Category: Business

SHANGHAI/TORONTO/AMSTERDAM/HONG KONG - Media OutReach - July 6, 2020 - ESR Cayman Limited ("ESR"; SEHK Stock Code: 1821), Manulife and PGGM today announced that a new core joint venture ("Core JV") between ESR and Manulife has completed the acquisition of four institutional-grade logistics properties from Redwood China Logistics Fund ("RCLF") for approximately RMB1.7 billion (equivalent to approximately US$243 million).

RCLF is a limited partnership development joint venture between ESR and PGGM. PGGM is one of the Netherland's largest pension fund service providers and is an existing and long-standing capital partner of ESR.

The acquisition involves a portfolio of four grade 'A' core logistics assets with over two million square feet of net rentable area. Located in Guangzhou, Kunshan, Wuxi and Dongguan, each building is strategically positioned with convenient access to key arterial expressways and local airports. As of June 30, 2020, the buildings are all fully leased to a diverse mix of high quality tenants.

This transaction marks Manulife's first standalone industrial investment in China, demonstrating its commitment to growing its real estate exposure in the Asia Pacific Region. The acquisition brings Manulife's real estate portfolio in the region to 4.9 million square feet.

"We are thrilled to partner with ESR on our latest real estate investment in China. Industrial properties continue to be a favorable asset type to us globally given its defensive nature and strong growth potential," said Kenny Lam, Senior Managing Director, Head of Asia Real Estate Investments, Manulife. "The acquisition fits well with our long-term investment strategy for the Asia Pacific market."

"The disposal of assets is in line with our strategy to realize profits on some of our completed and stabilized China development assets as we continue to build a strong track record in our China investments. PGGM has strong conviction in the continued promising growth of the logistics property sector both in China and globally. Urbanization, coupled with a growing middle class, thriving e-commerce industry and buoyant consumption, are all positive drivers fuelling investments in logistics assets in China," said Thijs Schoenaker, Director, Private Real Estate Asia Pacific of PGGM.

Jeffrey Shen, ESR Co-founder and Co-CEO, and Charles de Portes, ESR Co-founder and President, said in a joint statement, "We are excited about the new partnership with Manulife and the potential to grow this strategic relationship, not only in China but across other pan-Asian markets in which ESR operates. These properties represent some of the highest quality locations and asset specifications in ESR's stabilized portfolio in China, and are a reflection of our very successful and ongoing partnership with PGGM."

A market leader in modern logistics real estate in China and the Asia Pacific region, ESR has built a strong portfolio and development pipeline of logistics properties across China. In China, the total GFA of the portfolio assets held on the group's balance sheet and in the funds and investment vehicles it manages comprised 6.9 million square meters, and the total AUM reached over US$4.8 billion, as of December 31, 2019.

 
 

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial
services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better.
With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we operate as Manulife across
our offices in Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the
United States. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset
management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of
2019, we had more than 35,000 employees, over 98,000 agents, and thousands of
distribution partners, serving almost 30 million customers. As of December 31,
2019, we had $1.2 trillion (US$0.9 trillion) in assets under management and
administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $29.7 billion in payments
to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States
where we have served customers for more than 100 years. We trade as 'MFC' on
the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in
Hong Kong.

About Manulife Investment Management's Real Estate Platform

Manulife Investment
Management's comprehensive private markets platform includes Real Estate,
Private Equity and Credit, Infrastructure, Timber and Agriculture. Through its
Real Estate group, Manulife Investment Management develops and manages
commercial real estate for thousands of customers around the globe. Its
portfolio includes millions of square feet of office, industrial, retail and
multifamily space strategically located in major metropolitan markets. The Real
Estate group leverages its vertically integrated platform to serve
its customers as well as manage the space requirements and corporate-use
facilities for Manulife's global operations.

 

As at March 31, 2020, the Real
Estate portfolio totaled over 62 million square feet. Additional information
can be found at www.manuliferealestate.com .

About ESR

ESR is the largest APAC focused logistics real estate platform by gross floor area (GFA) and by value of the assets owned directly and by the funds and investment vehicles it manages. Co-founded by its senior management team and Warburg Pincus, ESR and the funds and investment vehicles it manages are backed by some of the world's preeminent investors including APG, SK Holdings, JD.com, CPP Investments, OMERS, PGGM, Ping An and Allianz Real Estate. The ESR platform spans across the People's Republic of China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia and India. As of 31 December 2019, the fair value of the properties directly held by ESR and the assets under management with respect to the funds and investment vehicles managed by ESR recorded approximately US$22.1 billion, and GFA of properties completed and under development as well as GFA to be built on land held for future development comprised over 17.2 million sqm in total. ESR has been listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited since 1 November 2019. For more information on ESR, please visit www.esr.com.

About PGGM

PGGM is a cooperative Dutch pension fund service provider. Institutional
clients are offered: asset management, pension fund management, policy advice
and management support. On December 31, 2019 PGGM had EUR 252 billion in assets
under management and was administrating pensions of 4.4 million participants.
Around 750,000 workers in the Dutch healthcare are connected to PGGM&CO,
our members organization. Either alone or together with strategic partners,
PGGM develops future solutions by linking together pension, care, housing and
work.

www.pggm.nl

'Train to Busan' sequel 'PENINSULA' is ready to create global phenomenon!

