Booz Allen and Meta Successfully Demonstrate AI Vision Language Model for Space
MCLEAN, Va. & MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH) and Meta today announced the development and successful demonstration of a novel AI-powered tech stack, accelerated by NVIDIA CUDA GPUs, to support critical work on the International Space Station (ISS) National Lab. This effort is believed to be the first of its kind, setting the stage for space exploration and operations across a variety of disconnected environments.
The goal in building the tech stack – dubbed 'Space Llama' – is to not only replace paper documents onboard the ISS National Lab, but also decrease reliance on instructions received from the ground while deployed at the edge. The result will be lower costs, less computing power required, and faster outcomes when responding to onboard anomalies or maintenance issues, without depending on Earth-bound internet.
Space Llama evolves and builds upon successful efforts by Booz Allen to deploy and operate the first known large language model (LLM) in space. This moment sees the new addition of a fine-tuned version of Meta's Llama vision AI capabilities (recently made available to US government agencies and private sector partners) to help process and interpret images and text at the farthest reaches of space. This allows users to quickly and reliably access essential technical references, manuals, and instructions leveraging the power of generative and vision AI to address on-board issues at speed.
'In the power and communications constrained environment of space, the ability to quickly assess, research and solve on-board issues is paramount,' said Bill Vass, chief technology officer at Booz Allen 'This proof of concept overcomes the historical limitations of low-power, low-capability space-based computing by enabling simple, power-efficient AI use in space without relying on Earth network connectivity. We're thrilled and honored to steward with Meta this space-based multi-modal vision language model to achieve critical mission success and redefine how we work in space and at the deepest mission edges.'
The Space Llama tech stack, undertaken as internal research and development, is comprised of Booz Allen's modular open architecture platform A2E2™ (AI for Edge Environments) and a fine-tuned version of Meta's Llama 3.2, using Hewlett Packard Enterprise's (HPE) Spaceborne Computer-2 and NVIDIA CUDA software. The result: a compact, energy-efficient system similar to those used in satellites that can be deployed locally on the ISS National Lab without requiring power, communication or computation from Earth.
This design – open architecture to ensure flexibility in our solution design, now and in the future – results in lower costs and strong technical performance, in addition to enabling predictive maintenance and faster repairs, freeing up users to do mission critical work.
'This is just the beginning. We see a future where open source AI models like Llama will play a vital role in fueling space exploration and research – enabling astronauts to undertake the next level of experimentation to solve complex scientific problems and drive innovation in entirely new ways," said Ahmad Al-Dahle, Meta VP and Head of GenAI.
Space Llama demonstrates the art of the possible in terms of AI's impact at the deepest edge of space, in addition to the versatility of LLM-based technology across a variety of environments with denied, disrupted, intermittent, and limited bandwidth. In addition to fostering greater scientific research and discovery in space, this innovation could also result in positive outcomes for industries including oil and gas, autonomy, government, energy, and the re-use of legacy technology through edge software modifications.
'This is a critical step for lunar and Mars exploration and enables modern satellite and drone capabilities as the U.S. proliferates space and air with autonomous systems,' said Michael Johnston, senior vice president of space programs at Booz Allen. 'Building this tech stack with Meta, supported by NVIDIA, furthers each of our advanced technology goals, and more importantly, sets the stage for what is possible at the edge.'
Booz Allen has served for more than 60 years as a space program partner for defense, intelligence, and civil agencies across the federal government. As an advanced technology company and as the leading provider of AI and cybersecurity to the federal government, Booz Allen is uniquely positioned to field emerging capabilities to support the broader national security ecosystem. Booz Allen is committed to advancing the future of space technology by bridging the gap between commercial innovation and government missions.
Read more about Booz Allen's space capabilities and impact.
About Booz Allen Hamilton
Booz Allen is the advanced technology company delivering outcomes with speed for America's most critical defense, civil, and national security priorities. We build technology solutions using AI, cyber, and other cutting- edge technologies to advance and protect the nation and its citizens. By focusing on outcomes, we enable our people, clients, and their missions to succeed—accelerating the nation to realize our purpose: Empower People to Change the World®.
With global headquarters in McLean, Virginia, our firm employs approximately 35,900 people globally as of December 31, 2024, and had revenue of $10.7 billion for the 12 months ended March 31, 2024. To learn more, visit www.boozallen.com. (NYSE: BAH)
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this release include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements that do not directly relate to any historical or current fact. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as 'may,' 'will,' 'could,' 'should,' 'forecasts,' 'expects,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'anticipates,' 'projects,' 'outlook,' 'believes,' 'estimates,' 'predicts,' 'potential,' 'continue,' 'preliminary,' or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give you no assurance these expectations will prove to have been correct.
