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RCBC and GBG win two awards for AI and fraud prevention initiatives at the Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards 2022

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 27 September 2022 – Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) and its technology partner, GBG (AIM:GBG), the experts in digital location, identity verification and fraud software, have been awarded AI & Machine Learning Initiative of the Year – Philippines and Fraud Initiative of the Year – Philippines at the Asian Banking & Finance (ABF) Retail Banking Awards 2022. The ABF Retail Banking Awards is an annual event that honours exceptional banks and finance companies across Asia Pacific for their innovative retail products, services and strategies that have made a positive impact to clients and industries in the region.

Bernardi Susastyo, General Manager of Asia, GBG, said, “We are deeply honoured to be recognised for our work in AI & Machine Learning and Fraud Initiative in the Philippines at the ABF Awards. At GBG, we strive to continuously innovate and expand our fraud prevention capabilities to help customers like RCBC achieve the highest levels of security and compliance while building digital trust and minimising risk.

“We thank RCBC for their partnership and collaboration in building their enterprise financial crimes management systems. The impressive outcomes we have achieved together have been critical in preparing RCBC to effectively fight financial crime, and these ABF awards are a testament to our leadership and innovation in the sector.”

With 2022 looking to be a year of fine-tuning digital strategies, 71 per cent of technology decision-makers acknowledge that the pandemic has resulted in an acceleration of digital transformation efforts in their organisations. As more technologies are adopted in the era of Industry 4.0, it is even more crucial for financial institutions (FIs) to understand how to combat increased sophistication in fraud management. Machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) will remain crucial in the fight against fraud and financial crimes like money laundering.

According to a GBG-commissioned study by IDC, Next Gen Financial Crime Management Solution, 48.9 per cent of banks and FIs consider unsupervised ML an important functionality, and 76.8 per cent indicate their preference for either buying a financial crime management solution or utilising managed services from a solutions provider.

With regulators urging institutions in the sector to digitally transform, improve their security profile, and safeguard their risk and compliance management capabilities, RCBC capitalised on the opportunity and deployed GBG’s robust Enterprise Risk Technology Management technology portfolio to integrate its risk capabilities and coordination efforts. RCBC’s main objective was to address fraud investigations efficiently through automation while improving customer experience across channels.

With GBG on board, RCBC was able to leverage the platform’s user-friendly web client interface and the latest technology and ML models to perform muti-channel monitoring of customer transactions to detect fraud and other complex financial crimes, as well as ensure anti-money laundering (AML) compliance on a single platform. By delivering these solutions on a single omnichannel platform for a more holistic fraud management strategy, RCBC was able to move from post transaction monitoring to real-time transaction monitoring and scale resources as financial crime typologies evolve.

“We partnered with GBG in transforming our fraud risk management system, which has resulted in enhanced capability in our real-time anti-money laundering monitoring capabilities,” said Nilo Zantua, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, RCBC. “Machine learning and AI continues to be an important feature as we rely on this form of analytics to predict what the new fraud types and campaigns could look like and proactively defend against them.

“This is especially important as traditional rules-based solutions are found to have false positive rates, significantly contributing to alert fatigue and an inefficient approach to resource management.”

Bernardi Susastyo, General Manager of Asia, GBG, said: “As a leader in this space, GBG aims to focus on fraud management systems that are equipped with deep expertise and insights into how fraud crimes are set to evolve and what types of solutions and innovations are best suited to defend against them. We are also highly in tune with the evolving regulatory standards that are coming into effect in different markets, enabling us to improve our systems to help customers remain compliant as legislation changes.

“At GBG, we continue to strive not only to serve as a reputable partner in helping banks and financial institutions at risk against fraudster and financial criminals, but also support them in delivering a high level of quality service and solution without compromising on security and customer confidence in their brand. Our goal is to collaborate with these organisations to improve their customer experience by fostering trust in the digital world, mitigating financial crime risks, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements in our diverse and complex region.”

