IBF Net Indonesia Broadens Global Footprint With Netversity Project

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- Indonesian learning provider PT IBF Net Indonesia, has expanded its global footprint with launch of its groundbreaking Netversity project, marking a significant step towards globalising its comprehensive portfolio of courses, catering to a diverse and international audience.

According to a statement, PT IBF Net Indonesia is poised to expand its offerings exponentially, with plans to introduce over 50 courses designed to benefit its network of over 80 thousand members worldwide, from its modest beginnings with a handful of courses focused on Islamic social finance.

Announcing its latest portfolio of courses with the onset of the Indonesian Sharia Economy Festival (ISEF), IBF Net Indonesia President Director, Dr Mohammed Obaidullah said ISEF is an important occasion for the company to plan ahead and share its aspirations, welcoming well-wishers and guests from different parts of the globe to Indonesia.

“A halal ecosystem is not just about Islamic finance. Most of the present-day training providers focus on a handful of areas, such as banking, insurance and investments, and more recently on microfinance and fintech in the context of a Shariah-based economy.

“This is my dream project working with a team of young and energetic Islamic economists from Indonesia and an international panel of experts,” he added.

Prior to his leadership role with IBF Net Indonesia, he served the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank Institute as a lead research economist.

PT IBF Net Indonesia established the International Institute of Islamic Business and Finance (IIIBF) with a mission to advance human capacity building within the halal ecosystem through research and technology.

-- BERNAMA

FPT Techday 2023 Builds A Happier Future Powered By Technology

 

FPT Chairman Truong Gia Binh delivered opening remarks at FPT Techday 2023, Hanoi (Photo: Business Wire)

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- FPT Corporation (FPT), a global technology and information technology (IT) services provider headquartered in Vietnam, held its biggest annual tech event, FPT Techday 2023 in conjunction with its 35th anniversary.

In a statement, FPT said the event, which attracted 10,000 attendees, showcased the company’s commitment to innovation and its vision of "building a happier future".

Organised for the 11th consecutive year, FPT Techday has become one of Vietnam's most renowned tech expos, bringing together government officials, business leaders, technology experts and enthusiasts.

FPT Chairman, Dr Truong Gia Binh said FPT wants to create a happy journey for every individual and every business and is committed to accompanying its customers towards a happier future.

“We have an ecosystem of products and solutions that cater to the fundamental aspects of human life, including education, work, healthcare, and many more,” he said.

The two-day event featured an exhibition and tech conferences, focusing on demonstrating a happy journey for digital citizens (D-citizens), in which FPT also presented its ecosystem of products and services that cater to every D-citizen’s needs in terms of essentials, education, lifestyle, working, manufacturing, and future outlook.

This “Made-by-FPT” ecosystem was presented in an exhibiting area of 8,000-metre squares, along with the products and solutions from some of its partners such as Schaeffler, Konica Minolta, AFLAC, SC Ventures, Olympus, NXP Semiconductors and Ingenico Group.

One of the event’s highlights is the launching of Happy Club, an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven customer loyalty programme developed by FPT, in alignment with the Digital Conglomerate 5.0 strategy (DC5) which aims at creating a happier future for people, success for organisations and prosperity for the nation.

During the event, the company and two of its subsidiaries, FPT Software and FPT Information System also disclosed new partnerships with the world’s digital payments leader VISA and Japanese global printing TOPPAN, in addition of FPT becoming a major investor in Landing AI, a United States-based computer vision and AI company.

These partnerships enable FPT to continue expanding across markets and improving its products and services, aiming to provide a better experience to customers and fulfil its vision of creating a happier future on a global scale.

-- BERNAMA

2023 IPS RANKINGS: GEOPOLITICAL TENSIONS RESHAPE COUNTRIES' COMPETITIVENESS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- Two internationally known Swiss-based organisations have organised the Global Conference on National Competitiveness and Nation Brand 2023 to address the global competitiveness of a country and its criteria, among others, in the midst of geopolitical tensions.

The national competitiveness rankings of 62 economies were released at the Global Conference which was organised by the Institute for Industrial Policy Studies Switzerland (IPS-S) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), with Institute for Policy & Strategy on National Competitiveness (IPSNC) and the Institute of Nation Brand Promotion as hosts.

“We believe that the insights garnered from this conference will be invaluable to scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, offering a deeper understanding of national competitiveness and sustainable growth strategies,” said IPS-S chair and Seoul National University professor emeritus of Strategy, Dr Dong-sung Cho.

According to a statement, a nation’s competitiveness matters because it is a gauge for the sustainability of its economic growth and prosperity, while also signalling how well a nation will handle unforeseen challenges and other situations in which adaptability is required.

The two authors of the IPS national competitiveness research, Dr Cho and Dr Hwy-chang Moon explained that they could see limitations in other competitiveness ranking systems, with Dr Cho developed the “9-Factor Model” which assesses a nation on four physical factors, four human factors, and also chance events.

By analysing these elements, plus factoring in unexpected conditions or opportunities for growth, the governments of the 62 countries can understand where they stand and tailor national strategies to improve their respective rankings.

Based on its research, IPS-S and UNITAR release two national competitiveness rankings, one based on cost strategies and the other on differentiation strategies as competitiveness of countries can differ even if they have similar levels of endowed resources.

