By Richard Eden for The Daily Mail

Published: 7:19 PM EDT, March 22, 2024 | Updated: 7:25 PM EDT, March 22, 2024

Zoë Foster Blake has broken her silence on buying back her stake in her skincare brand Go-To after beauty company BWX went bankrupt.

The Australian author, 43, sold her 51.5 percent stake in her beauty brand to the ASX-listed beauty conglomerate for $89 million for the first time in 2021.

But just two years later, Zoë and Go-To co-founder Paul Bates bought back their controlling stake in the company for a fraction of the $21.8 million price, after BWX went into administration in April 2023.

Reflecting on the turbulent time, Zoë admitted she felt ‘way out of her depth’ with the deal as there is no ‘handbook’ for finding the perfect business partner and investor.

“How did you know when it was the right time? How did you know they were the right partner? Because there is no manual,” she told the newspaper Financial Overview. ‘

The wife of comedian Hamish Blake said she felt “motherly” towards Go-To and did everything she could to save the company after the BWX deal unraveled.

‘There’s nothing like seeing your baby in trouble to get you started. I thought, ‘I’m here, I’m going to protect my baby at all costs.’ I felt very motherly, nothing has strengthened me as much as this,” she said.

‘I thought I might leave the company next year [as per the original BWX deal] is unfathomable now, I’m swinging all the way back in,” she added.

Zoe also discussed her blossoming career as a businesswoman and admitted that she was never a child with big business ambitions and that she is the advertisement for learning as she discussed how to overcome recent hurdles.

She said she put everything into her decision to buy back her shares to ensure she was doing the right thing for her brand, admitting: ‘I couldn’t live with myself if I messed up.’

Despite the turbulent times, Zoë is celebrating Go-To’s tenth anniversary this year and organized a party last weekend to commemorate the incredible achievement.

In an Instagram post, Zoë spoke about her brand’s “brilliant team” as she celebrated ten years of her “thriving” business with a low-key at-home party.

‘It is a real pleasure and a privilege to take care of your skin. I love this company, this community and this adventure. Here’s cheers to ten years,” she wrote.

For the drinks reception, which she hosted at her home, she cut a glamorous figure in a beautiful peach satin dress as she pulled out all the stops for the party.

Last year, Zoë bought back her stake in Go-To Skincare for $21.8 million, after selling it to BWX for $89 million two years earlier.

“This is an incredible brand and company, with a very passionate team and an incredibly loyal and supportive customer,” she said The Australian Financial Review at the time it buys back its shares.

“It is my joy and privilege to give both my full focus and attention [to Go-To].’

Zoë, who founded the brand in 2014, continued as Chief Creative Officer and Director of Go-To after initially selling her shares to BWX, and is now back at full speed running her business.

BWX suffered a $335 million loss in the 2021-2022 financial year, with mining magnate Andrew Forrest stepping in to save the company.

Go-To had distanced itself from BWX, saying it is operationally independent, despite BWX owning 51 percent of the shares.

BWX revealed in February 2023 that it had lost another $100 million in the first half of the fiscal year when the company’s CEO Rory Gration resigned.

In April, BWX was admitted voluntarily. KPMG was appointed to deal with its collapse.

VIRGIN Media O2 has come up with a new way to accelerate the rollout of 5G in the UK.

One of the issues that network providers say is hindering their ability to quickly expand 5G is construction permitting.

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This involves installing radio equipment, connecting locations to the electricity network and then establishing fiber optic connections to transport mobile traffic to the internet.

But Virgin Media O2 has found a clever way around all this so it can roll out 5G to more areas faster.

It’s also cheaper, which could stop future price increases for customers after recent bill increases were announced.

Instead, the company has started installing mini smart poles next to their existing fiber broadband cabinets.

These can be installed in less than a day and feature small cell technology that can boost mobile coverage in busy areas, Virgin Media O2 claims.

And electricity will be supplied by Virgin Media’s fiber optic network instead of a traditional power supply, in a “British first”.

The company already has about 25,000 cabinets on the street, meaning a rapid 5G boost could be in store after the trial.

“As we continue to invest to upgrade and expand our network, we are always looking for new ways to work smarter and deliver more for our customers,” said Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2.

“Groundbreaking tests like this can help expand mobile coverage and bring next-generation services to even more customers.

“The ability to use our existing national fixed network for backhaul and small cell power could be transformative. It could help us save time and money, open new revenue streams, support smart city technology and leverage the benefits of our scaled fully utilize the converged network.”

Free streaming from Virgin Media O2

Virgin Media O2 customers can currently access Apple TV+ for free via the Priority app.

