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CDP Launches World’s First Disclosure Framework for Banks Integrating Climate and Forest Impact

  • CDP invited the most significant lenders in the forest risk commodities (FRC) sectors to participate in the Financial Services Climate Change and Forests Pilot, resulting in a sample of 10 banks disclosing (7 Southeast Asian and 3 global)
  • Participating banks have the sway to drive real change in the economy; holding loans of more than US$2.5 trillion and accounting for over 19% of all lending to FRC sectors in Southeast Asia
  • Pilot project was geographically focused on Southeast Asia, where 85-90% of the world’s palm oil is produced and financed
  • Participating banks focus mostly on one side of the ‘double-materiality approach’ and assess how environmental issues could affect their portfolios, but are less likely to assess how their portfolios impact the environment
  • The Pilot finds that Scope 3 portfolio emissions are the most significant source of GHG emissions for banks — over 400 times higher than operational emissions
  • Southeast Asian banks can close the gap with their global peers by improving their environmental management issues. Disclosure on forests must improve overall, especially relating to FRCs’ financing
  • Banks have the power to finance the transition to a low-carbon, forest-positive future starting with disclosure as the key first step

LONDON, UK – Media OutReach – 10 March 2021 – The world’s forests are critical in fighting climate change, contributing up to one-third of the mitigation needed to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 ˚Celsius. Amongst a host of ecosystem services they provide, forests also form a buffer to reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases spill over. Considering the current Covid-19 pandemic, the need to protect and restore the world’s forests has never been clearer.


Global environmental non-profit CDP unveiled the findings of their Financial Services Climate Change and Forests Pilot Questionnaire: the very first structured, self-reported disclosure framework for banks to report on climate and forest lending. The report was launched at a virtual webinar moderated by Corrado Forcellati, Sustainability Services Director, KPMG Singapore with panellists Rizal Mohamed Ali, Responsible Investment Vice President, KWAP; Felia Salim, Director, &Green Fund and Meixi Gan, Sustainability Deputy Director, Singapore Institute of International Affairs.

Key findings from these unique disclosures highlight that whilst banks have started to integrate environmental concerns into their structures and processes, there is significant progress to be made on long-term strategy and financing of FRCs. The results also confirmed that banks’ loan books have a vastly larger impact than their operations, with portfolio emissions potentially some 400 times higher than direct emissions.

Although the participating banks can describe their environmental risks well, their responses suggest they are currently more focused on one side of the ‘double materiality approach’. This means that while banks generally assess how environmental issues could affect their portfolios; they are less likely to assess how their portfolios would impact the environment.

While global banks are ahead of Southeast Asian banks in many areas, CDP notes that disclosure on forests must improve overall, especially relating to the financing of FRCs like timber, palm oil, cattle and soy — which are the largest cause of forests degradation and loss globally. Only one bank participating in the pilot disclosed on their financing of FRCs. Banks can demonstrate that their financing of FRCs is sustainable by increasing transparency.

In addition, the disclosures revealed great opportunities for banks in financing the transition to a low-carbon, forest-positive future. The potential financial impacts of environmental opportunities disclosed outweigh the potential impacts of risks disclosed, as well as the anticipated costs to achieve those opportunities.

One area of opportunity highlighted by almost all banks was providing financing to agricultural smallholders. Despite their significance in palm oil and rubber production, a lack of access to credit for smallholder producers is driving behaviours that result in forest loss and increased emissions. The smallholder financing and other engagement approaches disclosed by the banks represent opportunities to advance not only the environmental aspect of sustainability, but also the social aspect.

CDP’s report recognises the financial services sector is crucial in achieving the transition to a low-carbon and forest-positive economy. The influence of financial services companies extends far beyond their immediate operations to enable activities in the wider economy, which places them in a unique position to catalyze change by engaging with the companies they lend to, invest in and insure.

To this end, CDP concludes with recommendations for banks to trigger a leap forward to sustainable economies, starting from standardised, tailored disclosure of their impacts as the key first step. Other recommendations include:

  • implementing board-level oversight across environmental issues;
  • ensuring time horizons, assessments and processes around environmental issues are of a long-term nature;
  • strengthening reporting frameworks and fully disclosing lending practices;
  • considering the interconnectivity of forests with climate change, water and the natural world to properly assess risks, opportunities, and impacts.

Pratima Divgi, Director, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Australia & New Zealand at CDP commented: “The financial services sector is the missing link to sustainable economies and plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change, driving the next evolution in CDP disclosure: pioneering forest-related indicators specifically for banks. Those that are leading the transition to sustainable financing activities will gain competitive advantage and improved long-term returns. CDP is a key partner in the journey toward corporate responsibility and disclosure is a positive first step to achieving a sustainable future for people and planet.”

