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AXA launches new “WealthAhead Savings Plan”

Limited offer plan with ultra-short premium payment term of 2 years
Pay 2 years of premiums in single lump sum
Prepaid premiums enjoy 6.8%p.a. guaranteed preferential interest rate for the 1st year
Projected total cash value reaches up to 315% of total premiums paid in the 20th year

HONG KONG, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — AXA Hong Kong and Macau (“AXA”) introduces the new WealthAhead Savings Plan” (the “Plan”), featuring an ultra-short premium payment term of 2 years, supporting customers in accelerating their wealth accumulation and establishing long-term savings. In the 20th policy year, the projected total cash value exceeds 315% of total premiums paid[1],[2], which is equivalent to a projected total internal rate of return of 6.06% per annum[1],[2]. Customers who pay 2 years of premiums in a single lump sum can enjoy a 6.8%p.a. guaranteed preferential interest rate on the prepaid premiums for the first year[3], thus assisting customers in achieving their financial goals more easily. The plan is a limited offer.

Janet Lee, Chief Life and Health Insurance Officer of AXA Hong Kong and Macau, said: “As the world enters a phase of rate cut, high-interest deposit options are becoming increasingly rare, individuals are seeking other investment tools with higher returns. In response, we are pleased to introduce the ‘WealthAhead Savings Plan’. This plan offers an ultra-short premium payment term of 2 years and diverse financial planning options to suit a range of needs. With highly competitive medium to long-term total returns, it can help customers accelerate wealth accumulation while allowing flexible wealth legacy planning, meeting financial goals at different life stages.”

Four Key Highlights of the Plan:

1.    Ultra-short premium payment term of 2 years with attractive potential returns

The plan offers a benefit period up to age 138 of the insured with an ultra-short payment term of 2 years, enabling customers to expedite their long-term financial planning. Customers can flexibly choose USD, RMB, or HKD as the policy currency based on their individual needs and life plans. The plan also includes guaranteed cash value, non-guaranteed reversionary bonus, and non-guaranteed terminal bonus, which can help customers grow their wealth and achieve their financial objectives. At the end of the 20th policy year, the total cash value is projected to exceed 300% of total premiums paid[2] for all 3 policies currencies. If customers take out a policy in USD and choose to pay 2 years of premiums in a single lump sum, the prepaid premiums will enjoy a guaranteed preferential interest rate of 6.8%p.a. for the first year[3].

2.    Capture gains without setting an aggregate limit on lock-in rate

The plan features a flexible Policy Value Lock-in Option with no aggregate cap[4] on the lock-in rate throughout the policy term, which is a market-rare[5] feature. This allows customers to capture market gains, lock-in their returns and earn non-guaranteed interest. Beginning from the 10th policy anniversary, customers have the option to transfer a portion of the policy’s guaranteed cash value and non-guaranteed bonuses into the Policy Value Lock-in Account. Customers can also withdraw part or all of the value from the Policy Value Lock-in Account at any time, offering greater liquidity for their financial arrangements.

3.    Divide the policy into multiple separate policies for added flexibility

The plan includes the Flexi Segregation Option, which enables customers to transfer a portion of the policy value into a separate policy[6]. Customers can exercise this option as many times as they wish during a policy year and throughout the policy term with no administration fees. This feature enhances efficiency in wealth allocation and creates personalised plans tailored to their specific needs.

4.    Comprehensive legacy scheme enabling generational wealth transfer

The plan offers a range of features to support customers in legacy planning and wealth preservation for future generations, including the “Change of Insured Option,” the “Designation of Contingent Owner,” and the “Flexi Continuation Option”.

  • Change of Insured Option: The policy owner can change the insured for an unlimited number of times. The benefit period will be extended to up to age 138 of the latest insured. This feature allows customers to pass on their legacy to future generations without affecting the policy values.
  • Designation of Contingent Owner: The plan allows customers to designate a contingent owner. In the unfortunate event of the policy owner’s death, the contingent owner can take over as the new policy owner, ensuring the family’s financial security.
  • Flexi Continuation Option [Market-Rare[4]]: The policy owner can designate a contingent insured and pre-assign the allocation percentage for wealth transfer and compassionate benefit. In the event of the insured’s death, the contingent insured will become the new insured. The allocated portion of the policy value will continue to grow for future generations. A compassionate benefit will be paid in a lump sum to the designated beneficiary, providing immediate financial support.

