Francoise Dixon
Head of Investor Relations

And welcome to Mach7 First Half FY ’26 Results Briefing. My name is Francoise Debelak, and I’m Head of Investor Relations for Mach7. Today, our CEO, Teri Thomas; and our CFO, Daniel Lee, will provide an overview of the first half results. We will then open it up for questions. [Operator Instructions]

I’ll now hand over to Teri.

Teri Thomas
CEO, MD & Director

Thank you, Francoise. And hello, everybody, and thank you for joining us for the first half fiscal year 2026 results. Let me start with something that I think we can all align on. Sales matters. Sales fuels growth. It funds innovation and innovation fuels more growth. And ultimately, sales drives shareholder value.

Now I happen to love sales. I’ve spent more time in sales than any other role in my career, and I believe it makes the business world go around. But more importantly, I know that sustainable, disciplined sales growth is what you want to see from Mach7, and I do too. Good news is we now have an enhanced, growing and focused team driving progress, strengthening pipeline quality, improving conversion discipline and aligning our commercial engine with our strategy. You’ll hear more about that shortly, including a guest appearance later in the presentation.

So let’s begin. On our vision, before getting into performance, I really want to ground us into who Mach7 is and where we’re going. Our vision is simple, but it’s ambitious, to be the global imaging EMR. We win by completing the patient picture with the patient’s pictures, and we do it

Bill Gates has publicly apologized to staff at the Gates Foundation for his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, admitting his actions cast a shadow over the philanthropic organization while insisting he was never involved in Epstein’s crimes.

In a town hall on Tuesday, the Microsoft co-founder addressed foundation employees, acknowledging he made mistakes that affected the group’s reputation. “It was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein,” Gates said.

“I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made.” He added, “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit.”

According to CBS News, Gates first met Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution.

The billionaire admitted that he brought Gates Foundation executives to some meetings with Epstein in hopes of raising money for global health causes.

“Epstein talked about the kind of intimate relationship he had with a lot of billionaires, particularly Wall Street billionaires,” Gates said.

“Because he had other prestigious people at these meetings, that made it easier for me to feel like this was a normalized situation.”

Bill Gates Admits Affairs With Two Russian Women

He also explained that his former wife and foundation co-founder, Melinda French Gates, was skeptical of Epstein from the start.

“To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing,” he told staff. Gates continued meeting with Epstein until 2014, flying on a private jet and spending time with him in Germany, France, New York, and Washington, though he denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island or staying overnight with him.

Gates also admitted to personal failings, saying he had two affairs with Russian women—one a bridge player, the other a nuclear physicist—that Epstein later discovered.

“I did have affairs, one with a Russian bridge player who met me at bridge events, and one with a Russian nuclear physicist who I met through business activities,” he said. Gates stressed that none of these relationships involved Epstein’s victims, FoxBusiness reported.

The billionaire acknowledged that the association with Epstein and newly released Justice Department files had affected the foundation’s work and public perception.

“It definitely is the opposite of the values of the Foundation and the goals of the Foundation,” he said. “And our work is very reputationally sensitive. People can choose to work with us or not work with us.”

A Gates Foundation spokesperson noted that Gates holds town halls twice a year and “spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions.”

Originally published on vcpost.com

Former Marsh Nurseries could be replaced by 17 homes

Fresh details have been revealed of plans to convert a former landmark plant nurseries in Cheshire into a housing development.

A reserved matters application has been submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council to construct 17 properties on the site of the former Marsh Nurseries, off Boathouse Lane in Neston.

According to the application submitted by Heritage Court Developments, the business has not operated since early 2019 but surrounding land owned by the applicant is still being used for things like tented wedding receptions, community festivals, temporary car parking, and operation as a licensed caravan site.

There are several unused buildings on the site such as greenhouses and permission is sought for the erection of 17 homes, comprising a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom properties, with five being earmarked for affordable housing.

Outlining some of the design aspects of the planned properties, design and access statement submitted in support of the scheme, said: “The architectural approach, incorporating Cheshire brick, black timber cladding and a mix of slate and clay tile roofs, reflects local vernacular traditions and ensures visual integration with the wider landscape context.”

It added: “The scale and density are modest and appropriate to an edge-of-settlement location, avoiding suburban sprawl and instead presenting as a cohesive rural cluster.”

All homes are designed with a minimum of two allocated parking spaces, with several larger units benefiting from three spaces.

The site is in the protected Green Belt – where planning rules are tougher to protect the countryside against urban sprawl. An outline planning application was knocked back in 2021 but allowed following an appeal to an independent planning inspector in 2023. The latest application essentially fleshes out that outline scheme.

The statement added: “The development provides safe, convenient and dignified access for all residents and visitors and is robustly compliant in access terms.”

No date has yet been set for a decision. The plans can be viewed on the Cheshire West and Chester planning portal under the following reference number: 19/03423/OUT

To find all the planning applications, traffic diversions, road layout changes, alcohol licence applications and more in your community, visit the Public Notices Portal.

China significantly boosted western luxury brand growth, particularly scotch whisky, which saw exports rise. Yet, recent sales declines suggest maturing consumer preferences shift from volume to premium quality.

Key Points

• Over the past decade, China significantly boosted growth for western luxury brands, especially scotch whisky, with exports rising rapidly before a recent sales decline. Young consumers are now prioritizing premium offerings, showcasing market maturation.
• Exports of scotch to China surged from under £90 million to over £235 million between 2019 and 2023, despite recent sales drops. Factors like inflation and rising costs have impacted margins.
• This slowdown reflects a shift to more selective and knowledgeable consumers. While overall volumes have decreased, interest in premium aged single malts remains strong, with a younger demographic driving whisky consumption.

China has been a vital growth engine for Western luxury brands over the past decade, significantly impacting sectors such as fashion, watches, fine wines, and spirits, particularly Scotch whisky. This surge in demand was largely fueled by rising incomes and increased global exposure, with Scotch whisky exports to China escalating from under £90 million in 2019 to over £235 million in 2023. However, recent trends indicate a decline in sales for three consecutive years, attributed to inflation, rising operational costs, and trade tensions that have pressured profit margins.

The overall slowdown in sales can be interpreted as a sign of a maturing market. Chinese consumers are becoming increasingly discerning, shifting from a mindset of volume purchasing to a focus on value, driven by younger demographics who are more knowledgeable and demanding. These changes mark a transition from conspicuous consumption to a more thoughtful approach, reflecting a broader cultural shift within the Chinese luxury landscape. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer confidence waned, leading to more cautious luxury spending—consumers are now buying fewer items but investing more wisely in premium products.

Despite the decline in volume, Scotch whisky is benefiting from a phenomenon called “premiumisation,” characterized by sustained interest in aged single malts, limited editions, and high-profile distilleries. In China, the profile of whisky consumers skews younger compared to Western markets, with urban, affluent, and well-educated individuals, predominantly from Generation Z, increasingly discerning in their choices.

Currently, China ranks as the ninth largest market for UK whisky exports, with the UK supplying 85.6% of the overall whisky imports by value, most of which is Scotch. For Chinese consumers, luxury is often associated with authenticity and heritage, making this perception especially influential in the premium spirits sector. The halving of tariffs on Scotch whisky from 10% to 5% may provide a much-needed boost to exports, further solidifying the intricate relationship between the Chinese market and Scotch whisky.

Read the original article : Heritage, desire and diplomacy: why China still values scotch whisky

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