The acquisition will further strengthen the global Smart Industry leader’s footprint in the Life Sciences industry, enabling it to provide clients with enhanced services offerings.

ZURICH, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Akkodis, a global digital engineering company and Smart Industry leader, today announced that it has acquired US-based Raland Compliance Partners, LLC (Raland), a specialist provider of quality and regulatory compliance services to the Life Sciences industry. This expansion will enable Akkodis to deliver even more value to its clients in this key industry.

Akkodis Acquires Raland Compliance Partners and Expands Life Sciences Consulting Capabilities

Raland was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices and resources strategically placed across the country to serve its clients. Over the past 23 years, the company has become a well-regarded provider of services to pharma, biotech and medical device verticals with a high standard of performance and an international client portfolio. This acquisition will expand the organization’s consulting services footprint and expertise in the Life Sciences & Healthcare industry in the US and around the world. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Raland’s talented team to the Akkodis family,” said Mike Small, US Country President, The Adecco Group & President, Akkodis NA. “The company’s proven expertise and leadership in the Life Sciences sector perfectly complement our vision of driving innovation and transformation in this critical industry. This acquisition is a significant step forward in expanding the breadth and depth of our consulting services and solidifying our ability to deliver exceptional value to clients worldwide.”

Kevin McLeod, Head of Engineering at Akkodis/Entegee added, “Having worked alongside Raland in various capacities over many years, my team has seen firsthand their outstanding reputation and deep knowledge in medical consulting services. This acquisition opens exciting opportunities for collaboration within our Life Sciences segment and across the broader Akkodis portfolio.”

Tom Rynkiewicz, Vice President, Life Sciences Regulatory and Quality Assurance, Raland, commented, “We are honored to join the Akkodis family, marking a pivotal moment for our company. I am immensely proud of our talented team of experts who have consistently delivered excellence in quality and regulatory compliance services, establishing a strong presence within the Life Sciences sector.” He continued, “This acquisition positions Raland to continue to provide our uncompromised level of service to existing customers and to deliver greater innovation, scalability, and impact across a broader spectrum of client needs.”

The transaction closed earlier this month.

Media contacts

Anne Friedrich
SVP, Global Head of Communications, Akkodis
E. anne.friedrich@akkodis.com

Lisa Bushka
VP, External Communications, Akkodis
E. lisa.bushka@adeccogroup.com

About Akkodis 

Akkodis is a global digital engineering company and Smart Industry leader. We enable clients to advance in their digital transformation with Consulting, Solutions, Talent, and Academy services. Headquartered in Switzerland and part of the Adecco Group, Akkodis is a trusted tech partner to the world’s industries. We co-create and pioneer solutions that help to solve major challenges, from accelerating the clean energy transition and green mobility, to improving user and patient centricity. Empowered by a culture of inclusion and diversity, our 50,000 tech experts across 30 countries combine best-in-class technologies and cross industry knowledge to drive purposeful innovation for a more sustainable tomorrow. We are passionate about Engineering a Smarter Future Together. akkodis.com | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X 

About the Adecco Group

The Adecco Group is the world’s leading talent company. Our purpose is making the future work for everyone. Through our three global business units – Adecco, Akkodis and LHH – across 60 countries, we enable sustainable and lifelong employability for individuals, deliver digital and engineering solutions to power the Smart Industry transformation and empower organisations to optimise their workforces. The Adecco Group leads by example and is committed to an inclusive culture, fostering sustainable employability, and supporting resilient economies and communities. The Adecco Group AG is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN). www.adeccogroup.com

Gender balance at the top of the world’s largest organizations a key driver of business

HORP Announces 2025 World Tour of Break the ceiling touch the sky® – the success and leadership summit for women

SINGAPORE, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — House of Rose Professional Pte. Ltd  (HORP) –  global leaders in executive leadership development, today announced the 2025 Break the ceiling touch the sky® 101 Best Global Companies for women in leadership Index (BTC 101 Global Index) – HORP’s proprietary, annual listing of the world’s 101 best large global companies for women in leadership based on the measurement of gender diversity across the Boards and Executive leadership teams of the world’s 500 largest Companies by annual revenues.* 105 Companies feature in the 2025 BTC 101 Global Index as some companies tied for the 101 ranks.

