EXCLUSIVE: With the Celebrity Traitors final just hours away, a PR expert has revealed which stars are coming out to TV opportunities – and which have been left worse off
17:37, 06 Nov 2025Updated 17:40, 06 Nov 2025
The Celebrity Traitors real winners and losers have been revealed by an expert(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry)
The Celebrity Traitors airs its huge finale tonight on BBC One – and while fans are asking whether the Traitors or Faithful will win the game, others are wondering what’s next for its viral stars. Tonight’s episode will see finalists Alan Carr, Cat Burns, David Olusoga, Nick Mohammed and Joe Marler compete for the chance to win up to £100,000 for their chosen charities.
However, celebrity PR specialist Kayley Cornelius has revealed who the real winners from the BBC One series are – as well as who hasn’t come of as well as they had hoped. One of those coming out on top is ex rugby player Joe Marler, who is rumoured to be taking on a big presenting role with the BBC after the show.
Speaking on behalf of Online Casino provider Slingo, Kayley said that Joe has gained a whole new fanbase thanks to the Celebrity Traitors. “He has a lot to gain from this show – he’s recently retired from his sporting career and stepped into this new chapter of his life,” she said.
“Celebrity Traitors was his first bash at giving a reality career a try and he’s going to attract a lot of new listeners to his podcast. People have been so impressed with how clever he’s been throughout the process. He’s proven himself as being entertaining, clever, he comes across very well on screen.
“I can see him being lined up for every show under the sun – he’s probably going to be on Strictly next. He would be perfect for the glitz and glam. He’s such a good team player and he’s from sport so has discipline. He’s going to be a very booked and busy man.”
However, he’s not the only finalist who’ll be going on to bigger and better things – Kayley reveals that Cat Burns’ brand awareness has shot up thanks to the show. “She entered as this quiet underdog among line-up of really well known names. This show was a great opportunity for brand awareness for her,” she said.
“She’s just had to push back her tour but I have no doubt that it is going to sell out in no time. She’ll be able to headline bigger stages, do more arena-based shows. She might get a support slot on a stadium tour. It’s an exciting time where she’s going to be in demand.”
Kayley added that Cat could also go into fashion after showing off her style on Celebrity Traitors. “Some of her looks from the show, she came across as like quite cool, quite grungy and I think that aesthetic from an editorial sense, she’ll probably make thousands off the back of that.”
While there are rumours that the treacherous Alan Carr could become the next host of Strictly Come Dancing, Kayley doesn’t think it would be the right fit for the standout star. “When I think about what he will realistically do next, I can’t imagine it being Strictly,” she said.
“I think with the position that Strictly Come Dancing is in at the moment, as they’re recovering from these scandals, I think they want to keep two female presenters so I don’t know if I can quite see him taking Strictly on, even though it would be brilliant.
“I suppose for Alan, he’s just made a nation fall in love with him again and there’s chats of Chatty Man being revived – I can see it.”
As for the stars who haven’t found success from the show, YouTube star Niko Omilana is one of them thanks to his early banishment. The influencer was the first person to be accused of being a Traitor on the show and left in episode two.
“Niko unfortunately has lost out on quite a lot from doing this show,” Kayley said. “This is the kind of move that should have been a massive career break for Niko as he goes from online reality star into a mainstream celebrity. Like what we’re witnessing with George Clarke on Strictly at the moment.
“Unfortunately, with him being on the show for such a short amount of time, he wasn’t in there long enough to make much of an impact on this new audience.”
“I think Paloma might have some damage control to do,” Kayley says. “She’s quite angry with Alan Carr and how the game panned out. People might see her as a bit petty and a bit pathetic. Originally, the public said, ‘We need Paloma back – she was done so dirty.’ They’re now turning on her and saying she’s been a sore loser.
“From that perspective, she just needs to be a bit cautious and careful about how she speaks about her experience on the show and there might be more behind the scenes than we’re being let on to know at the minute, but I think if she is going to be a bad loser about this situation, it’s not going to go down well with viewers at home.”
Global Finance presents its 32nd annual list of the best banks worldwide.
If one word described the global economy in 2024, it would be “resilient.” Growth was up slightly, with global GDP growth hovering around 3.1%, while the pace of global inflation slowed to approximately 5.8% from 6.8% the previous year, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Although many thought a financial crisis was imminent, none materialized as businesses continued to focus on strengthening and diversifying their supply chains, implementing digitalization strategies, and responding to rising geopolitical tensions.
In this environment, French banking giant Societe Generale took numerous crowns, winning as Global Finance’s World’s Best Bank, World’s Best Frontier Market Bank, World’s Best Transaction Bank, and World’s Best Supply Chain Provider—Bank awards.
Throughout 2024, the financial group generated €4.2 billion in group net income (up 69% from the previous year) on €26.8 billion in revenue (up 6.7%) through its 26 million clients worldwide while streamlining its core businesses and divesting others.
The Return Of The M&A
The bright spot for 2024 was the return of M&A.
“On the surface, it may appear difficult to remain sanguine after anticipating a full market resurgence for several years,” wrote Jake Henry and Mieke Van Oostende, senior partners at McKinsey, in the firm’s 2025 annual M&A report. “But many of the dynamics that stymied dealmaking for the past three years, including some that limited 2024 global deal value and volume to roughly the average of the past 20 years, are receding.”
According to data from WTW’s Quarterly Deal Performance Monitor, 15 megadeals worth more than $10 billion each closed last year, a 36% increase from 2023, and there were 162 deals valued between $1 billion and $10 billion, for a 21% increase. The number of deals totaling between $100 million and $1 billion grew approximately 15% over the same period.
Although not the “full throttle comeback that many dealmakers hoped for in 2024, performance improved (in some regions, significantly),” the McKinsey report noted. “Global dealmaking was curbed by a variety of pressures and delivered moderate returns, with deal value up 12% to $3.4 trillion.”
The year’s M&A deals were not evenly distributed geographically, however, according to WTW. North America saw the most deals closed, with 361, up 14% from the previous year. Europe notched 155 deals, up 32% from 2023. In the Asia-Pacific region, companies concluded 163 deals, representing a 5% increase.
Overall, Global Finance’s Best Banks led the way in helping to grow the M&A pipeline.
Along with the World’s Best Bank award, global honors this year include recognition as Best Corporate Bank, Best Consumer Bank, Best Banks Worldwide in Emerging and Frontier Markets, and Best Sub-Custodian Bank. All are being announced here for the first time.
Previously announced honors include Best Global Transaction Bank, Best Bank for Sustainable Finance, Best Islamic Financial Institution, Best Investment Bank, Best Cash Management Bank, Best Trade and Finance Providers, Supply Chain Provider—Bank, Best Foreign Exchange Provider, Best Private Bank, and Best SME Bank.
