NEWQUEST ACQUIRES MINORITY INTEREST IN KIDS CLINIC INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- NewQuest Capital Partners (NewQuest), the leading dedicated secondary private equity platform focused on the Asia-Pacific region, has announced acquiring a minority interest in Kids Clinic India Private Limited that operates as Cloudnine chain of hospitals across India.

This stake has been acquired through a combination of a primary investment and acquisition of a secondary stake from existing investors and other shareholders, based on a statement.

Cloudnine is India’s premium birthing centre for maternal, childcare and fertility care. The Company is headquartered in Bengaluru with 16 facilities spread across in Gurgaon, Noida, Chandigarh, Panchkula, Chennai, Mumbai and Pune.

Partner and Head of India and Southeast Asia at NewQuest, Amit Gupta said: “We believe that the healthcare segment is on the cusp of high growth and Cloudnine is well positioned to consolidate its market leading position under the stewardship of Raviganesh Venkataraman, Chief Executive Officer at Cloudnine.”

NewQuest made its investment in Cloudnine from its fourth flagship fund, which closed in late 2019 with US$1 billion in commitments. (US$1 = RM4.232)

The investment represents NewQuest’s third investment in India in the last six months. NewQuest’s other recent investments in India include Cosmos-Maya and KreditBee.

Meanwhile, Founder Chairman and Neonatologist at Cloudnine, Dr Kishore Kumar said: “We now welcome NewQuest as our investor partners during this next exciting phase of growth to deliver further technological advancement and public private partnership to make pregnancy and childbirth a safe and enjoyable experience for every mother in India.”

Allegro Advisors acted as exclusive Financial Advisor to Cloudnine and its shareholders.

For NewQuest, Induslaw acted as Legal Advisors, Alvarez & Marsal and Dhruva Advisors acted as Financial Due Diligence and Tax advisers, respectively, and Envint Global acted as the ESG diligence advisers.

More details at www.nqcap.com.

-- BERNAMA

Xi’an to host China's largest multi-sports event

 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 -- On July 27, the 50-day countdown begins to mark the opening of the 14th National Games of China, the biggest national multi-sports event in China, with Xi'an, the main venue of the Games, making final preparations for the smooth opening of the event.

The Xi'an Municipal Government announced at a recent press conference that 191 of the 214 key construction projects for the 14th National Games have been completed, and the remaining are expected to be completed before Aug 1, according to a statement.

These projects include sports venues, upgrading of transportation networks, and renovation of existing residential areas.

Xi'an is a world-renowned thousand-year ancient capital city and also a new ‘national central city’ in China. Taking advantage of the 14th National Games, the city is reinventing itself, achieving outstanding development and economic growth.

As the main venue for the opening ceremony of the 14th National Games, the Xi'an Olympic Sports Center, with a stadium, gymnasium and swimming and diving hall, was completed by July 2020.

The 60,000-seat stadium, 18,000-seat gymnasium and 4,000-seat swimming and diving hall make the sports centre the largest of its kind in northwest China.

As the largest sports event held in China since the outbreak of COVID-19, pandemic prevention and control is the key to the success of the 14th National Games.

To ensure safety and orderly organisation of the National Games, the organisers will implement a closed-loop management system for the athletes, coaches and correspondents, and adopt information technology-based measures for remote pandemic control.

The Games will be open for spectators, who are required to undergo full vaccination for COVID-19, at least 14 days ahead of the competition, and should provide negative nucleic acid test certificates 72 hours before entering any venue.

In addition, Xi'an's urban management, transportation, cultural and tourism systems have been fully mobilised, sparing no effort to support the event. Medical, volunteer and security teams are also in place to provide the best support for the Games.

Sport is one universal language shared by the globe, whose unique charm and communication allow Xi'an to present its most profound deposits and youngest facet. The time-honoured city is running on the road connecting with the rest of the world

-- BERNAMA

CLOUDFLARE CONNECTS UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO FREE INTERNET ACCESS VIA PROJECT PANGEA

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- Cloudflare Inc, the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, has announced a new initiative to improve Internet access for underserved communities worldwide.

“Safe, reliable, and sustainable Internet access is a basic human right,” said co-founder & chief executive officer of Cloudflare, Matthew Prince.

 “Unfortunately many communities are building their own infrastructure only to be blocked by high bandwidth costs. We want to help where we can–if they’ve already built the connecting roads, we want to offer our network as the safe, accessible highway to the global Internet.”

Through Project Pangea, eligible local communities can use Cloudflare’s performance and security services–for free–to more reliably and securely connect to the global Internet without paying the high costs of bandwidth.

By providing its security and network services, Cloudflare is helping local groups or nonprofits that build their own telecom infrastructure find a free and sustainable way to connect people who rely on the Internet for everything from communication to education and economic development.

With Project Pangea, community network organisers will be able to find a free on-ramp to the Internet; operate secure and performant networks for everyone; and, take advantage of Cloudflare’s global infrastructure footprint.

According to a statement, nearly half of the world’s population has no access to the Internet, with many more limited to poor, expensive, and unreliable connectivity.

Cloudflare’s global network spans more than 200 cities in over 100 countries, and interconnects with over 9,500 networks globally, including major ISPs, cloud services, and enterprises.

This allows Cloudflare to offer a secure, affordable way to expand access to the Internet that can grow with, and contribute to, the sustainability of these networks, as well as be ready for any new networks that launch.

To participate in this initiative, network organisers can visit the Project Pangea website to view the technical requirements and register interest.

More details at www.cloudflare.com.

