Historic Orion Resource Partners – United States Government Partnership

NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Orion Resource Partners LP (“Orion”), a leading global investment firm specializing in metals and materials, today announces the formation of the Orion Critical Mineral Consortium (“Orion CMC” or the “Consortium”). Orion CMC is a new, mission-driven consortium designed to support the United States and its allied and partner nations to develop secure, responsible, and resilient supply chains for the critical minerals that underpin future economic growth and security.  

Led by Orion, and in partnership with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (“DFC”), the Consortium intends to bring together some of the world’s leading metals and mining investors and operators, creating a multi-billion platform for critical minerals investments.  

The DFC has made an initial capital commitment, which has been matched by both funds managed by Orion and ADQ, an active sovereign investor focused on critical infrastructure and global supply chains, bringing the current size of the consortium to $1.8 billion and well on its way to its $5 billion target. Founded in 2019, DFC is the international investment arm of the U.S. government, mobilizing private capital to promote economic growth and advance U.S. foreign policy.

With this cornerstone investment, Orion CMC will engage with mission-aligned investors and partner nations that have expressed their ambition to secure the critical minerals that underpin the modern economy. The Consortium’s combined expertise will invest in and develop critical minerals in emerging and other market jurisdictions, manage offtake, develop domestic processing and integrate and scale cost-effective minerals technological solutions.

Orion CMC will prioritize investments in existing or near-term producing assets as opposed to frontier exploration projects that could take a decade to turn into a mine. By focusing on the near term, the Consortium seeks to answer America’s and its allied and partner nations’ demand in short order while making sound investments over the long term. As a standalone investment platform, Orion CMC serves as a crucial bridge between emerging market nations and global consumers, from advanced manufacturing to data centers and artificial intelligence providers.

The Consortium marks Orion’s next step in securing the supply of strategic metals and critical minerals, following the launch of Orion Abu Dhabi, a joint venture with ADQ announced on 30 January 2025. Together, these partnerships reinforce Orion’s commitment to strengthening critical minerals supply chains through strategic partnerships. The Orion Abu Dhabi announcement is available at PR Newswire.

Oskar Lewnowski, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Orion Resource Partners LP, said: “Orion CMC represents a significant step forward in bridging the substantial funding gap needed to accelerate investment in the critical minerals supply chain, while at the same time boosting U.S. economic growth. The Consortium brings together some of the best operators in the industry with the expertise needed to build a diversified portfolio of critical minerals assets across multiple jurisdictions. We are delighted to have the backing of the DFC and look forward to working with our partners to deliver on the opportunity ahead of us.”

Frank Fannon, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Orion CMC, said: “The United States has understood that it must develop alternative critical minerals supply chains for more than a decade. However, America has lacked a private sector champion that understands niche metals and commodities, that has emerging markets experience, and a successful track record of building and operating complex mining operations. Orion CMC is well-positioned to be that champion.”

Ben Black, DFC CEO, said: “Securing critical minerals is a paramount matter of U.S. strategic interest and economic prosperity. CMC was created to establish a robust pipeline of secure critical mineral investments vital to advancing American economic prosperity. I’m proud of the incredible work done by DFC and its partners to secure these vital resources, which will safeguard America’s leadership in advanced technologies.”

Media Enquiries:

Greenbrook
Peter Hewer / Cecilie Oerting
+44 20 7952 2000
orionresourcepartners@greenbrookadvisory.com 

About Orion Resource Partners LP

Orion Resource Partners LP is a global investment firm specializing in the metals and materials critical to sustainable economic growth and energy transition, with more than $8 billion of assets under management and a team of more than 80 professionals across five global offices. Orion has successfully invested across the metals and materials value chain for over a decade, operating complementary investment strategies spanning the full liquidity spectrum, finding and capturing opportunities driven by the long-term trends of global decarbonization, the constrained supply of critical resources, and advancements in industrial technologies. Orion is a signatory to the UN PRI and the IFC Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability. For more information visit www.orionrp.com

About DFC

The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), established in 2019 with bipartisan support under President Trump, is the international investment arm of the U.S. Government. DFC partners with the private sector to advance U.S. foreign policy and strengthen national security by mobilizing private capital around the world. DFC invests across strategic sectors including critical minerals, modern infrastructure, and advanced technology — fostering economic development, supporting U.S. interests, and delivering returns to American taxpayers.   

