TLC’s ‘New Taste of Hong Kong’ season 2 answers why so many have made the iconic city their home premiering on January 21

Fabio Grangeon, an actor and culinary enthusiast, will take Singapore and Malaysian audiences through the many colourful layers of Hong Kong’s neighbourhoods from the perspective of locals and expats that have made the city their home

SINGAPORE – Media Outreach – 18 January 2022 – TLC is set to premiere the second season of the ‘New Taste of Hong Kong.’ The show will give audiences a unique and exclusive look at the city’s creative and culinary scene from the perspective of both locals and expats who proudly call Hong Kong “home.” Through the show, audiences will celebrate Hong Kong’s gems in Sai Kung, Central, and West Kowloon, answering why many fall in love with the city. Episode 1 of the latest season will premiere on TLC SEA to Singapore and Malaysia audiences on January 21 at 20:05, and Episode 2 will premiere on January 28 at 20:05.

Miru Wong showing her meticulous designs to host Fabio Grangeon.

The new season will introduce actor and culinary enthusiast Fabio Grangeon as the new host. In between projects, Fabio explores places that may become his next home in Asia, harvesting new memories and sensations through tastes and stories, all of which fuel his imagination and serve as his inspiration to cook and to perform. Fabio will be the guide as he experiences the New Taste of Hong Kong, immersing himself among people that have fallen in love with the city. The tour guide, and Hong Kong Super Fan Alexandra Unrein, are one such example: “The first time I came to Hong Kong, – I lost my heart, “she says. “Then I met my husband, so I lost it twice. I decided to stay around, and then I became a Hong Kong tour guide.”

Fabio will be visiting iconic areas, starting with Sai Kung and Central, with colourful characters who show him the natural side of Hong Kong juxtaposed with the creative street art scene.

The show unravels the story behind every ingredient, flavour, and dish, along with the people dedicated to honouring them. Indulging in the city’s iconic nightlife in Central, Fabio tastes modernist inspiration from Mixologist Antonio Lai of Quinary, named Asia’s 50 best bars, who serves him Oolong Tea Collins, drawing the long tradition of drinking tea, Yum Cha. “This allowed me to connect with my family, bringing my memory back to the old days — this is a Hong Kong-style of drink.”

In West Kowloon, Fabio catches up with neighbourhood locals of Yau Ma Tei and Jordon, who show him why Hong Kong is so unique, tasting famous traditional food products that will shock his taste buds. The show celebrates how the city’s diversity contributes to a thriving arts scene, with traditional culture and heritage being valued and preserved while new cultures are accepted and melded together with the old to create something uniquely Hong Kong.

Jessica Burrows, a soloist with Hong Kong Ballet and Hong Kong Super Fan, shows Fabio around the West Kowloon Cultural District, a growing art and cultural hub. She says the diversity is why she fell in love with the city. “The dynamic energy is incredible,” she says. “It’s very inspiring, and there are so many people from so many different places in the world. You learn a lot.”

As the show follows the stories of people changed by the city, it also showcases changes within the iconic city. The show traces Hong Kong’s unique legacy of preserving and honouring tradition amid the march for modernity, spotlighting humble street corner shops passed down for generations and a history spanning decades. 

The Sindart in Bowring Centre is a special place where craftsman Miru Wong’s family has been doing business since 1958. The history has fueled her worn work, saying, “I find my inspiration in some traditional Chinese stories and from our daily lives.” Jay Liu, the principal flautist for the SAR Philharmonic Orchestra and shopkeeper for Liu Ma Kee Limited, which crafts traditionally fermented tofu, also celebrates the importance of family as a fourth-generation owner of a hidden gem at the heart of Min Street has operated for over a hundred years.

Fabio Grangeon says of his experience: “I am beyond charmed by the authenticity of this place and its people.  I feel lucky to have made these new friends who have helped me explore Hong Kong through the precious experiences of each of them—finding inspiration in their personal stories.  Through scenery, food and art, they all have stories to share.  But my journey isn’t over.  There are many more stories to be found.”

Against the backdrop of beautiful natural sceneries and lively nightlife, the ‘New Taste of Hong Kong‘ allows audiences in Singapore and Malaysia the chance to discover and explore the city as it has never experienced before, offering surprises in every corner.

About Discovery Inc.

Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real-life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.

