UAE’S FALCON 40B SOARS TOP SPOT IN HUGGING FACE OPEN LLM LEADERBOARD

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 (Bernama) -- Technology Innovation Institute (TII) announced that Falcon 40B, the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) first large-scale open-source, 40-billion-parameter artificial intelligence (AI) model soared to the top spot on Hugging Face’s latest Open Large Language Model (LLM) Leaderboard.

Hugging Face, an American company seeking to democratise AI through open-source and open science, is considered the world’s definitive independent verifier of AI models.

According to TII in a statement, Falcon 40B managed to beat back established models such as LLaMA from Meta (including its 65B model), StableLM from Stability AI, and RedPajama from Together to achieve the coveted ranking.

Hugging Face’s Open LLM Leaderboard is an objective evaluation tool open to the AI community that tracks, ranks and evaluates LLMs and chatbots as they are launched.

Trained on one trillion tokens, Falcon 40B marks a significant turning point for the UAE in its journey towards AI leadership, enabling widespread access to the model's weights for both research and commercial utilisation.

The new ranking confirms the model’s prowess in making AI more transparent, inclusive and accessible for the greater good of humanity.

With this latest development, TII has managed to secure the UAE a seat at the table when it comes to generative AI models, allowing it to join an exclusive list of countries that are working to drive AI innovation and collaboration.

-- BERNAMA

CHRIS MCCLOSKEY JOINS DUCK CREEK AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Boston, May 31 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Duck Creek Technologies, the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of Property and Casualty (P&C) and general insurance, today announces the addition of Chris McCloskey to its leadership team as Chief Operating Officer. McCloskey will be instrumental in driving key strategy, operational and transformation initiatives across the entire business, particularly within our customer and professional services organizations.

McCloskey joins Duck Creek from Datto, where he was most recently Chief Customer Officer for the cybersecurity and business continuity company. At Datto, McCloskey was responsible for building a new customer success organization that significantly improved technical implementation, customer satisfaction and retention, and partner health. Before joining Datto, McCloskey grew through sales and customer-facing leadership roles to become COO, Americas at London-based Finastra, a multi-billion-dollar financial services software company.

“We are delighted to welcome Chris to Duck Creek’s leadership team; he will help us continue to better focus on increasing lifetime value and enable our customers to be more successful,” said Mike Jackowski, CEO of Duck Creek. "Chris is incredibly accomplished in growing and leading large teams through transformation, and having him as a strategic customer-facing leader is the perfect match to advance our vision."

McCloskey Chris earned his MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University and his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Gettysburg College.

About Duck Creek Technologies

Duck Creek Technologies is the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of the property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance industry. We are the platform upon which modern insurance systems are built, enabling the industry to capitalize on the power of the cloud to run agile, intelligent, and evergreen operations. Authenticity, purpose, and transparency are core to Duck Creek, and we believe insurance should be there for individuals and businesses when, where, and how they need it most. Our market-leading solutions are available on a standalone basis or as a full suite, and all are available via Duck Creek OnDemand. Visit www.duckcreek.com to learn more. Follow Duck Creek on our social channels for the latest information – LinkedIn and Twitter.

Carley Bunch
Duck Creek Technologies
2019626091
carley.bunch@duckcreek.com

Source: Duck Creek Technologies

--BERNAMA

2023 ERHAI FORUM ON GLOBAL ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION CONSTRUCTION: PURSUING GLOBAL ECOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT TOGETHER

Launching ceremony of Erhai Initiative, photographed on May 28. (Graphic: Secretariat of Erhai Forum)

DALI, China, May 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The 2023 Erhai Forum on Global Ecological Civilization Construction successfully concluded on May 28 in Dali, China. With the theme "Man and Nature in Harmony, Towards a Path to Modernization", the event gathered nearly 400 Chinese and foreign experts, scholars, and guests from government bodies, international organizations, embassies and consulates in China, educational institutions, enterprises, and related organizations.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230530005535/en/

Participants at the forum acknowledged the paramount importance and fundamental role of harmony between man and nature for Chinese-style modernization. It embodies the wisdom of Chinese civilization in nurturing a sustainable relationship between humans and the environment. Guided by the principles of sustainable development, China is actively fostering the development of a beautiful China and ecological civilization through extensive international exchanges and cooperation. China is eager to collaborate with nations worldwide in building a shared community, with a steadfast commitment to achieving "harmony between man and nature" by 2050.

During the keynote speech session, esteemed domestic and foreign guests delivered notable addresses. Sergio Cabrera, Colombian Ambassador to China, emphasized the rich biodiversity shared by Colombia and China and expressed the intention to enhance explorations and cooperation in biodiversity conservation. Ambassador Cabrera also invited all countries to join the Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC) promoted by the Colombian government.

As part of the efforts to advance global ecological civilization construction and create a clean and beautiful world, the Erhai Forum unveiled the Erhai Initiative, aiming to collectively promote the harmony between man and nature. Emphasizing that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”, it calls for the coordinated and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grass and sand. Additionally, the Erhai Initiative seeks to promote the green transformation of development methods and lifestyles while inviting global collaboration in the pursuit of a sustainable path to global ecological civilization development.

As a carbon-neutral event, the forum also held the "Net Zero Emissions" launching ceremony.

The first edition of the forum took place in Dali, China in October 2021, preceding the COP 15, and was recognized as one of the "important legacies and major achievements of COP15" by the COP15 Executive Committee Office of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230530005535/en/

Contact

Shelly Wang
info@xinhuaneteurope.com

Source : Erhai Forum on Global Ecological Civilization Construction

--BERNAMA

HUAWEI ICT COMPETITION 2022-2023 GLOBAL FINAL CONCLUDE IN SHENZHEN

 

Huawei ICT Competition 2022–2023 Global Final Closing and Awarding Ceremony (Photo: Huawei)

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 (Bernama) -- The Huawei ICT Competition 2022-2023 Global Final concluded in Shenzhen, on May 27, drawing to a close the seventh installment of this competition.

First held in person since 2019, the event’s culmination was a competition between finalists in 146 teams from 36 countries with over 120,000 students from more than 2,000 universities in 74 countries and regions worldwide took part, before the Final.

As a key project of Huawei's Seeds for the Future 2.0 initiative, the Huawei ICT Competition aims to provide a platform for global college students to compete and communicate with each other in the information and communications technology (ICT) field.

“Digital talent and digital skills will be the foundation for the digital economy development. In the future, Huawei will bring ICT education resources to more schools around the world.

“We are projected to build 7,000 Huawei ICT Academies in total by 2026, train more than one million students every year, greatly improving students' digital literacy and skills for a more dynamic and inclusive digital world,” said Huawei Enterprise Business Group President of Global Partner Development and Sales Dept, Xiao Haijun in a statement.

The Network Track Grand Prize was won by teams from Shenzhen Polytechnic, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guangzhou College of Commerce, Yangtze Normal University, and Hunan Industry Polytechnic.

Concurrently, teams from Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Shenzhen Polytechnic, and Nanning College for Vocational Technology won the Cloud Track Grand Prize, while the team of Shenzhen Polytechnic won the Computing Track Grand Prize.

Teams of Jilin University and Ahmadu Bello University took home the Grand Prize of the innovation competition; the imin team from Tsinghua University won the Smart Road Grand Prize; and the Jsgroup from Xi'an Jiaotong University won the Electric Power Digitalization Grand Prize.

As of 2022-end, Huawei has cooperated with 2,200 universities to build Huawei ICT Academies, helping to train more than 200,000 students each year.

