UNIPHORE UNVEILS INDUSTRY-FIRST TECHNOLOGIES TO STRENGTHEN BOTH AGENT AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES IN THE CONTACT CENTER

 New RPA and Agent Security Solutions Set a New Standard for Customer Service Amid Era of Remote Work and High Customer Expectation

SINGAPORE & PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan 29 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Uniphore, an early leader in Conversational Service Automation (CSA), today announced the addition of its new U-Trust portfolio and U-Assist Assurance solution to its portfolio. With these new solutions, Uniphore customers will be better able to support call center agents and operations, while building trust with consumers and delivering a better overall customer experience.

Uniphore’s new solutions are focused on improving and optimizing contact center interactions from start to finish, strengthening the connection between front-end customer experience and backend fulfillment through Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and improving contact center security through agent verification and data security.

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Next Meats goes public on the American OTC market

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- Next Meats Co LTD, the controlling shareholder of Next Meats Holdings Inc in a statement announced that Next Meats Co LTD had gone public on the American OTC Market as Next Meats Holdings Inc.

With plans to strenuously develop and distribute its products worldwide and invest in related businesses, Next Meats intends to be listed on NASDAQ in the near future as well.

With increased efforts and shifts being made by countries to meet the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN, and with people making lifestyle changes on a global scale due to the pandemic, the company expects Next Meats to receive attention as a newly listed company with a focus on environmental conservation. 

A Tokyo-based food-tech venture company specialising in the R&D of alternative meats, Next Meats began its product development in 2017 and was officially established last year, when it simultaneously began overseas expansion as well.

Next Meats has also established a production site in Vietnam, and just signed a joint development agreement with Hoya, one of the world's largest alternative meat companies in Taiwan. They plan to start selling in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam in March.

The company plans to continue collaborating with universities and other venture companies to further research plant-based proteins as well as microalgae and cultured meats, and aims to replace all animal products by 2050.

-- BERNAMA

Tufin expands India footprint with new appointments

 KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- Tufin®, a company pioneering a policy-centric approach to security and IT operations, has announced the appointments of Naresh Kaki and Siddhesh Kumbhar as Regional Sales Managers in India.

Based in India and reporting to Vice President of APAC Sales, Michael Bosnar, Kaki and Kumbhar will capture market share among enterprises in India as well as increase Tufin’s channel partners in the region.

“With the addition of Naresh and Siddhesh, we are better positioned to show the value of Tufin’s solutions to enterprises in the Indian market. I welcome them both, and I look forward to winning market share in the region,” said Bosnar.

Kaki brings more than 14 years of IT sales experience across several leadership roles in both software/SaaS and hardware, as well as building and managing presales, post sales, and customer success teams.

Meanwhile, Kumbhar brings nine years of direct customer and channel experience in hardware, software, and services, having served as Business Development Manager, Cybersecurity, at Sify Technologies before joining Tufin.

More details at www.tufin.com.

-- BERNAMA

Revised solvency management rules should strengthen China's insurance industry - AM Best

 KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best views the announced changes to the solvency management of China’s insurance sector as a positive step, particularly in the reinforcement of balance sheet strength and development of enterprise risk management.

According to a statement, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) has announced the changes would be effective, March 1.

In its new Best’s Commentary, ‘China Revises Solvency Management Rules to Strengthen Industry Capitalisation’, AM Best notes the revised rules will also form the foundation for the regulator’s upcoming release of technical adjustments to insurers’ solvency calculation as part of the wider China Risk-Oriented Solvency System Phase II implementation.  

With the updated regulations, the CBIRC has defined the accountability of insurance companies’ directors and senior executives toward their companies’ capital management practices.

The regulations also require companies to form three-year rolling capital plans and perform stress tests, as well as regularly disclose solvency information.

These measures will allow for more dynamic and timely monitoring of insurers’ solvency health. Insurance groups, captive insurers, mutual companies and onshore branches of foreign insurance companies are also subject to the updated capital management regulations.

More details at www.ambest.com.

-- BERNAMA

Red Apricot completes successful 2020 despite difficult business conditions

 KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- Singapore-based tech innovators Red Apricot, developers of the JustPerform solution for fast, smart SAP solution adoptions, has completed a successful 2020 despite difficult business conditions.

The young organisation has announced a significant return on investment for the calendar year, and is well-placed to achieve its planned growth objectives for 2021.

This comes despite the challenges associated with the global pandemic, which has, in a sense, inspired the company to innovate faster.

“As a young company with ambitious plans, we invested a lot of time, effort and capital in setting up our growth trajectory in 2020, and then of course had to contend with unprecedented business conditions that hit our plans unexpectedly,” said Red Apricot Chief Growth Officer, Shameek Bhushan.

