Latest news with #Kleinschmidt
Gulf Today
09-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
German expert hails UAE as global model for future readiness
The UAE has emerged as a global model for leveraging resources and capabilities to build a sustainable and future-ready society, said German entrepreneur and humanitarian expert Kilian Kleinschmidt. Speaking at a panel discussion at the World Crisis and Emergency Management Summit 2025, Kleinschmidt said the UAE had positioned itself as an international hub for science, technology, and future foresight. In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), he said effective crisis response requires joint action by governments and communities, stressing the need for "borderless" solutions to address global disasters and challenges. He praised the UAE's development and innovation model, describing it as a "global brain," having transformed a resource-scarce desert environment into a centre for knowledge, technology, and ambitious vision by attracting talent from across disciplines. This unique development experience is worth replicating worldwide, he said, calling for its adoption in other regions to help build more sustainable and resilient systems. Kleinschmidt emphasised that "any crisis is an opportunity for transformation," noting that recovery should not merely aim to rebuild, but to reimagine a more adaptive and advanced future. He highlighted artificial intelligence as a key pillar of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, offering communities access to pioneering solutions by linking local challenges with global technological innovations. While acknowledging the value of technology, he underlined that humans must remain at the core of all meaningful transformation. WAM
Khaleej Times
08-04-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
How UAE's growth inspires former UN official to look at poverty as opportunity
On Tuesday, a humanitarian expert and former UN official in-charge of Zaatari refugee camp proposed that the world look at poverty as an opportunity rather than a problem. 'What if we look into disadvantaged regions of this world which seem poor, disconnected, as territories of opportunity and the future,' questioned Kilian Kleinschmidt during the World Crisis and Emergency Management Conference (WCEMS) in Abu Dhabi. According to the World Bank, 3.5 billion people are below the poverty line around the globe. "What if the 3.5 billion people who are today living in poverty are transformed into what we could call prosumers — producers and consumers?' he pointed. That shift in mindset, he said, struck him just a day earlier while visiting Dubai. 'It occurred to me that this place, this region, the Emirates, developed into the future within a few decades. How did that happen? On paper, 40 or 50 years ago, this sand, water and a few people… And today, this is the world of our future.' If it can happen here, he argued, it can happen anywhere, whether it's an economic desert or a literal one. 'So, what if we look at our globe and those regions which are today desert, sand, arid zones, or not developed at all, as the territories of the future?' Kleinschmidt also took aim at the global humanitarian funding model, questioning why the system keeps relying on donations rather than turning to investment. 'We have heard the figure of 350 million people last year, or so, in need of humanitarian aid. Well, yes, it's a significant portion of our world, yet these are people who again will move forward and can move forward if equipped with right resources.' He questioned why resources are always perceived as money. 'Isn't there a possibility to move towards innovative financing rather than the system we have been applying to respond to crisis… moving money from here to there, spending it, and then asking for new money.' He raised the possibility to invest in the future through hedge funds, stable coins, and 'all the various mechanisms the financial experts know better.' He provided 'a concrete example' of the funding gap when it comes to humanitarian disaster response. According to the UN, he said, such funding reached about $25 billion last year. 'What is that money for? What are the expensive response sectors which require a lot of money? [Is it] shelter?' Speaking from experience, Kleinschmidt recalled managing the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan in 2013, where around $100 million, including funds from the UAE, was spent on emergency shelters. He said much of that money went to companies supplying temporary structures, but could have instead been invested in more durable, sustainable solutions. Rather than treating shelter as an emergency expense, he suggested it could be a long-term market, and the same thinking should apply to other high-cost sectors like food and nutrition. He also pointed to Africa's energy gap as a prime example of how needs can be reframed as investment opportunities. The World Bank and African Development Bank are mapping energy access across the continent, where 600 million people still live without electricity, waiting to be connected; 'it's a need, but at the same time it's an opportunity.' Kleinschmidt, who works in renewable energy, said this should be seen not as a crisis but a chance to connect people and build markets. Turning global requirements into opportunities for both public and private investment is one of the clearest ways forward, he concluded.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Drug policy expert set to take senior role at HHS
A former Trump drug policy expert is expected to rejoin the administration in a top role at the Health and Human Services office focused on behavioral health issues, two people familiar with the discussions told POLITICO. Art Kleinschmidt, a longtime addiction and mental health expert, is in line to return to government as the deputy assistant secretary of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said the two people, who were granted anonymity to discuss personnel moves that aren't yet public. He would replace Christopher Carroll, a career official in the agency who has served as acting head for the Trump administration's first months. The role does not require Senate confirmation. Kleinschmidt, a Project 2025 contributor, served as the deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and as a senior adviser for health and addiction on the Domestic Policy Council and SAMHSA during the first Trump administration. The move, which is not yet finalized, would come amid a broader restructuring at HHS that would shift SAMHSA and several other divisions underneath the umbrella of the new Administration for a Healthy America. The so-called AHA, which HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Thursday, would combine five agencies in what the department characterized as an effort to better coordinate and centralize resources aimed at serving low-income Americans. But it's unclear whether Kennedy has the authority to unilaterally dissolve agencies, or whether SAMHSA would continue to exist as an independent entity under the broader AHA heading. President Donald Trump has yet to nominate anyone to permanently head the agency as its assistant secretary. A HHS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the department has offered few details about how it plans to conduct the planned restructuring. Kleinschmidt did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump also announced on Friday that he was nominating Sara Carter, a Fox News contributor, to be the next Office of National Drug Control Policy director. 'Sara is an Award Winning Journalist, who has been on the front lines of this International Fight for decades,' Trump said in a Truth Social post. 'From Afghanistan to our Border, Sarah's relentless pursuit of Justice, especially in tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis, has exposed terrorists, drug lords, and sex traffickers. As our next Drug Czar, Sara will lead the charge to protect our Nation, and save our children from the scourge of drugs.'
