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Stakeholders Laud The Maritime Standard Awards

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By Dipo Olowookere

Stakeholders in the maritime industry have commended organisers of the annual The Maritime Standard Awards, which held its fourth edition on Monday, October 23, 2017 at the iconic Atlantis Ballroom, on The Palm.

During the ceremony, a new standard was set for regional awards ceremonies, with exceptional levels of grandeur, glamour and professionalism.

Hosted by well-known Bollywood actress and model, Lara Dutta, the awards attracted a top calibre audience of over 700 executives from across the shipping, ports and related sectors, from almost 70 different countries.

The high profile event, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, celebrated and rewarded the achievements of leading companies and individuals active in maritime fields in the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent.

The Maritime Standard Awards founder and managing director, Trevor Pereira, said: “We were once again tremendously honoured that His Highness has supported the awards. Having the backing of such an esteemed figure shows how well recognised the TMS Awards are, and how the importance of the industry is appreciated, at the highest level.”

The awards demonstrated that the region’s ports and shipping sector is one that continues to show innovation, creativity and a determination to succeed in uncertain times. Moreover it leads the way especially in areas such as environmental protection, corporate social responsibility and security.

In total 29 awards were presented to individuals and companies following the deliberations of the judging panel. Clive Woodbridge, editor of TMS and chairman of the judges, said, “This year we received an all-time record number of nominations, of the highest quality. All the judges were impressed by the standard of entries. It is evident that maritime companies in the region are not sitting back – they are being innovative and proactive. It was difficult to select the winners, and as a result not just those who picked up an award, but all of those who were shortlisted, can be justifiably proud of their achievements over the past year.”

In addition to the awards determined by the judging panel, there were a number of special awards presented by the TMS team for particularly impressive individual achievements. The Maritime Standard Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Sudhir Rangnekar, of Oman Shipping Company; The Hall of Fame Award was given to H.E. Sheikh Talal Al Khaled Al Sabah, chief executive of Kuwait Oil Tanker Company; The Personality of the Year Award went to DP World’s Mohammed Al Muallem; and the Editor’s Choice Award was presented to Richard Briggs, executive partner, Hadef & Partners.

Other awards selected by The Maritime Standard included June Manoharan, managing director of Lukoil Marine, who was the recipient of the Woman in Shipping award, and Amir Hossein Mosadeghi, of Islamic P&I Club, who was named Young Person in Shipping. Omar Abu Omar of Gulf Navigation won the Excellence in Shipping Award and the winners of the Deal of the Year were Abu Dhabi Ports and JOCIC of China for their Musataha agreement.

Trevor Pereira added, “It was a fantastic night of celebration, that showcased the tremendous achievements and progress that is being made in the region. On top of that we raised the bar still higher as far as awards ceremonies go. Once again we showed that we deliver the biggest and best awards for the maritime sector in the region, which is what the industry deserves.”

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan. Mr Olowookere can be reached via [email protected]

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Netflix to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery in $82.7bn Mega Deal

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By Adedapo Adesanya

Netflix has reached a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to buy the legendary TV and movie studio and assets like the HBO Max streaming service for $82.7 billion.

Warner Bros. Discovery is moving forward with its plans to split into two publicly traded halves in 2026. Once the split takes effect, Netflix intends to acquire the Warner Bros. half. The other half, Discovery Global, will house CNN and other cable channels. The Warner Bros. half includes its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.

The transaction values Warner Bros. Discovery at $27.75 per share, implying a total equity value of approximately $72.0 billion and an enterprise value of approximately $82.7 billion.

The deal is subject to regulatory conditions, of which there will be several, due to the size of the companies involved and what it means for competitiveness.

For several weeks, Paramount was thought to be the frontrunner in the auction for Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount executives, who want to buy all of Warner Bros. Discovery – including its cable assets – were confident about their merger proposal and their mutually beneficial relationship with President Donald Trump.

However, Netflix surprised many with the boldness of its bids as it agreed to the same costly breakup fee that Paramount proposed, according to reports. This means the would-be buyer will pay Warner Bros. Discovery billions of dollars if the deal is not completed.

“Our mission has always been to entertain the world,” said Mr Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. “By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies—from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favorites like Harry Potter and Friends—with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we’ll be able to do that even better. Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling.”

