HITACHI ENERGY ACHIEVES 100% FOSSIL FREE ELECTRICITY IN OWN OPERATIONS

 The global technology and market leader in power grids has achieved the first-step target in its Sustainability 2030 plan and steps up the pace towards carbon-neutral

Zurich, Switzerland, Jan 28 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hitachi Energy today announced that it has achieved the first-step target set out in its Sustainability 2030 plan – the use of 100% fossil-free electricity in its own operations(1*). The company is driving towards being carbon-neutral in its own operations by 2030(2**), in line with its Purpose, ‘Advancing a sustainable energy future for all’.

“By achieving 100% fossil-free electricity in our own operations, we have reduced our CO2 equivalent emissions by over 50% compared to 2019,” says Claudio Facchin, CEO of Hitachi Energy. He continued, “The Net Zero challenge is global and it’s about acting now, innovating and collaborating across countries, industries and societies. Together with customers, partners, and all stakeholders, we are advancing the world’s energy system to be more sustainable, flexible and secure.”

The targeted 50% reduction achieved ahead of plan will amount to approximately 175 kilo tonnes of CO2e per year, equivalent to removing over 35,000 passenger cars off the road.

To achieve 100% fossil-free electricity in its own operations – and in support of the Hitachi Group’s carbon-neutrality goal(3***) – the company has pursued a number of pathways including supporting projects to generate its own fossil-free electricity, such as installing solar roof panels combined with e-meshTM digital solutions for distributed energy resources maximizing energy efficiency and minimizing CO2 emissions. In its Zhongshan factory in China, the company is generating nearly 20% of its total energy consumption from solar panels. In its first year of operation, the power generated at the factory is expected to reach 1,510 megawatt hours (MWh), contributing to the reduction in annual carbon emissions by more than 1,000 tonnes.

To achieve 100% fossil-free electricity, Hitachi Energy has also switched to green tariffs, bought Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs), and signed Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) across its operations and facilities in 90 countries.

Looking ahead, Hitachi Energy is continuing to invest in its journey towards carbon-neutrality by further increasing energy efficiency, as well as electrifying its own operations. In Ludvika, Sweden, the company is now using 100% renewable electricity generated from hydropower and from solar panels to support its operations. Ludvika, which is one of Hitachi Energy’s largest production facilities, has gone beyond tackling its electricity supply and is now close to removing the use of all fossil fuels from the whole of its operations.

The company has a track record of implementing its own technologies in its operations to enable the integration of renewable energy. For example, in 2015 its South Africa operations installed a 750 kW rooftop photovoltaic plant and a 1 MVA/380 kWh battery-based PowerStoreTM for enhancing the use of renewables and providing a continuous supply of power.

Through its Sustainability 2030 plan and targets, the company reinforces its commitment to accelerating actions driving business in a sustainable way. Based around four pillars – Planet, People, Peace, and Partnerships – the strategy draws from the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with specific focus on the following eight: 3 (Good health and well-being), 4 (Quality education), 5 (Gender equality), 6 (Clean water and sanitation), 7 (Affordable and clean energy), 12 (Responsible consumption and production), 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions); and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). In line with these SDGs, each pillar has corresponding targets that drive the business to contribute social, environmental, and economic value.

Notes
(1*)  The contract for its South Korea operations (equivalent to 0.4% total electricity usage) is expected to be signed in February 2022 retrospectively through
green tariffs.

(2**) Discover more about Hitachi Energy’s approach to Sustainability 2030 here

(3*** ) Hitachi Sustainability Report 2021

HITACHI ENERGY ACHIEVES 100% FOSSIL FREE ELECTRICITY IN OWN OPERATIONS

ALPHAWAVE WELCOMES TONY CHAN CARUSONE AS CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

With over 20 years of research and industry experience in semiconductors, Carusone will drive the continuous innovation of the company’s leading silicon connectivity solutions enabling next generation technologies

LONDON and TORONTO, Jan 28 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alphawave IP (LN:AWE), a global leader in high-speed connectivity for the world’s technology infrastructure, is pleased to announce Tony Chan Carusone as its Chief Technology Officer. Carusone has over 20 years of experience in both academic research, focused on integrated circuit design and communication technology, and business consulting, advising some of the largest technology companies in the world on their semiconductor technology strategy.

“Tony is the perfect fit to lead our technology strategy and accelerate product innovation as we solidify our market ​​leadership with our best-in-class connectivity solutions," said Tony Pialis, CEO, president, and co-founder of Alphawave. "We have known each other since the early 2000s and he has been an advisor to Alphawave since 2021. He brings a tremendous amount of relevant industry experience as well as incredible academic expertise and achievements. His deep technical insight and knowledge will be critical in taking Alphawave’s solutions to the next level to continue to enable today’s – and tomorrow’s – most advanced technologies.”

Carusone has been a faculty member at the University of Toronto since completing his Ph.D. there in 2002. He’s been teaching and researching a variety of areas in integrated circuits and systems, such as chip-to-chip communication, optical transceivers, analog-to-digital conversion, and precise clock generation. Carusone has also served on the editorial boards and technical program committees of multiple leading journals and conferences on integrated circuit design, is an IEEE Fellow, and co-authored the most renowned textbooks in the field.

“Alphawave is fully aligned with my research of the last 20 years and it’s a natural fit for me to apply my expertise to solve some of the greatest challenges of semiconductors. I have known the founding team for decades and have been proud to be an advisor to the company since last year. As we need to transfer increasingly higher amounts of data in shorter amounts of time while using less power, Alphawave has created the most versatile and high-speed IP solutions that serve a wide variety of different customers and industries – and defy conventional wisdom and perceived limits of the industry,” said Tony Chan Carusone. “Alphawave is a truly visionary company with a strong leadership team. I have the unique opportunity to not only be part of building the industry's leading connectivity solutions but also to foster a great culture of innovation that brings together top researchers and developers.”