For example, Canada, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, China and New Zealand, were the top five in 2023 IPS cost strategy rankings, which refers to how well their businesses offered the best value for lowest costs while achieving corporate sustainability, growth, and a stable workforce and production.

However, according to the 2023 IPS differentiation strategy rankings, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Finland and Singapore ranked the highest, in which differentiation refers to a nation’s businesses that offer distinctive and/or superior products with extra value and brand recognition.

According to UNITAR, IPS-S, and the Taylor Institute of Franklin University Switzerland, countries could improve their national competitiveness levels by working with other countries.

-- BERNAMA

Pantheon Expands Footprint With Two New Offices In Singapore, Geneva

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- Pantheon, a global private markets investor, has extended its footprint into two important private wealth hubs with the launch of offices in Singapore and Geneva, Switzerland.

These new locations support the firm’s ongoing expansion in the private wealth channel and reflect its commitment to making its specialised expertise accessible to a wider range of investors, according to Pantheon in a statement.

Its Partner and Global Head of Business Development, Susan Long McAndrews said the firm’s strategic focus is on building presence in key growth markets and client channels, offering its investment acumen and commitment to service excellence to more investors, while growing investment capacity and reach.

“We are pleased to bring our global expertise to local markets in Singapore and Geneva, where we have generated significant momentum and where we see substantial opportunities for further growth,” she said.

The Singapore office will act as a hub for its activities in Southeast Asia and across the wider Asia Pacific region, where it serves an expanding client base that includes a number of blue-chip institutional investors and national pension funds under the leadership of Pantheon Partner and head of the firm’s investment activities across Asia and emerging markets, Brian Lim.

Meanwhile, the Geneva office extends Pantheon’s presence in Continental Europe, alongside existing offices in London, Dublin and Berlin, will be led by Principal in the firm’s European Investor Relations team, Carlos Arias who provides broader coverage for the firm’s institutional and private wealth clients in French speaking markets, as well as Spain and Italy.

Pantheon’s private wealth platform offers a range of evergreen fund solutions, with a combined US$5.8 billion in assets under management. (US$1=RM4.78)

In the United States (US), the firm manages the AMG Pantheon Fund, and recently filed for registration the AMG Pantheon Credit Solutions Fund, while outside the US, the firm manages two London Stock Exchange-listed investment trusts, Pantheon International Plc and Pantheon Infrastructure Plc.

The firm continues to innovate and extend the range of fund solutions available globally for private wealth investors to access its traditional private market funds.

-- BERNAMA

NEW GLOBAL EVENT ADDRESSES SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION ISSUES

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- Showcasing the most groundbreaking projects to promote innovative and sustainable construction, Tomorrow.Building World Congress (TBWC) organised by Fira de Barcelona is expected to gather some 50 companies from Nov 7 to 9.

According to a statement, the event will be featuring leading companies in the transformation of the sector, as well as startups with innovative initiatives, with a disruptive spirit and firm commitment to sustainability willing to transform the construction sector.

In addition, TBWC also intends to promote debate on the future of the sector with a hundred experts who will address its challenges in decarbonisation, digitalisation and sustainable urban development.

These include major international companies such as Samsung C&T Corporation and Siemens, leaders in the development of smart cities; Samoo Architects & Engineers, a Korean architecture firm with sustainable and efficient designs worldwide, as well as CBRE, Drees&Sommer, Johnson Controls, Roshn Group and SPIE.

The event also aims to promote knowledge and debate in the industry on issues such as design technology, green districts, decarbonisation and PropTech, as well as matters regarding access to affordable and sustainable housing, urban readiness to welcome refugees and the acceleration of the energy transition.

The congress programme will feature a hundred experts including, among others, Airbnb Co-founder and Director of Strategy, Nate Blecharczyk; Lebanese architect and specialist in Artificial Intelligence, Chantal Matar; and Siemens Director of Technology, Peter Körte.

In addition, FC Barcelona will present the latest details of the construction project of the new Spotify Camp Nou and its initiative for the renovation of its urban environment, Espai Barça.

Tomorrow.Building is held alongside Smart City Expo World Congress, Tomorrow.Mobility, Tomorrow.Blue Economy and PUZZLE X. Together the events will gather more than 25,000 attendees, 1,000 exhibitors, and representatives from more than 800 cities and 140 countries.

-- BERNAMA

"SUN HUNG KAI PROPERTIES HONG KONG CYCLOTHON" CONCLUDES WITH ABOUT 5,000 PARTICIPANTS FINISHING 7 RIDING EXPERIENCES

^{(Photo: Hong Kong Tourism Board)}


HONG KONG, Oct 25 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- An annual outdoor sports gala, the “Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon”, organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), concluded on Sunday (22 October). About 5,000 cyclists participated in the seven rides and races. The cyclists dashed on a number of the city’s major traffic routes and passed through various iconic landmarks. The HKTB thanked the public, visitors, government departments involved and various sponsors for their support, and was grateful for the active participation of all cyclists and volunteers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231024209122/en/

 

Dr Pang Yiu-kai, HKTB Chairman, said, “With rich international elements, we are delighted to see that both local and visiting cyclists enjoyed their rides across six districts and taking their memorable journey on the three-tunnel, three-bridge route. The highlight event, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) 1.1 Road Race, gathered about 100 professional cyclists from more than 10 countries and regions to compete in the same race, filling the event with excitement. The programme of the event today served as a perfect testimony of how HKTB highlights Hong Kong’s diversity and reinforce its status as Asia’s World City through staging different mega events, promoting Hong Kong as a top-of-mind travel destination to global audiences continuously.”

