FBG CAPITAL ANNOUNCED AS LEAD INVESTOR IN UNIVERSAL PROTOCOL 'PROXY TOKEN' PLATFORM

World renowned digital asset management fund backs a new platform and alliance of leading blockchain companies to address blockchain platform interoperability and enable consumer mass adoption.

SINGAPORE, July 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- FBG Capital, one of the world’s most reputable digital asset management firms, has been announced as the lead investor in the Universal Protocol Platform (UPP), a blockchain technology project launched by an alliance of industry leading companies. UPP is launching a digital reserve ecosystem that allows for the seamless transfer of digital currencies and digital assets across nearly all decentralized networks. The platform introduces general interoperability of blockchain-based assets as well as features that promote conventional investor protections.

Similar to the early days of the internet, blockchain technology platforms today are fragmented and incapable of communicating with one another. Like the breakthrough developments of TCP and IP, which made disparate initiatives in the early internet interoperable, the Universal Protocol Platform will do the same for blockchain technology by combining proven technologies with a genuine new innovation: the introduction of the Proxy Token. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32362

GLOBAL DAIRY PLATFORM INC ANNOUNCES ADDITION OF CHINA MENGNIU DAIRY COMPANY CEO, MR. MINFANG (JEFFERY) LU TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ROSEMONT, Ill., July 31 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Dairy Platform (GDP), a pre-competitive collaboration of dairy sector organizations focused on encouraging the appropriate intake of nutrient-rich dairy foods and demonstrating the sector’s role in sustainable agriculture, today announced the addition of Mr. Minfang (Jeffery) Lu, Executive Director and the Chief Executive Officer of China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited, to GDP’s Board of Directors.
 
“We are delighted to welcome Jeffery Lu to our already strong Board. To attract a person with his background and Mengniu’s legacy of success to our collaboration is a testament to the vast opportunities we see GDP has to promote dairy’s contribution to better nutrition, empowering communities and sustainable agriculture,” said Mr. Theo Spierings, GDP Board Chair and Fonterra Chief Executive Officer.
 
“I am very excited to join the GDP Board of Directors. The dairy sector has a critical role in providing solutions to global health and development challenges,” stated Mr. Lu, “I look forward to contributing towards the success of GDP’s mission to align and support the dairy industry in promoting sustainable dairy nutrition.”
 
Mr. Lu was appointed Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited in 2016.  A member of GDP since 2013, China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited was GDP’s first member from China. The company is based in Inner Mongolia and is one of the leading dairy product manufacturers in China, with a diverse product range including UHT milk, milk beverages and yogurt, ice cream, and other dairy products such as milk powder and cheese.
 
Mr. Lu will serve on the board along with Mr. Spierings, Royal FrieslandCampina Chief Executive Officer Mr. Hein Schumacher, Dairy Farmers of America President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Rick Smith, and Arla Foods Chief Executive Officer Mr. Peder Tuborgh.
 
Additional governance members are Dr. Margrethe Jonkman, Deputy Chair of the GDP Board and Chair of the Operational Committee, Corporate Director Research & Development, Royal FrieslandCampina; Dr. Judith Bryans, President, International Dairy Federation; Mr. Miles Hurrell, Chief Operating Officer-Farm Source, Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited; Mr. Jerry Kaminski, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, International, Land O'Lakes, Inc.; Ms. Hanne Sondergaard, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Marketing & Innovation, Arla Foods amba; Mr. Jay Waldvogel, Senior Vice President of Strategy and International Development, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.
 
About Global Dairy Platform

Established in 2006, GLOBAL DAIRY PLATFORM’s membership of dairy companies, associations, scientific bodies and other partners collaborate pre-competitively to promote the necessary intake of nutrient-rich dairy products, build evidence on dairy’s role in the diet, and show the sector’s commitment to responsible and sustainable food production. Together, the collaboration aims to demonstrate dairy’s contribution to global food systems, healthy diets, and sustainable livelihoods.  Visit www.globaldairyplatform.com for more information.
 
