Ricky Kapur appointed Zoom Head of APAC

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 -- Zoom Video Communications Inc announced Ricky Kapur has joined the company as Head of APAC, effective June 21.

Reporting directly to Zoom’s Head of International Abe Smith, Kapur will defi ne and lead the company’s go-to-market strategy for key APAC markets: Australia andNew Zealand, ASEAN, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Korea, and Taiwan — exclusive of Japan.

He will manage Zoom’s APAC business with supervision and alignment across all cross-functional roles, according to a statement.

“We are thrilled to have Ricky Kapur lead our go-to-market strategy for all of APAC, a region where we are seeing accelerated growth,” said Smith.

“APAC is a critical region for Zoom, as we invest in infrastructure and expand the presence of our sales, marketing, and research and development teams to best enable organisations of all sizes with seamless and reliable video communications.”

Meanwhile, Kapur said: “Zoom has scaled its operations and business impressively across APAC markets, announcing a Technology Center in India and a Research and Development Center in Singapore within the past year.

“I am excited to join a company that continues to redefine the way organisations and individuals connect, from breaking barriers for education and healthcare with virtual-learning and telehealth to becoming critical technology for enterprises as they quickly evolved and adapted to a hybrid working model.”

Kapur comes to Zoom after five and a half years at Microsoft, where he was most recently Vice President of Sales and Marketing Operations for APAC.

At Microsoft, he managed all segments, from SMB, Majors through Enterprise, and led a cross-functional team of sales, marketing, partner, and customer success professionals.

Kapur is a chartered accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in India and holds an MBA from the University of Melbourne.

-- BERNAMA

THE GLOBE AND MAIL SOPHI.IO BAGS DIGIDAY MEDIA AWARD

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 (Bernama) -- Sophi.io, The Globe and Mail’s artificial intelligence-based automation and prediction engine, has won the 2021 Digiday Media Award for Best Publisher Platform, which recognises technology that is most successful in helping publishers achieve their goals.

According to a statement, the awards honour companies, technologies and campaigns that have stood out throughout the media over the past year.

“This year, the competition was fierce and the programmes robust. Innovation and big ideas expanded the playing field for many of the winners, even in a year when quarantines limited where and how people could work — and play,” according to Digiday.

Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of The Globe and Mail, Phillip Crawley said: “It’s an honour to be chosen as the winner of Digiday’s Media Award for Best Publisher Platform.”

“We aren’t often up against companies in both the media and marketing industries but our investments in Sophi have been driven by the understanding that our technology can directly drive performance and economic growth for companies across a large range of industries.”

Sophi is an artificial-intelligence system that helps publishers identify and leverage their most valuable content.

It has powerful predictive capabilities – using natural language processing, Sophi Dynamic Paywall is a fully dynamic, real-time, personalised paywall engine that analyses both content and user behaviour to determine when to ask a reader for money or an email address, and when to leave them alone.

Sophi Site Automation autonomously curates digital content to find and promote the most valuable articles, placing 99 per cent of the content on all of The Globe and Mail’s digital pages, including its homepage and section pages.

More details at https://www.sophi.io.

-- BERNAMA

VRCHAT-ANTHOS CAPITAL PARTNERSHIP TO CLOSE US$80 MILLION SERIES D INVESTMENT ROUND

KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 (Bernama) -- VRChat, a social virtual reality (VR) platform that allows users to create, publish, and explore virtual worlds with other users globally, has announced a US$80 million Series D investment round led by Anthos Capital, alongside participating investors Makers Fund, GFR Fund and others. (US$1 = RM4.148)

VRChat is the leading social VR platform with millions of users, hundreds of thousands of worlds and over 10 million unique avatars. It’s the top free VR application on both the Steam and Oculus Rift store, with over 40,000 concurrent users.

Thanks to the creative freedom of VRChat’s tools, users have turned VRChat into a unique cultural phenomenon, tied closely to internet memes, events and culture. It has also become a virtual hangout for online events and communities.

“VRChat hosts a vibrant, creative, and engaged community that has played a critical role in shaping its continued development. We’re excited to work with our investment partners to further grow and empower our community at an accelerated pace,“ says VRChat Co-founder and CEO, Graham Gaylor in a statement.

This investment provides VRChat the resources to expedite development of a creator economy where members can earn, an enhanced social discovery system for more meaningful experiences, and expansion to more platforms. These enhancements will contribute to VRChat’s rapid growth and allow more people to access this virtual universe.

“As the market for virtual reality grows, VRChat is primed for significant expansion and growth as the leading platform for virtual worlds,” says Anthos Capital Managing Director, Brian Ames.

To experience VRChat and join the community visit www.vrchat.com.

-- BERNAMA

SYNCHRONOSS ANNOUNCES US$125 MILLION PUBLIC OFFERING OF SENIOR NOTES PRICING

KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 (Bernama) -- Synchronoss Technologies Inc (Synchronoss) recently announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of US$125 million aggregate principal amount of 8.375 per cent senior notes due 2026, including the exercise in full by the underwriters of the underwriters’ option to purchase an additional US$5 million aggregate principal amount of senior notes. (US$1 = RM4.148)

Synchronoss, a global leader and innovator in cloud, messaging and digital products and platforms, in a statement said the offering was expected to close on or about June 30, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Synchronoss and the senior notes both received a rating of BB- from Egan-Jones Ratings Company, an independent, unaffiliated rating agency.

The Company has applied to list the senior notes on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol ‘SNCRL’ and expects the notes to begin trading within 30 business days of the closing date of the offering, if approved.

All of the senior notes in the offering are being sold by Synchronoss.

Synchronoss anticipates using the net proceeds from the offering, and from the offering of common stock and sale of Series B Preferred Stock, to fully redeem all outstanding shares of Synchronoss’ Series A Convertible Participating Perpetual Preferred Stock and repay amounts outstanding under Synchronoss’ revolving credit facility.

B. Riley Securities Inc (BRS) is acting as the sole book-running manager for the offering. Northland Capital Markets, Aegis Capital Corp. and EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments LLC, are acting as lead managers for the offering.

Concurrently with the offering, the Company is offering, by means of a separate prospectus supplement, US$100 million of shares of its common stock.

The senior notes described above are being offered by Synchronoss pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and declared effective by the SEC on Aug 28, 2020.

-- BERNAMA

JW PLAYER RAISES $100M IN SERIES E TO HELP FUEL GROWTH IN THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING DIGITAL VIDEO ECONOMY

Capital will help accelerate JW Player’s growth and expand its already robust platform, empowering customers with independence and control in the Digital Video Economy

NEW YORK, June 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JW Player, the leading video software and data insights platform, today announced it has raised $100M in Series E funding from LLR Partners. The latest investment comes on the heels of record video streaming growth and strong profitability during the previous 12 months. With this financing, JW Player will accelerate product innovation to meet the rapidly changing demands of customers in today’s digital video environment, expand its global go-to-market footprint across sales, marketing and channel partnerships and continue to grow and invest in building a world-class team.

The funding round follows JW Player’s recent acquisition of VUALTO, a leading provider of live and on-demand video streaming and Digital Rights Management (DRM) solutions, that deepened the company’s offering to global broadcasters. In the days following the acquisition, JW Player has seen a material uptick and influx of sales and pipeline, especially in the LATAM and APAC regions.

Started as a hugely-popular open source video player, JW Player’s API-driven video platform now empowers hundreds of thousands of customers to independently control and operate their mobile, OTT and Web video applications at global scale. Importantly, JW Player includes unique data-driven services and knowledge so that customers can more effectively grow and engage their audiences and generate more incremental revenue from their video investments. In the last year alone, the company’s video streaming grew by nearly 200%, while its live streaming delivery increased by over 400%.

This financing arrives as the consumption of digital video continues its push to the mainstream. Video now comprises over 80% of all traffic on the internet, and according to JW Player data, people are consuming over two hours of digital video each day, a 40% increase since the beginning of 2020. As a result, a digital video strategy has become a ‘must have’ not only for media companies, but also for organizations of all types, including fitness, e-commerce, sports and e-learning businesses, among others. These organizations have a diverse range of needs, require a flexible video platform that allows them to engage with their audiences on the screens of their choice and demand a quantifiable ROI from their video investments. Given these dynamics, the addressable market is on target to grow from $14B today to $50B by 2027, a 20% CAGR.

