A first for Medtronic in Asia, the center will harness leading-edge healthcare technology to create a worldwide interconnected training and knowledge ecosystem for better patient outcomes

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 17 November 2022 – Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), a global leader in healthcare technology, today launched the Medtronic Customer eXperience Center (MCXC) in Singapore, leveraging innovative healthcare technologies across extended reality (XR), augmented and virtual realities, and robotics, to connect the global healthcare community from anywhere, at any time.

A first for Medtronic in Asia, MCXC’s network capabilities will bring together Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) from around the world to ideate, share, and learn through state-of-the-art virtual technologies. It also provides them with access to immersive learning experiences, round-the-clock remote training, and future healthcare technologies and innovation.

“Today’s event serves as an important milestone,” said Medtronic Chairman and CEO Geoff Martha. “Technology and innovation are the only ways to address today’s rapidly evolving healthcare environment. Our focus on addressing unmet patient needs through the application of biomedical engineering, and our collaboration with clinicians across Asia, will only be strengthened through the new Customer Experience Center. I look forward to the ongoing partnership with Singapore, as the region continues to gain momentum as a healthcare hub for Asia. Together, we can deliver on the Medtronic Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life for millions – across Singapore, Asia, and the world.”

“The launch of MCXC demonstrates the strength of Singapore’s healthcare and innovation ecosystems, which companies like Medtronic can leverage to elevate the standard of care across Asia-Pacific. The new facility puts Singapore in a strong position to serve as an important medical education node for the region, while also creating exciting job roles for Singaporeans,” said Goh Wan Yee, Senior Vice President & Head (Healthcare), Singapore Economic Development Board.

Bringing HCPs closer to the technologies of the future

The 22,000 sq foot MCXC will act as a one-stop healthcare technology hub for HCPs around the world to receive training on advanced innovation and medical treatment procedures.

One example is MCXC’s remote XR cardiac training platform, which presents simulation through virtual technologies, giving HCPs an immersive experience on the latest medical devices firsthand without the need to be physically present.

The virtual hands-on training will also provide HCPs with access to knowledge sharing resources and opportunities that are focused on skills improvement and capabilities building, resulting in better patient outcome in the digital age.

“The opening of the MCXC in Singapore marks an important step forward for Medtronic. The center will provide HCPs access to a conducive learning space, a shared community, and an environment for co-creation and innovation. We want to empower the HCPs of tomorrow to be future-ready and this can only come with capability building. MCXC signifies how innovation can transcend physical boundaries using simulators and telepresence technology to provide round the clock virtual hands-on training and learning opportunities,” said Diana Tang, Vice President, Global Commercial Operations and Customer Experience at Medtronic.

Dr. Lavie Golenberg, Director and Head of MCXC said: “MCXC is our first ever customer experience center and Singapore’s focus on the development of Medtech, together with its infrastructure and support for companies establishing their presence here makes it an ideal location for such innovation centers. MCXC aims to spearhead industry-wide efforts to harness leading-edge healthcare technologies for better patient outcomes. We look forward to bringing the global healthcare community together through this technology-focused ecosystem to connect, collaborate, and learn about what it means to perform patient care in the digital age.”

Hashtag: #Medtronic

About Medtronic Customer eXperience Center

Please scan the QR code below to get to http://www.medtronic.com/mcxc

About Medtronic

Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic.

Medtronic plc, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions.

Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life —unites a global team of 90,000+ passionate people across 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary.

For more information on Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), visit www.Medtronic.com and follow @Medtronic on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Please scan the QR code below to get to

History of Medtronic

Please scan the QR code below for a history on Medtronic at https://asiapac.medtronic.com/xp-en/about/history.html

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 Anniversary Edition is released in celebration of 30 years of ThinkPad and limited to 100 units in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 17 November 2022 – Lenovo Singapore today announced the arrival of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 30th Anniversary Edition. With limited units available in Singapore, the Anniversary Edition ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 is powered by 12th Gen Intel® Core™ vPro® processors and features commemorative 30th Anniversary Edition etching and exquisite design touches throughout, transforming the way people work, live, and play with smarter technology. The numbered units have a commemorative serial number.

