WORKSOME ANNOUNCES MAJOR GLOBAL EXPANSION TO BOLSTER MARKET LEADERSHIP IN CONTRACTOR MANAGEMENT, COMPLIANCE AND PAYMENTS.

In response to increased pressure on enterprises to stay globally compliant when engaging with freelancers and contractors, Worksome is expanding its offering to seven new markets across EMEA, APAC and North America.

NEW YORK, LONDON & COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Oct 28 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Worksome, an External Workforce Management platform helping enterprises compliantly hire and pay contractor workforces globally, today announced a major expansion into seven new markets, including Germany, France, Australia, Singapore, Canada, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates. This move comes after an increase in demand to compliantly source and pay external workforces in new markets, and simplify indirect supply chains that are unnecessarily complex.

In addition to the current solution which offers compliant hiring and payments to freelancers in 150+ countries, the market expansion will provide multilingual in-house support in additional time zones, and local compliance expertise and market knowledge.

Worksome’s customers will benefit from further simplified, consistent processes across the globe when working with external talent, as well as the ability to share their contractor workforce internationally - with one cohesive overview at an executive level.

“Companies need access to highly qualified global talent faster than ever to stay competitive. With this expansion, we are taking big steps to allow our customers to operate a truly global external workforce compliantly,” said Morten Petersen, CEO of Worksome. “We’re excited to expand our in-house support and expertise even further for our clients operating around the globe”.

In July 2022, Worksome reported 3x YoY revenue growth for the third consecutive year. Similar growth is anticipated in their newly expanded markets as they continue to be a key global layer in the external workforce management space, challenging enterprises to look beyond legacy enterprise MSP and VMS contingent workforce solutions, and simplify their supply chains on a global scale.
 

For more information on Worksome, please visit: https://www.worksome.com. 

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ULI Hines Student Competition kicks off in Asia Pacific

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- The Urban Land Institute (ULI), a non-profit education and research institute, is calling for students in the Asia Pacific to compete in the ULI Hines Student Competition.

According to a statement today, the competition is currently open for registrations and the deadline for registration is Dec 16, 2022.

The annual competition will test students’ skills in applying their knowledge of real estate and land use in a practical and challenging exercise, with the top three finalists receiving a one-year ULI student membership. 

The winning team will also receive a fully paid trip to the 2023 ULI Asia Pacific Summit in Singapore, to be held from May 30-June 1, 2023, where they will present their winning proposal.

“This competition encapsulates what our founder, Gerald D. Hines stood for, as he was a true advocate and pioneer for innovation, education and opportunities for the future leaders of our industry, so we are delighted to be part of this global collaboration that inspires young people to create better communities.

“Programmes like this will have a real and tangible impact in supporting the next generation of creators and leaders, and we are excited to see what the future holds for the Asia Pacific region,” said Hines Asia Pacific chief executive officer, Ray Lawler.

Founded in 1957, Hines is a global real estate investment, development and property manager, with operations in 28 countries.

Meanwhile, ULI Asia Pacific president, David Faulkner said the institute is delighted that Hines has continued their partnership with the expansion of the competition to the Asia Pacific.

Following its success in the Americas and the Europe, Middle East, and African regions, the competition in Asia Pacific aims to boost interest in the key aspects of urban development and redevelopment among younger generations to help foster the creation of better communities.

The initiative is part of ULI’s ongoing effort to increase awareness of the need for multidisciplinary solutions to development and design challenges.

-- BERNAMA

MORE FOREST COVERAGE MEANS ADDITIONAL INCOME FOR FARMERS

SHANGHAI, Oct. 25, 2022 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
 

More than 30 percent of the total area of Chongming is covered by forest. The 36,000 hectares of forests on the island district account for nearly one-third of Shanghai's total.   That high forest coverage plays an important role in air purification, water conservation and climate regulation. Agricultural products grown in forests can also reduce the adverse effects of wind, drought, diseases and pests.   The forest ecosystem comprises many animals, plants and other organisms, which has a high economic value if reasonably developed, giving rise to "forest economics".   The Shanghai Conghui Agricultural Products Professional Cooperative plants matsutake mushrooms in the forest in Xincun Town. The mushrooms are grown with local rice straw as the substrate and organic fertilizer is applied. Yang Ji, head of the cooperative has calculated that the output of the fungi planted in the forest is almost the same as that planted in the field, but it can greatly reduce costs and save land resources.   Chongming is also exploring planting Chinese herbs such as dendrobium and some shade-loving flowers and plants in forests.   Agricultural products   While it is widely believed that high forest coverage can help improve the quality of local agricultural products, few may know that tall fruit trees such as orange and pear trees are also forest resources. Chongming fruit forests have both ecological and economic value.   Gu Chao, head of Chongming Luhua Agricultural Trade Co, said that the sales price of locally produced Cuiguan pears has surged more than 30 percent this year, and the brand-name pear was sold out as early as before the end of July.   Gu believes that the popularity of Chongming pear lies in its superior quality. In addition to the ecological planting and natural maturity that Chongming always insists upon the island's environment is also suitable for the growth of pear trees.   "Pear trees grow well and have fewer pests and diseases," Luo Jun, a research fellow with the Forestry and Fruit Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, pointed out.   Luo added that Cuiguan pear was selected as the main variety of pear to be grown in Chongming because it was found through research that the soil pH, groundwater level and climate conditions in Chongming were particularly suitable for its growth.   The forest coverage in Chongming has increased together with the money in Chongming people's pockets. This is a kind of wisdom.   Source: Information Office of Shanghai Chongming District People's Government  http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44525

