​UnitedLex-Microsoft Cloud integration to globally scale legal services digital transformation

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- Technology and legal services company, UnitedLex has integrated Microsoft Cloud services to globally scale UnitedLex Vantage, a holistic, turnkey technology platform built to revolutionise customer experience and transform the legal function into a first-class digital citizen.

UnitedLex Chief Technology Officer, Sean Jennings said: “The Vantage platform represents a substantial investment for UnitedLex to reinvent how legal services are delivered in enterprise technology landscapes, and such complex technical and business requirements can only be built and delivered on a world-class platform.”

According to a statement, UnitedLex has integrated Microsoft solutions into its software portfolio since 2008 and has deep experience working closely with Microsoft.

UnitedLex Vantage delivers a flexible, secure, and scalable platform, powering all enterprise legal workflows.

Vantage comes with a vastly reduced implementation time (a matter of days versus months), a 20 per cent increase in work efficiency, significant cost savings across overall legal and IT spend, and most crucially: new revenue opportunities for the business.

UnitedLex Vantage integrates Microsoft Azure services, Dynamics 365, and Power Platform.

Vantage dramatically improves visibility and operational efficiency of the legal function, reduces administrative burden, consolidates and simplifies disparate department functions, and reduces friction for the legal professional from the outset.

These core features are aggregated in one comprehensive platform, hosted securely and privately in a UnitedLex run and managed Microsoft Azure tenant.

-- BERNAMA

Uniphore unveils technologies, strengthening agent, customer experiences in contact centre

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- Uniphore, an early leader in Conversational Service Automation, has announced the addition of its new U-Trust portfolio and U-Assist Assurance solution to its portfolio.

With these new solutions, Uniphore customers will be better able to support call centre agents and operations, while building trust with consumers and delivering a better overall customer experience.

Uniphore’s new solutions are focused on improving and optimising contact centre interactions from start to finish, strengthening the connection between front-end customer experience and backend fulfillment via Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and improving contact centre security through agent verification and data security. 

According to a statement, U-Assist Assurance enables contact centres to save time, money and improve customer satisfaction rates -- all automatically.

Using RPA technology, U-Assist Assurance tracks promises and commitments made by agents in real-time during the call, aligns expectations with the customer immediately following the call, and manages fulfillment post-call.

Meanwhile, the U-Trust portfolio includes two distinct solutions: U-Trust Agent, a verification solution that uses a unique voiceprint to authenticate agents and U-Trust Environment, which protects sensitive customer data.

It is the first comprehensive solution to deal with trust and security concerns and brings critical and powerful tools to contact centres who have faced huge challenges transitioning their agents from secured physical locations to a remote work environment.

U-Trust Agent uses real-time agent verification using voiceprints continuously through the entire agent shift, eliminating fraud and ID issues, while U-Trust Environment builds on agent verification to offer a greater layer of security to protect sensitive customer information.

More details at www.uniphore.com.

-- BERNAMA

JAPANESE ALTERNATIVE MEAT VENTURE NEXT MEATS GOES PUBLIC ON THE AMERICAN OTC MARKET

TOKYO, Jan 29 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Japanese alternative meat company Next Meats successfully went public on the American OTC Market this week as NEXT MEATS HOLDINGS, INC (NXMH) after acquiring an American SPAC, debuting its presence in the American stock market.

With plans to strenuously develop and distribute their products worldwide and invest in related businesses, Next Meats intends to be listed on NASDAQ in the near future as well.

With increased efforts and shifts being made by countries to meet the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN, and with people making lifestyle changes on a global scale due to the pandemic, we can expect Next Meats to receive attention as a newly listed company with a focus on environmental conservation.

About Next Meats
A Tokyo based food-tech venture company specializing in the R&D of alternative meats, Next Meats began their product development in 2017 and was officially established in 2020, when they simultaneously began their overseas expansion as well.

Though only established in June of last year, Next Meats has grown at a remarkable speed.

Their plant-based products Next Burgers, Next Gyudon, and the Next Yakiniku series have been met with great reviews and support, and they are currently developing other products as well.

While there are already numerous competitors in the alternative meat field, Next Meats claimed a strong position in Japan by collaborating with Yakiniku Like, a Japanese barbecue chain restaurant, enabling the world's first plant-based Yakiniku meats "Next Kalbi" and "Next Harami" (short-rib steak and skirt steak style, respectively) to be served alongside regular meat all across Japan, and in the chain's other stores in Asia.

Next Meats has also established a production site in Vietnam, and just this month signed a joint development agreement with Hoya, one of the world's largest alternative meat companies in Taiwan. They plan to start selling in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam in March.

Last year in December the company also announced their partnership with Toyota Tsusho, a multi-market trading enterprise and affiliate of the Toyota Group Companies.

Next Meats plans to continue collaborating with universities and other venture companies to further research plant-based proteins as well as microalgae and cultured meats, and aims to replace all animal products by 2050.

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Interactive Brokers acts on actively traded symbols

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- Interactive Brokers Group, a global brokerage firm, announced it has put AMC, BB, EXPR, GME, and KOSS option trading into liquidation only due to the extraordinary volatility in the markets.

In addition, long stock positions will require 100 per cent margin and short stock positions will require 300 per cent margin until further notice, according to a statement.

The company does not believe the situation will subside until the exchanges and regulators halt or put certain symbols into liquidation only. It will continue to monitor market conditions and may add or remove symbols as may be warranted. 

Interactive Brokers Group affiliates provide automated trade execution and custody of securities, commodities, and foreign exchange round-the-clock on over 135 markets in numerous countries and currencies.

-- BERNAMA

TPBank chooses Wolters Kluwer's OneSumX IFRS 9

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- Vietnam's Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TPBank) has chosen Wolters Kluwer’s Finance, Risk & Regulatory Reporting (FRR) business to provide software for helping to ensure compliance with International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 9.

According to a statement, the bank will use OneSumX IFRS 9, a module of OneSumX for FRR, for managing its obligations around the accounting standard set for implementation in Vietnam in 2023.

OneSumX IFRS 9 offers a solid framework combining lifecycle information on each individual financial instrument with a comprehensive set of IFRS 9 calculators.

The resulting numbers are recorded in a transparent, traceable, and auditable contract level IFRS subledger. The solution supports regulatory disclosures from local supervisors across the globe and offers powerful reporting tools.

These features are supported by a data management framework that can capture and store relevant contractual information, manage events and transactions, store IFRS calculations, generate accounting, and process up to the delivery of the disclosures.

“We are delighted that TPBank has selected our software, further cementing our strong reputation in Vietnam as the partner of choice for leading banks in the country,” said Wolters Kluwer FRR, Asia-Pacific Managing Director, Rainer Fuchsluger.

TPBank Chief Executive Officer, Nguyen Hung said: “TPBank takes its financial and regulatory reporting obligations extremely seriously and, as such, we conducted a through evaluation of the solutions on offer to help us ensure ongoing compliance with IFRS 9.”

Wolters Kluwer is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors.

-- BERNAMA

UNIPHORE ESTABLISHES A GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM OF INNOVATION, COLLABORATES WITH WORLDWIDE INNOVATORS ON FUTURE OF CONTACT CENTERS

SINGAPORE & PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan 29 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Uniphore, an early leader in Conversational Service Automation (CSA), has teamed up with global leaders, including Idiap Research Institute and Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), and has joined the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Innovators Community – an invitation-only group of the world's most promising start-ups and scale-ups that are at the forefront of technological and business model innovation.

