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ACORD Appoints Tim Ellis as Managing Director of London Market and International Operations

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Clarissa Montecillo to launch expanded advisory services at ACORD Solutions Group as Global Head of Consulting & Advisory

LONDON, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ACORD, the standards development organization for the global insurance industry, today announced that Tim Ellis has been named Managing Director – UK. In this role, Ellis will be responsible for driving the development and adoption of ACORD Data Standards and digital transformation throughout London and global (re)insurance and specialty markets.

Ellis is a London Market veteran known for transforming bold ideas and emerging technologies into reality. He has over 25 years of experience supporting standardized data exchange in the London Market, collaborating closely with Lloyd’s, Velonetic, and leading brokers, insurers, reinsurers, and solution providers. Throughout his career he has guided organizations through complex change, helping them to improve their operations and foster innovation.

“I’ve always thrived at the intersection of vision and execution, and I’m passionate about future-ready tech ecosystems,” said Ellis. “I’ve been working with ACORD Data Standards for decades, and I believe that now, more than ever, they are the key to building a digital future for our industry.”

Prior to joining ACORD, Ellis served as Operations Director of Web Connectivity Limited (WCL), overseeing a diverse portfolio of responsibilities including business change, stakeholder management, software delivery, and information security. He has also served within the information systems advisory practice at EY.

“Tim has both a long history with ACORD Data Standards, and deep expertise in the ongoing modernization of the market,” said Tanya Krochta, ACORD EVP, COO, and acting CEO. “This pedigree, and his operational focus, make him the ideal leader for this role.”

The appointment coincides with Clarissa Montecillo’s move to ACORD Solutions Group as Global Head of Consulting & Advisory. Building on her tenure leading ACORD’s UK business, Montecillo will launch an expanded consulting and advisory services practice with a clear mandate: to accelerate digitalization across the insurance industry.

“This expanded consulting arm will join together the full strength of ACORD Data Standards, ASG digital assets, and our deep expertise in processes and data to drive efficiency, interoperability, and real business impact for the insurance community,” said Montecillo.

ACORD Solutions Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of ACORD, was founded in 2016 at the request of the ACORD member community in order to address critical challenges and accelerate digitalization of insurance data exchange. The expanded consulting arm will also leverage the experience of ASG’s Licensed Integrator Partners (LIPs), which includes leading industry experts in digital transformation.

“Clarissa has played a key role in driving the benefits of ACORD Standards-enabled data exchange across global markets, and we’re delighted she’ll be applying that expertise and dedication to building the consulting practice at ASG,” said Chris Newman, President & CEO, ACORD Solutions Group. “This is an important evolution in the way ASG supports the industry. We’re creating a more integrated model that brings together standards, technology, and industry insights to accelerate real change.”

In recognition of its 25th anniversary in the London Market, ACORD will be hosting the official attendee lounge of London Risk Week, May 13-14, at The Moniker. Ellis and Montecillo will be joined by senior industry leaders at the ACORD Lounge, which will offer complimentary refreshments and thought leadership sessions, as well as special gift bags distributed by LIMOSS (London Insurance Market Operations & Strategic Sourcing).

Members of the insurance community are invited to attend a special breakfast session in the lounge, “The Next-Generation Digital Operating Model,” Thursday May 14 at 9am. Complete information on London Risk Week programming is available on the London Insurance Market website.

About ACORD

ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) is the global standards-setting body for the insurance and related financial services industries. ACORD facilitates fast, accurate data exchange and efficient workflows through the development of electronic standards, standardized forms, and tools to support their use. ACORD engages thousands of insurance and reinsurance companies, agents and brokers, software providers, financial services organizations and industry associations in more than 100 countries. ACORD maintains offices in New York and London. Learn more at www.acord.org.

About ACORD Solutions Group

ACORD Solutions Group was created to solve critical industry challenges by delivering next-generation digital solutions and services. Our enterprise-class solutions optimize the speed, cost, and accuracy of data exchange, connecting stakeholders regardless of geography, role, and legacy constraints. ACORD Solutions Group is an extension of ACORD, the standards-setting body for the global insurance industry. Learn more at www.acordsolutions.com.

