Wednesday, 31 January 2024
KFSH&RC MADINAH BAGS PRESS GANEY’S EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR OUTPATIENT SERVICES
Monday, 29 January 2024
Floship Bags Deloitte Rising Star Award
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 (Bernama) -- Floship, a global circular supply chain solution provider for e-commerce brands, has been recognised as a Deloitte Rising Star Company awardee at the prestigious Hong Kong’s Technology & Rising Star (HKTF) programme.
“Receiving the Deloitte Rising Star Award is a tremendous honour for Floship. It is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team, as well as the trust and support of our valued clients and partners.
“This recognition reinforces our position as a leader in the industry and motivates us to continue pushing boundaries and achieving greater success,” said Floship Chief Executive Officer, Joshua Tsui in a statement.
The Deloitte HKTF programme, a sub-programme of Deloitte China Technology Fast, serves as a platform for fast-growing and innovative local enterprises to showcase their market eminence, network with successful peers, and garner wider recognition while enhancing their talent brand across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.
This recognition further solidifies Floship's position among the most innovative and promising companies in the region and reflects the company's commitment to excellence and forward-thinking e-commerce logistics solutions.
This accolade comes at a time of significant expansion and advancement for Floship, as it continues to redefine the logistics and supply chain landscape through cutting-edge technology and unparalleled service offerings.
In addition, the award serves as a validation of the company's commitment to delivering exceptional value to its clients and establishing a growing global presence.
Floship looks forward to leveraging this recognition to further enhance its market positioning and drive continued success in the industry as it shifts into the next phase of its expansion across the Greater Bay Area, APAC, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
-- BERNAMA
Sunday, 28 January 2024
BE PART OF THE SPLENDID LEGACY: CELEBRATING THE ANNIVERSARY OF BRILLIANCE AT THE TWIN JEWELLERY SHOWS
The 2024 HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show (IJS)
Physical Fair : 29 Feb – 4 Mar at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Click2Match (AI-enabled online matching platform) : 20 Feb to 11 Mar
The 2024 HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show (IDGPS)
Physical Fair : 27 Feb – 2 Mar at AsiaWorld-Expo
Click2Match (AI-enabled online matching platform) : 20 Feb to 11 Mar
This year's IJS will feature splendid themed zones including the Hall of Extraordinary, Hall of Fame, and Designer Galleria. The Hall of Extraordinary will showcase high-end collections with stunning diamonds, precious stones, jadeite and pearls, from exhibitors representing Australia, Mainland China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Thailand, the UK, and the US.
The Designer Galleria will showcase captivating collections from fashion-forward designers hailing from Austria, Mainland China, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the US.
Pavilions from several countries such as Mexico and Malaysia will return to the twin jewellery shows. The Hall of Fame will feature an impressive line-up of international brands, including Giorgio Visconti from Italy, Chete from Hong Kong, Carrera Y Carrera from Spain and Lao Feng Xiang from Mainland China.
The IDGPS will showcase the finest diamonds and pearls as well as quality gemstones and raw materials for jewellery from various origins in the Hall of Fine Diamond, Treasures of Nature and Treasures of Ocean.
Saturday, 27 January 2024
HONOR MAGIC V2 HIT STORES NATIONWIDE ON JANUARY 25
HONOR Magic V2 is available nationwide from January 25th 2024 |
Watch World’s Thinnest and Lightest Inward Foldable Phone Taken Apart in Upcoming Facebook Video
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- The HONOR Magic V2 saw remarkable pre-orders since its launch on January 16. While it is now still available for pre-order, this world's thinnest and lightest inward foldable phone will be officially sold in stores nationwide starting January 25.
Priced at RM6,999, the HONOR Magic V2 boasts a substantial 16+512GB storage capacity and comes in three premium color options of Black, Purple, and Black (PU).
With every purchase of the HONOR Magic V2 includes free gifts valued up to RM2,247 consisting of an HONOR CHOICE Haylou Watch, Foldable Phone Gravity Car Phone Holder, and HONOR 365-day Screen Protection.
