April 24, 2024

ThreatLocker® Raises $115M Series D to Continue Delivering Zero Trust Endpoint Security to More Organizations

Round led by global growth equity firm General Atlantic, along with StepStone Group and the D. E. Shaw group, to accelerate product innovation and increase reach of Zero Trust endpoint security to organizations globally.

ORLANDO, Fla., April 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ThreatLocker®, a global cybersecurity leader that offers a Zero Trust endpoint security solution, today announced it has raised $115M in Series D funding led by existing investor General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, with participation from other major investors StepStone Group and the D. E. Shaw group. With the new investment, ThreatLocker® will continue to focus on driving product innovation to bring the power of Zero Trust security to more organizations and accelerating the company’s global expansion.

ThreatLocker® provides organizations with the ability to protect their IT operations with an effective Zero Trust approach to cybersecurity. The product suite provides enterprise-level server and endpoint security by blocking untrusted software, including ransomware, scripts and libraries, and exploits of known and unknown application vulnerabilities through Default Deny Application Control, Ringfencing, Storage Control, Privileged Access Management, Network Access Control, as well as its new Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) and Managed Detection & Response (MDR) solutions. ThreatLocker® believes that its customers should have complete control over their network and devices, know what is trying to infiltrate their stack, and not live in fear of the next cyberattack. With a powerful security tool suite designed to enable organizations to easily and directly control exactly what applications run on their endpoints, ThreatLocker® customers can rest assured knowing that their businesses are protected using the Zero Trust model framework that protects them from various cyber threats, including unknown malware, ransomware, and exploits for known and unknown vulnerabilities.

ThreatLocker® CEO Danny Jenkins commented, “ThreatLocker has made a huge impact in the industry in driving a least-privilege approach forward over the last few years and has introduced new EDR and MDR products within a single cybersecurity platform for our customers. We believe this new injection of capital will enable us to continue to develop Zero Trust products and grow ThreatLocker’s market presence. We are very excited to be partnering again with General Atlantic, as well as with new investors, StepStone Group & the D. E. Shaw group, and look forward to leveraging their teams’ deep experience in bringing products to market and scaling technologically-disruptive businesses.”

To add to this, ThreatLocker® COO Sami Jenkins commented, “We are thrilled to extend our partnerships with General Atlantic and look forward to working with StepStone and the D. E. Shaw group.”

The new investment follows another year of growth as ThreatLocker® doubled its revenue and added 50% to its workforce. Today, ThreatLocker® has thousands of partners and protects over 50,000 organizations. Serving companies who are serious about security, ThreatLocker® partners with Enterprises and Managed Service Providers (and MSSPs), including many financial institutions, healthcare organizations, and airlines such as Emirates and JetBlue Airways.

Gary Reiner, Operating Partner at General Atlantic, continued, “ThreatLocker effectively takes the guesswork out of threat detection with its Zero Trust approach. As companies of all sizes increasingly focus on filling in gaps in their security stacks, Zero Trust is becoming a necessity – and we view ThreatLocker as an emerging leader in this paradigm shift. We are thrilled to further our partnership with the team to accelerate ThreatLocker’s growth as an endpoint security disruptor.”

About ThreatLocker®
ThreatLocker® is a global cybersecurity leader, providing enterprise-level Zero Trust cybersecurity tools to improve the security of servers and endpoints. Founded in 2017 by Danny Jenkins, Sami Jenkins, and John Carolan, ThreatLocker® now serves thousands of organizations globally and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida, USA. For more information, visit: https://www.threatlocker.com/

About General Atlantic
General Atlantic is a leading global growth investor with more than four decades of experience providing capital and strategic support for over 520 growth companies throughout its history. Established in 1980 to partner with visionary entrepreneurs and deliver lasting impact, the firm combines a collaborative global approach, sector-specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon, and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to scale innovative businesses around the world. General Atlantic has approximately $84 billion in assets under management inclusive of all products as of March 31, 2024, and more than 300 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Miami, Mumbai, Munich, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stamford and Tel Aviv. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit: www.generalatlantic.com.