 

• 'Gang Dongwon', 'Lee Junghyun', and
  Director 'Yeon Sangho' lead conversations
• 'PENINSULA'
  is the 1st case of K-movie to join global live streaming on #TwitterBlueroom
• Twitter
  also launched #PENINSULA special emojis to celebrate the confirmation of its
  release in 185 countries and its invitation to the Cannes International Film
  Festival

 

▲Photo
Description: Announcement image for 'PENINSULA' #TwitterBlueroom LIVE Q&A 

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - Media OutReach - 6 July 2020 - Twitter invites the leading
actors of the movie <PENINSULA>, Gang Dongwon and  Lee Junghyun, and the director, Yeon Sangho,
to  #TwitterBlueroom LIVE Q&A session
to communicate with global fans on July 9, ahead of its premiere.

"#TwitterBlueroom LIVE" is an
original program of Twitter that invites celebrities from various fields such
as K-POP, Entertainment, politics, society, and culture to communicate in
real-time with Twitter users around the world globally.

The movie <PENINSULA> is
an action blockbuster film depicting the desperate fight by people left behind
in the land devastated by a zombie virus for the 4 years after the movie
<Train to Busan>.  <Train to
Busan> directed by Yeon Sangho, reached over 10 million viewers in Korea and
got global attention. Gang Dongwon, Lee Junghyun, Kwon Haehyo, Kim Minjae, Koo
Kyohawn, Kim Doyoon, Lee Re, Lee Yewon and other major actors ​​are starring in
<PENINSULA>, setting expectations high for this sequel.

Watch the hour-long live
stream of #TwitterBlueroom on July 9 at 8 pm KST at the Twitter Korea official
account (@TwitterKorea)
and Twitter official account of Next Entertainment World (@movie_n_NEW),
the film investment and distribution company for <PENINSULA>.
Any twitter users will be able to join #TwitterBlueroom through Tweets using
the hashtag '#Ask_PENINSULA
or live streaming chat. Gang Dongwon, Lee Junghyun, and Director Yeon Sangho
will introduce the movie and characters, as well as pick and answer the
questions from fans on Twitter. English subtitles will be provided to help global movie fans
communicate.

Twitter also launched
#PENINSULA special emojis to celebrate the confirmation of its release in 185
countries and its invitation to the Cannes International Film Festival. Special emoji will appear
on all Tweets using the official hashtags #Ask_PENINSULA, #부산행그후4년, #반도, #TrainToBusanSequel, #PENINSULA. The story behind the
special emoji will also be revealed on #TwitterBlueroom.

YeonJeong Kim, Head of Global
K-POP & K-Contents Partnership at Twitter said "<PENINSULA> is a
masterpiece that has raised expectations for the globalization of Korean movies
(K-Movie). #TwitterBlueroom LIVE program has contributed to global communication
for K-POP artists such as BLACKPINK, EXO, SuperM, and GOT7 (#JACKmeetsGOT7).
Through the global live streaming on #TwitterBlueroom, fans from around the
world who are thirsty for the movie will share a new experience in real-time
conversation directly with the director and actors of <PENINSULA.>"

<PENINSULA> previously drove a survival
challenge, giving away six original items related to the movie, and a global
Fan-art challenge in 41 countries across the world as fan promotions. Through
this #TwitterBlueroom LIVE session, a post-review about the selected fan-art
will also be shared.

<PENINSULA> will be
released in Korea, Taiwan and HongKong on July 15, and Malaysia on June 16.
It's officially invited to the Cannes International Film Festival and is
regarded as one of the most anticipated films in the second half of this year.
In particular, with the global economy slowing down with COVID-19, it has
achieved pre-sales in 185 countries around the world, including countries in
Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, Middle East and Scandinavia, as
well as across Asia. 

HONG KONG, CHINA -
Media OutReach
- 3 July 2020 - CIFI
Holdings (Group) Co. Ltd. ("CIFI" or the "Group", HKEx
stock code: 884) is pleased to announce that in June 2020, the Group achieved
the contracted sales of RMB25.13 billion, representing a YoY increase of
approximately 12% (compared to June 2019). Contracted GFA amounted to
approximately 1,555,600 sq.m.. Contracted ASP was approximately RMB16,200/sq.m.
in June 2020.

For the
first half of 2020, the Group achieved contracted sales of RMB80.73 billion.
Contracted GFA amounted to approximately 4,895,900 sq.m.. Contracted ASP was
approximately RMB16,500/sq.m. from January to June 2020.