About Alphawave IP
Faced with the exponential growth of data, Alphawave’s technology services a critical need: enabling data to travel faster, more reliably and with higher performance at lower power. Alphawave is a global leader in high-speed connectivity for the world’s technology infrastructure. Our IP solutions therefore meet the needs of global tier-one customers in data centers, compute, networking, AI, 5G, autonomous vehicles, and storage. Founded in Toronto, Canada in 2017, by an expert technical team with a proven track record in licensing semiconductor IP, our mission is to focus on the hardest-to-solve connectivity challenges. To find out more about Alphawave IP, visit: awaveip.com

Trademarks
All registered trademarks and other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Media Contact:
Gordon Hahn
Gravitate PR for Alphawave IP
alphawave@gravitatepr.com 

Source: Alphawave

--BERNAMA

ADAGENE: FIRST PATIENT DOSED WITH ANTI-CD137 AGONIST, ADG106, ANTI-CTLA-4 MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY, ADG116

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- Adagene Inc (Adagene), a company transforming the discovery and development of novel antibody-based therapies, announced the first patient has been dosed in a combination cohort of its anti-CD137 agonist, ADG106, with its anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody (mAb), ADG116, in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumours.

The dose escalation cohort will evaluate the safety and tolerability of this novel, proprietary combination in patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumours.

“Published research in preclinical models underscores the potential synergistic effect of combining these two potent pathways. We are proud to pioneer exploration of this novel combination, which also demonstrates the translational power of our NEObody™ platform — targeting unique epitopes with novel mechanisms of action by species cross reactive antibodies that can move directly from preclinical syngeneic mouse models to clinical studies,” said Peter Luo, Ph.D., Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Adagene in a statement.

“This innovative clinical research will establish the safety and potential complementary effects of ADG106 and ADG116 against two challenging but orthogonal pathways for T-cell priming by anti-CTLA-4 and proliferation by anti-CD137, respectively, building on the promising preclinical and clinical data on safety and preliminary efficacy from our global trials.

“This pursuit aligns with our goal to transform the development paradigm of antibody-based immunotherapies for global cancer care.”

Anthony W. Tolcher, M.D., FRCPC, FACP, co-founder of NEXT Oncology™ and study investigator said: “Existing cancer therapies that target CD137 and CTLA-4 are associated with safety concerns, creating a significant unmet need and high threshold for agents that are both safe and potent.

“With ADG106 and ADG116, we now have two promising agents to test the therapeutic potential of these two potent pathways together to safely inhibit tumour growth.”

As single agents, both ADG106 and ADG116 have demonstrated robust safety profiles and early signals of efficacy.

For more information, visit: https://investor.adagene.com.

-- BERNAMA

ACCA AND THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE ORGANIZATION (IBO) SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 (Bernama) -- The global body for professional accountants ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that creates an integrated pathway programme for IBO students towards a professional accountancy career.
 
Pulkit Abrol, director ASEAN ANZ at ACCA and Haif Bannayan, global director, business development at IBO signed the agreement which will see the creation of an International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme (IBCP) with ACCA.
 
This means that IBO students who are seeking an accelerated pathway to a career in accounting, finance and assurance can get a head-start through the IBCP with ACCA’s Diploma in Accounting and Business (DIAB) Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 4.
 
The MOU will create opportunities for young people as the future of the accountancy profession, with the agreement aligning to ACCA’s commitment to UN SDG 4 Quality Education, which is one of the nine ACCA has pledged to achieve by 2030.
 
Pulkit Abrol said: ‘We are very pleased to sign this MOU with the IBO as it brings great benefits. ACCA and the IBO share similar values and missions, including a drive to increase access to education for young people. This programme exemplifies these values of inclusion, integrity and innovation, and offers students an excellent route to ACCA membership in the future. This is a unique pathway to eventually qualifying as a professional accountant.’
 
Haif Bannayan added: ‘We are delighted to be partnering with the ACCA to introduce students to high quality accounting and business practices. The CP blends academic study with specialist courses from leading professional bodies and other institutions enabling students to develop the necessary skills to pursue their career objectives. It also instills confidence, social responsibility, and a sense of purpose. These elements are an integral part of a future oriented curriculum.’
 
ACCA’s DIAB covers a wide variety of business and finance subjects, including technology and digitalisation, alongside core financial and management accounting subjects.
 
The Diploma also provides the context for political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal situations, ethical frameworks and various competencies, reflecting ACCA’s seven professional quotients that are deemed essential for finance professionals – technical and ethical competences, experience, intelligence, creative, digital, emotional intelligence and vision.
 
Those choosing to kick-start their journey with ACCA through IBCP will:
• Receive exemption from ACCA’s Applied Knowledge papers three modules: Business  and Technology, Financial Accounting, and Management Accounting, together with ACCA’s Foundations in Professionalism (FiP) module, leaving only 10 papers to complete in the ACCA Qualification.
• Pursue the programme at their own pace, with quarterly examinations, including on-demand computer-based exams for the DIAB.
• Specialise in chosen areas in the future with ACCA Strategic Professional Options papers, or gain additional qualifications including BSc in Applied Accounting from Oxford  Brookes University and MSc in Professional Accountancy from the University of London.
 
More details are here: https://www.accaglobal.com/in/en/qualifications/glance/acca/diploma.html
 
Source: ACCA (M) Sdn Bhd 

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MALAYSIA TOPS EMERGING SOUTHEAST ASIA FOR FOREIGN INVESTMENT - MILKEN INSTITUTE

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 (Bernama) -- Malaysia ranks No. 1 in emerging Southeast Asia as the country with the most potential to attract foreign investors, according to the 2022 Milken Institute Global Opportunity Index.

