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June 13, 2023

Ascendis Pharma Showcases Its Latest Endocrinology Programs, Data, and Research at ENDO 2023

– Endocrinology clinical development progress and research in growth hormone deficiency, hypoparathyroidism, achondroplasia, and Turner Syndrome will be highlighted

– Phase 3 Week 52 data for TransCon PTH in adults with hypoparathyroidism selected for oral presentation

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, June 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ascendis Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ASND) today announced it will showcase its latest Endocrinology Rare Disease programs, data, and research in growth hormone deficiency, hypoparathyroidism, achondroplasia, and Turner Syndrome at ENDO 2023, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society being held June 15-18 in Chicago.

An oral presentation on Saturday, June 17, will feature Phase 3 Week 52 data for TransCon PTH in adults with hypoparathyroidism, and five additional poster presentations listed in the table below will showcase other Ascendis programs and data. In addition, Ascendis will host booth #1628, booth #1740, and two product theaters during ENDO 2023.

ABSTRACT		PRESENTING AUTHOR
Hypoparathyroidism
Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of TransCon PTH in Adults with Hypoparathyroidism: 52-Week Results from the Open-Label Extension of the PaTHway Phase 3 Trial Oral presentation, Saturday, June 17, 4:30-4:45 pm (CDT)) Session: OR23-05		Bart L. Clarke, M.D.
Clinical and Economic Burden of Postsurgical Chronic Hypoparathyroidism: A U.S. Medicare Retrospective Analysis Poster, Saturday, June 17, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (CDT) Session P69 Poster: SAT-233		Wahidullah Noori, Pharm. D., M.S.
Achondroplasia
Significantly Improved Annual Height Velocity with Once-Weekly TransCon CNP in Children with Achondroplasia: The ACcomplisH Phase 2, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Escalation Trial Poster, Thursday, Thursday, June 15, 12:30 – 1:30 pm (CDT) Session P10 Poster: THU-156		Ravi Savarirayan, MBBS, FRACP, HGSA, MD
Growth Hormone Deficiency
Prevalence of Comorbidities Among Treated and Untreated Adults with Suspected Growth Hormone Deficiency Late Breaker: Poster, Saturday, June 17, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (CDT) Session P87 Poster SAT-611		Subhara Raveendran, Ph.D
Subanalysis by Tanner Stage in Phase 3 Trials in Children and Adolescents with Growth Hormone Deficiency Treated with Lonapegsomatropin Poster, Thursday, June 15, 12:30 – 1:30 pm (CDT) Session P10 Poster: THU-173		Paul Hofman, MBChB, Dip Obs, FRACP
Turner Syndrome
Design of the New InsiGHTS Trial: A Multicenter, Phase 2, Randomized, Open-Label, Active Controlled Study to Investigate the Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Lonapegsomatropin in Prepubertal Individuals with Turner Syndrome Poster, Thursday, June 15, 12:30 – 1:30 pm (CDT) Session P10 Poster: THU-164		Sohair Abdelrahman, Pharm.D

About Ascendis Pharma A/S
Ascendis Pharma is applying its innovative TransCon technology platform to build a leading, fully integrated, global biopharma company focused on making a meaningful difference in patients’ lives. Guided by its core values of patients, science and passion, the company uses its TransCon technologies to create new and potentially best-in-class therapies. Ascendis is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, and has additional facilities in Germany (Heidelberg, Berlin and Munich) and the United States (Palo Alto and Redwood City, California, and Princeton, New Jersey). Visit ascendispharma.com to learn more.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding Ascendis’ future operations, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to (i) Ascendis’ ability to apply its TransCon technology platform to build a leading, fully integrated, global biopharma company, and (ii) Ascendis’ use of its TransCon technologies to create new and potentially best-in-class therapies. Ascendis may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions, expectations and projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that Ascendis makes, including the following: dependence on third party manufacturers, distributors and service providers for Ascendis’ products and product candidates; unforeseen safety or efficacy results in its development programs or on-market products; unforeseen expenses related to commercialization of any approved Ascendis products; unforeseen expenses related to Ascendis’ development programs; unforeseen selling, general and administrative expenses, other research and development expenses and Ascendis’ business generally; delays in the development of its programs related to manufacturing, regulatory requirements, speed of patient recruitment or other unforeseen delays; Ascendis’ ability to obtain additional funding, if needed, to support its business activities; the impact of international economic, political, legal, compliance, social and business factors, including inflation, and the effects on its business from the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing conflicts such as that in the region surrounding Ukraine and Russia. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to Ascendis’ business in general, see Ascendis’ Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 16, 2023 and Ascendis’ other future reports filed with, or submitted to, the SEC. Forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future licensing, collaborations, acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, or investments that Ascendis may enter into or make. Ascendis does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Ascendis, Ascendis Pharma, the Ascendis Pharma logo, the company logo, and TransCon are trademarks owned by the Ascendis Pharma group. © June 2023 Ascendis Pharma A/S.