METRICSTREAM'S LATEST PRODUCT DELIVERS A FASTER, EASIER, PERSONALIZED GRC EXPERIENCE WITH LOW-CODE/NO-CODE CONNECTED GRC PRODUCTS AND PLATFORM

SINGAPORE, Oct 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- MetricStream, the global market leader in integrated risk management (IRM) and governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), announced its latest product release, focused on accelerating GRC program performance. This includes a faster, safer, easier, and more personalized Connected GRC experience. The modernized, purpose-built low-code/no-code platform empowers customers to easily personalize and configure products to their unique needs. New APIs help connect MetricStream with external systems and enrich GRC insights to accelerate decision making.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221019005479/en/

“Today’s CXOs are under heavy pressure to balance a plethora of threats, ensure business resilience, and reduce costs,” said Prasad Sabbineni, Co-CEO, MetricStream. “It’s our belief that we can help them protect their greatest assets; their people, their intellectual property, and their opportunity to thrive and grow.”

GRC professionals are demanding flexible and scalable software systems that meet the unique needs of their rapidly evolving risk profiles. The modern low code / no code platform allows individual customers to adapt the MetricStream platform, functions, and features to their unique business requirements. New platform product release includes the following technology advancements, which are available now.

Faster, Safer, Easier Configurations: Administrators can access simple GRC domain-specific language which allows them to personalize and configure applications, create and change fields, reports, and templates, and meet rapidly changing business needs without complex programming. Low code/no code places control of individualized experiences into the hands of the customer while upskilling their teams.

Seamless Integration with Third-party Systems: 200+ GRC APIs to easily integrate MetricStream into third-party systems, facilitate GRC process orchestrations, and simplify data exchange.

Deliver GRC Insights in Minutes: Capture and connect data across MetricStream products and external systems, build contextual insights, and create customized reports with simple clicks using enhanced self-service reporting.

Streamlined Disclosure Reporting for ESG: ESGRC now includes preloaded reporting frameworks, formulas, and templates for data disclosures that align to TCFD, GRI, and SASB standards, as well as enhanced dashboards to deliver clarity and actionability on facility and supplier data.

Other Innovations Include: Automated regulatory intelligence that reduces risks and costs associated with regulatory change management, autonomous control testing in AWS environments, and faster and easier first line access to operational risk assessments.

Learn more about MetricStream’s latest release here, schedule a demo, and join us on November 8 and 9 in London for our 10th Annual GRC Summit - Experience the Power of Connection.

About MetricStream, Inc.

MetricStream is the global SaaS leader of Integrated Risk Management and GRC solutions that empower organizations to thrive on risk by accelerating growth via risk-aware decisions. We connect governance, risk management and compliance across the extended enterprise. Our ConnectedGRC and three product lines – BusinessGRC, CyberGRC, and ESGRC – are based on a single, scalable platform that supports you wherever you are on your GRC journey.

MetricStream is headquartered in San Jose, California, with an operations and R&D center in Bangalore, India, and sales and operations support around the globe. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44498

​ZEROFOX EXHIBITS AT GOVWARE 2022, DEMONSTRATING CONTINUED EXTERNAL CYBERSECURITY MARKET EXPANSION IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION

Company to showcase unified brand protection platform at Booth C13

SINGAPORE, Oct 18 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZeroFox (Nasdaq: ZFOX), a leading external cybersecurity provider, will exhibit at the GovWare Conference, which starts today and goes through Oct. 20, 2022 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore. The conference is back in-person this year with the theme of “fostering a safe and sustainable cyberspace amidst disruption.” Conference attendees can visit with ZeroFox representatives who will be demonstrating the Company’s recent product innovations in external cybersecurity at Booth C13.

In FS-ISAC’s APAC guidance for 2022, the organization noted that there is great risk of cyber attacks to the supply chain that result from a rapidly accelerating digitization of financial services in the APAC region, and noted a trend of attacks on third party suppliers. In addition, there has been a rise in large-scale, high-profile ransomware attacks in the region. ZeroFox intelligence is consistent with these findings, observing record-setting ransomware incidents, more supply chain compromises, and increased geopolitical tensions in Europe and Asia.