This annual assessment, created to help inform investor and policymaker global investment decisions, evaluates an economy’s investment landscape using variables such as macroeconomic outlook, access to financial services, the potential for future innovation and development, and more.

“In this year’s report, we identify several policies that will help emerging Southeast Asia remain competitive when it comes to investment opportunities,” said head of the Research Department at the Milken Institute, Claude Lopez, PhD.

“Governments in the region must strengthen their institutional frameworks, deepen regional integration to take advantage of each country’s unique resources and opportunities, and maximise social impact by leveraging global capital flows to advance development.”

The 2022 Global Opportunity Index includes a report focusing on emerging Southeast Asia, a region where an influx of capital could lead to increased innovation, job creation, and competitiveness, according to a statement.

Emerging Southeast Asia scores well compared to other emerging and developing economies in three key areas: 1) having a strong economic performance, 2) offering a highly qualified workforce, and 3) being firmly integrated with the global economy.

Key findings from the 2022 Global Opportunity Index include Sweden maintained its No. 1 rank from 2021 as the country with the most potential to attract foreign investment, followed by the UK at No. 2 and Denmark at No. 3.

Meanwhile, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia took the top spots in emerging Southeast Asia. Malaysia received the highest ranking in the region due to its strong performance across all categories measured. Vietnam and the Philippines rounded out the top five countries in emerging Southeast Asia, in that order.

To create the index, the Milken Institute evaluates investment opportunities through 100 variables organised into five categories and 14 sub-categories. The five major categories included: Business Perception, Financial Services, International Standards & Policy, Economic Fundamentals, and Institutional Frameworks. 

More details at https://milkeninstitute.org/.

-- BERNAMA

SMARTSTREAM AIR UNVEILS ENHANCED AUTOMATION, EXCEPTIONS MANAGEMENT IN THE CLOUD

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 (Bernama) -- SmartStream Technologies, the financial Transaction Lifecycle Management (TLM®) solutions provider, has announced SmartStream Air Version 6, its cloud-native AI data reconciliations solution now encompassing two new features.

The new features are enhanced exceptions management capabilities and attribute-by-attribute matching, according to a statement.

SmartStream Chief Information Officer, Andreas Burner said: “In this latest release, we recognised that organisations need to modernise their operational blueprint and use the latest AI technologies to evolve their data strategies to better support the changing business needs. 

“Many of the tier one buy-and sell-side firms we speak to, highlight the importance of being able to spot both data and reporting decision irregularities, in one control framework. Having better control of this allowed them to showcase to the regulators that they've taken all the necessary steps to ensure their data is both complete and accurate.”

The latest version provides users with increased automation of exception management in the cloud. SmartStream Air’s AI capabilities manage discrepancies during the reconciliations process by creating exception cases - where clients can track the status of exceptions, assign the cases to relevant teams or users, and add any supporting comments or attachments.

SmartStream Air Version 6 enables clients to validate data integrity across a huge number of fields, particularly for reference data, regulatory and intersystem reconciliations – this will help to build a strong data governance framework to ensure data quality, completeness and accuracy of reporting.

This new version will simplify the reporting process with higher levels of automation for attribute-by-attribute matching – allowing clients to check far greater data sets than seen before and validate data integrity across all shared fields providing accuracy.

More details at www.smartstream-stp.com.

-- BERNAMA

TOSHIBA LAUNCHES TWO SILICON CARBIDE MOSFET MODULES

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 (Bernama) -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation (Toshiba) has launched two silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET Dual Modules: ‘MG600Q2YMS3’ with a voltage rating of 1200V and drain current rating of 600A; and ‘MG400V2YMS3’ with a voltage rating of 1700V and drain current rating of 400A.

The first Toshiba products with these voltage ratings, they join the previously released MG800FXF2YMS3 in a lineup of 1200V, 1700V and 3300V devices.

According to a statement, the new modules have mounting compatibility with widely used silicon (Si) IGBT modules.

Their low energy loss characteristics meet needs for higher efficiency and size reductions in industrial equipment, such as converters and inverters for railway vehicles, and renewable energy power generation systems.

With annual sales now surpassing 710-billion yen (US$6.5 billion), Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation looks forward to building and contributing to a better future for people everywhere. (US$1 = RM4.189)

More details at https://toshiba.semicon-storage.com/ap-en/top.html

-- BERNAMA

KEVIN SHELLY IS STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER - AMERICAS' FOR NIKKISO ACD

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries’ Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (Group), a subsidiary of Nikkiso Co Ltd (Japan), announced that Kevin Shelly has accepted a new position as Strategic Account Manager for the Nikkiso Cryogenic Pumps Unit – Americas.

“The Pumps Unit is excited to have Kevin in this new strategic management role,” said President and Chief Executive Officer of the Group’s Pump Unit, Daryl Lamy.

“His years of experience will add to our ability to offer world-class cryogenic pump products, customer service and value-added solutions for our customers.”

According to a statement, this new and vital position to the management team supports the Group’s objectives to further grow their presence and impact within the Industrial Gas market throughout North and South America.

Shelly has an impressive track record in sales development, customer relations, and key account and territory management within his 20-plus years of industry experience.

His focus will be to sell prime equipment as well as service and aftermarket for the pump group. Shelly will also play a vital role in the Group’s strategy by facilitating opportunities for the Nikkiso group companies and paving the way to becoming a stronger strategic partner for customers.

Nikkiso Cryogenic Pumps Unit which includes Nikkiso ACD and Nikkiso Cryo is a leading manufacturer of a diverse line of cryogenic pumps – large to small.

-- BERNAMA

"ROARSOME REUNIONS" CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS AT THE LINC KL

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- The Chinese New Year, The LINC KL is celebrating the festive cheer with one of the most important traditions during the festive period with a lion dance exhibition held from 8 January until 28 February 2022.  

