PE, VC & Alternatives Archives - Page 12 of 25

Avendus appoints Sumit Dayal as Independent Non-Executive Director in Singapore

Avendus, one of India’s leading institutional financial services companies, announced the appointment of Sumit Dayal as Independent Non-Executive Director in Singapore today. He will provide guidance and corporate governance oversight as a Board member to Avendus Capital Pte. Limited (Singapore).

A seasoned banker with over 30 years of corporate and investment banking experience, spent 16 years as Managing Director and headed various business units of Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore and Hong Kong. He also spent over 13 years in multiple roles in Bank of America across client risk and client coverage based in India, Singapore, and Hong Kong in the past.

Commenting on the appointment, Gaurav Deepak, Co-founder and CEO, Avendus Capital said, “We are delighted that Sumit has decided to join Avendus Singapore. We’re confident that his exceptional experience and advisory will be of immense value to the franchise as we focus on making Singapore a strong base to grow our institutional franchise in Investment Banking, Institutional Equities and Wealth Management.”

Sumit Dayal, Independent Non-Executive Director, Avendus Capital Pte. Limited said, “I am delighted to join Avendus. It’s an institution that has been built on very strong fundamentals and one that I have admired immensely. I am looking forward to working with the firm to further deepen its linkages in the APAC region.”

About Avendus

Avendus Group is a leading financial services firm with presence in the areas of Investment Banking, Wealth Management, Credit Solutions and Asset Management. Established in 1999 in Mumbai, India, Avendus is today present in 10 cities across India, US, UK and Singapore. Avendus partners with the Indian entrepreneur ecosystem to provide differentiated solutions that enable clients to meet their strategic aspirations.

Avendus Capital, the investment banking arm, is consistently ranked among the top investment banks in the country on the back of its in-depth domain understanding and a best in the class track record of domestic and cross-border transactions. Avendus’ wide range of clients is testimony to its ability to serve its corporates throughout their life cycle — from growth stage funding to large-sized transactions and M&A advisory.

Avendus Capital Inc located in New York is an Avendus Group entity offering M&A and Private Equity syndication services to clients in the US.

Avendus Capital Pte Limited located in Singapore is an Avendus Group entity undertaking Fund Management business in Singapore.

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

Overwhelming interest among global financial leaders to attend 16th Asian Financial Forum

First mega financial event of the year examining current state of global economy

The 16th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will once again be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) on 11 and 12 January to bring together global financial leaders in person. The event will also be accessible virtually. The first large-scale business exchange event of 2023 comes on the heels of the reopening of the Hong Kong-Mainland China border and the resumption of quarantine-free travel between Hong Kong and the mainland since the start of the pandemic.

Wilson Chow, PwC Global Technology, Media and Telecommunications Industry Leader; Dr Patrick Lau, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director; Mary Huen, Chairperson of the AFF Steering Committee and Cluster CEO, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, at Standard Chartered; and Danny Lee, Director of Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association [L-R]

The HKTDC is organising a series of travel experiences, food and accommodation discounts and other opportunities for overseas guests to make the most of their stay in Hong Kong during the AFF and International Financial Week and enjoy the vibrancy of Asia’s World City.

With this year’s theme being Accelerating Transformation: Impact – Inclusion – Innovation, AFF will examine the current state of the global economy and explore major issues, such as trade and sustainable development across more than 40 panel discussions and workshops. Given the interest in hot-button social issues related to international finance and topics such as climate change, health policy, energy and environmental protection, food and agriculture, in addition to the emergence of new economic models from rapid fintech developments like Web 3.0 and the Metaverse, this year’s Forum will launch the Global Spectrum series, while continuing to organise Fireside Chats, to help participants stay current on a wider scope of matters affecting the latest global situation.

17 business delegations, with more than 200 representatives, will attend AFF in person, including from Mainland China, Australia, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. These also include delegations led by the World Federation of International Financial Centers, Beijing Financial Bureau, Tianjin Commission of Commerce, Shenzhen Financial Bureau, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, Riyadh Chamber of Commerce, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and other organisations. More international business representatives are expected to confirm their in-person participation at the Forum in the coming days.

Mary Huen, Chairperson of the AFF Steering Committee and Cluster CEO, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, at Standard Chartered, said: “For Hong Kong, 2023 will be a year of recovery and the return to normalcy. The imminent and orderly resumption of travel with the Mainland will help stimulate our economy, improve market sentiment, and consolidate Hong Kong’s role as a super connector – bridging the Mainland and the international market. We are glad that this year’s Asian Financial Forum will see global leaders gathering here physically to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the financial industry, reinforcing Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.”