Additionally, the plan offers the market-rare[4] “Superior Death Benefit Option”, which provides a death benefit of at least 130%[7] of the total standard premiums paid (with no additional premium required) and the “Regular Death Benefit Option”. The death benefit will be paid in the unfortunate event of the insured’s passing.

The “WealthAhead Savings Plan” is available for a limited time with limited quota only. For more information about “WealthAhead Savings Plan,” please visit  https://www.axa.com.hk/en/wealth-ahead-savings-plan.

The above information is for reference only. For details on promotional offer and product features, content, terms and exclusions, please refer to the product brochure, policy contract and promotional leaflet.

[1] The policy must be denominated in USD.

[2] The above projected values are for reference only and based on certain assumptions, including but not limited to annual premium payment mode is chosen, all premiums are paid in full when due, no levy on insurance premiums is included throughout the term of the policy, no benefits have been paid and no withdrawals or other policy options have been exercised. These projected values are not guaranteed and are projected based on the Company’s current assumed bonus scale. The actual values may be higher or lower than these projected values.

[3] The policy must be denominated in USD and a one-time payment equal to twice the initial annual premium of the basic plan is required at the time of application. Terms and conditions apply, please refer to the relevant promotional materials for details.

[4] The annual maximum locked-in rate is 50% of the latest policy value.

[5] This comparison is based on participating savings plans with multiple policy currencies offered by major insurance companies in Hong Kong. The comparison references information obtained from the websites of the relevant insurance companies and other data from AXA, as of January 3, 2025.

[6] The notional amount of the split policy and the remaining notional amount of the existing policy must not be less than the minimum amount as may be determined by the Company from time to time.

[7] 130% of the total standard premiums paid is equivalent to 100% plus an extra 30% of the total standard premiums paid.
The extra 30% of the total standard premiums paid is not applicable if the insured’s death happens (a) during the first 3 policy years; or (b) when the initial insured’s age is above 60 (the initial insured’s age is counted from the date of birth of the initial insured up to the date of death of the insured, as if the initial insured were still alive as at the date of death of the insured, regardless of whether or not the initial insured passed away before the insured).

About AXA Hong Kong and Macau

AXA Hong Kong and Macau is a member of the AXA Group, a leading global insurer with presence in 51 markets and serving 94 million customers worldwide. Our purpose is to act for human progress by protecting what matters.

As one of the most diversified insurers in Hong Kong, we offer integrated solutions across Life, Health and General Insurance. We are the largest General Insurance provider and a major Health and Employee Benefits provider. Our aim is to not only be the insurer to provide comprehensive protection to our customers, but also a holistic partner to the individuals, businesses and community we serve. At the core of our service commitment is continuous product & service innovation and customer experience enrichment, which is achieved through actively listening to our customers’ needs and leveraging and investing in technology and digital transformation.

We embrace our responsibility to be a driving force against climate change and a force for good to create shared value for our community. We are proud to be the first to address the importance of mental health through different products and services and thought leading iconic research. Our overall Sustainability Strategy, with emphasis on climate strategy and biodiversity commitment, is developed based on TCFD recommendations. We are committed to integrating environmental, social and governance factors across our business and strive to contribute to a sustainable future through 3 distinct roles – as an investor, insurer and an exemplary company.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS AVAILABLE ON AXA’S WEBSITE: AXA.COM.HK

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained herein may be forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements that are predictions of or indicate future events, trends, plans or objectives. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and can be affected by other factors that could cause AXA’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to Part 4 – “Risk factors and risk management” of AXA’s Universal Registration Document for the year ended December 31, 2019, for a description of certain important factors, risks and uncertainties that may affect AXA’s business, and/or results of operations. AXA undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise, except as part of applicable regulatory or legal obligations.

New Integration, New Trends, New Showcase | Hotel & Shop Plus 2025

SHANGHAI, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The hotel market is booming due to tourism growth and rising living standards. Hotel & Shop Plus 2025, organized by IM Sinoexpo, will connect industry professionals with the latest trends and solutions. It will be held at SNIEC in Shanghai from March 31 to April 3, 2025, focusing on sustainable development and offering comprehensive solutions for hoteliers, designers, real estate firms, engineering firms, operators and distributors.