These numbered units include a woven carbon fiber top cover with a special retro logo, special silk print 30th Anniversary Edition lettering, recyclable packaging, special edition stickers, retro TrackPoint caps, and a collector’s booklet.

To further mark the celebration, the packaging is 100 percent compostable and engineered from rapidly renewable bamboo and sugarcane fiber. The whole package is wrapped with a paper band detailing the history of ThinkPad, realizing Lenovo’s commitment to operate a globally sustainable business with innovation in packaging design.

The Anniversary Edition ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 features redesigned keys for better airflow and a new rear exhaust ventilation. With hybrid and remote work going mainstream, this ThinkPad comes with thoughtful touches like a redesigned camera, which comes in the form of a new Communications Bar, making it perfect for on-the-go business professionals and students to meet their evolving needs and demands.

Nigel Lee, General Manager of Lenovo Singapore, said, “The Anniversary Edition ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 reflects Lenovo’s passion for delivering products with sophisticated aesthetics, thoughtfully designed with purpose to craft better user experiences, and renowned engineering to deliver innovative products that challenge convention. As we celebrate 30 years of ThinkPad with 200 million units sold globally since 1992, there is no doubt in my mind our customers feel the same way. As ThinkPad evolves and revolutionizes modern laptops, Lenovo will continue to lead and enable the intelligent transformation driven by customer feedback, building customer centricity from within with Smarter Technology for All as we look ahead and imagine the future of.”

The limited-edition ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (from S$3,688) is now available for online pre-order. Until 30th November 2022, each online purchase will come with a limited-edition sleeve designed by Bynd Artisan made entirely from sustainable, eco-friendly materials, as well as a ThinkPad X1 Mouse (total worth S$304). Sign up for a free LenovoPRO account now to receive a T-shirt designed by Hong Kong illustrator, Felix Ip, upon purchase (Terms and conditions apply). Available while stocks last. For more information on LenovoPRO, please visit the LenovoPro website.

Separately, from 24th November 2022, purchase on Lenovo Flagship Store, Atrix Dynamic, Best Denki, and Harvey Norman and get a free 32″ G32C-10 QHD Curve Gaming Monitor (worth S$544, limited to the first 100 units). The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 will be also available for in-store purchases at all licensed retailers and Lenovo retail stores on the same day.

Building on ThinkPad’s legacy of transforming modern laptops, the ThinkPad P14s Gen 2 (from S$2,219), Lenovo’s most portable mobile workstation, combines 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors and NVIDIA® professional graphics. Perfect for highly mobile power users, the P14s Gen 2 strikes the balance between power and mobility – allowing students, architects, and engineers to be creative anytime, anywhere. On the other hand, the ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 (from S$2,563) feature stunning and progressive designs while delivering outstanding video conferencing and epic battery life. Users can experience rich detail and color on a non-touch WUXGA panel, low power with 100 percent sRGB colors available.

Hashtag: #Lenovo

About Lenovo

Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$70 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #171 in the Fortune Global 500, employing 75,000 people around the world, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company by further expanding into key growth areas including server, storage, mobile, solutions and services. This transformation together with Lenovo’s world-changing innovation is building a more inclusive, trustworthy, and sustainable digital society for everyone, everywhere. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com,and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

Leading manufacturer of seating solutions for some of the most iconic venues in the world anticipates 5% increase in sales win rates and 93% faster vendor selection

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Media OutReach – 17 November 2022 – Infor, the industry cloud company, today announced that Camatic Seating — a leading supplier and manufacturer of ergonomic seating solutions for stadiums, arenas, cinemas, theaters, educational institutions and transit areas around the world — is using Infor’s integrated artificial intelligence (AI) solution to help improve customer satisfaction, increase revenues and optimise the vendor selection process.

