CLOUDFLARE JOINS MICROSOFT 365 NETWORKING PARTNER PROGRAM, DEEPENING RELATIONSHIP

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- Cloudflare Inc, the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, has announced joining the Microsoft 365 Networking Partner Program (NPP).

Customers of Cloudflare’s Zero Trust platform, Cloudflare One, will now benefit from enhanced connectivity to Microsoft 365 services, enabling them to get faster performance and optimal user experience with Microsoft 365.

“Network design is critical for organisations in any stage of their digital transformation. By deepening our partnership with Microsoft, we are enabling customers and users to achieve optimal connectivity to Microsoft 365 locally and directly,” said Alex Dyner, SVP, Special Projects at Cloudflare in a statement.

“Joint Cloudflare and Microsoft 365 customers will now benefit from reduced network complexity and cost, while achieving greater levels of security and network performance.”

Cloudflare One stops data loss, malware, and phishing with a Zero Trust application access and Internet gateway platform. It leverages Cloudflare’s security, performance, and reliability services through the same Cloudflare global network that spans more than 250 cities in over 100 countries and blocks an average of 76 billion cyber threats daily.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Cloudflare into the Networking Partner Program for Microsoft 365,” said Scott Schnoll, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Microsoft.

“Cloudflare is a valued partner that is focused on helping Microsoft 365 customers implement the Microsoft 365 Network Connectivity Principles. Microsoft only recommends Networking Partner Program member solutions for connectivity to Microsoft 365.”

The Microsoft 365 Networking Partner Program consists of partners whose deployment practices and guidance are aligned with Microsoft’s networking recommendations for Office 365.

Cloudflare is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. More details at www.cloudflare.com.

-- BERNAMA

White Paper: UAE accounts for 74 per cent ASEAN markets GCC investments over 5 years

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 -- The UAE accounted for 74 per cent of GCC investments in ASEAN markets over the last five years, according to a new whitepaper released by Dubai Chamber, ahead of the first-ever Global Business Forum (GBF) ASEAN in Dubai.

Conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and commissioned by Dubai Chamber, the report, titled Uncharted Territory: Deepening trade and investment between ASEAN and the GCC, examines the business and investment environment in the ASEAN region and assesses prospects for expanding economic co-operation between the two regions in the post-pandemic era.

According to the whitepaper, the total value of investments from the GCC into the ASEAN region was estimated at US$13.4 billion between January 2016 and September 2021. (US$1 = RM4.222)

The report will be discussed by public and private sector stakeholders when they gather at Expo 2020 Dubai for the two-day inaugural GBF ASEAN, beginning Dec 8.

The whitepaper noted there remained plenty of potential for ASEAN and GCC companies to boost trade of agricultural products, and that knowledge sharing in key sectors could provide a framework for deeper collaboration.

The data showed a trade imbalance between the two regions, with just two per cent of ASEAN’s total imports between 2016 and 2020 coming from the GCC.

On the other hand, the ASEAN region accounted for just four per cent of the GCC’s total exports over the five-year period, amounting to US$126 billion, with the majority comprising crude oil (43 per cent) and plastic polymers (20 per cent).

In a statement, Dubai Chamber President and CEO, Hamad Buamim said the report provided valuable insights on the vast potential that existed between the two regions, which helped businesses on both sides make informed decisions, explore growth opportunities abroad and forge cross-border partnerships that drive sustainable growth.

-- BERNAMA

GAUTAM MUKHARYA, CRO FOR HSBC SINGAPORE, JOINS SPIN ANALYTICS' GLOBAL ADVISORY BOARD

LONDON, Dec 9 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- SPIN Analytics, a modern FinTech provider that brings a new paradigm for credit risk modelling, announces today that Gautam Mukharya, CRO for HSBC Singapore joins the Company’s Global Advisory Board.

Gautam is a seasoned banker and Risk professional having 25 years’ experience in the financial sector, specialized in credit and enterprise risks and an active sponsor of Innovation, FinTech and new technologies. Over the last 20 years with HSBC Group, Gautam has held a variety of country and regional roles, including CRO HSBC Australia, Head of Wholesale Credit Risk for Asia Pacific and CRO HSBC Mauritius.

Panos Skliamis, CEO of SPIN Analytics, said: “I am delighted to welcome Gautam to our Advisory Board, a leading expert in the risk field. Gautam was our industry mentor during the Global Hackcelerator Programme of the Singapore FinTech Festival 2018 and we have since been engaging with him to help our efforts in Asia Pacific. We look forward to working with Gautam to create further value for our stakeholders.”

