Category: Enterprise IT

Omar Choucair, Trintech CFO, Accepted into Forbes Finance Council

  • Forbes Finance Council is an Invitation-Only Community for Executives in Accounting, Financial Planning, Wealth and Asset Management, and Investment Firms

Trintech, a leading global provider of integrated Record to Report software solutions for the Office of Finance, today announced its CFO, Omar Choucair, has been accepted into Forbes Finance Council, an invitation-only community for executives in accounting, financial planning, wealth and asset management, and investment firms.

Choucair was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors.

“We are honored to welcome Omar into the community,” said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Finance Council. “Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world.”

As an accepted member of the Council, Omar has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help him reach peak professional influence. He will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum. Omar will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share his expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts.

“This is a critical time for CFOs across the business spectrum – our role is evolving at a breakneck pace, and I can’t think of a better community with whom to ideate on what the future can and should look like,” Choucair says. “I’m excited to join the Forbes Finance Council and share insights around industry trends I’m involved in firsthand with our clients, like digital transformation in the Office of Finance, challenges and opportunities around a hybrid workplace and emerging cybersecurity best practices.”

Omar has over 20 years of experience leading both the financial and administrative organizations for public and private software/services companies. He managed several companies who experienced significant revenue and cash flow growth through both organic and acquired assets. Additionally, he has completed numerous M&A transactions as well as managed public and private equity/debt financings.

Prior to joining Trintech, Omar was the CFO of Multiview, a Warburg Pincus-backed B2B software platform providing marketing services to over 17,000 B2B customers in North America. Omar also served as the CFO of DGFastchannel/Sizmek (NASDAQ: SZMK), a B2B software platform delivering mission-critical media content. Additionally, he served as the VP Finance for AMFM, Inc (NASDAQ:AMFM), one of the largest U.S. radio holding companies which was ultimately acquired by Clear Channel Communications. Omar began his career as a CPA at KPMG, where he managed publicly traded large multi-national services and technology company audits over a period of ten years.

About Forbes Councils

Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive.

For more information about Forbes Finance Council, visit forbesfinancecouncil.com. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com.

About Trintech

Trintech Inc., a pioneer of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, combines unmatched technical and financial expertise to create innovative, cloud-based software solutions that deliver world-class financial operations and insights. From high volume transaction matching and streamlining daily operational reconciliations, to automating and managing balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, journal entries, disclosure reporting and bank fee analysis, to governance, risk and compliance – Trintech’s portfolio of financial solutions, including Cadency(R) Platform, Adra(R) Suite, and targeted tools, ReconNET(TM), T-Recs(R), and UPCS(R), help manage all aspects of the financial close process. Over 3,500 clients worldwide – including the majority of the Fortune 100 – rely on the company’s cloud-based software to continuously improve the efficiency, reliability, and strategic insights of their financial operations.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trintech has offices located across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordics, as well as strategic partners in South Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact:
Kristina Pereira Tully
Vested
650-464-0080
trintech@fullyvested.com

SOURCE: Trintech, Inc.

Loop Media, Inc. Launches The Wiggles Channel Exclusively First On The Roku Channel Beginning August 19th

  • Expands Loop Media’s Content and Growing Roku Presence with its First Program Offering Specifically for Children

Loop Media, Inc. (Loop) (OTC: LPTV), a leading multichannel streaming platform that provides curated music video and branded entertainment channels for businesses and consumers, today announced a significant expansion of its existing partnership with Roku, Inc. Loop will bring its fully-dedicated The Wiggles Channel exclusively, initially to Roku(R) beginning August 19th.

Now, through Loop Media, The Roku Channel will be the home for 24/7 availability of one of the world’s most popular children’s entertainment groups. Launched in 2017, The Roku Channel is the home for free entertainment on America’s No. 1 TV streaming platform based on hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, April 2021).

Today’s announcement and launch follows closely on the heels of the companies’ recent partnership announcements in both the U.S. and Canada that bring several customized Loop Media music video channels to Roku customers, thereby expanding Roku’s entertainment line-up.

The Wiggles are one of the most successful global children’s franchises of all time. For the past thirty years, The Wiggles have educated, entertained and enriched the lives of millions of pre-schoolers (and their parents) all over the globe. Today, generations of fans that grew up watching are sharing their love of The Wiggles with their own children. Loop’s dedicated streaming and broadcast channel for The Wiggles, first available on Roku, will initially air content from the original Wiggles, featuring Greg, Anthony, Murray and Jeff. It will include series such as “Wiggle TV” and “The Wiggles Show,” as well as specials such as “Wiggle Time!”, “Yummy, Yummy” and “Baby Antonio’s Circus.”

“The Wiggles brand has established itself as a global powerhouse for decades in the children’s world, delighting kids and parents alike through song and dance,” said Ashley Hovey, Director, The Roku Channel AVOD. “We are thrilled to bring this family-friendly, sought-after content to the millions of engaged users on The Roku Channel just in time for Kids & Family’s second anniversary. It’s a great way to celebrate this milestone!”

