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CPA Australia: Hong Kong small businesses tip record overseas sales and innovation

  • Hong Kong’s small businesses have high expectations for growth.
  • A record nine-in-10 small businesses expect to innovate in 2023.
  • Revenue from overseas sales and innovation will support recovery and long-term growth.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 16 April 2023 – More of Hong Kong’s small businesses expect to grow this year than at any other time since 2011, after bouncing back from COVID-19. They have record expectations for innovation and overseas sales in 2023, according to one of the world’s largest professional accounting bodies.

Media Photo.jpg
From left to right: Mr Cliff Ip FCPA (Aust.) – Divisional Deputy President 2023, CPA Australia Greater China, Mr Davy Leung FCPA (Aust.) – Deputy Chairperson of SME Committee, CPA Australia Greater China

Driven by improvements in Hong Kong’s economy, CPA Australia’s latest Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey shows 66 per cent of local small businesses expect to grow this year. This annual survey collected views from 4,280 small businesses in 11 Asia-Pacific markets including 312 respondents from Hong Kong.

The reopening of borders and improved economy resulted in the highest percentage of Hong Kong small businesses (74 per cent) expecting to grow overseas sales on record. The annual survey began in 2009. This result exceeded all other surveyed markets.

Growing confidence also led to another record-busting result, with 89 per cent planning to innovate in the next 12 months.

“This optimistic sentiment can be partly attributed to the recovery from the low-base of the past three years,” said Cliff Ip, Deputy Divisional President of CPA Australia – Greater China.

Small businesses in Hong Kong bounced back to 2018 growth levels. More than half (56 per cent) grew in 2022. The 2023 outlook is upbeat, with 65 per cent expecting economic growth.

“Bolstered by government relief measures, small businesses in Hong Kong overcame a particularly challenging period and recovered quickly in the second half of 2022. Those that maintained innovation and technology at the heart of their business and sought external support weathered COVID-19 the best and are most likely to thrive in 2023.”

“As an export-oriented services economy, the government is looking to drive tourism and attract foreign investment. Hong Kong’s full reopening presents exciting opportunities for small businesses. They can expand by introducing new products and services. Helping that expansion are government incentives to tap into emerging markets, especially countries in ASEAN and the United Arab Emirates.”

Business optimism this year is also prompting a new recruitment wave. More than half (58 per cent) expect to increase headcount this year, up from 26 per cent in 2022.

“The government’s Employment Support Scheme encouraged employers to retain and hire staff, with 54 per cent of Hong Kong small businesses increasing employee numbers last year. As Hong Kong returns to normality, businesses are more eager to hire staff. This is an obvious recovery signal. However, market competition for talent has become fierce and many will need to rely on technology to manage staff shortages.”

Revenue from online sales grew significantly in 2022. Seventy-eight per cent of Hong Kong’s small businesses earned more than 10 per cent of revenue from e-commerce, up 25 percentage points from 2021.

Eighty-four per cent received more than 10 per cent of sales through digital payment technologies, such as Octopus, Alipay and PayMe. This was up from 59 per cent in 2021. Over six-in-10 said their technology investment improved profitability.

“The government’s HK$10,000 e-consumption voucher scheme was a major incentive to encourage digital transformation,” Davy Leung, Deputy Chairperson of CPA Australia’s Small and Medium Enterprises Committee – Greater China, said.

An easing financing condition is another positive factor that helped Hong Kong small businesses manage their liquidity in the difficult time. Last year, 74 per cent sought external funds, largely from banks and government grants. Seven-in-10 found it easy to access these external funds.

“More than a quarter of local small businesses nominated government grants or funds as their main source of external finance last year. Among these respondents, 92 per cent found it easy to access such funding. This implies that government measures, such as the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme and those under the Anti-Epidemic Fund, were well designed.

“A record number of small businesses (91 per cent) are planning to seek external funds this year. Small businesses have benefitted from a better financing environment but they shouldn’t rely solely on short-term measures introduced by the government. Maintaining liquidity and improving cashflow are essential, especially when costs are increasing.”

Seeking external advice is another noticeable characteristic. Ninety-three per cent of Hong Kong’s small businesses sought advice in 2022, with most having consulted with a bank or finance company and IT consultants.

