www.acquisition-international.com • November 2025 Bringing Content to Life Across Major Media Channels An over-the-top (OTT) multi-platform provider offering end-to-end packages for the creation of TV, mobile, web, and social apps and the distribution of live and on-demand media across a variety of leading channels, Lightcast.com is the place for media content. Empowering its clients to launch apps, distribute content, and maximise their revenue across every screen, Lightcast sees their messages reach more than two billion devices worldwide. Named the Contemporary Media Streaming Platform of the Year 2025 – USA, Lightcast’s own Andreas Kisslinger was on hand to tell us more.
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Contents 4 News 7 Private vs Public Cloud: Pragmatism Over Hype 8 Lightcast.com: Bringing Content to Life Across Major Media Channels 10 European Cardiovascular Research Institute: Leading the Fight Against Cardiovascular Disease 11 Tara Rose Salons: Redefining the Salon Experience through Education and Empowerment 12 Open Systems Technologies Corporation: Three Decades of Infallible, High-End Technology Solutions 14 Damma Legal Advisors: Unrivalled Experience in Peru’s Legal Landscape 15 Turrillo Global Services: Best Accounting & Tax Consultancy Firm 2025 – Spain & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 16 Finarte s.p.a.: Auctioneering CFO of the Year 2025 (Italy): Alessandro Consoli & Financial Leadership Excellence Award 2025 18 More for Less Remodeling: Get More for Less with Quality Design and Build Under One Roof 20 O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors: Because Your Rights Deserve Its Expertise 21 Embrace Education Ltd: Educational Publishing Businesswoman of the Year 2025 (UK): Kelly Griffiths & Business Leadership & Dedication Excellence Award 2025 22 Papacleovoulou LLC: Shaping Legal Practice in Cyprus 12 11 16
NEWS AuditBoard Announces Acquisition of FairNow to Expand AI Governance Capabilities Acquisition Further Enhances the leading AI offering in GRC Audit & Beyond -- AuditBoard, the leading AI-powered global platform for connected risk transforming audit, risk, and compliance, announced it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire FairNow, an end-to-end, purpose-built AI Governance platform. FairNow further enhances AuditBoard’s industry leading capabilities with intelligent, automated, and stepby-step AI compliance guidance. With AI Governance requirements expanding globally, AuditBoard customers are now uniquely positioned to stay compliant and mitigate AI-related risks. This acquisition is coupled with the release of Accelerate--AuditBoard’s powerful, new AI solution for GRC teams. The integration of FairNow’s dedicated AI Governance solution aligns with the strong foundation of AuditBoard’s naturallanguage workflows, continuous auditing and monitoring, document intelligence, and agentic AI,creating a truly end-to-end AI-powered platform for managing risk. All of which builds on AuditBoard’s existing commitment to both AI innovation -- and safety -- following the announcement of its first AI governance solution earlier this year. FairNow’s platform enables organizations to simplify their end-to-end AI governance with a streamlined AI registry, dynamic risk assessments, and intelligent automated compliance. This unified offering directly addresses the execution gap in AI governance. A key finding in AuditBoard’s Risk Intelligence Report, released just last week, identified that fewer than 30% of leaders feel prepared for upcoming AI governance requirements, indicating a lack of clear ownership that undermines trust. For many organizations this means seeking compliance with frameworks such as the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, ISO/ IEC 42001, and the EU AI Act, which provide structured guidelines for responsible AI development and deployment by addressing areas like fairness, transparency, risk management, and data governance. “The speed of AI adoption has made robust, connected AI governance a mission-critical function for enterprises across every industry,” said Raul Villar Jr., CEO of AuditBoard. “Integrating FairNow into AuditBoard’s Connected Risk Platform delivers the most comprehensive and modern solution on the market, directly addressing the enormous risks that come alongside this technology. Combined with the launch of Accelerate, this acquisition will set AuditBoard apart by leapfrogging nascent competitive offerings and empowering our customers to transform their risk and compliance programs.” Guru Sethupathy, CEO and Founder of FairNow, echoed this excitement. “FairNow believes that governance will be the key enabler in the age of AI - managing risks while building trust and driving adoption,” said Sethupathy. “Our mission to simplify AI governance will be accelerated with AuditBoard, the clear leader in AI-powered connected risk. Joining AuditBoard is the logical next step in our journey to scale our impact. We look forward to working with the AuditBoard team to solidify the platform’s position as the global go-to solution for modern risk management - intelligent, automated, and connected.” The acquisition is intended to significantly expand AuditBoard’s platform, creating a unified, AI-first solution for managing all enterprise risk. Morrison & Foerster LLP served as AuditBoard’s legal advisor.