“Loop’s partnership with Roku will finally allow our fans continuous access to some of the most popular Wiggles content of all-time,” says Anthony Field, Blue Wiggle and founding member of The Wiggles. “In today’s age of cord-cutting and streaming preference, it is important that we give our fans as many options as possible to enjoy The Wiggles.”

“Roku has been a fantastic partner to Loop Media for our streaming music video channels, so we are pleased that they are our inaugural partner for this channel launch,” said Jon Niermann, CEO & Co-founder of Loop Media. “The Wiggles Channel is something that we are very excited about and grateful to have the opportunity to produce and distribute. This is another fantastic, curated revenue-generating channel for Loop Media, and is one that will entertain kids and families globally like few other kids branded channels can.”

About Loop Media
Loop Media, Inc. (“Loop Media”) (OTC: LPTV) is a leading multichannel streaming platform that provides curated music video and branded entertainment channels for businesses and consumers. Through its proprietary “Loop Player” for businesses and interactive mobile and TV apps for consumers, Loop Media is the only company in the U.S. licensed to stream music videos directly to consumers and venues out-of-home (“OOH”).

Loop Media’s digital video content reaches thousands of OOH locations including hotels, bars/restaurants, office buildings, and retail businesses, as well as millions of consumers in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America through its apps for iOS, Android, and Huawei, as well as connected TVs and Smart TVs. These TV platforms include Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, AT&T TV, Hisense, JVC, LG, Philips, Roku, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, VIZIO, and free ad-supported TV platforms TIVO+, Plex, DistroTV, and GSTV.

Loop is fueled by one of the largest and most important libraries that includes music videos, movie trailers and live performances. Loop Media’s non-music channels cover a multitude of genres and moods and include movie trailers, sports highlights, lifestyle and travel videos, viral videos, and more. The Loop Media consumer apps allow users to create their own playlists, or “Loops,” and share them live with interactive watch parties. Loop Media’s streaming services generate revenue from advertising, sponsorships, integrated marketing, and branded content from free-ad-supported-television (“FAST”) and from subscription offerings.

Download the Loop Media app by searching “Loop Media” on your Smart TV’s app store or opening loop.tv/app on your mobile device. To learn more about Loop Media products and applications, please visit us online at Loop.tv

Follow us on social:
Instagram – @looptvofficial (consumer), @looptvbiz (business)
Twitter – @looptvofficial (consumer), @looptvbiz (business)
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/looptv/

About The Wiggles
For three decades, The Wiggles have educated, entertained and enriched the lives of millions of pre-schoolers (and their parents) all over the globe. Today, generations of fans that grew up watching are sharing their love of The Wiggles with their own children. Having sold over 30 million albums and DVDs, 8 million books globally, as well as accumulating over one billion music streams and 2 billion views on YouTube, The Wiggles are a dominant player in the preschool entertainment scene. Their live shows annually sell out to audiences on three separate continents, and their videos are seen in over 190 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.thewiggles.com.

Safe Harbor Statement and Disclaimer
This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, but not limited to, Loop Media’s ability to compete in the highly competitive markets in which it operates, statements regarding Loop Media’s ability to develop talent and attract future talent, the success of strategic actions Loop Media is taking, and the impact of strategic transactions. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations, opinion, 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 Loop Media 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. 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 as of the date hereof. Loop Media 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 Loop Media. Loop Media’s SEC filings are available at http://www.sec.gov.

Roku is a registered trademark of Roku, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries. Trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies appearing in this press release are the property of their respective holders.

Loop Media, Inc. Press:
Justis Kao
Loop Media, Inc.
justis@loop.tv

AppsFlyer Welcomes New Senior Marketing Director; Strengthening Its Commitment to APAC

Today, AppsFlyer, the global attribution and marketing analytics leader, announces that strategic technology marketing veteran Sam Chiu will head AppsFlyer’s marketing team as its new Senior Director of Marketing, Asia-Pacific (APAC). Sam will report to Ronen Mense, President and Managing Director, AppsFlyer APAC.

Sam Chiu, Senior Director of Marketing, APAC, AppsFlyer

This latest appointment follows the company’s recent senior hire of ex-Oracle Sales Vice President Joen van Driel as AppsFlyer’s VP of Sales for APAC earlier this year. With app install ad spend in the region poised to reach $61 billion in 2022, these key hires highlight AppsFlyer’s strengthening commitment to the region, signaling its plan to cement its leadership position in APAC’s marketing attribution and analytics space.

Sam Chiu, Senior Director of Marketing, APAC, AppsFlyer, said: “AppsFlyer is experiencing phenomenal growth, not only in APAC but globally, and I am honored to work alongside talented individuals in the team to further advance our marketing efforts and assert AppsFlyer’s dominance in the region. AppsFlyer is well-positioned to help marketers transform their businesses, and the mobile marketing industry continues to expand with the use of mobile apps wildly increasing day by day. I am excited about what lies ahead.”

In his new role, Sam will spearhead AppsFlyer’s brand awareness, strategic marketing strategies, and demand generation for the company, driving engagement strategies, supporting the current customer base and working with high-performing teams across countries to strengthen AppsFlyer’s presence. Currently based out of Hong Kong, Sam will relocate to AppsFlyer’s SEAPAC hub in Bangkok, where he will play a critical role in driving AppsFlyer’s go-to-market strategy for over 22 markets across ASEAN, South Asia (including India and Pakistan), Japan, Korea, and ANZ.

