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Razer Reports Full Year 2021 Earnings

By
Laotian Times
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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 17 March 2022 – Razer™ (“Razer” or the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”, Hong Kong Stock Code: 1337), the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, announces its full year results for the financial year ended 31 December 2021 (“FY2021”).

“As we navigate the uncertainties and challenges attributable to geopolitical tensions, macro environment as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we expect the lingering industry-wide supply chain shocks to continue to have an ongoing impact on our business, with freight and logistics to remain a challenge through 2022. On the demand front, we saw a deceleration in the growth momentum for our products and services since the second half of 2021 compared to exceptional growth in the prior year, we expect this trend to continue through 2022 as a result of the high base effect seen in 2021,” said Min-Liang Tan, Co-Founder and CEO of Razer.

“Looking ahead, we will continue to invest into new growth areas and to build out Razer’s unique gaming ecosystem. However, before we start to see the fruits, these growth areas will take time to fully realise and it will require additional spending in our operating expenses and may affect the short- to medium-term business performance.”

Key highlights for FY2021 earnings

COMPANY

  • Recorded a revenue of US$1,619.6 million with 33.3% year-on-year growth, driven by demand in first half of 2021 due to the pandemic, market share increase for the Hardware business, and continued expansion of channels and content for the Services business.
  • Gross Profit Margin increased to 24.0% from 22.3% in the prior year, driven by ongoing expansion of Hardware margins, partially offset by the sudden spike in freight rates due to industry-wide supply chain and logistics challenges.
  • Adjusted EBITDA* (a non-GAAP measure) was US$96.1 million, an increase of 115.5% from US$44.6 million in the prior year.
  • Net Profit was US$43.4 million, compared to US$0.8 million in the prior year, driven by revenue growth, ongoing gross margin expansion and productivity improvement.

CORE SEGMENTS

HARDWARE:

  • Revenue grew 34.0% year-on-year to US$1,452.4 million.
  • Peripherals business maintained its market-leading position in gaming peripherals across the U.S., Europe and Asia-Pacific [1] regions, fueled by the market launch of multiple products across its flagship keyboard and mouse families.
  • Systems business has maintained its market leading position in the U.S. premium gaming laptop segment while growing its market share in new markets outside of the U.S. [2]
  • Made further inroads to expand its growth categories, particularly gaming chairs, console and broadcaster products.

SOFTWARE:

  • Total user accounts increased 44.1% year-on-year to approximately 177.7 million with monthly active users surging by over 30.0%.
  • The increase was attributable to strong growth across its Software offerings, boosted by increases in gaming, rewarded play and livestreaming activities.

SERVICES:

  • Services business, comprising of Razer Gold and Razer Fintech, grew 26.6% year-on-year to US$162.5 million for the full year 2021
  • Gross margin was 38.5% and contributed 16.1% of the Group’s gross profit.

ESG

  • Making sustainability key to gaming and reinforced this commitment in 2021 when it introduced its ten-year sustainability plan to protect and preserve the environment through #GoGreenWithRazer.
  • The Group has seen significant progress in achieving its ESG goals, including:

    o Upgraded its upcoming sustainability report to GRI Core standards, one of the world’s leading sustainability reporting standards;
    o Made its first disclosure under the Carbon Disclosure Project (“CDP”), ensuring transparency through disclosure of environmental data;
    o Joined the Science Based Targets Initiative with a commitment to set decarbonization targets by keeping to a less than 1.5°C climate scenario and achieving net carbon neutrality by 2030; and
    o Included climate-related risks in Razer’s enterprise risk management process by proactively recognizing and mitigating potential impact from climate-related risks.

    • As part of the Group’s effort to galvanize the community to contribute and support its sustainability initiatives, the Group partnered with Conservation International in October 2020 and introduced Sneki Snek campaign. As of January 2022, the Group has saved over 900,000 trees.

    OUTLOOK

    MACRO CHALLENGES AND UNCERTAINTIES:

    • Impact of industry-wide supply chain challenges on business will persist.
    • Freight and logistics expected to remain a challenge through the year.
    • Deceleration in growth momentum since second half of 2021 to continue through 2022 due to high base effect.

