Latest news with #Apel
Hamilton Spectator
26-06-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
‘No sentence will ever be enough': Former Milton teacher sentenced on child porn, voyeurism and luring charges
A former Milton teacher who made children as young as eight years old perform degrading sexual acts in video chats he recorded will serve another 2.3 years in custody. Justin Zielke received a prison sentence of six years from Justice Allan Maclure during a hearing, which took place in a Milton court on June 20. However, when credit is given for pretrial custody, the amount of time Zielke has left to serve falls to 2.3 years. Zielke, who also recorded disturbing videos of female students at the school he taught at, pleaded guilty to charges of voyeurism, making child pornography, possessing child pornography and four counts of luring on Oct. 20, 2024. In addition to the prison sentence, Zielke faces a lifetime prohibition order which restricts him from attending public parks, swimming areas and community centres when those under the age of 16 are present. He is also restricted from any kind of employment or volunteer work that would put him in a position of authority or trust for those aged 16 or younger. Another court order prohibits Zielke from communicating with someone under the age of 16 unless it is in the presence of someone 18 years of age or older who is aware of his criminal history. He was also required to submit a sample of his DNA to the court and register as a sex offender for 20 years. 'The power someone like this can hold over a child's life is devastating. I live every day wishing this man had never entered my life,' said one victim, whose name is protected by a publication ban. 'The damage he's caused not just to me, but to so many others, is immeasurable. No sentence will ever be enough to undo the harm he has done.' The Ancaster man was arrested while teaching at Milton's St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Elementary School in January 2023. He had previously taught at Oakville's St. Vincent Catholic Elementary School. A search warrant executed at Zielke's home resulted in the discovery of thousands of videos and hundreds of pictures that met the criteria to be classified as child pornography. According to an agreed statement of facts submitted to the court, multiple videos showed Zielke directing children to perform sexual acts for which he would reward them with various gift cards, often for a popular children's game called 'Roblox.' Assistant Crown attorney Harutyun Apel previously argued a sentence approaching 10 years in prison for Zielke would be appropriate. He said this sentence was warranted due to the number of victims, four of whom have been identified; the young ages of the victims; Zielke's use of extortion and threats to get his victims to comply with his demands; and his impact on the victims. Apel described one video chat where Zielke repeatedly became angry with an 8-year-old girl when she expressed disgust and discomfort over the things he was asking her to do. At one point, Zielke told the child he would call police and have her father arrested if she did not comply. In another incident, Apel said Zielke contacted a former student online, pretending to be a teenage boy. He said that after some time, Zielke convinced this 14-year-old girl to send him inappropriate photos and videos of herself. When the girl denied further video requests, Zielke threatened to send the previous videos to everyone she knew. He then named the victim's brother and said he would kill him and kill her if she did not do what she was told. Defence attorney Alison Craig argued Zielke should be sentenced to time served or, failing that, one year at the St. Lawrence Valley Correctional and Treatment Centre in Brockville. Craig pointed out Zielke had no previous criminal record and pleaded guilty, thereby preventing a trial that would have required his victims to testify. She said he never actually touched any of his victims. The defence attorney also said that since his arrest, Zielke has experienced considerable abuse and harassment, particularly at the Maplehurst Correctional Complex, from both guards and other inmates. Craig noted Halton police have actually charged one guard with assaulting Zielke. Zielke's treatment at Maplehurst is not linked or connected to an alleged act of collective punishment by guards in December 2023 which is currently under investigation by the Ministry of the Solicitor General and the subject of multiple lawsuits . Maclure described the acts Zielke had children perform in his videos as 'sickening.' He said Zielke understood what he was doing and noted he knowingly breached the community's trust that was placed in him to care for children. Maclure also said Zielke had betrayed the trust of his students and noted that from reading the victim impact statements , it was clear Zielke's actions have had a devastating impact. That said, the judge said he found Zielke's account of the poor conditions he has experienced in prison 'disturbing' and said this would also come to play in determining a proper sentence. Maclure would ultimately sentence Zielke to six years in custody. In the wake of the sentencing, one of Zielke's victims is calling on the others to heal. 'I refuse to let him take anything more from me,' she said. 'And no victim of his should ever feel like they have to carry the weight of his actions. You did nothing wrong and deserve to live the rest of your life and give him nothing else.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
New Straits Times
24-04-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
SPM absenteeism: Experts push for early intervention
