Latest news with #Fundamental
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Airtel and Fundamental vs. Financial Fraud
HighlightsIn 2024, Airtel became India's first Spam Fighting Network by utilizing artificial intelligence to screen spam calls and texts in real time, analyzing over 250 parameters. Airtel's new initiative, The Safe Network, aims to combat financial fraud by recognizing and blocking malicious links across various digital platforms, ensuring that fraudulent links do not open for users. The campaign promoting this service, directed by Ram Madhvani, emphasizes Airtel's commitment to customer safety with the reassuring message 'Kuch Nahi Hoga', indicating that Airtel is protecting its customers. In 2024 telco giant Airtel became India's first Spam Fighting Network. Leveraging both, the scale of their network and the power of AI, the company started screening spam calls and texts in real time, analysing over 250 parameters to identify these nuisances and sending consumers an Airtel Warning whenever they received such calls or messages. But the battle against what is arguably the biggest cyber-menace facing people today was far from won. Scams are rampant, ever-evolving and claiming new victims every day. Being a brand that has its ears to the ground, Airtel realised through numerous customer interactions that the problem wasn't restricted to calls and texts alone. Links emerged as a serious cause for concern - because they are omnipresent on the internet and often the first step to getting scammed. Partnering with indie agency Fundamental, Airtel has responded with a solution to this wide-spread issue. Enter: The Safe Network . Using AI, Airtel will now be able to recognise and block malicious links . Which means that even if unsuspecting people are now pressurised or duped into clicking on them, fraudulent links just won't open. The objective is to come down hard on financial fraud and minimise it to the extent possible, by rendering such links 'unclickable'. Airtel will be able to identify suspicious links regardless of which platform they are served to consumers on - chat apps, social media, search engines, email - links on any or all of these channels will be flagged by the system and blocked. And once again, this service is available to every Airtel customer without the hassle of a separate app download or additional fees. The brand has gone live with its latest campaign to announce the launch of this service. The spots have been directed by Ram Madhvani of Equinox Films. Speaking about working with Airtel towards this solution, Pallavi Chakravarti, founder and chief creative officer at Fundamental said, 'Most consumers are plagued with the worry that despite being vigilant they may slip up and click on something malicious - what happens then? with the simple but reassuring ' Kuch Nahi Hoga ' we're sending out an emphatic message: Airtel has your back.' Watch the videos here:
What's On
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- What's On
Review: Sirene by Gaia
It's been six years since Gaia made its smash hit debut on the DIFC dining scene. The star pairing of hospitality heavyweights Fundamental (then Bulldozer Group) – led by Evgeny Kuzin; and chef Izu Ani, formerly at the helm of foodie favourites like LPM and La Serre, put upscale Greek dining on the DIFC culinary map, paving the way for a slew of successful homegrown restaurants. Fast forward to 2025, and the two have unveiled Sirene by Gaia, a seaside iteration of the beloved Greek-Mediterranean restaurant, one of a dozen new additions to J1 Beach. And how does Sirene look to stand out in a sea of new beach clubs? Firstly, by being the world's largest – the sprawling space is part-restaurant, part-beach club, and the two are linked by whitewashed bars, a sparkling swimming pool, and a lounge arranged around a DJ booth where guests dine with their toes in the sand – it's all big, bold and beautiful. The neutral shades and endless white stone are laced with pops of colourful bougainvillaea in shades of cerise and orange – the whole aesthetic reminiscent of the oh-so-chic Cyclades. There's plenty of nods to the original Gaia in DIFC – a fresh fish display, lovely neutral uniforms worn by the team, and plenty of big tables covered in crisp white tablecloths that ensure the air of sophistication remains, even at the beachfront. There's a more chilled vibe at the pool and beach, where plump loungers all gaze down towards the water; so if you're here for the party, be sure to book the restaurant. Under the cover of the indoor space, there are more tables for two and four, while the ones down towards the DJ booth are designed for bigger groups, but the indoor-outdoor spaces seamlessly blend, and all command striking views of the sea. The menu isn't extensive, but there's lots we like the look of – starting with the bread, which arrives freshly baked and with a side of tangy tomato dip that's refreshing and light. We stick in familiar territory with the seabream carpaccio (Dhs225), and the fish is fresh and cut into slivers, served with a trio of dressings of fragrant truffle, zesty mandarin, and sour lemon, and each offers a complementary flavour. The Greek salad (Dhs135) is a generous glass bowl of neatly cut onion, cucumber and tomatoes, tossed in a traditional dressing and topped with a slab of barrel-aged feta that balances everything perfectly. From the mains, we opt for the king prawns and a sea bass (market price) cooked to order from the fresh fish display – the simple seasoning of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon lets the high-quality ingredients sing, and when paired with a bowl of crispy fries (Dhs50) and baked vegetables (Dhs50). We make a late afternoon reservation, and even mid-week as we're ordering dessert (go for the fried Greek donuts (Dhs75), drizzled in a sweet honey), the music is turning up and magnums of chilled rosé begin to pour at tables around us. Guests start to migrate to the bars, lingering for sunset drinks as day turns to night. Verdict: Go for the food, stay for the vibes. Sirene by Gaia, J1 Beach, daily 10am to 1am. Tel: (0) 4 570 4766 . @sirene_dxb > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