The HONOR Magic V2 will be conveniently available for purchase on various platforms, including the HONOR Official Website, HONOR Store, Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, and authorized dealers Harvey Norman, Senheng, SenQ, and Urban Republic. It is also accessible through telcos CelcomDigi and Maxis, with availability soon extending to Umobile and Yes.
For those seeking flexible payment options, the HONOR Magic V2 is offered with a 0% installment plans. With installment plans ranging from 6 to 24 months, customers can now own this device for as low as RM291.63 per month*.
*Remark: This is based on 24 months installment plan and is available for selected banks. Kindly check with the relevant stores or your bank directly on the availability of the instalment plans.
Watch HONOR Magic V2 Taken Apart Piece by Piece
Meanwhile, in a video to be released on HONOR Malaysia's Facebook page this January 26, viewers will get a glimpse of the HONOR Magic V2 being disassembled piece by piece. The video showcases the process, starting from removing the phone's back cover then followed by revealing each component that contributes to its exceptional build. The HONOR Magic V2 was reconstructed with 210 patented technologies.
Friday, 26 January 2024
TOURISM MALAYSIA HOSTS "MALAYSIA NIGHT" GALA DINNER AT VIENTIANE IN CONJUNCTION WITH ATF 2024
VIENTIANE, Jan 26 (Bernama) -- Aiming to lure a greater number of tourists from Laos, Indochina, ASEAN and the rest of the world, Tourism Malaysia hosted the “Malaysia Night” Gala Dinner here at Landmark Hotel, Vientiane, Laos in conjunction with ASEAN TOURISM FORUM 2024.
The dinner with the theme “The Beautiful Tastes of Malaysia” showcased the Cultural Potpourri of Malaysia through the form of dances and performances of the different ethnic groups in Malaysia, specially choreographed by Istana Budaya. The guests were also served Malaysian culinary delights specially prepared by Chef Farid from IBIS Hotel Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) and Chef Irwan from ADABI.Led by Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia; accompanied by Dato’ Roslan Tan Sri Abdul Rahman, Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia; and Dato' Dr. Ammar Bin Abd. Ghapar, Director General of Tourism Malaysia; the delegation to ATF 2024 comprises 5 organisations, including the states of Perak, Melaka, and Johor, as well as KARYANEKA, ADABI, and several other industry players and product owners.
Highlighted also through the event are the Visit Melaka Year 2024, Visit Perak Year 2024 and the state of Johor whereby the following Malaysian states were given the stage to feature their unique cultures and experiences. These promotional efforts are aimed at paving the way and creating momentum as Malaysia will be the next host of ATF 2025 and Chairman of ASEAN 2025, as well as the much-awaited Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
“Malaysia is honoured to continue the spirit and tradition of the ASEAN Tourism Forum, which embraces the role of catalyst for change in tourism policy and development, subsequently improving the economic and social standing among the ASEAN Member States. As a united ASEAN, the strength of our collective efforts is greater than the sum of its parts. We look forward to further strengthening our strategic collaboration to fully harness the tourism growth potential of ASEAN,” said Dato Sri Tiong King Sing.
He added “We are honoured to have you with us as we celebrate the beauty of Malaysia through its diverse tastes, aromas and traditions. Tonight’s showcase of colours of Malaysia is only a glimpse of what you will see and what Malaysia can offer for the upcoming ASEAN Tourism Forum 2025, World Tourism Day and World Tourism Conference 2025, as well as, Visit Malaysia Year (VM) 2026. For VM 2026, we are aiming to position Malaysia as a top 10 tourist destination in arrivals and tourism receipts based on 3 main principles which are competitiveness, sustainability and inclusion.”
Up until September 2023, a total of 12,524 tourists from Laos visited Malaysia and Tourism Malaysia aims to continuously increase this number in 2024 through ATF 2024, marketing and promotion activities, tourism expos, seminars, as well as, media and travel agent familiarisation trips to Malaysia throughout this year. There are currently 295 flights per week from Vientienne to Malaysia via Malaysia Airlines, Thai AirAsia, Thai Airways International and Lao Airlines.
About Tourism Malaysia
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia. It focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination. Since its inception, it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene.
The next Visit Malaysia Year, set to take place in 2026, will commemorate the sustainability of the nation's tourism industry, which is also in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).