Media Contacts: 
GDP
Mr. Jerreau Beaudoin
+1 847 627 3387
Jerreau.beaudoin@globaldairyplatform.com
 
MENGNIU
Mr. Xiaodong, Ji
+86 186 1168 9793
jixiaodong@mengniu.cn
 
SOURCE: Global Dairy Platform
 
--BERNAMA

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32388

BEST'S BRIEFING: REGULATORY SHIFT IN CHINA LIKELY TO BOOST STANDING OF HONG KONG REINSURERS

HONG KONG, July 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A recent agreement that gives qualified reinsurers in Hong Kong preferential regulatory treatment over offshore reinsurers is expected to boost Hong Kong’s standing as a risk management hub in Asia providing reinsurance capacity and expertise, according to a new A.M. Best briefing.
 
The new Best’s Briefing, “Hong Kong Reinsurers to Receive Preferential Treatment from China Regulator,” discusses the agreement between the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission and the Insurance Authority of Hong Kong that will allow mainland insurance companies that cede business to qualified Hong Kong reinsurers to be subject to a lower reinsurance credit risk charge. Previously, Hong Kong reinsurers were grouped with other offshore reinsurers and assigned baseline risk charge factors for credit risk exposure that were much higher than those applicable to onshore reinsurers.
 
The change is expected to encourage Mainland China insurers to give priority to high-quality Hong Kong reinsurers over other offshore reinsurers in placing reinsurance. A.M. Best expects the agreement to enhance Hong Kong reinsurers’ competitiveness in China and promote Hong Kong as a risk management platform for Chinese cedents, particularly in support of the country’s Belt and Road Initiative. This arrangement also could attract new capital to Hong Kong for those interested in tapping into the Chinese reinsurance market.
 
To access the full copy of this briefing, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=276373.
 
A.M. Best is a global rating agency and information provider with a unique focus on the insurance industry. Visitwww.ambest.com for more information.
 
Copyright © 2018 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/20180730005401/en/
 
Contact

A.M. Best
James Chan, +852-2827-3418
Senior Financial Analyst
james.chan@ambest.com
or
Christie Lee, +852-2827-3413
Director, Analytics
christie.lee@ambest.com
or
Christopher Sharkey, +1-908-439-2200, ext. 5159
Manager, Public Relations
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com
or
Jim Peavy, +1-908-439-2200, ext. 5644
Director, Public Relations
james.peavy@ambest.com
 
Source : A.M. Best
 
--BERNAMA

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32382

SKILLS JOHOR TO HAVE PSDC AS STRATEGIC PARTNER TO PROMOTE TVET

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) -- Skills Johor and Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) witnessed by the YAB Tuan Chow Kon Yew, Chief Minister of Penang on 28 July 2018. Signing the MOU are Datuk Omar Shariff Mydeen - Executive Director of Skills Johor and Mr. Muhamed Ali Hajah Mydin, Chief Executive Officer of PSDC.
 
Also attending the event are Dato’ Bruce Lim Aun Choong - Executive Director of Skills Johor, Hj. Zakbah Harun – Chief Executive Officer of Skills Johor, Dato’ Teh Yong Khoon - Acting Chairman of PSDC Management Council, Mr. Asuat Ahmad - Director of The Coordination of Penang Bumiputera Participation Unit. The ceremony was also attended by senior management staff of Skills Johor, senior members of PSDC Management Council and other dignitaries.
 
The upshot in the strategic tie-up is that Skills Johor will be able to receive a boost with the appointment of PSDC’s top industry professionals who will be sharing their industry knowledge with the dedicated team of Skills Johor.
 
Under the plans of the collaboration, committees will be appointed to represent both sides to discuss and draft new industry-driven technical programmes, including vocational and soft skills programmes and to explore ways to bridge the skills gap that exists in the current market.             
                                                                                                       
”PSDC is the leading TVET experts in Industry 4.0. The collaboration with them will see Skills Johor to play a larger role in providing training related to Industry 4.0. The Industry 4.0 is changing how we live, work, play and communicate.  Therefore, it is vital to prepare the current and future workforce in Johor and Malaysia in general, to be ready for this change” enthused Datuk Omar Shariff Mydeen.
 
---------

Skills Johor is the first technical and vocational skills training hub in Malaysia. Skills Johor’s objective is to improve the employability and entrepreneurship of Malaysians through quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), relevant to current and emerging market and industry needs. It serves as a platform to provide and develop suitably skilled workforce for the nation.
 
Please log on to https://drive.google.com/open?id=1LzfpEH__7X8WzNF7b8F79YLjkz-HrxFR to view press release and pictures.
 
For more information about Skills Johor, visit www.skillsjohor.edu.my
 
This press release was prepared by Skills Johor Marketing Department. 
 
