KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 6 April 2023 – Year in, year out—the month of Ramadan remains a special period for the international broker OctaFX. Charity initiatives have been organised and held in Malaysia, Pakistan, and Nigeria. Let’s take a walk down memory lane for 2022’s Ramadan.
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar is a significant and religiously important time for any Muslim believer. Whole Muslim families, communities, and nations commemorate the event in Islamic tradition which has been passed through as Prophet Muhammad’s initial revelation in a cave, delivered by the angel Gabriel. According to tradition, this was the inception point for recording Islam’s holy book—the Quran.
Charity is a key aspect of Ramadan—and that’s where OctaFX came in.
The broker has put special emphasis on involving its clients in good deeds during the holy month of Ramadan. Just like last year, the company currently calls to ‘make the world better’: each lot traded by the clients between 22 March and 20 April 2023 will add 0.1 USD to a charity fund.
A powerful 2022 archive of Ramadan projects
In Malaysia, OctaFX was a chief contributor to the Didik-Kasih EduCare Program. Ashreen Natasha, Nivasheini Saravana, Hii Xiu, Kerk Zhi, Hermawati, Manushri Lakshmi were the six students that benefited from the broker’s Ramadan sponsorship venture. The program is a part of the wider ‘Great Vision Charity association’ (GVCA) which addresses the decisive weight of education and its role in society. GVCA is most prominently active in underprivileged communities.
In Nigeria, two Ramadan initiatives—both with the Keeping It Real Foundation—stand out: the YES Project and the ‘Reading corners’ project.
Through the Youth Employability Skills (YES) Project, the KIR Foundation trained fifty unemployed or underemployed young people, aged eighteen to thirty-five, who were not able to finish school. Out of fifty students, nine had disabilities—reflecting the disability-inclusive nature of the project. It featured OctaFX’s brand ambassador Ambrose Ebuka as a special guest—he provided a valuable workshop on investments directed at the trainees. During the workshop, he told them about various investment opportunities and gave practical advice on how to start investing in the financial markets.
The ‘Reading corners’ project had the KIR Foundation and OctaFX distribute many hundreds of books to schools all across the country—among them a primary school in Musa Yar’Adua, Katsina State. The project there became the de facto first opportunity for children to start their English language journey, since there was no other place nearby to get the relevant books.
In Pakistan, the global broker has been involved and is still involved in the HES project—or the ‘Health, Education & Safety’ Program for the children of the Muzaffargarh district. The initiative has been launched together with the Association for Women’s Awareness and Rural Development (AWARD).
The charity directs its efforts at improving the health, education, and safety of children in twelve rural areas of Muzzafargarh, Punjab. The project’s further midterm plans are ambitious, yet essential: safety sessions on preventing children from sexual abuse, violence, and exploitation with children and communities, enrolment of disadvantaged children in schools.
Whereas 2022 was an eventful and fruitful year in terms of charitable Ramadan activities, the current year is planned to at least match the strive to good, giving, and generous deeds—within the company, its traders and investors community, and Muslim communities as a whole.
Anyone who would like to take part in this year’s Ramadan celebration and salute the 2023 holy month together with OctaFX, can get acquainted with the terms and conditions and join the campaign by visiting the broker’s website.
Hashtag: #OctaFX
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About OctaFX
OctaFX is an international broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and a variety of services already utilised by clients from 180 countries with more than 21 million trading accounts. Free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools they provide help clients reach their investment goals.
The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including the improvement of educational infrastructure and short-notice relief projects supporting local communities.
OctaFX has also won more than 60 awards since its foundation, including the ‘Best Online Broker Global 2022’ award from World Business Outlook and the ‘Best Global Broker Asia 2022’ award from International Business Magazine.
CCTV monitoring room at the Ministry of National Defence. ( Photo : Lao Security News )
The Ministry of National Defence’s Communications Department has taken charge of the new CCTVs installed in Vientiane Capital, as part of a refurbishment project started on 24 August 2022, by the private company KPG Communications Sole Co. Ltd.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 5 April 2023– Amidst much uncertainty in the global environment, the tenth edition of Influential Brands® Awards was a timely reminder of the importance of good leaders and their ability to steer companies through a volatile landscape.
As a regional company, Influential Brands celebrated the Best in Class in Singapore and Thailand with a presence of more than 300 C-suite executives from leading companies from across the region such as Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and China.
Awardees are recognised at The Capitol Theatre in Singapore
Some of the esteemed Awardees recognised in Singapore include prominent Brands, such as: NTUC FairPrice and Changi Airport Group.
