Author: Sai Krishna

HR Path Strengthens its Australian Presence with Strategic Acquisition of Payroll Experts Australia

PARIS, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HR Path, a global leader in HR consulting and HRIS solutions, today announces its strategic acquisition of Payroll Experts Australia, a Brisbane-based company specialising in payroll compliance, remediation, workforce management and HR systems consulting.

Founded in 2009, Payroll Experts Australia has delivered more than 530 projects for over 260 organisations across Australia and New Zealand. Independent of any software vendor, the company supports employers across the full payroll, workforce management and HR systems lifecycle, with expertise spanning payroll compliance and audit, remediation, award and agreement interpretation, payroll processing, advisory and end-to-end systems implementation.

The acquisition strengthens HR Path’s ability to provide end-to-end HR transformation services across the ANZ market. Payroll Experts Australia’s specialist capabilities complement HR Path’s existing HRIS technology and SAP SuccessFactors expertise, enabling the combined organisation to support clients with a broader range of locally grounded services, from strategic advisory and systems implementation to payroll compliance and operational support. 

Payroll Experts Australia will continue to operate under the brand “Payroll Experts Australia, an HR Path Company”. Its leadership team and employees will remain in their current roles, ensuring continuity of service for clients while giving the business access to HR Path’s international capabilities and resources. 

The transaction builds on HR Path’s expansion in the region. HR Path has been active in Australia since 2019, following the acquisition of DDG. It opened an Australian office in 2024 and acquired RKM Consulting in 2025, strengthening its HRIS technology and SAP SuccessFactors capabilities across Australia and New Zealand.  

“The acquisition of Payroll Experts Australia, a company renowned for its expertise in payroll compliance, is a strategic move that supports our ambition to be the global reference in HR transformation,” said François Boulet, Co-founding Partner at HR Path. “Their deep knowledge and strong client relationships in Australia complement our global capabilities, enabling us to deliver even more value to our clients. This partnership is about synergy, innovation, and shared commitment to excellence.”

“We are very happy about this new chapter!” said Steve Keenaghan, Chief Executive Officer at Payroll Experts Australia. “This step opens up exciting opportunities for our team and our clients and ensures our continued growth and success. We will maintain our commitment to delivering exceptional, independent payroll expertise while exploring new possibilities within HR Path.”

Contact:

Fabienne LATOUR  Fabienne.latour@hr-path.com

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RCU launches 2026-2027 Archaeology Season across AlUla and Khaybar

• Saudi and international teams advance long-term research into north-west Arabia’s human history, from prehistoric landscapes and ancient kingdoms to oasis life, pilgrimage routes and heritage conservation
• The season builds on previous discoveries while strengthening Saudi capability in archaeology, field research, digital documentation and heritage interpretation

ALULA, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Royal Commission for AlUla has launched the latest phase of its 2026–2027 Archaeology Season, bringing together Saudi and international teams to advance long-term archaeological research across AlUla and Khaybar.

Building on the momentum of previous seasons, this year’s programme continues RCU’s work to study, document, conserve and interpret one of north-west Arabia’s most significant archaeological landscapes. The season brings together a broad programme of fieldwork, specialist research, digital documentation and community engagement across AlUla and Khaybar, supporting deeper understanding of the region’s human history and its role within the ancient world.

The programme reflects the growing maturity of RCU’s archaeology work. As missions return to the field, researchers are moving from individual discoveries into deeper scientific analysis, connecting evidence across periods, sites and disciplines to build a richer understanding of how people lived in, moved through and shaped the landscapes of AlUla and Khaybar over millennia.

This season’s work is structured around key research themes, including early human presence and prehistory; ancient kingdoms and oasis societies; routes and pilgrimage; environmental history and water management; inscriptions and written heritage; material culture and subsistence; conservation; and digital documentation.

At Hegra, teams are continuing survey, excavation and specialist studies of the settlement centre and ancient oasis, including material linked to flora, fauna and small finds. This work aims to deepen understanding of life at the site across multiple periods and to support the wider interpretation of Hegra’s archaeological landscape.

In Dadan, the second phase of the Dadan Archaeological Project is building on the results of the previous five-year mission. Current work is focused on further excavation and study of funerary and residential areas, helping researchers better understand the development, use and reuse of one of AlUla’s most important ancient centres.

In Khaybar, continuing and new research is examining the oasis across different periods. This includes excavation of the major Neolithic site of Al-Maṭḥana, alongside studies of sedimentary archives, palaeoenvironments and human societies from late prehistory through the Islamic period. Together, these missions are helping researchers understand the relationship between natural resources, human presence and cultural change in one of the region’s most important oasis landscapes.

The Pilgrimage Routes in South AlUla project is continuing work on forts and railway stations, while surveying more than 100 km between AlBadai’ and Zumurrud forts to trace north-south routes of travel in Islamic and earlier periods. This research is helping to clarify how people, goods and ideas moved across the region through networks of travel, trade and pilgrimage.

