Jingxi City carries out development, opens-up strategy to build regional central city

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 -- The 18th China-ASEAN Expo was recently held in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

During the expo, Jingxi City signed five projects with the merchants, with a total investment of more than RMB 29.4 billion, according to the Publicity Department of Jingxi City in a statement. (RMB100 = RM64.79)

At the investment promotion conference of China-ASEAN Expo, the main leaders of Jingxi stated that the city would strengthen support for foreign trade and local processing enterprises.

It would also promote the construction of standard factory buildings for commodity processing and the gradual transformation and upgrading of mutual trade to local processing, expand the total amount of foreign trade, and energetically develop local processing.

The city would strive to create a first-class government, legal, cultural, market and social environment to provide quality services for entrepreneurs.

Jingxi is one of the important land passages connecting southwest China to southeast Asia, which borders Vietnam with a 152.5km long border. It has Longbang first-level port, Yuexu second-level port and 4 front trade markets.

In recent years, Jingxi has done a great job in border trade, poverty alleviation, tourism, and urban construction, and made breakthroughs in border development and opening-up.

In the next few years, Jingxi will further implement the ‘Five Strategies’ of development and opening-up, rural revitalisation, industrial city development, holistic tourism, and urban quality improvement.

The city will promote the high-quality development of the Jingxi Leading Area of Guangxi Baise Key Development and Opening Pilot Zone, development of the demonstration and leading area of border stability, security, prosperity and wealth, and construction of ‘two districts and one city’ as the regional central city of China-ASEAN cooperation.

-- BERNAMA

TALKWALKER ACCELERATES BRANDS TO ACTIONABLE CONSUMER INTELLIGENCE

 

Caption: Talkwalker Positioning Launch

SINGAPORE, Sept. 29, 2021/Medianet International-AsiaNet/--

 

Talkwalker announces two new products to reinforce its Consumer Intelligence Acceleration Platform(TM), and help deliver customer-centricity across enterprises. Talkwalker ( https://bit.ly/3uecU10 ), the #1 consumer intelligence company, announced today the launch of two new products. These will strengthen its Consumer Intelligence Acceleration Platform(TM) alongside the growth of its social listening capabilities. These new products will deliver brands actionable consumer intelligence to drive business impact. Talkwalker's platform, powered by Blue Silk(TM) technology, now includes three industry-leading products: - Market Intelligence: Provides consumer trends analysis and real-time industry datasets, with an app per category, to fast-track innovation. Covering a variety of industries including consumer goods, entertainment, health & wellness. - Customer Intelligence: Creates a unique single customer view by combining customer and consumer data, social, ratings, and reviews. Providing brands with real-time actionable insights, that they can profit from immediately. - Social Intelligence: An expansion of its deep social listening capabilities at scale, to help companies protect, measure, and promote their brands. "The future of consumer intelligence is upon us," said Tod Nielsen, Talkwalker CEO. "Our new products and platform expand our deep listening capabilities into new areas, arming brands with insights that they can benefit from immediately. Only Talkwalker can help them get closer to their customers than ever before, and enable them to shape products, campaigns, and services to meet the market's ever-growing demands." New professional services - Talkwalker Activate Talkwalker also introduced its professional services Talkwalker Activate team, which offers a broad range of customer services, including training, onboarding and insights, to help clients accelerate their time to value with Talkwalker technologies, from investment to real-world results. This is a culmination of Talkwalker's most recent efforts to consolidate its position in the marketplace. In July, Talkwalker was declared a Leader in The Forrester New Wave(TM): AI-Enabled Consumer Intelligence Platforms, Q3 2021. ( https://bit.ly/3iaP7KM ) It's also built on its offerings by acquiring Social Content Ratings ( https://bit.ly/3AXCI3W ) last year, and more recently, Reviewbox ( https://bit.ly/3zIW0c3 ), to provide brands with more consumer and direct customer insights.  http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41125

FLUENCE FILES REGISTRATION STATEMENT WITH SEC FOR PROPOSED IPO

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Fluence, a leading provider of energy storage products and services and digital applications for renewables and storage, announced it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) relating to a proposed initial public offering of its Class A common stock.

Fluence Energy Inc has applied to list its Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol ‘FLNC’. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co LLC, Barclays Capital Inc, and BofA Securities will act as lead book-running managers for the proposed offering.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, UBS Securities LLC, Evercore Group L.L.C., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc, and RBC Capital Markets LLC will act as joint book-running managers for the proposed offering.

Meanwhile, Nomura Securities International Inc, Robert W. Baird & Co Incorporated, Raymond James & Associates Inc, Seaport Global Securities LLC, Penserra Securities LLC, and Siebert Williams Shank & Co LLC will act as co-managers for the proposed offering.

According to a statement, the proposed offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the SEC but has not yet become effective.

These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective.

-- BERNAMA

NIELSENIQ KEY ACQUISITION AGREEMENTS STRENGTHEN OMNICHANNEL SOLUTION

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- NielsenIQ, the industry leader in global measurement and data analytics, has announced two key acquisition agreements -- Data Impact and Rakuten Intelligence.

These acquisitions will drive significant value to NielsenIQ’s e-commerce and omnichannel measurement solutions and allow the company to revolutionise the consumer and retail measurement industries with a comprehensive view of the online marketplace, from product distribution to sales.

Today, e-commerce sales account for 12 per cent of CPG sales in the US and up to 30 per cent of sales in global markets, and are estimated to grow at a 15 per cent CAGR through 2025. With significant growth and share from online-focused retailers, it has become more important to understand the total marketplace.

These acquisitions and suite of omnichannel measurement solutions uniquely position NielsenIQ to provide retailers and manufacturers with a harmonised, granular, and consistent view across channels, allowing them to anticipate trends, understand, and react faster to consumer needs and expectations.

The agreement to acquire Data Impact, a leading e-commerce intelligence player in 40 markets mainly across Europe and the US, will supercharge NielsenIQ’s omnichannel service.

Combining Data Impact’s best-in-class technology - which provides a hypergranular view of banner and store-level e-commerce insights - with NielsenIQ’s unmatched retail measurement footprint, will enable NielsenIQ to scale Data Impact’s product offering globally; and most importantly, will position NielsenIQ to lead the future of omnichannel measurement and execution.

“Combining our technology with Data Impact’s unique offering enables us to offer manufacturers and retailers unparalleled, comprehensive coverage with the granularity needed to make winning omnichannel decisions,” said NielsenIQ Executive Chairman and CEO, Jim Peck in a statement.

The acquisition of Rakuten Intelligence, three years after signing an exclusive agreement to combine Rakuten Intelligence’s largest e-commerce purchase panel in the US with NielsenIQ’s retail sales data, will allow NielsenIQ to deliver clients an integrated online and offline read, aligned to custom client hierarchies, underpinned by cloud-based Connect platform.

