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yeedi mop station, A Self-Cleaning Robot Mop Hits Singapore Market with Tantalizing Perks

yeedi mop station has been the recommendation and go-to home cleaning solution for many since its

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 20 August 2021 – yeedi, a robot vacuum brand committed to delivering intelligent floor-cleaning technology for people in pursuit of high efficiency, expands its product availability by bringing yeedi mop station, a self-cleaning robot mop, to Singaporean customers. This 2-in-1 robot mop & vacuum features a revolutionary self-cleaning station to wash and damp the mopping pads automatically for a truly hands-free mopping experience. Designed with 2 spin mopping pads, rotates at 180r/min with a 10N force to the floor, customers can expect effective mopping performance.

“Enough water, sufficient pressure to the floor, and an always-clean mop are three basics to ensure an ideal mopping result. But few robot mops on the market managed to meet these 3 preconditions.” Said Gary, Li, General Manager of yeedi, “Dedicated to delivering a reliable robot mop to our customers, yeedi mop station is engineered with the basic logics of mopping making it possible for our users to experience a thorough and truly hands-free floor cleaning.”

 

Hands-Free Mopping with Built-In Washing Machine for the Mops

yeedi’s self-cleaning station works as a built-in washing machine for the mops. Unlike other robots on the market with mini water tanks, it features separate clean and waste water tanks (3500ml each) for systematic water disposal. When the mops get dirty and dry, the robot will return to the base station for mop washing & damping and resume cleaning right where it left off. After cleaning is done, the built-in fan takes over to dry the mops in case of odor generation and mildew breeding.

 

Effective and Reliable Mopping Performance

yeedi mop station features an intelligent mopping system to mimic hand mopping. The two spin mopping pads rotating at a speed of 180r/min are pressed tightly against the floor by a 10N downward pressure. In this case, stains can be loosened and removed easily. The built-in carpet detection sensor smartly steers the robot away from the carpet when mopping to avoid contaminating your carpet.

 

Wet and Dry Clean at the Same Time with Hybrid Design

yeedi mop station is versatile. It mops and vacuums simultaneously during cleaning. Boasting a 2500Pa strong suction power, yeedi sucks up pet hair, crumbles, and dirt hidden deep in the crevices. It learns your home layout precisely and plans efficient cleaning paths with the help of Visual Mapping technology.

 

Affordability

Priced at SGD 999, yeedi mop station will be available on Lazada and Shopee on Aug. 21. Orders placed on Aug. 21 till Sept. 09 can get a pair of Jabra Elite 75t (Black) headphones (worth SGD 288) for free.

 

Shop Here

Lazada https://bit.ly/2UxT3wA

Shopee https://bit.ly/3g9dreL

About yeedi

yeedi is an up-and-coming robot vacuums supplier launched in 2019. We gathered a group of robotic and housekeeping experts who are passionate about life and keen on innovations to bring quality smart products with modern design and practical features to customers all over the world.

#yeedi

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Reveals the Inspired Experiences Awaiting Visitors at its Stunning Expo Pavilion

  • The Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has been awarded the LEED Platinum Certificate from the US Green Building Council (USGBC), placing it among the most sustainable designs in the world.
  • The pavilion, the second largest after the UAE’s, holds three Guinness World Records for longest interactive state-of-the-art water feature, largest LED mirror screen display, and largest interactive lighting floor.
  • Celebrated Saudi artists will exhibit their work as part of the pavilion’s ‘Vision’ exhibition.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – News Direct – 19 August 2021 – With less than two months to go, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is preparing to welcome the world to its state-of-the-art pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. At the Saudi Pavilion – the second largest after the UAE’s – visitors will experience the Kingdom’s rich past, vibrant present, and promising future.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

A 68 square-meter, curved LED screen greets visitors as they embark on a technology-enabled journey through five ecosystems, hinting at the Kingdom’s natural spaces, beautiful coasts, vast deserts, surrounding seas, and high mountains. The journey will walk through the flora of Al Bardani Valley in Asir Region to the mighty mountains of Tabuk, and from the dunes of the Empty Quarter in southeastern Saudi to the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea.

Visitors to the Saudi Pavilion will then experience 14 cultural landmarks along a stunning escalator ride. These include acclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as At-Turaif District in Ad-Diriyah, Hegra Archaeological Site in AlUla, Historic Jeddah, Rock Art in the Hail Region, and Al-Ahsa Oasis.

Through an audiovisual guide, guests can explore 23 other destinations, including world-leading giga-projects which are rewriting the possibilities of sustainable development such as Qiddiya, Diriyah Gate, and King Salman Park.

Following this, visitors will enter ‘Vision,’ a one-of-a-kind art exhibition curated by celebrated Saudi artists. Highlights include a 30m floating virtual sphere and a bespoke interactive floor.

Finally, the pavilion will take visitors through the ‘Discovery Center’, where an innovative platform will connect leaders from around the world to forge exciting partnerships and discuss investment opportunities, visualized through an interactive digital map of Saudi Arabia.

People, opportunity, nature, and heritage are the four pillars that anchor the visitor experience of the Kingdom’s 13,000 square-meter pavilion; an adventure woven into one of the most sustainable structures at Expo 2020 Dubai. It has been awarded the LEED Platinum certification by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the highest internationally recognized sustainability rating in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

In addition, the pavilion holds three Guinness World Records: the largest interactive lighting floor with around 8,000 LED lights, the longest interactive water feature at more than 32 meters, and the largest LED interactive digital mirror screen at 1302.5 square meters.

