ernst & Young. Ms. Perelmuter graduated magna cum laude from American University, where she earned a B.S. in finance and accounting.
Megan E. Kanefsky, Director, Human Capital. Prior to joining the firm in 2021, Ms. Kanefsky spent 15 years in the Human Resources Group at Blackstone, where she focused on recruiting, benefits administration, performance evaluation and organizational development. Ms. Kanefsky earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of Maryland and an M.A. in industrial and organizational psychology from Baruch College.
Bridget A. Harding, Vice President. Prior to joining the firm in 2020, Ms. Harding began her career as an Investment Banking Analyst in Goldman Sachs’ Global Industrials Group. Ms. Harding graduated summa cum laude from Lehigh University, where she earned a B.S. in accounting and finance.
Bailee D. Glass, Associate. Prior to joining the firm in 2022, Ms. Glass began her career as an Alternative Investments Research Analyst in BlackRock’s hedge fund solutions group. Ms. Glass graduated from the University of Chicago, where she earned a B.A. in economics.
Investment Team Additions
Sandra Wong, Vice President, Credit. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Wong served as Vice President on the U.S. Investment Team at Strategic Value Partners, where she focused on distressed and special situations opportunities. She began her career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse, where she later transitioned to the Private Equity Group. Ms. Wong earned a B.A. in business economics as well as a minor in accounting from UCLA and an M.B.A from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Jack R. Chandler, Associate. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Chandler began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Grace Matthews. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a B.B.A. in finance and applied computational mathematics and statistics.
Yosef W. Medhin, Associate. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Medhin was an Investment Banking Analyst in Citi’s Industrials Group and began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Deutsche Bank. He graduated from Washington and Lee University, where he earned a B.S. in business administration.
Jack R. Smith, Associate. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Smith began his career at Morgan Stanley in the Private Equity Solutions group. He graduated summa cum laude from Drexel University, where he earned a B.S. in finance.
Emily O. Strambi, Analyst. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Strambi began her career as an Equity Trading Analyst at the Royal Bank of Canada, where she covered the healthcare and consumer sectors. She graduated magna cum laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a B.S. in economics with concentrations in finance and business analytics as well as a minor in legal studies and history.
Other Team Additions
Isabel R. Grabel, Marketing & Investor Relations. Prior to joining the firm as a Senior Associate, Ms. Grabel was a Senior Associate at Harvest Partners, where she focused on private equity investments in industrials, healthcare, business services and consumer products. She began her career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Jefferies. Ms. Grabel graduated from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, where she earned a B.B.A. with a concentration in finance and financial management services.
Jessica S. Godt, Marketing & Investor Relations. Ms. Godt joined JFLCO in 2024 to support and consult on the firm’s marketing and fundraising efforts across private equity and credit strategies. Previously, Ms. Godt served as Vice President of Investor Relations at Warwick Investment Group and began her career in Lazard’s Private Capital Advisory practice. She earned a B.S. in commerce with concentrations in finance and management and a minor in business analytics from the University of Virginia.
Miguel Zhindon, Enterprise Technology. Prior to joining the firm as a Vice President, Mr. Zhindon served as a Senior Technology Consultant at iCorps Technologies, tailoring IT strategies, training and technical support for JFLCO and other clients. Previously, Mr. Zhindon held various roles in network administration and telecommunications. He began his career in the United States Marine Corps and graduated from Pace University, where he earned an M.S. in information systems and assurance.
Grace Xu, Finance & Accounting. Prior to joining the firm as an Assistant Controller, Ms. Xu served as a Business Unit Controller at Millennium Management. Previously, Ms. Xu worked as a Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the financial services group. Ms. Xu earned a B.S. in accounting from Pennsylvania State University. Ms. Xu is a Certified Public Accountant.
About J.F. Lehman & Company, Inc.
Founded in 1992, J.F. Lehman & Company focuses exclusively on investing in the aerospace, defense, maritime, government and environmental industries. The firm has offices in New York and Washington, D.C.
http://www.jflpartners.com
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Fintech PR
CGTN: China’s booming ice and snow industry fuels its economic growth

BEIJING, Feb. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Harbin, capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, exemplifies the country’s thriving ice and snow economy.