    NEW GROWTH AREAS:

    • Extension of Hardware offerings to furniture and other gamer lifestyle categories.
    • Continued regional expansion for Razer Gold.
    • Scaling of TPV and geographical expansion for Razer Fintech.

    IMPACT ON BUSINESS PERFORMANCE:

    • Additional spending in operating expenses.
    • New growth areas will require significant investments.
    • New growth areas will take time to prove out business case.

    For more details, please refer to the FY2021 results announcement for the results of the Group which are published in accordance with the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.

    Details of Razer’s ESG initiatives can be found on the website: http://www.razer.com/go-green.

    * Razer defines adjusted EBITDA as profit/(loss) from operations added back with depreciation and amortisation, share-based compensation expense, restructuring expense, impairment of long-lived assets and merger and acquisitions expense.
    [1] [2] Internal sources and market research

    ABOUT RAZER

    Razer™ is the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers.

    The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world’s largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services.

    Razer’s award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals and Blade gaming laptops.

    Razer’s software platform, with over 175 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma RGB (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system supporting thousands of devices and hundreds of games/apps), and Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher).

    Razer also offers payment services for gamers, youth, millennials and Gen Z. Razer Gold is one of the world’s largest game payment services, and Razer Fintech provides fintech services in emerging markets.

    Founded in 2005, Razer is dual-headquartered in Irvine (California) and Singapore, with regional headquarters in Hamburg and Shanghai. Razer has 18 offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading brand for gamers in the US, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337).

    Razer – For Gamers. By Gamers

    #Razer

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

    Laos Confirms 874 New Cases of Covid-19

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    Laotian Times
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    Savannakhet Covid-19 Update

    Laos has recorded 874 cases of Covid-19 across the country today.

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    Spackman Media Group Artist Son Ye-Jin’s Drama, SOMETHING IN THE RAIN, Lands In Top 10 On China’s iQIYI

    By
    Laotian Times
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    • SOMETHING IN THE RAIN, headlined by Spackman Media Group flagship artist Son Ye-jin, ranked within top 10 on Chinese streaming platform, iQIYI
    • The release of SOMETHING IN THE RAIN marks the first time a Korean drama series returns on iQIYI since DESCENDANTS OF THE SUN (2016)
    • Son Ye-jin’s current Korean drama, THIRTY-NINE, was previously ranked as the #1 most watched content on OTT in Korea and the 8th top Netflix TV shows worldwide last month

    SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 17 March 2022 – Spackman Entertainment Group Limited (the “Group“), one of Korea’s leading entertainment production groups founded in 2011 by media & technology investor Charles Spackman, wishes to announce that Korean drama SOMETHING IN THE RAIN, headlined by Spackman Media Group flagship artist Son Ye-jin, landed in top 10 on Chinese streaming platform, iQIYI during the first few days of its release in March 2022.

    Represented by MSteam Entertainment Co., Ltd. (“MSteam“), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Group’s associated company, Spackman Media Group Limited (“Spackman Media Group“), Son Ye-jin’s Korean drama SOMETHING IN THE RAIN currently airs on Netflix as well.

    The release of SOMETHING IN THE RAIN on iQIYI in March 2022 marks the first time a Korean drama series returns on the Chinese streaming platform since DESCENDANTS OF THE SUN (2016)

    Directed by Ahn Pan-seok, SOMETHING IN THE RAIN relates a love story that develops between a woman, who on the surface appears to be living a carefree life, and her best friend’s younger brother who has returned from an extended period abroad.

    Son Ye-jin’s latest Korean drama, THIRTY-NINE, was ranked as the #1 most watched content on over-the-top (“OTT“) in Korea in the last week of February 2022, based on Kinolights, an OTT integrated search and content recommendation platform. THIRTY-NINE was also the 8th top Netflix TV shows worldwide on 26th February 2022, according to Flix Patrol, an online content service ranking site.

    Last month, THIRTY-NINE was rated as the #1 Netflix TV shows in five regions namely Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan.

