SINGAPORE, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS), the world’s leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation, service and modernization company, has appointed Nicolas (Nico) Lopez President of Otis Asia Pacific (APAC), effective immediately.  

As APAC President, he will be responsible for the business and geographies across Asia, excluding Greater China. He will drive growth and transformation by advancing customer centricity and operational excellence across service, modernization, new equipment, manufacturing, and innovation, strengthening the regional portfolio, workforce, and customer relationships of Otis.

“It takes advanced technology, outstanding technical expertise, and deep dedication to move millions of people safely and reliably across Asia Pacific every day,” Lopez said. “I’m proud to be leading a team that has earned the trust of customers and passengers. We never take this trust for granted, and we are always working to meet the expectations of the people we serve.”

Lopez brings broad commercial, operational, legal, and governance expertise to his new role. With a decade at Otis, he most recently was the Managing Director for Otis Southeast Asia. His tenure also includes oversight of distributor operations across more than 60 countries, and senior business development and compliance positions across Otis APAC and Latin America. Lopez also spent nearly a decade with the former parent company of Otis.

He holds an MBA from Universidad del CEMA and a Master of Laws from Columbia Law School.

Lopez succeeds Stéphane de Montlivault, who has retired after four decades with Otis. De Montlivault was instrumental in developing Otis as an industry leader in Asia and also co-founded WorkWell Leaders, a charity that promotes workplace mental wellbeing.

About Otis
Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation, service and modernization of elevators and escalators, we move 2.5 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.5 million customer units worldwide – the industry’s largest Service portfolio. You’ll find us in the world’s most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 72,000 people strong, including 45,000 field professionals, all committed to manufacturing, installing and maintaining products to meet the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook @OtisElevatorCo.

SINGAPORE, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Synpulse, the global consultancy to major financial institutions, is proud to announce the promotion of Andreas Mettenberger and Adrien Thonet to Partner. Their appointments come at a defining moment for Synpulse, as the firm marks its 30‑year anniversary and reflects a journey shaped by global expansion, technological innovation, and a deepening leadership footprint across the Asia‑Pacific region.

Built on deep industry expertise and a strong commitment to delivering meaningful client impact, Synpulse’s 30-year journey has charted an ambitious path toward shaping the digital future of financial services. At the heart of this evolution is the Asia‑Pacific region, which has rapidly emerged as both a key growth driver and a strategic pillar of Synpulse’s global operations.

The announcement also continues Synpulse’s broader global momentum, following new partner appointments in Europe with Joel Smith being promoted to Partner and the advancement of Marcel Lötscher to Senior Partner in the Americas.

Salomon Wettstein, Managing Partner and Head of North Asia at Synpulse commented, “The promotions of Andreas and Adrien underscore the strength and maturity of our Hong Kong and North Asia platform. As the region continues to emerge as a strategic growth engine for Synpulse, their leadership reflects both the depth of our local capabilities and our long-term commitment to investing in this market. This is an important step in building a sustainable leadership bench to support our clients’ ambitions across North Asia.”

Based in Hong Kong, Andreas Mettenberger has driven the expansion of Synpulse’s APAC wealth and asset management practice, leading flagship WealthCockpit implementations for key financial institutions. Known for his strategic leadership and delivery excellence, Andreas will sharpen Synpulse’s focus on becoming the partner of choice for external asset managers and family offices both as a strategic advisor and technology partner while accelerating the rollout of our WealthCockpit solutions across APAC, the Middle East, and Europe. His promotion to Partner reaffirms Synpulse’s commitment to serving APAC clients with leading expertise in digitalisation, operating model design, and regulatory readiness.

Adrien Thonet, also based in Hong Kong, has been a driving force behind Synpulse’s Avaloq strategy. With over a decade of deep expertise across Avaloq, Wealth Management, and Private Banking, he has driven high‑stakes core banking transformations and ecosystem collaborations that have positioned Synpulse as a trusted ally to next‑gen financial institutions. As Partner, Adrien will accelerate Synpulse’s momentum by expanding our Avaloq footprint across APAC and MEA, driving a strong pipeline, ensuring the seamless delivery of major transformation programs and strengthening global collaboration to create powerful synergies across APAC, MEA, and Europe.