Chicago Tribune
23-04-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Navigating price and quality in the complicated landscape of the American wine market
Long before the rising cost of eggs and recession jitters invaded our daily conversations, cost was already the dominant factor steering America's wine choices. Now, as tariffs threaten to send import prices soaring, domestic wines might be poised to be a value alternative for many American consumers. But navigating the landscape of value in American wines is complex, explains Zack Eastman, co-owner of Easy Does It, the wine bar and bottle shop in the Logan Square neighborhood. Indeed, there's no shortage of cheap American-made wine. Grocery stores and big-box retailers are overstocked with mass-produced wine brands engineered for the kind of easy drinking consistency consumers enjoy from soda or energy drinks. Yet value in wine implies so much more than just cost, says Eastman. As an agricultural product, value represents a balance of cost against a range of other factors like quality, sustainability, ethics and farming practices, he suggests. At the opposite end of the price spectrum, America's most iconic wines — Napa cabernets and Sonoma chardonnays, for example — known for craftsmanship and distinctiveness, can be prohibitively expensive, especially compared with imported wines. After all, in the pre-tariff era, American consumers have enjoyed unfettered access to a smorgasbord of fine value wines. Almost any wine shop in America is stocked with solid Côtes-du-Rhône reds, Argentine malbecs or New Zealand sauvignon blancs at under $15. Yet even the most mediocre Napa cab is a challenge to find under $25. Generally, high-quality American wines from independent producers simply cost more to make than imported wines of similar quality. 'It's incredibly difficult for small American producers to compete in that under-$15 range,' says California winemaker Joey Tensley. 'In Italy, a family making pinot grigio likely inherited their winery over generations.' Here, independent producers face massive upfront investments. They're buying their own land, equipment and production facilities, even before tackling labor, farming and distribution expenses. 'Even at $19.99 a bottle, the margins are so thin, producers might only be making a couple dollars per bottle,' says Tensley. His company, Tensley Wines, is best known for small production, premium Syrah grown on his own estate in the Santa Barbara American Viticultural Area, or AVA. Tensley's flagship wines retail for over $115. But by purchasing grapes from a handful of larger growers across the broader Central Coast AVA, Tensley was able to launch Fundamental, a second, more accessibly priced label, which retails for under $25. Tensley's business model sheds light on where consumers will find the best values in quality American winemaking today. Like many independent producers, he focuses on lesser-known appellations outside the spotlight (and price tags) of places like Napa or Sonoma. By sourcing grapes from trusted growers rather than relying entirely on estate-grown grapes, Tensley can deliver affordable wines without buying more land or expanding his own farming operations. And with an annual production of about 27,000 cases, his operation has remained small enough to ensure that his wines retain his distinct signature. At The Oakville Grill & Cellar in Fulton Market, wine director Grant Barnow showcases plenty of marquee bottles from Napa and Sonoma. But some of the most compelling values, he suggests, 'come from names and regions off the beaten path, many that might sit outside your comfort zone.' Like Tensley, Barnow points to the Central Coast, the catch-all AVA that stretches from the San Francisco Bay down to Santa Barbara County, as a hot spot for wines of both value and distinction. But he also finds standout bottles in smaller, lesser-known subregions of the Central Coast like San Benito County, as well as further north in Mendocino County. Inland, he looks to areas like Lodi and Clements Hills in the Central Valley, or the Sierra Foothills and Amador County near the Nevada border. These under-the-radar corners of California feature prominently at Easy Does It too, but Eastman is quick to point to other underappreciated American wine regions like the Finger Lakes in New York, Michigan and the Columbia Valley in Eastern Washington and Oregon too. Even for seasoned professionals, navigating these lesser-known American wines means sorting through a flood of unfamiliar names and wine styles — something that requires legwork, admits Vernon Jackson, a wine consultant and sommelier at Tre Dita in Chicago's Lakeshore East neighborhood. After all, the landscape of American wine is so wonderfully vast and varied, it defies simplification into a quick and dirty cheat sheet of regions or producers His advice? 