Investor Contacts:			Media Contact:
Tim Lee			Melinda Baker
Ascendis Pharma			Ascendis Pharma
+1 (650) 374-6343			+1 (650) 709-8875
[email protected]			[email protected]
[email protected]

Patti Bank
ICR Westwicke
+1 (415) 513-1284
[email protected]

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8856534

June 13, 2023

Akoustis Launches State-of-the-Art XBAW® Foundry Services and AI-Enabled Engineering Design Software

Akoustis’ Foundry Services Offers Custom 150-mm RF MEMS Silicon (Si) Substrate Fabrication Capabilities for RF Resonators and Filters
Launches Fully Automated PDK Incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Enabled Software for Chip Design
Expands Available Market Enabling Broad Selection of Customers the Ability to Utilize XBAW^® Process

Charlotte, N.C., June 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Akoustis Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKTS) (“Akoustis” or the “Company”), an integrated device manufacturer (IDM) of patented bulk acoustic wave (BAW) high-band RF filters for mobile and other wireless applications, announced that the Company has launched its cutting-edge foundry and engineering services to target market segments including mobile, Wi-Fi, defense, 5G infrastructure, and automotive.

Akoustis’ world class foundry will provide customers with unmatched bulk acoustic wave (BAW) fabrication capabilities on 150-mm Si substrates. Strategically located just outside of Rochester, New York, the Company’s 125,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility enables the manufacture of high-performance BAW devices based on the MEMS-based XBAW^®process.

Akoustis’ foundry will offer distinct XBAW^® technology, catering to different frequency ranges and providing customers with unparalleled flexibility. The XBAW^® XB1 technology covers a frequency range from 1.6 GHz to 7 GHz, while the next generation XBAW^® XP3F technology is expected to cover frequencies from 7 GHz to 20 GHz. As a part of its comprehensive solution, Akoustis provides automated Process Design Kits (PDKs) leveraging machine learning algorithms to customers, facilitating efficient and accurate design implementations. The PDKs will enable customers to construct intricate designs and optimize their end solutions, leveraging the full potential of Akoustis’ foundry and its advanced fabrication capabilities. Akoustis’ back-end services will be driven by GDSI, a US-based, trusted supplier of premium semiconductor back-end supply chain services, catering to customers’ advanced wafer processing needs with services including wafer dicing, wafer pick and place, and back grinding and polishing.

Jeff Shealy, founder and CEO of Akoustis, stated, “The launch of our improved foundry and engineering services represents a significant milestone for Akoustis as we continue to lead the industry in providing cutting-edge BAW RF filter solutions.” Mr. Shealy continued, “By leveraging our advanced PDKs driven by AI-enabled software to reduce design cycle time customers can streamline their design processes, achieve optimal performance, and stay at the forefront of wireless innovation with seamless integration.”

Akoustis continues to experience strong demand and a growing sales funnel for its Wi-Fi, 5G mobile, and 5G infrastructure products, as well as its new XBAW^®/SAW resonator and oscillator products, and semiconductor back-end services. Akoustis continues to add new Wi-Fi design wins, many of which are expected to ramp into production in calendar 2023.

About Akoustis Technologies, Inc.