    Directed by Kim Sang-ho of RUN ON (2020) and written by Yoo Young-ah of ENCOUNTER (2018) & KIM JI YOUNG, BORN IN 1982 (2019), 39 is a 12-episode drama about the romance and everyday lives of three friends who are on the verge of turning 40. Son Ye-jin plays the role of a 39 year-old dermatologist, who was born and raised by wealthy parents and presently works at her own clinic in Gangnam, Seoul.

    Son Ye-jin’s previous tvN K-drama, CRASH LANDING ON YOU (2019), achieved massive record-breaking viewership success in Korea and became a top hit in Japan, attaining #1 on Japan’s Netflix for four months. The K-drama was one of the top 10 Most Watched Netflix Shows in the United States. Son Ye-jin was awarded the Hallyu Drama Best Actress Award at the 15th Seoul International Drama Awards for her role in CRASH LANDING ON YOU.

    Her recent films include BE WITH YOU (2018), THE NEGOTIATION (2018) and THE LAST PRINCESS (2016), all of which were invested by the Group and/or Spackman Media Group.

    In 2018, Son Ye-jin’s performance in BE WITH YOU, which broke the all-time first week box office historical record for romance film in Korea, clinched her the Best Actress Award at the Seoul Awards. Son Ye-jin also received the Prime Minister’s Commendations at the 2018 Korean Popular Culture & Arts Awards and won the Best Actress for Hallyu Dramas at the 2018 Seoul International Drama Awards, underscoring her international status as an iconic Korean actress.

    Previously, Son Ye-jin was selected as the brand ambassador for US skin care brand Skinceuticals and as luxury fashion brand Valentino’s muse. She was also the face of Crocodile’s woman apparel and Smart Communications Inc., a leading telecommunications service provider in the Philippines.

    Other than Son Ye-jin, MSteam also represents internationally recognized actor Wi Ha-jun of SQUID GAME and top actress Lee Min-jung, who won the Top Excellence Award at the 2020 APAN Star Awards.

    About Spackman Entertainment Group Limited

    Spackman Entertainment Group Limited (“SEGL” or the “Company“), and together with its subsidiaries, (the “Group“), is one of Korea’s leading entertainment production groups. SEGL is primarily engaged in the independent development, production, presentation, and financing of theatrical motion pictures in Korea.

    The Company was founded in 2011 by media and technology investor Charles Spackman who served as the Company’s Executive Chairman until 2017. For the past two decades, Mr. Charles Spackman has been a powerhouse in the Korean entertainment industry starting in the early 2000’s with the pioneering success of Sidus Pictures, the largest movie production company at the time and the first to be listed in Korea. Mr. Spackman is also the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the global investment firm, Spackman Group. For more information, please visit

    Since its founding, SEGL had produced more than 30 major motion pictures including a number of the highest grossing and award-winning films in Korea, namely #ALIVE (2020), CRAZY ROMANCE (2019), DEFAULT (2018), MASTER (2016), THE PRIESTS (2015), SNOWPIERCER (2013), COLD EYES (2013) and ALL ABOUT MY WIFE (2012).

    Our films are theatrically distributed and released in Korea and overseas markets, as well as for subsequent post-theatrical worldwide release in other forms of media, including online streaming, cable TV, broadcast TV, IPTV, video-on-demand, and home video/DVD, etc. Generally, we release our motion pictures into wide-theatrical exhibition initially in Korea, and then in overseas and ancillary markets.

    The Group also invests into and produces Korean television dramas. In addition to our content business, we also own equity stakes in entertainment-related companies and film funds that can financially and strategically complement our existing core operations. SEGL is listed on the Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited under the ticker 40E.