Over the coming years, CDP will develop the financial services questionnaire to expand reporting globally to investors and insurers and integrate a comprehensive range of environmental themes.

To learn more about CDP and its research on global environmental impact, visit their website at https://www.cdp.net/en or download the full media pack including report, policy briefing, infographic, webinar recordings and more here.

About CDP

CDP is a global non-profit that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states and regions. Founded in 2000 and working with more than 590 investors with over $110 trillion in assets, CDP pioneered using capital markets and corporate procurement to motivate companies to disclose their environmental impacts, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard water resources and protect forests. Over 10,000 organizations around the world disclosed data through CDP in 2020, including more than 9,600 companies worth over 50% of global market capitalization, and over 940 cities, states and regions, representing a combined population of over 2.6 billion. Fully TCFD aligned, CDP holds the largest environmental database in the world, and CDP scores are widely used to drive investment and procurement decisions towards a zero carbon, sustainable and resilient economy. CDP is a founding member of the Science Based Targets initiative, We Mean Business Coalition, The Investor Agenda and the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative.

Visit cdp.net or follow us @CDP to find out more.

First Ever ISCM Awards 2021 Opens for Application; Recognising Excellence in the Shopping Centre Industry

Unite the industry and strengthen Hong Kong‘s position as Asia’s Shopping City

 

HONG KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach – 10 March 2021 – The first ever ISCM Awards 2021 (the “Awards”) is now open for applications until 30 June 2021. Initiated by the Institute of Shopping Centre Management (“ISCM”), the Awards recognises and showcases the outstanding performance and achievements of the finest retail property management professionals in Hong Kong in 5 award categories.

Founded in 2003, ISCM is a professional society and a recognised governing body in Hong Kong to standardise and enrich the overall professional profiles within the industry and strive to be leader of the shopping centre industry. The first annual Awards creates a platform to demonstrate the concerted efforts of industry peers in raising industry standards in a time of adversity, and strengthening Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s shopping city.

Themed “The Proven Strengths of Asia’s Shopping City: Hong Kong”, the Awards showcases and expresses gratitude to Hong Kong’s finest retail property management teams, projects and retailers for their contributions to the shopping centre industry, standards and profession.

“The industry is cooperating with the government’s various pandemic prevention measures and working with the public to fight the pandemic. Through the Awards, we hope to unite the valuable efforts made by the industry to overcome adversity, strengthen Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s shopping city, and bring positive impacts to the industry.” ISCM Chairman, Mr. Baldwin KO said, “With the launch of the vaccination and continuous efforts from the industry to support government guidelines, such as maintaining social distancing and full utilization of the LeaveHomeSafe mobile app, the market should expect to bounce back and recover to a healthier level and an improved economy. In the future, ISCM is optimistic about the development of the Greater Bay Area, and will actively promote exchanges to broaden horizons of the industry peers. As the pandemic subsides, ISCM hopes that the government can assist the industry to strengthen exchanges in the Greater Bay Area and hence accelerate the recovery of the industry.”

OC Chairlady of ISCM Awards 2021, Ms. Angie CHUNG added, “Industry peers react swiftly to emerging trends and strive to change the challenges brought by the pandemic into opportunities, such as utilising technology and deploying additional manpower to strengthen pandemic prevention. Through the Awards, industry peers are welcome to showcase their contributions to foster the development of the industry. The ISCM is honoured to have leaders from the real estate, property management, retail and marketing industries, as well as academic professors and representatives of non-profit making organisations to join our Jury Panel, enhancing the credibility and recognition of the Awards.”

The ISCM Awards 2021 is open for nominations until 30 June 2021 under the following five categories:


1. Best Shopping Centre (New Development & Launch/Renovation & Relaunch)

2. Best Retail Marketing and Promotion Campaign

3. Best Retail Leasing Team

4. Best Property Management Team

5. Best Corporate Social Responsibility Project

ISCM is honoured to have esteemed industry leaders to be Jurors for the Awards.

The Jury Panel (arranged in alphabetical order of surnames)

No.

Juror

1.

Sr Honby CHAN

President of Hong Kong Institute of Real Estate Administrators

2.

Dr Michael CHAN

Honorary Chairman of Hong Kong Institute of Marketing

3.

Mr Kevin CHEUNG

General Manager (Regulatory), Property Management Services Authority

4.

Prof Chiu, Rebecca L.H. MH, JP

Professor of Department of Urban Planning & Design, The University of Hong Kong

5.

Ar Donald CHOI

President of Hong Kong Institute of Architects

6.

Mr CHUA Hoi-wai

Chief Executive of The Hong Kong Council of Social Service

7.

Dr Lobo FUNG

President of Hong Kong Institute of Certified Property Managers

8.

