Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Neural stem cell for cognitive improvement of Alzheimer's disease

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) – The transplantation of NSI-532.IGF1 – a proprietary human neural stem cell (NSC) line – can mitigate disease pathology and improves cognition in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to Scientific Reports.
NSI-532.IGF1 is developed by Neuralstem, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel treatments for nervous system diseases.
The NSC transplantation is following a study conducted at the University of Michigan, led by Dr. Eva Feldman, Director of the Program for Neurology Research and Discovery and Research Director of the University of Michigan ALS Center of Excellence, a statement said.
Dr. Feldman’s team grafted the neural stem cell line into APP/PS1 mice that carried genes bearing mutations associated with onset of AD in humans.
During the study, the animals had improved cognitive performance relative to control animals in two memory tasks that are dependent on hippocampal function. The transplantation also led to decrease in Aβ plaque pathology relative to controls.
Chief Scientific Officer at Neuralstem, Karl Johe said NSI-532.IGF1 is a second-generation cell therapy candidate, engineered to combine neural stem cells with a neuroprotective protein, IGF-1, thereby targeting neurodegenerative conditions like AD.
He added the preclinical study suggests that the combined properties of neural stem cells and IGF-1 may mitigate the pathology and cognitive deficits associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
“We are encouraged by the results we have seen with human neural stem cells in this established animal model and look forward to continuing this collaboration with Neuralstem,” said Dr. Feldman.

-- BERNAMA

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

TIDEiSun Group integrates XPA Assets to new financial services

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- The TIDEiSun Group – a media, technology and investment group – announced the integration of XPA Assets to several new financial services, including a stable token-based debit card.

With TIDEiSun’s other services, such as the TideWallet, TidePay and TideBit Exchange, XPA Assets forms a holistic asset ecosystem with multiple capabilities.

According to a statement, XPA Assets are a series of stable tokens pegged to different nations’ fiat currencies, with USX pegged to USD, JPX pegged to JPY and more.

They are fixed to their respective nations’ fiat currencies generated using real assets as collateral with smart contracts, giving them the stability needed for day-to-day use.

The wide range of currencies available also gives XPA Assets an advantage in an increasingly globalized cryptocurrency market.

“We need stable tokens more than ever in today’s uncertain and volatile cryptocurrency market. Users need a way to secure their investments to avoid volatility and market crashes,” said TIDEiSun chief executive officer, Robin Xie.

“XPA Assets will build a bridge between the fiat and cryptocurrency worlds, and our range of different services will allow users to move their assets freely for their own vision of investment,” she added.

XPA provides the expectation for growth typical of other current cryptocurrencies and XPA Assets provide a currency stable enough for long-term investment, token-to-token trades, and easy conversion to the fiat.

By combining trustworthiness with stable value, the XPA Assets series are poised to become a cryptocurrency for daily use, suitable for everything from buying coffee in the morning to large corporate transactions.

TIDEiSun – with offices in Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and New York – has also developed mobile payment apps, a cryptocurrency ATM and debit card integration for this vision of the future. More details at https://xpacoin.com/

-- BERNAMA

​BEST'S SPECIAL REPORT: IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORY SUPPORT FOR LOCAL REINSURERS VARIES IN ASIA'S MARKETS

SINGAPORE, Oct 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Government intervention and regulatory support can influence the development of insurance and reinsurance markets, but the actual impact varies across markets in Asia.

The Best’s Special Report, titled, “Impact of Government and Regulatory Support for Local Reinsurers Varies in Asian Markets,” states that the desire to support social stability with a greater level of fiscal certainty is one key motivation for using (re)insurance as a policy tool. However, the impact of government initiatives can vary significantly by country and over time.

Where government intervention does accelerate premium growth, it needs to be matched by strengthened enterprise risk management capabilities; otherwise, there could be a higher risk of earnings and capital volatility. Initiatives that favor cessions to local reinsurers, do not address line of business or geographic centration risk issues those reinsurers face. Especially in smaller, catastrophe exposed markets, it could increase the risk of reinsurers coming under stress from the same events as their cedants.

To access the full copy of this special report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=279240.

A.M. Best is a global rating agency and information provider with a unique focus on the insurance industry. Visit www.ambest.com for more information.

Copyright © 2018 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181025005641/en/

Contact
A.M. Best
Chi-Yeung Lok, +65 6303 5016
Director, Analytics
chi-yeung.lok@ambest.com
or
Christopher Sharkey, +1 908-439-2200, ext. 5159
Manager, Public Relations
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com
or
Jim Peavy, +1 908-439-2200, ext. 5644
Director, Public Relations
james.peavy@ambest.com

Source : A.M. Best

--BERNAMA

BEST'S MARKET SEGMENT OUTLOOK: JAPAN NON-LIFE SECTOR IS STABLE

HONG KONG, Oct 29 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has a stable outlook on Japan’s non-life insurance sector, despite the elevated risks of catastrophe losses and modest economic expansion.