NEWS next-generation gaming technology and believe that we are wellpositioned for growth. Our strategy going forward centers around harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to build scalable offerings that expand our reach beyond gaming and into other verticals to create meaningful value for our shareholders.” “At Core Gaming, we have built a strong reputation as an innovative leader in mobile gaming, a $126 billion industry today[1]. This next phase is aimed at accelerating the integration of artificial intelligence across our platforms. With the global AI apps market valued at $2.94 billion in 2024 and expected to grow at a 38.7% CAGR through 2030[2], we believe that we are in a prime position to capture significant market share by delivering AI-powered experiences that create deeper engagement and drive broader adoption. We have seen significant growth in our sector achieved by leaders such as AppLovin, and we believe Core AI Holdings has the foundation, leadership and technology to pursue similar growth as we execute our business strategy.” Siyata Mobile Announces Closing of Merger with Core Gaming Siyata Mobile Inc., a global developer and vendor of missioncritical Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) handsets and accessories, announced the successful completion of its previously announced merger with Core Gaming, Inc. The merger officially closed on October 3, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the Company’s strategic transformation. Core Gaming is a leading developer and publisher of immersive mobile and cloud-based gaming solutions with fiscal year 2024 revenues of $79 million. Core Gaming’s success is driven by its diverse portfolio of proprietary titles, a growing global user base with over 780 million lifetime downloads, and strategic partnerships worldwide. “Core AI Holdings, Inc. will be officially launching on Tuesday as a Nasdaq-listed company following the completion of our merger,” said Aitan Zacharin, CEO of Core AI Holdings, Inc. “As part of the fast-growing mobile gaming industry, we are advancing our
Feature 6 | Acquisition International, September 2025 Launched in 2018, the AI Global Excellence Awards provide us at Acquisition International Magazine with an opportunity to celebrate and draw attention to innovative companies, teams and individuals who are driving change, surpassing expectation, and excelling across the vast corporate landscape. Dedicated to delivering vital updates and keeping our corporate readers informed to remain ahead of the curve, the AI Global Excellence Awards present the most prominent leaders and organisations from a diverse range of industries. Our job is to magnify the people, products and services that can fundamentally change things for the better. Enquire Here!
Feature November 2025, Acquisition International | 7 Private vs Public Cloud: Pragmatism Over Hype “The best cloud strategy isn’t about choosing sides; it’s about choosing sense” There are few debates in modern IT quite as enduring as Private vs Public Cloud. Public promises limitless scale, innovation at speed, and global reach. Private promises control, sovereignty and predictability. As someone who operates a private-cloud platform, you might expect us to pick a clear winner but the truth, as ever, is more nuanced. Hyperscaler Motives: Growth Before Pragmatism? The hyperscalers have transformed the industry. Gartner predicts global public-cloud spend will reach $679 billion in 2025, up more than 20% in a year. It’s astonishing progress. Yet their growth depends on one simple truth, the more workloads you place in their ecosystem, the more money they make. Every API call, storage gigabyte and AI inference feeds the consumption machine. That’s not sinister, its capitalism, but it does shape the advice customers receive. So, it’s worth asking the question. Are they guiding your strategy, or just growing their own revenue? Even their fabled reliability isn’t absolute. In June 2025, a major Google Cloud outage knocked out Spotify, Discord, and several Google services for hours. Two months later, IBM Cloud suffered its fourth major outage since May when authentication systems failed across regions. When hyperscalers stumble, they take half the internet with them. Dependence has its price. The Private-Cloud Resurgence Private cloud has quietly undergone its own renaissance. Modern stacks, whether VMware Cloud Foundation or Nutanix, the hypervisors that underpin sovereign platforms such as our own SotaCloud, deliver the elasticity and automation once thought exclusive to public environments, but with the clarity and control enterprises crave. The advantages are well publicised: • Data Sovereignty & Compliance: You know exactly where your data lives and under which jurisdiction. For regulated sectors, that’s non-negotiable • Transparent Pricing: Predictable monthly costs without opaque egress fees or hidden metering. No CFO nightmares! • Consistent Performance: Hosting workloads close to users reduces latency and variance – critical for AI inference, trading, and realtime analytics • Direct Accountability: When something needs fixing, there’s a name and a number – not a faceless global support queue Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Cloud Computing 2025 calls this shift “cloud pragmatism” moving from cloud-first to cloud-right, meaning selecting the best environment for each workload, not blindly defaulting to one model. “Private cloud is no longer the cautious choice, it’s the considered one.” Workload First, Not Revenue Targets The most effective strategies start with the workload, not the vendor. I encourage you ask your CTO’s simple questions such as: • Does this application handle sensitive or regulated data? • Does it demand ultra-low latency or local processing? • Is usage stable or wildly variable? • How much surprise billing can we tolerate? Public cloud often wins for spiky, experimental, or globally distributed workloads. Private cloud excels where control, predictability, and proximity matter. Most mature organisations blend the two, using each where it makes sense. McKinsey recently noted that 38% of enterprises have repatriated some workloads from public to private environments, largely for cost and compliance reasons. Even Andreessen Horowitz, an early cloud champion, dubbed hyperscaler dependency ‘the new IT