Ms HO Wing Yin, Winnie, JP

Director of Architectural Services Department

9.

Prof Eddie Chi Man HUI

Professor of Department of Building and Real Estate,

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

10.

Mr Baldwin KO

Chairman of the Institute of Shopping Centre Management

11.

Dr Jane LEE Ching-yee, JP

Chairperson of Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund Task Force & Director of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council Limited

12.

Mr Francis NGAI

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Social Ventures Hong Kong

13.

Ms Pang Melissa Kaye, BBS, MH, JP

Vice-Chairman Agency for Volunteer Service

14.

Mr Kyran SZE

Chairman of Hong Kong Chapter, Chartered Association of Building Engineers


Please download the Flyer for the Awards in this link: https://iscmawards.com/2021/pdf/ISCM-Awards-2021-Flyer.pdf

For more information, please visit www.iscmawards.com/2021

Please download photo here.

Photo caption: Photo of Mr. Baldwin KO,ISCM Chairman, and Ms. Angie CHUNG, OC Chairlady of ISCM Awards 2021.

About ISCM

The Institute of Shopping Centre Management (ISCM) is a non-profit making organization founded by a group of local shopping centre professionals, certified practitioners and professors in the shopping centre management industry. We have extensive knowledge, skills and practical experience in managing various shopping centre portfolios in Hong Kong and the Mainland China. As a professional society and a recognized governing body in Hong Kong, ISCM aims to standardize and enrich the overall professional profiles within the industry and act as a representative in the shopping centre industry. Our mission is to identify various prospective channels with government bodies, thereby creating a platform to exchange best practices in the art and science of shopping centre management within the Asia Pacific region.

Cryptology Asset Group Purchases Additional Block.one Shares in the amount of $30 million

Block.one, the publisher of the EOSIO software and the decentralized social media platform, Voice.com, boasts one of the world’s largest Bitcoin balance sheets

 

VALLETTA, MALTA – EQS Newswire – 10 March 2021 – Cryptology Asset Group (ISIN: MT0001770107; Ticker: 4UD), a leading European investment company for blockchain- and crypto-related business models, announced it has purchased an additional $30 million worth of Block.one shares in a private transaction. This is the third new investment Cryptology has made in the past three weeks as it aggressively executes its 2021 strategy of being one of Europe’s most active investors in the crypto and blockchain industry.

Cryptology is one of the largest institutional investors in Block.one, now holding approx. 3.4% (on a non-diluted share capital base) of the crypto behemoth. As Block.one is a privately held company, one of the only means for public markets investors to gain exposure to it is indirectly through holding the publicly traded shares of Cryptology.

Cryptology’s founding investor, Christian Angermayer, said “Block.one’s CEO Brendan Blumer is truly one of the most visionary entrepreneurs I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and working with. It has been an honor and a privilege to accompany Block.one on its exciting journey, and I look forward to the full realization of Brendan’s vision for Block.one in the near future.”

“Block.one is one of the preeminent players in the entire crypto industry and I am elated to be expanding Cryptology’s exposure to one of our flagship portfolio companies”, said Patrick Lowry, Cryptology’s CEO. “I look forward to the unveiling of projects they have been developing in stealth in the near future and further expanding Cryptology’s collaborative relationship with Brendan and the Block.one team.”

In addition to having significant exposure to Block.one on its own balance sheet, Cryptology also manages further stakes in Block.one on behalf of several institutional investors with additional upside participation for Cryptology. The upside participation equals an approx. 0.5% additional stake in block.one.

About Cryptology Asset Group p.l.c.

Cryptology is a leading European crypto asset and blockchain-related business model investment company. Founded by Christian Angermayer’s family office, Apeiron Investment Group and crypto-legend Mike Novogratz, Cryptology is the largest publicly traded holding company for blockchain- and crypto-based business models in Europe. Noteworthy portfolio companies include crypto-giant and EOSIO software publisher block.one, leading HPC provider Northern Data, commission-free online neobroker nextmarkets, and crypto asset management group Iconic Holding.

About Block.one:

Block.one is the global leader in high-performance blockchain software. In 2018, it published the EOSIO software, a free, open-source protocol designed to be adapted and utilized by the developer community and companies to create a secure and transparent back-end system. EOSIO is regarded as the fastest, most scalable, most active blockchain software in the world. It addresses the limitations of first-generation blockchain platforms while retaining the core benefits of the technology: security, accountability and immutability. Block.one also aims to foster a robust blockchain ecosystem through developing and supporting projects built on EOSIO via its venture capital unit, EOS VC. For further information, please visit block.one, voice.com and eos.io.

SUSS MicroTec SE appoints Dr. Götz Bendele as Chief Executive Officer and Dr. Thomas Rohe as Chief Operating Officer

GARCHING, GERMANY – EQS Newswire – 10 March 2021 – SUSS MicroTec today announced that Dr. Götz Bendele will take over the position as Chief Executive Officer of SUSS MicroTec SE on May 1, 2021.

