Tuesday 31 October 2017

ASCOM WINS ORDER TO SUPPLY ADVANCED NURSE CALL SOLUTION FOR ELDERLY CARE FACILITIES IN NORWAY

BAAR, Switzerland, Oct 31 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascom (SWX:ASCN.SW) secures a long term contract with the Drammen municipality in Norway to modernize and improve the communication infrastructure of its elderly care facilities. The new solution includes Ascom Myco 2 smart devices and will enhance the care experience of all residents.
 
The solution of Ascom consists of a comprehensive Ascom teleCARE IP nurse call system, Ascom Myco 2 handsets, Ascom Unite middleware for messaging handling and Ascom Ward Agent nurse-resident allocation software which will be implemented in three care units with 124 beds in total. The contract amounts to a value of around CHF 790,000.
 
The complete Ascom teleCARE IP mobile nurse call system includes voice function, wireless alerts and wanderer control for residents and enables a correct assignment of resident calls to the right caregiver to ensure a calm care environment. The purpose-built handsets for reception of resident calls, are also equipped with an alert button, which together with room level positioning, help enhancing personnel safety in case of a difficult care situation.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30442

TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION LAUNCHES NEW SURFACE-MOUNT BRUSHED MOTOR DRIVER IC

Supporting high-voltage and large-current drive for home-use robot vacuum cleaners and printers.

TOKYO, Oct 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation has broadened its line-up of small surface-mount brushed motor drivers with the addition of “TB67H420FTG,” which supports high-voltage, large-current drive for home-use robot vacuum cleaners, printers and other office equipment. Mass production starts today.

A high power drive is a basic requirement for the motors used in printers and other office equipment, banking terminals, cash dispensers, and home appliances that need high torque drive. As the scope of application increases, so too does the demand for downsizing and space-saving devices.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30436

NTT COM TO CONSTRUCT OPTICAL SUBMARINE CABLE CONNECTING JAPAN, U.S. AND PHILIPPINES WITH LARGE CAPACITY AND LOW LATENCY

To be compatible with 400Gbps optical wavelength division multiplex transmission system as the fastest submarine cable between Japan and U.S.

TOKYO, Oct 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT Group (TOKYO:9432), announced today that as part of a consortium comprising SoftBank, Facebook, Amazon, PLDT and PCCW Global, it signed an agreement on 27 October to participate in the construction and maintenance of the JUPITER large-capacity low-latency optical submarine cable between Asia and the United States.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30435

OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY LEADERS INVEST IN SOLIDIA TECHNOLOGIES' SUSTAINABLE CEMENT AND CONCRETE INNOVATIONS

Investment will aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by bringing technology to market

PISCATAWAY, N.J., Oct 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE)-- Solidia Technologies® announced today that OGCI Climate Investments has made in an investment in the company to support the adoption of Solidia’s patented cement and concrete technology using CO2.

The Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) is a CEO-led initiative of ten oil and gas companies that collaborate on action to lead the industry response to climate change. OGCI Climate Investments, its billion dollar investment arm, supports the development, deployment and scale up of new technologies that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30428

HOYA REPORTS SECOND QUARTER RESULTS; RECORD HALF YEAR RESULTS

TOKYO, Oct 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Hoya Corporation (TOKYO: 7741) today announced financial results for the second quarter ended September 30, 2017.

During the quarter, revenue of the HOYA Group increased 18.2% year on year, reaching 135,772 million yen. Pre-tax profit amounted to 32,868 million yen with 26,767 million yen in profit, representing increases of 3.9% and 7.9%, respectively.

In the Life Care segment, sales of eyeglass lenses rose, mainly overseas and in response to business acquisitions. Medical endoscopes experienced improved sales, pushed mainly by performance in Europe and Asia. New products drove sales of intraocular lenses as well. As a result, the Life Care segment as a whole reported higher sales year on year.

The Information Technology segment also reported higher revenues year on year, driven by stronger demands in semiconductor devices and glass substrates for hard disk drives. Imaging-related product sales increased as well due to an expansion of new applications.

For the six months ended September 30, 2017, HOYA posted record revenues of 262,930 million yen and record profit for the term of 51,960 million yen, representing increases of 14.3% and 21.4%, respectively.

“The Life Care segment delivered sales increase of 9.4% without exchange gain this quarter,” said Hiroshi Suzuki, president and chief executive officer of HOYA. “We expect the segment profitability to improve in the second half as post-merger integration completes.”

HOYA also announced the interim dividends of 30 yen per share of common stock. 

3D SMART MAPS AID RESPONSE EFFORTS AS BALI BRACES FOR THE IMPENDING VOLCANIC CALAMITY

JAKARTA, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- Feared to be the worst volcano eruption Bali has seen in decades, local officials issued a level 4 volcano alert last month prompting hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes and escape the threat of an eruption.

In a bid to support emergency response efforts, Esri Indonesia’s Emergency Spatial Support Centre has developed a smart mapping portal which aims to provide users with greater awareness on the volcanic activity in Bali and its potential impact on affected communities. 



The portal features a library of mapping applications designed to keep the public informed and to help first responders, Non-Government Organisations and relevant local authorities effectively respond to the disaster happening on the ground. 

Among the mapping applications available in the portal include a 2D and 3D map which provides a compelling view of disaster prone areas, refugee points, the number of displaced families, locations of evacuation camps, temporary shelters and public amenities.

“By using a platform called ArcGIS, authoritative data from organisations such as BNPB are integrated and visualised on a map - enabling users to make well-informed decisions that can potentially help in protecting themselves and their families,” Dr. A. Istamar, CEO of Esri Indonesia, said.