For the
first half of 2020, the Group's contracted sales distribution are as follow:

By City	RMB (Billion)	Percentage of Total Sales
Hangzhou	8.85	11.0%
Wenzhou	5.38	6.7%
Beijing	4.71	5.8%
Hefei	4.26	5.3%
Tianjin	4.10	5.1%
Suzhou	4.10	5.1%
Chongqing	3.73	4.6%
Ji'nan	3.47	4.3%
Changsha	2.71	3.4%
Nanjing	2.58	3.2%
Shenzhen	2.38	2.9%
Wuxi	2.24	2.8%
Chengdu	2.21	2.7%
Qingdao	2.18	2.7%
Changzhou	2.09	2.6%
Ningbo	2.05	2.5%
Foshan	1.92	2.4%
Shanghai	1.74	2.2%
Shenyang	1.65	2.0%
Jiaxing	1.52	1.9%
Fuzhou	1.44	1.8%
Wuhan	1.34	1.7%
Linyi	1.23	1.5%
Taiyuan	1.05	1.3%
Yantai	0.95	1.2%
Dongguan	0.93	1.2%
Yinchuan	0.78	1.0%
Taizhou	0.76	0.9%
Jinhua	0.70	0.9%
Kunming	0.67	0.8%
Zhengzhou	0.57	0.7%
Guangzhou	0.53	0.7%
Xuzhou	0.45	0.6%
Huizhou	0.42	0.5%
Nanning	0.41	0.5%
Zhoushan	0.38	0.5%
Jiangmen	0.37	0.5%
Jining	0.37	0.5%
Zibo	0.36	0.5%
Others	3.14	3.9%

By Region	RMB (Billion)	Percentage of Total Sales
Yangtze River Delta	38.08	47.2%
Pan-Bohai Rim	20.77	25.7%
Central Western Region	12.54	15.5%
South Region	9.34	11.6%

Land Acquisition

In June
2020, the Group completed the following land acquisitions:

City	Project	Group's  Equity Interest	Intended Primary Use	Site Area (sq.m.)	Total Planned GFA  (Excluding Carpark) (sq.m.)	Group's Attributable Consideration (RMB)	Average Land Cost (Excluding Carpark)  (RMB/ sq.m.)
Guangzhou	Nansha District, Hengli Town,   Hengli Avenue Project	100%	Residential/ Commercial	53,600	323,800	3,804,800,000	11,750
Qingdao	Huangdao District, Chang'an Road Project	100%	Residential	83,400	158,500	366,840,000	2,314
Xiamen	Huli District, Gaolin Project	100%	Residential	20,200	58,000	2,935,000,000	50,603
Linyi	Luozhuang District, Fenglin New Town Project	80%	Residential	137,100	287,800	238,560,000	1,036

Diversified Land Acquisition Channels

In June
2020, the Group successfully completed the acquisition of Chang'an Road Project
in Huangdao District, Qingdao City and Fenglin New Town Project in Luozhuang
District, Linyi City. They are the eighth and ninth property projects acquired
through diversified land acquisition channels.

Chang'an
Road Project in Huangdao District, Qingdao City is located in the old town of
the West Coast New District, which is one of the state-level new district
earmarked for development. It enjoys convenient transportation as it will be
near the planned metro station on line 6. The project will consist of a commercial
complex and a shopping street modeled on ancient architecture. It will be well
served by comprehensive amenities and facilities in its surrounding area. The
project has locked in GFA of 2 million sq.m. since August 2017, with an
expected saleable value of more than RMB30 billion. The first batch of
development lands were auctioned in June 2020 with the ratio of estimated
contracted sales to land cost at 4.0 times. The estimated saleable resources of
the first batch of development lands is RMB1.5 billion.

Company
News

On 9 June, Central
Wealth Securities initiates coverage on CIFI in a research report, titled
"Steady growth with comprehensive development of high quality and efficiency".
It is the 40th major securities house in both onshore and offshore market that
cover CIFI. In its research report, Central Wealth Securities highly values
CIFI's right timing for land acquisitions in property investment cycle and its
outstanding capabilities to steadily increase its equity stakes in property
projects. The securities brokerage firm is also impressed with CIFI's abilities
to acquire lands through diversified channels, control the land costs, build up
a portfolio of quality lands and the good judgment regarding investment. All
these strengths of CIFI have been driving the growth in both the scale of
business and financial results. At the same time, the Group's sound financial
management ensures its healthy development while its organizational reform is
conducive to the efficient expansion of its business. Central Wealth Securities
gives a BUY rating and target price of HK$7.50 on CIFI in its initial coverage
of the Company.

On 15 June, CIFI
Holdings is pleased to announce that under the general mandate, the Group
completed an issue of 185 million new shares to a well-known international
long-term fund at the placing price of HK$6.28 per share, representing only
1.26% discount to the closing price of previous trading day and a premium of
6.21% over the average price of previous ten trading days. The result reflects
the strong confidence of this international long-term fund in CIFI and its
future business outlook.  The net
proceeds are approximately HK$1,153 million, which the Group intends to use the
proceeds for project development and as working capital and general corporate
purposes.

• 92% admit to not achieving optimal
  productivity due to a lack of data skills
• 89% say that they face challenges at work as a
  result of not understanding data
• 87% view
  their lack of data competencies as a roadblock to their career development

SINGAPORE
- Media OutReach - 3
July 2020 - As the Covid-19 economy spurs businesses to increase
their reliance of data analytics and business intelligence, employees face the
pressure of keeping pace with the evolving workplace demands. A large
majority of employees (92%) say that they
could be able to do their job better if they were more data literate, while to
a similar measure, 89% say they experience challenges at work due to the lack
of data-related skillsets. These were some of the key findings revealed in the recently launched NTUC LearningHub Data Skills Report,
which features insights from industry leaders such as global tech giant
IBM, Japanese tech conglomerate Softbank and leading analytics software company
Qlik.

