A.M. BEST AFFIRMS CREDIT RATINGS OF CHINA BOCOM INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED

HONG KONG, Aug 17 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” of China BOCOM Insurance Company Limited (CBIC) (Hong Kong). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect CBIC’s balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32492

Uber for business users to benefit from automatic import receipts

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Business travelers will soon automatically import Uber for Business trip receipts to Zoho’s expense reporting and tracking software -- Zoho Expense.

Zoho in a statement said Uber users worldwide will be able to select Zoho Expense from the Uber app and their receipts will be added to the software reports to streamline tracking and reimbursement.

Zoho Expense is an expense reporting software that automates business and travel expense management available in mobile and web versions. The software is benefiting to sales representatives, employees, managers and finance departments.

President of Zoho Corporation, Raj Sabhlok said: "After a long business trip, the last thing travelers want to do is dig through their inboxes for Uber receipts. With Zoho Expense and Uber, they won’t have to.”

Headquartered in California, Zoho is one of the world's most prolific software companies -- with apps in nearly every major business category including sales, marketing, customer support, accounting and back office operations.

Head of business development and partnerships, Uber for Business, Michael Goodwin said Uber for Business provides organizations with the billing, reporting and management software that they need as employees turn to Uber for safe, reliable transportation across the globe.

“Our integration with Zoho Expense will automate a key step in the process, making that expense-related work faster and easier for business riders and travel managers alike,” he added.

The software will be available to Uber app users with a business profile in early September. Zoho Expense offers two subscription plans: the free plan and the standard plan -- US$15 (RM61.50) per month for 10 users. (1US$ = RM4.10). More information on https://www.zoho.com/expense

--BERNAMA

Partnership to develop artificial intelligence using computing infrastructure in India

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) -- the premier policy think tank for the Indian Government -- and Perlin Network have partnered to develop artificial intelligence using distributed computing infrastructure in India.

The partnership will also develop the concept of an ‘India cloud’ based on distributed computing resources,  a statement said.

It will initially focus on machine learning and multi-party computation, with the goal of establishing and promoting distributed computing markets for these rapidly-growing sectors throughout India.

Both companies will work together to conduct joint research, facilitate industry and government interactions, exchange valuable learnings, organise local forums as well as conduct a hackathon to explore other use cases for distributing computing on the Perlin Network.

Perlin will also bring partners to supply computing power from unused smartphones and computers based in India to its network in order to create a domestic and decentralised cloud infrastructure.

The nationwide scale and depth of world-leading technical expertise encompassed by the collaboration is expected to result in substantial benefits across the respective networks of both NITI Aayog and Perlin.

Perlin is committed to helping the Indian Government realise its grand ambition for India’s AI future and the more efficient utilisation of its rapidly-growing national computing infrastructure.

An indicative roadmap for the partnership will see developments rolled out over the next 12 months, with the Perlin’s Testnet scheduled to be released in September this year. More details at http://www.niti.gov.in or https://www.perlin.net.

-- BERNAMA

NTT COMMUNICATIONS AND ARKADIN HONORED IN FROST & SULLIVAN 2018 ASIA PACIFIC ICT AWARDS

TOKYO, Aug 16 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the information and communications technology (ICT) solutions business within the NTT Group (TOKYO:9432), and Arkadin, an NTT Communications company and market leader in cloud Unified Communications and Collaboration services, announced today that both have received Frost & Sullivan 2018 Asia Pacific ICT Awards.

NTT Com has been recognized as 2018 Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific End-to-End UCC Service Provider of the Year, and 2018 Asia-Pacific Telco Data Center Services Provider of the Year, and Arkadin has been recognized as 2018 Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific Enterprise Collaboration Product Line Strategy Leadership Award. The results were announced at the Frost & Sullivan 2018 Asia Pacific ICT Awards in Singapore on August 15.

According to Shuishan Lu, Industry Analyst, ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan, “NTT Communications’ range of end-to-end unified communications and collaboration (UCC) services offer networking, voice, system integration and consulting, cloud deployment, and managed services.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=32489

Mash Group records 99 per cent increase of revenue end of 30th June 2018

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Mash Group -- one of Europe’s leading fintech companies -- recorded 99 per cent increase in H1/18 revenue from H1/17 with H1/18 lending volumes surpassing full year 2017 and achieved EBIT of EUR 5.5 million (RM 25.66 million). (EUR 1 = RM 4.67).

“This demonstrates the strong competitive position of our lending business model. We anticipate this strong growth to continue in H2 2018, supported by our new customer acquisition channels and going live in the Spanish market in Q2/18,” said Chief executive officer (CEO) of Mash Group, James Hickson.

“We continue to make investments for the long term in this acquisition channel and explore new opportunities to enhance our capability, identify new partners and expand our merchant and consumer offering,” he added.