HORP also announced the opening of plans for its 2025 World Tour of Break the ceiling touch the sky® – the success and leadership summit for women, with editions of the summit planned for the Americas, Asia, Middle East & Africa, Europe, and its climax World Edition in Q4 of 2025.  Each summit edition brings together the most successful organizations in that geography across business categories to accelerate their business impact by exchanging cross-industry best practices on leadership, gender balance and success. Since 2015 a total of 39 international editions of the summit have been held across the world with over 1000 C-suite executives and allies leading. Companies that wish to partner with the 2025 World Tour of Break the ceiling touch the sky® can sign up directly at www.houseofroseprofessional.com and potential sponsors can email interest to anthony@houseofroseprofessional.com

The BTC 101 Global Index is the annual study for  House of Rose Professional’s Mission 2029 for a Better World – the 10-year global initiative which kicked off in mid-2020 to shape a better world via better gender balance, better leadership and better business at the world’s largest Companies. For the 2025 BTC 101 Global Index, over 10000 executives were reviewed across the Boards and exec management teams of the world’s 500 largest Companies to arrive at a composite gender diversity score for each of the 500 Companies. The full list of the Companies that made it to the Top 101 ranks can be viewed at www.houseofroseprofessional.com

Key takeaways from the 2025 BTC 101 Global Index: 

The world’s largest and most successful companies are winning via more gender balanced leadership: Gender diversity is accelerating at the Board and C-suite of the world’s largest and most successful Companies. The entry-point gender diversity composite score for the BTC 101 Global Index moved up from 22.2% in 2020 (first year of the BTC 101 Global Index) to a significant 35.71% for the  2025 BTC 101 Global Index.  One in three Board executives and exec team executives of the lowest ranked company on the 2025 BTC 101 Global Index is female – up from 1 in 5 just 5 years ago! The top 10 companies on the Index all enjoy near perfect gender balance across their Board and leadership teams!

Companies on the 2025 BTC 101 Index were more successful in delivering revenue vs. non-Index  Companies (viz. more gender-balanced led Companies are more successful then less gender-balanced led Companies): Over 66% of the Companies that appeared on the 2025 BTC 101 Global Index grew revenues versus previous year, as compared to Non-Index Companies – only 56% grew revenues versus previous year).

Companies across Industries are leading on gender balance and its positive impact: The 2025 BTC 101 Global Index was led by companies representing a diverse group of industries including Diversified Financials, Food & Drug Stores, Commercial Banks, Petroleum Refining, Pharmaceuticals, Speciality Retailers and Insurance, Telecommunication, etc indicating the broad impact of women in leadership. 

USA, Europe and Australian-headquartered Companies led the 2025 BTC 101 Global Index with US-headquartered Companies (43), France (14), Britain (13), Germany (8), Canada (7), Australia (5), Switzerland (5), Netherlands (3), China (2), Spain (2). Italy, Japan and Portugal each had one company place in the 2025 BTC 101 Global Index. 

Asia continues to lag  on gender balance with obvious potential and opportunity ahead to unleash gender-balanced leadership: Asia had just  3 Companies (China – 2, Japan -1) in the 2025 BTC 101 Global Index. With over 200 of the world’s 500 largest Companies currently headquartered in Asia this reflects an urgent opportunity for Global Companies to actively gender-diversify their regional and country leaderships and unleash the full impact of a diverse workforce.

Women are leading at the very highest level, but there is an enormous gap and huge opportunity for gender balance at the CEO level: The number of Female CEOs in the world’s 500 largest Companies rose from 14 in 2020 to 29 in mid 2024 but dropped to 27 at the time of writing this release, indicating the incredible gap in today’s business environment where a majority of graduates globally are female, a majority of purchasing decisions are reportedly influenced by women yet under 6% of  the world’s 500 largest  Global Companies are led by a Female CEO.