-- BERNAMA

PAUL LOW HONG CEONG APPOINTED AS PRESIDENT OF THE FINANCIAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION OF MALAYSIA ("FPAM")

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 (Bernama) -- FPAM is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Paul Low Hong Ceong as the President of Financial Planning Association of Malaysia with effect from 26 June 2021 for 2021/2023. He takes over the helm of the association from Mr Ismitz Matthew De Alwis who stepped down as President after heading the association since 2016.

 
Mr Paul Low Hong Ceong has been in the financial services industry for more than 30 years, namely insurance, mutual funds and wealth management locally and abroad, in USA, Malaysia and China.
 
Paul holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from McNeese State University, Louisiana, USA and a Bachelor of Science Degree from University of Louisiana, Louisiana, USA. He is also a council member of the Management Committee of Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM), currently the Deputy President and BOMA Chairman of the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM) for 2019/2020. 
 
Paul is currently the Chief Executive Officer for Etiqa Life Insurance Berhad. He joined Etiqa Life Insurance Berhad in February 2019 to drive Etiqa’s life insurance business.  From 2015 until January 2019 and prior to his appointment in Etiqa, Paul was the Chief Executive, Manulife Wealth Advisors and Chief Success Officer at Manulife Holding Berhad.
 
From 1998 until 2005, Paul was the CEO of BHLB Pacific Trust/ SBB Mutual Berhad. Paul ventured into China in 2006 and held a few senior positions in CITIC Prudential, ING-Capital Life and Aeon Life Insurance Company Ltd. Paul returned to Malaysia in 2012 to join AmMetLife Insurance Berhad as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.
 
About Financial Planning Association of Malaysia
 
FPAM is the pioneer professional body for financial planning in Malaysia. It is a not-for-profit organization with the twin mission of continuously professionalizing the industry and public education on the importance of financial planning. It administers the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® certification program and membership for the Islamic Financial Planner^® certification, jointly-owned with IBFIM.   Both certifications are recognized by the Securities Commission and Bank Negara Malaysia for licensing purposes. FPAM has over 40 Charter and Corporate members, whom are among the most established financial institutions in their sector. Based in Petaling Jaya with 6 chapters nationwide, it provides thought leadership in financial planning and professional development for more than 4,000 members.  FPAM is an affiliate member of the global Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. 

CFP^® Certification Global excellence in financial planning 

CFP^{CERT TM}, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® and certification marks owned outside the U.S. by Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd.  Financial Planning Association of Malaysia is the marks licensing authority for the CFP marks in Malaysia, through agreement with FPSB.

Source: Financial Planning Association of Malaysia
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Financial Planning Association of Malaysia
Tel 03 7954 9500
Fax 03-7954 9400
Email: info@fpam.org.my 

--BERNAMA

THE 7TH HUNHE RIVER BANK SYMPHONY FESTIVAL KICKED OFF

 

^{The 7th Hunhe River Bank Symphony Festival kicked off in Shenyang city.}


SHENYANG, China, July 26, 2021 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/ -- 
 
At 19:00 on July 22, the 7th Hunhe River Bank Symphony Festival, jointly organized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Shenyang Municipal Committee and the China Symphony Development Foundation, opened in the Yunyang Pavilion of Shenshuiwan Park in Shenyang.
 
With the theme of "Hundred Years of Glory and Artistic Heart to the Party", the Symphony Festival invited five orchestras including Harbin Symphony Orchestra, Shanxi Symphony Orchestra, Dalian City International Symphony Orchestra, Tianjin Opera and Dance Theater Symphony Orchestra, and Shenyang Symphony Orchestra. It is held by the Shenyang Symphony Orchestra and the Publicity Department of the Heping District. A total of 6 symphony performances will be held in Yunyang Pavilion from July 22nd to 30th .
 
The first performance was presented by the Harbin Symphony Orchestra. The artists of the orchestra performed Chinese and foreign music such as "Dongfanghong (The East is Red)", "Chinese Heart" and "Jazz Waltz" for the Shenyang symphony fans. The atmosphere was warm, the audience was in high mood, and the exquisite skills won unanimous praise from the audience.
 
The 7th Hunhe River Bank Symphony Festival has also received extensive attention from the Chinese symphony music community. The famous Chinese conductor Zheng Xiaoying and the symphony orchestras of Shenzhen, Changsha, Sichuan, Ningbo and other provinces and municipalities recorded blessing videos for the music festival.
 
The 7th Hunhe River Bank Symphony Festival enriches the people's cultural life and demonstrates the city's cultural temperament.
 
Source: The Publicity Department of the CPC Shenyang Municipal Committee
 
Image Attachments Links:
 
   Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=397080
 
   Caption: The 7th Hunhe River Bank Symphony Festival kicked off in Shenyang city.

ROAD SAFETY: 9 TIPS TO LIVE BY ALL-YEAR ROUND

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Bernama) -- While having lesser vehicles on the road due to the current travel restrictions has lowered accidents cases, it has however not deterred road users from speeding.

According to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), 418,237 road accidents were reported in 2020 despite the Movement Control Orders (MCO) and fewer vehicles on the road last year.
 
“Sometimes, seeing close to empty highways and intersections can bring about an urge to speed or break a traffic rule. One might think breaking the rule just this once won’t do any harm, but it can land you in big trouble. The probability of accidents is always present given your exposure to risks and hazards by simply being on the road,” said Damian Williams, Head of Claims of Allianz General Insurance Company (Malaysia) Berhad.
 
“In fact, despite the various MCOs last year, our accident and roadside assistance service – the Allianz Road Rangers –  served over 67,000 customers nationwide. So really, fewer cars on the road do not mean no accidents, and we must constantly remind ourselves to stay safe and vigilant while on the road,” added Damian.
 
