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Published: Nov. 22, 2018 at 06:00 p.m.
Published: Nov. 18, 2018 at 10:53 p.m.
Irish mobile top-up provider Ding is considering a plan to raise €40 million in growth equity within the next two years to fund expansion beyond its core business.
The deal would be the company’s first external fundraising and could be used to finance acquisitions, to expand into new areas and partner with mobile payment players and cryptocurrencies.
Ding, which was founded in 2006, enables expats to support family and friends back home by facilitating the instant transfer of credit top-up to any mobile phone anywhere in the world.
The company, which boasted of revenues worth $500 million last year, connects users through more than 400 mobile operators in more than 130 countries. The Dublin-based firm, which has 200 employees worldwide, has regional offices in New Jersey, Miami, Barcelona, Dubai, Dhaka, Paris, Bucharest and is hiring.
Finding prospective equity partners is at an exploratory stage and no bankers have been appointed yet, according to Roden. As Ding is very profitable, Roden said he wouldn’t be looking for more expensive venture capital.
Roden, a former EY Entrepreneur of the Year and a co-founder of Denis O’Brien’s Esat Telecom, believes external partners will bring in capital, analytical rigour to future deals as well as help Ding attract more talent.
“When you have an institution like BC Partners or Vitruvian on your shareholder register, you move away from the perception that this is a privately-owned company and we don’t know if he’s ever going to sell or go public so you become more attractive for attracting talent,” he said.
Some Ding customers are already using the platform “informally” for small purchases but it is not something the company is promoting because they are not regulated to do so.
Roden admires what challenger banks World Remit and Revolut have achieved in disrupting the market for digital money transfers but said it could be costly for Ding to enter.
Ding is connected to more than four billion phones through 400 mobile operators and has seen spectacular growth in the Gulf, India, and clients sending top-ups from the US to Central America and the Caribbean and from Western Europe into Africa.
Ukraine is Ding’s biggest market for reparations from Russia among the former Soviet nations but has been buffeted by the recent ruble crash as well as conflict in the region over the past three years.
“Whatever affects the movement of migrant works impacts us and that’s why we want to have no dependency on one particular market and that’s why we are strong in all these other markets,” he said.
Roden is optimistic that Ding could establish itself on the Irish market and other developed European markets. “I have kids and they have prepaid phones and there isn’t a single site to go to,” he said. “One of them is on Vodafone and one is on Three. You can do the top-up on AIB but if you had all three in the same pl...
As for an eventual exit for the business, Roden doesn’t fancy the prospect of a flotation but a trade sale of the business is something that may be considered down the line.
What Do Americans Think of the 'Reconciliation' Option?
Democrats are considering taking the "reconciliation" route on health care--passing reform through the Senate under a process that only requires 51 votes--but it's still up in the air what the public thinks of this process.
Conventional wisdom says there would be some blowback for using a procedural tool to circumvent Republican's threat of a filibuster--a mechanism for giving the minority some power over what the Senate does--but just how much blowback seems unclear.
Gallup released a poll yesterday showing respondents opposed to reconciliation 52% to 39%, but a new set of Research2000 polls commissioned by a liberal group, the Progressive Campaign Change Committee, shows voters in a set of swing states decidedly in support of using reconciliation.
In Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Virginia, and Washington, respondents all said they favor using reconciliation to pass health care (list of results here), and some of the margins were stunning: in Iowa, for instance, respondents supported using reconciliation 66% to 29%.
North Dakota, in fact, was the least supportive of using reconciliation, among those states, and respondents there supported reconciliation 53% to 36%. 600 "likely voters" were interviewed in each state, with a margin of error of +/- 4%.
Neither poll explained reconciliation in great detail. Gallup phrased its question as: "a parliamentary procedure that would allow them to avoid a Republican filibuster and pass their healthcare bill by a simple majority vote?"
Research2000 told respondents: "It's been widely reported that Democrats had well over a majority of the Senate committed to voting for a public health insurance option last year. But the public option was removed from consideration in an attempt to get a super-majority of 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filib...