NielsenIQ’s recently launched Omnisales product is the first integration derived from this acquisition.

-- BERNAMA

GUANGXI-ASEAN OPEN UP PROSPECTS FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION COOPERATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (Bernama) -- The 9th Forum on China-ASEAN Technology Transfer and Collaborative Innovation was recently inaugurated in Nanning.

The China-ASEAN Technology Trading Platform and the Innovation Space for China-ASEAN Science and Technology Talents were officially launched at the conference, according to a statement.

In recent years, the Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi has made full use of the geographical advantage of Guangxi, such as being adjacent to ASEAN countries.

This included implementation of ‘the Belt and Road’ Science, Technology and Innovation Action Plan, strengthened the construction of China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center (CATTC), and strived to open up a new situation in cooperation in scientific and technological innovation between Guangxi and ASEAN.

Under the guidance of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi has pioneered a new mode of technology transfer, helped CATTC to establish inter-governmental bilateral technology transfer mechanisms with nine ASEAN countries including Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

It also set up joint technology transfer working groups with seven ASEAN countries, and established a China-ASEAN technology transfer cooperation network covering 10 ASEAN countries and some countries of the Belt and Road Initiative with over 2,600 members, which has given a strong boost to the cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in scientific and technological innovation.

The Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi has actively cooperated with universities and institutes at home and abroad to establish innovation platforms such as China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center Bangkok Innovation Center.

Meanwhile, to cope with regional development problems, the Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi has actively promoted the joint research, development and promotion of key generic technologies between the scientific research institutions and enterprises of Guangxi and ASEAN countries.

-- BERNAMA

2021 CHINA-SOUTH KOREA INVESTMENT AND TRADE FAIR AND CHINA (SHENYANG) SOUTH KOREA WEEK TAKES OFF

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- The five-day 2021 China-South Korea Investment and Trade Fair and China (Shenyang) South Korea Week was launched in Shenyang, China on Sept 23, according to the Information Office of Shenyang People's Government.

Artistes from both China and South Korea jointly performed folk music, traditional Korean dance and modern stage plays at the ‘2021 China-South Korea Friendship Gala Evening’, one of the major cultural exchange activities of the ‘South Korea Week’.

‘Cookin' NANTA’, a South Korean stage play, which was performed on Broadway in New York in October 2003, was also performed on the very evening, according to a statement.

“It is remarkable to enjoy the authentic programmes in Shenyang,” said a South Korean audience member working in Shenyang.

In addition, three Chinese performers who had won excellent scores in the Chuncheon International Vocal Competition sang ‘Hand in Hand’. The audience beat time to the song, pushing the performance to a climax.

Economic and trade activities including China-South Korea Investment and Trade Fair exhibition, China-South Korea aviation industry exchange and cooperation docking meeting, as well as cultural and sports exchange activities were also held during the South Korea Week.

-- BERNAMA

VIRGIN HYPERLOOP SHOWCASES FULL-SCALE COMMERCIAL POD IN DP WORLD FLOW PAVILION AT EXPO 2020

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Virgin Hyperloop has revealed it will showcase a full-scale hyperloop cargo pod and cutaway passenger pod as part of DP World’s FLOW pavilion at Expo 2020.

“The constant flow of goods has historically driven innovation in the transportation sector and now more than ever, we must continue to future-proof the industry,” said Sultan bin Sulayem, Chairman of DP World and Virgin Hyperloop.

“Hyperloop is poised to revolutionise the global on-demand logistics market, and we are excited to share our vision for the technology in the DP World FLOW pavilion at Expo 2020.”

According to a statement, upon arrival to the FLOW pavilion, visitors will see a full-scale commercial cargo pod replica measuring nearly 10 metres long.

Once in the pavilion, guests will be able to sit inside a cutaway passenger pod complete with production intent finishes to see what a future journey on hyperloop will feel like.

“World Expos have been debuting the most cutting-edge innovations for centuries, so we are honoured to showcase hyperloop technology on this global stage with DP World,” said Josh Giegel, CEO and Co-Founder of Virgin Hyperloop.

The pavilion opens as part of Expo 2020 on Oct 1 and runs through March 31 next year. The exhibit is open to the public daily starting 10am.

Virgin Hyperloop is the only company in the world that has successfully tested hyperloop technology with passengers, launching the first new mode of mass transportation in over 100 years.

-- BERNAMA

Wings Capital Partners LLC soars with US$500 million secured loan facility closing

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 -- Wings Capital Partners LLC (Wings) has announced the closing of a US$500 million secured loan facility with a syndicate of four major international banks. (US$1 = RM4.175)

The five-year loan facility contains a two-year acquisition period and can be upsized to US$750 million. The facility will be used to acquire a portfolio of predominantly young, in-demand, narrow-body commercial jet aircraft.

The lending group consists of Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Credit Agricole Securities, Natixis S.A. and Royal Bank of Canada. Goldman Sachs Bank USA acted as structuring agent for the facility.

“We are very pleased with the closing of this transaction. It provides access to efficient debt capital that allows Wings to execute on its business plan.

“Wings remains committed to the aviation leasing sector and the facility will support our growth initiatives for the platform. The support from our banking partners demonstrates the confidence the financial community has in our capabilities and business model,” said Jakob Gallagher, Vice President – Treasurer & Capital Markets in a statement.

Wings is a private, full-service aircraft leasing platform primarily investing in single-aisle, in-production commercial jet aircraft on lease to airlines worldwide.

It is led by best in class management team with significant aviation leasing experience (33 years average for senior team) and long-standing airline, lessor, banking, investor and legal relationships.

-- BERNAMA

FINANCIO ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE GETS MAJOR FACELIFT

Financio v3.0.0 Launched Today, Reinventing the Business Financial Management Workflow of SMEs

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- Asian Business Software Solutions Sdn Bhd (“ABSS”), a subsidiary of Censof Holdings Berhad, is pleased to announce the major facelift of its SAAS (software-as-a-service) accounting product – Financio, on 20th September 2021. 

Since its first launch in 2017, Financio is known to be feature-rich, yet easy to operate even without any accounting knowledge. In this major release, the redesigned workflow, alongside the all-new UI/UX enhancement, provides greater flexibility within fewer clicks which bring about work efficiency. The fresh new, modern user interface promises an improved user experience navigation design where user can work and switch from multiple tabs without exiting or reopening the items on the menu.

With the increasing demand from the manufacturing, retail and distribution sectors, Financio v3.0.0 comes with an enhanced inventory management module which supports multiple location tracking, multiple units of measurement, auto-build or item assembly tracking. The preloaded comprehensive inventory reports provide instant clarity and useful insights to help businesses to set accurate pricing, accelerates repeat purchases and to quickly respond to changing market dynamics.
 
