Atos warns that it will miss second-half cash flow target
Company has yet to request creditor conciliation proceedings
Shares down 16%
PARIS — French technology company Atos (ATOS.PA) named Paul Saleh as its new chief executive on Monday and warned that free cash flow would be slightly below its initial target for the second half of the year, sending its share price tumbling.
Atos said Saleh, currently chief financial officer, would become CEO – the company’s fourth in less than two years as it has grappled with a series of profit warnings.
The logo of Atos is seen on a company building in Nantes, France, March 11, 2022. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
Atos shares were down by 16% in early trading. The stock has fallen by about 40% since the start of the year.
Saleh takes over from Yves Bernaert, who leaves the company “after an intense period of transformation,” Atos said, with Jacques-Francois de Prest coming in as CFO after finance roles with car parts business Mobivia and telecoms group Vodafone.
Les Echos newspaper reported on Monday that the company’s restructuring plan was facing difficulties.
Atos, which is taking longer than expected to negotiate the sale of its loss-making Tech Foundations arm, said it has not filed a request to open conciliation proceedings with creditors.
The potential Tech Foundation sale to Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s EPEI seems a long way off. Les Echos on Monday cited an unnamed source as saying a “last chance” meeting between the parties was slated for the next few days.
Representatives for Atos and the Kretinsky camp did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on the report.
Atos said on Monday that CEO Saleh will still focus on refinancing debt, the sale of the Tech Foundations business and the sale of the company’s Big Data & Security (BDS) activities to Airbus (AIR.PA).
Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta Editing by Tassilo Hummel and David Goodman
TRENTON, N.J. — The AACCNJ announced that Gary Mann, CEO of Jasfel Analytics, and Viviana Lamm, CEO of Risk Strategies, will serve as Chairman and Chair of the AACCNJ Board of Directors and Foundation Board of Directors, respectively.
Tammeisha Smith, CEO, Dunbar Center will serve as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. The appointments were effective Jan. 1, 2024.
“I am truly honored and humbled to step into the role of Chairman of the Board. Stan Prater has been an exemplary steward and leader, and I extend my sincere gratitude to him,” said Gary Mann, CEO, Jasfel Analytics.
“As I assume this responsibility, I am mindful of the extraordinary work of John Harmon, Founder and CEO. Standing on the shoulders of both Stan and John, I am committed to building on their incredible legacy. Together, with the continued guidance of John, we will further advance and expand revenue generating opportunities and strategic relationships for African American businesses in New Jersey and beyond,” said Viviana Lamm, CEO, Risk Strategies.
“I am beyond honored, grateful and inspired to be a part of a forward moving organization that is driven by the triumph of a collective team of individuals that recognize diversity and difference yet having the ability to bring people together and create bridges between them. I intend to ensure active participation, encourage and give back to meet the commitment and common goals of our organization. I look forward to learning from our directors and board members as we forge forward.”
“As we look ahead, I am inspired by the collective strength and diversity of talent within our membership. I firmly believe that our success is interlinked with the success of every member,” said Tammeisha Smith, CEO, Dunbar Center.
“Therefore, I encourage active participation, constructive feedback, and a shared commitment to our common goals. Together, we will chart a course that not only sustains our present momentum but also paves the way for a brighter, more prosperous future.”
“We are grateful to former Chairman Stan Prater for his leadership to excellence, growth and sustainability over his tenure, he definitely made an impact on our organization,” said John E. Harmon, Sr., IOM, Founder, President, & CEO, AACCNJ.
“And to our incoming Chairman, Gary Mann, and Foundation Board Chair Lamm, and Vice Chair Smith, there remains a tremendous amount of work to be done and each of you possess the commitment and unique skills necessary to get the job done with excellence. I look forward to working with each of you to design strategies that will derive value for our members and those that invest in the mission of AACCNJ while concurrently contributing to the competitiveness of New Jersey.”
The official Changing of the Guard ceremony/reception will take place on Jan. 18th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Lobby Club in Trenton, N.J. Members only, may register at www.aaccnj.com.
