Category: Business

CHANGSHA, CHINA - Media
OutReach - 24 July 2020 - Since its opening 2 years ago, Changsha
IFS has promptly emerged as the landmark and trendsetter in Central  China by continuously injecting new impetus
and bringing a vast array of collaborations with world-renowned characters and
artists.

This summer, Changsha IFS brings another "First" to Central China by
having the world-famous characters, Looney Tunes and renowned graffiti artist Dezio
to join hands for the very first time to present a series of summer street art
scenes at the exhibition.

On July 10, "Summer Streets" was officially unveiled with a series of
exciting campaigns celebrating Looney Tunes' first exhibition, along with the
launch of Dezio's first large-format hand-painted graffiti wall in Central
China.

Looney Tunes Landed Central China for
the First Time with Event "Summer Streets"

Over the years, Looney Tunes has been crossing-over with many famous fashion
brands and becomes one of the classic fashion icons. This collaboration with
Changsha IFS is their first exhibition in shopping mall of Central China, along
with graffiti artist Dezio's summer-filled painting style to bring everyone a
comprehensive and diversified lifestyle shopping experience through an imaginative
journey of Looney Tunes.

The main installation at LG2 restores the classic scene of Looney Tunes,
including Looney Tunes Time Tunnel, Jungle Gym Inspired Installation,
Skateboard Ramp, as well as the interactive digital graffiti wall. Characters of
Looney Tunes are portrayed in American street styles with bright colors and
street culture icons by Dezio to convey the idea of an urban street style with
summer vibes.

Dezio's First Collaboration with
Cartoon Character and Shopping Mall

Changsha IFS Leads the New Trend of
Street Culture

Dezio is at the
forefront of contemporary graffiti art field and is widely regarded as one of
the graffiti veterans in China with his works influencing the development of
China's street art. Dezio was also in charge of the first permanent graffiti
project of more than 4,000 square meters in China. This time, Dezio is
cordially invited to come to Changsha for the very first timeto present the
Looney Tunes themed graffiti in Central China.

In addition, Dezio contributed his ideas of street culture towards the
collaboration, and found it both exciting and challenging.

"This
is my first attempt to combine cartoon characters with commercial complex, as
well as my first large-scale individual project in Central China. "
Speaking of combining the trendy position of Changsha IFS with the classic
image of Looney Tunes, "I chose bright colors and used dynamic lines for character images,
while considered the overall creation of spatial visualization for the scene
part, which maintained the balance of picture's composition. "Through this
debut in Changsha, "I hope to present another side of street culture to
people in Changsha."

Extreme Sports Hotshots Gathered in Changsha IFS Bringing Impressive
Show to Set off the Summer

On July 9, Changsha
IFS held the kick-off ceremony with the co-artist Dezio and other special
guests such as well-known DJ Tom Price, Chinese-American professional XGAME event
emcee Edan Qian, world Guinness record holder Wentao Cui, China's skateboarder
Di Wang, world BMX champion Willif, rapper Xing Wei and some national extreme
sports top players, brought an audio-visual feast to people of Changsha.

Countless Surprises will be found in Changsha IFS this
Summer 

Changsha IFS
will be full of surprises this summer, customers can enjoy interactive
workshops, H5 digital games and the opportunity to get exclusive privileges in
summer.

A Perfect Blend of Art and Commerce,
Changsha IFS Injects New Impetus to Changsha by Bringing Art Collaborations to the City

Changsha IFS keeps exploring new
opportunities of collaboration between art and commercial enterprise to
strengthen its unique brand positioning, while Looney Tunes themed event is the
latest breakthrough which provides pleasurable experiential memories to customer
through immersive journey of turning characters from classic to trendy street
fashion.

In the future, Changsha IFS will
continuously retain its pioneering spirit to bring international experience to Changsha.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA - NEWSAKTUELL - 23 July 2020 - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has satisfied on 21^st July the application no. 54684/19 of the former Minister of Finance of Armenia Gagik Khachatryan, and has published its decision by which it granted an interim measure under the rule 39. The ECHR requested the Government of the Republic of Armenia to ensure immediate medical treatment of Gagik Khachatryan as well as right to be examined and treated by doctor of his choice, including foreign doctors.

Gagik Khachatryan 

Photo credits: State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia, Official Archive, 2015

The 64-year old prominent politician who has illegally been detained for already 11 months needs immediate surgery. The failure or delay to perform medical treatment contains serious and irreversible threats posed to his future health and life. Khachatryan's attorney group has claimed this issue in all competent authorities of Armenia, including the investigation, prosecution authorities and courts of the Republic of Armenia. They have consistently ignored these claims depriving Khachatryan's fundamental rights to receive an adequate medical treatment. The attorney group has also referred to the Human Rights Defender of Armenia and other human rights organizations, which have voiced their concerns regarding Khachatryan's case.

