KIOXIA TO DISPLAY NEW CONSUMER SSDS AT COMPUTEX TAIPEI

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, announced new consumer solid-state drives (SSDs) scheduled to be released in the third quarter of 2023.

The EXCERIA PLUS G3 Series will leverage PCIe 4.0 technology and offer up to two terabytes (TB) of capacity and is well-suited to mainstream users of high performance gaming personal computers (PCs), desktops and notebooks, bringing the speed and affordability that they require.

According to Kioxia in a statement, the new series, which is a product under development, will be on reference exhibit at COMPUTEX TAIPEI from May 30 to June 2 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.

Featuring Kioxia’s BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory Triple-Level-Cell (TLC), the EXCERIA PLUS G3 Series utilises an M.2 2280 type single-sided form factor suitable for both desktops and mobile systems.

The new drives will also support Kioxia’s SSD Utility Management Software, which assists users with SSD monitoring and maintenance.

-- BERNAMA 

TIAD, AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION HOTEL IN NAGOYA, JAPAN OPENS FOR ONLINE RESERVATIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- Nihon Ceremony Inc announced that online reservations have begun for TIAD, Autograph Collection, the new hotel scheduled to open this July in Nagoya, Japan.

Operated by Nihon Ceremony, the hotel will represent the fourth Japan-based addition to Marriott International's Autograph Collection (R), and the first in the Nagoya area (as of May 2023).

Autograph Collection hotels advocates for the original, championing the individuality of each of its over 270 independent hotels located in the most desirable destinations across more than 45 countries and territories.

According to a statement, each hotel is a product of passion, inspired by a clear vision, soul and story that makes it individual and special "Exactly Like Nothing Else”.

Hand-selected for their inherent craft and distinct perspectives on design and hospitality, Autograph Collection properties offer rich immersive moments that leave a lasting imprint.

TIAD has 14 classes of guest rooms in three room categories, with all rooms providing over 50 square metre of floor space.

Among others, the Euphoria Deluxe Twin Park View room faces Hisaya-odori Park where guests can enjoy the greenery of the park and the seasonal scenery from the floor-to-ceiling window, while the Euphoria Premier King Park View has a balcony that overlooks the leafy Hisaya-odori Park in which guests can enjoy four seasons through the bathroom window while relaxing in the bath.

In addition, the 96 square metre Suite is located in the southwest corner of the building, facing leafy Hisaya-odori Park, while the Presidential Suite, located in the northwest corner of the 14th floor, feature a walk-in closet, balcony and large bathroom with steam sauna, promises a top-quality stay in the region.

Guests will also be able to use the exclusive wellness zone, featuring an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, and wellness lounge serving fresh smoothies and snacks.

More details at https://hotel-tiad.com/english.

-- BERNAMA

​NUTRICOSMETICS FORMULATION EXPERT & MICROBIOME AUTHOR JOINS CODEX LABS MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD

San Jose, CA, May 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Codex Labs, a Silicon Valley bio-skintech company, and Paula Simpson, nutricosmetics formulator, author and microbiome expert, recently announced the addition of Paula to the Codex Labs medical advisory board.

“As we delve deeper into skin-gut-brain integrative wellness solutions, we are excited to find partners who are experts in functional and clinical nutrition, as well as formulation of accessible skin-gut-brain supporting supplements. Our goal is to expand our ingestibles from acne to other skin conditions, and clinically prove and publish their efficacy through research studies with our medical advisory board dermatologists,”  said Dr. Barbara Paldus, Founder and CEO of Codex Labs.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of Codex Labs’ incredible team of medical, microbiome science & ethnobotany experts. With my integrated background, I hope to support Codex Labs in bringing forth unique and personalized formulations for healthy, balanced skin inside and out," stated Paula Simpson, Author & Founder of Nutribloom Consulting.  “Our skin doesn't function in isolation; it has a codependent relationship with the gut and immune system.  Via gut-skin axis, microbes are important contributors for healthy balanced skin. Nurturing it from the inside and out, can support and encourage those good bacteria to flourish and protect us from pathogens or stressors that have a negative effect on the health and appearance of our skin."

About Codex Labs

Based in Silicon Valley and led by scientist Dr. Barb Paldus, Codex Labs is committed to creating  highly effective, clinically proven, microbiome-supporting skin-gut-brain integrative solutions  that contain potent, biotech-derived plant-based actives. Our products are focused on restoring/protecting the skin barrier, managing inflammation, and addressing skin conditions associated with aging, acne, eczema and psoriasis. Our free DermSCORE self-assessment app offers consumers a data-driven, derm-approved approach for managing acne.  The brand has been heralded by dermatologists for creating a new breed of effective, vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable dermo-cosmetic solutions.  

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=46165

THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC OPENS STERILE DRUG FACILITY IN SINGAPORE

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, has opened a new sterile drug facility in Singapore that will better enable customers to deliver new medicines and vaccines in the Asia Pacific (APAC) market.

In a statement, Thermo Fisher said the new facility also marked a significant milestone and investment in pandemic preparedness for Singapore, which is fast emerging as a biomedical hub in the APAC region.