Ms. Elaine Heng, Deputy Group CEO, FairPrice Group, said: “FairPrice Group is delighted to receive three accolades including the Supermarket, Online Grocery Retailer, and Supermarket Private Label awards at the 2022 Top Influential Brands Awards. This is a strong testimony of our dedication and commitment to our customers. As a progressive retailer with a social mission to moderate the cost of living, we will continue to innovate and serve the needs of the community, while keeping the price and supply of daily essentials stable for all”
Mr. Kelvin Ng, Vice President, Corporate & Marketing Communications, Changi Airport Group said: “Changi Airport Group is humbled to receive this affirmation from travellers. This is only made possible by the strong support of our airport partners, who keep our Changi flag flying high everyday.
We endeavour to work hard and innovate to deliver the best airport experience to every traveller that we serve”.
Guest of Honour, H.E. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports and Awardees at The Grand Chatrium Hotel in Bangkok
Influential Brands and its Thailand partner, Neo Target, held the 2022 Asia CEO Summit & Award Ceremony in Thailand to recognise the efforts from prominent companies and business leaders including Central Retail Food, Grab Thailand among other distinguished awardees.
Mr. Stephane Coum, Chief Executive of Food Group, Central Food Retail (CFG), said: “I am grateful to my team for doing their best for our customers, colleagues and community. Together, we will continue to take “Tops” to greater heights as a Food Discovery & Destination with the goal of being truly a Green & Sustainable Retailer that delivers the greatest shopping experience to all.”
Mr. Worachat Luxkanalode, Managing Director of Grab Thailand, said: “Grab Thailand is deeply honored to receive this prestigious award. Being recognized as Thailand’s Top Influential Brand truly reflects the trust and support gained from everyone in our ecosystem that includes users, merchant-partners and driver-partners.”
TOP EMPLOYERS ARE RECOGNISED BY THEIR VERY OWN EMPLOYEES
Backed by a robust anonymous employee survey with the participation of more than 10,000 employees, 8 companies are crowned “Top Employers”. The Awardees are: Canon (Hi-Tech), Siemens (Technology), Watsons (Health & Beauty Retailer), NUHS (Healthcare), PKF (Public Accounting Firm), PropertyGuru Group (Technology), APB (Brewery) and JustCo (Co-working) are lauded by their own employees through anonymous surveys as excellent employers.
These 8 companies were awarded with the title “Asia’s Top Employers” for scoring above international benchmarks. They surpassed industry standards in having meaningful employee engagement, strong alignment between employee & company culture and relevant HR practices in this digital age. The company culture and employee engagement assessment were conducted in collaboration with aAdvantage Consulting firm, Influential Brands’ research partner.
Dr. Thai Lai Pham, CEO of Siemens ASEAN, shared, “Behind such recognition is the unwavering commitment from our team to support the industries that form the backbone of our economies, making it more resilient, productive, and sustainable. Congratulations Team Siemens! I’m proud to work with all of you in transforming the everyday lives of billions of people across Asia by creating technology with purpose.”
Ms. Priscilla Teo, Group Chief Human Resource Officer of NUHS shared “The National University Health System (NUHS) is a dynamic organisation with professionals from diverse backgrounds. Across our institutions, our employees are dedicated to delivering leading-edge patient care, research, and education. The award affirms our effort and commitment to providing a work environment that is conducive and engaging for our 15,000 staff. Be part of the OneNUHS family and explore a purposeful career with ample opportunities for personal growth and development!”
Ms. Genevieve Godwin, Chief People Officer, PropertyGuru Group said: “On behalf of the team, I am delighted to accept this award for the second year running. Our Gurus’ (employees) dedication to creating what’s next in the technology industry is what makes PropertyGuru Group an employer of choice in Asia. We continue to build on our talent programmes year after year. In 2022, we have embedded our Future of Work for our diverse community of 1800 Gurus, to ensure everyone has the opportunity to work flexibly in line with their role and team at PropertyGuru. Aligned with our culture of trust, our programmes enable our Gurus to be their authentic selves and push beyond good every day.”
Top Brands, Outstanding Brands and Top Employers are conferred with the title of the Best in Class
BRAND LEADERS ARE GLAD TO WIN THE HEARTS OF CONSUMERS
Backed by a robust market survey in Asia with the participation of 10,000 consumers, 49 companies are named the “2022 Top Influential Brands”.
The Awardees by category are: Hospitality & Travel: Changi Airport Group, Frasers Hospitality, Gojek, Grab, Klook, Retail: Chow Tai Fook, Lotus’s, Makro, NTUC FairPrice, The Mall, Tops Market, Banking & Insurance: Muang Thai Life Insurance, Thai Life, SCB, Food & Beverage: Auntie Anne’s, BreadTalk, Café Amazon, Din Tai Fung, Harry’s, Krispy Kreme, Mister Donut, Toast Box, Fast moving consumer goods: Bio-home, Canesten, CP, EB, Holistic Way, Kratingdaeng, Lifree, Meiji, Naturel, Playmore, POKKA, Refresh, Sadia, Suu balm, Zappy, Education: MindChamps, NTUC LearningHub, Health: AOX (Hall of Fame), Beijing Tong Ren Tang, Eu Yan Sang, Beauty: Caring Skin, Jean Yip, Others: AIS, Ecovacs, IG, Major Cineplex, PTT Station.
