MALAYSIA IS ASIA'S BEST CONFERENCE & EXHIBITIONS DESTINATION

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), on behalf of Malaysia has yet lived up to their aspiration being the No 1 Asia’s Business Events Hub by securing another award for Best Conference & Exhibitions Destination (Asia) at this year’s M&C Asia Stella Awards. MyCEB has constantly look further ensuring the business events industry is in a constant move to pushing boundaries and reaching greater heights in order to elevate the meetings industry.
 
The M&C Asia Stella Awards Ceremony 2020 was hosted via a virtual setting and broadcasted live across the region on Tuesday, 20^th October 2020 and all the award winners received a certificate to commemorate their achievement. Other neighbouring countries that were also given an accolade are Singapore for Best MICE Destination (Asia), meanwhile Taiwan was named Best Meetings & Incentives Destination (Asia). Malaysia also nabbed the Best Meetings Hotel awarded to Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur.
 
“This year’s Stella Awards winners exemplify what the MICE industry is all about: Creativity, innovation and resilience,” says Irene Chua, Vice President and Group Publisher, Asia for Northstar Travel Group. “These properties and service providers made a big impression on our readers and reflect the changing needs of event planners in a post-Covid environment.”
 
 With trials and tribulations 2020 has brought upon the respective industries, the Malaysian government was able to roll out quickly and implement new norm measures together with the local industry’s concerted effort to promote Malaysia as a safe destination. Through perseverance, dedication and effort, the recognition awarded symbolises MyCEB’s resilience and leadership demonstrated during the COVID- 19 pandemic.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=38531

PULSE SECURE DELIVERS VPN AND QUARANTINE MANAGEMENT IN INTEGRATED SOLUTION DEPLOYED BY PERSOL GROUP

With Pulse Connect Secure, PERSOL Group takes first step towards Zero Trust architecture for 30,000 users in its digital transformation efforts

TOKYO, Oct 30 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pulse Secure, the leading provider of software-defined Secure Access solutions, today announced the successful delivery of a deployment at PERSOL Group, designed to provide secure, remote access to employees while enabling the company to move to a Zero Trust architecture.

Based in Japan, PERSOL Group comprises 136 companies in Japan and overseas, with 492 domestic and 188 overseas offices and staffed by a total of around 50,000 employees.

To overcome the challenges of maintaining its existing closed network, the group had initially sought to deploy a quarantine solution and a VPN solution to enable employees to connect to its servers securely, while enabling the IT team to control tightly where devices are accessed and by whom, with policy settings of Pulse Connect Secure.

However, it was unable to find a vendor that could deliver both solutions satisfactorily and in an easy-to-manage way, until it ran a PoC (proof-of-concept) test with Pulse Secure. With this exercise, the IT team at PERSOL found that Pulse Secure was able to deliver on both fronts, enabling employees to securely access the internal network with a vastly improved user interface.

As the pandemic in early 2020 forced the lockdown of cities globally, PERSOL accelerated its deployment of Pulse Connect Secure provided by Pulse Secure Japan to keep its business running amid emergency health and safety measures.

“The aim was to develop an infrastructure that is easy to use yet transparent to the end-user,” said Yasutaka Iida, Section Chief of the 2nd User Infrastructure Facility of the Group IT Headquarters, PERSOL Group. “We were looking to build a secure network where we no longer need to be aware of being inside or outside the office, and that could be flexibly tailored to absorb group growth requirements.”

By the end of April 2020, PERSOL was able to allow 10,000 simultaneous connections, up from an initial 5,000 in the Kanto region in Japan. More importantly, the change heralded the first step towards a modern network infrastructure, one that is based on high-performance connections and security built from the ground up with Zero Trust.

Going forward, PERSOL plans to further deploy cloud proxies and IDaaS (Identity as a Service) and other cloud-based services that do not require users to always log on to an internal network.


http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=38557

Sabin, Dalberg, JSI establish COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Project, funded by Skoll Foundation

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 -- The Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) has partnered with Dalberg and JSI Research & Training Institute Inc (JSI) to create the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Project.

Based on a statement, the Skoll Foundation is supporting the project through start-up funding of US$1 million to pilot the programme in four countries. (US$1 = RM4.157)

Following a successful pilot, the partners hope to secure additional funding to scale the project to more than 40 countries starting next year.

This collaboration will support low and middle-income country immunisation professionals in leading the equitable delivery of COVID-19 vaccines through their national immunisation programmes.

It also complements the approach outlined in the COVAX Facility, the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, led by the World Health Organization; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

In addition, this project also ensures that national immunisation programmes have the resources and health systems to achieve sustainable global protection from COVID-19 by 2022 and strengthen capacity for vaccination across the lifespan.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Project will comprise three phases, designed to rapidly assess vaccine distribution landscape, maximise learnings and scale a successful pilot to enable equitable global delivery of vaccines.

The Skoll Foundation is funding Phases 1 and 2.

Phases of the project will accelerate equitable distribution now, before a vaccine arrives, to ensure that it reaches the most vulnerable when one becomes available. More details at vaccineequity.org

-- BERNAMA

DOTERRA ONCE AGAIN RECOGNIZED AS GLOBAL AROMATHERAPY AND ESSENTIAL OILS LEADER

Verify Markets cites doTERRA as the “singular reason for rapid market expansion,” awards doTERRA with 2020 Verified Market Leader Award

 

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah, Oct 28 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- doTERRA is the global leader in the essential oils and aromatherapy, substantiated once again by Verify Markets in its 2020 Global Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Market Report.

In a recent press release, Verify Markets wrote, “The global aromatherapy and essential oils market is undergoing rapid growth and evolving rapidly. doTERRA is well positioned to lead the market through increasing demands, requirements, demographics and trends shaping the market.”

Shipla Tiku, chief research officer at Verify Markets, said, “doTERRA has been the singular reason for the rapid market expansion. doTERRA sells a lifestyle and values the customer as well as the importance of providing a valuable product. The company taps into an emotional part of the consumer that wants to aspire to live healthier. By identifying market gaps, doTERRA has quickly risen to global domination of the market.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=38530

STARR'S MARINE DIVISION LAUNCHES TERMINAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM LOSS CONTROL PROGRAM

 NEW YORK, Oct 28 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Starr Marine, a division of Starr Insurance Companies, has introduced a comprehensive Terminal Management System (TMS) Assessment Program, designed to help Starr clients identify and reduce the risks unique to marine terminal operations of all sizes.

