New company to revolutionise electronics world through bioplastics

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 (Bernama) -- A new company, ELOXEL SpA has been established recently to exploit the patents destined to revolutionise the world of electronics through the use of bioplastics.

According to a statement, ELOXEL establishment aims to enable designers to create sustainable products and revolutionary applications.

The company resulted from the collaboration between Bio-on, a company active in the high-quality bioplastic sector and Kartell, a leading design company which each holding 50 per cent.

Bio-on researchers in Italy and the United States have discovered that bioplastic can produce and store electricity as a result of mechanical stress.

The researches confirm the extraordinary versatility of bioplastic: a platform product that can be used to transform and make the electronics sector also sustainable with new generation of batteries and passive energy generators.

For this activity Bio-on granted the new company with an exclusive license with a value of EUR 6.5 million. (EUR 1 = RM4.75)

In the next few years the development of new electronic products will be based more and more on eco-sustainable organic materials such as bioplastic, which will allow to realise extremely innovative solutions.

Bio-on with the support of Kartell accelerates the development of organic electronics based on Bio-on technologies to quickly acquire a leading position in this rapidly growing sector.

ELOXEL operates in the field of flexible and wearable organic electronics, also single-use, to meet the growing need of consumers to have personal and portable energy always available. More details at www.eloxel.com

-- BERNAMA

Weconex´s product wins at China's Xiaoguwei Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 (Bernama) -- Weconex -- a transportation system solution provider -- won third place in the national finals at the 4th Xiaoguwei ‘Internet Plus Transportation’ Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition in Guangzhou, China recently.

Weconex’s flagship product, DeerTrip™ -- one-stop cross-border travel solution was acknowledged by panel and industry experts. The award demonstrated the company’s strength and determination to become an industry leader, a statement said.

The DeerTrip™ cross-border travel services platform integrates transportation information platform, transport card or E-ticket platform and membership management platform, covering Guangdong and Jiangsu Provinces as well as targeting inter-provincial and cross-border independent travelers across the country.

By interconnecting urban public transport systems, Weconex helps transport card companies enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of public transportation by providing citizens with more convenient and intelligent user experiences.

“This competition has indeed provided a stage for emerging enterprises, encouraging us to explore the potential of technology and to change the world for the better through innovations,” said Vice President of Weconex, Tseng Kuan-Chih.

The competition organised by the Guangdong Provincial Department of Transport, China Transport News, the People's government of Panyu District and Guangdong Provincial Transportation Group Co. Ltd covered topics including smart transportation, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Vehicles (IoV) and Internet of Things (IoT).

Weconex is headquartered in Guangzhou with branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Taipei and Hong Kong. The company provides efficient and fast access and low-cost integrated solution. More details on http://www.weconex.com/En/index.html.

-- BERNAMA

Eastspring declares income distribution for 6 funds

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 (Bernama) -- Eastspring Investments Bhd has announced the income distribution for six of its existing unit trust funds.

Three of the funds -- Eastspring Investments Small-cap Fund, Eastspring Investments Growth Fund and Eastspring Investments MY Focus Fund -- accrued five per cent each, while Eastspring Investments Balanced Fund garnered 4.5 per cent, and Eastspring Investments Bond Fund and Eastspring Investments Asia Pacific ex-Japan Target Return Fund gained four per cent each. 

“All unitholders who have maintained their unit holdings in the Funds as at Dec 24, 2018 will be entitled to the income distribution,” it said in a statement today.

Eastspring Investments is a leading asset manager in Asia that manages assets worth over US$182 billion (as of June 30, 2018) on behalf of institutional and retail clients.

-- BERNAMA

ABS TRAINERS RECEIVE CERTIFIED TRAINING PROFESSIONAL

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 (Bernama) -- Asian Banking School’s (ABS) in-house trainers have been awarded the Certified Training Professional (CTP) certification from the Finance Accreditation Agency (FAA).

The certification was obtained after having undergone a comprehensive programme that equipped its participants with the knowledge and skill sets of designing, developing and delivering quality structured learning programmes in line with industry best practices.

“Recognising the importance of providing only highly qualified training professionals for the banking industry, ABS continues to invest not only in developing new content for its programmes and innovative delivery systems but also its people,” the training centre said recently.

