Category: Digital

EdgePoint Malaysia launches First Digital Classroom under Connectivity for Communities (CFC) Program

Aiming to provide meaningful connectivity and promote digital literacy while bridging the digital divide.

EdgePoint Towers Sdn Bhd, part of EdgePoint Infrastructure, the ASEAN-based independent telecommunications infrastructure company, today launched its first digital classroom in Malaysia at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Dua in Karak, Pahang. This launch represents the first of 2 digital classroom projects under its regional corporate social responsibility Connectivity for Communities (CFC) program. CFC aims to connect schools in underserved areas, providing them and its surrounding areas with access to the internet. 

At the curtain drawing ceremony-Encik Hanad Yusuf- Chief Sales and Commercial Officer EdgePoint Towers (centre left) Yang Berusaha Tuan Zainal Bin Abas- Deputy Director General of Education Malaysia (centre right) Flanked by officials from the Ministry of Education Malaysia.

Executed in collaboration with our partners, including Impact Malaysia, this digital classroom will offer over 100 students between the ages of 5 and 12 a dedicated space for learning. It will be fully equipped with seamless and unlimited internet connection and will also provide students with various educational materials, interactive learning platforms, and multimedia content on their academic subjects and interests. The programme will also include capacity development programs for school staff to ensure the effective management and sustainability of the initiatives.

Yang Berusaha Tuan Zainal Bin Abas, Deputy Director General of Education Malaysia, said, “In addition to formal education, access to the vast resources available online will not only enhance children’s learning beyond a physical classroom, but also provide them with the right tools and technologies to further develop themselves as individuals. Our national commitment to digital inclusion means we collaborate with technology and knowledge partners to provide affordable and equitable access for all, and EdgePoint’s CFC programme supports the government’s efforts to develop digital-savvy Malaysians who are able to effectively contribute to society and in the long run, participate in the digital economy. We welcome public-private partnerships such as these which are crucial in realising our national ambitions.”

Muniff Kamaruddin, Chief Executive Officer of EdgePoint Towers, said, “Connectivity today is as essential as the utilities we use daily. As infrastructure providers we want to do our part in ensuring equitable access to connectivity for all students in Malaysia. By providing them with the right tools, technologies and digital resources we aim to empower these students and teachers, giving them platforms for bigger, brighter futures. The access to connectivity from infrastructure deployed here will also extend to the surrounding orang asli communities, giving them access to online health care, banking, government services, retail and gig opportunities. We hope this also opens doors for alternative income options allowing them to elevate their quality of lives. This is also in line with our commitment to connecting the unconnected and ensuring a digitally inclusive Malaysia”.

Tuan Ahmad Jafri Bin Dolah, Headmaster at SK Sungai Dua, Karak said, “This digital classroom will not only provide our students with access to the internet but change the way we teach entirely. We are now able to access online resources, participate in digital classes, collaborate and share ideas with other educators as well as provide e-learning and alternative materials to the children. We are not only imparting knowledge but also preparing them for the digital world and making them more well-rounded individuals. This elevates the quality of education we will be providing to the students from here on”. 

Puan Nurul Azwa binti Mohamad Rodzi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Impact Malaysia said, “Impact Malaysia’s goal is to continue to empower communities by focusing on youth development and enabling young people to take charge of their futures. Through partnerships such as these, we are able to advise on the locations or communities which are most in need of affordable, reliable and meaningful connectivity and subsequently bring lasting changes to them”.

Present at the unveiling of the digital classroom were Yang Berusaha Tuan Zainal Bin Abas,  Deputy Director General of Education Malaysia (School Operations Sector), a representative for the Minister of Education; Yang Berusaha Encik Amzan bin Abd Malek, State Education Director of Pahang; Yang Mulia Tunku Dato’ Mahmood Fawzy bin Tunku Muhyiddin, Chairman of EdgePoint Malaysia Holdings and Encik Hanad Yusuf, Chief Sales and Commercial Officer, EdgePoint Towers; Tuan Mohd Razi bin Jaafar, Chief Financial Officer, Yayasan Didik Negara; Tuan Ahmad Jafri Bin Dolah, Headmaster of SK Sungai Dua; Encik Shahrizal Husin, Head of Development for Pahang State, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC); Puan Nurul Azwa binti Mohamad Rodzi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Impact Integrated, and senior management of MOE.

This is the fifth digital classroom EdgePoint is launching under the CFC programme, with a target to launch a total of 10 schools by the end of 2024.

About EdgePoint Infrastructure

EdgePoint Infrastructure is an ASEAN based independent telecommunications infrastructure company that aspires towards Building a Connected, Digital ASEAN. Headquartered in Singapore with operations in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, through EdgePoint Towers Sdn Bhd, PT Centratama Telekomunikasi Indonesia, Tbk and EdgePoints Towers Inc. respectively, the company is focused on providing sharable and leading-edge telecom structures, small cells and in-building systems. EdgePoint aims to be an industry leader through scale and innovation, driving operational efficiencies through the adoption of analytics and digital technologies.

Rolled out across Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, the CFC programme is part of EdgePoint’s ongoing commitment to enhancing equitable access to connectivity across the region, especially in the underserved communities. In an effort to ensure the right communities benefit from these initiatives, EdgePoint has partnered with local organisations who understand the grassroots’ needs better in each country, allowing them to curate the right programmes towards improving connectivity and promoting digital literacy.

For more information on EdgePoint, please visit https://edgepointinfra.com.

Issued on behalf of EdgePoint Infrastructure Sdn Bhd by Narro Communications.
For media queries, please contact:

Annushia Balavijendran
Head of Marketing, 
EdgePoint Infrastructure
Mobile: +6016 371 3227
Email: annushia@edgepointinfra.com		Timothy Gunapalan
Narro Communications
Mobile: +6019 355 2520
Email: timothy@narrocomms.com

Kashifu Inuwa: Putting NITDA on the Cusp of a Revolution

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Federal Government Agency responsible for the development of the Information Technology sector in Nigeria.