The AlUla Inscriptions Corpus Analysis Project, in collaboration with Ghent University, is continuing work to translate, study and contextualise inscriptions recorded across AlUla. The project supports access to one of the region’s most important bodies of written heritage, building on AlUla’s record of more than 25,000 inscriptions and contributing to future research through the development of an online database.

Specialist studies are also expanding understanding of daily life and environmental history. Research into animal remains, ceramics, qanat water systems and material from Tell Saq is helping archaeologists move from field discovery into deeper analysis of diet, production, exchange, ritual practice, oasis water management and material culture.

The season also reflects RCU’s commitment to developing Saudi capability in archaeology and heritage research. Through fieldwork, laboratory work, specialist studies, digital documentation, community engagement and collaboration with leading international institutions, the programme supports knowledge transfer and helps develop the next generation of Saudi archaeologists, researchers and heritage professionals.

A community engagement workshop will also introduce participants, including teachers, students, Rawis and rangers, to AlUla’s heritage through practical activities, museum and laboratory experiences, and site visits, helping connect archaeological research with local knowledge and public engagement.

Dr Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, Vice President of Culture at RCU, said:

“AlUla and Khaybar continue to reveal the depth and diversity of north-west Arabia’s human history. Through sustained archaeological research, RCU is advancing knowledge of the region’s ancient landscapes, routes, oases and kingdoms, while strengthening Saudi Arabia’s contribution to global archaeological understanding. This season is also an important opportunity to build national capability, support Saudi talent, and ensure that the knowledge generated through research informs how AlUla’s heritage is conserved, interpreted and shared with the world.”

Dr Rebecca Foote, Director of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Research at RCU, said:

“The value of this season lies in continuity. Returning to the field allows teams to test new evidence, refine chronologies and connect discoveries from individual sites to wider questions about movement, climate, exchange, food production, belief and long-term cultural change. Across AlUla and Khaybar, archaeology is revealing north-west Arabia as an active and connected landscape, shaped over millennia by movement, exchange, environmental change and human innovation.”

The research programme also supports how AlUla’s heritage is interpreted and shared with the public. Findings from archaeological missions inform exhibitions, site interpretation, Rawi storytelling, cultural programming and public-facing heritage experiences, helping visitors engage with AlUla’s heritage through evidence-based narratives.

RCU’s long-term archaeology programme forms part of its wider commitment to preserving AlUla’s cultural heritage, investing in knowledge, strengthening national capabilities and positioning north-west Arabia as a major centre for archaeological research, cultural exchange and heritage-led development.

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CSL appoints Deborah Waterhouse as CEO & Managing Director

MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Board of Directors of CSL Limited (ASX:CSL; USOTC:CSLLY) today announces that it has appointed Deborah Waterhouse as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of CSL from 1 February 2027. The appointment was made following an extensive global search process conducted by CSL’s Board of Directors. 

Ms Waterhouse is a proven commercial leader with more than 25 years’ experience managing complex global specialty pharma companies across the U.S., the U.K., continental Europe and Australia.  

Since 2017 Ms Waterhouse has been the CEO of ViiV Healthcare, a joint venture majority owned by GSK with Shionogi as a shareholder. ViiV is a leading specialist in HIV and had sales of £7.7 billion during GSK’s 2025 financial year^[i]. Additionally, Ms Waterhouse serves as the President of GSK Global Health.

Ms Waterhouse has previously led GSK’s U.S. vaccines business and its U.S. Primary Care business and has held several other senior executive positions, including GSK’s General Manager for Australia and New Zealand between 2008 and 2012.

CSL Chair Dr Brian McNamee said, “In February this year we said CSL’s next chief executive would need the ability to continue the momentum of our commercial performance, renew our pipeline and simplify our operations without losing the science and purpose that built this great company. Deborah has done all those things on multiple occasions. Deborah is an outstanding global leader with a proven ability to grow complex businesses.”

“She has grown a focused biopharmaceutical business and renewed the franchise at ViiV by driving the development and commercialisation of the next generation of medicines to support patients. She knows the United States, she knows Australia and she knows how to build pipelines and manage partnerships. A world-class and purpose-driven executive, she is the right person to lead CSL in its next chapter of growth. The Board’s decision to appoint Deborah was unanimous.”

Ms Waterhouse said, “CSL is one of the great companies in our industry, and I saw what it means to Australia when I lived and worked in Melbourne. Its people save lives every day, from the staff who collect plasma at the donation centres to the scientists and operators who develop and manufacture the medicines and vaccines. The foundations are strong. My job is to continue the momentum and evolve the path into reliable growth for patients and shareholders.”