“Video has entered into a golden age, and we now live in the Digital Video Economy. By combining our easy-to-use video platform technology with our unique consumption and contextual data insights, JW Player has a distinct advantage in helping customers grow their audiences, create world-class video experiences on any screen, and most importantly, generate more revenue,” said Dave Otten, CEO and co-founder of JW Player. “As we enter this next phase, we are thrilled to partner with LLR. LLR’s team brings decades of unmatched support and expertise in growing industry-changing software companies and will undoubtedly help us accelerate our success as we pursue this massive market opportunity together.”

“JW Player has been at the forefront of digital video innovation ever since founder Jeroen Wijering created YouTube’s original video player in 2008. Today, the company offers the most comprehensive technology, advertising and data analytics platform in the digital video ecosystem,” said David Reuter, Partner at LLR Partners. “We look forward to partnering with the JW Player team as they expand their platform and continue to elevate the way brands can host, stream and monetize video.”

About JW Player
JW Player is the leading video software and data insights platform that gives customers independence and control in today’s Digital Video Economy. Started in 2008 as a hugely popular open-source video player, JW Player ’s technology platform now powers digital video for hundreds of thousands of businesses, including half of the comScore top 50 sites in the US, leading broadcasters across EMEA, APAC and Latin America. Each month 1 billion viewers, or one third of all people on the Internet, consume video on JW Player’s technology across 2.7 billion devices, creating an unmatched and powerful consumption and contextual data graph that helps customers grow audiences and generate incremental video from digital video. The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in London and Eindhoven, visit http://www.jwplayer.com.

About LLR Partners
LLR Partners is a middle market private equity firm investing in technology and healthcare businesses. We collaborate with our portfolio companies to identify and execute on key growth initiatives and help create long-term value. Founded in 1999 and with more than $5 billion raised across six funds, LLR is a flexible provider of equity capital for growth, recapitalizations and buyouts. Learn more at https://www.llrpartners.com/.

Media Contacts:
Fatimah Nouilati
Scratch Marketing + Media for JW Player
fatimah@scratchmm.com

Kristy DelMuto
LLR Partners
kdelmuto@llrpartners.com

Source: JW Player

--BERNAMA

​PROACTIVE ACTION BY JABATAN BOMBA DAN PENYELAMAT MALAYSIA (JBPM) ACCELERATES ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION AND COMPLIANCE (CCC)

​PETALING JAYA, June 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) and the Special Taskforce to Facilitate Business (PEMUDAH) laud the swift and proactive action by Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) in issuing a circular that allows deeming provision granting automatic clearance for newly completed building fire safety inspection. A circular dated 24 May 2021 stated that “if JBPM does not issue any comment or clearance letter within 14 days from the date of inspection and if during the closing of the inspection, no action needs to be taken by the Principal Submitting Person (PSP) or Submitting Person (SP), the clearance letter for the inspections of Passive Design (Form G8) and Active System (Form G9) deemed to have been issued for the purpose of the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) issuance”.

The 14-day deeming clause by JBPM enhances business and government efficiency. JPBM’s action was responding to challenges caused by the impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry as voiced by the players through PEMUDAH. The decision improves the ease of doing business for the construction industry.

Dato’ Abdul Latif Haji Abu Seman, Director General of MPC, which serves as the Secretariat for PEMUDAH commented, “JBPM’s decision creates a positive domino effect in the process and improves the overall productivity and performance. During this difficult time when businesses are facing various challenges, regulators need to be flexible and fast to act to facilitate firms’ operations. I commend JPBM’s quick handling of the CCC matter. This helps construction companies to be more productive.”

PROACTIVE ACTION BY JABATAN BOMBA DAN PENYELAMAT MALAYSIA (JBPM) ACCELERATES ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION AND COMPLIANCE (CCC)

SYNCHRONOSS ANNOUNCES PROPOSED US$100 MILLION PUBLIC OFFERING OF COMMON STOCK

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- Synchronoss Technologies Inc (Synchronoss), a global leader and innovator in cloud, messaging and digital products and platforms, announced that the Company intends to offer and sell, subject to market and other conditions, US$100 million of shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering. (US$1 = RM4.155)

Synchronoss also expects to grant underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional US$10 million in shares of common stock sold in the offering, at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions.

There can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering, according to a statement.

All shares in the offering are to be sold by Synchronoss, with net proceeds of the offering, and from the offering of Senior Notes and sale of Series B Preferred Stock, expected to be used to fully redeem all outstanding shares of Synchronoss’ Series A Convertible Participating Perpetual Preferred Stock and repay amounts outstanding under Synchronoss’ revolving credit facility.

B. Riley Securities Inc (BRS) is acting as the lead underwriter and sole book-running manager for the offering. Northland Capital Markets is acting as co-manager for the offering.

Concurrently with the offering, the Company is offering, by means of a separate prospectus supplement, US$120 million aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2026 (the Senior Notes).

In addition, B. Riley Principal Investments LLC (BRPI), an affiliate of BRS, has entered into an agreement pursuant to which BRPI has agreed to purchase US$75.0 million of the Company’s Series B Preferred Stock in a private transaction to be completed concurrently with the closing of the offering.

The shares of common stock described above are being offered by Synchronoss pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and declared effective by the SEC on Aug 28, 2020.

A preliminary prospectus supplement relating to and describing the terms of the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s web site, while the final terms of the proposed offering will be disclosed in a final prospectus supplement to be filed with the SEC.

-- BERNAMA

ALVIN CHONG, JANNINE WEIGEL, DOLLA, NICOLE LAI, RABBIT MAC, AND JAJA ILIYES COME TOGETHER WITH FANS IN THE

Artistes continue to uplift Malaysian spirits through the “We Care” initiative

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- Universal Music Malaysia and Allianz Malaysia Berhad (Allianz Malaysia) have dropped a music video for their positivity-filled collaborative single “We Care” to uplift Malaysians’ spirits in these trying times.

The song, performed by Alvin Chong, Jannine Weigel, DOLLA, and Nicole Lai, also features Rabbit Mac with a guest appearance by Jaja Iliyes. Rabbit Mac, who was inspired by the meaning behind “We Care” after learning about it from his friend Alvin Chong, wanted to encourage love and hope following the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the country. The award-winning rapper, recorded a rap verse that elevated the track’s positive vibe with his empowering flow. “We are all here together to encourage people, telling them that we will be here for you,” said Rabbit Mac.

ALVIN CHONG, JANNINE WEIGEL, DOLLA, NICOLE LAI, RABBIT MAC, AND JAJA ILIYES COME TOGETHER WITH FANS IN THE

Liquid Instruments unveils Moku:Pro platform for engineers, scientists

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 -- Liquid Instruments, an innovator in precision software-defined instrumentation, has announced Moku:Pro, a high-performance platform for engineering and research labs.

Moku:Pro accelerates the transition from traditional fixed-function test and measurement hardware to a flexible field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based approach by making high-quality instruments accessible in an integrated, software-upgradeable platform.

Moku:Pro hosts nine powerful instruments, including an oscilloscope, lock-in amplifier, PID controller, phasemeter, arbitrary waveform generator and data logger to ensure researchers have the instrumentation needed to quickly characterise their set up and scale their experiments.

The platform was designed to meet the needs of researchers in a variety of fields, from aerospace to semiconductor, according to a statement.

Moku:Pro’s instrument suite is particularly suited to photonics applications, including spectroscopy, microscopy, metrology, gravitational wave detection, active laser stabilisation, and quantum computing. 

Moku:Pro brings test and measurement into the modern age, allowing engineers and researchers to dynamically switch between instruments rather than needing multiple stand-alone devices.

Moku:Pro can receive over-the-air updates to deliver improved specifications, new instruments, or entirely new capabilities.

Users can expect to see these benefits as soon as September when Liquid Instruments plans to release a feature that will give Moku:Pro the ability to run multiple instruments in conjunction with one another and hot-swap instruments in and out.

Also slated for September release is a new cloud-based tool that will allow users to directly programme Moku:Pro’s FPGA. With this capability, users can implement unique signal processing algorithms and create their own custom instruments, which will further widen the gap with conventional hardware. 

More details at https://liquidinstruments.com.

-- BERNAMA

Bon Natural Life Limited unveils pricing of upsized US$11 million initial public offering

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 -- Bon Natural Life Limited (BON) has announced the pricing of its firm commitment initial public offering of 2,200,000 ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share (the Shares) at a public offering price of US$5.00 per Share (the Offering). (US$1 = RM4.162)

This is for total gross proceeds of US$11.0 million, before deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and other related expenses, according to a statement.

In addition, BON has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 330,000 Shares at the public offering price, less underwriting discount and commissions.

The Shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol ‘BON’ on June 24, whereby the Offering is expected to close on or about June 28, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

The Company intends to use the proceeds for working capital, to expand their sales and distribution network, research and development, and to expand production capacity.