The multiple agreements entail the development of next-generation capabilities in advanced AI, machine learning, automation, and voice and video technologies to really drive the transformation of contact centers and enterprises around the world.

UNIPHORE ESTABLISHES A GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM OF INNOVATION, COLLABORATES WITH WORLDWIDE INNOVATORS ON FUTURE OF CONTACT CENTERS

Nippon Express Bangladesh receives GDP certification for air cargo import/export services

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- Nippon Express Bangladesh Ltd (NE Bangladesh), a local subsidiary of Tokyo-based Nippon Express Co Ltd, has obtained Good Distribution Practice (GDP) certification, effective recently, evidencing its compliance with standards for the proper distribution of pharmaceuticals applicable to air cargo import/export services.

Bangladesh has a population of approximately 170 million and annual gross domestic product growth rate of seven per cent to eight per cent. The country was expected to see 4.5 per cent growth in 2020 and 2021, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Bangladesh's pharmaceutical market is forecast to grow from its present scale of US$3 billion to US$6 billion by 2025, with this increase to be especially conspicuous in the already booming production of generic pharmaceuticals. (US$1 = RM4.050)

Having acquired GDP certification, NE Bangladesh will be better able to respond to expanding imports of active pharmaceutical ingredients from Europe and Japan, and exports of pharmaceuticals to destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere.

According to a statement, the company will collaborate with other Nippon Express Group companies that have already obtained GDP certification to extend its services globally.

Nippon Express will continue stepping up its efforts on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry and enhancing its services to meet increasingly sophisticated and diversified pharmaceutical needs.

More details at http://www.nipponexpress.com/

-- BERNAMA

Alistair Brownlee Amongst Elite Endurance Athletes Planning To Smash Triathlon Iron Distance Time

 SYDNEY, Jan.27,2021/Medianet International-AsiaNet/ — 

Today on 27 January 2021, four of the most successful and decorated athletes in Olympic and triathlon history announced an audacious attempt to push the limits of human performance and smash the current male and female times for the iron distance triathlon (3.8km Swim/180km Bike/42km Run).

Multimedia News Release for video and images:
http://news.medianet.com.au/manaseg/pho3nix-launches-sub7-sub8-project

Taking on the landmark sporting challenge in Spring 2022 will be reigning Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee (GB) and half-iron distance world record holder Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR), who will be looking to break the current men’s record of 7 hours, 35 minutes, and 39 seconds by going sub-seven hours. They will be joined by three-time Ironman World Championship runner-up Lucy Charles-Barclay (GB) and dual Olympic medalist Nicola Spirig (SUI), who will be attempting to complete the distance in under eight hours, beating the current women’s record by 18 minutes and 18 seconds.

Talking about how the project came about, Alistair Brownlee said:

“We sat around a table after an endurance race in Bahrain discussing the world record times and if they could be beaten. The women thought in the right conditions it was possible to go under 8 hours. I thought I could go sub seven hours. A mix of bravado and competitive instinct kicked in and before we knew it, we had all signed up to the idea of attempting to go faster than anyone in history.”

Spearheaded by former World Champion triathlete and now CEO of event organisers Mana Sport and Entertainment Group, Chris McCormack, the challenge is to be officially known as the Pho3nix SUB7 and Pho3nix SUB8. The attempt is backed by title partner, The Pho3nix Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that supports sporting participation among young people. As well as promoting the physical and social benefits of sport, Pho3nix also provides young people with the resources and educational development to advance the positive values and attitudes that sport provides, and that become skills for life.

The challenge is being promoted by a campaign entitled Defy The Impossible ( https://www.sub7sub8.com/ ) and has been designed to not only make an impact at the elite end of the sport, but also drive change and inspire people at the grassroots level.

To find out more about the Pho3nix SUB7 and Pho3nix SUB8 challenges, visit: https://www.sub7sub8.com/

Source: Manaseg

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CAPCO AND ENVIZAGE ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

 

^{Matt Hutchins, Capco (Photo: Business Wire)}


Partners will work together to bring benefits of Envizage advice engine to financial services firms and their customers globally


LONDON, Jan 29 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Capco, the global management and technology consultancy, and Envizage, the London-based analytics software provider, today announced a new partnership that will see the two companies working together to deliver the benefits of Envizage’s simulation-based holistic advice engine for financial services.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210128005152/en/

 

Established by three former Morgan Stanley partners, Envizage supports banks, insurers, pension funds and retail wealth and asset managers through its patented methodology and technology acquired from Morgan Stanley, which is a minority stakeholder in the company.

Delivered as an API, Envizage’s advice engine addresses all financial products in the context of a customer’s future life goals. Envizage simulates ‘real life’ outcome risks across different customer age groups, from millennials to retirees, using probabilities based on a range of factors, including inflation, longevity, mortality, health and liquidity.

Envizage promises to future-proof clients’ digital or hybrid distribution strategies at scale and reduces platform, compliance and distribution costs, with data-related benefits having the potential to considerably reduce BAU costs.

Matt Hutchins, Partner and Insurance Lead at Capco, said: “Envizage offers one digital foundation across many products, channels and countries. This is a highly complementary partnership from Capco’s perspective in terms of our respective areas of industry focus and our data and digital capabilities. The ability to use data analytics to improve financial awareness and planning for customers, and to help businesses improve customer personalisation and cross-selling through different channels – mobile, desktop, contact centre agents or advisors – was particularly compelling given Capco’s focus across insurance and banking markets.”

Vinay Jayaram, CEO and Co-founder at Envizage, said: “Envizage is delighted to announce this new partnership. Capco’s deep domain expertise, broad delivery capabilities and strong relationships with leading financial services organizations globally will be invaluable as we look to deliver value to our clients across the banking, insurance, retail investment and wealth management, pensions and at-retirement sectors. In these challenging times, millions of people around the world are seeking a clear path forward to build financial security for themselves and their families, and yet the advice gap has never been more apparent. We look forward to working with Capco to address that disconnect and to drive a step-change in financial planning, customer personalization and cross-selling opportunities for our mutual clients.”

About Capco

Capco is a global technology and management consultancy specializing in driving digital transformation in the financial services industry. With a growing client portfolio comprising of over 100 global organizations, Capco operates at the intersection of business and technology by combining innovative thinking with unrivalled industry knowledge to fast-track digital initiatives for banking and payments, capital markets, wealth and asset management, insurance, and the energy sector. Capco’s cutting-edge ingenuity is brought to life through its Innovation Labs, and award-winning BYAW culture and diverse talent. To learn more, visit www.capco.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn Instagram, and Xing.

About Envizage

Envizage is a financial technology company whose core solution is a simulation-based holistic advice engine, delivered through a configurable API. Envizage’s clients are banks, insurers, pension funds, and retail asset managers, who build applications for their customers and members powered by the Envizage API. Envizage serves clients worldwide, helping them engage their end-user customers so they can achieve better future outcomes. To learn more, visit envizage.me or follow us on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210128005152/en/

Contact

Capco
Tim Steele
Head of External Communications
tim.steele@capco.com

Envizage
Claire Brown
contact-us@envizage.me

Source : Capco

Opanga Networks selected Telefónica Germany RAN Optimization partner

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 -- Seattle-based Opanga Networks Inc has been selected by Telefónica Germany GmbH & Co. OHG as its RAN Optimization partner in Germany. 