Here are nine simple road safety tips to live by all year round.
 
1. Safety first!... lock your doors and always buckle up (this goes for motorcyclists too!) And, keep your belongings safe and secure and make sure you have enough petrol in the tank.
 
2. Defensive driving is REAL but also stay on the offensive. Assume that anything that can go wrong might go wrong! Assume that other drivers might not give you the right of way. Assume that someone might run a red light, follow you too closely, have faulty brake lights.

3. Be courteous on the road. Give way to other road users, everyone from motorcyclists to cyclists, runners, and pedestrians.
 
4. Absolute “no” to distractions… this includes using your mobile phone, fiddling with your vehicle’s navigation system or the digital console, or changing radio stations.
 
5. Do not tailgate. Always try to leave a gap of one car between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. In case of an emergency, this will give you enough time to brake to a stop if necessary. Increase the distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you when facing bad weather, such as heavy rain or low visibility conditions.
 
6. Keep to the speed limit. Do not feel pressured to speed up when faced with impatient drivers. It is your responsibility to drive at a speed that matches the surrounding conditions.
 
7. Identify your blind spots. Every vehicle has blind spots. These usually involve any area that is blocked by the front and back pillars of the vehicle. Know your vehicle’s blind spots and always be extra cautious: always look into your rear-view mirror and outside mirrors when changing lanes or reversing out of a parking lot.
 
8. Think, look, signal, look again. When moving off from a stationary position, making turns, changing lanes, stopping, overtaking, or making any other movement, always carry out the following routine – think, look, signal, and look again.
 
9. Say no to driving in “convoys” with a friend… because tailing a friend’s car may cause you to speed, run a red light, or change lanes too quickly. If you are headed to the same location, just chose to use your navigation system instead.  That way, you would both reach your destination, but without the stress and danger!

Here are also some additional things to consider:

·  Do not overload your vehicle, either in terms of passengers or things.
·  Before driving, plan your route. Allocate sufficient time to get to your destination, do not rush.
·  Do not leave your ignition key in the car or leave it running, but idle for long periods.
·  Do not leave your children in cars alone, and always check the back seat before you enter or leave your car.
·  Park your car in a designated spot properly to not cause any obstruction or endangers other road users.

Besides that, it is also important to have the right insurance and the insurance partner! If you’re a Motor Comprehensive (Private Car) policyholder with Allianz, call the Allianz Road Rangers at 1-800-22-5542 for any accident or roadside assistance.
 
To learn more about the new Allianz Road Rangers service, visit allianz.com.my/road-rangers.
*Terms and conditions apply.  

Click here for Safe Driving Infographics

Source: Allianz Malaysia Berhad

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Shamala Gopalan
Group Head
Corporate Communications Department
Tel: 016.285.0685
Email: shamala.gopalan@allianz.com.my

Name: Gary Mark Nagan
Manager
Corporate Communications Department
Tel: 012.367.1450 
Email: gary.nagan@allianz.com.my

--BERNAMA

CRADLEPOINT SIGNS ON TECH DATA DISTRIBUTION PARTNER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA TO FUEL WIRELESS WAN AND 5G EXPANSION

Appoints APAC Senior Director for Distribution

MELBOURNE, Australia, July 21 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cradlepoint, a global leader in cloud-delivered 4G and 5G wireless network edge solutions, today announced a distribution partnership with Tech Data in Southeast Asia. The distribution partnership will enable Cradlepoint to accelerate operations initially in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, with plans to expand into other markets in the region longer term. Cradlepoint’s Chris Joseph has also been appointed as Senior Director, Distribution, Asia Pacific, responsible for managing distribution partners in the region.

“According to data and analytics firm, Global Data, Asia-Pacific will be the leading region globally in terms of 5G technology adoption, with 1.14 billion subscribers, accounting for 65% of global 5G subscriptions by 2024*. We’re seeing that demand for wireless network connectivity is growing across the Southeast Asia region, and businesses are gearing up to take advantage of the solutions and applications to be enabled by incoming 5G networks,” said Gavin Wilson, Managing Director APAC, Cradlepoint. “The partnership between Cradlepoint and Tech Data in the region gives channel partners the best chance of taking advantage of this growing demand for Wireless WAN solutions, given Cradlepoint’s market leadership in cloud-based wireless network edge solutions and Tech Data’s scale and reach in the region.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=40583

INNIO announces ‘Ready for H₂’ portfolio launch

 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 -- INNIO, a leading provider of renewable gas, natural gas, and hydrogen-based solutions and services, has announced the launch of its ‘Ready for H₂’ portfolio that includes 100 per cent hydrogen-fuelled Jenbacher H₂-engines.

“I am proud of INNIO’s announcement of the first ‘Ready for H₂’ product portfolio in the 200 kW – 10.4 MW power generation space,” said INNIO president and chief executive officer, Carlos Lange.

“Jenbacher gas engines running on natural gas today can be converted to H₂ operation when hydrogen becomes more readily available. This means that customers who invest in Jenbacher natural gas engines today, are also investing for the future.”

INNIO’s ‘Ready for H₂’ gas engine portfolio is built on a long history of innovation with over 30 years of experience and expertise in the use of renewable fuels and hydrogen-rich fuels, such as syngas and process gases for power generation.

As of today, Jenbacher Type 4 gas engines – with an approximate output of 500 to 900 kilowatts (kW) - are available for operation with 100 per cent hydrogen or mixtures of natural gas and hydrogen, according to a statement.

As of 2022, all other INNIO Jenbacher gas engines will be offered with a ‘Ready for H₂’ option, capable of running with up to 25 per cent volume of hydrogen in pipeline gas and being able to be readily converted from natural gas to 100 per cent hydrogen operation.

