New solution for Finance, Audit and Internal Control departments analyses expense claims over time, assesses the quality of approvals and reconciles expense data with the general ledger. T&E Controls connects expense auditing with accounting reconciliation, helping enterprises identify missing transactions, posting discrepancies, approval anomalies and recurring control failures across their expense processes.

Sixthfin T&E Controls can review enterprise expense reports

London, United Kingdom, Oct. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sixthfin, a financial data control and financial close technology company with offices in London and Paris, launched T&E Controls (Travel & Expense Controls), its new solution for Finance, Audit and Internal Control departments, on 6 October 2026. Designed to complement existing expense management tools, T&E Controls analyses 100% of expense claims over time and reconciles them with the general ledger. The goal is to detect duplicates, recurring anomalies, high risk behaviours and approval failures that can slip past transaction-by-transaction controls. For more information visit https://sixthfin.com/en/solution/travel-and-expense-controls/

Expense management tools have largely automated the verification of an expense at the time it is entered, as well as the line-manager approval process. Some weaknesses, however, only appear at the scale of the overall system. Submission or accounting anomalies, approvals granted without genuine review, recurring delegations and ignored alerts can go unnoticed when expenses are reviewed one transaction at a time. Expense reports also involve a high volume of claims, often hundreds each month and usually for small individual amounts, so manual controls are typically limited to spot checks on small samples, with no guarantee of covering high risk situations. Across multiple entities, currencies and approvers, those weaknesses are difficult to identify through manual sampling. An approved expense claim is not necessarily a controlled one: approval confirms that a claim was signed off, while post-approval expense control tests whether the approval framework, the spending behind it and its accounting treatment hold up across every claim.

T&E Controls looks across months, employees and entities rather than at each claim in isolation. The solution flags potential duplicate claims across employees, repeated claims of the same type and amount, unusual concentrations of spend in certain categories, chronic late submissions and employees with an anomaly rate well above average.

A second set of indicators assesses the quality of approvals. T&E Controls checks for claims approved by someone other than the expected approver, recurring approval delegations, alerts raised but never actioned, unusual approval turnaround times and employees or approvers accounting for a disproportionate share of exceptions. These factual indicators allow finance and control teams to prioritise corrective action and evidence that the control framework is working.

The third area covers the journey from expense submission through to posting. T&E Controls automatically cross-references expense data with accounting records to identify expense claims missing from the accounts, accounting entries with no matching expense claim, discrepancies between approved and posted amounts, abnormal delays in posting, and processing and reconciliation anomalies. This reconciliation requires expense claims to be posted to the accounts individually rather than in aggregate.

Sixthfin reports that during an analysis of expense reports, T&E Controls identified several expense claims reimbursed to different employees involving the same merchant, the same amount and the same location, all on the same day. Taken individually, each expense appeared compliant and had been approved. It was the cross-analysis that revealed a pattern of potential duplicates that had not emerged during transactional control.

T&E Controls does not replace an organisation’s expense management solution. The platform uses the data already sitting in existing systems to add an independent layer of analysis across the whole process, from spend through to posting. It is compatible with all leading expense management tools, covers multi-country, multi-currency and multi-entity analysis, and provides a single platform to centralise analysis, investigations and action plans. Control is no longer constrained by sampling: AI helps to surface recurring patterns and the exceptions that require investigation, while the investigation and any corrective action remain with finance and control teams.

“An expense tool tells you whether a claim complies with policy. It does not tell you whether your controls are working,” said François Vallana, CEO of Sixthfin. “T&E Controls was built to answer that second question, using all of the data rather than a sample, over time and across every entity.”

Effective expense control depends less on checking whether individual claims comply with policy than on measuring, across all of the data, whether the controls around those claims work over time. With T&E Controls, Sixthfin aims to support the shift from a transaction-focused control approach to a review across the whole population, over time of expenses, approvals and their accounting treatment. T&E Controls is available now alongside Closing. To learn more visit https://sixthfin.com/en/

About Sixthfin

Sixthfin is a financial data control and financial close technology company with offices in London and Paris, specialising in risk detection and financial process optimisation. Its solutions include Closing, for financial close review and control, and T&E Controls, for the analysis and control of expense claims. Sixthfin technology supports 38 ERP systems and covered more than 1000 companies and groups in 2025.

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• Sixthfin T&E Controls can review enterprise expense reports

CONTACT: Cécile Mana
1 Waterhouse Square
London EC1N 2ST, United Kingdom
+44 7 517 614 077

Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Mango Bunch takes no editorial responsibility for the same.

From Constellations To Bold-Faced Names

Palm Beach Marina Stargazing Illustration

Palm Beach Marina Aerial View

Town of Palm Beach, FL, Oct. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Town of Palm Beach has never been short on star power. For more than a century, the island has attracted celebrities, socialites, politicians, Gilded Age industrialists and larger-than-life personalities, helping shape its reputation as one of America’s most iconic destinations. 

President John F. Kennedy, one of modern Florida’s founding figures Henry Flagler and heir to the Post cereal fortune Marjorie Merriweather Post all called Palm Beach home at different points in their lives. Famed architect Addison Mizner, singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett and cosmetics magnate Estée Lauder are among the other bold-faced names woven into the island’s history.

But before Palm Beach became synonymous with glamour and prestige, mariners navigating the South Florida coast were looking up to a different kind of star – the celestial landmarks that helped guide generations of sailors across the world’s waters. Today, those same stars can be seen from the Palm Beach Marina, offering boaters a connection between the island’s maritime past and its modern-day place as a premier yachting location. 

“In many ways, Palm Beach’s first stars weren’t found on Worth Avenue, at a gala or behind the gates of an oceanfront estate – they were shining overhead,” said Carolyn Stone, Deputy Town of Palm Beach Manager. “Whether you’re arriving at the Marina by boat, spending an evening aboard or looking up at the night sky from the docks, there’s a connection to the history of navigation that is still very much part of the experience today.”

Navigating Then & Now
Long before satellites orbited the Earth, sailors developed remarkable ways to travel the seas. By observing the sun, moon, stars and planets and using instruments such as the sextant, seafarers could determine their location on the ocean and chart a course across vast distances. This practice helped explorers sail the continents, merchants to establish trade routes and adventurers to reach distant shores.