    Production Labels

    SEGL owns Novus Mediacorp Co., Ltd. (“Novus Mediacorp“), an investor, presenter, and/or post-theatrical distributor for a total of 79 films (58 Korean and 21 foreign) including ROSE OF BETRAYAL, THE OUTLAWS and SECRETLY, GREATLY, which was one of the biggest box office hits of 2013 starring Kim Soo-hyun of MY LOVE FROM THE STARS, as well as FRIEND 2: THE GREAT LEGACY. In 2012, Novus Mediacorp was also the post-theatrical rights distributor of ALL ABOUT MY WIFE, a top-grossing romantic comedy produced by Zip Cinema. In 2018, THE OUTLAWS, co-presented by Novus Mediacorp broke the all-time highest Video On Demand (“VOD“) sales records in Korea. For more information, please visit

    The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Simplex Films Limited (“Simplex Films“) which is an early stage film production firm. The maiden film of Simplex Films, JESTERS: THE GAME CHANGERS (2019), was released in Korea on 21 August 2019. Simplex Films has several line-up of films including HURRICANE BROTHERS (working title).

    The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Take Pictures Pte. Ltd. (“Take Pictures“) which produced STONE SKIPPING (2020) and THE BOX (2021), and shall release GUARDIAN (working title) in 2022 tentatively.

    The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Greenlight Content Limited (“Greenlight Content“) which is mainly involved in the business of investing into dramas and movies, as well as providing consulting services for the production of Korean content. Through the acquisition of Greenlight Content, the Group’s first co-produced drama, MY SECRET TERRIUS, starring top Korean star, So Ji Sub, achieved #1 in drama viewership ratings for its time slot and recorded double digits for its highest viewership ratings. Greenlight Content was one of the main investors of MY SECRET TERRIUS.

    The Company owns a 20% equity interest in The Makers Studio Co. Ltd., which plans to produce and release four upcoming films, the first of which will be THE ISLAND OF THE GHOST’S WAIL, a comedy horror film.

    Talent Representation

    The Company holds an effective shareholding interest of 43.88% in Spackman Media Group Limited (“SMGL“). SMGL, a company incorporated in Hong Kong, together with its subsidiaries, is collectively one of the largest entertainment talent agencies in Korea in terms of the number of artists under management, including some of the top names in the Korean entertainment industry. SMGL operates its talent management business through renowned agencies such as MSteam Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Son Ye-jin, Wi Ha-jun, Lee Min-jung, Ko Sung-hee), SBD Entertainment Inc. (Son Suk-ku, Han Ji-hyun, Lee Cho-hee, Park Keun-rok), UAA&CO Inc. (Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Hye-ri, Kim Ji-young, Wang Ji-won), Play Content Co., Ltd. (Kang Min-ji, Hwang-hwi) and Kook Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Baek Si-won, Shin Ji-woong). Through these full-service talent agencies in Korea, SMGL represents and guides the professional careers of a leading roster of award-winning actors/actresses in the practice areas of motion pictures, television, commercial endorsements, and branded entertainment. SMGL leverages its unparalleled portfolio of artists as a platform to develop, produce, finance and own the highest quality of entertainment content projects, including theatrical motion pictures, variety shows and TV dramas. This platform also creates and derives opportunities for SMGL to make strategic investments in development stage businesses that can collaborate with SMGL artists. SMGL is an associated company of the Company. For more information, please visit

    The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Constellation Agency Pte. Ltd. (“Constellation Agency“). Constellation Agency, which owns The P Factory Co., Ltd. (“The P Factory“) and Platform Media Group Co., Ltd. (“PMG“), is primarily involved in the business of overseas agency for Korean artists venturing into the overseas market. The P Factory is an innovative marketing solutions provider specializing in event and branded content production. PMG is a talent management agency which represents and manages the careers of major artists in film, television, commercial endorsements and branded entertainment.

    Strategic Businesses

    The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Frame Pictures Co., Ltd. (“Frame Pictures“). Frame Pictures is a leader in the movie/drama equipment leasing business in Korea. Established in 2014, Frame Pictures has worked with over 25 top directors and provided the camera and lighting equipment some of Korea’s most notable drama and movie projects including ITAEWON CLASS (2020), HOW TO BUY A FRIEND (2020), KIM JI-YOUNG, BORN 1982 (2019), FOUR MEN (2019) and ASADAL CHRONICLES (2019).

    We also operate a café-restaurant, Upper West, in the Gangnam district of Seoul and own a professional photography studio, noon pictures Co., Ltd.