'Find a local, independent wine shop you like.' Be upfront about your budget, ask plenty of questions and take time to build a relationship, he says. And most importantly, 'be fearless' in exploring unfamiliar grape varieties, regions or producers you might not know yet. After all, so much of wine's value lies in the discovery, Jackson explains. 'Wine is something that transports you — to another place, another moment in time.' By reclaiming it as an agricultural product rather than a branded commodity, he argues, 'it becomes the story of the individual families, the people who grow grapes and make wine by hand. All of that is what gives wine so much value.' 10 American wines at $25 and under that punch well above their price point Floréz 2023 Poilu's Pinard Cienega Valley Red Blend, $25 at Easy Does It Sourced from the Cienega Valley in the Central Coast, this is an unusual co-ferment of organically grown red and white grapes like zinfandel, mourvèdre, muscat, grenache and cabernet pfeffer. Winemaker James Jelks' wines are 'a great example of how great natural wines can be,' says Eastman. They're very clean and well-made but 'super fresh, crunchy and really easy to drink,' he says. Two Shepherds 2022 Old Vine Mendocino County Carignan, $22 at Easy Does It 'These wines are so good,' says Eastman, and the couple who make them, William Allen and Karen Daenen, 'work so hard' making small-batch wines from 80-year-old vines. 'I almost feel bad pricing these wines as low as we do,' he says. The carignan, a red grape more commonly found in Spain and southern France, is farmed organically in Mendocino, just north of Sonoma County. Barbichette 2023 Le Blanc Seneca Lake Riesling, $25 at Easy Does It 'There's so much great wine coming from New York,' says Eastman, with many that overdeliver for their price. 'This is an atypical riesling that reminds me more of places like the Jura in France than Germany,' he says. 'It's fully dry and high in acid but also very light in alcohol with a really cool, salty minerality.' Poetson 2023 Old Shore Vineyard Co-Ferment Lake Michigan Shore Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, $25 at Easy Does It 'In Chicago, we're such big supporters of local products, I've never had trouble selling Michigan wine,' says Eastman. 'We're just starting to see how much potential there is there.' This co-ferment of red pinot noir and white pinot gris is from winemaker Alex McNeely's first commercial vintage. 'It's so fresh and crunchy,' Eastman says, 'it drinks more like a light red wine with these floral and citrus tones you might not usually get in a red.' Joey Tensley 2019 Fundamental Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon, $25 at Total Wines Finding a California cabernet that preserves the variety's classic tension, perfume and peppery freshness at an accessible price is rare. While Tensley is best known for Rhône varieties like syrah and grenache, his entry-level cab delivers impressive value, offering glimpses of the purity of fruit and intensity that define his more powerful flagship bottlings. Bedrock Wine Co. 2024 Ode to Lulu California Rosé, $24 at This grenache-based rosé is Bedrock's homage to French winemaker Lulu Peyraud of Domaine Tempier in Bandol 'who makes one of the greatest rosés in the world,' says Barnow. 'It feels like southern Provence,' but with a twist of California sunshine, he says. 'A phenomenal rosé that's the perfect summertime glass with a bit more complexity to it. Monte Rio Cellars 2024 The Bench Clement Hills Lodi Vermentino, $25 at Monte Rio Cellars Vermentino, a white wine typically found in Italy or France, is a rarity in America, but wines made from lesser-known grapes can also offer substantial value, compared with more commonly marketable varieties, says Barnow. Sourced from a grape grower in Lodi in California's Central Valley, it's an orange-style wine made by the former New York City sommelier Patrick Cappiello. 'Its delicate herbal tone and touch of tangerine skin make it such a pretty wine,' says Barnow. Tatomer 2024 Steinhügel Santa Lucia Highlands Riesling, $22 at Tatomer Wines Despite an exceptionally small production, Graham Tatomer has an outsized reputation for making incredible riesling at consistently low prices, says Barnow. The Santa Lucia Highlands in California's Monterey County 'is another lesser-known region, but this bottling hits all the bright, beautifully concentrated notes of riesling in a very dry, Austrian style,' Barnow says. Maison Noir Wines 2023 O.P.P. Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, $23 at Binny's Maison Noir is the long-running micro-négociant project of André Hueston Mack, a former sommelier, who sources fruit from select vineyards across the Willamette Valley — hence the nickname the 'Other People's Pinot.' The result is an accessible Oregon pinot with 'tart red fruit acidity' that makes it 'so great to crush,' says Jackson. 'It goes so well with so many foods.' Day Wines 2023 Vin de Days Willamette Valley Blanc Natural, $21 at Binny's Winemaker Brianne Day blends organically grown pinot gris, riesling, pinot blanc, müller-thurgau and muscat grapes sourced from a select group of growers in Oregon's Willamette Valley to make this perfumed Alsatian-style white. It's a rare blend here in the United States, perfect for consumers curious about natural and organic wines, says Jackson. 'It's a crushable white wine, especially with some chill on it,' he says.
