The Michelin Guide arrives in South Australia

By

-

May 12, 2026

ADELAIDE, Australia, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The MICHELIN Guide is pleased to announce its arrival in South Australia, with the inaugural restaurant selection of the MICHELIN Guide South Australia 2027 to be revealed in October 2026.

Home to a dynamic dining culture shaped by multicultural influences, exceptional local produce and an instinctive connection to the land, South Australia offers a compelling gastronomic identity that resonates with both tradition and modern creativity. From vibrant dining scenes to prestigious, internationally renowned wine‑growing regions and expansive natural landscapes, the inaugural Guide will reflect the depth and character of the region’s food culture.

“South Australia offers an impressive diversity of culinary expressions within a single destination,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide. “The strength of its identity lies in the freedom chefs enjoy defining their own voice, guided by outstanding produce, a strong relationship to the land and a confident openness to global influences. Our Inspectors were struck by the authenticity and personality of the region’s dining culture, and we are delighted to spotlight South Australia on the MICHELIN Guide stage.”

During their exploration, MICHELIN Guide Inspectors encountered a dining landscape defined by creativity and individuality. South Australia’s cuisine reflects a multicultural heritage, blending European traditions and Asian influences in a contemporary style, with a dining culture defined by warmth, generosity and relaxed refinement.

South Australia offers a compelling proposition for gastronomic travellers in search of authenticity, diversity and a strong sense of place. With its concentration of acclaimed wine regions, proximity between producers and dining destinations, and a culinary scene driven by creativity rather than convention, the region provides an ideal context for the MICHELIN Guide to showcase a distinctive and evolving gastronomic culture.

The arrival of the MICHELIN Guide in South Australia is supported by the Government of South Australia. “We are proud to welcome the MICHELIN Guide to South Australia,” said South Australia’s Minister for Tourism Emily Bourke. “Today’s announcement is a fantastic recognition of what we already know: our state sits atop the nation’s foodie must-visit list. With its mix of culture, food, wine, and natural beauty, South Australia offers a vibrant calendar of food festivals and wine events, celebrating culinary excellence, from city dining experiences to regional gourmet celebrations, and we look forward to sharing this with MICHELIN Guide readers around the world.”

Press assets: HERE

New SMU Master’s Programme Prepares Talent for AI-Driven Economic Roles

By

Advertorial Desk

-

May 12, 2026

MDSE responds to growing need for professionals who can interpret, not just build, AI models

SINGAPORE, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Singapore Management University (SMU) has launched the Master of Data Science in Economics (MDSE), Singapore’s first and only master’s programme that integrates data science and economics, to meet rising global demand for professionals who can apply artificial intelligence (AI) with domain expertise and analytical rigour.

As AI and machine learning (ML) become embedded in business and policy environments, the role of economists is evolving. Beyond building predictive models, there is increasing emphasis on interpreting outputs, assessing uncertainty, and understanding cause-and-effect relationships in complex, real-world data.

The MDSE is designed to address this shift. Through a curriculum that combines econometrics, AI and data science, students develop the ability to work with large-scale, multimodal datasets spanning numerical, textual and visual data, and to translate insights into decisions that carry economic and organisational impact.

“Globally, demand continues to grow for professionals with advanced skills in AI, machine learning and data science. At the same time, companies increasingly recognise the value of domain knowledge in economics,” said Daniel Preve, Associate Professor of Economics (Education) and Programme Director, MDSE.

“While many data science programmes emphasise predictive modelling and deployment, the MDSE places additional focus on causal inference and predictive uncertainty. These capabilities are critical when decisions depend on understanding not just what is likely to happen, but why.”

From predictive models to decision-ready insight

A distinguishing feature of the MDSE is its emphasis on applying data science, AI, ML and econometric methods to support informed, accountable decision-making. Students are equipped to move beyond technical execution by learning to:

Apply econometric, AI and ML models to real-world economic and financial datasets
Distinguish between predictive and explanatory approaches, and understand when each is appropriate
Evaluate model limitations and uncertainty in real-world decision contexts
Communicate insights clearly to business and policy stakeholders

Designed with employability in mind

The MDSE is structured to support both early-career entrants and mid-career professionals, with no prior programming experience required at entry. Foundational courses in probability and statistical learning build core competencies, while advanced modules develop applied expertise.

A strong focus on hands-on, industry-relevant training ensures graduates can demonstrate capability in tangible ways:

Experience working with large-scale economic and financial data
Proficiency in key programming tools and data systems
Exposure to real-world problem statements through applied projects
Development of shareable, interactive portfolios for prospective employers

Through elective courses, students engage with practitioners from Singapore’s fintech and digital economy, gaining exposure to current industry applications and tools, as well as opportunities to earn relevant certifications.