Ronen Mense, President and Managing Director, AppsFlyer APAC says, “Throughout the last twelve months we have continued to focus on growing AppsFlyer, not only in APAC, but globally. In a crucial time of AppsFlyer’s expansion, Sam brings in a wide range of experience, having worked at an array of established players in the industry. His role will drive key business goals in the region.”

Sam brings an extensive amount of experience with close to twenty years of digital transformation and omni-channel strategy implementation to AppsFlyer’s Southeast Asia-Pacific (SEAPAC) team. His full stack marketing tech career spans Boston, New York City and Hong Kong across agencies (iProspect), publishers and ad networks (Microsoft, Yahoo), and B2C & B2B advertisers (DFS/LVMH, SAS), with deep experience driving campaign results for various Fortune 500 firms.

About AppsFlyer

AppsFlyer, the global attribution leader, empowers marketers to grow their business and innovate with a suite of comprehensive measurement and analytics solutions. Built around privacy by design, AppsFlyer takes a customer-centric approach to help 12,000+ brands and 8,000+ technology partners make better business decisions every day. To learn more, visit www.appsflyer.com

Media Contacts
PRecious Communications on behalf of AppsFlyer
appsflyer@preciouscomms.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

Study: More than half of the world’s population will use mobile wallets by 2025

The biggest report ever on the growth of mobile wallets projects that one in two people will use a mobile wallet by 2025. At the end of 2020, there were over 2.8 billion mobile wallets in use. That number is projected to increase by nearly 74% to reach 4.8 billion mobile wallets in use by the end of 2025 – nearly 60% of the world’s population. The fastest-growing markets are Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa & Middle East where mobile wallets are displacing cash and cards for more convenient digital payments.

Boku, a fintech pioneering the world’s first global mobile payments network, has released its 2021 Mobile Wallets Report in partnership with digital technology analyst house Juniper Research, which provides insight into mobile wallet adoption and use in leading markets across the globe. In 2019, mobile wallets overtook credit cards to become the most widely used payment type globally and the shift to online driven by the pandemic has accelerated adoption. Mobile wallets use is growing rapidly across the world with emerging markets leading the way.

Key findings

– Southeast Asia is the fastest-growing mobile wallet region
Mobile wallet use will grow by 311% between 2020-2025, reaching up 439.7 million wallets in use across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam from 141.1 million in 2020. The rise in e-Commerce and the dominance of super-apps like Grab and Gojek, particularly in markets like the Philippines and Indonesia, is driving accelerated mobile wallet adoption.

– China reaches maturity but Japan, Korea and Taiwan set for hyper-growth
The Far East and China continue to be the largest mobile wallet region in the world with 1.34bn users in 2020. Market saturation is resulting in slowing growth in China with a CAGR of just 2.2% per year. Meanwhile, markets including Japan, Korea and Taiwan will continue to see accelerated adoption of mobile wallets with 98.4% market penetration by 2025.

– Africa & Middle East is the second biggest mobile wallet market
The second-biggest mobile wallet market is set to grow by 147% between 2020-2025. This is driven by expanded usage of mobile money services such as M-Pesa which are increasingly offering additional services such as access to eCommerce.

– Latin American growth is being supercharged by eCommerce
This region is set to increase mobile wallet use by 166% between 2020-2025. Long-held back by consumers’ preference for cash-based payments and comparatively lower smartphone penetration, this is fast-changing, and the region’s eCommerce growth is supercharging mobile wallet use.

– Slow growth in Western Europe and North America
With 65% growth in Western Europe and 50% in North America by 2025, these regions will see the least amount of mobile wallet growth in the next five years. However, markets such as the UK are seeing a rise in card-based mobile wallets due to the adoption of contactless spurred on by the pandemic and shift towards cashlessness.

“While mobile wallets are being used on a global basis, we see two distinct types being used today. One is card-based mobile wallets, like Apple Pay and Google Pay, which provide an easier way to pay with cards people already have. The other is stored value mobile wallets, like AliPay and GrabPay, that enable consumers to transact with digital cash and are popular in emerging markets with fast-growing e-Commerce sectors,” said Adam Lee, Chief Product Officer at Boku. “The markets that are set to grow the fastest are those with the lowest levels of card penetration, stored value wallets are thriving. In North America and Western Europe, which are dominated by card-based mobile wallets, we are seeing the slowest growth in mobile wallet adoption, as the technology provides merely incremental benefit.”

“We are seeing a clear bifurcation in the market between card-based mobile wallets in developed markets and stored value mobile wallets that are ubiquitous in Asia and rapidly growing in all emerging markets,” concluded Lee.

“Southeast Asia is one of the most rapidly digitalizing regions in the world. In 2020, the region added 400 million new internet users, with 70% of the region now online. Together with consumption trends brought about due to lockdowns during the pandemic, that has led to a familiarity with e-Commerce and an exponential rise in mobile wallet use,” said Loke Hwee Wong, Vice President and General Manager, APAC at Boku. “This is also because the region was heavily dependent on cash and bank transfer before mobile wallet use, and the convenience and accessibility, especially with stored value mobile wallets, will see Southeast Asia leapfrog the rest of the world in mobile payment adoption.”

