KOSA, MegazoneCloud Highlight Korean AI And Software Firms’ ASEAN Expansion

 

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- Korea AI·Software Industry Association (KOSA) and MegazoneCloud jointly operated the "Korea Industrial AX Pavilion" at Tech Week Singapore 2026 from Sept 29 to 30.

Tech Week Singapore is a premier technology event in Singapore, attracting over 30,000 attendees across digital sectors, including cloud computing, data centres, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity.

As part of the ‘Corporate Partnership for Overseas Expansion Program’ administered by MegazoneCloud and KOSA, the initiative leverages MegazoneCloud's global network and market expertise to support Korean small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing international sales channels.

In a statement, KOSA said 10 Korean AI and software companies participated in the joint pavilion to expand into Singapore and the broader ASEAN market.

The initiative showcased Korea's AI technologies and solutions driving AI transformation (AX) across industries, highlighting the competitiveness of the domestic AI ecosystem beyond individual brand promotion.

The participating companies represented three key segments of Korea's AI ecosystem, namely AI Infrastructure Solutions, Enterprise Solutions and Industry-Specific Solutions.

The companies engaged in business exchanges by showcasing and demonstrating their core capabilities, including AI semiconductors, infrastructure, enterprise AI and customised industry solutions.

Business matching sessions were also held to facilitate global expansion, including intensive 1:1 meetings with potential clients such as telecommunications companies, data centre operators, financial institutions and global IT enterprises to explore business opportunities in Singapore and the broader ASEAN market.

Following the event, KOSA and MegazoneCloud plan to provide structured follow-up support and ongoing initiatives to help the companies achieve tangible business results.

-- BERNAMA

UMIOS, WAH KONG COMPLETE MALAYSIA PET FOOD JV

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 (Bernama) -- Umios Corporation and Wah Kong Corporation have completed the establishment of a strategic joint venture (JV) centred on Pet World International Sdn Bhd (PWI), a major Malaysian pet food company.

Under the transaction, Umios invested approximately 11.4 billion Japanese yen to acquire a 51 per cent stake in PWI through a newly established holding company, strengthening its presence in Malaysia’s growing pet food market. (100 Japanese yen = RM2.58)

“We have built PWI over many years into one of Malaysia’s leading pet food businesses, and our priority was to find a partner that could help take the company into its next stage of growth while sharing our long-term vision for the business,” said PWI chief executive officer and shareholder, Choy Peng Yew.

Choy said Umios’s capabilities in pet food, product development and international markets complement PWI’s strengths and will support the company’s expansion beyond Malaysia into Asia and other markets.

According to a statement, the partnership combines Umios’s expertise in wet pet food with PWI’s dry-food capabilities, providing coverage across both wet and dry products for dogs and cats.

The partners plan to integrate their sales networks, product portfolios, manufacturing capabilities and research and development (R&D) expertise to accelerate growth across Asia. Umios is targeting pet food operating profit of approximately 10 billion Japanese yen and a return on invested capital (ROIC) of approximately 18 per cent for the year ending March 2028.

PWI holds the No. 2 position in Malaysia’s pet food market and ranks No. 1 among local companies, according to NielsenIQ. It operates the country’s only BRC-certified pet food plant and employs about 350 people, with products sold through more than 10,000 physical stores and its own e-commerce channels.

The company recorded consolidated sales of approximately 12.4 billion Japanese yen for the year ended September 2025.

Japan Corporate Advisory Institute Ltd (JCAI), a Tokyo-headquartered cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory firm focused on Japan, Southeast Asia and India, acted as financial advisor, advising on transaction strategy, valuation, negotiations and documentation through closing.

-- BERNAMA

YYForce Secures S$15.96 Million in New Multi-Year Singapore Facility Services Contracts

 

New awards expand contracted business visibility across YYForce’s Singapore integrated facility management operations, with all contracts commencing in October 2026 and principal service periods extending approximately three years


SINGAPORE, Sept 30 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- YYForce Inc. (Nasdaq: YFOR) (“YYForce” or the “Company”), an AI-enabled workforce management and integrated facility management (“IFM”) provider, today announced that its Singapore subsidiary, Hong Ye Group Pte. Ltd. (“Hong Ye Group”), has been awarded multiple new commercial cleaning and related facility services contracts in Singapore with an aggregate contract value of approximately S$15.96 million (approximately US$12.5 million).

The newly awarded contracts cover multiple properties in Singapore, are scheduled to commence across October 2026, and have varying service periods, with the principal contracts extending for approximately three years. Based on current contractual schedules, aggregate contract values are expected to be approximately S$5.57 million in Year 1, S$5.55 million in Year 2 and S$4.84 million in Year 3.

Key Contract Facts

Metric	Details
Aggregate Contract Value	Approximately S$15.96 million
Business Unit	Hong Ye Group Pte. Ltd., YYForce’s Singapore subsidiary
Services	Commercial cleaning and related facility services
Market	Singapore
Contract Commencement	October 2026
Principal Contract Duration	Approximately three years
Year 1 Contract Value	Approximately S$5.57 million
Year 2 Contract Value	Approximately S$5.55 million
Year 3 Contract Value	Approximately S$4.84 million

Expanding Multi-Year Contracted Business Visibility

The new awards expand Hong Ye Group’s portfolio of contracted commercial cleaning and facility services work in Singapore and provide YYForce with additional multi-year contracted business visibility, supported by a unified contract commencement in October 2026.

The awards follow YYForce’s recently reported first-half 2026 results, in which IFM revenue increased 11.1% year over year to approximately US$16.06 million. The Company reported that IFM growth in the period was supported by new contract wins, renewals of existing projects and full-period contributions from subsidiaries acquired in 2025.

Contract Value and Revenue Recognition. Aggregate contract value is distinct from revenue recognized for accounting purposes. With all contracts commencing in October 2026, actual revenue recognition will depend on ongoing service delivery, contractual terms, customer requirements and applicable accounting standards. There can be no assurance that the full aggregate contract value will be recognized as revenue according to the current anticipated schedule.