Expo 2020 Dubai is an opportunity to reconnect, meet new people, and discover new horizons. The people of Saudi Arabia are excited to open the doors and for visitors to experience their renowned hospitality first-hand.

#SaudiArabiaPavilion

Fosun Tourism Announces 2021 Interim Results

Global Travel Restarted and Continues to Improve Financial Position Remains Healthy Long Term Growth with a Bright Future

Results Highlights

  • In the first half of 2021, under the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the Business Volume of the Group’s tourism operations decreased to RMB2,433.8 million, representing a year-on-year decrease of 41.9%. The adjusted EBITDA decreased to RMB-565.0 million, and the loss attributable to equity holders was RMB2,004.8 million.
  • The Group’s resort and destination operation businesses performed outstandingly in China. Business Volume of Club Med resorts in China grew by 171.9% year-on-year in the first half of 2021.
  • In the first half of 2021, Business Volume of Atlantis Sanya recorded a year-on-year increase of 152.1%, and EBITDA margin was 49.2%.
  • In July 2021, Club Med’s capacity were restored to 73.2% of that of the same period in 2019, and the average occupancy rate of worldwide resorts reached 67.1% during the period. As of 31 July 2021, the cumulative bookings of the second half of 2021 increased by 97.8% compared with the same period in 2020 and recovered to 83.9% of that of the same period in 2019.
  • The Group’s cash flow remained strong. During the reporting period, the Group’s cash flow from operating activities turned positive and increased to RMB1,311.0 million. As of 30 June 2021, cash and bank balances were approximately RMB5,200.0 million, whilst unused bank facilities were approximately RMB4,367.4 million.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 19 August 2021 – On 19 August 2021, Hong Kong Fosun Tourism Group (“Fosun Tourism” or the “Group”, Hong Kong Stock Exchange Stock Code: 1992), the world’s leading leisure-focused integrated tourism group, was pleased to announce its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2021 (“the first half of 2021” or “the reporting period”).

 

Facing the continued spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) (the “Pandemic”) in the first half of 2021, countries took stringent travel restriction measures, which posed a major negative impact on the resort and the tourism operations of the Group. During the reporting period, the Business Volume of the Group’s tourism operation, at a constant exchange rate, decreased by 41.9% year-on-year to RMB2,433.8 million. Revenue of the Group decreased to RMB2,781.5 million; adjusted EBITDA decreased to RMB-565.0 million; and loss attributable to equity holders was RMB2,004.8 million. Through highly efficient cash flow management, the Group maintained a healthy financial position. The Group’s cash flow from operating activities turned positive to RMB1,311.0 million during the reporting period. As of 30 June 2021, cash and bank balances of the Group were approximately RMB5,200.0 million, unused bank facilities approximately RMB4,367.4 million, and bank loans due within one year approximately RMB2,282.2 million.

 

Global businesses have significantly rebounded since May, and Chinese businesses led the recovery of the tourism industry

 

The spread of the Pandemic in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) led to the temporary closure of most resorts in the Alps from January to March, and outbound travel from major customer sourcing markets was suspended. As a result, the Business Volume of Club Med in the first half of 2021 decreased by approximately 64.2% year-on-year. Since late-May 2021, as the Pandemic in EMEA and Americas have gradually been under control, countries and regions have begun enforcing “vaccine passport” and easing lockdown measures. For May and June 2021, the cumulative bookings from EMEA and Americas for six months ended 31 December 2021 (the second half of the year) have exceeded 39% and 69% of that of the same period of 2019, respectively. The Group is well-positioned for a business rebound in the second half of 2021 and has placed considerable efforts in resuming the operations of resorts. In July 2021, 41 resorts have resumed operations with overall capacity increasing by approximately 104.3% as compared to that of 31 July 2020 and recovering to 73.2% of that of 31 July 2019. By 31 July 2021, the cumulative bookings for the second half of 2021, expressed in Business Volume and at a constant rate, increased by approximately 97.8% as compared with that for the second half of 2020 recorded as of 31 July 2020, and resumed to 83.9% of the bookings for the second half of 2019 recorded as of 31 July 2019.

 

In the first half of 2021, with the Pandemic outbreak well controlled in China and the increasing travel demand, by leveraging the Group’s outstanding branding and product leadership, the business of Club Med resorts in China recovered strongly, with Business Volume increased by 171.9% compared with the same period in 2020. According to the estimates by the China Tourism Academy, China’s tourism revenue resumed to 57%, 77%, and 75% respectively during Qingming Festival holiday (3 to 5 April 2021), Labor Day Holiday (1 to 5 May 2021) and Dragon Boat Festival holiday (12 to 14 June 2021) in 2021, as compared to the same periods of 2019 (before the outbreak of Pandemic). Club Med resort in China recorded significant growth in the above three public holidays, which widely outperformed the industry-wide recovery. The Business Volume increased 63%, 91%, 19% during Qingming Festival holiday, Labor Day Holiday and Dragon Boat Festival holiday in 2021, compared to the same period in 2019, before the outbreak of the Pandemic, respectively.

