LONDON, Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fresha, the world’s leading AI-powered booking platform for beauty and wellness, is now the leading software powering barber businesses globally, backed by 108% year-on-year growth in active barber partners and a rapidly expanding barbering community across major markets including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia and Europe. Fresha’s leadership extends beyond its technology, with some of the industry’s most influential barbers, educators and entrepreneurs representing the platform internationally, alongside long-term partnerships with major barbering events and communities around the world.

Fresha’s growing barbering community spans independent professionals and barbershops through to some of the industry’s most recognized franchises, including MENSPIRE, Rascals, Ted’s Grooming Room, Gould Barbers, and Blackbox. Its global ambassador network reflects the increasingly international nature of the profession, bringing together leading barbers and educators from the UK, Europe and North America, including Josh Lamonaca, Sam Bentham, Thaddeus Jayaseelan, Andrea Amighetti, Alexi Michael and US-based Yadiel “A-Rod” Rodriguez. The network continues to expand, with barber and educator Cal Newsome and Sheldon Edwards, educator and owner of HD CUTZ, among the latest industry names to join Fresha as global ambassadors.

Beyond the platform, Fresha now supports a global calendar of more than 25 trailblazing professional hair and selfcare events and activations. This includes a landmark five-year partnership with HairCon Powered by Fresha in the UK, a multi-year exclusive global partnership with HAIRFEST, and an expanding presence across North America, where Fresha has brought its barbering community together through major industry moments in Toronto and continues to deepen its presence across the United States. Fresha’s wider barbering footprint now stretches from London and Manchester to Toronto and the US, as well as Australia, Bali, Romania and beyond.

That international momentum reflects a barbering industry that is becoming increasingly ambitious, entrepreneurial and commercially sophisticated. Across established barbering markets such as the UK and fast-growing communities across North America, independent barbers are building powerful personal brands, established shops are expanding into multiple locations, and some of the profession’s biggest names are developing academies, education businesses, products and international communities alongside their work behind the chair. Fresha has grown with that ambition, giving businesses the infrastructure to manage bookings, payments, clients, teams, commissions, marketing, reporting and online discovery from one connected platform, while continuing to introduce AI-powered technology designed to take more of the operational workload away from professionals.

For barbers, where the person delivering the service is often also responsible for managing and growing the business, that technology has a particularly important role to play. Fresha allows independent professionals to manage their entire operation from one place, while giving larger barbershops and multi-location groups the controls and visibility required to manage increasingly complex businesses. Newer capabilities, including AI Concierge, can answer client calls while barbers are busy behind the chair, helping clients book, reschedule and manage appointments using live information from the business. Professional Profiles, Online Reputation and Smart Website Builder give barbers powerful ways to showcase their work, build their reputation and grow their presence beyond the shop itself.

“Barbering is one of the most entrepreneurial communities within the global selfcare industry, and the growth we’re seeing reflects just how quickly these businesses are evolving,” said William Zeqiri, Founder and CEO of Fresha. “We want Fresha to give barbers the infrastructure to build serious, enduring businesses, whether that means running one chair exceptionally well, growing a team, opening multiple locations or building an international brand. Seeing our active barber partners more than double in a year is incredibly exciting, but for us this is only the beginning. We intend to keep investing in the technology, people and communities pushing barbering forward.”

“Barbering has changed enormously, and the opportunity for the next generation is so much bigger than simply becoming great behind the chair,” said Josh Lamonaca, Co-founder of MENSPIRE Salon and MENSPIRE Academy and Head of Hair Education at Fresha. “Barbers are building teams, opening locations, educating internationally and creating brands with global audiences. As those ambitions grow, the systems behind the business become incredibly important. What excites me about Fresha is that it isn’t looking at barbering from the outside. It is listening to the people within it and building technology that can grow alongside where we want to take this industry.”

The rapid growth of Fresha’s barbering community reflects a wider ambition to become more than the software used behind the chair. From its established barbering community across the UK and Europe to its expanding presence throughout the United States and wider North American market, Fresha is investing in the technology, people and communities shaping the profession at a global level. From independent professionals building loyal local client bases to established brands expanding teams, locations and academies internationally, Fresha is building the infrastructure to support a barbering industry that is becoming more ambitious, connected and influential around the world.

