The Australian NFT marketplace NFT STARS made its debut on the NFT stage in early July 2021 and is rapidly conquering the market with its celebrity auctions, having already sold artwork for a handsomely high sum of 229 ETH.
Now, the marketplace aims to close the gap between traditional and digital art and is organizing the first-ever NFT art exhibition and conference in Australia – SIDUS. The event will be held in Melbourne on 7th-13th August at the contemporary gallery SpACE @ Collins.
NFT STARS is a new NFT marketplace that was launched in July 2021. The new platform set the bar high with a series of successful celebrity drops from the very beginning. NFT STARS debuted with the auction of the ‘Exploration’. The drop was followed by the auction of the artwork ‘Singularity’ by an anonymous artist. ‘Singularity’ was sold for 229 ETH. NFT STARS presents many new artists who have already made a name for themselves in the traditional art industry.
NFT STARS is pursuing the ambitious goal of shifting the market focus from NFT speculation to art appreciation and introducing more people to the unique world of NFT. To appeal to an audience that knows nothing about digital art or blockchain, NFT STARS is going offline and organizing the first NFT art exhibition and conference in Australia, SIDUS. The event will become a point of entry through which the general public can take their first steps into the world of NFT and discover new facets of digital art.
SIDUS will be held in Melbourne at a contemporary gallery SpACE @ Collins on 7th-13th August. The exhibition will present a diverse range of artists, most of which are featured on the NFT STARS marketplace. The agenda also includes an educational program. Every day of the exhibition, there will be an educational corner where visitors can learn the basics about non-fungible tokens and artists can mint their own NFT under the guidance of the NFT STARS team.
On the weekends, SIDUS will turn into a conference and host lectures and workshops. The NFT STARS hasn’t disclosed the list of speakers yet but the team promises an unforgettable and insightful experience.
Except for the opening ceremony, the event will be completely free. Visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase any of the presented artwork. However, only crypto payments are accepted, so the NFT STARS team will be there to help buyers set up a crypto wallet in case they don’t have one.
“We believe the future of art is digital. Technology is coming to every sphere of our lives and it’s natural for artists to portray the world we live in using the tools of our time. We want to break the stereotype that NFT art is only for crypto lovers. SIDUS 2021 is an entry point, perhaps the first touchpoint for many people concerning this new digital art form” – Dan Khomenko, CEO of NFT STARS.
About NFT STARS
NFT STARS is a multi-chain NFT marketplace with a unique suite of products relevant to artists, NFT art collectors, investors, NFT gamers and startup founders. The company introduces the general public to the positive aspects of non-fungible tokens and the opportunities they open up through their educational initiatives and the easy-to-navigate marketplace.
With NFT STARS, artists can enjoy Gas-free minting, collaborations via the collective NFT ownership feature and host their exhibitions in personalized AR galleries. Artists with premium accounts are appointed a personal manager and receive help in minting and promoting their collections.
In the future, NFT STARS plans to launch on Binance Smart Chain, Avalanche and other blockchains to support cross-chain NFT liquidity flow. The marketplace will expand its suite of products and introduce: an NFT Pricing Scanner, a 24/7 NFT Radio station, an Initial NFT Offering service for startups and it will enable fractional NFT trading.
Adlai Nortye Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Adlai Nortye), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative oncology drugs, today announced the completion of $100 million Series D financing round. Co-led by SDIC Fund Management and Tigermed, this round of financing is participated by Legend Star, Wuxi Biologicals Healthcare Ventures, Triwise Capital, Qingdao Mukui, Guolian Industrial Investment, Tian Ge Interactive, etc. Proceeds from the financing will be used to accelerate the development of ongoing clinical and preclinical programs, expand drug portfolio through in-house R&D capability, in-licensing, mergers and acquisitions and other strategic collaborations.
“We intend to develop differentiated and innovative oncology drugs globally to address the unmet medical needs and aspire to transform deadly cancer into a chronic and eventually a curable disease,” said Carsten Lu, President and CEO of Adlai Nortye. “This round of financing represents an important milestone for Adlai Nortye, and we are honored to continue gaining support from our prestigious new and existing investors as Adlai Nortye has demonstrated a proven track record of delivering what we promised to the market and investors in the previous rounds. We are well-positioned to advance the development of our robust therapeutics pipeline and looking forward to bringing in more and more innovative treatments benefiting patients globally.”
“We have strong conviction in innovation and paying close attention to what is trending in the biopharmaceutical industry,” said Dazhong Lv, Managing Director of SDIC Fund Management. “Adlai Nortye’s strategic vision in global market, dedication to innovation in research and strong execution capability are what have been attracting us. We are pleased to have the opportunity to lead Adlai Nortye’s D round and look forward to the development of multiple first-in-class drugs from the company’s innovative pipeline globally and in China.”
Yan Leng, partner of Legend Star added, “Adlai Nortye is quickly emerging as a leader in the field of oncology and we are delighted to have invested in Adlai Nortye and provided support for the R&D of the company’s promising pipeline. Combining innovative research and advanced clinical assets with proven management experience, Adlai Nortye has built an exciting portfolio filled with opportunities. We are excited to join such an experienced and proven management team, an outstanding group of investors and top-tier pharmaceutical partners to advance the company’s pipeline products.”
