Black & Veatch To Tackle Southeast Asia’s Increasingly Complex Energy Transition At Enlit Asia 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Economies across Southeast Asia must overcome increasing energy transition complexities as they balance energy security and lower carbon emissions, according to Black & Veatch, a global leader in critical human infrastructure solutions.

“The adverse impacts of climate change, including a rise in extreme weather events, persist in Southeast Asia. This highlights the urgency to take immediate action.

“While regional economies balance concerns about affordability, resilience, and security, the shift to low-carbon energy sources must accelerate despite increasing complexities,” said its president, Asia Pacific and India, Narsingh Chaudhary in a statement.

Chaudhary will be chairing the opening plenary on “Shaping Regional Energy Transition – From Malaysia to Beyond” on Oct 8 at Enlit Asia 2024, joined by leaders from Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Sarawak Energy Berhad, Malakoff and the Energy Commission Malaysia.

The session will tackle the opportunities and challenges of addressing the energy transition in the region, chart progress made to date, and discuss how the industry can plan and de-risk the next generation of infrastructure development.

Chaudhary explained further that the energy transition presents significant commercial and technical challenges to deliver the next generation of reliable and affordable power.

“Solutions will vary from case to case, requiring regulation and project planning that de-risk and incentivise lower- and no-carbon solutions that work together. These solutions include LNG-to-power, carbon capture, renewables, energy storage, and hydrogen,” he added.

Taking place at MITEC Kuala Lumpur, attendees are invited to discover and engage with leaders from Black & Veatch, during the three-day event.

-- BERNAMA

CAPITAL A'S AIRASIA BRAND CO. ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIPS WITH MOONBUG, MIRAILAB TO STRENGTHEN AIRASIA BUDS' IP PRESENCE

[Photo Caption: (From left to right): Izal Azlee, Head of IP Development at Abc., Rudy Khaw, CEO of Abc., Simon Barnett, Director of Advertising Sales & Brand Partnerships, APAC at Moonbug Entertainment, Tan Kang Yao, Executive Director of MiraiLab, and YBhg. Ts. Fadzli Abdul Wahit, Head of Digital Transformation at Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), during the document exchange ceremony formalising the collaboration between Abc., Moonbug Entertainment, and MiraiLab, held on the sidelines of the Kre8tif 2024 Conference and Business XChange]

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 (Bernama) -- AirAsia brand co. (Abc.), the brand management and intellectual property (IP) arm of Capital A and the driving force behind the AirAsia masterbrand, has announced two major partnerships with Moonbug Entertainment and MiraiLab to further expand its presence in the Character and Entertainment intellectual property space. These collaborations mark a significant milestone in the evolution of AirAsia Buds - Abc.’s IP to build and extend the AirAsia brand’s reach further toward becoming a globally recognised icon that everyone loves through lifestyle and entertainment content and experiences.

AirAsia Buds is the charming IP of AirAsia, featuring a dynamic group of animal characters that includes Tappy the thrill-seeking tapir, Bam the foodie pygmy elephant, Ogu the trendy orangutan, and Biggie the mischief-making deal hunter from another planet. Together, these Asean inspired characters represent the spirit of curiosity, teamwork, and love, ready to captivate the audience with their adventures around the world.

Through its partnership with Moonbug Entertainment, a global leader in children’s content and the powerhouse behind beloved shows like Cocomelon, Blippi, and Little Baby Bum, AirAsia will introduce AirAsia Buds to the world in a 12-episode animated series set to debut on YouTube in the first half of 2025. The series will bring the adventures of AirAsia Buds to life, offering entertaining and relatable stories that promote discovery, collaboration, and adventure to young audiences and families alike.

Simon Barnett, Director of Advertising Sales & Brand Partnerships, APAC at Moonbug Entertainment, shared: “We are thrilled to bring AirAsia Buds to life with our creative expertise and talent. Families are co-viewing in new ways globally on YouTube, and this new project allows us to combine our passion for producing great family content with AirAsia’s brand as an essential travel companion.”