Furthermore, Tourism Malaysia actively endorses the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), working towards the realisation of the IMT-GT Visiting Year 2023-2025, with the shared aim of promoting the region as a unified tourism destination. For more information, visit Tourism Malaysia’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok.
SOURCE: Tourism Malaysia
--BERNAMA
PowerSchool's AI Assistant Redefines Personalised Education
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- PowerSchool, the provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America, announced the next evolution of its artificial intelligence (AI) platform with the launch of PowerSchool PowerBuddy, an AI-powered assistant for everyone in education.
“In addition to supporting parents, teachers, and educators, PowerBuddy helps each child cultivate a genuine passion for learning, driven by the intentional design of safe, supportive, inspiring, and tailored experiences using AI,” said its Chief Product and Innovation Officer, Shivani Stumpf.
In a statement, PowerSchool said its AI ecosystem founded on Responsible AI principles uniquely benefits all stakeholders crucial to a student’s educational journey.
With their own PowerBuddy, each student, parent, educator, counsellor, and administrator will now have safe and secure access to individualised guidance, information, and resources at their fingertips, helping students receive the most optimal social, emotional, as well as academic support in a way never experienced before.
Unlike other one-off AI offerings, PowerSchool’s comprehensive AI ecosystem is purposefully engineered to “bring AI to data”, in which this distinctive approach upholds rigorous standards of privacy, ethics, and security establishing a modern method for responsible and innovative AI implementation in education.
PowerBuddy is a role-specific Conversational AI assistant being piloted now and will be available for the 2024-2025 school year to support student progress in and out of the classroom.
It will initially be incorporated into Schoology Learning offering students on-demand, one-on-one assistance with their assignments and tailored pathways transforming traditional learning into an immersive and engaging experience.
Teachers will be able to use PowerBuddy to generate lesson plans, automate the creation of quizzes and assessments in Performance Matters, and personalise homework at scale, saving them time to focus on what is most important – interaction with students.
In addition, parents can leverage PowerBuddy in My PowerSchool to inquire about their child's academic performance and other relevant information, such as receiving proactive alerts if their child is falling behind, fostering transparency and empowering parents to participate in their child’s education.
-- BERNAMA
Wednesday, 24 January 2024
Educational Innovation Congress Addresses AI Utilisation In Higher Education
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- Tecnológico de Monterrey’s Institute for the Future of Education (IFE) celebrated the 10th edition of the IFE Conference in Monterrey, Mexico, the most prominent educational innovation congress in the Spanish-speaking world, from Jan 23 to 25.
Themed "Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence", the event brings together world-class educational leaders, entrepreneurs, and top international experts to discuss the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education.
According to a statement, through these discussions it seeks to positively influence educational quality and make it more accessible to the global population.
“We are researching innovative educational methods that can break down barriers, establish more inclusive and pertinent institutions, and offer broader and more impactful opportunities.
“Events like this one propel us towards a brighter educational future and lay the groundwork for learning to become a transformative power for all,” said Tecnológico de Monterrey Rector of Professional and Postgraduate Studies, Juan Pablo Murra.
With over 250 scheduled activities, the congress will provide a unique space for learning, collaboration, and innovation, bringing more than 170 educational research and innovation projects from 30 countries.
These projects address five themes, namely, Educational Trends, Technologies for Education, Academic Innovation in Health, Management of Educational Innovation, and Lifelong Learning.
Throughout the congress, events such as the Artificial Intelligence in Education Summit, the IFE EdTech Summit, and the Cyber-Physical Learning Alliance will also take place, in which these activities will enhance the experience of the conference through a detailed dive into specific topics.
This year, the congress has been noticeably enriched by the diversity and depth of the content being presented as this will consolidate the IFE Conference as a globally significant event and position it as an essential reference point in the field of higher education, especially in the context of the increasing influence of AI.
