Sabre Resources Limited’s (ASX:SBR) news of its intended acquisition of three vanadium projects in Western Australia has been well received by the market with shares surging 94% to a new 12-month high. The company has traded at up to 3.1 cents on strong volume of more than 48 million. As well as the proposed acquisition of Kinetic Metals Pty Ltd, Sabre’s surge has been supported by a heavily subscribed placement raising about $1.588 million and the proposed spin-out of its Namibian assets. Sabre intends to acquire Kinetic Metals Sabre has entered into a binding share sale agreement to acquire Kinetic, which holds the Speewah, Unaly and Balla vanadium projects. This follows the company’s recent acquisition of the advanced Sherlock Bay Nickel-Cobalt Project. The acquisitions position Sabre well to take advantage of dynamic market conditions relating to the battery-metals sector. Three prospective projects Speewah adjoins the area that contains the King River Copper Ltd’s (ASX:KRC) Speewah Dome project which hosts a resource of 4.7 billion tonnes at 0.3% vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), 2% titanium dioxide (TiO2) and 14.7% iron. Unaly adjoins Surefire Resources NL’s (ASX:SRN) Unaly Hill project hosting a resource of 86.2 million tonnes at 0.42% V2O5, 4.5% TiO2 and 24% iron. The tenement also extends to Venus Metals Corporation Limited’s (ASX:VMC) Youanmi Vanadium Project with a JORC resource of 330.6 million tonnes at 0.29% V2O5, 5.95% TiO2 and 19.41% iron. Balla is prospective for mineralisation similar to Forge Resources Limited’s Balla-Balla Iron-Vanadium-Titanium project which hosts a 456 million tonne resource at 0.65% V2O5,13.7% TiO2 and 45% iron. Placement raises $1.588 million Sabre has completed a heavily oversubscribed placement to professional and sophisticated investors to raise about $1.588 million via the issue of shares at an issue price of 1.5 cents per share. It also proposes to complete a share purchase plan capped at $500,000 entitling shareholders to acquire shares at the same price as the placement. The company is now well-funded to advance exploration at the Sherlock Bay project as well as conduct early stage exploration at the Kinetic projects. Spin-off of Namibian assets on the cards Sabre is considering spinning out its prospective Namibian projects, including the Border lead-zinc deposit and the high-grade copper mineralisation at the Guchab project. The Namibian assets are also prospective for high-grade vanadium mineralisation at Baltika and Kaskara. A drilling program will be carried out at Baltika Vanadium-Lead-Zinc Project to advance the deposit in preparation for the proposed spin-out. Reported by Proactive Investors 11 minutes ago.

ASIAKASTIETO GROUP PLC, STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE, 24 APRIL 2018 AT 7.00 A.M. EEST

This stock exchange release may not be published or distributed, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa or the United States or any other country where such publication or distribution would violate applicable laws or rules or would require additional documents to be completed or registered or require any measure to be undertaken, in addition to requirements under Finnish law. For further information, see "Important Information" below.

*Asiakastieto Group Plc and UC AB have agreed on a combination - the two companies will create a stronger future together*

Asiakastieto Group Plc's ("Asiakastieto") Board of Directors and UC AB's ("UC") owners announce that they have agreed to combine the two companies (further "Combination" or "Transaction").

· Asiakastieto and UC will join forces to meet the changing customer needs and will form one of the leading Nordic companies in digital services and data innovation
· The Combination is expected to result in considerable benefits for stakeholders including creation of considerable shareholder value through accelerated growth and targeted estimated annual synergies of at least EUR 17 million, expected to be implemented in full by year 2021
· Pursuant to the terms of the Combination, Asiakastieto will acquire UC for a total consideration valued at EUR 339.8 million, consisting of EUR 98.8 million in cash and 8,828,343 newly issued shares in Asiakastieto
· The current shareholders of UC will own approximately 36.9 percent and the current shareholders of Asiakastieto approximately 63.1 percent of the shares in Asiakastieto after the completion of the Transaction
· The completion of the Transaction is expected during the second quarter of 2018, subject to Asiakastieto's extraordinary general meeting (the "EGM") authorizing the Board of Directors to resolve on a directed share issue, approval by relevant competition authorities, as well as certain other customary conditions
· Sampo Plc, Mandatum Life Insurance Company Limited, Keva and Kaleva Mutual Insurance Company, holding in aggregate approximately 26 percent of the shares in Asiakastieto, have undertaken to attend Asiakastieto's EGM and to vote in favor of the authorization to the Board of Directors

*BACKGROUND*

Asiakastieto and UC will join forces to meet the changing customer needs. The Combination of Asiakastieto and UC creates one of the leading Nordic companies in digital services and data innovation with strong market positions in Finland and Sweden.^[1] The combined company will employ nearly 500 skilled employees committed to delivering reliable and innovative services to a combined customer base consisting of almost 70,000 companies, as well as private individuals.

Asiakastieto and UC believe that the service needs of their customers are undergoing a significant transformation. New technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning together with increasing regulation are transforming the market. The amount of data, especially unstructured data, is growing rapidly. These changes are having a major impact on customer needs, and there is an urgent need to exploit data in a more efficient manner while companies are increasingly focusing on their core businesses. In addition, there is an increasing demand for cross-border services.

Engaged and competent employees will continue to be at the core of the combined company. The combined company will provide an inspiring, respectful and passionate working community with a broader range of development opportunities in an international environment.

The combined company will be well positioned to leverage the market opportunity with greater scale and resources. In particular, the potential for higher efficiency is expected to play a role in enabling future growth, for example, by allowing more focused and effective use of resources. Through sharing of best practices and by improving the ways of working, the combined entity is expected to achieve more efficient service development, increased operational efficiency as well as modernized platforms and support systems.

Asiakastieto and UC will together aim to continue being among the leaders in digital services and data innovation. The combined company will have an enhanced capabilities base and more resources to accelerate the development of innovative and cost efficient services. The combined company will also have an increased ability to invest in, for example, digital innovation, data science and artificial intelligence in the future.

Commitment to high quality and best in class reliability is at the core of the shared value base of Asiakastieto and UC. Additionally, the two companies share a similar business model, common Nordic values, preference to developing long-term customer relationships and a commitment to privacy. Moreover, Asiakastieto and UC have an existing and long-standing cooperation and complement each other geographically, while their product offerings allow transfer of existing services to both of the respective home markets.