PRESS CONTACT:

Beth Jarecki, Omnia Paratus

beth@omniaparatus.com

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MINISFORUM Unveils Next-Gen Edge AI Computing Solutions Powered by AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ PRO 495 at IFA 2026

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BERLIN, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MINISFORUM, a Global Edge Computing Solution Brand & System Integrator, today unveiled two new local AI computing solutions powered by the AMD Ryzen™ AI MAX+ PRO 495 processor: the AI Mini Workstation MS-S1 MAX-P495 and the AI Agent NAS N5 MAX-P495. The new solutions mark MINISFORUM’s continued commitment to democratizing AI computing by bringing powerful local AI capabilities to a broader range of users and real-world applications. With up to 131 TOPS of AI compute performance, 192GB of memory at 8533 MT/s, and up to 160GB of graphics memory, the two solutions support larger models, more complex AI workloads, and next-generation edge AI applications.

Lineup Highlights:

1. AI Agent NAS N5 MAX-P495

AI data infrastructure, storage + compute, and persistent AI. Engineered for local data management and AI processing, the N5 MAX-P495 offers massive bandwidth and high-density compute:

AI Computing Meets Massive Local Storage
N5 MAX-P495 combines powerful AI computing with up to 200TB of local storage, enabling users to store, manage, and process large volumes of data within a single AI platform.Built for Persistent AI Workloads
From RAG knowledge bases and AI models to embeddings, databases, and AI agents such as OpenClaw and Hermes, N5 MAX-P495 keeps data and AI workloads local, enabling continuous and private AI operations.The AI Backend for Local AI Infrastructure
Designed to work alongside AI computing devices, N5 MAX-P495 serves as a centralized backend for data, models, knowledge, and long-running AI workloads—bringing storage and computing together at the edge.

2. AI Mini Workstation MS-S1 MAX-P495

High-performance AI compute, real-time AI inference, and edge AI computing solutions. Built for intensive local AI tasks, engineering, and workflows in an ultra-compact footprint:

High-Performance Local AI Computing
MS-S1 MAX-P495 delivers powerful local AI computing for demanding model inference, AI development, and computationally intensive workloads.Built for Real-Time AI Applications
Designed for low-latency AI workloads, MS-S1 MAX-P495 enables responsive local inference for AI agents, computer vision, generative AI, and other real-time applications.A Scalable AI Compute Frontend
With extensive connectivity and expansion capabilities, MS-S1 MAX-P495 serves as a powerful AI compute frontend, supporting models, applications, and connected devices across flexible edge AI environments.

The MS-S1 MAX-P495 and N5 MAX-P495 form a complete edge AI computing system—delivering high-performance AI compute at the frontend while integrating compute, massive storage, data, and AI knowledge at the backend. This integrated architecture provides a powerful foundation for real-time inference, persistent AI workloads, and scalable local AI applications.

Experience MINISFORUM at IFA 2026

IFA Berlin attendees are invited to visit MINISFORUM in Hall 6.2-104 from September 4–8 to experience the new solutions alongside a full lineup of edge AI, gaming, and storage solutions.

MS-S1 MAX-P495 store Link:

UShttps://s.minisforum.com/4ctXxJo
EUhttps://s.minisforum.com/4xAaycC
UKhttps://s.minisforum.com/4yjei2k
FRhttps://s.minisforum.com/4qP7Ihq   

About MINISFORUM

Founded in 2018, MINISFORUM is a Global Edge Computing Solution Brand & System Integrator building edge computing devices for the private AI era. Its product portfolio includes AI Agent NAS, AI Mini Workstations, AI Mini PCs and AtomMan Mini Gaming PCs, serving more than 4 million users across 100+ countries. With a supporting global distribution network adhering to its core philosophy, MINISFORUM keeps technological progress in step with life, advocates computing power equity, and extends computing power to families and business.

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TECNO Showcased New MEGABOOK Laptops and New Phones at IFA ShowStoppers 2026

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BERLIN, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TECNO, the AI-driven innovative technology brand, today launched the MEGABOOK T15 360 Series at IFA ShowStoppers 2026, marking the debut of its first laptop series with a 360° hinge and touchscreen support.

TECNO IFA ShowStoppers 2026 showcase also featured the 17-inch MEGABOOK T17 Ultra, TECNO’s first Intel Wildcat Lake-based laptop MEGABOOK K15S WCL, the Next-Gen Bezelless Concept Phone, the upcoming TECNO POVA 8 Pro 5G Tonino Lamborghini Limited Edition, and the TECNO CAMON Slim 5G.

MEGABOOK T15 360 Series: TECNO’s First 360° Hinge Touchscreen Laptop

The MEGABOOK T15 360 Series, comprising the MEGABOOK T15 360 and MEGABOOK T15 360 Pro, is designed around the increasingly fluid ways people work, study, create and enjoy content and dual demand for both tablet and laptop. The series delivers the flexibility to navigate diverse daily scenarios with a single device. It brings premium versatility and on-the-go convenience of convertible, touch enabled laptops for mobile executives, solopreneurs and business presenters.