US Tiger Securities Inc and Newbridge Securities Corporation are acting as co-lead book running managers, and R.F. Lafferty & Co Inc is acting as the joint lead book running manager.

BON is one of the leading bio-ingredient solutions providers in the natural, health and personal care industries. More details at www.bnlus.com.

-- BERNAMA

RapidPulse closes US$15 million Series A financing

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 -- RapidPulse Inc, a privately-held medical device company developing a novel aspiration system to treat ischemic stroke, has announced the closing of a US$15 million Series A financing. (US$1 = RM4.162) The financing was led by Santé Ventures who was joined by Epidarex Capital, Hatteras Venture Partners, Broadview Ventures, and Syntheon. According to a statement, RapidPulse plans to use the proceeds to advance its RapidPulse™ Cyclic Aspiration System through expanded clinical evaluation and build out its platform of proprietary catheters. The RapidPulse™ system was developed by Syntheon, a medical device incubator focused on developing next generation medical devices. “We are pleased to have partnered with an outstanding investor syndicate to move our RapidPulse™ technology forward in the clinic,” said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Syntheon, Sean McBrayer, who will also serve as initial CEO of RapidPulse. “Stroke is the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability worldwide, and minutes matter in improving these outcomes. This investment will help us expand our clinical results and move towards regulatory approval in the United States.” Joining the team are industry veterans Heather Harries and Cynthia Yang. Harries most recently served as General Manager for Terumo’s aortic business and will lead product development and operations for RapidPulse, while Yang will lead clinical development for the company, after most recently working in the neurovascular division of Medtronic. More details at www.rapidpulsemed.com. -- BERNAMA

ECHODYNE ANNOUNCES SUBSTANTIAL ENHANCEMENTS TO INDUSTRY-LEADING RADARS

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- Echodyne has announced substantial enhancements to its industry-leading radars, adding a new radar for international markets, new product for special operations-type applications, ruggedised radome, and continuing improvements in software and performance.

Together, these product developments represent significant advancements to its breakthrough radar technology, MESA®, according to a statement.

With customers in defence, national security, and critical infrastructure protection, Echodyne radars have become a core component for counter-UAS, border security, and base and perimeter 3D surveillance solutions.

“We continue to find excellent customer traction for our high-performance radars and are excited to add these new products and enhancements to the EchoGuard family,” said Echodyne Chief Executive Officer, Eben Frankenberg.

“We are scaling our business to, not only meet demand but to become the leading radar manufacturer for a range of current and future defence and security applications. There is a lot more to come and we’re excited about our next phase.”

The products and improvements include EchoGuard International. The new EchoGuard radar has RoHS3 construction and is compliant with CE Radio Equipment Directive (RED) compliance for EU customers, per Type Examination Certificate per 2014/53/EU Radio Equipment directive.

With EchoGuard spectrum expansion, many jurisdictions allow for RadioLocation use at 24.05-24.25 GHz, and EchoGuard now has a new product variant to address these markets.

The products and improvements also include improved radome; Lightweight Deployment Kit (LDK); firmware updates; new waveform ideal for slow velocity resolution; and, RadarUI update.

Echodyne, the radar platform company, designs and delivers high-performance compact, solid-state, patent-protected MESA® radars.

-- BERNAMA

CONFORMIS ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT IN CHINA WITH XR MEDICAL

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- Medical technology company, Conformis Inc has announced the execution of an agreement to enter the Asia-Pacific market through an exclusive distribution relationship with XR Medical Group (Hong Kong) Limited (XR Medical).

Under the distribution agreement, XR Medical will have exclusive rights for the sale, marketing, and distribution of Conformis’ patient-specific iTotal® CR & PS total knee replacement systems, iTotal® CR & PS patella devices, and iUni® and iDuo® partial knee replacement systems.

Other products, such as Conformis’ recently approved Identity Imprint™ knee system and its hip portfolio of products, may be added in the future, according to a statement.

XR Medical’s sales team will provide sales and support exclusively to top-tier facilities in Hainan’s Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone (Pilot Zone) on behalf of Conformis. The region is a major centre of medical tourism for dozens of countries.

“We are confident that our unique product portfolio will serve to accelerate Conformis’ international growth. And we are pleased to partner with XR Medical, which has an impressive track record of success in China,” said Conformis President and Chief Executive Officer, Mark Augusti.

“We believe that starting in the Pilot Zone positions us well and we anticipate that this relationship will serve as a model for future expansion opportunities in mainland China.”

The Pilot Zone is located on Hainan, a large island off China’s southern coast. It was established in 2019 to attract affluent Chinese citizens who might otherwise go abroad for their medical care.

This region of China has developed top-level medical treatment facilities in a popular destination. Currently, medical tourists from dozens of countries, including those in Southeast Asia, are permitted to visit Hainan for a 30-day stay without visas.

More details at www.conformis.com.

-- BERNAMA

SELANGOR AVIATION SHOW (SAS2021) NEW DATE ANNOUNCEMENT

 

SHAH ALAM, June 22 (Bernama) -- Invest Selangor Berhad today announced the latest date for The Selangor Aviation Show (SAS 2021), which will be rescheduled to 25th till 27th November 2021, due to the current Covid-19 situation in Malaysia.   SAS 2021 is an aviation show dedicated to providing an invaluable opportunity for high-level networking and market penetration prospects with industry players from various sectors, including commercials, the business aviation, general aviation, and helicopters sub-sectors of the aviation industry in Malaysia and potentially in the region.   Themed "Selangor, the ASEAN Business & General Aviation Hub", SAS 2021 is designed as a catalyst for all relevant stakeholders to network, dialogue, share knowledge and offerings poised to revitalize the affected industry in the post-Covid-19 environment.   This event will bring together the world's best of aerospace and aviation, creating potential business and investment opportunities in both domestic and international stages targeting to draw at least 5,000 visitors and at least 30 exhibitors from local and international companies. SAS 2021 features static aircraft displays, forum, education open day and exposition featuring key industry players.  Y.A.B. Dato’  Seri Amirudin Bin Shari, Selangor Chief Minister said that the postponement of SAS 2021 is a precautionary effort to ensure that the event will be held safely for all participants.  The announcement was made during the Virtual Selangor Aerospace Council Meeting earlier today.  Register now to witness the first-ever aviation show at, https://selangoraviationshow.com   Facebook  : @selangoraviationshow Instagram  : @selangoraviationshow LinkedIn     : @selangoraviationshow Twitter        : @SelAviationShow   For Selangor investment enquiries, please visit www.investselangor.my   http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=40332

ALCON JOHOR SECURES BEST PLACE TO WORK CERTIFICATION IN MALAYSIA 2021

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 (Bernama) -- Ciba Vision Johor Sdn Bhd, also known as Alcon Johor, an affiliate of the largest eye care device company in the world with 75 years heritage, was recently recognised as one of the best places to work for, in Malaysia.

During the assessment, the company received outstanding scores across several aspects of its workplace, going beyond the norm fostering a workplace environment built on employee commitment, teamwork, integrity, corporate citizenship and pursuit of excellence.

In this pandemic, employers in Malaysia are known to consider the overall well-being of their employees as of utmost importance, with Alcon Johor one of the great examples, with excellent policies and practices, supporting and protecting employees’ physical and emotional health, while continuing to focus on patient needs.

“This recognition is truly an honour and we are truly humbled to receive it. This is a testimony to an amazing work family, which we have here in Alcon Johor,” said General Manager, Dr James J. Govindasamy in a statement.

The Alcon Johor manufacturing facility is located in a wholly-owned 32-acre campus at Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), Johor.

The site produces Alcon's first and only contact lenses to bring together two advanced technologies designed to provide longer-lasting lens surface moisture and deposit protection, the AIR OPTIX® product family.

Best Places to Work is an international HR certification programme providing employers in different countries the opportunity to learn more about the engagement and satisfaction of their employees and honour those who deliver an outstanding work experience with the highest standards in regards to the HR practices.

For more information, visit www.bestplacestoworkfor.org.

-- BERNAMA

Centrient Pharmaceuticals starts production at new statins manufacturing unit

KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 -- Centrient Pharmaceuticals (Centrient), the global leader in sustainable antibiotics, next-generation statins and anti-fungals, announced it has started production at its new statins manufacturing unit.

With the building of its second dedicated unit on the Toansa site in India now completed, the company will double its statins production capacity.

This will enable Centrient to meet growing demand for its sustainably manufactured Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), according to a statement.

Starting almost a decade ago, Centrient has grown today into one of the leading statin API suppliers worldwide, servicing large pharma companies globally.