"Our customers' service needs are undergoing a significant transformation. We want to meet their changing and enhanced needs. The combined company will be well positioned to leverage the market opportunity with larger scale and resources. Engaged and talented people are in the core of the two companies and that is to continue in the new, stronger entity. Higher efficiency will play a key role in enabling our future growth. Together we will take a leap towards the next level of digital services and data innovations. We will create a stronger future together," says Jukka Ruuska, CEO of Asiakastieto.

"Commitment to high quality and top-level reliability is at the core of the shared value base of Asiakastieto and UC. We have an existing and long standing cooperation, similar business logic, common Nordic values, long-term customer relationships and commitment to privacy. The combination will continue to deliver high quality and top-level reliability. Additionally, the two companies will build a stronger future together and the combined company will be well positioned to deliver value to its customers and other stakeholders. For example, existing services are planned to be introduced in Finland and Sweden respectively and best practices will be transferred between the countries. We see significant opportunities in this new combination," says Anders Hugosson, CEO of UC.

*OVERVIEW OF UC*

UC is one of the leading business and credit reference agencies in Sweden. The company provides refined business information and comprehensive credit reports that enable companies and private individuals to make more reliable business decisions. The company offers products and services for risk management, decision-making, as well as sales and marketing. Customers include financial institutions and other companies, as well as private individuals and the public sector.

UC's net sales in 2017 under Swedish GAAP were SEK 716.6 million (EUR 74.4 million) and operating profit was SEK 45.2 million (EUR 4.7 million) and EBITDA SEK 55.8 million (EUR 5.8 million). Adjusted EBITDA, including certain preliminary IFRS adjustments estimated by the management and items affecting comparability was SEK 170.8 million (EUR 17.7 million) in 2017.^[2]^, ^[3] The company has over 300 employees based in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Örebro, and Östersund. The company is owned by Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), Nordea Bank AB (publ), Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ), Swedbank AB (publ), Danske Bank A/S Swedish branch and Länsförsäkringar Bank AB (publ).

*RATIONALE AND KEY BENEFITS OF THE COMBINATION*

Strong rationale for the Combination

· Asiakastieto and UC are joining forces to meet the changing customer needs
· Engaged and competent people are in the core of both companies
· Shared value base consisting of commitment to high quality and top-level reliability. The companies share a similar business model, common Nordic values, long-term customer relationships and commitment to privacy

Key benefits of the Combination

· The Combination creates one of the leading Nordic companies in digital services and data innovation
· Well positioned to leverage the market opportunity from changing customer needs and market environment through greater scale and resources
· Potential for higher efficiency, enabling future growth achieved, for example, through sharing of best practices and creating new ways of working
· Enhanced competence base and resources to accelerate development of innovative and cost efficient services combined with improved ability to invest in new technologies
· Transfer of existing services between the markets - for example internet monitoring provided by Asiakastieto in Finland will be introduced to Swedish customers and collateral valuation service (Bostadsvärdering) has been developed by UC and will create possibilities to be developed also for the Asiakastieto customers
· Offers an inspiring, respectful and passionate working community with broad range of development opportunities in an international environment
· Opportunities for shareholder value creation through sales, cost and recurring capital expenditure synergies

*OVERVIEW OF COMBINED COMPANY*

*SELECTED ILLUSTRATIVE AGGREGATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION*

*Basis for Preparation*

The selected illustrative unaudited aggregated financial information presented below is based on Asiakastieto's audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017 prepared in accordance with IFRS and UC's audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017 prepared in accordance with Swedish Financial Accounting Standards ("Swedish GAAP"). UC's income statement information has been translated into euros by using the average exchange rate of 9.6351 of Swedish krona for the year ended 31 December 2017 and balance sheet information has been translated by using the exchange rate of 9.8438 at the balance sheet date December 31, 2017 published by the Bank of Finland.

The illustrative aggregated financial information is presented for illustrative purposes only. The illustrative aggregated income statement and balance sheet information have been presented as if the business had been carried on in the same group from the beginning of the year 2017. Illustrative net sales, EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA of the combined company have been calculated by summing up Asiakastieto's and UC's financial information for the 12 months period ended December 31, 2017 and by including certain preliminary adjustments estimated by the management related to the differences in accounting policies between the companies. Aggregated interest-bearing net debt illustrates the impacts of the Combination as if it had occurred on 31 December 2017 and it includes the interest-bearing debt to be draw down in order to finance the cash consideration of the purchase price. UC has neither prepared nor published financial information in accordance with IFRS, and therefore the above-mentioned preliminary adjustments estimated by management will not be confirmed until in the IFRS transition of UC and could therefore differ significantly from the presented herein. The most significant differences between Swedish GAAP as applied by UC to IFRS are expected to derive from the capitalization of certain UC's development costs as intangible assets and pension accounting. Under Swedish GAAP UC has not capitalized the development costs but expensed them when incurred. UC has according to Swedish GAAP treated its pension plans as defined contribution plans where, under IFRS, certain plans should be treated as defined benefit plans.

The aggregated financial information is based on a hypothetical situation and should not be viewed as pro forma financial information inasmuch as any purchase price allocation, any possible differences in accounting policies that may arise later in connection with the IFRS transition, impacts of the financing of the acquisition and adjustments related to transaction costs have not been taken into account. The expected synergies have not been included. Asiakastieto will publish the pro forma financial information of the combined company according to Prospectus Regulation including UC's income statement and balance sheet information prepared in accordance with IFRS in the prospectus assumed to be published during the third quarter of 2018.

The actual financial information for the combined company will be calculated based on the final purchase price and the fair values of UC's identifiable assets and liabilities determined in accordance with the IFRS principles as at the date of completion of the Combination. The final purchase price is determined based on the number of shares to be issued to UC's current owners and the closing price of the Asiakastieto's share as at the date of completion of the Combination. The combined company's financial information that will be published in the future following the completion of the Combination could therefore differ significantly from the Asiakastieto's and UC's certain illustrative combined financial information of presented below. Accordingly, this information is not indicative of what the combined company's actual financial position, results of operations or key figures would have been had the Combination been completed on the dates indicated.