Ms Waterhouse will retain her base in the U.K. She will spend significant time in Australia, the U.S. and in CSL’s major markets and operational centres. Gordon Naylor will continue as Interim CEO and Managing Director until 1 February 2027. He will conduct an appropriate transition with Ms Waterhouse and will resume his role on the Board as a non-Executive Director. 

A biography for Ms Waterhouse is set out in Attachment 1.

The key components of Ms Waterhouse’s employment contract, including her remuneration structure, effective from 1 February 2027 are set out in Attachment 2.

Authorised for lodgement by:

Fiona Mead

Company Secretary

Attachment 1: 

Career Summary for Ms Waterhouse

Attachment 2:

Key Employment Terms for Ms Waterhouse

^[i] According to GSK’s FY25 accounts

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TraceLink Achieves a Breakthrough with No-Code Supply Chain Agents that Reliably Perform Critical Work in Seconds

The OPUS Brain accelerates agentic work through optimized, verifiable Semantic Inference Plans, with versioned Agent Profiles and operational controls that support reliable performance at scale.

BOSTON, October 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TraceLink, the world’s largest Agentic Business Network, today announced a breakthrough in how no-code OPUS Agents perform critical supply chain work. Powered by the OPUS Brain—TraceLink’s intelligence and reasoning layer for OPUS Agents—the new capabilities transform agent instructions into optimized, verifiable Semantic Inference Plans (SIPs), enabling OPUS Agents to perform recurring work in seconds with greater reliability and consistency.

Enterprises can inspect, test, and approve agent plans before production, identify changes that could affect agent performance, and measure completed work through operational records and Agentic Business Process dashboards. These capabilities address critical barriers to scaling agentic operations, giving companies greater confidence, accountability, and cost visibility as they expand governed OPUS Agents throughout supply chain processes.

“For enterprise processes, agents have to be governed, reliable, fast, specialized, and perform work at predictably low cost,” said Shabbir Dahod, President and CEO of TraceLink. “Our innovations achieved all those goals. With these breakthroughs, TraceLink is bringing a new level of intelligence and operational capacity to global supply chains, enabling companies to manage greater complexity, expand the work they can perform, and drive growth in ways that were previously beyond their reach.”

Traditional AI agents often repeat complex reasoning each time they encounter a similar business event, increasing processing time, cost, and the potential for inconsistent results.

Each SIP defines an intended approach for achieving an OPUS Agent’s Objective based on approved Tasks, Decisions, Rules, and operational context. The OPUS Brain generates, evaluates, and recursively optimizes these plans to improve speed and accuracy, while enabling human teams to inspect, test, and approve them before production use. Once approved, optimized SIPs guide recurring agent work, reducing processing delays and supporting faster responses to changing supply chain conditions.

Evaluation Logs provide evidence of how agent work compares with an approved SIP, supporting inspection, validation, and refinement. Progress Logs track the progression of work, Work Logs capture completed activities and their business context, and Outcomes document the resulting business results. Together, these records establish the evidence needed to assess agent performance, maintain accountability, and improve Agentic Business Processes over time.

Versioned Agent Profiles associate each OPUS Agent with a specific operating definition, allowing companies to control when updated instructions, policies, or requirements are adopted. Dependency tracking identifies changes to Agent Profiles, Processes, Business Objects, Rules, and configurations that may require additional evaluation or retraining before they affect agent behavior. These controls help enterprises maintain reliability as business requirements and supporting systems evolve.

Work Logs and Agentic Business Process (ABP) dashboards provide visibility into operational activity, enabling organizations to evaluate productivity, work quality, and business results.

Pricing charts and cost dashboards provide visibility into agent operating expenses, enabling companies to develop more predictable financial models for individual Agentic Business Processes. By comparing costs against measurable Outcomes, business leaders can assess the value of agentic operations and prioritize investments accordingly.

TraceLink will demonstrate how optimized Semantic Inference Plans enable OPUS Agents to perform critical supply chain work in seconds at FutureLink Barcelona, October 19–21, 2026.

TraceLink powers the transformation to an Agentic Supply Chain Operating Model, enabling organizations to perform and improve supply chain work across their business and trading partner networks. The OPUS Agentic Supply Chain Operating System brings together Agentic Business Processes, Agentic Control Towers, governed OPUS Agents, and the Integrate-Once™ Agentic Business Network to link systems, end-to-end business transactions, and collaborative peer-to-peer processes with trusted, real-time operational context. In this agentic environment, humans and agents work together with greater speed, reasoning, control, and accountability to improve organizational productivity, service, inventory, working capital, cost, compliance, quality, resilience, and revenue performance.

Learn more at www.tracelink.com.

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SPJIMR marks 100 batches of PGEMP; reinforcing its commitment to developing business leaders

The 100th batch of SPJIMR’s AMBA-accredited PGEMP marks a milestone in the institute’s longstanding engagement with working professionals, industry and leadership development

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) marked a significant milestone in its executive education journey on 16 October 2026, as the 100th batch of its Post Graduate Executive Management Programme (PGEMP) graduated at its Mumbai campus.