"Armenian authorities under government of Nikol Pashinyan refuse to ensure Gagik Khachatryan's adequate medical treatment. There is no doubt that this is a politically motivated case. We are sorry that even in case of existence of explicit threat to the life and health of the citizen of the Republic of Armenia, we have to ensure the exercise of the right to medical treatment on the request of the European Court of Human Rights" Khachatryan's attorney Yerem Sargsyan said.

The former Minister of Finance Khachatryan is charged with the abuse of authority and misapplication of property during his post in state activity from 2008 to 2014. Khachatryan does not plead himself guilty for the charges brought against him and his attorney group has voiced dozens of cases of offences and pressure within the last 11 months, including the illegal and out-of-legal-logic prosecution against members of Gagik Khachatryan's family.

Gagik Khachatryan is a prominent Armenian politician and government official who retired in 2016. While at the office, he was considered as one of the wealthiest government officials in the country according to his annual declarations. After the political changes in 2018, a series of criminal charges were filed against many former politicians. This includes presidents of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan and other senior officials. Politically motivated charges have been also filed against the current parliamentary opposition leader Gagik Tsarukyan. Despite the abundance of investigations and criminal cases, there is not a single judicial act having entered into force on any trumpeted criminal case. Instead, the country has plunged into turmoil of bitter debates, fraught with risks of forming unfavorable perception on the domestic stability along with tensions in Armenia-Azerbaijan state border.

Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com)

MUNICH, GERMANY - EQS Newswire - July 23, 2020 - Binance, the global blockchain company behind the world's largest digital asset exchange, and CM-Equity AG, a leading German investment firm providing asset management and brokerage services for crypto assets, today announced a strategic partnership to expand services for German and European customers.

Through this partnership, crypto traders and investors in Germany and Europe are able to use Binance and CM-Equity, a fully regulated German investment firm that is licensed by the German Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) to operate proprietary trading and brokerage services. By using CM-Equity's services, Binance users in Europe will be able to further trade crypto assets and other financial products with state-of-the-art infrastructure and the highest security standards.

"By joining forces with CM-Equity, Binance will be able to broaden our services in Europe while ensuring compliance with local regulations," said Changpeng Zhao, CEO of Binance. "We are looking forward to a long-term partnership with CM-Equity to grow the digital assets industry in a sustainable way and expand our offerings for European clients."

"Binance offers the best trading experience in the market and we are thrilled to collaborate with the world's number one," said Michael Kott, CEO of CM-Equity. "Our fully licensed digital assets platform will benefit from the best liquidity and frictionless service offered by Binance."

Additional plans of the partnership will be announced at a later date.

About Binance

Binance is the world's leading blockchain and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider with a financial product suite that includes the largest digital asset exchange by volume. Trusted by millions worldwide, the Binance platform is dedicated to increasing the freedom of money for users, and features an unmatched portfolio of crypto products and offerings, including: trading and finance, education, data and research, social good, investment and incubation, decentralization and infrastructure solutions, and more. For more information, visit: https://www.binance.com

About CM-Equity

CM-Equity is a fully compliant Investment Firm operating with a license from the German Financial Market Authority BaFin. In its 18 years of business, CM-Equity has positioned itself as a pioneer in digital asset management and brokerage. For more information, visit: https://cm-equity.de/en/

HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - 23 July 2020 -
Chinachem Group (the Group)
and the Smart City Consortium (SCC) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to collaborate in propelling smart city development and helping elevate
cybersecurity standards in Hong Kong. The move underlines not only the
determination of both parties to foster the development of Internet of Things
(IoT) property technology (PropTech) in Hong Kong, but also Chinachem's
commitment to digital transformation and driving sustainable living
solutions for Hong Kong people.

The Memorandum of Understanding to help propel Hong Kong's
smart city development was signed by Damien Wu, Director of Digital
Transformation of Chinachem Group (2nd right) and Gary Yeung, President of the Smart
City Consortium (2nd left); witnessed by Donald Choi, Executive Director and
Group CEO of Chinachem Group (1st right) and Dr Winnie Tang, Founder and
Honorary President of the Smart City Consortium (2nd left).

Pursuant to the MoU, the SCC will
develop a set of indexing standards, cybersecurity guidelines and best
practices for deploying and maintaining IoT devices in smart buildings. The
Group, in addition to offering monetary sponsorship, will serve as a pioneer in
testing the resulting IoT PropTech standards to enhance cybersecurity in its
smart buildings. Furthermore, the two parties will join hands in organising
activities to promote Hong Kong's smart city vision, with a focus on smart
buildings and the development of an IoT connectivity framework.

The MoU was signed by Damien Wu,
Director of Digital Transformation of Chinachem Group, and Gary Yeung,
President of the Smart City Consortium; witnessed by Donald Choi, Executive
Director and Group CEO of Chinachem Group, and Dr Winnie Tang, Founder and
Honorary President of the Smart City Consortium. The Group is the first
property developer partner of the SCC.

