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Love, Bonito Takes Over Hong Kong’s Iconic Trams to Celebrate New Local Online Experience

Five week tram presence along with month-long social campaign commemorates the launch of localised website providing Hongkongers a seamless online shopping experience

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 18 August 2021 – Love, Bonito, Southeast Asia’s largest omni-channel women’s fashion brand, is back with the launch of its Hong Kong website following the positive response from its pop-up shop at H Queen’s. The new website will offer pricing and payment in HKD, feature local best-sellers and allow returns that can be conveniently dropped at over 400 locations around the city. To celebrate the new website, Love, Bonito is taking over Hong Kong’s iconic trams starting today with the launch of “Travel in Style with Love, Bonito”, a social media campaign where 500 lucky winners will receive a limited-edition pre-loaded Love, Bonito branded Octopus card and a Love, Bonito website shopping voucher. Love, Bonito will also be hosting month-long giveaways on its Facebook page.

 

“The new site will mark the introduction of the brand’s new and improved online experience, providing shoppers with a faster and more responsive website,” said Dione Song, CEO, Love, Bonito. “In addition, the new site can also be saved as a mobile home screen application to provide shoppers with more convenient access to the website. We are thrilled to introduce these exciting new features first in Hong Kong and subsequently in other in-market websites in the future.”

 

Calling Hongkongers to “Travel in Style with Love, Bonito”

Three Love, Bonito branded trams will be travelling around Hong Kong island from today until August 29th. The trams will feature a QR code that Hong Kongers can scan to sign up for the Love, Bonito newsletter and participants can stand a chance to win a limited-edition Love, Bonito branded Octopus card pre-loaded with HK$50 and a HK$50 shopping voucher for the Love, Bonito Hong Kong website. Every week starting from the week of July 26 to the week of August 29, 100 lucky winners will be announced every Wednesday beginning on August 4th to September 1st via email regarding the prizes.

 

In addition, from July 30th to August 5th, fans can join Love, Bonito’s “Spot the Tram” contest where they will be asked to comment on a tram post on Love, Bonito’s Facebook page and upload a photo capturing one of the three Love, Bonito trams travelling around Hong Kong. Ten lucky winners will receive a HK$100 shopping voucher that can be used on the Hong Kong website. Winners will be announced on August 6th. and contacted on Facebook.

Full contest Terms and Conditions will be available on www.lovebonito.com/hk on July 30th.

 

Introducing Love, Bonito’s Hong Kong Website

Since the brand’s debut in Hong Kong with a pop-up store at H Queen’s, Love, Bonito has continued to grow its local community with its women-for-women offerings featuring thoughtful designs that bridge fashion and functionality with well-made, well-fitted pieces at an accessible price point. The Hong Kong website will feature all of Love, Bonito’s product lines including work, casual, occasion, The Staples (wardrobe foundations), LYLAS (bridesmaid & party), loungewear, Embrace (maternity), kids, intimates and special collaborations.

 

Love, Bonito’s Hong Kong website will feature pricing and payment in HKD. New styles will be added to the website twice a week (Monday and Wednesdays) and customers can enjoy free shipping for orders HK$350 and above. For those with orders under HK$350, a flat shipping rate of HK$40 will be charged. Returns will be accepted within 90 days of purchase and can be conveniently dropped off at over 400 Circle K, 7-11 or Alfred Lockers locations around the city (HK$20 for every 5 items).

About Love, Bonito

Designing for the key moments and milestones of a woman’s life, Love, Bonito’s comprehensive assortment features stylish and comfortable pieces for the modern Asian woman at home, work and play. Love, Bonito is the largest vertically integrated, omni-channel women’s fashion brand in the region today. We remain committed to relationship building and nurturance, imbuing soul into innovation with thoughtful design and dedicated community outreach.

For more information, please visit https://www.lovebonito.com/hk/about-us

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lovebonito/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovebonito/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClFWjOkFAPFf_tEW27Yom8A

#LoveBonito

The rise and rise of TECNO

DELHI, INDIA – African Media Agency – 18 August 2021 – In cities like Lagos, Nairobi and Addis Ababa, busy streets are awash with the bright blue shopfronts of Transsion’s flagship brand, TECNO. The company might still be a new brand globally, however, the company took a different path to success from other top Chinese smartphone makers or international mobile brands. TECNO built its business in Africa and is focused on its growth in global emerging markets. And it has no plans to change tact now.

Stephen Ha, General Manager, TECNO

 

For TECNO, future growth is set to come from building its business outside Africa by tapping into other developing regions like the Middle East, East Europe, and Southeast Asia, but with Africa still a key focus.