The report, entitled 'A
View From the Ground: Closing the Data Skills Gap in the Covid-19 Era and
Beyond' uncovers both employers' and employees' views on the degree of reliance
on data and business intelligence in Singapore's business landscape, the
general perception about the data-related competencies of the nation's
workforce, hiring trends and preferences of businesses here, and
recommendations for closing skills gaps in order for businesses and workers to
remain competitive.

Among
other challenges, employees have voiced that not being competent in data results
in their inability to measure work
outcomes (59%), becoming outdated on current and future business
practices (56%) or
inability to do their jobs well (55%). In addition, while employees voted Data Analysis
(voted by 63%), Data Interpretation for Decision Making in Business (voted by
50%), and Data Protection and Risk Management (voted by 48%) as the most
necessary data skills for their businesses, these skills were perceived as those
in which they lack, as voted by 37%, 30% and 27% of employees, respectively.

When
asked about how the lack of data skills impacted their careers, 87% of employees
raised concerns such
as a falling behind their colleagues in work performance (68%), becoming less
useful to their companies (64%), and having lesser chance of a job promotion (57%).

Commenting on the
findings, NTUC LearningHub's CEO Kwek Kok Kwong says, "In this new decade, data
literacy will evolve as a basic literacy skill for Worker 4.0 -- our future
workers. Reading the report, more workers will be anxious about their data capabilities,
but we are here to assure you that it is a learnable skill if you are willing
to invest time and effort. It is not reserved for an elite few."

"To make data
literacy more accessible to all, we have been working with esteemed industry
players such as Qlik, Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, and many more. Like learning
all new things, it can be daunting in the beginning but taking the first step
forward is a success in itself. If you are new to data and the many business
benefits it brings, take this first step by reading the report, exploring the
options and make the first commitment to learn this emerging core skill of the
decade."

To download the full
NTUC LearningHub Data Skills Report 2020, visit: www.ntuclearninghub.com/data-skills-2020/

About NTUC LearningHub

NTUC LearningHub was corporatised in 2004 with the vision of
transforming the lifelong employability of working people. We work with both
corporate and individual clients to provide learning solutions in areas such as
Infocomm Technology, Healthcare, Employability & Literacy, Business Excellence,
Workplace Safety & Health, Security, Human Resources and Foreign Worker
Training.

To date, NTUC LearningHub has helped over 21,000 organisations and
achieved over 2.5 million training places across more than 500 courses with a
pool of over 400 certified trainers. As a Total Learning Solutions provider to
organisations, we also forge partnerships and provide a wide range of relevant
end-to-end training solutions and work constantly to improve our training
quality and delivery. 

For more information, visit www.ntuclearninghub.com.

NEW
YORK, USA - EQS Newswire -
3 July 2020 - Focus Financial Partners Inc. (NASDAQ: FOCS) ("Focus"),
a leading partnership of fiduciary wealth management firms, announced today
that five advisors with Melbourne-based Escala Partners Limited ("Escala"), a
Focus partner firm, were named to Australia's Top 100 Financial Advisers List
2020. The list is based on an extensive, national survey conducted by Barron's
and The Australian's business magazine The Deal, and is a guide
to the country's leading wealth management advisors.

 

Escala
was established with the collective ambition to become the new standard of
personalized wealth management in Australia. The firm quickly emerged as a leading
fiduciary wealth advisor to individuals, families, foundations and institutional investors across
Australia, providing them
with customized investment solutions through a collaborative, team-based
approach. Escala's client
relationships are sustained over time through their dedication to highly personalized
service and an ongoing commitment to innovation in defining the standards for excellence
in the Australian wealth management industry.

 

Mason
Allamby, Scott Carmichael, Steve Collins, Amanda Fong and Ben James are
Partners and members of the original group of Escala founders who started the
firm in 2013. They each have deep expertise in multiple areas of wealth
management, including financial planning, asset allocation, tax strategy and,
in Ms. Fong's case, the not-for-profit space.

 

"We are honored
to have such an impressive group of our advisors named to the Top 100 Financial
Advisors list," said Pep Perry, CEO of Escala. "They embody the collaborative
approach and dedication to client service that are the foundation of Escala and
make our firm uniquely successful."

 

"We are thrilled for Escala on receiving
this important recognition," said Rajini Kodialam, Co-Founder and Chief
Operating Officer of Focus. "Their team of talented advisors are leaders
in their field and have been at the forefront of the evolution of the
Australian wealth management industry. Their passion for excellence is at the
core of everything that they do for their clients and positions them for strong
growth in the years ahead."

About Focus Financial Partners Inc.

Focus Financial Partners Inc. is a leading
partnership of fiduciary wealth management firms. Focus provides access to best
practices, resources, and continuity planning for its partner firms who serve
individuals, families, employers and institutions with comprehensive wealth
management services. Focus partner firms maintain their operational autonomy,
while they benefit from the synergies, scale, economics and best practices
offered by Focus to achieve their business objectives. For more information
about Focus, please visit www.focusfinancialpartners.com.

