Technology

Global Times interview with Maria João Rodrigues on China-Europe relations

Published

1 year ago

December 4, 2024

BEIJING, Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The 2024 Understanding China Conference is being held in Guangzhou, capital of South China’s Guangdong Province, from Monday to Wednesday. What is the significance of understanding China? How should Europe understand China amid a time of global turmoil and changes? Are more Europeans willing to have a positive interaction with China? Maria João Rodrigues (Rodrigues), president of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies and former member of the European Parliament, discussed these issues with Global Times (GT) reporter Li Aixin.

GT: On the topic of “understanding China,” what do you think is the most important aspect for the world to understand about China?

Rodrigues: I’ve been in China for several important moments. I first came in 1997, quite a long time ago, and I’ve witnessed how China has moved through different stages of development. I must say that, in my case and for many others, this is quite impressive because, in a very short period of time, China has been able to address critical issues.

China has almost eradicated absolute poverty and is steadily improving the average living standards of Chinese people. This is remarkable because we are talking about a massive transformation of a country on a very large scale, achieved in a relatively short time. I know that behind this progress lies a well-prepared strategy.

The fact that China has been able to combine two key features of development is remarkable. One of these features is innovation. China has been able to innovate new products and services for the domestic population, while also exporting them around the world. The other key feature is social inclusion. There is a strong focus on social inclusion within China, addressing the needs of the population at large and systematically improving living conditions. Achieving both of these things at the same time is not easy, but China is a prime example of how this can be done.

GT: You once mentioned, “instead of being systematic rivals, Europe and China should be global partners to improve global governance. This can make a big difference for the world.” Could you elaborate on this?

Rodrigues: It is true that we started with a very intensive partnership – we are partners. Then, competition is also part of our relationship. But on the global level, China and Europe can do a lot together to tackle global challenges, starting with climate change, sustainable development as a whole, reducing poverty, and supporting developing countries to catch up more quickly on sustainable development goals.

To achieve this, they need to rely on stronger financial resources, trade opportunities and technological cooperation. Europe and China both have important resources in technology, trade and finance. Together, they can truly support developing countries in catching up.

GT: Is the number of people in Europe who are willing to understand and engage in dialogue with China, increasing or decreasing?

Rodrigues: I would say that we have mixed trends. Europeans are very interested in China because it is an ancient civilization, a civilization they recognize as being sophisticated. They admire it because Europe, too, is an old civilization, and we relate to each other well in that regard.

Furthermore, the European population has benefited greatly from importing many goods from China, which has also helped improve living standards in Europe. This openness between China and Europe has continued. But more recently, because China has become very successful and is now a highly competitive economy, some sectors in Europe are feeling the pressure. China has a trade surplus with Europe, and European authorities are addressing this with their Chinese counterparts, saying – let’s cooperate, but in a way that this trade surplus is reduced.

GT: The EU decided to impose tariffs of up to 45.3 percent on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) from October 30. Do you see any solution to this dispute between China and Europe?

Rodrigues: The starting point of this issue is related to China’s success. China was able to start producing EVs that are cheaper and more affordable for the middle class. Europe, however, is still not there, as it began producing EVs, but only for the high-end market.

We need to maintain openness. Trade opportunities should remain open for both sides – China and Europe. Therefore, what I believe should be done from the European side is to develop an industrial plan to produce EVs for the middle class in Europe, which are more affordable.

I think this is on the horizon. The main carmakers in Europe are preparing to achieve this goal. Once they do, we can have natural competition between Chinese and European brands in open markets and trade. This is my hope, but we will have to see.

I can also tell that within EU institutions, there is a discussion on what the plan should be – an industrial plan to develop electric cars that should be cheaper and more affordable. So, this discussion is also taking place in European institutions.

If the resolution can be reached, Europe and China will give a strong signal to the world that we don’t believe in a protectionist reaction. Regarding trade, we prefer to have openness.

GT: Will the next US administration bring more opportunities or more risks for China–Europe relations?

Rodrigues: There is something very important to understand – Europe will define its relationship with China on its own. Europe needs to have its own criteria to assess why a relationship with China is important and under what conditions. This is something that the EU must do on its own.

The EU is a political entity that truly wants to maintain openness to the world and develop international cooperation to address global challenges. We also want a stronger multilateral system.

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SOURCE Global Times

Technology

Bobby Lehew Named commonsku’s Chief AI Officer — an Industry First in Promo

Published

21 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

TORONTO, April 20, 2026 /CNW/ – commonsku, the connected workflow platform trusted by 950+ distributors driving $1.9 billion in network volume, today announced the creation of a dedicated AI + Strategy role, promoting Bobby Lehew to Chief AI Officer to lead the company’s AI initiative for customers and the platform. The move makes commonsku the first platform in the promotional products industry to invest at the leadership level in AI strategy shaped directly by distributor needs.

The new role bridges the gap between what AI can do and what commonsku’s customers need it to solve, owning the intelligence loop between customers, product, and the AI landscape. What makes the role distinct: it combines AI landscape intelligence, product strategy influence, direct customer engagement, and industry thought leadership in a single role.