Next to high-quality features like long shelf life and large batch sizes, the company offers security of supply to customers through its dedicated statins production facility and backward integration.

The news of the facility expansion follows major milestones on statins that the company reached in the past years.

“With the doubling of our production capacity, we demonstrate our commitment to maintain our leadership position in line with our strategy and to continue supporting our customers’ business growth,” said Chief Commercial Officer at Centrient, Frans Vlaar.

Ground-breaking of the new manufacturing unit started in 2019-end and commercial supplies from the new unit will start in mid-2021.

With the new manufacturing line being operational and doubling the production capacity, Centrient will be even better positioned to secure supply, meeting the growing demand from customers and helping to improve the lives of patients who are in need of these medicines.

-- BERNAMA

TALENTED REPRESENTATIVES FOR TEAM MALAYSIA SOUGHT IN 2021 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF PERFORMING ARTS

KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 (Bernama) -- MATME Management is on a quest for the best performing talents to represent Team Malaysia to compete in the Global Event, the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) 2021, in Las Vegas in November.

The selection of representatives from Team Malaysia will commence through the regional competition, Malaysia Championship of Performing Arts (MCOPA) 2021, supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia (MOTAC).

According to a statement, the MCOPA selections are narrowed to six categories – Vocal, Dance, Instrumental, Modelling, Acting, and Variety Act.

The competition is divided into two age groups, juniors (five – 15) and seniors (16 & above); contestants can also choose to participate in solo, duet, or group performances. The MCOPA is open to everyone who resides in Malaysia, be it local citizen or expatriate.

Qualified contestants are required to undergo a Worldstars talent training course and an artist development programme, as well as a comprehensive class to be a Celebrity/KOL, before they can compete in the MCOPA Live Finals.

The selected winners of the MCOPA will then experience a month of intensive training before they move on to compete as Team Malaysia in the WCOPA in Las Vegas.

MCOPA 2021 Grand Prizes for the winners are provided by MATME Management, for Best Overall Performer - Scholarship Worth RM14,500 (US$3,500) (To Compete in five competition styles in WCOPA), while for Grand Champion of Each Category - Scholarship Worth RM2,100 (US$500) each. (US$1 = RM4.141)

As the country works together to curb the pandemic, the MCOPA will be held virtually in collaboration with the online streaming platform, Uplive Malaysia, allowing the prestigious competition to be streamed live (for free).

Amongst the notable celebrities who were past winners of MCOPA were popular talents including Yazmin Aziz, Nurul Aina, Iqwal Hafiz, Sarah Qistina Lim, Dewi Seriestha, and Aloysius C. Susek.

-- BERNAMA

Luminary launches subscription channel on Apple Podcasts

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 -- Subscription podcast network, Luminary, has launched a new channel on Apple Podcasts, making all Luminary Original podcasts available globally to Apple Podcasts listeners in more than 170 countries.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Apple, the house that built podcasting, to bring our original content to millions of listeners across the world,” said Luminary CEO, Simon Sutton in a statement.

Meanwhile, Luminary Co-founder and Executive Chairman, Matt Sacks said: “When we founded Luminary, we believed that supporting premium subscription podcast content was important to listeners and creators alike.

“Distributing our content on Apple Podcasts is a critical step in fulfilling our vision.”

The Luminary channel includes more than 30 Luminary Original podcasts including Under the Skin with Russell Brand, Snap Judgment Presents: Spooked, The CWord with Lena Dunham, and Leon Neyfakh’s Fiasco.

The channel also includes access to The Midnight Miracle, a new show from creators Talib Kweli, yasiin bey, and Dave Chappelle.

Pricing in the US is US$4.99 per month after a seven-day free trial, or annually for US$34.99 – or about US$2.99 a month – after a seven-day free trial. International pricing is similar to US pricing. (US$1 = RM4.118)

-- BERNAMA

ISS SELECTS UVD ROBOTS TO PROVIDE AUTONOMOUS DISINFECTION ROBOTS

 

UVD Robots are helping to ensure outstanding cleaning and disinfection excellence. Unlike many stationary disinfection systems, the UVD Robot is a mobile, fully autonomous robot integrating UV-C light to disinfect against all known bacteria and viruses including Covid-19 not only on surfaces, but the air as well, providing a fully comprehensive infection control and prevention solution. UVD Robots enable facilities to reduce disease transmission by eliminating 99.99 percent of bacteria and viruses in any room. The robots have been rolled out to more than 70 countries worldwide. (Photo: Business Wire)

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 (Bernama) -- Blue Ocean Robotics, the manufacturer of UVD Robots for autonomous UV-C disinfection, has been selected by ISS World Services to provide autonomous robots for disinfection as part of ISS’ global offering.

The agreement allows ISS to offer hospital-grade disinfection to its more than 60,000 customers in 30+ countries in healthcare, pharmaceutical, life science, banking and financial services, industry & manufacturing sectors.

UVD Robots enable facilities to reduce disease transmission by eliminating 99.99 per cent of bacteria and viruses in any room, according to a statement.

Blue Ocean Robotics CEO, Claus Risager looks forward to partnering with ISS, a world leading global workplace experience and facility management company.

“Our robots continue to play instrumental roles in helping businesses meet requirements prompted by the pandemic and beyond, resulting in significant reductions in workplace infections while reducing the level of employees on sick leave.

“The UVD Robot has unique capabilities to sense, document and show users how well disinfected an area is, enabling users to easily and quickly adjust the process and optimise if needed. A feature not found in any other UV-C disinfection robot.”

-- BERNAMA

DTRAVEL LAUNCHED, MEETS NEEDS OF HOME-SHARING COMMUNITY

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 (Bernama) -- Former executives from Airbnb, Expedia, and other global technology companies have joined forces with Binance-backed Travala.com to launch Dtravel.

According to a statement, Dtravel is a de-centralised platform for the home-sharing economy facilitating short and long-term stays payable with cryptocurrency and traditional payment methods.

“Dtravel meets the needs of the home-sharing community first and forever. It’s easy-to-use, highly secure, and optimised for the next generation of hosts and guests looking to take back control of their travel experience,” said co-founder and chief executive officer of Travala.com, Juan Otero.

Dtravel is backed by a US$5 million seed fundraising round from Kenetic Capital, Future Perfect Ventures, DHVC, Plutus VC, GBV Capital, AU21 Capital, Shima Capital, LD Capital and NGC Ventures, as well as several angel investors. (US$1 = RM4.136)

Dtravel is powered by its native token TRVL — coming soon to Binance Smart Chain and the Ethereum Network — which is held by all hosts and can be used for booking stays, staking to qualify for rewards, participating in platform governance, and more.

The first 100,000 hosts to register are eligible to receive over US$35 million worth of TRVL tokens.

Dtravel aims to replace the broken relationship between centralised home-sharing corporations and their hosts and guests by putting ownership, control, and decision-making back into the hands of users through blockchain technology.

In doing so, Dtravel is able to reduce fees; give a voice back to the community; expand payment options; align interests; and, create additional revenue streams whereby users can earn additional revenue by referring hosts and guests.

More details at Dtravel.com.

-- BERNAMA

CALABRIO EXPANDS CLOUD WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 (Bernama) -- Calabrio, the customer experience intelligence company, has announced the availability of its cloud workforce engagement management (WEM) platform via a local point of presence in Singapore.

The new regional WEM cloud service will support the growing demand in Southeast Asia for cloud-first contact centre services from local enterprises as well as global organisations looking to move into the region.

The Singapore-hosted cloud-based service was established for a large service provider enabling Calabrio to become the first in the region to offer a cloud-native enterprise-grade WEM platform that delivers true data sovereignty for Singapore-based customers.

This also includes providing superior power latency and data privacy to other enterprises in the Southeast Asian region, according to a statement.

The cloud solution utilises proprietary micro services, driving faster penetration and scale in new markets and maximising ‘time-to-value’ for Calabrio customers.

This launch also demonstrates Calabrio’s growing strength, leadership and commitment to the region, by supporting Southeast Asia’s increasing demand for cloud.

Calabrio has seen dramatic growth during the past year, especially with cloud solutions, with over half its revenue in Asia-Pacific (APAC) generated from cloud installations.

As well as providing faster regional services, the new WEM cloud service supports Calabrio’s ambition to provide total data sovereignty for customers in every country within Southeast Asia and beyond.

