The Singapore-based multinational technology company is strengthening its position as the most popular food delivery app in SE Asia, even if the superapp is not growing as fast as before, says a new report.
Ai-Generated Cat Mistaken for Sculpture in Vietnam
An image of a cat that went viral in Vietnam, believed to be a sculpture marking the year of the cat, has turned out to be an AI-generated image.
Sangthong to Host Rice Stack Festival in January
Officials of Vientiane’s Sangthong district will organize the rice stack festival also called Boun Kongkhao between 27-29 January in Nachalern village.
Chubb Appoints Hng Keng Yoong to Lead its General Insurance Business in Singapore
In her new role, Keng will have overall responsibility for the business and financial performance of the operation across all lines of business, which comprises property and casualty, accident and health and personal lines insurance. She will also oversee all affinity partnerships. Keng will report to Edward Ler, Executive Vice President and Head of Southeast Asia for Chubb.
Keng has extensive experience in both life and general insurance. Her 20-year career spans across Asia and the United Kingdom. Since joining Chubb in 2010, she has worked in various capacities within its Regional Accident & Health, Finance, and Strategic Planning teams in Asia Pacific based in Singapore.
According to Edward, “Keng is a seasoned insurance executive who has consistently demonstrated strong acumen and strategic leadership. A talented individual who has grown her career with Chubb, I’m confident that Keng’s expertise will strengthen Chubb’s position as a leading general insurer in Singapore. She will certainly enable us to deepen and optimize our relationships with important strategic partners in the region.”
Hashtag: #Chubb
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Chubb
Chubb is the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide.
Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com.
dobiQueen Launches 6-Hour Laundry Service
The First-Ever Door-To-Door Fastest Laundry Pick-Up Service in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 19 January 2023 – dobiQueen, the innovative, premier self-service laundry provider in Malaysia, is excited to officially announce the launch of its new “6-Hour Laundry Pick-Up.” The first of its kind in Malaysia, this service allows customers to have their laundry picked up, cleaned, and returned to them in as little as six hours. It is perfect for the New Year season spring cleaning of curtains, duvets, and larger launderable items.
With dobiQueen’s new 6-Hour Laundry Pick-Up, time-starved individuals are now able to unburden themselves from the stresses of everyday chores with a service that seems almost miraculous. For those wishing they can simply place their dirty laundry outside their door, to be picked up and cleaned, and returned fresh and folded within hours – that is now a reality. Fast, easy, and processed entirely online, all orders for the new service can be fulfilled within six hours, or at another convenient time, if placed before 12:00 p.m.
“At dobiQueen, we are intensely focused on solving our customers’ problems, and we believe that finding a solution is always possible. Other innovations we have implemented include our free transfer from washing machine to the dryer as we noticed our customers wanted to run errands, and the half-hour transfer was a huge hassle and deeply disruptive,” says Nini Tan, the CEO, and Co-Founder of dobiQueen.
“That’s why I’m thrilled to announce our new 6-Hour Laundry Pick-Up, perfect for those last-minute spring cleaning needs. We’ve tested the delivery window extensively over the past few months, and I am now confident to claim to be the first to be able to deliver this offering in the market. I’d like to invite all to come and experience the convenience and efficiency of dobiQueen in this festive period.”
As a company that prides itself on being the first in providing perfume-smelling laundry services at affordable prices, dobiQueen uses only high-quality detergents and softeners. Combined with their commercial-sized washing machines that can handle large pieces like duvets and blankets, your garments are ensured to be laundered to the highest standards. The new laundry pick-up is no exception to this commitment. In addition to the new service, dobiQueen offers a range of laundry services, including wash and fold, washer-to-dryer transfers, and more.
With Chinese New Year just around the corner, now is the perfect time to take advantage of the new 6-Hour Laundry Pick-Up to prepare the home and the wardrobe for the festive season ahead. The brand operates over 72 outlets in the Klang Valley, making it easy for customers to find a location that is convenient for them. For more information about dobiQueen and its services, visit www.dobiqueen.my.
Just in time for Chinese New Year, dobiQueen is providing a special Spring Cleaning Offer. This exclusive promotion includes four laundry bags (wash & dry only) for the price of three that can fit up to four 32kg machines capable of laundering large items, from bedsheets and comforters to cushion and sofa covers, and more.
Originally priced at RM140, this promotion is available at RM99 for a limited time only. To learn more about dobiQueen’s Spring Cleaning Offer, visit delivery.dobiqueen.my.
Hashtag: #dobiQueen #6HourLaundry
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About dobiQueen
YouBiz research reveals key trends and challenges facing Southeast Asian SMEs in 2023
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YouBiz has launched its first white paper on spend management, with analysis of over 60,000 business transactions from over 4,500 companies, and surveys with over 160 SME executives in Southeast Asia today.
