Latest from Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
35 minutes ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Canva's CCO Rob Giglio on Business Growth and the Future of Work
Canva is growing fast in the business world and it's down to two things: new 'doc types' and business features, according to Chief Customer Officer Rob Giglio. Giglio says Canva Sheets and Canva AI are allowing users to create different types of content like whiteboards, documents, presentations and social media posts in one place. This is streamlining workflows for companies. 'Canva has introduced the kind of features that businesses expect and need, like Single Sign-On (SSO), brand kits, user provisioning and approval workflows,' said Giglio. 'These factors are really driving [Canva's] adoption into businesses.' Canva's AI is broad, going beyond text prompts. Giglio said Canva AI uses multiple models for different experiences, citing the popular background remover as an example. Other AI features include text generation, whiteboards to presentations, language translation, image scaling and video creation via Google's V3. Canva Code even allows users to build widgets and interactive experiences via text prompts. Looking forward, Giglio is most excited about product innovation around marketing and sales workflows. He says Canva Sheets is making the entire marketing process from creation to analysis better, with the recent acquisition of Magic Brief for content performance data. Video editing is another area of focus, with increasing adoption for social media and marketing. 'We like to think of it as where creativity and productivity meet,' Giglio said, highlighting Canva's broad but effective features for different business functions. Finally, Giglio said Canva is committed to the future workforce. He noted that AI, cloud platforms and multi-device access are now expected by the next generation entering the workforce and Canva wants to be the platform of choice as businesses adapt to these changing demands.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Newport Beach city manager set to retire in December, transition planned
Grace Leung, who has guided Newport Beach as its city manager since 2018, is planning to retire from her post in December. Mayor Joe Stapleton announced Leung's retirement during the Newport Beach City Council meeting on July 8 after council members unanimously voted to amend a previously approved five-year contract to reflect her retirement date. 'We are truly fortunate to have her serve as our city manager for the past seven years,' he said. 'While her retirement is well deserved, we are grateful that she has agreed to continue serving through Dec. 26… to support a smooth transition.' Leung, who attended jury duty in lieu of the council meeting, previously worked for Irvine and Sunnyvale in a local government career spanning 30 years. Newport Beach hired Leung in September 2018 with a $265,000 starting salary to succeed retiring City Manager David Kiff. Her current salary is $345,000. According to a city staff report, Leung's own retirement first came up during performance evaluation meetings with council members in February and April. She pledged to stay on the job until city officials had a leadership transition plan in place. Stapleton noted that Assistant City Manager Seimone Jurjis is being considered for the city manager position once it opens. Before then, Leung's leadership navigated Newport Beach through its response to the coronavirus pandemic. She balanced budgets with a rebound in tax revenues in the years since and also spurred a slew of capital improvement projects. Pleased with her performance, a council majority voted in 2022 to extend her contract through December 2026. Leung's decision to retire before the end of that contract comes amid a lawsuit filed last November against the city by Human Resources Director Barbara Salvini. The complaint alleged that Leung tried to cover up an audit that suggested she manipulated employee leave time for personal gain. Salvini also claimed that Leung and City Atty. Aaron Harp retaliated against her. The city previously described the suit to the Daily Pilot as one 'without merit.' A hearing is scheduled for Aug. 4 in the case. John Pope, a Newport Beach spokesperson, said Leung's decision to retire had nothing to do with the suit. With Leung retiring at the end of the year, one local watchdog had other questions about her amended contract. 'The whole thing is irresponsible,' said Jim Mosher, a Newport Beach resident, during the council meeting. 'This agreement is having her continue to be paid even though she will not be the city manager next year. What we don't need is to be paying two city managers at the same time.' Council members voted to appropriate $455,000 to cover Leung's salary and benefits for the 2025-26 fiscal year under the agreement. While the council did decide to pay out the rest of Leung's contract, Pope noted that it won't overlap with a newly appointed city manager's contract, which would take effect the day after her retirement. Moving forward, the council is expected to vote on Jurjis' appointment during its July 22 meeting. If appointed, Jurjis would start as city manager on Dec. 27. 'It's wonderful to know that we have such a great succession plan in place,' said Councilmember Robyn Grant. 'I look forward to working with our new leadership.'