    For more details, please visit

    #SpackmanEntertainmentGroupLimited

    Hikvision Partners with the Institute of Technical Education in Singapore to Build the “Classroom of the Future”

    By
    Laotian Times
    -
    SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 16 March 2022 – Hikvision, a world leading IoT solution provider with video as its core competency, announced it worked together with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) in Singapore to open its “Classroom of the Future”. During this collaboration, Hikvision provided cutting-edge solutions and technologies to create a futuristic classroom environment with an enhanced educational experience for both students and teachers.

    PressReleaseTMP3wCTiK.jpg

    Hikvision has equipped ITE’s “Classroom of the Future” with its forward-looking smart classroom system, consisting of recording servers, teacher cameras, smart interactive displays, and digital signage, creating a more immersive and advanced virtual learning experience. Teacher cameras and smart interactive displays greatly enhance class engagement, and recording of lessons makes high-quality instructional videos easily accessible for the students. Educational digital signage displays important information to students in a timely and efficient manner.

    The partnership also includes the deployment of a Hikvision intelligent security solution that helps ITE increase its overall campus safety. The solution includes an intelligent parking system within ITE’s campus, and body-worn cameras for ITE’s student guidance officers.

    “ITE and Hikvision have collaborated to transform a physical classroom into a “Classroom of the Future” using Hikvision’s leading-edge technology. This setup enhances our students’ learning experience both on-campus as well as when they are using home-based learning. ITE is thankful to Hikvision for this partnership and looks forward to future collaborations with other innovative projects,” said Dr. Yek Tiew Ming, Principal of ITE College East.

    “It’s a good opportunity to work with ITE and to offer our intelligent technologies and a wealth of solutions to build the smart classroom and protect the campus. We will continue to provide more tailored products and solutions in the future to match the needs of customers and end users in the education industry.” said Ben Mao, Country Manager of Hikvision Singapore.

    Find Out More

    For more details about Hikvision’s education solution, please click on the link here.

    About Hikvision

    Hikvision is a world leading IoT solution provider with video as its core competency. Featuring an extensive and highly skilled R&D workforce, Hikvision manufactures a full suite of comprehensive products and solutions for a broad range of vertical markets. In addition to the security industry, Hikvision extends its reach to smart home tech, industrial automation, and automotive electronics industries to achieve its long-term vision. Hikvision products also provide powerful business intelligence for end users, which can enable more efficient operations and greater commercial success. Committed to the utmost quality and safety of its products, Hikvision encourages partners to take advantage of the many cybersecurity resources Hikvision offers, including the Hikvision Cybersecurity Centre. For more information, please visit us at

    #Hikvision

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

    Workato Launches India Subsidiary to Accelerate Global Business Growth

    By
    Laotian Times
    -

    Expansion will be key driver for global growth and new market establishment

    BANGALORE, INDIA – Media OutReach – 17 March 2022 – Workato, the leader in enterprise automation, today announced the establishment of its Indian entity to further innovation in automation and integration, and serve rising automation demand in the India market. As the “Make in India” national program gathers pace, Workato intends to be a key solution provider and partner to support Indian enterprises in their digital transformation journey.

    Workato.jpg

    Workato raised over $200 million in Series E funding in November last year, increasing its valuation to $5.7 billion. It expects the extraordinary growth momentum to continue as it invests in India’s technology ecosystem, which has a rich talent pool, robust training programs and a strong partner network. Workato’s solutions will enable businesses in the country to seamlessly implement automation of complex workflows, at scale, through a unified low-code platform, allowing organizations to better spend their time on more creative and value-adding priorities.

    “Workato is excited to formally enter the India market through our Workato India entity. Workato’s vision is to create a powerful no-code integration and automation platform to enable millions of creators or builders to drive innovation and accelerate transformation for companies globally. We see India, with its vast pool of talent, as being central to achieving this vision.” said Vijay Tella, Workato CEO and Co-founder. “Our team in India is all geared up to address this exciting market opportunity.”

    Workato, already a leader in connecting and integrating applications, recently launched the “10,000 Connector Initiative” with its acquisition of India-based RailsData, which specializes in the connectivity of applications, databases, and devices using APIs. As enterprises use thousands of applications, connectivity is critical to achieving automation at scale. Workato will leverage India’s large pool of engineering talent to bolster and establish its connector factory.

