• New production facility is aligned with the Indonesian Government’s plans to develop green economy and drive sustainable development
• Additional supply for expanded production capacity will come entirely from APRIL’s existing supply chain

PANGKALAN KERINCI, RIAU, INDONESIA – Media OutReach – 30 March 2022 – Leading sustainable fibre and product producer Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL Group), a member of the Singapore-headquartered RGE group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, has strengthened its commitment to supporting the growth of the green economy in Indonesia. The company is set to expand its product portfolio in the downstream sector by investing IDR33.4 trillion (US$1.9 billion) in a sustainable paperboard production facility.

The construction of the new facility – which will be located at APRIL’s operations in Pangkalan Kerinci, in Riau province, Sumatra – is one of the largest manufacturing investments in Sumatra in the last decade. The investment is expected to support Indonesia’s continued economic development and recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic through the diversification of sustainable downstream fibre products with added value.

When completed, the paperboard packaging facility will be capable of producing 1.2 million tons of folding box board annually that is fully recyclable and biodegradable. This growth is to meet the demand for more environmentally friendly packaging products in the domestic and international markets.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the construction of the new production facility, Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs said: “We warmly welcome this investment by APRIL Group, which will improve the wellbeing and prosperity of the local communities while also boosting national economic development. The government will continue to develop strategies to support the recovery of national exports through strengthening market access and helping to improve product competitiveness”.

Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Minister of Industry, said: “The increased manufacturing of paperboard in Indonesia will reduce our dependence on imports for this product, while also boosting our foreign exchange reserves through export-oriented sales. This development is also aligned with our Government’s focus to reduce reliance on imports and boost Indonesia’s industrial and manufacturing development.”

Sihol Aritonang, President Director, PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper, the operating arm of APRIL Group, said that the investment was the latest stage in the company’s development of its operations in Riau and was part of APRIL’s long term commitment to the region.

“This is our largest single investment here since the company was founded almost 30 years ago. This product diversification strengthens our commitment to grow our business sustainably, in line with our existing sustainability commitments and our APRIL2030 targets. The new facility will have a significant positive multiplier effect on our surrounding cities and towns, with over 4,000 construction jobs and nearly 1,000 permanent roles planned,” he said.

APRIL launched its APRIL2030 targets in November 2020 to deliver a positive impact on the climate, nature and people, while growing its business sustainably over the next decade.

The development comes as a global focus on reducing the use of plastics, polyester and other fossil fuel-based materials gathers pace. Demand for recyclable and biodegradable options for everything from packaging to fashion is being driven by consumer preference via expanding e-retail purchases in high-growth markets such as China, Indonesia, India and Vietnam.

The global paperboard packaging market is expected to grow by 3% this year, also driven by increased food production linked to population growth and lifestyle changes such as the preference for individual packaging and food deliveries.

APRIL Group’s fibre supply comes from 100% renewable plantation sources. Additional supply for expanded production capacity will come entirely from its existing supply chain. The company has posted a 40% increase in fibre yield over the past five years from its existing plantations while also committing US$1 per tonne of plantation fibre produced towards landscape conservation. The company has targeted a 50% gain in fibre plantation productivity by 2030.

The investment in downstream diversification and value added products is also in compliance with APRIL Group’s Sustainable Forest Management Policy 2.0 which includes no deforestation. It will directly contribute to the achievement of the company’s APRIL2030 commitments, including net zero emissions from land use, zero net loss of conservation areas, positive biodiversity gains and zero extreme poverty in its communities.

About APRIL Group:

APRIL Group is a leading producer of fibre, pulp and paper with plantations and manufacturing operations in Riau Province, Indonesia. We are committed to sustainability in our business and in the broader landscapes where we operate. Under our production-protection model, we adopted a unique 1- for-1 goal where we aim to conserve one hectare of forest for every hectare of plantation, and currently conserve and restore approximately 364,996 hectares of forests, including the largest peatland restoration project in Indonesia. For more information, visit www.aprilasia.com and follow Twitter @aprilpulp

#APRILGroup

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

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 30 March 2022 – Chubb announced today the completion of the agreement for the transfer of renewal rights of DUAL Asia’s Financial Lines portfolios in Hong Kong SAR and Singapore. Chubb will be purchasing the business assets including the intellectual property and underwriting models from DUAL in both Hong Kong and Singapore and intends to hire DUAL’s underwriting personnel. Verone Shek, DUAL Asia’s Underwriting and Operations Director, will take on the role as Chubb’s Underwriting and Operations Integration Manager, Financial Lines – Asia reporting to Jamie Park, Regional Head of Financial Lines – Asia; strengthening the Chubb team responsible for the continued growth of the small commercial business in Asia. The parties intend the take-over of DUAL’s client portfolio renewal rights to be effective from 18 June 2022.

