Featured Stories
SAS Helps Silknet Drive Growth Through Personalized Customer Engagement
CARY, North Carolina, Oct. 9 -- SAS Institute, a business analytics software and services provider, issued the following news release:
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SAS helps Silknet drive growth through personalized customer engagement
Telecommunications provider uses AI-driven customer insights and personalized marketing to increase customer engagement and package activation rates
Cary, NC (Oct 08, 2026)
In a market where geographic expansion opportunities are limited, Silknet, a leading telecommunications provider in Georgia, focused on deepening customer relationships to drive growth. The company turned to SAS(R)
... Show Full Article
CARY, North Carolina, Oct. 9 -- SAS Institute, a business analytics software and services provider, issued the following news release:
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SAS helps Silknet drive growth through personalized customer engagement
Telecommunications provider uses AI-driven customer insights and personalized marketing to increase customer engagement and package activation rates
Cary, NC (Oct 08, 2026)
In a market where geographic expansion opportunities are limited, Silknet, a leading telecommunications provider in Georgia, focused on deepening customer relationships to drive growth. The company turned to SAS(R)Customer Intelligence 360 to better understand customer behavior, deliver more relevant offers and maximize the value of every customer interaction. By modernizing its advanced marketing technologies, Silknet has improved promotional effectiveness, increased activation rates for its data packages and bundles, and strengthened its competitive position in a crowded market.
Managing customer data for more relevant offers
SAS Customer Intelligence 360 helped Silknet collect and analyze large volumes of customer data from multiple sources in real time, including customer behavior analytics, transaction data and demographic information to create personalized marketing campaigns.
The collaboration with SAS has helped the company:
* Strengthen customer engagement.
* Improve operational efficiency.
* Enhance customer loyalty.
* Increase data package and bundle activation rates.
"SAS has helped us establish deeper and more meaningful connections with our customers," said David Mamulaishvili, CEO of Silknet. "We have improved the customer experience with data-driven strategies and strengthened our competitive advantage. Thanks to the collaboration with SAS, we are a pioneer in innovation and customer experience in the Georgian telecommunications market. We worked closely with the SAS team and are very pleased with the support and guidance they provided."
Turning customer insights into action
Silknet uses SAS Customer Intelligence 360 to support innovative customer segmentation and promotional campaigns.
1. By combining data from multiple customer data sources, including FIX customers with home internet and landline telephone subscribers, Silknet identified customers who could benefit from larger data allowances. Offers were then tailored specifically to customer needs and preferences via targeted SMS messages.
2. Silknet analyzed Call Detail Record (CDR) data to identify subscribers likely to travel outside the country. Using these insights, the company delivered personalized roaming offers to targeted customer segments through SMS.
3. Silknet wanted to encourage customers to upgrade internet packages based on usage. However, the project posed several challenges, including determining which packages each customer qualified for, as some were eligible for multiple options simultaneously. Silknet needed to deliver a single personalized message containing all eligible package options while avoiding duplicate communications, and the entire process had to be completed within a 2-hour window.
Using SAS Customer Intelligence 360, Silknet created more than 600 personalized message segments, ensuring each customer received an offer tailored to their specific usage patterns. An alert system was established to ensure timely delivery and seamless operations. This approach helped Silknet achieve high campaign precision, with the SMS response rate serving as a key metric for measuring success.
4. SAS has also helped Silknet incorporate gamification into its promotional strategy. Its "Wheel of Fortune" campaign provided subscribers with tailored package options through a lottery-style promotion where participants could win designated packages. SAS helped define the criteria and rules governing package selection and allocation.
Through more relevant offers, personalized communications and data-driven campaign execution, Silknet continues to strengthen customer engagement while maximizing the value of every customer interaction.
SAS Customer Intelligence 360 helps organizations across industries unify customer data, orchestrate personalized customer journeys, deliver real-time engagement and measure marketing performance across channels.
For more insights, follow SAS Customer Intelligence 360 on LinkedIn or read the CMO Mandate newsletter (https://cmomandate.substack.com/).