About Adlai Nortye
Adlai Nortye is a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative oncology drugs, with its R&D and global clinical operation centers in both China and the United States. With a strategic emphasis on oncology, the Company has built a global pipeline through collaborations and internal discoveries with more than 10 drug candidates in development. Currently, four of them are being investigated in clinical trials. The FDA Fast Track-designated AN2025 (Buparlisib) is undergoing a global multicenter Phase III clinical trial. AN1004 (Pelareorep), an FDA Fast Track-designated intravenously-administered oncolytic virus, has completed a Phase II clinical trial. Oral EP4 antagonist AN0025 (Palupiprant) has completed Phase 1b trial in a neoadjuvant setting in locally advanced rectal cancer and is undergoing Phase 1b trial in combination with Keytruda in patients with multiple solid tumors. AN4005, the internally discovered oral small molecule PD-L1 inhibitor, is currently in Phase I clinical trial in the U.S.
The Company has assembled a world-class leadership team, built its unique immuno-oncology platforms, and established strategic collaborations with multiple global leading biopharmaceutical companies, such as Novartis, Merck, Eisai, Oncolytics Biotech, etc. Adlai Nortye is committed to becoming an innovative biopharmaceutical company with a global vision and strives to bring more effective treatments to patients in China and worldwide. The Company shoulders the mission of transforming cancer into a non-fatal disease or even a cure. For more information, please visit: www.adlainortye.com.
About SDIC Fund Management
Established in July 2009, SDIC Fund Management Corporation Limited is an independent, professional private equity company. It currently manages and advises more than RMB 50 billion of capital for a wide range of institutional investors including financial institutions, social security funds, and state-owned and private capital. SDIC Fund Management Corporation Limited is one of the largest professional private equity fund managers in China.
About Tigermed
Tigermed (Stock code: 300347.SZ/3347.HK) is a leading provider of innovative clinical research solutions across the full life cycle of biopharmaceutical and medical device products globally. With a broad portfolio of services and a promise of quality, from clinical development to commercialization, we are committed to moving our customers and patients through their development journey efficiently and cost-effectively. Tigermed currently represents a worldwide network of more than 60 subsidiaries and 150 offices and sites, with over 6,400 employees across 38 countries in Asia Pacific, Europe, North & South America and Africa. We are devoted to building an integrated platform that enables boundless possibility for the healthcare industry, embracing challenges to fulfill our commitment to serve unmet patients’ needs, and eventually saving lives.
About Legend Star
Founded in 2008 as an angel investor, Legend Star is managing 7 early-stage funds with a total commitment of up to RMB 3.5 billion. By the end of 2020, it has made about 300 new name investments in cutting-edge technology, TMT and healthcare / pharmaceutical sectors.
About Wuxi Biologics
WuXi Biologics (stock code: 2269.HK), a Hong Kong-listed company, is a leading global open-access biologics technology platform offering end-to-end solutions to empower organizations to discover, develop, and manufacture biologics from concept to commercial manufacturing. The company’s history and achievements demonstrate its commitment to providing a truly one-stop service offering and strong value proposition to its global clients.
The company is currently conducting (as of March 22, 2021) a total of 361 integrated projects: 190 in pre-clinical development; 137 in early-phase (phase I and II) clinical development; 32 in late-phase (phase III) development; and 2 in commercial manufacturing. With a total estimated capacity at around 430,000 liters for biopharmaceutical production planned by 2024 in China, Ireland, the U.S., Germany, and Singapore, WuXi Biologics will provide its biomanufacturing partners with an even more robust and premier-quality global supply chain network.
WuXi Biologics views Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) responsibilities as an integral component of its ethos and business strategy and has established an ESG committee led by the CEO to increase efficiency while advancing commitment to sustainability. For more information about WuXi Biologics, please visit: www.wuxibiologics.com.
With a wide range of modern facilities and state-of-the-art air filtration systems, the new hotel offers a comfortable, convenient and safe escape for families and groups of friends in the heart of the popular seaside town, just 200km south of Bangkok
Hua Hin, Thailand, 15 July 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has expanded its operations in the kingdom with the opening of dusitD2 Hua Hin, an upscale pet-friendly retreat in the heart of Hua Hin, a popular seaside destination just three hours by car from Bangkok.
Located just a seven-minute walk from Hua Hin’s main beach and near popular local attractions such as Cicada Market and Bluport Hua Hin Resort Mall, the new hotel is designed to offer a modern and comfortable haven where families and groups of friends can recharge, relax, and easily discover everything the destination has to offer, with space to bring their pets with them.
Alongside 152 contemporary guest rooms and suites ranging in size from 30 to 92 sq m, including selected rooms equipped with pet-friendly amenities for up to two pets, the bright and airy property offers a wide range of facilities for work, rest and play.
Current dining facilities include Cafe Soi, an all-day dining restaurant where guests can take a culinary journey to Southern Thailand and indulge in traditional delicacies from Surat Thani, Phuket, Songkhla, Krabi and beyond; Som Bar, a vibrant rooftop bar inspired by Hollywood party pads where guests can enjoy cocktails and admire panoramic sea views; and Dusit Gourmet, Dusit’s signature bakery and coffee shop, where guests can indulge in a variety of Thai and international favourites, all made using high-quality ingredients.