“Technologies, business conditions and regulations can change quickly. Professional advice is important to small businesses to put them on the right track to overcome challenges.”
Hashtag: #CPAAustralia #Business #Economics #SME

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About CPA Australia

CPA Australia is one of the largest professional accounting bodies in the world, with more than 172,000 members in over 100 countries and regions, including more than 22,200 members in Greater China. CPA Australia has been operating in Hong Kong since 1955 and opened our Hong Kong office in 1989. Our core services include education, training, technical support and advocacy. CPA Australia provides thought leadership on local, national and international issues affecting the accounting profession and public interest. We engage with governments, regulators and industries to advocate policies that stimulate sustainable economic growth and have positive business and public outcomes. Find out more at

SQ INVESTOR NEWS: ROSEN, GLOBALLY RESPECTED INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages Block, Inc. f/k/a Square, Inc. Investors With Losses to Inquire About Class Action Investigation – SQ

New York, New York – Newsfile Corp. – April 15, 2023 – WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues its investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Block, Inc. f/k/a Square, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) resulting from allegations that Block, Inc. may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Block securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=13546 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On March 23, 2023, before the market opened, market analyst Hindenburg Research released a report entitled “Block: How Inflated User Metrics and “Frictionless” Fraud Facilitation Enabled Insiders to Cash Out Over $1 Billion.” Hindenburg’s research, which took place over a two-year period and involved “dozens of interviews with former employees, partners, and industry experts, extensive review of regulatory and litigation records” led it to conclude that the “‘magic’ behind Block’s business has not been disruptive innovation, but rather the company’s willingness to facilitate fraud against consumers and the government, avoid regulation, dress up predatory loans and fees as revolutionary technology, and mislead investors with inflated metrics.” The report further alleged, among other things, that Block had “wildly overstated” its user accounts and provided banking services to violent criminals.

On this news, the price of Block’s stock declined by as much as 20% in intraday trading before closing at $61.88 on March 23, 2023, a 14.8% decline from the prior day.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

——————————-

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
lrosen@rosenlegal.com
pkim@rosenlegal.com
cases@rosenlegal.com
www.rosenlegal.com

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Samsung Electronics Celebrates Next Generation Asian Female Golfers

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 15 April 2023 – Samsung Electronics celebrated the newly crowned Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) champion, Eila Galitsky of Thailand for her astonishing performance at the fifth edition of the championship held recently in Singapore. As champion and player with best round on the final day, Galitsky had brought home the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy Buds2 Pro – in addition to her championship prizes, and the opportunity to advance to three other major championships.

Ronnie Ng, Head of Mobile Experience, Samsung Electronics Singapore (right), presenting newly crowned Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific champion, Thailand's Eila Galitsky (left), with the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy Buds2 Pro
Ronnie Ng, Head of Mobile Experience, Samsung Electronics Singapore (right), presenting newly crowned Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific champion, Thailand’s Eila Galitsky (left), with the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy Buds2 Pro

“Samsung is proud to partner with R&A and APGC in this journey to nurture amateur golfers from the region. It is exciting to see a growing crop of young, female talents who are passionate about the sport of golf, and we are proud to be part of their journey at WAAP,” said Ronnie Ng, Head of Mobile Experience, Samsung Electronics Singapore.

“At Samsung, we believe that diversity drives innovation and growth. Through our support for the WAAP, we hope to celebrate women in sport and to also better engage with our consumers who are passionate about golf and sports,” Ng added.

Dominic Wall, Director – Asia-Pacific at The R&A said: “Samsung has been a longstanding partner of the WAAP, and we appreciate their support for the tournament which also creates greater exposure for the players. Many of them are in early stages of their careers, and support from global brands like Samsung can help propel these young talents onto international stages. In addition, we want to be exploring how technology can support us better. Samsung’s partnership with us also allowed us to use their Galaxy tablets to keep score, which was efficient for our tournament team.”

During the WAAP Championship which was held at the Singapore Island Country Club (SICC), Samsung also arranged on-ground activities for young golfers, championship officials and visitors to see and try out the latest Galaxy S23 series. Visitors also tried out mobile gaming with the smartphone and learned about how they can maximise their mobile experiences with One UI 5.1’s customisation and personalisation options.

WAAP golfers also had the opportunity to use the latest Galaxy S23 Ultra to capture epic moments at the tournament. The Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts a 200MP Adaptive Pixel sensor and 100x Space Zoom, which is perfect for capturing sporting moments in epic details when users are far from the putting greens.