-- BERNAMA

APO Concludes 65th Session Of GBM In Mongolia, Commits Sharing Productivity Vision

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Bernama) -- The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) successfully concluded the 65th Session of its Governing Body (GBM) with representatives of 19 APO member economies attending in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from May 24-26.

In a statement, APO said this marked the first in-person assembly in three years, symbolising a promising return to normalcy after the shift to virtual meetings due to the pandemic.

This year’s GBM was generously hosted by the Mongolian Productivity Organization (MPO) and Government of Mongolia, demonstrating their commitment to sharing the productivity vision not only with the region but also beyond and taking a significant step toward the possible expansion of the APO’s reach to Central Asia.

Their dedication, both as members and regional influencers, continues to play a crucial role in promoting and improving productivity throughout the Asia Pacific (APAC).

One of the highlights of the meeting was the official handing-over ceremonies under APO flagship programmes to mark their launch.

In line with the monitoring and evaluation framework of the APO Vision 2025, the GBM approved a “pause-and-reflect” exercise to ensure that the APO is on the right track to achieving its goals and objectives, adapting to the changing environment, and continuing to add value to member economies.

The prosperity and growth seen in the region are dependent on the tireless efforts of productivity champions, and the APO recognises their significant contributions through its productivity award schemes.

In closing, APO Alternate Director and NPO Head for Malaysia Datuk Abdul Latif Abu Seman expressed profound gratitude for the delegates’ robust discussions and contributions over the course of the meeting.

“We will carry forward that spirit of collaboration, lessons learned, and decisions taken to continue working toward our goals,” he pledged and was delighted to extend an official invitation to delegates to Malaysia as the host of the 66th GBM.

The annual GBM continues to be central in strengthening relationships among the diverse APO members and their commitment to the shared mission of enhancing productivity in the APAC.

-- BERNAMA

NEW ENERGY EV IN GANGBEI DISTRICT DRIVES INTO ASEAN “BLUE OCEAN” MARKET

New energy electric vehicles in Gangbei District are attracting a large number of Lao exhibitors.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Bernama) -- New energy electric vehicles (EVs) in Gangbei District have appeared in Singapore, the Philippines, Laos and other countries, with the opening of the overseas exhibition tour of the 20th China-ASEAN Expo this year.

In addition, automobile enterprises exchanged and negotiated face-to-face with local enterprises and residents, entering a period of comprehensive market expansion.

Recently, Guangxi Guigang Fushuai Electric Vehicle Co Ltd and PT DFU International Indonesia, signed the first batch of directional purchase contracts for 20,000 new energy EVs in Jakarta, Indonesia.

According to the Publicity Department of Gangbei District, Guigang Municipality in a statement, behind the emergence in the ASEAN market is the industrial competitiveness promoted by Gangbei District for many years.

In 2015, Gangbei District planned to build China-ASEAN New Energy Electric Vehicle Production Base and currently, it has introduced over 100 well-known domestic finished automobile enterprises as well as supporting enterprises such as Haopai and Feineng.

More than 50 enterprises have been completed and put into production, forming an annual production capacity of five million two-wheeled EVs, 500,000 three-wheeled EVs and five million EV parts, with a local matching rate of 80 per cent.

EV enterprises in Gangbei District have a complete range of products with excellent quality, including more than 100 models such as electric bicycles, electric mopeds and electric high-speed motorcycles, leading the industry in terms of battery life, safety, intelligence and energy conservation.

In 2022, the output value of new energy EVs in Gangbei District increased by 99.3 per cent, and the total output value of the whole industrial chain exceeded 21 billion Chinese yuan.

Last year, with high quality and low price products and taking advantage of opportunities of RCEP, China-ASEAN and other trade agreements, the export trade volume of China-ASEAN New Energy Electric Vehicle Production Base reached over US$8.7 million. (US$1=RM4.61)

At present, new energy EVs in Gangbei District have been exported to India, Thailand, the Netherlands, Nepal, Peru, Costa Rica and Madagascar.

-- BERNAMA

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Secures NASA Contract To Develop Lunar Lander

 

A rendering of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander that will return astronauts to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program. (Photo: Blue Origin) 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) – Blue Origin was awarded a NextSTEP-2 Appendix P Sustaining Lunar Development (SLD) contract by NASA for astronaut mission to the moon.

Under this contract, Blue Origin and its National Team partners will develop and fly both a lunar lander that can make a precision landing anywhere on the Moon’s surface and a cislunar transporter.

Blue Origin’s National Team partners include Lockheed Martin, Draper, Boeing, Astrobotic and Honeybee Robotics.

These vehicles were powered by LOX-LH2 and the high-specific impulse of LOX-LH2 provides a dramatic advantage for high-energy deep space missions.

Nevertheless, lower performing but more easily storable propellants (such as hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide as used on the Apollo lunar landers) have been favoured for these missions because of the problematic boil-off of LOX-LH2 during their long mission timelines.

“Through this contract, we will move the state of the art forward by making high-performance LOX-LH2 a storable propellant combination.

“Under SLD, we will develop and fly solar-powered 20-degree Kelvin cryocoolers and the other technologies required to prevent LOX-LH2 boil-off,” said Blue Origin in a statement.

Future missions beyond the Moon, and enabling capabilities such as high-performance nuclear thermal propulsion, will benefit greatly from storable LH2.

Blue Origin’s architecture also prepares for that future day when lunar ice can be used to manufacture LOX and LH2 propellants on the Moon.

-- BERNAMA

Metalpha’s Next Generation Fund I Gains Anchor Investment From Crypto Leader

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) – Metalpha Technology Holding Ltd, a global crypto-based wealth management company, announced its Next Generation Fund I (The Fund), formed in partnership with NextGen Digital Venture Limited, has secured a US$5 million anchor investment from the world’s leading crypto company (The Investor). (US$1=RM4.60)

“We are excited about the future of our licensed funds products. We aim to capitalise on the fast growing digital assets industry here in Hong Kong and provide our clients with competitive, compliant products worldwide,” said Metalpha President, Adrian Wang in a statement.

Meanwhile, NextGen Digital Venture Limited Founding Partner, Jason Huang said: “We extend our gratitude to Metalpha for their unwavering support and appreciate the recognition from the Investor.”

This strategic investment comes at a time of high growth for Metalpha’s licensed fund products, serving broad market demand among institutional investors, family offices and high-net-worth individuals for exposure to crypto.

The Fund provides a regulated and compliant channel to invest in Grayscale Investments LLC's products through structured derivatives. The Fund is raising US$100 million in capital from global investors and has secured US$20 million as of March 2023.

Based in Hong Kong, Metalpha aims to provide customers with high-quality investment products and trading capabilities and is committed to delivering the best structured derivative products to cryptocurrency market participants.

-- BERNAMA 

CASTING BAITS: WEMADE'S WORLD FISHING CHAMPIONSHIP GAME LAUNCHES IN 170 COUNTRIES

World Fishing Championship, the First Fishing Game on WEMIX PLAY, Launches in 170 Countries (Graphic: Wemade)

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 (Bernama) -- Wemade Co Ltd has officially launched the World Fishing Championship, a fishing game developed by Wemade Plus, on May 25, in 170 countries.

According to the South Korean online game developer in a statement, World Fishing Championship is the first fishing game on WEMIX PLAY, a global blockchain game platform by Wemade.

Users become anglers and travel worldwide to collect over 500 species of fish, in which they can also use real-time underwater cameras to catch the fish that they want and engage in exciting battles with fish by growing their characters or enhancing skills and equipment.

In addition, various contents are available for users to enjoy such as player versus player (PvP) matches, championship tournaments, and food chains implemented with artificial intelligence (AI).