A new Best’s Market Segment Report, titled, “Market Segment Outlook: Japan Non-Life,” states that private companies operating in Japan’s non-life insurance sector hold solid risk-adjusted capital positions and profitable underwriting results despite economic- and weather-related pressures. In addition, the market has demonstrated stable pricing conditions. However, the industry has been facing medium- to long-term challenges to grow its premium base, due to modest economic growth, falling accident rates resulting from advanced driver-assistance systems and the gradual shift in population demographics. Despite these ongoing and escalating challenges, most private non-life insurers in Japan have continued to grow premium revenue, generate underwriting profits and maintain solid risk-adjusted capital positions that are supportive of their risk profiles.

Japan’s overall market performance has remained quite profitable. Based on the results disclosed by the three largest groups, which collectively account for more than 85% of net premiums within the domestic insurance market, the weighted average combined ratios for the private insurance segment generally remained under 95% over the most-recent five-year period.

In fiscal-year 2017 (ending March 31, 2018), the industry’s underwriting results remained strong, despite some deterioration due to several natural disasters, including two typhoons and one heavy snow event. The resulting increase in the industry’s combined ratio was approximately three percentage points. Excluding losses caused by natural disasters, the industry’s combined ratio remained stable at approximately 90%, reflecting the strong underlying profits of the industry, supported by continued premium growth, tight cost controls and adequate pricing for most businesses.

A.M. Best believes two main factors will continue to foster stable pricing conditions among the non-life insurers in Japan: the presence of an effective reference rate system and an oligopolistic industry structure. Additionally, in spite of the performance pressures arising from recent weather-related events, A.M. Best expects the industry to maintain very strong risk-adjusted capital positions.

To access the full copy of this market segment report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=279470.

A.M. Best is a global rating agency and information provider with a unique focus on the insurance industry. Visit www.ambest.com for more information.

Copyright © 2018 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181026005371/en/

Contact
A.M. Best
Jason Shum, +852 2827 3424
Associate Director, Analytics
jason.shum@ambest.com
or
Christopher Sharkey, +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
Manager, Public Relations
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com
or
Jim Peavy, +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644
Director, Public Relations
james.peavy@ambest.com

Source : A.M. Best

--BERNAMA

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE CONFERENCE (IIFMENA) LAUNCHES 'SHARJAH DECLARATION FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT'

Aimed at Presenting Actionable Solutions to Tackle MENA’s Youth Crisis

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates, Oct 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- In response to the challenges facing Youth in the MENA region, Sharjah, the third largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates, has called on MENA member states and international community to collectively adopt and implement the ‘Sharjah Declaration for Youth Empowerment’, a nine-point action agenda to empower youth, and save their futures from the dangers of extremism.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181025005605/en/
 
  • Put the acquisition of life skills at the centre of youth policy decision-making to prepare children and youth to leap into the future: ready to learn, engage in employment, be active citizen and in control of their own personal growth and empowerment.
  • Promote policies that foster an enabling environment and recognise the important role of young women as agents of economic stabilisation and growth.
  • Mainstream gender in all plans, policies and programmes which are aimed at empowering, protecting and supporting youth.
  • Utilise existing endeavors towards education reforms, and the changing demographics as a window of opportunity to translate investment in human capital.
  • Coordinate efforts of governments, UN agencies, NGOs, academics and the private sector to transform education to enable flexible learning opportunities beyond schooling.
  • Note that youth entrepreneurship is a driving force of socio-economic development.
  • Act to create conditions conducive to youth entrepreneurs.
  • Ensure that all refugee youth are protected against violence, abuse, and exploitation, and to have access healthcare and psychosocial support.
  • Take the best interests of refugee youth as a primary consideration in all matters affecting their future.
The declaration is the outcome of a full day of discussions at the Investing in the Future Conference (IIFMENA), which is organised by global humanitarian organisation, TBHF, under the theme, ‘Youth – Crisis Challenges and Development Opportunities’ offering its global platform once every two years to address a pressing humanitarian problem in the region.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181025005605/en/

Contact
National Network Communications (NNC)
Mousa Nimer, 0502220561
m.nimer@nncpr.com

Source : Sharjah

--BERNAMA

Monday, October 29, 2018

EMQ honored with prestigious Red Herring Top 100 Global Award

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- EMQ -- a leading financial settlement network across Asia -- has been honored as a winner of the prestigious 2018 Red Herring Top 100 Global award.

The award recognizes the innovations and technologies of the leading startups from North America, Europe and Asia. The Red Herring Top 100 is currently in its 22nd year. It is one of the most revered accolades in the industry, a statement said.

“We are honored to be recognized by Red Herring, which is a testament to the entire EMQ team for our commitment to customer service excellence and technological innovation in redefining the payments ecosystem,” said Co-founder and CEO of EMQ, Max Liu.

