SYDNEY, July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ —Russell Reynolds Associates today announced that Nick Fletcher, based in Melbourne and Sydney, has been appointed Australia Country Leader, succeeding Alistair Macrae, who moves into the role of Head of Asia Pacific with effect 1 July, 2026.

Nick, a seasoned leadership executive with over 18 years of experience in leadership advisory, has been with the firm since 2007. Before his appointment as Head of Australia, Nick co-leads the Board and CEO Advisory Partnership in APAC. In his new role, he will lead RRA’s Australia business, working closely with clients across the country to address their most critical leadership priorities. He will focus on strengthening the firm’s advisory capabilities, deepening relationships with boards, CEOs and senior executives, and supporting clients on leadership succession, executive assessment, board effectiveness, and transformational leadership.

Nick brings deep experience advising organisations on senior leadership and governance matters. He works closely with clients across Australia and the broader region, partnering with them to identify and develop leaders capable of navigating increasingly complex business, economic and stakeholder environments.

“Our clients are dealing with unprecedented levels of change, and they need stronger leadership than at any time in recent history,” said Nick Fletcher. “I am excited to take on the role of Australia Country Leader and build on the strong foundation that Alistair and the team have established. I am thrilled to lead an exceptional team and bring the full strength of Russell Reynolds Associates’ search and advisory capabilities to our clients.”

“Nick is a trusted advisor to clients and a highly respected colleague, with strong market knowledge and a deep understanding of the leadership challenges facing organisations in Australia and globally,” said Alistair Macrae, Head of Asia Pacific, Russell Reynolds Associates. “We are delighted he is taking on the Australia leadership role and we are confident that he will continue to build on the strength of our Australia business. I look forward to working with Nick and our teams across the region to help clients identify, assess and develop the leaders they need to navigate change and deliver lasting impact.

Prior to RRA, Nick was a manager at A.T. Kearney, where he completed a wide range of strategy, change management and procurement projects with a particular focus on the telecommunications industry.

Nick received his bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Sheffield and graduated first in his MBA class from Warwick Business School. He is also a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the Junior Division of the Staff College.

About Russell Reynolds Associates
Russell Reynolds Associates is a global leadership advisory and search firm. Our 500+ consultants in 47 offices work with public, private and nonprofit organisations across all industries and regions. We help our clients build teams of transformational leaders who can meet today’s challenges and anticipate the digital, economic and political trends that are reshaping the global business environment. From helping boards with their structure, culture and effectiveness to identifying, assessing and defining the best leadership for organisations, our teams bring their decades of expertise to help clients address their most complex leadership issues. We exist to improve the way the world is led. Find out more at www.russellreynolds.com.

• Rounds 14 and 15 of Season 12 brought FIA World Championship night racing to Japan for the first time, with Dan Ticktum and Nick De Vries taking victory in Tokyo.
• Thunderstorms required teams to adapt to changing race conditions across the double-header
• iON Race maintained predictable grip and stable performance as teams adapted from warm daytime sessions to cooler night racing conditions

TOKYO, July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd. (hereafter Hankook), the exclusive tyre supplier to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, equipped all teams as Formula E completed Rounds 14 and 15 of Season 12 (2025/26) at the 2026 TDK Tokyo E-Prix.

In Round 14, CUPRA KIRO’s Dan Ticktum passed Jake Dennis at the penultimate corner of the final lap to take victory, with Nick Cassidy finishing third. In Round 15, Mahindra Racing’s Nyck de Vries won ahead of Cassidy and Dennis. Throughout the weekend, drivers, teams and officials paid tribute to the late Citroën Racing Team Principal Cyril Blais, with Cassidy dedicating his podium finish to Blais.

The 2.575-kilometer temporary circuit around Tokyo Big Sight featured 18 corners and three straights through the Ariake waterfront district. Tokyo’s third Formula E weekend introduced night racing to the venue for the first time, changing the conditions teams encountered between daytime sessions and the races.