Akoustis^® (http://www.akoustis.com/) is a high-tech BAW RF filter solutions company that is pioneering next-generation materials science and MEMS wafer manufacturing to address the market requirements for improved RF filters – targeting higher bandwidth, higher operating frequencies and higher output power compared to legacy polycrystalline BAW technology. The Company utilizes its proprietary and patented XBAW^® manufacturing process to produce bulk acoustic wave RF filters for mobile and other wireless markets, which facilitate signal acquisition and accelerate band performance between the antenna and digital back end. Superior performance is driven by the significant advances of poly-crystal, single-crystal, and other high purity piezoelectric materials and the resonator-filter process technology which enables optimal trade-offs between critical power, frequency, and bandwidth performance specifications.

Akoustis plans to service the fast growing multi-billion-dollar RF filter market using its integrated device manufacturer (IDM) business model. The Company owns and operates a 125,000 sq. ft. ISO-9001:2015 registered commercial wafer-manufacturing facility located in Canandaigua, NY, which includes a class 100 / class 1000 cleanroom facility – tooled for 150-mm diameter wafers – for the design, development, fabrication and packaging of RF filters, MEMS and other semiconductor devices. Akoustis Technologies, Inc. is headquartered in the Piedmont technology corridor near Charlotte, North Carolina.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended, that are intended to be covered by the “safe harbor” created by those sections. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans or strategies for the future (including our possible future results of operations, profitability, business strategies, competitive position, potential growth opportunities, potential market opportunities and the effects of competition), timing and achievement of new design wins and ramping of production, and the assumptions underlying such statements. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts and typically are identified by use of terms such as “may,” “might,” “would,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “project,” “expect,” “plan,” “strategy,” “anticipate,” “attempt,” “develop,” “help,” “believe,” “think,” “estimate,” “predict,” “intend,” “forecast,” “seek,” “potential,” “possible,” “continue,” “future,” and similar words (including the negative of any of the foregoing), although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future results, performance, events or circumstances. Instead, these forward-looking statements are based on management’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions, and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated include, without limitation, risks relating to our inability to obtain adequate financing and sustain our status as a going concern; our limited operating history; our inability to generate revenues or achieve profitability; the results of our research and development activities; our inability to achieve acceptance of our products in the market; the possibility that the anticipated benefits from business acquisitions will not be realized in full or at all or may take longer to realize than expected; the possibility that costs or difficulties related to the integration of acquired businesses’ operations will be greater than expected and the possibility of disruptions to our business during integration efforts and strain on management time and resources; the impact of a pandemic or epidemic or a natural disaster, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and other sources of volatility on our operations, financial condition and the worldwide economy, including its impact on our ability to access the capital markets; increases in prices for raw materials, labor, and fuel caused by rising inflation; general economic conditions, including upturns and downturns in the industry; shortages in supplies needed to manufacture our products, or needed by our customers to manufacture devices incorporating our products; our limited number of patents; failure to obtain, maintain, and enforce our intellectual property rights; claims of infringement, misappropriation or misuse of third party intellectual property, including the lawsuit filed by Qorvo, Inc. in October 2021, that, regardless of merit, could result in significant expense and negatively impact our business results; our inability to attract and retain qualified personnel; our reliance on third parties to complete certain processes in connection with the manufacture of our products; product quality and defects; existing or increased competition; our ability to successfully manufacture, market and sell products based on our technologies; our ability to meet the required specifications of customers and achieve qualification of our products for commercial manufacturing in a timely manner; our inability to successfully scale our New York wafer fabrication facility and related operations while maintaining quality control and assurance and avoiding delays in output; the rate and degree of market acceptance of any of our products; our ability to achieve design wins from current and future customers; contracting with customers and other parties with greater bargaining power and agreeing to terms and conditions that may adversely affect our business; risks related to doing business in foreign countries, including China; any security breaches, cyber-attacks or other disruptions compromising our proprietary information and exposing us to liability; our failure to innovate or adapt to new or emerging technologies, including in relation to our competitors; our failure to comply with regulatory requirements; results of any arbitration or litigation that may arise; stock volatility and illiquidity; dilution caused by any future issuance of common stock or securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stock; our failure to implement our business plans or strategies; and our ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in more detail in the Risk Factors and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Considering these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking statements regarding future events and circumstances discussed in this document may not occur, and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements included in this document speak only as of the date hereof and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly or privately any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, for any reason after the date of this document to conform these statements to new information, actual results or to changes in our expectations.

