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Taylor Bennett and Birchwood Knight merge to create new international search firm leader, Taylor Birchwood

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Taylor Birchwood becomes largest specialist executive search firm, in the world, for organisations wanting to source exceptional talent in corporate affairs, communications, government relations, investor relations and adjacent disciplinesMerged firm will be jointly led by Taylor Bennett’s Managing Partner, Matthew Wall and Birchwood Knight’s founder and Managing Director, Wayne ReynoldsTori Cowley, former London Stock Exchange Group, Mitie PLC and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) Corporate Affairs Director, joins the business as Non-Executive Chair

LONDON, Sept. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Taylor Birchwood has more than 55 years of executive search and recruitment experience in corporate affairs. This gives the expert team at Taylor Birchwood a unique ability to support ambitious organisations as they hire for leadership roles across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Together with its global network of partners – Heyman Associates in North America, Barber Search in Asia and GK Consulting in Germany – Taylor Birchwood provides insight and access to exceptional talent around the world.

Matthew Wall, Founder and Managing Partner, Taylor Birchwood said, “Our two businesses together are greater than the sum of our parts – as Taylor Birchwood we are uniquely placed to support Boards, CEOs and Management Teams in securing the very best global corporate affairs and communications talent. I have admired Wayne and his team’s drive and commitment to innovation for more than a decade, and I am tremendously excited about what we can do together as we continue to build on our shared long-held reputations for excellent service, strong delivery and unparalleled market insight.”

Wayne Reynolds, Founder and Managing Partner, Taylor Birchwood said, “Taylor Bennett set the standard for others to aspire to when I launched Birchwood Knight in 2009 and the firm has gone from strength to strength under Matt’s leadership. In joining forces, I know that we will continue to offer our clients across geography and industry access to the very best talent, delivering for them and our candidates, as well as building a great place to work for our people. We look forward to working with all our clients as Taylor Birchwood.”

Tori Cowley, Chair, Taylor Birchwood said, “In a complex world, perception is everything and reputation matters. Every ambitious company, in every industry, needs expert Corporate Affairs counsel at the table. Whether navigating critical aspects of strategy or culture, anticipating or responding to crisis, driving through change or building trust, CEOs and Boards need specialist practitioners to support them so that they can lead with authority and clarity: you don’t have to think too hard for examples where this was not prioritised.”

She added, “I have known Matt and Wayne for many years as both candidate and client, and I am extremely excited to be joining them. They are brilliant at finding and securing exceptional talent, as well as being genuinely great people. As we combine their highly-regarded businesses to create a new market leader, I look forward to working with them, the full Taylor Birchwood team, our global partners and our clients and candidates around world in the months and years ahead.”

Taylor Birchwood are specialists, offering executive search for permanent and interim roles in the UK and globally. In addition to hiring Chief Communications Officers, Corporate Affairs Directors and Heads of Investor Relations, Taylor Birchwood also recruits for senior management and leadership roles in media relations, financial communications, government affairs, public policy, internal communications, employee insight and engagement, digital communications and content, executive communications, speechwriting, brand and marketing.

The experienced Taylor Birchwood team also offer organisational design and succession planning services, helping leaders to shape their functions and prepare for the future; as well as coaching and career planning advice for C-suite leaders and next-generation corporate affairs leaders.

Taylor Birchwood has a market-leading approach to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, underpinned by the work of the Taylor Bennett Foundation, an award-winning charity which encourages people from ethnically diverse backgrounds to pursue a career in corporate affairs and communications.

Contacts: 
Matthew Wall
Wayne Reynolds +44 (0)207 580 4300
hello@taylorbirchwood.com

Whether you are a candidate looking to find your next role, or an organisation looking for outstanding talent, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

Taylor Birchwood www.taylorbirchwood.com
Taylor Bennett Foundation www.taylorbennettfoundation.org

A copy of this press release is available in Arabic and Mandarin Chinese on the Taylor Birchwood website. 

Notes to Editors 

Matthew Wall – Biography

Matthew has more than 20 years’ executive search expertise, finding and placing the best corporate affairs talent with organisations all over the globe. Since 2016, he has been the Managing Partner of Taylor Bennett, an executive search firm specialising in corporate Affairs, communications, investor relations, government relations, policy and brand. He has worked with a huge range of Chairman and CEOs at large corporates, public sector organisations, sports bodies and charities in helping them to secure exceptional talent – enabling them to better manage their reputations, define their corporate culture and support their long-term success.

