Brush-tailed porcupine at a zoo in Hanoi, Vietnam (Wolfgang Dreier)
Although the consumption of wildlife is a time-honored tradition in Laos, as well as many other parts of the world, in an era of globalization marked by pandemic disease and species loss, it is a habit that humanity can no longer afford, writes Evan Dixon.
Cambodia’s health ministry has said it will not be commencing a vaccination campaign against the monkeypox virus unless World Health Organization (WHO) guidance deems vaccinations necessary.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach – 10 August 2022 – The 2022 iSee Gastronomy Forum, organized by the iSee Taiwan Foundation that commits itself to acquainting the world with Taiwan’s beauty and value, unveils today at Kaohsiung Exhibition Center. At the invitation of the Ministry of Culture, the Foundation is building on the previous year’s great success and once again hosting a summit dialogue, leveraging the expertise of gastronomic masters from around the world to explore the sustainability of terroir and cultural strength. The Forum brings to life an exquisite experience that highlights the extraordinary value of Taiwan’s culture and cuisine.
Masters at the 2022 iSee Gastronomy Forum (clockwise from top): Thomas Bühner, Gilles Compañy, Florian Guillemenot, Wu Chien Hao, Daniel Negreira, Thomas Chien,and Don Chen.
In the spotlight are seven gastronomic heavyweights. German 3 Michelin Star Chef Thomas Bühner and Don Chen, Chief Executive of the iSee Taiwan Foundation, kick the Forum off with in-depth discussion on “Creating Value through Terroir.” Followed by Gilles Compañy, Executive Chef & Culinary Academic Director Le Cordon Bleu Japan, who sheds light on the importance of global gastronomy. Florian Guillemenot, Patisserie Teaching Master Chef of Le Cordon Bleu Taiwan-NKUHT, presents French pastries blended with a flavor unique to Taiwan. Local chef Thomas Chien, 2021 Green Dining Guide Champion Award winner, and Spanish chef Daniel Negreira, a recurrent name on the MICHELIN Guide recommendation list, join hands for a demonstration of fine dining only fitting to the elegance of Taiwan’s distinctive terroir and cuisine. Newly added to this year’s agenda is “iSee Gastronomy Stage”, an event specially made accessible to the public. Wu Chien Hao, chef of the beloved Taiwanese eatery A SHA Restaurant, interprets how cuisine distinctive of this land attests to the beauty of its terroir. Separately, industry-academia collaboration among Kaohsiung Farmers League, National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism, and others is set to further flavor this exciting event that has so much to offer.
Hashtag: #iSeeTaiwanFoundation
The iSee Taiwan Foundation
The Foundation’s vision is to become an essential portal for the world to see Taiwan via cultural tourism. www.iseetaiwan.org/en/
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 10 August 2022 – For Fall 2022, TUMI explores the concept of “Future Earth.” Looking towards the new world, TUMI reexamined its innovations to help better every journey – and the planet. Technical and material innovations are only the beginning. TUMI’s goal is to reduce the ecological footprint it leaves behind while increasing the impact it has on its clients’ lives. TUMI achieves this through timeless designs that run parallel to its mission of creating built-to-last products that remain in the world for generations to come.
19 Degree Aluminum International Carry-on in Truffle/Saffron
“It is more important than ever for us to understand the world we live in and take responsibility for what we create to coexist within it,” says TUMI Creative Director, Victor Sanz. “We will continue fortifying our core strengths by marrying technology and the digital space with sustainable innovations. We’ve also examined the natural landscape for inspiration on color and texture. We are creating our future Earth.”
Exemplifying this commitment is TUMI’s assortment of hardside carry-ons and packing cases, including their iconic 19 Degree collection. In aluminum, TUMI introduces a new ombre colorway that is both contemporary and classic.
A special sustainable edition of 19 Degree polycarbonate travel collection launches, with shells and linings made with recycled materials. Matte finish with speckling throughout is a first for the collection.
Tegra-Lite Collection in Sky Blue
Travel is a key focus for the brand as it knows the world is ready to travel again. The new Tegra-Lite travel collection is sleeker than ever and will be available in carry-on, short trip and extended trip sizes. Each will have the option of an included front pocket to streamline travel even more. What truly sets this collection apart, while also tying it into TUMI’s commitment to sustainability, is the introduction of components made from recycled materials with enhanced durability, and TUMI+ accessory compatibility.
TUMI+ is an ecosystem of add-ons that enhance the carrying capacity and function of select styles. It grows this season with even more additions that will help uncomplicate any journey.