About ADQ

Established in 2018, ADQ is an active sovereign investor with a focus on critical infrastructure and global supply chains. As a strategic partner to the Government of Abu Dhabi, ADQ invests in the growth of business platforms anchored in the Emirate that deliver value to local communities and long-term financial returns to its shareholder. ADQ’s total assets amounted to USD 251 billion as of 31 December 2024. Its rapidly expanding portfolio encompasses companies across numerous core sectors of the economy, including energy and utilities, transport and logistics, food and agriculture, healthcare and life sciences, financial services, infrastructure and critical minerals, real estate investments, and sustainable manufacturing.

KUCHING, Malaysia, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad (SDEC), PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin), and ITCO Niaga Sdn Bhd (ITCO) exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the planning and development of the Indonesia Cable Express II (ICE II) subsea cable system. The signing took place during the opening ceremony of the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) 2025 on 22^nd October 2025 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), and was witnessed by the Premier of Sarawak, The Right Honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg.

SDEC was represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Dato Ir. Ts. Sudarnoto Osman, while Telin and ITCO were represented by Mr. Budi Satria Dharma Purba, Chief Executive Officer of Telin, and Madam Anita Aqeela Hiong, Managing Director of ITCO, respectively.

The ICE II system is an integrated, high-capacity fibre-optic submarine cable network that will connect Singapore to Manado, where it will later provide onward connections to North Asia and the United States. The system will include major branching points to strategic locations such as Batam, Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, and Borneo Island through Balikpapan, Kuching (Sarawak), and Tawau (Sabah).

This interconnection is designed to meet the rising market demand for high-speed transmission capacity between regional DCs to link key data centres (DCs) including DCs located in Sarawak to Singapore.

By introducing a new eastward route via Manado, the ICE II system provides an alternative to the congested South China Sea corridor, thereby strengthening the resilience of Southeast Asia’s digital infrastructure. It will also play a vital role in supporting the region’s growing requirements for artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud platforms, smart city initiatives, and other emerging digital technologies.

Dato Ir. Ts. Sudarnoto Osman commented, “This collaboration is part of SDEC’s effort to enhance Sarawak’s international connectivity that will catalyse investment of AI and Green Data Centre and serve as an enabler for adoption of digital economy for Sarawakians.”

Budi Satria Dharma Purba, CEO of Telin, added, “This partnership represents a pivotal milestone in our journey toward a more interconnected and digitally empowered region. By linking multiple key locations across Indonesia and expanding internationally to Singapore and Malaysia, ICEII system unites the strengths of SDEC, ITCO, and Telin. Together, we are committed to delivering seamless, resilient connectivity that drives data-powered growth, fosters deeper regional collaboration, and accelerates the digital transformation that will shape the future of Southeast Asia.”

The ICE II system is expected to not only enable faster and more reliable connectivity for consumers and businesses, but also serve as a catalyst for innovation, digital services growth, and technological advancement across Sarawak and beyond.

The collaboration between SDEC, Telin, and ITCO Niaga underlines a shared commitment to advancing Southeast Asia’s position in the global digital economy. With enhanced subsea infrastructure connecting key cities across Indonesia and East Malaysia, ICE II is set to become a backbone of regional digital development by powering growth, resilience, and innovation across generations.

About Telin

Founded in 2007, Telin is a leading global digital enabler delivering premium international carrier voice, data services, and tailored solutions for wholesale, enterprise, digital, and retail customers. Operating in Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, Australia, Malaysia, Taiwan region, the United States, Timor Leste, the United Arab Emirates, and Myanmar—with representatives in the United Kingdom, the Philippines, India, Vietnam, and Canada—Telin supports its customers through 10 global offices and 5 sales representative hubs.

Our infrastructure spans over 306,376 kilometers of submarine cable systems across 27 global networks, backed by 162 Points of Presence in 35 countries. Telin is dedicated to connecting possibilities and driving digital transformation worldwide.

For more information about Telin, visit www.telin.net 

BEIJING, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Chinese liquor maker Wuliangye Yibin Co., Ltd. won the 2025 EFQM Global Award recently, presenting again its “harmony & beauty” concept-driven pursuit of premium quality.

With the highest “seven diamonds” certification, the EFQM Global Award received by Wuliangye is one of the world’s three leading quality awards standing for benchmarks for organizational quality.