Today, Palm Beach Marina guests and boaters everywhere can navigate with extraordinary precision using modern technology. GPS can pinpoint a vessel’s location with remarkable accuracy, radars help track nearby traffic, weather and potential hazards, and digital chart plotters can display an entire cruising route with just a few taps of a screen. Modern technology has undoubtedly made boating safer, easier and more precise. But the stars that shine above Palm Beach remain unchanged. 

Guided By The Constellations
Look up on a clear night from the state-of-the-art Palm Beach Marina and Polaris, better known as the North Star, can be seen overhead. Sailors throughout the Northern Hemisphere – including those traveling Florida’s waters – have long used the North Star as a dependable point of reference.

Seafarers also relied on constellations to help orient themselves and track the changing seasons (and perhaps even cast themselves a favorable horoscope reading). Winter skies often feature Orion, named after a hunter in Greek mythology, alongside the bull-like Taurus and Gemini, named after the Greco-Roman twins. As temperatures warm, the leonine Leo and modest maiden Virgo take center stage, while summer brings Scorpius and the archer Sagittarius rising above the southern horizon. In the fall, Pegasus emerges with its distinctive Great Square formation.

Palm Beach Sparkles On Land & Sea
One of the unexpected pleasures of spending time at the Palm Beach Marina is the opportunity to experience the sophisticated island from a different perspective. Whether relaxing aboard a vessel, sailing the Intracoastal or simply taking in the view before dinner on Worth Avenue, the night sky also offers a timeless connection to Palm Beach’s maritime past. 

“Whether you are reveling in all the glittering personalities that have made the Town an object of international fascination – or studying your star charts to prepare for your seafaring adventure ­– our Palm Beach Marina is a great place to drop anchor,” said Mike Horn, Palm Beach Marina Manager.

Palm Beach may be known for its famous names, but some of its most remarkable stars have been here all along. From the docks of the Palm Beach Marina, they continue to serve as a reminder that while navigation has evolved, the spirit of exploration remains unchanged. For slip reservations, Marina information and availability, visit TownofPalmBeachMarina.com.

###

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Joy Ganesh, Jacober Creative
PR & Marketing for Palm Beach Marina
Email: joy@jacober.com
cell: 908.616.8485
office: 305.801.9291 

– Hi-res images, video and other materials, and interviews are available upon request –

ABOUT THE PALM BEACH MARINA
The Palm Beach Marina transformed the old Town Docks with a $40 million renovation and opened on November 1, 2021. Marina patrons can now enjoy a suite of elevated amenities, including expanded shore power, Bellingham concrete floating docks, state-of-the-art security and lighting, as well as wider and deeper slips to accommodate vessels 60 to 295 feet. The Palm Beach Marina is currently taking annual and transient slip reservations. Boaters can now easily reserve dockage using the online service Dockwa via the Town Marina website.
The Town of Palm Beach Marina is located at 500 Australian Avenue. For general inquiries about long-term dockage, storage, and other services, visit TownofPalmBeachMarina.com. For more information on the project or slip lease information, contact Marina Manager Mike Horn at dockmaster@townofpalmbeach.com or by calling 561-838-5463. 

Contact Info

Jacober Creative
joy@jacober.com

Attachments

• Palm Beach Marina Stargazing Illustration
• Palm Beach Marina Aerial View

Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Mango Bunch takes no editorial responsibility for the same.

Branch rendering

Saskatoon, Oct. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Conexus Credit Union is celebrating International Credit Union Day® with the announcement of a new Saskatoon branch and $86,000 in local community donations!   

Working closely with a business member-owner, Conexus has recently broken ground building a branch in one of Saskatoon’s fastest-growing neighbourhoods.  

• Located at 80-3005 Meadows Parkway, the full-service branch to be known as the “Meadows” will offer members and soon-to-be members personal and business banking, lending, wealth management, and more.
• Conexus anticipates welcoming members to the new branch in late 2027. This will be Conexus’ fifth branch in Saskatoon, further boosting the credit union’s presence across the city.
• Credit Union Day celebrates member-owners and the spirit of the credit union movement, recognizing its history and achievements. International Credit Union Day has been observed on the third Thursday of October since 1948. 

“We thank each and every one of our 200,000 Saskatchewan members on Credit Union Day for their business and trust in Conexus. We are proud to keep growing alongside our Saskatoon membership,” says Conexus Credit Union CEO Celina Philpot. “As more residents and businesses in Saskatoon look to our credit union for their financial needs, we want to ensure that we have the right physical spaces available to work with them.”  

Working with our members, for our members.

Member preferences on what they want in a branch influence every stage of design. As a member-owned financial institution, Conexus is continuously gathering insights from across the province on what members want from their credit union.  

Some planned features of the new branch include a drive-through ATM, a warm, modern, and welcoming environment designed to empower members to achieve their financial goals, and a full Thrive Wealth Management office offering best-in-class wealth management products and services. 

This member-focused philosophy is fitting, especially on Credit Union Day, as Conexus is working with a member to bring this branch to life. The new branches’ developer is Citylife Investment Corp., a Saskatoon-based conglomerate of real estate investment holdings and numerous operating companies. Conexus Credit Union was Citylife Investment Corp.’s trusted financial partner for the entire Citylife Market development in the Meadows where the new branch will be located. 

Conexus donates $86,000 to support the Saskatoon causes that matter. 

Conexus Credit Union has recently donated $86,000 to important Saskatoon and area causes in 2026. The funds come from the Synergy Credit Union Shares Fund and the Conexus Community Vitality Fund. Recipients include Autism Services of Saskatoon, Cosmo Industries, the Saskatoon Open Door Society, and many more worthy initiatives.   

Become a member today. 

Conexus invites Saskatoon residents to become member-owners of Conexus Credit Union today. In addition to Conexus’ full suite of financial services and products, as a member, you: 

• Have an actual voice in how we operate by voting for our Board of Directors.
• Join a financial institution helping each member achieve success, which lifts our entire province.
• Save $100 per year in banking fees just by banking with us with the Conexus No-Fee Chequing account. 

Book an appointment today.  

About Conexus Credit Union  

Conexus Credit Union is a forward-thinking Saskatchewan credit union committed to our members and their success. We are proud to be a member-owned cooperative with deep roots throughout Saskatchewan. Our 1,500 employees serve over 200,000 members in communities across the province.   

