DEWA LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL ARM TO EXPAND GLOBAL ENERGY AND WATER PROJECTS

DEWA International launched as a wholly owned independent subsidiary of DEWA to develop global energy and water projects (Photo: AETOSWire)

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 (Bernama) -- Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced the establishment of DEWA International, its wholly owned independent subsidiary, to develop conventional and clean energy projects worldwide and export Dubai’s successful energy and water infrastructure model to global markets.

Dubai Supreme Council of Energy Chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said Dubai has firmly established itself as a leading international benchmark through world-class infrastructure, particularly in the energy and water sectors.

In a statement, Sheikh Ahmed said the launch of DEWA International marks a strategic step towards extending this successful model to global markets and strengthening Dubai’s position as a source of knowledge and expertise in energy, water, sustainability and digital transformation.

Meanwhile, DEWA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said DEWA has powered Dubai’s growth for decades through high performance and efficiency.

“Now, we rank first globally in 13 key utility performance indicators and two regional benchmarks across generation, transmission, distribution and customer service. Our financial strength provides real strategic freedom through sustained revenue growth, strong margins and significant investing capacity,” said Saeed Mohammed.

He added that DEWA International will develop power and water projects using advanced technologies in partnership with leading organisations worldwide, with work already underway to identify opportunities, build a project pipeline and establish strategic partnerships.

-- BERNAMA

​AscentHR Strengthens Regional Payroll Leadership with Strategic Acquisition of OS HRS

Acquisition expands regional payroll capabilities across countries, enhancing support for multinational enterprises across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East

SINGAPORE, July 6 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AscentHR, a leading provider of HR technology, payroll, compliance, and workforce solutions, today announced the acquisition of OS HRS, a trusted APAC-focused payroll outsourcing provider with over two decades of experience in delivering multi-country payroll services.

The acquisition was completed through a single-stage transaction under which AscentHR acquired 100% of the equity share capital of OS HRS Malaysia, OS HRS Japan, and OS HRS India from BREXA Inc. (formerly Outsourcing Inc.), Tokyo, Japan. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The acquisition significantly strengthens AscentHR's regional presence, strengthening its payroll delivery capabilities, compliance expertise, and in-country operations across key markets including India, Japan, China, Malaysia, Korea, Singapore, and several other countries across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

With OS HRS joining the AscentHR family, the combined organisation will support payroll operations across the APAC region, offering multinational enterprises a stronger platform for managing payroll, compliance, and workforce administration through deep local expertise and a unified regional delivery model.

Commenting on the acquisition, Subramanyam S., Founder & CEO, AscentHR, said:
"This marks an important milestone in AscentHR's vision of building a leading regional payroll and workforce solutions platform. OS HRS brings deep regional expertise, strong customer relationships, and an outstanding reputation for payroll excellence. Together, we are creating a stronger organisation with expanded capabilities, enhanced regional reach, and the ability to deliver greater value to customers across Asia-Pacific."

The integration combines AscentHR's HR technology, managed services, and compliance capabilities with OS HRS' established payroll operations and regional delivery expertise. The combined organisation will provide:

• Deep local compliance expertise backed by in-country specialists
• HR technology and enterprise platform integration
• Faster regional payroll implementations
• Native-language support and responsive customer service

Integration will be carried out in a phased manner to ensure seamless continuity for customers, employees, and partners while creating new opportunities for innovation and regional growth.

About AscentHR: AscentHR is a leading provider of Human Capital Management, Payroll, Compliance, and Workforce Solutions, helping organisations simplify workforce management through technology-enabled products and managed services.

About OS HRS: OS HRS is an APAC-focused payroll outsourcing provider delivering end-to-end managed payroll services across multiple countries through its regional delivery hubs in Malaysia, Japan, and India.

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Source : AscentHR

--BERNAMA 

EIG'S MIDOCEAN SECURES US$1.13 BLN INVESTMENT FROM PRIVATE DEPARTMENT

Private Department of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan Invests in MidOcean Energy and Forms Strategic Partnership with EIG

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Bernama) -- EIG, an institutional investor in the global energy and infrastructure sectors, announced that its liquefied natural gas (LNG) company, MidOcean Energy (MidOcean), has secured a US$1.13 billion investment from the Private Department of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan (Private Department). (US$1=RM4.07)

The Private Department also established a strategic partnership with EIG, focusing on capital aggregation, investment origination and the development of institutional investment opportunities in the United Arab Emirates and selected regional markets.

EIG in a statement said the investment marks the Private Department's entry into the global LNG sector and the beginning of a broader strategic relationship with the company.

Through the partnership, both parties intend to collaborate on future investment opportunities across the energy and related infrastructure sectors.

“We are pleased to establish a strategic partnership with the Private Department. This relationship combines EIG's global energy investment expertise with the Private Department's regional reach, institutional relationships, and long-term investment perspective.

“We believe this creates a powerful platform for capital formation and investment across the region,” said MidOcean Chairman and EIG Chief Executive Officer, R. Blair Thomas.

The investment further strengthens MidOcean's institutional shareholder base and reflects continued confidence in its strategy to build a diversified, resilient and long-life global LNG platform.

Formed and managed by EIG, MidOcean has assembled a portfolio of LNG interests across key global markets, including Canada, Australia and Latin America, and aims to further expand its global footprint through a disciplined, value-driven investment approach.

-- BERNAMA

LYB, MONDELEZ TURN PLASTIC WASTE INTO CHOCOLATE WRAPPERS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Bernama) -- Global chemical company, LyondellBasell (LYB) has introduced an innovative flexible packaging solution for Marabou chocolate bars, developed in collaboration with Mondelez International, Amcor, Taghleef Industries and other industry players.