“Telefónica Germany is a flagship operator as well as an innovation leader in our industry and our solutions will be pivotal in helping the Telefónica team sustain the very best possible experience for their customers,” said Opanga Networks Head of European Operations, Ben Hadorn.

Meanwhile, Telefónica Germany Director Core & Network Services, Jochen Bockfeld said: “Mobile Network performance is under intensifying strain from the continual growth in data traffic.”

“RAN Optimization software, that can be deployed rapidly in the mobile core, is mission critical to our being able to provide the best-in-class mobile experience for our customers.”

Opanga’s highly innovative software solutions are founded on advanced machine learning techniques that provide immediate benefit to mobile network customer experience. 

When Opanga’s software is deployed, the network runs much faster to sustain the best possible user experience, according to a statement.

Opanga Networks is a software solutions company focused on developing products which make mobile networks much more efficient, faster and capable of ultra-high performance, while Telefónica Germany offers telecommunication services for private and business customers. 

-- BERNAMA

LeddarTech Announces Significant Growth in Customer Engagements, Partnerships, and Investment in 2020

QUEBEC CITY, Jan 27 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LeddarTech®, a global leader in Level 1-5 ADAS and AD sensing technology, announces notable and significant growth in 2020.

Despite the pandemic, LeddarTech, a pioneer in automotive sensing technology, boosted growth in investment, units sold, ecosystem partnerships, strategic customer engagements, and acquisitions in 2020. In November of 2020, LeddarTech was recognized by Tracxn in a category of only six Canadian corporations as a Unicorn, defined by Tracxn as one with a valuation exceeding the billion, and even the multi-billion-dollar mark in some cases, representing the elite of the Canada Tech start-up sector.

Major 2020 Achievements:

· Reached over $350 million of investments from industry leaders.

· Contracted six Tier-1 and OEM customers to develop LiDAR measurement software, sensor fusion, and perception technology to enable ADAS and autonomous driving applications with a lifetime value over US$1.5 billion, supporting a growing opportunity funnel well over US$4.0 billion.

· Signed strategic partnership agreements with three global automotive Tier-1/2 customers for LiDAR platform development.

· Delivered over 9,000 low-cost solid-state LiDAR sensors to customers, a double-digit increase over 2019.

· Announced volume production of the award-winning Leddar™ Pixell with manufacturing partner Faurecia-Clarion Malaysia.

· Announced the addition of four major global technology companies as collaborative partners for joint delivery of LiDAR solutions to the market within the Leddar™ Ecosystem, including STMicroelectronics, Flex, dSPACE, and Ningbo Sunny Optical. LeddarTech expects to report further additions to the Leddar Ecosystem H1 of 2021.

· Expanded collaboration with Renesas to accelerate autonomous driving and ADAS development. This platform combines LeddarTech’s industry-leading raw data sensor fusion stack and LiDAR technology with Renesas’ newly launched R-Car V3U, a best-in-class ASIL D system-on-chip (SoC) for ADAS and AD systems.

· Accelerated automotive sensing solutions through two acquisitions:

o Phantom Intelligence: This acquisition advanced LeddarTech’s strategy to aggregate and consolidate automotive sensing technologies, enabling the company to offer comprehensive solutions to our customers at lower cost.

o VayaVision: This acquisition added a vital building block by combining sensor fusion and perception technology with LeddarTech’s proven LeddarEngine™ platform. The LeddarEngine platform built on an open software architecture combined with LeddarVision™ enables LeddarTech to address customers’ need for sensing solutions that are hardware agnostic, scalable, and adaptable to any vehicle and sensor configuration.

The acquisitions of VayaVision and Phantom Intelligence, combined with over a decade of expertise in groundbreaking L1-5 ADAS and AD sensing technologies, demonstrate LeddarTech’s commitment to continuous innovation and service to our Tier 1-2, OEM, and autonomous mobility customers.

LeddarTech also expanded operations in Israel and augmented the existing engineering team with world-class AI and machine learning engineers.

“2020 was the most challenging year in recent history, but meeting challenges is in LeddarTech’s DNA,” stated Mr. Charles Boulanger, CEO of LeddarTech. “We are very proud of the advances we have made as an organization and the faith that our customers and strategic partners have placed in us,” concluded Mr. Boulanger.

“Our partners and customers recognize that they can rely upon LeddarTech’s ingrained expertise in sensing solutions that have been achieved through over 10 years of pioneering experience,” said Mr. Frantz Saintellemy, President and COO.

About LeddarTech

LeddarTech is a leader in environmental sensing platforms for autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems. Founded in 2007, LeddarTech has evolved to become a comprehensive end-to-end environmental sensing company by enabling customers to solve critical sensing and perception challenges across the entire value chain of the automotive and mobility market segments. With its LeddarVision™ sensor-fusion and perception platform and its cost-effective, scalable, and versatile LiDAR development solution for automotive-grade solid-state LiDARs based on the LeddarEngine™, LeddarTech enables Tier 1-2 automotive system integrators to develop full-stack sensing solutions for autonomy level 1 to 5. These solutions are actively deployed in autonomous shuttle, truck, bus, delivery vehicle, smart city/factory, and robotaxi applications. The company is responsible for several innovations in cutting-edge automotive and mobility remote-sensing applications, with over 95 patented technologies (granted or pending) enhancing ADAS and autonomous driving capabilities.

Additional information about LeddarTech is accessible at www.leddartech.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Contact:

Daniel Aitken, Vice-President, Global Marketing, Communications, and Product Management, LeddarTech Inc.

Tel.: + 1-418-653-9000 ext. 232

daniel.aitken@leddartech.com

Leddar, LeddarTech, LeddarEngine, LeddarVision, LeddarSP, LeddarCore, VAYADrive, VayaVision, and related logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of LeddarTech Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other brands, product names, and marks are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks used to identify products or services of their respective owners.

Source: LeddarTech inc.

Cloudflare unveils Project Fair Shot for effective global COVID-19 vaccine distribution

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — Cloudflare Inc, the security, performance, and reliability company, has announced Project Fair Shot to offer a free and fair way for vaccine distributors worldwide to use digital queues to safely scale their efforts.

Project Fair Shot will enable any government, municipality, hospital, pharmacy, or other organisation facilitating the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine access to Cloudflare Waiting Room.

Cloudflare Waiting Room is a transparent digital queue that sits in front of any registration website for people to know where they stand in line to sign up for a vaccine without leaving home.

According to a statement, by relying on Cloudflare’s global infrastructure, Project Fair Shot can scale regardless of demand without requiring organisations to dedicate limited IT resources to code changes.

Cloudflare Waiting Rooms can be deployed in front of any registration website without requiring engineering or coding. Each person requesting a vaccine appointment will get confirmation that they are in a queue. When their time is up, they will be directed to the organisation’s signup page.

Waiting Rooms can be further configured by each distributor to provide registrants with their estimated wait time, and in the future, to send alerts as their turn approaches.

While Project Fair Shot makes this available at no charge to vaccine distributors, Cloudflare Waiting Room also allows organisations of all kinds with high demand for a resource to allow individuals to queue and then fairly allocate access.

More details at www.cloudflare.com.