The offer is available to new Apple TV+ customers who have not previously received the offer for free.

Just open the Priority app and search for Apple TV+ to redeem the offer.

By Freddy Pawle for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 00:48 EDT, March 19, 2024 | Updated: 1:00 AM EDT, March 19, 2024

The Midcap and Small Cap index outperformed Nifty by 28 percentage points and 34 percentage points respectively in FYTD24.

New Delhi: Mid- and small-cap funds accounted for 59 percent of assets under management and 87 percent of cash flows in FY24, according to global brokerage firm Jefferies.

The Midcap and Small Cap index outperformed Nifty by 28 percentage points and 34 percentage points respectively in FYTD24 (i.e. since April 2023), driven by strong inflows into the Mid and Small fund category, which accounted for 87 percent of the total inflow into the Large, Medium, Small, Large and Medium categories combined (FY23 71 percent), the brokerage said.

Assets under management now represent approximately 59 percent of the total assets under management of investment funds in the SMID categories (53 percent in Mar’23). Small Cap funds have seen a much larger increase in their AUM share since the Covid lows, which have increased by 10 percentage points (from 13.9 percent to 23.7 percent) compared to Midcap funds, which have increased by 5 percentage points since then have increased (30.2 percent to 34.8 percent).

The inflow into SMID ceiling schemes is decreasing, but the level of activity is high. While mutual fund outflows into SMID capitalization categories have seen a surge this year, they have gradually started to moderate, with outflows into small-cap funds falling from 71 percent of total inflows in the April-June quarter 23 to 35 percent in January-February. In 2024 this will still be 7 percentage points above the five-year average, according to the brokerage.

Midcap fund flows, on the other hand, have returned to the five-year average of 33.5 percent.

Volume in the Midcap and Small Cap sectors remains high, with Midcap volume against Nifty at its peak in late 2018 and 2022, while Small Cap index volume is well above peak, indicating some potential for more correction due to normalization of volumes, Jefferies said.

“We believe that small/mid cap, which has already undergone a 12 per cent/7 per cent correction from the Feb 24 peak, will see some pain due to the continued regulatory tightening,” the broker said in his report.

POPULAR energy company customers are excited about a new rewards program that entitles them to a free Greggs every week.

Keen-eyed bargain hunters spotted the deal online and quickly shared it on social media.

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The cheeky offer means Octopus customers can quickly get a Greggs, but only if they meet a certain three-point criteria.

Existing customers are already happily sharing their free coffee and sausage rolls, but some only knew about it when they saw other Octopus customers receiving the free food while in one of the bakery’s branches.

In a post to the Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK – where Brits regularly share their favorite money-saving finds – the user said they had been enjoying free coffee for a month.

The poster – who shared a screenshot of the deal – wrote: “It’s now been a month since I enjoy a free hot drink from Greggs every week.

“This week there was a hot drink and a sausage roll.”

Other members of the group jumped into the comments to share their thoughts on the deal, while also noting a catch that could mean some won’t be able to take advantage of the arrangement.

One user said: “My husband came into Greggs last week wanting to get a sausage roll when the man next to him pulled out his octopus reward.

“He said, ‘doh, we’re with them, I got one too.’”

A second user said: “Yes, my husband enjoyed the Greggs freebies too.”

And a third said: “My teenagers take turns drinking the weekly hot drink after university, they love it.”

But one punter was quick to remind others what it takes to take advantage of the bakery products – and it could mean many customers will still have to put money on the counter for their Greggs breakfast.

They said: “Yes, I’m with Octopus and you only get that if you’re on a smart meter, which is crazy really.”

Octopus Energy launched its rewards system – Octoplus – in October 2023, and the company made clear exactly how it works.

The site said: “Octoplus is our new rewards program, launching on October 19, 2023.

“Eligible customers can earn Octopoints by participating in savings sessions and keeping their account in top condition.

“You can convert your Octopoints into account credits, or multiply their value by spending them in different ways.

“Right now you can convert Octopoints into account credits, but we have many exciting rewards planned to launch soon. Watch this space.”

To participate in the program, Octopus customers must meet the company’s three-point criteria.

Britons must have their electricity supplied by the company, have a smart electricity meter that sends them half-hourly readings, and pay their bill by direct debit.

MORE MONEY SAVING OFFERS

Deal hunters rushed out to grab Fairy dishwasher tablets, which scanned for just £2.50 a pack at a major supermarket.

The price for one pack of 29 Fairy Platinum dishwasher tablets is normally €10.

And Asda shoppers bought a dirt-cheap, “easy to use” air fryer.