Effective January 1, 2026, Conexus Credit Union 2006, Cornerstone Credit Union Financial Group Limited and Synergy Credit Union Ltd. amalgamated as Conexus Credit Union. This merger continues the legacy of three successful organizations, rooted in cooperative values and a shared vision of member and community empowerment.    

About Citylife Investment Corp.  

Citylife is a conglomerate of real estate investment holdings and numerous operating companies spanning industries such as manufacturing, communications, construction, food, and autobody. The real estate side of Citylife encompasses a portfolio of nearly 50 properties and has been responsible for all levels of commercial development including Office, Retail, and Industrial. They have completed many “turnkey” and “build to suit” projects which include site preparation to office finishings and everything in between. Learn more here.

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• Branch rendering

CONTACT: Michael Chmielewski
Conexus Credit Union
306-751-8201
media@conexus.ca

Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Mango Bunch takes no editorial responsibility for the same.

New capabilities help teams optimize the business context behind their AI agents and give IT a single place to oversee, restrict, and rescope the sensitive data each agent can access

Spokesperson image

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Egnyte, a leader in secure content collaboration, intelligence, and governance, today announced Context Studio and AI Control Center, two new platform capabilities designed to help organizations improve how AI uses business context while strengthening control over agent access. Context Studio enables teams to visualize, manage, and optimize the business context behind their AI agents, improving accuracy and reducing AI costs. AI Control Center gives IT administrators a single dashboard to discover every AI agent connected to company content, see what sensitive data each one can reach, and restrict or re-scope that access.

Context Studio and AI Control Center extend the momentum of Egnyte’s recent AI releases: AI Safeguards, AI-powered workflow automation, and the Context Layer. Together, these capabilities bring the context, automation, and governance organizations need to scale AI on a single platform.

“The future of enterprise AI depends on a self-improving harness which is optimized for cost, efficient at scale, and secure by design,” said Amrit Jassal, Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder at Egnyte. “Egnyte’s Context Studio helps companies give AI agents the precise business context they need, while AI Control Center gives IT visibility and control to govern them. Together, they create the foundation of adaptive intelligence.”

Context Studio: Visualize, Manage, and Optimize the Context Behind Every Agent

With most AI systems today, teams cannot easily understand what context an agent can access, where something important is missing, or why a result came back incomplete. Egnyte’s Context Studio makes that context visible and helps teams refine what informs each agent, for more accurate results.

With Context Studio, agent builders can:

• Visualize the context available to an agent. Inspect the content, people, projects, and relationships available to a specific agent or process, using the relationship map Egnyte already builds.
• Find and close context gaps early. By identifying missing or incomplete context that agents need, teams can fix the problems quickly, reduce rework, and improve performance.
• Optimize context with guided recommendations. Identify gaps and take recommended actions without complex data engineering.
• Start with agents aligned to their industry. In the Egnyte AI Marketplace, task-based agents provide a strong foundation that teams in AEC, financial services, life sciences, and other industries can tailor to their specific company workflows.

More precise context can reduce unnecessary retrieval and token usage, lowering AI costs as usage grows. In preliminary assessments, Egnyte has seen a 97% reduction in token usage and approximately 50% lower AI costs under the tested conditions.

“Agents draw on content, people, projects, and business systems for context, and the same breadth that makes their work reliable also widens the sensitive content they can reach. Egnyte’s Context Studio and AI Control Center address both in one place, and AI adoption at scale will depend on customers having the same visibility and control wherever that context lives,” said Amy Loomis, Ph.D. and Group Vice President, Workplace Solutions, IDC.

AI Control Center: Govern What Your Agents Can Access

As organizations use more agents, it becomes harder to know what each agent can access and where sensitive content may be exposed. Egnyte’s AI Control Center closes that gap by providing a single dashboard for agent oversight, sensitive content exposure, and governance policy enforcement.

AI Control Center, built on Egnyte’s sensitive content classification engine, allows administrators to:

• Discover every connected agent. With an agent inventory dashboard, teams have a clear view of agents in one place.
• Assess exposure to sensitive content. By understanding what sensitive content an agent can reach, including PII, PHI, and financial data, administrators can properly assess risk.
• Restrict and re-scope access. Flag over-permissioned agents and limit them to the folders they need to do their jobs.
• Review before activating. Before an agent goes live, administrators can enforce access boundaries and continually monitor them as agent use grows.
• Be audit-ready. One-click reporting and a complete history of policy actions for compliance reviews help streamline audit preparation.

Since AI Control Center operates where a customer’s content already lives, organizations can apply governance without moving data into another environment or maintaining a separate governance deployment.

To learn more, visit the Context Studio and AI Control Center pages or watch the State of Egnyte: Fall 2026 virtual event for a detailed walkthrough of Context Studio, AI Control Center, and Egnyte’s AI journey.

AI features are designed to assist users and may require human review. Features and results may vary by plan configuration.

About Egnyte

Egnyte is a leader in secure content collaboration, intelligence, and governance, trusted by more than 23,000 customers to increase employee productivity, drive operational efficiencies, and secure mission-critical content. Egnyte’s AI-powered platform empowers organizations to create, share, and protect their information at scale, with specialized solutions designed to meet the unique needs of organizations in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), financial services, life sciences, and other industries. For more information, visit www.egnyte.com.

Media Contact

Paroma Bhattacharya
Media@egnyte.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1d450d32-0a3f-4e5f-8679-ede665303c38

Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Mango Bunch takes no editorial responsibility for the same.

Global recognition from TIME follows deployments of Argo’s next-generation public transit infrastructure across multiple municipalities

TORONTO, Oct. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Argo Corporation (TSXV: ARGH) (OTCQB: ARGHF) (“Argo” or the “Company”) today announced that Smart Routing has been named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026.

Argo Smart Routing in TIME Best Inventions of 2026

TIME’s annual Best Inventions list recognizes extraordinary innovations changing our lives.

Smart Routing is a modern public transit solution for cities that picks people up at their door for a standard bus fare. It is powered by Argo’s integrated smart infrastructure, bringing connected electric vehicles, charging, technology and operations together as one coordinated system. The network continuously adapts in real time to where people need to go, combining many individual trip requests into efficient shared routes that pick riders up at their doors along the way.

“We believe the future of mobility is public transit that comes to your door, reduces traffic, and is economically sustainable for every community,” said Praveen Arichandran, CEO and Co-founder of Argo. “Argo is delivering that future today.”