2025 Various Exhibiting Catalogues

This mega event will gather over 2,100 exhibitors, covering a wealth of products ranging from Building & Decoration, Lighting & Smart Control, Smart Hotel, Whole House Customization Design & Soft Outfit Interior Design, Hotel Furniture, Hotel Supplies & Textiles, Cleaning & Maintenance, Self-service Retail, Sun-shading Material, etc.

JOMOO, COSO, ARROW, TENNE, AGMO, LINGHUI JINGJING, High Sea Sheil, GIMIG, KINGDOM, JIA MAN, SILIAN, SEHOME, BAFANGYAKU, NUOAO, TCL, Hisense, SKYWORTH, Saier Technology, Bittel, Jinhan Lighting, HILITE, Laffy, HUAYI, GROUP GM, L’OCCITANE, LABOTTEGA, LE LABO, TOUREL, NILFISK, Rubbermaid, CDWK, ZYZKION, etc have confirmed to join.

2025 Distinctive Exhibition Area

ISSE Sunshade Area-Global green push boosts shading product demand. The ISSE Sunshade Area in Hall N5 features shading systems, production equipment, smart windows, and innovative materials. Leading firms like Dooya, Wistar, Yuma, Xidamen, Wintom, participate.

Hotel Brand Investment and Franchise Area-The event invites top hotel management groups and design agencies to create new model rooms. This connects investors and franchisees with competitive hotel brands. Confirmed participants include InterContinental, Hilton, Wanda, Huazhu, Kaiyuan, and Shimao.

2025 New Highlights in Design Series

The event will feature new design events with global experts sharing insights. It’s partnering with CREDAWARD to launch the “DJSER • Design Recommendation Zone ” and hold a forum analyzing Gold & Silver Award projects. The LIV Hotel Design Award, organized by the Farmani Group, will also have international hotel groups and top designers gather at the exhibition site to present awards and discuss industry trends in a forum.

Based on events like Design Week Shanghai and Hotel Culture Week, we explored diverse attempts and new expressions. Unique events such as model room showcases, and hotel uniform shows also fostered industry exchange.

Registration and Participation

Register free for Hotel & Shop Plus 2025. Discover trends, network, & seize opportunities at this event. Booths are limited. Don’t miss it!

For queries, email: jade.liao@imsinoexpo.com.

Visit: Hotel & Shop Plus

Register for free: https://reg.hdeexpo.com/?utm_source=media&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=PRNEWSWIRE2

ABBANK invests in Backbase to launch digital banking platform with 100% customer migration in 3 months

ABBANK accelerates customer-centricity for business owners through platform innovation


HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 January 2025 – Backbase, the pioneer in Engagement Banking, has announced that its customer, An Binh Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ABBANK), has successfully launched a new business digital banking platform – ABBANK Business, marking a pivotal step in ABBANK’s commitment to supporting all enterprise segments, enhancing customer-centric digital experiences across Vietnam. With this launch, ABBANK provides business owners with enterprise-grade technology and digital banking capabilities through the Backbase Engagement Banking Platform, leveling the playing field and delivering a seamless, secure platform for business growth and financial management.

This platform adoption represents one of ABBANK’s bold moves in the digital space, simplifying banking for SMEs and entrepreneurs through a fast, secure, app-based service. ABBANK Business delivers three core business values: superior management, fast and secure functionality, and a seamless user experience. Key features for the launch phase include customizable account numbers, quick bill payments for utilities, international money transfers, and a dashboard that provides an easy overview of assets, interest rate updates, and recent transaction information. With the agile working model, the advanced features are under developed in parallel for the optimal customer experience.

Transforming Banking Efficiency and Accessibility for SMEs

The new platform launch follows a seamless three-month migration, during which ABBANK transitioned 100% of its existing business banking clients to the new platform without disruption. Now, 88% of these most active customers use the app as their primary banking channel. Building on Backbase’s Engagement Banking Platform, the app offers SMEs a streamlined, user-friendly experience tailored to the unique demands of business banking.

Building Digital Expertise for Sustainable Growth

Over the last one-year ABBANK has attracted hundreds of talents in technology & data for the digital transformation drive.

“ABBANK Business is a strong testament to our customer centricity strategy, building solutions from insights to meet corporate clients’ needs. The new application makes banking easy, safe and convenient for our clients while enhancing ABBANK’s efficiency and enabling us to achieve transformative SME digital banking goals. Backbase platform, on which ABBANK Business is built, provides such robust architecture we need to deliver for our clients,” said Pham Duy Hieu, CEO, ABBANK.