Executive Commentary

“These new multi-year contract awards expand our commercial services business in Singapore and strengthen the contracted business visibility of Hong Ye Group as we head into our October commencement,” said Mike Fu, Chief Executive Officer of YYForce.

“As we execute our integrated facility management strategy, our focus is on combining disciplined frontline service delivery with workforce technology, intelligent scheduling, AI and automation. These contracts expand the operating base through which we can continue improving productivity, service consistency and scalability over time.”

Supporting YYForce’s Integrated Facility Management Strategy

Hong Ye Group is an important component of YYForce’s IFM operations in Singapore. YYForce’s strategy is to combine established frontline facility services with technology-enabled workforce management and, over time, increasing levels of AI, automation and robotics.

Human Workforce + Workforce Technology + IFM + AI + Automation + Robotics

The Company believes this model can support improved workforce deployment, service consistency, operating efficiency and scalability. The newly awarded contracts provide an expanded operating base through which YYForce can continue developing and deploying technology-enabled solutions within its facility services operations.

About YYForce Inc.

YYForce Inc. (Nasdaq: YFOR) is an AI-enabled workforce management and integrated facility management provider headquartered in Singapore and operating across Asia and beyond. Through its workforce technology and IFM businesses, YYForce provides workforce deployment, management and facility services solutions across multiple service industries.

The Company’s workforce platform, YY Circle, supports workforce deployment and management across sectors including hospitality, food and beverage, retail and other service industries. Within its IFM operations, YYForce combines frontline facility services with technology solutions designed to improve workforce productivity and operational efficiency.

YYForce’s long-term strategy is centered on building an integrated future workforce ecosystem in which human workers, intelligent software, automation and robotics increasingly work together to deliver services more efficiently.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “plans,” “intends,” “projects,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “target,” or similar expressions.

These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding anticipated contract performance and revenue recognition, the Company’s integrated facility management strategy, the integration of workforce technology, artificial intelligence, automation and robotics into its operations, operational efficiency, scalability and future growth strategy.

Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, customer requirements, contract commencement and performance, labor availability and costs, competitive conditions, economic and market conditions, technology implementation, regulatory developments and other risks described in YYForce’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Readers are encouraged to review the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the “Risk Factors” section of its most recent annual report on Form 20-F and subsequent filings. YYForce undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

Investor Relations Contacts

Jason Zhi Yong Phua
Chief Financial Officer
YYForce Inc.
enquiries@yyforce.ai

Piacente Financial Communications
yfor@thepiacentegroup.com 

SOURCE: YY Group

AM Best Assigns Credit Ratings to Beibu Gulf Property & Casualty Insurance Company Ltd.

HONG KONG, Sept 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AM Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb+” (Good) to Beibu Gulf Property & Casualty Insurance Company Ltd. (Beibu Gulf Insurance) (China). The outlook assigned to these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect Beibu Gulf Insurance’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

Established in 2013, Beibu Gulf Insurance is a non-life insurance company headquartered in Guangxi province, China. It was founded through a joint partnership comprising of 10 state-owned enterprise shareholders and three private sector investors. Its ultimate controlling shareholder, Guangxi Investment Group Co., Ltd., a provincial-level state-owned capital investment company in Guangxi, holds a 29.73% equity stake through its subsidiaries.

Despite being a small-to-medium sized non-life insurer in China, Beibu Gulf Insurance holds a prominent position in Guangxi province, capturing 9% of local market share, in terms of premium income in 2025. The company maintains a diversified product mix, with motor insurance making up nearly half of its gross written premiums. Leveraging strong relationships between its shareholders and local governments, Beibu Gulf Insurance gains access to business opportunities in policy driven agricultural insurance and has continued to expand its liability lines in recent years. While its risk profile is concentrated in certain geographical areas, this risk is partially mitigated by approximately one-quarter of its business originating outside of Guangxi, namely Guangdong (including Shenzhen), Sichuan and Guizhou province.

Beibu Gulf Insurance’s strong balance sheet strength assessment is underpinned by its strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalisation as at year-end 2025, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), which is supported by organic capital accumulation and controlled expansion in underwriting and investment risks. Nevertheless, the company’s absolute capital size remains modest with a relatively high underwriting leverage. Beibu Gulf Insurance demonstrated its financial flexibility by successfully issuing capital supplementary bonds (CSB). Adjusted financial leverage, including equity credit for CSB, was positive at 17.4% despite a low interest coverage ratio in 2025. An offsetting factor is its highly dispersed shareholding structure, which may be subject to further changes; as such, the execution of the company's future capital plans may introduce uncertainty to the fundamentals of its balance sheet strength.

After posting two years of net loss, Beibu Gulf Insurance turned around to profitability in 2023, and sustained momentum to deliver mid-single-digit return-on-equity across both 2024 and 2025. Although Beibu Gulf Insurance has been recording underwriting losses since its establishment, it has achieved narrowing loss trend in recent years from the management’s effort of portfolio restructuring. The company maintains a well-diversified and liquid investment book, dominated by bonds, fixed-income wealth management instruments and cash. The investment portfolio generated a low-single-digit investment return, which was above the average level of the domestic non-life industry in 2025.

Negative rating actions could occur if there is a material decline in Beibu Gulf Insurance’s balance sheet strength fundamentals. A sustained deteriorating trend in underwriting and/or operating performance also may result in negative rating actions. Positive rating actions could occur if the company has a material improvement in balance sheet strength fundamentals while maintaining positive operating performance.

Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2026 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com:
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Contact

Stephanie Mi
Senior Financial Analyst
+852 2827 3402
stephanie.mi@ambest.com

James Chan
Director, Analytics
+852 2827 3418
james.chan@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations
+1 908 882 2310
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist
+1 908 882 2318
al.slavin@ambest.com

Source : AM Best

--BERNAMA

Abaxx’s Gold Singapore Futures Wins 2026 FOW Asia Pacific Awards

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Abaxx Technologies Inc (Abaxx), a financial software and market infrastructure company announced that Abaxx Exchange’s Gold Singapore (GKS) futures contract has been named Best Innovation by an Exchange or Clearing House at the 2026 FOW Asia Pacific Awards.

Abaxx Exchange Chief Business Development Officer, Russell Robertson said the company launched GKS futures in June 2025 to support growing demand for regional price discovery for gold kilobars.

He added that the contract could support Singapore's development as a global precious metals hub and facilitate arbitrage across Asia.

According to Abaxx in a statement, the FOW Asia Pacific Awards recognise innovation and performance across the Asian derivatives industry, with winners selected by an independent panel of industry experts.

The judges said Abaxx had made progress in launching products aimed at contributing to the commodity market and creating more accurate regional benchmarks, particularly amid continued volatility in the sector.

The recognition follows Abaxx Exchange’s Newcomer of the Year award at the 2026 Energy Risk Awards in May.

Abaxx develops financial technologies and market infrastructure aimed at improving trading and transactions. It is the majority shareholder of Abaxx Singapore, the owner of Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing.

-- BERNAMA

VOCALBEATS.AI REINFORCES COMMITMENT TO AI INNOVATION AT FCGF 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Vocalbeats.AI, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence (AI) innovation company, continued its support for the FutureChina Global Forum 2026 (FCGF 2026), reinforcing its commitment to practical AI innovation and Singapore’s AI ecosystem.

Organised by Business China, the two-day FCGF 2026 was held at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore from Sept 24 to 25 under the theme “Strengthening Resilience, Rebuilding Trust”. The forum’s guests of honour included the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Health Tan Kiat How.

“We are pleased to support the FutureChina Global Forum and contribute to the wider discussion on how AI can be applied responsibly and translated into real-world value,” said Vocalbeats.AI Chief Executive Officer, Marco Lai Jinnan in a statement.

The forum featured a dedicated AI Track for the first time, highlighting the growing importance of AI in business and society, with discussions exploring AI deployment to improve productivity and deliver tangible business and societal value, drawing on applications ranging from enterprise software to robotics.

As AI systems become more capable and widely adopted, speakers also highlighted the importance of workforce skills, workflow redesign and viable business models, alongside safety, accountability and trust.

Vocalbeats.AI said these discussions reflect its belief that the next stage of AI development will be defined by its ability to address real-world needs and deliver tangible value to users.

The company develops AI-powered applications for productivity and communication, including Owll, an AI note-taking and productivity app, and Owll Translator, an AI-powered real-time translation app.

Vocalbeats.AI’s support for the forum forms part of its broader engagement with Singapore’s AI and technology ecosystem. Over the past year, the company has expanded its collaborations with universities, public-sector organisations and AI communities.

Its initiatives include the Vocalbeats.AI Scholarship at the National University of Singapore, the Vocalbeats.AI–Turing AI Scholarship at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; internship opportunities for students; and AI learning workshops for children and youth in local communities.

-- BERNAMA

TEMPO SOFTWARE CPO HIGHLIGHTS AI SPENDING ACCOUNTABILITY AT REUTERS CONFERENCE

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Tempo Software Chief Product Officer (CPO), Kevin Nanney highlighted the growing need for enterprises to connect artificial intelligence (AI) spending with measurable business outcomes at the Reuters Momentum AI Conference in Austin, Texas.

Nanney discussed how enterprises can manage AI adoption while tracking its costs, outcomes and alignment with strategic priorities. He also shared examples from his experience at Tempo, including how competing initiatives can reveal underlying efficiency issues and how changes in measurement can help guide resource-allocation decisions.

In his keynote, titled “Spend Is Tracked. Outcomes Are Not. The AI Accountability Distance Nobody Has Closed”, Nanney outlined three areas for enterprise leaders: tracking the cost and contribution of AI agents, establishing a governed operating model for human and AI work, and adopting more adaptive planning to identify and address strategic drift.

Tempo’s 2026 State of AI in Portfolio Management report found that 91 per cent of surveyed organisations are piloting or actively using AI in project delivery, while 26 per cent use AI to prioritise or reprioritise work.

In a statement, Tempo said the findings highlight a gap between AI adoption and AI-informed decision-making, reinforcing the need to align strategy, investment and execution across human and AI workforces.

Nanney’s presentation followed Tempo’s launch of Loop, an AI-native Intelligent Portfolio Orchestration platform designed to provide enterprises with a continuously updated view of time, capacity, cost and execution across existing work systems.

The company also recently launched Workforce Intelligence, which attributes AI activity to Jira work items, epics and initiatives.

Tempo said these capabilities are designed to help enterprises coordinate human and AI work while improving visibility into portfolio execution and resource allocation.

The 2026 Reuters Momentum AI Conference, held in Austin from Sept 24 to 26, brought together enterprise leaders focused on AI implementation, business value and investment returns. More than 500 senior executives were expected to attend.

-- BERNAMA

QUANTEXA RISES IN CHARTIS RESEARCH’S AML TRANSACTION MONITORING QUADRANT

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Quantexa, a global data, analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) software company, has been named a Category Leader in Chartis Research’s RiskTech Quadrant for AML Transaction Monitoring Solutions 2026, moving into the upper reaches of the quadrant from its 2025 position.

Chartis said Quantexa recorded strong scores for data and system integrations and risk typology modelling, reflecting its combination of market potential and completeness of offering.

The research firm said the AML transaction monitoring market is shifting from traditional rules-based detection towards behavioural and graph analytics, data interoperability, convergence across financial crime functions and targeted use of AI.

In a statement, Quantexa Global Head of Financial Crime Risk, Financial Services and Government, Matthew Long said the company’s approach focuses on identifying relationships, facilitators and shared infrastructure within financial crime networks rather than analysing individual transactions in isolation.

