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HGC Announces Appointment of Cliff Tam as Chief Commercial Officer of International Business

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HGC

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 February 2026 – HGC Global Communications (“HGC” or “the Group”) a fully-fledged network operator with extensive global coverage and ICT solution provider, has appointed Cliff Tam as Chief Commercial Officer – International Business, effective immediately. This strategic appointment reinforces HGC’s commitment to accelerating the growth of its international business (“IB”), deepening global network solutions, and advancing the Group’s position as a trusted enabler of international connectivity and digital infrastructure worldwide.

In his new role, Cliff will spearhead the Group’s international commercial strategy, leading the IB organisation to sharpen its global focus, deepen niche market penetration. He will champion the shared network philosophy in Southeast Asia (“SEA”) region to drive next-generation ready digital infrastructure development and capture new opportunities arising from AI adoption and global digital transformation. Leveraging HGC’s regional network cluster, Cliff will support companies in achieving seamless cross-border integration from Hong Kong as a key telecommunications hub across Chinese Mainland, and other international markets. Meanwhile, Ravindran Mahalingam, Senior Vice President – International Business & Digital Infrastructure, will support Cliff in identifying in-country projects across SEA and driving scalable and sustainable businesses for the Group.

With over 30 years of industry experience, Cliff brings a strategic global perspective that align with evolving needs of today’s interconnected digital economy and rapidly changing global environment. He has been repeatedly recognised by Capacity Power 100 as one of the most influential leaders in the telecommunications industry, underscoring his impact on shaping international carrier and digital ecosystem trends.

Andrew Kwok, Chief Executive Officer of HGC, said “Cliff’s appointment marks a significant step forward in HGC’s global development. As we establish a next-generation regional telecommunications network, encompassing international connectivity, local networks, and strategic network hubs, also incorporating AI development to future-proof our infrastructure. By leveraging HGC’s global network cluster, we will strengthen an interconnected telecom ecosystem that further reinforce Hong Kong’s status as one of the leading international telecommunications hub and support the continued evolution of the global digital economy.”

Cliff Tam, Chief Commercial Officer – International Business of HGC, said, “I am honoured to assume this role and remain focused on driving long‑term value for HGC’s international business. By deepening collaboration with our regional and global partners, we will advance the shared network philosophy to support companies respond to fast changing market dynamics driven by AI and emerging technologies. With HGC’s extensive international connectivity and embracement to AI adoption, we will empower OTTs, hyerscalers and enterprises to expand across borders, evolve in global markets, and accelerate their digital transformation. I look forward to leading our team in shaping new possibilities and strengthening HGC’s position as a trusted international partner in the rapidly evolving global digital landscape.”

HGC Global Communications Limited
HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC) is a leading Hong Kong and international telecom operator and ICT solution provider. The company owns an extensive network and infrastructure in Hong Kong and overseas and provides various kinds of services. HGC has 20 global offices and staff presence in 33 cities worldwide. It provides telecom infrastructure service to other operators and serves as a service provider to corporate and households. The company provides full-fledged telecom, data center services, ICT solutions and broadband services for local, overseas, corporate, SME and mass markets. HGC owns and operates an extensive fiber-optic network, five cross-border telecom routes integrated into tier-one telecom operators in mainland China and connects with hundreds of world-class international telecom operators. The company is committed to further investing and enriching its current infrastructure and, in parallel, adding on top the latest technologies and developing its infrastructure services and solutions. In 2019, HGC Group completed the acquisition of Macroview Telecom Limited (Macroview), a leading digital technology solution and managed services provider. The addition of Macroview further accelerates HGC Group’s digital transformation path and positioning as a pioneering ICT and digital services leader. HGC is a portfolio company of I Squared Capital, an independent global infrastructure investment manager focusing on energy, utilities, transport, social infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and environmental infrastructure in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

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Identy.io Announces Strategic Expansion in Africa

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February 11, 2026

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Expansion Plans to Bridge the Digital Gap with a Biometric Authentication Technology Tailored to Africa’s Unique Economic Developmental Needs

LAGOS, Nigeria, February 10, 2026/APO Group/ —Identy.io (www.Identy.io), a global biometric authentication technology company specializing in secure, mobile-first identity verification, announced today its expansion plans for Africa. This expansion will enhance Identy.io’s service offerings in key markets on the continent, including Kenya and Nigeria. To facilitate this growth, the company has appointed a regional leadership team to engage with key stakeholders across government, financial services, telecommunications, and other regulated sectors.  Additionally, Matus Kapusta has been appointed as the Product Director for Identy.io’s Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) product portfolios.