Addressing a structural talent gap

As organisations adopt AI at scale, the differentiator is increasingly the ability to apply and interpret data meaningfully within context. This has created sustained demand for professionals who combine technical fluency with domain expertise.

“AI is changing how work is done, while making human judgement, interpretation and domain knowledge even more important,” said Associate Professor Preve. “Graduates who can work confidently with data, understand its limitations, and apply it to real economic questions will be well-positioned across a wide range of roles.”

The career pathways that are open to MDSE graduates span sectors including financial services, government, consulting and technology, in roles such as data scientist, economic analyst and policy specialist.

SMU’s broader push in applied AI education

The launch of the MDSE builds on the University’s track record in developing practice-oriented, AI-related postgraduate programmes that respond directly to evolving industry needs.

Recent initiatives include the region’s first technology-focused Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), offered jointly with Fudan University and the Master of Science in Business AI. Together, these programmes reflect SMU’s continued focus in equipping talent with the competencies and life skills to thrive in the evolving workplace.

SMU placed amongst the global top 40 for Business & Management Studies, and notched a strong 52nd spot for Economics & Econometrics, in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.

In support of accessibility, the University offers a comprehensive range of scholarships and financial support schemes for eligible MDSE students.

Applications for the inaugural August 2026 MDSE intake are now open. Find out more here.

Vietnam’s Sun Group Explores Tourism Projects in Champasak

By

Laotian Times

-

May 12, 2026

Vat Phou, Champasak, Laos. (Photo credit: Tourismlaos)

Champasak province is seeking major tourism investment from Vietnam’s Sun Group, the developer behind Da Nang’s Ba Na Hills resort and cable car system, as local authorities push to transform southern Laos into a larger regional tourism destination.

On 9 May, Champasak Provincial Party Secretary Alounxay Sounnalath led a delegation to Da Nang to meet Sun Group executives and present several potential investment sites across the province.

The proposal focused on three locations: the Phu Sa Lao–Phu Malong highland area in Phonthong district, known for panoramic Mekong River views; the Bolaven Plateau in Pakse district, where cooler year-round temperatures of around 18 to 20 degrees Celsius support premium resort development; and the Si Phan Don area in Khong district, home to the 4,000 Islands and some of the region’s best-known natural attractions.

According to provincial authorities, Sun Group representatives expressed strong interest in the proposals and confirmed the company plans to visit Champasak in June to conduct feasibility surveys at all three sites.

Founded in 2007, Sun Group is one of Vietnam’s largest tourism and infrastructure developers and is best known for projects such as Sun World Ba Na Hills in Da Nang, the Golden Bridge, Fansipan cable cars in Sa Pa, and multiple large-scale resort and entertainment complexes across Vietnam.

The company has become particularly known for developing mountain tourism destinations connected by large-scale cable car systems and integrated resort projects.

Officials in Champasak said the province’s location along the East-West Economic Corridor, linking Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos, gives it strong potential for regional tourism growth. Authorities also highlighted Vat Phou World Heritage Site, ecotourism opportunities, waterfalls, and highland agricultural products including coffee, macadamia nuts, blueberries, and blackberries as key advantages.

The discussions form part of a broader effort to deepen economic and tourism cooperation between Champasak and Da Nang.

Earlier this week, officials from both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in tourism, clean agriculture, processing industries, and education. Businesses from Laos and Vietnam also signed partnership agreements, while both cities agreed to study the development of Vietnamese restaurants and hotels in Pakse to support rising visitor numbers.

Watchbook Singapore Opens Second Boutique At Far East Plaza

By

Advertorial Desk

-

May 12, 2026

New boutique separates luxury brand collections across two dedicated spaces, giving collectors a more focused buying experience

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 May 2026 – Watchbook Singapore has opened a second boutique at Far East Plaza, separating its curated collections across two dedicated spaces on the same floor to give collectors a more focused buying experience.

The expansion allows Watchbook to organise its inventory by brand family. The main boutique at #03-139 focuses on Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Cartier. The new boutique at #03-55 features contemporary luxury watches including Tudor, Omega, Hublot and other brands.

“By giving each collection its own dedicated space, we can offer collectors a sharper, more personalised experience,” said Anson Toh, chief executive officer at Watchbook Singapore. “This expansion reflects the growing interest in both neo-vintage and modern luxury watches, and our commitment to serving collectors at every level.”

Watchbook enters this next phase as Singapore’s second-highest-reviewed watch dealer, with more than 2,400 verified Google reviews reflecting thousands of successful transactions. Both boutiques are backed by the company’s end-to-end model: in-house authentication, a dedicated service centre staffed by certified watchmakers, and curated inventory under one roof.