"We at Chinachem have accelerated the
digital transformation process and have the aspiration of becoming an industry
pioneer in PropTech applications," explained Mr Choi. "We are collaborating
with the SCC with the intention to raise the bar for the Group as well as the
industry, and help make Hong Kong a more liveable smart city. It is also our vision
to position the city as a leader within the Greater Bay Area in terms of IoT
standards development, assessment and education for the property sector." 

Thanking Chinachem Group for its
support and sponsorship, Mr Yeung said the adoption of communications
technology and IoT were major opportunities that empowered the SCC's operations
to promote smart building management, allowing swifter actions and improved security.
"The connected network of sensors and smart devices also delivers a safer and more
sustainable environment which is key to maximising property value," he noted. "We
hope to develop a set of indicators and a rating standard index for the
property management industry and the IoT industry."

While IoT-powered solutions in smart buildings will help increase cost-efficiency
and operational effectiveness, they will also be subject to higher cybersecurity
risks if no related standards, guidelines and best practices exist -- hence the
importance of this collaboration for Hong Kong's future PropTech development.

Chinachem Group

Chinachem Group is a leading property
developer based in Hong Kong, with a real estate pedigree dating back to the
1960s. Today, we develop residential, commercial, retail and industrial properties,
and own and manage hotels.

We uphold integrity, accountability,
teamwork, innovation, harmony and win-win as the values that drive our
operations and benefit our stakeholders, ultimately bringing positive change to
our communities.

We are forward thinking in embracing
new ways to work, through organisational change and digital transformation, as
we forge ahead into our next century of success.

Smart City Consortium

Smart City Consortium is formed by a group of professionals from
different corporations and organisations to provide opinions and suggestions to
the Government for formulating related policies and standards in the
development of Hong Kong as a world-class smart city.  We encourage
worldwide collaboration with different stakeholders to create the right
ecosystem which fosters innovation and sustainable economic growth for Hong
Kong.

"We are very proud to launch NOTE 7 to global
markets. NOTE 7 carries forward the DNA of Infinix by offering the most premium
smartphone experience and powerful features through stylish designs, trendy
technologies, and high-quality hardware to software experience. NOTE 7 is the
device that combines Infinix's technological innovation strength with our deep
insights into our target consumers' real needs to deliver an overall enhanced
experience for all types of content consumption and user scenarios. We are
confident that both our fans and new users will be amazed by the NOTE 7 when
exploring and perusing unlimited new wonders with cutting-edge technology in
the newest yet most price-friendly NOTE 7 in its price segment." said Benjamin
Jiang, Managing Director of Infinix Mobile.

Fantastic Large Screen & Strong CPU to Seamlessly Bridge
Work and Daily Life 

Smart phones have become an indispensable tool in people's daily work and
private life. A smartphone that allows people to switch between
diversified needs and scenarios everyday is ideal for modern consumers.

Packed with a
6.95'' HD + Infinity-O display and MediaTek Helio G70 CPU performance, NOTE 7 makes for a well-rounded tool that
seamlessly bridges daily work and play.

For those who want to be efficient during working
hours, its high-definition Infinity-O display and strong CPU performance can
offer a fantastic viewing experience and smooth multitasking capabilities for
whenever users are video calling with business partners, checking emails,
taking notes or browsing web pages for quick research.

For those who want fun and style during their leisure hours, NOTE 7 users
can indulge and experience epic entertainment moments all from the palm of
their hands; with awe-inspiring cinematic viewing effects, an incredible gaming
experience, and smoother multimedia engagements made possible by the super
large screen and a powerful CPU that optimizes performance. Especially, NOTE 7
with MediaTek Helio G70 makes it an ideal choice for game lovers to enjoy
guaranteed nonstop gaming, faster response time and ultra-smooth gaming
experience.

Caption: NOTE 7 6.95'' HD +
Infinity-O display

Superior Camera
Experience that Let Users Shoot Like A Pro

NOTE 7 boasts with 48MP Quad Camera, allowing users to create ultra-high-resolution photography under a diverse
range of scenery conditions and different layout modes. No matter whether it is a beautiful
sunset, a backlight street view, a selfie or even highlights from a night out,
the camera is able to capture it all-- with crystal clear clarity and lifelike
beauty.

Shooting
videos in low-light has never been this easy with NOTE 7's outstanding
low-light performance. With a 1080P low-light video camera recording at 30fps, pixel 2.8μm,
it will be able to capture each detail and color even in the dark without
the flash. The unique 1080P low-light video camera allows NOTE 7 stand out among other mobile products within its target market segment. Meanwhile, powered by advanced AIS (AI Image Stabilization), users can also capture
incredible blur-free, handheld shots even in low-light conditions using Night
Mode.

NOTE 7 can accurately sense
movement and stability as well as the amplitude and eliminate it, creating
super steady action shots; this enables users to effortlessly take high motion
videos without the blur and shakiness, instantly immortalizing otherwise
fleeting moments of fun. Furthermore, a 16MP front camera means that every
selfie user take can be stunning, turning a selfie into a self-portrait in just
one second.