Notes to editors

Link to Photos

Facebook 30s teaser video

Host Fabio Grangeon Profile photos and bio

#Discovery

WeTV looks to expand its local partner ecosystems to deliver the best of Asian entertainment to its viewers

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 18 January 2022 – WeTV, Southeast Asia’s leading video-on-demand (VOD) and over-the-top platform (OTT), has announced plans to aggressively ramp up its presence in Southeast Asia in 2022 and is welcoming local brands and advertisers in the region to join forces in reaching out to WeTV viewers.

WeTV is a global video streaming platform launched by Tencent Video, one of the largest online video platforms in China. Curated for international viewers, it is one of the largest digital video streaming destinations in several Asian markets, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. It is available on multiple platforms including mobile, desktop, tablets, and Smart TV and in 2022, it is set to introduce a list of titles geared towards keeping viewers in the region yearning for more. To date, WeTV has attained remarkable achievements in Southeast Asia, and they plan to break new barriers with a slew of over 40 locally produced WeTV Originals projects in their 2022 pipeline. For example, Season 1 of “My Girlfriend is an Alien” was a big hit in Indonesia, and viewers can look forward to Season 2 of this series. Other highly anticipated productions that will be launched in 2022 include Tencent Video Originals “The Longest Promise” and “Who Rules the World” as well as WeTV Originals “Little Mom 2”, “My Lecturer My Husband S2” and more.

WeTV has been reaping the benefits of its long-term strategy to produce top quality original content specifically for Southeast Asian viewers. In 2021, WeTV Originals in Thailand were nominated for 6 awards at the 26th Asian Entertainment Awards, the largest television awards in Asia. This has proven to be a powerful springboard for home-grown talents to achieve fame internationally and for artists to be recognized for brand sponsorships. Along these lines, 2022 will see the continued release of WeTV Originals that were produced locally in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. These include “The Wife”, a Thai television adaptation based on a popular Thailand novel which has garnered much attention in the past 20 years, as well as “Valentine’s Again”, another WeTV Thai Original which stars several popular local actors in a romantic comedy.

In 2021, WeTV achieved a significant milestone of over 60 million downloads globally – a 31% growth as compared to 2020. Additionally, the number of WeTV’s monthly active users (MAU) has been growing exponentially year-on-year. From 2020 to 2021, WeTV saw a 67% spike in MAU, and an impressive leap of 95% in WeTV VIP users. These demonstrate WeTV’s success in delivering first-class entertainment experience across an extensive range of genres to its viewers. Renowned international brands and agencies across multiple industries have also tapped WeTV for the purpose of reaching out to their target audiences. These include:

• Telecommunications: 3BB, Advanced Info Service (AIS) Thailand, DITO Telecommunity, Globe Telecom, Maxis, PT Telkom Indonesia, Smart Communications
• Agencies: GroupM, Interpublic Group (IPG), Omnicom Media Group (OMG)
• Brands: Unilever, P&G, TikTok, Apple, Samsung, LG, OPPO, VIVO Huawei and Xiaomi

“Since our launch in 2019, WeTV has always sought to support the local creative sector, by offering attractive and customizable advertising and brand solutions to our partners,” said Jeff Han, WeTV Director and Vice President of Tencent Video. “The past four years have been a ride, and we remain committed to growing not only our global presence but also helping local productions go international. With guaranteed high-quality content and an extensive range of platform offerings to meet the needs of every partner, WeTV aims to become the go-to digital content platform for our partners in the region.”

ABOUT WeTV

WeTV is an Asian streaming service that sees the creation of premier video-on-demand (VOD) and provides over-the-top (OTT) local content. The streaming service provides content from around the region, inclusive of selected Chinese, Indonesian, Korean, Malaysian, Philippines and Thai series and movies. Operating as a freemium service, viewers can access some content without the need for a paid subscription and premium content at a small fee. The basic features also include free subtitles. WeTV is available on the browser at wetv.vip, or on the WeTV application that can be downloaded from the Apple Store for iOS users and the Google Play Store for Android users.

#WeTV

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

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 18 January 2022 – With sustainable development drawing increasing attention, the eyes of the world have turned to tackling the crisis of global warming following the 26^th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), which took place in November last year. In Hong Kong, enhanced strategies and targets for combating climate change and achieving carbon neutrality have been set out. Arup, a global built environment consultant, recently organised the ‘Envisioning a sustainable Hong Kong’ video competition to raise awareness among young people, aiming to extend a positive influence on their peers, family and the community to enhance the city’s future.