Meanwhile, Research Director for Financial Crime and Control at Chartis Research, Sean O’Malley said Quantexa’s data integration and contextualisation capabilities underpin its analytical approach, which includes supervised and unsupervised machine learning and natural language processing.

Quantexa also rose to 18th in Chartis’ RiskTech100 2027, entering the ranking’s top 20. The company received the RiskTech100 Industry Category award for Trade Finance and the Compliance and Controls award for Trade Finance Compliance.

Quantexa’s Decision Intelligence Platform combines entity resolution, knowledge graph and analytics capabilities to connect internal and external data, helping organisations identify networks, relationships and potential risks while supporting transparency and model governance.

-- BERNAMA

KAPLAN PROFESSIONAL TAPS MELISSA CHAN TO LEAD ASIA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Melissa Chan_Headshot.

 
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Kaplan Professional has appointed experienced education and digital learning executive, Melissa Chan as Head of Business Development, Asia, strengthening its presence in Singapore and across Asia.

Kaplan Professional Chief Executive Officer, Brian Knight said Chan’s appointment reflected the organisation’s long-term commitment to building its presence and partnerships across Asia while responding to changing industry and workforce needs.

“Melissa brings an exceptional combination of education sector knowledge, commercial experience and deep regional expertise, with extensive experience building markets and strategic partnerships across different cultures,” said Knight in a statement.

Based in Singapore, Chan will focus on developing corporate relationships, strategic accounts and partnerships, strengthening Kaplan Professional’s commercial capability as it expands its professional education, continuing professional development (CPD) and tailored learning solutions across Asia.

Chan said her immediate priority would be building relationships with financial services organisations and industry partners, and understanding the capability challenges they are seeking to address.

The appointment comes as new research commissioned by Kaplan Professional highlights evolving workforce capability needs across Singapore’s financial services sector.

In a study of 200 professionals across banking, insurance and wealth management, 47 per cent ranked Advisory and Client Needs Assessment among the top three skill areas required to meet business objectives over the next 24 months, while 49 per cent identified difficulty applying learning to real-work situations as a barrier to professional development.

The findings point to demand for practical, role-relevant and flexible professional development that can be applied in the workplace, an area Kaplan Professional is targeting as it grows its regional corporate learning capability.

Chan brings over 20 years of commercial experience across education, digital learning and publishing in Asia, including more than 17 years with Cengage Asia in senior regional sales, marketing and management roles.

-- BERNAMA

YEAHKA EXECUTIVE HIGHLIGHTS AI’S ROLE IN RESHAPING PAYMENTS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 (Bernama) -- Yeahka Ltd, through its international payment brand YeahPay, highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in reshaping payment platforms as consumer discovery, decision-making and transactions increasingly converge.

Speaking at the Platform Leaders Forum of Stripe Tour in Shanghai, YeahPay Global Vice President, David Tay said payment platforms could increasingly extend their role beyond transaction processing to areas such as merchant discoverability, customer engagement and payment acceptance.

“Value is migrating from processing the transaction to being present at the point of discovery and decision,” he said in a statement.

Yeahka has begun exploring this shift through agentic payments and commerce initiatives with industry partners, leveraging its merchant network and payments expertise to help businesses operate in an environment where transactions may increasingly be initiated by consumers and AI agents.

The initiatives aim to help merchants participate in AI-driven commerce, including making products discoverable through large language models and supporting emerging forms of payment interaction.

Yeahka is also applying AI to merchant operations through digital employees that support customer enquiries, product and service recommendations, bookings, payments, customer relationship management (CRM) and repeat purchases.

These initiatives reflect a broader effort to connect customer discovery and engagement with transactions and ongoing merchant management, creating a more integrated commerce model.

Looking ahead, Tay expects payment and technology platforms to differentiate themselves either through deeper investment in regulated capabilities that require time and regulatory approvals to build, or through specialised workflows that general-purpose platforms may not easily serve.

“As the interfaces through which consumers discover, buy and pay continue to evolve, the ability to maintain the underlying customer relationship could become an increasingly important measure of platform strength,” Tay said.

-- BERNAMA

LRN Launches Catalyst Voice to Help Organizations Connect Hotline Reporting to Action

New Solution Integrates AI-Assisted Reporting and Case Management into the LRN Catalyst Platform, Helping Organizations Reduce Barriers to Speaking Up, Respond More Effectively to Emerging Risk and Strengthen Ethical Culture


NEW YORK, Sept 24 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- LRN Corporation, a global leader in ethics and compliance solutions, today announced the launch of Catalyst Voice, an AI-enabled employee reporting and case management solution designed for organizations to build strong speak-up cultures and identify workplace risks before they escalate into larger legal, reputational, or business issues.

Unlike traditional hotline-based systems that employees often perceive as intimidating or difficult to use, Catalyst Voice provides a more accessible, digital-first experience for raising concerns while giving ethics and compliance teams a more effective way to manage, investigate, and address incidents. Built natively into LRN's Catalyst platform, Catalyst Voice removes traditional barriers to reporting concerns through interactive and practical employee guidance designed to explain why speaking up matters, address common fears, reinforce available channels, and clarify what employees can expect after raising a concern.

“Catalyst Voice reflects what has always made LRN unique: our belief that strong ethics and compliance programs are a result of more than just good processes, they are achieved when cultures are understood, measured, and strengthened,” said Bob Lemmond, CEO of LRN. “For over 30 years, we have helped organizations build ethical cultures by listening to employees, measuring what matters, and turning insight into action. Now we have embedded that expertise into an AI-enabled platform that connects speak-up activity with education, policy, case management, culture measurement, and other program data. Through Catalyst Voice, organizations can do more than capture reports after problems surface; they can listen earlier, understand risk in context, and act before small issues become larger crises.”

