Latest news with #SVP
Business Wire
22-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Oxea Appoints Michael McHenry as Chief Executive Officer
MONHEIM AM RHEIN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The global chemical company Oxea has appointed Michael McHenry as its new chief executive officer, effective Aug. 15, 2025. With the appointment, the company is entering a new phase of leadership focused on transformation and operational excellence across its business in the oxo intermediates and oxo derivatives market. 'Oxea has a strong foundation, a skilled global team, and a clear position in a core part of the chemical value chain,' said Michael McHenry. 'Together, we will build on that strength to accelerate performance and create long-term value for our customers and stakeholders.' McHenry brings more than 30 years of experience in the international chemicals and materials industry. Most recently, he served as CEO of Techmer PM, a private equity-backed manufacturer of engineered materials. Prior to that, he held senior positions at Master Fluid Solutions, BASF, and Ciba Specialty Chemicals, overseeing business units in resins, additives, pigments, and coatings. 'Michael McHenry has proven experience in managing complex transformation processes and international teams. His values and vision align with Oxea's commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer-centric performance,' said Craig Rogerson, Chairman of the Oxea Board of Directors. 'We are confident that his operational focus and strategic mindset will support Oxea's continued development.' Dave Richards, co-head of the US operating team at Strategic Value Partners, whose managed funds are Oxea's majority shareholder, said: 'We welcome Michael McHenry to Oxea and look forward to working with him and the leadership team. Together with our partners at Blantyre Capital, we aim to support the company's long-term growth and strategic positioning.' McHenry holds a degree in chemistry from Rutgers University and serves on the board of Share the Good Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting at-risk individuals. About Oxea Oxea (formerly OQ Chemicals) is a global manufacturer of Oxo Intermediates and Oxo Performance Chemicals such as alcohols, polyols, carboxylic acids, specialty esters, and amines. These are used to produce high-quality coatings, lubricants, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, flavors and fragrances, printing inks, and plastics. Oxea employs more than 1,200 people worldwide and markets its chemicals in more than 60 countries. More information at About SVP Strategic Value Partners, LLC (together with its affiliates, 'SVP') is a global alternative investment firm that focuses on special situations, private equity, opportunistic credit and financing opportunities. The firm uses a combination of sourcing, financial and operational expertise to unlock value in its portfolio companies. Today SVP manages over USD 22 billion in assets under management, and since inception, has invested more than USD 53 billion of capital. The firm, established by Victor Khosla in 2001, has over 200 employees, including more than 100 investment professionals, across its main offices in Greenwich (CT) and London, and a presence in Tokyo. Learn more at About Blantyre Blantyre is a London-based investment manager specialising in middle market equity and debt. The firm transforms businesses by providing time-sensitive capital that can support companies in financing growth, M&A, capital structure optimisation, operational enhancements, shareholder changes and recapitalisation, and liquidity solutions. Blantyre manages more than EUR 2.7 billion of long-term capital commitments on behalf of highly regarded institutional investors, including public and private pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, private funds, and family offices. Blantyre strives to be the middle market firm of choice for its partners and investors. For more information, please visit:
Forbes
17-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Planner Alpha: The Power Of Diversification, Advice In Trying Times
Amin Dabit, SVP, Traditional Wealth Planning, Edelman Financial Engines. Tariffs. Inflation. Recession. Every so often, these economic themes creep into the headlines, shocking investor portfolios. But rarely does this happen all at once as it has in 2025. Yet, at our firm, clients have told us they are pleased with their nest eggs' resilience. Their satisfaction is no accident—it is the result of thoughtful, strategic planning. For financial planners, turbulent times are the Super Bowl equivalent of their profession, when their expertise, empathy and quality of advice truly shine. We call this mindset Planner Alpha. Below, I will explore why financial advisors who take this holistic approach to planning tend to be better positioned to succeed for their clients. The Importance Of Durable Portfolios Crafting globally diversified, long-term investment strategies is now the industry gold standard—one our firm has long used. Such portfolios are designed to weather all market conditions and fund major life expenditures, such as a home purchase, education or retirement. Client portfolios generate real gains and losses—not theoretical returns. Great planners understand this dynamic and must constantly remind clients why their portfolios are allocated the way they are. I believe diversification remains the best way to safeguard your investments. However, in the past decade, it was often difficult for planners to convince investors to stay the course when large cap U.S. equities were outperforming most other asset classes. Many considered holding assets outside of high-growth stocks a 'tax' on returns. Recency bias obscures the fact that the U.S. hasn't always been the top-performing economy (download required) or stock market. Experienced planners have this data at the ready in moments of market upheaval. As the 'Magnificent 7' stocks experience volatility at a higher rate than broader equity markets, once muted asset classes such as international equities and bonds can provide a ballast to smooth the ride and reinforce the reasoning behind clients' financial plans. Owning The Rest Of The World Though the U.S. equity market is the deepest and most