Established with assistance from the Singapore Economic Development Board, in alignment with the government’s investment in preparedness for future health emergencies, the current Good Manufacturing Practices facility will provide rapid vaccine fill-finish capabilities along with the company’s end-to-end pharmaceutical development and manufacturing services.

The company’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, Michel Lagarde said the new site is an important extension of Thermo Fisher’s robust sterile fill-finish global network.

“With this expansion, we are strategically prepared, more than ever, to respond to our customers’ needs by supporting the accelerated delivery of critical vaccines and medicines to patients.”

The new facility includes a high-speed, fully automated aseptic fill-finish line for small and large molecules.

This strategic investment in Singapore complements new research capabilities at Thermo Fisher’s Customer Experience Center and Bioprocess Design Center, two other operational lab facilities that showcase the latest bioprocessing, life science and analytical technologies.

With over 250 products across diverse fields including molecular biology, genetic analysis and sequencing, chromatography and mass spectrometry, and cell therapy, the Customer Experience Center features an extensive product portfolio for Asia.

Additionally, the Bioprocess Design Center provides expertise in bioprocessing and process scale-up to support scientists and engineers with education and customised services to accelerate process development.

Together, these sites allow Thermo Fisher to better enable customers to accelerate their research, as well as develop and commercialise new medicines and vaccines in the APAC market.

-- BERNAMA

EATON NAMED ELITE SUPPLIER BY KOREA AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES

^{Eaton named Elite Supplier by Korea Aerospace Industries (Photo: Business Wire)}
 

• Eaton accepted the award at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) 11^th Annual Symposium event in Busan, South Korea
• This is the second time Eaton has received the prestigious award

BUSAN, South Korea, May 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Intelligent power management company Eaton recently announced it was named an Elite Supplier at the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) 11^th Annual Symposium. Held in Busan, South Korea, from April 27-28, the symposium recognizes the top performing KAI suppliers for achieving on-time deliveries, quality standards and customer satisfaction. This is the second time Eaton has received the prestigious award.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230519005111/en/
 

 

“Over the past three decades, we’ve had the pleasure of working with a world-class aerospace and defense company like KAI,” said Desmond Goh, Managing Director - Asia Pacific, Aerospace Group, Eaton. “The award represents our team’s loyalty and dedication to KAI, and we look forward to our continued partnership in the future.”

Eaton’s Aerospace Group has an illustrious history of supporting KAI and the South Korean defense industry. Desmond added: “From the KT-1 Woongbi in the early 1990s to the latest KF-21 Boramae development program, Eaton continues to be a steadfast and reliable supplier for major fuel and hydraulics components and mission systems equipment.”

Recently, Eaton acquired Souriau-Sunbank and Cobham Mission Systems, adding new products ranging from interconnect solutions to air-to-air refueling, environment systems and missile actuation systems. By broadening the company’s aerospace product portfolio, Eaton has strengthened its commitment to OEMs such as KAI and other global industry leaders.

Eaton is an intelligent power management company dedicated to improving the quality of life and protecting the environment for people everywhere. We are guided by our commitment to do business right, to operate sustainably and to help our customers manage power ─ today and well into the future. By capitalizing on the global growth trends of electrification and digitalization, we’re accelerating the planet’s transition to renewable energy, helping to solve the world’s most urgent power management challenges, and doing what’s best for our stakeholders and all of society.

Founded in 1911, Eaton is marking its 100^th anniversary of being listed on the New York Stock Exchange. We reported revenues of $20.8 billion in 2022 and serve customers in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230519005111/en/

Contact

Zijia Li
(86)(21) 5200-0497
ZijiaLi@eaton.com

Source : Eaton Aerospace

Mass General Brigham, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BEEAH To Advise On Cutting-edge Health Care System

KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 (Bernama) -- Mass General Brigham and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute collaborated with BEEAH Group, to advise in the development of the Jawaher Boston Medical District, a state-of-the-art health care system designed to deliver world-class, patient-centred care through innovation, technology and sustainability.

“In collaborating with BEEAH, we hope to contribute our decades of expertise to their development of a unique, innovative vision for a health system that builds on medicine’s leading edge, with an eye to the future,” said Mass General Brigham Global Advisory, Vice President, Raymond W. Liu in a statement.

Meanwhile, BEEAH Group Chief Executive Officer, Khaled Al Huraimel said: “By partnering with Mass General Brigham and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, BEEAH Group is entering the healthcare industry and adding a new dimension to our purpose of pioneering a sustainable quality of life for the people of Sharjah, the UAE, and beyond.

“The Jawaher Boston Medical District will provide patients in Sharjah access to world-class healthcare closer to home, while also serving as a hub for the development of cutting-edge treatments and medical advancement.”

The collaboration combines the depth and breadth of clinical expertise and innovation from Mass General Brigham and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with BEEAH’s vision to create a sustainable, advanced, patient-centred health system designed to deliver care to patients within, and beyond, hospital walls.

Focused on serving the unique needs of the people of Sharjah and the region, the Jawaher Boston Medical District will offer patients access to the latest clinical expertise across a wide variety of integrated clinical specialties, including lifestyle medicine and prevention, oncology, women’s health, paediatrics, cardiovascular, neurosciences, behavioural health, and rehabilitation medicine.

In addition to medical and research expertise, Mass General Brigham and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute will also collaborate with BEEAH to advise on best practices in workforce training, development and public education to the community, with attention to developing local talent.