The TMS program, developed in conjunction with industry experts, is a proprietary tool created to measure terminal operations against industry best practices. Using independent marine surveyors, the Starr Marine Loss Control Services Team works with the terminal’s management to conduct a thorough on-site evaluation and review of operational, maintenance and safety procedures.

The assessment provides clients with a benchmarked score and detailed recommendations to enhance risk management initiatives and loss control plans for their operations.

“Our efforts to develop the TMS tool predates the recent spate of high-profile port losses,” said Matthew Davis, senior vice president and head of Starr Marine. “Events like these, however, are a reminder of why Starr’s loss control approach is central to how we work with clients – to prevent losses before they happen.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=38522

NTTVC, NTT US$500 million fund helps startups achieve rapid global scale

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 -- An independent venture capital firm, NTTVC has publicly announced its US$500 million fund to help startups reach rapid global scale by harnessing the power of partnership. (US$1 = RM4.162)

The firm also announced investments in five startups, delivering impactful innovations for businesses and consumers - Celona, Eko, nference, Shoreline and UDP Labs.

According to a statement, NTTVC was founded by entrepreneur and investor, Vab Goel, in collaboration with global technology service provider, NTT.

NTTVC invests broadly across all stages and sectors, with emphasis on the future of enterprise, digital health and innovations powered by AI, machine learning and data.

By combining deep relationships of its investment team with NTT reach, the firm offers access to a robust network of industry experts, customers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, system integrators and service providers who can help startups make better decisions, more quickly.

By partnering with Goel to form a returns-driven venture capital fund, NTT deepens its commitment to building long-term relationships in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

In turn, NTTVC portfolio companies have the choice and opportunity to sell to, through and with NTT to help scale their businesses.

-- BERNAMA

NEGM expands production capacity of glass tubing by end-October 2020

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27  -- Nippon Electric Glass (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (NEGM) will be expanding its production capacity of glass tubing for pharmaceutical use at its Shah Alam facility by the end of October 2020.

The RM200 million investment project has been approved by the Malaysian Investment Development (MIDA) in July 2020.

MIDA chief executive officer Datuk Azman Mahmud said the expansion reinforces its reputation as a sustainable and profitable investment destination for companies looking to do business in ASEAN and beyond as NEGM being the only company in the region producing high-grade glass tubing for pharmaceutical use.

“Moreover, NEGM’s expansion is timely as the company seeks to increase its production to not only expound on the industry’s growth but also to carry out its humanitarian role in responding to the market’s needs during this pandemic,” he said in a statement today.

In recent years, MIDA said the steady advancements in medical technology have increased the demand for high-grade pharmaceutical glass tubing globally and moreover, as COVID-19 vaccines are being developed around the world, concerns raised on risks of limited supply of the necessary containers used during clinical trials.

“Therefore, the company hopes to play its part to control the COVID-19 pandemic and its eventual cure in vaccine production by ramping up the production capacity of its niche product,” it said.

It also said that NEGM’s latest project would increase the group’s production capacity of glass tubing for pharmaceutical use by about 1,000 tonnes per month, a 30 per cent increase in its current production capacity.

NEGM is a subsidiary of the Nippon Electric Glass Co Ltd (NEG), a leading Japanese speciality glass manufacturer, producing high-grade pharmaceutical glass tubing used for pharmaceutical containers such as ampoules and vials.

To date, NEG has invested more than RM6 billion in Malaysia on various products such as cathode ray tube, glass fibre and architectural glass.

-- BERNAMA

MAG PARTNERS ANNOUNCES CONSTRUCTION FINANCING FOR 480-UNIT AFFORDABLE NEW YORK DEVELOPMENT IN CHELSEA

Construction to begin in November

New York, NY, Oct 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MAG Partners today announced that it has secured a $173 million construction loan from Madison Realty Capital that will allow work to commence next month on a 479-unit rental residential building at 241 W. 28^th Street in Chelsea. The project will be developed under the Affordable NY program with 30 percent of its units reserved for low- and middle-income New Yorkers. Renowned architecture firm COOKFOX has designed the building. The project is a joint venture between MAG Partners, Safanad, Atalaya Capital Management and Qualitas, one of the biggest asset managers in Australia.

“As true believers in the future of New York City, we are thrilled to be able to begin construction on this innovative project that will bring mixed-income housing and hundreds of jobs at a critical time for the City,” said MaryAnne Gilmartin, Founder and CEO of MAG Partners. “This is an incredibly desirable location as major tech companies continue to sign big leases within walking distance, and we expect to see very strong long-term demand for this property when it opens in 2022.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=38494

Announced: CSOP Yinhua CSI 5G Communications Theme ETF HKEX listing

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 -- CSOP Asset Management Limited (CSOP) has announced the listing of CSOP Yinhua CSI 5G Communications Theme ETF (stock ticker: 3193.HK) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

As one of the first batch of ETFs under the HKEX and SZSE ETF cross-listing scheme, 3193.HK will track the performance of the CSI 5G Communication Index, before deduction of fees and expenses, by investing in the CSI 5G Communication ETF listed on SZSE via the RQFII quota.

With listing price at around HKD 8.1 per unit, trading lot of 100 and management fee of 0.99 per cent, CSOP Yinhua CSI 5G Communications Theme ETF will start to trade tomorrow. (HKD100 = RM53.53)

According to a statement, upon inception, 3193.HK received around US$5 million initial investment. (US$1 = RM4.144)

On the same day, the feeder ETF investing in CSOP’s HKEX listed ETF - ICBC CSOP S&P China New Sectors ETF (3167.HK) will also list on Shen Zhen Stock Exchange.

CSOP Chief Executive Officer, Ding Chen said CSOP was honoured to work with Yinhua Fund Management as the first batch of asset management companies to participate in the HKEX and SZSE ETF cross-listing scheme, and glad to introduce the Chinese 5G themed ETF to Hong Kong and global investors.

CSOP was founded in 2008 as the first offshore asset manager set up by a regulated asset management company in China.