EUR million Asiakastieto UC Interest-bearing debt related to financing of the combination Combined company
1 Jan - 31 Dec 2017        
Net sales 56 74   131^4
EBITDA^1 24^3 16   40
Adjusted EBITDA^2 25 18   43
         
As at 31 Dec 2017        
Interest-bearing liabilities^5 70 1 99 169
Cash and cash equivalents 19 15   34
Net debt 51 -15   135
         
Number of employees (year-end) 158 321   479

^1 The expected most significant differences in accounting policies between the accounting practices of the companies have been taken into account in the calculation of EBITDA. UC's EBITDA in 2017 under Swedish GAAP were EUR 5.8 million. According to a preliminary estimate made by UC's management, a total of EUR 9.6 million of the development costs expensed during financial year 2017 can be capitalized under IFRS which have been taken into account in UC's EBITDA calculation above. Based on the preliminary estimate of UC's management, the accounting of certain pension plans as defined benefit plans will result in an impact of EUR 0.3 million on EBITDA which has been taken into account in the calculation above.

^2 Adjustments included in the aggregated adjusted EBITDA are based on a sum of annual report information published by Asiakastieto and the adjustments included in UC's internal management reporting. UC's adjusted EBITDA includes adjustments of EUR 1.7 million according to the management reporting, which affect the comparability between the periods, consist of M&A related legal and other advisory fees and redundancy payments.

^3 Asiakastieto's operating profit was EUR 21 million for the period ended December 31, 2017.

^4 The transactions between Asiakastieto and UC have not been eliminated from the aggregated income statement information. The aggregated net sales include transactions between Asiakastieto and UC that amounted to EUR 0.3 million for the period ended December 31, 2017. The transactions between Asiakastieto and UC did not have any impact on the aggregated EBITDA or adjusted EBITDA.

^5 Interest-bearing liabilities include loans from financial institutions (short and long-term loans) which are presented in this calculation at their nominal value without taking into account the transaction costs.

*SHAREHOLDER VALUE CREATION AND FINANCIAL IMPACT*

The Combination is expected to create considerable shareholder value through sales, cost and recurring capex synergies. Based on Asiakastieto's preliminary integration synergy assessments, as well as further assessments to identify synergy opportunities, the combined company is estimated to achieve annual synergies of at least EUR 17 million expected to be implemented in full by 2021. The main sources of identified cost synergies include increased organizational efficiency, harmonization of IT operations for example through increasing insourcing and optimized sourcing. In addition, sales synergies have been identified from accelerated new service development, cross sales of existing services as well as optimized service and offering to customers. In practice this is expected to lead to both a broadened service offering to local customers and an improved Nordic offering. The combined company is also expected to achieve recurring capital expenditures savings as a result of scalability of new service development, back office systems and maintenance. As a result of these synergies, the combined company is also better positioned to reinvest in its business. One-time synergy implementation costs of approximately EUR 4 million as well as approximately EUR 5 million of implementation capital expenditure are expected to be incurred over approximately two years following the completion of the Transaction.

The Combination is expected to have a positive effect on Asiakastieto's earnings per share from the first full calendar year following the completion of the Transaction (adjusted for non-recurring integration costs and purchase price allocation related amortization) and increase further as synergies are realizing in full.

According to the illustrative aggregated financial information, the combined company would have had a preliminary aggregated net debt of EUR 135 million with expected net debt to EBITDA of 3.2x as of 31 December 2017. Due to the strong expected cash flow, net indebtedness is expected to decrease after the completion of the Transaction and to reach Asiakastieto's targeted level of 3.0x in 2019.

Asiakastieto's financial guidance for 2018, which was published in the Financial Statements release for 2017 published on February 15, 2018, does not incorporate the impact of the Transaction. Asiakastieto will publish updated financial guidance at a later stage when the Transaction has been completed.

*CONSIDERATION AND TERMS OF TRANSACTION*

Pursuant to the combination agreement, Asiakastieto will acquire UC from the current shareholders in exchange for EUR 98.8 million in cash and 8,828,343 newly issued shares in Asiakastieto. After the completion of the Transaction, Asiakastieto remains as the parent company of the group and UC becomes Asiakastieto's subsidiary. The current shareholders of UC will own approximately 36.9 percent and the current shareholders of Asiakastieto approximately 63.1 percent of the shares in Asiakastieto after the completion of the Transaction.

The total combination consideration paid to the current shareholders of UC amounts to EUR 339.8 million (calculated based on the closing price of the Asiakastieto share on 23 April 2018). The net cash position of UC amounted to EUR 15 million at year-end 2017, implying an enterprise value of EUR 325 million. The implied EV/Adjusted EBITDA 2017 multiple paid in the transaction is 18.3x and 9.6x including fully realized estimated run-rate synergies (enterprise value adjusted for approximately EUR 9 million of expected implementation costs and capital expenditure).

Asiakastieto and its lending banks have agreed that Asiakastieto's current loans of EUR 70.0 million will remain in place in the Transaction. In addition, the lending banks have committed to arranging debt facilities for the purposes of financing the cash component of the Transaction.

The Board of Directors of Asiakastieto will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting ("EGM") to authorize the Board of Directors to resolve on the issuance of new shares in the company to complete the Transaction. The EGM is expected to convene in May, and the notice to the EGM is expected in April. Asiakastieto will apply for the listing of the new shares after completion of the Transaction. Trading in the new shares is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2018.

The completion of the Transaction is subject to the Asiakastieto EGM authorizing the Board of Directors to resolve on the issuance of new shares, the approval by the relevant competition authorities, as well as certain other customary conditions. Sampo Plc, Mandatum Life Insurance Company Limited, Keva and Kaleva Mutual Insurance Company, holding in aggregate approximately 26 percent of the shares in Asiakastieto, have undertaken to attend Asiakastieto's EGM and to vote in favor of the proposals of the Board of Directors, including the authorization of the Board of Directors to resolve on the share issue. The two companies will continue to operate separately by their respective management teams until the completion of the Transaction. Jukka Ruuska, CEO of Asiakastieto, is to become the CEO of the combined company, and Anders Hugosson, CEO of UC, is to become the deputy to the CEO.

The databases of Asiakastieto and UC as well as customer data will continue to be maintained and stored in their current locations in the respective countries for now. According to Asiakastieto's view, the larger scale and resources will enhance the ability to maintain and develop top level data privacy and security. In connection with the Transaction, the parties have emphasized the importance of maintaining the Credit Registry operations of UC. For this purpose, UC's articles would be amended to allow representatives of the sellers to be appointed to UC's board, and decisions that would, among others, jeopardize the fulfilment of UC's obligations concerning the Credit Registry would require an unanimous board decision.

The Transaction will not affect existing customer contracts.