Alongside a rooftop infinity pool, a large garden, and a fully equipped gym, the hotel also offers an extensive kids club, The Beary Club, featuring a children’s swimming pool, a play area with a sandbox and a treehouse, and a wide range of activities for children ages 3 to 15. Bag painting, tree planting, cooking classes, and treasure hunts led by friendly mascot ‘Beary’ – a unique ‘half bear, half hog deer’ character specially designed to raise awareness of endangered animals in the region – are just some of the fun activities offered. All children are given a Beary Map on arrival with the chance to win an ice cream by collecting stamps throughout the property.
All room types, from the airy Deluxe to the spacious Two-Bedroom Suite, feature the latest in connectivity, with high-speed internet access and 55″ 4K UHD Smart TVs for easy streaming of entertainment. Each room and public area is also equipped with a Panasonic Nanoe™ X machine, which filters the air to eliminate odours and inhibit the activity of airborne bacteria and pet-derived allergens.
Guests seeking to stay on top of work during their travels will find plenty of quiet, thoughtfully designed corners to focus on their important tasks. The versatile and well-equipped Dok Jok function room is also available for up to 76 people in a theatre-style arrangement, or 37 people in a classroom set-up, ensuring ample space for safe and memorable gatherings.
Alongside Dusit’s unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, all guests also benefit from Dusit’s carefully crafted ‘Dusit Care’ services. Designed to offer ultimate peace of mind, these go beyond enhanced hygiene protocols to deliver additional convenience, experience and value while maximising guest safety. Flexible check-in, anytime breakfast, and mobile payment methods are just some of the services offered.
dusitD2 Hua Hin, which officially opens on 16 July 2021, is Dusit’s third hotel in Hua Hin. The renowned Dusit Thani Hua Hin, a deluxe beachside resort, has been operating in the destination for 30 years. Dusit also recently began managing Seapine Recreation Centre, next to Suanson beach. Dusit International’s property portfolio now comprises more than 300 properties, across six brands, in 17 countries worldwide.
“We are delighted to open dusitD2 in Hua Hin and expand our market reach to delight a whole new segment of travellers in this popular seaside destination,” said Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International. “Complementing perfectly the full-service offerings of our long-standing Dusit Thani Hua Hin resort, dusitD2 Hua Hin is ideally positioned to meet the needs of the large drive-to-leisure market from Bangkok. From modern Thai-inspired design and our distinctive gracious hospitality, to pet-friendly rooms, extensive lifestyle facilities, and a great location near popular shopping areas and the main beach, the hotel has all the ingredients for a highly memorable stay. Ultimately, dusitD2 Hua Hin offers excellent value for young families, groups of friends, and even those looking for a comfortable and convenient base to work from anywhere. And all guests can rest assured that, with Dusit, their well-being and safety will always come first.”
To mark its opening, dusitD2 Hua Hin is now offering The Journey has Begun package featuring accommodation in a Deluxe room, breakfast for two adults, an extra bed for children under 18 years old, and 20% food and beverage discount at Cafe Soi and Som Bar.
Available for booking from 16 July 2021 for stay dates through 31 August 2021, the package starts at THB 2,499 net per night. Guests who book to stay two consecutive nights will also receive a southern set dinner for two at Cafe Soi.
Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International
About Dusit International
Established in 1948, Dusit International is a leading hospitality group listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Building on its two core areas of business – Hotels & Resorts and Hospitality Education – the company has expanded its operations over the past four years to comprise five business units. The additional units include Foods, Property Development, and Hospitality-Related Services. Today, the company’s property portfolio comprises more than 300 distinctive hotels, resorts and luxury villas operating under six brands across 17 countries worldwide, as well as two leading hospitality colleges with campuses in Thailand and the Philippines. Following a three-pronged strategy for sustainable growth, including balance, expansion and diversification, the company has recently expanded into food production, on-demand hospitality services, and property development to reach new markets and add further recurring streams of revenue to the company.
Global New Material, a leading company in the global new consumable materials market, gave a ‘big gift’ to its investors before officially listing. On July 9, Global New Material (stock code: 6616) announced an IPO price of HKD3.25, 7.67% lower than the previous IPO floor price. From the investors’ perspective, Global New Material lowering its IPO price from that of the IPO period, in fact, has left more room for market share price appreciation in the future.
High-quality companies prefer low-price offerings in mature capital markets
In mature capital markets, the lower-price offering is an effective strategy for information transmission. Those high-quality companies that are confident in their future business operations prefer the low-price offering strategy with higher market awareness, instead of advertising, extended lock-up period, underwriting by high-reputation investment banks or other approaches to deliver their intrinsic value to the markets.
The low-price offering is not harmful to high-quality companies as the low-price offering will attract more investors and will further lay a solid foundation for their post-listing stock price growth. Continuous growth in stock price and market value is extremely conducive to post-listing financing and therefore, will make up the value that companies give to their investors in IPO.
Besides, the low-price offering strategy is unlikely to be copied by poorer-quality companies. Since poorer-quality companies probably “usher in the peak when they go public” and then experience stock price decline, they will not and dare not purposefully lower their offering price. In fact, Global New Material lowering its IPO price is probably not only for this purpose.
Global New Material is preparing for access to Southbound Trading Link
Low-price offering activates stock trading, which probably demonstrates Global New Material’s preparation for access to Southbound Trading Link. Access to Southbound Trading Link is a very essential step to enhance market attention and activate stock trading of stocks listed in Hong Kong. It is learned from the management that Global New Material, which has just completed its IPO, is currently preparing for access to Southbound Trading Link.