 

As governments across Africa implement national digital identity systems to improve service delivery, promote financial inclusion, and develop digital public infrastructure, the need for effective identity solutions becomes increasingly urgent. The World Bank’s ID4D data indicates that approximately 80% of adults in Sub-Saharan Africa possess basic identification. However, there are significant disparities between countries, with many having coverage below 70%. These gaps hinder access to essential services and economic opportunities. Countries like Kenya and Nigeria are making significant investments in public digital infrastructure by integrating identity systems with public services, financial access, and mobile connectivity as part of their broader economic development agendas.

“Identy.io is committed to being the leading long-term partner in digital public and private infrastructure for our African clients. We are transforming the traditional industry model, which often relies on expensive and inflexible digital infrastructure. Instead, Identy.io adopts a software-first approach, minimizing reliance on specialized biometric hardware. Our technology supports biometric capture using standard smartphones, processes identity documents, issues digital identities to individuals lacking formal identification, and facilitates large-scale biometric verification and deduplication. This innovative yet simplified approach allows our clients to reach underserved communities by providing individuals with multimodal access to secure their digital identities and explore new economic opportunities,” stated Antony Vendhan, Co-founder of Identy.io.

We are transforming the traditional industry model, which often relies on expensive and inflexible digital infrastructure

Identy.io is currently focusing its expansion in Africa on Kenya and Nigeria, with plans to expand into additional African markets as part of a phased regional growth strategy. The company’s regional leadership team will collaborate with clients across the public and private sectors to support responsible, scalable identity implementations aligned with national digital transformation priorities.

As part of Identy.io’s industry validation strategy, the company’s ABIS system has completed MOSIP’s partner compliance process and is listed on the MOSIP Marketplace. This platform offers compliant technologies that governments and ecosystem partners can evaluate for MOSIP-aligned deployments. MOSIP helps governments conceive, develop, implement, and own foundational digital ID systems tailored to their unique needs.

To further support its regional expansion, Identy.io has made several key leadership appointments:

  • Dr. Olajide Olasiyan-Ola, Regional Head for West Africa: With over 20 years of experience in biometric identity and digital infrastructure, Dr. Olasiyan-Ola has held senior leadership roles in various identity initiatives, including Nigeria’s Bank Verification Number program. He holds a PhD in Leadership, an MBA with Distinction from Keller Graduate School, and a BSc in Information Technology.
  • Edwin Mutisya, Senior Sales Manager: Based in Kenya, Edwin has extensive experience working with banks and telecom operators to implement secure identity solutions. He has a deep understanding of Africa’s regulatory environments and specializes in translating advanced technologies into cost-effective deployments.
  • Matus Kapusta, Product Director: With over 16 years in biometric innovation, Matus will lead Identy.io’s ABIS product portfolio, focusing on the strategic development and delivery of biometric solutions at scale. Known for his technical expertise, Matus is recognized for delivering biometric solutions on a national scale and will be instrumental in shaping the future of digital identity at Identy.io.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Identy.io.

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Amazon surges ahead while YouTube stumbles as WARC’s Q4 2025 big tech revenue analysis reveals divergence in revenue momentum

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February 11, 2026

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  • YouTube delivered the most significant underperformance versus WARC’s Q4 2025 benchmark, missing forecasts by 9.3 percentage points.
  • Though still just behind forecast (-1.4pp), Meta delivered a more robust quarter, supported by an accelerating use of AI across ad targeting and measurement.
  • Amazon was the standout performer during the quarter, surpassing expectations by 5.5pp.

WARC releases Earnings Debrief – a new quarterly summary comparing Big Tech’s ad revenue performance against WARC Media’s global ad spend forecast data

10 February 2026 – The final quarter of the year revealed a divergence in performance across Big Tech platforms, with Amazon emerging as the clear outperformer against expectations while YouTube fell notably short. This is according to new analysis by WARC Media.