“I am pleased to join the Advisory Board of an impactful company for the digital transformation of banks. SPIN Analytics has been a catalyst for the financial services industry, leading the way of Explainable AI automation in Regulatory Credit Risk Modeling,” said Gautam. "I am confident that together with my fellow board members and the management team we can help SPIN Analytics to accelerate the adoption of RISKROBOT^TM by global and digital banks.”

As the Country CRO, Gautam is responsible for managing all risks areas across HSBC’s operations in Singapore, a member of the BoD of the Singapore Chapter of Risk Management Association and an international speaker at conferences and government webinars.

Gautam has contributed to the National KYC Utility project and to the Green eco-system. Since 2019, he has sat on the Demo Day Judging panel at the Global Hackcelerator and selection panel for the FinTech Awards at the Singapore FinTech Festival. He is passionate about sustainability and climate risk. He is currently chairing the risk management work-stream of Green Finance Industry Taskforce and co-chairs the work-stream on Transition Standards. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41874

ACASIA ACCELERATES EXPANSION OF GLOBAL BUSINESSES INTO ASEAN WITH COMPREHENSIVE SUITE OF CONNECTIVITY SERVICES AND DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE

 ACASIA's Chief Executive Officer, Mr M Satya Riayatsyah Syafruddin 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- ACASIA Communications Sdn Bhd (“ACASIA”), a unique collaboration among seven (7) leading telecommunications (“telco”) providers, will accelerate the expansion of global businesses into the ASEAN region, one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, with its comprehensive suite of connectivity services and digital infrastructure.

Formed in 1995, the shareholders of ACASIA are among the seven leading telcos in the region, namely Telekom Malaysia Berhad (“TM”) in Malaysia, Singtel in Singapore, National  Telecom in Thailand, Indosat Ooredoo in Indonesia, PLDT in the Philippines, Nex.Us in Brunei and VNPT in Vietnam. These seven players have a proven track record in the telco services provided in the region.

With an established digital infrastructure in the region, ACASIA helps global businesses to expand into ASEAN through a seamless process made possible by the collaborations among its shareholders. ACASIA will serve as a service aggregator for these global business operations that require presence in the region.

ACASIA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr M Satya Riayatsyah Syafruddin, said, “Given the potential in ASEAN as one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, ACASIA serves as a one-stop solution for global businesses to simplify its digital process and transformation. For example, a global business that sets up its operation in Malaysia and looking to expand into the Philippines, would need to set up its digital infrastructure and connectivity in both countries.However, with ACASIA, we help to bridge these processes and simplify the expansion plans into the region.”

“The growth potential is huge for ACASIA as we tap on the digital transformation that has escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our existing infrastructure in the region puts us in a strong position to offer valuable services for global businesses that are expanding into the region,” Satya said.

ACASIA’s established presence in the region and its fully-equipped infrastructure allows the company to offer a comprehensive suite of connectivity services and digital infrastructure for global businesses.

Other than  accelerating the expansion of global businesses into the region, ACASIA also offers ASEAN companies to tap on its digital infrastructure to venture out of their respective local economies.

According to Satya, the shared collaborations in the ASEAN region also offers data sovereignty for businesses and governments. ACASIA will ensure data sovereignty by enabling data to reside in countries where data is collected, unless approval is granted.

ACASIA solutions also offer access to private cloud computing infrastructure, which would be vital for organisations that rely on public cloud services for data storage and hosting.

“Infrastructure to support data sovereignty is something that is lacking, and with ACASIA, we fill the gap and offer the missing link for the whole ecosystem of digitalisation, especially for businesses and government in the ASEAN region. Our strength as a unit will enable our clients to leverage on these synergies to grow globally in a secure environment amidst a rush into digitalisation,” Satya added.

SOURCE : Aegis Communication on behalf of ACASIA Communications Sdn Bhd

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Jason Fong
Tel: +6012-8631134
Email: jason@aegiscomm.com.my

--BERNAMA

2021 'Belt And Road Initiative' Youth Sports Exchange Week (Jiangsu) Launched Nanjing

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 -- The 2021 ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ Youth Sports Exchange Week (Jiangsu) was launched in Nanjing on Dec 5.

A total of 209 young people from 62 ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ countries and regions, who have been working and studying in Nanjing for a long time, signed up to participate in basketball, orienteering and many other activities, according to the Nanjing Creative Center.

According to a statement, the Exchange Week is themed ‘Sports ignite passion, make the dreams of youth fly, carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road, and build a better tomorrow together’.

The activities include 2021 ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ International Young Men's 3x3 Basketball Invitational Tournament, ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ Youth Outdoor Sports Challenge, the Fifth ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ International Youth Orienteering Training Camp and a series of youth sports and cultural exchange activities.