-- BERNAMA

UBERALL SECURES US$115 MILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT, INKS AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE MOMENTFEED

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) -- Uberall, a global leader in ‘Near Me’ Marketing SaaS solutions announced it has received a capital investment of US$115 million led by Bregal Milestone, Level Equity, United Internet and Uberall management. (US$1 = RM4.118)

According to a statement, it will be deployed to accelerate growth in the US and Canada.

As part of its growth strategy Uberall is simultaneously announcing it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire MomentFeed, the leading provider of Proximity Search Optimization in North America.

Together, Uberall and MomentFeed create a new, more powerful ‘Near Me’ Customer Experience platform with unsurpassed capabilities and global reach.

The combined company will manage the online presence of 1.35 million business locations, more than any other current competitor.

Uberall and MomentFeed are long-time business partners with a similar vision and complementary product suite.

The combined platform will bring together Uberall’s market-leading listings and reputation management products, as well as first-to-market features like Google local ads, and combine them with MomentFeed’s best-in-class local social capabilities, customer sentiment analysis and enterprise-grade service offering.

MomentFeed CEO Nick Hedges will join Uberall’s executive leadership team as Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President North America, leading Uberall’s North American business unit which will have a significant sales, service and engineering footprint in California.

More details at www.uberall.com.

-- BERNAMA

LIVERAMP-CARREFOUR PARTNERSHIP TO DELIVER NEXT-GENERATION RETAIL OFFERINGS

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) -- LiveRamp® has announced an expanded global partnership with Carrefour to enable robust data collaboration, analytics and innovation capabilities through LiveRamp’s Safe Haven.

Using LiveRamp’s best-in-class privacy-preserving technologies, retailers, consumer packaged goods (CPGs) brands and Carrefour partners can execute safe, simple and productive data collaboration on an unprecedented global scale.

Safe Haven is currently available in the US, UK, France, China, Japan and Australia, and, with Carrefour, is expanding to Spain, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Romania, Argentina, Brazil and Taiwan, according to a statement.

LiveRamp’s Safe Haven is part of a new business unit that Carrefour is launching on this occasion: ‘Carrefour Links’, whereby the partnership was announced at a press conference in Paris recently.

By delivering data connectivity and identity management in a neutral, secure and permissioned environment, LiveRamp makes a breadth of new use cases and revenue streams possible for retailers while transforming the way they work with their supply partners.

Through Carrefour Links, Safe Haven enables Carrefour to partner more closely with its CPG partners across nine international markets to deliver enhanced data collaboration capabilities.

LiveRamp’s expanded partnership with Carrefour signals the growing momentum of Safe Haven, which now serves more than 45 customers across retail, grocery, CPG, consumer electronics and other verticals.

The leading data connectivity platform for the safe and effective use of data, LiveRamp’s recent acquisition of DataFleets brings industry-leading privacy-enhancing technologies to Safe Haven, allowing customers to implement configurable data controls.

LiveRamp’s Safe Haven makes data collaboration safe and easy for customers regardless of the technical infrastructure or cloud platform used by each party, without moving data.

More details at www.LiveRamp.com.

-- BERNAMA

Nikkiso Cryogenic Services unveils Asas Aljood (Saudi Arabia) to become Authorized Service Provider

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 -- Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries’ Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (Group), a subsidiary of Nikkiso Co Ltd (Japan), has announced signing an agreement for Asas Aljood to become the Authorized Service Provider for Nikkiso Cryogenic Services (NCS) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

With the growth of the Middle East market, this agreement allows the Group to extend their regional presence for the industrial gases, hydrogen, natural gas processing and petrochemical industries, according to a statement.

“The newly formed partnership with Nikkiso and Asas Aljood gives us strong regional presence in Saudi Arabia and strengthens our ability to better serve the Middle East markets,” said Nikkiso Cryogenic Services President, Jim Estes.

“I am looking forward to continuing to provide Nikkiso’s customers top quality service and support by eliminating costly downtime to their operations and processes.”

Beginning July 1, Asas Aljood will utilise its local workshops to offer aftermarket service and support for both pumps and turbo expanders including packaging, repairs, spare parts and field service.

Based in Dammam, Asas Aljood will serve to strengthen existing regional presence in addition to the Group’s Middle East operation in Sharjah (UAE).

Asas Aljood is a leading provider of support and maintenance services in the oil & gas, petrochemical and energy industries, among others.

-- BERNAMA

AGILE REGULATION AND WORKFORCE ARE CRUCIAL IF WFH STAYS POST-MCO

PETALING JAYA, June 15 (Bernama) -- The Movement Control Order 3.0 (MCO 3.0) once again imposes Malaysia’s workforce to Work From Home (WFH), a necessary move to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infection as the number of deaths and positive cases are increasing by the day. This time both employers and employees are better prepared and more agile in adapting to the WFH arrangement compared to a similar situation in March 2020 when WFH came as a shock to many, just as the lockdown itself.

The arrangement of WFH or in its general term, teleworking, that is working remotely away from office premise by utilising the ICT and technological tools, seem to remain in many workplaces post-MCO, although it might not be the mainstream way of working. A hybrid model which combines the traditional workplace and teleworking may seem a plausible choice for both employers and employees upon looking at the pros and cons based on the current pandemic crisis. According to a survey conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 83% of employers plan or are considering WFH options post-MCO.

Teleworking is the future of work and the real new normal to job and workplaces. The advantages of teleworking are in terms of cost reduction, time saving, and overall quality of life and were cited in many studies conducted. UNDP reported that 54% of its survey respondents indicated that their quality of life improved as a result of WFH. When the overall quality of life improves, productivity increases. Along the positive side of teleworking, its negative edge also prevails. Lack of effective managerial supervision, inappropriate working space at home, lack of digital skills and infrastructure, disruption in operation, and decreasing social connectivity are the opposing sides of teleworking.

AGILE REGULATION AND WORKFORCE ARE CRUCIAL IF WFH STAYS POST-MCO

Sophi.io partners Layout International to transform print production

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 -- Sophi.io, a suite of AI-powered optimisation, prediction and automation tools developed by The Globe and Mail, has partnered with Layout International, a supplier of cutting-edge enterprise technology, to transform print production.

Sophi will provide the smart AI/ML technology to fully automate the end-to-end print production workflow to save publishers time and money and enable them to focus on creating high quality content.

Print laydown is typically a long and arduous process, involving multiple editors and page designers and taking hours to complete, according to a statement.

Without the rigid constraints of a template, Layout International customers will now have the opportunity to create a print-ready paper that is indecipherable from a paper prepared by human page designers, and the entire process takes just minutes.

Meanwhile, for Layout International’s over 200 customers, this partnership means seamless integration of Sophi into their current NewsPublish editorial workflow.

“We see this partnership with Layout International giving publishers the freedom to focus on content creation and the specific design elements that page designers want to spend their energy on,” said Chief Technology Officer at The Globe and Mail, Greg Doufas.

“The best part is that NewsPublish powered by Sophi.io is getting better and smarter every day, so Layout International customers will always be on the cutting edge of technology with this solution.”

The Sophi suite of tools is designed to identify an organisation’s most valuable content and place it in the most valuable places across their digital entities, or behind a paywall when the subscription revenue outweighs the predicted advertising revenue.

In addition to NewsPublish powered by Sophi.io, Sophi provides site automation, a fully dynamic, real-time, personalised paywall, and analytics solutions to publishers worldwide.

More details at https://www.sophi.io.

-- BERNAMA

AMAZON-NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL PARTNERSHIP TO SOLVE MOST COMMON WORKPLACE INJURY IN US

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Bernama) -- Amazon and National Safety Council (NSC) have announced a five-year partnership to invent new ways to prevent the largest category of workplace injuries in the US, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

According to a statement, Amazon and NSC have been working together for months on this first-of-its-kind collaboration.

The partnership will aim to prevent MSDs across a variety of industries by engaging key stakeholders, conducting research, inventing new technology and processes, and scaling the results.

The collaboration is made possible by Amazon’s US$12 million contribution, the largest corporate contribution in the history of NSC, and will include five key components. (US$1 = RM4.115)

The components are Advisory Council; Pioneering Research; Small Business and University Grants; Innovation Challenge; and, Industry Call to Action – The MSD Pledge.

An international advisory council established to bring together safety experts, corporations, and researchers in public and private sectors, working together to review the most promising approaches to MSD prevention, shapes the development of partnership components, and engages external parties on MSD prevention.

Research will be conducted by utilising next-generation artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and machine learning tools to explore current and future MSD innovations and trends. The research will be available to all industries to explore and glean insights.

In addition, grants will be provided to small businesses, universities, and university students. These grants will fund research and innovation that help companies of all sizes achieve impact.

