Eidosmedia-Sophi.io Partnership on AI-powered print automation

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Eidosmedia, a developer of digital publishing solutions for leading news-media groups worldwide, has partnered with Sophi.io, an AI-powered automation, optimisation and prediction platform developed by The Globe and Mail, to bring seamless print laydown automation to Eidosmedia customers.

The solution brings the entire print page layout process down from hours to just minutes, without the use of templates. Publishers can dramatically improve productivity and cut costs, all within the Méthode platform they currently use.

In a statement, Gabe Gonda, VP at Sophi.io, said: “Sophi is delighted to be entering a partnership with Eidosmedia to deliver our print automation technology through the Méthode platform. Eidosmedia is a first-class CMS vendor with deep knowledge of its clients’ evolving needs.

“This partnership will help deliver a unique and high-value solution to some of the best newspaper publishers in the world.”

Meanwhile, Marco Cetola, Eidosmedia Sales and Partner Program Director said: The complexity of print page layouts has until now defied the easy automation that speeds the publishing of online formats.

“For our customers, especially large regional groups and national titles, print editions continue to be a major source of revenue. There’s intense interest in ways to cut production times and costs in this important publishing channel.

“The fit between our print edition building routines and Sophi’s AI engine turned out to be very good.”

Sophi-powered print automation is different than other print production solutions in that it is completely template-free, using smart AI to ensure that a publisher’s printed pages look and feel as though they were produced by experienced editors and page designers.

Among those who stand to benefit from the new technology are page designers who have been under pressure for some time to increase their productivity as publishers try to cut costs.

For more information, visit https://www.sophi.io."

-- BERNAMA 

TDCX EXPANDS IN THE PHILIPPINES TO MEET GROWING DEMAND FOR COMPLEX CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE SOLUTIONS

SINGAPORE & MANILA, Philippines, Sept 29 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- TDCX, Inc. (“TDCX” or the “Company”) (NYSE: TDCX), a high-growth digital customer experience (CX) solutions provider for technology and blue-chip companies, continues its expansion path with a new office in Iloilo in the Philippines. This is TDCX’s sixth campus in the Philippines and strengthens the company’s capacity to serve Global English end-markets, such as North America, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

The outsourced CX services market outside of Southeast Asia is expected to grow to US$86.3 billion by 2025¹. With the expanded operations in the Philippines, TDCX will meet the increasing demand for CX services. TDCX has signed on 25 new clients since January 2022, including a leading regional airline and one of Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car e-commerce platforms.

Ms Eliza Acuña, Vice President for Business Strategy, TDCX Philippines, said, “As economies around the world recover from the effects of the pandemic and grapple with the current economic uncertainties, we are seeing increased demand for outsourced customer experience services. This is due, in part, to our ability to deliver superior customer experiences and to drive sales quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively for our clients. In the second quarter of this year, our total revenue across the Group was US$116.6 million, up 23.3% year-on-year².

“The Philippines is known for its outsourcing capabilities and is an important node in TDCX’s network. Their highly skilled workforce coupled with a hospitable culture make the country a hotspot for us to hire the talent we need to resolve increasingly complex customer issues. Our new office in Iloilo will supplement our Manila and Cebu operations and create more job opportunities locally.”

TDCX opened its Manila office in 2014 and its Cebu office in 2019. Since the opening of the Cebu office, TDCX has almost doubled its staff strength in the Philippines.

TDCX’s Iloilo office a gateway into Philippines’ upcoming innovation hub

Iloilo is anticipated to be an innovation hub by 2030³. TDCX’s strategic expansion into Iloilo enables it to entrench itself in the local innovation ecosystem and work with other stakeholders to enhance the outsourced customer experience industry’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Ms Acuña said, “The outsourced customer experience industry is increasingly important in the growing digital economy. As consumers live more of their lives online, their experience becomes a more significant factor in brand preference and loyalty. Hence, this is a very exciting time for our industry and our people. With our positive work environment, attractive client roster and interesting and fulfilling work, we look forward to growing with our people and equipping them with future-ready skills that will help them stay competitive in the new economy.”

New economy jobs are emerging professions that reflect the continuing importance of human interaction, according to a report by the World Economic Forum⁴. The report also states that demand for both “digital” and “human” factors in the professions of tomorrow is driving greater demand for roles such as customer success specialists.

To equip its people with the skills for new economy jobs, TDCX provides a wide variety of training programs through a mix of structured and unstructured learning environments.

TDCX’s online learning and training programs known as "Flash Coach" and "Flash Learn" provide employees with access to training virtually and on-demand. In addition to job-specific training, employees also receive training in critical thinking, problem-solving and agility. These are among the top skills that are needed by 2025 as identified by the World Economic Forum.

Employees are empowered to complete the modules at their own pace while managing their day-to-day responsibilities. The training content is continually refreshed based on analytics from the platform.

In addition, TDCX provides employees access to leadership programs such as Dale Carnegie training and online tools such as LinkedIn Learning so that they may voluntarily gain new skills.

TDCX’s Iloilo campus is located at Robinsons Cybergate Iloilo Tower 1 in Pavia.

About TDCX

Singapore-headquartered TDCX provides transformative digital CX solutions, enabling world-leading and disruptive brands to acquire new customers, to build customer loyalty and to protect their online communities.

TDCX helps clients achieve their customer experience aspirations by harnessing technology, human intelligence and its global footprint. It serves clients in fintech, gaming, technology, home sharing and travel, digital advertising and social media, streaming and e-commerce. TDCX’s expertise and strong footprint in Asia has made it a trusted partner for clients, particularly high-growth, new economy companies, looking to tap the region’s growth potential.