“The addition of Adrien and Andreas as partners reflects Synpulse’s commitment to investing in exceptional talent and leadership,” said Yves Roesti, CEO and Managing Partner of Synpulse. “Their energy and forward‑looking vision will further propel our teams and clients toward bold, transformative growth across APAC and beyond. Their appointment is a pivotal step in shaping a truly global, future‑ready Synpulse that will continue to push boundaries and raise the bar for our industry.”

About Synpulse

Synpulse is a global management consultancy and a trusted partner to financial institutions. We deliver end-to-end transformation for financial institutions, combining deep industry expertise with technology across strategy, design, implementation, and operations. With a network of over 100 ecosystem partners and our technology division Synpulse8, we co-create innovative digital solutions that deliver value-creating impact. Our team of 1,000+ professionals from more than 20 locations is united by a shared commitment to excellence and client success.

Further information www.synpulse.com.

New doctoral programme targets senior executives seeking to lead strategic innovation and research at the intersection of business and technology.

SINGAPORE, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Singapore Management University (SMU) and Fudan University have jointly launched the SMU-Fudan Doctor of Business Administration (Technology), a programme that prepares senior leaders to navigate the complex intersection of business and technology.

Across industries, senior executives are facing a structural shift where emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, data platforms, Web3 and digital infrastructure are no longer peripheral tools, but core drivers of competitive advantage, governance and organisational design. Yet many leaders find a gap between fast-moving technological innovation and the ability to translate it into rigorous, evidence-based strategy, policy and long-term value creation. At the same time, organisations are increasingly expected to address ethical, regulatory and societal implications of technology, creating strong demand for doctoral-level leaders who can combine deep technological understanding with advanced business research capabilities.

The SMU–Fudan DBA (Tech) directly addresses this demand by equipping experienced executives with practice-driven doctoral research training focused on real-world technological challenges. By integrating advanced business research methods with deep exposure to AI, data, digital platforms and governance frameworks, the programme enables participants to generate actionable insights grounded in their own organisational and industry contexts. Graduates are trained not only to understand emerging technologies, but to critically evaluate their strategic, regulatory and societal impact, allowing them to lead technology-driven transformation with confidence and responsibility. 

“Technology today is no longer a functional tool. It is reshaping strategy, governance and the social contract between business and society,” said Zhu Feida, Programme Director of the SMU- Fudan DBA (Tech) Programme at SMU. “This programme is designed for senior leaders focused on the narratives beyond the numbers and coding – to go beyond adoption to generate research-driven insights that shape how technology is governed, scaled and applied responsibly in real-world business contexts.”

For Singapore-based leaders, the SMU–Fudan DBA (Tech) provides a strategic platform to strengthen Singapore’s role as a trusted hub for digital innovation, regulation and cross-border business. Through rigorous research and exposure to China’s innovation ecosystem, participants gain the ability to design scalable, compliant and globally relevant technology strategies that reinforce Singapore’s position as a leading digital economy and regional decision-making centre.

For China-based leaders, the programme offers a structured pathway to engage with global research standards, international governance perspectives and Southeast Asia’s regulatory and business environment. As Chinese enterprises expand internationally and adopt advanced digital technologies, leaders increasingly need research capabilities that go beyond execution to strategic reflection, governance design and long-term innovation. The SMU–Fudan DBA (Tech) enables executives to translate China’s rich innovation and scaling experience into globally informed, research-backed strategies, supporting sustainable international growth and cross-border collaboration.

By cultivating a network of high-calibre doctoral graduates across Singapore, China and beyond, the programme strengthens academic–industry linkages, enhances the global visibility of both universities, and positions SMU at the forefront of doctoral education at the intersection of business, technology and governance.

First DBA at SMU focussed on technology

The SMU–Fudan DBA (Tech) is the first DBA at SMU with a dedicated focus on technology. By combining rigorous academic training with applied technological insights, the programme equips candidates to generate impactful knowledge that addresses complex business and societal challenges.