"We are very excited with the new facelift that we are launching worldwide today as it further defines our role as one of the leading accounting and taxation software providers in the region. We are providing our customers across various business sizes a better, comprehensive and innovative accounting solutions with this latest version of Financio. Its significant facelift with intuitive navigation and a plethora of features are tailored for their various accounting needs," said Rhys Brown, the chief executive officer of ABSS.
 
Financio supports multi-user, multi-lingual and multi-currency. With a wide range of integrated applications like banks, payrolls, e-commerce and payment gateways, businesses can scale up at ease with Financio whenever ready. With all the new features introduced, Financio’s entry level subscription is priced at RM45/month only. Details and information about Financio including its all-new features and functions are available at www.financio.co/malaysia.  

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ILLUMINATION, NINTENDO REVEAL SUPER MARIO BROS. ANIMATED FILM THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE, VOICE CAST

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Illumination and Nintendo Co Ltd (Nintendo) have announced their new animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros. will be released worldwide during the 2022 holiday season.

Universal Pictures will release the film in North America on Dec 21, next year with the release schedule for additional countries and regions to be announced at a future date. The film will be co-financed by Universal Pictures and Nintendo.

In addition, the two companies announced the voice actors for the characters Mario (Chris Pratt), Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Luigi (Charlie Day), Bowser (Jack Black), Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen), Cranky Kong (Fred Armisen), Kamek (Kevin Michael Richardson) and Spike (Sebastian Maniscalco).

According to a statement, each voice actor was cast for the ability to capture the unique spirit of their character.

“Mario and Luigi are two of the most beloved heroes in all of popular culture, and we are honoured to have the unique opportunity to work so closely with Shigeru Miyamoto and the widely imaginative team at Nintendo to bring these characters to life in an animated movie, unlike any film Illumination has made to date,” said Illumination’s Founder and CEO, and outside director of Nintendo, Chris Meledandri.

This new animated film will be produced by Meledandri of Illumination and Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, who previously collaborated on the animated series Teen Titans Go! and the film Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.

The screenplay of the film will be written by Matthew Fogel, whose writing credits include The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part and the upcoming Illumination film Minions: The Rise of Gru.

Illumination is one of the entertainment industry's leading producers of event-animated films. It was honoured by Fast Company as one of the world's most innovative companies.

-- BERNAMA

FPT-HALLIBURTON WELL-OILED COLLABORATION TO ACCELERATE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Vietnam’s largest IT firm FPT has announced a strategic collaboration with global oilfield services leader Halliburton to accelerate digital transformation by lowering innovation costs and time to adoption across the E&P sector.

“FPT and Halliburton have a long history of collaboration and a close relationship. In the past decade, FPT has contributed to the success of Halliburton’s various critical programmes, and I believe this exclusive partnership is a testament to our strong IT competencies and industry know-how,” said FPT Chairman Dr Truong Gia Binh.

Building on the deep experience and knowledge of DecisionSpace® 365 and iEnergy® hybrid cloud, FPT has launched a dedicated Landmark practice of over 150 developers, data scientists, and cloud engineers, according to a statement.

This practice will provide customers with a dedicated digital factory development centre to build and deploy customer specific solutions by leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) and extending DecisionSpace 365 cloud applications.

It also offers system integration services to connect third party applications using iEnergy and DecisionSpace 365 application programming interface (API) to enable enterprise-wide workflows and solutions.

“We are excited to expand our collaboration with FPT as an innovation provider to design, build, and deploy extensions to DecisionSpace365 applications using the iEnergy hybrid cloud,” said Senior Vice President of Landmark, Halliburton Digital Solutions and Consulting, Nagaraj Srinivasan.

This collaboration also allows Halliburton and its customers to tap into FPT’s highly skilled workforce in 26 countries.

FPT’s mix of on-site, nearshore, and offshore delivery models enables the service company to optimise costs and ensures its customers enjoy localised services and timely support from FPT’s technology professionals worldwide.

More details at https://www.fpt-software.com/

-- BERNAMA

AKWEL REPORTS 2021 HALF-YEARLY RESULTS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- AKWEL, the automotive and HGV equipment and systems manufacturer specialising in fluid management and mechanisms, has published its 2021 half-yearly results.

In the first half of 2021, AKWEL recorded consolidated revenue of €487.6 million, up 26.0 per cent on 2020 and 33.7 per cent at a constant scope and exchange rates, but it is still down nearly 14 per cent compared to the same period of 2019. (€1 = RM4.904)

The Group’s business was adversely affected – like the sector as a whole – by major supply difficulties in commodities and electronic components, according to a statement.

EBITDA reached €64.7 million, up 7.9 per cent, and current operating income more than doubled to €50.0 million, while the net income Group share was €38.0 million.

Free cash flow generation remained strong at €44.4 million compared to €51.5 million in the first half of 2020.

In a context of reduced visibility on market, AKWEL expects at best a slight increase in its activity over the financial year as a whole compared to 2020, but significantly down versus 2019. 

Operating profitability is expected to decline in 2021, adversely affected by production disruptions and increases in costs related to supply problems.

Confident in the solidity of its model and the relevance of its strategic choices, AKWEL will continue its investments in commercial development and new mobility solutions, particularly electric and hydrogen, and continue to roll out its partnership with Tallano on braking particles.

Operating in 20 countries across every continent, AKWEL employs almost 10,500 people worldwide.

-- BERNAMA

KOREAN GOVERNMENT KEEN SUPPORTING ICT SMES FOR FOREIGN MARKET ENTRY

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea and the Korea Association for ICT Promotion (KAIT) recently held the World Online ICT Show (WOW) 2021 Business Meeting.

This is to support overseas market entry of Korean small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the ICT industry experiencing difficulties in marketing route development due to the prolongation of COVID-19.

A KAIT official said: “We will continue striving to help businesses achieve substantial outcomes through systematic follow-up management support and monitoring, such as by holding the second export fair during November targeting businesses that are highly likely to win orders.”

Over 80 Korean ICT SMEs and 62 buyers from 29 countries, including the US, Brazil, Belgium, China, and Vietnam, attended the two-day business meeting beginning Sept 15, using the WOW platform. 

The platform is an online show platform to help domestic ICT businesses enter overseas markets and expand export in the difficult times after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement.

The meeting was held online and offline concurrently at the venue in COEX. For companies that could not attend the fair, an online consultation service was provided in the form of a three-way video conference with the buyers and interpreters.

To realise the successful export contract of the attending companies, a prior demand survey was conducted for business matching with buyers.

In addition, to overcome the limitations of the contactless format of this event, a directory book on the participating companies’ products was produced and distributed to buyers, providing sufficient information about the companies. 