Melbourne-based Camatic Seating has developed innovative seating solutions for some of the most iconic venues in the world – including Wimbledon, the Sydney Opera House refurbishment, Melbourne Cricket Ground and the high-tech Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, which hosted the 2019 Super Bowl. Camatic Seating also is a seating provider to stadiums of the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Soccer (MLS).

As Camatic Seating grows and enters new markets, its goal is to continue to deliver seating solutions without delays, so customers can complete their construction projects as scheduled.

With Infor Coleman® AI, Camatic Seating anticipates that it will increase its sales-win rates by 5%, which would translate into US$10 million to US$15 million in new revenue. The company also expects that Infor Coleman AI will help speed up its vendor selection process by 93%, reducing the time it takes to pull vendor data from 30 minutes to two minutes.

“With artificial intelligence applied to key business processes, we now have the confidence to tell our customers we can deliver seating on time, which is critical for them to complete projects on their end — such as building out seating for a new stadium, cinema, or any construction with time sensitivity,” said Jamarl Scase, planning and production control manager at Camatic Seating.

Improving sales forecasting and customer satisfaction

Taking advantage of the modern Infor OS technology platform that underpins Camatic Seating’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system — Infor CloudSuite™ Industrial Enterprise — Camatic Seating applied Infor Coleman AI to five years of disparate customer relationship management (CRM) data to help generate more accurate forecasts and win predictions. Implemented in less than 30 days, the AI-driven insights are delivered through Infor Birst® analytic dashboards, and those insights are accessible on demand.

Prior to leveraging Infor OS to better utilise data to generate insights, creating monthly sales forecasts was a manual process. Capacity planning, based on these forecasts, was prone to risk and unforeseen costs such as lack of supplies and outsourcing work to subcontractors.

Now, the entire organisation uses the same real-time information to help deliver seating solutions to customers on time. Management and sales teams are more effective in strategic decision making; operations are better equipped to plan for capacity; and procurement can acquire the right number of raw materials at the right time.

Automating the vendor selection process

With Infor Coleman AI applied to vendor performance data, Camatic Seating can automatically assign grades to suppliers in five categories. Planners can quickly look at multiple suppliers in the same category and compare their ratings. There also is a summary breakdown of past vendor performance — in terms of delivery promptness, quality and price. The Camatic Seating team can make a selection based on the overall ranking, and it also can see the details behind the ranking.

“We weren’t really analysing the data in a consistent manner, and it led to us sometimes making the incorrect supply selection,” Scase said. “Previously, it was arduous for the material planners to get that data out and analyse it, sometimes taking up to 30 minutes at a time to figure out what the supplier’s performance had been. Now, by applying AI to our historical data, they can have that information with more accuracy and consistency at the touch of a button.”

According to Scase, more accurate and targeted vendor selection ultimately leads to better delivery performance and the ability to manufacture better-quality products at a lower cost.

Infor ANZ vice president and managing director Jarrod Kinchington said that using an intelligent cloud-based solution will help transform Camatic Seating’s business and deliver considerable savings to the business.

“We’re delighted to be working with Camatic Seating again, a company that shares our values and philosophy when it comes to innovation and creating streamlined and efficient business processes. Being able to access information in real time and make reliable, data-driven decisions is critical for manufacturing today. It is responsible for some of the biggest sporting events in the world, and together, Camatic Seating and Infor’s expertise will be on show to millions of fans and audiences with the Sydney Football Stadium one of 10 venues at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup – we’re excited to have our technology showcased on a global stage.

“At Infor we have an extensive track record of working with leading manufacturing companies, such as global forklift manufacturer Combilift, which is using Infor Coleman AI-driven parts recommendations, in combination with Infor CloudSuite Industrial. With logistics and supply chain under continued pressure, having a cloud-based, integrated AI solution enables complete transparency as well as generating vital insights into performance and accurate forecasting. This in turn enhances customer service and employee satisfaction,” Kinchington said.