SHKP Chairman and Managing Director Mr Raymond Kwok said, “We are delighted to be the title and charity sponsor of the Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon once again. Strongly committed to Sports for Charity, we are grateful for the opportunity to support this major international sports event in Hong Kong and raise funds for The Community Chest of Hong Kong.” Mr Kwok mentioned that this year’s Cyclothon features the world’s top-tier professional cycling teams competing in the UCI 1.1 Road Race while 50 cyclists from different GBA cities will take part in the Men’s and Women’s Opens. These events are a testament to Hong Kong’s unique position as a global city with strong ties to other GBA. He hoped that they would attract more tourists to Hong Kong to rediscover the city’s unique charm and metropolitan glamour.

Rider from TEAM JAYCO ALULA from Australia named champion of UCI 1.1 Road Race

The seven action-packed cycling events and international professional competitions take place from the early hours of the morning in the bustling city of Hong Kong. In addition to the popular 50km and 30km non-competitive rides, this year's Hong Kong Cyclothon also featured the UCI 1.1 Road Race. A total of 14 teams from Australia, Italy, Malaysia, Thailand, the Mainland and Hong Kong participated in the event, with nearly 100 professional riders riding on Hong Kong’s uniquely curvy and narrow racetrack. After the 100-km race in 24 laps, rider from Team JAYCO ALULA, Australia, outrode fellow cyclists and won the championship, followed by the runner-ups from ARA | SKIP CAPITAL and another team Member from JAYCO ALULA, both representing Australia.

On the other hand, for City Cycling Challenge around Greater Bay Area (Hong Kong) Opens, Cheng Wang-hin and Fu Shiqi won Men’s and Women’s Opens respectively.

About 200 children aged 6 or above enjoyed the Family Fun Ride with their parents to enjoy cycling on the road. Besides, more than 20 celebrities from different sectors joined the CEO Charity and Celebrity Ride, promoting the cycling sports together.

SHKP Executive Director Mr Adam Kwok once again joined the event with members of the SHKP Cycling Academy and the SHKP Supernova Cycling Team. He said, “SHKP supports cycling sports through a three-pronged approach – promoting cycling in the community, supporting elite cyclists, and helping promote Hong Kong as a centre for major cycling events. The SHKP Hong Kong Cyclothon is a shining example of the third approach. This major cycling event is filled with joy and attracts city-wide participation, which will help boost the international image of Hong Kong.” Mr Kwok remarked that the long-awaited UCI Class 1.1 Road Race has returned and will liven up the event. More than 100 professional cyclists from around the world will race in town at close range, providing an exciting spectacle for the public.

Members of the media can download the press release and the photos from the following links:
Press release: https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/hktb/newsroom/press-releases.html
Photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wC0BjtStYyEfI1R8DB4bAC-Zs2IJDCOM?usp=share_link

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231024209122/en/


Contact

Ms Candice Leung
Email: candice.leung@hktb.com

Ms Helen Yeung
Email: helen.mt.yeung@hktb.com

Source : Hong Kong Tourism Board

HITACHI ENERGY INCREASES HVDC TO ACCELERATE ENERGY TRANSITION DEMAND

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- Global technology leader, Hitachi Energy announced it has enabled more than 150 gigawatts (GW) of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) links around the world integrated into the power system, sufficient to meet the peak power demand for Japan.

According to a statement, the announcement follows the delivery of the first power from Dogger Bank, the world's largest offshore wind development, via the United Kingdom’s first-time use of HVDC technology on a wind farm.

“Electricity will be the backbone of the entire energy system and will help to drive the clean energy transition. Today’s announcement shows how we are enabling our customers to accelerate the development of the power grids that energy system requires.

“With more than a century of energy expertise, combined with digitalisation as an enabler, we can scale at pace and provide innovative services and solutions to our customers,” said Hitachi Energy Chief Executive Officer, Claudio Facchin.

Having consistently expanded its capacity to meet accelerating demand driven by the clean energy transition, Hitachi Energy has increased its workforce by more than 8,000, when Hitachi began its strategic investment, since 2020.

Within the same period, the company also invested US$3 billion in manufacturing and engineering footprint, research & development (R&D), expanding collaboration and driving the company to become the strategic partner throughout the customers' entire lifecycle. (US$1=RM4.78)

The continuing investments are in line with the Hitachi Energy 2030 Plan and Hitachi's Mid-term Management Plan 2024.

The investments in the three focus areas of Hitachi Energy 2030 Plan are to continuously strengthening the power grid core business; doubling efforts on digital and services and expansion at the edge of the energy system; as well as accelerating growth via innovation, synergies, partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

Rapid electrification of transport, buildings, and industries is increasing the demand for secure, sustainable and flexible electricity globally. The company is committed to continuously strengthening its business toward the forecast of the 2050 energy system.

-- BERNAMA

STEEL DECARBONISATION SET TO REDEFINE SUPPLY CHAINS - WOOD MACKENZIE

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- The steel industry is set to undergo a significant transformation as decarbonisation efforts accelerate, according to the latest Horizons report from Wood Mackenzie, the global insight business for renewables, energy and natural resources.