 

A recent Counterpoint research reveals that TECNO was responsible for 18% of the total smartphone shipments in Africa in 2020. The research firm attributes TECNO’s rise to a strong second half of the year and its affordable smartphone portfolio. The brand has made a dent to some of the bigger smartphone names, making TECNO a challenger brand to watch out for.

 

Glocal approach

 

TECNO’s ethos is rooted in a business strategy called “glocalisation,” the creation of products that will sell universally but can be customised to specific markets or regions. This strategy signifies TECNO’s growth from an Africa-focused brand to a newcomer in the mid-to-high-end smartphone segment in global emerging markets.

 

In Ethiopia for example, TECNO became the first major phone brand in the country to offer a keyboard in Amharic, the country’s native script. This unlocked an entirely new customer base. Swahili and Hausa keyboards have also been added since then.

 

“This has helped TECNO grow into one of the most admired smartphone brands in Africa, as well as an expert in providing industrial-leading technology and innovative devices designed for global users in emerging markets,” explains Stephen Ha, General Manager at TECNO.

 

Today, TECNO’s product line is greatly enriched by its quad core smartphone product lines and a diverse AIoT products, providing consumers with high-quality middle and high-end smart devices.

 

“We offer a very competitive price, enabling our customers to always stay connected to the world and enjoy a fashionable way of life. Unlike many international brands, TECNO focus on users in emerging markets and creatively combines global technology with the actual needs of local consumers, bringing them cutting-edge technology with localised innovation and differentiated features. This kind of innovation is in our DNA,” adds Ha.

 

In 2021, TECNO plans to leap further forward with the hope of stabilising its foothold on more emerging markets. “To further expand our brand popularity, we aim to play a more significant role in the mid-to-high end market segment. We will do this by actively combining international-level partnerships to create our global brand image, while also utilising diverse and innovative branding activities to serve a growing number of young consumers.”

Joining the premium smartphone space

 

TECNO’s brand mission is to become the most admired tech brand in the global emerging markets by continually making breakthroughs in product innovation.

 

With PHANTOM X, TECNO intends to redefine the premium flagship phone trend and evolve it to new dimensions that exemplifies premium design, industry flagship camera technology, and seamless customer experience punctuated by a differentiated service.  “We are confident that we have figured out a right strategy in terms of many aspects like elegant design language, camera technology, and total user experience,” says Ha.

 

But PHANTOM X is just the beginning. As TECNO continues to play a more significant role in the mid-to-high end market segment, it will cultivate its market position by bringing with it premium smart devices and services-based offering and lead with a customer-oriented innovation mindset.

 

“The mid-to-high-end smartphone market has become more mature today, and market demand has spread rapidly to global emerging markets. We are eager to push the competition into new boundaries to make flagship technology and innovation available to consumers in global emerging markets sooner,” adds Ha.

 

TECNO plays a crucial role post-pandemic

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges both for industry and society, however, TECNO knows that every challenge brings with it an opportunity. “During the period, we kept the communication lines with our global partners. We stood alongside our consumers to help them overcome challenges. We’ve always been the brand that pushes past limitations,” says Ha.

 

TECNO gave back to communities. They implemented fast-response measures to support local communities in time of outburst events such as COVID19. “Last year, we rolled out a range of initiatives to provide prevention measures, materials and educational and economical support that aims to help local communities to maintain their safety and wellbeing for everyday life.”

 

TECNO partnered with governments in countries such as Nigeria, Thailand, Myanmar, and India, to provide medical support to local communities. Prior to the pandemic, they partnered with UNHCR to support its global education project, Educate A Child, to help improve the educational conditions of refugee children and enable them to get more opportunities for education.

 

But more than taking its social responsibility to heart, TECNO is all about knowing what the customer needs, and this philosophy is at the very center of everything they do. “We are at the forefront of meeting neglected market demand by developing elegantly designed smart tech devices and services for our consumers across more than 70 global emerging markets. We want to provide consumers with a comprehensive range of high-quality products and services at competitive prices, from smartphones, tablets, smart wearables to AIoT devices,” says Ha.

 

As TECNO readies itself to take on the world by storm, the brand recognises the role that it plays in society.

 

“We are investing more around digitalisation to drive positive impact on business ecosystem, consumers as well as social development. For example, we held the first global AR launch event for the CAMON 16 series in 2020; we witnessed the rise of short-video social trend and launched the very first documentary looking at the “rise of selfie“, calling out for the public to employ devices in a positive way. We are also investing more in e-commerce to bring better convenience to consumers,” concludes Ha.