In view of their ongoing efforts for more than a decade to provide the best health products to customers, AOX was inducted to the Hall of Fame.
Finally, based on their branding efforts to engage customers and provide an excellence experience, 4 companies were recognised as Outstanding brands. The Awardees are: EX Style and Zansan representing Singapore and FWD Insurance and Government Housing Bank representing Thailand.
Mr. Jonathan Quek, Deputy Managing Director of BreadTalk says, “BreadTalk is thrilled and humbled to be awarded the Influential Brands Top Bakery Award 2022. This accolade marks yet another milestone for BreadTalk, reaffirming our brand’s positioning not only in the industry, but in the hearts of our consumers.”
Mr. Marcus Yong, Vice President, Global Marketing of Klook says, “We’re thrilled to be able to receive this award, which is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing travelers with unforgettable experiences. Travel is certainly back and we’re excited to see millennials and Gen Zs driving this tremendous demand as they seek out new adventures and create meaningful memories. Our users are at the core of everything we do, and we are immensely grateful for their continued trust and loyalty in Klook as their go-to travel and experiences platform. We are excited to be in a leading position to shape the future of travel and to bring a World of Joy to everyone whether at home or abroad.”.
SUMMIT OF BUSINESS LEADERS
The main highlight of the summit in Thailand was the recognition of the Top CEOs who were assessed based on their capacity to expand their business (local and international), financial performance, innovation and personal integrity.
Mr. Panote Sirivadhanabhakdi, CEO of Frasers Property Limited received the top accolade of the night when he was named Top CEO in Asia. He shared, “It is a privilege to be recognised as Asia’s Top CEO by Influential Brands. I share this honour with our people who support and deliver for our customers and communities across the world. Real estate is a people business and it’s important the work we do serves a meaningful purpose. My purpose is to try to improve the overall quality of life for people around me and then to use the platform I have to make a positive difference in society. That’s why as a leading multinational real estate investor-developer-manager operating across five asset classes, we strive to not only create lasting shared value for businesses, communities and planet, but also deliver inspiring experiences for all”.
Top CEO Winners from Asia, Thailand and Outstanding Leaders from Thailand
Together with Mr Sirivadhanabhakdi, 7 business leaders from Thailand were recognised as Top CEOs in Thailand, namely, Mr.Stephane Coum, Chief Executive Officer of Food Group, Central Food Retail Co. Ltd, Mr. Sara Lamsam Chief Executive Officer of Muang Thai Life Assurance PCL., Mr. Chai Chaiyawan, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Thai Life Insurance PCL., Mr. Vitoon Sila-On, Chief Executive Officer of S&P Syndicate PCL., Mr. Chatchai Sirilai, President of Government Housing Bank, Mr. Chayaphon Hunrungroj, Chief Executive Officer of Altitude Development Co., Ltd., and Ms. Channapa Saisamorn, Chief Executive Officer of Techno-sell (Frey) Co., Ltd.
Based on their outstanding leadership capabilities and performance, the Outstanding Leaders Award has been given to four business leaders in Thailand, namely: Ms. Pavarisa Chumvigrant, Chief Branding and Communications Officer of FWD Life Insurance PLC., Mrs. Siriporn Dechsingha, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Siam Makro PCL., Ms. Prettaya Sutchasila, President of Southeast Life Insurance PCL., and Ms. Voralak Tulaphorn, Chief Marketing Officer of The Mall Group.
Mrs. Vannee Leelavechbutr, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Neo Target, added: “The CEO Summit & Award Ceremony is more than just an event for celebration. We aim to make it a platform for prominent executives and brand owners across Asia to collaborate and grow beyond national levels.”
Mr. Jorge Rodriguez, Managing Director of Influential Brands, said, “It is our honour to recognise C-suite executives who are highly respected in their industries and are committed to embrace new business models with a great sense of responsibility. We are also committed to recognise Top and Outstanding Brands that have been able to delight consumers, gaining their trust and loyalty. Finally, the accolade of Top Employer is a true testament of companies’ efforts to implement best-in-class HR practices and build a great culture, making them the best employers to work for. We are looking forward to a greater engagement with ASEAN business leaders in 2023”.Hashtag: #InfluentialBrands
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About INFLUENTIAL BRANDS®
Influential Brands® is a think-tank, research and business recognition platform to celebrate “Champion of Excellence”.