Creating a culture where employees feel safe speaking up is one of the strongest indicators of an effective ethics and compliance program. LRN's research has found that while employees across organizations observe misconduct at similar rates, those working in organizations with the strongest ethical cultures report concerns 93% of the time. At the same time, LRN's latest research, The 2026 Code of Conduct Report: The Culture Behind The Code, Turning Standards into Everyday Decisions, found that one-third of employees lack confidence that they can report misconduct without fear of retaliation.

Catalyst Voice addresses the common challenges faced by ethics and compliance leaders seeking to create trusted reporting experiences and more effective management processes. Through connected reporting data and broader ethics and compliance program insights, organizations can quickly identify patterns and root causes of misconduct, allowing them to take corrective action faster. Key features include:

• AI-assisted multilingual intake and translation that guides reporters through the process of raising a concern, making reporting more accurate and accessible across global workforces while keeping investigations and decisions human-led

• Guided, web-based reporting channels for employees, with anonymous and identified reporting options, designed to reduce friction when employees are ready to speak up

• Configurable case management workflows that streamline the investigation process, supporting case assignment, collaboration, two-way communication, role-based administration and fail-safe audit history

About LRN: Inspiring Principled Performance

Since 1994, LRN has been a trusted partner to organizations committed to operating at the highest standards of ethics, responsibility, and performance. Today, more than 2,500 organizations around the world, and their people, rely on LRN’s AI-powered ethics and compliance platform, education, analytics, and expert advisory services to navigate an increasingly complex legal and regulatory landscape and foster ethical cultures. By helping organizations embed ethics and compliance into everyday practices and decision-making, LRN enables organizations to build trust, reduce risk, and create lasting competitive advantage through principled performance. Learn more at www.lrn.com.

View source version on businesswire.com:
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Contact

Media Contact:
Bob Spoerl
bob@bearicebox.com
773.453.2444

Source : LRN Corporation

Nanning Conference Highlights AI, Connectivity And Cultural Tourism

 

Aerial view of downtown Nanning.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- The 2026 Nanning-Hanoi Economic Corridor and Belt and Road Nanning Friendship Cities Conference, held in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, highlighted artificial intelligence (AI), connectivity and cultural tourism.

Held on Sept 18 under the theme "Empowering Cities with Digital Intelligence, Connecting for a Shared Future", the conference brought together government, business and academic representatives from several countries and regions.

AI was a key focus of the conference, with participants discussing how digital technologies can support urban governance, industrial development and international cooperation, alongside the launch of the Nanning International Friendship Cities AI Industry Cooperation Alliance.

The Pinglu Canal also featured prominently in discussions, with the canal expected to strengthen links between Nanning, the Beibu Gulf ports and ASEAN markets while creating new opportunities for logistics, trade and tourism, according to the Publicity Department of Nanning City in a statement.

The Publicity Department added that cultural tourism was another major area of cooperation. Participants discussed tourism route development, visitor exchanges and cultural programmes, with a focus on strengthening people-to-people ties among friendship cities.

The continued development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the signing of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol and the opening of the Pinglu Canal are giving cooperation between Nanning and ASEAN cities new momentum across trade, logistics, the digital economy and people-to-people exchanges.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of friendly ties between Nanning and Hai Phong, Vietnam. Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee Hoang Minh Cuong said Hai Phong looks forward to stronger cooperation with Nanning in digital transformation and logistics, while expanding youth, cultural and tourism exchanges.

According to the Publicity Department, a number of cooperation projects were signed during the conference, further expanding Nanning’s partnerships with international friendship cities, particularly with those in ASEAN.

-- BERNAMA

Chery Auto’s LEPAS To Highlight Elegance In Daily Life At October Event

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- LEPAS, the premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand of Chery Auto, is set to launch its first LEPAS Global Elegant Lifestyle Week this October.

Under the theme “Together in Elegance”, the event will showcase LEPAS’ global progress and bring together users, partners and industry guests to explore diverse expressions of “elegance” and contribute to the brand’s future, according to a statement.

It will mark a new starting point for the brand, from global rollout towards sustained user connections and a new phase of co-creation. Users will move beyond experiencing LEPAS products to become participants and storytellers in the brand’s journey, joining as Global Elegant Lifestyle Partners to co-create elegant living.

Since its debut as a new independent brand in 2025, LEPAS has begun its global rollout of products and brand presence. In 2026, as it launched its brand and delivered vehicles worldwide, LEPAS welcomed its first customers, bringing “Drive Your Elegance” into their everyday lives.

Following its first encounters with global media to its first customers, LEPAS is building deeper connections worldwide. As the brand moves from being seen globally to being experienced by customers, it is creating ongoing opportunities for dialogue and co-creation while listening and responding to diverse market needs.

At the LEPAS Global Elegant Lifestyle Week, users worldwide will participate in brand co-creation and technology experiences, exchange ideas and explore the many meanings of “elegance”.

According to LEPAS, the first customers are taking the brand-customer relationship beyond a single purchase toward an ongoing experience, from one-way communication to active participation.

Aesthetic preferences, driving and riding experiences, and vehicle feedback across cultures give insight into local adaptation and inform LEPAS’ continued refinement of its product portfolio and service quality. By listening and responding, it deepens its understanding of user needs while tailoring its products, services and experiences across markets.

LEPAS said it will bring together users from different markets at the 2026 Chery International User Summit, giving them an opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences, as well as contribute to the continued development of its products, services and brand. 

-- BERNAMA

ITRON LAUNCHES GRID EDGE METERS FOR APAC UTILITIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- Itron Inc, an intelligent infrastructure provider for modern energy and water management, has announced the availability of its grid edge portfolio, including Itron Riva S and Itron Riva T IEC electricity meters, for utilities in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

As the first Itron Gen6 network platform devices available in APAC, the launch marks a significant milestone in its expansion of Grid Edge Intelligence in the region, according to the company in a statement.

Itron senior vice president of Networked Solutions, John Marcolini said the launch was an important step in helping utilities translate awareness into action, with an interoperable and modular architecture designed to preserve technology choice and expand value over time.

