HCMC, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 February 2026 – The Ho Chi Minh City Development Joint Stock Commercial Bank (HDBank, ticker: HDB) recorded pre-tax profit of over VND21.3 trillion (US$820.5 million) in 2025, up 27.4% year-on-year and exceeding its target.
HDBank delivers robust 2025 results with profit up 27.4%.
Profitability and core indicators remained among the strongest in the banking sector, reflecting the Bank’s sustainable growth quality.
In the fourth quarter alone, HDBank posted profit of over VND6.5 trillion (US$250.3 million), a 60% increase compared to Q4 2024.
As of the end of 2025, consolidated total assets reached VND931 trillion (US$35.8 billion), up 33.5% year-on-year. Total funding mobilisation stood at VND832 trillion (US$32 billion), with customer deposits rising 28.2%.
Outstanding loans increased 34.3% to VND588 trillion (US$22.6 billion), with credit focused on sectors featuring reasonable risk profiles and long-term growth potential, including SMEs, supply chains, production and business, exports and green projects. This strategy enabled the Bank to maintain high growth while effectively managing risk.
Total operating income rose 25.4% to VND42.7 trillion (US$1.6 billion) driven by strong growth in non-interest income, which rose 2.5 times year-on-year and accounted for 18.6% of the total.
Return on equity reached 25.3%, among the highest in the sector, while return on assets stood at 2.1%. During the year, HDBank paid stock dividends and issued bonus shares with a combined ratio of nearly 30%, reaffirming its commitment to shareholders.
The non-performing loan ratio remained low at 1.66%.The capital adequacy ratio under Basel II reached 16.7%, among the highest in the industry, providing ample room for credit growth and scale expansion without immediate pressure for capital increases.
2025 also marked a strategic milestone in HDBank’s long-term strategy with the completion of the receipt of DongA Bank subsequently rebranded as Vikki Digital Bank, a new-generation digital bank. In its first year of operation, Vikki recorded more than 2.1 million app downloads, highlighting strong growth potential in digital and retail banking.
Meanwhile, HD SAISON, a subsidiary of HDBank, posted profit of over VND1.39 trillion (US$53.5 million) with ROE of 22.5%.
HDBank now serves more than 25 million customers, with 94% of individual transactions conducted via digital channels.
Moody’s upgrade of HDBank’s credit rating to the top tier among Vietnamese banks in 2025 further strengthened investor confidence in the Bank’s financial strength and long-term growth prospects.
Hashtag: #HDBank
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 February 2026 – CPA Australia has today submitted a set of forward-looking recommendations for consideration in the Hong Kong SAR Government’s 2026-27 Budget. With an estimated HK$0.9 billion fiscal deficit for 2025–26 and solid fiscal reserves of HK$653 billion, CPA Australia propose a series of policy measures under the theme of “Power Hong Kong’s Growth” focusing on four pillars:
Connecting China and global markets to power growth
Strengthening Hong Kong as a global trade and wealth hub
Diversifying the economy and boosting workforce competitiveness
Raising living standards for a healthier and liveable city
(from left to right) Ms Karina Wong, Divisional Councillor and Deputy Chair of Taxation Committee of CPA Australia Greater China; Mr Janssen Chan, Co-Chair of Taxation Committee; Mr Anthony Lau, Co-Chair of Taxation Committee of CPA Australia Greater China; Mr Adam Chiu, Member of Taxation Committee of CPA Australia Greater China
Connecting China with global markets and powering Hong Kong’s future economic engine
CPA Australia emphasises that Hong Kong must reinforce its position as the premier gateway connecting China with global markets. As China’s 15th Five Year Plan places greater focus on high-quality opening up, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to help Chinese enterprises expand overseas while attracting foreign direct investment into the Mainland through Hong Kong. Strengthening this gateway function will be critical to driving the city’s next phase of economic growth.