Izal Azlee, Head of IP Development of Abc., said: "The more conversations we had with Moonbug, the clearer it was that they understood our vision for AirAsia Buds. Moonbug is not just one of the best in kid-friendly entertainment—their team is also passionate about characters and stories, and we are excited to partner with them to bring AirAsia Buds to a new and wider audience."

In parallel, Abc. has appointed MiraiLab as a representative of AirAsia Buds intellectual property to drive new opportunities across multiple sectors, including branding, entertainment, and merchandising. MiraiLab aims to bring innovative projects featuring AirAsia Buds to life in licensing, retail, events, and merchandising that create unique, immersive, and impactful experiences. This partnership will ensure that AirAsia Buds continues to entertain and connect with audiences worldwide, both on-screen and off-screen, in their everyday lives.

Remi Helmay, Head of Licensing and Merchandising of Abc. added: “For 23 years, the AirAsia brand has proudly championed Asean and embodied the spirit of ‘Dare to Dream’. Partnering with MiraiLab, we will continue this narrative by bringing to life the stories of AirAsia Buds through real-life experiences and exciting merchandise that you can own and love, embodying the values that AirAsia believes in. Through innovative merchandising and marketing, we’re able to create deeper, more meaningful connections with audiences, allowing AirAsia Buds to inspire and engage in a way that reflects the heart of the AirAsia brand across diverse markets and experiences.”

Ben Lee, Managing Director of MiraiLab, said: “We are deeply honoured to collaborate with AirAsia brand co. (Abc.) in creating the new and proudly Malaysian intellectual property, AirAsia Buds. This exciting venture marks a significant milestone for our brand and Asean, as we aim to showcase the region’s rich cultural diversity and creativity through the AirAsia Buds IP. By leveraging our market acumen and decades of operational expertise, we are committed to bringing these delightful characters to life. Through a holistic and innovative strategy, we aspire to make AirAsia Buds a unique and memorable intellectual property that captivates audiences worldwide. Together, we look forward to imbuing these charming characters with dynamic energy and irresistible appeal, ensuring they resonate with fans across all age groups. As partners, we set out to create a legacy with the AirAsia Buds IP that highlights the vibrant creativity of Malaysian and Asean intellectual property on a global platform.”

The announcement made on the sidelines of Kre8tif! 2024, marked a significant investment from Abc. in the development of intellectual property by diversifying into licensing, merchandising, and content creation. This underscores the goal of propelling the AirAsia brand to new heights by expanding its influence across diverse audiences, categories, and industries, using the AirAsia Buds intellectual property as a dynamic platform for growth in entertainment and lifestyle.

Abc. is committed to setting a new benchmark in brand development and continues to shape the future of how it engages with audiences, driving creativity and fostering meaningful connections across the region and beyond for the AirAsia brand.

About AirAsia, the masterbrand
AirAsia is a leading Asean brand that has evolved from a pioneering low-cost airline into a dynamic travel and lifestyle platform for the underserved, the believers and the dreamers. With a legacy of more than 20 years built on affordability, accessibility, and inclusivity, AirAsia has connected over 800 million people across the region and beyond, inspiring dreams and empowering communities. Rooted in Asean, AirAsia continues to champion the region's diversity propelled by its "Dare to Dream" spirit committed to delivering exceptional value, unforgettable experiences, and innovative solutions.

For the latest brand updates, collaborations, and exclusive content, follow @airasia on Instagram and be part of the journey as we continue to connect and inspire Asean!

About AirAsia Buds
AirAsia Buds is AirAsia’s character IP represented by humanoid characters mostly based on animals endemic to Southeast Asia: Tappy the thrill-seeking tapir, Bam the foodie pygmy elephant, Ogu the trendy orangutan, and deal-hunter Biggie from another planet. Together, they seek adventure and discover the joys of travel, curiosity and teamwork. If you are interested in licensing the AirAsia Buds IP, we invite you to explore how we can create something remarkable together by reaching out to us at licensing@airasiabrandco.com.