Deeply embedded in our beliefs, is the need to foster a culture that honours the exemplary practices of leading brands in Asia, as well as their commitment to distinction. We delight in rejoicing with organisations over their successful brand efforts that have added value and left significant impression in their respective industries. Through this, we hope to contribute to the knowledge pool of best practices so that companies can produce quality and meaningful brands that influence and impact our environment, living standard, lifestyles and future.
베트남 호치민시 – Media OutReach – 2023년 4월 5일 – 호치민시개발은행(Ho Chi Minh City Development Joint Stock Commercial Bank)이 PwC 회계 감사를 받은 2022년 실적을 발표했다. 이에 따르면, 세전이익은 10조 2700억 베트남동(미화 4억 3,718만 달러)으로 최고치를 경신했고 전년 대비 27.2퍼센트 올랐으며, 주주들이 승인한 목표를 105퍼센트 초과 달성했다.
부실채권(NPL) 비율은 낮은 수준이며 영업 안전 지표들은 업계 최상급으로 나타났다.
한 해 영업이익은 22조 베트남동(9억 3,639만 달러)으로 31.1퍼센트 상승했다.
융자, 서비스, 카드, 디지털 뱅킹 사업 모두 높은 성장률을 보였다. 신용카드 발행 총 건수는 4배, 거래 가치는 3배 가까이 증가했고, 전자 뱅킹 거래 수는 2배 늘어났으며 가치 규모는 6배 증가해 761 조 베트남동(323억 9,000만 달러)를 기록했다.
자기자본이익률과 총자산이익률은 각각 23.5퍼센트, 2.1퍼센트로 모두 지난해 대비 상승했다.
은행의 단독 NPL 비율은 1.3퍼센트에 불과하며 합산 비율은 1.67퍼센트로 업계 평균보다 낮다. 이는 선별적인 융자 정책과 효과적인 리스크 관리 덕분이다.
(Basel II 규정에 따른) 자기자본비율은 13.4퍼센트로 해당 부문 최고 수준에 해당한다.
지난해 12월 31일 기준으로 총통합자산은 416조 3,000억 베트남동(177억 4,000만 달러)으로 12개월 전보다 11.1퍼센트 상승했다.
미상환대출은 268조 베트남동(114억 1,000만 달러)으로 25.6퍼센트 상승했다. HDBank의 대출 포트폴리오는 우선순위 부문을 비롯해 농업 및 지방 개발, 중소기업, 공급망과 유통망, 녹색 금융, 소상공업 가구 등 경제 성장에 핵심적으로 기여하는 대상에 주력하고 있다.
모든 채권은 자산 저당으로 담보되었고 연체 없이 전액 지불되었다. HDBank의 전체 미상환대출에서 부동산 대출 비율은 7.9퍼센트로 낮다.
지난해 기준으로 HDBank는 347개 지점 및 거래 사무소를 보유했고, 24,500점에 달하는 금융 거래 포인트를 가졌으며, 2,000여 명에 이르는 안전요원을 제외하고 총 직원 수는 16,326명이다. 평균 수입은 월 2,670만 베트남동으로 전년 대비 37.6퍼센트 상승했다.
이사진에게 지급된 총 보수액은 자발적인 삭감 및 사회 환원에 따라 109억VNĐ에서 84억VNĐ로 감소했다.
지난해 HDBank는 국내외 기관으로부터 24개에 이르는 영예로운 상과 타이틀을 수상했다.
Vietnam Report가 선정한 베트남 최고의 명문 은행 톱 5, Forbes 매거진이 선정한 50대 상장기업에 포함되었다. Forbes가 선정한 베트남 최고의 금융기관 중 하나로 이름을 올리기도 했다.
또한, HDBank는 총리 표창상, 베트남 국영은행 우수기업상, 국가 예산에 기여한 기관에 주어지는 호치민시 인민위원회 표창상 등을 수상했다.
시장 변동성에도 이러한 고무적인 경영 실적이 또 한 번 나온 것은, 2021~25년 동안 규모 및 품질 면에서 새로운 개발 전략을 추진하며 중요했던 한 해 동안 높은 성장세를 지속한 HDBank의 능력을 보여준다.
Hashtag: #HDBank
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Growth in developing East Asia and the Pacific is forecast to accelerate in 2023 as China’s economy reopens, while the pace of growth in most of the economies in the rest of the region is anticipated to ease after a strong rebound last year, a World Bank report said on Thursday.
The 4th MRC summit is being held at the National Convention Hall.
On the heels of the historic UN Water Conference in New York, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) wrapped up its International Conference on Monday with a sense among participants that it is time to move past aspirational words, and focus on taking action that makes a meaningful difference.