Caption：NOTE 7 48MP Quad Camera

Powerful Performance to Unlock an Enjoyable and Ultra-smooth
User Experience

Smartphone's sound quality is an important part of the device. The NOTE 7
packs a powerful punch with its dual stereo speakers featuring DTS and audio
optimization to produce crisper, louder and more balanced sounds regardless of
content format (movies, games, music and more), providing the same great sound
effects and experience with or without headphones for users.

The NOTE 7 houses a longer
lasting 5,000mAh battery and powerful fast-charging technology, reaching 18W
charging speeds that gives users' worry-free full-day guarantee of their day
and night life on the move. It is also faster and more intuitive with a
side-mounted fingerprint sensor for unlocking the phone with a tap in an
instant, upgrading the fluidity of the smart phone connection experience.

Equipped with the latest operating
system of XOS 6.0 built upon Android™ 10 system, NOTE 7 also introduces a whole
new user interface, with snappier performance and exciting new features. Users
can customize their phones to suit their own tastes with the latest features,
such as Dark Theme and Android 10 Gesture Navigation.

Availability

NOTE 7 have been launched globally
in April in African markets. In Kenya market, the product is available on
Infinix Jumia Flagship: https://www.jumia.co.ke/mlp-infinix-official-store/ and Infinix Ecommerce Brand Site: https://ke.xpark.com/.

For more Information about NOTE 7,
please visit 

https://www.infinixmobility.com/ke/smartphone/note-7/

Specifications
of the NOTE 7:

About Infinix

Launched in 2013 and
targeting the young generations, Infinix Mobile is a premium online-driven
smartphone brand. With "THE FUTURE IS NOW" as the brand essence,
Infinix aims to allow consumers to stand out in the crowd and to show the world
who they really are. Infinix is committed to providing the most
cutting-edge technologies, bold and stylish designs, keeping consumers on trend
and up-to-date. Infinix's portfolio spans five product lines -- ZERO,
NOTE, HOT, S, and SMART; empowering users to own innovative technologies
and experience intelligent lifestyles! Infinix has a presence in more than 30
countries around the world, covering Africa, Latin America, the Middle East,
Southeast Asia and South Asia. For more information, please visit:
http://www.infinixmobility.com/

Company furthers commitment to financial services with addition of financial industry pioneer

HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - 23 July 2020 - Symphony,
the leading provider of secure collaboration for global markets, today
announced the appointment of financial industry pioneer Brad Levy, as President
and Chief Commercial Officer.

Levy's appointment comes at a pivotal point in
the Company's momentum as customer demand for secure and compliant
collaboration integrated with automated workflows continues to grow. Levy will
lead Symphony's efforts within the global financial services space, focusing on
expanding the company's commercial offering on capital market workflows and
solutions.

"Brad's unmatched experience within financial
services, coupled with his inclusive leadership style and network make for a
perfect combination as we enter our next phase of growth at Symphony," said
David Gurlé, Symphony's founder and CEO. "Brad's expertise in capital markets
will further solidify Symphony's role as the complete solution provider and
partner to our clients. I am thrilled to welcome Brad to the Symphony
leadership team."

Prior to Symphony, Levy was a partner at
global analytics and information provider, IHS Markit, having also served as
CEO of MarkitSERV and global head of its loan settlement and software services
division. He was recently awarded the prestigious Markets Media Markets Choice Neil DeSena Market Advocate Award
for his dedication to driving change as a global leader in financial services.
In 2018, he was fourth on Institutional
Investor's Trading Technology 40.

Earlier in his career, he spent 18 years at
Goldman Sachs, culminating in his role as managing director and global head of
Goldman's Principal Strategic Investments Group. Levy currently serves as
Chairman Emeritus of FINOS, the Fintech Open Source Foundation, as well as a
member of the Technology Advisory Committee of the CFTC, the U.S. Commodities
and Futures Trading Commission, and chairman of its Distributed Ledger
Subcommittee. He has served on numerous other boards within the financial
sector and is an oft-requested advisor and speaker. 

"The financial services industry has arrived
at an inflection point, as technological developments and demand for expanded
digital offerings call for true, industry-wide transformation," said Levy.
"From day one, I've admired how Symphony has evolved to meet the specific needs
of its clients, and I look forward to working with David and the Symphony team
to grow our community."

At its 7th Innovate
conference in April, Symphony shared record growth numbers in Q1 2020, with
more than half a million licensed users, a 42% increase in daily active users
and a 280% increase in messages sent. Symphony announced
its commitment to delivering truly secure meetings to its users later this
summer. The company also recently revealed Deutsche Bank has become one of the
first companies
to enable the Symphony Connect Solution for secure chat and collaboration with
its clients via WhatsApp.