The partnership kicks off in June during National Safety Month and in its first year will focus on launching the advisory council, identifying research partners, analysing existing data, and developing the grant and Innovation Challenge programmes.

More details on the partnership at www.nsc.org/amazonpartnership.

-- BERNAMA

EMERSON MARKS 100 YEARS OF AIR CONDITIONING, REFRIGERATION INNOVATION VIA COPELAND™ TECHNOLOGY

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Bernama) -- Emerson is celebrating this year as the 100th anniversary of its Copeland™ brand, a name that has become synonymous with leadership in the design and manufacture of energy efficient, reliable compressors to power air conditioning and refrigeration systems that are enhancing and protecting environments.

It’s a milestone that Emerson will recognise over the next 12 months as the company continues to innovate advanced Copeland products to solve critical industry challenges, according to a statement.

“The Copeland brand has a proud legacy and even brighter future,” said executive president of Emerson’s Commercial & Residential Solutions business, Jamie Froedge.

“Through our Copeland brand and our inventive approach, Emerson is using our stewardship position and deep history in this space to drive innovation for a more sustainable world.”

Reinforcing its commitment to continue Copeland innovation and intense focus on solving critical customer problems, Emerson completed a multimillion-dollar expansion of its Copeland engineering facility in Sidney, Ohio, USA.

This investment created 110,000 square feet of new engineering lab space for product research, development and testing of the next generation of compressors, electronics and other critical technologies for the global heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry.

Much of the work in the Sidney labs focuses on innovative compressor technologies that enable more environmentally responsible refrigerants with lower global warming potential to meet and exceed efficiency standards and regulations while empowering success in customer designs.

This investment is the latest addition to Emerson’s global network of R&D and customer solutions centres, including in China, USA and Germany, which fuel innovation and digital transformation across multiple industries and applications.

From research and development, design and engineering, to advanced testing and manufacturing at innovation centres and plant locations globally, the Copeland brand is positioned to continue its path of inventiveness, meeting the unique needs of each regional market.

-- BERNAMA

Zoom Phone Appliances launch empowers hybrid workforce

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 -- Zoom Video Communications Inc has announced the launch of Zoom Phone Appliances, a new category of hardware optimised for the hybrid workforce, from home offices to shared huddle spaces, addressing use cases across industries.

Zoom Phone Appliances combine Zoom technology with hardware from Poly and Yealink to provide video and audio capabilities and touch display, in an all-in-one desk phone solution for HD video meetings, phone calls, and interactive whiteboarding.

“The traditional workplace is evolving and adapting, and our goal is to empower the workforce to accomplish more by blurring the lines between voice and video,” said Head of Zoom Phone and Zoom Rooms at Zoom, Graeme Geddes, in a statement.

“The new Zoom Phone Appliance programme boasts a selection of purpose-built Zoom Phone hardware from Poly and Yealink, streamlining communications ,removing friction, and enabling a powerful communications experience.”

Zoom Phone Appliances simplify licensing, installation, use, and management, benefitting both the end users and IT departments.

Additional highlights of Zoom Phone Appliances include a full-featured desk phone with powerful Zoom capabilities; centralised management through Zoom Admin Portal; no additional licensing required; simplified onboarding with Zero-touch provisioning; and, touch display with interactive whiteboarding.

The inaugural class of Zoom Phone Appliances features innovative solutions from two Zoom hardware partners — Poly and Yealink — with others to follow.

Zoom Phone Appliances are available through the Zoom Hardware-as-a-Service programme as well as from authorised Poly and Yealink resellers.

-- BERNAMA

Sophi.io bags 2 INMA Global Media Awards

KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 -- Sophi.io, The Globe and Mail’s artificial intelligence-powered optimisation and prediction platform has won the International News Media Association (INMA) Global Media Awards in two categories.

Based on a statement, the categories are Best Use of Data to Automate or Personalize and Best in Show for North America.

The Globe and Mail Publisher and Chief Executive Officer, Phillip Crawley said: “I’m particularly pleased that Sophi’s fully dynamic, real-time, personalised paywall won in two categories, and that Sophi’s ground-breaking automated print laydown technology was nominated for its use with Naviga and Agderposten.”

Sophi also took second place in the categories of Best Initiative to Acquire Subscribers and Best Use of Data to Drive Subscriptions, Content, or Product Design and was shortlisted as a finalist in Best Initiative to Register Users, and Best Product and Tech Innovation.

“Great use of data with huge impact. Personalising paywalls is key for success in the digital subscription business for news media. This entry presents more evidence why this is true,” one judge said about the paywall technology.

This year’s competition drew 644 entries from 212 news brands in 37 countries. The judges were 44 global media experts focused on breakthrough results, unique concepts, strong creativity, innovative thinking, and winner synergies across platforms.

Sophi’s fully dynamic, personalised, real-time paywall uses natural language processing to analyse both content and user behaviour to determine when to ask a reader for money or an email address, and when to leave them alone.

It can optimise for multiple outcomes simultaneously (such as different bundles or price points) and also works well in cold-start situations.

-- BERNAMA

EIG-owned Cerro Dominador inaugurates Chile's concentrated solar power plant

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 -- EIG, a leading institutional investor to the global energy sector and one of the world’s leading infrastructure investors has announced the inauguration of the Cerro Dominador solar complex following successful synchronisation with the Chilean National Electrical System.

According to a statement, Cerro Dominador is wholly-owned by funds managed by EIG.

Located in the heart of Chile's Atacama Desert, one of the best locations in the world for solar generation, the complex comprises a 110 MW CSP (concentrated solar power) plant and a contiguous 100 MW photovoltaic plant that has been operational since 2017.

The CSP plant runs on cutting-edge technology that uses solar energy to heat molten salt, which is then stored in large tanks to be used to generate electricity through a steam turbine.

This technology provides up to 17.5 hours of energy storage thereby enabling the production of 100 per cent renewable energy round-the-clock, with the complex able to offset approximately 640,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually and generate enough energy to power approximately 380,000 homes.

EIG Chairman & CEO, R. Blair Thomas said, “We are proud to support this groundbreaking project, which will provide the Chilean national grid with flexible, safe and reliable renewable energy and contribute meaningfully to reducing CO2 emissions in Chile.

“The project is fully aligned with our ESG goals and priorities and is helping to lay the groundwork for a low carbon future through the production of clean, reliable and cost-effective energy.”

For more information, visit EIG website at www.eigpartners.com.

-- BERNAMA

Madison Realty Capital US$278.5 million construction loan for Austin, Texas 4-asset portfolio

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 -- Madison Realty Capital, a fully integrated real estate private equity firm, recently announced it has provided a US$278.5 million construction loan for a portfolio of four assets located in Austin, Texas to Reger Holdings LLC. (US$1 = RM4.120)  

Reger Holdings LLC is a New York-based real estate investment and development company led by Chief Executive Officer Gordon Reger, a third-generation member of the Reger/Mader family which founded the company.  

The portfolio comprises two mixed-use multifamily properties and 317 acres of entitled land with plans to develop 1,264 multifamily residential units, known as the EastVillage, located along the Parmer Lane tech corridor in northeast Austin and a luxury condominium in downtown Austin known as The Linden Residences. 

According to a statement, Reger Holdings contributed significant cash equity for the construction.  

“This transaction highlights Madison Realty Capital’s solutions-oriented approach and unique ability to serve as a single source financing provider to a highly reputable borrower,” said Madison Realty Capital Managing Principal and Co-Founder, Josh Zegen.  

The mixed-use residences comprise two development sites across 29 acres within the over 400-acre master site planned for the EastVillage.  

The first EastVillage development will offer 312 luxury apartment units across six garden-style apartment buildings with top-tier amenities, including a fitness centre, courtyard, and swimming pool.  

The second EastVillage development will consist of an additional 422 one, two and three-bedroom apartment units with state-of-the-art finishes, fitness centre, yoga studio, and 143,000 square feet of commercial space, among others.  

Meanwhile, located at 313 West 17th Street in downtown Austin near the State Capital and the University of Texas at Austin, The Linden Residences is a 28-storey luxury condominium project that will offer 117 one to three-bedroom units, 5,196 square feet of ground floor retail and 251 parking spaces.  

Newmark Executive Managing Director David Douvadjian, Senior Managing Director, Brian Butler, and Director, David Douvadjian, Jr., served as advisers to Madison Realty Capital in the deal.  

