Latest news with #Leoni
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Paragon Technologies Board Nominates Ronell Rivera and Elodie Leoni Without Their Consent
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 30, 2025 / Today, Ronell Rivera and Elodie Leoni issued a joint statement in response to their unauthorized inclusion on the management slate proposed by the current Board of Paragon Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK:PGNT) ('Paragon' or the 'Company'). Despite having previously and explicitly declined to be nominated by the Board's Nominating Committee, both individuals were named as part of the company's formal proxy materials released this week. 'I clearly and respectfully informed Mr. Tim Eriksen that I did not wish to be included on the management slate,' said Mr. Rivera. 'To be listed against my will - after making my position unmistakably clear - creates a false impression to shareholders during a highly sensitive process. I remain fully committed to the Gad shareholder-aligned slate and to transparent, ethical governance.' Ms. Leoni added: 'I made it unequivocally clear to Mr. Eriksen that I did not consent to being nominated on his slate. Including my name without permission is a disservice to shareholders. I remain fully committed to the Gad shareholder-aligned slate and to transparent, ethical governance.' Despite their clear instructions, Mr. Rivera and Ms. Leoni's names were included without their consent - an act that misleads shareholders and a potential violation of Delaware law. CONTACT: [email protected] SOURCE: Sham Gad press release
Scoop
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Kerrin Leoni Launches Historic Mayoral Campaign, Rallies Diverse Voices To Boost Voter Turnout
Article – Mary Afemata – Local Democracy Reporter Kerrin Leoni has officially launched her campaign to become Auckland's first Māori woman mayor. During her campaign launch at Jubilee Hall on Friday night, she emphasised the need to mobilise underrepresented communities, particularly in South Auckland, to increase voter turnout in the upcoming election. More than 150 supporters attended her event, which featured diverse performances celebrating cultural representation. 'I am going to be the next Mayor of Auckland because this city needs a new generation of leadership that reflects our diversity, our challenges, and our huge, exciting potential,' Leoni told her supporters. Leoni (Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Kuri and Ngāi Takoto) aims to enhance civic engagement, pointing out the low voter participation in areas like Ōtara and Papatoetoe. She plans to combine digital outreach with community organising to encourage youth voting. She honoured the late Fa'anānā Efeso Collins, acknowledging the racism he faced during his 2022 mayoral campaign. Manukau councillor Lotu Fuli highlighted the importance of active participation in honouring the legacy of Collins and former Minister Judith Tizard, who was concerned about postal voting accessibility. 'Efeso smashed those barriers,' she says. 'He made it easier for someone like Kerrin to stand up now. But we cannot afford to stay home again.' Fuli says voter turnout has been as low as 19 per cent in some South Auckland neighbourhoods, contributing to Collins' loss. 'Let's be honest. It was our own people who did not vote last time.' In the 2022 local elections, turnout was just 22 per cent in Ōtara and 24 per cent in Papatoetoe, well below Auckland's overall turnout of 35.4 per cent, according to official feedback from the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board. Fuli praised the diverse turnout at Friday's launch as a sign of Leoni's leadership. 'Tonight's event is a snapshot of the kind of mayor and the kind of leader Kerrin Leoni would be,' Fuli says. 'We had African, tangata whenua, Pasifika from all parts of Auckland in one place. That is a testament to her leadership.' Leoni became Auckland's first wāhine Māori councillor in 2022. Now, she aims to take on the role of the city's first Māori woman mayor. Boosting voter turnout in underrepresented communities is a predominant focus of her campaign. 'That is going to be a number one priority,' she says. 'Some parts of South Auckland are only at 19 or 22 per cent. We need to knock on every door and encourage people to do the special votes. 