Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, today announced the launch of the Vertiv™ CoolPhase Wall, a space-saving, wall-mount cooling system designed for small IT spaces and edge environments. The system is designed for the needs of IT equipment, removing heat and enabling continuous operation while taking up zero floor space. Vertiv CoolPhase Wall is available now across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

As distributed computing becomes more critical to business operations, compact IT environments need high-quality thermal control designed for sensitive electronic systems. However, many are still using comfort cooling systems designed for human comfort rather than addressing the high sensible heat ratio (SHR) and higher airflow requirements of IT equipment. Vertiv CoolPhase Wall addresses this gap with a purpose-built system that provides the required SHR along with integrated monitoring and control capabilities to protect equipment and enable24/7 operational continuity.

Built for installation flexibility, the Vertiv CoolPhase Wall features a split system with an indoor wall-mounted cooling unit. The system delivers up to 60% greater airflow than standard comfort cooling systems and leverages variable-speed compressors and variable speed fans to modulate to meet heat load demand and improve energy efficiency to enable operational cost reductions.

Designed to handle thermal loads up to 11 kW, the Vertiv CoolPhase Wall is engineered to operate reliably in outdoor ambient temperatures ranging from -35 to 48℃. The system features the Vertiv™ Liebert® iCOM™ operational control, which enables local configuration and supervision of key operating parameters. For extended visibility and remote access, the Vertiv CoolPhase Wall includes onboard remote communication capability to provide real-time alerts and operational status through a secure web interface.

The Vertiv™ CoolPhase Wall utilizes R-32 refrigerant, a low-global warming potential (GWP) alternative that reduces environmental impact while maintaining thermal performance. This positions Vertiv ahead of evolving regulatory requirements, including the European Union’s F-Gas regulations that restrict the use of high-GWP refrigerants. While many comfort cooling systems are still transitioning to lower-GWP options, Vertiv is applying these standards to IT-focused cooling, giving organizations confidence that their deployments are aligned with future environmental expectations.

“As IT continues to expand into areas that were not originally intended for high-density electronics, the demand for adaptable and energy-efficient cooling solutions is increasing across EMEA,” said Sam Bainborough, vice president, EMEA thermal business at Vertiv. “The Vertiv CoolPhase Wall is engineered to support continuous operations, enabling customers to maintain reliable, efficient thermal performance in small IT rooms and edge sites year-round.”

Vertiv CoolPhase Wall expands the company’s comprehensive thermal management portfolio, which includes precision cooling system for edge deployments, enterprise data centers, and high-density AI environments, ranging from room-based cooling to direct-to-chip liquid cooling and rear door exchangers.

MAXION, a UAE-based platform empowering social connections, has reported 399% year-on-year growth in its user base in 2025 following the introduction of an AI-powered infrastructure designed to prioritise real-world interaction. The growth reflects strong adoption of the platform’s technology-driven approach to facilitating meaningful relationships. Over the same period, the company reached a 406% increase in annual recurring revenue.

MAXION operates as a hybrid SaaS and marketplace platform built on an AI-powered system that processes behavioural, scheduling, and conversion data across the full lifecycle of an interaction. The system analyses availability alignment, time to meeting, attendance confirmation, repeat meeting patterns, and structured feedback following in-person meetings, helping members move from introduction to real-world conversation more efficiently. To support the continued development of these capabilities, MAXION has secured $900,000 in early-stage funding, which has been allocated toward AI integration, infrastructure development, senior product hires, and operational expansion.

The UAE’s international population provides a strong environment for MAXION’s growth, with Dubai alone home to a rapidly expanding base of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs). At the same time, the UAE online relationship services market is anticipated to grow by more than 9.21% by 2031, highlighting sustained demand for platforms that help individuals form meaningful connections in fast-moving urban environments.

To date, more than 40,000 individuals have applied to join MAXION, with approximately 7,000 active members accepted into the curated community. Through a selective onboarding process, the platform maintains a gender balance close to 50:50, compared with traditional platforms where participation averages approximately 70:30 male to female. The community primarily consists of high-performing professionals aged 25 to 45 working across finance, consulting, technology, entrepreneurship, and senior corporate leadership roles.

Christiana Maxion, Founder and CEO of MAXION, said: “Our long-term vision is to restore real-world connection in a fast-moving world. Technology should help people meet sooner rather than spend months behind a screen. We use data to make it easier for people to meet at the right time, allowing members to focus on getting to know each other rather than spending weeks in digital conversation. MAXION is designed to move people from introduction to real conversation quickly, where interactions feel more natural, and intentions become clearer. Over time, we want to build a platform that supports strong partnerships and lasting communities.”

In the past six months alone, MAXION has facilitated more than 2,000 in-person meetings between members. The platform measures success by the relationships formed between members, with users typically returning every three months and continuing to engage with the app over periods of up to two years. MAXION has also established strategic partnerships with brands to reduce logistical friction surrounding real-world meetings and create a smoother experience for members.

Adoption is currently concentrated in Dubai, with growing traction in Abu Dhabi. The company plans to deepen its presence across the UAE while preparing for expansion into international professional hubs such as Singapore, London, and New York, where dense expatriate populations and fast-paced professional environments create similar demand for intentional connection.

