FourKites Data Connector to help businesses maximise supply chain data

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 (Bernama) -- Leading supply chain visibility company FourKites has launched Data Connector, an offering that allows customers to automatically access and leverage FourKites data directly within their existing business intelligence tool.

“By making supply chain data more accessible than ever before, Data Connector will help leaders across organisations access valuable insights to mitigate disruptions and expedite decision-making,” according to FourKites in a statement.

Unlike other data integration methods that unlock only a fraction of a company’s supply chain data and require time-consuming processes to integrate, Data Connector allows analysts to incorporate hundreds of data points from FourKites directly into their custom analytics platform of choice.

“Business leaders are realising that trusted, high-quality supply chain data goes far beyond trucks and trains; it is relevant to all corners of the enterprise. The more accessible that data is across their organisation, the more they can optimise their operations.

“We are committed to ensuring that our customers can maximise their entire ecosystem of technology providers — of which FourKites is a major element — to inform and expedite their decision making,” said its chief product officer, Priya Rajagopalan.

Designed for data analysts who want the ultimate flexibility for custom analytics, Data Connector allows customers to start building custom dashboards in minutes — no implementation or significant developer resources required.

It also eliminates the need for manual data uploads or complex workflows to integrate FourKites data into customers’ business intelligence stacks.

FourKites customers, including 3M, are using Data Connector to identify the supply chain data most relevant for their needs, and leverage that information to derive broader business insights and accelerate time to value.

-- BERNAMA

Singapore Metadream unveils social app Bondee across Asia

 

Metadream launches social app Bondee across Asia (Graphic: Business Wire) 

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Metadream, a company in Singapore has launched social app Bondee across Asia which has gained popularity with youth.

Guided by the tenet "Live with your friends", Bondee allows users to call its virtual world home whereby after they open Bondee, users can choose from a wide selection of avatars, hairstyles, clothing, shoes and accessories to dress up their 3D virtual image.

In this virtual space, users can share their status, hobbies, mood, and daily life anytime, anywhere. Likewise, the users’ friends also can share their status and lives. For example, they can see if their friends are feeling angry, excited, shocked, sad or tired.

“By using your avatar to chat with friends, you can select a status, action, or animation to spice up your interactions and build rapport,” according to Metadream in a statement.

In Bondee, users can personalise their space, visit friends, and post comments as if they were actually living with friends.

In addition, a special "floating" feature allows users to set off and explore the unknown. As they experience new sights and encounters, they can leave messages in drifting bottles, make friends, and even win gifts.

Within a few days of its launch, Bondee has delighted users, some of whom have taken to social networks to share their avatars, personalised spaces and status.

“On social platforms, many users have left comments hoping for the engaging app to be released in more countries and regions,” it said.

-- BERNAMA

Hillstone Networks announces major upgrade to operating system

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- Hillstone Networks, a leading provider of innovative and accessible cybersecurity solutions, has announced a major upgrade to its operating system, Hillstone StoneOS 5.5R10.

The latest upgrade delivers artificial intelligence (AI)-based high performance threat protection, centralised Zero Trust control and management, and further simplification of security operations and system optimisation, among over 300 new features.

According to a statement, the new functionality enhances the security posture of customer environments and further streamlines security operations with an easy upgrade path.

“The latest iteration of StoneOS continues to address the challenges faced by SecOps teams, and the constant risks faced by enterprises globally,” said Hillstone Networks chief technology officer and co-founder, Tim Liu.

“Enhanced AI-driven threat protection, better integration, centralised control and management, and streamlined operations are all critical in delivering a stable and strategic approach to cyber-resilient cybersecurity environments.”

The new StoneOS leverages AI technology to provide machine learning (ML)-based threat detection for encrypted traffic without the need for decryption while also features intelligent DDoS protection and DGA detection.

A blacklist extension that empowers the Perimeter Traffic Filtering (PTF) function and delivers more protection against threats is also included.

StoneOS is the foundation for all Hillstone next-generation firewalls, which has been recognised in the 2022 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Network Firewalls for the 9th consecutive year as a Visionary.