KUALA LUMPUR: All stakeholders - especially parents and teachers - must step up and take responsibility to ensure students sit for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination and do not abandon their education prematurely. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Faculty of Education lecturer, Associate Professor Dr Hasnah Toran, said ignoring the growing number of students choosing work over education could lead to serious, long-term repercussions for the nation. She said schools must immediately activate their internal intervention mechanisms - involving counsellors and discipline teachers - to identify students at risk and address their challenges before they drop out. "We call on all relevant authorities, particularly school leaders, to take swift and proactive measures. "If these SPM dropouts continue to fall through the cracks, society and the government will bear the cost in the years ahead," she told the New Straits Times. Hasnah said early signs, such as persistent truancy, can help schools identify students at risk months before the examination. "Truancy is one of the clearest red flags. Those who frequently skip school are often the ones who end up missing the SPM," she said. She cautioned against judging students who enter the workforce early, pointing out that many are forced by financial pressures to support their families. "People often ask, 'Where are the parents?' The harsh truth is, not all children are blessed with responsible parents. Many families have been failed by their own support systems," she said. "Schools must go beyond teaching - they need to connect families to aid, including support from the Social Welfare Department, where possible." Educationist and Skolar Malaysia co-founder Dr Tazli Azizan also expressed concern, saying even a slight increase in SPM failures is a red flag that demands urgent action. "This is not just about exam results. It reflects broader issues - motivation, pedagogy, and gaps in educational access and support," he said. He urged the government to move away from over-reliance on a single high-stakes exam like the SPM and towards a flexible, inclusive education system grounded in lifelong learning. "Lifelong learning must be more than a slogan. It must be a national philosophy. Not every 17-year-old is ready to make life-changing decisions. But with alternative pathways, they can always return when they are ready," he said. Tazli said the real concern lies in the rigidity of the current system, which offers few flexible options for youths who need to work. "Most teens are not lazy - they are either helping their families survive or struggling to connect with the content taught in schools," he said. He called on the Education Ministry to broaden the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (Apel) programme and create more flexible exam formats, including modular and digital options. Earlier, Education Ministry director-general Datuk Azman Adnan said that over half of the students who registered for the 2024 SPM but did not sit for the exam cited work as the main reason. He said a total of 6,246 candidates, or 1.8 per cent, did not turn up, compared to 8,675 (2.5 per cent) in 2023. Of these, 57.8 per cent skipped the exam due to work, 35.5 per cent because of family issues, and 4.7 per cent due to health problems. Azman said many students are driven by financial burdens or the appeal of quick earnings, often making short-sighted decisions that jeopardise their future.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Appoints Daniel Apel as Chief Financial Officer
PASADENA, Calif., April 15, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARWR) today announced that, effective May 13, 2025, Arrowhead's Chief Financial Officer, Ken Myszkowski, will retire after 16 years of service to the company and will be succeeded by Daniel Apel, who has been appointed as the company's new Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Myszkowski will continue to serve as an employee adviser to assist and facilitate an effective transition. "Ken has been a valuable member of the Arrowhead team, and he retires at a time of great financial strength for the company. The finance organization that Ken built over the years is very capable and provides strong support to our ambitious development and commercialization plans. I want to thank him for all his important contributions to Arrowhead," said Christopher Anzalone, Ph.D., President and CEO at Arrowhead. "I am also excited for Dan Apel to join Arrowhead as we make the transition from development stage to commercial stage, with the planned launch of plozasiran this year, pending regulatory review and approval. Dan is an accomplished pharmaceutical executive who can make an immediate and important impact on our business." Mr. Apel joins the company from Walgreens Boots Alliance, where he served as Global Head of Financial Planning and Analysis from 2019 through 2024. Prior to joining Walgreens, Mr. Apel served in various significant roles in his nearly 20-year career at Bayer, including as Chief Financial Officer for Bayer U.S. from 2016 through 2019 and as Chief Financial Officer for Bayer Canada and global Head of Accounting for the Bayer Healthcare Segment, based in Germany. Mr. Apel has served on the boards of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Organization for International Investment, as well as a Trustee for the Health Institute of New Jersey. Mr. Apel earned his Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley, a Bachelors of Arts Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. About Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep, and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Arrowhead's RNAi-based therapeutics leverage this natural pathway of gene silencing. For more information, please visit or follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @ArrowheadPharma, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. To be added to the Company's email list and receive news directly, please visit Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements contained in this release except for historical information may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "hope," "intend," "plan," "project," "could," "estimate," "continue," "target," "forecast" or "continue" or the negative of these words or other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to projections of our future financial performance, trends in our business, expectations for our product pipeline or product candidates, including anticipated regulatory submissions and clinical program results, prospects or benefits of our collaborations with other companies, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the initiation, timing, progress and results of our preclinical studies and clinical trials, and our research and development programs; our expectations regarding the potential benefits of the partnership, licensing and/or collaboration arrangements and other strategic arrangements and transactions we have entered into or may enter into in the future; our beliefs and expectations regarding milestone, royalty or other payments that could be due to