-- BERNAMA

EDUCATE GIRLS' SOLUTION TO EMPOWER 1.5M GIRLS TO GO TO SCHOOL GETS SELECTED AT MIT SOLVE'S LEARNING FOR GIRLS & WOMEN CHALLENGE 2020

With this, Educate Girls’ features among the top 35 tech-based social entrepreneurs that address global challenges through their innovative social change solutions

MUMBAI, India, Oct 22 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Educate Girls, a non-profit working in remote, rural regions of India, has announced that its solution to ‘Empower 1.5 million girls to go to school’ has been selected as one of the 2020 new Solver class at MIT Solve Challenge Finals.

MIT Solve, an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute for Technology, is a marketplace for social impact innovations. The incoming 2020 Solver Class was selected by Solve’s expert judges from a pool of over 2,600 applicants from 135 countries. Making it to the top 7 in the Learning for Girls and Women category, Educate Girls is now among 2020’s new Solver Class of 35 tech-based social entrepreneurs that address global challenges through their innovative social change solutions.

Educate Girls’ solution directly addresses this year’s challenge of how marginalized girls and young women can access quality learning opportunities to succeed. Elaborating on this, Safeena Husain, Founder of Educate Girls, says, “Our program model is focused on behavioral, social and economic transformation to ensure all girls get access to quality education. We leverage advanced analytics and community outreach to ensure higher enrolment, retention and improved learning outcomes for out-of-school-girls.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=38469

Teledyne Imaging's new Z-Trak2 3D sensor family delivers up to 45,000 profiles per second

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 -- Teledyne Imaging has launched Z-Trak™2, its newest family of 3D profile sensors, built on its 3D image sensor technology, ushering in a new era of 5GigE 3D profile sensors for high-speed, in-line 3D applications.

According to a statement, models deliver scan speeds of up to 45,000 profiles per second and features built-in HDR and reflection compensation algorithms to handle surfaces with varying degrees of reflectivity in a single scan.

This delivers in-line height measurements for inspection, detection, identification, and guidance in electronics, semiconductor, automotive and factory automation markets segments.

Offering 2,000 points per profile, all Z-Trak2 models are factory calibrated and offered with either blue or red eye safe lasers to suit various surface properties and operating environments.

All sensors are housed in IP67 enclosures for harsh environments and come bundled with Teledyne Imaging’s Sherlock 8 — a point-and-click, rapid application development software package.

In the same statement, Teledyne Imaging also introduced the Sapera Z-Expert with the release of Sapera LT SDK ver. 8.60. Z-Expert offers a graphical configuration environment for rapid set-up and configuration of the Z-Trak family of 3D profile sensors.

-- BERNAMA

SQWIFT TRANSFORMS THE WAY A-LIST CELEBRITIES INTERACT WITH THEIR FANS

 

• Sqwift Stars – a secure video messaging platform that promises to create unforgettable experiences for users by bridging the gap between top-tier personalities and their fans.

• Newly-launched platform also aims to establish cross-border community of the most influential interdisciplinary talent in SEA to foster collaboration and raise awareness for causes through exclusive events and charities
 
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Meet Sqwift – the revolutionary celebrity video messaging and shoutout platform that promises to transform the relationship of the biggest stars in the business with their followers, through a simple app. Sqwift is a vision-driven product that allows celebrities to connect with their fans on a direct and personal level, and is the first of its kind to exclusively onboard interdisciplinary A-List stars – making it a premier destination for celebrities and users alike. Launched in July this year, the Singapore-based company also has bigger goals of establishing a cross-border community of the most influential talent in the region, to foster collaboration and raise awareness for causes through exclusive events and charities.
 
In today’s ever-expanding digital landscape, the founding team behind Sqwift believes that there is a lot of room for product growth. The app’s main selling point is the ease by which users can connect with their favourite stars to order personalized messages – be it well-wishes, holiday/festival greetings, or even a motivational message, tips or advice. By providing a streamlined process while removing the ‘golden ticket’ infrastructure, Sqwift allows users and celebrities to connect directly and discreetly. And with top-tier celebrities onboarding from all across the region, it also creates opportunities for cross marketing and product launches for niche brands, SMEs and start-ups that can’t afford hefty endorsement fees.
 
From a user perspective, the platform empowers fans to create a healthy communication ecosystem and improves the way celebrities connect with the people who look up to them. From a business perspective however, not only does Sqwift create additional revenue streams for celebrities by allowing them to monetize their fanbase and the time spent in recording these messages, but also make a deeper connection with their fans which can go a long way in today’s ephemeral world of short-video apps all vying for consumer attention. The platform works on a revenue-sharing model with the celebrity on a per-message basis with the bulk of it going to the celebrity. While the money kickback is nice, what's better is the impact it has on the final recipient of that message, be it just joy for receiving a birthday wish from their favorite celebrity, or invaluable words of advice, a shared experience or a secret tip they can only get via this platform.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=38452

China’s MYbank unveils financial programme for 11.11 Global Shopping Festival

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 -- MYbank, an online private commercial bank in China, has announced a programme to provide RMB 400 billion of collateral-free credit to businesses in need as they gear up for this year’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival. (RMB 100 = RM62.32)

“For many SMEs across China, the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival this year has added significance and presents an important opportunity to strengthen business continuity and growth,” said MYbank President, Jin Xiaolong.

“We are dedicated to supporting them at this critical time and to alleviate turnover pressure by extending our collateral-free financing offer to businesses that have received pre-sale orders.”

As part of the dedicated programme, MYbank is offering a total of RMB 200 billion in short-term loans to help small and micro business owners overcome the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This enables business owners, particularly smaller vendors with more immediate capital needs, to receive payments in full once buyers place their pre-orders, in turn shortening the payment cycle and turnover by up to about 20 days, according to a statement.

The financing service, in line with MYbank’s commitment to supporting the sustainable growth of SMEs, is made available to merchants ahead of the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival.

Established in 2015, MYbank was the first bank in China to establish its core banking system entirely on the cloud without any physical branches.

-- BERNAMA

Fiorano powers Sri Lankan Seylan Bank digital transformation

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 -- Fiorano Software has announced that Seylan Bank, Sri Lanka has successfully implemented the Fiorano Hybrid Integration Platform (HIP), making it the first Sri Lankan bank to comprehensively expose all APIs as Web Services.