At the same time, SUSS MicroTec announces that Dr. Thomas Rohe was appointed as Chief Operating Officer, starting on June 1, 2021.

The current Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Franz Richter is leaving the company for reasons of age and will step down from office on April 30, 2021.

“On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I would like to thank Dr. Richter for his many years of contributions to the development of SUSS MicroTec, “said Dr. David Dean, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE. “Thanks to his foresight, the company is on an impressive growth path. His name is inextricably linked with SÜSS MicroTec. “

In 1990, Dr. Richter joined the company and, at the will of the founding family, took over management in 1998. One year later, he successfully went public with SÜSS MicroTec on the stock exchange. In total, he devoted almost 20 years of his professional life to the company’s success, 11 years of which as CEO alone.

“With Dr. Bendele, we have won a manager who, thanks to his extensive market experience, his analytical sharpness and his implementation strength, will set new impulses. ” said Dr. Dean on the upcoming change in the management board. “Due to his international experience and deep knowledge in the areas of sales, innovation and product development in the semiconductor industry as well as in plant engineering, Dr. Bendele is the ideal person to successfully implement the growth strategy of SUSS MicroTec SE in the long term. “

Bendele, 50, has been CEO of the SDAX and TecDax listed technology company LPKF Laser & Electronics AG since 2018, where he made a significant contribution to the company’s successful development.

Holding a PhD in physics, Götz Bendele worked for almost 10 years as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he advised companies in the semiconductor industry in Europe, the USA and Asia, before he headed the European solar business of chip manufacturer TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) from 2009 on. In Seattle (USA) he was a partner at Infosys Limited and was responsible for the consulting business for high-tech companies on the US west coast before he returned to Germany in 2017. Where he was able to complete his profile at LPKF to take on responsibility at SUSS MicroTec SE now.

“I am looking forward to my new role at SUSS MicroTec,” said Bendele. “As a technology company, SUSS MicroTec has an extraordinarily great potential to create sustainable value for customers and partners in the semiconductor industry, and it will be my goal to realize this potential together with the employees of SUSS MicroTec.”

Dr. Dean also welcomes the expansion of the Board of Directors to three members through the appointment of Dr. Thomas Rohe as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Dr. Rohe will be responsible for all areas relevant to production at the various locations as well as supply chain management.

Dr. Rohe, 54, is currently the managing director of Fluke Deutschland GmbH, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of test equipment and software from southern Germany. Before that, from 2014 to 2019 he was a member of the management board (Chief Operating Officer) for Prüftechnik Dieter Busch AG (later Prüftechnik Dieter Busch GmbH), which was acquired by Fluke in 2019. In addition, he worked for various companies in the Carl Zeiss Group for more than ten years, with positions in the development of optical systems for wafer scanners or as Senior Director Operations for electron microscopy. After completing his physics studies at the TU Darmstadt, he did his PhD at the University of Stuttgart. Dr. Rohe also holds an MBA from the Universities of Augsburg and Pittsburgh since 2010.

Dr. Dean comments: “Thomas Rohe has the necessary understanding of technology and relevant industry experience as well as the personality for this demanding position of COO at SUSS MicroTec. He has the best prerequisites to help shape the future of the company.”

“I am very much looking forward to my new role at SUSS MicroTec and the challenge of supporting the growth path as much as possible.” SaidThomas Rohe.

NEFIN Group, a major Asian carbon neutral solutions provider continues to grow in Taiwan

NEFIN–Honda Logistics solar energy project officially completed

 

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 10 March 2021 – The leading solar photovoltaic developer and investor in carbon neutrality solutions, NEFIN Group, and a renewable partner of several Fortune 500 corporate customers, announced today that Worldwide Logistics Services, Inc. (W.L.S.)’s solar photovoltaic rooftop project in Taoyuan is officially completed. The solar project covers an area of ​​approximately 13,562 square meters with Honda Logistics, a subsidiary of the Japanese Honda Group, as the warhouse user.

This rooftop project offers a solar capacity of 1764.33kW, with an average annual power generation of 2,086,725 kWh. It will help reduce an average 1,104 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, which is equivalent to planting 111,203 trees. It is a big step forward for Honda Logistics’ overall emission reduction target.

Honda Logistics currently has two factories in Taiwan – the Pingtung Headquarters and the Yangmei Logistics Center. In order to implement Honda Group’s energy saving and carbon reduction policy in recent years, the roofs of both factories have been equipped with solar energy panels, signifying completion of the first wave of its renovation plans.