The Itron Riva meters provide utilities with a practical starting point to improve visibility across the low-voltage network and respond to the growing impact of distributed energy resources (DERs) with advanced intelligence over time.

Serving as both grid sensors and DER control points, the meters provide utilities with real-time visibility into grid conditions, enabling earlier identification of emerging network faults and constraints, proactive management of growing DERs across the low-voltage network, and optimisation of operational and capital budget allocation.

By extending sensing and intelligence to the grid edge, the Itron Riva meters allow utilities to begin with advanced metering and localised grid awareness and seamlessly expand to distributed intelligence (DI) applications as operational needs evolve, improving grid reliability, resilience and efficiency.

The meters also extend visibility beyond energy consumption data, helping utilities detect voltage fluctuations, transformer loading issues, emerging faults and other network conditions through high-frequency sensing and edge computing capabilities.

Built on open DLMS/COSEM standards and designed to meet International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) requirements, the meters help utilities modernise their infrastructure while maintaining flexibility to integrate with existing and future technologies.

The Itron Riva IEC electricity meter is initially available in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore and is expected to expand to additional APAC countries, helping utilities modernise grid operations and respond to growing network complexity across the region.

-- BERNAMA

Itron Launches Riva IEC Grid Edge Portfolio as a Practical Foundation for Edge Intelligence in Asia Pacific Region

Grid Edge Device Helps Utilities Improve Advanced Grid Reliability, Advanced Outage Awareness and Integration of Distributed Energy Resources

• Itron has launched the Riva S and Itron Riva T IEC electricity meters in the Asia Pacific region, bringing advanced metrology, high-frequency sampling and intelligence to the grid edge.
• These grid edge devices enable utilities to build the foundation to improve low-voltage network visibility and grid flexibility today.
• Utilities can gain greater awareness of emerging faults, transformer loading, outages and DER impacts, helping improve reliability and resilience.
• Designed leveraging open standards and modular communications to enable multi-vendor interoperability.
• Backward compatibility with earlier generations of Itron solutions, which preserves prior investments to help utilities de-risk grid modernization.

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash., Sept 23 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), the intelligent infrastructure provider for modern energy and water management, announced the availability of its grid edge portfolio, including Itron Riva S and Itron Riva T IEC electricity meters, for utilities in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. As the first Itron Gen6 network platform devices available in APAC, this launch marks a significant milestone in Itron’s expansion of Grid Edge Intelligence in the region.

The Itron Riva meters provide utilities with a practical starting point to improve visibility across the low-voltage network today and respond to the growing impact of distributed energy resources (DERs) with advanced intelligence over time. The launch builds on Itron's more than 25-year presence in Australia, including its operations in Adelaide supporting utilities across the region.

Utilities across APAC face growing challenges from increasing behind-the-meter energy resources, accelerating electrification and changing low-voltage network conditions. For example, Australia is one of the world's leading distributed energy markets, with approximately one in three homes equipped with rooftop solar. As DER adoption continues to grow, utilities need greater insight into low-voltage network performance, including available hosting capacity and emerging constraints that can affect reliability, voltage management and customer exports.

The Itron Riva meters serve as both grid sensors and DER control points, providing utilities with real-time visibility into grid conditions. This enhanced visibility enables earlier identification of emerging network faults and constraints, proactive management of growing DERs across the low-voltage network, and the ability to optimize operational and capital budget allocation.

By extending sensing and intelligence to the grid edge, the Itron Riva meters allow utilities to begin with advanced metering and localized grid awareness, then seamlessly expand to distributed intelligence (DI) applications as operational needs evolve, improving grid reliability, resilience and efficiency.

The Itron Riva meters extend visibility beyond energy consumption data, helping utilities detect voltage fluctuations, transformer loading issues, emerging faults and other network conditions through high-frequency sensing and edge computing capabilities.

Built on open DLMS/COSEM standards and designed to meet International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) requirements, the meters help utilities modernize their infrastructure and maintain flexibility to integrate with existing and future technologies.

Key capabilities of the meters include:

• Grid edge intelligence: Combines high-frequency sampling, analytics and edge computing in a single device.
• Distributed intelligence-ready architecture: Modular DI NIC architecture decouples communications and edge processing from the meter, supporting vendor choice and deployment flexibility.
• Distribution grid awareness: Supports detection of voltage conditions, transformer loading, emerging faults, outages and other grid events.
• Remote operations capabilities: Supports functions such as remote disconnect, load control and automated event management, with utility-configurable options to align with operational and business requirements.
• Open standards interoperability: Built on DLMS/COSEM standards to support integration across utility systems, devices and technologies.
• Intelligent connectivity architecture: Built for Itron’s Gen6 network platform, the communications foundation supporting a growing ecosystem of grid edge devices and applications.
• Cybersecurity by design: Incorporates secure firmware and platform design principles to help protect critical metering and grid operations.

“Utilities across APAC are operating and managing networks that look vastly different from what they did even a decade ago,” said John Marcolini, senior vice president of Networked Solutions at Itron. “As DER adoption accelerates and bi-directional power flows introduce new complexity, the role of the meter is evolving into an intelligent grid asset capable of providing greater visibility into conditions across the low-voltage network. The launch of the Itron Riva meters as the first Gen6 device in APAC is an important step in helping utilities translate awareness into action, today. It introduces an interoperable and modular architecture designed to help utilities preserve technology choice and expand value over time.”

“Modernization is most effective when utilities can take a phased approach without disrupting current business operations,” said Fraser Young, vice president of sales, Asia-Pacific at Itron. “With a standards-based design and distributed intelligence-ready architecture, the Itron Riva meter gives utilities a practical, lower-risk starting point for modernization. Leveraging existing AMI networks and a centralized head-end system that supports interoperability, utilities can deploy Riva meters and other distributed intelligence-enabled devices in phases, protecting existing investments while supporting a more open, interoperable utility ecosystem.”