These forward-looking statements relate to future events or future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in or implied by these forward-looking statements, including those factors discussed in Booz Allen's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Booz Allen's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 and other filings and reports that may be filed from time to time with the SEC, which can be found at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements attributable to Booz Allen or persons acting on Booz Allen's behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. All such statements speak only as of the date made and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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Protagonist and Takeda Announce ASCO Plenary Presentation Highlighting Full 32-Week Results from Phase 3 VERIFY Study of Rusfertide, Showing Reductions in Phlebotomy, Improved Hematocrit Control in Polycythemia Vera
Osaka, Japan & Cambridge, Mass., Newark, Calif., United States: Rusfertide plus current standard of care more than doubled clinical response rates across high- and low-risk PV groups, significantly reducing phlebotomy eligibility compared to placebo plus current standard of care, which was the primary endpoint All key secondary endpoints met with statistical significance, including a nearly three-fold reduction in the proportion of patients requiring phlebotomy and a four-fold improvement in hematocrit control in rusfertide arm compared to placebo arm, as well as improvements in patient-reported outcomes No serious adverse events considered related to rusfertide were reported Rusfertide has received Orphan Drug designation and Fast Track designation from the U.S. FDA Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. ('Protagonist') (NASDAQ:PTGX) and Takeda (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) announced detailed results from the Phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled VERIFY study evaluating rusfertide in patients with polycythemia vera (PV), which met the primary and all key secondary endpoints. The data will be presented as a late-breaking oral presentation at the 61st American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting Plenary Session (LBA3) at 2:09 pm CDT today. PV is characterized by overproduction of red blood cells (erythrocytosis), which may increase blood viscosity, or thickness, potentially resulting in life threatening thrombotic events such as stroke, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. People with PV can experience burdensome symptoms, including severe fatigue, difficulty in concentrating, night sweats and pruritus, which may negatively impact their daily functioning and quality of life. Hematocrit is the ratio of red blood cells to total amount of blood in the body. Achieving and maintaining controlled hematocrit levels of <45% is the primary treatment goal in PV to prevent thrombotic events and alleviate symptoms, but many patients still experience uncontrolled hematocrit levels with current standard of care treatments. Rusfertide, an investigational, first-in-class hepcidin mimetic peptide therapeutic, is under evaluation in the Phase 3 VERIFY study for its potential to regulate iron homeostasis and red blood cell production to control hematocrit levels in patients with PV. In the study, patients dependent on frequent phlebotomy, with or without treatment with cytoreductive therapy, were randomized to receive once-weekly rusfertide or placebo, as an add-on to current standard of care treatment. 'PV poses significant challenges for patients, including debilitating symptoms and the risk of serious thrombotic events, and hematocrit control is crucial to improving patient outcomes. The VERIFY study demonstrated that treatment with rusfertide controls hematocrit levels in phlebotomy-dependent patients, including patients receiving cytoreductive therapies,' said Dr. Andrew T. Kuykendall, M.D., VERIFY Lead Investigator and Associate Member in the Department of Hematology at Moffitt Cancer Center. 'These results suggest rusfertide has the potential to become part of the standard of care treatment for patients with PV.' The study met its primary endpoint, which was the proportion of patients achieving a clinical response, defined as the absence of phlebotomy eligibility during study Weeks 20-32. Study results demonstrated 76.9% of patients treated with rusfertide plus current standard of care achieved a clinical response, compared to 32.9% in the placebo plus current standard of care group (p<0.0001).1 The response observed in the rusfertide arm was consistent across subgroups, regardless of risk status or type of concurrent cytoreductive therapy.1 In addition, all key secondary endpoints met statistical significance in favor of the rusfertide arm compared to the placebo arm in the VERIFY study, as follows: The mean number of phlebotomies was 0.5 phlebotomies per patient for those treated with rusfertide plus current standard of care compared to 1.8 phlebotomies per patient for those treated with placebo plus current standard of care during Weeks 0-32 (p<0.0001). 1 Only 27% of patients treated with rusfertide plus current standard of care required phlebotomy between Weeks 0-32, compared to 78% of patients who received placebo plus current standard of care. The mean number of phlebotomies during Weeks 0-32 in the rusfertide arm was reduced across subgroups, including risk status and use of concurrent cytoreductive therapy, versus the placebo arm. 62.6% of patients treated with rusfertide plus current standard of care maintained hematocrit levels below 45% versus 14.4% treated with placebo plus current standard of care (p<0.0001). 