
Simon & Schuster Teams with Thoughtworks to Revolutionize Language Learning for Greater Innovation and Business Alignment
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Thoughtworks, a global technology consultancy that integrates design, engineering and AI to drive digital innovation, today announced a significant advance in its long term collaboration with Simon & Schuster, a globally recognized publishing leader. Together the companies have future-proofed the digital capabilities of Simon & Schuster's rapidly expanding Pimsleur Language Program to further enhance the learning experience for its global language learners.
'By continuously iterating to optimize performance and user experience, Thoughtworks helped us achieve significant growth in user volume and revenue,' said Tom McLean, SVP Pimsleur Language Programs.
Since the partnership's inception in 2017, Thoughtworks and Simon & Schuster have strategically co-created a series of transformative digital enhancements across the Pimsleur digital experience. This includes the relaunch of even more intuitive mobile and web apps with improved accessibility and engagement features, alongside a scalable backend system for streamlined customer management, learning progress tracking, B2B sales and seamless platform integrations. Building on this robust foundation on AWS, AI-powered innovations like Voice Coach for pronunciation and engaging Mini Lessons have powerfully augmented the language-learning journey.
'By continuously iterating to optimize performance and user experience, Thoughtworks helped us achieve significant growth in user volume and revenue,' said Tom McLean, SVP Pimsleur Language Programs.
'For more than 50 years, Pimsleur Language Programs has remained true to the Pimsleur Method that has helped millions of people learn to speak a new language while also continuing to leverage digital platforms and innovative subscription models to meet the needs of modern learners,' said Craig Stanley, Executive Vice President, Thoughtworks Americas. 'We're excited to be partnering with Simon & Schuster as it continuously enhances, elevates and augments the value of its digital assets, such as the Pimsleur Mobile app, to drive tangible results while improving operational cost and efficiencies.'
More recently, the integration of advanced Thoughtworks Digital Application Management and Operations (DAMO™) Services has begun to streamline processes and is showing early signs of enhanced collaboration between maintenance and delivery teams supporting the Pimsleur platform. This has initially resulted in seamless performance and efficient product updates, even as functionality and the Pimsleur user base continues to grow. These optimizations help ensure users receive faster, more accurate responses, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and engagement.
Supporting resources:
- ### -
About Thoughtworks Thoughtworks is a global technology consultancy that integrates design, engineering and AI to drive digital innovation. We are over 10,000 Thoughtworkers strong across 48 offices in 19 countries. For 30+ years, we've delivered extraordinary impact together with our clients by helping them solve complex business problems with technology as the differentiator.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Bill Belichick keeps relitigating his disastrous CBS interview
Bill Belichick is one of the greatest football coaches of all time. His P.R. instincts leave much to be desired. Beyond entrusting his personal brand to his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, Belichick has a bad habit of not letting sleeping dogs lie and/or dead horses go unbeaten. Case in point, now reports that Belichick's book publicist assured Belichick that the disastrous CBS interview would be only about Belichick's book. Advertisement The report emerged today, more than a month after the CBS interview aired. And it has reanimated a dormant issue. The article cites an April 9 email from Simon & Schuster's senior director of publicity David Kass to Belichick. Wrote Kass: "I can assure you that the conversation [will be] about the book." Kass also reportedly told Belichick the CBS interview would be a "puff piece . . . designed to make everyone look good and sell books." (Somewhat surprisingly, the new report doesn't blame Kass for suggesting that Belichick wear an old football jersey with a giant hole in the neck to the CBS interview.) Per Belichick was "furious" when the CBS interview strayed beyond book topics. Then there's this: "Sources say Belichick had actually shot down several interview opportunities Kass had put in front of him over concerns the media outlets would use his book promotion as a way to pry into subjects not related to the actual book." Advertisement It's a fascinating development, for several reasons. First, the story is smeared with Belichick's (or Hudson's) fingerprints. Which means that one or both decided to dredge up a dead story, weeks after the fact. Which also means that one or both believed the new story would cause people to say, "Well, now we understand why she weirdly refused to let him answer the basic question of how they met." Second, one or both decided to throw Kass under the bus, both directly and by potentially instigating a stray, conspiracy theory-inducing remark that Kass "once helped Jeff Benedict's Robert Kraft-themed book, The Dynasty, reach the New York Times' bestseller list." Kass is painted as the villain in this, the one who lied to Belichick about what the CBS interview was going to be. Third, Belichick did other interviews in which questions unrelated to the book were asked — after the CBS sit-down. Michael Strahan asked a few personal questions on Good Morning America. Ryan Clark asked questions about Hudson on The Pivot Podcast. (Then again, those questions apparently were scripted to help Belichick undo the CBS-related P.R. damage.) Advertisement Fourth, Belichick and/or Hudson apparently have decided to try to get on their side by spoon-feeding information to the outlet. Given the extent to which had been hammering all things Belichick and Hudson, a subtle quid pro quo that gets to play nice in exchange for current and future information would be a smart move by Belichick. Make no mistake about it. The issue is back on the front burner because Belichick and/or Hudson decided it would be a smart move to point a finger at Kass, weeks after the fact. And it's just the latest time Belichick and/or Hudson have blamed others for their own blunders. He/she/they have blamed CBS for editing the interview to create a "false narrative." He/she/they have blamed North Carolina for not having a sufficient P.R. function in place when he arrived. He/she/they now blame Kass for failing to (wait for it) "do his job" properly. It's always someone else's fault. It's never their fault. And they presumably think people will buy the idea that they're the victims of widespread incompetence and malfeasance.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