The collected fish can be viewed in the aquarium, which was developed using virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies as well as a 360-degree camera.

The World Fishing Championship is holding various events to celebrate the launch of the game, whereby users who reach a specific level or use “CORAL” during the event period can receive WEMIX via a raffle drawing.

-- BERNAMA

RAJANT TO DEBUT PORTABLE WIRELESS RADIO AT CENTRAL ASIA'S AMM CONGRESS, KAZAKHSTAN

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 (Bernama) -- Rajant Corporation, the pioneer of Kinetic Mesh wireless networks, will debut its new Sparrow BreadCrumb at Central Asia’s Astana Mining & Metallurgy (AMM) Congress in Astana, Kazakhstan, from June 1–2.

Rajant Sales Director CEE, CA, Turkey and Mongolia, Marcin Kusztal said: “Our Sparrow BreadCrumb perfectly bridges the gap between legacy Wi-Fi networks and the extremely expensive (and not always proven) LTE technology.

“The Sparrow will ideally suit the needs of the mining market of Kazakhstan as well as other countries in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. I look forward to the first customer feedback during the AMM Congress.”

The Sparrow is Rajant’s latest portable wireless radio within its portfolio of industrial Kinetic Mesh nodes. This IP67 radio, intended for use in heavy-duty machinery and light-duty vehicle applications, has dual 2X2 MIMO transceivers and four antennas with multiple mounting options.

According to Rajant in a statement, the radio interfaces include wired Ethernet and built-in Wi-Fi access points to enable data, voice, and low-bandwidth video applications, and can also be deployed as a mobile or infrastructure wireless node.

Like all other Rajant BreadCrumbs, the Sparrow solves Wi-Fi problems by providing sitewide Wi-Fi coverage, enabling machine-to-machine communications to see around obstructions, and providing sitewide ubiquitous Wi-Fi coverage.

It is purpose-built for heavy-duty machinery in mining, heavy construction, airports, oil & gas, utilities, solar, wind, smart cities and public safety, as well as non-tele remote and non-autonomous applications for construction and mid-tier mines and quarries.

-- BERNAMA

KIOXIA TO DISPLAY NEW CONSUMER SSDS AT COMPUTEX TAIPEI

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, announced new consumer solid-state drives (SSDs) scheduled to be released in the third quarter of 2023.

The EXCERIA PLUS G3 Series will leverage PCIe 4.0 technology and offer up to two terabytes (TB) of capacity and is well-suited to mainstream users of high performance gaming personal computers (PCs), desktops and notebooks, bringing the speed and affordability that they require.

According to Kioxia in a statement, the new series, which is a product under development, will be on reference exhibit at COMPUTEX TAIPEI from May 30 to June 2 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.

Featuring Kioxia’s BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory Triple-Level-Cell (TLC), the EXCERIA PLUS G3 Series utilises an M.2 2280 type single-sided form factor suitable for both desktops and mobile systems.

The new drives will also support Kioxia’s SSD Utility Management Software, which assists users with SSD monitoring and maintenance.

-- BERNAMA 

KPS BERHAD'S Q1 FINANCIALS SHOW SLOWER MOMENTUM ACROSS MAIN SUBSIDIARIES

· Softer demand from end-consumers across sectors

· High interest rate regime and utility prices, as well as inflationary pressure, to add headwinds to the operating environment

SHAH ALAM, Malaysia, May 25 (Bernama) -- Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Berhad (“KPS Berhad” or “the Company” or “the Group”) (KPS, Bursa: 5843; Bloomberg: KUPS:MK; Reuters: KPSB.KL) today reported RM275.0 million in revenue for the quarter ended 31 March 2023, 16% or RM54.2 million lower compared with RM329.2 million in the corresponding quarter last year (“Q1 FY2022”). The decline was mainly due to lower manufacturing and licensing businesses’ contributions by RM43.5 million and RM11.8 million, respectively. The operating profit was lower at RM12.0 million, down by 64%, or RM21.4 million, from RM33.3 million in the corresponding period last year. As a result, the Group profit after tax (“PAT”) for the quarter slid to RM2.9 million from RM16.4 million in Q1 FY2022.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE QUARTER ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Global economic activities and consumer sentiment remained subdued at the beginning of 2023, as multiple macroeconomic shocks such as recession, fear of inflation, and consumer spending weigh in on the global economy, putting pressure on demand for products in the manufacturing sector across various industries as inventories build up. This has led to lower sales volume and revenue generation for most KPS’ manufacturing companies, having a direct impact on the Group’s top line.

As a result, the manufacturing business, comprising Toyoplas Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (“Toyoplas”), Century Bond Bhd (“CBB”), CPI (Penang) Sdn Bhd (“CPI”), MDS Advance Sdn Bhd (“MDS Advance”) and King Koil Manufacturing West LLC (“KKMW”), although contributed 83% to the Group revenue with RM227.5 million for the quarter, recorded lower revenue by 16%, or RM43.5 million, compared with RM271.0 million in the corresponding quarter last year. However, the decrease in revenue was to a certain extent, offset by a new contribution from the newly acquired subsidiary, MDS Advance.

Toyoplas contributed lower revenue this quarter by 24%, or RM25.9 million, yet remains the highest contributor to the Group with RM81.5 million, compared with RM107.4 million contributed in Q1 FY2022. The decline in revenue was mainly due to weakening consumer demand in Malaysia. CBB came in second, with RM58.5 million for the quarter, marginally lower by 2%, or RM0.9 million, compared with RM59.4 million contributed to the corresponding quarter last year. CPI contributed RM47.8 million for the quarter, 11% or RM6.1 million lower than the preceding year’s corresponding quarter with RM53.9 million, mainly due to lower sales in all business segments except automotive, which improved by 7% or RM0.9 million. MDS Advance added to the Group revenue this quarter with RM5.8 million, mainly derived from its metal machining business, which involves metal cutting and milling. Meanwhile, KKMW and its OEM contribution from King Koil Sales Inc. (“KKSI”) recorded RM16.3 million, or 32% lower in sales, contributing RM33.9 million to the Group revenue for the quarter.

A further RM36.0 million of the Group revenue was derived from the trading business, represented by Aqua-Flo Sdn Bhd (“Aqua-Flo”), whose revenue increased by 4%, or RM1.3 million, higher than the corresponding quarter’s revenue of RM34.7 million. The performance was due to the higher sales of water chemicals, equipment, and projects by Aqua-Flo. The licensing business, King Koil Licensing Company Inc. (“KKLC”), recorded lower revenue with RM9.5 million during the current quarter compared to RM21.3 million in Q1 FY2022 following an upfront payment made by an existing customer for the renewal of a long-term licensing agreement back in Q1 FY2022. The remaining revenue contribution of RM2.1 million was from other business sectors.

Cascading its effect on the supply chain and subsequently on the financial performance, the slower demand seen in the manufacturing business was coupled with the increase in operating costs; for one part given the lasting impact of the introduction of minimum wages and higher electricity tariffs in Malaysia and the other given the increase in input cost for CBB having procured paper at higher prices. These factors, as a result, have, and are expected to continue to, place pressure on profitability. Consequently, the Group PAT decreased to RM2.9 million, or 82% lower compared with RM16.4 million registered in the corresponding quarter last year.

KPS BERHAD'S Q1 FINANCIALS SHOW SLOWER MOMENTUM ACROSS MAIN SUBSIDIARIES

MYCEB CALLS FOR INDUSTRY PLAYERS TO SECURE ATTENDANCE AT FIRST ACA ASSOCIATION FORUM 2023

Founding members of the Asia Convention Alliance, Mrs Nooch Homrossukhon of Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Mr Sumate Sudasna of Thailand Incentive & Convention Association (TICA), Mr. Noor Azlan Abu Bakar of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), Mr Young Hwan Kim, Director General of Tourism & Sports Bureau from Seoul Metropolitan Government and Ms Rosa Liu of Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) present at the IMEX Frankfurt Press Conference.