Written by Iklima Musa, Lagos, Nigeria 28/09/2022.

Nothing offers a more reliable picture of a country’s economic performance better than a periodic assessment of sectoral contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It’s no less so in Nigeria where a report by the National Bureau of Statistics indicates that Nigeria’s Information and Communications sector contributed 18.44 percent to the GDP in the second quarter of 2022. The figure was an improvement from the 15 percent performance recorded in the last quarter of 2021.

Kashifu Inuwa, NITDA Director-General: “Globally, there is a shortage of talents, so, we are creating a mandate to develop a talent strategy because we have a competitive advantage as a country with our vast human and natural resources. Nigeria can seize the opportunity to fill that gap” [Image: NITDA 2022]

A little context will help put the significance of this growth in real perspective. The NBS data shows that the country’s Information and Communications sector’s contribution trumped the figures recorded by sectoral powerhouses such as Oil and Gas, Manufacturing, Real Estate, and Financial and Insurance. The plaudits – or a huge part thereof – for that sterling performance should go to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, its helmsman Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and its steerer, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi.

NITDA, as the Federal Government Agency responsible for the development of the Information Technology sector in Nigeria, it is one of the seven agencies under the Ministry of Communications Technology and Digital Economy.

NITDA’s impressive scorecard could be glimpsed also in how quickly it has been able to develop strategies, to help grow the Nigeria information technology ecosystem in a COVID and emerging post-COVID era. Under its dynamic and innovation-driven Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, so much has been achieved by the Agency in a short span of three years.

The NITDA Director-General, who recently marked three years in office, has gradually realigned and re-positioned the Agency, aiming to grow its capacity to respond adequately to the changing conditions and complexities of a digital economy in a fast-evolving global and local digital market.

Milestones achieved under the leadership of Inuwa have been multi-faceted and stand out as bold testaments of his commitment to innovation. Inuwa’s vision for NITDA in the medium term is encapsulated in a robust and bold policy framework – the Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP, 2021 – 2024), which was launched last year.
SRAP is designed to support the even broader, National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) enunciated by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

The many achievements recorded so far belie the fact that NITDA has implemented SRAP for just one year, a development that Inuwa recalls with an understandable pride: “The first year of implementing the NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (2021 – 2024) has been one of deep learning, overcoming challenges and celebrating amazing breakthroughs. Along the way we got conferred with the prestigious National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) award, in recognition of our productivity, hard work and excellence in service delivery.”

In June 2021, the Agency started operating the National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) with the Key Generation and Handover Ceremony for Root Certification Authority (RCA) for Country Signing Certification Authority (CSCA) and Country Verification Certification Authority (CVCA) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The NITDA Director-General remains upbeat about its prospects: “This unprecedented cybersecurity landmark (NDEPS Pillar 6) will not only close loopholes in online activity but significantly reduce system vulnerabilities that are exploitable by threat actors.” That was undoubtedly a milestone achievement for Nigeria’s digital space.

To further close out loopholes in online activity and generate proper accreditation of professionals, the Agency intends to implement seven cybersecurity interventions that are focused on the PKI.

A key component of this creative platform is that, it will coordinate the management of the Country Object Identifier (OID), and upgrade the PKI authentication infrastructure, create a PKI Audit requirement for Microsoft onboarding on operating systems, and integrate PKI with major hardware/software vendors. “We will then construct, furnish, and equip two National Cybersecurity Research Centers,” Inuwa says.

With regard to the expected outcome, Inuwa, reputedly Nigeria’s first Cisco-Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) public servant, says: “Digitalisation of Government processes facilitates transparency, efficiency, productivity, participation, inclusiveness, cost savings, and competitive advantage, which ultimately translates to social and economic development for a country like Nigeria.”

He also estimates that the “implementation of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) can save Nigeria N4.5bn annually”. For a government determined to curb corruption and cut costs, this is quite significant. Some of NITDA’s action plans in the area of regulation and framework development, which are already in the works, include fostering Gender Digital Inclusion, enthroning a seamless e-Commerce environment and enhancing government digital services.

“In 2022, we are developing the Framework on Gender Digital Inclusion (GDI), with the aim of codifying learning standards for different categories of IT learners, while addressing the wide gender disparities in digital literacy and skill acquisition,” he said.

He is optimistic that the Guidelines for e-Commerce in Nigeria will provide an enabling framework for e-commerce to thrive and increase online trade’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP. Just as crucial, he noted, is the planned development of the “Framework and Regulations for Implementing Government Digital Services (GDS) as a Guideline for Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) to deliver digital services and the Framework for Implementation and Compliance with relevant regulations to ensure compliance with all developmental regulatory instruments such as the NDPR, Cloud Computing, outsourcing, among others”.

To some, these goals may seem rather grandiose. But Inuwa possesses a tapestry of experience as an IT professional, having worked, and indeed excelled, in highly challenging environments, among which are the Central Bank of Nigeria and Galaxy Backbone Limited. This imbues him with a capacity to sufficiently address current developments and discern the dynamic trends and markets in the IT sector. His deep knowledge of IT trends reflects in the remarkable way he has steered the Agency to address the likely challenges of tomorrow’s digital environment.

Under Inuwa, NITDA has issued 966 digital tools and supported the development of digital transformation plans in accordance with NDEPS Pillar 5 in 3 states. “These digital tools and expert guide, which are part of our initiative to develop a framework and implementation toolkits for measuring the impact of digital technology deployment in FPIs are already enabling institutions to embark on digital transformation self-assessments,” he said, regarding the feat.

When Inuwa assumed office as NITDA’s Director General in mid-2019, the global Covid-19 pandemic which led to the lockdown of several cities worldwide, including Nigeria, was only a few months away. When it hit the country in February 2020, prompting a government-ordered lockdown in April 2020 which lasted for several months, the Agency initiated and adopted several remote and contactless digital technologies that ensured government machinery kept working throughout the critical period. Inuwa set up a team called Tech4Covid to cushion the effects of Covid-19. This led to the identification of three innovations that helped curb Covid-19 and the establishment of a virtual academy for research and training with over 70 active courses and over 485,000 active students.