-- BERNAMA
Tuesday, 23 January 2024
CONCEAL EXPANDS INTO SOUTHEAST ASIA VIA NORDIC SOLUTIONS PARTNERSHIP
Friday, 19 January 2024
APRISCO ENERGY INDUSTRIES JOINS FORCES WITH MAXIMANCE 2030 LTD AND BLUEGRACE ENERGY BOLIVIA IN A COOPERATION AGREEMENT FOR REDD+ INITIATIVES
Image 1:
https://www.accesswire.com/imagelibrary/835318b0-f241-4c23-9d57 00588f52a941/824501/blueone.png?v=2
In a move to enhance those tools used to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, a significant collaboration has been announced by Julio Jose Montenegro, the CEO of BlueGrace Energy Bolivia (BGEB). This partnership, involving APRISCO ENERGY INDUSTRIES S.L., MAXIMANCE 2030 LTD, and BGEB, focuses on the issuance of voluntary carbon credits, which are crucial for CO2 capture and the fight against climate change effects.
In December 2023, BlueGrace Energy Bolivia, in partnership with MAXIMANCE 2030 LTD, secured approval for ISIN UK.BG.MAX 785.985257. This authorization facilitates the support of the Landmark Forest Conservation Project through equities, with a tenure of 10 years.
This cooperative effort is in line with several global environmental commitments. These include the Escazú Agreement, the Paris Agreement, and the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean's (ECLAC) agreement on climate change and fair transition, as confirmed at the COP28 in Dubai at the end of 2023. The agreement underscores the importance of sustainable forest practices and supports countries implementing them through international financial incentives.
APRISCO ENERGY INDUSTRIES S.L., in collaboration with key strategic partners like Catalana de Biogás Ibérica (supported by Sinia Renovables of Banco Sabadell Group), Catalana de Renovables alongside the Soriguè Group, and the "TESLA GROUP" from the Czech Republic, is embarking on a series of initiatives to enhance renewable energy development. These initiatives include:
- Prioritizing investments in electricity generation from a variety of renewable sources, tailored to the specific potential and opportunities of each country.
- Stimulating the growth of the renewable energy sector and the broader productive sector. This includes promoting the use of sustainable hydrogen for decarbonization in transportation and industry, enhancing competitiveness, and supporting export activities.
- Enhancing energy efficiency across various sectors.
- Advancing the development and implementation of energy storage solutions.
- Organizing campaigns and discussions to raise awareness about the social, environmental, and economic implications of different energy transition scenarios.
- Encouraging the recognition and appropriate commercial treatment of biodiversity credits, highlighting their importance in environmental preservation.
- Providing financial assistance for the restoration and recovery of ecosystems and natural biomes. This recognizes the vital role of protected forest areas, such as "Gran Chaco - Bolivia," in CO2 capture and climate change mitigation.
- Acknowledging the significant contribution of BLUEGRACE ENERGY BOLIVIA SRL's protected forest capital in "Gran Chaco - Bolivia." This area is a key biome on the continent, playing a crucial role in CO2 sequestration and helping to counteract climate change effects.
https://www.accesswire.com/imagelibrary/2bd07051-3648-440f-949f-719736abd715/824501/blue2.jpg?v=3
The cooperative agreement aims to tackle climate change by focusing on green energy and energy transition, aligning with REDD+ tools for combating deforestation and enhancing forest conservation and carbon reserves. This strategy, reflecting Bluegrace's commitment, supports the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.
BlueGrace Energy Bolivia (BGEB) exemplifies corporate responsibility in environmental sustainability, aligning with over 90% of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This marks a significant step in BGEB's global market expansion and investment in impactful projects.
Mr. Montenegro indicated that BGEB's dedication to sustainability is evident in its commitment to conserving 20.5 million acres of the Amazon Rainforest and aligning with the UN's Global Compact. Utilizing advanced technology for carbon credit quantification, this initiative significantly contributes to global climate goals.
The global carbon credits market, expected to reach $100 billion by 2030, highlights the importance of BGEB's project. This initiative, crucial for limiting global warming, represents a synergy of financial investment and environmental action, positioning BGEB as a leader in sustainable innovation.
BGEB's partnerships extend beyond environmental goals, forming strategic alliances with influential entities such as the Capital Market Association (ICMA), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and the United Nations Global Compact. These collaborations are focused on empowering indigenous and impoverished communities through comprehensive social initiatives and sustainability, guided towards universally accepted principles in human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. By enhancing access to education, healthcare, and infrastructure, BGEB is committed to fostering community development alongside its environmental efforts. This integrated approach, which marries environmental conservation with the transition to clean energy and community empowerment, establishes BGEB as a frontrunner in both ecological preservation and clean energy innovation within Bolivia which underscore the ongoing importance of the partnership as it strives towards a sustainable and carbon-neutral future, serving as a compelling example of what collective action and innovation can accomplish.
