SAN JOSE, Calif., June 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tredence, the world’s leading AI & Data Science company today announced the appointment of Shashank Samant as an Independent Director on its board. A visionary entrepreneur with over three decades of experience in the technology sector, Shashank has founded and scaled two multi-billion-dollar tech enterprises across more than 20 countries. His diverse expertise across technology, energy, and consumer durables perfectly complements Tredence’s cross-industry AI capabilities. He is joining Tredence at a pivotal moment as the company is advancing its mission to bring intelligent, last-mile AI decision systems to the world’s largest enterprises.

Most recently, he was the CEO and President of GlobalLogic, a digital engineering services company. Under his leadership, the business scaled to a $10 billion acquisition by Hitachi Ltd. He continues to serve as a Board Member for Hitachi Energy and Hitachi Rail.

Samant’s board portfolio spans some of the most consequential global corporations, public companies and high-growth technology firms. He currently sits on the software boards of Mercedes-Benz and Hilti Corporation, the public board of Eureka Forbes, and the boards of AI and tech innovators like Turing and Cyderes. Additionally, he serves as a senior advisor to marquee private equity firms- Permira and Apollo Global.

While speaking about Shashank’s appointment, Shub Bhowmick, Co-founder and CEO, Tredence, said, “Shashank brings an extraordinary combination of operating credibility and board-level insight to Tredence. He has built global technology businesses from the ground up, guided enterprises through complex transformations, and understands what it takes to win in international markets. We are at an inflection point, and having Shashank alongside us as we scale is a significant advantage. We are delighted to welcome him to our Board.”

Samant brings more than an outside perspective to the Tredence board- over the past several months, he has worked closely with the leadership team to explore the company’s market opportunity and long-term vision, positioning him as a strategic voice in Tredence’s next chapter of growth.

Speaking on his appointment, Shashank Samant said, “Enterprise leaders today aren’t just buying technology; they want strategic partners who drive tangible business outcomes. Tredence stands out because they are actively defining a new category centered on last-mile AI execution. They have earned the trust of global brands, with their customer centricity and strong execution skills. I look forward to working with the leadership team to scale this category-defining approach worldwide.”

At the heart of Tredence’s growth is the conviction that true value of AI lies not in the model, but in the outcome. Founded as an AI-native company, Tredence has spent over a decade building the platforms, solutions, and delivery capabilities that enterprises need, to close the gap between experimentation and scale.

Today, as agentic AI reshapes what is possible, Tredence is at the forefront of shaping a new category- of Agentic Decision Intelligence (ADI), that sits at the intersection of data, AI, and autonomous transformation. With a continued commitment to building innovative platforms, domain-specific solutions, and delivery models designed for large enterprise environments, Tredence is helping global organisations move to outcome-driven transformation.

In recent months, Tredence has expanded its global footprint across Europe, the Middle East, and Australia, while continuing to deepen its presence in the US. The company has secured several large enterprise deals, establishing itself as a trusted partner for complex, large-scale transformation programmes. The company’s competitive edge lies in a rare combination of speed, domain depth, and the ability to operationalize AI where it matters most- at the last mile of decision-making.

About Tredence:

Tredence is a global AI and data science solutions provider focused on solving the last-mile problem in AI, the gap between insight creation and value realization. Tredence leverages deep domain expertise, data platforms and accelerators, and strategic partnerships to provide tailored, cutting-edge solutions to its clients. The company has 4,200+ employees across the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, Riyadh, London, Toronto, and Bengaluru, serving top brands in Retail, CPG, Hi-tech, Telecom, Healthcare, Travel, and Industrials.

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SOURCE Tredence

Candy Crush All Stars crowned its 2026 Champion. Luana from Brazil emerged victorious, amongst millions of players worldwide who competed for a coveted spot in the Live FinalOne of the biggest All Stars Live Final yet brought together finalists from the United States, Brazil, Germany, Spain, and beyond, in London to compete on stage for a share of the $1 million prize pool and a custom Icebox championship ringA brand-new bonus round added an extra layer of excitement to the Live Final, with one player winning an additional $10,000 in the tournament’s fastest-paced challenge yet

LONDON, June 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What started on a phone screen ended on a live stage in London. Candy Crush All Stars has crowned its 2026 Champion. Luana from Bahia, Brazil claimed the title in the Live Final, after competing against millions of players from across the globe, emerging victorious at the tournament’s biggest-ever Live Final in London.

