Alipay, AlipayHK cross-border transactions spring back during Chinese New Year

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Alipay and AlipayHK have registered huge rebounds in cross-border transactions between Jan 21-27, the seven-day-long public holiday in the Chinese mainland as China relaxed its travel restrictions, celebrating the Year of the Rabbit.

Between Jan 21 and 26, the year-on-year (yoy) growth of outbound transaction volumes by Alipay users has surged by 150 per cent, with the Hong Kong and Macao S.A.R.s being the most popular destinations for mainland consumers, based on the number of transactions during this Chinese New Year period.

“Specifically, the number of transactions through Alipay from Chinese mainland tourists to Macao increased by 100 per cent, while that from Chinese mainland tourists to HongKong increased by nearly 70 per cent,” said Alipay+ in a statement.

Alipay currently serves more than one billion users and has transformed from a trusted payment tool to a digital open platform over the years.

Besides Hong Kong and Macao, Southeast Asian countries have reclaimed their importance as one of the most popular destinations for outbound Chinese mainland travellers.

The top five Southeast Asian markets with the highest transaction volume by Alipay users during the first six days of the holiday were Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Cambodia.

The most Alipay cross-border payments took place with merchants such as street vendors and convenience stores, and the highest average spending was seen at duty-free shops across various markets.

On Jan 8, China announced its first steps to reduce travel restrictions between the mainland and Hong Kong, lifting quarantine requirements that were in place for almost three years, thus Chinese New Year public holiday witnessed a surge in cross-border travel between the mainland and overseas markets.

AlipayHK, the most popular e-wallet in Hong Kong, with 3.3 million active users, saw transactions in the mainland and Macao jump 18 times from Jan 21 to 24, compared to the same period last year.

The number of AlipayHK users that completed a transaction in the mainland and Macao also soared 15 times yoy in the same period.

Both Alipay and AlipayHK are e-wallet partners of Alipay+, an Ant Group-owned provider of global cross-border digital payment and marketing solutions, which connects merchants with multiple e-wallets and payment methods.

-- BERNAMA

KOVERNOW APPOINTS ONE OF SINGAPORE'S MOST PROMINENT MARKETING AND DATA SCIENCE EXPERTS AS NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Singapore, Jan 31 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KoverNow, an insurtech start-up company based in Singapore, has today announced the appointment of National University of Singapore (NUS) Associate Professor of Marketing, Juin-Kuan Chong. Professor Chong, who is a behavioral scientist and data scientist by training, currently carries out research focusing on the challenges of nudging people to adopt useful technology. He joins KoverNow as a non-executive director.

Professor Chong’s expertise is in using behavioral and economic principles and data analytics and AI tools. His work has included studies into how people search for the best deal, decide who and what to trust and how they make decisions in strategic situations.

His appointment at KoverNow, which has developed a unique mobile insurance app, is intended to help the company adopt mechanisms to gain a more in-depth understanding of today’s consumers and their buying patterns. Professor Chong’s experience working with public agencies and companies across multiple industries and locations, gives him a unique perspective which KoverNow is keen to tap into.

Stephan Kaiser, CEO at KoverNow, said: “Professor Chong has a rich history of advising start-ups in the application of big data and artificial intelligence to their marketing strategies. His appointment as a director will help us to identify solutions to the key challenges we are coming up against as a disruptor in the digital insurance market. We are excited to have him on board.”

Prior to Professor Chong’s current tenure at NUS, he was Assistant Professor of Decision Science and Marketing, and a Senior tutor in Decision Science at the university. He also spent two years as Associate Professor of Marketing at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, Korea. He has held research appointments for the Center for Behavioral Economics and the Institute of Data Science at NUS and has published research and reports which have been featured in more than 60 news outlets globally.  

About KoverNow
KoverNow is headquartered in Singapore, centred around its core markets in Asia Pacific. The company’s digitally enabled insurance platform dramatically improves the customer journey for purchasing and managing different types of personal insurance by streamlining processes and speeding up renewals, approvals and claims. The KoverNow platform can achieve these efficiency gains whilst providing transparency, speed and value to existing ecosystems, channel partners and policy holders. KoverNow’s insurance platform provides features and functionality that reflect changing consumer behaviors such as greater control, flexibility and convenience in a truly mobile format.

For further information please contact:
Julie Kirby
Ascendant Communications
jkirby@ascendcomms.net or comms@kovernow.com


SOURCE : ASCENDANT COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANCY LIMITED

J-LEC BITES INTO PROFOUND WORLD OF WAGYU BEEF ON NHK WORLD-JAPAN, FEB 1

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- The Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council (J-LEC) has announced the production and broadcast of a programme titled "The Masterfully Marbled World of Japanese Wagyu Beef" on NHK WORLD-JAPAN on Feb 1.

According to a statement, the NHK programme introduces the profound world of Wagyu beef and its global appeal from the stage at the "Wagyu Olympics”, one of Japan's largest food-related exhibitions.

In 2022, Kagoshima Prefecture hosted the 12th National Competitive Exhibition of Wagyu, also known as the Wagyu Olympics, the largest Wagyu beef competition in Japan, and 438 cattle qualified from 41 prefectures in Japan gathered for the breeding cattle division.

This competition is held once every five years in different locations in Japan to determine which Wagyu production farm is leading the continued pursuit of the world's highest-quality beef.

Tracing the history of the Wagyu Olympics over the past 50 years reveals a transformation of working cattle in rural areas that were selected to be genetically improved into beef of the highest quality, subsequently becoming one of Japan's major exports.

In 2021, Japanese beef export value exceeded 50 billion yen (approximately US$500 million according to the exchange rate at the time) and the Japanese government has set a goal of tripling that value by 2025. (US$1=RM4.245)

Wagyu is expected to set a new standard for increasing exports of other Japanese products related to agriculture, forestry and fisheries, as well as Japanese food and culinary exports.

J-LEC is a Japanese organisation consisting of multiple local municipal representatives and sharing information with the world about Japanese livestock farming and the meat and egg production industries.

-- BERNAMA

JUNIPER RESEARCH: OVER 320 MILLION CREDIT CARDS TO BE ISSUED GLOBALLY BY 2027, AS DIGITAL CARD ISSUANCE PLATFORMS EXPAND INTO NEW MARKETS

BASINGSTOKE, England, Jan 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A new study from Juniper Research has found that the number of credit cards issued via digital card issuance platforms will exceed 321 million globally by 2027, from 120 million in 2023. This growth of almost 170% reflects the use of new advanced digital capabilities, such as digital loyalty schemes and instant issuance, as card issuers aim to combat competition, including buy now pay later.

Digital card issuance platforms allow card issuers to create cards using an API-driven approach; enabling cards to be delivered instantly to digital wallets, with the option for a physical card; boosting flexibility significantly.

For more information, download the free whitepaper: Updating Credit Cards for the 21^st Century

Digital Issuance Critical to Addressing $9.7 Trillion Opportunity

The new report, Credit Cards Strategies: Innovation Analysis, Digital Transformation & Market Forecasts 2023-2027, found that credit cards will account for over $9.7 trillion in spend globally by 2027. This represents a significant opportunity for card issuers to drive revenue growth by choosing the optimal credit card strategy. It found that rising affluence in emerging markets will be a significant driver of credit card adoption. As such, digital card issuance platforms are critical to delivering credit offerings in these mobile wallet‑dominated markets.

