BLUESCOPE LAUNCHES ASEAN AWARDS PROGRAM TO CELEBRATE REGIONAL EXCELLENCE IN STEEL ARCHITECTURE

SINGAPORE, Oct 15 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The 2024 BlueScope Steel Architectural Awards ASEAN is now open to projects harnessing BlueScope steel in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Entrants are accepted in Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Institutional building sectors, while there’s an additional category of ‘Long Lasting Beauty of COLORBOND®’ - this celebrates projects that have weathered all conditions to maintain their beauty and strength thanks to the use of BlueScope’s COLORBOND® steel.

“At BlueScope, we aim to create and inspire smart solutions in steel, and our new awards program is a great opportunity to showcase some of the very best architectural projects in this region,” said Connell Zhang, Chief Executive of NS BlueScope. “As well as setting industry benchmarks and promoting best practice, these awards are a great way to encourage knowledge sharing and support our vibrant ASEAN architect community.”

The 2024 BlueScope Steel Architectural Awards ASEAN are backed by several respected organisations. These include the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage, Ikatan Arsitek Indonesia, the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City, the Australian Chamber of Commerce Singapore, and Malaysia’s ACG Media Group. The ASEAN Award Jury Panel comprises esteemed architectural thought leaders. They are: Ar. Asae Sukhyanga, President of The Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage; Dr. Ar. Tan Loke Mun, Director, Archicentre Sdn Bhd, Malaysia; Ar. Achmad D. Tardiyana, MUUD, IAI, Principal at PT. Urbane Indonesia; Dr Ar. Truong Thanh Hai, Vice-Rector of the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City; and Ar. Richard Coulson, Director of COX Architecture. Award entries will be judged on their Design Excellence, Innovation and Sustainability. Judges will assess multiple areas of building design, from aesthetic merit, to functionality, efficiency, and more.

“As the industry leader in premium coated and painted steel, BlueScope is in a unique position to support the architectural community in bringing their dream designs to life. We’re excited to showcase the innovation, strength and beauty of those projects we helped architects deliver.

The awards will be a great event, and we look forward to celebrating the achievements of our winners and all our entrants,” concluded Connell Zhang. Judging for the ASEAN Award Winners takes place in October, with the winners announced in November. For further information on the awards, click here. https://www.nsbluescope.com/asean/bluescope-steel-architectural-asean-awards-2024-colorbond/

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Contact

James Li | Vice President, Business Transformation, NS BlueScope Pte.
E: james.li@bluescope.com

Source : NS BLUESCOPE

MCO Climbs Up Chartis Research RiskTech 100 Rankings

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Global compliance software provider MyComplianceOffice (MCO) announced it has climbed to number 44 on the RiskTech100 2025 list of the world's top risk and compliance technology solutions, after being listed among them once again by global research and analysis firm Chartis Research.

“We are thrilled to be acknowledged as an industry leader in the global risk and compliance technology marketplace through the rigorous Chartis benchmarking and assessment process.

“As a company we will continue to focus on innovation so we can keep delivering better compliance to our client firms, enabling them to ensure that policies and procedures are effectively implemented and monitored, and regulatory compliance is maintained across the firm,” said its Chief Executive Officer, Brian Fahey in a statement.

MCO helps firms with even the most complex regulatory obligations gain more efficient and effective compliance management while enabling cross-surveillance of the company’s employee activities, transactional conflicts of interest, and third-party relationships on a single platform with a single source of data.

In August this year, MCO announced the acquisition of Pythagoras Solutions, strengthening its third-party compliance capabilities and adding Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) solutions.

It was also recently recognised by Chartis as a category leader in the 2024 RiskTech Quadrants for Conduct Risk and Control Solutions and Enterprise governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) Solutions, noting that “in a crowded GRC ecosystem, MCO has distinguished itself with an architecture and go-to-market (GTM) approach anchored by scalability”.

The Chartis RiskTech100 is a comprehensive independent study of the world's major players in risk and compliance technology.

Rankings are based on functionality, core technology, strategy, customer satisfaction, market presence and innovation, and focus on solutions, industry segments and success factors.

-- BERNAMA

INKIA POISED TO BECOME THE LARGEST RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCER IN PERU WITH TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPANSION PLANS

• More than 1 GW of new solar capacity to be available by end of 2025
• 3+ GW pipeline, out of which over 600 MW of wind projects to be launched in 2026
• By adding to its existing 2,237 MW of hydro, natural gas and BESS capacity, Inkia will secure its position as the largest and most diversified generation company in Peru

LIMA, Peru, Oct 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Inkia Energy, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Kallpa, received environmental approval for the expansion of its solar power plant currently under construction in Southern Peru, a leading global solar resource hub. The approval will bring the solar project, Sunny, from 228 MWp to 338 MWp, and is expected to be fully operational by the second half of 2025. Based in Peru, Inkia Energy is the country’s largest power generator and is controlled by global infrastructure investor I Squared Capital.

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Besides Sunny, Inkia has enabled the construction of two adjacent solar projects, by signing energy and I-REC off-take agreements for these developments. With these three projects, Inkia will consolidate the energy of ‘Peru’s Solar Hub’, contributing approximately 1 GWp of renewable capacity to the National Interconnected Grid starting in the fourth quarter of 2025.