— BERNAMA

Panopto's new Singapore office response to Asia's significant growth demand

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 -- Video management system provider for higher education and large enterprises, Panopto has opened a commercial office in Singapore in response to significant growth in demand in Asia.

According to a statement, this increased presence complements the company’s existing office in Hong Kong and builds upon Panopto’s Singapore-based data centre, which hosts Panopto’s Asia-Pacific Cloud.

“It’s appropriate to ring in the new year in Asia with a new office in Singapore,” said Panopto Asia General Manager, Elle Hosek. 

“Panopto has seen dramatic growth in the use of video by higher education and large enterprise institutions, and our scalable solution is used by customers in over 14 countries throughout Asia.

“Panopto has been servicing customers in Asia on its Singapore-based cloud since 2018, and we’re excited to expand our presence.”

Panopto has been a trusted partner for prominent enterprises such as SK Telecom and higher education institutions including Singapore University of Social Sciences and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Panopto is widely recognised as the video management system that is easiest to use among businesses and universities. It is an integrated solution for creating, sharing, searching, and viewing video.

Fortune 1000 companies use Panopto to deliver online training, manage meeting recordings, broadcast corporate events, improve employee onboarding, and create secure video libraries. 

More details at www.panopto.com.

-- BERNAMA 

Vista Global reports 2021 market update, overview of companies’ 2020 performance

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 -- Vista Global, the private aviation group founded by Thomas Flohr has provided a 2021 market update and overview of its companies’ 2020 performance and core strategic priorities, showcasing a positive outlook against a challenging global backdrop.

During 2020, the Group’s VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, saw an increase of 29 per cent globally in new subscription memberships year-on-year, with Europe accounting for 43 per cent of new Members, North America (25 per cent), Asia (18 per cent) and the Middle East (10 per cent).

It was also a record year for VistaJet’s On Demand services, with bookings growing substantially at over 15 per cent year-on-year.

According to a statement, the Company expects to see a continuation in this extraordinary explosion in demand from both corporate and first-time fliers wanting to conduct travel safely and without delays globally. 

Meanwhile, XO, the Group’s leading On Demand technology platform, recorded a surge in new client memberships of more than 3x in 2020, with each depositing an average of US$100k deposit, guaranteeing future flying. (US$1 = RM4.044)

By delivering a best-in-class digitally native user experience, XO is set to continue to grow significantly in the coming years, servicing both large enterprises and individual consumers.

Vista Global is confident of further significant subscription membership growth. The Group’s highly generative cash model and prudent financial decisions made through 2020 have resulted in a robust liquidity position, with broad access to capital, to be able to support its growth plans.

Clients are increasingly demanding digital solutions in the modern economy. Vista Global’s proprietary technology gives it a significant advantage in the industry, creating superior client value and elevated end-to-end experience.

-- BERNAMA

SMARTTRADE REPORTS SUCCESSFUL 2020, LOOKS FORWARD TO STRONG GROWTH IN 2021

AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France, Jan 25 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- smartTrade Technologies, a provider of multi-asset electronic trading solutions headquartered in Aix-en-Provence, France, today reports on a successful 2020, propelled by strong investor confidence and the proven resilience of its sector-leading technology.

In the first half of 2020, Hg, Europe’s leading software investor, acquired a significant stake in smartTrade. This investment has allowed smartTrade to continue to innovate and to strengthen its R&D activities despite the many challenges faced in 2020 by the financial markets and the wider community. Notable developments in 2020 were the enhancement of smartTrade’s open and API-enabled technology, as well as increased functionality in FX Options, Money Markets, AlgoBox and PostTrade for LiquidityFX, the firm’s FX trading platform.

SMARTTRADE REPORTS SUCCESSFUL 2020, LOOKS FORWARD TO STRONG GROWTH IN 2021

Uniphore acquires Emotion Research Lab, adds video AI capabilities to innovation portfolio

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 -- Uniphore, an early leader in Conversational Service Automation (CSA), has announced the acquisition of Emotion Research Lab, a cutting-edge video and emotion AI company.

“Today, we welcome the Emotion Research Lab family to Uniphore and celebrate the addition of not only cutting-edge technology to our portfolio, but a very talented team of professionals who will add high voltage charges to the Uniphore innovation engine,” said Uniphore Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Umesh Sachdev.

When combined with Uniphore’s CSA solutions, which understands, analyses and automates voice conversations in real-time, Emotion Research Lab's extensive video-focused AI capabilities will deliver entirely new applications and experiences across the enterprise.

Combining voice and video AI with automation and machine learning will open up new use cases, including customer experience, sales, marketing, HR and other critical areas of business, according to a statement.

Essentially, this powerful combination will drive new waves of transformation by delivering automated and intelligent conversational and collaboration resources that enhance communication and can ultimately drive better business results.

Emotion Research Lab’s software uses advanced facial emotion recognition and eye tracking technology to capture and analyse interactions over video in real-time to enhance engagement between people.

In addition to the intellectual property, Emotion Research Lab employees formally join the Uniphore family and work begins immediately on integrating cutting edge technology to deliver first-of-a-kind voice and video AI products for the enterprise in the second half of 2021.

-- BERNAMA

Guotai Junan International bags several awards including ‘Best Financial Company’

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 -- Guotai Junan International Holdings Limited (Guotai Junan International or GTJAI) has announced winning several prizes at the 5th Golden Hong Kong Stocks Awards and the 2nd Golden Central Awards.

These awards were namely, ‘Best Financial Company’ for the 2nd consecutive year, ‘Best Wealth Management’ and ‘Most All-round Broker’, according to a statement.

All three awards, which aimed to honour corporations for healthy governance structures, prominent market positions and satisfactory core businesses, reflected the high recognition from professional media in mainland China for the Group’s role as a Hong Kong-listed financial service company.

Amid the challenging operating environment in 2020, GTJAI made early adjustments to its operation strategy and strengthened control over market risks and credit risks through rigorous risk management system and measures.

Leveraging years of service experience and indepth understanding in the capital market, while the Company effectively managed its own balance sheet and risks, it also grasped market opportunities for its clients.

This is to attract high-net-worth wealth management clients with differentiated and high-quality investment and financing products, facilitating them in seeking and investing in quality underlying assets in the volatile market cycle.

The 5th Golden Hong Kong Stocks Awards and the 2nd Golden Central Awards attracted over 1,000 Hong Kong-listed participants. Winners were decided after a two-month detailed consideration by a professional judging panel as well as a vote among the public.

More details at http://www.gtjai.com.

-- BERNAMA

Nippon Express (China), JPG Logistics sign business partnership MoU

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 -- Nippon Express (China) Co Ltd (NE China), a subsidiary of Nippon Express Co Ltd of Tokyo, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Dec 18 last year, over business partnership with Jointown Pharmaceutical Group Logistics Co Ltd (JPG Logistics), a member of the Jointown Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd (JPG), a major Chinese pharmaceutical distributor/wholesaler.

JPG Logistics is a JPG company specialising in pharmaceutical logistics that runs, manages and supports the entire group's logistics operations, as well as its logistics centres at the provincial and regional city level.

According to a statement, it provides China's domestic pharmaceutical distribution market with enhanced transport services.

NE China had been considering a business partnership with JPG Logistics to cover those operational aspects of pharmaceutical logistics in which foreign companies are not allowed to participate under China's Good Supplying Practice (GSP) standards governing pharmaceutical supply and quality control.