1 Rusfertide also showed statistically significant improvements in mean change from baseline to Week 32 in PROMIS Fatigue2 (p<0.03) and the MFSAF Total Symptom Score3 (p<0.03). Rusfertide is the first investigational therapy to prospectively demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in these patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of fatigue and symptom burden in patients with PV.1 Rusfertide was generally well tolerated. The majority of adverse events were low grade and non-serious and no serious adverse events considered related to rusfertide were reported. There was no evidence of increased risk of cancer in patients treated with rusfertide plus current standard of care compared to patients treated with placebo plus current standard of care at the time of the primary analysis. Cancer events were reported in one patient in the rusfertide arm (0.7%) and in seven patients in the placebo arm (4.8%). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were localized injection site reactions (55.9%), anemia (15.9%) and fatigue (15.2%).1 'These findings underscore rusfertide's potential as a first-in-class erythrocytosis-specific treatment for PV and validate more than a decade of scientific innovation originating from Protagonist's peptide technology platform,' said Dinesh V. Patel, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer at Protagonist. 'We would like to thank all the patients, study staff and investigators for participating in the VERIFY study. We are pleased to partner with Takeda as we continue to advance rusfertide to potentially transform the standard of care in PV patients around the world.' 'These promising pivotal data strongly support rusfertide's potential benefit for a broad spectrum of patients with PV who may be receiving current standard of care therapies but not achieving adequate hematocrit control,' said Phuong Khanh (P.K.) Morrow, M.D., Head of the Oncology Therapeutic Area Unit (OTAU) at Takeda. 'We look forward to receiving additional data from the VERIFY trial later this year, advancing rusfertide towards regulatory approval and continuing our collaboration with Protagonist to bring this innovative therapy to patients.' Rusfertide has received Orphan Drug designation and Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Takeda Investor Conference Call and Webcast Details Takeda will host an investor call regarding this update on Sunday, June 1, 6-6:45 pm CDT/ 7-7:45 pm EDT / Monday, June 2, 08:00-08:45 (JST). The call will be held using the Zoom platform and Zoom simultaneous interpretation function. Kindly pre-register from the below link: An on-demand replay will be made available on Takeda's website after the conclusion of the event. Protagonist Investor Conference Call and Webcast Details The dial-in numbers for Protagonist's investor update on Monday, June 2nd at 5:00-6:00 am PDT/ 8:00-9:00 am EDT are: US-based Investors: 1-877-300-8521 International Investors: 1-412-317-6026 Conference Call ID: 10199589 The webcast link for the event can be found here: A replay of the presentation will be available on the Protagonist Investor Relations Events and Presentations webpage following the event. About VERIFY The Phase 3 VERIFY study (NCT05210790) is an ongoing, three-part, global, randomized, placebo-controlled study evaluating rusfertide in 293 patients with polycythemia vera over a 156-week period. The study is evaluating the efficacy and safety of once-weekly, subcutaneously self-administered rusfertide in patients with uncontrolled hematocrit who are phlebotomy-dependent despite current standard of care treatment, which could include hydroxyurea, interferon and/or ruxolitinib. The primary endpoint of the study was the proportion of patients achieving a response during Weeks 20-32, which was defined as the absence of 'phlebotomy eligibility.' To meet phlebotomy eligibility, patients in the study were required to have: confirmed hematocrit ≥45% that was ≥3% higher than their baseline hematocrit value, or hematocrit ≥48%. All patients have completed their participation in the randomized, placebo-controlled portion of the study evaluating the efficacy and safety of rusfertide plus current standard of care versus placebo plus current standard of care and are now in the open-label portions of the study. About Protagonist Protagonist Therapeutics is a discovery through late-stage development biopharmaceutical company. Two novel peptides derived from Protagonist's proprietary discovery platform are currently in advanced Phase 3 clinical development, with New Drug Application submissions to the FDA expected in 2025. Icotrokinra (formerly, JNJ-2113) is a first-in-class investigational targeted oral peptide that selectively blocks the Interleukin-23 receptor ('IL-23R') which is licensed to JNJ Innovative Medicines ('JNJ'), formerly Janssen Biotech, Inc. Following icotrokinra's joint discovery by Protagonist and JNJ scientists pursuant to the companies' IL-23R collaboration, Protagonist was primarily responsible for development of icotrokinra through Phase 1, with JNJ assuming responsibility for development in Phase 2 and beyond. Rusfertide, a mimetic of the natural hormone hepcidin, is currently in Phase 3 development for the rare blood disorder polycythemia vera (PV). Rusfertide is being co-developed and will be co-commercialized with Takeda Pharmaceuticals pursuant to a worldwide collaboration and license agreement entered into in 2024 under which the Company remains primarily responsible for development through NDA filing. The Company also has a number of pre-clinical stage oral drug discovery programs addressing clinically and commercially validated targets, including IL-17 oral peptide antagonist PN-881, an oral hepcidin program, and an oral obesity program. More information on Protagonist, its pipeline drug candidates and clinical studies