    Workato plans to significantly grow its India operations, including hiring key leadership and technical roles with Sandeep Menonas the Managing Director of India. Sandeep, a well known industry leader, comes with deep experience of having managed significant growth ventures at IBM and Cognizant, and is plugged into the vibrant new technologies and startup ecosystem in India.

    Workato’s India plans include:
    ● Building a world class engineering center that will attract the best of automation talent
    ● Setting up a vibrant academic and early stage program to groom talent
    ● Working with key Indian organizations, leveraging global best practices in automation
    ● Deepening strategic partnerships with India’s ecosystem of system integrators and technology providers

    As an important hub for solution design and global services delivery for many large global system integrators, Workato’s presence in India will deepen its relationship with key partners and their teams.

    “India is going through unprecedented change as it recovers from the pandemic,” said Sandeep Menon. “Given that organizations in India are seeking to become globally competitive, driving productivity and efficiency will be crucial, and end-to-end automation solutions will help businesses differentiate, innovate and elevate their digital transformation.”

    About Workato

    The leader in enterprise automation, Workato helps organizations work faster and smarter without compromising security and governance. Built for Business and IT users, Workato is trusted by over 11,000 of the world’s top brands like Broadcom, Intuit, Box, Autodesk, and HubSpot. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., Workato is backed by Altimeter Capital, Battery Ventures, Insight Venture Partners, Tiger Global, and Redpoint Ventures. For more information, visit or connect with us on social media:
    ● Blog:
    ● Business Systems Community:
    ● Twitter:
    ● LinkedIn:

    #Workato

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

    Savannakhet Fires Five Police Officers in Latest Purge

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    Laotian Times
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    Savannakhet Fires Five Police Officers in Latest Purge

    Chief of the Savannakhet Provincial Public Security Department has ordered the dismissal of five police officers for misconduct and violation of the law on security forces.

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    “Hang Lung COVID-19 Relief Fund 2.0” Focuses Support on Lone Elderly and Child Patients in its Second Stage

    By
    Laotian Times
    -
    HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 17 March 2022 – Hang Lung Properties Limited (Stock Code: 00101) (“the Company” or “Hang Lung”), has further disbursed funds from the “Hang Lung COVID-19 Relief Fund 2.0” to assist needful groups in the community. The funds will be deployed to provide health protection items and daily necessities to 4,000 senior citizens living alone in Kowloon East, and to donate over 30,000 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits to the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital (HKCH) for children undergoing treatment there, and their carers.

    (From right) Mr. Kenneth Chiu, Chief Financial Officer of Hang Lung Properties presents a batch of RAT kits to Dr. Lee Tsz Leung, Hospital Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, in support of the child patients and their carers; over 30,000 kits are donated in total

    (From right) Mr. Kwan Chuk Fai, Director – Corporate Communications & Investor Relations of Hang Lung Properties and the corporate volunteers from the Hang Lung As One Volunteer Team pack “Caring Anti-pandemic Gift Packs” as an expression of warm care for frontline workers in pandemic relief-related community services, as well as for low-income families and underprivileged students

    As a token of appreciation to highly devoted, hardworking “patient-transportation” drivers, Hang Lung is donating the “Caring Anti-pandemic Gift Packs”

    Mr. Weber Lo, Chief Executive Officer of Hang Lung Properties, said, “Through the ‘Hang Lung COVID-19 Relief Fund 2.0’ we are providing targeted support for urgent public pandemic countermeasures and for the most severely affected in our community. It is our earnest hope that, with the second stage of the Fund’s initiatives, we can help relieve the stress faced by the elderly trying to source anti-pandemic protection items; and amid the surging demand for RAT kits, help child patients and their carers access the kits they need for attending the hospital.”

    Dr. Lee Tsz Leung, Hospital Chief Executive of HKCH, said, “We deeply appreciate the donation of rapid antigen test kits made by Hang Lung. In the midst of this severe outbreak, their gift is timely and provides practical assistance to our child patients and their carers who need to come to the hospital for medical treatment and follow-up, and supports our infection control efforts.”