Anthony A. Rose, Chairman and CEO, House of Rose Professional  and best-selling author of “Break the ceiling touch the sky: success secrets of the world’s most inspirational women” commented:  “Gender-diverse led companies are financially more successful, better employers, greater innovators, and better corporate citizens. The 2025 BTC 101 Global Index underlines the increasing business impact of gender balanced leadership and can be used as a benchmark for Companies of any size. Congratulations to all the Companies on the 2025 BTC 101 Global Index. For Companies not on the 2025 Index, we have created a cost-effective, simple means by which you can  benchmark  your leadership gender balance versus the BTC 101 Global Index by securing your Company’s  “Gender Balance Benchmark Sheet at www.houseofroseprofessional.com The House of Rose Professional team also stands ready with a team of highly experienced international executives to help you build your leadership pipelines and help you attract, develop and unleash the best leaders on your business.”

House of Rose Professional Pte. Ltd. (HORP) is the global leader in executive leadership development and provides international services in the areas of Talent (BeliEVE® and Dream Job International®), Training (Break the ceiling touch the sky®) and Transformation (CEOSmith®).   HORP has since 2014  enabled over 45000 women leaders and several thousand other leaders to greater success across over 450 global organizations. 

Notes:
*Fortune Global 500 2024, Aug 2024. 
All observations must be viewed in context that the smallest Company for 2024 in the FG500 had an annual revenue of 32 Billion USD. Smaller Companies are not considered for the 2025 BTC 101 Global Index but can easily benchmark using the HORP Gender Balance Benchmark Sheet.

MEDIA, CUSTOMER INQUIRIES:
Anthony A. Rose, House of Rose Professional at anthony@houseofroseprofessional.com

DAWOS, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, also known as the Davos Conference, kicked off on January 20^th in Davos, Switzerland. This year’s meeting, themed ” Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,” has attracted nearly 3,000 global leaders from over 130 countries and regions to address key global and regional challenges. Zhong Baoshen, Chairman of LONGi and Eric Luo, Vice President of LONGi, attended the conference as representatives of Chinese solar photovoltaic enterprises. They shared the latest developments and future trends of the solar energy industry with numerous political elites and business leaders.

On the afternoon of January 21^st, Zhong Baoshen attended the Ideas Hub session themed “Solar: Beating All Expectations” and delivered a speech. Vice President Eric Luo shared insights from the perspective of a leading solar photovoltaic (PV) enterprise, highlighting how exponential growth in the solar PV industry has injected new momentum into achieving global climate goals.

Zhong Baoshen introduced that the photovoltaic industry has achieved remarkable development, not only experiencing exponential growth but also playing a significant role in the energy transition process. “From 1954 to 2022, it took 68 years to surpass the first terawatt, while the second terawatt was achieved in just two short years. This highlights the rapid development of the solar industry in recent years. The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that by 2030, the global installed capacity of solar PV is expected to exceed 4,000 gigawatts (GW). However, I personally believe it will surpass 5,000 GW.”

Nowadays, the cost of solar PV systems has dropped to approximately 1/820 of what it was in 1975. Eric Luo highlighted the world records set by LONGi in 2024, including a 27.30% efficiency for monocrystalline silicon solar cells and a 34.6% efficiency for crystalline silicon–perovskite tandem solar cells. He emphasized that LONGi’s relentless commitment to technological innovation has not only boosted conversion efficiency but also reduced the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). These efforts have significantly bolstered the global push towards achieving net-zero emissions.

Zhong Baoshen pointed out that the installed capacity of solar PV will see a several-fold increase in just a few years, with its development speed far surpassing previous expectations. Solar PV is now an unstoppable force, becoming the core driving element of the global energy transition and profoundly reshaping the global energy landscape.