SOURCE : SKILLS JOHOR SDN. BHD.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name : Anis 
Tel : 01110051621
Email : anis@skillsjohor.edu.my 
 
--BERNAMA

CALGON CARBON APPOINTS STEVE SCHOTT PRESIDENT AND CEO

Pittsburgh, PA, July 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calgon Carbon Corporation announced today that Steve Schott has been named President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective August 3. Schott will replace Randy Dearth, who announced he was leaving the company after six years.

Kuraray’s Director and Senior Executive Officer and President of Functional Materials, Mr. Yoshimasa Sano, said, “With Steve as President and CEO, we are confident that we can continue the momentum we have built since acquiring Calgon Carbon in March. Steve is both a strong and well-respected leader within Calgon Carbon, and I look forward to working with him in his new role as President and CEO.”

“I’m truly honored for this opportunity. I am proud of Calgon Carbon, its talented employees, and all we have accomplished. I am excited to continue this journey with such a great team,” said Steve Schott.

Mr. Schott joined Calgon Carbon in 2007 as Executive Director of Finance. In 2010 he was promoted to Vice President and Chief Financial Officer with responsibility for all corporate financial functions. In 2015 Steve was promoted to Executive Vice President, Advanced Materials, Manufacturing, and Equipment. In this role, Steve also has responsibility for the company’s European operations, where Calgon Carbon is known as Chemviron.

Prior to joining Calgon Carbon, Schott spent eight years at DQE, Inc., a conglomerate whose primary business was electric energy. During his tenure, he held various positions including Controller, Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Schott also spent 15 years at Deloitte & Touche where he was a senior manager in the auditing practice. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Duquesne University.

About Calgon Carbon Corporation

Calgon Carbon, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kuraray Co., Ltd. (TYO: 3405) (Kuraray), is a global leader in the manufacture and/or distribution of innovative coal-, wood- and coconut-based activated carbon products – in granular, powdered, pelletized and cloth form – to meet the most challenging purification demands of customers throughout the world.  Complemented by world-class activated carbon and ultraviolet (UV) light purification and disinfection equipment systems and service capabilities, as well as diatomaceous earth and perlites, Calgon Carbon provides purification solutions for more than 700 distinct applications, including drinking water, wastewater, pollution abatement, and a variety of industrial and commercial manufacturing processes. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32350
 

Neuralstem shows positive results in study on Alzheimer's disease

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- Neuralstem Inc -- a biopharmaceutical company developing novel treatments for nervous system diseases -- announced some positive results in the treatment of Alzheimer´s disease.

This was disclosed in the presentation of data at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

The presentation demonstrated that oral administration of NSI-189 in a mouse model of Alzheimer´s disease (AD) leads to a significant amelioration and/or improvement in cognition measures and anxiety, a statement said.

Key findings from the study shows that treatment with NSI-189 significantly improved the learning ability measured by a simple task and improved performance on a test of short term memory (Novel Object Recognition).

The results also improved motor learning of AD mice as measured by performance on a Rotarod test and decreased anxiety levels in both AD mice and control mice as measured by an open field test.

"Data from this preclinical study suggest that NSI-189 may be able to mitigate or reverse the cognitive impact of Alzheimer´s disease, " said associate professor in the Department of Pathology at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Dr. Corinne Jolivalt.

The study carried out by Dr. Jolivalt´s laboratory at the University of California, San Diego involved the oral administration of NSI-189 to mice harboring gene changes that recreate symptoms of familial Alzheimer´s disease.

-- BERNAMA 

WEWORK ANNOUNCES $500 MILLION SERIES B INVESTMENT IN WEWORK CHINA LED BY TRUSTBRIDGE, TEMASEK, SOFTBANK AND HONY CAPITAL

NEW YORK & TOKYO & SHANGHAI, July 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) --WeWork Companies (“WeWork”) today announced a $500 million Series B investment in WeWork China led by Trustbridge Partners (“Trustbridge”), Temasek, the SoftBank Group (“SoftBank”), the SoftBank Vision Fund (“Vision Fund”) and Hony Capital. This funding will accelerate WeWork’s growth in China, allowing the company to serve more entrepreneurs, creators, and enterprises across the region through the unparalleled design, technology, hospitality and local community WeWork provides.
 