FRANKFURT, May 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), also a proactive member of the Asia Convention Alliance (ACA) is calling for business events players to join industry peers at the anticipated ACA Association Forum 2023 or known as #ACAAF1.
Announced during a MyCEB chaired ACA Press Conference in IMEX Frankfurt 2023, members of the alliance who were present emphasise that the event aims to create a sustainable network between members and convention stakeholders as well as co-create an ACA-owned event.

The inaugural forum which is slated to be held in the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC), Bangkok, Thailand on 11 November 2023, expects to welcome approximately 100 delegates from the region’s 20 established associations as well as international delegates from around the globe. #ACAAF1 is anticipated to configure the foundation of this forum through its first hosting country and further provide exposure to other ACA members in particular, to the association clientele.

MYCEB CALLS FOR INDUSTRY PLAYERS TO SECURE ATTENDANCE AT FIRST ACA ASSOCIATION FORUM 2023

KIOXIA UNVEILS NEW BG6 SERIES CLIENT SOLID STATE DRIVES

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 (Bernama) -- Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, dedicated to the development, production and sale of flash memory and solid state drives (SSDs) announced the addition of the KIOXIA BG6 Series to its lineup of PCIe 4.0 SSDs.

According to Kioxia in a statement, it is the first product to feature the company’s new sixth generation BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory and almost 1.7 times the performance of its predecessor.

Designed to unleash the increased speeds and affordability of PCIe 4.0 for PC users, the powerful and compact KIOXIA BG6 Series client SSDs offer a discrete M.2 2230 form factor with higher capacities and improved power efficiency.

The KIOXIA BG6 Series will start sampling in the second half of 2023 for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customer evaluation.

The new product unlocks back-end flash performance while maintaining affordability and increasing capacity, making it an especially attractive option for commercial and consumer notebooks and desktops. 

The KIOXIA BG6 drives support the fully matured Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology, which utilises part of the host memory (DRAM) as if it were its own, to realise a DRAM-less, high-performance SSD.

-- BERNAMA

PAULA SIMPSON JOINS CODEX LABS MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 (Bernama) -- Codex Labs, a Silicon Valley bio-skintech company, has announced the addition of Paula Simpson, nutricosmetics formulator, author and microbiome expert to its medical advisory board.

“As we delve deeper into skin-gut-brain integrative wellness solutions, we are excited to find partners who are experts in functional and clinical nutrition, as well as formulation of accessible skin-gut-brain supporting supplements.

“Our goal is to expand our ingestibles from acne to other skin conditions, and clinically prove and publish their efficacy through research studies with our medical advisory board dermatologists,” said Codex Labs Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Barbara Paldus in a statement.

Meanwhile, Simpson said: “I am thrilled to be a part of Codex Labs’ incredible team of medical, microbiome science & ethnobotany experts. With my integrated background, I hope to support Codex Labs in bringing forth unique and personalised formulations for healthy, balanced skin inside and out.”

Codex Labs is committed to creating highly effective, clinically proven, microbiome-supporting skin-gut-brain integrative solutions that contain potent, biotech-derived plant-based actives.

-- BERNAMA

MINISO LAUNCHES FLAGSHIP STORE IN TIMES SQUARE, NEW YORK

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 (Bernama) -- Lifestyle retailer MINISO opened its new global flagship store at New York's iconic Times Square, marking a major milestone in the brand's history, on May 19.

According to MINISO in a statement, the new store brings its signature joyful attitude and fun, affordable, well-designed products straight to the heart of one of the world's most famous shopping districts.

“Establishing a presence in one of the world's most recognisable commercial and culture destinations allows us to effectively reach new audiences on a daily basis, introducing our fun, quality products to the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and tourists who pass through these streets every single day,” said MINISO Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jack Ye.

Located on the first floor of 5 Times Square, the new flagship has a bright and clean look, with the eye being drawn to MINISO's licensed collections with some of the world's best-known intellectual property owners.

From Sanrio to We Bare Bears, the licensed collections are just some of the 2,500 products on offer in the new store, laid out across ten dedicated product zones, including blind box collectibles, toys, plushies, fragrances, accessories, makeup tools, snacks, electronics as well as gifts & stationery.

The diverse range of products and MINISO's engaging shopping experience proved a hit, with the store generating nearly US$80,000 in sales over the course of the opening day, setting a new single-day sales record among all stores globally. (US$1=RM4.54)

The opening of the new flagship in Times Square this year, the brand's 10th anniversary year, comes shortly after the announcement of a new global strategy, which aims to transform MINISO into a lifestyle super brand.

The Times Square new flagship store not only promises to boost this transformation, but also showcases MINISO's strong commitment to establishing a thriving presence in the United States (US) market. With over 70 stores and a dedicated team of local staff, the US market has emerged as MINISO's top-performing overseas market for two consecutive quarters.

Looking ahead, MINISO will maintain a steadfast focus on product innovation and store operations, delivering a treasure-hunt shopping experience for customers with an array of captivating licensed collection zones within its stores, and has also set ambitious goals to surpass 100 stores in the US by the end of 2023.

Since its founding in 2013, MINISO has won fans across 106 markets with more than 5,514 stores to date, attracting over one billion customers globally, and the new flagship ensures that the brand will be able to reach even more customers from even more corners of the globe.

-- BERNAMA

GRADIANT SECURES US$225 MILLION TO EXPEDITE BUSINESS EXPANSION

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- Gradiant, a global end-to-end solutions provider of advanced water and wastewater treatment, has raised US$225 million in its first close of Series D financing. (US$1=RM4.53)

According to Gradiant in a statement, the round was led by BoltRock Holdings and Centaurus Capital, bringing the company’s total funding to date to over US$400 million and its valuation to US$1 billion.

The company will use the new financing to continue its expansion into strategic markets to make Gradiant the preferred water partner of the world’s essential industries, and to support growth into new geographies and further fuel the company’s research and development programmes.

“This investment is a testament to Gradiant’s proven track record of rapidly inventing and commercialising water technologies to make a real difference in the economic and environmental footprints of our industrial customers.

“BoltRock and Centaurus share our vision and bring smart, long-term capital that will help Gradiant grow into the world’s most impactful water company,” said Gradiant Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Anurag Bajpayee.

BoltRock Holdings Founder and Managing Member, Craig Huff and Mark Danchak of General Innovation Capital will join the company’s board.

Gradiant designs, builds and operates end-to-end water treatment solutions for the world’s most important industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, lithium and critical minerals, as well as renewable energy.

The company’s proprietary technologies and integrated digital solutions reduce water usage, reclaim valuable resources, and renew wastewater into freshwater for some of the world’s largest companies, including Micron, TSMC, GSK, Pfizer and Coca-Cola.

-- BERNAMA

ZEE5 UTILISES SCYLLADB’S HIGH-PERFORMANCE DATABASE FOR STREAMING BUSINESS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 (Bernama) -- ScyllaDB, the database for data-intensive apps that require high throughput and low latency announced that ZEE5 is now using its high-performance database for its rapidly growing streaming business.

By moving from DynamoDB to ScyllaDB Cloud, a fully managed database-as-a-service solution compatible with both DynamoDB and Cassandra, ZEE5 is able to handle an increased volume of database traffic faster, and at significantly lower costs.