Titled Metalmorphosis: how decarbonisation is transforming the iron and steel industry, the report highlights the emergence of new metallic hubs and the reshaping of steel production and global trade patterns.

Wood Mackenzie's latest report says electric-arc furnace (EAF) technology, increased use of green feedstock, and evolving carbon policies will play a crucial role in this transformation.

According to a statement, low-carbon intensive EAF production accounts for 28 per cent of global steel output, projected to rise to 50 per cent by 2050, in which an investment of US$130 billion will be required to achieve this goal. (US$1=RM4.76)

Furthermore, the shift towards less carbon-intensive steel will drive the demand for greener feedstocks such as Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) and high-grade scrap.

Wood Mackenzie predicts that the share of these feedstocks in total metals demand will increase from 36 per cent to 54 per cent by 2050, leading to new production, processing and trading hubs for low-carbon iron and scrap.

As DRI production and trade rise will create investment and revenue generation opportunities across the value chain, Wood Mackenzie forecasts a doubling DRI capacity within 30 years, requiring an estimated US$80 billion investment.

Wood Mackenzie indicates that the location of new green DRI centres will be determined based on their proximity to low-carbon hydrogen production. This is particularly important given the uncertainties surrounding the transportation and storage of traded hydrogen.

Decarbonising the iron and steel industry, which currently accounts for approximately eight per cent of global carbon emissions, is a challenging but achievable goal.

With the right levels of investment and policy support, this transformation has the potential to redefine trade patterns and the value chain.

-- BERNAMA

WRC'S WOMEN + WATER COLLABORATIVE TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY, QUALITY WATER IN INDIA

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- The Water Resilience Coalition (WRC), an industry-driven, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)-led initiative convening global companies to address the global water crisis, has launched the Women + Water Collaborative, a flagship corporate collective action programme to improve access to clean water and sanitation in India.

Gap Inc, Cargill, and GSK, in partnership with WaterAid and the WRC, are launching the initiative to improve health, livelihoods, and climate resilience in water-stressed communities in India, beginning with the Krishna and Godavari basins.

According to a statement, the WRC is an initiative of the CEO Water Mandate, a partnership between the UN Global Compact and the Pacific Institute, a global water think tank.

This marks the first time that companies from different sectors spanning apparel, biopharma, and agriculture have united with shared goals, metrics, and governance to provide access to clean water and sanitation in the same communities.

“As part of the Forward Faster Water Resilience Target and as members of the Water Resilience Coalition, the companies involved in this initiative have joined an alliance that thrives on collaboration and collective action.

“This cooperation will play a key role in achieving the WRC's ambitious goals outlined in its 2030 strategy,” said the United Nations Global Compact CEO and Executive Director, and WRC Co-Chair, Sanda Ojiambo.

The Women + Water Collaborative will improve the availability and quality of water in priority river basins through water replenishment and conservation using methods such as rainwater harvesting, providing communities with safe drinking water as well as climate-resilient sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure and services.

Although women in rural India play a crucial role in water collection and use, their participation in decision-making around water resources remains low, therefore this programme will leverage women’s leadership to build water resilience, improve water security, and enable equitable access to water and sanitation for communities at scale.

This flagship collective action programme demonstrates tangible progress toward WRC’s ambition to contribute to water security for three billion people and enable equitable access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for over 300 million people by 2030.

WaterAid will launch the programme in five Indian states and six priority districts. The NGO is keen to bring on additional corporate partners to expand the reach.

-- BERNAMA

GMAT™ FOCUS EDITION SETS TO DELIVER TEST NEXT MONTH; REPLACES THE CURRENT VERSION IN FEBRUARY

Registration for GMAT Focus is now open to candidates to business schools

RESTON, Va., Oct 17 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Graduate Management Admission Council™ (GMAC), a global association representing leading business schools, is geared up for testing of the GMAT™ Focus Edition to begin on November 7, 2023. The updated GMAT Focus Edition will replace the current version of the GMAT™ Exam on February 1, 2024 and become the only version of the GMAT available for candidates aspiring for their dream business education.

Backed by 7 decades of leadership in graduate business school education and admissions, the GMAT is accepted by more than 7,700 programs and 2,400 business schools worldwide. The test was redesigned with a more efficient test taking experience and flexible features to better support and encourage more candidates on their business school journey.

“We appreciate the close collaboration we have had with business schools, corporate recruiters and potential candidates around the world when redesigning the GMAT exam. Our shared priorities are to ensure that the GMAT Focus Edition assesses the most relevant and in-demand skillsets like data analytics, problem solving and critical reasoning, and to help each candidate perform at their best by putting them in control of more flexible testing and score sending options,​” said Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC.

“Since its launch in 1954, the GMAT has been the gold standard in graduate business education exam. Top business schools around the world accept it more than any other alternative because it’s the only assessment designed for today’s graduate business program and proven to reliably evaluate business school candidates and predict their success in the classroom,” said Themin Suwardy, associate provost of postgraduate professional education at Singapore Management University and newly elected chair of the GMAC board. “I am excited to see schools like mine to benefit from the GMAT Focus Edition by attracting a diverse, global applicant pool.​”

About GMAC

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is a mission-driven association of leading graduate business schools worldwide. Owned and administered by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) exam is the most widely used graduate business school assessment. BusinessBecause and GMAC Tours are subsidiaries of GMAC, a global organization with offices in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

To learn more, please visit www.gmac.com 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=47266

Smart City Expo to hold in 2023 its biggest edition ever

BARCELONA, Spain, Oct 17 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), the international summit on cities and smart urban solutions, organized by Fira De Barcelona, will hold its biggest edition to date in 2023. Taking place from November 7^th to 9^th, the event's theme is "Welcome to the New Urban Era" and it is set to break records with a 55% increase in exhibition floorspace and 20% more attendees compared to previous years. Over 1,000 exhibitors, 25,000 delegates, and representatives from more than 800 cities and 140 countries are expected to travel to Barcelona.