can be found on the Company's website at About Takeda Takeda is focused on creating better health for people and a brighter future for the world. We aim to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments in our core therapeutic and business areas, including gastrointestinal and inflammation, rare diseases, plasma-derived therapies, oncology, neuroscience and vaccines. Together with our partners, we aim to improve the patient experience and advance a new frontier of treatment options through our dynamic and diverse pipeline. As a leading values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan, we are guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Our employees in approximately 80 countries and regions are driven by our purpose and are grounded in the values that have defined us for more than two centuries. For more information, visit Protagonist Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the potential benefits of rusfertide and the timing of rusfertide regulatory submissions. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward–looking words such as 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'may,' 'will,' 'expect,' or the negative or plural of these words or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those anticipated, including, but not limited to, our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates, our ability to earn milestone payments under our collaboration agreements with Janssen and Takeda, our ability to use and expand our programs to build a pipeline of product candidates, our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of our product candidates, our ability to operate in a competitive industry and compete successfully against competitors that have greater resources than we do, and our ability to obtain and adequately protect intellectual property rights for our product candidates. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors affecting our business can be found in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading 'Risk Factors' contained in our most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release. Takeda Important Notice For the purposes of this notice, 'press release' means this document, any oral presentation, any question and answer session and any written or oral material discussed or distributed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ('Takeda') regarding this release. This press release (including any oral briefing and any question-and-answer in connection with it) is not intended to, and does not constitute, represent or form part of any offer, invitation or solicitation of any offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, exchange, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction. No shares or other securities are being offered to the public by means of this press release. No offering of securities shall be made in the United States except pursuant to registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom. This press release is being given (together with any further information which may be provided to the recipient) on the condition that it is for use by the recipient for information purposes only (and not for the evaluation of any investment, acquisition, disposal or any other transaction). Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws. The companies in which Takeda directly and indirectly owns investments are separate entities. In this press release, 'Takeda' is sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Takeda and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words 'we', 'us' and 'our' are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies. Takeda Forward-Looking Statements This press release and any materials distributed in connection with this press release may contain forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions regarding Takeda's future business, future position and results of operations, including estimates, forecasts, targets and plans for Takeda. Without limitation, forward-looking statements often include words such as 'targets', 'plans', 'believes', 'hopes', 'continues', 'expects', 'aims', 'intends', 'ensures', 'will', 'may', 'should', 'would', 'could', 'anticipates', 'estimates', 'projects', 'forecasts', 'outlook' or similar expressions or the negative thereof. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements: the economic circumstances surrounding Takeda's global business, including general economic conditions in Japan and the United States and with respect to international trade relations; competitive pressures and developments; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including tax, tariff and other trade-related rules; challenges inherent in new product development, including uncertainty of clinical success and decisions of regulatory authorities and the timing thereof; uncertainty of commercial success for new and existing products; manufacturing difficulties or delays; fluctuations in interest and currency exchange rates; claims or concerns regarding the safety or efficacy of marketed products or product candidates; the impact of health crises, like the novel coronavirus pandemic; the success of our environmental sustainability efforts, in enabling us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions or meet our other environmental goals; the extent to which our efforts to increase efficiency, productivity or cost-savings, such as the integration of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, in our business or other initiatives to restructure our operations will lead to the expected benefits; and other factors identified in Takeda's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and Takeda's other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, available on Takeda's