With the theme “Roarsome Reunions” The LINC KL has collaborated with Yu Hua Dragon & Lion Dance Association to showcase the significance of lion dance, which aims at promoting this traditional craft. Visitors will be able to learn about the history and cultural significance of lion dancing, including the step-by-step process of creating a lion dance costume.

A series of events and activities has been lined up starting from 8 January until 28 February 2022 at The LINC KL, namely: -

• Roarsome Reunions Lion Dance Exhibition
Learn about the cultural heritage and traditional craft of the Lion Dance through the interactive storytelling display of lion dance elements.
 
Date: 8 January – 28 February 2022
Time: 10am - 10pm (Daily)
Venue: Level 2, Event Space (origami rainbow dove area)
 
• Learn for Good Charity Workshops*
An array of CNY-themed charity workshops will be held in February 2022 to support education for disabled and disadvantaged groups under Association of Art in Charity & Education for Disabled & Disadvantaged (AACE). 30% of all proceeds raised by workshop participation will be donated for the above purpose. Workshops include lion dance felt dolls, Chinese blossoms painting, watercolour painting fan and CNY themed terrariums.
 
Date: 5, 6, 12 & 13 February 2022
Time: 2pm – 6.30pm
Venue: L1 Indoor area (next to the colourful staircase)
 
For more details, kindly log on to https://www.aace.my/learnforgoodworkshops
 
• Traditional Lion Dance Performance*
Catch the lion dance performance by Khuan Loke Dragon & Lion Dance Association and Yu Hua Dragon & Lion Dance Association respectively on 5 & 6 February 2022 at 3pm.
 
• Markets & Bazaars*
Shop for a good cause and support Malaysia’s homegrown artisan entrepreneurs.
 

Goods with Love Charity Bazaar	12 & 13 February 2022 (Sat & Sun) 11am – 8pm	L1 Center Courtyard
The Artisan Haven Market	26 & 27 February 2022 (Sat & Sun) 10am – 8pm	L1 Center Courtyard

 
*T&C apply.

For more information, please contact +603-9213 0388, or visit The LINC KL’s website at https://www.thelinckl.com.my and Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/thelinckl.

 
About The LINC KL

Strategically located at the junction of Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Ampang in the middle of the bustling Kuala Lumpur City Centre, The LINC KL is a nature-inspired urban lifestyle and community hub. With multiple home-grown brands and diversified eateries surrounded by unique nature & picturesque arts, visitors can relish in the simple indulgence of nature.

Opened in November 2018, The LINC KL is managed by PPB Properties - the property division of PPB Group Berhad, which is an investment holding and property Investment Company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.

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JUNIPER RESEARCH: SHANGHAI IS WORLD'S NO 1 SMART CITY FOR 2022

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- Juniper Research has ranked Shanghai, China, as the world’s number one smart city for 2022.

The other smart cities in the top five ranking are Seoul (South Korea), Barcelona (Spain), Beijing (China) and New York (United States), Juniper Research said in a statement.

It said the smart city rankings were compiled following an extensive study of cities around the globe as published in its latest research, Smart Cities: Key Technologies, Environmental Impact & Market Forecasts 2022-2026.

The ranking of 50 world cities is based on an evaluation of many different aspects of smart cities, covering transportation and infrastructure, energy and lighting, city management and technology, and urban connectivity.

The research particularly lauds Shanghai’s Citizen Cloud as a one-stop point for over 1,000 different services for city residents.

Thanks to the city's rapid deployment of data management platforms, efficient, digitised utility management and public services have become common in many cities across Asia; allowing them to climb Juniper Research’s rankings.

“Many cities have deployed technology and data to help local authorities reduce environmental impact and energy usage,” remarked research co-author Mike Bainbridge.

“The top cities in our recent ranking are finding innovative ways to leverage that technology to deliver observable benefits for their citizens as well,” he added.

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector; providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.

-- BERNAMA

Jiading District focuses on hydrogen fuel cells, ICVs

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 -- China’s Jiading District Economic Commission has issued policies targeted at promoting automobile industry development, including electrification, automation, network connection and sharing at a conference recently.

According to the commission, an action plan was also formulated to accelerate the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Through efforts in upgrading its automobile industry, Jiading District has formed a solid industrial foundation and dynamic industry chains, the commission said in a statement today.

Leading players in the industry had gathered in the district to promote the development of the automobile industry in the four key aspects, namely electrification, automation, network connection and sharing.

The companies include SAIC Volkswagen, Volvo, NIO, Li Auto, Horizon Robotics and Shanghai Hydrogen Propulsion Technology.

Located in Shanghai, the Jiading District has also gained a leading advantage nationwide in terms of providing supporting facilities for the automobile industry, with major projects such as China's only international pilot zone for electric vehicles, as well as China's first pilot zone for intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) which as approved by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Moving forward, the district will further expand its strength in the automobile industry by bringing its innovation, service and resources to a higher level, striving to increase global competence and generate more new technologies and standards for the industry.

-- BERNAMA

WORLD-RENOWNED AND LEGENDARY TONY ROMA'S RESTAURANT CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY

On the heels of announcing its new leadership team, Tony Roma’s plans for future growth as it reaches its milestone anniversary and has a mission to continue providing customers with a world-class dining experience

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan 21 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Romacorp, Inc., the parent company of Tony Roma’s^®, the world’s largest casual dining concept and widely-recognized restaurant brand that specializes in ribs, celebrates its 50^th anniversary. On January 20, 1972, the company’s founder Tony Roma opened his flagship restaurant, Tony Roma’s, in North Miami, Florida. The restaurant quickly became one of the most popular eateries in Miami and established its niche in the market.