Methodology
The editors of Global Finance, with input from industry analysts, corporate executives, and technology experts, selected the global winners of the World’s Best Banks 2025 using information provided by entrants as well as independent research based on objective and subjective factors.
Entries are not required, but experience has shown that the information supplied in an entry can increase the chances of success. In many cases, entrants present details that may not be readily available to the editors.
Judges considered performance from January 1 to December 31, 2024. Global Finance applies a proprietary algorithm to narrow the list of contenders and assign a numerical score, with 100 signifying perfection. The algorithm weights a range of criteria for relative importance, including knowledge of the sector, market conditions and customer needs, financial strength and safety, strategic relationships and governance, capital investment and innovation, scope of global coverage, size and experience of staff, risk management, range of products and services, and use of technology. The panel tends to favor private-sector banks over government-owned institutions.
The winners in each category are those banks and providers that best serve the specialized needs of corporations engaged in global business.
Slawomir Krupa, CEO
World’s Best Bank 2025
Societe Generale
In a year of economic uncertainty, persistent inflation and supply chain reorganization, Societe Generale stood head and shoulders above its global competition, earning the titles of World’s Best Bank and World’s Best Frontier Market Bank.
Its three core businesses—French Retail Banking; Global Banking and Investment Solutions; and Mobility, International Retail Banking, and Financial Solutions—generated €4.2 billion in group net income (up 69% from the previous year) on €26.8 billion in revenue (up 6.7%).
Throughout the year, Societe Generale combined strategic investments in cutting-edge technology, sustainability, and innovation with a drive to streamline core businesses while divesting non core areas.
The French banking giant has leveraged AI in approximately 420 use cases across its operations to enhance customer support via its Sobot chatbot and Elliot callbot, personalize advice for private banking clients using its Synoé platform, and numerous middle- and back-office operational, security, and risk management functions.
The bank surpassed its goal of contributing €300 billion to sustainable finance by 2025, a year ahead of schedule. It has since raised its target to €500 billion, comprising €400 billion in financing and advisory services and €100 billion in sustainable bonds, by 2030. Sustainable finance deals, including acting as the mandated lead arranger for a $1.2 billion green loan that enabled ReNew Power to develop a combined wind, solar, and battery storage infrastructure in its home market of India, have helped Societe Generale maintain a leading global role in this field.
Among the new offerings the bank debuted in 2024 were a joint venture with AllianceBernstein, dubbed Bernstein, which combines the two companies’ equity research, sales, and trading operations.
Societe Generale meanwhile strengthened its capital base by simplifying its business model, improving efficiency and increasing existing synergies through a series of strategic divestitures. It exited its private banking operations in the UK and Switzerland with the sales of SG Kleinwort Hambros and Societe Generale Private Banking Suisse and continued divestment of its African subsidiaries in Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and Morocco.
Despite these changes, Societe Generale remains the leading player in frontier markets through its Global Transaction Banking network, which spans more than 50 countries and offers a range of integrated services including managing cross-border payments, liquidity, and trade finance. Leveraging its expertise in sustainability, the bank has partnered with the International Finance Corporation to accelerate financing of energy transition projects in developing markets through its Solar Pack initiative.
Javier Rodriguez Soler, Global Head of Sustainability, Corporate & Investment Banking
World’s Best Corporate Bank 2025
BBVA
BBVA claims the title of World’s Best Corporate Bank for the third consecutive year, having expanding its market share and deal leadership during 2024. It led 86 deals across telecommunications, energy, infrastructure, consumer goods, and services for a total volume of €5.16 billion. Among these was the €6.6 billion underwriting of MasOrange, formed by the merger of the telecom companies Orange and MasMovil.
BBVA also reinforced its commitment to sustainable finance, leading the €383 million project financing of Repsol Renovables’ Gallo portfolio, a 777-megawatt solar and battery storage facility spanning Texas and New Mexico as well as the refinancing of the Monegros wind project in Aragón. Additionally, the bank directed €51.1 billion into sustainable financing throughout the year.
All told, BBVA’s Corporate & Investment Banking division earned some €5.8 billion in revenue in 2024, up 27% from the previous year, while increasing its net attributable profits by 30%.
Helping to fuel its growth has been the bank’s strategic investment in its infrastructure and technology partnerships. BBVA’s internal AI Factory has applied AI and machine learning to enhance customer experiences and streamline internal processes.
Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, Chairman
World’s Best Consumer Bank 2025
State Bank of India
Continued investment in digitalization, a growing global footprint, and innovative offerings earned the State Bank of India (SBI) its first World’s Best Consumer Bank award. Building on a history that dates back to 1806, SBI continues to enhance a menu of digital offerings that serve 132 million internet banking and 287 million mobile banking clients.
SBI reimagined its You Only Need One (YONO) banking and lifestyle mobile app in 2024 with its midyear announcement of YONO 2.0. The latest version enables users to initiate transactions at an SBI branch and complete them on the app, and vice versa, and features a more modular architecture for faster processing and transaction speeds. Other innovations include the debut of a tap-and-pay function in its BHIM SBI personal banking app, which leverages India’s Unified Payment Interface, as well as an end-to-end digital loan application for the bank’s Surya Ghar Loan scheme for the installation of rooftop solar collectors.
Despite its stress on digitalization, SBI also invested in 600 new branches across India to improve accessibility for underserved rural and semi-urban areas: more than fourfold the number of branches it opened the previous fiscal year.
Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO
World’s Best Emerging Markets Bank 2025
JPMorgan Chase
One of the largest financial institutions globally, JPMorgan Chase (JPMC), wins the World’s Best Bank for Emerging Markets award for its broad set of offerings, continued focus on serving emerging markets, and overall expertise.
Although many of its competitors are pulling out of emerging markets, JPMC is expanding into them. It plans to enter new African markets or deepen its existing presence there “every couple of years or so,” Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon told Reuters last October. The bank set up a representative office in Kenya that month and new offices in Côte d’Ivoire later in the year.
JPMC had a strong 2024, raising more than $400 billion in emerging market debt, including on a rising number of debt-for-nature transactions that enable countries to repurchase existing debt on better terms and use the savings to benefit the environment. El Salvador utilized the structure to secure an approximately $1 billion loan from the bank, then used it to repurchase $1.03 billion in a tender offer. The savings were allocated to improve and protect the country’s Lempa River watershed.
Besides raising debt, JPMC’s advisory services were strengthened by the launch of a Center for Geopolitics, which provides expert analysis of geopolitical trends aimed at helping clients navigate the complexities of the global economy, manage risks, and identify new opportunities.
Emerging market clients also benefit from the bank’s global infrastructure and sizable investment in its technology platforms, JPMC says. Access to these cutting-edge systems gives clients a more efficient, secure, and convenient way to manage their finances and business operations.