“Fortunately, our faith in our JustPerform solution, and the goodwill we seem to be generating among our existing customers has seen this effort and outlay rewarded in spite of everything, and we now move into 2021 with all the pieces in place and are expecting to grow significantly.”

In 2020, Red Apricot had five solutions accepted into the SAP App Center (SAP Store), formalised several reseller partnerships and signed significant deals with enterprise customers in Singapore as well as expanding into new territories including the Middle East.

According to a statement, the company has witnessed over 400 per cent growth in the number of users on the platform last year.

JustPerform simplifies collaborative business process definition, enables visual process modelling and automates process deployment using advanced Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms.

The company is proud to have maintained stability and even continued growing in 2020, despite making major investments early in the year, and countering unprecedented business conditions.

-- BERNAMA

Uniphore names 3 veterans to board of directors, accelerating innovation, global expansion

 KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 -- Uniphore, an early leader in Conversational Service Automation, has announced three new appointments to its board of directors – John Chambers, Andrea Ayers and Burt Podbere. Their appointments, effective immediately, come as Uniphore experiences record demand for its AI and automation solutions. Their combined experience in building market leaders, driving innovation and scaling global companies will accelerate Uniphore’s growth and further advance the company’s leadership in utilising AI and automation for customer service. “We are thrilled to welcome John, Andrea and Burt to Uniphore’s board of directors,” Uniphore Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Umesh Sachdev, said in a statement. “They are joining Uniphore at a key point in our history as we rapidly drive our business forward and build deeper relationships with our customers. “Each executive brings invaluable experience and expertise which will help us execute our strategy, drive profitability and expand into new markets with our industry leading artificial intelligence and automation solutions.” Uniphore has tripled its revenue over the past year, due to an increased reliance on contact centres and surging demand for AI and automation to strengthen customer service. Kicking off this year, Forbes reported that Uniphore was one of the ‘Top 25 Machine Learning companies to watch in 2021’. -- BERNAMA

Opanga Networks selected Telefónica Germany RAN Optimization partner

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 -- Seattle-based Opanga Networks Inc has been selected by Telefónica Germany GmbH & Co. OHG as its RAN Optimization partner in Germany. 

“Telefónica Germany is a flagship operator as well as an innovation leader in our industry and our solutions will be pivotal in helping the Telefónica team sustain the very best possible experience for their customers,” said Opanga Networks Head of European Operations, Ben Hadorn.

Meanwhile, Telefónica Germany Director Core & Network Services, Jochen Bockfeld said: “Mobile Network performance is under intensifying strain from the continual growth in data traffic.”

“RAN Optimization software, that can be deployed rapidly in the mobile core, is mission critical to our being able to provide the best-in-class mobile experience for our customers.”

Opanga’s highly innovative software solutions are founded on advanced machine learning techniques that provide immediate benefit to mobile network customer experience. 

When Opanga’s software is deployed, the network runs much faster to sustain the best possible user experience, according to a statement.

Opanga Networks is a software solutions company focused on developing products which make mobile networks much more efficient, faster and capable of ultra-high performance, while Telefónica Germany offers telecommunication services for private and business customers. 

-- BERNAMA

FWD TAKAFUL NAMES ADIL AHMAD AS NEW CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

KUALA LUMPUR, 22 Jan (Bernama) -- FWD Takaful Berhad (“FWD Takaful”) has appointed Adil Ahmad as its new Chairman effective 16 January 2021. Adil succeeds James Loh who has been serving as chair of the board since November 2019. James will remain as an independent non-executive director. The Hon. Ronald Arculli, GBM, CVO, GBS, OBE, JP, Chairman of the Board of FWD Group, said, "First and foremost, I’d like to thank our outgoing FWD Takaful Chairman, James, for his leadership and support, and I’m pleased that he’ll continue to provide us with his wisdom and insight in his new role. I also look forward to welcoming and working with Adil to build an even stronger foundation for the future of FWD Takaful, leveraging on his vast experience and accomplishments.” Adil Ahmad, FWD Takaful’s Chairman, said, "I’m honoured to be appointed as the Chairman of the Board for FWD Takaful. I strongly believe FWD Takaful has its strategic initiatives in place and will continue to innovate offerings for Malaysia’s Takaful industry. I’ll be working closely with the Board and our management team to grow FWD Takaful through to the next phase of its journey.” Salim Majid Zain, FWD Takaful’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) added, "We’re delighted to welcome Adil as our new Chairman. We’re confident that his valuable perspectives and expertise will greatly complement our efforts in changing the way people feel about Takaful. We look forward to his contributions and benefiting from his extensive global experience and financial services industry knowledge.” Adil holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (Finance & Accounting) and a BA in Economics, both from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. He has more than three decades of experience in the senior international financial sector. His financial career began at ANZ Grindlays Bank Pakistan, where he held several positions including Director and Head of Global Islamic Finance of ANZ Investment Bank in London, and Executive, Group Strategy of ANZ Banking Group Ltd in Melbourne. He then assumed the position of CEO of ANZ Banking Group Ltd Vietnam and led it to become one of the country’s leading retail and foreign banks. His final executive role was as the CEO of Kuwait International Bank, Kuwait, where he led a very successful two-dimensional conversion of the bank from conventional to Islamic, and from a limited licence real estate bank to a full commercial bank. Adil is currently an Independent Director at HSBC Amanah Bank Berhad and FIDE Forum. Since retiring to Malaysia, he has been providing consultancy and financial training to institutions in ASEAN and the Middle East.