Mr Anthony Lau, Co-Chair of CPA Australia’s Greater China Taxation Committee stated,
“Developing a unified and coherent tax incentive framework for Corporate Treasury Centres (CTC) and regional headquarters (RHQ) would further strengthen Hong Kong’s appeal as a base for multinational operations. In addition, the effectiveness of re-domiciliation has attracted many overseas companies to move their legal domicile to Hong Kong. As there is no clear guidance on whether re-domiciliation will trigger Mainland tax liabilities and tax reporting obligations, we recommend the Hong Kong Government engages with the Mainland tax authorities to clarify that no actual transfer of assets occurs during the process, and therefore no Mainland tax should arise.”
“We also recommend advancing market connectivity measures such as allowing a tax deduction specifically for IPO-related expenses for companies that list on the Main Board of the HKEX, and continuing to enhance existing cross boundary financial mechanisms such as introducing an IPO Connect scheme.”
A streamlined approach would reduce complexity, improve tax certainty and encourage overseas and Mainland enterprises to centralise management, financing and strategic functions in Hong Kong.
CPA Australia also highlights the importance of positioning the Northern Metropolis as a flagship cross‑border innovation zone that will drive Hong Kong’s future growth. Mr Lau said, “To support the infrastructure development, we suggest the Government adopts forward‑looking financing tools that ease pressure on public finances. These may include issuing bonds targeted at with an estimate amount for example USD2 billion at different maturity to international investors, and providing a tax exemption for bond holders on interest income and trading profits derived from bonds issued for Northern Metropolis infrastructure projects, whether issued by the government or the private sector.
“To attract leading innovation and technology enterprises to the zone, we further recommend broadening the scope of qualifying R&D expenditures to include activities outsourced to related parties based and operating in other cities within Greater Bay Area. This reflects the increasingly integrated nature of cross boundary innovation and supply chains.”
Strengthening Hong Kong as a global trade centre and a hub for wealth retention
Hong Kong’s long‑standing role as a free, open and trusted trading and financial gateway remains central to its international relevance.
Ms Karina Wong, Deputy Chair of the Greater China Taxation Committee said, “Hong Kong should build on its unique status as a global trading centre by strengthening the free trade port regime and expanding support for high-value commodity trading, which would help diversify the city’s economic base and enhance market depth. Qualifying commodity items such as silver and rare-earth materials remain outside the current scope, the qualifying list needs to be reviewed regularly, with sufficient legislative flexibility, to ensure timely updates in response to market developments. The Government could also consider whether the scope should extend beyond physical trades and incidental income to cover derivative driven transactions, which form a significant part of global commodities activity.”
A stronger family office ecosystem is central to reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as Asia’s preferred hub for wealth management and succession planning. “We recommend introducing a preferential 8.25 per cent profits tax rate for Single Family Office, Multi Family Offices (MFOs) and fund managers to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness relative to other regional wealth management centres.
“Aligning the permissible investment asset classes under the family office tax concession regime with those under the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) would also streamline operations, provide greater investment flexibility and further strengthen Hong Kong’s appeal among global wealth owners managing long term capital,” added Ms Wong.
Modernising Hong Kong’s philanthropy framework would encourage a more caring and compassionate community and strengthen the city’s appeal to long-term capital. “The generous donations supporting residents and the reconstruction of Wang Fuk Court show that Hong Kong is a caring city. To encourage greater philanthropic participation, we suggestremoving the current 35 per cent cap on cash donation deductions and allowing a full 100 per cent deduction, while introducing a 300 per cent enhanced deduction for contributions to designated funds, such as the Community Care Fund and Disaster Relief Fund. This would direct more resources toward areas of social need.
“These reforms will strengthen Hong Kong’s ecosystem for trade, wealth management and philanthropy, helping the city attract and retain long term capital and strengthen Hong Kong’s competitive edge,” Ms Wong said.