While achieving technological innovation, LONGi has also actively promoted innovation in intelligent manufacturing. At the 2024 Davos Conference, LONGi’s Jiaxing Base became the only “Lighthouse Factory” in the global photovoltaic industry. Eric Luo introduced that LONGi has extensively adopted new technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), big data, artificial intelligence, and digital twins in the Lighthouse Factory, successfully implementing over 30 digital use cases. This has effectively propelled the photovoltaic industry’s leap from “manufacturing” to “intelligent manufacturing” and further demonstrated the huge potential of digital transformation in the field of solar photovoltaic manufacturing.

Ten years ago, the energy sector was confronted with the so-called ‘Energy Trilemma,’ which posited that environmental protection, economic viability, and energy security could not be achieved simultaneously. However, rapid technological advancements, especially significant breakthroughs in the solar photovoltaic (PV) field, have completely transformed this situation. Today, solar PV has become one of the most reliable, affordable, and sustainable base energies in the global energy system.

While meeting the world’s growing energy demands, solar PV has also created more possibilities for the widespread adoption of emerging green energies such as energy storage technologies, green hydrogen, green ammonia, and green methanol. The extensive application of solar energy has further propelled the global deep decarbonization process, making significant contributions to combating climate change and achieving global sustainable development goals. This has elevated the development of the energy sector to a new level for humanity.

Eric Luo, drawing on the current innovation trends in solar photovoltaics, believes that solar energy will become increasingly intertwined with technologies such as energy storage, transportation, architecture, and smart grids in the future. For instance, integrating solar energy with energy storage can effectively address the intermittency of photovoltaic power generation, ensuring a stable electricity supply. The fusion of solar energy and architecture has given rise to Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), which not only meets the energy needs of buildings but also feeds surplus power back into the grid, enabling more efficient energy utilization.

“Through continuous innovation in the integration of these technologies, we can attract more industries to collectively drive the global energy system towards a more intelligent and sustainable future. Solar photovoltaics will pave the way for a cleaner, more efficient, and more reliable energy future for humanity.” Said by Eric Luo.

It is the collective efforts of the global industry that have driven a holistic transformation in the solar photovoltaic sector, spanning application scenarios, technological innovation, cost-effectiveness, and intelligent manufacturing.

“The future of solar energy will not only exceed expectations but also become a key force for the harmonious development of the global economy and environment. Let us work together to contribute more possibilities to the realization of the global net-zero goal.” Zhong Baoshen concluded.

About LONGi

Founded in 2000, LONGi is committed to being the world’s leading solar technology company, focusing on customer-driven value creation for full scenario energy transformation.

Under its mission of ‘making the best of solar energy to build a green world’, LONGi has dedicated itself to technology innovation and established several business sectors, covering mono silicon wafers cells and modules, commercial & industrial distributed solar solutions, green energy solutions and hydrogen equipment. The company has honed its capabilities to provide green energy and has more recently, also embraced green hydrogen products and solutions to support global zero carbon development. www.longi.com

MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Australian Open (“AO”), one of the world’s premier Grand Slam tennis tournaments, is underway at Melbourne Park starting from January 6. Haier, a global leader in home appliances and consumer electronics, is proud to announce its partnership as the official TV and home appliance sponsor for the AO and the Summer of Tennis events from 2025 to 2027. This collaboration marks Haier’s first partnership with the AO, signaling a long-term commitment to innovation, sustainability, and enhancing consumer experiences.

Haier and the Australian Open: A Perfect Match of Vision and Values

Haier’s first foray into the AO partnership embodies shared values of a relentless pursuit of excellence, a consumer-centric approach, and a dedication to sustainability. Haier’s technological leadership in the home appliance sector mirrors the world-class performance and cutting-edge experience that the AO brings to millions of fans globally. While the AO leads the way in green sports initiatives with its healthy and energetic spirit of lifestyle, Haier, too, has positioned itself as a pioneer in ecological innovation, offering energy-efficient products that minimize environmental impact.

Li Huagang, Senior Vice President of Haier Group and Chairman and CEO of Haier Smart Home, stated, “This partnership with the Australian Open marks a critical step in our globalization efforts, showcasing our commitment to sports and innovation.”