The inclusion of Hang Seng Indexes will affect the inclusion of the Southbound Trading Link. According to the inclusion criteria of Hang Seng Indexes, the turnover rate is also considered in addition to the examination of the companies with the top 95% of the market capitalization in the option pool. Global New Material’s low-price offering strategy can facilitate faster meeting the requirements at the market dealing level.
Global New Material, which is preparing for access to Southbound Trading Link, is expected to experience stock price growth. Aftermarket close on August 20, 2021, the results of the latest mid-term review of Hang Seng Index constituent stocks will be released. As calculated by brokerage firms, the average market value threshold for entry into Hang Seng Composite Index this time is approximately HKD8.77 billion.
Global New Material currently applies an offering price of HKD3.25 with a stock market value of HKD3.779 billion, which is lower than that required for access to Southbound Trading Link. However, the company still strongly desires to make access to Southbound Trading Link, indicating that its management is confident in its future business operations and post-listing stock price performance.
Two new materials are of great potential in huge consumer markets
Both pearlescent pigments and synthetic mica, Global New Material’s two main types of new material products, are of great potential in huge markets in the fields of basic necessities of life and other consumer fields.
Pearlescent pigments are penetrating high-end fields at an expedited pace while replacing traditional pigments. As shown in the prospectus, Global New Material’s pearlescent pigments have two major significant advantages over traditional pigments in terms of being colour-lasting, toxic-free, harmless and environmentally friendly. In addition to traditional application fields, there is a fast-growing demand for pearlescent pigments in recent years in various high-end fields such as automobiles and cosmetics.
From 2021 to 2025, the compound annual growth rate of the global pearlescent pigment market will further climb to 23.9%, and the compound annual growth rate of pearlescent pigments in the global automotive and cosmetics sectors will surprisingly reach 47.1% and 32.8% respectively. Therefore, Global New Material’s pearlescent pigment products are expected to be applied in a wider range of application fields and occupy a huge market share with tremendous potential for future growth.
Synthetic mica is also penetrating mid-to-high-end consumer markets, such as the fairly popular field of fuel cells. In view of the exhaustion of natural mica resources in China and synthetic mica products’ advantages in terms of insulation, high-temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, there is an extremely strong demand for synthetic mica products and synthetic mica-based pearlescent pigments which are priced at a medium-to-high level and are mainly applied in mid-to-high-end industrial fields and other fields such as automobiles and cosmetics.
Moreover, according to scientific research findings, synthetic mica materials are being used to improve the existing fuel cell technology by virtue of their high proton conductivity and excellent heat resistance. The existing product prototype, i.e. mica membrane, is recognized as a new proton-conducting membrane with high proton conductivity.
To sum up, pearlescent pigments and synthetic mica, as two new material products, are of tremendous market potential, and Global New Material, as the leader in the fields of such two new materials, has gained dominant competitive advantages.
Comprehensive advantages cement the dominant position in the fields of the scarcest resources
In both pearlescent pigments and synthetic mica, Global New Material has built significant advantages in technology and business scale. In 2020, in terms of corporate revenue, Global New Material was the largest pearlescent pigment manufacturer in China with a market share of 11% and ranked fourth in the global market with a market share of 3%. Global New Material has sold its products to more than 30 countries and regions worldwide, and its technical team is headed by Professor Jiansheng Fu – known as the leading authority on pearlescent materials in China and father of chameleon pearlescent materials.
According to the prospectus, Global New Material is currently the only company in the field of synthetic mica that possesses all the core technologies of synthetic mica. Backed by strong R&D, Global New Material can launch over 100 new products each year, leading the global industry.
Agilex Biolabs, Australia’s largest and most technologically advanced regulated bioanalytical laboratory for clinical trials today announced that the Premier of South Australia the Hon Steven Marshall MP has launched its new $1.5m vaccine and immuno-biology laboratory. The facility, the most sophisticated in APAC, will attract biotechs and pharma from around the world for advanced clinical research.
Premier of South Australia the Hon Steven Marshall MP has launched Agilex Biolabs’ new $1.5m vaccine and immunobiology laboratory.
Over the past 2 years, Agilex Biolabs has invested more than $3.5m in technology and systems at the APAC headquarters in Adelaide.
Premier of South Australia, Steven Marshall launched the new facility today, thanking Agilex Biolabs for investing in the State and creating jobs in this important sector.
“South Australia is the most liveable city in the country, and the third in the world and investment such as this continues to build on this,” Premier Marshall said.
“This new facility certainly puts South Australia firmly on the global map for high-tech clinical research.”
“We have seen significant advances in vaccines and immunobiology in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and now the Agilex Biolabs’ state-of-the-art facility offers the very latest in technology to support the further development of these new and emerging therapies targeting infections, cancer and genetic conditions.”
Minister for Trade and Investment Stephen Patterson who attended the launch with the Premier said the State Government had an ambitious plan to grow SA’s Health and Medical Industries sector’s contribution to the state’s economy.
“As a government, we’re working collaboratively with industry to more than double the HMI economic contribution to SA from $2.3 billion to $5 billion by 2030.
“South Australia is open for business and at the forefront of world-leading capabilities, bio-tech precincts and an academic research ecosystem that makes it the ideal place to invest and do business.”