The growth and bifurcation of mobile wallet use present both an opportunity and challenge for merchants. The number of mobile wallets transacting over $1 billion per year is set to grow by 27% from 54 wallets in 2020 to 69 wallets by 2025. This provides a lucrative opportunity for merchants looking to acquire valuable customers, many of whom only use mobile wallets. However, not only are consumers using mobile wallets more, they are using more mobile wallets. Consumers in high-growth markets such as India and Indonesia use an average of 2.74 wallets. This means that not only do merchants need to accept wallets but they need to ensure broad coverage across each target market.

“We are witnessing a paradigm shift in payments driven by mobile wallets. Mobile wallets have lowered the barrier to making digital payments and in parallel ushered billions of new consumers into eCommerce. These consumers are not in North America or Western Europe, they are in emerging markets, and while they don’t have credit cards, they overwhelmingly have mobile wallets,” said Jon Prideaux, CEO at Boku. “For global merchants, mobile payment acceptance is not about accepting one type of mobile wallet or another, but ensuring that consumers in every market will have the required selection on payment types in order to monetize transactions.”

To download the 2021 Mobile Wallets Report please visit our website. 

About Boku

Boku Inc. (AIM: BOKU) is a fintech pioneering the world’s first global, mobile payments network. With 45% of global consumers using mobile payment methods to buy goods online, compared to 18% using credit cards, the future of commerce is mobile-first. Boku’s technology platform helps the world’s most demanding merchants attract, convert, and retain customers using mobile payments. By turning payments infrastructure into a source of sustainable competitive advantage, Boku safely activates a range of new merchant business models – from bundling to subscriptions.

Boku’s platform is used in over 70 countries with more than a billion verified transactions in 2020, contributing $8.5 billion to the digital economy. Customers that trust Boku to simplify sign-up, acquire new paying users and prevent fraud include global leaders such as Apple, DAZN, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, PayPal, Sony, Spotify and Tencent.

Boku Inc. was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered in London, UK, with offices in Brazil, China, Estonia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the US. To learn more about Boku please visit our website. 

About Juniper Research

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.

Inquiries:
PRecious Communications for Boku, Inc.
Singapore/Asia Pacific: Clarence Lim, boku@preciouscomms.com

Boku in Asia

In Asia, Boku’s payment partners for Mobile Wallets include: AliPay, Dana, GCash, GoPay, GrabPay, KakaoPay, LINE Pay, Ovo, PayMaya, PayPay, Toss, Touch ‘n Go, Truemoney.

Boku also partners with payment partners to offer Direct Carrier Billing: AIS, BSNL, Celcom, Digi, dtac, Globe, Indosat Ooredoo, Jio, Korea Telecom, KDDI, LG U+, Maxis, M1, NTT Docomo, StarHub, Singtel, Softbank, SK Telecom, Smart, Smartfren, Tata Docomo, Telkomsel, Three, TrueMove, Vodafone, XL (amongst others).

Additional insights from the Mobile Payments Report 2021

Other insights from the Southeast Asian region include:
1. Indonesia represents one of the greatest opportunities for merchants accepting mobile payments: its mobile wallet penetration is at 25.6% in 2020, and set to triple to 76.5% by 2025. The report also expects that mobile wallet transactions will increase by volume to 16 billion transactions in 2025 (from 1.7 billion in 2020), and $107 billion in 2025 (from $28 billion in 2020) – the highest in the region.
2. Malaysia mobile payment adoption is behind other Southeast Asian countries currently, at a 31.7% penetration rate, but is poised for hyper-growth over the next five years to 93.9%.
3. Philippines has one of the lowest levels of mobile wallet penetration at 22.4% of the population, but expected to grow to 63.4% by 2025 with a mobile wallet transaction value of $63.4 billion by 2025 (from $15 billion in 2020).
4. Singapore is set to reach mobile wallet penetration of nearly 95% by 2025 from 30.4% in 2020 – the highest in the Southeast Asian region, and with mobile wallet transactions projected to increase by 11x (from 101 million transaction volume in 2020, to 1.1 billion in 2025).
5. Mobile wallet penetration in Thailand is at 21.4% in 2020 and set to grow to 63.4% in 2025. The country is also set to hit $36.7 billion in transaction value in 2020 (from $10.6 billion in 2020).
6. Vietnam is primed for massive mobile payments growth – with mobile wallet transaction growth of 7x expected to 5 billion by 2025 from 674 million in 2020, and a mobile wallet penetration rate of 55.5% in 2025 (from 19.7% in 2020).

As part of the Mobile Payments Report 2021, Boku also conducted an in-depth consumer survey of 1035 respondents in Indonesia, during May 2021, which showed that:
1. Consumers use an average of 3.2 wallets in use per respondent, one of the highest in the world after India. The top reason for using more than one type of mobile wallet included different wallets giving different benefits (63%).
2. Cash was the payment type that is most in use prior to mobile wallets (at 66%), followed by bank transfers (63%) and debit cards (44%), which can likely be attributed to the extremely low credit card penetration rate in Indonesia.