Smart Routing is already powering thousands of trips each day across a wide range of environments, from the dense downtown core of a major city, to a smaller town, to multiple communities across a large rural municipality. The same infrastructure has extended an existing bus and rail network, operated a complete local transit system, and established a local municipal transit system where none previously existed.

Argo is focused on bringing Smart Routing to communities of every size, from small towns to the world’s largest cities.

See the full write-up at TIME Best Inventions of 2026.

About Argo

Argo delivers an integrated city transit system designed to extend public transportation through a network of intelligently routed vehicles, smart infrastructure and operations that work together to serve and scale to the needs of entire cities. Learn more at www.rideargo.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management’s objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as “may”, “will”, “plan”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “intend” and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management.

The forward-looking information set out in this news release relates to future events or future performance and includes, without limitation, statements concerning the continued operation of Smart Routing in Bradford West Gwillimbury, Brampton and Caledon, the anticipated benefits of Argo’s Smart Routing transit system, potential future expansion to other municipalities, and the Company’s plans to expand its network in Canada, the United States and internationally.

Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions, including: the continued successful operation of the Company’s existing transit services; maintaining municipal agreements in good standing; receiving required third-party approvals, consents and integrations; operational readiness; ridership adoption levels; technology performance and reliability; the availability and use of government funding; the availability of municipal procurement opportunities and execution of definitive agreements with new municipalities; and general economic conditions.

All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: operational challenges; failure to meet contractual requirements; loss of required operating authority, insurance or approvals; third-party integration delays or failures; technology failures or cybersecurity incidents; termination or non-renewal of municipal agreements; failure to secure new municipal contracts; regulatory changes; availability of financing; and general economic conditions.

Additional risks and uncertainties are described in more detail in the Company’s securities filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance thereon. The Company assumes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5e6f1dcf-ebf4-4c21-a63c-2019d3adeb45

Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Mango Bunch takes no editorial responsibility for the same.

Business Wire India

Housecallers, an AI-powered, on-demand home facility management services platform operated by Wagzen Technology Pvt. Ltd., founded by Satyendra Tiwari, has announced plans to expand its services into six additional Indian cities in November 2026.

The upcoming expansion will take Housecaller's technology-driven home services platform to Gurugram, Hyderabad, Indore, Chandigarh, Lucknow, and Dehradun, marking an important milestone in the company's growth journey beyond its Bengaluru base.

Housecallers aims to simplify home maintenance and facility management by leveraging artificial intelligence and technology to make accessing home services more convenient, efficient, and reliable for customers.

Bringing Smarter Home Services to More Indian Cities

As urban households increasingly seek convenient and dependable solutions for managing their homes, Housecallers aims to bridge the gap between customer needs and accessible home services, including the new service category of salon and wellness services at the doorstep through a technology-enabled, on-demand platform.

The November expansion is designed to extend the company's reach into six diverse urban markets, building a broader presence in India's growing home services and facility management sector.

Founder’s Vision

Commenting on the planned expansion, Satyendra Tiwari, Founder of Housecallers (Wagzen Technology Pvt. Ltd.), said:

“At Housecallers, our vision is to transform the way India manages its homes by making home services smarter, more accessible, and more reliable through technology and artificial intelligence. We believe AI can play a vital role in improving service discovery, operational efficiency, and the overall customer experience."

“Our planned November launch across Gurugram, Hyderabad, Indore, Chandigarh, Lucknow, and Dehradun is an important milestone in our journey to bring convenient, technology-driven home facility management solutions to more Indian households. We are building Housecallers with a long-term vision of creating a trusted, scalable platform that makes home management simpler and more seamless for customers across India.”

Building a Nationwide Home Services Platform

With its planned entry into six new cities,Housecallers aims to expand its customer base and build a scalable operating model for technology-enabled home facility management services.

The company will focus on developing its presence in these markets while working toward its broader ambition of making home services more accessible to households across India.

The launches are planned for November 2026, with city-level service availability and operational details to be announced by the company.

Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India. Publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same.

Business Wire India

The Estée Lauder Companies, in partnership with Nykaa and Startup India, an initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) within India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, announced the winners of BEAUTY&YOU India 2026, the country’s leading beauty entrepreneurship program.

For five years, BEAUTY&YOU India has discovered, supported, and accelerated India’s next generation of beauty entrepreneurs. Since launching in 2022, the program has helped founders and innovators develop their ideas and build their businesses by providing funding, mentorship, beauty industry expertise, distribution support, and strategic opportunities.

Stéphane de La Faverie, President and CEO, The Estée Lauder Companies, said: “India is one of the most exciting and inspiring forces in global beauty. We have a deep admiration for the country’s creativity, talent, culture, and entrepreneurial energy—and for the way India continues to shape and inspire beauty around the world. As BEAUTY&YOU India marks its fifth year, it reflects our long-term commitment to supporting the entrepreneurs behind the next generation of beauty. We are proud to recognize this year’s winners and celebrate the ideas that will define beauty in India and beyond.”

Nadine Graf, President, EUKEM (Europe, UK&I, and Emerging Markets), The Estée Lauder Companies, added: “Five years into BEAUTY&YOU India, what excites me most is the extraordinary creativity and ambition we continue to discover across the country. From emerging founders in smaller cities to women entrepreneurs building businesses with real impact, India is showing us just how much innovation can come from understanding local consumers, culture, and needs. Our ambition at The Estée Lauder Companies is to help unlock that potential—connecting Indian talent with global expertise, mentorship, and opportunities, and giving the next generation of beauty entrepreneurs the platform to shape the future of beauty, not only in India, but around the world.”

The 2026 winners join a growing community of founders whose ideas are shaping the future of beauty globally.

2026 BEAUTY&YOU India Winners

GROW: Best in-market beauty brand.

• Laani – Nirja Bhatt, Founder & CEO: High-performance sweat and odor control products created for Indian heat, humidity, and skin. Led by a water-based clear deodorant stick that dries instantly, leaves no residue, and addresses underarm pigmentation, Laani is reimagining an everyday essential and addressing an underserved need for Indian women.

IMAGINE: Best early-stage beauty concept.