liquid in the world, it's not the only one. Financial innovations of American depository receipts (ADRs) and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have made foreign markets more easily investible—now featured prominently in advisor-managed portfolios. Coming into 2025, blue-chip U.S. stocks carried high growth expectations. But no stock—or group of stocks—ascends forever, and the geopolitical landscape changed these expectations in just a few months. On the contrary, other developed market economies—such as the U.K. and Europe—have long had lower multiples and growth expectations. But concerns over a changing international security framework have spurred fiscal stimulus and national defense spending in Europe, driving its equity markets to outperform the U.S. At the same time, the U.S. dollar has come under pressure amid concerns about an economic slowdown and higher inflation expectations, leading to its decline against other currencies. Diversifying investments outside the U.S. helps mitigate this dollar risk. While planners follow the markets on the surface, they rarely have time to conduct deep analysis on why markets might be moving the way they are. Planners can fill some of the information gaps around market moves for clients by using research tools and commentary from investment management colleagues. The Power Of Yield Holding shares in the corporate stalwarts of Europe and Japan offers another advantage: relatively high dividend yields (registration required). And U.S. Treasurys and high-grade U.S. corporate bonds are beginning to yield returns in line with historical averages. This has been a boon for financial planners and their clients, enabling more confident forecasts of future cash flows. This contrasts with the zero interest-rate policy (ZIRP) era (2008 to 2021), when the Federal Reserve kept rates near zero to recover from the Great Financial Crisis. As the Fed hiked rates to address emerging inflation pressures, bond prices fell alongside equities, challenging their long-standing role as a defensive counterweight. Investors who initiated new bond positions in the past two years, however, locked in higher starting yields, which are closely correlated with future returns. They also stand to gain from potential price appreciation if rates fall again. While bonds have long provided stable yields, they now face competition from newly available offerings in private credit. Traditionally supported by institutional investors, private credit fund offerings have become more widely accessible to consumers and tend to have lower correlations to equities historically, offering greater opportunities for diversification. Since this product has different liquidity and risk profiles, planners need to collaborate closely with their investment management colleagues to determine whether these exposures are appropriate for client portfolios. Planner Alpha In Action In investment terms, 'alpha' means outperforming a benchmark such as the S&P 500. However, for financial planners, alpha transcends numbers: It's the tangible value they provide clients as they navigate through market conditions toward long-term success. Planner Alpha comes in many forms: • Managing expectations with the knowledge that even the most durable portfolios will experience drawdowns, some of which may be jarring. • Preventing clients from reacting on emotion and making wholesale changes to their asset allocation based on unverified information or their own fear. • Creating goals-based financial plans that clients can stick to regardless of economic or market environment. • Demonstrating the value of holding assets across strategies and geographies, even when some asset classes underperform. This mantra, 'own it all, all the time,' may not dazzle at cocktail parties, but it provides peace of mind for investors and their planners. Ultimately, we find that this approach is the best way for clients to reach their top objectives. As fiduciaries, it's our responsibility to act in our client's best interest, and creating goals-based plans specific to their needs is the best way to advocate for them and secure their financial future amid uncertainty. And, at the end of the day, isn't that what our mission as financial planners is all about? The information provided here is not investment, tax or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation. Forbes Finance Council is an invitation-only organization for executives in successful accounting, financial planning and wealth management firms. Do I qualify?
Hans India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
NGT issued orders halting SVP, points out YSRCP
Nellore: YSR Congress Party MLC Parvathareddy Chandrasekhar Reddy on Tuesday said that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the immediate stoppage of the controversial Street Vending Project (SVP) being developed on the Jafar Saheb Canal in Nellore city. Speaking to the media at the YSRCP office in Nellore, the MLC said the NGT had issued these directions considering public concerns over environmental pollution and traffic issues in the area. Chandrasekhar Reddy alleged that Minister Narayana was trying to hand over nearly 200 shop spaces to his followers without transparency. He said this project not only threatens the environment but also undermines public interest. He termed the NGT's orders as a slap on the face of the coalition government and Minister Narayana, who were acting recklessly with public resources. He also highlighted that during the YSRCP rule, around Rs 120 crore was spent on the beautification and development of the canal, including protective walls, a 100-ft road with dividers, and a walking track, all done with contributions and sacrifices from poor residents. The MLC raised concerns that setting up shops along the canal would lead to dumping of waste, block pedestrian walkways, and create serious drainage and flooding issues during the monsoon. He said even a five-member committee including senior officials had already flagged these problems in a report. Chandrasekhar Reddy said the NGT appreciated his environmental efforts and clearly directed that shops should not be constructed until all safeguards are completed. He stated he would meet the Collector to ensure strict implementation of the NGT's orders.