Now, after 50 years of successful growth and world-wide expansion, the company is celebrating being one of the most recognizable names in the restaurant industry.

“What better way to kick off 2022 than to be celebrating this monumental moment for our 50 years old brand,” said Ramon Bourgeois, CEO (Acting) & COO of Romacorp, Inc. “As we look to the next 50 plus years, we are focused on growth, a fresh new concept, family-friendly dining experiences and continuing to serve up our saucy and flavorful ribs. We look forward to bringing families together around the table for many more years to come.”

Tony Roma’s is delighted and honored that dignitaries including U.S. Representative Val Demings have shared congratulatory wishes to the brand, which has been serving families and communities for five decades, locally in Florida and around the world. 

Tony Roma’s is a full-service, family-friendly dining destination with locations spanning 5 continents that serves up its beloved menu classics, such as Kicking shrimp, Onion Loaf, Miami Burger, Sizzling Ribeye & Romaritas. Recently, the brand announced its new visionary leadership team, who are paving the way for the brand’s next chapter of growth to expand the brand and Tony Roma’s portfolio of dining experiences.

Later this year, the brand plans to launch a 3,000+ square foot dining prototype along with its 500 square foot fast-casual concept Bones & Burgers™, which will cater to on-the-go guests, while still providing the same quality ingredients and fresh preparations in an authentic quick-service space.

The company plans to open 200 Tony Roma’s locations over the next decade, primarily focusing on markets in the Middle East, Asia and the United States.
The newest Tony Roma’s locations are set to open in North Carolina this summer and Montana before the end of the year.

For more information about Tony Roma’s, please visit TonyRomas.com for more details and dining reservations. 

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REDDOORZ SELECTS HAPTIK TO ENHANCE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Jio Haptik Technologies Limited, one of the world's largest conversational AI companies, has announced that RedDoorz, Southeast Asia's largest hotel management and booking platform, has selected Haptik to enhance its customer experience.

RedDoorz aims to provide personalised customer support to its Southeast Asian customers by launching Haptik's multilingual AI Chatbot across its website, mobile apps, and the latest messaging channels such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

“RedDoorz has been a pioneer in Southeast Asia’s hospitality sector. Haptik will be utilising its vast expertise and experience of working with global hospitality brands to create a world-class chatbot for RedDoorz to achieve its goal of enhancing customer experience,” says Anila Rao, VP-APAC, Haptik.

According to a statement, Haptik powers conversations that ignite user engagement and provide on-demand support.

With Haptik, RedDoorz plans to improve customer query resolution by increasing First Time Resolution and reducing average customer handling time for support queries in English, Bahasa Indonesia, and Tagalog.

Shanketh Ragunath, Product Manager for CX, RedDoorz, adds: “We have been looking for an AI chatbot vendor to provide faster response to our customers and keep up with our rapidly expanding business.

“Haptik has demonstrated good natural-language understanding and swift responses across our languages of interest. Their pricing is affordable and transparent, and their team is very amiable. We are hoping to build a successful partnership with Haptik.”

Haptik's leading clients and partners include StarHub, MyRepublic, Zurich Insurance, Vantage FX, Disney+ Hotstar, JioMart, CEAT, Upstox, and Whirlpool, among others.

-- BERNAMA

BIOMEBANK NEW CHAIR CHRIS HALL TO ACCELERATE COMMERCIALISATION STRATEGY

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- BiomeBank has announced Chris Hall as the new Chair for the clinical stage biotechnology company, with the appointment effective Jan 17.

Having recently served as Chief Investment Officer of Ellerston Capital, prior to this, Hall served as Managing Director of BlackRock Asset Management (North-Asia Ltd).

He succeeds Dr Stephen Rodda, who recently retired having served as the BiomeBank Chair since 2019, according to a statement.

BiomeBank Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Mitchell said: “We're thrilled to welcome Hall as the new Chair of BiomeBank. He brings with him over 30 years' experience and an impressive track record of investment management across both public and private markets within the APAC region.

“As we move towards closing our Series A funding round in early 2022 and formal TGA approval of our first-generation product, Hall's experience in global markets will support our growth ambition into the Asia Pacific and European region.”

Meanwhile, the newly-elected BiomeBank Chair, Hall said: “I'm excited to join BiomeBank as we move into the next stage of expansion and progress our promising pipeline of second-generation products.

“Having observed the Company's expertise in developing microbial therapies to treat unmet need, I believe we're in a strong position to improve the quality of life for people and continue to build our business into a global biotechnology leader.”

Backed by a world-leading team of translational microbiome experts, BiomeBank's platform uses a unique combination of machine learning and microbiology to identify bacterial strains which influence disease, leading to the discovery and development of new therapies.

-- BERNAMA

ADAGENE DESIGNATES DAVID GANDARA, M.D. TO SCIENTIFIC AND STRATEGIC ADVISORY BOARD

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Adagene Inc (Adagene), a biotech company committed to transforming the discovery and development of novel antibody-based immunotherapies, has announced the appointment of David Gandara, M.D. to its Scientific and Strategic Advisory Board (the SAB). 

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr Gandara to our SAB as a leading researcher and physician, as well as a thought leader in biomarker-driven strategies for lung cancer therapies,” said Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Adagene, Peter Luo, Ph.D. in a statement.

“We look forward to Dr Gandara’s insights, especially on the heels of the recently initiated trial in Singapore evaluating ADG106 in combination with Nivolumab in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.”

Meanwhile, Dr Gandara commented: “I am delighted to join Adagene’s SAB at such an exciting time in the company's evolution. Adagene’s innovative antibody-based technology platform has the potential to advance the next generation of immuno-oncology treatments.

“I look forward to working alongside the impressive team to execute on the company’s mission to bring transformative new cancer therapeutics to patients around the world.”