Dr Patrick Lau, the HKTDC’s Deputy Executive Director said: “Firstly, given last year’s volatile financial markets and fragile economy globally, transformation is key, as the world in 2023 needs new insights, solutions and opportunities, which the more than 100 global political and business leaders, financial experts, investors, entrepreneurs, tech giants and economists we engaged as our speakers will share with our distinguished AFF participants. Secondly, with the resumption of quarantine-free travel between the mainland and Hong Kong and the lifting of international travel restrictions in Hong Kong, we are pleased to see huge interest to join AFF, including attending in-person in Hong Kong. We believe that the AFF platform enables all participants to have closer interactions and create more business opportunities. Another big attraction is, of course, that the participants will introduce their projects at AFF to secure partners or investors. AFF will attract global financial leaders and professionals to participate in person as well as online, and will once again showcase Hong Kong as a vibrant international business centre.”

Comprehensive analysis of the latest social and financial situation
This year’s forum gathers financial experts from all over the world. Three keynote speakers, Ban Ki-moon, eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations; Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand; and Christina Figueres, co-founder of Global Optimism and former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, will share their insights on topics, such as multilateral cooperation for sustainable development, diversification and integration, climate action and net zero emissions.

Other distinguished guest speakers include Valerie Baudson, Chief Executive Officer of Amundi; Gu Shu, Chairman of the Agricultural Bank of China; Takeshi Kunibe, Chairman of the Board of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation; Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners; Dr Ridha Wirakusumah, Chief Executive Officer of the Indonesia Investment Authority; Mark Tucker, Group Chairman of HSBC; Dr Jose Vinals, Group Chairman of Standard Chartered; and Liu Jin, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and President, Bank of China. Their insights will offer an in-depth look at the state of play of global finance, opportunities in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area markets, asset and wealth management, ESG and green finance, family office ecosystems, impact investing, inclusive finance and more.

Norman Chan, Chairman of RD Wallet Technologies, will have a dialogue with Charles Li, Founder and Chairman of Micro Connect on creating an inclusive capital market; Jeremy Coller, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Coller Capital, will share his views on ESG in private equity investment; Evan Auyang, Group President of Animoca Brands, Dr Giovanna Graziosi Casimiro, Head of Metaverse Fashion Week of Decentraland and Sebastian Fahey, EVP, Managing Director, EMEA and Executive Lead, Metaverse of Sotheby’s, will look at NFTs and digital collectable trends. (For the full list of AFF speakers and programmes, please visit https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en/speaker and https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en )

AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session extended to showcase fintech solutions
The popular AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session, jointly organised by the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, will provide investment matching services in hybrid format. The first two days of matchmaking meetings (11 and 12 January) will allow participants to meet at the physical Forum venue and will continue online until 17 January, offering investors and project owners a prolonged period to connect and explore collaboration opportunities. The investment projects covered will span diverse sectors, such as deep tech, digital technology and media, healthtech, education, infrastructure and real estate services, with an eye towards facilitating connections between investors and project managers. More than 600 Deal Flow matchmaking meetings are expected to be held.

There will also be featured exhibition zones – both physical and online. These are Fintech Showcase, the InnoVenture Salon, FintechHK Startup Salon and the Global Investment Zone, which will showcase various innovative technologies. More than 120 local and international financial institutions, tech companies, start-ups, investment agencies and sponsors – including PwC, Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of China, HSBC, UBS, China International Capital Corporation, Huatai International, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, as well as Cyberport – will gather at the Forum to showcase technologies of tomorrow and global investment opportunities.

Travel experiences, food and accommodation discounts, and more for overseas participants
To encourage overseas AFF delegates to make the most of their stay and experience the vitality of Hong Kong outside the Forum, the HKTDC has for the first time partnered with the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Klook, the Lan Kwai Fong Group and hotels to offer travel experiences, food and accommodation discounts, coupled with other special offers to showcase Hong Kong as a popular tourist, conference and exhibitions destination. As the HKSAR Government announced the resumption of quarantine-free travel between the Mainland and Hong Kong in a gradual and orderly manner last month, the HKTDC extends the special offer for an admission pass to 8 January, on top of the Convention and Exhibition Industry Subsidy Scheme, in the hope of driving more participation.

Websites
– Asian Financial Forum: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/aff/en/
– Members of the media interested in interviewing speakers at the Asian Financial Forum can email tleung@yuantung.com.hk or ayiu@yuantung.com.hk by 9 January 2023.
– HKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3CvC7to

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn,

Media enquiries
Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Tiffany Leung, Tel: +852 3428 2361, Email: tleung@yuantung.com.hk
Agnes Yiu, Tel: +852 3428 5690, Email: ayiu@yuantung.com.hk
Hing-fung Wong, Tel: +852 3428 3122, Email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Katy Wong, Tel: +852 2584 4524, Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org
Snowy Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4525, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org
Sunny Ng, Tel: +852 2584 4357, Email: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA)’s NusaTrip Opens Regional Office in Singapore to Service Booming Rebound in Southeast Asia Travel Market

NusaTrip, Indonesia’s first IATA-certified online travel agency (OTA) and the travel vertical of Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA), today announces the opening of its first regional office in Singapore and first office outside of Indonesia. The office opening positions NusaTrip as the travel platform of choice for travelers desiring access to the booming recovery of Southeast Asia’s (SEA) tourism industry and reflects NusaTrip’s commitment to developing a wider range of marketing and commercial partnerships with airlines, hotels, and tourism boards. Customers in Singapore can now directly book flights and hotel rooms and pay in local currency on NusaTrip.com’s dedicated website for Singapore travelers.