NE China has already been working together on transport efforts with JPG Logistics during the coronavirus pandemic, developing a system enabling pharmaceutical products in China to be delivered overseas and for foreign pharmaceutical products to be delivered to regional cities in China.

This business partnership will allow Nippon Express to offer services that meet customer needs for safety-conscious pharmaceutical transport by combining its own pharmaceutical logistics services utilising its global network outside China with JPG's domestic transport network within China.

Nippon Express will continue upgrading its services to meet increasingly sophisticated and varied pharmaceutical transport needs, stepping up efforts both inside and outside Japan on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry.

More details at http://www.nipponexpress.com/

-- BERNAMA

Guotai Junan International to collaboratively boost China esports industry development

 KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 -- Guotai Junan International Holdings Limited (Guotai Junan International, the Group or the GTJAI) will join hands with the Nan Fung Group and Prospect Avenue Capital (PAC) to collaboratively boost development of China esports industry, supporting Versus Programming Network (VSPN).

According to a statement, this is to expand its scale and influence in the esports eco-system, consolidating its market leader position as well as creating standardised and professional competitive sports events.

GTJAI Head of the Private Equity Investment, Peter Chiu, who is in charge of this project said: “As a market leader in China's esports industry, VSPN has occupied a leading position in event hosting and broadcasting business.

“Its keen market perspective in the esports industry along with business experience of its elite team will advance deeper levels in VSPN’s business layout which promotes the internationalisation of VSPN esports events, and gradually reaches the giant global commercial sports field.”

The esports industry is one of the sectors that has been greatly encouraged and supported by the government’s policies in recent years.

GTJAI actively responds to and participates in the government’s policies of upgrading the esports industry structure and promoting the cultural and entertainment industry as well as the economic development through esports events.

In addition, participation in this project enables GTJAI to provide quality products for current wealth management clients, promote the efficient integration and development of various businesses of the Group, to achieve win-win situations with clients.

-- BERNAMA

BIOTALYS SUBMITS FIRST PROTEIN-BASED BIOCONTROL REGISTRATION PACKAGE TO THE EPA

GHENT, Belgium and RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Jan 22 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Biotalys NV, a transformative food and crop protection company, announces that it has submitted its first protein-based biocontrol, Evoca™, to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States for approval. Pending EPA registration, this biocontrol will offer U.S. fruit and vegetable growers a new way to combat major diseases to maximize yields and extend the shelf life after harvest of produce with substantially lower residues.

“Biotalys is thrilled to have begun the EPA registration process for its first product. While Evoca targets diseases like Botrytis cinerea and powdery mildew, we are leveraging the flexibility of our technology platform to advance a broad pipeline of products with new modes of action that will safely and reliably address key crop pests and diseases across the food value chain,” commented Luc Maertens, COO of Biotalys.

BIOTALYS SUBMITS FIRST PROTEIN-BASED BIOCONTROL REGISTRATION PACKAGE TO THE EPA

CYBERAGENT CAPITAL HOSTS "MONTHLY PITCH ASIA," GLOBAL VERSION OF BIGGEST FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR START-UPS IN JAPAN, ONLINE THIS TIME

TOKYO, Jan. 22, 2021 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

- Using Online Environment amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Matchmaking Event for Venture Capitalists and Start-ups Held to Promote Global Investment -   CyberAgent Capital, Inc. announced on Jan. 21 that "Monthly Pitch Asia" ( https://monthly-pitch.com/asia/en.html ), its biggest global monthly fundraising event for start-ups in Japan targeted to Southeast Asia, was held online.   Image1: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106456/202101189883/_prw_PI1fl_f2FbF26C.jpg     Since time is crucial and limited, the company started "Monthly Pitch" ( https://monthly-pitch.com/ ) where early-stage entrepreneurs can quickly meet investors active in Asia, allowing them to spend minimal time on fundraising and concentrate on their business as much as possible.   January 2021 marking the 44th time, CyberAgent Capital has been holding this monthly event since 2016, with 330 companies taking the stage -- making it the largest fundraising event in Japan.   The latest event, which under normal circumstances is held offline, took place online on January 13, 2021, featuring pitches from six Southeast Asian start-ups and meetings between start-ups and investors from all over the world. The previous "Monthly Pitch" was an overseas edition held in Jakarta in 2019.   Start-ups that took the stage   - Kyna (Vietnam): Online education marketplace -- a leading online education service in Vietnam, providing English and mathematics courses for kids. https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106456/202101189883/_prw_PI2fl_B5F91wp6.jpg     - Edoctor (Vietnam): Online health platform service in Vietnam. https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106456/202101189883/_prw_PI3fl_0Ak7i1PH.jpg     - TheBank (Vietnam): A pricing comparison service for financial products in Vietnam. https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106456/202101189883/_prw_PI4fl_jXY8hrke.jpg     - Getlinks (Thailand): Online recruitment platform for IT personnel in Thailand. https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106456/202101189883/_prw_PI5fl_AAyBv2Xu.jpg     - Viddsee (Indonesia, Singapore): The world's largest professional creator platform for short movies in Southeast Asia. https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106456/202101189883/_prw_PI6fl_OVuBClwg.jpg     - Moladin (Indonesia): The biggest EC platform service specializing in motorbikes and cars. https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106456/202101189883/_prw_PI7fl_m363n3x0.jpg     Comments from start-ups   "CyberAgent Capital put together an impressive and relevant group of investors and industry leaders, who are leaders in their respective fields in Japan and who also have a real interest in deepening their investments in and business expansion to Southeast Asia. The CAC team was an early pioneer into Southeast Asia, and thus has strong knowledge and access to founders via their portfolio companies as well as founders' network. We are excited to strengthen our joint efforts to bring more Japanese partners down as Japan is a key member of the RCEP scheme that contributes significant impact to the Southeast Asian and RCEP regions." (Keenan Kwok, CEO, GetLinks)   About CyberAgent Capital, Inc. An investment enterprise leading global innovation jointly with unicorn start-ups. Official website: https://www.cyberagentcapital.com/en/   For more information, please see Monthly Pitch's website - Monthly Pitch Asia Home Page https://monthly-pitch.com/asia/en.html   Image2: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M106456/202101189883/_prw_PI8fl_zOM5x0UL.jpg       Source: CyberAgent Capital, Inc.  http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=39161

Low carbon future for cement possible with CCS

 KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 -- A low carbon future for cement is advancing through a unique feasibility study to see carbon capture and storage (CCS) on Lehigh Cement’s plant in Edmonton, Alberta.

Recognising the substantial role that large-scale CCS has in reducing greenhouse (GHG) emissions, Lehigh Cement, the International CCS Knowledge Centre (Knowledge Centre), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group are moving forward with the engineering design for this feasibility study of the cement plant’s carbon capture system.

A first for the North American cement industry, the Lehigh CCS Feasibility Study looks at the viability of capturing 90-95 per cent of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) - an estimated 600,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually - from the cement plant’s flue gas.

According to a statement, the study is also a first for each of these organisations in North America all of whom pledge to actively work toward decarbonisation.

The study is timely as the recently released Canada Climate Plan specifically indicates that it will develop a comprehensive CCS strategy and explore other opportunities to help keep Canada globally competitive in this growing industry.