In addition, the company expects to launch two wind projects, with an aggregate capacity of at least 600 MW, in 2026. The wind developments, plus several other solar and BESS projects, will bolster the company’s position as the leading renewable energy player to supply Peru’s current and future energy needs. The initiatives reinforce Inkia’s value proposition to provide its customers with a continuous and reliable power supply produced by a combination of different renewable sources and efficient natural gas capacity, which is critical for covering renewable energy shortfalls and intermittency.

Inkia also offers several behind-the-meter energy solutions to its clients through its dedicated retail vehicle, Kondu, which has become one of the largest players in the small and medium enterprise (SME) market segment.

“Inkia is a developer at its core and was the fastest growing generation company during the last decade. The launch of Sunny marks the beginning of the Inkia 2.0 expansion campaign, aligned with Peru’s energy needs and securing Inkia as a leading energy solutions company in the country,” said Willem Van Twembeke, Inkia Energy’s CEO. “We believe that Inkia’s balanced portfolio, along with its investment grade rating, makes the company the top choice for clients in terms of reliability, both in energy and financial support.”

About Inkia Energy

Inkia is the largest power generator in Peru boasting 2,237 MW of installed capacity through its wholly-owned subsidiary Kallpa. Inkia Energy is controlled by I Squared Capital, a leading independent global infrastructure investor with over $40 billion in assets under management. In Peru, Inkia operates a portfolio of hydroelectric and efficient combined-cycle natural gas generation, and recently commissioned a 34 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Besides Sunny, Kallpa is developing several wind, solar and BESS projects, ensuring a continuous, reliable, and environmentally friendly electricity supply for Peru. Inkia also owns Kondu, an energy solutions vehicle dedicated to retail demand, offering several energy supply and behind-the-meter solutions to Inkia’s clients. Outside of Peru, Inkia has owned and operated generation and distribution assets for over 5.5 GW and 2 million clients, respectively, across Latin America. 

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NXHD Completes Acquisition Of German’s Simon Hegele, Becoming A Fully Owned Subsidiary

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Nippon Express Holdings Inc (NXHD) has announced the successful completion of its acquisition of all shares in German-based SH HoldCo GmbH (Simon Hegele), a group of companies specialising in contract logistics in the healthcare industry.

According to a statement, following a sale and purchase agreement inked recently, this transaction will enable NXHD to acquire a unique and scalable healthcare platform in Europe, a significant market for contract logistics.

The company expects to receive highly complementary capabilities and synergistic value through the integration of Simon Hegele with its global network and international forwarding business, resulting in three new growth opportunities.

The three new growth opportunities are growth in the healthcare market; enhancement of end-to-end solutions and cross-selling for healthcare as well as industry and retail clients; and geographical expansion of Simon Hegele's business.

NXHD aims to achieve early realisation of these growth opportunities and provide its customers with higher quality logistics solutions by welcoming Simon Hegele into the group.

"I am looking forward to moving forward on the same path towards the future with the Simon Hegele Group. Specifically, I believe that we can provide even greater value to our customers by combining NX Group's global network capabilities with Simon Hegele's advanced logistics expertise, especially in the healthcare sector," said NXHD Director and Executive Officer, Mamoru Akaishi.

Meanwhile, Simon Hegele Group Chief Executive Officer, Stefan Ulrich said: "It was clear to us that we wanted to find a strategic partner that was a good fit for us, and at the same time is passionate about working with us to further develop tailor-made solutions for our internationally active customers on a global level."

Earlier this year, the company launched the "NX Group Business Plan 2028 Dynamic Growth 2.0 ~ Accelerating Sustainable Growth~" as a guideline for the next five years, promoting business growth in the global market towards the achievement of its long-term vision "To become a logistics company with a strong presence in the global market by 2037".

One of the company’s strategies to achieve this vision is to expand its range of services for each customer, and as part of this strategy, it is advancing the development of a global end-to-end service infrastructure tailored to its customers' industries.

-- BERNAMA

DUCK CREEK TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE RISK MANAGEMENT, MITIGATION SOLUTIONS VIA RCT ACQUISITION

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Duck Creek Technologies, the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty (P&C) insurance, has acquired Risk Control Technologies Inc (RCT), a Toronto-based provider of risk management and loss control solutions.

This strategic investment is set to transform how insurance carriers prevent loss and manage risk, enabling deployment of advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities at the forefront.

In a statement, Duck Creek Technologies Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mike Jackowski said RCT is a leader in not only identifying potential loss, but preventing it through preemptive risk mitigation.

“In addition to sharing Duck Creek’s core values, RCT’s leadership and team members bring a wealth of insurance knowledge and experience. Together, we will help insurers work closely with their policyholders to prevent losses, improve safety and better prepare for the future,” he said.

Meanwhile, RCT CEO, David Da Costa said being part of Duck Creek will strengthen its goal to help carriers optimise and increase risk-data coverage across their entire business.