In the circumstances, Inuwa’s leadership and managerial skills which had been honed by several high-level trainings in leadership and management at reputable world-class institutions such as Harvard, Sloan Business School, London Business School, IMD Business School, Oxford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cambridge University, all came into play, ensuring that critical digital services are being delivered to government and that government can continue to perform its various functions effectively. The same expertise has come into play in his relentless efforts, to transform the Agency into a world class IT Agency.

One instance of this transformation is the service delivery. The Director General comments: “In terms of the service contract, we reviewed the existing SERVICOM unit, expanded stakeholder identification, introduced new roles, realigned responsibilities to absorb the changes, created a new identity tagged iServe, and completed a sensitization process with key action points. Today, iServe represents our people first commitment to customer satisfaction through innovation and professionalism as we pursue the digital economy goals.”

Another key part of NITDA’s statutory mandate is massive upskilling and reskilling of Nigerians across all walks of life. NITDA under Inuwa, has trained well over half a million Nigerians in various basic digital skills and literacy, with such diverse backgrounds as junior schoolteachers, traditional rulers, journalists, youth and talent development programme participants, among others.

The Agency has embarked on a journey to train 1 Million Software Developers in the next 18 months, in collaboration with global giants such as Microsoft, Google, and other key ecosystem players. “Globally, there is a shortage of talents, so, we are creating a mandate to develop a talent strategy because we have a competitive advantage as a country with our vast human and natural resources. Nigeria can seize the opportunity to fill that gap”, the NITDA, DG says, with high optimism.

At a higher level, NITDA has awarded over 450 scholarships in IT to deserving Nigerians at the master’s degree level, with 42 Phds, in the past few years.

Inuwa is delighted with the phenomenal growth of the Nigerian Digital Innovation Ecosystem. Recent large acquisitions such as Stripe’s $200 million takeover of Paystack in 2020, the $320 million Main One Ltd take over by US-based Equinix, and Flutterwave’s $3.5 billion valuation have proudly spotlighted the country as a notable digital innovation centre in Africa.

In the first half of this year alone, Nigeria’s Digital technology and innovation startups have raised over one billion dollars in venture capital funding from major Western capital market funds. Notable among them are Sudo Africa, $3.7 million, Casava, $4 million, DrugStoc, $4.4 million, Bamboo, $15 million, Credpal, $15 million, and Reliance Health, $40 million.

NITDA itself, has recently facilitated the support of six digital information technology start start-ups to access grants of $120 thousand each, amounting to $715 thousand. The Agency is actively backing several digital innovation hubs and has set up such hubs around the country, including over 150 start ups which it has supported to attend the GITEX global exhibition, World Creativity Challenge, among others.

Just the beginning of this year, NITDA facilitated the approval of three Federal Executive Council memos through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, in favour of digital startups. These approvals will incentivise and further harness the country’s digital innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem to create job opportunities for its teeming youth population.

Within three years, Inuwa has equipped 160 digital economy centres around the country to further catalyze skills development and digital innovations.

According to Statista, 35 million Nigerian internet users will be added by 2026, which is another clear indication of increasingly phenomenal growth in internet adoption and usage in Nigeria.

Addressing the recent Ogun State Digital Summit in Abeokuta, on Digital Technologies: Key to Sustainable Development, Inuwa affirms that “Digital Technology innovation is not only booming, but it is also quickly moving towards sustainable solutions, with many of the most promising ideas from businesses worldwide having a clear focus on the environment.”

An innovation powerhouse, Inuwa would yet, undoubtedly, be pushing forward the boundaries of innovative digital technologies in Nigeria and beyond, in the coming years.

Written by Iklima Musa
Lagos, Nigeria 28/09/2022.

NextPlay’s NextFin Division Receives Conditional License Approval for Insurance and Re-insurance Offerings

NextPlay Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXTP), a digital business ecosystem for digital advertisers, consumers, video gamers and travelers, announced that its NextFin Division has received conditional approval of its general insurance and re-insurance license application from the Labuan Financial Services Authority (Labuan FSA), a growing jurisdiction of choice by insurers and insurance intermediaries around the world.

The licensing enables NextPlay’s fintech division to establish primary insurance operations, NextShield LTD, that looks to initially offer products in the form of block-chained parametric comprehensive travel insurance and bank deposit insurance. These products can be offered directly to businesses globally, as well as further enhance the offerings of NextPlay’s other operating units, such as NextBank International, where it could help attract more sizeable deposits due to the licensed insurance coverage.

The re-insurance license enables the company to establish re-insurance operations, NextShield Re, which can offer to investors tokenized fully compliant insurance-linked securities (ILS). The company is expected to begin selling insurance policies in 2022.

Todd Bonner, head of NextPlay’s fintech division, will be leading the new insurance initiatives. He brings to the program significant experience in the insurance industry, including co-founding Pacific Century Insurance with Richard Li in Hong Kong which eventually exited in a $888 million transaction.

According to Bonner: “We are grateful to the Labuan FSA for working through the application process with us in a constructive manner and giving NextPlay the opportunity to push the boundaries of insurance and re-insurance innovation with a product portfolio that will be unique to the industry. We believe our initial products will offer clients a much-needed continuum of protection which has yet been unavailable to them under one policy. Of equal importance, we will offer easy and efficient onboarding. We are crypto-friendly, and NextBank and NextShield welcome partners globally.”

For partnership inquiries, contact todd.bonner@nextplaytechnologies.com.