The solution was implemented by the Enterprise Integration Middleware, API Management and Banking Solutions specialist, Fiorano along with the local partner, Transnational Group.

According to a statement, Fiorano HIP effortlessly integrated the bank’s Core Banking System, Finastra Equation, and Payment Switch (Euronet) on AS/400, iSeries IBM server, with other applications on Unix and Microsoft based systems.

“In 2019, Seylan embarked on an ambitious Digital Drive; moving to a microservices-based platform like Fiorano has helped in our journey towards integrating new technologies via Web Services on our ESB platform to integrate and develop new services faster with greater security and agility,” said Seylan Bank CIO, Harsha Wanigatunga.

Fiorano operates through its worldwide offices and a global network of technology partners and value-added resellers.

Global companies including Federal Bank, NASA, Bank of Kigali, Commercial Bank of Africa, Canadia Bank and US Coast Guard have deployed Fiorano to drive innovation with solutions yielding unprecedented productivity.

-- BERNAMA

Southeast Asian reinsurers look to life, health for growth - AM Best report

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 -- Although many reinsurers operating in Southeast Asia recorded underwriting losses last year from perennial challenges, the region still offers significant growth potential given the hardening market conditions and greater demand for health coverage amid the pandemic.

The new Best’s Market Segment Report, ‘Southeast Asian Reinsurers Look to Life and Health for Growth’ states that many domestic reinsurers in Southeast Asia posted solid premium growth last year, although these increases generally did not translate to favourable underwriting results.

However, there are signs the reinsurance market in the region may improve, according to a statement from a global credit rating agency, AM Best.

The exit of several reinsurance underwriters from the region and tightened underwriting practices of global reinsurers amid the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced capacity and increased rates.

At the same time, the ongoing pandemic has accelerated the growth trend in the life and health insurance segment, as demand for coverage has risen, with consumers having become increasingly aware of the benefits.

Given that the penetration of health insurance remains very low, AM Best expects the growth in this segment to continue to outpace other classes of business in the region.

While the rapid expansion of the health line of business will lead to heightened underwriting risks, AM Best expects the balance sheet strength of the domestic reinsurers to remain solid.

The life and health business typically has no exposure to catastrophic risk and tends to be more stable than the traditional property/casualty businesses, and therefore is subject to lower capital requirements as compared with the commercial business lines.

More details at www.ambest.com.

-- BERNAMA

INTERVENN - AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES COLLABORATION ON CLINICAL GLYCOPROTEOMIC ANALYSIS

 

InterVenn Malaysia and Agilent signing an MOU. From left (seated): Fadzhairi Jabar, InterVenn General Manager and Soh Lam Seng,  Agilent Malaysia Country Manager, Laboratory Solutions Sales.
From left (back) Muhamad Husni Md Zain, Acting Head of TPM Nexus Sdn Bhd, and Robin Philp, Agilent Southeast Asia Academia and Collaborations Manager, Laboratory Solution Sales.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) --  InterVenn, a San Francisco based biotechnology company innovating precision medicine and diagnostic products using next-generation mass spectrometry coupled to a proprietary artificial Intelligence/machine learning-based data processing engine, has announced a collaboration with Agilent Technologies, a leading provider of bio-analytical and scientific instrumentation.
 
This strategic partnership gathers the strength of both parties to develop cutting edge precision diagnostic tools by investigating targeted glycoproteomic biomarkers for diseases such as cancer.
 
The focus of this collaboration will be on diseases common in Southeast Asia, and the premises for this development work will be at InterVenn Malaysia’s laboratory located at Technology Park Malaysia (TPM) in KL. Their decision to conduct their clinical study in TPM is testament to the park’s comprehensive soft and hard infrastructure that supports scientific research works.
 
InterVenn Malaysia was represented by General Manager, Fadzhairi Jabar and Soh Lam Seng,  Malaysia Country Manager, Laboratory Solutions Sales for Agilent. Also present at the signing ceremony were Muhamad Husni Md Zain, Acting Head of TPM Nexus Sdn Bhd,  subsidiary of TPM Corporation and Robin Philp, Southeast Asia Academia and Collaborations Manager, Laboratory Solution Sales, Agilent.
 
“We are very pleased to welcome Agilent as a strategic partner to our research and development effort. This partnership goes a long way toward realizing InterVenn’s long-held vision to establish a Center of Excellence of Glycoproteomics for Southeast Asia at its premises in Kuala Lumpur that will not only allow InterVenn to accelerate its collaborative work with leading academics in Malaysia and the region, but will also serve as a training and demonstration center for aspiring scientists and start-up companies in Southeast Asia.” said Aldo Carascoso, CEO of InterVenn.

“Most importantly, this new laboratory will be the first of its kind offering diagnostic tools based on the science of glycoproteomics for the healthcare needs of the more than 650 million citizens of the region. The collaboration will, without doubt, place both partners on the leading edge of both innovation and public service” he added.
 
According to Robin Philp, Agilent’s Academia and Collaborations Manager, “Agilent is very excited to become a strategic partner with InterVenn in the establishment of a Centre of Excellence of Glycoproteomics. The opportunity to engage in the area of clinical measurement and especially for diseases such as cancer is of great importance and of societal benefit.
 
The forward looking vision to extend the collaboration with academic institutions is also one that is shared by Agilent in its capacity to work with seats of learning and education. We wholeheartedly embraces this opportunity and looks forward to a successful outcome” he added.
 
TPM is an agency under the auspices of Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to promote national innovation and knowledge-based economy. It has an integrated infrastructure, facilities and support services to assist technopreneurs and entrepreneurs who are keen to commercialize their ideas in the three industry clusters, namely, ICT, Engineering and Biotechnology.
 
TPM is the co-secretariat of PENJANA’S National Technology and Innovation Sandbox which allows researchers, innovators, startups and high-tech entrepreneurs to test their products, services, business models and delivery mechanisms in a live environment.

About InterVenn Biosciences
 
InterVenn Biosciences utilizes a proprietary glycoproteomic biomarker interrogation platform using AI and mass spectrometry for next-gen precision medicine. The company is working to find new solutions in ovarian, pancreatic, liver, prostate, and kidney cancer, together with applications from the Vista suite of solutions for treatment and monitoring, immune profiling, patient stratification, and disease progression. For more information about InterVenn Biosciences, please visit the company’s website.
 