Irish Independent
15-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Saint Vincent de Paul in Wicklow on food price rises and how they help local families
David Loane, who is SVP area president for Wicklow and covers the region from Bray down as far as Arklow, said the 'cost of living is certainly a much bigger issue this year'. Where energy bills were the biggest challenge in recent years, particularly after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, he said 'we're noticing a lot more people now looking for help with food – just food, basic food". 'If you just look at the basic basket of food – meat, butter, cheap dairy, bread – all of those items have gone up significantly in the past 12 months,' David said. 'While the Consumer Price Index (CPI) produced a rate of inflation which looks as if it's okay, it just doesn't reflect what's happening in the shopping basket,' he added. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) last week confirmed the rate of food inflation since June last year has been higher than the general rise in prices across the economy. Food inflation rose by 4.6pc, more than double that of the general CPI, which rose by 1.8 per cent in the same period. For example, the national average price of full fat milk per two litres was up 27 cents, butter rose by €1.10 per pound and the average price of Irish cheddar per kilogramme increased by 95 cents. A white sliced pan increased by six cents in the year to June 2025. "We're seeing a much wider spectrum of people contacting us,' David continued. 'Typically in the past we've had people who were on low income, people on low social welfare or social protection payments, who run into an unexpected crisis like the washing machine breaks or whatever, and we'd have to help them out. 'But now we're seeing people who traditionally you would have thought should be okay because they're earning a reasonable wage. But they're struggling. It's definitely the food, the increase in price of food, which has suddenly catapulted over the past 12 months. 'Now a lot of people are reducing the amount they're buying and they're maybe going for less branded goods to try and cut down on the cost. Certainly the requests we're getting are more and more for help with food vouchers.' Food vouchers are the donation of choice and have replaced the traditional food parcels, so people can make their own decisions as to what they buy. The SVP still has to buy the food vouchers, and some supermarkets give a discount of 5pc, but it's not enough to meet the demand. "Probably that's about the extent of what we get in terms of help from the main supermarkets on the voucher of buying it,' David said, adding that the levels of donation in recent years to the society has taken a hit too, 'because people don't have the money to give, or they're trying to spread it around to other deserving charities as well'. ADVERTISEMENT Aside from handing out food vouchers, imparting advice is also a big part of what the SVP volunteers do, as a way of helping struggling families budget better. 'If people are struggling and there's very little food, we don't think twice about it, we just give them vouchers. Now, if they're consistently coming back to us, we may then do a more in-depth analysis of what's going on. Because we can't afford to become another branch of the Department of Social Protection in handing out kind of weekly help. We'd be out of money fairly quickly. "We go and meet them and chat to them and see, first of all, if we can help them with the budgeting side of their income. So what are they spending their money on? And is there a better way that they can budget? And many of them are very open to that. 'Typically this time of the year, we would see a dip in the request for help, you know, kids are off school, summer months, and things would quiet down. But things haven't quietened down this summer. I'd say requests for help are up about 20pc. I think that graph is continuing to project upwards. 'I read a recent quote recently where someone described it quite accurately – you could see two cars in the driveway, but nothing in the fridge. It's the unseen poverty that's going on, where people are really struggling. And because they're working, they don't think they should ever contact the Society of Vincent DePaul. But actually, they need as much help as some of the people we are helping.' David added that very often, 'the complexity of the request for help can be quite distressing'. The Government's 'ongoing failure' to tackle the cost of groceries was recently highlighted by Wicklow Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore, who warned families across the county 'are being left behind while supermarket giants continue to profit'. 'Since 2021, grocery prices have risen by a staggering 36pc,' she told the Dail on Wednesday, July 9. 'That's an extra €3,000 a year on the average family's food bill. This is not just inflation, it's a crisis,' she said. 'Every family in Wicklow is feeling the pinch. They know exactly what they're sacrificing from their household budgets just to keep food on the table. And yet, the Government continues to sit on its hands. In 2023, the Government promised to get a handle on this issue. The minister talked tough and said prices would come down. That hasn't happened. Families are still waiting.' Her party brought forward a proposal to seek more transparency, to find out 'who is making the profits, and on whose backs'. 'We called on the Government to regulate the big profit-makers just a little more. To put in place basic transparency measures so we can see where the money is going and why prices are rising. This isn't about small corner shops or local retailers. It's about the five major supermarket chains in Ireland, Dunnes, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, and SuperValu,' she said. "The grocery sector is worth €15bn. It's an incredibly profitable industry. And yet, the Government refuses to ask these giants to publish even the most basic data. They refuse to step up to the plate and demand accountability.' David believes there could be some assistance provided by the State but unlike where one-off payments were given in the past to help with energy bills across the board, 'they could target the people who really need it the most'.
