Copeland Appoints New Leader for Asia-Pacific Business Group

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Copeland Appoints New Leader for Asia-Pacific Business Group

2024-11-04 22:01 Last Updated At：22:10

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 4, 2024--

Copeland, a global provider of sustainable climate solutions, announced that Michael Toh has joined the company as president of its Asia-Pacific regional business unit. Copeland is a standalone portfolio company of Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, within its Capital Partners Fund XIII.

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“Michael’s deep knowledge of the HVAC industry combined with his extensive Asia-wide leadership experience make him an ideal leader for our Asia Pacific business,” said Copeland's Chief Executive Officer Ross B. Shuster. “His proven ability to grow businesses, coupled with his strategic approach to innovation, are well aligned with our strategic direction as we continue to expand our presence in the HVAC, cold chain and industrial industries across the Asia Pacific region.”

With over 20 years of experience in HVAC and related industries, Toh has a proven track record of driving growth and profitability in dynamic market conditions. Prior to joining Copeland, Toh led Georg Fischer’s Asia Pacific operations. He led Honeywell Building Solutions' Asia Pacific Sales team, and held numerous leadership positions in Johnson Controls' Singapore, Malaysia, and China operations. Toh also held significant governance and oversight responsibilities as the vice-chairman of the board of Chinaust Group, a joint venture with a listed state-owned enterprise in China and has served as a member of the Global Executive Management team for Piping Systems.

“I’m excited to join Copeland and look forward to driving growth and innovation in this dynamic region,” said Toh. “Copeland is well positioned to help solve some of the world’s most complex climate challenges by enabling the energy transition, accelerating the transition to low global warming potential and natural refrigerants and safeguarding perishable food and critical medicines throughout the cold chain.”

Toh’s appointment is another step forward for Copeland after becoming a standalone company in 2023. The company continues to build and strengthen its leadership team and execute on its growth strategies with a focus on customers, innovation and sustainability.

Learn more about Copeland’s sustainable solutions at copeland.com.

About Copeland

Copeland is a global leader in sustainable heating, cooling, cold chain and industrial solutions. We help commercial, industrial, refrigeration and residential customers reduce their carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency. We address issues like climate change, growing populations, electricity demands and complex global supply chains with innovations that advance the energy transition, accelerate the adoption of climate friendly low GWP (Global Warming Potential) and natural refrigerants, and safeguard the world's most critical goods through an efficient and sustainable cold chain. We have over 18,000 employees, with feet on the ground in more than 40 countries - a global presence that makes it possible to serve customers wherever they are in the world and meet challenges with scale and speed. Our industry-leading brands and diversified portfolio deliver innovation and technology proven in over 200 million installations worldwide. Together, we create sustainable solutions that improve lives and protect the planet today and for future generations. For more information, visit copeland.com.

Key players in Syria's long-running civil war, reignited by a shock rebel offensive

2024-12-03 15:29 Last Updated At：15:30

BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s long civil war has reclaimed global attention after insurgents seized most of its largest city and dozens of nearby towns and villages.

The stunning advance on Aleppo by rebel forces came as several key players in the conflict have been distracted or weakened, triggering the heaviest clashes since a 2020 ceasefire brought relative calm to the country’s north.

Russian and Syrian forces have carried out dozens of airstrikes to try to limit the insurgents' advances, inflicting heavy casualties.

Syria's civil war started in 2011 after an uprising against President Bashar Assad's rule. Five foreign powers have a military presence in the country including the U.S., Russia and Iran. Forces opposed to Assad, along with U.S.-backed fighters, control more than a third of the country. Israel holds the Golan Heights, which it seized in its 1967 war with its Arab neighbors.

Here’s a look at the key players:

Syrian government troops have long controlled a large part of the country, thanks to allied forces dispatched by Russia and Iran.

Assad's forces control most of the major population centers, including the capital Damascus and cities in Syria's center, south and east.

The Syrian government's capture of Aleppo in late 2016 was a turning point in the conflict and their loss of the city in recent days is a major setback.

Iran's military advisers and proxy fighters have played a critical role in shoring up Assad's forces throughout the war. But Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which is backed by Iran, has been weakened in its recent war with Israel and Iran has been distracted by the conflict. On Monday, Iranian-backed Iraqi militias deployed to Syria to back the government’s counteroffensive.

Russia's military has supported Assad from the Mediterranean coast, where it maintains its only naval base outside the former Soviet Union, and at the Hemeimeem air base in Latakia province, which is home to hundreds of Russian troops. But much of its attention and resources have been focused on its war in Ukraine.

Anti-government forces are led by the insurgent Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which long served as al-Qaida's branch in Syria and is considered a terrorist group by the U.N. as well as countries including the U.S.

HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, its leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group's image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance.

Other insurgent groups include Noureddine el-Zinki, which was formerly backed by the U.S., before it joined the HTS-led alliance.

A Turkish-backed coalition of groups known as the Syrian National Army has attacked areas including the northern town of Tel Rifaat, controlled by the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

Chinese fighters from the Turkistan Islamic Party and Chechen fighters from the former Soviet Union have taken part in the battles in the country's northwest, according to Syrian opposition activists. Turkey, which controls parts of northern Syria, will not say how many troops it has in the country.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, a U.S.-backed coalition of groups, controls large parts of eastern Syria.

The SDF has battled the Islamic State group, capturing the last sliver of land held by the extremists in eastern Syria. About 900 American troops are stationed in Syria’s east to guard against a resurgence by the extremist group.

SDF forces still control several neighborhoods of Aleppo encircled by insurgents. Opposition activists have said that insurgents are willing to let those fighters cross to northeast Syria but it was not immediately clear if the Kurdish-led forces will do so.

Turkey considers the principal Kurdish faction of the SDF to be linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which it and allies regard as a terrorist group.