BGEB's journey inspires us all to take action, as together, we can address climate change and protect our planet for future generations.
Video 1: https://youtu.be/MEgvoy80SyA
About BlueGrace Energy Bolivia:
BlueGrace Energy Bolivia (BGEB), a global consortium of experts in diverse areas, is committed to advancing the transition to a net-zero future in response to climate change challenges. Boasting decades of experience, our team is pioneering 21st-century energy transition projects. Grounded in professional expertise and unwavering integrity, we aim to create genuine value for business and society Learn more at https://bluegracebolivia.com/.
For further information, please contact:
JULIO JOSE MONTENEGRO
jmontenegro@bluegracebolivia.com
+1 (305) 972-6173 (Miami - EE.UU.)
NELSON PINEDA MARTINEZ
nelopineda@bluegracebolivia.com
+591 714-72257 (Bolivia)
For all media inquiries, please contact:
Ivan Linde
ivan.linde@bluegracebolivia.com
+1 (786) 273-7068 (Miami - EE.UU.)
Disclaimer
This announcement is solely for informational use and should not be viewed as financial, legal, or investment guidance. It includes projections and statements that aren't based on past events. Any statement in this release that isn't a historical fact is a projection. Readers should be aware that the basis for these projections might be incorrect and are advised not to rely solely on them. Any projections in this announcement come with a warning. They are current as of the release date, and the Company has no plans to update them, except as mandated by securities regulations.
SOURCE: BlueGrace Energy Bolivia Ltd.
Thursday, 18 January 2024
LRN 47 COURSES OBTAIN SINGAPORE'S IBF ACCREDITATION
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- LRN Corporation, global leader in ethics and compliance (E&C) solutions, announced that 47 of its courses have been accredited by the Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore (IBF).
The IBF, Singapore’s national accreditation and certification agency for financial industry competency, under the Skills Framework for Financial Service, aims to foster and develop professional competency across the financial services sector.
LRN Global Head of Segments Matt Plass said receiving IBF accreditation was critically important to ensuring that it can offer the most robust, flexible and relevant training available to financial industry professionals in Singapore.
“Our accredited catalogue of CPD-ready courses brings together the market-leading e-learning experience for which we are renowned, with real-time relevance and insight that is specific to the Singapore market,” he said.
The accredited courses from LRN provide financial services industry professionals with the necessary training to enhance their capabilities and ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks.
Among the many topics addressed by the English-language courses are anti-money laundering, code of conduct, information security, anti-bribery and corruption, fraud and financial crime prevention, and Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act.
Completion of any of the accredited LRN courses will count toward the mandatory annual requirements for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), as stipulated by the IBF, according to a statement.
The available courses have been specifically designed to cover 11 different risk areas, which have been tailored to the needs of Singapore financial institutions, also leveraging the latest in e-learning design and user experience, a hallmark of LRN’s approach to ethics and compliance learning.
As well as providing access to the most up-to-date information through LRN’s accredited e-learning courses, organisations can also easily analyse and report on employee training progression through all their assigned courses and glean insights into overall compliance programme performance in order to demonstrate regulatory compliance requirements.
-- BERNAMA
'HILTON FOR BUSINESS' TRANSFORMS THE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE FOR SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES
MCLEAN, Va., Jan 17 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Hilton today debuted Hilton for Business, a new, digital-forward travel program that empowers professionals running small- and medium-sized businesses to simplify travel management while enhancing rewards and discounts for their loyalty.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240117047488/en/
Hilton for Business answers a growing need: Hilton data uncovered 75 percent of small- and medium-sized business customers book their own business trips and manage their own travel in-house, without outsourcing. And Hilton’s 2024 Trends Report spotlighted that 80% of global travelers agree that it’s important to be able to book their entire trip online.