In order to better serve the small commercial segment, Chubb has made investments in its people, processes and products over the years. This agreement further demonstrates Chubb’s commitment to expand its capability and enhance competitiveness in the small commercial marketplace.

Mr. Grant Cairns, Chubb’s Regional Head for Property & Casualty in Asia Pacific said, “This is an exciting opportunity for us to accelerate our small commercial growth plans in Hong Kong and Singapore. In both maturing markets, small commercial owners have become increasingly aware of the importance of secure and stable professional and management liability coverage. We aspire to be the go-to insurer to deliver such coverage backed by our award-winning claims service.”

Mr. Damien Coates, CEO DUAL Asia Pacific, said, “We are pleased to have signed the transfer agreement with Chubb, a leading Financial Lines insurer in the Asia region. This will allow us to focus our efforts and resources on our core strengths and growth in additional regions. We will work closely with Chubb to ensure a seamless transition for all stakeholders involved.”

About Chubb

Chubb is the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide.

Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com.

#Chubb

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

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 30 March 2022 – The conflict in Ukraine, as well as the sanctions imposed on Russia as a result, has heightened interest in cryptocurrencies. Regulators are concerned that Russia may use cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions, while more investors are wary of traditional assets’ safety, has hastened the use of cryptocurrencies as a means of wealth protection.

Investor understanding that sanctions against Russia may be more limited than initially assumed boosted Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin towards the end of February. Furthermore, Russia’s partial ban from the SWIFT payment network might also enhance crypto transaction volumes – until potential cryptocurrency sanctions are decided.

Regulators from the West are concerned that cryptocurrencies and other digital tokens could provide an alternative monetary system to help keep businesses afloat during the crisis. The United States, EU, and Japan are all exploring controls to guarantee that cryptocurrencies are not used to circumvent financial sanctions imposed on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine. The Babel Finance crypto trading team is following the latest developments closely.

The specifics of these cryptocurrency controls remain unknown. The United States has warned cryptocurrency exchanges not to assist transactions for Russian billionaires and businesses on its sanctions list. The EU might issue an order to prohibit cryptocurrency exchanges and organizations from issuing crypto assets or offering associated services to Russian clients. Japan may also request that exchanges block any cash-outs by Russians.

For institutions to enforce these controls, they may soon begin tracking transactions on cryptocurrency exchanges and the registered bank accounts associated with these trades. Despite this, the Babel Finance crypto trading team notes that some of the large exchanges are located outside of the United States, EU, and Japan. With no real headquarters or set location, they might be able to avoid worldwide regulatory oversight.

Our experts at Babel Finance’s Hong Kong and Singapore offices believe enforcement will be difficult. Outside of exchanges, direct transfers between bitcoin wallets are unregulated. Bitcoin’s and other digital tokens’ decentralized nature ensures anonymity and makes it technologically difficult to monitor all individual payments and follow every computer’s transaction.

The Babel Finance cryptocurrency research team believes that the conflict in Ukraine has also prompted investors to be concerned about the security of traditional assets. Many individuals now realize that the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies might help them better diversify their wealth risks. In turn, this is encouraging more people to invest in encrypted assets. Coinbase had the highest outflow of bitcoin in four years from March 7th to 11th, owing to institutional investors buying bitcoin in huge amounts and moving bitcoin to personal accounts.

Babel Finance and its experts will continue to monitor the crypto-asset market’s trends and threats. The team will analyze the regulatory and supervisory implications of the global crypto-assets market to pivot market opportunities and threats.

Notes to editors and readers

The report is based on the author’s own research, analysis, and judgment and does not constitute an investment recommendation. Babel Finance assumes no responsibility for any consequences that readers may have.

About Babel Finance

Babel Finance is a global leading crypto financial services provider, offering institutional and HNWI investors professional services covering crypto lending and crypto trading.

The company is backed by prominent investors, including Sequoia Capital China, Tiger Global Management, BAI Capital, Zoo Capital, Dragonfly Capital, and NGC Ventures.

