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AT&T to dual list on NYSE Texas in latest win for new exchange

AT&T to dual list on NYSE Texas in latest win for new exchange

CNA3 days ago
AT&T will dual list on the NYSE Texas, the U.S. wireless carrier said on Thursday, marking the latest company to be drawn to the Lone Star state's pro-business policies, lower taxes and strong economy.
The dual listing of the Dallas-headquartered company, which has nearly 24,000 employees based in Texas, will be effective Friday, August 1.
The state is also home to the largest number of companies listed on the NYSE.
AT&T will maintain its primary listing on the New York Stock Exchange and trade with the "T" ticker symbol on NYSE Texas.
NYSE Texas, which officially opened for business in March, has seen several companies, including oilfield service company Halliburton and Truth Social-parent Trump Media & Technology Group, dual list on the Dallas-based exchange in the first three months.
The impending launch of the Texas Stock Exchange, backed by Wall Street giants BlackRock and Citadel Securities, is set to heat up the competition in the listing market.
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Donor list suggests scale of Trump's pay-for-access operation
Donor list suggests scale of Trump's pay-for-access operation

Straits Times

time16 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Donor list suggests scale of Trump's pay-for-access operation

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox It is a cycle that has helped Mr Trump fill the coffers of his political groups, defying the gravity that sometimes drags down the fundraising of term-limited presidents. WASHINGTON – When cryptocurrency entrepreneur Eric Schiermeyer heard that US President Donald Trump was holding small group dinners with major donors, he saw opportunity. Mr Schiermeyer reached out to a lobbyist with connections in Mr Trump's orbit, who arranged for him to attend a dinner with the president at his private Mar-a-Lago club on March 1 in exchange for donations to a pro-Trump political action committee called Maga Inc totalling US$1 million (S$1.3 million). The personal and corporate donations were among dozens of seven- and eight-figure contributions to Maga Inc from crypto and other interests revealed in a campaign finance filing on July 31 that hinted at the access Mr Trump accords those willing to pay. At the dinner, Mr Schiermeyer, who had never given a federal political donation before, presented an idea for a cryptocurrency called 'USA Token' that would be distributed to every citizen, according to interviews and a flyer he distributed to attendees that sets out details of the proposal. He hoped it could be supported through a federal contract with his company. 'I don't usually put time and attention on politics,' Mr Schiermeyer said in a text exchange with The New York Times. But, he added, 'I was able to say my piece, and the idea is clearly making the rounds, so mission accomplished from my view.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Despite bag checks and warnings, young partygoers continue to vape in clubs in Singapore Singapore Ong Beng Seng to plead guilty on Aug 4, more than 2 years after trip to Qatar with Iswaran Singapore LTA, Singapore bus operators reviewing Malaysia's request to start services from JB at 4am Singapore NDP 2025: Veteran Red Lion says each leap 'feels like 5km run' Business Decoupling to save on tax? You may lose right to property if ties go awry Singapore Lessons learnt from Singapore's love-hate relationship with e-scooters Opinion At UN's Wipo, Singaporean Daren Tang strives to create an equal music for haves and have-nots Asia Mass grave with over 100 skeletons in Sri Lanka brings up old wounds While the Trump administration has not given Mr Schiermeyer any indication that it is pursuing the USA Token idea, the episode underscores the face time that Mr Trump has been willing to grant to deep-pocketed interests seeking business, preferential treatment or protection from him and his administration. It also reveals how lobbyists, political consultants and others in the influence industry have capitalised on Mr Trump's aggressive fundraising while in office to deliver for clients and earn chits with a president who keeps close tabs on who is delivering cash and listens to their appeals. It is a cycle that has helped Mr Trump fill the coffers of his political groups, defying the gravity that sometimes drags down the fundraising of term-limited presidents. The degree to which this dynamic has benefited Mr Trump, his donors and their lobbyists – while