Mr Greg Peters, the other co-CEO of Netflix, said the acquisition would “improve our offering and accelerate our business for decades to come,” adding: “Warner Bros. has helped define entertainment for more than a century and continues to do so with phenomenal creative executives and production capabilities. With our global reach and proven business model, we can introduce a broader audience to the worlds they create—giving our members more options, attracting more fans to our best-in-class streaming service, strengthening the entire entertainment industry and creating more value for shareholders.”

“Today’s announcement combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love to watch the most,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. “For more than a century, Warner Bros. has thrilled audiences, captured the world’s attention, and shaped our culture. By coming together with Netflix, we will ensure people everywhere will continue to enjoy the world’s most resonant stories for generations to come.”

The terms of the agreement will see each Warner Bros. Discovery shareholder receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in shares of Netflix common stock for Warner Bros. Discovery common stock share.

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Video Gaming Firm Xsolla Offers Nigerians Paga Payment Option

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By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A global video game commerce company, Xsolla, has integrated Nigeria’s Paga into its payment system, allowing Nigerians more secure payment options.

Xsolla helps developers launch, grow, and monetize their games and with a large market available in Nigeria, with a population of over 230 million people, working with Paga is a good idea.

With services like Pay with Paga, Bank Transfers with Paga, and Cash by Paga, Xsolla provides a comprehensive payment solution that caters to diverse needs.

Serving more than 20 million users and processing massive volumes nationwide, Paga is one of Nigeria’s largest licensed mobile-money operators.

By integrating Paga’s full suite of payment options, players can enjoy seamless transactions, whether through quick in-app purchases, bank transfers, or cash deposits – with instant confirmations and reduced friction for all types of payments.

“Introducing Paga as a new payment method to players in Nigeria reflects our commitment to meeting players where they are,” said Chris Hewish, President at Xsolla.

“Paga’s strong local presence and trusted platform make it easier for Nigerian players to engage confidently, ensuring that convenience and security go hand in hand.”

From Nigeria to the world, Xsolla provides every payment method developers need to grow and monetize their games globally.

Local payment methods are crucial, enabling developers to reach every player, increase transaction conversions, and drive more sales and revenue. With Paga in Nigeria, it’s easier than ever to pay, play, and succeed.

Key benefits of the Paga integration include instant confirmations, localized experiences, and increased market reach and conversion.

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Temu Partners Dellyman to Scale Logistics Capabilities Across Nigeria

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Dellyman Temu

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

As part of its strategies to aggressively scale its logistics capabilities across key African markets, especially in Nigeria, the fast-growing global e-commerce powerhouse, Temu, has entered into a delivery partnership with Lagos-based logistics startup, Dellyman.

Through this collaboration, Temu customers in Nigeria will experience faster, more predictable, and more transparent deliveries, a critical factor in sustaining the platform’s customer satisfaction as order volumes continue to rise.

Dellyman’s technology-driven approach, spanning rider management, route optimisation, and customer visibility, played a central role in Temu’s selection process.

In the pilot phase, Dellyman completed more than 1,300 deliveries with a 95 per cent success rate, demonstrating its readiness to support large-scale e-commerce operations nationwide.

Founded in 2020, the firm has grown into one of Nigeria’s most reliable same-day and last-mile delivery platforms.

The company recently achieved a 10,000-order monthly delivery milestone in November 2025, contributing to a cumulative total of more than 300,000 lifetime deliveries.

This track record made Dellyman a strong fit for Temu, which is aggressively scaling logistics capabilities across key African markets.

“Our partnership with Temu is a major endorsement of the vision we set out with, to build Nigeria’s most reliable, scalable, and transparent last-mile delivery infrastructure.

“Achieving a 95 per cent delivery success rate during the pilot underscores our readiness to support high-volume e-commerce platforms.

“This collaboration shows that local startups can meet and exceed global standards when given the opportunity,” the chief executive of Dellyman, Mr Dare Ojo-Bello, said.

He further noted that the partnership represents more than operational growth as it signals a shift in how global e-commerce brands view Nigerian logistics capabilities.

“This is not just about fulfilling orders; it is about reshaping perceptions of what Nigerian delivery companies can achieve. We are committed to building the kind of infrastructure that supports international standards, empowers local businesses, and ultimately strengthens consumer trust in the broader digital economy,” he noted.

Mr Ojo-Bello added that Dellyman will continue investing in capacity, fleet expansion, and merchant-facing tools to ensure superior delivery experiences for Temu buyers and other online shoppers nationwide.

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