With a business focus in Asia and a business headquarters in Singapore, Babel Finance has established close cooperative relationships with major global exchanges, custodians, investment funds, and mining institutions.

https://twitter.com/BabelFinance
https://www.linkedin.com/company/babelfinance/

#BabelFinance

High-tech features of GEODIS’ road transportation system praised for enhancing the networks’ resilience to supply chain disruptions

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 30 March 2022 – GEODIS, a global leading transport and logistics services provider, was named the winner in the transportation category at this year’s Computer Weekly Innovation Awards APAC for its innovative use of Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) in the development and design of its road services.

The awards, presented by TechTarget, celebrate the best digital transformation projects across sectors such as transportation, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and finance. GEODIS’ high-tech road transportation solution was selected by TechTarget’s members across APAC for its strategic integration of technology to afford customers greater control and visibility over their cargo.

GEODIS’ road transportation system recognized at the awards includes an advanced truck system designed to track and streamline scheduling processes by leveraging robust data collected from the deployed trucks, as well as other digital solutions that provide real-time updates and visibility across the journey of the cargo.

“Amidst an increasingly complex supply chain landscape, digitalization as well as being at the forefront of change has never been more essential for the industry. This is why we are relentless at driving innovation here at GEODIS” said Evelyn Ooi, Chief Information Officer, Asia Pacific, GEODIS. “We are honored to have the technology used in our road transportation system recognized. We believe that it serves as a testament to our sustained efforts towards thinking outside the box and delivering the most dynamic, agile, and competitive solutions to our customers.”

GEODIS’ road transportation system has already been rolled out across Southeast Asia from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. GEODIS plans to further expand this system to operations in China and India, amongst other key markets.

GEODIS – www.geodis.com

GEODIS is a top-rated, global supply chain operator recognized for its commitment to helping clients overcome their logistical constraints. GEODIS’ growth-focused offerings (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport), coupled with the company’s truly global reach thanks to a global network spanning nearly 170 countries, is reflected by its top business rankings: no. 1 in France and no. 7 worldwide. In 2021, GEODIS employed over 46,000 people globally and generated €10.9 billion in revenue.

#GEODIS

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

An initiative to protect children and their migrant mothers through donations received from Children’s Day to Mother’s Day

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 30 March 2022 – Next week Hugill & Ip and PathFinders will launch a joint campaign to raise funds to benefit the many vulnerable children and their migrant mothers in Hong Kong.

The fundraiser officially kicks off on 4 April 2022. The starting date marks Children’s Day and the campaign will last until 8 May – Mother’s Day. The campaign includes a series of events to raise awareness about the challenges that many working mothers and Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) face. As the only charity in Hong Kong dedicated to supporting the unique vulnerabilities of children born to migrant mothers, PathFinders strives to ensure that these vulnerable and unsupported children are protected and respected, and their mothers are empowered to find a path to a bright future.

Starting on Children’s Day (4 April), Hugill & Ip’s Estate Planning team will prepare temporary and/or permanent Deeds of Guardianship, on a pro-bono basis, in exchange for minimum charitable donation of $2,888 to PathFinders. Every dollar will go directly to PathFinders and support them to maintain critical services and safeguard the wellbeing and future of children born to migrant mothers, particularly critical during uncertain times like the current COVID-19 pandemic.

While donations can only be received from 4 April to 8 May 2022, the period for taking appointments and the preparation of Deeds of Guardianship with the Estate Planning team at Hugill & Ip will run until 30 September 2022. This is a great opportunity for everyone who has not yet put in place or needs to update their guardianship wishes, while supporting an important charitable organisation. All donations are tax-deductible.

Having helped almost 9,200 babies, children and women since 2008, PathFinders is a respected charity committed to supporting the welfare of children and mothers by providing child protection, counselling, shelter, healthcare, education and supplies. Hong Kong currently employs 330,000 MDWs, many of whom are women of childbearing age. Often social and cultural norms in their home countries does not encourage comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education and/or gender equality, which can result in an unplanned pregnancy during their stay in Hong Kong.

Despite legal protections, once an MDW’s pregnancy is announced or discovered, many of these expectant mothers are unlawfully fired, pressured to leave or resign because they, and their employers, simply don’t know what else to do. PathFinders adopts an educational and preventive approach towards ensuring every pregnancy is considered and planned, thereby enabling a clear, stable and brighter path is established for every child.