“The maps in the portal are also updated in real-time to help first responders immediately visualise critical infrastructure and vulnerable community members they need to protect. They can also identify and prioritise potential threats to communities and develop comprehensive plans for evacuations,” said Dr. A. Istamar.
Esri Indonesia also created a crowdsourcing app to empower the public to contribute valuable information that may help local authorities better coordinate emergency response efforts. The information submitted by the public can then be seen through an interactive field reporting dashboard.

In addition, to take advantage of the country’s high mobile penetration rate, we have made the portal available for download as a mobile app – available in English and Indonesian languages - to help reach and engage a wider audience – not just within Bali, but also worldwide. This is especially useful for tourists who are planning a trip to Bali.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30429

Monday 30 October 2017

GOOD THINGS COME IN PAIRS TO EOS INC. IN SINGAPORE

TAIPEI, Taiwan, Oct 30 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The international marketing teams of EOS Inc. gathered and celebrated the inspiring growth of the business again, in Singapore’s flagship store on August 28th. The visiting teams had came a long way, from Foshan China and the franchisee of Singapore’s second flagship store, both participated and signed their contracts to join the EOS family at the ceremony in Singapore. This is a grand expansion of EOS Inc. sales channels in Asia, just like good things come in pairs.
 
Mr. Ben Yang, President of EOS Inc., warmly welcomed these new partners at the ceremony. The team that came from Foshan China with over 20 sales agents was led by Miss Lan, Jin-li, the general manager of a successful dealer of health care food in Canton, China. Her team studied deeply, understanding the products and the corporate philosophy of EOS on their trip, confirming their determination to participate in the business of the global EOS family.
 
At the same time, the representative of another sales team in Singapore, Miss Zhou, Guan-fang, who is well experienced in health care and beauty care products marketing, signed the cooperation contract to join. It indicates that another new flagship store and a sales team will soon be launched in Singapore.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30434

COMPUWARE ANNOUNCES DAY ONE SUPPORT FOR IBM IMS V15.1

DETROIT, Oct 30 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Compuware Corporation, the world’s leading mainframe-dedicated software company, is pleased to announce Day One support for IBM IMS V15.1 transactional database on IBM Z. Compuware’s support extends across its product line, including Abend-AID, File-AID, Strobe, Xpediter and COPE, the company’s IMS virtualization solution, as well as Topaz Workbench. Day One interoperability will help shared customers quickly realize the benefits of IBM’s latest IMS enhancements, while increasing efficiencies and reducing costs through virtualization.
 
“IBM’s IMS solution is already the most trusted name in transactional databases for mainframes. IMS V15.1 builds upon that trust through unmatched encryption and processing capabilities, combined with more dynamic development, scalability, and API openness,” said Compuware CEO Chris O’Malley. “This aligns with our quest to help Compuware customers harness the virtues of the mainframe to achieve greater productivity and competitive advantage in the digital economy.”
 
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30426

​GCP APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES PRICE INCREASE

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct 27 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GCP Applied Technologies (NYSE:GCP) has announced that effective January 1, 2018 it is implementing price increases of up to 5% across many of its product lines, or as contract terms allow.

“We are committed to providing customers with high-performing products and industry-leading technical service.  This price increase is necessary to meet persistent inflationary pressures, while continuing to allow us to make investments in developing new technologies and systems to support our customers' needs," said Michael Ragan, GCP’s Vice President of Global Sales.

About GCP Applied Technologies

GCP is a leading global provider of construction products technologies that include additives for cement and concrete, the Verifi® in-transit concrete management system, high-performance waterproofing products, and specialty systems. GCP products have been used to build some of the world’s most renowned structures. More information is available at www.gcpat.com.

Media Relations
Paul Keeffe
+1 617.498.4461
mediainfo@gcpat.com

Investor Relations
Joe DeCristofaro
+1 617.498.2616
investors@gcpat.com

Source : GCP Applied Technologies Inc.

--BERNAMA

AGF INTRODUCES REBRAND TO REFLECT FIRM'S EVOLUTION

Brings consistency and discipline to its brand house

TORONTO, Oct 27 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AGF Management Limited (AGF) (TSX:AGF.B) today unveiled a new brand that reflects the firm's growth strategy, while bringing alignment across its suite of brands.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4d24c5b8-5fce-42db-9b65-88b1ed300dc1

"Our rebrand signals the evolution of our story and reflects the disciplined approach we apply to everything we do at AGF -- from how we manage money to serving our clients to driving efficiencies in how we run our business," said Blake Goldring, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, AGF. "I'm pleased that we could launch this rebrand as we celebrate our 60th anniversary. It reflects how we are moving forward and looking ahead to the next 60 years."
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30413

Saturday 28 October 2017

RDC RECOGNIZED IN CHARTIS RISKTECH 100 REPORT

Ranked in most comprehensive, independent study of the world’s best risk and compliance technology companies

NEW YORK & LONDON, Oct 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- RDC, the Smarter ScreeningTM company, today announced it is being recognized as a global leader in compliance screening by Chartis, an authority on risk and compliance technology.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30411

ABIOMED ANNOUNCES Q2 FY 2018 REVENUE OF $132.8 MILLION, UP 29% AND RECORD U.S. PATIENT UTILIZATION, UP 33%

DANVERS, Mass., Oct 27 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abiomed, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABMD), a leading provider of breakthrough heart support technologies, today reported second quarter fiscal 2018 revenue of $132.8 million, an increase of 29% compared to revenue of $103.0 million for the same period of fiscal 2017. Second quarter fiscal 2018 GAAP net income was $24.5 million or $0.54 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $8.9 million or $0.20 per diluted share for the prior year period.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30418

Friday 27 October 2017

EIB Declares Income Distribution Of 0.027 Sen Per Unit For Fund

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 (Bernama) -- Eastspring Investments Bhd (EIB) has announced a gross income distribution of 0.027 sen per unit for Eastspring Investments Global Target Income Fund for the financial year ended May 31, 2017.