With experience gained via the design, construction, operation, and subsequent enhancements/modifications of the SaskPower Boundary Dam 3 CCS Facility (BD3 Facility), the Knowledge Centre, along with MHI Group and their collaborative work on the Shand CCS Feasibility Study, continue to be at the forefront of post-combustion capture processes globally.

Due to the remarkable similarities in flue gases, the expertise acquired at the BD3 Facility can be adapted to the cement sector with experience-based guidance from the Knowledge Centre.

With cement demand on the rise and as a sector that is challenged with further abating emissions, large-scale CCS could well become the definitive solution to cut GHGs.

The Lehigh CCS Feasibility Study explores the value of this for the cement industry, by encompassing engineering designs, cost estimation and an indepth business case analysis.

-- BERNAMA

YesWeHack announces record Asia growth

 KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 -- YesWeHack has announced record 250 per cent growth last year in Asia, including a 120 per cent increase in the number of Bug Bounty programmes launched on the YesWeHack platform.

On the hacker side, YesWeHack’s Asian community has more than doubled, and now represents 35 per cent of the total community of 21,000 hunters, according to a statement.

Created in 2013 in France and established since 2019 in Singapore, this growth underscores YesWeHack’s position as one of the leading players in crowdsourced security in Asia, confirming its position as the only alternative to American platforms.

The technology sector was the first market to adopt the crowdsourced security model, and remains the most significant market for YesWeHack, followed by the finance and insurance sectors, which respectively represent 35 per cent and 26 per cent of the Bug Bounty programmes launched on the platform last year.

The financial sector is predicted to rebound significantly during 2021 as a result of the guidelines issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, which for the first time include Bug Bounty as a means for financial institutions to discover IT system vulnerabilities.

On the growing demand for crowdsourced security, APAC Managing Director, Kevin Gallerin, says: “2020 marked a turning point for Bug Bounty in Asia. CISOs now consider Bug Bounty as an indispensable and agile tool to secure their organisations.”

-- BERNAMA

LeddarTech, OSRAM seal agreement for automotive LiDAR, ADAS

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 -- LeddarTech®, a global leader in Level 1-5 ADAS and AD sensing technology, and OSRAM, the global leader in automotive lighting and laser systems, have entered into a long-term agreement. 

The partnership targets to deliver the industry’s first automotive-grade ADAS and eventually fully autonomous driving systems at mass-market pricing.

According to a statement, LeddarTech will provide its industry-leading LiDAR hardware and software components into OSRAM’s PERCEPT™ LiDAR platform.

The PERCEPT LiDAR platform is the first flexible solid-state LiDAR platform engineered with a strict focus on industrialisation and automotive qualification.

OSRAM’s PERCEPT LiDAR integrates LeddarTech’s LeddarEngine™, comprising a family of highly integrated system-on-chips and related LiDAR measurement software that are ISO 26262 and significantly reduces system cost and development time.

Combined with OSRAM’s laser products and optical module design and industrialisation expertise, the PERCEPT LiDAR platform is the most versatile and highest performance LiDAR available at a cost that can enable volume deployment of ADAS systems integrating LiDAR.

OSRAM and LeddarTech will also collaborate to deliver perception software solutions that deliver an enhanced 3D environmental model using the PERCEPT LiDAR. These solutions will be based on LeddarTech’s perception technology, including raw data sensor fusion. 

This technology further contributes to deliver enhanced and cost-efficient ADAS systems through the fusion of cost-efficient LiDAR, cameras, and radar and with lower overall system computing power.

-- BERNAMA

Commonwealth LNG unveils LNG offtake tender

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 -- Commonwealth LNG, in association with Gunvor Group (Gunvor), has announced the launch of a formal process to solicit bids to reserve offtake from its planned 8.4 million tons per annum (MTPA) LNG facility in Cameron, Louisiana. 

According to a statement, it is the first ever tender process in which prospective LNG customers can secure future term supply at volumes, pricing and durations of their choosing through competitive bidding. 

LNG will be made available under tolling, free on board (FOB) or delivered at place (DAP) offtake agreements to match customer preferences. 

Commonwealth’s tender is supported by Gunvor Group Ltd. Gunvor and Commonwealth LNG have a strategic agreement under which Gunvor supports Commonwealth in securing binding LNG offtake and gas supply agreements for the facility.

Gunvor has committed to take up to 3 MTPA of LNG offtake from the project. In addition, as part of the tender, Gunvor will enable the offering of DAP basis to customers desiring this option.

Commonwealth has retained Poten & Partners Inc to manage the tender process. The tender process was launched Jan 18. It calls for confirmations of interest by mid-February and submission of bids by early April 2021.

Commonwealth will evaluate each bid based on the bidder’s requested volume, price, contract tenor and credit. Contracts are due to be awarded by this June.

The company is implementing an accelerated construction schedule that will allow the project to be built in three years using a predominantly modular approach with major components being fabricated offsite, enabling the project to offer one of the most competitive LNG sales prices from the United States.

-- BERNAMA

Taconic Biosciences announces immuno-oncology animal model portfolio expansion

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 -- Taconic Biosciences, a global leader in providing drug discovery animal model solutions, has announced an expansion of its immuno-oncology portfolio.  

According to a statement, immuno-oncology is a leading research priority because it uses the body’s own immune system to effectively treat some types of cancer. 

Syngeneic tumor animal models play a critical role because they use standard inbred mice that have competent immune system, which is required to evaluate immune-modulating therapies. 

These models are engrafted with mouse tumours derived from the same strain background; this genetic similarity between tumour and host prevents the host from rejecting the tumor.

One consideration in using syngeneic models is that some drug candidates can cause a negative immune response not seen in humans.

Standard mice may develop anti-drug antibodies (ADA), which can neutralise the therapeutic or even trigger anaphylaxis, preventing researchers from determining therapeutic efficacy in a preclinical study. 

Taconic’s Jh mouse, which lacks B cells but retains other immune cell types, such as T cells important for evaluation of immunotherapies, is widely used to overcome this problem. 

Taconic’s Jh mouse was previously only available on the BALB/c background, so it was applicable to only a portion of syngeneic tumor studies. The new Jh mouse on the C57BL/6 background expands utility to cover most studies.

Cohorts of both the C57BL/6 and BALB/c versions of the Jh mouse are available for immediate delivery.

-- BERNAMA

AFF: Cyberport, Vista Equity Partners explore Greater Bay Area InsurTech opportunities

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 -- As the Asian Financial Forum FinTech partner, Cyberport hosted a thematic breakout session on the topic of ‘Acceleration of Digital Transformation: Opportunity in a Changing World for 2021’. 

Cyberport Chairman, Dr George Lam and Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Vista Equity Partners, Robert F. Smith discussed Asia and Hong Kong’s unique opportunities for InsurTech.

“The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is the region’s largest and best FinTech hub,” said Dr Lam.

“Given its multiple currencies, tax regimes and regulatory systems but highly integrated and high-growth market, the GBA can and will act as the perfect FinTech lab where entrepreneurs can develop and launch innovative multi-currency and cross-border solutions.”

Meanwhile, Smith noted that Asia’s significant addressable market, growing middle class and track record of quick adoption of mobile technology, together with Hong Kong’s status as an international financial hub, will boost the InsurTech industry’s development, especially in the GBA.

Cyberport’s Chief Public Mission Officer, Eric Chan was joined by four Cyberport InsurTech start-ups including 10Life, CoverGo, MediConCen and OneDegree for a panel discussion examining how InsurTech start-ups are surviving, and even thriving, in the new normal.