Dr Gandara, Professor Emeritus and Senior Advisor of the Thoracic Oncology Program at University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCDCCC), brings deep knowledge and understanding to the immuno-oncology field, and he is recognised for his translational research and clinical work in cancer drug and biomarker development.

Dr Gandara has received numerous awards, authored over 450 publications, and presented his work at meetings nationally and internationally. He is a co-leader at Lung MAP, a precision medicine umbrella clinical trial for the development of biomarker-driven strategies for new therapies in lung cancer.

Dr Gandara obtained his M.D. from University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and he completed his clinical training as a resident at Madigan Army Medical Center, and as a Fellow in hematology and oncology at Letterman Army Medical Center.

More details at https://investor.adagene.com.

-- BERNAMA

CR2: ADOPT AN AGILE DIGITAL BANKING PLATFORM: IMPROVE INNOVATION, CREATE NEW VALUE AND INCREASE PROFITABILITY

DUBLIN, Ireland, Jan 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- CR2’s (www.cr2.com) latest market insight report, ‘Adopt an Agile Digital Banking Platform’ has been written in collaboration with Stessa Cohen (www.pivotassets.co), an internationally recognised expert on the digital transformation of the global banking industry.

In the report, Stessa identifies how bankers must have an agile digital banking platform to support global and local trends and requirements, helping them to identify new niche markets that will drive innovation, create new value and increase profitability. The report identifies a set of capabilities that a digital banking platform must have that will help take banks into a competitive future and urges banks to select a digital banking partner who shares their innovation, vision and support for new value creation.

The report looks at how niche markets push banks to innovate – to go beyond supporting basic and necessary banking transactions – on the same digital banking platform. By understanding customers in new ways, banks can leverage the appropriate global and local technology trends to attract new customers and increase profitability. If not, competitors, challenger banks and fintechs will quickly step into the bank’s targeted niche markets.

Stessa discusses how, banks need not only a digital banking platform that is ready for customisation, integration and identification of new markets, but also a vendor partner that can provide the development and banking expertise that the bank may not have. Digital banking platform vendors, such as CR2, who support these capabilities do more than deliver banking and payments transactions. They create a path for the bank to create new value - for both the bank and customers.

To download the report ‘Adopt an Agile Digital Banking Platform’, click the following link: 
http://knowledge.cr2.com/adopt-an-agile-digital-banking-platform  

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TOSHIBA NEW PHOTORELAY SUITED FOR HIGH VOLTAGE AUTOMOTIVE BATTERIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation (Toshiba) has launched ‘TLX9160T’, a normally open (NO) 1-Form-A photorelay suited for high voltage automotive batteries.

Housed in an SO16L-T package, the new device is Toshiba’s first to feature a high output withstand voltage of 1500V (min), according to a statement.

Incorporation of high voltage MOSFETs in the new device achieves an output withstand voltage of 1500V (min).

An SO16L-T package made of a resin in the IEC 60664-1 international standard material group I, which has CTI exceeding 600 and four fewer pins (pins from 11 to 14 are removed from existing SO16L package), realises creepage of 5mm or more at the device's detector.

This ensures support for 1000V supply voltage under IEC 60664‐1, suiting the photorelay for high voltage automotive applications with a battery voltage of up to 1000V.

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, a leading supplier of advanced semiconductor and storage solutions, draws on over half a century of experience and innovation to offer customers and business partners outstanding discrete semiconductors, system LSIs and HDD products.

More details at https://toshiba.semicon-storage.com/ap-en/top.html.

-- BERNAMA

GTJAI SCORES RECORD HIGH IN GREEN BOND BUSINESS FOR 2021

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Guotai Junan International Holdings Limited (Guotai Junan International, GTJAI, the Company or the Group) has announced the Company participated in the underwriting of 29 Green Bonds and Sustainability Bonds in 2021, representing an increase of 164 per cent Year-over-Year (YOY), while the total fundraising amounted to HK$70.1 billion, representing an increase of nearly 271 per cent YOY. 

Leveraging on its quality and diversified financial services, Guotai Junan International guided the global capital into green industries, meeting clients’ need of transforming to a low-carbon and sustainable development as well as managing their potential ESG risks.

In 2021, GTJAI maintained its leading position in the Green Bond issuance market among China-based securities firms in Hong Kong, according to a statement.

In September 2021, GTJAI, as joint green structuring adviser, joint global coordinator, joint bookrunner and joint lead manager, assisted Guangzhou Metro successfully in issuing US$200 million five-year senior fixed-rate green bonds. (US$1 = RM4.185)

This set the record of the lowest interest rate for US dollar bonds issued by China-based local state-owned enterprises during the same period, and was also the first green overseas bond issued by a state-owned enterprise in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area) in 2021. 

In November 2021, Guotai Junan International, as the joint global coordinator, joint bookrunner and joint lead manager, assisted Shangyu Urban Construction Group Co Ltd successfully issuing a five-year US$240 million senior unsecured sustainable bond. 

This is the first sustainable overseas bond issued by a state-owned enterprise in the Yangtze River Delta region. The proceeds will refinance the group's overseas debt under a sustainable financial framework.

GTJAI has been sizing up the situation in its business development strategy, upholding the concept of green investment, prioritising to environmental protection investment and financing projects, and fully implementing the ESG and sustainability concept with actions.

In the future, the Company will actively embrace new opportunities in green finance, continue to fulfill its corporate social responsibility, consolidate its strategic layout in ESG and carbon neutrality with practical actions, and join hands with all sectors of the society to develop a more inclusive low-carbon economy.

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

-- BERNAMA

AGC Biologics designates Regina Choi-Rivera new General Manager of Boulder facility

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 -- AGC Biologics, a leading global Biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), has announced Regina Choi-Rivera as the new General Manager of the company’s large-scale biopharmaceutical mammalian production facility in Boulder.