• Boldpurity – Khatija Shabana, CEO, and Syed Mohammad Fouzan, Director: A scientist-led skincare concept developing proprietary formulation technologies to enhance the delivery and performance of established, active ingredients on skin.

BREAKTHROUGH: Best innovation in fragrance, presented by The Estée Lauder Companies’ Fragrance Atelier in Paris.

• Goyam Green Tech – Ajaykumar Mehta, Shriya Rambhia, and Dheer Rambhia, Directors: A green chemistry platform leveraging biobased materials and chemistry to unlock high performing fragrance solutions across formulation, format, and consumer experiences.

DESIGN: Recognizing creative talent with the potential to collaborate with a brand from The Estée Lauder Companies.

• De Icebreaker Creative Studio – Pankti Sheth, Founder & Creative Director: A packaging and brand design studio that creates culturally aware and commercially relevant designs for brands across consumer categories, helping brands build meaningful experiences that resonate locally and compete globally.

VISIONARY WOMEN’S AWARD: Recognizing an outstanding woman entrepreneur driving innovation and impact in beauty, presented with Startup India, DPIIT.

• Agapi Sikkim – Rinzing Choden Bhutia, Founder: A Himalayan skincare and lifestyle brand that provides employment and training to women in Sikkim, creating opportunities for women’s economic participation and financial independence in India’s Northeast.

Returning for the second year, the Visionary Women’s Award reflects The Estée Lauder Companies’ and Startup India’s shared commitment to advancing women founders and strengthening pathways for women to lead.

Shri Ateesh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary, Startup India, DPIIT, said: “India’s startup ecosystem is a powerful engine of innovation and entrepreneurship, and BEAUTY&YOU India has become an important platform for supporting the next generation of beauty founders. As the program marks its fifth year, we commend The Estée Lauder Companies for its continued commitment to fostering innovation in India. The Visionary Women’s Award is a valuable initiative that recognizes women founders who are driving meaningful impact through innovation and leadership. Congratulations to all the winners, whose achievements reflect the creativity, ambition, and global potential of India’s innovation ecosystem.”

The 2026 edition introduced the DESIGN category, recognizing creative talent reimagining how beauty comes to life through packaging, retail and consumer experiences. The new category reflects the important role creative expression plays in shaping how consumers discover and engage with beauty.

This year, the BREAKTHROUGH category focused on fragrance innovation and was led by The Estée Lauder Companies’ Fragrance Atelier in Paris, the Company’s global innovation hub dedicated to fragrance expertise. The category connects India’s rich legacy of fragrance craftsmanship with the Atelier’s global innovation ecosystem.

The winners were announced at an event in Mumbai featuring remarks from The Estée Lauder Companies’ leadership, including Akhil Shrivastava (Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer), Aude Gandon (Chief Digital & Marketing Officer), René Lammers (Executive Vice President, Chief Research & Innovation Officer), and Nadine Graf (President, EUKEM – Europe, UK&I, and Emerging Markets); Nykaa’s Anchit Nayar (Executive Director & CEO, Nykaa Beauty); Shri Ateesh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary, Startup India, DPIIT; and industry leader Gaurav Gupta (Couturier, Artist, and Designer, Gaurav Gupta Studio).

Anchit Nayar, Executive Director & CEO, Nykaa Beauty, said: “India’s beauty ecosystem is evolving rapidly, shaped by a new generation of founders bringing fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and a deeper understanding of the Indian consumer. At Nykaa, we’ve seen how brands that combine a clear consumer proposition with a strong understanding of the market can build meaningful connections and create lasting businesses. Through BEAUTY&YOU India, we’re proud to partner with The Estée Lauder Companies in supporting entrepreneurs who are bringing new ideas to life and contributing to the next phase of growth in India’s beauty industry. BEAUTY&YOU India is part of The Estée Lauder Companies’ broader commitment to India, built over more than two decades of serving consumers and partnering across the country’s beauty ecosystem. As India’s influence on beauty continues to expand, The Estée Lauder Companies is proud to help support the talent and innovation that will define the industry’s next chapter.”

Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India. Publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same.

Business Wire India

IT services segment revenue flat sequentially and increased 0.6% YoY CC

Operating Margin at 16.5% expanded 0.5% QoQ

EPS increased 4.2% YoY; Operating cash flow at 165.8% of Net income

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading AI-powered technology services and consulting company, announced financial results under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the quarter ended September 30, 2026.

Highlights of the Results

Results for the Quarter ended September 30, 2026:

1. Gross revenue at Rs 247.5 billion ($2,583.0 million¹), an increase of 1.1% QoQ and 9.1% YoY.
2. IT services segment revenue was at $2611.5 million, decrease of 0.1% QoQ and increase of 0.3% YoY.
3. Non-GAAP constant currency² IT Services segment revenue was flat sequentially and increase of 0.6% YoY.
4. Total Bookings³ was at $2,595 million, down by 22.9% QoQ in constant currency². Large deal bookings⁴ was at $674 million, decrease of 58.6% QoQ in constant currency².
5. IT services operating margin⁵ for Q2’27 was at 16.5%, up by 0.5% QoQ and down by 0.2% YoY.
6. Net income for the quarter was at Rs 32.0 billion ($333.9 million¹), decrease of 4.7% QoQ and 1.9% YoY.
7. Earnings per share for the quarter at Rs 3.23 ($0.03¹), increase of 0.9% QoQ and increase of 4.2% YoY.
8. Operating cash flows of Rs 53.0 billion ($553.6 million¹), increase of 61.3% QoQ and at 165.8% of net income for the quarter.
9. Voluntary attrition was at 13.8% on a trailing 12-month basis.

Outlook for the Quarter ending December 31, 2026

We expect revenue from our IT Services business segment to be in the range of $2,571 million to $2,625 million*. This translates to sequential guidance of (-)1.5% to (+)0.5% in constant currency terms.

*Outlook for the Quarter ending December 31, 2026, is based on the following exchange rates: GBP/USD at 1.35, Euro/USD at 1.15 , AUD/USD at 0.71, USD/INR at 95.76 and CAD/USD at 0.72

Performance for the Quarter ended September 30, 2026

Srini Pallia, CEO and Managing Director, said, “The strategic investments we have been making are beginning to deliver results. They are enhancing our ability to win in new markets, add new clients, and grow existing relationships. At the same time, our consulting-led, AI-powered strategy is helping us create larger transformation opportunities. We see AI as a long-term growth driver that will expand the addressable market for technology and business transformation. We are already seeing its potential reflected in the momentum across our AI-Native Unit and AI offerings portfolio.”