-- BERNAMA

MITSUBISHI POWER AERO DELIVERS VITAL POWER PROJECT TO MEXICO: RFP ISSUANCE TO COMMERCIAL OPERATION IN 145 DAYS

 

Bid submission, contract negotiation, delivery, installation, and commissioning completed in time to meet summer peak demand GLASTONBURY, Conn., June 4 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Mitsubishi Power Aero LLC, a leading provider of global power solutions, and Mitsubishi Power de Mexico, both subsidiaries of Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc., executed a fast-track, turnkey contract to install and commission five 30-megawatt FT8® MOBILEPAC® aero-derivative, dual-fuel gas turbines for CFEnergia SA de CV (CFEN), a subsidiary of Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE). The project, located in Mexicali, Baja California, delivers critical power in time for peak season. A sixth gas turbine will be added later to expand capacity and support next summer’s requirements. Mitsubishi Power Aero has extensive experience helping customers solve their most urgent power generation needs by providing mobile generation equipment combined with in-house EPC expertise; the FT8 MOBILEPAC gas turbine package is ideally suited for rapid deployment to meet emergency power requirements. The additional power from these units offers peace of mind and energy security to the people and industries in Mexicali. Additionally, as Mexico works toward integrating intermittent renewable energy generation, these gas turbines will play an important role in supplying flexible, reliable, and mobile energy to bolster grid reliability and resilience. “Although Mexicali has sufficient capacity to meet the region’s power requirements most of the year, there is a shortfall during peak season causing hardship for all who rely on a steady supply of electricity,” said Mitsubishi Power Aero Vice President of Sales and Business Development Harsh Shah. “The mobile generation units that Mitsubishi Power Aero installed will maintain dispatch security, reliability, quality, and continuity in the Baja Electric System. The MOBILEPAC unit’s reliable black start capability affords the ultimate safety net of on-demand power when the need arises.” http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=40206

Craig Stevens elected Boyden new Chair

KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 -- Boyden, a premier leadership and talent advisory firm has announced the election of Craig Stevens to a two-year term as Chair of Boyden’s Board of Directors.

Effective immediately, Stevens succeeds Jörg Kasten, Managing Partner, Germany, according to a statement.

Three new board members have also been elected namely, Dina Akimova, Managing Partner, Russia; Kathleen Dunton, Managing Partner, Germany and EMEA Leader, Private Equity & Venture Capital Practice; and Kristen Smit, Managing Partner, France, while Jim Harmon, Managing Partner, Canada, was re-elected.

Board members completing their service are Ulrich Schumann, Managing Partner, Germany and Kjetil Haug-Nodeland, Managing Partner, Norway.

“It is an honour to serve Boyden as Chair of the Board. My predecessor, Jörg Kasten, and our esteemed President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Trina Gordon, were exceptional leaders in navigating the pandemic recession,” said Stevens.

“I am energised to work with the Board to support our partners, as they collaborate with our clients across the globe to build high performing executive teams that are prepared to address rapidly evolving challenges.”

Stevens, who had previously served as Americas Director on the board is also Managing Partner, United States and a member of the firm’s global Technology, CEO & Board Services, Professional Services and Social Impact practices. 

With more than 75 offices in over 45 countries, Boyden connects great companies with great leaders through executive search, interim management and leadership consulting solution. More details at www.boyden.com. 

-- BERNAMA

 

SNOMED International releases 2020 Annual Report

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 -- SNOMED International’s 2020 Annual Report, ‘A new chapter powered by a global coalition’, has demonstrated vast breadth of progress made possible by the will of a growing and committed community.

The start of the year was marked by the delivery of necessary COVID-19 terminology to equip healthcare systems globally in their management of the pandemic, an activity which continued steadily throughout the year.

Further, 2020 marked the first year of a new five-year strategy, the focus of which tackled many imperatives for the organisation’s product and services enhancement and innovation, according to a statement.

The organisation continued to strengthen its connections with Members through refreshed statements of the value SNOMED CT delivers to its complement of stakeholders, further underlining the case for investment in SNOMED CT.

SNOMED CT is a product uniquely positioned to support innovation in medicine with artificial intelligence and personalised medicine playing an increasingly prevalent role in safe and informed care delivery. 

As SNOMED International continues to satisfy the mission and vision that guide its new strategy, the organisation is energised by the desire for innovation and commitment to excellence observed from Members, governance bodies and the SNOMED CT Community of Practice.

SNOMED International is proud of its collective achievements in 2020 and looks forward to sharing them with the global SNOMED CT community. 

-- BERNAMA

EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING: THE PROSPECTS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN POST PANDEMIC

KOTA BHARU, June 4 (Bernama) -- The tourism industry is currently facing a huge challenge, but with an optimistic hope that the industry will experience a recovery process soon after the approval of interstate travel permits.

Demand for the tourism sector always exists because tourism activities have been in the hearts of the community and act as a medium that can improve the community’s quality of life.

The Covid-19 pandemic has totally changed the normal landscape into becoming chaotic worldwide.

Supply chains are disrupted, the economy is in turmoil, social activities become retarded, and many more implications that we could not have imagined. One of the most affected industries in this pandemic is tourism and its related industries such as hospitality, transportation, and other service sectors.

It is realised that this industry played a significant role in the contribution to the national GDP in 2019, which recorded approximately RM86.14 billion.

EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING: THE PROSPECTS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN POST PANDEMIC

BAND Royalty changes NFT landscape, making accessibility for retail investors

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 -- BAND Royalty has announced its placement in an editorial published by NetworkNewsWire, one of 50+ trusted brands within the InvestorBrandNetwork (IBN).

Currently, retail investors can only get exposure to the music industry by buying stock in a public music label, investing in funds that buy/sell music royalties, or via websites that auction royalty rights, often well into the six-figure dollar range.

In what many perceive as a ground-floor opportunity, BAND Royalty is changing the landscape and making it accessible for retail investors to participate by owning NFTs, according to a statement.

After a private sale of music NFTs that generated almost US$1 million, BAND launched its own NFT sales platform on its website, creating the first music NFT-only platform this month. (US$1 = RM4.125)

The company opened up access to the first series of 3,000 BAND NFTs on its platform, staggering the release based on rarity. Its plan to keep the NFT count tight, much like other popular NFT projects such as CryptoPunks and Hashmasks.

The long-term intention is to have a maximum of 12,000 BAND NFTs across four different series to be released over the next 18 months.

BAND Royalty lets music lovers and fans take their music enjoyment to the next level by offering blockchain-secured BAND NFTs that enable holders to earn crypto from some of the world’s most popular songs.

More details at https://BandRoyalty.com.

-- BERNAMA

ECLYPSIUM, SECURECRAFT OFFER ENTERPRISE DEVICE INTEGRITY PLATFORM IN SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 (Bernama) -- Eclypsium®, the enterprise device integrity company, has partnered with SecureCraft PTE Ltd, an authorised Singapore-based IT security distributor for Singapore and Malaysia.

Leveraging its market expertise and existing network and channel outreach, SecureCraft will lead the introduction of Eclypsium into local markets, and provide regional support to system integrators and resellers for Eclypsium products and services.

Eclypsium Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Yuriy Bulygin said: “We are pleased to partner with SecureCraft to extend our reach in Asia, to deliver Eclypsium’s device security platform and provide organisations the most comprehensive visibility and threat detection and response across all their enterprise devices.”

“We are eager to become an extension of the Eclypsium team and begin providing our customers in Singapore and Malaysia a leading product that can deliver the deepest, most complete visibility and control across a wide range of devices,” said SecureCraft Group General Manager, Ivan Lo.

With a continuously evolving global cyber threat landscape, global organisations and their enterprise devices have become increasingly vulnerable to risk.

Through a single platform, Eclypsium’s technology manages the complexity of enterprise security across an organisation’s many critical devices, with a comprehensive approach to device and firmware inventory, vulnerability management, and threat detection and firmware patching.

Eclypsium’s cloud-based solution is deployed in minutes, utilising an organisation’s existing staff and resources. More details at www.eclypsium.com

-- BERNAMA

FOODITIVE TARGETS TRANSFORMING HEALTHY EATING VIA UPCYCLED INGREDIENTS

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 (Bernama) -- Dutch company Fooditive BV has set on revolutionising healthy eating via upcycling third-grade and side-streams of fruit and vegetables into 100 per cent natural products, creating a key to more sustainable future.

The plant-based ingredient manufacturer, in a statement, said it all started with a Jordanian man and his hate for waste and want for change.

Having experienced scarce availability of food during his childhood in Jordan, founder and food scientist, Moayad Abushokhedim vowed to create healthy and affordable food for all.

Packed with a strong food science and business background, he developed his own unique process of creating affordable plant-based ingredients, simply using the science of fermentation.

Fooditive’s first product, the game-changing zero-calorie sweetener made from apples and pears, was only just the beginning.