Offered jointly in collaboration with Fudan University, the programme melds SMU’s strengths in computing, data and digital regulation with Fudan University’s long-standing leadership in economics, management and industry engagement, creating a distinctive platform for practice-oriented research, cross-border learning and industry collaboration.

“In the era of AI, seeking answers externally has become effortless, making the inward quest for insight all the more precious. As technology readily provides solutions, true leadership returns to its essence: the ability to ask the right questions with profound vision,” said Liu Yu, Programme Director of the SMU-Fudan DBA (Tech) Programme at Fudan.  

“By bridging Fudan’s economic insights with SMU’s technological expertise, this programme empowers leaders to move beyond adoption toward deep strategic reflection. We enable them to transform innovation experience into rigorous, research-backed strategies that define the future of global business.”

The SMU–Fudan DBA (Tech) holds three defining features:

• Technology-integrated business research

  Candidates develop deep understanding of AI, Web3, FinTech, cybersecurity and digital platforms, while conducting industry-focused doctoral research that informs strategy, policy and innovation, ensuring graduates can immediately apply their research to drive organisational transformation.

• Cross-border and cross-cultural learning

  As a programme structured across Singapore and Shanghai, the SMU-Fudan DBA (Tech) leverages the distinct advantages of two global innovation hubs. Candidates will gain dual exposure to Singapore’s ecosystem of FinTech and regulatory trust, and Shanghai’s dynamic environment of rapid technological scaling and entrepreneurship. Joint supervision by top-tier faculty from SMU and Fudan offers candidates deep access to alumni networks and industry resources in both China and Southeast Asia.

• Responsible and sustainable technology leadership

  A focused doctoral pathway covering AI, Data Science, Web3 and Sustainability, distinct from broad-based DBAs. The curriculum emphasises ethical, regulatory and governance dimensions of emerging technologies, preparing leaders to balance innovation with trust, resilience and long-term value creation.

Feedback from industry practitioners

“What makes this programme distinctive is its strong integration of technology, business strategy and governance,” said Tony Tang, Group CFO of G.H.Y Culture & Media, a Singapore-headquartered, SGX mainboard listed entertainment company. “For executives operating across Asia, the combination of Singapore’s regulatory leadership and China’s innovation scale provides an invaluable perspective for leading cross-border digital transformation.”

Applications for the inaugural August 2026 intake are now open. Find out more here.

HONG KONG, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Everyware Limited today announced the launch of Caterlord Checkout, a new self-service payment solution designed to help Hong Kong restaurants speed up bill settlement, reduce labour pressure, and deliver a smoother guest experience. Fully integrated with the Caterlord POS platform, Caterlord Checkout enables restaurants to turn tables faster while maintaining accurate, secure, and fully digital payment workflows.

A new era of self‑payment

Caterlord Checkout is a dedicated self-checkout kiosk that allows guests to review their bill and pay independently at the end of their meal. The system retrieves orders by QR code, synchronises instantly with table and order status in Caterlord POS, and ensures that every transaction is recorded in real time. With automated payments and error-free posting back to the POS, operators can free front-of-house staff to focus on hospitality, allowing each waiter to cut time spent on traditional cashiering tasks by an average of 90 minutes per day.

Designed for modern diners

The solution supports multiple digital payment methods, including popular e-wallets (Octopus, Alipay, WeChat Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay), and card schemes (Visa, Mastercard, China Union Pay, American Express, JCB), so guests can pay the way they prefer. A multilingual, user-friendly interface guides customers step by step, helping even first-time users complete payment quickly during peak hours. Restaurants can also use the Caterlord Checkout kiosk home screen as a built-in advertising space to promote new menus, seasonal campaigns, or loyalty programmes at the point of payment.

Fast deployment and flexible setup

Caterlord Checkout integrates natively with existing Caterlord POS deployments, simplifying rollout for both single-site operators and growing groups. The hardware is available in flexible formats such as wall-mount, floor-stand, and tabletop configurations, allowing restaurants to match their store layout and customer flow. Quick installation and cloud-based management mean new locations can go live with minimal disruption to day-to-day operations.