Better than Botox: Many celebrities swear by it – over 400 years old recipe
NEW YORK — It’s supposed to work better than Botox, and after just a few minutes, you look 10 years younger. The story about it from “Asami Geisha” goes back to the 17th century and comes from Japan.
On special farms, nightingales produce valuable feces. The songbirds are fed exclusively with plant seeds. The feces contain the urea known in cosmetics and the enzyme guanine.
The nightingales’ feces are disinfected by ultraviolet light and then ground into a fine powder. The effect on the skin is instantaneous, and you’re left with a peachy complexion.
More than 300 years ago, geishas used “Asami Geisha” very successfully to regenerate and rebuild their skin bleached with lead and zinc.
Numerous celebrities all over the world admire the radiant skin of Japanese women. “Asami Geisha” is a pure natural cosmetic and does not require any chemical additives.
But if you want to enjoy these valuable cosmetics, you have to dig deep into your pocket. 50 ml of “Asami Geisha” costs an incredible Euro 490. This makes “Asami Geisha” by far the most expensive bird droppings in the world.
British journalist Claudia Cornell tested the cosmetics for Mail Online. Her conclusion: “Even after two days, my skin looked radiant, and my girlfriend thought I had had Botox injections. I’m more than satisfied with the result.”
Martin Luther King, Jr., (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) was born Michael Luther King, Jr., but later had his name changed to Martin.
His grandfather began the family’s long tenure as pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, serving from 1914 to 1931; his father has served from then until the present, and from 1960 until his death Martin Luther acted as co-pastor.
Martin Luther attended segregated public schools in Georgia, graduating from high school at the age of fifteen; he received the B. A. degree in 1948 from Morehouse College, a distinguished Negro institution of Atlanta from which both his father and grandfather had graduated.
After three years of theological study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania where he was elected president of a predominantly white senior class, he was awarded the B.D. in 1951. With a fellowship won at Crozer, he enrolled in graduate studies at Boston University, completing his residence for the doctorate in 1953 and receiving the degree in 1955. In Boston he met and married Coretta Scott, a young woman of uncommon intellectual and artistic attainments. Two sons and two daughters were born into the family.
On April 3, 1968 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave is final speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountain Top.” Dr. King gave what many feel is one of his most important speeches. In this speech Dr. King called for a major boycott of all local and national brands. Dr. King spoke of the importance of the Black Dollar and how it could be used to leverage the garnering of civil rights.
In 1954, Martin Luther King became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. Always a strong worker for civil rights for members of his race, King was, by this time, a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the leading organization of its kind in the nation.
He was ready, then, early in December, 1955, to accept the leadership of the first great Negro nonviolent demonstration of contemporary times in the United States, the bus boycott described by Gunnar Jahn in his presentation speech in honor of the laureate. The boycott lasted 382 days.
On December 21, 1956, after the Supreme Court of the United States had declared unconstitutional the laws requiring segregation on buses, Negroes and whites rode the buses as equals. During these days of boycott, King was arrested, his home was bombed, he was subjected to personal abuse, but at the same time he emerged as a Negro leader of the first rank.
In 1957 he was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization formed to provide new leadership for the now burgeoning civil rights movement. The ideals for this organization he took from Christianity; its operational techniques from Gandhi. In the eleven-year period between 1957 and 1968, King traveled over six million miles and spoke over twenty-five hundred times, appearing wherever there was injustice, protest, and action; and meanwhile he wrote five books as well as numerous articles.
In these years, he led a massive protest in Birmingham, Alabama, that caught the attention of the entire world, providing what he called a coalition of conscience. and inspiring his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, a manifesto of the Negro revolution; he planned the drives in Alabama for the registration of Negroes as voters; he directed the peaceful march on Washington, D.C., of 250,000 people to whom he delivered his address, “l Have a Dream”, he conferred with President John F. Kennedy and campaigned for President Lyndon B. Johnson; he was arrested upwards of twenty times and assaulted at least four times; he was awarded five honorary degrees; was named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963; and became not only the symbolic leader of American blacks but also a world figure.
At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement.
On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage workers of that city, he was assassinated.