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About SAS
SAS is a global leader in data and AI, helping organizations make confident decisions with AI they can trust. For decades, SAS has set the standard for delivering software that drives meaningful impact, incorporating deep industry expertise, transparency and governance. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW(R).
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Original text here: https://www.sas.com/en_us/news/press-releases/2026/october/sas-helps-silknet-drive-growth-through-personalized-customer-eng.html
[Category: BizComputer Technology]
Ropes and Gray: In Latin Lawyer, Maria Gonzalez Calvet, Brandon Jiha, and Ananda De Almeida Examine Why Enhanced Due Diligence Can No Longer Stop at Intermediaries
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Oct. 9 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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In Latin Lawyer, Maria Gonzalez Calvet, Brandon Jiha, and Ananda de Almeida Examine Why Enhanced Due Diligence Can No Longer Stop at Intermediaries
October 8, 2026
In a new chapter in Latin Lawyer's The Guide to Corporate Compliance, litigation & enforcement partner Maria Gonzalez Calvet, co-chair of the anti-corruption and international risk and Latin America practices, and litigation & enforcement associates Brandon Jiha and Ananda de Almeida examine how recent U.S. enforcement priorities, including
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Oct. 9 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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In Latin Lawyer, Maria Gonzalez Calvet, Brandon Jiha, and Ananda de Almeida Examine Why Enhanced Due Diligence Can No Longer Stop at Intermediaries
October 8, 2026
In a new chapter in Latin Lawyer's The Guide to Corporate Compliance, litigation & enforcement partner Maria Gonzalez Calvet, co-chair of the anti-corruption and international risk and Latin America practices, and litigation & enforcement associates Brandon Jiha and Ananda de Almeida examine how recent U.S. enforcement priorities, includingthe U.S. Department of State's designation of many Latin American cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, have expanded the risks that companies must identify and manage across their supplier and customer relationships.
The chapter analyzes how the convergence of anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, sanctions and anti-terrorism enforcement has broadened the concept of third-party risk beyond the traditional question of whether a counterparty could create liability through actions taken on the company's behalf.
The authors point to the Department of Justice's renewed focus on misconduct linked to cartels and transnational criminal organizations, the federal material support statutes triggered by terrorist designations, and strict liability sanctions exposure following the Office of Foreign Assets Control's actions against criminal syndicates across Latin America.
Among the practical steps they highlight are risk-based segmentation of counterparties, tailored diligence for suppliers and customers, lifecycle monitoring that includes a retrospective review of legacy relationships, and governance controls that pair screening technology with human judgment.
As Maria, Brandon, and Ananda note, "the legal principles underlying third-party due diligence have not fundamentally changed," but "what has changed is the nature of the risks that regulators increasingly expect companies to identify and manage" given the increasing the range of possible circumstances "in which a single third-party relationship may present exposure under multiple legal regimes." They encourage companies to reassess whether their existing diligence frameworks are calibrated to today's enforcement environment rather than waiting for enforcement action.
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Original text here: https://www.ropesgray.com/en/news-and-events/news/2026/10/in-latin-lawyer-maria-gonzalez-calvet-brandon-jiha-and-ananda-de-almeida-examine-why-enhanced-due
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
Ropes & Gray Advised Monomoy Capital Partners in Platform Investment in Creedence Energy Services
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Oct. 9 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advised Monomoy Capital Partners in Platform Investment in Creedence Energy Services
October 8, 2026
Ropes & Gray represented Monomoy Capital Partners in its platform investment in Creedence Energy Services, LLC, an independent provider of production and midstream chemical solutions to oil and gas operators. The transaction was announced on Oct. 8.
The investment extends Monomoy's business services portfolio into the power and energy sector and builds on the firm's experience in value-added
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Oct. 9 -- Ropes and Gray, a law firm, issued the following news:
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Ropes & Gray Advised Monomoy Capital Partners in Platform Investment in Creedence Energy Services
October 8, 2026
Ropes & Gray represented Monomoy Capital Partners in its platform investment in Creedence Energy Services, LLC, an independent provider of production and midstream chemical solutions to oil and gas operators. The transaction was announced on Oct. 8.