About Moonbug Entertainment
Moonbug is an award-winning global entertainment company inspiring kids everywhere to laugh, learn and grow. The company is behind some of the biggest kids’ entertainment brands in the world including CoComelon and Blippi. Moonbug believes every child should have access to entertaining and enriching content, making its shows available on more than 150 video platforms globally including Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer and YouTube Kids. The company is also a global leader in pre-school music and audio experiences, available on 100+ audio platforms globally. Moonbug brands extend far beyond the screen to include streaming music, consumer products and live events.

Moonbug is part of Candle Media, an independent, creator-friendly home for cutting-edge, high-quality, category-defining brands and franchises. By bringing together elite talent operating at the intersection of content, community, and commerce, it helps to position leading entertainment businesses for accelerated, sustainable growth in the current market and beyond. Candle is run by its Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs, leading entertainment executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, and backed by investment capital from funds managed by Blackstone’s flagship private equity business.

For more information on Moonbug, please visit www.moonbug.com.

About MiraiLab
MiraiLab, founded on the Japanese concept of "future + creativity," is committed to driving diversified growth through IP licensing, film and television production, and global retail distribution. The company's founder, with over 20 years of extensive experience across publishing, anime creation, creative design, and retail, has continuously led the industry, fostering a deep integration of culture and commerce. To date, MiraiLab has established close partnerships with over 400 premium IPs from Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia, encompassing a wide range of classic and emerging original works, consistently delivering innovation and vitality to various markets. Looking ahead, MiraiLab will remain true to its core values of "future and creativity," striving to create more globally-focused IP projects, expand the boundaries of IP commercialization, and bring consumers unprecedented entertainment experiences.

SOURCE: Capital A Berhad

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Alya Zulaikha
Communications
Tel : +601162954695
Email : nuralyazulaikha@airasia.com

--BERNAMA

Mavenir’s 5G UPF Solution Bags Leading Lights Network Energy Efficiency Award

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 (Bernama) -- Mavenir, the cloud-native network infrastructure provider, has won the Leading Lights Network Energy Efficiency Award for its Energy-Efficient 5G User Plane Function (UPF) solution.

Mavenir President, Core Networks, Ashok Khuntia said this award underscores the value of strategic collaborations and the integration of the company’s ‘green by design’ advanced technologies in driving industry-wide progress and sustainability.

“We have not only demonstrated significant energy savings and performance improvements for 5G core networks but have also set a new standard for energy-efficient network infrastructure,” he said in a statement.

Delivering substantial energy savings, operational efficiency, and enhanced performance for its mobile network operator customers, Mavenir has demonstrated remarkable success with its UPF solution.

With a significant 40 per cent power saving even under the most demanding conditions, such as a 100 per cent traffic load, this impressive efficiency is due in part to Mavenir's utilisation of NVIDIA ASAP2 Accelerated Switching & Packet Processing technology, which allows Mavenir to accelerate the UPF- data plane on NVIDIA solutions and plays a pivotal role in conserving power.

Mavenir's cloud-native architecture seamlessly integrates with 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors and NVIDIA ConnectX-6 Dx SmartNIC acceleration technology, and this powerful combination allows customers to enjoy the dual benefits of enhanced power efficiency and high-performance packet processing.

Its solution also enables a small footprint UPF at the edge, reducing latency, improving local data processing, and minimising operational costs. The innovative architecture, coupled with advanced technologies, ensures that Mavenir's customers can achieve significant energy savings and operational efficiencies.

The Leading Light Network Energy Efficiency Award is given to the company that has helped a network operator best improve the energy efficiency of its networks by retiring or consolidating infrastructure, using modern software and equipment, and adopting more data-driven operations, among others.