or from third parties under existing agreements; and our estimates regarding future revenues, research and development expenses, capital requirements and payments to third parties. These statements are based upon our current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. Our actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors and uncertainties, including the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our business, the safety and efficacy of our product candidates, decisions of regulatory authorities and the timing thereof, the duration and impact of regulatory delays in our clinical programs, our ability to finance our operations, the likelihood and timing of the receipt of future milestone and licensing fees, the future success of our scientific studies, our ability to successfully develop and commercialize drug candidates, the timing for starting and completing clinical trials, rapid technological change in our markets, the enforcement of our intellectual property rights, and the other risks and uncertainties described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. We assume no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances. Source: Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. View source version on Contacts Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Anzalone, CFA626-304-3400ir@ Investors: LifeSci Advisors, LLCBrian Ritchie 212-915-2578britchie@ Media: LifeSci Communications, LLCKendy Guarinoni, Ph.D.724-910-9389kguarinoni@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Lucanet has turned communication with finance into a strategic priority
This story was originally published on To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily newsletter. At the German technology company Lucanet, the relationship between finance and leadership is crucial. While this relationship's importance can be justified in nearly all organizations, how this company has developed its systems is uniquely CFO-influenced. Under the leadership of former CFO turned CEO Elias Apel and vice president of finance Carsten Gerger, the two have developed a strategic relationship that has become a core foundation of the business. While Apel is based in Munch, Germany, Gerger is based in Berlin, a span of about 350 miles. Though the two continue to meet formally monthly, they operate in different realms of influence within the organization daily. While Gerger has continued to develop the finance function efficiency through much of its own technology, Apel has transitioned into a role where he now has taken the same initiative he took to the finance function as the CFO and has driven it across the organization. For a finance leader who is working for a former CFO turned CEO, there can be a challenge around autonomy. Gerger said he feels like his ability to autonomously lead his responsibilities of the finance function is not impacted by Apel's CFO experience. To the contrary, he said some of the most important parts of his job are the in-person meet-ups he and Apel have on a semi-regular basis. 'I think it is essential that me and [Apel] meet in person because in the end, it's about personal connection between finance and [the CEO],' said Gerger. 'I have built out a lot of our finance function's ability on the technical side of things, and sometimes I need the awareness of other people, especially someone like [Apel], to make sure there are no blind spots and I am getting everything done and keeping everything running.' Gerger also added that his working relationship with Apel and its development over time has made him much more comfortable in addressing things like risk and strategic decision-making. 'It's been really helpful to have the perspective of a former CFO when I bring up a different view on something,' said Gerger. 'If I am thinking about risk a certain way, [Apel] is able to provide insight from a financial perspective but from a different point of view within the organization.' One of the most important parts of their relationship, Gerger says, is their ability to candidly disagree and address things pragmatically. Through their aforementioned different viewpoints of the business, the two can have meaningful conversations about direction that allows Gerger to provide strategic insight and Apel the opportunity to get that insight from someone who speaks the language of finance. 'At our organization, the finance-CEO relationship is all about evolving the way we work at the same pace as the organization is evolving,' Gerger said. 'We are looking at the same datasets, building one story about that data and coming to a shared understanding that we can then take action from. But when it comes to investing decisions in technology or M&A, the angles he and I are able to analyze from have helped me feel more connected to the greater parts of the business when we can take important decisions at eye-level and use clear communication.' For Apel, his focus on transitioning the company out of the solely founder-led model was his primary function during his time as CFO. He knows first hand the 'scarcity' of financial talent and has used a strategy based on granting autonomy to keep strong talent like Gerger around. 'There is definitely scarcity in the assets of financial talent,' said Apel. 'As a CEO, I need to be in the top 5%, maybe 10% of the business because what I've learned is I can't be the best at everything. There are experts within this organization that understand things better than me, and I need them for the business to be successful.' Apel credited his CFO experience for his ability to be successful as a CEO, as he can articulate culture, strategy, marketing and finance when needed. 'I believe I am able to participate in every conversation throughout the business, but it's my CFO experience that has allowed me to have a specific edge and give instruction that can help address certain challenges.' Scaling, he says, is important for the business as a whole so that the leadership team doesn't get overwhelmed with work as the company grows. If leadership gets overwhelmed during growth stages, Apel says they will leave, which he views as an avoidable cost. He says a major part of his job has been to create an environment where systems are scalable and leaders have autonomy and decision-making influence. 