Research co-author Nick Maynard explained further: “In emerging markets, the ability to instantly issue digital cards will be a key factor in users choosing credit cards over other payment methods. Card issuance platform vendors must ensure localisation to enable cards to be quickly pushed to the wallets popular in each market.”

Loyalty Rewards Critical to Credit Card Popularity

The research predicts that by 2027, the monetary value of rewards for users from credit card use will reach $103 billion globally, driving overall adoption. It recommends that card issuers focus on app‑based loyalty to maximise the appeal of these rewards; partnering with well-connected digital loyalty programme providers to maximise their appeal. If issuers fail to do this, they will lose out to better-connected vendors in a highly competitive credit cards market.

Credit Cards market research: https://www.juniperresearch.com/researchstore/fintech-payments/credit-card-strategies-research-report

Download the whitepaper: https://www.juniperresearch.com/whitepapers/updating-credit-cards-for-the-21st-century

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector; providing consultancy, analyst reports, and industry commentary.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230130005563/en/

Contact

Contact Sam Smith, Press Relations
T: +44(0)1256 830002
E: sam.smith@juniperresearch.com

Source : Juniper Research

Some 100,000 foreign tourists visit teamLab Planets in Toyosu, Tokyo

teamLab, Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers © teamLab

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Approximately 100,000 people from overseas visited teamLab Planets in Toyosu, Tokyo between Dec 9, 2022 and Jan 9, according to PLANETS Co Ltd.

In a statement, it said around 60 per cent, or one in two visitors, were non-residents visiting Japan over the course of one month, and the number of foreign visitors has tripled compared to the same month in 2019 (before COVID-19).

According to a survey by the museum, it was known to about 70 per cent of foreign visitors before considering their trip to Japan, and there was a trend of the museum being one of the main purposes to visit Tokyo.

In the same statement, the company also announced that from March 1, 2023 to April 30, two works featuring cherry blossoms that bloom across the space will be on view during the spring season only.

The two works are Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers and Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and People - Infinity.

Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers, an artwork in which flowers bloom and change with the passage of time, and the universe of life spreads across the space, will be filled with cherry blossoms during this limited period.

Meanwhile, the work of Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and People - Infinity, depicts visitors walk in water and koi swim on the surface of the infinitely expanding water. When the koi collide with people, they turn into cherry blossoms and scatter.

Operated and managed by PLANETS Co Ltd, teamLab Planets is a museum where visitors could walk through water and a garden, they become one with the flowers. There are four massive exhibition spaces and two gardens.

More details at https://planets.teamlab.art/tokyo/

-- BERNAMA

 

GEEKPLUS, JAPAN'S LEADER IN AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLES, SELECTS BOOMI TO AUTOMATE SMART LOGISTICS PLATFORM

 

Geekplus, Japan’s Leader In Automated Guided Vehicles, Selects Boomi To Automate Smart Logistics System (Graphic: Business Wire)

· Boomi’s award-winning integration platform as a service (iPaaS) was chosen for its versatility, development speed, and ease of use
· Boomi to simplify and streamline integration of applications and data across Geekplus’ network of shippers and third-party logistics companies 

TOKYO & CHESTERBROOK, Pa., Jan 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Boomi™, the intelligent connectivity and automation leader, today announced that Geekplus Co., Ltd. (Geekplus), which has held the top market share in Japan for four consecutive years in automated guided vehicles (AGV), has selected the Boomi AtomSphere™ Platform to automate its next generation smart logistics platform.
 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230125005893/en/ 

Geekplus was established in Japan in 2017 as a joint venture between Beijing Geekplus Technology Company Limited, a unicorn company with the world's largest market share in autonomous mobile robots (AMR), and Japanese capital. The company contributes to improving the corporate value of logistics companies by providing services such as sales, installation, 24/7/365 maintenance, and productivity improvement consulting.

With customers in retail, apparel, pharmaceuticals, automotive, lithium batteries, photovoltaics, electronics, and more in thousands of locations worldwide, and approximately a hundred in Japan, Geekplus wanted to expand and generate new revenue streams to lead the company into its next phase of growth.
Leveraging its strengths in the supply chain industry, the company is working to build a smart logistics platform in-house for its network of shippers and third-party logistics (3PL) providers. Faced with the complexity of various data formats and the introduction of technologies such as internet of things (IoT), Geekplus needed a tool to simplify and streamline the integration of all its applications and data.

“We are aiming to co-create a new logistics standard by utilizing next-generation robotics technology to solve the increasingly serious labor shortage in Japan and the gap between the growth of ecommerce demand and the growth of physical volume,” said Mr. Yusuke Arima, System Development Group, Geekplus. “After evaluating various integration platforms, Geekplus chose Boomi’s intelligent, low-code, cloud-native platform for its versatility, development speed, and ease of use. The Boomi platform will enable us to connect our operations with our shippers, suppliers, and partners, while mitigating potential real-time supply chain issues.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=45295

NTT Com, Toyota Tsusho, IIJ, NEC Ink contract with Uzbektelecom

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 (Bernama) -- Toyota Tsusho Corporation (Toyota Tsusho), Internet Initiative Japan Inc (IIJ), NEC Corporation (NEC) and NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com) have concluded a contract with Uzbektelecom for a telecommunications infrastructure development project to provide data centre and telecommunications infrastructure for an advanced data communication system (the System).

Uzbektelecom is a state-owned telecommunications operator in Uzbekistan.

According to NTT Com in a statement, installation of the System is scheduled to begin in 2023 and the sequential launch of operations is expected to significantly improve the communications environment of Uzbekistan.

In response to the rapidly growing data communication demand driven by the digitalisation of various industries, Uzbekistan is expanding its telecommunications infrastructure aimed at issues such as improving communications quality and closing the digital divide between urban and rural areas.

In accordance with this background, the Government of Uzbekistan has made the decision to accelerate digital transformation (DX) and introduce the latest information technologies for its digitalisation strategy, Digital Uzbekistan 2030.

For the Project, launched under Digital Uzbekistan 2030, the four companies will provide telecommunications equipment and services required for Uzbektelecom’s data centres in three major cities (Tashkent, Bukhara, and Kokand), expansion of the telecommunications transport and data networks, as well as the international data communication network.

This is expected to significantly increase the speed, capacity, and quality of the telecommunications infrastructure and to contribute to propelling DX in Uzbekistan, thereby facilitating the country's transition to a digital economy in the future.

“The Project is funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Nippon Export and Investment Insurance, and the MUFG Bank Ltd.

“Through the Project, the four companies will contribute to the realisation of a more convenient and comfortable society, as well as the sustainable development of industries in Uzbekistan and other countries in Central Asia,” the statement said.

-- BERNAMA

Dickey's Barbecue Pit limited time offer Loaded Nacho Cheese Sausage begins Feb 6

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 (Bernama) -- Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, the world’s largest barbecue restaurant has unveiled a limited time offer, the Loaded Nacho Cheese Sausage, available beginning Feb 6.

From Feb 6 to April 30, the popular barbecue restaurant is taking a meaty, smoky, cheesy plate of nachos and combining it with its Legit. Texas. Barbecue. ™ to make the Loaded Nacho Cheese Kielbasa Sausage.