The Itron Riva IEC electricity meter in APAC builds on Itron's proven distributed intelligence and metering expertise worldwide. The company has shipped more than 18 million distributed intelligence-enabled meters and licensed more than 27 million distributed intelligence applications.

Availability

Initially available in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, the Itron Riva IEC electricity meter is expected to expand to additional countries in Asia-Pacific, helping utilities modernize grid operations and respond to growing network complexity across the region. To learn more, see the Itron Riva electricity meter brochure and video as well as the Itron Riva S spec sheet and Itron Riva T spec sheet.

About Itron

Itron is transforming how the world manages energy, water and city services. Our trusted intelligent infrastructure solutions help utilities and cities improve efficiency, build resilience and deliver safe, reliable and affordable service. With edge intelligence, we connect people, data insights and devices so communities can better manage the essential resources they rely on to live and thrive. Join us as we create a more resourceful world: www.itron.com.

Itron®, Itron Logo, Riva, and Gen are trademarks of Itron, Inc in the United States and other countries and regions. All third-party trademarks are property of their respective owners and any usage herein does not suggest or imply any relationship between Itron and the third party unless expressly stated.

For additional information, contact:

Itron, Inc.

Alison Mallahan
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
509-891-3802
PR@Itron.com

Paul Vincent
Vice President, Investor Relations
512-560-1172
Investors@itron.com

Itron, Inc.

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/itroninc
• X: www.x.com/itroninc
• Newsroom: https://itron.com/newsroom
• Blog: https://itron.com/blog

SOURCE: Itron, Inc.

--BERNAMA

CHERY AUTO’S LEPAS ADVANCES GLOBAL ROLLOUT WITH NEW MARKET MILESTONES

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Chery Auto, a global automotive manufacturer, announced that its premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, LEPAS, has expanded its global presence with progress across multiple markets.

This year marks LEPAS’ "Year of Delivery" following the European debut of its LEPAS L8 during Milan Design Week in April. The model is available for pre-order in the United Kingdom (UK), Italy, Spain and other European markets, while LEPAS L6 and LEPAS L4 deliveries are progressing in Southeast Asia.

In a statement, Chery Auto said in Indonesia, the LEPAS E4 EV (L4 EV) was named "Inspiring Long Range Electric SUV 2026" at the Indonesia Automotive Awards 2026, while automotive content creators in the UK praised the LEPAS L8 PHEV for its design, cabin quality and practicality.

During the Turin Auto Show in Italy, the LEPAS L6 won the "Best Interior Design Award" in the City Car category, while media in Spain described LEPAS as more than a means of transportation, combining comfort and lifestyle.

In Chile, automotive media assessed LEPAS across five dimensions, including contextualised intelligence, simplified technology interaction and cabin experience, and found its product approach suited to local needs. Media in Brazil also showed interest in its debut and upcoming activities.

The LEPAS L8 PHEV and LEPAS L6 EV have been shortlisted for the 2027 World Car of the Year. The LEPAS L8 PHEV is scheduled to launch across European markets from September to October, with dealer agreements signed in Italy, Spain, Romania and other countries.

Brand experience centres are also opening worldwide as LEPAS advances its market rollout and customer experience.

LEPAS’ global expansion is backed by Chery Auto's global capabilities. As of August 2026, Chery Group had exported more than seven million vehicles, becoming the first Chinese automaker to reach this milestone.

Chery Group’s strengths in research and development, manufacturing, supply chain and service support LEPAS’ global delivery and customer experience.

-- BERNAMA

YeahPay Extends Online Merchant Acquiring to Seven Markets, Expanding Across Payment Scenarios

Businesses incorporated in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States can now be onboarded and acquired directly by YeahPay, on infrastructure built on Stripe

SINGAPORE, Sept 22 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yeahka Limited (9923.HK) today announced that YeahPay, its international payment business, is working with Stripe to expand merchant services to seven markets. Businesses incorporated in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States can now be onboarded by YeahPay for online acquiring in their own market, supporting merchants and platforms operating across markets with integrated online and in-store payment capabilities.

The expansion further strengthens YeahPay’s online payment infrastructure across key global markets.

Alongside expanding its international market coverage and payment capabilities, YeahPay is also preparing for the next evolution of commerce. The company is prioritizing capabilities around agentic payments, exploring applications across online retail, dining, and gaming, and has begun proof-of-concept collaborations with international financial institutions.

"The number of ways to pay is growing faster than any business can integrate them, and the gap only widens from here. New rails, new currencies, and buyers who are not always human," said David Tay, Global Vice President, YeahPay. "Our clients should not have to predict any of it. YeahPay is the single integration a business needs to accept any form of payment, and when the next way to pay arrives, they will already be able to accept it."

YeahPay already provides in-store acceptance in Hong Kong and Singapore. Today's expansion is bringing the two together. The group has spent more than a decade building payment acceptance for small and medium merchants in mainland China, the majority of it across a counter. YeahPay is taking that experience international, and putting it on the same integration for online payments for the first time.

As intelligent agents increasingly participate in transactions, YeahPay continues to expand its payment capabilities and help merchants prepare for the next generation of commerce.

About Yeahka

Yeahka Limited is a leading payment-based technology platform, dedicated to creating value for merchants and consumers. The company was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2020 under stock code 9923.HK. Yeahka serves approximately 9.2 million merchants and nearly 1 billion consumers.

YeahPay is the international payment brand of Yeahka, offering secure, seamless, and efficient digital financial services to global clients, spanning global acquiring, global collection, foreign exchange, global remittance, and beyond. It onboards and acquires for merchants across seven markets, supporting multi-currency processing, local payment methods, and integration options from payment links to ecommerce plugins and platform onboarding.