Catch the highlights of the WAAP Championship here.

To learn more about the Galaxy S23 series, visit https://www.samsung.com/sg/smartphones/galaxy-s23-ultra/ and https://www.samsung.com/sg/smartphones/galaxy-s23/
Hashtag: #SamsungElectronics

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at

GSM officially launches Vietnam’s first pure electric taxi firm

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach – 14 April 2023Green and Smart Mobility Joint Stock Company (GSM) officially begins operating the first pure electric taxi service in Vietnam – Green SM Taxi. The event ushered in a new era of taxis: smart, pollutant and noise-free, and environmentally friendly.

Green SM Taxi is set to launch on the roads of Hanoi, followed by a nationwide expansion to at least five provinces and cities this year, in line with the company’s strategic plan.

As of April 14, 2023, customers can easily book Green SM taxi services via the nationwide hotline, 1900 2088, just like traditional taxi services, or through the Green SM Taxi application, available on App Store and Google Play. Riders can also hail cars at all Vincom shopping malls, public spaces around the city, or on the roads. In May 2023, Green SM Taxi can be booked through BeVinFast service on the Be application.

In addition to convenient and diverse access, Green SM Taxi provides customers with two service options: GreenCar – a standard taxi service, and LuxuryCar – a premium taxi experience. GreenCar will roll out with the VinFast VF e34 in the company’s signature Cyan blue color, while LuxuryCar will use the VinFast VF 8 in their original luxurious colors.

Initially, SM Green Taxi will start operation with 500 VF e34s and 100 VF 8s in Hanoi. Shortly, the company will add the VinFast VF 5 Plus model to the GreenCar fleet. According to actual customer demands, the company will increase the number of cars in both service segments.

The starting price for the first 1 km of the GreenCar service is 20,000 VND. For the next 24 km, the fare for the VF 5 Plus is 14,000 VND/km, and the VF e34 is 15,500 VND/km. From the 26th km onwards, the fare will be 12,000 VND/km for the VF 5 Plus and 12,500 VND/km for the VF e34. The price for LuxuryCar service is fixed at 21,000 VND/km for the entire journey.

Speaking at the Green SM Taxi’s opening ceremony in Hanoi, Mr. Nguyen Manh Quyen – Vice President of the Hanoi People’s Committee, shared: “Electric taxis are among the advanced solutions that bring tremendous benefits to the community and contribute to reducing air and noise pollution while saving energy and costs for users. The deployment of electric taxi services in Hanoi not only affirms the determination of the City and cooperation of business organizations, particularly the GSM company, in accelerating sustainable transport development; but also contributes to realizing Vietnam’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh – CEO of GSM, shared: “GSM, in general, and Green SM Taxi, specifically, were established in response to the national climate objectives, which include efforts to reduce transportation emissions. Green SM Taxi offers a new standard of transportation service with outstanding quality, not just serving people but also connecting and forming a green and smart mobility ecosystem across Vietnam.”

Green SM Taxi is Vietnam’s first pure electric taxi company, providing passenger transportation services entirely by VinFast electric vehicles. This generation of taxis is noiseless and emits no carbon, which benefits public health and the environment. The cars are also equipped with various intelligent entertainment features, providing passengers with enjoyable experiences on every journey. With a team of highly trained and professional drivers and dedicated service, Green SM Taxi is committed to bringing 5-star service quality to customers.

Green SM Taxi will continue to be launched in Ho Chi Minh City in April 2023.

For more information about the Green SM Taxi, customers can visit https://www.taxixanhsm.vn/ or download the Green SM Taxi application at: https://taxisinhsm.page.link /newsletter

Hashtag: #GSM #Vingroup #GreenandSmartMobility

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Portkey’s Capabilities to Migrate Web2 into Web3 Caught Great Attention during HK Web3 Week

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 14 April 2023 – With Hong Kong holding the Web3 Festival this week in line with its goal to become the hub of digital assets, the city is packed with all kinds of activities and industrial players from both Web2 and Web3. Portkey, the first Contract Account (CA) wallet from aelf’s system, has been engaging with different parties to present its value and potential to migrate Web2 users, developers and projects into Web3.