In a statement today, it said, unit holders who had maintained their unit holdings in the fund as at Oct 20, 2017 would be entitled to the income distribution.

EIB is one of the leading asset management companies in Malaysia in both institutional and retail sectors, with over RM40 billion in assets under management in the country as of June 30, 2017.

It manages unit trust funds, wholesale funds and private mandates.

-- BERNAMA

IKIM Publishes Book To Fend Off Pluralistic Beliefs

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- The book, 'Kenapa Islam: Menyanggah Pegangan Kaum Pluralis' (Why Islam: Refuting the Beliefs of Pluralists) published by the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) can be a guide to fend off attempts by certain quarters attempting to erode the confidence of Muslims regarding fundamental issues in the Islamic faith.

IKIM's Syariah Studies, Law and Politics Centre director Dr Mohd Farid Shahran said the publication of the book was timely, as religion and inter-religious relations within Malaysia's plural society had become an endless polemic.

He said although different communities had been living in harmony for so long, problems began arising when certain parties subtly used the diversity as a 'weapon' to undermine the Muslim's beliefs, trapping them with the concept of pluralism.

"In the context of ethnic and religious diversity, we cannot escape the issue of religious tolerance, that is, the importance of tolerating the differences between themselves and other religions.

"Here, we have to be clear, that in religious tolerance, we (Muslims) can tolerate in terms of practising each other's religious beliefs. However, we cannot compromise on the truth of the Islamic religion, and firmly stand by our stance that Islam is the best religion," he said when discussing the book as a panelist here today.

Also on the panel for the discussion held in conjunction with the Books and Comics Auction 2017 were Senior Fellow of the IKIM Syariah Studies, Law and Politics Centre, Md Asham Ahmad, who is also the book's author.

Mohd Farid said differences and diversity of religion should not make Muslims pluralists, and the book justified the matter with basic and scientific evidence of the truth of the Islamic religion, the perfection of the Islamic Shari'a, the authority of messenger, the Prophet Muhammad SAW, and on how his teachings had been preserved till today.

Meanwhile, Md Asham hoped the publication of the book could improve Muslim understanding of the true position of Islam, as well as remove all doubts arising from misleading pluralist agendas.

The 70-page book is sold at RM25 and is available via online purchase at www.ikim.gov.my, or at the Penerbit IKIM Gallery, Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur.

-- BERNAMA

INDUSTRY LEGEND CRISTBĂ“AL CONDE JOINS DUCO AS ADVISOR

LONDON, Oct 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Duco, the global provider of self-service data normalization and reconciliation services, today announced that CristĂłbal Conde has joined as an advisor to the CEO and board of directors.

Christian Nentwich, CEO of Duco, said: “I am very pleased that Cris has chosen to work with us. We have invested a lot of time in finding the right person to complement our board and senior management. Cris’s experience in helping technology firms scale, and his drive for innovation in the world of data, machine learning, analytics and risk, make him a great fit for Duco as we continue with our expansion strategy. His insight, inspiration and ability to execute are all critical as we build the next generation of data platforms.”

Conde had a 24-year career at SunGard, culminating in him running the firm as CEO, building it into a Fortune 500 company and making it the largest privately-held software and services company in the world. He is currently an advisor and non-executive director at several technology firms challenging the status quo, including OpenGamma, Digital Asset, Callsign and Digital Reasoning.

“I have been involved in reconciliation for much of my career and Duco is the first credible self-service solution I have ever seen,” said Conde, commenting on his appointment. “I believe this approach will be extremely disruptive in a field that has not seen much innovation. Data and analytics are cornerstone-enabling functions where new, agile technology is rapidly changing businesses. Duco offers a unique combination of passionate clients, leading products, talented people and a commitment to innovation. The company has already distinguished itself in challenging environments in some of the world’s largest financial institutions. It now has the potential to grow into a world-renowned enterprise SaaS business.” 

UNISYS WINS PAYLOAD ASIA CUSTOMER CHOICE AWARD FOR IT SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR FOR EXCELLENCE IN AIR CARGO

SINGAPORE, Oct 26 (Bernama-AsiaNet) --

Innovative cargo solution Digistics receives customer choice title after winning popular online vote for ability to support digital transformation across supply chain


Unisys Corporation (http://www.unisys.com/) (NYSE: UIS) today announced that it has won the Customer Choice Award for IT Service Provider of the Year at the Payload Asia Awards (http://awards.payloadasia.com/) , honouring innovation and excellence in the air cargo supply chain. Unisys was recognised for Digistics(TM) (http://www.unisys.com/digistics), a holistic and integrated digital logistics solution that enables air cargo carriers to streamline their freight management and improve operational efficiencies.

The awards, hosted by leading industry publisher Payload Asia (http://www.payloadasia.com/), were presented in Singapore on 12 October 2017. Determined by popular online voting, the awards spotlight air cargo supply chain companies that have excelled despite a challenging global air freight market - demonstrating agility, innovation and superior strategic planning - and having a beneficial impact on market trends.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30398

NASDAQ REPORTS THIRD QUARTER 2017 RESULTS; DELIVERS STRONG PROFITABILITY AND INCOME GROWTH

- Net revenues1 were a record $607 million in the third quarter of 2017, an increase of 4% compared to the third quarter of 2016.  Subscription and recurring revenues, which includes revenues from our Corporate Services, Information Services and Market Technology segments, as well as our Trade Management Services business, increased 5% compared to prior year period and represented 76% of total net revenues in the third quarter of 2017.