ABS chief executive officer Prof Colyn Gardner said:“Its in-house trainers are either fully certified training professionals or are on their way to being one.”

He said the new trainers would acquire CTP certification within their first year at ABS, beginning next year.

Apart from conducting various open enrolment and customised training programmes, in-house trainers currently take on at least 60 per cent of the training for professional qualifications and 100 per cent for the industry-wide ethics programmes.

-- BERNAMA

BrandSafway acquires leading hoists, elevators provider in West Coast United States

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 (Bernama) -- BrandSafway and SafwayAtlantic (a BrandSafway company) have acquired Cabrillo Hoist, a construction hoists and elevators provider in West Coast, United States effective Dec 20, 2018.

With more than 20 years of experience and locations in Fontana and San Leandro, California and Stanwood, Washington, Cabrillo Hoist provides complete rental, erection, operation and maintenance services for personnel and material hoists in the greater Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, California and Seattle, Washington areas.

BrandSafway which provides services, products and solutions to the industrial, commercial and infrastructure markets said the acquisition is a move to strengthen the company’s motorised access capabilities in the region.

According to a statement, moving forward, Cabrillo Hoist will operate as Cabrillo Hoist, By BrandSafway – an independent business under the BrandSafway umbrella.

President of Commercial and Industrial at BrandSafway, Art Eunson said: “Cabrillo has a portfolio of high-profile west-coast projects including Apple, Facebook and Uber and a roster of customers like Tutor Perini, Devcon Construction and Hensel Phelps.”

-- BERNAMA

North American Bitcoin Conference 2019 in Miami, Florida

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 (Bernama) -- The North American Bitcoin Conference, sponsored by Keynote and part of the World Blockchain Forum on Jan 16 to 18, 2019 in  Miami, Florida, United States will stand out as one of 2019’s most important worldwide crypto events.

It will feature a lineup of more than 60 world-class presenters, including technology veterans and company founders who have collectively raised more than US$18.1 billion in initial coin offerings (ICOs). (US$1 = RM4.19)

The conference include brand-new Lightning Networking sessions and creative instalments. An added focus for January’s conference will be a dedicated Security Tokens track, unpacking the new frontier that has combined securities and blockchain technology.

Mainstay topics to be discussed at the conference will include investments, legal implications and regulations, the way decentralisation is disrupting multiple industries and successful ICOs of the past and present, a statement said.

Among the speakers includes David Chaum (inventor of digital cash), Dr. Patrick Byrne (founder of Overstock.com and t0), Halsey Minor (founder of CNET), Veronica McGregor (head of legal at Shapeshift.io), Matthew Roszak (co-founder of Bloq) and others.

Tickets for the conference are available at https://btcmiami.com/tickets. For more information, please visit https://btcmiami.com.

-- BERNAMA

Fusionex group with Google, Amazon as exemplary Analytics and Business Intelligence player

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 (Bernama) – Fusionex has been recognised as an exemplary international Analytics and Business Intelligence (A&BI) player in a list that also includes Amazon and Google.

Fusionex said in a statement that it has been shortlisted in global research and advisory firm Gartner’s 2018 report on ‘Other Vendors to Consider for Modern Analytics and BI’.

Fusionex’s analytics and data discovery platform, GIANT was noted for affording progressive and specialised modern capabilities in streaming analytics.

GIANT was also cited as a fast time-to-insight platform and end-to-end solution with functions ranging from data preparation and visualisation to predictive and prescriptive analytics.

According to the Gartner report, A&BI platforms like GIANT are known for their easy-to-use set of tools, which support a full range of analytics workflow capabilities and self-service, limiting the necessity to involve a business’ IT division.

Fusionex Founder and Group Chief Executive Office, Datuk Seri Ivan Teh said, “We are honoured that Fusionex is mentioned in Gartner’s report. Our team is committed to continue improving our offerings to better serve our fast-growing client base.”