The cohort comprised 100 leaders from leading organisations across engineering and manufacturing, energy, healthcare, financial services and consulting. With work experience ranging from five to 33 years and an average of nearly 13 years, the participants brought a wealth of industry knowledge and professional experience to the classroom.

Prof. Preeta George, Associate Dean, Executive Education, SPJIMR, said: “SPJIMR’s 100th PGEMP batch is a milestone in our longstanding commitment to executive education. We believe that management learning must remain closely connected to the realities of business, enabling experienced professionals to broaden their perspectives, lead through change and create lasting value for their organisations and society.”

Reaching its 100th batch reflects the enduring relevance of executive education in helping professionals navigate changing business environments, broaden their managerial capabilities and prepare for leadership roles. For organisations, it highlights the importance of developing leaders who can connect functional expertise with a wider understanding of strategy, people, operations and business transformation.

Congratulating the cohort, Prof. ShabbirHusain R.V., Chairperson, PGEMP, SPJIMR, said: “Congratulations to our 100th PGEMP batch on reaching this significant milestone. You represent the spirit of learning, collaboration and leadership that has shaped this programme over the years. We are proud to welcome you to SPJIMR’s alumni community and look forward to the impact you will make in your organisation and beyond.”

PGEMP: Management education for professionals who lead while they learn 

SPJIMR’s Post Graduate Executive Management Programme is an AMBA-accredited, 21-month modular programme for working professionals with more than five years of experience. It enables participants to develop general management capabilities while continuing in their careers, without taking a career break.

As one of the early business schools in India to recognise the importance of executive education, SPJIMR Executive Education has sought to connect management learning with the evolving needs of professionals and industry for over 25 years. Its approach reflects the belief that leadership development must go beyond functional expertise to include strategic thinking, responsible decision-making and the ability to work across organisational boundaries and industry silos.

SPJIMR aims to support more resilient organisations and responsible business leadership. As the institute marks the 100th PGEMP batch, it reaffirms its commitment to developing leaders who create value not only for their organisations, but also for the communities and society in which they operate.

About SPJIMR

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) is one of India’s leading postgraduate management institutes. It is recognised in the Financial Times Masters in Management 2026 ranking as the #26 business school globally and #2 in India and in the Financial Times Global MBA 2026 ranking as the #74 business school globally for its PGPM programme. SPJIMR is also consistently ranked among India’s top business schools by leading publications, including Business Today, Fortune India, India Today, and MBAUniverse. It has also been recognised by the Positive Impact Rating as one of the world’s top five business schools for societal impact. Known for its innovative and socially conscious approach to management education, research, and community engagement, SPJIMR seeks to influence managerial practice and enable value-based growth for students, alumni, organisations, and society. The institute holds the international Triple Crown of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA, placing it among a select group of business schools worldwide to hold all three accreditations.

Visit SPJIMR.org for more information.

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Pigment Raises $250M at $2.3B Valuation

Series E raise is led by Scaleup Europe Fund managed by EQT, with participation from existing investors, WIL (World Innovation Lab), and a planned investment from NVIDIA

New capital accelerates Pigment’s move toward autonomous planning, powered by its proprietary Graphite engine

PARIS, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pigment, the AI business planning and performance management platform, today announced a $250 million Series E funding round at a $2.3 billion valuation. The round was led by Scaleup Europe Fund, managed by EQT, with participation from WIL (World Innovation Lab), existing investors including Greenoaks, ICONIQ, IVP, and Meritech, and a planned investment from NVIDIA.  This capital will accelerate Pigment’s mission to move fast toward autonomous planning for global enterprises.

The investment comes on the heels of a milestone year for Pigment, which surpassed $100 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) earlier this year, once again doubling year-over-year. Adoption of Pigment’s AI is also accelerating: today, 85% of new metrics in Pigment are created by an Agent. The fundraise puts Pigment in a position to build on this momentum and expand its presence and growth in new regions.

Pigment has rapidly cemented itself as the enterprise-ready platform of choice for large enterprises like Danone, DirecTV, Siemens, Snowflake, ServiceNow, and Unilever displacing legacy incumbents. And, instead of building internal solutions, the world’s most AI-savvy and engineering-dense organizations, including Anthropic, ElevenLabs, and Uber, trust Pigment to serve as the reasoning runtime for their enterprise data.

A commitment to technical superiority and continuous innovation is why some of the largest organizations trust Pigment to replace their legacy systems. It also ensures that Pigment has the capacity to seamlessly support massive global deployments, such as its recent selection by L’Oréal, who is replacing its salary planning tool for their 95,000+ employees globally by deploying Pigment.