- GAAP operating margin increased to 43% in the third quarter of 2017, up from 40% in the third quarter of 2016 while non-GAAP operating margin2 rose to 48% in the third quarter of 2017, up from 46% in the third quarter of 2016.

- Third quarter 2017 GAAP diluted EPS was $1.01, while non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.06, both including a positive $0.04 per share impact from changes in share-based tax accounting.3  Compared to the third quarter of 2016, GAAP diluted EPS increased $0.24, or 31%, while non-GAAP diluted EPS increased $0.15, or 16%.

- Through the first nine months of 2017, the company has returned $355 million to shareholders, which includes $180 million in dividends and $175 million in share repurchases.

NEW YORK, Oct 26 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nasdaq, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) today reported financial results for the third quarter of 2017.  Third quarter 2017 net revenues were $607 million, up $22 million or 4% from $585 million in the prior year period.  The third quarter increase in net revenues included a $15 million, or 3%, increase due to organic growth and a $7 million favorable impact due to changes in foreign exchange rates.

“We achieved strong results in the third quarter due in large part to success in delivering on our 2017 execution priorities, including successfully integrating the 2016 acquisitions, improving our competitive positioning across the franchise and commercializing key technologies," said Adena Friedman, President and CEO, Nasdaq.  "Additionally, we completed a strategic review and initiated a business pivot to move more of our resources behind our most sizable growth opportunities.  Initial actions supporting this new direction include organic investment in our Market Technology and Information Services businesses.  Additionally, we completed the acquisitions of eVestment and Sybenetix, and made the decision to explore strategic alternatives for our Public Relations Solutions and Digital Media Services businesses within our Corporate Solutions business."

Mrs. Friedman continued, "We also remain very focused on advancing capital markets reform and to that effect, were pleased to see the U.S. Treasury supporting many of the proposals put forth in our May 2017 blueprint to revitalize the U.S. capital markets,4 which champions reforms and initiatives that we believe improve the public company experience and advance the U.S. economy.  We look forward to continue advocating on behalf of our clients in this area.”

1 Represents revenues less transaction-based expenses.
2 Refer to our reconciliations of U.S. GAAP to non-GAAP net income, diluted earnings per share, operating income and operating expenses, included in the attached schedules.
3 In the first quarter of 2017, we adopted new accounting guidance which requires us to recognize the tax effect related to the vesting of share-based awards in income tax expense in the statements of income rather than in equity.
4 For more information, please see http://business.nasdaq.com/revitalize 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30403

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL BOLSTERS LEADERSHIP TEAM

Industry Veteran Gil Borok Appointed Chief Operating Officer | Colliers USA

 
LOS ANGELES, Oct 27 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading global commercial real estate services firm Colliers International Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CIGI) and (TSX:CIGI) today announced that Gil Borok has joined the company as Chief Operating Officer | USA. Borok, a seasoned commercial real estate services executive, will be responsible for managing the operations and finances of Colliers’ rapidly growing U.S. business.
 
“Colliers has grown significantly in both size and scale over the past few years while maintaining a relentless focus on serving clients and professionals at the highest levels,” said Marty Pupil, President | U.S. Brokerage. “Attracting a high caliber operations and finance executive like Gil is further evidence of our commitment to growth and operational effectiveness as we continue to strengthen our operations in the most important market in the world.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30416

Thursday 26 October 2017

FUSIONEX WINS GIANT 2017 CONTRACT WITH LEADING ASIAN BANK

SINGAPORE, Oct 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Fusionex, a multi award-winning, leading software solutions provider specializing in Big Data Analytics (BDA), the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence, and Deep Learning, has won a multi-year contract with a leading Asian bank to deploy GIANT 2017, providing crucial business intelligence and insights for key decision makers to make informed judgements and decisions.

The significant contract will see GIANT 2017 being rolled out to help grow and bolster the client’s vision of becoming a one-stop financing and business development centre, helping the client’s customers meet their financing needs and supporting their growth via business advisory services.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30405

​GMO INTERNET'S BITCOIN MINING BUSINESS LAUNCHES TOKEN SALE (ICO) FOR THE SALES OF NEXT-GENERATION MINING BOARDS

TOKYO, Oct 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GMO Internet’s (https://ir.gmo.jp/en/) Bitcoin mining business will launch a token sale (ICO) in 2018, the purpose of which is to sell next-generation mining boards. We will issue tokens as a method to buy next-generation mining boards.

GMO Internet’s Bitcoin mining business

Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) mining business requires computers enabling highly sophisticated and intensive computation and also requires securing stable power supply to operate and cool the computers. Accordingly, GMO Internet is currently preparing to provide the following with an aim to enter the Bitcoin mining business.
  1. We will use cutting-edge 7 nm process technology for chips to be used in the mining process, and are currently working on its research and development with our alliance partner having semiconductor design technology to realize high performance computer for mining. It will be possible to reduce power consumption compared to the existing mining machines with the same performance, and achieve a computational performance of 10TH/s per chip.
  2. In terms of power supply, we will operate a next-generation mining center utilizing plentiful renewable energy in Northern Europe, and secure clean and inexpensive power supply, which will allow us to control the costs of operating facilities. After preparing the facilities, we will launch the mining based on ready-made mining computers by December 31, 2017, which will lead to the full-scale entry into the Bitcoin mining business.
After the launch of the Bitcoin mining business, we will also sell our own next-generation mining boards.