About The D. E. Shaw Group
The D. E. Shaw group is a global investment and technology development firm with more than $60 billion in investment capital as of March 1, 2024, and offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. Since our founding in 1988, our firm has earned a reputation for successful investing based on innovation, careful risk management, and the quality and depth of our staff. We have a significant presence in the world’s capital markets, investing in a wide range of companies and financial instruments in both developed and developing economies. For more information, visit www.deshaw.com.

Media Contacts

ThreatLocker®
Spencer Ford
(689) 217-4246
spencer.ford@threatlocker.com

General Atlantic
Emily Japlon & Sara Widmann
media@generalatlantic.com

The D. E. Shaw group
media-inquiries@deshaw.com

Spencer Ford
ThreatLocker Inc.
+16892174246
spencer.ford@threatlocker.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9104839

April 24, 2024

EMGA décroche un financement de 15 millions de dollars US pour Banco Improsa au Costa Rica

LONDRES, 24 avr. 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — En partenariat avec Banco Improsa, Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP, ci-après « EMGA », annonce avoir obtenu l’ouverture d’une ligne de crédit à hauteur de 15 millions de dollars auprès de l’Agence japonaise de coopération internationale (ou JICA pour Japan International Cooperation Agency).

« Malgré la complexité du contexte macroéconomique mondial, nous nous réjouissons d’appuyer une fois de plus la vision durable de Banco Improsa pour soutenir les PME au Costa Rica et de mener à bien ce financement. » observe Sajeev Chakkalakal, Responsable de la branche Investissement et directeur général d’EMGA.

Félix Alpizar Lobo, Directeur général de Banco Improsa, commente la transaction en ces termes : « Ce financement confirme notre engagement en faveur du renforcement des PME au Costa Rica, et Banco Improsa est fière de partager l’objectif de la JICA en contribuant à la croissance économique et sociale des pays en voie de développement. »

Jeremy Dobson, directeur général d’EMGA, ajoute que « La solide gestion et la bonne santé financière de Banco Improsa ont joué un rôle clé pour aider l’équipe de la branche Investissement d’EMGA à obtenir ce financement. Ce soutien de la JICA contribuera à renforcer davantage la capacité de Banco Improsa à faire progresser son portefeuille de prêts dédiés aux PME. »

JICA

L’Agence japonaise de coopération internationale est une agence gouvernementale qui fournit une part majeure de l’aide publique au développement pour le compte du gouvernement japonais. Elle est chargée de soutenir la croissance économique et sociale dans les pays en voie de développement et de promouvoir la coopération internationale.

EMERGING MARKETS GLOBAL ADVISORY LLP (EMGA)

Implantée à Londres et à New York, EMGA vient en aide aux établissements financiers et aux entreprises en quête de nouveaux capitaux d’emprunt ou de capitaux propres. Son équipe multinationale compte des décennies d’expérience dans la réalisation de transactions pour le compte de ses clients sur les marchés émergents et les économies frontières de tous les pays du monde, y compris au Costa Rica qui reste un marché clé. EMGA continue d’élargir son rayonnement géographique et d’étoffer son offre de services en capitalisant sur son expérience reconnue dans la formation de capital et les prestations de conseil stratégique étendues à divers cycles économiques. Elle assied ainsi sa position prédominante sur le marché de banque d’investissement de niche ciblée sur les marchés émergents.

BANCO IMPROSA

Forte de plus de 37 ans d’expérience, Banco Improsa est une banque commerciale dont le modèle relationnel d’affaires et l’assise sur les marchés de niche convergent vers une spécialisation visant la fourniture de solutions et de services de financement aux petites et moyennes entreprises (ou PME), entre autres. Elle fait partie des premières banques privées du Costa Rica à proposer des services non financiers à ses clients et propose des conseils et un appui aux PME de longue date. Le principal facteur de réussite de Banco Improsa réside dans son engagement à respecter des normes élevées de service, en toute agilité et flexibilité, qui alliées à sa gamme de solutions financières personnalisées, lui a permis d’atteindre une franche position sur ce secteur.