'If you have not received your papers, and you are not used to updating your address, you might not even know what voting papers look like.' Endorsements from various leaders reflect excitement around Leoni's candidacy, highlighting her leadership qualities and the need for representation of Auckland's diverse population. They emphasise the importance of listening to young voices in decision-making and striving for greater inclusion in the electoral process. Former Minister for Auckland Judith Tizard supports Leoni's call to form an Auckland caucus, a cross-party group aimed at connecting councillors and MPs. 'We deserve a formal relationship for Auckland,' Tizard says. 'We are a third of the country. We need to work well. 'Only 37 percent of Aucklanders check their mail regularly. If you do not check your letterbox, you do not vote. And if you do not vote, you do not get change.' Leoni says her team will integrate digital outreach with community organising. 'All our youth are on TikTok and Instagram. We need to be there too. We want every young person to vote in this election.' Ōtara community leader Swannie Nelson described Leoni's candidacy as a source of pride. 'I am really excited to see a wāhine Māori running this year. Nothing against our tāne, but what an inspiration to ignite the dreams of our wāhine.' Reflecting on past support for Collins, Nelson says, 'We gave our hearts to my brother, Efeso Collins. It is a privilege for us to carry on the mahi he started. 'We do not just back anyone. We love what our sister stands for. Go hard,' says the self-described queen of Ōtara. Councillor Josephine Bartley echoed calls for strong leadership. 'We all saw what Efeso and his family endured when he ran. Kerrin is brave to put herself through the same thing. She is a wāhine toa.'. Bartley says the diversity at Friday's event showcases the kind of leader Leoni is. 'That is what Auckland looks like. You have got to represent that. Keep your head up. Do not listen to the haters. They are all shit.' Labour MP Willie Jackson acknowledges the weight of Leoni's decision to run. 'She will always be aligned with Māori. You cannot get away from us, Leoni.' He recalled private conversations with both Collins and Leoni about the importance of leadership and representation in Auckland. 'Kerrin came to see me and asked what I thought about her standing. Efeso did the same. I told both of them it was too hard, too tough, but they did it anyway. That takes courage,' Jackson says. Although Labour supports her run for council, Leoni is standing for mayor as an independent candidate. Tāmaki Makaurau MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp is encouraging her. 'Every day is a campaign day. Believe in yourself. Believe in your whānau. Believe in the people who voted for you.' Two rangatahi from Glen Innes opened the evening with a speech based on submissions to Auckland Council's Long-Term Plan. They called for free school lunches, access to te reo Māori, and a stronger youth voice in decision-making. 'See us, hear us, and believe we have the ability not only to survive but to thrive,' one says. David Guo, chair of the SportHub Community Trust, spoke on behalf of several Chinese community associations. 'Kerrin has the heart, integrity and courage to lead Auckland into a future that values every vote and every person,' he says. 'As minorities, we must unite as a force. Guo expressed pride in being joined by several representatives from the Chinese community. 'Our Asian community makes up a large part of Auckland's Eastern population, and we want to raise our voice.' He says representatives from the Onehunga Chinese Association, the West Auckland Chinese Association, and the East Auckland Botany Association attended the launch, while others sent their apologies due to prior commitments. Guo acknowledges Leoni's support for events like the Whau Chinese New Year Festival. 'Kerrin has actively supported that festival over the last eight years. Without her support, these events would not be possible.' Leoni says her campaign will rely on grassroots momentum. 'We have more than 100 people in our campaign team. They will be out knocking on doors. I will take at least one day off a week to rest because this will be an active campaign across the city.' With the election set for 11 October, she made her closing statement clear: 'This is just day one. But we are ready.'