Launching token sale for the sales of next-generation mining boards

GMO Internet’s Bitcoin mining business will launch a token sale (ICO) in 2018, planning the sales of next-generation mining boards.

We will consider properly the laws and regulations that are applicable to us under the current legislation including Payment Services Act and the Financial Instrument and Exchange Act, and will be conscious of the protection of token purchasers and stakeholders’ profits when designing the token sale.

Press Inquiries
GMO Internet Group
Group Public / Investor Relations
TEL: +81-3-5456-2695
Email: pr@gmo.jp

Source : GMO Internet, Inc.

--BERNAMA

GUIDELINES SET FOR CHIBA AQUALINE MARATHON 2018: "TEAM RACE," "OFFICIAL APP" TO BE NEWLY INTRODUCED

CHIBA, Japan, Oct. 26, 2017 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --
 
The Chiba Aqualine Marathon Planning Committee decided on guidelines for organizing the Chiba Aqualine Marathon 2018 when it held its 10th general  meeting on October 25.
 
The Chiba Aqualine Marathon, designed to "run along the sea" through the bridge section of the Tokyo Bay Aqualine Expressway, will be staged in autumn next year for the first time in two years.
 
Photos from 2016 Marathon
https://prw.kyodonews.jp/prwfile/release/M102229/201710257177/_prw_PI1fl_9fOWY3qV.jpg
 
https://prw.kyodonews.jp/prwfile/release/M102229/201710257177/_prw_PI2fl_NX4MWQcD.jpg
 
1. Competition outline
(1) Date/time: Sunday, October 21, 2018
Wheelchair half-marathon to start at 9:55 a.m.
Marathon, half-marathon to start at 10:00 a.m.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30404

FAVORABLE POLICIES, QUALITY SERVICES BOOST INVESTMENT TO CENTRAL CHINESE CITY

JINGMEN, China, Oct. 26, 2017 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
 
To solicit investment and promote industrial upgrading, the government of Jingmen City in central China's Hubei Province has introduced a series of supportive policies and services in the city's economic development, and gained some achievements.
 
From January to August, the city landed 500 projects of over 100 million yuan, with a total investment volume exceeding 200 billion yuan. The number of large scale enterprises has also arrived at 1,188. Its growth rate of fixed-asset investment and market entities topped Hubei in 2016 and the first half of 2017.
  
Due to underdeveloped transportation and lack of resources, the city's development had relied heavily on chemicals and agriculture. Over the past two years, the city government has made concrete efforts to streamline procedures for companies doing business in Jingmen, and provided favorable supports.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30400

MYTOYS DELIVERS ORACLE E-BUSINESS SUITE PROJECTS FASTER USING DELPHIX DYNAMIC DATA PLATFORM

Top European family shopping retailer selects Delphix to reduce time-to-market, improve software quality, offer faster disaster recovery, accelerate financial close and reduce costs

FRANKFURT, Germany and REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct 26 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Delphix, the company that has changed the dynamics of managing and consuming data, today announced top online retailer myToys has selected the Delphix Dynamic Data Platform to support their Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) projects and drive continuous innovation.

myToys uses Oracle EBS to run everything from purchasing, finance and accounting to order/ inventory management, customer service and logistics. By adopting the Delphix Dynamic Data Platform, myToys expects to use secure, up-to-date data to improve application development and testing processes, reduce time-to-market and improve quality.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30401

SKYBOX SECURITY RAISES $150 MILLION LED BY CVC CAPITAL PARTNERS' GROWTH FUND WITH PARTICIPATION FROM PANTHEON

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skybox™ Security, a global leader in cybersecurity management, announced today the company signed a definitive agreement to receive a $150 million growth equity investment led by CVC Capital Partners’ Growth Fund (CVC Growth) for $100 million, with participation from Pantheon for $50 million. CVC Capital Partners is a leading private equity and investment advisory firm, and Pantheon is a prominent global investor in private equity, infrastructure and real assets.

Based in Silicon Valley, Skybox has a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46 percent and positive cash flow (2014 ­– 2016). This round of funding will enable an accelerated investment in sales and marketing, customer care and R&D. It will also be used for potential M&A activity, to capitalize on the approximately $10 billion market opportunity in cybersecurity management.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30390

GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS III ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE 100% OF EQUIS ENERGY ALONGSIDE PSP INVESTMENTS AND CIC CAPITAL

NEW YORK, Oct 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Infrastructure Partners ("GIP"), a leading independent global infrastructure investor, announced today that its fund, Global Infrastructure Partners III -- in conjunction with the Public Sector Pension Investment Board ("PSP Investments"), one of Canada's largest pension investment managers, CIC Capital Corporation ("CIC Capital") and a group of its other Limited Partner Co-Investors -- has agreed to acquire 100 percent of the equity interests in the wind and solar renewable energy portfolio of Equis Funds Group ("Equis Energy") for USD3.7 billion.