Banco Improsa est une filiale du Grupo Financiero Improsa (ou GFI).

Coordonnées :
info@emergingmarketsglobaladvisory.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000946462

April 24, 2024

A EMGA obtém financiamento de US$ 15 milhões para o Banco Improsa na Costa Rica

LONDRES, April 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A Emerging Markets Global Advisory LLP (EMGA), em parceria com o Banco Improsa, anuncia que obteve uma linha de crédito de US$ 15 milhões da Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Sajeev Chakkalakal, chefe de banco de investimento e diretor administrativo da EMGA, afirmou: “Apesar de um ambiente macroeconômico global complicado, temos o prazer de mais uma vez facilitar a visão contínua do Banco Improsa de apoiar as PMEs na Costa Rica e concluir essa solução de financiamento.”

Ao comentar a transação, Felix Alpizar Lobo, gerente geral do Banco Improsa, disse: “Esse financiamento reitera nosso compromisso de fortalecer o segmento de PMEs na Costa Rica. O Banco Improsa orgulha-se de compartilhar o objetivo da JICA que é contribuir para o crescimento econômico e social dos países em desenvolvimento.”

Jeremy Dobson, diretor administrativo da EMGA, acrescentou: “A sólida gestão e a posição financeira saudável do Banco Improsa foram fatores fundamentais para ajudar a equipe do banco de investimentos da EMGA a garantir esse financiamento, e essa linha de crédito da JICA reforçará ainda mais a capacidade do Banco Improsa de aumentar sua principal carteira de empréstimos para PMEs.”

JICA

A Japan International Cooperation Agency é uma agência governamental que fornece a maior parte da Assistência Oficial ao Desenvolvimento para o governo do Japão. Ela foi criada para ajudar no crescimento econômico e social dos países em desenvolvimento e na promoção da cooperação internacional.

EMERGING MARKETS GLOBAL ADVISORY LLP (EMGA)

A EMGA, com filiais em Londres e Nova York, auxilia instituições financeiras e empresas que buscam novos capitais de dívida ou acionários. A equipe multinacional da EMGA combina décadas da experiência necessária para concluir transações em nome de seus clientes nos mercados emergentes e economias de fronteira do mundo, incluindo a Costa Rica, que continua sendo um mercado importante. Com um histórico comprovado em formação de capital e consultoria estratégica ao longo de diversos ciclos econômicos, a EMGA continua expandindo seu alcance geográfico e sua oferta de serviços, solidificando sua posição no mercado como um dos bancos de investimento de nicho mais proeminentes do setor voltado para mercados emergentes.

BANCO IMPROSA

É um banco comercial com mais de 37 anos de experiência, cujo modelo de negócios relacional e o foco em nichos de mercado são voltados para o fornecimento de soluções e serviços de financiamento para pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs), entre outros. O Banco Improsa foi um dos primeiros bancos privados da Costa Rica a prestar serviços não financeiros a seus clientes e conta com um longo histórico de aconselhamento e apoio a PMEs. O principal fator de sucesso do Banco Improsa é seu compromisso com elevados padrões de atendimento ágil e flexível, o que, aliado à oferta de soluções financeiras personalizadas, lhe conferiu uma sólida posição nesses segmentos.

O Banco Improsa é uma empresa subsidiária do Grupo Financiero Improsa (GFI).

Informações de contato
info@emergingmarketsglobaladvisory.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000946462

April 24, 2024

UK businesses must prioritise payment technology to build customer loyalty and stay competitive: New research from Lloyds Bank and FreedomPay

London, United Kingdom, April 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Less than a third (27%) of businesses are confident they offer seamless payments experiences.
Almost two-thirds of businesses (59%) across Retail, Food & Beverages and Hospitality believe a good checkout experience offers the same competitive advantage as having the best products.
Customer preference is the factor most likely to influence businesses’ investment in payment technologies.