About Escala Partners Limited

Founded
in 2013, Escala provides objective advice and investment management solutions
to high net worth individuals, families, foundations and institutional
investors. Escala serves its clients through a collaborative, team-based
approach focused on the client experience, a relationship built on trust and
sustained over time by performance in line with evolving investment objectives.
For more information about Escala, please visit https://escalapartners.com.au. 

About The Australia’s Top 100 Financial Advisers List 2020 Rankings

Barron's and The Australian's business
magazine The Deal rank investment advisers based on client
assets managed by the adviser, fees and revenue generated by their business,
and the quality of the adviser's business (as measured by factors including the
adviser's experience, credentials, client-service resources, and charitable and
philanthropic work).

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This
release contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect Focus' current
views with respect to certain current and future events. These forward-looking
statements are and will be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors
relating to Focus' operations and business environment, including, without
limitation, uncertainty surrounding the current COVID-19 pandemic, which
may cause future events to be materially different from these forward-looking
statements or anything implied therein. Any forward-looking statements in this
release are based upon information available to Focus on the date of this
release. Focus does not undertake to publicly update or revise its
forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear
that any statements expressed or implied therein will not be realized.
Additional information on risk factors that could affect Focus may be found in
Focus' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Any
services described in this release are not intended for United States persons.

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 3 July 2020 - Rhonda Wong, CEO and Co-founder of Ohmyhome, has been recognised as a Women of the Future Award SEA 2020 winner for her one-stop property platform, Ohmyhome. Live-streamed on 25th June 2020, the award recognised remarkable female leaders in South-East Asia who drive positive change with courage, hard work and determination.

Rhonda is one of ten female leaders felicitated at the award ceremony, where the successes of female leaders in other categories such as Business, Arts & Culture, Community Spirit & Public Service were celebrated too.

Out of 48 candidates across the region vying for the Property, Infrastructure and Construction award, Rhonda emerged as the winner for her remarkable efforts in shaping the world we live in through her leadership at Ohmyhome. The judges commented that "Rhonda had a clear vision of what she'd like to achieve, and a well laid out structured plan to get there. She wants to leverage her role and company and achieve greater good across SEA."

Founded in 2016 to simplify the process of selling, buying and renting properties, Ohmyhome has facilitated more than 5,300 property transactions worth over S$1.6 billion.

Pinky Lilani CBE DL, founder of the Women of the Future (WOF) programme says: "In these unprecedented times, we've had to adapt and for the first time virtually announce the winners, however the vision and motivation of the awards remains the same. When we spotlight success, share our own stories and collaborate across professions and borders, we create a powerful community and support system for these women. I have been so very impressed by our candidates' achievement and their deep desire to make the world a better place. Through these awards, we hope to continue inspiring women to broaden the female talent pool and support progress in the region."

Commenting on the award, Rhonda said, "I am very honoured to be recognised alongside all the inspirational and visionary women at the Women of The Future Awards. It inspires me to carry on shaping the Proptech industry to create a better future for all, especially for the most important asset in their lives - their homes and property investments."

Please refer to the Dropbox link for the media alert: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ywo7321refyqr8m/AAC37HNnDV0dsQZRR-2E0iuaa?dl=0

• 3-year
  financing programme for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on all Cisco
  products including software, hardware and services
• 0%
  interest with no upfront costs and fixed monthly payments for purchases from
  USD20,000 to USD300,000
• Now
  available to SMEs in Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and
  Vietnam 

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach
- 3 July 2020 - Cisco has launched a new financing programme to help SMEs purchase
its products at 0% interest and with no upfront costs, at a fixed 3-year
monthly payment term. SMEs will be able to purchase hardware, software
solutions as well as services under the programme. 

 

The launch of the programme comes as the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns
across the region to control its spread, have disrupted supply chains and
decreased business activities. The nature of SMEs means that they likely have a
smaller pool of capital reserves. This coupled declining revenues has put a
strain on cash flows of many SMEs, especially in sectors such as retail,
construction, hospitality, and food and beverage -- most of which have relatively
high supply costs.

 

SMEs are critical to Singapore's trade and commercial landscape. They employ
65% of Singapore's workforce and contribute nearly 50% of Singapore's economic output. The Singapore government has responded swiftly with assisted loan
schemes offering S$4.5 billion to businesses, a large chunk of which has gone
to SMEs.

 

As the government starts to ease the Circuit Breaker restrictions and
reopen the economy, SMEs are looking to adopt technology and digitize their
business to resume operations safely, open new growth opportunities and
contribute to the overall economic recovery post COVID-19. The new programme
from Cisco is aimed at providing financial support to SMEs that seek to equip
themselves with the necessary tools and solutions to accelerate their business
in the new digital era.

 

"The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a huge impact on SMEs across the
country. However, the situation has also brought about a rapid shift in mindset
of SMEs as they are now more receptive to the idea of integrating technology in
various aspects of their business and accelerate their digital transformation
journey not just as a means of survival in the current environment but also for
driving future growth. The financing programme will make it easier for local SMEs
to start and continue their digital journeys. The world is going through an
uncertain economic period and at Cisco, we are committed to doing our part to
help lighten the burden for Singapore's SMEs," said Andy Lee, Managing
Director, for Cisco Singapore.