“After rigorous contemplation and discussion, we narrowed our list down from hundreds of candidates from across the globe to the Top 100 Winners. We believe EMQ embodies the vision, drive and innovation that define a successful entrepreneurial venture,” said publisher and CEO of Red Herring, Alex Vieux.

Red Herring’s Top 100 Global list has become a mark of distinction for identifying promising companies and entrepreneurs. Its editors were among the first to recognize companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, Skype,YouTube and others.

Winners were chosen by an independent expert panel of Judges and the Red Herring editorial team based on quantitative and qualitative criteria such as financial performance, technology innovation, management quality, strategy and market penetration.

EMQ provides secure and affordable money transfer options for businesses and individuals. More details on www.emq.com.

--BERNAMA

​JUMIO AND ENGAGE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS JOIN FORCES TO AUTOMATE RIGHT TO WORK VERIFICATION

Integrating online identity verification into Engage’s recruitment platform streamlines time-consuming and manual verification process with state-of-the-art verification technologies

LONDON, Oct 25 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jumio, the creator of Netverify® Trusted Identity as a Service (TIaaS), today announced a partnership with Engage Technology Partners Ltd., to integrate Jumio’s online identity verification technologies into Engage’s cloud-based recruitment solutions, designed to help end-hirers, agencies, payrolls and workers navigate and simplify the recruitment process.

Right to work checks are a compulsory step in the UK recruitment process. Employers are required to see the applicant’s original identity documents, check that the documents are valid with the applicant present, make and retain copies of the documents and record the date the check was made. This manual process can be time-consuming for hiring companies and exposes them to potential data breaches and GDPR scrutiny.  

The maximum fine for hiring illegal workers is £20,000 per illegal worker, so even a handful of illegal workers on the books could easily cripple a business. Employers knowingly hiring someone who does not have the right to work in the UK could face up to five years in jail (whereas the illegal worker would face six months).

The integration enables Engage to verify passports, ID cards, biometric residence permits and other forms of identification from over 200 countries automatically to verify workers’ eligibility and actual identity. Workers receive an email or text message invitation to provide their ID and right to work documentation via unique URLs, linking them to the Engage platform, where they can upload or use a camera to take pictures of their documents and of themselves. The automated verification process is then run by Jumio’s Netverify solution, while workers are kept in the loop via notifications. As a PCI-DSS compliant solution, Jumio is also helping Engage meet the stringent data protection and privacy requirements of GDPR.

“Jumio is excited to integrate our online identity verification solutions into Engage’s recruitment workflow to help automate and streamline the right to work verification checks,” said Stephen Stuut, Chief Executive Officer of Jumio. “Our leading identity verification solutions, which leverage biometrics, AI, machine learning, liveness detection and verification experts, are designed to definitively assess whether someone is who they claim to be. Integrating this technology for right to work checks and Engage’s end-to-end recruitment software will help Engage vet new workers quickly, securely and compliantly.”

“Our mission is to connect end-hirers, agencies, payrolls and workers on a self-service platform that seamlessly navigates the entire recruitment process with incredible efficiency, from vacancy to billing,” said Alex Fraser, Marketing Director at Engage. “Working in partnership with Jumio, we're able to provide instant verification to prove that employees are who they say they are and can now offer the necessary compliance with right to work regulation to our clients, especially in the contingency staffing market."

Ensuring that every employee has the right to work in the UK is one of the core duties of an employer. It’s not an extra, or a nice to have: it’s essential for all businesses, regardless of size or industry sector. Integrating a secure and reliable identity verification solution helps Engage deliver a more complete solution to its business customers, comply with the Home Office guidelines, avoid compliance penalties and reduce the likelihood of regular spot checks by the HM Revenue & Customs.

To learn more about Jumio and its award-winning solution, please visit: https://www.jumio.com/trusted-identity/netverify/.

About Jumio
When identity matters, trust Jumio. Jumio is the creator of Netverify which enables businesses to increase customer conversions while providing a seamless customer experience and reducing fraud. By combining the three core pillars of ID Verification, Identity Verification and Document Verification, businesses now have a complete solution that allows them to establish the real-world identity of the consumer.

Leveraging advanced technology including augmented AI, biometric facial recognition, machine learning and human review, Jumio helps organizations to meet regulatory compliance including KYC, AML and GDPR and definitively establish the digital identity of their customers. Jumio has verified more than 150 million identities issued by over 200 countries from real time web and mobile transactions. Jumio’s solutions are used by leading companies in the financial services, sharing economy, cryptocurrency, retail, travel and online gaming sectors. Based in Palo Alto, California, Jumio operates globally with offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia Pacific and has been the recipient of numerous awards for innovation. For more information, please visit www.jumio.com.

About Engage Technology Partners
Engage Technology Partners Ltd. provide an innovative cloud-based platform that makes finding, hiring and paying contractors a whole lot simpler for everyone. Engage is the only platform that lets worker, hirers and agencies collaborate from vacancy to paid. With back office processes such as registration, compliance, time & attendance and payroll fully automated and integrated, recruiters get more time to focus on business development and resourcing the best candidates.