Trusted by leading Hong Kong brands

Several forward-thinking Hong Kong F&B brands have already adopted Caterlord Checkout to enhance service efficiency, including Ging Sun Ho (堅信號), Yeh Lam Kwok (椰林閣), Wan Chuen (雲川), Veggie Factory (菜籽), My Cafe (木椰), Horse Tea (馬茶). These early adopters are using the solution to shorten queues at peak time, support leaner staffing models, and capture more data around guest payment behaviour. Their deployment underscores the growing demand for smarter, guest-led payment experiences across the city’s competitive dining scene.

About Everyware Limited:

Everyware Limited was founded with the vision of revolutionizing the restaurant industry through advanced cloud technology. Acknowledging the challenges faced by restaurateurs, the company developed Caterlord, an all-in-one platform that streamlines every aspect of restaurant management. Recognized as one of the most advanced and robust POS systems in Asia-Pacific, Caterlord has been widely acclaimed for its ability to support all F&B concepts, from single-unit cafes to multi-store chains. Trusted by leading F&B groups, Caterlord continues to set the standard for innovation.

New platform reinforces Infobip’s shift to AI-first customer experience in its 20th year

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Global AI-first cloud communications platform Infobip, which celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year, is set to launch its AI-native fully managed solution AgentOS. The new platform builds on Infobip’s recently launched AI Agents, the intelligent foundation for autonomous customer communications. AgentOS is a major step in Infobip’s evolution from communications platform to intelligent orchestration layer for the AI era, enabling businesses to move from campaigns and workflows to autonomous, goal-driven interactions.

AI communication models enable autonomous customer communications, hyper-personalization and highly engaging content across multiple channels. However, AI agents need a unified view of all customer touchpoints to deliver such benefits. Businesses must eliminate data silos. Yet readiness is low. Few enterprise AI agent projects reach production due to unstructured data and internal barriers. AgentOS overcomes these barriers, operationalizing AI safely and at scale across the enterprise.

AgentOS combines Infobip’s Conversational Customer Data Platform with real-time journey orchestration to deliver one and two-way contextual engagement across all natively integrated channels. The platform unites marketing, sales and support into one AI-native platform to connect every customer touchpoint into a seamless journey. This means fewer disconnected tools, faster execution and measurable improvements in customer conversion, satisfaction and lifetime value.

Infobip’s real advantage lies in its human-in-the-loop model, where AI manages scalability and efficiency, and human specialists intervene to address complex issues, continuously training and refining the AI agents. Retailers and eCommerce companies are at the forefront, delivering hyper-personalized experiences, while healthcare and finance sectors are quickly embracing AI-powered solutions to improve patient care with a strong focus on trust, security, and regulatory compliance.

Moreover, modular components, MCP interfaces, open APIs, and intuitive user interface elements enable fast deployment, integration or standalone use. Brands can start with one use case, enhance customer experience and scale to other use cases quickly. Built-in security and compliance ensure every interaction is trusted, giving enterprises the confidence to automate without losing control. Automation and analytics power hyper-personalized engagement and operational efficiency at scale.

Krešo Žmak, Chief Innovation Officer at Infobip, said: “AgentOS is the control layer where AI agents, data, channels and customer intent come together to decide what happens next in every interaction. It leverages our omnichannel foundation to enable AI agents to operate autonomously across SMS, RCS, email, WhatsApp, voice, and more, adapting in real-time to optimize content, channel and timing based on customer context. With more than 15 natively integrated channels, Infobip is uniquely positioned to deliver agentic AI at scale.”

Infobip has integrated Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers into its platform to provide AI agents with communication superpowers. By creating a universal language where AI agents can interact with third-party systems, Infobip’s MCP servers enable AI agents to book flights, set up two-factor identification and more. No matter if a brand uses an Infobip or third-party agent, they can make the most of Infobip’s global omnichannel communications platform to complete real AI-first customer tasks end-to-end.

