Mediaboss Marketing

by Stephen Ritch

With the job market becoming increasingly competitive Junior Achievement Isle of Man has teamed up with six local employers to deliver CV and interview workshops to year 11 students at Ballakermeen High School.

Students have to prepare a CV and choose to which of the employers - Barclays Wealth, Isle of Man Government, Manx Telecom, Marks & Spencer, Swagelok and Tracey Bell - they wish to apply.  They are then given a job description in advance of the 35-minute interview which concludes with a feedback session.

The interview programme has been devised by Ballakermeen High School’s key stage four manager Eoin Moriarty in collaboration with Junior Achievement’s Joy Spence, a former recruitment specialist with more than 15 years’ local industry experience.

She said: ‘Junior Achievement is all about preparing students for the world of work and, in an economic climate where the job market is contracting, young people need all the help and support we, together with schools and our volunteer business partners, can offer.

‘These workshops are designed to give students a taste of the “real” world; an opportunity for them to develop a whole range of interview techniques, from personal presentation to communications skills.’

Mr Moriarty said: ‘Any opportunities we can provide for students to hone their CV writing and interview skills prior to applying for actual jobs has to be a good thing and we are very grateful that employers have embraced this new initiative.

‘Students are definitely nervous going in but, from the positive feedback they get, they emerge more confident and clearly buzzing from the experience they’ve had. 72 students volunteered to take part in this project and the feedback from them, the employers and parents has been fantastic.’

Conducting interviews on behalf of Marks & Spencer were Maria Caldwell and her colleague Marie Clare who said: ‘Both Maria and I think the mock interviews are a great idea, as we see so many young adults fail our interviews due to lack of knowledge and understanding of what companies are looking for.
 
‘The benefit for the students is huge as they get the chance to gain that knowledge before they leave school and have now some idea about what potential employers are looking for, regarding their appearance, CV presentation, knowledge of the company and the area in which they wish to work.
 
‘The benefit to Marks & Spencer is that hopefully some of these students would now pass the interview process and become a benefit to our store.’

The pair’s first interviewee was 16-year-old Gina Clarke who said: ‘I signed up for the workshop because I saw it as an opportunity while still at school to experience what job interviews are like. Having done the interview, it’s certainly given me more confidence for when I go for a job for real.’

Swagelok’s Neville Jewell said: ‘Mock interviews are important because they really do help these young men and women. When I was their age there was nothing going on at that time that prepared you for the outside world. The job market is more competitive than ever and being able to give these guys the tools to gain that advantage in getting that job is important. I find it personally rewarding to be a part of this scheme as it gives me an opportunity to apply my experience and hopefully guide young people so they can avoid some of the pitfalls I encountered when job hunting.’

Joy Spence concluded: ‘We’re enormously grateful to Ballakermeen High School for their support and to the interviewers for giving so generously of their time and bringing such authenticity to the programme. Given that so many students signed up for the workshops, it’s clear that young people have very genuine concerns about their future careers.’

-ENDS-

In Other Isle of Man News

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© Manx Telecom Ltd 2012

Manx Telecom Ltd, Isle of Man Business Park, Cooil Road, Braddan, Isle of Man IM99 1HX
Registered in the Isle of Man Reg no.5629V Vat Reg no GB 003-2919-12

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Junior Achievement and Ballakermeen High School Launch Interview Workshops

14 February 2012

The Isle of Man's Department of Economic Development has welcomed the coverage received from a recent clean-tech business breakfast where the island's offerings were represented to an audience of over 140 clean-tech sector investors, professional advisers and businesses.

A high-level delegation of Isle of Man representatives attended the event, The Rushlight Clean Technologies show, on February 1, 2012. The show is the only event in the UK and Ireland that showcases the best new energy, waste, water and environmental solutions.

The event featured various speakers from the Isle of Man including John Shimmin, the island's Minister for the Department of Economic Development, who discussed the vision of Charles Hendry, Minister for the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change, for an ?all-islands approach? to offshore renewable energy to meet the needs of the British Isles and for export into Europe.

Also in attendance were Dr Emma Rowan, the island?s Marine Spatial Planning Officer, who provided baseline data on the Isle of Man territorial maritime area and details on the Manx Marine environmental assessment and planning process; Dr Alan Hisscot, former Senior Meteorological Officer, Isle of Man Meteorological Office, who provided an overview of Isle of Man resources, especially the wind and tidal resource; and John Harper, Commercial Manager, Manx Electricity Authority, discussed the existing subsea cable connecting the UK and the Isle of Man and the electricity trading arrangements.

To conclude the event, Dr Ken Milne, the Senior Manager for Energy Policy at the Isle of Man Department of Economic Development, who spoke about the potential upgrade to harbours that could create operation and maintenance bases for offshore wind farms; on island capabilities, including precision manufacturing; and also benefits for domiciling companies on the Isle of Man.

Welcoming the success of the event, John Shimmin, the Minister for the Isle of Man Department of Economic Development, commented:

"We were pleased to be involved in this successful clean tech breakfast which generated significant interest. The breakfast provided a valuable opportunity for the Department of Economic Development to explain the benefits that differentiate the Isle of Man from its competitors."