Two new Board members, Martin Johansson and Nicklas Ilebrand, will be proposed as new members of the Board of Directors of Asiakastieto in the EGM, to complement the current members of the Board of Directors. The appointment of the new Board members will be subject to completion of the Transaction.

The strong, local brands Asiakastieto and UC will continue in their respective markets while the combined entity will be re-branded. Planned business lines of the combined company are Risk decisions, Digital processes, Customer management and SME&DtC^[4].

To support their assessment concerning the combination consideration, the Board of Directors of Asiakastieto has, among other assessment, received a fairness opinion concerning the combination consideration from Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), Helsinki Branch, and has concluded that the Combination and the combination consideration is in the best interest of the company and its shareholders.

*ADVISORS*

Asiakastieto is advised by Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) Helsinki Branch as financial advisor, and Hannes Snellman Attorneys Ltd as legal advisor. UC is advised by Lenner & Partners Corporate Finance AB as financial advisor, Gernandt & Danielsson Advokatbyrå KB and Dittmar & Indrenius Attorneys Ltd. as legal advisors.

*MEDIA AND INVESTOR EVENT*

Asiakastieto and UC will host a joint press conference on 24 April 2018 at 12:00 A.M. EEST (11:00 A.M. CEST). Place: UC's Head Office, Årstaängsvägen 21, Liljeholmen, Stockholm, Sweden. You can follow the press conference in English at: http://bit.ly/mediaevent2018. For audio only please dial: +46 8 22 90 90; use access code: 55 35 30.

ASIAKASTIETO GROUP PLC
Board of Directors

Additional information:
Jukka Ruuska
CEO
tel. +358 10 270 7111

Pia Katila
Communications and Investor Relations Manager
tel. +358 10 270 7506

Distribution:
Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
major media
investors.asiakastieto.fi

About Asiakastieto
Asiakastieto Group is one of the leading Finnish providers of business and consumer information services. The Group's products and services are primarily used for risk management, finance and administration, decision-making and sales and marketing purposes. At the end of 2017, the Group had around 19 500 clients, of which 10 500 were contractual clients. The Group serves several industries, the largest ones including finance and banking as well as wholesale and retail sectors and expert service companies. In 2017, the Group's net sales were EUR 56.2 million and it had 158 employees at the end of 2017. Asiakastieto Group Plc is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki with the ticker ATG1V. More information about Asiakastieto Group Plc is available at www.asiakastieto.fi

About UC
UC is one of the leading business and credit reference agencies in Sweden. The company provides refined business information and comprehensive credit reports that enable companies and private individuals to make more reliable business decisions. Customers include companies, private individuals and the public sector. In 2017, the net sales were EUR 74.4 million and the company had over 300 employees based in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Örebro and Östersund. The company is owned by Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB, Nordea Bank AB, Svenska Handelsbanken AB, Swedbank AB, Danske Bank A/S Swedish branch and Länsförsäkringar Bank AB (publ). More information about UC is available at www.uc.se

*IMPORTANT INFORMATION *

This release is not an offer for sale of securities in the United States. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Asiakastieto does not intend to register any securities in the United States or to conduct an offering of securities in the United States.

The distribution of this release may be restricted by law and persons into whose possession any document or other information referred to herein comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. The information contained herein is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa or the United States. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This release is not directed to, and is not intended for distribution to or use by, any person or entity that is a citizen or resident or located in any locality, state, country or other jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, availability or use would be contrary to law or regulation or which would require any registration or licensing within such jurisdiction.

This release does not constitute prospectus as defined in the Prospectus Directive (EC/71/2003, as amended) and as such, does not constitute or form part of and should not be construed as, an offer to sell, or the solicitation or invitation of any offer to buy, acquire or subscribe for, any securities or an inducement to enter into investment activity.

No part of this release, nor the fact of its distribution, should form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or commitment or investment decision whatsoever. The information contained in this release has not been independently verified. No representation, warranty or undertaking, expressed or implied, is made as to, and no reliance should be placed on, the fairness, accuracy, completeness or correctness of the information or the opinions contained herein. Asiakastieto or any of its respective affiliates, advisors or representatives or any other person, shall have no liability whatsoever (in negligence or otherwise) for any loss however arising from any use of this release or its contents or otherwise arising in connection with this release. Each person must rely on their own examination and analysis of Asiakastieto, its respective subsidiaries, its respective securities and the transaction, including the merits and risks involved.

This release includes "forward-looking statements." These statements may not be based on historical facts, but are statements about future expectations. When used in this release, the words "aims,""anticipates,""assumes,""believes,""could,""estimates,""expects,""intends,""may,""plans,""should,""will,""would" and similar expressions as they relate to Asiakastieto, UC, the transaction or the combination of the business operations of Asiakastieto and UC identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Other forward-looking statements can be identified in the context in which the statements are made. Forward-looking statements are set forth in a number of places in this release, including wherever this release include information on the future results, plans and expectations with regard to the combined company's business, including its strategic plans and plans on growth and profitability, and the general economic conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on present plans, estimates, projections and expectations and are not guarantees of future performance. They are based on certain expectations, which, even though they seem to be reasonable at present, may turn out to be incorrect. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Shareholders should not rely on these forward-looking statements. Numerous factors may cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of the combined company to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Asiakastieto or any of its respective affiliates, advisors or representatives or any other person undertakes no obligation to review or confirm or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.

This release includes estimates relating to the synergy benefits expected to arise from the transaction and the combination of the business operations of Asiakastieto and UC as well as the related integration costs, which have been prepared by Asiakastieto and are based on a number of assumptions and judgments. Such estimates present the expected future impact of the transaction and the combination of the business operations of Asiakastieto and UC on the combined company's business, financial condition and results of operations. The assumptions relating to the estimated synergy benefits and related integration costs are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic, and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual synergy benefits from the transaction and the combination of the business operations of Asiakastieto and UC, if any, and related integration costs to differ materially from the estimates in this release. Further, there can be no certainty that the transaction will be completed in the manner and timeframe described in this release, or at all.

The aggregated ownership of UC's shareholders in Asiakastieto is approximately 36.9 per cent of the shares and votes in Asiakastieto after the completion of the transaction. The sale of a significant number of shares or an understanding that such a sale may occur in the future, could have an adverse effect on the market price of the shares of Asiakastieto. The transaction does not contain any lock-up arrangements between the sellers and Asiakastieto.