But part of the anticipated blowback has to do with this: reconciliation was created under the Budget Act of 1974 as a way for Congress to get budget and tax issues solved--not necessarily a means to pass insurance reforms, though Democrats would argue that health care is a pressing fiscal issue.
Regardless, the Research2000 polling seems to show that present support for "reconciliation" is at least an open question, and might just be supported by voters in some states that are important to the Democratic Party.
LEEDS UNITED face a Yorkshire derby at Doncaster Rovers in the League Cup first round.
New manager Uwe Rosler takes his side to the Keepmoat Stadium, where Leeds have won on their last four visits.
Derby County have been handed the tie of the round after drawing Portsmouth away, while Birmingham must also travel, with a trip to League Two side Bristol Rovers for boss Gary Rowett.
The full draw is available below, with ties scheduled for the week commencing 10 August.
Morson are working in exclusive partnership with our client Amey Consulting, who are the consultancy arm of the wider Amey business. We are recruiting for a number of exciting opportunities, to work on a number of high profile, key projects within their highways division. Career opportunities are outstanding and a bonu...
For civil engineer - to become an integral part of a highways design team and effectively deliver on design engineering requirements.
For senior engineer - To lead or fulfil a managing role within a design team to ensure: Compliance with all relevant technical standards; Delivery of all the specified project outcomes on time, within budget and to the quality required; Guidance is provided for less experienced staff and professional development and tr...
What will this role involve?
For civil engineers, a relevant qualification or degree and a willingness to become chartered or incorporated.
You will ensure that good relationships with all external parties are maintained to enhance the reputation of the company and the delivery of projects to the customer.
While some law enforcement agencies are snatching up free military surplus vehicles, Orlando police plan to spend $230,000 for a new armored personnel carrier for the department's SWAT unit.
It's not the Orlando Police Department's first armored vehicle — it already has three. But the new one will replace an 8-year-old model, and the city's original one is an older piece of military surplus that hasn't been used in years.
This is reportedly the first time that the names recommended by a search committee have been shot down by the HRD ministry.
to head the prestigious Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and sought a fresh list of candidates.
According to the Mumbai Mirror, this is the first time that the names recommended by a search committee have been shot down by the HRD ministry.
A three-member search committee, headed by former IIM-A chairman and L&T CMD Anil Naik, had recommended R Seshasayee, chairman of the board of directors of Infosys, Pawan Munjal, CMD of Hero MotoCorp besides Parekh, according to official sources.
These names, which were arrived at by consensus, were forwarded to the human resource development ministry by the IIM-A administration for consideration, they said.
The ministry has rejected the names, the sources said, without elaborating. However, the Economic Times reports that the names were rejected since no government representative was present at the meetings of the search committee. There are two central government representatives and one from the state government on the I...
As per the memorandum of association between the IIM-A and HRD ministry, the latter selects from the names suggested by the search committee for the post.
The sources said the process for selecting a new candidate for the post has started and the ministry has sought new names, they said.
The post has been lying vacant ever since Naik stepped down as the chairman of the board of governors on December 31 last, two years before the end of his tenure. Cadila Healthcare CMD Pankaj Patel was appointed as interim chairman by the board after which a search for new chairman was initiated.
Osorio is specifically mad about a moment in the second half which he said killed Mexico’s momentum. In the 72nd minute, and with a 1-0 lead, Neymar reacted (per some observers) a little strongly to some contact from Mexico’s Miguel Layun, causing further delay on a restart after the ball went out of bounds. According ...
“It’s not a good example for soccer, and for the world of soccer, for all the kids playing,” Osorio said at his press conference. “This is a game of men and not one with so much clowning,” he added.
While Osorio seemed annoyed in the press conference, after a few minutes to cool down, the manager was less cooled down and slinging arrows with reckless abandon in the moments immediately following his loss.