World’s Best Frontier Markets Bank 2025
Societe Generale
Frontier markets are playing an increasingly important role in the global economy, as they offer significant growth, albeit with smaller capitalization and higher volatility. Banks serving frontier markets must provide a comprehensive blend of corporate and commercial banking services that go beyond lending and deposits to more complex offerings, such as trade finance, securities servicing and sustainable finance. French banking giant Societe Generale is a leader across the board, with its broad range of offerings, and has beaten out its competitors to win this year’s World’s Best Frontier Market Bank award.
The bank, with over 160 years of experience, boasts a global network spanning more than 50 countries and offers highly integrated solutions for trade finance, cross-border payments, and liquidity management.
Through increased investment in artificial intelligence and other technologies, the bank has automated numerous processes and digitized others. In securities servicing, the company has leveraged generative AI, smart workflows, and robust data management to provide an enhanced client experience for its corporate and institutional clients, resulting in a doubling of client recommendation rates and increased participation in satisfaction surveys.
Meanwhile, Societe Generale has made great leaps in sustainable finance. The bank has committed 300 billion euros to sustainable finance by 2024 and introduced a new target of 500 billion euros by 2030, with a focus on decarbonization in sectors with the highest carbon-intensive emissions. To further strengthen its position, the bank also launched its Sustainable Global Transaction Banking Framework, which enables businesses to assess and monitor the environmental and social impacts of their working capital, trade, and liquidity management activities.
Societe Generale also signed a collaboration framework agreement with the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation to accelerate sustainable finance through investments in clean energy, water, and other infrastructure projects, as well as in agribusiness and women entrepreneurs.
World’s Best Transaction Bank 2025
Societe Generale
Societe Generale excels at navigating the complexities of realtime payments, offering rigorous testing and dedicated IT support including client training. While clients expect similar functionalities for domestic and cross-border payments, Jean-François Mazure, head of Cash Clearing Services, notes that they struggle to differentiate. Converging both payment types, which hinges on interlinking financial market infrastructures, is critical, he argues.
Numerous market initiatives, including immediate cross-border payments (IXB) between the US and Europe, face significant hurdles, Mazure warns: “It is truly complex from a compliance and legal framework standpoint. So, for the moment, none of these initiatives has succeeded in scaling up.”
To interconnect real-time payment systems, he says, the most likely way forward is to adopt the “one leg out” (OLO) principle already in operation for transactions involving one bank inside the European Economic Area and one bank outside. But all parties will need to continue to align for interconnectivity to be achieved, he adds. OLO’s success hinges on compliance with ISO 20022 standards as well as resolving commercial and liability challenges across various schemes.
Mal Cullen, CEO
World’s Best Sub-custodian Bank 2025
CIBC Mellon
CIBC Mellon continues to refine its comprehensive asset-servicing business model, emphasizing innovation, process efficiency, and client service. Jointly owned by Bank of New York Mellon and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, CIBC Mellon leverages CIBC’s local knowledge in the Canadian market combined with BNY’s technology and global custody infrastructure to serve institutional clients in Canada and globally. The combination has yielded consistent growth; assets under administration recently surpassed C$3 trillion ($2.2 trillion).
Ongoing priorities focus on broadening customer relationships and services through continual investment in IT and partnerships with the fintech sector, aimed at providing greater levels of core service automation along with enhanced transaction transparency and execution efficiency. This includes better straight-through processing for a seamless and secure transmission of client data, investment in pre- and post-trade communication services for trade matching and routing, and tracking of the settlement lifecycle.
Project Fuel, an enterprise-wide data and innovation initiative, is focused on transforming the client experience by equipping customers with tools to manage and analyze data more effectively, improving transparency and accelerating decision-making.
CIBC Mellon continues to enhance its online reporting platform, NEXEN, which integrates data and predictive analytics to provide clients with faster, real-time cash position and activity reporting through an improved user interface. Digital assets are expanding in the market; the bank is collaborating with stakeholders in Canada and globally and with BNY’s digital-asset unit to develop offerings in this area. This involves bolstering its data analytics capabilities and digital infrastructure through enhanced customization, automation, and service flexibility with a view to assisting clients to launch new offerings including alternative-asset ETFs and cryptocurrency funds.
Su Shan Tan, CEO
World’s Best Bank for Sustainable Finance 2025
DBS
DBS aims to green Asia’s economy by acting as an environmental-transition catalyst for anchor companies, mid-caps, and SMEs. The bank provides transition-related financing for these organizations at the corporate, project, and asset levels. Among its offerings are green, sustainability-linked, and social loans and bonds, along with carbon-market financing and other products.
Standout transactions in 2024 included a loan to LG Energy to construct a plant in Poland that manufactures batteries used in electric vehicles. A HK$3 billion (about $385.7 million) loan to the Hong Kong Housing Society will help create affordable residential projects. A S$300 million (about $224.2 million) bond will help Singaporean developer CapitaLand develop projects in alignment with green finance frameworks.
In addition, the bank develops analytical tools to track and analyze climate data and engages with industries—notably in the power, automotive, steel, shipping, and real estate sectors—and policymakers to chart paths to a healthier environment.
Khaled Yousef AlShamlan, Group CEO
World’s Best Islamic Financial Institution 2025
Kuwait Finance House
Kuwait Finance House (KFH) is recognized as the World’s Best Islamic Financial Institution for strengthening its franchise in multiple markets, for financing innovation, and for its overall operating performance. KFH provides services to customers in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia through extensive distribution channels, with an increasing emphasis on digitalization. The bank has subsidiaries in Kuwait, Turkey, Egypt, Bahrain, Iraq, Malaysia, the UK, and Germany.
KFH has made significant strides toward digital transformation in risk management, adopting the latest advancements in AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics to enhance risk measurement and monitoring. Tam Digital Bank, KFH’s digital bank in Kuwait, recorded strong customer numbers and transaction growth in 2024.
The bank’s financial profile is noticeably sound; a successful capital management program yielded a capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of 19.9%, considerably exceeding regulatory requirements and promising to support growth in the coming years. Return on average assets is good at 1.8% and loan asset-quality metrics are robust. KFH’s Islamic banking products and services cover commercial, retail, and corporate banking as well as real estate, trade finance, project finance, asset management, and investments.
World’s Best Investment Bank 2025
BofA Securities
Against the backdrop of thriving global stock markets and rising debt-finance activity, Bank of America (BofA) Securities’ global operations achieved an impressive 43% year-over-year jump in investment banking fees as of the fourth quarter of 2024.
The numbers were buoyed mainly by the bank’s three big areas of operations: North America, Latin America, and Europe, where the bank controlled a commanding 8.3%, 9%, and 4.4% of total investment banking fees, respectively. That boosted revenue for the full year to nearly $5.5 billion, according to Dealogic, representing around 6.2% of the global investment banking market.
BofA also scored big on M&A despite somewhat subdued activity in the field, serving as lead buy-side advisor on the $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines by Alaska Air. The bank also acted as sole buy-side financial advisor on Keurig Dr Pepper’s $990 million acquisition of energy beverage company GHOST.
