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IGM Financial Simplifies Organization to Accelerate Investment in Key Technology Capabilities to Strengthen Business

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WINNIPEG, MB, June 17, 2026 /CNW/ – IGM Financial Inc. (“IGM” or the “Company”) today announced a multi-year initiative to further simplify how the organization operates. This effort is designed to reduce complexity and costs. This, in turn, will free up capacity to increase investment in key AI capabilities — supporting IGM’s evolution as a technology-enabled business while continuing to prioritize its human-first, relationship-driven approach to serving clients, and strengthening the Company to support long-term growth.

IGM has been modernizing its operating model and its technology platforms over several years in response to changing client needs, technological advancements and industry dynamics. Today’s announcement represents the next step in that evolution.

“We are building an AI-enabled organization that enhances, not replaces, the trusted relationships at the core of our business,” said James O’Sullivan, President and CEO, IGM Financial. “While much is still evolving, we are encouraged by the opportunities AI is providing to elevate the advice experience, empower our advisors and employees, and deliver even stronger outcomes for clients, while staying grounded in the personal connections that define our model.”

“As a result, we are taking deliberate steps to simplify how we operate so we can execute more effectively and deliver on our long-term strategy,” continued Mr. O’Sullivan. “This initiative creates greater capacity to invest in the capabilities that will define the future of wealth and asset management.”

To support these objectives, IGM has reviewed its organizational structure, operating model and cost base. The Company is taking a series of actions to improve efficiency, lower ongoing costs and create greater enterprise agility. These savings will be reinvested to expand IGM’s AI capabilities. This includes:

Further consolidation of team structures and streamlining workflows to drive efficiency and increase alignment with strategy.Upskilling its existing workforce and enhancing capabilities through targeted hiring in areas such as AI leadership, process redesign, data engineering, agent development and deployment, and governance.Advancing key technology, data and AI capabilities across the enterprise.

It is anticipated that this initiative will generate approximately $70 million in annualized savings by the end of 2028. This will be reinvested in AI capabilities, with a focus on people, processes and technologies to further strengthen the Company while allowing it to manage expense growth prudently. IGM is maintaining its operations, support and business development expense growth target of 4 per cent for 2026 relative to 2025. The Company expects to record a one-time charge of approximately $95 million or $70 million after-tax in Q2 related to these activities, including severance and the accelerated accounting recognition of certain incentive programs related to CEO transition.

Through this effort, IGM will scale its use of AI and other advanced technologies across its wealth and asset management businesses to enhance client outcomes, advisor productivity, and operational efficiency, while continuing to deliver personalized advice and service through strong, trust-based relationships.

This includes expanding tools and capabilities that support its IG Wealth Management advisors in areas such as meeting preparation, client interactions, and workflow efficiency, as well as enhancing investment processes and decision-making at Mackenzie Investments.

At the same time, IGM is strengthening its enterprise-wide capabilities by investing in workforce skills, including through training programs such as the IGM AI Academy, enhancing its AI technology foundation, and expanding targeted areas of expertise.

The Company will also continue advancing automation in areas such as contact centres and back-office operations, supported by strong governance, risk management, and data security practices.

ABOUT IGM FINANCIAL INC.

IGM Financial Inc. (“IGM”, TSX: IGM) is a leading Canadian diversified wealth and asset management organization with approximately $338 billion in total assets under management and advisement as of May 31, 2026. The company is committed to bettering the lives of Canadians by better planning and managing their money. To achieve this, IGM provides a broad range of financial planning and investment management services to help approximately two million Canadians meet their financial goals. IGM’s activities are carried out principally through IG Wealth Management and Mackenzie Investments and are complemented by strategic positions in wealth managers Rockefeller Capital Management and Wealthsimple and asset managers ChinaAMC and Northleaf Capital. These strengthen IGM’s capabilities, reach and diversification. IGM is a member of the Power Corporation group of companies. For more information, visit igmfinancial.com.

SOURCE IGM Financial Inc.