About NextPlay Technologies

NextPlay Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTP) is a technology solutions company offering games, in-game advertising, crypto-banking, connected TV and travel booking services to consumers and corporations within a growing worldwide digital ecosystem. NextPlay’s engaging products and services utilize innovative AdTech, Artificial Intelligence and Fintech solutions to leverage the strengths and channels of its existing and acquired technologies. For more information about NextPlay Technologies, visit www.nextplaytechnologies.com and follow us on Twitter @NextPlayTech and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of, and within the safe harbor provided by the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations, opinions, belief or forecasts of future events and performance. A statement identified by the use of forward-looking words including “will,” “may,” “expects,” “projects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimate,” “should,” and certain of the other foregoing statements may be deemed forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future activities and results to be materially different from those suggested or described in this news release. Factors that may cause such a difference include risks and uncertainties including, and not limited to, our need for additional capital which may not be available on commercially acceptable terms, if at all, which raises questions about our ability to continue as a going concern; the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and is expected to continue to have, a significant material adverse impact on the travel industry and our business, operating results and liquidity; amounts owed to us by third parties which may not be paid timely, if at all; certain amounts we owe under outstanding indebtedness which are secured by substantially all of our assets and penalties we may incur in connection therewith; the fact that we have significant indebtedness, which could adversely affect our business and financial condition; our revenues and results of operations being subject to the ability of our distributors and partners to integrate our alternative lodging rental (ALR) properties with their websites, and the timing of such integrations; uncertainty and illiquidity in credit and capital markets which may impair our ability to obtain credit and financing on acceptable terms and may adversely affect the financial strength of our business partners; the officers and directors of the Company have the ability to exercise significant influence over the Company; stockholders may be diluted significantly through our efforts to obtain financing, satisfy obligations and complete acquisitions through the issuance of additional shares of our common or preferred stock; if we are unable to adapt to changes in technology, our business could be harmed; our travel business depends substantially on property owners and managers renewing their listings; if we do not adequately protect our intellectual property, our ability to compete could be impaired; our long-term success depends, in part, on our ability to expand our property owner, manager and traveler bases outside of the United States and, as a result, our business is susceptible to risks associated with international operations; unfavorable changes in, or interpretations of, government regulations or taxation of the evolving ALR, Internet and e-commerce industries which could harm our operating results; risks associated with the operations of, the business of, and the regulation of, Longroot and NextBank International (formerly IFEB); the market in which we participate being highly competitive, and because of that we may be unable to compete successfully with our current or future competitors; our potential inability to adapt to changes in technology, which could harm our business; the volatility of our stock price; the fact that we may be subject to liability for the activities of our property owners and managers, which could harm our reputation and increase our operating costs; and that we have incurred significant losses to date and require additional capital which may not be available on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. More information about the risks and uncertainties faced by NextPlay are detailed from time to time in NextPlay’s periodic reports filed with the SEC, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, under the headings “Risk Factors”. These reports are available at www.sec.gov. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on the Company’s future results and/or could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. The Company takes no obligation to update or correct its own forward-looking statements, except as required by law, or those prepared by third parties that are not paid for by the Company. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: NextPlay Technologies, Inc.

Company Contacts:
Richard Marshall
Director of Corporate Development
NextPlay Technologies, Inc.
Tel (954) 888-9779
Email: richard.marshall@nextplaytechnologies.com

Virtual Gathering of Global CX visionaries to Explore ASEAN’s Untapped Opportunities in FSI

Banks in the ASEAN region were extremely successful not only in adapting rapidly to the evolving banking environment but being innovative in terms of new customers being incorporated. Customer experience is now one of the major differentiators in all industries.

On 21st October 2021, the 5th edition of World CX Summit — FSI will bring together key players and experts to help ASEAN countries to digitize at speed and scale.

The summit will host a combination of keynotes, insightful sessions and panel discussions sure to deliver actionable insights that attendees can apply to their Customer Experience strategies
The event will focus on topics such as: how can financial service be future-ready with CX-led Digital Transformation; how banks are sparking disruption and fostering CX – rethinking CX in post-pandemic era and strategy to improve CX; how digital & wearable innovation is redefining insurtech; how AI Will Shift Customer Experience to the Next Level; which emerging technologies like AI, Blockchain, IoT, AR, VR etc. will deliver on the new capabilities for next-generation CX; and much more.

The summit will also feature a groundbreaking collaboration of experts such as:
– Anthony Rogalski, Solutions Consultant, UserTesting
– Landon Barnes, Principal Solutions Consultant, UserTesting
– Gavin Neil Olsen, Regional Manager, FSI, Sitecore
– Mike Plimsoll, Snr. Director, Industry Strategy & Marketing, Sitecore
– Allan Tumbaga, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Marketing Officer, Pru Life UK
– Sourabh Chitrachar, Regional VP- IT Strategy & Transformation, Liberty Mutual Insuarance
– Rachel Chen, Chief Digital Officer, Aviva Singlife
– Mohd Afdhal Bin Mohd Nayan, Chief Transformation Officer & Bank Of Ayudhya – Krungsri
– Chatrudee Ngamvalairatt, EVP, Customer Experience Management
– Tomasz Kurczyk, Chief Digital and Transformation Officer, AXA Insurance
– Dan Ramirez, Head of Business Excellence (AVP), Insular Life Assurance Co., Ltd.
– Mujtanibul Ahmed Sakib, Division Customer Experience Director, Wing Bank
– Jennifer Villalobos, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Prudential Life Assurance Public Company Ltd

“When we elevate UX & UI to a whole new level of excellence, then climax is perfected,” states Steven Wong Weng Leong, Chief Digital & Global Banking Strategist at China Construction Bank. “Customers today are far more aware than ever and it’s highly unlikely that they will hold brands for things they cannot control, but the brand needs to make customers understand expectations. One has to focus on what the pain points are and try to bring a correction there,” said Mithun Shetty, CEO of Trescon.

The summit will be hosted on the virtual events platform Vmeets to help participants network and conduct business in an interactive and immersive virtual environment. Participants can also engage with the speakers during Q&A sessions and network with solution providers/sponsors at their virtual exhibition booths, private consultation rooms and meeting tables.
World CX Summit – FSI is officially sponsored by Lead Sponsor – UserTesting; Platinum Sponsor – Sitecore; Gold Sponsor – OutSystems, Servicenow, Creatio; Silver Sponsors – Freshworks, Teleperformance.