Over time, MAXION aims to support members beyond the first stage of connection by creating value for couples as their relationships develop. The long-term vision is to help build urban communities where meaningful relationships remain central to modern professional life.

By Gillan McNay, Security Director Assistance – Middle East, International SOS

Periods of regional tension place organisations under intense pressure to protect their people while sustaining operations. For UAE‑based companies with employees working from abroad, traveling frequently, or facing potential relocation, uncertainty can escalate quickly. Routes change, borders tighten, information moves faster than it can be verified, and employees look to their organisation for clarity and reassurance. In this environment, support must be strategic, deliberate, and people‑first.

Shift From Reaction to Preparedness

The most resilient organisations are those that move beyond reacting to events and instead operate with a preparedness mindset. This starts with acknowledging that uncertainty is not an exception but a condition organisations must continuously manage. Strategy, therefore, should anticipate disruption and define how the organisation will respond before decisions are forced by urgency.

Preparedness does not mean planning for every possible outcome. It means establishing decision frameworks that allow leaders to act confidently as conditions evolve, whether that results in continued remote work, relocation to a safe haven, or shelter‑in‑place with enhanced support.

Establish Workforce Visibility as a Strategic Capability

Supporting employees abroad begins with accurate, real‑time visibility. Leaders must know where their people are, their travel status, and whether they are working remotely, stationed overseas, or in transit with dependents. Visibility should extend beyond employees to include contractors and accompanying family members where duty‑of‑care obligations apply.

This visibility is strategic because it underpins all subsequent decisions. Without it, organisations risk delayed responses, fragmented communication, and uneven support. With it, they can act proportionately, supporting those most exposed while avoiding unnecessary disruption for others.

Differentiate Between Relocation, Evacuation, and Stability

One of the most common strategic mistakes during regional tensions is treating all movement decisions as evacuations. In reality, organisations need three clearly defined postures:

• Stability: Supporting employees to remain where they are with guidance, wellbeing checks, and secure working arrangements.
• Relocation: Moving employees to a safer location, often within the region, as a preventive measure.
• Evacuation: Executing time‑bound movement out of an area due to elevated risk.

Clear definitions allow leaders to choose the least disruptive option that still protects people. Often, relocation or stability with structured support is safer and more sustainable than rapid evacuation.

Prepare Employees Before Movement Is Required

Relocation becomes significantly smoother when employees are prepared before they are asked to move. Strategy should include guidance on documentation readiness, passport validity, visa requirements for neighbouring countries, preferred relocation countries and expectations around timelines and flexibility.

Employees working abroad need to understand not only what may happen, but how decisions will be made. When organisations explain decision triggers, what would prompt relocation, what would not, employees feel informed rather than anxious. This transparency builds trust and reduces panic-driven movement.

Integrate the Human Dimension into Planning

Strategic support must address the human impact of uncertainty. Employees working from abroad or facing relocation are often balancing professional obligations with family concerns, schooling, medical needs, and other emotional strains. Ignoring these factors weakens any relocation or stability strategy.

Effective organisations integrate wellbeing considerations into operational plans. This includes access to medical advice, continuity of prescriptions, support for family travel, and regular wellbeing check‑ins. Leaders should be attuned to signs of fatigue or anxiety and equip managers with guidance to support teams compassionately and consistently.

Communicate With Discipline and Predictability

In uncertain times, communication is as important as movement planning. Strategy should define how, when, and by whom information is shared. Centralised, fact‑based updates delivered at a predictable cadence reduce speculation and rumor.

Employees should know where official updates will come from and which sources to trust. Communications do not need to be frequent to be effective; they need to be consistent, clear, and grounded in verified information. Saying “there is no update yet” is often more reassuring than silence.

Support Employees Who Must Remain Abroad

Not all employees can or should relocate. Many will continue working from abroad in environments affected by regional tension. Supporting these employees strategically means ensuring they have guidance on local conditions, access to support services, and clearly defined expectations around work, availability, and safety.

Stability should be treated as an active posture, not inaction. Regular check‑ins, updated guidance, and contingency planning signal to employees that their situation is being managed deliberately, not overlooked.

Plan for Relocation as a Managed Process

When relocation is required and viable, it should be executed as a controlled, end‑to‑end process. This includes manifesting all individuals, front‑loading documentation checks, coordinating transport and accommodation, and communicating each step of the journey.

Strategically, leaders must also consider what comes after relocation: access to work, schooling for children, healthcare, and communication continuity. Relocation is not just movement; it is a temporary operating model that must be sustainable.

Learn, Adapt, and Strengthen

Each period of disruption provides insight into what worked and what did not. Strategic organisations capture these lessons and feed them back into planning. This may involve refining decision thresholds, improving data accuracy, or strengthening manager training.

Preparedness evolves as operating environments change, and organisations that invest in continuous improvement are better positioned to protect both their people and their business.

A Strategy Built on Trust and Clarity

Ultimately, supporting employees abroad or relocating amid regional tensions is a test of organisational maturity. Clear visibility, disciplined planning, transparent communication, and genuine care form the foundation of resilience. When organisations operate from these principles, employees feel supported rather than vulnerable, and leaders can make decisions with confidence rather than urgency.