HAE Q1 Earnings Call: Revenue Misses Expectations, Margin Expansion and Product Focus Highlighted
Blood products company Haemonetics (NYSE:HAE). fell short of the market's revenue expectations in Q1 CY2025, with sales falling 3.7% year on year to $330.6 million. Its non-GAAP EPS of $1.24 per share was 1.6% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy HAE? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $330.6 million (3.7% year-on-year decline) Adjusted EPS: $1.24 vs analyst estimates of $1.22 (1.6% beat) Adjusted EPS guidance for the upcoming financial year 2026 is $4.85 at the midpoint, missing analyst estimates by 1.2% Operating Margin: 21.6%, up from 8.7% in the same quarter last year Organic Revenue was flat year on year (10.2% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $3.35 billion Haemonetics reported first quarter results marked by revenue declines, but management emphasized the impact of its evolving product portfolio and operational changes. CEO Chris Simon attributed performance to strong growth in the Hospital segment, led by technologies such as TEG and VASCADE, and highlighted the successful divestiture of the Whole Blood business. He noted that expanded adoption of next-generation products, particularly in Plasma technology, contributed to margin improvement. Simon also referenced the company's ongoing focus on higher-margin product categories and operational discipline as factors that contributed to the quarter's profitability, stating, 'Our industry-leading NexSys, TEG and VASCADE technologies continue to propel our growth in attractive markets.' Looking forward, Haemonetics' guidance reflects a cautious outlook as the company anticipates ongoing headwinds from portfolio transitions and external market factors. Management expects organic growth to be driven mainly by increased utilization and share gains in Plasma and Hospital technologies, while acknowledging a potential rebound in collection volumes later in the year. CFO James D'Arecca warned that reported revenue is expected to decline due to the completed Whole Blood divestiture and continued impacts from the CSL contract transition, but emphasized that gross margin expansion and disciplined cost management should support profitability. D'Arecca stated, 'We expect adjusted operating margin to improve by 200 to 300 basis points... supported by continued gains in adjusted gross margin.' Management traced the quarter's performance to a mix of product portfolio shifts, margin expansion, and strategic focus on high-growth segments, while also pointing to contract transitions and market-specific headwinds. Hospital segment momentum: Growth was led by Hospital products, including Blood Management Technologies and Interventional Technologies, with double-digit increases in both franchises. The TEG viscoelastic testing platform saw accelerated adoption, particularly with the launch of the HN cartridge, driving new account openings and transitions from older models. Vascular Closure advances: The VASCADE MVP and MVP XL devices in the Interventional Technologies franchise delivered over 25% growth due to new account openings and increased U.S. and Japanese utilization. However, legacy VASCADE products for coronary and peripheral procedures saw slower growth, which management aims to address through focused sales efforts. Plasma technology adoption: Plasma revenue was buoyed by the adoption of next-generation technologies like Persona and Express Plus, resulting in share gains and increased margins. Management highlighted new multi-year agreements with major collectors, which are expected to continue contributing to growth. Portfolio transformation and divestitures: The completed divestiture of the Whole Blood business enabled resource reallocation to higher-growth, higher-margin areas. This shift contributed to the significant improvement in overall operating margins and supported disciplined capital allocation, including share repurchases. Leadership and organizational changes: The promotions of Roy Galvin to Chief Commercial Officer and Frank Chan to Chief Operating Officer were cited as key steps to strengthen commercial execution and operations, particularly in supporting the Hospital business's long-term growth plans. Haemonetics expects near-term revenue to be shaped by portfolio transitions, while focusing on margin gains and product adoption to drive future growth and profitability. Product utilization and share gains: Management anticipates that growth will be led by increased utilization of existing devices, especially in Plasma and Vascular Closure, supported by recent extended contracts with major plasma collectors. New hospital product launches and technology conversions are expected to offset headwinds in legacy product lines. Margin expansion and cost discipline: The company projects further improvement in operating margins through portfolio mix shifts towards higher-margin products and ongoing cost control measures. Approximately $30 million in savings are expected over the next two years through regional alignment and operational efficiencies. External risks and market headwinds: Haemonetics identified tariff exposure, timing of contract transitions, and softness in the Chinese market as areas of uncertainty. While management expects U.S. and European momentum to offset challenges, external factors could impact both revenue progression and profitability in the coming quarters. In the next few quarters, the StockStory team will monitor (1) the pace of technology adoption and utilization in the Plasma and Hospital segments, (2) execution against targeted improvements in Vascular Closure—especially legacy product turnaround efforts, and (3) margin performance as cost savings and portfolio transformation initiatives take hold. Progress on regulatory approvals and new product launches will also be important milestones. Haemonetics currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 14.2×. Should you double down or take your chips? The answer lies in our full research report (it's free). The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025. While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Volvo's little-used U.S. assembly plant is $1.4 billion migraine