“ScyllaDB has a unique architecture which allows our NoSQL database to take full advantage of modern cloud resources. That is how ScyllaDB achieves this impressive efficiency and price-performance that makes use cases that require predictable low latency and high throughput a perfect match for us.

“The ScyllaDB team is excited about our partnership with Zee and our growing presence within the dynamic IT high-technology industry in India,” said ScyllaDB Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dor Laor in a statement.

Meanwhile, ZEE5 Chief Technology Officer, Kishore A K said: “Ensuring a cloud-agnostic infrastructure is a key focus for us as ZEE5 continues to expand. This collaboration will elevate the user experience of our rapidly growing streaming business.”

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), a leading media and entertainment company that operates over 80 channels, distributes content to nearly 1.3 billion viewers over 190 countries.

ZEE5, the over-the-top (OTT) arm of ZEEL, is currently using ScyllaDB to power its watch history functionality and is in the process of moving additional business-critical content streaming use cases to ScyllaDB.

The team behind this move anticipates that database traffic could triple in the next year; this move proactively prepares their infrastructure to respond to this massive scale.

ScyllaDB enables teams to harness the ever-increasing computing power of modern infrastructures, eliminating barriers to scale as data grows. Unlike any other database, ScyllaDB is built with deep architectural advancements that enable exceptional end-user experiences at radically lower costs.

-- BERNAMA

ONE CLICK APAC LAUNCHES CONTENT MARKETING SERVICE TO HELP GLOBAL COMPANIES REACH HONG KONG, TAIWAN, MACAU AND CHINA MARKETS

HONG KONG, May 23 (Bernama-TRANSWORLD NEWSWIRE) -- One Click APAC, a leading digital marketing agency in Asia, is pleased to announce the launch of its content marketing and translation services for Global companies looking to expand their reach in the Asian market. With a deep understanding of the cultural and linguistic nuances of the Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and China markets, One Click APAC is well-positioned to help companies effectively communicate with their target audiences and drive business growth.

With a team of experienced content creators, strategists, marketers and translators, One Click APAC delivers customized content marketing solutions that align with clients’ goals and resonate with their target audiences. Whether it’s creating engaging blog posts, producing informative videos, or developing visually stunning infographics, One Click APAC’s team of experts works closely with clients to develop content that speaks directly to their audiences.

“Our team is excited to launch this new service offering to help Global companies expand their reach in the Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and China markets,” said Maggie, CEO of One Click APAC. “We understand the unique challenges that come with communicating across cultures, and we’re here to help our clients navigate those challenges and effectively connect with their target audiences.”

In addition to creating compelling content, One Click APAC’s content marketing and translation services also include distribution strategies that ensure maximum reach and engagement. From social media to email marketing, One Click APAC’s team of experts leverages a range of channels to get content in front of the right people at the right time.

With a proven track record of success in the Asian market, One Click APAC is well-equipped to help Global companies navigate the complexities of expanding into Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and China. For more information about One Click APAC’s content marketing and translation services, please visit www.oneclickapac.com.

ONE CLICK APAC LAUNCHES CONTENT MARKETING SERVICE TO HELP GLOBAL COMPANIES REACH HONG KONG, TAIWAN, MACAU AND CHINA MARKETS

JETEX-360 JET FUEL ALLIANCE OFFERING FLEXIBLE, WIDER ACCESS FOR SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 (Bernama) -- Jetex, a global leader in executive aviation, entered into an agreement with 360 Jet Fuel Ltd to offer its customers more flexibility and wider access to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

SAF is a liquid fuel currently used in commercial aviation which reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 80 per cent and it can be produced from a number of sources including waste oil and fats, green and municipal waste and non-food crops.

The new 360 GREEN FUEL book & claim system allows Jetex customers to source SAF based on their total aviation footprint in one transaction, rather than sourcing through each location individually, in which SAF can be sourced for flights out of airports that do not have SAF supply available.

In a statement, Jetex said sourcing SAF on a Book & Claim basis will allow purchasing any volume of SAF, including 100 per cent of fuel needs or a carbon neutral scenario, without technical limitations such as blending limits.

Jetex customers will be able to claim the C02 emission reduction they achieved by the amount of fossil fuel replaced with SAF acquired.

They will receive a certificate specifying the amount of SAF purchased and an audited statement outlining the corresponding CO2 reduction, whereby this documentation can be utilised for sustainability reporting purposes.

To ensure credibility and verifiable emission reductions, 360 Jet Fuel sources physical SAF quantities from ISCC+ certified suppliers, guaranteeing full traceability of the claimed amounts, and ensures delivery to an airline partner within the aviation sector.

The solution provided by 360 Jet Fuel undergoes rigorous third-party auditing, ensuring traceability to each delivery batch and eliminating any doubts of double claiming.

The new agreement takes Jetex a step closer to being fully carbon-neutral globally and is aligned with International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s commitment to achieving 65 per cent SAF share by 2050.

-- BERNAMA

St Kitts and Nevis Excels In Solid Rule Of Law, Orderly CBI Programme

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) – The comparatively high rule of law index ranking, along with a strict due diligence process make St Kitts and Nevis a great choice for investments through Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes.

According to a statement, CBI programmes are often evaluated based on security, protection of property and human rights as well as general stability.

The rule of law is particularly important for investors because it has a bearing on property rights, giving investors a guarantee that their property rights are upheld at all times.

The rule of law is a principle that is typically used to test the strength of a country’s system of laws. For countries like St Kitts and Nevis which offer CBI programmes, having favourable laws that are applied fairly is important because it enhances their capacity to attract more investors while upholding the integrity of their CBI initiatives.

Rule of law refers to the mechanisms, processes and institutional practices that support the equality of all persons before a country’s laws, which implies that the creation and enforcement of laws must be legally regulated so that no one is above the law.

In countries where the rule of law is strong, the application and adjudication of the law by governing officials are impartial. On the other hand, a weak rule of law is characterised by the consideration of class, economic or political status and relative power in the application of the law.

St Kitts and Nevis ranked 40 out of 139 countries in the 2021 Rule of Law Index, compared to last year in which the country ranked 39 out of 140 countries, indicating a slight increase.

Meanwhile, at a regional level, consisting of 32 countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region; the dual island was ranked seventh and fifth in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

The rule of law index measures how the rule of law is perceived and experienced globally. Rankings in the index are based on constraints on government powers; absence of corruption; open government; fundamental rights; order and security; and regulatory enforcement, among others.

-- BERNAMA

10 Big Challenges For Passenger Aviation Sustainability For Next 3 Years - Avia Solutions Group Chairman

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- In recent years, ensuring sustainable operations has become a primary driver for aviation businesses, and yet this dynamic industry faces a multitude of challenges that can impede companies' efforts to enhance profitability.

In a statement, Avia Solutions Group Chairman, Gediminas Ziemelis said the aviation industry has experienced a significant drop in demand for air travel, resulting in many airlines facing financial losses, in recent years and has highlighted 10 big challenges for passenger aviation sustainability for the next three years.

To stay afloat during this time, airlines have taken on additional debt, but this increased debt has resulted in higher risk for lenders, leading to higher market interest rates for the airlines.

In addition to the impact of the pandemic on the industry, other factors such as rising fuel costs and increased competition have also contributed to the financial struggles of many airlines.

Another challenge passenger aviation face is compensations for flight delays will impact airlines' unplanned costs. In 2019, EU airlines carried a total of 1.12 billion passengers, with 1.7 million flights experiencing delays and resulting in a total compensation pay-out of €6.3 billion. Only 10 per cent of affected passengers currently file complaints directly with the airlines or via specialised service companies. (€1 = RM4.90)

In addition, LEAP engines challenges will impact more aircraft on the ground and shortage of capacity, while Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) production and supply chain disrupted during 2023-2025 will cause a shortage of aircraft capacity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the aerospace industry with OEMs such as Boeing and Airbus have experienced significant disruptions in their production and supply chains.