ABBANK Digital & Data is organized around four strategic pillars – Customer Experience, Data, Technology, and Agile to differentiate ABBANK’s services and enable rapid go-to-market which adapts to evolving customer needs, enhancing the digital experience for SMEs.

“ABBANK’s digital transformation is driven by its collaborative development approach and adaptability. By adopting an anchor platform and establishing a Center of Excellence with in-house expertise, ABBANK has laid the groundwork for successful, sustained digital transformation. Their efforts were recognized with the Excellence in Customer Experience Optimization Award at our annual Customer Engagement Awards in October last year – a well-deserved achievement,” said Riddhi Dutta, Regional Vice President, Asia, Backbase.

Supporting ABBANK’s Vision of Empowering SMEs

ABBANK’s mission is to foster Vietnam’s economic growth by empowering SMEs with essential tools for success. By launching ABBANK Business on Backbase’s platform, ABBANK aims to extend its impact among SMEs and entrepreneurs who prioritize digital convenience and robust financial support. With this milestone, ABBANK reinforces its role as a trusted financial partner for businesses and entrepreneurs in Vietnam, supporting them with the innovation, security, and service levels essential for success in a digital-first world.
Hashtag: #Backbase #digitalbanking #engagementbanking #retailbanking #omnichannelbanking #businessbanking #smebanking #corporatebanking


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

Backbase

Backbase is on a mission to re-architect banking around the customer. We are the creators of the Engagement Banking Platform – a composable platform that empowers banks to accelerate their digital transformation through progressively modernizing their main customer journeys. From onboarding, to servicing, lending and investing, our platform streamlines every aspect of the customer and employee journey. Pre-integrated with leading core systems and cutting-edge fintechs, it enables institutions to unlock innovation at scale, driving instant value creation.

Industry analysts Forrester, Gartner, Celent, Omdia and IDC continuously recognize Backbase’s category leadership. Over 150 financials around the world have embraced the Backbase Engagement Banking Platform. In APAC, the customers we serve include An Binh Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ABBANK), Bank Muamalat, BDO Unibank, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Chinabank, EastWest Bank, HDFC Bank, JudoBank, Vietnam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MSB), MyState Bank, Orient Commercial Joint Stock Bank (OCB), Techcombank, and TPBank.

Backbase is a privately funded fintech company, founded in 2003 in Amsterdam (Global HQ). With its APAC HQ in Singapore, Backbase operates across key regional markets including Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The company also has regional hubs strategically located in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Learn more at .

ABBANK

An Binh Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ABBANK), established in 1993, has developed a strong reputation as a trusted and efficient retail banking institution. Committed to relentlessly enhancing service quality and customer experience, ABBANK continuously invests in building highly skilled, dedicated employees, developing competitive and flexible financial solutions, and improving its infrastructures and capabilities. ABBANK now has a robust nationwide transaction network of 165 branches across 34 provinces and innovative digital banking platforms ABBANK Business and AB Ditizen, serving more than two million customers.

With more than 31 years of establishment and development, ABBANK has consistently been recognized as a trustworthy banking partner for customers, partners, and investors. ABBANK has also earned reputable accolades as a top workplace, both locally and internationally: “Best Places to Work in Asia” by HR Asia for three consecutive years (2020-2022); Top 10 Most Preferred Employers in the Finance – Banking – Securities sector for 2023 by CareerViet.

ABBANK also distinguishes itself through its commitment to social responsibility and sustainable development. The bank actively supports initiatives in education and talent development, healthcare as well as environment protection, demonstrating its long-term dedication and contribution in sustainable community well-being.

note inc. Forms Capital and Business Alliance with Google, Using Generative AI to Further Support Creators’ Activities

TOKYO, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — note inc. has formed a capital and business alliance with Google International LLC to promote the development of new services using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and further support creative activities.

Logos: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108467/202501072496/_prw_PI1fl_O3hNvrV5.png

note has proactively conducted research and development of AI technologies, positioning them as powerful tools to support creative projects. The company has introduced new technologies to its creators, such as providing tools to support their creative activities, and utilized AI for content classification and recommendation systems.