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Panopto's new Singapore office response to Asia's significant growth demand

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 -- Video management system provider for higher education and large enterprises, Panopto has opened a commercial office in Singapore in response to significant growth in demand in Asia.

According to a statement, this increased presence complements the company’s existing office in Hong Kong and builds upon Panopto’s Singapore-based data centre, which hosts Panopto’s Asia-Pacific Cloud.

“It’s appropriate to ring in the new year in Asia with a new office in Singapore,” said Panopto Asia General Manager, Elle Hosek. 

“Panopto has seen dramatic growth in the use of video by higher education and large enterprise institutions, and our scalable solution is used by customers in over 14 countries throughout Asia.

“Panopto has been servicing customers in Asia on its Singapore-based cloud since 2018, and we’re excited to expand our presence.”

Panopto has been a trusted partner for prominent enterprises such as SK Telecom and higher education institutions including Singapore University of Social Sciences and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Panopto is widely recognised as the video management system that is easiest to use among businesses and universities. It is an integrated solution for creating, sharing, searching, and viewing video.

Fortune 1000 companies use Panopto to deliver online training, manage meeting recordings, broadcast corporate events, improve employee onboarding, and create secure video libraries. 

More details at www.panopto.com.

-- BERNAMA 

Vista Global reports 2021 market update, overview of companies’ 2020 performance

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 -- Vista Global, the private aviation group founded by Thomas Flohr has provided a 2021 market update and overview of its companies’ 2020 performance and core strategic priorities, showcasing a positive outlook against a challenging global backdrop.

During 2020, the Group’s VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, saw an increase of 29 per cent globally in new subscription memberships year-on-year, with Europe accounting for 43 per cent of new Members, North America (25 per cent), Asia (18 per cent) and the Middle East (10 per cent).

It was also a record year for VistaJet’s On Demand services, with bookings growing substantially at over 15 per cent year-on-year.

According to a statement, the Company expects to see a continuation in this extraordinary explosion in demand from both corporate and first-time fliers wanting to conduct travel safely and without delays globally. 

Meanwhile, XO, the Group’s leading On Demand technology platform, recorded a surge in new client memberships of more than 3x in 2020, with each depositing an average of US$100k deposit, guaranteeing future flying. (US$1 = RM4.044)

By delivering a best-in-class digitally native user experience, XO is set to continue to grow significantly in the coming years, servicing both large enterprises and individual consumers.

Vista Global is confident of further significant subscription membership growth. The Group’s highly generative cash model and prudent financial decisions made through 2020 have resulted in a robust liquidity position, with broad access to capital, to be able to support its growth plans.

Clients are increasingly demanding digital solutions in the modern economy. Vista Global’s proprietary technology gives it a significant advantage in the industry, creating superior client value and elevated end-to-end experience.

-- BERNAMA

MANULIFE MALAYSIA LAUNCHES MANULIFE HEALTH SAVER BENEFIT PLAN

• New medical insurance plan offers immediate no claim discount on insurance charges

• The plan responds to growing public appetite for health coverage and financial protection

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 (Bernama) -- Manulife Malaysia today announced the launch of a new medical insurance plan, Manulife Health Saver Benefit, that will enable policyholders to enjoy an immediate no claim discount (NCD) on insurance charges and empower them to actively manage their health while getting top quality health care coverage.

The new Manulife Health Saver Benefit is designed so that upon purchase, policyholders benefit from an immediate 30% NCD on insurance charges in the first policy year. Every year thereafter, they can benefit from an NCD of up to 40%. The plan provides comprehensive medical coverage that includes chiropractic and Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments.

Demand among Malaysians for greater financial protection has grown significantly amid the current health crisis and economic uncertainty. A Manulife customer survey conducted in late May 2020 across eight markets in Asia, including Malaysia, showed a growing recognition of the need for health coverage and financial protection among the population, with nearly two-thirds (63%) of Malaysians surveyed saying they plan to buy additional insurance in the next 18 months.¹

“With all that is happening since the past year, our policyholders have experienced dramatic life changes that will affect their mental, physical and financial well-being,” said Vibha Coburn, Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Insurance Berhad. “Manulife Health Saver Benefit offers not just a health solution and a means for our customers to stay healthy, but also supports them in a way that really matters to them right now – by easing pressure on their finances through our NCDs.”