The aviation industry also faces a constant demand for new pilots, as approximately three per cent of pilots retire annually. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major setback in the industry, with all cadet programmes being either postponed or cancelled causing pilot shortage and rapid increase in costs for airlines.

Another challenging situation in the industry after COVID-19, has pushed airlines to take on additional debt to finance various aspects of their operations, such as spare parts, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, and aircraft leasing.

However, the increase in outstanding debt for the industry could have significant implications, with some airlines potentially struggling to pay off their debts, which could result in a reduction in capacity as airlines are forced to ground some of their aircraft or cut routes to minimise costs.

-- BERNAMA

GLOBAL SCIENTISTS GATHER IN 2023 GREATER BAY AREA SCIENCE FORUM IN NANSHA, GUANGZHOU

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- The 2023 Greater Bay Area Science Forum (GSF) themed "Bring Together Wisdom, Bring Together World" kicked off in Nansha, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province on May 21.

The forum sets 13 sub-fora and has attracted experts in various fields who held discussions online and offline on scientific frontier topics such as marine science, nanoscience and high energy physics, and how to continue to promote the construction of talent highlands in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and form a high-end science and technology talent gathering effect.

In his speech, Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO) president, GSF chairman, and Chinese Academy of Sciences academician, Bai Chunli said the GSF is based on the Bay Area and actively cooperates with Hong Kong and Macao to play the role of high-end platforms and communication hubs.

During this forum, the National Science Library of Chinese Academy of Sciences released the "GBA Innovation and Development Patent Index Report (2023)", which is based on patent data and builds a patent index to reveal the characteristics and development trends of scientific and technological innovation in the GBA.

The report shows that from 2017 to 2022, the number of invention patent applications of enterprises in the GBA accounted for 73.44 per cent of the patent application volume of the GBA, and the amount of invention patent granted of enterprises accounted for 78.33 per cent of the number of invention patent granted of the GBA.

According to a statement, the patent data quoted by the report shows that the GBA possesses technical advantages in multiple industries such as new generation of information technology, new energy vehicles and new materials.

In recent years, with the accelerated construction of the International Science and Technology Innovation Center of the GBA, the innovation driving force of the GBA has continued to increase.

As the host place of the GSF, Nansha is eager to promoting scientific and technological innovation cooperation, sharing the innovation achievements, and building an open innovation ecology facing the world.

Official data shows that in the field of artificial intelligence, and life and health, more than 1,000 companies have gathered in Nansha, in addition to the joint technology innovation of GBA that continues to deepen in the district.

-- BERNAMA

PETRONAS SHOWCASES SPIRIT OF IBAN WARRIOR IN ITS LATEST GAWAI FESTIVE FILM

Toni performs the Ngajat dance, full of soul and concentration.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- PETRONAS has debuted its latest festive film in conjunction with Gawai celebrations, ‘Budak Terabai’. The film showcases the beauty of the Ngajat dance, an art form rooted in Iban heritage, through the story of a young social media influencer as he reconnects with his warrior spirit.

In the story, Toni, a teenage TikTok dancer with a massive fanbase, returns to his family’s longhouse in Miri, Sarawak to celebrate the festivities. As he walks through the longhouse, he comes across his younger cousin Jeff, who is effortlessly performing the Ngajat dance.

Captivated by Jeff’s performance and eager to learn the dance, Toni seeks guidance from his uncle. However, his uncle doubts Toni's warrior spirit and dismisses his request, leaving Toni disheartened.

Refusing to accept defeat, Toni embarks on a personal quest to prove that his talent as a dancer enables him to master any form of dance.

PETRONAS Senior General Manager, Group Strategic Relations and Communications, Datin Anita Azrina Abdul Aziz said, "Beyond the vibrant Ngajat dance that brings joy to the Gawai festivities, lies a tradition brimming with the warmth of familial bonds and the profound joy of collective celebration. Together, they celebrate the grandeur of a tradition handed down by their ancestors.

"It is the spirit of familial bonds and dedicated preservation of this cultural legacy that have inspired PETRONAS’ creation of this film, part of a series that anchors on PETRONAS’ festive celebration theme for 2023 ‘Roots for the Future’, " she added.

Join Toni on his journey to embrace his ancestral art form in this film, now available on PETRONAS' Facebook and YouTube channels.

Issued by

Media Communications Department
Group Strategic Relations & Communications
PETRONAS

SOURCE: PETRONAS

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Estee Aina Huslan
Tel: 012-228-3377
Email: esteeaina.huslan@petronas.com

--BERNAMA

 

UNIPHORE HIRES ROBERTO PIERACCINI AS CHIEF SCIENTIST

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- Uniphore, the leader in conversational artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, has appointed Roberto Pieraccini as its Chief Scientist.

Pieraccini, an expert in spoken human-machine interaction, joins Uniphore’s technology team, bringing over four decades of experience in automatic speech recognition (ASR), dialog, natural language understanding (NLU), and most recently working on large language models (LLMs).

“Roberto’s deep experience in enabling how humans and machines communicate naturally and his passion for innovation make him a perfect fit for Uniphore.

“I am excited to welcome Roberto to Uniphore as we position ourselves for our next phase of growth, leveraging enterprise LLMs and bringing the latest advancements in AI to prospects and partners,” said its Chief Technology Officer, Balaji Raghavan in a statement.

Meanwhile, Pieraccini said: “We are at an inflection point today where AI can revolutionise human-machine interactions at an unprecedented pace. I look forward to collaborating with the leadership team and the talented engineering and product teams to drive the next phase of Uniphore’s transformational technology.”

Pieraccini joins Uniphore from Google, where he spent the last five years. Most recently, he served as Director of Engineering for Google Assistant, driving the development of LLM (LaMDA)-based solutions for NLU and Dialog.

Prior to Google, Pieraccini held leadership, research and academic positions at various organisations, including Jibo, California College of the Arts, International Computer Science Institute, SpeechCycle, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, SpeechWorks and AT&T Bell Labs.

-- BERNAMA

FUJIAN-SINGAPORE VISIT PROMOTES BUSINESS COOPERATION, CULTURAL EXCHANGES

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- The Fujian delegation to Singapore has organised extensive activities to promote business cooperation and cultural exchanges, as well as visited Fujian communities on a three-day visit, beginning May 15.

With the aim of deepening friendship and upgrading the cooperation between Fujian and Singapore, the visit sought to tap into the strengths of both sides and achieve win-win outcomes.

According to the Information Office of Fujian Provincial People's Government in a statement, the delegation was led by Secretary of Fujian Provincial Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of Fujian Provincial People's Congress, Zhou Zuyi.

Singapore has been a major destination for Fujian migrants in the past few centuries, and one of the first countries to participate in Fujian's opening up and development after the implementation of China's reform and opening up policy.

At present, around 1.63 million overseas Chinese in Singapore are of Fujian origin. With geographical proximity and cultural affinity, Fujian and Singapore have maintained frequent exchanges in various fields.

After China and Singapore established diplomatic relations in 1990, Fujian-Singapore cooperation has gained a stronger momentum in the fields of science and technology, education, health, culture and tourism, adding impetus to the development of both sides.

