ENCORP'S ETHICAL DRIVE TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS

ENCORP Integrity Day 2024 

KOTA DAMANSARA, Selangor, Feb 29 (Bernama) -- Encorp Berhad (“ENCORP”), proudly concludes its steadfast commitment to integrity at its ENCORP Integrity Day 2024, held at Strand Mall. The event brought together attendees, including ENCORP employees, Strand Mall tenants, and business partners to engage in discussions, providing perspectives into the significance of ethics, transparency, and corporate responsibility in today's dynamic business landscape.

ENCORP’s Chairman, Encik Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff said "Amidst the complexities and challenges of the modern business world, the importance of upholding ethical standards cannot be overstated. Property embodies integrity, while integrity safeguards property. They intertwine, forming the cornerstone of trust and reliability in every transaction and relationship, essential for sustainable growth and prosperity.”

Encik Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff added "We firmly believe that our actions today shape the future of our organisation and our society. Therefore, it is imperative that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of integrity, ensuring that every decision we make reflects our unwavering commitment to ethical excellence. Through initiatives like this, we aim to inspire positive change and set new benchmarks for integrity in the corporate world."

The day kicked off with a forum session entitled 'Leading Governance with Integrity', moderated by En. Arman Idzmy, ENCORP's Head of Risk & Governance. This engaging session showcased esteemed speakers, Psk Tuan Mohd Ridzuan bin Baharin from the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission's Private Sector Section, Community Education Division, and Tuan Mohd Salihin bin Othman, a distinguished Board of Director representative from the Institute Integrity Malaysia (IIM).

A highlight of the event was the signing ceremony of the Integrity Pledge, a symbolic gesture underscoring ENCORP's steadfast resolve to combat corruption and uphold ethical standards. Led by En. Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff, Chairman of ENCORP, and joined by PPj Puan Tan Li Chu, Head of GLC Private Sector Community Education Division of MACC, the pledge signified a collective commitment to integrity-driven leadership and governance excellence.

Throughout the day, attendees, including ENCORP employees, Strand Mall tenants, and business partners, had the opportunity to engage with exhibitors at the exhibitions. These experiences provided invaluable insights into the importance of good governance and integrity, empowering participants to champion integrity in their respective spheres.

As ENCORP reflects on the success of Integrity Day 2024, it reaffirms its unwavering dedication to ethical excellence, striving for positive industry-wide transformation. Anchored by integrity, ENCORP remains at the forefront of governance and integrity, poised to inspire and lead by example. Embodying the spirit of "Enlightened Corporation, Makes Enlightened Nation," ENCORP persists in its mission to promote a culture firmly grounded in ethical principles.

Listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia (Ticker: ENCORP/6076). For more information, visit www.encorp.com.my or facebook: @encorpbhd.

SOURCE: Encorp Berhad

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Pauline S Lalung
Tel: 03 6286 7777
Email: pauline@encorp.com.my

--BERNAMA

MEDIDATA, THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC'S PPD RENEW DEAL TO ADVANCE CLINICAL TRIALS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 29 (Bernama) -- Medidata, a Dassault Systèmes company and provider of clinical trial solutions to the life sciences industry, has renewed its relationship with Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc’s PPD clinical research business.

“Over the past 15 years, we have built a valued connection with the PPD clinical research business to enhance visibility and decision-making during clinical trials.

“We look forward to working together to complete studies faster, boost drug development productivity, and ultimately bring life-changing treatments to patients sooner,” said Medidata executive vice president and head of global sales, Janet Butler.

According to Medidata in a statement, the agreement spans wide range of its solutions to enhance clinical trial efficiency.

The agreement features the Medidata Platform, as well as Medidata Adjudicate and additional Medidata Rave product offerings that support the PPD clinical research business in advancing its customers’ drug development programmes.

A key element of this relationship is the evolution of PPD TrueCast, a business solution powered by Medidata AI that shortens study timelines by combining patient recruitment and site performance data to deliver powerful predictive models and advanced analytics.

The company has collaborated with the PPD clinical research business since 2009 on over 1,000 clinical studies for biopharmaceutical and medical device companies across a broad range of therapeutic areas from oncology to vaccines.