Since launching the sweetener, the company has expanded its range of creative products, including a thickening agent made from banana skins, a carrot-based preservative, and an emulsifier made from potato extracts.

The innovation behind Fooditive’s products and its dedication to delivering what consumers deserve have led to the company being nominated for the Foodvalley Champions 2020 award in the category Food & Health.

In addition, the new collaboration with Frutco AG in Switzerland, which will use Fooditive’s unique continuous fermentation process to produce a sweetener from banana side-streams, is the company’s latest step towards making the world greener and more sustainable.

Later this year, the company will share its exciting new products, a healthy fat replacer from avocado seeds and a vegan milk formation from peas.

Fooditive is currently funding up to €6.5 million for 2021 to revolutionise the plant-based food business and create healthy and affordable food for everyone. (€1 = RM 5.028)

-- BERNAMA

ZOOM UNVEILS FIRST QUARTER FISCAL YEAR 2022 FINANCIAL RESULTS

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 (Bernama) -- Zoom Video Communications Inc recently announced financial results for the first fiscal quarter ended April 30.

“We kicked off the fiscal year with a very strong first quarter, posting 191 per cent total year-over-year revenue growth combined with strong profitability and cash flow,” said Zoom founder and chief executive officer, Eric S. Yuan in a statement.

“Our steadfast commitment to empowering customers to work and learn from anywhere with our expansive, innovative, and frictionless video communications platform continued to drive our results.

“We have also opened our technology portfolio to developers through our powerful video SDK and to businesses to expand their reach through Zoom Events,” he added.

Among highlighted, in First Quarter Fiscal Year 2022, total revenue was US$956.2 million, up 191 per cent year over year; GAAP income from operations for the first quarter was US$226.3 million, up from US$23.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021; and GAAP net income attributable to common stockholders for the first quarter was US$227.4 million, or US$0.74 per share, up from US$27.0 million, or US$0.09 per share in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021.

In addition, total cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, excluding restricted cash, as of April 30, was US$4.7 billion, while net cash provided by operating activities was US$533.3 million for the first quarter, compared to US$259.0 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021. (US$1 = RM4.125)

For Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2022, total revenue is expected to be between US$985.0 million and US$990.0 million and non-GAAP income from operations is expected to be between US$355.0 million and US$360.0 million.

Meanwhile, for Full Fiscal Year 2022, total revenue is expected to be between US$3.975 billion and US$3.990 billion. Non-GAAP income from operations is expected to be between US$1.425 billion and US$1.440 billion.

Founded in 2011, Zoom is headquartered in San Jose, California.

-- BERNAMA

KADOKAWA ASCII unveils 2021 INNO-vation Program

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 -- KADOKAWA ASCII Research Laboratories Inc of Tokyo, the executing agency for the ‘INNO-vation Program’ implemented by the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, has presented the 2021 INNO-vation Program.

It is an annual effort to encourage global innovation on an unprecedented level, searching for creative, out-of-the-box minds to help the human race take the next steps in the technological revolution.

With the opportunity to receive support for eccentric technology, applicants can be part of the sponsor's esteemed graduate programme to promote collaboration and teamwork, and propel their ideas into the ever-changing future.

As the new decade begins, the INNO-vation Program is opening its doors to applications internationally and looks forward to building a bright new future together, overcoming COVID-19's recent impact on society.

From June 1 to Aug 2, the INNO-vation Program is taking applications to find these innovators and is offering support to successful proposals, according to a statement.

With the Disruptive Challenge and the Generation Award, applicants have the opportunity to create something from nothing or take inspiration from given themes, respectively. 

Opportunities to partner with the INNO-vation Program as part of the INNO-vation Network Hub are also available.

In the hope to help find and grow INNO within individuals worldwide, the INNO-vation Program is recruiting partnerships with institutes to collaborate with and assist the programme in cultivating the next generation of thinkers and tinkerers globally.

Previous graduates of the INNO-vation Program have created wonderful products in art, technology, automation, artificial intelligence, and robotics, among others.

More details at https://inno.go.jp/en/

-- BERNAMA

ZOLL, GLOBAL HEALTHCARE SG ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 (Bernama) -- ZOLL® Medical Corporation, an Asahi Kasei company that manufactures medical devices and related software solutions, and Global Healthcare SG, a developer of portable body cooling solutions, have announced their exclusive distribution agreement.

As part of the agreement, ZOLL has exclusive rights to distribute the CarbonCool® Full Body Suit and Comfort Suit in Asia-Pacific countries (excluding Singapore and Indonesia), according to a statement.

“We are excited about the potential of the innovative CarbonCool technology in preventing and treating EHS (Exertional heat stroke), as well as the distribution agreement with Global Healthcare SG that will further enhance our mission to improve survival outcomes in the region,” said Vice President, ZOLL Asia Pacific Operations, Christopher Barnabas.

Meanwhile, Global Healthcare SG Managing Director, KL Cheng said: “Our exclusive agreement with ZOLL enables us to leverage an extensive distribution network throughout the Asia-Pacific region, where CarbonCool’s innovative performance aims to improve the delivery of care in emergent situations relating to heat stress.”

The CarbonCool Full Body Suit can be deployed quickly and easily for treatment of heat stroke, which can be adjusted to most body shapes and size.

Additionally, the Comfort Suit offers a preventive solution for environments with higher risks of heat injuries and can be deployed as a personal cooling system by firefighters, bomb disposal squads, and HAZMAT personnel.

More details at www.zoll.com.

-- BERNAMA

MONDE NISSIN FINALISES PHILIPPINES' LARGEST IPO, BEGINS PSE TRADING

 

Monde Nissin Completes Largest IPO in Philippines History and Begins Trading on the PSE

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 (Bernama) -- Monde Nissin Corporation (Monde Nissin) has successfully completed the largest initial public offering (IPO) in Philippine history, and its common shares began trading on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).

The Company’s IPO of 3,600,000,000 Common Shares (the Offer) priced at Php13.50 per share raised Php48.6 billion, excluding underwriting commissions and other offering expenses payable by the Company. (Php100 = RM8.64)

Monde Nissin’s international and domestic book building process was multiple times oversubscribed, according to a statement.

“Today is a milestone moment in our history as we accelerate our mission to improve the well-being of people and the planet, and create sustainable solutions for food security,” said Monde Nissin Corporation Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Henry Soesanto.

“We begin life as a public company with significant momentum – our Quorn and Asia-Pacific Branded Food and Beverage businesses are performing well and are poised to capture the tremendous market opportunities that lie ahead.

“Our proven ability to advance our products by leveraging innovation and investments in technology to provide healthier and more delicious food allows us to stay ahead of evolving consumer demands and strengthens our ability to expand into new markets,” added Soesanto.

Soesanto rang the PSE bell that signalled the start of the day’s trading, alongside PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon, who was joined by his PSE colleagues COO Atty. Roel A. Refran and Issuer Regulation Division Head Atty. Marigel B. Garcia.

Monde Nissin is a global food and beverages company headquartered in the Philippines, with a portfolio of iconic and market leading brands across fast-growing categories.

More details at www.mondenissin.com.

-- BERNAMA

Arts in Hong Kong campaign gathers super fans for 'Sip Back & Sketch' event

KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 -- In celebration of the ‘Arts in Hong Kong’ campaign, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) invited hundreds of media and Hong Kong Super Fans to explore Hong Kong’s thriving art scene and participate in relaxing creative activities.  

According to a statement, Hong Kong Super Fans referred to socially influential people with an authentic connection to Hong Kong.  

The innovative ‘Sip Back and Sketch’ event saw Hong Kong and overseas participants try their hand at Zentangle — a form of meditative drawing that produces kaleidoscopic patterns — between artistic tours from on-the-ground Super Fans envoys.  

The event took place both in person at the West Kowloon Cultural District and online.  

Working off a template of Hong Kong’s world-famous skyline, participants brought to life their own vision of the city’s vibrant spirit by adorning local landmarks like the Hong Kong Observation Wheel and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre with patterns inspired by Hong Kong’s cultural heritage.  

The participants were treated to a live virtual tour of the first Art Basel Hong Kong fair in two years, as well as a fun and informative street art tour of Old Town Central.  

Despite the unprecedented international travel restrictions, the HKTB has been adapting to the times with a creative hybrid approach to global media and fan engagement to maintain top-of-mind awareness of Hong Kong as a travel destination in key markets.  

In anticipation of international borders reopening, the HKTB has recruited hundreds of Super Fans to partake in events to show off what Hong Kong has to offer, and reignite international travellers’ passion for the city.  

-- BERNAMA