Diversifying the economy and enhancing workforce competitiveness
As advanced economies accelerate digital transformation and adopt emerging technologies, Hong Kong’s long-term competitiveness will depend on the city’s ability to scale innovation, raise productivity and strengthen the capacity of its workforce and enterprises.
“We propose to relaunch a revamped Technology Voucher Programme to help businesses, in particular SMEs, accelerate digitalisation and adopt artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that enhance efficiency and competitiveness.
“Strengthening R&D related tax incentives is equally important in driving innovation, therefore we propose increasing the cap for the highest rate of the R&D super tax deduction by raising the threshold for the 300 per cent deduction on qualifying R&D expenditure from HK$2 million to HK$4 million.” said Mr Janssen Chan, Co‑Chairperson of CPA Australia’s Greater China Taxation Committee.
SMEs remain the backbone of Hong Kong’s economy, yet many continue to face cost pressures and increasing competition.
“We recommend raising the cap under the two-tier profits tax regime for concessional 8.25 per cent half-rate from HK$2 million to HK$4 million of assessable profits. Extending the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme beyond March 2026 is another move that would ease operating pressures for smaller businesses and encourage reinvestment,” added Mr Chan.
By raising the two-tier profits tax cap, extending financing support and retooling tech programmes for AI adoption, the Government can give SMEs the room to grow and strengthen their long-term resilience.
Raising living standards and building a healthier and more liveable city
Mr Adam Chiu, member of the Greater China Taxation Committee, said the Budget should introduce targeted tax and subsidy measures that deliver practical support to households while encouraging healthier and more productive lifestyles.
“To provide direct relief to taxpayers, we recommend maintaining the 100 per cent salaries tax rebate on the 2025/26 final salaries tax, capped at HK$6,000. This would help offset rising living costs and support disposable income, particularly for middle‑income earners. We also propose introducing a tax deduction of up to HK$60,000 for working families who employ domestic helpers specifically to care for children, elderly family members or persons with special care needs. This would help ease caregiving pressures, support labour‑force participation.” Mr Chiu said.
He added that lifelong learning and skills upgrading are increasingly important in a rapidly evolving economy. “To enable individuals to undertake more advanced or specialised training, including in emerging areas such as AI, we recommend increasing the subsidy ceiling under the Continuing Education Fund to HK$30,000 per eligible applicant, and increasing the cap on the self-education tax deduction to HK$150,000 per year. To promote physical wellbeing, we also propose a tax deduction of up to HK$2,000 for sports‑related expenses.”
“By supporting working families, encouraging lifelong learning and promoting healthier lifestyles, these measures can collectively enhance quality of life and help build a more resilient and inclusive Hong Kong,” Mr Chiu said.
CPA Australia believes these recommendations will strengthen Hong Kong’s ability to engage more effectively with global markets, enhance its competitiveness as an international financial and business hub, and improve quality of life for residents. Taken together, these measures will help ensure Hong Kong is well positioned for a more sustainable, innovation driven and inclusive future.
Hashtag: #CPAAustralia
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About CPA Australia
CPA Australia is one of the largest professional accounting bodies in the world, with more than 176,000 members in over 100 countries and regions, including more than 22,500 members in Greater China. Our core services include education, training, technical support and advocacy. CPA Australia provides thought leadership on issues affecting the accounting profession and the public interest. We engage with governments, regulators and industries to advocate policies that stimulate sustainable economic growth and have positive business and public outcomes. Find out more at cpaaustralia.com.au
The Vat Phou Festival was held from 31 January to 2 February at the Vat Phou Temple site in Champasak Province. (Photo by Tholakhong)
The Vat Phou Festival was held from 31 January to 2 February at the Vat Phou Temple site in Champasak Province, marking the 25th anniversary of the ancient complex’s recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The three-day festival combines religious observances, cultural performances, and large-scale visual displays, drawing both domestic and international visitors to one of Laos’ most important historical sites.