On the raise, Pigment Co-Founders Eléonore Crespo and Romain Niccoli said, “Enterprise planning will change more in the next few years than it has in the last thirty. Legacy tools are being left behind, and the world’s most advanced AI companies now run their planning on Pigment. With the backing of our investors, we are moving fast to make autonomous planning a reality for every enterprise. With AI agents running planning workflows end to end and turning decisions into action, companies can respond to change as fast as it happens.”

Enterprise-Ready Scale and Engineering

This $250 million injection will significantly accelerate Pigment’s R&D and fuel the expansion of Pigment’s engineering team, focused on its proprietary, patent-pending compute engine, Graphite, and the AI agents that run on it.

AI agents are only as good as the engine underneath them. Graphite already lets thousands of AI agents and people work on the same governed model at once, scaling to hundreds of billions of data points with deterministic, fully traceable results. That is what makes autonomous planning possible: agents can only be trusted to run planning workflows and act on the results when every number they produce is accurate and every action can be traced. With this funding, Pigment will keep advancing Graphite to handle even larger and more complex workloads, while extending its agents from building models and analyzing data to running planning workflows end to end.

“In most companies, the richest picture of how a business actually runs sits in its plans. Pigment has built that foundation with a single platform connecting finance, sales and workforce planning – and put AI agents to work on it, helping teams model, analyse and act in hours rather than months. Eléonore and Romain have built a global category leader from Paris, and that is exactly the kind of company the Scaleup Europe Fund was created to back,” said Shannee Braun, Managing Director, EQT and Scaleup Europe Fund.

Try Pigment for free at pigment.com

About Pigment

Pigment is an AI business planning and performance management platform. Built for the complexity of modern enterprises, Pigment combines dynamic modeling with autonomous AI agents and an intuitive UX, to help teams make intelligent decisions with speed and clarity. Across finance, sales, supply chain, and other business functions, teams at companies like Unilever, Snowflake, and Anthropic use Pigment every day to anticipate change, plan ahead, and act with confidence. Try Pigment for free for 14 days at Pigment.com. 

About the Scaleup Europe Fund, managed by EQT

The Scaleup Europe Fund, managed by EQT, is a commercially driven alternative investment fund backing ambitious European technology companies with the potential to become global leaders. Targeting €5 billion, the Fund brings together public and private capital and invests across DeepTech, AI Apps and Life Sciences.

http://scaleupeuropefund.eu/

About EQT

EQT is a global investment organization with a Nordic heritage and more than three decades of experience developing companies. With €341 billion in total assets under management, EQT invests across the full lifecycle of companies, from start-up to maturity.

https://eqtgroup.com/

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GEMS Education announces the launch of GEMS Modern Academy, Coimbatore – a dual-curriculum school campus providing multiple curriculum pathways

COIMBATORE, India, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — GEMS Education, one of the world’s largest operators of private schools across 10+ countries providing education to more than 200,000+ students, has announced the launch of GEMS Modern Academy in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The new school will provide multiple curriculum pathways, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) curricula, giving families a choice between a nationally recognised Indian curriculum and a globally benchmarked international programme on a single campus. Located at Vellakinar – Coimbatore, the school will welcome its first cohort of students in the academic year 2027–28, with admissions opening from 20^th October 2026. The parent school brand – GEMS Modern Academy Dubai is recognised as one of the most outstanding schools in Dubai, with an additional campus in Kochi (Keralam) and now in Coimbatore. The other GEMS brands such as GEMS Millennium Schools and GEMS School of Excellence have more than 15+ schools in different parts of India.

Coimbatore has grown into one of South India’s most dynamic cities – a centre of manufacturing, engineering, textiles, healthcare and a fast-expanding technology sector – and home to families with strong aspirations for their children’s education. GEMS Modern Academy has been shaped with the future of these learners in mind. GEMS Education believes Coimbatore holds immense potential for world-class school education that remains deeply connected to its community.

With this launch, GEMS Education will bring its global GEMS brand, academic leadership and international operational expertise to Coimbatore, delivering teaching and learning in line with its global standards while aligning educational opportunities with the aspirations of parents and students. The dual-curriculum model allows students to pursue the rigour and familiarity of CBSE, or the inquiry-led, globally oriented pathway of the IB programmes (subject to authorisation by the International Baccalaureate Organization), supported by a common culture of high expectations, care and character. Education is no longer only national; it is international. A school that is rooted in Coimbatore and connected to the world will set a new benchmark, and in time it will be seen as a milestone for education in Tamil Nadu.

At the heart of GEMS Education’s philosophy is a teacher-first, child-first approach. The organisation believes that the true strength of a school lies in the quality of its teaching and learning, rather than in its infrastructure alone. At GEMS Modern Academy, Coimbatore, teachers will be empowered as leaders, and every decision will prioritise meaningful learning experiences and the holistic development of every child – academically, socially and emotionally.