In addition, most of the currently installed INNIO Jenbacher natural gas fuelled fleet can be upgraded to operate with up to 25 per cent volume of hydrogen in pipeline gas or converted from natural gas to 100 per cent hydrogen operation.

INNIO is committed to leading the deployment of H₂-engines which will facilitate the acceleration and transformation from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.

Typically, INNIO Jenbacher hydrogen-fuelled gas engines will be operating in a combined heat and power configuration, achieving around 90 per cent hydrogen fuel utilisation.

More details at www.innio.com.

-- BERNAMA

INSTEP WINS BTEC'S SILVER AWARD FOR INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION OF THE YEAR

 Accolade recognises INSTEP’s outstanding achievements during unprecedented times

 
 
KUALA NERUS, July 23 (Bernama) -- Institut Teknologi Petroleum PETRONAS (INSTEP) was recently presented with the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) Silver Award for International Institution of the Year 2021.
 
BTEC, which is based in the United Kingdom, is an international accreditation body which focuses on upskilling nearly million global learners over the past year with technical expertise. The annual BTEC Awards recognises individuals and institutions that have achieved great things during these unprecedented times.
 
Since 2014, INSTEP has been playing a vital role as an internationally recognised technical learning institution in designing and delivering BTEC Self-Regulated Framework (SRF) qualifications to meet the Oil & Gas industry learners' needs. To date, INSTEP has certified 1,438 BTEC Level 2 learners and 2,357 BTEC Level 3 learners under its Bridging Programmes: Technical Energy Enrichment Programme (TEP) for PETRONAS as well as customised TEP for international clients such as Oil Search Limited (OSL), Papua New Guinea, and Production Operation Training (POT), Iraq.
 
Commenting on INSTEP’s achievement, PETRONAS Senior Vice President of Group Human Resource Management Farehana Hanapiah, who is also the Board Chairperson of PETRONAS Technical Training Sdn Bhd said, “PETRONAS continuously advocates for education and human capital development, aligned with our Purpose as ‘a progressive energy and solutions partner enriching lives for a sustainable future’.
 
“I am immensely proud of INSTEP’s achievement as the Silver Award recipient for International Institution of the Year 2021. This is INSTEP’s very first win and we are honoured to receive this award. Winning this award substantiates INSTEP’s relentless efforts in progressively delivering BTEC qualifications since 2014, and PETRONAS’ strong commitment to human capital investments, despite the challenges faced during these unprecedented times.”
 
The Skills Specialist at the UK Government’s Department for International Trade, Jonathan Ledger, said, “I must emphasise the importance of BTEC as a career-focused type of qualification and that for me is key. This is all about delivering the right skills to the right people at the right time in the right way, and BTEC qualifications do just that. BTEC qualifications are a game changer. They change lives and help people improve and contribute to businesses and society in a big way.”
 
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, INSTEP swiftly adjusted to the new norm and embraced the opportunity to provide digital learning solutions via Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) to upskill technical workforce virtually to ensure competency in managing day-to-day operations. To date, a total of 886 programmes were successfully delivered via VILT, upskilling more than 10,000 learners.
 
 
About INSTEP
 
Established in 1981, INSTEP accelerates human capital development in the energy industry and has produced more than 130,000 competent technical workforces globally. The year 2021 marks INSTEP’s 40 years of contribution to building technical competencies and commitment in enriching the energy workforce towards a sustainable future.
 
About Pearson
 
Learning is the most powerful force for change in the world. More than 20,000 Pearson employees deliver our products and services in nearly 200 countries, all working towards a common purpose – to help everyone achieve their potential through learning. We do that by providing high-quality, digital content and learning experiences, as well as assessments and qualifications that help people build their skills and grow with the world around them. We are the world’s leading learning company. Learn more at pearson.com/uk.
 
Website: https://www.instep.my/Pages/default.aspx
FB: https://www.facebook.com/instep.MY/  
IG: https://www.instagram.com/instep.my/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/instep-my/mycompany/
 
 
Issued by:
Media Engagement
Group Strategic Communications 
PETRONAS
 
 
SOURCE : PETRONAS
 

A RETURN TO NORMALITY? ACCOUNTANTS AND FINANCE PROFESSIONALS SEE GATHERING MOMENTUM FOR THE GLOBAL ECONOMY IN Q2 2021

 Confidence remains very high, despite a marginal decline from Q1 - but regional variances point to ongoing economic uncertainty

 
KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Bernama) -- Professional accountants around the world have reported a buoyant return to economic stability in Q2 2021 finds the latest edition of ACCA and IMA’s Global Economic Confidence Survey (GECS).
 
Over 1,100 global respondents, who are members of ACCA and IMA, report an upturn in key global activity indicators, such as orders – the proxy for real economic activity. The biggest gain in Q2 came in North America, powered ahead by a massive US fiscal stimulus.
 
The two ‘fear’ indices – measured by concerns that customers and suppliers may go out of business – both declined in this latest survey, confirming that the extreme uncertainty created by the COVID-19 crisis has fallen back towards more normal levels.
 
However, despite this optimism, stark warning signs remain due to wide regional variations in confidence, with large increases across Europe, contrasting with significant falls in Asia Pacific and South Asia. As a result, ACCA and IMA ask governments and policy makers to ensure this divergence does not grow.
 
Michael Taylor, chief economist ACCA says: ‘These changes reflect the speed at which vaccinations are taking place in Europe while increased COVID-19 infections are happening again in Asia Pacific and South Asia. A key theme of this GECS is the divergence in economic prospects between advanced and emerging market economies. This needs to be tackled urgently.’
 