 

One can clearly see why TECNO is on the up and up. 

 

It is no surprise therefore that in 2020 it has outpaced its competitors in Africa and was named one of the top ten “most admired brands in Africa”, a recognition bestowed upon it by its industry peers and consumers.

About TECNO

TECNO is a premium smartphone and AIoT devices brand from TRANSSION Holdings. With “Stop At Nothing” as its brand essence, TECNO is committed to unlocking the best contemporary technologies for progressive individuals across global emerging markets, giving them elegantly designed intelligent products that inspires consumers to uncover a world of possibilities. TECNO understands the needs of consumers from different markets and provides them with localized innovations and design breakthroughs demonstrated through their mastery of serving consumers who are “young at heart” and never stops pursuing excellence. TECNO’s portfolio spans across smartphones, tablets, smart wearables and AIoT devices made for consumers in over 70 emerging markets world-wide. TECNO is also the Official Partner of Manchester City, Premier League Champions 2020-21. For more information, please visit: www.tecno-mobile.com.

#TECNO

Food-tech startup Shandi raises second seed round to manufacture plant-based chicken in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 18 August 2021 – Plant-based food-tech company Shandi has closed its second seed round led by Singapore-headquartered Tolaram – one of Africa’s largest packaged food companies. Other investors in this round include Australia based food-tech accelerator SparkLabs Cultiv8, and former CEO-India for Louis Dreyfus and prominent angel investor Simmarpal Singh.

 

The fresh funding that raised more than USD700,000 will be used to set up a manufacturing facility in Singapore to commercialise and scale Shandi’s proprietary plant-based chicken products, including expanding partnerships in the food sector. While Shandi has successfully produced chicken analogues in various formats such as pieces, shreds, strips and drumsticks, part of the proceeds would be allocated to further product innovation and development on new textures, formats, and other meat analogues.

 

Shandi was founded in 2019 by food industry expert, research veteran and lifelong vegetarian Dr Reena Sharma. The food-tech company uses a unique process to develop and manufacture their plant-based chicken, which is made only with natural, non-GMO ingredients such as pea protein, chickpeas, quinoa, flax seeds, brown rice, and coconut oil, and is free from artificial flavourings and other additives.

 

“We’re thrilled to bring on board a variety of strategic investors, from a large food corporation to a sector-specific venture capital firm as well as an angel investor. This represents a strong validation of our technology and product, and we look forward to working with our investors to move to the next phase and bring our products to market. With its strong logistics and supply chain, forward-looking regulatory framework and supportive government initiatives, Singapore is well positioned to host our first commercial plant and we’re delighted to be setting up here,” said Dr Reena Sharma, Founder and CEO at Shandi.

 

This round of funding also represents Tolaram’s first investment in the alternative protein category. Tolaram is a Singapore enterprise with business interests across consumer products, fintech and infrastructure. It operates 23 manufacturing facilities in Africa and leverages its deep distribution network to bring essential consumer goods to half a billion people in the region.

 

Said Deepak Singhal, MD of Consumer Products at Tolaram: “We continue to see strong growth in the alternative protein category, especially when more affordable options become available for emerging markets. We believe that Shandi could be a game-changer as they have created a chicken substitute that not only tastes and behaves like the animal meat but is also priced at par with it. We are excited to help them go-to-market and grow, utilizing our resources, network, and experience in building consumer brands from the ground up.”

 

Bernice Tay, Director of Food Manufacturing, Enterprise Singapore added “We are excited to see Tolaram partner Shandi to introduce a new variety of plant-based chicken to the market. Such partnerships between established food companies and emerging food tech startups invigorate the local alternative protein ecosystem and provide greater variety and offerings for consumers. We hope to encourage more of such collaborations going forward.”

 

Shandi’s patent-pending production process involves isolating specific amino acids from plants to emulate the amino acid profile found in chicken. This results in an end-product that is like chicken not only in its nutritional composition, but also in the way the animal-meat releases certain molecules (called pre-cursors) during the cooking process. This is a paramount and often overlooked element in designing a meat alternative as many manufacturers add artificial flavours that die or do not react during the cooking process. By re-creating the taste using natural amino acids instead of chemical additives, flavourings, and seasonings, Shandi is able to offer a product that is tasty, nutritious, and versatile at a highly competitive price.

 

“We have seen 100’s of plant-based protein companies but this is the first true meat alternative we have seen that overcomes the barriers inhibiting current products in the market. Shandi’s product is low cost, nutritional and can be cooked just like real meat in any application.” says Graham Bougen, Program Director, SparkLabs Cultiv8.