*APPENDIX 1: AUDITED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF UC*

*CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT*

SEK million 2017 2016
*Net sales* *716.6* *676.8*
     
*Operating expenses*    
Other external costs -389.6 -331.5
Personnel expenses -271.2 -257.0
Depreciation, amortisation and
impairment charges -10.6 -11.2
Other operating expenses -0.1 0.0
*Total operating expenses* *-671.4* *-599.7*
* * * * * *
*Operating profit* *45.2* *77.1*
Finance income 0.5 0.1
Finance expenses -0.1 -0.4
Finance income and expenses, total 0.3 -0.3
  * * * *
*Profit before tax * *45.5* *76.8*
Income tax expense for the period -11.4 -19.4
*Profit for the period* *34.1* *57.4*

*CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET*

SEK million 31.12.2017 31.12.2016
*Non-current assets*    
Goodwill 0.0 6.0
Other intangible assets 1.0 2.1
Property, plant and equipment 14.2 17.1
Deferred tax assets 0.0 2.8
*Total non-current assets* *15.3* *28.1*
* * * * * *
*Current assets* * * * *
Trade receivables 103.7 124.2
Tax receivables 5.6 10.5
Other receivables 15.5 1.9
Prepaid expenses and accrued income 21.0 20.0
Cash and cash equivalents 149.8 92.7
*Total current assets* *295.5* *249.4*
  * * * *
*Total assets* *310.8* *277.5*
 

*Equity and liabilities* * * * *
  * * * *
*Equity* * *  
Share capital 1.0 1.0
Other equity including the result of the period 150.8 136.7
*Total equity* *151.8* *137.7*
* * * * * *
*Deferred tax liabilities* *0.1* *0.0*
* * * * * *
*Non-current liabilities* * * * *
Liabilities to financial institutions 4.2 3.7
*Total non-current liabilities* *4.2* *3.7*
  * * * *
*Current liabilities* * * * *
Liabilities to financial institutions 1.3 1.1
Trade payables 48.7 46.7
Other payables 6.7 4.3
Accrued expenses and deferred income 97.9 84.0
*Total current liabilities* *154.7* *136.1*
  * * * *
*Total equity and liabilities* *310.8* *277.5*
^[1] According to the management's assessment, the company will have a position as one of the leading operators in the market of Finnish and Swedish company and consumer information services

^[2] Additional information on the adjustments is presented in section Selected illustrative aggregated financial information.

^[3] UC's consolidated income statement and balance sheet prepared under Swedish GAAP is presented in Appendix 1.

^[4]  Small and Medium-sized Enterprises & Direct-to-Consumers Reported by GlobeNewswire 9 minutes ago.

DALLAS, April 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- YPO, the world’s premier leadership organization of chief executives, announced today that Techstars has joined as a gold sponsor and Geniecast, Emplify and Telluride are silver sponsors of the 2018 YPO Innovation Week. 

YPO Innovation Week sponsors offer valuable insight, key connections and respected expertise that made the world’s largest and most impactful innovation initiative possible.

“YPO Innovation Week brings together some of the most innovative and disruptive leaders around the world,” said YPO CEO Scott Mordell. “We are so pleased to partner with these prestigious and forward-thinking organizations and businesses to help elevate the week’s experiences for our members and take innovation to the next level.”

During the week of 7-11 May 2018, YPO will host innovation events across the globe from Sydney, Australia to London, England; Tel Aviv, Israel to New York, New York, USA; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to Palo Alto, California, USA and Nairobi, Kenya, and more.

The mission of YPO Innovation Week is to drive innovation and transformation across a diverse range of industries and sectors through signature events, live interactive video casts and livestream events across more than 30 countries. Business leaders and pioneering thinkers will engage in a weeklong forum discussing the most important innovations affecting business today, including augmented and virtual reality, vehicle technology, digital imaging, wearables, smart home, sensors and more.

“We welcome these prestigious partners and their participation in the 2018 YPO Innovation Week,” said YPO Innovation Week Chair Keith Alper. “With their support, we will truly be able to overturn conventional thinking and inspire business leaders to accelerate what’s next.”

*Gold Sponsors
*Techstars is featuring Techstars Founders who will deliver pitches at several YPO Innovation Week events, including the Global FinTech Summit, the World Technology Summit and the NYSE Closing Bell event.

*Silver Sponsors*
Geniecast is hosting digital events throughout YPO Innovation Week via two-way video broadcast.

Emplify’s CEO Santiago Jaramillo, a YPO member, will present on the future of work at the Silicon Valley Summit and World Technology Summit.

Telluride is hosting a virtual reality space at the Silicon Valley Summit and providing an exclusive prize package for YPO Global Innovation Award finalists.

*About YPO 
*
The premier leadership organization of chief executives in the world.

YPO is the global platform for chief executives to engage, learn and grow. YPO members harness the knowledge, influence and trust of the world’s most influential and innovative business leaders to inspire business, personal, family and community impact.

Today, YPO empowers more than 25,000 members in more than 130 countries, diversified among industries and types of businesses. Altogether, YPO member-run companies employ more than 16 million people and generate USD6 trillion in annual revenues.

Leadership. Learning. Lifelong. For more information, visit YPO.org.

*About Techstars
*Techstars is the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed. Techstars founders connect with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporations to grow their companies. Techstars operates four divisions: Techstars Startup Programs, Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Programs, Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships, and the Techstars Venture Capital Fund. Techstars portfolio includes more than 1,300 companies with a market cap of $12 billion. www.techstars.com

*About Geniecast
*Geniecast is transforming the way the world connects people, ideas, and inspiration. We are curators, producers, and distributors of the world’s largest online marketplace of thought leaders, athletes, speakers, celebrities, facilitators and more – all available via two-way, live video broadcast. Join us in the quest to inspire, lead, and evolve. At Geniecast, we strive to offer human-centric client services through great people and clever technology, one transaction at a time. From a warm welcome to individualized attention, we engage with you, one connection at a time. And, when you least expect it, we plan to surprise you with an extra touch, one experience at a time. To learn more, visit https://geniecast.com/.

*About Emplify
*Emplify, the industry leader in data-driven employee analytics and action-enabling insights for business leaders, helps executives leverage employee insights to make their workforce more successful. Backed by decades of research in human psychology and neuroscience, Emplify InsightsTM blends employee engagement best practices and hands-on expert coaching into an agile feedback system that’s simple yet more effective than historic annual employee surveys, and more trustworthy than modern pulse surveys. Emplify is trusted by companies like Ivy Tech Community College, Herff Jones, Harley Davidson, Cheetah Digital, Crew Carwash, Yamaha, and many others. Learn more at emplify.com.