The unsettling weather also repeatedly altered track temperatures and surface conditions, forcing teams to adapt tyre management, car setup and race strategy throughout the weekend. A second thunderstorm on Sunday led to the cancellation of Free Practice 3, before wet and gradually drying conditions made Round 15 particularly demanding as grip evolved throughout the race.

Throughout the weekend, Hankook’s iON Race delivered consistent performance as teams transitioned from warm daytime sessions to cooler night races. The temporary street surface, changing temperatures, and evolving grip levels placed particular emphasis on tyre warm-up at the start and following restarts, as well as consistency across the full race distance.

“Bringing Formula E night racing to Tokyo for the first time made this a distinctive weekend and one of the more unusual tyre assignments of our season,” said Manfred Sandbichler, Senior Director of Hankook Motorsport. “The contrast between afternoon running and the 20:05 races shaped how teams prepared for both events, and the iON Race managed that transition and the changing weather conditions well, delivering consistent and predictable performance as the circuit cooled through the evening.”

Following Rounds 14 and 15, Jake Dennis leads the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Drivers’ standings on 146 points, just two points ahead of Mitch Evans and five clear of Pascal Wehrlein. With all three drivers still closely matched, the title will be decided at the 2026 Hankook London E-Prix double-header on 15–16 August. Broadcast details for each region are available on the “How to Watch” page of the Formula E website.

NANTONG, China, July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Highstar unveiled its full-chain battery cell solution for artificial intelligence data centers (AIDCs) at the 2026 GGII Energy Storage Industry Summit. The portfolio spans three critical power layers: grey-space UPS and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems, white-space battery backup units (BBUs), and grid-side energy storage.

Targeted cells for grey-space and white-space challenges

As AI workloads increase rack density and load volatility, data centers require faster response, dependable backup, controlled temperature rise and stronger lifecycle performance. Highstar’s solution centers on two products for the layers closest to computing loads.

For grey space, the 85Ah high-rate lithium iron phosphate cell is designed for UPS and HVDC systems that must deliver high power rapidly and sustain reliable backup under frequent pulse conditions. High-rate discharge, thermal control, safety and durability support compact system design while helping operators balance availability with lifecycle cost. In addition, the 50Ah sodium-ion battery cells are better suited for operation across a wide temperature range of -40°C to 80°C.

For white-space BBUs,  Highstar offers a portfolio of tabless cylindrical cells spanning 18650 and 21700 formats, with both LFP and high-nickel NMC chemistries. Designed for BBU applications, these cells deliver high instantaneous power, low internal resistance, reduced temperature rise and enhanced safety, while accommodating different rack-space, power and cost requirements.

Completing the chain with grid-side storage

The grid-side system uses 314Ah lithium-ion cells and 160Ah sodium-ion cells, balancing long-duration energy storage, cycle life, and rapid power support. Together, the three layers create a coordinated portfolio extending from rack-level protection and system-level backup to upstream energy storage.

The portfolio combines lithium-ion and sodium-ion chemistries with prismatic and cylindrical platforms. Highstar’s technology integrates cathode, anode, electrolyte and separator development with structural approaches including tabless current collection, precision pressure relief and directional venting.

From individual cells to application collaboration

The full-chain architecture is designed to reduce selection and integration complexity for power equipment suppliers, system integrators and data center operators. It also provides a common foundation for joint validation and application-specific development across AIDC power architectures.

During the summit, Highstar also participated in the launch of the “2026 Global AIDC Power Supply Industry Development Blue Book” and was honored as a “Top Benchmark in AIDC Energy Storage,” earning authoritative recognition from the industry.

In a breakthrough clinical trial undertaken by Australian biotechnology company Marinova, a unique seaweed extract has been shown to relieve the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

HOBART, Australia, July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluated the effects of fucoidan, a naturally occurring compound found in brown seaweed, on men with BPH (prostate enlargement).