Aparna Iyer, Chief Financial Officer, said, “Our operating margin for the quarter was 16.5%, an expansion of 0.5% sequentially. We have delivered this improvement even while continuing to invest in our business and people. We remain relentless in driving cash flow conversion. Q2 is yet another quarter where our operating cash flow has been robust and stood at 166% of net income.”

1. For the convenience of the readers, the amounts in Indian Rupees in this release have been translated into United States Dollars at the certified foreign exchange rate of US$1 = Rs 95.83, as published by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors on September 30, 2026. However, the realized exchange rate in our IT Services business segment for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, was US$1= Rs 94.45
2. Constant currency (CC) for a period is the product of volumes in that period times the average actual exchange rate of the corresponding comparative period.
3. Total Bookings refers to the total contract value of all orders that were booked during the period including new orders, renewals, and increases to existing contracts. Bookings do not reflect subsequent terminations or reductions related to bookings originally recorded in prior fiscal periods. Bookings are recorded using then-existing foreign currency exchange rates and are not subsequently adjusted for foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. The revenues from these contracts accrue over the tenure of the contract. For constant currency growth rates, refer note 2.
4. Large deal bookings consist of deals greater than or equal to $30 million in total contract value.
5. IT Services Operating Margin refers to Segment Results Total as reflected in IFRS financial.

Highlights of Strategic Deal Wins

In Q2’27, Wipro continued to win large and strategic deals across industries. Key highlights include:

1. One of the largest US-based banking institutions has selected Wipro to modernize its mortgage operations through Wipro's lending platform NetOxygen. Powered by Wipro Intelligence™, the platform will be implemented to simplify lending processes, automate key tasks, and provide actionable insights to support faster and more informed decision-making. Deployment of this platform is expected to improve borrower experience, accelerate loan closing times, and create a more efficient, scalable, and compliant lending ecosystem.
2. A global technology company has renewed and expanded its relationship with Wipro to modernize its Enterprise Products organization and enhance employee experience through more resilient and scalable applications. As part of this multi-year engagement, Wipro will strengthen the client’s application landscape, support the development of AI-enabled enterprise solutions, and consolidate responsibilities into a unified delivery model. Wipro will leverage intelligent automation and AI-powered engineering capabilities to improve productivity, accelerate testing and delivery, and create a more integrated, cost-efficient operating model that enhances application reliability and user experience.
3. Seeking to improve operational efficiency and overall stakeholder experience, a leading US-based health insurance provider has appointed Wipro as a strategic partner to transform its provider services organization. Wipro will combine end-to-end provider support services with analytics, workforce planning, quality management, and operational excellence methodologies to identify root causes, optimize workflows, and improve business outcomes. This engagement will help accelerate issue resolution, enhance customer experience, and create a more scalable and cost-efficient operating model.
4. Wipro was selected by a global biotechnology company to transform and scale its post-market quality assurance operations to address changing regulatory requirements and the need for greater operational efficiency. Wipro will deliver end-to-end complaint management, reporting, and multilingual support services. Wipro will also introduce an AI-enabled operating model to ensure intelligent document processing, workflow orchestration, and automated compliance support. This transformation will improve processing speed, quality, and audit readiness, while reducing costs and creating a more resilient organization.
5. A leading Asia-based Fortune 500 conglomerate selected Wipro to establish an AI Global Capability Center (GCC) as part of its enterprise AI transformation agenda. The engagement combines AI engineering talent, governance, innovation programs, and capability building to accelerate the development of AI-powered products and platforms while creating a scalable operating model for long-term growth.
6. A leading global network technology provider has selected Wipro for a strategic engagement to scale its core mobile network services business worldwide. Wipro will provide network implementation, testing, and AI-led automation to simplify delivery and improve operational efficiency. The engagement will enable the client to expand delivery capacity, accelerate service deployment, and enhance quality and consistency across customer programs through a centralized delivery model.
7. In a significant win for Wipro's AI-Native Business & Platform unit, a large North American public services organization has selected Wipro to modernize its enrolment, customer engagement, and operational management processes. Wipro will deploy an AI-native digital operations platform designed to streamline onboarding, communications, and workflow management through a unified operating model. Powered by AI agents, conversational AI, intelligent document processing and predictive analytics, the platform will automate complex processes, enhance operational efficiency, and improve user experiences at scale. This win further demonstrates growing demand for AI-native platforms that help organizations simplify operations, improve service outcomes, and accelerate digital transformation.
8. A global leader in beverages has awarded Wipro an expanded engagement to simplify, consolidate and optimize its technology operations. Wipro will deliver end-to-end infrastructure and hybrid cloud services, enhanced with Wipro Intelligence™, to provide personalized support, proactive issue resolution, automation of routine tasks, and improved operational visibility. The engagement will enhance employee experience, improve service performance, strengthen compliance, and cost optimization.
9. A Europe-based global provider of industrial products and service solutions has renewed its engagement with Wipro for an enterprise-wide business transformation. Wipro will implement a single global enterprise resource planning platform, standardizing processes and data across regions while modernizing the client's core business systems. The program will provide real-time operational and financial visibility, improve efficiency, and enhance the agility needed to scale and respond more quickly to evolving market and customer demands.
10. A leading global life sciences company has selected Wipro to establish an AI-powered supply chain intelligence platform to improve the speed, consistency, and quality of critical decisions. Beginning with a consulting-led assessment of business processes, data readiness, and governance requirements, Wipro will establish a trusted data foundation and deploy agents through WEGA to improve manufacturing, distribution, and inventory management decisions. This engagement will help accelerate decision-making, strengthen supplier risk visibility, improve responsiveness to supply disruptions, and create a scalable platform for future growth.
11. A major energy company in the Middle East has selected Wipro to transform its procurement and finance operations through an AI-led operating model. Leveraging Wipro Intelligence™, Wipro will automate procurement workflows, supplier interactions, invoice management, and exception resolution. This will enable a more efficient, scalable and insight-driven enterprise operations function.
12. A leading North American financial services institution is modernizing its trade exception management capability with Capco, a Wipro company, to create a single view of trade, settlement, and position exceptions across the enterprise. Capco will design and implement a scalable platform that consolidates data from multiple internal and external sources, enabling faster investigation and resolution of operational exceptions. The solution will introduce AI-assisted exception detection, enhanced auditability, and configurable workflows to strengthen accountability, and operational controls.