Brian Moynihan, Chairman and CEO
World’s Best Bank for Cash Management 2025
Bank of America
Reflecting the demand for consistent global visibility and control, Bank of America saw the app version of its CashPro platform surpass $1 trillion in payment approvals in 2024. CashPro allows clients to manage treasury operations across multiple channels: online, app, APIs, and file-based interfaces.
“One thing that distinguishes CashPro is its global consistency,” says Tom Durkin, head of CashPro at BofA’s Global Payments Solutions, “so that when a company’s finance team has team members in different countries, they’ll all have access to the same tools, views, and processes. The advantages are obvious: better visibility and control and no additional financial outlays.”
Much of CashPro’s success is due to BofA’s close engagement with clients, Durkin notes, particularly those who participate in client board meetings.
“This dialogue is so important,” he says. “We do deep dives into our clients’ priorities and challenges, we present options for new functionality and discuss whether those innovations are going to solve their real-world issues.”
The bank’s strategic vision for CashPro “will always be to provide a best-in-class platform that is personalized, predictive, and proactive,” he adds. “One recent demonstration is how we’ve embedded CashPro into our clients’ own systems through the CashPro Network, a collaboration with third-party providers allowing quick, easy connection to the bank with little to no investment.”
World’s Best Trade Finance Provider 2025
BNP Paribas
Offering global trade finance in 44 countries and more than 100 trade centers across more than 60 countries gives BNP Paribas a strong geographical foundation for its offering of seamless trade finance solutions across borders, supporting client growth throughout the entire trade cycle.
A broad range of traditional trade finance and working capital management solutions and substantial investment in technology, including web-based e-banking platforms like Connexis Guarantee, Connexis Trade, and Connexis Supply Chain, helps the French multinational support clients with complex international trade operations. Leveraging digital solutions, such as blockchain and AI, streamlines processes, improves efficiency, and enhances customer experience.
In 2022, BNP Paribas launched a program using AI to streamline the processing of trade finance documents and improve traceability for its clients. Since then, the bank has rolled the program out to 15 countries and processed 40,000 transactions.
“We have implemented AI technology to help classify, extract data, and automate controls. This is live today and being further expanded in terms of functionalities,” says Jean-François Denis, global head of Trade Solutions. “Bank guarantees also present the potential for AI usage, such as verifying guarantee clauses against acceptable clauses, policies, and guidelines. Anti-money laundering is yet another area where we have deployed AI.”
World’s Best Supply Chain Finance Provider – Bank 2025
Societe Generale
The French banking giant introduced a new workflow product in 2024 that includes external data and better analyzes clients’ working capital needs. The new offerings include peer comparison of key receivables and payables financing elements.
On the sustainability front, Societe Generale offers an ESG version of its full range of solutions, including green or social-focused factoring, forfaiting, and sustainability-linked supply chain financing (SCF). The bank also offers a dedicated and simplified solution for retail clients and SMEs based on their ESG rating.
Finally, establishing connectivity to CRX Markets, the marketplace for working capital finance, has improved support for SocGen’s largest clients, helping to grow the bank’s SCF programs.
World’s Best Global Foreign Exchange Bank 2025
UBS
Upon completing its megamerger with Credit Suisse in May 2024, UBS leveraged its already best-in-class corporate banking, foreign exchange (FX), and product offerings for a record-breaking year. Not only did its global operation more than double analysts’ expectations in the third quarter of 2024, booking a massive $1.4 billion in net income, but it did so with a significant contribution from its corporate banking division, which saw revenue jump by more than 8% year over year.
Those numbers received a massive boost from UBS’s thriving FX operation, which averaged over $125 billion in daily electronic FX trades, with more than 2,500 active global clients. The bank posted substantial growth across several geographies and currency pairs. Among the highlights: solid profitability growth in Middle Eastern and Northern African currencies and a massive 40% market-share increase in Scandinavian currencies. In Asia, UBS’s continued efforts to improve its already top-tier suite of electronic FX capabilities paid off handsomely in China and Singapore, where it has doubled down on its data center improvement efforts.
On the technology front, UBS further expanded the limits of the global FX market, hosting the world’s first intraday FX swap in a regulated venue in July. The bank recently launched its blockchain-based multicurrency payment solution, UBS Digital Cash, processed through its flagship FX Engine Room, enhancing its overall FX offering.
World’s Best Private Bank 2025
J.P. Morgan Private Bank
For the fifth consecutive year, J.P. Morgan US Private Bank has excelled at adapting to shifting macroeconomic conditions, delivering best-in-breed results to its clients. Riding the phenomenal rebound in global investing built on improving monetary conditions and subsiding inflationary pressures, the bank saw client assets rise by 24% over the previous year, totaling more than $2.5 trillion under supervision.
Against this backdrop, revenues increased 18.5%, with pretax income showing an even more significant 36% boost year on year.
On the product side, J.P. Morgan made significant strides at integrating advanced AI tools, including JPMorgan Chase’s Connect Coach and the Chase Connect mobile app, into its award-winning product portfolio. These include risk analytics and portfolio management services that serve as a benchmark for many in the industry. Alongside these product advances, the bank added over 300 expert advisors to its team, helping it attract more than 5,400 new clients.
Roberto Sallouti, CEO
World’s Best SME Bank 2025
BTG Pactual Empresas
BTG Pactual Empresas boasts an SME lending portfolio that reached R$22.1 billion (approximately $3.9 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, its SME credit book growing 52% year on year. SME business now accounts for 12% of BTG Pactual’s total portfolio.
The bank attributes its SME growth in part to its digital capabilities. Its digital platform offers an integrated portfolio of SME products and services, providing access to the bank’s credit, guarantee, insurance, investments, foreign exchange, and derivatives products. Associated services accessible via the platform include creation of invoices payable by QR code; online invoicing; instant electronic bank transfers; open banking; payments to suppliers, tax authorities, and utilities; budgeting and categorized spending services; and digital receipts. The platform offers more than 45 integrations, including Telegram and Google Workspace, along with a extensive range of productivity improvement products.
Speed is a crucial benefit. The platform enables BTG to disburse 95% of its loan funds in less than 10 minutes, the bank says, 16 times faster than its competitors.
Agriculture is a big part of the Brazilian economy, and BTG offers services tailored to the sector including credit lines for agricultural products (fertilizers, pesticides, seeds); equipment financing; and infrastructure financing for the construction of silos, warehouses, and other facilities.
Activities addressing ESG issues are also important to BTG. Of its loans to corporations and SMEs, 72% are subject to social, environmental, and climate-risk analysis, in line with international best practices. R$8.9 billion of its lending portfolio aligns with the bank’s sustainable financing framework.