Equis Energy is one of the largest renewable energy independent power producers in the Asia-Pacific region ("APAC"). Equis Energy is headquartered in Singapore and operates in several of the largest and fastest-growing renewable markets in APAC, including Japan, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, India and Thailand. Equis Energy invests in countries with favourable regulatory regimes and supportive power market dynamics. As of today, Equis Energy has developed a portfolio of 1.9 GW of operational, construction and shovel-ready solar PV and onshore wind assets. In addition, Equis Energy owns a promising long-term development pipeline comprised of over 115 projects representing 9.1 GW.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30388

Wednesday 25 October 2017

CORPORATE R&D SPENDING HITS RECORD HIGHS FOR THE TOP 1000, DESPITE CONCERNS OF ECONOMIC PROTECTIONISM

- Annual worldwide R&D spending breaks through $700bn for the top 1000 corporate R&D spenders for first time
- 25% of executives surveyed reported having already experienced some pressure to change how or where they conduct innovation
- Amazon is the world’s largest corporate spender on R&D at over $16bn
- Alphabet surpasses Apple, according to a global survey of R&D executives, as the Most Innovative Company and for the first time a Chinese company, Alibaba joins the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies list

NEW YORK, Oct 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Annual worldwide corporate R&D spending broke through $700bn in annual investment, according to an annual analysis of R&D spending across 1000 global public companies by PwC’s Strategy&.

It shows corporate R&D spending increased a steady 3% in the past year, bouncing back from less than 1% increase previously.

However, in a global survey with 562 executive participants, R&D leaders expressed concerns about the growing heat of rhetoric about economic nationalism – and its potential impact on where companies invest in R&D how they conduct innovation.

Overall, 52% of respondents say that a general move toward economic nationalism will have a moderate or significant impact on their companies’ R&D efforts.

Major companies have been conducting some R&D outside their headquarters countries for decades. In 2015 it was determined that 94% of major corporations conduct their R&D in multiple countries.  But increasing attention on regulations and policies for visas, labor movement, and the regulations governing the sharing of knowledge and technology are causing some companies to question how sustainable their integrated global innovation networks are. 

THAILAND'S LARGEST MOBILE OPERATOR AIS AND BROADSOFT COLLABORATE TO BRING UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS TO ENTERPRISE CUSTOMERS

AIS Business Cloud UC Service Powered by BroadSoft, BroadSoft Business UC-One® Application Drives Team Collaboration for AIS Business Customers

PHOENIX, Oct 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
 BroadSoft, Inc. (NASDAQ:BSFT), a global market share leader in cloud business software for unified communication as a service (UCaaS), and provider of collaboration and contact center as a service (CCaaS), announced the commercial launch of AIS Business Cloud UC, a cloud PBX and unified communications (UC) service based on the BroadSoft Business UC-One® application. The AIS Business Cloud service will offer Thai business users leading edge cloud services, including a full suite of secure UC services including voice and video conferencing, instant messaging and presence (IM&P), and team collaboration tools.

AIS is Thailand’s largest mobile operator, with over 40 million subscribers nationally.  The company also has a significant and growing presence in the Thai broadband and corporate voice and data communications market, and is driving innovative cloud based service adoption aggressively among its corporate clients.

“As Thailand’s leading communications company, with our entry into the unified communications market for our corporate clients, it was essential that we brought a world leading solution to meet our customer’s cloud communication requirements.  We believe that working with BroadSoft has allowed us to provide the most comprehensive and compelling solution set for our clients as they transform their businesses away from legacy systems and take advantage of the speed, security, flexibility and powerful collaboration tools offered by a world class UC platform,” said Weerachai Patcharopartwong, Senior Vice President-Enterprise Marketing & Sales, AIS. 

TATA STARBUCKS REAFFIRMS GROWTH IN INDIA WITH ENTRY INTO KOLKATA IN 2018 AND COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL IMPACT PROGRAMS

  • Celebrates 100th store milestone and 5-year anniversary with plans to open three stores in Kolkata in early 2018
  • Aims to increase diversity and hire 40% women by 2022 as it underscores its commitment to be the employer of choice through progressive workplace programs
  • Deepens positive impact in the community with Tata STRIVE partnership supporting youth facing barriers to employment
  • Launches special promotion and products commemorating milestone
MUMBAI, India, Oct 25 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Tata Starbucks Private Limited, the 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq: SBUX) and Tata Global Beverages Limited, today celebrated the opening of its 100th store located in Mumbai and its five-year anniversary in India with a series of strategic initiatives that reaffirm its long-term commitment to the market.

“As we continue on our journey with Tata, a company that shares the same values and vision for growth, we remain committed to earning the trust and respect of our Indian customers through the unparalleled Starbucks Experience,” said John Culver, group president, Starbucks International and Channel Development. “At the core of this experience are our Indian partners, who proudly represent the more than 330,000 Starbucks partners around the world, and through their dedication and passion have created a strong foundation for Starbucks as we expand to new cities across India in the years to come.”

As Tata Starbucks grows to serve more customers across the country, the company will open three stores in the historic city of Kolkata in early 2018, including a store at the iconic Park Mansion designed to reflect Starbucks coffee heritage. Starbucks stores will deliver signature handcrafted beverages, extensive food offerings and the distinct “Third Place” in the city.

Pathways to Opportunities

As Tata Starbucks continues to grow, so does its commitment to be a positive force in contributing to the future success of Indians. The company expects to double the number of partners (employees) it employs to 3,000 over the next five years and, underscoring its commitment to be a progressive workplace, aims to boost the proportion of women in its workforce to 40 percent by 2022, up from 25 percent today. These build on existing initiatives to fulfill Tata Starbucks aspiration to be the employer of choice, with industry-leading benefits such as the five-day work schedule, a first-of-its-kind program introduced in 2016.

“Our success is defined by our incredible partners who take pride in serving our customers with care and passion,” said Sumi Ghosh, chief executive officer, Tata Starbucks. “Our aspiration, as we continue to grow, is to be the employer of choice in the market through the investments we make for our partners and by creating brighter opportunities for people across the country.”