In the two years since opening its first location in China, WeWork has become a trusted local partner to creators and businesses of all sizes, providing 20,000 members across nearly 40 locations in three cities with the community, culture, and services to start and scale their operations. WeWork has also enabled more global businesses to have a presence in China, and helped Chinese businesses to both scale within the country and expand around the world. In July 2017, WeWork announced the creation of WeWork China, with a $500 million Series A investment from Hony Capital and SoftBank dedicated entirely to accelerating WeWork’s expansion across China.
 
“We are grateful to our partners at Trustbridge, Temasek, SoftBank, and Hony for their belief in our vision and their support of our business. This investment will help WeWork fuel our mission to support creators, small businesses and large companies across China. WeWork has built an incredible team in China that supports our members every day, serving as a bridge for local companies who want to reach the world as well as for global companies that want to enter the Chinese market. While there is still much to do and learn, this investment highlights the potential for WeWork and our community of creators in the region and reaffirms our dedication to our team, our members and our partners in China,” said WeWork Co-Founder and CEO Adam Neumann.
 
“Trustbridge is pleased to join the WeWork China team. Through its thoughtful design, technology, hospitality and most importantly community, WeWork is paving the way for a new future of work in China and supporting the transformation from Made in China to Created in China. Whether entrepreneurs are just starting out, Chinese companies are looking to take their business global, or international enterprises want to do business here, they know WeWork is the local partner they need,” said Feng Ge, Managing Partner of Trustbridge Partners.
 
“Adam Neumann’s vision has always been for WeWork to be a global company with a local playbook, and nowhere is that more clear than in China where WeWork has developed an impressive offering. From its strong leadership team to locally-tailored technology integrations and community-based design, WeWork has demonstrated that it understands what businesses in China need to succeed. Through this investment, we look forward to WeWork continuing to support many more companies of all sizes across China,” said Ronald D. Fisher, Director, Vice Chairman of SoftBank Group Corp.
 
“Over the past two years, we’ve seen what WeWork’s growing presence in China can accomplish. WeWork is a global connector bringing entrepreneurs, startups and large enterprise companies from around the world together, a local partner supporting Chinese entrepreneurs and attracting new businesses to invest in China, and an innovator reimagining the workspace through its cutting-edge design, technology and community-focused culture. With our continued investment, we know WeWork will continue to lead in the future of work,” said John Zhao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hony Capital.
 
About WeWork

WeWork provides its members around the world with space, community, and services through both physical and virtual offerings. From startups and freelancers to small businesses and Fortune 500 companies, our community is united by a desire for our members to create meaningful work and lead meaningful lives—to be a part of something greater than ourselves. Co-founded by Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey in New York City in 2010, WeWork is a privately held company with over 5000 employees. Follow us @WeWork on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook or visit wework.com to learn more.
 
About Trustbridge

Trustbridge Partners is a leading growth equity fund that focuses on investing in high-quality growth opportunities in China. Founded in 2006, Trustbridge currently manages approximately $8 billion in assets from leading university endowments, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and strategic industry partners. Our investment philosophy is built upon a fundamental understanding of long-term trends in demographics, technology and structural changes. We adopt a unique ecosystem-driven approach and concentrate in the Internet, content / education, and healthcare sectors where we believe our deep insights and strong industry relationships help generate unique investing opportunity sets.
 
About Temasek

Incorporated in 1974, Temasek is an investment company headquartered in Singapore. Supported by 11 offices internationally, Temasek owns a US$235b portfolio as at 31 March 2018. Our portfolio covers a broad spectrum of industries: financial services; telecommunications, media & technology; transportation & industrials; consumer & real estate; life sciences & agribusiness; as well as energy & resources. Investment activities are guided by four investment themes and the long term trends they represent: Transforming Economies; Growing Middle Income Populations; Deepening Comparative Advantages; and Emerging Champions. For more information on Temasek, please visit www.temasek.com.sg
 
About Hony Capital

Hony Capital, founded in 2003 and sponsored by Legend Holdings, specializes in buyout investment. Partnering with the world’s leading investors, it focuses on the development of China’s real economy with “Value creation, Price Realization” as its investment philosophy. Hony Capital currently has USD 10 billion under management, with investors from China and the world’s leading investment institutions, including national pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, university endowment funds, regional and industry pensions, insurance companies, family foundations, individual investors and other types. Hony Capital puts China as its top market, with investments in over 100 companies in areas of pharmaceutical and healthcare, media and entertainment, consumer products, food and beverage, as well as machinery and equipment manufacturing. Hony Capital’s portfolio companies include China Shijiazhuang Pharmaceutical Group (CSPC), Zoomlion, China International Marine Containers (CIMC), Suning, Chengtou Holding, Jin Jiang International Hotels, ENN, PizzaExpress (UK), STX(US) , WeWork (US) , ofo, COFCO Capital, etc. The assets value of these companies totals about RMB 2.9 trillion with sales volume of RMB 860 billion, providing more than 450,000 jobs.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180726005629/en/
 
