Fintech PR
World Trade Centers Association’s 55th Annual Global Business Forum to Convene in Marseille, France
Global business leaders, policymakers and industry experts to gather for timely discussions on trade, investment and partnership opportunities in one of the world’s most dynamic economic regions
NEW YORK, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — World Trade Centers Association® (WTCA®) — an international trade organization connecting more than 300 World Trade Center® (WTC®) locations in nearly 100 countries and territories — and World Trade Center (WTC) Marseille Provence will host the 55th annual WTCA Global Business Forum (GBF) in Marseille, France from April 6-9.
The association’s annual Forum assembles both WTCA members and their global networks, including leaders from business, government, academia, and international organizations. More than 300 attendees from more than 50 countries and territories have confirmed their participation. Currently, represented countries and territories include: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China Mainland, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Guyana, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Taiwan, Togo, Tunisia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, Vietnam and Yemen.
The four-day event offers a range of programming, including “Strategies for Success in an Evolving Marketplace,” “Free Trade Zones as Engines of Growth,” and “Navigating Trade, Real Estate and Investment Trends in 2025.” New this year, WTCA is featuring a Real Estate Summit for attendees with specialized sessions on “World Trade Center Projects in Focus,” “Expanding the Real Estate Horizon: Innovation and Resilience in a Changing World,” “and “FDI Trends Reshaping Real Estate & Infrastructure.”
With the theme “Gateway to the Mediterranean,” this year’s Forum features an opening address from John E. Drew, Chair, WTCA Board of Directors; and Benoit Vincent, CEO of WTC Marseille Provence. Other notable speakers include: Angela Ellard, Deputy Director General of the World Trade Organization; Ken Levinson, CEO of the Washington International Trade Association (WITA); Penny Naas, Lead GMF Allied Strategic Competitiveness of the German Marshall Fund of the United States; Lionel Johnson, President of the Pacific Pension and Investment Institute; Lia Rochat, Founder of Archismart Energy; Philippe Veran, Co-Founder and President of Biotech Dental; Jacopo Dettoni, Editor of fDi Intelligence/Financial Times; Edward Grunwald, Partner and Sales Director of Revolugo; Daniel Tchenio, Director at CBRE Marseille; Amal Louis, Director of Business Development and Intermodal Solutions of the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille – Port de Marseille Fos; and Samir Hamrouni, CEO of the World Free Zones Organization.
“WTCA remains committed to promoting free and fair trade, open markets, and healthy competition — principles that drive investment, prosperity and economic growth,” said John E. Drew, Chair, WTCA Board of Directors. “Now more than ever, as businesses navigate shifting global trade policies and economic uncertainty, the annual WTCA Global Business Forum (GBF) provides a vital platform for members and their networks to connect, explore new markets, and gain critical insights. With an active and engaged B2B program supported by a robust matchmaking platform, this year’s GBF reinforces our commitment to fostering partnerships and expanding global opportunities.”
Demonstrating the strength of the global WTCA network, the Forum facilitates direct business-to-business (B2B) relationships and investment opportunities across industry sectors including agriculture, architecture, banking and financial services, construction and building materials, consumer goods, food and beverage, freight and logistics, health technology, industrial solutions, manufacturing, maritime and energy services, and tourism.
This year’s Forum features structured B2B matchmaking sessions, connecting attendees directly with companies and individuals who align with their specific business needs. In partnership with the International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Internationale) Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur, the GBF B2B matchmaking platform becomes immediately available to attendees upon registration for the event.
Marseille was chosen for this year’s event given its role as a critical European hub for trade, innovation, and economic activity. The Mediterranean region connects three continents and plays a vital role in global commerce, boasting strong industries in maritime trade, logistics, energy, tourism, and technology. Hosting the GBF in Marseille provides WTCA members and attending delegates with unparalleled access to this dynamic market, offering opportunities to explore investment prospects and engage with leaders shaping regional and global trade.
“Our region has long been a crossroads of global trade, driving economic growth and fostering international collaboration. Between its strategic location, diverse industries and thriving innovation ecosystem, Marseille is the ideal setting for this year’s Forum,” said Benoit Vincent, CEO, WTC Marseille Provence. “This event will create new opportunities for investment, trade, and partnership in one of the world’s most dynamic economic regions.”
Last year’s WTCA Global Business Forum was held in Bengaluru, India, bringing together nearly 300 attendees from 36 countries and territories, including 105 WTC businesses. The event marked the debut of the “Global Business Forum” under its new name, formerly known as the WTCA General Assembly, and featured over 300 scheduled B2B meetings and the signing of 12 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between WTCA members in various regions and with some local Indian business partners, strengthening global partnerships and expanding business opportunities worldwide.