“Singapore’s strategic location at the center of Southeast Asia (SEA) make it a preferred destination for travelers from around the globe. Ranked the third busiest airport in the world by Skytrax, Singapore’s Changi Airport (IATA: SIN, ICAO: WSSS) plays an important and strategic role in SEA’s travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. The presence of NusaTrip in Singapore is only the beginning of many significant advancements to come. It is an important step toward increasing our accessibility and credibility among our key stakeholders in SEA”, said NusaTrip’s CEO, Johanes (Joe) Chang.

Leveraging SEA’s soaring momentum of the travel and tourism industry recovery post-COVID-19 pandemic, NusaTrip is expanding its offering beyond air travel. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s “Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2022” report, the Travel & Tourism GDP in Asia-Pacific is forecasted to grow at an average annual rate of 8.5% or twice the 4% growth rate for the regional economy. Against this backdrop, NusaTrip expects to significantly add to its supply of hotels beyond the current 200,000 registered hotels on its platform. NusaTrip connects worldwide flight content through streamlined integration with low-cost and full-service airlines from multiple points of sale and enables global distribution at ease via its proprietary technology, the NusaXchange platform.

About NusaTrip

Founded in 2013, NusaTrip is an IATA-licensed, Indonesia-based online travel agency serving both local and global customers and partners by optimising cutting-edge technology and providing 24/7 customer-centric support team-as-a-service. NusaTrip is a member of Society Pass (Nasdaq: SoPa) ecosystem. For more information, please review: https://www.nusatrip.com.

About Society Pass Inc.

Founded in 2018 as a next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem in the fast-growing markets of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which account for more than 80% of the SEA population, and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) is an acquisition-focused holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, digital media, travel, telecoms, lifestyle, and F&B), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its signature Society Pass fintech platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa’s data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.3 million registered consumers and over 205,000 registered merchants and brands. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Thoughtful Media Group, a Thailand-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital advertising network; NusaTrip, a leading Indonesia-based Online Travel Agency; Gorilla Networks, a Singapore-based, web3-enabled mobile blockchain network operator; Leflair.com, Vietnam’s leading lifestyle e-commerce platform; Pushkart.ph, a popular grocery delivery company in Philippines; Handycart.vn, a premier online restaurant delivery service based in Vietnam; and Mangan.ph, a leading local restaurant delivery service in Philippines.

For more information on Society Pass, please review the following online information which is not part of this press release:
Website at https://www.thesocietypass.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/societypass or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesocietypass or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/society_pass or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/societypass/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include “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. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media Contacts:
Rosa Milyarna – NusaTrip Indonesia
Rosa@nusatrip.com

NusaTrip/Society Pass ID PR Representatives
Elisabeth (elisabeth.winiartati@gmail.com | +62813375150220)
Angga (anggahadi@gmail.com | +6281213858388)

Dr. Marliyyah Mahmood discusses the Impact of Tech on Women in Northern Nigeria

Dr. Marliyyah A. Mahmood, Women In Tech and Project Manager for Startup AREWA, discusses how technology is enabling and enhancing women’s empowerment in Northern Nigeria. She emphasizes some of the fundamental advantages of social media technologies, such as giving women access to a virtual environment where they may express themselves.

Dr. Marliyyah A. Mahmood, Women In Tech, Project Manager for Startup AREWA, spoke on how technology is enabling and enhancing women’s empowerment in Northern Nigeria. [Image: Startup AREWA]

“It is impossible to overstate the importance of women in the growth of any nation, state, or community. This is to reiterate the critical role that women’s education plays in long-term national development, which begins at home. Women are frequently observed to be the children’s first teachers at home. A mother’s influence on upbringing in any developing country, and the empowerment of women, has a significant impact on key developmental outcomes like health, education, reproductive patterns, income level, and other factors,” said Dr Mahmood.

While a report from PWC in April 2020 states that 41% of micro-businesses in Nigeria are owned by women, a report in EFInA stated that 55% of the financially excluded adults in Nigeria are women, and of the 25.1 million financially excluded in the north, 13.1 million are women. Business transactions are largely cash within informal channels, as business funds are kept at home because financial institutions are concentrated in the state capital, while poor record-keeping from transacting through informal channels in turn hampers eligibility for credit.

The previous census, which was performed in 2006, indicated that women made up around 49.7% of the population of Nigeria. Despite this, Nigerian women (particularly those in the northern region) have not been able to change the long-standing status that society accords to women. There are a number of reasons why women in Northern Nigerian society are treated unequally, the majority of which can be linked to the patriarchal system in place and the general lack of gender awareness among the rural population, including women who have been socialized to accept their subordinate position.