GBG currently serves more than 20,000 customers across 70 countries, including top tier banks and fintechs in the region.

For more information about GBG’s range of solutions in APAC, click here.
To view GBG recent awards and achievements, visit us here.
To read our recent press releases, click here.

Hashtag: #GBG

About GBG

We are the experts in digital location, identity and managing fraud risk and compliance. Helping organisations across the globe eliminate customer friction and fraud from their digital experiences. GBG develops and delivers digital identity, address verification, fraud prevention and compliance software to businesses globally.

Through the combination of the latest technology, the most accurate data and our unrivalled expertise, GBG helps organisations ranging from start-ups to the largest consumer and technology brands in the world deliver seamless experiences, so their customers can transact online with greater confidence.

To find out more about how we help our clients establish trust with their customers, visit , follow us on Twitter @gbgplc or .

GBG Contact

“The Vientianist” and Laos’ Joyful Young Digital Art Scene

The Laotian Times interviews visual artist “The Vientianist,” whose work combines digital processes and vintage styles into celebratory, tongue-in-cheek scenes of Lao life. 

AXA BetterMe Weekend comes back on 8 to 9 October

Free carnival at West Kowloon Cultural District to promote holistic wellness Covering the elements of physical & mental wellness, art and green lifestyle

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 26 September 2022 – To mark and celebrate the World Mental Health Day on 10 October, AXA Hong Kong and Macau (“AXA”) brings back AXA BetterMe Weekend on 8 to 9 October 2022 at AXA x WONDERLAND @West Kowloon Cultural District, to encourage everyone to live healthily inside out and become a BetterMe. All activities are free of charge and suitable for people of all ages.

This large-scale outdoor carnival marks the first AXA’s event at AXA x WONDERLAND, a newly launched international landmark of art, entertainment and leisure. The carnival will have 5 Experience Zones – “Emotion Zone”, “Art Care Zone”, “Wellness Zone”, “Go Green Zone” and “Fitness Zone” – covering the elements of physical & mental wellness, art and green lifestyle. Through offering a wide range of classes, games and workshops, the event seeks to create an enjoyable moment for all participants to relax and have some fun. Among all zones, the “Art Care 4D Experience Zone”, which is exclusively created by Japanese artist YOSHIROTTEN for AXA, brings scientifically-proven stress-relieving effect to participants by offering moment for eye, body and breathing exercises. Participants can enjoy the art experience while making time for me-time to refocus, relax and rejuvenate through an engaging sensory experience. Apart from the wellness experience activities, very attractive rewards will be given out, including a chance to win up to HKD2,000 travel and leisure vouchers, as well as discounts to purchase plant-based food to encourage participants to build a healthier diet for a better environment.

AXA also understands the importance of fitness in stress management. To promote an active lifestyle, there are 7 sessions of free yoga and dance classes guided by professional instructors from PURE Yoga and PURE Fitness under the themes of “Family Yoga”, “Yoga Strength & Stretch” and “United Dance for Family”. All sessions will be available for registration on Emma by AXA app starting from 9am, 27 September 2022on a first-come, first-served basis.

Last but not least, AXA brand ambassador Sammi Cheng will show up in the opening ceremony on 8 October to cheer up the participants and and bring more excitement to the event.

Terms and conditions apply. For more details on AXA BetterMe Weekend including the transportation arrangement, please visit: https://www.axa.com.hk/en/betterme-weekend

Details of Yoga and Dance classes:

Date

Class

Time (45 minutes / session)

8 October (Sat)

Family Yoga

12:30 – 1:15pm

Yoga Strength & Stretch

3:30 – 4:15pm

United Dance for Family

4:30 – 5:15pm

9 October (Sun)

Yoga Strength & Stretch

1:00 – 1:45pm

United Dance for Family

2:00 – 2:45pm

Yoga Strength & Stretch

3:30 – 4:15pm

Family Yoga

4:30 – 5:15pm

Registration of Yoga / Dance classes
Emma by AXA app (non-customers are welcome to join)
Download Emma by AXA