“The Asia Pacific region has seen a steady increase in cybersecurity incidents and vulnerabilities in the last several years,” said ZeroFox Vice President of MEA/APAC Sales, Gabe Goldhirsh. “While this increase is partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing organizations to hastily shift resources online without recommended security planning, it is clear that our digital world is here to stay. It is imperative that companies act now to protect from attacks originating outside the perimeter by taking command of that space with external cybersecurity, and ZeroFox is here to help.”

For all media inquiries related to ZeroFox, or to schedule a meeting during GovWare, please email zerofox@skyya.com.

About ZeroFox
ZeroFox (Nasdaq: ZFOX), an enterprise software-as-a-service leader in external cybersecurity, has redefined security outside the corporate perimeter on the internet, where businesses operate, and threat actors thrive. The ZeroFox platform combines advanced AI analytics, digital risk and privacy protection, full-spectrum threat intelligence, and a robust portfolio of breach, incident and takedown response capabilities to expose and disrupt phishing and fraud campaigns, botnet exposures, credential theft, impersonations, data breaches, and physical threats that target your brands, domains, people, and assets. Join thousands of customers, including some of the largest public sector organizations as well as finance, media, technology and retail companies to stay ahead of adversaries and address the entire lifecycle of external cyber risks. ZeroFox and the ZeroFox logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of ZeroFox, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Visit www.zerofox.com for more information. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44479

AGC BIOLOGICS HONORED FOR INNOVATIONS IN CELL LINE DEVELOPMENT

Seattle, Oct 14 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AGC Biologics, a leading global Biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), today announced it has been named a 2022 Leading Innovator in Mammalian Cell Line Development for the USA by Acquisition International.  

Recipients of this award are selected through a merit-based system that requires evidence of significant achievements and a clear commitment to innovation. 

AGC Biologics has a Cell Line Development program backed by several decades of scientific expertise and research. The company’s global network of sites has established more than 200 mammalian and microbial cell culture-based products. The CDMO’s cell line development services offer seamless process transfer to cGMP manufacturing, short timelines, and the ability to meet finite budgets. Further, AGC Biologics’ in-house quality and regulatory teams ensure cell line development projects are ready for any stage, across any regulatory market, anywhere in the world.

Through the implementation of early-on high-throughput titer assessment of monoclonal cell lines, AGC Biologics can streamline its monoclonal antibody (mAb) programs. By using new advancements to pinpoint high-producing cell lines, AGC Biologics can offer shorter timelines and increase productivity, helping ensure the best products are identified. AGC Biologics also invests in the latest research and development needs for its Cell Line Development program, including evaluating CHO-K1 GS knockout cell lines and transposase technology for increased DNA integration and high-producing cell lines, to diversify its portfolio. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44458

3D RELEASES INVESTOR PRESENTATION IN SUPPORT OF ITS EGM RESOLUTIONS TO APPOINT FOUR NEW OUTSIDE DIRECTORS AT FUJI SOFT INCORPORATED

Encourages Shareholders to Support 3D’s Proposal to Appoint Independent Outside Directors to Foster Improved Oversight of the Company’s Capital Allocation and Strategy

TOKYO, Oct 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- 3D Investment Partners Pte. Ltd. as investment manager of 3D OPPORTUNITY MASTER FUND (together “3D”) today published a presentation regarding its shareholder proposals to enhance board composition at Fuji soft Incorporated (“Fuji soft” or “the Company”) (9749.T). 3D has nominated four candidates to be added to the Fuji soft Board of Directors.

The presentation is available at:
https://www.3dipartners.com/engagement/fujisoft-presentation-on-shareholderproposal-en-202210.pdf

3D currently owns more than 21% of Fuji soft and is the Company’s largest shareholder. For more than two years, 3D has attempted to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Company on topics including capital allocation, profit margin and growth strategy to help increase corporate value. 3D has provided the Board of Directors and management with hundreds of pages of analysis and a comprehensive plan to help address what we believe are Fuji soft's primary shortcomings, including the allocation of capital to low-return investments in office buildings, a suboptimal business configuration with undervalued listed subsidiaries, poor capital allocation, low profit margins and an unfocused growth strategy.

However, more than two years after the start of 3D’s engagement with the Company, Fuji soft has not made any meaningful changes and these issues remain unresolved. In August 2022, Fuji soft established the Corporate Value Enhancement Committee, but it is comprised of the entire Board of Directors – the same directors who have allowed these issues to persist. In our view, the Corporate Value Enhancement Committee, as currently comprised, is not capable of objectively evaluating and resolving the problems at Fuji soft.

In light of the challenges faced by Fuji soft, we believe that the Board and Corporate Value Enhancement Committee must be augmented with independent outside directors with deep expertise in real estate investment, capital allocation, margin improvement, growth strategies, and corporate governance. 3D’s proposal seeks to appoint four such directors, all of whom are completely independent of 3D and Fuji soft. We are confident that the appointment of these four outside directors will enhance the effectiveness of the Board of Directors, enabling it to thoroughly and objectively evaluate Fuji soft's opportunities to increase corporate value.