According to a statement, this indulgent sausage features Dickey’s premium, pit-smoked sausage stuffed with taco-seasoned beef, tortilla chips, and jalapeño beans with cheddar and pepper jack cheeses.

Chief executive officer of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc, Laura Rea Dickey said the company was thrilled to introduce this new hand-crafted sausage in time for the big game.

“Dickey’s award-winning Kielbasa sausages are small batch, artesian sausages made exclusively by Dickeys for Dickey’s barbecue. We are sure the new Loaded Nacho Cheese Sausage will be a legendary winner.

“With the Super Bowl right around the corner, our newest addition is sure to be a crowd-pleasing favourite that’s perfect for a game day spread. Don’t miss out as the Loaded Nacho Cheese Kielbasa Sausage will only be available now through April,” she added.

The Dallas-based, family-run barbecue franchise has 550 locations across the United States and eight other countries.

-- BERNAMA

Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group unveils sales and service facility in Qatar

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group, a part of the Nikkiso Co Ltd (Japan) group of companies, has announced another expansion of its sales and service capabilities for the Middle East market.

According to a statement, Nikkiso Clean Energy and Industrial Gases Middle East QFZ LLC will be located in the Business Innovation Park in Ras Bufontas, Qatar.

“With this facility, Nikkiso CE&IG will be able to respond more quickly to our customer’s needs, providing individual service and solutions and further support our customers with our local presence,” said Executive Vice President, Sales & Business Development of the Group, Emile Bado.

The mission of the new service centre is to support local and regional customers for all projects and services related to Cryogenic Pumps, turboexpanders, and equipment for Liquefied Natural Gas, Ethylene, Ammonia, Hydrocarbon Gas Liquids, and Industrial Gases.

In addition, Nikkiso will support initiatives by regional players, on energy efficiency, waste heat recovery and sustainability by providing integrated complete solutions, such as Organic Rankine Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery, Hydrogen liquefaction and fueling, and Cryogenic Energy Storage.

-- BERNAMA

Hillstone Networks announces major upgrade to operating system

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Hillstone Networks, a leading provider of innovative and accessible cybersecurity solutions, has announced a major upgrade to its operating system, Hillstone StoneOS 5.5R10.

The latest upgrade delivers artificial intelligence (AI)-based high performance threat protection, centralised Zero Trust control and management, and further simplification of security operations and system optimisation, among over 300 new features.

According to a statement, the new functionality enhances the security posture of customer environments and further streamlines security operations with an easy upgrade path.

“The latest iteration of StoneOS continues to address the challenges faced by SecOps teams, and the constant risks faced by enterprises globally,” said Hillstone Networks chief technology officer and co-founder, Tim Liu.

“Enhanced AI-driven threat protection, better integration, centralised control and management, and streamlined operations are all critical in delivering a stable and strategic approach to cyber-resilient cybersecurity environments.”

The new StoneOS leverages AI technology to provide machine learning (ML)-based threat detection for encrypted traffic without the need for decryption while also features intelligent DDoS protection and DGA detection.

A blacklist extension that empowers the Perimeter Traffic Filtering (PTF) function and delivers more protection against threats is also included.

StoneOS is the foundation for all Hillstone next-generation firewalls, which has been recognised in the 2022 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Network Firewalls for the 9th consecutive year as a Visionary.

-- BERNAMA

Rosario Ochoa appointed General Manager of Nikkiso ACD

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries' Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group, a part of the Nikkiso Co Ltd (Japan) group of companies, has named Rosario Ochoa as General Manager of Nikkiso ACD, effective Jan 16, 2023.

“Rosie brings a broad range of skills and experience to the position. With her leadership, I am confident ACD will continue to grow and meet our customers demand for the best quality and reliability of cryogenic pumps,” said Executive Director Nikkiso ACD, Jim Estes.

“Rosie's role further supports our mission to provide innovative equipment, technologies and services through our global group of companies to help our customers to make a difference,” added Estes in a statement.

Reporting to Estes, Ochoa will drive operational excellence throughout the Cryogenic Pumps Unit as well as the entire organisation leading the cross functional teams to improve speed and efficiency across the business.

“Nikkiso ACD, Santa Ana, California, along with Nikkiso Cryo (Las Vegas) is part of the Group's Cryogenic Pumps Unit,” it said.

Ochoa brings over 15 years of experience in production, lean manufacturing, sustaining engineering, new product development, environmental health and safety as well as quality compliance to standards such as ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO/TS1949.

A Bachelor of Science Degree in Electronics Engineering from Mexicali Institute of Technology, Mexico, and a certified ISO 9001:2008 Lead Auditor from AQS Management Systems Inc, Ochoa has a strong background in manufacturing operations, quality and six sigma, engineering, organisational excellence and cultural transformation.

-- BERNAMA

TDCX ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF DIGITAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN SINGAPORE TO PIONEER NEW CX SOLUTIONS

^{TDCX's Digital Customer Experience Center of Excellence is located at its headquarters in Singapore and is led by Ms Angie Tay, Group Chief Operating Officer. (Photo: Business Wire)}


Center will focus on CX solutions that enable hyper personalized and seamless customer engagement physically and in the metaverse

SINGAPORE, Jan 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- TDCX Inc. (“TDCX” or the “Company”) (NYSE: TDCX), an award-winning digital customer experience (CX) solutions provider for innovative technology and other blue-chip companies, announced today the launch of its first Digital CX Center of Excellence in Singapore.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230125005321/en/

 

The Center will focus on leveraging technology to develop CX solutions that enable hyper personalized, seamless and secure customer engagement in both physical and virtual environments, such as in the metaverse. Through the Center, TDCX will pilot and validate new CX models and the supporting emerging technology architecture, to develop practical real-world applications and use cases.

Mr Laurent Junique, Founder and CEO of TDCX, said, “CX has become a strategic differentiator for businesses and a key enabler for the growth of the digital economy in today’s experience-driven marketplace. As digital and physical experiences continue to blur, we want to pioneer customer engagement strategies that continue to deliver a human touch during those critical moments that matter most. The launch of our Digital CX Center of Excellence is the convergence of our digital innovation and consulting capabilities as well as operational mastery through talent leadership in Singapore. Over time, we have grown our client relationships at a global level. These clients are now looking for global strategic support.”

The Center is located at TDCX’s headquarters in Singapore and is led by Ms Angie Tay, Group Chief Operating Officer.

In addition to percolating new CX strategies and acting as a global command center, TDCX Singapore will also develop best practices in data science and analytics to help businesses enhance cost efficiency in areas such as quality assurance automation. These best practices will be developed into playbooks to help businesses drive and deliver customer value and retention.

Ms Angie Tay, said, “Our clients are in a constant pursuit of optimization to maximize their finite resources. Amid the recent tech shake up, we see more clients coming to us to understand how they can enhance their CX strategy and standardize their operations globally. Our digital CX Center of Excellence will enable us to continue developing transformative CX solutions for our clients and further entrench our leadership in this market.”