The opening ceremony on 31 January featured a spectacular light and sound show illustrating the history of Vat Phou’s construction. The evening celebration included a drone display using 590 drones accompanied by 250 fireworks. A seminar commemorating the 25th anniversary of Vat Phou’s World Heritage status also took place during the opening events.
On the second day, 1 February, activities focused on religious practices, including ceremonies to pay respect to the Buddha, listening to Dhamma teachings, and an overnight chanting of protective blessings at the temple complex.
The festival concludes 2 February, with an early-morning alms-giving ceremony, where hundreds of monks receive offerings from worshippers.
In the evening, a candlelit procession will mark Makha Busa Day, the full moon day of the third lunar month in the Buddhist calendar.
History of Vat Phou
Dating back to the 7th century, Vat Phou is one of the most significant archaeological and architectural sites in Laos. The temple was originally built for Hindu worship, particularly devoted to Lord Shiva, before merging with a Buddhist site from the 13th century onwards as Buddhism spread through the region.
The Lao government and local authorities have undertaken continuous restoration and conservation efforts across various historical periods. Combined with the commitment of local communities and ethnic groups, these preservation efforts led to Vat Phou’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 16 December 2001.
Prestigious honor affirms international acclaim for the company’s comprehensive and long-term commitment to sustainable development
KEY POINTS
Global Sustainability Leadership: ASUS was the only Taiwanese company listed in the award category “Computers and Peripheral Equipment”
Eco-Friendly Product Success: Sustainability drives ASUS design, resulting in 89% eco-friendly product revenue and EPEAT Climate+ Champion status
Top-Tier Climate Governance: Achieved CDP Double ‘A’ (climate change, water security) via AI carbon management and 56% global renewable energy
SINGAPORE, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ASUS today announced that the company has recently been honored by Corporate Knights as one of the “Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations” during the World Economic Forum (WEF). This prestigious recognition reaffirms international acclaim for the company’s long-term commitment and excellence in sustainable development.
The inclusion highlights the company’s comprehensive strategy and tangible performance across its four sustainability pillars: Climate Action, Circular Economy, Responsible Manufacturing, and Value Creation. This demonstrates the company’s firm commitment to integrating sustainability into its core business operations. Following a rigorous evaluation of its ESG metrics, including sustainable revenue ratio, sustainable investment ratio, and sustainable revenue momentum, ASUS was the only Taiwanese company listed in the award category of “Computers and Peripheral Equipment”.
Strategic Climate Action and AI-Enabled Carbon Management To align the entire ASUS group toward its 2050 Net Zero goal, ASUS has leveraged its expertise to develop a carbon data management platform that utilizes AI-assisted decision-making to support reduction efforts across its supply chain and subsidiaries. To date, 56% of the company’s global operations are powered by renewable energy, and the carbon emission intensity of key suppliers has decreased by 28% compared to the base year. This solid environmental management led ASUS to achieve a Double ‘A’ rating in the 2025 CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) for both Climate Change and Water Security. Simultaneously, the company integrates sustainability principles into product development parameters through Design Thinking.
As of 2024, revenue from eco-friendly products has reached 89%. Furthermore, by the end of 2025, ASUS became among the first to successfully pass the latest EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) standards managed by the Global Electronics Council (GEC), maintaining its Climate+ Champion status and once again validating its leading position in climate action and product responsibility.
Looking forward, ASUS will continue to uphold its pragmatic sustainability strategy by integrating digital empowerment and launching its next five-year action plan, setting even more ambitious goals to lead the industry toward a stable and sustainable future.
About ASUS ASUS is a global technology leader that provides the world’s most innovative and intuitive devices, components, and solutions to deliver incredible experiences that enhance the lives of people everywhere. With its team of 5,000 in-house R&D experts, the company is world-renowned for continuously reimagining today’s technologies. Consistently ranked as one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, ASUS is also committed to sustaining an incredible future. The goal is to create a net zero enterprise that helps drive the shift towards a circular economy, with a responsible supply chain creating shared value for every one of us.