“At Hilton, we listen to the needs of our customers and then innovate to provide a superior hotel experience for every stay occasion. This includes our small- and medium-sized business customers who have been looking for a travel platform – and loyalty benefits – that meets their unique set of needs and reduces friction points, from booking to billing,” said Chris Silcock, president, Global Brands and Commercial Services, Hilton. “We’re thrilled to officially launch Hilton for Business today as our strategic solution to enrich the business travel experience for these customers and their employees.”
Small- and medium-sized businesses are now able to discover a more seamless and value-driven business travel experience by engaging with Hilton for Business in the following ways:
Portfolio-wide Discounts
Small- and medium-sized businesses that join Hilton for Business gain access to discounted rates across Hilton’s global portfolio of nearly 7,400 properties both on the website and on the Hilton Honors app.
Travel Rewards for Small Businesses and Their Employees
Through this program, companies will earn milestone bonuses through Hilton’s award-winning loyalty program, Hilton Honors. These include:
- Companies that enroll in Hilton for Business will receive 7,500 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after any program member completes their first hotel stay.
- After every 10 nights stayed by a program member, the company receives 5,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points. Those Bonus Points are housed within the business’ company account and can be used to distribute to themselves and/or any member of their Hilton for Business program.
- Individual travelers, including both owners and employees, will continue to earn their personal Hilton Honors Points and benefits each time they stay.
Rapid Onboarding
When visiting Hilton.com/HiltonforBusiness, small- and medium-sized business owners or travel administrators can register themselves and their companies, through their own Hilton Honors account, to gain access to a comprehensive, and easy-to-use, self-service travel booking and management system. Understanding the frustration many customers have around long and complicated enrollment processes, Hilton for Business registration was built to enable a quick enrollment and verification process. Once registered, the customer and their employees gain access to the booking website and other compelling benefits. At that stage, individual travelers will also be able to create separate personal and business travel profiles within their own Hilton Honors account, enabling seamless differentiation and management between the two profiles.
Seamless Program Management
In addition to enabling any traveler at a company to easily book discounted rates, business owners have full control and can delegate program management to any number of administrators. And adding employees is straightforward – the more employees included in the program, the more benefits the company earns. Businesses can track their upcoming spend, review historical spend, and understand the benefits accumulating as they travel.
For more information or to register, visit Hilton.com/HiltonforBusiness.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,400 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in 124 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for seven consecutive years. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 173 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
TDCX SPECIAL COMMITTEE RETAINS FINANCIAL ADVISOR, LEGAL COUNSELS
Wednesday, 17 January 2024
Single Use Support To Further Spur Growth With Team Expansion By 40 Pct
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Single Use Support, an innovative process solution provider has established the groundwork for an exciting new year ahead, anticipating further growth across its global operations.
In a statement, the Austrian-based provider said following strong growth of COVID-related projects in previous years, it grew its non-COVID business by more than 70 per cent in 2023.
The continued growth of the business is secured by a significant increase in personnel, in which the provider grew its workforce to over 170 employees, an increase of more than 40 per cent over the last six months.
“Together with our team and with our customers we will continue to grow by offering innovative solutions that address the daily challenges faced by manufacturers in the biopharma industry,” said its Chief Executive Officer, Christian Praxmarer who is fully committed to continuing the company’s success story.
Meanwhile, its Chief Financial Officer, Christopher Dürolf said: “Based on our current order backlog and ongoing project tenders, we feel confident that we can deliver strong non-COVID-related year-over-year growth in 2024.”
Single Use Support’s award-winning solutions continued to gain significant traction among major pharmaceutical companies and contract development and manufacturing organisations (CDMOs) globally.
Several well-known industry participants have already placed significant orders for consumables and platform systems designed to aliquot, freeze/thaw, store, and ship high-value drug substances.
Single Use Support serves the most innovative and prominent pharmaceutical companies to develop novel therapies and advanced lifesaving therapeutics.
The fluid management specialist covers well-established drug classes such as monoclonal antibodies as well as emerging therapeutics in areas such as cell and gene therapies, antibody-drug conjugates, and others.
