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☆ Apple's advertising business is expanding into new areas this year such as TV. Here are 14 behind-the-scenes Apple executives building its advertising empire.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Right now its roughly $5 billion-in-revenue ads business largely consists of search ads sold within the App Store. We asked more than a dozen advertising industry insiders and former Apple advertising staffers to identify the most important executives building Apple's advertising business. Teresi's ascent coincides with the explosive growth of Apple's ad business in recent years. A former Yahoo and Quantcast staffer, Crawford first joined Apple in 2011 to work on global operations for iAd. Lauren Fry - Apple TV+ ad salesApple hired Fry, a TV and video ad sales veteran, in February this year, The Information reported.

☆ Binance is a 'hotbed of illegal financial activity' and is hiding basic info from customers, US senators say in scathing letter to the world's biggest crypto exchange
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

US senators accused the world's largest crypto exchange of being "a hotbed of illegal financial activity." In a scathing letter to Binance, lawmakers requested copies of the company's balance sheets since 2017. A Binance spokesperson said the exchange will help lawmakers understand why it remains "the most trusted platform with users across the globe." The senators asked for a response by March 16 and sought more information about the relationship between Binance.com and Binance.US. Binance also has reportedly faced a slew of legal and regulatory probes from the SEC and the US Justice Department.

☆ Senators press crypto exchange Binance on potentially illegal business practices after FTX collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators asked Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange and once-competitor to bankrupt crypto giant FTX, for detailed information on its business operations amid accusations of illegal practices. A spokesperson for Binance told CNBC that the company looks forward to "correcting the record" about its operations. Binance has become the definitive leader in the digital currency exchange industry since FTX filed for bankruptcy and its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, stepped down in November. In their letter, the senators outlined the Justice Department's allegations against Binance, and contended the company has showed a lack of transparency. FTX's collapse, which affected over 1 million investors, highlighted "the need for real transparency and accountability in the crypto industry," the senators wrote.

☆ A shadow fleet is helping Russia ship oil around the world. And it's growing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

London CNN —Russian oil is still finding its way to buyers around the world. Industry insiders estimate the size of that “shadow” fleet at roughly 600 vessels, or about 10% of the global number of large tankers. Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesThe expansion of the shadow fleet highlights the dramatic changes Russia’s war has brought to the global oil market. As a result, an estimated 25 to 35 vessels are being sold per month into the shadow fleet, according to another senior executive at an oil trading firm. There are also questions about who ultimately runs the shadow fleet.

☆ Former director of engineering at FTX Nishad Singh pleads guilty to criminal charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Kara Scannell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —A former top executive of failed cryptocurrency trading platform FTX pleaded guilty and is cooperating with federal prosecutors investigating the alleged billion-dollar fraud at the now collapsed exchange. Nishad Singh, the former director of engineering at FTX, pleaded guilty to six conspiracy charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate federal campaign finances laws. Singh is the third top executive and close confidante of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors. Gary Wang, co-founder of FTX, and Caroline Ellison, the former head of FTX’s sister hedge fund Alameda Research, both pleaded guilty last year and are cooperating against Bankman-Fried. New York state election records show Singh made a $107,000 donation to the committee on October 28, 2022.

☆ Five storylines to watch in the 2023 MLS season
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Feb 24 (Reuters) - Five storylines to follow during the 2023 Major League Soccer (MLS) season which kicks off on Saturday:LAFC'S REPEAT BIDLos Angeles FC return this season looking to retain their crown after a wildly successful 2022 during which they won the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup, becoming the first team to win the double since Toronto FC in 2017. With experience and some added depth, Union are well-placed to take the next step to landing a maiden MLS Cup. The Leagues Cup will not have any draws. - -REVAMPED PLAYOFFSEighteen clubs, or 62% of MLS's teams, will qualify for the 2023 postseason compared to 14 teams last year. The conference semi-finals, finals and MLS Cup remain single-elimination matches hosted by the higher seed.

☆ Prosecutors say Sam Bankman-Fried helped create a new company with no employees to get round FTX being rejected for a bank account in California
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Prosecutors say FTX.US was denied opening a California bank account as it wasn't a licensed money services business. The low-profile company, called North Dimension, was founded in August 2020 and was previously revealed in other complaints against Bankman-Fried. Thursday's indictment says it also had no employees or business operations other than its bank account. Now, prosecutors say this was an elaborate scheme to defraud a bank and operate an unlicensed money business. "Under Bankman Fried's supervision, employees of Alameda completed an account application that falsely stated that the purpose of the North Dimension bank account was for 'trading' and 'market making,'" the indictment unsealed on Thursday reads.

☆ China knows it doesn't need Putin: Yale's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailChina knows it doesn't need Putin: Yale's Jeffrey SonnenfeldJeff Sonnenfeld, Yale School of Management senior associate dean for leadership studies, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the list of companies who pulled business operations out of Russia, what the same companies would do with China, and more.