Hirers enjoy full visibility of recruitment spend throughout the supply chain, cost reduction, improved coordination with agencies, better compliance and a happier workforce. Based in London, Engage was founded in 2013 by a management team with extensive experience in recruitment, finance and technology. Engage can be used in any sector but has a particularly strong client base in industries with a large contingent workforce: construction, facilities management, hospitality, healthcare and IT. The Engage platform is used by workers in UK, Europe and the U.S. https://www.engagetech.com/

Media Contacts
Europe Media Contact
Zarina Banu
FleishmanHillard Fishburn
zarina.banu@fhflondon.co.uk
+44 (0) 7775 557578

U.S. Media Contact
Jackie Daane
10Fold Communications
Jumio@10fold.com
734-277-7006

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b35bab04-efbe-49f9-9efb-1150cea58bbe

Source : Jumio Corp.

--BERNAMA

Peter Marks joins LeddarTech Board of Directors

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 (Bernama) – LeddarTech Inc, a developer of high-performance, cost-efficient solid-state LiDAR development platform for automotive industry, has appointed Peter Marks to its Board of Directors.

He is bringing world-wide experience from the automotive technology and manufacturing industry and this is in line with LeddarTech’s international growth.

According to LeddarTech in a statement, he had decades of automotive industry experience, most notably in his past position as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Robert Bosch LLC, where his responsibilities included the Americas and global coordination of manufacturing.

Chairman of the Board at LeddarTech, Michel Brûlé said: “This worldwide attention has attracted some of the best automotive professionals to join as employees, as well as board members.

“Marks’ expertise and experience are highly valued by the Board, specifically his deep understanding of the automotive market and his success as a supplier to this industry,” added Brûlé.

“LeddarTech is moving rapidly towards tremendous international growth, and I truly appreciate this opportunity to contribute to the success of this cutting-edge company in the capacity of a board member,” Marks said.

The newly-appointed Marks holds a master’s degree in engineering from the Fachhochschule Konstanz of Applied Sciences, Germany. More details at  www.LeddarTech.com

-- BERNAMA

Friday, October 26, 2018

Japan´s SHISEIDO releases online film capturing 'The Power of Makeup´

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- Japan’s SHISEIDO Co Ltd has presented ‘The Party Bus’, an online film that pushes the boundaries of imagination to entice new explorations into beauty and self-expression through ‘The Power of Makeup’.

Through harnessing ‘The Power of Makeup’ the heroine discovers a unique personal expression that empowers her with the courage to chart her own course and follow her true desires, a statement said.

The film showcasing Japan's ultra-precise 3D animation technology, capturing the vitality of a fantasy world in a deeply immersive way centered on three protagonists, Princess Kaguya, her lover Dracula and the mysterious Samurai Zombie.

When technology meets creativity in the medium of film, an entirely new visual experience is conceptualized, elevating the familiar into a completely new genre: Makeup Entertainment.

‘The Party Bus’ is the second and latest installment of the company's original web-based films after the award-winning, ‘High School Girl?’ which garnered over 10 million YouTube views after its release in 2015.

It was created from the imagination of critically acclaimed Director Show Yanagisawa to celebrate the beauty of individuals and champion the expression of one's true self in its purest form featuring mythical beings in a powerful story of personal courage and revelation.

The online film is available at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3DDjKMWkTw or more details on https://www.shiseido.co.jp/gb/thepartybus

SHISEIDO is the first Western-style pharmacy in Japan. By merging artful science and Japanese aesthetics, it has become known around the world as the premier cosmetics brand with roots in Japan.

-- BERNAMA

KYRIBA NAMED TO THE 2018 CB INSIGHTS FINTECH 250 LIST OF FASTEST-GROWING FINTECH STARTUPS

Kyriba Honored for Innovation in Cloud-Based Treasury and Finance Management

NEW YORK, Oct 24 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- CB Insights today named Kyriba, the #1 provider of cloud treasury and financial management solutions, to the second annual Fintech 250 list, a prestigious group of emerging, private companies working on groundbreaking financial technology.

“After we named the inaugural Fintech 250 in 2017, those companies went on to raise $23B, including 30 rounds of funding that were over $100 million. Twenty-two of the Fintech 250 have already exited with half via IPO. This year, we've added 113 new companies to the Fintech 250 using the CB Insights Mosaic algorithm, and the group is broad, covering everything from insurance tech to consumer banking to capital markets tech. We look forward to the success of this year's group,” said CB Insights CEO Anand Sanwal.

Kyriba joins a list of top Fintech solution providers, including AvidExchange, Betterment, Coinbase, Etoro, Kabbage, Payoneer, Revolut, Ripple, Robinhood, Stripe Transferwise and many more.