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
SpaceX plans Starship program for in-orbit drug research
SpaceX is working on a program to use its mammoth Starship rocket to develop commercial products in space, potentially opening up a new business line for the world's most valuable private startup, according to people familiar with the matter. Under the plan, internally called Starfall, SpaceX's Starship rocket would bring products like pharmaceutical components to space in small, uncrewed capsules, said one of the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter is confidential. Starship would then deploy the capsules, which would spend time in orbit before reentering the atmosphere, where they could be recovered back on Earth, the person added. The Starfall program would allow companies to take advantage of the unique conditions of space, specifically micro-gravity and higher levels of radiation, which can provide a new environment for manufacturing pharmaceutical drugs, semiconductors, food, and even beauty products. A representative for SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp., didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The initiative could make SpaceX, which has dramatically lowered the cost of launching to orbit, a key leader in the sector of space-based research and development for commercial goods. The SpaceX program is still in the early stages of development and the plans could change. The effort is highly reliant on the operational ability of Starship, which has been plagued by a string of explosive failures over its last several test flights. SpaceX plans to make the program operational roughly by the end of the decade, one of the people said. The company is in talks with potential customers for the service, the people said. A team to work on the initiative was created recently under the leadership of Chris Trautner, senior director of vehicle engineering for the Falcon family of rockets, one of the people said. According to an analysis conducted by the McKinsey & Co. consulting firm, certain industries could generate billions of dollars in additional revenue by expanding into space. California-based startup Varda Space Industries, which is backed by billionaire Peter Thiel, has a similar business model of processing materials in space and has so far launched three capsules on board a SpaceX rocket and subsequently recovered them. Starfall, the people said, also has defense applications, and SpaceX is working in conjunction with the military on the program, the outlines of which were reported by the Wall Street Journal in May. It wasn't immediately clear how Starfall fits into an existing SpaceX contract with the US Department of Defense to develop Starship for sending huge quantities of military cargo and humanitarian aid between points on Earth. Pashankar, Ludlow and Porter write for Bloomberg.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Adolescence' actors and co-creators celebrate their ‘magical' Emmy nods
The makers behind Netflix's hit drama 'Adolescence,' knew their series about a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a female classmate was something special. And while creators and executive producers Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne were thrilled after learning that the U.K. drama received 13 Emmy nominations in the limited series category, they were even more gratified that the collective efforts of the cast and crew were being honored. 'There was just something magical that happened with this show, and it was the true definition of an ensemble,' said Graham during a video interview with Thorne. The duo were nominated for writing and producing the drama, and Graham was also nominated as lead actor for his portrayal of the devastated father of the teen suspect. 'My true gratitude is not the fact that we got 13 nominations. It's the fact that every single person, every single player, every single part of the crew is being acknowledged for what we achieved as a collective,' Graham said. 'What we do is not a game of golf. We managed this collective consciousness between us.' The four-episode series became one of the buzziest dramas of the year, and was highly praised for its approach of filming each installment in a single camera shot. Thorne said of the hoopla surrounding the series, 'I think we got very lucky in capturing a particular time, place and mood. We also got lucky with all the people we worked with.' Win or lose, plans are already being formed for an Emmy night celebration. 'Stephen just declared that we're all going to the Emmys in a minibus,' Thorne said. 