For 57 years, Manulife Malaysia has been offering life insurance products and services, while at the same time innovating its solutions to meet the evolving needs of customers in the country. This plan is part of Manulife’s ongoing drive to make every day better for its customers.

Coburn added, “The importance of managing finances, including having adequate insurance protection, is undeniable. As a digital, customer-centric life insurance company, Manulife continuously enhances our solutions to cater to customers’ needs and provide them greater financial security. We want our policyholders to have appropriate and sufficient coverage to make their every day better.”

The Manulife Health Saver Benefit product feature can be found here https://www.manulife.com.my/en/individual/products/health/medical-hospitalisation/manulife-health-saver-benefit.html.

About Manulife https://www.manulife.com.my/en/individual/about-us/about-manulife-malaysia.html


¹ https://www.manulife.com.my/content/dam/insurance/my/documents/about-us/newsroom/Press-Release_COVID-19-fuels-health-awareness-and-use-of-digital-in-Malaysia-survey_24Aug2020.pdf  


Source: Manulife Insurance Berhad

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SmartStream unveils latest API suite with complete range of reference data services

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 -- SmartStream Technologies, the financial Reference Data Utility (RDU) solutions provider, has launched its Application Programming Interface (API) suite – for quicker access to services providing accurate data, with improved customer service, operational efficiency, greater agility and competitiveness.

According to a statement, the new fully comprehensive API service will benefit financial institutions by saving huge amounts on infrastructure costs, as well as an affordable service which is straightforward to deploy.

SmartStream RDU, Executive Vice-President, Linda Coffman said: “As APIs become essential in most banking organisations and in continuous discussion with our clients - we managed to provide them with a convenient cost-effective means of obtaining the specific data they want, with no complex time consuming and expensive technology projects, and with no master database necessary.”

Financial institutions are now realising the need for change, with many currently engaging in digital transformation projects including implementation of APIs. 

RDU services currently fall into two categories: security reference data and regulatory reference data.

Security reference data solutions available on an API basis will include a listed derivatives service, with data sourced from over 100 exchanges and comprehensive coverage for options, futures, options on futures and calendar spreads, and an equities service.

Firms can tap into the RDU’s MiFID II solution and the Systematic Internaliser Registry – the latter offering complete clarity into the systematic internaliser services available across Europe, down to the individual security level.

Created by teams of highly-skilled developers, data scientists and industry professionals, the RDU’s suite of APIs has been devised with ease of deployment and access in mind and has also been extensively tested.

-- BERNAMA

LeddarTech, OSRAM seal agreement for automotive LiDAR, ADAS

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 -- LeddarTech®, a global leader in Level 1-5 ADAS and AD sensing technology, and OSRAM, the global leader in automotive lighting and laser systems, have entered into a long-term agreement. 

The partnership targets to deliver the industry’s first automotive-grade ADAS and eventually fully autonomous driving systems at mass-market pricing.

According to a statement, LeddarTech will provide its industry-leading LiDAR hardware and software components into OSRAM’s PERCEPT™ LiDAR platform.

The PERCEPT LiDAR platform is the first flexible solid-state LiDAR platform engineered with a strict focus on industrialisation and automotive qualification.

OSRAM’s PERCEPT LiDAR integrates LeddarTech’s LeddarEngine™, comprising a family of highly integrated system-on-chips and related LiDAR measurement software that are ISO 26262 and significantly reduces system cost and development time.

Combined with OSRAM’s laser products and optical module design and industrialisation expertise, the PERCEPT LiDAR platform is the most versatile and highest performance LiDAR available at a cost that can enable volume deployment of ADAS systems integrating LiDAR.

OSRAM and LeddarTech will also collaborate to deliver perception software solutions that deliver an enhanced 3D environmental model using the PERCEPT LiDAR. These solutions will be based on LeddarTech’s perception technology, including raw data sensor fusion. 

This technology further contributes to deliver enhanced and cost-efficient ADAS systems through the fusion of cost-efficient LiDAR, cameras, and radar and with lower overall system computing power.

-- BERNAMA

Jemincare begins phase I anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibody clinical trial

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 -- Chinese pharmaceutical company, Jemincare Group, has initiated the phase I clinical trial of anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibody (JMB2002).

Preclinical studies of JMB2002 including pharmacology and toxicity were carried out systemically. The drug metabolism, safety and efficacy were well performed, according to a statement.

In early studies, it was found that JMB2002 could effectively neutralise live virus infection of Vero E6 cells and showed potent binding and blocking activities to the spike glycoproteins of mutant viruses.