Mass General Brigham and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are advising BEEAH in their development of multiple facilities, comprising the flagship hospital and ambulatory clinics across Sharjah, with integrated, innovative, and digital solutions, including app-based care and hospital-at-home.

The project draws from Mass General Brigham and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s medical and research expertise, as well as BEEAH’s experience collaborating and innovating with international partners to create facilities that are sustainable, digitally-enabled and centred around the comfort and convenience of occupants.

-- BERNAMA

EXPEREO UNVEILS REFRESHED BRAND REFLECTING COMPANY'S FOCUS ON THE GLOBAL FUTURE OF CONNECTIVITY AND ACCELERATED GROWTH

New research from Expereo reveals that half of global CIOs said that their organisation is planning to deliver growth by expansion into new markets but a third believe that connectivity is a major challenge 

LONDON, May 16 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Expereo, the leading global managed services provider specialising in intelligent internet connectivity, today unveils its new brand identity reflecting the redefined strategy focused solely on the global future of connectivity and how to help multi-national enterprises succeed in the hyperconnected world of the future. Expereo’s new look and feel represents a commitment to innovation and the company’s role and purpose of bridging the gap to make the internet better for businesses as they move faster to the future.

A dynamic global economy driven by information and digital technologies is accelerating the push toward a hyperconnected future. To win in this rapidly evolving business environment, the digital enterprise of today needs a powerful, flexible enterprise network built for the future – one that is capable of connecting people, places, cloud, and things, wherever in the world organisations are doing business.

However, research recently commissioned by Expereo with 650 CIOs in global organisations with over £500 million turnover, found that businesses’ ambitions to work globally are hindered by many technology-related challenges. The research to be fully launched in June, found that nearly half of CIOs (46%) said that their organisation is planning to deliver global growth in the next 12 months by expanding into new markets, and that 47% of respondents identified establishing and managing global connectivity as the most critical factor in ensuring success when it comes to that global expansion. However, over a third (37%) said that effectively establishing connectivity in new regions is one of the major challenges in their role and in fact their organisation. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=46101

TOSHIBA LAUNCHES SMALL AND THIN COMMON-DRAIN MOSFET FEATURING VERY LOW ON-RESISTANCE SUITABLE FOR QUICK CHARGING DEVICES

^{Toshiba: SSM14N956L, a small and thin common-drain MOSFET featuring very low On-resistance (Graphic: Business Wire)}


KAWASAKI, Japan, May 18 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation ("Toshiba") has launched “SSM14N956L,” a 12V common-drain N-channel MOSFET with a current rating of 20A, for use in battery protection circuits in lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery packs, such as those for mobile devices. Shipments start today.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230517005369/en/
 

Li-ion battery packs rely on highly robust protection circuits to reduce heat generation while charging and discharging and to enhance safety. These circuits must feature low power consumption and high-density packaging, requiring MOSFETs that are small and thin and that deliver low On-resistance.
 

SSM14N956L uses Toshiba’s micro-process, as does the already released SSM10N954L. This ensures both low power loss, due to industry-leading^[1] low On-resistance characteristics, and low standby power, realized by industry-leading^[1] low gate-source leakage current characteristics. These qualities help to extend battery operating hours. The new product also uses a new small, thin package, TCSPED-302701 (2.74mm x 3.0mm, t = 0.085mm (typ.)).

Toshiba will continue to develop MOSFET products for protection circuits in devices powered by lithium-ion battery packs.

Applications

• Consumer electronics and office and personal devices with a lithium-ion battery pack, including smartphones, tablets, power banks, wearable devices, game consoles, electric toothbrushes, compact digital cameras, digital SLR cameras, etc.

Features

• Industry leading^[1] low On-resistance: R_SS(ON)=1.1mΩ (typ.) @V_GS=3.8V
• Industry leading^[1] low gate-source leakage current: I_GSS=±1μA (max) @V_GS=±8V
• Small and thin type TCSPED-302701 package: 2.74mm x 3.0mm, t=0.085mm (typ.)
• Common-drain structure that can be easily used in battery protection circuits

Note:
[1]: Among products with the same ratings. As of May 2023, Toshiba survey.





Note:
[2] Already released product.
 

Follow the link below for more on the new product.
SSM14N956L

To check availability of the new product at online distributors, visit:
SSM14N956L
Buy Online

* Company names, product names, and service names may be trademarks of their respective companies.
* Information in this document, including product prices and specifications, content of services and contact information, is current on the date of the announcement but is subject to change without prior notice.

About Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, a leading supplier of advanced semiconductor and storage solutions, draws on over half a century of experience and innovation to offer customers and business partners outstanding discrete semiconductors, system LSIs and HDD products.
The company's 21,500 employees around the world share a determination to maximize product value, and promote close collaboration with customers in the co-creation of value and new markets. With annual sales approaching 800-billion yen (US$6.1 billion), Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation looks forward to building and to contributing to a better future for people everywhere.
Find out more at https://toshiba.semicon-storage.com/ap-en/top.html


View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230517005369/en/

Contact

Customer Inquiries
Small Signal Device Sales & Marketing Dept.
Tel: +81-44-548-2215
Contact Us

Media Inquiries:
Chiaki Nagasawa
Digital Marketing Department
Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
semicon-NR-mailbox@ml.toshiba.co.jp

Source : Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation

WEA CALLS FOR GENDER-INCLUSIVE DIGITAL INNOVATION ECO-SYSTEMS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 (Bernama) -- Leveraging the theme of this year’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) on innovation and technology from a gender perspective, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator (WEA) CSW side-event, hosted at MetLife’s headquarters in New York City, brought together a high-level panel of experts.