 

Since the implementation of a new offshore duty-free policy on 1 July 2020, Hainan has become a new travel hotspot. In the first half of 2021, Atlantis Sanya’s operation continued to show a strong growth momentum. Its Business Volume increased by 152.1% compared with the same period of last year, reaching RMB835.2 million, and adjusted EBITDA of reached RMB410.9 million, an increase of 309.1% compared with the same period of last year, demonstrating its operating capability on a rapid expansion of market share in the post-Pandemic period. Meanwhile, the number of visitors to Atlantis Sanya in the first half of the year increased to approximately 2.6 million from 1.4 million of the same period in 2020, among which 1.2 million and 0.6 million visited Waterpark and Aquariums respectively.

 

In the first half of 2021, Atlantis Sanya actively promoted upscale products and launched market collaborative projects. It set Guinness World Record successfully for the “Largest Underwater Mermaid Show”. It also actively upgraded the tourism retail in the resort, promoted the layout and development of new retail areas, and introduced brands like Kaola Global and Pop Mart.

 

The Pandemic never alters the pace of development, and strong resorts layout improves the global presence


The Pandemic has not stopped the development of the Group. In early 2021, the Group laid out a plan to open 16 new villages by the end of 2023, in which 8 of them are in China. The plan was on track in the first half of 2021. Club Med has opened a new resort in Seychelles in the first half of 2021. The Group also plans to renovate 12 resorts by mid-2024 based on an upscale strategy. Club Med Lijiang resort in Lijiang FOLIDAY Town, Quebec Charlevoix resort, and Changbaishan resort will open in the upcoming autumn or winter.

 

Casa Cook brand series, the Group’s asset-light boutique hotel brands, have signed 14 franchise agreements in EMEA and 4 hotel management agreements in China as of 30 June 2021. The Group plans to operate no less than 30 hotels worldwide by the end of 2023.

 

Mr. Henri Giscard d’Estaing, the Vice Chairman and Deputy CEO of Fosun Tourism Group, said, “The worldwide sanitary crisis continued to have a serious impact on Club Med’s results in the first half of 2021. To fight this crisis, our Club Med team continues to work hard and take strong actions to reduce costs as well as maintain a healthy cash flow. With the support of our landlord partners around the world, we also continue to renovate our existing resorts and prepare to open new destinations to drive our future profitable growth. Against the backdrop of the Pandemic, people’s desire for holidays with freedom and safety is growing every day. Club Med’s offers match the expectation of tourists, especially that of family tourists. I am confident that we are ready to the rebound, and that with our global value strategy, direct digitalized distribution and ambitious development plan, we will deliver a profitable growth within the FOLIDAY ecosystem.”

 

Building FOLIDAY upscale ecosystem, the construction and pre-sale of the FOLIDAY Town progress steadily

 

Two FOLIDAY Town projects both performed as planned in the first half of 2021. Club Med Lijiang Resort in Lijiang FOLIDAY Town has entered the preparatory stage of opening and is expected to commence operation in the upcoming autumn. Construction of the saleable vacation inns and residence project of FOLIDAY Town Lijiang began in the first half of 2020. The project has been completed in stages since late 2020 and will be fully completed from 2022 to the end of 2023. The construction project of Taicang FOLIDAY Town is expected to be completed in stages since 2021 and will be fully completed from 2024 to the end of 2025. As of 31 July 2021, a sales permit for GFA of approximately 143,000 square meters was obtained by Taicang FOLIDAY Town, of which 823 sets of saleable units have been completed. The construction of the indoor ski domain “Alpes Snow World” has started in January 2021, while “Alpes Time Town” and Club Med Joyview Taicang Resort are under full-scale construction in June 2021.

 

The century-old brand is under rapid development through digital transformation

 

In July 2020, the Group officially relaunched the “Thomas Cook Lifestyle Platform” in China as a one-stop vacation lifestyle platform for global families. Leveraging FOLIDAY’s global advantageous resources, the brand-new Thomas Cook Lifestyle Platform achieved precision marketing aimed at urban middle-class families and young clientele, with a focus on leisure and tourism services. 2021 marks the 180th anniversary of Thomas Cook, one of the most well-known tourism brands in the world. The restart of its operation will speed up the development again. As of 30 June 2021, the cumulative number of downloads of “Thomas Cook Lifestyle Platform” was approximately 1.5 million. Since 16 September 2020, the brand-new Thomas Cook Online Travel Agency was put into trial operation in the UK. In the first half of 2021, Thomas Cook China and Thomas Cook UK achieved a total Business Volume of nearly RMB274.8 million.

 

Consolidate the leadership in ski ecosystem


The Group operates 15 mountain (ski) resorts in Europe and four in Asia Pacific, and is committed to creating a complete and diversified ski ecosystem. By the end of 2023, the Group has six to eight mountain resorts in the pipeline, among which there are two new mountain resorts in China, including Changbaishan Resort and Chongli Thai Woo Resort. By then, the Group is expected to operate six to eight mountain resorts in and around China.

 

The Group’s tourism destination brand-“FOLIDAY Town” (復遊城) is becoming a leading brand of the integrated sports-travel complex. “Alpes Snow World” in Taicang FOLIDAY Town is a large-scale indoor ski resort in East China, and is jointly managed by the Group and Compagnie des Alpes (CDA), a French ski domain operator based in French who was also one of the contractors of Winter Olympics. With five ski slopes, seven “magic carpets” serving as conveyors, the “Alpes Snow World” offers over 20 ski and leisure activities. In terms of ski practice and training, there is an all-ages ski school under Club Med, offering visitors professional-level ski instruction which is from the European system.