TRENTON, N.J. — Mercer County Clerk office announces New Year information about obtaining or renewing passports and also renewing as a notary public at the office.
“It’s true that nothing can ruin a trip more than finding out you need a valid passport to travel to exciting island destination and that your passport is expired,” says County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello.
With all of the planning that goes into a trip abroad, some travelers will sometimes delay applying for a new passport until it is too late. My office recommends that you take a look at your passport and its expiration date well in advance of your trip departure so you are not forced to rush at the last minute.
The good news is that routine service time for passport processing by the U.S. Department of State now takes four to six weeks, which is less time than last year. An expedited application will take at least two to four weeks. We are here to serve you and have two offices with extended hours and Saturday hours that are here to assist with your passport needs.
Our Trenton Office is located at 209 S. Broad Street and an appointment is not required. Our County Connection Office in Hamilton is located at 957 Rt. 33 (near Paxson Ave.) and while appointments are not required, they are recommended for guaranteed service. For a full list of the office hours, please visit the Mercer County Clerk’s Passport Services page.
In addition to encouraging Mercer residents to renew and apply for passports well before their departure, my office would also like to provide some tips for international travel.
Travel Tips-
Make a copy of the first two pages of your passport before leaving for your trip. Travel with your passport on your person and put the two pages in your checked bag. This prevents you from losing both at the same time.
If you lose your passport abroad, you then have to go to the US consulate and it can be difficult to get back to the United States.
If you leave your passport at any location, make sure it is in a secure location – ideally a locked safe.
To apply for a US Passport, residents need: 1) Proof of US citizenship in the form of a state certified birth certificate, a US naturalization certificate or a previous US Passport; 2) Proof of identity in the form of a current driver’s license or state issued identification card. Passport photos may be taken onsite. There will also be fee, which must be made by check or money order.
The process may be extensive, but it is to help protect you from identity fraud and other security threats. We are here to answer any questions you have and assist you in whatever way we can. Feel free to call our office at (609) 989-6465.
The County Clerk’s Office also swears in those who wish to become a Notary Public. Notary Services are vital for various transactions, and we are here to make the process convenient for you.
The first step of the process is to apply to become a notary through the NJ Department of the Treasury, that paperwork can be found online here. The Department of the Treasury can be reached directly at 609-292-6748.
Once you receive your commission from the State of NJ in the mail, then you can come into our Trenton Office any day of the week to be sworn in.
We also swear in notaries at our County Connection Office in Hamilton, N.J. once a month (every 1st Thursday of the month). The dates can be found on the Mercer County Clerk’s Website here Mercer County Clerk Notary Public Services, or below. Appointments for Notary Nights can be scheduled by phone at (609) 989-6466.
Here is the Notary Schedule for 2024 at the County Connection:
February 1, 2024 March 7, 2024
April 4, 2024 May 2, 2024
June 6, 2024 July 11, 2024*
August 1, 2024 September 5, 2024
October 3, 2024 November 7, 2024
December 5, 2024
As your Mercer County Clerk, my staff and I are dedicated to providing efficient and accessible services to meet your needs. Wishing you a fantastic year ahead!
— Both Al Gore and James Bell are retiring from Apple’s board of directors, Apple announced Thursday. Dr. Wanda Austin, former president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, has been nominated to join the board as the two depart.
According to Apple, Dr. Austin brings “decades of science and technology experience” to the role, and she has a track record of “advancing innovation and shaping corporate strategy.”
“Wanda has spent decades advancing technology on behalf of humanity, and we’re thrilled to welcome her to Apple’s board of directors,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “She’s an extraordinary leader, and her invaluable experience and expertise will support our mission of leaving the world better than we found it.”
“Like Apple, I’ve always believed in the power of innovation to improve lives, support human potential, and shape a better future,” said Dr. Austin. “I’m honored to join Apple’s board of directors, and I look forward to being part of a company that’s always creating new ways to empower people all over the world.”
Apple does not allow directors to stand for reelection after reaching age 75, which means that both Al Gore and James Bell are retiring from the board due to their age.