Contact

WeWork
Dominic McMullan / Gwen Rocco / Jenny Chan
press@wework.com
or
Trustbridge
Public Relations
pr@trustbridgepartners.com
or
Hony Capital
Victoria Li
victoriali@honycapital.com
 
Source : WeWork

--BERNAMA

QTUM PLATFORM NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH AMAZON WEB SERVICES

Smart contract and dapp development is now deployed through one of the world’s largest cloud providers of business software
 
SINGAPORE, July 26 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Qtum (https://qtum.org/en), the first UTXO-based smart contract system, today announced that its Dapp development platform is now available on Amazon Web Services. Users across the enterprise and elsewhere will now be able to develop and deploy their own smart contracts from this ready-to-use Amazon Machine Image (AMI) featuring Qtum core and the Qmix Integrated Development Environment (IDE).

“Qtum is one of the most decentralized entities on the internet and AWS is one of the largest cloud providers in the world,” said Qtum Co-Founder Patrick Dai. “It is a perfect combination for users and the enterprise. We look forward to continue making Qtum’s smart contract and Dapp technology available for what is arguably its most in-demand market, the enterprise.”

Qtum’s focus is to offer easy-to-use yet robust solutions for users inside and outside the enterprise. The Qtum AMI image is completely free to use, at no additional cost for AWS customers to deploy a Qtum instance. There is also no need to purchase Qtum tokens. A test network can be deployed directly on the instance, allowing developers to simulate a public blockchain.

The new Qtum AMI on AWS can be used by anyone who wants to get started on the blockchain, run a Qtum node, or simply launch a server with Qtum pre-installed, without the hassle of handling dependencies. The node has Qtum pre-installed and users can choose between its mainnet or a testnet.

The Qtum AMI on AWS also includes:

• Qtum and the solidity compiler with the official repository for easy updates
• Development libraries and tools to allow anyone to build smart contracts and work on the desktop QT wallet
• A Qmix development IDE that launches by default on boot

Blockchain industry leaders are increasingly looking to Qtum to solve complex issues of scalability and deliverability for their projects, and Qtum delivers a smart contract platform running on a proof-of-stake consensus for the first time. Qtum's platform utilizes solidity smart contracts through its integration of the Ethereum Virtual Machine. More than 50 decentralized applications have been deployed on Qtum to date across a broad spectrum of sectors, including but not limited to the Internet of things, intellectual property, market forecast, healthcare and clean energy.

About Qtum

Qtum is the first UTXO-based smart contract system with a proof-of-stake consensus model. The platform use Account Attraction Layer to combine Bitcoin Core and the Ethereum Virtual Machine. Proof-of-stake model reduces the computational difficulty in the network and increases scaling possibilities. Developers have deployed more than 50 decentralized applications across a broad spectrum of sectors. Qtum's independent blockchain aims to bring smart-contracts technology to mobile and connected devices to minimize the gap between blockchain and commerce. (www.qtum.org)

MEDIA CONTACT: qtum@transform.pr

Source: QTUM

--BERNAMA

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32354

SHARESPOST AND OKCOIN ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP FOR GLOBAL SECURITY TOKEN NETWORK

San Francisco, CA, July 26 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SharesPost, a leading provider of private company liquidity solutions and private capital markets research, has announced that OKCoin will be joining SharesPost’s Global Liquidity And Settlement System (GLASS) as exchange nodes. In conjunction with SharesPost’s existing Alternative Trading System (ATS), GLASS will provide OKCoin with compliant access to the U.S. investor market.