In November 2023, note founded note AI creative inc. as a subsidiary. Following this latest partnership with Google, note is determined to accelerate its efforts to support the creative endeavors of its creators.

About note
note is a media platform where creators post text, images, audio and videos for users to enjoy the content and support them. With a particular emphasis on creating a safe, peaceful environment and ensuring diversity, anyone can pursue their creative passions. The platform has expanded opportunities for both individuals and organizations to interact, come together and cultivate their interests as well as discover unique people. Since the launch of its service in April 2014, approximately 51.07 million works have been posted on the platform. The number of user accounts reached 8.93 million as of November 2024.

URL: https://note.com/

Applications
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/note-noto/id906581110
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mu.note

About note inc.
note inc. establishes a platform for expression and creation with a mission to “Start, and Keep on Creating.” Its media platform, note, supports various works of its creators. On the platform, creators publish their unique works and receive support from their fans and fellow creators through its membership subscription, while shops and brand owners showcase their products in the platform’s store feature. Moreover, corporations and other organizations use the platform’s note pro service to disseminate various information.

Location: 6-6-2, Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083
Date founded: December 8, 2011
CEO and representative director: Sadaaki Kato
Corporate website: https://ir.note.jp/en

ASP APAC’s VP of Commercial Kevin Neo Spotlights Workplace Culture to Drive Well-balanced Growth

SINGAPORE, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Kevin Neo, Vice President of Commercial for APAC (excluding China and Japan) at Advanced Sterilization Products (ASP), is shaping the future of healthcare, beginning with the communities surrounding ASP. Under Kevin’s leadership, the APAC organization of nearly 200 employees is sparking passion and fostering innovation—both within the global ASP family and through cutting-edge infection prevention solutions for healthcare. All this is achieved while steadfastly upholding ASP’s mission to protect patients during their most critical moments.

Kevin at ASP Rest of Asia’s 1st Sterilize & Rise Summit Event in Hanoi, attended by 15 Key Opinion Leaders from 9 Countries
Kevin at ASP Rest of Asia’s 1st Sterilize & Rise Summit Event in Hanoi, attended by 15 Key Opinion Leaders from 9 Countries

Since the massive shift in workplace culture took place in the wake of COVID-19, a healthy work environment became a key factor in determining an organisation’s appeal to prospective employees and employee retention. By aligning culture and an organisation’s purpose, strategies, and business goals, this integral aspect will accelerate growth, improve employee engagement, reduce risk, and futureproof an organisation.

Over the past two years, the ASP APAC Business Kickoffs have become a cornerstone of regional collaboration, uniting teams from 11 countries and regions at this annual event. The most recent kickoff, themed ‘Shaping Our Future Together,’ highlighted significant progress by enhancing engagement and fostering a culture of trust and unity. As we look ahead to the upcoming kickoff in March, this tradition of building meaningful connections continues to thrive.

“Communication and transparency are paramount. We strive to cultivate a culture of trust where everyone feels comfortable collaborating openly. It’s vital for us to listen to our employees’ opinions and maintain an open dialogue about areas for improvement,” said Kevin Neo, Vice President of Commercial for APAC (excluding China and Japan) at ASP. “With six Great Place to Work wins across six countries in 2024, the Fortive Business System (FBS) remains our proven framework for success. It shapes every aspect of our culture and performance, guiding our actions, measuring execution, and driving continuous improvement.”

In addition, ASP places great importance on its annual Fortive Day of Caring activities—a cherished tradition where employees are given a paid day off to dedicate their time and energy to serving their communities and supporting causes they are most passionate about.

“An important part of being an exemplary organisation is our support of the communities where we thrive in. Our ASP culture’s deep desire to make things better gives us a powerful opportunity for our teams around the world to convene and give back in a meaningful way. I strongly believe that we are driven by our guiding principle to give back to our communities and people in need – today and all year long,” he further added.

ASP is committed to promoting work-life balance by offering flexible work arrangements, empowering employees to establish clear boundaries between their professional and personal lives.

Employee growth and development are another vital element to Kevin. Providing the tools and training necessary to support personal and professional development improves employee appreciation while unearthing and embracing employees’ full potential, consequently accelerating the value delivered to customers.

Add your voice and talents to the Fortive/ASP team and make healthcare safer for everyone. ASP is based in Irvine, California, USA with core sites in Everett, Washington, and Schaffhausen, Switzerland plus many more across the globe. 