AXA-QR.png

Registration procedures
1. Login / Register on Emma by AXA
2. Click “Enroll Events” and register to join the class for free
3. Please note that submission does not imply successful registration. A notification email will be sent to the email address submitted to inform the registration result on or before 6 October 2022

Remarks:
*Only participants aged 18 or above can register for the classes; participants of the “United Dance for Family” and/or “Family Yoga” classes can join with a child aged 5 or above
*No yoga or dance experience is required
*Instructors of the classes are professional yoga teachers from PURE Yoga and PURE Fitness
*Yoga and Dance classes are free of charge. Seats are limited, first-come, first-served while quota lasts
*Terms and conditions apply

Details of Experience Zones :

Emotion Zone

Understand more on self emotions and connect with family and friends through activities, such as handcraft workshops and colouring walls. There will be a giant game machine for fun experience with chances to win travel and leisure vouchers!

Art Care Zone

Enjoy eye, body and breathing exercises in the “Art Care Therapy Experience Zone”, while taking a little bit of time out of the hustle and bustle to refocus, relax and rejuvenate.

Wellness Zone

Relax and get moving through a series of reflex, sensory and reaction games. Enjoy health screening services and get tips on staying fit and healthy.

Go Green Zone

Enjoy the fun and meaningful educational activites including building an eco-friendly model car, recycling game and Metaverse exploration and to get to know how technology and our actions contribute to the environment. In this zone, you can also create personalised WhatsApp stickers to foster fun connections with your beloved family and friends.

Fitness Zone

Relax and connect with family members through different exercises including Yoga and Dance classes. Moreover, there will be outdoor busking performance from local musicians in this zone for relaxation.

Site Map:

Hashtag: #AXA

About AXA BetterMe

AXA BetterMe is a holistic wellness platform with a comprehensive suite of programmes and services covering Physical Wellness Support, Mental Wellbeing Support and Health Management. Simply access the AXA BetterMe services through the Emma by AXA app anytime, anywhere.

A Successful EV Charging Hong Kong Brand is Entering Malaysia

Cornerstone Technologies has covered 7,800 Private Residential EV Charging Parking Spaces and over 1,500 Public EV Charging Parking Spaces, now expanding to Europe and Asia.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 26 September 2022 – Cornerstone Technologies, a leading innovator in EV Charging Total Solutions originated in Hong Kong, is now entering Malaysia. Its entry has been marked by a number of DC chargers which have been scheduled to be ready by the end of this year. After enjoying the success in Hong Kong, Cornerstone Technologies is excited to tap into Malaysian market, confident to bring the same success to this place.

EV Charging Total Solution

Cornerstone Technologies has a strong in-house R&D team, developing one-stop EV charging solutions including award-winning chargers and software backend system to support the smooth running of the entire EV Charging System.

Cornerstone Technologies has both AC (Alternating Current) and DC (Direct Current) chargers that are Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)-compliant. With the connected platform, Charge Point Operators (CPO) and EV drivers can have access to real-time charging information and other access features to give them peace of mind and flexibility. Cornerstone Technologies have received the world’s prestigious design awards “Good Design” by The Chicago Athenaeum and ‘IF Design” award from Germany for their innovative smart chargers. Recently, Cornerstone Technologies is expanding beyond its home market, Hong Kong, and starting to tap into Switzerland, France, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The Chief Executive Officer of Cornerstone Technologies, Mr. Vincent Yip stated his confidence in making Cornerstone EV charger to be the no.1 EV Charging solution provider and the most trusted brand for EV owners in Asia. “Given the immense experience in EV Charging and established technology platform, we are excited about the opportunity in Asia, there’s plenty of potential in Malaysia and the neighboring countries, we welcome corporations that are interested in investing for their property, we keep our arms open for a joint-venture and partnership possibility” Mr. Yip further commented.

