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 Projects – Socius 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.

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

To promote cancer awareness

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 10 March 2021 – To commemorate International Women’s Day, this March, the Karen Leung Foundation (KLF) is launching it’s first-ever “Self-Love Workshop Series” to promote the importance of female health and overall wellbeing.

“Through insightful sharing by some of Hong Kong’s most brilliant women entrepreneurs, during these three workshops, we hope to shine a light on how women, nowadays, should pay extra attention to their bodies and how we can safeguard ourselves from deadly diseases such as gynaecological cancers,” says Katharina Reimer, Executive Director of the Karen Leung Foundation.

Registration is now officially open. Sign up below to reserve your spot.

Live Life Beyond Limits | 23 March, 2021 (Tue) 6:30pm — 8:00pm

Self-Love Series: Live Life Beyond Limits

(https://karenleungfoundation.org/events/self-love-series-live-life-beyond-limits)

Beautiful Inside & Out | 24 March, 2021 (Wed) 7:00pm — 9:00pm

Self-Love Series: Beautiful Inside & Out

(https://karenleungfoundation.org/events/self-love-series-beautiful-inside-out)

Game Changers | 25 March, 2021 (Thu) 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Self-Love Series: Game Changers

(https://karenleungfoundation.org/events/self-love-series-game-changers)

** For more details on the workshops and online registration, please visit the links **

Project Partners: B-Fit the Wright Way, HULA, Nutrilicious, Pellucid Industries, REVIV Hong Kong, SHHH, The Upper House, WOMANBOSS.

KLF kick-started its “Self-Love” campaign last year with an art programme titled, The ExtraOrdinary Exhibition, a health awareness campaign aimed at raising awareness about gynaecological cancers. The campaign garnered positive responses and will return with its 2.0 version unveiling this Fall.

About Karen Leung Foundation

The Karen Leung Foundation (KLF) www.karenleungfoundation.org is working to save lives in Hong Kong by raising awareness of gynaecological cancer, educating women to increase rates of early detection and ensuring that women in treatment have access to optimal medical care. Founded in 2013, we are the first and only organisation in Hong Kong solely devoted to women’s gynaecological cancers. To date, the Karen Leung Foundation has raised more than HK$27 Million to fight gynaecological cancer and help Hong Kong girls and women. The Karen Leung Foundation honours the memory of Karen Leung, a hedge fund trader, who died at age 35 following a diagnosis of metastatic cervical cancer.

Follow KLF social for latest news and updates:

https://twitter.com/KarenLeungFdn

https://www.facebook.com/KarenLeungFoundation

https://www.instagram.com/karenleungfoundation/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUQgnEgj3ULRyfa7h9sMeg

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 10 March 2021 – Cryptocurrency derivatives exchange Bybit today announced the appointment of Daniel Lim as general counsel.

Lim, a veteran of the banking and finance sector with more than 20 years of experience, will assume responsibility for global compliance matters and oversee the company’s legal team. Lim joins Bybit from an international investment bank in Singapore where he served as head of legal and compliance.

“We are pleased to welcome Daniel, who brings with him exceptional expertise and foresight to our burgeoning industry,” said Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit. “Daniel will help bolster Bybit’s compliance posture in a fast-changing regulatory environment and sustain our ambition to build trust and provide value for clients around the globe.”

About Bybit

Bybit is a cryptocurrency derivatives trading platform established in March 2018. The company provides online trading services to international individual retail clients as well as professional traders.

For more information please visit: https://www.bybit.com/

For updates, follow Bybit’s social platforms on Twitter and Telegram.

• Recognising Global Design Projects that Contribute to the Betterment of Asian societies
• Special entry rates before end of April

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 10 March 2021 – As the global pandemic reshapes every aspect of our lives, the design community must generate human-centred solutions to help people from all walks of life adapt to the new normal using the power of design thinking. The DFA Design for Asia Awards was established in 2003 to recognise the design excellence of projects in the region which contribute to the betterment of the design industry, as well as the society. Launched by Hong Kong Design Centre with Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the lead sponsor, the 2021 awards edition will cover four major design disciplines: Apparel & Accessory Design, Communication Design, Environmental Design and Product & Industrial Design, and open for global online submission starting from 15 March 2021.

Grand Awards winning projects in 2020

Prof. Eric Yim, Chairman of Hong Kong Design Centre said, “As we move beyond merely adapting to living with the pandemic in 2021, the ensuing global situation has greatly accelerated the trends of digitalisation as well as innovation across all industries. There is nothing more delightful than witnessing the design community utilise their expertise, initiate dialogues with the different stakeholders, and share their creative ideas. Through the DFA Design for Asia Awards, we are eager to recognise formidable design projects which help steer humanity under the storm, especially those created in and for the Asia region.”