Vientiane’s blue emergency poles, installed in 2019 as part of an early “smart city” push, have largely faded from daily use, as residents increasingly turn to mobile phones and emergency hotlines instead. (Photo credit: Beatrice Siviero and Thongsavanh Souvannasane)
Vientiane’s blue emergency poles, installed in 2019 as part of an early “smart city” push, have largely faded from daily use, as residents increasingly turn to mobile phones and emergency hotlines instead.
The poles were rolled out in July 2019 amid concerns over bag snatching and drug-related crime. With more than 6,200 crimes recorded nationwide that year, authorities promoted the bright blue pillars as a visible deterrent and a quick way for the public to contact police.
Seven Years Later
Nearly seven years later, the city has changed. Vientiane now operates a modern Command and Control Center and expanded surveillance systems, but the street-level emergency poles remain scattered across the capital, often overlooked and poorly maintained.
Interviews with nearly 30 residents and vendors near several poles revealed widespread uncertainty about their purpose and usefulness. Most declined to give their names, citing concerns about personal safety and discomfort discussing law enforcement tools.
One high school student, who helps her mother sell fruit shakes near one of the poles, said she understands how the system works but would not rely on it in a real emergency.
“I know how it works,” she said, “but if there were a real emergency, I wouldn’t go searching for it. I would use my phone or ask someone nearby to call for me. It’s just faster to reach an officer that way than trying to find a pillar on the street.”
Phones as Faster Option
Her view reflects a broader shift in behavior. In today’s Vientiane, most residents instinctively reach for their phones, not public infrastructure. The 1195 emergency hotline has become the preferred option, seen as faster and more reliable than the aging street-side devices.
A 30-year-old jogger at That Luang Park shared a similar view.
“If there is an accident, why would I run to find a pole?” he asked. “Calling 1195 is much faster. You can avoid looking for a possibly broken machine.”
The condition of many poles reinforces that lack of confidence. Dangling wires, faded instructions, and infrequent maintenance are common complaints.
Residents also report frequent false alarms, sometimes triggered “for fun” or sounding without cause, which has led many people to ignore the alerts altogether.
Even those familiar with the technology now see it as a secondary option at best. As one resident put it, a broken or unreliable safety tool quickly becomes invisible in daily life.
As Vientiane continues to grow and faces evolving safety challenges, residents say public security measures need to keep pace with how people actually communicate and respond in emergencies.
Without regular maintenance, clearer public awareness, and integration with digital systems people already use, the blue emergency poles risk remaining relics of a 2019 vision that no longer fits the realities of 2026.
Available from February, the new menu brings a modern take on Filipino cuisine to Business Class passengers flying from Manila to Doha
MANILA, Philippines, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Qatar Airways is proud to announce its latest collaboration with renowned Filipino husband-and-wife duo, Chef Jordy and May Navarra, featuring an exclusive new Business Class menu for passengers travelling from Manila to Doha. Available from 2 February, the menu features a modern and refined take on well-loved Filipino dishes, and starting July 2026, the menu will also be available from Doha to Manila.
Qatar Airways Partners with Michelin One-Star Filipino Chef Jordy and May Navarra to Launch an Exclusive Business Class Menu
As the head chef and owner behind Manila’s One-Star Michelin Restaurant, Toyo Eatery, Chef Jordy Navarra brings his passion and love for cooking to Qatar Airways, with a five-course experience that reimagines fine-dining in the skies.
The menu features an appetizer of seared chilled scallops, braised beef short ribs tiyula itum for main course, pansit noodle ensalada for a light option, purée of arroz caldo for breakfast porridge and a standout dessert of sans rival cake with philippine chocolate sorbet. Ingredients are carefully sourced from local suppliers, in accordance with sustainable practices and seasonality to highlight the best Filipino ingredients.