As a Trustee of the Taylor Bennett Foundation, which he helped establish in 2009, he has also been instrumental in supporting graduates from diverse backgrounds start and build careers in communications roles, championing the need and benefits of diverse thinking in good corporate practices. Prior to working in executive search Matthew was a journalist. He speaks Spanish and is a graduate of the London Business School’s Emerging Leaders Programme.

Wayne Reynolds – Biography

Wayne Reynolds founded Birchwood Knight in 2009, building a highly successful business that became a go-to destination for ambitious organisations seeking excellent senior communications, investor relations, government relations and corporate affairs talent. Recognised for their in-depth understanding of the market and excellent sector research, Birchwood Knight built a reputation for responsiveness and innovative thinking, as well as a practical approach that delivered results for clients around the world. Wayne has a track record of working with CEOs on hiring communications leaders that have delivered real impact, as well as supporting those corporate affairs leaders in building their own high performing teams.

Wayne has worked in recruitment since 1998 and is a former member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederations’ Employment Policy Committee. Wayne speaks fluent Dutch and is also an independent member of the House of Lords Appointments Commission, helping with appointments to the independent cross benches and vetting for propriety for party political members.

Tori Cowley – Biography

Tori Cowley has had an international career as a leading Corporate Affairs executive, sitting on the management team of three large public companies. Most recently she was Group Chief

Communications Officer for Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), Asia’s largest stock market group where she was responsible for all aspects of corporate affairs, strategic communications, brand, sustainability and philanthropy. Prior to this, Tori was Group Head of Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations at Mitie PLC, the UK-listed facilities management company; and before that, she was Group Head of Communications at London Stock Exchange Group. Tori has overseen awardwinning teams in Europe, Asia and the Americas and has won numerous accolades for branding, design, investor and corporate communications. She is a former M&A investment banker and has also worked in consultancy. She has been a trustee of three corporate foundations, is a passionate advocate for diversity and has regularly been included in rankings of the world’s leading Corporate Affairs practitioners. Tori is a Chartered Accountant and is a graduate of the Corporate Affairs Academy at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

International partners
GK Consulting https://gk-personalberatung.de/ (Berlin and Frankfurt)
Barber Search https://www.barber-search.com/ (Hong Kong)
Heyman Associates https://www.heymanassociates.com/ (New York and San Francisco)

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2500103/Taylor_Birchwood.jpg

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Galaxy Digital Inc. Announces Pricing of $3.507 Billion of Senior Secured Notes

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NEW YORK, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Galaxy Digital Inc. (NASDAQ: GLXY) (“Galaxy” or the “Company”), a global leader in digital assets and data center infrastructure, today announced that its indirect wholly owned subsidiary, Galaxy Helios Data Centers II LLC (the “Issuer”), has priced a $3.507 billion private offering (the “Offering”) of 9.875% senior secured notes due 2031 (the “Notes”). The Offering is expected to close on July 28, 2026, subject to market and other conditions.

The Issuer intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to finance a portion of the development and construction of two buildings containing eight data halls with a combined total of 400 megawatts (“MW”) of utility capacity and 260 MW of critical IT capacity (the “Project”) to be built on an approximately 260-acre property in Dickens County, Texas and to fund debt service reserves.

The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 9.875% per annum payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning on February 1, 2027 and will mature on August 1, 2031. The Notes will amortize at a rate of 4.00% per annum of the original principal amount subject to adjustment, with amortization payments payable semi-annually with the first payment date to occur at least ten months after the completion of the Project.

The Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Galaxy Helios II LLC, a wholly owned direct subsidiary of the Issuer (the “Guarantor”), and will constitute the senior secured obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantor. The Notes and related note guarantee will be secured by first-priority liens on (i) substantially all assets of the Issuer and the Guarantor, other than certain excluded property and (ii) all equity interests of the Issuer held by the direct parent company of the Issuer.

The Offering is subject to market and other conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether, when or on what terms the Offering may be completed.