AgentOS is available directly from Infobip on 1 April. More about AI agents here: https://www.infobip.com/ai-agents

About Infobip (Infobip Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd Company No: 201001014145/898379-U)

Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected experiences across all stages of the customer journey, with AI as the driving force of innovation. Through a single, natively built platform, Infobip delivers omnichannel engagement, identity, user authentication and contact centre solutions that help businesses and partners overcome the complexity of consumer communications while driving growth and increasing customer loyalty. Infobip is focused on enabling and accelerating AI adoption as it continues its transformation into an AI-first company. Infobip’s technology has the capacity to reach over seven billion mobile devices in 6 continents connected to over 10k+ connections of which 800+ are direct operator connections. The company was established in 2006 and is led by its co-founders, CEO Silvio Kutić and Izabel Jelenić.

–       Seizing the golden time for a major transformation, with ‘Customer Value & AI’ as the top two priorities for driving change

–       Major overhaul of systems and infrastructure, the foundation of telecommunications, centered on AI

–       Redesigning customer-friendly products, promoting integrated AI agents, and strengthening communication with customers

–       Advancing hyperscale AI data centers, developing 1000B AI models, and focusing on manufacturing AI to help Korea become one of the world’s top three AI leaders

BARCELONA, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SK Telecom (NYSE:SKM, hereinafter referred to as “SKT”) has announced a major transformation to lead the era of AI.

On March 1, SKT CEO Jung Jai-hun held a press conference in Barcelona, Spain, and announced the company’s ‘AI Native’ innovation strategy, which includes a reorganization of AI infrastructure and large-scale investment plans.

This strategy reflects SKT’s ambition to redesign its telecommunications leadership DNA into an AI-driven DNA, building on its core strengths, and to lead Korea’s leap toward becoming one of the world’s top three AI leaders through bold challenges and change. 

CEO Jung Jai-hun stated, “SKT is currently at a golden time of transformation, where the two tasks of ‘customer value innovation’ and ‘AI innovation’ intersect in a borderless, converged environment that goes beyond telecommunications. SKT defines ‘the customer as the very essence of our business,’ and through innovation driven by AI, we will evolve into a company that makes meaningful contributions to our customers and to Korea.”

• Maximizing Customer Value with ‘AI-powered Telco‘ 

SKT plans to build stronger relationships with customers and significantly enhance customer-perceived value by applying AI across all areas of telecommunications.

To achieve this, SKT will undertake a major overhaul of its integrated IT systems, the foundation of its telecom services, redesigning them to be optimized for AI.

SKT will build all integrated systems, including sales IT, line management, and billing systems, around AI, enabling the company to promptly design and provide personalized plans and memberships tailored to each customer’s needs.

In particular, SKT will establish a Zero Trust information security framework across all systems, strengthening security through rigorous authentication, access control, network segmentation, and AI-based integrated security monitoring.

SKT is also accelerating its ‘autonomous network operations’ strategy, which leverages AI to automate network management.

SKT is set to transition from human-centered operations to AI-driven autonomous systems across wireless quality management, traffic control, and network equipment and facility operations, with the goal of maximizing customer-perceived quality. With AI-RAN technology, the company plans to deliver ultra-fast, seamless, and ultra-low latency communications.

• Customer-Friendly Redesign Across All Touchpoints, from Services to Customer Touchpoints—Enhancing Two-Way Communication with Customers

SKT plans to redesign its telecom services and products to be more customer-friendly, while also strengthening two-way communication with customers.

For services such as pricing, roaming, and membership, SKT will prioritize customer convenience by restructuring them into simple and intuitive formats and automatically offering personalized packages.

SKT is also developing an ‘integrated AI agent’ that connects the dispersed customer experiences across various touchpoints, such as T world (SKT’s main customer portal) and T Direct Shop (SKT’s official online store).

By quickly analyzing customers’ daily patterns and needs with AI, SKT aims to create a single agent that delivers personalized experiences at every touchpoint. In addition, SKT will enhance its AI Contact Center (AICC), enabling all customer service representatives to use AI for accurate and prompt support.

Offline stores will also leverage AI to shift from sales-focused operations to providing deeper customer experiences, accurately identifying needs, and automatically offering personalized recommendations even after a visit—delivering highly tailored curation services. 