Contact:

COMPANY:
Tom Sepenzis
Akoustis Technologies
VP of Corporate Development & IR
(980) 689-4961
[email protected]

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8856558

June 13, 2023

Haikenen? Aineken? Heineken®? Spelling it correctly won’t create good times, but the world’s most international beer brand knows what can

Heineken® is marking its 150th Anniversary with an unconventional celebration that prioritises good times over getting it right

Haikenen? Aineken? Heineken®? Spelling it correctly won’t create good times, but the world’s most international beer brand knows what can.

Heineken® is marking its 150th Anniversary with an unconventional celebration that prioritises good times over getting it right.

Haikenen? Aineken? Heineken®? Spelling it correctly won’t create good times, but the world’s most international beer brand knows what can.

Heineken® is marking its 150th Anniversary with an unconventional celebration that prioritises good times over getting it right.

Haikenen? Aineken? Heineken®? Can you spot the difference?

No, this isn’t a typo… Heineken is misspelt on the truck exteriors to reflect the brand’s 150th anniversary campaign, which celebrates all of its common spelling mistakes and colloquial nicknames globally.

AMSTERDAM, June 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Heineken®, one of the world’s most recognised beer brands, is today marking its 150th anniversary with an unconventional celebration of the many ways the brand has been nicknamed, misspelled or mis-served over the years, all to showcase how good times and sparking true connections over a beer are, in the end, what matters most.

Freddy Heineken’s famous words “I don’t sell beer, I sell gezelligheid” have never rung so true. “Gezelligheid” translated is that feeling of good times, something that has been at the heart of the Heineken® brand for the last 150 years. To celebrate this milestone anniversary, Heineken® is putting good times front and centre of its global birthday festivities.

Of course, good times have changed over the 150 years of Heineken®’s existence and will continue to do so, but their importance in people’s lives have not. Recognising this and as part of the anniversary celebration, the Heineken® brand has worked with academics to better understand the ingredients that are needed to deliver that feeling of “good times” in the modern day; a surprisingly under-studied human need.

Marking a turning point in the brand’s history, Heineken® has decided to evolve the way it measures success – focusing not just on the volume of beer it sells but also the good times it delivers for its customers in over 190 countries.

To do this, Heineken® has collaborated with behavioural scientist Dr Chris Brauer, Goldsmiths, University of London, to create the ‘Good Times Index’, a new brand measurement model which will score the brand’s contribution to creating the perfect conditions for good times. Through human behavioural research, the index has identified five core conditions that people universally need to experience good times, including open-mindedness, inclusivity, and human connection:

With the Good Times Index in place, Heineken® is staying true to its vision by becoming the first beer brand to officially have “delivering good times” as part of the way it measures its annual performance – alongside sales and other brand tracking metrics.

Bram Westenbrink, Global Head, Heineken® Brand, said: “Brewing good times has been in our DNA for 150 years. That is why we are evolving our brand metrics to show that creating good times is equally as important as the beer we produce. By better understanding the conditions behind good times in today’s world, we can continue to create experiences for all our global customers that promote that feeling of gezelligheid – whether that is through the messages in our advertising, our sponsorships and events or of course our range of products including our non-alcoholic Heineken® 0.0 or our more modern flavoured Heineken® Silver. It is our goal that we will continue to deliver good times, one way or another, for the next 150 years and beyond.”

Dr Chris Brauer, Director of Innovation at Goldsmiths, University of London, said: “When we came to this project, we recognised that the understanding of what makes a good time, required a new and fresher perspective. Together with Heineken®, we have worked to better understand the multiple dimensions that make up that feeling of “Good Times”, and the ways in which it is experienced today. Good times are not just one thing or another, they are a multitude of different and subjective feelings, experiences, wants and needs that help generate a sensation and fulfil higher order needs. There has never been a more important time or opportunity to measure the role and prevalence of good times in our lives, so I’m excited to see a brand like Heineken® take serious steps to ensure that they are better understanding and enabling that feeling of “gezelligheid”.”