Helen Brand, chief executive of ACCA, adds: ‘The world economy’s recovery to its pre-pandemic size has been driven by rapid growth in the US and China, the two biggest economies. There are many jurisdictions with plenty of ground to still make up. But the difference we see between advanced and emerging markets is glaring – and action is needed on vaccines so that there are no shortages in emerging economies.’
 
Malaysia and Asia Pacific
For Malaysia, confidence has dropped considerably between Q1 and Q2 2021 from 14.3 to -41.2, which may be attributable to rising COVID infection, raising fears of restrictions that would hurt domestic activity and tourism. However, orders have improved from a Q1 low of -53.6 to -14.7, an improvement seen across the wider Asia Pacific geography. Findings have revealed the unusual juxtaposition of a significant drop in confidence with a healthy increase in orders, with the orders balance in Asia Pacific now at the highest level in over three years.
 
Asia Pacific exports are rising at a healthy rate, in line with a strong global recovery and the survey suggests that this will continue in the coming months including in Malaysia.
 
Edward Ling, Head of Portfolio ACCA Maritime Southeast Asia concludes: ‘Looking ahead, health and economic risks are considerable, especially if a vaccine resistant variant emerges and spreads, forcing renewed lockdown measures with consequent economic harm. On the global and national level, policy-wise it’s important that fiscal support is not withdrawn prematurely, potentially causing a setback to recovery in private demand.’
 
Key global findings from GECS Q2 2021 reveal:
• Confidence: This fell back in North America, but this came after a very large jump in the Q1 survey. Advanced economies are now recovering, benefitting from rapid progress on vaccinations and the spending of accumulated savings.
• Orders: In Western Europe orders saw a jump, pointing to economic recovery gathering momentum in the second half of the year. Asia Pacific also reported increased orders, boosted by export demand. Elsewhere there was little change, apart from in South Asia where renewed lockdown measures have affected the economic outlook in the near term.
• Economic recovery: The majority of respondents in North America said that economic recovery is already underway. By contrast, over half of respondents in Africa and South Asia do not expect recovery until 2022 at the earliest. Surprisingly this was also the case in Asia Pacific. In Western Europe the proportion expecting a much-delayed economic recovery has fallen by 10 percentage points between the Q1 and Q2 survey, underlining the recent improvement in the economic outlook in the region.
• Inflation: The GECS shows respondents across regions expect a modest increase in inflation over the next five years. Compared to Q1 there has been a marked increase in inflation expectations in North America, while in Western Europe expectations are for a modest increase in inflation. The consensus across all regions is that inflation will rise modestly, by up to three percentage points in coming years.
• Operating costs: The GECS index of concern about operating costs increased and is now at its highest level since 2019 Q3. But concern remains below the level that would point to a sustained big rise in inflation.
GECS is the largest regular economic survey of more than 1,000 senior accountants and finance professionals from around the world, and consistently captures the true scale of the global recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic, tracking the drop in confidence since the beginning and a new outlook in confidence triggered by the combined effects of vaccines and the fiscal stimulus. In Q2 2021, an expert panel 34 accountants took part in the GECS for Malaysia.
 
GECS can be found here: https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/professional-insights/global-economics/gecs-q2-2021.html

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=40576

Next-Day Delivery demand will drive up carbon emissions without change - CILT International

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 -- Growing demand for e-commerce delivery will result in 36 per cent more delivery vehicles in inner cities by 2030, according to the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) International.

These findings come despite new policy proposals from the UK and EU in the ongoing global pursuit of net-zero carbon emissions, according to a statement.

Secretary-General of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport International, Keith Newton, said: “Policy commitments to decarbonisation are a necessary start, but if governments are to actually make a difference and achieve net zero emissions, they need to act as bridge between businesses, consumers, and transport industry professionals.

“Decarbonisation is the single greatest long-term challenge facing the transport and logistics industry, but lasting positive change will only come with changes in business and consumer habits.”

CILT International further found that consequently, emissions from delivery traffic will increase by 32 per cent and congestion will rise by over 21 per cent, equalling an additional 11 minutes of commute time for each passenger daily.

These figures do not account for additional factors such as the impact of Next Day Delivery: same-day and instant delivery are the fastest-growing segments in the last-mile.

“Decarbonisation is the single greatest long-term challenge facing the transport and logistics industry, but lasting positive change will only come with changes in business and consumer habits.”

CILT International further found that consequently, emissions from delivery traffic will increase by 32 per cent and congestion will rise by over 21 per cent, equalling an additional 11 minutes of commute time for each passenger daily.

These figures do not account for additional factors such as the impact of Next Day Delivery: same-day and instant delivery are the fastest-growing segments in the last-mile.

--BERNAMA

MARY KAY INC. ADVOCATES FOR ADVANCING WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND GENDER EQUALITY THROUGH SERIES OF MILESTONE COMMITMENTS & PARTNERSHIPS AROUND THE WORLD

 

^{This month, Mary Kay also joined the “Drivers of change” Program at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris, France (June 30 - July 2). (Graphic: Mary Kay Inc.)}


DALLAS, July 21 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Mary Kay Inc., a global advocate for women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship, has furthered its commitment to advancing gender parity by releasing a position paper welcoming the European Commission’s Gender Equality Strategy for 2020 – 2025 and by joining the Generation Equality Forum Global Action Coalitions.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210720005347/en/

The position paper, which can be accessed here, echoes the strategy of the European Union on gender equality. According to the European Union: “The Strategy presents policy objectives and actions to make significant progress by 2025 towards a gender-equal Europe. The goal is a Union where women and men, girls and boys, in all their diversity, are free to pursue their chosen path in life, have equal opportunities to thrive, and can equally participate in and lead our European society.”