Watch this video to see how Infor Coleman AI is helping Camatic Seating improve delivery performance, optimise vendor selection and deliver great customer experiences.

Media Contact:
Phyllis Tan
Infor Asia Pacific & Japan
phyllis.tan@infor.com
+65 9799 9133

Hashtag: #Infor

About Infor

Infor is a global leader in business cloud software specialised by industry. We develop complete solutions for our focus industries. Infor’s mission-critical enterprise applications and services are designed to deliver sustainable operational advantages with security and faster time to value. Over 60,000 organisations in more than 175 countries rely on Infor’s 17,000 employees to help achieve their business goals. As a Koch company, our financial strength, ownership structure, and long-term view empower us to foster enduring, mutually beneficial relationships with our customers. Visit www.infor.com.

About Camatic Seating

For more than 55 years, Camatic Seating has provided exceptional audience comfort solutions in stadiums, theaters, cinemas and places of learning and culture across the globe. As an industry leader, Camatic Seating’s products are designed and manufactured to the highest standards for the most demanding environments, indoors or outside. From humble beginnings as a small engineering company, Camatic Seating has remained family owned while growing into a leading global brand. The company continues to uphold its original quality engineering ethos and strong family business values while moving firmly to center stage in a competitive global market. Camatic Seating is proud of the seating solutions it has provided for public spaces around the world, using its proprietary designed and manufactured products. From local high schools to some of the world’s most iconic theatres and stadiums, every seat is designed and fitted to meet the unique needs of venues and their audiences. From its global manufacturing facilities, Camatic Seating manages all aspects of the design, manufacturing and installation process, ensuring on-time, on-budget and high-quality installations. To learn more, please visit https://www.camatic.com/.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 17 November 2022 – Sa Sa International Holdings Limited (“Sa Sa” or the “Group”, stock code: 0178) announced its interim results for the six months ended 30 September 2022 (the “period”).

In the first half of the financial year, the Group’s turnover amounted to HK$1,550.5 million, representing a decrease of 2.9% over the six months ended 30 September 2021 (“previous period”), largely attributable to Covid-19 outbreaks in Mainland China and a spike in cases in the Macau SAR, which prompted lockdowns in affected cities and towns, disrupting our business operations. Thanks to the improved gross profit margin in the core markets of the Hong Kong and Macau SARs, as well as the effective implementation of cost reduction plans, loss for the period narrowed significantly by 26.7% to HK$133.2 million compared to the same period last year. Excluding the provision for impairment made in accordance with HKAS 36 that applied to retail store assets (including right-of-use assets and property, plant and equipment), subsidies for the Covid-19 pandemic from local governments and temporary rental concessions, the Group’s loss during the period narrowed by 10.3% to HK$171.7 million compared to the previous period. Cash outflow from operating activities was merely HK$33.1 million, thanks to enhanced inventory management and zero-based budgeting practices.

Sa Sa has taken proactive measures to significantly adjust its cost structures and management practices, aiming for sustainable profitability. On the revenue side, the Group continued to expand revenue earning potential by reinvigorating its product categories and enhancing online-merge-offline (“OMO”) strategies. On the cost side, it consistently managed inventory and lease rentals. Barring any further escalation in the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in Sa Sa’s core markets, the Group anticipates these measures to take effect by the end of the current financial year, and any relaxation of the pandemic restrictions will provide upside to the Group’s plan.

Basic loss per share for the first half amounted to 4.3 HK cents (2021/22: 5.9 HK cents). In view of the challenging and uncertain operational environment in the markets where we operate, the Board does not recommend the payment of an interim dividend (2021/22: Nil).