“Kyriba is honored to be named among the Fintech 250 by CB Insights for the second year in a row,” said Jean-Luc Robert, Chairman and CEO at Kyriba. “In today’s complex, global business environment, disruptive Fintechs like Kyriba are helping empower senior financial executives to make faster business decisions, modernize key processes, and capitalize on growth opportunities.”

The CB Insights research team selected the Fintech 250 companies based on several factors, including data submitted by each company, and their Mosaic Score. The Mosaic Score, based on CB Insights’ algorithm, measures the overall health and growth potential of private companies. Through this evidence-based, statistically-driven approach, the Mosaic Score can help predict a company’s momentum, market health and financial viability.

Quick facts on the 2018 Fintech 250:
  • 30 of the Fintech 250 companies have reached a unicorn valuation of $1B or more
  • Since 2017, these 250 private companies have raised $31.8B across 373 deals
  • There were 82 $100M+ mega-rounds from the Fintech 250 since 2013, with 33 of them in 2018 year-to-date (YTD)
  • 113 new companies were introduced to the 2018 Fintech 250 list
  • 44% of the 2018 Fintech 250 list are based outside the United States, representing 31 countries
For more information, or to see the full FinTech 250 list, see Fintech 250.

About CB Insights

At CB Insights, we believe the most complex strategic business questions are best answered with facts. We are a machine intelligence company that synthesizes, analyzes and visualizes millions of documents to give our clients fast, fact-based insights. Serving the majority of the Fortune 100, we give companies the power to make better decisions, take control of their own future, and capitalize on change.

About Kyriba

Kyriba empowers financial leaders and their teams with award-winning solutions for cash and risk management, payments and supply chain finance. Kyriba delivers a highly secure, 100 percent SaaS enterprise platform, superior bank connectivity and a seamlessly integrated solution set for tackling today’s most complex financial challenges. Thousands of companies, including many of the world’s largest organizations, rely on Kyriba to streamline key processes, protect against loss from fraud and cybercrime, and accelerate growth opportunities through improved decision support. Technology analyst firm IDC recognized Kyriba as a global leader in its MarketScape for SaaS and cloud-enabled treasury and risk management applications for 2017-2018. Kyriba is headquartered in New York, with offices in San Diego, Paris, London, Tokyo, Dubai and other major locations. For more information, visit www.kyriba.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181023005514/en/

Contact
CB Insights
Hyeri Kim, +1 212-292-3148, ext. 3020
PR Manager
hkim@cbinsights.com
or
Kyriba
Daniel Shaffer, +1 858-263-2218
dshaffer@kyriba.com

Source : Kyriba

--BERNAMA

Thursday, October 25, 2018

GameXCoin to eliminate transaction intermediaries in trading digital goods

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) – By combining game and blockchain, GameXCoin (GXC) is trying to deliver the benefits to gamers and developers by eliminating intermediaries when transaction of trading digital goods takes place.

According to a statement, securing massive global audiences is critical for the gaming blockchain. GameXCoin said it will expand its sales activities toward many countries including Japan, Taiwan and Europe within a month.

Partnership with over 10 different game companies also draw the attention to GXC; namely Neowiz Bless Studio and XLGames.

The statement also said that after the first presale finished within one hour in Korea, GXC is starting its first ICO global sales in Singapore on Oct 25.

The Singapore crypto exchange is called Kryptono. It is ranked around top 50 in the world and strong in Asia with more than half of its members are located in Indonesia, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.

The GXC team is strong with 20 years of development background of its chief executive officer, developers being members of Decipher (Blockchain Research Group at Seoul National University) and also talented employees with unique experiences.

-- BERNAMA

PMI LAUNCHES SEARCH FOR NEXT PRESIDENT AND CEO

PHILADELPHIA, Oct 23 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading professional membership organization for project managers, announced today that it has retained Heidrick & Struggles to help the organization find its next President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The dynamic leader shall oversee the implementation of a new strategic plan and guide the organization toward a future designed to help thousands of project professionals around the world accelerate their careers and make ideas a reality. Heidrick & Struggles is a premier provider of executive search, leadership assessment and development, organization and team effectiveness, and culture shaping services globally.

PMI will conduct a comprehensive global review of both internal and external candidates for this key position. The selected candidate will embody PMI’s core values and possess the skillsets necessary to advance the organization’s key goals. PMI’s next President and CEO will help it execute a bold new multi-year initiative designed to sharpen PMI’s strategic direction, enhance its technological capabilities to embrace shifting workplace trends, and streamline its daily operational activities.

The organization will look to its new President and CEO to help lead this transformation and position the organization for a vibrant future. The search process is intended to ensure a smooth transition to the next President and CEO and continue the Institute’s mission of advocacy for the profession, its members and certification holders. PMI’s Board of Directors will select the final candidate. Interested parties should email resume suggestions and questions to PMI-CEO@Heidrick.com.

PMI is the largest professional membership association in the world, serving more than three million stakeholders through its professional certifications along with 300+ chapters in nearly every country in the world.