Joy Spreader Plans to Adopt a Share Award Scheme through a Stock Repurchase Program

The Board of Joy Spreader (06988.HK), a Hong Kong publicly traded company, made voluntary announcement regarding its plan of adoption of Share Award Scheme through a stock repurchase program on June 21st, 2021.

The announcement says that the Scheme serves the purposes to recognize the crucial and remarkable dedications and contributions of certain directors, employees, consultants and advisers of the Company, as well as to incentivize them to retain longer term tenure with the Company, while to motivate them to endeavor for the future development and expansion strategy.

Analysts credit that the Company has delivered an impressive growth dynamics and positive momentum in the recent years, however, believe the current stock price fails to reflect the intrinsic value of the Company, while signifying the optimal time window to conduct a stock repurchase program for award shares scheme. The announced Scheme demonstrates the Board’s genuinely confidence and resolutely determination of the Company’s prospect, along with establishment a stable and long-term platform of mutual interests between the Company and selected participants, while further stimulates and enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of management team and all employees, in order to empower the growth engine of the Company to fulfill the long-term missions and visions, and continuously improve the intrinsic value of the Company.

PT Mitra Integrasi Informatika, Beijing Guoshi Technology Winners of Software AG’s 2020 PartnerConnect Partner Award

Software AG, a leader in IoT, integration, API Management and Business Transformation software, formally recognized two of the company’s APAC partners, PT Mitra Integrasi Informatika (Indonesia) and Beijing Guoshi Technology (China), in its 2020 PartnerConnect Partner Awards. The annual awards program recognizes outstanding partners that demonstrate the innovative use of Software AG solutions, embody Software AG PartnerConnect values and excel in their ability to help customers succeed.

“Technology trends like integration, cloud, mobile and big data are continuing to change how partners connect with their customers,” said Jason Johns, General Manager, Global Alliances & Channels, Software AG. “Our annual Partner Awards recognize the Software AG partners that go above and beyond in their support of our mutual customers and that are committed to enabling continued transformation for their customers, as we all work to adapt to evolving trends. We’re proud to call these award winners our partners.”

PT Mitra Integrasi Informatika, the largest System Integration company in Indonesia, has been recognized as the APJ Partner of the Year for securing 6 new projects across Indonesia in 2020, putting the new age corporate customers front and centre. To date, PT Mitra Integrasi Informatika has around 150 webMethods developers, some of whom are certified developers.

“Software AG and PT Mitra Integrasi Informatika take pride in understanding different industry dynamics to deliver disruptive solutions that align with new-age Enterprise & Corporate requirements. Combining Software AG’s technology integration capabilities and our collective client experience expertise, we are opening the door to new innovations while also accelerating the pace and impact of digital transformation across industries. This recognition from Software AG is a testament to the continued relevance of these solutions for organizations in Indonesia, and we look forward to furthering collaboration in the year ahead,” said Sjafril Effendi, President Director, PT Mitra Integrasi Informatika.

Recognized as the APJ Fastest Growing Partner of the Year, Beijing Guoshi Technology has been instrumental in expanding Software AG’s partner network, providing organizations in specialized industries such as Aerospace and Military with Software AG ARIS solutions. The Software AG ARIS reseller played an instrumental role in bringing onboard a total of 18 new partners across China in 2020.

“Technology will serve as an enabler for business growth as economies in Asia Pacific accelerate recovery efforts in 2021. With digital disruption sweeping across the region, we are honored to partner with Software AG to deliver exceptional innovative solutions that support intelligent enterprises in the new normal. The award from Software AG will spur us on to greater heights in the coming year, reaffirming our continued commitment to the region’s digital-first organizations,” said Liu Xipeng, General Manager, Beijing Guoshi Technology.

To date, Software AG’s PartnerConnect partner program has allowed over 93 partners in Asia to spark innovative digital transformation initiatives and optimize their clients’ business operations through Software AG’s marketing-leading technology.

According to the Asian Development Bank, digital transformation can boost global output, trade and commerce, and employment. In Asia Pacific, the use of digital technologies can translate to the creation of 65 million new jobs on average yearly from 2021 to 2025. Digital technology adoption can also bring about an increase in regional trade by $1 trillion yearly over the next five years.

For more information about Software AG’s PartnerConnect partner program, please visit https://www.softwareag.com/en_corporate/resources/partners.html. To enroll in Software AG PartnerConnect, simply complete the application at softwareag.com/partners.