SCEWC is a global showcase for innovative urban solutions and projects that focus on transforming cities into more sustainable, efficient, and livable spaces. To achieve this goal, the congress will structure its program into eight main tracks: Enabling Technologies, Energy & Environment, Mobility, Governance, Living & Inclusion, Economy, Infrastructure & Buildings, Safety & Security, and Blue Economy.

The event will feature a lineup of 600 speakers, including notable figures such as computer scientist and expert in Algorithmic bias Margaret Mitchell, AI-specialized lawyer Micaela Mantegna, and sustainable development expert Claire O’Neill, the former UK Minister for Energy & Clean Growth.

Airbnb and FC Barcelona, keynotes

Amongst the highlights of SCEWC are the keynotes from Airbnb and FC Barcelona. The co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Airbnb, Nathan Blecharczyk, who will discuss how the company faces the future and wants to help tackle overtourism through new features to help disperse guests and benefits across Europe.

The representatives of FC Barcelona will explain how the club is leading the transformation of the surroundings of its stadium to redefine the urban fabric through enhanced infrastructure and sustainability aiming to build a new city landmark and improve the quality of life for its residents.

In addition, SCEWC has fully booked its exhibition floorspace, with companies such as AWS, Aramco, Axis, Cisco, Dassault Systemes, Dell, Deloitte, FCC, Honeywell, Microsoft, Nvidia, PWC, Roshn, Siemens, Smart Ports: Piers of the Future, and Veolia.

The event will also feature pavilions from cities and countries including Brazil, China, Estonia, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Nordics, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, and USA, among others.

SCEWC will feature three co-located events, Tomorrow.Building, Tomorrow.Mobility, and Tomorrow.BlueEconomy, that focus on specific topics such as construction, transportation, and the opportunities of the sea for coastal cities, further establishing Barcelona as a global hub for innovative urban solutions.

For media requests please contact:

Salvador Bilurbina
email: sbilurbina@firabarcelona.com
phone: +34628162674

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d0b5b3fa-5e84-4649-919e-accfcf53592e

 

Source: Fira De Barcelona

 

ATOS CLOUD COMPUTING, THE FIRST AUTHORIZED FOREIGN-FUNDED COMPANY TO OPERATE DATA CENTRE AND CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES NATIONWIDE IN CHINA, RENEWS ITS VALUE-ADDED TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES LICENSES

Wuhan, China , Oct 16 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atos has renewed its Value-Added Telecommunication Services licenses (VATS licenses) in China, enabling it to run world class digital services and data centers across the country. Atos Cloud Computing has retained the licenses since 2019, being the first authorized foreign-funded company to operate cloud computing VATS regulated activities in several Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Wuhan.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China has renewed the Atos Cloud Computing Co. Ltd VATS licenses for a further 5 years to 2028. The VATS licenses stipulate that Atos Cloud Computing is qualified to provide Internet Data Center Services (covering multiple regions, referred to as “IDC”) and Online Data Processing and Transaction Processing Services for customers in China.
  
“This VATS licenses’ extension is a key milestone for Atos China, it means that we can continue to deliver world-class secure and compliant digital services supporting customers’ growth ambitions.” said Ruifeng Yun, Managing Director at Atos China Cloud Computing.

“The ability to serve our local and worldwide customers in China with regulated Data Center Services, Online Data Processing and Cloud Services is a distinctive capability that Atos is proud to bring to our partners in the region and globally. This five-year renewal underlines our strong working relationship with the Chinese Regulatory Authorities and our commitment to the Chinese market.” said Daniele Principato, CEO at Atos Asia Pacific.

In more detail, the Value-Added Telecommunication Services accreditation enables Atos in China to deliver:

Internet Data Center Services (covering multiple regions)

· IDC services, which include the placement, maintenance, system configuration and/or management services provided for users’ servers and other network equipment utilizing the corresponding data centers, as well as the rental of database systems, servers and other equipment, rental of the storage spaces of such equipment, proxy rental of communication lines and/or bandwidth, and/or other application services.
· Internet resource collaboration services, which include the data storage, internet application development environment, internet application deployment and operation management services provided for users through the internet by virtue of the equipment and resources established on the data centers in a manner of accessing and expanding on demand at any time and collaborative sharing.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=47255

MHTC, SJMC JOIN FORCES TO RAISE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) together with Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC), have organised a thought-provoking panel discussion titled "My family has a history of breast cancer, should I be worried? What screening should I do?", at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The event aimed to create more awareness on the importance of early detection and provide valuable insights into breast cancer prevention and screening methods, in conjunction with breast cancer awareness month.

In a statement, MHTC Acting Chief Executive Officer, Farizal B. Jaafar said this event is a testament to MHTC’s commitment in the battle against breast cancer.