The investment extends Monomoy's business services portfolio into the power and energy sector and builds on the firm's experience in value-addedspecialty chemicals distribution.
Monomoy Capital Partners is a private investment firm with over $5.3 billion in assets under management across a family of investment funds.
Monomoy focuses on investing in manufacturing, distribution, and services companies across industrial and consumer product sectors in North America.
The team was led by private equity partners Sam Levitt and Scott Abramowitz and included finance partner Nichole Lopez-Tackett, employment, executive compensation & benefits partner Allie Alperovich, tax partner Alyssa Kollmeyer, environmental partner Peter Alpert, IP transactions partner Jordan Altman, litigation & enforcement partner Brendan Hanifin, and employment, executive compensation & benefits counsel Christa Sanchez.
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URL: Monomoy Capital Partners
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Original text here: https://www.ropesgray.com/en/news-and-events/news/2026/10/ropes-gray-advised-monomoy-capital-partners-in-platform-investment
[Category: BizLaw/Legal]
IHeartMedia: Darryl M. Bell and Kadeem Hardison Reunite for New Black Effect Podcast, "A Different World View"
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Oct. 9 -- iHeartMedia issued the following news release:
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Darryl M. Bell and Kadeem Hardison Reunite for New Black Effect Podcast, "A Different World View"
The longtime friends and co-stars bring nearly 40 years of chemistry to the mic for an episode-by-episode rewatch, plus candid conversations on entertainment, pop culture, sports and more
Legendary "A Different World" producer and director Debbie Allen to join the series as its first guest
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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 8, 2026 - iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God's Black Effect Podcast Network today announced "A Different
... Show Full Article
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Oct. 9 -- iHeartMedia issued the following news release:
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Darryl M. Bell and Kadeem Hardison Reunite for New Black Effect Podcast, "A Different World View"
The longtime friends and co-stars bring nearly 40 years of chemistry to the mic for an episode-by-episode rewatch, plus candid conversations on entertainment, pop culture, sports and more
Legendary "A Different World" producer and director Debbie Allen to join the series as its first guest
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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 8, 2026 - iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God's Black Effect Podcast Network today announced "A DifferentWorld View with Darryl & Kadeem," a new weekly rewatch podcast hosted by Kadeem Hardison and Darryl M. Bell. The series will premiere Thursday, October 15, with new episodes available every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app and wherever podcasts are heard.
Nearly four decades after becoming Dwayne Wayne and Ron Johnson on the groundbreaking sitcom "A Different World," Hardison and Bell are back together and behind the mic. Each week, the pair will bring their nearly 40-year friendship and signature chemistry to conversations spanning entertainment, pop culture, sports and whatever else has their attention before heading back to Hillman. They'll rewatch "A Different World" episode by episode, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, unpacking why the groundbreaking series continues to resonate nearly four decades later and welcoming familiar faces from the show along the way. They'll also look ahead to the new Netflix sequel series, with conversations featuring members of both the original and new casts.
Debbie Allen will join Hardison and Bell as the podcast's first guest, as the pair kicks off their rewatch with Season 2, Episode 2, Allen's first episode with the series. Together, they'll revisit how Allen came to "A Different World," her early connection with Hardison and Bell and the transformation of the series under her leadership, while also looking ahead to the road that brought Hillman back for a new generation. Allen also serves as an executive producer on the Netflix sequel series, directs its premiere episode and appears as Dr. Langhorne.
"I am beyond excited to finally launch the 'A Different World View with Darryl and Kadeem' podcast," said Bell. "Kadeem and I have only wanted to do this for over 25 years, and the time is now! I also could not be happier or think of better partners than Charlamagne Tha God, his team at The Black Effect and iHeartMedia."
Kadeem Hardison and Darryl M. Bell are best known for their iconic roles as Dwayne Wayne and Ron Johnson Jr. on "A Different World." Their careers have spanned film, television and production, with the pair first appearing together in Spike Lee's "School Daze." In recent years, they have reunited with their former castmates for the "A Different World" historically Black colleges and universities tour, celebrating the series' lasting impact with a new generation of students. Hardison and Bell will also reprise their roles in the new sequel series.