The 14th AFF, organised by the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, took place on Jan 18 and 19. As the region’s largest FinTech cluster, Cyberport has become the Forum’s FinTech partner for the third consecutive year.

Cyberport actively fosters FinTech development in Hong Kong and houses over 360 FinTech companies and start-ups working in diverse sub-sectors from virtual banking, virtual insurance, RegTech, WealthTech and e-payment to robo trading, digital assets and more.

-- BERNAMA

Calysseo appoints Black & Veatch on first commercial-scale animal feed production facility

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 -- Calysseo has appointed the consortium of Black & Veatch and Shanghai LBT Engineering & Technology Co Ltd to execute the full Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) scope for its first commercial FeedKind® production facility.

As the consortium leader, Black & Veatch will provide project management, process design and global procurement expertise, while Shanghai LBT Engineering and Technology Co Ltd will provide local engineering design, permitting and construction expertise.

According to a statement, Asia is actively investing in biotechnology innovations to meet the needs of its rapidly growing population.

Calysseo’s FeedKind® single-cell protein project is one such biotechnology innovation that will enhance regional food safety and sustainability.

FeedKind® is an alternative bio-protein feed ingredient for the aquaculture industry. It is made by fermenting natural gas to create a safe, nutritious, traceable and affordable protein.

Calysseo is a joint venture established by alternative protein producer Calysta and animal nutrition company Adisseo.

Located in Chongqing in southwest China, the biotechnology facility is projected to produce 20,000 tons per annum of FeedKind® by 2022.

Black & Veatch provides innovative and cost-effective solutions on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Floating LNG, sulfur recovery, gas processing, gasification, and ammonia/fertiliser projects. 

More details at www.bv.com.

-- BERNAMA

Unveiled: Top 10 global consumer trends in 2021

(Graphic: Euromonitor International)

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 -- Global market research company, Euromonitor International has revealed trends that will define consumer behaviour and influence business strategies this year, in a new report, ‘Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2021’.

The report is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin and Japanese.

According to a statement, the COVID-19 pandemic created, influenced or accelerated each trend.

One of the trends involve consumers expecting purpose-driven initiatives that support the triple bottom line — people, planet and profits (Build Back Better). Nearly 70 per cent of professionals expect consumers to be more concerned about sustainability than before COVID-19.

Another trend sees consumers desire the ease of on-the-go, impulse and spontaneous occasions and simplicities of pre-pandemic life (Craving Convenience), while another focuses on reconnecting with nature and turning to open-air venues for leisure and to safely socialise (Outdoor Oasis).

In addition, consumers demand contactless services, exceptional sanitation standards and products that enhance hygiene and immunity (Safety Obsessed), while another reassesses priorities and identities in pursuit of a more fulfilled life and improved mental resilience (Shaken and Stirred).

Another trend involves finding a new work-life balance, as remote collaboration redefines the traditional office environment (Workplaces in New Spaces), whereby more than half of global consumers previously had a strict boundary between work or school and personal life.

“2021 will be a pivotal year. Tailoring strategies to these emerging consumer trends will empower businesses to endure the unexpected and overcome adversities,” said Euromonitor International head of lifestyles, Alison Angus.

-- BERNAMA

TESTINGXPERTS OPENS ASIA PACIFIC, MIDDLE EAST, AND AFRICA HEADQUARTERS IN SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE, Jan 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- TestingXperts (Tx), a next-gen QA & Software Testing Services provider, co-headquartered in London, UK and Pennsylvania, USA, announced the expansion of its operations in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) region with its new office in Singapore and appointment of APMEA Regional Head Niranjan Kumar, who is based out of Singapore and brings more than 20+ years of experience in various business functions such as business strategy, business development and key account management with excellent exposure in Asia Pacific markets. Tx has started its operations from this new office which will focus on growing its footprint in this region more aggressively.

Tx will be providing next-gen QA and Software Testing Services for Agile and DevOps leveraging AI, ML and RPA, to serve clients across the South East Asia and ANZ regions. Tx’s Singapore office will be its regional headquarters for APMEA and will comprise client services and technical delivery teams.

TESTINGXPERTS OPENS ASIA PACIFIC, MIDDLE EAST, AND AFRICA HEADQUARTERS IN SINGAPORE

RoosterBio, Sartorius collaborate to advance cell, gene therapy manufacturing

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 -- Privately-held cell manufacturing platform technology company, RoosterBio Inc has announced signing a strategic collaboration with Sartorius to advance cell and gene therapy manufacturing.

RoosterBio is a leading supplier of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (hMSC) working cell banks, highly engineered media and hMSC bioprocess systems, while Sartorius is a leading international partner of life science research and the biopharmaceutical industry.

The collaboration aims to advance scale-up of hMSC manufacturing for regenerative medicine by leveraging best-in-class solutions of both companies to significantly reduce process development efforts, industrialise supply chain and accelerate development and commercialisation of groundbreaking cell-based regenerative cures.

RoosterBio and Sartorius will create a set of GMP-compatible, customer-centric protocols using RoosterBio’s hMSC and media systems, alongside Sartorius’s single use manufacturing technologies, process control software and cell analysis tools of hMSC final product manufacturing.

According to a statement, cell expansion will be rapidly optimised using Sartorius’s benchtop Ambr® system and MODDE® design of experiment software, allowing the technical team to compare cultures in identically sized, multi-parallel bioreactors to gain process information and optimised conditions in a short timeline.

This joint effort will simplify multiple steps in therapeutic development by providing robust, streamlined, end-to-end platform technologies and protocols that can be implemented for rapid scale up of manufacturing processes, allowing product developers to significantly speed up their development timelines.

Both companies aim to use the data from this collaboration to provide co-learning and development opportunities to support the growing cell and gene therapy industry.

-- BERNAMA

New Horizons Global Partners appoints Guillaume Vergnaud Asia-Pacific Managing Director

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 -- New Horizons Global Partners, a Global Professional Employer Organization that eases global expansion in over 150 countries, has announced the appointment of Guillaume Vergnaud as its Asia-Pacific Managing Director.

Vergnaud brings a wealth of international management experience to this position, having dedicated the last decade to growing international businesses across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific.

Most recently based in Shanghai, Vergnaud led the Asia-Pacific expansion of several global companies, according to a statement.

In his new role as Asia-Pacific Managing Director, Vergnaud will be based in their Singapore office and responsible for providing strategic guidance and direction to the company’s international executive team.

Vergnaud said: “This is an exhilarating time to be joining New Horizons at our Singapore base. I look forward to working with our team to support international clients setting up operations across the region.”

By steering the company's business operations, Vergnaud will support New Horizons Global Partners to achieve long-term strategic goals.

-- BERNAMA

Azbil unveils Early Warning System software globally

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 -- Azbil Corporation has announced the global launch of the English and Chinese versions of its Early Warning System for Time Series Data (Early Warning System) in markets including Southeast Asia, China and Korea.

According to a statement, the Early Warning System, launched in Japan in 2013, is a software package that constantly monitors changes in time series data trends.

It is for important process variables like temperature, pressure, flow rate, and liquid level in order to alert operators to potential deviation from control values at an early stage. 

Compared with alarm monitoring by a distributed control system (DCS), the Early Warning System’s predictive alarms have the advantage of early recognition, before control values are reached or safety devices operate.