Scoop
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Kerrin Leoni Launches Historic Mayoral Campaign, Rallies Diverse Voices To Boost Voter Turnout
Kerrin Leoni has officially launched her campaign to become Auckland's first Māori woman mayor. During her campaign launch at Jubilee Hall on Friday night, she emphasised the need to mobilise underrepresented communities, particularly in South Auckland, to increase voter turnout in the upcoming election. More than 150 supporters attended her event, which featured diverse performances celebrating cultural representation. 'I am going to be the next Mayor of Auckland because this city needs a new generation of leadership that reflects our diversity, our challenges, and our huge, exciting potential,' Leoni told her supporters. Leoni (Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Kuri and Ngāi Takoto) aims to enhance civic engagement, pointing out the low voter participation in areas like Ōtara and Papatoetoe. She plans to combine digital outreach with community organising to encourage youth voting. She honoured the late Fa'anānā Efeso Collins, acknowledging the racism he faced during his 2022 mayoral campaign. Manukau councillor Lotu Fuli highlighted the importance of active participation in honouring the legacy of Collins and former Minister Judith Tizard, who was concerned about postal voting accessibility. 'Efeso smashed those barriers,' she says. 'He made it easier for someone like Kerrin to stand up now. But we cannot afford to stay home again.' Fuli says voter turnout has been as low as 19 per cent in some South Auckland neighbourhoods, contributing to Collins' loss. 'Let's be honest. It was our own people who did not vote last time.' In the 2022 local elections, turnout was just 22 per cent in Ōtara and 24 per cent in Papatoetoe, well below Auckland's overall turnout of 35.4 per cent, according to official feedback from the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board. Fuli praised the diverse turnout at Friday's launch as a sign of Leoni's leadership. 'Tonight's event is a snapshot of the kind of mayor and the kind of leader Kerrin Leoni would be,' Fuli says. 'We had African, tangata whenua, Pasifika from all parts of Auckland in one place. That is a testament to her leadership.' Leoni became Auckland's first wāhine Māori councillor in 2022. Now, she aims to take on the role of the city's first Māori woman mayor. Boosting voter turnout in underrepresented communities is a predominant focus of her campaign. 'That is going to be a number one priority,' she says. 'Some parts of South Auckland are only at 19 or 22 per cent. We need to knock on every door and encourage people to do the special votes. 'If you have not received your papers, and you are not used to updating your address, you might not even know what voting papers look like.' Endorsements from various leaders reflect excitement around Leoni's candidacy, highlighting her leadership qualities and the need for representation of Auckland's diverse population. They emphasise the importance of listening to young voices in decision-making and striving for greater inclusion in the electoral process. Former Minister for Auckland Judith Tizard supports Leoni's call to form an Auckland caucus, a cross-party group aimed at connecting councillors and MPs. 'We deserve a formal relationship for Auckland,' Tizard says. 'We are a third of the country. We need to work well. 'Only 37 percent of Aucklanders check their mail regularly. If you do not check your letterbox, you do not vote. And if you do not vote, you do not get change.' Leoni says her team will integrate digital outreach with community organising. 'All our youth are on TikTok and Instagram. We need to be there too. We want every young person to vote in this election.' Ōtara community leader Swannie Nelson described Leoni's candidacy as a source of pride. 'I am really excited to see a wāhine Māori running this year. Nothing against our tāne, but what an inspiration to ignite the dreams of our wāhine.' Reflecting on past support for Collins, Nelson says, 'We gave our hearts to my brother, Efeso Collins. It is a privilege for us to carry on the mahi he started. 'We do not just back anyone. We love what our sister stands for. Go hard,' says the self-described queen of Ōtara. Councillor Josephine Bartley echoed calls for strong leadership. 'We all saw what Efeso and his family endured when he ran. Kerrin is brave to put herself through the same thing. She is a wāhine toa.'. Bartley says the diversity at Friday's event showcases the kind of leader Leoni is. 'That is what Auckland looks like. You have got to represent that. Keep your head up. Do not listen to the haters. They are all shit.' Labour MP Willie Jackson acknowledges the weight of Leoni's decision to run. 'She will always be aligned with Māori. You cannot get away from us, Leoni.' He recalled private conversations with both Collins and Leoni about the importance of leadership and representation in Auckland. 'Kerrin came to see me and asked what I thought about her standing. Efeso did the same. I told both of them it was too hard, too tough, but they did it anyway. That takes courage,' Jackson says. Although Labour supports her run for council, Leoni is standing for mayor as an independent candidate. Tāmaki Makaurau MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp is encouraging her. 'Every day is a campaign day. Believe in yourself. Believe in your whānau. Believe in the people who voted for you.' Two rangatahi from Glen Innes opened the evening with a speech based on submissions to Auckland Council's Long-Term Plan. They called for free school lunches, access to te reo Māori, and a stronger youth voice in decision-making. 'See us, hear us, and believe we have the ability not only to survive but to thrive,' one says. David Guo, chair of the SportHub Community Trust, spoke on behalf of several Chinese community associations. 'Kerrin has the heart, integrity and courage to lead Auckland into a future that values every vote and every person,' he says. 'As minorities, we must unite as a force. Guo expressed pride in being joined by several representatives from the Chinese community. 'Our Asian community makes up a large part of Auckland's Eastern population, and we want to raise our voice.' He says representatives from the Onehunga Chinese Association, the West Auckland Chinese Association, and the East Auckland Botany Association attended the launch, while others sent their apologies due to prior commitments. Guo acknowledges Leoni's support for events like the Whau Chinese New Year Festival. 'Kerrin has actively supported that festival over the last eight years. Without her support, these events would not be possible.' Leoni says her campaign will rely on grassroots momentum. 'We have more than 100 people in our campaign team. They will be out knocking on doors. I will take at least one day off a week to rest because this will be an active campaign across the city.' With the election set for 11 October, she made her closing statement clear: 'This is just day one. But we are ready.'