While most of the SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies in clinical trial are produced from cell pool, the product for clinical trial of JMB2002 is produced from high yield stable cell line, that ensures the consistency and stability of clinical samples.

JMB2002 is derived from the naive human B cell antibody library of healthy donors. With the powerful phage-to-yeast platform, researchers quickly pinpoint the ideal candidates from over 10 billion antibody molecules in 19 days.

Jemincare Group, making breakthrough achievements in the recent two years, has focused on the R&D of new drugs over the years with R&D pipeline for treating diseases in cancer, central nervous system, respiratory system, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems.

In 2018, Jemincare established its Research Institute in Shanghai Zhangjiang Science City and has recruited over 400 R&D scientists in five research centres for development of innovative drugs.

-- BERNAMA

APIB TO PRESENT THE 2021 FINANCIAL OUTLOOK WEBINAR

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Asia Pacific Investment Bank (APIB) will be holding a comprehensive webinar that highlight strategic information on the financial prospects of 2021. There will be special features on Malaysia and the China economy. These insights into economic conditions will increase investor’s confidence and guide your choice to effectively manage your investments toward profit maximization. 

“The webinar will be a good opportunity for investors and the public alike to understand more on what to expect moving forward this year to confidently build their investment portfolio with better market timing,” according to Chris Wang, CEO of APIB.

Mr. Heow Gran Lai from Malaysia will be leading the webinar to share his expertise on the financial and economic prospects of 2021 after doing an in-depth analysis of relevant statistical models and trends. Mr. Heow Gran Lai is currently the Director of the Asset Management Department in APIB.


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MIA LAUNCHES FIRST INTERACTIVE HIGH-QUALITY FINANCIAL REPORTING E-BOOK FOR SMES

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) is pleased to announce the release of its inaugural e-book as part of its Digital Technology Blueprint implementation plan. In its commitment to continuous self-learning and professional development via digital platforms, the Interactive e-Book of the MIA Illustrative MPERS Financial Statements, with Commentaries and Guidance Notes (MPERS Interactive e-Book) is now launched. MPERS refers to the Malaysian Private Entities Reporting Standard.

“This e-book is part of MIA’s ongoing advocacy to develop the technical and digital competencies of the profession, and to digitalise the profession to ensure its future relevance,” said MIA CEO Dr. Nurmazilah Dato’ Mahzan at the virtual launch of the e-book recently.

The e-book is a digitalised and augmented version of the MIA Illustrative MPERS Financial Statements, with Commentaries and Guidance Notes, written by renowned accountancy expert, educator and author Professor Mr Tan Liong Tong. The original print version was published in 2018 and has been very well received in the market as well as by the accountancy profession.

The e-book is portable and easily accessible as it is available on Windows, Android and iOS and can be accessed from laptops, smartphones and tablets, compared to the physical book that was published in 2018 in an A4 size with over 300 pages. This greatly enhances usability and enables learning anywhere, anytime. To improve the learning experience, the e-book has interactive features such as informative videos, audio commentaries and quizzes that will engage the reader’s attention actively and enhance the reader’s understanding. This e-book is made available as part of MIA’s new e-Library which was launched in July 2020.

“The e-book will be especially relevant in the light of the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which affects every business, including SMEs,” emphasised Dr. Nurmazilah. COVID-19 has accounting implications for SMEs that are reporting using MPERS, which include, among others, impairment of assets, going concern assessment as well as subsequent events. “This e-book will be very helpful in guiding both preparers and auditors to understand and accordingly address the impact of these issues on the MPERS financial statements, especially when many entities are reaching their financial year end,” she added.

In addition to the original content by Prof. Tan, the e-book features the collaborative efforts of MIA’s stakeholders, subject matter experts and internal talent, including Tan Khoon Yeow, Partner, Learning & Development, BDO and Danny Tan, MIA Trainer and Project Manager with MASB on Financial Reporting by Small and Medium Entities.


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AFF: Cyberport, Vista Equity Partners explore Greater Bay Area InsurTech opportunities

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 -- As the Asian Financial Forum FinTech partner, Cyberport hosted a thematic breakout session on the topic of ‘Acceleration of Digital Transformation: Opportunity in a Changing World for 2021’. 

Cyberport Chairman, Dr George Lam and Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Vista Equity Partners, Robert F. Smith discussed Asia and Hong Kong’s unique opportunities for InsurTech.

“The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is the region’s largest and best FinTech hub,” said Dr Lam.

“Given its multiple currencies, tax regimes and regulatory systems but highly integrated and high-growth market, the GBA can and will act as the perfect FinTech lab where entrepreneurs can develop and launch innovative multi-currency and cross-border solutions.”

Meanwhile, Smith noted that Asia’s significant addressable market, growing middle class and track record of quick adoption of mobile technology, together with Hong Kong’s status as an international financial hub, will boost the InsurTech industry’s development, especially in the GBA.