website at: or at Takeda does not undertake to update any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statements it may make, except as required by law or stock exchange rule. Past performance is not an indicator of future results and the results or statements of Takeda in this press release may not be indicative of, and are not an estimate, forecast, guarantee or projection of Takeda's future results. Takeda Medical Information This press release contains information about products that may not be available in all countries, or may be available under different trademarks, for different indications, in different dosages, or in different strengths. Nothing contained herein should be considered a solicitation, promotion or advertisement for any prescription drugs including the ones under development. _____________________________________________________ Kuykendall A et al. Results From VERIFY, a Phase 3, Double-Blind, Placebo (PBO)-Controlled Study of Rusfertide for Treatment of Polycythemia Vera (PV). Oral presentation at: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, June 1, 2025. Chicago, IL. LBA3. PROMIS Fatigue Short Form 8a Total T-Score. MFSAF v4.0 Total Symptom Score 7. View source version on Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Business Wire
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Scam Summer: Experts Warn Price Caps May Fuel £100 Million in Ticket Fraud
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With the UK heading into its biggest summer of live events in years, experts are warning that the Government's plans to cap the resale price of tickets could backfire - dramatically increasing fraud, pushing fans into the hands of scammers and triggering a financial backlash for both banks and consumers. Experts warn that price caps may fuel £100 million in ticket fraud. Share While the move to strengthen regulation is welcome, the proposal to restrict the price of resold tickets is raising serious concerns. In response to the Government's recent consultation on ticket resale regulation, which includes proposals to restrict the price of resold tickets, We Fight Fraud (WFF) - supported by one of the UK's leading fintechs, Revolut - is sounding the alarm: price caps won't protect fans - they'll expose them. Data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, Action Fraud and the National Crime Agency shows that the cost of reported ticket fraud for England and Wales was £70 million last year. Yet this pales into insignificance with how much consumers would lose in the event of a mooted price cap being introduced. New figures from Bradshaw Advisory, backed by independent research from We Fight Fraud, suggest that number would quadruple as ticket resales migrate from the regulated secondary market to social media. This would mean consumers being hit in the pocket to the tune of £280 million a year – with £100 million of that falling in the peak summer months alone. Dr Nicola Harding, CEO of We Fight Fraud, a specialist unit made up of ex-police, intelligence officers, cyber experts, and financial crime investigators, said: 'Capping resale prices may sound fan-friendly - but in practice, it pushes buyers into unregulated, risky spaces where criminals operate freely. We've tested this market. We've seen what happens. Price caps don't stop fraud - they multiply it and we could see live event fans defrauded to the tune of £100 million this summer.' As part of its investigation, We Fight Fraud conducted a covert ticket-buying operation at a Premier League match in March between Liverpool and Southampton. The results were stark: Three out of four tickets purchased via social media in test cases were either fake or never arrived. Two out of five tickets were outright scams. Two others were obtained illegally via hijacked memberships. Buyers were asked to pay bogus 'name change' fees and transfer money to money mule accounts. All scams were orchestrated via social media platforms and encrypted messaging apps. 'These aren't opportunistic chancers,' said Harding. 'They're organised criminal networks exploiting fans who've been shut out of safe, legitimate resale routes. 'The more you limit legitimate access, the more you push desperate fans into the shadows - and that's exactly where scammers lie in wait.' While We Fight Fraud's research* focused on the UK, international data tells a worrying story. In Ireland and Victoria, Australia - where ticket resale caps are in place - fraud has surged. Bradshaw Advisory's research found that in Ireland, 13.6% of fans reported being scammed, over three times the UK's 3.8% rate. Independent research shows fraud has risen in step with these restrictions. Since October 2024, UK banks have been required to reimburse victims of Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud, which includes most ticket scams. With resale restrictions forcing more buyers onto risky channels, the financial burden is now spreading from fans to banks - and eventually to the wider economy. Revolut saw ticket scams increase by 40% in the run-up to Taylor Swift concerts in London in August 2024. "We know that highly anticipated events, like concerts and sports matches, can become a target for unscrupulous criminals preying on enthusiastic fans,' said Dave Eborne, Head of Fraud Operations at Revolut. 