-- BERNAMA

GENESIS INITIATES PROCESS TO ACHIEVE GLOBAL RESOLUTION TO MAXIMIZE VALUE FOR ALL CLIENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS AND STRENGTHEN ITS BUSINESS FOR THE FUTURE

Commences voluntary Chapter 11 restructuring of lending business to further advance ongoing stakeholder discussions and optimize outcome for Genesis clients and Gemini Earn users

Outlines Chapter 11 plan contemplating potential sale and/or equitization transaction to enable lending business to emerge under new ownership

Restructuring process led by independent special committee of the board of directors

Genesis’s derivatives and spot trading, broker dealer and custody businesses are not part of Chapter 11 and continue client trading operations

Ample liquidity of more than $150 million to support operations and facilitate restructuring process

NEW YORK, Jan 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Genesis Global Holdco, LLC (“Genesis” “GGH” or the “company”), an industry pioneer and digital currency prime brokerage, today announced strategic actions to achieve a global resolution to maximize value for all clients and stakeholders and strengthen its business for the future.

As previously announced, Genesis and its advisors have been engaged in ongoing, productive discussions with advisors to its creditors and corporate parent Digital Currency Group (“DCG”) to evaluate the most effective path to preserve assets and move the business forward. Genesis has now commenced a court-supervised restructuring process to further advance these discussions and reach a holistic solution for its lending business, which, if achieved, would provide an optimal outcome for Genesis clients and Gemini Earn users.

Genesis Global Holdco, LLC (“GGH”) and two of its lending business subsidiaries, Genesis Global Capital, LLC (“GGC”) and Genesis Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (“GAP”), filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the “court”). Genesis’s other subsidiaries involved in the derivatives and spot trading and custody businesses and Genesis Global Trading are not included in the filing and continue client trading operations.

As part of its Chapter 11 filing, Genesis has proposed a roadmap to an exit including a Chapter 11 plan (the “plan”) that calls for a framework for a global resolution of all claims through, and the creation of, a trust that will distribute assets to creditors. The plan contemplates a dual track process in pursuit of a sale, capital raise and/or equitization transaction that would enable the business to emerge under new ownership. The company will initiate a marketing and sale process to monetize GGH’s assets or otherwise raise capital, using the transaction proceeds to pay creditors fairly and equitably. If the marketing process does not result in a sale or capital raise, creditors will receive ownership interests in Reorganized GGH.

All aspects of the restructuring process will be overseen by an independent special committee of the company’s board of directors.

“While we have made significant progress refining our business plans to remedy liquidity issues caused by the recent extraordinary challenges in our industry, including the default of Three Arrows Capital and the bankruptcy of FTX, an in-court restructuring presents the most effective avenue through which to preserve assets and create the best possible outcome for all Genesis stakeholders,” said Derar Islim, Interim CEO, Genesis. “We deeply appreciate our clients’ ongoing patience and partnership as we work towards an equitable solution.”

Derar Islim was appointed to his position in August 2022 as part of a series of leadership announcements to further strengthen the company’s governance and position it for the future.

“We have crafted a deliberate process and roadmap through which we believe we can reach the best solution for clients and other stakeholders,” said Paul Aronzon, an independent director at Genesis. “We look forward to advancing our dialogue with DCG and our creditors’ advisors as we seek to implement a path to maximize value and provide the best opportunity for our business to emerge well-positioned for the future.”

Genesis has more than $150 million in cash on hand which will provide ample liquidity to support its ongoing business operations and facilitate the restructuring process. The company has filed a number of customary "first day" motions with the court to enable day-to-day operations to continue in the normal course. Court approval for these requests is expected in the coming days. Redemptions and new loan originations in the lending business remain suspended, and claims will be addressed through the Chapter 11 process. Genesis and its advisors will continue to evaluate options to advance the process to reach a global resolution.

Additional information on the Chapter 11 filing, including access to court documents, is available at https://restructuring.ra.kroll.com/genesis.

Moelis & Company is acting as financial advisor to the company. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is acting as legal counsel. Alvarez & Marsal is serving as restructuring advisor.

About Genesis

Genesis is a full-service digital currency prime brokerage providing a single point of access for select qualified individuals and global institutional investors. Genesis combines unrivaled operational excellence, a seamless user experience, and best-in-class client service to provide the full suite of services global investors require to manage their digital asset portfolios.

The firm offers sophisticated market participants a fully integrated platform to trade, borrow, lend, and custody digital assets, creating new opportunities for yield while increasing capital efficiency for counterparties.

For more information on Genesis, please visit genesistrading.com. 

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JUMIO BECOMES FIRST IDENTITY PROOFING VENDOR TO EXCEED $200M IN BOOKINGS

Achievement underscores that the identity market has now entered the mainstream

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Jumio, the leading provider of automated, end-to-end identity proofing, risk assessment and eKYC solutions, today announced the record-breaking close to a successful 2022 in which Jumio became the first identity company to clear well over $200 million in bookings. Q4 also saw Jumio close both the largest new deal and the largest total deal in company history.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230118005373/en/

 

This record close to 2022 speaks to the sophistication of online business and the growing need for modern enterprises across all industries and geographies to truly know and trust their end users online.

“Jumio’s performance in 2022 and clearing $200 million in bookings speaks to the growth of the identity industry and also of our clear role as the leader in the space,” said Jumio CEO Robert Prigge. “Despite the extremely daunting global environment, we continue to manage our business closely and focus on execution so we can evolve with the climate, and it continues to pay off. This allows us to further accelerate our investment in Jumio’s core technology and innovation in our ongoing mission to eradicate online fraud worldwide.”

Other notable 2022 achievements include:

• KYX Platform — In October, Jumio unveiled its extended KYX Platform, with an integrated orchestration hub benefiting from the company’s acquisition of 4Stop. One month earlier, Jumio achieved SOC2 Type 2 certification for the platform with zero exceptions, demonstrating Jumio’s long-standing commitment to maintaining the highest levels of security. The platform negates the need for point solutions by bringing together global data, risk signals, real-time analytics, actionable insights and a configurable rules engine to help businesses quickly and easily defend against fraud without compromising user experience.
• Key Executive Hires — Susan Walker joined Jumio as chief financial officer in May, bringing more than 25 years of corporate, Wall Street and business strategy experience. Jumio CTO Stuart Wells joined in April after nearly a decade at FICO, where he served as executive vice president and chief product & technology officer.
• Gartner Representative Vendor — Jumio was recognized as a Representative Vendor for the fourth consecutive time in the latest Gartner Market Guide for Identity Proofing and Affirmation, published in March. The Guide also lists Jumio among orchestration vendors that “connect to a range of identity proofing and affirmation vendors, as well as vendors focusing on fraud detection and user authentication.”

To learn more about Jumio and its award-winning, AI-powered solutions, visit jumio.com.

About Jumio

Jumio helps organizations to know and trust their customers online. From account opening to ongoing monitoring, the Jumio KYX Platform provides advanced risk signals, identity proofing and compliance solutions that help you accurately establish, maintain and reassert trust.

Leveraging advanced technology including automation, biometrics, AI/machine learning, liveness detection and no-code orchestration with hundreds of data sources, Jumio helps organizations fight fraud and financial crime, onboard good customers faster and meet regulatory compliance including KYC and AML. Jumio has processed more than 1 billion transactions spanning over 200 countries and territories from real-time web and mobile transactions.

Based in Palo Alto, Jumio operates globally with offices in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and has been the recipient of numerous awards for innovation. Jumio is backed by Centana Growth Partners, Great Hill Partners and Millennium Technology Value Partners.

For more information, please visit jumio.com. 

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CORRE ENERGY EXPANDS ENERGY STORAGE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS TO NORTH AMERICA

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- The Netherlands-headquartered, Corre Energy B.V. has expanded its energy storage project development operations in the United States (US) and Canada via its subsidiary, Corre Energy US Development Company LLC to source and develop utility-scale compressed air energy storage (CAES) projects across North America.

“CAES is a commercially proven technology that can use renewable energy to compress air into underground salt caverns when power demand and prices are low, also ranked as the lowest cost long duration energy storage technology by the US Department of Energy.

“This energy is later released to the grid to increase supply when demand and prices are higher, enhancing the stability, reliability and security of the network,” said Corre Energy in a statement.

Corre Energy chief executive officer, Keith McGrane said as the market leader for long duration energy storage projects in Europe, the company looks forward to transferring its know-how into the US and Canada.

“Our North American operations will also provide opportunities for investors mainly focused on the North American market to participate in financing the debt and equity requirements of our North American subsidiary and its CAES projects,” added McGrane.

In return for allowing renewable generators to store energy in its CAES plants and discharge that energy when its value is highest, Corre Energy will typically charge a set fee and share in the upside revenue earned by its customers, under an “offtake agreement”.

The company has also named Chet Lyons, a pioneer in the energy storage industry, as president of Corre Energy US Development Company LLC.

Lyons played an instrumental role in developing and commercialising merchant-based energy storage projects to perform frequency regulation ancillary services in the US, Canada and globally.

Through its project development activities, Corre Energy is working to accelerate the global transition to net zero, while enhancing the security and flexibility of large-scale energy systems.

-- BERNAMA

HOP ON BOARD VISTAJET TO EXPERIENCE LUNAR NEW YEAR GASTRONOMY

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- VistaJet, a global business aviation company has partnered with its gastronomy partners to provide unique Lunar New Year Experiences, including tossing of the auspicious Lo Hei on board a private jet while cruising at 45,000 feet.

VistaJet gastronomy partners include Shangri-La Singapore and The Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong in which partnerships with Shangri-La Hotel are for flights leaving Singapore while flights out of the territory with The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong’s Michelin-star restaurant Tin Lung Heen.

“With the Chinese border now open, families can go back to China for reunions and corporations can send executives for business again. We are optimistic about the growth prospects for the region in 2023,” said VistaJet chief commercial officer, Ian Moore in a statement.

Lo Hei, which means ‘prosperity toss’ in Cantonese is a popular custom during Lunar New Year in Southeast Asia involving the festive Chinese dish Yu Sheng.

Shangri-La’s Michelin-star Shang Palace has created special Lunar New Year menus for VistaJet flights from Singapore, selecting the freshest and finest ingredients used in Chinese cuisine, such as abalone, scallops, lobster and coral trout.

Meanwhile, for flights from Hong Kong, treat yourself to a traditional ‘Yum Cha’ (tea and dim sum), on the world’s highest dining table served by restaurant partner Tin Lung Heen, at The Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong.

‘Yum Cha’ on board a VistaJet flight from Hong Kong includes options such as the shrimp dumplings with scallops and steamed Alaskan crab meat dumplings topped with Salmon Roe.

“Give the ‘Yum Cha’ a sweet ending with a double-boiled superior Bird’s Nest served with coconut milk, almond cream and syrup,” said VistaJet.

VistaJet’s unique Lunar New Year gastronomy experiences are further enhanced by unparalleled onboard service in which its international Cabin Hosts are trained by the British Butler Institute.

The company has already experienced a large year-on-year increase in passenger traffic in Asia Pacific, with its flight traffic across Asia-Pacific grew 65 per cent year-on-year for the first nine months of 2022, driven partly by growth in Southeast Asia.

-- BERNAMA

METALPHA TO EXPAND IN DIGITAL ASSET WEALTH MANAGEMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Dragon Victory International Limited has announced officially changing its name to Metalpha Technology Holding Limited (the Company). The Company has also successfully completed restructuring with Antalpha Technologies Limited (Antalpha).

Upon completion of the reorganisation, Metalpha Limited (Metalpha) will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Established in 2021, Metalpha is a leading digital assets wealth management company headquartered in Hong Kong.

The company works with clients to create tailor-made instruments that enable sophisticated investors to establish or liquidate investment positions or undertake hedging strategies.

This reorganisation demonstrates a high level of confidence that the Company’s management team has in Metalpha's ability to increase its presence and develop a competitive advantage under the current market conditions and is intended to pave the way for new opportunities for Metalpha to become a global leader in digital asset wealth management.

Metalpha employs finance talents with deep experience in derivatives and structured products, many of whom formerly worked at industry-leading banks such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and UBS.

“The crypto industry continues to have room for growth, despite its challenges this year. We are looking very closely at how to build a stronger and healthier global market for digital assets, which we are doing together with our partners, such as Antalpha, and many others,” said founder and chief executive officer, Adrian Wang in a statement.

Metalpha aims to provide customers with high-quality product design and trading capabilities in the industry and is committed to delivering the best structured derivative products to cryptocurrency market participants. The company does not offer services to Mainland China and pursues the highest level of compliance standards in every jurisdiction it operates in.

Looking ahead, the Company will actively work with regulators on various compliance measures and plans to invest in supporting public education in blockchain technology and hiring more personnel at its headquarters in Hong Kong.

-- BERNAMA

FREEDOMPAY, ELO INK PARTNERSHIP FOR DIGITAL IN-STORE EXPERIENCE TRANSFORMATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- FreedomPay, the global leader in Next Level Commerce and Elo, a global provider of interactive solutions and interactive display solutions, announced the integration of Elo’s M60 Pay handheld computer with FreedomPay’s secure commerce technology.

“The partnership with Elo will give customers the secure and seamless checkout experience expected with FreedomPay coupled with the innovative and modular designed solutions from Elo,” said FreedomPay founder and chief executive officer (CEO), Tom Durovsik.

Meanwhile, Elo CEO, Craig Witsoe said the partnership with FreedomPay would bring enhanced functionality and security to create a more personalised experience for consumers.

Built to accept today’s popular payment and loyalty cards, the M60 Pay has a built-in Europay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV), magnetic stripe reader and near-field communication (NFC) for cards with either chips or strips and digital contactless payments.

The Android-based M60 Pay computer can transform from a mobile to a fixed point of sales (POS) solution with the optional docking station, expansion module and Elo touchscreen monitor, said FreedomPay in a statement.

FreedomPay and Elo are reinventing the digital in-store experience by uniting Elo’s innovative and interactive solutions with FreedomPay’s industry-leading commerce technology platform to create a secure, frictionless, unified shopping experience for global consumers while supporting merchants with robust loyalty and data analytics capabilities.

FreedomPay’s Next Level Commerce platform offers many benefits to merchants and customers, including the ability to unify commerce across properties, channels and regions within a single open, fully agnostic, flexible platform.

Other benefits from the platform also consist of a touchless ecosystem that supports contactless payments, QR technology, Apple Pay and Google Pay; and a fully integrated end-to-end solution enabling secure payments, identity-as-a-service, loyalty and business intelligence.

-- BERNAMA

HYTERA EXPANDS DIGITAL MOBILE RADIO PORTFOLIO WITH NEW HP5 MODELS

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Hytera Communications, a global provider of professional communications technologies and solutions, has launched HP56X and HP50X portable two-way radios to further expand and strengthen its new generation of Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) portfolio.

In a statement, Hytera said the HP5 models were developed to provide reliable voice communications for security, operations, technician and maintenance teams at office buildings, stadiums, industrial parks, school campuses and hospitals, among others.

HP56X and HP50X radios deliver crystal-clear audio enabled by artificial intelligence-based noise cancellation, which suppresses annoying feedback howling and filters unwanted ambient noises.

“Enterprise and business users may need fewer functions from their two-way radio systems than public safety users do. For example, the trunking call is usually a standard feature required by the police, not necessarily a must for business users.

“However, their requirements for versatility, ergonomics, and reliability are similar. With this in mind, we designed HP5 portable radios. We believe HP5 will be a great productivity and safety tool for a lot of professional scenarios,” said Hytera general manager of the device product line, Howe Tian.

Hytera began the introduction of its next-generation H-Series DMR radios with HP7 portable two-way radios, HM7 mobile radios and HR106X repeaters to the global markets at the end of 2021; followed by HP6, HM6 and HR6 models.

H-Series, including portable radios, mobile radios and repeaters is designed and developed on new hardware and software platforms.

Meanwhile, HP5 models have dedicated dual knobs for volume and channel controls to simplify radio operation. With the universal Type-C port, HP5 radios can be charged with a power bank or car charger the way regular smartphones are charged.

-- BERNAMA

Boomi: MyRepublic Digital implements Boomi AtomSphere Platform for higher efficiency

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- Boomi, the intelligent connectivity and automation leader, announced MyRepublic Digital, the digital transformation company powering MyRepublic has implemented the Boomi AtomSphere Platform to achieve higher levels of efficiency, performance and ultimately a better experience for customers.

Boomi in a statement said MyRepublic Digital, a recently launched technology business spin-out, helps operators achieve their business outcomes with its readily deployable cloud-native multi-tenant software as a service (SaaS) platform, Encore.

“Unparalleled efficiency and a strong focus on customer experience are crucial for a business like MyRepublic Digital, which strives to meet the high expectations of clients and end-consumers.

“We’re proud to be playing a key role in enabling its digital platform to scale to new heights and transform how telecom services are provided,” said Boomi director at Asia,HonChew Seetoh.

Meanwhile, MyRepublic Digital managing director, Platform, Gary Liew said with Boomi, the company is able to expand the scope of its automation and increase Encore’s end-to-end order processing efficiency, which ultimately helps deliver the frictionless experience customers expect from digital brands.

“Scalability, flexibility, and simplification to accelerate transformation are principles that both we and Boomi share, and our success together has allowed us to explore new facets of what we can deliver better,” he said.

To enhance the efficiencies of the Encore platform, and its real-time decision-making capabilities, without compromising on scalability or security, MyRepublic Digital selected Boomi’s award-winning integration platform as a service (iPaaS).

With Boomi’s low-code iPaaS, MyRepublic Digital has successfully performed automation enhancements to its Encore platform as well as enabled reusable configuration for integration with third-party vendors and partner payment gateways.

Since its initial deployment in 2019, Boomi's application programming interface (API) management tool has supported the growth of MyRepublic Digital’s platform with approximately 3.5 million transactions added per quarter as of December 2022.

-- BERNAMA

WILSONHCG ACQUIRES PERSONIFY FOR HEALTHCARE, LIFE SCIENCES TALENT SOLUTIONS EXPANSIONS

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- WilsonHCG, a global talent leader, has acquired Personify, a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) provider to further expand its healthcare and life sciences talent solutions.

Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States, Personify specialises in the life sciences, healthcare, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals sectors and other industries experiencing critical skills shortages, providing executive search and recruitment marketing services alongside its RPO solutions.

“This expansion enables continued growth while cementing our position as a global leader in talent acquisition.

"The partnership aligns two mission-driven organisations with a desire to exceed client expectations and together, we'll set new standards in the talent space,” said WilsonHCG chief executive officer (CEO), John Wilson in a statement.

Meanwhile, Personify president and CEO, Ryan Carfley said: “The partnership accelerates our access to new markets, and together we'll become the global go-to talent solutions provider in healthcare, biotechnology, life sciences and beyond."

WilsonHCG completed two acquisitions last year in which the company acquired Tracking Talent, a talent solutions provider based in South Africa, in October and in March, it acquired Claro Analytics, a leading labour market intelligence platform.

-- BERNAMA

Hitachi Energy wins orders to integrate offshore wind farms with Poland's power grid

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- Global technology leader, Hitachi Energy has won two major orders from Equinor and Polenergia to provide an alternating current (AC) grid connection and power quality solution for their jointly owned MFW Baltyk II and MFW Baltyk III offshore wind farms, with a combined generating capacity of 1,440 megawatts in the Polish sector of the Baltic Sea.

Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business managing director, Niklas Persson said integrating large-scale renewable energy sources with the power grid was a key enabler of the energy transition and a field in which the company has been a pioneer for decades. 

“Our grid connection technologies feature in offshore wind farms worldwide, and our power quality solutions resolve bottlenecks and keep the voltage stable and the energy flowing in power systems globally,” he said in a statement.

Hitachi Energy will provide each of the two wind farms with an offshore grid connection that will receive the power from the wind turbines and transfer it to shore, a mainland grid connection that will transmit the power into the national transmission system.

It will also provide a STATCOM power quality solution to ensure that power flows reliably and stably at optimal capacity and at all times, despite the often high variability of wind power.

MFW Baltyk II and MFW Baltyk III are pending a final investment decision in 2024, and are scheduled to deliver first power in 2027.

They will be one of the first offshore wind farms in Poland and part of the country’s ambitious programme to develop its offshore wind potential and increase the use of renewables in its electricity mix, which historically is dominated by coal.

The announcement follows a recent global agreement between Hitachi Energy and Equinor to collaborate on high-voltage transmission systems (AC and DC) to connect Equinor offshore wind farms and production facilities to mainland power grids worldwide.

-- BERNAMA

NIKKISO CLEAN ENERGY & INDUSTRIAL GASES GROUP ACQUIRES CRYOTEC ANLAGENBAU GMBH, WURZEN, GERMANY

TEMECULA, Calif., Jan 9 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nikkiso Cryogenic Industries’ Clean Energy and Industrial Gases Group (“Group”), a part of Nikkiso Co., Ltd (Japan), has entered into an agreement to acquire Cryotec Anlagenbau GmbH, (Wurzen close to Leipzig, Saxony, Germany) for an undisclosed amount.

A global plant engineering and construction company, Cryotec provides planning, project management, manufacturing and engineering services of skid-mounted/containerized air separation and liquefaction plants, and CO2 technologies offering tailored solutions to their customers.

Cryotec will operate as part of the Group’s GmbH facility, based in Neuenburg am Rhine, Germany. The Group consists of six functional business units: Cryogenic Pumps, Heat Exchanger Systems, Process Systems, Fueling & Solutions, Energy Infrastructure & Strategic Projects and Service.

“Our acquisition of Cryotec will allow the Group to expand our footprint in Europe, and broaden our expertise in carbon capture and biogas technologies”, according to Ole Jensen, Vice President, Europe.

“We look forward to bringing Cryotec into our Nikkiso family. This acquisition exemplifies our passion to provide, efficient, performance-based products and service,” according to Peter Wagner, CEO of Cryogenic Industries and President of the Group.

This acquisition represents their commitment to and support of the European market. The acquisition is expected to close during Q1, 2023

ABOUT CRYOGENIC INDUSTRIES
Cryogenic Industries, Inc. (now a member of Nikkiso Co., Ltd.) member companies manufacture, and service engineered cryogenic gas processing equipment (pumps, turboexpanders, heat exchangers, etc.), and process plants for Industrial Gases, Natural gas Liquefaction (LNG), Hydrogen Liquefaction (LH2) and Organic Rankine Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery. Founded over 50 years ago, Cryogenic Industries is the parent company of ACD, Nikkiso Cryo, Nikkiso Integrated Cryogenic Solutions, Cosmodyne and Cryoquip and a commonly controlled group of approximately 20 operating entities.

For more information, please visit www.NikkisoCEIG.com and www.nikkiso.com. 

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TWO FEMALE SCIENTISTS WIN THIS YEAR'S KING FAISAL PRIZE

The Prize’s 45th session recognizes COVID 19 Vaccine Developers, Nanotechnology Scientists, and eminent figures in each of its Arabic Language & Literature, Islamic Studies, and Service to Islam categories 

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Jan 5 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Two women scientists were announced King Faisal Prize for Medicine and Science laureates for 2023: a Covid-19 vaccine developer and a nanotechnology scientist. Six others were announced King Faisal Prize laureates for having enriched humanity with key and invaluable achievements and discoveries in the fields of Medicine, Science, Arabic Language & Literature, Islamic Studies, and Serving Islam.   

The woman behind Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Professor Sarah Gilbert, the Saïd Chair of Vaccinology in the Nuffield Department of Medicine at Oxford University, was selected to receive King Faisal Prize in medicine. She has co-created the vaccine which has been in use in more than 180 countries saving billions of lives due to its efficiency, low cost and accessibility.

The vaccine is called “ChAdOx1 nCoV-19” and was achieved in 10 months of work using a novel approach. Instead of the traditional vaccines’ method which uses a weakened or killed form of the original infection and requires a long time to develop in the human body, Gilbert genetically modified a weakened version of a common virus which caused a cold in chimpanzees to be injected in humans without causing an infection. This modified virus became the essence of the vaccine developed by Dr. Gilbert against coronavirus carrying the genetic instructions for the coronavirus spike protein. When entering the body cells, the virus uses a genetic code or instructions to produce the specific surface spike protein of the coronavirus inducing an immune response and preparing the immune system to attack coronavirus if it infects the body.

Dr. Gilbert’s innovative vaccine technologies used lately for COVID-19 were also applied by her to Malaria, Ebola, Influenza, and MERS, with clinical trials of the latter taking place in the UK and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She also worked on developing a medicine for it. In fact, the patented ChAdOx1 technology was developed by Dr. Gilbert and other researchers at the University of Oxford in 2012. In 2014, she led the first trial of an Ebola vaccine after a large outbreak of the disease in West Africa. It was because of the ChAdOx1 technology and her accumulated research that the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was produced so quickly. 

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ZOOM APPOINTS CINDY HOOTS TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan 6 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) announced that it has appointed Cindy Hoots, Chief Digital Officer and CIO of AstraZeneca, as an independent director on Zoom’s Board of Directors effective immediately.

“Zoom has changed the way companies around the world do business and is ushering in entirely new ways to transact business internationally,” said Hoots. “Global leaders have the responsibility to ensure our ecosystem of employees, partners, customers, and our community can connect and collaborate seamlessly in a sustainably responsible way. I am thrilled to join Zoom’s Board and CEO Eric Yuan, an inspirational leader with a strong vision. I believe this company has an important role in making a meaningful impact on people's lives.” 

“On behalf of Zoom’s Board of Directors, I am excited to welcome Cindy to the team,” said Zoom Founder and CEO Eric S. Yuan. “Cindy’s experience leading large global companies in highly regulated and complex industries will bring tremendous value to our company. As Zoom continues to grow and innovate within the healthcare sector, we look forward to Cindy’s perspectives and contributions.”

About Cindy Hoots
Ms. Hoots has served as the Chief Digital Officer and Chief Information Officer at AstraZeneca PLC, a pharmaceutical company, since January 2020. From January 2018 to December 2019, she served as Global Vice President of Technology of Unilever PLC, a multinational consumer goods company. She also spent 16 years at Mars, Incorporated. Ms. Hoots received a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from DeVry Institute of Technology.

About Zoom
Zoom is for you. Zoom is a space where you can connect to others, share ideas, make plans, and build toward a future limited only by your imagination. Our frictionless communications platform is the only one that started with video as its foundation, and we have set the standard for innovation ever since. That is why we are an intuitive, scalable, and secure choice for individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises alike. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ: ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Visit zoom.com and follow @zoom. 

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TAIWAN'S NEXT BANK LAUNCHES ON TEMENOS

New digital bank backed by Chunghwa Telecom launches on Temenos core banking platform to bring products to market fast and scale efficiently

GENEVA, Jan 5 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Temenos (SIX: TEMN) today announced that Next Commercial Bank (Next Bank), a new digital bank backed by Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan’s largest telecom operator, has gone live on Temenos core banking platform, opening to customers during 2022.

One of the first digital banks in Taiwan to receive a virtual banking license from the island’s Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), Next Bank is building a bank that makes financial management simple with innovative thinking, design aesthetics and friendly experiences.

On Temenos open platform, Next Bank can bring products to market fast and scale efficiently. Today, the digital bank offers deposits, cards, loans and an innovative points program giving customers cashback on purchases, all accessible via a mobile app. Customers can open an account in just three minutes and choose their bank account number, creating a unique and personalized experience.

Over time, the bank plans to introduce foreign-exchange services, including remittance services for migrant workers and wealth management tools. Powered by Temenos, Next Bank aims to rapidly expand to nearly 300,000 customers within nine months of its opening.

Temenos core banking underpins the bank’s entire operations. Built on microservices and accessible via APIs, it enables continuous innovation and delivery for Next Bank to innovate fast and scale its business quickly and sustainably.

Eric Lee, Chief Information Officer, Next Bank, said: “We are excited to launch Next Bank on the Temenos platform. Next Bank operates under the principle of inclusive financing, which aims to provide consumers with universal access to a wide range of financial services. With Temenos, we were able to efficiently build the bank with innovative features that will help customers take charge of their finances and enable us to scale our business and accelerate growth in the future.”

Craig Bennett, Managing Director - Asia Pacific, Temenos, said: “I’m delighted to see Next Bank go live on Temenos, the platform of choice for more than 70 challenger banks worldwide. As one of the first neobanks in Taiwan, Next Bank is already setting a new standard for digital banking in the market. Temenos open platform will empower Next Bank to continue to thrive in the world of instant, always-on services, breaking boundaries to deliver the future of banking today. We are proud to partner with them on this exciting journey to power new growth opportunities and deliver the ultimate customer experience.”

About Temenos
Temenos (SIX: TEMN) is the world’s leading open platform for composable banking, creating opportunities for over 1.2 billion people around the world every day. We serve over 3000 banks from the largest to challengers and community banks in 150+ countries by helping them build new banking services and state-of-the-art customer experiences. The Temenos open platform helps our top-performing clients achieve return on equity three times the industry average and cost-to-income ratios half the industry average.

For more information, please visit www.temenos.com. 

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TAIWAN'S CTBC HOLDING CELEBRATES RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE IN 2022

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- Taiwan financial firm, CTBC Financial Holding Co Ltd (CTBC) won a record 290 major accolades in 2022, including seven Taiwan Banking and Finance Best Practice Awards. 

Its president James Chen was also the first Taiwanese business leader to be named Asia-Pacific Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Year by the International Data Corp, a leading global analytical company specialising in information technology market research. 

In a statement today, Chen said that the firm has been ahead of the curve in adopting new initiatives and offering a comprehensive suite of financial services through integrating resources from its subsidiaries to serve the needs of customers.

“Of the 290 awards won by CTBC, 41 were prestigious international and regional awards, while (our subsidiary) CTBC Bank showed outstanding performance by taking home over 180 awards.

“The bank also won the awards for Renewable Energy M&A (mergers and acquisitions) Deal of the Year, Global as well as Global Finance’s Sustainable Finance Awards,” the company said.

CTBC’s commitment to innovation in digital finance has continued via the implementation of "Phygital Banking" at 152 branches across Taiwan in response to the demand for digital financial services in the post-pandemic era.

Meanwhile, Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed the credit ratings of CTBC Financial and CTBC Bank at A3 and A1, respectively, thus maintaining CTBC’s place as a top brand in terms of business quality and professional competence. 

“The operating performance of CTBC Bank remained stable throughout 2022, and it was the only bank that met the capital surcharge requirement for Taiwan’s domestic systemically important banks before 2025, occupying the leading position in Taiwan’s banking industry. 

“As a member of the Alliance of Sustainable Finance Pioneers, CTBC Holding is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals set forth by the United Nations and promoting sustainable development in Taiwan,” it added. 

-- BERNAMA