Mr Ben Sun who heads TDCX’s Advisory and Transformation programs said, “The increasing complexity of the business landscape means that brands are constantly juggling multiple competing priorities. They are looking for trusted partners who understand their needs and can continually add value to the relationship. We have been advising our clients on a range of issues, such as benchmarking their CX approach against best practices and determining the optimal balance between technology and the human touch to drive the best CX outcomes. The launch of our digital CX Center of Excellence is timely as it enables us to address a vacuum in the market and establish ourselves as the partner of choice for brands looking to deliver great CX.”

Corporate Venture Capital arm to invest in promising technologies

To support the Center, TDCX has also set up a new Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm to invest in the technologies needed to drive CX innovation. The CVC will enable TDCX to take advantage of the innovative solutions that are already being incubated and developed in Singapore and South-East Asia.

Some of the technology that TDCX is looking into includes artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation and natural language processing.

TDCX’s Digital CX Center of Excellence is the company’s latest initiative to help businesses leverage innovative CX solutions to win new customers, build customer loyalty and achieve their CX outcomes. It adds to TDCX’s existing capabilities through its Digital Innovation Lab based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which has been focused on developing new technology applications for the Group.

Since its 1995 launch in Singapore, TDCX has grown rapidly and is present in 16 countries across the globe. In October 2021, TDCX became the second home-grown company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

TDCX was also recognized by leading global technology research and advisory firm, ISG, as the top provider for CX services in Singapore in its latest Customer Experience Services report for Singapore and Malaysia¹.

About TDCX

Singapore-headquartered TDCX provides transformative digital CX solutions, enabling world-leading and disruptive brands to acquire new customers, to build customer loyalty and to protect their online communities.

TDCX helps clients achieve their customer experience aspirations by harnessing technology, human intelligence and its global footprint. It serves clients in fintech, gaming, technology, home sharing and travel, digital advertising and social media, streaming and e-commerce. TDCX’s expertise and strong footprint in Asia has made it a trusted partner for clients, particularly high-growth, new economy companies, looking to tap the region’s growth potential.

TDCX’s commitment to delivering positive outcomes for our clients extends to its role as a responsible corporate citizen. Its Corporate Social Responsibility program focuses on positively transforming the lives of its people, its communities and the environment.

TDCX employs more than 17,000 employees across 27 campuses globally, specifically Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, India, Romania, Spain, Colombia and Türkiye. For more information, please visit www.tdcx.com.

¹ Please refer to TDCX named a Leader in ISG Provider Lens™ Contact Center – Customer Experience Services SG/MY 2022 report for more information.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230125005321/en/

Contact

For enquiries, please contact:
Eunice Seow, eunice.seow@tdcx.com

Source : TDCX

GMO Research surveys distinct travel patterns involving APAC, Europe, North America

Will Travel Industry Recover in 2023? - International Travel Survey in EU/North America/APAC. (Graphic: Business Wire)

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 (Bernama) -- GMO Research has conducted an overseas travel survey in the last quarter of 2022 to understand the differences in travel patterns involving Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

According to the survey, the top three countries that respondents from North America would most like to visit in the future are Italy (10.5 per cent), the United Kingdom (nine per cent) and Australia and Japan (both tied at 6.8 per cent)

The US is a popular destination for Europeans and respondents in the APAC region. The Europeans polled also indicated their preference to travel to other countries within their region, mainly Spain (9.3 per cent) and Italy (7.7 per cent).

“This is similar to those surveyed in the APAC region, indicating their preference for regional travel, visiting Japan (20.3 per cent) and South Korea (6.6 per cent),” it said in a statement.

When looking at the reasons for each of the countries selecting the US as their chosen country to visit, the most common reasons included ‘many tourist attractions (25.4 per cent)’, ‘unique cultural experiences (13.5 per cent)’ and ‘its own natural landscape (9.9 per cent).’

In comparison, respondents would like to visit Italy as it offered ‘traditional food/drinks (29 per cent)’, ‘unique cultural experiences (24.2 per cent)’, and ‘historic buildings/sites (12.6 per cent)’.

In the coming year, the majority of respondents in North America (63.1 per cent), Europe (69.4 per cent) and APAC (56.9 per cent) plan to travel overseas at least once.

Specifically, 30–40 per cent of respondents in the U.K., Germany, France and Canada plan to travel abroad twice or more, indicating a high willingness to travel.

“When gathering information on overseas travel, ‘web search’ and ‘word of mouth from friends/acquaintances’ emerged as the most common sources across all countries. ‘Travel blogs’ and ‘online travel agencies’ were also frequently used,” according to the survey.

The survey was conducted within the company’s panel networks with 3,000 respondents across America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Australia.

-- BERNAMA

The 49-story Toranomon Hills Station Tower opens coming autumn - Mori Building

Completion image of Toranomon Hills (Note: please be sure to state the copyright “©The Boundary” when using this image.) (Graphic: Business Wire)



KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Mori Building Co Ltd, Japan’s leading urban landscape developer, has announced that the 49-story Toranomon Hills Station Tower will open this autumn.

“This project is being led by the Toranomon 1 & 2-chome District Urban Redevelopment Association, in which Mori Building is a leading participant,” it said in a statement.

With the birth of Toranomon Hills Station Tower, which currently is being thoroughly integrated with Toranomon Hills Station, the entire Toranomon Hills area, which has been expanding and evolving at an unprecedented speed toward the realisation of a new international hub and global business centre, will be completed as a “city” boasting a scale and impact comparable to that of Roppongi Hills.

Toranomon Hills Station Tower is a multi-purpose 266-metre high tower with 49 floors above ground and four floors underground which will offer world-class office, as well as retail facilities integrated with the station plaza and a hotel making its debut in Tokyo.

By integrating the overall development with Toranomon Hills Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, the tower will be complemented by a large and bustling station plaza and a pedestrian deck measuring 20 metres in width above Sakurada-dori Avenue (National Route 1), offering access to Toranomon Hills Mori Tower Oval Square.

By strengthening and expanding the local multilevel transportation network on the ground, underground and the deck-level, the Station Tower will greatly enhance the Toranomon Hills as a transportation node and will enliven the entire area by significantly improving pedestrian flows.

The tower‘s top-most level will be home to TOKYO NODE, an interactive communication facility consisting of halls, galleries, pool, restaurants and other facilities fully capable of creating new values, ideas and business transcending domains, aimed at sharing creativity with the world.

The design of Toranomon Hills Station Tower is OMA’s first large-scale architectural project in Tokyo. Its design is based on ”THE ACTIVITY BAND” concept, or urban axis running from Shintora-dori Avenue to the Akasaka/Toranomon area, creating a symbolic place for people to gather and interact along the axis.

-- BERNAMA

Tianjin Port Group, Huawei to build digital twin of port

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Tianjin Port Group and Huawei announced this week that the two companies will deepen cooperation to build a digital twin of the port, making it more automated and intelligent.

In a statement, Yue Kun, CTO of Huawei's Smart Road, Waterway & Port BU, said: "Ports are a vital link in maritime transportation, connecting trade and supply markets across the globe. Building more efficient smart ports is becoming an increasingly pressing requirement for the global supply chain.

“Section C Terminal of the Port of Tianjin has now been operating stably for over one year. This proves that 5G and L4 autonomous driving have already been successfully adopted by industries in China, and are creating true commercial and social value."