Fusionex is an established data technology provider specialising in Analytics, Big Data, the Internet of Things, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. More details at  www.fusionex-international.com

-- BERNAMA

EDF RENEWABLES AND SHELL INVEST IN NEW JERSEY OFFSHORE WIND

Area has potential to produce 2,500 megawatts of wind energy
 
SAN DIEGO & HOUSTON, Dec 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- EDF Renewables North America and Shell New Energies US LLC (Shell) announced today that they have formed a 50/50 joint venture, Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC to co-develop OCS-0499 lease area within the New Jersey Wind Energy Area (WEA). The lease area holds the potential to produce approximately 2,500 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind energy – enough to power close to one million homes. This transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. Construction is subject to positive final investment decision.
 
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181219005737/en/
 
The lease comprises 183,353 acres about eight miles off the coast of Atlantic City on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The area offers strong and steady wind resources in relatively shallow water, close to large population centers with associated electricity demand.
 
“Shell has bold ambitions to grow our renewable power business and we see great potential in U.S. offshore wind,” said Dorine Bosman, VP Shell Wind Development. “Gaining access to this acreage in New Jersey complements our successful entry to Massachusetts and our existing renewable generation business. Building on the strength of our brand and global presence allows us to continue providing our customers with more and cleaner energy.”
 
“The opportunity supports the EDF Group’s aim to double global renewable capacity to 50 gigawatts by 2030. It solidifies EDF Renewables' ambitions to leverage its depth of experience in the European offshore wind market in the emerging U.S. market,” commented Tristan Grimbert, President & CEO of EDF Renewables North America. “As the costs of offshore wind are declining, the U.S. offshore wind industry is quickly advancing with strong Federal and State support. The industry is well-positioned to meaningfully contribute to the New York and New Jersey economies through employment and supply chain opportunities.”
 
EDF Renewables already has 2,800 MW of offshore wind in development or operation in Europe (Belgium, France, Germany and United Kingdom), placing the company in a position to efficiently transform the U.S. offshore wind sector, beginning in New Jersey.
 
Shell first entered the onshore wind business in the U.S. in 2001. Shell has operated offshore assets for decades, has a strong supply-chain network and is one of the largest power wholesalers in North America. These strengths allow Shell to continue to grow its position in renewable power to support the company’s renewable power goals. Today Shell has interests in five operational onshore wind power projects in North America and one operational offshore wind farm in Europe. Shell is also part of a consortium that will build and operate the Borssele 3&4 wind farms in Europe.
 
Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC will begin working to complete a site assessment plan and initiate formal development efforts on the site, and subject to a positive final investment decision, could bring the wind farm into operation by the mid-2020s.
 
About EDF Renewables North America:

EDF Renewables North America is a market leading independent power producer and service provider with over 30 years of expertise in renewable energy. The Company delivers grid-scale power: wind (onshore and offshore), solar photovoltaic, and storage projects; distributed solutions: solar, solar+storage, EV charging and energy management; and asset optimization: technical, operational, and commercial skills to maximize performance of generating projects. EDF Renewables’ North American portfolio consists of 10 GW of developed projects and 10 GW under service contracts. EDF Renewables North America is a subsidiary of EDF Renewables, the dedicated renewable energy affiliate of the EDF Group. For more information visit: www.edf-re.com.
 
About EDF Renewables:

EDF Renewables is a leading international player in renewable energies, with gross installed capacity of 14.2 GW worldwide. Its development is mainly focused on wind and solar photovoltaic power but also in other areas of the renewable energies industry such as distributed energy and energy storage. EDF Renewables operates mostly in Europe and North America but is continuing to grow by moving into promising emerging regions such as Brazil, China, India, South Africa and the Gulf. The Company has strong positions in offshore wind power, totaling almost 2,800 MW including three projects along the French coastline with 1,500 MW in total capacity, and a 450 MW offshore wind project in the UK. EDF Renewables operates more than 800 MW of offshore wind capacity with three projects: C-Power (325 MW) in Belgium, Teesside (62 MW) and Blyth (41.5 MW) in the UK, and the operations and maintenance of 400 MW of offshore wind capacity with the recent acquisition of a company specialized in this activity based out of Germany. EDF Renewables develops, builds, operates and maintains renewable energies projects, both for itself and for third parties. Most of its international subsidiaries bear the EDF Renewables brand. EDF Renewables is the EDF Group subsidiary specialising in developing solar and wind power.
 
For more information, visit: www.edf-renewables.com.
 
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/edf-renewables and on Twitter (@EDF_RE in French and @EDF_Renewables in English).
 