"'A Different World' had an undeniable impact on Black culture, and Kadeem and Darryl are such an important part of that legacy," said Dollie S. Bishop, President of The Black Effect Podcast Network. "We're excited to give them a platform to bring their friendship and comedy to listeners everywhere, sharing stories fans have never heard and celebrating the series with the generations who grew up with it and those who might just be discovering it today."
"I've been talking to this guy for 40 years," said Hardison. "I'm so glad you all get to see what I've been dealing with. 'A Different World View' coming shortly!"
"A Different World View with Darryl & Kadeem" is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is part of the Black Effect Podcast Network. Listen to the official trailer HERE. Beginning October 15, new episodes will be available every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app and wherever podcasts are heard. Video episodes will also be available on YouTube.
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About Black Effect Podcast Network
The Black Effect Podcast Network is a transformative network founded by renowned cultural architect, executive producer, bestselling author and media mogul Charlamagne Tha God in a historic joint venture with the world's No. 1 commercial podcast publisher, iHeartMedia. Charlamagne and iHeartMedia created the groundbreaking first-ever Black Effect Podcast Network, celebrating the essential Black culture-shapers on the planet--in education, entertainment, politics, pop culture, and sports. The Black Effect Podcast Network gives rise to emerging and established content creators and storytellers whose perspectives and creative visions have been marginalized and overlooked while serving an audience that has been underserved. The Black Effect Podcast Network helps its partners define their place in podcast culture through influence, ideas, and experiences that engage, inspire, inform and empower.
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About iHeartMedia, Inc.
iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, with nine out of ten Americans listening to iHeart broadcast radio in every month. iHeart's broadcast radio assets alone have a larger audience in the U.S. than any other media outlet and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to both Podtrac and Triton, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined, has the most recognizable live events across all genres of music, has the number one social footprint among audio players, has the highest-reach and most engaged influencers, and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.
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URL: Black Effect Podcast Network
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Original text here: https://www.iheartmedia.com/press/darryl-m-bell-and-kadeem-hardison-reunite-new-black-effect-podcast-different-world-view
[Category: BizMedia]
Giving Review Issues Commentary: Philanthropy in Divine Disruption
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Giving Review, an independent platform featuring analysis of philanthropy and giving, posted the following commentary by Michael E. Hartmann, senior fellow and director of the Center for Strategic Giving at the Capital Research Center:
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Philanthropy in Divine Disruption
Oct 8, 2026
Philanthropy is not transactionally "giving back," Fritz Steiger writes in his memoir, but freely giving, experimenting, and connecting--with love, and providentially.
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Fritz Steiger is a businessman, philanthropy professional, and longtime conservative public-policy and school-choice
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- The Giving Review, an independent platform featuring analysis of philanthropy and giving, posted the following commentary by Michael E. Hartmann, senior fellow and director of the Center for Strategic Giving at the Capital Research Center:
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Philanthropy in Divine Disruption
Oct 8, 2026
Philanthropy is not transactionally "giving back," Fritz Steiger writes in his memoir, but freely giving, experimenting, and connecting--with love, and providentially.
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Fritz Steiger is a businessman, philanthropy professional, and longtime conservative public-policy and school-choiceactivist. A storied figure among those in and around the initial grantmaking that supported choice as it was being introduced in America, he recognizes many of them in his newly revised and republished memoir Divine Disruption: Restoring America to God's Providence--nicely including Giving Review co-editor Daniel P. Schmidt.
After serving as the founding executive director of the Walmart Foundation, the corporate foundation that Walmart founder Sam Walton asked him to establish in 1981, Steiger and San Antonio businessman James Leininger co-founded the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) in 1989. The always gentlemanly and good-natured Steiger, a nephew of onetime Wisconsin congressman William A. Steiger, served as TPPF's founding president. School choice became one of its early priorities, and in 1991, Steiger and Leininger launched a privately funded scholarship program for low-income families in San Antonio.