“With the security token market poised to take off in 2018 and beyond, we’re thrilled to be partnering with OKCoin on the upcoming launch of GLASS,” said Greg Brogger, Founder and CEO of SharesPost. “As one of the leading global digital asset exchanges, OKCoin will be an instrumental partner as we build a new, decentralized network that can facilitate the trading, certification, and custody of security tokens and tokenized assets in a streamlined, cost-efficient manner.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32353

HRH THE CROWN PRINCE OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN NAMES RENOWNED TOURISM IMPRESARIO GERARD "JERRY" INZERILLO TO LEAD TRANSFORMATIVE HERITAGE TOURISM INITIATIVE

Inzerillo to Be First-Ever CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, Encompassing Museums, Universities, Major "Edutainment" Facilities as well as Resorts, Restaurants, Wellness Centers and Luxury Retail
 
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, July 25 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- His Royal Highness Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) has named Gerard “Jerry” Inzerillo CEO of the Authority, which will spearhead a transformative initiative to restore the historic birthplace of the Saudi state.
 
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=51841671&lang=en
 
Inzerillo, a highly accomplished tourism visionary, was selected to oversee the restoration of Diriyah and to develop a number of major new historical and tourism assets including museums, academic institutions and “edutainment” facilities, as well as resorts, restaurants, wellness facilities and high-end retail in a 7.1 million square meter development on the west side of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s booming capital city. The initiative is a key deliverable in the Crown Prince’s 2030 Vision to modernize the Saudi state, engage Saudi citizens, and welcome guests from all over the world.
 
“I am deeply honored to have the privilege to contribute to His Royal Highness’ Dynamic vision for the nation,” said Inzerillo. “This is truly an inspired time in this extraordinary country. I am particularly grateful to lead a world-class team in the development of this historic site, which will give the world its truest window into the soul and spirit of this land, its welcoming people and their rich history. Diriyah will be one of the great gatherings places in the world.”
 
Diriyah, a UNESCO registered site, holds a historical depth of more than 590 years. As the birthplace of the first, second, and current Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is the root of the Saudi nation.
 
Much of the original site, built in adobe brick in the traditional architecture of the greater Najd region, will be authentically restored with new tourism attractions and facilities.
 
The At-Turaif District in Diriyah has been designated by UNESCO as a “World Heritage Site.” His Royal Highness envisions Diriyah as a place where the past will be celebrated and the future awakened and where all who enter its gates will be inspired, engaged and entertained.
 
The DGDA Board of Directors is honored to have attracted such a creative, inspirational leader in Jerry Inzerillo to bring His Royal Highness’ vision into reality. Previously, Inzerillo was CEO of Forbes Travel Guide, the global standard for the verification of service excellence in hospitality. FTG, which operates in more than 100 countries, also awards annually the prestigious Five Star Award, considered the “Olympic Gold Medal of Hospitality”.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=51841671&lang=en
 
Contact
Key Group Worldwide
Jaret Keller
Work: 212-988-7701
Mobile: 917-628-0480
Email: jkeller@keygroup.tv
 
Source : Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA)
 
--BERNAMA

HITACHI VANTARA TO ACQUIRE REAN CLOUD

Deal Will Extend Hitachi Vantara’s Cloud Portfolio and Managed Services Capabilities To Accelerate Digital Transformations Across Public, Private and Hybrid Cloud Environments


SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hitachi Vantara, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501), today announced its intent to acquire REAN Cloud LLC, a global cloud systems integrator, managed services provider and solutions developer of cloud-native applications across big data, machine learning and emerging internet of things (IoT) spaces.

Founded in 2013, REAN Cloud has quickly been recognized as a leading cloud systems integrator, earning the status of AWS Premier Consulting Partner and Microsoft Azure Silver Partner. REAN Cloud’s deep hyperscale expertise and industry-leading infrastructure-as-code REAN Cloud Accelerator Platform enable highly automated, intelligent, scalable and secure cloud adoption and managed services. These services focus on delivering client business outcomes with significantly faster realization of business value. With 47Lining’s capabilities (acquired by REAN Cloud last year), REAN Cloud also delivers customized solutions for IoT analytics, predictive analytics and machine learning, allowing customers to more quickly unlock new business opportunities.

This acquisition will reinforce Hitachi Vantara’s ability to accelerate secure enterprise cloud adoption across multicloud environments and strengthen its ability to manage and operate traditional applications as well as emerging workloads in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Hitachi Vantara shares REAN Cloud’s passion for creating leading-edge solutions and will leverage REAN Cloud’s expertise to speed delivery of transformative digital solutions for its combined customers and partners.