TDCX’s commitment to delivering positive outcomes for our clients extends to its role as a responsible corporate citizen. Its Corporate Social Responsibility program focuses on positively transforming the lives of its people, its communities and the environment.

TDCX employs more than 17,000 employees across 26 campuses globally, specifically Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, India, Romania, Spain and Colombia. For more information, please visit www.tdcx.com.

¹ According to Frost & Sullivan
² Information on TDCX’s latest financial results is on investors.tdcx.com.
³ Innovate Iloilo 2030, an initiative by the Department of Science and Technology, Global Shapers Iloilo, and Iloilo stakeholders and business groups. More info: http://innovateiloilo.com/
⁴ Source: Jobs of Tomorrow: Mapping Opportunity in the New Economy, World Economic Forum. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44321

Quectel declares releasing new SC680A Smart Module

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global IoT solutions provider, has announced releasing its new SC680A smart module which features broad connectivity options including LTE Cat 6, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.0 with powerful system performance and rich multimedia functions.

The SC680A smart module is targeted towards mid-tier IoT devices including POS and payment terminals, industrial handhelds for logistics and warehousing, in-vehicle infotainment and dashcam solutions as well as micro-mobility applications and small electric cars.

“We are excited to introduce another highly integrated smart module which gives global customers more flexibility in their IoT device designs,” said Norbert Muhrer, President and CSO of Quectel in a statement.

“It enables a variety of industrial and consumer IoT verticals with high data rate and powerful camera features. The SC680A also has a long lifecycle through to2028 so that it can satisfy the need for extended hardware availability and help the IoT sector create future-proof IoT solutions.”

Utilising the Qualcomm QCM4290 platform, Quectel’s SC680A module adopts a customised 64-bit ARM v8.0 compliant octa-core Kryo 260 application processor for increased speed and robust on-device performance.

The SC680A module supports multimode LTE Cat 6 cellular networks with short-range wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11ac and upgradability to Wi-Fi 6. The L1+L5 dual-band multi-constellation and high-precision GNSS (GPS/ GLONASS/ BDS/ Galileo/ NavIC/ QZSS) receiver is also embedded for optimised positioning services.

The Quectel SC680A contains an embedded Android 12 operating system which allows for future iterative upgrades to Android 13 or 14 and are suitable for Google GMS certification. Equipped with a powerful Adreno 610 GPU, the module supports a maximum of four cameras and up to 25 MP dual cameras to work simultaneously.

In order to meet the different needs of various regions around the world, the SC680A family offers multiple variants, among them, the SC680A-NA for North America. Samples of the SC680A-NA module will be available in late October; 

The SC680A-WF (Wi-Fi & Bluetooth only) for global markets will be available in late October; and the SC680A-EM for EMEA, Korea, South Asia, India, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa with sample availability expected at the end of September.

For more information, visit www.quectel.com.

-- BERNAMA

TELEDYNE ANNOUNCES FORGE 5GIGE AREA SCAN CAMERA FAMILY FOR MACHINE VISION

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Teledyne FLIR has announced the Forge 5GigE area scan camera family for machine vision.

Constructed on an all-new modern platform, Forge is designed to provide the richest combination of advanced imaging features in the industry and is engineered to handle the most complex vision system challenges both now and into the future.

Available in Q4, the first models extend the Genie Nano 5GigE sensor offering by integrating 5 to 24 MP Sony Pregius Gen 4 Global Shutter CMOS sensors.

In addition to supporting link speeds of 1, 2.5, and 5GigE, Forge offers burst mode to capture images at speeds up to 10Gb/s into memory. This, combined with a 500 MB image buffer, allows engineers to rapidly capture information in bursts for high-speed applications. It’s Trigger-to-Image Reliability (T2IR) framework giving engineers tools to develop reliable and robust systems faster.

Designed to simplify OEM integration, the Forge feature set includes PoE, strong thermal management, and opto-isolated triggering for streamlined peripherals and easier camera control. System engineers can replace current GigE Vision compliant cameras with Forge cameras to upgrade their system performance without changing their application software.

Additionally, Forge cameras support both Teledyne Spinnaker and Sapera LT SDKs and GigE Vision compliant software packages.

“Forge is the first area scan camera family to harness the combined wealth of customer knowledge and technical expertise from Teledyne FLIR, Teledyne DALSA, and Teledyne Lumenera,” said Sadiq Panjwani, General Manager of Teledyne FLIR IIS in a statement.

The new Forge area scan platform will be featured at the upcoming Vision show in Stuttgart and the week following at the Vision Show in Boston.

-- BERNAMA

IIJ ADDS BROWSER ISOLATION FUNCTION TO ITS ZTNA SERVICE, "SAFOUS"

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Internet Initiative Japan Inc (IIJ), one of Japan's leading Internet-access and comprehensive network solutions providers, has announced the addition of a new remote browser isolation function, “Browser Isolation”, to its zero-trust network access (ZTNA) service, “Safous”, which is mainly available for users in the U.S. and Asia, starting Sept 28.

According to a statement, the Safous platform is a zero-trust remote access service that provides application-level control over corporate applications and external "software as a service" (SaaS) access from a remote environment.

This optional Browser Isolation function is Safous' proprietary, sandbox-based virtual browser that allows users to access applications and SaaS virtually, eliminating browser-based threats and providing more secure access.

"Kasm Technologies is honored to provide Kasm Workspaces remote browser isolation, our web-native secure remote access and DevOps-enabled container streaming technology, to Safous' Browser Isolation function. Browser Isolation is an industry-leading, cost-effective, and secure browser-based remote access solution," said Justin Travis, Co-founder and CEO of Kasm Technologies.