BPH is a common health issue for men across the globe. Worldwide estimates place prevalence at 50-60% of men in their 60s, increasing to 90% of men in their 80s. While it is typically not life-threatening, urinary symptoms – including difficulty passing urine, a weak stream and an increase in the frequency of urination – often result in a significant reduction in quality-of-life.

Speaking of the rationale behind the study, lead researcher Dr Barbara Wimmer said, “To date, very few natural compounds have been clinically studied and shown to support prostate health effectively. The documented bioactivities of fucoidan led us to embark on this groundbreaking trial.”

In the 90-day study overseen by clinicians, 88 men aged between 45 and 80 years with moderate BPH received either a daily fucoidan supplement or a placebo.

Key findings
Compared to the placebo, participants taking the high purity fucoidan supplement showed:

• Clinically significant improvements in overall BPH symptoms
• A more than nine-fold improvement in voiding symptoms (encompassing the symptoms of emptying, intermittency, weak stream and straining)
• A two-fold improvement in storage symptoms (encompassing the symptoms of frequency, urgency and nocturia)
• A significant improvement in quality-of-life due to urinary symptoms

Watch the clinical trial overview and learn more about the findings.

The study utilised the widely recognised International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) to assess changes in BPH symptoms.

Dr Wimmer explained, “Importantly, the trial results were clinically significant and the fucoidan was shown to be safe throughout the study period. We expect these findings will result in the commercialisation of high purity fucoidan to help relieve the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia.”

The study was published in the journal Research and Reports in Urology.  

About Marinova          

Marinova is an Australian biotechnology company specialising in the research, development and manufacture of high purity fucoidans for inclusion in nutritional, medical device, skincare and pharmaceutical applications. 

SINGAPORE, HONG KONG and LONDON, July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Osome, the AI company management platform trusted by more than 50,000 tech founders and solopreneurs globally, is strengthening its support for the next wave of AI companies choosing Singapore as their regional base.

Singapore’s appeal continues to grow as leading AI companies establish a stronger presence. OpenAI has committed S$300 million (US$234 million) to the country’s AI ecosystem, while Cognition has established its APAC headquarters there. Anthropic and Tencent are also increasing their presence in Singapore.

Budget 2026 reinforces this momentum with a National AI Impact Programme, a new Kampong AI hub at one-north, and a 400% tax deduction on qualifying AI investments. Foreign companies can access these incentives by incorporating a Private Limited Company, which allows 100% foreign ownership and startup tax rates as low as 10% under the Startup Tax Exemption.

As more AI-native startups choose Singapore to build lean, global businesses, Osome helps founders navigate the process. Operating across Singapore, Hong Kong, the UK, and the UAE, it enables founders to incorporate a company as fast as 7 days while managing back-office operations, including accounting, bookkeeping, and compliance.

Building on that support, Osome recently launched its Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, turning founders’ preferred AI assistants into a business command center. Through Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini, founders can securely retrieve transactions, shareholder records, financial reports, and other company data from a single AI interface.

AI-native & tech founders are already building with Osome. UpNComer‘s founder, Karan Dasgupta, incorporated his Singapore company within days of switching to Osome, saving “easily 20 hours” every month. Dubai-based Aesty and Hong Kong’s Angelflow have reported similar gains, cutting bookkeeping from around a week of work to just two hours a month.

Eugenio Ferrante, CEO of Osome, said: “A few years ago, building a global company required a 500-person team and a massive regional office. Today, a three-person AI startup can operate globally from Singapore with a laptop. The biggest threat isn’t competition, but administrative drag. With our new MCP server, you can manage your company’s finance and compliance via your AI assistant, leaving you free to focus on building and serving customers.”

About Osome

Osome is an AI company-management platform combining human expertise with automation for incorporation, accounting and tax compliance. Since 2017, it has served 50,000+ startups in Singapore, Hong Kong, the UK and the UAE. Learn more at osome.com.