The Leading Lights Awards is Light Reading's flagship awards programme, now in its 20th year, recognises the top companies and their executives for outstanding achievements in the global communications industry, presenting an exceptional snapshot of the technology, applications, services and innovation that help telecom, cable and cloud providers stand out.

-- BERNAMA

GUANGDONG PROVINCE CHAMPIONS THE PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF LINGNAN CULTURE

 

Audiences enjoy the “Wing Chun” dance drama at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London (Photo: Business Wire) 

GUANGZHOU, China, Oct 1 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Guangdong Province is taking significant steps to preserve and promote Lingnan culture on the global stage through a variety of cultural initiatives and events. Highlighting the region’s rich heritage, these efforts have sparked international interest and enthusiasm for traditional Chinese arts.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240930350754/en/ 

In August 2024, the dance drama “Wing Chun”, originating from Shenzhen, made its UK debut at London’s prestigious Sadler’s Wells Theatre. The production, which showcases the elegance of Wing Chun martial arts and Gambiered Guangdong gauze (Xiangyunsha), set a record for the most performances by a Chinese dance drama in London, with an average occupancy rate of over 80%. The success of “Wing Chun” emphasizes the growing global appreciation for Chinese intangible cultural heritage.

Earlier in the year, the Guangdong Cantonese Opera House hosted the “Featured Guangdong—Cantonese Opera” event, attended by consular officials and their families, who were captivated by the beauty of Cantonese opera. This was followed by the “Explore Panyu” event, where foreign officials from 30 countries experienced the region's traditional customs and artistic expressions, further fostering cultural exchanges.

In May 2024, the 20th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair attracted participants from 60 countries and regions, celebrating both traditional and modern Chinese cultural products. This included everything from e-sports to original music and film.

Guangdong’s efforts also extend to modern cultural expressions. The “Lingnan Water Town International Cartoon & Animation Week”, held in August, brought together leaders from Japan, South Korea, and China’s special administrative regions to explore trends in animation and art toys, further boosting the province’s influence in the global cultural trade market.

Through events like dragon boat racing, Cantonese opera, and cultural fairs, Guangdong continues to breathe new life into Lingnan culture while fostering international cultural integration.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240930350754/en/ 

Contact

Mei Zhang
Tel.: 0086-18611686759
Email: 1713543383@qq.com 

Source : Guangdong Province 

--BERNAMA

BUSINESSNEXT AND MONGODB TEAM UP TO ACCELERATE AUTONOMOUS OPERATIONS IN FINANCIAL SERVICES

Collaboration will enable banks to create hyper-scalable digital solutions, delivering cutting-edge technology, AI-driven customer journeys and experiences

NEW DELHI, Sept 30 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BUSINESSNEXT, a global leader in composable enterprise solutions for financial services, has partnered with MongoDB to accelerate autonomous operations powered with specialized predictive and generative AI for banking and insurance. Headquartered in New York, MongoDB empowers innovators to create, transform, and disrupt industries with the power of software and data.

The collaboration between BUSINESSNEXT and MongoDB will empower banking and financial services with the technology needed to deliver exceptional customer experiences and drive autonomous operations.

By combining BUSINESSNEXT’s deep expertise in financial services with MongoDB’s flexible, scalable database platform that has industry-leading encryption, access controls, and data protection protocols, the partnership will deliver innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of the industry. BUSINESSNEXT’s suite of solutions to drive autonomous banking includes real-time AI at the core powering modern CRM, digital journeys, lending platforms, risk-rating platforms, workforce assistants, customer chatbots and more.

MongoDB’s document-oriented data model, with its flexible schema, nicely complements BUSINESSNEXT’s AI-driven capabilities. The partnership will enable banks to harness the power of their data to create personalized customer journeys, optimize lending processes, and make data-driven decisions. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=49416

GOOD FOODIE MEDIA, MAYBANK AND PAYNET UNITE TO SHOWCASE MALAYSIA'S CULINARY DELIGHTS TO THE WORLD

- Launches inaugural Foodie Hawkers Awards 2024 to honour local street hawkers

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- Good Foodie Media Sdn Bhd, in collaboration with Maybank and Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) have announced the Foodie Hawker Awards 2024, the first-ever local hawker food recognition initiative aimed to celebrate Malaysia's vibrant street food culture while supporting local hawkers.