*About Telluride
*Forty-five minutes from the nearest stoplight, at the end of a incredibly beautiful box canyon sits Telluride, Colorado, a National Historic Landmark surrounded by the highest concentration of 13,000' and 14,000' peaks in the United States. Above Telluride is a modern mountain village connected by a gondola, the only one of its kind in North America. While the ski terrain is world-renowned, the resort is truly defined by a collection of intimate and unmatched experiences. With your first walk down the historic main street, you’ll find the character and charm of Telluride as special as the majestic San Juan Mountains. To learn more, visit www.tellurideskiresort.com.

*Contact:*
YPO
Linda Fisk
Office: +1 972 629 7305 (United States)
Mobile: +1 972 207 4298
press@ypo.org Reported by GlobeNewswire 9 minutes ago.

Blackmores CEO says the trading relationship between Australia and China is "incredibly strong" and looks to Indonesia for growth. Reported by Brisbane Times 3 hours ago.

Australian police are investigating how a 12-year-old boy managed to fly alone to the Indonesian island of Bali and spend four days at a resort using his parents' credit card. Reported by RTE.ie 2 hours ago.

Start-up "Kohab", an on-line property platform, is a marketplace for friends and family to purchase property together. Reported by Mondaq 2 hours ago.

Here's where to find commemorative services, marches and games of two-up as Australia marks the 103rd anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. Reported by Sydney Morning Herald 2 hours ago.

Squatter Donaldson saw action at Gallipoli and the Western Front, then volunteered again in World War II. Reported by Brisbane Times 2 hours ago.

The NSW Strata Building Bond and Inspections Scheme applies where a developer and builder have entered into a contract. Reported by Mondaq 2 hours ago.

Australian merchant Macfixit sums up the iPhone battery controversy in a caricature infographic.

MELBOURNE, Australia (PRWEB) April 24, 2018

Near the end of 2017, iPhone users with old models have noticed that their phones suffer from sluggish performance. This came several months after Apple released an iOS 10.2.1 update, which improved power management to avoid unexpected shutdowns.

Turmoil rippled across reddit with conspiracy theories declaring that the tech giant degraded old models on purpose to get users to buy the latest iPhones.

Apple released a statement on December 28, 2017, denying those theories. However, they did confirm that the software update does slow down phones that have chemically aged batteries.

“We apologize,” Apple said. “There’s been a lot of misunderstanding about this issue, so we would like to clarify and let you know about some changes we’re making. . . . Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.”

With Apple’s message came a $50 price reduction on out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacements. If affected users get their batteries replaced, their iPhone’s performance will return to normal.

Macfixit, a distributor of Apple-related accessories in Australia, summarized the points of the announcement in an infographic titled "Slow iPhone: Is It You or Apple?" Every detail on the issue, including the retorts made in Reddit and a few solutions to the problem, has been condensed into cartoon images and captions. The infographic serves as an aid for iPhone users who remain unaware of the matter.

About Macfixit Australia

Macfixit Australia, based in Melbourne, has been operating since 2005. Over the years, they’ve built themselves up as a distributor for Apple-related accessories and products in Australia. Their stocks are focused on Apple upgrades, with an emphasis on storage, RAM chips, and hard-to-find pieces for MacBooks (Pro and Air laptops), iPads, and iPhones. For more information, visit http://www.macfixit.com.au Reported by PRWeb 2 hours ago.

Sachin Tendulkar turned 45 on Tuesday. Reported by DNA 1 hour ago.

The Royal Commission was reluctantly agreed to, but has thrown up some startling events in modern Australian banking. Reported by Mondaq 2 hours ago.

Vendors can not advertise and sell a 3 bedroom unit when it is originally approved and constructed as a 2 bedroom unit. Reported by Mondaq 2 hours ago.

This case establishes a new test for determining the scope of modification which would extinguish an implied licence. Reported by Mondaq 1 hour ago.

XUZHOU, China, April 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- XCMG (000425.SZ), the world's leading construction machinery manufacturer, now ranks 6th among the world's top 50 construction equipment manufacturers in the latest Yellow Table report released by European construction publisher KHL. XCMG has jumped up 2 spots from 8th place in last year's report, achieving the highest ranking of any Chinese manufacturer.XCMG Moves Up to 6th Place on KHL’s 2018 Yellow Table

Following years of decline in the global construction equipment market, this year has seen robust growth, especially in Asia where the top 50 manufacturers have delivered the best sales performance since 2013. KHL notes that China is the key to this growth, as the sales of Chinese construction equipment have risen 82 percent and exceeded 200,000 for the first time since 2014.

Wang Min, Chairman and president of XCMG, commented, "Our cutting-edge technology and innovation, alongside 'advanced and endurable' quality are the keys to our rise on KHL's 2018 Yellow Table. As XCMG continues its transition from traditional to intelligent manufacturing, we will be able to achieve consistent growth in the future - even if the market takes a downturn. Furthermore, our decades of transnational experience make us well-positioned to take advantage of global market developments, including expansion into emerging mid- and high-end markets."

Through years of dedicated research and development, XCMG has achieved continuous breakthroughs in both product development and market share:

· XCMG's machinery and earthmoving plant business sectors now have a scale of RMB 10 billion
· Annual sales of heavy trucks exceed 13,000
· Sales volume in the environmental equipment sector has exceeded RMB 1 billion (US$159.19 million)
· XCMG's large tonnage all-terrain crane has entered the high-end markets of the U.S., Germany and Australia
· XCMG now owns 5,977 technical patents, among which 1,211 are authorized invention patents

XCMG has reported a 90 percent year-on-year increase in exports in 2017, with total revenue as well as growth rate both surpassing its peers. XCMG's global operation has more than 40 branch offices and 300 dealers and distributors, exporting to more than 178 countries and regions. It has been a champion of the industry for three decades, especially in the Asian, African and South American markets.

With export value accounting for 72 percent of its total volume, XCMG has expanded its market share in the 57 countries and regions participating in China's "Belt and Road" Initiative and ranks as the No.1 export merchant in 30 destination countries in terms of the total amount of export volume. XCMG has established 134 service and parts centers worldwide to ensure prompt aftersales services.

*About XCMG*

XCMG (000425.SZ) is a multinational heavy machinery manufacturing company with a history of 74 years. It currently ranks sixth in the world's construction machinery industry. The company exports to more than 177 countries and regions around the world.