New research from Lloyds Bank and FreedomPay highlights the importance of UK businesses investing in new payment technology.

Two-thirds (59%) of UK Retail, Food & Beverage (F&B) and Hospitality companies were found to already put payments at the heart of their customer experience strategy, reflecting the growing importance of payment options to customers.

For retail-focused businesses, 59% believe that a good checkout experience is essential to building customer loyalty, with respondents believing it is as much a competitive advantage as having the best products.

Meanwhile, 57% of retailers said that a poor payment experience could have a detrimental effect on their business, pushing customers to competitors who offer a better experience.

The findings come as payment infrastructure is increasingly viewed as a critical part of customers’ shopping experience. As high inflation takes its toll on both independent venues and enterprise chains, this research demonstrates the need for businesses to prioritise customer satisfaction and build brand loyalty.

A Chip Off the Old Block

However, despite understanding the importance of providing a good payment experience for customers, making this a reality appears to be a challenge for many businesses.

Half of all business surveyed (49%) said they had not invested in payment solution updates at all, and only 27% of respondents felt confident in their omnichannel payment experience offering.

This disparity highlights that businesses have a lot of room for growth, as investment in new payment technology could lead to significantly enhanced customer experiences and result in increased sales.

Data leads to better customer engagement

Other findings highlighted how businesses are using data, with many understanding that payments data can help them to make more informed decisions. 80% of respondents said they are using payments data to learn more about their customers to tailor services and products for them, which can be crucial to maintaining customer engagement and driving brand loyalty.

FreedomPay’s President Chris Kronenthal said:
“What is evident from our research is that brands must focus on payments innovation now more than ever. Understanding what customers expect and want from a payment experience is fundamental to ensuring that customers keep coming back. Choosing the right payments partner can support strategic business decisions and streamline checkout to help to deliver a personalised, seamless, and data-driven experience any time, any place.”

Melinda Roylett, Managing Director, Lloyds Bank Merchant Services said:
“The way we pay has undergone rapid shifts in the past few years. Accelerated by the pandemic, technological advancements and innovative ways of using open banking have led to the increasing adoption of contactless, digital wallet solutions and embedded finance options such as Buy Now, Pay Later. Consumers now have more choice than ever. This means that businesses also need to think about how they use the payment experience at checkout to build business growth.”

We hope you enjoy the full Report at lloydsbank.com/paymentsinsight

ABOUT FREEDOMPAY

FreedomPay’s Next Level Commerce platform transforms existing payment systems and processes from legacy to leading edge. As the premier choice for many of the largest companies across the globe in retail, hospitality, lodging, gaming, sports and entertainment, foodservice, education, healthcare and financial services, FreedomPay’s technology has been purposely built to deliver rock solid performance in the highly complex environment of global commerce. The company maintains a world-class security environment and was first to earn the coveted validation by the PCI Security Standards Council against Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE/EMV) standard in North America. FreedomPay’s robust solutions across payments, security, identity, and data analytics are available in-store, online and on-mobile and are supported by rapid API adoption. The award winning FreedomPay Commerce Platform operates on a single, unified technology stack across multiple continents allowing enterprises to deliver an innovative Next Level experience on a global scale. www.freedompay.com

ABOUT LLOYDS BANKING GROUP

Lloyds Banking Group is a leading UK based financial services group providing a wide range of banking and financial services, focused on personal and commercial customers.
We are proud to be by the side of British business, supporting more than 1 million UK businesses with leading digital and relationship banking services, as they start up, grow, thrive and trade internationally.
As part of the Group, Lloyds Bank Cardnet Merchant Services offers leading end-to-end payment acceptance solutions. We help businesses from all parts of the UK, and across all different sectors and sizes, giving them the support they need to take payments online, in store, or over the phone at any time.
For more information on how we help businesses to receive payments please visit: www.lloydsbank.com/cardnet