Alpha Bravo Collection in Grey/Quilting
TUMI expands upon its Alpha Bravo collection with new colors and fabrications. The collection channels its signature go-anywhere, do-anything energy with a lightweight, minimalist collection featuring core styles reimagined in neutral, textured nylon fabric. Its design language is distilled from classic puffer styling and the idea of adding even more protection for your belongings with visible cushioning.
For the business and commute-oriented, TUMI debuts its most compact backpack yet, the Harrison William. Similarly versatile is the Port Weekend Duffel that has its place in the gym and on the road. TUMI also launches Harrison bestsellers in upcycled leather, holding true to their commitment to sustainability.
TUMI and longstanding partner McLaren take their collection one step further creating pieces that reflect their shared value of high-performance design. The core pieces of the collection will be launched in CX6 carbon fiber. Known for its exceptional strength, carbon fiber enhances the strength of each silhouette and elevates modern appeal.
TUMI continues its foray into the world of women’s bags with delicate prints, palettes and silhouettes. Pink Metallic, Zinc and Beetroot are some of the colorways coming in for Fall.
Voyageur Carson Backpack in Beetroot/Emboss
19 Degree International Expandable Carry-On in Beetroot
Voyageur shows off its sophisticated side with three new leather bags. The Liv Backpack can either be worn as a backpack or carried as a tote, making it the quintessential everyday bag. The spacious Adrian Carryall brings a stylish new attitude to Voyageur Leather. The Helena Crossbody comes with a delicate gold chain strap that is removable, so the bag can also be worn as a clutch or a wristlet.
With a focus on wellness and adaptability, TUMI brings another innovative yoga bag to their lineup. The Yoga Sling Tote effortlessly converts from a crossbody sling that’s sized to hold a yoga mat, into a modern, oversized tote.
Since 1975, TUMI has been creating world-class business, travel lifestyle, and performance luxury essentials designed to upgrade, uncomplicate and beautify all aspects of life on the move. Blending flawless functionality with a spirit of ingenuity, we’re committed to empowering journeys as a lifelong partner to movers and makers in pursuit of their passions. The brand is sold globally in over 75 countries with upwards of 2,000 points of sale.
Study further examines the challenges organisations face in managing CIAM solutions, and the benefits of adopting digital-first strategies
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 10 August 2022 – Okta, Inc. (NASDAQ: OKTA), the leading independent identity provider, today announced the results of IDC’s Asia/Pacific Customer Identity and Access Management 2022 Survey commissioned by Okta. The study explores the dynamics of managing customer identity and access in a digital world, including the challenges that these organisations face, and how digital-first organisations fare against their peers. IDC surveyed senior and mid-level management personnel in IT and lines of business across 750 organisations in Asia Pacific (APAC) in April 2022 for this study.
The study revealed that the pandemic has either accelerated or highlighted the need for digital-first strategies, with 72% of APAC organisations realizing the need for digital-first strategies, and another 21% having already anticipated the need for such strategies prior to the pandemic. This awareness has led to widespread adoption of customer identity & access management (CIAM) solutions, with 56% of digital-first leaders having already deployed CIAM, and another 32% planning deployment in the next 12-24 months.
However, the study also revealed a low level of CIAM maturity among organisations, where only 34% of digital-first leaders and 14% of digital-first followers have adopted an advanced approach towards CIAM. An advanced CIAM approach is defined in the study as an approach where customer identities are managed via a CIAM platform with full integration to enable 360-degree customer overviews in order to deliver a highly personalized experience. Digital-first leaders with a high level of CIAM maturity show better business outcomes such as customer acquisition, customer loyalty, digital talent attraction and retention, and time to market for new products and services.
“Enterprises are leaning more into digital-first strategies as evidenced by this study, and one of the most important strategies that CEOs in this region have identified is to leverage pent up demand from customers and consumers by improving on digital product and services experiences. CIAM is fundamental to delivering a seamless experience whilst keeping customers’ service experiences around assurance intact.” said Linus Lai, Vice President, Software and Services APEJ at IDC.
“Organisations today need to embrace digital-first strategies to succeed in the hyper-competitive digital economy. A well-integrated, secure and seamless CIAM solution is the key to ensuring the most optimal digital user experience for customers and end-users,” said Philip Goldie, Vice President and Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand at Okta.
“Organisations need to level up their CIAM deployments in order to reap the full benefits that it brings, such as better customer satisfaction, business agility and resilience against an ever-evolving cyber threat landscape.” said Ben Goodman, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Asia Pacific Japan at Okta.