Promoting wider participation

The Hong Kong government and various sectors have been taking proactive steps to address challenges including aging population, the landfill problem, and climate change. On top of it, it is important to pool together the efforts of all members of the community, especially the younger generation, empowering them to channel their opinions and play a greater role in driving sustainable development. This competition offered youngsters a precious opportunity to draw up their own blueprint for the future Hong Kong and amplify their voices and aspirations through video production.

As part of its 45^th anniversary celebration in Hong Kong, Arup shared with young people an array of sustainable engineering and design solutions, riding on its impactful projects in the city, from Tai Kwun – the largest revitalisation complex, to T·PARK – the first waste-to-energy facility, and to Neuron – a digital platform for smart building management. The participants were also guided to develop an innovative mindset and leadership skills in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Unleashing creativity with videos

The competition received an overwhelming response, attracting more than 230 entries from teams formed by 480 students across 51 local secondary schools. From using animations and 3D models to creating a game-like experience, the participants unleashed their creativity in a 45-second video, showcasing their visions of Hong Kong with insights on infrastructure, building design, waste management and urban planning.

The results of the competition were announced at an award presentation ceremony last month. At the event, Michael Kwok, East Asia Region Chair of Arup, said that sustainable development is more than just a global issue, but one closely related to our city and lives with far-reaching impact on our descendants. By co-envisioning the city’s future with the younger generation, he hoped to gather new impetus to drive innovation that makes Hong Kong greener, more liveable and resilient.

Broadening horizons to pursue a better future

Many students were pleased with what they took away from the competition. Among the winners, Sun Ka-ying from Good Hope School, who won the Champion award, reflected that the activity has deepened her understanding of Hong Kong. From conception to producing the video, she got to explore different corners of the city, leading her to imagine a more sustainable Hong Kong where people and spaces are connected and our cultural heritage can be passed on.

Other winning teams addressed topical issues such as the urban heat island effect, overpopulation and land shortage. Kwok Chi-lok and Chan Yu-him, from Carmel Pak U Secondary School, expressed that by creating a 3D model, they aimed to project a sustainable city in a simplistic and easily understandable way while underlining the importance to balancing economic, environmental and social needs. On the biggest gain of the competition, Au Cheung-lok from TWGHs S. C. Gaw Memorial College shared that he learned much more about sustainable development and enjoyed working as a team in conducting research and devising meaningful solutions such as vertical farming for Hong Kong.

The competition was supported by social welfare organisations including the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, St. James’ Settlement, The Women’s Foundation, and The Zubin Foundation. Various learning opportunities were provided during the competition, including an online workshop with experts sharing to enhance students’ understanding of the UN SDGs and video production techniques. The students also met Arup’s engineers to explore their aspirations in the engineering and design sector. Outstanding participants will be given a visit and job shadowing opportunities at Arup.

Details of the results are as follows and the winning entries are available for viewing on Arup’s YouTube channel.

About Arup

Dedicated to sustainable development, Arup is a collective of over 16,000 designers, advisors, and experts working across 140 countries. Founded to be both humane and excellent, we collaborate with our clients and partners using imagination, technology, and rigour to shape a better world.

Arup celebrates its 45^th anniversary in Hong Kong in 2021. Today, its Hong Kong office operates as the firm’s East Asia headquarters with more than 2,000 people, serving as a creative powerhouse that makes a difference in this part of the world.

Company website: http://www.arup.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arup/mycompany/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArupGroup/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arupgroup/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/arupgroup

Weibo: https://weibo.com/arupinchina

Twitter: https://twitter.com/arupgroup

#Arup

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

First-in-market AIA Elite Secure Income plan provides guaranteed monthly retirement income while giving customers potential upside even in volatile times

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 18 January 2022 – AIA Singapore today unveiled that when it comes to retirement planning, a higher number of adults aged 36-45 and families with kids[1] are most concerned about retirement savings dropping in value due to rising inflation. While this emerged as the top concern, less than half (39%) take inflation into account when planning for their retirement. The study amongst 455 respondents[2] was conducted in November 2021.