Far East Plaza is well-established as a destination for watch enthusiasts and luxury retailers in Singapore. The opening of a second boutique on the same floor reinforces Watchbook’s position at the centre of that community.

Boutique Details

Both boutiques are open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Main boutique
14 Scotts Road,
#03-139 Far East Plaza,
Singapore 228213.

New boutique
14 Scotts Road,
#03-55 Far East Plaza,
Singapore 228213.

Hashtag: #watchbook #fareastplaza

https://watchbook.sg/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/watchbook-singapore/
https://www.facebook.com/watchbooksg/
https://www.instagram.com/watchbooksg/

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Watchbook Singapore

Watchbook is Singapore’s Neo-Vintage Rolex Specialist and a trusted destination for authenticated pre-owned luxury watches. The company offers one of Singapore’s deepest curated selections of certified neo-vintage Rolex timepieces from the 1980s to 2000s, alongside a broader portfolio including Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Omega and more.

As an independent luxury watch dealer, Watchbook operates a fully in-house service centre staffed by certified watchmakers, delivering complete authentication, servicing and warranty support. Recognised as Singapore’s second-highest-reviewed watch dealer, Watchbook serves collectors and enthusiasts who value heritage, character and certified quality.

Shoplazza Launches Athena to Bring AI-Native Operations Into Global eCommerce

By

Advertorial Desk

-

May 12, 2026

The new operations agent helps merchants translate business intent into controlled execution across products, orders, logistics, discounts, and data.

TORONTO, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As AI agents move from content generation into operational execution, Shoplazza today announced the launch of Athena, an AI admin agent designed to help merchants manage back-office eCommerce workflows through natural language.

Athena expands Shoplazza’s AI-native commerce operating system by bringing agentic execution into the daily tasks merchants rely on to run their businesses. Instead of moving across multiple dashboards to create products, update information, configure discounts, check orders, review logistics, or analyze data, merchants can describe what they want to accomplish and let Athena help prepare the task, preview the result, and execute after confirmation.

The launch reflects a broader shift in commerce software: from function-based tools to intent-based systems. For merchants managing large SKU catalogs, frequent campaigns, and cross-market operations, the challenge is no longer simply accessing software features, but coordinating fragmented tasks across operational modules.

“The next phase of commerce infrastructure will be defined by systems that can understand merchant intent and support controlled execution,” said Alyson Zhang, co-founder and COO at Shoplazza. “Athena reduces the distance between a business goal and the operational steps required to complete it, while keeping final decisions in the merchant’s hands.”

Athena currently supports high-frequency operations including product creation and editing, order inquiries, discount configuration, logistics information, data analysis, and platform knowledge assistance. Through a unified AI conversation interface, merchants can initiate tasks without first determining which system module or page is required.

In product operations, Athena supports inputs such as natural language, product links, images, and Excel or CSV files. For product-heavy merchants, fast-fashion sellers, and cross-border teams working with existing materials, Athena can help identify product attributes such as category, material, and color, then generate draft titles, descriptions, and pricing information for merchant review.

Athena also brings AI assistance into merchant data analysis. Instead of manually entering reporting pages, selecting time ranges, and configuring filters, merchants can ask business questions directly and receive charts, key findings, metric explanations, and operational suggestions. This allows teams to connect performance data more directly with product, conversion, order, campaign, and customer behavior context.

Built on Shoplazza’s experience supporting more than 650,000 global merchants, Athena is designed with a vertical understanding of independent commerce operations. Its role is not to replace merchant judgment, but to help teams move faster through repetitive and detail-heavy workflows while keeping important decisions under merchant control.

For critical actions such as creating, modifying, or deleting operational information, Athena asks for required details, presents a preview, and proceeds only after merchant confirmation. This confirmation-based design helps reduce the risk of incorrect product settings, pricing errors, fulfillment issues, or other operational mistakes that could affect customer experience and transactions.

Athena strengthens the broader Shoplazza AI-native commerce OS. Together with Shoplazza AI Store Builder, LazzaStudio, AdValet, and other AI capabilities across storefront creation, content generation, and marketing execution, Athena adds an operational intelligence layer for merchant back-office workflows.

About Shoplazza

Shoplazza is a global AI-native commerce operating system that enables brands to build, launch, and scale their online businesses. Built on an AI agent-native framework, Shoplazza integrates storefronts, marketing, payments, and operational workflows into a unified system designed to support scalable, long-term growth across global markets. Learn more at https://www.shoplazza.com/.

PEI Group recognised for its editorial excellence at the Asia-Pacific and UK State Street Institutional Press Awards 2025

By

Advertorial Desk

-

May 12, 2026

LONDON, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PEI Group, the provider of vital intelligence to sharpen private market decisions, is proud to announce that four of its editorial team members have been recognised for journalistic excellence at the State Street Institutional Press Awards 2025.