About World CX Summit

World CX Summit is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused, global series of events that takes place in strategic locations across the world.
The summit will also host a combination of insightful sessions, keynotes, case studies and panel discussions sure to deliver actionable insights that attendees can apply to their Customer Experience strategies.

About Trescon

Trescon is a global business events and consulting firm that provides wide range of business services to a diversified client base that includes corporations, governments and individuals. Trescon is specialised in producing highly focused B2B events that connect businesses with opportunities through conferences, road shows, expos, demand generation, investor connect and consulting services.

For further details about the announcement, please contact:
Media, PR & Corporate Communications
+91 81059 75937
media@tresconglobal.com

Corinium Presents CDAO Deep Dive ASEAN Online: Data Innovation

Corinium is globally renowned for our leading face-to-face conferences and market research, and most recently the best real-time digital learning opportunities. We are now launching our Chief Data and Analytics Officer (CDAO) Deep Dive ASEAN series taking a closer look at the topics requested by the Southeast Asian data community.

We will be bringing you incredible insights from the region’s leading data experts, and you can watch them whenever and wherever you want, for free! Our Data Innovation Online Deep Dive will address the latest in driving data initiatives to growth business, converting traditional infrastructure, getting the most value out of data, implementing successful intelligence programmes, what risks should be taken with investments, building strategic data partnerships, and more.

Join us, 24th November, and learn from the most successful data and analytics leaders and explore the strategic issues that matter to you!

2021 Key Themes:
– How to Modernise Data Governance & Management to Match Business Objectives Adapting to the latest challenges and understanding the way your enterprise-wide data governance needs to evolve for today and tomorrow.
– Making Data Fit for Purpose: Delivering Trusted, High Quality, Robust Data
Effective data governance through the lenses of risk, privacy, ethics, compliance and digital trust.
– Modern Data Architecture for Maximum Impact!
Building the right environment for faster, cheaper, easier access to data. Unifying data sources to gain a single view and supporting machine learning and artificial intelligence.
– Consistent, Transparent and Safe Data Across the Organisation
Promoting the business value of data governance, tracking all data elements and ensuring effective lifecycle management.

Registrations are now open!
– Gain best practices from actual case studies from organisations across ASEAN showcasing how they successfully implemented data strategies to strengthen business output
– Hear from key data experts and professionals, as they share their best practices from different industries including banking and finance, insurance, telecommunications, government, media, and more
– Insights into some of the hottest, trending themes in the data community such as Data Trends Driving Innovation and Growth & Digital Transformation and the Data Journey
– Over 200 data professionals are expected to attend and voice their questions to speakers through our interactive Q&A – hear what they have to say and ask your questions too

Register Here: https://bit.ly/3ly5Ppt

For Further details regarding this event, visit our website, https://datainn-asean.coriniumintelligence.com/.

You can contact us at:
info@coriniumintel.com

ZALL Makes Headway in Global Digital Trade with New Strategic Rebrand

ZALL Smart Commerce Group (ZALL), Asia’s largest B2B e-commerce group, looks to become the world’s leading global digital trade platform with its new strategic rebrand. It aims to create an open and interconnected B2B trading ecosystem between China and ASEAN, and to drive the rapid growth and development of industries and businesses through the use of new trading methods and advanced technologies.

With the strategic rebrand, ZALL aims to create value through its global intelligent services across B2B transactions, supply chain services and digital cloud services, transforming industrial value chains across the region and enabling businesses to improve overall efficiency. ZALL currently serves around 30 B2B platforms in China, the United States and Singapore, to millions of SMEs worldwide. It has also been investing heavily in the development of next-generation intelligent trading platforms to help empower seamless data exchange across platforms integrating information, logistics and capital flows across wholesale and commodities, retail trade and logistics industries in China and Singapore.

Testament to their hard work and effort, ZALL and its Singapore-based international trading platform, Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC), were recently conferred the prestigious Gold and Silver Awards at the 2021 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards during the virtual awards ceremony held on 14 July 2021. It is a major achievement for the teams as it highlights ZALL’s dedication towards transforming global trade and supply chains since its strategic rebrand.

Peter Yu, Executive Vice President of ZALL Smart Commerce, Singapore, shared, “As the world continues to adapt and rise up to the challenges posed by the pandemic, we wanted to focus our efforts on digital innovation, creating an even more resilient and sustainable global trade and supply chain ecosystem. This can be done by incorporating data and digital technologies into every part of the industrial value chain, from both the demand to the supply side. With our expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Blockchain, we believe we are well-positioned to help businesses worldwide adopt innovative technologies to succeed in the new digital world order.”

On the back of its strong technology research and development capabilities, ZALL was also ranked 58th in the ‘2020 Global Blockchain Invention Patent Ranking’ published by the incoPat Innovation Index Research Center. ZALL’s research institute was granted more than 200 intellectual property rights last year, namely in the fields of blockchain, artificial intelligence and big data. Recognising the complexity and difficulty of adopting blockchain for many enterprises, ZALL recently launched ‘Z-Block Gateway’, a blockchain Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) solution that is both low-code and easy to operate and deploy across various industries and mainstream cloud servers.

Alongside ZALL, CIC has also launched “CORP INFO” that offers “Know-Your-Counterparty” and “Credit Info” services to help SMEs manage their business risks by being able to verify and conduct due diligence on prospective business partners and counterparties before engaging in official dealings. Companies will have access to a range of essential business information such as business registration, historical background, holding companies, shareholders, legal and financial activities, lawsuits and related risks of more than 200 million companies and 2.1 billion trade records in Singapore, China and other parts of the world to help businesses better identify their counterparties.

About Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC)

The Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC) is a global trading platform for physical commodities including Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Metals, Chemicals & Plastics, Oil & Petroleum, and Agri Commodities. Officially launched in Singapore on 12 Oct 2018, CIC is a Joint Venture between China-based ZALL Smart Commerce Group, Global eTrade Services (GeTS) and Singapore Exchange (SGX) to build trade connectivity through digital marketplaces and to grow a vibrant trading ecosystem in Singapore.

CIC aims to revolutionise commodity trading and facilitate cross-border trade through deal matching, trade finance, supply chain logistics, track and trace and global trade compliance. Since its establishment in October 2018, CIC has achieved a GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) of more than US$13.4 billion (S$17.6 billion), with over 5,800 registered users covering markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China, among other countries in Asia. For more information, please visit https://www.cic-tp.com/.

About ZALL Smart Commerce Group

ZALL Smart Commerce Group is a leading Chinese B2B e-commerce group (Fortune” China Top 500 list in 2020) with a global footprint across the world and its entities are listed on three exchanges on HKSE, NYSE and SSE. ZALL Group develops and operates Asia’s largest B2B offline-to-online trade ecosystem in China and Southeast Asia, including Singapore, with more than 30 B2B platforms in China, US and Singapore, and a GFA of more than 10 million sqm of wholesale trade centres in China. In 2018, ZALL Group achieved a GMV of more than RMB 600 billion (US$85.2 bn), serving over 1 mil SME customers worldwide. ZALL has also obtained a virtual banking licence and currently operates Z-Bank in China since 2017, one of China’s Top 5 digital banks that has supported more than 5.5 million SME and individual customers.

Since 2018, ZALL has invested in five projects in Singapore, including the Commodities Intelligence Centre (CIC), Singapore’s first physical commodity eTrading platform (B2B) powered by blockchain technology; ezbuy.sg, Singapore’s leading global online shopping platform; ZMA Smart Capital, an online trade finance company; ZALL Chain Technology, a blockchain solutions company. For more information, please visit http://en.zallcn.com/

Shrinath Bolloju, Managing Director, CitiBank, India Joins KGiSL

KG Information Systems Private Limited (KGiSL), a global IT Products, Solutions, and Services provider, today announced the appointment of three banking leaders with impeccable leadership and track record, to support its growth and strategic vision. These senior finance professionals, with considerable expertise and a wealth of global banking experience, will significantly help in driving this critical phase of KGiSL’s growth strategy of reaching INR 1000 crore turnover in the next three years.

Shrinath Bolloju joins KGiSL as Chief Strategy Officer, Ramesh Nagesh as Chief Operating Officer, and Noor Hayati Ahmad as Senior Vice President & Country Head, KGiSL Singapore.

Welcoming the three banking stalwarts, Dr. Ashok Bakthavathsalam, Managing Director, KGiSL said, “The addition of these three well-established, seasoned leaders to the existing vibrant leadership of KGiSL supports our vision and strategy to become a strong player in the BFSI segment, especially in the banking domain. Their experience will help the accelerated growth plan we have, for the next 3 years.”

Commenting on the new additions to the leadership team, Prassadh Shanmugam, Director & Chief Executive Officer, KGiSL, said, “We are really fortunate to have all three of them join the leadership team at KGiSL: Shrinath with a proven track record in the banking industry is probably at his peak of his career; Ramesh, known for his technology & Operation skillsets in the banking Industry, probably has not even reached his peak yet and Hayati, a seasoned banking veteran has deep connections in the industry in Singapore and globally. The three of them could have continued what they were doing, or could have chosen any number of BFSI opportunities. Instead, they chose to join us, believing in the vision, strategy, and execution strength of KGiSL. This really adds momentum to our goals.”

An accomplished business leader with close to three decades of experience in financial services, Shrinath Bolloju joins KGiSL as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). Shrinath’s experience straddles sales, product management, technology, operations and governance in different geographies, and banking and financial products. He most recently served as Managing Director and South Asia Operations & Technology Head at Citi Bank. Previously, he has been part of the leadership team with Deutsche Bank and RBL Bank, driving transformation and digitization. As CSO at KGiSL, Shrinath will be based out of Mumbai, India. In this role, Shrinath will work closely with the senior leadership at KGiSL to drive sustained and accelerated growth across key markets and sectors.

Ramesh Nagesh joins KGiSL as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and will be based in Bangalore, India. He comes with over three decades of experience in managing regional and global operating units. He joins KGiSL after serving as COO of the Anglo Gulf Trade Bank, Abu Dhabi where he was involved in setting up the world’s first digitally-enabled, data-driven Trade Bank from the ground up. Ramesh has been part of the leadership team with top multi-national banks like Deutsche Bank, ABN-AMRO Bank, ANZ, Standard Chartered and RBS.

Noor Hayati Ahmad  joins KGiSL as  Senior Vice President & Country Head, KGiSL Singapore. She brings in over 35 years of experience, including 25 years of international banking, particularly in Global Transaction Banking, Money Markets, FX, Finance, and Retail. Having worked with global banks and leading technology organizations in Singapore, she understands the local market, technology trends and functional needs of the financial services sector. She has previously been part of the senior leadership teams at Deutsche Bank, Hatstand, Sonic, and Kashtec Technology Pte Ltd.

On his appointment, Shrinath Bolloju, Chief Strategy Officer, KGiSL, said “KGiSL has a proven track record of building robust products and solutions that have ensured long-lasting engagements with clients. I am delighted to join this seasoned and committed team, and look forward to work with them to scale up our offering, while continuing to operate as a trusted solutions provider to our clients, worldwide.”

Further to his new engagement, Ramesh Nagesh, Chief Operating Officer, KGiSL, said, “KGiSL is truly a unique and talented organization with deep-rooted capabilities in building top class products and solutions. I am honoured to work with such a culturally diverse, committed, and seasoned talent pool, and I look forward to collaborate with the team to unlock their full potential and enhance delivery capabilities.”

Noor Hayati Ahmad, Senior Vice President & Country Head, KGiSL Singapore, said, “I am truly excited to be a part of KGiSL, Singapore and I look forward to working with this highly professional team to further accelerate our ambitious growth strategy. Today, Singapore is among the top three financial hubs in the world, behind London and New York, and it is imperative that we showcase our products and services in the banking and financial sector and grow our presence in this area.”