shutting out regular people seeking assistance from their government – was laid bare in Maga Inc's financial report. The group, which can accept unlimited donations, raised an astounding US$177 million in the first half of the year. That was nearly twice as much as the amount raised during the same period by the Republican National Committee, which is subject to contribution limits. Maga Inc's report included donations from a mother seeking a pardon for her son, as well as people who had been, or would later be, appointed to posts in his administration and companies in industries seeking more lenient treatment than they had gotten under the administration of President Joe Biden. It is not just Maga Inc that benefits. Since Mr Trump's election last fall, fundraisers and lobbyists have been steering corporations and donors to a buffet of options for unlimited giving, some of which are less overtly political or allow anonymous donations, that can bring access to the president. The president's inaugural committee raised a record-shattering US$239 million, including about US$18 million from crypto interests and US$1 million each from tech giants like Meta and Amazon that had drawn his ire in the past and were looking to smooth things over headed into his second term. A nonprofit group called Securing American Greatness, which is affiliated with Maga Inc but is not required to disclose its donors, can accept cash from interests willing to pay for access without the controversy that can come with having that known. Even the White House Historical Association has become a vehicle for lobbyists and favour-seekers. After the dinner at Mar-a-Lago, the lobbyist who arranged Mr Schiermeyer's attendance brokered a US$200,000 donation to the historical association from his company, Blockchain Game Partners. It does business as Gala Games, producing video games and other entertainment as well as a virtual payment system. Gala Games' donation qualified it as a sponsor of the White House Easter Egg Roll alongside major tech companies like Amazon and YouTube. Mr Schiermeyer and other sponsors got to attend a breakfast at the White House on the morning of the event, and were mentioned by first lady Melania Trump in a news release that noted a new Gala product called the Digital White House Egg Hunt Game. The first lady's office declined to comment. The historical association did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Maga Inc rejected suggestions that Mr Trump treated donors any differently than other Americans. 'President Trump values his supporters and donors, but unlike politicians before him, he cannot be bought and works toward the best interest of the country,' the spokesperson said. Among the largest donors to Maga Inc were pipeline company Energy Transfer and its co-founder and executive chair Kelcy Warren. They combined to donate US$25 million, after Mr Warren spent heavily to support the Trump campaign. His company, which has seen its profits increase this year, has praised the Trump administration's industry-friendly approach to oil and gas permitting as good for business. Cryptocurrency interests, which have benefited from the Trump administration's dismantling of a yearslong government crackdown and from the Trump family's financial interest in the industry, appear to have been the most generous industry, accounting for nearly US$45 million in donations to Maga Inc. An affiliate of exchange gave US$10 million, while crypto services company donated US$5 million. Venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, who are heavily invested in crypto, gave US$3 million each. Ondo Finance, which has a partnership with the Trump family's crypto company, donated US$2.1 million to Maga Inc, on top of US$1 million to Mr Trump's inauguration. Industry executives who gave to Maga Inc were invited to a White House crypto summit in March that included a broad cross-section of the most influential figures in the industry. Among the attendees was an executive from Mr Andreessen's and Mr Horowitz's company. Also on the list were Mr Tyler and Mr Cameron Winklevoss, who run crypto exchange Gemini and contributed a combined total of nearly US$4 million to Maga Inc through the company and personal donations, and Mr Kyle Samani, a venture investor who donated US$200,000 after having donated US$250,000 to the inauguration. On May 5, Maga Inc organised a 'crypto and AI innovators dinner' featuring Mr Trump at his golf club in Virginia. Among the attendees, according to two people who requested anonymity to discuss a private event, was Mr JP Richardson, the chief executive of crypto company Exodus, which donated US$1 million to Maga Inc in January. 