tax’, warning that many firms ‘rent agility at the expense of long-term margins’. The Balanced Reality At Sota, we are proud of our sovereign, UK-based private cloud. We designed it for transparency, resilience, and human accountability. But we’re also pragmatic enough to know that not every workload belongs with us. Sometimes the right answer is public, sometimes hybrid, sometimes both. The point is that the customer’s agenda, not the provider’s, must come first! Conclusion: Value Over Vendor Public cloud offers extraordinary innovation, but its motives and limits must be understood. Outages, opacity, and cost drift are part of the package. Private cloud, conversely, delivers sovereignty, predictability, and consistent performance – advantages that matter as AI, compliance and latency demands intensify. The smartest organisations are no longer asking “Which cloud is best?” They’re asking, “Which cloud is best for this?” Because the right cloud is not the one with the loudest marketing or the biggest logo, it’s the one that delivers control, performance, and peace of mind. And if that happens to be a well-engineered private cloud..well..that’s simply good business sense. By Ben Smoker, CEO of Sota
8 | Acquisition International, November 2025 An over-the-top (OTT) multi-platform provider offering end-to-end packages for the creation of TV, mobile, web, and social apps and the distribution of live and on-demand media across a variety of leading channels, Lightcast.com is the place for media content. Empowering its clients to launch apps, distribute content, and maximise their revenue across every screen, Lightcast sees their messages reach more than two billion devices worldwide. Named the Contemporary Media Streaming Platform of the Year 2025 – USA, Lightcast’s own Andreas Kisslinger was on hand to tell us more. Bringing Content to Life Across Major Media Channels oday, we are in the middle of the ‘Streaming Age’. With a world of digital content available at our fingertips, it is crucial that those businesses, broadcasters, and content creators looking to stay ahead expand their reach to as many platforms as possible, and this requires scaling their media operations to effortlessly engage with their audiences. The first step towards doing this is to find a trusted OTT platform, one that allows them to upload and manage all of their content in real-time, achieving maximum reach with minimum effort. A full-stack, free-speech OTT platform designed for branded apps, global reach, and ROI maximisation, Lightcast.com sees its clients reach more screens and get more views – quite quickly resulting in more revenue. Thanks to the combination of its turnkey OTT builder and its AI-driven Media Cloud, automating workflows and going live in a matter of minutes has never been more straightforward. What is more, across this solution, the emphasis from Lightcast is helping its clients to reach viewers wherever they already are. Hitting every platform and every device, Lightcast allows for custom-branded streaming apps to be launched across TV providers such as Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV; mobile and internet devices like iOS, Android, and websites; and even other places where its clients may consume video and media content, such as SmartTV Apps, Alexa-branded devices, social-media sites, and platforms such as Spotify and Amazon Music.The result is a seamless experience for viewers, and accessible, optimised, and monetised content for its clients. Explaining the demonstrable value Lightcast adds to its clients’ operations through its Media Cloud CMS, Andreas told us: “The majority of our customers aim to launch TV apps across the primary device platforms and app stores, including Apple TV, Fire TV, and Roku. Many of these customers either lack TV apps altogether or possess only a limited number and are seeking to expand their portfolio.” Similarly, he added: “Startups and vloggers alike frequently turn to Lightcast.com to launch TV and/or mobile apps for streaming.” Given there is so much choice out there when it comes to app development and content delivery, why have more than 2,000 organisations trusted Lightcast to take their streaming to the next level? For Andreas, a big part of this is cost effectiveness, with the company providing the opportunity for some big savings as a result of its full-service nature, which eradicates the need for the ‘patchwork solutions’ many providers rely upon. “Many large media corporations are transitioning away from developing and maintaining inhouse patchwork systems, which involve costly contracts with multiple vendors, extensive inhouse staff with diverse skill sets, and complex overhead management”, Andreas explained. A more straightforward and impactful alternative, Lightcast succeeds as it successfully streamlines OTT and multi-platform publishing for organisations of all sizes – from small businesses through to large corporations – potentially saving them thousands. On the back of this – and citing the old aphorism ‘time is money’ – the ability to better manage their time is another reason why publishers choose Lightcast.com for all their cross-platform integration needs. It is here where Lightcast’s Media Cloud shines, with its real-time content/app management system enabling users to accomplish more in less time. This is achieved thanks to all of the connected publishing properties (apps, podcasts, social medias) being managed from a single location, complete with comprehensive data. The Lightcast Media Cloud is undoubtedly the main differentiator of Lightcast, standing out because it goes beyond just streaming content and allows its clients to supervise every aspect of their media from the one place. Be it uploading or transcoding videos or publishing and monetising content, it makes everything possible from the one platform. The ability to distribute content while simultaneously accessing real-time insights and analytics positions Media Cloud as a client’s complete media operations hub, making it an invaluable tool for optimisation and growth. Several case studies attest to the success of both Media Cloud and Lightcast more broadly when it comes to helping businesses scale their content, but by far the most impressive is that of WWNLIVE, the home of the World Wrestling Network family. Initially onboarding with Lightcast.com during the final