Analyst Recognitions

1. Wipro was recognized as a Leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide AI-Driven Professional Services for Oil and Gas Companies 2026 Vendor Assessment (Doc # US54135126 Aug 2026)
2. Wipro was recognized as a Leader in ISG Provider Lens® – Microsoft AI and Cloud Ecosystem 2026 – US (all quadrants)
3. Wipro was rated as a Leader in Avasant's Healthcare Payor Digital Services 2026 RadarView™
4. Wipro was featured as a Leader in Avasant's Telecom Digital Services 2026 RadarView™
5. Wipro was ranked as a Leader in Avasant's Utilities Digital Services 2026 RadarView™
6. Wipro was positioned as a Leader in Everest Group's Cybersecurity Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2026 – Global
7. Wipro was positioned as a Leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Oracle Implementation Services 2026 Vendor Assessment (Doc # US54124626 Aug 2026)
8. Wipro was positioned as a Leader in ISG Provider Lens® – Future of Work Services 2026 – US & Europe (all quadrants)
9. Wipro was recognized as a Leader in Everest Group's Quality Engineering (QE) Services for AI Applications and Systems PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2026
10. Wipro was rated as a Leader in Everest Group's Application Management Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2026
11. Wipro was positioned as a Leader in Everest Group's Integrated Finance and Accounting Services (FAS) PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2026

IT Products

1. IT Products segment revenue for the quarter was Rs 1.5 billion ($15.8 million¹)
2. IT Products segment results for the quarter were (-) Rs 0.1 billion ((-) $0.8 million¹)

Please refer to the table at the end for reconciliation between IFRS IT Services Revenue and IT Services Revenue on a non-GAAP constant currency basis.

About Key Metrics and Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains key metrics and non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K. Such non-GAAP financial measures are measures of our historical or future performance, financial position or cash flows that are adjusted to exclude or include amounts that are excluded or included, as the case may be, from the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with IFRS.

The table at the end provides IT Services Revenue on a constant currency basis, which is a non-GAAP financial measure that is calculated by translating IT Services Revenue from the current reporting period into U.S. dollars based on the currency conversion rate in effect for the prior reporting period. We refer to growth rates in constant currency so that business results may be viewed without the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, thereby facilitating period-to-period comparisons of our business performance. Further, in the normal course of business, we may divest a portion of our business which may not be strategic. We refer to the growth rates in both reported and constant currency adjusting for such divestments in order to represent the comparable growth rates.

Our key metrics and non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with IFRS and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. Our key metrics and non-GAAP financial measures are not comparable to, nor should be substituted for, an analysis of our revenue over time and involve estimates and judgments. In addition to our non-GAAP measures, the financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS and the reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures with the most directly comparable IFRS financial measure should be carefully evaluated.

Results for the Quarter ended September 30, 2026, prepared under IFRS, along with individual business segment reports, are available in the Investors section of our website www.wipro.com/investors/

Quarterly Conference Call

We will hold an earnings conference call today at 07:00 p.m. Indian Standard Time (9:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time) to discuss our performance for the quarter. The audio from the conference call will be available online through a webcast and can be accessed at the following link-https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=0q8EorJM

An audio recording of the management discussions and the question-and-answer session will be available online and will be accessible in the Investor Relations section of our website at www.wipro.com

Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India. Publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same.

Business Wire India

Inside thousands of classrooms spanning the length and breadth of India—from the sunlit courtyards of Andhra Pradesh to the vibrant learning spaces of Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu—a quiet daily ritual has steadily reshaped the future of education. As bells ring before lunchtime, corridors fill with the rhythmic splash of water, laughter, and the clean scent of soap. This Global Handwashing Day, Reckitt's flagship health & hygiene movement, Dettol Banega Swasth India (DBSI), is marking more than a decade of driving measurable improvements in hygiene behaviours among children across India. Championing this year's theme, "Be a Handwashing Hero", the programme continues to strengthen healthy habits in schools and communities, reaching over 30 million children, across ~1 million schools in India and supporting more than 43 billion annual handwashing occasions among school-going children nationwide.

An independent third-party impact evaluation highlights the programme's transformative impact over the past decade. Between 2016 and 2026, school absenteeism linked to poor hygiene declined from 36% to 19.7%, representing a 45.2% reduction in absenteeism and helping more children stay healthy and remain in school.

The evaluation also demonstrates how hygiene education has evolved alongside children. While only 5% of students engaged with digital hygiene resources in 2016, nearly 80% now access interactive digital hygiene learning tools. During the same period, correct handwashing behaviour increased from 36% in 2017 to 95.4% in 2026, underscoring the programme's success in turning awareness into sustained habit formation.

Additional findings show that:

• 95.1% of children understand the link between handwashing and disease prevention.
• Children participating in the programme are 5.2 times more likely to wash their hands at critical moments.
• Students are 4.3 times more likely to practise handwashing at home, extending healthy habits to families and communities.
• Inclusive learning resources have expanded access to hygiene education for children with diverse learning needs.

The programme has also expanded its pioneering Hygiene Building as a Learning Aid (H-BaLA) model, the world's first educational approach that transforms school infrastructure into a living hygiene classroom. By integrating hygiene cues into walls, corridors, classrooms and handwashing stations, H-BaLA reinforces positive behaviours through experiential and play-based learning. Building on this approach, the programme introduced practice-based learning ("doing"), peer-to-peer learning ("teaching others"), technology-enabled content, gamification, AI-powered learning tools, music and STEM-based interventions to make hygiene education more immersive and engaging. Together, these innovations have helped improve knowledge retention from 50% to 90%, demonstrating the effectiveness of behaviour-centred learning in driving lasting habit change.

Rooted in the principle, "I hear, I forget. I see, I remember. I do, I understand," the pedagogy empowers children not only to learn healthy habits, but to practise and champion them within their families and communities.