'It is in the best interests of our company and its shareholders to support pro-crypto causes and candidates,' Mr Richardson said in a text message. 'We intend to continue backing similar efforts.' A crypto company called Ava Labs donated US$1 million on April 2. The donation earned Ava's president, Mr John Wu, a spot at a fundraising reception with Mr Trump two days later at Mar-a-Lago, according to a person briefed on the April dinner who requested anonymity to discuss a private event. An invitation billed it as an intimate 'candlelight dinner' with 'very limited' space. Also attending the dinner, according to the person briefed on it, was cosmetics heir Ronald S. Lauder, a longtime major political donor and supporter of Israel who donated US$5 million to Maga Inc in late March. The donation and the dinner could be interpreted as an olive branch from Lauder, who had drifted from Mr Trump's orbit after criticising him while he was out of office in 2022 for hosting Mr Nick Fuentes, an outspoken anti-semite and Holocaust denier, for dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Another guest at the April dinner was businesswoman Elizabeth Fago. While Ms Fago had raised money for Republican candidates for decades, her previous largest federal donation on record was US$100,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2002. Yet the day before the candlelight dinner, she donated US$1 million to Maga Inc. She had particular incentive to curry favour with Mr Trump at the time. As the Times has revealed, she was appealing to the president to pardon her son, Mr Paul Walczak, who had pleaded guilty to tax crimes in late 2024. Less than three weeks after Ms Fago attended the dinner, Mr Trump signed a full and unconditional pardon for Mr Walczak. It spared him from having to pay nearly US$4.4 million in restitution and from reporting to prison for an 18-month sentence. A White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations, suggested that the pardon was the result of Ms Fago's personal lobbying of Mr Trump, and not the donation. 'He spoke directly to a mother who pleaded for her son, and when you're talking to a mother pleading for her son, that's a pretty powerful thing,' the official said. People seeking appointments from Mr Trump also donated to Maga Inc. In February, Mr Anjani Sinha, an orthopedic surgeon and businessman who has been described as a friend of Mr Trump's, donated US$1 million. The next month, he was nominated to be US ambassador to Singapore. Donors are often tapped as ambassadors, but Mr Sinha's nomination has drawn particular criticism. During a Senate confirmation hearing in July, he struggled to answer questions about Singapore and its relationship with the United States. Senator Tammy Duckworth called him 'unqualified' and urged him 'to shape up and do some homework'. His nomination is still pending. Mr Cody Campbell, a Texas energy investor who had a brief professional football career with the Indianapolis Colts, donated US$500,000 to Maga Inc in late April. On July 31, he was named to the newly reconfigured President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Mr Josh Lobel, a financial executive, donated US$250,000 in January. The next month, he was announced as a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board. Then there is Mr Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur who led two private missions to orbit on rockets made by the company of his close associate, onetime Trump ally Elon Musk. Mr Trump tapped Mr Isaacman to be Nasa administrator soon after the election, but withdrew the nomination in May after Trump supporters objected to Mr Isaacman's previous donations to Democrats. In late June, Mr Isaacman donated US$1 million to Maga Inc, in addition to more than US$440,000 to the RNC, around the time he mused to a reporter about running for Congress as a Republican or obtaining a different position in the Trump administration. But if the donation to Maga Inc was intended to win back Mr Trump's favour, it may instead have revealed the limits of political contributions as a means to court the president. Mr Isaacman came under fire from Trump in July – about a week after the donation – amid a flare-up of the president's feud with Mr Musk, who had donated US$5 million of his own to Maga Inc, around the same time as his ally. Mr Trump wrote on social media that it was 'inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run Nasa, when Nasa is such a big part of Elon's corporate life. My Number One charge is to protect the American Public!' NYTIMES