Pre-retirees also appear to have lowered their retirement expectation at a time when the nation’s headline inflation rose to its highest in over 8 years[3]. With the lingering concern that their savings will not be sufficient to maintain their current lifestyle during retirement, almost 74% are prepared to reduce expenditure if the value of their retirement savings decreases.

In addition, Singaporeans may not be aware of how much exactly they will need for retirement and are not planning long enough for their golden years. While they intend to retire at about 60 years old, they expect their savings or investment to last them till about 69 years old[4]. However, with the average life expectancy in Singapore at 84.8 years old[5], there is a worrying gap of 15 years.

Ms. Melita Teo, Chief Customer and Digital Officer, AIA Singapore, said, “We recognise that the continued economic uncertainties have brought great distress and eroded financial confidence. True to AIA’s brand promise of enabling healthier, longer, better lives, we continue to take a holistic approach in helping Singaporeans be prepared with a well-rounded golden retirement, which we believe will bring the greatest value to our customers’ retirement planning journey.”

“With AIA as a partner, a holistic approach to retirement means wealth and wellbeing will both grow hand in hand, not at the expense of one or the other. We are committed to continuously innovating in this space to ensure more individuals and families in Singapore can achieve their Wealthbeing.”

First-in-market capital guaranteed investment-linked plan (ILP) that offers affordable premium for customers seeking lower risks investments while maximising their wealth creation.

AIA Elite Secure Income is a first-of-its-kind retirement plan that provides a steady stream of monthly retirement income wherein 100% of the total basic premiums paid will be guaranteed upon retirement. The plan leverages the long-term wealth creation strategy of the world’s finest asset managers to capture potential upside while limiting exposure to market volatility in the unfortunate event of market downturn.

Irma Hadikusuma, Chief Product Proposition Officer (CPPO) at AIA Singapore, said “AIA Singapore is launching AIA Elite Secure Income to address the desire amongst Singaporeans to secure their retirement plans by capturing significant potential upside of investments market while making sure that their initial savings remain guaranteed upon retirement. We are focused on providing individuals and families in Singapore with innovative and valuable propositions to help them live well, save well and plan well as they seek to forge their own legacies.”

For more information on AIA Elite Secure Income and AIA’s comprehensive retirement proposition, please visit: https://www.aia.com.sg/en/our-products/investments/aia-elite-secure-income.html

About AIA

AIA Group Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively “AIA” or the “Group”) comprise the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group. It has a presence in 18 markets – wholly-owned branches and subsidiaries in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR(1), Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan (China), Vietnam, Brunei and Macau SAR(2), and a 49 per cent joint venture in India.

The business that is now AIA was first established in Shanghai more than a century ago in 1919. It is a market leader in Asia (ex-Japan) based on life insurance premiums and holds leading positions across the majority of its markets. It had total assets of US$330 billion as of 30 June 2021.

AIA meets the long-term savings and protection needs of individuals by offering a range of products and services including life insurance, accident and health insurance and savings plans. The Group also provides employee benefits, credit life and pension services to corporate clients. Through an extensive network of agents, partners and employees across Asia, AIA serves the holders of more than 39 million individual policies and over 16 million participating members of group insurance schemes.

AIA Group Limited is listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock code “1299” with American Depositary Receipts (Level 1) traded on the over-the-counter market (ticker symbol: “AAGIY”).

Notes:

1. Hong Kong SAR refers to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

2. Macau SAR refers to Macau Special Administrative Region.

#AIA

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

• 11th Allianz survey: Cyber, business interruption and natural disasters are the top three business risks globally in 2022. Cyber ranks top Asia Pacific risk for the third consecutive year
• Pandemic outbreak drops from second to fourth position as majority of companies are less concerned and feel adequately prepared for future outbreaks
• Natural catastrophes and Climate change rise significantly in the annual rankings as extreme weather events and transition risks mount
• AGCS CEO Joachim Mueller: “‘Business interrupted’ will likely remain the key underlying risk theme for this year. Building resilience is becoming a competitive advantage for companies.”

JOHANNESBURG/LONDON/MUNICH/NEW YORK/PARIS/SAO PAULO/SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 18 January 2022 – Cyber perils are the biggest concern for companies globally in 2022, according to the Allianz Risk Barometer. The threat of ransomware attacks, data breaches or major IT outages worries companies even more than business and supply chain disruption, natural disasters or the Covid-19 pandemic, all of which have heavily affected firms in the past year.