Moreover, the participating SMEs were provided with opportunities to receive professional trade and IR consulting services in order to help them resolve their current difficulties.

-- BERNAMA

MANULIFE MALAYSIA OFFERS FREE COVID-19 COVERAGE FOR NON-MANULIFE CUSTOMERS

 KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- With the COVID-19 situation still of concern, Manulife Insurance Berhad (MIB) is once again stepping up to provide a helping hand in the form of free COVID-19 coverage for non-Manulife customers. Available for enrolment online from 15 September 2021 to 15 October 2021, this free COVID-19 coverage provides a guaranteed lump sum payment of RM5,000 in the event of death from COVID-19. Registration is limited to the first 80,000 successful enrolment and is open to Malaysians and permanent residents of Malaysia, aged 21 to 60 years old. They must not hold any Manulife insurance policies to enjoy this coverage.

Successful applicants will receive 90-day free coverage, commencing on the date of successful enrolment confirmation. The coverage will automatically expire after the 90-day period.

Since the early days of COVID-19 in Malaysia, our MIB customers have been supported under the RM1 million Special Financial Assistance Programme (SFAP) 1.0 that was launched on 26 February 2020, where policyholders would receive daily income of RM200 upon diagnosis of COVID-19 and Compassionate Benefit of up to RM15,000. Since 1 June 2021, MIB allocated an additional RM500,000 under the SFAP 2.0, to continue supporting policyholders who are affected by COVID-19. Both programmes have since been fully redeemed, benefitting close to 650 MIB customers.

“Our continued response to COVID-19 is a testament to our commitment and readiness to get through this challenging time with the people of Malaysia,” said Chief Executive Officer of MIB, Vibha Coburn. “Our top priority is the health and safety of our employees, our customers, and our communities. With our free COVID-19 coverage programme, we are helping to provide additional assurance and assistance to Malaysians in need.”

To sign up for the free COVID-19 coverage programme, non-Manulife customers can visit http://www.manulife.com.my/manulifewithyou and fill up their details in the form. MIB will send an email notification on the status of registration to applicants.

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

SOURCE: Manulife Insurance Berhad

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BLOOM&CO. GROUP-ANYMIND GROUP PARTNERSHIP TO ENABLE JAPANESE COMPANIES EXPAND ASIAN BUSINESS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Bloom&Co. Group, which delivers business growth by developing and implementing brand and marketing strategies based on customer insights, has partnered AnyMind Group, an end-to-end commerce enablement platform providing technology and solutions for marketers, business owners, influencers and publishers.

According to a statement, the collaboration looks to enable Japanese companies to seamlessly and quickly expand their business in Asia through technology. This is not done simply by maximising short-term sales and return on investment, but by building your business, brand and marketing capability across diverse markets in Asia-Pacific.

Additionally, this partnership will enable strategic growth of customers by leveraging AnyMind Group’s software suite, which provides end-to-end support for consumer businesses to develop and grow, utilising cloud manufacturing, e-commerce enablement, marketing and logistics, and the strength of Bloom&Co. Group in developing and executing strategies based on customer insights.

In recent years, Asia as a consumer market has increased in importance worldwide. Beyond China, South Korea and Japan, the rapidly-growing Southeast Asian region has been gaining momentum and as such, there is a greater focus in Japan towards the wider Asian region.

Based on this partnership, bolstered by software from AnyMind Group and the expertise of Bloom&Co. Group, we can develop marketing strategies based on local customer insights in each market and enable highly-effective business tactics to drive business growth.

Customers can also tap on comprehensive support and capabilities offered by AnyMind Group and Bloom&Co. Group in the e-commerce and direct-to-consumer sectors, including cross-border e-commerce and logistics.

Bloom&Co. Group, an advisory firm offering services across several specialties including Research, Strategy Development, Marketing, PR, Go-to-Market, UI / UX Design, Technology and Finance, has subsidiaries as Bloom&Co. Inc and Bloom&Co. East Pte Ltd.

-- BERNAMA

ZYNGA’S HARRY POTTER: PUZZLES & SPELLS MOBILE GAME ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY WEAVES WEEK-LONG FESTIVITIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Zynga Inc, a global leader in interactive entertainment, announced that its magical Match-3 mobile game, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells, is marking its one-year anniversary with a full week of festivities.

Fans worldwide are invited to join the celebration with a seven-day slate of in-game gifts, events, sweepstakes and new content commemorating the occasion.

“We’re incredibly proud of the accolades and reception that Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells has received, but we’re even more inspired and humbled by the players who have joined us on this journey,” said Executive Vice President, Games at Zynga, Yaron Leyvand.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone with the fans, and look forward to opening the game’s next chapter, together.”

Since its launch in September 2020, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells has delighted fans with its authentic wizarding world puzzles and gameplay.

With more than 2,000 puzzle levels in the main player journey, the game continues to invite players together to revel in the fun and excitement of Hogwarts with new content and events.

According to a statement, Zynga has released a new trailer featuring game highlights.

Inspired by Dudley Dursley’s most memorable birthday, beginning this week, a new ‘London Zoo’ themed event in the game will invite players to collect ‘presents’ on their gameboard to earn reward chests.

Bringing a serpentine twist to this birthday-inspired event, players can make matches next to mysterious boxes on their gameboard to release the python inside.

Throughout the anniversary week, visitors to the Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels will be invited to post their favourite memory from the game tagged #PuzzlesAndSpellsAnniversary.

Three players will be chosen at random to win an anniversary prize package, packed with in-game currency, items, power-up bundles and more.

Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells is playable on iOS and Android devices worldwide, as well as on Amazon Kindle and Facebook. 

More details at www.zynga.com.

-- BERNAMA

READSPEAKER CUSTOM VOICES FOR SPOTIFY’S CAR THING SMART PLAYER

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- ReadSpeaker has announced that Spotify uses ReadSpeaker’s text-to-speech (TTS) technology to deliver custom voices for Spotify’s newest exploration in the US - a limited release of Car Thing, a smart player for your car.

According to a statement, ReadSpeaker’s technology currently powers the custom voice available in Car Thing.

“As leaders in our respective industry areas, this partnership is particularly exciting—we challenge each other around the voice field, and each come up with ideas and strive to drive the boundaries of innovation even further,” said CMO at ReadSpeaker, Roy Lindemann.

Similar to the way the business world evolved from relying on websites to mobile apps as smartphones became popular, as the world moves beyond touchscreens and into a touchless future, consumers will become increasingly reliant on voice commands.

ReadSpeaker believes that all brands have their own independent voice assistant, and custom voices will be critical in enabling brands to stand apart from competitors.