One of the benefits of utilising virtual browsers is that they defend corporate networks from risky websites. Browser Isolation provides a virtual browser that allows users to access business applications and external SaaS applications securely -- even if their PCs are vulnerable.

This function also prohibits users from downloading and executing malicious files that come from email, eliminating the threat of intrusion through the Internet. Website content is streamed to user browsers, allowing them to access any web application safely.

Founded in 1992, IIJ is one of Japan's leading Internet-access and comprehensive network solutions providers. IIJ and its group companies provide total network solutions that mainly cater to high-end corporate customers.

IIJ's services include high-quality Internet connectivity services, system integration, cloud computing services, security services and mobile services.

Moreover, IIJ has built one of the largest Internet backbone networks in Japan that is connected to the United States, the United Kingdom and Asia.

For more information, visit https://www.iij.ad.jp/en/

-- BERNAMA

EASTSPRING INVESTMENTS LAUNCHES FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMME FOR MALAYSIAN SCHOOL CHILDREN

Springboard Challenge 2022 sets to cover 8,000 teachers and students nationwide

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (Bernama) -- Eastspring Investments Berhad (“Eastspring”) has launched a nationwide financial literacy programme, targeted at secondary school children in Malaysia, called the Springboard Challenge (“The Programme”).
 
The Programme aims to elevate the level of financial literacy and investment knowledge within the youth community. Open to secondary school students aged 14 to 17 years old, Springboard Challenge will be presented to students and their teachers-in-charge in a virtual workshop format which incorporates fun learning elements such as interactive games, missions and quizzes. The Programme incorporates the use of a boardgame which challenges the students with real world simulation of financial topics and decisions, and will culminate in a nationwide contest.
 
The pilot programme in 2018 covered 10 schools in the Klang Valley and about 1,000 secondary school children. This year, with the help of Zoom and a virtual format, Eastspring is targeting to reach 8,000 teachers and school children nationwide.
 
“We are excited to receive support and approval from the Ministry of Education Malaysia and eight State Education Departments. With the aid of technology, we will also be able to reach more teachers and school children from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Penang, Kedah, Melaka, Sabah and Sarawak,” said Mr. Raymond Tang, Chief Executive Officer of Eastspring Malaysia. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44279

BEST'S COMMENTARY: LOSSES FROM SUPER TYPHOON NANMADOL EXPECTED TO BE MANAGEABLE FOR JAPAN INSURERS

HONG KONG, Sept 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Given Super Typhoon Nanmadol’s reduced strength upon landfall and the parts of Japan affected, AM Best expects insured losses to be manageable for Japan’s non-life insurers.

In its Best’s Commentary, “Manageable Impact of Super Typhoon Nanmadol on Insured Losses,” AM Best states that large insurers in Japan are well-capitalized and their comprehensive reinsurance programs will protect them from a significant impact on capital. If insured losses are not high from the event, which mainly affected the agriculture-heavy island of Kyushu, the amount of losses passed to reinsurers may not be significant. However, secondary perils such as hurricane-induced flooding, storm surges and landslides are not modeled to the same extent as primary perils, and loss creep was an issue for insurers after 2018’s Typhoon Jebi. Nevertheless, some of the necessary conditions leading to loss creep a few years ago may not necessarily apply given some of the initiatives major insurers have implemented in recent years.

The commentary also notes that any catastrophic event after above-average catastrophe years may cause reinsurers to revisit their risk appetite and underwriting.
 

To access the full copy of this commentary, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=324320.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2022 by AM Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220926005123/en/

Contact

Charles Chiang
Fiancial Analyst
+852 2827 3427
charles.chiang@ambest.com

Jason Shum
Associate Director, Analytics
+852 2827 3424
jason.shum@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Al Slavin
Communications Specialist
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098
al.slavin@ambest.com

Source : AM Best

--BERNAMA

STONEPEAK DECLARES STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP WITH EQUALBASE

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (Bernama) -- Stonepeak, a leading alternative investment firm specialising in infrastructure and real assets, has announced that certain of its associated investment vehicles have formed a strategic investment partnership with Equalbase, an integrated development and management platform focused on the logistics sector across Asia Pacific led by a team with more than 40 years of industry experience.

The partnership will facilitate investment in the development of high-quality logistics projects throughout Asia Pacific and accelerate the growth of the Equalbase platform as a leading sustainable developer and specialist manager in the region.

According to a statement, the initial focus of the investment programme will be in South Korea and Malaysia, both fast growing logistics markets in which Equalbase has an existing operating presence and track record of developing large scale logistics projects.

Equalbase has identified an attractive pipeline of potential modern logistics projects in the region, including a seed project located in the greater Seoul area currently controlled by Equalbase’s sponsor.

“We believe the Asia Pacific region presents significant opportunities for investment in Grade A modern logistics assets as the market continues to exhibit favourable supply-demand dynamics and sustained structural tailwinds,” said New York-headquartered Stonepeak Senior Managing Director and Head of Asia and the Middle East, Hajir Naghdy.

“We look forward to working closely with Equalbase’s seasoned management team on initial projects in South Korea and Malaysia, and to continuing Stonepeak’s momentum in Asia Pacific as we aim to identify additional compelling infrastructure assets and platforms across the region.”

"We are delighted to combine forces with Stonepeak,” said Christian Bischoff, Founder and Executive Chairman of Singapore-headquartered Equalbase.

“We believe this joint venture will provide us with an extraordinary investment platform that will give us the opportunity to further grow and develop outstanding and sustainable assets for our clients.”

For more information, visit www.stonepeak.com.