As Fuji soft’s largest shareholder, 3D encourages its fellow shareholders review today’s presentation and other materials and to vote in favor of our proposal to appoint four new independent outside directors at Fuji soft’s upcoming Extraordinary General Meeting. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44447

Poshmark Inc in Fortune's 2022 "Change the World" list

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- Poshmark Inc has been added to Fortune’s “Change the World” 2022 list for promoting sustainability and helping to keep items in circulation and out of landfills.

The Change the World list recognises companies that have had a positive social impact through activities that are part of their core business strategy.

Each year, Fortune recognises companies that have made a measurable impact on some of the most pressing social and environmental issues globally.

“Poshmark has empowered millions of people to establish their own businesses through selling secondhand.

“Our impact is a direct result of our community of sellers, and how they are making the fashion system more connected, circular and sustainable,” said Poshmark founder and chief executive officer, Manish Chandra in a statement today.

By providing an all-in-one platform to simplify the secondhand shopping experience, Poshmark makes it easy, simple and fun to participate in the circular economy.

As a leading social marketplace for secondhand goods, Poshmark has kept over 200 million items in circulation across the categories of apparel, pets, home and electronics, among others, all while serving as a source of income for millions of independent sellers.

In 2021, Poshmark’s gross merchandise value increased 27 per cent to US$1.8 billion (US$1=RM4.69), pointing to the increased interest in buying and selling secondhand goods, particularly among millennial and Gen Z audiences.

To further extend the lifespan of items, Poshmark introduced the Reposh feature in 2020, which allows users to efficiently relist an item purchased on Poshmark.

More details are available at www.poshmark.com.

-- BERNAMA

SmartStream unveils AI-enabled Account Control solution

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- SmartStream, the financial Transaction Lifecycle Management (TLM) solutions provider, has launched TLM Aurora Advanced Account Control, enabling clients to be ready for ISO 20022 standards.

The new artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled solution allows customers to manage large, verified data sets for reconciliation purposes and for downstream systems.

“The new solution seamlessly replaces SmartStream’s Cash solution which is currently used in more than 81 countries globally. So far, the response has been incredibly positive among new and existing clients,” SmartStream strategic product manager Roland Brandli said in a statement.

Built for ISO 20022 standards, TLM Aurora Advanced Account Control accepts larger data sets natively. It also underpins them with the introduction of a streaming platform, allowing data to be verified in other areas of the organisation.

This sets a new benchmark in terms of real-time and volume handling capabilities, as well as savings in the overall ownership cost.

TLM Aurora Advanced Account Control has a new user-centric design principle which was developed by the same team who won the prestigious Red Dot Award 2022 for Finance Applications Design.

It is now much simpler for the end user with a new task-driven user experience while retaining the functional depths that customers have been used to in the past.

More details at www.smartstream-stp.com.

-- BERNAMA

DYNAMO SOFTWARE TO JOIN AVCJ FORUM IN SINGAPORE

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Dynamo Software executives will meet a growing market of alternative investment companies looking for tech-based solutions to manage complex investment operations at the 35th AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum in Singapore on Nov 15 – 17, 2022.

Venture capitalists (VCs) and their private equity (PE) counterparts are rapidly adopting cloud-based platforms like those developed by Dynamo Software to better manage their investment workflows, monitor and manage their portfolios while driving their deals to the finish line.

“We look forward to engaging in-person with a number of private market stakeholders at the forum,” said chief executive officer Hank Boughner in a statement.

He said Dynamo Software’s platform is equipped to handle the complexity of investor communications and relations, while also empowering VC and PE firms to focus on high-touch relationships.

“The platform achieves this by automating much of the investment workflow process,” said Boughner.

During the AVCJ forum, the company will host an exclusive roundtable, focusing on the challenges faced by VC and PE firms in a volatile global market.

Among other things, it will address how private investment firms can best maximise their investment workflows to manage against an ongoing worldwide talent shortage.

-- BERNAMA

SMARTSTREAM UNVEILS AI-ENABLED ACCOUNT CONTROL SOLUTION

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- SmartStream, the financial Transaction Lifecycle Management (TLM) solutions provider, has launched TLM Aurora Advanced Account Control, enabling clients to be ready for ISO 20022 standards.

The new artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled solution allows customers to manage large, verified data sets for reconciliation purposes and for downstream systems.

“The new solution seamlessly replaces SmartStream’s Cash solution which is currently used in more than 81 countries globally. So far, the response has been incredibly positive among new and existing clients,” SmartStream strategic product manager Roland Brandli said in a statement.

Built for ISO 20022 standards, TLM Aurora Advanced Account Control accepts larger data sets natively. It also underpins them with the introduction of a streaming platform, allowing data to be verified in other areas of the organisation.