Spotify uses ReadSpeaker’s technology and the ReadSpeaker VoiceLab because of the company’s deep expertise in custom branded voices powered by deep neural networks.

Further, ReadSpeaker’s embedded and cloud-based solutions as well as a broad range of natural-sounding voices were a key differentiator as Spotify searched for a voice partner.

With over 20 years of industry experience, ReadSpeaker is the most trusted, independent digital voice partner for global brands, offering brands sophisticated text-to-speech solutions and expert hands-on assistance to create the most engaging bespoke voice interfaces.

More details at https://www.readspeaker.com/

-- BERNAMA

JENNIFER N. HARRIS DESIGNATED TO JUMIO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Jumio, the leading provider of AI-powered end-to-end identity verification and eKYC solutions, has announced the appointment of Jennifer N. Harris to serve on the company’s Board of Directors.

Most recently, she was chief financial officer at Q2 Holdings Inc, a provider of secure, cloud-based digital solutions in financial services.

Harris has extensive experience with acquisitions and IPOs, and joins Jumio after more than three decades spent in high-profile finance and accounting positions at rapidly growing public and private high-technology companies, serving markets ranging from SaaS and cloud-based finance solutions to non-profit software solutions, broadband and mobile data services.

“Jennifer’s expertise in financial and operational infrastructure at high-growth technology companies is a tremendous asset for Jumio as we continue to scale our leadership in the digital identity space,” said Jumio CEO Robert Prigge in a statement.

“Her stewardship role will further strengthen our ability to leverage record growth and our recent investment from Great Hill Partners for long-term profitability and performance.”

Harris’ appointment to the Board comes at a strategic inflection point for Palo Alto-based Jumio which secured the US$150 million investment from Great Hill Partners in March, and also grew revenue and sales over 150 per cent in Q2 2021 and achieved all-time record sales for its end-to-end AML compliance solutions. (US$1 = RM4.187)

“I’m thrilled to be joining Jumio at such an auspicious moment for the company. Jumio is transforming the identity verification playbook for KYC, fraud detection, compliance, bank-grade security and other demanding use cases,” said Harris, a graduate of Indiana University (B.S., Business), who began her career as public accountant with Price Waterhouse.

Jumio also recently expanded its executive bench with key hires including Anna Convery as chief marketing officer and Bala Kumar as chief product officer.

For more information, visit www.jumio.com.

-- BERNAMA

CELLTRION'S MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT FOR COVID-19 SECURES KOREAN MFDS APPROVAL

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- The Celltrion Group announced the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has approved regdanvimab (CT-P59), a monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19.

This is for the extended use in elderly patients aged 50 years and over, or with at least one underlying medical condition (the obese, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, and patients with immunosuppressive agents) with mild symptoms of COVID-19, and adult patients with moderate symptoms of COVID-19.

This marks the first time a monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 has received full approval to treat patients with COVID-19 from the Korean MFDS, according to a statement.

“Recent clinical data have helped improve healthcare professionals’ and public health authorities’ understanding of the potential role of regdanvimab in the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms of COVID-19,” said Head of Medical and Marketing Division at Celltrion Healthcare, Dr HoUng Kim, Ph.D.

The administration time for the recommended dosage of regdanvimab (CT-P59), a single intravenous (IV) infusion of 40 mg/kg, has been reduced from 90 minutes to 60 minutes.

Celltrion has successfully enrolled more than 1,315 people in its global Phase III clinical trial, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of regdanvimab (CT-P59) in 13 countries including the US, Spain, and Romania.

Data showed regdanvimab (CT-P59) significantly reduced the risk of COVID-19 related hospitalisation or death by 72 per cent for patients at high-risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 and 70 per cent for all patients.

In addition, pre- clinical data for regdanvimab (CT-P59) demonstrated strong neutralising activity against the Delta variant (B.1.617.2, first identified in India) with results showing 100 per cent survival rate with virus eradication from all animals treated with therapeutic dosage of CT-P59.

As of September 2021, more than 14,857 people have been treated with regdanvimab (CT-P59) in 107 hospitals in the Republic of Korea.

More details at https://www.celltrionhealthcare.com.

-- BERNAMA

ADAGIO THERAPEUTICS REPORTS COVID-19 ANTIBODY PROGRAMME UPDATES, BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS, SECOND QUARTER 2021 FINANCIAL RESULTS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- Adagio Therapeutics Inc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company has reported updates on its lead COVID-19 antibody programme, ADG20, as well as recent business highlights and second quarter 2021 financial results.

“Our team is working closely with our global CRO partners on the execution of our ongoing global clinical trials of ADG20, STAMP and EVADE, while also preparing for the anticipated worldwide commercialisation of ADG20, if approved,” said co-founder and chief executive officer of Adagio, Tillman Gerngross, Ph.D. in a statement.

ADG20 COVID-19 programme highlights include New ADG20 Data to be Presented in Multiple Posters during IDWeek; and, Partnership with Biocon Biologics Expands the Reach of a Potent and Broadly Neutralizing COVID-19 Antibody Treatment to Patients in India and Select Emerging Markets.

At the IDWeek 2021 Virtual Conference, Adagio plans to present additional data highlighting the potential for ADG20 to provide protection from COVID-19 for up to one year based on its extended half-life in humans combined with its broad and potent neutralising ability demonstrated in laboratory testing.

Meanwhile, recent business highlights include David Hering, Global COVID-19 Vaccine Expert, Appointed as Chief Operating Officer; US$355.8 Million Initial Public Offering (IPO) Successfully Completed; and, Board of Directors Expanded with Industry Leaders to Support Future Growth.

In August 2021, Adagio sold 20,930,000 shares of common stock, including the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase an additional 2,730,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of US$17.00 per share. (US$1 = RM4.188)

In addition, as of June 30, Adagio had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of US$392.5 million, which includes net proceeds from its Series C financing completed in April, while pro forma cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of June 30 is US$719.6 million after giving effect to its initial public offering which closed on Aug 10.

Research & development expenses including in-process research and development for the second quarter of 2021 were US$37.6 million, while selling, general & administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2021 were US$7.1 million.

More details at www.adagiotx.com.

-- BERNAMA

FROM COMEDY TO THE CAKERY

 

^{Vinodh Menon, Founder of The Cakery, went from comedy producer to online cakes and has never looked back since. His vision for The Cakery is to expand it across Malaysia.}


- An online bakery born in a pandemic –


KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- What happens when a pandemic brings a stand-up comedy producer’s business to a grinding halt? He goes on to set-up an online bakery of course!