In addition, SKT plans to create ‘AI Personas’ to analyze digital behavior data across various customer segments, enabling a comprehensive understanding of each customer’s needs and preferences through natural, conversational Q&A. This approach will allow SKT to communicate more effectively with all customers.

SKT is further advancing ‘A. phone (A-DoT phone),’ developing it into a true AI agent that can automatically organize call notes and schedules, connect customers to personalized services, and even perform related actions. 

SKT plans to expand opportunities for employees to engage directly with customers in the field, fostering two-way communication. This year, SKT plans to actively listen to a wide range of customer groups, as well as experts from industry and academia, and thoroughly reflect their voices in all aspects of company management.

• Building 1GW-Class AI Data Centers Nationwide to Establish Asia‘s Largest AIDC Hub

SKT will build 1GW-class hyperscale AI data center (AIDC) infrastructure across Korea, aiming to attract global investment and establish the nation as Asia’s largest AIDC hub.

In addition to its GPU cluster Haein, SKT is building AIDCs and plans to expand to hyperscale capacity exceeding 1GW through global partnerships. The company also plans to build an AIDC in Korea’s southwestern region in collaboration with OpenAI, as part of its broader vision to establish a nationwide AI infrastructure network.

Together with SK hynix, SK Ecoplant, and SK Innovation, SKT will secure solutions across the entire value chain—from AIDC construction to cooling, servers, energy, and operations—to provide AIDCs with industry-leading cost efficiency.

Last year, SKT applied its high-performance, high-efficiency virtualization solution ‘Petasus AI Cloud’ to Haein, its GPU cluster built for GPUaaS, and this year plans to offer Petasus AI Cloud in the global market.

SKT will upgrade its sovereign AI foundation model, currently the largest in Korea at 519B parameters, to over 1T (one trillion parameters), securing AI sovereignty and driving innovation across industries. In particular, SKT plans to enhance the model by adding multimodal capabilities, enabling it to process not only image data but also voice and video data, starting in the second half of this year.

Moreover, SKT will focus on jointly developing a ‘manufacturing-specialized AI solution’ package with SK hynix to strengthen the competitiveness of Korea’s manufacturing industries, including semiconductors and energy. This package analyzes process data in real time to reduce defect rates and maximize equipment efficiency, and will be offered in three forms: infrastructure, model, and solution.

CEO Jung stated, “AIDC can be seen as the heart of Korea, and hyperscale LLMs as the brain. By combining SKT’s AI capabilities with collaboration from domestic and global partners, we will lead true AI-native transformation for Korean customers and enterprises.”

• Transforming Work Culture Around AI

CEO Jung emphasized, “To drive future growth, we must reinvent our way of working from the ground up. SKT will fundamentally transform its corporate culture to be centered around AI.”

SKT has built an ‘AX (AI Transformation) Dashboard’ that provides a comprehensive view of AI utilization by department and individual, accelerating AI adoption across the organization. In addition, SKT operates an ‘AI Board’ to strengthen dedicated support for AX initiatives and is fostering a work environment and culture where employees can naturally incorporate AI into their daily tasks.

SKT has also built an ‘AI playground,’ enabling employees to easily develop and use AI agents for their work without coding. Currently, more than 2,000 AI agents are being actively used across areas such as marketing, legal, and PR.

CEO Jung stated, “By implementing company-wide AI upskilling education and campaigns, we will transform our organizational culture to be AI Native. Through SKT’s new transformation, we will do our utmost to regain the trust of our customers and become a company that contributes to the nation and society.”

About SK Telecom

SK Telecom has been leading the growth of the mobile industry since 1984. Now, it is taking customer experience to new heights by extending beyond connectivity. By placing AI at the core of its business, SK Telecom is rapidly transforming into an AI company with a strong global presence. It is focusing on driving innovations in areas of AI Infrastructure, AI Transformation (AIX) and AI Service to deliver greater value for industry, society, and life.

For more information, please contact skt_press@sk.com or visit our LinkedIn page www.linkedin.com/company/sk-telecom.