Commenting on the occasion, Gaurav Jain, Executive Vice President, South Asia, Reckitt, said, "At Reckitt, we exist to deliver better health in more hands every day. Behind every statistic lies a human story—a child who stays in school instead of falling ill, a classroom filled with laughter, and a family that breathes easier knowing avoidable sickness has been kept at bay. Global Handwashing Day reminds us that profound change rarely begins with grand gestures; it starts at a humble sink with a drop of water and a bar of soap. Being present at over 43 billion handwashing occasions annually and seeing school absenteeism drop by 45.2% reaffirms our conviction. We are not merely teaching children how to wash their hands; we are empowering an entire generation to claim their right to health, dignity, and a brighter tomorrow."

The programme’s success has been driven by continuous innovation in hygiene education, evolving from classroom awareness sessions to immersive learning experiences that enable children to practise and reinforce healthy behaviours in their everyday environments.

Among its recent innovations is the Dettol Hygiene Loyalty Card, launched earlier this year at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Designed for children aged 6-14 years, the initiative uses gamified learning experiences, rewards, challenges and child-safe digital engagement to encourage consistent hygiene practices and make healthy habits more engaging and rewarding for young learners.

Over the past 13 years, Dettol Banega Swasth India has worked with governments, educators, development partners and communities to advance preventive health through behaviour change. As the programme continues to scale through digital innovation, experiential learning and community partnerships, Reckitt remains committed to delivering better health in more hands every day and empowering the next generation to lead healthier lives.

Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India. Publication takes no editorial responsibility for the same.

Business Wire India

Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation, highlighted the importance of creating an environment in which girls are encouraged to learn, pursue their ambitions and fulfil their potential. Through Merck Foundation’s “Educating Linda” programme and their partnerships with African First Ladies, she is an advocate for a broader approach to girls’ education that combines educational opportunities with sustained efforts to change the expectations surrounding girls at home and in their communities.

Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Retd.) shares, “A girl may have the ability to become a doctor, a scientist, an engineer, an entrepreneur or a president. Yet, long before she has the opportunity to discover her abilities, the people around her may already have decided what her future should look like. Sometimes those limits are spoken openly. Sometimes they appear in everyday decisions: whose education receives priority, who has time to study, whose ambitions are taken seriously and who is expected to abandon a dream. Is it the girl or the boy? This is why I believe that supporting girls’ education requires more than providing scholarships. We must also work to change the expectations that surround our girls.”

Through Educating Linda programme, Merck Foundation’s commitment to education carries a wider message: believe in a girl’s potential, give her the opportunity to develop it and support her throughout that journey.

The expectations we communicate can shape the opportunities we provide

In psychology, the Pygmalion effect, also known as the Rosenthal effect, describes how expectations can influence performance through the way people are treated.

In education, a teacher who believes a student can succeed may offer more encouragement, more constructive feedback and more opportunities to participate. Those actions can help the student learn and progress.

The same principle offers an important lesson for families and communities.

When a family believes that their daughter is capable of achieving something meaningful, that belief can influence daily decisions. They may protect her study time, take an interest in her progress, encourage her questions and help her continue when learning becomes difficult.

A girl receives more than words of encouragement. She receives evidence that her future matters.

Belief does not guarantee achievement. Girls still need quality education, resources, safety and opportunities. But the expectations surrounding them can influence whether those opportunities are offered, protected and sustained.

A scholarship opens a door. A supportive community helps her walk through it.

Providing a scholarship can remove an important financial barrier. But a girl may still return home to an environment where her ambitions are dismissed, her household responsibilities leave little time to study or her education is considered less important than her brother’s.

She may hear that science is for boys, leadership is for men or further education is unnecessary because marriage will determine her future.

These messages can undermine the opportunity a scholarship is intended to create.

She shares, “As a leader, I therefore ask a wider question: what happens around a girl after we help her enter or remain in school? Does her family encourage her to continue? Does her community respect her ambition? When she struggles, does someone help her—or interpret that difficulty as proof that she should stop?

Our responsibility is to help create an environment where a girl’s education is valued and her potential is allowed to develop.”

Why First Ladies’ advocacy matters

Dr. Kelej emphasizes on why she considers their partnerships with African First Ladies, who serve as ambassadors, so important.

Scholarships address a practical need. Advocacy can help address the beliefs that determine how families respond to that opportunity.

First Ladies can use their public platforms to bring girls’ education into national conversations and community life. Their advocacy can engage parents, teachers, traditional and religious leaders, the media and other influential voices whose support matters.

When a First Lady consistently champions girls’ education, she can help communicate that educating a daughter is a source of pride, a contribution to the country’s future and a responsibility that communities should share.

That message becomes more meaningful when it reaches families in language they understand, through people they trust and with examples they recognize.

A girl from a rural community who continues her education can make possibility visible to another family. A woman doctor, scientist or engineer can help parents imagine a future they may never previously have considered for their daughter.

“This is why I value advocacy that continues beyond a ceremony or an announcement. Cultural change requires repeated messages, local engagement and visible examples of what girls can achieve when they receive support,” she adds.

Believe in her—and show her what that belief means

Dr. Kelej believes that encouragement must be made practical.

Believing in a girl means giving her time to study. It means sharing household responsibilities fairly. It means listening when she describes what she wants to become.

It also means supporting her through disappointing results.

One difficult examination should not become a verdict on her future. A struggle with mathematics should lead to help, practice and patient teaching.

“We should communicate: You can learn. You can improve. We will help you keep going,” she shares.

High expectations must be accompanied by support. Otherwise, encouragement can become pressure.

A girl should never feel that she must become a president or a doctor to prove that she deserved an education. She deserves the opportunity to discover her abilities, develop her interests and choose a meaningful path of her own.

The cultural shift we need

The change begins when families stop asking whether a girl’s education is worth investing in and start asking how they can help her fulfil her potential.

It grows when communities recognise that talent is not determined by gender, that ambition is something to nurture and that a girl’s success expands what other girls believe is possible.

“This is the message I want Educating Linda to carry, alongside the scholarships we provide and the advocacy we undertake with our First Ladies partners. We want girls to remain in school. We also want them to grow up surrounded by people who take their futures seriously. To families and communities, my message is simple: believe in your girls, encourage them and turn that belief into daily support.

To every girl: your starting point does not have to determine how far you can go. You can aspire to become a doctor, a scientist, an engineer, a leader or pursue another future that matters to you.

The sky is the limit—and we must work together to ensure that the expectations around you give you room to rise.” Dr. Kelej concludes.

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