For partnership and collaboration, please contact: info@venn.bio

SOURCE: Technology Park Malaysia Corporation Sdn Bhd

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Email: info@venn.bio

--BERNAMA

Teledyne DALSA's technology developments at CMEF 2020 Technical Exhibition in Shanghai

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 -- Teledyne DALSA, a Teledyne Technologies company and global leader in digital X-ray image sensing technology, is participating in the CMEF 2020 Technical Exhibition in Shanghai, China, beginning today.

At the four-day event, attendees are able to preview new software for tomosynthesis reconstruction and other technology developments specially tailored for economical and high performance imaging.

Teledyne DALSA will showcase its proprietary software for generic tomosynthesis reconstruction, which supports various imaging geometries and scanning approaches, according to a statement.

The new software technology enables X-ray tomosynthesis imaging modalities that speed the integration of X-ray detectors and deliver new opportunities for system-level innovation.

Teledyne DALSA’s full portfolio of groundbreaking CMOS imaging technology delivers superior resolution in real-time, with switchable saturation dose, high dynamic range, and calibration stability and unsurpassed low dose signal-to-noise performance.

The innovative Xineos CMOS X-ray detectors deliver superior quality and performance, and provide the best digital imaging solutions for mobile C-arm surgical systems, diagnostic 2D and 3D mammography, CBCT and other demanding X-ray imaging applications.

More details at http://teledynedalsa.com/imaging/markets/medical/

-- BERNAMA

UNITY TECHNOLOGIES: BUILD TRUST AND YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TOWARDS BUILDING YOUR VERY OWN GAMES EMPIRE

 

LEVEL UP KL 2020, Southeast Asia’s premier digital games festival, returns with its signature conference. Once more, it highlights new trends for the games industry 

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s highly anticipated digital games event – LEVEL Up KL 2020 – opened the doors to its Industry Conference yesterday, featuring top industry experts who shared on the latest in game development, technology and commercialisation. The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), together with industry players from the digital games ecosystem, have come together for this annual event and pulled off all the stops to run it virtually for the first time. The conference was met with much anticipation and excitement, and drew attendees from all over the world.
 
Opening the first day with a keynote address was Brett Bibby, Chief Product Officer, Unity Technologies. His topic of choice: “Building Sustainable Businesses”. With the pandemic in full-swing, the games industry is witnessing an unprecedented rise in consumption, making this the perfect time for developers to introduce new offerings to the markets. However, they must also be mindful of how gamers are consuming their products. Instead of just being loud, as is the common trend, Bibby stressed that game developers should focus on building consumers’ trust and confidence in their product.
 
“You don’t want everybody in the world to play your game. You want everybody in your audience – the people that you believe this game is right for – to play and positively rate your game. If the customer is clear about what they’re getting and you deliver what you’ve said, even if they don’t like it, you’ve lived up to your end of the bargain. This gives you the right foundation to build a successful gaming franchise,” he said.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=38414

AM BEST AFFIRMS CREDIT RATINGS OF MARBLE REINSURANCE CORPORATION

HONG KONG, Oct 16 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “a-” of Marble Reinsurance Corporation (Marble Re) (Micronesia). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect Marble Re’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorises as strong, as well as its strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

Marble Re’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), at the strongest level. The company’s balance sheet strength also benefits from its low underwriting leverage and conservative investment portfolio. Although the company has relatively high reinsurance dependency, the associated risk is mitigated by its well-diversified reinsurance panel that consists of reinsurers with good financial standing.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=38417

MetLife senior leadership changes effective early 2021

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 -- MetLife Inc today announced a number of changes to its senior leadership team, effective Jan 1, next year, unless otherwise noted.

According to a statement, Executive Vice-President and President of the Latin America region, Oscar Schmidt retires following a distinguished 26-year career with the company.

He will step away from his executive position on Dec 31 and stay on through March-end 2021 to assist with the leadership transition.

Succeeding Schmidt as Regional President (Latin America) will be Eric Clurfain, Executive Vice-President and Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MetLife Japan K.K., subject to the necessary approvals.

Clurfain will report to MetLife President and CEO, Michel Khalaf.

Succeeding Clurfain in MetLife Japan K.K. will be Dirk Ostijn, Head of EMEA, subject to the necessary approvals. Ostijn will report to Executive Vice-President Kishore Ponnavolu, Regional President, Asia.

On the other hand, Nuria Garcia, Senior Vice-President and Deputy Head of EMEA will succeed Ostijn as Head of EMEA, also reporting to Khalaf.

Garcia has over 20 years of experience in EMEA spanning distribution, marketing, operations and finance.

MetLife Inc through its subsidiaries and affiliates (MetLife), is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management.

-- BERNAMA

Teledyne Imaging expands camera portfolio for challenging lighting conditions

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 -- Teledyne Imaging has announced the extension of its Teledyne DALSA Genie Nano-1G Camera Series and Teledyne Lumenera Lt Series USB3 cameras based on third generation Sony® Pregius® Global Shutter CMOS sensors.

Teledyne Imaging is a Teledyne Technologies company and global leader in machine vision, according to a statement.

The latest cameras are capable of large full well capacity and bring increased dynamic range to the Genie Nano-1G and Lt Series camera portfolio.

“The expanded Genie Nano-1G and Lt Series USB3 cameras provide excellent performance and image quality for general machine vision applications like high-speed factory automation, and they excel in applications where lighting is low or varied,” said Teledyne DALSA and Teledyne Lumenera Senior Product Manager, Manny Romero.

Ranging in resolution from 0.5 to 7.1 million pixels, the cameras take full advantage of the unique High Conversion Gain provided by these new Sony Pregius sensors, allowing the cameras to obtain clear images by capturing more light without introducing high levels of noise.

Both series are engineered to deliver high dynamic range with low read noise for a variety of demanding applications ranging from traditional machine vision to high-speed industrial automation, to Intelligent Traffic Systems and aerial imaging.

Key features include six new GigE Vision models in both colour and monochrome versions with TurboDrive™ for faster output and six new USB3 Vision models in both colour and monochrome versions.