About Fresha

Fresha is the world’s leading AI-powered booking platform for beauty and wellness, trusted by over 140,000 partner businesses across more than 120 countries. Its fully integrated ecosystem spans scheduling, payments, marketing, team management and a global consumer marketplace, giving beauty and wellness businesses everything they need to operate, grow and scale. The Fresha Marketplace connects millions of consumers with salons, spas, barbershops and wellness studios worldwide, with over one million monthly downloads and more than $1.4 billion in monthly transaction value. To learn more, visit fresha.com.

Press enquiries

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More than 300 CEOs and Chairmen, representing more than USD 61 trillion in assets already confirmed to attend ADFW 2026Largest edition to date will feature 75 events across eight stages, including 10 new events and platforms spanning hedge funds, real estate, healthcare, infrastructure, tokenisation, energy and geo-economicsNew strategic collaborations with the International Monetary Fund, The European Union, Arab Monetary Fund, AIMA, Atlantic Council, CNBC, Yicai, Semafor, and other international institutions

ABU DHABI, UAE, Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2026 is shaping up to be its most ambitious edition yet with a major expansion to its programme, partnerships and global speaker line up.

Hosted by ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, the fifth edition of ADFW 2026, taking place from 7–10 December 2026, will reflect the growing scale and calibre of the global community it convenes. Over 300 global financial leaders representing more than USD 61 trillion in assets are already confirmed to attend, putting this year’s event on track to surpass last year’s record of USD 62 trillion.

An expanded international agenda

Under the theme ‘The Capital Community, Powered by Partnerships’, ADFW 2026 will expand from 60 events across six stages in 2025 to 75 events across eight stages.

The programme will introduce 10 new events and platforms, including the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Summit; AIMA Global Hedge Fund Leadership Platform; and Health Finance & Innovation Forum with the Atlantic Council.

Other additions include the CNBC AI Capital Stack Summit, Next Three Billion Summit with Semafor, Treasury Leadership Forum, US-UAE Trade Corridor Forum, Hub71 Growth Stage and New Energy Finance with XRG, alongside sessions covering AI and financial markets, stablecoins, tokenisation, energy and the changing geopolitical investment landscape.

ADFW will also deepen connections between international markets with dedicated forums and dialogues focused on China, South Korea, the European Union and the United States, supporting cross-border investment and business partnerships.

The new platforms will complement ADFW’s established flagship events spanning global markets, asset management, fintech, AI and sustainable finance, alongside the UBS Investor Forum.

ADFW 2026 Partnerships

Reflecting this year’s theme, ADFW is expanding its collaborations with international financial institutions, industry bodies and policymakers to create specialized platforms across the four days.

The Arab Monetary Fund will convene its Regional FinTech Working Group at ADFW, bringing together senior regional regulators and stakeholders. Meanwhile, collaborations with UBS, Standard Chartered, Hanwha Finance, Binance and ADIO will span investment, wealth, AI and international markets.

The Global Financial Regulators Summit will be significantly expanded, with regulators from more than 50 countries expected to participate in discussions on tokenisation, regulatory innovation and the evolution of global financial frameworks.

H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said: “Abu Dhabi’s rise as a global centre for capital is being reinforced by the growing scale and ambition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week. This year, we are bringing together a broader community of global investors, financial institutions, policymakers, innovators and entrepreneurs, with an expanded agenda that reflects where capital is moving and where new opportunities are emerging.

“But scale alone is not the measure of ADFW’s success. Its strength lies in the partnerships it creates. As markets become more interconnected and the forces shaping investment more complex, ADFW provides a platform for the world’s financial community to build relationships, exchange perspectives and create opportunities that extend well beyond the week itself.”

Global leaders join the speaker line-up

Newly confirmed speakers include the founders of multi-billion-dollar technology unicorns Crusoe, Higgsfield AI, and XPANCEO, CBE; David Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of The Carlyle Group; and senior leaders from JPMorgan, Santander, Morgan Stanley, State Street, and UBS. The expanding line-up also includes CEOs, founders, and chairmen from leading institutions, such Standard Chartered, Revolut, Stonepeak, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Christie’s, Systematica Investments, and GCM Grosvenor.