Agilex Biolabs CEO Jason Valentine said the new laboratory focuses on new and emerging areas of therapeutic interest, including RNA vaccines, siRNA/miRNA clinical targets and gene therapy studies.
“This new facility adds digital droplet quantitative RT-PCR analysis for RNA, siRNA and miRNA clinical trials, including vaccines and gene therapy trials,” he said.
“We are also installing an EliSPOT/FluoroSPOT multi-spot reader for vaccine studies to enable extrapolation of recall immune responses, which coupled with our state-of-the-art BD FACSymphony 5 laser, 20 color flow cytometer, offers unparalleled sensitivity for immunology and vaccine trials.”
This Agilex Biolabs facility adds to the recent expansion of the small molecule/novel chemical entity laboratory and implementation of the latest 6500+ Sciex LC/MS/MS platforms to enable the development and validation of the highest sensitivity assays in the region for regulated bioanalysis.
The laboratory will be completed in the next few months with international clients already booked to access the advanced technology and scientific excellence.
Agilex Biolabs has more than 130 staff which includes 85 dedicated laboratory staff, and supports client pharma and biotech companies from US, Europe and APAC.
The company offers services for both small molecules and biologics for PK, immunogenicity (PD) and biomarker bioanalysis utilizing the two platforms of LC-MS/MS and Immunoassay.
South Australian clinical research has remained open for business and Agilex Biolabs is a designated essential service so clients can be assured of study continuity.
Agilex Biolabs, Australia’s leading bioanalytical and toxicology laboratory, has more than 24 years’ experience in performing regulated bioanalysis, including quality method development, method validation and sample analysis services. It has successfully supported hundreds of preclinical and clinical trials from around the world where customers choose Australia for the streamlined regulatory process and access to the world’s most attractive R&D rebate of more than 40% on clinical trial work conducted in Australia.
Agilex Biolabs has the leading certifications including OECD GLP Recognition with NATA (Australian Government OECD GLP Compliance monitoring authority) and ISO 17025 Accreditation for global recognition. The company has recently acquired TetraQ biolabs and toxicology, and also expanded its main labs by more than 30% to accommodate biotech demand from APAC and the USA. Watch the new lab video walkthrough at https://youtu.be/WNdPGkdr9FA.
Agilex Biolabs specializes in bioanalysis of small molecules and biologics for PK, immunogenicity, biomarkers and immunological pharmacodynamics assessments utilizing LC-MS/MS, immunoassay (Mesoscale, Gyrolab, Luminex) and flows cytometry (BD FACSymphony A3, 20 color cell analyzer).
Agilex offers pharmacodynamics services that include immunobiology services using the latest state-of-the-art technology to support immunology, cell biology and mode of action assays, including:
Immunophenotyping
Receptor occupancy
Cytokine release assays (whole blood or PBMC stimulation assays) and cytokine/biomarker profiling
PBMC assays and cellular mechanism of action assays
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.”
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.
Fair runs under ‘Inspirational and Motivational Reading’ theme
The 31st HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), begins today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) and closes on 20 July. Running in tandem with the Book Fair are the HKTDC Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo and debut HKTDC World of Snacks.
Together they are welcoming more than 760 exhibitors to deliver a brand-new experience to visitors, with an array of books, leisure activities and tasty treats. Officiating at this morning’s opening ceremony for the long-awaited event were Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, together with Dr Peter K N Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC, and Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC.
Carrie Lam (second from left), Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), together with Dr Peter K N Lam (second from right), Chairman of the HKTDC, Edward Yau (left), Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR, and Margaret Fong (right), Executive Director of the HKTDC, joined other guests at this morning’s opening ceremony for the long-awaited 31st HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair.After attending this morning’s opening ceremony, Dr Peter K N Lam (second from right), Chairman of the HKTDC, visited the Children’s Paradise, Art Gallery and other zones at the Book Fair together with Margaret Fong (right), Executive Director of the HKTDC, and Benjamin Chau (second from left), Deputy Executive Director of HKTDC.Hong Kong literature lovers have been eagerly awaiting the opening of the Book Fair in the hope of buying their favourite books and discovering new reading adventures.
This year’s fair has the theme “Inspirational and Motivational Reading” with the tagline “Reading the World – Inspiring the Mind and Refreshing the Soul”. Benjamin Chau, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director, said: “After being rescheduled twice amid the volatility of the pandemic, we are delighted that the Hong Kong Book Fair can finally begin today. The HKTDC, publishers and the general public are unanimous in their desire for large-scale physical exhibitions such as this to return. The Book Fair presents a wide array of cultural activities, including the Eight Seminar Series and thematic exhibitions at the Art Gallery, that Hong Kong’s booklovers have been yearning for. Along with the Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo and the new World of Snacks, visitors can enjoy a wide range of literary events, sports and leisure products and activities, and indulge in popular snacks from across the globe.”
Thematic exhibitions aim at nourishing minds
Aligning with this year’s Book Fair theme, the HKTDC is showcasing a thematic exhibition, titled “Words to Warm the Heart”, at the Art Gallery. The exhibition introduces a number of inspirational authors and some of their selected works, including (in no particular order) A Nong, Cheng Kok-kong, Lee Chack-fan, Philemon Choi, Wu Yin-ching, Shirley Loo, Agnes Chan, Joseph Sung, Su Hei and Rap Chan. Precious memorabilia from the authors are on display, including manuscripts, artworks and souvenirs, giving readers a deeper appreciation of the writers’ creative journeys from different perspectives and encouraging them to seek out books that can motivate and inspire.