So far, Portkey has attended a string of events with topics ranging from blockchain scalability, Web3 infrastructure, security, privacy, to the next big trend for Web3, etc. Aside from shedding lights on the above topics, Portkey struck the audience most with its capabilities in three aspects: how Portkey has made crypto wallet user-friendly, secure and low-cost, how Portkey enables developers and projects to easily onboard Web3 and how Portkey guarantees fully decentralized ownership with its DID design.

CA wallet: user-friendly, secure and zero-fee

A crypto wallet is vital for storing digital user identities and other assets. Yet, the existing wallets’ users suffer from usability issues, high transaction fees and limited compatibility with various blockchains.

A smart contract wallet, like Portkey, makes it easy for users to log in without using seed phrases, which are mnemonics used as a security measure for most traditional wallets. It also makes the wallet capable of social recovery and possible to be fully decentralized, which is guaranteed by verifiers and guardians. Moreover, Portkey requires zero fees for account creation with a unique delegation mechanism. It also supports inter-operation with multiple chains.

Onboarding SDKs

For developers wanting to transition their Web2 projects to Web3 ones as well as to build a Web3 project from scratch, it is also challenging given the lack of standardized tools and infrastructure to connect their applications with Web3 APIs and smart contracts.

Portkey provides two SDKs — the Portkey DID SDK, and the Portkey DID UI SDK — to enable developers to quickly embed Web3 wallets into their applications and connect to Web3.

Portkey’s DID solution

One thing that really differentiates Web2 from Web3 is decentralized ownership. In light of the centralized crisis caused by some of the biggest names in Web3, users are now concerned about whether Web3 can live up to its decentralization promise.

Portkey addresses these concerns by designing DID solution with two key roles: guardians and verifiers. Verifiers validate users’ wallet activities while guardians sign these to ensure Portkey remains fully decentralized. This approach also makes Portkey socially recoverable.

Throughout the week in Hong Kong, Portkey has shared its critical capabilities with key industry players, including DApp developers, digital assets creators, infrastructure builders, etc. Portkey received positive feedback and gained recognition as a CA wallet with a solid potential to lead the migration from Web2 to Web3.

Portkey also walked away with a reward from the Web3 Hackathon at The University of Hong Kong featuring the topic of “Into the Socialverse”, given how it can help build the socialverse with the above capabilities.

“We are thrilled to see the overwhelming response to Portkey in Hong Kong. We will continue to provide a user- and developer-friendly Web3 wallet to spur the development of the digital assets market, Web3 and beyond,” said Steven, CTO of Portkey.

Hashtag: #aelf #Portkey

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Portkey

Portkey is the first CA wallet from aelf’s ecosystem, migrating Web2 users and developers into Web3 with DID solution.

Users can swiftly log into Portkey via their Web2 social info with no private keys or mnemonics required. Underpinned by the social recovery and decentralized verifier design, Portkey safeguards users’ assets from centralized control and theft. Portkey also generates nearly zero fees for account creation and user usage with superior delegation mechanism.

Portkey provides crypto on/off-ramp services, allowing users to exchange fiat with crypto freely. It supports the storage and management of various digital assets such as tokens, NFTs, etc. The compatibility with multi-chains and seamless connection to all kinds of DApps makes Portkey a great way to enter the world of Web3.

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About aelf

aelf is a high-performance blockchain designed to support the development of Web3 and its explosion in the next 5 to 10 years. Built on cloud computing, aelf has a distributed network of nodes on various cloud data centers. Multiple tools like browser extensions, aelf blockchain explorer, wallet App, and SDKs have been built and open-sourced so developers can easily build and contribute to aelf ecosystem.

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BingX lists Delysium (AGI) with New Listing Events with prize pool of over $30,000 USDT

BingX, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, has announced that it will list Delysium (AGI) on its platform.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 14 April 2023 – To celebrate the listing of AGI/USDT , BingX is running events that will allow users to share a prize pool worth over $30,000.

Caption

The listing of $AGI paves the way for the creation of a virtual universe, inhabited by 1 billion individuals and 100 billion AI Virtual Beings. These digital entities encompass not only virtual versions of ourselves but also companions and Non-Player Characters (NPCs) that can traverse and exist in various settings, including games, communities, and media platforms. Through engaging in natural language dialogues, users can mold and enhance their AI Virtual Being’s personality and abilities, as well as interact with them to grasp the nuances of cryptocurrency, effortlessly trade assets, discover rewarding prospects, and remain at the forefront of potential risks.