RESEARCH UNDERSTANDING ‘GOOD TIMES’ AROUND THE WORLD

Heineken’s® inaugural results from the Good Times Index comes at an important moment socially around the world, as 87% of consumers believe it is more important now than ever for them to have a good time. But one thing that is consistent, is that good times are best enjoyed together.

Additional consumer research from Heineken® shows that 82% care more about being with friends than if their night goes to plan. Surprisingly, 75% of respondents believe that the people you watch a sport match with is more important than if your team wins.

Despite the fact 87% of respondents believe opportunities to connect in person with loved ones have become even more important since the pandemic, over half (61%) agreed that given the current economic climate, they would be more likely to work overtime and sacrifice social moments with friends and family.

Nevertheless, many remain open-minded about good times ahead, with the vast majority (88%) agreeing their best memories come from unexpected moments. This open-mindedness follows through into the ways we socialise, as 78% agree it is important to socialise with people that don’t always share the same views as them – a sentiment most strongly held in Brazil (84%) and the UK (81%).

HEINEKEN® ACTIVITY CELEBRATING H150

To help bring the brand’s commitment to good times to life, the anniversary’s tongue-in-cheek ATL campaign takes viewers on a journey around the globe to embrace all the different ways people adapt and enjoy social moments and memories with Heineken® – ranging from an incorrectly spelt tattoo of the logo to a Heineken® Original being served with a lime, straw and ice. The light-hearted video sees the brewer celebrate the good times it provides – even if the way consumers spell or enjoy it isn’t 100% correct or as originally intended.

To further poke fun at itself, Heineken® will replace its logo with a number of alternative spellings it has seen over the years, appearing across all of Heineken’s® social media accounts and website pages, as well as on several new electric lorries.

The full video, developed by creative agency Le Pub Milan is available to watch online: HERE.

Editorial information:

Please find the high-resolution campaign images of the collaboration and campaign here.

For more information, please contact: [email protected] or +447580979333.

About HEINEKEN:
HEINEKEN is the world’s most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution, and focused cost management. Through “Brewing a Better World”, sustainability is embedded in the business.

HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ over 85,000 employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY).

Most recent information is available on HEINEKEN’s website: www.theHEINEKENcompany.com and follow us on Twitter via @HEINEKENCorp.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d1e42fe2-94d7-4137-bdb0-866b4a6fea23

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/155922eb-bea4-402f-9e2b-01709537630d

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e5890685-6de4-4f50-97e0-18df342c03d9

The photos are also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8857069

June 12, 2023

Toast Selects FreedomPay as its Preferred Payments Partner for Global Enterprise Merchants

Toast will now enable enterprise merchants to combine FreedomPay’s best-in-class global Commerce Platform with its leading restaurant digital platform

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FreedomPay, the world’s leading independent commerce platform and Toast, the all-in-one digital platform built for the entire restaurant community, signed a partnership agreement making FreedomPay Toast’s preferred payments gateway partner for select enterprise brands.

Toast will be able to offer its cloud-based digital platform for restaurants to leading enterprise merchants in the U.S. and Canada who are on the award-winning FreedomPay Commerce Platform.

Kelly Esten, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Enterprise at Toast stated: “As the restaurant industry rapidly adapts to new service models, Toast continues to deliver the industry’s trusted digital platform to help restaurants of all sizes and types—including franchisees—drive profitability, create the streamlined dining experiences guests expect, and make managing food service operations across properties easier than ever. We look forward to partnering with FreedomPay as we drive our enterprise expansion.”

FreedomPay Senior Vice President, Sales & Digital Development Nate Ware added: “This exciting collaboration between FreedomPay and Toast delivers advanced capabilities to large merchants. We are quite simply ‘unleashing the power of pay’ to thousands more businesses to help support Toast’s growth across enterprise level merchant solutions.”

FreedomPay is one of the world’s fastest growing Fintechs, innovating and transforming commerce to Next Level payment solutions. FreedomPay is aggressively expanding in new markets including the Middle East, South America, Africa and APAC. FreedomPay has recently been named one of the Fastest Growing FinTechs to Watch in 2022 and is a finalist for the Best Payment System in the PayTech Awards, London 2023.