In 2022, two-way trade between Fujian and Singapore amounted to 27.14 billion Chinese yuan, an increase of 36.8 per cent year-on-year. By 2022-end, Singapore had invested in 1,833 projects in Fujian Province, with a total contractual investment of US$11.87 billion. (US$1=RM4.54)

The Department of Commerce of Fujian Province and the International Enterprise Singapore and other institutions jointly held a series of promotional events including the China (Fujian)-Singapore Symposium on Economic, Trade, and Financial Cooperation in 2023.

The events served to encourage leading Singaporean enterprises to leverage their advantages in capital, technology, equipment and products, and establish operations in Fujian, thus driving related industries in Fujian toward higher-quality development and further enhancing economic and trade cooperation between both sides.

-- BERNAMA

EASTSPRING INVESTMENTS BERHAD WAS HONORED WITH MALAYSIA - BEST EMPLOYER BRAND AWARDS FOR 2 CONSECUTIVE YEARS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- Eastspring Investments Berhad (“Eastspring”) has once again been awarded the “Malaysia – Best Employer Brand Awards 2023” by The Employer Branding Institute at the prestigious annual award ceremony held on 16 May 2023 at Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Center Hotel and Residences Malaysia. This award is certified by the World Federation of HR professionals and endorsed by CHRO Asia in recognition of the efforts to create a strong brand identity and reputation as an employer of choice.

The award reflects the company’s commitment to create a culture of inclusivity, innovation, and growth, where employees are empowered to succeed and develop their careers.

“We are delighted to receive the Malaysia – Best Employer Brand Awards 2023, which is a testament to our commitment to our employees and the workplace culture that we have built,” said Raymond Tang, CEO of Eastspring. “We believe happy employees are the key to a successful business, and we are proud to have created a supportive and positive working environment that fosters growth and innovation.”

The award recognizes Eastspring’s efforts to provide its employees with a range of benefits, opportunities for learning and development and a supportive work environment. This includes flexible work arrangements, professional development programs and a range of employee well-being initiatives.

“We want to thank all our employees for their hard work, passion, and commitment to our company. This award would not have been possible without their dedication and contributions,” said Lewis Lam, Head of HR of Eastspring. “We also wanted to thank our customers and partners for their trust and support. We look forward in continuing to build our Brand as a top employer and creating opportunities for our employees to grow and succeed,”

The “Best Employer Brand” award reflects Eastspring’s continued commitment to creating a workplace that fosters innovation, diversity and excellence.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=46140

Impulse Dynamics Completes First Implant For CCM-D Clinical Trial

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- Impulse Dynamics plc, a global medical device company dedicated to improving the lives of people with heart failure, announced the completion of the first implantation for the INTEGRA-D clinical trial.

It is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of two proven cardiac therapies combined — cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) and an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) — in a single device (CCM-D).

The Optimizer Integra CCM-D System delivers CCM therapy to improve quality of life and reduce heart failure symptoms, and ICD therapy to treat life-threatening arrhythmias that may cause sudden cardiac death.

According to Impulse Dynamics in a statement, the investigational technology is rechargeable with long battery life, potentially reducing the need for replacement procedures.

“Today’s announcement is another example of our commitment to a continuous pace of innovation to build a comprehensive platform in interventional heart failure and help improve the lives of many patients that suffer from this debilitating disease.

“We are proud to partner with physicians at leading centres around the world to conduct important research on this first-of-its-kind rechargeable combination device designed to address a major unmet need of a large patient group,” said Impulse Dynamics Chief Executive Officer, Simos Kedikoglou.

The INTEGRA-D trial is a multicentre study of 300 subjects from 75 centres that will evaluate the combination of CCM and ICD therapy in a single device via the Optimizer Integra CCM-D System.

The study will assess the performance of the CCM-D device in effectively treating episodes of ventricular tachycardia and/or ventricular fibrillation while also providing CCM treatment for heart failure. Patients enrolled in the study will receive the Optimizer Integra CCM-D System, and will be followed for at least two years.

The Optimizer Integra CCM-D System is an investigational device that combines CCM therapy and ICD therapy into one device. The study device is currently being tested and is not approved by the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Impulse Dynamics currently offers the Optimizer system that is FDA-approved and CE-marked which delivers CCM therapy, designed by the company to significantly improve the heart’s contraction, allowing more oxygen-rich blood to be pushed out through the body.

-- BERNAMA

APR RECORD-HIGH Q1 PERFORMANCE PROVES ITS "GLOBAL BEAUTY TECH" COMPANY STATUS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 (Bernama) -- APR Corp (APR), a global beauty tech company, announced it posted a fresh record high operating profit and profit rate of 122.2 billion Korean won in sales, a 60 per cent increase year-on-year and 23.2 billion Korean won in operating profit, the highest ever in its history, in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023. (1,000 Korean won = RM3.39)

The most notable aspect of its quarterly performance is the record-high operating profit. Operating profit in Q1 2023 was 11.8 per cent higher than 20.7 billion Korean won in Q4 2022 when it reported quarterly operating profit in the 20 billion Korean won range for the first time.

In a statement, APR said its quarterly operating profit improved both in qualitative and quantitative terms, with operating margin in Q1 2023 came to as high as 19.0 per cent, higher than Q4 2022, which had been the highest on record.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Byunghoon Kim said: “We, as a beauty tech company, were able to produce the record quarterly performance yet again thanks to the solid growth of our cosmetics and beauty devices. We will achieve the business valuation of trillion won range and successfully lead the market listing process by maintaining our high growth.”

The beauty sector, the biggest contributor to the quarterly performance, recorded 99.2 billion Korean won in sales, growing 92.5 per cent from the same period in 2022. The concurrent growth of cosmetics and beauty devices is also noticeable.

A beauty device, “MEDICUBE AGE-R”, demonstrated great popularity as it sold over 250,000 units in Q1 alone. MEDICUBE cosmetics, such as “ZERO PORE PAD” and “COLLAGEN LINE”, led APR’s growth in Q1 by recording a 35 per cent increase in sales on-year. Moreover, other beauty brands, including “APRILSKIN” and “FORMENT”, succeeded in branding and contributed to the growing trend.

The overseas performance also played a noticeable role in the results with APR’s overseas sales in Q1 came to 38.1 billion Korean won, up 37.1 per cent on-year.

APR’s performance in Q1 2023 is expected to serve as a positive factor for the company’s business valuation in the trillion won range as it resulted from its accomplishment to maintain a high growth trend.

The company reported 700 billion Korean won in its valuation last year through a pre-initial public offering (IPO) before the annual performance disclosure, planning to accelerate its establishment as a global beauty tech company, as well as achieve sustainable growth and a successful IPO.

It is also committed to developing new technologies and products, securing production capacity, and carving out the overseas market through the ADC (APR Device Center), a research and development (R&D) centre and a beauty device research subsidiary opened in January this year.

-- BERNAMA

CERTIK’S SECURITY SCORE INTEGRATES INTO COINMARKETCAP REDEFINING SECURITY IN CRYPTO

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- CertiK, Web3’s leading security firm, has announced the integration of its Security Score into CoinMarketCap, the most widely-used platform for ranking and discovering cryptocurrencies.

According to CertiK in a statement, its Security Score ranks projects against a comprehensive set of security metrics, enabling users to easily assess the security of a project at a glance.

By assessing factors such as smart contract code, code audits, and the developer team’s background, the Security Score is a powerful addition to the diligent investor’s toolkit.

CertiK co-founder, Prof Ronghui Gu said by putting security front and centre with this integration of the Security Score, CertiK and CoinMarketCap are joining forces to bring transparency and trust around web3 projects.

Since its launch in 2013, CoinMarketCap has established itself as the leading platform for tracking the prices, market capitalisation, trading volumes and other statistics of cryptocurrencies.