The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws. The Notes will be offered only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A under the Securities Act and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Galaxy

Galaxy Digital Inc. (Nasdaq: GLXY) is a global leader in digital assets and data center infrastructure, delivering solutions that accelerate progress in finance and artificial intelligence. Our digital assets platform offers institutional access to trading, advisory, asset management, staking, self-custody, and tokenization technology. In addition, we develop and operate cutting-edge data center infrastructure to power AI and HPC workloads. Our 1.63 GW Helios campus in Texas positions Galaxy among the largest and fastest-growing data center developers in North America. The Company is headquartered in New York City, with offices across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the completion, size and timing of the Offering, the terms of the Notes and the intended use of proceeds. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and includes this statement for purposes of complying with these safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements represent the Company’s current expectations regarding future events and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. Among those risks and uncertainties are market conditions, including market interest rates, the satisfaction of the closing conditions related to the Offering and risks relating to the Company’s business, including those described in periodic reports that the Company files from time to time with the SEC. The Issuer may not consummate the proposed Offering described in this press release and, if the proposed Offering is consummated, cannot provide any assurances regarding the final terms of the Offering or the Notes or its ability to effectively apply the net proceeds as described above. The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update the statements included in this press release for subsequent developments, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

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SOURCE Galaxy Digital Inc.

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The Finish Line that Changed China: Retracing the Long March to Yan’an

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BEIJING, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on the Long March, and what it means for China today:

 

Every journey has a destination.

But some destinations become the beginning of something even greater.

This is Yan’an.

Over 90 years ago, an army of soldiers embarked from Yudu, Jiangxi Province, on a journey that would go down in history.

They crossed snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands and raging rivers, eventually arriving in northern Shaanxi.

Across this grueling 12,500-kilometer journey, they wrote a magnificent epic in human history with willpower and courage.

Here, their Long March came to a victorious end. But a new chapter of history was only beginning.

In Yan’an, the Red Army found time to recover and rebuild, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China regrouped, gathering strength for the next chapter.

Here, new ideas were debated, new strategies were shaped, and a vision for China’s future gradually took form.

Today, while preserving its revolutionary legacy, Yan’an has grown into a vibrant, modern city — with a greener environment, thriving industries and happier lives for its people.

Nearly 90 years ago, American journalist Edgar Snow came to northern Shaanxi, seeking to uncover a story that few outside China knew. He later chronicled it in his book “Red Star Over China,” which carried the story of the Long March to the world.

Today, people from around the world are once again retracing those steps.

As part of China International Communications Group (CICG)’s “Together on the Long March” international communication project, participants have spent more than a month retracing the route across six key regions.

From Jiangxi to Shaanxi, they followed the Red Army’s journey and witnessed the remarkable changes that have taken place along the way.

I asked them one simple question: What does this journey mean to you?

Zhavier Harris, marketing and communications manager at the Springfield Urban League, said conversations with local residents and descendants of the Red Army made history feel far more immediate than he had expected.

He said history isn’t as distant as we often think. “We’re only one or two generations from these great sacrifices that led to the development and the greatness that we see from the Communist Party of China and China as a whole.”

David Ferguson, honorary chief English editor at Foreign Languages Press under CICG and a recipient of the 2021 Chinese Government Friendship Award, said the journey deepened his understanding of the Long March.

He said the journey helped him understand not only the historical facts, but also what the Red Army endured. “If you see the Long March merely as a military campaign, it ended in Yan’an. But as a spirit, it has never truly come to an end.”

We came to retrace history. We leave with something more: a deeper understanding of China’s past, a clearer view of its present, and perhaps a greater appreciation for the stories that connect us across cultures.

Edgar Snow called the Long March “an Odyssey unequalled in modern times.” He believed that what sustained it was a flame — consisting of an undimmed ardor, an undying hope and an amazing revolutionary optimism.

Ninety years later, that flame still burns.

Passed down through generations, the spirit of the Long March continues to light China’s path forward.