-- BERNAMA

Hitachi Metals Ltd announces change of trade name

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Hitachi Metals Ltd (the Company) announced it has been resolved at the board of directors’ meeting that the Company’s trade name be changed.

The above-stated change of trade name will be made on the condition that the takeover bid by K.K. BCJ-52 for which a public release was issued, is carried out successfully, and a subsequent range of procedures necessary for the change of the trade name, including partial revision of the Articles of Incorporation, are completed.

According to a statement, the new trade name is Proterial Ltd.

The Company has its origin in Hitachi Ltd, which was founded in 1910, and was spun off into an independent company in 1956. Since its original foundation, the Company has grown by providing the society with many unique products developed with its high technological capabilities.

After a successful implementation of the Takeover Bid, the Company will accelerate its efforts toward further reform and growth in cooperation with the new capital partner, aiming to become a company “leading sustainability by high performance.”

Taking an opportunity afforded by the planned capital reorganisation, a step for its second independence, the Company will change its name to one befitting the new start for growth.

Thinking behind the company name, “Proterial” reflects the essence of its corporate philosophy, which consists of three elements, namely Mission; Vision; and Values. It combines “pro-” with the word “material.”

“Pro-” represents its “three pros”: Professional; Progressive; and, Proactive, while “Material” refers to the high-performance materials that its original technologies produce and which underpin the three pros.

The trade name of the Company’s group companies whose current name includes “Hitachi” will be changed on Jan 4, 2023 in principle. However, some will be changed by Jan 3, 2023 when appropriate, or later than Jan 5, 2023.

-- BERNAMA

Duck Creek Technologies announces latest partnership with Coaction Specialty Insurance

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (Bernama) -- Duck Creek Technologies has announced its latest partnership with Coaction Specialty Insurance Group Inc, to upgrade the commercial specialty insurer’s core policy, billing and commercial templates from on-premises to cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) using Duck Creek OnDemand.

According to a statement, Duck Creek’s technology suite will efficiently consolidate Coaction’s technology solutions on Microsoft’s Azure platform to increase its speed to market and ease of connecting with customers and industry partners.

“Coaction is an innovative insurer who brings unrivalled specialty insurance expertise to solve challenges and provide solutions for their customers.

“We are thrilled to have Coaction leveraging Duck Creek OnDemand to help them drive efficiency and provide an industry-leading, consistent, and friendly customer experience” said Duck Creek Technologies Chief Executive Officer Mike Jackowski

Meanwhile, Chief Operating Officer of Coaction Specialty Insurance Group Inc, Mike Sciole said: “With Duck Creek OnDemand, Coaction will be able to increase agility, flexibility, and scale accordingly with our business. Duck Creek has been a great partner with the best SaaS offering in the industry.”

Coaction’s technology modernisation strategy contemplates creating insurance products more quickly and efficiently, meeting the end-to-end engagement needs of its customers, and bringing more ease to everyday insurance transactions.

The cloud-based deployment of Duck Creek OnDemand will ensure that Coaction’s technology is evergreen, scalable and efficient – allowing the insurer’s internal teams to focus on innovation that drives value for its customers.

Duck Creek Technologies is the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of the property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance industry.

More details at www.duckcreek.com.

-- BERNAMA

DOMINICA ON RIGHT ROAD TO BECOMING FIRST CLIMATE-RESILIENT NATION BY 2030

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- After Hurricane Maria left an estimated 90 per cent of buildings damaged or destroyed in Dominica in 2019, the small Caribbean Island of just 70,000 has been on a clear path to become the first climate-resilient nation by 2030.

According to Germanwatch’s 2021 Global Climate Risk Index – an Index that analyses to what extent countries and regions have been affected by impacts of weather-related loss event – Dominica ranked 11th out of 150 countries at risk based on an analysis of extreme weather events between 2000 and 2019.

Two factors were cited for Dominica: the impact of global warming on rising sea levels that increase the risk of storm surges, and the increase in the strength of hurricanes, according to a statement.

Dominica is leading the fight against climate change, and the government continues to invest in new projects and programmes to achieve their goal of resiliency and having the strength to fight back when catastrophic events occur.

In response to the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria, Dominica launched a climate resilience policy framework to help guide its recovery journey in the form of the National Resilience Development Strategy 2030 (NRDS).

The NRDS speaks to the overall policy framework of the government and summaries 43 resilience goals desired to assure that development is people-centred.

The Climate Resilience and Recovery Plan of Dominica aims to build strong communities, build a robust economy, have a well-planned and durable infrastructure; strengthen institutional systems and, protect and sustain natural and other unique assets.

It centres around three pillars, namely structural resilience, financial resilience, and post-disaster resilience.

-- BERNAMA

LEADING TRADE EVENT FOR GREEN TECHNOLOGIES AND ECO SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCES ITS OFFICIAL SPONSORS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA) and Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC), as the co-organiser, are delighted to announce their official sponsors for this year's International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM 2022). The event will take place from 12 to14 October 2022 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Themed "Race Towards Net Zero: Fulfilling SDG and ESG Commitments", IGEM 2022 embraces Malaysia's aspiration to become a carbon-neutral nation by 2050 and supports the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and UNDP Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. Recognised as the world's leading trade event for green technologies and eco solutions, IGEM 2022 will feature over 300 booths. It is expected to attract 30,000 visitors and generate business prospects estimated at RM3 billion. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44256

REPORT: NEARLY 70% OF EUROPEANS PREFER DIRECT BANK TRANSFERS AS TOP PREFERRED METHOD TO GET PAID, ACCORDING TO RAPYD

LONDON, Sept 23 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nearly seven out of 10 (67%) Europeans demand direct bank transfers as their most preferred method to be paid, indicating the growing need for businesses to provide fast and secure payments in consumers’ preferred payout methods.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220922005160/en/

That’s according to a new report released by Rapyd, the leading fintech-as-a-service partner, after conducting research to understand consumer choices, considerations and preferences in nine European countries; including data on how consumers prefer to pay and receive payments.