To celebrate the listing of Delysium, BingX will be running a series of events. The first event is for users who deposit ≥ 3,000 AGI (about 100 USDT). Users will receive 10% cashback and share a 3,000 USDT prize pool.

The second event is the AGI Trading Competition. During this competition, users who trade AGI on BingX will have a chance to win a share of the $5,000 prize pool.

Ranking Reward (USDT) AGI/USDT Min. Trading Vol.
1 1,500 USDT 200,000 USDT
2 800 USDT 100,000 USDT
3 300 USDT 30,000 USDT
4 to 10 100 USDT/person 10,000 USDT
11 to 50 Users can win up to 100 USDT from the prize pool of 1,700 USDT in proportion to their trading volume. E.g. Assuming User A is the top 11-50. User A rewards = (User A Trading Volume)/(Total Combined Trading Volume of the Top 11-50 Users). 2,000 USDT

BingX users can trade AGI/USDT on the desktop and mobile platform.

Hashtag: #BingX

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About BingX

Founded in 2018, BingX has grown to become the world’s leading social trading platform. It is a global digital asset, spot, and derivatives trading platform that provides a safe, reliable, user-centric, and open ecosystem with intuitive social trading features. BingX offers popular crypto projects like & spots and derivatives to more than 100 countries and regions worldwide with over 5 million user

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HEINEKEN® Partners with Global Korean Actor Park Hyung Sik for New Campaign to Raise Awareness on Overworking and Its Effects on Social Life

According to the latest YouGov survey commissioned by HEINEKEN®, work has been cited as the top reason why Gen Zs and young millennial employees in Singapore and Malaysia ‘ghost’ their friends, significantly impacting their social life and relationship with friends and family. Partnering with Park Hyung-Sik, HEINEKEN® wants to raise awareness and remind employees of the importance of working responsibly and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 14 April 2023 – In our hyperconnected world today, it is easier than ever to connect with employees on their devices. There is a constant pressure to always be available, even while on-the-go, adding on to the hours that an employee overworks. Overworking is also often seen as a good sign of employees being successful in their career, especially in Asia, and this poses a challenge for employees in this fast-paced environment to dedicate time outside of work to socialise.

As a brand that has always stood for creating shared connections with others, HEINEKEN®’s latest Work Responsibly campaign partners with global Korean Actor Park Hyung-Sik to shed light on the overworking culture that is still commonplace in Singapore and Malaysia. Staying true to their enjoyment of life values, through this campaign, HEINEKEN® wants to remind Gen Zs and young millennials to work responsibly and not let their social life down by ‘ghosting’ their friends.

While ‘ghosting’ is a term typically used in dating, the phenomenon of friendship ‘ghosting’ is becoming increasingly common. There are many possible reasons why friends start to ‘ghost’ one another, but according to the latest YouGov survey commissioned by HEINEKEN®, work has been cited as the top reason (45%) why employees in Singapore and Malaysia ‘ghost’ their friends, with family commitments coming in at a close second (34.5%).

As part of HEINEKEN®’s latest #WorkResponsibly campaign, the brand has teamed up with globally renowned Korean Actor Park Hyung-Sik to release an unbranded video depicting paranormal occurrences within a bar setting. The intention behind this creative approach is to pique audience’s attention and lead them towards the campaign’s tongue in cheek tagline which emphasises the idea that a friend consumed by work is nothing but a ghost haunting the bar.

“Through this meaningful project by Heineken, we want to encourage employees to start working responsibly,” says Global Korean Actor Park Hyung Sik. “We should enjoy our social life and not let it be impacted by our work,” Park Hyung Sik added.

According to the survey, 46.5% of employees in Singapore and Malaysia have “ghosted” their friends due to work obligations. 54% shared that because of the lack of work-life balance, it has impacted their life significantly — 64.5% feel burned out at work, while 42.5% revealed that work has caused strains in their relationship with their friends and partners.

A Culture of Overworking and Presenteeism

Over the years, employers have been placing more effort on helping employees achieve work-life balance by implementing benefits such as extended annual leaves, mental wellness day off, and flexible working arrangements. However, the commissioned study by Heineken® shows that 33.5% of Singapore and Malaysia employees still find their social life significantly impacted due to work.