For more information, visit:
ASP AustraliaNew Zealand: www.ASP.com/en-au
ASP Taiwan region: www.asp.com/zh-tw
ASP Pilipinas: www.asp.com/en-ph
ASP India: www.asp.com/en-in 

About ASP

ASP is a global leader in infection prevention solutions for healthcare. With advanced products, technologies, and workflows for medical sterilization and disinfection, ASP is dedicated to defending the lives of patients, families, healthcare workers, providers, and communities. Advanced Sterilization Products has a strong global presence, currently operating in 11 markets across the Rest of Asia-Pacific region.

Media Contact: ASP Asia Pacific, asiapacific@asp.com

NEXTEER’S FACILITY GRAND OPENING IN CHANGSHU, CHINA EXPANDS ADVANCED STEERING PRODUCTION & VALIDATION

Capitalizes on Company’s APAC Growth Momentum

CHANGSHU, China, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Nexteer Automotive today announced the grand opening of its new facility in Changshu, Jiangsu Province, China, as a strategic expansion of its advanced steering systems manufacturing and testing capabilities.  This expansion positions Nexteer to further capitalize on growth momentum in APAC and meet increasing demand for advanced Electric Power Steering technologies from global and domestic automakers.

NEXTEER’S FACILITY GRAND OPENING IN CHANGSHU, CHINA
NEXTEER’S FACILITY GRAND OPENING IN CHANGSHU, CHINA

Nexteer’s Changshu Campus, spans approximately 137 acres and features state-of-the-art automated production lines, advanced testing and validation laboratories, plus test tracks featuring various road surfaces and environmental conditions.

In addition to increased production and validation capacity, Nexteer’s Changshu grand opening also officially marks expanded production of Dual-Pinion Electric Power Steering systems (DPEPS), including Nexteer’s mPEPS, an innovative modular approach that leverages existing building blocks for affordable, fast-to-market, flexible and scalable steering systems – while maintaining safety and performance excellence. 

“The opening of Nexteer’s Changshu Campus is an important step in capitalizing on our growth momentum in APAC and globally. This new facility will greatly enhance our production and validation throughput, efficiency, competitiveness and customer responsiveness,” said Robin Milavec, President, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, CSO and Executive Board Director of Nexteer Automotive. 

APAC’s automotive market is quickly evolving alongside megatrends such as electrification, connectivity, software-defined vehicles and more. Consequently, our customers’ need for the most advanced motion control solutions that are affordable, fast-to-market and flexible – also continues to grow and become more complex. 

“Nexteer’s expansion in Changshu strengthens our APAC market position and supports economic development via technological and industrial transformation. This not only aligns with the high-end, intelligent and green development direction of the manufacturing industry advocated by China’s New Quality Productive Forces, but also supports Nexteer’s vision to be the leading motion control technology company accelerating mobility to be safe, green and exciting,” said, Jun Li, Global Vice President & APAC Division President of Nexteer Automotive. 

Nexteer’s Changshu facility grand opening is one element of an overall strategy that balances a global footprint of manufacturing, technical centers and customer service centers to support more than 60 vehicle manufacturers globally. The company’s footprint spans five continents, with regional production and technology centers located in close proximity to OEM customers and digitally connected globally for optimal efficiency and collaboration across time zones and technical specialties. 

ABOUT NEXTEER AUTOMOTIVE

Nexteer Automotive (HK 1316) is a global leading motion control technology company accelerating mobility to be safe, green and exciting. Our innovative product and technology portfolio includes electric and hydraulic power steering systems, steer-by-wire systems, steering columns and intermediate shafts, driveline systems and software solutions. The company solves motion control challenges across all megatrends – including electrification, software/connectivity, ADAS/automated driving and shared mobility – for more than 60 customers around the world including BMW, Ford, GM, RNM, Stellantis, Toyota and VW, as well as automakers in India and China including BYD, Chery, Great Wall, Geely, Xpeng and others. www.nexteer.com 

Press Kit Link to Images 

Network People Services Technologies Applauded by Frost & Sullivan for Providing Cutting-edge Digital Payment Technology and for Its Market-leading Position

NPST’s innovative technology underscores its commitment to advancing digital payment adoption to meet diverse user needs, and its strategic adaptability establishes it as a pivotal player in India’s financial ecosystem.

SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan recently researched the payment technology industry and, based on its findings, recognizes Network People Services Technologies Ltd. (NPST) with the 2024 Indian Company of the Year Award. 

The company provides banking solutions and payment processing infrastructure that interconnect financial entities within the broader banking and fintech sectors.
The company provides banking solutions and payment processing infrastructure that interconnect financial entities within the broader banking and fintech sectors.

Its core mission is to provide cutting-edge digital technology to all entities in the financial value chain, ensuring robust support at every stage of the payment process. The company provides banking solutions and payment processing infrastructure that interconnect financial entities within the broader banking and fintech sectors. 

Listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) SME platform, NPST has significantly shaped India’s digital payments landscape. Its solutions span digital banking, payment switching and processing, merchant acquiring, and RegTech offerings, catering to banks, payment aggregators, merchants, and TPAPs. 

With a forward-looking vision encapsulated in its NPST 2.0 strategy—Innovate, Transform, and Grow—the company is driving technological advancements in areas like fraud detection, real-time lending, and embedded payments, enabling transactions through ERP and smart devices such as vehicles, smartwatches, and meters. 

NPST is making significant investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to enhance its payment solutions. NPST’s Risk Intelligence Decisioning Platform, a cutting-edge AI-driven operations engine, is supported by a comprehensive data lake that consolidates transaction data. This advanced system allows for the real-time identification of high-risk transactions and merchants. It includes tools designed to enhance compliance and mitigate fraud, such as a merchant trust score, a customer transaction score, and chargeback fraud prevention.  

Additionally, the company’s flagship EVOK 3.0 Payments Platform as a Service provides a comprehensive solution for aggregators, gateway providers, and merchants. Covering the entire payment life cycle—from transaction processing to risk management—EVOK 3.0 integrates AI and ML to offer advanced capabilities like multi-bank intelligent routing and predictive fraud intelligence, ensuring efficient management of high transaction volumes.  

Other groundbreaking innovations include: 

  • PayJoy:  Seamless access to real-time UPI credit in a country with low credit card penetration. 
  • Bill Direct:  Bill Aggregation engine for deeper penetration in payment collections. 
  • TimePay Cash:  Enabling cash withdrawals using QR codes at local stores. 
  • UPI Circle:  Expanded digital payment access through shared accounts.
  • Contextual Payments: Enhanced customer checkout experience.
  • UPI Lite Auto-Top Up: Automatically replenishing UPI Lite accounts, ensuring users have sufficient transaction funds.  

Rahul Agarwal, Associate director for growth advisory at Frost & Sullivan, observed, “NPST’s achievements, including pioneering online merchant dispute resolution in India and expanding its platform to offer value-added services like AI-powered fraud detection and real-time lending, set it apart in the industry. Its diversification into non-banking financial companies and third-party application providers highlights a well-rounded growth strategy.  

NPST consistently prioritizes customer experience, fostering long-term relationships and demonstrating its commitment to client satisfaction and growth. The company’s focus on exceptional service is reflected in the loyalty of some of its clients, with critical partnerships spanning over a decade.   

The company is also working to improve payment acceptance infrastructure via access to affordable devices, (QR and SoundBoxes) while integrating AI and ML capabilities to enhance, efficiency, and scalability. These investments support growing transaction volumes and help NPST maintain its competitive edge in facilitating wider digital payment adoption. The company’s emphasis on client relationships, digital literacy, and social responsibility underscores its role as a payment technology leader and its commitment to broader economic and social contributions.   

The company’s financial performance reflects strong growth, with revenues increasing from INR 41 crore in fiscal year (FY) 2023 to INR 130 crore in FY 2024, and EBITDA rising from INR 12 crore to INR 43 crore during the same period. NPST’s strategic adaptability establishes it as a pivotal player in India’s financial ecosystem, drives economic growth, and promotes financial inclusion across the country.  

NPST’s advances towards international expansion and transitions to the National Stock Exchange of India main board with emphasis on transparency, governance, and continual innovation, cementing its position as a leader in the global payment technology industry. The company’s exceptional performance, forward-thinking strategies, and commitment to customers and societal impact make it a deserving recipient in India’s payment technology sector,” added Norazah Bachok, best practices research analyst at Frost & Sullivan. With its strong overall performance, NPST earns Frost & Sullivan’s 2024 India Company of the Year Award in the payment technology industry.” 