 

Shandi aims to launch its range of products to foodservice and food manufacturers in Q1 2022, with a B2C retail product to follow.

 

About Tolaram

Tolaram is a Singapore enterprise focused on building businesses and investing in emerging market opportunities that propel growth and elevate communities. More than 70 years of entrepreneurial heritage has given them critical insights to continually innovate and forge partnerships. They transform challenges into opportunities across a diverse portfolio of businesses in consumer products, fintech and infrastructure throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe.

#Tolaram

About Shandi

Shandi is a Singapore-based food-tech startup developing plant-based meat substitutes that have amino acid and protein profiles like conventional meat. Founded in 2019 by food industry expert, research veteran and life-long vegetarian Dr Reena Sharma, Shandi will create plant-based chicken as the first offering in various formats, including pieces, shreds, strips, and drumsticks. Made with natural plant-based ingredients, Shandi offers a nutritionally optimal alternative that tastes, feels, and cooks like real meat.

#Shandi

About SparkLabs Cultiv8

SparkLabs Cultiv8 is one of the most active early-stage food and agri-tech investors globally, having invested in over 35 businesses over the last 4 years. The Australian based accelerator focuses on providing value through their strong global agricultural connections and tailored support.

#SparkLabsCultiv8

Asia’s Largest Tech-Enabled Professional Learning Platform SpeakIn Officially Launches in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 18 August 2021 – SpeakIn, Asia’s largest tech-enabled professional learning platform, today announced their official launch in Singapore with aspirations to strengthen its leadership roots in the Asia-Pacific region. The expansion will support SpeakIn’s aim to anchor itself in Singapore, paving the way for it to make the city-state its new global headquarters.

 

Having assessed the Singapore market extensively, SpeakIn hopes to bridge the current prevalent gap in customised learning for professionals and companies alike by providing a one stop, hyper-localised portal for its clientele to make use of its dynamic offerings. Upon subscription, professionals would be able to tap on the experiences of thought leaders regionwide over virtual and interactive sessions. The global professional learning platform aims to expand its platform for career and leadership enhancement learning by granting its clientele access to more than 18,000 leading experts in various industries.

 

Commenting on the expansion, Deepshikha Kumar, Founder and Managing Partner of SpeakIn said “Now more than ever, is it of prime importance to create an open talent economy and we seek to grant aspiring and existing professionals across organizations access to pioneer, accomplished experts whose expertise span over 500 varying topics.”

 

“Through SpeakIn, we hope to take one step forward to equip different individuals with personalised opportunities to learn from top thought leaders in various industries and revolutionise learning and leadership, in turn by tapping on the technology rich environment in Singapore. It is of paramount importance to us to assimilate learning and innovation through our platform for the business community to flourish. We are also hopeful to form local partnerships with businesses who prioritise learning and development equally within the region.” she added.

 

Since its inception, approximately 10% of SpeakIn’s leading experts come from Singapore and have a vast understanding of its clients’ needs from trade associations to Fintech companies, investment banks, technology companies and now pharmaceutical companies. Through SpeakIn, many looking to further their professional abilities can access numerous reputable, trusted and innovative experts from diversified fields in real time for coaching and even 1-to-1 learning. SpeakIn also accommodates passive learning facilities like eLearning, blogs, and podcasts that allow its clientele the flexibility to gain knowledge and industry know-hows as per their own convenience.

 

Please find more information in the link below: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d5ert93bnbjsrko/AACJnhrNk_dS8MBbjdQm-7S6a?dl=0

 

#SpeakIn

Test Cybersecurity Skills in Global Capture the Flag Competition

Trend Micro’s annual event builds security skills in the industry’s most critical areas of need

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 18 August 2021 – Trend Micro Incorporated ( TYO: 4704 ; TSE: 4704 ), a global cybersecurity leader, today announced the 7th annual global Capture the Flag competition. The Raimund Genes Cup empowers upcoming and established security professionals to hone and test their skills on the world stage.

 

The risk of cyber attacks continues to put pressure on organizations and CISOs who rely on skilled security professionals to protect corporate systems. However, according to a recent (ISC)2 study [1] , in 2020 there was an estimated shortage of over 3 million cybersecurity professionals globally. Trend Micro is passionate about bridging this gap and equipping more security professionals globally to meet this growing need.

 

To learn more and to register your team for the online qualifying round, please visit: www.trendmicro.com/ctf .