“We hope that with such platforms, we can revive the idea of being more aware and more “alert” around breast cancer, a disease that for the most part is detectable in early stages, with better outcomes for those who are diagnosed with it,” he said.

The panel was joined by a Consultant Breast Surgeon (Oncoplastic), Dr Teh Mei Sze and a Certified Genetic Counsellor, Yoon Sook Yee, both shared their expertise and knowledge on breast cancer prevention, genetic factors, and the latest advancements in screening techniques.

The panel discussion is aligned with this year's breast cancer awareness month theme, Thrive365, which emphasises the importance of a holistic approach to breast cancer prevention and encourages individuals to prioritise their overall well-being throughout the year.

According to recent statistics, breast cancer cases in Malaysia have been on the rise, with approximately 5,000 new cases reported each year. Early detection plays a vital role in improving survival rates, and regular screenings are recommended for individuals above the age of 40.

MHTC remains dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer and saving lives, and through initiatives like discussions, it aims to empower individuals with knowledge and encourage proactive steps towards breast cancer prevention and early detection.

-- BERNAMA

CLOUDFLARE DETECTS VULNERABILITY BEHIND LARGEST ATTACK IN INTERNET HISTORY

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Cloudflare Inc, the connectivity cloud company, announced it has helped lead the disclosure of a new novel zero-day vulnerability, dubbed “HTTP/2 Rapid Reset”, alongside industry peers to make the Internet more secure for everyone.

According to Cloudflare in a statement, this global vulnerability gives attackers the ability to generate attacks larger than anything the Internet had seen before.

To help mitigate the impact of this new threat for the entire Internet ecosystem, Cloudflare developed technology purpose-built to automatically block any attack leveraging Rapid Reset for its customers.

Cloudflare successfully mitigated these issues and halted potential abuse for all customers, while simultaneously kicking off a responsible disclosure process with two other major infrastructure providers, to extend mitigations for this vulnerability to a large percentage of the Internet prior to disclosing its existence to the general public.

“Successfully mitigating this threat for every critical infrastructure organisation, customer and the Internet at-large is the lifeblood of what Cloudflare stands for.

“We are one of the only companies equipped to identify and address threats of this magnitude, at the speed required to maintain the integrity of the Internet,” said Cloudflare Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Prince.

In late August, Cloudflare discovered a zero-day vulnerability, developed by an unknown threat actor. The vulnerability exploits the standard HTTP/2 protocol, a fundamental piece to how the Internet and most websites operate.

“Rapid Reset” provides threat actors with a powerful new way to attack victims across the Internet at an order of magnitude larger than anything the Internet has seen before.

Based on Cloudflare's data, several attacks leveraging Rapid Reset were nearly three times larger than the largest distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack in Internet history.

At the peak of this DDoS campaign, Cloudflare recorded and handled over 201 million requests per second (Mrps), as well as the mitigation of thousands of additional attacks following.

-- BERNAMA

ARES MANAGEMENT LAUNCHES ARES EUROPEAN STRATEGIC INCOME FUND TO EXPAND ITS OFFERING TO GLOBAL WEALTH CHANNEL

Ares Wealth Management Solutions to Provide Broader Access to Ares’ Leading European Direct Lending Strategy

Ares Delivers Accessible Investment Solutions Suitable for Individual Investors in Europe and Asia


LONDON, Oct 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) (“Ares”), a leading global alternative investment manager, announced today the launch of Ares European Strategic Income Fund (“AESIF”), a new open-ended direct lending fund that will provide individual investors in Europe and Asia with access to Ares’ European direct lending strategy.

Ares launched its European direct lending strategy in 2007 gaining a first mover advantage in a nascent market. Since this time, the European direct lending strategy has deployed more than €56 billion ($61 billion) in capital, cementing a longstanding and cycle-tested track record. Today, Ares represents the largest direct lending solutions provider to the European market with over €55 billion ($60 billion) of assets under management dedicated to the strategy and more than 85 investment professionals across six originating offices in London, Frankfurt, Paris, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Madrid, as of June 30, 2023.

AESIF will be the latest addition to the Ares Wealth Management Solutions (“AWMS”) platform and will be its first offering in the Europe and Asia regions. Leveraging the strength and scale of Ares’ leading global private credit platform and its extensive experience in Europe, AESIF has been designed to deliver a highly diversified portfolio comprised predominantly of directly originated, senior secured floating rate loans to performing businesses in Western Europe. AESIF is intended to offer investors a core income-solution with meaningful downside protection and stable yields in a format that features lower investment minimums relative to traditional alternative investment products.

“The expansion of our wealth product offering reflects Ares’ ongoing commitment to delivering enhanced investment solutions and client services to our rapidly growing base of global individual investors,” said Raj Dhanda, Partner and Global Head of Wealth Management. “With products spanning the real estate, private credit and private equity secondaries asset classes, we look forward to continuing to develop new offerings and remain committed to bringing Ares’ institutional quality private investment solutions to the wealth channel globally.”

“As a pioneer in European direct lending with more than 15 years of experience investing on behalf of institutional investors, we are excited to bring the power of Ares’ origination and execution capabilities to individual investors,” said Blair Jacobson, Partner and Co-Head of European Credit. “We believe that the current market opportunity is one of the most exciting we have seen in years and that our leadership position as a well-capitalized, global platform provides us with competitive advantages in sourcing and managing investments in order to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns on behalf of our investors.”