 

The Group’s indoor ski simulators brand “Foryou Ski” (復遊雪) is dedicated to providing quality solutions for urban skiers. It has opened seven stores.

 

Mr. Qian Jiannong, Chairman and CEO of Fosun Tourism Group, said, “I always believe that we are the one deciding our own destiny and future. Hence, we have never stopped gearing up ourselves and seizing the opportunity to explore a better future and potential development even amid the challenges to the tourism industry posed by the Pandemic. With a healthy financial position during the first half of the year, our businesses in China secured a rapid growth. We are well assured that we are fully prepared for the global business recovery in the second half of the year. From the rapid recovery of our overseas businesses in July, we see a silver lining towards the recovery of the Company’s global business in the second half of the year. During the crisis, the Company has never stopped the planning for a long-term growth. Therefore, we have been in full commitment in promoting the development of the resort and tourism destination businesses, as well as building the Group’s digital and vacation content ecosystem. As a result, we are confident that as countries ease travel restrictions and release purchasing power for travel and vacation, the Company’s global businesses will be back on the growth track by riding on Fosun Tourism’s global influential products, brand power and globalized talent system.”

About Fosun Tourism Group

Fosun Tourism Group (“Fosun Tourism” or “the Group”, stock code: 1992), the world’s leading leisure-focused integrated tourism group, was listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in December 2018. Fosun Tourism is the largest leisure tourism resorts group worldwide in terms of revenue in 2019*. Currently, the Group has three main business segments: Resorts, Tourism Destination as well as Tourism related Services and Solutions. In terms of Resorts, Fosun Tourism operates 65 all-inclusive Club Med resorts in more than 40 countries and regions. The Group acquired the Casa Cook and Cook’s Club brands in November 2019 and manages hotels under these brands in light asset model; in terms of Tourism Destination, the Group develops and owns Atlantis Sanya, as well as the self-owned brand “FOLIDAY Town”, currently Lijiang Foliday Town and Taicang Foliday Town are under construction; the Group owns one of the world’s oldest travel agency brands “Thomas Cook”, and operates the online “Thomas Cook Lifestyle Platform” in China and UK, forming an open internet platform based on quality vacation and life products.

Through the lifestyle proposition “Every day is FOLIDAY”, Fosun Tourism seeks to infuse concepts of tourism and leisure into everyday living, and provides tailor-made, one-step solutions through FOLIDAY global ecosystem.

* Frost & Sullivan report, an international independent consultancy company


#FosunTourismGroup

IFTA Fintech Achievement Awards 2020 Winners Announced Recognizing Outstanding Fintech Enterprises and Professionals

Former HKMA Chief Executive Norman Chan and former MPFA Deputy Chairman and Managing Director Alice Law crowned prestigious Iconic Stars

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 19 August 2021 – Organized by the Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia (IFTA), the IFTA FinTech Achievement Awards 2020 Presentation Ceremony was held today (19 August 2021) at the Hong Kong Productivity Council. Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Mr Joseph Chan, JP attended as the Guest of Honour of the Ceremony. Former Hong Kong Monetary Authority Chief Executive Mr Norman Chan and Former Mandatory Provident Fund Authority Deputy Chair and Managing Director Ms Alice Law received the prestigious Iconic Star awards.

In its third edition, the IFTA FinTech Achievement Awards of this year was themed “Embracing FinTech amid New Normal and Accelerating Digitization” to celebrate enterprises and individuals that have embraced industry trends emerging amidst new normal with innovative financial technology. Responding to fintech development and market evolution, the “Corporate Achievements in FinTech Awards” were divided into “FinTech Solutions” and “Advanced Technology” categories to honour fintech and technology in multiple sectors. The Awards attracted participation from over 55 companies under 14 award categories, of which the “Regulatory Tech” category received the most entries.

Specially introduced in this edition, the prestigious “Iconic Star” award honours invaluable contribution of long serving fintech industry leaders. The winners are Mr Norman Chan, GBS, former Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and Ms Alice Law, former Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Mandatory Provident Fund Authority.

Former Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Mr Norman Chan, GBS mentions, “Many financial firms have been rather slow to embrace the advance of the digital age, and lost their customers. We should bear in mind that access to the best Fintech is by no means monopolised by BigTech firms.  Instead it is available to any conventional financial firms that have an open mind and willing to make very good use of it.”

Former Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Mandatory Provident Fund Authority Ms Alice Law says, “Hong Kong in many ways is ahead of the curve in its Fintech evolution, and Fintech application has become more popular amongst users. However, if a new digital economy is our ultimate goal, then efforts will have to be stepped up to broaden our talent pool that is capable of mastering, in an agile manner, business and operational needs of financial services which will be driven mainly by technological applications.”

Officiating guest of the Ceremony Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Hong Kong SAR Government Mr Joseph Chan, JP mentions, “The Government has launched a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) subsidy scheme so to encourage licensed financial institutions to partner with startups and develop PoC projects applicable in actual business scenarios. The scheme has already received over 160 applications. I am very excited about the projects resulting from the subsidy scheme, and I also look forward to see it being widely adopted by more financial institutions in Hong Kong.”