Extensive Job References with Governments and Private Sectors

In the home-market, Hong Kong, Cornerstone Technologies has become tier 1 EV charging total solution provider for the Government. Thousands of EV charging points have been deployed supported with sophisticated CPO system. There are many “first’ technological solutions that have been developed by Cornerstone Technologies, among others: Load Management System to enable more EV chargers to be installed without having to increase electricity load, Integrated Parking System, a cashless and contactless billing system that integrates parking and charging fees into one, EVCSS (Electric Vehicle Charger Smart System) to monitor 1,800 EV chargers under various brands spread across 70 government car parks. The partnership with one of the corporations in Cambodia is also underway, more details on the operation for this market will be released soon.

Besides deploying EV chargers at thousands of residential parking spaces, Cornerstone Technologies has supplied ultra-fast 200kW DC chargers to one of Asia’s biggest public bus operators, KMB (Kowloon Motor Bus) supported with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system to manage the fleet.

Charge Point Operation (CPO) System

The “Cornerstone Go” CPO system completes with a Central Management System for data monitoring and reporting, Load Management System to regulate the electricity load within one car park for efficiency usage of electricity, as well as Payment System and Mobile App for a remote start and stop charging. These are crucial features for a successful charge point operator to thrive in this business. The development of the “Cornerstone Go” CPO System is intricate, however; the concept for EV owners is simple: just “Go” charge anywhere.

The transition from conventional vehicles to Electric Vehicles is imminent, therefore; the development and deployment of EV chargers must be accelerated. Currently, there is a big shortage of EV chargers everywhere in the world, the growth of electric vehicle production outpaced EV chargers deployment.

Whether you are a Property Developer, Fleet Management, Gas Stations Operator, Hotels, Super Markets or any Chain Stores, Government as well as individuals who are interested to find out how EV chargers can benefit your property, you are encouraged to email: info-intl@cstl.com.hk

Please visit Cornerstone Technologies at EVMAsia’22 September 27-29, booth number 2065, Hall 6, Level 2 at MITEC. One of the EV charging experts from Cornerstone Technologies, Mr. Vincent Chung is here to answer your questions.

Hashtag: #CornerstoneTechnologies

About Cornerstone Technologies

Founded in 2016, Cornerstone Technologies (Stock Code: 8391) is a leading innovator for EV Charging Total Solution in Hong Kong. We are the catalyst for a cleaner, brighter tomorrow. Harnessing the power of high-quality, reliable technology for everyone, we help fast track you toward a better future. For more information, please visit

Lao Authorities Shoot Down Thai Drone Flying Over Mekong River

A Thai internet user expressed concern on a discussion forum after his drone was shot down by authorities in Laos as he tried to fly it across the Mekong River.

Manulife joins hands with St. James’ Settlement to help improve primary school students’ financial literacy

  • Multi-year “Go Paperless Education Aid Program” utilizes virtual reality and fintech to provide over 10,000 training hours for more than 600 under-resourced students
  • New survey reveals kids’ misconceptions about digital wallets and lack of knowledge about savings

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 26 September 2022 – Manulife Hong Kong today announced the full launch of its “FinKids Academy” program in conjunction with its community partner St. James’ Settlement (SJS), an initiative that uses innovative technology to help under-resourced children improve their financial literacy, technology know-how and skills to be ready for the hybrid financial world of the future.

The “FinKids Academy” program runs under Manulife’s “Go Paperless Education Aid Program” and follows a successful pilot that ran between March and May this year. The program will benefit more than 600 primary school students from 24 local schools providing more than 10,000 learning hours in total.

The program aims to support the children by equipping them with essential skills and knowledge through 10 in-depth workshops that cover topics such as fintech, basic coding, digital money, budgeting, the metaverse and more. Immersive STEM field trips and inter-school sharing sessions will also take place to provide them with a unique and impactful learning experience.