However, with better access to information online, women have developed a greater sense of awareness. Online educational content, blogs videos and social media tools have given women access to a virtual world that provides them with opportunities for self-expression. Digital platforms are aiming to be more inclusive than ever before in light of the changing political conscience. It is now essential, not simply an option, to guarantee women’s safety, inclusivity, and a voice at all intersections.

Through online workspaces, more women have recently been able to achieve financial independence. There are now more jobs available for women thanks to specific job postings on numerous online portals. Housewives or moms who have taken extended absences from the workforce now have access to special possibilities to re-enter the workforce. Many websites provide part-time and full-time occupations that people can undertake from home.

In Northern Nigeria, Startup AREWA and Financial Service Innovation (FSI) organized a virtual hackathon on financial inclusion amongst female entrepreneurs within the northern region by proffering simple and easy-to-use fintech solutions to increase more of their participation in setting up businesses. The innovative solutions developed from this hackathon were able to tackle the challenges faced by unbanked and underbanked female entrepreneurs in Northern Nigeria.

Dr. Marliyyah reveals how women now have access to a wide range of created opportunities online as a result of technology advancements. “Technology has helped women affirm their freedom of expression and right to the workforce, which they frequently find difficult to accomplish. This is a really great achievement that shows how it can be utilized to empower those with disadvantaged identities.

“However, it must not be overlooked that having internet access is necessary in order to take use of these virtual prospects. How many women and members of underrepresented groups actually have access to such technology is still an open subject. To ensure that intersectional gaps are filled and that technology and the internet are more widely available, intervention is necessary in this context.”

About Startup AREWA
Startup AREWA was established to organize, empower and promote the Northern Nigeria technology and Startup Ecosystem, with the overarching goal of using technology and startups as a strategy to combat unemployment and poverty across the Northern Nigeria.

From the first Bootcamp at Bello Memorial Foundation Hall in Kaduna to a series of over 20 Bootcamps across Northern Nigeria, engaging over 5000 Startups with support from innovators and public-private leaders, Startup AREWA is implementing its strategic plan of promoting and providing real-time support to Startups.

Official website: https://startuparewa.ng
Facebook: https://facebook.com/startuparewa
Twitter: https://twitter.com/startuparewa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startuparewa/
Email: hello@startuparewa.ng

For more information, please visit https://startuparewa.ng, write to contact@startuparewa.ng, or call us on +234 90 9685 9999.

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA)/Thoughtful Media Group Acquires More Media, Indonesia-based Digital Design and Branding Agency

Thoughtful Media Group Inc (“Thoughtful Media” or “TMG”), the Thailand-based social commerce-focused, premium digital advertising network of Society Pass Incorporated (“SoPa”) (Nasdaq: SOPA), Southeast Asia’s (SEA) next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, today announces the acquisition of More Media, a leading Indonesia-based creative design and branding agency. The More Media acquisition extends TMG’s social commerce and influencer advertising business reach beyond Thailand and Vietnam and into the booming Indonesia digital advertising sector.

Founded in 2021 as an international caliber design and branding agency serving up-and-coming Indonesian companies in the beauty, F&B, e-commerce and logistics sectors, More Media has grown its client base through quick deployment of value-added services and understanding of the local market tastes. With its focus on storytelling and providing end-to-end branding services, More Media has onboarded a diverse roster of clients such as Langsre, Emilia, Kei Dining, and Allino. Post acquisition, More Media is re-branded as Thoughtful Media Indonesia with its Co-Founder, Eugenia Agnes Gusti, appointed as VP of Business Development for Thoughtful Media to drive sales and onboard Indonesia clients onto the regional TMG digital advertising platform.

Mr. Dennis Nguyen, Society Pass Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer/TMG Chairman, exclaims, “We are so excited to welcome Eugenia Agnes Gusti, Ursula Michelle and the rest of the More Media into our ever-expanding TMG platform. More Media seamlessly blends into our product and geographical growth strategy for TMG as we enter yet another leading SEA market. By combining More Media’s market leading design and branding capabilities in Indonesia with TMG’s social commerce and influencer advertising focused MPN, we leverage our storytelling capabilities and amplify SoPa’s upcoming loyalty offering. And with this acquisition, TMG now operates in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. Since SoPa acquired TMG back in July 2022, TMG has grown from strength to strength with headcount growing from a dozen professionals to over 30 staff in just a matter of months. As we enter Singapore, Philippines, and Malaysia markets in 2023, TMG is uniquely positioned to be the premier SEA regional digital advertising agency offering a significant value proposition for advertisers, merchants and influencers in SEA’s biggest economy.”

According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the influencer advertising market grew to US$16.4 billion in 2022 and the value of social commerce sales growing to US$958 billion in 2022. And according to Strategic Market Research, with Asia representing 70% of the market, the global social commerce market size is expected to reach US$7 trillion by 2030, representing a CAGR of 30% from 2021. Well-positioned to benefit from these growth forecasts, Indonesia’s digital advertising revenues are expected to soar this decade as increasingly more consumers make direct purchases on social media platforms, as social media sites are adopting innovative buying criteria and features, and as merchants incorporate shoppable posts and buy buttons on their respective pages. In addition, socially conscious consumers are influencing the evolution of the entire online retail industry. This trend comes as a result of the shifting inclination of brands from traditional celebrities to online influencers to endorse their products. Indeed, influencer marketing is quickly becoming an indispensable part of the mainstream branding strategies across organisations of all types.