    The second batch of “Caring Anti-pandemic Gift Packs”, which are for underprivileged elderly recipients residing in Kowloon East, include health protection items and supermarket vouchers to alleviate pressures on finances and daily life, and are distributed with the assistance of NGOs including the Christian Family Service Centre, Hong Kong Christian Service, the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council, and Lok Kwan Social Service.

    In February 2022, Hang Lung announced a donation of HKD 10 million to endow the “Hang Lung COVID-19 Relief Fund 2.0” to fully support pandemic countermeasures in Hong Kong. The first stage of measures saw the setting aside of HKD 6 million to finance the operation of “mobile cabin hospitals” and the provision of aid to frontline hygiene workers and drivers of “patient-transportation” taxis and minibuses, as well as to low-income families and students. Over 4,000 gift packs have already been delivered to NGOs for distribution to beneficiaries under this program.

    Mr. Matthew Wong Leung Pak, Chairman of the Public Omnibus Operators Association, said, “We are grateful for Hang Lung’s donation of the anti-pandemic gift packs to our 300 frontline ‘patient-transportation’ minibus drivers. They demonstrate great care and warm support that is much appreciated in the face of the worrying pandemic situation. Let us work together to beat the virus!”

    Hang Lung will continue to seek proactive means to assist the community and those most adversely affected by the pandemic through the “Hang Lung COVID-19 Relief Fund 2.0”. It is hoped that with an all-society approach that pools the resources of different sectors in the fight against the virus, we will soon see the outbreak contained in Hong Kong.

    About Hang Lung Properties

    Hang Lung Properties Limited (stock code: 00101) creates compelling spaces that enrich lives. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Hang Lung Properties develops and manages a diversified portfolio of world-class properties in Hong Kong and the nine Mainland cities of Shanghai, Shenyang, Jinan, Wuxi, Tianjin, Dalian, Kunming, Wuhan and Hangzhou. With its luxury positioning under the “66” brand, the company’s Mainland portfolio has established its leading position as the “Pulse of the City”. Hang Lung Properties is recognized for leading the way in enhanced sustainability initiatives in real estate as it pursues sustainable growth by connecting customers and communities.

    At Hang Lung Properties – We Do It Well.

    For more information, please visit .

    #HangLungProperties

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

    NetApp and Cisco Strengthen Partnership Announcing New FlexPod XCS to Extend Converged Infrastructure into the Hybrid Cloud

    By
    Laotian Times
    -

    New capabilities will increase hybrid cloud connectivity and automation to improve costs and accessibility with native cloud provider integration

    SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 17 March 2022 – NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP), a global, cloud-led, data-centric software company, together with Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), today announced the evolution of FlexPod with the introduction of FlexPod® XCS, providing one automated platform for modern applications, data and hybrid cloud services.

    FlexPod is composed of pre-validated storage, networking, server technologies from Cisco and NetApp. The new FlexPod XCS platform is designed to accelerate the delivery of modern applications and data in a hybrid cloud environment. FlexPod XCS is the first and only hybrid cloud solution natively integrated across all three major public cloud providers. Additionally, organizations will have the option to use FlexPod-as-a-Service, a pay-as-you-grow pricing model for financial and operational flexibility.

    “For years, FlexPod has been helping Presidio customers increase app performance, save software Capex, and decrease unplanned downtime incidents,” said Raphael Meyerowitz, vice president, Engineering at Presidio. “With FlexPod XCS, NetApp and Cisco are providing more flexibility, accessibility and scalability to our customers to deliver a seamless hybrid cloud experience.”

    “It is great seeing Cisco and NetApp launching FlexPod XCS together in this hybrid cloud era,” said Jeffrey den Oudsten, Chief Technology Officer at Conscia Netherlands. “Standardization on FlexPod XCS brings rich technologies and huge benefits for us and our customers in various ways, with ability to deliver one point for billing, ordering, support and validated designs. Conscia is determined to facilitate the best hybrid cloud infrastructure for its customers, and together with Cisco and NetApp, we have the best-in-class technology partners helping us to deliver on that promise.”