“We are excited to be part of Duck Creek and to work jointly to deliver modern technology innovations that transform the insurance industry and help insurers strengthen their customer engagements and drive impactful operational efficiencies,” said Da Costa.

The RCT RiskHub platform will enhance the Duck Creek software as a service (SaaS) suite of insurance technology products, further increasing Duck Creek’s ability to improve underwriting accuracy, optimise claims processes, and reduce overall risk exposure.

By integrating RCT’s solution into Duck Creek platform, insurance carriers will have rich predictive capabilities, enabling them to better manage underwriting risks and maximise an efficient, integrated policy and claims management experience.

RCT’s industry-leading loss control and risk assessment platform will be seamlessly integrated with Duck Creek’s comprehensive suite of products to enable data-driven decisions for all stakeholders to improve proactive risk mitigation.

-- BERNAMA

QIANDONGNAN SEES SURGE IN TOURISM ALONG CHINA'S RURAL TOURISM HIGHWAY 1

QIANDONGNAN, China, Oct. 9, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

From January to August 2024, China's Rural Tourism Highway 1 has welcomed over 25 million visitors and generated a tourism revenue of more than 12 billion yuan, showcasing the vigorous development of tourism in Qiandongnan, according to the data from the Bureau of Culture, Sports, Broadcast-TV, and Tourism of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province.
 
Qiandongnan, located in the southwest of China, is praised as the last refuge for the weary human spirit for its ecological and cultural treasures such as Yuntai Mountain, Xijiang Miao Village and Village Super League.
 
To enable tourists to experience the charm of these treasures all at once, China's Rural Tourism Highway 1 was jointly launched by Qiandongnan Prefecture and Chinese National Geography in September 2023. It aims to integrate with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, serving as an important step for rural revitalization and East-West Pairing-off Cooperation for Poverty Reduction.
 
With a total length of 2,180 kilometers, China's Rural Tourism Highway 1 includes the Miao and Dong Cultural Route, Cultural and Natural Scenery Route and Terraced Fields Scenery Route, running through 16 counties (cities), featuring natural scenery, minority villages and sports events.
 
Since the launch of the Boutique Tourism Loop of Traditional Villages in Dong Township, part of the Miao and Dong Cultural Route, Zhaoxing Dong Village and 12 surrounding villages have welcomed 787,200 visitors and generated a tourism revenue of 702 million yuan from January to August 2024, benefiting the locals and promoting economic development.
 
To further explore tourism resources along China's Rural Tourism Highway 1, Qiandongnan has created China's first premium road trip route for women and established a system of slow-paced travel on scenic highways in the region. It has also launched the Three Thousands and Three Villages Tourism Route, and a new traveling plan, Have Fun in Qiandongnan, providing tourists with diverse experiences.
 
For future plans, Qiandongnan will continue to develop tourism towards the goal of building a world-class ethnic cultural tourism destination based on China's Rural Tourism Highway 1.
 
Source: Bureau of Culture, Sports, Broadcast-TV, and Tourism of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province 

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‘CHA CHAAN TENG’ DEBUT IN PARIS TO FURTHER CEMENTS HONG KONG AS ASIA’S ARTS AND CULTURE HUB

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced its presentation of a Hong Kong-style café, a “Cha Chaan Teng”, at Art Basel Paris from Oct 16 to 20 at the Grand Palais, inviting Hong Kong-based artist Trevor Yeung to illuminate the classic diner with his light artistry.

This marks the first activation in its pioneering three-year global partnership with the world class art fair, following the initial announcement in Basel this June, according to HKTB in a statement.

HKTB Executive Director, Dane Cheng said this collaboration underscores its commitment to promoting Hong Kong as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, and the art hub in Asia.

“By sharing the city’s unique character through this immersive experience at the inaugural edition of the three-year partnership at Grand Palais, we hope to inspire travellers to visit our city and discover its thriving creative community and rich cultural experiences,” he said.

HKTB will bring an authentic Cha Chaan Teng experience to Art Basel Paris, a dining format harking back to the 1950s known for its bustling ambiance and eclectic menus of comfort food merging Eastern and Western cultures.

This vibrant gathering space in the heart of Grand Palais will introduce international audiences to the city’s unique culture by showcasing diverse culinary flavours, artistic excellence, and dynamic social atmosphere.

Yeung has created a new artwork especially for the Cha Chaan Teng, which is his next instalment of a well-known series titled Chaotic Suns featuring chandelier-like illuminated artworks, last seen at the 24th Biennale of Sydney in 2024, where he uses the gradient of light to bring the classic Cha Chaan Teng to life.

The positioning of a Hong Kong-style café in the locality of Paris encapsulates Hong Kong’s intrinsic ‘East-meets-West’ culture, presenting a sensory journey to visitors by serving the city delicacies including pineapple buns, egg tarts, milk tea, and mango pudding.

The space will also feature classic design elements such as nostalgic colourful patterned floor tiles and cosy booths, as well as Hong Kong’s signature neon signage.

The collaboration between Art Basel and HKTB fortifies Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s arts and culture hub, hosting flagship art events such as Art Basel, the fair’s only destination in Asia.

-- BERNAMA