-- BERNAMA

ASICS Move Her Mind Platform Breaking Down Barriers For Women In Sport

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- This International Women’s Day, ASICS unveils the results of the largest study ever conducted on the gender exercise gap, reaffirming the positive correlation between women’s exercise levels and their mental health.

According to the study, women who exercise regularly are 52 per cent happier, 50 per cent more energised, 48 per cent more confident, 67 per cent less stressed and 80 per cent less frustrated when exercising.

However, the independent research, conducted on over 25,000 people and led by renowned academics Dr Dee Dlugonski and Professor Brendon Stubbs, alarmingly found that over half of women globally are dropping out or stopping exercise completely, which is negatively impacting their state of mind.

Ominously, the global study revealed that over half of women are unhappy with their exercise levels, with all women facing a myriad of universal challenges and barriers to exercise throughout their lifetime, from time pressures (74 per cent) and low self-confidence (35 per cent) to intimidating environments (44 per cent) or not feeling sporty enough (42 per cent).

Yet, men’s perceptions of these barriers are different to the reality, with only 34 per cent of men recognised lack of time as a barrier to exercise for women, despite three-quarters (74 per cent) of women citing the issue.

In fact, of the top five barriers to exercise perceived by men, only one (costs) actually featured in the list of most common obstacles reported by women, highlighting a disparity between men’s perceptions and the daily reality felt by women worldwide.

In response, according to a statement, ASICS is recognising and amplifying the positive impact of individuals and grassroots organisations who are breaking barriers for women in sport, to support, empower and inspire more women to move.

Currently, the company is spotlighting the remarkable individuals and organisations, who are actively dismantling barriers for women in exercise and sport in addition to the stories of those who are making a difference, the ASICS Move Her Mind platform contains resources, activities and tips to support more women to move more often.

-- BERNAMA

Parenting Journey Easier With Maiden Medela Family Smart Watch App

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- Medela has announced the global launch of its first-ever Medela Family smart watch app, designed for seamless tracking for Medela breast pumps users.

This latest innovation is an extension of the award-winning Medela Family app, which supports new and expectant families worldwide by tracking breastfeeding and pumping sessions, as well as milk storage and other key metrics.

According to Medela in a statement, the new smart watch app caters to the needs of new parents, offering quick, convenient tracking while on the move.

“We understand the dynamic lifestyle of today’s moms and strive to offer tools that simplify the breastfeeding and pumping journey for new parents. This app is more than a convenience; it is a way to stay intimately connected with your baby’s needs, even during the busiest of days,” said its Chief Executive Officer, Annette Brüls.

Compatible with both WatchOS and Wear OS, the Medela Family smart watch app synchronises automatically with the main smartphone app, in which this integration provides uninterrupted tracking of baby's activities, from breastfeeding and pumping to sleep and diaper patterns.

The smart watch app includes an array of essential features to assist parents including virtual milk storage inventory as well as tracking for breastfeeding, pumping, bottle, sleep and diaper.

In addition, the interface of the watch app features dedicated tabs for each function, providing quick, on-the-go tracking with streamlined controls.

While the watch app focuses on essential tracking, the full range of features, including detailed data input, is available on the smartphone app, ensuring a comprehensive record.

The Medela Family app is used globally by expectant and breastfeeding families to track inputs from pregnancy through baby’s first years, offering personalised, evidence-based guidance and easy tracking to simplify breastfeeding and pumping for new parents.

-- BERNAMA

MALAYSIA'S ENERGAS INSURANCE RATED EXCELLENT - AM BEST

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- AM Best has affirmed Malaysia’s Energas Insurance (L) Limited (Energas) financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and the long-term issuer credit rating of “a” (Excellent).

According to AM Best in a statement, the outlook of these credit ratings (ratings) is negative.

The ratings reflect Energas’ balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

In addition, the ratings factor in the neutral impact from the parent, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), which is the national oil and gas company of Malaysia.

Energas’ balance sheet strength assessment is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio, which is expected to remain at the strongest level over the medium term.

The company’s investment portfolio was viewed by AM Best as conservative, with a majority of investments allocated to cash and deposits, and the remainder invested in good quality government and corporate bonds.