“This is an exciting step in providing global access to Ares’ market leading investment strategies,” said Mark Serocold, Partner and Head of Wealth Management Solutions EMEA. “We are pleased to launch AESIF, which builds on the strength of our European direct lending strategy and to create broader access to our established product suite for individual investors in Europe and Asia.”

Since the launch of AWMS in 2021, Ares has remained focused on scaling its wealth platform to deliver private market access and education to financial advisors and their clients. With a growing team of over 130 professionals located in offices throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia, AWMS represents one of the most resourced wealth distribution and client service platforms in the alternatives industry today.

About Ares Management Corporation

Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) is a leading global alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across the credit, private equity, real estate and infrastructure asset classes. We seek to provide flexible capital to support businesses and create value for our stakeholders and within our communities. By collaborating across our investment groups, we aim to generate consistent and attractive investment returns throughout market cycles. As of June 30, 2023, Ares Management Corporation's global platform had approximately $378 billion of assets under management, with over 2,600 employees operating across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.aresmgmt.com.

Ares Wealth Management Solutions

As a global brand of Ares Management Corporation, Ares Wealth Management Solutions oversees the product development, distribution, marketing and client management activities of investment offerings for the global wealth management channel. AWMS’ mission is to provide advisors and their clients access to innovative, solutions-oriented investment opportunities across Ares’ platform of industry leading primary and secondary strategies across the credit, private equity, real estate and infrastructure asset classes. Through its range of institutional and retail structures, coupled with excellent client service and educational resources, AWMS helps investors diversify their portfolios with private market solutions that seek to deliver consistent, long-term growth. For more information, please visit www.areswms.com.

Interests in AESIF have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the applicable securities laws of any United States state or any non-United States jurisdiction. The interest in the AESIF may not be offered, sold or delivered directly or indirectly in the United States or to or for the account or benefit of any “U.S. Person” except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and any applicable state laws. As such, any “U.S. Person” may not receive and should not act or rely on this Press Release or any other materials related to AESIF.

The information contained in this Press Release is being made available solely for information purposes. Any potential investors are urged to carefully read the applicable Prospectus and other materials in their entirety before making an investment decision.

Any potential investors should conduct their own investigations and analysis of Ares, AESIF and the information set forth in the applicable Prospectus and other materials. Nothing in this Press Release or the other applicable materials should be construed as a recommendation to invest in any securities or as legal, accounting or tax advice. Before making any decision to invest in AESIF, potential investors should carefully review information relating to Ares and AESIF and consult with their own legal, accounting, tax and other advisors when considering the merits of any investment.

There can be no assurance that AESIF will meet its investment objectives or otherwise be able to successfully carry out its investment program. There can be no assurance that an investor will receive a return on its capital, and therefore, an investor should only invest in AESIF if such investor is able to withstand a total loss of its investment.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
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Contact

Investors:
Charles Gans-Lartey, +1 212-515-3336
Carl Drake, +1 678-538-1981

Media:
Brittany Cash, +1 212-301-0347
or
Alexandra Douglass, +1 212-301-0391
media@aresmgmt.com | media.europe@aresmgmt.com

Source : Ares Management Corporation

Opengear Research: 25 Pct Of Us Network Engineers To Retire In 5 Years

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- A new research by Opengear, a provider of secure and Smart Out of Band management solutions and a Digi International company, has revealed at least 25 per cent of network engineers are expected to retire in the next five years, based on the 86 per cent of the chief information officers (CIOs) in the United States (US) surveyed.

The networking industry is facing a skills shortage as engineers continue retiring, with almost 95 per cent of CIOs surveyed said that lack of engineers has led to an inability to manage networks, and 91 per cent of US engineers and 81 per cent of global engineers surveyed agreed.

“As skills shortages persist, technologies such as Smart Out of Band can empower under-pressure IT teams to flexibly deploy, manage and remediate business networks, allowing them more time to focus on critical network tasks for better business performance and improved customer satisfaction,” said Opengear President, Gary Marks.

According to a statement, the study surveyed 502 CIOs and 510 network engineers across the US, the United Kingdom (UK), France, Germany and Australia.

It found that 98 per cent of the US engineers surveyed have been forced to achieve more with fewer resources over the past three months, which is even higher than those in the UK (88 per cent) and globally (87 per cent).

To remedy this issue, both surveyed CIOs (61 per cent) and engineers (62 per cent) identify investment in automation, artificial intelligence or other emerging technologies as vital to addressing the tech skills shortage, along with remote/hybrid working capabilities (47 per cent of CIOs and 37 per cent of engineers).

Headquartered in New Jersey, US, with a research and development centre in Brisbane, Australia, Opengear solutions enable provisioning, orchestration, and remote management of network devices through innovative software and appliances.

-- BERNAMA

VYVO SMART CHAIN ANNOUNCES LISTING OF $VSC UTILITY COIN ON TOP-RATED CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGE, MEXC

SINGAPORE, Oct 6 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Vyvo Smart Chain (VSC), a HealthFi ecosystem that leverages Web3 technology to promote positive lifestyle habits, today announced the listing of its native utility coin, $VSC, on premier cryptocurrency exchange, MEXC. The addition of the $VSC coin on MEXC advances Vyvo Smart Chain’s mission to empower individual wearable technology users with agency over their personal health data. Through its HealthFi ecosystem, Vyvo Smart Chain promotes and rewards positive lifestyle habits through health data monetization.