“Discriminatory laws, gender bias and stereotyping, violence against women and girls - these are all global issues and must be tackled in partnership with the public and private sectors and civil society organizations across the world,” said Julia Simon, Chief Legal & Diversity Officer at Mary Kay. “Achieving gender equality is critical to the survival of the planet and the rebuilding of more sustainable and thriving economies and societies.”

This month, Mary Kay also joined the “Drivers of change” Program at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris, France (June 30 - July 2). 26 years after the Beijing Declaration, the Generation Equality Forum, convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France, was the “most critical moment in a generation to invest in gender equality and accelerate momentum for women’s safety, leadership and economic opportunity¹.”

Julia Simon participated to a panel titled “Building a Transformative Strategy for Gender-Responsive Procurement,” aiming at creating awareness of the disproportionately complex and interconnected barriers on women’s entrepreneurship and promoting gender-responsive procurement. Globally, 1 in 3 businesses are owned by women², yet women win only 1% of the procurement spend of governments and large corporations³. Speakers shared insights and concrete advice substantiated by their own journey on how to implement a GRP strategy.

At the Paris Forum, Mary Kay also joined four of the Generation Equality Action Coalitions through policy, programmatic, and advocacy commitments: Economic Justice and Rights; Feminist Action for Climate Justice; Gender-based Violence and Innovation and Technology. 50,000 people virtually engaged in the Forum which gathered 1,000 commitment-makers, recorded $40 billion of investments for gender equality in support of a 5-year plan to act for equal across 6 areas of action.

These engagements are the latest of a series of Mary Kay’s advocacy efforts in support of women’s economic empowerment and gender equality at high level meetings around the world alongside its UN partners and local strategic partners.

• On March 16, 2021, Deborah Gibbins, Mary Kay’s COO, joined the UN Global Compact Target Gender Equality meeting to discuss how Mary Kay empowers women entrepreneurs in nearly 40 countries. Gibbins highlighted the data freshly released by the World Bank⁴ revealing that, on average across the world, women have three quarters the legal rights of men. She challenged companies to take a stand against legal discriminations and advocate for reforms to close the gaps so that women can achieve their full potential. The event brought together over 5,000 people from the business sector, the United Nations, member states, and civil society organizations from over 100 countries, with 75% of the participants representing the private sector.
• On March 24, 2021, on the sidelines of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65), Gibbins participated in a panel hosted by the Women’s Empowerment Accelerator (WEA) titled “Women Leading Economic Recovery Through Entrepreneurship” where she highlighted the need for public-private sector partnerships to help shape an enabling ecosystem for women entrepreneurs. Incepted by Mary Kay in collaboration with 5 UN agencies, The Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator was featured as an example of the unique impact of multi-partnership to accelerate change.
• On March 26-April 4, Edita Szabóová, General Manager of Mary Kay Czech Republic and Slovakia, shared remarks at the Equal Pay Day Conference where she stressed the importance of “women supporting women,” and highlighted the work of Mary Kay in nurturing women entrepreneurs through training, leadership, and mentorship. “When women come together, we can achieve extraordinary things for the benefit of women and humanity at large. Because we know that if we lift one, we lift all. At its core, Mary Kay develops and trains entrepreneurs, who, in turn, get to build their own businesses and write their own stories and legacy for their daughters,” said Szabóová.
• On June 15-16, 2021, at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit, Gibbins spoke at the “Women In Sustainability: Innovating In A Man’s World” main stage session advocating for women entrepreneurs as the role models needed for the economy and society. She also emphasized the critical mission of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator incepted by Mary Kay together with 5 UN agency partners: UN Women, the UN Global Compact, International Trade Centre, the International Labour Organization and the UN Development Programme. The Accelerator has committed to educating and empowering 5 million women entrepreneurs over the next 10 years. “Women entrepreneurship will play a key role in the successful pandemic recovery. This is why the mission of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator is so timely. And, this is why women entrepreneurs need a framework of this magnitude,” said Gibbins. The annual Summit convened virtually more than 25,000 leaders from business, government, the UN, and civil society, to take stock of the state of progress and to drive collective action towards alleviating climate crisis, global pandemic, economic disparities, and social inequalities.
• On July 6, in Ekaterinburg, Mary Kay joined the International Industrial Trade Fair INNOPROM-2021 the main industrial, trade and export platform in Russia. Guest speaker at a panel hosted by UN Women titled “UN Women Programs for the Promotion and Development of Gender-Based Entrepreneurship,” Mary Kay highlighted the critical importance of gender-responsive procurement strategies and emphasized that the pandemic also brings a unique opportunity to advance action and to support women’s businesses around the world.

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her beauty company almost 58 years ago with three goals: develop rewarding opportunities for women, offer irresistible products, and make the world a better place. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skin care, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements and fragrances. Mary Kay is committed to empowering women and their families by partnering with organizations from around the world, focusing on supporting cancer research, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Mary Kay Ash’s original vision continues to shine—one lipstick at a time. Learn more at www.marykay.com

¹ https://forum.generationequality.org/home
² World Bank (2020). Enterprise Surveys, World Bank Gender Data Portal cited by World Bank Blogs (2020) Women entrepreneurs needed – stat!
³ Vazquez and Sherman (2014). Cited by UN Women (2017) The Power of Procurement: How to source from women-owned businesses.
⁴ Women, Business and the Law, 2021. A report conducted in 190 countries.