'We're all going to stand on the red carpet as one. That will be really special.' The minibus passengers will include Owen Cooper, who played the young suspect, and Erin Doherty, who played a psychologist. The two, who were both nominated in supporting actor categories, starred in the drama's third episode where their characters engaged in a tense battle of wills. Cooper and Doherty discussed the show and their nominations in a separate video interview. Congratulations on your nominations and amazing performances. Where were you when you got the news? Cooper: I was in my living room and I put on the TV. Then I found it we got 13 nominations. It's just crazy. Doherty: To be fair, I avoided it. So I was waiting for my phone to ring. My agent told me, 'I'll ring you either way.' Then she started phoning me and I thought, 'Oh, what, is this going to me?' And all those nominations came in. I'm so over the moon for the show. Owen, you're making history as the youngest Primetime Emmy nominee in a limited series . Cooper: I heard about that the other day. It's hard to even think about that stuff, to be honest. It's crazy. I don't even know how to put that into words, really. Did both of you know at the time you were doing the third episode that you were creating something really special? Cooper: Yes. We knew it would hit many homes, and that it would create conversations. We didn't know it would get 13 nominations. That's just the cherry on top. The success of the show has been mind-blowing. Doherty: We knew everyone who was participating on and off the screen wanted to be a part of this, having the courage to address this subject matter. We knew the importance of the story. You never know if something like this is going to hit the way that this has. Owen, what impressed you the most about Erin's performance? Cooper: The fact that she could just think of things to say off the spot. I would put attitude into the line and she would put even more attitude into it. And Erin? Doherty: I would say the exact same thing. Like he would start yawning and start throwing around different things. It felt like the most exciting game of tennis that I've been a part of. You don't get that every day with actors who have been doing this for 40 years. Owen has the ability and skill and bravery. For him to throw himself into this environment, which is nerve-wracking, overwhelming and over-stimulating. To have the ability to stay centered and be present with each other is really rare. I'm so, so proud of him and that I got to be there for his first go, because he's going to be doing this for years and years and years. I know it's early, but any thoughts on how you'll feel on Emmy night? Cooper: I don't think I'll be nervous. I don't care if I win. I'll just get there, eat nice food, meet a lot of people. And I'll be in L.A. where the weather is nice. I'm not bothered by the result at the end of the day. Doherty: We've won. The show got 13 nominations. We're all going to be there. It's just going to be the best night ever. We're going to treat it like a big party.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Amid resurgent year and batting title push, Dodgers' Will Smith unbothered being ‘overlooked'
ATLANTA — The hierarchy of stars was obvious even in the table arrangements. At an All-Star Game media day event on Monday at the Roxy Coca-Cola Theater in Atlanta, the Dodgers' five All-Star representatives were in the same area of the large venue. In the first row, basking under large spotlights near an elevated stage, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Clayton Kershaw were positioned front-and-center, expected to attract so many reporters that retractable ropes lined the perimeter of their podiums. Several feet behind them, in the shadows of a balcony overhang, sat Will Smith and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. An obvious A-List, followed by a clear B-group. And even then, where Yamamoto's media contingent stretched several rows deep, Smith's rarely swelled beyond a few people. He was a third-time All-Star, National League starter and batting title contender — once again relegated to the background of the sport's public consciousness. 'He's up there as far as being overlooked,' Dodgers manager and NL All-Star skipper Dave Roberts said of his ever-present but easily forgotten backstop. 'You know what you're going to get, but you probably don't appreciate it as much as you should.' Appreciated, Smith has not been this year. Not fully, at the very least. Entering the All-Star break, the 30-year-old slugger is a distant leader in the NL batting race, sporting a .323 mark that outpaces the next closest qualified hitter (his recently slumping teammate, Freeman) by a whopping 26 points. Smith also has 12 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .965 OPS (which trails only his two-way teammate, Ohtani) in addition to a 15% walk rate (fifth-best in the league). According to Fangraphs' all-encompassing wRC+ metric, only Yankees superstar Aaron Judge and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh have been more productive hitters this season. And he's done it all while shepherding a banged-up Dodgers pitching staff, helping keep the team atop the NL West despite it having used 35 different arms through the first half of the year. 