stages of 2013, the company’s initial aim was to deliver a robust streaming service that could keep up with all of the live events and on-demand content that wrestling promotions rely on to reach their audiences and make money. Over the course of a few short months, Lightcast.com not only built, launched, and hosted a new website for WWNLIVE – complete with an online merchandise store, pay-per-view store, event system, archive area, and more – but it also developed and released the WWNLIVE app for Roku, Fire TV, AndroidTV and AppleTV, as well as iOS and Android mobile apps. This worked incredibly well for a few years, until the decision was made to roll out a subscription offer for its website and TV apps, to be offered under the name ‘ClubWWN’. The company’s new payment model uses the effortless Lightcast EasyPay MultiPlatform Subscription System, which makes authentication across web, mobile, and TV apps incredibly straightforward. Such a provision allowed ClubWWN to majorly expand and improve the multi-platform experience it offered its loyal subscribers. When continued growth meant WWNLIVE needed a website expansion to support its existing customer base and prepare for its future growth, Lightcast even added additional server power and redundancies to the website, in addition to providing automated software monitoring, more human monitoring, and 24hour support for its live events. The result is that the company’s fanbase and community keep growing to this day, purchasing its payper-view events and watching on demand, as well as subscribing to ClubWWN. T
Bringing Content to Life Across Major Media Channels “Overall, this project showcased Lightcast’s expertise in creating scalable and versatile content delivery solutions, proving our ability to adapt to different industry needs. ” Having powered the future of streaming since opening its doors in 2010, Lightcast has spent the last 15 years redefining what was thought possible within the spheres of OTT and digital media. The company is incredibly proud to have helped thousands of organisations, launched more than 12,000 apps, and overseen more than 70,000 global serves from across the world. Lightcast has featured across several leading news and technology sites because of its solutions, underpinning its exceptional nature in this environment. For those ready to join the thousands who already trust Lightcast.com with managing their digital media presence, the company is ready to help them streamline their workflows, expand their reach, and own their media strategy. Request a full demo of the Lightcast Media Cloud using the link below to discover how it can transform your media workflow. Contact: Andreas Kisslinger Company: Lightcast.com Web Address: https://www.lightcast.com/
10 | Acquisition International, November 2025 ECRI: Leading the Fight Against Cardiovascular Disease Amid shrinking research budgets and rising regulatory demands, clinical trials have become increasingly difficult to fund and execute. In response, the European Cardiovascular Research Institute (ECRI) was founded to bridge the gap between academic thought leaders and industry, enabling high-impact studies that advance cardiovascular care. We spoke with Director Ernest Spitzer below, as ECRI is named Europe’s Cardiology Research Organisation of the Year 2025 in the Global Excellence Awards. Contact: Ernest Spitzer Company: European Cardiovascular Research Institute Web Address: www.ecri-trials.com Founded in 2012, the European Cardiovascular Research Institute is a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing cardiovascular research through investigator-led clinical trials. Established in collaboration with specialised cardiovascular research organisation Cardialysis, ECRI’s mission is to defeat cardiovascular disease by conducting high-quality, independent, multicentre, and multinational studies that adhere to ICH and GCP standards. At its core, ECRI’s vision is to serve as a non-profit hub that unites leading clinical researchers with industry partners to execute innovative trials within budget and timeline constraints. The organisation has dedicated itself to fostering global collaboration and leveraging a network of top cardiologists to ensure it successfully delivers impactful research that shapes clinical practice worldwide. In a space oversaturated with commercially motivated organisations, ECRI distinguishes itself through its unwavering commitment to scientific integrity and patient-centred outcomes. Its non-profit model is not only a structural choice but also a philosophical stance that prioritises clinical relevance over marketability. By championing investigatorinitiated studies, ECRI ensures that research questions arise from frontline clinical experience and reflect critical day-to-day questions at a given moment . The organisation’s collaboration with Cardialysis further amplifies its distinctiveness, combining operational excellence with core lab capabilities to execute complex, multicentre trials across Europe. The result is a research environment where innovation thrives through rigorous methodology and global cooperation. This ethos is embodied in ECRI’s trial infrastructure, which supports the design and delivery of independent studies that challenge conventional standards and push the boundaries of cardiovascular care. ECRI proudly offers a unique platform for executing ambitious, independent clinical trials designed to address critical concerns in the treatment of cardiac patients. The organisation’s pipeline of groundbreaking trials is driven by outstanding clinical leadership and highlights the organisation’s focus on innovative, evidence-based solutions that drive clinical advancements. The organisation is advancing cardiology through three pivotal trials – IVUS-CHIP, OPTIMAL, and FAST III – each targeting critical gaps in percutaneous coronary intervention either for complex or intermediate coronary artery disease. With enrolment completed and results slated for presentation in 2026, these studies promise to reshape clinical guidelines, enhance patient outcomes, and optimise resource use in high-risk procedures. Collectively, these ECRI-led trials could reduce PCI-related major adverse cardiovascular events by 15-30% across Europe, fostering imaging-integrated and physiology-driven care that prioritises precision over intuition. “To