Vinodh Menon began his entrepreneurial adventure in October of 2016. Within 4 years he grew his fledgling PR agency, into a stand-up event production and online event ticketing company, hosting events for thousands, working with stand-up comics from Malaysia, Singapore, and India. While the going was good, fate had a different plan in mind, and in March of 2020, the first lockdown was announced, and nothing was ever the same again. Forced to look for an alternative source of income, and with very little options at hand, Vinodh decided to set-up his own online bakery, lovingly known as, The Cakery.

“Baking and me are ‘night and day’, aside from knowing how to wash dishes, there is very little I can offer in a kitchen, let alone a bakery. ‘Necessity is the mother of all inventions’, as my mother would always say, and after noticing several home-baker friends making considerable sales on social media, I realised that if I applied my marketing and public relations experience to the trade, I could do better, and so The Cakery was born,” said Vinodh Menon, Founder of The Cakery.

Within its first 10-days, The Cakery sold an eye-brow raising 33 cakes. In the following 8-months, The Cakery went on to sell over 300 orders per month, and expand its delivery to include, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Penang. Its menu includes cakes, cupcakes, brownies, macarons, and cookies for any and every occasion. Vinodh prides himself with ensuring the customer’s wants are at the heart of every order, which has led to plenty of custom creations that delight the eye, and perfectly represents the uniqueness of every customer.

“Whether it was events or cakes, I always aspire for the customer to have a great time thanks to my show, and now, my cake. Cakes play such a crucial role in any occasion, and allowing the customer to design the cake, makes every cake special,” adds Vinodh.

Sales numbers aside, The Cakery has helped others keep afloat during these turbulent times. Its tasty treats are put together by group of bakers, located in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang. All of whom have a minimum of 5 years’ experience as home bakers, and some of whom negatively impacted by the pandemic.

While the going has been encouraging, The Cakery aims to grow to Ipoh, Seremban, and Johor Bahru, to a national brand.

For more information on The Cakery, feel free to visit its Facebook and Instagram pages @thecakerymy.

Source: The Cakery

CELLTRION'S MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT FOR COVID-19 SECURES KOREAN MFDS APPROVAL

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- The Celltrion Group announced the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has approved regdanvimab (CT-P59), a monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19.

This is for the extended use in elderly patients aged 50 years and over, or with at least one underlying medical condition (the obese, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, and patients with immunosuppressive agents) with mild symptoms of COVID-19, and adult patients with moderate symptoms of COVID-19.

This marks the first time a monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 has received full approval to treat patients with COVID-19 from the Korean MFDS, according to a statement.

“Recent clinical data have helped improve healthcare professionals’ and public health authorities’ understanding of the potential role of regdanvimab in the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms of COVID-19,” said Head of Medical and Marketing Division at Celltrion Healthcare, Dr HoUng Kim, Ph.D.

The administration time for the recommended dosage of regdanvimab (CT-P59), a single intravenous (IV) infusion of 40 mg/kg, has been reduced from 90 minutes to 60 minutes.

Celltrion has successfully enrolled more than 1,315 people in its global Phase III clinical trial, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of regdanvimab (CT-P59) in 13 countries including the US, Spain, and Romania.

Data showed regdanvimab (CT-P59) significantly reduced the risk of COVID-19 related hospitalisation or death by 72 per cent for patients at high-risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 and 70 per cent for all patients.

In addition, pre- clinical data for regdanvimab (CT-P59) demonstrated strong neutralising activity against the Delta variant (B.1.617.2, first identified in India) with results showing 100 per cent survival rate with virus eradication from all animals treated with therapeutic dosage of CT-P59.

As of September 2021, more than 14,857 people have been treated with regdanvimab (CT-P59) in 107 hospitals in the Republic of Korea.

More details at https://www.celltrionhealthcare.com.

-- BERNAMA

MCKL STUDENTS BAGS TOP CAMBRIDGE A LEVEL AWARDS

MCKL Celebrates 245 Outstanding Scholars for the Cambridge International A Level June 2021 Examination Series

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL) celebrated 245 Cambridge A Level (CAL) students who achieved various awards for the Cambridge International June 2021 Examination Series which was recently announced by the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE).
 
MCKL’s Cambridge International June 2021 Examination Series witness 63% of students scoring 3As and above breaking all previous records. Another remarkable achievement recorded by the June 2021 examination series is the 83% of distinctions in Further Mathematics and above 73% of distinctions in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Biology. These results have given MCKL a 100% average passing rate for 8 consecutive years from 2014 to 2021.  
 
“We proudly congratulate all 245 Outstanding Scholars, recipients of the Excellence Awards for CGPA over 3.7, and the Subject Prize Winners. Amidst the pandemic, and the swift implementation of hybrid learning, MCKL continues to succeed with new records, and excellent results adding more recognitions for us to celebrate this year.” said Ms Angela Pok, CEO of MCKL.
 
This year, MCKL celebrated three (3) awardees – the Overall Academic Excellence recipients for Cambridge A Level are Kim Byungjoo (Combination of Science and Arts), Renee Foo Sheng Li (Pure Science) and Ng Jou Yan (Pure Arts).
 
Kim Byungjoo also received the prestigious Bishop Denis C Dutton Award 2021 for best performance in the GCE A Level Examination June 2021 in MCKL.

Upon receiving the mentioned awards, Kim Byungjoo (20) said “I feel happy to receive such award, but at the same time, I feel compensated for the hard work I have done. There had been a worldwide pandemic from the start of my year, so we had to learn mostly online. Great thanks to my lecturers, I could continue my studies while in this situation.”

Sharing about her experience, Renee Foo (19) said, “I am also very appreciative that my lecturers were very accessible and went out of their way to ensure the students are up to speed with the class materials and lessons.” 

“I was very surprised and grateful at the same time for the school for recognising my achievement as well as the efforts I poured in,” said Ng Jou Yan (19), Pure Science Award recipient.

The Cambridge International A Level Examination is an internationally recognised exam that provides students with the opportunity to earn a prestigious international qualification. More than one million students around the globe participate in Cambridge examination annually.
 
For over 38 years, Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL) has been providing quality higher education in the best of Methodist tradition. MCKL will be launching its first branch campus – MCKL College (Penang, Pykett Campus) this year. Follow MCKL official Facebook and Instagram page for more updates. For details, visit mckl.edu.my or call 03-2274 1851.
 
About Methodist College Kuala Lumpur
Visit: https://mckl.edu.my/about-mckl/our-story/
  

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UNICOMMERCE 10 CLIENT ACQUISITIONS EXPANDS SEA PORTFOLIO

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- Unicommerce, e-commerce focused supply chain SaaS technology platform is aggressively expanding its client base in Southeast Asia, having onboarded more than 10 companies in the last few months with clients across Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Unicommerce will enable these companies with order management, inventory management, and warehouse management, with some of the leading brands Unicommerce is currently working within these markets being Edamama, Payo Asia, and many more.