Free from the fixed form of a conventional laptop, the MEGABOOK T15 360 Series features a screen that rotates smoothly through a full 360 degrees, allowing the device to adapt to different tasks and remain practical even in space-constrained settings. Laptop mode provides a familiar setup for focused productivity, while Tablet mode supports note taking, intuitive touch interaction and creative drawing. The device can also be positioned in Tent mode for convenient content viewing with limited surface space, or set in Stand mode for sharing ideas and presenting content.

With an all-metal body crafted using precision CNC machining, the device combines flexibility with a refined, durable design suited to use at a desk, in a meeting or on the move.

On the display front, both models come with a 15.6-inch 16:9 touchscreen with responsive 10-point multi-touch control. Optional support for an MPP 2.0 active pen adds greater precision to handwriting, annotation and other creative tasks.

Display configurations further distinguish the two models. On the MEGABOOK T15 360, a Full HD display offers a 60Hz refresh rate and 320 nits of typical brightness. Stepping up the visual experience, the MEGABOOK T15 360 Pro features a 2.5K 120Hz display with 2560 × 1440 resolution, 100% sRGB color gamut and 350 nits of typical brightness, delivering finer detail and broader color coverage.

The experience is further elevated with capable performance, flexible storage and lasting battery support. Across the series, configurations are available with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor, providing the performance needed for multitasking and demanding productivity workloads. Both models use LPDDR5X memory running at up to 7467MHz, together with PCIe M.2 2280 SSD storage. A second M.2 SSD slot is available on selected configurations, providing additional room for storage expansion. For mobile use, a 70Wh battery is paired with a compact 65W PD GaN charger, supporting longer periods of use.

Beyond power, the series also delivers flexibility in connectivity. Support for up to Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4 is complemented by seven built in ports for external displays, storage and common peripherals. TECNO OneLeap extends that experience to smartphones, tablets and PCs for cross device collaboration.

Practical details further enhance everyday use, including a backlit keyboard with an independent numeric keypad and a fingerprint integrated power button for one touch login. Dual speakers with DTS:X Ultra support, a webcam and dual digital microphones provide a more complete setup for meetings, communication and entertainment.

The MEGABOOK T15 360 Series is set to arrive in Europe in Q4 2026, with the standard model priced between €899 and €999 depending on configuration, and the Pro model priced at €1,099. With competitive pricing, the MEGABOOK T15 360 Series aims to make convertible, touch enabled laptops accessible to a wider audience. For users who need a flexible form factor, intuitive interaction, capable performance and an expansive display all in a single device to cover diverse daily scenarios, the series delivers the latest technology at a price that broadens access.

Two additional MEGABOOK models extend the lineup for users with different priorities. For early career professionals and students, the MEGABOOK K15S WCL pairs the cost-effective Intel Wildcat Lake platform with a spacious 16:10 display, durable all metal design, 70Wh battery and 65W GaN fast charging, delivering reliable performance, ample screen space and sustained power for everyday work and study. This combination makes it a well-rounded choice for value conscious users. For performance focused users who also prioritize entertainment and shared home use, the versatile 17.3 inch MEGABOOK T17 Ultra offers up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and LPDDR5X memory for demanding productivity, moderate gaming and creative editing. Its expansive 16:9 display delivers a more immersive viewing experience, while the 99.99Wh battery and 100W GaN PD fast charging support extended work, gaming and entertainment sessions.

Next-Gen Bezelless Concept Phone and Two New Smartphones Coming in September

TECNO Next-Gen Bezelless Concept Phone made its public debut at IFA ShowStoppers 2026. It completely removes the physical black edges of the screen by reworking the display architecture through new internal stacking, structural engineering and screen-packaging techniques. The true 0mm display border offers a cleaner, completely uninterrupted viewing experience.

Moving from future-facing concepts to upcoming products, the showcase also featured two smartphones shaped around distinct priorities: the performance-focused POVA 8 Pro 5G Tonino Lamborghini Limited Edition with iconic design language, and the ultra-slim CAMON Slim 5G with pro-level imaging and artful colorways.

The TECNO POVA 8 Pro 5G Tonino Lamborghini Limited Edition features iconic Tonino Lamborghini design language while upholding the POVA series’ signature all around performance across computing, imaging and AI. Its performance is driven by a dual chipset architecture comprising the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultimate 5G platform and TECNO developed P1 Graphic Chip, supported by a 5K IceShield Vapor Chamber Cooling System. Full product details will be announced on September 4.