About Symphony

Established in 2014, Symphony is the cloud-based
messaging and collaboration platform that securely connects markets,
organizations and individuals. Powered by a growing and open app ecosystem, and
protected with customer-controlled encryption key infrastructure, Symphony's
communications platform increases workflow productivity while maintaining
global regulatory compliance. Already the platform of choice for the financial
services industry, Symphony unifies the enterprise workflow to boost
productivity in any information-centric business.

Symphony currently has over
525,000 users from more than 340 companies worldwide, powering over 60 million
monthly messages.

For more
information, please visit: www.symphony.com.

• DHL Express continues
  modernizing growing fleet by adding four B767-300F
• State-of-the-art
  aircraft support Strategy 2025 goals of reducing emissions

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - July 23, 2020 - DHL Express, the world's
leading express service provider and Boeing, the world's largest aerospace
company, announced today that DHL Express will add four 767-300 Boeing
Converted Freighters (BCF) as part of the logistics company's efforts to
continue modernizing and growing its fleet with cost-efficient and reliable
freighters.

DHL Express is adding four 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF) to modernize its long-haul intercontinental fleet with more eco-friendly and cost-efficient aircraft.

This is part of DHL's effort to modernize its long-haul
intercontinental fleet with more eco-friendly and cost-efficient aircraft. The aircraft
are converted from passenger to freighter configuration by Boeing to fit the
needs of DHL Express and meet the rising global demand for express services.

"With a burgeoning e-commerce sector and the continued lack
of belly space in passenger aircraft, there could not be a more opportune time
to add these freighters to the DHL Express air network," said Sean Wall,
Executive Vice President, Network Operations & Aviation, DHL Express Asia
Pacific. "The 767-300F is a proven model that we have operated across our
global fleet for many years and it will continue to help us deliver excellence
with greater efficiency and at a lower carbon footprint."

Even
before the Covid-19 pandemic, the rapid growth of e-commerce was expected to
exert pressure on supply chains and the airfreight transportation space. A study by
Facebook and Bain & Company found that the average spend per digital consumer
in Southeast Asia is expected to triple from 2018 to 2025. With many countries
still under pandemic protection measures, the demand for fast and reliable
cross-border shipping has grown exponentially.

"Boeing is committed to delivering the freighter capacity that DHL needs to
succeed as one of the most trusted logistics and express cargo leaders in the
world," said Ihssane Mounir, Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales and
Marketing, The Boeing Company. "We are delighted that they choose Boeing
platforms to optimize their operations. Boeing has received 51 orders and
commitments for the 767-300BCF to date."

The world's most efficient medium wide-body twin-engine freighter, the 767
Freighter Family, boasts the lowest direct operating costs, best payload to
weight ratio and allows airlines to develop new opportunities in the long-haul,
regional, and feeder markets. The 767-300BCF has virtually the same cargo
capability as the 767-300F production freighter with approximately 50 tons
structural payload at a range of approximately 3,000 nautical miles (5,556
kilometers) and 412,000 pounds (186,880 kilograms) maximum takeoff weight.

As part of its Strategy 2025, DHL Express has continued to invest in and employ innovative
solutions and technologies to meet the growing demands of cross-border
e-commerce trade and intercontinental delivery expertise. The company is
focused on continuously improving its well-connected global network whilst
reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption to benefit the environment,
partners and customers alike. Since 2019, DHL Express has also added 14 top-of-the-line
fuel-efficient Boeing 777F to replace older 747-400s. DHL Express operates over 260
dedicated aircraft with 17 partner airlines on over 3,000 daily flights across
220 countries and territories.

Note to editors: To read more about electric motorcycles in Thailand or the air freight capacity crunch during Covid-19,
please visit us at Logistics of Things.

DHL – The logistics company for the world

DHL is the
leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an
unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and
international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions,
international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain
management. With about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and
territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and
reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions
for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and
healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail,
DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world".

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of
more than 63 billion euros in 2019. With
sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment,
the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group
aims to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050.

About Boeing

Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and
leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems,
and global services. As a top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial
and government customers in more than 150 countries. Building on a legacy of
aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation,
deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth. www.boeing.com

A new report reveals that astutely navigating work practices, spaces and culture will help respond to crisis, redefine the purpose and reinvent the future of work

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - July 23, 2020 - Plantronics, Inc. ("Poly" -- formerly Plantronics and Polycom) (NYSE: PLT), a global communications company that powers meaningful human connection and collaboration, today issued a new report that highlights a granular shift in focus from "place" to "purpose" of work as businesses respond to the COVID-19 crisis, redesign their operations and reinvent the way they work. Out of city co-working spaces, ergonomic at-home work setups and virtual water cooler moments -- the effects of this pandemic will epitomize a new age of hybrid working.

Drawing on experts in the future of work, workspace design and psychology, the Poly report, Hybrid Working: Creating the "next normal" in work practices, spaces and culture, sets out the path to the "next normal," where employees enjoy flexibility and choice, and businesses thrive through motivated, collaborative and productive teams.