About Beijing Guoshi Technology

Established in Zhongguancun High Tech Park, Beijing Guoshi Technology Co., Ltd. is a professional enterprise project management solution provider in China, focusing on enterprise project management software product provision, management consulting and it system implementation and service. For more information, please visit http://www.ctsyun.com

About PT Mitra Integrasi Informatika

PT Mitra Integrasi Informatika (MII) was founded on 1 March 1996 as a subsidiary of the publicly listed PT Metrodata Electronics, Tbk (IDX: MTDL). Widely recognized for its consistency as Digital Solution Provider to both Enterprise and Corporate segments, MII’s service offerings range focus on Cloud Services; Business Application; Digital Business Platform; Big Data & Analytics; Security; Hybrid IT Infrastructure; Consulting & Advisory Services; and Managed Services. Based on industry best practices and ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified to give highest quality of service to customers, it has also built strategic alliances with a number of national, regional and global technology partners with Digital Transformation visions to strengthen its offerings. For more information, please visit www.mii.co.id

About Software AG

Software AG reimagines integration, sparks business transformation and enables fast innovation on the Internet of Things so you can pioneer differentiating business models. We give you the freedom to connect and integrate any technology – from app to edge. We help you free data from silos so it’s shareable, usable and powerful – enabling you to make the best decisions and unlock entirely new possibilities for growth. For more information, visit www.softwareag.com

Software AG Media Contact
Jane Chan
E: Jane.Chan@softwareag.com
T: +65-9150-3794

PRecious Communications for Software AG
E: softwareag@preciouscomms.com
T: +65-6303-0567

NetDragon Demonstrates Digital Education Achievements at The Fourth Digital China Summit

NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKG:777), a global leader in building internet communities, is pleased to announce that the Fourth Digital China Summit was recently held in Fuzhou City, Fujian, and as the exclusive special contribution brand partner of the summit, the Company has participated in the event and hosted the Digital Silk Road sub-forum for four consecutive years. During the summit, NetDragon shared its achievements in digital education and demonstrated more than 20 innovative digital education products and solutions such as teaching assistant robots, AR classes, NCET virtual experiments and 5G mobile smart classrooms, which were well-received by the participants.

Dr. Xiong Li, CEO of NetDragon, shared the Company’s experience in uncovering the value of education data to promote the development of digital education in various countries during the round-table dialogue session. He also attended the Digital Silk Road cum China-ASEAN Smart City International Cooperation Sub-forum, during which he delivered a keynote speech titled “Strengthening Digital Education Cooperation, Promoting ASEAN’s High-Quality Development” and shared the latest cooperation between NetDragon and different ASEAN countries.

“Over the past few years, our overseas education business has covered over 2 million classrooms, and our digital education products have accumulated over 100 million registered users,” Dr. Xiong Li shared NetDragon’s achievements in promoting digital education in different countries during the round-table dialogue session.

In 2020, NetDragon entered into a country-level partnership with Egypt’s Ministry of Education and the Company’s online education products are now used by 23 million teachers and students in Egypt. Dr. Xiong Li said that starting from Egypt, NetDragon will help support education policy, differentiated teaching and students’ personalized learning through uncovering the value of education data. Amid the opportunities and challenges brought on by the pandemic, NetDragon’s one-stop blended learning solution has received recognition in overseas markets. The Company has successfully expanded the country model to a growing list of countries such as Egypt, Ghana, Thailand and Malaysia. It has established deep partnerships with more than 20 “Belt and Road” countries and catered for their edtech needs.

Riding on the platform of the summit, NetDragon also made notable achievements in multiple projects. As one of the important outcomes of the Digital Silk Road Sub-Forum, NetDragon and UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE) have officially launched the “E-Library for Teachers” project, which will actively promote teachers’ capacity building and global education equity.

NetDragon and Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University have also jointly released the research report “Analysis on Teaching Behaviour in Informatized Classes”. Based on the big data from NetDragon’s lesson preparation platform 101 Education PPT, the report puts forward thoughts and suggestions for the deep integration of information technology and teaching, improvement of teachers’ ability in informatized teaching and optimization of smart education environment, through analyzing teaching behaviors such as tool use, content presentation and teacher-student interaction in classroom teaching, and learning behaviors such as inquiries, communications, construction and expressions.

The influence of the Digital China Summit has grown over the past four years, empowering the development of a “digital Fujian” and “digital China”. In the future, NetDragon will continue to maintain a stronghold in the domestic market, expand to new markets along the “Belt and Road”, facilitate global digital education cooperation and lead the development of quality education with digital technology.

About NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited
NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKSE: 0777) is a global leader in building internet communities with a long track record of developing and scaling multiple internet and mobile platforms that impact hundreds of millions of users, including previous establishments of China’s first online gaming portal, 17173.com, and China’s most influential smartphone app store platform, 91 Wireless.

Established in 1999, NetDragon is one of the most reputable and well-known online game developers in China with a history of successful game titles including Eudemons Online, Heroes Evolved and Conquer Online. In recent years, NetDragon has also started to scale its online education business on the back of management’s vision to create the largest global online learning community, and to bring the “classroom of the future” to every school around the world. http://www.netdragon.com/

For investor enquiries, please contact:
NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited
Ms. Maggie Zhou
Senior Director of Investor Relations
Tel.: +852 2850 7266 / +86 591 8390 2825
Email: maggiezhou@nd.com.cn
Website: ir.nd.com.cn

DouYin Develops Interest E-commerce, Joy Spreader’s Marketing Technology Presents Promising Future

On April 8, DouYin E-commerce staged its first Ecosystem Conference in Guangzhou. In the keynote speech, Kang Zeyu, President of DouYin E-commerce, proposed the concept of “interest e-commerce” – a type of e-commerce driven by people’s passion for quality life and aiming to satisfy consumers’ implicit needs while improving their life quality.