This collaboration marks another milestone in Qatar Airways’ award-winning in-flight offerings and its ongoing legacy of extraordinary gourmet offerings. By investing in premium onboard experiences and joining with world-class chefs, Qatar Airways has earned a reputation as a global leader in aviation. The airline was named the ‘World’s Best Business Class’ for the 11th time in 2024 and achieved the title of ‘World’s Best Airline’ for a record-breaking 8th time in the same year. Synonymous with luxury and innovation, Qatar Airways also holds accolades for ‘World’s Best Business Class Lounge’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’. Qatar Airways currently flies to over 170 destinations worldwide, via one seamless connection through Hamad International Airport, the ‘World’s Best Airport’, as voted by Skytrax in 2021, 2022, and 2024.
About Qatar Airways A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways won the ‘World’s Best Airline’ title for an unprecedented ninth time at the 2025 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. Qatar Airways was previously named the World’s Best Airline in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2024.
The airline continues to be synonymous with excellence, and has yet again received recognition for ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’. As the leading connector in the region, Qatar Airways has also been lauded with the ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’ title for the 13 time.
Qatar Airways currently flies to over 170 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for 11 consecutive years, as well as ‘World’s Best Airport Shopping’ for the third year in a row, as voted by Skytrax. Hamad International Airport has previously been named the ‘World’s Best Airport’ by Skytrax in 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Qatar Airways was the first Airline in the Middle East to be certified to the highest level of IATA’s Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) programme, based on recognised environmental management system principles (such as ISO 14001). As an inaugural signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration in March 2016, Qatar Airways became the first airline globally to be certified to the industry standard for the prevention of illegal wildlife trafficking in aviation.
This launch marks the first time that GemFair’s ethically sourced, artisanal-mined diamonds are featured in jewellery, bringing their story of supporting livelihoods to consumers
LONDON, UK – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 February 2026 – De Beers Group is pleased to announce a collaboration between GemFair, the company’s programme to help formalise the artisanal and small-scale diamond mining (ASM) sector, and its luxury jewellery brand, De Beers London, to bring the story and beauty of GemFair’s ethically sourced, artisanal diamonds to consumers for the first time.
GemFair is a first-of-its-kind sourcing initiative that aims to transform standards and livelihoods for artisanal diamond miners by providing fair value purchasing, training to improve mining and working practices and a formal and traceable route-to-market for ethically sourced artisanal diamonds. Through GemFair’s proprietary digital tools and third‑party‑verified assurance programme, eligible diamonds can be traced from mine site to market.
GemFair is also part of Building Forever – De Beers Group’s industry-leading commitment to sustainability – transforming rarity into responsibility by supporting meaningful impact that endures beyond diamonds for countries, communities and ecosystems. The programme’s success is measured through improvements in standards, support of livelihoods in both mining and alternative livelihoods like farming and fishing, and traceability rather than production volume, reflecting its long-term, systems-based approach.
The capsule collection with De Beers London translates this journey into a series of creations that pair rough and polished GemFair diamonds, offering a rare and tangible expression of transformation. Comprising twelve unique pieces, the capsule collection celebrates the House’s intimate relationship with the source. Sculpted by the quiet force of rivers, each diamond was individually selected for its character and quality. The polished diamonds were handcrafted exclusively for the capsule, while the rough diamonds remain as nature intended – an authentic and powerful tribute to the Earth’s raw beauty. Through ‘Toi & Moi’ rings and the ‘Modern Lines’ set, each piece reflects a continuous dialogue between discovery and craftsmanship, honouring both the origin of the diamond and the artistry that reveals it.
Beyond this capsule, GemFair is now a registered supplier to De Beers London for future collections, having met the House’s rigorous standards for quality and responsible sourcing. This partnership marks an important step in strengthening the connection between exceptional diamonds, the people who discover them, and the finished jewellery piece.
