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One Planet Group Celebrates Continued Partnership with Starfish International in The Gambia

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Fostering Leadership and Opportunities: A Journey of Educational Empowerment

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Aug. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Starfish International, a pioneering organization dedicated to empowering girls in The Gambia, recently welcomed a second group of team members from One Planet Group to gain firsthand insight into the powerful impact of their work.

One Planet Group supports Starfish International’s mission to uplift girls through education.

Starfish International is dedicated to providing quality education and mentorship to Gambian girls, empowering them to become confident, well-educated, and service-oriented leaders. Through a comprehensive curriculum that includes academics, life skills, and leadership development, Starfish International is transforming lives and building a foundation for future generations.

The One Planet Group team spent a week immersed in the vibrant community at Starfish International’s main campus. They engaged directly with students, participated in classes, and learned about the array of programs Starfish offers its students and the community. Additionally, the team shadowed students during a typical day-in-the-life, gaining valuable insight into their living conditions and household responsibilities. This experience provided essential context for understanding the profound impact of Starfish International’s programs on the students’ lives.

“Starfish International is doing something remarkable by uplifting an entire generation of girls through education, and we are deeply grateful to play a small part in supporting their mission. I thank them immensely for hosting our team, as Starfish’s impact can only be fully understood through first-hand experience,” stated Payam Zamani, Founder of One Planet Group.

Mam Yassin Sarr, Founder and Director of Starfish International, shared, “Partnering with One Planet Group is one of the most special gifts of doing this service.  Having professionals and leaders in their fields, who have a heart for giving back, commit to rolling up their sleeves and coming to teach, learn, plan and execute with our students every summer, is lifelong learning at its best.  Our girls know, not only that they are loved, but also, firsthand, that they can follow the same path as these mentors, achieve their dreams, and keep on serving.”

The visit also included a tour of ‘The Land’, and new facilities developed with the support of funds raised from One Planet Group’s 2022 and 2023 Holidays with a Purpose events. This extension features classrooms, a satellite library, and skill-building workshops that serve as a vital resource for local youth.

Elevating the idea of a traditional holiday party, over the years Holidays with a Purpose has raised more than 2 million dollars for organizations supporting women’s rights, empowerment and education. Last year’s Holidays with a Purpose event raised $141,000 with the support of One Planet Group’s employees, vendors, and partners – with $100,000 coming from One Planet Group itself. Last year’s event also supported Lidè Haiti, an education non-profit operating in rural Haiti that provides programs in the arts, education, health, and parent and community engagement for over 1,200 adolescent girls.

Looking ahead, this year’s Holidays with a Purpose event, scheduled for December 12, 2024, will continue to raise funds to support Starfish International. The event will also benefit Parent University based in Savannah, Georgia, another vital initiative focused on empowering parents to actively engage in their children’s education.

One Planet Group embraces the philosophy that service to humanity often benefits the giver more than the receiver. In line with this belief, they are grateful for the opportunity to play a small role in the amazing work of these extraordinary organizations working to make a positive impact through people-first initiatives.

About One Planet Group
One Planet Group is a closely held private equity firm that owns a suite of technology and media businesses while also investing in early-stage companies. Owned and operated businesses span a variety of industries including ad tech, publishing, and media. One Planet Group’s mission is to support strong business ideas while building an ethos that helps improve society and give back to communities. The company’s investment portfolio includes a diverse group of innovative tech-enabled products and solutions. Investing primarily in high-growth early-stage entities, emphasizing companies that aspire to ‘Innovation + Intention.’ One Planet Group was founded by tech entrepreneur Payam Zamani in 2015. With offices and employees in over ten countries, its global headquarters is in Walnut Creek, California. For more information, visit oneplanetgroup.com. 

About Starfish International
Starfish International is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a well-rounded and quality education for Gambian girls and boys. Working annually with 100 girls and 35 boys, Starfish International has been in service for 12 years, uplifting, educating, accompanying, and providing a safe haven for their students’ growth, well-being, and development. Starfish’s mission is to uplift Gambian girls by providing them with a world-class education that is focused on service to humanity while at the same time providing international service-learning opportunities for volunteers. The values and the five qualities highlighted at Starfish International are nobility, independence, courtesy, knowledge, and service. As an organization, its major achievement is to have graduated and impacted over 900 students who are now doctors, teachers, lawyers, nurses, and many other professionals in their respective fields. Their three significant areas of impact are education, health, and agriculture, with a focus on mentorship, entrepreneurship, character development, scholarship opportunities, leadership training, career counseling, public speaking, and community service. For more information, visit starfishinternational.org.

MEDIA CONTACT 
Bita Milanian, Head of Communications & PR, One Planet Group
pr (at) oneplanetgroup.com
(925) 237-9036

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SOURCE One Planet Group Inc.

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SoftwareOne named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for SAM Managed Services

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31 minutes ago

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October 26, 2026

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Empowering clients with proven SAM excellence

MILWAUKEE, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SoftwareOne (SIX: SWON), a leading global software and cloud solutions provider, today announced that it has been named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for SAM Managed Services for the seventh consecutive year.