About Project Management Institute (PMI)
Project Management Institute (PMI) is the world's leading association for those who consider project, program or portfolio management their profession. Founded in 1969, PMI delivers value for more than three million professionals working in nearly every country in the world through global advocacy, collaboration, education and research. We advance careers, improve organizational success and further mature the project management profession through globally-recognized standards, certifications, communities, resources, tools, academic research, publications, professional development courses and networking opportunities. As part of the PMI family, ProjectManagement.com creates online global communities that deliver more resources, better tools, larger networks and broader perspectives.
 

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=51886203&lang=en

Contact
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Karen Flanagan, +1 610-356-4600 x1092
karen.flanagan@pmi.org

Source : Project Management Institute (PMI)

--BERNAMA

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Seamless money transfer for Singapore´s Chinese


KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- EMQ and FOMO Pay has partnered to enable the Chinese communities in Singapore to seamlessly transfer money in real-time and directly send money back home to their families in China.
The partnership is supporting the growing demand for real-time international settlements from Singapore to China, with the ability to expand across other countries in Asia.
According to EMQ in a statement, the partnership will also facilitate and support the government’s 2020 Smart Nation Initiative to accelerate Singapore’s shift to a digital economy. It will also create more inclusive economy with greater access to digital financial services.
EMQ is a leading financial settlement network in Asia. FOMO Pay is the award winning QR code payment solution provider in Singapore and has been playing an active role in making Singapore a cashless society.
“Singapore is an extremely important market in our global growth strategy and we are excited to support the government’s ambition to transform Singapore into a Smart Nation by creating new opportunities in a digital age,” said co-founder and chief executive officer of EMQ, Max Liu.
Co-founder and COO of FOMO Pay, Zack Yang said: “We look forward to deepening our partnership with EMQ to drive digital payments across the ‘One Belt One Road’ economic corridors.”
EMQ currently has a footprint in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines. The company continues to expand across key business markets worldwide spanning Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. More details at www.emq.com
-- BERNAMA

China's Guotai Junan Securities honored with award for contribution to poverty

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 (Bernama) -- Guotai Junan has received the ‘Exceptional Contribution to Poverty Relief Award’ in the 2018 Poverty Relief Conference of the Chinese Securities and Futures Industry.

The Guotai Junan ‘Build his and her future’ project received ‘the Best Poverty Relief Project in Education Award’ while Guotai Junan futures ‘Insurance + Futures’ rubber project received ‘the Most Innovative Financial Product for Poverty Relief’.

According to a statement by Guotai Junan Securities, Guotai Junan has helped Ji'an County, Jiangxi; Qianshan, Anhui and Puge County, Sichuan with multifaceted assistance work for the industry, education and human recourses since 2016.

Guotai Junan Poverty Relief Project has contributed 31 million yuan to that cause altogether by the end of 2017, a statement said.

Guotai Junan has used its professional understanding of the capital market to lift regional industries out of poverty and completed its service in 12 poor counties in total with six in process, collecting funds of 10,682 million yuan for local enterprises by the end of 2017.

The event was instructed by the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development of China, hosted by the Securities Association of China and China Futures Association and organized by ‘Brokerage China, Securities Times’.

-- BERNAMA

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

SOLARWINDS ANNOUNCES PRICING OF INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct 19 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SolarWinds, a leading provider of powerful and affordable IT management software, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 25,000,000 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $15.00 per share. The shares are expected to begin trading on October 19, 2018 on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol “SWI,” and the offering is expected to close on October 23, 2018, subject to customary closing conditions. In addition, SolarWinds has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,750,000 shares.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC are acting as joint lead book-running managers for the offering. BofA Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Evercore Group L.L.C., Jefferies LLC, Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., Nomura Securities International, Inc. and RBC Capital Markets, LLC are acting as joint book-running managers. JMP Securities LLC, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Mischler Financial Group, Inc., Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc. and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. are acting as co-managers.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33009

Monday, October 22, 2018

CLOUDFLARE OPENS FIRST OFFICE IN GERMANY AMID SIGNIFICANT DACH REGION GROWTH

The company continues to grow its presence in Europe with an office in Munich

MUNICH, Oct 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cloudflare, the leading Internet performance and security company, today announced the opening of an office in Munich, Germany, its first office in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). This office opening marks Cloudflare’s second office in Europe, following the company’s European headquarters in London, and will help the company grow brand awareness, acquire customers, and recruit new talent.

Cloudflare’s network is already spread across the DACH region, with seven points of presence in Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Munich, Zurich, and Vienna. Cloudflare is planning further expansion in the region as it continues to grow its network beyond 150+ data centers globally.

“Germany has the largest national economy in Europe and the fourth-largest by nominal GDP in the world. As Cloudflare considered locations for its second European office, Munich, a hub of technology innovation and business, seemed like an obvious choice,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder & CEO, Cloudflare. “Opening an office in Munich presents a unique opportunity to be closer to our customers in the fast-growing DACH market.”