For more information, please visit: www.xcmg.com, or XCMG pages on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180424/2113242-1 Reported by PR Newswire Asia 1 hour ago.

StreamBIM delivers exceptional technology that allows all trades to stream complex Building Information Models (BIM) on the job site.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (PRWEB) April 24, 2018

StreamBIM, a user-friendly software platform that gives users access to the latest 3D models and documentation on any digital device, is now available in North America through StreamBIM North America.

Improvements in the construction industry are coming as the result of new digital technologies. BIM (building information modeling) gives a global view of building projects, as well as smart tracking of separate building systems. The use of BIM helps companies improve collaboration among the multiple roles involved in the project, control costs by improving productivity, and better maintain built facilities.

Project managers look for ways to reduce building errors and use the time of their sub-contractors more efficiently. StreamBIM is easy-to-use technology that’s new to the North American market. The software allows all disciplines to stream 3D BIM models and project plans to their handheld devices whether they are on site or in the project office.

With StreamBIM, there’s no wasted time waiting to download a specific section of the construction model. The software also makes it possible to track issues in real time as they arise, capture photos, and to alert the appropriate team to make required adjustments.

“As a very user-friendly software for collaboration and for distribution of information, based on open BIM, StreamBIM will play a key role and will impact the ongoing discussions within the construction industry about efficiency improvements and digitalization,” says Bjornar Markussen, BIM coordinator for Avinor and the new terminal at Oslo’s Gardermoen airport, which was built using StreamBIM

In addition to the Gardermoen project, StreamBIM has more than 4300 users, and has been deployed on projects from hospitals to hotels.

Mark Liss, President of Explorer Software, says, “We are excited to represent StreamBIM in North America. The technology is unparalleled and delivers valuable project information instantly to everyone involved. We believe it will prove to be a valuable addition not only for our customers but to the North American construction market.”

For further information about StreamBIM, please contact northamerica(at)streambim(dot)com

About StreamBIM
StreamBIM is a producer of cloud 3D Building Information Modeling (BIM) collaboration software for the construction industry. The StreamBIM platform is designed for 3D BIM collaboration throughout all stages of the construction project, from design through construction to as-built handover and facilities maintenance.

For more information about StreamBIM, visit: http://www.streambim.com

About JDM Technology Group
JDM Technology Group is a global software business focused on delivering business software systems for the architecture, engineering and construction industries with over 50,000 users served in 40 countries on 6 continents, employing over 350 staff. The JDM Technology Group’s core business philosophy is long-term commitment to customer service coupled with providing the best possible solutions to customers. JDM Technology Group companies include Computer Guidance Corporation (North America), ConEst Software (North America and Australia), CostCon (New Zealand), CSSP (Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong), Explorer Software (North, Central, and South America), IndustrySmarts (North America), Integrity Software Systems and Estimate Software (UK and Ireland), LEVESYS (Australia), Nimbus Software (New Zealand), Plusfactor (New Zealand), RedSkyIT (UK and Middle East), MPulse (USA and global), Vision InfoSoft (North America), and Rendra AS (Norway and global).

For more information about the JDM Technology Group, visit: http://www.jdmtechnologygroup.com Reported by PRWeb 1 hour ago.

Neurovascular Devices Market Size By Product, By Process, By Therapeutic Application, By End Use and Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Japan, China, India, Australia, Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa), Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2018 – 2024

Sellbyville, Delaware, April 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --Global Neurovascular Devices Market is projected to surpass USD 2 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights. Increasing adoption of minimally invasive surgical procedures is primary factor driving neurovascular devices market growth. Some of the advantages of minimally invasive surgeries such as smaller incision length, less discomfort, reduced blood loss during the surgery, and shorter hospitalization stay make it a preferable treatment option fuelling industry expansion.

Increasing incidences and mortality associated with neurological diseases such as brain aneurysm and ischemic strokes in the developed countries is another major impact rendering driver for neurovascular devices market growth. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the main cause of long term disability in Western countries. This will fuel demand for neurovascular devices for treatment of such diseases.

Advancement in neurovascular technology such as stent retriever technology used for the treatment of ischemic stroke along with favorable government initiatives to develop healthcare infrastructure will accelerate market growth in the coming years.

*Request for a sample of this research report @ *https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/794

 However, high cost of neurovascular devices and dearth of neurosurgeons in the developing regions will hamper market growth in the future.

Embolic coils held over 30% of overall market size in 2017 followed by neurovascular thrombectomy devices. Increasing incidences of acute ischemic stroke with large artery occlusion along with development of novel solutions by industry players will foster neurovascular thrombectomy segment growth in the coming years.

 Flow diverters will witness more than 3% CAGR over the coming years due to increasing prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases along with availability of various flow diverters used for treating patients with unruptured large intracranial aneurysms.

Browse key industry insights spread across 230 pages with 263 market data tables & 10 figures & charts from the report, *“Neurovascular Devices Market” *in detail along with the table of contents:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/neurovascular-devices-market

Coiling procedure dominated the market in 2017 by holding more than 35% of total market share owing to increasing demand for surgical procedures with minimum invasion catering to unmet medical needs of patients.

Stenting technique will witness over 4.5% CAGR over the forecast period due to increased adoption of carotid stents among neurosurgeons as an effective treatment option for ischemic strokes, aneurysm and stenosis. Neuroform, Solitaire, Enterprise, and Leo plus are among the popularly used stents in the market for stenting techniques to treat intracranial aneurysms.

Ischemic strokes accounted for more than 42% industry share and is expected to experience similar trend over the future years. Stenosis segment will witness considerable growth over the coming years owing to rising geriatric patients suffering from aortic stenosis that leads to surging demand for neurovascular devices.

 Hospitals accounted for more than 85% of the business revenue share in 2017. Increasing usage of neurovascular devices owing to rising number of advanced minimally invasive treatments performed in these facilities will propel segment growth.

U.S. neurovascular devices market size was around USD 480 million in 2017 and anticipated to surpass USD 600 million by 2024. Increasing incidences of Hemorrhagic stroke along with high adoption of technologically advanced products in the country will augment regional revenue size.

 UK neurovascular devices market is well established and present excellent opportunities in future. Increasing geriatric population coupled with increasing prevalence of ischemic stroke and neurological disorders should drive future market growth.

China neurovascular devices market will witness 6% growth from 2018 to 2024. Increasing prevalence of neurological disorders along with large proportion of undiagnosed population will foster demand for neurovascular devices.  Increasing geriatric patient pool along with favourable government initiatives to improve healthcare infrastructure are driving factors for industry growth.