FreedomPay and Toast will be exhibiting together at HITEC in Toronto, June 26-29. Visit booth 516/518 to learn more.

About FreedomPay
FreedomPay’s Next Level Commerce platform transforms existing payment systems and processes from legacy to leading edge. As the premier choice for many of the largest companies across the globe in retail, hospitality, lodging, gaming, sports and entertainment, foodservice, education, healthcare and financial services, FreedomPay’s technology has been purposely built to deliver rock solid performance in the highly complex environment of global commerce. The company maintains a world-class security environment and was first to earn the coveted validation by the PCI Security Standards Council against Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE/EMV) standard in North America. FreedomPay’s robust solutions across payments, security, identity, and data analytics are available in-store, online and on-mobile and are supported by rapid API adoption. The award winning FreedomPay Commerce Platform operates on a single, unified technology stack across multiple continents allowing enterprises to deliver an innovative Next Level experience on a global scale. www.freedompay.com

Jennifer Tayebi
Hill+Knowlton Strategies for FreedomPay
+1 734 395 0780
jennifer.tayebi@hkstrategies.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8856540

June 12, 2023

Dominica Ranks as Safest Country in the Caribbean in 2023 World Citizenship Report: CS Global Partners

London, June 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Commonwealth of Dominica has been crowned as the safest place in the Caribbean in the second annual World Citizenship Report published by the world’s leading government advisory and marketing firm, CS Global Partners.

Using data from the World Citizenship Index (WCI), the World Citizenship Report’s data-driven tool which measures 188 countries across five motivators most relevant to the mass affluent, the Nature Isle topped the Safety and Security pillar in the region with a score of 76.9, bringing it to the 38th safest place in the international arena.

In the Caribbean, Grenada (46), St Kitts and Nevis (48), Saint Lucia (50) and Antigua and Barbuda (52) followed Dominica’s safety and security rank of 38. Iceland (1), New Zealand (2) and Switzerland (3) kept their top rankings globally for the second year in a row, while economic giants like the US (65) and China (111) trailed much further behind Dominica.

Dominica continues to place emphasis on physical safety, rule of law, and political stability and ranks high in categories like voice and accountability, where citizens feel empowered to hold leaders accountable to their demands and needs.

The post-pandemic return to ‘normal’ has been marred by generational inflation, broader macroeconomic volatility as well as the geopolitical instability stemming from the crisis in Ukraine – which has threatened to upend the ‘Long Peace’ enjoyed since the end of WWII.

The resultant supply chain, energy, and political pressures have pushed the global economy closer to a recession and are forcing governments to enact monetary and fiscal policy changes that are pressurising households the world over. Perhaps more importantly, the upheaval of the last two years that has engendered both restrictions on local and international movement and increased economic headwinds have compelled the world’s citizens to reappraise their relationship with their own governments with respect to freedom, safety, and opportunity.

The mass affluent and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are looking for alternative destinations as a bolt-hole for future crises in countries that offer the freedoms that are lacking in their home nations.

With many parts of the world also experiencing an uptick in violent crime due to ineffective policies and rising inequality, smaller jurisdictions in particular are increasingly prioritising efforts to ensure the rule of law for all as part of efforts to boost tourism and attract digital nomads. In the Caribbean for example, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) data shows that St Kitts and Nevis saw a 50 per cent reduction in its average crime statistics over the past five years resulting in it being ranked among the safest islands to visit in 2023 by well-known tourist guide “Travellers Worldwide”.

Caribbean nations that offer investment migration schemes such as Dominica, offer global citizens access to some of the best travel and economic markets in the world.

Dominica began welcoming foreign nationals to obtain citizenship in 1993. The island remains politically and economically stable, with a low crime rate and rich investment opportunities.

Chantal Mabanga
CS Global Partners
+44 (0) 207 318 4343
Chantal.Mabanga@csglobalpartners.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8856088

June 9, 2023

Caribbean CBI countries rank high once again in 2023 World Citizenship Report: CS Global Partners

London, June 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Caribbean nations with Citizenship by Investment schemes ranked in the top 30 per cent of this year’s World Citizenship Report. The Report measures 188 countries across five motivators deemed as most relevant among the mass affluent – Safety and Security, Economic Opportunity, Quality of Life, Global Mobility and Financial Freedom.