RNZ News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Councillor Kerrin Leoni throws her hat in the ring for Auckland mayor
Kerrin Leoni is running for Auckland mayor. Photo: Supplied/ Labour Party Kerrin Leoni is set to formally launch her campaign for mayor of Auckland tonight. Leoni was the only councillor so far confirmed to be challenging current mayor Wayne Brown for the mayoralty in the city's local elections later this year. Brown launched his re-election campaign back in February. Leoni said she expected about 150 people at Parnell Community from 6pm Friday where she would give a speech. Despite being a Labour Party member, she would be running as an independent candidate. She said she was excited to offer a fresh voice for Auckland. "What I want to share today is that we need Aucklanders to vote for change. Many Aucklanders are not happy with the current leadership that we have in place and Auckland needs positive leadership for the future," Leoni said. She said one of her key campaign policies was making sure contracts for jobs like management of council parks, community spaces, and buildings, were given to New Zealand companies. "At the moment, a significant amount of our contracts, like Ventia for example is an Australian company, a lot of that profit is going overseas. "We need those contracts to be local again to get more work for Aucklanders." She said the council also needed to improve its relationship with the government. "At the end of the day, you have to be able to work with central government to get things done for Auckland. "We need a leader who can work with any government and I believe that has not been the greatest in the last couple of years." Leoni said among those attending her launch were current Labour MP Willy Jackson, Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp, and former Labour MP Judith Tizard. She said she invited all of her fellow councillors including Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, who told RNZ last month she was still mulling over whether to join the mayoral race herself. However, Mayor Brown was left off the guest list. "I decided not to invite Wayne because I think it would be a bit uncomfortable for him to attend given that I am standing against him," Leoni said. At his campaign launch, Brown told RNZ he had not invited any sitting councillors, but that he had supporters in attendance from the business sector, the property sector, and Māori, Pacific, Chinese, and Indian communities. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Juventus impressed by Parma starlet as price rises amid Inter and Premier League interest
Juventus directors were reportedly impressed by how Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni managed to neutralise their strikers in Wednesday's 1-0 Serie A defeat, a key performance that helped the Ducali secure a massive win. Parma had beaten strong competition from several Serie A clubs to sign the 18-year-old last season, paying €5m plus €3m in add-ons — an investment that is already proving to be well worth it. FLORENCE, ITALY – APRIL 13: Giovanni Leoni in action against Moise Kean of ACF Fiorentina during the Serie A match between Fiorentina and Parma at Stadio Artemio Franchi on April 13, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by) Since Christian Chivu took charge, Leoni has established himself as a regular starter, delivering consistently strong performances and showing the ability to contain forwards like Moise Kean, Dusan Vlahovic, and Randal Kolo Muani. Parma defender catches Juventus eye but price tag keeps rising According to Juventus had already been tracking the young defender, and his standout showing against the Bianconeri has only strengthened Cristiano Giuntoli's belief that Leoni could be the ideal profile to help rejuvenate the defence next summer. Advertisement However, Parma are reportedly ready to increase the player's valuation, now asking for at least three times their initial investment. If the club secures Serie A survival and Leoni continues to impress in the final games of the season, even a €15m bid might not be enough to secure his services. MONZA, ITALY – MARCH 15: Giovanni Leoni of Parma in action during the Serie A match between Monza and Parma at U-Power Stadium on March 15, 2025 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by) Tuttosport adds that Inter are also keeping tabs on the Italian starlet, while his recent form has also attracted interest from several Premier League and La Liga clubs.