 Some of the key industry players operating in global neurovascular devices market are Medtronic, Penumbra, Terumo Corporation, Stryker and Johnson & Johnson (Depuy Synthes). The industry players resort to innovative product launch and strategic acquisition to strengthen their market foothold.

*Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @* https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/794

*Browse Related Reports:*

· *Neurostimulation Devices Market Size 2017 – 2024*

Neurostimulation devices Market share was valued over USD 5.4 billion in 2016 and is expected to witness more than 15.0% CAGR from 2017 to 2024. Growing prevalence of neurological disorders coupled with adoption of innovative and technologically advanced products should drive the neurostimulation devices market trends.
https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/neurostimulation-devices-market-report

· *CT Scanner Market Size 2017 – 2024*

CT Scanner Market share was valued over USD 4.7 billion in 2016 and is expected to witness more than 5% CAGR from 2017 to 2024. Increasing prevalence of chronic diseases across the globe will serve to be a high impact rendering factor for CT scanner market growth.
https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/ct-scanner-market

*About Global Market Insights*

Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.

CONTACT: Contact Us:
Arun Hegde
Corporate Sales, USA
Global Market Insights, Inc.
Phone: 1-302-846-7766
Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688
Email: sales@gminsights.com
Web: https://www.gminsights.com
Blog: https://www.gminsights.com/blogs Reported by GlobeNewswire 1 hour ago.

SAN RAMON, Calif., April 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- *eQuest* today announced the expansion of its interactive media group which will provide more significant services to its SMB and Enterprise customer base. The expansion will be phased over a 12 month period and will include Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Eastern Europe, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, UAE, Singapore, Thailand, U.K., U.S.A and Vietnam.Part of the expansion includes a new job posting online distribution portal that provides job delivery access to job boards without the user being required to have a preexisting contract. The full range of support services also include highly discounted job board pricing and no delivery fees.

eQuest has successfully supported the in-country expansion of 1,000’s of organizations worldwide. Clients include Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 corporations, small and mid-sized companies, higher education institutions, vocational colleges, non-profit and donor organizations, trade associations and professional bodies and numerous Federal and State Government trade and investment and education agencies.

*About eQuest*

eQuest is the most utilized job posting distribution company in the world — used by thousands of small, medium, and enterprise businesses. It’s the #1 preferred job posting company by the majority of the Global Fortune 500 and enterprise HCM companies. eQuest also provides OFCCP support for federal contractors. eQuest is one of the most recognized and admired brands in the human resource industry. eQuest can be reach at www.equest.com

CONTACT: Media Contact

May Ton

may.ton@eQuest.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 1 hour ago.

SAN FRANCISCO & HONG KONG - Media OutReach - April 24, 2018 -* *Leanplum, the leader in mobile engagement, today announced an add-on raise from Beijing-based private equity firm Waterwood Group to scale and fuel growth in China and the greater Asia Pacific (APAC) region, bringing their Series D total financing to $52 million. Leanplum continues to gain momentum across APAC, where the region's most innovative brands rely on its platform to drive mobile growth and deeper customer relationships.

 

"Chinese consumers demand a best-in-class mobile experience, however, companies in China are underserved in terms of sophisticated marketing technology," said Waikit Lau, partner, Waterwood Group. "We were especially impressed with Leanplum's A/B testing and data analytics capabilities because it quickly delivers value to brands in a highly competitive market. In order to meet the exponential growth in mobile usage, Chinese brands are hungry for the real-time insights and personalization at scale that only Leanplum provides. We look forward to working together to build the future of the Chinese market."

 

This investment highlights the growing opportunity for brands to reach mobile consumers across APAC. According to GSMA, more than half the world's mobile subscribers live in Asia Pacific, and China will account for 21 percent (or 155 million) of the approximately 753 million new mobile subscribers expected be added globally by the end of 2020.

 

"APAC is at the forefront of mobile adoption, and the potential for Leanplum to help brands across the region reach such a highly-engaged mobile generation who are on their phones 24/7, is truly exciting," said Momchil Kyurkchiev, CEO and co-founder, Leanplum. "We're thrilled to partner with Waterwood because they share our vision for transforming mobile engagement for the modern marketer."

 

Today, APAC's most prominent mobile apps lean on Leanplum to power their marketing campaigns, including:

· Liven, Australia's #1 payment & loyalty platform;
· Lomotif, Singapore-made social video app;
· ofo, station-free bike sharing platform and mobile app based in Beijing;
· TMON, leading Korean e-commerce company, often referred to as the 'Amazon of South Korea.'

 

Leanplum is expanding its footprint across APAC and making strategic new hires to meet growing demand in key markets such as China, Australia, Indonesia, and Japan. Julio Bermúdez, formerly of Optimizely, was hired to lead sales and operations from Leanplum's regional headquarters in Singapore. He has grown the team more than 400 percent in recent months, drawing key talent from Adobe, Asics, and Salesforce.

 

The company is focused on building a great work culture in its offices around the world, and was recently recognized as one of Fortune's Best Companies to Work For and Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America by Entrepreneur magazine.

 

Leanplum is building the next generation marketing cloud, leveraging the unique power of mobile to help brands drive deep and meaningful customer relationships. Capturing more than 18 billion mobile data points daily and delivering over 50 million messages every hour, the Leanplum platform provides the real-time insights and capabilities to help marketers deliver in-the-moment engagement and build meaningful customer relationships.

 

To demo Leanplum and find out about job opportunities, come say hello at www.leanplum.com and follow us on Twitter @leanplum.

 

* About Leanplum *

Leanplum is the mobile marketing platform built for engagement. Brands rely on Leanplum to help them orchestrate multi-channel campaigns -- from messaging to the in-app experience -- all from a single, integrated platform. Global brands such as Tinder, Grab, Tesco, and Zynga turn to Leanplum to accelerate growth and build long-term customer relationships. Founded in 2012, Leanplum is based in San Francisco, with offices across North America, Europe, and Asia. Leanplum has received more than $98 million in funding from Norwest Venture Partners, Canaan Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and Shasta Ventures. Leanplum has been named to Business Insider's Most Valuable Enterprise Startups and SF Business Times' Best Places to Work. Learn more at www.leanplum.com. Reported by Media OutReach 1 hour ago.

Troops who gave their lives at Gallipoli and in other conflicts across the globe mourned on 25 April every year Reported by Independent 1 hour ago.