During the eight-day 2025 Spring Festival holiday from January 28 to February 4, the city has seen booming snow tourism. As an ice-themed park known for its dazzling ice sculptures, Harbin Ice-Snow World attracted over 610,000 visits. In particular, more than 100,000 visits were made on February 1, setting a new record for single-day attendance.
The increasing popularity of the park is partly attributed to the city’s upcoming role as the host of the 9th Asian Winter Games, which will be held from February 7 to 14, marking China’s second major winter sports event following the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games and host a welcome banquet for foreign leaders in attendance.
Ice and snow economy enters ‘fast lane’
Xi has paid close attention to the development of China’s ice and snow sports and industries, urging efforts to consider ice and snow economy as a new growth point to promote the development of the whole industrial chain involving winter sports and culture, snow-and-ice equipment and tourism.
In recent years, as winter sports and tourism surged in popularity across China, the ice and snow economy has witnessed significant growth.
According to the General Administration of Sport of China, the number of people participating in various ice and snow sports such as skating, skiing, curling and ice hockey nationwide reached 57.35 million in the 2023-2024 snow season. Over 385 million winter leisure visits nationwide were recorded, marking a 38 percent increase from the previous year.
During the last snow season, Harbin alone welcomed over 87 million visitors, marking a 300 percent year-on-year increase and generating 124.8 billion yuan (about $17.4 billion) in tourism revenue – a staggering 500 percent growth.
Meanwhile, the ice and snow consumption is becoming an important growth point to expand domestic demand, transforming the “cold” resources into “hot” engine for economic development.
According to online shopping and tourism platforms, orders for ice and snow equipment surged, while searches and bookings for ice and snow tours saw rapid growth during the “Double 11” shopping festival last year.
On China’s leading e-commerce platform, Tmall, sales of categories such as down jackets, thermal wear and skiing equipment surged by over 200 percent year on year during the “Double 11” shopping festival.
Broad prospects
To harness its abundant ice and snow resources for economic development, China is intensifying efforts to expand its winter economy, encompassing sports, culture, equipment, and tourism.
According to the guidelines issued by the General Office of the State Council, the country aims to promote its ice and snow economy as a new growth point, with the goal of reaching an economic scale of 1.2 trillion yuan (about $169 billion) by 2027, and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030.
To achieve these goals, various cities and regions are integrating winter sports and tourism into their development plans.
The Heilongjiang Province is promoting the establishment of a China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization winter sports demonstration zone, expediting the development of ice-and-snow equipment and digital industry parks.
In Beijing, the city has launched an action plan, proposing 24 specific measures in areas such as expanding the ice and snow sports and consumption, and advancing the construction of ice and snow venue facilities.
The vigorous growth of the ice and snow economy has also drawn global attention. A slew of measures, including optimizing the visa-free policy and opening new international flight routes, have attracted a number of foreign tourists to start their “China Travel” and enjoy the winter season in the country.
China’s thriving ice and snow economy has also injected new momentum into the global tourism market, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday, extending a warm invitation to friends from around the world to participate in ice and snow events, fostering friendship and cooperation.
For more information, please click:
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-02-06/China-s-booming-ice-and-snow-industry-fuels-its-economic-growth–1ALQPnOkxO0/p.html
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Fintech PR
SM Investments Recognized for Landmark Capital Market Deal

PASAY CITY, Philippines, Feb. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SM Investments Corporation (SM Investments), the parent company of the SM Group, has been awarded the “Philippine Capital Market Deal of the Year” by International Financing Review Asia (IFR Asia) for its successful issuance of a USD500 million five-year bond in 2024. This recognition underscores SM Investments’ leadership in the capital markets and the strong confidence of global investors in the company’s financial strength.
IFR Asia cited SM Investments’ return to the US dollar bond market after a decade-long absence as a significant development for the Philippine corporate sector. The transaction, which was the largest five-year deal by a Philippine corporate in 2024, reopened the market amid volatile conditions and achieved competitive pricing at 35 basis points.
“This landmark transaction represents a major milestone for both SM Investments and the Philippine capital markets. The strong demand from investors reflects confidence in Philippine corporate issuers and underscores SM’s reputation as a stable and well-managed investment option,” said Erwin G. Pato, Executive Vice President for Treasury, Finance, and Planning at SM Investments Corporation.