-- BERNAMA

GLOBAL HANDWASHING DAY: GET INVOLVED IN GOOD HAND HYGIENE

 

Global Handwashing Day 2020 | Initial Hygiene Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- It’s 15 October! Every year today is marked as Global Handwashing Day, led by WHO and UNICEF, to promote awareness of the importance of handwashing with soap to help prevent the spread of infections, reduce cross-contamination and save lives. This year, as the world unites in fighting over COVID-19 pandemic, the theme “Hand Hygiene for All” further amplifies the importance to achieve universal hand hygiene. 

Why is Global Handwashing Day important? 

This year's theme means action for hand hygiene must become a priority for everyone – for the general public, businesses and all government agencies – to help control the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Hand hygiene is one of the key pillars of infection prevention to protect people from person-to-person transmission via hand contact and via contaminated surfaces. Hand hygiene facilities need to be accessible for all, even in developed countries, and there needs to be a society-wide approach to improve both facilities and hand hygiene behaviours.

Of course, in many developing countries, the problems are far more serious. A significant proportion of the global population are unable to wash their hands with soap and water due to lack of basic facilities.

• Only 60% of the world’s population have access to basic handwashing facilities while in rural regions is 34% only
• Within countries there are also great disparities. In Nepal, only 38% of the poorest people have basic handwashing facilities compared to 95% of the wealthiest in the country
• Only 53% of the world’s schools provide basic facilities for students, meaning 900 million children can’t wash their hands
• In Malaysia, 20% of the employees chose not to wash their hands due to shortage of soap and paper towels in the toilet 

Our hands naturally host a large number of microorganisms, most of which are harmless and some which are beneficial. However, a minority are pathogens and can be transmitted to others due to poor hand hygiene. Our hands also have transient microorganisms, which are picked up from our respiratory system and faeces as a result of poor personal hygiene or from contaminated surfaces that we touch in our daily lives. However, studies have shown that good hand hygiene, if implemented correctly and universally, could have positive outcomes such as reducing the number of diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory diseases, transmission of dangerous pathogens and so on. 

Making good hand hygiene part of your business’s culture 

Leading by example could help to encourage employees at all levels across your organisation to improve their hand hygiene habits. Ultimately, initiatives like Global Handwashing Day help your employee to prioritise hand hygiene not only because it’s important for the business they’re working in but because it protects their own personal health. 

Placing informative educational materials strategically in washrooms, kitchens and lifts helps to remind them to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds – as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice — and then rinsing and drying your hands properly. Lastly, sanitise your hands for extra protection and reassurance.

Assessment and monitoring can help organisations determine whether their hand hygiene training and communication are effective by establishing handwashing compliance. It can also help motivate individuals and encourage behavioural change. 

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AMBANK GROUP RECEIVES THREE AWARDS AT MALAYSIAN E-PAYMENTS EXCELLENCE AWARDS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- AmBank Group has bagged three awards at the Malaysian e-Payments Excellence Awards (MEEA), reflecting the Group’s commitment to delivering a seamless banking experience for customers and partners as part of its digital transformation journey.

The MEEA is an annual event that recognises the outstanding achievements and contributions of banks, businesses and government agencies that have contributed significantly towards the growth of the electronic payment industry in Malaysia.

AmBank Group was honoured with the awards for:

•      Outstanding Contribution to MyDebit – fourth consecutive year
•      Outstanding Contribution to JomPAY – fourth consecutive year
•      Top JomPAY Acquirer

The awards were presented by Peter Schiesser, Group Chief Executive Officer, Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) to Dato’ Sulaiman Mohd Tahir, Group Chief Executive Officer, AmBank Group.  

In his acceptance speech, Dato’ Sulaiman Mohd Tahir, Group Chief Executive Officer of AmBank Group, said, “We are honoured to be recognised for Outstanding Contribution to JomPAY and MyDebit for the fourth year running and indeed it is a privilege to be named Top JomPAY Acquirer this year. Indeed, this achievement is a testament to our commitment and our continual effort to encourage customers and partners to utilise JomPAY as an accessible bill payment eco-system as well as our continuous commitment expanding MyDebit payment acceptance via our merchant network nationwide. 

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Indonesia’s non-life insurance market has stable outlook - AM Best

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 -- Despite a bleak macroeconomic picture, Indonesia’s non-life insurance market is well-diversified and underpinned by solid capitalisation, supporting a stable outlook.

This is according to a new Best’s Market Segment Report, titled ‘Market Segment Outlook: Indonesia Non-Life Insurance’.

The report stated that the market’s overall robust return on equity is supported by stable historical underwriting performance and strong balance sheet fundamentals, along with good government support are factors in the stable outlook.

The Indonesia non-life insurance market expanded by 14 per cent year over year, to IDR 79.7 trillion (US$5.4 billion) in 2019, supported mainly by strong growth in credit insurance. (US$1 = RM4.15)

Gross premium written (GPW) for credit insurance, the market’s third largest business line, increased by 86.2 per cent to IDR 14.6 trillion last year.

Property insurance, the largest business segment, also posted solid GPW growth of 9.7 per cent to IDR 20.9 trillion. However, motor insurance GPW recorded muted growth of 0.3 per cent.

In a statement, the global credit rating agency believed the non-life market in Indonesia benefitted from a good business mix that would help to cushion any negative impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the near term, AM Best believes the non-life insurance market is likely to face a slowdown in premium growth and thinner margins as a result of the social restriction measures, which have been in place since last April.

More details at www.ambest.com

-- BERNAMA

Fusionex virtual event platform powers Mint Communications’ school fair online

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 -- Multi-award-winning AI and Big Data technology leader Fusionex has been selected by Mint Communications as Technology Partner to take their Private & International School Fair on its maiden digital voyage into the virtual realm.

To meet the demands of international and private schools as well as cater to the needs of parents during a time of restricted physical events and social distancing, Mint Communications has decided to embark on a journey of digital transformation.

By moving the fair online, the Malaysia-based international school marketing provider and fair organiser is now able to offer a platform for schools to reach out to and engage with parents while allowing online ‘attendees’ to search for suitable schools from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

True to Fusionex’s strong culture of innovation, the state-of-the-art virtual platform powered by the tech leader’s advanced digital technologies was designed to offer engaging and seamless event experiences for parents and exhibitors on various web browsers and multimedia devices at all times.