Since 1980s, the Chinese liquor producer has applied comprehensive quality management and later introduced performance excellence frameworks and EFQM models, implanting quality management concept into corporate strategies and operation.

As the EFQM assessment report said, Wuliangye was recommended for its performance in fostering the “harmony & beauty”-based corporate culture, achieving a balance between tradition and innovation, driving large-scale development with a strong ESG orientation, etc.

The report not only serves as recognition of Wuliangye’s quality management, but also highlights the liquor maker’s pathways of sustainable development from the aspects of quality, ecology and culture.

In terms of quality, Wuliangye has set up and optimized an integrated quality management system overseeing the entire industrial chain from “one grain seed” to “one drop of liquor”, winning for five times top quality management awards in China.

For ecology protection, the Chinese liquor maker came up with the concept of “zero-carbon liquor maker”, giving birth to the first high-level green factory in China’s liquor industry.

In terms of culture, Wuliangye has cultivated a corporate culture deeply rooted in its “harmony & beauty” philosophy, injecting its own development philosophy into sustainable development.

Despite 200-plus companies worldwide vying for EFQM Global Award this year, 14 of them won the honors and Wuliangye is the only company to date that has achieved such a pleasant result within just one year of implementing the EFQM model and RADAR logic, according to EFQM CEO Russell Longmuir.

On the 2025 EFQM Sustainable Performance Conference, also the 2025 Global Award Ceremony held in Spain recently, Wuliangye was also honored for its achievement in driving business performance whilst leading adoption of the UN sustainable development goals.

As one of the pacesetters for China’s baijiu industry, Wuliangye is endeavoring to leverage global standards of excellence to propel management innovation and industrial upgrading to contribute to sustainable development of the global liquor industry.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/347999.html 

TOKYO, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Global professional storage brand HIKSEMI showcased its latest innovations at Japan IT Week Autumn 2025 under the theme “Where Data Flows, Life Evolves”, highlighting full-stack storage solutions for consumer, enterprise, and industrial applications.

As a leading ICT event in Japan, Japan IT Week gathers global tech leaders focused on AI, edge computing, smart manufacturing, and digital transformation. HIKSEMI presented an integrated ecosystem — from personal data to enterprise infrastructure — centered on “data-driven life evolution,” drawing strong interest from visitors and partners.

The FUTURE series, now widely recognized in Japan, has entered major e-commerce and retail channels thanks to its performance and reliability. The FUTURE PCIe 5.0 SSD and RGB DDR5 memory deliver ultra-fast speeds and low latency, reducing game load times and accelerating video editing, 3D rendering, and AI workflows. A new rugged portable SSD offers high-speed, reliable storage for creators on the move.

Gamers benefit from targeted upgrades: the heatsink-equipped FUTURE SSD enables seamless PS5 expansion with efficient cooling, while the FUTURE PRO TF Card, with read speeds up to 900MB/s, is optimized for Nintendo Switch 2, ensuring smooth performance in large games like Final Fantasy VII Remake and enhancing handheld gaming.

For modern living, the NAS R1 offers up to 100TB storage, a full-color touchscreen, and Docker support. It enables AI-powered photo/video backup, smart media management, and home automation — ideal for households and SMEs building private clouds and AI-ready systems.

In smart mobility, HIKSEMI’s compact USB drives and AEC-Q100 certified eMMC ensure stable infotainment and ADAS performance in extreme conditions, meeting demands of connected vehicles and IoT devices.

For industrial and enterprise use, HIKSEMI provides durable industrial-grade storage and data center SSDs with high endurance, low power, and AES-256 encryption — ideal for AI training, cloud computing, surveillance, and automation in harsh environments.

“Where Data Flows, Life Evolves” reflects HIKSEMI’s belief: data is more than storage — it powers intelligence, efficiency, and richer experiences.

Going forward, HIKSEMI will continue driving innovation to deliver smarter, high-performance storage solutions worldwide.

• First year targets 1,000 women and 1,000 companies, supported by an RM15 million co-investment model.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Malaysia has taken a bold step toward closing the gender gap in the workforce with the launch of the Wanita MyWira Accelerator, a national initiative designed to equip at least 100,000 women with high-growth, future-ready skills and opportunities beyond 2030.

The programme is spearheaded by the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) through its strategic think-tank agency, Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp), in partnership with the World Economic Forum (the Forum). This milestone also marks Malaysia’s entry into the Forum’s Global Gender Parity Accelerator Network, making it the first ASEAN nation to join the global platform dedicated to advancing women’s economic participation.