With more than 10 million domains on Cloudflare’s network, the company already has many customers across the DACH region.

“We’re using Cloudflare not only because it’s easy and fun to use, but because it also gives us excellent value in terms of features, security, and performance,” said Dirk Fiebiger, Team Manager of IT at Paessler AG.

“Cloudflare provides excellent logging, agile security controls, and powerful centralized management of our many brands around the world," added Michael Strout, Senior Security Engineer at Delivery Hero.

Cloudflare’s first head of DACH, Stefan Henke, will oversee and lead the company’s sales in Germany and the broader DACH region.

“Although digitalization started late in the DACH region, it is now booming across all verticals and there is huge demand for Cloudflare’s services,” said Stefan Henke, Head of DACH at Cloudflare. “Cloudflare is able to protect, accelerate, and optimize anything connected to the Internet and is also able to shift computing functions to the edge of the public network as an edge network vendor.”

Cloudflare’s Munich office joins its other global offices in San Francisco, CA, London, Singapore, Austin, TX, Champaign, IL, New York, NY, and Washington, DC. The company is continuing to grow its engineering, sales, marketing, and support teams across all offices.

To learn more about Cloudflare, please check out the resources below.
About Cloudflare

Cloudflare, Inc. (www.cloudflare.com / @cloudflare) is on a mission to help build a better Internet. Today the company runs one of the world’s largest networks that powers more than 10 trillion requests per month, which is nearly 10 percent of all Internet requests. Cloudflare protects and accelerates any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare have all web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with each new site added. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. Cloudflare was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer, named the Most Innovative Network & Internet Technology Company for two years running by the Wall Street Journal, and ranked among the world's 50 most innovative companies by Fast Company. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Cloudflare has offices in Austin, TX, Champaign, IL, New York, NY, Washington, DC, London, Munich, and Singapore.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181018005224/en/

Contact
Cloudflare, Inc.
Daniella Vallurupalli
press@cloudflare.com

Source : Cloudflare, Inc.

--BERNAMA

AXA merchantrade insure protects over 13,000 migrant workers

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) – AXA Affin General Insurance Bhd  in partnership with Merchantrade Asia Sdn Bhd have insured more than 13,000 migrant workers with Merchantrade Insure plan.


This insurance protection plan for migrant workers, launched last May, offers a claims payout directly to their beneficiaries.

AXA chief executive officer, Emmanuel Nivet said within five months from its launch, the corresponding total sum insured had already exceeded RM100 million.

“This milestone speaks volume about our purpose to empower people to live a better life via financial inclusion, but more importantly, it exemplifies our ongoing commitment in bridging the protection gap among the underserved.

“We at AXA hope to do our part by raising awareness of the importance of protection, and ensuring adequate protection for the migrants and their loved ones. Together with our strong partner Merchantrade, we will remain committed to extending protection to this segment.” Nivet said in a statement today.

Merchantrade Insure is underwritten by AXA and distributed exclusively by Merchantrade. The benefits include a payout of RM9,000 for accidental death or total permanent disability, and RM50 per day (for a total of RM1,000) for hospitalisation due to an accident.

Merchantrade Insure is now available at 83 Merchantrade branches nationwide. For details, visit www.mtradeasia.com or contact a nearby branch.

-- BERNAMA

MEIZU OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES ITS OVERSEAS SMARTPHONE

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct 18 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meizu officially launches its Overseas smartphone, produced in and to be sold in the Indonesian market, the C9, as well as 4 other fantastic products, including the Flagship Meizu 16th, the upgraded M6T, POP true wireless earphones and EP52 Lite.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://i.imgur.com/C4LvxTd.png

(Jakarta, Indonesia October 15th, 2018) -- Meizu is releasing 5 exciting products, including 3 smartphone models, its iconic flagship 16th, M6T, C9, POP and EP52 Lite earphones).

Meizu’s product launch event is set for the 15th October 2018 at the Pullman hotel in Jakarta Indonesia, with a great line-up of speakers, including Meizu’s Co-Founder and Overseas President Mr Guo, and overseas Head of Marketing and packed with over 150 of Indonesia’s top media, bloggers and fans, it’s set to be a fantastic event all round.

Meizu is releasing five great products and introducing 2 years’ warranty on their smartphones in the Indonesian market, compared with other smartphone manufacturers who only offer a 1-year warranty. They have also joined forces exclusively with JD.id to offer their products online, at a great price. With the first set of POP to hit the market on the 16th and other products to be introduced around the 23rd of October, Meizu is set for rapid growth over the coming year.

Meizu, one of the world’s leading Smartphone and accessories designers and manufacturers, is poised to develop its share of the Indonesian smartphone market, through delivering high spec products, at great value.

Meizu is dedicated to producing its smartphones in Indonesia and supporting local growth and jobs. Its mission is to deliver great phones and accessories to people who love them, and increasing its Meizu fan base in Indonesia. Already with a large following in Indonesia, Meizu is set to increase its family of followers, delivering great products as well as interesting events for them.