The platform also provides a comprehensive solution, from the point of registration to post-event analytics; driving leads, encouraging loyalty, enabling revisits and highlighting the exceptionality of each school.

The virtual fair, held in mid-August, saw high online traffic as it had attracted over 213,000 unique visitors, a massive jump from its usual physical exhibition traffic of between 12,000 and 15,000 attendees. 

According to a statement, parents who attended virtually praised the fair for its informative content, rewatchability, indepth virtual tours and for providing a straightforward and safe avenue for them to participate.

Exhibitors of the virtual fair include Alice Smith School, Asia Pacific Schools, Beaconhouse Schools, Cranbridge Education Group, HELP International School, International Islamic School Malaysia and Kingsley International School.

-- BERNAMA

MessageBird secures US$200 million Series C funding round

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 -- MessageBird, the world’s leading omnichannel cloud communications platform, has closed a new US$200 million Series C round led by Silicon Valley’s Spark Capital at a US$3 billion valuation. (US$1 = RM4.15)

As part of this latest investment, Spark Capital General Partner Will Reed will join MessageBird’s board.

According to a statement, this is a participation from Bonnier, Glynn Capital, LGT Lightstone, Longbow, Mousse Partners and New View Capital with existing investors Accel, Atomico and Y-Combinator.

The funding will be used to triple the size of MessageBird’s global team and further expand into its core markets in Europe, Asia and Latin America, as the company officially launched a ‘Work Anywhere’ policy.

This latest investment, raised remotely during lockdown, comes on the back of a global surge in demand for a wider range of messaging-first customer communication tools, across a much broader range of channels.

This accelerated MessageBird’s evolution, from a purely Communications Platform as a Service company to the world’s first and only Omnichannel Platform as a Service company.

One third of Messagebird’s global customers have now transitioned to using omnichannel cloud communications via its Flow Builder, Inbox or Omnichannel Widget products.

MessageBird is trusted by over 15,000 customers from established brands including Lufthansa Airlines, Hugo Boss, Rituals Cosmetics and SAP, as well as rapidly-growing disruptors such as Uber, Glovo, HelloFresh and Deliveroo.

-- BERNAMA

Virgin Hyperloop announces global HCC in West Virginia

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 -- Virgin Hyperloop has revealed the global Hyperloop Certification Center (HCC) will be located in the US state of West Virginia, after years of testing and developing hyperloop technology at its full-scale test site.

The HCC is a major milestone in the maturity and acceptance of hyperloop systems globally, according to a statement.

A testament to Virgin Hyperloop’s technology advancement, it will enable global regulatory bodies to work with US federal authorities to establish and set global safety and industry standards for the new hyperloop category, which can subsequently be adopted and re-applied in other geographies.

“Today is one of the most exciting days in Virgin Hyperloop’s history,” said Virgin Group Founder, Sir Richard Branson.

“We’re one step closer to making hyperloop travel a reality for people everywhere.”

In India, the Government of Maharashtra has deemed hyperloop a public infrastructure project and approved the Virgin Hyperloop-DP World Consortium as the Original Project Proponent for the Mumbai-Pune hyperloop project.

This global regulatory momentum, combined with the advancements at the HCC, will pave the way for the certification of hyperloop systems globally – the first step towards commercial projects, including in India, while having the first human testing of the technology take place in the United States.

Virgin Hyperloop aims to achieve safety certification by 2025, with commercial operations beginning in 2030.

-- BERNAMA

Snack sales: Quadruple times faster emerging market growth expected through 2025

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 -- Snack sales are expected to grow four times faster in emerging markets than developed countries over the next five years, according to global market research company, Euromonitor International.

In a new webinar, ‘Where Do We Go from Here? The Future of Snackification Beyond 2020’, Euromonitor International examines short, mid and long-term implications on snacking amid COVID-19.

With 20 per cent longer commutes on average than in developed countries, emerging markets will drive growth, recording an expected 14 per cent increase in snack sales through 2025.

“As economies reopen, product features that were deprioritised will resurge,” said Euromonitor International food and nutrition industry manager, Jared Koerten.

“SKU (stock keeping units) rationalisation poses a threat to innovation mid-term, as manufacturers streamline portfolios and focus on essential product lines.”

The number of online SKU across snack categories saw a drastic decline in early 2020 and remains significantly lower than pre-pandemic, according to Euromonitor International’s pricing intelligence solution Via.

-- BERNAMA

Blackstone secures equity commitment from GEM Global

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 -- Blackstone Resources AG (Blackstone), a Swiss Holding Company, has signed a three-year equity commitment with the Luxembourg-based GEM Global Yield LLC SCS.

The deal will make available up to CHF (Swiss Franc) 30 million for Blackstone to use at its discretion, subject to terms, in its pursuit to commercialise its battery technology and battery metals, according to a statement. (CHF 1 = RM4.53)

The funding accelerates Blackstone’s development of a commercially printed battery, to roll out the production in masses, to acquire the plant and equipment key to production and to develop its battery metal investments.

“This financing puts us on the road to realise our vision of battery manufacturing leadership to produce batteries with more density by using the safe and environmentally-friendly production-line at lower costs than what is currently available in the market,” said Blackstone Chief Executive Officer, Ulrich Ernst.

Through this Share Subscription Facility, Blackstone will issue 2.5 Mio warrant shares with an exercise price of CHF 3.00, which will allow it to initiate a necessary capital increase in due course.

-- BERNAMA

SEABORN APPOINTS STEVE ORLANDO AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

New Strategic Leadership Builds on Company’s History of Innovation and Leading Communications Services

BOSTON, Oct 8 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seaborn Networks (“Seaborn”), a leading developer-owner-operator of submarine fiber optic cable systems, announces the appointment of Steve Orlando as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective October 1. With this strategic addition to the company’s executive leadership, Seaborn underscores its commitment to innovation, expertise, world-class services and comprehensive customer support.