A Natural Evolution

Lehew brings more than 30 years of experience in the promotional products industry to the role. Prior to joining commonsku, he was the CEO of Robyn Promotions, a company among the first wave of distributors who architected the model of technology driven e-commerce company stores in the industry, earning three consecutive Inc. 5000 rankings. Always tech-forward in his work, his industry recognition includes multiple Gold and Silver PPAI Pyramid Awards.

The shift to AI strategy is a natural next chapter for Lehew. At commonsku, he built the company’s content engine from scratch — co-hosting the skucast (350+ episodes, the #1 promotional products podcast) while leaning heavily into AI for all his work. He is editor of The AI Promo Brief, the industry’s go-to resource for AI developments in promotional products, and speaks frequently on the future of merch and the cultural shifts transforming how we sell. At PPAI Expo 2026, his AI session packed the room to capacity and was named a must-attend session by PPAI editors. The industry has been watching Lehew move deeper into AI for over a year. This role makes it official.

Investing in AI for Customers

“The industry is at an inflection point with AI, and distributors need a partner who understands their business,” said Catherine Graham, CEO of commonsku. “commonsku has always been built ‘by promo, for promo.’ Bobby has three decades of that expertise, a passion for helping our customers, and the strategic insight to shape AI tools for future growth. This role reflects our mission: making sure our AI tools solve real problems for real distributors.”

“The companies pulling ahead are the ones leading with customer intelligence – letting what they learn from their community shape what they build and advancing with the frontier of AI development. That’s what this role is designed to do. I’ll be talking with our customers at every level about AI and making sure the features we build make work smarter, drive growth, and eliminate friction.” said Lehew.

“Bobby and I have been creative partners for years, always pushing each other to see around corners for this industry,” said Mark Graham, President of commonsku. “We’ve launched multiple projects together and helped educate and raise the standard for what the future distributor can look like. This role is a natural evolution of that passion. He deeply understands the industry and the distributor’s pain points, and he sees with us an incredible opportunity with AI. We’re thrilled to build commonsku’s AI future together.”

commonsku’s AI investments are already in motion. The skubot Mockup Generator is in beta with Advanced and Enterprise customers, a new Opportunity Agent is entering beta as an AI-powered business intelligence tool, and the company’s immediate roadmap includes a Description Rewriter, Auto-Art Configuration, and a Presentation Generator with much more to come.

About commonsku

commonsku is the workflow platform of choice for the promotional products industry. Built by industry experts, it combines CRM, order management, and social collaboration tools in one cloud-based solution. Over 950 distributors and the industry’s largest suppliers rely on commonsku to power $1.9 billion in network volume. With commonsku, teams process more orders, work more efficiently, and grow their sales faster. Learn more at www.commonsku.com.

SOURCE commonsku

Technology

The Oxygen Plan Corporation Files Utility Patent on O2OS™ Pre-Diagnostic Behavioral Health Architecture — Measurement, Routing, Reimbursement, Governance; 2008 Prior Art

Published

21 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

Four-layer architecture spans measurement, routing, reimbursement, and governance. 2008 filing predates the Apple App Store and the current generation of digital behavioral health platforms.

MINNEAPOLIS, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Oxygen Plan Corporation today filed a Track One (prioritized examination) utility patent application covering the O2OS™ architecture — spanning measurement, routing, reimbursement, and governance — with foundational disclosures dating to April 22, 2008.

We built the pre-diagnostic measurement layer to make risk visible before it becomes a clinical event. Our role is architecture and calibration. Deployment, operations, and vertical execution sit with institutional partners. — Eric Lucas, Founder-Governor • The Oxygen Plan Corporation

O2OS™ establishes a structured, pre-diagnostic measurement framework that makes behavioral health risk visible, routable, and economically measurable before it becomes a clinical event.

The 2008 filing predates the launch of the Apple App Store.

The subsequent 2009 PCT publication predates the current generation of digital behavioral health platforms.

THE ARCHITECTURE

O2OS™ is a four-layer operating system for behavioral health:

Measurement — Stress Number™, a composite score across Home, Work, and Social domains (each scored 0–100), designed to produce a bounded, interoperable pre-diagnostic behavioral health signalRouting — Smart Referral Engine™, threshold-triggered and tri-hierarchical, designed to match individuals to appropriate resourcesReimbursement — CPT-aligned workflow support, intended to enable billing integrationGovernance — the Automated Governance Utility™, a license registry and access control layer designed to support neutrality and structured participation

The system operates as a closed-loop architecture in which pre-diagnostic measurement informs routing, routing aligns with reimbursement pathways, and governance enables coordinated operation at scale.

STRUCTURAL GAPS

Behavioral health systems currently operate with two unresolved structural gaps:

Penetration Gap — the majority of individuals remain unmeasured at the pre-diagnostic stageRouting Gap — measured individuals are not consistently routed to appropriate resources

O2OS™ is designed as a pre-diagnostic measurement and routing architecture that addresses both conditions within a unified system.