Cyberport’s Chief Public Mission Officer, Eric Chan was joined by four Cyberport InsurTech start-ups including 10Life, CoverGo, MediConCen and OneDegree for a panel discussion examining how InsurTech start-ups are surviving, and even thriving, in the new normal.

The 14th AFF, organised by the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, took place on Jan 18 and 19. As the region’s largest FinTech cluster, Cyberport has become the Forum’s FinTech partner for the third consecutive year.

Cyberport actively fosters FinTech development in Hong Kong and houses over 360 FinTech companies and start-ups working in diverse sub-sectors from virtual banking, virtual insurance, RegTech, WealthTech and e-payment to robo trading, digital assets and more.

-- BERNAMA

Calysseo appoints Black & Veatch on first commercial-scale animal feed production facility

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 -- Calysseo has appointed the consortium of Black & Veatch and Shanghai LBT Engineering & Technology Co Ltd to execute the full Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) scope for its first commercial FeedKind® production facility.

As the consortium leader, Black & Veatch will provide project management, process design and global procurement expertise, while Shanghai LBT Engineering and Technology Co Ltd will provide local engineering design, permitting and construction expertise.

According to a statement, Asia is actively investing in biotechnology innovations to meet the needs of its rapidly growing population.

Calysseo’s FeedKind® single-cell protein project is one such biotechnology innovation that will enhance regional food safety and sustainability.

FeedKind® is an alternative bio-protein feed ingredient for the aquaculture industry. It is made by fermenting natural gas to create a safe, nutritious, traceable and affordable protein.

Calysseo is a joint venture established by alternative protein producer Calysta and animal nutrition company Adisseo.

Located in Chongqing in southwest China, the biotechnology facility is projected to produce 20,000 tons per annum of FeedKind® by 2022.

Black & Veatch provides innovative and cost-effective solutions on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Floating LNG, sulfur recovery, gas processing, gasification, and ammonia/fertiliser projects. 

More details at www.bv.com.

-- BERNAMA

CSOP FTSE CHINA A50 INDEX DAILY (2X) LEVERAGED PRODUCT (TICKER: 7248.HK) AND CSOP FTSE CHINA A50 INDEX DAILY (-1X) INVERSE PRODUCT (TICKER: 7348.HK) TO LIST ON THE HKEX

 

^{CSOP FTSE China A50 Index Daily (2X) Leveraged Product (ticker: 7248.HK) and CSOP FTSE China A50 Index Daily (-1X) Inverse Product (ticker: 7348.HK) to List on the HKEX}


HONG KONG, Jan 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Hong Kong’s largest leveraged and inverse products (L&I products) issuer¹, CSOP Asset Management Limited (“CSOP”) is proud to announce the listing of the CSOP FTSE China A50 Index Daily (2X) Leveraged Product (ticker: 7248.HK) and the CSOP FTSE China A50 Index Daily (-1X) Inverse Product (ticker: 7348.HK) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 20 January, 2021. 7248. HK and 7348.HK will apply a swap-based synthetic replication strategy to achieve the respective investment objectives. 7248.HK will provide investment results closely corresponding to twice (2x) the daily performance of the FTSE China A50 Index while 7348.HK will provide investment results closely corresponding to inverse (-1x) daily performance of the FTSE China A50 Index, both excluding costs and expenses. With listing prices around HKD 7.75 and trading lot size of 100, the entry investments of 7248.HK and 7348.HK are approximately HKD 775 respectively.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210118005562/en/  

Following the CSI300 leveraged & inverse products launched in last July, 7248.HK and 7348.HK provide more choices for investors who intended to gain short-term China A-shares exposures, especially to the big blue chips. Extensively tracked by a large scale of financial products and instruments in China overseas market, FTSE China A50 index investing in the 50 largest China A-shares was long known as one of the most representative China A-shares indices to international investors because of its sound index ecosystem. The ETF tracking FTSE China A50 index in Hong Kong is more than HKD 30 billion,² while the average daily turnover of FTSE China A50 futures listed on SGX is 297,270 lots.³ The launch of the FTSE China A50 Index tracking L&I products will not only enrich the product offerings around FTSE China A50 Index but also provide investors, especially China A50 investors, with tools to amplify or hedge in an easy way.

Ms. Ding Chen, CEO of CSOP commented, “It has been almost 9 years since the listing of our first FTSE China A50 Index product - CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF (2822.HK) in 2012. Built on the success of 2822.HK, CSOP has begun our exciting journey of becoming an Asian ETF leader. Currently, CSOP has led Hong Kong ETF market with 7 out of 20 most traded ETF being from CSOP.⁴ In addition, CSOP dominated HK L&I market with more than 96% and 90% market shares in terms of average daily turnover and asset under management respectively.⁵ Today I am very glad to introduce another FTSE China A50 Index tracking products – 7248.HK and 7348.HK to the market and sincerely hope the FTSE China A50 Index L&I product can mark a development milestone of CSOP.”