The first year will train 1,000 women under TalentCorp’s MyMahir-certified pathways, targeting an 80% job placement rate within six months of completion. Supported by an RM15 million co-investment model, this phase brings together 1,000 companies committed to adopting flexible work practices, offering returnship opportunities for women who have taken career breaks, and hiring trained women graduates.

Over the longer term, the initiative aims to empower more than 100,000 women beyond 2030, contributing to Malaysia’s goal of increasing female labour force participation and building an inclusive, future-ready workforce.

Speaking at the launch, YB Steven Sim Chee Keong, Minister of Human Resources (KESUMA), said the initiative reflects the nation’s commitment to both ambition and inclusion. He noted that KESUMA, through TalentCorp, is equipping Malaysian women for future-ready and high-growth sectors such as artificial intelligence and renewable energy, ensuring their talents align with the needs of tomorrow’s economy.

Recent data showed the gender pay gap has narrowed significantly, with the median difference dropping from RM211 in 2023 to just RM18 as of March 2025; while nearly half of Malaysia’s public listed companies have boards with more than 30 per cent women directors as of 1st October 2025.

YB Steven added that KESUMA has introduced several policies to support working families, including the right to Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA), tax deductions of up to RM500,000 for employers who adopt FWA, and a 50 per cent tax deduction for paid caregiving leave. Budget 2026 also expanded childcare tax relief to cover children aged six to twelve.

“Through the Wanita MyWira Accelerator, the Government aims to further remove barriers to women’s participation in workforce by offering training for flexible job opportunities, promoting family and caregiving friendly workplaces, and boosting women’s workforce participation, especially in rural areas,” he said.

YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, said the initiative reflects Malaysia’s belief that when women succeed, the nation succeeds.

“Through Wanita MyWira, in collaboration with KESUMA and TalentCorp, we are creating real pathways for women to access decent work and participate fully in Malaysia’s economy. This effort strengthens our national ecosystem for women’s empowerment, in line with the National Policy for Women 2025-2030 and the MADANI vision of compassion and shared prosperity,” she said.

Malaysia’s female labour force participation rate stands at 56.2%, below the national target of 60% by 2030, and slightly higher than the ASEAN average of 55%^[1]. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025 ranked Malaysia 108^th out of 146 countries, showing improvement from the previous year but highlighting the need for stronger action to close gender gaps in economic participation.

The Wanita MyWira Accelerator directly addresses these barriers through targeted training, employer partnerships, and childcare-friendly practices designed to make workforce participation more accessible for women.

“According to current projections, it may take 179 years to close the gender gap in East Asia, while at the same time the region needs more talent and skills for high-growth sectors. Malaysia’s Wanita MyWira Accelerator offers a different path forward,” said Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum.

“By focusing on women’s access to opportunities in AI, digital, and green sectors—where growth and demand are strongest—this initiative tackles both workforce transformation and gender equity simultaneously. Empowering women to thrive in these fast-growing sectors will boost Malaysia’s resilience and growth in the years ahead and lay the foundations for a more equitable future. The initiative also offers a potential case study and best practice for the region,” she added.

Malaysia joins the Forum’s Global Accelerator Network established in over 35 countries. The accelerators are national public-private collaboration platforms that help governments and businesses to solve world’s biggest challenges. Participating nations have included Japan, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, and Mexico, which have introduced reforms such as gender pay-gap reporting, expanded parental leave, and returnship programmes.

The strategic direction of the Accelerator will be guided by Co-Chairs YB Steven Sim Chee Keong and YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri on behalf of the public sector; and by Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Ali Redhauddin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz, Tunku Besar Seri Menanti and Chairman and Founding Trustee of Teach For Malaysia; Ms Aireen Omar, Group CEO of BigPay; Dr. Jasmine Begum, Director of Legal, Government and Corporate Affairs (ASEAN and New Markets) at Microsoft Corporation; Ms Nurul A’in Abdul Latif, Executive Chair of PwC Malaysia; and Ms Anne Abraham, Founder and Chairperson of LeadWomen, representing the private sector.

The implementation of the initiative will be led by TalentCorp, with support from the respective ministries and the Forum.

For more information on Wanita MyWira Accelerator, e-mail: women@talentcorp.com.my.