The TECNO CAMON Slim 5G brings CAMON’s imaging capabilities to a slim 6.39mm body. It combines artful design language, a pro level imaging system and practical AI features, all wrapped in one-of-a-kind artistic colorways. Each CAMON Slim 5G is not just a phone, but a work of art held in the hand. Full product details will be announced on September 7.

From the debut of TECNO MEGABOOK laptops to the upcoming smartphones, the lineup underscores TECNO’s push into new form factors and design innovation. It reflects the continued portfolio expansion of TECNO to deliver adaptable, intuitive experiences built for how people live, work and create.

About TECNO

As a global innovative technology brand with operations in over 70 markets, TECNO has been committed to revolutionizing the digital experience in global emerging markets, relentlessly pushing for the perfect integration of contemporary, aesthetic design with the latest technologies and AI. TECNO offers a wide range of smartphones, smart wearables, laptops and tablets, smart gaming, HiOS operating systems and smart home products. Guided by its brand essence of “Stop At Nothing”, TECNO is committed to unlocking the newest technologies and AI-powered new experiences for forward-looking individuals, inspiring them to never stop pursuing their best selves and their best futures. For more information, please visit TECNO’s official site: www.tecno-mobile.com.

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Sharing opportunities — A New Landscape of Asia-Pacific Development

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BEIJING, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on Asia-Pacific community:

Combining a bionic eagle-claw gripper with a drone for disaster relief — that is the project Nathapol’s team from Thailand took to the finals of the Lancang-Mekong Countries Science and Technology Innovation Competition.

They spent a year refining and testing it, again and again. Although his team did not ultimately win, when they sat down with other young people from the Lancang-Mekong countries for in-depth exchanges, Nathapol also got a close-up look at innovative projects from other countries, ranging from biomedicine and modern agriculture to information technology. These young people’s ideas, nurtured by events like this, gradually grow into opportunities that could benefit people across the region.

Changes brought by technological progress are playing out in the everyday rhythm of the production line in the smart factory in Thailand. Through cooperation between Chinese and Thai companies, the factory is equipped with full 5G coverage; procedures that once required repeated manual inspection can now be handled by AI-powered visual inspection; and high temperature or the highly repetitive operations can be completed by robotic arms remotely controlled from a mobile phone. Here, technology isn’t simply replacing people on the production line — it has reduced danger and repetitive work.

At Chancay Port in Peru, a member of APEC, such opportunities are reaching even further. A cargo ship sailing out of Chancay Port, loaded with local fresh fruit such as blueberries and avocados, can now reach Shanghai in just 23 days, about 10 days faster than before. For the farmers and exporters, a new port, a new route and shorter shipping times can translate into a larger market, bigger profits, and tangible improvements in their lives.

Inside the port, the changes are equally concrete. Automated quay cranes and yard cranes, self-driving container trucks, and digital twin technology have made Chancay Port’s operations smarter. A new generation of young Peruvians who work at the port, in turn, are learning and honing skills for the “behind the screen era.”

Similar changes are taking place in other countries in the Asia-Pacific.

In Naoero, at nine o’clock in the morning, workers harvest fresh lettuce in a container-based “vegetable factory” built with China’s assistance; an hour and 20 minutes later, a local housewife drops a bag of the produce into her shopping cart. In Naoero, where fresh vegetables have long relied on air-freighted imports, China’s soilless cultivation technology has ultimately taken shape as bags of freshly picked vegetables on kitchen tables, at more affordable prices.

From a young innovator and his project to a smart factory, a port and a shipping route, and to the application of technologies and their coexistence with people, such stories offer a glimpse into the ever-closer ties among Asia-Pacific countries.

In recent years, China has continued to widen market access, advance the development of pilot free trade zones, and further facilitate trade and investment through regional frameworks such as RCEP and the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0. Platforms such as the China International Import Expo, the China International Supply Chain Expo and the China International Consumer Products Expo have likewise opened up more opportunities for global business owners to bring their products to China and connect with potential partners.

China is hosting APEC 2026 under the theme “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together,” with “openness,” “innovation,” and “cooperation” identified as the priorities. Ever-extending connections forged deeper links between markets and people’s lives, enabling more development opportunities to thrive and be shared in this Asia-Pacific community.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm
Sharing opportunities — A New Landscape of Asia-Pacific Development
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2026-09/04/content_118679249.shtml

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