“Driving inclusive economic opportunities is a key part of Manulife’s Impact Agenda to create a more even playing field for all. We strive to bring long-term positive impact to the community by leveraging our expertise and network to raise the standard of financial literacy,” said Calvin Chiu, Manulife’s Head of Asia Retirement. “With the continuous support of SJS, Manulife hopes to continue promoting children’s understanding of financial concepts with the use of emerging technologies, helping them to make better financial decisions in the future.”

The launch is accompanied by the release of a new survey that reveals misconceptions about digital wallets and a lack of awareness about the importance of saving among Hong Kong’s younger generation. The survey was distributed in June by SJS, with the results based on interviews with 325 primary school students.

Nearly a quarter of the students thought their money will never be used up (23%), and 18% said they believed their parents’ income will not change after retirement. In addition, over half (57%) are not sure about how much they spent on average in a month. Close to two-thirds (62%) said they are not sure about the balance of their digital wallet and a third (33%) did not even know where the money in their digital wallet comes from.

In addition, the survey indicates a need to educate the students about the importance of savings for the future. Close to a third (29%) said they do not know how to save money. More than a half said their parents have not talked to them about their retirement plan (57%) and their source of income after retirement (57%).

Josephine Lee, Chief Executive Officer of St. James’ Settlement, said: “We can see there’s a clear need to help the next generation develop their financial literacy if they are to smoothly navigate the hybrid world without undue risk or loss. We look forward to continuing our work with Manulife to benefit the wider community and prepare young people to be able to manage financially in the future.”

C.C.C. Chuen Yuen First Primary School was one of first schools to join the pilot in March, along with Ching Chung Hau Po Woon Primary School. Commenting on the pilot phase of the program earlier this year, Zhow Wong Ying, student at C.C.C. Chuen Yuen First Primary School, said: “I looked forward to the lessons because they were very inspiring and a lot of fun, particularly the virtual reality activities. I learned about why and how to save money, and am trying to do that with my pocket money.”

Hashtag: #Manulife

About Manulife Hong Kong

Manulife Hong Kong, through Manulife International Holdings Limited, owns Manulife (International) Limited, Manulife Investment Management (Hong Kong) Limited and Manulife Provident Funds Trust Company Limited. As a member of the Manulife group of companies, Manulife Hong Kong offers a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to individual and corporate customers in Hong Kong and Macau.

About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2021, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 119,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 33 million customers. We trade as ‘MFC’ on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under ‘945’ in Hong Kong.

Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.

About St. James’ Settlement
Founded by the Rt. Rev. Bishop R.O. Hall of the Anglican Church in 1949, St. James’ Settlement began as a club for boys and girls in a temple in Stone Nullah Lane, Wanchai. Our first centre outside Wanchai (named Central and Western District Elderly Community Centre) was established in 1990. Since then, different service centres have been developed and most of them are located along the north coast of Hong Kong Island, from The Belcher’s in Western to Hing Wah Estate in Chai Wan. In recent years, in view of the society’s ever changing needs, we have opened service centres in Kowloon and the New Territories. To date, our 73 service points are in operation across Hong Kong. By the end of September 2021, we have over 1,800 staff members to provide a vast range of high quality services for people of different ages and needs. In the past year, around 1,000 volunteers have helped in different service units.

In 2020-2021, St. James’ Settlement served more than 2.2 million person-times, and our target beneficiaries include children, teenagers, families, the elderly and people with disabilities. We provide a broad spectrum of services ranging from community support to residential care.

Laos Judo Athlete Wins Bronze in International Judo Championship

Khamsy Khounnivath (center) receives a Bronze medal from Thailand International Judo Championship 2022

A member of the Lao judo team has taken home a bronze medal at the Thailand International Judo Championship 2022 in Chiang Rai on Saturday.

Free Course Offered for Responsible Elephant-based Tourism

Elephant drinking - photo credit Elephant Conservation Center, Laos.

Asian Captive Elephant Standards (ACES) is inviting the travel industry and consumers to complete a free online course to help raise awareness about captive elephant welfare and responsible tourism practice in southeast Asia.