The winners moved celebrities, politicians and stars to tears with their stories of courage, bravery and brilliance at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards
21:50, 20 Oct 2025Updated 21:51, 20 Oct 2025
It has been celebrating the very best of everything British for more than quarter of a century. And once again it was the children of courage and incredible stories of bravery in adversity which moved a host of celebrities, actors and sport stars to tears at the 26th Daily Mirror Pride of Britain awards, with P&O Cruises.
The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was there with his wife Victoria to pay tribute to the long line of unsung heroes as they received the recognition they so richly deserve. At just 12 years old, Luke Mortimer typified what the night is all about when he received his Child of Courage trophy.
Luke had all his limbs amputated after contracting meningococcal meningitis septicaemia in 2019. Yet still he thought of others. The audience at the Grosvenor House Hotel gave him a huge round of applause as they heard how he had donated thousands for children with disabilities, through his extraordinary fundraising activities.
In 2024, he climbed Pen-y-ghent with his mum Christine and brother Harry, 15, meeting his dad Adam and a team of 19 who were climbing the National Three Peaks and Yorkshire Three Peaks. They raised almost £20,000 to help fund prosthetics for Luke and help other child amputees. He told his loved ones that we should all “concentrate on the future” as he set about helping others.
His favourite TV stars Ant and Dec sent a special message to Luke, who told host Carol Vorderman of his motto when life was tough: “Hope for a good time and try and make it happen.”
His dad Adam added: “We are massively proud of him, he takes everything in his slightly smaller stride.”
Marcus Skeet, 17, became the first person in the UK to run from Land’s End to John O’Groats as he fought back from a suicide attempt at the age of 15. He had obsessive compulsive disorder, and became a carer for his dad, who was diagnosed with early onset dementia.
Marcus admitted: “It shattered my heart.” After his suicide attempt, it was a ‘miracle’ that he had survived. Known as ‘the Hull Man’, with 350,000 followers on social media, he watched cars go by as he got caught in a rainstorm, with 790 miles to go in his epic run.
Marooned in a layby, soaked through, he still became a record breaker, raising £164,560 for mental health charity Mind, with his dad there to see him at the end. “I will remember that for the rest of my life,” said Marcus.
His incredible feat took a combination of supreme dedication and endurance and he joked: “I hate running.” Dr. Sarah Hughes, CEO at Mind paid tribute, saying: “His story reads like a film script, courage, loss, hope, and relentless determination.
“But Marcus isn’t a character; he’s a real-life hero.” Pub landlord comedian Al Murray revealed he had been inspired by Marcus to raise money for Mind. Looking for donors in the audience, he said: “Whether you are an actor or a rock star, you cannot fail to be moved by this night.”
Personal trainer Javeno McLean, 40, met his heroes as his work for the disabled, ill and elderly was recognised with the P&O Cruises Inspiration award.
Former world champion heavyweight David Haye joined legends of the ring Frank Bruno and Barry McGuigan to hand over the coveted trophy. They heard how Javeno has been offering free fitness sessions to the needy at his J7 Gym in Manchester.
At 16, he offered to train a boy in a wheelchair who was struggling in the gym. Since then, Javeno has been devoted to creating a friendly and inclusive gym space for all. He told the judges: “When you include people you empower them.”
Haye said it was an ‘honour’ to be chosen to give him the award. On a night of awe-inspiring stories, PCs Yasmin Whitfield, Cameron King and Inspector Moloy Campbell were recognised for their extraordinary bravery.
They answered an emergency call on an ‘ordinary’ working day which almost turned out to be their last. By the time they confronted sword attacker Marcus Arduini Monzo in Hainault, East London on April 20,2024, he had already killed Daniel Anjorin, 14.
Despite having no Taser or pepper spray, Pc King drew his baton and stood between the killer and Yasmin, who suffered horrific slash injuries.
Insp Campbell also suffered a slash wound to his hand after he confronted Monzo in a car park and ran at him, baton drawn. Other officers were able to deploy their Tasers and subdue the killer. PC King ‘stood between Yas and Monzo’, who ran off, before being cornered by cops. He said: “I remember just thinking, I can’t let him finish her off’. I put myself between Yas and him. I thought ‘we’re going to die in this alleyway.'” Insp Campbell admitted: “When I challenged Mr Monzo, I knew it may be the last decision I would ever make.” Monzo was later jailed for life with a minimum term of 40 years. In 2016, footy coach Asha Ali Rage 46, set up her community club, determined to use sport to protect youngsters from gangs. The aptly named Dream Chasers FC in Small Heath, Birmingham has since become a vital hub for her local community.
Asha received her award from England’s ‘Golden Gloves’ World Cup keeper Mary Earps who has done so much to raise the profile of sport for women; Asha’s Special Recognition Award was for “changing the lives” of the young stars of the future. Leanne Pero MBE, 30, won another recognition award for The Movement Factory community dance company which she founded when she was just 15. Londoner Leanne, who survived breast cancer, also started Black Women Rising, a cancer support group that has raised more than £1m to fund support and advice. She said of surviving cancer: “The worst part was finishing treatment.” Teenager of Courage winner Eagling Zach, 14, who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, also donated to the Epilepsy Society by walking laps of his garden in the 2020 lockdown. After trolls bombarded him with flashing images to try to trigger a seizure, he campaigned for legislation to protect people with epilepsy online. Zach’s Law was introduced across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in Sept., 2023, making it a criminal offence, with a maximum five-year jail term, to troll anyone with epilepsy to deliberately cause a seizure. Zach has now launched a petition to ‘make a difference’ and try to ensure public transport is more accessible for disabled people. For Sally Becker, 63, helping those most in need in society has been her life’s work.
She first went to Bosnia in 1993 to help the victims of war. Tasked with taking aid to a hospital, she found herself evacuating sick and injured children in an old Bedford van.
She has now spent more than three decades helping children in besieged areas, such as Gaza, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine.
In 2016, she founded Save a Child, providing medical treatment for kids in conflict areas. And she launched a mobile tele-medicine programme connecting local doctors with paediatric specialists. She said: “We have saved thousands of children.”
Georgie Hyslop, 15, was thrilled to be made the Good Morning Britain Fundraiser of the year. In 2023, when Georgie, then 15, was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer in the bones, she donated her tissue to Cancer Research. She raised more than £55,000 for hospitals and charities.
Through 14 rounds of chemo and 33 of radiation, Georgie gave cards with encouraging messages, known as “pocket hugs”, to fellow patients, and dressed up as Spider-Man to cheer up a four-year-old patient having radiotherapy.
Georgie, 17, from Ardrossan, Ayrshire, went into remission in July 2024, but the cancer returned earlier this year. She said: “I have lots of fundraising planned and lots to look forward to.”
Set up by three music teachers at an additional needs school in 1995, the Ups & Downs theatre group in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, is for young people with Down’s syndrome as well as their families.
Now led by Lorna Leggatt, whose son Ellis, 26, has been a member since he was five, Ups & Downs offers inclusive activities, including music, dance and drama, to around 70 members, who have Down’s syndrome or a sibling with the condition. Audiences leave their shows ‘deeply moved’.