Terry, a Turkmen student from Southeast University, hoped he would actively participate in more international sports exchanges and be a participant, promoter, collaborator, and beneficiary of the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ to contribute youth strength to the prosperity and development of ‘Belt and Road Initiative’.

Fan Jinhua, Second-Level Counsel of Jiangsu Provincial Sports Bureau and Vice President of Jiangsu Sports Federation, hoped that through the Exchange Week, the broad masses of young friends would feel the modernisation of Jiangsu and the charm of Chinese traditional culture, deepen the understanding of China and the economic and social development of Jiangsu and become ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ youth friendship messengers.

‘Belt and Road Initiative’ Youth Sports Exchange Week is guided by the Office of the Leading Group for Promoting the Construction of ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ in Jiangsu Province, jointly sponsored by Jiangsu Provincial Sports Bureau, Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, and Foreign Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, hosted by Jiangsu International Sports Exchange Center, and supported by China Sports Lottery.

-- BERNAMA

VONAGE RECOGNISED GROWTH, INNOVATION LEADER IN 2021 FROST & SULLIVAN RADAR

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- Vonage, a global business cloud communications leader helping businesses accelerate their digital transformation, has been recognised as a leader in growth and innovation in the 2021 Frost & Sullivan Radar for the Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) industry.

Vonage was recognised for its API Platform, which allows for the integration of fully programmable communications application programming interfaces (APIs) into existing products, workflows and systems.

Vonage provides businesses worldwide with the power and flexibility to integrate multiple communications channels into their applications, products, and workflows to create new paradigms in their industries.

Whether it’s getting medical attention through telehealth, tracking a package or a food delivery, booking a rideshare service, providing fraud protection, or enabling video and voice communications, the Vonage API platform makes this possible.

Vonage APIs create the underlying functionality for unified communications (UCaaS) and contact centre solutions (CCaaS) around video, voice and messaging. Collectively, Vonage’s CPaaS, UCaaS and CCaaS offerings make up the Vonage Communications Platform (VCP).

"It is an honour to be recognised by Frost & Sullivan for our continued innovation and growth within the programmable communications space,” said Savinay Berry, Executive Vice President, Product and Engineering, Vonage in a statement.

Meanwhile, Frost & Sullivan Senior Industry Analyst Michael Brandenburg said: “With the high competition in the CPaaS market, where all business communications - voice, video, and messaging - are becoming programmable, Vonage has fuelled its success through a fully integrated communications solution with practical, high-impact business application and programmability services, enabling customers to attain higher levels of scalability and flexibility.”

2021 Frost Radar in the Communications Platform as a Service Market provides results from an in-depth analysis built on a 360-degree research methodology by a team of industry analysts. The companies listed on the Radar cover the full spectrum of CPaaS providers and enablers, including pure-play providers and hybrid CPaaS solutions integrated with on-premises resources.

With a unique go-to-market and innovation strategy, Radar recognised Vonage for its leadership in the market with its compelling API-driven solutions, a strong vision, and a keen focus on innovation and research and development.

To download the complimentary Frost Radar, visit www.vonage.com.

-- BERNAMA

CLOUDFLARE ANNOUNCES ZARAZ ACQUISITION, BOOSTING WEBSITE SPEED, SECURITY

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- Cloudflare Inc, the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, has announced the acquisition of Zaraz, a company that has developed technology to speed up and secure websites by reducing the impact of third-party marketing and analytics tools.

Based on a statement, Zaraz is the first company Cloudflare has acquired built on its own technology, Cloudflare Workers.

“Thousands of applications have been built on Workers, and it’s been phenomenal to see the impact and innovation that it can bring at every level of an organisation from developers to CIOs.

“We truly believe that the next billion-dollar company can and will be built on Cloudflare Workers,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare.

“We were impressed by how the team at Zaraz used Cloudflare Workers in a unique way to help businesses get the insights they need, while delivering the lightning performance consumers expect. We’re thrilled to have them join the team, and are excited to keep investing in the developers that build on our platform.”

With Zaraz, companies can run as many third-party tools as they need, without slowing down their website, compromising their security, or sacrificing their customer privacy. Zaraz uses Cloudflare Workers to replace the multiple network requests of each tool with one single request, effectively transforming a messy web of extensions into a single lightweight application.

“We couldn’t have built Zaraz without the global scale, speed, and flexibility provided by Cloudflare Workers,” said Yair Dovrat, co-founder and CEO of Zaraz.

“Using Workers meant that we were able to optimise Zaraz for performance and security, something traditional tag managers couldn’t do. We’re excited to join Cloudflare’s team so that we can make a difference across the entire Internet, making it faster, better, and safer for everyone.”

For more information, visit www.cloudflare.com.

-- BERNAMA