Activision Blizzard: Access to Interactive Video Games

Activision Blizzard is a publisher of online, console, PC, handheld and mobile games with a worldwide coverage. The company has strategically positioned itself across all major categories of the growing interactive media and entertainment. Vivendi, a French conglomerate, owns majority of the shares of Activision Blizzard. The company was formed through the merger of Vivendi Games and Activision. The deal was reported to be valued at $18.8 billion. The merger was sealed on July 9, 2008. Among Activision Blizzard’s portfolio of the world’s bestselling games are TRANSFORMERSTM, James BondTM, X-MenTM, Spider-ManTM, and Call of Duty®. Also included are leading franchises such as SpyroTM, Starcraft®, Warcraft, Diablo, and the massively multi-player online role playing game World of Warcraft®. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Blizzard has operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Australia, China, India, South Korea and Taiwan.

FMC Technologies: Story of Growth from a Small Oil Pump to Oilfield Service Equipment

FMC technologies started in 1884 when a continuous spray pump was developed by inventor John Bean for the orchards in California. Soon, neighbors clamored to have their own devices. Then followed the birth of a long history of technical innovation and the establishment of the Bean Spray Pump Company. Bean Spray Pump Company started with producing agricultural equipment. But mergers forged with manufacturers of food processing devices and equipment and machineries used for canning vegetable in the late 1920s required the creation of a new name. The company’s name was changed to Food Machinery Corporation. In less than a decade, FMC became the biggest producer of machines used for handling vegetables, fruits, fish, meat and milk products in the mid-1930s. During the World War II, FMC entered in to the industry of producing defense machineries with its amphibious tanks and tractors used for military operations. After the War, FMC engaged in the production of continuous freezers used in packing and sterilizing frozen and canned foods. The growth and diversification required that FMC acquire petroleum and chemical equipment. FMC decided to change its name in 1961 to FMC Corporation as operations get more and more diverse and global in scope. In 1966, the company reached the $1 billion mark in sales. In the early 1970s, FMC Corporation has employed 42,000 workers and has moved to a new headquarter in Chicago. In 2000, FMC restructured the company into two separate entities: the FMC Technologies will handle the machinery business and the FMC Corporation will take care of the chemical business. FMC Technologies was publicly traded in its IPO in June 2001. Its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The following years saw several major breakthroughs for FMC Technologies. In 2002, the company was able to develop a High Pressure, High Temperature vertical subsea tree system. It was the first major vertical subsea tree system of such kind in the world. It was made for the Thunder Horse project of BP. In 2004, FMC Technologies set another world record when it installed subsea trees for Shell’s Coulomb project off the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. It was a record for the deepest subsea tree installation at 7,570 feet. A new world record was also set in 2007 for the Independent Hub project’s deepwater completion of 8,995 feet off the Gulf of Mexico.

Bank of America: Making Indelible Footprints in the US and Beyond

Bank of America is a US-based multinational company that offers financial and banking services. The company’s headquarter is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Bank of America is second among the biggest bank holding companies in the US. The bank’s clients are located in over 150 countries. Ninety-nine percent of US Fortune 500 companies and 83% of the Fortune Global 500 are transacting business with Bank of America. Bank of America is ranked fifth among the largest companies in the US in terms of revenue and third among the largest non-oil companies in the US as of 2010. Forbes magazine ranked Bank of America as the third largest company worldwide. As of 2009, Bank of America is cited as one of the Big Four banking institutions in America along with the likes of Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup. Bank of America serves roughly 80% of the US population. It operates over 5,700 branches and 17,750 ATMs.