☆ Crypto firm Polygon Labs cuts 100 positions as rout worsens
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 21 (Reuters) - Polygon Labs said on Tuesday it has laid off 100 employees, or nearly 20% of its positions, after it combined multiple business units earlier this year, making it the latest digital asset company to execute job cuts. The decentralised platform that makes digital coin Ethereum more accessible was founded in 2017 as Matic and was rebranded to Polygon in Feb 2021. The crash led to high-profile bankruptcies of key industry players such as crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital and Celsius Network. Its swift fall has sparked tough global regulatory scrutiny of how crypto firms hold funds and conduct business operations. read moreReporting by Mehnaz Yasmin in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Arun KoyyurOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Lawsuit alleges Jeffrey Epstein sent JPMorgan Chase exec photos of young women
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Former Barclays CEO Jes Staley allegedly exchanged sexually suggestive emails with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, some of which included photos of young women, according to newly unsealed passages of a federal lawsuit. He isn’t a defendant in the lawsuit and has not been charged criminally with any activities related to Epstein. The lawsuit alleges JPMorgan Chase “had a more than close-up view of Epstein’s sex-trafficking” and “ignored obvious red flags relating to Epstein’s accounts.”Both JPMorgan Chase and Barclays declined to comment on the newly unsealed passages. I have few so profound.”One month later, Staley allegedly sent another email to Epstein: “I realize the danger in sending this email. JPMorgan Chase did not flag any of the emails between Epstein and Staley in connection with risk reviews, according to the lawsuit: “Moreover, JP Morgan Chase allowed Staley to remain a decision-maker on Epstein’s accounts.

☆ CRV partner Anna Khan shares the 5 key elements of a successful startup pitch and the one mistake founders should avoid
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But for CRV general partner Anna Khan, pitches boil down to five key elements and one to avoid. Here's Insider's exclusive chat with the investor about what she looks for in a startup pitch. The CRV general partner recently tweeted about a founder who thanked her for being engaged during his startup pitch, saying, "Most people just stare at me for 30 minutes and then pass a week later." The investor shared with Insider what she considers the five elements of a successful startup pitch — and one popular rule of thumb that founders should avoid. Interestingly enough, having a large legacy competitor isn't necessarily a bad thing for vertical-software startups, Khan said.

☆ This exec is using technology to improve the fan experience at live events
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Insider Studios With Ibm | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Using IBM technologies and volumetric video systems, he's giving people an opportunity to more effectively engage with events, such as sports matches. Together, Canon and IBM are giving viewers access to an immersive video experience by enabling video viewpoints from any angle. "With a volumetric video, you can watch sports from inside the field," he said. Volumetric video systems use more than 100 digital cameras to capture and digitize places, such as stadiums. Date and his team tapped IBM to aid in the development of volumetric video technology.

If you're splitting up your estate between multiple heirs, life insurance can make that easier. The type and amount of life insurance depends on the business owner's specific financial situation and goals, but having it is important for several reasons. As a financial planner, here are three reasons I tell business owners that they should have life insurance. To accomplish this goal, Mark takes the following actions:He obtains a $3 million life insurance policy and makes Bob the 100% primary beneficiary. Additionally, Susan and Lisa both purchase $2 million life insurance policies and list each other as their primary beneficiaries.

☆ Shut out from their top destinations, Chinese travelers are turning to other places
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Chinese travelers favored Southeast Asia for trips during the Lunar New Year holidays, which ended in early February, according to Trip.com Group's Chinese language booking website, Ctrip. Overseas hotel bookings by mainland Chinese travelers quadrupled from last year too, Ctrip said. He said of the 30 million tourists Thailand is expecting this year, 12 million to 15 million may come from China. South Korea announced last week it would resume issuing short-term visas to Chinese travelers, according to Reuters. Visas aside, Chinese travelers are also worried about getting sick, said Lee.

☆ UK-based IT firm Noventiq to list in U.S. through SPAC deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 9 (Reuters) - London-listed IT company Noventiq (SFTLq.L) said on Thursday it will combine with California-based blank-check firm Corner Growth Acquisition Corp for a Nasdaq listing. Noventiq said the current price of its listed global depository receipts (GDRs) was not a fair reflection of the value of the group and there continued to be very limited trading volume of its GDRs on the London Stock Exchange. Special purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs, are listed but have no business operations, except hunting for a private company to take public and allowing it to bypass the scrutiny that comes with a traditional IPO. Noventiq, which provides digital solutions, hardware and cloud services, said the parties expected to finalise the agreement in the coming weeks. Reporting by Aby Jose Koilparambil in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The law firms that billed FTX are Sullivan & Cromwell, Landis Rath & Cobb, and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. Landis Rath & Cobb and Sullivan & Cromwell, FTX's primary legal firms, billed the company a combined $10.7 million for over 8,400 hours of work. Landis Rath & Cobb billed $1.16 million for work done between Nov. 11 and Nov. 30. Full compensation for legal and advisor fees will not occur until a final fee application is filed, whenever FTX's bankruptcy saga concludes. Lawyers for Sullivan & Cromwell did $40,000 worth of work just to appear in FTX's first bankruptcy hearing on Nov. 22, based on court filings of hours billed and hourly rates.