The DFA Design for Asia Awards welcome online submissions of all projects that promulgate Asian values and perspectives around the globe. In addition to being organised around 4 design disciplines, the number of categories has expanded from 23 to 24 this year. Participants can also save 50% on the entry fee by making their submissions on or before 30 April 2021 (Hong Kong Time).

DFA Design for Asia Awards 2021 – Entry Details

Seeking Award Entries from 4 design disciplines and 24 categories:

Award types

Category Award

Gold, Silver, Bronze & Merit, conferred to one or more entries from open submission.

Grand Awards

Category Award – Gold Award winners and other nominated design projects will be considered for the Grand Awards. Design projects with the most extraordinary contributions will be conferred one of these awards: Grand Awards, Grand Award for Culture, Grand Award for Sustainability, Grand Award for Technology, and Grand Award with Special Mention.

Entry requirements

Design projects launched in one or more Asian markets* between 1 January 2019 and 31 May 2021 are eligible for submission by the design owner or client, or the brand owner, designer or design consultancy.

*Asian markets include:

Afghanistan / Bangladesh / Bhutan / Brunei Darussalam / Cambodia / Hong Kong / India / Indonesia / Islamic Republic of Iran / Japan / Kazakhstan / Korea / Kyrgyzstan / Lao People’s Dem. Republic / Macau / Mainland China / Malaysia / Maldives / Mongolia / Myanmar / Nepal / North Korea / Pakistan / Philippines / Singapore / Sri Lanka / Taiwan / Tajikistan / Thailand / Timor-Leste / Turkmenistan / Uzbekistan / Vietnam

Judging criteria

A judging panel composed of world-renowned design industry experts and professionals will assess each entry and consider the below factors (as applicable):

(1) Creativity and Human Centric Innovation

(2) Usability

(3) Aesthetic

(4) Sustainability

(5) Impact in Asia

(6) Commercial and Societal Success

Winners’ Entitlements & Coverage**:

• Trophy & Certificate (Merit Award winners will receive certificate only)
• Awards Publication:

Each winner will receive a complimentary publication introducing all the winning projects and the project teams behind them. The publication will be disseminated to different global industry leaders to enhance the winners’ exposure

• Exhibition:

All winning projects will be showcased at an annual exhibition, and selectively in DFA Awards’ roving exhibitions around Asia

• Awards presentation and other events:

Winners will be invited to attend the DFA Awards Presentation Ceremony and Business of Design Week (BODW) opening ceremony in December 2021 to gain inspirations and network with designers and business leaders around the world. Selected winners will also be invited for sharing at global and regional talks, forums or other events to increase their global exposure

• Awards Endorsement Mark:

Winners will receive authorisation to use the globally recognised Endorsement Mark for self-promotion

** A mandatory publication and promotion fee applies to all winners

More information on and photos of 2020 Awards winners:

https://bit.ly/3unif63

Visit our website and social media pages for more information:

Website: dfaa.dfaawards.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HKDC.Awards

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

About DFA Design for Asia Awards (www.dfaa.dfaawards.com)

Since 2003, the DFA Design for Asia Awards honours design excellence and acknowledges user-centric design projects that embrace unique Asian perspectives to enhance and improve the quality of life for people in the region. Organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre and as one of the five programmes of DFA Awards, the DFA Design for Asia Awards has been a platform for design talents and corporates to showcase their design projects internationally. In 2020, The Awards received open entries from 20 economies and conferred a total of 197 awards including 12 Grand Awards, 8 Grand Award with Special Mention and 177 category awards.

About Hong Kong Design Centre (www.hkdesigncentre.org)

Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) is a non-governmental organisation, and was founded in 2001 as a strategic partner of the HKSAR Government in establishing Hong Kong as an international centre of design excellence in Asia. Our public mission is to promote wider and strategic use of design and design thinking to create business value and improve societal well-being, with the aim of advancing Hong Kong as an international design centre in Asia.

About Create Hong Kong (www.createhk.gov.hk)

Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) is a dedicated agency set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in June 2009. It is under the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and dedicated to spearheading the development of creative industries in Hong Kong. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community. CreateHK sponsors HKDC to organise the DFA Design for Asia Awards and other projects to promote Hong Kong design.

Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organizers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Create Hong Kong, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.