'For him to go out there, catching these guys, having your team in first place, and then you're hitting .325, I don't think people are paying attention to that,' Freeman said Monday, peering through a forest of reporters to catch a glimpse of Smith over his shoulder. 'People are gonna tune into the All-Star Game, they'll throw his numbers up on the TV, and they're gonna be like, 'Whoa, that's a really good season.'' But for as well as Smith has played, the seven-year veteran remains somewhat obscured from the public spotlight. He is, as Roberts jokingly puts it, the most 'vanilla' of the team's collection of spotlight talent. He doesn't have jaw-dropping highlights like Ohtani. He doesn't have a signature World Series moment like Freeman. He isn't excelling at a new position like Mookie Betts. And even when he is swarmed by reporters around the ballpark, it's usually to field questions about catching the Dodgers' star Japanese trio of Ohtani, Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. 'Honestly, I don't really care,' he said Monday. 'That stuff has never been important to me. Being 'the guy' or not, any of that. I show up, play baseball every day, try to help the team win, try to be a good teammate, try to lead the pitchers, and ultimately try to win a World Series every year. That's what's important to me.' This year, Smith was voted an All-Star starter for the first time by fans. But, he isn't even the most talked about catcher at this week's festivities in Atlanta, overshadowed again by Raleigh and his 38 first-half home runs — making the slugger affectionately known as 'Big Dumper,' who also won the Home Run Derby on Monday night, the best current catcher in baseball in the eyes of many around the sport. 'Will's just always kind of really under the radar, for whatever reason,' Kershaw said. 'He's been unbelievable for us, at a position that's really important and very demanding.' For Smith, the true joy of this year has simply been his health. Two years ago, he slumped mightily in the second half of 2023 (finishing the year with a career-low .797 OPS) while battling a broken rib he had suffered that April. This spring, Roberts revealed that Smith's underwhelming performance in 2024 (when he posted more career lows with a .248 average and .760 OPS) was hampered by an ankle injury that again plagued his second-half performance. 'The last couple years, I had some, not major things, but some tough injuries,' Smith said. 'But that's my decision to play through them.' Now, however, he is back at full physical capacity, allowing him to work counts (he has almost as walks, 45, as strikeouts, 55), punish fastballs (a pitch he struggled against the last two years) and maintain the most consistent production of any hitter in the Dodgers' juggernaut lineup. 'I just feel like I have a really good understanding of my swing right now,' Smith said. 'It's a long season, it comes and goes. But for whatever reason this year, I've been able to keep it more than I haven't. So that's been fun. Credit to the hitting coaches as well for keeping me in that spot. I just have a really good understanding of what I'm doing up there.' In his typically modest fashion, Smith sidestepped a question about his chances of winning the batting title, something no catcher has done since Buster Posey in 2012. 'I've never been one to chase awards or anything,' he said. 'I think when you do that, it probably doesn't go your way, you put too much pressure. So just trying to have one good at-bat at a time, help the team win that day.' At his current pace, he could be a recipient for MVP votes for the first time in his career as well, although the Dodgers' careful management of his playing time has left him ranked ninth in the NL in wins above replacement to this point, according to Fangraphs. 'What he's doing is Buster Posey-ish, Joe Mauer-ish,' Freeman said, citing the only other backstop this century with a batting title (Mauer won three with Minnesota in the late 2000s). 'When you're leading the league in hitting and you're catching, it's really hard to do. You're calling games. It's almost like they're more worried about putting up a zero than they are about hitting.' In time, Freeman believes, Smith's Q-rating will continue to rise, especially if he keeps replicating the kind of numbers he has posted this season. 'I think it just takes maybe a couple times [being here at the All-Star Game],' Freeman said. 'We all know in LA how special he is. Obviously, the front office extended him 10 years. So, hopefully now that he's starting in the All-Star Game, he's gonna get that national recognition.' But even if he doesn't, he hardly seems to be bothered by his second-tier (and, on Monday, second-row) status. 'I just think he's resolved to not having to be at the forefront,' Roberts said. 'He doesn't ever self-promote. He doesn't need notoriety or attention. He just wants to win. Some players thrive on getting attention. He's certainly not one of those guys.'