Rapyd’s European State of Disbursements report finds that access to, and interest in, financial technology apps is very high among consumers in the nine European markets surveyed. Europeans are embracing financial services apps for everything from banking, everyday spending and managing their investments. The findings show that 74% of European consumers use a mobile banking app, 50% use an eWallet app, 50% use a credit or debit card app, approximately one in six (16%) use an investment fund app and approximately one in eight (12%) use a personal financial management app.

Rapyd’s European eCommerce and Payment Methods report also indicates that Europeans increasingly rely on phones for payments, financial management and eCommerce. Over half (52%) of Europeans report purchasing clothes online via mobile over the past three months, compared to 46% via laptop. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority of Europeans who purchased takeaway over the last 3 months did so via mobile (70%) compared to laptop (28%).

Rapyd’s State of Disbursements report also noted that Europeans are early adopters of fintech, prioritizing data security and lower costs when receiving payments. Only 16% are hesitant or lagging in the adoption of fintech. The data shows that 82% rank keeping their personal information secure as the most important feature for payouts, and over 70% of respondents do not want to pay any transaction fees.

The report further analyzes and compares each market’s attitudes towards fintech adoption. Interestingly, Spain had the highest number of early adopters or consumers more likely to be open to new fintech solutions (27%), followed by Iceland (22%) and Germany (20%). On the other hand, Denmark (54%), France (47%) and the UK (44%) had the highest number of consumers who identified as the ‘late majority.’ The analysis notes that these consumers are less likely to explore new financial technology, instead preferring to use the same platforms as family and friends.

Over half of global online transfers are currently made with local or alternative payment methods. This, coupled with the rapid growth of marketplaces and gig economy models, is driving the need for new payout technology in Europe, notes the report.

Rapyd also notes that with the roll-out of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) continuing and the Nordics’ P27 payments initiative unfolding, real-time payments in Europe are here to stay, emphasizing the need to keep abreast of country-specific regulations. As such, the company is calling on businesses to ensure they have the infrastructure in place to guarantee reliable mass payouts driven by local preferences.

Commenting on the findings, Arik Shtilman, CEO of Rapyd, said:

“The companies that solve the technological challenges of disbursing funds in Europe will surge ahead of their competition. It’s critical that businesses responsible for online financial transactions have partners that can support them in delivering reliable payout and payment solutions, can keep on top of local regulations and can stay on top of consumer preferences. The businesses that invest in dynamic tech solutions to guarantee reliable mass payouts will no doubt enjoy stability and growth through better engagement, loyalty and beneficiary preference.

“Furthermore, given the growth of marketplaces and gig-economy platforms, working with partners that understand the evolving fintech space is key. Disbursing funds to a seller or worker is typically tied to individual sales on different platforms. This can be incredibly complex, as in many cases, the buyer, seller and platform provider are all in different locations. We recommend that businesses ensure local preferences are driving their payout strategy, with a particular focus on speed, security and choice, as these factors help drive greater use and adoption and build loyalty and trust.”

Rapyd’s 2022 European eCommerce and Payment Methods report and 2022 European State of Disbursements report are available here.

Notes to Editors:

Survey Methodology

Rapyd surveyed 4,286 adults (18+) in Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and the United Kingdom online in March and April 2022. All respondents made an online purchase in the previous month and were nationally representative across age and income scale.

About Rapyd

Rapyd lets you build bold. Liberate global commerce with all the tools your business needs to create payment, payout and fintech experiences everywhere. From Fortune 500s to ambitious business and technology upstarts, our payments network and powerful fintech platform make it easy to pay suppliers and get paid by customers—locally or internationally.

With offices worldwide, including Tel Aviv, Dubai, London, Iceland, San Francisco, Miami and Singapore, we know what it takes to make cross-border commerce as easy as being next door. Rapyd simplifies payments so you can focus on building your business.

Get the tools to grow globally at www.rapyd.net. Follow: Blog, Insta, LinkedIn, Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220922005160/en/

Contact

UK media inquiries Tash Nikolovski / Rakhee Rathod rapyd@transatlanticent.com

Global media inquiries Lizzie Ryan press@rapyd.net
​
Source : Rapyd

TELEDYNE FLIR UNVEILS VIZOR 5GIGE AREA SCAN CAMERA FAMILY FOR MACHINE VISION

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- Teledyne FLIR has announced the Vizor 5GigE area scan camera family for machine vision.

“Vizor is the first area scan camera family to harness the combined wealth of customer knowledge and technical expertise from Teledyne FLIR, Teledyne DALSA, and Teledyne Lumenera,” said General Manager of Teledyne FLIR IIS, Sadiq Panjwani.

“It is designed from the ground up to empower systems engineers to quickly develop highly reliable and competitive products.”

Constructed on an all-new modern platform, Vizor is designed to provide the richest combination of advanced imaging features in the industry and is engineered to handle the most complex vision system challenges both now and into the future.

According to a statement, available in Q4, the first models extend the Genie Nano 5GigE sensor offering by integrating 5 to 24 MP Sony Pregius Gen 4 Global Shutter CMOS sensors.

System engineers can replace current GigE Vision compliant cameras with Vizor cameras to upgrade their system performance without changing their application software. 

Vizor is ideal for high-speed applications in factory automation for electronics inspection, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and for sports analytics and virtual reality motion capture.