Emmanuelle Nodale, CEO of De Beers London, said: “We’re proud to be the first jeweller to launch a collection featuring GemFair ethically sourced diamonds, bringing not just their beauty but also the powerful story of artisanal miners to our clients. By introducing both rough and polished diamonds within the same creation, we offer a rare and tangible connection to each diamond’s path, from its discovery in ancient riverbeds to its transformation into a jewel. These pieces carry not only the beauty of the diamond itself, but also the human stories behind it — stories of pride, opportunity and meaningful impact for artisanal mining communities. This collection marks an important step in our ongoing commitment to GemFair and to raising awareness of the programme’s important work.”
De Beers Group launched GemFair to lead industry efforts to formalise a transparent route to market for artisanal diamond miners, which accounts for around 10 per cent of global diamond supply by value and provides a vital source of livelihood for millions of people in some of the poorest parts of the world.
The programme launched in 2018 in the Kono region of Sierra Leone, where it continues to operate today. De Beers chose Sierra Leone to establish the GemFair programme because the government has made substantial efforts to include artisanal mining in its regulation and the country has transformed following the civil conflict that ended more than two decades ago.
Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers Brands & Diamond Desirability said: “Today’s luxury is defined not only by craftsmanship but by conscience. As part of our commitment to Building Forever, GemFair plays a vital role in supporting livelihoods by formalising artisanal mining and creating fair, traceable routes to market. For the first time, we are bringing these diamonds to consumers through this new collection with De Beers London with pieces that celebrate the beauty of natural diamonds while telling a story of the producers’ empowerment and transformation. It’s an important step in our efforts to translate rarity to responsibility and create meaningful impacts that endure beyond diamonds.”
Today, there are more than 500 artisanal mine sites participating in GemFair, which in turn support approximately 7,000 direct and many more indirect livelihoods. Since launching, GemFair has purchased more than 20,000 diamonds from participating miners and conducted more than 5,700 compliance visits to participating sites. GemFair has also launched a programme to reclaim artisanal mine sites once mining has ended to help improve safety and environmental practices within the sector. Since 2020, the programme has converted almost 160 abandoned mine pits to agricultural use and donated over 1,000 kilograms of rice, fruit and vegetable seedlings for local communities, supporting food security and providing an alternative source of livelihoods.
Steve Allan, Head of GemFair, said: “The collaboration with De Beers London marks a significant milestone for GemFair as our beautiful, ethically-sourced artisanal diamonds are sold in a dedicated jewellery collection for the first time. GemFair makes a tangible difference to the lives of the artisanal miners involved in the programme and it’s a great privilege to help tell their stories through the diamonds that we source and sell. We’ve come a long way since starting out as a pilot programme trying to establish a model for something that had never been done before. It’s very rewarding to see GemFair diamonds set in such stunning jewellery pieces, representing a real full circle moment.”
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About De Beers Group
Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers London and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services.
De Beers Group is committed to ‘Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability that underpins our efforts to create meaningful impact for the people and places where our diamonds are
discovered. Building Forever focuses on three key areas where, through collaborations and partnerships around the globe, we have an enhanced ability to drive positive impact; Livelihoods, Climate and Nature. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
The recognition highlights Telenor IoT’s leadership in innovation, customer-centric strategy, and global cellular IoT enablement across complex, multi-market deployments.
SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan is pleased to announce that Telenor IoT has been presented with the 2025 Global Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition in the cellular IoT industry for its outstanding achievements in technology innovation, strategy execution, and customer impact. This recognition underscores Telenor IoT’s consistent leadership in simplifying global IoT deployments, enabling it to strengthen its market position and deliver customer-focused innovation in a fragmented and highly complex ecosystem.
Frost & Sullivan evaluates companies through a rigorous benchmarking process across two core dimensions: strategy effectiveness and strategy execution. Telenor IoT excelled in both, demonstrating its ability to align a long-term vision with evolving enterprise needs at scale across regions. “Telenor IoT distinguishes itself by addressing the cellular IoT market’s most pressing challenges—complexity, roaming constraints, and ecosystem fragmentation—through a customer-oriented model, deep technological innovation, and two decades of IoT expertise,” said Cecilia Pérez, industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan.