In recent years, algorithm-based interest recommendation technology has continued to advance, automatically linking massive Internet content and Internet users with an enormous amount of commodities.

This has also laid an ideal foundation for the connection of “people”, “goods” and “platforms”, the three major elements of new consumption in the mobile Internet era. DouYin proposed the very concept of “nterest e-commerce” in view of the critical role played by interest recommendation technology in increasing conversion rates, guiding consumer demand, and enhancing user experience.

This coincides with Joy Spreader’s (06988) philosophy of data, algorithms and interest recommendation technology serving online news consumption. By analyzing commodities, video contents, and behaviors of fans, Joy Spreader recommends to Internet celebrities products that cater to their fans’ interests so that products match consumers, thereby helping a great number of less-known Internet celebrities to monetize through “interest e-commerce” and helping manufacturers with precise and targeted distribution by applying “interest e-commerce”.

Joy Spreader is one of the first marketing technology companies to develop video-based e-commerce. As early as January 2019, Joy Spreader became one of the first service providers to monetize through providing video content under DouYin, as well as one of the first companies in the industry to apply interest recommendation technology to carry out performance marketing services.

In the first E-commerce Ecosystem Conference, DouYin said it would launch three supporting programs next year to help 1,000 merchants achieve annual sales of over RMB100 million, 10,000 high-quality celebrities to achieve annual sales of over RMB10 million, and 100 high-quality products to reach annual sales of over RMB100 million.
DouYin also said that, according to third-party calculations, the GMV of interest e-commerce will exceed RMB9.5 trillion by 2023 with an increasing number of players in the e-commerce industry switching to interest e-commerce.

The enormous future market space also brings great development opportunities to marketing. Joy Spreader, a marketing technology company with an early entry and a technology path in line with future trends, has already obtained first-mover advantages. According to its annual results, video-based e-commerce, mainly comprising non-live streaming e-commerce to sell goods in DouYin, is becoming an essential driver for its revenue and profit growth of Joy Spreader. In 2020, Joy Spreader’s annual GMV of e-commerce products reached HK$594 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 353.92%. The ratio of gross profit of e-commerce has doubled from 15.75% in 2019 to 31.50%.

Committed to building an “interest e-commerce ecosystem”, DouYin serves top Internet celebrities to enhance presence, improve quality, and enlarge scale. However, in the trillion-yuan market, in addition to top Internet celebrities, the less-known content publishers are in urgent need of monetization, and ecological service providers like Joy Spreader are able to provide sound services for them. Services of Joy Spreader can truly help more DouYin accounts monetize in the DouYin ecosystem, further enhancing user retention, user activity, and becoming a critical part of the DouYin ecosystem.

MMC Corporation Berhad Chooses Ramco Systems to Digitally Transform Five Ports in Malaysia’s Single Largest Port Transformation Programme

Leading Malaysian utility and infrastructure conglomerate MMC Corporation Berhad (MMC) announced that it has embarked on a major digital transformation of five ports, in partnership with global software solutions leader, Ramco Systems.

Photo caption clockwise from top left: Dato’ Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh, Group Managing Director of MMC Corporation Berhad, Mr. P.R Venketrama Raja, Chairman of Ramco Systems Limited and Mr. Virender Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer of Ramco Systems Limited during the virtual signing ceremony of Memorandum of Agreement on the Enterprise Resource Planning digital transformation.

The digital transformation will consolidate and standardize processes of MMC’s ports, which include Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd (PTP), Johor Port Berhad, Northport (Malaysia) Bhd, Penang Port Sdn Bhd and Tanjung Bruas Port Sdn Bhd. The group-wide transformation was awarded based on the successful implementation of Ramco integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system at one of Malaysia’s most advanced container terminal – PTP.

This technological transformation programme will propel Malaysia to the forefront of global best-in-class ports – which plays a crucial role in mitigating supply chain challenges, including recent disruptions due to COVID-19.

Building on an earlier implementation by Ramco Systems of an ERP system for PTP where about 90% of the system has achieved Go-Live in phases over the past 10 months, the enhanced rollout will digitalize processes, while providing real-time business information. MMC will also be able to consolidate various business support functions (namely Finance, Human Resource, Enterprise Asset Management, Supply Chain Management, and Logistics Management) across ports into a single integrated ERP system – all accessible on an integrated dashboard.

Over 8,000 MMC employees across the ports will be plugged into the platform on their computers/mobile devices which now eliminates duplication errors and other bottlenecks, allowing efficient business processes and enhanced data visibility.

The system will also include smart features such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), which will provide employees with greater insight as well as predictive alerts and chatbots which can reduce human error and save time. This will lay the foundation for MMC’s broader strategy to enhance the business experience to our customers and suppliers.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed several trends into the spotlight, such as e-commerce and strengthening the supply chain. More than ever, we see the importance of ensuring our ports remain efficient and capable of quick turnaround, and we had been looking for a partner which could provide a scalable solution for all our ports.

With the support from Ramco Systems, MMC is committed to accelerating digital transformation that delivers efficiency, productivity and reliability within our ports to provide the best-in-class service for our customers. The implementation of a common system and integrated technology platform will further maximize synergies and allow all our ports to share expertise and benefit from economies of scale. We aim to leverage on technology as a key differentiator in order to gain a competitive edge and add value to our stakeholders,” said Dato’ Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh, Group Managing Director MMC Corporation Berhad.