Fellow PoB winner Harry Byrne lost his mother on Christmas Day; her death caused Harry, then 11, to descend into mental health problems, addiction and homelessness. Harry, 24, was helped by local homelessness charity St Basil’s and discovered The King’s Trust Get Started in Outdoor Leadership programme, landing a job in Coventry.
Now supporting young people facing difficulties, through outdoor activities, he hopes to run his own therapy-based coaching service. Harry said: “I didn’t have many role models or access to the support I needed when I was younger. I’m passionate about getting up every morning and providing just that for the next generation.”
RAF hero John Nichol, 61, the navigator from North Shields, North Tyneside who was shot down and captured in Iraq during the first gulf war of 1990, has attended every single one of the Pride of Britain’s 26 award nights. A good friend of the late awards founder Peter Willis, he said: “I was next to Gary Barlow on that first night and had to give him my hankie. I think there is only me and Carol Vorderman who have been to every one.
“Nobody knew what to expect, but it has become the best of the lot.”
Pictures: Rowan Griffiths, Adam Gerrard, Andy Stenning.
* Watch the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards with P&O Cruises on Thursday October 23 at 8pm on ITV1.
These tech companies are benefiting from growing investment in AI chips and software.
Artificial intelligence (AI) represents a major opportunity for businesses across industries to develop products faster and cheaper than ever before. The race to gain a data-driven edge on the competition is fueling massive investment across the entire tech supply chain from data centers to software.
Many of the key players enabling this new industrial revolution are already valued at over $1 trillion market caps. But as governments and businesses continue to invest in this technology, there are two AI enablers that are still valued under $500 billion that could be worth buying today. Here’s why growing competition in AI could propel these companies into the trillion-dollar club.
1. Palantir Technologies
Palantir(PLTR 0.11%) started as a government contractor, providing AI-powered software for intelligence and counterterrorism efforts. But now its software is experiencing insatiable demand in the private sector. Companies are seeing significant cost savings, which means Palantir can benefit from companies scrambling to adopt AI solutions to remain competitive.
If one company in an industry uses Palantir to gain operating efficiencies, it creates a competitive advantage. This pushes more businesses to consider investing in Palantir’s platforms or risk falling behind. This can explain in part why Palantir’s U.S. commercial revenue has exploded this year, nearly doubling year over year in the second quarter.
Palantir closed its highest quarter yet of total contract-value bookings of $2.3 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 140%. It is signing bigger deals while also seeing existing customers continue to spend more, leading to a healthy 128% net-dollar retention rate.
Palantir is effectively a tool that improves a company’s profits. Its software is expensive relative to alternative software vendors, but Palantir still expects accelerating growth next quarter. This signals it has a competitive edge. Palantir’s ontology-based system creates a digital twin of a company’s operations, helping managers make sense of unorganized data for better decision making.
Importantly, Palantir is converting revenue into very high margins that are driving robust growth in earnings and free cash flow. This is one reason why the stock has performed so well and may continue to outperform Wall Street’s expectations.
For what it’s worth, widely followed tech analyst Dan Ives at Wedbush Securities sees Palantir stock hitting a market cap of $1 trillion in the next three years. Keep in mind, the stock trades at an expensive valuation, so market sentiment will play a role in how the stock performs in the near term. Given the potential for volatility in the share price, investors should plan on holding it for at least 10 years. Long term, the savings and efficiencies Palantir brings to other companies could make it one of the most valuable companies in the world.
Image source: Advanced Micro Devices.
2. Advanced Micro Devices
The companies providing the chips for AI continue to benefit from increasing competition among the leading model builders. OpenAI just announced a deal to deploy six gigawatts of chips, which amounts to hundreds of thousands, from Advanced Micro Devices(AMD -0.52%) over the next several years.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is the most popular AI model with over 700 million weekly active users. But to meet growing demand, it has to expand its compute capacity to compete with rivals, including xAI’s Grok and Google Gemini, which also continue to invest in more infrastructure. This growing competition will benefit AMD.
OpenAI’s deal with AMD validates the capabilities of its upcoming pipeline of graphics processing units (GPUs). AMD’s data center business has not been growing as fast as Nvidia‘s, but it is expected to accelerate over the next year, and the deal with OpenAI is a catalyst.
While Nvidia’s GPUs have been widely used by data centers for powering large AI training loads, AMD’s chips have an advantage in handling small-to-medium-sized AI tasks. This is by design. AMD’s Instinct family of GPUs feature a high amount of memory bandwidth that makes them well suited for the AI inference market, which CEO Lisa Su believes is going to be much bigger than AI training.
OpenAI will deploy the first gigawatt of AMD Instinct MI450 GPUs in the second half of 2026. Analysts currently expect AMD’s revenue to grow 28% in 2025 before increasing by 26% in 2026, according to Yahoo! Finance. Earnings should grow even faster due to the high margins of data center GPUs.
The stock currently has a market cap of $350 billion. Assuming the stock continues to trade around the same price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple, AMD has a good chance to reach a $1 trillion market cap by 2030. Wall Street analysts expect earnings to grow at an annualized rate of 34%, which is enough to generate outstanding returns for investors.
John Ballard has positions in Advanced Micro Devices, Nvidia, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Nvidia, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
In the last year they have rolled out their game-changing Premium Economy cabin, invested billions in retrofitting their fleet and expanded their global network
In its 41st birthday year, new holiday destinations include Cancun, starting next month, and Seoul in 2026.
Coming in behind was TUI, with third place being taken by BA Holidays.
BEST OF BRITISH
The Best of British award celebrating amazing British brands was given to National Trust.
Last year they won for their incredible heritage, and this year they took the spot again, thanks to their amazing work in conservation and the joy and escapism they provide every single weekend.
Budget hotel chain Premier Inn came in second, while Wetherspoons was a close third.
You named National Trust the Best of British brandCredit: Alamy
BEST UK HOLIDAY PROVIDER
Haven is your no.1 when it comes to the best UK holiday provider.
Their affordable family breaks make it the perfect holiday spot for parents on a budget, with new investments across all of their parks.
Second place went to Hoseasons with Park Resorts coming in third.
Haven took the top spot for the best UK Holiday ProviderCredit: Haven
BEST UK ATTRACTION
When it comes to the top UK attraction, you named Alton Towers your favourite.
They’re the only place in the UK where you can meet your favourite CBeebies characters in the morning and the terrifying new Toxicator ride in the afternoon.
Second and third went to the Eden Project and Legoland Windsor, respectively.
For the best UK attraction, Alton Towers came out on topCredit: Alamy
BEST GLOBAL ATTRACTION
Walt Disney World remains your favourite Global Attraction, scooping the top spot.
The park continues its massive investments, with work beginning on the largest expansion in the Magic Kingdom’s history.