How do I choose between a charming colleague and a competent one?
How do I choose between a charming colleague and a competent one?

CNA

timea day ago

  • CNA

How do I choose between a charming colleague and a competent one?

Would you prefer a colleague who is cold but competent, or friendly but flaky? This was the question I posed to a few friends recently and the reaction was more mixed than I had anticipated. "I know the right answer is competency because it's a workplace," one said, "but sometimes, working with a cold, calculative robot can be so painful." Another responded: "That's until you've worked with a well-meaning but bumbling idiot who leaves you inspirational notes of encouragement but can't write a proper brief." "And you can't even bring yourself to lay them off because they are so nice," a third said with a moan. In an ideal world, as a business owner, I'd love to build a team of unicorns – whip-smart, emotionally intelligent, endlessly competent people who also know exactly when to send memes, send help or just leave you alone. In reality, though, building any team is an act of compromise. Often, we're just trying to find someone who doesn't fall into one of two extremes: the charmingly inept or the coldly efficient. No one really needs a resident stand-up comedian whose work turns out more like a comedy of errors. On the other hand, no one really wants to spend 9am to 6pm interacting with a spreadsheet wizard with unparalleled accuracy, but who hasn't smiled since the COVID-19 lockdown was announced. Facing this dilemma, many workplaces skew towards the "culture fit" – a softer, safer bet that often feels intuitive. When in doubt, people like to fall back on that old chestnut: "Hire for attitude, train for skill." It's not a terrible idea, but it's also not the whole story. WHY PERSONALITY HIRES MATTER Personality hires are often the glue, not just of a workplace but of a team. They mediate, translate, smooth over tension and notice when someone's been quiet in meetings. They're the ones who remember birthdays, start the snack fund and remind everyone to breathe before a big pitch. As burnout rates continue to rise, it makes perfect sense that many teams are prioritising emotional intelligence and likeability. Personality hires don't just lift morale – they help retain talent. They're the reason new hires stick around. They bring a kind of psychological safety that no benefits package can replicate. Some of the most important people in my own company weren't the most dazzling on paper, but they were vital in bringing the team together. But here's the tricky part: Charm can never truly replace competence. When companies lean too hard in one direction, when likeability trumps accountability, it becomes a kind of poison pill. WHEN AFFABILITY BECOMES A LIABILITY Ever noticed what happens when an underperformer stays in their role longer than they should, not because they're hitting KPIs but because they're hitting it off with the boss? Hard conversations get avoided, feedback softens. Decisions get delayed, deadlines stretch. Mistakes get rebranded as "learning moments". And slowly, productivity erodes under the guise of preserving "culture". In the meantime, the quiet workhorses pick up the slack and keep things moving but don't get the recognition for it. Over time, the standards shift according to who's doing what and resentment starts to build within the team. In a previous workplace, I had a colleague who was affable and assured. Johnson (not his real name) was the quiet heart and soul of the team, holding everybody together with his self-effacing nature. He had one of the highest approval ratings in the office, but he had a fatal flaw. Johnson was terrible at his job. He was a senior designer who had been at the company for close to a decade, but he always seemed stuck in an artistic style from 20 years ago and not in a cool retro kind of way. He was impossibly careless with simple instructions and caused a lot of frustration within the team when others had to fill in to fix his mistakes. He was sheepish about his performance, but not enough to get better at his job. Neither did he inspire confidence in his juniors to be better at theirs. If the heart of your team stops functioning, the whole body follows. Years of stagnation and silent exits later, that department eventually folded. We may sometimes think we're choosing kindness, but kindness without competency is just feel-good dysfunction. However, the opposite is no better. WE NEED PEOPLE SKILLS One of my previous hires – let's call her Lesley – was one of the most brilliant creatives we ever had. She was quick-witted, full of ideas, incredibly efficient and paid tremendous attention to detail. But Lesley did not suffer fools, gladly or otherwise. If you weren't keeping up with her pace, she did not respect you. She could be dismissive and curt, what one would call a quintessential straight-shooter. Even as her boss, I got shot straight in the face a couple of times myself. "Kelvin, I don't think 'horticulture' is the right way to pronounce 'haute couture'." "Uh, yes, I was joking ..." "Alright, let's not waste time here." I had to entertain numerous complaints from other team members, even about things that weren't strictly related to work. One of my favourites: "During lunch, I played some music on my speaker. Lesley came over to me and told me to please use headphones and also, who still listens to One Direction?" Still, I absolutely loved what Lesley brought to the table. We were quite simply better with her than without. I tried getting her to dial back her intensity, but she could not change – or, more likely, didn't want to do so. Over time, more people were getting more unhappy with her abrasive working style. I even had to mediate a couple of blow-ups. It seemed increasingly untenable … and then she quit. The day after she left, there was an immediate lightness in the office atmosphere. People were happy and laughing. I think One Direction's Night Changes was even playing in the background. THE BEST WORKPLACES DON'T MAKE YOU CHOOSE Can we really find the "optimum balance" between personality and productivity? In my view, the best workplaces I've seen don't treat these things as opposing forces on either end of a spectrum. Real workplace culture isn't about gathering a group of "nice" people to work together. It's creating a space where people genuinely care about doing good work together. Easy to say, but incredibly hard to do. For employers, it takes more intentional hiring. It means performance reviews that are both warm and firm. It means knowing when to coach, when to course-correct and when to let go – even if the person in question throws the best team lunches. For employees, it means realising that career growth isn't just about output. It's about attitude, adaptability and knowing how to get things done without alienating the very people with whom you need to get them done. And if your shining personality is what got you in the door, use that runway wisely. Put in the work, sharpen your skills and show you can do more than just charm the room. The best colleagues aren't either-or; they show up with both the fire to do good work and the warmth to do it together. Even when the night changes.

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