The sprawling U.S. assembly plant that Volvo Cars powered up in the summer of 2018 signaled a bold ambition to expand into the world's second-largest auto market. But seven years later, Volvo has failed to capitalize on the $1.4 billion investment. Sign up for Automotive News' daily podcast series featuring interviews with industry leaders, insiders and our journalists. The 2.3 million-square-foot factory in Ridgeville, S.C., about an hour northwest of Charleston, was designed to turn out 150,000 vehicles annually. According to Automotive News Research & Data Center estimates, Volvo built 20,000 vehicles there last year — 13 percent of its capacity. Production of the S60 sedan ended a year ago, leaving just two electric crossovers: the Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3. 'Auto assembly plants require a utilization rate of at least 50 percent to break even,' analyst Jeff Schuster said. Volvo's industrial predicament can be traced to poor product decisions and a mistimed bet on electric vehicles. The factory was challenged from the start as Volvo struggled to find skilled production talent in a largely rural area of South Carolina. There also has been churn in plant leadership. Given the factory's sustained losses, coupled with a more recent slump in Volvo's global sales and financial performance, some question whether the Swedish automaker has the financial firepower to persist with its U.S. manufacturing effort. 'Volvo can minimize the damage by cutting shifts and slowing the lines, but it doesn't reduce the fixed costs,' Schuster said. If Volvo is having second thoughts about U.S. production, it's not showing them. Volvo is 'fully committed' to the South Carolina plant, a spokeswoman said in a statement. She described the industrial operation as a 'key strategic advantage' in Volvo's plan to 'build where we sell.' To boost factory utilization, Volvo is considering building a higher-volume model, potentially the midsize XC60 hybrid crossover, in the U.S. 'We want to bring in something rather fast, and something selling in good numbers, so something midsize core is a good guess,' Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson said in mid-May. However, that would require pouring several hundred million dollars more into the factory. 'The question Volvo has to ask internally is: If we do this, is it the right plan that gets the plant to where it needs to be in volume?' Schuster said. 'Or, do we cut our losses now?' It's a valid question as a global sales slide taxes Volvo's balance sheet. The automaker, which is majority-owned by China's Geely Holding, reported a 60 percent plunge in first-quarter operating income. Volvo has lost more than two-thirds of its value since its 2021 initial public offering and has become a target for short sellers. In May, the company announced a corporate restructuring to cut expenses by 1.5 billion Swedish crowns ($140 million). The automaker will jettison about 15 percent of its salaried workforce. President Donald Trump's 25 percent tariff on imports creates an existential crisis for Volvo, which ships in 90 percent of the vehicles it sells in the U.S. Yet, it also gives Volvo a reason to keep the lights on in South Carolina. Samuelsson sees Trump's tariffs as an opportunity to revive production in the U.S. Globalization is being 'dismantled,' Samuelsson said April 3 during the automaker's annual general meeting. 'To get around these high 25 percent import tariffs, we need to look at localizing more, increasing the volumes in the factory, and getting the volumes up to get the cost down,' Samuelsson said. Analyst Sam Fiorani suggested that it would be prudent for Volvo to make the additional investment and build the 'right products' in South Carolina, rather than walking away from its U.S. manufacturing investment so early. 'With the current tariff climate, Volvo could find it challenging to continue in the U.S. profitably without domestic production,' said Fiorani, vice president at AutoForecast Solutions. Production in South Carolina began with the third-generation S60 in a market that was shifting away from sedans. Automotive News estimated that the factory made nearly 40,000 sedans at the peak in 2019. The S60 'was the wrong vehicle for the market,' Schuster said. 'Not that there isn't a market for sedans, but you're not going to get the volume required to get up to capacity.' Volvo had planned to build the XC90 large crossover — a vehicle more in tune with the U.S. — in Charleston in 2021. But that plan got derailed when Volvo pivoted toward an all-electric strategy to capitalize on post-pandemic demand and government backing of zero-emission vehicles. Last year, Volvo began building the battery-powered EX90 at the U.S. plant, followed by the Polestar 3. That bet also proved to be wrong once early demand for EVs fizzled. Volvo eventually backed off its EV-or-bust strategy to instead lean on its more practical plug-in hybrid models. 'Volvo established the plant with a plan to grow as the market and the brand transitioned to electric vehicles,' Fiorani said. 'But the EV market has not developed to the level the automaker planned for.' Have an opinion about this story? Tell us about it and we may publish it in print. Click here to submit a letter to the editor. Sign in to access your portfolio