Capital requirements arising from underwriting risks are viewed to be low given the company’s low net underwriting leverage, though the accumulation of high severity losses from multiple policies may still lead to moderate balance sheet volatility.

AM Best views Energas’ operating performance as strong, supported by its five-year average combined ratio of 68.4 per cent (2018-2022). The company’s net underwriting margins have historically benefitted from favourable reinsurance commission income and low management expenses relative to net earned premium.

The credit rating agency considers the company’s business profile as neutral. As a single-parent captive to PETRONAS, Energas benefits from business access to the group’s insurance risks.

However, its underwriting portfolio shows concentration by line of business and geography, with a significant focus on upstream and downstream energy risks located in Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA

RIMKUS REINFORCES EXPERTISE, EXPANDS MARKET REACH VIA HGGC'S INVESTMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- Rimkus Consulting Group Inc (Rimkus), a worldwide provider of engineering and technical consulting services, has received a strategic growth investment from HGGC, a middle-market investment firm.

In a statement, Rimkus said its management team and existing minority investor Century Equity Partners will be rolling significant equity into the transaction, but the financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are excited to welcome HGGC as a strategic partner. Their investment not only recognises the Rimkus team’s hard work and dedication but also empowers us to accelerate our growth trajectory.

“With HGGC’s expertise and resources, we are poised to reach new heights and expand our service offerings to provide even greater value for our clients,” said Rimkus President and Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Higgins.

Meanwhile, HGGC said the company is looking forward to helping Rimkus achieve growth by broadening its service offerings, deepening its already-strong bench of expertise, and investing in technology to enhance operations.

Rimkus provides engineering and technical consulting to global clients including corporations, law firms, insurance carriers, third-party administrators, and government agencies.

The new partnership with HGGC will help Rimkus to broaden its service portfolio, better serve its clients, and further establish itself as the premier technical consulting firm.

Since 2020, Rimkus has made 15 strategic acquisitions, growing its network to more than 1,500 employees and more than 110 offices globally.

Following a strategic rebrand earlier last year, Rimkus has enhanced its existing practice areas to stay ahead of its global clients’ requirements and invested heavily in technology solutions and people which has enabled the company to remain a leader in the industries it serves.

J.P. Morgan acted as exclusive financial advisor to Rimkus, while Baird advised Century Equity Partners, and Piper Sandler advised HGGC.

-- BERNAMA

RAS AL KHAIMAH 15TH IWAM OFFERS INSIGHT ON RECENT ADVANCES IN MATERIALS SCIENCE

HH Saud bin Saqr attends the opening of the 15th #IWAMRasAlKhaimah and takes part in a fireside discussion that highlights Ras Al Khaimah’s commitment to scientific progress and innovation. #Science (Photo: AETOSWire)

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- The 15th International Workshop on Advanced Materials (IWAM) organised by the Ras Al Khaimah Centre for Advanced Materials (RAKCAM) kicked off at the Mövenpick Resort on Al Marjan Island, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In its 15th year, IWAM brings together over 200 prominent scientists, professors, researchers and students from internationally acclaimed educational institutions, and more than 100 attendees from UAE-based universities to discuss how advanced materials can shape the future, according to a statement.

The event is again being held under the patronage of UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, His Highness Sheikh Saud Saqr Al Qasimi, who is participating in a fireside discussion about the importance of advanced materials in solving the world’s greatest challenges.

Advanced materials are found in mobile phones, electronics, energy systems and they include metals, ceramics and polymers, which are either new or enhanced beyond their original state.

Innovations in these advanced materials have the potential to revolutionise many industries, including aerospace, transport, construction and healthcare, allowing these sectors to reduce their carbon footprint and energy use.

IWAM will welcome renowned advanced materials scientists from institutions including the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of New South Wales, and the Max Planck Institute, as well as Nobel Prize-winning professor from the University of Manchester.

As part of IWAM’s remit to involve young people in science, over 500 students from schools and universities in Ras Al Khaimah have taken part in the ‘Innovation and Sustainability Challenge’, calling on them to create innovative solutions to global challenges.

Winners of this challenge and the annual prestigious Sheikh Saud International Prize for Materials Science which offers a US$100,000 reward will be announced later in the week. (US$1=RM4.77)

-- BERNAMA