One reason for overworking that’s unique to not just Singapore and Malaysia but the entire APAC region is a workplace culture of presenteeism — the feeling of confusion and guilt over leaving work on time despite finishing the day’s work or feeling obligated to stay back at work until managers or seniors leave.

Employees Are Still Letting Their Social Life Down Due to Work Despite Enhanced Wellness Benefits

59% of employees in Singapore and Malaysia agree that while their employers value work-life balance and encourages them to take time off, they still do not see improvement in their social life and often find themselves ‘ghosting’ their friends due to work. This is because employees (68.5%) find themselves unable to reject extra work given to them — 73% are afraid to reject extra work because they were assigned by their seniors / managers while 41% are afraid that it will affect their promotions as they will be deemed as “lazy”.

Despite 88% of respondents acknowledged the beneficial impact of work-life balance on their social life, and 77.5% of employees in Singapore and Malaysia placing greater importance on achieving work-life balance and a sense of fulfilment, they continue to prioritise work over their social life. However, 88% believe that their organisations could help reduce overworking hours by doing more to encourage employees to have a healthier social life.

Together with Park Hyung-Sik, HEINEKEN® wants to encourage a refresh mindset towards this culture of overworking that is still prominent in Singapore and Malaysia, and remind Gen Zs and millennials of the importance of working responsibly and maintaining work-life balance.

As part of HEINEKEN®’s latest #WorkResponsibly campaign, there will be activations in Singapore and Malaysia to remind individuals to work responsibly and knock off work on time to socialise with friends. In Singapore, Heineken® Silver will be hosting ‘The Ghosted Bar‘ event on 19 April 2023 whereby attendees will have the chance to experience a range of ‘paranormal’ themed activities. In Malaysia, 40 ‘paranormal ghosted bar’ experiences will take place across the country.

“The #WorkResponsibly platform is raising awareness of the sensitive work-life balance issue around the world. Heineken has always encouraged and fostered socialisation and healthy human connections as we feel that workers need to embrace more social and leisure time. We’re thrilled to bring this platform to Singapore and Malaysia as a reminder to leave your duties on time and not let your social life fall behind,” says Bram Westenbrink, Global Head Heineken Brand.

More information on the most recent study commissioned by HEINEKEN® to better understand how overworking has impacted employees’ social life can be found here.

More information on HEINEKEN®’s #WorkResponsibly campaign activations in Singapore and Malaysia can be found here.

Research Methodology

The findings from this release are the result of a survey conducted by YouGov in March 2023. The sample consisted of a nationally representative sample of 1,000+ Singaporeans and 1,000+ Malaysians (aged 18 – 58). Following the completion of the survey, the data was weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the latest population estimates.

Hashtag: #HEINEKEN

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About HEINEKEN®

HEINEKEN® is the world’s most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution, and focused cost management. Through “Brewing a Better World”, sustainability is embedded in the business.

HEINEKEN® has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ over 85,000 employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY).

Most recent information is available on HEINEKEN®’s website: and follow us on Twitter via @HEINEKENCorp.

Keeping Singapore firms and workers at the forefront of AI advancements: Temus and AI Singapore sign MOU to accelerate AI innovation and adoption

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 14 April 2023 – Temus, a digital transformation services company, announced an inaugural partnership with AI Singapore (AISG) at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today.

Matt Johnson, MD Data and AI, Temus, and Laurence Liew, Director of AI Innovation, AISG, at the Temus x MoU signing ceremony on Apr 13, 2023. Witnessing the signing ceremony were (from left) Temus' executives Srijay Ghosh and KC Yeoh, IMDA Chief Executive Lew Chuen Hong, as well as AISG's Deputy Executive Chairman Prof. Mohan Kankanhalli and Director of AI Innovation Laurence Liew.

Matt Johnson, MD Data and AI, Temus, and Laurence Liew, Director of AI Innovation, AISG, at the Temus x MoU signing ceremony on Apr 13, 2023. Witnessing the signing ceremony were (from left) Temus’ executives Srijay Ghosh and KC Yeoh, IMDA Chief Executive Lew Chuen Hong, as well as AISG’s Deputy Executive Chairman Prof. Mohan Kankanhalli and Director of AI Innovation Laurence Liew.

Mr Lew Chuen Hong, Chief Executive, IMDA, was Guest of Honour at the event held at the AISG premises. The strategic partnership aims to accelerate AI innovation and adoption among companies in Singapore, contribute to the National AI strategy and reinforce Singapore’s position as a global AI hub.