Mr Glenn Lim, CEO of NEFIN Group, said: “We are strongly committed to co-operating with corporates of all sizes to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality to create a sustainable future. As the technical requirements of each plant or roof are different, the NEFIN team is actively involved throughout the entire process, from planning to construction. With our extensive experience and strong focus on safety and quality control, NEFIN can help customers to improve the productivity of clean energy effectively and reduce operational costs. We also ensure the seamless integration of solar photovoltaic systems and buildings safely and with minimal interruption to daily operations. “

“As more of our partners aim to reach RE100, NEFIN Group has ambitious goals to continue to expand its carbon neutrality offerings to provide the latest, most reliable and comprehensive solutions to corporates.”

W.L.S.’s Manager, Mr Wei Quan, commented, “We chose to work with NEFIN Group as we believe in their extensive experience, integrity, quality of work, passion towards green energy and also their focus on safety. As expected, the team has completed such complicated and state-of-the-art project in slightly over six months.”

Honda Logistics Taiwan said: “We are grateful for having the opportunity to participate in the rooftop solar energy project with NEFIN and W.L.S. Energy saving and carbon reduction is one of our company’s policies that have grown in great importance in recent years. Therefore, after the first wave of solar energy transformation plans, the company also started to replace original factory lighting with power-saving LEDs and shift to paperless daily operations. We hope to achieve the goals previously set and take actions to support the development of green energy and strengthen measures against climate change.”

In line with the Taiwan government’s green energy policy, Taiwan Power Company aims to have a 20% renewable energy power generation by 2025, in which the solar photovoltaic installation capacity needs to reach 20GW. In order to effectively achieve the goal of green energy generation and improve the overall resilience of the distribution network, Taiwan Power Company has developed a “distribution-level regenerative energy management system” to regulate power distribution and maintain stable power supply. In the future, large-scale solar power plants will need to connect their own systems with Taiwan Power Company’s DREAMS system so as to avoid voltage shocks when a large amount of solar power is integrated into the grid, which will affect the quality of power supply. NEFIN–Honda’s corporation is included in this overall plan.

Mr Li Junxian, General Manager of NEFIN Taiwan, said: “In line with the green energy policy promoted by the government aggressively, we do feel that Taiwanese companies are actively adopting green energy and emission reduction strategies. In addition to enterprises with self-owned factories, many large multinational and local companies choose to rent factories or buildings with a more complete green energy and emission reduction infrastructure. We believe that for companies that want to maintain a competitive advantage in the corporate market, the best choice is having renewable energy as an integral part of its operations.”

After the revisions to the Electricity Act to liberalize electricity trading, green energy consumers can purchase green electricity and vouchers through electricity producers. NEFIN Group will rely on its extensive experience in renewable energy in Taiwan and internationally to move towards the emerging industries of the power trading market and contribute to the diversified market of renewable energy.

About NEFIN Group

NEFIN Group is a regional renowned solar developer and investor with bespoke experience in solar system deployment and a committed partner to organizations that aim to achieve carbon neutrality. Founded by a core management team of DuPont Solar Business, legal experts, and investment bankers, NEFIN Group has collectively delivered over 300MW of utility-scale, commercial, and industrial rooftop solar systems regionally. The group offers consulting services such as due diligence, feasibility studies, and lender-technical advice on top of project development, system design, engineering, and asset management. NEFIN Group also offers flexible financing options to partners who opt for zero investment. Please refer to NEFIN’s website www.nefinco.com for more information.

About Worldwide Logistics Services, Inc.

Founded in September 2006, Worldwide Logistics Services Inc was previously the Yang Mei station of the Worldwide Freight Terminal Inc (Worldwide Freight). Worldwide Freight was established in 1969 when Taiwan was migrating from agricultural to industrial era. Before Taiwan was opened up to foreign trade, Worldwide Freight was already working closely with international giants including Sea Land and Maersk Line. In 1971, Worldwide Freight restructured resources and setup its large-scale container terminal at Xizhi. With the approximately 20,000 square-meters of facilities, the terminal provided swift container and cargo logistics support since then. The company setup the Yang Mei station in 1992. With over 20 years of terminal experience, the company has developed its own computerized operating system. With both software and hardware in place, mission of the company is to safely dispatch all client’s cargos in an efficient manner.

About Honda Logistics Taiwan Co., Ltd

Honda Logistics Taiwan Co., Ltd (Honda Logistics) is a subsidiary of Honda Logistics of Japan. It has two factories in Taiwan, Pingtung Headquarters and Taoyuan Yangmei Logistics Center. Its main business includes four-wheel products shipment, collection and packaging, warehousing and logistics, and parts’ repair. As Honda’s core logistics company, the parent company Honda Logistics actively promotes global expansion in cooperation with Honda itself and has grown into a global company with 36 subsidiaries in 15 countries around the world. The group also has business units in Europe, America, South America, and Asia.