For more information about the 2025 WTCA Global Business Forum, please visit wtca.swoogo.com/2025gbf. Also, follow along on social media via #WTCAEvents and #WTCAinMarseille.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)
Chanelle Dimalanta
Phone: +1 212 432 2644
Email: cdimalanta@wtca.org
Violet PR
Kate Traina
Phone: +1 908 967 2117
Email: kate@violetpr.com
About World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)
World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) is a network of more than 300 highly connected, mutually supporting businesses and organizations in nearly 100 countries and territories. As the owner of the “World Trade Center” and “WTC” trademarks, WTCA licenses exclusive rights to these brands for members to use in conjunction with their independently owned, iconic properties, facilities and trade services offerings. Through a robust portfolio of events, programming and resources that it offers its members, the goal of WTCA is to help local economies thrive by encouraging and facilitating trade and investment across the globe, creating an ecosystem built around commerce, community and connection. To learn more, visit www.wtca.org.
About World Trade Center (WTC) Marseille Provence
Established in 1984, World Trade Center (WTC) Marseille Provence stands out as a genuine emblem of the regional economy, to make it a decisive driver of the region’s international dynamics and attractiveness. WTC Marseille Provence has evolved its offer to meet the entrepreneurs’ expectations. Located in the heart of the city of Marseille and in the perimeter of Euroméditerranée, WTC Marseille Provence proposes exceptional places: business, convention centers and a corporate club, connected to the global World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) network. WTC Marseille Provence is a certified ISO 20121. To learn more, visit www.wtcmp.com/en.
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JERICHO, N.Y., March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Global consulting firm J.S. Held announces that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jonathon (Jon) Held intends to step down as Chief Executive Officer. J.S. Held President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Lee Spirer will succeed Jon Held as President and CEO. Jon Held will become Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. As part of a planned succession, the leadership transition will take effect at the start of the second quarter of 2025.
In his new role as Executive Chairman, Jon Held will continue to provide strategic guidance, ensuring the company optimizes value creation for continued growth. In addition, Jon will increase his client-facing role, providing strategic advisory and dispute resolution consulting, largely focused within the insurance industry.
Since assuming the role of Chief Executive in 1985, Jon has overseen the growth of J.S. Held, from a small regional firm to an internationally recognized global consulting company with more than 1500 professionals operating on six continents. Steve Dutton, Partner at Kelso & Company, J.S. Held’s private equity partner, commenting on the executive transition, shares, “Working collaboratively with Jon and the executive team, Lee Spirer was recruited to make Jon’s decision to transition to the Executive Chairman role seamlessly come to fruition.”
“Lee Spirer’s extensive experience and proven ability to drive strategy focused on financial results and operational excellence positions Lee as the ideal chief executive to lead our team through our next phase of growth,” observed Jon Held. “As we enter our sixth decade of service to our clients, I am excited about this new period of growth for J.S. Held and I look forward to partnering with Lee to advance our mission and vision for the company in support of all J.S. Held stakeholders – our team members, clients, and investors.”
Lee Spirer is a transformational leader with extensive experience creating value for investors in human capital-intensive businesses by focusing on developing innovative, high-impact services for clients and building platforms that attract world-class professionals to maximize their career success. Over his 30-year career, Lee Spirer has been known for keen strategic insight tightly tied to successful plan execution, developing teams, tapping into innovation, and leveraging technology. His teams have balanced organic and acquisition-based growth strategies while driving operational performance. He has operated in public and private companies, acquired and sold businesses, guided a company through an IPO, and interacted with a wide range of investors and boards.
“J.S. Held’s mission for the last 50 years has been to serve as trusted, expert advisors to organizations around the world and to support the continued professional growth of our people,” said Jonathon Held, who added, “Today, we reaffirm that commitment at the highest level of our organization for the benefit of clients and our more than 1500 scientific, technical, financial, and risk experts around the world.”
Lee Spirer, commenting on his transition to President and CEO, shares, “Jon has led this company to an enviable position in its core markets. He has been a tremendous partner and has opted to apply his time to the highest value activity — focusing on his unique abilities in advising our insurance clients. I consider myself fortunate and seek to build on this platform, evolving J.S. Held for the future, leading a talented team.”
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 81% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 70% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies (85% of the NAIC top 50 Property & Casualty Insurers), and 65% of the Fortune 100 Companies.
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.
Contact
Kristi L. Stathis | Global Public Relations | +1 786 833 4864 | Kristi.Stathis@jsheld.com
Find Your Expert.®
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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia , March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — DataTracks, a global leader in cloud-based compliance reporting solutions, announced the launch of DataTracks Aurora, an AI-powered XBRL platform designed to simplify and accelerate compliance with the Malaysian Business Reporting System (MBRS).
The MBRS is a digital submission framework introduced by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia or SSM) for filing financial statements and annual returns in the XBRL format. With mandatory digital submissions having begun in December 2024, Aurora is built to help Malaysian businesses prepare early – with ease, accuracy, and confidence.
“Aurora is built to significantly reduce the time and effort spent on XBRL preparation for accounting, audit, and corporate secretarial firms,” said Pramodh Vittal, Senior VP, Product Design at DataTracks. “Powered by AI and equipped with a user-friendly interface, it ensures efficiency at every step. Any updates made to financial statements instantly reflect in the corresponding MBRS template, maintaining data integrity throughout the process.”