Business Review

In the Hong Kong SAR, local consumers were still the main source of customers as tourist and visitor arrivals from Mainland China remained low in the city during the period. The Group took advantage of the improving consumer sentiment by refreshing its product mix and launching effective theme-based promotions that have led to a year-on-year increase of 19.8% in same store sales in the Hong Kong SAR. Retail sales grew 8.0% despite a net reduction of five stores to 71 in the Hong Kong SAR during the period. Moreover, the Group successfully capitalised on the opportunities brought about by the government’s Consumption Voucher Scheme launched in April and August to bolster local consumer spending. As a result, the Group has been able to sustain the sales momentum, with same store sales growth for the second quarter remaining in solid double-digits.

As for the Macau SAR, the Group’s sales performance was impacted by a sharp spike in Covid-19 infection cases since late June 2022, which led to the first citywide lockdown in July 2022 and subsequently a significant decline in the number of tourists. The Group’s sales in the Macau SAR, of which 56.1% came from Mainland China tourists, decreased by 37.7% while same store sales dropped by 33.4% compared to the previous period.

Gross profit margin of Hong Kong and Macau SARs increasing to 39.3%

On a combined basis, retail sales in the Hong Kong and Macau SARs decreased by 8.7% to HK$966.8 million in the first half, while same store sales went up 0.8%. Gross profit margin for the period in the Hong Kong and Macau SARs increased by 0.5 percentage points to 39.3%. This, coupled with effective operating cost control measures, narrowed the Group’s loss in this market to HK$82.3 million, a significant reduction of HK$40.5 million (or 33.0%) as compared to the previous period.

The Group has continued to streamline its store network based on store economics, balancing lease rentals with the Group’s ability to retain and service customers in regional clusters. During the period, there was a net reduction in the total number of Sa Sa’s retail stores in the Hong Kong and Macau SARs of five to 80, with all five net closures in the Hong Kong SAR. Sa Sa has continued to negotiate temporary rental concessions for certain retail stores to alleviate the rental costs where tourist footfall is yet to return. The Group is steadfast in its lease rental policy and will only renew the lease where the rental makes economic sense and we can earn a positive contribution. During the period, eight expiring leases in prime tourist districts with heavy foot traffic were renewed at a reasonable new rent, while three were closed.

Hong Kong SAR online sales up 88.9% amid new retail adoption

Consumer adoption of new retail formats and growth of online sales in the Hong Kong SAR continues to accelerate at pace. Online sales in the Hong Kong SAR increased remarkably by 88.9% during the period to HK$110.3 million as the Group continued to forge ahead with its OMO strategies and leverage the offline store network and unique team of Sa Sa Professional Beauty Consultants to truly deliver OMO addressing the needs of modern consumers who are looking for a seamless experience wherever they appear. Online sales mix as a percentage of total sales in the Hong Kong and Macau SARs for the period increased to 10.1% from 5.1% in the previous period. The Group believes that the contribution of OMO-driven brick-and-mortar sales will continue to grow gradually, and the importance of online business will continue to increase even when the pandemic related social-distancing measures are further relaxed in the future.

The contribution of online business to the Group’s total turnover remained steady at 19.3% for the period (previous period: 19.2%), while turnover of this business segment slightly decreased 2.6% year on year to HK$299.4 million. The online business recorded a loss of HK$19.6 million for the period largely due to pandemic disruptions and poor consumer sentiment in Mainland China, while the strength of the Hong Kong dollar against a basket of currencies including the Renminbi has challenged the Group’s pricing and impacted gross margins. Furthermore, the Group’s online sales in Mainland China was affected by the quarantine of our main warehouse in Mainland China while deliveries into its warehouses and direct cross-border deliveries to customers were subject to uncertain delays during the period, resulting in order cancellations.