'As CEO, I learned that if I wanted to have a successful relationship with finance, I had to create the environment that allowed for that. I've worked hard on creating an environment where our team can grow, and although it's a fast-paced business, I think [Gerger] and I have been able to keep each other aware of the things that we need to in detail, and he has become a strong finance business partner with me on this journey.' He said that although both his career and the company have gone through many changes since he became CEO, Apel believes Gerger's influence deserves a significant portion of the credit. 'I've always needed a strong finance business partner on this journey,' Apel said. 'But I believe that it's on the CEO to create that environment that can help finance thrive to its highest potential.' This is part two of a two-part series. Part one can be found here. The entire series can be found here. Recommended Reading Elias Apel and Carsten Gerger's approach to running Lucanet Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘We have become our own customers' — How Lucanet's finance team collaborates
This story was originally published on To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily newsletter. This is part one of a two-part series. Part two will be published on March 25. Lucanet, the nearly three-decade-old German technology company focused on finance function solutions, has a leadership structure almost as CFO-centric as its product. Their current CEO, Elias Apel, served as CFO until October 2023. Though he hasn't replaced the CFO role he left vacant, much of the finance function's responsibility is now led by Carsten Gerger, who was promoted to vice president of finance shortly after Apel was promoted to CFO. What's interesting about Lucanet is the company uses its own technology to run most of its finance functions. As Gerger put it, 'We are our best customer at the end of the day,' so input from both him and Apel on product development, engineering, marketing and strategic planning — especially in the context of emerging technologies — is critical. Both are not only running a fast-growing, legacy technology company but are also tasked with having a direct hand in developing their offerings in a rapidly evolving space. While most CFOs purchase off-the-shelf products, Gerger's ability to operate his finance function on his company's own software services is pivotal. He noted that when he joined the company nearly a decade ago, the ability to test and provide insight on their products wasn't as developed — but that has since become a tremendous upside for him and his team. 'When I started here, that wasn't the case, but over the last few years, the finance team's involvement in product testing and development has grown,' Gerger said. 'We are always the ones testing our new products before they go to market, and that has been a really fun and unique part of my job.' Collaboration, an effort many CFOs consistently encourage their finance teams to embrace, has become second nature within the organization, Gerger explained. 'As the business has grown, we have become our own customers, and testing our products, identifying small challenges before they hit the market and working with people outside the finance function regularly has been a way to keep our people happy, add value across the board and maintain enthusiasm about our products.' Gerger's perspective on the role of accountants is noteworthy, as a former auditor at PwC, he believes 'expertise' in accounting is losing value. 'Of course, you still need a few accounting experts to make sure your finance function is running properly, but you don't need as many as you used to,' he said. 'Technology can allow finance to concentrate on taking our expertise, looking at the data and making decisions in real-time, making forecasts in real time and continuing to evolve the way we do things.' Gerger emphasized that this is the essence of finance's consistently changing role in business. 'Finance can't continue like it did 20 years ago,' he said. 'We need to be able to pivot, and that's essential for not only our business but every business.' Rewinding to 2023, Apel said this initiative was one of his main goals when he was CFO. Apel's ability to operate the company's finances while collaborating across the board and leading the transition from a founder-run company to an external leadership team was critical to enabling the finance function's flexibility to collaborate with product development as much as it does now. 'When I came here and started as CFO, I brought the finance function into the commercial mindset that it was missing a bit beforehand,' Apel said. 'But that was because we were a founder-run company. The finance function was managed by one of the founders before me, who, like many founders, was an expert in every aspect of the business.' Apel said adopting a commercial mindset for the finance function followed a three-step approach. First, he shifted finance from an on-premise, perpetual license model to a Software-as-a-Service and cloud-based model. As he put it, this 'Had a massive impact on the P&L, on planning, the way we interacted with our customers, the way we analyze data and define our KPIs.' Secondly, he moved the organization's decision-making process from a centralized, 'very traditional HQ subsidiary' into a 'global matrix organization.' 'We needed to internationalize our decision-making processes,' Apel said. 'We've moved away from that [traditional centralized HQ model], so now there's much more autonomy in the business, but it needs to be done in a way that aligns all of our regions on our products, functions and financial framework.' Finally, he said the mindset of the business needed to change, moving away from the founder-run, post-start-up business model. 'In a founder-run organization, the finance function can run a bit like a family office, because everything the founders have is tied into the business,' Apel said. 'We had to transition out of that, invest a little bit more, expand our risk profile and analyze ROI differently. That process is always ongoing.' Apel noted Gerger's ability to successfully implement that transition in the finance function today. 'I think Carsten has done an amazing job of embedding that into his daily thinking and how he operates, and that is my recommendation to every business leader — make yourself as redundant as possible and always have a successor in place.' Recommended Reading The importance of the CFO-CEO relationship in minor league baseball Sign in to access your portfolio