advance this mission,” said Ernest, “ECRI is actively seeking private and public funding, including grants and donations, to support the execution of these impactful trials. By investing in our platform, funders can help drive transformative advancements in cardiovascular care, addressing unmet needs and shaping the future of clinical practice.” Ultimately, ECRI aims to revolutionise cardiovascular clinical trials over the next five years by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and streamlined processes. The organisation will explore the use of artificial intelligence to enhance trial design and data analysis, using predictive models to optimise patient selection and endpoint detection, potentially reducing trial timelines by 15-20%. To enhance consistency and accelerate regulatory approvals, ECRI is standardising protocols across multicentre trials like IVUSCHIP and OPTIMAL, ensuring compliance with ICH and GCP guidelines. Automated data platforms are being designed to reduce manual errors and site burden, aiming for a 25% cut in data entry time. Real-time reporting tools will support faster, evidencebased decisions in studies such as FAST III. These digital innovations – anchored in AI, streamlined processes, and smart resource use – reflect ECRI’s drive to deliver costeffective, high-impact research that shapes future cardiovascular care. Looking ahead, ECRI announces the launch of the ZEPHYR trial, a groundbreaking study poised to transform post-myocardial infarction care. In a bold step towards defeating cardiovascular disease, ZEPHYR will investigate ziltivekimab – a promising anti-inflammatory drug from Novo Nordisk – against placebo in 332 patients with acute myocardial infarction . By targeting the IL-6 pathway, this trial aims to demonstrate how curbing chronic inflammation can stabilise and regress coronary plaques, potentially slashing residual risks that claim countless lives annually. “As ECRI’s pipeline – including FAST III and OPTIMAL – advances toward 2026 milestones, this trial underscores our commitment to patient-centred breakthroughs,” Ernest shared. “Early engagements of academics in drug development promises not just insights, but real-world impact: fewer repeat events, better survival, and smarter healthcare strategies. “Join us in this vital quest. For trial details, visit www.ecri-trials.com/studies/zephyr/. Together, we’re rewriting the future of cardiology – one plaque at a time.”
November 2025, Acquisition International | 11 Redefining the Salon Experience through Education and Empowerment ara Rose Salons is a brand of hair and beauty salons based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, offering individual and family services that transcend the ordinary. Built upon a sturdy foundation of core values – comprising mindset, self-development, confidence, self-care, and transformation – the brand allows these values to guide its daily operations, as well as its overarching mission: to redefine the salon experience by merging beauty with wellness. The company was founded by Director Tara Rose Kidd, a prominent figure in the beauty industry. Serving as the driving force behind the Tara Rose brand, she boasts more than two decades of experience collaborating with industry leaders in London, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. In 2015, Tara Rose leveraged this experience to embark on an entrepreneurial journey, with the aim of establishing salons aligned with her unique vision and values – leading to the creation of the first Tara Rose Salon in Abu Dhabi. Currently, the Tara Rose brand operates four company-owned salons across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, each designed to deliver the same premium, wellness-driven experience. These flagship destinations also double as training hubs for the salon’s education and franchise network, showcasing the unrivalled strength and scalability of the Tara Rose Salon model. In a crowded market, Tara Rose Salons stands out for its mission and vision of transforming the beauty and wellness industry. “We are not only creating exceptional client experiences today but also reshaping what the industry can look like in the future,” Tara Rose told us. “Every guest journey is designed to transform not just their look but also their confidence and mindset. From our signature consultations to the Glow Club memberships, we provide clients with consistent care that nurtures both their appearance and wellbeing.” The franchise offers a wide range of treatments, including hair services, massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, and waxing. Its flagship offering is the Glow Club Membership, a 30-day reset that integrates hair-, skin- , and hand-care into a sole, comprehensive programme that focuses on self-care and rejuvenation at its core. Clients have described the membership as “the ultimate confidence boost,” and often share that it helps them to stay committed to their beauty and wellness routines. Beyond treatments, the Tara Rose brand has also integrated education into its service model; the Tara Rose Academy is a Dubai-based academy dedicated to supporting and empowering hairdressers and businessowners in their journey to growth and success. The Academy offers courses for every level – from learning key fundamentals to the latest hair trends – and focuses on the holistic development of its students, prioritising mindset, communication, and essential business tools to ensure a well-rounded professional transformation. The salon industry is evolving rapidly, with clients expecting increasingly personalised, holistic, and tech-enabled experiences. Remaining abreast of such developments is vital, and Tara Rose has embraced this shift by integrating AI-driven insights to match clients to services with accuracy, improve follow-ups, and personalise their journeys. These implementations have strengthened both the brand’s client retention and operational efficiency, ensuring that Tara Rose Salons stays ahead of industry changes whilst remaining true to its core mission: combining beauty with wellness. Tara Rose Salons prides itself on meeting these evolving demands, successfully balancing luxury client experiences, structured education, and franchise scalability. This unique blend sets the brand apart in the market, positioning Tara Rose Salons as a strong, investable business