Operating losses in Mainland China expected to narrow significantly in the second half as a result of streamlined store network

In Mainland China, the pandemic outbreaks in some parts of the country and related pandemic measures contributed to low consumer sentiment during the period. This had a major impact on the Group’s operations in the market, leading to 16.8% decrease in same store sales in Mainland China. The Group’s loss in Mainland China increased by 5.1% to HK$43.6 million for the period largely due to the pandemic, while it closed loss-making stores and made extensive efforts to curtail operating costs. In accordance with the Group’s right-sizing strategy, the total number of stores in Mainland China was rationalised and reduced by 35 to 42 as of the end of September 2022. These efforts are expected to significantly reduce the operating losses in Mainland China in the second half of the financial year.

Strong sales recovery in Malaysia with turnover surging 159.1%

In Malaysia, following the government’s change in its strategy for fighting the pandemic and a relaxation of its pandemic measures, the Group’s business in Malaysia has continued to rebound strongly, with sales recovering to 84% of the pre-pandemic levels. Turnover in Malaysia increased significantly by 159.1% compared to the previous period in local currency terms to HK$147.0 million and same store sales increased by 57.2%. While sales continued to surge, the Group has kept operating costs low, and as a result, in spite of the weakening Malaysian Ringgit, recorded a profit of HK$12.3 million in Malaysia during the period. The Group is optimistic about the future performance of its business in this market.

Outlook and Strategies

Looking ahead, the retail sector is expected to remain under immense pressure amid an arduous operating environment and in the face of prevalent external uncertainties. The Group has adopted a mindset of achieving sustainable profit despite the current operating environment and to this end took measures to lower the breakeven point significantly. These measures included adopting zero-based budgeting practices and tighter working capital management policies to navigate through the headwinds. These initiatives will enhance the Group’s competitiveness and enable it to become more resilient and achieve sustainable business growth when the pandemic eases.

Amidst the ongoing market uncertainty and the fine line between profit and loss at store level, the Group will not hesitate to relocate loss-making stores and those that are bearing exorbitant rents. When the border with Mainland China reopens and higher sales demand results from the return of tourists, the Group will resume opening new stores in prime locations in tourist areas at reasonable rents to allow Sa Sa to be among the first to benefit. Meanwhile, the Group will further foster OMO development through leveraging the popularity of the “buy online pick-up in store” practice, engaging consumers with OMO-related promotions, and aligning online and offline promotional activities and advertising efforts to run complementary marketing campaigns and build a holistic shopping experience.

Forging ahead with OMO development to unleash new retail potentials

One of the key competitive advantages of the Group, is a network of brick-and-mortar offline stores and the embedded experience of managing them effectively with a team of professional beauty consultants. In the new retail era, it provides the Group with an added strategic tool through the integration of physical stores and online business, including running cross-channel promotional campaigns. This model enhances the Group’s ability to analyse customer preferences and shopping habits, which in turn informs the product category development and direct-to-consumer marketing, to provide a personalised omni-channel shopping experience.

In view of the great potential of new retail in markets other than the Hong Kong and Macau SARs, the Group continues to explore OMO strategies in Mainland China to improve Sa Sa’s overall competitiveness and reach, including leveraging the WeChat mini-programme to connect Sa Sa’s beauty consultants with customers in Mainland China. To cater to the booming trend of livestreaming in Mainland China, the Group has maintained its own livestreaming team on third-party platform, Douyin, to attract a younger generation of customers. Moreover, the Group is actively seeking to enhance online product categories and introduce trending products, which is conducive to attracting new consumers to Sa Sa.

The Group’s mid- to long-term market objectives in Mainland China remain unchanged. Still, the current optimal strategy in this market is to rationalise store network and focus on optimising the operating performance of profitable stores, and increase the attractiveness of our product range to excite our customers, so that the Group can retain strength to continue to develop the Mainland China market in the long run. The Group will continue to progress online operations, further integrate the online and offline operations, and lower overall operating expenses of its business units in Mainland China. In the long run, this market is expected to return to healthy growth.