SoftwareOne believes this recognition reflects its commitment to helping clients achieve measurable value from their cloud, software and AI investments as licensing models continue to shift.

Software asset management (SAM) gives organizations visibility and control over their on-premises IT, cloud and SaaS estates. SoftwareOne helps customers simplify these portfolios, improving financial control and managing licensing and audit risks, so they can direct resources towards business priorities and innovation.

“Seven consecutive years as a Leader matters to us because we believe that consistency is what our customers actually buy. The technology landscape continues to grow more complex as organizations navigate an ever-expanding mix of software licensing, cloud consumption, and AI-driven business models,” says Raphael Erb, CEO, SoftwareOne. “Our customers need a partner whose judgement holds up through all of it. We see this recognition as validation of the expertise, commitment, and customer focus that our teams bring to every engagement, every day.”

Gartner delivers actionable, objective insight to executives and their teams. Its expert guidance and tools enable faster, smarter decisions and stronger performance on an organization’s mission-critical priorities.

The Gartner Magic Quadrant evaluates vendors based on their Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision. We are honored to be included among the recognized vendors in this important report. Learn more about the Magic Quadrant.

Helping clients unlock value from IT portfolios

SoftwareOne’s ITAM and FinOps portfolio brings together software asset management, FinOps and AI optimization, SaaS management, IT sustainability advisory and vendor management. These services help clients cut waste, manage audit risks and go into publisher negotiations, with a clear picture of what technology they use and what it all costs.

With global delivery at scale, SoftwareOne helps organizations optimize and simplify AI cloud and software investments across hybrid environments. AI-enabled automation powers licensing intelligence, compliance and cost control, so clients can reduce spend and make confident decisions about where to reinvest.

Positioned alongside SoftwareOne in the Magic Quadrantii as A Leader is Anglepoint, an independent company that is majority-owned by SoftwareOne. 

About the Gartner Magic Quadrant

The Gartner Magic Quadrant evaluates providers on Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute. Leaders execute well against their current vision and are well positioned for tomorrow. SoftwareOne views its recognition as a reflection of the consistency of its SAM managed services and the work of its delivery teams.

Source

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Software Asset Management Managed Services, By Yolanda Harris, Jaswant Kalay, and Rob Schafer. October 2026

Gartner disclaimers and trademarks

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, and Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About SoftwareOne

SoftwareOne is a global software and cloud solutions provider and distributor. With a presence in over 70 countries and a team of about 12,000 professionals, we combine global scale and local expertise to help partners and customers optimize costs, source, and procure, accelerate growth, and navigate complex IT environments with confidence. Leveraging deep capabilities in cloud, software, and data and AI, the company empowers organizations to modernize, innovate, and unlock the full value of their technology investments. Headquartered in Switzerland, SoftwareOne is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and Euronext Oslo Børs under the ticker symbol SWON. Visit us at www.softwareone.com

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SOURCE SoftwareONE

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TrueLoyal® Appoints Erica Thompson as Head of Loyalty

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October 26, 2026

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Longtime retail and loyalty expert will lead loyalty strategy and program services for TrueLoyal’s brand partners

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TrueLoyal®, the loyalty and advocacy platform for consumer brands, today announced the appointment of Erica Thompson as Head of Loyalty. Thompson will lead TrueLoyal’s loyalty strategy, customer retention architecture, and lifecycle engagement work as the company continues to help brands turn consumer loyalty into a dynamic growth engine.

TrueLoyal® names longtime retail and loyalty expert Erica Thompson as Head of Loyalty.

Thompson brings more than 20 years of leadership in customer relationship management (CRM), brand loyalty, and digital marketing strategy. Throughout her career, she has led data-driven loyalty programs and omnichannel customer experiences for leading consumer brands, including serving as a retail Chief Marketing Officer and as Senior Vice President at Stride Rite. She also advised retail clients as a consultant with loyalty agency Kobie Marketing, has advised brands through her firm, ACIRE Consulting Group, and held senior marketing roles at PetSmart, New York & Company, and HSN. Her background in behavioral analytics, tiered reward structures, and customer lifecycle engagement strengthens TrueLoyal’s ability to help brands design and run programs that perform.

“Brands have to earn loyalty through compelling, continuous experiences, and points and discounts alone won’t get them there,” said Jacek Materna, CEO of TrueLoyal. “Erica’s proven ability to build scalable loyalty engines and translate customer insights into genuine brand devotion makes her the perfect leader for our next chapter.”

“I’ve spent my career on the brand side of loyalty, and the programs I’m proudest of were the ones built around what customers actually cared about,” said Thompson. “That’s the work I want to keep doing. I’m here to roll up my sleeves with our brands, understand what their customers need, and help them build loyalty that’s worth something to both sides.”

At TrueLoyal, Thompson will lead the company’s enterprise loyalty frameworks, its Program Strategy and managed loyalty services, and cross-functional alignment across product and client strategy. Her appointment reflects TrueLoyal’s continued investment in loyalty expertise as the company grows with CPG and D2C hybrid brands.