“Entries of the Award this year were evaluated based on five elements: innovative technology, ethics, professionalism, contribution and teamwork,” IFTA Founder and Chairman Mr Paul Pong said. “We aim to draw enterprises’ attention to the needs of the industry and the society when they develop technology products so that more financial institutions and a wider public can benefit.”

At the FinTech Achievement Awards 2020 Presentation Ceremony today, 44 corporate achievement awards and 14 individual awards were presented.

As an organization representing fintech professionals in Hong Kong, IFTA is committed to following the government policy of promoting the collaboration among the government, industry, academic and research sectors in the innovation and technology industry. At the IFTA FinTech Achievement Awards 2020 Presentation Ceremony, winners of the IFTA Girls in Tech Hackathon were also presented. Successfully held on 7 and 8 August, the IFTA Girls in Tech Hackathon aimed to promote STEM education and encourage female students and youngsters to get involved in innovative technology and FinTech. Five winning secondary school teams received certificates and trophies on stage today. The Hackathon serves as a link between students aspiring to a career in innovative technology and industry practitioners, and promotes the continuity of fintech and innovative technology, while demonstrating IFTA’s devotion to a diversified and equal fintech industry.

Winners of Corporate Achievements in FinTech (for corporates, NGOs, and start-ups)

Award Categories

Awardees Companies

Award Level

FinTech Solutions

Regulatory Tech

Fano Labs Limited

Diamond

Eureka FinTech Limited

Platinum

iFinGate Limited

Platinum

Regtics

Platinum

WIZPRESSO

Platinum

BIBO Limited

Gold

FORMS SYNTRON Information (HK) Limited

(FORMS HK)

Gold

NFC Touch Limited

Silver

Seneca ESG

Silver

Insurance Tech

CoverGo Limited

Platinum

Ignatica

Platinum

Prudential Hong Kong Ltd.

Gold

Payment Tech

eft Payments (Asia) Limited

Platinum

QFPay Haojin Fintech Limited

Platinum

Asia Top Loyalty Limited

Gold

Oceanpayment Co., Ltd.

Gold

Octopus Cards Limited

Gold

Tips Dollar (HK) Limited

Silver

Trade Financing Tech

Velotrade Management Limited

Silver

Blockchain, Currency and CEP

(Cryptoasset Exchange Providers)

Custonomy Company Limited

Platinum

IX Fintech Group Limited

Platinum

Alpha Finnovate Limited

Gold

Blockchain Solutions Limited

Gold

FORMS SYNTRON Information (HK) Limited

(FORMS HK)

Gold

Genesis Block Limited

Gold

Amigo Tech Limited

Silver

Dragonbite Tech Pte. Ltd.

Silver

Banking Tech

Hang Seng Bank

Platinum

Ping An OneConnect Bank (Hong Kong) Limited

Platinum

FORMS SYNTRON Information (HK) Limited

(FORMS HK) – Credit Card Gamification

Silver

FORMS SYNTRON Information (HK) Limited

(FORMS HK) – Next Generation B2B Banking

Silver

Fuyuan Global

Silver

Wealth Management Tech

CONTRENDIAN

Diamond

Linnovate Partners Limited

Gold

TRANSIN

Gold

ALGOGENE FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY

LIMITED

Silver

Fuyuan Securities

Silver

Lu International (Hong Kong)Limited

Silver

eMPF Tech

BCT Group

Gold

Advanced Technology

Artificial Intelligence

OneConnect Financial Technology (Hong Kong)

Co., Ltd

Platinum

Big Data

DATAGO TECHNOLOGY LIMITED

Platinum

ALGOGENE FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY

LIMITED

Silver

Cloud Computing

FORMS SYNTRON Information (HK) Limited

(FORMS HK)

Silver

Outstanding Financial Technologists of the Year


Award Categories

Awardees

Award Level

Leader of the Year

Jess CHENG

Eureka Holding Limited

Excellence

Lanny YANG

Oceanpayment Co., Ltd.

Excellence

Tomas HOLUB

CoverGo Limited

Merit

LAU Kin Wah, Kenneth

FORMS SYNTRON Information (HK) Limited

(FORMS HK)

Merit

CHAN Wing Fung Raymond Savio

Fuyuan Global

Merit

Rising Star of the Year

TUNG Wing Shan, Sandra

FORMS SYNTRON Information (HK) Limited

(FORMS HK)

Excellence

Charles S.K. WONG

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited

(HKEX)

Excellence

LAM Fuk Ming

ALGOGENE FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY

LIMITED

Merit

WONG Sin Yi, Elly

FORMS SYNTRON Information (HK) Limited

(FORMS HK)

Merit

Cherrie LIU

ORIX Asia Limited

Merit

Star in the Making

HO Kin Ting David

Hong Kong Baptist University

Excellence

CHAN Wai Yan Vanessa

The Hong Kong University of Science and

Technology

Merit


The Prestige Award (recommended by the organiser and/or jury panel)

 

Iconic Star

Mr Norman Chan, GBS

Former Chief Executive of Hong Kong Monetary Authority

Ms Alice Law

Former Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority

 

Corporate Achievements in 5G

Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Holdings Limited – 3 Hong Kong

 Winners of IFTA Girls in Tech Hackathon

Award

School

Award Winners

Champion

HKUGA College

SO Eliz Bonnie

SHUNG Ka Kiu

WONG Megan

HO Nga Kiu Kelly

1st Runner-Up

Ying Wa Girls’ School

TANG Yui Ying

WANG Jun Wei Serena

2nd Runner-Up

Carmel Pak U Secondary School

FUNG Cheuk Ki

LEUNG Hoi Lun

NG Sea Rain

YEUNG Wun Lam

Merit Award

Cheung Chuk Shan College

LAU Wing Yan

WONG Sze Ting

Merit Award

St. Paul’s Secondary School

TO Hiu Laam

JUEN Hiu Lam

KOON Ho Ching Matty

YAN Tung

 

Click here to download high-res pictures of the event.