model. In addition to embedding AI and digital innovation into every layer of the business, Tara Rose Salons will be investing further in education and training platforms to nurture the next generation of leading stylists, leaders, and franchise partners. Named the UAE’s Best Hair Salon Brand 2025, Tara Rose Salons is also aiming to expand into multiple new markets across the GCC, creating a proven franchise model that balances brand culture with scalable systems. The brand has recently launched its first international franchise in Bahrain and aims to continue on this momentum, demonstrating how effectively its values, education, and culture can scale. “Our vision for the next five years is anchored in two pillars: franchise growth and education,” Tara Rose announced. “By staying focused on these priorities, we are building a brand that is scalable, investable, and future-ready.” Contact: Tara Rose Kidd Company: Tara Rose Salons Web Address: www.tararosesalon.com A visit to the salon should go beyond aesthetics; it should be a moment of transformation, in which the client leaves feeling seen, supported, and rejuvenated. Tara Rose Salons is a UAE-based salon brand championing this ethos, delivering exceptional treatments and training that empowers clients to be their very best – whether through hair and beauty treatments or unrivalled Academy education. We spoke to Founder Tara Rose below, as the franchise is named in the Global Excellence Awards 2025. T
12 | Acquisition International, November 2025 hen Tom Truitt founded Open Systems Technologies Corporation in July 1996, he did so to build a robust ecosystem where ideas could be housed and nurtured, before being brought to the market in order to fill gaps across various verticals. Now, almost 30 years into its journey, OST can look back on a string of evolutions, with its impact being felt across areas such as finance, government, logistics, and even national security. This is just the start, with recent advancements seen across artificial intelligence and machine learning. Despite its remarkable progress over the last three decades, one thing that has remained unchanged for OST is its people-first mentality, which applies to staff and clients alike. “We have a servant leadership management style”, Tom told us. “Our management team work for our employees and vice versa – it is and must be a reciprocal relationship, where both sides are taken care of.” This leads to decisions being made in the best interests of staff and clients alike, with people put over money and a reputation built on trust. The sense of trust that OST garners from its clients goes hand in hand with the knack for innovation that is displayed across its services, something which starts at the top with the servant leader model mentioned above. For Tom, this model is so effective as it cares for the whole person – their mind, body, soul, and spirit. Such a rigorous focus sees that staff feel supported, and this, in turn, empowers them to work at the very top of their game. It also provides the foundation for some truly game-changing solutions. One of the most impressive elements of OST’s diverse portfolio is its work with identify credential and access management (ICAM) solutions, which it has previously provided to the federal marketplace within the United States Department of Defense (DoD). Rolling out highly specialist software solutions for more than five million users within this network, the company was able to achieve this by integrating the best COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) products available, ensuring strict security requirements were met. Exploring this further, Tom commented: “Our staff have the niche skills to bring about enterprise-level security solutions that ensure government stakeholders can have the roles and privileges to perform tasks to support the US Government. We extend the functionality of these COTS products to yield a better functioning solution that meets the business needs of the government. The net effect of our work ensures the Federal Government has the governance and highest level of security for each managed identity.” OST has been supporting national security solutions in this way from the beginning of its life, with its provisions using the most stringent security provisions available to ensure that the data of the American people is safe – whether it is at rest or in transit. These solutions are made up of data centres and cloud infrastructures alike (such as Azure, AWS, Google, and Oracle), where Tom and the team deploy leading digital analytics and next-gen artificial intelligence. This helps to minimise the risk of a security breach. “Cybersecurity is at the heart of everything we do. We employ the hardened NIST RMF 800 Pub Series security framework to ensure our internal processes and customer processes meet the stringent requirements of our customers. ” With this distinction in tow, OST is today the proud partner for numerous organisations, ranging from these government entities through to commercial organisations and even Fortune 100/500 clients. As mentioned in the beginning, this client base is always expanding, and the customer-first ethos that is today such a big part of the company’s identity provides it the leverage to grow in new areas and benefit even more people. OST’s ability to grow and scale effectively is – like with almost every company – down to its team, a group mentioned numerous times thus From its home in Virginia, Open Systems Technologies (OST) Corporation has been providing its signature brand of customized, top-of-the-line security solutions to large enterprises since opening its doors back in 1996. Guided by a combination of experience and expertise, the company’s forte lies in flawless execution and strong relationships across its diverse clientele. Recognized in this feature as the Best Enterprise Cloud & Cybersecurity Solutions Provider 2025 – Southeast USA, we caught up with Thomas ‘Tom’ Truitt, the visionary mind behind OST, for more. W Three Decades of Infallible, HighEnd Technology Solutions