 

"Ensuring that SMEs are able to leverage technology to continue to
sustain and grow their business is critical for the overall economy, not least
because the sector accounts for more than two-thirds of all jobs in Singapore.
If businesses in the sector grow, they will continue to protect and even create
jobs and add to Singapore's economic recovery post COVID-19," he added.

 

The 0%
financing programme will provide SMEs access to necessary technological
enablers from Cisco that include software, hardware and services without
breaking their budget. SME's will enjoy a 3-year, full payout lease plan where
they pay equal 36-month payments on their Cisco purchases that costs between
USD20,000 to USD300,000. and will fully own the equipment at the end of
contract period.

 

"Cisco's financing program offers built-in capabilities to ensure
successful cash flow management for SMEs. Businesses can secure the technology
they need to run their business with regular, predictable payments and 0% interest
rate. They can also eliminate upfront costs, preserving their financial
resources for other business priorities," said Raz Mohamad, Director Small
Business and Commercial for ASEAN at Cisco.

 

"SMEs are the backbone of ASEAN economies,
accounting for over 85% of total business establishments and making up the main
contributions to private sector employment in the region. However, they are
currently facing the biggest challenges to their operations. Technology can
help solve some of their key challenges and revitalize their operations. It is
more important than ever for partners like Cisco to provide the much-needed
assistance, not just through our solutions and expertise but also through
programmes that can help alleviate financial concerns," he added. 

 

The new
financing option is now available for any SME's through Cisco Capital, the
vendor financing business within Cisco that delivers customer-centric,
partner-enabled payment options for Cisco-led solutions. For more information
on the programme, visit www.cisco.com/c/en_my/buy/payment-solutions/solutions/small-business

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ:
CSCO) is the worldwide leader in technology that powers the Internet. Cisco
inspires new possibilities by reimagining your applications, securing your
data, transforming your infrastructure, and empowering your teams for a global
and inclusive future. Discover more on The Network and
follow us on Twitter.

• BLACKPINK communicated with fans
  around the world via #TwitterBlueroom Live Q&A, topping Twitter Trending
  globally
• BLACKPINK
  introduced self-drawn special emoji on #TwitterBlueroom Live
• BLACKPINK
  will present self-made album gifts to lucky fans who posted questions during
  #TwitterBlueroom
• Fans posted a total of 18.2 million Tweets over just 6 days following the
  comeback and Twitter official account opening 

▲ Image Description: BLACKPINK's image at #TwitterBlueroom
Live Q&A

LIVE Q&A Tweet URL: https://twitter.com/BLACKPINK/status/1277799491609849858

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - Media
OutReach - 3 July 2020 - #TwitterBlueroom Live Q&A
session, conducted by Twitter Korea on 30 June, with Kpop girl group BLACKPINK
(@BLACKPINK), has reached a
cumulative 2.2 million viewers and reached #1
on Twitter's worldwide trends during the livestream.

BLACKPINK, which recently released a new album 'How
You Like That', launched its official Twitter account, @BLACKPINK, on 26 June
and posted its first Tweet, generating 711,000 Likes and  276,000 Retweets.

https://twitter.com/BLACKPINK/status/1276441094436253698

#TwitterBlueroom Live Q&A session allowed fans and
BLACKPINK members to communicate. The day of the session, BLACKPINK sent out a
Voice Tweet, "See You Soon @BLACKPINK"
to amplify fans' expectations. During the #TwitterBlueroom live session,
BLACKPINK members talked about their new songs and behind-the-scenes details of
music videos, as well as answering questions by fans on Twitter. BLACKPINK also
drew fans' attention to the introduction of special emojis to celebrate
BLACKPINK's comeback and explained how to activate them. These emojis, created
with pictures drawn by BLACKPINK, are automatically activated when fans use the
hashtags for Korean or English names of each member of BLACKPINK : #JENNIE, #제니, #JISOO, #지수, #LISA, #리사, #ROSÉ
#로제.

As part of the #TwitterBlueroom Live session,
BLACKPINK made album covers to give as gifts to Blinks, BLACKPINK fans.
BLACKPINK members decorated album covers by adding their own personality using
various stickers. These albums will be awarded by drawing, to fans who posted
questions through Twitter.

A complete recording of the #TwitterBlueroom Live
Q&A with BLACKPINK can be seen on the BLACKPINK Twitter account, including
BLACKPINK's Q&A session wherein the group members answered fan questions.

#TwitterBlueroom 360 videos featuring '#JENNIE x
#LISA' and '#JISOO x #ROSÉ' were posted after the live session as special
content and generated over 6M views. On the day of #TwitterBlueroom Live session,
BLACKPINK also tried Twitter's new 'Fleets' feature. 'Fleets' is a Twitter
pilot feature where the content automatically disappears 24 hours after
publication. Likes, Retweets, and the number of comments are not visible on the
Fleet, making it the perfect place to share thoughts. BLACKPINK's Fleets
highlighted the hashtags #BLACKPINK, #TwitterBlueroom LIVE, the official account name @BLACKPINK, and the #TwitterBlueroom
Live streaming.