In an emergency when something goes wrong with equipment and many DCS alarms activate, missed alarms or other human error may occur, leading to accidents.

The Early Warning System, however, is independent of the DCS and complements ordinary alarms with predictive ones.

In Japan, the system is used mainly by oil and chemical companies highly conscious of plant safety and security, and willing to utilise IoT technology but recently, it has also been used at water supply facilities to monitor distribution reservoirs, water quality, and drainage facilities to ensure stable tap water supply.

The system’s use has also expanded to include maintaining the quality of medical and pharmaceutical products as required by regulations.

More details at https://www.azbil.com/.

-- BERNAMA

BoxLNG, HoSt Holding collaborate to develop CBG projects in India

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 -- BoxLNG, the India-based distributed clean bioenergy project developer has signed a technology collaboration and investment agreement with HoSt Holding B.V. (HoSt) of the Netherlands. 

HoSt is one of the largest suppliers of bioenergy systems globally with more than 200 installations during its 30 years of experience.

According to a statement, BoxLNG is an emerging firm in India focused on executing scalable Renewable Natural Gas / Compressed Biogas (CBG) projects. 

Via its subsidiary, ZiPGAS holds 14 Letter of Intents for the supply of approximately 150 tons/day of CBG under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation scheme by the Government of India.

BoxLNG President, Brij Mohan Bansal said: “This is an opportune time for India to showcase its leadership position towards cleaner and greener future, and in this regard, following on the aspirations of our Hon'ble Prime Minister, we at BoxLNG are fully committed towards energy transition by utilising local resources.”

The collaboration between BoxLNG and HoSt is a key milestone in India’s CBG story, where the partners bring strong local knowledge and project development experience, combined with international capital and technology expertise.

BoxLNG will start implementing three projects on ground in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, beginning February, followed by the remaining 11 projects over the course of this year. 

-- BERNAMA

ComplyAdvantage unveils eagerly-awaited The State Of Financial Crime 2021 report

ComplyAdvantage Releases State Of Financial Crime Report For 2021 (Graphic: Business Wire)

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 -- ComplyAdvantage, a global data technology company transforming financial crime detection has announced the availability of the firm’s much-anticipated report, The State Of Financial Crime 2021.

Designed as a strategic guide for global compliance teams, the report lays out the many emerging threats that governments and financial institutions will face this year, along with prescriptive recommendations for implementing best compliance practices for combating financial crimes.

The research on which The State Of Financial Crime 2021 report is based was administered in November and December last year, according to a statement.

Interviews were conducted with 600 C-suite and senior compliance decision makers across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, while the respondents represented enterprise banking, investments, crypto, insurance organisations, and fintechs.

ComplyAdvantage has dedicated its resources and anti-money laundering (AML) expertise in order to help compliance executives mitigate regulatory risks related to the most extreme AML financial crimes.

The report delves into the most important financial crime trends that Compliance Officers are most concerned with, in the coming year.

These trends include increased fraud related to COVID-19 relief; risk vulnerabilities related to inconsistencies in global AML and counter financing of terrorism system; and, the growth in sophistication of computer and mobile-enabled cybercrimes via payment systems.

A sample of key insights from the report include SARs filing was on the rise with 74 per cent of respondents saying they filed more SARS in 2020 than the previous year; 93 per cent of respondents stated that real-time AML risk data would improve their compliance operations; and 62 per cent of respondents plan on upgrading their legacy systems in 2021.

ComplyAdvantage uses machine learning and natural language processing to help regulated organisations manage their risk obligations and prevent financial crime.

-- BERNAMA

Vonage, Wall Street English partner to fuel digital classrooms

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 -- Vonage, a global leader in cloud communications, has been chosen by English language education company, Wall Street English to power its digital classroom platform for customers worldwide.

According to a statement, with social distancing and safety measures in place globally, the education industry had to adjust overnight to a new, virtual, reality.

This led Wall Street English to launch its digital classroom platform to give students continued access to their courses and teachers the ability to conduct classes online.

Established in 1972, Wall Street English has an alumni community surpassing three million, with a current enrollment of 175,000 students.

The Vonage Video API, embedded within Wall Street English’s platform, enables students and teachers to have live, engaging and interactive video classes, creating an environment similar to an in-person classroom experience.

With an ever-growing network of more than a million registered developers, the Vonage Communications Platform makes it easy for businesses to use APIs to disrupt their industries, and enable the type of business continuity, remote work, and remote delivery of services that is so essential in today's environment.

Vonage APIs allow developers to easily enhance and build innovative customer experiences directly into their existing applications and devices. 

The Vonage Communications Platform offers a full suite of programmable voice, video, messaging, and email services to forward-thinking businesses worldwide. 

More details at www.vonage.com.

-- BERNAMA

First Advantage secures OSPAR attestation from the Association of Banks in Singapore

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 -- First Advantage has announced having earned Outsourced Provider Audit Report (OSPAR) attestation, becoming the first background check company to secure the designation for this year.

According to a statement, to achieve this, First Advantage completed an external audit, conducted by EY, in accordance with the Guidelines on Control Objectives & Procedures for Outsourced Service Providers.

These standards were developed by the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), a non-profit organisation that represents the interests of the commercial and investment banking community, with more than 150 members operating in the island republic.

“We are proud to have met the stringent ABS guidelines, and as a result, to be identified as the first global background screening provider to earn OSPAR attestation for 2021,” said First Advantage Chief Compliance Officer, Josephine Kenney.

“First Advantage has built a strong reputation with our customer base in Singapore, and we hope this designation reinforces the confidence they have in us to meet their background screening needs.”

As of Dec 8, last year, First Advantage has been recognised as an Outsource Service Provider (OSP), approved for inclusion in the official ABS OSP registry. 

Valid for 12 months from the date of issue, the designation indicates that First Advantage adheres to the high expectations of controls and procedures of the Singapore financial industry.

-- BERNAMA

PCCW Media chooses ContentWise to rebuild Now TV’s personalisation

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 -- ContentWise’s digital experience automation and personalisation software has been selected by PCCW Media Limited (PCCW Media) to revamp its IPTV and app user experience personalisation infrastructure.

A leading fully integrated multimedia and entertainment company headquartered in Hong Kong, PCCW Media and ContentWise collaborated to build the next generation of Now TV’s services on set-top box and connected apps.

PCCW Media’s goal with this new design is to create a one-to-one, personalised relationship with its subscribers, with a particular focus on enhancing the on-screen user experience, simplifying customers’ access to content and boosting viewer engagement.

“I am pleased PCCW Media ultimately decided to work with ContentWise. I am confident we can help PCCW Media in its transition to a bespoke customer experience better than anyone else in the market,” said ContentWise Chief Executive Officer, Paolo Bozzola.

According to a statement, the implementation involves the integration with ContentWise UX Engine and ContentWise Analytics. UX Engine’s machine learning-powered platform enables PCCW Media to expand the range of Now TV’s personalisation and discovery features.

More importantly, it establishes a new user experience paradigm, where the dynamic interplay of data driven personalisation and assisted editorial input adapts to each subscriber’s intent and tastes.

ContentWise is the AI-powered customer experience company that provides leading video operators, digital publishers and online retailers with the software and expertise they need to create rich, personal and smart CX at every digital touchpoint.

-- BERNAMA