A telecommunications industry veteran, Orlando brings 27 years of experience across senior leadership positions at Zayo Group, CenturyLink, Level 3, Global Crossing and Verizon Business. Orlando joins Seaborn from Zayo Group, where he served as the Senior Vice President of Fiber and Network Solutions. In this role, he led product, operations and network development to support indirect and direct sales for the organization across 18 states in the Central Region. As a proven leader with extensive cross-functional experience, Orlando will ensure Seaborn continues on its path of long-term growth in service of global connectivity.

“I’m thrilled to join the team at Seaborn as they deliver their signature technology-driven, client-first approach and best-in-class solutions,” comments Orlando. “I look forward to working alongside these industry leaders and collectively developing our world-class skills and transformational services.” 

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Teledyne DALSA's thermal camera central in Nuvoola skin temperature screening solution

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 -- Teledyne DALSA, a Teledyne Technologies company, and digital imaging technology global leader, provides its new Calibir GXF thermal camera as a critical component within Nuvoola’s LUKE™ AI Health Screening and Protection (HSP) solution.

The new model is optimised for elevated skin temperature detection with measurement accuracy and thermal stability better than +/-0.3°C with an external reference (as recommended by IEC80601-2-59).

Nuvoola’s LUKE™ AI Health Screening and Protection (HSP) solution is unique in using their artificial intelligence platform to screen employees, suppliers, customers and visitors in just a few seconds.

The solution, which benefits from the power of Teledyne DALSA's Calibir™ infrared camera, includes an app that employees use to assess their health status before arriving at work, in addition to an onsite, touchless kiosk (using natural language interactions in English or French) that rapidly screens people for symptoms of COVID-19 as they enter buildings.

It also includes analytics and predictive insights capabilities, meaning that it can alert on trends or changes in someone’s condition.

“We are thrilled to play a part in the innovation Nuvoola has demonstrated with the adoption of our Calibir GXF camera in their state-of-the-art solution,” Teledyne DALSA Product Manager, Jean Brunelle said in a statement.

“The accuracy and flexibility of this newest Calibir GX camera will be leveraged in this novel new health screening system.”

For more information, visit www.teledynedalsa.com/mv.

-- BERNAMA

VistaJet’s Dynamic Corporate Membership offers businesses, executives travel solutions

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 -- VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company has launched its new Dynamic Corporate Membership for corporations, offering a full suite of flexible travel solutions for businesses and executives worldwide.

“With the Dynamic Corporate Membership, we want to offer companies maximum flexibility with minimum commitment, as we recognise the need for safer and more reliable solutions as companies look to build back their business for the future,” said VistaJet Chief Commercial Officer, Ian Moore.

According to a statement, corporations are rapidly changing their needs, requiring 24/7 accessibility and maximum flexibility in their travel requirements, as well as enhanced safety protocols.

VistaJet has listened to the demands of corporate clients in designing its new Dynamic Corporate Membership by offering speed and flexibility in business travel solutions and streamlined travel logistics with a dedicated VistaJet flight manager.

The membership also offers reduced COVID-19 exposure with a dedicated Cabin Hostess; access to 187 countries on VistaJet’s fleet of over 70 aircraft; and, an integrated carbon reduction and carbon offset option for fully audited and environmentally sustainable flying.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is redefining the global aviation landscape and accelerating several trends, including corporates are increasingly flying entire teams to multiple locations worldwide to ensure business continuity.

VistaJet has seen a surge of 49 per cent in corporate interest globally since the start of the pandemic, with the United States driving the influx of corporate demand for VistaJet, accounting for over 41 per cent of interest.

-- BERNAMA

BOOST FOR LOCAL CREATIVE CONTENT INDUSTRY AS KRE8TIF! 2020 ATTRACTS GLOBAL ATTENTION

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Kre8tif! 2020, now in its 11^th year, reinforced its reputation as the definitive business networking platform for the digital content industry in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia – registering 10,000 views across four days. Organised by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the virtual-format event due to the COVID-19, did little to stem the enthusiasm of participants and speakers.

 
Kre8tif! 2020 generated new and extended economic opportunities in an increasingly digitalised world becoming the focal point for over 1,200 daily business networking participants, of which 200 are registered as global brands and platforms. This is proof of growing enthusiasm for local creative content.
 
The event opened with the Kre8tif! Conference, where over 14 experts shared industry insights, technical know-how and discussed future-shaping trends. Paired to that was the Kre8tif! Business Xchange, a signature satellite event, featuring 24 pitched projects and 800 scheduled meetings for matching sessions. The Kre8tif! Xhibition, hosted almost 50 virtual exhibits from creative and technology companies showcasing current and upcoming intellectual properties and digital content and production services.
 
Surina Shukri, CEO, MDEC, shared how Kre8tif! 2020 offered local digital content creators a wider pool of experts to collaborate with compared to previous years.
 
“Understandably, the pandemic has forced us to think creatively when organising high-traffic events. The online reach of a wider and diverse audience has certainly energised networking opportunities with more participation from studio executives, animators and creative designers from all over the world including 18 partner sponsors and 5 partner events.”
 
“I was very encouraged by the stories and insights shared and know that this will inspire local content creators. Malaysia’s award-winning animation portfolio has created an enviable baseline for the next generation of talents to follow,” she added.
 
The event this year featured global and local industry, stalwarts including the likes of Animonsta Studios, Cartoon Network, Les' Copaque Production, Nickelodeon, Netflix, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Weta Digital.
 
“Kre8tif! 2020 has attracted top talents from around the world, a recognition of Malaysia’s rapidly growing global footprint. The events over the past few days have indicated that creating digital content does not rely solely on creative and technical skills but also access to world-class technology and a highly receptive and supportive business community,” added Hasnul Hadi Samsudin, Vice President, Digital Creative Content Division, MDEC.
 
Box office success of local digital content also received nods from the Academy Awards, Asian Academy Creative Awards, Animation Game Industry Annual Conference & Anime Beijing Awards, Montreal International Animated Film Festival, and Laurus Film Festival.
 
Established in 2009, Kre8tif! is mandated to develop the maturing digital content industry in Malaysia. The sector has significantly shaped the country’s growing digital economy, creating 11,590 jobs, generating US$1.9 billion (MYR7.9 billion) in revenue and US$34 million (MYR1.42 billion) in export sales, in 2018.
 
For more details visit: https://kre8tif.com.my/
 
Source: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)

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