About Shell New Energies

Shell aims to make electricity a significant part of its business, from generating it to buying, selling and supplying electricity directly to customers. Our New Energies business is seeking to leverage the company’s strengths in fast-growing and commercial parts of the energy industry, such as offshore wind in the U.S.
 
Shell first entered the onshore wind business in the U.S. in 2001. Today, we have interests in five onshore wind power projects in North America and one offshore wind farm in Europe. In total, our share of the energy capacity from these projects is more than 400 megawatts (MW). Shell also has a 20% interest in the Blauwwind consortium that will build and operate the Borssele 3 and 4 wind farms off the Dutch coast. The wind farms are designed to have a total installed capacity of 731.5MW, enough to power around 825,000 Dutch households. Shell is a 50% shareholder in Mayflower Wind Energy LLC who is the provisional winner of block 0521 in Massachusetts, USA. Once constructed, the lease area in Massachusetts could accommodate a total generation capacity of approximately 1.6 gigawatts (GW), enough to power more than 680,000 homes with clean electricity each year.
 
https://www.shell.com/newenergies

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181219005737/en/

Contact

INQUIRIES:

EDF Renewables North America 
Sandi Briner +1 858-521-3525 
MediaRelations@edf-re.com

EDF Renewables 
Manon de Cassini-Hérail +33 (0)1 40 90 48 22 
manon.decassini-herail@edf-en.com

Shell Media Relations 
Shell International +44 (0) 20 7934 5550 
Shell U.S. +1 832 337 4355

Source : EDF Renewables North America

--BERNAMA

MALINDO AIR LAUNCHES "GET COMFY KIT"

PETALING JAYA, Dec 20 (Bernama) -- Malindo Air, has introduced its “Get Comfy Kit” on-board to their passengers. The comfy kit contains a 100cmX150cm fleece blanket and high quality stereo earphones in a “Get Comfy Kit” bag, sold at a bundle price of RM30 each.
 
Pre-booking is also available on www.malindoair.com with RM5 savings - at RM25 each. The items are sold separately as well on-board, at the price of RM10 for earphones and RM25 for blanket only.
 
Chandran Rama Muthy, CEO of Malindo Air said, “We hear the feedback from our passengers and have now bundled the common items needed on board for our passengers’ comfort. It can be purely collectable items for some, too. We believe this is a more hygienic option and passengers can reuse it throughout their journey or even for their future trips.”
 
“We encourage pre-booking to avoid disappointment; therefore we are giving RM5 savings for pre-book bundle. Apart from this, we have also hand-pick some new additions to our in-flight products and will continue to add more merchandise to provide greater shopping experience above 30,000 feet in the air.”
 
Other than the “Get Comfy Kit”, Malindo In-Flight Sales offers a wide range of products from food & beverage, merchandise to duty free products (available for pre-booking as well on www.malindodutyfree.com, for on board delivery). Multi-currency including USD, AUD, INR and MYR are accepted for the convenience of payment. Year-end sale is on to sweeten the deals for selected merchandises.
 
Specifications of “Get Comfy Kit”

· High quality stereo earphones with mic
- 13mm Hifi sound speaker
- 3.5mm universal jack plug
- Compatible with all mobile, laptop and electronic devices
- Colour: white

· Blanket 
-       Size: 100cm X 150cm
-       Material: fleece
-       Colour: purple

· Get Comfy bag
-       Material: polyester
-       Colour: black
-       Water resistance

About Malindo Air
Malindo Air is a Malaysian premium airline with main hubs at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and the convenient KL downtown city airport Subang Skypark in Selangor, Malaysia. The airline took to the skies in March 2013 with domestic flights and has since grown to operate routes to all major airports in Malaysia and across the continents of Asia and Australia. The fleet itself has grown exponentially to 13 ATR72-600 and 29 Boeing 737 as of December 2018. The airline also obtained the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).
 
Today, the airline operates over 800 flights weekly across a continuously growing network of about 58 routes in the region. Also an IATA airline member, Malindo Air codeshare with Turkish Airline, Lion Air, Batik Air, as well as an interlining partner to Xiamen Air, All Nippon Airways (ANA), Turkish Airline, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Oman Air.
 