“More Media is proud to officially merge with TMG. By joining forces with TMG’s broad advertising network and SoPa’s extensive ecosystem and large user and merchant bases in SEA, we are thrilled about expanding our business to fully become an end-to-end digital marketing company. According to Grand View Research, the global influencer marketing platform market size was valued at USD 10.39 billion in 2021 and is now expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.4% from 2022 to 2030. With this explosion in influencer advertising and social commerce throughout SEA, Thoughtful Media Indonesia is well positioned to generate significant revenues in 2023 and occupies a central position in Indonesia’s large and fast-paced growing advertising market, both online and offline,” explains Ms. Eugenia Agnes Gusti, Co Founder, More Media.

About Society Pass Inc.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Media Contacts:
PRecious Communications
sopa@preciouscomms.com

TD VC is Launching a $100M Web3 ‘Special Situation’ Fund with $10M in GP Commitments

TradeDog Group, the parent company of TD VC, announced the launch of their $100 Million Web3 “special situation” fund. The fund announcement comes with a GP commitment of $10 Million. The fund will re-structure and invest in projects with good products and businesses but struggling token markets.

This strategic move is a reflection of the commitment of TradeDog Group to web3 technology and blockchain-based applications. It paves a path for funding web3 initiatives that aim to make web-based services powered by blockchain better and more accessible.

TradeDog will leverage its following of more than 3 million Traders and Investors to build an active trading community for the portfolio of TD VC Fund 2, while TradeDog Market Management (TDMM) will be useful to execute sophisticated strategies in live markets (exchanges & DEXs) if required.

TD VC is a Multi-Strategy fund with a portion allocated to a flagship strategy “special situations investment.” Through this, TD VC will provide crypto businesses with tailored injections of capital based on the requirements of the token. The thematic fund will primarily invest in companies with strong fundamental businesses but whose token markets are underperforming. TD VC’s goal is to support the long-term growth of the digital ecosystem while maximizing risk-adjusted returns for investors, all underpinned by an emphasis on value, downside protection, and upside optionality.

As the fund’s strategic partner, TDeFi will leverage its successful track record as a blockchain startup incubator and support TD VC with a range of deal flow and advisory services.

Rupesh Pednekar will be leading the operations for the fund. He is a partner and a seasoned strategic business leader who will bring his experience in building and growing startups on board as well as extensive technology and institutional financial experience. Rupesh has advised multiple entrepreneurs, startups, and mid-size firms in their growth strategy and venture capital raise as part of a boutique advisory firm. Previously, he spent more than eight years at Moody’s Investors Service in New York City, where he led several critical initiatives around regulatory compliance, process and methodology upgrades, and technology transformation. Prior to Moodys, Rupesh successfully led high-impact projects at Verizon Wireless, including the 4G launch, billing systems upgrades, and technology integration for the company’s many acquisitions.

Speaking about TD VC’s vision for the fund, Pednekar said: “There has been a massive influx of talent from WEB2 to WEB3 and at TD VC we are looking to leverage that and bring about more adoption. There are a plethora of use cases for Web3 technologies and it is changing how value and equity is distributed. We aim to be a catalyst for innovation and believe our funding models will empower creators and disruptors in the web3 space to revolutionize the existing multi-layered blockchain ecosystem.”

TD VC’s fund will invest in promising young companies and support the limitless possibilities of Web3 tech, allowing entrepreneurs to bring forth innovative projects offering actual value in building the internet on blockchain. TD VC believes the crypto industry must keep volatile markets from getting in the way of innovation driving mass adoption.

About TradeDog Group

TradeDog is a Group of Crypto companies that helps projects in their token life cycle. In addition to TD VC, the companies in the ecosystem consist of TDeFi (https://tde.fi), a Web3 incubator. TDx, a Token launchpad with more than 30,000 whitelisted retail investors. TDMM (https://tdmm.io) enables Liquidity and Markets Management, helping tokens with Price and Volume management. TD Research is a Market Intelligence and on-chain analytics provider.

Website: https://td.vc/

Name: Rishabh Gupta
Designation: Director
Mobile: +91 9045622473
Email: pr@td.vc

Belgravia Hartford Provides Year End Update on Zonetail Litigation

Belgravia Hartford Capital Inc. (CSE: BLGV) (Belgravia Hartford, Belgravia or the Company) provides a shareholder status update on its litigation with Zonetail Inc. (TSXV: ZONE) (Zonetail).

Belgravia and Zonetail are currently engaged in litigation which Zonetail launched in December 2019, the litigation is related to their prior commercial relationship.