Yue believes that this progress will benefit various industries, with next-generation digital technologies, such as 5G and AI, combined to solve industry problems, promote digital industry transformation and upgrading, and generate social value.

As a major modern port, the Port of Tianjin boasts 300,000-ton-class terminals with a channel depth of 22 m. It has 213 berths of various types. In 2022, its container throughput exceeded 21 million TEUs, ranking among the top 10 ports worldwide.

Yang Jiemin, Vice President of Tianjin Port Group, explained that this plan consisted of three parts, namely construction of new automated terminals; upgrading of traditional terminals; and comprehensive digital transformation.

The Section C Terminal in the Beijiang Port Area of the Port of Tianjin was the world's first smart, zero-carbon port terminal. It entered large-scale commercial operations in October 2021, and has been stably operating ever since. 5G and L4 autonomous driving technologies are applied at this terminal to make it both safer and more efficient. At the terminal, container cranes operate automatically and intelligent robots of the horizontal transportation system frequently come and go.

Remotely controlled quay cranes lift loaded containers from cargo ships and put them onto the intelligent robots for horizontal transportation.

Supported by the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, these robots are guided to automatic locking/unlocking stations to unlock containers and then to the container yard along optimal driving routes that are calculated in real time. The entire process runs smoothly.

-- BERNAMA

Mary Kay Inc reveals findings on botanical leaf extract benefits

 

“Beauty is about holistic wellness. We’ve researched the benefits of nutritional supplements for more than 15 years. Consumers not only want to look good—they want to feel good. Beauty starts from the inside out, and our latest research helps inform us on the future of nutritionals,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Innovation Officer, Product & Science at Mary Kay. (Credit: Mary Kay Inc.)

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Mary Kay Inc, a global leader in skin care innovation and nutritional science, has presented new findings on the benefits of a botanical leaf extract when included in nutritional drinks containing protein, fat, and fibre at the American Society for Nutrition’s Annual Conference.

“We’ve researched the benefits of nutritional supplements for more than 15 years. Consumers not only want to look good—they want to feel good.

“Beauty starts from the inside out, and our latest research helps inform us on the future of nutritionals,” said Chief Innovation Officer, Product & Science at Mary Kay, Dr Lucy Gildea in a statement.

The findings, which the Mary Kay Global Nutrition Research & Innovation team shared, could have a significant impact on understanding of botanical leaf extract rich in polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, and 1-deoxynojirimycin and other active components to lower glucose response and improve satiety in consumers.

According to research by Mary Kay, the consumption of nutritional drinks with this extract produced a significantly lower postprandial glucose response compared to consumption of drinks without it.

The data also indicated that this extract supports “low Glycemic Index” properties and subjects who consumed the drink also reported improved satiety.

The research revealed is just the latest effort by Mary Kay to reinforce the brand’s long-standing commitment to advancing skin health, research and development, and nutrition.

The company holds more than 1,600 patents for products, technologies, and packaging designs in its global portfolio.

-- BERNAMA

Dickey's Barbecue Pit sizzles with international expansion into the Philippines

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Dickey’s Barbecue Pit continues its smoking-hot development streak across the globe as the iconic Texas-born brand announced their expansion into the Philippines.

With this exciting global expansion news, Dickey’s Executive Vice President Jim Perkins and Master Partner, John Lee, of the San Francisco Bay area recently visited the Philippines with a solid foundation in place to open the first Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Manila in the second Quarter of 2023.

John Lee is a real estate professional, as well as a restaurateur who already owns a Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in the San Francisco Bay Area, a national burger chain, as well as having created his own concepts,including Burmese and Peruvian eateries.

His son, Max Lee, current Owner/Operator of the Bay Area Dickey’s, will lead the expansion in the Philippines and the development of an additional 40 locations.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing the best Legit. Texas. Barbecue. across the globe to the Philippines in 2023,” said Perkins in a statement.

“With the representation of the Lee family, we have no doubt that the upcoming Dickey’s development will be a major success.”

Dickey’s continues to strengthen its international presence as the world’s largest barbecue brand and franchise, with over 550 barbecue restaurants including in Brazil, Egypt, Japan, Pakistan, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.

Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants Inc, the world’s largest barbecue concept, was founded in 1941 by the Dickey family.

For more information, visit www.dickeys.com.

-- BERNAMA

Morrow Sodali And Nestor Advisors Publishes 30-bank Sustainability Governance Report

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) --  Morrow Sodali and Nestor Advisors, a Morrow Sodali Company, has announced the publication of “Governance of sustainability in the largest global banks: A study of the top 30 European and North American banks” which examines the sustainability governance practices of the 30 largest European and North American banks.

“Sustainability is one of the big issues facing banks and their leadership. Shareholders and various stakeholders, including regulators, expect banks to be proactive in sustainability.

“In order to deliver in these areas, global banks have reshaped existing governance and organisational arrangements and have developed some new ones. Our Report examines these arrangements and comes up with interesting, sometimes counterintuitive findings,” said the report’s leading author, Stilpon Nestor in a statement.

Among these findings, the issue of board skills in relation to sustainability was highlighted. All the banks interviewed do not see having sustainability experts on the board as a priority but to make their existing board members more cognizant in the sustainability area emphasising on the development of director skills.

One interesting finding of the report is that banks further advanced in the “maturity spectrum” have done away with special committees and discuss sustainability as part of the general strategy and risk appetite.

Another key finding relates to the role of management in ensuring all business functions strengthen their capabilities to understand sustainability in which most banks worldwide have created senior management committees to oversee this transversal work.

Most banks have also included sustainability parameters in their executive remuneration approach.

The report finds that in the best performing ones, sustainability considerations have a relatively significant “weight” among other factors in determining variable compensation.

-- BERNAMA

PTI (Vietnam) Outlooks Revised To Negative - AM Best

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best has revised the outlooks to negative from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ‘bbb’ (Good) of Post-Telecommunication Joint Stock Insurance Corporation (PTI) (Vietnam).

According to a statement, the ratings reflect PTI’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

The revision of the outlooks to negative reflect AM Best’s assessment that balance sheet strength fundamentals have weakened due to recent capital erosion. In addition, increasing capital requirements arising from higher business growth and higher investment risks could further constrain capital adequacy over the near to medium term.

PTI’s risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), is forecast to decline from the strongest level as of year-end in 2021 to the very strong level over the near term, driven by capital erosion due to large underwriting losses associated with loss-making COVID-19 medical insurance policies and higher capital requirements arising from business growth.

Concurrently, the company’s regulatory capital ratio fell to 108 per cent at September 2022 but is expected to recover and exceed the company’s internal tolerance level. The company’s investment portfolio is generally conservative with the majority of its investments in cash and deposits.

However, the company plans to increase its investment allocation towards higher risk assets including non-rated corporate bonds and equity investments prospectively. A planned capital injection to PTI has faced ongoing delays. In AM Best’s view, this capital injection would substantially relieve pressure on the company’s risk-adjusted capitalisation.

In recent years, PTI has generated consistent underwriting profitability although underwriting performance was adversely impacted in 2022 due to material claims from its COVID-19 allowance product. As part of the company’s underwriting remediation measures, PTI is increasing the premium rates for its key lines of business, motor and health, in response to increasing claim costs.