“Coimbatore is a city of enterprise, innovation and strong family values, and we are delighted to bring GEMS Modern Academy here. By offering both CBSE and IB under one roof, we give parents genuine choice, with education that is rooted locally and connected globally. Our aim is to create a future-focused learning environment where every child is known, challenged and inspired to reach their full potential.” – Francis Joseph, India CEO, GEMS Education

“We are proud to open the doors of GEMS Modern Academy to the families of Coimbatore. Backed by GEMS Education’s legacy of more than 65 years in delivering high-quality education, our school will combine academic excellence with creativity, wellbeing and a strong sense of values. Whether students choose the CBSE or IB pathway, they will be prepared for success in an increasingly interconnected world.” – Mrs. Molly Cyril, Member, School Governing Board

About GEMS Education 

GEMS Education is one of the world’s leading, oldest and largest private K-12 education providers, with a legacy spanning more than 65 years. GEMS was founded in 1959 in Dubai by two passionate Indian teachers. 

Today, GEMS educates more than 200,000 students from over 176 nationalities through its global network of owned and managed schools, supported by more than 20,000 employees, including over 10,000 educators and school leaders representing 112 nationalities. Having educated more than 500,000 students over the decades, GEMS offers a wide range of curricula – including IB, British, Indian (CBSE/ICSE/State), Cambridge and American programmes – preparing young people with the knowledge, character and confidence to thrive in a rapidly changing world. 

Guided by its enduring mission to put a quality education within the reach of every learner, everywhere, GEMS combines academic rigour with character development, wellbeing, innovation and strong partnerships with families and communities. Over the past five years, GEMS students have been accepted into more than 2,000 universities across 71 countries, including all eight Ivy League universities in the US and all 24 Russell Group universities in the UK. In the last four years alone, more than 3,500 GEMS graduates have attended the world’s top 100 universities, over 2,200 have progressed to Russell Group universities, almost 2,000 have enrolled at the world’s top 50 universities, and more than 60 have gone on to Ivy League institutions.

Through its expanding network and philanthropic initiatives, GEMS continues to create opportunities for young people to become leaders, innovators and positive changemakers in their communities and beyond. 

For more details, please visit www.gemseducation.com and www.gemseducationindia.com.

Email: francis.joseph@gemsedu.in   

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Daffodil Software Brings Multilingual Conversational AI to Aadhaar’s Udai Mascot

GURUGRAM, India, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Daffodil Software showcased an AI-powered conversational experience featuring UIDAI’s Udai mascot at Aadhaar Samvaad 2026. Developed by Daffodil Software, the assistant is designed to help users access Aadhaar-related information through natural conversation, using official UIDAI as its reference knowledge base.

Daffodil Software has developed Udai, an AI-powered virtual mascot that helps users get clear, reliable answers about Aadhaar simply by talking to it. The assistant was showcased at Aadhaar Samvaad 2026, held in Kolkata on 29 September, coinciding with the 17th Aadhaar Day, where visitors watched it listen, respond, and gesture in real time in their own language.

For most people, questions about Aadhaar come up in daily life, and they usually need answers fast. Which documents do I need for an address change? How much does an update cost? How do I link Aadhaar to my bank account or mobile number? The answers exist, but finding them usually means working through long help pages and documents.

 Udai is designed to answer exactly these questions in a natural conversation, without anyone having to search through long help pages.

A conversation in the user’s own language

Udai speaks and understands 11 languages: Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Odia, and English. A user simply asks a question. Udai listens, works out the answer, and replies in the same language, with natural speech, matching lip movements and expressive hand gestures.

What sets Udai apart is how it is built. AI avatars rely on expensive, specialised graphics hardware to bring a face to life. Udai takes a simpler route. The character is created from pre-filmed footage, and its lip movements are matched to its speech in real time using lightweight processing that runs in a web browser.

The result is a smooth experience at 24 frames per second on ordinary servers, at a fraction of the usual cost per user. For a programme that serves hundreds of millions of people, that efficiency is what turns a nationwide rollout from an ambition into a practical plan.

“Our focus with Udai was to make Aadhaar-related information easier to access through natural conversation. Combining multilingual voice interaction with official reference content allowed our team to build an experience that is practical, approachable, and useful to users,” said Yogesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO, Daffodil Software.

Answers drawn only from official sources

The assistant uses official UIDAI material as its reference knowledge base: frequently asked questions, provisions of the Aadhaar Act, and government policy documents on Aadhaar services. It covers the topics users ask about most:

• Enrolment and registration
• Address and demographic updates
• Fees, required documents and eligibility
• eKYC and Virtual ID
• Linking Aadhaar with bank accounts, PAN and mobile numbers
• mAadhaar services
• Grievance redressal

Users don’t need to phrase their questions in any particular way. Udai understands everyday language, whether a question is spoken in English, Hindi, or asked in a mix of both, and finds the most relevant official information to answer it.