This sets a new benchmark in terms of real-time and volume handling capabilities, as well as savings in the overall ownership cost.

TLM Aurora Advanced Account Control has a new user-centric design principle which was developed by the same team who won the prestigious Red Dot Award 2022 for Finance Applications Design.

It is now much simpler for the end user with a new task-driven user experience while retaining the functional depths that customers have been used to in the past.

More details at www.smartstream-stp.com.

-- BERNAMA

TDCX ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF TDCX FOUNDATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- TDCX Inc, a high-growth digital customer experience (CX) solutions provider for technology and blue-chip companies, has announced the launch of the TDCX Foundation.

“We want to not only help our clients and employees reap the benefits of a digital world but play a part in connecting people from disadvantaged backgrounds to the opportunities that technology brings.

“Through the TDCX Foundation, we will be able to go even further in giving back to the community,” said TDCX chief executive officer and founder Laurent Junique in a statement.

The establishment of the TDCX Foundation solidified TDCX’s commitment to bringing positive transformation by empowering people, uplifting local communities and promoting environmental sustainability.

The foundation would help to streamline TDCX’s existing corporate social responsibility programmes and deepen its focus on driving social impact for disadvantaged communities, particularly in bridging the digital divide, the statement said.

To foster digital inclusion, TDCX Foundation would provide funding for initiatives that provide access to technology, connectivity, information technology equipment and the skills needed to thrive in the digital economy.

For a start, TDCX has pledged its support for three initiatives in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines that would improve digital learning facilities for students.

For more details, visit www.tdcx.com.

-- BERNAMA

MIR LIST LAUNCHED GLOBAL EXPANSION BASED ON WEB 3.0 CONCEPT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- MIR LIST Legend GameFi recently announced its global expansion, based on DAO governance mechanism, and simultaneously builds local communities in Malaysia, Japan and Singapore to further advance its globalisation.

MIR LIST is a multiplayer online competitive game designed based on the Web 3.0 concept.

Recently, MIR LIST opened the internal test with extremely popular scene, and in less than a week, 10,000 users registered. The number of participants in the test was still increasing exponentially.

According to a statement, the game is highly integrated with Web3.0, in addition to the usual on-chain gameplay such as P2E and PvP.

MIR LIST has also introduced a new economic model of Play-To-Own to achieve benefits back to the players. Players receive ownership of the game in the form of tokens (HAX), NFT (Marfa Apocalypse) or other assets for their contributions.

By focusing on fun gameplay and a sustainable economic operating model, MIR LIST builds a profitable ecosystem that benefits players, and fosters ownership of the game and builds a strong sense of community, which is continuously achieved via a designated cross-media content strategy.

The MIR LIST design philosophy serves and originates from players and focuses on players' long-term pursuits. The team will continue to strengthen technology, transparent governance and community services to create a Web3.0 phenomenal Legend game.

-- BERNAMA

EXPENSIFY GIVES ACCOUNTANTS A CHANCE TO WIN THEIR SPOT AT EXPENSICON IN ITALY

Five all-expenses-paid spots at ExpensiCon – the premier global accounting conference hosted by Expensify in May 2023 at Borgo Egnazia in Puglia, Italy – are up for grabs for accountants starting today

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct 7 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Expensify, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXFY), a payments superapp that helps individuals and businesses around the world simplify the way they manage money across expenses, corporate cards and bills, today announced the “Win your spot at ExpensiCon” contest. The contest is open to any accountant, but only five accountants will win a spot at this exclusive, invite-only conference for themselves and a guest.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221004005072/en/

“We’re bringing together 100 of the industry’s best and brightest, and five of the most coveted spots in accounting are now available to any accountant from any size firm,” says David Barrett, founder and CEO of Expensify. “This is an unparalleled opportunity to join a global community of accounting leaders with hundreds of years of combined experience to plan for the next generation of the profession. Together, we can identify and solve the most complex challenges that will shape this space for years to come.”

ExpensiCon will include a mix of keynotes, roundtable discussions, fireside chats, CPE sessions, 1-on-1 networking opportunities, strategy workshops, and VIP events. In addition, attendees and their guests will experience the beauty of Puglia, Italy, on curated relationship-building excursions throughout the region that feature pasta making, yacht tours, and more.

Previous ExpensiCons in Bora Bora and Maui included attendees from PwC, Deloitte, BDO, CLA, Baker Tilly, and EisnerAmper, as well as keynote speakers such as Travis Kalanick of Uber, René Lacerte of Bill.com, Zach Nelson of NetSuite, and Rod Drury of Xero.

The “Win your spot at ExpensiCon” contest ends on March 1, 2023 and winners will be announced shortly after. Get started today – the clock is ticking!