About KGiSL: www.KGISL.com/gss

KG Information Systems Private Limited (KGiSL) is a global IT Services, Consulting and Business Solutions provider in the BFSI space. KGiSL offers Software Products, Solutions and Services in Intelligent Automation, ERP (SAP), CRM, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Quality Engineering, IT Infrastructure Management and Application Development. KGiSL has offices in India, US, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Thailand.

KGiSL is part of the $750 million business conglomerate KG Group with interest in Textiles, Engineering, Healthcare, Education, Real Estate, Entertainment, Software and Business Support Services. The Group employs over 25000 people and is known for its philanthropic services to the community for over 8 decades.

For further information, please contact:

KGiSL: Sampathkumar S | sampathkumar.s@KGISL.com | +91 9940069884

Adfactors PR (India):
Bhargav TS | bhargav.ts@adfactorspr.com | 9884883350
Shamitha Hegde | shamitha.hegde@adfactorspr.com | 9003107361

Adfactors PR (Singapore):
Namrata Sharma | namrata.sharma@adfactorspr.com | +65 8138 3034

ASEAN’s data and analytics leaders alongside key players to digitally converge and discuss strategies for the future

The back-breaking year of the Covid-19 pandemic had just left economies to endure, markets crashed and some of the burgeoning industries wiped out entirely. But for the IT and digital transformation industry, Covid-19 was a blessing in disguise, a banner year. Particularly because Big Data & Data Analytics had an upward pre-Covid growth already.

Factors that made this a reality included the growing size of early adopters, prioritising digital transformation, rise in investments in big data and data analytics, increasing focus on remote working, increasing adoption of online payments, and some of the top factors to drive the adoption of this future-tech.

To dive deep into these and to help ASEAN countries digitize at speed and scale, experts and key players are gathering virtually at World Big Data & Analytics Show taking place virtually on 13 July 2021.

The show will feature eye-opening keynotes, government and enterprise use-case presentations, exciting product showcase, panel discussions and tech talks to discuss the latest challenges and explore the latest applications in data-powered solutions.
As per industry reports, in the post-Covid-19 scenario, the global big data security market size is projected to grow from USD 17.5 billion in 2020 to USD 35.3 billion by 2026, recording a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.4 per cent from 2020 to 2026.

“Democratizing data is now more challenging than ever as information architectures are getting more complex, both through the diversity of the data sources and the data distribution. Data Virtualization is a modern approach to data integration with real-time access to the required data, enabling users to gain faster decision-making and business agility while providing a consistent enterprise-wide governance and security framework,” states Chris Day, Director, APAC Sales Engineering at Denodo.

Rahul Saxena, Group IT Director – Commercial, Digital Commerce & Analytics, at Coca-Cola stated, “Organisations which build their future business models around data will be more successful than organisations that only use data to optimise existing business models.”

Dr Meri Rosich, Chief Data Officer at Standard Chartered Bank said, “Data is a strategic asset and organizations that succeed in leveraging it will lead the way in the new competitive environments of the future.”

The event will focus on topics such as Future of Data Automation; Data at the centre of ‘everything’; Data Security, Privacy and Ethics; Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics; Power of Visualization in Analyzing Data; How is Big Data Analytics shaping up the Internet of Things; and much more.

The show will feature a groundbreaking collaboration of experts such as:
– Dr Meri Rosich – CDO, Standard Chartered Bank
– Juan Intan Kanggrawan – Head of Data Analytics, Jakarta Smart City
– Geoff Soon – MD, Snowflake
– Varun Verma – APAC Head of Data & Analytics, The Heineken Company
– Dietmar Bohmer – CAO, Tyme
– John Funtanilla – AVP, Advanced Analytics Lead, Nestle
– Carol Hargreaves – Director of Data Analytics Consulting Centre, National University of Singapore
– Alex a Ustaris – Group CIO and CTO & Head of Shared Services Center, Hijo Resources Corporation
– Philipp Gschopf – Director of Data Science, Prudential plc
– Sonny Supriyadi – Head, Pricing and Data Analytics, Maybank; to name a few.

“The pandemic’s disruptions have driven firms to explore Big Data and Analytics solutions as a means of identifying major technology trends and prioritizing those that have the greatest influence on their competitive advantage. The World Big Data & Analytics Show is a great place to discuss and learn about the newest strategies, challenges, and trends that are driving ASEAN’s data-driven devices and services,” stated Mithun Shetty — CEO, Trescon.

The show will be hosted on the virtual events platform Vmeets to help participants network and conduct business in an interactive and immersive virtual environment. Participants can also engage with the speakers during Q&A sessions and network with solution providers/sponsors at their virtual exhibition booths, private consultation rooms and meeting tables.

World Big Data & Analytics Show is officially sponsored by Platinum Sponsor — Dataiku; Premium Gold Sponsors — Snowflake; Gold Sponsors — Denodo and Talend; Silver Sponsors — Qubole.

About World Big Data & Analytics Show

World Big Data & Analytics Show is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused, global series of events that takes place in strategic locations across the world.
The show features exciting keynotes, government and enterprise use-case presentations, product showcase, panel discussions and tech talks to discuss the latest challenges and explore the latest applications in data-powered solutions.

For further details, please contact:
Monith M Shetty
Corporate Communication Executive
marketing@tresconglobal.com

Accounting & Finance Show Hong Kong 2021 (28-29 July 2021)

Returning for the 3rd edition, the Accounting & Finance Show Hong Kong 2021 will see 80 local and international accounting and finance leaders and technology experts taking the virtual stage on 28-29 July 2021. The 4 key channels, Digital Innovation, Accounting Tech: Adopt, Accounting Tech: Connect & Grow and Digital Practice will focus on stories and real-world examples, enabling attendees to gain invaluable insights and practical information on how to set out or continue in their own digitalisation journey.