The Theme of the Year: “Inspiring the Mind and Refreshing the Soul” Seminar Series features leading inspirational authors to share their insights on creative writing with visitors. Lee Chack-fan examined “Seize the Day for Peace of Mind – Growth of Mankind amid Pandemic and Disaster” earlier today (14 July), sharing his thoughts on how to live a more valuable life. Agnes Chan will share on effective parenting methods in the seminar “Nurture Outstanding Children with Honesty, Courage and Kindness” tomorrow (15 July), while Joseph Sung will discuss his outlook on life by comparing it to football in the seminar “Football Life” via video conferencing (17 July).
Children’s Paradise, the classic Hong Kong children’s magazine, summed up the essence of childhood. It was first published in the 1950s and went on to become the city’s longest-lasting kids’ publication, growing together with generations of local children. The Cherished Memories of the Children’s Paradise exhibition displays various items, such as illustrations, authentic works by Lo Koon-chiu (former Chief Editor of the magazine) and the very first issue of the publication. Cheung Chun-wah, former director of Children’s Paradise, will talk about his relationship with the magazine at a seminar titled “Sentiments in Writing”.
Another exhibition, “The Dragon Never Dies – Bruce Lee @80”, organised with the support of the Bruce Lee Club, brings together Bruce Lee memorabilia from collectors, such as portraits, movie tickets, precious photographs and stamps, to pay tribute to the kung fu star. Wong Yiu-keung, Chairman of the Bruce Lee Club, movie director Alex Cheung and collector Ng Kwai-lung will speak at the seminar “Their Bruce Lee Stories” (17 July), giving participants the chance to revisit some of the legendary kung fu star’s most iconic moments.
Eight Seminar Series promotes broad range of literature
The Eight Seminar Series returns to the Book Fair in 2021, continuing to promote the joy of reading by exposing readers to authors and works from a diverse range of literary genres. In addition to the “Inspiring the Mind and Refreshing the Soul” Seminar Series mentioned above, the Renowned Writers Seminar Series, co-organised with Mingpao and Yazhou Zhoukan, features a selection of acclaimed writers who will speak at seminars in person or via video.
The speakers in this seminar series include Fan Jinshi, known as the “Daugter of Dunhuang”; Gu Chunfang, professor at the Peking University School of Arts and co-author of “Dunhuang is Where My Heart Belongs: Biography of Fan Jinshi”; Liang Hong, professor at the School of Liberal Arts, Renmin University of China; Shuang Xuetao, the first Mainland Chinese author awarded the Taipei Literature Award; Wei Hui, a contemporary author from Mainland China; acclaimed novelist Ping Lu from Taiwan; Cheng Pei-kai, founder of the Chinese Civilisation Centre at the City University of Hong Kong; Louis Ng, Museum Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum; Xu Zidong, author of Reading Eileen Chang; Ronald Soong, Eileen Chang’s estate executor; and Zhou Jieru, Chief Editor of Hong Kong Literary. The seminars will enable authors to communicate with booklovers in a more direct and meaningful way.
With the support of Book Depository, an international online bookstore, the English and International Reading Series invites renowned authors from around the globe to share their creative experiences. The line-up features Heather Morris, the New Zealand author who has sold more than 7 million copies of her novels worldwide; renowned British broadcaster and writer Jeremy Vine; New York Times bestselling author of young adult novels Brigid Kemmerer; fantasy and graphic novel maestro Neil Gaiman; sinologist and Professor of Modern Chinese History and Literature at the University of London Julia Lovell; Co-director of Proverse Hong Kong, a local independent publisher, Gillian Bickley; editor of the Asian Review of Books Peter Gordon; former president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Juan Jose Morales; and experienced Mainland China-focused journalist and writer Mark O’Neill. Members of the public can broaden their horizons by immersing themselves in the diverse range of topics covered in these seminars.
Other seminar series at the Book Fair include World of Knowledge, Children and Youth Reading, Spiritual Growth and Personal Development, Lifestyle and the Hong Kong Cultural and Historical Seminar Series, catering to the diverse tastes of readers from all age groups. Visit https://hkbookfair.hktdc.com/en/Events/Event-Schedule.html for full details of the Eight Seminar Series.
Thematic zones cater to booklovers’ needs
As a cultural exchange platform, the Hong Kong Book Fair helps take booklovers on a global literary journey. The fair features numerous thematic zones, including Mainland China Publishers, General Books Pavilion, University Press Square, Spirituality Zone, Children’s Paradise, e-Books & e-Learning Resources and more, all of which offer quality publications from around the world that allow visitors to gain more exposure to the works of different genres from different regions. This year, two newly added zones, Back to School and Virtual Classroom, present various educational materials and instruction methods that add fun to the learning process.
Emerging sports featured at Sports and Leisure Expo
This year’s Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo delivers a full programme that offers numerous sporting and leisure experiences. In addition to existing thematic zones such as Sports Hub, Fun & Play, Outdoor Adventure and Handicraft Market, the expo features two new zones, namely Refresh & Relax and Travel. Excursion, which showcase exciting outdoors activities such as diving, rock climbing and stand-up paddleboarding. A range of free trials will be offered at the expo, including dodgebee and pickleball. There will also be demonstration sessions include dragon dancing, Brazilian jiu jitsu and capoeira, freestyle football and speed stacking. Visitors who prefer more sedentary pursuits can participate in activities such as photography workshops and table-top games. In addition, rugby sevens players Salom Yiu and Sham Wai-sum, freestyle football player Tony Ma and other Hong Kong sports stars will take part in a series of celebrity-sharing sessions and performances.