“We’re thrilled to announce MEXC’s listing of $VSC,” said Fabio Galdi, Vyvo Smart Chain Co-Founder & CEO. “With its dedication to high-level security and user-friendliness, MEXC is recognized as one of the most trusted exchanges in the space. We’re excited to offer active users additional avenues to interact with our native coin and leverage its utility within our VSC ecosystem. We are honoring our commitments to our community to expand the scope, scale, and integrity of our project.”

While the healthcare data market value sat at $26.7 billion in 2022, the market valuation is expected to reach $122 billion by 2030 – a compound annual growth rate of 23.12%. Although several factors influence the growth trajectory of the healthcare data market, the impact of wearable technology cannot be overstated. The ability of wearable technology to track patient data is known to help doctors better understand their patients’ overall health and a major reason why the wearable technology market already standing at 1.1 Billion IoT devices as of 2023 is expected to experience a compound annual growth rate of nearly 15% by 2030.

Despite the fact that collected user health data delivers health corporations valuable analytics, the ways in which the data is collected from users is cause for concern. The overwhelming majority of wearable technology users are unaware that their data is actively mined and sold, not to mention that users are in no way rewarded for the collected data.

Vyvo Smart Chain delivers a platform that leverages blockchain technology for the management of personal health data in a trustless, anonymous, and permissionless manner to provide users greater control and privacy over their wearable health and wellness data.

“We believe users alone own their data and its value, and they alone should determine who – and if – their data is shared,” added VSC Foundation Co-Founder & COO Mariana Krym. “At Vyvo Smart Chain, we’re setting a new standard for users to protect, own, manage, and monetize their most valuable data: their health. We’re confident Web3 represents the future of digital health data ownership.”

To interact with the $VSC coin on the MEXC exchange, visit: mexc.com.

For more information about Vyvo Smart Chain, its HealthFi ecosystem, and its approach to empowering users to own their health data, please see: vyvo.com.

Follow along on X, and join the conversation on Discord and Telegram.

About Vyvo Smart Chain (VSC)

VSC is a newly released purpose-chain. VSC is a HealthFi ecosystem built on Vyvo Smart Chain and supported by the VSC Foundation which promotes and rewards positive lifestyle habits through health data monetization while ensuring data privacy. VSC strongly believes that people should own their own health data and its value.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231005525041/en/

Contact

Media Contact
mike@howl.xyz

Source : Vyvo Smart Chain

ZOOMTOPIA 2023: ONE PLATFORM DELIVERING LIMITLESS HUMAN CONNECTION

 · Zoom expands platform with breakthrough product, Zoom Docs, a modular AI-powered workspace for documentation, project and data management, and creating tables, wikis, tasks, and more.
· Debuts AI Companion in Zoom Whiteboard, and expands Meeting and Team Chat summarization capabilities to Zoom higher education and healthcare customers
· Enhances employee and customer experiences with new platform innovations and integrations, underpinned by powerful AI capabilities 

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct 4 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) kicked off Zoomtopia 2023, the company’s annual event, unveiling new platform innovations underpinned by powerful AI capabilities to help streamline the workday through effective communication and collaboration tools.

Zoom’s breakthrough product, Zoom Docs, is a next-gen way of collaborating, built from the ground up with AI at its core. Zoom Docs is a flexible, modular workspace that tightly integrates with Zoom and third-party apps, making it easy for teams and individuals to create, collaborate, manage projects, and stay organized. Zoom Docs includes traditional document capabilities, as well as wikis and drag-and-drop content blocks for tables, charts, and images. Zoom Docs users can also leverage its AI-powered functionality to populate docs with content from Zoom Meetings to inform and jumpstart creation, generate content with Zoom AI Companion, summarize content quickly, easily search documents, and more. Zoom Docs is scheduled to be generally available in 2024.

“As work continues to evolve and present new challenges, one thing will remain the same: effective collaboration and communication tools are crucial for businesses to succeed,” said Eric S. Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom. “At Zoom, we’re grounded in doing what’s right and caring for our customers, and we understand that business leaders are faced with new obstacles every day — whether it’s navigating hybrid work, improving engagement and collaboration among customers and employees, deciding how to leverage generative AI to empower people, or reducing the complexity of their IT solutions. Our new innovations demonstrate Zoom’s commitment to evolving our platform in ways that empower limitless human connection and solve real business problems.”

Zoom AI Companion drives impact with intelligence
The recently announced Zoom AI Companion, the company’s generative AI digital assistant, debuted a new Whiteboard capability and is expanding to new industry customers with the introduction of Meeting and Team Chat summarization capabilities to Zoom higher education and healthcare customers. And, unlike other similar offerings that cost $30 or more per user per month, AI Companion is included at no additional cost for paid users on eligible accounts.*

Zoom AI Companion helps users catch up on already-in-progress meeting discussions, summarize long chat threads, compose emails in Zoom Mail, and so much more. Now, AI Companion can also help generate ideas on a digital whiteboard and organize them into categories, so teams can get to work faster.

For more information on AI Companion and all of its real-time capabilities in the Zoom platform visit the Zoom newsroom. 

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