The company will also continue to deepen its connections with the Indian community and leverage its scale to make a difference to local causes that matter most. Over the next five years, Tata Starbucks will train 3,000 young people who are facing barriers to employment through the Tata STRIVE program, the partnership which combines job skills training and Starbucks expertise in retail operations.

“Our journey with Starbucks has been gratifying and this is a remarkable moment for Tata Global Beverages and Starbucks,” said Ajoy Misra, chief executive officer and managing director, Tata Global Beverages. “We are proud of our shared sense of business values and focus on quality, and we are extremely optimistic about the continued growth opportunities in India.”

Celebrating 100th Starbucks Store in India

Located at Victoria Mills (Kamala Mills), one of Mumbai’s major commercial hubs, Tata Starbucks 100th store features a carved wood wall art that honors India’s coffee heritage. The store’s earthy colors and natural wood materials evoke a warm atmosphere that invites customers to relax and connect. The store is the first Starbucks in India to serve Starbucks® Nitro Cold Brew, a small-batch Cold Brew coffee steeped overnight and then infused with nitrogen for a naturally sweet flavor and velvety smooth mouthfeel. Takeaway bags at the 100th store are sourced from Srishti, an initiative that enables livelihood opportunities for young people with disabilities from the families of plantation workers.

To commemorate the opening of its 100th store, Tata Starbucks is introducing India’s first You Are Here – Mumbai – ceramic mugs. Inspired by distinct local landmarks such as the Gateway of India, Marine Drive, the Worli Sea Link, Flora Fountain, Taj Mahal Palace and featuring the iconic black and yellow Mumbai taxi, the design captures the spirit of the cosmopolitan metropolis.

In celebration of the 100th store opening and five-year market anniversary, Tata Starbucks is also introducing the Golden Sparkle Frappuccino® Blended Beverage at all stores in India from 25 October to 6 November. The Golden Sparkle Frappuccino® is espresso blended with rich mocha sauce, topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with an elegant gold-sugar dusting. In honor of the milestone, on 28 October any Short or Tall-size beverage will be available for INR 100 ($1.50 USD) at all stores across India.

Starbucks entered India with the opening of its first store at Horniman Circle in Mumbai in 2012. Today, Starbucks stores are located across six cities: Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi and Bangalore.

About Starbucks

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience please visit us in our stores, online at Starbucks.com and through the Starbucks Newsroom.

About Tata Starbucks Private Limited

Starbucks entered the Indian market in October 2012 through a 50/50 Joint Venture with Tata Global Beverages and currently operates 100 stores in India across Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru and Pune, through a network of over 1,600 passionate partners (employees). Starbucks stores are operated by the joint venture, TATA Starbucks Private Limited, and branded as Starbucks Coffee – “A Tata Alliance.”

About Tata Global Beverages

Tata Global Beverages is a global beverage business with a brand presence in over 40 countries. The Company has significant interests in tea, coffee and water and is the world’s second largest tea company. Over 300 million servings of its brands are consumed every day around the world. Tata Global Beverages’ annual turnover is US$1.2bn and it employs around 3,000 people across the world. The Company focuses on natural beverages and has a stable of innovative regional and global beverage brands, including: Tata Tea, Tetley, Himalayan natural mineral water, Tata Gluco+, Good Earth tea, Grand Coffee and Eight O’clock Coffee. For more information please visit www.tataglobalbeverages.com.
 
Contacts
Starbucks Coffee Company
Marianne Duong, +1-206-318-7100
press@starbucks.com
 
Source: Starbucks Coffee Company
 
View this news release and multimedia online at:

Tuesday 24 October 2017

B CAPITAL GROUP MAKES KEY ADDITIONS TO CORE EXECUTIVE TEAM

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif., Oct 24 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- B Capital Group, a global venture capital firm that invests in pioneering healthcare, fintech, industrial logistics, and consumer enablement companies that are scaling worldwide, today announced key appointments to its core executive team, including Howard Morgan as Chairman and Joe Davis as Vice Chairman.

These appointments by B Capital Group will enable the firm to enhance its global-first mentality, blaze a new trail to identify transformative companies, and build enduring businesses that will bridge the gap between startups and corporations, further accelerating their path to scale and success.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30369

XEHAR FASHION APP DITCHES THE SHOPPING CART AND PICKS UP SPEED

New fast fashion app will shorten the checkout time by removing the shopping cart altogether.

PLAYA VISTA, Calif., Oct 24 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fashion tech company Xehar, today announces they will be removing the shopping cart from their Xehar shopping app. For millennial women shoppers who are interested in fashion but are frustrated with the online shopping experience, the Xehar app is their solution.

“Xehar has found a way to increase conversion for app purchases by simply removing the function of the shopping cart,” says Hadari Oshri, founder and CEO of Xehar. “Within the app, users select complete outfits and purchase with ease. By removing the shopping cart we are reducing friction and speeding up the checkout process.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30366

NETS, SINGAPORE'S LEADING PAYMENTS SOLUTIONS PROVIDER, SELECTS INTERTRUST WHITECRYPTION FOR MOBILE PAYMENT APP SHIELDING

whiteCryption will Showcase its Application Shielding Technologies at Money 20/20 in Las Vegas, October 22-25 (Booth #554)
 

LAS VEGAS, Oct 24 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Money 20/20 - Intertrust Technologies Corporation announced today that NETS, a leading payment solutions provider based in Singapore, has selected Intertrust’s award-winning whiteCryption® Application Shielding technology to protect its mobile payment applications.
 