WARC Media’s Earnings Debrief, is a new quarterly series that reviews the financial releases of Big Tech and compares their ad revenue performance against WARC Media’s quarterly global ad spend forecast data, to provide a current round-up of their ad spend.

James McDonald, Director of Data, Intelligence & Forecasts, WARC, said: “WARC Media’s Earnings Debrief cuts through the headline numbers to show what’s really driving performance across the major ad platforms.

“By refreshing forecasts quarterly, WARC’s benchmarks give clients a timely read on where growth is accelerating, where it’s stalling, and why — from Amazon’s retail media momentum and full-funnel scaling, to YouTube’s Shorts monetisation gap and Google’s AI pivot. In a fast-moving market, this recency and context is essential for understanding trajectory and informing confident investment decisions.”

YouTube misses forecast by 9.3pp

YouTube delivered the most significant underperformance versus WARC’s Q4 2025 benchmark, missing forecasts by 9.3 percentage points (pp). While the result appears disappointing on the surface, there were several compounding factors at play.

Political advertising spend during the US Presidential Election had driven CPMs higher than average, though the degree to which the cooling off occurred in Q4 2025 was notably more marked.

Engagement with YouTube remains strong overall, but conventional in-stream advertising may not provide the future growth engine.

Shorts – a format developed to counter consumption on TikTok and Instagram – now average more than 200 billion daily views, and in several major markets, including the US, revenue per watch hour has overtaken that of traditional in-stream formats. However, despite rising consumption, Shorts contribute a relatively small share of overall ad revenue due to evolving monetisation frameworks.

Further, new data show that approximately a third of YouTube’s total revenue – some $20bn – now comes from subscriptions to its ad-free YouTube Premium service, which may act as a headwind for future ad revenue growth.

Mixed fortunes for Google as AI disrupts discovery

Google’s advertising performance was more mixed. The Google Display Network declined by 1.6% in Q425 and 1.9% during 2025 as a whole, in both cases roughly one point behind forecast. This reflected softer pricing and a shift in advertiser budgets towards higher-value formats, including YouTube and Google-owned inventory accessed via Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns.

As spend migrates away from the open web, display’s relative contribution to Alphabet’s bottom line continues to stagnate. The company noted that income from AdSense fell, while AdMob (i.e. in-app ads) receipts grew but not enough to stymie overall decline.

Meanwhile, Google Search remains structurally resilient, coming in ahead of forecast during the quarter but roughly par (+0.8pp) for the full year. Despite intensifying competition from generative AI alternatives, Google’s integration of AI into search experiences appears to be sustaining engagement and query volumes, reinforcing its monetisation advantage. That said, the price is a near doubling of capital expenditure.

Meta falls just short of forecast

Though still just behind forecast (-1.4pp), Meta delivered a more robust fourth quarter, supported by an accelerating use of AI across its ad targeting and measurement suite, which has driven both higher ad impression volumes (+18%) and increased pricing (+6%). The scale of Meta’s AI infrastructure investment could place pressure on margins if returns take longer to materialise.

Strong growth in video engagement – particularly across Reels on Instagram and Facebook – has reinforced advertiser appetite for video placements, which typically command higher CPMs.

Meta reported that Reels watch time in the US – its largest market – rose by more than 30% in Q4. The format is a core part of Meta’s strategy to retain share of wallet against competitors, however, the monetisation rate for Reels remains lower than that for traditional in-feed ads.

Amazon flexes growing full-funnel muscle

Amazon was the standout performer during the quarter, surpassing expectations by 5.5pp. Although advertising still represents less than 10% of Amazon’s total revenues, it now ranks as the world’s third-largest digital advertising platform globally. Further, Madison & Wall estimates that advertising contributed essentially all of the operating income generated by the company’s retail sector last year.

Retail media’s ability to link ads directly to purchases, supports premium pricing across Sponsored Products, Brands and Display. New WARC Media ad spend data – derived from monitoring by Walrus Intelligence – shows that some 81.5% of Amazon’s ad income (almost four fifths of growth) is derived onsite, though this is down slightly from the previous year.

The rollout of advertising across Prime Video has further strengthened Amazon’s full funnel proposition, adding high value, scaled and targeted inventory. Prime Video now reaches an estimated 315 million monthly ad-supported viewers globally (compared to Netflix’s 190 million), significantly expanding

Amazon’s video CPM opportunity.