Like all Teledyne FLIR machine vision cameras, Vizor features a compact form factor for easy integration, all-metal body with three-year warranty, and both rich online resources, and access to our world-class technical support team.

-- BERNAMA

ASIA PACIFIC INVESTMENT BANK SEMINAR: HOW TO WIN IN A VOLATILE FOREX MARKET

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- US Fed has raised interest rate again by another 0.75% last night and the continuing fall of the ringgit caused more investors to focus their attention on the forex market. Many people are gearing up in anticipation of entering the market and becoming "heroes in a troubled time". What impact will the Fed's rate hike have on the Malaysian currency? When will the emerging economies forex market start to see the light at the end of the tunnel?

In view of this, Asia Pacific Investment Bank will be holding a seminar titled "Asia Pacific Investment Bank Seminar: How to win in a volatile forex market" to explain to investors the basic concepts of the forex market, future trends and investment points, etc.

"The forex market is a huge and extremely liquid market, with a daily trading volume of up to $7 trillion. Hence, it is a market full of slippery slopes but also full of opportunities. If investors want to win in the volatile forex market, it is necessary to learn more about the forex market and acquire solid investment knowledge before jumping into the market, which is why we are holding this seminar," said Dr. Lai Heow Gran, Head of Investment Banking Division I at Asia Pacific Investment Bank.

In addition to Dr. Lai Heow Gran, Asia Pacific Investment Bank will also assign another forex investment expert – Mr. Voo Chun Keat, Assistant Vice President Foreign Exchange Department. The two will team up as speakers to deliver and share the in-depth knowledge of forex market with seminar participants.

Dr. Lai Heow Gran, Head of Investment Banking Division I at Asia Pacific Investment Bank held managerial positions in both Malaysia and China. His  posting prior to this include being  the Head of Investment Products in Ambank, Investment Products Manager in HSBC China, Vice President of Wealth Development in HSBC Malaysia and Senior Research Analyst in Hong Leong Private Banking Division as well as Maybank. Dr. Lai Heow Gran obtained his BSc in Economics (Hons) from University of London, MBA from University Malaysia Sarawak and his PhD from Multimedia University.

Our other speaker, Mr. Voo Chun Keat is the Assistant Vice President Foreign Exchange Department at Asia Pacific Investment Bank. He has ten years of experience in forex trading and has served as a senior executive in several forex trading platforms. Through his rich practical experience and knowledge in forex trading, Mr. Voo participated in training over 1000 students in both online and offline seminars.
 
Asia Pacific Investment Bank Seminar: How to Win in a Volatile Forex Market will be held on 1st October, 2022 (Saturday) from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at the Asia Pacific Investment Bank Kuala Lumpur Office. The seminar will be conducted in Mandarin and is open free to public. As place is limited, interested parties are encouraged to register online https://forms.gle/vYGE9GdSjyH8UaXo9 to reserve a seat and get more information about the seminar. For further details, please email to info@apdib.com. 

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CLOUDFLARE EXPANDS ACCESS TO ZERO TRUST PLATFORM - GIVING CUSTOMERS MORE CONTROL AND VISIBILITY ACROSS THEIR NETWORK, DATA, AND APPS

API-driven cloud access security broker (CASB) and data loss prevention (DLP) services now generally available

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 21 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, today announced that both its Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) services are now generally available as part of Cloudflare’s Zero Trust platform. Cloudflare CASB provides businesses visibility and control across their corporate SaaS applications to secure workplace tools, detect shadow IT, and control user access. Cloudflare DLP customers have increased protection and controls over data flowing across their network—detecting and preventing data exfiltration, scanning for Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and securing access to sensitive information. By combining Cloudflare CASB with the data controls provided by DLP, customers can easily achieve high levels of visibility across their entire organization without the complexities of legacy solutions.

“It’s more important than ever that CISOs have control over who can access specific applications or data. In the past 90 days, Cloudflare CASB has already helped early adopters detect more than five million instances of potential data oversharing and unapproved shadow IT, making sure these issues didn't turn into incidents for those organizations,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. “Legacy solutions often require clunky point solutions that slow networks and employees down. However, because Cloudflare’s CASB and DLP services are built directly into our Zero Trust platform and are part of our global network, we are able to not only protect critical data and applications but also accelerate network traffic as well.”

Many businesses are adopting more SaaS applications than ever before, driven by the need to operate more efficiently and collaboratively in a distributed or hybrid work environment. As a result of this shift, increasing amounts of sensitive data are stored in the cloud through email services, HR applications, and collaboration tools. This has increased the burden on security teams, who now have to monitor security across numerous applications and increases the risk of security incidents from misconfigured settings, incorrect access controls, or disgruntled employees. With CASB and DLP part of Cloudflare’s Zero Trust platform, organizations can easily secure their applications, data, and employees against the modern threat landscape without the complex integration costs or disrupting employee productivity like many legacy systems.

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TSING HUA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL PREPARATORY OFFICE OPENS IN TAOYUAN

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- The Tsing Hua University Hospital Preparatory Office was officially opened in the Xinkong Building on Aug 20, at the Taoyuan Metro Corporation’s Qingpu Depot, which is one MRT station away from the site where the Hospital will be built.

According to a statement, NTHU and the Taoyuan City Government have already signed a letter of intent outlining their plan to jointly establish a world-class medical centre that will serve the local community.

The plan also includes assistance in the training of bilingual teachers and support for science education and experimental education at Taoyuan’s kindergartens, primary, and secondary schools.

The Preparatory Office was officially inaugurated by Taoyuan City mayor Cheng Wen-tsan and NTHU president W. John Kao. Mayor Cheng has played a key role in the early stages of the Hospital project. 