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The press release highlights emerging spend insights YouBiz uncovered and how spend management will be the key growth driver for SMEs in 2023. For more information on the 2023 Business Spend Insights report by YouBiz, please visit: https://www.you.co/biz/2023-biz-spend/
- Reducing operational costs emerged the top business priority among all SMEs surveyed
- Over 85% of SMEs are exposed to currency fluctuations as cross-border transactions increase with the acceleration of global expansion plans
- As borders reopen, SME travel and entertainment spend increased by 2X in the last two quarters of 2022
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 19 January 2023 – YouBiz, the SME spend management platform by YouTrip, launched its first whitepaper studying emerging business spending trends and key business priorities for SME in 2023. Titled ‘2023 Business Spend Insights: Keys to SME Success in Uncertain Times’, the report analyses over 60,000 business transactions from over 4,500 companies, and surveys with over 160 SME executives in Southeast Asia.
Reducing operational costs was identified as the top priority for SMEs as macro conditions for 2023 remain uncertain. As borders reopened last year, business travel resumed and companies doubled their travel and entertainment spend in the last two quarters of 2022. Cross-border payments also surged, with more than 7 in 10 SMEs facilitating foreign currency transactions monthly as they worked with overseas suppliers and partners to establish operations in new markets. This has however led to a spike in overall operating costs.
“In our conversations with SMEs, the issue of reducing operational costs and spend management surfaced numerous times. YouBiz understands that as companies emerged from the pandemic, they grew even more prudent in the face of continued economic uncertainties. And as borders reopened, the increase in cross-border payments drove greater urgency and need for better spend management,” said YouTrip Co-Founder and CEO Caecilia Chu.
“As a valuable and reliable partner of SMEs, YouBiz is committed to helping businesses harness their full potential by uncovering spending trends, challenges and considerations, as well as showcasing best practices and case studies in our in-depth report, to help companies better forecast and manage their business spend for the year ahead,” she added.
Reducing operational costs is imperative in the face of economic uncertainties
Reducing overall operational costs emerged the top business priority for SMEs in 2023 as business leaders ready themselves for impending challenges and volatility ahead, despite the positive economic growth in the region.
Among SMEs surveyed, reducing operational costs (40%) takes precedence over the development of new products and services (30%), improving real-time spend management (17%) and finding new supply chain partners (10%).
But as borders reopen, SMEs are hungry for new growth opportunities overseas
Global business travel is expected to reach US$1.4 trillion in 2024, a year sooner than forecasted. SME owners are riding this resurgence of business travel, increasing their travel and entertainment (T&E) spending by 2X in the last two quarters of 2022. This upward trend is projected to continue into the first quarter of 2023.
Based on the report findings, companies in the professional services industry (35%) invest the most in business travel. Executives of these companies are keen to budget more for travel spend to expand sales in new markets and reinforce partnerships that have been affected by the lack of face time during the pandemic.
Over 85% of SMEs are exposed to FX fluctuations with the increase in cross-border payments
With easier and quicker access to payments in most foreign currencies globally, SMEs are able to venture into overseas markets without compromising on their rate of growth, operational efficiency and cashflow. 56% of SMEs surveyed regularly transact with foreign currency including card spend, making and receiving payments – with more than 90% transacting S$50,000 or more.
However, 86% of SMEs face exchange rate fluctuations on their frequent transactions in foreign currencies. Without the necessary tools to hedge against foreign currency fluctuations, SMEs are likely to incur opportunity costs as a result of overestimating or underestimating their overseas expenses – impacting the overall operational costs of working with overseas partners.
Leveraging spend management tools reduces operational costs and builds business resilience
Adopting the right spend management solution enables SMEs to have real-time control of various budgets, and the tools to effectively manage FX fluctuation risks that arise from cross-border payments. This is essential as YouBiz estimates 8 in 10 SMEs do not have full visibility on company spend. SMEs are also looking out for easy-to-use, affordable and convenient solutions that are complementary to their business operations and support the various foreign currencies they frequently transact in.
Caecilia added, “As SMEs evaluate the myriad spend management tools in the market, YouBiz aims to advise them on the key areas of spend management and resource optimisation, and share with business owners timely insights that will propel their growth to the next level.”
For more information on the 2023 Business Spend Insights report by YouBiz, please visit: https://www.you.co/biz/2023-biz-spend/
Hashtag: #Fintech #SME #SMEs #Business #Spend #CorporateSpend #B2B
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About YouBiz
Launched in 2022, YouBiz is the leading multi-currency corporate card and spend management platform for SMEs. Built by YouTrip, a first-mover in the Southeast Asian fintech and digital payments space, YouBiz provides SMEs and startups with an easy-to-use, convenient and affordable spend management platform to power their cross-border payment needs and global expansion plans.
Today, YouBiz is one of the fastest growing spend management fintechs and a reliable partner for SMEs as they accelerate their business growth with the best in market exchange rates, at zero FX fees.
For more information, please visit www.you.co/biz
China to Debut State-Owned Ride-hailing Platform
China is to launch a government-owned transport platform that will incorporate ride-hailing and flight services, according to state media.
Thai Men Arrested with Nearly 1 Million Amphetamine Pills from Laos

Police in Nong Khai Province, Thailand, arrested two men for smuggling almost a million amphetamine pills from Laos via the Mekong River on Sunday.