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Contact

Mary Kay Inc. Corporate Communications
Marykay.com/newsroom
(+1) 972.687.5332 or media@mkcorp.com

Source : Mary Kay Inc.

OLYMPUS TO SUPPORT ENDOSCOPIC AI DIAGNOSIS EDUCATION FOR DOCTORS IN THAILAND

 

^{Participants in the MIC project (Photo: Business Wire)}


Participating in Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications project: "Survey Study for International Expansion of Endoscopes Utilizing High-definition Imaging Technology AI Diagnosis Support System in Thailand"


TOKYO, July 21 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Olympus Corporation (Representative Executive Officer, President and CEO: Yasuo Takeuchi) took part in a ground-breaking project as a business promoter, in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) of Japan, entitled, "Survey Study for International Expansion of Endoscopes Utilizing High-definition Imaging Technology AI Diagnosis Support System in Thailand." The project aims to develop advanced endoscopy diagnostics in Thailand, where there are relatively few endoscopists.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210720006298/en/

Last fiscal year, Olympus took part in a project with the MIC to investigate the effectiveness and potential dissemination of the AI diagnostic support system in India. Olympus conducted a demonstration survey on clinical applications in collaboration with a major Indian medical institution. Clinical use by Indian doctors and discussion with Japanese physicians showed the effectiveness and potential for future dissemination of the ultra-expanded endoscope Endocyto¹ and the endoscope diagnostic imaging support software with AI EndoBRAIN² and EndoBRAIN-EYE³.

For the project in Thailand, in collaboration with CYBERNET SYSTEMS CO., LTD., Olympus conduct a demonstration survey on the effectiveness and potential dissemination of the AI diagnostic support system in collaboration with Thai Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Association (TAGE). Specialist lecturers and physicians from Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital and TAGE representatives from Siriraj Hospital, Rajavithi Hospital, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and Ramathibodi Hospital will provide expert guidance to doctors from major medical institutions in Thailand. In addition to training doctors in techniques for detecting diseases and differential diagnosis by colonoscope, they will also train the doctors on how to instruct the next generation of endoscopists between August 2021 and March 2022.

This project started on July 20. At the kick-off meeting, Satoshi Hemmi, Deputy Director General of the Information and Communications Bureau at MIC said, "We hope that the clinical advantage of the AI diagnostic support system will be evaluated by TAGE doctors. We also expect that the cooperative relationship between Thailand and Japan in the field of medical ICT will further develop." Nonthalee Pausawasdi, President, Thai Association for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, also commented, “On behalf of TAGE, it is our great pleasure to collaborate with the MIC and Olympus for the opportunity. We are grateful to have an opportunity to enhance our experiences in AI in endoscopy. We are confident that our collaboration will allow our members and the next generation of endoscopists to gain new knowledge and skills in the latest AI technology for a diagnostic endoscopy.”

Background of Olympus’ Participation

In Thailand, the rate of cancer has been increasing in recent years due to the aging of society and the westernization of dietary habits associated with economic growth. In particular, colon cancer is becoming a social issue, with the fourth highest morbidity and third highest mortality among all cancer cases. While demand for endoscopy, which is essential for early detection and treatment of cancer, is expected to increase, there is a shortage of doctors with the high-level of knowledge and experience required for endoscopy. Olympus participated in this project to support trained specialists to train doctors in Thailand and neighboring countries and to contribute to the dissemination and development of endoscopic diagnostics using the latest AI technology.

¹ An endoscope that enables observation at the cellular level in real time with up to 520 times optical magnification.
² AI real-time in-vivo analysis of colon lesions taken with ultra-high magnifying endoscopes, numerically indicating the possibility of neoplastic and non-neoplastic polyps to assist physicians in the differentiation and detection of polyps through figures. (Manufactured by CYBERNET SYSTEMS CO., LTD.)
³ AI endoscopic diagnostic imaging support software that assists physicians in diagnosing lesions by alerting if a polyp or other lesion is detected using regular colonoscope images. (Manufactured by CYBERNET SYSTEMS CO., LTD.)

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Project

• Purpose:

The MIC aims to realize the sustainable development goal and SDG pledges to ensure “no one will be left behind.” To this end, the MIC aims to realize a model that contributes to SDG through digitization and to disseminate and promote an SDG + ICT model domestically and overseas between both public and private sectors. This project aims to contribute to the introduction and dissemination of Japan’s endoscopic AI diagnostic support system to Thailand and neighboring countries in response to the social issue of increasing cancer prevalence in Thailand.

• Projects:

1. Survey on the Current Status of Policies in the Medical, Health, and Health Sectors in Thailand, and Survey on the Current Status of Medical ICT Introduction in Thailand
   We collect information from major medical institutions and external research institutions and investigate the state of dissemination of medical information systems, including endoscopy systems.
2. Verification through proof-of-concept tests in Thailand
   Physicians from the Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital will train doctors at Siriraj Hospital and other medical institutions in Thailand, from the detection of disease utilizing a colonoscope with an AI diagnostic support system, to discriminatory diagnosis, and train them as lecturers to train instructors. Olympus provided equipment and training courses.

Company names and product names in this release are trademarks or registered trademarks of each company.

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Contact

For questions or additional information:
Japan and APAC
Yuka Horimoto
+ 81-90-2490-1071
yuka.horimoto@olympus.com

Source : Olympus Corporation

LATEST CISCO APPDYNAMICS APP ATTENTION INDEX REVEALS BRANDS HAVE ONLY ONE SHOT TO WIN OVER CUSTOMERS

 News Summary

• 76 percent of consumers say their expectations of digital services have increased since the start of 2020.
• 60 percent of consumers now blame the application and brand when they encounter a problem with a digital service, irrespective of the issue.
• 57 percent of consumers claim brands have one shot to impress them and if their digital service does not perform, they won’t use them again.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 21 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cisco AppDynamics today released the latest report in its App Attention Index research series, revealing consumer reliance on applications and digital services has soared since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The global study, which examined the digital behaviors of more than 13,000 global consumers, also identified consumers now have a zero-tolerance policy for poor application experience and automatically place blame on the application and brand, no matter where a performance issue stems from.