Malindo Air has recently won Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) 2019 and Best International Flight Ad of “The Exquisite Pic Award” by Thomas Edison Advertisement (TEA) Awards. Previous awards included Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) 2018 Four Star Major Regional Airline Recognition and Malaysia Best Employer Brand Awards 2018,  CAPA’s 2016 Asia Pacific Regional Airline of the Year, New Comer of the Year, Australia 2016/17 by Expedia.com., TOP Recognition - Malaysia SME® Preferred Airline Partner, Airline of the Year (Passenger) at the KLIA Awards 2014 and Top Performing Airline 2015 by Travelport.
 
For updates on Malindo Air’s latest activities and promotions, please connect with us via Twitter (https://twitter.com/malindoair), Facebook (facebook.com/MalindoAirMalaysia) or Instagram (instagram.com/malindoair).

Source: Malindo Air

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
PR & Communications Department, Malindo Air       
Name : Andrea Liong
Head of PR & Communications                    
Tel : +603 2035 6699 ext. 1312
Email : andrea.liong@malindoair.com

--BERNAMA

TECHNOLOGY PARK MALAYSIA APPOINTS THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 (Bernama) -- Technology Park Malaysia Corporation Sdn Bhd (TPM), Malaysia’s leading technology park, announced the new appointment of three new directors to its Board of Directors (BOD) effective last week.

In a statement issued by TPM Group, Encik Sharbani Harun, Acting President/Chief Executive Officer, said the recent appointment included the nomination of Datuk Abu Samah Bachik as the new Group Chairman.

The other two new directors are Datuk Mohd Anwar Yahya and Datuk Mohd Zafir Ibrahim.
 
Datuk Abu Samah Bachik, 71, was appointed to the TPM Board and nominated as its Chairman on December 10, 2018.
 
He brings with him a wealth of knowledge, management experiences and corporate governance policies and strategies after having equally spent 46 years of service in both the public and private sectors.
 
Between 1973 and 1995, Datuk Abu Samah has gained 23 years of experience in the Malaysian Government service. His last position was as the Deputy Principal Private Secretary to The Prime Minister, YAB Tun Dr Mahathir Bin Mohamad, for about five years.

He joined DRB-Hicom Berhad as Group Director in late 1995 and was promoted as Senior Group Director (SGD) in 2002.
 
Datuk Mohd Anwar Yahya, a prominent corporate personality and professional Chartered Accountant, joined the TPM Board on December 10, 2018.

Apart from his distinguished academic and professional qualifications, he has extensive knowledge and experience in corporate advisory and finance, policy and strategy.
 
Being a professional chartered accountant, Datuk Mohd Anwar is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) and the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA). He also holds a BSc (Honours) Economics & Accountancy degree from the University of Hull, United Kingdom.
 
Datuk Mohd Anwar was a former partner and senior director in PricewaterhouseCoopers Malaysia (PwC Malaysia) from 1991 to 2017. Having served in PwC for 26 years, he had been involved in more than 500 consulting projects.
 
Dato’ Mohd Zafir Bin Ibrahim, 49, was appointed as a TPM Board member on December 17, 2018.

He currently holds the position of Deputy Division Secretary (Transformation)/Chief Value Innovation Officer (CVIO) at the Strategic Corporate and Communications Division in the Ministry of Finance.

His expansive knowledge and experience in public service and Information Technology bodes well for the TPM management to gain a better understanding and insight into the administrative, financial management, quality, transformation and innovation programmes pertaining to the government’s aspiration on ICT initiatives. 

Since 2014 until present, he is a permanent panel member for the Advance Leadership Development and Management Programme (A-LEAP) which is conducted by INTAN for Grade 54 civil service officers.

Issued by:
Corporate Communications Department 
Technology Park Malaysia Corporation Sdn Bhd

Source : Technology Park Malaysia Corporation Sdn Bhd

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name : Puan Aniz Adura Abdul Majid
Senior Manager, Strategic Communication & Stakeholder Management
Tel: 603-8998 2020 / 019-646 6258
Fax: 603-8998 2110

--BERNAMA

LeddarTech, Cailabs combine technology for automotive industry

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 (Bernama) – LeddarTech has entered an agreement with Cailabs, a French deep tech company to explore combining LeddarTech’s solid-state LiDAR technology with Cailabs’ laser beam shaping solutions for the automotive industry. 