Haier’s Expanding Presence in Australia

Though this is the first collaboration between AO and Haier, the Australian market has always held a pivotal role in Haier’s journey of global brand expansion.

From Haier’s first step into the Australian market in 2002, to its acquisition of Fisher & Paykel, which later became one of Haier’s top 10 R&D centers, Haier has gone from strength to strength in the Australian and New Zealand markets (“ANZ market”).

Haier’s impressive growth trajectory in the Australian market has been driven by its commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative products tailored to local preferences. The Australian market has particularly been receptive to Haier’s high-tech, energy-efficient solutions that cater to the diverse needs of consumers. From comprehensive upgrading in-store displays at The Good Guys (“TGG”), to launching the H20 New Platform Dishwasher and breaking into the HVN channel, Haier’s product lineup continues to evolve and exceed consumers’ expectations.

Amidst the highly competitive landscape of the Australian market, Haier successfully broke through with its dual-brand strategy, achieving a sales share of 17% and securing the leading market position for dual brands, reflecting a strong consumer base and rising brand awareness. In 2024, Haier ranked No.1 in the ANZ market.

Haier’s Strategic Expansion in Europe: A Global Vision in Action

Haier’s performance in the ANZ market is merely a microcosm of its global branding strategy.

Haier places significant emphasis on the diverse needs of overseas users and the unique characteristics of regional markets by applying the 3-in-1 strategy (localized R&D, manufacturing, and marketing), which integrates resources from institutions across various countries.

One prime example of Haier’s innovation is the Haier Langjing X11 washing machine, a high-performance appliance line that combines superior energy efficiency with cutting-edge design. In regards to energy scarcity and high prices in Europe, X11 was launched with its eco-friendly technology features and enhanced energy-saving capabilities, offering 50% energy savings compared to Europe’s rigorous A-class standards. The success of the X11 Series has made it one of Haier’s flagship product lines in Europe, contributing significantly to the brand’s growth in the region.

Haier has successfully established itself as a leading brand across multiple European countries. In the first half of 2024, Haier Europe’s revenue grew by 9.2%, with Haier Europe being a fast-growing appliance company in the region for 8 consecutive years. Globally, Haier has been Ranked No.1 Major Appliances Brand for 16 consecutive Years according to Euromonitor.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Initiatives: Haier and the Australian Open’s Shared Commitment to Sustainability

The partnership between Haier and AO highlights both organizations’ commitment to environmental responsibility. Together, Haier and AO are championing a greener future for both sports and lifestyle, driving positive change for the environment and community around the globe.

During the AO, Haier is showcasing a range of eco-friendly products, offering visitors an immersive experience that promotes a greener and healthier lifestyle, extending sustainable living from the tournament into everyday lives.

Meanwhile, Haier has always regarded practicing ESG principles as an integral part of its corporate strategy. On November 28, 2023, Haier Smart Home was the only Chinese home appliance company to win the SMI “Earth Charter” badge. On January 18, 2024, it was named one of the UK’s Best Employers, the only home appliance brand to earn this honor in two consecutive years.

Just as sports transcend borders, Haier’s vision of a better life knows no boundaries. The company commits to creating a better intelligent life for all, across the world.

HONG KONG, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) in collaboration with the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT), and Digital Policy Office of the HKSAR Government, successfully hosted the “HKCERT Capture the Flag Challenge 2024” (CTF Challenge) on 20-21 January. The event attracted over record-making 1,300 participants from renowned teams across the Chinese Mainland, other parts of Asia, Europe, and the United States, setting. Since 2020, HKCERT has organised the CTF Challenge for five consecutive years, expanding its scale annually and becoming one of the most influential cyber security events in Hong Kong.