MBRS Filing Challenges
With the MBRS mandate now aligned with MPERS and MFRS reporting standards, accounting professionals face several key challenges such as complex data mappings to MBRS templates, intricate business validation rules, and repetitive manual tasks across multiple entities.
Purpose-Built for MBRS Preparers
Aurora enables users to upload financial statements, automatically map them to MBRS templates, and reuse those mappings across similar entities – saving time and ensuring consistency.
Through AI-driven automation, preparers can reuse mappings to reduce manual effort, potentially saving up to 80% of preparation time. A user-friendly interface simplifies the mapping process with minimal manual input.
The smart review and validation feature helps trace mapped values back to financial statements for easy verification and error-free output.
Aurora also includes robust access controls, allowing firms to manage multiple entity profiles, assign roles to internal teams or clients, and streamline preparation and review workflows with built-in security.
“Aurora helps shift the focus from manual data entry to strategic review. Accountants can now complete five MBRS filings in the time it once took to do one,” added Rashmi Ravindran, VP Sales – APAC, DataTracks.
About DataTracks
DataTracks, recently recognized as a G2 Best Software winner in the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) category for 2025, has been providing compliance reporting solutions for over 20 years. In addition to Aurora, DataTracks recently launched DataTracks Oxbow, a powerful platform for FATCA/CRS reporting requirements, globally.
DataTracks’ full-stack solutions have supported over 30,000 clients across 25+ countries in effortlessly navigating diverse global regulatory regimes.
For more information, visit https://www.datatracks.com.
For Business Enquiries:
Email: enquiry@datatracks.my
Malaysia: +60 3-2706 0185
Media Contact: mediarelations@datatracks.com
Disclaimer: Statements regarding product performance are based on internal assessments and client feedback. Results may vary. DataTracks is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM).
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Fintech PR
CellPoint Digital Deepens Strategic Partnership with Southwest Airlines, Selected to Power Modern Retailing and Payments for Getaways by Southwest
DALLAS, March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CellPoint Digital, the leading provider of Payment Orchestration solutions to the Airline and Travel industry, today announced the expansion of its partnership with Southwest Airlines Co. for Getaways by Southwest™. The collaboration coincides with the launch of CellPoint Digital’s new cloud-native Payment Orchestration platform, marking a significant advancement in travel commerce technology.
Orchestrating Modern Retailing Through Payments Optimisation
Southwest® will leverage CellPoint Digital’s new platform to deliver personalised travel experiences through an advanced Offer & Order payment solution. The platform enables the seamless combination of multiple payment methods—from credit cards and travel credits to alternative payment methods and Rapid Rewards® points—all within a single transaction.
“Our growing relationship with Southwest Airlines reflects both the strength of our existing partnership and our shared vision for the future of airline commerce,” said Kristian Gjerding, CEO at CellPoint Digital. “With the launch of our new platform, we’re helping one of our most valued airline partners navigate the crucial transition to modern retailing, enabling them to take greater control of their shopping experience whilst delivering the payment flexibility their customers demand.”
Delivering Next-Generation Travel Experiences Through Payment Innovation
Set to launch later in 2025, the implementation showcases the platform’s enterprise-grade capabilities with industry-leading reliability and processing power. This marks a natural evolution in Southwest’s payment technology strategy, creating a unified Payment Orchestration ecosystem that supports retail innovation.
“Our enhanced collaboration with CellPoint Digital for Getaways by Southwest represents the next chapter in our ongoing partnership,” said Kayce Ford, Vice President of Technology—People and Finance at Southwest Airlines. “Their deep understanding of our business needs and proven track record of success made them the clear choice to power our vacation package payment processing.
For more information about CellPoint Digital or to speak with company executives, please get in touch with Steven Osei at steven.osei@cellpointdigital.com
About CellPoint Digital
CellPoint Digital is a fintech leader in payment orchestration and optimisation. CellPoint Digital’s main solution is a powerful Payment Orchestration Platform that optimises digital payment transactions from cards or alternative payment methods and accelerates the deployment of new payment options. Merchants can easily scale their own payment ecosystem across the world, unify the customer payment experience across their website, mobile apps and other channels, optimise the routing of each transaction, increase conversion rates and minimise payment costs. CellPoint Digital has offices in Copenhagen, Dallas, Dubai, London, Miami, Pune and Singapore. Visit www.cellpointdigital.com to learn more.
About Southwest Airlines Co.
Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world’s most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 117 airports across 11 countries. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline1. By empowering its more than 72,0002 People to deliver unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among more than 140 million Customers carried in 2024. Southwest leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world including harnessing the power of its People and Purpose to put communities at the Heart of its success. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.
1 Based on U.S. Dept. of Transportation quarterly Airline Origin & Destination Survey since Q1 20212 Fulltime-equivalent active Employees
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