This initiative recognises Malaysia as a melting pot of culinary diversity, where every dish tells a story of tradition, culture, and passion. The food offerings are a harmonious mix of flavours from all races, creating a cacophony of delicious experiences. Popular dishes like nasi lemak, laksa, roti canai, and satay, alongside many regional specialities, make Malaysia a paradise for food enthusiasts.

According to the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, gastro diplomacy is among the top attractions for international tourists. Malaysia received 20 million tourists last year and is a major tourist destination among ASEAN travellers, many of whom cited food as one of the primary reasons for their visit. UNESCO also recently recognised Kuching as one of its Creative Cities of Gastronomy, highlighting its rich and diverse food culture. Malaysia also boasts 50 Michelin-recognised restaurants around the country.

The Foodie Hawkers Awards 2024 aims to celebrate and elevate the local food scene by crowdsourcing votes for favourite local food hawkers. The award winners will be determined by the general public's vote, where they can vote once in each of the 14 states featured.

The campaign runs from 1 July to 31 December 2024, with winners honoured at an award ceremony in January 2025. The award is open to all F&B merchants operating as 'hawkers'—including roadside stalls, market food stalls, traditional coffee shops, and food trucks nationwide. To participate, hawkers must either be an existing Maybank QRPayBiz merchant or sign up for a Maybank QRPayBiz account, with a minimum of 200 MAE QRPay transactions during the campaign period.

Participating merchants will be listed on the Foodie Asia webpage for Malaysians to review and cast their votes. All participants will receive a “Featured on Foodie Hawker Awards 2024” sticker to proudly display at their stalls. Additionally, selected merchants could be featured on Foodie Asia and Maybank's social media pages, as well as in any ad-hoc promotional campaigns run by MAE by Maybank2u. From 15 September to 31 December this year, customers spending a minimum of RM8 by Scan & Pay on the MAE app at the Foodie Hawker featured outlets will get a RM2 discount, using the promo code “MAEFHA2”.

Nicholas Lim Pinn Yang, Founder and CEO of Good Foodie Media affirms that the Foodie Hawker Awards will be a long-term commitment to empower Malaysia’s vibrant local food scene. “We’ve been helping SMEs & hawkers to promote their business online and a recognition award has been something I wanted to do for the F&Bs scene in Malaysia,” he said.

“It will be an award for Malaysians by Malaysians,” he added.

Syed Ahmad Taufik Albar, Group CEO, Maybank Community Financial Services said that Maybank has always been actively helping local hawkers and small businesses thrive through various initiatives, such as the zero-commission online platform Sama-Sama Lokal.

“By empowering our hawkers with QRPay through the MAE app, we are creating a seamless payment ecosystem that will help expand their customer base. As of today, approximately 750,000 of Malaysian merchants offer cashless payments with Maybank’s QRPayBiz, where almost half are micro SMEs. This new collaboration will further drive the adoption of cashless payments, including facilitating cross-border transactions for tourists from Thailand, Singapore, China and Indonesia. With millions of visitors annually from these countries, QRPay will be a game-changer for the hawkers. This initiative is core to Maybank's commitment to financial inclusion, supporting micro-SMEs and driving digital transformation,” added Taufik.

Azrul Fakhzan Mainor, Senior Director of PayNet’s Commercial Division stated, "This collaboration reaffirms our commitment to driving digital transformation and financial inclusion among micro-SMEs (MSMEs). By integrating DuitNow QR solutions, we aim to empower local hawkers, enhancing their business operations and expanding their customer base. Additionally, this will also cultivate stronger adoption of digital payments among MSMEs, ultimately boosting their sales opportunities and revenue through cashless acceptance. Collectively, beyond celebrating food, we are fostering a vibrant, connected, and sustainable local business ecosystem through digital empowerment in Malaysia."