Over the last year, Unicommerce has been building its network and getting the product ready for Southeast Asia. The company has integrated its platform with marketplaces, logistics service providers such as Lazada, Shopee, NinjaVan, Fleet.ph, XDE, etc.

Unicommerce is recognised as one of the finest technology platforms as it has 150+ pre-existing integrations, making it a plug-and-play solution for e-tailers. This has helped Unicommerce to acquire clients who were working with other prominent players.

Unicommerce works with some of the biggest brands of India and processes 20 per cent of India’s e-commerce volumes.

Based on a statement, the company is bullish on its Southeast Asia expansion with focus on rapid client acquisition in Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, aiming to increase its workforce in these countries and planning to achieve 400 per cent plus business growth in SEA in the current calendar year.

Speaking on the expansion, Unicommerce CEO, Kapil Makhija said: “Our journey in South East Asia started in December 2020. We spent the initial six months on extensive research to understand the pain points of e-tailers in the region and to enhance our product to cater to companies in Southeast Asia.

“With our proven success record in our home market - India, brands in South East Asia are showing immense interest to partner with Unicommerce in their e-commerce journey.”

-- BERNAMA 

SMBC MALAYSIA ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

 

Mr Hiroshi Okawa, SMBC Malaysia President & Chief Executive Officer effective 19 July 2021. 

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Malaysia Berhad (“SMBC Malaysia”) announced the appointment of Mr Hiroshi Okawa, 51 as its President & Chief Executive Officer effective 19 July 2021. He replaces Mr Tetsuya Kainaka who has returned to Tokyo, Japan to take on a new role.
 
Mr Okawa’s inspiring journey with SMBC began in 1992 when he joined the Hakusan Branch in Tokyo and today has more than 29 years of banking experience, mainly in the areas of business development and customer relationship management.
 
Through his vast experiences in front office roles, Mr Okawa had led SMBC to forge strong partnerships with many customers. During his stints in various assignments within SMBC Group, Mr Okawa was involved in the crafting of strategic business plans that are integral to the sustainable growth of the Group. He leads by example with a “Customer First” mindset – one of SMBC Group’s five key corporate values – and his innovative ideas and creative solutions specially designed to meet the needs of customers have proven him with an edge in the industry.
 
Prior to his appointment at SMBC Malaysia, Mr Okawa has held various positions at SMBC locations in Tokyo, London, Hong Kong and Singapore.
 
He is a graduate from Keio University with a Bachelor of Economics. 

About Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Malaysia Berhad
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Malaysia Berhad (SMBCMY) is a public limited company incorporated and domiciled in Malaysia operating under a full banking license awarded by Bank Negara Malaysia in 2010 and commenced its business in April 2011. The Bank is principally engaged in full-fledged wholesale and institutional banking and its related financial services.
 
The immediate and ultimate owners of the Bank are Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. respectively. Both companies are incorporated in Japan. For more information on SMBC Asia Pacific, visit www.smbc.co.jp/asia. 

Source: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Malaysia Berhad
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Julie Lim
Planning Department
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Malaysia Berhad
Tel : +603-2176 1410 / +6016-370 5300
Fax : +603-2165 1599
Email  : julie_lim@my.smbc.co.jp 

--BERNAMA

EGON ZEHNDER GLOBAL STUDY REVEALS CEOS ARE MORE SELF-AWARE, YET NEED TO BECOME MORE RELATIONAL AND ADAPTIVE

Survey of nearly 1,000 global CEOs reveals recent social and economic challenges drove unprecedented levels of self-reflection and development – changing CEO perspectives and the leadership role

ZURICH, Sept 17 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Egon Zehnder, the world’s preeminent leadership advisory firm, today announced the results of a study which surveyed 972 CEOs worldwide, capturing the pulse on how CEO roles and expectations are evolving at the hand of momentous global challenges and emerging trends. The study uncovered that self-reflection and personal development have jumped to be among the top of CEO priorities as they become increasingly self-aware, realizing that the key to prosperity is to improve the human side of their leadership.

As heightened demands for workplace equality and new pressures around hybrid work continue to dramatically shape business culture, CEOs worldwide are reevaluating their role, how they engage with their team, as well as how they hold their organization – and themselves – accountable for making their businesses future-ready. Today, CEOs view prioritizing their own development and tapping into the intrinsic sources of energy of the people in their organizations as crucial to navigating through complex business environments.

Key findings include:

• 90% of CEOs report they have moved to the center of increasingly louder, more diverse and diverging voices. When asked about the impact of recent circumstances on their organization, most CEOs highlighted accelerated decision making and change, and greater economic uncertainty. These shifts speak to the complexities and rapid evolution that is reshaping business – and that CEOs will answer to more stakeholders and be measured in new and emerging ways.

• 83% of leaders find it essential to reflect on their own leadership style – up from 66% in the 2018 study, The CEO: A Personal Reflection. CEOs are expanding their ability to be adaptive, relational, and self-aware. They are committed to listening to diverse perspectives and are increasingly seeking feedback from new places – including team members, chairs, mentors, consultants, and other CEOs. In addition, female CEOs are more likely to gather feedback from a wide range of sources – and are more likely than male counterparts to seek guidance from fellow CEOs, mentors and family members.

• 78% of CEOs strongly agree that they need to continue their self-transformation – three times as much from 2018. CEOs also agree strongly on the importance of the “dual journey,” a path where leaders believe viewing their personal development and their organization’s growth as an interrelated journey will affect optimal change. Our most striking finding is the near-unanimous agreement among a thousand leaders that, “As CEO, I need the capacity to transform myself as well as my organization.”

• Two-thirds of CEOs report that the ultimate metrics that steer their decisions have remained consistent, despite new social and economic business expectations that they express support for. Given this conflict, it’s not clear whether CEOs have a direct path to deliver on their ambitions with traditional financial metrics as the dominant decision driver for most CEOs.

• An analysis of open-ended answers has shown that nearly 500 CEOs, more than half of all respondents, see relational capabilities as a key blind spot. Specifically, less than half of CEOs (44%) report they feel fully aligned with their teams, and even fewer with their boards – pointing to heightened levels of tension and increased need for collaboration.

“CEOs recognize that today’s unprecedented business complexities require a significant shift in leadership – and that change must begin by looking inward with new levels of self-reflection and personal development. This isn’t self-indulgent naval gazing; it’s what our teams, organizations and stakeholders expect of our CEOs,” said Jill Ader, Global Chairwoman of Egon Zehnder. “Now, more than ever, traditional business acumen must be equally balanced with empathy and compassion in order to gain their teams’ and organizations’ emotional commitment, navigate business complexities and build productive, inspiring workplaces.”