Uni-Bio Science Group and DotBio Announce Partnership to Co-Develop multi-specific DotBodies for people with retinal diseases

HONG KONG SAR – EQS Newswire – 10 March 2021 – A fully integrated biopharmaceutical company — Uni-Bio Science Group Limited (the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”; Stock code: 00690.HK) is pleased to announce that the company and DotBio Pte. Ltd. (“DotBio”) formed a partnership to co-develop next generation, best-in-class therapeutics for patients with retinal diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV). These diseases are major causes of visual impairment and blindness worldwide. The partnership will involve a close collaboration between the two companies. Under the agreement, DotBio’s Hong Kong subsidiary, DotBioHK, is responsible for generating multiple multi-valent and/or bi-specific stabilized and humanized single-domain antibody candidates for various targets using DotBio’s proprietary DotBody technology. Uni-Bio is responsible for Chemical Manufacturing Control (CMC), Investigation New Drug (IND) submission, clinical trial and commercialization. DotBio will receive upfront and research payments, and is eligible for milestones and royalties, with the option to obtain additional stakes in these projects by participating in their later-stage development.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the patient populations of major eye diseases in China were much larger than those in the United States, whereas the size of China’s ophthalmic drug market accounted for only one-fifth of that of the United States in 2019, indicating a strong growth potential of China’s ophthalmic drug market. Among the four types of retinal diseases, prevalence of wet AMD increased more rapidly than the other three because of aging population. The majority of patients with wet AMD experience severe vision loss in the affected eye within approximately two years after diagnosis of the disease. The prevalence of wet AMD in China was 3.4 million in 2017 and is expected to reach 4.0 million in 2022 and 4.8 million in 2030. We believe that there is a significant commercial demand for the treatment of Wet AMD. As people are gaining awareness on the importance of eye examination, they can be given access to the life-changing, sight-saving therapies. The unmet needs in the AMD market are set to be addressed in the coming years.

“We are excited to collaborate with Uni-Bio to explore the potential of our DotBody technology in the ophthalmology space. Our stabilized and humanized VH domains, also known as “DotBodies”, are a superior alternative to the camelid-derived VHH domains (“nanobodies”), by being generated synthetically without the use of animals, and being derived from human VH domain sequences present in normal monoclonal antibodies. These DotBodies have properties that make them superior in many ways compared to conventional antibodies. They are the smallest known human antibody fragments that are still capable of antigen binding with high affinity and specificity. They are also highly modular, allowing the rapid development of multi-valent and multi-specific therapies. We expect their use in a growing number of applications including ophthalmology because of these unique properties.” said Dr. Ignacio Asial, CEO and Founder of DotBio.

“Being competitive in the biotechnology industry requires innovation across multiple verticals. We want to combine different protein engineering and formulation technologies together to create unique products with a competitive edge in the clinic. In addition, Uni-Bio has a wealth of experience in fermentation /purification/QA/QC of E.coli-expressed proteins. Therefore, we are capable to “scale up” and commercialize products effectively. In the past, the Group has also successfully launched ophthalmology biologic product such as GeneSoft™ eye drop. We hope to replicate the same success in the next generation products co-developed with DotBio.” said Mr. Kingsley Leung, Chairman of Uni-Bio Science Group.

About wet AMD (age-related macular degeneration)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that affects the part of the eye that provides sharp, central vision needed for activities like reading. Neovascular or “wet” AMD is an advanced form of the disease that can cause rapid and severe vision loss. It develops when new and abnormal blood vessels grow uncontrolled under the macula, causing swelling, bleeding and/or fibrosis. Worldwide, around 20 million people are living with wet AMD — the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 60 — and the condition will affect even more people around the world as the global population ages.


About Uni-Bio Science Group


Uni-Bio Science Group Limited is principally engaged in the research and development, manufacture and distribution of biopharmaceutical products. The research and development center is fully equipped with a complete system for the development of genetically-engineered products with a pilot plant test base which is in line with NMPA requirements. The Group has two GMP manufacturing bases in Beijing and Shenzhen. The Group also has a highly efficient commercialization platform and marketing network. The Group focuses on the development of novel treatments and innovative drugs addressing the therapeutic areas of endocrine such as diabetes and osteoporosis, ophthalmology and dermatology. Please visit the official website of Uni-Bio Science Group for more information: www.uni-bioscience.com/


About DotBio Pte. Ltd.