"We are fortunate that our island has a proven track record of trialling new technology, a manufacturing sector, including businesses with over 50 years' experience, which can assist with developing new technology. We have the opportunity to develop offshore renewable energy in an area which is greater than 87% of the islands territory,? he added.

Dr Ken Milne, Senior Manager for Energy Policy, added:

"We had a lot of good feedback from the attendees at our breakfast who listened with great interest to the various presentations and discussions from a wide range of experts.?

?With its business networks, flexible assistance schemes and world-leading cluster of professional advisors, the Isle of Man intends to be at the forefront of this development by attracting and supporting dynamic, innovative businesses and entrepreneurs from around the globe."

.

Original post:
IoM Clean Tech Event Heralded A Success

SHANGHAI, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited, incorporated in the Cayman Islands ("Shanda" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: SNDA - News), a leading interactive entertainment media company in China, announced today that, at an extraordinary general meeting held today, the Company's shareholders voted in favor of the proposal to approve the previously announced Agreement and Plan of Merger dated November 22, 2011 (the "Merger Agreement") among the Company, Premium Lead Company Limited ("Parent"), a British Virgin Islands business company jointly owned by Mr. Tianqiao Chen, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of Shanda, his wife Ms. Qian Qian Chrissy Luo, who is a non-executive director of Shanda, and his brother Mr. Danian Chen, who is the Chief Operating Officer and a director of Shanda, and New Era Investment Holding Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent ("Merger Sub"), pursuant to which Merger Sub will be merged with and into Shanda with Shanda surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent.

Approximately 100.0% of the Company's total outstanding ordinary shares voted in person or by proxy at today's extraordinary general meeting. Of the ordinary shares voted in person or by proxy at the extraordinary general meeting, approximately 87.3% were voted in favor of the proposal to approve the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the merger, and approximately 87.2% were voted in favor of the proposal to authorize the directors of the Company to do all things necessary to give effect to the Merger Agreement.

All closing conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement have been satisfied or waived. The parties expect to complete the merger as soon as practicable, as a result of which completion Shanda will become a privately held company wholly owned by Parent and Shanda's American depository shares will no longer be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

About Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited

Shanda is a leading interactive entertainment media company in China, offering a broad array of online entertainment content on an integrated service platform to a large and diverse user base. Shanda offers its high quality entertainment content through its subsidiaries and affiliates, including Shanda Games, Cloudary, Ku6 Media, and various other online community and business units. The broad variety of content ranges from massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) and advanced casual games, to social network games, e-sports, literature, film, television, music, and video etc. By providing a centralized platform through which Shanda can deliver its own content as well as third-party content, Shanda allows its users to interact with thousands of other users while enjoying some of the best entertainment content available in China today. Shanda: "Interaction enriches your life". For more information about Shanda, please visit http://www.snda.com.

Contact

Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited

Dahlia Wei, IR Associate Director

Elyse Liao, IR Senior Manager

Phone: +86-21-6058-8688 (Shanghai)

      +852-2851-0177 (Hong Kong)

Email: IR@snda.com

Christensen Investor Relations

China:

Christian Arnell

Phone: +86-10-5826-4939

Email: carnell@christensenir.com

United States:

Linda Bergkamp

Phone: +1-480-614-3004

Email: lbergkamp@ChristensenIR.com

Original post:
Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited Announces Shareholders' Approval of the Merger Agreement

SHANGHAI, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited, incorporated in the Cayman Islands ("Shanda" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: SNDA - News), a leading interactive entertainment media company in China, announced today the completion of the merger contemplated by the previously announced Agreement and Plan of Merger dated November 22, 2011 (the "Merger Agreement") among the Company, Premium Lead Company Limited ("Parent"), a British Virgin Islands business company jointly owned by Mr. Tianqiao Chen, Chairman of the board of directors, Chief Executive Officer and President of Shanda, his wife Ms. Qian Qian Chrissy Luo, who is a non-executive director of Shanda, and his brother Mr. Danian Chen, who is the Chief Operating Officer and a director of Shanda, and New Era Investment Holding Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent ("Merger Sub"). As a result of the merger, Shanda became a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent.

Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, which was approved by the Company's shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting held today, each ordinary share of the Company ("Share") issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, other than (a) the Shares and American depositary shares ("ADSs") beneficially owned by the Buyer Group (as defined in the Company's proxy statement dated January 13, 2012) and (b) the Shares owned by shareholders who have validly exercised and have not effectively withdrawn or lost their appraisal rights under the Cayman Islands Companies Law (the "Dissenting Shares"), has been cancelled in exchange for the right to receive $20.675 and each ADS, each representing two Shares, represents the right to receive $41.35 (less $0.05 per ADS cancellation fees), in each case, in cash, without interest and net of any applicable withholding taxes.