Alex Lynn, Hong Kong Bureau Chief, was awarded Journalist of the Year – Investments at the Asia-Pacific event. He was recognised for his deep dive which featured in Private Equity International on how geopolitics is affecting LPs’ investment decisions and allocations when it comes to private equity.

Alex leads an award-winning team covering Asia-Pacific private equity markets. This is his second State Street Institutional Press Awards Asia-Pacific win.

Tom Taylor was named Journalist of the Year – Sustainable Investments & Stewardship at the Asia-Pacific event for his in-depth article in Agri Investor that looked at the first biodiversity project in Australia’s Nature Repair Market. Tom is PEI’s Real Assets APAC reporter.

Daniel Kemp was highly commended at the Asia-Pacific ceremony in the Pensions category for an exclusive article in Infrastructure Investor that examined how AustralianSuper is considering a change in approach to how it invests in infrastructure. Alex Lynn and Tom Taylor were also highly commended for their work in the Investor Services and Investments categories, respectively.

Additionally, Joe Marsh, EMEA Editor, Investor Intelligence was named at State Street’s UK event as runner up in the Journalist of the Year: Private Markets & Alternatives category for his article in Private Equity International about how private equity is returning to the front line on defence.

These award wins further reflect PEI Group’s ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality, deeply researched and trusted journalism that informs and shapes global private markets.

The full stories and official announcements from State Street can be found for Asia-Pacific here and for the UK here.

About PEI Group

PEI Group is a leading provider of business intelligence, data, analytics, and events for the global private markets industry, with over 500 people operating from six offices.

Combining more than 25 years of proprietary data, deep editorial expertise, and a trusted journalistic heritage, PEI delivers vital intelligence to sharpen the decision-making of more than 30,000 investors, asset managers, and service providers worldwide.

With two decades of strong growth, PEI operates across private equity, private credit, private real estate, private infrastructure, and other specialist asset classes through its portfolio of premium information brands, research platforms, membership networks, and global events.

PEI connects investment professionals with the intelligence, relationships, opportunities and critical market insights needed to navigate evolving markets and achieve stronger investment outcomes.

Razor Labs Wins Gold Globee® Award for AI Innovation in Mining Fleet Reliability

By

Advertorial Desk

-

May 12, 2026

DataMind AI™ for mobile fleet recognized in the “Anomaly Detection & Pattern Recognition Platform” category

SYDNEY, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Razor Labs (TASE: RZR), a global leader in AI-powered predictive maintenance solutions for the mining industry, today announced that it has been named a Gold Winner in the 2026 Globee® Awards for Artificial Intelligence.

Razor Labs wins the 2026 Gold Globee® Award for Artificial Intelligence.

The company received the award in the “Anomaly Detection & Pattern Recognition Platform” category for its DataMind AI™ solution, recognized for enabling early failure detection across mining fleets using advanced artificial intelligence.

The Globee® Awards for Artificial Intelligence recognize organizations and technologies driving innovation and measurable impact through AI across global industries.

Designed specifically for large-scale mining fleets, DataMind AI™ for mobile fleets supports rapid deployment using a compact single data logger per truck, enabling fast integration with existing fleet infrastructure and OEM telemetry systems.

“This award is a strong validation of the impact AI-driven predictive maintenance is creating across the mining industry,” said Raz Roditti, CEO of Razor Labs. “Mining companies across different commodities, equipment types, and operating environments are looking for practical technologies that improve reliability and reduce operational risk. DataMind AI™ helps maintenance teams detect issues earlier and make better decisions across both mobile fleets and fixed assets.”

Tomer Srulevich, CBO at Razor Labs, added:
“We’re proud to see DataMind AI™ creating measurable operational impact across mining operations worldwide. In a single quarter, the platform identified 11 critical failure findings across a coal mining fleet’s haul trucks and helped the operation avoid more than 40 hours of unplanned downtime. The recognition reflects our continued investment in AI technologies tailored specifically for mining environments.”

About Razor Labs

Razor Labs (TASE: RZR) is a global leader in mining technology, specializing in predictive maintenance solutions that combine advanced AI Sensor Fusion with real-time diagnostics. With operations across Australia, South Africa, the United States, and Colombia, Razor Labs helps critical industries transform asset reliability, efficiency, and safety.

Website: https://www.razor-labs.com
LinkedIn: Razor Labs LinkedIn
Media Inquiries: Dor Lila, Marketing Communications Manager
Phone: +61.488.860.440
Email: pr@razor-labs.com

Razor Labs Wins Gold Globee® Award for AI Innovation in Mining Fleet Reliability

By

Advertorial Desk

-

May 12, 2026