Becton, Dickinson and Company: Creating Medical Equipment that Help Millions of Patients Around the World

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) is a manufacturer and seller of medical equipment, instruments and devices, and reagents. This company is based in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey and was established in 1897. At present, BD operates in 50 countries and employs 28,803 workers worldwide. Approximately 60% of BD’s revenues are contributed by non-US markets. Among BD’s clients are clinical labs, healthcare institutions and the general public. BD has made a name in the medical devices industry because it is one of the first manufacturers of glass syringes. BD also pioneered the manufacture of hypodermic needles. The accomplishments made BD into the Fortune 500 list in 2009 (ranked 347th) and in 2010 (ranked 312th). BD has three segments namely, BD Biosciences, BD Diagnostics and BD Medical. BD Biosciences is further divided into two units, the Discovery Labware and the Cell Analysis. BD Biosciences is responsible for designing, production and marketing of fluorescence-activated cell sorters and analyzers. Its other products include reagent systems used in life science research, laboratory products used for tissue culture and handling of fluids, cell imaging systems, and cell culture media supplements used for the production of biopharmaceuticals. Among the BD Biosciences’ clients are clinical labs, biotech companies, schools and government healthcare agencies, drug companies, bloodbanks and hospitals. BD Diagnostics has two divisions, namely Diagnostic Systems and Preanalytical Systems. This segment is responsible for designing, production and marketing of integrated systems used for collecting specimen, safety-engineered blood collection system, automatic blood culture systems, molecular testing systems for STDs, drug susceptibility systems, microorganism identification systems, and liquid-based cytology systems used for screening cervical cancer patients. Among BD Diagnostics clients are labs and clinics, hospitals, reference labs, blood banks, public healthcare agencies, and healthcare workers. BD Medical is divided into three units namely, Diabetes Care, Pharmaceutical Systems and Medical Surgical Systems. This segment’s products include syringes and needles, IV catheters, auto-disabled and safety-engineered devices, insulin syringes, local anesthesia trays and needles, surgical scalpels and blades and ophthalmic surgical equipment. Its clients include clinics and hospitals, retail pharmacies, government health agencies, drug companies and health workers. On the average, BD Biosciences contributes 17% in the company’s revenues, BD Diagnostics with 31% and BD Medical with 52%.

Prudential: Doing Business and Responding to Client’s Needs for Over a Century

Prudential Plc. is a UK-based multinational life insurance and financial services group. Its assets under management are estimated at £363 billion. The company has more than 26 million clients. Its shares are traded on the exchanges of London, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong. The company was founded in May 1848 in London. It was originally known as The Prudential Mutual Assurance Investment and Loan Association. Among the first services offered by Prudential were loans and mortgages to workers and professionals. At the heart of Prudential’s 160 years of doing business is its deep understanding and response to client needs. There is a relentless effort to focus on how to meet customer’s needs for income, savings and protection. Above all is the guidance for the most disciplined investment in profitable growth opportunities. Prudential Plc. has four main divisions namely M&G, Prudential UK, Jackson National Life Insurance Company and Prudential Corporation Asia.

EADS: Shaping the Future of Defense and Aerospace

The European Aeronautic Defense and Space (EADS) Company is the world leader in defense and aerospace related services. Among EADS’ leading brands is the Airbus which produces the most innovative military and commercial aircraft. EADS is also the owner of Astrium which is considered now as the leader in European space programs. Astrium is the third largest spaces provider in the world. It has the most groundbreaking military and civil space systems and services in the world. The Cassidian is the leading provider of state-of-the-art solutions in civil security and armed forces around the world. EADS has created a consortium in Eurofighter and has a major stake in MBDA, a missile systems provider. EADS’ Eurocopter, the primary manufacturer of military and civil helicopters in the world, accounts for over one thirds of the helicopter fleets in the world. In 2010, Eurocopter holds 50% of the sales of civil and para-public helicopters in the world. EADS is manned by over 122,000 people in over 170 different sites around the world. Among its strongest domestic markets are Spain, the UK, Germany and France. Its international operations are also starting to reach its peak with more than 75% of the products being exported to markets outside Europe. Its global network of over 30 representative offices makes the expansion quick and wide. Among EADS’ major goals for this decade are a balanced revenue from the commercial sector and other sectors, an increase in revenue share from 12% in 2010 to 25% by the end of 2020, and a goal of 40% revenue contribution of operations outside Europe. Aside from the US and European markets, EADS hopes to establish strong presence in emerging markets while remaining committed to its European roots. R&D plays a vital role in the existence of EADS. The company has already invested over €24 billion in R&D projects for the discovery of new technologies and future prospects. EADS is considered the leader in self-financed R&D efforts in the aviation industry around the world. R&D has helped the company to access new scientific and engineering expertise. These projects have already created more than 15,000 new jobs in Europe alone. EADS today truly exemplifies what a successful European company looks like.