About Expensify

Expensify is a payments superapp that helps individuals and businesses around the world simplify the way they manage money. More than 12 million people use Expensify's free features, which include corporate cards, expense tracking, next-day reimbursement, invoicing, bill pay, payroll and travel booking in one app. All free. Whether you own a small business, manage a team, or close the books for your clients, Expensify makes it easy so you have more time to focus on what really matters. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44389

AM BEST MAINTAINS STABLE OUTLOOK ON JAPAN NON-LIFE INSURANCE MARKET

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best is maintaining its stable market segment outlook on the Japan non-life insurance segment given recent profitable underwriting performance and the likelihood carriers will maintain positive results in the face of expected economic headwinds.

In a new Best’s Market Segment Report, “Market Segment Outlook: Japan Non-Life Insurance,” AM Best notes that Japan’s economic recovery continued in fiscal year 2021, although certain business segments still faced pressures.

Over the next 12 months, it remains to be seen how the unfolding situation in Ukraine; elevated commodity prices; the possibility of economic slowdown in several of Japan’s trading partners; and, the development of the COVID-19 pandemic at home and abroad will impact the country’s economy.

“Given the underwriting risk profile of most domestic non-life insurers–which is skewed toward voluntary automobile and fire insurance–AM Best considers the earnings base of Japan’s non-life insurance companies to be sustainable,” said associate director, analytics, AM Best, Jason Shum.

According to a statement, over the near term, despite expectations of strong underwriting profitability, AM Best is of the view that underwriting results for most major domestic non-life insurers will retreat moderately for fiscal year 2022. 

While AM Best expects premium revenue to increase, mainly driven by fire, personal accident and other specialty insurance, it is probable that underlying underwriting profit will contract from a higher loss ratio for voluntary automobile insurance.

Given the increase in catastrophe occurrences in recent years, most major non-life companies in Japan recognise the need to raise the profitability and sustainability of their fire insurance products. 

Non-life insurance companies in Japan continue to contend with investment challenges amid the volatile domestic and global capital markets. However, the majority of domestic non-life companies have very strong capital positions.

More details at www.ambest.com.

-- BERNAMA

THUNDER CRANES LAUNCHES MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Oct 5 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Thunder Cranes is pleased to announce it has launched operations in the Middle East and Africa. The offshore crane company had previously operated with a base in Dubai from 2009 to 2019 - now reopened - and in addition has just launched a new base of operations in Luanda to serve Angola and western Africa.
 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221003005551/en/ 

Dinesh Arumugam, CEO of Thunder Cranes, said, "As a market-leading provider of offshore rental cranes, Thunder Cranes is committed to helping customers in the Middle East and Africa with cost-effective and efficient lifting solutions to support offshore projects."

Arumugam continued, “The market outlook going into 2023 is excellent around these regions, and furthermore, we know that once given the opportunity to support offshore projects in new markets, clients will find Thunder Cranes invaluable from a performance and efficiency perspective.”

Since 1995, Thunder Cranes has been supplying its proprietary brand of API-compliant, portable-modular cranes which were developed in the USA. Today, Thunder Cranes is headquartered in Malaysia and operates globally, with bases in the UAE, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, and Angola.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44372

Uniphore Conversational AI recognised by Everest Group as Major Contender

​

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Uniphore, the leader in Conversational Automation has announced that Everest Group, a leading strategic research and analyst firm, has recognised its conversational AI and automation platform as a Major Contender in its 2022 “Conversational AI – Technology Vendor Landscape with Products PEAK Matrix® Assessment.”

Uniphore’s flagship conversational AI and automation platform is the industry’s only platform that delivers a complete analysis of intent, sentiment, emotion and tone for every contact centre conversation. With these robust capabilities, enterprises can transform the complete customer and agent experience.

Uniphore’s platform combines AI, Machine Learning, RPA, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Knowledge AI and more to drive new experiences and maximise the efficiency and cost savings for its customers.

We're honoured to be recognised by Everest Group as a Major Contender in the Conversational AI industry. At Uniphore, we've always been focused on the importance and the value of conversations in their entirety, and that shines through in this report,” said Umesh Sachdev, CEO and Co-founder at Uniphore in a statement.

“Our platform approach answers the natural evolution of the Conversational AI market, which has for a long time focused solely on self-service offerings opposed to the full spectrum that benefits both customer and agent.”

Meanwhile, Sharang Sharma, Practice Director, Everest Group said: “Uniphore is positioned as a Major Contender in Everest Group's Conversational AI PEAK Matrix®. Uniphore offers a detailed conversational AI solution that utilises advanced capabilities such as sentiment analysis, knowledge AI, RPA integrations, and a low-code/no-code platform.”

“Uniphore’s built-in reports and dashboards analyse conversational data to help with strategic planning. It drives real-time contextualised engagement with customers to improve closure rates and operational efficiency.”

-- BERNAMA

WISK AERO REVEALS WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED AIR TAXI

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 (Bernama) -- Wisk Aero, a leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company and pioneer in autonomous, electric flight, has revealed the world’s first self-flying, all-electric, four-passenger vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi.