Navigating through these complex environments demand CEOs increase their personal capacity to be adaptive, relational and self-aware, stressed Kati Najipoor-Schuette and Dick Patton, who co-lead Egon Zehnder’s CEO advisory group and co-authored this study. Especially today, these capacities need to be increasingly balanced with traditional leadership strengths, strategic planning and a relentless performance orientation. Mastering these skills requires leaders to increase their capacity to listen, trust in a broader network of stakeholders and communicate more authentically than ever before.

As a result of honing these skills and taking a more human-centric approach to leadership, CEOs will evolve the resiliency, leadership and adaptability of themselves – and their organizations.

For more information on Egon Zehnder’s CEO Study, which surveyed 972 CEOs worldwide, visit www.egonzehnder.com/it-starts-with-the-CEO.

About Egon Zehnder

Egon Zehnder is the world’s preeminent leadership advisory firm, inspiring leaders to navigate complex questions with human answers. With more than 55 years of experience advising clients on chief executive leadership, we know that the selection of a CEO is the midpoint of a process, not the end. That’s why we partner with our clients to deliver a comprehensive and effective CEO transition, succession, development and onboarding support. We help organizations get to the heart of their leadership challenges and offer honest feedback and insights to help leaders realize their true being and purpose. Our 525 consultants across 63 offices and 37 countries are former industry and functional leaders who collaborate seamlessly across geographies, industries and functions to deliver the full power of the Firm to every client, every time. We believe that together we can transform people, organizations and the world through leadership.

For more information, visit www.egonzehnder.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

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‘INNOVATION FOR COOL EARTH FORUM 8TH ANNUAL MEETING’ KICKS OFF OCT 6 - 7

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- The ICEF Secretariat has announced that Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) will host ‘Innovation for Cool Earth Forum 8th Annual Meeting (ICEF2021)’ online from Oct 6 to 7.

Every year since 2014, METI and NEDO have hosted the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF) to gather leading international figures in Tokyo to discuss how to combat climate change through technological innovation, according to a statement.

ICEF's mission is to nurture discussion and collaboration among participants and disseminate the industry's latest innovations in energy and environmental technologies by providing a place where experts can share their knowledge on how to tackle the 21st century's greatest environmental challenge.

A distinguished steering committee, consisting of members from worldwide, strives to bring the best minds together to develop a programme which addresses forces of change while ensuring they are based on solid evidence.

In the world, a variety of initiatives across industry, government and academia are being rapidly accelerated toward a Decarbonized Society.

There are many diverse climate change challenges, and all stakeholders in society, including the private sector and governments, are called upon to tackle specific actions from short and long-term perspectives.

Registration is free of charge and available at https://www.icef.go.jp/register/

-- BERNAMA

VISTAJET UNVEILS ‘MOONLIGHT INFUSIONS’ CELEBRATING MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL 2021

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- To celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and the joy of family reunions, VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, has introduced Moonlight Infusions.

For a limited time, clients are invited to celebrate the festival on board with a bespoke tea and mooncake pairing session, as well as a personalised Tea Flight Experience while basking in the beauty of the moon.

Executive Vice President of Marketing and Innovation at VistaJet, Matteo Atti said in a statement: “Mid- Autumn Festival is about spending quality time with family, be it in the air or on the ground.”

“Whether you are looking for a notable experience in the air or simply looking for the safest way to reunite with family, VistaJet is here to help anytime, anywhere, and create one of the most unforgettable memories for you at this special time of the year.”

Available from now throughout September 2021 for those departing from key Asian cities, Moonlight Infusions showcases highlights from VistaJet’s tea collection, including Red Dragon tea, Dragon Well, Iron Buddha and Vintage Imperial Puerh.

Clients will appreciate the teas with thoughtfully paired premium mooncakes. For example, Red Dragon is a unique black tea with an enticing fruity flavour and creamy note of chocolate, making a perfect combination when paired with a dense, rich red bean mooncake.

The bespoke Tea Flight Experience is also available upon request to VistaJet clients both on board and on the ground, guided virtually by tea masters who will take clients on an immersive journey through the world of tea and bring to life their signature varieties.

VistaJet also offers its clients the opportunity to embark on tea plantation journeys around the world, curated by Based on a True Story, enabling guests to connect with the origins, the people and culture behind the teas.

-- BERNAMA

TOP WORLD LEADERS TO GATHER ONLINE FOR 18TH ANNUAL MEETING OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIETY FORUM (STS FORUM)

 TOKYO, Sept. 17, 2021/Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/--

- Meeting Set for October 2 to 5, 2021, Seeking Better Future of Humankind -
 
The STS forum is holding its 18th Annual Meeting from October 2 to 5, 2021. World leaders, including professional scientists, policymakers and business leaders, will gather online to discuss the pressing science and technology issues the world is facing and to build an international network.
 
Dates: Saturday, October 2, to Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Venue: LIVE ONLINE from Kyoto, Japan
Participation: By invitation only
 
Invitation requests can be submitted from https://www.stsforum.org/kyoto2021/.
 
Program
The forum will host 20 sessions online this year. Some examples of the topics are "Global Pandemic--Lessons Learned and Forecast," "Green Recovery for Sustainable Society," "Disruptive Technologies for Industries," "The Second Quantum Revolution and Society," "Lights and Shadows of Digital Economy," and "Path Toward Net-Zero Emission."
 
Confirmed speakers
More than 100 distinguished speakers, including 14 Novel laureates, have confirmed their online presence:
 
Policymakers:
- Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner, European Commission, EU
- Laksana Tri Handoko, Chairman, National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia
- Helen Elizabeth Clark, 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand
 
Business leaders:
- Nathan Myhrvold, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Intellectual Ventures, U.S.A.
- Terry Brady, President and CEO, Underwriters Laboratories Inc., U.S.A.
- Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Chief Technology Officer, Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Saudi Arabia
 
Academia:
- Anthony S. Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S.A.
- George Fu Gao, Director-General, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China
- Gerald H. Haug, President, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
 
International organization/media:
- Seth Berkley, CEO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
- Magdalena Skipper, Editor-in-Chief, Nature, U.K.
- Holden Thorp, Editor-in-Chief, Science, U.S.A.
 
Entire program (updated daily):
https://www.stsforum.org/kyoto2021/
 
Online coverage available to the media
To register, please visit: https://www.stsforum.org/media/
 
Scenes from last year's annual meeting:
https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/202109139960?p=images
 
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ykQ8GL4Rc&ab_channel=STSforum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNtFlPkHuZk&ab_channel=STSforum
 
About STS forum
The STS forum, a non-profit organization founded in 2004, aims to provide a unique platform for the world's top leaders to unite and discuss how to deal with science and technology issues from a long-term perspective for the future of humankind.
https://www.stsforum.org/
 
 
Source: STS forum (NPO)