She takes home a share of $1 million and a custom Candy Crush-inspired championship ring from Icebox, a multicoloured showpiece set with sapphires, rubies, emeralds and pink sapphires crafted into the game’s most iconic shapes, from Colorbombs and clusters to red Candies brought to life in stone. At its centre, a spinning blue Wrapped Candy dome that’s as playful as the game itself, with the Candy Crush Saga name etched in gold along the band. Luana barely waited for the moment to sink in before she had the ring on her finger, a one-of-a-kind piece designed just for this moment and for the player who earned it.

The Live Final marked a major evolution for the competition, transforming what began as everyday mobile play into a full-scale live spectacle. Finalists from the United States, Brazil, Germany, Spain, and beyond, competed on stage in front of fans, family, and media. For the first time, the Live Final introduced a bonus round – a fast-paced, high-intensity challenge that pushed players to their limits in a way the competition has never seen before – with the winner of that bonus round walking away with an additional $10,000.

The Live Final brought together an extraordinary group of competitors, reflecting the scale and diversity of the Candy Crush community. Players travelled from across the globe to compete in London, including Ingrid and German, a husband and wife duo from California’s Bay Area, who both advanced to the final stage of the tournament independently, turns out two of the world’s best Candy Crush players have been sharing a household all along.

After weeks of competition spanning 25 countries and millions of other Candy Crush players to secure a spot at the Live Final, Luana, an art student from Bahia, Brazil, ultimately claimed the championship title in the Live Final, becoming the Candy Crush All Stars 2026 Champion.

“I started playing Candy Crush a while back, it was just something I loved to do, a game that always made small moments fun. I never imagined it would one day take me to a live stage in London to compete against the best players in the world. To come home as the Candy Crush All Stars 2026 Champion is something I will carry with me. I am so incredibly proud,” said Luana, Candy Crush All Stars 2026 Champion.

“At King, we’ve always believed that casual games can create moments of real skill, connection and joy at a huge scale. All Stars brings that to life in a way that only Candy Crush can. Seeing the finalists bring their passion and talent to a live stage in London to compete at such a high level is a powerful reminder of what makes our community so special. This tournament was built for our players, and they continue to surprise and inspire us,” said Todd Green, President at King.

With millions of players competing worldwide for a spot in the All Stars Live Final, and the Live Final returning to London at its most ambitious scale yet, Candy Crush continues to demonstrate the enduring appeal of shared play on a global scale. More than a decade after launch, the game remains one of the world’s most-loved mobile entertainment experiences, bringing joy to millions of players every day.

Candy Crush Saga® is free to download on iOS and Android. For more information, visit candycrushsaga.com.

*Candy Crush All Stars Tournament was held in London in 2021 on an intimate scale.

About Candy Crush Saga
Candy Crush Saga® is one of the world’s most popular mobile games. Millions of players around the globe match colorful candies in combinations of three or more to win points, defeat obstacles, and progress through more than 20,000 levels. In November 2022, Candy Crush Saga celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Candy Crush Saga is available to download for free from the Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store, Windows App Store and Facebook.

About King
With a mission of Making the World Playful, King is a leading interactive entertainment company for the mobile world with more than 20 years of history of delivering some of the world’s most iconic games in the mobile gaming industry, including the world-famous Candy Crush franchise, as well as other mobile titles such as Farm Heroes Saga. King games are played by more than 200 million monthly active users. King, part of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), has Kingsters in Stockholm, Malmö, London, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Malta. More information can be found at King.com or by following us on LinkedIn, @lifeatking on Instagram.

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SOURCE Candy Crush Saga

As global borders transition to zero-tolerance digital databases, thousands of travelers face immediate visa rejections due to simple clerical errors. VisaSyst introduces an independent “pre-check” platform combining automated verification and expert review to eliminate common pitfalls and protect travelers from costly application denials.

CASPER, Wyo., June 12, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — It is undeniable that the global travel industry has entered a new phase of high demand, but with that has come increasingly rigid bureaucracy. Borders are open, but the administrative infrastructure governing entry has shifted dramatically toward digitization. This paradox is making travel more and less accessible all in the same breath.

While visa processing is moving onto an electronic landscape, it has created a zero-tolerance environment for errors. While millions of travelers are eager to explore different countries, VisaSyst is here to highlight that a significant portion of travel disruptions are caused by the complex, unforgiving nature of modern visa applications.