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents a Company of the Year award to the organization that demonstrates excellence in terms of growth strategy and implementation in its field. The award recognizes a high degree of innovation with products and technologies, and the resulting leadership in terms of customer value and market penetration. 

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.  

About Frost & Sullivan 

For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, megatrends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact us: Start the discussion

Contact: Tarini Singh 
E: tarini.singh@frost.com 

About NPST
Founded in 2013, NPST is a PayTech firm listed on the NSE Small and Medium Exchange. A leader in digital banking and payment processing solutions, NPST is dedicated to advancing the digital payments ecosystem by delivering cutting-edge technology solutions to banks, fintechs, and other industry players. The company’s offerings include online and offline transaction processing, banking super apps, fraud prevention, dispute management, and compliance technology.

NPST’s mission is to drive the growth of businesses, individuals, communities, and economies. With over 100 clients and processing more than 60 million transactions daily, NPST continues to make a significant impact on the digital payments ecosystem. To learn more about NPST and its award-winning solutions, please visit www.npstx.com

Contact: Vanita D’souza
E: vanita.dsouza@npstx.com

 

Kearney appoints Varun Arora as new Managing Partner for Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 January 2025 – Global management consultancy Kearney has appointed Varun Arora as its new Managing Partner for Southeast Asia, effective 1 January 2025, as the firm continues to accelerate growth across the region. Mr Arora succeeds Nithin Chandra, who has led the unit since 2022.

Varun Arora, Managing Partner for Southeast Asia
Varun Arora, Managing Partner for Southeast Asia

Based in Singapore, Mr Arora will oversee Kearney’s Southeast Asia operations, which span key markets including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. In his new role, he will be responsible for driving client impact, expanding market opportunities, and nurturing the next generation of consulting talent across the region.
The Southeast Asia unit, which Kearney established in 1990 with its entry into Singapore, supports clients across a wide spectrum of industries. These include technology, telecommunications, consumer goods, retail, healthcare, financial services, energy, automotive, transportation, and process industries.
A Kearney Original with over 17 years at the firm, Mr Arora brings extensive experience in strategic growth and digital transformation. He most recently led the firm’s Communications, Media, and Technology (CMT) practice in Southeast Asia – the largest practice in the Southeast Asian unit – as well as Kearney’s growing Digital & Analytics practice at the Asia-Pacific level. Mr Arora has a proven track record of delivering results for clients across various markets and cultures in Southeast Asia, and growing high-performance teams.
Commenting on the appointment, Shigeru Sekinada, Region Chair of Asia Pacific, said, “I am delighted to welcome Varun as the next leader of our Southeast Asia unit. With his deep expertise, collaborative leadership style, and vision for growth, I am confident that he will continue to propel Kearney’s success in this dynamic region by promoting a purpose-driven culture focused on enhancing societal well-being. Southeast Asia remains a cornerstone of our Asia-Pacific growth strategy, and Varun’s leadership will ensure we continue to deliver exceptional results for our clients and our people.”
Reflecting on his new role, Varun Arora, Managing Partner for Southeast Asia, said, “Southeast Asia is brimming with potential, driven by its diverse workforce, vast innovation capabilities, and growing economy. I am excited to lead Kearney’s efforts in this vibrant region and look forward to collaborating with our clients and the team to unlock growth opportunities and deliver meaningful impact for businesses and communities.”
Mr Arora’s appointment follows an exceptional tenure by Nithin Chandra, during which the Southeast Asia unit achieved record performance and expanded its presence in new markets. Under Mr Chandra’s leadership, Kearney opened its Philippines office in Manila in 2022, and expanded its Bangkok office in Thailand in 2024 as part of the firm’s next stage of growth in Southeast Asia. Mr Chandra will continue to play an integral role at Kearney, focusing on strategic initiatives and client growth.
This appointment also comes as part of regular leadership rotations in Kearney’s Asia Pacific office, alongside the appointment of Siddharth Jain as the Managing Partner and Country Head for India, effective 1 January 2025.

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About Kearney

Kearney is a leading global management consulting firm. For nearly 100 years, we have been a trusted advisor to C-suites, government bodies, and nonprofit organizations. Our people make us who we are. Driven to be the difference between a big idea and making it happen, we work alongside our clients to regenerate their businesses to create a future that works for everyone. To learn more about Kearney, please visit