Meizu is a company aimed at producing products for young people and this is reflected in the youthful design of the products it creates, as well as in the employees it hires. Most of the employees in Meizu are youthful, giving the Meizu Brand a young energy throughout.

Let’s take a look at the great products Meizu is launching at this event. Introducing the C9, the upgraded M6T, the Flagship 16th, POP and EP52 Lite accessories.

Meizu 16th

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://i.imgur.com/2i9jNlB.png 

The Meizu 16th series is the latest Flagship phone that is the most prominent among the full screen phones of its kind. Adapting the 40mm screen width from Samsung Amoled, this is a breakthrough for Meizu, with a screen edge of 1.43mm from the left and right of the screen, and a screen ratio of 89.57%. Meizu 16th also features super linear speakers that provide satisfaction in producing clear and maximum sound. The 16th is a thin phone of only 7.3 mm, and features a 4x 8GB DDR RAM as well as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, the Meizu 16th is a very powerful flagship model. For selfie and video vlog lovers, the Meizu 16th is supported with a 12 MP + 20 MP camera with a dual camera combination and Qualcomm Hexagon 685 DSP AIE (artificial intelligence engine) that creates stunning photos even in dimly lit spaces. The IMX350 sub-camera also supports bokeh photos with 3x zoom. You could say, "Meizu 16th is a cellphone with the best camera that is priced at an economical price", said Leon Zhang, Head of Meizu Overseas Marketing.

M6T

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://i.imgur.com/PWOLXPG.png

Meizu M6T combines classic touches with a lightweight polycarbonate body weighing only 145g. In collaboration with PPG Master's Mark, known as a supplier of paint for the aerospace and automotive industry, the Meizu M6T is wrapped in 3 stunning color variants, Ochre Black, Sky Blue and Coral Red. Even with a lightweight body, Meizu guarantees the toughness of the M6T, which is an upgrade of the highly successful M6. Meizu M6T has a battery capacity of 3300mAh, increasing more than 10% compared with its predecessor. The longer and optimal battery life is supported by ATL as a well-known battery manufacturer. And the screen is now, 18:9 ratio, 5.7 full HD screen and comes to Indonesia in two capacities, the 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory and the 3GB RAM and the 32GB Internal memory as well as 8x A53 CPU processors. The 13MP and 2MP rear and the 8MP front facing cameras are now supported with ArcSoft AI technology, giving even better selfies and photos. The M6T also features, a f/2.2 aperture and 1.12um single pixel, which is the Industry's largest pixel area in its class, producing a better photo than most competitors

Meizu C9

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://i.imgur.com/RScenAm.png

Not much different from the M6T, the Meizu C9 is also the latest smartphone with a light weight design of 150g and a charming shape. Meizu C9 also includes the face recognition unlock feature, which is fantastic for a phone at this price range. At only 9.7 mm thin, and with a polycarbonate casing, this phone is comfortable in the hand and has an attractive body. Meizu C9 comes with HD+, 18:9 ratio, 5.45 inch screen, with specs of 146.2x 71.2 x 9.7mm, and a wide display. This phone also features 1.3GHz 4 core processors with 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM option and comes in two colours, ocean blue and space black.

EP52 Lite

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://i.imgur.com/RZm82ZG.png

Meizu EP52 Lite is a Bluetooth earphone accessory that is great for sports lovers. The design is light and comfortable, wrapped with a touch of TPE material that has been developed to make users feel a new sensation when enjoying music. With a Bio-fiber diaphragm, can treated it with melodious bass sounds while doing activities. By only charging the battery for 1.5 hours, EP52 Lite can last 8 hours when used, and up to 200 hours when in standby. When the EP52 Lite is not in use, the magnetic sensor will make the earbuds stick together and within 5 minutes the earphone will automatically turn off when not in use.

POP

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://i.imgur.com/4G5bjGw.png

Meizu Pop is a true wireless Bluetooth earphone accessories issued by Meizu. Each earbud weighs only 5.8g, lighter than a metal coin, but is supported by amazing stereo audio quality. A pair of fully charged earphones can operate for 3 hours continuously, plus an extra 12-hour capacity provided by the battery case – more than you need for all-day use. For those of you who often do outdoor activities, you don't need to worry about sweat and rain, because POP has been tested for water resistance with an IPX5 rating. This is a new breakthrough in enjoying quality of life.

All of the above products were released exclusively on JD.ID, as Meizu e-commerce partner

Meizu Social Media


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meizu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meizutech
Twitter: https://twitter.com/meizu

Media Contact

Alexander Twibill
Global Marketing Director
Email: alexander@meizu.com
https://i.imgur.com/2i9jNlB.png

Attachments

Alexander Twibill
Meizu Technology ltd
alexander@meizu.com

Source : Meizu Technology ltd

--BERNAMA