It’s unclear whether Osorio is genuinely angry; hoping that he can salvage his reputation for Mexico (or his next job) after this stagnant World Cup showing; trying to fire off some more shots before ditching the CONCACAF scene that he’s called “unsafe and dangerous”; or some combination of some or all of the above. If...
The complete details are now coming together regarding that tropical wave currently near the Greater Antilles. This tropical wave will move through South Florida on Labor Day and bring rain, storms and breezy conditions.
TIMING: As of right now, the wave will enhance rainfall Monday mid-morning through the evening.
THREATS: Torrential rain is not expected, but on-and-off bursts of moderate to heavy rain are likely. This rain could cause minor road flooding (along those typical roads you may know of in each of your own areas). Totals look to range from .50 – 2.00″ in many communities with localized areas in Collier County potentia...
Breezy to windy conditions are also expected as the wave moves from the southeast to the northwest through South Florida.
The wave does have a medium chance of gaining strength once it traverses the south Florida coast, and that could be a great thing as higher east winds off-shore, mixed with a greater movement of water away from the South Florida coast could combine to lessen red tide effects.
The National Weather Service issued a special alert regarding a tropical wave that will bring heavy rain to much of South Florida in the upcoming week.
The NWS expects 2-4 inches of rain for Labor Day with heavier rainfall in eastern areas.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 99. East wind 7 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Sunday Night Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. East wind around 8 mph. Chance o...
Tropical wave will bring an increase of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. East wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Monday Night Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. East win...
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 26 (AP) — The University of Tennessee has decided not to penalize six white fraternity members who painted their faces black to appear as the Jackson 5, saying their right of expression must be protected.
"The University of Tennessee is firmly committed to protecting the constitutional rights of freedom of speech and expression, even when some find it to be insensitive and offensive," the university said in a statement posted recently on its Web site.
University officials warned, however, that the incident recalled earlier times when minstrel shows depicted blacks as simpletons and that it should not be seen as an innocent college prank.
"Blackface resurrects latent steriotypes," the university said.
Members of the Kappa Sigma fraternity with painted faces were walking to a private, off-campus party on Oct. 22 when some black students saw them. The fraternity members said they were trying to look like the Jackson 5 or Louis Armstrong for an "air guitar" contest, and an argument ensued between the two groups.
The Kappa Sigma fraternity suspended its Tennessee chapter after the incident and apologized.
Also, last month two predominantly white fraternities at the University of Virginia, Zeta Psi and Kappa Alpha, were suspended by their national organizations after students went to a Halloween party in blackface. News reports said the students were dressed as the tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.
Auburn University and Oklahoma State University have also all dealt with similar incidents in the past year.
I want to defy the odds. i’m going to go for it. We need some girl power out there.
The group floating the idea has lined up two restaurateurs who envision mixed seating, a simple menu and beverages.
Visitors at Deering Oaks soon may be able to grab a quick bite to eat and unwind with a glass of wine or beer.
The group Friends of Deering Oaks Park is looking to team up with two experienced restaurateurs to establish a cafe in a historic brick-and-granite building known as the castle. The proposal will be presented Thursday to the city’s Parks Commission, an advisory group to the City Council.
The fireplace and the stained-glass windows in the castle, built as a warming hut in 1894, were refurbished in 2005.
Originally built in 1894, the castle stands next to the pond and was designed to be a warming hut for ice skaters who for many years could sit by the fire and have hot chocolate or coffee and a snack. It was converted into restrooms in the 1950s and served that utilitarian function until 2005, when it was renovated to ...
The building was used for several years by the Greater Portland Convention and Visitors Bureau as a visitor center, but has been vacant for the past two years. Now the park supporters see an opportunity to fulfill a long-term goal of offering food and drink as a way to increase use of the park and keep people there lon...
Diane Davison, chairwoman of the Parks Commission, said Thursday’s meeting will be an opportunity for commissioners to ask questions, and there is no set timeline for making a decision. “This is very preliminary,” she said.