As Wisk’s go-to-market aircraft, Generation 6 represents the first-ever candidate for type certification by the FAA of an autonomous eVTOL, according to a statement.

The most advanced air taxi in the world, Generation 6 combines industry-leading autonomous technology and software, human oversight of every flight, and an overall simplified design to deliver one of the safest passenger transport systems in commercial aviation.

“In 2010, we set out to find a way to skip traffic and get to our destination faster,” said Chief Executive Officer of Wisk, Gary Gysin.

“That inspiration evolved into a mission to deliver safe, everyday flight for everyone. Over the past 12 years, we’ve pursued that mission through the development of five different generations of full-scale aircraft. 

“Our 6th Generation aircraft is the culmination of years of hard work from our industry-leading team, learnings from our previous generations of aircraft, commitment from our investors, and the evolution and advancement of technology.”

Wisk is fortunate to be backed by two aviation leaders, The Boeing Company and Kitty Hawk Corporation. 

Wisk’s 6th Generation aircraft is designed to be a service for everyone, with a price target of US$3 per passenger, per mile. In addition to affordability, Wisk has made accessibility a cornerstone of its design process. (US$1 = RM4.646)

Generation 6 incorporates a number of accessibility features, from an entry and exit designed for individuals across the mobility spectrum, to user interfaces that seamlessly accommodate people living with hearing, vision, and other impairments.

With this aircraft, Wisk will redefine long-standing concepts of flight and usher in a safer, scalable, and more accessible era in aviation.

-- BERNAMA

LEADING AUSTRALIAN RECRUITMENT PLATFORM SELECTS BOOMI TO SPEED TALENT SEARCHES

• LiveHire joins leading companies around the globe in selecting Boomi’s category-leading and Gold Globee Award^®-winning integration platform as a service (iPaaS) for better business outcomes
• Boomi’s platform helps enable LiveHire’s global expansion while delivering more timely and cost-effective integration options to suit clients’ unique talent acquisition needs

CHESTERBROOK, Pa., Oct 4 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Boomi™, the intelligent connectivity and automation leader, today announced LiveHire, a global software as a service (SaaS) recruitment provider, has enhanced its talent and direct sourcing platform to address market demands for speed and customization. Using the Boomi AtomSphere™ Platform, LiveHire developed an integration mechanism to support flexibility and choice for its clients’ bespoke recruitment needs, helping mitigate the ongoing global skills shortage.

 

Receiving recognition as a market leader in Direct Sourcing shortly after entering the North American Market, LiveHire enables clients to attract and engage both permanent employees and contingent workers. Continued growth in enterprise recruitment across the Asia Pacific region, alongside rapid growth in North America, has driven the company’s need to scale its integration marketplace to meet growing demands.

“Every customer has their own wish list, but we're in the middle of a global skills shortage and there are hundreds of HR applications available that help companies deliver better outcomes,” said Will Sheers, Head of Product at LiveHire. “Our team doesn’t have the capacity to build direct integrations for every request, and not every client or technology partner is able to build their own integrations to LiveHire’s Open Application Programming Interfaces (Open APIs). Boomi helps us deliver secure integration solutions quickly, maximizing our return on investment in Open APIs and allowing our engineering team to focus on other strategic initiatives.”

Boomi changed the way LiveHire approaches integrations, helping the recruitment platform expand its integration capabilities.

Within weeks of deploying the Boomi platform, LiveHire launched an integration with the market-leading external workforce management platform SAP Fieldglass. This connectivity, along with LiveHire’s SAP SuccessFactors Recruitment Module integration, positions LiveHire as a unified Total Talent Acquisition and Engagement Platform for SAP.

“Talent shortages are not unique to the technology sector nor to Australia – there’s a problematic skills deficit across multiple industries, worldwide. To find the right people sooner, companies need a digital recruitment platform that suits their company style,” said Nathan Gower, Head of Australia and New Zealand at Boomi. “With our easy-to-use, low-code platform, LiveHire can now offer its customers a standard integration mechanism, allowing them to customize their hiring process with a flexible framework to pick and choose their preferred mix of HR systems.”

Boomi celebrates numerous awards for product excellence and culture, including the Gold Globee® Award in the Platform as a Service (PaaS) category, two international Stevie® Awards for Company of the Year and Product Innovation, a listing as one of Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces, and two Comparably awards for Best CEOs for Diversity and Best Company for Career Growth.

Named one of America's fastest-growing private companies on the Inc. 5000 2022 list, Boomi recently set the industry record for largest customer base among integration platform vendors, added world-class leaders, and continues to expand its global footprint.

Boomi has been positioned as a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Enterprise Integration Platform as a Service (EiPaaS) for eight consecutive years.