 

“Over the past year we’ve seen organizations around the globe struggle to cope with surging cybercrime as critical IT assets and end users become more distributed,” said Mike Gibson, vice president of customer success and security research for Trend Micro. “As skills shortages persist, it’s vital we encourage more to join the industry. Honoring the memory of our former CTO, the Trend Micro CTF – Raimund Genes Cup provides an ideal platform for the world’s best cyber talent to practice their skills and learn from new challenges.”

 

This year’s competition takes place over two rounds: an online qualifier and virtual finals event. The online qualifier will run over a 24-hour period from September 18-19 (Japan Standard Time). Teams of competitors will face Jeopardy-style questions to test their problem-solving skills.

 

The top 10 will qualify for the virtual finals, which will once again take place online on December 18-19, in the form of a Dynamic Jeopardy competition.

 

Through both rounds of competition, teams will be tasked with problems in various critical areas of cybersecurity including IoT, mobile, AI, exploitation and OSINT.

 

The winning team from the finals will receive 1,000,000 Japanese Yen (approximately $71,700 HKD). Each player from the winning team will also receive 15,000 Zero Day Initiative Rewards Program points, to help earn exclusive awards and benefits. The second and third place teams receive 300,000 JPY and 200,000 JPY, ($21,500 HKD and $14,350 HKD respectively). In addition, the virtual final winners will automatically be seeded in the 2022 competition.

 

Over 700 teams from 66 countries competed in 2020 and demand is set to be similarly high for this year’s event.

 

Trend Micro is committed to encouraging more new talent into the industry with showcase events like CTF and Pwn2Own, and programs such as Close the Gap, which aims to support more gender diverse applicants as they search for new career opportunities. This approach is proven effective, with new researchers and engineers joining Trend Micro after participating in regional CTF events.

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro’s cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, the platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 65 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world. www.trendmicro.com.hk

#TrendMicro

Successful Job Movement Up 45% in Q2 2021 from Q1: Michael Page Philippines

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach – 18 August 2021 – Global recruitment specialists Michael Page Philippines witnessed the number of successful job moves rise in Q2 2021 compared to Q1 with an overall 45% increase. According to job placement data shared by Michael Page, growth was also observed within sectors such as Digital (up 38%), Technology (up 18%) and Financial Services & Fintech (up 22%).

 

Albert Pérez, Regional Director of Michael Page Philippines

 

Albert Pérez, Regional Director of Michael Page Philippines observes, “With the COVID-19 pandemic, the reality is that a lot of companies have to transform themselves digitally in the Philippines. This is really driving the jobs especially with a variety of consumer online services such as e-wallets, delivery, transportation and goods services.”

 

This has steered the job movement in the digital space up 38% in Q2 from Q1. “We see a strong demand for professionals at all levels where companies have quickly adjusted to the rapidly evolving business landscape, often needing to bring in external skills sets to accelerate digital upgrades,” observes Albert Pérez.  

 

Similarly, job placements in technology have seen an optimistic 18% increase as this demand for e-commerce capabilities and digital currency is earmarked for further growth. According to the Michael Page Philippines Talent Trends 2021 report, this has led to an increased demand in hiring for roles like mobile and web application developer. With accelerated digitalisation, the rise in cybercrimes, such as phishing and internet scams, have also increased during the pandemic. This indicates business and hiring opportunities in technology specialities, such as cybersecurity.

Hiring in the Philippines’ Financial Services sector also rose (up 22%) in Q2 2021 led by growth in the Fintech and insurance spaces. “The talent acquisition market is competitive in specialist fields, and the implementation of IFRS 17, a global standard designed to achieve a consistent, principle-based accounting for insurance contracts by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), has created demand for talent. The pandemic has also accelerated the digital transformation in the banking sector. Fintech capabilities have to be quickly set up to ensure customer interactions remain effective and to assist customers with any urgent liquidity needs,” comments Albert Pérez.

Source: Michael Page Philippines’ proprietary data

#MichaelPagePhilippines

We Must Urgently Implement a Covid-19 Response that Protects Women and Girls

Mariam A Khan, Country Representative UNFPA, Laos
Mariam A Khan, Country Representative UNFPA, Laos

The following is an opinion piece by: Mariam A. Khan, Country Representative UNFPA, Laos.

I am saddened by the recent news about a young pregnant woman aged 28 in Champasack province who died from Covid-19. This tragedy reminds us of how Covid-19 disproportionately affects women and girls. Women-centered responses to Covid-19 can save lives.

Authorities in Talks to Release Lao and Foreign Workers From Golden Triangle SEZ

Golden Triangle

Authorities of Bokeo are holding talks to discuss the release of Lao and migrant workers from the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.