Mr. Edmond LAI, Chief Digital Officer of HKPC said, “The CTF Challenge aims to provide an international platform for exchange, enhancing participants’ cyber security skills comprehensively and nurturing future cyber security talent for Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. With the rise of emerging technologies such as AI and big data, cyber security has become a critical issue. These emerging technologies could potentially be used by hackers, making the cultivation of ‘ethical hackers’ increasingly important. We look forward to seeing more emerging cyber security stars shine on the CTF stage and become the backbone of the cyber security field, further solidifying the foundation for the city’s digital transformation.”

Mr. Daniel CHEUNG, JP, Deputy Commissioner (Digital Infrastructure), Digital Policy Office, presented the awards jointly with Mr. Lai to the winners and said, “The CTF Challenge not only recognises the participants’ remarkable achievements and talent in both offensive and defensive cyber security, but also provides a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and networking. The Digital Policy Office will continue to encourage the information technology sector to actively support cyber security talent development, with a view to addressing the increasingly complex cyber landscape, and collectively promoting Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology hub.”

Elites Showdown to Advance Global Cyber Security Collaboration

This year, the CTF Challenge saw over 1,000 participants for the third consecutive year, with 149 overseas teams registering, including two guest teams from the Chinese Mainland and two teams known as the “United Nations Team,” competing on the same stage, further strengthening talent exchange and collaboration in cyber security. One international team is ranked among the world’s top 50, and another has claimed seven global CTF championships. The CTF Challenge has received industry acclaim for five consecutive years, with its rating on the internationally renowned CTF competition platform CTFTime steadily rising for four years, proving its increasing recognition and influence in the global CTF community.

Three local teams and one team from the Chinese Mainland won the finals, capturing gold in the secondary school, tertiary, open, and international categories. The “Best School Award” was won by Diocesan Boys’ School in Hong Kong. For the full list of winners and more information about the event and competition details, please visit the CTF Challenge 2024 website.

The international champion team, r4kapig, stated, “This competition provided us with valuable learning and practical opportunities, exposing us to many new knowledge areas and attack-defense techniques. It was our first time competing in Hong Kong, with members from Guangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Chengdu. The event adopted a hybrid model, offering an excellent exchange platform, allowing us to engage in in-depth technical exchanges and share experiences with Hong Kong and international players. In the future, we will consider pursuing careers in the cyber security industry and continue to delve into this field.”

Diverse Activities to Nurture Local Cyber Security Talent

Following the CTF Challenge, a seminar was held, inviting several cyber security experts to discuss hot topics such as how cyber defense exercises can complement traditional security testing, security risks and considerations in AI applications, and the latest trends in cyber threats. They also provided career advice for young people aspiring to enter the IT industry. The event was sponsored by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and OffSec, offering participants the chance to win online cyber security courses sponsored by OffSec, the course covers basic offensive and defensive techniques, networking, scripting, application and operating system security, and business-related skills.

Note: The CTF Challenge has four categories: secondary school, tertiary, open, and international. The top five teams in each category from the preliminary round held in November last year advanced to the finals, making a total of 20 elite teams, including 15 local secondary school, tertiary, and open teams, and five internationally renowned CTF teams from Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

About Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre

Managed by the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT) is the centre for coordination of computer security incident response for local enterprises and Internet Users. Its missions are to facilitate information dissemination, provide advice on preventive measures against security threats, and promote information security awareness. 

HKCERT collaborates with local bodies to collect and disseminate information, and coordinate response actions. HKCERT is also a member of the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) and the Asia Pacific Computer Emergency Response Team (APCERT). We exchange information with other CERTs and act as a point of contact for cross-border security incidents. 