However, without systemic and policy change, the problems PathFinders tackles will likely escalate with the number of MDWs employed in Hong Kong expected to increase to 600,000 by 2047 to help care for a rapidly ageing population. To influence change, PathFinders engages with HKSAR Government Departments, Consulates, United Nations agencies, academics and key local and international stakeholders to ensure policies and practices do not actively exclude or omit to protect children and mothers it serves.

Since its founding days, Hugill & Ip has continued supporting different charitable causes and NGOs. In the past 18 months, a specific effort has been given to social responsibility initiatives related to children, the elderly and cancer-affected individuals. The firm hopes to see an increased number of local organizations getting involved in projects that impact our community and also give their workforce a platform to develop a wider commitment towards society.

Call to action

1. Get a Deed of Guardianship for your child(ren) upon direct donations to PathFinders
2. Find out more about issues pertaining to safety and security of children throughout the campaign and help raise awareness
3. Celebrate #WorkingMomsHK and understand how corporates can better support their female employees to integrate work and family, in the spirit of promoting a more diverse, inclusive and family friendly workplace culture.

More information is available on the #PathGuardiansHK campaign page.

About Hugill & Ip

Hugill & Ip Solicitors is an independent law firm providing bespoke legal advice and exceptional client service to individuals, families, entrepreneurs and businesses, in Hong Kong and internationally. Hugill & Ip provides high quality legal services with integrity, professionalism and respect for clients and the community.

www.hugillandip.com

#HugilandIP

About PathFinders

PathFinders is the only Hong Kong charity dedicated to supporting the unique vulnerabilities of children born to migrant mothers. Since 2008, PathFinders has supported almost 9,200 mothers and children find a path to a brighter future.

www.pathfinders.org.hk

Sri Lanka-based value-added distributor to provide Comodo security solutions to the South Asian market

BLOOMFIELD, US – News Direct – 29 March 2022 – Comodo Security Solutions, a leading provider of endpoint protection solutions, today announced that they have partnered with Plexus, a leading value-added distributor based in Sri Lanka, to provide Comodo’s solutions in Sri Lanka as well as other countries in the South Asian market.

Comodo’s Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP) is the only solution that prevents 100% of ransomware and other malware before any damage is done. Because endpoints are the entry point for virtually all malware attacks, Comodo AEP utilizes a patented virtual isolation capability that isolates unknown files and code in a protective container until it is determined to be 100% safe. Comodo AEP is the only endpoint security solution that applies the Zero Trust principle of ‘Never Trust; Always Verify’.

“We welcome the opportunity to work with an established and leading value-added distributor in Sri Lanka such as Plexus,” said Ezra Correa, Vice President of International Business Development at Comodo. “We now have the opportunity to expand our business into a growing market, and to help organizations in Sri Lanka and surrounding countries to protect themselves against the latest ransomware and malware attacks.”

Plexus already represents world-class Enterprise Server Solutions, Data Management, IT services, Backup Power, Networking, and Network Security Solutions. Now, with Comodo added as their security solutions portfolio and trusted cyber advisor, Plexus can turn on a world-class security operation and position itself as a leader with the best security practice in the markets they serve.

“We are pleased to be working with Comodo and to have the opportunity to distribute their leading security solutions to the South Asian market,” said Damitha Haegoda, Director from Plexus. “With this partnership in place, Plexus can now offer a full breadth of IT security solutions to our customers.”

Comodo will be presenting this week at Plexus Inspire 2022, Plexus’ annual channel partner event.

About Plexus

Founded in 2017, Plexus offers global products and services to clients through its strong distribution network across Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Singapore. Plexus is a state-of-the-art value-added distributor, with a mission to enhance the business operations of clients by providing high-value products and services and to act as the bridge between customers and solutions. For more information, visit https://www.plexuss.biz/.

About Comodo

Headquartered in Bloomfield, NJ, Comodo’s mission is to help customers avoid breaches with groundbreaking isolation technology that fully neutralizes ransomware, zero-day malware, and cyber-attacks that other security providers can’t do. We deliver active breach prevention with patented auto containment technology. Our Unified Endpoint integrates this technology with critical components like our highly rated advanced endpoint protection, endpoint detection and response, and endpoint management to offer a single cloud-accessible Active Breach Protection solution. Comodo’s SOC-as-aService team makes the solution a frictionless, high-security implementation. For more information, visit https://www.comodo.com.

#CYBERSECURITY #ENDPOINT SECURITY #ENDPOINT PROTECTION

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