IFR Asia noted that SM Investments’ bond issuance attracted significant investor interest, given the relative scarcity of corporate issuances from the Philippines in recent years. The transaction also marked SM Investments’ first bond issuance since its USD350 million 10-year note in June 2014.
The deal was arranged by leading global financial institutions, with HSBC, JP Morgan, Standard Chartered, and UBS acting as joint lead managers and joint bookrunners. BDO Capital and Chinabank Capital also participated as joint lead managers.
International Financing Review Asia is a respected source of news and analysis on capital markets and investment banking, reinforcing the credibility of this recognition.
SM Investments’ achievement highlights its commitment to financial excellence and its role in strengthening investor confidence in the Philippine market.
About SM Investments Corporation
SM Investments Corporation is one of the leading Philippine companies that is invested in market-leading businesses in retail, banking, and property. It also invests in ventures that capture high growth opportunities in the emerging Philippine economy.
SM’s retail operations are the country’s largest and most diversified, consisting of grocery stores, department stores and specialty retail stores. SM’s property arm, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., is the largest integrated property developer in the Philippines with interests in malls, residences, offices, hotels, and convention centers as well as tourism-related property developments. SM’s interests in banking are in BDO Unibank, Inc., the country’s largest bank, and China Banking Corporation, the fourth largest private domestic bank.
For more information, please visit www.sminvestments.com
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Fintech PR
BRI UMKM EXPO(RT) 2025 Officially Concludes, Attracting Over 63,000 Visitors and Securing USD 90.6 Million in Export Contracts

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Feb. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. (IDX: BBRI) successfully concluded BRI UMKM EXPO(RT) 2025, reinforcing its commitment to empowering MSMEs and expanding their global market reach. Held from January 30 to February 2, 2025, at ICE BSD City, the event attracted over 63,000 visitors, generated IDR 38.9 billion in transactions, and secured USD 90.6 million in export contracts through business matching. The closing ceremony was led by BRI President Director Sunarso.
A Platform for Global MSME Expansion
With the theme “Broadening MSME’s Global Outreach”, the event showcased 1,000 top Indonesian MSMEs ready for the international market. The closing ceremony was attended by BRI Vice President Director Catur Budi Harto. BRI President Director Sunarso highlighted the expo’s success in raising awareness of local MSME products, exceeding its initial target of 50,000 visitors.
By February 1, 2025, transactions hit IDR 38.9 billion, exceeding expectations. Sunarso reaffirmed BRI’s commitment to MSMEs, with business matching continuing through 2025 in partnership with the Ministry of Trade, holding twice-monthly sessions to boost exports.
This year’s BRI UMKM EXPO(RT) 2025 saw the participation of 506 registered buyers from 34 countries, significantly exceeding the initial target of 94 buyers from 33 countries.
So far, 166 MSMEs have engaged in 270 business meetings, one of the standout success stories is PT Siger Jaya Abadi, which secured a USD 13.05 million export deal with Bluestar Food Corporation, USA.
BRI UMKM Awards: Honoring Top MSMEs
BRI recognized outstanding businesses in three categories:
1. Top Deals on Business Matching
For MSMEs achieving the highest potential transactions in business matching sessions:
- Bintang Kita Kemuliaan (Food & Beverage)
- Albasi Karang Layung (Home Décor & Craft)
- Gula Aren Temon (Food & Beverage)
2. Newcomers on Business Matching
For first-time exporters who successfully secured international buyers:
- Rumah Atsiri Indonesia (Healthcare & Wellness)
- Minyak Sacha Inchi (Food & Beverage)
- Organic Center (Food & Beverage)
3. Best Expo
For MSMEs demonstrating outstanding export readiness and digital adoption:
- Sila Agri Inovasi (Food & Beverage)
- Pelita Lumpang Mas (Food & Beverage)
- Restu Mande (Food & Beverage)
These awards highlight BRI’s commitment to empowering MSMEs globally while advancing financial literacy and inclusion.
For more details on BRI UMKM EXPO(RT) 2025, visit briumkmexport.com.
For more information about BANK BRI, visit www.bri.co.id.
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