The Irish Sun
15-07-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
Social welfare €16 weekly rate boost & Child Benefit €6 & €15 hike calls in Budget 2026 key ‘tangible differences' alert
INCREASING child supports, living alone and disability payments in Budget 2026 will "give support where it is most needed" amid rising living costs, according to a leading Irish charity. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul ( Advertisement 3 The poverty charity expects 250,000 calls this year Credit: Getty 3 SVP made 15 suggestions in its pre-Budget statement Credit: Getty Budget 2026 will see It comes as the volunteer organisation expects the amount of calls for help this year to approach 250,000. And they said that "financial adequacy and stability" must be at the heart of social protection measures "to prevent further hardship". Advertisement READ MORE IN MONEY The group's Delivering an Equal and Inclusive Budget submission includes 19 measures that focus on tackling child poverty, in-work poverty, childcare, housing, living alone, One of the key suggestions is to increase the core adult social protection rate by €16 per week, bringing it to €260. The "Without this increase that accounts for inflationary pressure since 2020, low-income households are falling further behind." Advertisement Most read in Money A second suggestion is that child support is increased by €6 for under 12s and €15 for over 12s. They explained that the evidence is based on Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) 2025 report, which claims that current rates fall behind the necessary amount to ensure income equality for children. New round of $1,702 'permanent' stimulus checks to automatically hit accounts in just days – see if yours is on the way SVDP said: " It shows that for children aged 12 and over, current payments meet just 64% of their essential needs, while for those in primary "Older children in particular face increased costs related to education, nutrition, and social inclusion, and these costs are not reflected in the current child supports structure." Advertisement A third call made by the charity is an increase of the living alone allowance, paid out to those who are living by themselves and receiving a social They explained that the increase would be a targeted measure to support households facing a disproportionately higher cost of living relative to multi-person households. WEEKLY DISABILITY PAYMENT SVDP also called on the government to introduce a weekly €55 They said: "This is in response to what SVP members witness firsthand from people living with a disability, such as the additional costs of transport, difficulties accessing employment, or the burden of extra heating needs." Advertisement Rose McGowan, SVP National President, said: 'For Budget 2026, we are appealing to the government to focus on a holistic approach to make real and tangible differences for the most vulnerable in our society.' 'The latest Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) figures are deeply concerning – consistent poverty has increased from 3.6% to 5%, with an even higher increase for children, jumping from 4.8% to 8.5% in just one year. 'CONSISTENT POVERTY' "That's over 45,000 more children now living in consistent poverty. These are not abstract statistics – they represent children growing up in cold bedrooms, going to school hungry, and missing out on the social and educational experiences that are fundamental to a healthy childhood.' 'We know from our experience on the frontline that the right policy choices do make a difference – we saw it with the introduction of free schoolbooks and hot school meals. Advertisement "Budget 2026 must continue that momentum, with targeted structural reforms to ensure adequate incomes and real pathways out of poverty.' SVP Head of Social Policy, Louise Bayliss said: 'The temporary, one-off cost-of-living payments from the government provided critical short-term relief in recent years. MAIN PROPOSALS Other key recommendations proposed by SVP for the forthcoming Budget: Increase and Index-Link the Income Disregard for One-Parent Family Payment (OPFP) and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment (JST) Make childcare affordable by increasing the subsidy and threshold for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). Ensure every child in emergency accommodation has access to a child support worker. Continue the roll out of free hot school meals to all children and ensure ongoing evaluation of the nutritional content. Increase the provision of social housing stock and affordable cost rental homes for vulnerable and low-income households. Introduce a homeless prevention budget amounting to 20% of all homeless expenditure. Provide capital funding to address the long-term accommodation needs for those in direct provision with status to remain. Allocate €10 million to establish local, publicly run Early Childhood, Education and Care (ECEC) services. Make our state education system truly free by removing costs and charges to families including mock exam and correction fees, electronic devices and school uniforms. Benchmark SUSI grants and reckonable income levels against the cost of living. Increase Fuel Allowance by €9.50 per week. Extend the Fuel Allowance to recipients of the working Family Payment. Pilot a community energy advice service. Increase funding to the Waiting List Initiative to clear the waiting list and backlog for the Assessment of Need process. Allocate sufficient funding to fully implement the National Therapy Service in mainstream education settings. "However, with these supports now withdrawn, low-income households are left exposed to high living costs and growing financial insecurity. "Poverty in a wealthy country like Ireland is a policy failure but our next Budget offers a vital opportunity to put financial certainty and dignity at the heart of Government decision-making. Advertisement 'Rising poverty and homelessness rates should not be happening in a wealthy country with a growing economy, Budget 2026 can and should make a difference to the people we support.' 3 Increasing child welfare and disability payments are among the calls made by the group Credit: Getty