And as it crosses borders and cultures, it offers the world a glimpse of a nation defined by resilience, perseverance and an enduring drive to move forward.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm 

The Finish Line that Changed China: Retracing the Long March to Yan’an
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2026-07/23/content_118614941.shtml

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SOURCE China.org.cn

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Visa and Lianlian Advance Trusted B2B Agentic Commerce Through LoopXPay’s First Live B2B Agentic Transaction

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First live B2B agentic transaction in Greater China highlights how AI-enabled commerce can help SMBs streamline purchasing and payments, supported by Visa’s Agentic Directory for trusted AI agent interactions

SINGAPORE, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, and Lianlian DigiTech Co., Ltd. (“Lianlian”), an AI-native global financial infrastructure provider, today announced the first live B2B agentic transaction completed using LoopXPay, Lianlian’s AI agent. 

Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) often lack dedicated procurement teams and spend valuable time sourcing, purchasing and making payments themselves. In the transaction, the LoopXPay agent was used to source a product sample from a supplier and complete the purchase in a single workflow. The agent identified the purchasing requirement, recommended suitable suppliers, compared options, placed the order and securely executed the payment within a single workflow, while operating within pre-defined spending controls and approval parameters.

The milestone highlights how AI-powered commerce experiences can help SMBs simplify purchasing and payment activities while maintaining appropriate controls and oversight. By enabling AI agents to operate within pre-defined spending parameters and approval controls, businesses can reduce manual effort while retaining visibility into commercial decision-making.

As AI agents become more involved in purchasing and payment activities, businesses will require confidence that transactions are being executed by verified participants, within approved parameters and with appropriate oversight. Capabilities aligned with Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol can help provide the identity, transparency and controls needed to support these interactions.

As part of the collaboration, LoopXPay has been registered in Visa’s Agentic Directory, enabling participating businesses and merchants to identify verified AI agents within the ecosystem. Supporting the implementation of Visa’s Trusted Agent Protocol, the Agentic Directory helps provide greater transparency into agent-driven interactions and confidence that participating agents have met Visa’s requirements.

“AI-powered commerce experiences can help businesses simplify purchasing and payments while maintaining the controls and oversight they require,” said Darren Parslow, Global Head, Visa Commercial Solutions, Visa. “For SMBs, that means less complexity in managing day-to-day commercial activities and more time focused on growth. As businesses increasingly look to embed intelligence into purchasing and payment experiences, trust will become a critical enabler of adoption. Through our collaboration with Lianlian, we are helping advance the trusted foundations that businesses will need to participate in this next era of commerce with confidence.”

Building on this milestone, Visa and Lianlian are exploring how AI agents can support a broader range of commercial activities, including procurement, digital advertising optimisation and B2B platform payments, helping advance trusted commerce through greater efficiency, transparency and control.

Zhang Zhengyu, Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Lianlian DigiTech, said, “AI is reshaping the entire commercial value chain, where a growing number of business activities will be autonomously executed by AI agents, with payments serving as the critical infrastructure connecting them to global commerce. Leveraging its experience in global cross-border payments, compliance, as well as payment network, LianLian is actively building AI-native financial infrastructure, delivering an integrated suite of capabilities for the Agent Economy, spanning identity verification, transaction authorisation, intelligent payment, and global fund settlement. Through this collaboration with Visa, we aim to combine Lianlian’s AI-native capabilities with Visa’s trusted global network and commercial payment expertise to help businesses transact more securely, intelligently and efficiently in an increasingly agent-driven commerce environment.”

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, sellers, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.

About Lianlian

Lianlian DigiTech Co., Ltd. (“Lianlian DigiTech” or “Lianlian”) was founded in 2009 and listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2024 (stock code: 2598.HK). As China’s leading global provider of digital and intelligent payment services, Lianlian adheres to its mission of “Connecting the world, empowering global commerce” and pursues an “AI-Native + Globalization” strategy. The Company is committed to building a trusted global intelligent financial infrastructure, enabling seamless connectivity between Chinese enterprises and global businesses.  As of now, Lianlian has established a global licensing portfolio comprising 68 payment licenses and related qualifications, and holds a VATP license issued by the Hong Kong SFC. It supports services in more than 200 countries and regions and enables transaction settlement in over 140 currencies, connecting over 180 global e-commerce platforms and serving a cumulative total of over 13.3 million customers. Learn more at www.lianlian.com.

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SOURCE Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited

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