DotBio is a highly innovative biopharmaceutical company with a mission to harness next-generation antibody technologies to bring more effective therapies to patients. DotBio takes an innovative therapeutic approach towards the ideal treatment: the rapid prototyping of multi-functional antibodies to identify molecules with synergistic activity combinations, optimal architectures and unique modes of action. DotBio’s approach involves the use of its modular DotBody technology platform, its CoFi and Hot-CoFi stabilization technologies, high-throughput miniaturized assays and data analytics to generate unique therapeutic molecules that target both extracellular and intracellular disease drivers. DotBio is a platform company with a growing portfolio of assets, including numerous target-specific Dot antibody modules, as well as numerous pre-clinical assets in the immuno-oncology field. Please visit DotBio’s website for more information: www.dotbio.com

Unveiling An All New ERA

Announcing new overseas partnership, interactive workspace, groundbreaking PropTech tools, trailblazing project initiatives and social empowerment of youth

 

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 10 March 2021 – Singapore’s largest international real estate agency, ERA held its annual Asia Pacific Business Conference virtually for the first time today. The virtual conference was graced by Ms Indranee Rajah, the Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for National Development, and attended by over 18,000 trusted advisors across 10 countries.

ERA pledges fundraising support towards The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT BAF) Children for Children (CFC) initiative.
From left: Doris Ong, Chief Operating Officer of ERA; Tan Tee Tong, Director of The Rice Company; Indranee Rajah, Second Minister for Finance and National Development; Jack Chua, Chief Executive Officer of ERA; Marcus Chu, Chief Operating Officer of ERA.

Since its inception in 1982, ERA has been continuously building a culture of empowerment which aims at inspiring individuals to greater heights. Despite a challenging and uncertain 2020 as a result of the pandemic, the company has planned a slew of initiatives in the new year to continue empowering its trusted advisors and contributing to the society for a brighter future.

Eyeing for Bigger Regional Presence

ERA is set to expand its presence in India as the organisation has recently been appointed as a consultant to a homegrown Indian real estate agency, HomeSFY. The fast-growing agency currently has presence in 4 cities, namely Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Bengal. According to reports[1], Indian real estate market attracted over USD6.06 billion in 2019, and is expected to reach a market size of USD1 trillion by 2030. This partnership is believed to drive more value and opportunities to ERA and its network of trusted advisors.

Newly Renovated Interactive Space and Groundbreaking Proptech Tools to Boost Empowerment in Workplace

ERA is the first and only real estate agency in Singapore to own its building. Named ERA APAC Centre, the property serves as the headquarters of ERA Asia Pacific – the largest of its kind in Asia Pacific region – providing a permanent “home” for ERA’s agency operation and its entire nextwork of trusted advisors. The ground floor has recently been transformed to provide a creative, conducive, and collaborative work space. With digitalisation taking centre stage across every touch-point, its network of trusted advisors will get to enjoy access to cutting-edge facilities powered by technology.

Its ground floor co-working space named, Everyday @ ERA, is a tangible vision of the company to create a place to work, learn and nurture the OneERA spirit everyday amongst ERA trusted advisors. The meeting rooms are also thoughtfully named after ERA Core Values: Gratitude, Passion and Integrity, as a prompt of what ERA seeks to work towards and achieve as a company.

ERA also launches an all new RealtyWatch by ERA, the first and only client-agent-enabling CRM tool in the real estate industry offering 24/7 updates on the latest neighbourhood project transactions. It is carefully designed to benefit both ERA trusted advisors and consumers, empowering them with the right tool and knowledge to transact in real estate. Consumers will be able to access transparency on the latest neighbourhood transaction prices, be educated on the latest property market info and trends and be connected to professional trusted advisors anytime and anywhere. At the same time, ERA trusted advisors can enjoy efficient and free lead generation via a “grab” function which can then be streamlined for follow-up and conversion.

Project Marketing – Another Key Area to Boost

When circuit breaker measures were first introduced in April 2020, ERA was the first real estate agency to put together a Project 360 virtual property gallery and hosting Singapore’s largest virtual real estate consumer show – 2020 ERA Property Weekend – in partnership with developers to allow consumers to view different projects in one place. In the new year, ERA Project team has come up with trailblazing innovations to increase work productivity while empowering its trusted advisors.

  • ERA Projects x LytePay – ERA will subsidise the transaction fees for its trusted advisor to advance the first $5,000 of their commission via LytePay, so they can continue with their prospecting works. Usually, real estate salespersons have to wait for 6 to 9 months to get their project commission. This initiative also encourages them to receive their commissions via bank transfers to reduce the usage of cheques.
  • ERA Project Tagger AMA – Ask Me Anything (AMA) is a newly launched initiative to connect closing taggers with ERA trusted advisors via Zoom. They can login from anywhere they are, and find out more about the key selling points of each project from closing taggers.
  • Socius by ERA ProjectsSocius means partner or ally in Latin. Project taggers play an important role in project sales, but most of the time, their hard work is undermined. To maintain fair recognition across all roles in the real estate industry, ERA Projects introduces this new monthly award to recognise project taggers who have successfully tagged at least 3, 5 or 8 transactions per month.