Background Summary
1. Prior to becoming a publicly listed company, Zonetail solicited Belgravia to purchase its shares through private placement transactions in an effort to build working capital, and in part, to complete its going public transaction;
2. From February 2018 to November 2018 Belgravia invested $876,600 in Zonetail common shares at an average cost price of $0.1885/common share (the “Zonetail Share Cost Price”);
3. Additionally, on July 26, 2018, at the repeated request of Zonetail, Belgravia, in good faith, agreed to loan Zonetail $325,000 (the “Loan”) and issued a promissory note in the amount of $325,000 plus 8% interest due November 1, 2018 (the “Promissory Note”) which was agreed to and signed by Zonetail in promise of payment;
4. In August, 2018, Zonetail paid an interest payment of 144,444 common shares representing 8% of the interest payable;
5. Further, on October 30, 2018, Belgravia, in good faith, agreed to amend the date of repayment of the Promissory Note to the earlier of (i) that date which is 12 months from the closing of the Zonetail going public transaction, or (ii) November 1, 2019 and increased interest payable from 8% interest to 18% interest on the Promissory Note;
6. From March 2018 through February 2019 Belgravia was engaged by Zonetail to implement certain management services to fulfil its listing requirement. Belgravia provided services to assist Zonetail with Corporate Governance structure, meeting listing requirements and a number of other corporate initiatives;
7. On November 21, 2018, Zonetail became a publicly-traded company on the TSX Venture Exchange. As a result, Belgravia’s equity position, 4,749,999 common shares and 1,905,555 share purchase warrants was subject to Tier 2 escrow provisions and released over three years: 2019, 2020, and 2021;
8. On November 23, 2018, Zonetail paid an interest payment on the Loan of $32,500 to Belgravia in accordance with the Promissory Note;

Steps to Degradation of Relationship between Belgravia and Zonetail
9. During Q2 of 2019, five months after the going public transaction was complete and only then the second tranche of the escrowed funds were released, the average market price of Zonetail common shares had plummeted to a price of approximately of $0.06 per common share or 1/3 of the original Zonetail Share Cost Price. Belgravia’s total loss on investment: Over $700,000;
10. On August 29, 2019, Zonetail released it’s Q2 Financials which indicated approx. $17,000 of cash in the treasury;
11. In December 2019, Zonetail commenced a legal action against Belgravia, instead of repaying the Loan in good faith. Belgravia continues to demand immediate repayment of the Loan and the debt owed, being $506,125 (principal and unpaid interest to date); and
12. Belgravia has counterclaimed for $2,500,000 against Zonetail seeking to (among other things) hold Zonetail accountable for the full amount of the Loan repayment and applicable interest (i.e., $506,125).

Mehdi Azodi President & CEO of Belgravia Hartford stated, “Belgravia will vigorously defend itself and assert its right to re-payment of the Loan in accordance with the Promissory Note. Belgravia is moving rapidly towards scheduling a trial date and will provide a further update in early Q1 of 2023.”

About Belgravia Hartford
Belgravia Hartford Capital Inc. (Belgravia or the Company) is a publicly traded investment holding company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. Belgravia is focused on growing its assets and holdings and increasing its net asset value (NAV). Belgravia invests in a portfolio of private and public companies located in jurisdictions governed by the rule of law. It takes a multi-sector investment approach with emphasis in the resources and commodities sector. Belgravia and its investments are considered high risk holdings and it may expose shareholders to significant volatility and losses. For more information, please visit www.belgraviahartford.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements that use forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue”, “potential” or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding planned investment activities & related returns, the timing for completion of research and development activities, the potential value of royalties, and other statements that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, changes in market trends, the completion, results and timing of research undertaken by the Company, risks associated with resource assets, the impact of general economic conditions, commodity prices, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory, environmental, and governmental approvals, and the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.

For More Information, Please Contact:
Mehdi Azodi, President & CEO
Belgravia Hartford Capital Inc.
(250) 763-5533
mazodi@blgv.ca

Heavyweights to speak as AFF opens conference year

Forum returns in physical format, drawing more than 100 policymakers and business leaders as speakers

Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations and more policymakers and business leaders will deliver keynote speeches at AFF 2023.

Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand

Christiana Figueres, Co-Founder of Global Optimism and Former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Themed “Accelerating Transformation: Impact – Inclusion – Innovation”, the Forum will include addresses from more than 100 global business leaders, policymakers, financial and wealth management experts, entrepreneurs, tech giants and economists who will share their views on issues related to global finance, economy, trade and sustainability. The Forum will also provide a platform to connect participants for business and investment opportunities to strengthen Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.

As the restrictions on arrivals have been relaxed, more international business travellers are expected to visit Hong Kong and participate in international conferences. To promote the vitality of the city, the HKTDC has curated a variety of exclusive benefits for AFF delegates from overseas, enriching their stay beyond the two-day forum.