PTI is Vietnam’s third-largest non-life insurer with a market share of approximately 10 per cent in terms of gross premium written in 2021. The company ranked first in the motor business and second in health and personal accident line in 2021.

PTI currently benefits from an exclusive distribution agreement that allows it to distribute insurance products via Vietnam Post Corporation’s extensive network of post offices across Vietnam. 

For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 -- BERNAMA

Press conference announces winner of Italian Super Cup

Simone Inzaghi: During a press conference post the Italian Super Cup (Photo: AETOSWire)

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- A press conference was held after the Italian Super Cup match between AC Milan and Inter Milan which saw Inter lifting the first trophy of the Italian season at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

According to a statement by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Sport, Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for hosting the Italian Super Cup whilst AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli shared his thoughts on the heartbreaking defeat his side suffered.

Inzaghi said: “Saudi Arabia is a friendly country, which made my team and I enjoy the time we spent here. I have many friends in the Kingdom, and I appreciate this country for the amazing work in organising such a match.

“We were totally clear-headed, and we played the perfect match. Now that we’ve achieved our second goal for the season, after reaching the round of sixteen in the Champions League, and for now we just want to celebrate this win.”

Meanwhile, Pioli acknowledged that he had not anticipated the recent decline they had witnessed but added that they would make every effort to make a comeback.

“We didn’t have a first half up to par for a match like this. We tried to get back with a good start to the second half, but then faded again.

“We’re not mentally at our best right now. We have to do more and do better,” he said.

-- BERNAMA

Discover Global Network launches Tap and Pay solutions with transit agencies

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Discover Global Network, the payments brand of Discover, has launched Tap and Pay solutions with transit agencies and local acquiring partners such as EMT Madrid, Metro de Seville and GetNet in Spain, Mennica (Poland) and New Taipei Metro (Taiwan).

Riders may now use their Discover, Diners Club International and network alliance partner cards to make contactless payments at these transit agencies in top international destinations.

Discover vice president of core network products and delivery, Emily Foshee said the Discover Transit Solution gives riders the flexibility to pay how they want and provides a seamless customer experience.

“Accepting contactless payments from cardholders in the Discover Global Network can help transit companies drive volume, lower operating costs and decrease cost of fare collection,” she said in a statement.

The Discover Transit Solution enables acceptance of both traditional and contactless transit payments and offers customisable options including supporting merchant transit fare policies, pass products (credentialing), white labeling, contactless payments, first ride risk share and payment account reference.

Discover has been working with transit partners in the United States since 2012 and is enabled on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (NYMTA), Albany, NY (CDTA) Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Portland (Tri-Met).

As of February 2022, 53 per cent of transit transactions are contactless, up from 14 per cent in August 2020. Globally, 150 large cities are looking to adopt contactless payments for transit systems.

Discover Global Network is the fastest growing global payments network with over 280 million cardholders, more than 60 million merchant acceptance locations and 1.8 million automated teller machine (ATM) and cash access locations.

-- BERNAMA

NEW RESEARCH REVEALS SHIFTING IDENTITIES OF GLOBAL FISHING FLEET TO HELP BOLSTER FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

Scientific study fuses multiple data sources to advance global understanding of vessel identity and behavior


WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan 19 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new study published today in Science Advances combines a decade’s worth of satellite vessel tracking data with identification information from more than 40 public registries to determine where and when vessels responsible for most of the world’s industrial fishing change their country of registration, a practice known as “reflagging”, and identify hotspots of potential unauthorized fishing and activity of foreign-owned vessels.   

Using big data processing and a compilation of global datasets, researchers from Global Fishing Watch, the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab from Duke University, and Stockholm Resilience Centre were able to track and analyze 35,000 commercial fishing and support vessels to reveal their changing identities and enable the reconstruction of vessel histories to demonstrate reflagging patterns. 

The study, “Tracking Elusive and Shifting Identities of the Global Fishing Fleet'' found that close to 20 percent of high seas fishing is carried out by vessels that are either internationally unregulated or not publicly authorized, with large concentrations of these ships operating in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean and the western Indian Ocean.

The data used in the study is intended to complement the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ Global Record of Fishing Vessels, Refrigerated Transport Vessels and Supply Vessels, a flagship transparency initiative which serves as the official database of information on vessels used for fishing and fishing-related activities. Together with the International Maritime Organization’s ship identification number scheme, these resources can provide fisheries authorities with the information needed to adequately monitor vessel activity, implement flag State responsibilities, and inform responsible fisheries management. 

“Until now, we’ve had limited information linking together the identity and activity of specific vessels,” said Jaeyoon Park, senior data scientist at Global Fishing Watch and lead author of the study. “When a vessel’s identity is changed, it makes tracking them all the more difficult, allowing bad actors the opportunity to take advantage of information gaps and avoid oversight. We need to close that loophole.” 

Of the 116 States involved in reflagging, the study found that one-fifth of them were responsible for about 80 percent of this practice over the past decade, with most reflagging occurring in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Pacific Islands. The study found that reflagging takes place in just a few ports—Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Busan, Zhoushan, and Kaohsiung have the highest activity. Vessels are often reflagged to States that are unrelated to the ports in which they are changing their registrations. This means that a vessel can change its flag from one country to another without ever having to enter port in either of those countries.

While there are legitimate reasons for a vessel to change its identity, abusive reflagging, or “flag hopping,” is one way that operators avoid oversight. The study found that fleets with prevalent reflagging are over five times more likely to be composed of vessels under foreign ownership which are often registered to “flags of convenience,” defined by the International Transport Workers' Federation as countries that offer foreign shipowners the ability to register, or fly the flag, of their own State. 

While reflagging and foreign ownership are lawful, when not properly regulated and monitored, they can indicate a risk of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. IUU fishing accounts for as much as 20 percent of the global seafood catch with annual losses valued at up to $23.5 billion.

“Knowing the identities of vessels fishing the high seas is critical for uncovering the connection between the potential IUU fishing behavior and vessels that repeatedly change their name, flag State or registered owner,” said co-author Gabrielle Carmine, a doctoral candidate at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment. “This analysis could be used to help monitor fisheries more effectively and for accountability in the use and protection of marine biodiversity."

The study also identified concentrations of fishing activity by foreign-owned vessels, which are focused in parts of the high seas and certain national waters, including the southwest Pacific, the northwest Indian Ocean, Argentina and the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), and West Africa where vessels are typically owned by China, Chinese Taipei, and Spain. The hotspots in this study correspond to the areas in which multiple nongovernmental organizations have called for better governance systems. 

“By synthesizing more than 100 billion GPS positions with consolidated identity information from 200,000 vessels, we were able to reveal patterns about vessel activity from the past decade,” added Park. “This study represents a major step forward in our ability to enhance monitoring efforts and help authorities direct enforcement resources.” 

The data used in this study will be periodically updated and shared publicly to help enable better understanding of vessel behavior and bolster international fisheries management. 