In second was Universal Orlando, while Disneyland Paris was in second.
Walt Disney World was your Best Global AttractionCredit: Alamy
BEST CRUISE FOR FAMILIES
Another win for Disney, Disney Cruise Line was named the Best Cruise for Families in our newest award this year.
Earlier this year they announced Disney Dream will be returning to the UK, with a future ship launching in 2026.
Royal Caribbean came in second place, followed by P&O in third.
Disney took the award for the Best Cruise for FamiliesCredit: Refer to source
BEST CRUISE FOR ADULTS
Another new award this year, the Best Cruise for Adults was given to Virgin Voyages.
They ripped up the rule book , replacing buffets with Michelin-star-inspired restaurants, formal nights with pop-up gigs, and bingo with sunrise yoga.
The second spot was given to Ambassador, with third place going to Cunard.
Virgin Voyages was named the Best Cruise for Adults, another new award this yearCredit: Supplied
BEST SHORT HAUL DESTINATION
Spain remains your top short-haul destination, taking the award this year.
With everything from sun-drenched coasts and world-class city breaks, to vibrant gastronomy, it’s no surprise it remains a firm favourite.
Greece took second place, followed by Italy.
K789P8 Plaza de la Virgen in ValenciaCredit: Alamy
BEST LONG HAUL DESTINAION
When it comes to the Best Long Haul Destination, Sun readers named the Caribbean.
With long-haul laid-back bliss, it no surprise the beautiful islands were voted top.
The USA came in second followed by Thailand.
When it comes to your favourite long haul destination, you named the CaribbeanCredit: Alamy
The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot explained: “This is the ultimate seal of approval from our readers. Last year, the title went to a very worthy winner, but the company that took the crown in 2023 was clearly determined to win it back.
“They have spent the last 12 months doubling down on what they do best: delivering on their promises.”
TUI, last years winner, came in second place, followed closely by British Airways Holidays.
Jet2 was named your Most Trusted Travel ProviderCredit: Alamy
Editor’s Choice Award
The Sun’s Head of Travel named Universal her Editor’s Choice Award.
She said: “The opening this year of Epic Universe – Universal’s third park in Orlando – was the culmination of more than a decade of planning and truly positions the theme park pioneers as a fully-formed rival to the House of Mouse.
“In 2010, with the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal changed the entire theme park landscape.
“Their complete immersive approach would set the standards others would follow.
“And Epic takes that to another level. From the technicolour mystical landscapes of How To Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk to the magnificent Parisien boulevards of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, you are catapulted into the heart of our favourite movie moments.
“But the reason this award is so important tonight is that this story is no longer just about Orlando.
“The announcement of a Universal park right here in Bedford was huge national news, and has been… universally… welcomed.
“As a boost to the UK tourism industry and our economy, its impact cannot be underestimated.
“This will be a seismic boost for British tourism and our economy. This award isn’t just for the incredible year Universal has had; it’s for the incredible future they are building, right here on our doorstep.”
Diane Keaton died in Los Angeles on Saturday at age 79, and her family says the cause was pneumonia.
Family members of the Oscar-winning actress shared a statement with People confirming Keaton’s cause of death and saying they were “very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support” they had received in recent days.
The outlet first reported the news of the screen icon’s death Saturday, saying the Los Angeles Fire Department had responded to her home that morning and transported a 79-year-old woman to an area hospital. Initially, the family did not disclose the cause of death and asked for privacy as they processed their grief.
In Wednesday’s statement, Keaton’s family members said the star had a deep love for animals and was passionate about supporting the unhoused community. They encouraged people to honor her memory by donating to a food bank or animal shelter.
Keaton was known for her powerful performances in iconic pictures such as Francis Ford Coppola’s “Godfather” movies and Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall,” which earned her the 1978 Academy Award for lead actress. She was also nominated for lead actress for her roles in “Reds” (1981), “Marvin’s Room” (1996) and “Something’s Gotta Give” (2003).
Born in Los Angeles in 1946, Keaton rose to fame through her late 1960s New York stage career, earning a Tony nomination at age 25 for her role in Allen’s 1969 theatrical production of “Play It Again, Sam.”
Later in her career, she became a muse for writer-director-producer Nancy Meyers and starred in four of her movies. She was a noted trendsetter known for her fabulous on-screen outfits and, more recently, for sharing her style on Instagram, where she amassed 2.6 million followers.
Keaton’s death was widely mourned by theater, movie and fashion lovers alike.
“She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star,” wrote actor Bette Midler on Instagram. “What you saw was who she was.”
“Diane Keaton wasn’t just an actress: she was a force,” wrote actor Octavia Spencer on Instagram, “a woman who showed us that being yourself is the most powerful thing you can be. From Annie Hall to Something’s Gotta Give, she made every role unforgettable.”
Times film editor Joshua Rothkopf contributed to this report.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize is scheduled to be announced on Friday, October 10, at 11:00 am local time in Oslo, Norway (09:00 GMT).
The announcement comes from the Norwegian Nobel Institute on behalf of the all-Norwegian, five-member Nobel Committee, appointed by the Norwegian Parliament and responsible for selecting and presenting the laureates.
Nominations for this year’s award closed on January 31, and the selection process remains shrouded in secrecy.
A brief history of the Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are named after Alfred Nobel (1833–1896), a Swedish chemist, engineer and industrialist best known for inventing dynamite, an explosive that transformed the modern world through advances in construction and mining, but which was also responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people in wars.
Motivated by a desire to shape his legacy, Nobel left a multimillion-dollar fortune to fund annual prizes, awarded to those who “have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind” in the preceding year.
A view of a bust of Alfred Nobel in the Nobel Forum in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 6, 2025 [Tom Little / Reuters]
The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 for outstanding achievement in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace.
In 1968, Sweden’s central bank, Sveriges Riksbank, established the Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, expanding the categories to six.
So far this year, four Nobel Prizes have been announced. After the Peace Prize on October 10, the final award for economics will be revealed on October 13.
Who can be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?
The Nobel Peace Prize is meant to recognise individuals and organisations that have made exceptional efforts to promote peace, resolve conflicts and advance human rights.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has 338 nominees, including 244 individuals and 94 organisations, up from 286 candidates in 2024.
Nominations are kept confidential, and committee members are prohibited from discussing their decisions for 50 years. Only the nominators themselves may choose to disclose their submissions.
While a person cannot nominate themselves, they may be nominated multiple times by others.
This year, United States President Donald Trump has become a focus of Nobel Peace Prize nominations. Trump, who has said, “Everyone says I should get the Nobel Peace Prize,” has received several endorsements: Israel, Cambodia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan, even as many have questioned his credentials.
While many well-known figures have been nominated in the past but never received the Nobel Peace Prize, the names most frequently searched in the Nobel nomination database are Adolf Hitler, Mahatma Gandhi and Joseph Stalin.
These individuals represent vastly different legacies: Hitler was nominated in 1939 as a satirical gesture, Gandhi was nominated multiple times between 1937 and 1948 but never awarded, and Stalin was nominated in 1945 and 1948 for his role in ending World War II.
Who has received the Nobel Peace Prize?
As of 2024, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 105 times to 142 laureates – 111 individuals and 31 organisations.
Among the individual recipients, 92 are men and 19 are women.
The youngest laureate to date is Malala Yousafzai, who received the award at the age of 17 in 2014, while the oldest is Joseph Rotblat, honoured at 86 for his work against nuclear weapons.
The International Committee of the Red Cross holds the record for the most Peace Prizes, having been recognised three times, followed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which has won twice.
Geographically, Europe accounts for the largest share of laureates at 45 percent, followed by North America (20 percent), Asia (16 percent), Africa (9 percent) and South America (3 percent).
In addition, United Nations organisations represent about 7 percent of all Nobel Peace Prize recipients.
When was the Peace Prize not awarded?
The Nobel Peace Prize has not been awarded every year.
It was skipped on 19 occasions, specifically in 1914–1916, 1918, 1923, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1939–1943, 1948, 1955–1956, 1966–1967, and 1972, usually due to war or the absence of a suitable candidate.
According to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, if none of the candidates’ work is deemed significant enough, the prize may be withheld and the prize money carried forward to the next year. If it still cannot be awarded, the amount is transferred to the Foundation’s restricted funds.
One notable instance came in 1948, the year Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. Gandhi had been nominated several times – in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947, and again in 1948 – for his nonviolent leadership of India’s freedom movement. In 1948, the Nobel Committee chose not to award the prize, citing “no suitable living candidate”, widely seen as an implicit tribute to him.
Has anyone refused the award?
The Nobel Peace Prize has only been refused on one occasion.
In 1973, Vietnamese politician Le Duc Tho and US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger were awarded the prize for their efforts to end the Vietnam War.
Tho declined the award, citing the ongoing conflict in Vietnam.
The Vietnam War lasted from the late 1950s to 1975, ending with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, and killed millions of people.
Henry Kissinger, left, President Richard Nixon’s national security adviser, and Le Duc Tho, member of Hanoi’s politburo, are shown outside a suburban house at Gif-sur-Yvette in Paris on June 13, 1973 [Michel Lipchitz/AP Photo]
Has the award ever been shared?
Yes, very often. Out of the 105 awards presented so far:
71 prizes were given to a single laureate,
31 prizes were shared between two laureates, and
3 prizes were shared among three laureates.
According to the Nobel Foundation’s statutes, a prize can be divided equally between two recipients or shared among up to three if their work is considered to merit the award jointly. The prize cannot be divided among more than three people.
Who are all the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize?
The table below lists all Nobel Peace Prize laureates from 1901 to 2024, along with their country of origin.
If you have a buy-and-hold mindset, here are two dividend stocks that you can easily hang on to for a decade or longer.
“If you aren’t willing to own a stock for ten years, don’t even think about owning it for ten minutes.” — Sir John Templeton
Dividend stocks have a few things going for them. Companies with growing dividends tend to be soundly profitable and financially healthy, which are two advantageous qualities to have during periods of economic downturn. Companies with a long dividend history are also more likely to have economic moats and advantages that enable them to pass along price increases and better maintain margins long-term.
Here are two solid companies that boast dividends and could trade higher as they improve their businesses from recent struggles.
Campbell’s is an mmm mmm, good stock
It’s certainly been an interesting ride over the past few years for Campbell’s(CPB -0.34%). Its business mix shifted substantially, with its core soup lineup accounting for roughly 25% of total sales, down from about 40% in fiscal 2017. Snacks are up to 50%, up from less than 30% over the same timeframe.
Image source: Campbell’s.
Beyond its changing sales mix, management has worked to improve operating efficiencies across its supply chain and manufacturing network, while also backing up its brands with more marketing spend. These changes have driven an increase in annual organic sales.
Campbell’s still isn’t done, however. It recently laid out plans to unlock $250 million in savings through fiscal 2028, on top of the $950 million it realized over the past few years. Campbell’s is also driving growth through acquisitions and recently scooped up Sovos Brands, which generates more than $1 billion in annual sales.
Despite moving in the right direction and offering a dividend yield of 4.6%, the stock price has slid 20% year to date. This gives investors a chance to buy low on a consumer defensive dividend stock that is improving its business.
Just do it and pick up some Nike stock
It’s been a bumpy ride over the past three years or so for the athletic apparel leader Nike(NKE 0.09%). But after the stock price spiraled 25% lower over that timeframe, it gives investors an opportunity to not only buy into its potential turnaround, but to enjoy receiving its 2.25% dividend yield while waiting.
Nike has faced recent problems that include a lack of product innovation, softer demand for sportswear, and strained relationships with wholesale customers. The company has proven that, over a long period of time, it can maintain its market share and pricing. But there are a couple of things that could drive this turnaround in the medium term.
First, although Nike’s recovery in China has been slower than desired, there’s still a massive opportunity as the market expands and more developing regions, such as China and Latin America, among others, have swaths of people moving into the middle class.
Second, during fiscal 2025, Nike brought back longtime executive Elliott Hill to serve as its CEO. Given his company knowledge and relationships with crucial partners, investors should be optimistic that he can improve results more quickly.
Buy now on these two stocks?
Both of these companies possess incredibly recognizable global brands, have real potential for stock price upside, and offer investors dividends while they wait for the business to turn around. If Campbell’s executes its savings initiative and Nike can capture growth in developing regions, both could become long-term cornerstones of just about any portfolio and provide some income from healthy dividends. These are definitely two stocks you can hold without worry for a decade.
Daniel Miller has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nike. The Motley Fool recommends Campbell’s. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Chelsea fans are furious at the club’s new ticketing system, after the club warned fans to arrive early to their Premier League opening game.
Loyal supporters have been left queuing well outside the stadium, with fans’ tickets NOT working as they try to enter the stadium.
The new system has already been blasted an ‘Absolute shambles’ as Blues’ fans wait outside the Bridge in the hopes of getting a glimpse of a ‘Special unveiling’ at 1pm.
One supporter who paid as much as £230 for a ticket has been told his ticket is invalid, and remains outside the ground as the club look to resolve the issue.
Chelsea incentivised fans to arrive early for the game, seemingly in anticipation that the new system at Stamford Bridge might have some teething problems.
The club offered 50% off of drinks to anyone who arrived between 12pm-1pm, with the turnstiles open since 12:30pm.
Fans outside the ground told SunSport that the app would not load as they got to the gates to show their tickets, and those who’s app would load would then face their tickets disappearing before entry.
While on X, one posted: “My match tickets have disappeared from the Chelsea app despite activating them this morning. Is anybody having this issue or know a solution?”
And another said: “All the fans struggling to get in for the game. Do better @ChelseaFC.”