Over the two days, the live online agenda will cover all the latest innovations in accounting and tech from cloud accounting software to AI and robotics. Session highlights include
– “Adoption & Innovation: How the pandemic has transformed the way accountants and finance professionals leverage technology”
– “CFO: 4.0: The changing role of the CFO in business strategy”
– “Using technology to build confidence in finance teams during turbulent times”
– “How actionable and real-time analytics will drive your business forward”
– “Going Digital: Why keeping up is so important”

These sessions will assist accounting and finance professionals in accounting firms and businesses in any industry to progress their digital transformation journeys, elevate their digital skills and futureproof their organisations.

Expert speakers sharing their insights include:

– Helen Ahlstedt, Chief Financial Officer, Allegis Group
– Thomas Au Yeung, Global Finance Director, Tron Foundation
– Christophe Batallie, CFO Asia Operation, Lacoste
– Collin Jin, National Audit & Assurance Innovation Leader, Deloitte
– Kyelie Baxter, Managing Partner, IQ Accountants
– Emil Chan, Chairman, The Association of Cloud and Mobile Computing Professionals
– Jasmine Chung, Head of Finance, FoodPanda Hong Kong
– Kevin Fitzgerald, Managing Director, Asia, Xero
– Travis Huggins, Regional Leader – Finance, Woods Bagot
– James Liu, Finance Director IKEA, Diary Farm Group
– Michelle Lombard, CFO, Tatler
– Emma Martin, Commercial & Finance Director, Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific
– Aaron Pang, Associate Director Business Transformation, EY
– Stephen Lo, CFO, Prenetics
– Amy Ip, Managing Director, Caas

As the event’s Title Sponsor, Xero will be joined by a range of its app partners, who will present fully integrated solutions in the Xero Connected App Partners Pavilion. CardUp, Fathom, Cynopsis Solutions, HReasily, Spotlight Reporting and other industry leaders will also be showcasing the latest solutions for Hong Kong’s accounting and finance professionals.

“Over the last five years, the accounting industry has become more tech-savvy than we ever anticipated, and at the centre of this is The Cloud. The Cloud has enabled greater efficiencies, accuracy, transparency, time and cost savings than businesses have ever known, giving you more time to focus on strategic planning, business growth and creating greater value for your clients. The Accounting & Finance Show Hong Kong is a great place to hear from industry experts about their learnings and insights. We are delighted to be a part of this event. Join us and discover the latest digital trends, and understand how we can help practices across Asia achieve greater success with our expertise,” said Kevin Fitzgerald, Managing Director – Asia at Xero.

The Accounting & Finance Show Hong Kong 2021 isn’t just a chance to hear from leaders who are working towards streamlining finance workflows and businesses, it is also a golden networking opportunity with real-time conversations taking place throughout the 2 days.

Details of the 2-days virtual event are as follows:
Accounting & Finance Show Hong Kong 2021
28-29 July 2021 | Virtual Free-to-Attend
Website: https://bit.ly/3hG8xGg
Register: https://bit.ly/2Uxslna
Agenda: https://bit.ly/3dVSH9o

About Terrapinn

Terrapinn is an international events media business with 30 years’ experience developing best in class conferences and exhibitions across a wide range of key industry verticals. With our global footprint and offices in London, New York, Singapore, Sydney, Dubai and Johannesburg, we’ve been sparking ideas, innovations and relationships that transform businesses. In Asia we run 17 pan Asian events; Telecoms, Enterprise Technology, Life Sciences, Transportation, Accounting, Logistics, Education and Renewable Energy sectors. In 2020, we ran over 80 virtual events and total attendance across all shows was in excess of 70,000.

For more information, please contact:
Lim Jia Le
Marketing Executive
Terrapinn Pte Ltd

Tel: (65) 8133 1705
Email: jiale.lim@terrapinn.com

MothersonSumi INfotech and Designs Ltd. (MIND) Announces the Opening of a New Office in Singapore, Expanding Global Operations

Mothersonsumi INfotech and Designs Ltd. (MIND) a technology and Industrial solutions division of Motherson Group, today announced the official opening of its new office in Singapore.

MIND’s Singapore office will serve as the headquarters for the entire Southeast Asia region and will be an essential pillar in its geographic expansion strategy. MIND’s Singapore business unit will offer a holistic gamut of IT service offerings, including digital transformation, Cloud Hosting and Migration, Next Gen IT Infrastructure, Smart Factory Automation and digital engineering services. With its Singapore base, MIND is looking to expand its best-in-class services to customers across Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia and to other countries in Far East.

“The launching of the MIND Singapore office is aligned with our commitment to drive clients’ success in the region and worldwide. Given Singapore’s position as the hub for economic activities in the Southeast Asia, it’s a market we constantly evaluated and wanted to open an office to expand our presence in the market,” said Rajesh Thakur, Chief Executive Officer, MIND.

He further added, “Today MIND is well-positioned to deliver technology-led transformations to fuel digital growth across the Southeast Asia region. MIND offers a customer-centric and consulting-led approach with an integrated portfolio of industry-leading solutions that encompass the entire enterprise value chain. Our technology-driven products and services are built on two decades of innovation, a strong culture of invention and co-innovation, and a relentless focus on the value chain.”

About MothersonSumi INfotech & Designs Limited (MIND)

Founded in 2000, MothersonSumi INfotech & Designs Limited (MIND) is a joint venture between Motherson Group, India and Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd, Japan (SWS). We are a trusted technology partner to over 200+ clients globally across 41+ Global locations and have more than 20 years of experience in the areas of cloud, IoT, analytics, data science, smart ERP, infra managed services, and application development & maintenance services. We continue to deliver innovative and meaningful technology solutions to businesses enabling them to outpace the competition. Visit us at www.mind-infotech.com, or connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of MIND and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and MIND undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although MIND believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve a variety of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements.

Media Contact
Sachin Saini
Sachin.Saini@mind-infotech.com