"The ongoing pandemic has upended the way businesses operate in the region, with organizations forced to either adapt, or risk being left behind. Looking beyond the first phase of workplace transition to adopt Remote Working, we are now witnessing a shift towards a new way of work - Hybrid Working. Businesses that stand to thrive in this 'next normal' will be those who prioritize human connections and collaborations as they look to reinvent current work practices, spaces and culture for their employees," said Pierre-Jean Châlon, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific, Poly.

Post-lockdown working practices

Triggered by COVID-19, businesses have the opportunity to challenge convention and redefine what 'work' really means. Hybrid working will introduce:

• New working patterns -- new working policies that bring employees flexibility on when and where they work
• Outcome-based working -- taking the onus off the hours and location, to being productive and delivering results
• Optimized investment -- looking beyond the company office to create collaborative, technology-enabled personal workspaces anywhere

Tom Cheesewright, applied futurist and contributor to the Poly report, said: "Even before the pandemic, the nature of work was changing because the nature of business is changing. Today, few can claim that the technology is a barrier to changing practices, but the lockdown has highlighted the need for investment into the cultural and behavioral components of flexible work. The future is a flexible working environment that caters to the needs of all employees, giving them the most fulfilling work experience and in return allowing them to maximize the value they return to the organization."

Hybrid working spaces

In the report, Sarah Susanka, architect and founder of Susanka Studios, also explores why creating the best environments for employees to be productive and collaborative will be vital to the new hybrid working era. Poly's report sets out the following key global trends for hybrid working spaces that will emerge in 2020 and beyond:

• Home offices will be given as much attention as the kitchen -- ergonomically organized and crafted into places that inspire
• A prevalence of co-working -- organizations will invest in co-working spaces outside of cities to attract talent. Group collaboration and social connections with colleagues and others will lead to cross-fertilization of ideas and innovation
• Cityscapes will change -- Will we continue to see high-rise office buildings? The city as a structure will stay as apartment living means the city is integrated into people's lives; restaurants are an extension of their kitchen and gyms their workout space.

Managing cultural change

Megan Reitz, professor of leadership and dialogue at Hult Ashridge Business School in CITY, believes that businesses need to 'hardwire' fundamental habits into their teams' culture to bring hybrid working teams together and ensure employees can speak up. For teams to be agile, innovative, ethical and compassionate, Poly's report says that work cultures need to be:

• Inclusive -- diverse teams do better, but you must be able to harness and appreciate difference.
• Inquiring -- 'one-size' management doesn't fit all. Employees will respond differently to hybrid working and managers must learn the skills to inquire, be curious and ask questions.
• Purpose driven -- we are seeing a well-overdue widening of purpose and this focus on impact will serve as a compass in times of change and make for a more meaningful workplace.

Technology-enabled change

As organizations respond, redesign and reinvent their business models, technology will play a fundamental role in enabling the shift to hybrid working. "As teams become more disconnected physically and connected virtually, technology becomes the key that bridges communication between and across teams to optimize work efficiency and productivity," says Chalon. "To stay ahead of the curve, businesses will need to respond, redesign and reinvent their practices and meet their challenges head on, adapting to whatever changes they face."

The Poly report, Hybrid Working: Creating the "next normal" in work practices, spaces and culture, is available for download here. The infographic is available here. 

About Poly

Plantronics, Inc. ("Poly" -- formerly Plantronics and Polycom) (NYSE: PLT) is a global communications company that powers meaningful human connection and collaboration. Poly combines legendary audio expertise and powerful video and conferencing capabilities to overcome the distractions, complexity and distance that make communication in and out of the workplace challenging. Poly believes in solutions that make life easier when they work together and with our partners' services. Our headsets, software, desk phones, audio and video conferencing, analytics and services are used worldwide and are a leading choice for every kind of workspace. For more information, please visit: www.poly.com.

Poly, the propeller design, and the Poly logo are trademarks of Plantronics, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Digital trade platform rich with physical & financial supply chain data creates new opportunities to fund suppliers

NEW YORK / SINGAPORE - Media
OutReach - July 23, 2020 - Infor, a global leader in business cloud
software specialized by industry, today announced that it is partnering with DBS
Bank, Southeast
Asia's largest bank, to integrate digital trade financing capabilities into the
Infor Nexus global network of more than 68,000 businesses. The two companies'
first joint program recently went live with one of the world's largest global apparel
companies, providing faster and more cost-efficient digital trade financing to
suppliers in the apparel company's supply chain ecosystem, which comprises
mostly small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

"This
is an important relationship for Infor, where a common vision of data-driven
financing bonds us and presses us forward," said Gary Schneider, Vice President
of Sales for Infor Financial Supply Chain Management. "DBS is a digital bank,
based in Asia, focused on supplier funding and liquidity. Its pursuit of digital
innovation and delivering greater value to supply chains, combined with our
cloud-based platform and local support team around the globe, makes for a
powerful partnership at a time when liquidity is a top priority for everyone."