From digital transformation (DX) to digital-first
IDC predicts in a separate report that by 2022, more than half the global economy will be based on or influenced by digital technologies[1]. To compete and succeed in this increasingly digital world, enterprises must adopt a digital-first strategy. The study revealed that digital-first leaders are more likely to prioritise customer satisfaction, business agility, and innovation beyond traditional metrics such as revenues. Such priorities naturally put customer experience (CX) at the forefront of a digital-first strategy.
Digital-first leaders are more likely to report an improvement versus their peers in customer satisfaction and retention, beyond traffic and support volume. According to the IDC study, digital-first organisations reported 8-12% higher performance across all customer metrics, compared to their peers.
Challenges of managing identity and access
Digital-first organisations are re-imagining ways to improve productivity and digital experiences across the whole ecosystem involving vendors, partners, customers and suppliers. However, these transformations brought up a number of challenges, especially around customer identity verification and access security. The top three challenges highlighted in the study include difficulty defending against malicious attacks (9%), combining customer access through multiple channels (9%), and managing customer privacy content (9%).
Securing the digital identities of customers as well as the larger ecosystem participants is considered table stakes in ensuring the success of a digital-first strategy. Hence, investments in CIAM technologies have become a necessity to enable a secure and personalised digital experience. CIAM solutions provide organisations with better visibility to ward off cyber threats across systems, allowing for better defence from malicious cyberattacks.
Digitally mature countries are more focused on security and CIAM investments
Countries across the Asia/Pacific region fare differently in terms of digital maturity. Australia (67%), Singapore (66%) and New Zealand (60%) were the top three regions with a strong digital-first strategy in place. In addition, regions with higher percentages of digital-first organisations are also more likely to consider CIAM as a top priority investment for their organisation. New Zealand (90%), Australia (87%) and Singapore (72%) were among the top regions that considered CIAM as a top priority.
CIAM solutions often result in a range of tangible benefits for organisations that choose to invest in them. According to the survey, the top three business benefits that these organisations have achieved by investing in CIAM solutions are operational efficiency (22%), improved security posture (19%), and enhanced customer experience (17%).
Okta’s The Role of Customer Identity Management in a Digital-First World white paper can be downloaded at this link.
Okta is the leading independent identity provider. The Okta Identity Cloud enables organisations to securely connect the right people to the right technologies at the right time. With more than 7,000 pre-built integrations to applications and infrastructure providers, Okta provides simple and secure access to people and organisations everywhere, giving them the confidence to reach their full potential. More than 15,800 organizations, including JetBlue, Nordstrom, Siemens, Slack, Takeda, Teach for America, and Twilio, trust Okta to help protect the identities of their workforces and customers.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 10 August 2022 – Southco Asia Ltd., a subsidiary of Southco Inc., a leading global provider of engineered access solutions such as locks, latches, captive fasteners, electronic access solutions and hinges/ positioning technology has recently expanded its successful E6 Constant Torque Position Control Hinge series to include a corrosion-resistant cast stainless steel version that provides superior durability in harsh outdoor environments. With its stylish, highly polished finish and powerful holding torque, the E6 Constant Torque Position Control Hinge features a refined look and provides long lasting, maintenance-free performance.
E6 Stainless Steel Hinge
E6 Constant Torque Position Control Hinges provide reliable positioning with consistent operating efforts and eliminate the need for gas struts or other secondary support components to hold doors or panels in position. Southco’s E6 Constant Torque Position Control Hinges are preset during the manufacturing process and guarantee performance without adjustment for the lifetime of most applications.
Global Product Manager Stewart Beck adds, “The stainless steel E6 Constant Torque Position Control Hinge is a premium product that provides maximum corrosion resistance and a stylish, polished appearance. The ergonomic and attractive E6 Hinge is ideal for marine, medical and food equipment applications.”
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Southco
Southco, Inc. is the leading global designer and manufacturer of engineered access solutions. From quality and performance to aesthetics and ergonomics, we understand that first impressions are lasting impressions in product design. For over 70 years, Southco has helped the world’s most recognized brands create value for their customers with innovative access solutions designed to enhance the touch points of their products in transportation and industrial applications, medical equipment, data centers and more. With unrivalled engineering resources, innovative products and a dedicated global team, Southco delivers the broadest portfolio of premium access solutions available to equipment designers throughout the world.
Southco Asia Limited 2401, Tower 2, Ever Gain Plaza 88 Container Port Road, Kwai Chung Hong Kong
www.iseetaiwan.org/en/ 
www.TUMI.com. 