 

Event pictures:

 

Photo 1: Winners and guests at the FinTech Achievement Awards 2020 presentation ceremony

 

Photo 2: Speech by IFTA Founder and Chairman Mr Paul Pong

 

Photo 3: Former Hong Kong Monetary Authority Chief Executive Mr Norman Chan and former Mandatory Provident Fund Authority Deputy Chairman and Managing Director Ms Alice Law received Iconic Star awards

 

Photo 4: Winning teams of IFTA Girls in Tech Hackathon


About IFTA

The Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia Limited (IFTA) is an NPO established in Hong Kong in September 2017; to uphold the professional standard of Financial Technologists in Asia and create an ecosystem for global fintech talents to be connected. In the witness of HKSAR Government representatives, and the City of London at the signing ceremony, IFTA entered a collaboration agreement with the Certificate in Finance and Technology (CFT) from the United Kingdom to introduce the first CFT program in Asia. Besides delivering certification, IFTA also organises events including boot camps, seminars, and an annual award to accelerate Fintech education and industry engagement among government, regulators, universities, enterprises, and start-ups.

#IFTA

TÜV Rheinland’s Webinar: Greener Finance’s best friends – ESG ratings and Technical standards

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 19 August 2021 – The world has agreed to Green/Sustainable Finance as one of the major tools for climate impact mitigation and adaptation, and NOW is the time for the decade of action to take effect. A lot is happening in the Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) space, and has been for some time. To label a company or an investment fund “green” or “sustainable” is a must nowadays if you want to attract investors.

At this webinar on 1 September 2021 (Wed) 10 am – 11:30 am (GMT+8), organized by TÜV Rheinland Hong Kong, speaking respectively on policy drivers for Green/Sustainable Finance, decision-useful reporting standards & metrics, and converting data/metrics to actionable ratings will be Rakesh Vazirani, Head of Sustainability Services, TÜV Rheinland together with Jennifer Chan, Chairman and Non-Executive Director, DT Capital, Chad Spitler, Founder & CEO, Third Economy, and Katie Schmitz-Eulitt, Director of Investor Relationships – SASB, Value Reporting Foundation.

Government and policymaker interest in sustainable finance and investment has grown dramatically since the start of the century. Of the policies identified by the PRI, 95% have been developed since the year 2000. The pace continues to increase – the PRI identified 124 new or revised policy instruments in 2020, the highest number so far and 32 more than the previous year. As sustainable finance and investment policies are developed, driving investments towards sustainable, inclusive, and zero-carbon economies will require aligning regulatory frameworks globally.

Businesses and investors today face a particular challenge when it comes to sustainability and corporate responsibility. We know that awareness and performance in sustainability writ large correlates to better financial performance, and that higher levels of mandatory reporting of sustainability metrics in various forms are required across the globe in order to provide comparable metrics within and across sectors. Comparable metrics are critical to the policy decisions that need to be made to address global sustainability challenges. To date, ‘best metrics’ selection has been driven in large part through consensus building across stakeholder groups.

Key ESG data can play a significant role in understanding the risks and opportunities likely to influence that potential. Investors are eager to see financially material sustainability data become more readily available and more standardized, and they laud participating companies for contributing to that vision. Investors also prefer that ESG performance be broken out at the function or business unit level to allow for apples-to-apples comparisons.

To learn more about the latest ESG and technical standard developments, please click here to register for the webinar: 

 Agenda

A. Family Offices, Independent Directors – Gearing Up to Excel at ESG

B. Sustainable Finance on Steroids

C. Level Playing Field and Ready to Score

D. Same-Same But Different – Converting Data/Metrics to Actionable Ratings

E. Achieve with Technical Standards

#TÜVRheinland

Virtus Medical acquired International Medical Center – Beijing

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 19 August 2021 – Virtus Medical Group (Virtus) is pleased to announce that the Group has acquired 70% equity interests in International Medical Center – Beijing (IMC). The acquisition demonstrates Virtus’s commitment to delivering high-quality private healthcare and telemedicine service across Beijing and its neighbouring cities. Acquisition of the remaining 30% equity interests is expected to be completed within 12 months.