Built to be accurate, respectful, and secure

When a public service speaks directly to users, trust matters as much as convenience. Udai is protected by three layers of safeguards.

Accuracy first. Udai answers only from its verified knowledge base. Responses are grounded in a curated knowledge base of official UIDAI material. If a question falls outside Aadhaar, it guides the user back rather than offering an answer it cannot stand behind.

Respectful conversations. A screening layer catches abusive or offensive language in English, Hindi, and Hinglish before it reaches the assistant. Screening is designed to identify abusive language while supporting legitimate queries

Protection against misuse. Udai cannot be talked into abandoning its role, pretending to be someone else, revealing its internal setup, or answering beyond its approved scope. These checks work almost instantly, so users experience no delay.

What comes next?

Udai is planned to roll out in two phases.

In the first phase, the mascot will be placed in Aadhaar Centres. Visitors will be able to check information and understand processes on their own, such as which documents they need for an address change. This frees centre staff to focus on their core work instead of answering the same questions again and again.

In the second phase, Udai will come to the Aadhaar website and mobile app, taking the place of the current text-based chatbot, which was also built by Daffodil.

About Daffodil Software

Daffodil Software is a software engineering and AI solutions company serving businesses across industries. Its services span software consulting, product engineering, UI/UX design, AI/ML development, quality assurance, cloud and DevOps, and maintenance. The company serves sectors including healthcare, fintech, banking, technology, and digital commerce. Its client portfolio includes organizations such as the Reserve Bank of India, Mount Sinai Hospital, Maruti, Samsung, Pramerica Insurance, and Dangote Group. Daffodil Software has also been featured in industry research and recognition by Gartner, Everest Group, Zinnov, and Frost & Sullivan. For more information, visit https://www.daffodilsw.com

Media contact

Kunwar Pal Singh

media-relations@daffodilsw.com

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Woxsen University Signs Memorandum of Understanding with XPO to Strengthen Industry Engagement and Experiential Learning

HYDERABAD, India, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Woxsen University, Hyderabad, and XPO, a global leader in asset-based less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation in North America, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen industry-academia collaboration and create greater opportunities for students to gain practical industry exposure. The partnership will bring together XPO’s industry expertise and Woxsen’s academic capabilities through trainee programs, live projects, internships, industry visits, expert interactions and other initiatives focused on preparing students for the workplace.

As a part of the three-year partnership, students of Woxsen will have opportunities to work on merit-based trainee-programs, live industry projects, access relevant internship opportunities and participate in industry visits and interactions with XPO professionals in India. XPO will also engage with students through pre-placement talks and employer interactions, along with a preferred recruitment slot during the placement season. The company will further have the opportunity to provide inputs on curriculum relevance and emerging industry requirements, as well as design and deliver industry-led modules through Woxsen’s 12 Value-Added Credits under the Applied Learning & Industry Interface pathway.

The collaboration will extend to faculty and executive learning as well. Woxsen faculty will have opportunities to undertake 4–6-week industry engagements or projects at XPO in India, gaining first-hand exposure to emerging technologies and business practices that can enrich classroom learning. Woxsen will also work with XPO on management development programmes, customised executive education and certification programmes aligned with its learning and development requirements. XPO subject matter experts will participate in guest lectures and knowledge-sharing sessions, while dedicated representatives from both organisations will coordinate the partnership and identify further areas of collaboration.

Speaking about the MoU, Dr V. J. Byra Reddy, Vice Chancellor, Woxsen University, said, “This strategic partnership with Fortune 500 giant, XPO, exemplifies Woxsen’s commitment to disruptive, industry-integrated education. By uniting our academic rigour with XPO’s global operational expertise, we ensure our students acquire practical skills that allow them to hit the ground running, adapt instantly to fast-evolving industry requirements, and deliver immediate value in high-demand roles.”

Sameer Shaikh, Head of XPO India and Senior Director, Financial Shared Services & Technology, said, “At XPO, we believe strong industry-academia partnerships are essential to building the workforce of the future. Our collaboration with Woxsen University reflects our commitment to creating meaningful learning experiences that bridge classroom knowledge with real-world business challenges. Through trainee programs, live projects, industry engagement and mentorship opportunities, we look forward to helping students develop the skills to thrive in a rapidly evolving global industry.”

The partnership reinforces Woxsen University’s focus on connecting academic learning with industry experience and creating meaningful opportunities for students to engage with real-world business challenges. For XPO India, the collaboration offers an opportunity to engage with emerging talent, share industry expertise and contribute to the development of industry-ready professionals. The MoU is valid for an initial period of three years, with scope for extension by mutual consent.