The Hospital is expected to become a leading centre for the development of advanced cell regeneration technology.

Kao said this was a very important day for NTHU, in that the school had its sights set on medical education, and now the dream had finally come true.

Kao also noted that this year could be seen as the “year of medicine” at NTHU, since the first batch of medical students had recently been enrolled.

The Hospital will be located near the Hengshan Station (A16) of the Airport MRT line, on a parcel of land provided by Taoyuan City.

NTHU senior vice-president Lyu Ping-chiang said that the BOT agreement will be finalised by year-end, and that construction would start next year, soon after the parcel is transferred. The Hospital is expected to be completed by the end of 2027 and opened in 2028.

The Hospital will initially have 200 general acute care beds, plus an intensive care unit, a respiratory care unit, negative pressure isolation rooms, and a psychiatric unit for both inpatients and outpatients, all of which will be gradually expanded over a number of years.

-- BERNAMA

iDA Singapore's Retail Ambassador Program to address retail talent shortage

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- In July, iDA Singapore (iDA’SG), the Singapore branch of World Mode Holdings (WMH), a Japanese group that provides diverse solutions to the fashion and beauty industries, began to hire retail professionals and develop their skills through a unique training programme to counter the human resource challenges facing ASEAN companies and job applicants in the retail industry.

The Retail Ambassador Program was launched to connect professional retail staff with various companies in a flexible way that meets job requirements, such as length of employment, skill set and experience as a full-time employee.

According to a statement, the target of its initial recruitment drive is 1,000 workers, though the programme is intended to be expanded based on feedback from companies and job applicants.

The rise of e-commerce in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and the return of foreign workers to their home countries have further exacerbated the shortage oftalent in the retail industry. For staff, this has meant being exposed to an unstable employment environment while also receiving good benefits.

iDA’SG has launched the Retail Ambassador Program to address the issues that arise from these practices. Through this initiative, iDA’SG hires staff looking forwork in the retail industry and develops their skills through a unique training programme. By simply issuing a request to iDA’SG, companies can secure the most suitable human resources for their working environment, without needing to conduct their own recruitment processes.

In Japan, iDA has served more than 1,200 clients, including luxury brands, and 280,000 registered candidates over 20 years. Many customers and job applicants are already taking advantage of this programme.

iDA’SG believes in continuous learning and skills development and has developed a number of educational courses on topics such as beauty, personal development and visual merchandising to ensure our responsiveness to the ever-changing retail industry.

These training programs develop the skills of professional retail staff, enabling them to be Retail Ambassadors who can be assets to their workplaces from day one and contribute to an improvement in customer service.

For more information, visit: http://rap.ida-sg.com/

-- BERNAMA

Axi declares significant overhaul to Introducing Broker program

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- Global FX and CFD broker, Axi has announced a significant overhaul to its Introducing Broker (IB) program, with a more flexible structure that focuses on building stronger relationships and helping partners grow their client referral business sustainably and profitably.

The revised structure will initially be rolled out to partners in the Asia region who will benefit from an improved rebate allocation, the ability to earn rebates on all account types and products, new trading products, reduced spreads on a range of existing products, the availability of leverage up to 1:1000 and additional earning potential via a second-tier of sub-Introducing Brokers.

In a statement, Axi Chief Commercial Officer Louis Cooper said: “The Axi Partner team has listened closely to what traders and referrers want in today’s market, and I believe we’ve delivered a highly compelling package that builds on the superior service we offer clients, differentiates us from our competitors and reflects what partners truly need to achieve long-term sustainable growth.”

The new structure is centred around clearly defined tiers that offer flexibility to earn rewards based on the volume of referrals made. As a partner refers more clients and the total trading volume increases, they become eligible for greater rewards.

“Fundamentally, our business is built on having an exceptional trading service that offers clients everything they need to gain an edge in the markets. With that firmly in place, we have the ability to grow and nurture very strong relationships through our IB program.

“We have a magnificent team dedicated to supporting our partners to achieve their ambitions as referrers, and we’ll reward them very well when they do.

“We’re interested in building genuine partnerships that are mutually beneficial, and that’s what we’re delivering now and into the future.”

With a greater public awareness and interest in cryptocurrencies and other crypto assets, Axi has taken this opportunity to help its referral partners by expand its existing product range to 77 cryptocurrency CFDs, with full volume profile data streaming through the MetaTrader 4 (MT4) trading platform.

-- BERNAMA

TRILLIANT IMPLEMENTS SMART WATER METERING SOLUTION IN CANADA

Wireless solution solves connectivity and meter challenges for Toronto townhome complex

BANGKOK, Sept 21 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Enlit Asia 2022 – Trilliant, a leading international provider of solutions for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), smart grid, smart cities and IIOT, announced the successful implementation of a wireless water metering solution in Canada, confirming its position to support challenging metering projects where strong, reliable connectivity is required. Provident, an energy services and submetering company in the Greater Toronto Area specializing in the multi-residential market, selected Trilliant’s Smart Water solution for a project in Toronto, Ontario, that required a basement metering solution for a number of townhomes.

The installation of utility meters can often be a complex process with many considerations, including supply chain challenges, wiring of equipment and other factors.

The Provident project uses Trilliant technology to enable the connection of water meters to a water meter interface unit (MIU), which can be programmed to interface with any available meter across a multitude of brands. The access point reads the MIUs wirelessly, eliminating the need to run wires through floors and walls.

“Provident is committed to providing the very best in service to our customers,” said Ralph Simone, President at Provident Energy Management Inc. “To do so, we rely on cutting-edge technology and solutions like Trilliant’s Smart Water platform to enable our business.”