LeddarTech in a statement said it delivers a proprietary auto and mobility LiDAR platform based on the LeddarEngine (SoC + software), enabling high-performance and low-cost LiDAR sensor solutions.

The platform is also used by large Tier-1 suppliers to develop specific LiDARs for ADAS and autonomous driving applications.

While Cailabs develops and produces a range of optical components based on its know-how and its patented technological innovations, in particular, Multi-Plane Light Conversion (MPLC).

“LeddarTech is committed to meeting present and future LiDAR market requirements and we are looking forward to validating that our LiDAR solutions can be combined with Cailabs’ advanced beam combination technology,” said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LeddarTech, Charles Boulanger.

CEO at Cailabs, Jean-François Morizur said LeddarTech’s technology generates a higher range-to-power ratio and enables lower detection thresholds for significantly increased range and sensitivity over other solid-state LiDAR methods.

More details at  www.LeddarTech.com and www.cailabs.com

-- BERNAMA

Over six million patients choose world´s most advanced clear aligner system

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Bernama) – Over six million patients have begun treatment with Invisalign – the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, including 1.4 million teenage patients.

This is a significant milestone for Align Technology Inc. and over 150,000 Invisalign-trained doctors worldwide, reflecting accelerating adoption of Invisalign treatment by adults and teens alike, a statement said.

The six millionth Invisalign patient, Yuzhe Wang, is a 12-year-old student of the International School, Beijing who began treatment in October 2018 using Invisalign Comprehensive with Mandibular Advancement treatment with Dr Jiawei Wo from Yuxueyuan Dental clinic.

Dr Wo said Invisalign treatment with Mandibular Advancement is great, because it moves the lower jaw forward, while simultaneously aligning the teeth.

“With the Invisalign system, my patients need much fewer appointments than with traditional orthodontic appliances. This allows them to continue their studies and daily activities without interruption,” Dr Wo added.

Meanwhile, Align Technology senior vice president and managing director, Asia Pacific, Julie Tay said: “China is our fastest growing country market with approximately 70 per cent annual growth rate. I believe there is an enormous opportunity in the region for Invisalign providers to treat millions of young patients like Yuzhe.

Yuzhe will be featured in an upcoming Invisalign global campaign, entitled ‘6 Million Invisalign Smiles’ that follows Yuzhe and her family through her treatment journey. The campaign will highlight key reasons why they decided to choose Invisalign clear aligners to help her achieve a new, beautiful smile.

For additional information about the Invisalign system or to find an Invisalign doctor, visit www.invisalign.com

-- BERNAMA

TINUBU SQUARE TO PROVIDE CREDIT INSURANCE SUITE TO ETIHAD CREDIT INSURANCE

PARIS, Dec 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Tinubu Square, a leading provider of credit insurance, surety and trade finance solutions, has announced that it has been awarded a contract by Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), the UAE Federal export credit company for its Credit Insurance Suite (CIS).
 
ECI will be provided with Tinubu Credit Insurance Suite (CIS), the award-winning end-to-end SaaS integrated software solution. Tinubu Square will provide these new technologies and services to support ECI businesses in managing, securing and transferring risks while moving to expand their presence.
 
Massimo Falcioni, Chief Executive Officer, ECI, said: “We welcome this new partnership agreement that we have entered with Tinubu Square, which will help us in our mandate to support the export and re-export of UAE goods, works, services and foreign investments of UAE companies.”
 
Olivier Placca, Deputy CEO, Tinubu Square, added: “Collaborating with ECI paves the way for us to maintain a stronger presence in the Middle East region and play a key role in the growth of its economies. We are looking forward to working closely with ECI, especially in their move to build the future of credit insurance in the UAE.”
 
About Etihad Credit Insurance
 
Etihad Credit Insurance (PJSC) was established by UAE Federal Government and its founders, the governments of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Ajman. The company started its operations in February 2018. ECI plays a catalyst role in supporting the UAE’s non-oil exports, trade, investments and strategic sectors development, in line with UAE Vision 2021 agenda.
 
It is tasked to accelerate and sustain national economic diversification as well as support the export and re-export of UAE goods, works, services, and the foreign investments of the UAE businesses through a range of export credit, financing and investment insurance products.
 