As a category-leading, global software as a service (SaaS) company, Boomi touts a growing user community of over 100,000 members, and one of the largest arrays of global systems integrators (GSIs) in the integration platform as a service (iPaaS) space. The company boasts a worldwide network of approximately 800 partners, including Accenture, Deloitte, SAP, and Snowflake; and partners with the largest hyperscaler cloud service providers, including Google and Microsoft, among others.

Boomi’s cloud-native, low-code platform helps organizations across all industries connect data applications, streamline workflows, and deliver more integrated customer experiences.

Additional Resources

• Learn more about The Boomi AtomSphere Platform
• Explore the Boomiverse Community
• Follow Boomi on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube

Gartner Disclaimer:
Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Integration Platform as a Service, Eric Thoo, Keith Guttridge, Bindi Bhullar, Shameen Pillai, Abhishek Singh, September 29, 2021

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. GARTNER and Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Note: Boomi was recognized as Dell Boomi from 2014 to 2019.

About Boomi
Boomi aims to make the world a better place by connecting everyone to everything, anywhere. The pioneer of cloud-based integration platform as a service (iPaaS), and now a category-leading, global software as a service (SaaS) company, Boomi touts the largest customer base among integration platform vendors and a worldwide network of approximately 800 partners – including Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, SAP, Snowflake, Google Cloud, and Microsoft. Global organizations turn to Boomi’s award-winning platform to discover, manage, and orchestrate data, while connecting applications, processes, and people for better, faster outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.boomi.com.

© 2022 Boomi, LP. Boomi, the ‘B’ logo, Boomiverse, and AtomSphere are trademarks of Boomi, LP or its subsidiaries or affiliates. All rights reserved. Other names or marks may be the trademarks of their respective owners. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44346

MADISON NEWBOND HOTEL LENDING PLATFORM ORIGINATES $20 MILLION LOAN FOR THE BALFOUR HOTEL IN MIAMI BEACH

NEW YORK, Oct 3 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Madison Newbond, the institutional lending platform of Madison Realty Capital and Newbond Holdings that provides first mortgages, mezzanine loans and preferred equity to hotel owners and developers nationwide, today announced that it has provided a $20 million loan to FullG Capital’s equity sponsorship group for the acquisition of the Balfour Hotel Miami Beach (the “Balfour”), an independent boutique hotel located at 350 Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, Florida.

Located within Miami’s famed South Beach Art Deco District and situated less than one block from the beach, the Balfour contains 82 guestrooms across two towers, as well as an upscale restaurant and bar, an outdoor plunge pool, complimentary beach services, and approximately 1,300 square feet of rooftop terrace space. The hotel is managed by Driftwood Hospitality Management under a third-party hotel management agreement.

Josh Zegen, Managing Principal and Co-Founder of Madison Realty Capital, said, “Miami is no longer just a top destination for domestic and international leisure travel, but has rapidly become a growing hub for corporations and financial firms seeking to relocate their headquarters. We are pleased to provide a flexible financing solution to facilitate the acquisition of a superbly well-located hotel in one of the most liquid and dynamic hospitality markets in the country.”

Drew Coles, President of FullG Capital said, “Madison Realty Capital is a highly experienced lender in the Miami hospitality market with a reputation for certainty of execution. We are thrilled to leverage Madison Newbond’s attractive financing capabilities to complete the acquisition of the Balfour.” 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=44337

Hytera unveils Smart 4G Body Camera with Push-to-talk feature

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 (Bernama) -- Hytera Communications, a leading global provider of professional communications technologies and solutions, recently released SC580 Smart 4G Body Camera and further expanded its body-worn camera series.

“Body cameras capture evidence, deliver transparency and increase the safety of officers on the daily basis,” said Vice President of Hytera, Ke Wang in a statement.

“We have studied a lot of users’ feedback in order to develop innovative features. In this way, we make SC580 body camera a powerful tool to facilitate more efficient and safer law enforcement.”

Weighing only 177 gram, this new body camera packs advanced video features into a slim and rugged body. It streams videos, audio, and photos from the field to the command centre over private LTE networks, cellular networks or WLAN.

Public safety authorities rely on body cameras to capture evidence and maintain law enforcement transparency, while body cameras play an increasingly important role in deterring violence and protecting the officers on duty.

SC580 excels in capturing clear videos in challenging scenarios, such as in low-light and poor visibility conditions. The low-light sensitivity of SC580 is made possible by a starlight sensor, which is able to capture HD colourful images with more details such as human faces or car plate numbers at night.

With the 6-axis image stabilisation technology, this body camera captures stable and clear videos even when the user is on the move.

SC580 works with optimised power consumption and lasts beyond the 12-hour shift. A built-in backup battery capable of supporting recording for three-five minutes enables SC580 to keep recording even when the officer is replacing the detachable main battery.

With Hytera Push-to-talk over Cellular (PTToC or PoC) application, SC580 works multi-purposely as a PoC radio.

More details athttps://www.hytera.com/en/home.html.

-- BERNAMA