Associated Press
06-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Fundamental Advisors Provides $33.75M Financing to Dominican University New York
Private Municipal Bond Placement to Recapitalize University's Debt and Fund Nursing Program Improvements NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fundamental Advisors ('Fundamental'), an established alternative asset manager focused on municipal, public purpose and community assets, in partnership with its municipal bond sourcing partner, V2 Municipal Capital ('V2MC'), today announced the completion of a $33,750,000 financing for Dominican University New York through the Rockland County Economic Assistance Corporation. Dominican University New York is an independent, four-year doctoral level liberal arts university, chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York, and fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The University's 1,400 student body represents a diverse population and includes both campus residents and commuters. The University is recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution ('HSI') by Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities ('HACU'). Dominican University's campus is located in Rockland County, NY, 17 miles north of New York City and three miles north of Bergen County, NJ. 'As dedicated public purpose investors, we view this partnership with Dominican University New York as an opportunity to support the long-term growth trajectory of an established institution serving a diverse student population,' said Laurence Gottlieb, Chairman and CEO of Fundamental. 'Our partnership with V2MC has provided significant visibility across the higher education ecosystem, creating unique opportunities to partner with leading institutions such as Dominican University. We look forward to working closely with Manuel, Tony and the entire Dominican board for many years to come.' 'We're excited to have completed our first majority financing with Fundamental, particularly with a transaction that is core to the firm's mission to support community and public purpose assets,' said Charlie Visconsi, Co-Founder of V2MC. 'The transaction presented a compelling opportunity to support a university serving a growing cohort of minority, first-generation college students, and we're excited to partner with Dominican University in this next phase.' The financing for Dominican University comprises $28,885,000 of tax-exempt bonds and $4,865,000 of taxable bonds. The proceeds will be used to recapitalize all of the University's outstanding debt and fund certain capital projects, including improvements for the University's nursing program. 'We are pleased to have completed this transaction to structure a bond issue that meets the University's needs,' said Dr. Manuel Martinez, President, Dominican University New York. 'Fundamental and V2MC took considerable time to visit our campus and meet with our leadership team to better understand Dominican's mission and purpose. We're confident they are the ideal long-term funding partner for our university.' 'We had a great experience working with Fundamental Advisors and V2MC to refinance all of Dominican University's debt, including our tax-exempt bonds,' said Tony Cipolla, Vice President for Financial Affairs and CFO, Dominican University New York. 'We've worked collaboratively with the team over the last three months to efficiently close the financing with a structure and repayment schedule tailored to the University's specific needs. We look forward to a long and successful partnership as we continue to grow our offerings and maintain strong enrollment.' 'At D.A. Davidson, we pride ourselves on providing high-level service and personalized attention to our borrower clients, and it was clear throughout this process that Fundamental and V2MC take a similar approach,' said Dan Froehlich, Managing Director, D.A. Davidson & Co. 'On the Dominican University transaction, Fundamental and V2MC worked closely with us over several months to structure a complex bond issue that refinanced three bank loans and four tax-exempt bond issues, while also providing new financing to expand the University's nursing program. The collaboration was critical to the success of the financing, and we're pleased to have delivered this critical solution for Dominican University.' D.A. Davidson & Co. served as the underwriter on the transaction and Frasca and Associates served as the University's Financial Advisor. Hawkins Delafield and Wood served as Bond Counsel, Nixon Peabody as Underwriter's Counsel, Harris Beach as Issuer's Counsel and Cozen O'Connor as Purchaser's Counsel. About Fundamental Advisors Fundamental is an established alternative asset manager dedicated to municipal, public purpose and community assets. Founded in 2007, the firm is focused on targeting control-oriented investments in stressed and distressed assets or securities, financing the development or revitalization of public purpose or community assets, and acquiring undervalued securities in the secondary market. For more information, please visit About V2 Municipal Capital Founded by Charlie Visconsi and Ron Van Den Handel in July 2024, V2 Municipal Capital is an independent sourcing company for high-yield tax-exempt and taxable municipal bonds. V2MC seeks to provide structured capital solutions for municipal borrowers across four key sectors: health care, housing, education and infrastructure. For more information, please visit: Contacts For Fundamental and V2 Municipal Capital Jon Keehner / Madeline Jones Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher 212-355-4449 For Dominican University New York Tony Cipolla 845-848-7814