Registered holders of Shares and ADSs represented by share or ADS certificates, other than the Dissenting Shares, will receive a letter of transmittal and instructions on how to surrender their certificates in exchange for the merger consideration and should wait to receive the letter of transmittal before surrendering their certificates. Payment will be made to surrendering registered ADS holders and holders of ADSs in un-certificated form as soon as practicable after The Bank of New York Mellon, the Company's Depositary, receives the merger consideration. For any questions relating to the surrender and payment procedures, holders of Shares may contact Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the Share paying agent, toll free at +1 800 546 5141 (or +1 781 575 2765 outside of the United States) and holders of ADSs may contact The Bank of New York Mellon toll free at +1 866 300 4353 (or +1 201 680 6921 outside of the United States).

The Company also announced today that it requested that trading of its ADSs on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (the "NASDAQ") be suspended beginning on February 15, 2012. The Company requested the NASDAQ to file Form 25 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") notifying the SEC of the delisting of the ADSs on the NASDAQ and the deregistration of the Company's registered securities. The Company intends to terminate its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, by promptly filing Form 15 with the SEC. The Company's obligations to file or furnish with the SEC certain reports and forms, including Form 20-F and Form 6-K, will be suspended immediately as of the filing date of the Form 15 and will cease once the deregistration becomes effective.

About Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited

Shanda is a leading interactive entertainment media company in China, offering a broad array of online entertainment content on an integrated service platform to a large and diverse user base. Shanda offers its high quality entertainment content through its subsidiaries and affiliates, including Shanda Games, Cloudary, Ku6 Media, and various other online community and business units. The broad variety of content ranges from massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) and advanced casual games, to social network games, e-sports, literature, film, television, music, and video etc. By providing a centralized platform through which Shanda can deliver its own content as well as third-party content, Shanda allows its users to interact with thousands of other users while enjoying some of the best entertainment content available in China today. Shanda: "Interaction enriches your life". For more information about Shanda, please visit http://www.snda.com.

Contact

Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited
Dahlia Wei, IR Associate Director
Elyse Liao, IR Senior Manager
Phone: +86-21-6058-8688 (Shanghai)
           +852-2851-0177 (Hong Kong)
Email: IR@snda.com

Christensen Investor Relations
China:
Christian Arnell
Phone: +86-10-5826-4939
Email: carnell@christensenir.com

United States:
Linda Bergkamp
Phone: +1-480-614-3004
Email: lbergkamp@ChristensenIR.com

See the article here:
Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited Announces Completion of Merger

14 February 2012

The number of captive insurance companies formed in the Cayman Islands increased markedly during 2011, a trend that is expected to continue into 2012, according to Cindy Scotland, the Managing Director of the Cayman Islands' Monetary Authority.

?While conditions in the international marketplace have been challenging to the formation of captives over the past several years, there continues to be solid interest in the Cayman Islands that translated into a 52% increase in captive formations in this jurisdiction in 2011,? said Scotland.

CIMA ended 2011 with 739 captives and 632 segregated portfolios registered in the Caymans. Further, the Cayman Islands continued to be the leading jurisdiction for healthcare captives. This was the primary line of business for 256 companies (35% of the total). Workers? compensation remained the second largest line of business with 161 companies (22%) providing this as their primary type of risk insured. The 739 active captives as at December 31, 2011, comprise the following: 419 pure captives (57%), 124 segregated portfolio companies (17%), 75 group captives (10%), 52 association captives (7%), 36 special purpose vehicles (5%), 32 open market insurers (4%) and one rent-a-captive.

Scotland said that already in the early weeks of 2012 CIMA's Insurance Division has processed five new captive license applications, with a further four applications in the initial stage of processing at the beginning of February.

CIMA noted that, globally, the captive market has been soft. Among the factors that have placed a downward pressure on captive formation across jurisdictions since the credit crisis have been the generally low investment returns for all types of investments and fears of another recession, coupled with the availability of commercial insurance at very low rates.

Gordon Rowell, Head of Insurance at CIMA, commented: ?In some cases this has dampened corporate sponsors? motivation to take on the expense of setting up a captive in order to self-insure. Nevertheless, industry players know the value of captives as a major part of organisations? risk management strategy. The industry has established a track record for robust risk management and in recent years captives and insurance managers have been quite efficient at maximising value despite the soft market.?

Concluding Scotland said: ?Given these factors, captive sponsors are seeking the greatest efficiencies and the choice of domicile for a captive becomes critical in achieving this value. The Cayman Islands has fared well because of a number of advantages. Captive participants have told us that in addition to the expertise of local service providers who have built up specialization, especially in the area of health care captive structuring, the jurisdiction is very cost competitive, the process for establishment of the captive is efficient, and the legislative and regulatory framework is stable and robust.?

A comprehensive report in our Intelligence Report series which studies the 20 main offshore jurisdictions which offer captive insurance regimes is available in the Lowtax Library at http://www.lowtaxlibrary.com/asp/subs_reports.asp and a description of the report can be seen at http://www.lowtaxlibrary.com/asp/description_report11.asp

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Captive Insurers Flock To Cayman Islands