Kim YeonJeong, Head of Twitter Global Kpop &
K-Contents Partnership said, "Kpop fans from around the world can participate
in real-time conversations related to Kpop through customized content provided
by Twitter. We will continue to support global Kpop artists such as BLACKPINK
to enable fans to be part of what's happening in the Kpop scene real-time in
various ways and with different content, such as the #TwitterBlueroom Live
session."

BLACKPINK generated a total of 18.2 million Tweets for
6 days from 26 June to 1 July, after announcing things such as a new song
#HowYouLikeThat, a comeback, opening an official Twitter account, launching
emojis, and live streaming of #TwitterBlueroom. They proved that they are the
most popular Kpop girl group. (End)

Hashtags with BLACKPINK
Special Emoji:

• #BLACKPINK #블랙핑크  #HowYouLikeThat #Ask_BLACKPINK
• #JENNIE #제니
• #JISOO #지수
• #LISA #리사
• #ROSÉ #로제

SINGAPORE
- Media OutReach - 2
July 2020 - In times of uncertainty, businesses must collaborate with social
enterprises to support communities and tackle alarming societal issues. 

Home
appliances manufacturer Ariston wasted no time in joining hands with 2
Singapore-based social enterprises. 

Earlier
this year, they collaborated with North East Heart Bakers to organise Heart Bakers Season 5 as well as Super
Farmers to promote ideas of self-care with technology-backed home solutions and
online resources.

The Road to Collaboration 

Strict
health measures amidst the age of digitisation have persuaded most to stay at
home and turn to the internet for self-entertainment. However, the lack of
regular social interaction has brought significant challenges to individual
morale and community identity. 

For
Ariston, empowering individuals at home and creating a community identity
extended far beyond providing them with technology-backed home solutions.
Instead, it involves helping individuals in similar circumstances overcome
various everyday challenges with technology and resources as well as
facilitating a community based on shared experiences and progress. 

Giving Home-based Businesses & Homemakers
an Edge 

 

Earlier
this year, Ariston partnered with North East Heart Bakers - a local initiative
by the North East Community Development Council (CDC) that gives stay-at-home
mothers from low-income families the opportunity to start their own
business. 

The global
manufacturer organized a hands-on cookie baking 
tutorial from Celebrity Chef Siti Matsura for the home bakers and were
treated to a crash course about using the ovens to get the most succulent baked
goods.

All participants
also had the opportunity for a hands-on experience with the Ariston electric ovens. These
ovens are equipped with Multiflow technology that cooks all ingredients evenly,
a unique Cook3 function that allows 3 dishes to be cooked all at once as well
as 28 unique pre-set recipes for a family meal.

The ovens
also incorporate an integrated superior cleaning performance which gives all
users a fuss-free experience even with heavy duty cooking.

To top it
off, Ariston awarded 3 complimentary table top
microwaves to the home bakers who clocked the most number of baking
hours.

The Ariston
team aspires to continue instilling confidence amongst home-based businesses and homemakers with their
technology-backed solutions.

 

In addition
to their smart ovens, they also unveiled a line of anti-allergy laundry solutions backed by
ActiveCare technology which keeps all fabric in shipshape while offering
added benefits such as a steam hygiene function that helps to remove up to
99.9% of bacteria.

These
appliances keep all laundry fresh, bacteria-free and crease-free even after
washing and drying. Home-based business owners can easily load their dirty
laundry and delegate more time to manage inbound orders and grow their home
business. 

Likewise,
homemakers can attend to their families and manage other household chores while
waiting for the laundry to be done.

Boosting Health Awareness with Mindful Eating
at Home

 

Leading a
healthy lifestyle not only involves healthy exercise, but it also incorporates
sticking to a nutritious diet and having educational resources. 

 

In the age
where videos lead the charge for online content consumption, businesses like
Ariston must tap on these channels to promote ideas of healthy living. 

 

To promote
health awareness amongst communities, Ariston also teamed up with health and
wellness social enterprise Super Farmers to broadcast fuss-free ways to prepare
healthy and delicious dishes with Ariston appliances. 

 

The videos
also illustrate key features of the appliances like the Multiple Recipes
functions to persuade more individuals to explore different culinary cultures
in the comfort of their own homes.

 

For
Ariston, healthy eating also means eating fresh foods. They launched the new Active
Dual Fresh Side by Side refrigerator, a technology-backed fridge that comes
with its one-of-a-kind ActiveFresh technology that prolongs the freshness of
all groceries to retain its maximum nutrients. 

 

In
providing communities with ample access to smart solutions and educational
resources, Ariston keeps conversations about wellness and health going. 

 

Collaboration for the Greater Good

 

Even as
global events continue to shape the way individuals work and live at home,
Ariston stands by their mission.

 

"At Ariston, we know there is no great result
without care and passion behind it. Quite simply, our mission for over 100
years has been to make your life at home easier. That's why we help you to care
for what you love most. Thanks to our intelligent technology and innovative
features, our appliances take care of you so you can take care of the things
you love most."

 

Ariston
seeks to help their consumers and employees improve life at home in these times
of uncertainty.

Even as
societies move into the post-pandemic world, Ariston seeks to do its part in
contributing to individual and community empowerment. 