Notes to the editor:

• Download data visualizations, video, and figures from the paper here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11T-UNkRQmlktINuTw5ufurNFuzAIxTu8?usp=share_link 
• Data visualization caption: Data analysis in this study’s assessment of fishing compliance revealed hotspots of fishing activity by foreign-owned vessels in the southwest Pacific, the west Indian oceans, and certain national waters.
• About vessel identity data: The data used to determine vessel identities in this study were based on public registries. A lack of vessel identity information exists at the national level, while the high seas are predominantly covered by registries published by regional fisheries management organizations. The identity data used in this study has more extensive coverage for vessels that are 24 meters and longer, as these vessels are more likely to be registered to national or international public registries than smaller ones.
• About AIS data: First developed as a collision-avoidance system, AIS is essential to vessel and crew safety. But AIS is easily manipulated, as it can simply be switched off or allow the transmission of false information, such as a vessel’s name, type or location. Currently there is no global mandate for all fishing vessels to broadcast on AIS. And due to the varying quality of satellite reception by region, there is also unequal coverage of AIS data throughout the world. Most vessels larger than 24 meters are equipped with AIS while only a small fraction of vessels smaller than 24 meters use AIS, resulting in limitations in AIS data. 
• Paper citation: J. Park, J. Van Osdel, J. Turner, C. M. Farthing, N. A. Miller, H. L. Linder, G. Ortuño Crespo, G. Carmine, D. A. Kroodsma, Tracking elusive and shifting identities of the global fishing fleet. Sci. Adv. 9, eabp8200 (2023).
• Download the data at: https://globalfishingwatch.org/data-download/datasets/public-vessel-identity:v20230118 

 
Global Fishing Watch is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea. By creating and publicly sharing map visualizations, data and analysis tools, we aim to enable scientific research and transform the way our ocean is managed. We believe human activity at sea should be public knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean for the common good of all.

Attachment

• Fishing effort by foreign-owned fishing vessels, 2012-2020

Lisa Tossey
Global Fishing Watch
+1-302-448-6638
lisa.tossey@globalfishingwatch.org

SOURCE : Global Fishing Watch

Spryker to lead Australia Poolwerx’s digital transformation initiative

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- Spryker, the composable commerce platform for enterprises has been chosen by Poolwerx, the world's largest franchise pool service brand and Australia’s No. 1 Pool Service Brand, to lead the digital transformation initiative.

According to a statement, Poolwerx is partnering with Spryker to connect its digital and retail store experience and enable commerce across the entirety of its network.

Core to this transformation is enhancing the experience for clients, franchise partners and the Poolwerx team via a unique use of Spryker’s marketplace capabilities to deliver a new customer e-commerce portal.

This also includes a franchise partner portal to manage their own products and orders, and an operator portal to provide visibility and operational capabilities across all environments and channels.

“Poolwerx’ commitment to digital transformation has made them a leader in the market and partnering with Spryker is just the next step in their journey to a fully composable commerce experience,” said Spryker senior sales manager APAC, Chris Gourvelos.

Meanwhile, Poolwerx chief innovation and technology officer, Shannon O’Brien said: “We have a long roadmap that we need to build out but we’re confident we can deliver on even the most complex workflows by utilising Spryker’s composable platform.”

Using its Application Programming Interface (API)-first approach, Spryker will connect previously disconnected systems across retail, service and back-of-house architecture, enabling Poolwerx to see and manage everything effectively from a single administrative portal provided by Spryker.

Retail team and pool service technicians will have the right information delivered to them in a timely manner and franchise partners will have significantly upgraded business capabilities.

Most importantly, clients will be able to have a completely connected and easy to use omnichannel experience so they can spend more time enjoying their pool and less time worrying about it.

Searching for a commerce solution that could bring together various data from disconnected systems, Poolwerx is able to deliver the most advanced commerce experiences in the pool industry globally with Spryker handling clienteling, order management and e-commerce.

-- BERNAMA

By George! Expensify welcomes Clooney as headline speaker at Expensicon 2023

 

George Clooney -- award-winning actor, businessman, and philanthropist -- will be the headline speaker at ExpensiCon in May. (Photo: Business Wire)

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Expensify Inc (EXFY), a payments superapp that helps individuals and businesses worldwide simplify the way they manage money, has chosen George Clooney as the headline speaker at ExpensiCon in May in Puglia, Italy.

Clooney, an award-winning actor, businessman and philanthropist, will join 100 accounting thought leaders to share his perspective on building multiple businesses and engaging in projects that encourage social good, aligning with EXFY’s own work in corporate social responsibility with its non-profit, Expensify.org, according to EXFY in a statement.

ExpensiCon is the invite-only, all-expenses-paid conference that brings together innovators, thought leaders, disruptors and transformers of the accounting industry to discuss the future of the ever-changing landscape of finance and accounting.

The premier global accounting conference will facilitate thought leader roundtable discussions, exclusive networking opportunities, strategy workshop, and VIP events for partner accounting firms, bringing together the top minds in the accounting and fintech space to share their knowledge.

Previous ExpensiCons in Bora Bora and Maui included attendees from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Deloitte, Binder Dijker Otte (BDO), CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), Baker Tilly and EisnerAmper, as well as keynote speakers such as Travis Kalanick of Uber, René Lacerte of Bill.com, Zach Nelson of NetSuite and Rod Drury of Xero.

-- BERNAMA

BLACK & VEATCH PROPOSES HYDROGEN AS SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE FUEL FOR TRANSPORT

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- Black & Veatch, a global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company has highlighted the use of hydrogen as a sustainable alternative fuel for transport at the Hydrogen India Summit 2023.

 Black & Veatch’s Country Manager and Managing Director India, Ruturaj Govilkar proposed that electric vehicles (EVs) and vehicles powered by hydrogen, in particular commercial fleets are an alternate form of transportation that may eventually be more cost-effective, compared to the rising cost of fossil fuels.

With India’s reliance on imported crude oil, opportunities exist to plan for and grow the use of green hydrogen as a zero-emissions fuel source for the country’s transport sector, including commercial fleets and aviation.

Govilkar said the commercial credibility of hydrogen development was absolutely key, particularly around securing viable off-takers for the product.

“There are a few emerging business models that are being studied and developed more closely in India, for domestic consumption and export.

“This includes the use of hydrogen for transport fleets, the use of hydrogen derivatives as an aviation fuel and the production of green ammonia,” added Govilkar in a statement.

India serves as an integral part of Black & Veatch’s innovation network exploring and providing hydrogen and other emerging sustainable solutions for clients globally.

Countries continue to announce new decarbonisation and hydrogen strategies, and India recently approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an initial outlay of Rs.19,744 crore (US$2.3 billion). (US$1=RM4.327)

The Mission aims to make India a global hub for production, utilisation and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives.

Other promising commercial models include the production of green ammonia for export whereby importing countries could substitute ammonia directly for natural gas and use it for critical applications like power generation or the use of ammonia as a fuel for shipping.

-- BERNAMA

METALPHA TO EXPAND IN DIGITAL ASSET WEALTH MANAGEMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Dragon Victory International Limited has announced officially changing its name to Metalpha Technology Holding Limited (the Company). The Company has also successfully completed restructuring with Antalpha Technologies Limited (Antalpha).

Upon completion of the reorganisation, Metalpha Limited (Metalpha) will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Established in 2021, Metalpha is a leading digital assets wealth management company headquartered in Hong Kong.

The company works with clients to create tailor-made instruments that enable sophisticated investors to establish or liquidate investment positions or undertake hedging strategies.