In this role, she assumes executive oversight and leadership and will manage strategic development and facility operations, according to a statement.

“We’re incredibly excited that Choi-Rivera is joining AGC Biologics as the General Manager at our Boulder facility. She brings tremendous experience in both GMP manufacturing and project management,” said AGC Biologics Executive Vice President of U.S. Operations, J.D. Mowery.

Choi-Rivera brings more than 25 years of experience in the biotech industry to this role and joins AGC Biologics after working for Samsung Biologics for more than eight years.

Before her time at Samsung, she spent nearly a decade with Janssen Pharmaceutical’s research and development division, supporting pilot plant operations and managing outsourcing activities. 

“I am delighted to join AGC Biologics at such an exciting time of growth for the company and at such a transformational time for our industry,” said Choi-Rivera.

“The strong track record of biopharmaceutical innovation and technical capabilities at this facility, coupled with world-class talent, puts the Boulder site in position to help deliver important treatments that can truly change the lives of patients for years to come.”

AGC Biologics acquired the Boulder Facility in June 2020, giving the company additional capacity and a significantly larger production scale for mammalian-based projects in the U.S.

The Boulder site houses two 20,000-litre stainless steel cell bioreactors and has more than 20 acres of undeveloped land, creating opportunities for future expansion, including space for up to four more 20,000-litre bioreactors.

-- BERNAMA

PARSE BIOSCIENCES-RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS PARTNERSHIP OFFERS RNA-SEQ KITS IN SINGAPORE, SEA

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Parse Biosciences, a company providing researchers with single-cell sequencing solutions, has announced partnering with Research Instruments Pte Ltd to provide Parse’s Evercode Whole Transcriptome Kits (WTKs), Cell Fixation Kits and Nuclei Fixation Kits to Singapore and Southeast Asia markets.

Under an agreement between the two parties, Research Instruments has been appointed a distributor of the Parse product portfolio for Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. It will provide customer service, technical support, sales and marketing, distribution, and related logistical efforts for the Parse Bioscience portfolio of single-cell genomics research.

Research Instruments, the premier distributor for genomic and life science research products in Southeast Asia, with multiple technical teams and established customer support relationships throughout the region, has a core mission to introduce and accelerate the adoption of groundbreaking life science research tools to their markets.

In early 2021, Parse Biosciences introduced their Whole Transcriptome Kits to the market which features Evercode: their patented technique of combinatorial barcoding.

In October that year, they expanded that offering to include the Evercode Whole Transcriptome Mega, which allows researchers to profile up to 1,000,000 cells in parallel, and the Evercode Whole Transcriptome Mini, a kit used to profile up to 10,000 cells in parallel for smaller-scale studies at an entry-level price point.

“A significant priority for the Parse team is accessibility–not only in how readily customers can start using the technology, but also with a fully supportive team backing their efforts,” said Parse Biosciences CEO and Co-founder, Alex Rosenberg in a statement.

“We’re thrilled that Research Instruments shares our vision of offering scalable and easily adaptable single-cell RNA-seq technology to a wide market.”

Meanwhile, Research Instruments CEO, Greg Kent said: “The sequencing solutions of Parse Biosciences simplify workflows without sacrificing resolution, and with our technical sales and applications support teams who are trained and experienced in single cell genomics applications, the Parse Bioscience platform now becomes readily accessible to any scientist in the region.”

Seattle-based Parse Biosciences and Research Instruments will host a technical introductory webinar for Southeast Asia on Jan 20.

For more information on Parse Biosciences, visit https://www.parsebiosciences.com/.

-- BERNAMA

JUMIO ENDS 2021 WITH RECORD-BREAKING OVER 130 PER CENT REVENUE GROWTH

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Jumio, the leading provider of AI-powered end-to-end identity orchestration, eKYC and AML solutions, has announced the record-breaking close to a successful 2021, with revenue growing by over 130 per cent in Q4 2021 from Q4 2020.

“Doubling our revenue and expanding our global leadership in the identity space is a massive accomplishment, especially in such a challenging environment,” said Jumio Chief Executive Officer, Robert Prigge.

“I am incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish last year and look forward to 2022 being the best year in Jumio’s history.”

Thanks to an uptake of automated solutions and expanded product offerings, Jumio’s annual revenue more than doubled year over year in 2021, according to a statement.

Revenue growth for Jumio’s AML solutions exceeded 330 per cent and the company continued to see explosive global expansion in APAC and LATAM regions, with over 300 per cent growth.

Jumio also signed a record number of new customers in 2021. This diverse mix of customers, ranging from financial services to digital health and social media, speaks to the growing need for all modern enterprises to know and trust their users, from onboarding to ongoing monitoring.

Other notable highlights in the fourth quarter include 4Stop Acquisition. In December, Jumio announced its intent to acquire current strategic partner 4Stop, the leading data marketplace and orchestration hub for KYB, KYC, compliance and fraud prevention.

4Stop’s technology, when combined with Jumio’s award-winning solutions, will enable organisations to manage the entire customer identity lifecycle within a single, unified platform, and will allow for rapid configuration and integration through one easy and intuitive API layer.

More details at www.jumio.com.

-- BERNAMA

POLONIEX CELEBRATES 8TH ANNIVERSARY WITH STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Poloniex, a global cryptocurrency exchange, is celebrating its eighth anniversary with a strategic transformation, including rebranding, new products, improved user experience, and refined global marketing strategies.

Entering its ninth year, Poloniex has refined its brand values as Passion, Prosperity and Perseverance, according to a statement.

This marks a new beginning for Poloniex. The central message that this year’s anniversary most wants to convey is ‘Evolution’, and the new brand value encapsulates Poloniex’s determination to drive progress, maintain vitality and improve user experience globally.