'Especially with sought-after tickets, fraudsters leverage both the fear of missing out on a unique opportunity and a sense of urgency due to scarcity and high demand. The idea that a potential ticket could disappear quickly encourages people to act fast without thinking – but it's vital that consumers look for tell-tale warning signs before handing over their hard-earned cash. As Dr. Harding's research shows, banning or capping resale doesn't stop these scams; it simply provides another platform for them to thrive, costing fans and the wider economy through increased fraud. Smart, transparent regulation of the resale market, and robust consumer education on the warning signs of ticket scams, are the only real solutions to protect fans." For further information please contact contact@ or call us on +44(0)20 3633 0996 NOTES TO EDITORS About Revolut: Revolut is one of the UK's leading fintechs, helping people get more from their money. In 2015, Revolut launched in the UK offering money transfer and exchange. Today, more than 50 million customers around the world use dozens of Revolut's innovative products to make more than half a billion transactions a month. Across our personal and business accounts, we give customers more control over their finances and connect people seamlessly across the world. We Fight Fraud ( is a testing and research consultancy that specialises in identifying vulnerabilities related to financial crime. The independent research by WFF was commissioned by viagogo. Reinforcing We Fight Fraud's findings, Lloyds Bank recently issued a warning following a surge in scams linked to Oasis reunion tickets. Their analysis revealed that over two-thirds of all ticket scams now originate on social media, with Facebook responsible for 90% of those cases. Victims lost an average of £436, contributing to an estimated £2 million in total ticket scam losses over the past year. The scams typically involved convincing but fake listings, pressure to act quickly, and bogus charges like 'admin' or 'name change' fees - tactics that mirror those uncovered in We Fight Fraud's own investigations. REPORTING FRAUD: If you suspect fraud, report it to your bank and to Action Fraud at or if you prefer, on 0300 123 2040. If you're in Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. About the data: Action fraud data from the NFIB dashboard shows the cost of ticket fraud for England and Wales is around £9.8m across the last 12 months. When you factor in that 86% of fraud goes unreported (Action Fraud and National Crime Agency), the more realistic figure is likely to be £70m across the last 12 months. If we regulate that with price caps, that figure will balloon to £280m (based on Bradshaw advisory research that shows level of fraud in markets with price caps is four times that of the UK). WFF's research at a Premier League football match investigation shows three in four tickets purchased were scams.
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Lazard Opens New UK Headquarters in Historic Manchester Square, W1
Lazard opens new, larger headquarters at 20 Manchester Square, extending the firm's near 150-year history in the UK Move reflects Lazard's continued commitment to the UK and London as one of the world's pre-eminent financial centres LONDON, June 02, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lazard, Inc. (NYSE: LAZ) announced today that its new UK headquarters opened at 20 Manchester Square, housing both the firm's Financial Advisory and Asset Management businesses. The new, larger office reflects Lazard's commitment to London as one of the world's leading financial centres and the firm's continued growth in Europe. 20 Manchester Square will become part of Lazard's European footprint and one of its three main global offices, alongside New York and Paris. As a cornerstone of Lazard's international network, the new UK HQ extends the firm's long-standing presence in London which dates back to 1877. Cyrus Kapadia, Co-Head of European Investment Banking and CEO of UK Financial Advisory, said: "The move to 20 Manchester Square underscores our unwavering commitment to the UK and our deep-rooted heritage in London. We have been successfully growing our European teams and network to further support our clients across Europe and around the globe." Jeremy Taylor, CEO of Lazard UK Asset Management said, "20 Manchester Square is more than just a new office—it's a reflection of our values and vision. We are committed to delivering exceptional performance for our clients. This new UK headquarters embodies our dedication to innovation, collaboration, and thoughtful stewardship as we continue to best serve the needs of our clients." The new building offers modern office space and has been designed with an emphasis on innovation and sustainable standards of construction, technology and use. The space has renewable energy from solar panels on the roof and a rainwater harvesting system. The building's construction adhered to the UK Green Building Council framework for net-zero carbon emissions and recycled, long-life materials with reduced replaceability have been used across floors, walls and ceiling finishes, with water efficient taps, showers and fixtures in place throughout. 20 Manchester Square is situated next door to the Wallace Collection and Regent's Park, and the area is well known for its cultural landmarks and accessible transport links. Lazard UK is relocating from 50 Stratton Street, after over twenty years. ABOUT LAZARD Founded in 1848, Lazard is the preeminent financial advisory and asset management firm, with operations in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. Lazard provides advice on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and capital solutions, restructuring and liability management, geopolitics, and other strategic matters, as well as asset management and investment solutions to institutions, corporations, governments, partnerships, family offices, and high net worth individuals. For more information, please visit and follow Lazard on LinkedIn. View source version on Contacts MEDIA CONTACTS Poppy Trowbridge, Financial Advisory+44 207 187 Zoe Butt, Asset Management+44 20 7448 INVESTOR CONTACT Alexandra Deignan+1 212 632 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