    FlexPod XCS simplifies hybrid cloud operations by increasing accessibility and scalability, extending the infrastructure from an on-premises and edge standard to the hybrid cloud. This new offering lays the groundwork for continued joint innovation that will bring new solutions to market for hybrid cloud, containers, and modern workloads.

    FlexPod XCS provides a new set of capabilities to the FlexPod platform:

    • Hybrid Cloud Connectivity: By extending organizations’ data fabric, customers gain the operational certainty of putting the right apps and data in the right place at the right time
    • Automation: Comprehensive infrastructure automation across all lifecycle phases using Cisco Intersight™ Cloud Orchestrator and NetApp automated scripts and workflows to simplify day-to-day IT operations including configuration, deployment, expansion, and infrastructure consumption and optimization
    • Visibility: Providing an enhanced and unified view of all FlexPod components through Cisco Intersight, enabling organizations to respond to their business needs more quickly with more intelligent resource decisions
    • FlexPod-as-a-Service: Lowering initial costs for flexibility and tailoring purchasing options based on budgets and usage
    • New Reference Architecture with NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP® (CVO) instances in AWS: FlexPod XCS and ONTAP integration with automation via Cisco Intersight

    FlexPod XCS also allows IT departments to gain new insights with full-stack visibility and customized automation capabilities that increase operational productivity. The new FlexPod-as-a-Service consumption model enables customers to have more financial and operational flexibility by aligning costs based on usage.

    “Our strategic relationship with NetApp continues to create value for businesses through deep technology integration aimed at solving our customers’ biggest challenges,” said Siva Sivakumar, Vice President, Cloud & Compute Product Management, Cisco. “FlexPod XCS powered by Cisco Intersight delivers key new capabilities for our customers such as automation, visibility and hybrid cloud operations into a single unified platform for modern apps, data, and hybrid cloud services.”

    “We are proud of our continued innovation with Cisco as we expand FlexPod’s capabilities that solve for organizations’ unique business challenges,” said Mike Arterbury, Vice President, Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure & OEM Solutions at NetApp. “Building on our twelve-year partnership with Cisco, FlexPod XCS combines our best-in-class technologies to simplify the delivery of data and applications, enabling enterprises to run new services more efficiently at the edge, core or in the cloud.”

    FlexPod® XCS is in preview for partners and customers and is expected to be generally available globally in mid-2022.

    Additional Resources:

    About FlexPod

    Trusted by thousands of customers across the globe, the enhanced FlexPod XCS platform brings a new level of visibility and automation that can help propel customers’ journey into hybrid cloud operations.​ Composed of prevalidated storage, networking and server technologies, and management software, FlexPod® XCS is designed to increase IT responsiveness to organizational needs providing intelligent insights to optimize costs and performance, support deployment decisions with cloud-like consumption models, and maintain existing configurations across FlexPod infrastructure. By simplifying the delivery of data and applications, enterprises have an advantage of running new services and workloads at the edge, core, or in the cloud.

    FlexPod® XCS pricing is mapped to Cisco Intersight Advantage and Premier Tiers and current FlexPod pricing.

    About NetApp

    NetApp is a global cloud-led, data-centric software company that empowers organizations to lead with data in the age of accelerated digital transformation. The company provides systems, software and cloud services that enable them to run their applications optimally from data center to cloud, whether they are developing in the cloud, moving to the cloud, or creating their own cloudlike experiences on premises. With solutions that perform across diverse environments, NetApp helps organizations build their own data fabric and securely deliver the right data, services and applications to the right people—anytime, anywhere. Learn more at or follow us on , , , and .

    NETAPP, the NETAPP logo, and the marks listed at are trademarks of NetApp, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    Many of the products and features described herein remain in varying stages of development and will be offered on a when-and-if-available basis. The delivery timeline of these products and features is subject to change at the sole discretion of Cisco or NetApp, and neither Cisco nor NetApp will have liability for delay in the delivery or failure to deliver any of the products or features set forth in this document.

    #NetApp

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

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