The Japan Pavilion returns this year on the fifth floor. Exhibitors from nine cities and prefectures, including Hyogo, Okinawa, Kagoshima, Shikoku and new exhibitors Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Kagawa and Oita, are teaming up with Kadokawa Hong Kong Limited from the KADOKAWA CORPORATION to showcase Japanese culture and entertainment hotspots.
Debut World of Snacks presents global selection of treats
In Hall 5, the new World of Snacks features six thematic zones – Travel Delights, Chocolate and Sweet Factory, Oldie Snacks, Yummy & Healthy, Party Time and Snack Bar – bringing together more than 1,000 popular treats from across the globe. International snacks on offer include Taiwanese pineapple cakes, Finnish organic bulletproof coffee, Bien Jamon Iberico ham, quality Cheesepop from Holland and more. Meanwhile, Oldie Snacks offers vegan fruit gummies, crispy peanuts with fresh shrimp roe in black truffle flavour, hand-crafted nougat and a host of other options. Exciting activities are open to all visitors including the lollipop bouquet, handmade rock candies and taro pastry workshops.
Two citywide campaigns – Cultural July and Cultural Journey Online
In addition to hosting the one-week Book Fair, the HKTDC is also collaborating with numerous cultural and educational institutions, libraries, museums, shopping malls and cafes to organise a broad range of cultural events running from late June to end of July as part of the Cultural July – Joyful Summer Reading citywide campaign. What’s more, the Cultural Journey Online webpage is now available on the Book Fair website, showcasing different e-reading resources, museum exhibitions and seminars offered by partners. Users can broaden their horizons and gain new knowledge at any time, whether its online or offline.
Incentive campaign and enhanced on-site hygiene measures
The HKTDC has engaged a number of exhibitors to offer various incentives to visitors who have been vaccinated, including discounts, giveaways and cash vouchers. Additionally, the HKTDC is offering 35,000 free admissions to people who have been vaccinated (having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine). Free admission is being offered in limited quotas before 12 noon on every day of the fair to encourage the public to visit at non-peak hours. Members of the public can present their COVID-19 vaccination records (including an electronic vaccination record saved in the iAM Smart, eHealth or LeaveHomeSafe apps or a paper vaccination record) at the designated lanes. Free admission is given on a first-come-first-served basis while quotas last. There will be 10,000 free admissions available each day for the first two days of the fair (14-15 July), and 3,000 each day for the rest of the fair period (16-20 July). More details can be found on the Book Fair website or mobile app: https://hkbookfair.hktdc.com/en/Visitor/Vaccination-Incentive-Campaign.html.
The well-being and safety of exhibitors and visitors is the top priority at the Book Fair. Various measures will be put in place to protect people against the pandemic, including requiring everyone entering and staying in the fairground to wear a mask, setting up temperature-screening stations, providing hand sanitiser at multiple locations around the venue, and stepping up the cleaning and disinfection of exhibitors’ booths and the venue itself. To spread the flow of visitors and encourage the public to visit the fair during non-peak hours, in addition to offering morning admission tickets, the HKTDC has introduced night admission tickets as well as the special re-entry promotion. Physical ticket sales are not available at the fairground to avoid the use of cash and minimise contact. Visitors can pay with their Octopus cards at the entrance toll booths to gain entry.
The HKTDC Education & Careers Expo will be held at the HKCEC from 15 to 18 July, running in parallel with the Book Fair. Youngsters and jobseekers can access the latest useful information on education and career opportunities for their life planning at this one-stop event. Admission to the expo is free of charge.
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 trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn
Media enquiries:
HKTDC Communication & Public Affairs Department
Plato Technologies Inc., the provider of the industry-leading blockchain intelligence platform Plato, will offer the newly created W3 Protocol & Blockchain Registry using the Butterfly Protocol. Butterfly is a premiere creation platform for new blockchain top-level domains and offers tools to build out domains for the decentralized internet and Web 3.0.
The partnership has created a separate operating entity PlatoW3, Inc. to facilitate the governance, financing and operations of the initiative. W3 Domains will be offered exclusively through Plato to seamlessly interact with the secured data Plato generates. In addition, Plato will offer integrated packages that include data access, dApp hosting, decentralized web-spaces and mesh networks.
Blockchain domains are rapidly gaining acceptance as the world moves toward Web 3.0 with a growing decentralized internet and distributed computing environment. Advances in technologies like 5G, satellite-provided internet, and edge computing are changing the way data is delivered. In addition, file storage is improving with hybrid cloud and local nodes providing a more robust infrastructure to handle data-driven societies’ demands.
The benefits of blockchain domains also extend to allowing better control by the data owner and a censor-resistant environment that takes power out of the hands of centralized parties and gives it to the creators and owners of the content. There is increasing demand for continued access to data driven content that governments and private enterprises may otherwise block. PlatoW3 will provide solutions that harness the power of Web3 environments
“Multi-layer integrations supporting the W3 Registry will create new ways for the community to benefit from our integrated intelligence,” said Bryan Feinberg, Founder and CEO of Plato Technologies.