Attachments

Adam Charles, Media Relations
Lloyds Bank
0207 356 2374
Adam.charles@lloydsbanking.com

Hill & Knowlton for FreedomPay
freedompayUK@hillandknowlton.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9104694

April 24, 2024

Table tennis player appeals to investors to explore opportunities in the sport

Ms. Millicent Ankude, a table tennis player of Vilcabamba Club, has appealed to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), philanthropists, and the government to explore opportunities in the sports sector.

Ms Ankude told the GNA Sport in an interview that focusing on table tennis could stimulate economic growth through job creation, tourism, and the development of the entire sport industry.

She explained that investing in table tennis had numerous positive effects on individuals, communities, and society, but sadly the game was considered one of the lesser-known sports in Ghana, leading to low attention on it despite its potential to lift the flag of Ghana high on the world map.

‘We need funds, we need proper investments, and long-term investment if stakeholders and people of interest can actually see the game and create training avenues for us that would be beneficial,’ she stated.

The table tennis player said the sector could boost the interest of the players to give out their best as well as attract others
to learn the game, which would further increase the medals the country obtains from competitions at different levels.

She suggested that there must be training centres at the community level with the necessary tools, such as tables and rackets, to make training easier and more interesting.

She said the sport could bring people together to foster a sense of community, creating opportunities for teamwork and leadership development, especially among young people.

Ms Akunde appealed to schools to focus on table tennis, stressing that participation in sports can teach important life skills such as discipline, teamwork, goal setting, and resilience, which could further contribute to their academic success.

She expressed worry that it was extremely difficult for minor sports to get media attention in Ghana and journalists to increase awareness on the game to help Ghanaians appreciate the importance of playing table tennis.

Source: Ghana News Agency

April 24, 2024

Godwin Attram, Maxwell Konadu, three others earn national team appointments

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) in its quest to strengthen the developmental structures for youth football has appointed five coaches to lead the various national teams.

They are Godwin Attram, Maxwell Konadu, Yaw Preko, Abdul Karim Zito and Nurudeen Amadu.

Four of these coaches have been assigned to the newly created male national teams, U-15, U-18, U-19 and U-21, which seeks to nurture young talents from grassroots level to the national stage.

The national U-15 team would be handed by former Medeama SC Head Coach, Yaw Preko who has paid his dues in local and international football.

He comes with some level of coaching experience having handled the Black Satellites and the national U-17 team.

Coach Yaw Preko aside his national team exposure has also worked with the likes of Great Olympics, Accra Hearts of Oak and Nigerian side Ifeanyi Ubah.

FC Samartex boss, Coach Nurudeen Amadu has also been appointed Head Coach of the national U-18 team.

His addition to the list of coaches did not come as surpr
ise to many who have enjoyed his superb coaching style in the Ghana Premier League (GPL) over the years.

The 53 year-old, who is currently leading the race to win the GPL title has also worked with the national U-17 team, Aduana Football Club and King Faisal Babies FC.

Dreams FC Head Coach, Abdul Karim Zito has been assigned to the national U-19 team with hopes of building a formidable squad for Ghana.

With several years of experience in his career, the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner once served as Head Coach for Asante Kotoko, Hearts of Oak, King Faisal and Kwaebibirem FC.

To his credit, Karim Zito won the U-20 WAFU Championship in 2020 before clinching the AFCON title a year after.

The experienced gaffer is on the verge of making history with Dreams FC in the CAF Confederations Cup as they journey in search of a place in the finals.

Godwin Attram, former Black Stars striker has been also been given the nod to lead the national U-21 team whereas Nsoatreman FC coach, Maxwell Konadu would head
the national U-23 team, the Black Meteors.

Source: Ghana News Agency