Senior representatives of WEA partner agencies, representatives from the private sector, and civil society discussed ways to build a more gender-responsive eco-system for women entrepreneurs so they can participate and compete in the digital economy.

Addressing the role of innovation and technology from a gender lens for the first time since its inception, the set of agreed conclusions adopted by Member States at CSW67 provide best practice guidance for stakeholders, including governments, the private sector and civil society.

According to WEA in a statement, this guidance aims to promote the full and equal participation and leadership of women and girls in the design and rollout of digital technologies and innovation processes.

Panelists focused on the critical importance of women’s entrepreneurship as a key driver of innovation in addressing societal challenges, and the contribution women entrepreneurs make to economic growth and poverty reduction.

The barriers faced by women entrepreneurs in growing their business and getting their products and services to market were also highlighted which include a lack of access to capital, unequal social norms, lack of connectivity, and time and skills constraints, all of which hamper their ability to compete in the digital marketplace.

The WEA event was also an opportunity to announce the winners of WEA’s Digital Innovation Challenge, an initiative of WEA and conducted by ITU in collaboration with Mary Kay with the objective to build an enabling context for women entrepreneurs by addressing the barriers to women’s entrepreneurship.

The 10 winners of the Challenge were invited to present their two-minute live pitch before an expert Grand Jury at the CSW event comprised of investors and cross-sectoral representatives who each provided their unique insights.

They will gain access to the “Digital Innovation Challenge Acceleration Program” over the coming months where they will receive capacity-building training and a virtual bootcamp to help further refine their business plans as well as specialised mentorship and access to a network of change-makers.

The Challenge was held against the backdrop of a rapidly changing economic context which has seen the rise of digital technologies and the growth of a digital economy, in which it presented an opportunity to discuss digitalisation as a barrier to women’s economic status.

In addition, the high-level panel discussion highlights the importance of women’s entrepreneurship as a critical enabler of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the need to create a more gender-responsive eco-system for women entrepreneurs so they can compete and scale their businesses in the digital economy.

-- BERNAMA

SWEEGEN'S REB M FULLY AUTHORISED FOR USE IN THE UK

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 (Bernama) -- Global sweetness and flavour innovator, Sweegen announced its Bestevia Rebaudioside M (Reb M) has been fully authorised for use in the United Kingdom (UK).

According to a statement, this regulatory approval marks a significant milestone for Sweegen, as it becomes the first and only company to receive authorisation for any steviol glycosides produced using alternative technologies in the UK.

A high-purity steviol glycoside derived from the stevia plant, Reb M is renowned for its clean and sugar-like taste profile, offering a natural, zero-calorie sweetness solution, making it an ideal choice for food and beverage manufacturers seeking to reduce sugar content and provide healthier options to consumers.

“We are extremely proud to be the pioneers in securing full authorisation for Bestevia Reb M in the UK. This milestone reaffirms Sweegen's commitment to providing innovative, nature-based and sustainable sweetening solutions to the industry.

“Reb M offers food and beverage manufacturers an exceptional tool to meet consumer demands for healthier products without compromising taste,” said Sweegen Vice President of Sales EMEA/APAC, Damian Bellusci.

Brands in the UK have eagerly anticipated the authorisation of Sweegen's Bestevia Reb M during the initial formulation phase and tastings.

They are actively collaborating with Sweegen's food and beverage applications experts based at its Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) UK Innovation Studio in Reading, England, to integrate this highly sought-after stevia ingredient, along with Sweegen's outstanding taste modulation and unique sweeteners, into their formulations.

The authorised manufacturing method allows for using steviol glycosides, including Reb M, in the Great Britain (GB) market. The Regulations provide updated terms of authorisation for using this method in GB, with the terms being similar to those in the European Union (EU) and Northern Ireland.

The full authorisation of Bestevia Reb M in the UK reinforces Sweegen's leadership in the nature-based sweetener space and positions the company as a trusted partner for food and beverage manufacturers worldwide.

-- BERNAMA

OTC MARKETS: TECHTRONIC INDUSTRIES QUALIFIES TO TRADE ON OTCQX MARKET

KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 (Bernama) -- OTC Markets Group Inc, announced Techtronic Industries Co Ltd (TTI), a global leader in cordless Professional Tools, DIY Tools and Outdoor Power Equipment has qualified to trade on the over-the-counter stock market (OTCQX) Best Market, previously trading on the Pink market.

TTI began trading on May 16 on the OTCQX Market under the symbols “TTNDY” and “TTNDF” and its ordinary shares will continue to trade on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK) under the stock code, 669.

According to OTC Markets in a statement, upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their United States (US) investors.

For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilise their home market reporting to make their information available in the US.

To qualify for the OTCQX Market, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Securities Law USA, PLLC acted as the company’s OTCQX sponsor.

Operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 US and international securities, OTC Market’s data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of its three public markets namely, OTCQX Best Market, OTCQB Venture Market and Pink Open Market.

-- BERNAMA

A TRANSFORMING ASIA OFFERS GLOBAL INVESTORS DIVERSIFIED AND DIFFERENTIATED ALPHA OPPORTUNITIES: NEW EASTSPRING INVESTMENTS AND PWC SINGAPORE WHITEPAPER

•  New whitepaper assesses the impact of key transformations across Asian markets and their implications for businesses and investors
• Global survey of senior business leaders supports the proposition that Asia remains an attractive region for investors
• India, China and Indonesia were highlighted by senior decision-makers as markets offering the greatest growth potential
• Asia is no longer just a traditional manufacturing hub - technological development, knowledge transfer and accelerating innovation are reshaping the region as a critical exporter of higher-end, hi-tech goods and services
• Tailored, nuanced approaches are required for investors to capitalise on Asia’s differentiated alpha opportunities
 

SINGAPORE, May 15 (Bernama) -- Demographic, technological and economic transformations, driven by a combination of supply chain rebalancing, substantial consumer growth and innovation, are creating new opportunities for investors across both traditional and new economy sectors in Asia, according to a new whitepaper from Eastspring Investments (“Eastspring”) and PwC Singapore.
 
In the whitepaper titled “Asia 2.0: Investing in an era of new opportunities”, Eastspring assess the current changes taking place within Asian markets, why Asia’s next transformation will be different from the last - and the new opportunities it will bring investors. The whitepaper highlights high opportunity sectors in nine key Asian markets to showcase the diverse opportunities in the region.
 
The whitepaper is based on a global survey of 100 C-suite business leaders of international corporations across multiple industries, interviews with senior executives from some of Asia’s leading companies, and in-depth research.
 
Key findings from the whitepaper survey of global business leaders include:
 
•67% considered India to hold the most potential as businesses seek to expand and develop within Asia, closely followed by China (57%) and Indonesia (38%).
 
• 77% are looking to Asia for expansion or transformation opportunities due to the region’s expanding and evolving consumer base. 69% indicated optimism towards sustained economic growth in Asia in the future.
 
• 62% cite improving physical and digital infrastructure, along with advancements in workforce skillsets (56%) and supportive government policies and incentives (50%) as key enablers in supporting Asia’s future transformation and their longer-term business ambitions in Asia.
 
• Business leaders recognise an increased focus on sustainability, with 57% indicating that their choice of suppliers will be determined by ESG considerations.
 
• Tailored investment approaches are needed because of the nuances across Asia’s diverse markets, with individual markets offering their own unique opportunities.
 
The whitepaper’s findings support the notion of the region’s increasingly important role within the global economy. By 2030, Asia is expected to account for over 40% of the world’s GDP and 42% of global exports .
 
Sidharta Sircar, Partner, International Growth Practice, PwC Singapore, said:
 
“Global business leaders are evidently cognisant about the growth and transformation taking place within Asia, and the untapped potential that remains. In our research with Eastspring, those surveyed provided clear indication that they are actively seeking to access opportunities. Innovation has emerged in both traditional sectors, such as manufacturing, healthcare and financials, and new economy sectors, such as the digital economy, renewable energy and EVs. Evolutions in underlying infrastructure, skillsets and government support will also have an important role to play.”
 
Bill Maldonado, Chief Investment Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer at Eastspring Investments, added:
 
“We have long believed that Asia offers a highly attractive proposition for both businesses and investors. Yet its economic prominence often contrasts with the more modest role it plays in global investor portfolios. With each Asian market at different stages of growth and given how diverse and complex local markets can be, it is crucial investors understand the nuances to unlock Asia’s differentiated alpha opportunities.
 
Our whitepaper aims to provide useful information for global investors seeking greater diversification and rebalancing strategies for their investments and encourage greater awareness and interest for investing in Asia. It also highlights the opportunities for Asian investors beyond their home markets.”
 
More information and the full “Asia 2.0: Investing in an era of new opportunities” whitepaper can be found at https://www.eastspring.com/insights/asia-whitepaper
 
About Eastspring Investments: 
Eastspring Investments, part of Prudential plc, is a leading Asia-based asset manager that manages over USD 221 billion (as of 31 December 2022) of assets on behalf of institutional and retail clients. Operating since 1994, Eastspring Investments has one of the widest footprints among asset management companies across Asia*.  We provide investment solutions across a broad range of strategies including equities, fixed income, multi asset, quantitative and alternatives and are committed to delivering high quality investment outcomes for our clients over the long term.
 
We incorporate ESG factors into our investment process and are aligned with a number of global sustainability initiatives including the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investments (PRI) and the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC). We collaborate alongside industry peers to harness a collective investor voice to influence and drive change with investee companies.
  
About Eastspring Investments Berhad:
 
Established in 2000 and based in Kuala Lumpur, Eastspring Investments Berhad is one of the Malaysia’s leading asset management companies in Malaysia in serving both institutional and retail clients, with RM55.6 billion in assets under management in the country (as at 31 December 2022). Eastspring Investments Berhad. It manages unit trust funds, wholesale funds as well as private mandates.
 