Guided by a growth strategy centered on standalone IoT specialization, global reach, and continuous product evolution, Telenor IoT has demonstrated exceptional agility in a rapidly evolving landscape. As the portfolio brand of IoT solutions from Telenor Group, and through Telenor Connexion, the company delivers IoT services worldwide with local presence across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Its ability to control its value chain, which spans operations, contracting, and service delivery, enables tailored solutions and consistent performance across more than 500 networks in over 200 countries.
Innovation remains central to Telenor IoT’s approach. Its core platform, IoT Connect, delivers global managed connectivity through a single SIM, contract, API, and portal, eliminating the complexity of multi-SIM, multi-operator models that dominate the market. Customers benefit from unified provisioning, analytics, billing, and monitoring across roaming and local networks, supported by remote SIM management and a self-service portal. “We view this recognition as a very meaningful validation of our long-term strategy. At Telenor IoT, we believe innovation is only useful when it removes a hurdle or creates a new opportunity for the people using it. This award suggests that our efforts to build a secure, unified, and truly global cellular IoT ecosystem are providing the stability our partners need to scale, and it motivates us to keep making global connectivity as seamless as possible,” said Mats Lundquist, CEO of Telenor Connexion and Head of Telenor IoT.
The company’s recent advancements in eSIM SGP.32, AI-driven analytics, and cybersecurity further reinforce its technology leadership. The forthcoming integration of the SGP.32 standard enables centralized, automated SIM profile management optimized for massive IoT deployments, reducing logistical complexity while improving security and power efficiency. Complementing this, the Analytics and Insights capability—powered by Telenor’s proprietary big data engine—delivers actionable intelligence on device behavior, performance, and risk mitigation across global fleets.
Telenor IoT’s commitment to customer experience strengthens its competitive position. Through carrier-grade infrastructure, 24/7 support, GDPR- and ISO 27001-compliant security services, and a partner-led delivery model with localized expertise, the company continues to meet the needs of an expanding global customer base. Enterprises across automotive, industrial, and utilities sectors rely on Telenor IoT for resilient connectivity, simplified operations, and scalable growth.
Frost & Sullivan commends Telenor IoT for setting a high benchmark in competitive strategy, execution, and market responsiveness. The company’s vision, innovation pipeline, and customer-first culture are shaping the future of the cellular IoT industry and enabling enterprises to deploy connected solutions with confidence at a global scale.
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents the Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition to a company that demonstrates exceptional strategy development and implementation, resulting in measurable improvements in competitive positioning, customer value, and market impact. The recognition highlights forward-thinking organizations that are redefining their industries through sustained innovation and growth excellence.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Recognition Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Recognitions honor companies across regional and global markets that exhibit exceptional achievement and consistent excellence in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer experience, and strategic product development. Each recognition is the result of a rigorous analytical process in which Frost & Sullivan industry experts benchmark performance through comprehensive interviews, deep-dive analysis, and extensive secondary research. The goal is to identify true best-in-class organizations that are driving transformative growth and setting new industry standards. Contact us: Start the discussion.
About Telenor IoT Telenor IoT is the portfolio of IoT solutions from Telenor Group, one of the world’s major mobile operators. With more than 20 years’ experience of providing global IoT connectivity, cloud services and expert support to companies of all sizes, Telenor is one of the world’s most advanced IoT solution providers.
Telenor IoT manages international IoT deployments for global customers in some 200 countries and today operates more than 25 million connected devices to enterprises such as Volvo, Scania, Hitachi, Verisure and Husqvarna.
cpaaustralia.com.au
https://www.debeersgroup.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/debeersgroup/posts/?feedView=all
https://www.facebook.com/DeBeersGroupOfCompanies
https://www.instagram.com/debeersgroup/