Under the MOU, Temus and AISG will collaborate to catalyse digital transformation, promote AI adoption, and develop new AI technologies, solutions, and applications for firms based in Singapore. The partnership will also provide training, resources, and mentorship to nurture local AI talent and support local research projects and initiatives.

Accelerating AI adoption and deployment for Singapore firms

An important aspect of this collaboration is the encouragement of AI adoption and deployment among organisations under AISG’s flagship 100 Experiments (100E) programme. The programme is designed for AI-ready companies with suitable resources and data. To assist companies which lack these prerequisites, AISG partners with Temus which offers guidance on data collection, preparation, and governance. Once AI-ready, companies can utilise AISG’s 100E programme for AI solutions and products and turn to Temus for deployment and maintenance support. Temus’ ‘vision-to-value’ digital transformation capabilities will increase AISG’s capacity to work with organisations to deliver long-term value for business transformation.

An example of such a partnership is in the case of a joint-project with a Singapore-based aviation company. The preliminary stages of this project will see Temus, AISG and the aviation company collaborating to test AI-powered solutions that can make sense of large quantities of unstructured information, leading up to a potential project to drive efficiencies in the company’s contracting and negotiation process.

KC Yeoh, Chief Executive Officer, Temus said, “Temus is delighted to partner with AISG to realise the digital aspirations of Singapore’s enterprises and vision to be a Smart Nation. As AI becomes increasingly ubiquitous in our daily work and lives, we hope to strengthen our digital ecosystem with like-minded partners. We aim to help organisations innovate and transform with AI technology and solutions, which will in turn, unlock economic and societal value for Singapore and beyond.”

Professor Mohan Kankanhalli, Deputy Executive Chairman, AI Singapore said, “In an increasingly digital world, it is imperative that we increase AI-readiness across sectors and industries, so that Singapore can benefit from the immense potential of AI to catalyse change and develop smart technologies will the capacity to transform societies. We are thrilled to work with Temus to build and sustain a trusted AI environment in support of Singapore’s Smart Nation journey.”

Broadening training, adoption, and use of AI and machine learning

This partnership will lead to more 100E projects from Temus’ ecosystem of partners and customers, resulting in more opportunities for Singaporeans to deepen their AI skills in AISG’s AI Apprenticeship Programme (AIAP). The programme allows apprentices to gain hands-on experience in real-world AI deployment projects that aim to address major challenges within public and private sectors.

As part of the partnership, Temus and AISG will also ensure that Singaporean companies remain at the forefront of AI advancements by creating new opportunities for businesses to harness the potential of AI and equipping their leaders with the necessary tools to navigate the digital revolution. This will include jointly delivering AI for Leaders seminars, a by-invite-only monthly event for business leaders and decision-makers to gain industry insights on the latest developments in AI, understand the technology, and have discussions on how AI solutions can deliver better business outcomes.

Matt Johnson and Alan Huang, Temus’ Managing Directors for AI & Data and Transformation respectively, delivered the first joint seminar titled “From Vision to Value”, which shares a vision for the AI enabled enterprise and how leaders can deliver business value with the power of AI.

Johnson said, “Companies are harnessing the power of AI to increase agility, creativity, and engagement, improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experience, increase innovation, manage talent better, and improve risk management. However, it is important to use AI ethically and responsibly and balance automation with human skills and empathy.”

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About Temus

Temus was established by Temasek in partnership with UST, to provide digital transformation solutions for the private and public sectors as we aspire to be a strategic partner in realising the Singapore Government’s Smart Nation vision. We are headquartered in Singapore and have more than 200 employees across a wide range of disciplines in strategy, design, architecture, technology, data & AI.

For more information, please visit .

About AISG

AI Singapore (AISG) is a national programme launched by the National Research Foundation (NRF) to catalyse, synergise and boost Singapore’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to power our future, digital economy.

AISG will also bring together all Singapore-based research institutions and the vibrant ecosystem of AI start-ups and companies developing AI products, to perform use-inspired research, grow the knowledge, create the tools, and develop the talent to power Singapore’s AI efforts.

AISG is driven by a government-wide partnership comprising NRF, the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO), the Economic Development Board (EDB), the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), SGInnovate, and the Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS).

For more information, visit .