“Our global customers across the Hitachi, Ltd., ecosystem are driving their own digital transformations to create competitive advantages in the marketplace,” said Brian Householder, chief executive officer of Hitachi Vantara. “Modernized infrastructure running both on and off premises and intelligent data governance and analytics are the foundational pillars of digital transformations. REAN Cloud powerfully extends Hitachi Ltd.’s existing portfolio for customers and partners in these areas.”

“Enterprises today want the ultimate flexibility in selecting the right environment for their varied workloads and development requirements. Moving and managing data and applications across environments requires careful orchestration through a unified cloud platform,” said Bobby Soni, chief solutions and services officer of Hitachi Vantara. “Hitachi Vantara already offers trusted and reliable private cloud solutions for customers who want pay-as-you-go experiences without having to move their data off premises. With REAN Cloud, we will be able to extend our unified cloud offerings to public and hybrid clouds, and we will enable customers to accelerate their digital transformations by deploying analytics-centric solutions to drive business outcomes.”

“When we first founded REAN Cloud, we understood the pivotal role that the cloud would play in transforming the way enterprises do business to reach their goals faster,” said Sri Vasireddy, managing partner of REAN Cloud. “As cloud adoption continues its rapid growth worldwide, we are truly excited to join forces with Hitachi Vantara, which shares our focus on shaping the future of digital transformation with innovative solutions. Our team looks forward to evolving REAN Cloud’s platform to accelerate customers’ outcome-based offerings.”

Once the acquisition closes, REAN Cloud’s founders will continue to lead and grow the business as an integral part of Hitachi Vantara’s Solutions and Services organization, led by Bobby Soni. REAN Cloud customers can expect continued high-quality services through REAN Cloud’s existing workforce, enhanced by Hitachi Vantara’s global delivery capabilities and leading digital solutions.

The transaction is expected to close later this year, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

Citi acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Hitachi Vantara and William Blair and MVP acted as financial advisors to REAN Cloud.

For more information about Hitachi Vantara’s intent to acquire REAN Cloud, read the blog post from Bobby Soni: https://www.hitachivantara.com/blog/a-clear-view-of-the-clouds/.

About REAN Cloud

REAN Cloud, a global cloud systems integrator and Managed Service Provider (MSP), is a Premier Consulting Partner in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Network (APN) and a Microsoft Azure Silver Partner. REAN Cloud offers managed and professional services and solutions for hyperscale integrated IaaS and PaaS providers and is one the few systems integrators capable of supporting the entire cloud services life cycle. Backed by extensive security DNA and deep compliance IP and expertise, REAN Cloud specializes in helping enterprise customers that operate in highly regulated environments – Financial Services, Healthcare/Life Sciences, Education and the Public Sector – to get the most from their cloud investment while enabling them to accelerate the value gained from the cloud once there. REAN Cloud’s team has worked with global organizations, including the American Heart Association, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Ditech Mortgage, Ellucian, Globus Genomics, Philips, PierianDx, SAP, Symantec, Teradata and Veritas. REAN Cloud solutions are bundled with advanced security features to help address clients’ compliance needs.

About Hitachi Vantara

Hitachi Vantara, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., helps data-driven leaders find and use the value in their data to innovate intelligently and reach outcomes that matter for business and society. The company combines technology, intellectual property and industry knowledge to deliver data-managing solutions that help enterprises improve their customers' experiences, develop new revenue streams, and lower the costs of business. Only Hitachi Vantara elevates your innovation advantage by combining deep information technology (IT), operational technology (OT) and domain expertise. The company’s experts work with organizations everywhere to drive data to meaningful outcomes. Visit us at www.hitachivantara.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society’s challenges, combining its operational technology, information technology, and products/systems. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal 2017 (ended March 31, 2018) totaled 9,368.6 billion yen ($88.4 billion). The Hitachi Group is an innovation partner for the IoT era, and it has approximately 307,000 employees worldwide. Through collaborative creation with customers, Hitachi is deploying Social Innovation Business using digital technologies in a broad range of sectors, including Power/Energy, Industry/Distribution/Water, Urban Development, and Finance/Social Infrastructure/Healthcare. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.

HITACHI is a trademark or registered trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. All other trademarks, service marks, and company names are properties of their respective owners.

Company Contact
Mary Ann Gallo
Hitachi Vantara
Mary.ann.gallo@hitachivantara.com
408-970-7932

SOURCE : Hitachi Vantara Corporation