NETS is a leading payments company in Singapore and operates Singapore’s national PIN debit scheme as well as the largest acceptance infrastructure in the country located at major retailers, food courts, hawker centres, convenience stores, and supermarkets.
 
NETS’ nationwide acceptance infrastructure of 100,000 acceptance points accepts both card and digital payments from customers of participating banks DBS Bank, Maybank, HSBC Bank, OCBC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and UOB. The network also accepts UnionPay and BCA cards, and includes 35,000 Unified Point-of-Sale (Unified POS) terminals and 30,000 QR acceptance points.
 
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30367

Monday 23 October 2017

POWERED BY BROADSOFT CHANNEL PROGRAM INTRODUCES NEW DIGITAL CUSTOMER LIFECYCLE PLATFORM AND SERVICES TO ENHANCE REVENUE GROWTH

PHOENIX, Oct 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BroadSoft, Inc. (NASDAQ:BSFT) a global market share leader in cloud business software for unified communication as a service (UCaaS), and provider of collaboration and contact center as a service (CCaaS) today announced the addition of new digital customer lifecycle management tools including the BroadCloud® Channel Support System (CSS) and three new services: BroadSoft go-to-market services, BroadSoft onboarding services and BroadSoft adoption services.
 
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b86c0264-fb6d-44fd-a7ae-38bba426e281
 
Powered by BroadSoft, which launched at BroadSoft Connections last year, currently supports 116 channel partners across the globe, validating industry demand for a complete end-to-end digital journey, including best-practice support to maximize selling, onboarding and adoption activities.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30363

BROADSOFT HOSPITALITY ENHANCED WITH MOBILE UC-ONE WORKSTREAM COLLABORATION CAPABILITIES TO AMPLIFY PRODUCTIVITY AND GUEST EXPERIENCES

PHOENIX, Oct 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BroadSoft, Inc. (NASDAQ:BSFT), a global market share leader in cloud business software for unified communication as a service (UCaaS), and provider of collaboration and contact center as a service (CCaaS), today announced new UC-One mobile features for the BroadSoft Hospitality solution. The new features provide hotels with the ability to control the guest experience at any time from the UC-One mobile client.
 
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1fcfab75-3ddf-4c39-93f1-7c3e74458115
 
This new offering is a continuation of ongoing efforts by BroadSoft to help hotels deliver a greater level of experience to their guests. The mobile integration allows front desk hotel staff to move throughout the property while still being able to access, respond to and act on guest requests in real-time. Not only can hotel employees now provide an improved level of guest satisfaction and responsiveness, hoteliers can reduce costs by eliminating outdated devices they’ve traditionally been required to move around the property, such as two-way radios and walkie-talkies. The UC-One mobile client provides employees all of this access via smartphones, and integrates communications and collaboration into everyday business processes and workstreams. 
 
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30361

BROADSOFT ANNOUNCES NEW INTEGRATED AND INTELLIGENT CLOUD COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION EXPERIENCES

Upgrades deliver on the BroadSoft Business cloud unified communication vision to deliver intuitive, consistent client experiences across the entire suite and reinvent workflow efficiencies

PHOENIX, Oct 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BroadSoft, Inc. (NASDAQ:BSFT) a global market share leader in cloud business software for unified communication as a service (UCaaS), and provider of collaboration and contact center as a service (CCaaS), today unveiled several enhancements to its BroadSoft Business portfolio at its annual user conference, BroadSoft Connections. Now leveraging a microservices architecture, BroadSoft Business offers updated app experiences and next-generation capabilities across the BroadSoft Business applications, UC-One, Team-One and CC-One.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30362

QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT CONTRIBUTES TO MYANMAR'S SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH

YANGON, Myanmar and TOKYO, Oct. 23, 2017 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

High-quality infrastructure will play an essential role in realizing economic growth and unlocking Myanmar's true potential. The important role of quality infrastructure development and Japan's indispensable role in Myanmar's sustainable development were the main theme of discussion at the "Dialogue for Quality Infrastructure -- Building Asia's Future," hosted by the Government of Japan.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30355

TERIDION'S INTERNET FAST LANES FURTHER ACCELERATE SPEED FOR MERRILL CORPORATION'S DATASITE PLATFORM

- Supports Merrill’s M&A Transactions Business in China -

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 23 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Mergers and acquisitions due diligence in China can be managed much faster, and reinforced, with ironclad security for Merrill Corporation’s DataSite platform using Teridion’s KumoXSM, an innovative service that creates fast lanes over the Internet to improve the user experience. Teridion, a cloud-based networking company, is now supporting and enhancing Merrill’s industry-leading virtual deal room for its M&A transactions business in China.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30354

NASDAQ WELCOMES RISE EDUCATION CAYMAN LTD. (NASDAQ: REDU) TO THE NASDAQ STOCK MARKET

NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RISE Education Cayman Ltd. (Nasdaq:REDU), a leader in China’s junior English Language Training (ELT) market, rang the opening bell at the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square today in celebration of its initial public offering (IPO) on The Nasdaq Stock Market.
 
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f59490cf-9a81-4114-92a1-05edcb3f5694

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5692f99d-9ed0-4be2-928d-9c94f4b152e8
 
RISE pioneered the “subject-based learning” teaching philosophy in China, whereby various subject matters, such as language arts, math, natural science and social science are used to teach English. RISE’s course offerings use interactive courseware to create an immersive English learning environment that helps students learn to speak and think like a native speaker. In addition, their curricula are designed to foster leadership and critical thinking skills in students while developing their self-confidence and sense of independence.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=30353