About CSOP Asset Management Limited

CSOP Asset Management Limited (“CSOP”) was founded in 2008 as the first offshore asset manager set up by a regulated asset management company in China. With a dedicated focus on China investing, CSOP manages public and private funds, as well as providing investment advisory services to Asian and global investors. In addition, CSOP is best known as an ETF leader in Asia. As of 30 September 2020, CSOP had USD 8.9 billion in assets under management.

This material has not been reviewed by the Securities and Futures Commission.

Issuer: CSOP Asset Management Limited

Please refer to the offering documents for the index provider disclaimer.

IMPORTANT: Investment involves risks. Investment value may rise or fall. Past performance information presented is not indicative of future performance. Investors should refer to the Prospectus and the Product Key Facts Statement for further details, including product features and risk factors. Investors should not base on this material alone to make investment decisions.

CSOP FTSE China A50 Index Daily (2x) Leveraged Product and CSOP FTSE China A50 Index Daily (-1x) Inverse Product (each, the “Product” or collectively, “Products”) are sub-funds of CSOP Leveraged and Inverse Series II, an umbrella unit trust established under Hong Kong law. Units of the Products (the “Units”) are traded in HKD on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “SEHK”) like stocks. The Products use a swap-based synthetic replication strategy by investing directly in Swaps, so as to give the Product twice (2x) / inverse (-1x) of the Daily performance of the FTSE China A50 Index (the “Index”) respectively.

• The Products are derivative products and are not suitable for all investors. There is no guarantee of the repayment of principal. Therefore your investment in the Products may suffer substantial or total losses.
• The Products are not intended for holding longer than one day as the performance of the Product over a period longer than one day will very likely differ in amount and possibly direction from the leveraged/inverse performance of the Index over that same period. The effect of compounding becomes more pronounced on the Product’s performance as the Index experiences volatility.
• As a result of Daily rebalancing, the Index’s volatility and the effects of compounding of each day’s return over time, it is even possible that the Products will lose money over time while the Index’s performance increases/decreases or is flat.
• The Index constituents are companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange or the Shenzhen Stock Exchange which is an emerging market. Investments of the Products may involve increased risks and special considerations not typically associated with an investment in more developed markets, such as liquidity risks, currency risks/control, political and economic uncertainties, legal and taxation risks, settlement risks, custody risk and the likelihood of a high degree of volatility.
• The Index consists of A-Shares which may only be bought or sold from time to time where the relevant A-Shares may be sold or purchased on the Shanghai Stock Exchange or the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, as appropriate. Given that the A-Share market is considered volatile and unstable (with the risk of suspension of a particular stock or government intervention), such high market volatility and potential settlement difficulties in the A-Share market may result in significant fluctuations in the prices of the securities traded on the A-Share market and thereby may adversely affect the Products.
• The trading price of the Units on the SEHK is driven by market factors such as the demand and supply of the Units. Units may trade at a substantial premium or discount to the NAV.

Please note that the above listed investment risks are not exhaustive and investors should read the Prospectus and Product Key Facts Statement in detail before making any investment decision.

¹ Bloomberg: CSOP’s leveraged and inverse products AUM on 31 December, 2020, and average daily turnover for 2020

² Bloomberg: as of 31 December, 2020

³ Bloomberg: the active contract for FTSE China A50 futures listed on SGX in 2020

⁴ Bloomberg: Hong Kong ETF market average daily turnover ranking for 2020

⁵ Bloomberg: HK L&I market average daily turnover for 2020 and asset under management as of 31 December, 2020 respectively


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Contact

For further information, please contact
CSOP Asset Management Limited
Larry Wang / 3406 5613 / larry.wang@csopasset.com
Tina Shu/ 3406 5675/ tina.shu@csopasset.com

Source : CSOP Asset Management Limited

EXPEREO CERTIFIED AS ADVANCED PARTNER OF CISCO'S CLOUD AND MANAGED SERVICES PROGRAM

 AMSTERDAM, Jan 19 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The world’s leading provider of Global Internet, Cloud Access Optimization and managed SD-WAN solutions, Expereo, has been certified as an Advanced partner of Cisco’s Cloud and Managed Services Program (CMSP). The certification further accredits Expereo as an expert Managed Service Provider (MSP) and attests the company’s capabilities of supporting customers throughout the whole network implementation journey, from design transition to management of SD-WAN.

The CMSP certification recognizes Expereo as part of Cisco’s world-wide Advanced partners for company’s high level of competency and capabilities in Cisco SD-WAN solutions. The certification comes after a rigorous third-party audit, appointed by Cisco, which assessed Expereo’s quality of services and its ability to provide them with reliability and security.