For more information on Eastspring Investments, please visit: www.eastspring.com
 
*Eastspring Investments companies (excluding joint venture companies) are ultimately wholly owned/indirect subsidiaries of Prudential plc of the United Kingdom. Eastspring Investments companies (including joint venture companies) and Prudential plc are not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc., a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America or with the Prudential Assurance Company Limited, a subsidiary of M&G plc (a company incorporated in the United Kingdom).
 
 
SOURCE : Eastspring Investments Berhad

Recursion Inks Agreements Acquiring Cyclica, Valence

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Bernama) -- Recursion, a clinical stage TechBio company, announced it has signed agreements to acquire two companies in the artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled drug discovery space namely Cyclica and Valence.

“The strategic acquisitions of Cyclica and Valence add industry-leading capabilities in digital chemistry, as well as machine-learning and artificial intelligence, which combined with our large-scale automated wet-laboratories and supercomputing capabilities, enables us to deploy what I believe is the most complete, technology-enabled drug discovery solution in the biopharma industry.

“We look forward to showing the world proof of the compounding benefit of this full-stack approach through the rapid acceleration of our pipeline and partnerships,” said Recursion Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chris Gibson in a statement.

Headquartered in Toronto, Cyclica has built two highly differentiated products in the digital chemistry space which will be integrated into the RecursionOS.

MatchMaker is an AI-enabled deep learning engine that predicts the polypharmacology of small molecules as the foundation for small molecule drug discovery, while Pareto Optimal Embedding Model (POEM) is a unique similarity-based property prediction model.

In contrast to other AI prediction models, POEM uses multiple types of molecular fingerprints to describe molecules, providing a much richer measure of similarity that leads to greater accuracy.

Meanwhile, Valence, which is headquartered in Montréal at Mila, is the world’s largest deep learning research institute, committed to unlocking the full potential of deep learning in the drug discovery process.

The company has pioneered the application of low-data learning in drug design, unlocking the ability to design differentiated small molecules with improved properties and function from datasets too small, sparse, or noisy for traditional deep learning methods.

Joining forces with Recursion’s Montréal deep learning research office, Valence will become an AI and machine learning research centre to be led by Valence Discovery CEO and Co-Founder, Daniel Cohen with continued advisory from Yoshua Bengio, deep learning pioneer and scientific advisor to both Recursion and Valence.

-- BERNAMA

TEMENOS BANKING CLOUD REACHES RECORD HIGH TRANSACTIONS AND SCALES EFFICIENTLY AND SUSTAINABLY FOR BANKING-AS-A-SERVICE

Temenos processed 200 million embedded finance loans and 100 million retail accounts at a record breaking 150,000 transactions per second on Microsoft Azure with MongoDB database


GENEVA, May 9 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Temenos (SIX: TEMN), today published new high-water benchmark performance results for Temenos Banking Cloud on Microsoft Azure and MongoDB Atlas infrastructure. The benchmark scenario simulated a client with 50 million retail customers, 100 million accounts and a Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) offering for 10 brands and 50 million embedded finance customers on a single cloud instance.

In the test, Temenos Banking Cloud processed 200 million embedded finance loans and 100 million retail accounts at a record-breaking 150,000 transactions per second. In doing so, Temenos platform proved it’s robust and scalable to support banks’ business models for growth through BaaS or distributing their products themselves. The benchmark included not just core transaction processing, but a composed solution combining payments, financial crime mitigation (FCM), data hub and digital channels.

The performance benchmark with Microsoft and MongoDB shows the unmatched scalability of Temenos’ cloud-native and composable platform helping banks massively scale and cater for the high volumes of transactions in the BaaS world where multiple brands are hosted on a single platform.

The benchmark also underscores the advances Temenos has made to provide a leaner and greener infrastructure, helping banks scale efficiently and achieve their sustainability goals. Temenos cloud architecture elastically scales, enabling banks to process higher volumes of transactions showing 49% like-for-like improvement for the tested workloads compared to previous release.

Real world deployments demonstrate the scalable performance of the Temenos platform, with a global payments provider launching its Buy-Now-Pay-Later service on the Temenos Banking Cloud, reaching 25 million BNPL consumers which equates to 150 million loans; this was the fastest start to any product launch in the company’s history.

Temenos is the only software company to offer a single platform for any type of bank, retail, corporate or wealth; suitable for any size bank; and also, cloud-native, readily available on all major public cloud providers for banks to run themselves or as a SaaS solution via Temenos Banking Cloud. 

Tony Coleman, Chief Technology Officer, Temenos, commented: “No other banking technology vendor comes close to the performance and scalability of Temenos Banking Cloud. We consistently invest more in cloud technologies and have more banks live with core banking in the cloud than any of our peers. With global non-cash transaction volumes skyrocketing in response to fast-emerging trends like BaaS, banks need a platform that allows them to elastically scale based on business demand, provide composable capabilities on-demand at a low cost, while reducing their environmental impact. This benchmark with Microsoft and MongoDB proves the capability of Temenos’ platform to power the world’s biggest banks and their BaaS offerings with hundreds of millions of customers, efficiently and sustainably in the cloud.”