Dana Farbo, the lead strategist with Butterfly Protocol, stated that “with the addition of W3 as a blockchain domain system, Plato will share the open-source tools created at Butterfly to bring a new level of utilization of the decentralized web.”
Plato is an open intelligence repository and data platform that unlocks the power of Vertical Search in a highly scalable and immersive way. The platform is designed to provide an ultra-safe and secure environment to consume sector-specific real-time data intelligence across the Web3 Universe.
Butterfly Protocol is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) that aims to replace the Domain Name System (DNS) system and change the economics of domain ownership.
Press Contact:
Bryan Feinberg CEO
Plato Data Intelligence
144 E 44th Street
New York NY 10017 zephyr@platodata.io
Trintech Announces Robust Transaction Matching Feature in a Solution Built and Priced Specifically for Mid-Market Businesses
Trintech, a leading global provider of integrated Record to Report software solutions for the Office of Finance, today announced a new automated multi-way transaction matching feature in its Adra Suite to help mid-market organizations save time and reduce risk in the transaction matching process.
With this new automated multi-way matching feature, customers can set up match scenarios and deploy intelligent rules to automatically review one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many matches.
“As companies continue to grow, expand and adapt, specifically companies in the eCommerce and restaurant industries, they begin to realize that a manual multi-way matching process cannot effectively scale to handle reconciling new sources and higher volumes of data,” said Darren Heffernan, President, Mid-Market at Trintech. “With our robust matching engine that is not typically found in a solution designed and priced for the mid-market, matching can happen daily, so transactions don’t accumulate at month-end when you need time for higher-value tasks like analysis and reporting.”
With Adra, matching transactions with bank statements, credit card statements, point of sale, merchant, 3rd party delivery services, and other external sources happen in a fraction of the time that manual spreadsheet or paper-based processes take, allowing F&A teams more time to spend on unmatched transaction exceptions – improving the accuracy and reliability of your close.
“The time savings isn’t just during the close process, we also see it from a day-to-day perspective,” said Shelly Traylor, Sr. Treasury Analyst at Torchy’s Tacos. “We are no longer spending time manually matching accounts because we now let Adra do the matching automatically so we can spend our valuable time focused on the exceptions.”
Just some of the benefits finance & accounting departments will gain include:
– Focus only on exceptions to start your day
– Utilize automated multi-way matching (3-way, 4-way, etc.) that scales with business growth
– Save time by continuously processing transactions so they don’t pile up
– Effortlessly import new data types and sources
– Record all activities in an audit-ready format
– Illuminate potential mismatches and generate exception reports that mitigate risk
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.
On July 8-9, 2021, Richard Li, the President of Legend Capital, attended the 10th Private Equity Investment Summit Forum held by Noah Holdings and delivered a speech on the topic of technological innovation, sharing his views on information technology, biotechnology and new energy, as well as the long-term prospects.
Major technological innovations and breakthroughs are taking place in vertical markets in the era of technology. In addition, the 14th Five-Year Plan and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 pointed out that it is necessary to improve the national innovation system to strengthen scientific and technological capabilities. Driven by favorable national policies, technology investment has great potentials. As an investment institution, Legend Capital will continue to focus on technological innovation in the next two decades.
Richard Li, the President of Legend Capital, said:
“From my point of view, the development, breakthroughs and aggregation of new technologies in different vertical fields are jointly promoting the rapid development of various industries. In addition, policy support has increased, and the revitalization of the country with science and technology has risen to national strategic importance. When Legend Capital looks for investment targets, in addition to technological innovation, it is also very important to identify application and value creation under various scenarios.”
Legend Capital focuses on information technology, biotechnology and new energy, and believes that there are great investment opportunities within each of these innovation driven areas.
In the aspect of information technology, the intergenerational improvement of computing power promotes the exponential change in information technology. General artificial intelligence will be integrated with neuro-science to realize human-computer dialogue. Factors such as the ubiquitous integration of computing and communication power will accelerate the rapid development of artificial intelligence in the future.
As for energy technology, new energy will trigger a new round of energy revolution. China must adopt technology-driven means to achieve the goals of “carbon peak” and “carbon neutrality.”
In addition, synthetic biotechnology will lead to new production modes. As biotechnology and information technology are merging rapidly, substances, no matter whether they exist in nature or not, could be generated by means of combining biotechnological advancement and data-driven artificial intelligence prowess on the back of surging computing power. In the future, synthetic biotechnology would enable production through biological manufacturing in a carbon-free or low-carbon way.
Legend Capital focuses on the integration of diversified technologies to accelerate the development of all scientific and technological scenarios. Its investment covers cloud service, network security, health care, innovative consumption, etc., and includes cases like Bilibili (NASDAQ: BILI), Zuoyebang, Wish (NASDAQ: WISH), Galaxy, Pony,AI, Huice, etc.
The core business of Legend Capital is early-stage Venture Capital and expansion-stage Growth Capital investment. Legend Capital is now managing USD and RMB funds with a total AUM of US$8bn, and focuses on innovative and growth enterprises with operations in China or related to China. By 2021, Legend Capital has invested in over 500 companies, of which more than 90 companies are successfully listed domestically or overseas, and over 70 companies achieved exit through M&A.