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Chinese Short Drama The Lady from the Northeast Season 2 Gains Popularity in Malaysia, Showcasing Compelling Sino-Malaysian Cultural Exchanges

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Recently, The Lady from the Northeast Season 2, produced by China’s leading short drama label Heard Island, has officially premiered. The series continues the cross-border love story between Qian Xiaohui, a girl from Northeast China, and Zhou Hexuan, the son of a wealthy Malaysian family, that began in the first season. This drama series is the first vertical-screen short drama deeply connected to Malaysia, featuring many authentic Malaysian details. Moreover, the male lead is played by Malaysian actor Kevin Ye!

The first season of The Lady from the Northeast achieved over 3 billion views in its first month of release, won the International Communication Award at the Macau International Short Drama Festival, and lead actor Kevin received the Most Promising Star Award. Within five days of its premiere, the second season has already surpassed 100 million in popularity index and 1 billion views in China, while also sparking heated discussions on overseas platforms including YouTube, TikTok, and FlickReels.

The Lady from the Northeast Season 2 revolves around Xiaohui bringing Hexuan and his entire family back to Northeast China for their wedding. The cultural differences between China and Malaysia are transformed into dense dramatic moments, creating numerous hilarious scenes. A Malaysian mother-in-law walks out of Shenyang Airport wearing a mink coat, sweating profusely from the heat; at the morning market, she goes from disliking the oily and salty snacks to completely falling in love with them, even wanting to poach the breakfast stall owner with a million-dollar annual salary. These plots have successfully sparked curiosity among many Malaysian viewers about Northeast China—their top desire is to go to Northeast China for a hot iron pot stew, and also experience the legendary public bath scrubbing.

The The Lady from the Northeast series skillfully incorporates numerous Malaysian cultural details, allowing local audiences to see reflections of their own lives through laughter, triggering widespread emotional resonance and cultural identity. For example, the male lead walks barefoot as soon as he enters the house, and offers the female lead uniquely Malaysian snacks and teh tarik. In the first season, the “lo hei” yusheng ceremony during Chinese New Year for Malaysian Chinese, as well as the exquisite and elegant traditional Nyonya clothing, also gave Chinese audiences a genuine appreciation for the unique charm of Nanyang Chinese culture.

Malaysian actor Kevin (Ye Wen) stands out with his relaxed and natural acting skills. During filming, he actively learned Northeast Chinese dialect, effortlessly saying phrases like “gan ha ne” (what are you doing). Hong Kong TVB veteran actress Michelle Ye plays the Malaysian mother-in-law, who transforms from a dignified wealthy matriarch to someone who learns to steam buns and sew cotton pants—the mother-son affection she portrays deeply moves both Malaysian audiences and Chinese viewers. This drama uses the bond of family affection to transcend regional differences, setting an excellent benchmark for cross-cultural exchange and cooperation in film and television between China and Malaysia.

The drama was filmed entirely on location in Shenyang. The rich Northeast Chinese charm has sparked strong curiosity among overseas audiences about iron pot stew, morning markets, and public bath scrubbing. Many Malaysian viewers are already eagerly calling for the next season: “Come film in Malaysia!” “We want to see Xiaohui open an iron pot stew chain in Malaysia!”

 

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SOURCE Heard Island

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Shield AI awarded U.S. Air Force production contract for Collaborative Combat Aircraft mission autonomy

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WASHINGTON, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Shield AI, the defense technology company building the world’s best autonomous solutions and next-generation aircraft, has been awarded a production contract by the U.S. Air Force to implement Hivemind mission autonomy software for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program.

The production award reflects the Air Force’s software-first approach to autonomy and its decision to evaluate mission autonomy as a standalone capability within the CCA program. Enabled by the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), the Air Force can rapidly iterate mission autonomy software upgrades independent of the aircraft, accelerating innovation while reducing integration costs and program risk.

“Mission autonomy is a foundational capability for future airpower,” said Christian Gutierrez, senior vice president of Hivemind at Shield AI. “The Air Force’s approach enables faster innovation, rapid capability deployment, and greater operational advantage for the warfighter. We’re excited to continue our partnership with the Air Force to field collaborative autonomy and deliver these capabilities at scale.”