Food service was a staple in the park from the 1970s until 1998. Most recently, The Barking Squirrel cafe served a limited menu in a free-standing building next to the castle. The business closed in 1998 and a fire destroyed the building in 2004. The friends group was unable to raise enough money to rebuild it.
After the castle was renovated in 2005, the group approached about 20 different restaurant owners about opening a cafe in the 750-square-foot castle. “To our disappointment, no one responded,” Pringle said, noting that the building’s small size and historic designation limits what can be done there.
Now, however, the group believes it has solved that problem. Norine Kotts and Cheryl Lewis, who have owned and operated restaurants in Portland since 1985, say they are up to the challenge.
“I love a challenge – kind of like turning an old gas station into a taqueria,” Lewis said. She and Kotts were the general managers of El Rayo Taqueria on York Street until last summer.
The historic designation of the castle would prohibit the installation of hood vents necessary to cook with open flames and the grease traps necessary for deep frying. But Lewis envisions a simple menu of hot dogs, grilled cheese, soups, salads and vegetarian options.
For Lewis, serving hot dogs would represent a major shift from her other local ventures, including Cafe Always, a fine-dining establishment that was her first Portland restaurant, and Aurora Provisions, an upscale market she established in the West End.
Though the space is small, Lewis is excited about the potential for both indoor and outdoor seating, including a beer garden that would have a couple tap beers and wine, as well as nonalcoholic beverages such as root beer and smoothies.
It’s unclear whether the vision can be fully realized, and if so, whether the cafe would be open this summer.
Obtaining vendors for public buildings typically requires the city to go through a public bidding process, and the friends group is researching whether it would be allowed to serve alcohol in the park.
City Councilor Jon Hinck, who serves on the Parks Commission, supports the concept, but believes the city should go through a public bidding process for a food service vendor. However, Hinck is keeping an open mind to the proposal by the Friends of Deering Oaks Park given the past indifference that other restaurateurs ...
Pringle plans on pushing for an expedited process that would give Lewis the opportunity to prove that the concept works.
Lewis sees this project as an opportunity to help the park’s supporters achieve a long-term goal.
There are a lot of damning statistics that go with this manic depressive, up-and-down-like-a-toilet-seat season for the Edmonton Oilers.
But somewhere with the home penalty-killing numbers and the overall power-play statistics two other numbers rank up there.
• It was 92 seconds in on Thursday against the Calgary Flames when the Edmonton Oilers have allowed a league-leading eighth first-shot-of-the-game goals this year.
• In the previous game goaltender Cam Talbot was pulled for a league leading sixth time.
At the NHL All-Star Break nhl.com produced a list of the league’s biggest disappointments this season: 1. Carey Price, 2. Brent Burns, 3. Jack Eichel, 4. Leon Draisaitl, 5. Erik Karlsson, 6. Matt Murray, 7. CAM TALBOT, 8. Max Pacioretty, 9. Mitchell Marner, 10. Jake Allen.
The question with Talbot, however, is if he’s there on his own merit or because of everything going on around him.
Game 49 Thursday at Rogers Place maybe exemplified it.
Milan Lucic and Andrej Sekera were far guiltier on that first goal than Talbot. But there was a big save to be made there and he didn’t make it. The club was impotent the rest of the period.
Talbot was terrific the rest of the way and the Oilers were inspired to a whale of a comeback win over Calgary that made up for the 5-0 loss to Buffalo two nights earlier.
While there were other heroes such as Brandon Davidson with his two goals, Connor McDavid, Ryan Strome, Leon Draisaitl, Oscar Klefbom and to some extent Jesse Puljujarvi, you could make a case that Talbot was the first star. Again and again he made five-bell saves and carried it over into overtime and the shootout.
Throw a dart at the line-up sheet and you can’t miss hitting the name of an underachieving Oiler this year.
Did they all have career years last year? Will they get back on the up escalator again? Or is this who we can expect them to be going forward? Likely the answers are yes and no. Deciding which is which will decide the future.