About TrueLoyal

TrueLoyal® is a loyalty and advocacy platform that helps brands turn the customer experience into repeat purchases and long-term growth. Brands use Rewards to run their loyalty program and Fan Club™ to bring community and user-generated content together, all connected to the commerce systems they already use. TrueLoyal also offers services that range from Program Strategy to fully managed loyalty operations. Learn more at trueloyal.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trueloyal-appoints-erica-thompson-as-head-of-loyalty-302919889.html

SOURCE TrueLoyal

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THE POWER HOUR™ LAUNCHED FROM TIKTOK HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK CITY WITH A BOLD MISSION: MOVE THE WORLD FOR ONE HOUR

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October 26, 2026

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The Power Play Impact Fund and The Power Hour™ Began a 365-Day Global Countdown to an October 2027 Guinness World Records Attempt Turning Movement Into Impact for the Next Generation

NEW YORK, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What could happen if, for one hour, the world moved together?

Recently in New York City, The Power Hour™ and Power Play Impact Fund officially launched an ambitious global movement built around a remarkably simple idea: invite people everywhere to dedicate one hour to physical movement and turn that collective action into meaningful impact for youth and communities.

The announcement was made during an exclusive gathering hosted at TikTok Headquarters in New York City on the opening day of Advertising Week New York, bringing together professional athletes, business leaders, Family Offices, health and wellness leaders, innovators, and changemakers.

October 5 was day one of a 365-day global countdown. In October 2027, The Power Hour™ will bring people across countries, communities, companies, and cultures together for 60 synchronized minutes of physical movement as part of an ambitious Guinness World Records attempt. Think walk, run, dance, yoga: move the way you want. It is being built as an inclusive global movement rather than a traditional fitness event. Participation in the global movement is FREE, removing one of the barriers to joining.

The Founder and Visionary behind The Power Hour™and Power Play Impact Fund is Angella Goran. A former professional cyclist and world-class multi-sport athlete, she has built a career spanning entrepreneurship, technology, financial innovation, sport, and social impact. Her experience as an athlete and her belief in the lifelong opportunities created through sport, wellness, and community became the foundation for The Power Hour™.

“I’ve always believed that one hour of collective action can become the starting point for something that lasts far longer,” said Goran. “When millions of people around the world move together for 60 minutes, we create more than a record. We create lasting impact for youth and communities across physical, mental, nutritional and financial wellness.”

The Power Hour™is excited to partner alongside some incredible athletes such as:

Jerome Williams, former NBA Player, founder of Shooting for PeaceAngela Ruggiero, 4x Olympic Medalist, Founder of Sports Innovation Lab & Women’s Sports Club (acquired by GENIUS in 2026)The Gasol Foundation, Founded by Pau Gasol (6x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA Championship Winner, 3x OLY and Chair of IOC Athletes’ Commission)Dr. Jen Welter (1st NFL Female Coach/Player, 2x Gold Medalist Team USA, Founder of Grrridiron Girls Foundation & “The Day in the Life Of” event series)

The vision is to harness technology, social platforms, connected fitness, and community activations to transform millions of individual actions into one extraordinary collective moment. But breaking a record isn’t the ultimate goal. Creating impact is.

At the heart of The Power Hour™ is the Power Play Impact Fund, created to help raise awareness and funding for youth and community initiatives across four interconnected areas of wellness: physical, mental, nutritional, and financial. The Power Hour™ believes that movement belongs to everyone. There is no qualifying time. No required sport. No expectation of athletic ability.

The Uptown Agency in Dallas has partnered with The Power Hour™ to provide support on communications and other projects.

Just move.
ONE WORLD. ONE HOUR. ONE MOVEMENT.
The countdown starts now.

ABOUT THE POWER HOUR™

The Power Hour™ is a global movement and social-impact initiative created to unite people through 60 minutes of physical movement. Through sport, technology, community and collective action, The Power Hour™ aims to connect individuals, athletes, businesses and communities around the world while creating meaningful impact for the next generation. The inaugural global event is planned for October 2027 and will pursue a Guinness World Records attempt through synchronized participation around the world. To learn more, please visit https://www.powerhour.world/.

ABOUT POWER PLAY IMPACT FUND

The Power Play Impact Fund is the impact engine behind The Power Hour™, supporting a mission focused on investing in and donating to youth and community initiatives for physical, mental, nutritional, and financial wellness. Through partnerships, charitable giving, fundraising, and The Power Hour™ global movement, the initiative seeks to direct attention and resources toward programs that create greater opportunity, well-being, and accessibility for youth and communities. The Power Play Impact Fund operates with LOHAS as its fiscal sponsor administrator.

ABOUT THE UPTOWN AGENCY

The Uptown Agency is an award-winning, full-service marketing and branding partner dedicated to engineering differentiation through creative excellence and data-driven strategy. Recognized as a leader in brand growth, the agency combines industry-leading expertise in brand strategy, creative development, digital marketing, web development, and PR to deliver bespoke solutions that activate audiences and drive measurable results. The Uptown Agency is a true extension of client teams, prioritizing deep business understanding over templated approaches. Their work spans strategic brand overhauls, custom-coded web experiences, and high-impact campaigns that blend cultural relevance with technical precision. Explore their work at www.theuptownagency.com.

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SOURCE The Power Hour

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