 

IMC is conveniently located in the heart of Beijing’s diplomatic and business district, Lufthansa Business Circle, where many foreign embassies and multinational corporations have their headquarters. Established in the early 90s, IMC was among the first group of high-end medical institutions to serve foreigners. It provides a wide variety of medical services, including Preventive Care, Primary Care, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Women’s Health, Paediatrics, Paediatric Surgery, Stomatology, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, medical examination, medical imaging and Traditional Chinese Medicine. With the support of Beijing’s highest grade (AAA) hospitals, IMC provides one-stop services from screening, diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation to local residents as well as people moving from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and other countries to Beijing. In addition, IMC has been actively expanding the network of overseas partners, providing second medical opinions from international medical experts, and arranging overseas medical examinations and treatments.  Its exemplary one-stop medical service model and medical resources have been well recognized, as evidenced by “The Best Hospital and Clinic Achievement Award” granted by Global Times in 2017.

 

Benefits of China-Hong Kong Cooperation

The prosperous development of personalized precision medicine, differences in medical systems, verbal communication and different personal experiences all make patients have higher requirements for medical services. The impact of geographical restrictions is even more significant in the post-epidemic era. Dr Manson Fok, Chairman of Virtus Medical Group, is confident that the acquisition will achieve synergies that allow IMC to develop more green channels for domestic referrals, relying on Virtus’s experience in developing diversified high-end medical services and IMC’s mature service packages. Samuel Poon, CEO of Virtus Medical Group, believes that IMC can leverage the advanced knowledge, expertise, technology, and professional ethics of the Hong Kong medical industry to boost patients’ confidence about Mainland China healthcare services.

 

Hong Kong residents living in Beijing will benefit

On the other hand, a robust multidisciplinary specialist team from Virtus is preparing to provide IMC patients with telemedicine services. Telemedicine service benefits patients who need a second opinion from medical experts and facilitates medical knowledge exchange between Beijing and Hong Kong. More than 30 specialists are ready, covering Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Paediatric Immunology, Allergy & Infectious Diseases, Metabolism and Genetics, Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Paediatric Surgery, Paediatric Endocrinology, Metabolism and Genetics, Cardiology, Neurology, Otorhinolaryngology, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Nephrology, Respiratory Medicine, Clinical Oncology, Haematology & Haematological Oncology, Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurosurgery and Urology. The telemedicine service overcomes geographical and speech barriers and increases access to quality healthcare services. It is expected to benefit more than tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents living in Beijing.


About Virtus Medical Group

Established in early 2018, Virtus Medical Group upholds the vision of developing an evidence-based healthcare practice with a patient-first culture. Virtus brings together more than 80 doctors of different disciplines and a large group of allied health professionals to offer a multidisciplinary medical approach across different stages of a complete health cycle – Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment and Rehabilitation. Virtus provides its services from Virtus Medical Tower, a 15-storey medical facility located in the heart of Central, together with 15 specialist centres and two multidisciplinary medical centres across Central and Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VirtusMedical/

LinkedIn: hk.linkedin.com/company/virtus-medical

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/VirtusMedical尚至醫療

Instagram: www.instagram.com/virtus_medical_group/

#VirtusMedicalGroup

NTT and i-CABLE announce strategic alliance to address the evolving network demands of Hong Kong enterprises

Major initiatives include managed network services, call-center-as-a-service (CCaaS) and managed data center offerings

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 19 August 2021 – NTT Ltd., a global technology and business solutions provider, and i-DATA, a wholly owned subsidiary company of i-CABLE Communications Limited, a Hong Kong leading internet and pay-TV service provider, today announced the signing of a strategic alliance, addressing the increasing demand for network reliability, business continuity and cybersecurity in Hong Kong. The collaboration will explore initiatives including managed network services to accelerate enterprises’ performance.

Taichi Hiramatsu, CEO, North Asia and Hong Kong, NTT Ltd. and Tan Sri Dato’ David Chiu, Chairman, i-CABLE Communications Limited sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

(from left to right) Taichi Hiramatsu, CEO, North Asia and Hong Kong, NTT Ltd., Tan Sri Dato’ David Chiu, Chairman, i-CABLE Communications Limited and Tsang On Yip, Patrick, Non-executive Director, i-CABLE Communications Limited at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Signing Ceremony.

 

An increasing number of Hong Kong enterprises have adopted digital business models, with the wide adoption of cloud, distributed workplace and disruptive technologies. According to the IMD World Competitiveness Centre[1], Hong Kong is ranked second in Asia and fifth in the world in terms of Digital Competitiveness. This is an indication of Hong Kong’s rapid adoption of new digital technologies, which requires robust, secure and seamless connectivity to keep business always-on and competitive.  

 

To address market needs, the alliance will leverage NTT’s enterprise-grade IP connectivity and i-DATA’s local network capabilities for its managed network services initiative. This will provide resilient network infrastructure with redundant backup, dedicated bandwidth and cybersecurity applications – all delivered with NTT’s managed services. Backed by NTT’s Tier-1 Global IP backbone, enterprise clients can also enjoy low latency connections to mainland China, Asia, US, Europe and Australia with a 100% service level guarantee.

 

Other initiatives of the strategic alliance between NTT and i-DATA include call-center-as-a-service (CCaaS), which aims to help enterprises optimize customer experience by integrating and managing their entire customer experience (CX) ecosystem, and managed data center services.

Taichi Hiramatsu, CEO, North Asia and Hong Kong, NTT Ltd., said, “NTT has had a long-term business relationship with i-CABLE in Hong Kong since 2012. We are excited to further strengthen our collaboration with this strategic alliance, working hand in hand with i-DATA to enable a secure and connected future. Moving forward, NTT will continue its dedication to helping enterprises advance business agility, transformation and automation through hybrid network connectivity solutions.” 