☆ Pinterest misses quarterly revenue estimates on lower ad spends
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 6 (Reuters) - Pinterest Inc (PINS.N) shares fell about 10% in aftermarket trade on Monday after the company missed quarterly revenue estimates as user growth slowed on the image-sharing platform and businesses cut advertising spending in a turbulent economy. The company announced chief financial officer and head of business operations Todd Morgenfeld would be leaving Pinterest on July 1, 2023. The image-sharing platform said it expected revenue to grow in low single digits year-over-year in the current quarter, compared with Wall Street estimates of 6.95% growth. The company's global monthly active users (MAUs) grew 4% to 450 million, below estimates of 452.3 million. The company's revenue in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 grew 4% to $877 million.

☆ Pinterest shares plunge as much as 12% on fourth-quarter revenue miss and weak forecast
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Pinterest shares sank as much as 12% after the company reported revenue that missed analyst expectations and issued a light forecast for the first quarter. Pinterest recorded net income of $17 million in the fourth quarter, but logged a net loss of $96 million for 2022. Its average revenue per user, or ARPU, for the U.S. and Canada region rose 6% in the fourth quarter to $7.60 from a year ago. Additionally, revenue in Alphabet's YouTube unit sank 8% year-over-year to $7.96 billion in the fourth quarter. Snap said its sales in the fourth quarter was slightly up year-over-year to $1.30 billion, which missed analyst expectations of $1.31 billion.

☆ From Facebook to Google to Amazon, these are the 40 tech companies most exposed as startups shut down and slash spending on cloud services
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Samantha Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

It's creating risk for tech giants like Meta and Google that provide startups with business servicesHere are the 40 tech companies that are the largest vendors to startups. Cost cutting can mean pulling back on services like cloud expenses and tech giants are among the most prolific providers of this software. Specifically, the money spent on cloud services from Amazon, Microsoft, and Google amounts to one of the most costly items on startup's budget. Tech giants Google and Meta dominate in the advertising category, while TikTok continues to gain popularity, the study found. Check out the 40 tech companies that are the biggest vendors among startups.

☆ Nearly a year on from the supposed Russian exodus, most major companies have yet to withdraw
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

PATRIK STOLLARZ | AFP | Getty ImagesAfter Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022, companies across the G-7 major economies and the European Union announced plans to cease business operations in Russia. The report published earlier this month documented a total of 2,405 subsidiaries owned by 1,404 EU and G-7 companies that were active in Russia at the time of the first military incursion into Ukraine. Of the EU and G-7 companies remaining in Russia, the research found that 19.5% were German, 12.4% were American owned, and 7% were Japanese multinationals. Various companies told Barclays that there were a host of challenges to fully divest. "There have also been suggestions that the assets (including intellectual property) of companies that leave Russia will be nationalised."

☆ ChatGPT is about to write BuzzFeed content - and investors are loving it
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

BuzzFeed's part of that group too — but it's come up with a peculiar idea to ramp up business (and stock). Similar to other companies, BuzzFeed laid off 12% of its workforce last month, citing a worsening economic environment. The stock also got a boost from news of the media company's partnership with Meta, which will see BuzzFeed bring more content to Facebook and Instagram. It's unclear how ChatGPT's parent, OpenAI, ties into Meta's multi-million dollar deal with BuzzFeed, if at all, but the agreement is meant to boost creator content for Facebook and Instagram. It was the king of viral content and quirky listicles — and Facebook of course had a hand in getting eyeballs on BuzzFeed.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Intel, Chevron, American Express, Silvergate and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Advanced Micro Devices — Chip stocks such as Advanced Micro Devices fell as a group following Intel's results. Shares of Advanced Micro Devices fell nearly 2.4%, while shares of Nvidia and Micro dipped about 1.5% each. Chevron — Shares dipped more than 1% after Chevron reported its latest earnings results. American Express — Shares of the credit card company rose 5% despite weaker-than-expected results for the fourth quarter. American Express reported $2.07 in earnings per share on $14.18 billion of revenue.

☆ BuzzFeed to Use ChatGPT Creator OpenAI to Help Create Quizzes and Other Content
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Alexandra Bruell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

BuzzFeed Inc. said it would rely on ChatGPT creator OpenAI to enhance its quizzes and personalize some content for its audiences, becoming the latest digital publisher to embrace artificial intelligence. In a memo to staff sent Thursday morning, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Chief Executive Jonah Peretti said he intends for AI to play a larger role in the company’s editorial and business operations this year.

☆ BuzzFeed to Use ChatGPT Creator OpenAI to Help Create Some of Its Content
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Alexandra Bruell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ DCG's crypto exchange Luno to cut 35% jobs amid harsh crypto winter
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"2022 has been an incredibly tough year for the broader tech industry and in particular the crypto market," Luno said in a statement, adding that its growth and revenue has been affected by the downturn. More than a trillion dollars in value was wiped out from the crypto sector last year, with rising interest rates exacerbating worries of an economic downturn. The crash led to high-profile bankruptcies of key industry players such as crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital and Celsius Network. Still, the biggest blow came after major exchange FTX filed for bankruptcy protection in November. Last week, the lending unit of crypto firm Genesis filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection, owing creditors at least $3.4 billion after being toppled by the crypto market rout.

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