FEDERAL ALIGNMENT

O2OS™ is aligned with established federal and reimbursement pathways, including CMS Coverage with Evidence Development (CED), CPT 96127 and CPT 96138, Medicaid 1115 Waivers, HEDIS quality measures, and CMS Aim 1 for prevention and early detection.

CLINICAL VALIDATION

Stress Number™ has been validated working in collaboration with Mayo Clinic (Archives of Psychology, 2018, N=292). O2OS™ functions as a pre-diagnostic measurement layer designed to support routing toward existing clinical tools and workflows.

About The Oxygen Plan Corporation

The Oxygen Plan Corporation develops O2OS™ — a pre-diagnostic measurement, routing, reimbursement, and governance architecture for behavioral health. Foundational disclosures date to 2008 prior art, with peer-reviewed clinical validation conducted working in collaboration with Mayo Clinic.

Learn more at:

www.theoxygenplan.com

Statements describe system architecture, intended capabilities, and alignment pathways. Implementation and outcomes vary by partner, deployment, and regulatory context.

Media Contact

Chris Lechuga, The Oxygen Plan Corporation, 1 877 897-6520, chris@rockerpr.com, www.theoxygenplan.com

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SOURCE The Oxygen Plan Corporation

Technology

West Monroe Named in Customer Experience Strategy Consulting Services Landscape by Independent Research Firm

Published

21 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

Firm believes inclusion reflects its ability to connect customer experience, AI, and execution to measurable business outcomes

CHICAGO, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — West Monroe, a global business and technology consulting firm, announced it has been named among Notable Providers in The Customer Experience Strategy Consulting Services Landscape, Q2 2026. The report serves as a resource for executives and customer experience leaders evaluating customer experience strategy consulting providers, offering an overview of 28 providers across the market based on factors such as geographic focus, industry expertise, and business scenarios.

As organizations look to increase customer stickiness and drive growth, many are increasing investment in customer experience strategy while also exploring how AI can enable more personalized, efficient, and scalable experiences. At the same time, organizations face growing pressure to demonstrate clear business value—driving demand for partners that can embed data and AI into end-to-end customer journeys and translate those investments into measurable outcomes.

“Customer experience is evolving as AI expands what’s possible—and raises the bar for how organizations deliver it,” said Chuck Malone, Platforms & Customer Strategy Lead at West Monroe. “We believe our inclusion reflects our focus on helping clients move beyond strategy to execution, embedding data and AI into customer journeys in a way that improves engagement, strengthens retention, and delivers measurable business results.”

West Monroe brings longstanding experience helping organizations design and implement customer-centric strategies across industries including healthcare, banking, energy and utilities, insurance, and consumer & industrial products.

As part of the report, Forrester asked each provider included in the Landscape to identify the business scenarios for which clients most often engage them and highlighted extended scenarios that differentiate providers. In addition to the core business scenarios identified in the report—business assessment and analysis, customer research, and vision and strategy setting—West Monroe highlighted prioritization and roadmapping, technology transformation, and workforce enablement among the extended scenarios.

A core focus of the firm’s customer experience work is contact center and service transformation—helping organizations redesign customer journeys, modernize operations, and implement AI-enabled platforms to improve service experiences and reduce cost-to-serve.

The firm’s customer experience work has delivered measurable results for clients across industries, including:

Healthcare: Redesigned critical contact center workflows for a healthcare organization, improving first-call resolution by 68%, reducing clinic task volume by 33%, and increasing patient satisfaction.Energy & Utilities: Built a Salesforce-powered digital portal in 60 days to support solar rebate programs, reducing approval timelines by more than 60% and enabling administration of 25+ clean energy programs.Banking: Led a digital transformation for a mid-market bank, reimagining onboarding, servicing, and program management—driving more than $100M in new deposits, $550K+ in annual cost avoidance, and a 96% platform adoption rate.

Learn more about West Monroe’s customer experience services: https://www.westmonroe.com/services/customer-experience-platforms.

Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.

About West Monroe

West Monroe is a global business and technology consulting firm passionate about creating value for our clients. We co-create solutions that accelerate results now and prepare industries to tackle what’s next. We’re excited by the possibilities that technology creates. We work with our clients to deliver on the possible, building on their goals, generating fresh insights and creating inspiring outcomes.

We excel at the intersection of industry, strategy, people and technology—always driving rapid impact. Our all-in approach comes from our unique employee ownership structure. Our clients’ success is our success. From the beginning, our growth has come from putting people at the center. Fortune and USA Today consistently celebrate West Monroe as a top workplace, and we’re recognized as a leading consultancy by Forbes and Business Insider. Let’s find more value for your business.

Share our passion at westmonroe.com

Media Inquiries
Christina Galoozis
Director, Communications & Public Relations
cgaloozis@westmonroe.com
847-302-1762

Shira Cohen
Manager, Public Relations
scohen@westmonroe.com
443-841-6879

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SOURCE West Monroe