Kimberly-Clark: Proud Owner of Brands Millions of People Love

Diapers. Toilet Paper. Facial Tissue. Personal Care. Only one name stands out: Kimberly-Clark. Throughout over 140 years, Kimberly-Clark continues to push their boundaries to innovate its products. Kimberly-Clark is not only changing diapers. Its 57,000 employees in 36 countries around the globe are changing the world to make it better. As the $20 billion business grows, its workers are also growing in their careers with exposures in education and engaging experiences. Kimberly-Clark brands are sold in over 175 countries and have touched close to 25% of the world’s population every day. After the company has created the first facial tissue, new categories of brands have continuously innovated such as Kleenex®, Huggies®, Scott®, and Kotex®. For five years, Kimberly-Clark has been ranked first by the Dow Jones’ Sustainability World Index in the personal care category. In 2010, Kimberly-Clark has been involved in charitable works with contributions amounting to $24.8 million worth of cash and products.

AEGON NV: UK’s Pride in Pension, Investment, Insurance and Asset Management

AEGON NV is one of the biggest pension, investment, insurance and asset management companies in the world. It offers a wide array of financial solutions that address the clients’ changing needs. In recent years, AEGON has refocused its strategy on two core markets: at retirement and workplace savings. AEGON saw the changing trends in retirements. The change spells potential for AEGON. There is an increasing number of people approaching the age of retirement and these people have more assets compared with those of the previous generations. AEGON also noticed that people live longer which is indicative of more active retirements. Above all, employers are now shifting to define contribution pensions as defined benefits start to become unpopular. AEGON has strong product portfolio for individuals. It offers long term solutions for the whole family such as investments, life insurance, annuities and pensions. AEGON believes that a secured financial future rests in placing money on the right place now. Individual AEGON clients can continue living the full life knowing that AEGON takes care of their future. For corporate clients, AEGON has a wide array of comprehensive pensions and trustee and actuarial solutions. Employers of all sizes find help in AEGON services that provide financial security. AEGON operates Origen, an independent financial advice company that provides expert advices to its clients’ investments, insurance, pension and loan needs. It is a specialist in providing assistance to corporate clients’ education and communication needs. Positive Solutions, another segment of AEGON, is a whole-of-market adviser of individual clients in the areas of protection, pensions, mortgages and investments. The goal of this segment is to assist its clients in understanding how to increase and protect their assets. The AEGON Global Pensions assist multinational firms in improving the way international pension plans are managed. AEGON’s investment services and asset management company, Kames Capital, on the other hand, provides services and life pension funds to private and institutional investors.

Singapore Airlines: Singapore’s Legacy to the World

Singapore Airlines is a global airline company devoted to provide the highest quality air transportation service that guarantees a maximized return to employees and shareholders. Since its founding in 1972, Singapore Airlines has evolved from being regional in scope to one of the best airline brands in the world. Singapore Airlines boasts of a young fleet that brings millions of travelers to six continents. The Singapore Girl, its icon, is the symbol of high standards of service and care every passenger receives from the airline. It is a habit at Singapore Airlines to lead the way in innovations and trend-setting. Among Singapore Airlines’ firsts in the industry are: • Offered free meals and drinks and headsets in the Economy Class (1970s); • Used inflight telephones that are satellite-based (1991); • Involved the International Culinary Panel, a group of world-class chefs, to develop inflight meals (1998); • Inflight entertainment, the audio and video on demand (AVOD) in all classes (October 2001); • Longest, non-stop commercial flight (between LA and Singapore) (February 2004).; • Fly the A380 (Singapore to Sydney) (October 25, 2007).