The price of the product has been reduced from £28 to £19, and customers are delighted.

We spotted a great Amazon deal on a drone that looks perfect for beginners and kids taking their first steps in flying.

Shoppers can purchase the DEERC D20 Mini Drone for just $31.98, marked down from its regular price of $59.99.

Elsewhere, Aldi is bringing back its sold-out pizza oven and it’s perfect for dough lovers looking to indulge this summer.

You attach the gadget to your regular gas or charcoal barbecue and use the heat to easily warm up your pizza.

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Women in Tech is a global movement with a total membership of more than 3,00,000 volunteers around the world.

New Delhi: Women in Tech (WIT) Global, a prominent international organization committed to the advancement of women in technology, announced the official launch of its India chapter. The grand event was organized at the prestigious French Embassy in New Delhi last week. The launch of the India Chapter marks an important step for the rights and empowerment of women around the world. Most importantly, the launch aligns with WIT Global’s ambitious goal to empower five million women and girls in science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM) by 2030.

The launch of Women in Tech (WIT) Global in India aims to equip Indian women with essential tech skills, support women entrepreneurs and bridge the digital divide in society. WIT Global, in line with the World Economic Forum (WEF)supports mentorship programs and skills-building initiatives to help women build successful careers in the technology sector.

About women in technology

Women in Tech is a global movement with a total membership of more than 3,00,000 volunteers around the world. Women In Tech has had a significant impact on the lives of more than a third of a million people worldwide, aligning with and contributing to the achievement of seven Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The goal is to educate, equip and empower women and girls with the necessary skills, confidence and opportunities to succeed in STEAM studies and career fields. Women in Tech is a global movement of people advocating for gender empowerment in STEAM.

Commenting on the launch said Mr. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to Indiasaid, “France is strongly committed to promoting women in science. In our international relations, we promote gender equality through our feminist foreign policy, which translates into action in our bilateral cooperation with India. I would like to mention two examples: the “Women in Science” program led by our Indo-French Center for the Promotion of Advanced Research (IFCPAR/CEFIPRA) and the targeted networking initiative of the French Development Agency (AFD), GroW: Greening of Finance by Women, which aims to empower women in India by facilitating their access to the Indian financial system. I am therefore pleased that the Paris-based association Women in Tech is launching its actions in India. They can count on our full support.”

In response to the announcement said Radhika Iyengar, Country Head, Women in Tech Indiasaid, “The Women In Tech India team is excited about the popularity the chapter has gained in a short time. After a soft launch just a few months ago, we’ve grown from 3 to 500+ as of November 2023. The formal launch of the India Chapter marks a pivotal moment in Women in Tech Global’s collective effort to support 5 million women and girls in STEAM by 2030. while also tailoring our local activation activities and programs to India’s relevant issues. The dropout rate of girls in STEAM careers and the gender paradox in India are all alarming. We know the problem, but we also see that global partnerships have helped create media that can keep women in STEAM. Following on from this, we would like to see girls and women forging the growth path in the technology sector, whether it is in academia, a career or a career. decision-making roles, in more powerful but simpler ways and that have more enriching and enjoyable journeys”

Deepthi R, the CEO of ‘We Hub’and one of the panelists on the show discussed the launch of Women in Tech (WIT) India where she spoke about several points that need our urgent attention.

• On We Hub: She said the organization ‘We Hub’ helps women from different backgrounds transition from job seekers to entrepreneurs.
• Women in technology: A crucial initiative, especially given the low participation of women in technical careers, despite a strong STEM educational background.
  • Commended WIT’s focus on building a strong foundation in STEM education for girls and mentorship programs for mid-career women.
  • These initiatives are essential to retain women in the labor market.

Women’s situation in India: There is progress, but there is room for improvement. (Quote: “I’m not going to say you know it’s great, but at the same time we’re not behind any country.”)

Deepti Rai, Women in Tech India’s Regional Director for South (also a Principal Data Scientist at Microsoft), spoke at the launch of the India Chapter, where she highlighted their goal of empowering women in the technology sector, especially given the low representation in India (around 12-15% in tech). Moreover, Deepti Rai also emphasized the importance of men as allies in achieving gender equality.

Finally, she spoke about the solutions to address this challenge, where Women in Tech India would focus on:

1. Building a strong, pan-Indian technology community for women through gatherings in major cities of India such as Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and the Northeast.
2. Organizing events aimed at developing skills and boosting the careers of women in technology.

By Charlotte Karp for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 9:08 PM EDT, March 12, 2024 | Updated: 9:33 PM EDT, March 12, 2024