The logistics of booking flights and hotels might have become more streamlined, the bureaucratic layer remains a significant hurdle. Governments worldwide are transitioning from physical stamps to digital databases, yet this shift has placed the burden of data entry squarely on the traveler.

Analysis of recent entry trends indicates that the majority of visa and authorization rejections are not triggered by security threats or criminal backgrounds, but by simple clerical errors that automated systems are programmed to flag instantly. This is where VisaSyst steps in.

The Cost of a “Simple” Mistake

The scale of this issue is evident in recent government statistics, which paint a concerning picture for unprepared travelers. According to fiscal data from 2024, the global refusal rate for B-1/B-2 tourist and business visitor visas to the United States stood at a staggering 27.8 percent. This denial rate affected nearly 2.49 million people in a single year, a figure that will undeniably make travelers sweat. The data also indicates that specific demographics face even steeper challenges; for instance, despite modest improvements, Chinese nationals still faced a denial rate of over 25 percent in 2024, meaning one in every four applicants was turned away.

In the European context, the Schengen area has seen visa applications surge to over 11.7 million as of 2025, yet the refusal rates in many jurisdictions remain stubbornly high. The consequences of these rejections extend far beyond a stamped “denied” on a document. For the average traveler, a rejection often occurs after non-refundable flights and accommodations have been booked, leading to major financial losses and the emotional distress of a canceled family holiday or a missed critical business meeting.

The root cause of these denials is frequently attributed to the failure to establish nonimmigrant intent under legal frameworks. However, few travelers realize that “intent” is often judged by the quality and consistency of the paperwork provided. A failure to provide a clear, error-free application is often interpreted by consular officers as a lack of credibility.

Common pitfalls that lead to these automatic triggers include simple typographical errors in passport numbers, the uploading of blurry or low-resolution document scans, and discrepancies between stated arrival dates and flight itineraries. In an automated system, a transposed digit is much more than a human error. In this futuristic landscape, it is processed as invalid data, leading to an immediate rejection.

Moving Toward Managed Applications

In response to these rising rejection rates, the travel sector is seeing a shift toward managed application services. VisaSyst has positioned its platform as a technical filter designed to align traveler data with government requirements. Their platform understands that government websites are just there for data collection and adjudication, not user experience. Consequently, without a “pre-check” layer, travelers are essentially submitting unverified data into a system that offers no second chances.

VisaSyst addresses this gap through a multi-layered verification process. The key feature of the service is the automated verification of data fields, which cross-references input against standard formatting requirements to catch errors that a human eye might miss, such as invalid character counts or improper date formats.

This technical layer is complemented by a professional review of documentation. By having experts review the application materials before they are submitted to government servers, the platform ensures that uploaded documents meet strict resolution and framing standards, sidestepping one of the most common reasons for immediate dismissal.

VisaSyst offers a user-friendly interface that is a complete 180 from the often confusing and jargon-heavy design of official government portals. Where government forms may use complex legal terms that confuse travelers, the managed platform translates these requirements into clear, guided steps. This ensures that the applicant understands exactly what information is required, significantly reducing the chances of the “intent” denials that stem from incomplete or confusing answers.

Future Outlook

The necessity for such managed services is expected to grow as the world moves toward fully digital borders. The upcoming full implementation of the European Union’s ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) and the expansion of the UK’s ETA scheme signal a future where virtually every traveler, regardless of nationality, will need digital pre-clearance before boarding a flight. As these systems come online, the space for errors will decrease further.

VisaSyst is evolving its technology stack to meet these new standards, ensuring that its systems are compatible with the latest API requirements from global immigration authorities. The company remains committed to the vision that travel should be accessible and that bureaucratic hurdles should not be the reason a journey ends before it begins.

About VisaSyst

VisaSyst is an independent travel documentation support service dedicated to simplifying the complexities of international travel authorizations. The platform provides a streamlined “pre-check” layer for travelers, offering country-specific guidance, automated error-checking, and professional review of application materials before they are submitted to government systems.

By combining smart automation with expert oversight, VisaSyst helps travelers navigate evolving digital entry requirements while minimizing the risk of common clerical errors that lead to immediate rejections. For more information on how to navigate the changing landscape of travel authorizations and to streamline your application process, please visit VisaSyst online.

Media Contact

Sofia Taylor, VisaSyst, 34 639739022, media@visasyst.com, https://www.visasyst.com/

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SOURCE VisaSyst