Sriram
Muthukrishnan, Group Head of Trade Product Management, DBS Bank, said, "We
continue to accelerate the deployment of our market-leading supply chain
financing and digital capabilities to ensure steady financing to SME suppliers
during these times of stress.  Data forms
the backbone of a successful digital strategy and its impact across multiple
industries globally has been growing exponentially.

"Our
collaboration with Infor enables greater transparency into complex supply
chains and provides insights into the transaction patterns between an anchor
and its ecosystem of suppliers," he noted. "We leverage these insights to provide
quicker and more cost-efficient financing to suppliers much earlier in the
cycle, as compared to conventional post-shipment supplier financing programs.
This is especially relevant today, as we continue to operate in an environment
characterized by prolonged trade disruptions and tighter credit lines, where
optimal working capital management is key to survival."

The
two companies' next joint program for pre-shipment finance, expected to launch in
late 2020, will utilize supply chain data as the primary conduit to assess risk
and credit worthiness, as opposed to traditional models that result in the
majority of suppliers being under-funded or facing challenges to access
necessary capital. Infor provides extensive supply chain data, including
historic and real-time milestone information on the physical movement of goods,
to enable a data-driven representation of a supplier's performance and credit
risk.

According to a research report from
Aite Group analyst Enrico Camerinelli (The Supply Chain Bank, 2018), "In
the next three years, the competitive frontier in corporate lending and supply
chain finance will be the creation of innovative credit risk models that banks
will use to leverage corporate supply chain process data. Banks will capture
and analyze events in the physical supply chain (source-to-pay, order-to-cash)
in order to generate a more comprehensive and realistic representation of a
company's risk profile."

Additional Resources

Watch the SCF Community's recent webinar, "New ways to finance SMEs," during which Infor and DBS discuss innovative
supplier financing tools to help reduce supply chain risk and friction. 

Media contacts:

Steve Bauer

Infor

(628) 444-5101 (office)

(650) 670-7135 (mobile)

steven.bauer@infor.com

Phyllis Tan

Infor

+65 9799 9133 (mobile)

phyllis.tan@infor.com

Michelle Tan

Group Strategic Marketing and Communications

DBS Bank

+65 9770 1886

michelletanyz@dbs.com

About DBS

DBS
is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 18 markets.
Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of
growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's "AA-" and "Aa1"
credit ratings are among the highest in the world.

DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking.
As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing
business in the region's most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building
lasting relationships with customers, and positively impacting communities
through supporting social enterprises, as it banks the Asian way. It has also
established a SGD 50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social
responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia.

With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and
empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. The bank
acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in all our 28,000 staff,
representing over 40 nationalities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.

About Infor

Infor is a
global leader in business cloud software specialized by industry. With 17,300
employees and over 68,000 customers in more than 170 countries, Infor software
is designed for progress. To learn more, please visit www.infor.com.

Infor
customers include:

• The top 20 aerospace companies
• 9 of the top 10 high tech companies
• 14 of the 25 largest U.S. healthcare
  delivery networks
• 19 of the 20 largest U.S. cities
• 18 of the top 20 automotive suppliers
• 14 of the top 20 industrial
  distributors
• 13 of the top 20 global retailers
• 4 of the top 5 brewers
• 17 of the top 20 global banks
• 9 of the 10 largest global hotel
  brands
• 7 of the top 10 global luxury brands

• The US ranks the highest
  globally in creating an enabling environment supportive of longevity and
  healthy ageing with an overall score of 76.1 out of a possible 100
• Canada (3rd) and Brazil (11th) score
  above the global average of 50.4, while Argentina (13th) and Mexico (14th) have
  further room to improve their response
• Countries with the oldest
  populations are better positioned to address the needs of older people across
  the globe
• Although high-income countries
  are more prepared, upper middle-income countries such as Brazil are making clear
  progress
• Older people's views are not
  well represented in policy consultation
• Availability of health and
  social care remains a concern with supply of services increasingly failing to
  keep up with demand

HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - 22 July 2020 - More
people are living into old age than ever before. In 2018 The World Health
Organization predicted that by 2020 there would be more people aged over 60
years than there are children under 5 years. This prediction is on track to be
correct,and numbers in the older cohort continue to rise. This has
created challenges in providing health and social services for burgeoning older
populations and governments across the globe have been slow to react.
Priorities are now shifting from solely addressing the health of older people,
to how societies can maximise this opportunity and provide effective, inclusive
environments in which to age.

This report from The Economist Intelligence Unit describes
findings from the "Scaling Healthy ageing, Inclusive
environments and Financial security Today" (SHIFT) Index", a benchmarking analysis around ageing
societies, supported by Amgen. The SHIFT
Index benchmarks against a set of national-level leading practices in
creating an enabling environment supportive of longevity and healthy ageing for
societies in the 19 countries comprising the Group of Twenty (G20). The SHIFT Index captures the multifactorial
variables that impact ageing across three domains: adaptive health and social
care systems; accessible economic opportunity; and inclusive social structures
and institutions.