Speakers include the Former Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

As the premier financial and business forum and the first large-scale business exchange event kicking off the new year, AFF assembles more than 100 heavyweight thought leaders to examine ways to formulate better business strategies and develop a blueprint for sustainable growth after a turbulent 2022, and explore how global corporates can work together to create a resilient economic landscape through innovation and inclusion. This year’s forum draws a number of policymakers and business leaders to share their views, including the following three eminent keynote speakers:

– Ban Ki-moon, eighth Secretary-General of the UN
Ban Ki-moon served as Secretary-General of the UN between 2007 and 2016. During his tenure, he focused on the response to global challenges, from climate change and economic upheaval to pandemics and food and energy crisis. He will deliver his keynote address and share his insights on coping with global challenges and promoting sustainable development with multilateral cooperation on the first day of Forum (11 January).

– Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
Helen Clark was the Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008. Throughout her tenure, she engaged widely in policy development and advocacy across the international, economic, social and cultural spheres. She will deliver her keynote address under the theme of equality and diversity on the second day of Forum (12 January).

– Christiana Figueres, Co-founder of Global Optimism and Former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
Christiana Figueres is an internationally recognised leader fostering climate action. As the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010 to 2016, she actively coordinated climate change initiatives to jointly deliver the 2015 Paris Agreement. She will discuss the latest trends in climate action and net-zero policies on the second day of Forum (12 January).

Discussion sessions on hot market topics
The two-day Forum will include more than 40 discussion sessions, featuring heavyweight financial, government and business leaders to shed light on major topics, including global economic outlook, regional trade collaborations such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, asset and wealth management, environment, social and governance (ESG) and green finance, insurance and risk management, family office ecosystem, philanthropy and impact investing, financial inclusion, decentralised finance (DeFi), Web3 and Metaverse, monetary reforms and central bank digital currencies (CBDC) opportunities.

In the main panel discussions, international financial and business leaders including Valerie Baudson, Chief Executive Officer of Amundi; Takeshi Kunibe, Chairman of the Board, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation; Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Vista Equity Partners; Mark Tucker, Group Chairman of HSBC Holdings; Dr Jose Vinals, Group Chairman, Standard Chartered; Dr Ridha Wirakusumah, CEO of Indonesia Investment Authority and James Turner, Group Chief Financial Officer, Prudential will examine macroeconomic trends amid the epidemic recovery and external uncertainties, and key market opportunities.

Tackling environmental challenges, energy and food crises has become top of the agenda on global level. Rapid development of Web3 and other financial technologies have also shaped the future of economy. In light of this, AFF will establish the Global Spectrum series, together with the Fireside Chat, to discuss various disruptive innovations and initiatives in society, covering venture capital and start-up ecosystem, transition to net-zero and ESG standard-setting, food security, health equity, metaverse and non-fungible token (NFT) and more. Speakers include Prof KC Chan, Senior Advisor, WeLab; Luanne Lim, Chief Executive, Hong Kong, HSBC; Benedicte Nolens, Head of the Hong Kong Centre, BIS Innovation Hub; Alfred Chuang, General Partner, Race Capital; Andrew Schwabecher, CEO & Representative Director, Japan Computer Vision Corp. and Adam Litle, Chief Executive Officer, Sound Agriculture. The Dialogues for Tomorrow series will also invite forward-looking industry leaders, including Sebastian Fahey, EVP, Managing Director, EMEA and Executive Lead, Metaverse, Sotheby’s; Jeremy Coller, CIO, Managing Partner and Founder of Coller Capital and Charles Li, Founder and Chairman of Micro Connect.

AFF Deal Flow in hybrid mode with extended period
In addition to gathering global financial and business leaders to share insights, the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association will again co-organise the AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking Session. The first two days of the matchmaking meeting (11 and 12 January) will allow participants to meet at the physical Forum venue, and continue online till 17 January with a digital extension, offering investors and project owners prolonged period to connect and explore collaboration opportunities. The matchmaking projects will cover industries ranging from deep technology, digital technology and media, medical technology, education and infrastructure to real-estate services. A function for identifying ESG-integrated projects debuted last year has also been enhanced to facilitate business matching.

Nearly 100 exhibitors showcase new technologies and investment opportunities
The AFF will also house nearly 100 local and overseas exhibitors, international financial institutions, technology companies, start-ups and investment promotion agencies and sponsors including PwC, Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of China, HSBC, UBS, China International Capital Corporation, Huatai International, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and Cyberport to showcase leading financial technologies. Three highlighted zones, including Fintech Showcase, InnoVenture Salon and FintechHK Start-up Salon will allow on-site participants to experience technologies of tomorrow.

Wide array of exclusive discounts and privileges for overseas delegates
As the first large-scale business exchange event in 2023, the HKTDC has curated a variety of exclusive travel, food and hotel discounts and privileges in collaboration with Hong Kong Tourism Board, Klook, LKF Concepts and hotels to encourage AFF delegates from overseas to make the most out of their stay and experience the vitality of Hong Kong outside the Forum.

Participants who register now can enjoy an early bird discount. More activity details, speaker line-up and media registration arrangements will be announced in early January.