far but without pinpointing exactly what sets them apart. In a word, it is dedication. “Finding top talent and emerging talent who will grow with the company is difficult”, Tom explained, with the short-term reward culture that exists today making finding people who really want to put the effort in an arduous task. Picking out the best of the best has perhaps been Tom’s greatest challenge. Diving deeper into this, Tom shared: “Although we support diversity, we do it for the right reasons – a day’s pay for a day’s work. We have had to adopt a model of ‘hire fast, fire fast’ to determine who is going to work within the OST ecosystem. Some people want to be paid for their lifestyle choices, but we are searching for people who want to be paid for results. Seeing people come and go is something you must get used to, but it never gets easy, as we spend a lot of time and energy to teach them our business operations.” Providing us with a sneak preview of this, Tom described that OST’s focus is on teaching agile business practices to support it in getting its solutions out the door at the most cost-effective price possible. Therefore, the company operates according to a kind of rhythm, with all deliverables and the tasks behind them being managed via a timetable that all staff know. The result is akin to a symphony, with all of the parts and pieces moving together to create a melody for the company’s clients – a sound they never tire of. As OST continues to make this music, Tom shifts gears to talk about the next stage of the company’s evolution, with it currently being involved in the buildout of a new data centre for cloud providers and niche markets. In the longer term, the focus is on solutions in quantum computing, specifically nurturing computing breakthroughs to redefine both the computing platform and the general cloud marketplace. OST will look for the partners to help it realize these solutions across both the commercial and national security markets. “Through our market research and effectiveness in partnering with external organisations, we can break into new, emerging technology areas. This is due to the trust, genuineness, and talent we bring to table at every turn. ” Distinguished as a result of its solutions, partners, and unwavering client focus, the successful track record that Open Systems Technologies Corporation has across its portfolio demonstrates almost 30 years of consistent excellence in this environment. Such dedication has led to the company being recognised as the Best Enterprise Cloud & Cybersecurity Solutions Provider 2025 – Southeast USA in this feature. For more information on its services, team, or history, simply visit the web address listed below. Finally, in closing, Tom left us with some advice to share with budding entrepreneurs aiming to follow in his footsteps within the tech industry: “Focus on what you can give and the value you can add. The biggest win is a satisfied customer, and, to win consistently, you have to become the biggest giver, as there are too many takers in the marketplace. Become the biggest giver and you will have more success than you could ever imagine.” Contact: Thomas Truitt Company: Open Systems Technologies Corporation Web Address: https://www.ostcorpweb.net/ Three Decades of Infallible, High-End Technology Solutions
14 | Acquisition International, November 2025 Unrivalled Experience in Peru’s Legal Landscape Established in 2019, Damma Legal Advisors was built on the foundational pillars of positive community impact, industry-high levels of integrity, and professional excellence. These cornerstones are reflected across its services, which span everything from transaction and project/infrastructure advisory through to tax advice, corporate counsel, mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, fintech and blockchain, and intellectual property. Across this service suite, there is an emphasis on tailored and transparent advice. This is something embodied to the full by Walther Belaúnde, one of the leading professionals behind the firm, who joined forces with his fellow experts to set a new standard for tax and corporate advisory services in Peru through the formation of Damma six years ago. Alongside an executive team comprising seven partners, a director, and almost 20 associates and senior associates, Walther’s role is to go above and beyond in the pursuit of positive outcomes for clients, something this leading adviser has made a career out of. Taking a deep dive into this journey, Walther explained: “I believe that the professional training I received in my first three roles was decisive in my future success. Beginning with an internship at Bafur, Walther joined Deloitte as tax manager at just 28 years old (unheard of at the time), before moving to the Southern Peru Copper Corporation as its tax director by the time he was 35. Across these roles, Walther told us: “I gained a combination of complementary knowledge and discovered new, different ways of working.” Deloitte in particular was crucial to Walther’s professional development, and one of the most important things he learnt across this tenure was the importance of getting to know the client – which is essential in advising them effectively. “I reinforced this belief during my time at Southern Peru”, Walther added, “allowing me to be successful and well regarded within the company.” This belief has continued to guide Walther through to the present day, and his clients at Damma continue to benefit from being understood and put first. Innovation has been a similar theme over the years for Walther, who has taken novel approaches to his work and never been afraid to challenge the status quo. Again, this dates back to Deloitte, especially when Walther was expected to carry out tax planning for his clients, despite lacking in both knowledge and experience as a result of his youth. Embracing the challenge, Walther not only put together a multidisciplinary team, he also completed the first tax planning for Backus and Johnston, one of Peru’s largest groups. Discussing yet another career highlight, Walther reflected: “At Southern Peru, I arranged information exchanges and visits to the head office, allowing for more efficient information sharing. We also took advantage of a significant tax benefit for the first time, whereby the company could reinvest 80% of its profits from the previous two years and save 33% in income tax on the reinvested amounts. This enabled the head office to offset taxes paid in Peru in previous years against its US tax liability, thereby saving money.” On the back of an illustrious career in the field, Walther told us that things have changed