This reorganisation demonstrates a high level of confidence that the Company’s management team has in Metalpha's ability to increase its presence and develop a competitive advantage under the current market conditions and is intended to pave the way for new opportunities for Metalpha to become a global leader in digital asset wealth management.

Metalpha employs finance talents with deep experience in derivatives and structured products, many of whom formerly worked at industry-leading banks such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and UBS.

“The crypto industry continues to have room for growth, despite its challenges this year. We are looking very closely at how to build a stronger and healthier global market for digital assets, which we are doing together with our partners, such as Antalpha, and many others,” said founder and chief executive officer, Adrian Wang in a statement.

Metalpha aims to provide customers with high-quality product design and trading capabilities in the industry and is committed to delivering the best structured derivative products to cryptocurrency market participants. The company does not offer services to Mainland China and pursues the highest level of compliance standards in every jurisdiction it operates in.

Looking ahead, the Company will actively work with regulators on various compliance measures and plans to invest in supporting public education in blockchain technology and hiring more personnel at its headquarters in Hong Kong.

-- BERNAMA

JUNIPER RESEARCH: REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING USERS TO REACH 115 MILLION GLOBALLY BY 2027; DRIVEN BY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM PRESSURES

BASINGSTOKE, England, Jan 16 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A new Juniper Research study found the total number of patients using RPM (Remote Patient Monitoring) solutions will reach 115.5 million globally by 2027, equating to 1.4% of the total population. This is an increase from only 75 million in 2023. This growth of 67% is driven by greater pressure on healthcare systems, including clinical staff shortages and limited space within hospitals, driving the need for alternative healthcare solutions. RPM enables care to be moved outside of overstressed healthcare facilities; boosting healthcare providers’ efficiency.

RPM solutions encompass a variety of health monitoring devices which enable continuous communication between patients and healthcare providers without the need for close contact.
 

·  To find out more see the new report: Remote Patient Monitoring: Key Trends, Regional Analysis & Market Forecasts 2023-2027 

·  Download the free whitepaper: Remote Patient Monitoring: Three Key Trends in 2023  

Prevalence of Cardiac Conditions to Drive RPM Usage

The research predicted that by 2027, there will be 90 million cardiac patients using RPM solutions. Given the high global prevalence of cardiac conditions, the report recommended that healthcare providers use RPM solutions to monitor the heart rate and blood pressure of cardiac patients at home to lower the number of patients in hospital. RPM solutions will also indirectly decrease disease transmission rates and alleviate pressure on healthcare systems by reducing the demand for hospital beds.

Research author Cara Malone remarked: “There are a variety of connected devices that can be used for cardiac patient monitoring, for example blood pressure and heart rate monitors, which can be challenging for less technologically literate patients. Vendors must prioritise device simplification through software improvements, whilst also incorporating patient education to improve healthcare outcomes.” 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=45218

FLOOID ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH FREEDOMPAY TO EXPAND GLOBAL REACH

The partnership will bring enhanced commerce functionality to Retailers around the world.


London, England, Jan 16 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flooid today announces a strategic partnership with FreedomPay, the global leader in Next Level Commerce™, to bring industry-leading Retail solutions to merchants globally. 

Powered by FreedomPay, Flooid allows merchants to connect their retail channels, removing barriers between online and in-store payments. FreedomPay’s data-driven commerce platform grants merchants access to valuable analytics and Business Intelligence platform to drive further customer engagement and loyalty through targeted offers and incentives, all within a frictionless integrated payment solution.

"Through this partnership with FreedomPay, we are bringing enhanced innovation, choice, and flexibility to retailers on the Flooid platform,” said Donna Stevens, Senior VP of Product and Marketing at Flooid. Our goal is to empower merchants with the tools they need to provide the best shopping experience to consumers globally.”

The FreedomPay platform enables enterprises to provide a consistent payment experience for their customers globally, creating a seamless and flexible retail experience managing security, data and loyalty all from a single, unified tech stack.

“The partnership between FreedomPay and Flooid will bring a world-class commerce experience to retailers and shoppers around the globe,” said Liesl Smith, Senior VP of Marketing and Sales Enablement at FreedomPay. “Together we are committed to delivering a seamless payment experience to customers, enabling an innovative and seamless omnichannel payment environment.”
 
About FreedomPay

FreedomPay’s Next Level Commerce™ platform transforms existing payment systems and processes from legacy to leading edge. As the premier choice for many of the largest companies across the globe in retail, hospitality, lodging, gaming, sports and entertainment, foodservice, education, healthcare and financial services, FreedomPay's technology has been purposely built to deliver rock solid performance in the highly complex environment of global commerce. The company maintains a world-class security environment and was first to earn the coveted validation by the PCI Security Standards Council against Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE/EMV) standard in North America. FreedomPay's robust solutions across payments, security, identity, and data analytics are available in-store, online and on-mobile and are supported by rapid API adoption. The award winning FreedomPay Commerce Platform operates on a single, unified technology stack across multiple continents allowing enterprises to deliver an innovative Next Level experience on a global scale. www.freedompay.com

About Flooid

Flooid helps retailers create the seamless shopping experiences customers demand. Flooid's unified commerce platform empowers merchants to sell to customers flexibly and consistently wherever they are and however they choose to shop. Our best of breed open ecosystem givers retailers the power to connect leading retail tech partners with a single unified commerce platform to engage with your shoppers, sell more effectively across channels and adapt to retail shopping changes we have yet to imagine.


Jennifer Tayebi
Hill+Knowlton Strategies for FreedomPay
+1 734 395 0780
Jennifer.Tayebi@hkstrategies.com

SOURCE : FreedomPay

CLOUDFLARE WINS CONTRACT TO OFFER REGISTRY AND AUTHORITATIVE DNS SERVICES

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- Cloudflare Inc, the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, has been awarded a US$7.2 million contract from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to provide Registry and Authoritative Domain Name System (DNS) services to the .gov TLD (Top Level Domain). (US$1 = RM4.33)

In a statement, Cloudflare said with this contract, it would provide managed name servers for the .gov zone and authoritative DNS hosting for .gov domain names.

DNS is a core Internet service that is foundational to the security of the applications that sit on top of it and DNS services guide visitors to the site.

“The Internet has made the United States government more accessible for constituents than ever before, whether they're applying for a passport, learning health and safety recommendations for their communities or reaching out to a representative.

“Having a reliable and secure DNS for government agencies is critical to instill trust in all .gov activity, and working with us to achieve this is a testament to the reliability and security of the Cloudflare network,” said its co-founder and chief executive officer, Matthew Prince.

CISA turned to Cloudflare to provide registry and DNS services to meet the need for highly available DNS services that enhance resilience and simplify security operations for .gov domain users.

Cloudflare will support CISA’s goals by reducing the attack surface of .gov-related infrastructure and government organisations, and automate sensitive portions of DNS security management, setting DNS records that make it hard to successfully impersonate the government in email by default and offering new features.

Additionally, CISA will gain visibility to better detect and prevent certain DNS ecosystem issues.

CISA, the nation’s risk advisor, builds the nation’s capacity to defend against cyber attacks by providing cybersecurity tools, incident response capabilities, and assessment services to safeguard the Federal information technology enterprise, state and local partners, and systems that support national critical functions.

-- BERNAMA