Politico
28-03-2025
- Health
- Politico
Drug policy expert set to take senior role at HHS
A former Trump drug policy expert is expected to rejoin the administration in a top role at the Health and Human Services office focused on behavioral health issues, two people familiar with the discussions told POLITICO. Art Kleinschmidt, a longtime addiction and mental health expert, is in line to return to government as the deputy assistant secretary of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said the two people, who were granted anonymity to discuss personnel moves that aren't yet public. He would replace Christopher Carroll, a career official in the agency who has served as acting head for the Trump administration's first months. The role does not require Senate confirmation. Kleinschmidt, a Project 2025 contributor, served as the deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and as a senior adviser for health and addiction on the Domestic Policy Council and SAMHSA during the first Trump administration. The move, which is not yet finalized, would come amid a broader restructuring at HHS that would shift SAMHSA and several other divisions underneath the umbrella of the new Administration for a Healthy America. The so-called AHA, which HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Thursday , would combine five agencies in what the department characterized as an effort to better coordinate and centralize resources aimed at serving low-income Americans. But it's unclear whether Kennedy has the authority to unilaterally dissolve agencies, or whether SAMHSA would continue to exist as an independent entity under the broader AHA heading. President Donald Trump has yet to nominate anyone to permanently head the agency as its assistant secretary. A HHS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the department has offered few details about how it plans to conduct the planned restructuring. Kleinschmidt did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump also announced on Friday that he was nominating Sara Carter, a Fox News contributor, to be the next Office of National Drug Control Policy director. 'Sara is an Award Winning Journalist, who has been on the front lines of this International Fight for decades,' Trump said in a Truth Social post. 'From Afghanistan to our Border, Sarah's relentless pursuit of Justice, especially in tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis, has exposed terrorists, drug lords, and sex traffickers. As our next Drug Czar, Sara will lead the charge to protect our Nation, and save our children from the scourge of drugs.'
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TransPerfect Acquires German Media Localization Studio SPEEECH
MUNICH and NEW YORK, March 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TransPerfect, the world's largest provider of language and AI solutions for global business, today announced that it has acquired the Munich-based dubbing and localization company SPEEECH Audiolingual Labs. SPEEECH will become part of TransPerfect Media, TransPerfect's media and entertainment division. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. SPEEECH specializes in German and multilingual adaptions for the entertainment industry. The company's studio facilities include six recording rooms and two mixing rooms, enhancing TransPerfect's capabilities to provide locally nuanced services for films, series, online videos, games, commercials, and OTT content to clients in the region. "Joining TransPerfect opens up opportunities for us to expand our services globally," said Stephan Kleinschmidt, Founder and Managing Director of SPEEECH. "We are excited that TransPerfect's extensive resources and cutting-edge technology will enable us to better serve clients worldwide." Kleinschmidt will become division president of TransPerfect Media Germany. TransPerfect President and Co-CEO Phil Shawe stated, "TransPerfect Media is one of our fastest growing divisions. We look forward to working with the SPEEECH team to better serve our combined clients in the entertainment industry." About TransPerfect TransPerfect is the world's largest provider of language and AI solutions for global business. From offices in over 140 cities on six continents, TransPerfect offers a full range of services in 200+ languages to clients worldwide. More than 6,000 global organizations employ TransPerfect's GlobalLink® technology to simplify the management of multilingual content. With an unparalleled commitment to quality and client service, TransPerfect is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certified. TransPerfect has global headquarters in New York, with regional headquarters in London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit our website at About TransPerfect MediaTransPerfect Media elevates storytelling for audiences around the world with media creation and globalization solutions delivered through a network of company-owned and operated studios in 19 countries. TransPerfect Media's hybrid model combines cutting-edge AI technology with creative expertise, all managed in its cloud-based content creation platform, enabling simple localization and distribution. By combining high-level talent with Dolby Atmos and Dolby HDR projection capabilities, as well as services that include image and sound post-production, subtitling, dubbing, accessibility, voiceover, multi-platform delivery, preservation, and restoration, TransPerfect Media is where boutique expertise meets global scale and excellence to help you tell your story—in any language. To find out more, visit About SPEEECHSPEEECH Audiolingual Labs is a Munich, Germany-based language service provider specializing in versioning and localizing content for various media sectors, including broadcast, theatrical, audio, digital multimedia, and distribution. The studio offers a wide range of localization services, including lip-sync-dubbing, voiceover, mixing, audio post-production, music production, video post-production, subtitling, and quality control. Learn more at View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE TransPerfect