Four days focused on the forces reshaping global capital

Across four thematic days, ADFW will examine the mamar forces influencing capital allocation and economic growth in 2027 and beyond. Day One will focus on Abu Dhabi’s Falcon Economy, global markets and macroeconomic megatrends; Day Two on asset management, private markets and wealth; Day Three on AI, fintech, digital assets and financial innovation; and Day Four on sustainable finance and long-term economic and societal resilience.

Further speakers and programme details will be announced in the lead-up to ADFW 2026. For more information and to register, visit: https://www.adfw.com/

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SOURCE Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW)

SINGAPORE, Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Dreame Technology today announced the grand opening of its fourth flagship store in Singapore, located at Suntec City, on September 26, 2026. Located at 3 Temasek Boulevard, Towers 3 & 4, Singapore, the new flagship store marks another step in Dreame’s growing retail presence in Singapore, giving consumers a dedicated space to discover, experience and interact with its latest smart home technologies.

Smart Solutions for Everyday Living The Suntec City flagship store brings together Dreame’s diverse range of products, spanning robot vacuums, wet and dry vacuums, personal care, air purifiers, kitchen appliances and massagers. The space is designed as more than a place to shop, allowing visitors to explore products in person, experience selected technologies through hands-on demonstrations and receive personalised product recommendations based on their individual needs, home environment and lifestyle.

At the heart of the new store is the X60 Ultra Extreme, Dreame’s latest flagship robot vacuum and mop. Visitors can see its advanced cleaning technologies in action, including its Dual UltraExtend Arm, which combines up to 12cm SideReach Vacuuming with 18cm MopExtend to reach closer to edges and corners. The X60 Ultra Extreme also features an 8.9cm Ultra-Slim VersaLift Body, up to 42,000Pa suction power, AI-Enhanced OmniSight System and 10cm ProLeap Obstacle Crossing, designed to navigate and clean across different home environments.

Beyond robot cleaning, the store showcases Dreame’s broader lifestyle portfolio. The FP10 Pet Air Purifier and MF10 Bladeless Fan offer solutions for indoor air care, while kitchen appliances including the SLM60 Ice Cream & Slushie & Dessert Maker and AF30 Air Fryer are designed to bring greater convenience to everyday food preparation and home gatherings. With Singapore experiencing periods of haze, air care will also be an area of focus for visitors looking to better understand indoor air quality and explore suitable solutions for their homes. The retail team can provide guidance based on individual home environments and needs, alongside demonstrations across selected product categories.

Celebrating the Grand Opening with Singapore Consumers
To celebrate the opening, Dreame will introduce a selection of special opening offers and limited-edition gifts across its product range. Highlights include a $49 Mini Hair Dryer, selected Buy More, Save More offers across beauty and massager products, and exclusive gifts available with qualifying purchases, including a Dreame Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake.

Visitors can also take part in a special X60 Ultra Extreme soccer challenge, where the robot’s extended mop reaches out to kick a soccer ball towards a goal. The interactive activation gives visitors an engaging way to see the X60 Ultra Extreme’s MopExtend technology in action.

As a participation gift, challenge participants will receive a Dreame tote bag, while the highest scorer will receive a full set of Cristiano Ronaldo merchandise, including a limited-edition cap, tote bag, jersey and other items, together with a Dreame Mini Hair Dryer.

The grand opening also coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time traditionally associated with family, togetherness and gatherings at home. The new flagship store brings together Dreame’s diverse range of smart home and lifestyle products to support everyday moments, from keeping the home clean and comfortable to preparing food and enjoying personal wellness at home.

About Dreame Technology
Established in 2017, Dreame Technology is a trailblazer in smart home appliances that enhance lives through cutting-edge technology. The official distributor for Dreame Technology in Singapore is DM Dasher Pte Ltd. Stay updated by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, or visit https://dreame.sg/.

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SOURCE Dreame Technology