Please go to Foodie Hawker Awards 2024 for more information and vote for the participants.

About Good Foodie Media
Good Foodie Media is a lifestyle focused digital media in Southeast Asia with 17 brands across 5 ASEAN countries offering tech solutions for F&Bs. Every month, over 100 million people engage with content produced by the company’s popular channels, including KL Foodie, Penang Foodie, and Singapore Foodie. The media company, made up of a diverse team of local content creators, aims to connect F&B businesses with audiences through its various brands and platforms.

About Maybank
Maybank is among Asia's leading financial groups and Southeast Asia’s fourth largest bank by asset with close to 44,000 employees worldwide. The Group has an international network of some 2,600 offices in 18 countries including all 10 ASEAN countries and also present in international financial centres such as London, New York, Hong Kong and Dubai. With a purpose to Humanise Financial Services and guided by its M25+ strategy, Maybank provides any array of values-based solutions established on sustainable and ethical principles to meet its customers evolving needs. These extensive range of products and services, include consumer and corporate banking, investment banking, Islamic banking, stock broking, insurance and takaful and asset management. (www.maybank.com)

About PayNet
Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) is the national payments network and central financial infrastructure for Malaysia with the vision to empower Malaysia's digital economy. Our extensive retail payments suite, DuitNow (QR and P2P), JomPAY (Bill Payments), FPX (Online), MyDebit (Domestic Debit), MEPS, and IBG (Interbank GIRO) has near ubiquitous coverage across the nation and is part of the daily fabric of life in Malaysia. In addition, PayNet’s real time retail QR payments network, DuitNow, is also interoperable with domestic schemes in Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia to enable seamless cross-border transactions with those countries. PayNet is committed to promoting a secure, efficient, and innovative payments ecosystem in Malaysia, and works closely with its stakeholders to develop new products and services that meet the evolving needs of consumers and businesses. For further details, please visit our website: www.paynet.com.my

SOURCE: Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Brandon Low
Head of Marketing
Good Foodie Media
Tel: +6012 779 2291
Email: brandon@foodie.my

--BERNAMA

Kao Inks MoU With C.P. Group To Promote Sustainable Future In Thailand

 KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- Kao Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Charoen Pokphand (C.P.) Group, Thailand's leading conglomerate, to collaborate on promoting a sustainable future in Thailand.

Kao will work with C.P. Group, which operates 7-Eleven convenience stores and supermarkets, to provide environmentally friendly products in the daily goods sector and foster sustainable cooperation in the chemical business.

As Kao celebrates its 60th anniversary in Thailand, the company in a statement said it will promote efforts to enrich the lives of Thai people through a global perspective and partnerships.

Under the shared aspiration of contributing to the future of Thai children, Kao and C.P. Group will begin collaborating in the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) field.

By starting concrete cooperation and leveraging synergistic effects, both companies aim to deepen their partnership and achieve a sustainable future by exclusively supplying specific environmentally friendly products from Kao Group to C.P. Group.

In addition, they will co-develop a new house brand featuring innovative, sustainable consumer products for sale under C.P. Group’s brands, utilising Kao Group's innovations to achieve sustainability goals.

They will also explore further collaborative opportunities in the chemical business, as well as work together to address social issues and develop products for industries related to C.P. Group's businesses by leveraging the expertise of both companies.

Kao's mid-term plan "K27" emphasises building Global Sharp Top businesses and building businesses via co-creation with partners. Kao Thailand will serve as a model in promoting activities that contribute to the expansion of the Kao Group's global business and the development of new business models.

Meanwhile, C.P., since its founding in 1921, has been operating in Thailand with a focus on providing  high-quality products. The company has grown in Thailand and now operates across a wide range of fields, including retail sectors represented by stores such as 7-Eleven as well as in the distribution, industrial, and agricultural sectors.

-- BERNAMA