Pledging Support Towards Children and Youths from Financially Disadvantaged Backgrounds

ERA is an organisation that empowers. Over the years, the company and its network of trusted advisors have engaged in various charitable works. These include NUS-ERA Student Foundation Bursary that provides financial assistance to underprivileged students yearly and ERA Scholarship initiative aimed at grooming potential talents in the property industry.

This year, ERA pledges fundraising support towards The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT BAF) Children for Children (CFC) initiative, an annual community outreach event that brings joy and laughter to children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds on Children’s Day. The amount raised will be used to fund 1,000 goodie bags for the kids to bring along during their visit to the attraction. The drawstring bag, painted with artworks created by children from BT BAF, will come with food vouchers, notebook and pen, face masks and hand sanitiser, snacks and confectionery.

“ERA has always strongly believed in empowering ERA teammates through various upgrading programmes that equip them with relevant skills to be the best in their field. In the same spirit, we are in strong support of initiatives focused on social empowerment for the underprivileged, nurturing their talents and enabling beneficiaries to contribute meaningfully to our community. ERA will continue to support the younger generations in the pursuit of their dreams, by providing them with resources to nurture their talents and to realise their maximum potential,” said Jack Chua, Chief Executive Officer of ERA.

Company-Wide Lucky Draw and Rewards Program to Inspire New Breakthroughs

  • Win A Dream Draw As OneERA

In anticipation of ERA’s 40-Year Anniversary grand celebrations in 2022, the company is rolling out a grand lucky draw to inspire ERA trusted advisors for a new level of breakthrough: better sales results and recruitment. Titled, Win A Dream Draw As OneERA, the lucky draw will run from 10 March 2021 to 9 March 2022.

The grand prize is a penthouse unit in a condominium worth S$2 million or a Tesla Model 3 electric car worth approximately S$150,000 (excluding COE, road tax and registration fee)

  • Watch Me Win

Acknowledging the hard work of all ERA trusted advisors, the Watch Me Win lucky draw seeks to reward them with three luxury watches worth $30,000, including the highly popular Rolex GMT-Master II as the main prize. Those who have closed projects this year will stand a chance to partake in this campaign.

  • All New RealtyWatch 5-Star Staycation Contest

ERA will be giving away a total of 78 5-star staycation packages to mark the launch of the all-new RealtyWatch by ERA, a free service to educate and empower individuals in property transaction decisions. Each package comprises a 2 Days 1 Night stay in a 5-star hotel for 2 people, inclusive of hotel breakfast. As ERA celebrates its 39th anniversary this year, the winners are defined by the 39 participants who have registered as RealtyWatch VIP ending with the “39th” position according to their registration status.


[1] Financial Express, December 2020, “Size of real estate market will reach $1 trillion by 2030”, Link: https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/size-of-real-estate-market-will-reach-1-trillion-by-2030-interview/2143717/

About ERA Singapore

ERA Singapore is the largest international agency in Singapore and has been setting and redefining industry standards through the pioneering of real estate concepts, technologies, initiatives and services since its inception in 1982.

As a wholly-owned subsidiary of SGX Mainboard Listed APAC Realty Limited, ERA Asia Pacific has a vast network of offices with over 18,000 trusted professionals across 10 countries: Singapore, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

In Singapore, we have over 7,800 associates providing a diverse range of professional services and solutions for: Private and HDB residential resale, residential leasing, project marketing, commercial and industrial, property management, auction, valuation and research.

Through Ultimate Agent Training Programme, a series of specially-curated training courses developed for ERA teammates, they are able to revolutionise their skills, equip themselves with the latest trends and insights of the property market, and stay ahead of the competition. With close to four decades of experience, extensive network and innovative technological tools, the company has secured innumerable dream homes for its customers in Singapore and around the world.

Recent accolades are testaments to the company’s diligence – ERA Singapore was the first and only agency awarded the 5-Star Best Real Estate Agency (Single Office) in Singapore by Asia Pacific Property Awards; Singapore’s Most Trusted Brands by Asia Reader’s Digest; Top Property Agency by Influential Brands; Most Innovative Real Estate Agency by SBR Listed Companies Awards; Favourite Real Estate Agent (Gold) Award by Expat Living Readers’ Choice Awards; and Marketing Agency Excellence Award at EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards. For more information, visit https://www.era.com.sg

ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd

Estate Agent License No. L3002382K

450 Lor 6 Toa Payoh

#03-01 ERA APAC Centre

Singapore 319394

One New Covid-19 Case Confirmed in Savannakhet, Laos

Laotian Times Covid-19 Update

The Savannakhet Provincial Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control announced today that Laos has confirmed one new case of Covid-19.