-- BERNAMA
LUBRIZOL ADDITIVES INDIA RECOGNISED AT ROSEFIELD ENERGY TECH AWARDS
Monday, 15 January 2024
AM BEST AFFIRMS CREDIT RATINGS OF ETIQA GENERAL INSURANCE BERHAD
The ratings reflect EGIB’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). In addition, the ratings factor in a neutral impact from the company’s ultimate majority ownership by Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank group), one of the largest financial services groups incorporated, listed and domiciled in Malaysia.
EGIB’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, which was at the strongest level at year-end 2022, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), and is expected to remain at that level over the near to medium term. AM Best views the company as having a moderate-risk investment strategy, which is made up of a combination of low-risk assets of cash, deposits and bonds, as well as higher-risk assets including equities and real estate. In addition, the company has a high dependence on reinsurance, with a net retention ratio of 33% in 2022. As a result, the company’s reinsurance recoverables are a large balance sheet item, equal to three times its shareholders’ equity at the end of 2022.
AM Best assesses EGIB’s operating performance as strong, with a five-year average combined ratio of 87% (2018-2022). Overall earnings have been supported by favourable underwriting performance and stable investment income. Low net loss experience in the company’s core business lines of fire and personal accident, as well as favourable reinsurance commission income from ceded risks, have been the key drivers of technical profitability over recent years. Although the ongoing phased liberalisation of motor and fire insurance pricing in Malaysia and the company’s business initiatives may constrain future underwriting margins, AM Best expects EGIB to maintain its strong operating performance over the medium term, underpinned by underwriting and pricing discipline.
AM Best views EGIB’s business profile as neutral. The company is a mid-sized non-life insurer in Malaysia, with a market share of over 8%, based on 2022 gross direct premium. The company’s underwriting portfolio is diversified moderately by line of business and distribution channel, albeit with all business originating from Malaysia. As part of the Maybank group, EGIB benefits from good distribution capabilities with preferential access to business through its parent’s banking network.
AM Best views EGIB’s ERM approach as appropriate given the current size and complexity of its operations. Risk management capabilities typically are considered appropriate relative to the profile of the company’s key risks, although reinsurance credit/dispute risk is viewed to be elevated given the company’s exposure to some non-rated reinsurance counterparties, including captives.
Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.
This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.
AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising 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 © 2024 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240112479625/en/
Contact
Sin Yee Chuah, CFA
Senior Financial Analyst
+65 6303 5022
sinyee.chuah@ambest.com
Victoria Ohorodnyk
Director, Analytics
+65 6303 5020
victoria.ohorodnyk@ambest.com
Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations
+1 908 882 2310
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com
Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist
+1 908 882 2318
al.slavin@ambest.com
Source : AM Best
Saturday, 13 January 2024
QUANTEXA PARTNERS WITH THE ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING INTELLIGENCE INITIATIVE (ATII) TO INTENSIFY THE FIGHT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING
NEW YORK, Jan 12 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Quantexa, a global leader in Decision Intelligence (DI) solutions for the public and private sectors, announced its official corporate sponsorship and Advisory Council membership of the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII), to mark National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. The ATII is a US-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to fight human trafficking and child exploitation by providing data to advance the prevention, detection, investigation, and reporting mechanisms required to identify potential traffickers and criminal organizations. The International Labor Organization estimates that 50 million1 people are victims of human trafficking globally, with human trafficking operating as a $150 billion2 industry around the world.
Quantexa will provide groundbreaking Decision Intelligence technology, alongside its industry-leading expertise in AI-driven financial crime prevention and detection through training and joint industry engagement. Together, Quantexa and ATII will make pioneering global human trafficking risk data available to more organizations to transform anti-human trafficking efforts and joint initiatives between the private and public sectors.
The Quantexa Decision Intelligence Platform enables organizations to automate data ingestion and matching at unmatched scale and apply graph analytics to visually identify often hard-to-detect activity related to financial crime. Providing access to a wider set of data points specific to human trafficking will enable investigators to take a more robust approach to anti-human trafficking measures. This data, overlaid with persona-based typologies and red flag identification protocols will accelerate the ID of potential human trafficking involvement more quickly, efficiently, and accurately.