The company has increased the size of its structured financing facility with funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC from EUR 120 million (RM 560.4 million) to EUR 200 million (RM 934 million), a statement said.

It was also recognised as one of the Fintech50, Europe’s leading list of FinTech companies and its CEO has been awarded with ‘Most Influential FinTech CEO of the year 2018’ from AI Global Media.

Mash continued to grow rapidly in all markets during the second quarter, achieving a record Q2 2018 in terms of lending volumes (+27 per cent) and revenues (+36 per cent) compared to Q1 2018.

Registered merchants for Mash’s pay later point of sale solution has grown 733 per cent in H1 2018 with the number of new customers grown by 265 per cent  compared to H1 2017, the statement said.

Mash has been at the forefront of fintech innovation since 2007. The company leveraged advanced proprietary algorithms, machine learning capabilities and automated platform to deliver superior finance and payments solutions. More details at https://www.mash.com.

-- BERNAMA

HAINAN SHOWCASES EXPOS IN SHANGHAI, INVITING EVENTS ENTERPRISES WORLDWIDE TO SNATCH BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FROM FREE TRADE ZONE AND PORT

SHANGHAI, China, Aug. 10, 2018 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

On August 10-11, 2018, the 4th China Events (MICE) Industry Fair (CEIF) was held at Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC). Major cities, associations and enterprises in the events industry from Hainan Province, guided by the Provincial Convention & Exhibition Bureau, participated in the fair to demonstrate their major events.

Hainan highlighted at the fair the (3rd) Hainan World Leisure Tourism Expo 2018 (Hainan Leisure Expo) and the (4th) Hainan International RV (AUTO) Camping Leisure Tourism Expo 2018 (Hainan Camping Expo). Hainan Leisure Expo, hosted by the Provincial Tourism Development Committee, introduces Hainan's tourism resources to the world and provides a platform for industrial players to exchange their ideas on the new trend of leisure tourism. Hainan Camping Expo, hosted by Hainan Commercial Department and Haikou Municipal Government, promotes the province's resources for camping and drive tours by recreational vehicles and other vehicles. Industrial players can demonstrate their new technologies, products and experiences at the expo. After nearly three years' efforts, these two events have become influential brand in the events industry.

The 2018 (3rd) Hainan Leisure Expo will be held at Hainan International Convention & Exhibition Center from November 23 to 25 as the opening event of the 2018 (19th) Hainan International Tourism Island Carnival. The 2018 (4th) Hainan Camping Expo will be held in Haikou from December 21 to 23. Both will be undertaken by Redsail MICE.

At the CEIF, Redsail MICE, as the brand exhibition company of Hainan, released new strategic positioning to the world in the theme of "new opportunities, new positioning and new journey". Redsail MICE tailors launch events for well-known enterprises worldwide investing and operating in Hainan. Founded in 2008, Redsail MICE has grown into a one-stop service platform for the operation and management of Hainan's MICE services and brands in the past decade.

Hainan is one of the global attractions of recreational tourism and an ideal place for large international events. MICE was included in 12 key industries of Hainan in 2015, and developed rapid in 2017. Over the year, there were 17,500 meetings with more than 100 participants, increased by 16.8%, including 107 meetings with more than 1,000 participants, increased by 30.5%. The exhibition area was increased by 17% to 1.45 million m2. With added value totaling 8 billion yuan, increased by 15.4%, the MICE industry ranked fourth among 12 key industries in Hainan.

Hainan is making steady progress in promoting the construction of the Free Trade Pilot Zone and Port. Faced with a significant historical opportunity, Hainan's MICE industry is ushering in a new stage of leapfrog development and prosperity. The Hainan Provincial Convention & Exhibition Bureau invites all first-class MICE enterprises to set up offices, hold and participate in conventions and exhibitions in Hainan, benefit from its reform and opening-up and share opportunities from construction of Hainan Free Trade Zone and Port.

Source: Redsail MICE

--BERNAMA

Mitsui Chemicals to set up solar panel lab in India

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- Mitsui Chemicals Inc will set up a solar panel testing and certification lab in Gujarat, India in partnership with PI Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin AG (PI Berlin).

Based in Europe, PI Berlin is a leading technical advisor, risk manager and quality assurance provider for PV equipment and power plants.

The facility will be set up by its affiliated company, Mitsui Chemicals India Pvt Ltd and begin Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification tests in August 2019.

The company in a statement said the plans are to establish a track record in BIS testing and certification and then use this to build a diagnostics business for solar panels and power plants.

Mitsui Chemicals' diagnostics business for photovoltaic power generation is Blue Value(TM) -- certified to reduce greenhouse gases produced through photovoltaic power generation.

With a surging number of photovoltaic power generation facilities being planned, the Indian government on July implemented a measure to block the country’s influx of poor-quality solar panels by requiring BIS certification for panels used in all photovoltaic projects.

--BERNAMA