a lot since his first role several decades ago, with a different set of skills and greater specialisation today being required. As an example, Walther told us how lawyers today need a broader understanding across business and economics to attract clients and compete with major companies. Significant changes are also being brought about as a result of the legaltech trend, which spans clear idea conveyance as well as the application of the tech. Walther has been studying and applying this approach over the last few years, and – despite now being 65 years old – has taken to it like a duck to water, largely as a result of his fabled experiences across Deloitte and Southern Peru and an ability to quickly adapt to the world around him. With this expertise to boot, Walther Belaúnde remains the perfect man to nurture success for Damma Legal Advisors, and it is our pleasure to recognise him in this feature as the Leading Tax & Corporate Structuring Adviser of the Year 2025 – Peru. Contact: Walther Belaúnde Company: Damma Legal Advisors Web Address: https://www.damma.com.pe/ For more than six years now, Damma Legal Advisors has been establishing itself as an innovative and versatile law firm, famed for its provision of simple, practical solutions delivered with a personal service. Damma’s own Walther Belaúnde – its founding partner – has been recognised here as the Leading Tax & Corporate Structuring Adviser of the Year 2025 – Peru, and we had the pleasure of catching up with him on the back of this for more about his esteemed career. P
November 2025, Acquisition International | 15 Best Accounting & Tax Consultancy Firm 2025 – Spain & Client Service Excellence Award 2025 tarting out life in Spain and Italy, Turrillo’s aim from day one has been to take on a full-service approach to its work in the field of business management, focusing on delivering comprehensive advice that is tailored from the ground up to the specialised needs of their company. With more than enough experience across its ranks to add the value that clients require across their operations, Turrillo is able to deliver expert advice pertaining to the global management of their companies, or across more specific fields. “Our goal is simple: to make your business life easier so you can focus on what really matters, your business and your community. ” There is no hidden agenda across Turrillo – the firm simply offers its knowledge and technological and prowess to its clients, investing time and the necessary dedication to achieve the results that are expected from services of this nature, all whilst remaining competitive cost-wise with other providers in this sector. This transparency is something clients value, and so too is the fact that the team here comprise professionals from different sectors, resulting in the best services being delivered across its three primary focus areas. For example, when it comes to accounting advice, the first of these speciality areas, the main services provided by these experts are accounting consultants/advice, official bookkeeping adjusted to the General Accounting Plan (GAP), preparation and analysis of balance sheets and periodic income statements, and accounting regularisation/ closing. Alongside this, the firm will also support with organising a company’s administrative department, as well as designing/ maintaining robust, intuitive management accounting systems. Similarly, when it comes to tax advice, the company’s encompassing services span the advice and management of tax obligations such as personal income, corporate income, value added, transfer/legal acts, and inheritance/gift tax – not to mention excise duties and local fees. Outside of these compulsory areas of tax, other specialties for Turrillo include tax settlements, CIF applications, tax reports and opinions, appeals and complaints, and tax inspections – to name just a few – demonstrating its broad expertise. Lastly, the third and final speciality area for the firm involves labour consulting, which sees the team here advise on matters from payroll and social security to preparing employment contracts and dismissal letters. To offer just a taste of the services it provides in this space, Turrillo’s knowledge covers such essential bases as labour audits, legal assistance, accident/illness reports, information relating to benefits and bonuses, representation before labour inspectorates, and even advice on occupational health and safety. Outside of its wealth of knowledge in the areas discussed above, Turrillo also shines in the diverse realm of export services, with provisions across areas such as creating and managing an international sales network and selling a product internationally. For those businesses looking to take their product international without having to hire the expensive services of a full-time export manager, these offerings have proven invaluable, allowing them to unlock benefits such as new customers and access specific market know-how. Ultimately, from its head office at Avenida de España 2, Getafe, Turrillo Global Services continues to solidify its position as a trusted name in the field of local consultancy and accounting solutions, with its personalised, impactful service paving the way for client success and lasting relationships, two areas competitors wish they could match the firm on. As a result, it is our pleasure to recognise it here as the Best Accounting & Tax Consultancy Firm 2025 – Spain and with our Client Service Excellence Award 2025. More information about any of the services mentioned above can be found at the web address listed below, alongside contact information and unique industry insights. Contact Details Contact: Isabel Turrillo Gutiérrez Company: Turrillo Global Services Web Address: https://turrillogs.es/es/ Specialising in accounting and tax advice as well as labour consulting, Turrillo Global Services is a Madridbased firm delivering a range of services centred around promoting rapid business growth. However, the expertise embodied across its partners and its team alike does not end there, with encompassing support also provided in establishing businesses across mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. Celebrated with two welldeserved titles in this programme, we take a closer look at the firm below. S Turrillo Global Services
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