Dr Simon Kwok, SBS, JP, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Group, concluded, “Despite the challenges facing the retail sector, we are confident that we can navigate through the headwinds by carrying out stringent cost management measures and strategically focusing on our online business and OMO integration to capitalise on the accelerating trend of new retail and its huge potential. Sa Sa remains steadfast in lowering breakeven point with an aim to turn around and enhance long-term profitability. We expect our business in the Hong Kong and Macau SARs to further improve in the second half of the financial year under the circumstances that the Hong Kong SAR maintains the status quo without a full reopening of the border with Mainland China, and the Macau SAR does not experience another lockdown. Sa Sa will be the first to benefit once the border of Hong Kong fully reopens. Although the Mainland China market is overshadowed by weak consumer sentiment, we expect our efforts in store network rationalisation and cost restructuring will help narrow losses significantly in this market in the second half and allow us to retain resources to support our long-term development in Mainland China. More importantly, we consider any relaxation of the Covid-19 pandemic measures to be an upside to our plan, and we are well placed to take advantage when this happens.”

FY2022/23 Q3 Operational Sales Data

For the third quarter from 1 October to 10 November 2022, the Group’s retail and wholesale turnover decreased by 1.5% as compared to the previous period. The year-on-year changes of retail sales and same store sales are shown in the table below.

Hashtag: #SaSaInternational

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

About Sa Sa

Sa Sa is a leading beauty product retailing group in Asia. Embracing the proven concept of “one-stop beauty product specialty platform”, Sa Sa provides diverse quality products under more than 600 brands ranging from skincare, fragrance, make-up, hair care and body care products, health & fitness products as well as beauty gadgets. Through operating more than 190 retail stores in Hong Kong and Macau SARs, Mainland China and Malaysia, as well as multiple online platforms, Sa Sa offers a customer-centric omni-channel shopping experience for consumers.

Listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1997, the Group is included in the FTSE Index Series, MSCI Index Series and S&P Index Series.

For further information, please visit http://corp.sasa.com

Economist Impact and Meta to convene top policymakers and industry experts to discuss how stakeholders can work together to develop principle-based approaches to privacy, safety, and integrity in virtual worlds.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 17 November 2022 – Challenges in governance in virtual worlds, the final webinar in the three-part series—Leading the way into the metaverse: North East Asia’s potential—will be broadcast live next week.

With virtual worlds growing more interconnected and realistic while rapidly advancing connectivity, communication and simulation, there needs to be a rethink of how governments and the industry should approach regulations and security measures for an immersive internet.

How is tech redefining the human connection and what kinds of safeguards do these new types of immersive and instantaneous social engagements require?

Taking place online on Thursday November 24th 2022 at 10am SGT/CST | 11am KST/JST, Economist Impact, sponsored by Meta, will convene top policymakers and industry experts to discuss how stakeholders can work together to develop principle-based approaches to privacy, safety, and integrity in virtual worlds.

Leading experts sharing their insights include:

• Haksoo Ko, Chairman, Personal Information Protection Commission of the Republic of Korea
• Yuto Kunitake, Chairman, Virtual Rights Council
• Tammy JihHsuan Lin, Professor, National Chengchi University
• Rob Sherman, Vice-president and deputy chief privacy officer for policy, Meta
• Charles Ross, Principal, policy & insights, Economist Impact

View the full agenda.

Free places to attend Challenges in governance in virtual worlds are available now. For registration and webinar event details, please visit the website.

To engage with Challenges in governance in virtual worlds on social media, use #EconVirtualWorlds in your conversations and follow @EconomistImpactEvents.

Leading the way into the metaverse: North East Asia’s potential is sponsored by Meta.

About Economist Impact

Economist Impact combines the rigour of a think tank with the creativity of a media brand, engaging an influential audience in the areas of sustainability, healthcare and new globalisation. View our global events.

About Meta

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.

For more information, visit about.facebook.com/metaverse/impact/.