The solution for Provident was deployed on Trilliant’s AMI platform, ideally suited for hard-to-reach and battery-sensitive devices. Trilliant’s Smart Water solution is a key part of Trilliant’s smart building initiative and is revolutionizing connectivity in buildings while empowering building owners to better manage infrastructure without intrusive wired installations. Unlike other solutions, the individual MIUs don’t need to be in proximity to each other, just within reach of the access point.

Basements in particular present challenges for most wired and wireless applications, especially when attempting to install the solutions later in the construction process. There is generally poor line of sight, which can require more nodes, and weak signals overall. Trilliant’s solution offers extreme coverage and capacity while providing customers with the stringent security they need and expect.

“In utilizing Trilliant’s technology in buildings, customers can count on reliable connectivity without the overhead chatter and power consumption typical of other RF devices. Battery-powered devices ease installation and support a multitude of meter choices, putting customers like Provident in full control of their assets,” said Steven Lupo, Managing Director, Canada at Trilliant. “Trilliant’s solutions are easy to deploy in residential and commercial developments, and can provide connectivity for not just water metering, but also for electrical and thermal applications, all while reducing or eliminating the overhead costs, risks, and maintenance that come with wired installations.”

The deployment in Toronto demonstrates the technology’s ease and speed of installation, performance and scalability – and that it’s designed to work with virtually any system to provide a secure, powerful source of data. Trilliant has successfully implemented similar solutions in Chile, Dominican Republic, Peru, Japan and the United Kingdom.

About Trilliant

Trilliant® empowers the global energy industry with the only device-agnostic communications platform that enables utilities and cities to deploy any application securely and reliably on one powerful network. Our purpose-built portfolio is designed to offer the power of choice, without risk of customers being “locked in” with one technology provider. We are proud to offer mission-critical solutions that support AMI, Data & Analytics, Smart Grids and Smart Cities. Customers worldwide benefit from Trilliant’s unique combination of flexibility, sustainability and scalability that connects utilities and cities to the IIOT and a more strategic path to the Energy Transition. Visit us at www.trilliant.com. 

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AM BEST TO PRESENT AT MICROINSURANCE NETWORK'S VIRTUAL COUNTRY WORKSHOPS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best will sponsor and deliver a presentation at the Microinsurance Network’s virtual country workshops for India and the Philippines, taking place Sept 21 and 26, respectively.

The Microinsurance Network was established in 2002 by donors, multilateral agencies, non-governmental organisations, private insurance companies and other interested parties, and is the only global multi-stakeholder platform that promotes the development and delivery of effective risk management tools, including insurance services, for underserved people.

During these workshops, Rob Curtis, managing director of market development for the Asia-Pacific region at AM Best, will speak on the importance of supporting environmental, social and governance principals through the rating agency’s credit rating criteria.

United States-headquartered AM Best is a sponsor of each event. The India workshop is themed “Democratising Insurance: Driving Inclusion Through Innovation.” The Philippine-focused event is titled, “Nature-Positive Insurance: The Upside For People, Planet And Business”; The Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association is a co-sponsor.

AM Best has played a key role in these country workshops, and has participated and/or sponsored ones focused on the insurance markets of Brazil, Mexico and Morocco, as well as a previous workshop on the Philippines; each event addressed barriers and possible solutions needed for developing a microinsurance market.

According to a statement, Curtis recently joined AM Best after more than three decades of experience in the insurance industry, and previously was the head of the major groups and technical expert teams at Hong Kong’s Insurance Authority (IA), responsible for the development of Hong Kong’s new group-wide supervision and macro-prudential frameworks.

He is also co-chief executive officer of A.M. Best Asia-Pacific (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.

For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

-- BERNAMA

TRILLIANT FOCUSES ON GRID MODERNIZATION AND ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE AS DIAMOND SPONSOR AT ENLIT ASIA IN BANGKOK

Company leading panel discussion on the creation of a more intelligent, efficient and sustainable grid

BANGKOK, Sept 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Enlit Asia 2022 — Trilliant, a leading international provider of solutions for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), smart grid, smart cities and IIoT, will serve as Diamond Sponsor at Enlit Asia for the fourth consecutive year, demonstrating its continued commitment to the APAC region. The conference will take place on September 20-22, 2022 at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC).

The Enlit Asia Summit (formerly Asian Utility Week) is the premier gathering for senior executives of the ASEAN power and electricity sector, addressing pressing energy issues and strategic and commercially important topics, as the region looks to successfully navigate the energy transition.

Trilliant Chairman and CEO Andrew C. White will participate as an Enlit Asia keynote speaker during the opening ceremony. Other speakers include Dato' Indera Ir. Baharin Bin Din, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) Malaysia.

In addition, Azeem Sulaiman, Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific at Trilliant, will moderate a panel discussion during Day One’s CEO Energy Forum, titled Grid Modernization: Priorities & Strategies for the Creation of a Smarter More Intelligent, Efficient & Sustainable Grid, and will be joined by executives from G&W Electric, TNB, PT PLN (Persero) and others. The panel will focus on the priorities for ASEAN’s utilities, the evolution of smart grid development, how digitization can help the region’s grid owners, the need for increased resiliency, and the role of grid modernization and digital power systems in supporting sustainability and carbon neutral goals.

“As we continue to build upon our innovation and growth strategy to serve utilities in Asia Pacific, as well as globally, we are excited to join energy industry leaders, businesses and regional stakeholders at Enlit Asia to discuss strategies and explore ways to achieve a smooth transition towards a low carbon energy supply,” said Sulaiman. “The energy industry is facing some of the most challenging obstacles to date and we look forward to continue working with utilities to address their needs and to develop a more strategic path to the energy transition.” 

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