Cyber incidents tops the Allianz Risk Barometer for only the second time in the survey’s history (44% of responses), Business interruption drops to a close second (42%) and Natural catastrophes ranks third (25%), up from sixth in 2021. Climate change climbs to its highest-ever ranking of sixth (17%, up from ninth), while Pandemic outbreak drops to fourth (22%). The annual survey from Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) incorporates the views of 2,650 experts in 89 countries and territories, including CEOs, risk managers, brokers and insurance experts. View the full global and country risk rankings.

“‘Business interrupted’ will likely remain the key underlying risk theme in 2022,” AGCS CEO Joachim Mueller summarizes. “For most companies the biggest fear is not being able to produce their products or deliver their services. 2021 saw unprecedented levels of disruption, caused by various triggers. Crippling cyber-attacks, the supply chain impact from many climate change-related weather events, as well as pandemic-related manufacturing problems and transport bottlenecks wreaked havoc. This year only promises a gradual easing of the situation, although further Covid-19-related problems cannot be ruled out. Building resilience against the many causes of business interruption is increasingly becoming a competitive advantage for companies.” 

Business interruption (BI) ranks as the second most concerning risk. In a year marked by widespread disruption, the extent of vulnerabilities in modern supply chains and production networks is more obvious than ever. According to the survey, the most feared cause of BI is cyber incidents; reflecting the rise in ransomware attacks but also the impact of companies’ growing reliance on digitalization and the shift to remote working. Natural catastrophes and pandemic are the two other important triggers for BI in the view of respondents.

In the past year post-lockdown surges in demand have combined with disruption to production and logistics, as Covid-19 outbreaks in Asia closed factories and caused record congestion levels in container shipping ports. Other knock-on effects included a spike in demand for energy, which led to power blackouts and further factory closures in Asia, as well as acute shortages of labor in the transport, hospitality, and food production sectors. Pandemic-related delays compounded other supply chain issues, such as the Suez Canal blockage or the global shortage of semiconductors after plant closures in Taiwan, Japan and Texas from weather events and fires.

“The pandemic has exposed the extent of interconnectivity in modern supply chains and how multiple unrelated events can come together to create widespread disruption. For the first time the resilience of supply chains has been tested to breaking point on a global scale,” says Philip Beblo, Property Industry Lead, Technology, Media and Telecoms, at AGCS.

According to the recent Euler Hermes Global Trade Report, the Covid-19 pandemic will likely drive high levels of supply chain disruption into the second half of 2022, although mismatches in global demand and supply and container shipping capacity are eventually predicted to ease, assuming no further unexpected developments.

Awareness of BI risks is becoming an important strategic issue across entire companies. “There is a growing willingness among top management to bring more transparency to supply chains with organizations investing in tools and working with data to better understand the risks and create inventories, redundancies and contingency plans for business continuity,” says Maarten van der Zwaag, Global Head of Property Risk Consulting at AGCS.

Pandemic preparations improve. Next up – making businesses more weatherproof

Pandemic outbreak remains a major concern for companies but drops from second to fourth position (although the survey predated the emergence of the Omicron variant). While the Covid-19 crisis continues to overshadow the economic outlook in many industries, encouragingly, businesses do feel they have adapted well. The majority of respondents (80%) think they are adequately or well-prepared for a future incident. Improving business continuity management is the main action companies are taking to make them more resilient.

The rise of Natural catastrophes and Climate change to third and sixth position respectively is telling, with both upwards trends closely related. Recent years have shown the frequency and severity of weather events are increasing due to global warming. For 2021, global insured catastrophe losses were well in excess of $100bn – the fourth highest year on record. Hurricane Ida in the US may have been the costliest event, but more than half of the losses came from so-called secondary perils such as floods, heavy rain, thunderstorms, tornados and even winter freezes, which can often be local but increasingly costly events. Examples included Winter Storm Uri in Texas, the low-pressure weather system Bernd, which triggered catastrophic flooding in Germany and Benelux countries, the heavy flooding in Zhengzhou, China, and heatwaves and bushfires in Canada and California.

Allianz Risk Barometer respondents are most concerned about climate-change related weather events causing damage to corporate property (57%), followed by BI and supply chain impact (41%). However, they are also worried about managing the transition of their businesses to a low-carbon economy (36%), fulfilling complex regulation and reporting requirements and avoiding potential litigation risks for not adequately taking action to address climate change (34%).