Using LYB CirculenRevive polymers with 100 per cent attributed recycled content through an ISCC PLUS-certified mass balance approach, Mondelez is now able to offer packaging made from 75 per cent recycled content.

According to LYB in a statement, the solution helps transform hard-to-recycle post-consumer mixed plastic waste into high-quality materials suitable for food packaging.

“Our collaboration with Mondelez illustrates our shared vision for the future and highlights our ability to provide innovative, high-quality circular solutions tailored to demanding specifications.

“We are committed to making circular and low-carbon solutions work for businesses while creating solutions for everyday sustainable living,” said LYB executive vice president, Sustainable Solutions and Technology Business, Yvonne van der Laan.

As part of its circular solutions strategy, LYB plans to supply future polymers for Marabou packaging through MoReTec-1, its first commercial-scale catalytic chemical recycling plant under construction in Wesseling, Germany.

Once operational, the facility will strengthen access to circular feedstock within LYB's integrated ecosystem, connecting advanced sorting and recycling infrastructure with the company's existing crackers and polymerisation assets.

MoReTec-1 is designed to produce 50,000 metric tonnes of feedstock annually for use in LYB's existing production units, enabling the manufacture of recycled polymers.

The collaboration brings together companies across the packaging value chain, with LYB supplying the circular polymers, Taghleef Industries producing the base film, and Amcor converting the material into the final flexible packaging solution for Mondelez.

LYB said the initiative reflects growing demand from brand owners for high-performance circular polymers that support recycled-content targets while meeting the quality requirements for flexible food packaging.

-- BERNAMA

PROXIMA FUSION SECURES 411 MLN EUROS TO ADVANCE FUSION POWER

KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 (Bernama) -- Proxima Fusion has raised 411 million euros (US$468 million) in a financing round, valuing the company at 2.4 billion euros (US$2.7 billion) and making it Europe's best-funded fusion energy company. (US$1=RM4.08)

The financing round was led by XTX Ventures and East X Ventures, with German energy company RWE and Google participating as strategic investors.

According to Proxima Fusion, the funding will support the construction of Alpha, its net-energy stellarator demonstrator near Munich, Germany, and accelerate the development of technologies required for commercial fusion power plants.

Proxima Fusion co-founder and chief executive officer, Dr Francesco Sciortino said the investment demonstrates growing confidence in Europe's ability to develop globally competitive fusion technology companies.

“Investors recognise both the urgency and the opportunity of what we are doing and are backing us to develop a generational energy technology company,” he said in a statement.

The company said Alpha is being developed in partnership with the State of Bavaria, the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics and RWE to validate key technologies for future fusion power plants.

Proxima Fusion said the new funding will also support the completion of its Stellarator Model Coil, expansion of high-temperature superconducting cable and magnet production, and recruitment across engineering, manufacturing and operations.

-- BERNAMA

HELICAL FUSION, HAZAMA ANDO PARTNER ON FUSION PILOT PLANT

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama) -- Helical Fusion Co Ltd (Helical Fusion) and Hazama Ando Corporation (Hazama Ando) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the future construction of Helix KANATA, Helical Fusion’s fusion pilot plant targeted for the 2030s.

The partnership also sees Hazama Ando joining the Helix Program as an Official Partner, strengthening the industrial and construction capabilities supporting Helical Fusion’s commercial fusion energy initiative.

Helical Fusion said the Helix Program, launched in April 2026, is designed to accelerate the development of commercially viable fusion power plants by bringing together industrial and engineering partners.

Helical Fusion Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Takaya Taguchi said the programme aims to deliver a new long-term energy source capable of sustaining future generations.

“The goal of the Helix Program is not only to realise commercial fusion power, but also to bring humanity a new source of energy that can sustain civilisation for generations to come,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Hazama Ando Representative Director and President, Kazuhiko Kuniya said the company would contribute its experience in power and energy infrastructure projects to support the development of fusion energy facilities.

Under the MoU, the two companies will study construction requirements and project execution approaches for future fusion energy facilities, including Helix KANATA and Helix HARUKA, an integrated demonstration device.

Founded in Japan, Helical Fusion is developing fusion power plants based on the Helical Stellarator approach, a magnetic-confinement fusion concept backed by decades of research at Japanese universities and public research institutions.

-- BERNAMA

8X8 BAGS 2026 METRISTAR TOP PROVIDER FOR CPAAS BY METRIGY

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Bernama) -- Global business communications platform provider, 8x8 Inc has been named a 2026 MetriStar Top Provider for Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) by Metrigy, an independent research and advisory firm.

The CPaaS recognition is part of a broader result in Metrigy’s 2026 MetriStar Award programme, with 8x8 also receiving the MetriStar Top Provider recognition for Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS).

“Most of the companies we work with are not just looking for a messaging API; they need the whole chain: campaign management, AI, analytics, and a contact centre that talks to all of it.

“This recognition from Metrigy validates our approach helping organisations improve customer satisfaction, drive growth, and simplify operations at scale,” said 8x8 General Manager, CPaaS, Sylvain Chaperon in a statement.

The awards are based on Metrigy’s Customer Experience MetriCast 2026 study, which surveyed 1,437 customer experience (CX) leaders across 10 countries in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

8x8 achieved above-average scores on both business success and customer sentiment, with particular strength in CSAT improvement, revenue growth, platform reliability, and no-code/low-code application quality.

Metrigy highlighted 8x8's integrated communications portfolio as a key differentiator, noting that the company is among a small number of vendors offering CPaaS, CCaaS, and Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) within a single platform.

The research also highlighted 8x8's approach to treating CPaaS not as a standalone developer toolkit but as a programmable layer across the CX stack, expanding customer engagement capabilities beyond the contact centre to sales, field service, and frontline teams.

-- BERNAMA