Smart USA leadership announces management buyout, positioning company for long-term growth. By GlobeNewswire August 26, 2026 ATHENS, Ga., Aug. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Smart USA, a leading provider of retirement managed accounts, today announced a sale to Rival Companies, LLC which is owned by current Smart USA Chief Executive Officer, Duane Bernt. The management buyout returns the company to independent ownership and positions the company for continued growth, innovation, and long-term partnerships. The sale transaction includes the US entities formerly owned by Smart, based in London, UK and positions Smart to focus its resources on core international markets while supporting continuity and dedicated ownership for the U.S. businesses. Bernt will continue to lead the US entities, including the primary operating company, Stadion Money Management, LLC as CEO following closing. As of July 31, 2026, Stadion advises approximately $2.8 billion in assets under management, and its technology platform administers more than $15 billion and serves approximately 200,000 defined contribution participants. "This transaction will enable our wonderful Stadion culture to thrive as well as embolden our commitment to the recordkeepers, asset managers, advisors and other retirement plan providers we serve," said Bernt. "Our leadership team will remain focused on delivering scalable and efficient retirement plan solutions, including technology that powers personalization to help employees pursue retirement security." The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter. Media contact for Stadion: Gordon Lamb [email protected] About Smart Smart is a global savings and investments technology platform provider. Its mission is to transform retirement, savings and financial wellbeing, across all generations, around the world. Smart launched in 2015, its technology platform - Keystone - serves the needs of retirement savers globally. Keystone is specifically designed to help governments and financial institutions (including insurers, asset managers, banks and financial advisers) deliver retirement savings and income solutions that are digital, bespoke and cost-efficient. In addition to the UK, Smart is operating in Europe, Middle East and Asia, with more than two million savers entrusting over $20 billion in assets on its Keystone platform. Aquiline, Barclays, Chrysalis Investments, DWS Group, Fidelity International Strategic Ventures, J.P. Morgan, Legal & General, MUFG and Natixis Investment Managers are all investors in Smart. About Stadion Founded in 1993 and headquartered near Athens, Georgia, Stadion is a wholly owned subsidiary of Smart USA. Stadion partners with financial professionals, asset managers, and recordkeepers to deliver retirement plan and participant-level investment solutions. Stadion Money Management, LLC ("Stadion") is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about Stadion, including fees, can be found in Stadion's ADV Part 2, which is available free of charge. Please visit stadionmoney.com SMM-2608-32

Geneva wealth asset manager nabs new partner from UBP. Swisseon has added a familiar name in Swiss finance to its senior ranks. Alexander Qaqaya was among the six senior bankers UBP hired from Credit Suisse in a closely watched team move in 2023. Alexander Qaqaya joins Swisseon as partner. (Image zVg) Wednesday, 26 August 2026 13:50 Press play to listen to this content The Swiss independent wealth manager and family office Swisseon has appointed Alexander Qaqaya as its newest partner and relationship manager. Qaqaya took on the role in Geneva this August. In his new position, Qaqaya will advise private clients and family offices in Switzerland and abroad, while also focusing on developing the firm's wealth management business. The Credit Suisse Six Qaqaya most recently served as a director at private bank Union Bancaire Privée (UBP). He joined the bank as part of a high-ranking, six-person senior wealth management team that UBP famously hired from Credit Suisse in 2023. In his former capacity, Qawaya spent more than three years at Credit Suisse as a director and relationship manager, managing ultra-high-net-worth individuals until the bank's collapse. Before joining Credit Suisse, Qaqaya was a vice president and sales manager at DWS Group, where he was responsible for driving institutional and wholesale business development in Western Switzerland. From 2013 to 2015, he worked in structured solutions and derivatives sales at Lombard Odier. He began his career as an analyst at Société Générale Corporate and Investment Banking and BNP Paribas CIB.

Crover SE expands into renewable energy with Crover Renewables. Berlin, Germany, 17 August 2026 Crover SE, the Berlin-based investment and holding company, is expanding into renewable energy with the creation of Crover Renewables, a new platform that will develop, finance and own renewable energy assets across international markets. The company said its first phase will target a portfolio of approximately 220 megawatts across Germany, the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka. The move marks a significant expansion of Crover's investment activities, which also include real estate, venture building and strategic investments. Crover Renewables will focus primarily on solar power and intends to participate across the life of a project, from development and financing to construction, grid connection and long-term ownership. The company is also assessing further development opportunities, acquisitions and strategic partnerships as it builds the portfolio. The renewable energy push comes as Crover seeks to establish a broader presence in sustainable infrastructure. The company said projects across its initial markets are already at various stages of development, with grid connected generation targeted from 2027. The new renewable energy division will be chaired by Jean Louis Laurens, with Michael Woods serving as chief executive. Both executives bring backgrounds in international financial services and investment management. Mr. Laurens has more than four decades of experience in investment banking, institutional asset management and corporate finance. He is the former Managing Partner and Chairman of Rothschild & Cie and the former Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of AXA Investment Managers. He has also held senior positions across the international financial-services sector and currently serves as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Crover SE. Mr. Woods is a former Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Rothschild & Co. Asset Management US, Inc., and a former Chief Executive Officer of DWS Investments. His career has focused on institutional asset management, private capital and financial markets. He currently serves as an Executive Director of Crover SE and as President and Managing Member of Woods Capital LLC. Crover Renewables will initially operate across Germany, the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka, with the company seeking to build a diversified portfolio rather than rely on a single market or project. Crover said it expects to continue evaluating opportunities in other renewable-energy markets as the platform develops. For Crover SE, the expansion represents a shift toward a larger role in sustainable infrastructure. The company plans to combine project development with investment and long term ownership, giving Crover Renewables a role that extends beyond the development stage of individual assets. About Crover SE Crover SE is a Berlin-based investment and holding company with activities spanning renewable energy, real estate, venture building and strategic investments. Through its subsidiaries, joint ventures and investment activities, the group develops and invests in businesses and projects across international markets. Crover Renewables is the renewable-energy company of Crover SE, focused on developing and investing in renewable energy projects across international markets. Website: www.croverrenewables.com