The research found that no G20 country is
fully prepared to support healthy, financially secure, socially-connected older
people. The US, Australia, Canada and South Korea ranked highest in our index
with scores in the 70s out of 100 (see table below). Broadly, those countries
with a higher proportion of people aged over 50--including the three highest ranking countries plus South Korea,
Germany, France and Japan--are implementing more
leading practices to enable inclusive environments. Wealthy countries may find
it easier to respond, but wealth is not a prerequisite for providing supportive
environments. The best scoring health systems tend to be high-income countries,
but upper-middle income Brazil, and lower-middle income Indonesia are also
making strides to improve health systems.

As a whole, the G20 countries perform best
in providing adaptive healthcare systems and worst in providing inclusive
social structures and institutions, indicating that countries still have work
to do to shift the focus towards building more welcoming societies for older
adults as they age. Countries also have room to improve in providing more
accessible economic opportunities to older workers.

Despite clear progress made, governments
have more work to do to make sure their health systems are adaptive to the
needs of older adults as they age, while also fostering inclusion and ensuring
individual economic security. A key
barrier to addressing this is lack of robust age-disaggregated data collection
by governments in areas such as dedicated health professionals, the extent of
isolation and loneliness as well as mental health.

The SHIFT
Index reveals several priority areas that may form the basis of policy
responses to develop more accessible and inclusive societies for older people:

1. Collect better data: Countries
   should collect and publish detailed, age-disaggregated health and economic data
   annually so policymakers can develop evidence-based programs and policies.

2. Address poverty among older
   people: Some older adults choose to work longer, others must. Governments can
   ensure the financial health and security of older adults by creating more
   inclusive work environments. This starts with removing barriers to working
   longer that exist in some markets.

3. Prevent a care crisis among the
   elderly: The provision of care for older adults--both formal and informal--and
   the accessibility of, or access to, long-term care is ill-defined and is an
   area for further research.

4. Enable older people's voices to
   be heard: The views and needs of older people are not routinely collected and
   they are not represented well in policy consultation.

5. Address age-related
   discrimination: Few countries categorise age-discrimination as a crime outside
   of employment practices. Fighting discrimination as well as physical, emotional
   and financial abuse of older adults, will encourage greater social cohesion
   across generations.

6. Support training and upskilling
   of older people: Supporting older people with the skills and help needed to
   navigate increasingly complex and digitised health and social care systems
   should be an area of focus.

Jesse Quigley Jones, managing editor at The
Economist Intelligence Unit and editor of the report, said, "The challenges
that ageing populations present for economies and health systems have long-been
understood, yet provision of inclusive, supportive environments for older
people has not been a high-profile policy priority. Although wealth has emerged
as a theme in the Index as a contributing factor towards healthy ageing
indicators, it is not necessarily a prerequisite for providing supportive
environments. Lower-income nations can take low-cost measures that improve
ageing societies, such as enacting inclusive work environment policies and
fostering inclusive and enabling social environments.

With older people particularly vulnerable
to the health and societal impact of the covid-19 pandemic, it is more
important than ever for older people to lead healthy, independent lives for as
long as possible and avoid the need for institutional care. While our data were
collected pre-pandemic, the priorities identified in the report are now thrown
into sharper light and may serve as a wakeup call for governments across the
globe for providing adaptable, accessible and inclusive environments in which
populations can age."

For
the whitepaper, infographic and index workbook, please visit
ageingshift.economist.com

About the research

Shifting demographics: a global study on
inclusive ageing is a report by The Economist
Intelligence Unit, supported by Amgen. It considers policy efforts to address
active and inclusive ageing in 19 countries based on a first-of-its-kind index
that benchmarks each country's performance across accessible and affordable
healthcare, social connectivity among older adults, and finance security practices
and policies.

The "Scaling Healthy ageing, Inclusive
environments and Financial security Today" (SHIFT) Index and the related
research programme whose findings form the basis for this report were informed
by extensive research and guided by an international panel of experts from
across academia, government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and
international financial institutions.

The following 19 countries (comprising
the G20 and excluding the EU) are included in this analysis: Argentina, Australia,
Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK and the US.
These were selected to broadly represent the world: covering roughly 65% of the
population and 75% of global GDP.

About The Economist Intelligence Unit

The Economist
Intelligence Unit is the world leader in global business intelligence. It is
the business-to-business arm of The Economist Group, which publishes The
Economist newspaper. The Economist Intelligence Unit helps executives make
better decisions by providing timely, reliable and impartial analysis on
worldwide market trends and business strategies.

More information
can be found at www.eiu.com or www.twitter.com/theeiu

About Amgen

Amgen focuses on
areas of high unmet medical need, and leverages its expertise to strive for
solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives.
A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world's
leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients
around the world, and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway
potential.

For more
information, visit www.amgen.com or www.twitter.com/amgen.