By separating mission autonomy from the aircraft itself, the Air Force can integrate and upgrade software across multiple platforms without redesigning the airframe. This approach preserves competition, reduces integration risk, and enables Hivemind to be integrated across the Air Force’s broader CCA ecosystem rather than being tied to a single aircraft platform.

Under the award, Shield AI will focus on implementing collaborative combat autonomy behaviors involving multiple autonomous aircraft operating together under human supervision, reducing operator workload and enabling coordinated operations at scale.

Independent of this contract award, Shield AI will continue meeting all commitments for the Air Force’s mission autonomy development efforts. Earlier this year, Shield AI was selected as a mission autonomy provider for the Air Force’s CCA program following a competitive evaluation supporting Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) efforts. Hivemind is currently flying aboard Anduril’s YFQ-44A aircraft as part of those ongoing development efforts.

Hivemind is Shield AI’s platform-agnostic, A-GRA compliant software that assumes the role of a human pilot or operator, enabling unmanned systems to sense, decide, and act. Unlike traditional autopilots that simply follow preplanned routes, Hivemind can reroute around or engage dynamic obstacles, execute collaborative tactics with peer systems and piloted aircraft, respond to unexpected conditions, and complete missions safely and effectively as part of a human-machine team.

About Shield AI:

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Media Contact:
Lily Hinz, media@shield.ai

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shield-ai-awarded-us-air-force-production-contract-for-collaborative-combat-aircraft-mission-autonomy-302803710.html

SOURCE Shield AI

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SK hynix Ships Samples of 12-Layer Next-Gen ‘HBM4E’

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–     Delivers 12-high HBM4E samples to major customers
–     Achieves a maximum speed of 16Gbps per pin with improvements in both performance and efficiency
–     Utilizes Advanced MR-MUF, reducing heat resistance by 17% while improving stability
–     SK hynix strengthens its AI leadership with HBM4E based on its market-leading technological capabilities and manufacturing expertise… delivering the value needed in the market

SEOUL, South Korea, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SK hynix Inc. (or “the company”, www.skhynix.com) announced today that it has shipped samples of HBM4E, a next-generation DRAM for AI, to major customers.

“The company was able to deliver samples of the 12-stack HBM4E on schedule thanks to its advanced HBM development and production expertise for HBM,” said SK hynix, adding that “We will work closely with partners for mass production in a timely manner.”

The 12-layer HBM4E shows improvements in both performance and power efficiency. The product features a maximum data processing speed of 16Gbps per pin and power efficiency that is up more than 20 percent from previous models. These enhancements improve data processing capabilities for AI training and inference.

The HBM4E reduces data transfer latency through its latest interface and design optimization while maintaining stable operation in high-bandwidth environments. This enables customers to increase efficiency in processing data for AI data centers and large-scale computing systems.

SK hynix utilizes Advanced MR-MUF1 technology for HBM4E products to achieve a 48GB capacity in a 12-layer stack while ensuring structural stability. In particular, the company has also improved heat resistance by 17 percent, compared to the preceding HBM4, enabling stable operation of memory chips in high-performance computing environments.

1MR-MUF (Mass Reflow Molded Underfill): A process used for stacking semiconductors by injecting liquid protective materials between chips to protect circuits.

SK hynix has successfully supplied optimized memory solutions to customers based on its expertise in the mass production and supply of HBM3, HBM3E, and HBM4. Leveraging its market-proven product reliability and supply capabilities, the company will support the development of next-generation infrastructure while helping address AI system bottlenecks.

“SK hynix has laid the foundation to strengthen its AI leadership with HBM4E based on its market-leading technological capabilities and manufacturing expertise,” said Ahn Hyun, President and Chief Development Officer, adding, “Through close collaboration with our partners, we will deliver the value needed in the market while reinforcing our technology leadership as a full-stack AI memory creator.”

About SK hynix Inc.

SK hynix Inc., headquartered in Korea, is the world’s top-tier semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (“DRAM”) and flash memory chips (“NAND flash”) for a wide range of distinguished customers globally. The Company’s shares are traded on the Korea Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Further information about SK hynix is available at www.skhynix.com, news.skhynix.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sk-hynix-ships-samples-of-12-layer-next-gen-hbm4e-302803714.html

SOURCE SK hynix Inc.

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