“Partnering with Quantexa grants us access to innovative AI technology that will take our mission to fight human trafficking to the next level, transforming our existing processes and providing our partners with improved data to inform investigations faster and more efficiently,” said Aaron Kahler, Founder and CEO of ATII. “Working with Quantexa will put ATII’s data in the hands of more organizations across the public and private sectors, to help detect and eliminate more instances of human trafficking as we work together towards ensuring this type of data is routinely available to investigators."
“We’re proud to partner with the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative to support the valuable work that the organization is doing to stop human trafficking,” said Clark Frogley, North American Head of Financial Crime Solutions at Quantexa. “Human trafficking is often enabled by illegal financial activity and Quantexa’s deep experience helping organizations to monitor, detect, and investigate financial crimes makes us the ideal partner to support ATII’s mission. This partnership will aid organizations to reinforce their ESG and anti-money laundering (AML) efforts which are critical to stopping human trafficking.”
For more information on global challenges and solutions related to human trafficking, please listen to this podcast featuring Chris Bagnall, Director of Financial Crimes Solutions at Quantexa, Chris Kemp, Director of Enterprise Operations at the ATII and Karim Rajwani, ATII Advisory Council Chairman on Moody’s Talks.
About Quantexa
Quantexa is a global data and analytics software company pioneering Decision Intelligence that empowers organizations to make trusted operational decisions by making data meaningful. Using the latest advancements in big data and AI, Quantexa’s Decision Intelligence platform uncovers hidden risk and new opportunities by providing a contextual, connected view of internal and external data in a single place. It solves major challenges across data management, KYC, customer intelligence, financial crime, risk, fraud, and security, throughout the customer lifecycle.
The Quantexa Decision Intelligence Platform enhances operational performance with over 90% more accuracy and 60 times faster analytical model resolution than traditional approaches. Founded in 2016, Quantexa now has more than 675 employees and thousands of users working with billions of transactions and data points across the world. The company has offices in London, Dublin, Brussels, Malaga, UAE, New York, Boston, Toronto, Sydney, Melbourne, and Tokyo.
For more information, please visit www.quantexa.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
Media Enquiries
C: Emma Hedges, Executive Vice President, Fight or Flight
E: Quantexa@fightorflight.com
C: Adam Jaffe, SVP of Corporate Marketing
T: +1 609 502 6889
E: adamjaffe@quantexa.com
- or -
RapidResponse@quantexa.com
________________________________
1 International Labour Organization (ILO), Walk Free and International Organization for Migration (IOM), “Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage,” 2022
2 International Labour Office (ILO), “Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced Labour,” 2014
Source: Quantexa Limited
Thursday, 11 January 2024
SALMON BECOMES A LICENSED BANK IN THE PHILIPPINES
Salmon will own 59.7% of the bank upon completion of this transaction, which will conclude in the coming weeks. The bank’s license and its geographic footprint will enable Salmon to offer AI-centric consumer credit and debit products nationwide. Salmon operates both in offline and online settings, differentiating itself by emphasizing stellar customer service with 92% of the company's clients saying they would recommend Salmon to friends and family.
Becoming a licensed bank in a major market represents a significant milestone for both Salmon and the Philippines as Salmon joins only a handful of other fintech companies operating licensed banking institutions in Southeast Asia. The deal will bolster access to modern banking services for millions of underserved Filipinos in key regions including Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao, where Salmon plans to open new branches, subject to BSP approval. The transaction also supports the Rural Bank Strengthening Program launched by the BSP in 2022 to enhance the country’s rural banking sector and promote inclusive growth to address the changing needs of the dynamic, young and technologically savvy Filipino population.
Raffy Montemayor, Co-Founder and Business Head in the Philippines at Salmon, commented:
“We are excited to undertake this important next step in Salmon’s development and grateful for the continued support of the BSP and its vision of driving financial inclusion in the country. This transaction will help us reach additional underserved communities in the Philippines, bringing modern, customer-centric and easy-to-access financial services to more people. We are proud of the fantastic relationship we have developed with the executive team of the Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna), and look forward to building a robust financial institution together to continue serving communities across the Philippines."
Salmon will maintain and enhance the bank's offline presence, injecting significant capital and technology into it to upgrade its offering for all customers. Salmon's customer-centric approach, celebrated by its existing customer base, will now extend across all channels, including offline.