 

By
consistently reminding individuals about the importance of making time for
self-care, Ariston aspires to continue joining forces with other like-minded
social enterprises to energise communities across the globe. 

Media contact -

Zoe Lee -- Product Marketing Manager

Email - zoe_lee@whirlpool.com

New Ceevo product allows European merchants easy access to simplified payments solutions along with the company’s global expertise to sell beyond their borders

 

VALLETTA, MALTA
- Media OutReach - July 02, 2020 -
Ceevo today announces the launch of its
automated-onboarding (AOB) payment gateway solution across Europe, offering
local merchants a fast and simple plug-and-play payments solution. Find out how
we can help them capitalise on growing cross-border ecommerce opportunities at www.ceevo.com.

 

Supported by
the company's international reach and financial and technological expertise,
Ceevo handles all the complexity of international payments including security,
regulations, and a vast range of payment options so merchants can focus on
growing their businesses. 

 

The Payment
Challenges of Cross-border Ecommerce in Eastern Europe

While Eastern
Europe is one of the fastest growing ecommerce markets on the continent,
growing at a steady rate of 10.3% year-on-year, the region's merchants remain
hugely underserved: many international providers are yet to actively target the
region, and domestic players are unable to provide the right solutions and
services to support businesses with international ambitions. 

 

Ceevo's
solutions are tailored to meet the specific needs of merchants looking to
process online payment transactions for their customers in the EU (European
Union) and international markets. While the Ceevo solution is available to all
European merchants, Ceevo believes that Eastern European merchants are
particularly underserved and that its solution will bridge the payments gap for
these merchants who are keen to expand out of their homegrown markets.

 

A recent Ceevo survey
of small online retailers in East Europe revealed that the top two concerns for
small online retailers payments are security (42%) and cash flow
management (21%), while unaccepted payment methods (30%) is cited as the most
frequent problem experienced at checkout.

 

Moreover, 32.5%
of respondents also stated that most of their sales were made cross-channel and
via marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. The top three concerns for these
businesses in cross-border payments are currency and payment processes and
adapting to real-time exchange rates (25%), customer support and service
(24.17%) and reconciling payments from other countries (23%). Respondents also
cited the integration of digital payments and the challenges of keeping up with
rapidly evolving consumer trends, along with complex EU regulations, as
barriers to exploring opportunities for growth outside their home
markets. The Ceevo automated onboarding and payment gateway solution  incorporates the latest technology tools to
address these concerns and provides merchants with a seamless solution to
participate in the digital economy.

 

Philip Meyer, Group CEO of Ceevo said, "Inevitably, many small online retailers are missing out on
the opportunity to sell their goods and services internationally and are
therefore unable to scale their businesses if they are not able to accept
payments from any prospective customers. The reality for small businesses is
that they're worrying about payment technology when they should be focused on
running their businesses - something we felt was very important to address by
providing a user-friendly solution which caters for local languages and rapid
integration." 

 

Ceevo -
Empowering Businesses to Accept Almost Any Type of Payment from Anywhere

Ceevo has
tailored its payments solutions to directly address the challenges faced by
these businesses. It offers fast and automated onboarding without additional
compliance overheads, self-service support that includes public documentation
and a customer support section to help merchants troubleshoot payment issues.
Ceevo also provides intuitive dashboards that enable easier multi-channel
management to have your business operating soonest.

 

Philip Meyer further
commented, "With Ceevo payments we want to empower merchants to sell to all
their potential customers across the EU markets and beyond. We want to be a
champion for small businesses and enable them, through our services, to focus
on the things that matter instead of the confusing world of payments. Our
solutions will make it easier for customers to accept payments from anybody, in
any currency, from anywhere in the world without needing legal or technical
expertise. We look forward to partnering with more types of merchants than ever
before and supporting the next wave of businesses fueling growth in Europe and
the rest of the world."

 

Ceevo is a new
product launched by the Ceevo Group - formerly known as Net1's International
Payments Group, comprising of Transact24 and MasterPayment. The Ceevo Group is
a leading international payment services provider offering payment processing,
credit and debit card acquiring, transaction security and regulatory compliance
services. It is a subsidiary of NASDAQ-listed international financial
technology solutions provider, Net1 UEPS Technologies Inc (NasdaqGS: UEPS, JSE:
NT1). 

About Ceevo

The Ceevo Group specialises in international
payment service solutions that empower businesses to accept almost any type of
payment from anywhere in the world.

 

The Ceevo Group comprises of the following
entities (which all form part of the "Ceevo" brand): Ceevo Financial Services
(Malta) Limited; Ceevo Blockchain Ventures Limited; Transact24 Limited;
Transact24 (UK) Limited; Transact24 LLC; and Masterpayment GmbH and its
subsidiary companies (Summit Payment Services AG and Masterpayment Limited).
Ceevo Financial Services (Malta) Limited (Registration Number: C36102 ) is
authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) and
Transact24 (UK) Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct
Authority (FCA) of the United Kingdom (Register Reference Number: 900538).
Ceevo is backed by the experience and technology of its parent company Net1
UEPS Technologies Inc. (NasdaqGS: UEPS, JSE: NT1). For more information, visit www.ceevo.com