Amazon’s rapid deployment of AI-driven campaign tools and predictive targeting further strengthens its ability to tie ad spend to measurable conversion across its ecosystem.

Overall, Q4 2025 highlighted a market increasingly rewarding platforms that combine scale, data and demonstrable outcomes – a dynamic that continues to favour Amazon, even as others recalibrate their growth stories.

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Webb Fontaine Launches Webb Fontaine Zerø at the World Customs Organization (WCO) Technology Conference & Exhibition 2026, Redefining the Future of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Driven Customs Systems

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February 6, 2026

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Webb Fontaine’s Corporate Sponsorship for the second consecutive edition of the event marked a significant milestone, reinforcing the company’s long-term commitment to driving digital transformation in Customs

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, February 6, 2026/APO Group/ –Webb Fontaine (www.WebbFontaine.com), a leading provider of AI-powered trade facilitation solutions, successfully concluded its participation as Corporate Sponsor at the 2026 WCO Technology Conference & Exhibition, where it officially launched its groundbreaking new concept, Webb Fontaine Zerø.

 

Held at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from 28 to 30 January 2026, the conference brought together more than 1,500 public and private sector stakeholders, including Customs administrations from over 100 countries, to explore how advanced technologies are shaping the future of border management, trade facilitation, and supply chain resilience.

Webb Fontaine’s Corporate Sponsorship for the second consecutive edition of the event marked a significant milestone, reinforcing the company’s long-term commitment to driving digital transformation in Customs through innovation, partnership, and AI powered platforms.

The highlight of Webb Fontaine’s presence was the official unveiling of Webb Fontaine Zerø, a next-generation, LLM-based Customs technology concept built from the ground up for the AI era. Announced during the opening keynote by Webb Fontaine Chief Executive Officer Alioune Ciss, Webb Fontaine Zerø represents a complete reset from legacy systems, embedding artificial intelligence and large language models into every layer of Customs operations.

“AI is no longer a future roadmap on a PowerPoint slide. It is already at work,” said Alioune Ciss, CEO of Webb Fontaine. “With Webb Fontaine Zerø, we rebuilt our core platforms from the ground up, integrating AI into every layer of Customs processes. This is not an upgrade. It is a fresh start for an AI-driven era. Customs administrations need systems that evolve as fast as regulations and trade tariff rates change, and Webb Fontaine Zerøis designed precisely for that.”

With Webb Fontaine Zerø, we rebuilt our core platforms from the ground up, integrating AI into every layer of Customs processes

The 2026 edition of the Conference was held under the theme “Customs Agility in a Complex World: Securing and Facilitating Trade through Innovation,” aligning closely with Webb Fontaine Zerø’s vision of real-time regulatory adaptation, intelligent risk management, and seamless digital trade ecosystems.

Beyond the keynote launch, Webb Fontaine experts actively contributed to high-level discussions throughout the event. Ara Shamirzayan, Chief Technology Officer, led a technical panel on reinventing risk management through advanced data analytics and AI, while Anicet Houngbo, General Manager of Webb Fontaine Benin, moderated a panel on digital facilitation at the border, highlighting successful government transformations across emerging markets.

Webb Fontaine’s exhibition stand attracted significant attention, offering live demonstrations of AI-powered solutions and immersive experiences centered around Webb Fontaine Zerø. Delegates engaged with interactive activations and in-depth discussions on how next-generation technologies can modernize Customs operations, enhance revenue collection, strengthen border security, and accelerate trade flows.

The company also sponsored the official conference dinner on the second day of the event, creating a unique platform for networking and collaboration among global Customs leaders, policymakers, and technology partners.

Webb Fontaine’s strong presence at the conference builds on its long-standing collaboration with the World Customs Organization, including discussions around securing cross-border transactions and contributing to the strategic work done by the WCO through active participation to the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards, the Private Sector Consultative Group (PSCG), and the Permanent Technical Committee (PTC).

With the successful launch of Webb Fontaine Zerø and an impactful week of engagement with the global Customs community, Webb Fontaine continues to position itself at the forefront of AI-driven trade technology.

The company looks forward to advancing discussions initiated at the conference and partnering with governments worldwide to usher in a new era of intelligent, agile, and future-ready Customs systems.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Webb Fontaine.

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