 

Tan Sri Dato’ David Chiu, Chairman of i-CABLE Communications Limited, said, “The pandemic has changed the world and uncovered new business potential with digital transformation. Never before has technology and network played a more critical role for organizations. Business leaders have had to reimagine their business models, leveraging innovative technology as well as secure and seamless networks to stay resilient. We are confident that our strategic alliance with NTT, our credible technology partner, will maximize our business potential across different markets.” 

 

 



[1]Information and Communications Technology Industry in Hong Kong“, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, 18 March 2021

About NTT Ltd.

NTT Ltd. is a leading global technology services company. Working with organizations around the world, we achieve business outcomes through intelligent technology solutions. For us, intelligent means data driven, connected, digital and secure. Our global assets and integrated ICT stack capabilities provide unique offerings in cloud-enabling networking, hybrid cloud, data centers, digital transformation, client experience, workplace and cybersecurity. As a global ICT provider, we employ more than 40,000 people in a diverse and dynamic workplace that spans 57 countries, trading in 73 countries and delivering services in over 200 countries and regions. Together we enable the connected future.

Visit us at hello.global.ntt

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlobalNTT

About i-CABLE Communications Limited

i-CABLE Communications Limited (stock code 1097) is an integrated communications services provider in Hong Kong, commanding a large and influential TV viewer and communications service user base in town.

The Group owns and operates a near universal wireline telecommunications network in Hong Kong to provide media and telecommunications services to over two million households.

The Group is also one of the producers of television and multimedia content based in Hong Kong for distribution over conventional and new media, with a particular focus on news, information, sports and entertainment.

About i-DATA

i-DATA is a wholly owned subsidiary company of i-CABLE Communications Limited. It was formed in 2021. i-DATA aims to provide reliable and cost effective telecommunications solutions to enterprises, in order to enhance enterprise business development. i-DATA provides Data Centre Interconnect (DCI), agility access to Cloud applications, as well as a flexible and price competitive DIA platform, intending to meet the increasing demand of data service in Hong Kong. It is dedicated to enhancing the international telecommunication hub position in Hong Kong.

#NTT #iCABLE #iDATA

CPA Australia: Technology integration a boon for Malaysian Businesses

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 19 August 2021 – Over 80 percent of Malaysian businesses surveyed by CPA Australia, one of the world’s largest professional accounting bodies, undertook a major technology project in the last 12 months. CPA Australia found that technologies such as data analytics and business intelligence software delivered a boon for the nation’s businesses.

 

Bryan Chung FCPA: By using technology, Malaysian businesses were able to adapt to rapidly changing conditions and needs of consumers and employees

 

We surveyed 725 professionals in different industries in Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore. Respondents were asked about their businesses’ past and expected technology use. The findings are reported in our 2021 Business Technology Report.

We found that over the past 12 months, Malaysian businesses focused on upskilling their employees’ technology capabilities, looked for opportunities to improve their existing technology, and developed long-term technology or digital strategies.

CPA Australia Malaysia Division Digital Transformation Committee Chairman, Bryan Chung FCPA, said that improving the technology they deployed in the past 12 months contributed to many Malaysian businesses’ strong performances in a difficult environment.

“Malaysian businesses in our survey used technology to improve their operational efficiency, reduce costs and improve customer experience. This is a prudent approach given current market conditions and placed them in a good position to adapt to rapidly changing conditions and needs of consumers and employees,” he said.

Our report reveals that businesses with a positive outlook on growth are looking to invest in data analytics and visualisation software, business intelligence software and cloud technology in the next 12 months than other businesses.

We also found that most businesses are planning to investment in technology tools in the next 12 months, which signals a shift from cost savings to revenue growth. However, not all businesses may be in a position to seize this opportunity. Small businesses in our survey cited financial constraints as their main challenge to technology adoption.

Chung said that there are actually many funding opportunities available to Malaysian businesses to help them access technologies that high growth businesses are much more likely to use.

“The Malaysian Government has committed to making Malaysia a nation of entrepreneurs and innovators by the end of the decade. To better compete, small business in Malaysia should fully embrace the 5G rollout by Digital Nasional Berhad over the next few years. This will enable them to participate in upskilling initiatives to grow their businesses, especially in the technologies that high performing businesses are using or investing in.

“Small business owners would benefit from accessing upskilling initiatives that enable them to grow their businesses over the next year, especially in the technologies that high performing businesses are using or investing in,” he said.

Currently, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) is offering several initiatives to help build digitalisation knowledge such as the SME Business Digitalisation Grant, 100 Go Digital and Smart Automation Grant.

To read the full report, click CPA Australia 2021 Business Technology Report.

About CPA Australia

CPA Australia is one of the largest professional accounting bodies in the world, with more than 168,000 members in over 100 countries and regions, including more than 10,500 members in Malaysia. CPA Australia has been operating in Malaysia since 1956 and opened our Malaysian office in 1994. Our core services include education, training, technical support and advocacy. CPA Australia provides thought leadership on local, national and international issues affecting the accounting profession and public interest. We engage with governments, regulators and industries to advocate policies that stimulate sustainable economic growth and have positive business and public outcomes. Find out more at cpaaustralia.com.au

#CPAAustralia