Consumers blame the brand when the application experience fails

Since the start of 2020, consumers have experienced a sudden and total reliance on digital services, altering how they engage with brands, consume goods and services, and make purchasing decisions. In fact, the research shows that people are using 30 percent¹ more applications today than they did before the pandemic.

The research highlights that because of their increasing reliance and use of digital services, 76 percent² of consumers say their expectations of digital services have increased since the start of 2020. Alarmingly for brands, when expectations aren’t met, 60 percent³ of consumers will now automatically blame the application and the brand no matter where the issue actually lives. Whether it’s within the application itself - such as pages loading slowly, downtime, or security failures; or external factors like internet connectivity, slow payment gateways or technical issues with third party services - to the consumer there is no distinction and they will now place responsibility firmly on the brand.

• 72 percent⁴ of people believe it’s the responsibility of the brand to ensure that the digital service or application works perfectly.
• 92 percent⁵ say they expect digital services to have reliable, consistent performance.

Loyalty lies with brands that invest in application experience

Consumers have not only come to rely on applications and digital services to function in everyday life, but they also used them to facilitate social interactions in the absence of traditional ways of connecting in person. The research found that the majority of consumers (85%)⁶ say that digital services have become a critical part of daily life, with 84 percent⁷ stating those services helped them get through the pandemic in a positive way. Additionally, consumers are now loyal to brands based on how significantly they invested in digital services during the pandemic.

• 72 percent⁸ say they feel grateful to the brands that invested in digital experiences during the pandemic so they could get access to the services that they love and rely on.
• 67 percent⁹ say they feel more loyal to brands that went above and beyond with the quality of their digital service during the pandemic.

Brands have one shot to get the ‘total application experience’ right

61 percent¹⁰ of consumers now state their expectations for digital services have changed forever and they will no longer tolerate poor performance. The research goes on to find that 72 percent¹¹ of consumers believe it’s the responsibility of the brand to ensure that digital services work perfectly, and more than half (57%)¹² state that brands have one shot to deliver positive digital experiences before they switch to another provider.

• 72 percent¹³ say they simply don’t care who is responsible for problems with digital services, they just want them fixed and to work.
• 68 percent¹⁴ consider it disrespectful to users for brands to offer a poor digital experience in this day and age.
• 57 percent¹⁵ believe most problems with digital services and applications are completely avoidable.

“Applications have become the lifeline to normality for people in every corner of the world and consumers are no longer willing to settle for anything less than a perfect digital experience,” said Linda Tong, vice president and general manager of Cisco AppDynamics. “Technologists are now under more pressure than ever to deliver the ‘total application experience’ to users within their first interaction. Cisco AppDynamics is the only provider that can help them meet users’ expectations by delivering a critical component of Cisco’s full-stack observability solution, which helps technologists see, understand, and optimize what happens inside and beyond their IT architecture - all through the lens of business impact.”

“People contact us under their most dire circumstances and need help resolving life-altering challenges immediately. We want them to know we’re the right people for the job, so our goal is to make sure our customers get connected with an advisor quickly, never getting disconnected or languishing in a chat queue,” said Chris Younger, senior vice president, Freedom Financial Network. “AppDynamics gives us the visibility and insights we need to make sure that every component of the workflow that delivers a customer directly to an agent instantly and seamlessly is working exactly as it should.”

73 percent¹⁶ of consumers stated that even as life returns to normal, they know they will continue to rely on the digital services they utilized during the pandemic. This means the pressure technologists are under to tackle the complexities of modern architectures in order to deliver flawless digital experiences isn’t going away.
Cisco AppDynamics is committed to helping technologists take on these challenges of leading technology health and performance to deliver the ‘total application experience’ to users. To learn more about Cisco's full-stack observability solution and the AppDynamics Business Observability platform, visit appdynamics.com.

Other Resources:

• App Attention Index 2021 Report

Research Methodology:

The research included interviews with more than 13,000 consumers, in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. The research was conducted by Insight Avenue in June 2021.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in technology that powers the Internet. Cisco inspires new possibilities by reimagining your applications, securing your enterprise, transforming your infrastructure, and empowering your teams for a global and inclusive future. Discover more on The Network and follow us on Twitter.

About Cisco AppDynamics

Cisco AppDynamics, the industry leading Business Observability platform, is a key component of Cisco’s solution for full-stack observability with business context. AppDynamics helps technologists prevent digital performance issues by monitoring cloud-native technologies and traditional infrastructure to understand exactly what drives user experiences and impacts the bottom line for businesses. Core products include: Business iQ, Experience Journey Map, Secure Application and Cognition Engine.

AppDynamics has been recognized by Gartner as a leader in the APM market for more than nine years. It received Glassdoor’s 2019 Best Places to Work Award and Fortune’s #1 Best Place to Work in 2021 as part of Cisco.

Endnotes

1. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
2. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
3. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
4. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
5. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
6. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
7. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
8. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
9. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
10. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
11. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
12. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
13. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
14. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
15. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?
16. The App Attention Index 2021: Who takes the rap for the app?


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Contact

AppDynamics PR
Abby McAdams
abby.mcadams@appdynamics.com

Source : AppDynamics