Website
– Asian Financial Forum: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en
– AFF Programme List: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en/info-programme
– AFF Speaker List: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en/speaker
– Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com
– Photo download: https://bit.ly/3FklQrP

Members of the media interested in interviewing AFF 2023 speakers can send an email to tleung@yuantung.com.hk or ayiu@yuantung.com.hk on or before 5 January 2023.

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.

Media enquiries
Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Tiffany Leung, Tel: +852 3428 2361, Email: tleung@yuantung.com.hk
Agnes Yiu, Tel: +852 3428 5690, Email: ayiu@yuantung.com.hk
Fung Wong, Tel: +852 3428 3122, Email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Katy Wong, Tel: +852 2584 4524, Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org
Snowy Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4525, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org
Sunny Ng, Tel: +852 2584 4357, Email: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org

Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA) Announces 2021 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on 20 December 2022

Society Pass Incorporated (“SoPa” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SOPA), Southeast Asia’s (SEA) next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, today announces that it will hold its 2021 Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of shareholders at 9:00 A.M. US Eastern time, or at 10:00 P.M. Singapore time, on Tuesday, 20 December 2022 to be held virtually here from Society Pass’ headquarters at Grace Global Raffles, #14-01, 137 Market Street, Singapore 048943. The Company’s Schedule 14A was filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on 01 December 2022.

The Company’s annual report can be downloaded at here ( https://thesocietypass.com/index.php/investor-relations/ ). The Company’s Form 10-K, including its audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2021, has been filed with the SEC and can be accessed on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Shareholders will vote on proposals for the election of board members, the amendment to the Company’s equity incentive plan and the ratification of the selection for the independent registered public accounting firm for approval at the AGM. The AGM will also serve as a forum for management to discuss Company affairs with shareholders.

The Board of Directors of the Company has fixed the close of business on 21 October 2022 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for determining the shareholders entitled to attend the AGM or any adjournment or postponement thereof.

Holders of record of the Company’s common and preferred shares at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to attend the AGM and any adjournment or postponement thereof virtually. Holders of record of the Company’s common and preferred shares planning to attend the AGM in person are required to indicate their interest to attend the AGM by following the procedures indicated in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

About Society Pass Inc.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021. SOPA shares were added to the Russell 2000 index in December 2021.

For more information on Society Pass, please review the following online information which is not part of this press release:
Website at https://www.thesocietypass.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/societypass or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesocietypass or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/society_pass or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/societypass/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Media Contacts:
PRecious Communications
sopa@preciouscomms.com

Sportsman Shikhar Dhawan launches $75M Global SportsTech Venture Fund

International cricketer and entrepreneur Shikhar Dhawan has launched Da One Global Ventures (DOGV), a $75 million Global SportsTech Venture Fund focusing on innovation across the Sports spectrum. The multi-stage fund, with a greenshoe option of $25 million, is to incorporate in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), with its vibrant business ecosystem and robust regulatory framework, and include a SportsTech Accelerator and eSports Venture Studio as distinguishing verticals within its platform.

International Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan announcing $75M Global SportsTech Venture Fund, Nov 14, 2022 [Da One Global Ventures]

This is the first VC fund organized by an Asian sportsperson and Indian celebrity. Mr Dhawan introduced his partners and the team at Da One Global Ventures during his keynote at the LP-GP Summit, part of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), the prestigious economic forum for world leaders to gather and address strategic macroeconomic and financial topics which will shape regional and global perspectives for the years to come.

Shikhar Dhawan, a highly reputed name in the cricket world today, established a seasoned team as the fund’s General Partner (GP) leading the investment thesis across the Sports spectrum – from SportsTech to eSports, and Gaming to Web3. The fund will be global in nature, as will its sports personalities, representing multiple sports as Limited Partner (LP) Ambassadors. This unique network will allow unprecedented access to sports ecosystems of the world, mobilizing investment and accelerating growth.

Shikhar Dhawan comments: “I am elated to start new innings and embark on this journey through the world of venture capital. All of this is only possible with the support of my commercial partners, and the commitment of Da One Global Ventures to the fund, readying for this week’s announcement and targeted deployment in Q1 2023-24.

DOGV will go beyond traditional investing models, providing domain knowledge and accessing the global sporting ecosystem. We aim to scale greater heights and set new benchmarks for Sports Technology Venture Capital. I have much gratitude toward sports and look forward to the contributions of this fund to the economic strength, and the growth of Sports.

This year has been spectacular for SportsTech, with investments to the tune of $12 billion already, more than the preceding three years combined, covering multiple segments, and illustrating the rapid growth in this dynamic industry. We are in active discussion with various stakeholders across the ecosystem, and developments will be announced in due course.”

Shikhar Dhawan is a leading Indian cricketer. A left-handed opening batsman and occasional captain of the India national team, he captains Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League and plays for Delhi in first-class cricket. For his notable contributions to the Indian Men’s National Cricket Team, Shikhar Dhawan was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award by the President of India in 2021.

For further details –
Mr Amitesh Shah,
Da One Global Ventures
E: ceo@daonegroup.org