For more information, please visit HKCERT’s website: www.hkcert.org

About Hong Kong Productivity Council

The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a multi-disciplinary organisation established by statute in 1967, to promote productivity excellence through relentless drive of world-class advanced technologies and innovative service offerings to support Hong Kong enterprises. As a nationwide leader in innovative, market-driven research and development (R&D) internationally, specialising in leading technologies and all-rounded manufacturing services, HKPC promotes new industrialisation in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area and facilitates the development of new productive forces, leveraging innovation and technology (I&T), as well as bolstering Hong Kong to be an international innovation and technology centre and a smart city. The Council offers comprehensive innovative solutions for Hong Kong industries and enterprises, enabling them to achieve resources and productivity utilisation, effectiveness and cost reduction, and enhance competitiveness in both local and overseas marketplace. The Council partners and collaborates with local industries and enterprises and world-class R&D institutes to develop applied technology solutions for value creation. It also benefits a variety of sectors through product innovation, technology transfer, and commercialisation, bringing enormous business opportunities ahead. HKPC’s world-class R&D achievements have been widely recognised over the years, winning an array of local and overseas accolades.

In addition, HKPC offers SMEs and startups immediate and timely assistance in coping with the ever-changing business environment, and strengthens talent nurturing and Hong Kong’s competitiveness with FutureSkills training for enterprises and academia to enhance digital capabilities and STEM competencies.

For more information, please visit HKPC’s website: www.hkpc.org/en.

Jointly promoting “Leave-No-Trace” hiking and environmental conservation

HONG KONG, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The 32^nd Green Power Hike, organised by Green Power and title sponsored by AXA Hong Kong and Macau (“AXA”), successfully took place on 11 January. As one of Hong Kong’s longest-running charity hiking and trail running events, the hiking event attracted close to 2,800 participants who competed in 10km, 25km, and 50km races.

AXA, serving as the title sponsor for the second consecutive year, demonstrated robust support with multiple teams participating, including employees, financial consultants, distribution partners and customers, all promoting “Leave-No-Trace” hiking principles and biodiversity conservation. Additionally, AXA’s volunteer team members actively served as event volunteers and cheerleaders, exemplifying the Company’s united spirit in supporting the event.

On the day of the event, distinguished guests including Dr. Jackie Yip, Assistant Director (Country Parks) of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department; Ms. Sally Wan, Chief Executive Officer of AXA Greater China; Ms. Angela Wong, Chief Marketing and Customer Officer of AXA Hong Kong and Macau; Mr. Johnny Mok, Alternate Chief Executive from Habib Bank Zurich (Hong Kong) Limited; Mr. Ivan Tam, MH, Chairman of The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers; Dr CB Leung, Chairman of The Hong Kong Private Hospitals Association; Mr. Ellis Ip, Council Member of The Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies; Ms. Siu Wan Sheung, Activator of Green Power; and Dr. Cheng Luk Ki, Director of Green Power, jointly officiated the 50km race’s kick-off ceremony, cheering on the participants. This year, the Green Power Hike successfully raised over HKD 4.5 million, which will be entirely dedicated to environmental education and ecological conservation initiatives.

AXA participants competed in various categories, including the 10km Green Team category, and the 10km, 25km and 50km routes of the HKFI Cup and Team categories, as well as the Male and Female Individual categories. AXA’s teams proudly secured first and third places in the 50km route of the HKFI Cup and 10km Team category, as well as first place in the 25km route of the HKFI Cup with a record-breaking time.

Sally Wan, Chief Executive Officer, AXA Greater China, said, “AXA is dedicated to promoting environmental protection and sustainable development while actively advocating for healthy lifestyles. Hiking is a wonderful activity for rejuvenating the body and mind. At the same time, it is essential that we make every effort to protect the natural ecosystems of our environment, ensuring their sustainable development. By supporting the Green Power Hike, we aim to unite efforts from all sectors to advance environmental education. We believe that true sustainable development can only be achieved on the foundation of environmental protection. AXA will continue to fulfil its corporate citizenship responsibilities, contribute to Hong Kong’s green initiatives, and work together towards a more environmentally friendly future.”

With the mission to act for human progress by protecting what matters, AXA strives to be a comprehensive partner for individuals, businesses, and communities through providing comprehensive protection and innovative products. We are dedicated to promoting green and sustainable lifestyles and fulfilling our commitment to sustainable development.

For more highlights of the 32^nd Green Power Hike, please visit: https://youtu.be/urfoNavDxSY 

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

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