To provide UAE businesses with solutions that meet their growth objectives locally and internationally, ECI builds a comprehensive platform of strategic partnerships across government, insurers, re-insurers, brokers, banks and lenders, regional and international Export Credit Agencies, governments and trade promotion agencies in addition to world organisations for economic development.
 
For more information: www.eci.gov.ae
 
About Tinubu Square
 
Founded in 2000, Tinubu Square is a software vendor, enabler of the Credit Insurance, Surety and Trade Finance digital transformation. Tinubu Square enables organizations across the world to significantly reduce their exposure to risk and their financial, operational and technical costs with best-in-class technology solutions and services. Tinubu Square provides SaaS solutions and services to different businesses including credit insurers, receivables financing organizations and multinational corporations. Tinubu Square has built an ecosystem of customers in over 20 countries worldwide and has a global presence with offices in Paris, London, New York, Montreal and Singapore. For more information: www.tinubu.com

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33484

THE KEIO PLAZA HOTEL TAMA CREATES NEW "HELLO KITTY" PHOTOGRAPHIC SPOT AND SANRIO CHARACTERS THEMED ROOMS - "MY MELODY" AND "LITTLE TWIN STARS"

TOKYO, Dec 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Keio Plaza Hotel Co., Ltd., one of Japan’s most prestigious hotel companies operating hotels located in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo and other locations, is proud to announce that it is fortifying its collaborative relationship with the Sanrio Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa, Tokyo, President and CEO: Shintaro Tsuji) to expand our facilities and services featuring “Hello Kitty” and other Sanrio characters at our Keio Plaza Hotel Tama facility. We will create a new photographic spot within our hotel lobby where guests can take pictures with “Princess Kitty” in March 2019, and renovate another four rooms to become Sanrio characters themed rooms, two rooms each in the themes of “My Melody” and “Little Twin Stars” (Kiki and Lala), in June 2019 in addition to the four existing “Hello Kitty” themed rooms.
 
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181218005251/en/
 
Our new photographic spot is based upon the motif of an original “Hello Kitty” character named “Princess Kitty”, and features a scene showing a three dimensional “Princess Kitty” gorgeously dressed and wearing a tiara at the top of the stairs. “Princess Kitty” has been designed exclusively for the Keio Plaza Hotel with long curly eyelashes and rosy pink cheeks to make her appear especially cute. Also, brilliant high-heeled chair, rose patterned carpet and other features accentuate the setting of “Princess Kitty”.
 
The Keio Plaza Hotel Tama “Hello Kitty” themed rooms were first opened on November 1, 2014 and have been extremely popular with guests with families. Sanrio’s amusement park called “Puroland” is a short five minute walk from our Tama hotel, and our lobby lounge “Duet” and delicatessen “Poppins” serve specially created “Hello Kitty” cakes and desserts.
 
The Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo located in Shinjuku will stop operating its existing “Hello Kitty” themed rooms on January 3, 2019, with “Hello Kitty” themed facilities and services to be concentrated at the Keio Plaza Hotel Tama in the future. In addition, Keio Line Tama Center train station, which is a one minute walk from the Keio Plaza Hotel Tama, was renovated in 2016 to include “Hello Kitty” and Sanrio characters and designs, and the airport shuttle buses stopping near our Tama hotel and Keio Line trains are also decorated with Sanrio characters.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181218005251/en/
 
Contact
 
Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo
Keiko Kawashima, +81-3-5322-8010
Public Relations Manager
keiko-kawashima@keioplaza.co.jp
 
Source : Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

--BERNAMA

Malaysians invited to experience Taiwan´s fruit season

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysians are among foreign tourists invited to experience the fun of fruit picking activity launched by Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture (COA) for the state’s fruit season.

The council recently launched 170 itineraries featuring 200 farms with 36 fruits around the country to attract both domestic and foreign tourists.

Taiwan known as the ‘Kingdom of Fruit’, produces fruits all year round with papayas, guavas and pineapples available in four seasons, a statement said.

Spring to summer is the best period to taste Taiwan’s fruits especially loquats, plums, watermelons and mangos while autumn to winter is good for fruits such as grapefruits, citrus, tomatoes and strawberry.