“We are very pleased to attain the CSMP certification as it proves that Expereo met the high standards it sets. We have the knowledge and experience necessary to understand a client’s individual network needs, no matter the size or complexity – what are the hardware, licenses, and virtual edges required. Ultimately, it proves our commitment to our customers to provide them with leading technologies, in a highly compliant environment,” explains Catherine Lee, Director of Service Development at Expereo. “Partners can trust Expereo to implement and manage their network thanks to our expertise.”

Cisco’s Cloud and Managed Services Program (CMSP) recognizes and rewards partners world-wide that offer cloud, managed, or virtual managed services based on Cisco technologies.

“We believe that the CMSP Advanced Partner certification further differentiates Expereo as a go-to Cisco partner and validates Expereo’s outstanding capabilities as a managed SD-WAN provider,” Catherine Lee adds.

About Expereo

Expereo is the leading provider of managed network solutions, including Global Internet connectivity, SD-WAN, and Cloud Acceleration services. Expereo has a global presence and it is the trusted partner of 30% of Fortune 500 companies. It powers enterprise and government sites worldwide, helping to enhance every business’ productivity with flexible and optimal Internet performance.

www.expereo.com
Twitter | LinkedIn

© Expereo 2020

About Apax Partners

Expereo was acquired by Apax Partners in 2018. Apax Partners is a leading European private equity firm. With more than 45 years of experience, Apax Partners provides long-term equity funding to build and strengthen world-class companies. Funds managed and advised by Apax Partners exceed €4 billion. These funds invest in fast-growing middle-market companies across four sectors of specialization: Tech & Telecom, Consumer, Healthcare, and Services.

www.apax.fr
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conor@grammatikagency.com. 

SOURCE : Expereo

Southwest China's Chongqing Liangjiang New Area undertakes high-quality development journey

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 -- Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality recently held a press conference on turning Liangjiang New Area into a region with high-quality life and development, according to Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Management Committee.

As the third state-level development and opening-up new district in China and the first of its kind in the central and western regions, Liangjiang New Area has been developing for 10 years.

The press conference offered detailed introduction of the guideline issued last November to boost the area's high-quality development, designed to help make Liangjiang New Area an inland opening-up portal, smart city in Chongqing and a pilot area in high-quality life and development.

Specifically, by 2025, high-end and high-quality high-tech industries will gather at an accelerated pace, while innovation and entrepreneurship will enjoy full play, according to a statement.

The area is expected to take the lead in development and opening-up in west China, with enhanced smart governance capabilities.

A number of influential modern industrial clusters will be formed, with upgraded industrial foundation and modernised industrial chains. The guideline is set to help Liangjiang New Area expand new frontiers and inject strong impetus in seeking high-quality development.

Liangjiang will speed up the construction of the core place of the sci-tech innovation centre as well as the high-quality development of the real economy, especially advanced manufacturing.

Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission will support and promote the introduction of major national industrial projects in Liangjiang.

This is to help the area build a national demonstration zone for high-quality development in manufacturing industry, a national demonstration zone for industrial transformation and upgrading, and a demonstration base for new industrial industries.

-- BERNAMA

RoosterBio, Sartorius collaborate to advance cell, gene therapy manufacturing

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 -- Privately-held cell manufacturing platform technology company, RoosterBio Inc has announced signing a strategic collaboration with Sartorius to advance cell and gene therapy manufacturing.

RoosterBio is a leading supplier of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (hMSC) working cell banks, highly engineered media and hMSC bioprocess systems, while Sartorius is a leading international partner of life science research and the biopharmaceutical industry.

The collaboration aims to advance scale-up of hMSC manufacturing for regenerative medicine by leveraging best-in-class solutions of both companies to significantly reduce process development efforts, industrialise supply chain and accelerate development and commercialisation of groundbreaking cell-based regenerative cures.

RoosterBio and Sartorius will create a set of GMP-compatible, customer-centric protocols using RoosterBio’s hMSC and media systems, alongside Sartorius’s single use manufacturing technologies, process control software and cell analysis tools of hMSC final product manufacturing.

According to a statement, cell expansion will be rapidly optimised using Sartorius’s benchtop Ambr® system and MODDE® design of experiment software, allowing the technical team to compare cultures in identically sized, multi-parallel bioreactors to gain process information and optimised conditions in a short timeline.

This joint effort will simplify multiple steps in therapeutic development by providing robust, streamlined, end-to-end platform technologies and protocols that can be implemented for rapid scale up of manufacturing processes, allowing product developers to significantly speed up their development timelines.

Both companies aim to use the data from this collaboration to provide co-learning and development opportunities to support the growing cell and gene therapy industry.

-- BERNAMA