This year, St Kitts and Nevis kept its position of 48th out of the 188 countries while Grenada (49), Antigua & Barbuda (50), the Commonwealth of Dominica (52) and Saint Lucia (53) followed closely behind.

The Caribbean is considered the cradle of investment immigration due to the high concentration of countries that offer CBI programmes in the region.

Caribbean nations are becoming investment hubs in the global arena, offering attractions such as safety, lucrative financial diversification options and idyllic lifestyles that make them desirable places to take up second citizenship. For example, all the Caribbean nations hosting CBI programmes are members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) which is committed to promoting and supporting a unified Caribbean community that is inclusive, resilient, and competitive to share in economic, social and cultural growth.

These CARICOM members have also pledged to continue to be vigilant in managing the threats to sustainable development in the region.

This includes implementing initiatives that attract foreign direct investment, ensuring that the region is not perceived as high risk by investors, lobbying against the proposed global minimum corporation tax and continuing to build relations with the OECD (Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) and European Union.

For example, earlier this year, heads of state from all five Caribbean nations offering citizenship by investment programmes met with several US government officials to discuss ways to enhance security and due-diligence checks which will minimise any potential risks of the various CBI programmes on offer.

Prime Ministers from St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Dominica and Grenada were all in attendance, alongside the heads of each nation’s Citizenship by Investment Units (CIU). The meeting, which was led by the Assistant Secretary of the US Department of the Treasury had some positive outcomes and all nations agreed to follow six processing principles which were suggested by the United States, including:

The suspension of processing for Russian and Belarussian applicants in all five nations.

Introduction of application interviews, either in person or via virtual interview.
Non-processing of applications of people who have previously been denied visas in other countries.
Conduct regular audits either annually or bi-annually in line with international standards.
Introduce additional due-diligence checks to be made through each nation’s Financial Intelligence unit.
Retrieval by law enforcement of all revoked passports

This year’s World Citizenship Report found that high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and the mass affluent are in search of greater freedoms, and in preparing for the future, they want to have more control over their freedoms.

This group of HNWIs and mass affluent are securing these freedoms by ensuring that they have a second home through residency and citizenship programmes.

For decades countries like the US, Canada, the UK, and France were attractive destinations for many who wanted to migrate. However, those popular countries are all struggling, both financially with threats of a recession and high inflation, as well as experiencing civil unrest in the form of protests and strikes. The mass affluent and HNWIs have begun to look for alternative destinations as a bolt-hole for future crises, countries that offer the freedoms that are lacking in their home nations.

Caribbean nations have been offering precisely this for decades – Dominica ranked the safest and most secure Caribbean CBI nation, and all five countries were almost equal in terms of economic opportunity.

Small island nations are ensuring their prosperity and sustainability through CBI programmes which continue to be a viable way for Caribbean nations to attract foreign direct investment into their economies which is then used for significant developmental projects.

Dominica’s construction of a geothermal plant, another tangible example of how the nation is moving away from fossil fuels in order to become a greener economy, was made possible by the revenue from CBI.

The nation of St Kitts and Nevis is following suit, also moving away from fossil fuel. St Kitts and Nevis has taken the seriousness of its CBI programme one step further by instituting innovative and industry-first regulation that will not only enhance the programme’s international reputation but will also ensure that international investors and citizens alike benefit from a safe, secure, stable and economically prosperous nation.

The inflow of funds to the private sector has had a noticeable impact on the economic activity of island nations, in many instances improving fiscal outcomes, facilitating debt repayment and spurring economic growth.

Caribbean nations continue to be politically and economically stable, with a low crime rate and rich investment opportunities – therefore solid investment options for those looking to attain freedom.

The World Citizenship Report is published by CS Global Partners, a leading investment migration advisory firm.

Attachment

CS Global Partners’ WCR 2023

Chantal Mabanga
CS Global Partners
+44 (0) 207 318 4343
Chantal.Mabanga@csglobalpartners.com

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