In addition to enjoying fruit in season and at the source, tourists can take fruit as a point of departure for diving deeper into local culture and features as they experience the pinnacle of seasonal flavor over the shortest distance between farm and table.

Tourists are also able to experience gift boxes with seasonal fruits, traditional cuisine and adoption program for fruit trees that are supervised by COA. A travel guide and information website, Agri ezgo is also available to introduce Taiwan-grown fruits and related industry.

The multi-language website available in Chinese, English and Japanese provide regulations and procedures for exporting fruits products as well as brochure in Korean, Thai and Vietnamese.

More details on https://ezgo.coa.gov.tw or https://ezgo.coa.gov.tw/Uploads/Projects/Fruit-Tour/en/souvenirs-country.html.

-- BERNAMA

YOUCAM MAKEUP RECOGNIZED AS THE 2018 INTERNATIONAL INNOVATION AWARD WINNER

The leading beauty platform YouCam Makeup is transforming beauty through Beauty SaaS for brands, retailers, and ecommerce
 
NEW YORK, Dec 18 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Perfect Corp. is honored to receive the 2018 International Innovation Award for YouCam Makeup platform and suite of virtual apps. The award was presented by Enterprise Asia, a non-governmental entrepreneur organization that hosts the annual regional awards to celebrate the visionaries and leaders in entrepreneurship, sustainability and innovation. The YouCam Makeup platform and suite of apps was chosen as a winner in the Service and Solution category, honoring the advanced artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and deep learning technologies that continue to redefine and reimagine the consumer and brand beauty shopping experience.
 
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181217005338/en/
 
In an attempt to empower innovation, Enterprise Asia invites trailblazers to submit their brand vision and achievements for judging. A panel of innovation and industry experts serve as judges, focusing on execution and commercialization and scoring submissions on a proprietary IIA 8D Benchmark.
 
The judges recognized YouCam Apps for its advancements in facial detection and tracking, and how implementing AI’s deep learning technology has helped to deliver the most true-to-life virtual beauty try-ons. The brand also spotlighted innovative new features including AI Skincare and smart shade matching, which enable personalized product recommendations based on an instant skin reading. This type of engaged user experience sparks a new sense of discovery and experimentation that builds upon a meaningful and satisfying shopping journey. YouCam Makeup’s unique, innovative Beauty SaaS is already trusted by over 200 brands and retailers worldwide, and the solutions have been implemented in a range of consumer touchpoints including in-store consultations, web consultations and SDK implementation.
 
“We are honored to be recognized by Enterprise Asia as the 2018 International Innovation winner,” said Alice H. Chang, CEO of Perfect Corp. “Our brand is built on the spirit of innovation and we continue to strive to offer brands, consumers, and retailers alike pragmatic solutions that deliver enhanced beauty shopping experiences.”
 
This year, Enterprise Asia received over 160 entries from 30 countries across 24 industries. YouCam Apps is honored to be among the 16 companies recognized in the Service and Solution category. Perfect Corp.’s Vice President of Business Development, Louis Chen accepted the award at the awards reception on December 14^th in Macau, China.
 
App Availability

YouCam Makeup is available for free download on the App Store and Google Play.
 
About Perfect Corp.
 
With over 700 Million downloads globally, Perfect Corporation is dedicated to transforming how consumers, content creators and beauty brands interact together through beauty AI & AR. Our experienced team of engineers and beauty aficionados are pushing the frontiers of technology to create the beauty platform of the future – a fluid environment where individuals express themselves, learn the latest about fashion and beauty, and enjoy instant access to the products from their favorite brands. Further information about Perfect Corp. can be found at perfectcorp.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181217005338/en/
 
Contact

Press
Corporate: Tony Tsai at press@perfectcorp.com or by phone at: +886-2-8667-1298, ext. 2167
USA: Susan Biegacz at contact_pr@perfectcorp.com or by phone at +1 (212) 929-7979
Japan: Ryusho Hosaka at contact_pr_jpn@perfectcorp.com or by phone at: +81-3-5875-6651
China: Celine Lo at celine_lo@perfectcorp.com or by phone: + 86 1582 112 8182
Europe: Sylvain Delteil at contact_pr_uk@perfectcorp.com

Source : Perfect Corp.
 
--BERNAMA