Users and investors now have a powerful tool at their disposal to help them evaluate the security of Web3 projects.

The due diligence process should be as comprehensive as possible, and the integration of CertiK’s Security Score into CoinMarketCap makes it easy to identify projects that understand the importance of security for the future of their project and their community.

CertiK is on a mission to raise the standard of security and transparency in Web3, and this partnership with CoinMarketCap is a major step toward a safer, more open ecosystem.

-- BERNAMA

CLEANPRO UNVEILS A REFRESHED BRAND IDENTITY & NEW CASHLESS PAYMENT APP

Mr. Fung Chee Choong (Sales Director), Mr. Goh Sen Kiat (Cleanpro Group CEO), Mr. Mohd Fareezul Naim Bin Rahman (Product Consultant)

 Southeast Asia’s Pioneer Laundry Brand leverages its cleaner, smarter look to resonate with attendees of the 30th International Franchise Exhibition & Conference

 
KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) -- Cleanpro, Malaysia’s homegrown self-service laundry franchise is paving the road for more investors - local and international, to jump on the laundromat business bandwagon through a brand-refreshing strategy, evident through its booth’s new look at the Franchise International Malaysia 2023 (FIM2023) exhibition.

FIM2023 is an annual franchise exhibition & conference officially organised by the Malaysian Franchise Association (MFA) and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) - hailed as Southeast Asia’s largest franchise exhibition and conference with approximately 100 renowned international franchise brands.

Expecting about 15,000 visitors this year, Cleanpro foresees a promising number of new franchisees seizing the opportunity to expand into international markets - cementing the significance of the rebranding exercise and launch of the Cleanpro Plus web app in attracting new franchisees while fostering stronger customer affinity.

“The pandemic has profoundly changed the way people conduct business,” says Mr. Fung Chee Choong, Group Sales Director of Cleanpro, “the self-service laundry industry boom happened not only due to increased expectations on hygiene and sanitisation, but also because of its recession-proof business investment model.

Laundromats remain essential businesses classified under the COVID-19 crisis and this causes the demand for self-service laundry to soar.”

The Cleanpro Plus web app, a lifestyle app that adds value to the customers’ self-service laundry routines, made its debut with its new cashless payment method - making waves across Cleanpro outlets nationwide. The app will be launched in conjunction with FIM2023, offering customers the option to pay for the service via mainstream cashless payments like credit or debit cards and e-wallets.

The brand refresh and app launch reflects Cleanpro's commitment to delivering more convenient and efficient laundry solutions to end users.

Highlighting Cleanpro’s proven successful track record on returns of investments for its franchisees, the laundromat pioneer reveals that new investors can now leverage total support covering machinery, technicalities, renovations, marketing, digital payment channels, and patented innovations such as Cleanpro's LaundroBoost Technology.

On top of gearing towards technological improvement, Cleanpro will also be launching a few outlets with new interior design and environment; in line with the brand’s direction.

Adding on to that, Cleanpro’s Group CEO, Mr. Goh Sen Kiat says, “Cleanpro utilises brands that are internationally renowned for high durability when it comes to its washing machines and dryers, such as Dexter.

But what really sets us apart is our continuous effort in bringing a better experience and lifestyle to our customers, an example being that is our latest in engineering industrial-grade detergents and fabric softeners that are paired with a patented Japan Nanotechnology ionized water system to deliver fresher and smoother washed fabrics, with a softer feel and longer-lasting fragrance.”

FIM2023 is held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) from 18th to 20th May 2023. Cleanpro’s exhibition took place in Hall 6 and the official launch happened on the 19th of May 2023.

SOURCE: Malaysian Franchise Association (MFA)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Cik Nurul Ain
Tel: 011-2924 0213
Email: ain.mohamad@mfa.org.my

--BERNAMA

ST KITTS AND NEVIS SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND OFFERS BENEFITS TO INVESTORS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 (Bernama) -- St Kitts and Nevis's Citizenship by Investment Programme has revolutionised the investment migration industry and catapulted the twin federation economy to become one of the most sustainable nations in the Caribbean region.

The Citizenship by Investment Unit has launched a Limited Time Offer under the Sustainable Growth Fund investment option that is available from Jan 1 until June 30, offering investors to contribute with a reduced minimum amount and a processing time of 60 days.

According to the Government of St Kitts and Nevis in a statement, funds accumulated via the Sustainable Growth Fund support economic and social development in the nation. There are multiple areas where the funds are allocated to ensure the economic and social objectives are successfully implemented.

The fund has effectively prepared the twin island state to address climate change issues and respond with environmentally friendly solutions, and its investment option is aiding the government's commitment to shift the country into 100 per cent renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions to 61 per cent.

Additionally, the government is using a percentage of the funds generated from the programme to support the education system, empowering Kittians and Nevisians with the knowledge to hone their skills leads to sustainable economic and social development.

Currently, the government has initiated educational plans to improve the quality of education in the country such as the Education for Sustainable Development framework.

St Kitts and Nevis' healthcare sector is an essential part of sustaining the economy. There are 11 healthcare centres, including four hospitals for citizens to attend to their maternal and child healthcare and chronic disease management needs.

The Sustainable Growth Fund has supported the policies in national healthcare insurance and advanced medical equipment in hospitals to ensure that locals and tourists have access to quality healthcare facilities with advanced technologies.

The tourism sector significantly contributes to the twin federation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as it is the main source of income by supporting an estimated nine per cent GDP growth in 2022. The fund has supported the recovery of tourism post-pandemic, by employing a large percentage of staff to manage the increasing tourism capacity.

St Kitts and Nevis is known for its tropical flora and mesmerising beaches. The atmosphere is mixed tranquillity, modern infrastructure, thrill-seeking adventures and luxurious properties.

-- BERNAMA

OTC MARKETS GROUP WELCOMES TECHTRONIC INDUSTRIES CO. LTD. TO THE OTCQX MARKET

NEW YORK, May 17 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (Hong Kong Stock Exchange: 669; OTCQX: TTNDY, TTNDF), a global leader in cordless Professional Tools, DIY Tools, and Outdoor Power Equipment has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market, previously trading on the Pink® market. TTI’s ordinary shares will continue to trade on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK) under the stock code: 669

Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. begins trading today on the OTCQX Market under the symbols “TTNDY” and “TTNDF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for the OTCQX Market, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

Mr. Joseph Galli, CEO of TTI, commented, “We are delighted to begin trading on the OTCQX market. Hong Kong remains the domicile of TTI’s primary exchange listing, but this new development will add greater liquidity to both our ordinary shares and our ADR program, while making the stock more accessible to a broader global investment community.”

Securities Law USA, PLLC acted as the company’s OTCQX sponsor.

About Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.
Founded in 1985 and listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited in 1990, TTI is a world leader in cordless technology spanning Power Tools, Outdoor Power Equipment, Floorcare and Cleaning Products for the consumer, professional, and industrial users in the home, construction, maintenance, industrial and infrastructure industries. The Company has a foundation built on four strategic drivers – Powerful Brands, Innovative Products, Exceptional People and Operational Excellence – reflecting a long-term expansive vision to advance cordless technology. The global growth strategy of the relentless pursuit of product innovation has brought TTI to the forefront of its industries. TTI's powerful brand portfolio includes MILWAUKEE, RYOBI and AEG power tools, accessories, hand tools and outdoor products, EMPIRE layout and measuring products, and HOOVER, VAX, DIRT DEVIL, and ORECK floorcare and cleaning products.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.
OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX^® Best Market, OTCQB^® Venture Market and Pink^® Open Market.

Our OTC Link^® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:
OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com


SOURCE : OTC Markets