P.R. Venketrama Raja, Chairman, Ramco Group, said, “It is a great honor to work alongside the MMC Group to help upgrade its ports. The partnership is a significant milestone in Ramco’s history; the implementation of Ramco’s systems will optimize operational efficiency at MMC Group, thereby translating into faster turnarounds at Malaysian ports and impacting Malaysian trade.”

“We at Ramco have established a strong Malaysian presence through our many years of engagements with multiple large conglomerates within the country, and this engagement was only possible through the hard work of the Ramco team in providing digital transformation to PTP. We look forward to working closely with the MMC team and am confident Ramco’s software will bring great value to MMC’s ports,” added Raja.

About MMC Corporation Berhad

MMC Corporation Berhad (“MMC”) is a leading utilities and infrastructure group with diversified businesses under four divisions, namely Ports and Logistics, Energy and Utilities, Engineering, and Industrial Development.

Its key businesses under the Ports and Logistics division includes the port operations of Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd, Johor Port Berhad, Northport (Malaysia) Bhd, Penang Port Sdn Bhd, Tanjung Bruas Port Sdn Bhd and Kontena Nasional Berhad, a logistics provider. Internationally, MMC has a presence in Saudi Arabia via Red Sea Gateway Terminal Company Limited, a container port terminal within the Jeddah Islamic Port.

Under the Energy and Utilities division, Malakoff Corporation Berhad is the largest Independent Power Producer in Malaysia and its subsidiary, Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, is one of the leading environmental management companies in the country. Under Gas Malaysia Berhad, we are the supplier of reticulated natural gas in Peninsular Malaysia operating and maintaining 2,468 kilometers of gas pipeline. Through Aliran Ihsan Resources Berhad, we provide full-fledge water services using high technology treatment in Malaysia.

MMC’s Engineering Division has played a leading role as the Project Delivery Partner and underground works package contractor in completing 51 kilometers Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (“KVMRT”) Kajang Line (previously known as Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line) including 9.5 kilometers underground works. Currently, we are the main turnkey contractor for 52.2 kilometers KVMRT Putrajaya Line (previously known as Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya Line). MMC also successfully completed the 329-kilometer Ipoh-Padang Besar Electrified Double Tracking Project as well as the innovative Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (“SMART”) motorway, the first of its kind, dual-purpose tunnel in the world. MMC is currently in the final stage of completing the Langat Centralised Sewerage Treatment Plant (920,000 Population Equivalent) and Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant (1,130 Million Litres Per Day).

MMC’s Industrial Development Division develops and manages approximately 5,000 acres of industrial developments namely Senai Airport City (“SAC”) and Tanjung Bin Industrial Park (“TBIP”) in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor and Northern Technocity (“NTC”) in Kulim Kedah. The SAC, TBIP and NTC developments come under the ambit of the Industrial Development division’s three operating companies – Senai Aiport City Sdn Bhd, Seaport Worldwide Sdn Bhd and Northern Technocity Sdn Bhd respectively.

In other business, through Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd, we are the operator of Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru – the southern aviation hub and an important gateway to Iskandar Malaysia.

Inquiries: Please log on to www.mmc.com.my or call Azlina Ashar, Head of Group Corporate Communications, MMC Corporation Berhad, Tel: +603 2071 1124.

About Ramco Systems

Ramco is a next-gen enterprise software player disrupting the market with its multi-tenant cloud and mobile-based enterprise software in HR and Global Payroll, ERP and M&E MRO for Aviation. Part of the USD 1 billion Ramco Group, Ramco Systems focuses on Innovation and Culture to differentiate itself in the marketplace. On the Innovation front, Ramco has been focusing on moving towards Active ERP leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and Event-Driven Architecture by building features such as Talk It – which allows transactions to be carried out by simple voice commands, Bot it – which allows users to complete the transaction using natural conversations; Mail It – transact with the application by just sending an email; HUB It – one screen does it all concept built to address all activities of a user; Thumb It – mobility where the system presents users with the option to choose rather than type values and Prompt It – a cognitive ability which will let the system complete the transaction and prompts the user for approval.

With 1800+ employees spread across 24 offices, globally, Ramco follows a flat and open culture where employees are encouraged to share knowledge and grow. No Hierarchies, Cabin-less Offices, Respect work and not titles, among others, are what makes the team say, Thank God it’s Monday!

– Leader in NelsonHall’s NEAT Matrix for Next Gen Payroll Services
– Winner of 2020 ISG Paragon Awards Asia Pacific, for ‘Transformation’ and ‘Collaboration’
– Winner Global Payroll Transformation Project of the Year – 2019 by Global Payroll Association
– Positioned as Major Contender in Everest Group’s Multi-Country Payroll Platform PEAK Matrix

For more information, please visit http://www.ramco.com/
Follow Ramco on Twitter @ramcosystems and stay tuned to http://blogs.ramco.com

For further information, please contact:
Vinitha Ramani
+91-9840368048
vinitharamani@ramco.com