In addition, Poloniex is launching a brand new trading system which will deliver superior performance, an improved API, and enhanced security. New trading features and financial products will be released as well. The upgrade will significantly improve performance and provide users more liquidity than ever before.

As a global platform, Poloniex will also accelerate its expansion into international markets. Targeted marketing strategies will be developed to expand Poloniex’s global footprints in emerging markets such as the Commonwealth of Independent State (CIS), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Latin America (LATAM) to drive overall business growth.

On top of that, a new Space Traveler programme that integrates the previous volunteer and referral programme will soon be available, creating a mutually beneficial collective to engage and unite local communities.

Currently, Poloniex provides custodial and trading support for over 300 tokens and 450 market pairs, as well as other financial products to connect the world to the power of digital assets. 

Moving forward, Poloniex will continuously be dedicated to building a world-class and secure exchange for users worldwide.

More details at https://poloniex.com.

-- BERNAMA 

KEVIN O'NEILL DESIGNATED NAPIER CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Napier, provider of leading anti-financial crime compliance solutions, announced Kevin O’Neill has joined the fast-growing RegTech as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) to help drive further growth across its global operations.

A veteran of more than 25 years’ experience in technology and financial services, O’Neill joins Napier having served as Global Head, Asset Management and Asset Servicing, and Head of EMEA Sales for Fenergo. He has also held senior positions at BNY Mellon and Royal Bank of Canada.

As CRO, O’Neill will be responsible for leading Napier’s new business growth plans, bringing its next generation SaaS financial crime solutions to the world’s leading financial services businesses, delivering superior customer experiences, and building the momentum that will allow Napier to achieve its ambitious growth objectives over the coming years.

Based on a statement, Napier founder and CEO, Julian Dixon said: “We are thrilled to see Kevin take up the position of CRO. His deep knowledge of the financial services industry combined with his enormous experience in driving revenue growth will help us in achieving our ambitious plans for further expansion across all markets this year.”

Napier’s AI-enhanced platform for intelligent AML and financial crime compliance is the tool of choice for over 200 clients, including tier one banks, payment providers, FX, crypto and other financial institutions.

The platform’s dynamic, modern operating environment helps drive efficiencies by transforming financial crime compliance from manually intense tasks to a fully automated operation in a highly intuitive and unified workspace.

The news follows the recent appointment of former HSBC COO Andy Maguire as Board Chair. Napier was also named a Rising Star by the RiskTech 100 and has appeared in both the 2022 Deloitte Fast 50 tech list and RegTech100.

O’Neill commented: “I am delighted to join the Napier team at this exciting stage in our growth trajectory. The financial services industry is realising the enormous benefits of next-generation AI & SaaS solutions to upgrade their financial crime operations.

“Napier's solid foundations, with its extensive client base and technology that is leading transformation of the industry, makes it solution of choice for many of the world's leading financial organisations.”

-- BERNAMA

JPA STUDENTS ACHIEVE 100% PASS RATE IN MONKASHO EXAM

 

Caption:  All 34 Kumpulan Teknikal Jepun (KTJ) batch 13 snap a group photo right after finishing their Monkasho Exam last Thursday.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Kumpulan Teknikal Jepun (KTJ) 13 is the recent cohort of students from INTEC Education College who have achieved outstanding results with a 100% pass rate in recent Monkasho (Japanese-based) exam. 2022 marks the eight consecutive years for INTEC to maintain the 100% passing rate in Monkasho.

The 34 students were studying the Japanese Preparatory programme, a two-year programme at INTEC preparing the students for Bachelor programmes in Japan. All students are under Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) for overseas preparatory programmes (Japan). This group was with INTEC since 2020 and all of them passing successfully, with 7 of them passing with the highest marks.

Scholastica Dumat who is teaching Mathematics in Japanese, shared some of the secret behind the students’ success “it is true that we as lecturers can prepare as much as we could to compensate for their Japanese shortcoming but without their own efforts put in, it will not be as effective or make a big difference”.

Among other lecturers, Nurul Hakimah who teaches Physics in Japanese explained “I gave them additional classes and usually we did some practices. I also re-explain the topics in both English and Japanese to ensure they understand. The classes are done one to one or in a small group, usually once a week”.

Students have received well support both in academic and facilities. Their experience in catching up with the new third language is positive, despite the challenges that they had faced. “Lecturers at INTEC are kind and willing to teach students”, explained Ho See Foong, one of the KTJ 13 students.

Since pandemic Covid-19, the KTJ students were in online mode of learning and just recently comeback to campus for a hybrid mode of class. “When learning a new language, the lecturers are patiently guide us step by step. I feel there is little difference when it comes to learning online or face-to-face, because the lecturers teach well regardless of which mode of teaching,” he continues.

Kok Fang Zhe, another student from JPA study scheme admitted that he was bad in language subject “but the lectures managed to stimulate my interest in Japanese”.  

Despite having the limited time facing the lecturers face to face, the students really committed in their study to pass the only qualifying exam for studying at one of the developed countries in the world, Japan. 

For information, Monkasho examination is conducted 100% in Japanese. The exam was conducted in just a week and result is receive a day after the exam ends. Previous practice before Covid-19 hit the world, a group of Japanese invigilators will come to INTEC to conduct the marking process of the exam. However, throughout the pandemic, the Monkasho exam is continue while the Japanese team will lead our local lecturers in marking process from Japan.

According to Scholastica, “before and after the marking, we consulted the Japanese invigilator through ZOOM or email to discuss any marking processes that need confirmation or otherwise need their consultations before passing any marks for any particular students. Through this experience, as I've mentioned before, the marking process could be done without any problems even if the Japanese invigilator team is not physically present at INTEC”. This is a new experience that our local educator has gained in conducting the international level examination.

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