Steiger subsequently worked with John Walton and others to take the model national, leading what became Children First America--which helped establish nearly 100 privately funded scholarship programs around the country, while also advocating publicly funded vouchers and tax credits.
A change of mind
His Divine Disruption offers great insight into the very purpose of philanthropy. While working for Walmart and its foundation, Steiger says he accepted the conventional description of corporate philanthropy as "giving back" to the communities in which the company operated. He later decided that the phrase carries a false premise. "The problem is that 'giving back' suggests that something was taken in the first place," he writes.
"Giving-back" language, he thinks, implicitly casts philanthropy as some sort of penitential reparation--the corporation accumulated wealth at someone else's expense and therefore owes some of it back. The phrase, he writes, reinforces the merely transactional notion that "the company needs to make amends for having done something wrong."
Perhaps understandably in a book entitled Divine Disruption, Steiger's alternative is rooted in morality. Drawing on the Greek roots of the word philanthropy, he writes,
Philanthropy is what it looks like when a corporation puts its values into tangible action.
It is not giving back--it is giving, freely and generously, out of love. Corporate philanthropy on the scale of the Walmart Foundation is not a replacement for government, but it plays a vital role in sustaining and uplifting communities. Through targeted and thoughtful giving, philanthropy disrupts poverty and despair in ways the state never can.
Philanthropy, to him, isn't repayment of any social debt created by wealth accumulation. It is a voluntary use of wealth that was legitimately created in the first place.
Disruption
"Private foundations and companies can be incubators of connection, innovation, and the disruption we need," Steiger concludes the book's passages on philanthropy. "They are the means by which we sustain and nurture the promise handed down to us."
While government tends toward established systems, philanthropy can disruptively experiment, connect people and institutions, identify unmet needs, and act. Earlier, he praises Sam Walton precisely for seeing "what was needed, or would be needed in the future," and then finding people capable of making it happen. Philanthropy in this conception is entrepreneurial, which was also pursued at the separate Walton Family Foundation (WFF) that Sam and Helen Walton created in 1987.
In 1992, Helen Walton visited Milwaukee for the Bradley Foundation's announcement of its initial infusion of support for the Partners Advancing Values in Education (PAVE) group at the Southside Community Center. Like the San Antonio program, PAVE was a privately funded voucher program to demonstrate parental support for choice in education, including religious schools. It was also supported by WFF. For Bradley, PAVE was meant to "pave" the way for a publicly funded state program that would include religious schools--which later did, in fact, become law and was immediately challenged in court, ultimately unsuccessfully.
An animating morality
Steiger's thinking is well within a recognizable tradition of American thought about philanthropy--private wealth creation followed by voluntary, decentralized social experimentation. In presenting it, he uses a bracingly explicit moral and religious vocabulary--love, abundance, providence, inherited promise--rather than some efficiency-based one.
As well, he criticizes corporate "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) programs and companies' pursuit of what he calls "left-leaning causes." He praises recent Walmart moves as returning to Sam Walton's values and proposes "dedication, excellence, and integrity" as an alternative "DEI" implementation.
For Steiger, philanthropy is at its best when it is neither penance nor public relations. It is private action, freely undertaken, and it has room to experiment in ways government often does not. That understanding animated his own decades of work in philanthropy and school choice. Divine Disruption makes clear that, to him, this is as much a moral proposition as a practical one.
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Michael E. Hartmann
The Giving Review co-editor Michael E. Hartmann is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Strategic Giving at the Capital Research Center (CRC) in Washington, D.C.
For almost 20 years, Hartmann served in various roles on the program staff of The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation in Milwaukee, including as its director of research. Before joining Bradley, he was director of research at the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute. He has been a consultant to other foundations and education-reform organizations, as well.
Hartmann is a past visiting fellow of the Philanthropy Roundtable in Washington, D.C., for which he researched and wrote Helping People to Help Themselves: A Guide for Donors. He is co-author of CRC's The Flow of Funding to Conservative and Liberal Political Campaigns, Independent Groups, and Traditional Public Policy Organizations Before and After Citizens United, hailed as "an unprecedented study" by RealClearPolicy.
A graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School, Hartmann has published law-review articles on the constitutionality of school vouchers and aspects of welfare reform, as well as on the First Amendment and intellectual-property rights.
He has written for National Affairs, American Affairs, City Journal, Law & Liberty, The American Conservative, The American Mind, National Review Online, RealClearPolitics, RealClearPolicy, RealClearBooks, RealClearReligion, The Washington Examiner, Philanthropy, Philanthropy Daily, and HistPhil.
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Original text here: https://thegivingreview.com/philanthropy-in-divine-disruption/
[Category: BizMedia]
Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2026 Reveals Gen Z as the Highest-spending Generation
NEW YORK, Oct. 9 (TNSxrep) -- UBS, a financial services provider, issued the following news release:
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The Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2026 reveals Gen Z as the highest-spending generation
This year's survey explores how high-net-worth collectors begin building their collections, highlighting the influence of family, rise in younger generations' purchasing activity, evolving attitudes toward privacy, and the growing use of digital and AI-enabled tools for researching their purchases
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Zurich, October 8, 2026 - The Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2026 by
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Oct. 9 (TNSxrep) -- UBS, a financial services provider, issued the following news release:
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The Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2026 reveals Gen Z as the highest-spending generation
This year's survey explores how high-net-worth collectors begin building their collections, highlighting the influence of family, rise in younger generations' purchasing activity, evolving attitudes toward privacy, and the growing use of digital and AI-enabled tools for researching their purchases
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Zurich, October 8, 2026 - The Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2026 byArts Economics, reveals fresh insights into the evolving behaviors and motivations of high-net-worth (HNW) collectors. Conducted by Arts Economics in collaboration with UBS, the survey draws on responses from 3,100 HNW individuals across 10 key markets: the US, UK, Mainland China, Hong Kong, France, Australia, Germany, Japan, Brazil and Singapore.
Dr Clare McAndrew, Founder, Arts Economics: "This research let us look beyond what high-net-worth collectors buy to how they use their collections and what really matters to them about owning art. Attitudes towards privacy and access varied widely, challenging some established assumptions. Many purchases are driven less by the conspicuous consumption traditionally linked to the market than by a desire to build connections within close networks, where status comes less from price than from rarity, provenance, originality, and discovery. Restricting access does not remove a collection's signaling power; exclusivity can be part of the signal. Perhaps surprisingly, the youngest collectors were the most private, both in person and online. Gen Z collectors were the least likely to share details of their collections publicly online, preferring invitation-only spaces, with privacy central to their personal and cultural identity."
Paul Donovan, Chief Economist, UBS Global Wealth Management: "As a leading global wealth manager, UBS has been tracking the Great Wealth Transfer for several years, and the Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2026 by Arts Economics confirms that it is well underway. Gen Z reported the highest average spending, 40% entered collecting through family influence and almost 90% retained inherited works. At the same time, younger collectors continue to favor traditional categories such as painting and sculpture, suggesting that while collecting habits are evolving, some aesthetic preferences remain more consistent across generations than is often assumed."
Noah Horowitz, CEO, Art Basel: "This year's Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting points to a collector base that is increasingly informed, digitally engaged, and active across categories and channels. The boundaries of collecting are expanding, shaped by significant intergenerational shifts, as Gen Z collectors emerge as the highest-spending generation surveyed. They bring a new set of expectations and behaviors that will influence the way the collectors of the future engage with the art market. For Art Basel, this reflects what we have been witnessing across our global platform, as younger collectors engage through more diverse entry points and trusted relationships spanning in-person, digital, and tailored year-round moments of connection, discovery and acquisition. Engaging these audiences is central to the future direction of the market, and to how we continue strengthening our platform for collectors today and tomorrow."
Key findings of the survey:
* Gen Z emerges as the highest-spending generation of HNW collectors: In 2025 and the first half of 2026, Gen Z spent more on fine art than any other generation surveyed, with spending levels more than twice as high as those of older generations. Gen Z also made up nearly half of all collectors buying artworks priced above USD 1 million in 2026.
* Family remains an important foundation for collecting: The survey offers the first dedicated analysis of how HNW collectors begin building their collections and finds that family is the most common route to starting a collection. While 28% of collectors reported family as their primary route into collecting, the share rose significantly to 40% among Gen Z. Almost 90% of Gen Z collectors who inherited works retained them, underscoring the enduring role of family legacy in shaping collections across generations.
* Uniqueness and rarity stands out as the leading priority in owning art: Across generations, uniqueness and rarity ranked as the most important aspects of ownership (43%), ahead of owning works respected by experts (23%) or owning something admired in collector circles (22%). Uniqueness mattered more to Gen Z collectors (48% versus 38% of Baby Boomers).
* Collectors have become strongly research-driven in their purchasing decisions: 72% of HNW collectors conducted moderate or significant independent research before purchasing art, up from 62% in 2025, and rising to 80% among Gen Z collectors.
* Digital sources and AI-enabled research tools continue to gain ground: 58% of HNW collectors used online resources for advice and recommendations, while the use of apps and AI tools rose to 22%, up from 4% in 2024.
* Collectors continue to diversify their interests across art and collectibles: Fine art accounted for 33% of total spending across art and collectibles categories in 2026. Gen Z collectors were the highest spenders across virtually every category and, together with boomers, displayed the broadest collecting interests, with 42% of Gen Z collectors and 39% of Baby Boomers purchasing across at least two additional collecting categories outside of fine and decorative art in the last year.
* Philanthropy and legacy planning remain important priorities: The report found that 23% of HNW collectors said they planned to donate works to museums in the coming year, while many others said they intended to support artist prizes, residencies, foundations, or private museums. Family legacy continues to play a central role in both building and preserving collections, with many collectors focused on passing collections to future generations.
UBS AG
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About UBS and contemporary art
Global Lead Partner of Art Basel, UBS has a long history of supporting contemporary art and artists. UBS seeks to advance the international conversation about the art market through its global lead partnership with Art Basel, and as co-publisher of the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report and the Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting. UBS also supports some of the world's most important arts institutions, events, and fairs. The firm also has one of the world's most significant corporate collections of contemporary art. The UBS Art Advisory supports the firm's UHNW and family offices clients with impartial advice across the lifecycle of collecting.
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About UBS
UBS is a leading and truly global wealth manager and the leading universal bank in Switzerland. It also provides diversified asset management solutions and focused investment banking capabilities. UBS manages 7.3 trillion dollars of invested assets as per the second quarter 2026. UBS helps clients achieve their financial goals through personalized advice, solutions and products. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, the firm is operating in more than 50 markets around the globe. UBS Group shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
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Original text here: https://www.ubs.com/global/en/media/display-page-ndp/en-20261008-art-basel-ubs-survey.html?caasID=CAAS-ActivityStream
[Category: BizFinancial Services]
Aetna 2027 Star Ratings Reflect Strong Clinical Quality and Member Experience
WOONSOCKET, Rhode Island, Oct. 9 [Category: BizConsumer Services] -- CVS Health posted the following news release:
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Aetna 2027 Star ratings reflect strong clinical quality and member experience
HARTFORD, CT, Oct. 8, 2026 -- Aetna(R), a CVS Health(R) company (NYSE: CVS), announced today that more than 69 percent of its Medicare Advantage (MA) members are in 2027 plans rated 4 stars or higher (out of 5 stars) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These results position Aetna as one of the highest-performing large, publicly traded Medicare Advantage organizations in the Star
... Show Full Article
WOONSOCKET, Rhode Island, Oct. 9 [Category: BizConsumer Services] -- CVS Health posted the following news release:
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Aetna 2027 Star ratings reflect strong clinical quality and member experience
HARTFORD, CT, Oct. 8, 2026 -- Aetna(R), a CVS Health(R) company (NYSE: CVS), announced today that more than 69 percent of its Medicare Advantage (MA) members are in 2027 plans rated 4 stars or higher (out of 5 stars) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These results position Aetna as one of the highest-performing large, publicly traded Medicare Advantage organizations in the StarRatings program for the third consecutive year and highlight strong performance across various clinical quality, preventive care and member experience measures.
"For years, Aetna has been a leader in Star Ratings, and this year's results highlight our distinction in the market," said Steve Nelson, President of Aetna. "We continue to strengthen our business through an unwavering focus on the fundamentals and disciplined execution, and we are encouraged by our performance in areas like clinical quality and operational excellence. This focus gives us confidence in our ability to achieve our goal of returning to appropriate margins while at the same time driving continuous improvement and delivering even better experiences and outcomes for the members who count on us.
Outstanding clinical quality performance
Our 2027 Star Ratings results demonstrate excellence across several key clinical quality measures.
* Aetna achieved an outstanding score on Plan All-Cause Readmissions (4.77* out of 5 stars), showcasing the strength of our care coordination programs, provider partnerships and focus on helping members successfully transition between care settings. Keeping members out of the hospital is one of the most important indicators of health care quality.
* Our high-performing scores on Care for Older Adults Medication Review (5.00*) and Care for Older Adults Functional Status Assessment (4.03*) demonstrate the support we provide members in managing their health and maintaining their independence.
* Reinforcing our commitment to early detection and preventive care, we earned strong scores on preventive screening measures, including Colorectal Cancer Screening (4.19*) and Breast Cancer Screening (4.07*).
Delivering a high-quality member experience
Aetna also delivered exceptional results on measures related to member experience and the quality of our customer support.
* Low rates of Complaints about the Drug Plan (4.29*) demonstrate members' confidence in our service and commitment to resolving issues quickly and effectively.
* Strong performance on Customer Service (4.04*), Getting Needed Care (3.89*) and Getting Needed Prescription Drugs (4.07*) further highlight our focus on making health care easier to access and navigate.
* Aetna earned a high score on Rating of Health Care Quality (4.22*), indicating the positive experiences members had with their health care providers and the broader care experience supported by Aetna.
In addition, we demonstrated operational excellence through outstanding performance in service and administrative measures, including Call Center Foreign Language Interpreter and Teletypewriter Availability (4.99*), Reviewing Appeals Decisions (4.08*), Plan Makes Timely Decisions About Appeals (4.01*) and Drug Price Accuracy (4.01*). These results underscore our commitment to providing accurate information, fair processes, timely decisions and accessible support for every member.
Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. The Star Ratings are posted at Medicare.gov. Visit AetnaMedicare.com to learn more about the 2027 Aetna Medicare plans. Or call 1-844-588-0041 (TTY: 711), 7 days a week, 8 AM to 8 PM. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026. A licensed agent may answer your call.
NOTE: Information in this release is based on 2027 Star Ratings data published by CMS on October 8, 2026, and MA and MAPD enrollment as of September 2026. Individual plan ratings may vary.
*FOR STAR RATING MEASURE SCORES: All scores are based on a rating scale of five stars.
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About CVS Health
CVS Health is a leading health solutions company simplifying health care one person, one family and one community at a time. As of June 30, 2026, the Company had approximately 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics and a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 87 million plan members. The Company also serves an estimated 37 million people through a broad range of health insurance products and related services. The Company's integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.
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About Aetna
Aetna, a CVS Health business, serves an estimated 37 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services, workers' compensation administrative services and health information technology products and services. Aetna's customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, visit Aetna.com.
Aetna Medicare is a HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Our SNPs also have contracts with State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. See Evidence of Coverage for a complete description of plan benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and availability may vary by service area.
To send a complaint to Aetna, call the Plan or the number on your member ID card. To send a complaint to Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week. If your complaint involves a broker or agent, be sure to include the name of the person when filing your grievance.
Media contact
Phil Blando
Phillip.blando@cvshealth.com
Investor contact
Larry McGrath
800-201-0938
InvestorInfo@CVSHealth.com
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Original text here: https://www.cvshealth.com/news/company-news/aetna-2027-star-ratings-reflect-strong-clinical-quality-and-member-experience.html