About Woxsen University:

Woxsen University, Hyderabad, is one of the first private universities in the state of Telangana, India. Renowned for its 200-acre state-of-the-art campus and infrastructure, Woxsen University offers new-age, disruptive programs in the fields of Business, Technology, Arts & Design, Architecture, Law, and Liberal Arts & Humanities. Woxsen also houses Asia’s largest Sports Infrastructure, spread over 60 acres. With 175+ Global Partner Universities and a strong industry connect, Woxsen is recognized as one of the top universities for Academic Excellence and Global Edge. Woxsen has also secured the QS Business Masters World Ranking 2025, Rank #8 All India, Top 100 B-Schools by Times B-School Ranking 2026, Rank #5, Asia Pacific, Bloomberg Best B-School, and features in India’s Best B-Schools beyond IIMs by Dalal Street Investment Journal 2025, in 4th consecutive year. Woxsen is ranked as one of the Top Professional Colleges in India by Outlook I-CARE for its undergraduate programs, securing All India Rank 12 among the Top 130 BBA Private Institutes, All India Rank 20 among the Top 160 B. Tech Private Institutes, All India Rank 3 among the Top 25 Design Private Institutes, and All India Rank 3 among the Top 30 B. Arch Private Institutes.

About XPO:

XPO, Inc. is a leader in asset-based less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation in North America. The company’s customer-focused organization efficiently moves 16 billion pounds of freight per year, enabled by its proprietary technology. XPO serves 55,000 customers with 586 locations and 38,000 employees in North America and Europe, and is headquartered in Greenwich, Conn., USA. Visit xpo.com for more information, and connect with XPO on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

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Sunrate and TourMind Partner to Enhance Payment Capabilities for the Global Travel Industry

SINGAPORE, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sunrate, the global payment and treasury management platform, today announced a strategic partnership with TourMind, an AI-powered global travel transaction infrastructure platform, at ITB Asia 2026. Through the collaboration, the two companies will integrate Sunrate’s payment capabilities into TourMind’s technology ecosystem, helping travel businesses streamline payment operations and support their growth across international markets.

As travel distribution becomes increasingly digital and interconnected, travel businesses face growing demands to manage supplier payments, foreign exchange and financial operations across multiple markets. By combining Sunrate’s global payment infrastructure with TourMind’s travel technology and API connectivity, the partnership aims to address these operational needs and deliver a more integrated experience for travel businesses.

Through the integration, TourMind will incorporate Sunrate’s payment capabilities, such as Sunrate Cards, into its platform, bringing payment services closer to travel businesses’ operational workflows and supporting their evolving needs across international markets. The collaboration reflects both companies’ commitment to improving operational efficiency and strengthening the financial infrastructure underpinning the global travel ecosystem.

“Sunrate has established a strong presence in global travel payments and continues to expand across international markets. As AI reshapes the travel industry, we are advancing our payment capabilities, including our Agentic Card, to enable more intelligent and seamless payment experiences. Our shared vision with TourMind for applying AI to travel makes this a natural partnership, and we look forward to shaping the future of travel payments together,” said Paul Meng, Co-founder and CEO of Sunrate.

“AI is reshaping how travel businesses operate, and at TourMind, we are focused on building intelligent solutions that make every part of the travel experience smarter and more efficient,” said Karma Young, CEO of TourMind. “By integrating Sunrate’s payment capabilities into our AI-powered platform, we are making payments a seamless part of our partners’ workflows, helping them manage transactions across markets with greater ease. We look forward to working with Sunrate to support travel businesses as they grow in an increasingly AI-driven industry.”

The partnership underscores the importance of connecting travel technology with financial infrastructure as the industry continues to evolve. By bringing payment capabilities closer to travel distribution and booking operations, Sunrate and TourMind aim to help travel businesses simplify financial workflows and better support their international operations.

About Sunrate

Sunrate is a leading global payment and treasury management platform for businesses worldwide. Founded in 2016, Sunrate has enabled companies to operate and scale both locally and globally in 190+ countries and regions with its cutting-edge infrastructure, global network, and unified solutions. 

Sunrate operates through offices across key markets, including Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and London. The company partners with the top global financial institutions, such as Citibank, Standard Chartered, and J.P. Morgan. Sunrate is also the principal member of Mastercard and Visa. To learn more about Sunrate, visit https://www.sunrate.com/.

About TourMind

TourMind is an AI-Powered global travel transaction infrastructure platform. The company leverages advanced AI algorithms and machine learning to specialize in intelligent operations for hotels, flights, and comprehensive travel resources. The core capabilities include precision marketing strategy generation, real-time dynamic inventory management, omni-channel automated distribution, demand forecasting with customer behavior analysis, and more. Trusted by 32,000+ enterprise clients worldwide, TourMind operates across 3,000+ destinations with 600+ airlines, 56,000+ direct hotel partnerships and access to over 2.2 million rooms.

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