Contact email: isabelliu@yeahka.com

SOURCE: Yeahka Limited

--BERNAMA

Nippon Electric Glass’s IR Transmitting Glass “FI-02” Adopted for Heimann Sensor Lens Unit, Enabling a 120° × 68° Field of View

OTSU, Japan, Sept 17 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.(NEG) (TOKYO: 5214), a global leader in specialty glass headquartered in Otsu, Japan, announced that its IR Transmitting Glass (chalcogenide glass) “FI-02” has been adopted for Heimann Sensor GmbH’s wide-angle lens unit for thermal cameras. The lens unit achieves a 120° × 68° field of view, surpassing the previous product’s maximum of 92° × 59°. The adoption marks a significant milestone for FI-02 and showcases how advanced specialty glass can meet the demanding optical and manufacturing requirements of the expanding infrared sensing market. 

Thermal cameras detect infrared radiation emitted by people or objects and convert it into thermal images. Infrared sensors can detect the locations of people and temperature distributions. They are expected to be used for people detection and monitoring, where privacy considerations are important, and for air-conditioning control, while their use is expanding in healthcare, equipment monitoring, and security.

Advanced Glass for Wide-Angle Thermal Imaging

Lenses for infrared sensors must meet various requirements, including infrared transmittance, suitability for mass production, and optical performance that enables a wide field of view. FI-02 combines high infrared transmittance with a high refractive index, making it highly suitable for wide-angle lens design. It is also suitable for mass production through press molding. Heimann Sensor evaluated these features and adopted FI-02.

FI-02 also offers low dispersion and NEG’s unique composition free from hazardous substances such as arsenic and selenium. By combining optical performance, suitability for mass production, and this unique material composition, FI-02 offers a compelling material solution for the growing infrared sensing market.

NEG will continue to leverage FI-02’s advanced capabilities to meet the increasingly diverse requirements of the growing global infrared sensing market.

About Heimann Sensor

Heimann Sensor GmbH is a leading manufacturer of infrared sensing solutions headquartered in Dresden, Germany. The company develops and supplies infrared sensors and sensor modules to customers worldwide for applications including non-contact temperature measurement, gas detection, human presence detection, and industrial process monitoring. With a strong focus on innovation, quality, and customized solutions, Heimann Sensor serves a broad range of industries such as industrial automation, automotive, medical technology, building automation, and consumer electronics.

View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260915332579/en/ 

Contact

Company
Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. (NEG)
https://www.neg.co.jp/en/ 

Product Inquiry
https://form.neg.co.jp/webapp/form/26624_aknb_8/index.do?term_slug=225&post_slug=37

Source : Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. 

--BERNAMA 

ARTERIS EXPANDS MULTI-DIE PORTFOLIO FOR AI, HPC CHIP DESIGNS

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- Arteris Inc, a provider of semiconductor technology for artificial intelligence (AI) applications, has expanded its multi-die portfolio to help semiconductor companies transition from monolithic system-on-chip (SoC) designs to chiplet-based architectures for AI, high-performance computing (HPC) and consumer electronics.

The company said its new FlexGen Multi-Die product extends network-on-chip (NoC) connectivity and data movement across die-to-die links, allowing multiple dies to operate as a unified architecture without requiring engineering teams to redesign how data moves through the system.

Arteris president and chief executive officer, K Charles Janac said multi-die architectures are becoming increasingly important as semiconductor systems expand beyond the boundaries of a single die.

According to the company in a statement, the new FlexGen Multi-Die product is designed for non-coherent AI and HPC architectures and complements Ncore Multi-Die, which supports cache-coherent systems.

FlexGen Multi-Die supports bidirectional transactions over a single Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) physical layer (PHY), reducing PHY area, power and input/output requirements by up to 50 per cent, the company said.

It also supports virtual channel link technology to improve utilisation of chiplet input/output resources and quality-of-service mechanisms to maintain throughput for high-priority traffic across shared die-to-die links.

Arteris said its broader multi-die portfolio also includes Magillem integration automation, which helps automate chiplet and multi-die integration, and Cycuity hardware security assurance for identifying vulnerabilities and verifying security requirements.

The company said the expanded portfolio provides semiconductor engineering teams with technologies covering data movement, system integration and security as they develop increasingly complex multi-die designs.

Arteris said the solutions are being used by customers transitioning existing architectures from single-die implementations to multi-die products, while the expanded portfolio is available to early access partners and strategic customers.

-- BERNAMA

LRN LAUNCHES COMPLIANCE POLICY MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- LRN Corporation, a global provider of ethics and compliance solutions, has launched Catalyst Policy, a compliance policy management solution integrated into LRN Catalyst platform.

In a statement, the company said Catalyst Policy enables organisations to manage policy creation, communication and adoption across geographies, languages and regulatory requirements, as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes governance, risk and compliance requirements.

The solution was developed based on LRN’s work with clients managing global policy governance, including collaboration with Howden Group, a global insurance intermediary. The partnership drew on Howden’s experience in building compliance programmes and ethical cultures.

LRN Chief Executive Officer, Bob Lemmond said Howden’s experience had helped shape Catalyst Policy around the needs of global ethics and compliance teams.

Meanwhile, Howden Group Head of Compliance, Ian Jacob said effective policy lifecycle management was essential to reducing risk, meeting regulatory obligations and ensuring employees understood workplace conduct expectations.

LRN said organisations face growing policy complexity as regulatory requirements, business risks and the deployment of AI-related policies and governance continue to expand, increasing the need for clear oversight, accountability and audit readiness.

Catalyst Policy enables organisations to manage policies through a centralised model, replacing fragmented repositories and manual review and translation processes. Its features include in-platform redlining and track changes such as AI-assisted translations with human review; scoped access for external auditors and reviewers; and evergreen links and an immutable repository.

The solution also connects policy governance with attestations, training, policy access, analytics and behavioural insights within the LRN Catalyst platform.

LRN said its research on ethics and compliance programme effectiveness shows that high-impact programmes integrate data and analytics across ethics and compliance initiatives into day-to-day management. Catalyst Policy forms part of the company’s broader approach to connected governance, behavioural insights and data-driven compliance management.

-- BERNAMA