Boris Bialek, Managing Director of Industry Solutions, MongoDB, added: “Temenos’ cloud-native, microservices-based architecture on MongoDB Atlas database gives customers flexibility, while also improving security, performance, and scalability. The document model is a key ingredient for a composable banking architecture, and the high throughput of the benchmark proves that the resilience of Temenos banking platform and MongoDB’s developer data platform can support the needs of even the largest global banks.”

Bola Rotibi, Chief of Enterprise Research, CCS Insight, said: “Flexibility, platform choice and the ability to scale are becoming increasingly important factors for our banking community as they look to Embedded Finance and Banking-as-a-Service as areas of growth. Benchmarking results such as the one on Microsoft Azure, shows that Temenos Banking Cloud can elastically scale up and down based on business demand. Providing composable capabilities on-demand at a low cost supported by automatic scaling reduces the overall environmental impact. This adds further choice for Temenos’ clients and for the broader banking and financial services industry.”

About Temenos
Temenos (SIX: TEMN) is the world’s leading open platform for composable banking, creating opportunities for 1.2 billion people around the world every day. We serve 3000 banks from the largest to challengers and community banks in 150+ countries by helping them build new banking services and state-of-the-art customer experiences. The Temenos open platform helps our top-performing clients achieve return on equity three times the industry average and cost-to-income ratios half the industry average.

For more information, please visit www.temenos.com.


Media Contacts

Jessica Wolfe & Scott Rowe
Temenos Global Public Relations
Tel: +1 610 232 2793 & +44 20 7423 3857
Email: press@temenos.com

Alistair Kellie
SECNewgate on behalf of Temenos
Tel: +44 20 7680 6550
Email: allnewgatetemenos@secnewgate.co.uk 

SOURCE : Temenos

CLOUDFLARE, KYNDRYL TEAM UP ON MODERNISING ENTERPRISE INFRASTRUCTURE

 
KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Bernama) -- Cloudflare Inc, the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, announced its partnership with Kyndryl Holdings Inc, the world’s largest information technology (IT) infrastructure services provider, to help enterprises modernise and scale their corporate networks with managed WAN-as-a-Service and Cloudflare Zero Trust.

According to a statement, the partnership couples Kyndryl’s expert managed end-to-end networking services with Cloudflare’s robust technology platform enabling enterprises to streamline connectivity to multiple clouds at scale.

Kyndryl’s expertise in network services and protecting business-critical infrastructure, coupled with Cloudflare’s global cloud platform, enables enterprises to leverage a fully managed Internet security, performance, and reliability solution, allowing enterprises to quickly scale network capacity based on business needs while reducing costs and presenting cost predictability.

“We have witnessed how enterprises are grappling with legacy hardware while introducing more and more cloud-based applications. As time goes on, this is only holding back business, limiting innovation potential, and increasing network security risk.

“That is why with Kyndryl we have made it seamless for enterprises to be guided through the entire transition of bringing their corporate networks to the cloud,” said Cloudflare co-founder and chief executive officer, Matthew Prince.

Meanwhile, Kyndryl vice president of Global Network & Edge Offering Enablement, Josh Helm said: “The expansive IT advisory services Kyndryl provides, combining cloud networking with network security, simply helps organisations to overcome technological barriers for a seamless digital transformation.”

With the growing complexity of multi-cloud networking, Cloudflare and Kyndryl’s managed WAN-as-a-service allows organisations to convert all their resources to cloud-native solutions and retire expensive traditional hardware with confidence.

Furthermore, the end-to-end network transformation services will deliver the industry’s most complete, Cloudflare Zero Trust security, and connectivity with remote access to enable organisations with centralised management, control, and visibility to their network infrastructure.

Cloudflare and Kyndryl are focused on helping customers including streamline multi-cloud and direct to Internet strategy and transition networks in confidence; accelerate digital maturity and network modernisation; as well as extend network security to offices and data centres by replacing traditional WAN.

-- BERNAMA

OPTIMISING PREPARATION FOR GRADUATE BUSINESS EDUCATION POSSIBLE WITH GMAT FOCUS EDITION - GMAC

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 (Bernama) -- A global association representing leading business schools, Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), announced the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) exam has been updated with improved test taking experience and flexible new features.

In order to better support candidates of graduate business education, the GMAT, which has been the most widely used business school admissions exam in the past seven decades, was redesigned with improved test taking experience and flexible new features.

The updated version, GMAT Focus Edition, will open for  registration on Aug 29 for testing in the fourth quarter this year, according to GMAC in a statement.

“It is our belief that GMAT Focus Edition will allow candidates to optimise their preparation for graduate business education while helping schools attract a global pool of qualified and diverse applicants,” said GMAC Chief Executive Officer, Joy Jones.

Three 45-minute sections will make up this edition, namely Quantitative Reasoning, which examines problem solving skills; Verbal Reasoning, which evaluates critical reasoning and reading comprehension; and the newly developed Data Insights section, which measures candidates’ data literacy skills and ability to analyse and interpret data and apply it to real-world business scenarios.

With these changes and the removal of the Analytical Writing Assessment, it is nearly one hour shorter than the current version of the GMAT and therefore requires less content to prepare.

Along with new features that allow test takers bookmark as many questions as they want, review questions within the remaining section time and change up to three answers per section, and to complete the three sections in any order, the enhanced Official Score Report now offers detailed performance insights that helps them assess strengths and identify focus areas at no additional cost.