 “The pressure on businesses to act on climate change has increased noticeably over the past year, with a growing focus on net-zero contributions,” observes Line Hestvik, Chief Sustainability Officer at Allianz SE. “There is a clear trend for companies towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions in operations or exploring business opportunities for climate-friendly technologies and sustainable products. In the coming years, many corporate decision-makers will be looking even more closely at the impact of climate risks in their value chain and taking appropriate precautions. Many companies are building up dedicated competencies around climate risk mitigation, bringing together both risk management and sustainability experts.”

Businesses also have to become more weatherproof against extreme events such as hurricanes or flooding. “Previous once-in-a-century-events may well occur more frequently in future and also in regions which were considered ‘safe’ in the past. Both buildings and business continuity planning need to become more robust in response,” says van der Zwaag.

Top Asia Pacific Risks

Cyber incidents (#1 with 40% responses), is the top Asia Pacific risk for the third consecutive year while Business interruption (#2 with 37%) and Pandemic outbreak (#3 with 27%) make up the top three business risks followed by Natural catastrophes (#4 with 25% ) rounding out the key issues in the region.

In Asia Pacific, Cyber was the top risk in Australia, India and Japan reflecting the recent technology woes of companies in the region In July, Japanese companies were targeted by a cyber hacking group called APT40. IT vulnerabilities was also an issue as seen with DBS, Southeast Asia’s largest lender. Their digital banking services experienced a two-day disruption caused by an issue with its access control servers. Last month, hackers also launched over a million attacks on companies globally, including across Asia Pacific in just four days, through a previously unnoticed vulnerability in a widely-used piece of open-source software called Log4J.

As expected, Changes in legislation and regulation (#5 with 22%) also kept its place amongst the top five Asia Pacific risks in 2022 for the fourth consecutive year. In China, there is continuing crackdown on big internet companies and the US-China geopolitical rivalry has had widespread pressure on economic activity, ranging from trade to technology and investment. 2022 may likely see further political challenges, as the US heads into mid-term elections and China gathers for an all-important Communist Party Congress.

Commenting on the Asia Pacific results Mark Mitchell, AGCS APAC Managing Director, said: “It is no surprise that Cyber remains as the top Asia Pacific risk for the third consecutive year in light of the high-profile ransomware attacks, combined with challenges caused by accelerating digitalization and remote working.

Following a year of unprecedented global supply chain disruption, business interruption is a consequence of many of the other risks in the rankings, such as cyber and natural catastrophes and will be a perennial concern for companies the world over and in Asia Pacific. Meanwhile, the pandemic has exposed the extent of vulnerabilities in modern supply chains, and how multiple risks can come together to create disruption. There will be a greater need for companies to build resilience to cope with the interconnectivity of risks in future.”

About Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) is a leading global corporate insurance carrier and a key business unit of Allianz Group. We provide risk consultancy, Property-Casualty insurance solutions and alternative risk transfer for a wide spectrum of commercial, corporate and specialty risks across 10 dedicated lines of business.

Our customers are as diverse as business can be, ranging from Fortune Global 500 companies to small businesses. Among them are not only the world’s largest consumer brands, tech companies and the global aviation and shipping industry, but also satellite operators or Hollywood film productions. They all look to AGCS for smart answers to their largest and most complex risks in a dynamic, multinational business environment and trust us to deliver an outstanding claims experience.

Worldwide, AGCS operates with its own teams in 31 countries and through the Allianz Group network and partners in over 200 countries and territories, employing around 4,400 people. As one of the largest Property-Casualty units of Allianz Group, we are backed by strong and stable financial ratings. In 2020, AGCS generated a total of €9.3 billion gross premium globally.

For more information please visit http://www.agcs.allianz.com/ or follow us on Twitter @AGCS_Insurance and LinkedIn.

These assessments are, as always, subject to the disclaimer provided below.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

This document includes forward-looking statements, such as prospects or expectations, that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance figures, or events may differ significantly from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements.