“We’re deeply grateful to Al and James for their many years of service to Apple — their insights, energy, and values have made us a stronger company in so many ways,” said Cook. “For more than 20 years, Al has contributed an incredible amount to our work — from his unconditional support for protecting our users’ privacy, to his incomparable knowledge of environment and climate issues. James’s dedication has been extraordinary, and we’re thankful for the important perspectives and deep expertise he’s offered on audit, finance, and so much more over the years.”
Al Gore first joined Apple’s board in 2003, while James Bell joined in 2015. Dr. Austin has a Ph.D in industrial and systems engineering. She joined The Aerospace Corporation in 1979, and from 2008 to 2016, she served as the organization’s president and CEO. From 2018 to 2019, she was the interim president of the University of Southern California, and she also serves on the boards of Amgen and Chevron. She previously was on the board of Virgin Galactic.
The public is invited to an artist talk and dessert reception on Thursday, Jan. 18 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at D&R Greenway Land Trust’s Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place, Princeton.
The Center encourages guests to take time to enjoy desserts, hot chocolate and cider and the works of other award-winning exhibiting artists including accomplished quilting artist, Deb Brockway; syndicated cartoon artist, author and playwright, Patrick McDonnell; and internationally acclaimed watercolorist James Fiorentino.
Retired Princeton Day School teacher Liz Cutler, who led the school’s sustainability club to inspire students to observe and care for nature, is showing her botanical art in memory of her son, Isaac. Together, they walked Greenway Meadows park throughout his lifetime.
Liz, a self-taught artist, turned to the meditative art of collecting and pressing flowers into unique artistic expressions during his illness. She follows the Flower Pressers Ethos to ensure that anything she collects will do no harm to the species or environment.
“I collect carefully, conscious of which flowers are ephemeral or how many are growing in a patch, and whether my taking one or two will matter to their survival. As I write this, the late afternoon light throws long shadows from trees now bare of their leaves, stark, winter closing in. It’s a different kind of beauty. There is nothing left to pick, but my closet desk drawers burst with labeled bags of sunshine: flowers and leaves, stems and stamens, even an intact eastern Swallowtail butterfly I found dead on the road. They beg to be slowly and quietly drawn into a picture for a second life through art, to remind me that mine is a story of grace and gratitude, and to help others see, perhaps for the first time, the beauty of nature. I lose myself in the meditation.” Liz Cutler
Come to the Johnson Education Center to see Liz Cutler’s pressed flower art and hear about her inspiration and meditative creation process. Enjoy desserts and warm beverages and experience the feeling of being surrounded by a wildflower meadow in the cold of winter.
In the event of inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled to Thursday, Jan. 25. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by artist Liz Cutler’s presentation at 7:00 p.m.
Art sales will benefit the land trust’s work to preserve and care for land, maintain public trails, and inspire a conservation ethic.
About D&R Greenway Land Trust: D&R Greenway Land Trust is an accredited nonprofit that has reached a new milestone of over 22,000 acres of land preserved throughout central New Jersey since 1989. By protecting land in perpetuity and creating public trails, it gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. The land trust’s preserved farms and community gardens provide local organic food for residents of the region—including those most in need. Through strategic land conservation and stewardship, D&R Greenway combats climate change, protects birds and wildlife, and ensures clean drinking water for future generations. D&R Greenway’s mission is centered on connecting land with people from all walks of life. www.drgreenway.org; info@drgreenway.org. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Liz Cutler with Princeton Day School Garden
Summer Night Garden
David and Goliath
There is no charge to attend; reservations are required at info@drgreenway.org or (609) 924-4646.
TAMPA, Fla. — The root cause of many problems facing organizations today, including lackluster performance, is a shortage of standards of behavior, according to management trainer Eric Papp.
Most managers would likely agree that far too much time is spent grappling with time-consuming, frustrating challenges that arise when team members don’t follow through on commitments.
In his new book, Manage Promises Not People: How to Create a Self-Managing Team, Papp unpacks the inefficiencies of micromanagement and shares ways for leaders to create a culture of ownership and personal accountability by raising the bar of behavior.
“Micromanagement is what happens when you manage the person instead of their promises,” Papp said. “When we honor our promises and ensure others do the same, we make things happen and feel more in control and confident.”
One of North America’s top management trainers, Papp has worked directly with thousands of managers and delivered over 350 professional training programs to corporate and private clients. His mission is to help leaders uncover effective skills that can lead to more productive, harmonious and successful outcomes.
In Manage Promises Not People, Papp reminds readers of the importance of accountability, integrity and honoring one’s word through stories, examples and exercises that can help anyone become a more effective leader.
Chapters explore:
• The disappointing trend of diminishing promises;
• Creating a culture of ownership;
• Honoring your word (and the impact of not doing so);
• Staying committed while overcoming perfectionism;
• Repairing broken promises; and
• Coaching others to honor their word.
Scott Woitas, Senior Manager at Donaldson Company, Inc., said the book “is a must-read for anyone. As a whole, we have lost the fact that ‘our word is our bond,’ and it reflects on our integrity, both in our professional and personal lives. Manage Promises Not People will get you back on track to be the person everyone knows they can rely on because you say what you’re going to do, and you do what you said you were going to do.”
About the Author
Eric Papp has been evaluated as one of the top management trainers in North America for his expertise in leadership effectiveness. He earned his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and founded Agape leadership, LLC, an intellectual capital firm focusing on leadership and sales for business performance, with the sole purpose of guiding leaders and their teams to success. For more information, please visit www.ericpapp.com.
The Antoine Fuqua-directed film stars the King of Pop’s nephew Jaafar Jackson
Michael Jackson will be back on the big screen in 2025 with “Michael,” a biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring the late King of Pop’s nephew Jaafar Jackson.
Lionsgate, which is releasing the movie domestically, while Universal is handling overseas distribution, announced that the film will begin production on Jan. 22.
Produced by “Bohemian Rhapsody’s” Graham King and scripted by John Logan, the official synopsis for the film reads: “‘Michael’ will bring audiences a riveting and honest portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated man who became the King of Pop. The film presents his triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale — from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, exemplified by his most iconic performances. As never before, audiences will experience an inside look into one of the most influential, trailblazing artists the world has ever known.”
John Branca and John McClain, the co-executors of Michael Jackson‘s estate, will also produce the film, which may influence the way that “Michael” depicts the multiple allegations of child sexual abuse that were brought against the singer during his career and following his death. Jackson has denied allegations of child sexual abuse and he was tried — and found not guilty — of child molestation in 2003. Jackson died in 2009 at the age of 50 and always maintained his innocence.
Fuqua is coming off helming his third “Equalizer” entry starring Denzel Washington for Sony Pictures. His prior feature, the Will Smith slavery drama “Emancipation,” was released by Apple in 2022.
“Michael” is slotting into the date previously held by “The Exorcist: Deceiver,” which was removed from Universal’s upcoming theatrical schedule along with news that director David Gordon Green had exited the project. The “Exorcist” sequel was originally slated for Apr. 18, 2025, but has been put on hold indefinitely as Universal and Blumhouse begin the search for a new director.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old shared photos from her latest tropical getaway on social media where super nosy fans noticed that the background in her photos was very similar to that in pics recently posted by Idris.
Rumors of a reconciliation come just a couple months after the former couple confirmed their split to The Hollywood Reporter via a joint statement in November.
“We are at a point in our lives where our individual paths require our full attention and dedication,” the statement began. “We part ways remaining friends with nothing but love and respect for each other and the time we shared together.”
Just three weeks after announcing their breakup, the former couple was spotted at the Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé premiere in Los Angeles.
According to reports from PEOPLE at the time, a source saw the two stars leaving the premiere “side by side.” They went on to say that “they didn’t look happy but looked together and exited that way.”
This week’s thirst trap compilation features Ashanti delivering heat along with Chlöe Bailey and Saweetie giving what needs to be gave.
There’s also big baddie energy from Daalischus, Jada Kingdom, and Kris Summers so we invite you to enjoy our latest collection of top-tier thirst traps on the flip.