The change to new score scale has been made to ensure that test takers and schools can easily distinguish from a GMAT Focus Edition score to the currently available GMAT Exam score.

As GMAT Focus Edition rolls out for the remainder of 2023, the current version of the GMAT exam will continue to be available to candidates until early next year to facilitate their in-progress preparation and applications for business school, and fees will remain the same as the current GMAT exam.

More information available at www.gmac.com.

-- BERNAMA

HITACHI ENERGY TO SUPPLY HVDC, ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES FOR WIND ENERGY PROJECT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 (Bernama) -- Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all, has been selected by Pattern Energy to supply its high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and other advanced technologies for the SunZia Transmission Project.

It will connect the 3,500-megawatt (MW) SunZia Wind project in New Mexico to the power grid in Arizona and Southern California, which will be among the world’s largest transmission links delivering renewable energy.

Hitachi Energy’s HVDC Light technology will efficiently transfer and integrate huge volumes of wind power over more than 885 kilometres into the regional power grid.

According to a statement, this will significantly increase the availability of sustainable energy for homes and businesses throughout the region.

When complete, SunZia Wind will have a total power capacity of 3,500 MW, enough clean, renewable electricity to provide power to approximately three million Americans.

“We are proud to be advancing a sustainable energy future for all in the southwestern United States, enabling Pattern Energy to integrate emission-free electricity into the regional grid serving Arizona and Southern California.

“Our market-leading HVDC technologies combined with our execution expertise makes us the partner of choice to help the US achieve its carbon-neutral targets by efficiently and reliably maximising its renewable energy resources,” said Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business Managing Director, Niklas Persson.

Meanwhile, Pattern Energy Chief Executive Officer, Hunter Armistead said: “The use of HVDC technology will enhance power grid reliability and resilience and play a vital role in delivering clean energy and deploying a sustainable energy system in the US.”

The SunZia Transmission project is a 3,000 MW HVDC link between Corona, New Mexico and Pinal County, Arizona. Hitachi Energy has already started work on designing and engineering the two HVDC Light converter stations, one at either end of the link.

Hitachi Energy has partnered with Quanta Services Inc (Quanta) to provide a turnkey project solution for the SunZia project, including managing the HVDC construction and building installation at the associated project sites.

-- BERNAMA

MFPC TO CONDUCT VIRTUAL EVENT FOR MEMBERS OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES: FUNDAMENTALS OF RETIREMENT PLANNING

 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC) will conduct a half-day virtual event on the Fundamentals of Retirement Planning for members of professional bodies.
 
Saving for retirement is essential as you are saving for your future. When you neglect to do so, you run the risk of not being able to take care of yourself when you are older and possibly in ill-health. Your retirement goals should come before saving for your children's education or going on vacation. Having a retirement fund is crucial for our and our families’ financial and emotional wellbeing. This underscores the importance of having adequate savings and income for future security as well as to withstand any future financial shocks.
 
However, many studies have found that many Malaysians do not have sufficient funds to retire. MFPC’s own national 2020 study on Financial Capability and Utilisation of Financial Advisory Services in Malaysia reveals that a disturbing number of Malaysians generally have low financial capability, and do not plan and save. The recent pandemic worsened the situation when, due to the movement controls imposed, the country’s economy was dealt a hard blow. Many lost their jobs and businesses had to shut down. While the pandemic had a significant impact on the B40 group, the M40 and T20 groups were not spared. 20% of the M40 moved to the B40 group, and 12.8% of the T20 group shifted to the M40 group, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
 
Understanding the fundamentals is the first step towards successful retirement planning. With a solid plan in place, you can confidently navigate the complexities of financial planning and ensure a secure future.
 
The event is the first of a series of talks to be held over three years (from 2023 to 2025) covering the various aspects of financial planning and aimed at raising the financial knowledge of Malaysians. This is an initiative of the Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF), who will provide extensive support during this time. MFPC, with the support of CMDF, is committed to enhancing Malaysians’ awareness of the importance of investing and of financial planning, of which retirement planning is an integral component.

Participants will gain CPD points for continuous learning and with guidance from speakers with vast experience and knowledge related to the topic, attendees will be empowered with financial planning knowledge and learn how to embrace economic challenges with proper planning for their retirement years.
 
Registration is open until 10 May at
https://1st.mfpc.org.my/PublicEventRegistration/396 

ABOUT MFPC
 
Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC)
The Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC) was set up in in 2004 with the objective of promoting nationwide development and enhancement of the financial planning profession. We conduct professional programmes leading to the Registered Financial Planner and Shariah Registered Financial Planner designations. Both qualifications are approved by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) as a prerequisite to apply for a Financial Adviser’s Licence and a Financial Adviser’s Representative Licence. The qualifications are approved by the Securities Commission Malaysia for the Capital Market Services Licence (CMSL) application in light of the introduction of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.Our mission has extended to include raising the financial literacy of all Malaysians by being at the forefront of efforts to provide financial education to Malaysians from all walks of life. We do this by continuously conducting numerous financial education programmes for the public at no cost, reflecting our contribution to the positive development of Malaysians and ultimately the nation.
 
Our website: www.mfpc.org.my 

SOURCE : Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC)