JAM CITY EXPANDS GLOBAL OPERATIONS TO TORONTO, CANADA, WITH THE ACQUISITION OF BINGO POP FROM UKEN GAMES

LOS ANGELES, Nov 29 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Jam City, a leader in mobile entertainment, today announced that it has acquired Bingo Pop, one of the top bingo mobile games worldwide, from Uken Games. The veteran Bingo Pop team has joined Jam City and will continue to manage game operations from Jam City’s new Toronto studio. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“We are so proud to be continuing Jam City’s rapid global expansion with the acquisition of one of the most popular bingo titles, and its highly talented team,” said Chris DeWolfe, co-founder and CEO of Jam City. “This acquisition provides Jam City with access to leading creative talent in one of the fastest growing and most exciting tech markets in the world. We look forward to working with the talented Jam City team in Toronto as we supercharge the live operations of Bingo Pop and develop innovative new titles and mobile entertainment experiences.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33324

BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS LAUNCHES BLOCKCHAIN MANAGEMENT PLATFORM SEXTANT ON AWS MARKETPLACE FOR CONTAINERS

LAS VEGAS, Nov 28 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AWS re:Invent 2018 - Blockchain Technology Partners, the leading enterprise blockchain company, today announced the general availability of Sextant™, its powerful blockchain management platform, on Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace for Containers. Sextant unlocks the value of blockchain for business. It accelerates innovation by providing enterprises with a platform that they can build upon; ensuring that they focus on business application development, not blockchain infrastructure.

“AWS Marketplace for Containers enables AWS customers to use the Amazon Elastic Container Services (ECS) console and AWS Marketplace for Containers to discover, produce, and deploy container solutions – including a comprehensive blockchain management platform from Blockchain Technology Partners,” said Dave McCann, Vice President Migration Services, AWS Marketplace and Service Catalog. “With today’s announcement, AWS Marketplace has extended its existing benefits and features to container products, with a rich discovery and search experience offering access to a curated catalog of trusted software from reputable vendors. AWS customers can find and deploy Sextant and simplify the deployment of Hyperledger Sawtooth.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33309

Iron Deficiency Day on Nov 26 to raise awareness

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- Iron Deficiency Day takes place every year on Nov 26 – raising awareness, highlighting significant impact and helping people recognise the symptoms.

Not recognising the symptoms is often the biggest contributor to not seeking and receiving a diagnosis. The new Iron Deficiency Day Symptom Checker will use animations to elucidate the effects of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia in order to educate people in recognising the condition.

This is according to a statement from Vifor Pharma Group a global pharmaceuticals company which aims to become the global leader in iron deficiency, nephrology and cardio-renal therapies.

The statement said iron deficiency presents in one-third of the world’s population. It is most prevalent in premenopausal women, pregnant woman and children under five years of age.

In Europe for example, iron deficiency affects up to 33 per cent of pre-menopausal women, up to 77 per cent of pregnant women and up to 48 per cent of children.

While the effects are differ from person to person, but they can be linked to an overall decline in general health and well-being.

Even without anaemia, iron deficiency can be debilitating, exacerbate an underlying chronic disease and lead to increased morbidity and mortality. If the condition develops, common symptoms include fatigue, pale skin, brittle nails, craving non-food items such as dirt, clay and ice and an inability to concentrate.

Iron is required throughout the body. It is essential for the production of red blood cells and ensuring that the heart and skeletal muscles can function effectively.

Iron also plays a vital role in fighting off infections and illness, maintaining energy levels and normal brain function. The World Health Organization states that iron deficiency can reduce physical work output by 30 per cent.

-- BERNAMA

JAPAN-INDIA COLLABORATION YIELDS A NOVEL TREATMENT METHOD FOR MALE URETHRAL STRICTURE

TOKYO, Nov 26 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A novel and relatively pain-less treatment method for male urethral stricture using patients own buccal mucosal cells has been reported as successful in four out of six patients. The study has been published in International Journal of Urology (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/iju.13852) which is the official journal of Japanese Urological Association, is a result of collaboration between Japanese biomaterial technology and an Indian urologist Dr Suryaprakash Vaddi.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33294

Fusionex receives Outstanding Achiever Award 2018

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- Fusionex -- the largest Big Data Analytics company and market leader in ASEAN-- has received the Outstanding Achiever Award 2018 at the Platinum Business Awards (PBA) 2018 here recently.

According to Fusionex which also has a Malaysian office in Petaling Jaya, Selangor the award presentation was also witnessed by the Entrepreneur Development Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof.

The premier awards ceremony recognized the company for its outstanding growth, excellent business practices and prominent presence in the IT industry, a statement said.

Fusionex has grown from an ASEAN-based IT company to its present status as the largest Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data technology company in the region.

The company technologies are used to power up Malaysia’s Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) eServices Platform. This government-endorsed initiative is expected to benefit local businesses, SMEs and the country as a whole.

The platform aims to double Malaysia’s e-commerce growth rate and to reach a gross domestic product (GDP) contribution of RM211 billion by 2020.

The PBA was launched in 2002 by the SME Association of Malaysia and has gained extensive recognition among SMEs, the business community and the public sector.

Fusionex has global offices in Asia, Europe, United States and Australia. The company also featured on Forbes, Bloomberg, Gartner, IDC, Forrester, Edison and Huffington Post. More details at www.fusionex-international.com

-- BERNAMA

Fieldstone consolidates services, offerings on a global basis

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 (Bernama) -- Fieldstone – an independent investment bank and financial services provider in the energy and infrastructure sector – has consolidated its services and offerings under unified ownership and management on a global basis.

Fieldstone’s chief executive officer, Jason Harlan said: “We have now reached the point where we have taken full control of Fieldstone. This has resulted in the small New York team and its Malaysian subsidiary, being required to change the name and license of their operations, with immediate effect.”

The company in a statement said Asian clients are a key part of Fieldstone’s practice, for projects and transactions in developing markets and in Europe.

This part of the business will be directly addressed from January next year when Kan Xi, who previously worked with Infraco and Climate Change Capital in London joins the team.

She will relocate to Asia to represent Fieldstone on the ground and monitor the needs of existing and prospective clients as well as assess future expansion plans into that market.

Earlier this year, Fieldstone also launched a permanent Washington DC office and subsidiary (Fieldstone Development Corporation or Fieldstone DC) to serve both North American clients and to assist multi-lateral and US development finance institutions located in that city, the statement added.

-- BERNAMA

Beijing explores fresh ways of inbound tourism partnership as tourist level increases

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Beijing has recorded 2.27 million inbound tourists from Jan to July, 2018 with increase of 2.5 per cent year on year which underscores its efforts to explore new ways of inbound tourism partnership and open up tourism market by a string of supportive policies.

The capital of China has introduced an array of policies including special funds for awarding inbound tourism, funds for MICE, shopping tax rebates on departure for overseas tourists and 144-hour transit visa exemption to propel inbound tourism growth.

With the international events to be hosted including the International Horticulture Exhibition in 2019, the World Leisure Conference in 2020 and the Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympic Games in 2022, new opportunities will be available for Beijing's inbound tourism development as it also willing to strengthen cooperation and share opportunities with domestic and overseas partners.

It is also expected to play a bigger role in deepening reform and opening-up, enhancing international friendship and promoting cultural and economic exchanges, according to a statement from Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development (BMCTD).

In February, BMCTD launched the "Global Distribution Partnership Program of Beijing Tourism" -- China's and Asia Pacific region's first strategic cooperation innovation mechanism -- initiated by the government and participated in by international travel agents.

The project received over 120 applications from international travel agents, while 30 of them are selected to be the partners inking a three-year-long cooperation with BMCTD to carry out in-depth cooperation over information sharing, marketing and tourism route development.

BMCTD hopes to explore a normalized inbound tourism cooperation mechanism and invite global partners to participate in the study of feature inbound tourism routes and continue to enhance Beijing's appeal as a global tourism destination.

Based on changes in the inbound tourism market, groups and preferences, eight types of feature tourism products will be introduced including ancient capital tours, modern capital tours, folklore tours, fashion tours, Chinese traditional medicine health tours and others.

-- BERNAMA

Patton Electronics enhances IPv6 in SmartNode CPE

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 (Bernama) – Patton Electronics Co. – doing business as a bricks-and-mortar manufacturer since 1984 – has enhanced IPv6 in its SmartNode CPE.

By implementing enhanced IPv6 in SmartNode VoIP CPE, Patton supports simplified network architectures and lowers operation and maintenance costs for service providers and enterprises.

The IPv6 standard expands available IP addresses octillion times or at least 17 billion.

According to Patton in a statement, the global expansion of the Internet, proliferation of IP endpoint devices and the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT) reflects that Pv4 addresses will soon run out.

With IPv4, maintaining network address translation (NAT) tables is complex, time-consuming and costly – whatech.com predicts the IPv6 market will grow at rate (CAGR) of +31 per cent until 2023 and beyond.

Service providers made plans and some partially implemented IPv6 in their networks. Carriers like Telefonica and T-MOBILE and enterprises such as Microsoft have started the changeover.

“One thing is for sure, we are not living in an All-IPv6 world. Still the move to IPv6 is inevitable. And there are good reasons to do it sooner rather than later,” said Executive Vice President at Patton, Burton A. Patton (Burt).

“Getting from IPv4 to All-IPv6 networking presents challenges. We will live in a mixed IPv4/IPv6 world for some years,” Patton added in the statement.

More details at www.patton.com

-- BERNAMA

Tacit Knowledge helps FitFlop triple online sales

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 (Bernama) – Tacit Knowledge’s flagship platform – ncommerce – is powering FitFlop’s new eCommerce website – delivering value in less than 12 weeks.

Ncommerce is one stable, modern and scalable platform, from one vendor, with one contract, removing the complexity from high profile web implementation projects, according to a statement.

Global GM - Digital at FitFlop, Denise Fender said: “Our high expectations were exceeded and our online sales rocketed more than 3X and conversions increased dramatically, particularly on mobile”.

“We are so pleased with the initial results, that we are now focused on putting digital at the forefront of our business operating model,” Fender added.

SVP and GM of Tacit Knowledge, James Bullock said: “We are as thrilled as FitFlop with the results – record online sales and significant conversion rate increases in less than three months”.

Tacit Knowledge is a Pitney Bowes company and it is an end-to-end commerce solutions provider for global retailers and brands.

Ncommerce enabled FitFlop to quickly deploy technologies from numerous industry leaders in a single solution that is easy to manage and highly customisable to deliver deeper intuitive brand experiences for customers.

FitFlop was able to build a brand-specific storefront that provides deeper, more engaging customer experiences, while allowing new merchandising features to be conceived and implemented more rapidly.

Site maintenance is simplified, freeing FitFlop to focus more on its products and customers rather than perpetually managing technology.

More details at www.tacitknowledge.com and www.pitneybowes.com

-- BERNAMA

Geek+ Robotics showcases smart logistics automation solution in CeMAT ASIA 2018

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 (Bernama) – Geekplus Technology – a robotics and supply chain automation start-up based in Beijing, China has showcased its turn-key automation solution in the CeMAT ASIA in Shanghai recently.

Drawing tens of thousands visitors, CeMAT ASIA is a high-level international exhibition that displayed the newest technologies of material handling, automation and transport.

The exhibition is an excellent platform for Geek+ Robotics to present its automation solution for intralogistics and to discuss with potential clients worldwide about the prospects of implementing robots for business growth, a statement said.

Geek+ Robotics has been recognized as the top robot maker in China and has grown rapidly over the past three years, from four co-founders to a professional team of over 600 employees.

Geek+ Robotics chief executive officer, Yong Zheng said: “Innovative robot & AI technologies and insightful supply chain industry knowledge are vital instruments to Geekplus, our job is to combine them in the most effective way and make smart logistics simpler than ever”.

The company’s flagship ‘goods-to-person’ solution – Geek Picking System has been deployed in various industries worldwide and many influential enterprises like TMALL.COM, China Post, SF Express and others.

Geek+ simplifies steps in order fulfillment, material handling and sorting using AI and robotics to reduce labor, optimize parcel consolidation and the picking process and manage fleets of robots. More details at www.geekplusrobotics.com

    -- BERNAMA

HIGHLIGHTS OF CHINA'S NO. 1 HIGH-TECH FAIR CHTF 2018

SHENZHEN, China, Nov 15 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The 20th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF 2018) is being held from November 14-18 at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center with the theme “New Development Concept for High Quality Growth.” This year’s CHTF consists of exhibitions, forums, professional meetings, supporting activities, talents exchange meetings and overseas fairs, and features advanced manufacturing, next-generation information technology, AI, life sciences, new materials, new energy, as well as integration of real economy and future industries. Here are some of the highlights of CHTF 2018:   This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181114005654/en/  Themed areas focusing on industry hotspots The IT exhibition will present themed areas like AI, smart manufacturing, smart automotive, sports technology, big data, cloud computing, IoT and blockchain; the environmental exhibition will highlight new technologies of water control; the advanced manufacturing exhibition will have special areas for laser exhibition, smart manufacturing and industrial robots. Application of innovative technologies in different scenarios CHTF 2018 will showcase the most exciting new technologies for business, daily life, education and entertainment scenarios, such as the AI face recognition system, the 3D fitting room, the level 4 automated driving system, the AI early learning robot and the underwater drone. Chinese unicorn enterprises In addition to global leading companies such as Microsoft, Tencent and Baidu, it also gathers many unicorn companies in the AI industry, including Cambrian, Horizon Robotics, SenseTime, iQiyi and Royale, to impress the visitors with the most dazzling "AI Technology Moment."  http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33240

Kofax robotic process automation to meet modern enterprise demands

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- Kofax -- a supplier of Intelligent Automation software -- unveiled Kofax RPA’s next-generation robotic process automation (RPA) capabilities that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

Kofax RPA’s unique architecture and complementary ‘smart automation’ solutions in its Intelligent Automation platform empower enterprises to quickly and cost-effectively plan, deploy and manage a digital workforce that scales to meet the demands of the modern enterprise.

The company is first in the market providing a comprehensive, single-vendor, single-platform, Intelligent Automation solution, a statement said.

“Early adopters of RPA have experienced the many benefits in shifting human labor from ‘data gatherer’ to ‘data user’ roles. Increased productivity helps them remain on track for profitable growth, improved customer service and significant competitive advantage,” said Chief Executive Officer of Kofax, Reynolds C. Bish.

Kofax RPA’s automates the processing of unstructured documents or images and their content with embedded Cognitive Document Automation (CDA) which leverages AI technologies, optical character recognition (OCR), machine learning and natural language processing (NLP).

The Process Discovery capabilities available in the platform helps organizations easily track the human interaction with the client application via the user’s desktop. Organizations can identify and understand manual tasks that are performed and can be automated with RPA.

Kofax RPA also provides enterprise-level robot revision control and deployment management making it easy to manage and deploy the entire robot workforce. It is available in the market via a free 12-month trial, offering customers a risk-free means to assess the solution in a full production setting.

Kofax is a leading supplier of software and solutions to automate and digitally transform human and information intensive processes across front and back office operations. More details on https://www.kofax.com.

-- BERNAMA

California´s HireRight achieves ISO certification in APAC

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Bernama) – HireRight, an employment screening solutions provider, has achieved the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 27001:2013 certification in Asia Pacific (APAC).

President and Chief Executive Officer of HireRight, Guy Abramo said: “We wanted to assure clients and candidates that their data is being handled in accordance with established standards.

“Having undergone an in-depth review over the last twelve months, with the HireRight team assisting the ISO implementation assessors every step of the way, we’re delighted that our commitment to security and compliance has been recognised,” Abramo added.

The US-based company said in a statement the certification provides independent assurance that its data security has been audited in accordance with internationally accepted standards.

ISO 27001:2013 specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system.

It also includes requirements for the assessment and treatment of information security risks tailored to the needs of the company.

All relevant legislative statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements, along with HireRight’s approach to meet these requirements were explicitly identified, documented and kept up to date throughout the process.

Being certified in APAC also ensures that HireRight complies with all of the requirements including market-specific regulations. Along with APAC, HireRight in  Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) has also attained the certification.

HireRight is headquartered in Irvine, California, with offices around the globe, including regional headquarters in Mexico City, London and Singapore. More details at www.hireright.com

    -- BERNAMA

SolarWinds acquires 8MAN, launches new security software product

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- SolarWinds Worldwide LLC -- a provider of IT management software -- has launched SolarWinds Access Rights Management (ARM) --  a security software product -- following the acquisition of 8MAN, an early stage (ARM) solution company.

The acquisition of 8MAN and its technology and development team led to a subsequent product release that is another milestone advancing SolarWinds’ commitment to arming technology professionals with the software to solve today’s IT management challenges.

Chief Executive Officer of SolarWinds, Kevin Thompson said: “SolarWinds ARM complements this portfolio by enabling IT professionals to centrally provision, deprovision, manage and audit user access rights to their systems, data and files while minimizing exposure to insider threats.”

The acquisition of 8MAN gives the company the ability to leverage their development and technology expertise in the German market and beyond, which will allow them to offer another new product in the SolarWinds mold, a statement said.

SolarWinds ARM is an access rights management tool built to help IT and security admins manage user access, improve adherence to policy compliance and automate user provisioning and deprovisioning while protecting themselves from malicious insider abuse.

It is also designed to be an easy-to-use and efficient first step in helping organizations of all sizes deepen their security knowledge and credibility while protecting their systems, data and files at the source.

SolarWinds’ products give organizations worldwide, regardless of type, size or IT infrastructure complexity the power to monitor and manage the performance of their IT environments. More details on www.solarwinds.com.

-- BERNAMA 

CISCO UNITES SD-WAN AND SECURITY TO ADDRESS THE NEW CLOUD EDGE

LAS VEGAS, Nov 14 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cisco Partner Summit -- Cisco is unifying its security and
software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) technologies to help organizations embrace the cloud faster with choice and confidence.

The WAN is undergoing a radical transformation. Today, organizations host their applications in multiple clouds – public, private and SaaS.
The way people work has also changed; employees connect from coffee shops and airport lounges, instead of just the office. Now, organizations must rely on the Internet to connect users to business-critical applications. This has resulted in a new Cloud Edge – the intersection of networking and security.

Until now, SD-WAN solutions have forced IT to choose between application experience or security. By evolving its SD-WAN portfolio,
Cisco is addressing the new realities of the Cloud Edge. Cisco SD-WAN can help IT deliver better application experiences and make users more productive with unmatched simplicity and scale. And now, best-of-breed security can be easily enabled anywhere it is needed, from the branch to the cloud.

“The emergence of the new Cloud Edge is disrupting our customers’ network and security architectures. Today, every WAN device must become software defined and secure,” said Scott Harrell, senior vice president and general manager, Enterprise Networking at Cisco. “Cisco’s SD-WAN makes it easy
for customers to get the very best of networking and security. We are building a bridge to a new business world that speeds our customers’ ability to
unlock the power of the cloud — faster with less risk.”

Cisco SD-WAN: Simple, Secure, Scalable
Cisco SD-WAN is built to address today’s most pressing issues, yet flexible enough to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. New innovations include:
 

- Fusing Security with SD-WAN: From application-aware enterprise firewall and intrusion prevention, to URL filtering, advanced security is now
integrated into Cisco SD-WAN devices and managed through a single pane of glass. And Cisco SD-WAN is all powered by Talos, the industry’s
most powerful cyber threat intelligence solution.
 

- Simplifying Cloud Security Deployments: By integrating Cisco SD-WAN with Cisco Umbrella, access to malicious destinations can be
blocked before a connection is ever established.
 

- Applications Experience: Cisco has partnered with Microsoft to enhance the Office 365 application experience for users. Unlike other vendors,
Cisco SD-WAN monitors in real-time all available paths to the Microsoft Office 365 cloud. Using Microsoft Office URLs, Cisco is also able to
determine the closest cloud, resulting in up to 40 percent faster performance for users.
 

- Open and Programmable: With open APIs, Cisco SD-WAN provides service providers and partners the opportunity to create unique new services.
To help developers and network engineers innovate, Cisco DevNet has created new SD-WAN learning labs and sandboxes. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33223
 

CIMB Group partners Ripple to enhance instant payments across ASEAN

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 (Bernama) – CIMB Group (CIMB) have partnered Ripple to enable instant cross border payments across its various markets and joins Ripple’s network (RippleNet) which will facilitate access to other RippleNet members and allow CIMB to grow its cross border payments business.

“This innovative blockchain solution will revolutionise international cross-border remittances and is a testament to CIMB’s ongoing efforts to enhance its digital banking proposition by providing speedy and cost-efficient solutions to our customers across ASEAN,” said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CIMB Group, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz.

CIMB Group is one of ASEAN’s leading universal banking groups and is Malaysia’s second largest financial services provider, by assets while Ripple provides one frictionless experience to send money globally using the power of blockchain.

CIMB also intends to extend the solution to other use cases across the Group. There is a growing demand for cross border payment solutions, with the World Bank projecting that remittances to Southeast Asia will grow to USD120 billion by the end of 2018, according to a statement from Ripple. (USD1 = RM4.19)

Meanwhile, Ripple CEO, Brad Garlinghouse said: “We’re seeing banks and financial institutions from across the world lean into blockchain solutions because it enables a more transparent, quicker and lower cost payments experience.”

“By integrating Ripple’s blockchain technology, CIMB will enable their customers to send vital funds to family, friends and loved ones more efficiently. With its focus on innovation, the company will continue to be a dominant force in the region for years to come,” he added.

Ripple’s blockchain-based solution has been deployed to enhance Speedsend -- CIMB’s proprietary remittance product. This will expand CIMB’s Speedsend network and open new payment corridors to improve consumer access to cross-border remittances, both inbound into ASEAN and outbound to other countries.

-- BERNAMA

Duco expands into Asia with new office in Singapore

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 (Bernama) – Duco, a London-based enterprise data quality and reconciliation services provider, opened a new office in Singapore to support the rapid demand for its services and solutions in the region.

According to a statement, the new office will cater for customers across Asia Pacific to receive the superior customer service and support that Duco has become known for.

Duco is used by global financial institutions to accelerate digital transformation programs helping to solve a range of data quality, integrity and reconciliation challenges across multiple departments.

Chief Executive Officer of Duco, Christian Nentwich said they see Singapore as a fantastic hub due to its strong support for Fintech and innovation and the presence of both local and global customers.

Interim Head of Singapore, Keith Whelan said: “Singapore was the obvious choice considering how many major financial institutions are based here and its access to high quality Fintech talent. This will be critical as we rapidly expand our team in Asia to support our growing client base.”

With offices in New York, Luxembourg, Edinburgh, Wroclaw and Singapore, Duco’s customers include global banks, brokers, asset managers, exchanges and middle and back office outsourcers. More information at www.du.co

-- BERNAMA

WORLD'S BEST AIRLINES FOR 2019

PERTH, Australia, Nov. 13, 2018 /Medianet International-AsiaNet/--

AirlineRatings.com, the world's only safety and product rating website has announced Singapore Airlines as its Airline of the Year for 2019.

Singapore Airlines is being honoured for the first time for its market leadership in inflight service, new aircraft types such as the A350 and 787-10, revamped interiors and the launch of the non-stop Singapore to New York service, as well as operational safety. These factors have stamped the airline as a clear industry leader.

The AirlineRatings.com Airline Excellence Awards, judged by seven editors with over 200 years' industry experience, combines major safety and government audits, with 12 key criteria that include: fleet age, passenger reviews profitability, investment rating, product offerings, and staff relations.

www.AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas said: "In our objective analysis Singapore Airlines came out number one in many of our audit criteria, which is a great performance."

"For years Singapore Airlines has been the gold standard and now it is back to its best, leading in passenger innovations and new state-of-the-art aircraft models."

"The editors said that the competition for top spot was tight with Air New Zealand, Qantas Airways and Qatar Airways just being nudged out," said Mr Thomas.

Air New Zealand won Best Premium Economy and Best Airline Pacific, while Qatar Airways picked up Best Catering and Best Business Class.

Qantas, won Best Domestic Airline Service, and the coveted Best Lounges.

Singapore Airlines also picked up Best First Class.

Korean Air won Best Economy.

Virgin Australia was voted Best Cabin Crew, Emirates, Best Airline Middle East/Africa and Best In-Flight Entertainment.

QantasLink picked up Best Regional Airline and Philippine Airlines, Most Improved Airline.

VietJetAir took out Best Ultra Low-Cost airline.

Excellence in Long Haul travel: Delta Air Lines (Americas), Lufthansa (Europe), Emirates (Middle-East/Africa) Eva Air (Asia) and Air New Zealand (Pacific.).

Best Low-Cost Airline; Westjet (Americas), Wizz (Europe) and AirAsia / AirAsia X (Asia/Pacific).

Top Ten Airlines 2018;

AirlineRatings.com also has named its Top Ten: Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Virgin Australia, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, EVA Air, Cathay Pacific Airways and Japan Airlines.

About AirlineRatings.com: http://www.airlineratings.com/about-us.php

SOURCE: Airline Ratings Pty Ltd

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33215

FLUXYM NOMINATES A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND VP AND CHOOSES SINGAPORE TO ESTABLISH ITS APAC BRANCH

SINGAPORE, Nov 15 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Effective now, Fluxym, the European/American Source-to-Pay experts, has nominated Michael Rouviere Executive Director and VP Asia Pacific, and established their offices in Singapore, at 600 North Bridge Road, Parkview Square.

Michael Rouviere, formerly Chief Operating Officer at Allianz Asian Pacific branch, an important German insurer, and since 2017, in charge of their digital transformation, is now responsible for Fluxym’s APAC development. In this capacity, he will guide Asian and Pacific companies in their journey towards Procurement and AP digitization.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33236

VISTAJET CELEBRATED AS MOST INNOVATIVE BUSINESS AVIATION COMPANY AND BEST OPERATOR FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE TIME

HONG KONG, Nov 15 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, received top honors at the Asian Business Aviation Association’s Icons of Aviation Awards 2018. As well as being named the Most Innovative Company, VistaJet also earned the title of best operator for the third consecutive year. Presented by the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA), the awards represent the votes of 150 of its members, including business aviation operators, brokers, corporations, and peers in the aviation industry from across Asia.

The best operator award recognizes VistaJet’s industry-first achievements and exceptional operational standards. With over 70 consistently branded super-mid and long-range aircraft, VistaJet has flown to 1,600 airports in 187 countries, or 96% of the world. In the first half of 2018, VistaJet’s passenger count increased by 18% and flight hours rose by 23% compared to the previous year in Asia. As an indication of the rapid growth in the region in the past year, these figures rose to 37% and 33% respectively by the third quarter.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33233

HOSPITAL IN COX'S BAZAR WILL OFFER 24/7 MEDICAL AID TO 140,000 ROHINGYA REFUGEES

COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh, Nov 15 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A 100-bed capacity hospital opened in Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh. It is expected to serve 140,000 Rohingya refugees based in the Kutupalong camp.

This round-the-clock medical facility, built and managed by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) – Doctors without Borders with the support of Sharjah-based international humanitarian organisation, The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), aims to treat 7,200 people in its first year.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33230

Wolters Kluwer wins Best Solution in Regulatory Reporting award

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 (Bernama) – Wolters Kluwer’s solution – OneSumX for Regulatory Reporting – has been named as the “Best Solution in Regulatory Reporting” in Regulation Asia Awards for Excellence 2018.

Regulation Asia is a leading online publication, providing actionable regulatory intelligence for Asia Pacific (APAC) markets.

The Awards for Excellence recognize companies that shaped the regulatory landscape across APAC – providing independent verification of excellence and innovation.

Regulation Asia said in a statement, some of the largest banks in APAC use Wolters Kluwer's OneSumX solution for Regulatory Reporting as they strive to remain competitive amid an increasingly challenging regulatory landscape.

According to the publication statement, other key differentiators are Wolters Kluwer’s ability to ensure support when needed given its strong Asia Pacific presence and its community-building client engagement activities – include quarterly bank forums, one-on-one discussions and news alerts.

Major financial services providers, active in APAC, that who used the solutions include SME Development Bank Malaysia Bhd, ABN AMRO, China Merchants Bank, China Everbright Bank, LGT and Land Bank of Taiwan.

Wolters Kluwer, based in the Netherlands – is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. More details at https://wolterskluwer.com/

-- BERNAMA

FUSIONEX SUPPORTS PIKOM LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2018 TO UPLIFT NATIONAL ICT INDUSTRY

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, Nov 14 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Fusionex, as the main partner of the PIKOM Leadership Summit 2018 hosted by the National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM), rendered its support to the Summit which brought together C-Level executives, policy makers, and IT professionals for thought-provoking and in-depth discussions on the latest technologies that will shape the future of business.

Reprising his role for the second year running, Fusionex Founder and Group CEO Dato’ Seri Ivan Teh was once again organizing chair for this year’s Summit.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33217

BEHAVOX TO JOIN AMAZON WEB SERVICES AT SINGAPORE FINTECH FESTIVAL

TAMPINES, Singapore, Nov 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Behavox, a pioneering artificial intelligence data analytics firm, will join Amazon Financial Services (AWS) at the Singapore FinTech Festival in Singapore on November 12th. Key topics covered will include artificial intelligence in finance, the future of banking, insurtech, market infrastructure, fintech, cybersecurity, techrisk and regtech, and more.

This unique industry event is designed for both fintech startups and financial services enterprises, bringing together founders, directors and technical staff and will focus on topics that drive innovation and growth.

Appearing on behalf of Behavox will be Alex Wood, the firm’s VP of Sales - EMEA & APAC. Wood said, “It is an honor for Behavox to be included in such an exciting and prestigious event. We’re looking forward to thoughtful discussions with financial industry leaders and technologists in Singapore. Machine learning and artificial intelligence cannot be ignored, as it continues to transform operations and the business potential in financial services.”

In 2017, the Singapore Fintech Festival was attended by more than 30,000 participants from 100 countries including 160 global leaders from central banks and regulatory agencies, financial institutions, venture capital firms, and fintech companies.

Behavox has been designated for the AWS Financial Services Competency for the risk management category and has also completed the necessary training requirements to qualify as a partner in AWS’s Well-Architected Framework.

About Behavox Ltd.

Behavox is the people analytics company that gathers and interprets employee data in a corporate environment to understand the behavior of an organization. By aggregating and analyzing internal and external interactions and using cutting-edge software and machine learning Behavox can generate previously unidentifiable insights on: compliance and risk; culture and conduct; people performance; and sales and profits. Behavox works with forward thinking, multi-national businesses, financial institutions and investment firms. For more information, visit here.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33202

Triton Digital to power Singapore´s Mediacorp audio, podcast strategy

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Bernama) – Singapore’s media company with seven TV channels, 11 radio stations and multiple digital platforms, Mediacorp has selected Triton Digital to power its digital audio and podcast strategy.

Triton Digital, a technology provider for audio industry said in a statement, it will stream, monetize and measure Mediacorp’s digital audio and podcast content.

Mediacorp will use Triton’s audio streaming network to deliver high quality audio content to its online listening audience and the Tap Ad Server to dynamically insert targeted ads into its online streams.

To support its monetization goals, Mediacorp will leverage Triton’s programmatic audio marketplace (a2x®) and audio SSP (Yield-Op) to make its online audio inventory available to programmatic buyers.

Mediacorp will also utilize Triton’s integration with the Omny Studio platform to capture, edit and distribute engaging podcast content to its online listeners and Triton’s Webcast Metrics® service to measure its audience.

“Our live stream digital radio and on-demand podcast content is a meaningful driver of this mission, and we look forward to using Triton’s sophisticated audio streaming, advertising, and measurement technology to support our evolving digital audio strategy,” said Lead, Partnerships & New Business at Mediacorp, Indranil Sarkar.

Mediacorp was named Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year for the 14th time at the Asian Television Awards in 2017.

Managing Director, Market Development and Strategy at Triton Digital, Benjamin Masse said according to eMarketer, digital ad spend in APAC is expected to grow from $97 billion in 2018 to $136 billion in 2021.

Masse added: “We are proud to be providing Mediacorp with an advanced, reliable, and easy-to-use solution that will simplify the management and monetization of their streaming audio and podcast content.”

More details at www.TritonDigital.com and www.mediacorp.sg

-- BERNAMA

VIRGIN VOYAGES SETS OUT TO RIVAL FOOD SCENE IN WORLD FAMOUS CITIES

Sir Richard Branson’s new cruise line’s food reveal breaks all the traditional industry rules

NEW YORK, Nov 9 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virgin Voyages, the new lifestyle brand set to disrupt the travel industry, today announces the breadth of its onboard eateries, which include an expansive array of restaurants ranging from haute cuisine to casual fare. With a total of 20+ food choices onboard Virgin Voyages’ first ship, Scarlet Lady, the company released new designs for their restaurants, seaside lounges and casual eateries by their Creative Collective, which includes world-renowned designers from Roman and Williams, Tom Dixon, Concrete Amsterdam and Soft Room, amongst others.

Virgin Voyages does not believe in paying more for great food and ditched the traditional upcharges levied when dining in specialty restaurants at sea.  Virgin Voyages has designed all eateries on board to offer exceptional made to order eats and opted to include all restaurant food in the voyage fare.

The Virgin Voyages Rebellious Luxe experience is rooted in the modern romance of sailing: a thoroughly new take on the formal grandeur and opulence of the ocean liner heyday when ships were at the forefront of both technology and luxury.

Virgin Voyages will offer sailors a uniquely elevated and boutique Adult-by-Design experience for the 18+ traveler.  Virgin Voyages aims to be one of the cleanest fleets at sea, with a ban on single-use plastics for its sailors and no buffet on board the ship, the company will significantly reduce waste and reinvest savings into clean technology and quality products for its sailors.  The Scarlet Lady is designed to reflect a yacht’s sleek luxury and will set sail from PortMiami for the 2020 season with 2,770 sailors and 1,160 crew on an unforgettable journey to the Caribbean, she will also be the newest ship sailing to Havana on select voyages.

“There’s a Virgin twist on everything you’ll see aboard the Scarlet Lady, which means there will be no stuffy formalities, boring buffets and no main dining rooms. Sailors are not going to want to leave our ship after they experience how we’ve designed our restaurants and tasted the dishes we are going to be serving up in 2020,” said Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group.

THE RESTAURANTS
Virgin Voyages will bring city-like eating to sea and throw out the traditional cruise dining rule book, with no buffet, no main dining room, no forced formal wear, no assigned seating, no assigned dining times and enhanced the choice for sailors to grab a bite by keeping restaurant doors open until well into the night and in some cases the early hours of the morning.

With beautifully-designed eateries setting the stage, Virgin Voyages has expanded its Creative Collective to include the world class AvroKO Hospitality Group, AvroKO's strategy arm, Brand Bureau (BB), and their very own Michelin-starred chef Brad Farmerie. BB took the reigns creating the strategy for the entire on-board food and beverage experience, viewing it as its own small city and thinking through what experiences the people of that city would want and enjoy. Chef Brad Farmerie of AvroKO Hospitality Group came in to help develop the overall culinary programming strategy and identify culinary experts in the various cuisine types to execute each of the exciting menus. AvroKO Hospitality Group’s portfolio includes Saxon + Parole, Genuine Liquorette, and Ghost Donkey.

From experimental and haute cuisine to healthy quick bite options, the onboard eateries are tailored for sailors to realize new experiences that are grounded in core values of discovery, transformation, intimate connections and Vitamin Sea - the brand’s approach to well-being for people and the planet - whilst always being never normal.

Sailors can dine at a table or opt to enjoy their meal at the bar, with nearly all restaurants on board featuring a bar. Each restaurant will be helmed by a leading chef who leads their kitchen with passion and artfulness. With a made-to-order philosophy around food, Virgin Voyages pledges to never have to sacrifice quality for a quick bite.

WAKE- Designed by Roman and Williams, Wake offers sailors a dramatic view of the ship’s wake.  Serving a theatrical take on steak and seafood, Wake is the most glamorous restaurant on the ship, with a dramatic grand staircase entryway. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33193

Taiwan´s Fubon Insurance has stable outlook

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 (Bernama) – A.M. Best, a global rating agency has affirmed the Taiwan-based Fubon Insurance Co. Ltd. (Fubon Insurance) with Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of ‘a+’.

The rating agency with unique focused on insurance industry said the outlook of these credit ratings is stable.

A.M. Best in a statement said the ratings reflect the company’s balance sheet strength, which categorised as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

Fubon Insurance continues to maintain a robust risk-adjusted capitalization, supported by prudent reserving practices, a comprehensive reinsurance program and gradual organic growth in retained earnings, despite high dividend payout ratios.

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Fubon Financial Holding Co. Ltd., the insurance company also benefits from cross-selling synergies with affiliated companies while forming a strategic part of the financial product suite.

More information at www.ambest.com

-- BERNAMA

Willis Lease Finance Corporation earns US$13.3 mln pre-tax profit in third quarter 2018

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 (Bernama) -- Willis Lease Finance Corp (WLFC) reported a pre-tax profit of US$13.3 million in the third quarter of 2018, including record quarterly lease rent revenue of US$47.0 million. (US$1 = RM4.17)

Leasing results were driven by continued high utilization and 18.5 per cent growth of its portfolio to US$1.590 billion at quarter-end compared to US$1.343 billion at December 31, 2017.

The aggregate lease rent and maintenance reserve revenues were US$66.4 million for the third quarter 2018, up 23.2 per cent from the comparable period in 2017, a statement said.

The company also reported its total revenue grew by 18.4 per cent to US$78.0 million in the third quarter of 2018, compared to US$65.9 million in the comparable prior year period.

It had a total lease portfolio consisting of 250 engines, 14 aircraft and 10 other leased parts and equipment with a net book value of US$1.590 billion as of September 30, 2018.

“Demand for engines, parts and technical services grew in the third quarter and our financial results reflect that our platform is uniquely situated to deliver value for our customers across the spectrum,” said President, Brian R. Hole.

“While our priority is to deliver for customers today, we are always looking for ways to grow the platform with new and innovative products and programs for tomorrow,” he added in  a statement.

Willis Lease Finance Corporation leases large and regional spare commercial aircraft engines, auxiliary power units and aircraft to airlines, aircraft engine manufacturers and maintenance, repair and overhaul providers in 120 countries.

-- BERNAMA  

Chaineum assists Influbook on ICO and cryptocurrency token

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- Influbook -- the first open-network for Influencers to build their social reputation -- announced its ICO and the tokenization of its cryptocurrency, the Fluence with the assistance of Chaineum, a leading ICO boutique in Europe.

Chaineum Capital Partners is specialized in decentralized economy and blockchain technology. It provides strategic and financial advice and also accompaniment to corporates, investors, family offices, financial sponsors, banks and governments.

Fluence, is an ERC20 utility token that can be used for payments and purchases on the Influbook platform with five strong utility cases including E-commerce, Influencer Marketing Campaigns, Community rewards, Cash-back rewards and Voting rights.

A statement said the ICO will be connecting influencers, businesses and consumers for a new social-commerce experience. Details of the ICO on www.influbook.io.

The company aims to open up the influencer ecosystem to a wider audience where influencers, marketers & consumers can easily discover, qualify and connect for free to democratizes influence while generating new revenue opportunities for the sharing economy.

It has also adopted a strategy to white label its platform to companies, cities and governments as a new way to invite qualified influencers to promote their services directly on their company websites.

Influbook will be available at conferences including BlockShow Asia in Singapore (Nov 27  to 30), World Blockchain Summit Riyadh (Dec 5 to 6) and CryptoBlockCon Las Vegas (Dec 11 to 12). More details on www.influbook.com or www.chaineum.com.

-- BERNAMA

SD-WAN MARKET LEADER ARYAKA EXPANDS PASSPORT ECOSYSTEM WITH SYMANTEC'S CLOUD-DELIVERED SECURITY

Aryaka and Symantec’s security ecosystems intersect to provide secure application performance to global enterprises

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov 8 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  Aryaka, the leading SD-WAN as a Service provider, today announced a new technology partnership with Symantec to incorporate fully managed SD-WAN, application performance, and advanced threat mitigation for a multi-layered approach to protecting the network and enterprise users.

Symantec, a global leader in next-generation cyber security, will be part of Aryaka’s PASSPORT security platform and ecosystem which provides globally distributed businesses with multi-layered defense capabilities that include network containment, traffic compartmentalization, DDoS mitigation, and next-generation firewall. Other industry leaders that are a part of Aryaka’s PASSPORT ecosystem are Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler, and Radware.

“Comprehensive threat mitigation is imperative for the modern enterprise, particularly when it comes to connecting global locations to data and applications residing in the cloud,” said Claudio Perugini, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Global Channels at Aryaka. “Incorporating Symantec’s Web Security Service into Aryaka’s SD-WAN as a Service offers customers best-in-class defense as their vulnerability vectors continue to expand.”

Aryaka will now be a part of Symantec’s Technology Integration Partner Program (TIPP), which means it can leverage an open ecosystem that includes a complete API framework, as well as integration with the Symantec Integrated Cyber Defense Platform. Aryaka and Symantec will explore and strive to offer API-based integrated solutions that best service customers and help protect them from security threats. Also, as part of Symantec’s TIPP, Aryaka will have access to Symantec technology, tools and support to enable delivery of these API-integrated solutions to market faster and more efficiently.

“In the cloud generation, it’s important for companies to work with an open ecosystem to reduce the potential risk of fragmentation that can result in increased vulnerabilities and high operating costs,” said Peter Doggart, Vice President of Business Development at Symantec. “By integrating with the latest, advanced security technologies, our partners can help protect their customers and data from threats. With the Symantec Technology Integration Partner Program, we’ve made our Integrated Cyber Defense Platform open for integration in order to develop deep technical integrations. Together, we can make a positive impact and help make the world a safer place from cyber threats.”

Mostly recently, Aryaka was awarded the “2018 SD-WAN Product of the Year Award” by TMC, and was recognized in the “2018 Cloud Partner Program Guide” by CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company.

For more information about Aryaka’s award-winning global SD-WAN, visit www.aryaka.com.

About Aryaka
Aryaka is transforming how global enterprises connect sites and users worldwide, and use mission-critical applications to support modern business execution demands. Aryaka’s Global SD-WAN combines a purpose-built private network, SD-WAN, optimization and acceleration techniques, connectivity to cloud platforms and network visibility in a single solution that is delivered as a service.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33181

Virtusa leads APIX platform creation to improve financial inclusion

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 (Bernama) -- Virtusa Corporation - a global provider of digital strategy, digital engineering and IT outsourcing services - will lead a global effort in creating the API Exchange (APIX), the world's first cross-border, open-architecture platform to improve financial inclusion.

The platform will include an online global FinTech marketplace and sandbox platform. It will also accelerate financial services innovation and inclusion by enabling collaboration between financial institutions and FinTech innovators, a statement  said.

The Virtusa-led team was selected by the ASEAN Financial Innovation Network (AFIN) to develop and operate the platform. AFIN was founded by International Finance Corporation (IFC), the ASEAN Bankers Association (ABA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

The global effort led by Virtusa will includes Percipient – a data integration & virtualisation platform and Fidor, a digital banking solution provider. The platform is set to be launched during the Singapore FinTech Festival in Nov 2018.

As the platform aims to improve financial inclusion through FinTech innovation, AFIN sets out to achieve this by connecting banks that need Digital Transformation with FinTechs that have built innovative solutions through the platform.

“Our deep experience in Digital Engineering and extensive financial services domain expertise, coupled with our proprietary Digital Innovation Accelerator will accelerate the APIX platform build out and ensure its market viability,” said chairman and CEO of Virtusa, Kris Canekeratne.

Headquartered in Massachusetts, Virtusa engages its clients to re-imagine their business models and develop strategies to defend and grow their businesses. More details on https://www.virtusa.com.

-- BERNAMA

Ascom Telligence honored as best communication system in healthcare industry

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 (Bernama) -- Ascom Telligence has won best communication system award at the UK’s Building Better Healthcare Awards which gathered healthcare leaders in London to celebrate innovation in the built environment and medical device design.

The best communications system award is part of the technology class which aims to identify the most innovative digital applications used in health and social care environments, a statement said.

Ascom Telligence combines the latest nurse call technology with smartphones designed for healthcare environments and software apps to meet the needs of a mobile workforce and modern hospital design.

The Royal Free Hospital, London was the first hospital worldwide to install Ascom Telligence at the beginning of 2018 and followed by Chase Farm Hospital.

“It has been made possible by the commitment and dedication of our global and local product development and deployment teams who have worked closely with customers to make sure our solutions meet their needs now and for the future,” said Managing Director Ascom UK, Paul Lawrence.

The UK’s Building Better Healthcare Awards is the annual event honors the innovation, architecture, people, products and services that are helping to transform patient care in both the NHS and private healthcare sector.

Ascom headquartered in Baar (Switzerland) is a global solutions provider focused on healthcare ICT and mobile workflow solutions. More details on https://www.ascom.com.

-- BERNAMA

Cisco's new study on the way businesses operate their IT

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- Cisco Systems Inc has launched its new IT Operations Readiness Index revealing how data is transforming the way businesses operate their information technology (IT).

Cisco’s Global vice-president (IoT, Blockchain, AI and Incubation Business), Joseph Bradley said: “Fuelled by data and empowered by automation, IT can operate in real-time, be predictive, and rely on detailed data to have a true seat at the table, delivering strategic value for their organisation and customers.”

The Index reveals that IT spends around 78 per cent of their budgets simply “running the business” which leaves little room for innovation. It suggests reallocation of budgets to prioritise transformational activities as some organisations are already progressing along the IT operations maturity model.

“Through analytics and automation, CIOs can evolve from blindly reacting to events such as outages to continuously monitor and optimise their infrastructure based on predictions of future needs to deliver strategic outcomes for their business partners,” said Bradley.

Key findings of the Index include operations becoming a strategic focus for business success, with 28 per cent of the survey respondents’ IT budgets spent on optimising and remediating IT operations and they are expected to increase that budget over the next 12 months.

Investing in operations also drives customer benefits and value to the business as 88 per cent of IT leaders said their investment in IT operations over the past 12 months had improved external customer satisfaction and 89 per cent noted improvements in innovation.

It is also highlighted that AI and talent will result in success, with 42 per cent of the respondents saying AI was the emerging technology that would have the biggest impact on their ability to automate, while 51 per cent of respondents used AI to improve automation capability.

The Index surveyed more than 1,500 senior IT leaders worldwide to understand where organisations are on their IT operations transformation journey, revealing a four-step model for IT operations maturity, focused on how organisations handle events they face.

Cisco is the worldwide leader that has been making the Internet work since 1984. More details at https://newsroom.cisco.com.

-- BERNAMA

IHMA establishes new affiliate in India to support anti-infective industry

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- International Health Management Associates Inc /IHMA Europe Sàrl (IHMA) has established an affiliate in India (IHMA India LLP) to facilitates IHMA’s ability to provide global services to the anti-infective industry.

IHMA is a global company providing laboratory and consultative services to the biopharmaceutical industry involved in the development of products for the prevention, control and treatment of infectious diseases, a statement said.

Although collaboration with pharmaceutical companies and academic laboratories in India has worked for many years, the new affiliate will allow IHMA to further establish itself in India for better co-ordination and management of such studies to benefit the medical community.

“We have been working very hard over the past 26 years to maximize our in vitro support for clients who are developing antimicrobials in a global market,” said President/CEO of IHMA, Jack L. Johnson.

“Our facility in India will greatly enhance that effort and support clients wishing to conduct studies in this important market,” he added.

IHMA has a business office in Gurugram, India. The associates has been a premier provider of antimicrobial drug development services for more than 25 years. More details on www.ihma.com.

-- BERNAMA  

Farmers Edge partners CNH Industrial for strategic digital agriculture

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- CNH Industrial, one of the world’s largest farm machinery manufacturers has partnered Farmers Edge, a global leader in decision agriculture, for strategic digital agriculture.

Under the initiative, CNH Industrial will make Farmers Edge precision digital solutions available to its customers, propelling Farmers Edge to its goal of 150,000 connected devices over the next three years, including 100,000 pieces of farm equipment and 50,000 connected field sensors.

The partnership also paves the way for CNH Industrial dealers to leverage digital connectivity with their customers around the world.

Today’s farms are data-rich and rely heavily on real-time connectivity. It is no longer good enough to view data after the fact as the industry demands insights that are quicker, more precise and deliver measurable results.

Combining AI, IoT and predictive analytics with new levels of global connectivity provides stakeholders across the entire agricultural ecosystem with unprecedented levels of data to support decision-making, minimise risk and maximise growing potential.

In  a statement, Farmers Edge chief executive officer,  Wade Barnes said: The partnership brings exclusive options and services that combine reliable products and technological innovations translating into performance and productivity enhancements.”

Farmers Edge has been servicing over 22 million paid product acres worldwide with precision digital solutions. The company transforms big data into timely and accurate insights to support informed decision- making. More details at https://www.farmersedge.ca

-- BERNAMA

PSAV® ADDS NIK RUDGE TO ITS GLOBAL LEADERSHIP TEAM

Schiller Park, Ill., Nov 2 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PSAV, a global leader in event experiences, announced today that Nik Rudge has been named the company’s first managing director, international. Rudge will build upon the international business strategy to best align teams in Europe and the Middle East to continue to improve on ways the company serves customers globally.

“Nik has vast international business experience in the events industry having led teams in fast-moving, complex and multicultural environments,” said Ben Erwin, president of PSAV. “His general approach and business insight aligns very well with our purpose, mission and customer-centric culture at PSAV. We are eager to leverage Nik’s experience working with shared customers on important events in key meeting and event destinations.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33141

Ljubisav Matejevic to lead Ascom's strategic partners worldwide

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- Ascom Holding AG --  a global solutions provider focused on healthcare ICT and mobile workflow solutions -- has appointed Ljubisav Matejevic to continue the growth with strategic partners around the world.

Ascom’s strategic partners includes medical device manufacturers and global system integrators, value added resellers, electronic medical record companies, independent software vendors and leading healthcare consultancies, a statement said.

Matejevic has been working with Ascom since September 2017 as Vice President Global Ecosystem and Central and Eastern Europe as well as President of the Global Clinical + Care Coordination Forum (GCCCF).

He has over 25 years of market and business development experience and a profound expertise in thought leadership. As Global Market Development and Strategy Executive, Matejevic represented IBM’s Global Healthcare and Life Sciences Business (HCLS).

As the Global Alliance Executive for Healthcare & Life – Science and Public Health, Matejevic also managed the independently founded Global E-Health Forum to generate and strengthen cooperation across IBM’s strategic partners and important stakeholders.

Ascom headquartered in Baar (Switzerland) has operating businesses in 18 countries. The company’s mission is to provide mission-critical, real-time solutions for highly mobile, ad hoc and time-sensitive environments. More details on https://www.ascom.com.

-- BERNAMA

CHIBA GOVERNOR KENSAKU MORITA TO VISIT SINGAPORE

CHIBA, Japan, Nov 1 (Bernama-AsiaNet ) --

- Promoting Chiba's Farm & Fishery Products -

Governor Kensaku Morita of Chiba Prefecture will visit the Republic of Singapore for the first time from November 15 to 18, 2018, to make a top-level sales pitch for Chiba's attractive farm/fishery products and cuisine.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33124

SOLARWINDS TO SHOWCASE PORTFOLIO OF INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE AT VMWORLD 2018 EUROPE

CORK, Ireland, Nov 1 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SolarWinds (NYSE:SWI), a leading provider of powerful and affordable IT management software, today announced its participation at VMworld® 2018 Europe, November 5 – 8, 2018 in Barcelona, Spain. The company will exhibit its unified portfolio of infrastructure management software, which is designed to help technology professionals monitor their IT systems environment from application to spindle—to quickly find performance issues and correlations between all the layers. SolarWinds Head Geek™ and VMware® vExpert™, Thomas LaRock, will also co-present “Performance Deep Dive for Demanding Virtual Database Servers” on Wednesday, November 7, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CET.

Built on the Orion® Platform, the SolarWinds unified infrastructure management portfolio and integration features such as AppStack™, PerfStack™, and AppInsights™ can help make the process of preventing and troubleshooting incidents easier than ever before for technology professionals, whether on-prem, in the cloud, or in hybrid environments.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33119

​TOSHIBA ADDS NEW 4-CHANNEL HIGH-EFFICIENCY LINEAR POWER AMPLIFIER FOR CAR AUDIOS FEATURING MAXIMUM 45W OUTPUT

TOKYO, Oct 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation (“Toshiba”) today announced the launch of "TCB702FNG," an addition to its 4-channel high-efficiency linear power amplifiers that meet current market requirements for high efficiency. Sample shipments start today with mass production scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2019.

With "TCB702FNG," Toshiba has improved on its technology to realize efficiency comparable with a digital high efficiency of class D amplifier in actual operating range (0.5 to 4W). Power consumption is cut by up to 80% of that for a typical class AB amplifier[1]. The new IC’s maximum output is 45W, and the IC is pin-compatible with “TCB701FNG,” the company’s high efficiency linear power amplifier with maximum 50W output.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33111

BEST'S MARKET SEGMENT OUTLOOK: SOUTH KOREA NON-LIFE SECTOR IS STABLE

HONG KONG, Oct 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has a stable outlook on the South Korea non-life insurance sector, despite operating and regulatory environments that remain challenging for insurance companies.

A new Best’s Market Segment Report, titled, “Market Segment Outlook: South Korea Non-Life,” states that although the overall market is facing increased top-line pressures and tightening regulations, the industry still expects improved underwriting profitability in the coming year from premium hikes announced by South Korea’s regulator in September 2018 and the cooling-down of competition in the long-term business line. In terms of underwriting performance, the industry’s overall combined ratio has faced two offsetting trends in the past four years: a decreasing loss ratio, mainly due to premium hikes in the long-term and automobile insurance lines, and an increasing expense ratio, a result of heightened competition in the long-term insurance line.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33101

MITSUI CHEMICALS AND CHITOSE GROUP LAUNCH NOVEL OPEN INNOVATION INITIATIVE TO FOSTER BUSINESSES AND TALENTS

TOKYO, Oct 29 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (TOKYO:4183)(President & CEO: Tsutomu Tannowa) and Chitose Group (CEO: Tomohiro Fujita), a group of biotechnology startups, have jointly launched the "0 to 1 Project" as a novel open innovation initiative to foster "business and talents” based on unique technology seeds. In order to commercialize Mitsui Chemicals’ plant cell culture technology and Chitose Group’s microbiota-activated cultivation technology*, Chitose Group has established “PHYTO Renaissance, Inc.” and “Tierraponica, Inc.” respectively. Chitose Group accepts Mitsui Chemicals employees as a representative of each company and aims to put the businesses of both companies on growth track.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=33079