Deviations may arise due to changes in factors including, but not limited to, the following: (i) the general economic and competitive situation in the Allianz’s core business and core markets, (ii) the performance of financial markets (in particular market volatility, liquidity, and credit events), (iii) adverse publicity, regulatory actions or litigation with respect to the Allianz Group, other well-known companies and the financial services industry generally, (iv) the frequency and severity of insured loss events, including those resulting from natural catastrophes, and the development of loss expenses, (v) mortality and morbidity levels and trends, (vi) persistency levels, (vii) the extent of credit defaults, (viii) interest rate levels, (ix) currency exchange rates, most notably the EUR/USD exchange rate, (x) changes in laws and regulations, including tax regulations, (xi) the impact of acquisitions including and related integration issues and reorganization measures, and (xii) the general competitive conditions that, in each individual case, apply at a local, regional, national, and/or global level. Many of these changes can be exacerbated by terrorist activities.

No duty to update

Allianz assumes no obligation to update any information or forward-looking statement contained herein, save for any information we are required to disclose by law.

Privacy Note

Allianz SE is committed to protecting your personal data. Find out more in our privacy statement.

#Allianz

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

• Post-War and Contemporary Art show strongest growth
• Price development highlights Fine Art’s attractiveness as alternative asset
• Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol most expensive artists in 2021
• More than $14 Billion worth of art sold at auction in 2021
• Artnet developing AI-supported analytics and predictive technology

NEW YORK, US / BERLIN, GERMANY – EQS Newswire – 17 January 2022 – Artnet AG, the leading platform for art market data and media, and the global marketplace for fine art will deploy more resources to further develop its AI-supported analytics and business intelligence products. The development of predictive technologies will be instrumental for data-driven decision making, especially in terms of art secured lending, fractionalization, and other financial products.

Over the past few years, and especially in the wake of the pandemic, art has rapidly developed into a viable alternative asset. With over $14 Billion worth of fine art sold at auction last year, a hefty increase in comparison to the $10.1 Billion 2020 total sales, more and more family offices, collectors, and banks are turning to Fine Art as a viable investment.

The Artnet Business Intelligence team can reveal that especially Post War and Contemporary Art are showing strong returns, with data suggesting growth in line with the S&P500. Modern Art and Impressionist Art are on a steady upwards trajectory. Old Master paintings are experiencing more tepid growth.

The top 10 performing artists over the past year, according to Artnet’s Database, were Pablo Picasso ($657 Million), Jean-Michel Basquiat ($414 Million), Andy Warhol ($341 Million), Claude Monet ($305 Million), Vincent van Gogh ($235 Million), Gerhard Richter ($225 Million), Banksy ($201 Million), Cy Twombly ($181 Million), Zhang Daqian ($160 Million), and Yayoi Kusama ($146 Million). The NFT breakout artist Beeple is among the top 20 highest grossing artists of 2021.

Artnet ended the year 2021 as its strongest performance ever. A pioneering force in the digitization of the art industry, Artnet’s global, highly-curated, and data-driven platform has been critical in supporting the continued growth of the art market.

For more exclusive insights, subscribe to Artnet News Pro, which provides members with decision-driving intelligence about the latest developments in the global art market, from exclusive news and data reports to opinion from our acclaimed columnists.

Learn more and sign up: https://news.artnet.com/subscribe

Further Investor-relations related news and publications can be found here:
http://www.artnet.com/investor-relations/

About Artnet

Artnet has an unparalleled 60 million unique users annually, making it the largest global platform for fine art. Founded in 1989, Artnet has revolutionized the way people discover, research, and collect art today. Artnet’s market data is a mission-critical resource for the art industry, encompassing more than 15 million auction results and AI- and ML-driven analytics providing an exceptional level of transparency and insight into the art market. Artnet’s marketplace connects leading galleries and auction houses with our global audience, offering a curated selection of over 250,000 artworks for sale worldwide. Artnet Auctions, the pioneering online-only auction platform, offers unprecedented reach, liquidity, and efficiency. Artnet News covers the events, trends, and people shaping the global art market with up-to-the-minute analysis and expert commentary. It is the single most-read news publication in the fine art industry, with a rapidly growing, and dedicated audience. Together, Artnet’s broad synergistic product offering provides a comprehensive ecosystem that drives and informs the modern art market.

Artnet AG is listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the segment with the highest transparency standards. The majority of operations are headquartered in New York at its wholly-owned subsidiary, Artnet Worldwide Corporation, a New York based entity founded in 1989. Artnet Worldwide Corp. owns a London based subsidiary, Artnet UK Ltd.

ISIN: DE000A1K0375
LEI: 391200SHGPEDTRIC0X31

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